Good morning, it’s Monday April 26th and this is The Herald Review’s Daily Chirp podcast. We’re bringing you a closer look at one of our top stories, along with other important things going on in our community.
Today - As Arizona border cities are challenged with the arrival of undocumented migrants, Sierra Vista has been relatively “unscathed” … But why is that the case?
Before we begin, some local history.
Ever heard of the “Pink Moon?”
Venture outside tonight to catch a glimpse of April’s full Pink Moon. This full moon — the first of two supermoons this year — will be visible after sunset and reach peak illumination at 8:30 p.m.
Before you get your hopes up, this “Super Pink Moon” won’t actually look “super pink”—or any hue of pink, really. The moon will be its usual golden color near the horizon and fade to a bright white as it glides overhead!
Although we wish this name had to do with the color of the moon, the reality is not quite as mystical or awe-inspiring. In truth, April’s full moon often corresponded with the early springtime blooms of a certain wildflower native to eastern North America. It’s commonly called creeping phlox or moss phlox.
Today’s history is brought to you by Benson Hospital - they’re doing more than treating illnesses in Benson, they're building a healthier community. Benson Hospital is now collaborating with the Diaper Bank of Southern Arizona to provide diaper assistance to families in need. For more information visit their website at bensonhospital.org.
Also, The Daily Chirp podcast is giving away 5 Amazon Echo Dots - one every month now through July. You can enter for your chance to win twice a day! Today's code is APRIL and find the other codeword in our “Daily Chirp Podcast Alert” e-newsletter. To enter the sweepstakes go to myheraldreview.com, again today's codeword is: APRIL
Now, our feature story.
Many Arizona border cities are challenged with the arrival of undocumented migrants. But Sierra Vista has been relatively “unscathed” so far… At least according to Mayor Rick Mueller.
But that doesn’t mean the city isn’t on alert. Mueller said it also doesn’t mean that nothing’s happening in Sierra Vista. It’s just that it hasn’t yet reached alarming levels.
At city call on Wednesday Mueller said that they are on alert - noting that the police chief is very aware of what’s going on.
Mueller also talked about how they’re trying to address the concerns with other mayors in the area - as well as with the federal government and the state government. With this collaboration he says they’ll be able to better respond to any situations that arise in the future.
The mayor said Sierra Vista’s location and specifically the lack of bus service that provides transportation outside the city limits have worked in the municipality’s favor. At least for now - to keep the influx of undocumented migrants at bay.
The departure of Greyhound bus service from Sierra Vista - prompted by the pandemic has not been positive for the city overall, but Mueller said it’s been somewhat of a blessing.
Sierra Vista’s southern boundary is about nine miles from the Mexican border, and another 15 miles from the Sonoran town of Naco. Naco, Sonora, has a population of just 5,700.
Mueller explained that operating human or drug smuggling transactions through a smaller town such as Naco isn’t cost-effective for the Mexican cartel.
Apparently it’s much easier for the cartels to amass people in other areas of the border across from Nogales, across from Douglas, across from Yuma, and bring them in that way.
Mueller noted that we’re talking about a business operation run by the Mexican cartels and for the purpose of infiltrating people and drugs and maybe other things into the United States.
It’s easier for them to gain their profits by being in these other larger locations.
Mueller also talked about the federal government's handling of the situation at the border overall. Something in particular that irks him is when the Border Patrol or other agencies come into a town or city and drop off undocumented migrants.
He says they expect the local governments to have facilities available to take care of these people before they get on a bus and go somewhere else.
But to Mueller - that’s not the local government’s responsibility, it’s the federal government’s responsibility and that’s where the federal government has abrogated its responsibility. They expect the local governments, with their own budgets, to take care of these problems.
So what if Sierra Vista is faced with such a situation in the future? Mueller said the only thing we could do would be to call state officials and ask them to pick up undocumented migrants and take them elsewhere.
Earlier this past week, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey declared an emergency on “the southern border with the Republic of Mexico,” a move that allows the governor to call in the Arizona National Guard. Cochise County Sheriff’s spokeswoman Carol Capas said Cochise County would be getting 23 National Guard members to help the Sheriff’s Office in a non-law enforcement capacity.
And on Thursday the Bipartisan Border Solutions Act was introduced. It addresses the impact that the influx of undocumented migrants have on local communities.
To learn more about this story and to stay up to date on developments visit us at myheraldreview.com
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Thanks for listening, before we continue, a quick message from our sponsors, Prestige Family Living.
