About A Year Ago

I snapped this picture on October 24, 2010 which is about a year ago. It was snowing there as you can see. The snow makes for very beautiful pictures.

Draft Congressional Map Chosen By AIRC

It appears that the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (AIRC) has determined a draft map for Congressional districts.

According to a AIRC press release, a congressional draft map has been chosen today.

Prescott, Prescott Valley and Chino Valley would all be in the same district (currently #4) as Lake Havasu City and all the river cities, Quartzite, Fortuna Foothills, Congress, Fountain Hills, Apache Junction, gold Canyon, Florence, Payson, Ash Fork, Kingman, Boulder and Colorado City.

Camp Verde, Sedona, Flagstaff, Williams, to name a few communities, are not in District 4. Instead, they are in District 1, which stretches all the way from Fredonia to the farthest southeastern corner.

This map will also mean that a different Congressman will need to be voted on to represent the Quad City areas, as there will not be an incumbent for the new district. Paul Gosar, the current representative for the area, will now serve District 1. He is expected to be challenged by Ann Kirkpatrick, who has already announced her intention to run again, after losing to Gosar two years ago.

Speaker of the House Andy Tobin expressed his obvious disappointment in the selection, tweeting, "So, Dems approve a map for congress dists that was amended this wkend and 1st presented today. So much for transparency, and independence."

Voting in favor of the map were Chairwoman Colleen Coyle Mathis, (I), Vice Chariman Jose' Herrera (D), Commissioner Linda McNulty (D). Commissioner Richard Stertz (R) voted no, and Vice Chairman Scott Freeman (R) abstained.

Here is the formal press release from the AIRC:

Redistricting Panel Adopts Draft Congressional Map
PHOENIX (Oct. 3, 2011) - Arizona's Independent Redistricting Commission voted 3-1 today, with one abstention, to adopt a draft congressional-district map.

The map has been posted online at http://bit.ly/o1I2vo. It includes two vast rural districts: a northeastern district stretching from the Navajo Nation on the Utah border to the southeastern corner of the state that includes most of the Arizona's Indian nations; and a so-called Colorado River district stretching from the Utah border to the northern part of Yuma. It contains two so-called majority-minority districts: one in South Phoenix and one that stretches from southern Yuma east to Santa Cruz County. Three of the districts touch the border with Mexico.

As a result of reapportionment, Arizona will have nine seats in the U.S. House of Representatives for the next decade.

The draft map reflects a number of revisions proposed today by Chairwoman Colleen Coyle Mathis (I-Pima County) after hearing public reaction to the map that was considered on Friday. She led off today's meeting in Tempe by walking her fellow commissioners through those changes.

Following some discussion and a period of public comment, she urged the commission to formally adopt the map.

"I think we've worked really hard on this, and it's time to move forward," she said.

Commissioner Linda McNulty (D-Pima County) moved to adopt the map. Vice Chairman José Herrera (D-Maricopa County) seconded the motion. Mathis, Herrera and McNulty voted "yes"; Commissioner Richard Stertz (R-Pima County) voted "no"; and Vice Chairman Scott Freeman (R-Maricopa County) abstained.

The adoption of the draft map triggers a 30-day public comment period highlighted by IRC hearings around the state during the middle of October.

Following their adoption of the congressional draft map, the commissioners returned to work on a legislative-district map.

Via: Prescott News

Core business, new outlet at Olsen's Grain

The trend of keeping a backyard flock of chickens for a steady source of fresh eggs has been a growth industry for the local Olsen's Grain store.
Managers Warren and Kristi Hubbard of the Flagstaff store said they've sold more than 7,000 baby chickens since last year, up several thousand from historic levels.
But it is their indirect role in the sale of pork and beef that illustrates the family-owned company's commitment to helping their customers with special orders and how it could afford to open a new location off of Highway 89 during a tough economy.
The company doesn't sell cattle or pigs, but Warren said he is quick to introduce his customers to local ranches -- also customers of his -- that can sell the livestock.
"We put people together," Warren said. "We definitely are seeing people buy pork and beef and raising them in their backyard."
The recession has also meant that his customers are buying smaller items -- bridles rather than saddles. But core staples like animal feed are still steady, Warren said.
Pet food sales, however, were not hit as hard by the lousy economy.
"The recession definitely affected the dog food (sales), but the one thing we've learned is that truly that people in Flagstaff are very fond of their animals -- they are members of the family ... I think they would go without rather than let their animals go without."
The two have seen the pet food side of the company evolve since the store opened in 1997.
"Pet food, especially dog food, has changed immensely: More natural, more holistic. All of the trends that happen to humans tend to cross-merchandise into the pet food," Warren said. "Grain-frees, Atkins diet, vegetarian to all-natural -- that is what is neat about working here. It is constantly evolving."
The newest location for Olsen's Grain is relatively small when compared to the 12,000 square feet the company has in Flagstaff. The married couple is turning to their prospective customers for advice.
"We are asking the community there what they would like us to carry so we have some different products that we will be carrying out there," Kristi said. "We can't carry everything we carry in this store just because of space."
But they are not averse to special orders.
"If there is something the customer wants and we can save them the trip coming into town, we will take it out there," Kristi said. "A portion of our customer base is in Doney Park, so to do deliveries out to the new store would take a little pressure off of (the Flagstaff) store."
The pair spent $45,000 to open the new location.
"The biggest expense, which we haven't purchased yet, is going to be a delivery truck because our deliveries have increased," Kristi said.
Customers come from as far away as Ash Fork and distant parts of the Navajo Nation to buy feed and other supplies, she said.
The Timberline location has a planned grand opening on Oct. 1 and will be offering a free rabies clinic.

