Payson Roundup

Also from January 10

Obituaries

• Douglas Ray Belcher
• Theodore Berkstresser
• Arthur Buckner
• Johnny Ray Gooch
• Paul R. Fry
• Bob J. Jacobs
• Ronnie F. Marking DC
• Robert Grant Wills
• Sandra L. Russ

Photos

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All stories

Entertainment unlimited

January 10, 2012

Entertainment unlimited is being featured at the Pine/Strawberry Thrift Store, 3916 N. Hwy. 87 in downtown Pine, Jan. 11 through Jan. 14 — DVDs, videos, CDs, cassettes, 8-tracks, albums, books and more are 50 percent off the usual prices. Stock up for those winter evenings still to come.

Learn about C.O.P.D.

January 10, 2012

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease — C.O.P.D. is an umbrella term used to describe chronic lung diseases that limit your airflow. Kim Sleeper, respiratory therapist, will help improve breathing, stay active and improve your life at the Senior Circle lunch and learn at 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 11.

Minor earthquake strikes north of Payson Sunday

By Alexis Bechman

January 10, 2012

Well, it wasn’t big enough to break the Richter scale or even the bathroom scale, but a 3.1 magnitude earthquake caught the attention of some local earthquake enthusiasts. “I have a hobby of daily tracking southwest and west coast earthquakes. Are you aware that yesterday, 43 miles NNE of Payson, there was a 3.1 quake?” wrote one Payson resident, who asked to remain anonymous. There was even a YouTube video posted shortly after the Sunday tremor detailing where it happened in northern Arizona in between two volcanoes.

Agreement provides SV with backup water supply

By Pete Aleshire

January 10, 2012

The Payson Town Council last week agreed unanimously to provide water services in an emergency for neighboring Star Valley. The agreement would provide Star Valley backup should a well break down or a water pipe burst, now that Star Valley has entered into the water business by buying out Brooke Utilities. “I don’t think that Star Valley will ever necessarily use it — but they can call Payson as a last resort to provide backup services if they have a break in a water main or a well out of service. It’s like ‘hey, give us a call, we’ll help out,’” said Buzz Walker, Payson’s water director.

Payson residents rally to clean up forest area

By Michele Nelson

January 10, 2012

Unlike the previous forest cleanup days that fizzled due to poor weather, Saturday’s cleanup off Houston Mesa Road drew 32 sunny volunteers. Members of Payson Packers, Payson Area Single Track Association and Payson Area Trails System pitched in along with concerned citizens to clean up along popular hiking and ATV areas. “We’re so excited at the turnout,” said Rachael Hohl and Chelsea Muise, rangers from the Payson Forest Service office, who organized the event. The rangers handed out gloves, water bottles and trash pickers before splitting the volunteers into two groups. One headed to the intersection of Houston Mesa Road and Highway 87, the other drove to the Shoofly Ruins trailhead. Barbara Clark and Lori Horn headed for the 87/Houston Mesa intersection.

Payson man finds elderly Alzheimer’s patient

Search called off for Mesa man after local landscaper finds him unscathed

By Alexis Bechman

January 10, 2012

Storm clouds have been hovering over John Pauley’s life for some time. With his wife having undergone multiple surgeries and possibly facing open-heart surgery, Pauley said things were not looking so great Saturday when he went to work. But something remarkable happened that showed him good things still occur. Pauley helped a missing 71-year-old Alzheimer’s patient be reunited with his family in the Valley. On Saturday morning, Wendell Workman went missing from a home near Eighth Avenue and Country Club Drive in Phoenix. Workman’s family contacted police and put a missing person alert out for his whereabouts, but there were few clues to go on.

Missing Valley woman could be in the Rim Country

By Alexis Bechman

January 10, 2012

Family and friends of a Valley woman are asking for help in locating the 25-year-old after she bought a gun and left in her vehicle last week. Holly Marie Bruce was last heard from on Wednesday when she told family she was leaving town. She has not been heard from or answered her cell phone since. Those close to her believe Bruce may have come to the Rim Country, specifically the Fossil Creek area, where she liked to hike.

P-S Fire Dept keeps state grant for brush removal

By Michele Nelson

January 10, 2012

Residents of Pine and Strawberry can breathe a sigh of relief — the Pine Strawberry Fire Department (PSFD) has won renewal of a competitive grant from the state to resume private property brush removal. “The state used to fund 10 grants, now just five,” said PSFD Fire Chief Dave Staub. Focused on reducing property loss due to wildfires, the State Fire Assistance Program distributes grants to communities facing the highest risk of property damage. Firebreaks and brush removal are a critical piece in the struggle to save houses from wildfires.

Community Almanac

January 10, 2012

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease — C.O.P.D.  is an umbrella term used to describe chronic lung diseases that limit your airflow. Kim Sleeper, respiratory therapist, will help improve breathing, stay active and improve your life at the Senior Circle lunch and learn at 11:30 a.m., Wednesday, Jan. 11. The Senior Circle is planning a trip to Barleens Arizona Opry on Tuesday, March 13. Participants will enjoy music, and comedy and a chicken dinner lunch with all the fixings.

