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creation of charter schools — publicly funded elementary or secondary schools that are freed from some educational regulations in hopes of allowing them to offer more innovative programs to students. Those wanting to for m a charter school have a choice of going to the
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may have to buy a dictionary just to converse with him.” Smith received a bachelor’s degree from Thomas Edison State College in Trenton, N.J., and a Master of Science in Criminal Justice from Boston University. He is currently working on a doctorate in executive leadership. Judge Eugene De Los Santos administered the oath of office. District Attor ney Janetta Hicks offered some advice. “I was born and raised here in Roswell. It’s a great place to raise a family. ... In fact, we are one big family here in Roswell. It’s something you need to know. Everybody is related to everybody. Everybody is somebody’s uncle or somebody’s cousin.” Jur ney welcomed the new deputy chief to Roswell, saying, “This city is a great community, and I think you will find that the police are a dedicated group of officers.” De Los Santos added his voice to that of the mayor, “I will say that we live in the greatest city in the state ... and we have the best police department in the state.”
commission or their local school district to win approval of their plan. Currently, there are 44 locally approved charters and 40 that were allowed by the commission. The redistricting plan for the commission went through last-minute boundary changes to avoid placing two incumbents — one from Santa Fe and the other from Eagle Nest — in the same district covering north-central New Mexico.
On his own behalf, Smith spoke with modesty and simplicity. His speech was a single sentence: “I will try to do my best to be fair and consistent.” After the ceremony, Fry said that he felt Smith’s previous experience as town administrator would be a plus for the city. Privately Solis commented, “I’m glad to have him on staff. Being from the east, he brings a different perspective to the police department. I think I can learn from him, and he can learn from me too.” Sheriff Rob Coon noted his approval of the chief’s choice. “He (Smith) seems pretty squared away, and I think he’ll be a great addition to the department.” Marshall Decker, Hagerman resident and long-time friend of Smith’s, beamed with pride. “I was the one who got him here. He came to visit me this summer, and I think the community will be pleased with him.” As the group began to disperse, Smith told the Daily Record, “I was here last year on vacation with my family and we just fell in love with the place. It seemed the right time and the right place to make a change, and I want to thank the city of Roswell for presenting me with this opportunity.”
Jessica Palmer Photo
At right, Judge Eugene De Los Santos administers the oath of office to Roswell's new deputy police chief, Philip A. Smith Jr., Friday, as Roswell Police Chief Al Solis, background, looks on.
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Air field, known by its later name as the Walker Air Force Base. The event also coincided with the reunions of the 6th Bomb Wing and 40th Bomb Squadron. On Friday, men from the 6th Bomb Wing and the 40th Bomb Squadron, reminiscing about their time in service, peered into glass cases featuring memorabilia — a map of Hiroshima, a Roswell Ar my Flying School matchbook cover and an Enola Gay book signed by members of the crew — as part of their respective reunions at the museum. The 6th Bomb Wing was established on Dec. 20, 1950, and activated on January 2, 1951, at the Walker AFB. It was equipped with B-29 Superfortress aircraft. The unit consisted of the 24th, 39th and 40th Bomb Squadrons. Harry Biller, a member of the 6th Bomb Wing from 1956 to 1959, said he is amazed at the
growth of Roswell that he’s witnessed as he’s retur ned through the years for reunions. Biller expressed his appreciation for the exhibit and the museum. “The younger generation is going to appreciate it,” he said. The museum opened last fall, with the help of donations. “This really is a grassroots museum,” said Marie Talnack, a member of the Walker Aviation Museum Foundation Board. Fundraising events also helped fund the museum. Last fall, Talnack attended the national reunion for the Air Force Missileers where she met the men from the 579th Strategic Missile Squadron who were responsible for operating and maintaining 12 Atlas missile silos around the greater Roswell area. The men helped the museum receive a grant in November 2010 from the Association of Air Force Missileers to open the exhibit, “Peace Through Strength.”
