Brewer Making Stops In Pinal and Cochise Counties

In an indication of her commitment to the people of greater Arizona, Governor Jan Brewer will travel to Pinal and Cochise Counties On March 12th. The Governor will lay out her comprehensive 5-point long-term solution to the state’s current fiscal condition to community and business leaders in Casa Grande and Sierra Vista.

“I have had the opportunity as an elected official to become very familiar with some of the long term issues facing rural Arizona,” said Governor Brewer. “During these tough economic times, it is particularly important that we maintain our outreach to our greater Arizona communities and hear of their substantive and pressing needs and concerns.”

Relay For Life Team Barbeque Fundraiser

The law firm of Thompson, Montgomery, & DeRose is involved as a team this year in the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. Their team cordially invites the public to a barbeque fundraiser this Saturday at the Copper Spike Train Depot in downtown Globe. Grilling will start at Noon with all of the proceeds going to benefit the local Relay for Life, scheduled for May 15th and May 16th.

Luminarybags in memory of those who have passed from cancer or in honor of those who have fought or are fighting the battle with cancer will also be available to purchase at the barbeque. These bags line the football field the night of the Relay, and are a sight to behold in a memorable tribute to so many in our community who have dealt with cancer.

Casa Grande Party in the Park Concert

The City of Casa Grande Community Services Department is once again pleased to offer a series of concerts held at Peart Park from 6 pm to 8 pm. This ultimate music series will be held the 3rd Friday of each month beginning in March. All concerts will be free of charge. Bring your blankets or lawn chairs and start your weekend off right with an evening in the park. On March 20th, the Desert City Jazz Band will start the 2009 season.

Casa Grande Party in the Park Concert

The City of Casa Grande Community Services Department is once again pleased to offer a series of concerts held at Peart Park from 6 pm to 8 pm. This ultimate music series will be held the 3rd Friday of each month beginning in March. All concerts will be free of charge. Bring your blankets or lawn chairs and start your weekend off right with an evening in the park. On March 20th, the Desert City Jazz Band will start the 2009 season.

ADOT State Transportation Board Meeting

The State Transportation Board is expected to decide on Friday which of the more than 100 statewide ready-to-go highway projects will move forward for federal funding under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. Last week the board took action to approve the preliminary list of shovel-ready projects eligible to receive economic recovery funding.

The board will hold its regular monthly meeting at 10 am on March 13th, in the Arizona Department of Transportation Auditorium, 206 S. 17th Avenue in Phoenix. Local officials and community members will have an opportunity to address the board during the meeting.

The funding and prioritization process is focused on collaboration at the local levels with a view to the entire state highway system. Arizona is set to receive an estimated $522 million in recovery funding, $350 million of which will be allocated by ADOT. Currently, the funding allocation distributes approx. $130 million to the Maricopa County region, $46 million to the Pima County region and $175 million to Arizona's 13 other counties.

Several construction contracts are also expected to be awarded at the meeting. They include:

* Construction of the Twin Peaks traffic interchange on I-10 in Pima County (Marana).
* Pavement preservation on US 180 in Apache County near Springerville.
* Repaving State Route 188 in Gila County near SR 87.

SME's March Meeting

The Pinal Mountain Section of SME is holding their March meeting at the Cobre Valley Country Club on Tuesday, March 17th, at 5 pm. Dr. Lee Allison, State Geologist and Director of the Arizona Geological Survey, will put on a presentation called, "A National Data Network for the Geosciences". All members, as well as any interested members of the community are invited to attend. Reservations must be made by Sunday, March 15th, to Mitch at 473-7510.

Casa Grande Road Closure Update

Cottonwood Lane at Arizola will be closed at Arizola Rd from March 10th to March 12th, from 6 am to 2 pm.

Trekell Road Closure - Trekell Road will be closed between McCartney Road and Avenida Isabella on Monday, March 16th, and re-open on Thursday, March 19th. The City of Casa Grande Streets Division will be doing patching and crack filling on this portion of the roadway. A detour will be in place on Peart Road between Rodeo Road & McCartney Road. Trekell Road will be open to local traffic only between Rodeo Road & Avenida Isabella. They are asking that residents be patient through this process.

