By: Vince Yanez

In the 1480’s, Leonardo da Vinci conceptualized how a helicopter would work, it took 300 years before someone was able to actually build one. Jules Verne, in 1865, put humans in a rocket and sent them to the moon; it took us 100 years to catch up. In 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. talked about a day when black and white could see each other as equals. 47 years later, well, just turn on our television and see how far we haven’t come.

When I was a young lad, if you had asked me what the world would look like in 2010, I would have said we would all be flying around in cars, using jet-packs, our meals would be pills and we would be able to read each other’s thoughts.  I would have said, by 2010, we would have figured out time travel and movie theaters would have smell-o-vision. Buck Rogers and the 21^st Century showed us we’d be hanging out with robots, wearing silver clothes, shooting lasers and flirting with aliens from other worlds. 2010 was a long ways away.

I wonder, in 1963, if you had asked those people on the steps of the Lincoln memorial if we’d ever have an African-American president, would they have laughed at you or would they have said, ‘Maybe?’ If you asked a Vietnam Veteran in the late 70’s, ‘would the American people ever allow the government to put our men and women in harm’s way without a plan or exit strategy?’ Would they have laughed at you or would they have said, ‘Maybe?’

If you were told, back in 1983, 1995 or even in 2001, that we would still be hearing racist remarks shouted from the pulpit, a news organization, a political movement, the mayor of a New York town or the legislature of a Southwestern state, would you have thought ‘No, not our America, not that far into the future’, or would you have thought, ‘Maybe?’

I am naïve. I live in a country that put a man on the moon, builds nuclear submarines, invented the internet and eradicated polio. I assumed we would be using flying cars and jetpacks by now. I would have thought, in the 21^st Century, an African-American president would be no big deal (or a woman or a homosexual). I would have figured that by 2010 we would have realized the strength of our Republic lies not in its military might, but in educating its citizens, and in my optimistic-youth, I would have imagined that we would have gotten past the ignorance, fear and hate known as our Racism Problem in America.

It appears I was wrong on all counts.

by Darin Lowery

Darin Lowery: Local writer and resident shares his views on Livin' Local

My high school English teacher was a pleasant man by the name of Mr. Beatty. He was slim and wore tweeds and had an amiable, professorial air. He put up with a lot from me, as most of my papers dealt with hookers, cheap drunks and nightclub singers- unusual material for a sixteen year old boy.

I’ll never forget his puzzling words after reading my first essay. “Darin,” he said, “almost every one of your sentences begins with an ‘I’. ‘I saw’, ‘I did’, ‘I went’- it just goes on and on. Perhaps you can use a different perspective.” Seeing as how ‘me saw’ sounds very much like a Vietnamese curry dish, I promptly forgot his suggestion. It just didn’t work for me. Besides- his class was the only one I excelled in. I flunked every other subject except Art.

And I loved the demimonde.

Welcome to DarinLand- the first in a series in weekly columns by yours truly. While I tend to be egocentric and self involved (but I really am trying to work through this, Oprah) there are times that my eyes do rise above my navel. On those days, moments in Life (mine, yours and ours), suspended like bits of reality in amber, seem so vivid they must be addressed.

DarinLand, if you will, is a collage, a mosaic, an amalgam of ideas and images and sometimes, a play of Dark against Light. It’s more a state of mind than a place; more a place than a fantasy. Sometimes it’s a prison; other times a church. It can be ‘sophisticated’ in its true sense, meaning ‘artificial’ (look it up) but it can also be as down and dirty as a bar brawl.

DarinLand is my life and all those who enter it. Welcome to my perfect world. Welcome to my nightmare.Living in the Globe-Miami area for five years now has definitely made me a sunnier, more affable guy. Perhaps it’s the light- that clear, swirling watercolor wash we call our sunsets. It reads a salmon pink and blood orange, and the trace of lemon yellow in the sky means that when a GlobeMiamiTimes article calls for a photo shoot, my editor Linda and I always opt for an after-seven snap session during the summer.

The photographer Annie Leibovitz, who shoots for Vanity Fair magazine, adores this type of light but I’ve never seen her or her camera on Broad Street.

The wind, too, has had an effect. Oh, you’ve seen movies where some wizened old duffer crawls off a porch, hair on fire, screeching, ‘The wind is a demon, the wind is ALIVE! I’ve gone mad in the last hour from this howling devil’.

Um, yeah.

The night air which rolls over my hill is actually a strong breeze, and with it comes coolness and the scent of pines and sweet four o’clocks. At times it also amplifies my neighbor’s musical choices, but we have similar tastes. When my pal Molly lived here, she always said she loved the way the loose shade on the old light post in back would rattle at night. For me, however, it only means the Earth is still spinning, and we each have a new opportunity to rise in the morning and begin again, fresh and clean and hopeful.

