Desert Messenger

8 www.DesertMessenger.com May 18, 2022 Yuma lane restrictions on Hwy. 95 Political signs around town 585 N. Central Quartzsite Open Mon-Fri 8-5 928-927-8787 Johnny DelPino, Owner BEST AUTO RV & TRUCK REPAIR SERVICE YOU CAN DEPEND ON! CLUTCHES PRIMARY & SECONDARY With the upcoming Primary Elec- tion set for August 2, 2022, resi- dents will start to see political signs pop up around the area beginning 71 days prior to the election. Here's what the State of Arizona says about Political Signs; Printed Materials; tampering; violation; and classifi ca- tion in ARS 16-1019. A. It is a class 2 misdemeanor for any person to knowingly remove, alter, deface or cover any political sign of any candidate for public of- fi ce or in support of or opposition to any ballot measure, question or issue or knowingly remove, alter or deface any political mailers, hand- outs, fl yers or other printed materi- als of a candidate or in support of or opposition to any ballot measure, question or issue that are delivered by hand to a residence for the period commencing forty-fi ve days before a primary election and ending fi f- teen days after the general election, except that for a sign for a candidate in a primary election who does not advance to the general election, the period ends fi fteen days after the primary election. B. This section does not apply to the removal, alteration, defacing or covering of a political sign or other printed materials by the candidate or the authorized agent of the can- didate in support of whose election the sign or materials were placed, by a person authorized by the com- mittee in support of or opposition to a ballot measure, question or issue that provided the sign or printed materials, by the owner or autho- rized agent of the owner of private property on which such signs or printed materials are placed with or without permission of the owner or placed in violation of state law or county, city or town ordinance or regulation. C. Notwithstanding any other stat- ute, ordinance or regulation, a city, town or county of this state shall not remove, alter, deface or cover any political sign if the following condi- tions are met: 1. The sign is placed in a public right-of-way that is owned or con- trolled by that jurisdiction. 2. The sign supports or opposes a candidate for public offi ce or it sup- ports or opposes a ballot measure. 3. The sign is not placed in a loca- tion that is hazardous to public safe- ty, obstructs clear vision in the area or interferes with the requirements of the Americans with disabilities act (42 United States Code sections 12101 through 12213 and 47 United States Code sections 225 and 611). 4. The sign has a maximum area of sixteen square feet, if the sign is located in an area zoned for resi- dential use, or a maximum area of thirty-two square feet if the sign is located in any other area. 5. The sign contains the name and telephone number or website ad- dress of the candidate or campaign committee contact person. D. If the city, town or county deems that the placement of a political sign constitutes an emergency, the juris- diction may immediately relocate the sign. The jurisdiction shall no- tify the candidate or campaign com- mittee that placed the sign within twenty-four hours after the reloca- tion. If a sign is placed in violation of subsection C of this section and the placement is not deemed to con- stitute an emergency, the city, town or county may notify the candidate or campaign committee that placed the sign of the violation. If the sign remains in violation at least twen- ty-four hours after the jurisdiction notifi ed the candidate or campaign committee, the jurisdiction may remove the sign. The jurisdiction shall contact the candidate or cam- paign committee contact and shall retain the sign for at least ten busi- ness days to allow the candidate or campaign committee to retrieve the sign without penalty. E. A city, town or county employee acting within the scope of the em- ployee's employment is not liable for an injury caused by the failure to remove a sign pursuant to sub- section D of this section unless the employee intended to cause injury or was grossly negligent. F. Subsection C of this section does not apply to commercial tourism, commercial resort and hotel sign free zones as those zones are des- ignated by municipalities. The to- tal area of those zones shall not be larger than three square miles, and each zone shall be identifi ed as a specifi c contiguous area where, by resolution of the municipal govern- ing body, the municipality has de- termined that based on a predomi- nance of commercial tourism, resort and hotel uses within the zone the placement of political signs within the rights-of-way in the zone will detract from the scenic and aesthet- ic appeal of the area within the zone and deter its appeal to tourists. Not more than two zones may be identi- fi ed within a municipality. G. A city, town or county may pro- hibit the installation of a sign on any structure owned by the jurisdiction. H. Subsection C of this section ap- plies only during the period com- mencing seventy-one days before a primary election and ending fi fteen days after the general election, ex- cept that for a sign for a candidate in a primary election who does not advance to the general election, the period ends fi fteen days after the primary election. I. This section does not apply to state highways or routes, or overpasses over those state highways or routes. Learn more at www.azleg.gov/ Alternating lane restrictions on US 95 in Yuma scheduled May 23-26 Drivers should expect delays and allow extra travel time The Arizona Department of Trans- portation advises drivers to plan ahead for lane restrictions on US 95 in Yuma beginning 8 a.m. Monday, May 23. Contractors are scheduled to do fi nal striping as part of the US 95, Wellton Mohawk Canal to Imperial Dam Road Pavement Preservation project. The following restrictions will oc- cur from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. begin- ning Monday, May 23, and ending Thursday, May 26. US 95 will be reduced to one lane between mileposts 38 (near Well- ton/Mohawk Canal) and Imperial Dam Road (milepost 44.34). Flaggers and a pilot truck will di- rect motorists through the work zone. A 12-foot vehicle width restriction will be in place. The speed limit will be reduced to 25 mph. Delays are likely, so travelers should allow extra travel time. Driv- ers should obey posted signs, speed limits and traffi c control devices and use caution around construc- tion personnel. Schedules are subject to change based on weather and other un- foreseen factors. For more infor- mation, please call the ADOT Bi- lingual Project Information Line at 855.712.8530 or go to azdot.gov/ contact and select Projects from the drop-down menu. For real-time highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT's Traveler Information Site at www.az511.gov, Need to know where a milepost is? Click on the "Mile Markers" icon on the map at www.az511.com. Follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except while driving.

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