Pursuit of happiness

January 10, 2012

Many conservatives today seek direction from our Founding Fathers with great respect for the creators of the Constitution.

Ron Paul is best candidate

January 10, 2012

I was really impressed with Dale Oestmann’s letter “Claim that voters are turning Arizona blue, is a little short on facts” right up to the point where he said, “Any of the Republican candidates, with the possible exception of Ron Paul …” (would be better than Marxist Obama).

Pay close attention to who you vote for

January 10, 2012

Our very own RINO is at it again!

A year in review: An outsider goes to Congress

Congressman Paul Gosar R-Arizona

January 10, 2012

As the year 2011 comes to a close, I would like to reflect on the good, the bad, and the ugly of my first year serving rural Arizona in Congress. Having been a dentist and small-business owner for over 25 years, I thought it was my business experience that would help me stand out in the crowd. In fact the skills of leadership, fiscal responsibility, understanding the realities of over regulation and the value of a hard day’s work have been extremely valuable. What I found was that the skills needed to be an effective member of Congress are much like those needed to be an effective parent or teacher. They include common sense, the ability to communicate well, the ability to take constructive criticism, and knowing when to compromise and when to fight.

Abdication of authority a bad move by town council

January 10, 2012

The Payson Town Council has abdicated some of its authority by giving town staff the authority to approve small subdivisions. Small or large, the approval of preliminary plat maps should be a function of the town council, not staff. We have the utmost respect for the town staff, they are hard working, they do their job effectively for the most part, but they are not elected to oversee the operations of the town — that is the job of the town council.

Billy Dean, Nashville recording artist in concert Jan.12

January 10, 2012

Billy Dean, Nashville singer and songwriter and number-one smash recording artist will appear in a unique and intimate performance at the Payson High School Auditorium at 7 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 12. Dean has recorded 12 albums and has had 11 Top 10 hits. Among the awards bestowed on Dean are the Academy of Country Music’s “New Male Vocalist” and “Song of the Year,” a Grammy award and the BMI “Million Air Plays Award.” Hit songs aside, Dean is noted for his dynamic musicianship and vocal styling, and warm, genuine presence on and off stage.

Knights of Columbus donate to Special Olympics fund

January 10, 2012

Members of the Knights of Columbus — the charitable organization of Catholic men — raised more than $1,600 to honor and donate to the Payson/Gila County Special Olympics program. Longtime Knight Dave Engleman spoke at a recent breakfast meeting at which the funds were donated to Special Olympics.

Area military invited to serve solemn duty

By Teresa McQuerrey

January 10, 2012

The Payson Military Honor Guard is asking members of the military in the Rim Country — active duty, reserves and retired — to volunteer for another solemn duty. The Honor Guard is in need of members. Most currently serving with the group, which was organized in 2006, are in their upper 70s, so there is a need for younger veterans and service members to learn the ropes in order to provide an important duty at the funerals of veterans.

Donations bolster school district programs

By Pete Aleshire

January 10, 2012

The Payson School Board Monday once again accepted an outpouring of support from the community, especially for homeless and displaced students. The board acknowledged the donation of some $7,000 in cash plus clothes, cell phones, gift cards and other items to help the roughly 400 district students that are homeless or living in unstable situations with friends and relatives. These donations are just crucial,” said Superintendent Casey O’Brien. “Literally every week people come with donations. It seems that the list is so impressive every month.” Many of the donations this week focused on the number of displaced students, which has risen dramatically in the past four years, along with the number of students whose families are poor enough to qualify for free and reduced lunches.

Payson streamlines small subdivision development

By Pete Aleshire

January 10, 2012

In a rare split vote, the Payson Town Council last week agreed to streamline the process of approving small subdivisions. The new rule will allow town staff to approve preliminary plat maps on subdivisions with less than 10 lots. The council will still approve the final map, but state law requires automatic approval so long as the final map is in “substantial compliance” with the preliminary map, according to Town Attorney Tim Wright. The new rules included other changes, but taking the council out of the process of approving the initial plan for the subdivision spurred the most debate.

Exchange students share view of Rim Country

By Michele Nelson

January 10, 2012

Not unlike most teenage girls, the three Payson High School students giggled as they sat around the table, lollipops in hand. But these girls weren’t talking about boys or music, they were dishing about the differences between the United States and their home countries. “I think I use a lot of sarcasm and they don’t get it sometimes,” said Mandy El Ebiari, a German foreign exchange student. “I’ll say something and they’ll look at me and say, ‘Um, OK.’ My sense of humor is different.” Urara Mikami, from Tokyo, and Hanna Sauer, from Germany, said they also have language troubles. “I can speak English well, but maybe like something joking I don’t understand. I nod my head and say, ‘uh huh,’” Mikami said.

Parks and Rec plans plenty of fun activities

By Max Foster

January 10, 2012

Town of Payson, Parks, Recreation and Tourism athletic coordinator Mary Wolf has helped design a youth and adult spring program that features activities for all ages and abilities.

