From the KATO Newsroom
William Perry - News Director
May 2007 Archive
5/31/07
FREEPORT CEO LOOKING TO STEP UP EXPLORATION
The Chief Executive Officer of Freeport-McMoRan, 60-year-old Richard
Adkerson, who was the chief negotiator in the company's acquisition of Phelps
Dodge Corporation in March, says that the company is interested in stepping
up exploration of new copper deposits in the Gila Valley.
Adkerson told a reporter from the Arizona Republic in the Sunday addition that the company is looking at stepping up exploration work and is seeking ways to increase production at existing properties. That could include restarting closed mines or developing new deposits surrounding existing properties. One, called Lone Star, is a significant copper deposit discovered near the new mine that Phelps Dodge is developing in Safford.
Rumors from Bisbee say that Phelps Dodge is looking at developing more properties in that area.
Since the acquisition of Phelps Dodge in March of this year, stockholders have already benefited since the deal closed. Taking into consideration the payment of a dividend, the stock has increased from $55.60 to a $74.61 closing on May 25th, for a gain of 34-percent.
5/31/07
Fire restrictions set to begin on Sitgreaves forest
Fire restrictions are set to begin this Friday morning on
most of the Sitgreaves National Forest.
An announcement from the Forest Service in Springerville, say Federal Officials are initiating smoking and campfire restrictions.
All national forest lands near McNary will be affected.
Conditions on the Apache National Forest are a bit greener or are more moist and therefore are not affected by restrictions at this time.
During the restrictions, campfires are only allowed in designated campgrounds. This prohibition includes the use of charcoal. Smoking is permitted only within designated campgrounds or within a vehicle or a building. The use of firearms is permitted where it's normally authorized.
Campers are reminded to make sure any campfires are completely extinguished before leaving the camp.
5/30/07
War veterans find transition back to workplace a challenge
For many of the three-thousand-plus Arizona
National Guard and military reserve members returning home after a
tour in Iraq or Afghanistan, adjusting from the battlefield to the
workplace is a struggle.
The military members describe spending months on alert every second of the day, dodging death in surprise firefights and watching members of their units and civilians die.
When they come back to Arizona, they are in a hypervigilant state, unable to convey their emotions to family, friends and co-workers.
Some say they repeatedly relive battles, can't sleep or are easily startled. Others find their jobs boring or worry that a supervisor will not work with them if they are diagnosed with posttraumatic stress disorder.
Data on how many are suffering are not kept, but one study published in March in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed that 25 percent of veterans who fought in Iraq or Afghanistan received a mental health diagnosis.
5/30/07
Officials warn residents of snakes as temperatures rise
As temperatures throughout the state rise,
rural residents of the Gila Valley and even those living close to
an undeveloped area may find themselves sharing their yards with
slithering summer tenants.
Snakes are more active and visible in May and June than any other month of the year.
The reptiles function best at temperatures between 75 and 90 degrees and like to hunt in the dark, so are more likely to be out at night during the summer.
Residents who spot snakes should call the Sheriff's department, your local police agency, or Game and Fish instead of trying to deal with them on their own.
Game and Fish ask that if you encounter a snake in your yard, please do not kill it. Some species of local snakes are on the endangered species list.
5/25/07
EAC SUMMER SCHOOL STARTING UP MAY 29
Just as parents in the Gila Valley are getting used to having their kids
out of school for the summer, Eastern Arizona College has scheduled
first session registration for the upcoming 2007 EAC summer school.
EAC will conduct two summer sessions, with the first session scheduled to begin on Tuesday, May 29th, and continuing through June 29th.
EAC's second summer session will begin July 2nd, and will run through August 3rd.
Summer students can register by phone by calling EAC, at 428-8270, weekdays between 8am and 5pm.
Register on the Internet by going to EAC's web-site and click "Gila Hank Online."
Or register in person at the EAC records and registration office in Thatcher, weekdays from 8:30am until 4:30pm.
Cost for EAC's summer school is the same as regular semester's charges - $55.00 for the first credit hour, and only $210.00 total for two to six total credits, for Arizona residents.
