The newly formed Lake Havasu Hospitality Association hosted representatives of restaurants, hotels, rental companies and other front-line tourist businesses Thursday to roll out a summer visitor retention campaign.

The program features a poster and a decal, financed by the Convention and Visitors Bureau. Businesses are asked to target visitors to receive the thank-you gifts along with a letter from Mayor Mark Nexsen.

Businesses will also offer specially designed summer 2008 T-shirts for $10 each.

"We're all about retention," association President Gary West told the group. "It's our mission to see that (visitors) have a good experience while they're here."

The program is modeled on an earlier campaign to welcome spring breakers. The "Hook It Up" campaign included posters, T-shirts and wristbands that entitled spring breakers to discounts and incentives at some businesses. Businesses ran out of wristbands and sold 5,000 T-shirts, many to snowbirds, organizers said.

"Everybody who was involved in the Hook It Up campaign felt it was a huge success," Thom Felke, co-owner of Shugrue's restaurant, said. "We felt we had to do something for the boating community … The impact of boaters on this community is huge."

Red Robin owner Dante Marinelli urged business owners to combine the materials with staff training.

"We have to educate the people who are handing these out. We have to have a program to say thank you," Marinelli said. "If we can do this, in a couple of years we'll have the mentality that, hey, we are a tourist town, it is important to us."

The association plans to initiate three to four visitor outreach programs a year, including a winter visitor campaign.

Businesses don't have to be association members to take part in the summer visitor campaign. Posters and decals are available at no cost at the Lake Havasu Area Chamber of Commerce, 314 London Bridge Rd. Businesses can order the T-shirts directly from Joel's Tees at 680-7804. The cost is $5 per shirt.

For more information, call Gary West at 486-4549.

Outgoing Main Street Executive Director Jim Salscheider has already landed another position.

Lake Havasu City Marine Association named Salscheider executive director effective July 2, according to Ron Moyes, owner of Magic and Sleek Powerboats and president of the association. Salscheider announced earlier this year he was not renewing his Main Street contract. He replaces Robert Mobley, who took over the position at the end of
March.

Noting the importance of the marine industry to the local economy, Salscheider said, “ I have been a supporter of the marine industry since its inception, and I am delighted to have this opportunity to lead it to the next level,” according to a press release.

Moyes said “Jim has the leadership and energy to help us achieve the role of representing the boater in our community. It couldn’t come at a better time, as we face a challenging time in the boating and tourism
businesses.”

The association has 100 members and is most well-known for its annual boat show, which according to association incoming President Bill Draper, general manager of The Boat Brokers, the association hopes to expand and possibly to make it a twice-a-year event.

As a representative of the boating industry, the association plays a major role in tourism industry and deserves a “seat at the table” with the various federal, state regional and local agencies, Salscheider said.

In his first 90 days, Salscheider said he plans to meet with the 40 to 50 marine businesses and the agencies. “We need to hear what they think we should be doing, and they need to hear from us how important this is to the community and our tourism business,” Salscheider said. “Hopefully, working together we can make a difference.”

In 2006 the Lake Havasu City Partnership for Economic Development completed a study on the marine industry’s impact to the local economy. The study showed the boat manufacturing and related industry generated almost $200 million to the local economy, accounting for $30 million in payroll, the highest paying economic sector in the city.

A more recent study showed that the economic activity generated from boating visitor spending supported about 4,600 jobs, generated $105 million in income and resulted in more than $56 million in additional tax revenues. The recycling of money within the community was also measured.

Together, recreational boating and marine manufacturing add about $411 million dollars to the city’s economy.

Two hundred offshore powerboats took Lake Havasu by storm Friday.

Crowds lined the banks of the lake from Thompson Bay to Havasu Springs, to watch the high-powered boats take part in the 2008 Desert Storm Poker Run, presented by Lake Racer and Teague Custom Marine, Inc.

Don Frizzell of Kansas City, Mo., participates in the offshore boat poker runs on Lake of the Ozarks and said this was his first on Lake Havasu.

“It’s nice to see a new lake and new boats. There are a lot more high performance catamarans here,” he said.

