Desert Messenger

July 19, 2023 ww.DesertMessenger.com 7 • Birth • Obituary • Anniversary, etc. Place it FREE in the: Desert Messenger! 928-916-4235 Got something to share? Opinions expressed in letters to the editor do not necessarily represent those of the Desert Messenger. letters to the editor www.QuartzsiteVideos.com Watch Quartzsite Videos @ NEW R.V. PARK BLOCKS RIVER ACCESS TO LOCAL BEACH "Gilligan's" Island in Ehrenberg Ehrenberg, Arizona residents who live on Comber Boulevard are angry over the actions of the new R.V. Park "River Sands" as they have blocked access to the beach known to the lo- cals as "Gilligan's Island. This public road has been a lifeline for some folks to access the river on days when the temperatures reach well into the triple digits. We have enjoyed this beach for over 40 years. This is a place for everyone to enjoy. "River Sands" has taken away our public beach. Many of the residents purchased property here because of the beach access road. When River Sands began phase one of this development, they stated in an article in the Palo Verde Times that "the beaches would remain open to the public." Clearly this is "not true". When they began clearing the land, they used thousands of gallons of water to fi ll up a man made lake on their property. It was during a his- torical drought. Our local commu- nities will never be able to use this water. It's for River Sand's paying customers. We have also lost hundreds of acres of desert land that was inhabited by many endangered wildlife spe- cies. It is now concrete and asphalt with a wall around it, and it is all for profi t. We want everyone to know that we plan on taking action against the park and appeal to the highest courts. There are U.S. laws that are in place to protect our public beach- es and water resources that are "held in trust for the public. Acting in sovereign capacity as a trustee for the benefi cial use and enjoyment of publicly held waterways for the common use of these resources (ie. The public right to use these waters, shore lands, and submerged lands.) These rights are inalienable in all of the public's interest (and activities) in them cannot be extinguished". "This is not over by any means and we want our beach back. " The local community is not benefi ting from this RV Park. River Sands has mon- ey on their minds as a fi rst priority, and the community is not even a consideration. Elaina Peterson & The Peterson Family Food Bank update Thank You from Friends of the Quartzsite Foof Band and all our hard-working volunteers. Why volunteer? The benefi ts of volunteering can last a lifetime—not only for those who you are helping but for yourself as well. Suppose you are on the fence about diving into a new volunteer experi- ence or have doubts about whether or not volunteering is right for you. In that case, you might be surprised at how much you can gain from tak- ing the plunge. Volunteering makes you a happier, healthier person. You meet new people and make the best friends. You gain a sense of purpose. Boost your self-esteem. You may learn new skill sets and challenge yourself. This means you'll be keeping your brain busy and limber! Come join our "Rebels With A Cause" volunteers at the food bank! Your donation makes a difference. We are a privately owned non- profi t and must raise all the funds we need to operate. When donating to FQFB, you not only receive that good feeling of helping the commu- nity, you can write us off on your taxes as we are a 501c3 nonprofi t. Do you work and owe AZ Taxes? You can donate that money to the food bank instead of paying the state with the AZ Tax Credit. That is not a tax write-off but a credit on your actual AZ taxes that you owe. Up to $800 of your AZ taxes that you do not have to pay. Dollar for dollar of your donations goes to us, and it is still an IRS write- off. If you cannot donate money to us right now, did you know you can gift the food bank a car or RV? You can also leave the food bank a gift of money, real estate, or other items in your will, a Benefi ciary Deed, or even designate retirement IRA accounts or stock investments to the Friends of the Quartzsite Food Bank. You can also have a Legacy Page on our website QuartzsiteFoodBank.com. Don't forget to pick up your gov- ernment boxes at the Western Col- lege 1st and 3rd Mondays 8 am to 10. Watch for changes in their days and times on Facebook at Yuma Community Food Bank. The Quartzsite Transit bus service has free rides to the food bank. Just call them at 928-927-4333 for de- tails. Thank you for taking the time to read this. For more info or to do- nate, go to QuartzsiteFoodBank. com. Or Mail a check and make it out to: FQFB, PO Box 4671 Quartzsite, AZ 85359 Food Bank Hours Tues & Thur 7-11 am at 40 N Moon Mountain. Picture Id, like a driver's license needed to sign up. To volunteer, just show up after 6 am Tues or Thur and come in through the back gate. For more info, call 928-662-7000. FREE CLASSIFIEDS Desert Messenger offers FREE Classifi ed Ads! HERE'S THE SMALL PRINT: Items for sale under $1000. Private Party Only. 1 per month. Yard/Ga- rage/Craft Sales, Wanted, Give-a-ways, Free, Lost & Found, etc. (non-commercial) For more information, contact Rain at 928-916-4235 or Email: Editor@DesertMessenger.com

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