The big news events that shaped Camp Verde, Rimrock, Lake Montezuma and Beaver Creek in 2021:

January

■ On Jan. 1, David Rhodes took over as Yavapai County Sheriff.

■ Camp Ve rde Community Library hosted Smithsonian Museum’s “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America” traveling exhibit starting Jan. 16.

■ Verde Valley Medical Center reported that vaccina­tions reserved for Phase 1A had begun to slow down.

■ The Yavapai County Board of Supervisors unanimously voted Jan. 6, to reject all three bids for Verde Connect. Yavapai County District 3 Supervisor Donna Michaels stated a series of falsehoods about the project, many originating on a single Facebook group run by a Middle Verde man who donated $1,000 to Michaels’ campaign. She falsely claimed every municipality in the county voted against it — only two of the county’s 11 towns did so — and that every fire district voted against it, which is also false. Camp Verde’s fire district supported the road and no other district ever discussed it. She provided no proof of her claims when pressed for comment.

■ On Jan. 6, the Camp Verde Town Council unani­mously voted to adjust the monthly wastewater fees for RV parks, motels and hotels with a minimum of 10 rooms or RV spaces.

■ Copper Canyon Fire & Medical Authority began construction of a new fire station, to be located at 3675 Cherry Creek Road, across from the jail complex off of State Route 260.

■ At the Camp Verde Town Council’s meeting Jan. 6, Vice Mayor Joe Butner ended the meeting by vocally condemning the pro-Donald Trump rally at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., that turned into a violent failed insurrection. Clarkdale Mayor Robyn Prud’homme- Bauer suggested that the Town Council approve a letter condemning the event and rioters’ attempts to overturn the presidential election, but council decided Jan. 12 not to approve it, arguing that it was not the nonpartisan council’s place to get involved in a polarized national issue. The Sedona City Council had a moment of Silence for Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died Jan. 7 after suffering two strokes related to the riot.

■ Bill Jump, a Sedona land developer who became a co-owner of Out of Africa Wildlife Park in Camp Verde, died Jan. 14.

■ Camp Verde Town Council unanimously voted to approve up to $738,444 of funding from the Northern Arizona Council of Governments’ Transportation Investment Plan for use in fixing the intersection of Montezuma Castle Highway and Main St.

■ The Camp Verde Town Council approved a $1.2 million loan from the Water Infrastructure Finance Authority of Arizona at its meeting on Jan. 20.

■ The sale of recreational marijuana for adults age 21 and older began across the state on Jan. 22. Long lines formed at both Verde Valley dispensaries.

February

■ Detectives from Partners Against Narcotics Trafficking arrested Adam Dearmon, 49, of Camp Verde on Feb. 2 for multiple drug offenses after finding $30,000 worth of drugs in his home, including 8.9 pounds of mescaline, 427 live peyote cacti, 83 mari­juana plants, 29 pounds of dry peyote, 59 pounds of processed marijuana, five pounds of psilocybin mushrooms and seven LSD tabs. In addition, 48-year-old Tiffany Michelle Smith, who lives with Dearmon, faces similar charges for being involved in the drug dealing operation.

■ Camp Verde Town Council voted 6-1 Feb. 3 to approve a zoning change to allow for increased commer­cial choices for the Boulder Creek subdivision planned along the highway in the area north of Out of Africa Wildlife Park.

■ The actions of Councilmen Joe Butner and Bill LeBeau cost the town $15,000 in order to settle a defamation lawsuit filed by former Vice Mayor Bruce George.

■ Yavapai County District 3 Supervisor Donna Michaels attempted to improperly replace two long-time county Planning and Zoning Commission members by sending them a letter announcing she would be appointing their replace­ments on Jan. 1, 16 days after she was sworn into office. Michaels lacks the legal authority to force them out. One remained while the other departed. Michaels then appointed Charley Pitcher, a Sedona area resi­dent whose wife donated $1,000 to her campaign. The Pitchers run a website opposing a commercial rezoing request near their home that will now come for a vote before the commis­sion Michaels appointed Charley Pitcher to. Michaels omitted the financial connec­tion when announcing the appointment.

March

■ On March 3, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey released an Executive Order requiring all school districts to be open for in-person learning.

■ Copper Canyon Fire & Medical District crews responded to southbound Interstate 17 at milepost 288 for a reported semi-trailer on fire March 5 filled with 40,000 pounds of various plastic parts.

■ On March 11, Camp Verde Elementary School held a Fun Run for a marquee project, raising $33,000.

■ On March 24, the Camp Verde Town Council unani­mously voted to formalize the official partnership with the Nature Conservancy.

■ On March 25, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced he was ending remaining COVID-19 restrictions.

■ Camp Verde Mayor Dee Jenkins said that the town is teaming up with Northern Arizona Healthcare to begin vaccinations in Camp Verde beginning March 26.

