Manhunt continues for suspected Utah cop killer

Destination Arizona
B. Thomas Cooper Editor

The search for an alleged cop killer continues in the high desert along the border between Arizona and Utah, as the suspect, 23 year old Scott Curley, proves more elusive to authorities than anticipated.

A ten thousand dollar reward has been offered for the capture of Curley, with over three hundred law officers participating in the search. The manhunt began after Curley shot and killed Deputy Brian Harris with a rifle while the officer was pursuing the suspect on a separate charge. Curley is accused of burglarizing a nearby high school in Fredonia the night before.

Curley, a native American, is believed to be on foot, but has been successful in giving authorities the slip, leading searchers through unusually rugged terrain. During the cover of night, the suspect was apparently able to slip away from a police dragnet, covering greater distance than expected. It is believed Curley may have stashed some supplies in anticipation of his escape, suggesting the killing may have been planned well in advance.

Experts also suspect Curley may be getting assistance from friends or family. “We know someone is out there who knows where this individual is and we hope they will step forward,” U.S. Marshal David Gonzales was quoted in the Salt Lake Tribune.

According to individuals familiar with Curley, rumors had been swirling for days that the suspect might be planning an attack. Others suggest the troubled young man may be delusional, and friends feared he could be reaching “the breaking point“.

Searchers, rotating in shifts, are currently focusing their efforts on an area between Fredonia and Kanab, Utah, just north of Arizona. Authorities deny they have given officers orders to shoot Curley on sight, but admit tensions are high. Still, they claim they maintain hope of capturing the troubled killer alive.



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National Guard troops prepare to deploy along Arizona border

Destination Arizona B. Thomas Cooper Editor


On Monday, the initial deployment of National Guard troops will begin arriving along the porous Arizona border separating the United States and northern Mexico. With border violence on the rise, area residents await troop arrival with measured optimism.

National Guard troops will begin arriving along the Arizona side of the border in small groups and without fanfare. It is anticipated that over five hundred troops will be deployed to the region by the end of September. Their effectiveness however, is hard to predict as the troops, although armed, will only operate as observers, lacking authority to make arrests themselves.

Still, the extra boots on the ground are expected to create an additional deterrent for would be smugglers and others who may attempt to cross the border illegally. Some experts however, believe the drug cartels will simply move their operations elsewhere, such as southern Texas, which is already experiencing an increase in drug related violent crimes.

Illegal immigration has become a key hot-button issue in recent months, especially among Republicans and Tea Party supporters. However, even long time Arizona senator and Republican presidential candidate John McCain has acknowledged that the situation is not as simple as erecting a two thousand mile fence through the rocky desert or deploying troops along the border.

Arizona governor Jan Brewer has criticized the Obama administration for not doing enough to stem the flow of illegal activity along the border. Brewer recently enacted new laws designed to mitigate the situation, but several sections of the new bill, SB-1070 were ruled unconstitutional by a federal judge. Brewer and her attorneys filed a brief addressing the matter earlier this morning.



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Arpaio facing Justice Department showdown

Destination Arizona
B. Thomas Cooper Editor

The US Justice Department has issued an ultimatum to Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio; turn over requested documents by Friday, or face the consequences.

In a battle that has been brewing for months, the Justice Department has turned up the heat, threatening to sue the Maricopa County Sheriffs Office if the department refuses to cooperate with a federal investigation into mistreatment of detainees, including charges of racial discrimination and unlawful searches and seizures. Arpaio and his attorneys claim to be cooperating with the investigation, but the feds see it differently.

Originally, the Justice Department had given the Arpaio and the Sheriffs Department until August 17th to turn over the requested documents. Lack of compliance by the department could cost the county millions of dollars in federal funds, a risk that concerns many county officials. Withholding the funds would devastate the budget, gutting countless programs.

Arpaio, for the most part, has remained defiant and undeterred, refusing to alter his tactics, including his now notorious ‘crime sweeps’, which despite the national attention, have produced few meaningful arrests.

The seventy-eight year old sheriff began his career in law enforcement as a beat cop in the Washington DC area before relocating to Las Vegas, Nevada in 1957. He later worked for the DEA for over twenty-five years before eventually moving to Arizona.
Arpaio has held the office of Maricopa County Sheriff since 1992. He often makes headlines for housing inmates in outdoor tents during the excruciating summer heat, and feeding the prisoners green Bologna.

According to the information provided to the media by the Justice department, Arpaio and his office has until ”no later than the close of business on Friday, August 27th, 2010” to turn over the requested documents.Destination Arizona Destination Arizona

De Re Metallica Revisited - the Medieval Book of Mining and Metallurgy

Destination Arizona B. Thomas Cooper

Originally published in 1556, Georgius Agricola's groundbreaking book De Re Metallica remained the leading scientific journal of mining and metallurgy for over two hundred years. It was the first book about mining to be based on field research and observation. The massive tome was also the first to offer detailed illustrations of the various, highly specialized mining techniques, relevant to the period.

Agricola was born March 24th, 1494, arriving on the threshold of the Renaissance. De Re Metallica contains an unprecedented volume of material on alluvial mining, surveying, smelting, alchemy and more, and provides an otherwise unavailable glimpse into the world of medieval mining.

Georgius Agricola passed away on November 23rd, 1555 at the age of 61. Agricola had completed writing De Re Metallica by 1550, but the book did not go to press until 1553. Ironically, Agricola did not live to see his masterful volume published.

In 1912, Herbert Hoover and his wife Lou Henry Hoover translated De Re Metallica from it's original Latin text into English. This new edition was made available only in very limited copies, and was quickly bought up by libraries, historians and book collectors. Long out of print, this rare edition has itself grown in value. In 1950, the book was once again published in hardback, including all 289 of the original woodcut illustrations. These unusual, and highly detailed drawings offer a glimpse into the daily lives of medieval mining communities, and the curious devices they contrived.

Much credit is due Agricola, as his contributions to the sciences of the ages is without precedent. He is credited with advancements in Geology, Mineralogy, Mining Engineering and much more. Agricola was a scientist. He had little use for alchemy, and those who would be alchemists. He explored soil mechanics, tunneling procedures, and even expounded on a simple but profound understanding of potential dangers permeating the ground, and the release of deadly gasses, which he referred to as exhales.

The world has changed dramatically since the first publishing of De Re Metallica, as has the science of mining and metallurgy. Still, Agricola's work remains an irreplaceable scientific journal and indeed, one of a kind. The book is highly recommended to anyone interested in the history of medieval mining. The book can be difficult to find, but don't fret, copies are available. If you have trouble locating one right away, you just may need to do a little digging

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