Copper Era (Clifton)

A new Arizona Tri-University study identifies Graham and Greenlee counties' rivers, forests and mountain watersheds as key opportunities for improving long-term groundwater recharge.

DUNCAN -- Les Billingsley and Joan Johns live comfortable but busy lives. Besides being active in the community, they share a blended family of six children, 14 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren. Their roots run deep in the Duncan Valley. Les spent his career in construction and mining, including mine ownership. He comes from a family well known for its ambition and resourcefulness. His grandfather, Frank, and a great-uncle, also named Leslie, both served as Greenlee County supervisors.

SAFFORD — Freeport-McMoRan’s stock has had a strong start to 2026, reflecting continued investor interest in copper and the Phoenix-based mining company’s role in the global metals market. Freeport-McMoRan, traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol FCX, closed Monday, June 1, at $67.04 per share. That was up $1.33, or about 2%, for the day. kAm%96 4@>A2?J’D DE@4< 92D C:D6?

DUNCAN - For the fourth consecutive year, Freeport-McMoRan Inc. helped Greenlee County residents celebrate Earth Day with a free plant for their home or yard. The first of two annual Earth Day plant giveaway events took place April 17 at Duncan's Centennial Park. Martha Lujan, manager of environmental services in Morenci for Freeport-McMoRan, said the mining company expected to give away 250 to 350 plants over the course of the morning and early afternoon.

Duncan teen Gabriel Reckers practices his skateboarding skills at the town's new skate park on March 21. For a junior-high-age kid recently relocated from the city, Gabriel Reckers found living in Duncan to be a bit of a letdown. “It was honestly pretty boring,” said the 14-year-old, who moved from Tucson to the smaller of Greenlee County’s only two official municipalities about a year ago. Living near one of the town parks, Veterans Park, didn’t help much to change his opinion.

Cliff Thompson has turned the Pima boys basketball program into a perennial contender during his 22 years at the helm. After 27 years in coaching and 22 seasons at the helm of the Pima High School varsity program, Cliff Thompson walked off the court on Feb. 28 with the ultimate parting gift: his second state title in three seasons. The Roughriders relied on their trademark defense to seal a 40-29 win over North Valley Christian Academy in the 2A state championship game.

A proposed state law would have prohibited use of masks in routine police operations. Similar legislation recently took effect in California, with a key difference being that it applies to federal agents as well. As of February, the Trump administration is suing to block the California ban, which it says interferes with federal immigration enforcement. PHOENIX — Arizona lawmakers won't ban state and local police from being masked during routine duties.

The practice round doesn't count. If it did, Hayley Silva would have been eliminated quickly from the 2026 Greenlee County Spelling Bee. Instead, the Fairbanks Middle School sixth-grader is the new county spelling champion. Reach Tom Bodus at tom@eacourier.com or at (928) 424-6231.

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BISBEE — A young man accused of driving a car head-on toward five motorcycles at nearly 90 miles per hour on State Route 80 near St. David and then throwing a biker’s severed arm out of the car before fleeing the crash scene wants out of jail pending trial, court documents show. Miguel Angel Astorga is charged with 16 felonies including manslaughter related to the crash which occurred around 11:15 a.m. on Oct. 4 as he tried to pass several eastbound vehicles at one time.