Call the EAC Registration Office at 428-8270 for more information.
5/25/07
GILA VALLEY FAMILY FESTIVAL STARTS TODAY
The 14th Annual Gila Valley Family Festival starts up today in Downtown
Safford and will continue through Sunday.The Quilt Show will begin at 9:00am, this morning, and will be displayed in the Graham County General Services building.
A Craft Show and Antique Show will be displayed in the Safford High School Gym all weekend.
A Classic Car Display will be held from 6pm until 9pm, this evening, with a Talent Show and Live Entertainment from 6:00pm until 9:30pm and Crossroads will be playing tonight on the Safford City Hall lawn from 7:00pm until 10:00pm.
Saturday continues with all kinds of activities going on in Downtown Safford including a Car Show and Registration at Firth Park beginning at 2:30pm, a Trap Shoot competition at the Safford Rifle Range, and live Country Music, Saturday night - featuring Cross Country, on the Safford City Hall lawn from 7:00pm until 10:00pm.
Sunday features the Craft Show at Safford High School and a Sacred Music presentation from 6:30pm until 8:30pm also on the Safford City Hall Lawn.
The public is invited to this free Gila Valley Family Festival in Downtown Safford.
5/24/07
WOMAN INJURED IN ROLL OVER ACCIDENT ON KLONDYKE ROAD
A Graham County Sheriff's Deputy was dispatched to Klondyke Road, at
around 1:40 am, Tuesday morning, to a report of a single vehicle roll over
accident.
Mary-Lou Fuller, 21, told the deputy that she was traveling Westbound on Klondyke Road at a speed of around 40 to 45 MPH, when she lost control of her 2002 Chevrolet Trail Blazer, slid off the road, and rolled the vehicle.
The Trail Blazer sustained damage to the hood, cab, fender, lights and undercarriage.
Fuller was not seriously injured, according to the Deputies report, but was taken to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center for observation.
Fuller was wearing a seatbelt at the time of the accident.
5/24/07
AGENCY ILLEGALLY SET AZ. TEMPORARY WAGES
Of interest to those in the nursing program:
The association that represents most hospitals in Arizona agreed Tuesday to halt what the U.S. Justice Department charged was illegally setting rates for what hospitals pay temporary nurses.
The deal, announced late Tuesday, bars the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association from setting "presumptive" rates hospitals will pay nursing registries - an arrangement that precluded agencies representing nurses from offering their services to a higher-bidding hospital.
Thomas Barnett, head of the Justice Department's antitrust division, said, the hospitals' rate-setting practice was illegally and unfairly depressing the wages paid to registry nurses, saving the hospitals up to $12.7 million a year at nurses expense.
Andy Gordon, attorney for the hospital association, denied its members, which control nearly 80-percent of all hospital beds in Arizona, broke any laws. But the hospitals will no longer be using those preset rates.
5/24/07
MAN SUFFERS GUNSHOT WOUND TO HIS LEG
Graham County Dispatch received a 9-1-1 call from South Frye Creek
Road, Monday afternoon, and deputies responded to a report of a man
who received a single gunshot wound to his thigh.
When deputies arrived at the Blue Ponds, they spoke to Christopher Holyoak, 30, who had been shot with a Smith & Wesson snubnose .38 in his thigh.
Holyoak told deputies that he and his family had set up a firing range. He said that he had just loaded his weapon, and was approaching the firing line, getting ready to shoot.
He was holding and pointing the .38 pistol toward the ground along his right side. As Holyoak walked to the firing line the pistol discharged and the bullet struck him in his upper right thigh.
The three witnesses with Holyoak confirmed his story.
Holyoak was taken to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center for treatment.
5/24/07
Grilling, chilling, you can do it all, just get there early
The most popular getaway spots are expected
to fill up early for the upcoming Memorial Day Weekend.
In several camping areas of the Coronado National Forest, has no smoking or campfire restrictions in place.
A campfire permit will be required if you are camping outside developed areas that have permanent fire rings and grills.
Things are drier in the middle of the state.
Restrictions on the Tonto National Forest include no fires, smoking or use of internal combustion engines, except in some designated campgrounds.
