April is Earth Month!

Many of Arizona’s cities and towns are participating to promote the Earth this month. Check out a few of the fun events below for some Earth Day inspiration:

Tempe’s Earth Day Expo  – Wednesday, April 22 

Earth Day is a time to celebrate the successes and ongoing commitments of community members, municipalities and businesses to protect the environment and promote a more sustainable future. Valley residents are invited to attend Tempe’s Earth Day Expo, where city departments and local businesses will showcase their innovative environmental programs. Attendees will experience hands-on exhibits while enjoying free lunch, courtesy of Gordon Biersch.

Wednesday, April 22
11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Tempe City Hall (west side of pyramid building)
31 East Fifth Street, Tempe, AZ 85281

For more information visit www.tempe.gov/slashthetrash.

Glendale 19^th Annual Arbor Day Tree Planting – Wednesday, April 22

Arbor Day marks the nineteenth year that the City of Glendale has planted trees in celebration of the globally-observed holiday and been awarded the Tree City USA designation by the National Arbor Day Foundation. This year, 12 new trees will be planted at Dos Lagos Park, 63^rd Avenue and Utopia Road, as part of the Glendale Arbor Day Celebration on Wednesday, April 22.

Glendale Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services will be joined at the Glendale Arbor Day Celebration by fourth grade students of neighboring Highland Lakes Elementary School.  The students will celebrate the theme “Grow the Future” with posters and poems that will be presented during the ceremony, followed by the tree planting.

Gilbert Earth Day Event – Wednesday, April 22  

Spring is in the air so it’s the perfect time to celebrate Earth Month in Gilbert, Arizona. Gilbert Parks and Recreation, in partnership with Gilbert’s Environmental Services Division, will be hosting an Earth Day event at McQueen Park Activity Center (510 N. Horne Street) on Wednesday, April 22^nd from 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. This free event is a great way for kids to celebrate Earth Day through arts and crafts, games, and face painting.

Gilbert’s Environmental Services Division is also hosting an art calendar contest for 4th grade Gilbert Public Schools and Higley Unified School District students until April 22^nd.  Thirteen winning students will be featured in Gilbert’s 2016 Environmental Services calendar. Visit www.gilbertrecycles.org to find out more information about this contest and to print an entry form.

Tempe’s 6th Annual Arbor Day 5K  – Friday, April 24  

Break out the running shoes and get ready for the 6th Annual Arbor Day 5K on Friday, April 24. With 125 acres of trees, activity areas and an urban fishing lake, Kiwanis Park is the perfect setting for this community fun/run walk that benefits the Trees for Tempe program.

Arbor Day 5K activities start at 4:30 p.m. with on-site registration and an event expo, followed at 6 p.m. by the 1-Mile Kid’s Dash, and 6:15 p.m. with the Arbor Day 5K Run/Walk.

Friday, April 24
4 p.m.
Kiwanis Park – 5500 S. Mill Ave. Tempe, AZ 85283

For more information, visit www.arborday5k.com.

6th Annual Earth Day Phoenix – Saturday, April 25 

Come celebrate Earth Day at this family friendly festival in Downtown Phoenix! Free Admission!

Keep Phoenix Beautiful will host the 6th annual Earth Day Festival, presented by Republic Services, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, April 25th, located at PHX Renew, the north east corner of Central Avenue and Indian School Road.

PHX Renews will be filled with local exhibitors that include nonprofits, businesses, and city, state and county departments providing information and relevant giveaways with a core message of sustainability. From solar energy, recycling, to gardening our exhibitors are on site to provide resources and information on how you can live sustainably!

Pull out that library card and head on over to your municipal library to check out a book – it’s National Library Week!

National Library Week is sponsored by the American Library Association (ALA) and has been going on since 1958. The week is set aside each year to celebrate libraries and municipal public libraries are a perfect example of the great support libraries can provide for their communities.

You may remember your public library as just being a place to check out a book or do some research. But that’s no longer the case! Today’s libraries are gathering places to meet with friends and colleagues, attend in-person classes, get information on current technology and learn through a variety of activities. And of course, you can still check out books – both off the physical shelf and straight to your mobile device!

