The Christmas Season is upon us
Being an elected official, it would be more politically correct for me to say, “The Holiday Season” is upon us.
In our rush to be politically perfect about this season, we sometimes relegate to a whisper both the message and the messenger. After all, Christmas is named after a man who had a profound impact on planet earth and an equaling compelling message.
Christ’s message was that of peace.
Peace is a concept universally understood. The practice of peace … not so much. We have to look no further than our beloved America to know that peace is not being practiced. It gets worse as we go beyond our borders.
Why is this simple concept so difficult to practice? Perhaps it’s because peace asks us to take a great leap: Peace asks us not to fear another; to take a leap of faith that others will not do us harm; that there is only good will between us and another. The rewards of peace are promising. Getting there is the challenge. This makes Christ’s message all the more compelling, if not urgent.
Humankind is capable of living in peace. Christ is an example of how it’s done, his message a blueprint of how to do it.
A Cave Creek reminder of this is the two-night Kiwanis-sponsored Christmas Pageant that occurred on December 6 and 7 at Spur Cross, which annually brings people of all religious persuasions to gather to witness the re-enactment of the birth of a child that brought the message of peace to the world.
So, on behalf of the town staff and council, a council that is composed of Christians, a Catholic, Jew and a Buddhist, we wish you the peace of the Christmas Season.
Mayor Vincent Francia
Cave Creek
Dear friend of Triple R Horse Rescue
Every year, hundreds of Arizona horses and burros find themselves in need of forever homes. That is why Triple R Horse Rescue, a 501(c) 3 organization, is committed to rescue, rehabilitate and re-home the animals surrendered to its care. Our organization, which is run 100% by volunteers, relies on support from the community to fulfill its mission.
Did you know that during the past three years, Triple R re-homed more than 100 horses? It’s true. However, the need continues to be great - so we humbly request your support. How can you help? Through your generous support of a donation to Triple R Horse Rescue, we can help more loving animals find the families they seek. Donations allow our organization to rehabilitate, house and feed numerous horses and burros until they are adopted and find peace and love in a stable environment. So, please consider giving your end-of-year tax donation to a wonderful cause so that we can help these animals find their way back home.
Thank you for your kind donation to help horses and burros in need of loving homes. Merry Christmas to you and yours and happy holidays!
Sincerely,
Ken Bacher, president,
and volunteers of Triple R Horse Rescue
www.triplerhorserescueaz.com
Charitable 501(c)3 Organization
Recognized by the Federal Government and the State of Arizona ID# 56-252839
Hollowing our military
I have previously written about the disastrous impact of “sequestration” on our armed forces. Douglas Wissing delves into this topic in his article “RIF Tide” in the December 2014 issue of The American Legion Magazine, which I partially paraphrase in the next paragraph.
After 9/11 we had 570,000 soldiers in the Army, and it may decrease to around 400,000, which will be our smallest Army since before WWII. The Marines will go from 184,000 to 175,000, and the National Guard will lose 43,000 soldiers and the Reserves 20,000. The Air Force will have about 700 fewer aircraft.
Being former Navy enlisted and a Navy officer, I am especially concerned with the state of our Navy. We currently have 286 ships, including 11 carrier battle groups. Sequestration will keep our Navy (with new construction) at 286 ships, but decrease carrier battle groups to 10. Our Naval command estimates we need 300 ships, including 12 carrier battle groups, to effectively project our military power in the world and safeguard our security. Let’s not forget 90 percent of the world’s trade passes over the oceans.
The scale back of our overseas land bases increases the need for a strong Navy, including carrier battle groups.
Donald A. Moskowitz
Londonderry, New Hampshire
Save Arizona!
Are you tired of Washington, D.C. dictating the lives of Arizonans? I am. That’s why I joined the Convention of States Project, to put an end to the abuses of the federal government.
Mark Levin addressed a room full of state legislators last weekend and encouraged them to pass Convention of States legislation and use the power given to them in Article V. NOW is the time to fight for our freedom.
As Levin said, “Congress passes a law in Arizona and the Supreme Court decides Arizona has no say on immigration within the borders of Arizona...what are you talking about?? That’s not what the Framers said! That’s not what is in the Constitution says! So what power does Arizona have? Zero! None! So take your power back!”
Help us take our power back and join the fight.
Sign up to be a part of our growing District Captain team today!
For liberty,
P.S. Have you signed the petition?
Mike Kapic
Arizona State Director
www.conventionofstates.com
It’s The Season of Sharing!
I want to thank you for your continued support of Sharing Down Syndrome Arizona. As a non-profit organization, we are able to do what we do because of donations from our dear families and friends.