In the Apache-Sitgreaves National Forest, camping is prohibited in some areas.
Elsewhere in Apache-Sitgreaves, camping and fires are permitted at several popular campgrounds in the White Mountains.
5/23/07
CONTRACTOR INJURED IN ROLLOVER ACCIDENT
A Graham County Sheriff's Deputy was dispatched to Airport Road,.
Monday morning, to a report of a vehicle rollover accident.
Upon arrival, at around 6:00am, Monday morning, the deputy observed A white Ford F250 Pickup in the desert, South of Airport Road. The truck belonged to SMA Engineers.
The deputy approached the driver who was identified as Thomas Dupont, and had him sit down until an ambulance arrived at the scene.
The deputy asked Dupont what had happened and Dupont responded, saying that he did not remember anything since he left his residence on Sanchez Road, earlier that morning.
Dupont had abrasions on the top of his head and on both arms.
When the ambulance arrived, Dupont was readied and was flown out to University Medical Center in Tucson.
The deputy observed that Dupont was traveling East on Airport Road, he ran off the road on the North side and hit a dirt burm causing the truck to roll over. He also observed that Dupont had been ejected from the truck - out the back window and thrown to the ground.
No word on Dupont's condition.
5/22/07
CITY GARBAGE MAN INJURES ARM
Safford Police were called to Boulevard Sales and Service, early Friday
morning, to a report of an injured Safford City employee.
When officers arrived, ambulance personnel were already working on Safford City employee, Bradley Johnson.
Johnson drives a City Sanitation truck and, according to a Safford Police report, was emptying a dumpster at Boulevard Sales when he somehow got his left arm stuck between the dumpster and the truck while it was dumping.
Johnson received a severe cut on his left arm.
Johnson was taken by ambulance to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center and told a Safford Officer that as the dumpster was lifting, it started to slip. He tried to stop it from slipping off the truck and his arm was trapped between the dumpster and the truck as it was raising.
Surgery was performed on Johnson's severely cut left arm.
No word on Johnson's condition at this time.
5/21/07
EAC COMES IN THIRD IN NATIONAL SOFT BALL TOURNAMENT
It wasn't a bad outing for the Eastern Arizona College Women's Soft
Ball team this past week when they eventually placed third in the 2007
National Junior College Athletic Association's Division 1 Softball
National Championship, that was held in Plant City, Florida.
The EAC women defeated Lincoln Trail College from Illinois and Texarkana College on Thursday, May 17th, and were able to take down Georgia Perimeter, early Friday.
EAC ran into Chipola College from Florida, Friday night and suffered their first defeat of the tournament, losing 5-to-2.
Saturday saw the EAC women fall to North Idaho, 2-to-1, to be eliminated from the tournament.
North Idaho and Chipola College fought it out on Saturday afternoon with the Chipola College women coming out on top to win the Division 1 Junior College National Tournament.
Melissa Baker from EAC was named to the All Tournament team.
This was the first time in Eastern Arizona College history that a women's Softball team has made it to the National Tournament.
5/21/07
National 'Click It or Ticket' begins today
If you haven't done so already, strap on that
seat belt.
Starting today, authorities will be on the lookout for seatbelt violators in the national "Click It or Ticket" campaign.
In Arizona, all front-seat passengers -- and anyone under the age of 16 -- must be properly restrained by a seat belt while in a car.
If you're caught, you can expect a average fine of $48 dollars. Children under five-years-old also must be properly restrained in a child safety device.
Adults who fail to restrain their kids with a safety device can expect an average fine of $118 dollars.
5/19/07
National 'Click It or Ticket' begins Monday
If you don't already do it as a habit, start straping on that
seat belt.
Starting Monday, authorities will be on the lookout for seatbelt violators in the national "Click It or Ticket" campaign. In Arizona, all front-seat passengers -- and anyone under the age of 16 -- must be properly restrained by a seat belt while in a car.
If you're caught, you can expect a average fine of $48 dollars. Children under five-years-old also must be properly restrained in a child safety device.
Adults who fail to restrain their kids with a safety device can expect an average fine of $118 dollars.
