Foothills Focus 1-2-19 Issue

January 2, 2019 • Vol. 17, No. 7

POSTAL PATRON CAVE CREEK

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ECRWSS Carrier Route PreSorted Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 371 Cave Creek, AZ

Anthem | Black Canyon City | Carefree | Cave Creek | Desert Hills | New River| North Phoenix | Tramonto | Peoria

Snow has arrived in Arizona's high-country, recreationists should prepare for traffic, road conditions

BY TARA ALATORRE

Nearly a foot of snow fell in northern Arizona last weekend and over the New Year holiday, and officials are warning travelers to expect traffic and prepare for icy road conditions when headed to the high-country to play in the snow.

(Photo courtesy of Tara Alatorre/file photo)

EPA awards Arizona $30.8 million for drinking water and wastewater projects SAN FRANCISCO – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has awarded more than $30.8 million to Arizona for drinking water and wastewater infrastructure improvements.

“These funds will be used for numerous local projects that will boost the economy while improving water systems,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Mike Stoker.

“EPA is committed to investing in local infrastructure to benefit the communities we serve.”

EPA awarded more than

$30.8 million to Arizona’s clean water and drinking water State Revolving Fund programs. These federal funds are supplemented with state funding sources, which together provide low-interest loans for wastewater and drinking water infrastructure projects.

As money is repaid to the revolving loan fund, Arizona funds new infrastructure projects.

“These infrastructure improvements will directly

Arizona deserts and the greater Phoenix Metropolitan area, and some of the coldest nights of the winter season were experienced in parts of northern Arizona last weekend.

At the time this article was written the National Weather Service forecasts predicted more snow in northern Arizona and rain showers across central and eastern Arizona over the New Year.

With the snow pack also comes traffic, icy road conditions and crowds of recreationists.

Travelers should expect longer travel times when headed to

WINTER WEATHER continued on page 8

Receive an OHV under the tree?

Don’t forget the safety gear PHOENIX — If you happened to be on Santa’s nice list and received an off-highway vehicle (OHV) this Christmas, make sure you have the proper protective gear to get off to a safe start.

Whether you unwrapped an ATV, dirt bike or side-by-side, the Arizona Game and Fish Department recommends that you wear the following equipment when riding in an OHV: •

Helmet — All OHV

EPA WATER PROJECTS continued on page 7

PHOENIX – Winter has officially arrived in Arizona with snow blanketing the high country and a cold snap bringing freezing conditions to Phoenix and other areas across the state last week, and according to weather forecasts the snow is expected to stay a while.

On December 28, nearly 10-inches of snow fell in parts of Flagstaff, two-inches in Williams, about three-inches in Show Low. Also, areas across Southeast Arizona saw up to three-inches of snow fall last weekend near Tucson.

A freeze warning remained in affect across southern

OHV

continued on page 8

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is reminding residents about important safety gear needed when riding an OHV. Visit TheFoothillsFocus.com for a video about off-highway recreation.

Photo courtesy of AZGFD

ARIZONA:

CAVE CREEK:

2018:

Only 2 mine inspectors to for

Free lecture about Paquime

Our film critics favorite 25

100,000 abandoned mines

Indian ruins in Mexico

movies of 2018

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Page 9

Page 10

OTHER : • Bluhm Column

6

• Service Directory

15

• Classified Ads

18

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Arizona’s two abandoned-mine inspectors face daunting task: ‘We’re all by ourselves’

There are an estimated 100,000 abandoned mines in the state, and only a fraction have been fenced off or gated to keep people out.

Photo by Nicole Neri/Cronkite News

BY CHRIS MCCRORY CRONKITE NEWS

WICKENBURG – Jerry Tyra started working underground in 1960, drilling ore samples to help mine companies figure out whether to develop a mine site.

Since 2007, the 75-year-old has been doing a different kind of exploration: scouring the state for the thousands of abandoned mines some of his former employers may have left scattered throughout the Arizona desert. When he finds one, Tyra uses wire and metal posts to fence it off, placing warning signs on the wire.

“I get my map programs out, and I just pick a township,” he said, standing near the edge of a 900-foot-deep mine shaft east of Wickenburg. “I take every little trail they’ve got. If I don’t find anything, I’ll go to the next one.”

Tyra is one of only two abandonedmine supervisors in Arizona. The pair face an uphill battle trying to identify the estimated 100,000 abandoned mines in the state and render them safe, or at least safer.

The Arizona State Mine Inspector’s Office has repeatedly asked for funds to hire more inspectors and permanently close more mines, but the state’s abandoned-mine program hasn’t seen a significant budget increase in more than a decade. State officials fear it’s just a matter of time before somebody else gets injured or dies at one of the thousands

of abandoned hard rock mines the state hasn’t mapped and secured.

“There’s two of us who are doing it,” Tyra said. “That’s a lot of territory to cover.”

Arizona has about 14,500 square miles of land, and abandoned-mine supervisors have the legal authority to search all of it, from federally managed public land to private property.

Tyra and fellow supervisor Tom White close between 400 and 500 abandoned mines every year.

“He goes that way. I go this way,” Tyra said, smoking a cigarette as he leaned against the creaking, rusted metal of an old mining rig designed to pull minecarts up from a silver mine. “So we’re all by ourselves. It ain’t safe.”

A lack of funding shuttered the Arizona State Mine Inspector’s abandoned-mine program in the 1990s. Since the program was restarted in 2007, when the office hired Tyra and White, the two have found roughly 5,600 mines.

But over the 11 years they’ve been searching – often in opposite ends of the state – they have put only a small dent in the problem.

100,000 abandoned mines: ‘That’s just a guesstimate’ “They’re scattered all over the state,” Tyra said of the abandoned mines. “And we have no idea how many there are.”

Each mine site may have several

entrances and exits, called adits, along with vertical shafts to supply miners with air. Each mine complex can have dozens of these “features” spread out over acres of often remote land.

States classify abandoned-mine features differently, but Arizona likely has the highest number of open shafts and adits in the country. According to the Bureau of Land Management, there are an estimated 500,000 abandoned mines in the U.S. The Arizona Mine Inspector’s Office estimates the state has about 100,000 of them.

But there could be more lurking below the ground in the Copper State. Numbers in Arizona come from a formula based on mining claims.

“Since statehood (in 1912), there has been a million mining claims staked,” Tyra said. “If you figure 10 percent of them have anything done at all, that’s 100,000 right there. That’s just a guesstimate.”

The number doesn’t take into account Arizona’s 3,000-year history of mining – Native Americans may have mined the land for minerals as early as 1000 B.C., and Europeans have been digging ore in the desert since the 1600s.

Tyra estimates that he and White have closed up about 5,000 mines. “I don’t keep track of that stuff,” he said.

The Arizona State Mine Inspector’s Office employs 14 people, and most

either work at desks or inspect active mines in the state.

Stretching resources: Funds must pay for gas, fencing In Wickenburg, Tyra pulled his straw cowboy hat down over his eyes as the sun rose. His mud-splattered 2012 Ford F-150 has bounced over 150,000 miles of unpaved roads, and he said the truck will have to last him for several more years.

The abandoned-mine program has received $194,700 in state funds every year for most of the past decade.

That pays for the fuel and materials Tyra and White use, plus their salaries.

The mine inspector’s office says this isn’t nearly enough.

“We’re stretching our resources just as far as we possibly can,” said Tyra’s boss, Laurie Swartzbaugh, deputy director of the State Mine Inspector’s Office.

To make do, the two supervisors run up the miles on their trucks and pick up bargain equipment whenever they can.

Tyra’s uses an ATV purchased from a contractor looking to offload several after the Border Patrol backed out of a deal.

The office requests additional funding for abandoned mines every year, to no avail.

