B

Your Credit: Advice on loaning money

to family, friends/B3
SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2011

PHOTOS BY MOLLY BLAKE/SPECIAL TO YUMA SUN

AS HOT AIR IS PUSHED INSIDE  the “Misguided Intelligence” to inflate it, the nine-story hot air balloon with its rainbow of brilliant colors grows steadily.

High intelligence Passengers take to the skies on morning hot-air balloon flight
BY MOLLY BLAKE After some introductions, Gra- for the Barry Goldwater Range
SPECIAL TO YUMA SUN ham and his crew of four huddled and the Mexican border,” he add-
together in the parking lot and ex- ed.
By 6 a.m. on a recent Saturday plained that “the wind direction This early morning ritual is
morning, a small cadre of people and speed determines our launch just one part of Graham’s flight
had assembled in the dimly lit site.” He then inflated a small plan.
Arby’s parking lot on Avenue red balloon from a helium tank The test balloon gradually dis-
3E. They were sipping coffee and appeared, Graham assigned pas-
strapped in the bed of his truck,
chatting – their expressions a mix sengers to various chase crew
expertly tied it off and let it go. It
of anticipation and nervousness.
bobbed and jerked with the wind, vehicles, and the caravan sped
A truck pulled in and out
floating up, up and away. off to the launch site. There, the
bounded Colin Graham, a tall,
“It’s going to be an interesting crew uncoiled 160,000 cubic feet
lanky young man with gel-spiked
morning,” Graham said, break- of balloon, a silicon-based nylon
hair and glasses. “Morning, ev-
ing the ensuing silence. “That weighing around 500 pounds, and
erybody,” he shouted to the group
was going pretty clippy wasn’t cranked up two large, circular
gathered before dawn to experi-
it?” he said, referring to the wind fans. The balloon billowed open
ence what for most would be a
once in a lifetime opportunity: a that whipped the balloon toward – the nine-story rainbow of bril-
ride in a hot air balloon. the north. “We have to watch out SEE BALLOON/B2
“It’s on my bucket list,” said
Sandy Farnsworth, a Yuma na-
tive. She brought her longtime
partner Fred Cuppell, a plucky
guy who chewed on a toothpick
for most of the morning. “I’m so
excited,” she said with a grin.
“I’m really excited too,” agreed
Leah Tomlinson. She, her son
Keff and her husband, Mike,
were taking the trip aloft to cel-
ebrate Mike’s birthday – his 59th.
“I love that I can share in one
of their best days,” said Graham
of his passengers. The 27-year-old
entrepreneur, pilot and owner of
“Misguided Intelligence,” the col-
orful balloon that has been seen
soaring over Yuma for the past
several months, proudly noted
that “people are never unhappy HOT AIR BALLOON PILOT COLIN GRAHAM  adjusts the valves on the
after riding in a hot air balloon.” balloon as it soars over Yuma.