05/18/07
EAC GIRLS SOFTBALL WIN FIRST PLAY-OFF GAME
The Eastern Arizona College Women's Softball Team have won
their first playoff game at the National Junior College Athletic
Association National women's softball tournament in Plant City,
Florida.
The Lady Gila Monsters beat Lincoln Trail College from Illinois, 9 to 1, Thursday morning in Plant City, Florida.
This is the first time that an Eastern Arizona College women's softball team has ever gone to a national championship playoff tournament.
If the Lady Gila Monsters can win, the National Championship Game will take place on Saturday, in Florida.
05/17/07
Napolitano vetoes bill easing weapon penalties
If you want to carry a concealed weapon, you
should have a permit to do so.
That's what Governor Janet Napolitano said Wednesday when she vetoed a bill that would have relaxed penalties for anyone found carrying a hidden weapon without the required permit.
In her veto message, the governor noted that serious criminals like gang members often carry hidden weapons.
She said they shouldn't be let off with the petty offense envisioned in Senate Bill 1629.
Mesa Republican Senator Karen Johnson sponsored the bill.
Johnson says her intent was to lighten the penalty for someone who has a conceal-carry permit but simply forgot it.
5/17/07
Bill with requirement for breath-test devices goes to Governor
It looks like things are going to get a bit
tougher for first-time D-U-I offenders.
Legislation headed to Governor Napolitano's desk would require first-time D-U-I offenders to use ignition interlocks on their vehicles for at least a year after resuming driving.
Those are breath-test devices that won't allow a driver to start a vehicle if a driver's alcohol content is above a preset limit.
State law currently mandates that repeat D-U-I offenders or those convicted of extreme or aggravated D-U-I use interlocks when their driving privileges are restored.
5/16/07
A CRAZY FIGHT, SEARCH, FIGHT, AND ARREST BY SPD
Safford officers were dispatched, early Tuesday morning, to the Circle K
on Relation Street, to a fight going on between a man and a woman.
When officers arrived at the Circle K, the suspects had left in a green compact car.
A few minutes later officers were dispatched to a disturbance at the Pepper Tree Apartments off of 20th Avenue. When officers arrived, the suspects had just left the scene in a green Hyundai compact.
About 30-minutes later, a Safford officer radioed that he had stopped a green Hyundai at Gila Auto and RV Store in Thatcher.
There were three occupants in the vehicle.
The female driver was arrested for DUI. Another Safford officer recognized a passenger in the back seat as having a warrant out for his arrest out of Gila County. He was taken into custody.
The third passenger, identified as Sailyie R. Moses, was told that the green Hyundai was going to be towed from the scene and he was free to go.
Moses became agitated and started cussing and yelling at the officers as he walked away.
Two of the Safford Officers took their prisoners to jail and another officer stood by as the tow truck hooked up to the Hyundai.
Just about that time Mr. Moses returned to the scene and wanted to pay money to get the Hyundai back. When he was told "No", he began cussing and yelling at the officer and started moving quickly toward him at a fast pace. The officer threw up his forearm and knocked Moses back.
The officer then grabbed Moses, handcuffed him, and threw him in the back seat of his patrol car, while Moses continued to cuss and yell at him.
Moses was taken to the Safford Police station. He continued to be disagreeable at the Police station by continuing to yell and cuss. Moses allegedly tripped one of the officers and kicked him in the chest.
Moses was charged with Disorderly Conduct, Interfering with Judicial Proceedings and could possibly be charged with Aggravated Assault.
5/16/07
SPD TAGGING BROKEN DOWN VEHICLES TO BE REMOVED
While Granite Construction Road Crews have been paving Safford streets,
they have found that there are a lot of broken down vehicles that are parked
on Safford streets.
Safford Police have been placing abandoned vehicle stickers on these vehicles that ask if the owners could please move them off the streets that are being paved.
Last Friday, Safford Officers tagged seven or eight vehicles that appeared to be broken down, several vehicle registration were expired, and were in the way of the paving project.
Safford Police Chief John Griffin explained that, "It's sort of a beautification project." By tagging the vehicles to be removed off the street, the area will receive new pavement and the various neighborhoods will look nicer without the broken down vehicles in the street.
