Helldorado Days 2008 - School of Journalism
Transcription
Helldorado Days 2008 - School of Journalism
Prop. 202 worries business owners Page 2 Guns in town: It’s about respect Page 2 No arrests yet from biker brawl Page 3 NO TOMBSTONE IS COMPLETE WITHOUT ITS EPITAPH 50 CENTS VOL. CXXVII NO. 4 128 YEARS IN LOCAL EDITION THE TOWN TOO TOUGH TO DIE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 24, 2008 Helldorado Days 2008 PHOTO Actors and actresses shoot off their guns and rejoice for Tombstone’s Helldorado Days. 2008 marked the 79th annual celebration of the town milestone. DRAW! Clinic’s opening stalled; waiting for state permits By Amanda Druce THE TOMBSTONE EPITAPH The Sierra Vista Regional Health Center has put the opening of the Tombstone Family Health Clinic on hold as they wait for a permit from the state, according to Tombstone City Clerk George Barnes. SVRHC is pushing back the opening date to what could be as far away as January 1, according to Linda Kamrowski, marketing and public relations director at SVRHC. “I don’t know where or what the hold up is,” Kamrowski said. According to previous reports, the Tombstone Family Health Clinic was originally scheduled to open on Oct. 19, but due to the long process of obtaining the permit, the opening date is now unknown. “There is no firm plan or deadline,” Kamrowski said. “We don’t want to say anything until we have a clear idea ourselves.” The delay isn’t a grave concern for city officials. “We don’t anticipate it as a problem but it takes a while,” said Barnes. “I don’t have an update on time but it is in the process of being reviewed.” According to Barnes, the clinic can’t operate without a state permit. The Tombstone Family Health Clinic is using the spare time to update the building with new carpeting and a paint job. Staff and doctors will not be hired until the permit is received, Kamrowski said. Carol Turner moved to Tombstone two weeks ago and is interested in working at the Tombstone Family Health Clinic. Turner, 64, is a nurse who can’t wait until the clinic opens. Andrea Grimaldi, an employee at the Tombstone Gambler, said she’s not bothered about the delay in the clinic’s opening and feels it’s normal for Tombstone to fall behind. “I hate to say it, but sometimes I feel like we are in the 1800s, “ she said. Grimaldi has had two recent accidents where the EMT has had to come from Sierra Vista. “This way we wont take up the time of the ambulances so they can be used for emergencies,” she said. “To have a health clinic is great for the tourists,” Grimaldi said. Tom Olah, a self-employed construction worker, said that he worries about finding care in the event of an accident. “Being in construction, I am always worried something might happen,” said Olah. Randy Davis of Big Iron Shooting Gallery is not expecting to use the clinic at all. Davis is from Los Angeles where he served on the LAPD. “I am still on the LAPD health plan and I wouldn’t use the clinic anyways,” Davis said. Davis uses the University Medical Center in Tucson for emergencies and doctor appointments every other month, he said. “It gives me an excuse to get out of town,” Davis added. Barnes is not upset by the move City Hall had to make in order for the Tombstone Family Health Clinic to take over their building located at 7 N. San Diego St. “We are here in the new building and happy,” he said. According to Barnes, the San Diego Street building was originally constructed for a health clinic so it is just a waiting game now. “Good things come to those who wait,” Barnes said. BY ANTHONY GARICA For more coverage and photos of the festivities, see Page 4 Current and former mayors face off in Nov. 4 election The Incumbent By Andres A. Navarro THE TOMBSTONE EPITAPH The Challenger Tombstone mayor Don Aiton looks to out-duel former mayor Dustin Escapule and retain office for another term. With several issues being key to this election, Aiton hopes to show how he will be the better man for the job. Crime issues are something all mayors have to deal with at one point or another, and Tombstone is no exception. There’s violence, as the bar brawl two weeks ago showed, and drugs like methamphetamine are also a problem. “There is always room for improvement,” Aiton said. “It’s a small town and it was handled as best as we could. We kind of learned a lesson from it.” Following the bar brawl, arrangements were made to provide better safety for the city, Aiton said. The biker group responsible for the bar brawl has been targeted by law enforcement in Tombstone and word has been sent to other organizations about the group’s association with violence, he said. Arrangements have been made with the Cochise County Sheriff’s Department for assistance if any is needed as well as the Arizona Rangers, he added. “Drugs are certainly a problem, but drugs are also a problem everywhere else,” Aiton said. Officers are constantly investigating for