Desert Messenger

July 18, 2012

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Page 2 www.DesertMessenger.com BLM announces Fire restrictions Yuma, Ariz. – To protect the public, natural resources, and reduce the risks of wildfi res, the Bureau of Land Man- agement (BLM) Colorado River Dis- trict has announced fi re restrictions on 5.4 million acres of public lands in western Arizona and southeastern California along the Colorado River. Effective Friday, June 29, 2012, fi re prevention orders will be enforced on all public lands within the BLM Yuma, Lake Havasu, and Kingman fi eld offi ce jurisdictions. These restrictions are similar to those being implemented in other areas in Arizona. The BLM is asking the public to use extreme caution when visiting public lands this summer. Currently there are no plans to close any areas along the Colorado River area to public use. The public is reminded that the Fire Prevention Order prohibits the fol- lowing acts: 1. Building, maintaining, attending, sives, or any incendiary devices (in- cluding explosive targets); fi reworks are always prohibited on public lands. 4. Welding, operating a torch with open fl ame, or operating a device that discharges sparks or the use of any metal cutting implement. 5. Parking (or driving) a motor ve- hicle, ATV, or UTV off road on or over vegetation. Operating a vehicle off road within designated off highway vehicle area is permitted. Designated OHV areas within: Kingman Field Of- fi ce - Moss Wash and Sleeping Prin- cess. Lake Havasu Field Offi ce - Stan- dard Wash, Copper Basin Dunes, and Crossroads. Yuma Field Offi ce - Eh- renberg Sand Bowl. "Increasing and persistent hot, dry, or using a fi re or campfi re. The use of petroleum-fueled stoves, lanterns, or heating devices is allowed provided such devices meet the fi re underwrit- er's specifi cations for safety. 2. Smoking, except within an en- closed vehicle or recreational vehicle. Smoking is restricted to enclosed vehicle or recreational vehicle on a paved or improved road, or while stopped in an area at least six feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all fl ammable material. 3. Using tracer ammunition, explo- Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com /DesertMessenger and windy conditions have decreased public safety on public lands" said BLM Fire Management Offi cer Mike Trent. "Fire weather conditions war- rant the increase in our fi re preven- tion orders to help protect the public, fi refi ghters, and our natural resources within the Colorado River District." Trent also said "The restrictions will remain in effect until conditions war- rant the raising or lifting of the fi re prevention orders." Violations of these restrictions are punishable by a fi ne of not more than $1,000 and/or imprisonment of not more than 12 months. Imperial, Cibola, Bill Williams, and Havasu National Wildlife Refuges continue to enforce year round fi re re- strictions. For fi re restriction information in Arizona and New Mexico: Call Toll Free: 1-877-864-6985 Visit the website: www.publiclands. org/fi renews www.MyQuartzsite.com Read Desert MESSENGER ONLINE @ Follow on Twitter @DesertMessenger @QuartzsiteRain of the Desert Messenger Email: desertmessenger7@yahoo.com DEADLINE is WED. Aug. 8 for August 15th issue Phone: 541-218-2560 www.DesertMessenger.com Editorial by Shanana "Rain" Golden-Bear "Without a sense of caring, there can be no sense of community." ~ Anthony J. D'Angelo A Caring Community We witnessed what a caring com- munity is all about this past weekend. The storms that blew through brought out the best in humanity again in Quartzsite. We get to bring the "Best of Who We Are" during times like this. How do we come together as a com- munity during the rest of the time? At June's La Paz County Focused Fu- ture II meeting, a popular topic was on how to bring each community within the county together for the benefi t of the whole county, while honoring the unique qualities of each community. Over 70 community members partici- pated in strategizing solutions for a positive future for the whole county. Community leaders and members of La Paz County Health Depart- ment met July 9th for the kick-off of Healthy La Paz - a Community Approach to Better Health. Public Health is the science of protecting and improving the health of communi- ties through education, promotion of healthy lifestyles, and research for disease and injury prevention. The Health Dept. is seeking more Quartzsite citizens to participate in committees. One such committee is the "Voice of Community Assessment Team" which is a creative process, meeting 1-2 times/month through Oc- tober 2012. Purpose is to gather data that tell people's stories by answering the following questions: DESERT ~ What is important to our community? ~ How do citizens perceive their qual- ity of life? ~ What assets do we have that can be used to improve our quality of life and our health? "Voice of Quartzsite Project" includes giving cameras to community mem- bers and helping them tell their stories through pictures and words, as well as Asset Mapping- creating a map of the community that shows the location of specifi c resources/expertise/assets. The Assessment Team will hold an brainstorming meeting next month. If you'd like to participate or just to learn more, visit www.Facebook. com/VoiceofQuartzsite or E-mail: VoiceofQuartzsite@yahoo.com. In a Quartzsite Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition (QSAPC) train- ing session, Sally Riggs asked mem- bers to offer opportunities for colabo- ration and introduce new resources into the community. The common thread in all these meetings was, "how do we come to- gether as a community?" Each group has their "piece of the puzzle" for the benefi t of the whole community. Now it's up to the citizens to participate in the process. How will you participate? "If you have time to whine and complain about something then you have the time to do something about it." ~Anthony J. D'Angelo, The College Blue Book 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 July 18, 2012

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