Desert Messenger

November 20, 2019 www.DesertMessenger.com 23 Master Gardener Class offered La Paz County / CRIT Coopera- tive Extension Offi ce is offering the Master Gardener Program to the residents of La Paz County. This 13-week course will give gardeners of all experience levels the opportunity to become Master Gardeners and the chance to learn the science behind the art of gar- dening. Classes will be held at the Parker AWC learning Center at 1109 Geronimo Ave. on Wednesdays from 2:30pm – 5:30pm. Classes will begin January 8, 2020 and will run through April 1, 2020. Lectures will be presented by ex- perts from the University of Ari- zona, local Master Gardeners and technical professionals who share a love of gardening, teaching, and science. Courses include vegetable gardening, irrigation, deciduous fruit and nut trees, tree pruning and staking, plant disease and diag- nosis, organic gardening, and other topics of interest. If you are interested in growing your knowledge, helping your community and improving your gardening skills, please join us and become a Master Gardener! The course fee is $150, which includes the New UA Coop- erative Extension Master Gardener Manual and all class materials. Arizona Master Gardeners are uni- versity-trained volunteers who sev- er as community educators. They work with the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension providing research-based information on en- vironmentally responsible garden- ing and landscaping to the public. After completing a semester long course, concentrating on gardening and the environment, Master Gar- dener Associates volunteer to serve their communities. For more information or to pre- register for the class, please contact Don Alamban or Teresa Tozer at 928-669-9843 at the La Paz County/ CRIT Cooperative Extension Offi ce. Town awarded OHV staging area grant November 14, 2019 - The Arizona State Parks Board authorized $463,269 to the Town of Quartzsite to construct an Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) Staging Area. The site is on 1.6 acres of Bureau of Land Management (BLM) land across from Quartzsite Town Hall, which was previously used as a Town well site. The Staging Area will feature 22 pull-through parking spaces where people can off-load OHV's to ride La Posa Trails, and The Arizona Peace Trail - both proximate to the site. Also included is a camp host site, handi- capped restroom, day-use picnic area, night lighting and other features. The funds will be released soon, and bidding/construction can begin. The process began over two years ago, requiring applications, review, and full approval by both the Bureau of Land Management, and State Parks and Trails. The project was fi led by Mark Goldberg, of Quartzsite Off-Road, on behalf of the Town of Quartzsite. Grant Funds are generated by OHV registration and use fees and are used to improve off-road experiences and safety. The State OHV Recre- ation Fund, established in 1991, provides a legislatively set percentage (0.55 percent) of total license taxes on motor vehicle fuel from the High- way User Revenue Fund for OHV management. The Arizona State Parks Board's volunteer advisory committees (Off- Highway Vehicle Advisory Group (OHVAG) and the Arizona Outdoor Rec- reation Coordinating Commission (AORCC) review project applications periodically and make funding recommendations to the Arizona Parks Board. In addition to trail and facility improvements, the funds can be used for mitigation of damage caused by OHV activities, cultural and en- vironmental compliances, and education projects/programs and law en- forcement. Construction contracts must be awarded, or force account on- site work must be in progress within 9 months of the obligation award and fully executed project sponsor agreement. To learn more contact Quartzsite Town Hall at 928-927-4333.

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