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To CCUSD Watch:

David Schaefer | Cave Creek

Your letter accused me (and the CCUSD Governing Board) of failing the children of our district by foregoing an expensive executive search for Superintendent.

Not that I need to justify my vote, but my main reasons for voting to appoint Dr. Burdick:

She has earned her chance to lead this district.  I have seen nothing that would lead me to believe she is not up to the task.  I have seen many examples of her leadership and effective decision-making in action.

The kids, the administrators and the teaching staff need continuity of leadership.  The revolving door needs to stop.

We need to show the district’s staff that we will promote from within, where justified. We need to be able to grow our own leaders.

I cannot imagine trying to ‘switch horses’ in the middle of the state budget mess we are currently mired in.

I do not believe that we could ‘poach’ candidates from PVUSD or SUSD without being liable for search fees and relocation costs.

Ultimately saves tens of thousands of taxpayer dollars that would have been consumed by
search fees and possible relocation expenses.

The failure here is not in appointing Dr. Burdick.  The failure is in making accusatory statements anonymously.  Step out of the shadows and be counted.  Stop hiding amongst the populace.  Earn some credibility.  Until then your behavior is nothing more than educational terrorism.

[Editor’s note: Sonoran News knows the identity of people in CCUSD Watch. They are at risk of retribution by CCUSD officials, hence the anonymity.]

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Let us continue our tale of Carefree

Ira Member | Carefree

Thanks to the evil spewed by the repugnant Huber and his horrid cronies, The Dragon Morgan was able to gain power. Truth be told, The Dragon Morgan was not only as evil as Huber Stevens, he was a true Machiavelli under his scaly hide. He plotted how he could keep the power of the Kingdom of Carefree all to himself. Who needs that buffoon Huber? Let him keep his court jesters, The Pip and The Ding Man; but he wooed his familiar, The Imp Pearson. And, as we all know, imps are most attracted to the hind parts of power. Off scampered The Imp Pearson to sit by The Dragon Morgan. The Dragon realized he needed still more deceivers to make his reign strong. 

The Dragon Morgan knew he could buy Greg The Shekel; with what else ... a shekel. He had learned from the dastardly Huber that the lowly masses of Carefree could not be trusted, so he brought in the Malevolent Sorcerer Meyer to lull the citizens into a state of apathy with his magic organ. The Malevolent Sorcerer Meyer was given the task of ridding the kingdom of noise from obnoxious wagons. Sadly, even the magic organ could not accomplish this deed.

“I need a mealy mouth that can go out amongst the masses, look them in the eyes and slime them by spreading my edicts.” And so, The Dragon Morgan chose The Toad Prince Schwan. Yes, The Dragon Morgan was clever; The Toad Prince Schwan was the perfect candidate for this position. 

The Dragon Morgan needed a successor to the crown. He did not want any that could challenge him; he desired someone weak, insecure and malleable. And so he chose Forked Tongue Fulcher. The Forked Tongue was a good choice, wimpish and frail. Just what The Dragon required.

The Dragon Morgan realized that no matter what he did, there would always be “THE SPOILER,” Bob Coady, fighting for the people. He plotted with his band of very unmerry men to rid themselves of “THE SPOILER.” We need an ogre said The Dragon. What else could be big and mean enough to fight off “THE SPOILER?” And so, they chose the biggest, the meanest, the most vicious Ogre in the Carefree Swamp...The Ogre Hayward and his fearsome fists!

So began Carefree’s reign of terror. But, it is late, and I do not wish to cause you nightmares from ogres. Goodnight my Carefreers, until tomorrow.

To be continued...

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Big thank you

Becky Didier | Vice-president Foothills Animal Rescue

I’d like to express my sincere thanks to the local community for coming forward on Thursday, January 29, to support a major fund raising drive for Foothills Animal Rescue. We had a dinner at Harold’s, Pasta for Paws. While we were expecting about 300 guests, the attendance was more than 500 with some folks leaving because there was no parking and no table space. We were stunned by the outpouring of support.