By: Linda Gross

The $500,000 Dog Park Challenge

The news spread rapidly when Purina/Beneful announced a half-million dollar contest for a dream dog park in May. All the lucky winner had to do was to submit a 2 minute video showcasing why they were the most deserving of such largess. The winning entry would get a $500,000 “extreme make over” which would obviously result in one amazing facility for dogs and dog-owners. The contest began in May and this August viewers will vote for the winner.

You won’t find the Globe Park video in this coveted circle. And maybe you will decide after looking at the entries, that we didn’t deserve to be in the final ten. But like the award winning  ALLY BANK commercials which drive home the point about fair play and transparent communication, we found the Beneful contest rife with potholes for contestants trying to play by the rules.

Instead of generating good will and positive branding for the Beneful/Purina name, our experience through this process soured our opinion about the company.  Here’s why.

1: Releases.

One of the contest rules was that if you used any music in your video, it had to be copyright free, and if you used other people in your video you had to have releases from every individual. So, we used a public-domain jingle from Apple which has no copyright issues according to the Apple folks. We also included photos of 3 individuals who we were going to submit releases for, but when we searched on-line for where to provide those releases and had to call the company to get clarification on how to submit the releases,  we were told by the company rep that NO RELEASES were needed with the submittal.

Only “when we won, would they ask us for that documentation.”  What?

There was no avenue in the submittal package itself to provide this information. So how did Beneful know the music was copyright free or that the individuals in the video would approve their images? Based on what the rep told us – Beneful would ask for that information AFTER the video had been selected?

Isn’t that like telling a Miss American contestant that a background check would only be performed if she won?

2: Problems with the Upload. “Others are having problems.”

We attempted 3 times to upload the QuickTime movie clip via a MAC on both Safari and Firefox to no avail.

We called customer service who informed Darin they would look into the problem and get back to him. And at the time confirmed that “we were not the only ones having problems.” No one ever called.

We then tried uploading via a PC and Internet Explorer. This time it went through and we got the message, “Thank you for your submission.”

Yet, after 2 days when we still didn’t see the video posted on Darin’s profile we called again. It would seem that even if the video was not accepted for the public contest, it would still be viewable on the contestants page. Our concern increased when Darin got an email – after this submission – saying his profile had not yet been completed.

3: “We are not responsible for the problems you are having with our contest”

Another call to the company connected us to Mark in Customer Service.  His response to a known problem should become a textbook example of BAD form and what not to do when faced with a problem. Darin carefully outlined our process to date, our problem with submitting release forms, our problems with the upload, our concern that our entry was not even received by the Company’s website and the lack of follow through so far of anyone we’d talked to. His request to have Mark simply check to see if our video had been received met with this canned response.

Mr. Customer Service began to read a prepared script which began “Thank you for your interest in Beneful..” and proceeded to outline that part of the contest rules which said the company wasn’t responsible for anything. It was implied that this covered even problems with the Beneful system which was set up to accept contest entries.

It was a clarifying moment. And one which didn’t put Beneful in a positive light.

4: Final wrap up… Thanks for playing

We made two final attempts to confirm that YES our video had been received. We were not angling for anything more than a shot at being IN the contest. This proved to be too much to ask. In talking with Mandy of Consumer Affairs- Darin was assured that if we had gotten the message “thank you…” then it was submitted and would be reviewed before being posted to the website.

She added that if it never showed up on the website then it was likely  disqualified for some reason.

Although, this seemed more of a guess on her part than actual knowledge.

On the final day of the  contest cut off, we again asked another customer service rep if it wasn’t reasonable to expect the video to at least show up on our profile indicating it HAD made it to their servers. This was impossible she said.  She could fill out a report. We reiterated the urgency of the matter.  I asked to speak to her supervisor, to which she informed me that she “was the only one here.”

I pictured a call center meant for 500 with one lone employee manning the Beneful phones during the last day for contest submittals.

One person manning the phones on the final day of a national contest which promised a $500,000 payoff seemed like incredibly lame planning for a big-time corporate brand – or a total disregard for those you have invited to the table to play your game.

5: Another Black Eye

Beneful may have hoped to counter-act the negative press they’ve had recently regarding their dog food by putting up money for a Dream Dog Park, but if our experience with the contest is indicative of how the company deals with it’s audience, then they just succeeded in creating another public relations black eye.

What’s been your experience with Beneful Dog Food? Or the Beneful/Wagworld Dog Park Contest. We’d like to hear from you.

