Democrats of the Red Rocks.

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Celebrations to mark the 100th anniversary of Arizona statehood

NEWS RELEASE
City of Sedona 102 Roadrunner Drive Sedona, AZ 86336

For Immediate Release

Date: December 22, 2011
Contact: Kathy Levin, Associate Planner Phone: 928-203-5035
Fax: 928-282-5348

ARIZONA CENTENNIAL EVENTS IN SEDONA

In 1863, Arizona became a separate, official United States Territory, but several issues blocked any smooth road to statehood, and, indeed, statehood remained almost fifty years away. Ultimately, the statehood debate devolved into a dispute over whether the New Mexico and Arizona territories would produce one state or two. In November 1906 the two territories voted on the issue and Arizonans overwhelming renounced the idea of joint statehood by a larger margin. On February 14, 1912 President William Howard Taft signed the proclamation making Arizona our forty-eighth state.

The City of Sedona and the Historic Preservation Commission have developed special events to honor Arizona’s 100th anniversary of statehood. Working together with community-based organizations, they have developed a year-long celebration during 2012. A sampling of the upcoming activities include: the display of the Sedona Centennial Quilt at the annual Quilt Show at the Sedona Public Library, a sanctioned Arizona Centennial Event; a painting entitled ‟Circle of Life” made by five Sedona centenarians; the installation of public art work in the roundabouts, an Arizona Legacy Project, and the Sedona Centennial Tour of Historic Homes & Sites offered by the Sedona Heritage Museum.

The Sedona Heritage Museum and Sedona Historical Society have several other unique events planned including a community-bell ringing on February 14th, the day of statehood and a ‟You Are There” live radio theatre performance featuring the Arizona Constitutional Convention. The 42nd Annual St. Patrick’s Parade and Festival sponsored by the Sedona Main Street Program will honor the Thompson family who were the earliest settlers in the Sedona-Oak Creek Canyon area. The Verde Valley Sinfonietta has a Centennial Musical Program and the Chamber Music Sedona will host a BBQ and Bluegrass Festival. A centennial artist’s retrospective is planned by the Sedona Arts Center during its Plein Air Festival.

For details about these events, many other exciting happenings, and a calendar of events, go to the city website at www.SedonaAZ.gov or contact Kathy Levin at 203-5035 or Klevin@SedonaAZ.gov

DORR Board condemns Arizona 1070 -- 2011-03-25

The DORR Board Supports Comprehensive National Immigration Reform Based on the Traditional America Values of Compassion and Practical Good Sense.

The United States, like all countries, has a right to a reasonable and balanced control of its borders and an orderly immigration policy. DORR supports badly needed national comprehensive immigration reform. However, Arizona Law 1070 is an extreme, irresponsible and unconstitutional response. When the double talk is said and done, this law is aimed at the Arizona's Hispanic population and involves racial profiling. The last minute change of language, from not using what amounts to racial profiling as the only reason for 'reasonable suspicion' to 'not using racial profiling' was an attempt to blur the obviously unconstitutional nature of the statute. As supporters of 1070 have said, the amended law changes nothing in the way the statute would actually be used in practice. 1070 will encourage an enforcement policy that covers up its reliance on unconstitutional racial profiling. Making the law less obvious and less honest is not an improvement. Not a single Democrat in the Arizona Senate or House voted for the law for good reason.

The law was originally drafted by a lawyer for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR). The Southern Poverty Law Center, which has monitored hate groups for decades, has listed FAIR as an anti-immigrant hate group since 2007. FAIR has accepted $1.2 million from the Pioneer Fund, a foundation established to promote the genes of white colonials and fund studies of race, intelligence and genetics. It is sponsored by Representative Russell Pearce who was recently caught forwarding a white supremacist email to his followers. These connections to the bill are not accidents.

Democrats of the Red Rocks opposes 1070 and joins the Arizona Democratic Party resolution condemning and opposing the bill.