Desert Messenger

6 www.DesertMessenger.com July 15, 2020 DESERT MESSENGER Quartzsite's FREE Community Paper Proud to be a Quartzsite Licensed Business 928-916-4235 O� T��� - E���� T���! Founded by Walt Akin October 1, 2004 P�������� �� P���� R��� P��������� C�. P.O. Box 3185 Quartzsite, AZ 85359 P�������� ����� � ����� 1st & 3rd Wednesday Sept. thru May with Special Summer Editions June, July & August OWNER/EDITOR/PUBLISHER GRAPHIC DESIGN/ AP AR MARKETING EXECUTIVE/CLASSIFIEDS Shanana "Rain" Golden-Bear CONTRIBUTING JOURNALIST Jackie Deal CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER Starr BearCat NAME PLATE DESIGN Paul Winer www.DesertMessenger.com www.MyQuartzsite.com E-mail: Editor@DesertMessenger.com 2020 © Copyright All Rights Reserved Copyright 2013 Opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the Desert Messenger. LIKE US on Facebook.com/ DesertMessengerNews FOLLOW US on Twitter @QuartzsiteRain By Shanana "Rain" Golden-Bear LETTERS TO EDITOR POLICY Desert Messenger encourages letters from its readers. Letters should be no longer than 300 words, and may be edited for grammar, content and length. OPINIONS EXPRESSED HEREIN DO NOT NECESSARILY REPRESENT THOSE OF THE DESERT MESSENGER. We invite you to not only see a problem, but search for the solution to share with the com- munity, keeping the benefit of all in mind. Letters considered libelous, in poor taste, on a personal issue, mean spirited or dominated by Scripture quotes will not be published. Third party letters will not be accepted. To avoid confusion over people with common or similar names, writers must provide a full name and indicate the name they are known by. Writers must provide a full street address and phone number. Rvers can provide the loca- tion of park/BLM land, etc. Street addresses will not be published. Phone numbers are for verification only and will not be printed. Mail letters to: Desert Messenger, P.O. Box 3185, Quartzsite, AZ 85359 or E-mail to Editor@DesertMessenger.com 928-916-4235 DEADLINE : WED. AUG. 5 TH for August 12 TH edition Desert Messenger News Email: editor@DesertMessenger.com 928-916-4235 www.DesertMessenger.com No in-person classes at QES til October I refuse to allow any man-made differences to separate me from any other human beings. ~ Maya Angelou Quartzsite Elementary School District 4 (QESD) Governing Board voted to begin the school year with distance learning and not resume in- person classes until at least October. "After that, the board will reevalu- ate. Keeping students and staff safe is our priority," stated QESD Board President Monica Timberlake. Gov- ernor Doug Ducey had ordered a delay to the start of in-person les- sons across Arizona until August 17. However QESD decided during their regular meeting on July 9 that there would be no in-person learning for the fi rst quarter. The board had held a focus group earlier last week to hear concerns from parents and staff. Superintendent Raquel Burton said, "The fi rst things on our minds is to make sure we have a safe place for our students and staff. I agree with starting off with distance learn- ing." She explained distance learning next year will be a more structured program, with teachers being able to devote more time to teaching a lesson in a normal block of time, plus hold- ing virtual meetings with students. In addition the district will be able to provide stand-alone classes instead of combined grades during the fi rst quarter. Staff will be con- tacting parents to learn if there are connectivity issues, making sure all students have what is required. Staff will also continue to provide food for the students. More than 100 school board members from districts across the state have signed onto a letter ask- ing Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey to delay the reopening of in-person schooling until October. Two of those board members signing the letter were from Quartzsite Elemen- tary School District (QESD.) Board President Monica Timberlake and former Board President Nicci Col- lier joined with Save Our Schools Arizona, an education advocacy or- ganization, in the calls to delay in- person class until October. Well, what a life we got now! It's not the life many of us ever invi- sioned for ourselves, but here we are, all together on this planet right now. I'm a voracious consumer of hope, like looking for the blessings even when life is uncertain. Even in our political climate, it seems fear, again, is the main selling point. When fear takes over our hearts and minds, we tend to forget that love conquers all. Fear of the fu- ture won't change the future, but it will wreak havoc on our whole be- ing, including our nervous system, our serenity, our spirituality, and our sense of shared humanity. We already know fear sets our whole body into the kind of fi ght-fl ight re- action that might be useful if a lion is threatening us, but not in our ev- eryday life. To overcome those fears, I like to to focus what is happening right now. When I focus on the present moment, I can actually breathe eas- ier. I'll take that over fear any day! When I am not fearful, I tend to make better decisions for the future. Sometimes we just gotta be like the willow, and be willing to bend in the wind. I choose to recognize all the small acts of compassion happen- ing around the world; the drive-by birthday parties, music from the bal- conies, care packages for the elders, folks giving homemade facemasks for fi rst responders and healthcare workers. I am grateful for all the hardwork- ing volunteers at the senior center and food bank, those who are work- ing behind the scenes on projects not seeking public recognition, our school board members struggling to keep students safe, government offi cials dealing with constant state executive orders, business owners trying to adjust to constant chang- es, and our neighbors who wave to us on the road. These are doers, the innovators, and problem solvers, just making it all happen. Let us celebrate the creative juices we are witnessing to- day. And what about you, my friend: what've you become especially grateful for during this pandemic?

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