By: Linda Gross

(Reprint from GlobeMiamiTimes-Summer Edition)

The first faces to greet you as you walk into Past Times Antiques are rescue dogs – every one. Toby, Lucy and Benji were all rescued by Cheryl and Richard Brazell, just hours before they were to be put down. The story repeats itself further down, where the owners of the Drift Inn, already parents to two dogs- and adamant about not adding a third, found themselves with a little white fluff of a dog when the animal control worker placed “Claraclause” in Lisa’s arms just before Christmas last year and said, please take this one. It’s her last day.

Benji, Toby and Lucy of Past Times Antiques

Marvin was once a street dog, but has adapted nicely to couch sitting.

Here in Globe-Miami, the animal shelter is located up by the Old Cemetery. It was built by the Humane Society over 30 years ago and by some accounts might be considered one of the “most challenged” facilities in the state. It is small, hardly adequate for the volume of homeless dogs which find themselves behind bars because a former owner found them inconvenient, or a good Samaritan found them wandering the streets and brought them in. the facility is tucked away from public view, making it less likely that animals are viewed by the public – and thus adopted- before having to be euthanize.

Last year the Shelter euthanized nearly 15 dogs/cats a week. This year they are averaging 12 dogs/cats a month.
The Society has been around since 1965. It began to deteriorate in the 1990’s but was revived again in June of 2000 when Shannon Coons took over as president. Although they began with a new Board and several volunteers at the time, over the last ten years the lions share of the work has been done by Shannon herself and local business owners, Laurie Manzano and Jon Stahlnecker of the Blue Mule, who volunteered their building, a lot of their own money and most of their personal time to take care of, house and show the cats.
The numbers tell the story. Since 2000, the Shelter has placed 400 dogs. A majority of the dogs that go through the Shelter are not that lucky.  Dogs which are brought in by their owners are euthanized almost immediately. Dogs which are “found” and brought in are kept for 3 days. It is simply a matter of not enough funding, staff or volunteers to do otherwise.

Laurie Manzano has rescued over 2000 cats and kittens in the last ten years

The outlook for cats is significantly better thanks to Laurie and Jon who not only show the cats in their art studio, but spend hundreds of hours socializing wild, Ferrel kittens, tending to wounds and diseases, and personalizing their stories in a way that invites good homes. To date, they have placed over 2100 cats. “Those are just the cats we track through the vet,” Laurie says, “but there have been hundreds of others over the years which she has fostered putting the number closer to 3000.
“The animals we take in just need time and visibility,” says Laurie. “Then we can do something with them. That is the challenge up there,” she says, indicating the dog shelter which sits up at the Old Cemetary. Out of sight. Out of mind. Most dogs don’t have a chance. Claraclause, Drifter, Benji, Toby, and Lucy have been among the most fortunate.
This year, the local Humane Society is facing several changes in the coming year, which could bode well for the dogs. Maybe. The facility where the Shelter is now standing is land which the City would like for the Cemetery. While, there are lots of moving parts to this equation, overall it might afford an opportunity to create a better shelter, with more visibility in a new location.

In addition, after ten years of managing the reins of the group, Shannon Coons will be stepping down. It’s a job with its share of burn-out and still, she and her group have had several successes to point to: the Gila Humane Society helped the community spay and neuter a few thousand dogs and cats with money from Elizabeth Williamson, and local/corporate donations.

In 2004 they began helping those in the community that really couldn’t get their animals fixed. And in 2007 they paid the Arizona humane Society to bring their van up to spay 198 animals. If it sounds like all the Humane Society does is focus on Neutering and Spaying, it might be because this is the leading cause of pet over population which creates “throw-away” lives. If they could get one point across and have it stick, it would be this: If you have an animal get it fixed. Don’t add to the cruelty.
Laurie, who has seen everything in her ten years of dealing with this problem says, “…even those who are feeding wild cats out of the kindness of their hearts don’t realize they are contributing to the cruelty and slow death of the street.” Both Blue Mule and the Society offer to loan out traps. “And a hungry cat will go in one,” says Laurie.  If you need to get a cat off the street Laurie will do what she can to help. Just remember- this is not her “job.”

She is just one woman fighting a tidal-wave of mis-guided and blantant irresponsibility when it comes to caring for these animals.

She is currently taking care of 40 cats at the moment.

There is the ten-year-old gray long-haired female which Laurie named “Grandma” who was obviously someones pet at one time (she was de-clawed). Found wondering on the street with most of her teeth gone, Dr. Eubanks of Samaritan Vet Hospital (who has worked closely with the Human Society for years) went ahead and managed to pull the rest of her bad teeth- leaving her with her canines. She eats just fine, Laurie says, and has earned the blue ribbon award for “ Super Friendly.”