Tammy Kastan of Thousand Oaks, Calif., is riding with Brent Riley of Fabtech, in his Lavey Craft 29-footer. She said she was out because of “the fast boats and the helicopters.”

The helicopters are tracking various race and manufacture teams, flying just a few hundred feet above the boats as they scream across Lake Havasu at speeds of near 100 mph.

Plus there are the safety helicopters, with rescue divers onboard, ready to assist if a problem is called in by one of the 50 safety vessels on the water. During Friday’s run, just one boat experienced a minor problem, losing one of its two engines, and had to limp back in to host hotel the Nautical Inn.

Poker run participants were able to give back to the community in two ways. First, the poker run is being used as a fundraiser for two local charities: Troops Now & Tomorrow, a Lake Havasu City service organization that sends care packages to active duty military serving in Iraq and Afghanistan. And to benefit the Patrick A. Tinnell Memorial Sports Park, a park for bike riders and skateboards to be developed adjacent to the Aquatic/Community Center.

The other way was in boat owners offering to take five active duty Marines, on leave, out with them this weekend. Pablo Ortiz, owner of Pure Performance Power Boats volunteered his time and boat to Cpl. Kyle Villegas, stationed at Camp Pendleton.

“I came here with my buddy, Dave Gill, for a weekend leave. I didn’t know I’d be on these boats. This is pretty amazing,” Villegas said.

As if that wasn’t enough, Ortiz is cousins with the UFC fighter Tito Ortiz, and the boat owner promised some autographed memorabilia to the young man serving the nation.

‘This was great taking those young men out. This event has been awesome,” Ortiz said.

Jim Nichols with Lake Racer Marine Events Productions said day two went off “a bit chaotic, it was like herding cats,” but every boater was able to do what they wanted.

“Everybody got where they wanted to go, safely, and the United States Coast Guard was pleased,” Nichols said.

Nichols also said everyone was happy with the 2nd Annual Street Party sponsored by State Farm Alex Ross on Main Street Thursday. He estimated as many as 10,000 made their way to McCulloch Boulevard to look over the offshore boats and wanted to stay so long, the lights had to be shut down 30 minutes after the end to get everyone home and the boats back in the water.

“You’d look up the street and just see a sea of people,” he said. “Our sponsors and vendors were ecstatic.” The 2008 Desert Storm event continues today with the Shootout, an opportunity to find out which boat is the fastest in a two-mile course from Thompson Bay to Copper Canyon. Viewing of the start line is free at Rotary Beach. The Shootout begins at 8:30 a.m. and during a break from 12:30-2 p.m., the Pacific Offshore Powerboat Racing Association will stage the inaugural Lake Havasu Offshore Grand Prix.

Racing continues Sunday with the second race of the season in the Offshore Super
Series tour. Racing starts at noon and again viewing for spectators will take place on Rotary Beach.

You may contact the reporter at dbell@havasunews.com.

After almost two years on the job, Main Street executive director Jim Salscheider has told the city that he plans to step down in July at the end of his current contract. “I’ve kind of done what I set out to do,” Salscheider said. “I’m going to find something else to do.”

Salscheider has earned praise for his work organizing events on Main Street, but his ambitions to redevelop McCulloch Boulevard into a more pedestrian-friendly shopping district have been controversial. His backing of a tree-lined median for the street resulted in opposition from some business owners and residents, who often singled Salscheider out for criticism.

The opposition to the median led the City Council to postpone a vote on funding for the project in February. Despite the difficulties surrounding some of the Main Street improvements, Salscheider said he was proud of his work for the organization. He considered his biggest accomplishments the accreditation of McCulloch Boulevard as an official state sanctioned Main Street district, and the hosting of a number of new public events on the street. Fright Night, a Halloween event he was instrumental in reviving, received a Governor’s award for best Main Street event of the year in 2006.

It became pretty obvious that the events that we had on Main Street needed to get better, and that we needed more of them,” he said. “We now have more events and better events, so I think that’s a success.”

Connecting Havasu codirector Martha Bennett said the city was losing a strong advocate for a better downtown. “I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with him, and appreciated the energy that he put into all of his Main Street activities,” Bennett said. “I’m sorry to see him leave, but I understand
why he’s leaving.”

