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Main Headlines This Week

Below are a few headlines from around the Copper Corridor this week.

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Copper Corridor Celebrates 2012 Graduates

Superior

Superior Graduation

As the sun began to set behind Picket Post, family and friends began to file into the Superior Memorial Football Field to watch the Class of 2012 walk across that field to receive their diplomas.

At just a little after 6 p.m. the class walked their final steps together as students there were gowned as unit in all black caps and gowns with orange class stoles.

Following the pledge of allegiance and playing of the Star Spangled Banner an inspirational invocation was read by Christopher Grap and Gabrielle Donlin welcomed guests, the class, school staff and administration.

Salutatorian Sabrina Castillo gave her speech and asked her class to not say "Goodbye" but to say "See You Later." She said in her speech, "I know each and every on of us I ready to step out into our futures and do great things." She asked her class to remember one thing and that is "to be happy, be happy with [Read full story]

Slideshow of Superior Graduation

Slideshow of Superior Junior High Graduation

Ray

Ray High School Graduation

Ray District High School Friday graduated 30 seniors on the Dave McFee Memorial Field in front of friends, family and district employees. General Richard Haddad was the honored speaker.

Slideshow of Ray Graduation

Hayden/Winkelman

Hayden High School Graduation

Deserving Hayden High School graduates of the Class of 2012 were rewarded with thousands of dollars in scholarships and awards during commencement ceremonies last Friday evening.

Chantel Arbizo, Valedictorian, received the Resolution Copper Scholarship, $3,000 a year for two years; University of Arizona Tuition Scholarship; ASARCO Scholarship, $1,000; Aaron/David Lagunas Scholarship, $250; *Lobo Booster Club.

Yvannah Gonzales, Salutatorian, earned the Saddle Community Outreach Scholarship, $2,500 a year for two years; ASARCO Employee Funded Scholarship, $1,500; Christian Waddell Scholarship, $500; ASARCO Scholarship, $700; CAC Academic Scholarship, tuition for two years worth $5,184; *Lobo Booster Club

Lupita Calzadillas, CAC Academic Scholarship, tuition for two years worth $5,184; CAC Promise for the Future Award worth $5,184; Copper Basin Chamber of Commerce Scholarship, $600; Gilbert R. Chavez Memorial Scholarship, $250; [Read Full Story]

Slideshow of Hayden/Winkelman Graduation

San Manuel

San Manuel High School Graduation

Thursday night, members of the San Manuel High School Class of 2012 faced their families, friends, teachers and principal and were pronounced "ready" to face their future.

"You are ready," Principal John Ryan told them. "We love you and are proud of you."

Videos

SMHS Graduation Part 1 - Class of 2012

SMHS Graduation Part 2 - Joshua DeLauder

SMHS Graduation Part 3 - Vanessa Goff

SMHS Graduation Part 4 - Choral Presentation

Slideshow of San Manuel Graduation

Slideshow of San Manuel Jr. High Graduation

Mountain Vista

Congratulations, young ones! Enjoy this new phase of your life.

Slideshow of Mountain Vista Graduation

Oracle Ridge Copper Hosts Community Meeting

Oracle Ridge Meeting In Oracle

On Wednesday, May 23, the Oracle Community Center was the scene of an open house meeting sponsored by Oracle Ridge Copper to acquaint the public with the Oracle Ridge Copper Project.

Oracle Ridge Mining, LLC will operate the underground mine project.

Michael Racy, Project consultant spoke and gave an overview of the project. Some of the issues he touched upon included the plans to have the mine open by the end of 2013. The mine will employ more than 200 people when in full production with the average salary being around $65,000 a year. The life of the mine is projected at 11 years with the possibility of a longer life if more mineral discoveries occur which can be profitable. The copper grade for the ore is 2.3 percent which is a high grade ore. Approximately 140 tons of copper concentrate would be produced per day.

The public members in attendance were allowed to ask questions or make comments by filling out a comment form before the start of the meeting. Some of the answers given for the questions follow:

Traffic on the road will be along the Black Hills Mine Road and a short segment of Old Mount Lemmon Road from the mine. Five to seven highway haul trucks will make the round trip daily. Workers will be driven to and from work in vans from San Manuel to limit traffic on the road. They will hire local as much as possible. They mentioned the possibility of teaming with Central Arizona College to provide training for workers if needed. Oracle Ridge Mine, LLC is a responsible community member and gives back to the community. (Oracle Ridge recently gave $15,000 to Tri-Community non-profits). [Read Full Story]

Superior Optimist Club Car Show

Optimist Club Car Show

The Superior Optimist Club held their first ever cruise night. In the past, they have collaborated with the Superior Chamber of Commerce to host the annual Cruising Main Event however this year due to the lack of volunteers the Chamber decided not to host.