Then there is the little grey striped kitten which is the only one to survive out of a litter of wild kittens. His mother was caught in a trap and left in 90 deg heat before the owners brought her in to Laurie. “She was dehydrated and I put her in the bathtub to cool her down and gave her a solution-but it all just ran out both ends. She died a few hours later. “

It was Laurie who went up to trap the remaining kitten and bring him back to the Studio. Today, you pick him up, he purrs, his belly has a nice soft round feel and he is in good hands. Soon, he’ll be in a good home.

After posting this sign, there has been a reduction in the number of animals which have been dumped on Laurie's doorstep.

Asked how she ended up with all these cats and the keeper of their futures, she laughs. “ I told people when I was young, I was going to end up with a Cat House. And here I am, living in an old Bordello, surrounded by cats!”
As a well known artist in the area, Laurie’s paintings reflect both a social and environmental theme. Her artwork has been used to raise funds for the Humane Society and other local causes, though she has little time for painting these days.
She put a sign up several months ago because she was overwhelmed with the number of people who would just drop off bags, baskets and boxes of kittens and cats. There has been no “dumping” since she put up the sign.
The new president of the Humane Society, Cherly Brazell says one of her key projects will be to establish an outreach program to kids to teach them responsibility toward pets, and to show the the consequences of over-population- perhaps by even letting the older kids visit the shelter. “We also want to see what could be done in stopping the practice of selling puppies in parking lots. Maybe this will slow down the backyard breeding. And ensuring that all dogs which leave the shelter are actually spayed and neutered. “

Every cat and kitten gets their story told at Blue Mule.

Anyone who has spent time working for or volunteering for the Humane Society know the demands of being at the front lines where a humane society meets up with inhumane treatment and attitudes. Yet, it also has its rewards. It is found in the eyes and wagging tails of cats and dogs who have homes- and lives – because folks like Shannon, Laurie, Jon, Lisa, Eileen, Cheryl, Richard and others cared enough to stand up for them.

**This Summer, The Humane Society was chosen by 5 merchants as their Charity of Choice for the 1st annual Five and Dive Tour. Riders will be asked to contribute a $1 or more at each of the five locations and all monies collected during the 12 week tour will go towards the needs of this organization.

Plus, our friends over at The Blue Mule Gallery have agreed to host a photo contest for rescue dogs. We’re calling it the, “Rescue Dog Days of Summer – a Wall of Fame for those who Cared .” The display will show case photos of all the dogs who have been adopted by our participating merchants, as well as any local resident or visitor who would like to contribute a photo of their “rescue dog!”

It’ll cost you a $1 (donation) to enter your photo into the Wall of Fame, which you know goes towards a good cause, and your photos will help drive home the point that no dog should go homeless! Please bring us your favorite photo!

The GUSD Board met on Tuesday to discuss Trent's request for retirement, indemnification of possible criminal charges, and to recind 44 days of vacation pay to John Marquez.Shown here: Board President,Cayci Vuksanovich, Members,Anna Harmon & Dale Fletcher. Photo by: LeeAnn Powers

This week, Dr. Timothy Trent  submitted his request for early retirement to the Globe School Board, after spending over a year on home assignment while an audit of financial, procurement and HR records was conducted by Education Review Group.

The results of the audit were posted on local radio station, gila101.9 in March, (and again here – see below).  During the year long process, the School Board studiously refused to discuss the audit or any findings with the public.

The audit was completed in March and it appears that the Board was scheduled to present the findings in a public forum earlier this month when the meeting was canceled at the last minute.

When faced with the option of  reviewing all charges using a mediator or taking early retirement, Trent and his attorney opted to go for early retirement which negated the public airing of charges.

While this closes one chapter of the saga, it does not wipe the slate clean. There is the on going investigation by the state’s attorney general and the lawsuit which has been filed by the couple against the School Board and individual members. All of this serves to keep the results of the audit on the table and promises to air additional grievances on both sides of the table as the legal machinations gear up for yet another chapter.

In Tuesday’s meeting, Trent also requested that the Board pay for his defense in the AG’s investigation, which they roundly denied. It is one thing to indemnify an employee for mistakes or mis-steps they make while discharging their duties, and quite another to indemnify criminal actions. The AGs office does not investigate mis-steps.

The degree to which this whole case has embroiled the parties in legal proceedings, seems excessive when compared to other brouhaha’s regarding dis-enfranchised Superintendents and their School Boards. Take the recent case of a Utah school district where … two of three candidates for Superintendent have backgrounds in which they were placed on leave. One candidate left his former position before his contract expired – “…forgoing any salary or benefits for the remainder of his contract in exchange for the Boards agreement not to fire him and to take a neutral position in discussing his job performance.” Utah’s search for Superintendents.