In the wake of the controversy over the median, it remains unclear what the next step forward for Main Street will be. The postponed median section was an integral part of the Pima Wash bike path, which would connect the highway and multi-use path with the uptown area. Without the median to provide a crossing point on McCulloch, the future of the bike path is also up in the air.

The City Council still has $600,000 in its Community Investment Program budget for the coming fiscal year, but exact plans on how to spend that money remain to be seen.

“I don’t know if Connecting Havasu has any legs any more,” Salscheider said.

Bennett held out hope that a new Main Street director might be able to continue the progress that Salscheider had started. “I personally think that he moved things forward for Main Street,” she said. “And like a lot of situations, when an individual is instrumental in turning a corner, those people frequently aren’t the same people that see things to fruition.”

If anything, Salscheider’s efforts appear to have raised awareness of the need for change on McCulloch Boulevard. In a recent city sponsored survey of businesses and property owners in the
area, 78 percent of respondents were either “strongly in favor” or “in favor” of redevelopment in the area.

About a year ago, Leonard Smith, 69, realized he had a health problem. Often, a walk of only an eighth of a mile would leave him gasping for breath. But he had no idea it had to do with his heart.

“I went in for a check-up, and the next thing I know, I’m in the hospital getting a triple bypass,” Smith said.

After his recovery, Smith joined the Havasu Heart Council and recently became its chairman. And on a balmy Saturday afternoon, he worked the council’s booth at the Breath of Life Health Celebration on McCulloch Boulevard. His goal, he said, was to get information to people who might not realize that they were already suffering from heart disease.

“The hardest problem I have is just getting people to admit that they have a heart problem," Smith said.

The heart council was one of 85 booths set up on upper McCulloch Saturday afternoon, between Querio Drive and Acoma Boulevard. The event, the first of its kind for the street, was a success, said Jim Salscheider, executive director of the Main Street Association.

“I think everybody who had a booth was pleased with the turnout,” said Salscheider. “It was hard to know what to expect for the first time.”

In addition to the booths, the fair featured speakers, a live band, and didgeridoos — lots of didgeridoos.

Joe Newberry, Lake Havasu City’s didgeridoo impresario, was on hand to teach didgeridoo technique to all who were interested in the unique, Australian instrument.

“We had didgeridoos all up and down the street,” said Salscheider.

According to Salscheider, Newberry distributed free didgeridoos to all the members of the Daytona Middle band, and provided free instruction of the instrument, which creates a deep, droning sound and is usually considered the world’s oldest wind instrument.

Health seminars, ranging in topics from weight loss to cancer, were also well attended.

“We had a good turnout at most of the seminars, so there was a lot of information exchanged,” Salscheider
said.

This fair was focused more on sharing information, rather than providing check-ups, like the other health fair generally held in October.

Jeanie Morgan, executive director of the Havasu Community Health Foundation, said the fair had been effective in getting out information about the organization’s programs.

“There’s a lot of people that don’t know we exist at all,” Morgan said. “When we come to events like this, it’s a chance for us to reach out.”

The foundation provides low-cost lab work, mammograms, and other health tests. It organizes support groups for the ill, and provides education and information to the public on numerous health topics.

“We want to support a healthy lifestyle in Havasu,” she said.

On a beautiful spring day, it was a good time to be out meeting people, she said. “It’s better than being stuck
in the office,” she said. “It’s nice to be out and about.”

You may contact the reporter at jrudolf@havasunews.com.

The move, which would change the current zoning of the area from limited commercial to mixed use, is the final step in a months-long process to create a special “Uptown McCulloch Main Street” zoning district.

The council will vote on the rezoning at Tuesday’s meeting. The rezoning will open up a host of new options for developers and existing businesses looking to renovate or expand, said Jim Salscheider, executive director of the Main Street Association. “They can go up to 60 feet, and they can add mixed-use, which is something new,” he said.

The area under consideration stretches east to west from Smoketree Avenue to Acoma Boulevard, and north to south from Moyo Drive to Magnolia Drive.

The change, were it to be approved by council, will likely have little immediate impact on businesses in the area. Only expansions or additions to established businesses that exceed 50 percent of the existing building area or assessed value would be subject to the new zoning regulations.