Construction could start soon on new HSOY complex

Construction could start with-
in the next 90 days on the new
complex for the Humane Society
of Yuma on land at the southwest
corner of 40th Street and Avenue
4-1/2E that was donated by the
families of Glen Curtis and Sam
Perricone.
Troy Eckard of Eckard
Commercial Construction, the
general contractor, said he is in
the process of seeking bids from
subcontractors for the project
and the pre-engineered office
building and kennels have been
ordered. The new complex will
provide nearly three times the
space of the current HSOY facil-
ity.
Donations are still needed for
Comings
and Goings
Joyce Lobeck
the project, said Cristyn Weil,
who has been spearheading the
fundraising effort. For details on
how to support the new complex,
visit HSOYuma.com.
***
Changes are coming to Target.
The garden center has been
closed as part of a corporate-
wide move, said spokeswoman
Sarah Van Nevel. She said the
company decided last year to
close its 162 garden centers
around the country and “focus
our efforts elsewhere.”
Use of the space for each store
is being determined on an indi-
vidual basis, she said. Manage-
ment for the Yuma store has a
wish list for use of the space but
didn’t have any information last
week on what will actually go
into it.
The store, located at Yuma
Palms Regional Center, does still
stock patio furniture and some
gardening supplies.
***
A sign in front TRS Home
Furnishings at 1919 S. 4th Ave.
says that the store is going out of
business and a liquidation sale is
now in progress.
Comings and Goings has
learned that the TRS parent
company was purchased late last
year by RAC (Rent-A-Center),
which recently opened a RAC
store in the Yuma Mesa Shop-
ping Center next door to Del Sol.
No further information was
available by press time on when
the TRS store will close.
***
Talk about fast work. The
vacated building at the corner
of Avenue A and 24th Street was
there one evening and nothing
but a pile of rubble the next. The
property had been purchased by
the city of Yuma for future inter-
section improvements.
City Administrator Greg
Wilkinson said the city currently
is weighing various options for
the site.
***
Over the last several months,
the various tenants in the build-
ing have relocated.
The last tenant to move out
was Goldsboro Bakery after
recently completing construction
of a new building almost directly
across the street.
Now settled into its new home
at 2345 S. Avenue A, the bakery
has started serving breakfast and
lunch in addition to the yummy
SEE COMINGS/B2
B2  YUMA SUN, SUNDAY, MARCH 20, 2011
BALLOON
FROM PAGE B1
liant colors growing steadily.
As the sun began to peek over
the treetops, the team hitched the
basket to the balloon.
“It doesn’t look big enough to
hold all of us,” whispered Farn-
sworth as she climbed aboard.
Two French brothers, Joseph-
Michel and Jacques-Etienne
Montgolfier, are credited with in-
venting the hot air balloon after
witnessing a beautiful French
woman’s blouse swell up while it
was drying near a fire.
That was in 1783 – and despite
the introduction of computers,
design alterations and GPS gad-
gets that have added technology
to hot air travel, the concept re-
mains fairly simple: the heated
air inside the balloon is lighter
than outside air so — voila! —it
floats.
“I’ll be (darned),” said Mike
Tomlinson when the basket
bumped and started to rise. “And
we’re off,” said Farnsworth, grin-
ning with excitement.
The bursts of fire from the pro-
pane tanks were, at first jarring
but soon the riders were busily
discussing their location, what
they could see off in the distance,
whose house they were floating
over, and the collective and sur-
real sensation of weightlessness
that can be only described as
magical.
“It’s so peaceful ... and quiet,”
said Farnsworth.
“It’s just about what I thought
it would be,” said Ken Corners,
a former Yuma Proving Ground
contract worker who was cross-
ing item No. 3 off his bucket list
of things he wanted to do in his
lifetime. “Although I don’t get the
sensation that we are that high.”
Farnsworth mentioned that
Cuppell is afraid of heights, to
which he replied, “I’m fine up
here.”
Like a patchwork quilt being
rolled out, the checkered green
landscape below was illumi-
nated with the rising sun. From
a height of 2,100 feet, the wispy
dune peaks far off to the north-
west appeared like a white mi-
rage. And off in the other direc-
tion, barely visible, was the dark
fence line that snakes along the
Mexican border.
“I grew up here,” Leah Tomlin-
son said with a laugh, “but when
you’re up here, from this perspec-
tive, it’s hard to figure out where
you are.”
At the moment the balloon was
just at 1,000 feet and going about 2
mph, said Graham, who gracious-
ly answered everyone’s questions
COMINGS
FROM PAGE B1
There’s no word yet on who
will take over the space current-
ly leased by Fry’s in the Pioneer
Shopping Center.
***
baked goods it’s noted for, said
Clark & Associates, a long-time
owner Jan Goldsboro. Get a full
Yuma law firm, has announced
breakfast or hot sandwich lunch
that it will merge with the law
from 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. The bak-
firm of Schneider & Onofry,
ery has the same phone number
