Press Coverage May 2020 ARIZONA: McDowell Mountain working with that type of The best campsite Regional Park in Maricopa equipment. And again, if it’s windy in every state County out, just wait and do the work DARCY SCHILD, MATTHEW another day.” WILSON MAY 29, 2020, 6:42 AM The fire started in the area of 24th Street and Desert Hills, 4 miles • Camping is a popular way north of Cave Creek Regional to relax, unplug, and have Park, around 1 p.m. May 17. an adventure while maintaining social According to Davila, four or five distancing guidelines. homes, including a vacant one, were • From the Redwood Forest evacuated early on and provided of California to Florida’s structure protection. vibrant natural springs, Sue Stokes/ShutterstockMcDowell Mountain Regional Park. nature enthusiasts can Aircraft were ordered to assist ground crews with the fire, which explore a variety of “Easy to find a private space to Davila said moved around the campsites in the US. camp. Backside of McDowells are homes and “creeped back down a • Insider compiled a list not as popular so if you are like me hill into open space.” Around 8 p.m., of top-ranked campsites in you will love quiet. I have seen all however, high wind gusts caused it every state based on ratings kinds of wildlife from Gila monster to pick back up and head toward from Yelp and (no monster ) to deer,” wrote Yelp Cahava Springs. TripAdvisor. user Mer B, who gave McDowell Mountain Regional Park and its That night, and into the next If baseball is America’s pastime, stunning desert landscape five stars. morning, roughly 130 homes were camping might as well be runner-up. evacuated and provided structure For nature-lovers, nothing compares The park has 76 individual sites for protection. to stargazing in the forest, making tent or RV camping, according to Davila said additional resources s’mores, and exploring beautiful its official website. arrived on the scene by the morning, parks and trails. including engines, hotshot crews and With many summer attractions East Desert Fire additional aircraft. Roughly 250 to 400 firefighters were on-site at one closed due to the coronavirus contained, cause pandemic, camping is a way to have point. a memorable summer adventure under investigation while maintaining social distancing May 28, 2020 jtaylor 46 Views That day, the Federal Emergency guidelines. Be sure to call ahead to By CONNOR DZIAWURA Management Agency (FEMA) reserve a spot – campgrounds in Foothills Focus Staff Writer Region IX administrator approved a some states are still closed or acting request from the state of Arizona to at a limited capacity. With the East Desert Fire contained use federal funds to fight the fire, after having burned 1,492 acres, citing any damage that could happen In order to make your next outdoor officials are investigating what was to nearby residences, the downtown adventure one for the books, Insider determined to be a human cause, area, and cultural and historical sites compiled a list of top-rated according to the Arizona as a “major disaster.” campsites in every state, based on Department of Forestry and Fire ratings from Yelp and TripAdvisor. Management. The Fire Management Assistance From highly acclaimed national Grant (FMAG) covers up to 75% of parks to hidden gems local campers “This is an excellent reminder for eligible firefighting costs with federal love, the US is home to a variety of people to use caution outdoors,” funds. The Disaster Relief Fund campsites that offer experiences for warned Tiffany Davila, a provides allowances for FMAGs, everyone. spokeswoman for the department. which cover expenses for field “Avoid burning on windy days and camps, equipment use, materials, Keep reading to discover the best don’t use equipment that can throw supplies and mobilization, and camping spot in each state. sparks, i.e., torches, chainsaws, etc. demobilization activities. Always use a spark arrester when Page 1 Press Coverage May 2020 Crews spent May 18 to May 20 bring excessive traffic, noise and battling the flames, ultimately Residents protest crime to their pacific neighborhood, building a fire line and boxing it in to developments which looks out to White Tank prevent further spread. The next By Tom Scanlon, West Valley View Mountain Regional Park. several days were dedicated to Managing Editor mopping up and monitoring for May 27, 2020 A third group is protesting plans to hotspots. The incident was estimated develop Allen Ranch, a massive, contained at 4 p.m. May 22. 