This Southwest Roundup blog is supposed to be weekly, but sometimes its a few weeks between posts.
Thanks to the holidays and that the ENR Southwest print deadline was moved up a week, today's blog is about three weeks overdue. But the good news is that it is jammed-packed with juicy news tidbits. Even better news is that there is so much backlog, there will be another installment Monday Jan. 19.

But before I go any further, apologies must be passed out to Tony Illia, a longtime writer with ENR — and in Nevada before his connection with this magazine — who I neglected to include in the People section of the Jan. 12 print edition. Tony is now the public information officer with the Nevada Department of Transportation.

The guy is a professional and great to work with. He deserved better.

Without further ado, here we go … head ‘em up, move ‘em out!

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Nevada Department of Transportation Names New Public Information Officer

The Nevada Department of Transportation recently named Tony Illia chief spokesman for the Las Vegas valley, as well as the southern part of the state, including Clark, Lincoln, Esmeralda, Mineral and Nye counties. Illia previously served as Las Vegas-based special correspondent for the McGraw-Hill Construction Group, including Engineering News-Record (ENR), Architectural Record, and ENR Southwest, from 2000 to 2014. He had also been a frequent contributor to the Las Vegas Business Press, Las Vegas Review-Journal, and CityLife, among other publications, during the last dozen years. Illia holds a master’s degree in English from the University of Nevada, Reno

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The New Mexico Public Regulation Commission has approved a $53 million transmission line project in Eddy and Lea counties, New Mexico to be completed by Xcel Energy. Part of the Power for the Plains initiative, the new 345-kilovolt capacity will initially operate at 230-kilovolts and will run 40 miles between the new Roadrunner Substation (45 miles southwest of Carlsbad) and the existing Potash Junction Substation (15 miles northeast of Carlsbad). In addition, the company will also be constructing more than 200 miles of distribution feeder lines in Eddy and Lea counties.

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S&ME, Inc., a Raleigh-based engineering, environmental and construction services company purchased Littlejohn, a Nashville-based planning, engineering and environmental design firm that also has a major presence in Phoenix and Las Vegas, in late December. Littlejohn will become a wholly owned subsidiary of S&ME while maintaining its name, services, talented professionals and a presence in each of its current markets. By joining forces they expect to create the leading engineering firm with over 1,100 employees in more than 30 locations across the U.S.

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Habitat for Humanity Las Vegas is set to erect it’s 100th home milestone in partnership with MGM Resorts International and the City of Henderson on Jan. 31. The three-bedroom, 1,250-sq-ft home is the seventh Habitat Las Vegas house sponsored by MGM Resorts and just one of six single-family Habitat homes slated for construction in Henderson’s Pittman region.

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The Greater Las Vegas Association of Realtors announced Michele Caprio as its new CEO.  Caprio will replace the recently retired Nelson Janes after his three year tenure. Caprio will be officially taking the reins on Feb. 1.

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A new pipeline will be constructed in Carlsbad, NM in an effort to increase pressure to the northern part of the city. The pipeline will extend from about New Mexico State University Carlsbad, all along Callaway Drive, then follow East Canal Street before ending at the intersection of North Canal and Prizt streets, according to the project map. The project is expected to be finished by early July. The high pressure loop transmission line will eventually be tied to the Double Eagle Water System, providing an additional water supply to the city in effort to enhance Carlsbad's opportunity for growth.

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ASU's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law’s Building the Future Campaign recently announced it has raised more than $37 million. Part of the campaign funds go to the construction of the $129 million Arizona Center for Law and Society, the new home of the Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law in Downtown Phoenix. Construction on the new building began in July of last year, and is estimated to be ready to house the entering Class of 2016.

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Paul Johnson Drywall Inc., one of the largest drywall contractors in Arizona, is expanding into Nevada, the company’s first office outside of Arizona. Ron “Chip” Brown will be joining the firm’s Las Vegas office as the general superintendent, which will be managed by Lou Eltringham.