Mayor Diane Joens Honored as Citizen of the Year by Elks in 2013

 

 

Mayor Diane Joens Honored as Citizen of the Year by Elks in 2013

In 2013 the Jerome Elks Lodge #1361 in Clarkdale honored Ed Leuer, local Elks member and State Vice President, as Elk of the Year. Cottonwood Mayor Diane Joens was honored as the Elks' Citizen of the Year, while Rod Rosenbarger received the Officer of the Year award. Elks invest in communities through programs that help children grow up healthy and drug-free, by undertaking projects that address unmet needs, and by honoring the service and sacrifice of veterans.

Cottonwood Fire Department Lieutenant Awarded Scholarship

 

Cottonwood Fire Department Lieutenant/Paramedic Brady Casson

 

COTTONWOOD, AZ (October 18, 2013) – The Cottonwood Fire Department is pleased to announce  Lieutenant/Paramedic Brady Casson was recently selected as a recipient of the 2013 Motorola Solutions Foundation Future Leaders Scholarship. This scholarship is awarded by the International Association of Fire Chiefs Foundation in conjunction with the Motorola Solutions Foundation.  

This scholarship is designed to provide financial assistance to members of the fire service who are pursuing higher education in fire science or a related field of study. The Motorola Solutions Foundations scholarship was established to “recognize true professionals who have and will continue to demonstrate leadership, integrity, and outstanding values within the fire service.” 

Lieutenant Casson is pursuing a Bachelors of Applied Science degree in Emergency Management through Arizona State University. This degree program will expand Lieutenant Casson’s knowledge and experience base and prepare him for advanced leadership positions within the fire service and emergency management field.  

For further information please contact the Cottonwood Fire Department at 928-634-2741

 

COTTONWOOD, Ariz. – Cottonwood is the first city or town in the State of Arizona to sponsor, support and participate in a water conservation program for all grades in the elementary and middle school divisions. On July 16 the City Council approved the implementation of a kindergarten through eighth grade conservation program for Verde Valley school children.  

Working in cooperation with the Verde Natural Resource Conservation District (VNRCD) Education Center, a comprehensive water conservation program has been developed that will be implemented beginning in the fall of 2013. The kindergarten through fourth grade program entitled Cottonwood Kids Conserve is a classroom program designed for grades kindergarten through fourth grade in the Cottonwood Oak Creek School District (COCSD) that emphasizes the importance of conserving water. A total of 1650 students in the kindergarten through fourth grade will receive a conservation lesson four times each year.  This program will emphasize four essential questions:

1)    Where is water found on earth?

2)    How does water get into and out of houses?

3)    Why is it important to save and not waste water?

4)    How can we conserve water?

 

The fifth through eighth grade water conservation education program is estimated to introduce about 1100 students in the COCSD to a different topic each year that is related to water and the importance of conserving water. The fifth grade program entitled Connections is designed to help students understand the physical properties of water and its connection to nature, the environment and humans. The sixth grade program entitled Ground Water is designed to teach students the link between groundwater and surface water by introducing them to the concept of a watershed and allowing them to interact with a groundwater model. The seventh grade program entitled Top Ten

 

 

 

Wanted Dead & Alive Species

teaches students about the economic, social and ecological impacts of native and invasive species in the Verde River watershed. The eighth grade program entitled Properties of Water teaches students how the health and quality of a river affects all water users including humans, agriculture, wildlife, and industry. The fifth through eighth grade classes are three day programs. The K through eighth grade water conservation program also includes a field trip each year for the second and seventh grade classes to Dead Horse Ranch State Park and Montezuma Well.

 The VNRCD education center headed up by Lynda Zanolli will teach the water conservation classes in all nine grades. The COCSD is fully supportive of this program. Superintendent Barbara U’Ren states, “We are very excited about this partnership between COCSD, VNRCD and the City of Cottonwood. This partnership demonstrates the value that our VNRCD and the City of Cottonwood places in educating students for solving issues of the future.  These learning experiences will last a lifetime and may open up new avenues for career exploration and will assist COCSD as we prepare students for the 21st century.”

