Arizona

Bullhead City was our home for ten days. The Colorado River separates Arizona from Nevada and an hour time difference. A water taxi crosses the River from Bullhead City to Laughlin, Nevada a casino city founded by Don Laughlin who took a risk on a vacant motel situated on the river in this desolate desert to begin a new gambling venture. His risk paid off. There are also gold mines, canyons, petro glyphs, and ghost towns to explore in this Grand Canyon region of Arizona.

Oatman, the ghost town that refuses to quit, houses the Hotel where Clark Gable and Carole Lombard honeymooned. Souvenir shops line the Main Street which is part of the original national road Route 66. Burros, descendents from the burros from the gold mine days, roam Main Street. They are protected. Babies are identified with a do- not- feed- me stickers to encourage feeding from the mother. Carrots available for adults make the young ones sick. Several months ago a 5 week old baby was stolen and the mother hee-hawed all day for her baby. Signs encouraged a return but nothing happened.

Route 66 between Oatman and Kingman is a narrow 2 lanes going up 3700 feet with no guard rails. Awesome scenery but this was a scary road. This was the National Road dedicated in 1923. A long this route a Mobil Gas Station, first built in 1926, had been restored with the old gas pumps on display as they would have been almost 100 years ago.

The rain and wind came again delaying a trip to Death Valley. The casinos got our attention instead. No fortune. Eventually the weather cleared and we headed on the blue highways west.

Bullhead City is in the midst of the budget process. Public Safety remains a budget priority with no cuts in employees anticipated. They are increasing use of the Peg channel for transparency and modifying a baseline budget with flexibility to address areas of public service to meet special needs. Like Annapolis 85% of the budget is spent on salaries and benefits. Most of the local newspapers I read were struggling with similar concerns. Unlike Annapolis, Job retention, in keeping with the Presidents goal of increasing jobs and keeping money flowing in the economy, is a priority concern.