In that same case, State auditors found “improper and potentially fraudulent payments” totaling more than $88,000 to his buddy, the business manager.  The business manager has reimbursed the district for $55,522 of that amount. No criminal charges were filed. This Superintendent is re-applying to the Utah Board for a position and says his former performance should not impact the Boards decision.

The local case involving Timothy Trent and the Globe School Board involves bigger “improprieties.”

Just consider this from the audit:

An excerpt from the 47 page procurement report “… revealed millions of dollars spent on contractual services for technology services and equipment. Of the services, much of it was illegally paid from the improper accounts. Change orders authorizing extra payments were signed by Dr. Trent, and documentation on several of the agreements were not able to be found. In one instance, the auditors could not find in the school board minutes any authorization for technology services in the amount of $56,910. The auditors suggested in the report that “due to the amount of money GUSD spent and due to violations of procurement and lack of documentation… the Reviewers strongly recommend that an investigative unit of the Auditor General’s office or the Attorney General’s office investigate these expenditures.”

The local case also has more than it’s share of lawsuits flying around. The most recent to be filed is by Trent and Flores against the District and each Board Member.

So, instead of walking away with the salary he has been paid for the last year to be on home assignment  ($100K plus), Trent and local-county-attorney, legal-eagle wife (Daisy Flores), have deemed it necessary to sue the local school District for the audacity of investigating these things and causing ‘them’ distress. Trent’s new job appears to be as victim, and he and Flores, are asking the School District to pay out $2million in damages, including reimbursing the power-couple for a $9000 European vacation which they say was ruined when they discovered the bad news about the home assignment.

Ahh the wheels of justice – how they turn.

Let us know what you think!

********************

For those who want to track the issue, we have provided a time line of events with corresponding documentation.

June 2009: School Board votes in special session to re-assign Dr. Timothy Trent and Supervisor of Facilities, John Marquez to home while an independent audit is performed. Initially thought to be a three month process, the audit took nearly a year during which both men continued to receive their reg. salaries, but were precluded from coming on District grounds.

Nov 2009: Daisy and Trent file a letter of Notice of Intent.   2010_01_07_Trent Complaint

Jan 2010: A class action lawsuit is filed by teachers and administrators alleging that Trent “…engaged in a campaign of harassment, fear and intimidation…”Globe_20091119145048

March 2010: The 90-page Audit report is released to the press. It covers Finance, Procurement and Human Resources. See below:

GUSD Audit Review_Table of Contents

GUSD Audit Review_Finance

GUSD Audit Review_Procurement

GUSD Audt Review_Human Resources Part 1

GUSD Audt Review_Human Resources Part 2

GUSD Audit Review_Human Resources Part 3

GUSD Audit Review_Human Resources Part 4

GUSD Audit Review-Human Resources Part 5

June 28th, 2010 – In a special session, the Globe School Board accepts Dr. Trent’s retirement request.

However, they  deny his request to pay for his defense in the on-going investigation by the State’s Attorney Generals’ office and and to indemnify him against possible charges stemming from this investigation.

By: Laura Stennerson

Good times at Howling Javelina. Fourth Friday at Howling Javelina, 508 W. Sullivan Street in downtown Miami, is an experience not to be missed! I have loved visiting the Howling Javelina ever since Dic and Marilyn Mickle first opened. I thoroughly enjoy talking to Marilyn and Dic. Dic is the type of person who focuses on meaningful conversation. After talking with him, I feel renewed. Conversations with Dic do not just end, instead they are a jumping ground for my own thought extensions. I think all good conversations are like that, they make me think. They alter my perspective, they inspire me, change me. I can probably recall every conversation I have had with him. That is a huge thing for me to say, considering how much I forget.

Marilyn is a beauty inside and out. Smiling, genuine, caring, she has the sweetest soul with the most amazing hair. When she speaks, she has the faintest drawl. She has the voice of a singer. Even though I have never heard her sing, I envision her on stage belting out soulful melodies. She just seems balanced, a sweet soul that exudes a passionate soul as well. Their friendliness is a huge motivator for me to visit when I can.

The Howling Javelina sits in an old building in Miami. The Javelina is a tribute to the town of Miami’s past. Old pictures grace the walls. There are collections behind glass. From the tin ceiling to the hardwood floors the place is just cozy, clean, and welcoming. I was excited to actually attend my First Friday Open Mic at the Howling Javelina.