drug trafficking and there may also be an undercover officer on duty, he said. “We have a great police force and they are all dedicated,” Aiton said. “It’s just if we had more money, we could have more policemen and more enforcement.” Funding has also been a major concern in Tombstone. It’s a small town that relies on its tourism and sales tax for most of its revenue. “We’re always looking for grants,” he said. “There is only so much money you can get and that is always budgeted to what the city needs.” Recently, the mayor and the city council obtained a $1 million grant for the restoration of Fremont Street. The city needs more grants like these to help with the preservation of the historic district as well as the funding for other public services, he said. The development of Tombstone depends on the availability of funding and what the city is allowed to do, he added. Former mayor Dustin Escapule hopes his previous experience will help him gain incumbent Don Aiton’s seat and reclaim the title of mayor of Tombstone. Crime and law enforcement issues are some issues that Escapule would like to work on if he is elected. “The bottom line is the marshal is trying to be a big city department and not a small town department and take care of the locals like it should,” he said. “We need to keep officers within the city limits and let the sheriff handle the rest.” The bar brawl at the Crystal Palace two weeks ago reached the level it did because of the lack of law enforcement in the area, he said. “The marshal was already informed of the bikers,” he said. “If there was enough law enforcement in the streets, then those two boys should not have had such an ass kicking.” With the retirement of Tombstone Marshal Merlin Jay Smith in November, Escapule said he would replace him with someone experienced in law enforcement and able to work within the city’s budget. Tombstone is a small town but Escapule said it’s a city that needs more development. “Over the last 30 years, Tombstone has changed from a fine city to just a tourist attraction,” he said. “There is no department store, no grocery store, nothing that would keep locals from going to Sierra Vista.” One of Escapule’s plans is to have a strip mall built that would encompass everything local residents need. This shopping area would be built outside the historic district so the values would not be affected, he said. “One of the main reasons why our schools drop attendance is because people are looking for the things they need elsewhere,” Escapule said. “We need to get a modern- day Tombstone.” Although Escapule feels the city needs to be more than just a tourist attraction, he also sees the beneficial funding it brings to the town. Should he be elected, a marketing strategy would be developed that would include Tucson, Phoenix, Yuma, and other parts of the Southwest. This would show what Tombstone has to offer instead of just being a cowboy town, Escapule said. “People don’t know about the mine tours, the stage coaches, the steak- Incumbent/page 3 Challenger/page 3 PAGE 2 Packing pistols can go wrong even if a right By Michael Macaulay THE TOMBSTONE EPITAPH A man from Oklahoma rode his horse into town last summer and boasted that he was going to shoot up the town, or rather the Bird Cage Theater ceiling, just like during the gunfights in the Wyatt Earp days. Guns and Tombstone go together like cowboys and beef jerky, but owning and shooting firearms isn’t the same today as it was back in the Wild West. Today, even though people are still allowed to have guns holstered while walking around in town, safety is the law of the land. Regardless, some members of groups such as the Viet Nam Vets and Legacy Vets biker gang that instigated the Crystal Palace brawl a couple weeks ago, brandished their guns in town and even offered to show them to deputies, according to authorities. “I think especially for towns like Tombstone, a historical town, firearms are probably one of the most important visual aspects of the Old West,” said Tombstone Marshal Merlin Jay Smith. But “the fact that (people) have a right to carry a gun doesn’t mean they have a right to draw that gun and fire it anytime they feel like it.” According to Smith, when deputies brought in the bragging Oklahoman, he said all he really wanted was to get someone at the Bird Cage Theater to let him shoot a blank inside. Deputies let the man know that even speaking of firing a gun in such a manner is taken very seriously. The man stayed in town for about four months, drank a lot, and even got arrested a couple of times for riding his horse under the influence of alcohol. “If we have somebody that thinks (Tombstone is) still like in the 1870s, we may look that way but we’re not,” Smith said. Some groups, like the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS), an international organization dedicated to promoting the sport of Cowboy Action Shooting (CAS), aim to preserve the image of guns and the Old West in towns like Tombstone. The organization requires members to don authentic clothing and use firearms of the period during shooting competitions. These measures help to ensure the link between guns and Tombstone stays strong. From a young age, CAS 2007 Arizona resident and state champion Amber Sortor spent time working with the target range crews with her brothers when their father competed in shooting events, but the sport didn’t catch her interest until a year or two after graduating college. “It was Father’s Day weekend in 2002, and dad’s request for Father’s Day was that I spend the weekend with him and mom in Payson at a shooting match,” Sortor said. “After that, I was hooked.” Sortor said the most rewarding aspect of guns and competition is the time it allows her to spend with her family. “Those are truly great times, when the whole family is together on the range,” she said. A couple of Sortor’s other titles include the 2007 and 2008 Ladies Modern World Champion and 2008 Ladies Modern National Champion. Competitive shooting isn’t the only thing keeping the relationship between guns and Tombstone alive. To further strengthen the link between guns and Tombstone, Lefty’s Corner Stores Guns & More has Old West firearm replicas and displays some used in the movie “Tombstone.” Store owner Jim Newbauer said he often gets customers who compliment him on the Old West atmosphere of the gun shop. “It kind of takes (customers) back in time a little bit,” Newbauer said. “We try to be as Old West-ish as possible.” Virginia resident Kevin Hogge has visited Tombstone twice and said he enjoys the town, period firearms and the feel of the gun shop. “I’m very involved with history, especially southwestern history,” Hogge said. “The particular thing that stood out for (him and his wife) was the memorabilia from the movie ‘Tombstone’.” Despite the positive and historical influences guns and shooting can have in sustaining the image of Tombstone, some people still choose to disregard gun safety. Newbauer said he recalled one night about a year ago when only he and another employee were in the shop and a Tucson woman and her 15-year-old son walked in and the teen said he was going to rob the shop. When the teenager pulled out a handgun, Newbauer picked up a gun from behind the counter and confronted the would-be robber. The teen then yelled and bolted out the door. “If he would have done that in any other shop up in Tucson, he probably wouldn’t have lived to see 16 years old,” Newbauer said. “Basically, he was a young kid who had no idea. He thought he was being funny but it’s a very serious matter.” It turned out that the teen’s gun wasn’t even real, but plastic. “I guess he just decided to pull the stunt in a place that he thought we’d think it was funny, well I don’t think anyone thought it was funny,” Newbauer said. The teen’s mother apologized and said that she had no idea her son was going to attempt to hold up the store and that she had problems with him before. A few minutes later, the teen came back in and cockily told Newbauer to show him one of the guns, but Newbauer told him to leave. After the incident, the mother and her son were never heard from again. Even though Tombstone isn’t as wild as it was back in the Old West, boasting to shoot blanks inside buildings or using a fake gun to bluff about robbing a gun shop are still taken very seriously. “Guns are just a secondnature tool,” Smith said. “Like any other tool, a mechanic’s tool or saw. (Guns) are dangerous if used improperly.” Businesses fret about Prop. 202 OCTOBER 24, 2008 By Megan J. Mazurek THE TOMBSTONE EPITAPH The November elections are fast approaching and some business owners are worried that the outcome of Proposition 202, better known to some as the Arizona Stop Illegal Hiring Act, will affect their influx of workers. Proposition 202 would amend the current Arizona law, Proposition 102, allowing citizens to anonymously report businesses that are hiring illegal immigrants. The proposition would mandate citizens to sign and date their complaints. Employees would also need to provide state, county or federal proof of work authorization. This is all part of an effort to stop the use of fraudulent identification to obtain employment. Tombstone City Hall hasn’t received any feedback concerning the measure thus far, said George Barnes, Tombstone City Clerk. “I haven’t gotten one phone call regarding it,” Barnes added. These changes will affect many companies, including the usually thriving chili farm of Ed Curry. His 1,200-acre field in Pearce, Ariz., needs about 200 employees to work the fields and manage the processing for Curry’s Seed and Chile Company. Most of his workers are from Mexico, he said. The workers show identification to Curry, but he said he can’t be certain they’re not fraudulent. “The average American doesn’t understand