The City of Cottonwood also sponsors an annual program called Water Literacy for Kindergarteners, a partnership with geologist and community volunteer Linda Heidenreich and COCSD. Kindergarteners spend several days touring the Cottonwood water and reclamation plants and visit the Verde River. The city also is a co-sponsor of the Verde Valley fourth grade Project WET program, held annually at Dead Horse Ranch State Park, and worked last year with the VNRCD and Zanolli on a second graders' conservation program. 

Mayor Diane Joens states, "The Cottonwood City Council is pleased to collaborate with many partners who care about our children and the important topic of conservation. Conservation is one of the keys to our future water supply. Cottonwood's Natural Resources Director Tom Whitmer did a great job in creating this first-ever program with Ms. Zanolli. It will be a great model for other teachers and schools to use in the future."

For further information on this program contact Tom Whitmer 928-340-2737. 

 

 

Homes for Our Troops: Fundraiser at Brandi's Kitchen for Sgt. Jordan Maynard, Jennifer and Jay!

Brandi's Kitchen staff members who volunteered their time

for the Sgt. Jordan Maynard Fundraiser on August 1, 2013.

Wait staff even donated all of their tips for the cause.

What can we say about a community that goes to a spaghetti supper and leaves $6,106 on the table? We can all be proud of this community and our collective efforts to welcome a new neighbor—a neighbor who  paid an extreme price for our freedom.

VFW Post 7400 Ladies' Auxiliary President Pam Van Winkle and Brandi Fuller from Brandi's Kitchen in Cottonwood put their heads together to help Homes for Our Troops fundraise to build a home for Marine Sgt. Jordan Maynard and his family. Van Winkle only had to ask once, and Brandi and husband Jason Fuller were on board 100 percent, no questions asked.

 

Cooking lots of spaghetti with a happy smile. About 250 meals were served.

 

Homes for Our Troops is building a home in the Verde Valley for Sgt. Jordan Maynard, wife Jennifer, and son Jay. It is a home that will provide Sgt. Maynard with the accessibility he needs to accommodate the injuries he suffered after stepping on an improvised explosive device (IED) in Afghanistan two years ago. He lost both of his legs above the knees. An elbow was severely injured in the blast. He suffered serious internal injuries.  After the IED exploded, Sgt. Maynard, a Squad Leader on foot patrol, gave lifesaving instructions to his teammates. After applying the tourniquets they were unable to start an IV, so he simply asked them for a bottle of water. He was conscious through it all until the helicopter arrived, at which time he was sedated. During the medical evacuation, Sgt. Maynard went into cardiac arrest numerous times. The medical crew performed a resuscitative thoracotomy --the manual pumping of his heart by hand--to keep him alive.

Since that time he has endured countless surgeries and spent thousands of hours in therapy and rehabilitation. He's worked hard to get where he is today.

One of Sgt. Maynard's biggest challenges now is not having an accessible home. Jennifer says there is always a need for a glass of water, or a bowl, or something else that is too high for him to reach. When Homes for Our Troops finishes this house, it will be on a level lot with pull down cabinets and a five feet turning radius where necessary for wheelchair accommodation.

