By Linda Kor July A ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court found that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) should have taken the cost of implementing rules regarding certain pollutants that are produced by coal-fired power plants, such as mercury and arsenic, into consideration when crafting regulations. Nationwide, the cost of the EPA’s rule regarding such toxins is estimated to cost energy producers a total of $9.6 billion. The First Baptist Church of Winslow celebrated its 100th year of existence. The church was founded in 1915 when eight citizens asked the Northern Baptist Convention to help them found a New Testament church. Retired Winslow High School girls’ basketball coach Don Petranovich was inducted into the National High School Hall of Fame. Petranovich retired in 2010 with a record of 780 wins and 158 losses for a better than 80 percent winning record. His teams were in 16 state championship games and won eight of them. He is the winningest coach in girls’ basketball in the state of Arizona. The first recipients of The Tribune-News Lifetime Achievement Award were selected, with the awards presented to Marlin Gillespie, Joni Gillespie and, as a posthumous honoree, Lloyd Henning. It was noted that these individuals exemplified community service, dedication to others, positive demeanor and a strong commitment to improvement that have helped to shape the City of Holbrook. Laura Sanchez officially assumed her role as Navajo County Recorder. A Holbrook native, Sanchez began her career in the accounting field before joining the county recorder’s office in 2007. She was promoted to chief deputy recorder by recorder Laurette Justman in 2011. The Friends of the Holbrook Animal Shelter, comprised of volunteers Rachel Dorsey, Kim Jaster and Dani Casto, stepped forward to support the city’s lone animal control officer, Merrill Young, in providing care and permanent families for the animals at the shelter. Members of the Holbrook Old West Cemetery Group created a stone block marker with a ceramic tile to be placed in the cemetery as a final resting place for the infamous George Smiley, who holds the unenviable title of being the only person to be legally executed in Navajo County for the crime of murdering a Winslow railroad foreman in 1899. Winslow High School graduate Ethel Branch was confirmed as Navajo Nation Attorney General by the Navajo Nation Council in a 19-0 vote. She is a graduate of Harvard Law School with transactional and litigation experience. She also earned her master’s degree in public policy and a bachelor’s degree from Harvard. The Navajo County Emergency Management team launched its revamped mass emergency notification system, Ready Navajo County, with significant improvements over its Reverse 911 system predecessor to communicate county alerts to citizens and businesses during emergencies and other critical events. August Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye was elected vice president of the Coalition of Large Tribes (COLT). Comprised of members from large Indian tribes throughout Indian Country, the coalition serves as an advocacy group for issues facing American Indian tribes with land bases exceeding 100,000 acres. Arizona State Trooper Russ Sipes was lauded for his service and heroism in stopping a vehicle without injury as it traveled the wrong way on the freeway 10 miles west of Joseph City. The National Parks Service began work to restore the Modern-designed Richard Neutra Painted Desert Community Complex at Petrified Forest National Park. The project was a joint partnership with the Arizona Conservation Corps and the nonprofit National Trust for Historic Preservation’s Hands-On Preservation Experience crew. Samantha Edwards of Holbrook was selected as Miss Navajo County 2016. Samantha performed a vocal number as her talent, and spent the year promoting her platform Project Empowerment: Domestic Violence Intervention. The Holbrook City Council approved a $10.7 million budget for the fiscal year, which shows a $677,020 limit increase from the previous year’s budget due to the recent Home Rule vote that allows the city to set its own budget rather than follow the limitations set by the state. The Navajo County Board of Supervisors approved the final $120 million budget for fiscal year 2015-16, which reflected a decrease in the tax levy. The focus for the year was to be on public safety. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) unveiled the final rules of its Clean Power Plan. Initially proposed in June and aimed squarely at coal-based energy production, the ruling tightens its requirements for states to develop plans to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. Arizona Public Service Co. officials were hopeful that the firm’s submitted proposal would satisfy EPA regulations and Cholla Power Plant would not require any more modifications to comply. September Despite the efforts of the Snowflake Community Foundation, and the support of U.S. Senator John McCain and Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick, the U.S. Department of Agriculture denied a $7.2 million loan to secure the future of the Apache Railway, amplifying concerns that the railway would be sold. The City of Winslow received notification from the Federal Emergency Management Agency that the new flood plain map would remove approximately 900 homes from the flood plain. The City of Holbrook finalized terms of an agreement with Burlington Northern and Santa Fe Railway for the use of the company’s vacant historic passenger train station at the heart of town. The city has plans to use the station for art shows, demonstrations and exhibits by artists or musicians, as well as social mixers and public viewing of