by Matthew Holloway | Dec 21, 2024 | News
By Matthew Holloway |
According to a new report from Mixbook, the Christmas light displays of three Arizona cities have been voted among the most popular in the nation. The three cities enjoying the honor are Lake Havasu City, Prescott, and Glendale.
Christmas displays from New York, California, and Hawaii dominated the top ten in the survey, which covered 3,000 families nationwide. Arizona’s three cities ranked 53rd, 110th, and 119th respectively.
Lake Havasu City’s 29th Annual Festival of Lights will see over 500,000 lights set aglow the beautiful London Bridge over the Bridgewater Channel. The city’s website states that families can stroll the walkway beneath the British 19th-century stone-arched bridge, which dates to 1831 and spanned the Thames River for 136 years. Boaters can also enjoy the spectacle from on the water.
With Prescott designated as Arizona’s Christmas City by Governor Rose Mofford in 1989, the territorial capital has become a nexus for Christmas celebrations both before and after the lighting ceremony. Events run all the way up to a fireworks spectacular on December 31st at 7 p.m. According to Mixbook, “The Courthouse Plaza, adorned with a million lights, becomes the heart of this nostalgic Christmas experience.”
In the Valley of the Sun, Glendale Glitters is “an exquisite arrangement of lights, complimented by beautiful interactive features and picture-perfect holiday displays,” according to the city’s website. Although the kickoff and parade have come and gone, the beautiful lights will remain on display until January 1st from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. The city encourages folks to enjoy some local holiday shopping and treats as they stroll through Downtown Glendale, taking in the magical lights and features.
A spokesman for Mixbook said in a statement, “As the holiday season approaches, these incredible light displays remind us of the magic that comes from bringing communities together. Whether it’s a neighborhood effort, a citywide festival, or a creative masterpiece, these displays capture the spirit of the season and give us all a reason to celebrate.”
Matthew Holloway is a senior reporter for AZ Free News. Follow him on X for his latest stories, or email tips to Matthew@azfreenews.com.
by Staff Reporter | Sep 26, 2024 | Education, News
By Staff Reporter |
The nation’s largest university is balking its years-long trend of growth and expansion with the closure of one of its campuses.
Arizona State University (ASU) announced earlier this week that it will close its Lake Havasu campus in the summer 2025, affecting over 200 students and 20 faculty members. The Lake Havasu campus opened just over a decade ago in 2012.
The university will also be increasing tuition for those on campus: full-time students will pay another $350, with part-time students to pay a lower, “proportional” amount.
ASU blamed state budget cuts for the campus closure in its Monday announcement, citing an $11 million reduction in funding. ASU President Michael Crow said this latest reduction was part of a longtime refusal by the state legislature and governor to fund higher education adequately.
“These necessary actions reflect the continuing lack of public investment from state government for higher education in Arizona,’’ said Crow. “ASU simply cannot be asked to fund the expansion of higher education across the state without state investment as a part of the financial structure to do so. These budget cuts put the state of Arizona even further behind in ensuring that Arizona has the talent and workforce necessary to advance its economy.”
Governor Katie Hobbs — often at odds with the slim Republican majority of the state legislature — was supportive of this most recent budget, including the cuts to higher education and nearly all other agencies.
“[T]his bipartisan, balanced budget puts our state on solid financial ground,” said Hobbs at the time.
A spokesperson for Hobbs told outlets that the governor remains supportive of the budget, but didn’t elaborate whether the governor was supportive of ASU’s decision.
However, lawmakers have refuted this claim. House Majority Leader Leo Biasiucci, who resides in Lake Havasu City, issued a joint statement with Republican State Rep. John Gillette expressing disappointment with ASU’s decision and concern for the lack of public discussion or stakeholder involvement.
“ASU’s strong financial health simply does not justify its action. The State Legislature has made significant investments in ASU over the past few years,” said the lawmakers. “ASU’s budget has increased by 22 percent since FY20, and by 40 percent since 2015, with $408 million allocated to the university this year, reflecting our commitment to higher education, even while difficult decisions were made to balance the budget.”
Gillette also added the speculation in a separate post of his own that ASU’s decision was politically motivated.
“When times are good, it will receive new funds; when times are tough, it should tighten its belt — just like every other agency that serves the public,” said Gillette. “We call on ASU to immediately reconsider this closure and urge the Arizona Board of Regents to take a much closer look at this decision as it looks very politically motivated this close to the election.”
According to Lake Havasu City leadership, ASU kept the city out of their decision to close the campus. It was members of the community and city leadership that served on the committee that brought ASU to the city over a decade ago.
Mayor Cal Sheehy told Havasu News the city wasn’t given the opportunity to seek an alternative to closing the campus.
“It’s really sad that ASU has made the decision to close the college at Lake Havasu City, but the real challenge is that we haven’t had a chance to discuss any alternatives,” said Sheehy. “They believe the legislature put them here, but Lake Havasu has shown we are innovative, starting with the $2 million it took to get it here in the first place, and a conversation about what solutions could be there and what the opportunities are.”
One of the committee members, business owner Steve Greeley, also didn’t buy ASU’s claim that financial woes had forced their hand.
“I saw the quote by President Crow in regards to the Legislature cutting back on funding. I understand that, but you would think they would have a workaround before making a decision so burdensome,” said Greeley. “It was a huge effort by the community all those years ago, that took a lot of time, resources and money. I’m hoping something can be resolved.”
Havasu News editorial staff reported that their community raised $2 million in an effort to assist ASU in coming to their city.
“Our community deserved a seat at the table,” said the outlet. “We should be angry about this. The closure will affect students, families, and local jobs. And ASU’s promise to relocate students doesn’t make up for the loss of a school that became a part of our town. ASU has broken its promise to Lake Havasu City, and they owe us more than a simple goodbye.”
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