Desert Messenger

15 www.DesertMessenger.com Hoppin' along to end of year at Salome High ADVENTURES WITH ROCKS Or, ignorance is not bliss. By Jenn Jedidiah Free There's an old adage that says "what you don't know won't hurt you". Nowadays, that just isn't true. What you don't know can have devastating consequences on your life and the lives of those around you. A recent experience we had attempting to purchase a gold claim reminded us of this. While the best way to acquire a gold claim is to discover and stake your own new claim, it is often easier and faster to purchase an existing one. There are plenty of legitimate gold claims on the market today, and lots of trustworthy sellers. But there are also ones that are not. Knowing how to distinguish between the good and the bad is important to protect yourself from potentially horrible situations. Knowledge is power. When considering a claim for purchase, research it thoroughly. Thanks to the internet, this task is easier today than it used to be. Everything can be found online at any time, from the comfort of your home. The BLM website is an invaluable resource. On the BLM site, a person can find out everything there is to know about an existing claim or a parcel of land. Also, learn as much as you can about the parcels surrounding, touching or potentially overlapping the claim being considered. If not, why not? Did you discover gold there and stake this claim yourself? If not, how did you acquire it? How accessible is it? Why are you selling it? Pay close attention to the answers and tune in to subtle clues given casually. Let the seller know that you will check out everything he tells you. Last, but not least, never pay for any claim until you are satisfied with your due diligence. Advise the seller that you are not willing to go through with the sale if everything does not check out. Follow your gut instincts. Ignorance is not bliss. Learn as much as you can before making your decision. Don't be afraid to walk away from any deal if it doesn't check out 100%. Better to lose an opportunity than to end up with a huge problem that you can't get out of. For more information and resources on researching, locating, and staking gold and mineral claims, go to our website www.RocksInMyHead.com, or call 605-376-8754. We have books, maps, and information about mining and staking claims, as well as links to BLM sites and more. We will be open again in Quartzsite in November at A37 in Rice Ranch, but until then you can order by phone or email. Thanks for your business this winter, and have a great summer. Happy Prospecting! BLM staff is knowledgeable and very helpful. Don't hesitate to call the office and talk with someone about the claim in question. If you need help navigating the website, or have questions about the information discovered, they are very willing to help. Their experience and insight can help sort out confusing or bothersome issues. Another valuable resource is your local mining organization. They are eager to help new claim owners and prospectors. The Gold Prospectors Association of America has staff that is knowledgeable about all aspects of mining including mining law. It is well worth it to join these organizations if only for access to their expertise. It is also important to check out the seller of the claim. The vast majority of people selling gold claims are honest and sincere, but there is a growing number of sellers who are not. Don't be afraid to ask questions of sellers and demand straightforward answers. Some questions to ask are: Can you provide the AMC# (like a serial #)? Salome, AZ - The end of April is nearly here! There were twenty students that were able to attend the Frog Challenge trip to CrackerJax Amusement Park, in Scottsdale, AZ. The Culinary Arts class had fantastic ratings from all of the teachers that attended the Teacher of the Year banquet on April 12th. The teachers said that every student had done a great job serving and preparing the food. Congratulations to Mr. Anog, our math teacher, on winning 2013 La Paz county rural teacher of the year. He will be representing La Paz county rural school's for the 2013 ARSA teacher of the year. The day of the big dance, prom, is coming up. It is April 27th, and it seems to be the talk around campus. The students who attended the CrackerJax Amusement Park had an interesting day for a new end of the year field trip. "We all had a great time. We all made new friends, learned new things, and had an interesting time running around." Everyone had their own share of laughs, some of the students even gave away their tickets that they won playing games in the arcade to little kids. Everyone had a chance to connect with a sport because the park offered bumper boats, go cart riding, mini golf, and batting cages. No doubt that the students got in touch with their sporty side. CAFE Breakfast • Lunch • Dinner 7am - 7pm Mon. thru Sat. • 7am - 2pm Sunday (corner of Moon Mt. & Quail Trail) Home Style Cooking! 928-927-8890 $ Open 7am - 7pm 7 DAYS/ WEEK X ● Salome High School 2013 Prom 8:00 p.m. to midnight on 4/27 ● No school 4/29 ● Last Knight Track meet at Phoenix Christian 4/30 ● Senior Banquet at 6:30 p.m. 5/7 ● Senior trip 5/10 ● State Track preliminaries at Mesa Community College 5/10 ● State Track preliminaries at Mesa Community College 5/11 ● Senior graduation 6:00 p.m. 5/18 ● Last day of school 5/23 for Good Food, Fun and Friendship! 490 N. Moon Mt. Ave., Quartzsite Enjoy our Famous Bread Pudding! SALOME HIGH UPCOMING EVENTS: The Gathering Place of Quartzsite Open Year-round for all holidays! • Thurs. Italian Night • Friday Fish Special • Sat. Prime Rib Do you remember your Senior Prom? The day of prom for Salome High School is approaching. The junior class is hard at work to make this last high school dance a night that no one will forget. The juniors were handing out bags with little mementos for the seniors. The bags included a prom themed cup and a picture frame. Some students believe that prom night will be truly magical. The Art class will soon find out if they placed in the top 10 for the Vans (shoes) Custom competition where they designed shoes for a chance to have them sold in stores. The art class worked on the shoes nonstop for weeks, and the shoes show a little piece of each student's creativity. Main Street Eatery MOUNTAIN QUAIL Quail Trail N B-10, Main St. Hwy. 95, N. Central Claims about claims by Kirshana Guy Moon Mountain May 1, 2013 350 Early Bird BREAKFAST SPECIALS Mon-Fri 7am - 9am 205 E. Main Street, Quartzsite 928-927-4163

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