KINGMAN – Kingman area residents are looking forward to new shopping opportunity as a Marshalls department store will move into the retail space JC Penney exited more than two years ago. Marshalls will set up shop next to Safeway at 3127 Stockton Hill Road.

“We’ve been negotiating with Marshalls, it feels like at least a year. They’ve had interest in it for a while. We finally came to terms with them and got an agreement signed in the fall,” said Brett Borg, who manages the shopping center for a Mesa firm. “Their corporation signed a ten-year deal with four-five-year options, so they could technically be there for 30 years.”

Borg said a ​“coming soon” sign banner will be installed on site in coming weeks to announce the arrival of Marshalls. He said Oct. 1 is the target date for initial operation once interior remodeling is completed within the 20,000 sq. ft. facility.

Borg said Marshall’s will offer a broad range of retail inventory.

“They’ll have clothing, merchandise, bedding and linens,” Borg said. “Basically it’s going to be something that Kingman doesn’t really have right now, which is really good. It’s high-quality stuff at a discount price,” he said. “We’re excited to have them. They’re excited to to be there … I think they’re going to be very successful there.”

Dave Hawkins

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KINGMAN – On Monday, April 15, the So Hi Domestic Water Improvement District held a Recognition and Appreciation Award luncheon for long time District Manager, Denise Johnston.

The District’s entire Staff, Board of Directors and spouses were in attendance to honor Johnston

Johnston has given more than thirty years of selfless service to the citizens and community of So HI Estates in the management of the water district.

Johnston’s dedication and extreme professionalism are legend in the halls of the many small water improvement districts across Arizona. She has, over the years, despite her own heavy workload, gone to the assistance and rescue of numerous other distressed small water systems across our arid state.

Johnston has calmly and capably dealt with and conquered situations that would have overwhelmed a lesser person. When, some years ago, our well failed, Johnston’s instant grasp of the situation and her fast remedial action, turned a “might’ve been” disaster into a non-issue. Her efforts assured that not one single household in So Hi Estates was deprived of even a drop of water until proper repairs were made.

Johnston not only keeps the District compliant with the myriad and burdensome Federal and State rules, regulations and standards that face small Districts, she assists other less skilled managers in successfully understanding and coping with those.

Always helpful and supportive with staff and subscribers, she is recognized by many in Arizona’s water supply industry as the go-to person for answers to twisty situations.

It can be safely said that Johnston has been and continues to be the beating heart and loving soul of the So Hi Domestic Water Improvement District.

Jack Hommel

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KINGMAN – The Valle Vista based Hive Five Meadery is spreading its wings to downtown Kingman where it will offer products it brews at the Cella winery. The company has just celebrated its first anniversary of commercial fermentation production.

“It’s a similar process as to wine, very similar, except the fact that it takes a lot longer,” explained Hive Five owner Matthew Young. “The sugar source for the fermentation is honey instead of grapes and to get the alcohol and taste where you want it, it takes close to 3 months where with wine it’s technically drinkable in less than about a month.”

Young said he and his wife Shawndy are renovating a former auto repair shop at 731 E. Andy Devine where they plan to open a tasting venue by early June, if not sooner. He explained they see great potential with the location, even though it’s a few blocks from the heart of the Beale St. business district.

“We went back and forth. We really did want to be downtown on Beale but to be perfectly honest, once we were at 731, we saw the traffic on Rt. 66 and we’re right there by the stoplight,” Young said. “We’re going to get a lot more exposure. So, we might not get that person that specifically came down to Beale, but I think the exposure we’re going to get is going to be really good for us.”

Young said the tasting room will help them market mead beyond Valle Vista. He said they plan to expand in slow, steady and methodical fashion, possibly taking the operation to the next step of production for the wholesale market.

“Typically we’ll have anywhere from 10 to 15 different flavors to choose from and what we’re going to do is have flights so you can get multiple flavors in one tasting in different little glasses,” Young said. He said their most popular concoction is a double black cherry vanilla.

“It’s just super smooth,” Young said. “I’ve had several people say, ‘I’ve tried mead and I just don’t like it,’ and then they loved it and they changed their mind about mead.”