5/15/07
GOVERNOR SIGNS TEEN DRIVING RESTRICTIONS BILL
Governor Janet Napolitano signed into law, on Monday, a bill that will
place restrictions on Arizona drivers under the age of 18.
Bill HB2033, will generally prohibit teenagers from driving between midnight and 5am, during the first six months that they hold a Class G or graduated drivers license.
Also during the first six months, the teen driver would be limited to one passenger under age 18 unless the passengers are siblings of the driver or the driver is accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.
Violators would be subject to fines and additional time under the restrictions.
The bill would also increase the required supervised driving practice to 30-hours from the current 25-hours, including 10-hours of night driving, up from the current 5.
Also, the bill would allow a teen to apply for an instructional permit at 15-years and 6-months, one month earlier than now. And the required licensed driver as a front seat passenger would have to be at least 21-years-old.
The changes to the new law will go into effect on July 1, 2008.
5/15/07
AMMONIUM NITRATE SPILL ON HWY 70, SATURDAY
A serious chemical spill was averted, Saturday afternoon, on Highway 70,
East of Safford, when a 2000 Chevy Malibu ran into the back of a CTI
Truck that had been hauling Ammonium Nitrate.
Ammonium Nitrate is the compound that Phelps Dodge blasting crews use when digging for copper.
Luckily, the CTI truck was empty and the collision with the Malibu spilled approximately 50-pounds of the compound onto Highway 70.
Safford Police, DPS, Graham County Deputies, and the Safford Fire Department responded to the scene.
Because the spill of Ammonium Nitrate was small, the Safford Fire Department were able to scoop up the compound, put it back into the CTI truck and haul it away without incident or danger to the public.
The driver of the Malibu and the CTI truck were taken to Mt. Graham Regional Medical Center - treated and released.
The accident, that happened at around 5:00pm, Saturday afternoon, closed East and Westbound traffic on Highway 70 for about an hour.
5/15/07
CITY OF SAFFORD CONTINUING PHASE 6 AND 7 OF STREET PAVING
If you live in Safford, you already know that The City of Safford and Granite
Construction of Tucson, have been working hard trying to complete several paving
Projects through out the city.
According to a Safford spokesperson, Granite Construction crews have completed the milling portion of what the City is calling Phase 6 and 7. The paving portion of the projects should be completed within the next few weeks.
Phase 6 includes the paving of Willow Avenue, Luna Street, Elm Avenue, Little Horn, Big Horn, Fargo Drive, Stirrup Drive, and several other neighborhood streets.
Phase 7 includes; all of Stratton Drive, 17th Avenue, 13th Avenue, 9th Avenue, Bingham Place, Rose Lane, 13th Street, and more.
The City of Safford and Granite Construction would like to ask all motorists in these areas to please obey all traffic signs, watch out for large moving equipment, and please drive safely.
5/11/07
FIRE BURNS MOBILE HOME ON SWIFT TRAIL
Graham County Sheriff's Deputies were dispatched to 680 West Highway
366, on Swift Trail Highway, at around 12:45, Tuesday afternoon, to a report
of a mobile home on fire.
Deputies, along with Safford Fire, Graham County Electric Coop, and Southwest Ambulance were dispatched to the scene of the single-wide mobile home blaze.
A woman who claimed that she took care of the 1969 "Detroit" mobile home for owner Dr. Rath, said that the trailer was not being lived in, and had not been lived in for over a year. Apparently, the utilities had recently been turned on for a man who said he might want to buy the mobile home, and the utilities were still on when the fire started.
Safford Fire was able to extinguish the flames and after the fire, Safford Fire Chief, Mike Rhodes stated that it appeared as though the hot water heater inside the mobile home had leaked, the hot water heater fell on the floor, and the burners set the mobile home on fire.
No one was injured in the fire.
The amount of property damage to the mobile home won't be available until the insurance company examines the incident.
5/09/07
Feds to leave Mexican gray wolf in the wild
The federal government has rejected a demand by Catron County,
New Mexico, officials to remove an endangered Mexican gray wolf from
the wild in southwestern New Mexico.