historic railroad memorabilia. A fourth generation Holbrook native, Billie Anne Perkins, became the director of the Holbrook Chamber of Commerce. Arizona Public Service Co. officials announced their intention to file with the Arizona Corporation Commission their decision to halt all energy production at Cholla Plant Unit 2 beginning in October. Holbrook High School senior Carlie Martin was selected as Ms. Navajo Southwest, with fellow senior Megan Nelson selected as first runner-up. October Winslow High School graduate Gabrielle Stacey was selected as a National Fastpitch Coaches Association All-America Scholar-Athlete while attending the University of New Mexico. The Winslow City Council approved an ordinance amending the schedule of rates, fees and charges to allow lowering water and sewer fees for low-income residents. Holbrook resident Blaine Hatch retired from his position as Northland Pioneer College’s vice president for Administrative Services after 15 years of service. Holbrook Northland Pioneer College/Northern Arizona Vocational Institute of Technology (NAVIT) students Delano Anaya of Holbrook High School, Cody Runyan and William Wilbanks of Joseph City High School, and Keeshaun Yazzie of Winslow High School earned second place for the Best Welded Fabrication Project at the 2015 Welding Thunder held at Mohave Community College’s Kingman campus. Lifelong Winslow residents Dale and Sue Hancock were selected as the grand marshals of Winslow’s annual Christmas parade as an acknowledgement of their many years of service to the community. An agreement was reached between the state and education officials regarding the K-12 inflation funding lawsuit. The details of the proposed settlement included a cash payment of $175 million to schools this budget year on top of $74 million in inflation funding the legislature appropriated this year. Schools would also get $625 million over 10 years to make up for missed inflation payments, which includes $50 million in the first five years and $75 million for the next five years. La Posada owner Allan Affeldt revealed the planned construction of a museum on the grounds next to La Posada Hotel, with buildings to be converted to house galleries that will feature the works of artists throughout the country, including Tina Mion, James Turrell and Ed Ruscha. The Seventh-day Adventist Holbrook Indian School expanded its facility with the renovation of a 12,000-sq. ft. building to be used as an educational facility for the school on McLaws Road. The $500,000 construction project was funded without going into debt through donations and volunteer work. November Rickey Jackson, associate dean for Education and College and Career Preparation at Northland Pioneer College, received the Award of Excellence in Honor of Gary P. Tang. Jackson spearheaded efforts to revise NPC’s Adult Basic Education curriculum and developed workforce partnerships resulting in the current Integrated Basic Education Skills Training house-building project in Holbrook. Linda Morrow, who began teaching in 1975, retired as Navajo County Superintendent of Schools after 10 years of service. Ortega National Parks, a company owned by the Ortega family whose roots reach back to shepherds and ranchers in the Holbrook area on land just outside Petrified Forest National Park, won the concessions contract at the park. A majority of the Holbrook City Council gave approval to the merger of the water and wastewater departments, a recommendation by City Manager Ray Alley designed to streamline the city’s water management operations. Jack and Phyllis Carlisle received the Arizona Farm Bureau Heritage Award during the organization’s 94th annual conference celebrating farmers and ranchers throughout the state. The Heritage Award is given to individuals and families that are involved in agriculture, and have given extraordinary voluntary service to their industry and to their Farm Bureau. December The Apache Railway sale to Aztec Land and Cattle Company was completed, allowing the railroad to repay its former lender and continue operations as it has for nearly the past century. Winslow High School graduate Dennis Poolheco, a Hopi ultra-marathon runner, was posthumously inducted into the Arizona Runners Hall of Fame during the 40th anniversary of the Phoenix 10K and Half-Marathon. Frankie and Peewee Maestas, Holbrook’s Business Woman and Man of the Year, were honored as grand marshals of the annual Christmas Parade of Lights. The Navajo County Board of Supervisors granted its approval of the county’s emergency dispatch center. When approved by all parties, the agreement would unite the law enforcement, fire and emergency medical services of Holbrook, Taylor, Snowflake, Pinetop-Lakeside, Show Low, Timber Mesa Fire and Medical District, and the Pinetop, White Mountain Lake, Pinedale-Clay Springs, Joseph City, Sun Valley, Vernon and Heber-Overgaard fire districts. The City of Winslow canceled its 2016 primary election, as the number of candidates who filed nominating petitions matches the number of vacancies that must be filled. Mayor Robin Boyd was the only person who filed papers for the office. Councilmen Marshall Losey and Robert Schlesinger will seek re-election, and former councilwoman Judy Howell is seeking to return to the council. Winslow-born Native American artist Randy L. Barton opened PNTD DZRT, a post-urban art boutique located at 200 E. Second St. in Winslow. Holbrook’s first church, now the United Methodist Church on West Arizona Street, is in the process of a major restoration that involves all aspects of the building, but allows the 102-year-old Gothic-arched windows to remain intact. The fundraising efforts of the 20-member congregation have provided the money for the restoration project.