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MOHAVE COUNTY – Thrive Hualapai continued its informational seminar series last month with guest speaker Jeanette Pigeon, MCC Small Business Development Center Director, detailing 10 considerations of which to be mindful when starting a business.

Thrive Hualapai is a business incubator in Peach Springs created through a partnership with MCC and the Hualapai Tribe to help people turn their passion into profitable businesses. Thrive Hualapai frequently hosts informational sessions and learning opportunities for community members, touching on a wide variety of topics that include workforce training, food-handler training and much more.

Pigeon delivered her remarks to a full classroom of future business owners on Wednesday. Her first tip for the group, with respect to beginning the process of starting one’s own business, was to conduct a self-assessment.

Pigeon continued by recommending the research and development of a business plan, which she described as a living document that grows and evolves with the business.

“The plan you start out with will grow and adapt as your business changes,” she said, also encouraging attendees not to be reactive when it comes to changes in their business plans.

The session continued with Pigeon noting considerations such as choosing a business name; purchasing a domain name; selecting a business structure, obtaining a federal tax ID number, opening a business bank account, building support networks and more.

“Thrive Hualapai just finished out first year, and entrepreneurship is a big part of the business incubator,” said Longfeather Fox, Training Coordinator at the Hualapai Business Center. “It involves a lot of outreach to help inspire people to start their businesses, with anything and everything they need and want to learn about the process.”

For more information or to stay up to date with Thrive Hualapai, go to https://www.mohave.edu/thrivehualapai/.

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KINGMAN – On Thursday, April 11 the Mohave/La Paz County LWDB (Local Workforce Development Board) met with about 20 businessowners and agency heads to get input for updating its four-year plan and programs. The plan is required by the WIFO (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act).  The programs are funded by the federal government.

A PowerPoint presentation was used by David Shinder, Workforce Development Consultant, to provide guidance for discussion on current and projected needs in Mohave and La Paz counties as far as industry and occupations.

The current local plan covering 2020-2023 identifies construction, healthcare and social assistance, transportation and warehouse, manufacturing, leisure and hospitality and administration and waste services as target sectors. 

Shinder said Mohave and La Paz counties receive federal funds from the State of Arizona every year under the WIOA. He further stated the Board is interested in what matters most to business owners and managers within key industries with regard to workforce issues; and, as well, what they foresee as emerging industries or businesses.

“WIOA is designed to help job seekers access employment, education, training, and support services to succeed in the labor market and to match employers with the skilled workers they need to compete in the global economy,” stated Shinder.

Housing and healthcare were identified by the group as two of the top tier target sectors. There was discussion regarding a shortage of early childhood education professionals who mostly left the profession after the pandemic and must be replaced.  As well, there is a shortage of CNAs (certified nursing assistants) and daycare workers in the region.

Julius Pearson, Chief Human Resources Officer for KRMC (Kingman Regional Medical Center) stated they, and the community as a whole, are experiencing a shortage of CNAs and nurses.  He said the hospital has reduced its traveling nurses by about 50% and realized a savings.

“We have reduced our agency expense by about $20 million annually,” he said. “We took that money and we reinvested it in our staff so we could attract those nurses from California and from Nevada to be sure that when patients come to our hospital there is no staffing crisis; so (that) they can be seen and cared for properly.”

He explained that permanence not only pertains to the care received but also to our tax base.  “When you have someone that only comes into your community for a short period of time, the level that we found, the level of care that they provide, is sometimes at cross purposes.

“So, we want people who live in our community who are invested in our community, that are willing to learn the KRMC way; because there are standards that we demand that are met when it comes to our patients and it’s easier to affect that when the employees are yours.”

As for industry growth, IT was one of the mentioned growing industries.

Chairwoman of the local Mohave/La Paz board, Kenda Robinson, who is a recruiter for ALLO Communications, stated they had 380 employees in a short time and that they are growing very quickly. 

“We are on fire, we have right now about 340 positions that we need to fill between Havasu and Yuma,” she said.  Additionally, she said they are growing so quickly that they went from 400 employees between Colorado and Arizona to 1600 in a short time. 

