REAL ESTATE AGENTS TO HOST COMMUNITY TOY DRIVE
Kooiman Realty will hold a toy drive for the Children of Katrina & local families in need starting October 17 through December 1st, 2005.
We feel very strongly about making a difference to these displaced children and to our local families this holiday season, said Scottie Rae & Rebecca Read, agents of the real estate company, Kooiman Realty, which serves on many charity foundations and supports the community in any way they can. Were really looking to fill our donations centers with new, unwrapped toys for boys and girls of all ages. We also want to remind the community to give to the parents and guardians as well this year. Join us in making the holidays brighter for these families.
All donations collected will be delivered by Kooiman Realty to the displaced children & families of Katrina now residing in our community and state. Rae & Read will also give donations to The Salvation Army Angel Tree for local children in need after December 1st.
Donation drop off locations are: The StoneRidge Golf Clubhouse & National Bank Lobby in Prescott Valley. To be a donation center or to donate please contact: Scottie Rae at (928) 713-7844 or Rebecca Read at (928) 925-6556.
For more information call Scottie Rae at (928) 713 7844 or Rebecca Read (928) 925 6556 for an informative interview.
9/05
Prescott Valley Residents Feeling the Pinch as Gas Prices Climb
By Andrew Draper
For Lonesome Valley Newsletter
Responding to the skyrocketing cost of crude oil and the aftermath of hurricane Katrina, gas prices in the Prescott Valley (PV) area shot past three dollars per gallon, just in time for the Labor Day weekend.
A local station manager, on condition of anonymity, said customers are telling him they feel cheated. Most of them are very angry about the price jump. They understand (prices are up) because of the hurricane, but they can't understand why it effects us so much, he said. Half of our gas comes from the west coast and the other half comes from the El Paso pipeline. I had to raise prices by over forty cents a gallon. I don't understand why the hurricane affected us that much. I think it's just profit taking.
Prices in the P.V. area are increasing so fast, the station owners are sometimes changing price signs more than once per day.
At one P.V. station, customers paid $3.09 per gallon on Aug. 31, up by more than $1, or about 33 percent, in just the past month.
A recent Associated Press poll shows, with hurricane relief excluded, that gas prices are on the top of the public's domestic to do list for President Bush and Congress.
That puts fuel prices ahead of job creation, terrorism and the economy in general, but still behind the war in Iraq in terms of what Americans want the President to concentrate on.
Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard said this state needs an anti-gouging law, such as those already in effect in other states.
Arizona currently has a price fixing statute, which bans companies from working together to set a price for a given market product, but offers no protection from individual wholesalers or retailers jacking up the prices at their own stations.
Anti-gouging legislation proposed after a major gasoline pipeline failure in 2003 died in the state legislature.
One interesting side effect of the price jump is that now most stations in the Prescott Valley area are charging the same price for gas. Previously, there was as much as 15 cents difference per gallon between stations in the local area.
With little or no public transportation in the tri-city area, the long-term affect of the gas price increases remains to be seen.
Editor's note: I would like to include current prices and a best place to buy as part of this story, but the prices are changing so fast, the information would be outdated by press time.
9/05
BACKSIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN - 4X4ing in Arizona
By DJ Aka Rambo the Mt. Man Viskoe.
Hello out there. How has your month been? Mine has been busy. Been up in the Bradshaws quite a bit this month. Snakes are out, beware!!! I have seen a few bull snakes, so that means the rattlers are out to. You dont want to kill a bull snake, they eat rodents. Always carry your camera, because when you dont you will see everything to photograph.
