Daily Archives: February 14, 2014

Love in bloom

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This column first appeared in Stars and Stripes on Feb. 8, 2011. It is now part of an upcoming book by Terri Barnes, “Spouse Calls: Messages From a Military Life,” (Elva Resa Publishing) available March 1.

By Terri Barnes

The sign said “One dozen Roses — Only $6 for Valentine’s Day delivery.” What was an 11-year-old to think?

He figured he had more than enough.

Quite a few bills and coins rustled and rattled in the jar he used for his savings, left over from cash sent by grandparents for his birthday and Christmas. He knew he had way more than six dollars.

He probably spread the money out on his bed, counting it carefully before putting it all in his jeans pocket.

It’s likely his mom thought he was off to play with the neighborhood boys when he hopped on his bike and headed down the street.

The flower shop wasn’t too far away. He didn’t even have to cross a big street to get there. He only had to follow the residential streets for a couple of blocks, then cut across on the dirt road that came up behind the shopping center.

His mom sometimes let him go that far anyway, he reasoned, to skateboard in the parking lot or buy candy and a Coke at the convenience store. Maybe she wouldn’t mind — if she found out.

He parked his bike and went inside.

Read more at Stars and Stripes

Great weather for Grand Canyon “free” days.

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Grand_Canyon
Grand Canyon – While northern Arizona is suffering a dangerously mild winter, it will make the entrance free days this President’s Day weekend a delight. It is also the off-season so the traffic should be light. Temperatures are expected to be 67 tomorrow dropping to 62 on Sunday and 59-degrees on Washington’s Birthday. Entry into the Canyon will be free February 15 through Monday the 17th.

The problem with the weather is that if northern Arizona does not get significant snowfall the rest of this winter, we could have a dangerously dry summer causing closures of camping areas and cutting into the tourist trade.

Intersection of White Spar and Copper Basin roads a four-way stop next week

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The traffic signals at the intersection of State Route 89 (White Spar Road) and Copper Basin Road will be deactivated between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 18 and Wednesday, Feb. 19 to allow for work to be safely done in, and around, the intersection.

During work hours, the intersection will be a four-way stop and drivers will be guided through the work zone by flaggers. Minimal delays are expected.

The intersection work next week is part of the SR 89 (White Spar Road) improvement project, which includes sidewalks, curb and gutter, and drainage improvements between Cherry Street and Copper Basin Road. Over the next six weeks there will be shoulder closures and limited access onto side streets as work continues.

The speed limit will be reduced to 25 mph through the work zone, please proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down, and be alert for construction equipment and personnel. The work zone will be clearly marked by temporary barricades and signage.

Blasting overnight on I-17 south of Camp Verde ends next week

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One-hour closure expected in both directions next week between 11:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m.

The last overnight closure for blasting on Interstate 17, south of Camp Verde, takes place Tuesday night.

I-17 will be closed in both directions between 11:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 18, and 12:30 a.m. Wednesday, Feb.19, for the final blasting operation for the climbing lane project on Interstate 17.

ADOT advises drivers to allow additional time to reach their destinations and to proceed through the work zone with caution, comply with the reduced speed limit, and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.

Once blasting is completed, work will then take place behind the concrete barrier currently in place along the highway, and no further full highway closures are expected.

Parade route for Gold Rush Days in Wickenburg requires closure of US 60 on Saturday

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Due to this weekend’s 66th annual Gold Rush Days celebration, US 60 in downtown Wickenburg (mileposts 107-110) will be closed in both directions on Saturday, Feb. 15 from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m., according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Drivers should expect delays or adjust travel plans accordingly. Traffic will be rerouted through a clearly marked detour.

Eastbound traffic on US 60 will be detoured to Vulture Mine Road to US 93 and US 93 southbound to reconnect to US 60.

Westbound traffic on US 60 will be rerouted to the US 93 bypass northbound, US 93 to Vulture Mine Road and Vulture Mine Road back to US 60.

Moon with a view.

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640px-earthriseOn December 24, 1968 at about 4:38 pm—just before we took one giant leap—Apollo 8 orbited the moon snapping photos and taking reconnaissance. The small capsule held astronauts Frank Borman, Jim Lovell, and William Anders.

As they orbited, they made a significant turn which brought into view the earth rising over the moon. They snapped a picture that would appear on the front cover of TIME and become an icon of the environmental movement. It was listed in LIFE magazine’s 100 photos that changed the world.

According to Business Insider, William Anders described the event in a television interview:

I don’t know who said it, maybe all of us said, ‘Oh my God. Look at that!’ and up came the Earth. We had had no discussion on the ground, no briefing, no instructions on what to do. I jokingly said, ‘well it’s not on the flight plan,’ and the other two guys were yelling at me to give them cameras. I had the only color camera with a long lens. So I floated a black and white over to Borman. I can’t remember what Lovell got. There were all yelling for cameras, and we started snapping away.

To commemorate the 45th anniversary of the event, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center created a video showing the events surrounding the historic photo. They released the video on December 20th of last year.

The video combines the photos of the moon being taken at the time, the records of the flight and the photos taken of the moon to create a simulation showing the sequence of events.