As you know, FAR is currently without a home. We’re homeless, but not hopeless. We’re trying to raise $200,000 to secure a property, whether it is land to build on or a completed building to purchase. Zoning issues aside, FAR needs dollars. Prior to Thursday’s dinner, we had $80,000. We gained about $20,000 from this great event at Harold’s and the incredible support from the community.

FAR rehomed 682 animals last year – an all-time record for our small rescue. We are a no-kill rescue – we save animals from death every day. FAR has been a part of this community since 1995 and we’ve enjoyed the generosity of Cave Creek/Carefree/Scottsdale for many, many years. Thursday’s outpouring of support truly amazed me – and I’ve been in this business for a long time and thought I was beyond being amazed.

Thank you to all who participated by your presence, by your gifts and donations, by your support. Because you care so much, fewer animals will die. Because you care so much, we will find a home and we will save and safely rehome more animals in 2009. What a fantastic community!

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Steve LaMar

Jacky Davis | (Mayor of Cave Creek 1987-1991)

I will be supporting Steve LaMar for the Cave Creek Town Council on March 10, and I encourage other Cave Creek voters to do the same. He will be an excellent councilman.

Steve joined Cave Creek’s first planning commission in 1987, shortly after the town incorporated. As a newborn municipality, Cave Creek was just beginning to guide its own development, and even as a brand new commissioner Steve understood the town’s primary challenge was how to control the inevitable growth while respecting the rights of property owners and the wishes of residents. He and the other early commissioners focused on retaining the town’s unique character while understanding the need for a viable tax base.

Steve will bring valuable talents and assets to the council. He has served as a very capable member of the Cave Creek Planning Commission for over 15 years and knows the community well. Professionally he is an attorney with the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, where he received a major award as lead council in State v. Johnson, the largest Civil Environmental Enforcement in Arizona history, and his expertise in state law would be helpful.

Steve supports quality business development, advocates open and efficient government, and believes in developing and improving essential service infrastructure while being fiscally responsible. Because he has a deep understanding and respect for Cave Creek’s historical character as well as a love of the open space that has become our defining asset, Steve will be an articulate and passionate spokesman for the town. And he is personable, reasons thoughtfully and is a skilled debater. He will enliven and stimulate discussion on the dais, something I think people who attend town council meetings regularly will appreciate.

In short, there is not a more qualified candidate for the Cave Creek Town Council. Steve is a long-time citizen who has served the town for many years as a planning commissioner. He has earned our trust and support as he seeks a position on the town council.

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Pigs at the trough

Bob Williams | Cave Creek

The pigs continue to line up at the trough at our expense. Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon traveled to Washington to line up at the trough for more tax money to bail out his and his predecessor’s irresponsible administrations.

Phil Gordon, Skip Rimsza, John Nelson, Paul Johnson and Terry Goddard all gave away hundreds of millions of your sales tax dollars to line the pockets of developers on virtually every major development in Phoenix for the past 20 years. And, these are gifts that keep on giving for years.

Surprise! Now Phoenix is broke and the Mayor wants the taxpayers to pay yet again! Thank the courts for whacking Gordon on his latest $100 million giveaway at City North. Politicians responsible for this debacle should pay.

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Your arrogance speaks volumes

Gary Kiernan | Cave Creek

I am writing to respond to the comments in “Your View” defending the congregants of the paradoxically named Good Shepherd of the Hills Church, who over-ran the parking facilities of local businesses a few Saturdays ago.

Your arrogance, as usual, speaks volumes. Because it was for the funeral for “one of the finest men...”, this somehow justifies the suspension of law?

The Church and its congregants have continually flouted the law with regard to illegal aliens. If they were members of this community in good standing, perhaps we could cut them a little slack. However, that is not the case.

There is nothing wrong, or hateful, with Cave Creek citizenry demanding that our rules be followed and enforced. I, for one, am tired of the drive-by, fly-in, out-of-town congregants who encourage law-breaking in my community from behind the security of their gated communities.

You set the tone with your contempt for the law in general, by selectively abiding by only the rules that you agree with.

