The Town of Gilbert celebrates its 2014 Playful City USA status. Gilbert is one of four cities in AZ to receive the award eight consecutive times.

KaBOOM! recently announced its Playful City USA honorees: communities that are leaders in “playability,” the commitment to providing balanced and active play to children.

The KaBOOM! Playful City USA program honors cities, towns and communities across America that are taking bold steps to ensure that all children, especially the 16 million American kids living in poverty, have easy access to balanced and active play in their communities. 212 cities nationwide have been recognized this year, 12 of which are in Arizona.

Playful City USA honorees include major cities such as Washington, D.C., San Francisco and Chicago. In Arizona, these honorees include cities and towns across the state. They range from eight-time honorees like Chandler, Gilbert, Tucson and Yuma, to first-time recipient Prescott Valley.

Tempe is once again recognized by KaBOOM! as a Playful City USA community for its commitment to keeping kids active through accessible playspaces and youth sports programs.

These Playful City USA communities are making a commitment to transform their communities to become more playable by developing unique local action plans to increase the quantity and quality of play in their community.

Playful City USA Honorees in Arizona: 

Buckeye
Casa Grande
Chandler
Coolidge
Gilbert
Maricopa
Mesa
Oro Valley
Prescott Valley
Tempe
Tucson
Yuma

To see the full list of the 212 communities named 2014 Playful City USA honorees, or for more information on the Playful City USA program, visit www.playfulcityusa.org.

Sierra Vista’s “home grown” Randy Redmond has been named Fire Chief of the Year by the Arizona Fire Chief’s Association.

Redmond earned the esteemed recognition through dogged pursuit of long term goals and ongoing efforts to increase funding for firefighter training. Other highlights of Redmond’s career include coordinating a statewide mutual aid agreement to allow fire agencies across the state to work closely together, as well as spearheading a consolidation effort with Fry Fire District to better serve the greater Sierra Vista community.

“The community can be very proud to have someone of Randy’s caliber serving as our fire chief, says Chuck Potucek, Sierra Vista city manager. “The fact that Randy is ‘home grown’ shows the professionalism that is embodied within our fire service right here in Sierra Vista.”

Redmond, a resident of Sierra Vista for over 40 years, started his career in the fire service as a reserve firefighter with the City of Sierra Vista in 1982. He later spent 12 years with Fry Fire District before rejoining the Sierra Vista Fire Department as fire captain in 1997, advancing through the ranks to Fire Chief in 2008.

“When you are Chief of an organization there is so much that needs to be done, but when you give of your time to help many others from all over the state, that says so much more about the character behind the badge,” said Mary Cameli, president of the Arizona Fire Chief’s Association, “and Randy has displayed this dedication year in and year out.”

“We are so thankful for all that he does for some many firefighters across the state of Arizona,” she adds.

“It’s an honor to be awarded this recognition,” Redmond says. “I’m privileged to work with many professionals in the fire services and it’s really about supporting each other and supporting our communities.”

AFCA’s mission is to serve chief fire officers by providing leadership through involvement; professional development through networking, education and information distribution; and a forum to improve fire services of Arizona. Visit www.azfirechiefs.com for more information on AFCA.

“NerdWallet,” a website that helps consumers make better financial decisions, has determined which Arizona cities and towns are among the best places to live in. The site conducted a study that would give potential home-buyers a closer look at the current housing market, basing its rankings on key factors like population growth, monthly costs, homeownership rates, and monthly income. The City of Maricopa topped the list, seeing a population increase of nearly 20 percent in two years and an impressive home ownership rate exceeding 80 percent. The town of Queen Creek rounded out the top five, boasting a median home value of nearly $250,000 and an exciting near-future development of a 14-screen movie theater.

It should come as no surprise that Arizona cities and towns continue to show such positive growth. After all, the state itself continues to be one of the fastest growing in the nation, with the US Census Bureau reporting a nearly 220,000 person -jump from 2010 to 2013 alone. The state has already experienced notable points of economic turnaround, but can look especially forward to the increase in job openings and revenue a new Apple plant will bring.

For more information about NerdWallet, visit www.nerdwallet.com.

City of Buckeye Police Officers Michael Miklus and Jeff Lumadue discuss how they went above and beyond the call of duty serving a resident of Buckeye on Channel 3, Your Life A to Z.

Preparing Mesa’s future generation for a globally competitive workforce is a crucial undertaking, and Mayor Scott Smith has it covered.

Both the city’s Mayor and Vice Mayor Alex Finter joined Cities United for Science Progress (CUSP), a partnership between The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and DuPont, at Keller Elementary School and Roosevelt Elementary School for the Mesa’s “Science in the School Day.”