“We have nothing in common (with other businesses) as far as trying to find people to come to work for us,” she stated. “I don’t do a lot of outsourcing as far as looking for talent. I open up the website and I have 200 to 300 applicants waiting to be employed with us.”

New businesses within existing industries such as lithium slurry processing was mentioned as well as IT and robotics.  As well, a lack of infrastructure was discussed as a challenge to new businesses.

Challenges related to worker recruitment reported were lack of skills as well as a motivation deficit, changing worker expectations and a lack of childcare.  In some industries wages and benefits were a factor. As to motivation, one employer stated he hired a new employee who never showed up to work.

The local boards in each county or jurisdiction work together through one organization, Arizona@Work, and the goal is to provide innovative workforce solutions to employers and job seekers. Services are provided at no charge. Interested employers and job seekers can get information at https://arizonaatwork.com/locations/mohave-and-la-paz-counties or by calling 928-753-0723.

Once the four-year plan is developed it will be approved by the local workforce development board and then, after a 30-day public comment period, forwarded to the chief locally elected officials.

Becky Foster

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LAKE HAVASU CITY – A rezoning development plan for Lake Havasu’s Heat hotel will be in the works. The city council team passed a motion for the hotel’s outdoor patio bar to be converted into eight new guest suites.

Havasu will be entering an agreement with TowerCom XI-B for the placement for a new 100-foot cellular tower that will be located at 2330 McCulloch Blvd. N, and 1867 Walnut Dr.

Board members also passed a plan with transportation company, Iteris. The company will be installing video detection systems which will be intended for road safety and accident prevention. 

Phaedra Veronique

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LAKE HAVASU CITY – Entrepreneurial spirits filled the room last week at ASU’s HavaStartup Award Ceremony. The HavaStartup Award Ceremony took place on Wednesday, April 10 at ASU Lake Havasu. This was HavaStartup’s fifth annual award ceremony organized by ASU. HavaStartup is a business competition that collaborates with Lake Havasu Chamber Foundation for Education Leadership and Better Business Bureau.

The competition is intended for business plans that are commercial with financial returns or for nonprofits wanting to promote social change. The ideas must be original and any field is fair game. Participants must hold a vital position in their business ventures. Eligible entrepreneurs must be Lake Havasu residents with a unique idea to develop a business in Lake Havasu.

The competition focused on applicants that have already been in operation for less than three years, or are setting their sights on opening their business locally right away. Teams can have one to six members. Contestants can disclose all of the plans and models. Business owners also are required to create a plan as to how they will use their winning funds to make their dream business a success.

The ceremony sprang into action with a speech made by ASU Assistant Professor and HavaStartup Event Coordinator Leepsa Madhabika. Other keynote speakers that were present at the event were Mayor Cal Sheehy, Better Business Bureau’s Senior Director of Brand Strategies and Social Impact Kryistyna Hook, CEO of Chamber of Commerce Andrea Helart, and ASU’s Organizational Leadership Professor Dr. Cristen Mann.

One by one, the ceremony showcased three contestants; Mike Walters, Aaron Espinoza, and Jackie Leatherman. Each contestant delivered a 10-minute presentation of their business plan to the audience. The ceremony awarded one winner and one finalist with prize money and gift certificates. Walters was unable to attend, however his presentation for his Prime Life First company was shared with the community by Leepsa.

Prime Life First specializes in dietary supplements and holistic wellness solutions. Walters hopes to improve the well-being of his consumers through education and access to high quality supplements. Espinoza presented his talents by sharing information about Aaron’s Custom Metalworks LLC, a decorative metalworks company. The business offers welding, CNC plasma cutting and fabrication. In his business plan, Espinoza shared desires to collaborate with companies Mohave Pools, ABCO Builders INC, and a few other local businesses where he felt would benefit from his products and services.

Entrepreneur Leatherman shared her business plan for Havasu Hikes LLC, and that will strive in educating the community about the various beautiful trails of Havasu through scheduled hikes and tours. Leatherman holds credentials in first aid wilderness, venomous snake training, and most importantly, safety gear and comfort. Espinoza was announced as the winner of the ceremony with his win of $500, and Leatherman was announced as this year’s HavaStartup finalist and was presented with a $1,000 check.

