Downtown Prescott Still Open for Business

Photo by Noah Austin

With the Doce Fire, near Prescott, still at zero percent containment, many of our readers may be wondering how Prescott itself is being affected. David Maurer, the CEO of the Prescott Chamber of Commerce, says the town isn’t feeling any major effects from the fire, which is about 8 miles northwest of historic Courthouse Square in downtown Prescott. “It’s basically just another business day,” Maurer says, adding that the prevailing winds are blowing the fire’s smoke away from the town.

The area threatened by the fire is relatively remote, Maurer says. There have been about 460 evacuations so far, but as of midday Wednesday, no structures have burned.

Maurer says all of Prescott is still “open for business” and that upcoming events will go on as scheduled. That includes this weekend’s Bluegrass Festival, on Saturday and Sunday.

—Noah Austin, Associate Editor

Grand Canyon NP Dedicates Newly Renovated Bright Angel Trailhead

National Park Service

Some exciting news from our friends at the Grand Canyon (and another reason to hit the trail this summer!):

On Saturday, May 18, more than 500 people gathered to celebrate the trailhead renovation of one of Grand Canyon National Park’s oldest and most-visited trails. The dedication ceremony, celebrated jointly by Grand Canyon National Park and the Grand Canyon Association, was opened with a traditional welcome by tribal representative Diana Sue Uqualla from the Havasupai Tribe.  Superintendent Dave Uberuaga spoke of the significance of the renovations to the historic trail, which included a new seating area and plaza, new restrooms to replace portable toilets, paved parking, new stone masonry walls, accessible walkways, and a new identity sign.

National Park Service

The project was overseen by Grand Canyon National Park Project Manager Vicky Stinson, with construction completed by Merrill, Inc., out of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Chevo Studios and Rock & Co., both from Denver, built the stone masonry walls, the seating areas and the new identity sign.

The project was funded jointly by park entrance fees and private funds raised through the park’s official fundraising partner, the Grand Canyon Association.

National Park Service

Major donors to the project were recognized at the event, including:

Liz and Bill Sweeney
Craig and Sally Clayton
Ken and Dorothy Lamm
Robert and Ellen Hostetler
Mr. and Mrs. John R. Rockwell
Penny Schultz
Horejsi Charitable Foundation
American Express
Cal and Barbara Banker

Bill Sweeney, a major donor to the Bright Angel trailhead renovation, announced a matching gift of $15,000 to support the renovation of the historic Kolb Studio, which is on the South Rim. The match was made in two hours, and the Sweeneys raised their matching gift to $25,000, which was matched by the end of the weekend.

“We appreciate the funding that was made available through generous donors that made the completion of the Bright Angel Trailhead Rehabilitation Project possible. We also greatly appreciate the donations made in support of the renovation of the historic Kolb Studio,” said Uberuaga. “Because of their generosity, we have been able to bring the area around the Bright Angel Trailhead up to modern standards, and we will be able to make great improvements to Kolb Studio, a facility visited by thousands of park visitors each year.”

In the Area: Vivace in Tucson

Flickr image by Victor Radziun

Next time you’re hungry and near the Catalina Foothills in Tucson, pop by Vivace for a bite to eat. I happened to be in the area along with Mark Lipczynski (one of our contributing photographers… check out our “Hometowns” page to see his photographs) working on an upcoming story, when our subject — who will be part of our September issue — suggested we nosh at Vivace before hitting the road again.

The place has an excellent — and affordable — lunch menu. Think pizza, salads and other specialty dishes like roasted eggplant. Besides good food, the service was outstanding. Our server was funny, attentive and fast. Vivace is clearly a neighborhood favorite: the place was bustling.

Manga!

Information: 4310 N. Campbell; 520-795-7221

 

Flickr pic by Victor Radziun

Your Invite to the Oracle State Park Grand Re-Opening!

Courtesy of Arizona State Parks

Some FABULOUS news to report… As many of you know, since 2009, Oracle State Park has been closed to the public due to budget cuts… Well, thanks to some pretty amazing people, the park is set to RE-OPEN this Saturday, February 4!

Hint, hint… mark your calendars and GO!

The Friends of Oracle State Park played a major role in the opening with an intensive fund-raising effort and membership drive. After the 4th, the park will be open on Saturdays to the general public from 8:00am – 5:00pm, and to school groups on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays in February, March, April, September, October and November.

I spoke to Ellen Bilbrey from Arizona State Parks about the good news and what you can do to help keep our state parks open for many more years to come.

Why was the park closed in the first place?
The park was closed when funds were swept from Arizona State Parks and the Heritage Fund was eliminated. This was an environmental park and does programming for schools and hosts about 3,000 children a year, so it was funded heavily from the Heritage Fund.