Hey! Lets do a run from Prescott to Mayer. As I said bring your camera, water, snacks, binoculars, gold pan (You can buy one in Prescott Valley at the mining equipment place.) and make sure your spare tire is up You can make it in a two wheel drive but maybe a friend or two (Groups are more fun) may have a four wheel drive. If you decrease the air in your tires by a few pounds for off road your ride will be smoother. Dont forget to air them back up when your done. Also lets leave early maybe eight a.m.. Ok lets buckle up and go. Take Mt. Vernon off Gurley in Prescott and follow the tar road. About seven miles out at Groom Creek the tar ends. Sign says 33 miles to Crown King. You are about 6300 at Groom Creek. Three miles up the road is Maxton or Senator you can see the mine off to your right. They had a post office here in 1915 the mine was discovered in 1860. The mine is named after Max Alwen. It was also as I said called Senator mine. Max Alwens store foundation can be seen on the left side of the road. There is a short hiking trail to the mine but the road is washed out because of all the rain. A couple more miles up the road is a cattle guard, 7200 highest point, but on your way to the cattle guard on your right you will see Mt. Title and a few more.
Now where is that camera? At the cattle guard 5.3 (GPS mileage) you can see the towers at Crown King. Look hard or use your binoculars. Have you ever seen such a beautiful sight? Now the road will wind around and down and up etc. Be careful and watch on the corners for other on coming traffic. About six more miles (will seem more like twenty) you will come to Palace Station. There is a ranger living there to protect the site. Also a big sign tells you more about it. But dont tell about Alfred B. Spence his wife Matilda and her daughter built the house in 1875, and was used as a stage coach stop. They raised six kids there and home taught them because the nearest school was at Goodwin five miles away. Alfred died in 1908 so Mrs. Spencer sold the station in 1910. He was buried not far from the station. I could go on about this for pages, but we must move on. Five miles to Goodwin, we are now half ways between Prescott and Crown King. The road to the left goes to Mayer. Ten miles. The Goodwin mine came into existence in 1882 when a company from Philadelphia Pennsylvania bought the mine. A lot of these old mines are filled in with dirt, but some are open. Dont go inas you go toward Crown King you will see Battle Flats on your left. Big flat area down a few hundred feet. This was the town of Bueno. Nothing but Indian attacks. It was the district post office from 1881 to 1893. Over $1,000,000 was put into Bueno by investors but nothing resulted (makes you wonder if someone didnt pocket a pile of money..... hmmm).
Well anyway, on to Crown King. You can spend hours in Crown King at the shops and saloons. So it will be self-explaining. Say hi to Mike and Crew in the saloon, and Cindy in the restaurant (good food), Beer aint bad either. Twelve miles down a winding road to Cleater. Stop there and see Dee and Willy, they run the bar (just snacks). What a laid back place. Willy really belongs there. I think the population of Cleater is 7. If I am wrong it is only by one or two. Dee will straighten me out. Down the road a couple of miles a road goes left to Mayer and Walla!!!! Paved road. About 65 miles from Prescott. Hope you had fun enough for this month. If you want company on a trip e-mail me, Im always ready to 4x4 or jeep.
Answer to last months question:
Highest Mt. in the Bradshaws is Mt. Union, 8023.
This months question. How many acres in the Prescott National Forest?
Have a nice month and God Bless.
DJ,
928-632-7745
email address: djviskoe@yahoo.com
CFD Project Would Open Land for Development
By Andrew Draper
For Lonesome Valley Newsletter
Prescott Valley Town officials recently proposed to residents a multi-faceted plan to take a large portion of land in unit 16 out of the Agua Fria River floodplain and make it viable for commercial uses.
Community Development Director Richard Parker said he envisions creating a new Community Facilities District (CFD) to make the project a reality.
Property owners can't be forced to join a district, he said. It actually takes a vote. 51 percent of the (affected) property owners have to ask the town to form the district.
Parker said currently property owners can't develop land at Robert Road, south of Round Up Rd., because it's in the flood plain and would be cost prohibitive for a single owner.
Parker said the way to bring development to the area is to form a CFD.
Without that kind of effort, I don't think it can happen, he said. We can point at our success with East Ridge, that was done through a CFD in a very similar process.
A CFD is a group of property owners who petition the town to create a public financing vehicle to build infrastructure.
The plan includes building a water retention pond as large as 44 acres near a possible new park at Prairie Lane.
Parker said the town also requested a right-of-way from the state land department to an area on the north side of the flood plain.