Cessna Ave Closure - Cessna Ave will be closed from Boeing Ave. to Grumman Ave. beginning March 9th, and lasting for approx. 1 week to 10 days.

More Prescribed Burns Near Payson & Pine This Week

Wildland firefighters plan more prescribed fire operations southwest of Payson and in and around Pine through Friday, March 13th. Prescribed fire is always dependent on optimum weather conditions prior to ignition.

Payson Ranger District firefighters are approved to conduct prescribed fire operations to mitigate dense brush southwest of Payson beginning this morning. Firefighters using ground resources will manage the 500-acre burn.

Residents and visitors will see moderate to heavy smoke volume from 11 am to 4 pm during the prescribed operation. The smoke is expected to move in a northeasterly direction. There is projected to be little residual smoke by evening.

Payson Ranger District firefighters are also approved to conduct prescribed fire operations to eliminate vegetative debris piles in and around Pine through Friday. Residents and visitors can expect light to moderate smoke during the operation. Most smoke will probably dissipate by sundown. Residual smoke in the evening hours may settle in Pine Creek.

Firefighters will also conduct a prescribed broadcast burn in the Bray Creek area next week. The 300-acre burn will generate moderate to heavy smoke during the operation. Most smoke could dissipate by sundown. Residual smoke will probably move down Bray Creek in the evening but is likely to linger for a few days.

On March 2nd, Payson Ranger District firefighters were able to enhance 1000 acres of wildlife habitat in the Buckhead Mesa area. “From October 2008 to today we have treated 6,146 acres with prescribed fire,” said Gary Roberts, District Fire Prevention Officer. “This surpasses our original goal of 2,250 acres by a wide margin.”

Can You Handle The Navy SEAL Fitness Challenge?

Men and women ages 13 and up have a unique opportunity of testing their personal fitness levels against members of the elite Navy SEAL community.

The Navy Seal Fitness Challenge consists of a 500-yard swim, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and a 1.5-mile run. The Fitness Challenge is an athletic competition with an overriding goal of promoting physical fitness and increasing awareness of SEALs and Navy Special Warfare/Special Operations communities. The Fitness Challenge is identical in nature to the Navy SEAL Physical Screening Test; the test SEAL candidates must pass in order to get into the rigorous training program.

The public Navy SEAL Fitness Challenge event will take place on Saturday, March 14th, in the Arizona State University Student Recreation Complex, 400 East Apache Blvd. in Tempe. To learn more about the event and to pre-register, please visit sealfitnesschallenge.com. Registration is free.

Singer & Evangelist Patrick Johnson At The Globe Christian Center

Singer & evangelist Patrick Johnson will be at the Globe Christian Center, 509 East Maple St., through Wednesday, March 11th, at 7 pm each night. Admission is free & everyone is welcome to attend.

