Local News

Job seekers may learn about which area employers are hiring and what they require in terms of skills and experience on Wednesday, Sept. 25 at the Prescott Valley Job Fair at the Findlay Toyota Center from 3:30 to 6 p.m.

Veterans, individuals age 55 and older, and differently abled job seekers may take advantage of early admission starting at 3 p.m.

Attendees can meet with representatives from more than 55 employers including Keller Williams, Enchantment Resort, Printpack, Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office and Fain Signature Group. Apply for part-time, full-time, temporary or seasonal jobs.

Prescott Valley Job Fair sponsors are PVEDF, Fann Contracting, ResCare, Elwood Staffing, Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce, Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona, and Granite Creek Health and Rehabilitation Center.

The Prescott Valley Job Fair is coordinated by Yavapai College Regional Economic Development Center, Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce, ARIZONA@WORK Yavapai County, Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona, and U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

For more information, contact gloria@pvchamber.org (928) 772-8857 or katherine.anderson@yc.edu (928) 776-2008.

The 8th annual Healing Field and Patriot Week activities are scheduled Sept. 6-13 in and around the Civic Center, 7501 E. Skoog Blvd., in Prescott Valley. Volunteers will set up 3,000 American flags in memory of those who died during the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001. Nineteen flags are dedicated to the 19 Granite Mountain Hotshots who lost their lives in a wildfire near Yarnell, June 30, 2013.

Other Patriot Week events begin Saturday, Sept. 7, when the 4th annual Patriot Run starts at 7 a.m. At 9:30 a.m., Dan Vollmer of the Prescott Valley Catholic Church will lead the “Blessing of the Field.” A Children’s Patriot Concert is scheduled at 6 p.m. A similar Patriot Concert is set for 6 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 10.

The traditional Patriot Day ceremony is set for 6 p.m., Wednesday, Sept. 11, at the Theater on the Green. Prescott Valley Mayor Kell Palguta will open the program. Interim Police Chief James Edelstein will serve as master of ceremonies.

Among the speakers will be retired Captain Patty Mack of the New York Court Officers Academy. Mack was among those who went into the Twin Towers in an attempt to save lives. Ceremonies will close with a rifle volley and the playing of “Taps” by American Legion Post 6.
Yavapai County Supervisor Mary Mallory, who until July 15 was a member of the Prescott Valley Town Council, is credited with inspiring the town to create the Healing Field.

Mayor Palguta said Mallory’s idea was that by honoring those who serve, it helps everyone understand that freedom is not without pain and suffering. He said the Healing Field reminds people they cannot forget history and the sacrifices made to protect American rights and freedoms.

PV Town Manager Larry Tarkowski said the community has created a celebration of the American spirit that “reminds us that despite differences, people yet embrace a love of country by honoring the sacrifices of those who perished.”

Town of Prescott Valley Communications Coordinator Heidi Dahms Foster said that for one week, the Civic Center grounds “become hallowed as we honor and remember those lives that were lost.”

