Stories
Don’t miss Pleasant Valley Days this weekend in Young
The residents of the Young area aren’t letting the happily departed Poco Fire put a damper on their Arizona Centennial celebration of Pleasant Valley Days. Festivities start Friday, July 20 with the Pleasant Valley Fire Department dinner from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., along with a program by Cindy Shanks on the last group of sheep to walk the sheep driveway west of Young.
Community Almanac
The annual “Dog’ed Daze of Summer, Law Enforcement EXPO and K-9 Demonstration” takes place Tuesday, July 17 at the Payson Event Center, 1400 S. Beeline Highway, across from the Mazatzal Hotel & Casino.
Monsoon opens forests, douses fires
Storm reopens forest, Fossil Creek, dumps three inches on Pine
A Sunday night storm dumped more than three inches of rain on Pine, signaling the onset of what forecasters say should be a near-normal monsoon season. The deluge dumped three inches in three hours on Pine, flooding Bradshaw Road and filling long-dry Pine Creek.
Rash of crashes bedevils firefighters
Several car crashes both in and out of town this weekend left half a dozen people hospitalized. The rash of calls had firefighters and medics scrambling, from Corvair Curve south of town, north to the Tonto Natural Bridge turnoff, in town at Rumsey Park and in front of the Jiffy Lube on Highway 260.
Birds in yard a thing of beauty
“Ooo? Oo oo oo” — It is a little after 4 a.m. and still dark outside. From the back yard comes a sleepy call of our resident mourning dove. He must have decided it was too early to get up; no more calls for another half-hour.
Help bring children’s theater to Payson
The theater directors and the students of both the high school and junior drama programs are working to bring Missoula Children’s Theater to Payson in August. This is a production company from Montana that provides a great experience for children in kindergarten through the 12th grade. Between 50 and 60 youngsters will have a chance to be part of a professional theatre production.
Clubs and Organizations
The Payson Rodeo Committee is now meeting to make final preparations for the upcoming August rodeo. It will meet July 17, 31 and Aug. 7 — prior to the August rodeo. The meeting time is at 6 p.m. Usually the meetings are at the Best Western Inn of Payson, however, the meeting July 17 is at Tiny’s Restaurant, 600 E. Highway 260.
Tragedy finds us once again
Tragedy — remorseless and without appeal — has found us once again. Over the weekend, a miscalculation on a mud-slick road on a backcountry jaunt turned adventure into despair and dismay.
Taxes, wealth and patriotism
I read Jim Gier’s recent 700-plus word response to my letter in the Payson Roundup with some interest.
Unions fought for workers
I was very amused by the recent letter which complained that I dwelled too much on the fact that George Bush hadn’t been in office for 40.2375 months and I suppose we should leave him alone even though his presidency was the worst in history!
Payson senior first at Havasu event
While 82-year-old Tom Cooka mulls over participating in the upcoming Lori Piestewa Games, he looks back with a great deal of pride on his participation in the Lake Havasu Half-Marathon. On April 14, Cooka took first place in the 80-99-years age group running the half-marathon in 2:24.20.
Teens prep in two summer golf tours
Golf is the name of the summer game for a tight-knit group of talented golfers who last school year led Payson High School to Division III state tournament runner-up honors and a bevy of first place finishes in regular season invitationals.
Stars hope to shine in Benson
A spunky group of 10- and 11-year-old softball All-Stars left Payson Sunday morning, July 15, bound for Benson and dreaming of winning the town’s first Little League state championship. The girls, managed by Andrew Newell and coached by Tara Smith, earned a state seed by virtue of winning both the Area 1 and District 1 championships.
Peterson wins President’s Cup
The June highlight for the Payson Women’s Golf Association is the annual President’s Cup. This year, the two-day tournament took place on June 19 and June 26. It is a low net competition, so handicaps are used in determining the best score.
Football is in the Rim’s monsoon air
The summer is winding down meaning it’s about time to begin focusing on the upcoming football season — whether it is high school, collegiate or professional. In prep preseason action, Payson is playing host this week, July 16 to July 20, to a high school training camp that has drawn teams from Coolidge, Red Mountain, Yuma Kofa, Glendale Independence and Desert Edge.
A night in the slammer, but all for a good cause
The skies were dark, thunder boomed and the gray walls with barbed wire forbidding: A deep breath and on I went to booking. I expected the fingerprinting, the photo and all of the paperwork and questions. But I didn’t realize my purse wouldn’t fit in the plastic sack given to me for the valuables and the inventory process took longer than I expected.
Know your Medicare rights
As a person with Medicare, you have certain rights and protections. And it’s worth knowing what they are. You have rights whether you’re enrolled in Original Medicare — in which you can choose any doctor or hospital that accepts Medicare — or Medicare Advantage, in which you get care within a network of health care providers. Such networks are run by private companies approved by Medicare.
Willow Flycatcher: Still singing the blues
A little bird that casts a big shadow doesn’t need quite as much critical habitat as thought, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) has concluded. The USFWS recently announced it has excluded about 900 miles of streams from the restrictive, critical habitat designation — leaving a total of about 2,100 miles of stream front throughout Arizona, California, Nevada, Utah, Colorado and New Mexico.
An unforgettable year
I would like to personally thank Michael Buskirk/Daria Mason and family, Scott and Janet Nossek and family and Michael and Theresa Garré and family, who have hosted exchange students this year through EF Foundation for Foreign Study.
True patriots fight higher corporate taxes
I wholeheartedly defend rich and privileged individuals and corporations of the United States.
Bible school a success
I would like to say thank you to all the volunteers and staff at First Southern Baptist Church, Payson Community Christian School, parents and the over 53 kids who helped make this year’s Vacation Bible School such a success.
LL Stars to play Chandler vs. Gilbert winner tonight
The Payson 13- and 14-year-old “Junior” Little League All-Star baseball team advances to the state tournament clutching Area 1 and District 1 championships, but could meet a rugged foe in the squad’s opening game.