There are many heroes in this spaghetti supper scenario. Of course there is Sgt. Jordan Maynard who sacrificed greatly for our nation and each of us, and a very giving community that wants our new neighbors—the Maynard family—to feel right at home here in the Verde Valley. Then there's Pam Van Winkle who simply said "yes" when asked if she would help with a fundraiser. Brandi's crew included  Kelly Ruiz, Melissa Ross, Richard Walker, George Brewer and Donnie Duran. The wait staff volunteered their time and donated all their tips to the cause. Volunteers included Tiny Norvell, John Maddox, Moose Governor Mike Liggett and wife Cathy. Jeri Strande, Ken and Pat Johnson, Lona White, Dee Norvell, Viann Davis, Jack and Peggy Graham, and Alta Bruce helped. There were many ladies who baked cakes—about 20 of them. Other volunteers included Shirley Whitacre and June Thompson. The youth group included Alexander, Chance, Zane Scott, Sumer Scott, Carter Scott and Canaan Doering. Others who helped were Jeff Christian of Food City, Gary Sangiovanni and Connie Dedrick of the Boys & Girls Club. Verde Valley Fire Chief Nazih Hazime threw on an apron and waited tables.  Volunteers from VFW 7400 Ladies Auxiliary, Verde Valley Moose Lodge 1449, American Legion Post 135 as well help from Food City and Larry Wascek helped to make the event a success. Of course when you start naming volunteers, you always unintentionally forget to list someone, so thanks to everyone who helped. All are appreciated.

 

Some of the wonderful volunteers that made it happen!

Sgt. Maynard said one of his biggest worries has been where his family will live. Homes for Our Troops is stepping up to the plate to provide a home which will ensure security for the family—especially financial security. It is a big burden off Sgt. Maynard's mind.

The fundraising planning team met last week to discuss the next steps. They're planning a booth at Thunder Valley Rally with the help of Richard Faust. Brenda Strom of Cottonwood is seeking artists to provide work for a raffle. For Rhythm and Ribs, a website has been set up to collect funds specifically for the Rhythm and Ribs event at https://thateventcompany.webconnex.com/sgtmaynard. John Maddox of Rimrock is working on a wine tasting event with Kathy Chambers at Vintages Grille in Rimrock for Sgt. Maynard. The event will be held on Oct. 19. Lenny Bloch is working on behalf of Quince Grill and Cantina for an outdoor auction to fundraise for this cause.  Karla Bohner is currently thinking of a fundraising activity, as is Debbie Cahorshak. National Bank of Arizona featured Sgt. Maynard and Homes for Our Troops as their Business of the Week the first week in August. Donations may always be made directly to Homes for Our Troops at www.hfotusa.org/maynard.

 With a spectacular spaghetti supper at Brandi's Kitchen in Cottonwood, our community embraced the challenge to help Homes for Our Troops build a home for Sgt. Maynard, and in doing so, well exceeded our own expectations. The Verde Valley is an amazing place to live, work and play. Community members  are always ready to support their neighbors.

Welcome home Sgt. Maynard, Jennifer and Jay.

 

Brandi Fuller of Brandi's Kitchen, and Jennifer, Jay and Jordan Maynard.

 

 Check out my Facebook page for more photos of this fantastic fundraiser:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.639682689382760.1073741867.100000231034301&type=1&l=5400ea713e

Please contact Homes for Our Troops with any questions. If you want to help with more fundraisers (we're not done yet!) contact Homes for our Troops www.hfotusa.org/maynard or Mayor Diane Joens at mayor @ dianejoens .com

By Diane Joens
Mayor of the City of Cottonwood, Ariz. 

 

Firefighter Patrick McInnis and Lt. Brady Casson help the people of Haiti

City of Cottonwood

Fire Department

 

 

July 22, 2013 (Cottonwood AZ)  The City of Cottonwood Fire Department recently had two  personnel travel to Haiti where they provided medical assistance. Firefighter Patrick McInnis spent the second week of July in Haiti and Lieutenant Brady Casson spent the third week in July.  Both men made this trip on their personal time and at their personal expense with the desire to utilize their medical skills to assist the people of Haiti. Cottonwood Fire Department and the City of Cottonwood are fortunate to have personnel willing to give of themselves and their resources to help those in need whether in our community or around the world.