Pinal County Deputies Save Four From Canal

On Friday, March 6th, at approx. 6 am, Pinal County Sheriff’s Office Deputies saved the lives of four undocumented immigrants who had fallen into a Maricopa/Stanfield Irrigation District canal approximately three miles south of I-8 and Trekell Road in an unincorporated area of Casa Grande.At approx. 5:50 am, PCSO deputy Russell Warren was patrolling an area near Thornton Road and I-8, an area commonly known for drug trafficking and human smuggling, when he noticed a vehicle coming toward him with its headlights turned off. When the vehicle driver noticed the deputy, the headlights to the vehicle were illuminated and the driver continued north on Thornton Road, traveling in the opposing lane of traffic, running at least two stop signs. Deputy Warren followed the vehicle in an attempt to retrieve the license plate number and reported the vehicle was traveling at speeds in excess of 85 mph. The vehicle entered I-8 headed east and continued to swerve across both lanes of traffic, exiting the Interstate at Trekell Road.Deputy Warren then turned on his overhead lights and attempted to initiate a traffic stop at I-8 and Trekell Road, when the driver of the vehicle sped up in an attempt to evade the officer. Deputy Warren then turned on his siren in an attempt to get the vehicle driver to yield. In the area of Shedd Road and Trekell, the deputy lost sight of the suspect vehicle due to the amount of dust generated from the dirt road surface. Deputy Warren turned off his lights and siren and continued to attempt to relocate the vehicle. As he was traveling in the area of Houser Road, he noticed vehicle lights. He traveled on Houser Road. (parallel to the canal) in an attempt to ascertain if the vehicle parked on the canal bank was the suspect vehicle.As Deputy Warren approached the vehicle he noticed numerous subjects fleeing from the vehicle in all directions. He was attempting to maintain a visual on the suspect driver while giving him commands to stop running when his attention was diverted to the canal where he could hear people yelling. Deputy Warren immediately turned his attention to the yelling and advanced toward the canal bank, where he saw seven people who had fallen into the canal and appeared to be unable to swim. Deputy Warren removed his duty gear and jumped into the canal in an attempt to save the victims. He was able to retrieve one individual who had gone under the water and pulled him to the water edge, where a second deputy had arrived and assisted them out of the water. The second deputy then threw one end of a pair of jumper cables into the canal to save another victim. Two additional victims were able to hold on to the side of the canal, where the second deputy and his supervisor were able to assist them out of the water.Unfortunately, three victims were unable to be rescued and have not been located as of the time of this release yesterday.Pinal County Search and Rescue Coordinators immediately started working with the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team and Maricopa/Stanfield Irrigation District in an effort to recover the bodies of the victims. Due to the speed of the flow of the water, the undercurrent and the proximity of the incident to the canal gate, dive team members are not able to safely enter the water at this time. Representatives from the Maricopa/Stanfield Irrigation District informed S/R Coordinator Sgt. Brian Messing that they could not close the main gate to shut off the flow of water as the canal would flood within 10 minutes and create additional hazards to divers. Maricopa/Stanfield Irrigation District Representatives have also informed us they do not close off gates for recovery efforts.Search and Rescue deputies will be patrolling the canal bank during daylight hours in an attempt to locate the bodies as they surface. Sgt Messing noted the significant risk Deputy Warren took when he chose to remove his duty gear to save the lives of as many victims as possible. “With no one on the bank and the undercurrent in the water, we are very fortunate that Dep. Warren was able to save as many victims as he did and that he is safe,” Sgt. Messing said.Emergency aid was rendered and the rescued victims as well as 5 additional undocumented immigrants were turned over to the United States Border Patrol.Sheriff Paul Babeu said, “This is yet another tragic result of human smuggling, where the coyotes (human smuggling guides) have no regard for human life. Deputy Warren, Deputy Hernandez and Cpl. Berry risked their lives today to save the lives of others. I am very proud of our Deputies and their selfless acts of bravery.”There was no additional information at this time.

Get Red Cross Ready

The American Red Cross Grand Canyon Chapter is holding a presentation focusing on three actions you can take to be prepared for disasters. The presentation covers how to make a disaster supplies kit with items found around the home, planning escape routes with families and/or communities and how to stay informed by emergency officials.

The Miami Senior Center will be the site of this American Red Cross Community Disaster Education Presentation on March 11th, at 11 am. The presentation focuses on common types of disasters in Arizona as well as the basic steps individuals and families can take to be better prepared in an emergency. The presentation is about 45 minutes in length.

Globe-Miami Democratic Women’s Club Meeting

The Globe-Miami Democratic Women’s Club is holding a meeting at Joe’s Broad Street Grill on Wednesday, March 11th, at noon. Chris Tilley, the new Chair of the Gila County Democratic Committee will be the speaker, and Dee Hershberger from the Rim County Democratic Women’s Club will be their guest. Everyone is welcome to attend.

Globe-Miami Chamber of Commerce Monthly Mixer

The Globe-Miami Chamber of Commerce monthly mixer is Wednesday, March 11th, at the Gila County Historical Museum, located next to the chamber building. It will be from 5 pm to 7 pm and Bill Haak and his board invite chamber members to stop in and see what's new at the museum.

