Arizona Holds on to Hope for Moisture

It amazes me that two months out of this new year are already gone. March is here, and as of this writing, Arizona is still without rain and any significant amount of snow in the high country. The latest reports from the Weather Channel are predicting rain for Tuesday evening. Let's hope they're right! The lack of moisture has prompted our national forests to implement fire restrictions. I can't remember the last time this happened in February. Last month also brought us another first, at least in recent memory, the February Fire, just north of Payson. However, optimist that I am, we still have this month. April 1 can also bring surprises from Mother Nature. I believe the year was 1998 when morning brought several inches of snow to the Basin. All is not yet lost - keep praying and focus on rain . . . snow . . . rain . . snow. This issue's feature article should be of particular interest to Roosevelt residents. I strongly recommend they not only take the time to read the front page article concerning "management strategy for motorized vehicle use on national forest lands around Roosevelt, Arizona," but participate and attend the meeting later this month. Written comments are also encouraged and welcome. Those of you who have missed the In the Kitchen column the last few issues should be very happy with this edition. We've included several recipes to tempt those taste buds. We are still in the process of moving into the building in Globe. I was somewhat sidetracked with other endeavors over the last two months. It appears (I say this with caution) that we are back on track and should open in the next couple weeks. A huge thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the support. Until next issue . . . take care.