Napolitano pleads with lawmakers to spare services

[Source: Matthew Benson, The Arizona Republic] – – Gov. Janet Napolitano pleaded with lawmakers to spare critical state services in closing a multibillion-dollar budget shortfall, urging them to make “short-term decisions that do not dim the bright future of this remarkable state.”  The call came Monday afternoon as part of the State of the State address, her seventh and almost certainly final as governor. The speech served as a kickoff for the regular session of the 49th Legislature. It also marked an end of sorts for Napolitano.  The Democrat leaves Tuesday for Washington, D.C., and is expected to resign the governorship following her confirmation as secretary of Homeland Security next week.

As expected, her annual address to a packed chamber in the House of Representatives was abbreviated – about half as long as typical. But it still included several key proposals that she asked lawmakers to pursue in her absence.  Namely, Napolitano called for:
•  Legislation extending in-state tuition rates to every veteran in Arizona.
•  Legislation that further cracks down on human smugglers.
•  Lawmakers to build on last year’s failed TIME transportation initiative, allowing “the people of Arizona to have their say on this critical issue by 2010.”

That initiative would have increased the state sales tax by 1 cent for each dollar purchase, generating more than $42 billion over 30 years for a range of transportation and transit projects across Arizona. But the citizens’ campaign, along with that of a second Napolitano-backed initiative reforming the state trust-land system, failed to qualify for the ballot when its collection of petition signatures was deemed insufficient.  Napolitano urged lawmakers to “increase access to the ballot” by reducing the number of signatures required of initiatives. Meanwhile, she suggested a crackdown on signature fraud by increasing the number of signatures that must be examined by county and state elections officials. She said paid petition circulators should be registered and the practice of those circulators being paid per signature should be banned. [Note: to read the full article click here.]

Mariposa Trail is worth drive to Oracle, AZ

[Source: Doug Kreutz, Arizona Daily Star] — Golden winter grasses carpet gently rolling hills and hidden hollows along the Mariposa Trail at Oracle State Park.  A trek on the trail is kind of like slipping into the park through the back door.  Beginning at its own trailhead northwest of the park’s main trail system and the historic Kannally Ranch House, the 1.2-mile route offers a “walk-in” alternative to driving into the park.

The Mariposa Trail dips into a hollow near the starting point and then climbs gradually to a grassy hilltop affording good views of the Catalina Mountains to the south and the rugged Galiuro range to the east.  It works its way down another hillside and then meanders southeastward to connect with a network of trails and the park’s main entrance road.  Hikers coming in on the Mariposa might choose to visit the ranch house or link with other trails for a longer hike.  By connecting with the Granite Overlook Trail Loop, the Windy Ridge Trail Loop or the Nature Trail Loop, it’s possible to fashion a round-trip trek of several miles.  [Note: to read the full article, click here.]

New grant for historic Pinal County courthouse

[Source: Florence Reminder] — Pinal County received a new grant to continue repairs on the historic Second County Courthouse.  This new grant for $150,000 from the Arizona State Parks Historic Preservation Heritage Fund will be matched with $225,000 from Pinal County.  The county hopes to use the funding to repair the dormers, chimneys, frieze (area between the roof and wall), porch and dissolving brick.  County officials are working with the architect to prepare plans and hope to go out for bids by February or March.

Final rehab nearly complete for Florence’s Silver King Hotel

[Source: Florence Reminder, Bonnie Bariola] — The front page of the April 14, 1977 Florence Reminder and Blade Tribune was devoted to an article about the purchase of the Florence Hotel by Norm and Bonnie Conkle, who were going to rehabilitate and reopen the hotel.  The article states, “As envisioned by Conkle, the new Silver King Hotel will not only be a beautiful place for tourists to stay, but will be a tourist attraction itself.

The hotel was operating until the day Conkle purchased it.  At that time it was the oldest operating hotel in Arizona.  It catered to silver and gold entrepreneurs, cattle barons, and many of Arizona’s earliest statesmen. Unfortunately, the Conkle’s plans did not materialize and over the next two decades the building suffered extreme deterioration.

During those two decades Bill Coomer was constantly telling his wife, Katie Montaño, that “someone” needed to do something about the hotel.  Katie finally told him that instead of talking about it, why didn’t he do something. Unknown to Katie, Bill created the private nonprofit Florence Preservation Foundation (FPF) in 1993.  He also wrote a Heritage Fund grant application to be used toward the rehabilitation of the hotel.  In addition he wrote a letter to Ed Bass asking for his assistance with the project.  Once the grant application was funded, he shared with Katie what he had done.  Had she not “shamed” him into doing something, the building probably would have been razed since this was what a lot of people thought should be done with it.  [Note: to read the full article click here.]