Gila County WIC at Miami Senior Center Today

The Gila County WIC Department will be at the Miami Senior Center today (Tuesday) from 9 until 2 to certify income eligible seniors for free monthly food boxes.

For more information call 402-8818.

Sign Up for WIC Food Boxes

The Gila County WIC Department will be at the Miami Senior Center on Tuesday, May 27 from 9:am until 2:pm to certify income eligible seniors for free monthly food boxes.

If you have any questions about eligibility, call 402-8818.

Six Shooter Canyon Road Chip Sealing May 20-21

The Gila County Roads Department will be chip-sealing Six Shooter Canyon Road on Tuesday and Wednesday, May 20 and 21, from 6:am to 5:pm.

There may be delays up to 10 minutes, due to large equipment and heavy truck traffic.

If you have any questions call 402-8532.

US House Passes Extension of PILT

The farm bill that has just passed in the US House of Representatives includes a one year extension of the federal program known as Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT). The program compensates rural counties for federal lands they can’t tax.

Local governments—including Gila County—use the money for services like police and fire protection, and road maintenance.

Personal Information Found in Globe Dumpster

Last week a visitor to Globe found piles of personal information in a recycling bin. The documents included court paperwork with names, birth dates and social security numbers. There were also juvenile criminal histories and personal mental health histories.

The woman—who prefers to remain anonymous-- told 3TV in Phoenix about it. They contacted Gila County Court Administrator and Chief Probation Officer Kendall Rhyme.

Rhyme says he believes the documents were mistakenly recycled instead of shredded. He says both he and Gila County as a whole will make sure everyone understands how to properly discard such important documents.

Gila County Science Fair February 26

The Gila County Regional Science Fair takes place on Wednesday, February 26 at the Bullion Plaza Cultural Center and Museum in Miami.

Last year 21 students from Gila County qualified for and earned medals at the Arizona State Science and Engineering Fair.

First place winners in each category and division will compete in the regional fair. Winners can then compete at the Phoenix Convention Center March 31 through April 2. You can find more information at gilacountyschools.org.

Gila County Transportation Study Public Meeting

A public meeting about the Gila County Transportation Study will be held Wednesday (June 19) from 6 to 8:pm at the Gila County Courthouse.

The Gila County Transportation Study will look at current and future transportation needs. This includes roadways, safety, pavement management, transportation finance, and bicycle and pedestrian facilities.

Gila County Health Ranking Lowest in the State

It’s that time of year when the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation releases its study of the health and well-being of all of the counties in the country. Among the 15 Arizona counties, Gila County ranks at the very bottom.

Gila County has the highest percentage of people who report that they are in poor or only fair health.

The county scores very low in behavioral health factors. These are smoking, obesity and physical inactivity. The motor vehicle death rate per 100,000 people and the teen birth rate are also among the highest in the state.

The county is 12^th out of 15 in the number of years of potential life lost before age 75. In other words, the mortality rate is high.

Gila County also shows poorly  in the areas of high school graduation and children in poverty. The violent crime rate per 100,000 population is high.

Gila County’s best rankings are in  clinical care and physical environment.  The only major areas of concern are diabetic screening and a high number of low income people who don’t live near a grocery store. The county also has a high percentage of people who were exposed to drinking water exceeding a violation line during the past year.

For all the details click here.

Gila County Announces Department Changes

Gila County Manager Don McDaniel announced the departure of three Department Directors at this week’s Board of Supervisors meeting.

Finance Director Joe Heatherly has accepted a position in the private sector.

Human Resources Director Berthan DeNero has accepted a position in Pinal County.

IT Director Darryl Griffin is going into private business.

Elections Director Linda Eastlick has been named the new Human Resources Director. McDaniel has contacted an agency to provide qualified interim staff for the other two vacancies.

In addition, Malissa Buzan has been named Community Services Director. She has been with the department for 20 years and has been Acting Director for four months.

Public Meeting About Building Code Updates

A public meeting and open house will be held in Globe on Wednesday to introduce a proposal that would update Gila County building codes.

The meeting is from 2 to 4:pm  in the Gila County Administration Building conference room on Rose Mofford Way in Globe.

A second meeting will be held Thursday afternoon in Payson.

Public Meetings to Discuss Building Code Changes

Two public meetings have been scheduled  to present a proposal that would update Gila County building codes.

The first meeting is  on Wednesday, February 27 from 2 to 4:pm. It will be in the Gila County Administration Building conference room on Rose Mofford Way in Globe.

The second meeting will be in Payson on February 28.

O'Dell Applies for Pine Position

The Payson Roundup reports that Gila County School Superintendent Linda O’Dell has applied for the position of Pine-Strawberry School Superintendent.