For more information, visit healingfield.org/prescottvalley. QCBN

By Ray Newton, QCBN

The deluge from spammers and fraudsters disrupting our lives with unsolicited calls has reached such epidemic proportions that both houses of Congress have passed bills proposing solutions to deter robocalling and more effectively punish violators.
The Better Business Bureau (BBB) says that anytime you answer the phone and hear a recorded message instead of a live person, you have been robocalled. The technique assists scammers from bogus companies in claiming such bonanzas as lowering your utility bills, reducing credit card rates, awarding government grants, offering free vacation packages or claiming you owe the IRS.
The 26.3 billion robocalls placed to mobile devices across the country in 2018 represent an average of seven monthly calls per person and a 46 percent rise in such calls since 2017, according to Hiya, a provider of caller profile information.
A 2019 report from Transaction Network Services (TNS) offers additional insights: more than two-thirds of calls from legitimate toll-free numbers are nuisance or high risk; one in 4,000 mobile numbers a month is hijacked by spoofers; 20 percent of people experiencing hijacks disconnect their phone; spoofing of neighbors’ phone numbers represents 24 percent of all unwanted calls; and unsolicited calls from Canada have risen by more than 100 percent.
“If you’ve received a lot robocalls calls recently, you’re not alone,” the BBB acknowledged in its July newsletter. “Nearly 2.4 billion robocalls are made every month, according to the FCC. The number has increased significantly in the past few years because internet-powered phone systems have made it cheap and easy for scammers to make illegal calls and display fake caller ID information.”
The Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence (TRACED) Act, approved 97-1 by the Senate in January, proposes increased penalties for violators; pushes telecoms service providers to enable call authentication validating that the caller ID is actually the number originating the call; and establishes a government task force to improve enforcement and prosecution. The House’s Stopping Bad Robocalls Act, passed July 24 by a 429-3 margin, also would supply the FCC with expanded legal powers and pressure carriers to enhance authentication. Now that the legislative bodies have agreed on the need, they next must finalize and approve a version that will be acceptable to the president.
Meanwhile, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai has been pressing 14 carriers to move forward with call authentication using SHAKEN/STIR technology. At least half already have provided leadership and/or satisfactory assurance for 2019, and Pai has threatened the others with unspecified “regulatory intervention.”
SHAKEN and STIR are acronyms for technology protocols that verify calls on both dialing and receiving ends with digital signatures to ensure that caller ID matches the originating number. The technology does not stop unwanted calls, but signals the consumer with a “Call Verified” message on the phone screen.
T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T are among the companies currently running the technology in one fashion or another, often requiring select phones with software updates.
Lisa Belot with Sprint Corporate Communications said Sprint is “fully committed to deploying SHAKEN/STIR and plans to implement and test cross-carrier interoperation this year. We believe deployment of these technologies will be an important step in Sprint and the industry’s continuing work to eradicate the plague of illegal and unwanted robocalls.”
Complaints about robocalling from consumers across the U.S., Canada and Mexico are logged by BBB Scam Tracker, according to Marilyn Huffman, regional director of the BBB serving the Pacific Southwest.
“The number one way scammers contact consumers is still by phone,” Huffman explained. “Most robocalls calls are ‘phishing.’ The fraudsters are calling and hoping a consumer will give them personal information, [such as] address, phone, date of birth and in some cases social security numbers and/or banking information.”
Huffman stated that the number of inquiries received this year for the Greater Arizona, San Diego, Orange and Imperial County areas is more than 850, with a total monetary loss of $572,433. For all BBBs, that combined loss is $347,696,967 spread across 24,000 inquiries.
“Remember, this is only the number of reported cases,” she cautioned. “Not everyone feels comfortable reporting they have been a victim of a scam.”
Knowing the difference between legal and illegal robocalls helps consumers fight the intrusions, according to Huffman. Candidates running for public office and charities requesting donations are exempt, she explained, as are reminder messages from your physician’s office. Banks and telephone carriers also are excused as long as they make the calls themselves.
“In the U.S., an immediate red flag is if the recording is trying to sell you something,” Huffman said. “If the recording is a sales message, and you haven’t given your written permission to get calls from the company on the other end, the call is illegal.”
The burden is on the telemarketer to obtain “your written consent, whether through paper or electronic means, to receive a call or message,” Huffman continued. “Simply buying a product, or contacting a business with a question, does not give them legal permission to call you. The new rules also require telemarketers to allow you to opt out of receiving additional telemarketing robocalls immediately during a prerecorded telemarketing call through an automated menu.”
High-risk scam and fraud robocalls decreased 18 percent in 2018 over the previous year, according to TNS. The company attributes the reduction to the FCC’s recent enforcement actions and proactive carrier and telecommunications industry initiatives.
“The No. 1 thing I tell people is ‘Do not answer the phone if you don’t recognize the number,’” Huffman emphasized. “Every time you answer, the computer making the robocall marks that number as ‘responsive.’ If you really want the calls to go away, stop answering. If it is someone you know, they will leave a message and you can return their call. There are also several options available through local phone providers which can help protect you…check them out. Lastly, do not be afraid to report unwanted calls. It will help action be taken, as a whole, to protect the public and it just may help someone else avoid becoming a victim.”
If you do receive a bogus call, Huffman recommends you hang up, block and report. She advises against speaking to the violators or pressing buttons claiming to remove you from a list. Alert employees or household members to distrust callers claiming to be from the IRS or Social Security Administration. Options for call blocking vary by phone model, service provider and network, but you can call visit ftc.gov/calls for advice. Reporting violations is vital for law enforcement efforts. Report unwanted calls online at ftc.gov/complaint or bbb.org/scamtracker/us. QCBN