Nearly 70 fourth graders and 80 fifth graders worked side by side to build “puff mobiles,” a fun hands-on project exploring basic engineering principles that derived from the popular children’s television show ZOOM. Mayor Smith and Vice Mayor Finter joined the students as they built their mobiles using everyday materials like drinking straws, lifesavers, paper, scotch-tape and paperclips.  The council members closed the program by having the students race their inventions to determine the “fastest puff mobile in the school” and presented the winner with a prize.

Mayor Smith highlighted how events like “Science in the School Day,” while fun and interesting, are far from a simple spin on the typical science lesson: “As Mesa continues to grow,” he said, ” it must prepare our future leaders with a strong math and science background. The students in Mesa will no longer compete with Dallas, but with Mumbai and Beijing.  We anticipate that this experience will spark an interest in our students to consider a career in math or science, and perhaps one day aspire to become engineers.”

CUSP is a partnership between The U.S. Conference of Mayors and DuPont.  Through the $5.5 million Lead-Safe…for Kids’ Sake grant program and the acclaimed Science in the School Day initiative, over 55 cities have received grants, 250 cities have been visited, and over 40,000 elementary school children have participated in the USCM-DuPont partnership.  CUSP provides assistance to mayors in promoting and inspiring student’s interest in science and engineering.

Goodyear Ballpark is gaining notoriety as one of the best spring training facilities in the country and is in contention to be named as the best Spring Training facility in the country.

USA Today’s latest 10 Best Reader’s Choice Travel Award Contest is in the newly-formed Best Spring Training Facility Category and the spring training home of the Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Indians is one of the frontrunners.

The newspaper’s expert panel nominated Goodyear Ballpark for the honor of giving everyone four weeks to vote for their candidate of choice. A person can vote once a day for the run of the contest, which ends Monday, March 24.

Goodyear Ballpark, which has been the spring training home of the Cleveland Indians since 2009 and the Cincinnati Reds since 2010, is a 10,300-seating facility, and was voted the Best Place to See a Spring Training Game in Arizona by readers of the Phoenix New Times for two of the last four years. The ballpark is known for hosting special events for families and fans of all ages. Last summer, the ballpark seta Guinness World Record by holding the largest event with people wearing false mustaches.

To vote for Goodyear Ballpark as your favorite place to catch a Spring Training game, visit http://www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-spring-training-facility. A person can vote once a day for the run of the contest, which ends Monday, March 24.

Winners will be announced Wednesday, March 26 on 10Best on www.usatoday.com and in USA Today.

The Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona (WIFA) announced that the Town of Clarkdale was selected to receive both of WIFA’s Project of the Year awards. This is the first time in WIFA’s history that both the Clean Water (for wastewater infrastructure) and Drinking Water Project of the Year awards went to the same entity. A special awards presentation will take place at the Town of Clarkdale Council Meeting on March 25th.

The 2013 Clean Water Project of the Year was for Clarkdale’s Broadway Reclamation Facility, a $5.5 million infrastructure project to replace an outdated lagoon treatment system with a recycled and refurbished mechanical wastewater treatment facility. After it was determined that their original plans to construct a new plant were cost-prohibitive, Clarkdale officials decided to purchase and refurbish a decommissioned wastewater treatment plant from a subdivision in Surprise.

“What an incredibly innovative and sustainable solution to improve water infrastructure and protect water quality,” said WIFA Board Chairman Henry Darwin, who is also Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. “Clarkdale staff really thought outside the box on this one and deserve this award.”

The outdated lagoon system posed significant water quality threats to the adjacent Verde River, designated by Congress as a Wild and Scenic River. The new wastewater treatment plant is enclosed and eliminates any potential discharge to the Verde River. The project was selected based on the significant improvements made to protect water quality, the highly innovative practices employed and excellent project management.

The 2013 Drinking Water Project of the Year award was for Clarkdale’s Twin 5s Water Main Replacement project. Clarkdale borrowed $1.6 million from WIFA, which included $800,000 in forgivable principal, to replace and relocate two above-ground 5-inch steel water mains.

The 90-year old exposed water mains were vulnerable to natural disasters and introduction of chemical or biological agents. By implementing these improvements, the Town of Clarkdale has eliminated the security risk and resolved operation and maintenance issues. The project was selected for the award based on Clarkdale’s exceptional dedication to the project and the significant improvements made to protect public health.

Smithsonian Exhibit Journey Stories

The Smithsonian Exhibit “Journey Stories” is here to stay until April 5th, and residents of Sierra Vista are loving it.

Culture influences, automobile evolution, and what has driven Americans from coast to coast are just a few of the engaging topics covered at this unique presentation, which is open Monday-Saturday, free of charge, at the city’s Henry F. Hauser Museum.

The idea that “everyone has a story” is a central theme of Journey Stories. The tales of travel to America-whether in hopes of a better life, by force, or original settlement-carry significant impact in the country’s history and formation, and the continuing diversification of its modern-day culture.