“It is a priority thing,” Swartzbaugh said. “We have put this in our budget for the past 11 years. We need more people out there to cover more ground, because every time we go out on the ground, we encounter more and more mines that are not in our database.”

Partnering for help With only two abandoned-mine supervisors, the mine inspector’s office relies on outside help. It partners with the federal Bureau of Land Management, he Arizona Game & Fish Department and other agencies to find and catalog the mines and regulate access to them.

“We do a lot of work side-byside with the state mine inspector,” said Eric Zielske, an environmental engineer with the BLM who runs the agency’s hazardous materials management program.

Teams of five or six from state and federal agencies offer a patchwork of assistance to the mine inspector’s office.

They act as temporary supervisors, combing assigned plots of land for abandoned-mine features to add to the inspector’s database. Sometimes, they erect gates or fences.

These other agencies also occasionally

AZ MINES

continued on page 12

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46641 North Black Canyon Hwy. New River, AZ 85087 main

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623-465-1363 editor@thefoothillsfocus.com foothillsfocus@qwestoffice.net Publisher: John Alexander Managing Editor: Tara Alatorre Office Manager: Karen Alexander Art Director: Dave McQueen Web Master: Eric Rodriguez Account Executives: Stan Bontkowski Tom DiChiara Contributing Writers: Judy Bluhm Shea Stanfield Gerald Williams Monte Yazzie

NRDHCA Community Meeting NEW RIVER – The New River Desert Hills Community Association (NRDHCA) will be holding its regular community meeting on January 8 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Crossroads Fellowship Church, 42425 N. New River Road in New River.

There is no cost to attend and the speaker will be Raygen Mitchell, a public relations associate.

Mitchell will be speaking on Faith based solutions for the country’s drug epidemic.

For more information or questions visit NRDHCA.org or email: mail@NRDHCA.com.

NRDHCA’s Representatives Town Hall Meeting ANTHEM – The New River Desert Hills Community Association (NRDHCA) is holding its Representatives Town Hall Meeting on January 11, from 9 to 11 a.m. The meeting will take place at 3701 W. Anthem Way and Lee Ann Bohn the Assistant Maricopa County Manager will be speaking.

For more information or question visit NRDHCA.org or email: mail@NRDHCA.com.

Anthem Civic Building activities ANTHEM – The Civic Building will be buzzing with activity to start the new year.

Classes and programs, both new and returning favorites, will offer a little something for everyone. Here's what you can look forward to in January: •

Big Idea Forums: Thoughtprovoking topics are discussed during this free series; program begins Jan. 10.

•

Video Production 101: This three-week course is geared towards those interested in creating great visual content; class starts Jan. 17.

Disclaimer:

The Foothills Focus is a free and weekly publication. It is delivered to Anthem, Black Canyon City, Carefree, Cave Creek, Desert Hills, New River, North Phoenix and Tramonto. We reserve the right to refuse any proposed advertising.

No part of this publication may be reproduced by any measure without the expressed written permission of the publisher.

The Foothills Focus cannot and will not be held responsible for any content of the contained advertisements in this issue. This consists of any inserts, display advertising, Service Directory or classified advertisements. The content of the contained advertisments are the sole responsibility of the advertiser.

For any questions regarding information contained in such endorsements, please contact the specified advertiser.

Thank you. -The Foothills Focus

•

Freestyle Painting Workshops: Tap into your creativity with these fun and family-friendly classes; workshops begin Jan. 17.

•

Plant Bar AZ Planting Party: Create your own living terrarium using succulents and cactuses; five different class options starting Jan. 24.

Be on the lookout for these, and other great activities, starting in 2019. Get more details by visiting OnlineAtAnthem.com.

Anthem Days opportunities ANTHEM – 2019 is Anthem's 20th anniversary year!

The official celebrating starts with Anthem Days in March, but now is the time to gear up!

Opportunities are now open for both exhibitor registration and to sponsor the event. And as an added bonus, the first 20 Anthem-based businesses to register will receive $20 off!

View the Anthem Days page online at OnlineAtAnthem.com.

Youth for Troops 7th Annual Shred-A-Thon ANTHEM – Freeman Income Tax Service will hold its 7th Annual Shred-A-Thon with donation going to Youth For Troops. Saturday January 19th from 10:00 AM to 1:00 PM or until the truck is full.

This event will be located at the parking lot of Freeman Income tax Service located at 41111 N Daisy Mountain Dr. This annual event is open to the community and is “Free.”

On hand will be members from Youth For Troops to assist and will accept donations. The public is limited to four banker size of paper products. No cardboard, Plastic bags or electronic will be accepted.

For more information about the Shred-A-Thon contact Freeman Income Tax Service at 623-5182157. For more information about Youth For Troops visit their Facebook home page. Youth for Troops is a 501(C)(3) nonprofit Corporation.

DFT presents Willy Wonka Jr. ANTHEM – The delicious adventures experienced by Charlie Bucket on his visit to Willy Wonka's mysterious chocolate factory light up the stage in this captivating

adaptation of Roald Dahl's fantastical tale.

Featuring the enchanting songs from the 1971 film starring Gene Wilder in addition to a host of fun new songs, Roald Dahl's Willy Wonka, Jr. is a scrumdidilyumptious musical guaranteed to delight your sweet tooth. The cast is ages 8-14, and the shows take place at the Desert Foothills Theater from Jan. 11-20, 2019.

For more information or to purchase tickets visit dftheater.org.

Fulfill your New Year's resolution at CCM - volunteer!

CAVE CREEK – Looking for meaningful ways to spend your time? Join the Cave Creek Museum (CCM) where all sorts of enjoyable volunteer opportunities abound! There are fascinating local and national stories waiting to be discovered in the cultural exhibits and reference materials, and your help is needed to keep this material available for everyone in our community.

Volunteer positions are available in guest services and docent duties; assisting with newsletter assembly and bulk mailing; joining the Stamp Mill Dream Team; and providing hospitality. There are also new activities for middle and high school students in our CCM Junior Docent Program. Make this a year to remember!

For more information about volunteering, please call the Cave Creek Museum at (480) 488-2764 or visit the web site at cavecreekmuseum.org.

Golden Reef Stamp Mill Run CAVE CREEK – The restored Golden Reef Stamp Mill is once more heard through the hills and dales of Cave Creek—just as it was 100 years ago. Come on down to the Cave Creek Museum (CCM) on Saturday, January 12, at 1:30 p.m.

The Golden Reef Stamp Mill is Arizona's only fully operational ten-stamp ore crushing mill. Come watch the ten 1000 lb. stamps slam down in synchronized precision, hear the pounding echo against the

desert foothills, just as it did 100 years ago. Our stamp mill was carried down from its former location at the Golden Reef Mine on Continental Mountain and is the only one in AZ operating within 5 miles of its original site.

Also, the Cave Creek Museum’s 2nd Sundays @ CCM, a Family Passport Series with topics ranging from cowboys to mining, history to desert animals, and perhaps a western musician, too! 2nd Sundays @CCM take place every second Sunday at 2 p.m.

Participating children will create CCM Passports that will be stamped at each event. Collect at least five stamps over the 20182019 season to get a special gift from the Cave Creek Museum.

The Cave Creek Museum is open now through May 31, 2019.

Hours are Wed./Thurs./Sat./ Sun. from 1 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. and Fri. from 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Admission is $7 Adults; $5 Seniors; $5 Students; Children under five are free. Stay up to date on all events at Cave Creek Museum by visiting cavecreekmuseum.org.

Sip & Paint debuts at The Horny Toad CAVE CREEK – The Horny Toad, Cave Creek’s oldest and most famous restaurant, presents “Sip & Paint” at The Horny Toad on January 6, 2019.