that we not only help them (illegal immigrants), but we need them for our country’s food supply,” Curry said. Curry and his partner, Phil Villa, estimate that 80 to 90 percent of the nation’s commercially grown chilies can be traced back to his farm in Southern Arizona. “We want to do it the right way and be law abiding citizens,” Curry said. “But it’s just not enough. It would be a huge advantage if I’d have a worker’s program.” Curry said he is a supporter for worker’s rights — allowing immigrants the right to come work in the United States for a specified amount of time, and requiring them to go home after the job has ended. “Americans aren’t going to want to do this work,” Curry said. “This is an entrylevel job. We’re not taking jobs away from the Americans. You can pay an American $50 an hour, and they’re still not going to do it. I mean I don’t want to do it. I’m just being honest.” Entry-level jobs such as farming and construction in the desert heat are strenuous jobs, but most people make enough money in three months to support their families for the rest of the year, Curry said. “Those guys (immigrants) want to work 12 hours a day,” Curry said. “They’re really serious about it. Most make more than minimum wage.” One worker, Avel Estrella has been coming from Mexico and working during the farm seasons since 1988. He has worked at Curry’s Chile farm for the past two seasons, he said. “I have two girls in Aqua Prieta,” Estrella said in Spanish. “I have been here for a few months and will leave whenever work is done.” Curry said he doesn’t try to hire illegal citizens, and has few illegal immigrants this season due to tighter borders and quicker background checks for employees through Integrated Automotive Fingerprint System (IAFIS). “Proposition 102 affected us because for years everyone had fake cards,” Curry said. “We couldn’t tell who was who; we were ignorant to it. It was just the way of life.” The proposition has not affected local hotels in the Sunrise/ Pearce area near Curry’s farm, where many workers usually stay during the season, said Cheryl Pastika, manager of the Sunsite Motel. “Business has been just about the same,” Pastika said. The motel has a lot of farmers come in from the Curry and Johnson farms, she said. Pastika estimates the business of the motel is about 25 percent farm workers and 75 percent retired people. “We have a pretty captive audience right now with kids coming to visit,” she said. “Pearce has a lot of retired people.” This year, Curry has sent farmers who have previously worked on his farm away, because of Proposition 102. “There’s some sad stories of guys that have been coming over for years, and we have to send them away,” he said. “If we had a program, we could do it a lot different. Arizona currently has no worker’s rights for illegal immigrants. However, there are worker’s rights for immigrants who enter lawfully into the United States. Those who enter unlawfully and use fraudulent identities to work are penalized by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol. Some U.S. citizens advocate worker’s programs for illegal immigrants, and say Proposition 202 handicaps PHOTOS BY MEGAN J. MAZUREK Above: A man works at Ed Curry’s chili farm near Pearce. The farm produces 80 to 90 percent of chilies for the nation, Curry said. Left: Another employee works the crop. pro-immigration. “It will affect America’s food chain,” Curry said. “The border affects people much differently here than it does everywhere else in the United States.” Curry has known many farmers throughout the southwest region who had to give up their crops because they didn’t have enough manpower. “One by one, farmers are just quitting,” Curry said. “I know a huge onion farm in New Mexico just quit because they can’t afford workers.” Without the help of workers it will be hard and very expensive for Curry to continue providing the country chili breeds that can produce almost double their average harvest, he said. “The Minute Men in the area feel like we’re causing the problem,” Curry said. “Our thoughts are they’re the ones eating so they’re causing the problem.” Read an online wish and help a Tombstone teacher By Kelly Miller List successful. After months of consulting with an attorney and the school district, Scherer received permission to go ahead Frank Scherer found inspiration to help the with the Wish List program in May. The district asked Tombstone Unified School District in an unlikely teachers what they would need for the upcoming school place: Craigslist. year, and the district created the As he scanned the online lists of Wish List on their Web site. merchandise, tickets and housing for This fall marks the first rent, the Web site gave him the idea to semester of the program, and HOW TO HELP: develop something similar to help Scherer said they have collectWhat: Teacher Wish List Tombstone’s schools. ed $900 last month alone