Even businesses that trigger the new regulations have little to fear from the new zoning, said Salscheider. “There’s nothing mandatory,” he said. You’re not going to be penalized if you don’t do
anything.”

In addition to raising building heights, the new zoning is also designed to encourage pedestrian-friendly shade structures and outdoor dining.

Those who qualify for the new zoning district will be encouraged to build awnings and other structures to provide shade for shoppers making their way along the sidewalk. Outdoor dining, and cafe-style seating that extends onto the sidewalk, will also be allowed.

The introduction of mixed-use residential on McCulloch Boulevard is a bid to encourage downtown living, a growing trend across the country. “This was one of the key recommendations of R/UDAT, ” said Salscheider. “The successful trend on main streets across the country is mixed-use.”

More stringent sign and design regulations, which aim to create a more harmonious, pedestrian-friendly feeling on the street, are also part of the rezoning. Buildings will be required to have certain architectural elements, such as cornices and expression lines, as well as shading for the street, using an arcade, awning, canopy, colonnade or similar features.

Earlier this year, the rezoning passed the Planning and Zoning Commission by a vote of 5-2.

You may contact the reporter at jruodlf@havasunews.com.

In February 2007, a group of city planners and architects descended on Lake Havasu City with bold visions for urban renewal and calls for public input. Out of dozens of ideas came a report by the Regional/Urban Design Assistance Team and a new community organization, named Connecting Havasu.

Among the goals embraced by the report were a revitalized downtown area, beautification
projects on the highway and throughout the city, and a “world-class” second bridge to the island that would serve as an attraction in its own right.

Yet successes such as the adoption of a new zoning district downtown, and the City Council’s decision to fund Connecting Havasu projects to the tune of $600,000, have been tempered by what organizers call flagging participation in committees, frustration with bureaucratic red tape, and most recently, a voter initiative petition that would block the construction of a downtown median strip.

Almost one year later, organizers and city leaders took stock of how far the city has come with the plan, and what challenges remain.

“I didn’t have very high expectations,” of the initial R/UDAT meetings, said Martha Bennett, now co-chair of Connecting Havasu. “But the process, the event, and the formation of the committees
was somewhat exhilarating. It was a positive effort that was pretty broad-based in the community, and a lot of people were giving their time.”

Bennett said that participation in a variety of subcommittees remained strong through summer 2007, with the groups generating ideas and recommendations to beautify Highway 95, complete the monuments on the north and south end of town, create a mixed-use business district downtown, and turn vacant lots and dry washes on McCulloch into open space for residents and visitors to enjoy.

Some of those efforts met with success, but others were stymied by bureaucratic red tape. Once the city took over responsibility for the beautification projects, for instance, offers of donated time and materials from local contractors and businesses had to be rejected under the state’s strict bidding laws.

“We had a number of people energized to donate things like concrete—bricks and mortar, so to speak—but it got so complicated, that it was impractical or impossible for some of these people to get into the bidding process,” Bennett said.

When regulations slowed progress, participation in some committees has dipped. “Some have struggled to keep members coming, because what they’ve recommended hasn’t come to fruition,”
Bennett said.

But despite the frustrations, the city has made big strides toward implementing the first phase of the R/UDAT report’s recommendations, said Jim Salschieder, co-chair of Connecting Havasu and executive director of the Main Street Association.

“There’s a lot of things in motion,” Salscheider said. “We have a lot of stuff planned, and it will happen, but you’re not going to see it yet.”

Salscheider said he spoke recently with Hunter Gee, one of the city planners who organized the report, who told him that the he was pleased with the progress that the city had made. “He said that the $600,000 that was allocated was extremely significant in his mind,” he said.

Gee also praised the city for implementing a new special zoning district in the McCulloch Boulevard area, which Mayor Mark Nexsen also considered a significant accomplishment.

“I think where we’ve made a lot of progress is the new UMS district,” Nexsen said. “What we’ve done is given a tool for people to use. Now it’s finding who will use the tool.”

Much of the hoped-for transformation along Main Street would take time and would be determined by market forces, Nexsen said. “It’s a multi-year process,” he said. “I cannot force a change in business on Main Street.”