We've met with State Land representatives and talked about entering into a development agreement, and they have suggested that it would be a good idea, he said. It would increase the value of their property, property adjacent to a regional park that we may develop.
Parker said any solution must include the state land department.
Prescott Valley is the poster child for what it means to be impacted by state trust land because of that checker-board configuration, he said.
Parker said any previously unusable commercial property that the process reclaims would provide a boon to the local economy, as well as benefiting the owners.
This area will continue to be a big employment base in Prescott Valley, he said. So, if we can expand it by 50 percent, I'd suggest that it's all good.
Got Good Water? Why You Need to Know...
Water is known as the universal solvent. It has a tendency to dissolve a little bit of everything it touches. Dust, smoke, carbon dioxide, spores and smog may be absorbed by water droplets. For example, if it dissolves sulfur from industrial smokestacks, it can form acid rain. This increases its capacity to dissolve other substances. The water vapor in clouds eventually condenses and falls back to earth as rain, sleet, hail or snow. As water runs over the surface, it can become cloudy, even muddy. Then, as water seeps down through the ground, it may dissolve a little bit of the minerals and other substances that could be present, such as arsenic. By the time water returns to rivers, lakes or underground aquifers, it has accumulated amounts of the elements it has contacted. Along the way bacteria, chemicals, agricultural byproducts, fertilizers, insecticides and other man-made wastes may also enter the water. Even after reaching a home, it can continue to dissolve materials such as lead from solder in plumbing pipes.
Due to this natural hydrological cycle, we need to either soften or filter our water to rid it of these impurities. Filtering water involves separating mineral particles, like manganese, iron, hydrogen sulfide or other organic matter from pure H20. By passing water through a filter bed, or media bed, these granular particles are trapped so that clean, purified water passes through the bed. Examples of filtration are reverse osmosis system, uses of series of filter, including the technologically advanced RO module, to eliminate microscopic impurities and chemical elements. Activated carbon filters reduce the contaminates that can cause bad tastes and odors, giving you a delicious, refreshing drinking water. Softening water involves something called iron exchange to remove dissolved minerals -like calcium, magnesium, iron and manganese -that cant be trapped in a filter bed. Softeners use fresh resin beads with sodium attached to the resin. As water enters the tank, dissolved calcium and magnesium are attracted to the resin. The resin passes up the sodium in exchange for the dissolved chemicals and the water is then rid of these impurities. Whether you use a filter or a softener depends on whether the contaminates in your water are particles or dissolved minerals. Water Filters remove the substances from your water that can cause staining, foul odors and the need for excessive cleanup. Household chores become easier because your water is working with you, not against you.
To find out whats ailing your water, contact a reputable water quality improvement equipment dealer for a free water analysis. Having your water tested will help you determine your exact needs, even though you may already know you have one or more water problems. In determining your needs, a water expert will look at a number of things. For example, the hardness level of the water and the size of your family will influence the size or type of equipment necessary for remedying your water problems.
Information provided by Culligan of Yavapai County. For questions or more information call 772-2091.
The Wait Of Wasting Water Is Over !
There is a solution. It is known as the Grundfos Comfort Solution, that is being used all over the country. It helps provide hot water to your fixtures. You ask how? This system uses a pump and timer located at your water heater location with the help of a bypass valve and your cold water system. For more information please contact Bill or Ted at 776-7025 or you may search the web at www.grundfos.com.
Information provided by Ted Rodriquez, Service Manager of Yavapai Plumbing & Electrical, Inc. Teds email: trodriquez@ypeinc.com.
Could the Type of Clothes Washer You Have Save on Water & Money?
Hi Folks - Mike from Mikes Appliance Center. Youve heard a lot lately about Energy Star rated appliances. These are appliances that undergo extensive testing by the manufactures and the government agencies to ensure that they exceed the minimum requirements for power use.
On top of electrical use though, is its water conservation. This in Arizona and the West is as important - if not more so.
A front load washer, with a full load, uses as little as 10.5 gals. of water. A top load washer with a full load uses as much as 40-50 gallons of water. California in 2002 passed legislation banning new top loaders sales in the State. Other states are rushing towards these same procedure changes. With droughts and population increases everywhere, this makes the most sense for not only our present circumstances, but our children and their children to invest in.