When I arrived the place was filling up. The musicians were setting up their equipment. I was thrilled to see Sal Pizzo hooking up his keyboard. Sal is a long time friend, and I like to see him play locally, so I can enjoy his easygoing keyboard fun more often. Dan Corradi was tuning his guitar and Dic Mickle was everywhere at once, I heard there was a promise that my friend Liz Weibler, artist extraordinaire, was going to sing. I had my fingers crossed, the first time I heard her sing to an audience, she sang acappella at open mic night at Jim Coates, Copper Mine Picture Cafe, and I didn’t write about it. It was one of those situations where I was blown away by someone’s talent I didn’t know existed. All those times, Liz and I sang loudly to Modest Mouse, setting up art shows, and I was not aware of the beauty of her voice. Wow!

So I was anticipating a fun filled evening of good music, and good conversation.

Dan Mickle, Dan Corradi, Sal Pizzo, and John Owenspy started the evening with a few bars of Stray Cat Strut. The jovial patrons on the couch were offering encouragement and suggestions to the musicians. The evening began with interactive motion and sound. The musicians sang and played on stage. The folks on the couch tapped their tambourines, and shook their maracas. These experienced musicians know how to cooperate. They move with each others style, in a free form of structure. It is like they create some form of swirling music mass as they jam together.

Dik Mickles behind the bar

I have mentioned before these musicians should have their own venue, and I guess they do. But where was David Cluff the third “D” of the Jam group, the 3Ds? A little later, I saw Dic on the phone, as he walked by, I heard him say something about needing the band’s bass guitarist, and I was hoping that meant David. After a few more jams, Dave did show up ready to play. The group played the Stray Cats, the Rolling Stones, Tom Petty, the Animals, and more. Their rendition of Gloria was great fun. I think the whole place was singing along having a wonderful time. I love those scenarios where everyone seems to be in the moment.

Guitarist, Michael Williams, and drummer Adam Buzan, were set to play next. Dic gave them a resounding endorsement. They played three of their original songs. I do appreciate bands that play their own music. They were high energy with good vocals. There were some drum malfunctions, but I think that was due to the sheer energy Adam put into those drums. They are two members of Unknown Spirit a local band. I hope the local community, and me, gets to see them perform again soon.

Liz W. with friends during the Art Walk earlier this Spring

Dic, Dan, David, Sal, and John took up places again entertaining the crowd. Liz Weibler was going to sing! She sang Wade in the Water. Her voice was smooth and blue. The gentleman next to me said smokey and sultry in describing her voice. He sure pegged it. She looked beautiful, and her delivery was calm and focused. It was rather bittersweet. I found out Liz was moving to Tucson. I am going to miss her cheerful fun personality.

Then back with the band. They played some Bob Marley and some other artists I did not take note of. As a matter of fact my notes begin to get a bit sparse here. Liz came up and sang Stay Cat Strut which was a big crowd pleaser. The crowd had been egging them to play that song in entirety all evening long. Actually that is the last thing I wrote that evening, even though the music and merriment went on. Might have been my numerous conversations, or my be bopping to the great sounds, or my consumption of that tasty yet heady Wild Blue, or maybe, I forgot what I was doing, and just had fun in the moment too. Thank you Marilyn and Dic Mickle for opening up the Howling Javelina every fourth Friday for a howling good time.

Don’t Miss the Morning Blues – playing at Howlin’ Javelina for Five and Dive Riders on June 26th from 8am – 10am.  YES, we’re opening up early for this event, so riders can get in a morning ride, catch some blues music, and get breakfast in the area before it gets hot.  Everyone is welcome – even if you don’t come in on two-wheels!

(photos of performers to follow… pending arrival!)

It’s a fact that Arizona Summers are sizzling hot and, as a rule, most sane people will spend the next six months in a mall or on their couch in air-conditioned comfort in front of their Big Screen.

Not Bikers. Bikers are always breaking the rules.

Few things in life will keep one from riding. They’re like those mail carriers who brag:

Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stay us from the swift completion of our appointed rounds”

Bikers? They have a different motto.

“Whatever it is, it’s better in the wind.”

So, this summer, long after the last of the winter visitors have left for cooler climes, and even lizards have disappeared under their rocks to get away from the heat, we’ve designed a Summer Road Tour for The Children of the Wind.

Five and Dive Summer Tour 2010

We call it the Five and Dive and we hope to heat things up (economically) this summer while offering you some cool reasons to ride our roads, meet our people, drink our beer and have a good time. We’re offering up specials to help you save money – while spending money; good causes to help you add to your lifetime-karma points; and clues, riddles and scavenger hunts to introduce you to things you never knew you wanted to know about us – but now you do.

We initially called the tour the Five and Dime which was a nod to our incredible array of cheap thrills and lo-cost fun throughout this region. It also tied in with our feature on Woolworths. (One of those things you’ll want to pay attention to because it is the answer to a clue)

The Open Road at Roosevelt

But then one of our friends suggested the Five and Dive, over beers at The Huddle. And aren’t all ideas better with beer?  It’s seemed tailor-made for what we were putting together. Of course, I now have to pay Gerry royalties for coming up with the idea. (You can help me out by stopping by Pinal Lumber this summer and picking up a few nails, screws, wood, paint,… whatever you can fit on the bike.)

