The phone books trace these times of change. They are getting smaller, much smaller, as land lines are traded in for cell phones. Curiously, our search for greater connectivity is making us more insular. The telephone book allowed us, at no charge, to find each other quickly. The book listed everyone, not just our friends, but now the scroll list on our cell phones contains only the numbers we have entered, not the numbers we may need.
There are now three separate phone books published for our area, and one of them doesn’t include Hayden and Winkelman!
Am I the last person in this area who prefers to talk to real people on the telephone rather than play a game or listen to music?
There’s more news on the food front. Norm’s IGA in Kearny is teaming with the St. Vincent de Paul Society on a food drive lasting until Aug. 27. A tax-deductible contribution of $17 will provide the contents for three meals for someone in need. The Society works in the Copper Basin to meet our specific needs on a personal basis. Check with the store for more information.
Three volunteers stand ready to distribute food (L-R) Mike Dinwiddie, Diana Herrick, and Jay Collins.
This Friday, Aug. 3, the United Food Bank truck will pull into Kearny early in the morning for the First Friday food distribution at the Kelly Haddad Center. On the third Friday, Aug. 17, St. Mary’s Food Bank will be at the center from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. for a special food distribution for senior citizens who are 60 or more years of age.
Our local-girl-making-good Megan Gillespie was in Kearny the last couple of weeks and had a special showing of her unique Crooked Horn clothing at the General Kearny Inn. Now she is off and away to Utah and Montana, where she dresses the actors appearing in Yellowstone, the popular series on the Paramount Channel. The first series is now on its fifth episode, and filming is beginning for the second season. Megan was drafted to appear in the fourth episode of the first season as a barmaid!
If you aren’t registered to vote, it’s too late to register now in order to vote in the primary election, but it is not too late to register and vote in the general election. If you wish, you can vote by mail.
Our area schools are getting ready for the opening this coming week. The recent session of the Arizona Legislature made some changes in school funding after the teachers themselves made a persuasive argument for more support, but the actual increase is hard to estimate and is not guaranteed to continue. Our public schools are especially important for all the children in rural Arizona. Check out the web sites for our schools, support school activities, and stay involved and informed.
Our recent rains washed rocks and other debris onto our roads and streets. Personally, I am proud of the way town workers responded quickly to clean things up. We are lucky to have public servants such as these.