Using less than 1/3 of the electricity, 1/4 of the water, and 2 tablespoons of soap per load! Four loads a week can save you $250 to $300 a year in actual savings.
Drop in to Mikes Appliance Center, on Robert Road and Sue or I will be glad to show you and explain the many more advantages of this technology. We are located at 3900 N. Robert Rd., Prescott Valley. Contact information: phone 928-772-7678 or visit us on the web at:
www.mikesappliance.com.
Information provided by Mike, of Mikes Appliance Ctr.
Water Saving Tips
Here are a number of other easy ways to save water. Use this checklist and tips to help you and your family use water wisely:
Turn off the water while you brush your teeth and save up to 4 gals. a minute or 200 gals a week for a family of four.
Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway & sidewalk and save up to 80 gals.. of water every time.
Time your shower to keep it under 5 mins. Youll save up to 1,000 gals. a month.
Always water during the early morning hours, when
temperatures are cooler, to minimize evaporation.
Check your sprinkler system frequently and adjust
sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk or street.
Choose water-efficient drip irrigation for your trees, shrubs and flowers
Dont water on windy days or within two days of rain.
Water deeply but less frequently to create healthier and stronger landscapes.
Use a layer of organic mulch around plant to reduce evaporation, promote plant growth and reduce weeds.
Install covers on pools and spas to avoid water evaporation.
Periodically check your pool for leaks if you have an automatic refilling device.
Evaporative coolers require a seasonal maintenance checkup. For more efficient cooling, check your evaporative cooler annually.
When washing dishes by hand, dont let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rise water.
Use the garbage disposal less often.
Soak pots, pans and grills before you wash them.
Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap for cold drinks.
Check facets and pipes regularly for leaks.
Install low-volume toilets and make sure there are aerators on all of your facets. (Most homes built after 1980 already have these features.)
Plug the bath before you turn on the water, then adjust the temperature as the tub fills.
Take shallow baths.
Water is the most common compound on earth, the fluid from which all life originates. Its the one liquid humans must have to live.
An average person can go nearly two months without eating. But less than a week without water could kill you.
For more information, call the Town of Prescott Valley Water Conservation Office at 759-3105 or stop by town hall at 7501 E. Civic Center, Prescott Valley and pick-up additional information available to the public
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Addtional information about Water on the web:
www.wateruseitwisely.com
www.water.az.gov/adwr/
http://www.azwwa.org/
http://www.ngwa.org/
http://www.wellowner.org/
Various Water Analysis Companies:
Bradshaw Mountain Diagnostic Lab, Inc 778-7823
Environmental Biomass SVC 634-2533/800-500-2533
National Testing Laboratories 800-458-3330
Yavapai Water Sampling Specialists 445-3910
Culligan Water of Yavapai County 772-2091
If you buy a Christmas Tree this year, consider a living tree you can plant in your yard. But leave it outdoors until just before the holidays, keep it on the patio or deck and be sure to water it while it is sitting there at least two or three times per week. Before bringing your living Christmas tree in the house, spray it with Cloud Clover, a antitranspirant which helps keep the tree from losing moisture while in the house. Do not leave in the house for more seven days, make sure it is at least ten feet from any source of heat and out of direct sunshine from a window and water daily with a tray of ice cubes. By keeping the rootball cold, the tree will be less likely to go into a growth cycle. Use only miniature lights on a living tree and use light weight ornaments so as not to bend the branches. When your week is over, place the tree in an unheated garage, storage shed, carport or under a wide overhang for at least a week. This is to acclimate it to colder temperatures slowly. Make sure to water it at least every other day as well. Plants in containers dry out faster than those in the ground. When it is time to plant, (Evergreens can be planted in the winter without damage if done right), dig a hole twice as wide as the container and slightly deeper. Mix the soil from the hole with approximately 30% mulch and place about 1/3 of the mixture back in the hole. If the tree is in a burlap bag in the container loosen the twine that ties it at the trunk of the tree, but do not remove the burlap. Fiber containers can be planted: however, it is better to remove them if possible, because they take a long time to break down in the ground. Set the tree in the hole at the depth that it is in the container. Backfill around tree with soil mixture and tamp down. Water well. A newly planted tree should be watered weekly during the winter. The planting itself can become a tradition in which the whole family can participate. Source: Down to Earth/Sunset Western Garden Book, Jim Cording Landscaping, Nov 03 issue, LVN.