Via: az daily sun

rainy night in AF

It's a rainy night. I know it all too well. The floods, the mud, the streams flowing. Ash Fork monsoon season is here.

Fire Board President Assaulted

Conflict between a volunteer fire board and a segment of the rural community it serves appears to be intensifying north of Ash Fork.
This follows an overhaul of volunteers at the fire station amid allegations from the new board that former managers misspent thousands in tax money for personal purposes.
Jim Nelson, president of the Kaibab Estates West volunteer fire board, was attacked in his driveway Friday night following a contentious public meeting outside of the fire station.
Nelson went with his dogs to lock the gate outside his home for the night and was struck on the head with a heavy object. He turned to fight off two men who had been waiting for him in the dark, one of whom he thought he recognized from that night's meeting.
"It's escalating," Nelson said.
Deputies from Coconino and Yavapai counties responded to Nelson's call for help, as did his new volunteer fire chief, but the dispatcher from his own fire department did not acknowledge the call, he said.
The Coconino County Sheriff's Office is planning to question one local resident who has recently stepped forward to speak to investigators.
There have been no arrests or charges related to the assault or any other part of the case, said Coconino County Sheriff's Chief Deputy Jim Driscoll.
This comes after Nelson and fellow board member Lisa Monville found what they said was thousands in taxpayer dollars used for personal purposes at Kaibab Estates West's fire department, a volunteer agency where firefighters are supposed to be paid small stipends and for expenses like duty-related travel.
They reported their findings to county investigators and the Coconino County Attorney's office is now weighing the case.
Investigators have said that the spending does not appear improper or out of line with spending for a fire department.
"We don't see at this point that there is a criminal act, but we're still going to be sending that to the county attorney's office for review. These were customary expenditures and it did not involve a lot of money for a fire district that size," Driscoll said.
The former fire chief has previously denied any wrongdoing or misspending of public money.
As the two started raising questions and terminating some volunteers in June and July, Nelson found a dead skunk at his gate, Monville said she received a verbal threat on her life, and a mysterious fire destroyed the department's only ambulance -- inside the locked fire station.
No firefighter responded to extinguish the fire inside the fire station.
Later, a friend of Monville's found her puppy with its neck broken, and the animal partially skinned, Monville said.
One or more individuals moved around the furniture outside Monville's home the same night Nelson was attacked, she said.
The fire department's radio repeater came unplugged several times in recent weeks.
Investigators have not determined what ignited the fire inside the fire station.
"We don't have a suspect. We have lots of rumors. We can't prove it's arson," Driscoll said.
The fire board met Friday to consider 26 different fire department matters, but was frequently interrupted by a crowd that brought chairs and drinks, Monville said.
Coconino County Sheriff's deputies planned to attend Tuesday night's meeting, as did Nelson.
"I'm going to bring a big stick and put a football helmet on for this one," Nelson said.

via: arizona daily sun

Reward offered for info on Ash Fork elk poaching case

Arizona Game and Fish and an anonymous donor are offering up to $3,000 for information leading to a conviction in the suspected poaching of a bull elk north of Ash Fork.
The elk was found at Partridge Creek and was believed to have been shot and killed illegally, then left to decompose.
Anyone with information regarding this case can call (800) 352-0700 and reference case number 11-000959. Web submissions can be reported via the internet by going to www.azgfd.gov/thief. Identities will remain confidential.

Via: Arizona Daily Sun

The Ranch House Cafe

I have eaten at the Ranch House Cafe before. It's ok. Nothing to write home to Mom about. I ordered the standard breakfast there. There's a "bobby burro" that some say is fairly good. Here's a review of another person:

Zach Tamburello said: (quoted from the Urbanspoon website)
"The Ranch House Cafe, to me is the best restaurant in all of Ash Fork and its a reasonable price range for any budget."
 

Well, There aren't many restaurants in Ash Fork. 2, maybe 3. I would think that the place has it's "regulars" and those regulars keep the doors open. The truckers from interstate 40 help keep the doors open too. Somebody is always there, even when it snows. I know of another place and I will get info on it for another post.