The new zoning district allows for mixed residential and commercial projects in an area along McCulloch Boulevard from Smoketree to Acoma, diminishing in density for several blocks to the
north and south.

Yet the efforts of the Connecting Havasu groups have not been without critics.

Among them is Ellen Scarmardo, who has started a petition drive to put a voter initiative on next September’s primary ballot that would ban the city from installing a traffic-calming median on
McCulloch Boulevard or to change the parking configuration on the street. Both the median and an eventual change to the parking layout are stated goals of the Connecting Havasu group.

The median, designed to slow traffic, increase pedestrian safety and ultimately make the area more attractive to shoppers and visitors, has instead become a rallying cry for those who feel the city is wasting money on unnecessary improvements and has shut out dissenting views from the planning process.

“What they’re trying to do is dress up a pig like the Easter Bunny,” said Ellen Scarmardo, who organized the petition drive. “People don’t want it, and nobody’s listening.”

Scarmardo said she has already gathered hundreds of signatures, many from those from business owners and operators on McCulloch. Salscheider said he sympathized with some of those who oppose the median and other projects. “People have watched this town for years, and one hand, they don’t want things to change, and on the other hand, they’re not happy with the way things are,” he said. “They don’t have confidence that anything’s going to be done right, and that money is going to be spent effectively and efficiently. They don’t have any faith, and they can certainly point to a lot of reasons why they don’t have faith.”

Yet a voter initiative to ban medians was not the solution, he said. “Medians work. They’re traffic-calming devices. Why would a median trigger a referendum?” he said. “But it’s not about the
median. It’s about a larger malaise that’s facing this town.”

Nexsen also expressed puzzlement over the voter initiative, given that the Connecting Havasu process has been open for public participation since the beginning, and the current opponents to
the medians had not attended a single meeting.

“They have never talked to me about it,” he said. “My personal opinion is, if the community wants them, fine. If they don’t want them, fine.”

Bennett said she was also aware of unease in the community over potential changes to the character of the city that the Connecting Havasu plan might entail. Yet while the plan’s intentions were to ultimately strengthen the local economy, it did not mean the nature of the city had to change as well.

“I don’t want this to be Palm Springs,” Bennett said. “I moved here recognizing what Havasu has and what it has not. I personally don’t want to change the culture or personality of Lake Havasu. I like that small town feel.”

The solution was not to split up into two camps, with some opposing change and others advocating it, Bennett said. “I think we want to bring parties together to come to a consensual agreement on what our downtown should look like,” she said. “If people want to find us, our doors
have been open.”

You may contact the reporter at jrudolf@havasunews.com

Let’s discuss the primary reason Uptown — or Main Street — needs medians. That primary reason is safety. Going back into history to the mid ’90s, there was considerable discussion between the new Main Street Association and then mayor, Dick Hielman. The question was whether or not Upper McCulloch should be a four-lane throughway for moving east-west traffic in our town or if it should be a pedestrian-friendly two-lane boulevard with shops, restaurants and commercial offices. The decision was made to make it the latter. And as a result, the property owners on McCulloch taxed themselves more than $2 million and paid for new sidewalks, trees, street lights,
benches and trash receptacles. A Main Street was truly born.

Now, fast forward to 2008. According to Mark Clark, Interim Director of Public Works, 12,000 vehicles a day go up and down upper McCulloch. There are no stop signs or traffic lights on this two thirds of a mile stretch, so it is an attractive — and fast — way to traverse east to west or vice-versa in our city. There are a little more than 300 parallel and slanted parking places on Main Street. Because we have some employers, including a major one at the top of the street, who insist on parking their cars in front of their businesses, fewer parking places are available for customers. So we can estimate those 300-plus parking spaces can accommodate six-plus rotations or less
than 2,000 vehicles in a day. That leaves 10,000 vehicles going from point A to point B, as quickly as possible.

Meanwhile, we have 2,000 drivers looking for the store or building they want to visit and being attentive for those who are visibly impaired trying to back out of a slanted parking spot. Throw in too few cross walks, the need for crossing the street by a significant number of citizens, and you have the recipe for accidents and injured pedestrians. Witness the two pedestrians struck in the Mulberry crosswalk in the last eight months.

