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Page 2 TRAILS FROM PAGE 1 Vehicle) trails in the Quartzsite, Ari- zona area. OHV use in La Paz county, where Quartzsite is located, generates over $44,000,000.00 (44 million dol- lars) a year and supports over 450 jobs. This is information published by the Arizona State Parks Depart- ment. To close the OHV trails around Quartzsite would be devastating to the local economy. Most importantly the thousands of senior citizens from all over the USA who spend the winter in Quartzsite, and who generate all that money, could not access the desert without their OHV's. About one/third of the winter visitors bring their OHV's with them. Enjoying the desert is a vital quality of life issue for us seniors. To close the trails is to deny us access. We don't know what the BLM plans to do but they have already closed our most highly valued trail, the trail to Drip- ping Springs. The reasons given for this closing does not make sense to us. We think we are justifi ed in our alarm about what the BLM may do next. For more information on this impor- tant issue please check out the follow- ing websites: http://quartzsitetrails.com www.arizonasunridersatvclub.com Chevron passes inspection Quartzsite, Arizona- Monday, March 19th a complaint was fi led with the Arizona Department of Weights and Measures by Mr. David Bertrand of Quartzsite. Bertrand complained that the Chevron fuel contained "more than 20% of ethanol in pumps....[he] had to drain his car [and it was] happening to others as well." The AZ Dept. of Weights and Mea- sures responded and took samples at the Chevron Station owned by Shay Oil Company, on Tuesday, March 20, 2012. The results published online shows the Ethanol percentages of the four samples taken are: 9.7%, 8.2%, 9.8% and 9.1%, all below legal limits. There was also NO water found in any of the samples. Chevron's station opened in Quartz- site in 1964. To read the full report, visit: https://www.azdwm.gov/Pd- fOriginals/4944-225611.pdf www.DesertMessenger.com Editorial by Shanana "Rain" Golden-Bear "A torn jacket is soon mended, but hard words bruise the heart of a child." ~ Henry Wadsworth Longfellow April is National Child Abuse Preven- tion Month, a time to recognize that we each can play a part in promoting the social and emotional well-being of children and families in communities. Have Your Words Ever Got You Into Trouble? I'm sure we've all said a few things we've later regretted. The power of words seems to be in the forefront in Quartzsite, with many articles on these pages relating to the use of lan- guage and choices people have made. Words are more powerful than we might realize. They have the power to wound or heal, discourage or encour- age, tear down or build up. Words are just tools we use to communicate. A hammer is a tool. It can be used to build a house or tear it down. Just like household tools, Words have the power to build bridges. They have the capacity to close the gap between peo- ple. They can also demolish bridges and make it impossible to heal a rift. We've all heard, "Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me." Sounds good, doesn't it? However, words contain tremen- dous positive or negative power and thus can be used to hurt or heal. Research shows that words have emotional, physical and spiritual impact. The words you speak or write can lift you up or send you into a downward spiral. They can actually of the Desert Messenger Email: desertmessenger7@yahoo.com DEADLINE is WED. April 11 for April 18th issue Phone: 541-218-2560 www.DesertMessenger.com cause physical changes in your body and change the emotional and spiri- tual atmosphere of your life. David Ropeik, Instructor at Har- vard, said, "Danger, even if it's only suggested by the meaning of a word, comes fi rst, setting off a protective re- action [in the brain] that makes it harder April 4, 2012 to think carefully about anything else. Which means that the judgments we make about risks, from off shore drill- ing to fl ying to going to the hospital, might feel protective but might not produce the most thoughtful, safest, healthiest choices. So...beware of your risk response. It's good at protecting you, but in a world of complex mod- ern risks, it can get you into trouble too. Sticks and stones, and words, can fi guratively break your bones." Words shape our reality. Words can set things in motion and start a certain course. By bringing this awareness into our daily lives, we can be a positive force, both in our own lives and in the lives of others. We can then choose to use words to heal rather than harm. In the world of technology, our written words on the Internet will be there forever... really! Employers are regularly searching social media sites before hiring. Young people are learn- ing their moment of drunken partying could cost them a job. And big govern- ment is watching our every move. So, we ask ourselves, what do we want the next seven generations to know about us? What words do I leave behind? Maybe we want to take a mo- ment and pause, before using words that might come back to haunt us. We are role models for the youth. Let's Celebrate National Child Abuse Prevention Month by making wise word choices, both spoken and written. "A gentle response defuses anger, but a sharp tongue kindles a temper fi re" Proverbs 15:1 DESERT The Western Area Council of Gov- ernements (WACOG) Utility Assis- tance Program provides assistance in paying utility bills to low-income households. Staff and volunteers take applications at numerous locations throughout La Paz, Mohave, and Yuma Counties. WACOG Case Work- ers assist homebound applicants when necessary. Help with utility bills La Paz County residents: Please call 1-877-829-2284 Monday - Friday from 8:00am - 5:00pm. Please leave a message with your full name and telephone number and a Case worker will return your call within 2 business days to set up on appointment. Appointments will be schedule every Monday and Tuesday. QIA Bingo huge success The Quartzsite Improvement Associa- tion (QIA) would like to thank all the Bingo players who remained loyal during the season. With your generos- ity, the QIA Bingo players and staff donated $500 for year round senior citizens food purchases. The funds went to Quartzsite General Store to be distributed in $20 vouchers. The fi rst year of Bingo at QIA was a huge success. A special thank you to Steve and Celeste Hunt who provided the gold for the "Digging for Gold" game. Bingo Director Pat Smith said, "it was much more than we envisioned for our fi rst year! Thank you to every- one who participated." Quartzsite's FREE Community Paper Founded by Walt Akin, October 1, 2004 Contributing Writer, Joanne Winer PUBLISHED BY PILOT ROCK PUBLISHING CO. P.O. Box 3185, Quartzsite, AZ 85359 www.DesertMessenger.com • www.QuartzsiteBlog.com E-mail: desertmessenger7@yahoo.com Published twice a month on the 1st & 3rd Wednesday, Sept. thru May with Special Summer Editions in June, July & August Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the Desert Messenger. Shanana "Rain" Golden-Bear, Publisher 541-218-2560 Copyright © 2012 MESSENGER Name Plate Lettering by Paul Winer Contributing Photographer, Starr BearCat