By Sue Marceau, QCBN

More than $300,000 is being contributed by generous donors to help end homelessness in the region.
Unprecedented cooperation among more than 50 contractors, vendors and suppliers, led by Dorn Homes Owner and President David Grounds, is resulting in construction of two lodges – residential homes entirely dedicated to housing for otherwise homeless people in the Quad Cities area.
Groundbreaking for the two new homes was led by the Coalition for Compassion and Justice (CCJ), which earlier had purchased the property at 226 South Rush Street. CCJ made it available for what is being called a “Second Chance Housing Program.”
During groundbreaking ceremonies July 29, CCJ Executive Director Jessi Hans told the crowd of more than 75 community leaders that originally, CCJ had hoped to conduct a capital campaign to fund construction of the homes. “However, because of the generosity and the leadership of the local building community led by Dorn Homes, these houses now are gifts to CCJ. They will help us fulfill our recently redefined mission – ending homelessness in our community. Because of this project, we are able to transform human lives.”
Addressing the crowd, Grounds explained the project was a visible extension of the Dorn motto of “Dorn Cares.” He said he was humbled to be involved in a meaningful and life-enriching project for homeless community members. “This will give them hope and dignity,” he said.
The two lodges were designed to accommodate four to six individuals in a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home. Each home has a large communal kitchen, dining and living area to be shared by occupants, along with a library and a den/office space. Each bedroom has a separate entrance and patio.
The 1,472-square-foot, single-story lodge floor plan was designed by Prescott architect Carol Russell. “It is the fulfillment of a great desire, to see the beginning of the end of homelessness,” said Russell.
Hans explained that rooms in the lodge will cost $300 a month, which includes utilities. She made clear that the housing is for adults. The collective monthly rent from each lodge then will be placed into a CCJ fund and used to build more homes for the homeless.
Hans praised Grounds and Dorn Homes for bringing together the diverse group of contractors, vendors and suppliers who are contributing to the project with materials and supplies, labor or cash. She expressed gratitude to all, saying, “This support speaks to the generosity of our community.”
Prescott Mayor Greg Mengarelli said he was not surprised at the generous support of all the partners. “That’s just the kind of community we live in.”
Four More Lodges in the Future
Dorn Homes Vice President of Sales and Marketing Jim Gunby told Quad Cities Business News that construction was beginning the minute the groundbreaking ceremony was over. He said he anticipated the two lodges to be completed by mid-winter.
The estimated cost for each lodge is approximately $150,000, or $300,000 for both. The figure does not include the land.
Gunby pointed out the property owned by CCJ on which the lodges are being built is large enough to add four more lodges. He said he and his colleagues and partners fully anticipate that additional lodges will be constructed as soon as feasible.
Dorn Homes has been constructing homes in the Quad Cities and Central and Northern Arizona for 50 years and is considered the region’s largest homebuilder.
Mary Bauer, immediate past president and current first vice president of the CCJ board of directors, explained the transition in CCJ’s mission was the result of intense deliberation by board members. She said the board believed the importance of putting people into affordable housing will do more to solve homelessness, a major social issue, than anything else CCJ could do. “We are blessed that Dorn Homes and the partners they brought together agree with us in meeting this mission. All of us owe all of them our gratitude.”
For more information, contact CCJ at 928-445-8382 or visit Yavapaiccj.org. QCBN

By Ray Newton, QCBN

Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) officials found mosquitoes that tested positive for West Nile virus (WNV) in an area south of Lake Mary Road in Flagstaff. This is the first positive WNV in mosquitoes in Coconino County this year. No human cases have been reported in Coconino County since 2010 when two human cases were identified.

CCHHS staff has applied a non-toxic larvicide treatment to reduce mosquito populations in water pools in the affected area and in other locations in the County. CCHHS will continue trapping and testing mosquitoes in areas where there is mosquito activity until colder weather returns. Although this is the only area where mosquitoes have tested positive this year, WNV is endemic and could be present in other areas throughout the County.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, insect repellent containing DEET, Picaridin, Oil of Lemon Eucalyptus or PMD -the synthesized version of oil of lemon eucalyptus, and IR3535 typically provide reasonably long-lasting protection.

People are encouraged to take the following precautions to prevent mosquito bites. • Mosquitoes that carry WNV are most active at dusk and dawn. Stay indoors during these times or wear shoes and socks, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt when outdoor. • Use screens on windows and doors. Repair holes in screens to keep mosquitoes outdoors. • Use air conditioning, if available. • Stop mosquitoes from laying eggs near your home. Once a week, empty and scrub, turn over, cover, or throw out items that hold water, such as tires, buckets, planters, toys, pools, birdbaths, flowerpots, or trash containers.

People should continue these preventive measures until cold weather returns and mosquito activity diminishes in the fall. There is no specific treatment for WNV other than supportive care, and there is no vaccine available for humans. A WNV vaccination is available for horses. CCHHS encourages horse owners to discuss vaccinations with their veterinarian.

For more information or to report any concerns, call the Coconino County Health and Human Services Environmental Health office at 928-679-8750 or toll free 1-877-679-7272.

In honor of the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, Lowell Observatory will host a Lunar Legacy celebration on July 20, with activities running from 10 am until close at 10 pm (lowell.edu/apollo). This event is part of an 18-month-long, community-wide effort celebrating Flagstaff’s scientific role in preparing for the Apollo missions to the Moon (https://www.flagstaffarizona.org/lunarlegacy/).

