Safford (Phoenix, Scottsdale, Sedona: layoffs, school, college)

[saffordpastor]

There is no sound or vibration from the blasting here in Safford. I have seen the dust from it a time or two but have never heard or felt any thing at all.

[Al_R]

Thanks to all for the ongoing comments. I'm sure many are following the information thread, as well.

Been kinda busy so I've not had a chance to follow the forum for awhile. But, I took a few minutes to check up - glad I did. The comments themselves paint a portrait of a small town with people who respect and enjoy each other. People who have an appreciation for family and values - something that is diminishing at an alarming rate in this country. I commend you all and certainly hope to get a chance to chat with you all in person some day.

I guess my biggest problem remains 'getting rid' of this West Valley home. And AzGolfer - I'm intending to take you up on that trip. But we've had a few setbacks - may have to put it off for awhile. Nonetheless, I'll give you a call. And thanks again for the offer.

Everyone have a happy Thanksgiving. And best wishes in days to come.

Al

[Safford18]

I have lived in Safford for 18 years now. It is a very "cliquish" small town.
If your not Mormon or Mexican decent you are an outsider. Hispanics are now over 40% of the population and the Mormons are over 50%, that leaves the non-M&M's at about 10% of the population. Although you will not feel
any direct prejudice against you it is there in a subdued manner. It is a great little community if you 'fit" in. I will be moving away in a couple years to a community that is balanced in both ethnicity and religion. If anyone tells you different of this town its probably because they "fit-in".

[saffordpastor]

I have lived in Safford for 18 years now. It is a very "cliquish" small town.
If your not Mormon or Mexican decent you are an outsider. Hispanics are now over 40% of the population and the Mormons are over 50%, that leaves the non-M&M's at about 10% of the population. Although you will not feel
any direct prejudice against you it is there in a subdued manner. It is a great little community if you 'fit" in. I will be moving away in a couple years to a community that is balanced in both ethnicity and religion. If anyone tells you different of this town its probably because they "fit-in".

Well excuse me but that is a lot of Hooey!

In the entire valley, (35-40,000) the mormon church has about 7800-8000 members (20-21%), the Hispanic population is about 9-10,000 (25-27%) that means that the Mormon and Hispanic populations combined is no more than 50%.

I have lived here 34 years and remember when the valley was 70% LDS, and have watched it change to a valley with a lot more diversity. I also remember when I did not "fit in" but this will happen in any new place that you live in. We made an effort to become part of this town and Safford became our home. I moved here from Fresno Ca. but I didn't lose anything there and now this is my "Hometown".

I am not LDS but I do realize that the values that they brought to this valley are an asset.
You will find much higher percentiges of LDS folk in Thatcher and Pima, but Safford has traditionally been the "Gentile" town. Safford was founded by 2 men by the name of Bailey and Tuttle and niether one was Mormon.

[saffordrez79]

If anyone is looking for reasonably priced homes in Safford, now is the time to buy! However, I don't know why anyone would want to move here. The only thing that was keeping this town standing was the new mine in Safford and the old mine in Morenci, and 400 people in Morenci and 60 people in Safford lost their full-time FMI jobs today. And that was only the first round of layoffs! With 60+ people a day making a visit to the unemployment office in Safford, there aren't any jobs to be found. Only houses, lots and lots of over-priced, cheaply built houses. Safford home builders and residents became so greedy with the opening of the new mine and all the desperate contractors that the mine brought with it that now they can't sell their over-priced houses. Sellers will probably be dropping those prices soon, now that the entire town is out of a job and without enough money to pay their mortgages! Safford is all about money and the town showed it's true colors when the mine opened. Not a good place to live!!!

[saffordrez79]

And Safford18, I 100% agree with you about the cliques within the town. As a non-LDS Christian, I have a fantastic LDS friend who recently moved to Thatcher, and she too noticed this. She made the comment that "these are not normal Mormons." In fairness, I think Thatcher members are a tad fanatical.

[saffordrez79]

SaffordPastor, I respect your thoughts on the good influence that the LDS church has on our community, and agree with you to some extent, but can you really deny that there are cliques within the Safford/Thatcher community? I have two school-aged children who attend public school in Safford and they have been told something negative by a Mormon child several times. One child told my son that he couldn't attend his birthday party because his mom wouldn't let him go to parties of non-Mormon kids. Another child told my daughter that she wasn't going to Heaven because she wasn't LDS, that the Mormon church was the ONLY TRUE church. This is definately not a NORMAL community as far as diversity goes.

[ArizonaBear]

Question: since many of the Safford locals seem to have a working knowledge of the Globe/Miami area; are either of those two communities strongly (conservative) LDS?

In my experience: the more 'liberal' Mormons seem to accept me (maybe because I do not smoke and very rarely drink) so that crowd I am not too concerned about.

I am a self described 'liberal' but the (extreme) 'libs' in rank down alongside the Neo-Cons in my eyes.

Why I wonder is I have never been to the Safford/Thatcher area.

[saffordrez79]

Saffordbear, I feel that the Safford/Thatcher area is an area all its own as far as the LDS church is concerned. Morenci is a mining town and draws in all different types of people from many areas so it is not predominatly LDS. I'm not very familiar with Globe. I am a caucasian, fairly conservative Christian female, have LDS friends, and I still feel that there is a deep prejudice against non-Mormons in the Safford area...especially Thatcher.

[saffordpastor]

Saffordrez79 and Safford18......I will admit that there is a large LDS influence here...I am not LDS in fact I pastor a church here in town. But although I was raised around LDS folks I never let thier cliqueshness bother me....and I admit they can be cliquesh ( I will admit that Thatcher and Pima can be pretty bad)...but so can just about anybody.
I have attempted to be friends with every one I come in contact with, and count many Mormons and Mormon bishops as friends.
My daughters go to Safford High (Go Bulldogs!!!) and have had nothing but good experiances there. my oldest sings in Bel Canto (a girls chior) and there are many LDS girls there and she gets along just fine.

Although I know that folks have bad experiances, (I have had a few with LDS folks) it is mostly what you expect you get.....if you are always on the defensive you will experiance the things you are expecting.

As far as the mines and the layoffs....that is not particular to Safford...the whole nation is going through it....I have friends in Phoenix and Tucson who cant find a job anywhere.

And I do believe that we will weather this and come out of it with more stability. Some of the greediness of folks might be tempered by this crisis.

I have seen Safford go through some pretty hard times in the past and we always survive and keep moving ahead.


Keep that ol' chin up!!!