Arizona Heritage Alliance

Wickenburg-Boetto House receives award

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Before and after shot of the Wickenburg-Boetto House.

[Source: The Wickenburg Sun, 3-23-2010] — The Wickenburg-Boetto House was recently selected to receive the Heritage Fund Historic Preservation Project of the year award.  The selection was based on many aspects, such as outstanding project performance and end use.  The Arizona State Parks board and the Arizona Lottery made the Project of the Year program possible.

The Historic Preservation Advisory Committee has chosen Wednesday, March 31 as the day to recognize the project and to award a bronze plaque to be placed at the Wickenburg-Boetto House.  Other projects being recognized include Old Adobe Mission in Scottsdale, New State Motor Building in Jerome, Children’s Museum at Monroe School in Phoenix, and Peeples Valley Schoolhouse.

The awards presentation is scheduled to take place in Phoenix and is set to begin at 1 p.m.  For more information, contact Cindy Thrasher at 684-5129.

Viewpoint: Abuse of public lands forces restrictions

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[Source: Steve Ayers, Verde Independent, 3-20-2010] — Once again, vandalism and abuse of public lands is forcing those whose job it is to protect those lands to limit access.  This week, the Arizona Game & Fish Department announced that it would restrict motorized access to its Upper Verde River Wildlife Area beginning April 22.  The agency’s move comes in response to years of vandalism, along with the continued destruction of habitat from illegal use of off-road vehicles.

The 1,089-acre property is prime riparian habitat that includes three miles of the very upper reach of the Verde River along with a mile-long stretch of Granite Creek.  It was purchased by the state using Heritage Fund money from the lottery in 1996.  “The problem has been ongoing for several years now,” said Zen Mocarski, public information office for AZGF.  “There has been a lot of off-road vehicle abuse, a lot of fences have been cut, a lot of habitat destruction.”  Mocarski says the property is managed for its wildlife and riparian area and those management goals take precedent.  [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Viewpoint: Arizona Legislature’s passes a budget that slashes education, healthcare, state parks, and so much more

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[Source: Jim Nintzel, Tucson Weekly, 3-18-2010] — In an effort to avoid raising taxes in the face of a budget deficit of more than $2 billion, Republicans in the Arizona Legislature cut more than a billion dollars in state spending last week.  Allowing only one day for testimony regarding the budget bills in both the House and the Senate appropriation committees, GOP lawmakers eliminated state support for all-day kindergarten, took away health insurance from more than 300,000 Arizonans below the federal poverty level, and eliminated the KidsCare program that provided health-care coverage for children.

State support for people with developmental disabilities and mental illnesses has been cut back, with an estimated 14,600 seriously mentally ill adults and 4,200 children losing their assistance.  The state’s GED and adult-education programs have been eliminated, as have dropout-prevention programs and AIMS intervention tutoring.  [Note: To read the full article, click here.]

Viewpoint: State park closures threaten who we are

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[Source: April Stolarz, College Times, 3-18-2010] — I’m just gonna throw it out there: Because of the economy, a lot of things suck.  Yes, that’s a general statement and pretty blunt, but many people have been affected by the economy’s low blows and harsh punches.  The latest in the economic whirlwind of crappiness comes full force with the closing of Arizona state parks.  Closings have occurred in increments and the last big sweep is set for June 3.  After that, nine parks will remain open.

Some of you may be reading this thinking, “why should I care about a state park closing?”  Now that’s up to you and your feelings.  I’m not going to tell you how to feel about this issue, but I’ll throw in some of my ideas about these jewels of nature.  By definition, parks are: an area of land, usually in a largely natural state, for the enjoyment of the public.  What will happen to the parks once the public can’t enjoy them anymore?  Will the landmarks not be preserved?

Sure, there are tons of places in Arizona to go hiking, observe wildlife, camp and explore, but no land is preserved like the land in a state park.  State parks are preserved for a reason.  Aside from the hiking and exploring, state parks are places where you can truly learn about Arizona and truly understand what makes the state so special.  Yes, I know you can appreciate Arizona by simply looking outside at the towering mountains and the colorful sunsets, but state parks provide a deeper meaning of understanding, a further look into the state’s history, a glimpse into the past.

Nature, flourishing and thriving as it is, provides us with a deeper sense of what our country is, of who we are.  It provides a serene realism to the hectic lives we lead.  It’s both a comfort and refreshment that we too often take for granted.  If the state takes that away from us, who know what’ll possibly come next.