Desert Messenger

2 Soup & Chower success 3 Giant Geoglyphs 8 Editorial 9 Letters to Editor 11 Restaurants 12 Traveling with Gypsy Jane 15 Adventures w/Rocks 16 Around Town 17 Rotary 18 Arrest Report 30 Golf 32 Arrest Report 38 In Memoriam 40 Churches 42 Puzzles 43 Parade Photos 44 Letters to Santa 45 Classifed 46 Paul Winer Cartoon WHAT'S INSIDE www.DesertMessenger.com • "Quartzsite's FREE Community Paper" • 928-916-4235 WEDNESDAY, December 16, 2015 VOL. 12 # 227 Now in our 12 t h YEAR! Alwa y s FREE! Chambers join for ribbon cutting The Quartzsite Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism (QACC&T) held a grand opening celebration of its new offi ce in the heart of business Main Street Wednesday, Decem- ber 9, 2015. The Quartzsite Business Cham- ber of Commerce hosted the ribbon cutting ceremony for the new chamber. Board members from both chambers attended the ceremony along with offi cials from La Paz County and Town of Quartzsite, business owners, media, non-profi t organizations and volunteers. "What you see here today is a team effort, a commu- nity effort, and shows the good that can happen when we set aside personal differences and focus on the what is good for the community and for business," said QACC&T President Phil Cushman. He continued to explain that the two chambers are working togeth- er building upon each others' strengths. The new chamber opened last month at 1240 W. Main Street, across from McDonald's, right next door to Hardies Beads & Jewelry. The building was totally remodeled during the summer. Board mem- bers and volunteers have been keeping regular hours Monday through Saturday from 9am - 4pm. The mission of the new chamber states they're "Working together to build a strong local economy and tourist destination for the Quartzsite area." Cushman honored his 99 year-old grandmother, Maude Berdette, who attended the ceremony. He said is probably the oldest business owner in town. Paul Winer, of the Business Chamber, spoke about how the two chambers will work together over the coming years. He explained their board members have worked hard for the past 12 years, and are getting tired and older. He said, "We're glad to see the cooperation taking place here." The Quartzsite Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism is organized to promote, support and expand the business community of the Quartzsite Area. There are 14 members on the Executive Board, who worked all summer on founding Cushman explained to the crowd, "For the fi rst time, Quartzsite is advertised the 2016 Offi cial Arizona Tourism Guide, which has a distribution of 450,000 copies and prominently displayed in airports and tourism centers." Cushman explained the new chamber "is in the process of becoming an Offi cial Tourism Information Center and will soon have the blue signs at the entryways into Quartzsite." Cushman ended his presentation with; "After all the reports of Quartzsite's demise are highly exaggerated." ����� | S������ RAIN B���C��

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