Desert Life

Desert Gardener: Royal Poinciana a stunning tree that grows well here

By KAREN BOWEN

You will think it’s raining orange when walking beneath a Royal Poinciana tree in springtime. This showy tree is covered with clusters of bright-orange flowers from spring through mid-summer. Five petaled blooms resembling orchids cluster to... Full story

Boys & Girls Club the cure for summer boredom

BY DARIN FENGER - FEATURES EDITOR

The folks at a Yuma youth center aren’t doctors, but they certainly know the cure for summer boredom. Their prescription? Daily doses of camp for eight fun-filled weeks at The Salvation Army Boys & Girls Club in Yuma. The club&... Full story

Namedropper 6-16-13

FROM STAFF REPORTS

Christopher I. FigueroaAir Force Airman Christopher I. Figueroa has graduated from basic military training at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland in San Antonio, Texas.Airmen who complete basic training earn four credits toward an associate in applied sc... Full story

Help for tornado victims

FROM STAFF REPORTS

Ashley Close (center) and Cruz Trujillo (far right) of Immaculate Conception School present a check for $400 for the Oklahoma tornado victims to Cynthia Synder from the American Red Cross. Students wanted to show how they are active Christians in sup... Full story

Cookies for a cause: Chef launching blog with bake sale

BY KARLA BILLDT - YUMA FOODIE

Memorial Day weekend saw me in the cool San Bernardino mountains to learn all there is to know about blogging at Camp Blogaway. A blog is the contraction of two words, web and log. With the advent of web publishing tools in the 1990s, blogs became do... Full story

Veterans Scene 6-14-13

American Legion Post No. 19Weekly events at H.H. Donkersley American Legion, Post 19, 2575 S. Virginia Drive, include: Thursday dinner with live entertainment 5 to 7 p.m.; pool tournament Fridays 6:30 p.m.; meat draw Saturdays 2 to 4:30 p.m.; bingo F... Full story

Rain or shine, garden convention was enjoyed

BY KAREN BOWEN - DESERT GARDENER

Seattle is famous for its constant changes in weather on an hourly basis. It can go from cloudy to misting to downpours and then to sunshine, all while you're eating lunch.The National Garden Club Convention for 2013 was recently held in Seattle. Clu... Full story

Artistic pilgrim invites others along on journey

BY HILLARY DAVIS @YSHillaryDavis

Michelle Loynes is a pilgrim.Her ultimate destination, she may not be sure just yet, but she knows well enough what she's looking for: spiritual enlightenment. Her new show at the Yuma Art Center, “Seeker,” celebrates that search. “... Full story

Yuma Nightlife 6-13-13

FROM STAFF REPORTS

WHERE TO BE• Fayuca — 8 p.m. today — Strummer's Village Tavern • La Vida Loca — 8 p.m. Fridays — Cocopah Casino's River Room • DJ Sloe — 9 p.m. Fridays — LZ Bar and Grill • DJ Rudy — 9:30 ... Full story

East County Highlights 6-13-13

BY DIANE MERRILL

• Vacation Bible school — First Southern Baptist Church of Wellton will have “Colossal Coaster World” vacation Bible school from 5 to 8:15 p.m. June 23-27 for kindergarten through high school students. Registration is 4:30 p.m.... Full story

Benefits of physical activity on your mental well-being

BY CURTIS PETERSON AND JOSE AMPARO - FAMILY FOCUS

Sitting in my house this last weekend, I thought, “Why am I so tired? All I have been doing is sitting here all day.” Then as many times before, I thought, “I really should get up and do something, but I am way too tired.”Mond... Full story

Juneteenth celebrates final freedom of slaves

BY JOYCE LOBECK @YSJoyceLobeck

Juneteenth is more than just a fun day for families at the park with food, music and games.Although it is all that, it is most of all a celebration of freedom that finally came to all African-Americans in the United States on June 19, 1865.In the Uni... Full story

The magic of comedy

BY DARIN FENGER - FEATURES EDITOR

A comedian flying here from Germany for a show at Cocopah Casino says he can't wait to “juggle ping-pong balls in my mouth” and tear it up with some “laugh-out-loud” material on Gila Bend.He's David Deeble, a standup comic and... Full story

Yuma libraries have summer fun for all ages

BY HILLARY DAVIS @YSHillaryDavis

Yuma County’s libraries have a full slate of brain-engaging activities this summer that are free, fun and family-friendly. The theme is "Dig into Reading," with many of the activities encouraging study of the natural world. (See list below) ... Full story

Reaching for The Sun as first female 'paperboy'

BY MARA KNAUB @YSMaraKnaub

When young Veramae Morris, then Arnett, went to The Yuma Daily Sun to ask for a job as a newspaper girl, she was told the newspaper did not hire girls.It was the early 1940s and she was about 12 or 13 years old.Being refused only made Morris more det... Full story

Births Report 6-9-13

Babies reported from Yuma Regional Medical Center:May 5 — Heather and Eusebio Plaza, boy, Lionel; Dasley Valenzuela and Isaac Bustillo Chavez, girl, Fernanda.May 6 — Maira Diaz Juarez and Jose Guardo Tobar, girl, Nahomy; Ericka Aparicio a... Full story

It’s prime time for fishing fun

BY JEAN WILSON - OUTDOORS COLUMN

We are fortunate in Yuma with it being prime time for fishing fun all summer long. Giving us endless opportunities for fun times at any of our many waterways. If you have a boat of any kind, you have it made because you can go just about anywhere you... Full story

Movie in the park is Saturday

BY OSCAR CHAVEZ - YUMA PARKS AND REC

With the school year just barely coming to an end and only 64 days of summer vacation ahead of us, every kid is fantasizing over the idea of the fun they will have during summer break.Why is summer so important for youth? Relaxation, no school, spend... Full story

Namedropper 6-9-13

Julie FiveashJulie Fiveash has graduated from Dartmouth College with a bachelor's degree in art, major in studio art and minor in creative writing.Fiveash, the daughter of Raul and Zenia Fiveash of Yuma, is a 2009 graduate of Cibola High School.Maria... Full story

Yuma Scouting council awards top honor

Ed Maxwell lauded for 68 years of service

BY JOYCE LOBECK @YSJoyceLobeck

At 80 years of age, Ed Maxwell is still strapping on a backpack and hitting the hiking trails to share his love of the outdoors with the next generation of boys.It's a commitment to the Boy Scouts that spans three generations of his own family and de... Full story

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