ABQJOURNAL BIZ: Around New Mexico

Friday, July 30, 2010

Around New Mexico

Journal Wire Reports
          Cruces CofC Head To Leave Aug. 31
        LAS CRUCES — The president and CEO of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce for nearly six years will soon be on to "new and exciting things."
        The chamber announced this week that Jim Berry will retire as of Aug. 31.
        "I've kind of accomplished (the) major things I wanted to," Berry said. "I'm going to try to stay here. I really want find something new and exciting."
        Kiel Hoffman, chair of the chamber's board of directors, said that the organization has already taken the preliminary steps to look for a replacement.
        San Juan Panel OKs 2011 Budget
        AZTEC — The San Juan County Commission this week approved a final draft of its 2010-2011 fiscal year budget, which cuts spending by 5.6 percent despite projections of county revenue falling by 10 percent through the year.
        San Juan County has budgeted $151.5 million in spending for county services, programs and savings funds.
        Revenues for the year are estimated at $107.7 million.
        The $43.8 million difference between spending and projected revenues is paid by state and federal grant programs, County Executive Officer Keith Johns said, leaving the budget balanced.
        Police in Cruces Warn of Solicitors
        LAS CRUCES — Las Cruces police say residents of a neighborhood are reporting a pair of door-to-door solicitors claiming to represent a home security business and asking in-depth questions about people's current alarm or security systems.
        Police in the southern New Mexico city believe the men are trying to gather information to use for illegal purposes, based on the questions they're asking and their confrontational approach.
        Homeowners have reported the men become argumentative when the homeowners refuse to talk with them.
        Las Cruces police say residents should not provide personal and financial information to door-to-door solicitors or anyone who arrives at the doorstep uninvited.
        HIghlands To Offer Software Degrees
        LAS VEGAS, N.M. — New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas is offering new bachelor's and master's degrees in software development.
        The program begins this fall.
        The dean of the School of Business at the northern New Mexico school, Margaret Young, says students will graduate with significant hands-on experience in software development.
        Management information systems professor David West says students would be ready to enter the work force at a journeyman software developer level rather than the entry level.
        He says they will have work experience and a portfolio of successful projects.
        Students will work as paid apprentice software developers with professional master software developers who will act as mentors.
        Young says the School of Business has done market studies showing a demand for a software development degree program.

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