One of the treasures the tri-cities has to offer its residents and visitors to the area, is the Heritage Park Zoo. Now the Zoo is desperately asking for help in funding to keep the doors open. The Heritage Park Zoo, is simple, but majestic. It offers young and old the chance to see animals that they may never see elsewhere. It is a rescue zoo where many animals have come here because they were in need of a place or were hurt and needed a safe haven in order to regain their strength.
There is great cost to stay in operation, and funding is hitting bottom. There is great cost to keep and maintain the grounds, feed the animals and just the daily operations of the facility. Much of the work at the zoo is done by volunteer docents, but money is still a very large concern.
Fundraising events throughout the community have already been done or are in the planning stages. In July, 2004, York Motors, had a BBQ event and raffle that they were expecting 200- 300 people and they had double that amount turn out on a very rainy Saturday night. The event raised $7,000. Most who attended said they were glad to help the Heritage Park Zoo stay open. Local Fry's stores have flyers in the stores asking for donations and containers are out for the community to contribute. No amount has been totaled yet.
AZTV, Channel 7, in Prescott, along with Prescott Newspapers, will be doing a four hour telethon on August 27, 2004 from 8:00am until noon.
If you have any questions or want to donate to help the zoo, you can call them at 778-4242. Heritage Park Zoo is located at 1403 Heritage Park Road, off Willow Creek Road, just outside Prescott. Hours: 9am-5pm daily. Information provided by Mike Kenny
Paramedics may turn to a victim's cell phone for clues to that person's identity. You can make their job much easier with a simple idea that they are trying to get everyone to adopt: ICE.
ICE stands for In Case of Emergency. If you add an entry in the contacts list in your cell phone under ICE, with the name and phone # of the person that the emergency services should call on your behalf, you can save them a lot of time and have your loved ones contacted quickly.
It only takes a few moments of your time to do.
Some Paramedics are aware of what ICE means and they look for it.
ICE your cell phone NOW!
For more true and false info & details go to: http://www.snopes.com/crime/prevent/ icephone.asp (note-use at your own risk)
8/05
Backside of the Mountain
Submitted by DJ Viskoe,
(aka) Mountain Man
From the days of mountain men. This is going to be talk and information about the mountains in our beautiful state.
I started 4x4ing in the Bradshaws more than 25 years ago. In the last year, I have put a couple of thousand miles on my quad alone, not to mention my jeep. I live in Dewey, AZ, up near the national forest, so I am close to the best riding in the world, in my opinion. I have at least a dozen ways from my house to Crown King, Prescott, Cleater, etc.
Speaking of Crown King, if you havent been there, you are missing out on some great history. Founded at the turn of the century, logging and mining were going on, big time. Bradshaw City, near Crown King, had a population of more than 5,000 people. Crown King is 30 miles west of Mayer. It can be driven to in a car and is a fun place to go. They have something going on every weekend. Say hi to Mike and crew.
There is a little general store and a souvenir shop. They also rent quads and there are a bunch of places to camp, but bring your own water. The saloon has a great restaurant, and my favorite is their steak sandwich. They also have their own fire department.
Now, if you are really adventurous, from Crown King you can take Senator Highway and head for Prescott. It is 40 miles, but the going is slow and in the winter you will need four-wheel drive and sometimes in the summer too. Now this is a long trip, so plan a full day. Another fun trip is from Prescott, but we will do that next month.
While you are in the forest, please dont throw any garbage out. I see too much stuff people have tossed. If you see someone littering, get their license number and call Forestry Dispatch at 928-777-5700.