Guests are invited to create art over drinks at The Horny Toad with friends, guests or solos. No experience is necessary, and all supplies are provided. The event features a glass of house wine, soda, iced tea, bottle of water or Coors Light Draft. Food and drinks on the happy hour and regular menu will be available for purchase.

The cost is $36/per person.

Tickets are available at the Toad’s website, or by calling 480488-9542. Or visit The Horny Toad to reserve and pay for a seat. After submitting payment, please call 480-488-9542 or email hornytoadaz@gmail.com with the following info: •

First and last name

•

Date of event night you are booking (except December 26)

January 2, 2019

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community events •

Choose what you would like to paint (must be done

by Jan 1, 2019) The Toad is located at 6738 E. Cave Creek Road. Call 480.488.9542 for reservations or more information.

Sonoran Small Works: Holiday Fine Art Show CAVE CREEK – The Sonoran Small Works Holiday Fine Art Show from now through January 6, 2019. It is free admission and takes place at the Sonoran Arts League Center for the Arts at Stagecoach Village, 7100 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, AZ For more information or questions call 480-575-6624 or visit smallworkshow.com.

Carefree Gardens Seminar Series: Living with urban wildlife CAREFREE – The quiet beauty of Carefree Desert Gardens has been enchanting and educating visitors and residents to the wonders of the desert landscape since its creation in 2002. Now in its 16th season, the Town of Carefree is pleased to announce the return of its popular annual garden seminars. Offerings will be held monthly from Jan.–April 2019, on the second Saturday of the month beginning at 9:30 a.m. in the Town Council Chambers, 33 Easy St. Each seminar focuses on a gardening topic of interest and features an expert speaker. On Saturday, Jan. 12, guest speaker: Darren Julian, Urban Wildlife Specialist for Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD).

Arizona is home to a variety of wildlife species, and as their natural habitats and native food sources shrink, “urban wildlife” begins adapting to life in our

neighborhoods, which can be both enjoyable and problematic.

Mr. Julian will address the many issues surrounding this interesting topic.

Programs traditionally include a plant raffle, and a suggested minimum donation of $5 is requested for the continued support of these programs.

Early attendance is suggested.

For information, visit Carefree. org, or call 480-488-3686.

MIM Music Theater Concert Series PHOENIX – The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) Music Theater proudly announces its Concert Series, which includes more than fifty concerts, spanning multiple musical genres across the globe.

The MIM Music Theater presents over 270 concerts per year and has had over 150 Grammy-winning artists perform on its stage. Within the span of only eight years, the theater has been recognized as one of the top music venues of its size, anywhere in the world. It has received praise from audiences and musicians for its unparalleled intimate atmosphere and acoustically superb sound quality.

Here are the upcoming shows: •

John Sebastian on January 8, at 7 p.m.

•

Joey Alexander on January 10, at 7 and 9 p.m.

For more information or to purchase tickets visit MIM.org.

Grab Your Swimsuit for the Polar Plunge PEORIA – On Saturday, Jan. 5, is Peoria’s 11th annual Winter Water Safety Day and Polar Plunge from 8 to 9 a.m.

For those brave enough, or who are interested in jumping into

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cold water for the fun of it, this event will be at Sunrise Pool, located at 21321 N. 86th Drive, beginning at 8 a.m. The event raises funds to provide free swim lessons for those who cannot afford them. In addition, this event helps raise awareness for drowning prevention during the winter months when people are not actively using their pools.

To register or to make a donation toward swimming lessons for underprivileged children, go to peoriaaz.gov/aquatics.

Join us For the Peoria Teen Snowbowl Turnaround Trip PEORIA – Whether you are a regular on the slopes or want to learn, you can join the Teen Team on Friday, Jan. 4 for the Snowbowl turnaround trip. Participants will meet at Rio Vista Recreation Center (8866 W. Thunderbird Rd.) for a day trip from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The $130 fee includes rental skis or snowboard equipment, transportation, supervision, lift ticket, two-hour group beginner lesson and breakfast.

You can register online at peoriaaz.gov/teens with course # 100170 or call 623-773-7137.

Learn About Becoming a Care Provider PEORIA – The care of individuals with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities has changed greatly over the years. As of 2011, more than 700,000 people nationally with intellectual disabilities were living with caregivers over the age of 60. Join us at the Mosaic seminar to learn

about how services have moved beyond the group home, and how you can be paid to provide a person with intellectual disabilities a meaningful life in a caring environment. The class is on Tuesday, Jan. 15, 2019, from 5:30 to 7 p.m. at Rio Vista Recreation Center, 8866 W. Thunderbird Ave. The Seminar is free but registration is required by emailing peoriasupport@peoriaaz.gov or calling 623-773-7070.

Etiquette Workshop for Teens, ages 13 to 18 SCOTTSDALE – Register your teen for a two-day “Essential Etiquette for Teens” workshop on Jan. 5 and 6, from 1 to 4 p.m. Mrs. Brown will help prepare teens for the many new social and business situations

they will face as young adults and provide them with the selfconfidence, enthusiasm, and motivation that is essential as they move into the next phase of their lives.

Cost: $285 per teen and includes snacks, certificate, and an etiquette reference book. Advanced registration is required. Class size is limited to 14 students so early enrollment is encouraged. St. Bernard of Clairvaux Church is located at 10755 N. 124 St., Scottsdale.

For more information and to register, call It’s All About Etiquette at 480-510-6346 or visit itsallaboutetiquette.com.

GOT AN UPCOMING EVENT? Email your event information to: editor@thefoothillsfocus.com.

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Around the Bluhmin’ Town New River Kiwanis Community Park

80 acres at: 48606 N 17th Ave; North on 15th Ave from New River Rd ½ mile.        

Larkyn Horse Riding Arena Playground for children Picnic area New River Senior Center Walking Trails Clubhouse available to rent for B-DAY PARTY, etc.

Scouts can also use our facilities as they have in the past Consider renting our park for a treasure hunt Please visit our website for more up to date information & map to location.

See Website for details: www.NewRiverKiwanis.org

Contact Ed Taylor at: 602-739-1235 - Email: NewRiverKiwanis@gmail.com

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So, the Times Square Ball dropped and ushered in another New Year. For many this brings a challenging year happily to an end and stirs up hope for a promising 2019.

The spirit of the Season is demonstrated through our charitable giving and examples of small miracles that occur.

This is what carries us through upheaval into the New Year.

A man named Randy Heiss in southern Arizona was hiking in Patagonia when he stumbled across a deflated helium balloon with a note attached to it that was written in Spanish. When he got the note translated, he discovered it was a Christmas list written by a child named Dayami, who wanted a baby doll, doll house and art supplies.

The man contacted a radio station in Nogales to help find the girl, and after broadcasting

the list and story, the eightyear-old girl’s mother came forward. Mr. Heiss ended up buying Dayami her gifts, as well as presents for her entire family.

He delivered them on Christmas Day to her in Nogales.

Generosity knows no borders.

There is an elderly woman who fell on hard times and went to a jewelry store to sell her wedding ring. Her husband was in a nursing home and she needed the money to make ends meet.

The jeweler offered her $300 for her well-worn, fifty-year- old gold band. She agreed. Then a man stepped up and gave the lady $400 and told her to keep her ring, which she tearfully accepted.

Ring in the New Year with selfless acts of kindness.

A security guard named Anthony Bragg works at Phoenix Children’s Hospital and is on a mission to give love and encouragement. He stands outside the main front doors and freely gives hugs, handshakes, fist bumps and smiles to all who enter.

Some kids with frequent treatment appointments run to hug Mr. Bragg.

Hugs make a difference.

A teacher in Washington state was given a heartfelt gift from a

first-grade student who thought she “had nothing to give.” The little girl separated out all the colorful tiny marshmallows from her school breakfast box of Lucky Charms cereal and then placed the marshmallows in the plastic that was wrapped around the utensils.

