Good morning, it’s Friday, August 20th and this is The Herald Review’s podcast, the Daily Chirp. We’re excited to bring you a closer look at top stories, events in the community, local history, sports, and more. 

Today - Governor Doug Ducey announced that the Arizona National Guard troops deployed to the southeastern portion of the state would be staying another year. 

Now, some local history.

Did you know that Rosemont Copper is the name of a proposed new large open copper mine project by the Canadian company, Hudbay Minerals. Originally proposed by Augusta Resource Corporation in 2007, the mine would be located in the Santa Rita Mountains in the Coronado National Forest. In 2017, the US Forest Service approved the mine, however the permits were overturned in 2019. The decision is currently being appealed.

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Now, our feature story.

Governor Doug Ducey announced that the Arizona National Guard troops deployed to the southeastern portion of the state would be staying another year. And on the same day the top member of the Guard visited her troops in Cochise County to let them know their mission is essential and appreciated.

Adjutant General for the Arizona National Guard Maj. Gen. Kerry L. Muehlenbeck spent time in Bisbee and Willcox this week. She talked to the soldiers who were sent to help the Cochise County Sheriff's Office in April when Ducey declared an emergency on the U.S.-Mexican border.

Muehlenbeck said it's important for her to let the soldiers know that they are not forgotten and that their mission is supported.

At least 32 members of the Guard were sent to Cochise County on April 30 by Ducey to help out in various non-law enforcement duties. The majority were assigned to the Sheriff’s Southeast Arizona Border Region Enforcement team in Benson. Other National Guard members were tasked with administrative duties in the Sheriff’s Willcox and Bisbee offices.

Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels has said that monitoring cameras is one of the key functions aimed at helping authorities hold back the number of illegal crossings into the area by undocumented migrants. That’s one of the things they’ve been tasked with.

The arrival of the National Guard was prompted by an announcement Ducey made on April 16. He said that Arizona would take matters into its own hands regarding the onslaught of undocumented migrants pouring into the state. 

And Ducey’s statement came after the Arizona Department of Public Safety spotted 20 undocumented migrants in Chandler, but were rebuffed by both the Border Patrol and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement when they asked for help. The migrants were then released.

The governor’s law enforcement and military liaison, Megan Fitzgerald, said Ducey had asked the federal government for support in deploying the National Guard — known as Title 32 — but the support never materialized. Ducey decided to declare an emergency along Arizona’s four-border counties and deployed the National Guard under State Active Duty.

And on Wednesday morning Ducey announced an extension of the National Guard's mission for at least another year.

The governor said the extension was fueled by information from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that reported "a stunning 21-year record high number of illegal border crossings" in July as compared to June. 

According to statistics releases by U.S. Customs and Border Protection last week, the number of undocumented migrants encountered at the Southwest border of the U.S. during July was 212,672. That's compared to 188,934 undocumented persons encountered in June.

The governor said money appropriated for the emergency mission will help support the more than 150 troops deployed to southeast Arizona in April.

To learn more about this story visit us at myheraldreview.com

Thanks for listening, before we continue, a quick message from our sponsors, Prestige Family Living. 

Now, an early look at our upcoming special feature, remembering 9/11 twenty years later. Stay tuned for the full episode which will be released on Friday September 10th….

Next - Leaving a legacy of relentless dedication, civic pride and years of hard work behind, Sierra Vista’s Paul Cimino is retiring from his position as fire marshal of Sierra Vista Fire & Medical Services. His last day on the job will be Aug. 31.

 -- brought to you by our sponsors, Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative.

Paul Cimino came to Sierra Vista as a young child when his father was stationed at Fort Huachuca. He graduated from Buena High School in 1977 and has resided in the area ever since. He attended Cochise College to obtain his associate’s degree and later obtained his bachelor’s degree from Madison University.

Since then, Cimino has dedicated three years of accredited volunteer work with Sierra Vista Fire & Medical, alongside 37 years of salaried work.

Cimino began working for the city as a volunteer firefighter and became a full-time firefighter EMT in 1984. He moved through the ranks, fulfilling roles as engineer, fire captain and battalion chief. He was reclassified as fire marshal in 2005. He specialized in certified public management and earned several accreditations through the International Association of Arson Investigators.

Cimino says he was blessed with work supervisors and chiefs who saw his potential and credits the mentorship he received from the beginning to the end of his career.

Finally, today we’re remembering the life of Grace Marie Kovacovich Neal.

Grace was born on August 29, 1952 in Cottonwood, Arizona. She graduated from Mingus Union High School in Jerome in May of 1970. She then went on to attend NAU - receiving an Associates degree in Secretarial Science. She married Robert Neal in 1973 who was also attending NAU at the time. They were married for 48-plus years. They took many vacation trips around the country. She and her husband lived in Sierra Vista for 5 years.

She is survived by her brother and sister, her three step-sisters, her step-brother, and half-sister Jean. Thank you for taking a moment with us to remember and celebrate Grace’s life.

Thanks for tuning in to the Herald Review podcast today, join us again on Monday! And remember, the Herald Review is here for you with local news you can trust. For more information on any of the stories you heard about today, visit us at myheraldreview.com. Right now you can become a member starting at just $1.99 per week.

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