Here is a report of his activities in Haiti submitted by Firefighter Patrick McInnis:

Cottonwood Fire Department Firefighter Patrick McInnis in back of truck

used to transport patients in Haiti

Haiti - Life and Death in Port au Prince

A few years ago I spoke to some friends who had volunteered their medical skills in Haiti. For years I have been interested in volunteering internationally for disaster response although I found it difficult to find a way to help. I was recently able to make my goal a reality by volunteering for a week at Hospital Bernard Mevs in Port au Prince, Haiti. This opportunity was accomplished through “Project Medishare.” This nonprofit organization coordinates sending medical professionals from the United States and Canada to volunteer alongside local hospital staff. This hospital relies heavily on medical volunteers from North America to assist in keeping the hospital up and running.

Haiti has a long and varied past with a violent and crippling birth. In 1492 Christopher Columbus landed in the area and claimed the island for Spain. The Spanish later built the New Worlds first settlement on Haiti’s north coast. In the late 1600s Haiti became French controlled and supplied large amounts of sugar, rum, coffee and cotton with slave labor. A bloody slave rebellion lasting many years finally led to Haiti’s independence and eventual international recognition as an independent country. Haiti has endured civil war and great social and political unrest over the years to bring it to where it is today. Haiti is the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere still struggling to recover from the January 12, 2010 earthquake. According to some official estimates, 316,000 people were killed, 300,000 injured and 1.3 million displaced.

My trip took me from Phoenix to Miami and then to Port au Prince, Haiti. Port au Prince is Haiti’s capital and is a crowded, busy and humid city. After landing in Port au Prince we were picked up by hospital staff and driven to the hospital. We were given a tour of the hospital and  had a little time to relax. During the tour, a pickup truck brought in a woman with a deep laceration to her neck from a fight involving a bottle. My first shift started that evening, with me working the night shift from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. By the end of my shift, I had been awake for roughly 28 hours due to the long hours traveling to Haiti.

The hospital is located in a rough part of a rough city. The United Nations (UN) has a large armed security presence throughout the city, which they call a “stabilization mission.” There is a large UN base close by and UN helicopters and planes would fly overhead. One day a heavily armed Haitian SWAT team carried out an operation just outside the hospital gates. Primarily I worked in triage, which is where most patients come for  assessment to determine if they need to be admitted to the hospital. A large gate and guards with shotguns secured the front of the hospital. A patient would come to the front gate and be admitted only after a conversation with a triage EMT. If there was no space available or if their illness or injury was not deemed serious enough they are turned away. The triage area is a small room with three walls, a bed and medical supplies. I worked a variety of shifts during my week there, with shifts ranging from eight to 15 hours at a time, depending on how much help was needed. The weather was hot and humid and I would sweat most of the time with little relief. Often there were not enough of certain supplies or they would just completely run out. Other times equipment would not work so other equipment would have to be hunted down from other parts of the hospital. Every afternoon, the city power would be shut off and the hospital had to rely completely on generators and newly installed solar panels.

I had the opportunity to assist in the care of a great number of patients. Some of the injuries I dealt with were large lacerations from being slashed with knives. One young man was attacked with a machete and robbed. I assisted as his wounds were cleaned and sutured. A young woman came in with deep lacerations across her forehead and down her face from a large knife. There were countless lacerations from people being hit in the head with rocks or bottles. One man came in with a gunshot wound to his leg. One young boy fell off the second story of his house. Some patients came in barely breathing after suffering a large stroke or various illnesses. One man came in who had accidentally drank battery acid, another man had accidentally drank paint thinner and there was a woman who intentionally overdosed on pills. Once I had the opportunity to hold and feed a tiny premature baby weighing barely three pounds who was going home with her family the next day, only to have another tiny premature little girl lose her fight for life in front of me. There was nothing more that could be done for her.

One afternoon some American patients arrived at the hospital as the result of a vehicle accident. An injured man and his wife had lost their daughter and their injured friend had lost his daughter and sister in the accident. The Haitian driver had also perished. Our hearts went out to them, and all of us working at the hospital felt their tragedy very deeply. We assisted with their care and medical evacuation back to the US the next day.