The teacher said this gift touched her the most, since it came from the “purest part of a child’s heart.”

I am reminded of my horse, Angel, who passed a few years ago. She was blind at the end of her life, and her stall-mate, Pegasus, led her around the barn and pasture. With Pegasus by her side, she was able to walk, trot and run right up to her last day on earth.

Love is never blind . . . it is our guiding light.

So for 2019, send up your balloon, because dreams do come true. Celebrate random acts of kindness. Be generous with hugs and smiles. Don’t fear darkness - love will be the light. And if you think you have nothing to give, don’t forget those marshmallows.

Welcome to 2019!

Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local realtor. Have a comment or a story? You can email Judy at judy@judybluhm.com.

State Library issues more than $127,000 in grants statewide PHOENIX – The Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records (State Library), a division of the Secretary of State, has approved more than $127,000 in matching grants throughout the state for library construction projects.

The grants were made possible by the Arizona State Legislature through the State Grants-in-Aid program.

“Libraries are changing to meet the informational, technological and educational needs of their communities,” said Secretary of State Michele Reagan. “These changes may require building construction or technological infrastructure updates and I am proud

to play a small part in getting the funds to communities throughout our state.”

The libraries receiving construction grant funding are: •

City of Casa Grande Public Library: $45,100 to add study and conference rooms.

•

Globe Public Library: $12,000 for a roof replacement.

•

Yavapai County Library District Mayer Public Library: $32,400 for renovation.

•

Youngtown Public Library: $38,200 for a community room addition.

In 1981, the Arizona legislature developed State Grants-in-Aid (SGIA) to help Arizona libraries meet the information needs of Arizona residents. SGIA provides limited construction funding to public libraries, and annual awards to county library districts and to municipal libraries in cities with populations of 100,000 or more.

In addition to construction, other primary uses for the grant funding include collections development, staff training, programming, supplies, and technology support.

For more information about the SGIA program visit the State Library website at azlibrary.gov.

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County medical examiner's office receives full accreditation

Image courtesy of Maricopa County

PHOENIX – The premier professional organization for medical examiners is giving its highest endorsement to the Maricopa County Office of the Medical Examiner (OME). OME has received full accreditation from the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) for the first time ever.

“This is a huge achievement for the Office of the Medical Examiner and an important signal to the public,” said Board

of Supervisors Chairman Steve Chucri, District 2. “It means we are adhering to the highest standards possible as we fulfill this vital public function. My colleagues and I are committed to providing the support necessary for OME to maintain full accreditation.”

NAME requires compliance with at least 339 standards related to facilities, processes, staffing, and work product in order to grant full accreditation.

It is a goal OME has been working toward for five years.

“A fully accredited Medical Examiner’s Office should give the public confidence that we have the necessary resources and workflows to perform consistently excellent work,” said Dr. Jeffrey Johnston, Maricopa County’s Chief Medical Examiner. “I’m so proud of our team for their persistence and their willingness to adapt to change, and I’m grateful to county leadership for making OME a priority.” local arsenic issues in the City of Glendale.

EPA WATER PROJECTS continued from page 1

benefit thousands of Arizonans by improving access to healthy drinking water and modernizing wastewater treatment,” said Arizona’s Water Infrastructure Finance Authority (WIFA) Executive Director Trish Incognito.

“Through a collaborative relationship with EPA to fund these projects, public health and the environment are better protected for all of Arizona.”

The state’s Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (SRF), which is administered by WIFA, received almost $20 million to improve public water systems, including the following: •

The City of Safford has identified 58 miles of pipeline in its water distribution system that are outdated and failing. The city will relocate existing mains, build upgrades, and rehabilitate other wells.

•

The Tierra Buena Water Company will install a centralized arsenic treatment system to address

•

The state’s Clean Water SRF, also administered by WIFA, received almost $11 million to support a variety of water infrastructure improvement projects, including the following:

•

The Town of Marana will design and construct a new lift station and force main to convey sewage from the Adonis Neighborhood to the existing Town of Marana municipal system.

Currently the sewage flows into two over-capacity lagoons, running the risk of overflowing in wet weather, potentially causing an environmental and health hazard. Once the project is completed, the sewage from the neighborhood will be treated at the recently completed Marana Water Reclamation Facility, allowing Marana to reuse the water in various ways.

•

The City of Prescott will centralize its wastewater treatment system. Once complete, the system

Just a year ago, OME was facing a backlog of case reports caused by a shortage of medical examiners and the increased demand from the opioid epidemic. At the time, the county had only 11 forensic pathologists.

To address the staffing shortage, Maricopa County implemented a Loan Repayment Incentive for medical examiners in late 2017.

Under the program, qualifying medical examiners receive up to $25,000 in loan repayment assistance annually, with a lifetime cap of $100,000. Maricopa County is the first and only county to have such an incentive.

In the months since, OME has been able to better compete for a limited pool of medical examiners.

The office now has a full staff of forensic pathologists and completes 90% of investigations within three months, which is one of the standards required for full accreditation.

“This is an important step in will be able to direct sewage to the recently expanded Airport Wastewater Treatment Plant. The project will also include improvements to several trunk mains and construction of a lift station. Centralization of wastewater treatment will reduce the City’s operating and maintenance costs and eliminate odor complaints from the previous Sundog plant.

EPA has awarded more than $693 million to Arizona’s clean water and drinking water revolving fund programs since their inception in 1988 and 1996, respectively. These funds support Arizona’s efforts to address an estimated $16 billion worth of water infrastructure needs.

For more information on EPA’s State Revolving Fund programs, please visit: www.epa. gov/drinkingwatersrf. For more information on water programs in EPA’s Pacific Southwest Region, please visit: www.epa. gov/region9/water; www.epa. gov/drinkingwatersrf; www.epa. gov/cwsrf.

our continued effort to attract the best forensic pathologists in the country to conduct professional, compassionate investigations that help solve crimes, spot trends, and provide answers to those grieving the loss of a loved one,” said Dr. Johnston.

About the office of the medical examiner Under Arizona law, the Office of the Medical Examiner must perform medical investigations

of certain types of deaths in our community. The goal of these investigations is to determine the medical cause of the death in order to protect public health and safety.

Approximately 10,000 deaths in Maricopa County are reported to OME each year.

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•

continued from page 1

operators or passengers younger than 18 are required to wear a U.S. Department of Transportation-safety rated helmet, but they are strongly recommended for everyone.

•

•

Eye protection — Motorcycle goggles or a full-face shield are legally required for all riders if the OHV isn’t equipped with a windshield. This helps protect riders against eye injuries from flying debris.

Riding jersey — A long-sleeved riding jersey can protect riders from numerous issues, like windburn and hypothermia. In addition, bright colors will increase your visibility on the trail.

•

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NVSO seeks young string players

Riding gloves — Wear offroad motorcycle or OHV gloves to protect your hands from flying debris and trailside hazards like branches and bushes and enhance your grip while driving.

Riding pants, hip pads, knee pads and elbow pads — This specialty gear all offers additional protection for riders. Make sure the pieces fit properly and comfortably without restricting movement.

•

Riding boots — Over-theankle boots help prevent foot and ankle injuries, while also giving riders better grip on footrests.

Now that you’re properly outfitted to hit the trail, one of the most important things to wear is a seatbelt.

Get more information online at www.azgfd.gov/ohv.

Pictured: The 2018 North Valley Symphonettes.

Photo courtesy of NVSO

PHOENIX – North Valley Symphonettes (NVS), one of the three youth ensembles under North Valley Symphony Orchestra, is seeking young string players who want to join an orchestra ensemble in January. There is no audition required. Rehearsals begin January 7, 2019.

Students must have at least one year experience on

beginning of this season and feels that joining the North Valley Symphonettes is a positive supplemental experience for young orchestra students who are taking private lessons.