So, back to the meaning of the Five and Dive.

Did you know the spiritual meaning of number Five deals with travel, adventure, and motion?

According to this woman who runs a site, whats-your-sign.com, she goes on to say that Five “draws our attention to the wonder of life, and beckons us to appreciate the perception of chaos all around us. Five has wild vibrations: primitive and erratic.”

There has got to be a FIVE hidden inside every biker.

Really. Just log on and take a look at what the number two means for instance. You’ll see clearly why TWO does not work here. We could not have a Two and Dive Tour. Wouldn’t work.

And Dive? Well, I don’t have to explain that right?

So, now that I have your attention… let me explain how the Tour works.

It includes a punch card with over 30 merchants and local events throughout this region who invite you to stop in this summer. They have each come up with a special promo just for Tour Riders with punch cards and in exchange for dropping some cash along the way – remember this is an economic stimulus plan – you’ll get your card stamped, a big welcome from these merchants and a good reason to ride!  OK, maybe more – but you’ll have to do the Tour to discover what it is.

The Road Map at Superstition Harley Davidson

As for the clues and the scavenger hunts, we’re going to give you FIVE chances each week to solve a clue, riddle or scavenger hunt which will require some collective brain power. Solving these will result in earning our cool wooden nickels (don’t believe what your father said about not taking wooden nickels.*) worth points towards raffle tickets. Plus, as an added bonus, you’ll discover the inside jokes, arcane facts and local lore which will put you one step closer to being
“one of us.”

(*Even if you don’t “tweet”, check out the hottest Twitter account about Father’s advice. The account is Sh** My Dad Says. The author is a 29 year old, living with his 74 year old dad, who just started tweeting the things he said. He has now published a book & been on Larry King. Here is one from last week: “No. Humans will die out. We’re weak. Dinosaurs survived on rotten flesh. You got diarrhea last week from a Wendy’s.”)

OK, back to the Tour.

To begin, you can pick up the Tour Punch Cards at these FIVE locations beginning June 15th. Cards are $5….
(OMG – there is that number 5 again. Must be a sign!). Superstition Harley is waiving the fee for any riders who come into the Dealership to pick up the card!

Ohter locations include:

The Huddle Sports Bar, The Drift Inn, or 2 Lanes Saloon in Globe,

The Butcher Hook, or Jakes Corner up in Tonto Basin.

You can get your weekly CLUES/RIDDLES by going to globemiamitimes.com

Here you’ll find our EVENTS PAGE  and a link to our FACEBOOK PAGE.
Your first tip of the Tour…..  Bookmark these pages.

Since Globe Miami Times is sponsoring this Tour, we have designed it so you will read the paper, check out the website and – get to know us better during the Five and Dive.  You’ll discover answers to clues by looking at the ads in this summer’s edition, reading the stories and following the links on our website. Interesting Mr. Watson. Is this a plot to corrupt the mind? You decide.

Overlook of the Valley between Globe and Miami

Now for the pay off.  Yes, there will be prizes and good things given away to the deserving. But remember what Robert Pirsig said, in his cult classic, “Zen and the Art of Motorcycling”

“The only Zen you find on tops of mountains is the Zen you bring there.”
See you this Summer!

This was the scene this morning around 7am, as race organizers began sending off the groups of bicyclists according to their category.

by: Linda Gross

The Arizona State Road Race Championships are taking place today in Globe. The event is estimated to bring in over 400 riders in age categories from ten years to seventy years. This will be the fourth year that ProCon, the race organizer has held the event in Globe. Several years ago they held a 3 day event with a short course in Downtown Globe which blocked off streets. This proved to be too problematic for local residents and race organizers, so they have evolved into a one day event which takes place outside the Globe City Limits and utilizes the long stretches and hills between the junction of HWY188 and HWY60 and Roosevelt Lake.

Riders who are 10yrs and up compete in this race

So, be on the lookout for bicyclists today – there will be alot of them on the road heading out to Roosevelt.  The course includes a 39, 59 and 89 mile loop with the finish line at the Cobre Valley Country Club. Race organizers estimate that this event brings 20-30K to the community through food, gas and lodging sales.

A local group intent on developing an on-line community of growers, gardeners in the Globe-Miami region will be launching a facebook page called,”Homegrown-A Farmers Market” this month.  The only restriction is that it will be limited to only those products which come from the ground. This is a food-only Farmers Market. There will be a planning meeting for all interested parties on Saturday, May 22, at 9am at Vida E Cafe. see HOMEGROWN.