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Back in 2009, Ragsdale helped bring a concert to Roswell that in turn helped Reflections & Recovery Ministries, an initiative that helps those with addictions recover. Ragsdale is also currently trying to raise funds for the Midway Youth and Family Development Center. Ragsdale said he employs different marketing strategies to get the word out about the Christian music concerts he promotes. He said there are two reasons why he works hard to bring Christian music to Roswell, and why this is his venue of choice to help raise money for charitable causes. “One, it’s something I really believe in,” he said. “Two, that’s what I have most of my experience in. … I believe in the cause and in the power of music.” The 2002 Goddard High School graduate has quite a bit of experience in the
Saturday, September 17, 2011
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out to legislators. But he raised concerns about the lack of progress of the session and also the precarious economic conditions of the state of New Mexico. Still, he was glad Martinez was open to talking to New Mexico lawmakers like himself. “There is a serious need for always having dialogue. We don’t need to agree. We just need to be in a meeting and have a discussion and understand where people are coming from,” Kintigh said. “I always say politics is not the art of compromise, it’s the art of finding common ground.” Kintigh added he was disappointed that House Memorial 2, introduced by Rep. Paul Bandy, R-Aztec, which asks the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to not list the sand dune lizard as an endangered species, or to postpone the listing, was tabled on a party-line vote Thursday. Rep. Candy Spence Ezzell, R-Roswell, also met with the governor in a small group setting on Monday, and expressed concern that House Speaker Ben Lujan stalled the session, she says, to protect his son’s U.S. Congressional seat. Lujan’s son, U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Lujan, is a Democrat representing New Mexico’s Third District. “Speaker Lujan is not dedicated to the general welfare of the state,” Ezzell recalled telling the governor, adding, “Voters of the state of New Mexico need to be aware of how their representatives
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asked to rank the five Constitutional rights that were most important to them. An overwhelming number of students — 31 in a group of about 75 — said the most important freedom for them is the right to bear arms. “If someone assaults you, you’ll be armed,” 10-year -old Brando Delgado reasoned. There were 14 students who felt freedom of speech is the most important right “so that you can be able … to say what you want to say,” explained Alyssa Waldron, 10. The right to protect oneself from cruel and unusual punishment was ranked the highest by three students. Brisa Heacox, 10, said this is the most important right to her “so that you can protect yourself from anything that’s unfair.” “All of these rights are … given to you by the Constitution,” said attorney Barbara Patterson, who helped with the event. “They are all the Bill of Rights.” Fifth-graders at Military Heights Elementary School tackled the promise behind “We the People” with Albuquerque attorney Jennifer Anderson. “Who (are) the people of the United States?” Anderson asked Joyce Wunderlick’s class. “Us!” the students proclaimed. Anderson then explained what “domestic tranquility” as stated in the Preamble means. “In the United States, we don’t want to be at war with ourselves,” she said. Fifth-grader Colin Warren, 10, mentioned Libya and Egypt as examples of
music business. While still in high school, he played Christian music. “That’s how I got really involved in music,” Ragsdale said. After graduating high school, he attended the Calvary Chapel School of Ministry in Albuquerque for one year and then the Vanguard University of Southern California. He completed a degree in business marketing in 2006. Ragsdale said he now loves bringing shows to Roswell through his company, Vida Productions. “I’m really proud of what we’ve been able to do for Roswell,” Ragsdale said. “I believe in the city, and it’s fun to do things I think are beneficial to our community.”
and senators are voting.” Ezzell said a subcommittee of the House Rules Committee is going forward with the impeachment of Public Regulation Commissioner Jerome Block, who is under investigation by the attorney general’s office for possible misuse of a state-issued gasoline card. The committee elected formal federal prosecutor Robert Gorence to handle the investigation, Thursday. On another note, Ezzell said in an interview she was proud to procure an $800 donation from other legislators after she made a presentation on the House floor about the Junior Livestock Sale, currently taking place at the New Mexico State Fair in Albuquerque. Ezzell challenged House members to help the young kids involved in the sale, and nearly $800 was raised within 45 minutes. The House of Representatives broke for recess Friday afternoon, and though there was speculation representatives would reconvene the session around 4 p.m. the same day to hear a proposed redistricting plan by the Democrats, representatives had not reconvened by 6 p.m. The session is only funded for 21 days, and next week is the last chance for legislators to finalize a redistricting plan, as required by law after the decennial census. If they don’t meet that deadline, redistricting will be settled by the courts, which was the case in 2000. j.bergman@roswell-record.com
countries that have recently dealt with internal struggle. Warren aptly used his First Amendment right, a concept not alien to Kiahna Harris, 10. “Everyone has the right to speak out,” Harris asserted. Wunderlick said her class went over the U.S. Constitution before Anderson’s visit. “I hope that (the students) learn more about our freedoms and liberties and how lucky we are to live in the United States,” Wunderlick said. The Constitution Day ceremony at Berrendo Middle School acknowledged two anniversaries — the signing of the U.S. Constitution and the recent 10th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks. The students gathered in the BMS gymnasium and were shown a threeminute video tribute to 9/11. Then, they recited the Preamble to the U.S. Constitution by memory. “I’m … impressed with how so many of you knew the Preamble,” said Kelly Cassels, local attorney and guest speaker for the event. “The reason our country still stands today, after 9/11, is because we were built on a strong foundation.” Cassels then gave a detailed, yet animated account of the history of the U.S. Constitution. He stressed the importance of knowing the bigger picture of what the U.S. Constitution means. “The whole purpose of the Constitution is to limit the power of the government,” Cassels said. “When the government is able to do what the people cannot do, it’s a problem. … The government’s doing things we couldn’t do.”
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