As students progress in their musical training, they are encouraged to audition for the more advanced youth performance groups within the NVSO organization, North Valley Youth Strings or North Valley Youth Orchestra.

For more information about any of the NVSO orchestras, visit the website: northvalleysymphony.org.

fuel, drinking water, snacks and essential medications.

Estimated travel times to Flagstaff, Prescott and other popular snow destinations are now available on the ADOT message boards on the Interstate 17.

Anyone planning on visiting the Flagstaff area to play in the snow, the Flagstaff Convention & Visitors Bureau lists snowplay locations or you can call the hotline 1-844-256-SNOW or visit FlagstaffArizona.org.

Travelers are also encouraged to visit ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at az511.gov or call 511, which provides alerts to incidents and road conditions. Or download the free ADOT app.

continued from page 1

•

•

No extra charge for evenings or weekends

their instrument, and either participate in their school orchestra program, or take private lessons if their school does not have an orchestra program. NVS meets Mondays from 5-6:30 p.m. at North Canyon High School, and is directed by Eily Hallagan.

North Valley Symphonettes play two to four concerts each school year. Rehearsals focus on technique, theory, and scales, in addition to learning concert music to provide a robust musical experience.

Students interested in joining Symphonettes should contact Mrs. Hallagan at: eilyh@ northvalleysymphony.org.

Mrs. Hallagan became the Symphonettes director at the

WINTER WEATHER popular snowy destinations and take safety precautions before leaving for the high-country.

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) is offering some tips for anyone wanting to play in the snow:

24 hours a day 7 days a week

January 2, 2019

It is unsafe to park along highway shoulders to play, and you should not sled or play on slopes next to highways.

Make sure to bring winter coats, blankets, a fully charged cellphone and a portable charger, plenty of

•

Use designated parking areas.

•

Highway shoulders are for emergencies only and stopping there can put you in danger.

•

Research where you plan to play in the snow and find out what designated parking is available.

•

Be sure to check highway conditions before traveling and check weather forecasts.

•

Avoid delays by making an earlier start back home.

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Free lecture opportunity about Paquime archaeology site in Mexico

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Pictured: Doctor Paul Minnis at the Paquimé archaeology site in northwestern Chihuahua, Mexico.

Photos courtesy of AAS-DFC

CAVE CREEK – Doctor Paul Minnis presents, “New Views on Paquimé.” The size and massive architecture of Paquimé (Casas Grandes) in northwestern Chihuahua has impressed visitors for centuries, ever since the first Spanish entradas to the area. He will be speaking at Arizona Archaeology Society – Desert Foothills Chapter’s (AAS-DFC) January 9 meeting beginning at 7:30 p.m. in Cave Creek.

During the Medio Period, approximately A.D. 1200-1450, this site was one of the major and most influential communities in the regions of Southwest United States and northwest Mexico.

The Joint Casas Grandes Expedition’s excavations, guided by the Amerind Foundation and Mexico’s Instituto Nacional de Antropología y Historia, during the mid-20th century revealed impressive archaeological data, uncovering one and a half tons of shell, hundreds of tropical parrots, an amazingly well-designed water system and extraordinary architecture engineering.

The results of several recent archaeological projects offer a revised and precise understanding of this remarkable community and its neighbors.

This community, a large regional center, and neighboring cultures were a connection between

the prehistoric southwest United States and Mesoamerican cultures through probable distant and local exchange networks.

Minnis is a Professor Emeritus of Anthropology at the University of Oklahoma. He earned a Ph.D. at the University of Michigan in 1981 and was a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of the University of Colorado. Doctor Minnis has worked throughout the borderlands, currently focusing on Paquimé.

During the past quartercentury, he and his colleague, Michael Whalen, have recorded 450 sites and excavated many sites in the region. In addition, he conducts prehistoric ethnobotanical research.

Doctor Minnis is a past president of the Society of Ethnobiology, treasurer and

press editor for the Society for American Archeology and co-founder of the Southwest Symposium. He has authored, co-authored and edited 12 books, as well as many journal articles and book chapters.

The public may attend AASDFC’s January 9, meeting at no charge.

There are refreshments available at 7 p.m. and the meeting begins at 7:30 p.m. The meetings are held in the community room (Maitland Hall) at The Good Shepard of the Hills Episcopal Church, 6502 East Cave Creek Road, near the Dairy Queen in Cave Creek.

The AAS-DFC meetings are held on the second Wednesday of each month, September through May. For more information visit azarchsoc. wildapricot.org/desertfoothills.

A partial aerial view of Paquimé, also known as Casas Grandes.

page 9

Contact Judy Bluhm, Branch Manager, for a confidential appointment.

3668 W. Anthem Way

(623) 223-1221

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January 2, 2019

movie review

BY MONTE YAZZIE FILM CRITIC

Film is a vessel of analysis into the world we are living in. It’s a bridge that will forever connect the opinions and emotions of the people in 2018

with those who view these artistic capsules in the future.

Film in 2018 took risks, made statements, and portrayed the world from vastly different perspectives.

The year 2018 displayed the frustrations

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with political structures, with the analysis of the past and the ramifications it has on the present times, and the loneliness felt by people because of the divisions that exist with the world, with family, and with self. And as per usual, a bunch of remakes, sequels and movie franchises clamoring for a piece of the box office.

For every personal story about growing up and growing old, every melancholy romantic film positioned in the past, every personal story about race and inequality, every documentary about fascinating figures and every genre tale that displayed horrors brought about by humanity…it all serves as a vessel of perspective for the artist.

Here are the films that moved me, enlightened me, and captured my spirit in 2018.

10. Roma For filmmaker Alfonso Cuarón, “Roma” is utilized to tell a tale of discovery, exploration, and memory.

Within the black and white photographed film is a family dynamic concerning three generations of women and how they handle the problems blocking their paths. The way Mr. Cuarón develops the characters here creates a strong emotional connection, one that arrives somewhat unexpectedly but completely encompasses the journey within the film but also for the director. “Roma” is the most beautifully composed film to be made this year from one of the greatest auteurs of the 21st century.

9. Cold War Another film shot in stunning black and white, “Cold War” is a love story that transpires over the course of many

years. It’s like an old scrapbook being flipped through, distressed pictures of faded memories that show the smiles amongst the blurry backgrounds of a world that never stops changing, never stops threatening the happiness of people who love one another. Director Pawel Pawlikowski crafts a romantic story that is filled with passion and pain, optimism and melancholy; however, through the journey over time, over love and loss, “Cold War” will seduce you with performance and technique.

8. Blackkklansman Director Spike Lee has composed an illustrious career of films that handle aspects of race relationships, both present and past, in thought provoking ways.

“BlacKkKlansman” is a career highlight for the director; it’s a film that utilizes every skill Mr. Lee has developed over his entire career in different, intriguing ways.

It’s quite impressive seeing everything come together; the composition of the narrative is sensitive and abrasive in effective ways, the performances are nuanced, and the style is a mix of both classic Hollywood and 70’s blaxploitation in only a way that Lee could compose.

This film displays the filmmaker’s restraint and also his ability to control tone in big and small ways. Spike Lee displays here why his name should be considering amongst the greatest living American directors.

7. Minding the Gap Next time you come across a group of people skateboarding, stop and

FAVORITE FILMS 2018 continued on page 11

January 2, 2019

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movie review 4. Blindspotting a better life for their children, a Racism, police brutality, mother who will travel the ends continued from page 10 structures, of the earth for the people she political loves, and a young woman who gentrification are but a few watch how many times they is committed to establishing of the subjects tackled with fail and fail again before and building a family. The impressive style and undeniable they successfully execute a trick. The determination and beauty and tragedy of this film, wit by first-time feature film perseverance for these athletes amidst the remarkable social director Carlos Lopez Estrada. is unbelievable. “Minding the connection Jenkins is doing with Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal Gap” is a documentary about the story, is that the tale is far too offer brilliant performances as the space that forms between familiar, both as an impassioned two best friends trying to save youth and adulthood, the social love story and commentary a friendship and survive in a class divide in middle America, surrounding the hatred that still rapidly changing Bay Area. It’s the most unorthodox film on an analysis on manhood, exists in 2018. this list because it refuses to play 5.