The last patient of my last shift, a young man was brought in the back of a pickup truck. He had been in a motorcycle accident and lost his fight for life while traveling to the hospital. Though my stay I observed many patients coming in on foot, in the back of pickup trucks or on the back of motorcycles. Occasionally they arrived in ambulances of various types.

On numerous occasions I left the hospital to transport patients to other hospitals around the city. Usually this involved a pickup truck and extremely minimal supplies. One day we took one young boy suspected of having cholera to two different facilities but they both turned him away. In Haiti there is not always space available so people sometime go without care. At some facilities they are also denied care if they are unable to pay. The hectic “race car pace” through crowded busy streets with little or no traffic laws while riding in the back of a pickup truck with a sick child is something I will never forget. Later that day during a separate trip to the general hospital the young boy was finally admitted. This child lived on the streets and had no parents. Our hospital did not have the ability to care for cholera patients so he had to be transferred. I left him in a crowded and dark pediatric ward after getting him registered. As I walked away I left a piece of my heart behind with him.

These are just a few of the countless situations and patients I encountered during my time in Haiti. I left the country with my head spinning, wondering what I had just been through over the past week. I gained a great appreciation for the healthcare we have here in the United States. I was also thankful for the quality of our medical equipment and supplies we have at the Cottonwood Fire Department. On my first shift back to work on my fire engine, it was a relief to know I had enough of whatever equipment I needed to deal with any emergency. I have been asked numerous times since I returned if I would ever go back to Haiti. As difficult and downright traumatic as the experience was, I feel an inner calling to help. I have no question that I will return one day soon.  

Patrick McInnis, Cottonwood Fire Department

Date:    July 16, 2013

Contacts:          Mike Kuykendall, Fire Chief                               928-634-2741

Cottonwood Fire Department                            mkuykendall @ cottonwoodaz.gov

 

 

 

 

Elder Vincent Randall Receives 2013 Verde Pride Lifetime Achiever Award





Erie Randall, Mayor Diane Joens
and Apache Elder Vincent Randall
at the Chamber of Commerce
Verde Pride Awards ceremony.
Mayor Joens nominated Elder Randall
for the Lifetime Achiever Award.

 



Verde Pride Awards 2013   Your Name:  Diane Joens

Name of nominee:  Apache Elder Vincent Randall Nomination Category: Lifetime Achiever Award

Provide as much history/background information as possible about the nominee.   Vincent Randall,  Apache Elder, Historian, former Yavapai-Apache Chairman, and Manager of the Apache Cultural Resource Center, was born in Clarkdale, Arizona. Elder Randall lives on the same property on which he was born. Apache culture says that a baby's umbilical cord should be buried where he or she is born, and they will always return. Elder Randall says his is buried on the property where he lives, and his bedroom is about 30 yards from where he was born. When his family came back from the San Carlos Reservation back in early 1900s, they tried to move where they originally   lived, but found that other people had moved there, and the Forest Service had taken over the property  in 1905. Originally his Clan was from "over the Rim in Pine Country." His mother said the family moved to the property in Clarkdale in 1911. Elder Randall has a bachelor of science in education from Northern Arizona University, which was the Arizona State Teachers' College when he graduated in 1963. Elder Randall taught in Clarkdale school system for 28 years. Mr. Robert DeVault, longtime teacher and principal in Clarkdale, who had been his teacher, always told him he could come home. Before he graduated he did student teaching in Clarkdale. It just happened that the math a nd science teacher moved to Kingman, the job opened up and Mr. DeVault gave him the job.   He served as the boys' basketball coach, receiving accolades with  five state championships. He also coached girls basketball at Mingus Union High School when his  daughter played basketball. He coached the freshman team for a year, Junior Varsity for two years, and then was the assistant Varsity Coach when the team went to the final four in 2008/09. The reason he got into girls basketball coaching was because his wife, Erie, said to him one day, "You devoted 30-some years to coaching boys' basketball, it's about time you coached your daughter." Elder Randall said he never regretted it, and he had a lot of fun. He was a board member of the Association of American Indian Affairs from 1969 to 1989 and also served on the National Association for the Education of Young Children. Elder Randall is fluent in Apache and an acknowledged Apache historian, ethno-botanist and Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) expert. He was also instrumental in the decommissioning of the dam in Fossil Creek. He and his wife, Erie, raised two daughters.

