Stories
Rains didn’t dampen event
National Night Out forges neighborhood ties to prevent crime
At 2:30 in the afternoon, the swollen skies unleashed the rain, but organizers at the National Night Out (NNO) sat prepared with umbrellas and pop-up awnings at Green Valley Park. Still, the weather brought back memories of last year’s canceled event. Some drenched families quickly packed up coolers and camp chairs and scurried off to cars. A line of vehicles waited to turn onto Main Street to take their occupants out of the rain.
Colleges boost economy
Studies suggest ASU campus will have huge impact
A 6,000-student Arizona State University campus in Payson would likely have an economic impact on Rim Country of $100 million to $150 million annually, based on studies of the impact of other colleges. College campuses can have enormous economic benefits — both direct and indirect, according to studies of campuses elsewhere.
Community Almanac
The Payson Education Center, an accredited alternative high school, is now enrolling students for the 2011-2012 school year. PEC serves students in grades 9 through 12 in Payson and the surrounding areas.
Thanks to those who helped with annual roundup
Our 18th annual AA Roundup was held this past weekend at the Payson Event Center. We would like to thank the town of Payson and all our sponsors for their generous donations.
Be careful what you wish for
In response to Jeff Durbin’s letter regarding the separation, or more accurately, in his opinion, the lack thereof, of church and state.
Someone else could have sabotaged man’s computer
Do you know how porn gets on your computer? If you do a Google search and porn sites come up in suggested sites, it shows on a register.
College decision is unfair to seniors
Gila college really has done a great injustice to the seniors of Payson. I have participated as a student for years in one of the classes. Yes for years we have received free classes.
Forest Service shouldn’t be allowed to just say anything
Payson Roundup, July 29th, “USFS has advised Payson it may want biologists to do additional studies on the impact of the Blue Ridge pipeline on several wildlife species that aren’t yet listed”? You can’t get much more nebulous than that!
Tea Party Republicans give reader a voice in Washington
Regarding the letter by Wendy Trainor, I take issue with almost every point in her letter.
Can coaches be impartial when their child is on the team?
Be it baseball, football, volleyball, etc., Payson loves its sports! Our kids wait all year to play their favorite sport, dedicating huge time and energy.
Better maintenance of Young Road wanted
There is a Web site, “FS512 Desert to the tall pines,” which explains that most of the residents of Young are not in favor of paving the FS512, the road which leads to SR260.
Clarification on the Benjamin easement
After hearing on the radio that my family’s business is for sale and that we are unwilling to cooperate with the town of Star Valley regarding an easement across our land for the purpose of a water pipeline, we are forced to defend our position once again.
Do not wait for disaster
What fools! How can people be so blind? That judgment comes easily standing in the shambles of disaster. How could Japan line up all those nuclear reactors on a tidal-wave-prone stretch of coast? How could New Orleans gamble so mindlessly on levees as the fill on which it was built subsided? And how could the forested communities of Rim Country have paid so little attention to the risk of a roaring crown fire?
Medical marijuana debate is not over yet
Just when we thought all the controversy with medical marijuana was over, Gov. Jan Brewer and Arizona Attorney General Tom Horne sued the U. S. Department of Justice to render a decision on the possibility of state employees being subject to arrest for overseeing and allowing the sale of marijuana for medical purposes.
It is important to maintain momentum
The saying goes, “If you’re coasting, you’re either losing momentum or else you’re headed downhill.” As we begin the journey of a new school year, I am very encouraged that we are heading into the first week of school, not coasting, but with new momentum. I’m optimistic by nature, but there is real evidence, not just my own rosy glasses, to support my prediction that we have the forward motion necessary to have an excellent 2011-12.
Featured Teacher: Jadee Garner
Bachelors of Science in Agricultural Education w/Minor in Animal Science from the University of Arizona, class of 2010. Working on graduate courses, currently have 15 credits toward my Masters in Agricultural Education.
A program with horse sense
High school program combines science and hands-on experience to prepare students for animal science jobs
Standing in the new agricultural building on the Payson High School campus, Jadee Garner could easily be mistaken for a senior. Tall and slim, she wears her hair in a ponytail with two daisy flower pins jauntily placed behind her ear. Her voice sounds younger than her years, but she runs her classroom with direction and creativity, winning Outstanding First-year Teacher awards from both Gila County and the Arizona Agriculture Teachers Association.
Grandparents face mounting challenges
The number raising grandchildren has jumped 40 percent since 2006, but help has evaporated
The number of people struggling to raise their grandchildren has skyrocketed, but a fresh round of budget cuts this year has shut down programs that used to help them, according to a June analysis by the Morrison Institute for Public Policy.