See what your city or town has to offer and check out National Library Week! And if your local library has made an impact on your life, share your story! Maybe your local library has helped your child discover a love for reading or maybe you learned a new hobby through a class offered at your library. Whatever your story, share it by using social media and the hashtag #LibraryMade. More details on the #LibraryMade contest from the American Library Association can be found here.

Here’s a look at some of the ways Arizona’s cities & towns are celebrating:

• Mayor Bob Irvin of the City of Willcox proclaimed April 12 – 18 as Library Week and encouraged all residents to visit the city’s Elsie S. Hogan Library.

• The City of Sierra Vista will be hosting a variety of events to help celebrate the week, starting with a book signing on Saturday, April 11 with travel writer Roger Naylor. The library will also offer events through the week including reading sessions with therapy dogs, a magic and juggling show and a special children’s storytime. For more info, click here.

• Phoenix Public Libraries will be offering Food For Fines, a fundraiser  that offers residents the opportunity to decrease their library account fines by donating canned food items.

Visit your local city or town library to find out what they’re offering this week in celebration of National Library Week!

The Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services and the Arizona Coalition for Military Families will recognize the City of Tempe during the inaugural Arizona Roadmap to Veteran Employment Summit.

The summit, a collaborative effort of public and private sector partners led by the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services and the Arizona Coalition for Military Families, launches a statewide initiative to connect service members, veterans and their families to employment opportunities, training and resources.

The City of Tempe will be named the first Arizona Veteran Supportive Employer, a designation of the Arizona Roadmap to Veteran Employment for efforts to improve quality of life for veterans and their families. Additionally, Tempe will be announced as a Military/Veteran Resource Network Partner Organization, making it the first city in Arizona to earn this designation, based on the Guidelines for CARE for counties, cities and towns.

“Local veterans and their families sacrifice so much to serve our community. Tempe’s programs and services are a great way to show our gratitude and give back,” said Mayor Mark Mitchell. “Our military service members deserve personal and professional success. Our goal is to ensure they have the tools and support to help them achieve their dreams.”

As part of a multifaceted effort to help improve quality of life for veterans and their families, Tempe joined forces with local veterans and veteran service providers to create the Tempe Military and Veterans Working Group in 2013. The group created a strategic plan with four initiatives: establish a Tempe Veterans Commission; partner with the East Valley Veterans Education Center to establish a center that connects veterans and their families to resources, services and programs; create affordable housing projects for veterans and their families; and earn the Veterans Supportive City designation from the Arizona Coalition of Military Families. Tempe is pleased that much progress is being made on all fronts.

The Tempe City Council unanimously voted to establish the Tempe Veterans Commission on Jan. 8. On Feb. 28, the city formalized the partnership with the East Valley Veterans Education Center through a Community Resource Fair and Celebration. Last month, the City Council adopted a resolution to pursue an affordable housing project for veterans. Additionally, in October, Tempe launched the eighth Veterans Court in Arizona.

For more information on Tempe’s veterans efforts, visit www.tempe.gov/military.

The Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona (WIFA) selected the City of Eloy to receive WIFA’s 2014 Drinking Water Project of the Year award. WIFA presented the award at a special presentation during the City of Eloy Council Meeting on Monday night.

The 2014 Drinking Water Project of the Year was for the Houser/Toltec Waterline Improvement Project, a $2 million infrastructure project to address inadequate water distribution infrastructure in the western portion of Eloy. The project included upgrades to the existing booster station and replacement of undersized water mains.

“Through water management planning and investments in water infrastructure improvements like this, the City of Eloy is able to provide a reliable water supply to its residents and the businesses within their community,” said WIFA Board Chairman Henry Darwin, who is also Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

The project was selected for an award based on advances the City of Eloy made to ensure system reliability, their excellent project management and commitment to protecting public health in Arizona through water infrastructure improvement.

“The City of Eloy’s staff did an excellent job managing this project, even through the transition of Public Works Directors,” said WIFA Executive Director, Sandy Sutton. “We’re very pleased to acknowledge their achievements and hard work with this award.”

