2019: The Year In Review, Part I

With the Dec. 21, partial shutdown of the federal government the Petrified Forest National Park was closed until the impasse is resolved. Throughout the western states, the impact of the National Parks closures and loss of staff is creating ripple effects that was projected could be felt for years to come.

The Taylor Town Council and residents in the community came together during a council work session to discuss the town’s recent purchase of property known as the Taylor Business Park located on Pinedale Road. The concerns centered around a long-standing battle between two individuals involved with the property.

The question of reintroducing the Jail District Tax to the voters in November was raised at the Navajo County Board of Supervisors meeting, after the grim realities of what the county was facing over the next five years was addressed by Assistant County Manager Bryan Layton who stated that the county would be in the negative by $14 million.

The Holbrook City Council increased the fees for those using the Hidden Cove Golf Course due to the need for revenues to address the vandalism that occurred at the golf course.

The Snowflake Town Council approved the construction of an assisted living facility west of the Snowflake Municipal Golf Course and an additional office and youth space for Calvary Community Bible Fellowship.

Little Colorado Medical Center Chief Executive Officer Jack Dempsey stated that five years earlier the hospital was facing some real serious challenges including several million dollars in loss, following a roll out of an electronic medical record system. The hospital had very limited reserves and had bankruptcy council, but that the hospital was now in good standing.

The Board of Supervisors retained a law firm to represent the county in potential litigation against opioid manufacturers and distributors in the multi-district litigation pending in federal court in the State of Ohio. The effort was to recover the costs that have incurred from the increased burden and strain on the criminal justice system among other things due to opioid use.

February

The name “Budenholzer Court” was approved to become part of the Munoz Gym and the ongoing athletic legacy at Holbrook High School by the Holbrook Unified School District Governing Board.

Winslow City Manager Steve Pauken retired from his position, paving the way for the new manager John Barkley to take over the reins.

It was determined that the Jail Tax proposition was to go back before the voters despite failing to pass the first time. It was shown that the voters were not provided enough information with the first election to make a well-informed decision.

Navajo County Sheriff KC Clark retired after 32 years in law enforcement. Chief Deputy David Clouse was appointed to take over for the remainder of his term until November of 2020.

The Taylor Town Council voted unanimously in favor of opening the newest section of the Reed Hatch Memorial Cemetery and changing two rules within the town’s cemetery code to make all three sections of the cemetery more user-friendly.

Holbrook native and now Los Angeles entertainment journalist, Dennis Hensley returned to town to promote his board game “You Don’t Know My Life,” as well as his podcast “Imagined Life.”

The Hubbell Rug, the worlds largest Navajo rug, was brought out for a rare public display at the Route 66 Art Museum at La Posada in Winslow. The rug had been commissioned by Lorenzo Hubbell in 1932 for Sam and Julia Joe to make for promotional purposes. The rug measure 26 feet by 36 feet.

Winslow eighth grader Parker Stubblefield was named champion of the Navajo County Spelling Bee. Seventh grader Peter Miller came in third.

A measure was introduced by State Representative Michell Udal (R-Mesa) to declare pornography a public health risk.

March

Navajo County Attorney Brad Carlyon informed the Board of Supervisors that the county prosecutor’s office was in crisis. He stated that each attorney handled 90-100 cases and that the pay was significantly less than other counties in the state, leading to a shortage of deputy county attorneys.

A key milestone for the Little Colorado River at Winslow Flood Risk Management Project was celebrated with a passage of a resolution supporting the intent of Navajo County to partner with the City of Winslow and share equally in future costs associated with the planning, design and construction of the new levee.

The Holbrook girls’ basketball team had a successful season, making it all the way to the 3A East Region championship basketball game.

The City of Holbrook hired former Wilcox city manager Ted Soltis as a permanent manager for the city. The city council thanked Cher Reyes for her service as interim manager.

The Winslow City Council approved funds to continue its Renaissance Project, which included construction of Americans with Disabilities Act compliant sidewalk ramps; new curbs, gutters, sidewalks and driveways at areas that have reached their useful life; replacement of all existing street light poles with new standardized poles; and the replacement of existing overhead wiring with new underground wiring on Second and Third streets from Snider Avenue on the west to Cassandra Way on the east.

In an effort to preserve Taylor’s Fourth of July rodeo history, the Taylor Town Council approved a facility use agreement with the Taylor Rodeo, Inc, a non-profit group to use the rodeo ground facilities to put on the rodeo.