You may see deer (mule deer), bear (black), bobcats, mountain lions, coyotes, javelinas and snakes. Stay out of the bushes as snakes look for shade in the day and come out in the evening to bask on warm rocks that have been heating all day. Snakes cant control their body temperature so they need heat at night and cool in the day.
There are also some white-tail deer in the Mingus Mountains and Coconino National Forest.
In the months to come, I will do what I can to familiarize you with your forests and mountains. I hope these articles will be fun and informative to everyone. I dont claim to know everything, but I am constantly trying to learn. Oh yes, we will get into gold panning too.
So until next month, Mountain Man says, Have fun, ride safely, be careful and God bless.
Question of the month: What is the highest mountain in the Bradshaws and how high is it? Answer, next month.
The Town of Prescott Valley dedicated it's new off-leash area, or 'Bark Park' on July 16th. The new feature of Mountain Valley Park gives dogs and their owners a safe place to run and play.
Prescott Valley Mayor, Harvey Skoog cuts the ceremonial 'leash' to open the 'Bark Park' on July 16th.
Local Dog trainer, Dave Hall poses with 'Black Dog' and 'Kashmir', all sporting matching pink dyed Mohawks for the ribbon-cutting.
This 'Bark Park' guest cools off with a dip in the doggie pool.
Share Your Wisdom and Skills
Do you know what a treasure you would be to a local non-profit organization and the people they help? Your lifetime of experience and the gifts that come with maturity are as valuable as monetary gifts.
Whatever your interest, there are volunteer opportunities available in a wide array of fields, including health care, education, social services and the arts. The United Way of Yavapai County Volunteer Center is a good link to volunteers opportunities.
Volunteering has many benefits, besides the good feeling that comes with helping others and making our community a better place. Volunteers enjoy meeting new people and working with like-minded individuals. A recent medical study showed that volunteering may also boost physical health, and that older adults who volunteer have a lower mortality rate.
If you can spare a few hours a week, please consider becoming a volunteer. You'll make new friends, learn new things, and receive pleny of thanks for your generosity.
Volunteers are needed at The Centers Adult Day Services in Prescott Valley and Prescott, and the Margaret T. Morris Memory Care Center in Prescott. Volunteers are needed to lead or assist participants with crafts, music, and recreation activities, or for quiet activities like reading and card games. Lunch-time volunteers help make meal times more enjoyable.
Do you like to garden? You can help with our therapeutic gardening activities, at the new Strolling Garden, or by keeping the birdfeeders clean and filled.
There's no need to make a long term commitment - volunteer when it fits your schedule.
So take that first step. Call John Proffer at 445-6633 or Yvonne Napolitano at 445-6384. Your call and help will be welcome and we're sure you'll enjoy your volunteer experience..
HELP THOSE WHO CANT HELP THEMSELVES!
The American Red Cross is in need of our help for the victims of Hurricane Katrina. To find out how you can help, log on to their website at: www.redcross.org or call 1 800 HELP NOW.
To ensure that your donation goes directly to the American Red Cross, you can make a secure online donation through their website, call 1-800-HELP-NOW to make a donation by phone, or contact your local American Red Cross chapter. You may also mail your donation to the American Red Cross Disaster Response Fund at P.O. Box 37243, Washington, DC 20013; or visit one of their official Red Cross donation partners.
Many charity watchdog groups have created tips for individuals to ensure that their donation goes directly to the organization of their choice. Some of the recommendations include visiting that organization's website directly; don't be fooled by names that closely resemble the name of a well-known charity; research the charity that you plan to donate to; be wary of telephone solicitations. For more tips on this topic, visit www.give.org or www.charitynavigator.org.
Above information from the American Red Cross website.
And for you animal lovers, heres a link that was sent to me about the saving of several animals from the after math of Hurricane Katrina
http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/09/11/katrina.dog.flight.ap/index.html
REAL ESTATE AGENTS FOOD DRIVE A HUGE SUCCESS!
Kooiman Realty held a fundraiser for the Yavapai County Food Bank on September 24, 2005 in the StoneRidge Community. The fundraiser called for residents to leave a bag of non-perishable food items at their door for pick-up.
