Stories
Payson council opposes gas, electric rate hikes
The Payson Town Council voted unanimously to oppose big rate increases proposed by SemStream and Arizona Public Service. The council called on the Arizona Corporation Commission to reject SemStream’s 26 percent increase in propane rates and APS’s 6 percent increase in electrical rates, both of which would take effect next year. The Payson Town Council voted unanimously to oppose big rate increases proposed by SemStream and Arizona Public Service. The council called on the Arizona Corporation Commission to reject SemStream’s 26 percent increase in propane rates and APS’s 6 percent increase in electrical rates, both of which would take effect next year.
Woods Canyon Lake eagles may colonize Rim Country
Like hardy pioneers, the pair of bald eagles nesting at Woods Canyon Lake seem likely to produce enough offspring to one day colonize the Rim Country, according to eagle biologists. The Woods Canyon pair surprised many experts three years ago by taking over an osprey nest atop a towering snag and starting to crank out eaglets. This year, they added two more offspring to their tally, part of a record crop of young produced by the state’s desert nesting bald eagles. The young produced by the pioneering pair in the past three years should begin looking for nearby nesting territories in the next year or two — including perhaps other Rim Country lakes like Bear Canyon, Willow Springs and Knoll.
Gosar’s Blue Ridge legislation advances
House adopts bill to cut through Blue Ridge pipeline red tape
Congress last week approved House Resolution 489, which Payson hopes will keep the Blue Ridge pipeline project from getting caught in any more bureaucratic crossfires. The legislation would make it clear that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation will play the lead role in overseeing the pipeline project, which passes through two different national forests.
SLE can buy forest land say lawyers
Forest Service lawyers approve Separate Legal Entity’s right to buy 260 acres for a college campus
Payson cleared another hurdle last week in its quest to build a four-year college on 260 acres of land owned by the U.S. Forest Service. Lawyers for the Forest Service approved the Rim Country Educational Alliance Separate Legal Entity (SLE) as an agency qualified to buy the 260 acres on which Payson wants to build the campus.
Community Almanac
The Gila County Road Department will be chip sealing in Strawberry on Glen Straun, Parkinson and Bonnie Brae on Tuesday, Oct. 11. Drivers should be prepared for delays and should stay alert to traffic control.
Money needed so students can attend leadership conference
Every year in October, the fifth-grade students in the Payson Unified School District attend a youth leadership camp called “CHAMPS,” which stands for “Champs Have And Model Positive Peer Skills.”
Rally against proposed redistricting map at Oct. 12 meeting
The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission is holding public hearings for the express purpose of allowing citizens to tell the commission how they would like the new legislative and congressional districts to be drawn.
It is not the doctor’s fault
Don’t kick Dr. Ivey because of the VA system! I was not aware of the meeting held on Monday to address the VA problems or I would have attended. The VA system is only available in large cities, and all of us veterans know what a cluster that is, when we need to go there.
Payson Fire Department hosts open house Saturday, Oct. 15
In conjunction with this years’ Fire Prevention Week (FPW) the Payson Fire Department would like to invite all residents and visitors to join them in an open house. The theme for this year’s Fire Prevention Week campaign (Oct. 9 through 15), “Protect Your Family from Fire,” sends a reminder of the importance of preparing and protecting your family from the dangers of home fires.
CHAMPS program helps fifth-graders
Every year in Payson, we peer counselors at the high school put on a huge event for the local fifth-graders. This event, known as CHAMPS Camp, has gained such recognition as to become the highlight of the students’ fifth grade year. Every child in an elementary school in Payson that is aware of the program looks forward to the day that they get to participate in it.
PHS senior named Commended Student in National Merit program
Payson High senior Samuel Grassel has been named a Commended Student in the 2012 National Merit Scholarship Program. A letter of commendation from the school and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC), which conducts the program, will be presented to this scholastically talented senior, said Principal Kathe Ketchem.
Band will represent Payson at Pearl Harbor ceremony
Members still raising money to finance trip to Hawaii
Few Paysonites will likely make it to Hawaii on Dec. 7 to commemorate the 70th Anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor — but they’ll be well represented. Officially even. Last week, the Payson Town Council made the Payson High School Marching Band official representative for the town, honoring the band’s prestigious invitation to play at the official ceremonies.
PHS marching band wins top honors
The Payson High School Marching Band aced its first competition of the year, scoring “excellent” at the state marching festival at the Mountain Pointe High School Invitational on Saturday, Sept. 24. Only two other bands in the state qualified with scores high enough for the honor of marching in the same festival. “This is a fantastic start to their tournament season!” said Daria Mason, director of the high school band.
Payson students work hard to master needed job skills
Auto shop students learn to rebuild engines, hoping to learn enough to fill one of 450,000 vacant technical jobs
The silent bodies litter Payson High School’s auto shop, laying about in disarray in and outside the classroom. Some lack a hood. Others sit on blocks, their wheels gone, guts exposed to the elements. Still others have their back ends removed.
