By: Dennis Stack

Dennis Stack — Sun, 03 Nov 2013 22:06:56 +0000

Brenda Barton does not maintain a residence in her district. She instead lives with non-blood relatives in East Mesa

By: Malcolm Otterson

Malcolm Otterson — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 19:46:35 +0000

I was recently traveling in Washington, Oregon, Utah and Nevada.

Washington wasn’t as bad as our Cottonwood area but it wasn’t good.

Oregon and Utah were really clean. Oregon has a published littering penalty of $2625. It was really clean!

Utah has no published penalty and it was really clean.

Nevada was as bad as our Cottonwood area but it doesn’t have a published littering penalty that I saw.

Maybe a higher penalty would work? I do know that the broken window theory seems to be true for many things.

By: Jackie Hardy

Jackie Hardy — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 18:53:05 +0000

I’d like to add my congratulations to Mr. Chamberlain and his team!! What PATRIOTS they are!! Seeing a problem, reaching a solution, and acting upon it…no greater proof of the EXCEPTIONALISM in these GREAT and BELOVED United States and what her people, acting alone, WITHOUT government intervention, to accomplish!!

Thank you for your service, Mr. Chamberlain, and for the amount of work it must have taken to provide such a wonderful way for people to participate and see the results of their labor!! A job WELL DONE, sir!!

Sincerely yours,
Jackie Hardy
Georgia, USA

By: James Iacovacci

James Iacovacci — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 04:46:55 +0000

Governor Brewer,
I applaud Gary Chamberlain and those who not only talk about an issue but act on them. I worked, retired and lived in Michigan for 30 years and saw the destruction of what was a great state and now many cities going bankrupt and being taken over by the state. On my last visit to Michigan a few months ago not only did I see vacant buildings the increase of crime but the decrease of services and now the roads and country side littered with trash that people left behind. One of the reasons that I retired to Arizona was how beautiful this state is and how so many people like Gary Chamberlin care about our state. I agree with Gary that clean highways bring economic benefits to Arizona. I think that it is all of our responsibility to help in his efforts to keep Arizona that great state it is.
Jim Iacovacci, Cornville AZ

By: Gary Chamberlain

Gary Chamberlain — Fri, 08 Jun 2012 01:11:29 +0000

To those who trash Arizona and America,

Is trashing our Arizona and American highways how we honor our Armed Forces, veterans and residents?

Unless you have participated in several highway litter clean-up events, there’s a chance this editorial and letter to Governor Brewer will have little impact your point of view….. possibly out of sight, out of mind will apply.

The forensics of the Arizona highway trash clearly indicates that the top three contributors to the trash that lines our highways come from our construction trades, beverage containers and smokers.

Those of us who clean the highways recover thousands of soft drink and alcohol containers every year. Why isn’t Arizona mentioned along with California, Connecticut, Guam, Hawaii, Iowa, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Oregon and Vermont for having a bottle bill? How safe is it to drive our Arizona highways?

How about a deposit on cigarette cartons and packages?

Where is Keep America Beautiful when you need their support to promote these beverage deposits in every state and bring the industries who produce these litter products to the “problem solvers table”?

Where are the soft drink, alcohol beverage, and fast food industries efforts to solve the problems its customers bring to our highways and reward the groups who pick up this trash?

The following letter was sent to Governor Jan Brewer with the hope of stimulating the Arizona economy through true beautification that attracts residents, tourists, businesses and jobs.

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May 5, 2012

Governor Jan Brewer
Arizona Executive Tower
1700 West Washington Street
Phoenix, AZ 85007

Dear Governor Brewer,

I am sending you several Folksville USA Newsletters and media stories in an effort to bring attention to the efforts of what I would consider the best team of 30 Adopt-A-Highway Groups (AAHG) in the entire state of Arizona and possibly the nation. If you Google “Folksville USA” you will see what has been happening in Arizona’s Verde Valley to restore the beauty to America’s and Arizona’s highways as reported by many local news media organizations.

