Issuu

Opinion

www.SanTanSun.com

Community Commentary

You’ve probably heard a lot of talk about El Niño lately. So what exactly is El Niño and how could it impact us here in Maricopa County? Most of you know El Niño is a prolonged Denny Barney. warming of the Pacific Submitted photo coastal waters that affects weather patterns, temperatures and rainfall around the globe. The historic pattern for Maricopa County in El Niño years has been unusually wet winters. This year, weather events resulting from El Niño are expected to be among the strongest on record since 1950 and we are hearing we will likely see increased thunderstorms possibly through April. Maricopa County is preparing for an El Niño winter and it’s a good idea for county residents to prepare also to keep family, pets and property safe. Here’s some helpful advice to consider: Stay informed. Keep tuned to local radio and TV stations and weather websites. Create a family plan to stay in touch with your family and friends in the event of a flood (or any disaster). • Don’t forget medicines and special-needs items. • Choose a meeting place in case you get separated. • Plan for your pets, too. Put together a “grab and go” emergency kit that includes food, water and first-aid supplies. • For home: Generators, cash, gas storage for vehicles. Three days of water and food, first-aid kit, radio and mobile device chargers. Store important documents, zip drives, money and cellphone in waterproof Ziploc bags. • For your car: Extra gas, a blanket, window breaking hammer. Check your tire treads and windshield wipers; consider replacement if needed.

Stay off the road during and after storms. Road closure information can be found at www.mcdot.maricopa.gov. Prepare your home by keeping some basic supplies on hand. • Keep sandbags, plywood and plastic sheeting around to protect from floodwaters and to make quick repairs after a severe storm. • Elevate the air conditioner, furnace, water heater, electric panel and other valuables above the anticipated flood elevation. Work with professional plumbers and electricians to ensure this is done properly. Consider buying flood insurance because flood damage is not typically covered by homeowners’ policies. The National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) offers flood insurance, which can be purchased through the insurance agent who handles your homeowners’ policy. Note: There is a 30day waiting period for a policy to go into effect. Maricopa County remains diligent in its efforts to ensure the community is prepared. Our Flood Control District maintains 320 precipitation gages and operates 38 real-time weather stations throughout the region. These devices measure the amount and timing of rainfall along with combinations of temperature, humidity, and wind speed/direction which are transmitted to a central location every 15 to 30 minutes. This data is continuously monitored and can be used to issue storm alerts and inform local jurisdictions and public safety officials to take necessary action. Be informed and prepared this winter. Have a plan in place before the next flooding event. As the old saying goes, “A danger foreseen is half avoided.” For more storm status and preparation information, visit www.fcd.maricopa.gov and ready.gov/ floods. Denny Barney is a Gilbert resident and a member of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors.

Share your opinion with SanTan Sun News! We know you have an opinion! Share it with the SanTan Sun News. Please keep your Letters to the Editor around 200-300 words, or they may be edited for length. Include your first and last name, community

or development name in Southern Chandler (Cooper Commons, Ocotillo, Sun Groves, etc.) or ZIP code and daytime phone number for verification. Anonymous letters are not typically accepted. Email is the

Letter from proud publisher It’s not very often that a firsttime author comes close to selling out books before the national release date, but this is exactly what has happened with “The Tiniest Tumbleweed” by Kathy Peach, illustrated by Alex Lopez and edited by Conrad J. Storad. The publication date wasn’t until Jan. 8, but on Dec. 17 Five Star Publications ordered books for a second printing. Some highlights to reach this accomplishment include: • Pre-orders advertised via social media and word-of-mouth surpassed expectations. • Eileen Bailey of KidsReadUSA pre-ordered a copy for each third-grade student in the Balsz School District. • A sneak-peek author signing at Barnes & Noble where all copies that were ordered for the event sold out within 75 minutes. • Sibley’s West in Chandler ordered copies of the book for another sneakpeek author signing which all sold out within a few days resulting in another order with twice as many copies. Kathy was scheduled to do a second impromptu signing. • The great folks at Teaching & Learning Stuff did not hesitate to add “The Tiniest Tumbleweed” when they placed a recent order with Five Star. • Liz Nicklus, the executive director at Superstition Mountain Museum, included this note when she placed an order for their gift shop: “Hi Linda, I received the copy of ‘The Tiniest Tumbleweed’ and I have to say we all fell in love with it! I would love to place an order. Thanks! Liz” • A teacher who ordered the book as a gift copy discovered the bonus curriculum guide in the back of the book and immediately bought another copy for herself. • A copy of the book was given as a gift to a child who asked if they could order preferred submission method, to Letters@ SanTanSun.com. All submitted Letters to the Editor and Community Commentaries become the property of the SanTan Sun News and may be reprinted in part, quoting the letters’ authors, or in their entirety. Your submission

another copy to donate to his school’s library. The stories go on and on and we hadn’t reached the national release date yet! This book offers a very special message that touches folks of all ages—not just children! Having the privilege of being the publisher of a book as exceptional as “The Tiniest Tumbleweed” is just one more example of Little Five Star’s commitment to publishing great books for growing minds! Don’t miss out on seeing for yourself what a gem “The Tiniest Tumbleweed” really is—good things do come in small packages! Visit www.TiniestTumbleweed.com or call Five Star at (480) 940-8182 for ordering information. Volume discounts are offered. Also, Kathy Peach is readily available for school and library visits or other events. Call me at Five Star at (480) 940-8182 for details. Linda Radke President Five Star Publications Inc.

to the SanTan Sun News is considered your permission to print your written opinion. Opinions expressed in Community Commentaries, Letters to the Editor or cartoons are those of the author, and not that of the SanTan Sun News.

Have a story idea or news tip? Know of an interesting photo opportunity? How about positive feedback or constructive comments? We’d like to hear from you. Email us at News@SanTanSun.com.

Deadline

mailing address:

For News Tips, Editorial Articles, Opinion or Classifieds, email is preferred. news email address: news@santansun.com ads email address: ads@santansun.com website address: www.santansun.com

Letter to the Editor

Time to prepare for El Niño winter BY DENNY BARNEY

Jan. 9 - Jan. 22, 2016

Editorial and Advertising 12 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 14, for the Saturday, Jan. 23, 2016 issue

35,000

Total Circulation 27,250+ Driveways Fifty square mile coverage area from Price/101 to Greenfield and from Frye to Hunt Highway.

Proud member of the

executive editor

Christina Fuoco-Karasinski associate editors

publisher

Steve T. Strickbine publisher emeritus

Laurie Fagen

account executives

Jane Meyer Tracy Walsh Tracey Wilson

website maintained by

Susan Kovacs, n-ergizing

Ken Abramczyk Kenneth LaFave Srianthi Perera

writers

Michelle Talsma Everson Kendall Hilton Tamara Juarez Judi King Damir Lolic Marjorie Rice Alison Stanton

section editor

Steven Solomon art director

Erica Odello graphic designers

Nicole La Cour Amy Civer ad design

Paul Braun school contributor

Amy Fricke