County officials want the wolf removed because they say she has a history of killing cattle.
The county has threatened to enforce an ordinance it passed earlier this year which says the county has a right to trap and remove wolves that are accustomed to humans or that could harm people.
The U-S Fish and Wildlife Service has told the county that it doesn't plan to remove the wolf.
And the agency has warned the county that any action taken against a wolf that doesn't comply with federal law will be prosecuted by the federal government.
5/08/07
STUDY LINKS DRINKING ALCOHOL TO BRAIN SHRINKAGE
Would that 6-pack of beer or those shots of Tequila go down as easily
if you knew that every shot you take could be shrinking your brain?
A new study has found that over time, drinking alcohol, whether moderately or heavily, was associated with decreased brain volume.
While heavy drinkers had significantly less brain volume than light or moderate drinkers, only abstainers were found to have no alcohol-related brain shrinkage. The effect was the greatest in women.
The study raises the question of whether drinking may be good for the heart but not so good for the brain.
The research, which included MRI brain scans of 1,839-people, was presented last week at an American Academy of Neurology meeting.
Whether, in general, decreased brain volume is associated with decreased cognitive function, the study did not measure that, said Ann Helms, an assistant professor of neurology at the Medical College of Wisconsin.
05/08/07
TRUCK STOLEN AT BULL PEN
A young couple, enjoying themselves on the town, Friday night, had the man's Ford F-250 pickup truck stolen from the parking lot of the Bull Pen.
Lee Rogers of Safford, and owner of E.A Electronics and Rexanne Richins, of Thatcher, were enjoying the music at the Bull Pen, Friday night, at around 11:00pm, when a waitress noticed some mail and envelopes that were in the parking lot.
The waitress realized that the unopened mail was addressed to Rexanne Richins. Rexanne then wondered what was her mail doing in the parking lot of the Bull Pen.
She looked around and discovered that the truck belonging to Lee Rogers was no longer in the parking lot.
The truck was no where to be found so the couple called Safford Police.
SPD responded immediately and it was determined that the 2001 Ford-F-250 Super Duty Truck had been stolen.
The officer placed a description of the vehicle along with the license plate number on the "attempt to locate" list with other state agencies, and Lee and Rexanne caught a ride home with some friends.
On Sunday, May 6th, Safford Police called Rexanne and Lee and told them that a man on a 4-wheeler, who was down by the Gila River, discovered Lee's truck, buried in the sand.
The truck was damaged and scratched but according to Rexanne, was not totaled. Both Lee and Rexanne lost their I.D's, checks books, cell phones, expensive tools, a camcorder, and the truck stereo, but valuable credit cards, social security cards, and family pictures were still in the truck.
Rexanne said that she thought the truck thieves somehow broke into the truck and used the keys in her purse to drive away with the vehicle.
Safford detectives continue to look for the car thieves.
5/04/07
EARLY GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP BILL GOES TO GOVERNOR
State lawmakers may have found the perfect way to encourage high schoolers
to knuckle down and graduate early. Offer them Money.
The State Senate, on Wednesday, gave final approval to giving $1,500 scholarships to students who complete all the necessary high school course work by the middle of their senior year. The scholarships could be used at any public or private university, community college, or trade school.
The program is structured as not to penalize schools that encourage students to accelerate their studies. The schools will get the same state aid as if the student was in school all year.
The measure now goes to Governor Napolitano.
5/05/07
MAIN STREET OK FOR CINCO DE MAYO PARADE
Main Street in Downtown Safford should be "ok to go", for the Cinco de
Mayo Parade that is scheduled for today.
According to Ruben Sanchez, a spokesperson for the City of Safford; 5th Avenue and 6th Avenue still need to be paved but they will be open and available for parking for "parade go-ers", Saturday morning.
Sanchez said that the City and Granite Construction found a layer of clay underneath 5th avenue and under 7th Street and they were taking the time to excavate the clay out from underneath the roadways to make the road smoother and make the new pavement last longer.
The paving of 5th Avenue, located in front of the Safford Post Office, should be completed by Wednesday evening.