The Exhibit is a collaboration between both the Smithsonian Institution and State Humanities Councils, and is made possible by Arizona Humanities Council. It has been displayed in nearly 100 communities located in 18 different states. Nancy Krieski, the Hauser Museum curator, was quite instrumental in pulling together the countless events and activities complementing the exhibit on its opening day. Engaging speakers, a variety educational entertainment, and local storytelling were among a lengthy list of other complementary attractions residents enjoyed on February 22. Krieski expressed gratitude and appreciation of volunteers and donors that made a memorable opening day possible.

Those who missed the excitement from the February exhibit opening needn’t worry, as there are a variety of complementary events scheduled until the end of March. Aviation & Military Enthusiasts will love the presentation of Douglas Army Air Field, previously “one of Arizona’s largest and most important training bases.” Railroad buffs will appreciate the upcoming “tales and truths” session about railroads in Cochise County, set to take place on March 15. A tour and presentation of the unique Camp Naco historic site will happen on March 29, and a delightful “Children’s Music Maker” workshop is scheduled for March 30.

For more information, call the Museum at 439.2306 or visit www.SierraVistaAZ.gov.

Phoenix City Clerk Cris Meyer was named the 2013 Clerk of the Year by the Arizona Municipal Clerks’ Association (AMCA) at its annual conference..  The Municipal Clerk of the Year award is given annually to a deserving candidate selected by the AMCA’s Executive Board to recognize an AMCA member who has made significant contributions to the profession.  In addition to advising clerks across the state, Meyer serves as the AMCA Legislative Committee Chair and does training on campaign finance law at each annual elections conference.

“Cris consistently finds new and improved ways of serving the public,” said former Phoenix City Manager David Cavazos.  “Those innovations have become models for other local governments.  He is a tremendous asset to the city of Phoenix and is well-deserving of this honor.”

Meyer has been involved in Phoenix elections in various capacities since he joined the city in 1985 and has participated in conducting more than 30 elections.  He has managed the development and implementation of Phoenix’s successful early voting by mail program that now accounts for more than 90 percent of all ballots cast.  Most recently, he managed the launch of the city’s innovative voting centers, which is the first in the nation to offer three days of voting, with one of those days being a Saturday.

He is the recipient of several public service awards, including the Governor’s Excellence Award in 1994 for coordinating a state interagency effort to better handle child support cases.  He also received a City Excellence Award in 2011 and 1997.

Meyer has a law degree from the University of Illinois and is a member of the Bar in Arizona and Illinois.  Prior to joining the city of Phoenix, he worked as a law clerk in federal district court and as assistant attorney general in the Arizona Attorney General’s Office.

The success of a cleanup in December 2013 has prompted the City of Buckeye to host a second cleanup event near Skyline Park, an 8,675 acre mountain preserve set to open in 2015. The City of Buckeye is seeking volunteers and community groups to participate in the second cleanup to remove trash and debris that has accumulated from illegal shooting and dumping occurring on Arizona State Trust Land just south of the future park entrance.  The first cleanup kicked off an educational campaign to inform the public the area known informally as “Shotgun Alley” is closed to shooting and dumping.  During that event, 200 volunteers removed over 37,000 pounds of trash.

“During the first cleanup, we filled eight 20-yard dumpsters with trash, and the work done by all those volunteers made a huge impact.  You can definitely see a difference,” Wisener said.  “But there’s more work to be done to bring that area back to its beautiful desert foothills setting.”

A major part of the effort to restore that setting will be to continue an educational campaign by Buckeye police to turn away target shooters who previously had used the State Trust Land illegally.  “The area had become a popular place to shoot, with people bringing old TVs, appliances and glass bottles to use as targets and then leaving the trash behind,” Wisener said.     “We were starting to see the shooting and dumping spill onto the future Skyline Park and wanted to get the issues under control before the park opens in 2015.”

Police Chief Larry Hall said off-duty officers have been stationed at the end of the paved access road to the site on weekends.  “This is an area that will be used by Buckeye residents to access the future Skyline Park, so we want to make sure the public knows it is illegal to use any firearms there,” Hall said.   “Skyline Park will be a beautiful place for everyone who enjoys the outdoors, and we want to make sure it is a safe place for people of all ages to do just that.”

Buckeye is leasing the 8,675 acres from the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) as part of the Recreation and Public Purpose Act, which allows BLM to lease lands at no cost if it will benefit the public.  Improvements slated to be constructed by the City of Buckeye as part of Phase I include trailheads/parking areas with connections to existing trails, a gatehouse/entrance station, restrooms, camping sites, picnic areas and an environmental education programming area.  Construction will begin during the latter part of 2014 with the grand opening expected in 2015.

For additional information on the Cleanup on March 8^th, please visit www.buckeyeaz.gov/events or contact Robert Wisener at 623-349-6621 or at rwisener@buckeyeaz.gov.