800-acre property north of Goodyear’s PV303. The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department lifted the evacuation at It is too early to tell if the residents’ 6 p.m. May 19. protests will stop the developments. Cotton Properties, an area at the After a closure, the Cave Creek Loop 303 and Bethany Home Road Regional Park reopened May 21 with that includes a proposed Love’s trail restrictions to be lifted the Travel Center, was annexed from following day, according to the C.J. Unzen, center, and a group of Litchfield Park unincorporated Maricopa County Maricopa County Parks and and Waddell residents vigorously oppose a Love’s into Glendale in January, despite Recreation Department. Travel Center planned near Loop 303 and Bethany outcry at meetings from Unzen’s Home Road. West Valley View photo by Tom Scanlon group. The fire’s rapid spread is attributed to dry vegetation and winds, which When word of a new development Cotton Properties next goes to the posed a challenge for on-site crews. comes along, some simply say, “Oh Glendale Planning Commission at 6 Davila reported some wind gusts of well—there goes the neighborhood.” p.m. June 4, when the developer’s up to 25 to 30 miles per hour. request to rezone from agricultural But not people like John Connolly to commercial uses will be heard. Though officials determined the fire and C.J. Unzen. They say, “Oh no— to be human caused, the source don’t ruin the neighborhood!” As for the Kiernan West “cross- remains under investigation. dock” facility, a developer’s request Both are residents of Litchfield Park. for a military compatibility permit “Stage II fire restrictions are in place Connolly lives at Litchfield Greens, for the project at Falcon Golf on state-owned and managed lands, on the east side of the Loop 303. Course was heard by the Maricopa with the exception of Coconino Unzen lives on the west side of the County Planning and Zoning County, south of the Grand freeway, which has become the hub Commission. Canyon,” Davila emphasized. “With of development. that, campfires are not allowed. But, after 77 harshly critical emails Target shooting and fireworks are A few months after Unzen heard were read during an online meeting never allowed on state lands at any about a Love’s Travel Center May 14, a vote by the commissioners time of the year. brewing in her neighborhood, was delayed until the commission’s Connolly learned of plans to turn the next meeting, at 9:30 a.m. Thursday, “While private property is exempt of Falcon Golf Course—just outside May 28. It is also scheduled as online restrictions,” she continued, “it’s Litchfield Park and Goodyear—into only. (To view, more important now than ever that a “cross-dock” transportation visit attendee.gotowebinar.com/regis people pay attention to weather facility. ter/3164624669529885968.) conditions and stay vigilant when working outside. Do not burn on Neither of them liked the projects The cities of Goodyear and windy days, and avoid the use of any one bit. Litchfield Park as well as Luke Air equipment that can start a fire. Force Base also sent letters Vegetation is very dry. Once a fire Connolly is leading opposition to challenging the proposed gets started in those fine fuels, fire what could bring thousands of transportation facility. moves rapidly and grows very trucks daily to West Camelback quickly, becoming almost impossible Road. Connolly is a manager with the for someone to extinguish on their Federal Aviation Administration, so own.” Unzen and a group of neighbors she he was not intimidated by complex helped organize say a truck stop will documents explaining the project. Page 2 Press Coverage May 2020 He said he moved to Litchfield Park “I’m definitely against the Love’s “We discovered three major issues a due to his wife’s deep roots there. truck stop,” he said. “I had two truck stop would bring to our area “Her family is third-generation previous homes, in Nevada and that would be detrimental to our native and has been farming here California, where they tried to put quality of life: crime, air quality, and since back in the day,” Connolly truck stops in within a mile and a traffic impact on safety. A fourth said. half of my home. We fought against factor, a decrease in property values, it.” was also identified.” While he understands the West Valley is no longer a farming He said he and his neighbors won While some in the group put community, he was already growing one of the battles but lost another. together a highlighted “fact sheet,” frustrated at big trucks roaring up others hit the streets, delivering it and down Camelback Road “all day So what was having a truck stop in door to door (in pre-pandemic days) and all night with no regard for the his neighborhood like? and emailing it. residents.” “It was terrible,” Kidwell said. “It “Homeowners begin pitching in, Then he read about the cross-dock was loud, it was congested, it stunk telling their neighbors, posting on project, two weeks before a of diesel fumes—and the noise.” neighborhood message boards and scheduled vote.