PetSmart gives spay, neuter grant to humane society
The Humane Society of Central Arizona received a $30,050 grant from PetSmart Charities to substantially increase the number of spay/neuter surgeries needed to proactively fight the area’s homeless-pet overpopulation. The organization’s 4-year0old pet sterilization voucher program currently alters more than 250 pets per year. The PetSmart Charities will enable HSCAZ to double the number of sterilizations this year.
Payson hearing set for redistricting plan
The Independent Redistricting Commission will hold a public meeting in Payson on Wednesday to talk about its proposed new map for the state’s nine congressional districts, including a plan to split Gila County between two districts. The Payson meeting will take place at the Best Western Conference Center on Highway 87 opposite the Swiss Village at 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 12. Discussion will likely focus on the plan to move northern Gila County into Congressional District 4, a mostly Republican seat that will include Prescott and the western third of the state from Yuma to Utah. Northern Gila County would wind up in a district dominated by Colorado River cities like Yuma and Lake Havasu.
Clubs and Organizations
Elks members and guests are welcome to enjoy lunch at the Lodge from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday; Friday dinner from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.; and Sunday dinner from noon to 5 p.m.
Number of properties sold rises in third quarter
The third quarter real estate statistics for the Rim Country produced another uptick in units sold over the previous quarter. There was good news for the average sales price as it appears selling prices have stabilized. Inventories of homes for sale have fallen drastically from this same period in 2010 which may indicate that prices will start to rise in the future. Fall is usually a good time of year in our area for home sales. Valley residents normally show renewed interest in a home in the high country after the excruciating hot summer days in the Valley.
Quality initiative for hospice care launched in Rim Country
While many U.S. health care providers try to keep up with changing regulations designed to improve quality care and patient outcomes, one of the nation’s leading hospice providers is taking a voluntary, proactive lead in setting new quality standards for the hospice industry.
Arizona’s housing boom, bust among tops in nation
The Census Bureau confirmed what many Arizonans already knew: Over the last decade, the state built too many houses and didn’t fill enough of them. The bureau said the increase in the percent of vacant and rented homes in Arizona was among the highest in the nation. Vacant housing grew by 61 percent and rentals increased 33 percent in the state between 2000 and 2010.
Special habitat designation bad for Roosevelt and those who enjoy its use
Almost everyone in the Rim Country recognizes Dennis Pirch as a highly renowned and well-liked former Payson High School teacher and wrestling coach who has been enshrined in the Arizona Coaches Association Hall of Fame and was once the National High School Wrestling Coach of the Year. It is also common knowledge that he is a deeply spiritual man who often dedicates his time and energy to helping those in need.
Lady Horns still cling to state hopes
It’s now a given — the Lady Longhorn volleyball team has control of its own destiny. Which means, for Payson to reach its season-long goal of playing in the Division III or “state” tournament, the team must win upcoming matches against Mingus, today, Oct. 11, Fountain Hills, Oct. 18, and Mingus, Oct. 20.
Longhorns’ early game woes continue
For the second consecutive week, the Longhorn football team struggled in the early going, but rallied in the second half behind spirited, determined play. But unlike two weeks ago, when the Longhorns rode the late surge to a 42-7 homecoming win over Sedona, Payson’s rally on Friday evening, Oct. 7, came up short in a 32-20 loss to the Mingus Marauders.
It is possible to escape domestic violence says speaker
“When a woman conceives her true self, a miracle occurs and life around her begins again.” — Marianne Williamson It took Charlotte Beilgard’s husband of 25 years holding a knife to her throat one Saturday morning for her to realize she had to make a change, a plan to break free. When she finally got away, a new life began, one based on awareness and acceptance. Beilgard shared her story Thursday night during Time Out’s annual candlelight walk and program at the Payson United Methodist Church. Beilgard started her speech with Williamson’s quote.
Soroptimist raise money for groups, scholarships
For the eighth year, volunteers gathered Thursday afternoon to raise funds that help fight domestic violence during the Soroptimist International of Zane Grey Country Radiothon. In the first hour, donors had already pledged $2,025 and organizers hoped to hit $20,000 by the day’s end, $7,000 more than what was pledged last year.
Payson five fuel Team Dawgs
A love of the sport of baseball has prompted a band of five Payson baseball players, all younger than 14 years, to hook up with fellow athletes from Winslow and Holbrook to form The Dawgs Traveling Club. Most telling about the team name “Dawgs” is that it is an acronym standing for Discipline, Attitude, Will, Genuine and Scholar. “That’s what this team is all about,” said assistant coach Noah Sarnowski of Payson, “We hold our players to a higher standard.” Dawgs head coach, Nathan Velez, of Winslow, explained the team concept further in an e-mail to players that read, “I expect you to be leaders both on and off the field.
Bucks and does gather at PGC
The Payson Men’s Golf Association’s annual Buck and Doe tournament has long been one of the most celebratory competitions on the summer links agenda. The tradition continued at the Oct. 5 event in which PMGA members pair up with their counterparts in the Payson Women’s Golf Association. The festive fray is played in two divisions — PMGA members pair up with their wives, if they are PWGA members, for the “married couples” tournament.