 

From 1961 to 1969, scientific illustrators worked with telescope observers at Lowell to create detailed lunar maps in preparation for the Moon landings. Meanwhile, all the Moon-bound astronauts engaged in training exercises at several locales around northern Arizona, including Lowell Observatory. The July 20 celebration will highlight these efforts with themed tours and programs, live music, and a discussion by scientists and others involved in the Apollo astronauts’ training.

 

Schedule of Events for July 20, 2019

10 am – 10 pm | Hands-on Moon-themed activities for kids

 

10:15 am and 4 pm | Lunar Legacy Tours

Hear the story behind the Moon mapping and astronaut training that occurred at Lowell in preparation for the Apollo missions to the Moon.

 

1 pm and 4 pm | Lunar Legacy Exhibit

See the tools used in the Moon mapping project at Lowell and the detailed maps that resulted from it. Also on display are photographs and signatures from the astronauts’ visit to the observatory.

 

5 and 6 pm | Lunar Presentations on the OmniGlobe

Geologist Greg Vaughan of the USGS Astrogeology Science Center will lead guests through a 25-minute exploration of the Moon via our interactive OmniGlobe spherical display.

 

5:30 – 6:45 pm | Live Music from the Flagstaff Community Band

Hear an outdoor concert featuring space songs performed by the Flagstaff Community Band, including an exciting new piece by composer Erik Morales called “One Giant Leap.”

 

7 – 7:45 pm | Lunar Legends Panel

Listen to past and present scientists (“Lunar Legends”) talking about Flagstaff’s role in preparing for manned spaceflight missions, from Apollo to modern-day efforts. Scheduled panelists include Carolyn Shoemaker (comet discoverer and wife of the “father of astrogeology”—Gene Shoemaker), geologists Gerald Schaber and Lauren Edgar, and Gene Shoemaker’s secretary Jody Swann.

 

7:45 – 8 pm | “One Giant Leap” Video

In a video captured during the dedication of Lowell Observatory’s Discovery Channel Telescope in 2012, Neil Armstrong narrates the harrowing moments leading up to Apollo 11’s landing on the Moon. The video culminates with vintage footage of Armstrong taking his “One Giant Leap for Mankind,” which displays at 7:56 pm, 50 years to the minute after Armstrong’s feat.

 

8 – 8:30 pm | “One Giant Leap” Retrospective.

Lunar Legends panelists recall Armstrong’s first footsteps on the Moon, what it meant to them, and how it continues to inspire scientific pursuits. Moderated by astronomy historian William Sheehan.

 

8:30 – 9 pm | Lunar Legends Mingle

Guest may enjoy the opportunity to talk one-on-one with the Lunar Legends, take pictures and have autographs signed. In addition to Lunar Legends panelists, others expected to be on hand include Bill Tinnen and Ray Jordan.

 

8 – 10 pm | Meet an Astronomer – Phil Massey

Meet massive star expert Phil Massey, and take a peek at real-time images of planets, stars, galaxies and other celestial objects to be displayed on a large television screen outdoors using the observatory’s MallinCam system.

 

11:30 pm – 1 am | After Hours Clark Viewing

Stay late to view the night sky through the historic 24” Clark Refractor that was used to map the Moon. Additional fee applies.

 

 

Open Hours

Hours for Lowell’s July 20 Lunar Legacy celebration are 10 am – 10 pm. Regular admission rates apply and are good for same-day readmission: $17 per adult; $10 per child aged 5-17; $16 for seniors, AAA, military, college.

 

 

About Lowell Observatory

Lowell Observatory is a private, nonprofit 501(c)(3) research institution, founded in 1894 by Percival Lowell atop Mars Hill in Flagstaff, Arizona. The observatory has been the site of many important discoveries, including the first detection of large recessional velocities (redshift) of galaxies by Vesto Slipher in 1912-1914 (a result that led ultimately to the realization that the universe is expanding), and the discovery of Pluto by Clyde Tombaugh in 1930. Today, the observatory’s 14 tenured astronomers use ground-based telescopes around the world, telescopes in space, and NASA planetary spacecraft to conduct research in diverse areas of astronomy and planetary science. Lowell Observatory currently operates multiple research instruments at its Anderson Mesa station, east of Flagstaff, and the 4.3-meter Discovery Channel Telescope near Happy Jack, Arizona. The observatory also welcomes more than 100,000 guests per year to its Mars Hill campus in Flagstaff, Arizona, for a variety of educational experiences, including historical tours, science presentations, and telescope viewing.

 

Contact

Kevin Schindler, Lowell Observatory

(928) 607-1387

kevin@lowell.edu