Headlines Monday

Prop. 200 spurs efforts nationwide: "Arizona's Proposition 200 is cloning itself across the country, inspiring an imitation in Arkansas and a self-help group to guide similar anti- illegal immigration efforts." Bill addresses book selection: "Some Arizona lawmakers want to strip schools of the power to choose their own textbooks. Senate Bill 1110 would allow the Arizona State Board of Education to approve a uniform set of books for students in Arizona's 1,900 district and charter schools. The state would buy and distribute the books, taking control away from individual districts. Twenty-one states have similar programs." Finding many ways to savor sunshine: "As friends and relatives on the East Coast shoveled snow and fussed with their furnaces, Arizonans on Sunday went outside to soak in the sun. With temperatures in the mid-70s, it was a good day for biking, flying kites or going to the zoo." Lake Havasu City gas line ruptures investigated: "LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. (AP) -- Fire investigators are looking into a series of recent gas line ruptures related to a sewer expansion project here. Fire Marshall Chip Shilosky said investigators were examining records to find out exactly how many calls and how much time has been spent responding to the recent leaks around the city." Bill would bring Arizona nursing relief: "Steve West has driven his ambulance to the hospital and waited four hours in the emergency department, unable to unload his patient from the gurney because there weren’t enough nurses to staff available beds. Such experiences convinced West, a part-time emergency medical technician, to leave his full-time profession in public relations and become a nurse. But after more than two years of classes that have qualified him for the nursing program with the Maricopa Community College District, the Gilbert resident is waiting again, this time for a place in the classroom." $5 million, 5-year plan to enhance arboretum: "A garden evolves based on the plants added and subtracted over the years. The Arboretum at Flagstaff is making a similar evolution with the retirement of its executive director, Nancy Morin, and promotion of other Arboretum staff." City eyes policy on water, growth | The Arizona Daily Star ®: "Water and how, or whether, the city should use that critical commodity to control growth remains one of the most contentious issues to be resolved in Tucson's long-range water plan. A memo delivered to the City Council last week questions whether the city ought to be encouraging development far out on Tucson's fringe under any circumstances, regardless of whether it requires annexation agreements." Residents to ADOT: 'We need a bypass': "BULLHEAD CITY -- 'We need a bypass' was the message local leaders had for members of Arizona's State Transportation Board, who held their monthly meeting in Bullhead City's council chambers Friday. The bypass, which would realign Highway 95, is planned to connect Highway 68 to Interstate 40 with an new divided highway which would run north and south along the east side of Bullhead City and through Fort Mojave and Mohave Valley." Eloy attracting builders: "Eloy is feeling the first rumblings of a development boom that will bring thousands of new homes and commercial projects to the Pinal County city. Ground was broken Thursday on a housing project called Esperanza that eventually will have 3,000 to 4,000 homes on about 1,000 acres. Several other housing projects are in the pipeline, but the city is especially interested in a housing and commercial project called Sierra Vista. The developer, Sahara Inc., partnered with a Nevada investment group to buy 812 acres in Eloy." Builder 'taking a bath': "All the bad stars seem to have lined up for Yuma County's $25 million Justice Center Complex project. The president of the construction company hired by Yuma County Board of Supervisors to build the court annex and renovate the historic courthouse says his company is losing money on the project due to delays brought on by building material shortages and more than a dozen changes which came from the architectural firm that designed the annex." Tucson construction concerns medical officials, business owners: "TUCSON (AP) -- A $122 million construction project that will shut down every downtown exit and entrance to Interstate 10 for three years is concerning hospital officials, emergency-service personnel and business owners. Medical officials are worried the project to widen I-10 to five lanes in both directions will cause delays for ambulance crews headed to St. Mary's Hospital and University Medical Center, preventing them from providing care in a timely manner." Debate surrounding windmill farm centers on view obstruction: "FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) -- Although a proposed windmill farm could supply enough electricity to power two-thirds of the homes in Flagstaff, Coconino County planners aren't sold on the aesthetics of the project. Concerns revolve mainly around how the 405-foot-tall windmills would obstruct views of the San Francisco Peaks." AmWest says aloha to Hawaii: "America West Flight 684 now departing for Honolulu? That isn't too far-fetched. Company executives said on a conference call with analysts Friday that they are starting the regulatory paperwork this month to get certification for some of America West's planes to fly over water. The Extended Range Operations of Airplanes (ETOPS) process with the Federal Aviation Administration will take about a year. 'We expect we'll be up and running (with certification) by the beginning of 2006,' President Jeff McClelland said." Headhunter may mean outside city manager | The Arizona Daily Star ®: "An executive headhunter is on the prowl for Tucson's next city manager, boosting the likelihood that the successor to Jim Keene won't be a local." Public's help needed to ID 2 who tried to rob 2 banks | The Arizona Daily Star ®: "Tucson police are asking for the public's help in identifying two men who tried to rob a pair of banks in two unrelated incidents over the weekend. On Saturday, a man entered a Wells Fargo Bank branch, 1701 E. Speedway, around 1 p.m. and tried to rob the bank by handing a teller a note demanding money, said Officer Michelle Pickrom, a Tucson Police Department spokeswoman." The Payson Roundup: Horsemen gallop into postal service history: "Rim country residents can relive one of the most romantic aspects of the Wild West when the Hashknife Pony Express gallops into town on Wednesday, Feb. 2. Although the pony express lasted fewer than two years and never came through Arizona, the image of two riders passing mail bags in full gallop is as much a part of Western lore as the rodeo. This will be the 47th annual ride staged by the Navajo County Hashknife Sheriff's Posse. Each year, 39 grown men play pony express rider, galloping 200 miles from Holbrook through Payson to Scottsdale in often adverse weather conditions. 'It's all about keeping something alive that has to do with Western heritage,' Chuck Jackman, Payson Swing Boss, said. And then there's the thrill of it all." Irish Cultural Center offers music, food: "PHOENIX - You don't have to wait until St. Patrick's Day to show your Irish this year. On Jan. 29, the Irish Cultural Center is opening its doors for a day of Irish music, dance, and food. On stage will be Black Velvet Band, Pat McCrossan, O'Carroll's Gate, Sheila Maguire Band, Blackwood, and Oceans Apart, as well as step dancers from four local Irish dance schools. There will be Guinness Beef Stew and scones for sale, as well as hot dogs and hamburgers and a full cash bar." Zoo to host talks about its future: "The Phoenix Zoo will host monthly meetings for potential individual and corporate donors, as well as volunteers, interested in learning about the zoo's plans. The events will run from 8-9 a.m. the second Thursday of each month. There is no fee to attend." Silver Spur Rodeo on the horizon: "The Yuma Jaycees Silver Spur Rodeo will celebrate its 60th anniversary Feb. 11-13 at the Yuma County Fairgrounds. Activities offer spectator entertainment for all ages — calf roping, bronco busting, steer wrestling, barrel racing, bull riding and more."