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home / Pinal County
From the desk of Supervisor Snider -- January 2012
Received article
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
With the euphoria of the holiday season behind us, it is time to buckle up (and down) to address the myriad issues still on the table from last year – you know, the ones that just won’t go away. Of course, there will inevitably be some new ones but we’ll deal with those as they arise.
I’d like to begin this column with an expression of congratulations to the members of the Ak-Chin Indian Community. The Community is celebrating its 50th year as a formally organized Native American tribe and although many of the celebrations are private and deeply personal, I wish them all the best as they enter into the next half century and on into the future.
Speaking of anniversaries, this New Year is already on record as being the Centennial Year for the State of Arizona. Some Gentle Readers may assume that there’s no real celebration until the 14th of February (Statehood Day – and also (coincidentally) Valentine’s Day) but they would be mistaken. The recent whistle stop by Union Pacific Railroad’s Engine #844 in Casa Grande and Maricopa last November is one example of Centennial events and the publishing of those delightful articles by Brian Kramer and Susan Randall detailing Casa Grande’s history is another.
For more information on who’s doing what when and where as part of Arizona’s Centennial, go to http://www.cgvhs.org (or call (520) 836-2223) for a run-down on locally sponsored events and to http://www.az100years.org for data on statewide events and news about Arizona’s 100th Birthday party.
Pinal County has also gotten into the swing of celebrating history: we recently received notification that our 1891 Courthouse Renovation Project has been designated as a State of Arizona Centennial Legacy Project by the Arizona Historical Advisory Commission. In the fall of 2010, the Board of Supervisors enthusiastically welcomed the recommendation of County Manager Fritz Behring to cancel plans to construct a new building and use that bond funding to renovate the 1891 Courthouse. In January 2011, the Board unanimously approved the plan to renovate the courthouse.
At a cost of approximately $6 million (primarily funded by previously authorized bond money), the 1891 Courthouse will house the Board of Supervisors and their hearing room, the County Manager, Clerk of the Board along with multiple community and meeting rooms. A gallery will be included to showcase historical documents reflecting the history of Pinal County and the 1891 Courthouse.
I have an elderly friend and, as is sometimes the case, her doctor(s) modify her medications on a periodic basis. This means that she’s inevitably left with pill bottles half full of previously prescribed medications that she no longer uses. County Health Department, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, and Casa Grande’s Public Works officials all advise against disposing of these old and/or unused medications by flushing them or putting them in your local garbage for collection.
Co-sponsored by the Casa Grande Police Department and the Casa Grande Alliance, a permanent disposal box for prescription and over-the-counter medications has been placed in the lobbies of the Police Department’s Marshall Street and Val Vista stations. All deposited medications are destroyed using medically approved methods, which in turn prevent those chemicals from getting into our water supply and groundwater aquifers. It’s easy to use, anonymous, and free. I encourage everyone to start using these deposit stations – together we can make a difference.
Before I forget, here are some worthwhile events for your calendar.
- The Greater Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce’s Home, Health & Garden Show takes place on January 14th from 10:00 A.M. to 4:00 P.M. at the Pinal County Fairgrounds & Event Center. Call (520) 836-2125 for more information.
- Friday, January 26th is "Read to Kids Day" and the United Way of Pinal County is organizing community members to read in as many classrooms as possible. For more information, call Frances Ortiz at (520) 836-0736, extension 11.
- The Pinal County Fairgrounds & Event Center will host the 26th Annual Agri-Country Bluegrass Festival. Music happens on January 27 through the 29 and gates are open each day from 9:00 A.M. until 6:00 P.M. Go to http://www.pinalfairgrounds.com for a list of bands and a schedule of events.
- The Children’s Action Alliance and Center for Economic Integrity are sponsoring the Arizona Grandparents Ambassadors Summit in Casa Grande’s Holiday Inn. This forum will allow grandparents, elected leaders, and service organizations to come together to discuss problems and solutions, and to build community. Registration is free but seating is limited. Call Elaine Wilder at (520) 820-8949) for registration information.
So – it’s onward with this New Year. We’ll talk more next month about the move to five Supervisors, the start of the county’s FY 2012-13 budget process, transportation, and much more.
David Snider, Supervisor
Pinal County District 3
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Doris Fightmaster / CopaNews.com
Supervisor David Snider lists several events taking place in January.
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