The Favourite broken homes, trauma and Director Yorgos Lanthimos by the rules; when you think the abuse. However, amidst all these has helmed some impressively film should turn left, it turns different elements, this film unique features in the past right, when you think it should is about the freedom one can few years, tackling interesting retreat from a subject, it charges achieve by having something subject matter with a keen visual full speed. “Blindspotting” is you can call your own, the perspective and a distinctive pure powerful poetry in so many freedom that exists through sensibility to narrative structure. different ways. friendship, and the freedom that “The Favourite”, a career 3. First Reformed develops by simple trying to highlight for the Greek director, Paul Shrader has garnered an achieve something in the face of is a bitingly dark costume impressive list of films under failure. This is a stunning debut comedy about royal affairs, his belt both as a director and from director Bing Liu. prestige, politics, hierarchy, and writer. “First Reformed” is a 6. If Beale Street Could Talk the morally abrasive manners There is a sense of optimism that compose the quest for difficult film surrounding the felt in the final moments of Barry power. The performances are aspects of honor, humility and Jenkins’ adaptation of the 1974 some of the best of 2018. Olivia ultimately faith; the film asks classic novel, “If Beale Street Colman is exceptional as Queen challenging questions about Could Talk”, written by James Anne; her petulant nature, religion and politics without the Baldwin. It’s a quiet moment shrieking voice, desperate looks, need for an answer from anyone, of unrelenting, unwavering and tearful pleading compose the director included. The love between two young people a character that is trapped and filmmaking is rigid and formal who grow up in Harlem in the lonely. Rachel Weisz and Emma with everything having an order 1970’s and are forced to fight Stone compete and bicker with or place, the performance from the exceptional Hawke for their love amidst racism amusing flair.approval “The Favourite” mar/rest of Ethan Campaign money mailer distribution that ultimately keeps them is pleasantly frustrating and feels tortured yet somehow 10,000 distribution to CCto $279.00 mailing (+tax) Approved ___ / ___ apart. Along the path this each the/ ___narrative sharply hilarious.

It’s x_______________________ the best awakened,Dateand moment we are introduced to film of Yorgos Lanthimos design is foreboding and two families struggling to make intriguing career. ominous. Paul Shrader, even

FAVORITE FILMS 2018

after a long and varied career, demonstrates his mastery of filmmaking with “First Reformed”.

2. Burning Director Lee Chang-dong has composed six films since 1997, each of them more provocative and emotional than the last.

“Burning”, based on a short story

by Haruki Murakami, takes aim at the increasing disconnection humanity has with one another and how fractured a person

can become by this division.

The film expertly shifts its tone, at one moment harboring the characteristics of a lovelorn romance and then transitioning into a mystery that becomes increasingly enthralling. Themes of class division, family trauma, and political division give the film its teeming atmosphere while the performances from

FAVORITE FILMS 2018 continued on page 14

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continued from page 3

shoulder the costs of abandonedmine supervision. The BLM often provides the fence posts used by Arizona Game & Fish teams when they find abandoned mines.

However, the majority of additions to the state mine database come from Tyra and White because agencies that aren’t focused on mines have their own priorities.

But Tyra appreciates any help they can get. Even near Wickenburg, which he considers one of the best mapped areas in the state, Tyra estimates only 90 percent of the abandoned mines around the small town have been found and fenced.

Setting priorities: Unsecured mines are deadly Over Labor Day weekend in 2007, a tragedy struck the Mohave County town of Chloride, population 352. Two girls, Rikki Howard, 13, and Casie Hicks, 10,

May your holidays be joyful and bright.

January 2, 2019

abandoned mines around the town: Rainbow, Lucky Boy, Tyro.

“There used to be a hundred mines back in these mountains,” said Jones, who runs the town’s tourism office from a side room of the store. She keeps a collection of mining books and maps as part of an exhibit.

“We, at one point in time, had over 2,000 people living here,” she said.

Jones has lived in Chloride for just two years, but she knows the story of Rikki and Casie.

Allen Bercowitz moved t Chloride in 2003.

“I drove in one day, never left. I like the town. It’s quiet,” he said.

But when Rikki died, Chloride, still grieving, became a magnet for news media outlets.

“Those two girls, that was a rough time.”

Bercowitz said town residents try to steer clear of the mines they know are dangerous.

Enjoy all the good moments that come with the season. Your friends at Allstate wish you the best this holiday season and look forward to serving you in 2019.

Jerry Tyra fits the classic image of an Old West sheriff: silver hair, straw cowboy hat and, often, a cigarette between his lips. As one of Arizona’s two abandoned-mine supervisors, he’s protecting the public from a menace left over from Arizona’s long history of mineral extraction: abandoned ore mines.

(Photo by Nicole Neri/Cronkite News)

Jessica Morrison 623-455-5645

were riding ATVs with their father about 40 minutes northwest of Kingman when they fell into a mine shaft.

According to interviews and stories in the Kingman Daily Miner, their father called for help after realizing the girls weren’t behind him. Night set in, and by the time a rescue party found them the next day, Rikki was dead and Casie severely injured.

That mine was unknown to inspectors before the tragedy.

Many experts point to that incident as proof that Arizona’s abandoned mines are deadly, and state officials should make closing them a high priority.

Ruby Jones, who owns the Mineshaft Market and Chloride General Store, ticked off some of the

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“I’m sure during the time that the mines were working, it (tragedy) happened all the time. These are shafts that go straight down.”

The site of the tragedy, the Brighter Days Mine, was fenced off three years after the girls fell, according to the Mohave Valley Daily News.

“Mining was never a safe profession,” Bercowitz said. “But these are kids, and they just fell into the hole.”

State Mine Inspector Joe Hart used the accident to push for more funding to prevent more tragedies – funding that still has not materialized 11 years later. Since 2007, one other person, Tyler Halverson, 19, has died in an abandoned mine.

AZ MINES

continued on page 17

January 2, 2019

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arts

BY SHEA STANFIELD ARTS COLUMNIST

"Music is the universal language of mankind," wrote Henry Wadsworth Longfellow.

It’s a sentiment understood by anyone who embraces music. Local musicians, Cindy and Robert Leger, can attest to having music in their souls from the beginning.

Cindy was born and raised in Springfield, Mo. The first time she picked up a cello in elementary school she was captivated by the cello’s “almost human sound and its ability to express both joyful and sorrowful ranges of emotions.”

Five decades later she is still mesmerized by it and exploring its emotional range.

Cindy attended Drury University in Springfield, where she received bachelor’s degrees in music and music education.

She played with the Springfield Symphony and studied with influential professors, Walter Hawkey, and Sam Minasian.

Cindy also served as a music librarian for the college orchestra and the Springfield Symphony, and played in different string

Photo courtesy of Ocotillo

quartets, chamber orchestras and full orchestras.

When she met and married Robert Leger her life path would add raising two sons.

They eventually relocated to Phoenix with Robert's job as a newspaper editor with the Arizona Republic.

Today, Cindy draws her inspiration from playing with Robert in their musical duo Ocotillo.

"Where words fail, music speaks," Hans Christian Anderson wrote.

And so goes the story for Cindy’s musical partner Robert Leger. Born and raised in Las Cruces, N.M., Robert credits his parents for planting the seeds that would blossom in journalism and music.