April

■ The Rim Country Bowhunters Association, Prescott National Forest and other backers of the Verde Trails Access Plan met April 1 to discuss mule deer habitat along the Copper Chief Trail.

■ The Town of Camp Verde held the Pecan & Wine Festival on April 17 and 18.

■ On April 19, Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey announced that he would no longer be requiring school districts to mandate mask wearing among students, teachers and visitors.

■ Camp Verde Parks & Recreation announced the completion of the Verde Vista Loop Trail, a 5.5 mile trail.

■ The History of the Soldier is the first event to return to the Fort Verde since the COVID-19 pandemic.

■ The Verde Valley Fair returned April 28.

May

■ The Verde Grown branding and marketing campaign was started by the Town of Camp Verde, Local First Arizona and local growers and made its first major appearance at the Camp Verde Pecan & Wine Festival.

■ At a meeting of the Camp Verde Town Council on May 5, the council unani­mously approved and each individually signed a letter to be sent to the offices of U.S. Sens. Mark Kelly [D-Ariz.] and Kyrsten Sinema [D-Ariz.], asking for help in getting federal funding for an infrastructure project the town believes would help in creating investment in the State Route 260 corridor north of town.

■ COVID exodus causes surge in home prices. As prices increase in Sedona, existing and new residents are moving to other Verde Valley communities, driving up prices everywhere.

■ Verde Valley officials gathered to address lack of housing in their communi­ties and discuss the Verde Valley Regional Economic Organization’s findings of a Verde Valley-wide afford­able housing study.

■ The Camp Verde Town Council voted to revise part of the town’s code prohib­iting people from trespassing through private property to access public property.

■ Camp Verde High School graduates held their commencement ceremony on May 20.

■ Yavapai College has officially given the “green light” for students and staff to return to in-person classes and services.

■ An 11-year-old boy is facing felony arson charges after allegedly starting a brush fire that burned down multiple structures in Beaver Creek near Camp Verde on May 22.

June

■ The Camp Verde Town Council approved funding to help bring broadband internet to the Verde Valley, approved a lease making Verde Lakes Ponds a public park and discussed staff sala­ries at its June 2 meeting.

■ The Camp Verde Unified District Governing Board approved Superintendent Danny Howe’s retirement at its June 8 meeting. Howe’s last day with the district was June 9. Business Services Director Steve Hicks

was appointed as interim superintendent.

■ The Backbone Fire ignited around 11:30 p.m. June 16, about 15 miles southeast of Camp Verde near the Fossil Creek Recreation Area and Child’s Power Plant substation. It burned 40,855 acres by July 22.

■ The Rafael Fire was discovered at 7:28 p.m. on June 18, on the Prescott National Forest. By July 7, it burned 78,065 acres north of Clarkdale, making it the largest fire in Verde Valley history, doubling the Backbone Fire and 3.5 times larger than the 21,227-acre Slide Fire of 2014.

■ The Camp Verde Town Council nixed all current council policies and procedures with the intent to replace them with “best practices guidelines.” Council also approved an engineer for the Northbound Sewer Collection System Expansion Project at its June 16 meeting.

■ The “Proud to be an American Copper State Rodeo” came to Camp Verde June 25 and 26 at the Camp Verde Equestrian Center.

■ Remy the Utahraptor simultaneously terrorized and delighted children at the Camp Verde Community Gym on June 28.

July

■ The Camp Verde Town Council approved the preliminary plat for a subdi­vision off of Salt Mine Road at its July 7 meeting.

■ The Camp Verde Town Council signed a memo­randum of understanding at its meeting July 7 showing support for the creation of a regional Verde Valley trail system.

■ The Camp Verde Marshal’s Office received an Arizona Law Enforcement Accreditation Program accreditation July 13.

■ Corn Fest returned July 17. A series of International Kickboxing Federation of Arizona bouts also returned.

■ Lloyd Masayumptewa was appointed superinten­dent of Montezuma Castle and Tuzigoot National Monuments on July 18.

■ Authorities and volunteers are searching for a missing 16-year-old Cottonwood girl, Faith Moore, who was swept away in a flash flood July 24. After an extensive search involving 600 people, her body was located July 28, on the bank of the Verde River.

■ A Cottonwood man, Nathan Wayne Entrekin, 48, was arrested for his alleged involvement in the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol while clad in what he said was “Captain Moroni,” a character in the Book of Mormon.

August

■ Local First Arizona has partnered with the Town of Camp Verde to run a pilot program surveying resi­dents about what they like, and don’t like, about their community.

■ The Camp Verde Town Council approved a list of projects to be financed by the American Rescue Plan Act at its Aug. 4 meeting.

■ Yavapai County Sheriff David Rhodes was arrested at Lake Powell for operating a boat under the influence on Aug. 7.

■ As a whole, the Verde Valley has seen an increase of just over 3,000 residents from 2010. Camp Verde has increased from 10,873 to 12,147, making it the largest municipality in the Verde Valley.