List specific activities in which this person or organization has played an instrumental role.   Elder Randall inspired the community's children for several decades when he taught school in Clarkdale, coached boys basketball with five state wins, served as a tribal chairman for the Yavapai-Apache Nation, and continues his service to community today speaking in many venues about tribal history and water issues from a historical perspective.

Write up to 300 words telling us why your nominee should receive a Verde Pride Award.

A few weeks ago I interviewed Vincent Randall for the Inside Cottonwood show. After completing two episodes I read about the Verde Pride Awards in the Verde Independent, and thought to myself, "Vincent Randall should be nominated for the Lifetime Achiever Award." Elder Randall is an amazing historian. During the interviews we talked about the Verde Valley as the 800-acre Rio Verde Reservation in 1873. Headquarters were near present day Cottonwood. An irrigation ditch was built and 56 acres of crops were cultivated in 1874.

In 1875, all of the American Indians in the Rio Verde Reservation were marched to the San Carlos Indian Reservation. In exile for 25 years, they were determined to return home, which they did, a few families at a time. By 1901 nearly all had returned. A federally recognized Native American Tribe in the Verde Valley, the Yavapai-Apache Nation shares two culturally distinct backgrounds and speaks two indigenous languages, the Yavapai language and the Apache language. Elder Randall is fluent in Apache, and is interested in keeping the language alive through programs that teach it to the Nation's children. He also speaks Spanish. It is enlightening to see how much Elder Randal has accomplished for his community through hard work, determination and tenacity. He is a great mentor and example for all of us to follow.

Elder Randall was instrumental in working with APS to decommission the Childs and Irving Power Plants to return Fossil Creek to its full flow. Indian workers had helped build the dam in 1908 and 1909. Most of the power went to the booming copper mines in Jerome and to the gold and silver mines and rough and tumble mining camps in the Bradshaw Mountains. By the end of 1914, World War I increased demand for minerals, and more power was needed at the mines. This spurred construction of the nearby Irving plant, completed in 1916. Through the '20s and '30s, the tiny power plants also provided power to light the communities of Prescott and Phoenix. (Per APS Web site.) I attended the ceremony when full flow was returned to Fossil Creek, and Elder Randall participated in a very emotional ceremony as the waters returned as nature had intended. There were many tears of joy shed that day.

 

After listening to Elder Randall talk about his years of coaching, learning about his extensive historical knowledge of the Verde Valley and the Apache people, learning about his coaching and inspiration to Verde Valley children for many years, I decided to nominate him as a well-deserved candidate for the Verde Pride Awards: Lifetime Achievement. The interviews are available on You Tube and verdevalleytv.com. I cannot think of anyone more deserving to be honored with this award.

Mayor Diane Joens interviews Elder Vincent Randall on the Inside Cottonwood Show in two episodes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuHD1JS3wRs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNfNB4SGl-E
Verde Independent @ verdenews.com

http://www.verdenews.com/main.asp?Search=1&ArticleID=53106&SectionID=74&SubSectionID=1409&S=1

Cottonwood Voters Approve Prop 425, Permanent Base Adjustment

COTTONWOOD, ARIZ.—Residents in the city of Cottonwood are breathing a sigh of relief after voters approved Proposition 425, the Permanent Base Adjustment.   