This year, we’re asking for your help by using the Arizona Tax Credit that is utilized by only 2 percent of Arizona residents. You can receive a dollar for dollar tax credit on a donation made to Sharing Down Syndrome Arizona.
Give A Dollar ... Get A Dollar
Those who make a donation by the end of the year will receive this tax credit. Taxpayers filing as “single” and “head of household” status may claim a maximum credit of $200. Taxpayers filing as “married filing separate” may claim a maximum credit of $200. Taxpayers that file as “married filing joint” may claim a maximum credit of $400.
It’s as simple as that! You must donate by December 31 to qualify for 2014. Everyone is eligible and you control where your tax dollars go.
Also, this tax credit is independent from the public and private education tax credit. You can donate to school projects and Sharing Down Syndrome Arizona and still receive both tax credits in full. There is no out of pocket costs since you get it back when you file your tax return.
Visit http://www.sharingds.org/SitePage/Donate to donate to Sharing Down Syndrome Arizona.
If you have any questions or need assistance, please call Teresa at 480-926-6500.
Thank you again for your continued love and support. This is a great opportunity for all of our families and friends to join us in “The Season of Sharing!”
With all my love,
Gina Johnson, (AKA David’s Mom)
Sharing Down Syndrome Arizona
[email protected]
Emperor Obama’s latest mistake
Australian author Nick Addams said Australia has had the same problem with illegal immigration as America has had.
“We had a terrible problem. We had tens of thousands of illegal immigrants coming. In lots and lots of boats.” [That was] “because we weakened our border protection policy.”
When the conservative government took over in Australia, “we got tough because we know weakness is provocative and things like amnesty only lead to more and more illegal immigration.”
With the new government, illegal immigration stopped in Australia.
“For the last 10 months we have not had one illegal immigrant come into Australia. Not one.”
Adams said that Obama’s recent amnesty should have been patterned after Australia’s policy. He said Obama should have declared, “We are going to determine who comes into this country and the circumstances under which they come” and “if you come to America illegally you will never get to stay.”
“You will never become an American. We will send you home.”
What a great, common sense policy Adams has shared with us. Australia got it right. Thanks for your example.
Senators, are you listening?
The title of the WND commentary on which this is based is “What ‘Emperor’ Obama Should Have Said to Illegals,” reported by Bob Unruh.
The title of Nick Adams’ books is “The American Boomerang: How the World’s Greatest ‘Turnaround’ Nation will do it again.”
Sincerely,
Arden Druce
Camp Verde
McDowell Sonoran Preserve rezoning
There has been a lot of confusion about the announcement that land, within the Preserve boundary, is going to be rezoned. There are two separate cases:
20-ZN-2014 which will rezone all the land that has been acquired to date, that is in the Preserve, as Conservation Open Space. This is a good thing as it will limit ANY future use of this land to conservation. Currently, most of it is zoned for residential.
19-ZN-2014 which will rezone the remaining State Trust Land, that is within the Preserve boundary but which the city HAS NOT acquired, to match the uses in the 2002 General Plan, which is the General Plan that is in use now.
This 2nd case is really confusing, and the information that has been put out so far doesn’t seem to help much, so current McDowell Sonoran Preserve Commission (MSPC) chairman, Jim Heitel, and I have put together a summary of what this is all about and what the implications are, to help everyone better understand why this is being done and what it means to the future completion of the Preserve. Jim has spent 5 years on the MSPC and I have spent 9 years on it, plus both of us were involved in the 2002 General Plan update that forms the basis for this rezoning.
If you have questions after reviewing the exhibits, there is a lot of information on the city’s website – just look up the two cases above.
Howard Meyers
Scottsdale
[Editor note: The information referred to above is published in its entirety on the front page in this issue.]
Dishonoring the military ... again and again
Last Saturday, the United States Naval Academy scored its thirteenth consecutive football victory over the United States Military Academy.
Did you see President Obama crossing to the other side of the field at halftime?
Neither did I. He wasn’t there. Is there anything this president and his wife will not do to show contempt for those in uniform?
Perhaps it’s just as well he did not show, as he would have been met with thundering silence from the midshipmen and cadets instead of the adulatory applause dignitaries usually receive.
Hell to the Chief!
