As we look forward to the new year 2019, the Silver Belt would like to take this opportunity to look back at the year 2018. Following is the first of a two-part series recapping the year that was in the pages of the Silver Belt.

January

Arson fire suspect arrested: Nathaniel Myers was arrested for attempted arson of an occupied structure after a small fire was set in the rear of the Globe Police Department Dec. 27, 2017.

In June, Myers was convicted of defrauding the U.S. government of more than $6 million in an IRS scam in 2016.

Michael John Formiller, 62, and Mark Alan Riley, 53, both of Globe, were arrested after the Gila County Drug, Gang and Violent Crimes Task Force seized about 232.5 grams of methamphetamine, with street value of $23,250, along with various items of drug paraphernalia.

Lt. Christine Duarte resigned from the Gila County Sheriff’s Office in January after an internal investigation found she had violated policy, creating a hostile work environment and sending inappropriate messages on a County-provided cellphone. In her Jan. 8 letter of resignation, Duarte stated that her 15 years with the department “were fulfilling and (she) appreciated the opportunities (she) had.”

Rabies case in Tonto Basin confirmed

On Jan. 10, a coyote near the Lazy JR RV Park, in Tonto Basin, was confirmed to have rabies. As a result, the Gila County Animal Care and Control Officers increased surveillance in the area.

In January, Linda Oddonetto was appointed to lead the City of Globe’s new Economic Development Department. Services the economic development department provides include help with code enforcement, building permits and water and sewer permitting, specific to the business involved.

February

Old Dominion Mine held its playground grand opening Feb. 3, when Bruce Binkley and Dr. Thea Wilshire cut the ribbon held by Mary Anne Moreno and Councilwoman Charlene Giles. Supporters of the playground included Wilshire, BHP, City of Globe, Gila County Historical Society, Freeport Community Foundation, Globe-Miami Community Fund, Gila County, Ajax Limited, Dalmolin Excavating, Resolution Copper, Bruce Binkley and many community volunteers.

At its Feb. 12 meeting, the Miami Town Council increased trash collection fees, with householders paying $22.50 per month, up from $20 per month. Sewer fees for homes and businesses also went up to $44.26 from $43.25. Changes went into effect 30 days after the meeting, at which the council also welcomed the town’s new Finance Director Stacey Alison.

Aware of needed repairs and in an effort to improve the facility, Freeport McMoRan assumed operational and financial management of the Cobre Valley Country Club on March 1.

Globe Regional Justice of the Peace Judge Jesse E. Bolinger announced his resignation and retirement to the board at the February Gila County Board of Supervisors meeting.

“After more than 21 years as an elected official, it’s time for me to retire and let somebody else do the job,” Bollinger said.

March

Day of excitement, as downtown Globe evacuated: On the morning of March 21, downtown Globe was evacuated because of hazardous material found at three locations in and around the downtown area, when bottles containing Picric acid were found by an astute citizen. Picric acid is an organic compound once primarily used as an explosive, but that has also been used in medicine as an antiseptic and burn treatment, as well as in dyes. All buildings in an eight-block area of downtown Globe was evacuated and locked down all day. Silver Belt archives.

The City of Globe’s announcement of elections opened the 2018 election season in Gila County and the local communities. Three seats Globe City Council city seats were available for the Primary and General elections. Incumbents Roberta Johnson, Dist. 3, and Lerry Alderman, Dist. 6, chose not to run for re-election. Up for re-election, Vice Mayor Mike Stapleton, Dist. 4, ultimately prevailed over opponent Desmond “Desi” Baker. Fernando Shipley replaced Alderman and Jesse Leetham replaced Johnson.

The Miami Town Council had four council seats on the Aug. 28 election ballot. Incumbent Council members Rosemary Castaneda and Susan Hanson chose not to run for re-election.

Councilman Jose “Angel” Medina and Mayor Darryl Dalley were re-elected. Patty Sjolin Bringhurst was later appointed to replace Councilman Ruben Mancha, who had stepped down for personal reasons. Patty Warden was elected, but the council later decided she was ineligible to take her seat. The runner up, Don Reiman, took Warden’s place. Dan Moat was also elected to council.

In March, the Town of Miami and the City of Globe finalized an intergovernmental agreement (IGA), laying out a plan to settle a tax debt Miami did not even realize it had run up over four years. Globe City Manager Paul Jepson and Miami Town Manager Joe Heatherly worked together for several weeks on a deal for Miami to pay off $268,784.04 it had received from the state in error.

On March 29, the Globe Police Department (GPD) reported a potential terrorist threat at High Desert Middle School, resulting in four students and the school’s principal potentially receiving criminal charges by the end of the day.

In March, the Town of Miami instituted a search for a contractor to get the Hostetler Community Pool in sufficient repair to use as a bridge to a proposed aquatic center that local advocates hope to build within the next four years. The $110,000 repair was approved at the end of March and Miami officials expected the work to be done in May before temperatures spiked in the summer.

The City of Globe’s campaign to try to beautify the Highway 60 corridor began March 24 and ran through May 24. The US 60 Clean and Beautiful Campaign was intended to encourage local businesses along the highway to clean up building exteriors and meet or stay in compliance with city code.

