Roswell Daily Record
Al Solis named RPD Chief
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County law enforcement personnel and local officials gave warm welcome to city staf f’s announcement Wednesday naming Al Solis Roswell’s newest top police commander. City Manager Larry Fry announced his decision at the Roswell Police Department to hire Solis as the department’s incoming chief. Solis is currently the administrator of the Chaves County Detention Center, following decades of service in the U.S. Marshals Office. He will be officially sworn in on Jan. 14. “As always, when there’s a change of command ... or when there’s a new boss there’s always apprehension,” said Solis, addressing members of the RPD. “Give me a chance and I hope in time I will ear n your respect.” The incoming chief also made a commitment to residents to crack down on
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January 6, 2011
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crime and focus attention on property offenses and drug addiction. “Keep in mind that no matter what people say this is a safe city,” he said. “But, I promise you that I will work harder to make it a safer city.” Fry’s decision comes after more than a month of searching for the new commander needed to replace Interim Chief Dennis Kintigh, who took the role on a temporary basis. “This has been ... a challenging process because there were a number of very worthy candidates,” said Fry, who made finding a new chief one of his top priorities since being appointed city manager in October. “I’m very confident in that the decision that he has made is the best decision,” said Mayor Del Jurney. “(It’s) another really positive day for the city of Roswell.” Among other candidates who applied for the position
Mark Wilson Photo
Interim Roswell Police Chief Dennis Kintigh, right, greets Al Solis who was announced Wednesday as the new chief during a press conference held at the Roswell Police Department. Solis will officially assume duties on January 14.
was the department’s second in command, Deputy Chief Jody Scifres. He was the only current RPD officer to apply for the position.
“Jody is 110 percent police officer ... (and) he is a huge part of this department,” Kintigh said. “I can’t say enough good things
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MICHIGAN FIRES RODRIGUEZ ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Michigan hired Rich Rodriguez to take college football’s winningest program to another level. He did just that, and it cost him his job.
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about Jody Scifres and he and Al Solis are going to be an incredible team for this city and this department.”
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mattarco@roswell-record.com
WASHINGTON (AP) — Claiming power beneath the Capitol dome, resurgent Republicans gained control of the House of Representatives on Wednesday as the 112th Congress convened in an era of economic uncertainty. Dozens of tea partybacked lawmakers took office in both houses, eager to cut spending and reduce government’s reach. “The people voted to end business as usual, and today we begin carrying out their instructions,” said newly elected House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, replacing Democrat Nancy Pelosi and transfor med instantly into the nation’s most powerful Republican in a new era of divided government. Both the House and the Senate convened at the
Incumbent VP of School Pearce sworn in Board running for re-election House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio administers the House oath to Rep. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., during a mock swearing-in ceremony on Capitol Hill in Washington, on Wednesday
EMILY RUSSO MILLER RECORD STAFF WRITER
T h e i n c um b en t v i c e president of the Roswell Independent School District School Board is runn i n g f o r r e - e le c ti o n i n what is expected to be a tightly contested race. G e o rg e P e t e rs o n , 4 0 , w i ll b e up ag a i n st C i ty C o un c i l or Ba r ry Fo s t er and for mer state House R e pr e se n t at i v e P a u li n e Ponce to represent southe r n a n d s o u t he a st e r n Roswell in District 4. “Anytime you go into an election, you’re worried about it,” Peterson said w h en as k ed ab o u t h is c o mp e ti t i o n. H e a d d ed t h at e v e ry v o te c o u n t s when voter turnout is low, as it usually is in school board elections. Peterson, who served in the U.S. Air Force from 1990 through 1994, was first elected to the school b o ar d i n 2 00 7 . H e ra n unopposed since his predecessor, two-term incumb e nt A l b er t i na S i l va , declined to throw her hat into the ring. D u r i n g h i s fo u r y e a r ter m, Peterson has spoken out against budget cuts and promises to keep fighting for financing from the state if elected again. “I would like to see the
state fund us like they are supposed to,” he said. H e a l s o p r o mi se d t o push for better security in schools by adding more cameras. “ T he p r i n ci pa l s a n d teachers would be able to monitor who comes in the building better,” he said. P e t e r s o n h im s el f i s a p r o d u c t of t h e R o s w e ll public school system. He attended Pecos Elementary and Mountain View Middle School and graduated fr om Roswell High School in 1989. He also h as t a ke n c la s se s a t ENMU-R. He has been a water production operator for the city for the past seven years, though he briefly was employed by the State Highway Department as a highway maintainer. P r e vi ou s ly h e ha s served as president of the Lea gu e of Un i t e d La t i n American Citizens-Council 8 05 1 an d th e U ti l i t y Workers Union of America, AFL-CIO Local 51, City o f R o sw e ll B lu e C o l la r Employees. Peterson is no stranger to politics— he has run in t hr e e r a ce s in th e pa s t eight years. In 2002, he ran for a vacated county commissioner seat as a Republican in a four-way race, but lost to Democrat
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Roswell and the greater southern New Mexico’s newest congressional delegate was sworn into office Wednesday. Rep. Steve Pearce, R-N.M., returned to Washington, D.C., after serving as the state’s 2nd District’s representative from 2002 to 2008. The lawmaker says he plans to focus his attention on job creation in the state. “We have to create the discussion on jobs and why jobs are not being created,” he said.” Pearce will serve on the House Committee on Financial Services.
Courtesy Photo
George Peterson, VP of the RISD School Board, is running for re-election.
M i c h a e l T r u j i ll o . T w o years later, running as a Libertarian, he was bested b y R ep u b l ic a n C an d y Spence Ezzell for the state House District 58 seat. He g u n ne d fo r th e s ta t e House position once more i n 2 00 8 , th is t im e a s a Democrat, but Rep. Ezzell maintained her seat by roughly 1,500 votes. The RISD school board is a nonpartisan organization and elections will be held Feb.1. For informat io n o n p o l l i n g pl a c e s , contact the Chaves County Clerk’s of fice at 6246614. emiller@roswell-record.com
Private-payroll report lifts hopes for more jobs WASHINGTON (AP) — Companies added nearly 300,000 jobs in December, according to an unofficial count by a private payroll firm — more than in any month in the past decade. The news raised hopes that the gover nment’s of ficial report Friday on last month’s job creation could be a blockbuster. While there were reasons to doubt the numbers, the report from Automatic Data Processing, and another showing strength in the nation’s service industries, reversed what was shaping up to be an ugly day on Wall Street. It also
generated optimism that the unemployment rate might finally start to fall. Some economists expressed skepticism about ADP’s monthly figures because they often don’t track the official government employment data. Others said that the report’s estimate of job gains was so high that it at least reinforced evidence that hiring is picking up as employers gain more confidence. Diane Swonk, chief economist at Mesirow Financial, says the ADP numbers suggest the
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