For local gardeners, who grow more than they can eat or give away to friends, this will be a site you can find outlets for your produce, or simply let people know what you have, and what you’d be willing to sell, trade or give-away.

For local growers, we invite you to let us know what you grow and where you are selling your produce. Can we come to your farm to pick apricots? Or drive out to snag a bushel of tomatoes from your place? Or do you offer your product at certain stores etc in the area?

We will discuss the logistics of networking our produce, resources and needs. And we want to hear from you. So please come on Saturday to ‘plan and plot’ a local – but virtual – Farmers Market for our region. If you can’t make it though, there will be minutes from this meeting posted on the site.

Javier Reynoso and his 'dancing horses' performed on Saturday

By Linda Gross

The Tex Mex Festival 2010 held at Globe’s Community Center did not have a shortage of great entertainment during the two day event. From Reynoso’s performance with his dancing horses, to the powerful performances by three Mariachi bands from Phoenix and Tucson, the colorful and well executed dancing of Ballet Folklorico tenochtitlan, the latin sound of New Frequency and, of course the two headlining bands: Tierra and Little Joe Y Familia, those in attendance were treated to teriffic performances!

As the City’s first Big Scale event in which they partnered with Los Vecinos De Companeros to put up the $32,000 for the headliner bands, and covered the costs of staging and managing a large scale event they showed it could be done. Matt Jankowski, Parks and Recreation Manager, and his team did a commendable job of setting up a large-scale facility at the Community Center. If thousands had shown up this weekend  they could easily have been accommodated at this facility. As it was, only hundreds attended the events both days with the majority of the crowds showing up for the bands – despite very low temperatures and high winds.

That is a risk of staging large outdoor events.

Mother Nature isn’t always on board with your plans. Last April/May at this time, we had 70deg weather and clear skies. Go Figure.

One of the event attendees for Saturday’s Little Joe Y Familia event was surprised at the small crowd, but wondered if the huge protests against Arizona’s immigration bill which were being held in Phoenix and Tucson, could have been a contributing cause for the low numbers. “I know several of my friends who were going to spend the weekend in Globe, decided it was more important to show their support for the protests.”

Mariach Sol Azteca from Tucson played both days. Representing the traditional music of Mexico which so many associate with Cinco de Mayo

And, then there is the aspect of change. The City and Los Vecinos de Companeros took the local celebration of Cinco de Mayo which had been held in downtown Globe for free and re-designed it into a large-scale event with the hopes it would actually bring in money to both the City and LVC. Billed as a Tex-Mex Festival the target audience appeared to shift from down-home to outta-town. There was some local push back to the Event which many felt was an over-reach for the community. Some felt the ticket prices were too high: $30 day/$50 for two days. Some felt Tex-Mex didn’t represent ‘their kind of music, or festival. Some just felt the show was for out of towners – not locals.

Yet, watching the performances during both days, visitors must have been struck by the variety of performances and the mix of traditional with contemporary expressions of Mexican culture. From the rhythym and blues sounds of Tierra on Friday night to the rich violins and voices of Mariachi Sol Azteca, the sounds of what it is to be Hispanic were showcased by some outstanding musical talent. From the Reynoso’s who showcased their horses and roping talent to the wonderful performances by Ballet Foklorico tenochititlan the rich history – which is Mexico- was well represented!

Ballet Folklorico tenochititlan performed several numbers to the crowds delight.

The comment of one visitor said they thought the ticket prices were reasonable…especially since all the food booths and beer were “cheap.” Unlike some events where the food and drink prices are jacked up because of a captive audience, the food vendors of Globe-Miami offered up good fare at good prices!

The presentation of the La Reina de Las Flores Queens and Contestants occurred under clear skies and each of the ladies are to be commended for their achievements and performance at Saturday’s event.

Ballet Folklorico tenochtitlan showcased a variety of dances and dresses!

Queens & Contestants

Talking to Globe’s Mayor, Fernando Shipley, about what he might do differently next year, he said he would begin the Festival on Saturday, since people are working on Friday and most can’t even think of showing up until they get off work.

There are other considerations which will surely be a part of the wrap up discussion regarding better signage, more advertising outside the area and coordination with local merchants, but this should not take away from the fact that many things went right with this event.

Globe proved that we do have an excellent “staging area” for a truly large-scale event and we have the people who can pull it off. Had the crowds been larger, an event of this type can bring in money and become a well-recognized asset for this community. It can be an event which smoozes locals and outta-towners alike and celebrates the Mexican culture which is not just one thing – but a huge melting pot of many expressions. It can be an event for all. And that would be something worth celebrating.

(PS: For more photographs on the Festival please visit Globe Miami Times Facebook.)