The mission of HavaStartup is to discover new and established businesses seeking to develop business plans that will help their companies flourish. HavaStartup can help strengthen the economic vitality of Lake Havasu while supporting our local entrepreneurs. Want to learn more about HavaStartup for your business’s goals? Visit havasu.asu.edu to explore the endless possibilities.

Phaedra Veronique

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MOHAVE COUNTY – Mohave County Supervisor Buster Johnson submitted opposition to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on a proposed waiver that would allow the California Air Resources Board (CARB) to enforce zero-emission railroad locomotives beginning in 2030. Under current law, the regulation of emissions standards for trains falls under the jurisdiction of the federal government, specifically the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Federal Railroad Administration (FRA). For California to institute their own restrictions, they need to apply for a waiver from the EPA. “While this proposal is specific to California, its implications for rail operations extend far beyond, particularly impacting Arizona and Mohave County. If this waiver is approved, it could set a troubling precedent for other states to adopt similar regulations, potentially disrupting rail interconnectivity across the nation,” Supervisor Johnson stated.

Arizona has 10 different freight railroads, including two “Class I” and eight short line operators, collectively hauling over 125 million tons of freight annually, equivalent to removing nearly seven million trucks from our roads every year. Given Arizona’s growing economy, the state relies on the rail network to manage this expansion sustainably, benefiting both the environment and the quality of life for residents. According to the EPA, rail transport is recognized as one of the most environmentally friendly freight movement methods, with trains contributing just 0.6% of U.S. emissions.

The new rule proposed CARB for railroads involves setting stringent emission standards for locomotives operating within California. This rule aims to reduce nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions from these locomotives, targeting a significant reduction by 2030. The proposed standards would require railroads to upgrade or replace older locomotives with cleaner technologies to meet these emission reduction goals. According to Johnson, the CARB rule threatens Arizona’s railways and the resilience of the supply chain by imposing extreme financial and operational burdens on railroads, particularly smaller operators, through the mandatory retirement of over 25,000 locomotives aged 23 years or older. “This mandate overlooks the long-term and capital-intensive nature of locomotive investments, as well as the interconnectedness of the North American rail network, where nearly 65% of the U.S. locomotive fleet regularly travels in and out of California,” Johnson stated.

Rail hubs in Tucson, Flagstaff, and the Greater Phoenix Area play a pivotal role in handling diverse cargo, including intermodal cars carrying consumer goods, as well as commodities such as lumber, chemicals, and agricultural products.  The state’s robust short lines support vital industries like livestock and mining. Rural cities like Kingman benefit from rail-served industrial parks, major yards, and international connections that drive economic activity and sustain rural communities.

Arizona, particularly Mohave County, is closely tied to goods moving in and out of Southern California ports, supporting crucial industrial developments throughout the State. “Unworkable and costly policies originating from California could swiftly impact the entire transportation system, potentially undermining rail investment and expansion in Mohave County and across Arizona,” Johnson said. As of today, there is not any commercially deployed zero-emission trains operating on a large scale. According to CARB’s own analysis, small railroads would be disproportionately affected, with about 20% facing bankruptcy if compelled to comply with these regulations.

Johnson says the future of Mohave County’s economic development hinges on maintaining a robust, efficient, and interconnected rail network that can accommodate growth while ensuring sustainability and economic viability for our communities.

The comment period is open until April 22 for anyone wishing to comment on this proposed waiver. Comments can be submitted online through the Federal eRulemaking Portal: https://www.regulations.gov
identified by Docket ID No. EPA–HQ–OAR–2023–0574. They can also be emailed to: a-and-r-docket@epa.gov or mailed: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, EPA Docket Center, OAR, Docket EPA–HQ–OAR–2023–0574, Mail Code 28221T, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20460.

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GOLDEN VALLEY – Senate candidate and Arizona favorite Kari Lake rolled through Mohave last weekend bringing her message to the residents here with stops in Lake Havasu City and Golden Valley.

