Desert Messenger

December 1, 2010

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D������� 1, 2010 Quartzsite Community Prevention Coalition (QCPC) Thanks to the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, the state has been provided with the 2010 Arizona Youth Survey, which gives the public information on pre-teen and teen substance abuse within our state. It also breaks the information down into individual counties, which gives the public more pertinent information on the substance use going on within our own communities. Students surveyed attend the 8th, 10th, and 12th grades, and they are questioned about substance use within the last thirty days, and lifetime use. While some of the substance use has declined over the past four years, others have increased and some of the percentages are a bit alarming. For example, alcohol use has increased from 61.7 percent to 64.5 percent of all students surveyed, which have been using alcohol for a long period of time. Marijuana use has also increased to 31.7 percent, while cigarette use has gone down. These are just a few examples of some of the results the state has collected for our local county, and the highest percentages collected by the survey also seem to be the biggest problems within our community. There is many high school students who get alcohol by attending a party, but a large percentage of them also give money to a person who is of legal age. An even more alarming thing occurring within the community is that parents are allowing teens and their friends to drink within their old ���.D�����M��������.��� Substance abuse survey results in! Submitted by Samantha Hess households. These are the things that the Quartzsite Community Prevention Coalition is trying to prevent. What a lot of people do not realize is that the legal age for alcohol use is set at 21 for a reason. It has been scientifically proven that until the age of 21 the brain is still developing and teens that drink alcohol on a regular basis are killing off their brain cells, therefore they are not fully developing, which may lead to problems within the future. This is pertinent information that a lot of parents are not aware of either. We need to work together to educate our youth and even parents on the actual effects that substance abuse has on the human body. They may feel like it is fun at the time, but what they don’t realize is that it may be harming them in the long run. We need to work together as a community to lower these percentages and work on getting our students to realize that getting good grades and developing dreams and goals for the future is a lot more important than trying different drugs, and drinking every weekend at a local party, and possibly doing something that they may regret for the rest of their lives. There is a time and place for everything and underage teens should not be experiencing many of the substances that the youth survey has proven that they have. So let’s work together as a community to reach for a common goal, and work towards lowering these percentages by the time the next survey is released. Samantha Hess QCPC WATCHES BATTERIES BLACK HILLS GOLD SAME LOCATION! Tyson Wells space #11 AVIS & DICK CASSEM KEEP INFORMED! Updated news from the Desert Messenger available 24/7 online www.QuartzsiteBlog.com Stay connected! NOW ON TWITTER AND FACEBOOK 602-390-1613 Quartzsite, AZ- While excitement built around the Scholars’ Academy winning football team being honored at Tuesday night’s Quartzsite Town Council meeting, activity was taking place outside before the meeting. Recently declared council candidate, Jennifer “Jade” Harris-Jones was ar- rested as she approached Quartzsite Town Hall on Tuesday evening, No- vember 23, 2010. She was arrested on two charges: Obstructing Gov- ernmental Operations; a Class 1 mis- demeanor; and False Reporting to Law Enforcement Agencies; a Class 1 misdemeanor. The charges were pertaining to an incident on Friday, November 19, 2010, when Quartzsite Building Official, Al Johnson, went to 645 N. Central Blvd., Quartzsite on of- ficial Town Business. The property consists of J & S Cov- ers, a year-round business owned by Jim and Stephanie Aaron, and A Fur Salon, a seasonal dog grooming vend- ing business owned by Jennifer “Jade” Harris-Jones. To view the video of the incident taken by John “Jack” L. Jones, vis- it http://www.quartzsitearizona. blogspot.com/. During the Quartzsite Town Council meeting, Mr. Russell Sias, Manager of Crawford’s Trailer Park and a previous candidate for council, presented ma- nilla envelopes to each council mem- ber, Town Manager Alex Taft, and P��� 29 Two arrested at Council meeting! asked Town Attorny Pamela Walsma to give an envelope to Al Johnson, who was not present. Sias proceeded to the back of the room where Police Chief Jeff Gilbert stood, with crossed arms. Sias shoved the envelope into his chest and face, creating outcries from the crowd. Sargeant Javier Frausto took Sias into custody on a misdemeanor charge of Assault. To view the video of the council meeting including the alleged assault and Sias arrest, visit www.youtube. com/user/qwatchingeyes.com. Mayor Ed Foster delivered bail for Harris-Jones during the night. Sias was released on Wednesday. In Arizona, a Class 1 misdemeanor can carry a maximum sentence of 6 months in jail and a $2500 fine. Plumbing? Call: Dennis Dole Got Water? Need GD Plumbing & Supply 928-580-1741 Licensed • Bonded• Insured K 37 ROC 2114 CRAFTS & YARN NOW OPEN! Same Location! Lots of New Yarn! We’re looking forward to seeing all our friends and customers! Tyson Wells Space #11 • General Store Quartzsite FOR ALL YOUR GROCERY NEEDS! OPEN 7 DAYS 8AM-6PM SALES RUN THURS.-SAT. (NEW FLYER TUES.) 410 E. MAIN ST. Fresh Meats (retail & wholesale) 928-927-6310 A.P.S. Pay Station AZ Lottery & Pick Fish & Game Licenses Beer & Wine Wool Sock Arlene & Dale 605-390-6379 Everyday Low Prices!

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