San Carlos Apache Tribe Long Range Transportation Planning Study Public Meetings Scheduled

The San Carlos Apache Tribe Planning and Economic Development Department working in conjunction with the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) will hold two public meetings on Saturday, March 28th. The public is invited to attend and learn about current progress on development of the San Carlos Apache Tribe’s Long Range Transportation Plan Update. The meetings will present current and future transportation conditions and discuss issues related to transportation needs and improvements within the San Carlos Reservation boundaries. Tribal Planning staff, ADOT representatives and Jacobs Engineering, the project consultant, will be present to answer questions. The meetings will be informal “Open Houses” where participants are welcome to ask questions about the project and provide input regarding transportation needs and concerns. The meetings will be held as follows:

Saturday, March 28th;
1 pm – 3 pm
Bylas Exhibit Hall
Bylas, Arizona
(Located south of the Community Center)

Saturday, March 28th;
4 pm – 6 pm
San Carlos Burdette Hall
San Carlos, Arizona
(Located at the end of North San Carlos Avenue)

Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation by contacting Barney Bigman at (928) 475-2331. Requests should be made as early as possible to allow time to arrange the accommodation.

Casa Grande Primary Election

The Primary Election is Tuesday, March 10th, and is for the positions of Mayor and three of the City Council members. Polls will be open from 6 am until 7 pm. And, please remember to bring your ID with you, as it is needed to vote.

Location of polls:

Voting District No. 1
Dorothy Powell Senior Adult Center
405 E. 6th Street
Casa Grande, Arizona

This district is composed of part or all of Pinal County Precincts No. 33, 34, 36, 38, & 41.

Voting District No. 2
United Methodist Church of Casa Grande
1515 N. Trekell Rd.
Casa Grande, Arizona

This district is composed of part or all of Pinal County Precincts No. 35, 21, 22 and 39, 81, 83.

Voting District No. 3
Casa Grande Justice Court Complex
820 East Cottonwood Lane, Building B
Casa Grande, Arizona

This district is composed of part or all of Pinal County Precincts No. 32, 37 and 55 and 82.

Prescribed Burn Near Roosevelt Lake Today

Wildland firefighters plan prescribed fire operations near Roosevelt Lake later today. Prescribed fire is always dependent on optimum weather conditions prior to ignition.

Tonto Basin Ranger District firefighters are approved to conduct prescribed fire operations south of State Highway 188 and Forest Road 445. Wildland firefighters using ground resources will manage the prescribed burn.

Authors Vicki Delany and Deborah Turrell Atkinson Appearing At The Tempe Public Library

Meet authors Vicki Delany and Deborah Turrell Atkinson on March 17th, at the Connections Cafe at Tempe Public Library on 3500 S. Rural Rd. in Tempe between 3:30 pm & 5 pm. Delany will talk about her second Smith and Winters novel, Valley of the Lost, and Atkinson will talk about her new book, Pleasing the Dead.

Freeport McMoran Blood Drive

Freeport McMoran is holding the blood drive on Tuesday, March 10th, at their new training room located at 2259 Highway 70 Suite G (former Val’s Furniture Store) from 10 am to 6 pm. It is open to the public. To schedule your appointment, call Robin Horta at (928) 473-7507.

Each donor receives a cool t-shirt “Find the Hero In You”.

What are the qualifications for donating blood?
* 110 pounds & in general good health (additional height/weight requirements for donors 16- to 22-years-old).
* Hydrate with plenty of water to make it easier to find your vein.
* Eat a hearty, low-fat meal before donating to build your body’s energy.
* Bring your ID & a list of medications.

Casa Grande Has Won The GFOA's “Distinguished Budget Presentation Award”

The Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) is pleased to announce that City of Casa Grande, has received the GFOA's “Distinguished Budget Presentation Award,” for it’s budget.The award represents a significant achievement by the entity. It reflects the commitment of the governing body and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. In order to receive the budget award, the entity had to satisfy nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation.These guidelines are designed to assess how well an entity's budget serves as:A policy documentA financial planAn operations guideA communications deviceBudget documents must be rated "proficient" in all four categories to receive the award.When a Distinguished Budget Presentation Award is granted to an entity, a Certificate of Recognition for Budget Presentation is also presented to the individual or department designated as being primarily responsible for its having achieved the award. This has been presented to Larry D. Rains, Deputy City Manager, and Rick White, Senior Budget Analyst.For budgets including fiscal period 2007, 1,165 entities received the Award. Award recipients have pioneered efforts to improve the quality of budgeting and provide an excellent example for other governments throughout North America.The Government Finance Officers Association is a nonprofit professional association serving 17,500 government finance professionals throughout North America. The GFOA's Distinguished Budget Presentation Awards Program is the only national awards program in governmental budgeting.