5/05/07
GARBAGE TRUCK KNOCKS DOWN POWER POLE IN THATCHER
A Vista Recycling garbage truck driver who was taking a dumpster to an
address on 4th Avenue in Thatcher, accidentally knocked down two power
poles and disconnected electricity, cable TV, and telephone lines to the neighborhood.
At around 3:45pm, Thursday afternoon, the Vista Recycling garbage truck driver - who was carrying a new dumpster to a home and was carrying the dumpster high enough in the air to make contact with Cable One transmission lines - made contact with the lines on 4th Avenue and stretched them enough to snap an electric power pole into three pieces and pull down another pole before breaking the transmission lines.
Thatcher P.D. and Graham County road crews were immediately on the scene to re-route traffic and keep pedestrians away from the live electric lines until Linemen from Graham County Electric Coop could turn off the power and replace the snapped power lines.
Cable One crews and Quest crews were soon on the scene. They were able to restore power, phone service and TV Cable by 10:00pm, Thursday night.
5/04/07
KTVK COMES TO SAFFORD NEXT WEEK
The popular Good Morning Arizona show on KTVK Channel 3 in Phoenix
is planning to broadcast, live from Downtown Safford, on May 10th, from
5:00am til 9:00am.
According to "The Business Review", a Graham County Chamber of Commerce news flyer, the public is encouraged to come out and be a part of the show, next Thursday morning, beginning at 5:00am.
KTVK personalities will give out autographed photos from 9:00am until 10am, and will feature news stories on local attractions in the Gila Valley.
KATO's "Voice of the Valley" interview program on Saturday morning will feature an interview with Olivia Fierro, one of the Good Morning Arizona's "on air personalities", Saturday morning, starting at around 7:30am, on News-Talk 1230 KATO.
The Good Morning Arizona crew will be handing out souvenir road trip bandannas to the first 200 people who take part in their live broadcast, next Thursday morning. The Safford Lion's Club will prepare a pancake breakfast on Thursday morning at a cost of $4.00 per person.
The Good Morning Arizona Hot Air Balloon will also be in the Gila Valley that morning.
5/01/07
4 die in trailer fire
Authorities say a woman and her three children died in a
trailer fire early Monday morning in a small Cochise
County community populated by agricultural workers.
Cochise County sheriff's deputies say neighbors heard a man shouting for help shortly after midnight and saw the home on fire.
They said the man, identified as 39-year-old Edgardo Oscar Hoyos, couldn't get back inside past flames at the front door or through thick smoke at the back door.
Cause has not been determined.
Authorities identified the dead as 37-year-old Gloria Teresa Bustamante, sons Oscar, 16, and Edgardo, 7, and daughter Deanna 15.
The man was taken to a hospital with burns on his hands. Authorities say he was employed at Eurofresh Farms.
5/01/07
GUN SHOT LEADS SPD TO MARIJUANA PLANTS
Safford officers were dispatched to several apartments at 911 Central Avenue,
on Saturday afternoon, at around 1:15pm, in reference to a gun shot that was
fired outside one of the apartments.
Officers were approached by a resident of the apartments and said that they had witnessed Francisco Veloz fire a shot from a .22-caliber pistol in the alley.
Several witnesses told officers that they saw Veloz step out into the alley, fire the pistol, and then step back into the apartment.
A Safford officer and a Thatcher officer entered the apartment and spoke to the tenants about the gun shot.
Three suspects were in the apartments. Veloz, his brother, Ruben Moreno, and Velozs' mother, Maria Del Rosario Moreno.
The officers searched the house and discovered 9-marijuana plants growing inside the apartment.
A complete search found marijuana seeds, drug paraphernalia, and the .22, with one spent casing in the cylinder.
The officers asked dispatch for information about "wants and warrants" on the three subjects.
It was discovered that there were Department of Corrections Probation violation warrants out for Ruben Moreno, and his mother, Maria Del Rosario Moreno. They were arrested and taken into custody.
Francisco Veloz was also arrested and charged with Disorderly Conduct with a Weapon and Possession of Marijuana, and taken to jail.