On the morning of March 21, downtown Globe was evacuated because of hazardous material found at three locations in and around the downtown area. Gila County Historical Society President Vernon Perry happened to walk by and noticed some bottles that looked familiar to him. Upon closer inspection, he saw the bottles contained Picric acid, so he brought it to the attention of the Globe Fire Department.

April

Copper Rim saw red for school spending: Teachers, students and even a few parents gathered under the school’s flagpole April 4 at Copper Rim Elementary School, in Globe, wearing red in solidarity with educators around the state seeking higher pay and more spending in the classroom during the Red for Ed campaign. Silver Belt archives.

Teachers, students and even a few parents gathered under the school’s flagpole April 4 at Copper Rim Elementary School, in Globe, wearing red in solidarity with educators around the state seeking higher pay and more spending in the classroom. The “walk-ins” were designed to be non-disruptive ways to support educators state-wide as the threat of a strike loomed, following large-scale actions in schools with the lowest funding nationwide, such as Oklahoma and West Virginia.

Andy Sninsky, 69, a multiple myeloma survivor, passed through Globe in April while finishing up the final leg of his cross-country tour on the 50th anniversary of his first coast-to-coast bicycle trip that he took at age 19 in 1968.

“We were 40 years ahead of the times,” Sninsky quipped when he stopped by with his riding partner Tom Moinet, 70.

On April 12, the City of Globe convened its mayor’s branding and marketing advisory committee at the Globe-Miami Chamber of Commerce, to hear a presentation from a marketing firm and give feedback for strategies to promote the area.

The City contracted with Ignite Brand Marketing with the help of Resolution Copper, which contributed $1,500 as an economic development investment for the community.

Hundreds of motorcycles rolled into Globe to the Drift Inn April 13 for the East Valley Firefighters’ 15th Annual Charity Ride, benefitting EVFC causes, including Cesar Chavez Foundation, Child Crisis Arizona, MARC Center and Back to School, among others.

The ninth annual Miami Loco Arts Festival took place the April 20-22 weekend, featuring music, art, poetry and even a drum circle as several hundred participants attended to tour art galleries and listen to music and spoken poetry.

A discussion ensued at the April 23 Miami Town Council meeting, after Councilman Mike Black took matters into his own hands, shutting off the new sign in Bullion Plaza Cultural Center and Museum. According to police reports, the matter began around 9:45 p.m. March 30, when Black called the police department to complain about the light keeping his mother-in-law awake in her Canyon Avenue home.

The matter surfaced again April 11, when Miami Town Manager Joe Heatherly contacted the police department asking about the incident. Subsequently, Black was cited for “damaging or tampering with facilities.” He pleaded not guilty to the charges, according to then-Miami Police Chief Spencer Preston.

Multiple myeloma survivor returns to Globe by bicycle 50 years later: Andy Sninsky, 69, a multiple myeloma survivor, passed through Globe in April while finishing up the final leg of a cross-country tour on the 50th anniversary of his first coast-to-coast bicycle trip he took at age 19 in 1968. “We were 40 years ahead of the times,” Sninsky quipped when he stopped by with his riding partner Tom Moinet, 70. Silver Belt archives.

May

The Miami Town Council convened a special meeting May 1 to approve a press response to the actions of Councilman Mike Black, who disabled the “Welcome to Miami” sign at Bullion Plaza, and to distance itself from the action of a single councilmember. In its press release, the council said it did not condone Black’s actions and took very seriously any allegations of tampering with town property.

Black pleaded not guilty to the charges, and the matter went to Gila County court on May 24.

When Horizon Health and Wellness announced it would close its domestic violence safe house in Globe at the end of April, a community effort emerged to continue a much-needed service to the area.Named after Globe Councilmember Lerry Alderman, a strong supporter of domestic violence services in the community, the Alderman House opened on May 1.

A semi-trailer flipped in Miami on the morning of May 15, on a bend in the road that was the scene of at least five accidents the previous year, according to town officials.

The single-vehicle incident took place at the sharp curve east of town on Highway 60, and was the result of excessive speed that led to a load of liquid sulphuric acid shifting inside the trailer.

On May 14, Miami High School principal Glen Lineberry learned that two students were planning to shoot attendees at the upcoming eighth grade graduation ceremony.

Within moments, the quick-thinking of MHS staff had the students and their backpacks in hand and the Gila County Sheriff’s Office (GCSO) responded immediately.

A 14-month sewer upgrade project began in Miami at the end of April. The $25 million project had been in its planning stages for about eight years.

June

The City of Globe hired an IT (information technology) consultant to study the Globe Police Department information system, after former Chief Mark Nipp reported earlier that it was not functioning the way he expected and wanted to explore the possibility of implementing a whole new system. IT Consultant Gene Martel analyzed the system, finding that the Spillman system was not being used to its full potential.

In June. the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) brought its annual meeting to Globe to approve the five-year transportation plan and give local constituents an opportunity to comment and ask questions about the plan.

The Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT) brought its annual meeting to Globe in June to approve the five-year transportation plan and give local constituents an opportunity to comment and ask questions about the plan. Bob Zache addresses the board regarding the possibility of saving Pinto Creek Bridge. Silver Belt archives