WIFA is a state agency dedicated to protecting public health and promoting environmental quality through financial assistance for water and wastewater infrastructure. WIFA offers funding for drinking water, wastewater and stormwater projects designed to ensure safe, reliable drinking water and proper wastewater treatment. Over the last 25 years, WIFA has invested over $2 billion in Arizona’s communities.

Written by Gloria Ruiz

The Town of Winkelman is at an elevation of 2,034 and is located in the southern end of Gila County, at the confluence of the San Pedro and Gila Rivers.  The history of Winkelman dates back to 1877 and 1878 when a large number of farmers migrated to the region.  With the coming of the railroad, a post office was established in 1903 near the ranch of Peter Winkelman.  Winkelman was incorporated in 1914.  However, a few years later the Town dis-incorporated and reincorporated on June 6, 1949.

Much like other cities and towns in the corridor, most of Winkelman’s economic activity is still based on copper.  The community serves primarily as a service center and residential area for families of employees associated with the mining and processing activities.  The principal employer within the Town is the Hayden-Winkelman Unified School District.

Winkelman Luten Arch Bridge

Arizona State Route Highways 77 and 177 provide excellent access to different parts of the state.  Both highways route through Winkelman.

The San Carlos Apache Tribe has approved a second gaming site near the Aravaipa area of Arizona.  The location is approximately seven miles southeast of Winkelman.  This project will bring much needed economic benefits to the tribe and surrounding communities, including Winkelman, by providing 400 plus permanent jobs and millions of dollars of new revenue to the region.

Ore Cart at Roadside Park
Photo Courtesy of Town of Winkelman

The scenery around Winkelman is some of the most spectacular in the state and is part of the Old West Highway route.  The mountain ranges provide the backdrop for the meandering Gila River and such landmarks as Saddleback and Mescal Mountain ranges.

At the gateway to Winkelman stands a roadside park featuring a 115 foot-long adobe wall.  You can walk around, through or meet within it.  The Wall tells the history of the Town by using bits of ranching and mining implements, as well as local geological samples.  The Winkelman Historic Bridge was constructed in 1916 and is one of only two left in the country and is in the National Historic Registry.

Giorsetti Superior Grocery Store

Winkelman is also home to the Giorsetti Superior Grocery Store.  The Giorsetti family has always operated this store since 1911.  While shopping, you can see the old architecture style and meet the two generations of the family members who work there on a daily basis.

An added attraction to Winkelman is the Winkelman Flats Public Park, located adjacent to the Gila River. This park provides RV camping with all utility hook-ups, flushable restrooms with hot and cold showers, dry camping areas, swimming, tubing, canoeing and fishing.  This park has a playground area for children, a softball field and a rodeo arena.  A basketball court, designed by the Phoenix Suns, was obtained through grant funding.

Ribbon Cutting at Roadside Park
Photo Courtesy of Town of Winkelman

Winkelman is a beautiful area to visit if you want to retreat from the city.  You can meet many friendly residents and enjoy the infinite number of starts at night.

Gila River Valley from Luten Arch Bridge

New Year’s Resolution – Get Outside!
This is the time of year that we relish after those long, hot, tortuous days of summer. Why not make a New Year’s resolution to get outdoors and enjoy your city or town?

If you’ve got sunshine in southern Arizona, a hike up a mountain trail is the perfect way to spend your winter afternoon. The Town of Marana has numerous outdoor recreation opportunities, including more than 30 miles of trails in the Tortolia Mountains. The Town offers free Saturday morning guided hikes for individuals to get exercise, have fun and meet fellow hikers. Put it on your list to breathe in the fresh air and join them for one of these events!

City of Mesa has a way to get outdoors and support a great cause! Their sixth annual Run, Walk & Roll 5K/10K is being held on Saturday, Jan. 10 at Mesa Riverview Park. Participants of all ages and ability levels are encouraged to sign up. The race will bring together the entire community to support sports and recreational opportunities for individuals with disabilities. For more info or to register, visit www.RunWalkRollAz.com. Be sure to check our Mesa Parks & Recreation for even more outdoor opportunities to start 2015 off right!