Wins over Snowflake Lobos a special triumph

Lady Horns pull off pulsating 52-50 win

By Max Foster

January 10, 2012

Someone once said, “A win is a win, is a win.” Whoever uttered it, had never been a member of a Payson High team that defeated a squad from Snowflake. At PHS, beating Snowflake is more than a victory — it’s a cause for a wild and crazy celebration. The reasons for the heated rivalry vs. the Lobos have roots in the 1980s and 90s, when Snowflake was a juggernaut in almost every sport and Payson High usually found itself on the losing end of the score vs. the Lobos. An especially tough defeat to absorb was the 7-0 loss in the 1986 state championship football game. In fact, Payson didn’t whip the Lobos in football until 1999 when quarterback Kyle Conway hooked up with Dusty Brockett on a fourth-down desperation scoring strike, with 3.4 seconds remaining, to lift the Horns to a 26-23 victory.

Longhorn wrestlers making strides

By Max Foster

January 10, 2012

Payson High School wrestling coach Casey Woodall is convinced his team’s standout showing in the Tucson Catalina Invitational was due to a strong holiday practice effort. “We put in a lot of work over the Christmas break and I feel it is paying off,” he said. The coach also modestly deflects the credit he’s receiving for the team’s showing in Tucson to assistant coaches including Zach Lee, Dave LaMotte, Rocky Berry and Doug Eckhardt. “I cannot give enough credit to them,” said Woodall. “They have put a lot of work in with the boys.” In the Tucson tournament, which drew several so called “big schools”, the Longhorns finished fifth in the field of 17 teams.

Horns look to rebound against Cougars

By Max Foster

January 10, 2012

With the Show Low Cougars waiting in the wings, the Longhorn boys’ basketball team practiced Saturday morning hoping the extra day of tuning up would cure the maladies the team suffered Jan. 5 in a 51-40 loss to the Snowflake Lobos. Among the woes coach Joe Sanchez hopes to correct was the poor shooting the team suffered from in the defeat in Lobo land. From 2-point territory, the Horns shot a woeful 38 percent, which was compounded by even worse accuracy, 14 percent, from beyond the 3-point line.

ASU hints at a return to Camp Tontozona

By Max Foster

January 10, 2012

The Curse of Camp Tontozona might soon be exorcised from the Arizona State University football program. If will be lifted if ASU returns to Tontozona for pre-season football training as it did from 1960 to 2008. There are hints on the school campus in Tempe that new head coach Todd Graham will return the team this summer to Tontozona for three or four days of practice.

Fishing report for Jan. 9 through Jan. 15

January 10, 2012

Arizona Game and Fish’s Rory Aiken’s first tip of 2012 is to get a new annual fishing license, or a new combo license. Youth especially get a smoking deal — even those youngsters from out of state. The youth combo license is only $26.50 and includes trout fishing privileges for both resident and nonresident youth. There is also the family fishing license some of you folks might want to check out. A fishing license is your key to a lot of fun and adventure in the healthy outdoors for the family. Here’s some great fishing news — Salt River Project is taking water from Stewart Mountain Dam to keep the Bartlett Lake level up. This means a 10-mile, mid-winter trout fishing bonus for all of us. This coming week, Arizona Game and Fish will stock feisty winter rainbow trout at the Water Users area just below Stewart Mountain Dam and at the Blue Point Bridge along the Lower Salt River.

Baskets give introduction to town stores, services

By Michele Nelson

January 10, 2012

Moving to a new town can be difficult. Knowing where the locals go to shop, eat and hang out can ease the transition. The Wagon Wheel Territory (WWT) hopes to make newcomers feel more at home with welcome baskets full of coupons, gifts and information from local businesses. “Sue Malinski was the inspiration for the Wagon Wheel group,” said Lita Nicholson, a partner in the welcome basket enterprise.

Rim Country real estate market ends year on an uptick

Ray Pugel

January 10, 2012

The Rim Country real estate market in 2011 gave realtors cause for optimism and concern. The number of homes sold increased, however, prices continued to drop from 2010 levels. The same pattern held true in the Phoenix metropolitan market, indicating some positive trends. The information that follows was derived from information reported to the Central Arizona Board of Realtors and does not include unreported or for sale by owner transactions.

Counselors urge middle school students to fight harassment by reporting incidents

By Michele Nelson

January 10, 2012

Hoping to reduce bullying on the middle school campus, administrators recently held a second assembly to promote respect for others. Students face daunting challenges in middle school, including changes in their bodies, a different schedule and new classmates — which helps make middle school ground zero when it comes to bullying. Ask an adult which stage of their schooling they would not wish to repeat and they unequivocally say “middle school!” said Rim Country Middle School guidance counselor Byron Quinlan.

Clubs and Organizations

January 10, 2012

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. Basic refreshments are offered for sale at the Karaoke Night from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 11, 18 and 25 and during Elks Jam Sessions, scheduled at 3 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 14 and 28. Elks members and guests are also welcome at these events.