Members of the Navajo-Gila County Information Technology Education Consortium continued to pursue funding through federal E-rate program for a broadband network for the schools and libraries of Navajo and Gila counties.

Merrill Young was voted in as the new mayor of Holbrook and ran unopposed. Only the one two-year term on the council had two contenders and incumbent Adam Marsh retained his seat for the position over Dwayne Hawk. For the three four-year positions on the council, Francie Payne, Mike Nilsson and Tim Dixon each retained their seats as incumbents and ran unopposed.

Tate Ford-Lincoln-Mercury in Holbrook, Tate’s Auto Center of Winslow, Tate’s Auto Center in Show Low and Tate’s Auto Center of Gallup, Inc., filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy in the US Bankruptcy Court of Arizona as Ford Motor Credit Company sought to retrieve its vehicles from the dealerships. In addition, Nissan Motor Acceptance Corporation filed a complaint for the District of Arizona against Tate’s Automotive, Inc. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission’s case against Tate’s Auto Group, Berry and Tate continued.

As Arizona Sake brewer Atsuo Sakurai of Holbrook gained international rave reviews for his desert-brewed sake, his sake was also being served at renowned restaurants such as the Sushi Shiono Restaurant in Kailua Kona, Hawaii.

In the continuing conversation to balance the needs of forest health management and wildfire mitigation through forest bio energy, Arizona Public Service began to evaluate the possibility of converting one unit at the Cholla Power Plant in Joseph City to burn biomass.

April

A crowd funding endeavor was started to help acquire funds for a new roof for the Navajo County Historic Courthouse in Holbrook. It was estimated that the roof would cost approximately $200,000 to replace for this important building of Navajo County’s history.

Jessica Dawson and Preston Edwards, both members of the Holbrook High School Swing Thing, auditioned and qualified for the Arizona All State Choir. They performed with top choir students in the state at a concert held on the Northern Arizona University campus.

The Winslow Unified School District Governing Board approved the hiring of Dr. William James Donner as the principal of Winslow High School. Donner was most recently the vice principal of Flagstaff High School.

South Side baseball field in Winslow was renamed in honor of Philly Sanchez who succumbed to an illness the previous year. The field, located at Sacred Heart Park on Jefferson Street, was dedicated as Philly’s Field with over 100 people in attendance.

The Snowflake/Taylor Business Man of the Year went to Josh Craner with Black Diamond Auto Glass, with Julie McCray of World Financial Group honored as Business Woman of the Year. Both Kaylee Willis and C.H. Packer received the Shining Star Award for going above and beyond in their volunteer work within the communities.

Snowflake/Taylor Police Sergeant Daniel Rusk Sr. was awarded the department’s Purple Heart Award for the severity of injury received in the line of duty in June 1999, when a combative subject was arrested and transported to the STPD holding cell. Rusk also received the department’s Life Saving Award along with Sergeant Derick Ortiz for their quick response to a man who had hung himself. Thanks to their efforts, the man survived.

Navajo County Engineer Project Manager Jason Owens opened drone operations in Navajo County with five drones, turning them into a viable tool that is very productive and useful for Navajo County, saving the county thousands of dollars in surveys.

Navajo County Public Health Director Jeff Lee warned the Board of Supervisors that more budget cuts could mean more risks for the county residents when it comes to infectious and sexually transmitted diseases, as well as dog bites, rabies and even the ability to ensure public safety through restaurant and hotel inspections.

Theresa Warren, the Executive Director of Alice’s Place in Winslow, received the Distinguished Service Award for Leadership from the Arizona Attorney General’s office. Warren has held her position as Executive Director for 11 years. She acknowledged the work of board members, and board president, Greg Hackler for all their hard work.

Eighteen Northland Pioneer College students in career and technical education fields won medals during the SkillsUSA Arizona state competition. Floy Carr, a Winslow student pursuing an associate of applied science (AAS) degree at NPC, qualified for nationals in two post-secondary events, cosmetology and job interview. Kylie Peck, of Taylor, returned to nationals to defend her title in post-secondary employment application process. Last year she became only the second student in NPC history to win a national SkillsUSA championship.

A favorite eatery, Tom & Suzie’s Diner in Holbrook, was set on fire. The blaze destroyed the kitchen and shut down the restaurant until repairs could be made.

May

At a Navajo County Board of Supervisors meeting Vice Chairman Jason Whiting appealed to the board to approve a letter encouraging the Arizona Corporate Commission to mandate that biomass be part of the energy portfolio in Arizona. The board supported the concept and approved the letter.