How is the park able to stay open?
The park is only open on Saturday’s for the public and from February through April and September through November for now. The rest of the week is devoted to children’s programming. Because our agency has reduced staff, and there are so many volunteers at Oracle, the Friends of Oracle State Park are assisting us in staffing the park to keep the park open.

Why is it important to keep our state parks open?
It is critical to keep state parks open because they are the revenue generators for rural Arizona towns. They draw 2.1 million visitors a year and that generates about $266 million for their economies, as well as $23 million in tax revenues. The more visitors that come to these areas, the more is spent on gas, food, lodging and gift items which support these small-town economies and generates tax revenues.

How can folks support our state parks?
The best way to support your state parks is to visit them and enjoy the amenities at the parks and the surrounding communities. Letting the public know you are in town and that you support your state parks is critical to saving them.

What can folks expect to find at Oracle State Park?
Oracle State Park is oak grassland, riparian woodland and mesquite scrub habitats that contain an multitude of wildlife and plant species. There are guided bird walks along the scenic hiking trails that are at about 4,000 feet in elevation. The 1930′s Kannally Ranch House is a four-level Pueblo Revival adobe with Mediterranean influences. There are hand-carved corbels, stenciled walls, hand-formed fireplaces and French casement windows with beautiful views of the Galiuro Mountains.

Check out what the park has planned for this Saturday:

8:30 am: Guided Bird Walk- Enjoy the beautiful landscape with sweeping views of the Catalinas on this morning Bird Walk.

10 am, 2 pm, 4 pm: House Tours- Tour the Kannally Ranch House, a unique Mediterranean style house listed on the National Register of Historic Places, that was once part of the Kannally family cattle ranch.

11 am: Oracle Odyssey Program- Enjoy a 45 minute excerpt from an Environmental Education Trail Program. Activities, for grades 4-6, focus on habitat and the interrelationships between plants, animals and people.

Noon: VIP Presentations- Presentations will take place at Noon in the living room of the Kannally Ranch House celebrating the park’s re-opening.

1 pm: Oracle Adventure Program- Enjoy a 45 minute excerpt from an Environmental Education Trail Program. Sample activities, designed for grades 1-3, use the five senses to explore the environment.

10 am to 4 pm: Booths & Bake Sale- Check out fun Interactive Educational Booths! Plus the Friends of Oracle State Park will have baked goods and special treats for sale at the Kannally Ranch House.

 Information 3820 Wildlife Drive, Oracle, AZ; 1-800-285-3703; http://www.AZStateparks.com

 

In the Area: The Surgeon’s House

The Master Suite

If you’re planning a trip to Jerome and aren’t sure where to stay, consider catching some zzzz’s at The Surgeon’s House Bed and Breakfast. The place is wonderfully sublime…. blissful, quiet and certainly not lacking in the charm department. If you’re looking for cozy, consider booking The Maid’s Suite Front — the room may be small (you’ll certainly get that warm, fuzzy feeling), but the views of the valley below are spectacular. Privacy seekers should check out The Chauffeur’s Quarters…. besides being detached from the main house, the space also has its own secluded rooftop garden, perfect for sipping wine and taking in the awe-inspiring views… I spent the night in The Master Suite last weekend and I couldn’t have been more tickled — antiques, books, a separate sitting-area… it was heavenly.

I wish I could have stayed an additional night… for maximum relaxation.

As the B&B’s owner, well, expect to be treated like royalty…. Andrea treats her guests to a tasty home cooked breakfast…. in fact, her food is so yummy, Andrea has several cookbooks…. if you do visit her, be sure to have one of her homemade scones.

Simply put, they are TO-DIE-FOR.

 

Dunbar Springs… in Photos

STOP in Dunbar Springs. Photo by Detritus

Dunbar Springs.

I had never heard of the place until I saw this slideshow courtesy of The New York Times entitled, “Murals and Tasting Menus in a Corner of Tucson.”

Dunbar Springs looks very cool and I want to head south to Tucson to check it out… there are so many groovy spots included in the slideshow like, 801 Gallery, The Tasteful Kitchen and The Red Barn Theater (honestly, the place had me when I saw that “How to Talk Minnesotan” is currently playing this month).

Here’s what the digital version of The Gray Lady said about Dunbar Springs:

People don’t just live in Dunbar Spring, they nest. In the Tucson neighborhood just north of downtown, yards bristle with salvaged scrap metal, along with solar panels and water harvesting tubes. Many houses resemble art installations. Dunbar Spring was Tucson’s first black neighborhood; it is named after two prominent citizens:  the African-American poet Paul Laurence Dunbar and the Swiss-born John Spring, who became Arizona’s first bilingual public-school teacher in 1872. Today, it is a haven for artists, environmentalists and local foods activists.

>>Flickr pic by detritus