He became a voracious reader, fascinated with the power of words, and this passion would lead to his career in journalism.

His parents were involved in the Las Cruces Community Theater, so he and his siblings could be found many weekends at rehearsals or building sets for the latest production. Robert grew his performance legs and

page 13

Your life is extraordinary.

Your vacations should be too.

The Universal Language

Pictured: The local musical duo, Ocotillo.

TheFoothillsFocus.com

directed two plays before leaving for college.

Robert arrived at college in his teens with his driver's license, his first guitar and role models in the Beatles, John Denver and Led Zeppelin. He didn't take his first classical guitar lessons until his 20s, and from there he taught himself the mandolin.

He attended the University of Missouri, receiving a bachelor’s degree in journalism that lead to a 37-year career; the last 10 with the Arizona Republic.

In 2015, Robert took a buyout from the newspaper and entered the consulting phase of his life, offering ghost writing, editing and message strategizing, mostly on public policy issues.

Robert and Cindy, known professionally, as Ocotillo, have converted a spare bedroom in their home into a sound and production studio where they compose original music, and develop new twists on standard favorites.

With music in their souls and generosity in their hearts, both thrive on “celebrating and improving their community” through their professional and personal work.

As Ocotillo they play weddings, special events or corporate parties all over Arizona. They especially enjoy intimate home concerts and are looking to expand that part of their performance schedule.

Ocotillo has released an album entitled “Enchantment.”

They say the album “sparked the writing of original music and greater sophistication in our arrangements.”

They are involved in the music ministry at their church and Cindy plays with MusicaNova Orchestra at the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM).

To discover more about Ocotillo, or to reach Robert and Cindy for information about booking a performance, visit their website at ocotillomusic. com. Or you can find them on Facebook or Instagram.

You can contact Arts Columnist Shea Stanfield on her email at flowingquill@yahoo.com.

C

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ARIZONA STATE LAND DEPARTMENT 1616 WEST ADAMS STREET PHOENIX, ARIZONA 85007 PUBLIC AUCTION SALE NO. 16-120186 PERPETUAL RIGHT OF WAY EASEMENT Pursuant to A.R.S. Title 37, notice is hereby given that the state of Arizona through its Arizona State Land Department (herein called ASLD), will sell at Public Auction to the highest and best bidder at 10:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 19, 2019, at the Arizona State Land Department, 1616 W. Adams, Room 434B, Phoenix, Arizona, a perpetual right of way easement for the purpose of Public Roads and Underground Utilities including Slope Easement situated in Maricopa County to wit:

TOWNSHIP 5 NORTH, RANGE 2 EAST, G&SRB&M, MARICOPA COUNTY, ARIZONA RIGHT OF WAY PARCEL:

M&B THRU S2S2SWSW, SECTION 36. CONTAINING 1.707 ACRES, MORE OR LESS.

SLOPE EASEMENT PARCEL:

M&B THRU S2S2SWSW, SECTION 36. CONTAINING 0.842 ACRES, MORE OR LESS. BENEFICIARY: PERMANENT COMMON SCHOOLS

For a complete legal description of the land, prospective bidders are advised to examine the right of way application file as well as all pertinent files of ASLD. Said right of way easement has been valued at $542,555.00 and consists of 2.549 acres, more or less.

Additional requirements and conditions of this right of way are available and may be viewed at the Arizona State Land Department, 1616 West Adams Street, Phoenix, Arizona.

The complete file associated with the described land is open to public inspection at the ASLD, 1616 West Adams Street, Phoenix, Arizona, from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., exclusive of holidays and weekends.

Please direct any questions regarding this Public Auction to the Rights of Way Section of the Real Estate Division of ASLD at (602) 542-4098. This auction notice is available on the ASLD's web site at www.azland.gov.

Facebook.com/TheFoothillsFocus FAVORITE FILMS 2018 continued from page 11

January 2, 2019

grief, trauma, and ultimately despair before unleashing the supernatural threat, it’s why

the three leads beautifully grounds the story throughout its changing forms with characters obsessed, jealous, and madly in love. “Burning” is captivating cinema from start to finish.

1. Hereditary Horror films have utilized the family dynamic, mostly broken beyond repair, to build visions of invasive family structure terror. Think of films like “The Omen”, “The Shining”, or even more recently “The Conjuring”.

What makes director Ari Aster’s first feature film different from most is the structure concerning the family, specifically the historical structure and the ongoing trauma and despair that has permeated the foundation of this family’s ancestry.

“Hereditary” takes the viewer into horrific aspects concerning

the film is so effective. It’s this journey into the emotion that ultimately makes the visions of horror resonate so strongly.

Here are the remaining top-25 favorite films of 2018: 11. Sorry to Bother You 12. Suspiria 13. You Were Never Really Here 14. Annihilation 15. Border 16. Beast 17. Revenge 18. Shirkers 19. Let the Sun Shine In 20. The Sisters Brothers 21. The Ballad of Buster Scruggs 22. Shoplifters 23. Mandy 24. Black Panther 25. Vice

Each potential bidder must show ASLD's representative a cashier's check made payable to the Arizona State Land Department in the amount specified under Terms of Sale Paragraph (A) below.

TERMS OF SALE: (A) At the time of sale the successful bidder must pay the following by a cashier's check: (1) The value of the right of way, which is $542,555.00; (2) A Selling and Administrative Fee of 3% of the value of the right of way, which is $16,277.00; (3) Reimbursable Estimated Advertising Fee, which is $2,500.00; and (4) Reimbursable Appraisal Fee, which is $3,000.00. The total amount due at the time of sale is $564,332.00 (less $5,500.00 and less $542,555.00 for Advance Deposit into suspense if the successful bidder is the applicant for a total amount due of $16,277.00).

(B) Within 30 days after the auction date the successful bidder must pay the full balance of the amount bid for the right of way and pay a Selling and Administrative Fee of 3% of the purchase price for the right of way less the amount paid under (A)(2) above.

(C) Within 30 days after the auction date the successful bidder shall be required to pay the actual legal advertising cost, less the amount paid under (A)(3) above.

BIDDING INFORMATION: (A) The time of sale shall be deemed to be the time of declaration of the highest and best bidder. The bidding will begin at the total value of the right of way. A bid for less than the value of the right of way easement or by a party who has not inspected the right of way and/or the associated files and records of ASLD will not be considered.

(B) All bidders must sign an affidavit stating that they have undertaken due diligence in preparation for the auction and that their representative is authorized to bid and bind the bidder. It is the bidder’s responsibility to research the records of local jurisdictions and public agencies regarding this property.

KIB EXCAVATING

(C) Pursuant to A.R.S. §37-240(B), the successful bidder must be authorized to transact business in the state of Arizona no later than ten (10) business days after the auction. The successful bidder must sign an affidavit stating it is the successful bidder and sign a Certification Statement pursuant to A.R.S. Title 37 and the Rules of ASLD.

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(D) If the successful bidder fails to complete the payment as stated in the auction notice together with the additional required fees within 30 days from the auction date, all amounts paid at the time of auction by the successful bidder will be forfeited.

We are certified to perform the required ADEQ septic inspection for any home or commercial property.

(E) In the event of forfeiture, the ASLD Commissioner may declare that the bid placed before the final bid accepted is the highest bid, and that the bidder has five (5) days after notification by ASLD to pay by cashier’s check all amounts due.

GENERAL INFORMATION: The ASLD may cancel this auction in whole or in part at any time prior to the acceptance of a final bid.

A protest to this sale must be filed within 30 days after the first day of publication of this announcement and in accordance with A.R.S. §37-301.

Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation such as a sign language interpreter, by contacting the ADA Coordinator, at (602) 542-2629. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation.