Had the vote not passed, the city would have been forced to reduce its current budget capacity by approximately 60% to match a time in 1979 and 1980 when the city did not fund a municipal water company, wastewater services, the Recreation Center, Library, Fire Department and Riverfront Park and Ball Fields Complex—a time when we had about 4,500 residents. The result would have been significant cutbacks in services to our residents and businesses, including programs and capital projects like streets.  

However, based on the fact the city of Cottonwood had been through a similar vote every four years since 1979 and “Home Rule” always passed with approximately 60 percent of the vote, we were very hopeful we would get the support of citizens again.  Nonetheless, this time was different because the city was asking for a Permanent Base Adjustment because of the new state-mandated change in election dates. This new law imposed on cities and towns by the state legislature caused Home Rule to fall through the cracks with no correction by the legislature for the problem that the new law caused. Plus, it seems many people have a pretty sour view of government.  These negative feelings may be a result of the partisanship at the federal and state levels. However, many citizens inadvertently equate that local government works the same way, or they simply express their negative feelings toward any governmental entity. Interestingly, an April 2013 poll by the National League of Cities and Towns shows that voters trust local government to address the issues that matter most to them more than any other level of government. 

"This poll confirms the strength of our nation's cities and towns and their efficiency in managing the various needs of our diverse communities," said Clarence Anthony, Executive Director of the National League of Cities. "Local governments are trusted to address the issues that are critical to the everyday lives of Americans."

Cottonwood had several things going for our community. The first was that many people were sharing the facts so our citizens were informed. A big thanks is owed to Cottonwood Administrative Services Manager Rudy Rodriguez, who spent many nights out and much of his time meeting with residents, neighborhood groups, and businesses. He was dedicated in getting the facts out to help voters with their choice. City Council members also answered residents' questions about the Permanent Base Adjustment.

Cottonwood employees were also willing during personal interactions off duty to explain how the Permanent Base Adjustment could affect municipal services, and they have a very good reputation with the public they serve. This is supported by the citizen satisfaction surveys sent out to residents every two years. Since beginning this regular survey in 2008, the surveys results indicate that our citizens are very satisfied with the service they receive from the city and our employees are primarily responsible for that response and support from our citizens.

Please accept this big thanks to all of you for the great work you do for this community and for your efforts to share the facts. We all need to say a special thanks to Mr. Rodriguez and his staff for their commitment to getting people educated, as well as the Cottonwood City Council for the leadership in providing Cottonwood with a high quality of life—a place our people are proud to call home. Collaborating with our citizens, we all "Make the Good Life Better."

 

 

 

 

For Charity, Romano Scaturro, founder of FRAANK, will attempt to row a small boat to Hawaii

 

In the photo, from left, are Kelsea Freeman, Romano Scaturro, Council Member Terence Pratt, Mayor Diane Joens, and Angelina Scaturro, front.

 

 

Romano Scaturro is the founder of FRAANK and has been cyclotouring for over 20 years and more than 30,000 miles.  Since 1987 he and his wife Patrice have owned and operated a small Italian style family restaurant in Cornville, Arizona while simultaneously raising their four  children. Prior to that Romano earned a Bachelor's degree in Business Administration from San Jose State University. In 1987 he began competing in Ironman distance triathlons, a passion that would endure for 16 more years.  In 1989, shortly after the death of his father, he successfully attempted his first transcontinental bike tour by riding from Flagstaff, AZ to Hartford, CT in 6 weeks. Since then he has crossed the continent on four other occasions and bike traveled in most of the 50 states and several foreign countries.  Besides riding his bike, Romano also loves to run, hike, white water raft, travel, write, study history, and spend time with his family. At the April 2 City Council meeting Romano gave a presentation to the City Council and public about his non-profit, fraank.org and his 50 @ 50 project. The organization is assisting Kelsea Freeman and Dakota Nash.