It was a huge success, we collected over 400 pounds of food from the residents of Stone Ridge said Scottie Rae & Rebecca Read, Realtors of the real estate company, Kooiman Realty which serves on many charity foundations and supports the community in any way they can. We were really looking to fill the need of our local food bank. After the call for action article in the paper on September 21, 2005, we couldnt sit back and do nothing! We had to join in and help our community.
All donations collected were delivered to the Yavapai Food Bank on September 24, 2005 at Frontier Village, where they were loading trucks to replenish the food bank & pantry.
In addition to this food drive, Rae & Read will also be hosting a community wide toy drive from October 17- December 1, 2005 for the Children of Katrina and local families of need during this holiday season. Donation drop off locations are The StoneRidge Golf Clubhouse & National Bank Lobby in Prescott Valley.
For more information call Scottie Rae at (928) 713 7844 or Rebecca Read (928) 925 4199 for an informative interview.
PVS Youth Chamber Thanks Volunteers
By Bill Suedmeyer, Club Advisor
Prescott Valley Schools Youth Chamber of Commerce is making quite a reputation for itself in the arena of volunteerism. Last year, the students contributed over 2,800 hours of service to our community. With more kids involved in the club this year, the club has announced that its goal for 2005-2006 is to give our community over 5,000 hours of service! Our kids are truly the way!!!
In this article, the kids want to thank all those in the community that have volunteered and helped them achieve their goals. One thing became obvious when the club was first organized last fall and that was that the adults of the tri-city area were willing to support our young people. Every time the students asked for help, it was there. The best example of this was the help and encouragement that came from Lew, Bev,, Belinda, and whole crew at the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce. Every time we needed to publicize club activities, we were given space in the newsletter and time on both radio and television to get the word out. When we needed a public figure to give credibility to our efforts, Lew was there. A lot of people promise to help. The PV Chamber helps. Actions do speak louder than words!
Many other community resources have helped the Youth Chamber in the past year. Thanks goes out to Mr. Joe Contadino of Universal Homes. Twice now our school needed a port-potty for events. Universal Homes provided it. When we wanted a tour of the Town of Prescott Valleys Civic Center, Richard Parker stepped forward and did a super job. When we wanted to learn more about our library system, the Towns Young Adult Librarian, Carol Sibray, did an awesome job.
The local media have been great supporters of the Youth Chamber. Thanks to AZ TV and PVs Channel 13. Thanks to all the radios stations including the Yavapai Broadcasting system, KNOT, and KPPV. The print media have been incredible too. The PV Tribune and Daily Courier always help. Thanks also to the Lonesome Valley Newsletter, and Debbie Stewart at the Nonprofit Newsletter.
When our school needed speakers to bring the real world to the classroom, our public servants were there. Special thanks go out to Town officials Bob Edwards, Larry Tarkowski, and Mike Flannery. Thanks also to Bob Hoskovec and Mike Brown of Yavapai College for helping to make our Career Faire a success. Local businessmen like Jim Buchanan and Dennis Melcher brought their experiences to our students. Thanks, of course, to the one and only, Mayor Harvey Skoog, who shared his wealth of knowledge with our school many times. Even though he has left us, the students will always remember the generosity of the late, great Jim Schwedt. A very special appreciation goes out to Youth Count and Cindy Craig, Karen Murphy, and Carl Brown, for the invaluable information that they share with us. Our special thanks goes out to our schools administration and staff for all their help. Thanks to all these wonderful volunteers and any others, including all our students parents and grandparents, who helped us out this past year. Our young people may be the way, but it is the adult community that is paving the way!
11/05
Ghost Towns in Nearby Areas
Well, fall is here and the trees are losing their leaves. I don't know if you folks know why they lose their leaves in the fall. It is because the sap (moisture) quits going up the tree between the bark and wood. Its not frost. Then the leaves become starved for food. Trees are dormant in the winter. Fall is a good time to trim or prune your trees.
As we talked about the bark beetle last month, they die in the winter and we hope for a normal rainy season next summer so they can't lay their larva.
