Foothills Shoes collecting old Crocs for needy

Got an old pair of Crocs in the back of your closet? Here's a chance to recycle them and help provide shoes for someone else in need.

Foothills Shoes, 11274 S. Fortuna Road in the Pioneer Shopping Center, is participating in a program to collect old Crocs - no imitations, please - for SolesUnited (SolesUnited.org), said owner Cathy Putman. SolesUnited grinds up the donated Crocs and manufactures new shoes from them for distribution to people in need of footwear around the world.

Bring the Crocs to Foothills Shoes during store hours from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. For more information, call 345-1907.

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According to a public notice published in The Sun, the Arizona State Land Department will be auctioning off about 121 acres of state trust land at 40th Street and Avenue 9E. The auction is scheduled for 1 p.m. Tuesday on the Yuma County Courthouse steps. Bidding is to start at $6.2 million.

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People are invited to join the Yuma County Board of Supervisors, the Yuma County Library District and the San Luis, Ariz., mayor and council at the groundbreaking ceremony for the San Luis Branch Library.

The event will be held at 8:30 a.m. Tuesday at 1075 N. 6th Ave. (north of Juan Sanchez Boulevard and east of the new city complex).

The new building will be approximately 30,000 square feet. Target completion is May 2009. For more information, visit the library district's Web site at www.yumalibrary.org or call 782-1871.

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Mustard's Dining and Catering is now open for lunch from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays. The new restaurant, located at the corner of Madison Avenue and 2nd Street, offers a tasty array of homemade soups, unusual salads, hot and cold sandwiches and pasta sauces.

Beginning in July, the restaurant also will be open for dinner. For more information, call 345-9013.

Owner Scott Mustard has quite a background in cooking, going back to when he was a little boy, learning the art from his Italian mother and Scot-Irish father. He managed the Westward Look Resort in Tucson, then was with the Gavi Italian Restaurant for several years. Since moving to Yuma, he has taught Italian foods for Tina's Cocina.

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Contours Express in the Pioneer Shopping Center got a last minute reprieve of sorts. Jean Shearer has purchased the workout center's lease and equipment and named the business EZ Tyme Exercise.

She said she bought it because so many people wanted to see the center remain open (former owner Sandi Rogalski had to close for family reasons). Besides, Shearer said, it seemed to go together with her other business.

She's also the franchise owner of Maui Wowi, which features coffees and low-fat yogurt-based smoothies. The business had a booth at last season's Scorpion baseball games.

That option wasn't available this year, she said, so she has set up a Maui Wowi bar at EZ Tyme Exercise. It's already proven a hit with neighboring business people and EZ Tyme members get a discount.

"As a registered nurse, I wanted to get into a healthy business," she said. Even better, she now has two.

Summer hours are 5 a.m. to noon and 3:30 to 7 p.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. to noon Saturdays. Shearer is now offering a "Gals Bring Your Pals" summer membership special of $25 per person when two sign up together. For more information, call 342-6366.

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Plans have been received for a 15,000-square-foot building for River Marine Sales at 3231 S. Joanie Ave. in the Ramster Industrial Park, said Randy Crist, city of Yuma building official. The boat sales and service now is located at 2175 E. 16th St.

In other city of Yuma building activity, Crist reported:

- A certificate of occupancy has been issued for the new Fire Station No. 6 at the corner of 32nd Street and Avenue C. The fire crew is expected to move in within the next week or so.

- The building permit has been issued for the Kneader's Bakery across from Olive Garden in Yuma Palms Regional Center. Groundwork has been going on for awhile on the restaurant, which will be the second for Yuma.

- The Radisson Hotel under construction off Redondo Center Drive is framed to the second floor, with two more floors to go.

- The four-story Homewood Suites off 16th Street and Pacific Avenue is completely framed.

- Framing has begun on the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Yuma, while framing is completed for the companion conference center.

- Workers are setting steel and the floors have been poured for the new main library near Yuma Catholic High School.

- Six permits were issued during the week for single-family houses, perhaps an indication that housing building activity is picking up a little.

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Alma Mosier, who previously had a boutique inside Foxy Lady Tanning Salon, has relocated Cheekie Boutique to 630 W. Catalina Drive. It's stocked with the "hottest and latest styles" in designer clothing like Level 99 Jeans, 7 Diamond Shirts and Ed Hardy fashions, she said.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. For more information, call 317-0061.

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You know the saying, "A job offer you can't refuse?" Well, Yuma Realtor Jason Kehl received one, said his mother, Barbara Kehl. Jason has accepted an administrative position with J and J Maintenance in Austin, a company he had previously worked for that contracts with government agencies worldwide to provide building maintenance services.

Barbara is thrilled he has such a great job but misses her son, who also was a key member of her real estate office, Barbara Kehl Realty, she founded in 1985.

She's moved her agency into a smaller office and now is at 183 E. 24th St., Suite 3, a move that's working out well for her, she said. "I love the new office," and she has the same landlord, Jim Smith. With her are agents Cheryl Gauthier-Leifeste, Linda Reyes, Isabel Shadle and Lisa Lopez and office manager Nyana Poradek.

"We're rocking along," said Barbara - the office even wrote three contracts on Thursday. The office can be reached at 782-4222 or 782-5722.

There's one other vacancy left by Jason's move to Texas. He was the 2008 president of the Yuma Association of Realtors. Wanda Beavers, president-elect, has ended up with the job a few months early.

By the way, she has rejoined the team at ERA Matt Fischer Realtor. She can be reached at 344-2550 or 941-3781.

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In some seen-and-heards around Yuma:

- Pio Pio at 1360 S. 4th Ave. is closed, according to a sign on the door. And the phone number has been disconnected.

- Kirstin's Southwest Decor, 261 S. Main St., also is closed and the phone number disconnected. Owner Ron Codling couldn't be reached for comment. If interested in leasing the building, call landlord Chet Lane at 329-4500.

- All Star Apparel, which opened about a year ago in Southgate Mall, is packing up for a move to a larger space in Las Palmillas shopping center. The store, owned by Alfonso Ruiz, specializes in sports apparel.
The move likely will take place sometime after July 4.

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Habitat for Humanity of Yuma continues to expand its recycling efforts and now has collection bins at the Habitat ReStore, 24th Street and Engler Avenue. Recyclable items the public can drop off there include cardboard, aluminum cans, plastic bottles Nos. 1 and 2, newspapers and old items of wood/metal/plastics. Hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. For more information, call 783-3993.

Proceeds help fund the Yuma Community Food Bank's programs and Habitat for Humanity of Yuma's house building projects.

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Report Comings and Goings to jlobeck@yumasun.com or 539-6853.