Groups protest backdoor repeal of host of environmental laws
Riders attached to unrelated bills would strip protections for Colorado River, Rim Country wilderness areas and endangered species
In the midst of the budget gridlock, Republican lawmakers have slipped a host of “riders” to prevent the enforcement of environmental laws into unrelated budget bills — spurring an outcry by many Arizona environmental groups.
ADOT’s five-year plan — no big changes on local highways
Arizona Department of Transportation’s (ADOT) five-year road plan offers only minor solutions to fix major problems in northern Gila County, say officials.
Social Security questions and answers
How can I estimate my retirement benefit at several different ages?
The safety net for aged, blind, disabled people with limited income, resources
There’s a safety net out there for those who might otherwise slip through the cracks. It’s called Supplemental Security Income (SSI). Administered by Social Security, SSI makes payments to people with limited income and few resources who are age 65 or older, blind, or have a disability. Funding for the SSI program comes from the general revenues of the U.S. Treasury, not from Social Security payroll taxes.
Be sure to get to library for last week of show
If you have not yet visited Key Ingredients: America by Food, the traveling exhibition co-presented by the Smithsonian Institution and the Arizona Humanities Council at Payson Public Library, 328 N. McLane Road, you still have the opportunity to see it before it closes Aug. 7.
District maps approved
Committee punts political football to supervisors
The committee charged with drawing up new district boundaries for the board of supervisors decided on Friday to toss the smoking political ember back into the laps of the supervisors. The Redistricting Committee on July 29 voted to submit six maps to supervisors without ranking their preferences, three each for the community college and supervisorial districts.
Thinning saved 100s of homes
Wallow Fire underscored danger facing Rim Country
Five years worth of sometimes-controversial tree thinning projects saved hundreds of homes in Alpine, Springerville and Greer from the ravages of the Wallow Fire, a just-released Forest Service report has concluded.
Most thinning projects not near threatened homes
Study finds only 11 percent of the billions spent on forest fuel reduction projects protect fire-menaced communities
Only a paltry 11 percent of the money the U.S. Forest Service has spent on thinning projects in the past five years has gone to protect the most endangered communities, according to a national study by researchers from the University of Colorado at Boulder.
State redistricting committee quickly spawns debate
The independent commission charged with drawing up new districts for state and federal lawmakers in Arizona hasn’t produced a single map yet — but has generated plenty of controversy. Rim Country advocates have already started campaigning against a plan that could split the county in two. Instead, they want to keep the sprawling state District 5 mostly intact but add to it the Verde Valley.
Cards’ camp gets high praise by top media
A Sports Illustrated writer once called the Arizona Cardinals’ training camp at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff one of “My top five training camps — places to get up close and personal with NFL players.” ESPN.com later recognized the Cards’ training camp as the best in the NFC West. ESPN said, “There’s something special about going away to camp if the venue is right.
Payson anglers struggle, but AZ team wins finals
A middle of the pack finish wasn’t what Kyle Randall and Cameron Geske had their sights set on when the duo qualified for the National High School Fishing World Finals. But the Payson teens can take solace in the knowledge it was a pair of their Every Kid Counts Arizona Bass Busters teammates who won the tournament championship.
Fall sports practices kick off
Football preseason practices kicked off in earnest yesterday, Aug. 1, and preparations in the sports of boys and girls soccer and cross country begin Aug. 8. Volleyball tips off Aug. 4 with the pre-tryout camp in Wilson Dome and the old gym. With the onset of games just over the horizon, a common theme running through the pleadings of all coaches is for team hopefuls to have physical exams completed and all paperwork turned into the high school office before the onset of the first practice.
Plenty of Cardinals’ camp practices to enjoy
With the NFL lockout finally over, the stream of Rim Country football fans that traditionally make annual pilgrimages north on Beeline to the Cardinals’ preseason football Mecca in Flagstaff will resume. That means the gridiron faithful will have plenty of opportunities to see up close and personal their favorite Card players who those fans are hoping will help return Arizona to the Super Bowl after a dismal 5-12 season in 2010.
August is blackberry time in Rim Country
The first week of August is the time to start picking blackberries from your favorite patch. Residents who have picked in previous years know when to make that first trip with bucket in hand. Most major drainages, which originate at the base of the Rim, will have ample water and at least a few patches of blackberries.
Recreation Roundup
This league offers youth the opportunity to learn athletic skills and football knowledge in a fun, safe educational setting.
Clubs and Organizations
The Payson Children’s Theater/ Choral Group will begin its new season Tuesday, Aug. 2. It meets at Ponderosa Bible Church, 1800 N. Beeline Highway, from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. every Tuesday. The Choir only has practice when school is in session. The group is for those 6 to 12 years in age.