On April 22, Governor Doug Ducey signed legislation that prohibits texting while driving in Arizona. The legislation, HB 2318, bans the use of hand-held mobile devices while driving a vehicle and enforcement will take place statewide. Although the law is in effect, warnings but no citations will be issued until January of 2021.

Holbrook High School senior John Heward captured first place in the automotive services category at the SkillsUSA state competition. John bested 60 other statewide competitors en route to his victory in which he was required to navigate 16 various stations that included written knowledge, hands-on application, job interviewing, resume construction, and interpersonal skills.

Former Holbrook resident Holbrook High School graduate Mike Budenholzer was named the 2019 recipient of the Michael H. Goldberg NBCA (National Basketball Coaches Association) Coach of the Year Award, after he guided the Milwaukie Bucks to an NBA-best 60-22 record this season.

Arizona Governor Doug Ducey signed House Bill 2569 making Arizona the first state in the country to recognize out of state occupational licenses for new residents. According to the Office of the Governor, “As new residents move here, they often face daunting and unnecessary hurdles imposed by state government to start a job, even though they were licensed, trained and qualified for the same job in another state.” Professions that require these licenses span between nurses and pharmacists, to contractors and beauticians. This bill eliminated the need for redundant licensing and allow professionals to begin work immediately.

Holbrook native and Presentation College senior Jesse Spangler held the career records at Presentation for hits (253), RBIs (121), home runs (28), doubles (42), runs (158), total bases (399), batting average (.369) and slugging percentage (.582). Furthermore, Spangler was four triples away from tying the triples record of 14, set by Jarred Koopman back during 2006-09 seasons.

Holbrook Seventh grader Rydan Livingston, the son of Dain Livingston and Nichole Tow, and eighth grader Riley Reidhead, the daughter of Kiley and Abbie Reidhead, earned positions on the Arizona National Junior High rodeo team.

Holbrook American Legion Post No. 337 fed hundreds of motorcyclists on their way across the country to Washington D.C. to visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial as part of the annual Run for the Wall.

Voters in the City of Holbrook gave their approval regarding the two measures presented to them on the May 21 ballot. The first, Proposition 102, was to determine if the residents would allow a property tax to be implemented and the second, Proposition 103, was to amend the city charter to prevent the city council from abolishing the city’s police department without a vote of the people.

Navajo County Sheriff David Clouse, along with the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office detention staff opened a pod within the NCSO jail specifically for veterans who are held in custody. The pod is called the Housing Unit for Military Veterans (HUMV). Individuals that are remanded to custody and are military veterans will have the opportunity to be housed in this unique pod.

June

Charles “Charlie” Logan David Hall, a 95-year-old World War II veteran and Taylor community leader was presented with his high school diploma at the Snowflake High School graduation ceremony. Hall had enlisted with the United States Marine Corp (USMC) to serve in the Pacific Theater on July 27, 1943, and was unable to complete his senior year at SHS so the school district honored him as part of their ceremonies.

Holbrook native Merrill Young was sworn in as the city’s new mayor during a city council meeting replacing Phil Cobb. The council remained unchanged following the election and consists of Francie Payne, Adam Marsh, Tim Dixon and Mike Nilsson as the members that were sworn in, and Richard Peterson and Earl Kester.

The 2019 Warrior Award was presented to Native American Christian Academy student Cheyenna Yazzie. Cheyenna was credited for her honor roll academic achievement and said she brings joy to those around her. The nomination also stated, “She includes those who are being left out and finds ways to make new students feel welcome. She desires to know God and do the things He has planned for her, and she is daily growing in her relationship with Him.” The NACA Warrior Award is presented annually to a student who consistently demonstrates responsibility, leadership, maturity and spiritual growth.

Navajo County Sheriff David Clouse, along with the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office (NCSO) staff held a memorial service during the Board of Supervisors meeting to honor the three deputies from the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office that died in the line of duty over the years. Deputy Ronald Adair, Deputy Bob Varner and Captain Charlie Lane were placed on the memorial wall to serve as a reminder of the ultimate sacrifice they gave. The memorial is located at the Navajo County Governmental Complex in Holbrook.

Pollard Helium, LLC, a Texas-based company, began drilling wells to extract helium from the potentially rich reserves that lie underneath the arid, desert lands of northeastern Arizona in an area east of Holbrook and west of the Petrified Forest, near Adamana on Interstate 40. Pollard Helium has secured 10,000 acres of leased land in Arizona, in anticipation of the depletion of the Bureau of Land Management Helium Reserve in 2020.