for Where: www.tombstoneschools.org He wanted to create a Teacher Wish supplies and equipment Wishes: donations for such items as List for the district — a site on which through large and small donapens, dry erase markers and folders schools could list needed supplies and tions. The story: Frank Scherer modeled equipment, and Tombstone residents “There’s a need (to make up could donate whatever they could for) the lack funds available to the list after Craigslist as a way to to help. provide various items and suphelp kids and teachers in Tombstone. Scherer, treasurer of the local St. plies to the schools,” Frank Paul’s Episcopalian church, has a long said. “Teachers have to take it history of helping people in need out of their paychecks. They through his faith by working with the Episcopalian have to pay for items out of their pockets.” Community Services Diocese of Arizona, he said. But Scherer has also received grants on behalf on the he knew he would need help from his church to adver- church to buy supplies such as televisions and volleyball tise and encourage donations to make the Wish equipment for Huachuca City. THE TOMBSTONE EPITAPH Editorial Policy Items on the Wish list include dry erase markers, poster board, glue sticks, multiplication flash cards and a CD boom box. “It’s actually been successful,” said Karl Uterhardt, superintendent of the Tombstone Unified School District. “We’ve had several donations. I think it’s a good program. It helps our teachers out. Anything that will help them in the classroom is what we want to do.” The donations are divided up between each school unless the donation is specified for a certain school, Uterhardt said. Schools will prioritize their needs and buy supplies with the money, Uterhardt added. “Schools are looking everywhere to where they can find money, where can they find funding?” Uterhardt said. “This is a good way for the community and the church to help out. You don’t have to give a lot of money. Anything you want to give would be very useful in the supply area for what kids need.” The wish list is available to view online at www.tombstoneschools.org, under the “news” link, and donations are accepted at the district office at 815 E. Fremont St. or by mail at P.O. Box 1000, Tombstone, Ariz. 85638 Contact Us The Epitaph encourages letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit for style and space. Please limit letters to Founded on the Southwestern frontier by John P. Clum, May 1, 1880 300 words. Editor in Chief Managing Editor Design Editor Photo Editor Copy Chief Copy Editors Staff Joe Pangburn Lauren LePage Amanda Druce Michael Macaulay Stephanie Jerzy Anthony Garcia Megan Mazurek Janelle Montenegro Chelsey Killebrew Andres Navarro Kelly Miller Ashli Woods Kimberly Quiroz The local edition of The Tombstone Epitaph is published by the students of the University of Arizona Department of Journalism under the direction of Professor Terry L. Wimmer, Ph.D. Use of the name is by permission of the owners of the Tombstone Epitaph Corp., publishers of the National Tombstone Epitaph. The corporation grants permission for the use of the name of the local edition of The Tombstone Epitaph on February 2, 1975. Department of Journalism University of Arizona P.O. Box 210158B Tucson, Arizona 85721-0158 e-mail: [email protected] phone: (520) 626-6575 Annual Subscriptions Annual subscriptions are available by sending a $25 check to the department address. PAGE 3 OCTOBER 24, 2008 Don Aiton Age: 66 Experience: Ward 4 councilman two years; Ward 4 councilman, Mayor Pro-tem four months; Mayor of Tombstone March 2007 to present Background: Don Aiton is a retired United States Navy officer with tours in the Gulf War, Bosnia and Herzegovina with the Marines. Aiton has lived in Tombstone since 1990 and has been the Commander for the American Legion Post 24 for four terms. Dustin Escapule Age: 60 Experience: Ward 1 councilman two years; Mayor of Tombstone 2000 to 2004 Background:Dustin Escapule is a fourth generation native of Tombstone as well as a former mayor of Tombstone. Escapule has previously worked with the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office and has been a business owner in Tombstone for many years. Escapule is also the editor for The Tombstone News. Incumbent/page 3 “We’re limited with the space we can develop because we’re surrounded by state lands,” Aiton said. “We annexed a couple of parcels last year but it takes two to do something like this—the city and the property owners.” Aiton is also pushing for a fire district in Tombstone. Once the fire district boundaries are set, the city council can plan to get the proposition ready for a citywide vote. With a fire district, the land included within the boundaries is a prime candidate for annexation, Aiton said. As for the future of Tombstone, Aiton hopes to see new development in the area. “I would like have a new city hall