Is this what then Mayor Hielman and the City Council had in mind over 10 years ago? Is this why the property owners taxed themselves more than $2 million to create a “pedestrian-friendly” Main Street?

The R/UDAT report recognized this problem and recommended that medians be used as a traffic-
calming device. For those who are in a rush, or who are simply going from point A to point B, Swanson and Mesquite will be an attractive alternative.

This will slow down and reduce the traffic, improve safety and make shopping a less risky experience on Main Street. For those still concerned, the width of the street will be the same as the width near Wheeler Park, but Uptown will only be one traffic lane, not two. And the initial median only covers Querio to the bowling alley. It will give everyone a chance to check it out.

There certainly are other benefits to a median. Uptown — Main Street could certainly use some beautification. Large date palms, river rock and low desert-type plants will certainly enhance the street. Event lights that light up the event, not the sky, and more cross walks for a pedestrian-friendly environment would help. It will no more disrupt a parade than the Wheeler Park area does. And yes, we can still park as many cars for Relics and Rods.

With few exceptions, the Main Street merchants want a safe, pedestrian-friendly street and recognize that the median will, in fact not only accomplish this, but enhance the attractiveness of the area. I, for one, would like to hear from the silent majority on this subject.

Jim Salscheider is the executive director of Main Street in Lake Havasu City.

The Havasu Outrigger Team brought up the rear with a collection of toys to be delivered to Interagency Council for its Adopt-a-Family program.

It was the first year for the Christmas on Wheels parade, which sponsor Yellow Book USA and the Lake Havasu City Main Street Association hope will become an annual tradition.

“We had a much bigger turnout than I was expecting,” said Ken Cloutier of Yellow Book USA. “It’s a great family event.”

Many of the entries were so bedecked with lights and other ornaments, it appeared the owners had loaded them down with every decoration in the house.

Sandy Montgomery and her husband, Tim, used animated figures from inside the house to decorate a trailer holding the entry’s generator.

The vehicles had to haul along their own generators to power the lights and other features.

“We had so much fun doing this,” Sandy said. “We love Christmas. We really get into decorating.”

You may contact the reporter at dparker@havasunews.
com.

Pirates, zombies and cavemen invade McCulloch

By JOHN RUDOLF
TODAY'S NEWS-HERALD

Spook-tacular!

That appeared to be the verdict, as thousands descended on McCulloch Boulevard for the second annual Fright Night. Haunted houses and games of skill and chance were big hits with the crowds of Halloween revelers, young and old.

Pirates, zombies, sumo wrestlers, cavemen, ghosts and ghouls were among the many apparitions that emerged onto the street for a warm fall evening stroll down Main Street.

Among the most popular attractions was "Hell House," a haunted house created by Calvary Baptist Church.

Children younger than 11 were barred from Hell House, said Marelda Garrison, wife of Pastor Chad Garrison. "Some parts are too intense," for youngsters, she said.

Inside the house, chainsaw-wielding ghouls, demonic clowns and flesh-eating zombies popped out of the shadows, doing their best to shock and chill.

Young people waited up to an hour for a walk through the elaborate house.

However, the grisly scenery was also the source of a heavenly message, Garrison said.

"You'll think about where you're going to go after you die," she said.

Jim "the Sheriff" Salscheider, executive director of Lake Havasu Main Street Association, estimated that at least 150 businesses had set up booths and were giving out candy. The crowds easily surpassed the past year's estimated total of 5,000, he said.

Fright Night was a Lake Havasu City tradition that was discontinued back in the late 1980s, but was revived in 2006 by Jessica Dietrich, the events manager of the Convention and Visitor's Bureau, and Kathie Schuler, owner of Sunbelt Appliance.

They came to Salscheider with the idea, and Fright Night was reborn.

"I said let's try it and see what happens," he said. "We were not prepared for the crowds. Everybody ran out of candy."

To prevent a similar candy drought, Salscheider encouraged all those distributing candy to stock up on at least 5,000 pieces of candy.

For many businesses, that meant spending at least $300 on candy, and often much more.

"I applaud them for doing that," Salscheider said.