Next - Two conceptual designs on the proposed Bisbee Bike Path are ready for comments. The city and Bisbee Bikeways are taking public input on both ahead of an online meeting on May 4.
brought to you by ApexNetwork Physical Therapy in Benson and Sierra Vista. They’re doing more than just treating patients, they’re helping patients get back to living their daily lives. Using extensive knowledge, their therapists treat each patient one-on-one, focusing on individual care. To learn more, go to ApexNetworkPT.com.
Thanks to a grant written by Bisbee Bikeways from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Rural Grant Development Program, a feasibility study for the shared use path has been completed.
The plan is to have the pathway on U.S. Route 80 - connecting Old Bisbee and Warren.
Meggen Connolley, founder of Bisbee Bikeways, announced that the two designs were completed. They were both created by Brent Crowther and his team at Kimley-Horne.
The plans propose one lane in each direction on 80 to allow for a turning lane in the middle. It’ll run on the eastbound side - adjacent to the Lavender Pit, between Naco Road and Erie Street. It’ll also have a buffer between the pathway and the roadway.
The goals of the project are to create a safe facility for walkers and bikers, to make it comfortable for people of all ages, to make it convenient, and of course, to make it aesthetically pleasing. Finally, it’s important that it’ll be financially viable to both set up and also maintain.
Both plans call for a 12-foot-wide pathway with directional arrows. Why 12 feet wide? So it can be cleaned by a street sweeper. There will also be lighting at the pedestrian level.
In the first plan, Plan A, Main Street becomes one way westbound between U.S. 80 and the Historic District. Vehicles that would’ve originally used eastbound Main Street from Historic Bisbee to U.S. 80 would use Naco Road instead. The driveway for the Queen Mine Tour to the highway would be relocated west. This plan, Plan A is estimated to cost $2.3 million.
Now, let’s move onto Plan B. Plan B minimizes impacts to the existing intersections that connect U.S. 80 to Historic Bisbee. The pathway would be adjacent to the existing streets from Dart Road, near the Queen Mine Tour entrance. It would require construction of retaining walls adjacent to Main Street near the Queen Mine Tour entrance. Plan B also calls for the widening of the U.S. 80 Main Street underpass to accommodate the path. The estimated cost? $4.7 million, so over two times the cost of Plan A.
So, if you want your voice to be heard head over to bisbeeaz.gov to check out the plans. You can comment in the Bisbee Shared Use Path survey. For more information and the full link to the survey visit our full story on the path at myheraldreview.com.
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Next, an upcoming event in our community that you should know about -- brought to you by our sponsors, Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative.
Are you interested in a behind the scenes experience of police work? Well, you’re in luck. You can apply for the upcoming Citizen Police Academy hosted by the Sierra Vista Police Department. Classes will be held in the police department auditorium for 12 consecutives weeks starting in August. So mark your calendars! The class is limited to 25 students and it’s first come first serve. Make sure to submit your application before June 4th. Keep in mind you need to be at least 18 years old, and live or work in the greater Sierra Vista area. There will also be limited background checks for those who apply. Check out our events section for more information.
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Finally - we’d like to remember the life of
Nathan James Stover.. He is now reunited with the love of his life, Nadia.
Nate was born on April 25, 1980 in Rockport, Maine. He became an “army brat” soon after. Nate spent his childhood living in, traveling, and visiting various locations within the United States and Europe. At age 15, he moved to Sierra Vista and was a student at Buena High School. He graduated in the class of 1998.
Nate then worked at a local automotive dealership for most of his adult life. He was a devoted family man and cherished time spent with them at home, on vacations, at sporting events, or other activities. He was also an avid sports fan and enjoyed golf. Nate always saw the best in others, was always ready to lend a helping hand. Everyone appreciated his sense of humor and outlook on life.
Nate will lovingly be remembered by his children, his parents, and his grandparents. Nate was predeceased by his wife of 19 years, Nadia. He will be missed by his many other family members and friends.
A celebration of Nate’s life will be held on May 16, 2021 at the Windemere Hotel and Conference Center.
Thank you for taking a moment with us today to remember and celebrate his life.
Thanks for tuning in to the Herald Review podcast today, join us again on Tuesday! And remember, the Herald Review is here for you with local news you can trust. For more information on any of the stories you heard about today, visit us at myheraldreview.com. Right now you can become a member starting at just $1.99 per week.