Ruben Ojeda

(for) Lisa A. Atkins Commissioner

December 21, 2018

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The Foothills Focus AZ MINES

continued from page 12

Tyra still works to close mines such as the Brighter Days, but he keeps those deaths in mind as he checks the fence posts at well-known abandoned mines near Wickenburg.

“If what we do saves one person, it’s worth it,” Tyra said, pointing to the fence around the mouth of the Monte Cristo silver mine. “If this little dinky fence here keeps somebody from falling in there, it’s well worth everything we spent on it.”

Old mine sites need constant attention Tyra’s job focuses on the safety of Arizona’s residents and visitors – but those very people often cause him the most problems.

When his office installs fencing and signs around a mine, they can act as a magnet for the curious. People often steal the signs.

“We’ve changed our signs,” Tyra said. “When I first started, we had had skull and crossbones on there, and that didn’t work. … You couldn’t put them up fast enough.”

He said he installed signs at one mine site three days in a row: “Each day, they were gone.”

In Wickenburg, Tyra picked up a bullet casing from the dirt and examined it. A .22 shell. Because the minecartpulling rig and shed are the only manmade objects for miles, people use them for target practice.

“I shouldn’t say it,” he said, chuckling, “but you can’t fix stupid.”

If he doesn’t revisit the mines every so often, people will destroy the fences because they want to explore the depths.

“Somebody knocked it down. We put it up and put it up and put it up,” Tyra said. “All the ones that we’ve secured, we need to go back once a year or so just to take a look at them. There’s nothing to see in there, anyhow. It’s just a hole in the ground.”

There is very little the mine inspector’s office can do to stop people.

“It’s not against the law to go inside one of these things, unfortunately,” Swartzbaugh said. “But it is against the law to break the barriers.”

Nobody in Arizona has ever been been prosecuted for damaging the barriers – a felony with a maximum sentence of two years in prison, according to the state mine inspector’s office.

“You have to prove somebody has done that,” Swartzbaugh said. “Most of these mines are in the middle of nowhere, and it’s really hard unless you catch that person in the act, to prove that anybody took down a sign or took down fencing or anything like that.”

page 17

Permanent closure is a long, arduous process If he could, Tyra would bring in heavy machinery to every mine and fill it completely with rocks and dirt. But even if tractors and excavators could physically get to every mine, the permits and paperwork required to do this would prove prohibitive, he said.

To fill in an abandoned mine, parties involved must file paperwork with the Arizona State Historic Preservation Office and the Arizona Department of Agriculture. The requesters need to obtain a biological study to determine if wildlife in the mine would be impacted.

Bats pose a particular problem with this step.

Joel Diamond, a biologist for Arizona Game & Fish and a self-proclaimed bat lover, knows this challenges well.

“Arizona has the second-highest bat diversity in the U.S.,” he said, standing atop a wire mesh over a 40-foot mine shaft near Dragoon, about an hour east of Tucson. “We have 28 different species.”

Diamond estimated that about 15 percent of the mine features he finds are critical habitats for bats.

Diamond and his team often work as temporary abandoned-mine hunters on federal land, and they add mine features to the state’s inventory. They also install gates to allow bats to fly out while preventing human entry.

On top of all the paperwork and environmental concerns, the office also needs money to permanently close mine features. Using heavy duty tractors, conducting studies and installing bat gates isn’t cheap.

The mine inspector’s office needs authorization from the Legislature if it plans to spend $10,000 or more on a project, Swartzbaugh said.

It’s unclear what will happen with future funding requests for the Arizona State Mine Inspector’s office. But one thing is clear. The state’s only abandonedmine supervisors – Tyra and White – are eligible for retirement. Tyra, who’s 75, said he would stay in the position as long as Hart remains state mine inspector.

Hart, 74, is not allowed under Arizona law to serve more than four terms; he won his fourth term in November.

If the office can’t get the money to hire and train new employees to take over, it might cause additional problems, Hart warned in a letter to Gov. Doug Ducey.

“It’s a hell of a job,” Tyra said. “If I’d have known about it 30 years ago, I’d have killed somebody to get it. But I have slowed down. I don’t go as gungho as I was.”

This story is part of Elemental: Covering Sustainability, a multimedia collaboration between Cronkite News, Arizona PBS, KJZZ, KPCC, Rocky Mountain PBS and PBS SoCal.

page 18

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CLASSIFIEDS

PLEASE VISIT OUR WEBSITE AT WWW.THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM TO PLACE YOUR CLASSIFIED. RATE FOR CLASSIFIEDS ARE $15 FOR THE FIRST 20 WORDS, THEN $0.50/WORD FOR EACH WORD THEREAFTER AND MUST BE PREPAID. DEADLINE FOR CLASSIFIEDS IS WED. AT 5PM FOR THE FOLLOWING WED. ISSUE. CLASSIFIEDS MAY ALSO BE FAXED TO 623-465-1363. PLEASE NOTE THAT NO CLASSIFIEDS ARE ACCEPTED OVER THE PHONE. NOTICES Looking for ladies to play games such as Hand Knee and Foot on Mondays at the Anthem Civic Building before noon. Call Nancy 623-465-9317 THE NORTH VALLEY PARKINSON SUPPORT GROUP MEETS THE FIRST SATURDAY OF EACH MONTH (UNLESS IT IS A HOLIDAY WEEKEND) FROM SEPTEMBER UNTIL MAY AT THE N. VALLEY REGIONAL LIBRARY 40410 N. GAVILAN PEAK PKWY (HIGH SCHOOL BUILDING) IN ANTHEM. WE MEET FROM 10:30 AM UNTIL APPROXIMATELY NOON. WE ARE SPONSORED BY THE MUHAMMED ALI CENTER AT BARROWS NEUROLOGICAL INSTITUTE IN PHOENIX. WE FEATURE GUEST SPEAKERS AND EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN ADDITION TO SUPPORT TO PATIENTS, CAREGIVERS AND FAMILY MEMBERS. FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO BE PLACED ON MAILING LIST CONTACT LORRIE DUWIGER AT LDUWIGER@YAHOO.COM., OR BOB YOUNG AT YOUNGROBB@ YMAIL,COM. North Valley Business Network. We would like to invite you to our growing group of local business owners. We want to work with honest and caring people.

Come and join us for breakfast on the 2nd and 4th Tuesday of each month at Heart and Soul Café, 8:30am. For more info please call Barb Miner 602377-1892/623-465-9253 Al-anon Meetings in Anthem.

Mondays 12pm NEW Location. Cross of Christ.

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Monthly “Representative Town Hall” meetings: 2nd Friday 9-11 AM (Except Nov, 1st Friday

At: Anthem Civic Bldg – 3701 W. Anthem Way – Anthem, AZ 85086

NEW MEETING ROOM & ADDRESS

Monthly Community meetings: 2nd Tues, 7:00 PM

At: Crossroads Fellowship Church; 42425 N New River Rd, N.R. The New River/Desert Hills Community Association (NR/DHCA) is dedicated to the preservation of our Community and its rural life style, as reflected by the Maricopa County Land Use Plan (Daisy Mountain Area Plan aka New River Area Plan). We are working to make our community the best in Arizona and we need your support.

Please visit our website for more up to date information & maps to locations.

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page 19

Pet of the week: Moana ANTHEM - Meet Moana, a cool black cat that is about seven-months-old and is domestic short hair.

She is shy at first but onc she warms up she is very sweet and friendly.

She tolerates dogs but would need a slow introduction with cats.

She does great with children, and would love to find a loving forever home.

Moana was found as a stray, poor kitty. She is litter box trained now.

Moana is up to date on shots, spayed and micro-chipped.

Her adoption fee is $75.

If you would like to meet Moana, fill out a matchmaker form on anthempets.org or copy this link http://form.jotform.us/ form/41676646153157.

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