Well, on to this month's topic: Ghost towns in Arizona. There are over 100 ghost towns in Yavapai County alone, and there are about 40 just in the Dewey-Prescott area. Most of them have nothing left anymore but a few boards, bricks and a railroad spike or two lying around. I like to try and find the dumps they used. Sometimes you can find old cans, bottles, etc. One interesting ghost town was McCabe. I have several books on old ghost towns and have probed around many of them. I have a very good imagination and can sit at an old mine or town just before dark and let my mind wander. It is kind of eerie.
McCabe was founded in 1883 by Frank McCabe, who discovered gold and silver at the site. By 1898 the town had a post office, stage service to Prescott and Phoenix and a population of three to six-hundred people. It also had a phone line running to Prescott after the turn of the century. In 1896 Dr. Looney arrived and erected a small six-bed hospital. A one-room building was used for the school house. Several fires oc curred during McCabe's history. Probably the worst happened on the 5th of July, 1900, just before midnight. It started at Jerry's Last Chance Saloon and burned fourteen buildings. Too much Fourth of July partying. (You think?)
Then in May of 1901, they had a smallpox epidemic and a quarantine barrier was in effect. A small cemetery is located northwest of the town's ruins. Two of the graves are apparently maintained by some family descendents. When I go by there I will see fresh flowers on occasion. Both husband and wife were buried side by side, around 1915. There are also just some white crosses on some graves. Very interesting. In 1913 the mine was closed and the town died. Near by is Mayer. Although Mayer is not a ghost town, it has many old buildings dating back to the 1880's. Mayer is a very interesting town to drive through, just to look at the old buildings. Teskey's restaurant in Mayer is a great place to eat, and has quite a few interesting things. Whenever I have people from out of town I take them there. Try some of their prickly pear jams ... mmm good.
Cleater is located 15 miles from Mayer. Its on a dirt road, but can be driven in a car. Cleater has 7 people. I never fail to stop there. Cleater, at the turn of the century, had many mines around it. So, it obviously needed a saloon, as did every mining town. Its original name was Turkey Creek Station and it was changed to Cleater in May, 1925 by James Cleater. There was a railroad between Cleater and Crown King. It is 12 miles to Crown King from Cleater, with quite a few switchbacks. It certainly must have been interesting getting a train up the hill, but they did. In 1933 the railroad was abandoned and Cleater was fast becoming a ghost town. In the late 70's I would go there and talk to Tom Cleater, Jamess son. Believe me, he had some interesting stories to tell. At that, all that was there was a saloon and it is still there, owned by his son, I believe. Anyone in Mayer can tell you how to get to Cleater or Crown King. It is a nice one-day drive, and from Mayer to Cleater you can go through old Cordes. It is about halfway to Cleater, about 7 miles. There is the old gas station on the west side of the road, built in 1915 and closed in 1973. Near by is an old barn built in 1912. A lot of old cans are scattered around there. The Cordes family still owns the property, and I believe they have, or are planning on opening, a museum there.
As I said before, there are many old ghost towns around. Adventurous? A day can go by fast. It seems as though when I am out in my jeep (which I am now rebuilding the engine) or my quad, I run out of daylight and end up saying, I will check that out next time.
Now on to last months question. Bradshaw Mountain was named after William D. Bradshaw, one of the early prospectors in the mountains after gold was first found in the 1860's. He and his brother Isaac made rich discoveries in 1863; a few months after Captain Walker found gold in Walker. Bradshaw City is near Crown King and nothing remains but a forestry sign. The town had 5,000 people at the peak of mining and logging. By the late 1880's, the town was gone.
I hope this was interesting to you. There is so much history around here and I never quit reading and looking. Of all the places that I talk about, I have been there and checked them out. Next month we will check out the Mingus Mountain area. And maybe pan for a little gold.
A question to ponder: How many National Forests are there in Arizona?
Till next month, be careful and God bless.
Rambo Mtn. Man, Dj Viskoe...
email: djviskoe@yahoo.com
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DEC 2005
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