■ The Camp Unified Verde School District Governing Board updated its Return to Learn plan to reflect the current regulatory environment at its Aug. 10 meeting.

■ Former Camp Verde youth wrestling coach Dioney Carlos Zavalza- Ceniceros was sentenced Aug. 4 to 17 years in prison after pleading guilty to multiple charges of sex crimes against children that were under his mentorship.

■ The Camp Verde Town Council voted at its Aug. 18 meeting to allow staff to pursue the annexation of Jema Farms and multiple neighboring residential properties.

■ The Camp Verde Town Council approved a contractor to complete a pavement restoration project on Montezuma Castle Highway Aug. 18.

■ Cliff Castle Casino is exploring appeal options after the state of Arizona issued a license Aug. 23 to conduct online fantasy sports betting then having it taken away Aug. 27, claiming the issuance was in error. There is a caveat allowing the casino to operate retail sports betting: The 2021 Amended Tribal- State Gaming Compact.

September

■ The Camp Verde Community Library has partnered with The Science Vortex to launch a weekly STEM+art hands-on activity for kids.

■ The Camp Verde Chamber Business Alliance appointed David Love as new president with goals to expand the town’s arts and entertainment options and drive tourism to local businesses.

■ Park officials for Mo n t e z uma Ca s t l e and Tuzigoot National Monuments have announced that alcohol consumption is no longer allowed in any area of the parks.

■ Sept. 11, marked the 20th anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon and Flight 93, which crashed near Shanksville, Pa. Memorial events were held throughout the Verde Valley.

■ The Camp Verde Marshal’s Office is currently investigating the theft of thousands of dollars from the Camp Verde Little League. Jacquilynn Renee Hedges, a former Camp Verde Little League board member, was identified as a person of interest.

■ The Camp Verde Community Library was awarded $20,000 from the Camp Verde Library Endowment to help fund projects and resources over the next year.

■ The town of Camp Verde finally received approval for a $2.5 million grant to construct a new Sports Complex that has been years in the making.

■ The Camp Verde Town Council voted to allow staff to move forward on the idea of establishing a 24-hour library branch in the Verde Lakes area at its Sept. 15 meeting.

■ A Camp Verde man, Derek Charles Dompkowski, was arrested on multiple felony charges after causing hundreds of thousands of dollars in damage to Hauser & Hauser Farms property on Sept. 27.

■ At approximately 3 p.m. Sept. 29, an 18-wheeler rolled over on top of another vehicle on State Route 260, killing one of the vehicle’s passengers and causing another passenger to be life-flighted to the hospital.

October

■ On Oct. 1, Bashas’ Family of Stores was sold to Raley’s Holding Co., based in California.

■ The second annual Fort Verde Days Rodeo takes place Oct. 9.

■ Following an Oct. 6 town council meeting, the plan to purchase the Camp Verde Water System from the Bullard family is back on.

■ Zack McKay and Larissa Hockenberry are the 2021 Camp Verde High School Camp Verde High School Homecoming king and queen.

■ Copper Canyon Fire Station No. 83 held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Oct. 21.

November

■ Phillip “Phil” Earl England, 83, died his home in Camp Verde on Nov. 1, at age 83.

■ At the Camp Verde Town Council meeting held on Nov. 3, Town Marshal Corey Rowley discussed with council members the importance of upgrading the outdated dispatch console that is currently being used by the town’s emergency response team.

■ U.S. Sen. Kyrsten Sinema [D-Ariz.] spoke in Sedona with Larson Newspapers Managing Editor Christopher Fox Graham about legislation, the senate filibuster, pharma­ceutical industry lobbying and prescription drug prices Nov. 11.

■ The Camp Verde Community Library brought GameCon back Nov. 13.

■ A 16-year-old boy was found deceased on Interstate 17 under the Arena Del Loma overpass Nov. 16, at 9:10 p.m. after having been missing for several hours, according to the Camp Verde Marshal’s Office.

■ The Fiesta Bowl Organization awarded $1 million to teachers in Arizona through the Desert Financial Fiesta Bowl Charities Wishes for Teachers program. Among the teachers awarded were Victoria Ligon and Sabrina Wilson from Camp Verde Elementary School.

■ The Verde Valley Archaeology Center and Museum grand opening on Nov. 26 was an emotional affair for VVAC Executive Director Ken Zoll and his wife Nancy.

December

■ Friends of the Verde River celebrated its 10th anniversary as a nonprofit on Dec. 2 at its annual event Fiesta de la Garza.

■ A 13-year-old Camp Verde Middle School student was arrested and charged for making terrorist threats to the school on Dec. 7.

■ The 20th annual Parade of Lights took place on Main Street on Dec. 11.

■ The National Park Service is seeking several volunteers to lead regular bird walks at Montezuma Well through 2022.

Christopher Fox Graham

Larson Newspapers