and a city complex built for the city,” he said. “Along with that, I would like to give Tombstone all the public facilities in one area like modern cities have them.” Aiton plans to share his ideas with the Arizona Department of Transportation to build a bypass around Tombstone. This will undoubtedly bring new jobs and new development to Tombstone like shopping strips, he said. “I feel like I’ve done a good job so far,” Aiton said. “There is also a lot of things I would like to help become a reality in the city.” Challenger/page 3 houses or any other attraction we have,” he said. “They just think this is a movie set.” Tombstone should take advantage of grant money for the restoration of historic buildings, to extend sewer services in the area and find- ing a permanent city hall, he said. Escapule also said he wants to establish a youth program and find more funding for senior activities in the community center of Tombstone. No arrests made yet following biker brawl By Kimberly A. Quiroz THE TOMBSTONE EPITAPH PHOTO BY JANELLE MONTENEGRO Tombstone’s Cody Rosengarten crosses the finish line for second place in the junior boys race of the Old Pueblo Cross Country Invitational in Tucson on Saturday Oct. 18. Tombstone CC prepares for meet By Stephanie Jerzy THE TOMBSTONE EPITAPH Cody Rosengarten has one good run left in him in the 2008 season. Rosengarten and the Tombstone High School cross country team are in the midst of training for the 1A/2A High School State Championships, which will be held at Cave Creek Golf Course in Phoenix on Saturday Nov. 8. The junior had immeasurable success in the 2007 cross country championships, where he placed third in a field of more than 128 athletes. He finished with a time of 16 minutes, 33 seconds. As a team, the Tombstone boys finished in ninth place with a combined time of 96:51. The girls finished 13th out of 17 teams. Rosengarten’s ability to improve comes with experience and preparation. He led a squad of 10 cross country athletes from Tombstone in the 2008 Old Pueblo Invitational in Tucson on Oct. 18, finishing in second place in his race categorized by high school grade. Rosengarten finished the 3.1-mile course at Lower Lincoln Park in Tucson in a time of 17 minutes flat, just 22 seconds behind Rio Rico’s Jose Luis Muñoz. He finished in fifth place overall. Rosengarten was supported from performances in the junior race by Angel Garlant and Sean Hector who finished in 17th and 18th places, respectively. Sophomore Daniel McGowan finished in the top half of his age group, with a time of 19 minutes, seven seconds. Seniors Lee Lovorn and Dan Dickey turned out times in their bracket of 21:56 and 25:24, respectively. The invitational was formatted differently than most traditional meets, to the disadvantage of Tombstone. The meet arranged students by high school class and took the top time from each grade to make a team total. The Tombstone boys did not have a cross country athlete in the freshman bracket, disqualifying them from team standings. The unusual format also weakened the girls squad, which did not bring a freshman runner to the 23-team invitational. Jacqueline Brown turned out the fastest time for the Yellow Jackets, running the course in the junior class in 25 minutes, 30 seconds. Junior Hayley Bueschel finished right on her tail, crossing the finish line just two seconds behind Brown. In the senior race, Katie Young finished the course in 27 minutes, two seconds. Sophomore Dee Dee Brown recorded a time of 28 minutes, 29 seconds. Jacqueline Brown has been the leading force of the Yellow Jackets and will aim for both a higher individual and team score than the 2007 championships produced. She finished 31st in the individual standings in last year’s state meet. Tombstone’s cross country teams are still young and both look to improve upon past experiences for the duration of the season. Driven by juniors Rosengarten and Jacqueline Brown, the Yellow Jackets are undoubtedly capable of surpassing their own expectations and yielding great results at the season’s final meet. Breast cancer a tragedy here, too By Amanda Druce THE TOMBSTONE EPITAPH Like most women, Leila Lopez lives in fear everyday that she might be diagnosed with breast cancer, the number one cause of death among women next to skin cancer. Breast cancer runs in her family which increases her chance of contracting the cancer. “I do my self-exam everyday,” said Lopez, an employee at Spur Western Wear located at 509 E. Allen St. “Yes, I am very worried.” October 1 marked the beginning of the National Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Across the country, men and women unite to fight for a cure of breast cancer. Breast cancer rates have dropped as of 2004 according to the Department of Health and Human Services Center for Disease Control and Prevention. Since 2004, there have been less then five new reported cases of breast cancer in