The Arizona Supreme Court refused to review a ruling by the Court of Appeals pertaining to the decision to penalize Statecraft, a Phoenix law firm, for filing what was deemed a frivolous lawsuit against the Town for Snowflake and Copperstate Farms, a marijuana grow operation, by the lower court. The lawsuit was based on a 2016 decision by the town to issue a special use permit to Copperstate to grow marijuana in an existing greenhouse purchased by Copperstate from a company that previously had grown cucumbers and tomatoes.

The towns of Snowflake and Taylor took a bold move when both councils voted at their respective meetings to sever ties with Brown & Brown as their legal representation in the Little Colorado River (LCR) Adjudication Coalition.

Officer Brandon Gardner retired from the Snowflake-Taylor Police Department. Gardner started his career in law enforcement as a detention officer with the Navajo County Jail in Holbrook. In May of 1999, Gardner graduated from the Northern Arizona Regional Training Academy in Prescott and began serving as a deputy with the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office.

A gift of seven acres by the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints at the corner of Willow Lane and S. 500 Street W. in Taylor was accepted by the Taylor Town Council to be used only for the expansion of the cemetery.

Holbrook City Manager Ted Soltis informed the council that the city was prioritizing cleanup. He noted that the former Marlene’s Cut and Curl that was located at 902 Navajo Blvd. was demolished, as well as a house and a mobile home at 133 and 135 East Florida Street. The property where the Knights Inn had burned down last year was also entirely cleared away and the pocket park on Fourth Avenue and Buffalo was cleared of weeds and debris.

The City of Holbrook, as well as other towns and cities that are part of the Little Colorado River water adjudication litigation taking place, began to feel the strain of the costs associated with the lengthy legal battle. The case is being handled by Brown & Brown Law Offices, who has represented the group of communities throughout this region since the litigation began nearly 40 years ago. The Little Colorado River stream adjudication began in 1978 to determine conflicting water rights in the basin and involves the Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, the U.S., the communities of Holbrook, Winslow, Show Low, Snowflake, Taylor, Springerville, St. Johns and Flagstaff, and other commercial and industrial interests. To help offset that cost, the City of Holbrook recently implemented a $5 base water rate increase but in addressing the Holbrook Council last week, City Manager Ted Soltis stated that fee would not be enough.

Councilman Richard Peterson resigned from the Holbrook City Council, leaving with two years remaining on his term to be filled by a resident that will be appointed by the council. Peterson resigned suddenly after serving on the council for the past nine years, serving this past year as vice mayor.

Winslow City Manager, John Barkley addressed the Winslow City Council regarding a Winslow transit system, which involved a regional transit connection as well as creating a local loop in Winslow.

Winslow was continuing with its Renaissance 6 project, which included sidewalks and streetlights on the east side of town. The city also implemented new usage fees for McHood Park located at Clear Creek to offset the cost of maintaining the park.

Poetress Bea Darbe of Holbrook has authored three poetry books in the past few years and added something a little bit different with a children’s poetry book entitled “The Rhyming Tree.” Darbe not only wrote the kid-relatable poetry, she illustrated each poem in a black outline drawing that allows for kids to add their own creativity with the option to color the pages.

The Navajo Tribal Utility Authority (NTUA) General Manager Walter Haase, with the mutual support of the American Public Power Association (APPA) as well as public utilities across the United States worked to provide electrical power to 15,000 families, living on the rugged, remote, ancestral lands of the Navajo Nation. Launched as Light Up Navajo, the unprecedented pilot project saw 28 utility companies, including Arizona Public Service (APS) and Salt River Project, from Arizona, Arkansas, California, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah, converge on the Navajo Nation with crews who strung up more than 50 miles of line, bringing power to 233 families in an expedited six-week period of time during April and May.

Patrick Serna of Holbrook participated in the United States Powerlifting Association’s Cultural Expo Drug Tested held at Phoenix Convention Center on June 15, in the 242-pound Submasters and Open classes. Serna now holds the state records in squats at 405 pounds, bench press at 347 pounds and deadlift at 575 pounds. Serna also took first place in the Open category, as well as earning first place in the Open Over-All and first place in Submasters Over-All.

Winslow Lindbergh Regional Airport was host to the final flight of a 1937 Lockheed Electra 12A aircraft. Nicknamed L.E., the craft has been in flight since its creation in 1937. It was used in its prime as a Trans World Airlines executive commuter plane.