Lake, who was allegedly defeated in her bid for Governor back in 2022 by current Governor Katie Hobbs by a mere 17,000 votes amidst a flurry of voting irregularities which saw then Secretary of State Hobbs oversee her own election bid for Governor is now in a bid for Senator, running against AZ Rep. Ruben Gallego to fill the seat left by retiring U.S. Senator Kyrsten Sinema.

Lake drew a crowd of well over 100 People at her stop at Great American Pizza in Golden Valley last Saturday many of whom showed up hours in advance of her arrival.

Lake was greeted at the event by cheers from the crowd many of whom were adorned in Lake campaign gear and waving Lake for Senator signs. The inside of Great American Pizza looked like a Kari Lake campaign office with signs and Lake apparel and other campaign swag adorning the walls and tables within the beloved restaurant which is a favorite of both Bullhead and Kingman residents.

Once on stage Lake wasted no time in pointing out what she described as the failings of the current administration in Washington and how that has negatively affected Arizonans, both from the endless arrival of immigrants illegally crossing the border into our state costing the state millions of dollars as well as the sheer tonnage of the deadly fentanyl which has caused a national tragedy in the sheer number of Americans who have died from it.

Lake announced that she would soundly back the plans of current Presidential candidate and former President Donald Trump in both seeking the immediate removal of all such people from America but also in dealing harshly with the Mexican drug cartels behind both the immigration debacle as well as the endless flow of fentanyl into our nation. Her words were welcomed resoundingly by the crowd.

Lake spoke to the crowd for over an hour, even taking questions and ‘selfies’ with an endless line of well wishers all of whom unanimously stated they would be voting for her in the upcoming election.

Lake also made a a couple stops in Lake Havasu City attending both a church service there as well as another rally hosted by Nicks Pizza, where she was also warmly welcomed by Arizonans fed up with the policies coming out of Washington which are having  a powerfully negative effect on The Grand Canyon State.

Whether Lake can defeat the somewhat unknown Gallego who is an open borders advocate as well as advocate for LGBTQ rights here in Arizona has yet to be seen, but if fundraising is any indication, Lake just hauled in over $4.1 million in the first quarter of the year giving her a massive war chest to fight with.

Kane Wickham

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KINGMAN – Governor Katie Hobbs has chosen Sam Elters for appointment to serve on the Arizona State Transportation Board. The Governor’s Office advised the Kingman resident and Mohave County Manager of his selection and nomination to the post on Tuesday, April 9.

“I’m very thrilled and I’m honored. There are only seven members that represent the state,” Elters said. “I’m grateful to be one of them. I believe I’m equipped to participate in a meaningful way and I look forward to serve the state 

Board for the next six years.”

Elters’ nomination is subject to confirmation by the Arizona State Senate. He sailed through a previous confirmation proceeding with unanimous senate approval of his appointment to represent Maricopa County in 2018. 

A residency requirement dictated Elters’ resignation from the Board in 2020 when he relocated to Kingman to serve as county manager. He is confident he’ll be able to handle and balance his county manager and state Board duties.

“I know what it takes. It requires some weekend and evening preparation time. I’m prepared to do so. It will be worth it. It’s really for a good cause,” Elters said.

Hobbs’ decision comes after Elters interviewed for the position in January. Separate interviews were conducted with former Bullhead City Mayor Tom Brady and Lake Havasu City Council member Nancy Campbell.

Elters has some two decades of involvement with ADOT as a staff engineer, District Engineer, State engineer and the Transportation Board as well. He’s ready to roll up his sleeves to represent Mohave, La Paz, Yuma and Yavapai Counties while keeping the entire state in focus.

“We continue to really face challenges. the state continues to grow,” Elters said. “The need for added capacity on one hand, and to preserve the existing state transportation network, which is the backbone of the economy on the other hand- the needs, the costs and expenses continue to outpace revenue, so the challenge is as big or bigger than ever before.”

Elters would represent District 6 on the Board, pending confirmation. The Board generally meets monthly, with its next meeting scheduled April 19 in Buckeye.

Dave Hawkins

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