Arizona: State Park Schließungen erwogen

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Arizona's park woes covered in Germany.

{Frank Hennemann, Abgelegt unter Newsticker des Südwestens] — Wegen Kürzungen beim Budget des Bundesstaates Arizona werden Schließungen von mehreren State Parks in Betracht gezogen.  Die Arizona State Park Direktion hielt darüber ein öffentliches Meeting am Freitag, den 20.  Februar 2009 im Ratssaal des Peoria Stadtrates ab. Bei diesem Meeting versuchte die Park Direktion, bestehend aus sieben Freiwilligen, Optionen zur Begrenzung des per 30.  Juni 2009 zu erwartenden Defizites zu finden.

Einige Möglichkeiten, um die Verluste einzelner State Parks zu begrenzen, sind Kürzungen von Zuschüssen, Schließungen ausgewählter Parks, saisonale Schließungen, begrenzte Öffnungszeiten, Kürzungen bei den Versorgungsausgaben, Kündigungen oder der Transfer von Ausgaben auf andere Budgetpositionen. [Note: To read the full post, yes in German, click here.]

Arizona State Archives reopens “by appointment only”

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by-appointment-onlyThe Arizona State Archives will be open for research “by appointment only” every Tuesday from noon to 4 p.m. and every Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., except for emergencies.  Call 602-926-3720 between 10 a.m. and noon Monday through Friday to make an appointment.  Archives staff will continue to accept research requests from patrons, but the response times will be much longer.  For more information, click here.

4 condors to join wild flock at Vermilion Cliffs

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[Source: Ron Dungan, Arizona Republic] — Witness the release of four California condors at 11 a.m. Saturday at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument in northern Arizona. “Arizona is privileged to be home to one of only three wild California condor populations in the world, so residents and visitors to our state have a unique opportunity to watch this release,” said Kathy Sullivan, a condor biologist with the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Condors were added to the federal endangered species list in 1967. In the 1980s, biologists captured the remaining 22 birds and started a captive-breeding program. Condors produced in captivity are periodically released to help expand the wild populations. [To read the full article, click here].

Budget cuts force Arizona State Library to close archives

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[Source: Norman Oder, Library Journal] — In a decision that has drawn deep concern from the public, the Arizona State Library, Archives, and Public Records has closed regular public access to the $38 million Polly Rosenbaum State Archives and History Building, which opened last fall and was dedicated in mid-January, according to the Arizona Republic.  GladysAnn Wells, state librarian, said that the closure was the only solution to a nearly 75% cut in the agency’s remaining budget for the rest of the fiscal year, which ends June 30.  The reduction is $1.45 million out of $2 million, and archives staff have been cut from13 to 3.  The state research library and museum have cut hours, as well.

Those researchers who wish to access books, documents, and other resources will be able to make appointments to use the new building.  “I’m hoping something is going to happen so that we can re-open it,” Wells told the Phoenix New Times, which noted that the building had had about ten to 25 visitors a day.

“My husband and I were fortunate to have just finished the extensive research for our history of east-central Arizona before the archives closed,” wrote one commenter on the newspaper’s web site.  “Our book is richer and deeper because of the nuggets found there.”

“I can’t believe that it has been closed completely,” another complained.  “Cut down the hours, ask for volunteers, but to cut off history to the people of Arizona who are doing research and writing history is inexcusable.”