Tombstone according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. The women of Tombstone are making sure to keep up with their yearly mammograms. While it has not been determined exactly what causes breast cancer, the American Cancer Society said there are many risk factors that can induce it. There are two types of risk factors, ones people can change in their everyday lifestyle and others that are not under one’s control. According to the American Cancer Society, risk factors that are not under one’s control include gender, aging, genetics and race. “My mother had breast cancer,” said Nikki Duhamel of Annie’s Place located at 514 E. Allen St. “I am very nervous.” Duhamel gives herself examinations as well as receiving yearly mammograms. “I think I am more aware then others because breast cancer runs in my family,” said Lori Allen, employee of Apothecary Shoppe Museum. Allen has a mammogram every year. “I like talking to people and making sure everyone is aware and I encourage mammograms,” Allen said. Did you know? • Breast cancer is the fifth biggest cause of death in women in the United States • In 2007, an estimated 178,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer were diagnosed, an estimated 40,460 women died from breast cancer and more than 2,000 cases were diagnosed in men with 450 deaths • Arizona has the fourth lowest incidence level per 100,000 white women and the third lowest among African American women -SOURCE: THE AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY, 2007 DATA While many risk factors cannot be controlled, there are lifechanging decisions women can make to lower their risk of breast cancer including not drinking much alcohol, exercising and having a healthy diet. “I don’t drink,” said Duhamel. “They also told me to quit caffeine, but I don’t stop that.” “I just take care of myself and try not to eat a lot of additives,” said Tanya O’Neill. “I try to eat a lot of fresh veggies and fruits.” While many women in Tombstone make sure they are taking care of their bodies and health, others don’t let it affect their everyday life. “I don’t have health insurance,” said Susan Hernandez of Casa Paloma located at 18 S. 5th St. Hernandez says overall she is healthy and hopes she will not get breast cancer. “I am taking the ostrich approach and sticking my head in the sand.” Nearly three weeks have passed since two Tombstone locals were attacked by members of a motorcycle gang at the Crystal Palace Saloon on Oct. 4, but local authorities are still struggling to make any arrests, said Marshal Merlin Jay Smith. The incident, which led to the hospitalization of Danny Ramirez, 23, and Michael Molina, 22, began with a confrontation inside the saloon and turned into a riot in the middle of Allen Street in a matter of minutes, witnesses said. Police were called immediately and arrived promptly, but by the time they pulled up to the scene, the damage had already been done. The crowd of up to 30 bikers quickly dispersed and many fled to their hotels. In the wake of the incident, the Police Commission, which consists of five Tombstone City Council members and Marshal Smith, gathered last week to discuss the events of that night. Ramirez’s family attended the meeting to see what measures the marshal’s office would take to find the men involved in the attack. “The police commission said that the only reason that they didn’t arrest people that night is because there was only two cops and pretty much they were outnumbered,” said Tonia Ramirez, Danny’s sister. Tonia Ramirez recalled many of the bikers having firearms and one in particular carrying a metal baton, which he used to strike another unidentified victim in the face. Ramirez’s family has been in contact with a motorcycle group called the Cochise Ghost Riders, who tried to break the fight up that night, Tonia Ramirez said. The Cochise Ghost Riders informed her family that they have spoken with the Sergeant at Arms for the Veteran/Legacy Vets and he told them that the man with the baton has left the state, Tonia Ramirez said. “They (Veteran/Legacy Vets) just moved him to a different state,” Tonia Ramirez said. “So they’re pretty much just like hiding him, from my understanding.” Smith said that the investigation is still under way and that three men have been positively identified, but have not yet been taken into custody. The Marshal’s office has asked for the assistance of an investigator from the sheriff’s department to help move the case along, Smith said. “There were probably 20 to 30 individuals who were involved in the video tapes,” Smith said. “We’re going through those things, trying to identify as many as we possibly can.” The names of the three men who have been identified will not be released until formal charges have been filed or they have been arrested, Smith said. He added that his office will ask for charges of aggravated assault and also inciting