which has offices in Phoenix and
of 782-2272.
Tucson. The new firm, which
***
will be known as Schneider
Good news for those who have & Onofry, will continue to be
been longing for Chick-fil-A to located at 256 S. 2nd Ave. and can
come to Yuma. Plans for the be reached at 783-6233.
restaurant have been received by Local attorney A. James
the city of Yuma, reported Alan Clark will continue to practice
Kircher, city deputy building with the new firm as a special
official. The 4,500-square-foot res- counsel. With the assistance of
taurant will be on a free standing the 16 attorneys associated with
pad with a drive-through located Schneider & Onofry, the firm will
near the strip center at the south- be able to offer a broad range of
west corner of Pacific Avenue legal services in Yuma, including
and 16th Street. litigation, bankruptcy, commer-
*** cial and real estate transactions
Z Trendz, 1340 S. 4th Ave., has and agricultural law.
expanded its line of uniforms The firm’s principals, Jon
and is now an authorized dealer Schneider and Charles Onofry,
for Tactical 5.11, Workrite Uni- as well as Clark hold the highest
forms, Lions Apparel, Dickies peer review ratings by Martin-
and Cherokee Medical Scrubs, dale Hubbell, the leading attor-
announced owner Blanca Bar- ney peer review rating publica-
ragan. The store also carries tion in the United States.
many styles of school uniforms ***
for boys and girls. Yuma’s Walmart at 8151 E.
In addition, Z Trendz does 32nd St., has unveiled its newly
custom screen print and embroi- transformed roof, now covered in
dery. For more information, call energy efficient solar panels. The
783-3370. solar panels will produce up to
*** 30 percent of the store’s energy
The Subway shop in the Foot- needs to help reduce costs.
hills Fry’s grocery store is again The store is one of seven
open for business. The sandwich Walmart locations enhanced
shop had been closed temporar- with a solar panel project that
PHOTO BY MOLLY BLAKE/SPECIAL TO YUMA SUN ily during a remodeling project has recently powered up in
but has reopened, reported Tim
BURNERS FLARE  for the “Misguided Intelligence.” Arizona. The solar panels are
Plass, Fry’s store manager. part of a shift toward higher
Meanwhile, construction is energy efficiency at the retailer’s
during the flight: Yes, one guy overboard to the guys scurrying
progressing nicely on the new locations across the nation, with
threw up but Graham thought it around on the ground running to
Fry’s, a 100,000-square-foot store Walmart’s final goal of being
was probably the aftereffects of keep up with the balloon.
to be located on North Frontage supplied 100 percent by renew-
a party the night before rather “Grab it,” shouted Graham.
Road just east of Kentucky Fried able energy.
than airsickness; yes, one person “Yep, you got it.”
Chicken. Plass said the walls are The San Luis store also is get-
was so terrified that Graham had The balloon drifted slowly
half up. ting a solar project.
to land the balloon; no, he’s never downward and just as quickly as
had an accident. it took off, it settled soundlessly Corporate officials have said
the target opening for the new Report Comings and Goings to jlobeck@
“Hot Air Ballooning is the saf- on the ground.
store is in August. yumasun.com or call Joyce Lobeck at 539-6853.
est form of aviation,” said Gra- As they disembarked, the rid-
ham, who further explained that ers exchanged thoughts.
hot air balloons essentially have “I loved it,” declared Mike
the right of way when it comes to Tomlinson.
air space. “Unless an aircraft is “When you are up there flying,
in distress, everyone else yields you don’t notice the heat or the
Local hot lines
to me.” noise. It’s just wonderful,” ob- To report graffiti, call 329-2828.
He’s flown his five balloons in served Farnsworth. To report information about a crime, call Silent Witness at
29 states and five countries and All the ballooners were smil- 782-7463 (78-CRIME). If the information leads to the arrest
will head to Colorado for the sum- ing, savoring their initiation into and indictment of a suspect, the caller could be paid a cash
mer – taking passengers on sce- the rather exclusive hot air bal- reward of as much as $2,000. All Silent Witness information
nic flights in the mountains near loon flight club. Back at the park- is confidential and callers aren’t asked their names.
Crested Butte – before returning ing lot, Graham hosted a celebra- To report suspected gang activity, call GITEM, the state
to Yuma in January. tory champagne toast. gang task force, at 317-1296. The local line is not staffed
After an hour, Graham began Corners toasted his fellow 24 hours a day. If no answer, call the statewide toll-free hot
directing the chase crew to our passengers and smiled coyly: “I line: 1-888-664-2647.
landing site – an intersection could get into this.” Victims of domestic violence or sexual assault can call
just off Avenue A. Amid houses For more information on En- Amberly’s Place at 373-0849 or 877-440-0550 for help.
and a small apartment complex, deavor Ballooning, visit www.
the balloon began descending. endeavorballoon.com or call 343-
Thick, black straps were tossed 2218.
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