J-P. A. Maldonado
Lafayette, Colorado
Don’t kick Santa across the yard, give and celebrate Christmas
This Christmas give somebody the gift of mercy and forgiveness. Actually be broad with your giving and generous. We all need a lot of both. For such a joyful holiday of cheer, giving and yuletide merriment there are certainly a lot of stressed out sourpuss faces and agitated people. If you haven’t seen any of these you probably haven’t been to the mall or busy shopping districts. People get tense over decorating, shopping, spending, and fitting into their schedules all the jolly dinners, gatherings and religious services. You may have watched Chevy Chase in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. He becomes over the top stressed out when his Christmas lights don’t work and literally kicks, stomps and curses a blue streak across his yard. It’s a funny scene. Mostly because in some way we’ve all been there a time or two.
We go crazy at Christmas. Everything is totally and abnormally different from the rest of the year. We spend money, eat, cook, travel and over schedule more than any other time of the year. By the time December 26 rolls around we’re sick of Christmas. We start making a list of New Year’s resolutions that include never doing some of the stuff ever again that we did at Christmas! By the time the next Christmas rolls around we do it all over again and often worse than the year before. We promise and swear we are going to do things differently but as long as we are able we do it over and again.
Most of us enjoy giving if we can. We enjoy giving to the people we love. Christmas trees, decorating, eating and gatherings are all a part of the season. However, we become frustrated when we lose sight of the big picture. The big picture includes looking around and beyond our Christmas pain. Millions of people would simply be thrilled to have the problems that some of us have. Many people are in the nursing home and will never go to the mall again. Some have a terminal disease and this may be their last Christmas. Others, would simply love to have a house to decorate or someone to buy a gift for.
Celebrate Christmas this year. Give away some special gifts. Give gifts that money can’t buy or time cannot fade. Give love, give forgiveness and give some mercy. Extend these generously to yourself. If you can’t give them to yourself it’s impossible to give them to others.
The little baby that Christmas celebrates became a man and taught people that we should love God and love others as we love ourselves. Herein is part of the rub. Too often people stop loving themselves. Life becomes imperfect, we fail, get hurt or mad and we kick Santa or the reindeer across the yard. Unfortunately we stop there. We go into Ebenezer Scrooge bah humbug mode. We don’t get our groove back and miss out on some of Christmas’ most wonderful characteristics- mercy and forgiveness. The Christmas story is about a child who came to show us the way. He showed us how to love, forgive and be merciful. Some of the people in your life probably need it more than you know. Give generously and start with yourself.
Dr. Glenn Mollette
American columnist and author
Proud of their damage
Soon our mailboxes will be stuffed with full color flyers on how proud Trenk, Monachino, Durkin and Spitzer are of their accomplishments on town council. There will be the litany of saving money, transparency, reducing expenses while improving services and other sundry claims of success, none of which will have a thread of truth, but dishonesty got them elected and that’s all they have.
Here are a few examples of the damage they have done. They took over a town (literally) that had some $7 million in reserve and spent it like water on their buddy Rodney Glassman, the totally unqualified interim town manager who they bestowed with an unlimited expense account, an outlandish salary, an unconscionable $10,000 raise and an unnecessary assistant; shiny horses; lots of questionable software; hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal expenses for irresponsibly firing the qualified town manager and hanging an additional $3 million legal liability on the town, and; their full color campaign “newsletters” and stupid public relations stunts costing thousands of dollars and destroying what remained of the town’s regional prestige and local good will.
These unnecessary and lavish expenditures were all made with your money, not theirs. After ripping off some $800,000 from the trails program to cover some of their losses, they reduced the budget by about $1 million largely by kicking a debt payment down the road. That was a purely political move they will brag about that saves not one dollar and has resulted in the following: a town so broke and so totally indifferent to public safety that it cannot afford to properly or timely repair dangerous roads, broken utilities, illegal and dangerous wash crossings or brush that obscures visibility at many corners and stop signs in town.
Their indifference to public safety issues in the town is breathtaking. Pavement marking downtown is so poor it can’t be seen at night. Since they are unable to properly repair what is broken, conducting routine and necessary maintenance on roads and utilities is a sham. Actually improving them using all that pricey software is a joke. These things used to be done routinely so the dive the town has taken is obvious to all. Just look around and ask yourself how proud you are – they can’t hide it.
Nothing has improved, the streets are worse and the appearance of the town core is appalling. It increasingly appears to be a tacky tent city with tents on every parking area with every manner of sign hanging haphazardly on fences, stakes, poles, cars, trucks and trailers, ugly little wooden houses lining the street and so forth.
Cave Creek must cut its losses by recalling those responsible, namely Trenk, Monachino, Durkin and Spitzer and get the town back on a responsible path. They have nothing to be proud of and much damage and hundreds of thousands of dollars (and counting) in wasted taxes to be sorry for.
Bob Williams
Cave Creek