 

 

50@50: A Human Powered Journey

 

On April 18, 2012 in Juneau, Alaska FRAANK founder Romano Scaturro, at the ripe age of 50, set out on the first ever attempt to travel to all 50 US state capitals using only human powered means of transport and without any support. From the Alaskan capital the journey began with a 5 day, 65 mile paddle in a sea kayak through Alaska’s Inner Passage to Skagway, AK. From there he began the bike stage of his trek covering over 15,000 miles in less than 7 months to the remaining 48 land based capitals, arriving in to his home state capital of Phoenix, AZ on Nov. 23.

    

Along the way Romano met with numerous state governors, legislators and community activists in his attempt to raise awareness and funds for this years cause; the epidemic of childhood obesity in the US. Nearly 1 in 3 children in America today are considered overweight or obese due primarily to poor diet and lack of exercise. Romano and the FRAANK organization are dedicated to reversing this disturbing trend as well as improving the lives of local children and their families suffering from debilitating illnesses. Thus 50@50 has set a goal to raise $50,000 ($1000 per state) of which 100% goes to this year's beneficiaries, Kelsea Freeman and Dakota Nash, http://www.fraank.org/beneficiaries.html. Please click on http://www.fraank.org/Help.html if would like to make a tax deductible donation.

 

On April 22, 2013, Romano plans to resume the journey from Phoenix with the goal of reaching the 50th and final capital: Honolulu, Hawaii. After biking from Phoenix to Monterey Bay CA, he will board 'Little Star', a 19' specially constructed and fitted ocean rowing vessel, in an attempt to row over 2,500 miles to his final Mid-Pacific destination. To follow Romano along this 2nd phase of the 50@50 journey click on http://www.sailblogs.com/member/rosrow/.

 

 

City of Cottonwood

NEWS RELEASE

199 S. 6^th Street -  cottonwood, az 86326
928.634.4246  www.cottonwoodpd.org

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 15, 2013

The City of Cottonwood Police and Utility Departments proudly announce the deployment and full functionality of the Cottonwood Emergency Notification System (CENS).  Developed by Inspiron Logistics, LLC., this technology provides a web based platform  for the purpose of notifying our citizens of important or emergent public safety circumstances. Residents may also be notified of utility outages and road closures using this system.

Prior to this technology, public safety employees would have to manually contact residents and businesses by telephone of an emergency in their area.  While receiving 9-1-1 calls and updating responders during a major incident, it is virtually impossible to contact each business and residence in the hazard zone in a timely manner.

Citizens and businesses with landline telephones will receive CENS notifications utilizing the same data that allows 9-1-1 call takers the ability to identify a 9-1-1 caller’s location.  With the use of a digital map, public safety officials will be able to select a notification zone and send messages to all landline telephones within that zone. Residents and business occupants who do not have a landline telephone are still able to receive emergency notifications. 

The City of Cottonwood website now includes a notification sign-up portal which will allow citizens the option of signing up for CENS.  Notifications can be sent to home phones, cell phones, email and pagers.  Citizens signing up for notifications may also opt to receive non-emergency community notifications, such as road closures, temporary utility outages, or weather alerts through NOAA.  If the internet is not a viable option for registering, CENS notification opt-in forms will be available at all City of Cottonwood public offices.

CENS will also be utilized for internal purposes to better serve the community.  CENS can be utilized internally to quickly assemble officers and employees for deployment to critical incidents. Similarly, the City of Cottonwood will be able to quickly notify volunteers, such as TIP of AZ or our Citizens On Patrol (COP), to respond to incidents. 

For further information in regard to CENS, please log onto the City website at www.cottonwoodaz.gov or contact our Communications Supervisor, Marie Carpenter, at (928) 634-4246.

for additional information contact:   Commander Gary Eisenga 634-4246

 http://entry.inspironlogistics.com/cottonwood/wens.cfm

Mayor Joens' note: We are very excited about this new program that we've put in place for the citizens of Cottonwood. Our council and staff do everything we can to provide quality public safety and a great quality of life for our residents.