O’Dell decided to apply for the position because the current Pine Superintendent is retiring at the end of the year. She and her husband moved to Pine in 2000 and she says they  love it there.

Tioga Announces Completion of Gila County Solar Project

Tioga Energy made the public announcement today (Tuesday) about the completion of two solar electric systems for Gila County.

The 390 kW project is expected to generate a lifetime electricity cost savings of $500,000.

The Globe Courthouse now has a 205 kW solar electric system, designed to serve as a shade canopy for the parking lot. The Courthouse will meet about 39% of its electricity needs with solar power.

In addition, a 185 kW solar parking canopy is in place at the Central Heights Complex, where Gila County operations include the Department of Elections and the Office of Emergency Management. This sytem is estimated to meet 84% of that facility’s electric needs.

The County has avoided the expenses associated with system ownership through a 20-year solar power purchase agreement.  Tioga developed, financed, owns, operates and maintains the systems; the County will simply purchase the generated solar electricity from Tioga at rates that are lower than the local utility rates.

Tioga has also provided each facility with an educational kiosk that allows viewers to see realtime system production and weather data along with the corresponding environmental benefits of using solar energy.

Benefit Golf Tournament

The Southern Gila County Network Team 5rth Annual Benefit Golf Tournament will be held on Saturday, October 20. The cost is $35 a player. Registration deadline is October 10.

The event is a 3-person scramble. Cash prizes will be awarded to 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd Place teams. Other prizes will also be awarded.

The tournament will be held at the Cobre Valley Country Club. Food, water and soft drinks will be sold.

To get an application or more information, contact Denise at ddickison@gilacountyaz.gov .

Summer Safety Splash on Saturday

Gila County Injury Prevention hosts their second annual Summer Safety Splash on Saturday from 5 to 8:pm at the Globe Community Center. 

Activities include a visit with animals from the Humane Society, a 911 dispatch simulator, fire truck, food, prizes and free swimming.

Republicans File Lawsuits Concerning New Legislative Maps

The US Justice Department has approved the legislative maps drawn up by the Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission. But on Friday, conservative Republicans  filed two lawsuits. The Payson Roundup reports that the filings ask for a three-judge federal panel to draw new congressional district lines next year and new state legislative district lines before the August elections.

The lawsuits claim that the Independent Redistricting Commission packed some districts with Republican voters to give Democrats an advantage in adjoining districts.

The Justice Department’s prompt approval of the maps means that this fall’s elections will take place in the new districts since courts probably won’t be able to act in time.

The Commission’s maps split Gila County in two and moved northern Gila County from a Flagstaff-dominated congressional District 1 to a western Arizona-dominated District 4. Incumbent Congressman Paul Gosar has moved from Flagstaff to Prescott to run in the new District 4.

Gila County Teen Maze

The Gila County Teen Maze is open to the public on Tuesday from 5 to 8:pm at the Gila County Fairgrounds. It will be open to Gila County 8^th and 9^th grade students on Wednesday from 8:am until 3:pm.

The purpose of the Teen Maze is to help students learn that sex should wait until they are ready to assume the responsibilities of the potential outcomes.

For more information call 402-8517..

STEM Festival on April 28

The Gila County STEM Festival will be held on  Saturday from 9:am until Noon at Besh Ba Gowah.

The event  helps students learn the role of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) in the modern world. The STEM Festival features exhibits, hands-on activities and short lectures.

Gila County Least Healthy in Arizona

A national heath report released this week ranks Gila County last in Arizona for certain health indicators. The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation studied more than 3,000 US counties and ranked them from healthiest to least healthy in each state.

Cronkite News Service reports that the entire state falls well short of national averages on a range of health indicators, from the prevalence of fast food restaurants to the availability of primary care physicians and the teen birth rate.

Gila County’s poor showing for health outcomes is based on its premature death rates, percentage of low-birthweight babies, and reported days of poor physical and mental health. Gila County’s premature death rates are about 50% higher than the state as a whole.

The county’s poor health outcomes come in spite of the fact that it ranked in the middle for health factors such as tobacco use, diet and exercise, and access to care.

Landfill Begins Summer Hours

The Russell Gulch landfill begins summer hours this week: 6:am to 4:pm. They are closed on Sundays and holidays.

At the collection event on Saturday, 116 residents dropped off 408 electronics for recycling. The company that brought in the paper shredder destroyed 194 boxes of documents brought in by 25 vehicles.

The next Gila County Landfill event is free greenwaste disposal day on Saturday, April 21 for Earth Day. Greenwaste includes tree limbs, brush, grass clippings and leaves.

If you have any questions, call the Russell Gulch Scalehouse at 425-7470.