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A small error


Michael Moorer (CSHS 06’) | Email

After reading the article on the guys I noticed it was said that their ranking was #6 in state. Not sure where that ranking was found (Possibly the AIA website? Although it has never been accurate, much like the BCS) because according to The Arizona Republic they are ranked number one and haven’t been anything less since their pre-season ranking of number two. Though it is a small error, I just thought I should point it out because the guys follow that sort of stuff and are upset when it is incorrect. I should know as a former player. I read Sonoran News every week via Internet and have always loved it, keep up the good work – being in college it helps me not miss Cave Creek quite as much.

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Octuplets

J-P. A Maldonado | Desert Foothills

In hog breeding farms, sows are given a high-protein, enhanced ration, to cause strong ovulation. This is called “flushing.” When the sow comes into heat, she is served by the boar, or artificially inseminated, the result being a large, healthy litter.

In California (where else?) one Ms. Suleman (Turkish? Middle Eastern?), the single, unemployed mother of six children, was duly flushed and then received eight embryos through implantation. The octuplets were born during the last week of January 2009.

We know something: Aid to Dependent Children (ADC) is automatically awarded to single mothers, provided their children are born in the USSA*; they are automatically “entitled” to such disbursement of our tax money. Now I have no idea how much ADC pays per child, but let us assume a modest $250.00 per month. Multiply that by 14 – yes, she now has 14 offspring, including the last litter she dropped, and it happens that she receives (tax-free, of course!) at least $3,500.00 per month! Ms. Suleman lives with her mother, so she has few expenses.

Maybe another reader, more familiar with ADC, can fill in the blanks, especially what the real welfare sum amounts to.

Is there something about responsibility that needs to be explained here?

*Formerly known as the USA.

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How to read the stimulus bill

Jack C. McVickers | Scottsdale

One does not have to read the stimulus bill to know that it is filled with pork. You can tell by the way the congress is trying to pass the bill. They are using the same old method of lumping the good items in with the bad items in order to pass the bad items. It is the same tired old game that makes the public distrustful of Washington. If Washington really wanted a stimulus bill they would consider the projects individually. Debate a highway construction bill, pass it and get it started immediately. Consider a bridge construction bill, pass it and get it started tomorrow. Consider building twenty-five new school buildings in Milwaukee and … whoops … it won’t pass because Milwaukee has fifteen school buildings sitting empty. But Obama has not changed Washington. They will combine all of the projects together and guess what? Milwaukee will get fifteen new school buildings it does not need – and our kids and grandkids in Arizona will pay for them – in addition to paying for schools for their own kids here in Arizona.

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Their true colors: green and yellow

Neil Cohen | Tempe

How sad. The House and Senate Republicans are green with envy and yellow with cowardice. They remind me of the Dr. Suess characters that stubbornly stood in each other’s way until freeways sprung up over and around them. They’re blocking vital recovery plans just to prove they can. It doesn’t surprise me, since they have been responsible for the mess we’re in, and they certainly don’t want to let smarter heads prevail. Let’s not let them – That’ll teach them a lesson. Let’s all let them know that this election meant change, and either support it or get out of the way and let President Obama show what progress, hope and recovery look like.

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Proposed Scottsdale Budget Review Commission

Ray Torres | Scottsdale

The My Turn piece submitted by former Scottsdale city councilwomen Betty Drake must not go unanswered. She actually argued for every city commission to be dismantled. So I ask, what makes the transportation or planning commissions for example any holier than the proposed citizen budget commission?

I recently heard a councilman defend the nomination process on appointing citizens to commissions. I heard a rigorous process unlike years past when political crony appointments were the flavor of the day. The process included a review of the individual nominees including one-on-one interviews conducted by all council members. I also heard that experience and skill sets matter.

I cannot imagine any citizen without financial/accounting expertise wanting to serve on a commission the drudges through reams of numbers and analyzes figures until paralysis sets in; there are people who love doing that however, and can bring value to the budget review process. Perhaps what I read in the column was sour grapes and a lot of rationalization.