Desert Messenger

July 13, 2016

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3 Garrett murder arrest 4 Changes at QPD 6 Editorial 7 Letters to Editor 9 WAM closure 12 Traveling with Gypsy Jane 14 June turns 100 15 Coucil Updates 17 Restaurants 18 Puzzles 19 Arrest Report 20 Churches 22 Paul Winer Cartoon 23 Classifeds www.DesertMessenger.com • "Quartzsite's FREE Community Paper" • 928-916-4235 WEDNESDAY, JULY 13, 2016 VOL. 12 # 239 Now in our 12 t h YEAR! Alwa y s FREE! WHAT'S INSIDE Parks Dept. secures saguaro in Celia's Rainbow Gardens ������ | J����� W���� By Joanne Winer The very first saguaro that was donated and planted in Celia's Rainbow Gardens lost its battle with necrosis disease last year. We've been waiting a long time for the flesh to come off so we could secure and preserve the skeleton of this beautiful giant. I was devastated by its loss, as I was there when it arrived. Helge, a cactus landscaper from Yuma, had been sent by Bureau of Land Management (BLM) to bring this giant cactus to Quartzsite from one of the mining ar- eas near town. We did not have any heavy equipment, so we all spent hours digging a huge hole by hand and then Helge put it into the hole and we put all the dirt back in to secure it. It was one of the first things we did in the Gardens over 20 years ago! It stood proud- ly by the amphitheater all that time before the necro- sis disease, which is only found in saguaros, took its life. It was sad to see all the black goop that comes out of a saguaro when it has this disease. I called an expert in Phoenix called the Cactus Doctor who told me not to cut it down, but to pour bleach all around the base and let it rot until all the flesh came off. After that, I was told to dig a trench around the base and fill it in with cement to secure the spines; that it would make a beautiful display and be very educational for everyone to see what it was then and what it is now. With the monsoons coming, I was afraid that it would have fallen over if I didn't get it secured as soon as possible, and the Town Parks Dept. workers were asked to help. Tom Thomas who works for the Parks Dept. and who was once a landscaper, along with Dennis Wilskey, who is a Mas- ter Gardener, both took some time Thursday to get this giant skeleton secured and ready for display. They installed rebar around the base and added 6 bags of cement to hold it upright. They then put wire around the main spine and the one arm that could be saved to make it secure and to get it back into the shape it should be. Paul and I went out to meet Tom after they were done, and it looks great!! They even added some beau- tiful green marble rock around the base to cover the cement and it really makes it stand out. The displays will be in place as soon as they are made. Thanks very much to the Park workers for all their help--and by the way, they and the Public Works Dept. built the archway in the Hero's area. They will have the two huge bells hung by Sept. 11 when we are planning to have a special ceremony to honor the 9/11 first responders as well as other groups still working to keep us safe. More info on that when the time gets closer. Thank you so much, guys!!!

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