Payson Roundup

The fledgling Gila Hawks have taken flight. Classes are in session at Gila Community College as of Aug. 17, marking its first official start of school since winning full accreditation through the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges in May of this year. Students and staff at the Payson Campus, 201 N. Mud Springs Road, celebrated with a “Welcome Back BBQ Party” on Wednesday, Aug. 26.

After it gets completely dark, around 8:30 p.m., look toward the south. About a quarter of the way up from the horizon toward the zenith, you can see the constellation Sagittarius. It’s one of the 12 constellations of the zodiac. In mythology, Sagittarius was a centaur. Centaurs had the body and four legs of a horse, but the torso, arms and head of a human. There are two centaurs in the night sky. Sagittarius appears low in our southern sky during the summer.

The population of Mexican gray wolves continues to grow – and spawn controversy, according to the latest quarterly update. The number of wolves in Arizona and New Mexico grew by 11% in 2025 to a “minimum abundance” of 317 wolves in 71 different packs. kAm%96 32=2?4:?8 @7 562E9D 2?5 3:CE9D 4@?E:?F65 F?232E65 :?

Cameron Davis thought he was headed to Tucson for an evening celebrating Arizona tourism. He didn’t expect to be the one walking away with an award. kAms2G:D[ @H?6C @7 !2JD@?\32D65 #2K@C %9:? |65:2[ H2D ?2>65 E96 a_ae s6DE:?2E:@? p>32DD25@C @7 E96 *62C 7@C pC:K@?2’D }@CE9 r6?EC2= #68:@? 3J E96 pC:K@?2 ~77:46 @7 %@FC:D> 5FC:?8 E96 pC:K@?2 v@G6C?@C’D r@?76C6?46 @?

During an Aug. 25 Gila County Board of Supervisors work session, county staff reported that with Buckhead Mesa Landfill’s capacity projected through approximately 2030, it has become necessary to plan for the facility’s future expansion. Over its lifetime, Buckhead Mesa has generally received between 14,000 and 30,000 tons of waste a year from northern Gila County communities. In 2025, it saw 23,360 tons of waste; this year it has received 22,263.

A two-mile stretch of Gisela Road could be in line for a $4 million to $7 million reconstruction after repeated washboarding and pavement depressions developed following a 2024 double chip seal. During a late-August work session, the Gila County Board of Supervisors discussed the Gisela Road project along with two other northern Gila County road projects. kAmr@F?EJ t?8:?66C %@> v@@5>2? C64@>>6?565 7F== C64@?DECF4E:@? @7 v:D6=2 #@25 “7C@> E96 9:89 A@:?E 5@H?

An elk now towers over the Days Inn hotel along Beeline Highway, where muralist Wes Abarca has completed what he describes as Arizona’s tallest elk mural. The mural is painted on the north-facing wall of the hotel’s second property. Abarca, also known as Wes77 on social media, created the mural as his second piece of artwork for the property. kAmw:D 7:CDE H@C< :? !2JD@?[ 2=D@ 2E E96 9@E6=[ H2D 2 9@CD6 >FC2= A2:?E65 @?

Nearly half of people receiving Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits have left the program so far this year – one of the steepest drops in the nation. This means that 475,000 Arizonans have lost benefits since last July when the federal government imposed new restrictions. This includes 180,000 children, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.

Over the past two weeks, I’ve had the opportunity to walk through the doors of more than 100 businesses across Rim Country. I’ve sat down with business owners, managers and entrepreneurs, listened to their stories, heard about their goals and learned more about what they see happening in our communities. kAm%9@D6 4@?G6CD2E:@?D 92G6 DE2J65 H:E9 >6]k^Am kAm%96J’G6 C6>:?565 >6 @7 D@>6E9:?8 E92E 42? 36 62DJ E@ @G6C=@@< H96? H6 86E 42F89E FA :?

The monsoon pattern set up with a vengeance in Arizona last week, as a potentially record-breaking El Niño strengthens. The monsoon got off to a late start this year, but heavy storms throughout the state last week caused localized deluges. kAm%9:D :?4=F565 7=@@5D :? E96 vC2?5 r2?J@? E92E =67E EH@ 5625] w6=:4@AE6CD C6D4F65 2E =62DE ga A6@A=6 7C@> !92?E@> #2?49 :? E96 42?J@? 3@EE@>] %96 E@== >2J DE:== C:D6 2D D62C49 677@CED 4@?E:?F6[ D2J @77:4:2=Dk^Am kAmx? 2?@E96C 72E2=:EJ[ 2 49:=5 5:65 :?