My son, daughter-in-law and grand daughter are with us this week. They are from Bellingham, Washington. We wished they could be here on Christmas Day, but that was not possible since son Joshua is an Episcopal priest and was leading worship on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. I have enjoyed introducing them to many of my friends in Kearny, and I know they are starting to understand why Carol and I love Kearny so much.
Now, loving a place does not necessarily mean that it is easy to live in, or has all the amenities so many Americans desire. Kearny and the towns around here have many good things, including family traditions, active churches, and the outdoor life we enjoy in these beautiful surroundings. The area also has a good measure of blight, many empty houses, and an uncertain economy.
So why do I love this area so much? My wife was one of five children, all born within the space of six years (there were two sets of twins). When her mother, Dorothy, was asked how she did it all and which child she loved best, she replied, “I always loved best the one who most needed loving at the time.” I think about our towns in that way. We love our towns fully even when we acknowledge their deficiencies.
As we start this new year, I am thankful for good things that took place this past year. More than that, I am actively looking forward to the future of good things to come. It looks likely that, maybe as soon as February, work will begin on removing tamarisks along the river bank in Kearny and the replanting of new appropriate trees to take their place. This will reduce fire danger in Kearny in large measure.
Later in January, the Firewise program will begin. Copper Corridor residents will be given the opportunity in two days of training to spot potential fire dangers in the community and help the people of the town to do something about them. The Arizona State Forestry department will lead the workshop, which is sponsored by the Town of Kearny. Contact Anna Flores, our Town Manager, for more information.
This past week I was pleased to learn that Judge David Orzell had submitted a competitive grant request to the Arizona State Supreme Court, and not only was the request granted, but an additional amount was added to make even more improvements. The nature of the work is improving court security. All sorts of features will be given, including remote television cameras, recorders, safety glass installation, and a buzzer system to the police department. The grant is for $26,800 (“…and an extra 14 cents,” said Judge Orzell).
I have reported before about the work Pinal County is doing on the courthouse, but I recently learned that the work includes rewiring and the use of new LED lights, which will lower electrical bills considerably. Right now about $60,000 has been spent to modernize the building to make in safer and more economical.
What good things do you see happening in our part of the world? Please let me know, because nothing helps good things to happen like hearing about the good things which are taking place.