If a relaxing afternoon in the park is more your speed, look no further than the City of Surprise’s 2nd Sunday in the Park. Enjoy an afternoon at the park with live musical entertainment on the second Sunday of each month. The free family event is fun for all ages. Upcoming shows will be held on Januray 11, February 8 and March 8. Click here to find events happening in Surprise all year long!

And don’t forget about SNOW! Northern Arizona and the White Mountains have plenty of opportunities to ski, snowboard and build snowmen. Check out the Great Arizona Road Trip for more ideas for cold weather adventures and year-round activities!

Have you resolved to take pride in your community this year?

Arizona’s cities and towns work 24 hours, 7 days a week, 365 days a year to provide services to their citizens. Take pride in all your city does – from maintaining parks, to delivering opportunities at your local library and keeping the streets clean and safe.

A couple of Arizona’s towns are starting off the New Year with celebrations to help enhance your sense of municipal pride!

The Town of Queen Creek has been celebrating their 25th Anniversary all year and will culminate the year-long festivities with a time capsule burying early in 2015.

The 25th anniversary capsule will be buried at Queen Creek’s Founders’ Park at 9 a.m. on Jan. 6. The time capsule contains items that symbolize life in Queen Creek in 2014, including letters and mementos showing what makes Queen Creek special. It is scheduled to be opened by the residents of Queen Creek in 2064, during the Town’s 75th year of incorporation.

The Town of Gilbert started their #GrowingUpGilbert campaign in 2014. This campaign features individuals who were born and raised in the town of Gilbert and grew up to give back to their community. Check out some of the Gilbertonians who have been featured thus far.

If you grew up in Gilbert, AZ and have a story of your own, share it! You can e-mail your story to gilbert.digital@gilbertaz.gov or share it on social media using #GrowingUpGilbert.

How will you resolve to take pride in your community in 2015? Let us know what your resolutions are and how you plan to achieve them this year!

Are you someone who spent their childhood #GrowingUpGilbert?

The Town of Gilbert, AZ recently released a campaign  highlighting the great things that those who grew up or are growing up in Gilbert are doing for the community.

The campaign explores the unique stories of residents who were born and raised here, and grew up to give back to their community.Check out those Gilbertonians who have been featured thus far: 

David Tirado

Dana Berchman

Emery Miller

Councilmember Ben Cooper

Share your “Growing Up Gilbert” story by using #GrowingUpGilbert on social media or by emailing Gilbert.Digital@gilbertaz.gov.

“Growing Up Gilbert” is a sneak peek into the theme of the 2015 Digital State of the Town, which will preimiere in February.

Follow @GilbertYourTown on Twitter or Gilbert Town Hall on Facebook as new “Growing up Gilbert” stories are released!

Gilbert, Arizona has received yet another recognition as one of the best places to live in the country.  Time’s Money Magazine has ranked Gilbert as the 22nd Most Livable Small City in America. The study reviewed 781 cities with populations between 50,000 to 300,000, comparing factors ranging from the local economy and housing market to schools and healthcare.  Gilbert was the only Arizona city to make the list. The average population of the 50 cities recognized is 87,500, with only two cities, including Gilbert, with populations over 200,000. The study also shows that, of the top 50 cities, Gilbert holds the 4th lowest average property taxes.

“We are honored to receive this recognition from Money Magazine,” says Gilbert Mayor John Lewis. “For a community of Gilbert’s size to be recognized as one of the most livable is an incredible achievement and is a reflection of our great residents, businesses, and schools.”

This week is Arizona’s 13th Annual Cities & Towns Week. It’s a week to celebrate and appreciate the work of Arizona’s 91 municipalities. Cities and towns work everyday to ensure safety, protection, well-being, convenience and enrichment for all  those who live, work and play in their communities.

Check out these awesome posters celebrating Arizona Cities & Towns Week!

Lake Havasu City: 

Glendale: 

 Mesa: 

Cottonwood: