Desert Messenger

May 18, 2022 www.DesertMessenger.com 3 SEE QES PAGE 9 Blood drive planned for May 23 Transform a life, and your own Lindsey only held her newborn daughter for 5 minutes before she was rushed to the OR with post-de- livery complications. 10 red cell and 8 platelet transfusions saved her life so she could watch her kids grow. "The simple act of donating can have such a huge impact in the lives of the people it saves. Every day, blood donors give people a second chance at life – people like me" GFWC Quartzsite Women's Club is sponsoring a BLOOD DRIVE on MONDAY, MAY 23, 2022. 9:00 A.M. - 1:00 P.M. at Quartzsite Community Center – 295 E. Chan- dler Street, Quartzsite, AZ. Medicare has changed. Find out how it can affect you. For FREE information, call: 1-888-348-2614 or visit MedSupBenefit.com/desert Important changes to the federal Medicare program became effective at the beginning of the year. As a result, retirees in your state may be eligible for coverage with new options. Find out if you qualify for Medicare Supplement insurance that can help limit your out-of-pocket expenses. Information will be provided by Physicians Life Insurance Company 6243_D Get the facts that matter to you: • Critical dates for Medicare eligibility • Options that can help keep more money in your pocket • Medicare benefits many retirees may not be aware of We are not connected with, nor endorsed by, the U.S. Government or the Federal Medicare Program. I understand I have no obligation. This is a solicitation of insurance. A licensed agent/producer may contact you. (MD, VA: These policies are available to people under age 65 eligible for Medicare due to a disability). (VA: For a complete description of policy exclusions, limitations, and costs or other coverage details, please contact your insurance agent or the company). Policy form number L030, L035, L036, L037, L038, F001, F002 (OK: L030OK, L035OK, L036OK, L037OK, L038OK; TN: L030TN, L035TN, L036TN, L037TN; L038TN, F001TN, F002TN; L030VA, L035VA, L036VA, L037VA, L038VA). Vitalant is testing all blood dona- tions for COVID-19 antibodies in order to produce plasma that could help COVID-19 patients who have weakened immune systems. Masks are no longer required for all COV- ID-19 vaccinated donors and staff. SIGN UP TO DONATE IN the DO- NOR PORTAL: Visit www.donors.vitalant.org. Log in to your donor portal using your email on file, click on "schedule ap- pointment" and search by blood drive code: L1250 or call Vitalant @ 877-25-4825 or call Becky John- stone @ 208-634-9304 YUMA PROVING GROUND VIRTUAL PUBLIC MEETINGS June 7, 3-4 p.m. and June 8, 5-6 p.m. Go to: https://ypg-environmental.com/highway-95-land-with- drawal-leis/, and click on Virtual Meeting link The Bureau of Land Management has received a military land withdrawal application from the Army, requesting a 22,000-acre addition to the Yuma Proving Ground near Yuma, Arizona, as a safety buffer for air delivery testing on existing drop zones within the current range boundary. This request must be approved by Congress. Join us in a virtual public meeting to offer comments on the requested withdrawal. Pre-registration encouraged but not required. Attendees may participate by phone or computer. Comments accepted through July 5. Email: BLM_AZ_Withdrawal_Comments@blm.gov Mail: BLM Arizona Attn: Mike Ouellett, One N. Central Ave, Suite 800, Phoenix, AZ 85004. Fax: (602) 417–9452. Quartzsite Elementary School Campus updates By Shanana Rain Golden-Bear Quartzsite Elementary School Campus temporarily closed last year while waiting on new build- ings. Students have been bussed to the Ehrenberg Campus for instruc- tion. The school has been awarded a funds from a grant and is in the bidding process. The grant will pro- vide the Quartzsite Campus with all new classrooms, library, and office. There will be new flooring, walls and roofing in the gym. The founda- tions of the classrooms will be re- done also. The Gym will also receive new HVAC's and weatherization. "This project comes in stages. Each stage is a different application that needs approval from the School Fa- cility Board, that only meets once a month. We have the assessment that takes place and their report, then the design process and once we have the design we then can start the application process for the procurement to go out for bid. To date the District has paid a total of $367,095 in grant funds after all the assessments had been made, design of the Quartzsite Elementary School and now the procurement." Quartzsite Elementary School Dis- trict #4 (QES) staff and elected of- ficials began the process to improve the Quartzsite Campus building about 4 years ago. On July 9, 1998 Arizona Governor Jane Dee Hull signed legislation that dramatically reformed the way K-12 schools are constructed in Arizona. This ended the four-year legal and legislative battle and established Ar- izona as the nation's school finance reform leader. This legislation/law is known as Students FIRST (Fair and Immediate Resources for Students Today). On November 18, 1999, the Board adopted Building Adequacy Guidelines that now serve as the minimum standards for existing and new school facilities in Arizona. According to QES Superintendent Dr. Monica Barajas, 65 students are being bused from Quartzsite to Eh- renberg campus.

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