If this group of 30 ADOT AAHG’s could be recognized by your office, based on their efforts, to make our Verde Valley highways appealing to those who travel to our area as tourists, new residents, new home buyers and new businesses who may bring employment opportunities that would be appreciated.

Those who started the “Road Warriors” in 2009 have convinced 30 Adopt-A-Highway Groups that if they honor their commitment to the ADOT AAH Program that we can make a difference and a difference we have made in the cleanliness of our highways.

If you’re able to visit Scenic Highway 89A between Cottonwood and Sedona plus Highway 260 between Cottonwood and Camp Verde you will see proof positive that these sections of highway are unusually clean. We have just added several other one-mile sections of highway to bring our total miles of highway to 50.

As a Vietnam veteran and citizen of Arizona, I along with many others are outraged at the filth of our Arizona Veterans Highway (I-17), Purple Heart highway (I-40) and our Pearl Harbor Highway (I-10). Is this how we honor our veterans? Is this how we attract people and businesses to our state?

If Arizona’s Adopt-A-Highway Program is to be effective then ADOT must properly manage this program! If ADOT wants it’s volunteers to clean their one-mile sections of highway then ADOT must make it safe and mow these sections two times per year and insist that all groups clean their sections 3 times or more per year. If these volunteers can’t clean and provide 9 hours of effort per year then I, as a tax payer, suggest that their ADOT AAH signs be removed immediately. If ADOT can’t properly manage the Adopt-A-Highway Program then maybe this task could be given to our former and current “missions driven” veterans who are well prepared to make it happen.

As you are aggravated over the lack of the Federal Government protecting our border, I’m equally aggravated at the Director of ADOT and the ADOT Adopt-A-Highway managers for not mowing the highways and cutting back the brush which allows those of us who want to honor our ADOT AAH commitment possible.

Clean highways bring economic benefits to Arizona, who wants to live in a dump? I would like us to work together on restoring the beauty to Arizona’s highways.

Gary Chamberlain
“Point Man” FVUSA
Cornville, AZ

**************************************************************************************

Isn’t it time for the residents of Arizona to let those who manage the taxpayer funded ADOT Adopt-A-Highway program know that we want them to do their job and properly manage the ADOT Adopt-A-Highway Program.

Could we be better served if we paid our Armed Forces men and women veterans to mow and clean our highways? After all, it was several veterans who started the Road Warriors of Folksville USA and increased the participation of 30 ADOT Groups from 25% to 90% honoring their commitment for 30 miles of highway.

It’s time for those folks who have their names on the ADOT Adopt-A-Highway signs throughout the state to honor their commitment of…..per ADOT’s web page…

Volunteer groups adopt a two mile section along available State, Interstate, or United States highway. Groups sign up by completing a two year permit application. We generally ask that groups perform cleanups three to four times each year. Members of the Adopt a Highway Volunteer Program should be volunteers and not paid to pick up litter. Groups can partner with other volunteer groups, but may not pay another group or company to pick up litter.

Many of the ADOT regulations discourage participation and Folksville USA (FVUSA) is trying, without success to change these crippling regulations. ADOT has yet to convince FVUSA that they (ADOT) truly understand the word “partnering” they pretend to promote.

The “Broken window theory” that apples to neighborhoods also applies to our highways and communities.

For those who wish to join our effort to restore the beauty to Arizona’s highways e-mail FolksvilleUSA@gmail.com. Our next event is August 18, 2012 and we are targeting 50 miles of highway.

Gary Chamberlain “Point Man” FVUSA

By: Verde Valley Republican Women Notice

Verde Valley Republican Women Notice — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 21:26:17 +0000

Verde Valley Republican Women’s June meeting will feature Bob Burns, who previously served as a member of the Arizona State Senate; Susan Bitter Smith, a native Arizonan, and Executive Director of the Arizona New Mexico Cable Communications Association; and Bob Stump, who serves as a member of the House Water and Agriculture Committee.

The meeting will be held at 11:30 a.m. (doors open at 11:00 a.m. for meet and greet) at the Los Abrigados Resort located at Highway 179 and Portal Lane in Sedona AZ 86336.