a riot, both of which are felony charges. Authorities are seeking two of the men in Tucson. However, the marshal’s office has not asked for help from the Tucson Police Department, Smith said. “We will probably be seeking assistance from the state gang unit that maintains information on some of the active gangs and motorcycle groups,” Smith said. “If we need some assistance from Tucson PD once we make the identification for arrest purposes, then we’ll do that.” As for Danny Ramirez and Michael Molina, both are slowly recovering. “Danny’s doing OK. He’s back working and he has just scars on his back and stomach now,’ Tonia Ramirez said. “Michael, his eyes are still black and really bloodshot. He’s supposed to go back to the doctor pretty soon, because he’s probably going to have surgery on the bone that’s broken in his face. Smith said that with any luck arrests will be made within the next couple of weeks. “Following the weekend, we’ll probably get back on it this week and see if we can’t make some progress,” Smith said. Music festival arrives for seventh town visit By Chelsey Killebrew THE TOMBSTONE EPITAPH People may remember the Red River Valley or hear the Tumbling Tumbleweeds as they walk through the dusty streets of Tombstone during Halloween weekend. The Tombstone Western Music Festival returns for its seventh year to fill the town with melodies from new and returning musicians. “It’s Western music as opposed to country,” said Richard Dollarhide, vice president of the Tombstone Western Music Festival. The music is about the traditions and history of the land and people, Dollarhide said. “Think along the lines of the Sons of the Pioneers,” Dollarhide said about the early 1900s American cowboy band. However, this is more modernized with musicians writing their own songs too, he said. The festival begins on Friday and runs through the weekend with performers including Rena Randall and the Due West, Kip Calahan and Doc Stovall. Patty Clayton, who won the Academy of Western Artists album and artist of the year in 2007, will perform Saturday and Sunday. The main stage is on Allen Street in the historic district. Musicians will also perform on other street stages and inside local businesses. Admission to the Western Music Festival is free, except for the 7 p.m. shows at Schieffeilin Hall on Friday and Saturday. These shows cost $15 for adults, $10 for students and free for kids 12 years old and younger. The Silver Nugget, Dragoon Saloon, and OK Corral are some venues that will offer free shows. If the music festival sounds like a good way to spend the weekend, you can look up the schedule at http://www.tombstonewesternmusicfestival.org/sched.htm or call (520) 457-2295 for more information. PAGE 4 OCTOBER 24, 2008 Helldorado Days bring out masses The dancing troupe Trashy Women of Cochise County perform on Allen Street on Saturday Oct. 18, day one of Helldorado Days. PHOTO BY JOE PANGBURN By Anthony Garcia THE TOMBSTONE EPITAPH “This event helps keep Tombstone alive.” That’s Betty Krug’s opinion of Helldorado Days – the event where cowboys, cowgirls and their young-ins from all over the world mosey into Tombstone for the biggest celebration of the year. When many of Tombstone’s mines closed because the silver ran dry and mining hit the water table flooding some of the mines, locals began dubbing the town Helldorado. Many people began to leave. In an effort to bring people together, bring people back and celebrate the history of the town, Helldorado Days was established in 1929. The tradition has continued 79 years since. It is held the third weekend of October to correspond with the Gunfight at the O.K. Corral on Oct. 26, 1881. Tim Montemayor, an actor from Sierra Vista, says he enjoys performing in Helldorado Days. “There’s nothing better then helping a town as interesting as Tombstone,” he said. Fiona Dodd, a visitor from London, England, spent the weekend with her mother at Helldorado Days. “My mom is mad for Wild West stuff and always wanted to go to Tombstone,” Dodd said. “I loved all of it especially the gun fights and friendliness of the town.” Tombstone citizens also enjoy seeing people enjoying Tombstone. “I love meeting people who come in,” said Lillian Turner, an employee at Visitor Center. She feels it’s a good boost for the economy of Tombstone and it keeps the morale of the town up. “We have more fun in three days then we do in the whole year,” said Turner. PHOTO BY JANELLE MONTENEGRO Right: Tony Redburn is flipping his gun and dancing to Will Smith’s “Wild Wild West” song as entertainment to the guests. PHOTO BY CHELSEY KILLEBREW Far right: A Cochise County shriner motors down Allen Street. PHOTO BY JANELLE MONTENEGERO Jayne McClure and her daughter Ali McClure, 5, are riding on a tilt-a-whirl ride that was offered during the annual Helldorado Days in Tombstone on Saturday Oct. 18.
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