The show had 18 total participants, three of which were bikes. Winning the people's choice awards in the Vehicle Category were: First Place - Elvin Quarles with a 1955 Thunderbird, Second Place - Bob Dewey with a 1960 Chevy Impala, and Third Place - Scott Qusack - 1964 F250 Ford Truck. In the bike category: First Place - Sammy Lopez, Second Place - Adam Lopez and Third Place - Ted Eminowicz.

In a new twist to the event the Superior Optimist Club recognized a Superiorite who has been instrumental in the car enthusiast world to be the grand marshal for the cruise. This year they invited Richard Ochoa who lived in Superior through 1970 when his family moved to Mesa due to the strikes at the mine. [Read full story]

Slideshow Of The Car Show

Truck Fire Sparks Wild Fire In Kearny

Fire In Kearny

Fire lit up the sky last Thursday night in the area of the Gila River Beaches southwest of the Kearny Airport and could be seen from miles away.

The blaze apparently was caused when a truck belonging to Aaron Kent Goodridge of Kearny caught fire.

According to statements made by Goodridge to the Kearny Police Department, he got his truck stuck in the sand and in the process of trying to get it out somehow the friction caused the vehicle to ignite into flames.

The fire quickly spread and burned several acres of wild land before being contained by the Kearny Fire Department. The fire crew stayed on the site all through the night monitoring the area and watching for hot spots. [Read full story]

Mammoth STEM Students Thank TB Contractors for Tour Of Kids' Closet

Mammoth STEM Students Say Thank You

In late May some 70 Mammoth Elementary students and their teachers descended upon the New Kids' Closet construction site to thank TB Construction (of Catalina) for facilitating an on-site science, technology, engineering, and math learning laboratory for the students.

There are two things you need to know about this story right away. First, the word "descended" is used in its literal sense. The new Kids' Closet is being built just down the hill from - in the very shadow of Mammoth Elementary. Second, as Mammoth Elementary is a designated S.T.E.M. school its curriculum emphasizes science, technology, engineering, and math, so an active construction site next door proved too great of a learning opportunity to miss.

Mammoth Elementary has been a S.T.E.M. school for the past two years. In addition to its focus on the subjects of science, technology, engineering, and math, S.T.E.M. schools also emphasize the skills of critical thinking and problem solving. S.T.E.M. schools work to prepare students for the high demand, high skill, and high wage jobs of the future.

So, what did the learning lab look like? Teachers Julie Formo, Laura Falkenberry, Rosalie Sanchez, and Casey Eagan would bring their Kindergarten through sixth grade students to the construction site to study the building's design and construction. TB Contractors co-owner Buck Thomas and site superintendent John Van Winkle would provide a tour of the facility while answering questions and demonstrating the use of tools and equipment. On one occasion Van Winkle went to the school where he met and spoke with the students. [Read full story]

Related Story

STEM Students Setup Rain Recycling

Letters To The Editor

Letter To The Editor: Where Are You?

What does Mammoth Planning & Zoning do? We took one year to review the Ordinance book, you know, that one that lets you know how high your fences can be, what you can and cannot do on your property, what size and year manufactured home should you buy... Where were YOU?

And then there's our cemetery, some rules changed in favor of citizens, keeping in mind the fact that Valley View Cemetery is mentioned in tourism places as a must see. At the time arrangements were made with Public Works to move decorations for burials and replace them after services, they were OK with that, and we allowed for taller headstones, more in line with Military styles. OK?

Where were YOU?

P & Z agendas were always posted at both the Post Office and town hall, same as council meetings. We meet one week prior to council for a reason; should something need council's approval for a citizen's project, we could get it on their agenda in one week and people had their business handled efficiently...No waiting!

We ALWAYS wanted public input, and on the rare occasion that someone showed up they were able to participate in the conversation about the item on the agenda. We welcomed that input. [Read full story]

Letter To The Editor: Rios Responds To Babeu

As much as he wants to run away from it, Sheriff Paul Babeu does not have a balanced general fund budget (he will likely be over by one million this year). In fact, this will be the second year in a row that he will have exceeded his general fund budget.

As an election year ploy, the Sheriff has started throwing around numbers, making accusations and trying to scare the public in an attempt to turn your attention from the simple fact that he cannot manage the taxpayer's money. His diversion tactic to have you to focus on the county courthouse renovations is also intended to take away attention from his mismanagement and legal troubles.

Every Pinal County elected official stuck to their budget this year, except for one-Paul Babeu.

This is a Sheriff who oversaw a reorganization of his department that resulted in salary increases for many at the top of his organization. Paul Babeu likes to accuse county leaders of not wanting to hire more deputies. But he won't tell you that public safety has not been subject to a hiring freeze and is authorized to fill any budgeted or approved positions. In addition, in this budget cycle the Sheriff's Office requested a $3.7 million in additional funds over last year's budget-no additional deputy positions were in that request. [Read full story]

Other Headlines From The Copper Corridor