Sen. Robert Cannell, D-Dist. 24, has been awarded the 2003 American Cancer Society Legislator of the Year. Mr. Cannell, a pediatrician, is credited for serving as the key spokesman for Prop. 303, the tobacco-tax referendum that was passed by voters in 2002. Prop. 303 increased the state sales tax on tobacco and tobacco products to pay for public health care programs. Mr. Cannell was selected for the award by American Cancer Society volunteers and staff. The Yuma lawmaker was honored during the annual Yuma County Pink Tea Oct. 19 before a crowd of more than 100 cancer survivors and healthcare givers. He also is credited with helping to preserve state funding for breast and cervical cancer early detection and treatment program.

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Maricopa County Recorder Helen Purcell has been named to the National Association of Counties’ (NACo) telecommunications and technology steering committee. The jurisdiction of the committee includes all matters relating to telecommunications and technology policy. Its goals are presented to NACo’s membership during the association’s annual conference. If approved, the recommendations become part of the American County Platform, which is the basis of NACo’s efforts in representing counties before the U.S. Congress and the White House. Ms. Purcell, who was elected to office in 1988, has been a member of the NACo board of directors since 1997. In November of 2000, she was on the National Commission on Election Standards and Reform, a panel created by NACo and the National Association of County Recorders and Clerks to review the American election process. As recorder, Ms. Purcell’s statutory duties include recording and maintaining 5,000-10,000 documents a day (the one-millionth document was received and recorded July 28, 2003) and maintaining voter registration rolls for more than 1,300,000 registered voters in Maricopa County.

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Troy Foster, an associate with Lewis and Roca, has been elected to serve a three-year term on the board of directors for Junior Achievement of Arizona, Inc. Junior Achievement is a nonprofit economic education organization. Through 160 domestic franchises and international programs in 100 countries, Junior Achievement community volunteers teach more than 3.5 million students annually. Mr. Foster practices with Lewis and Roca’s labor and employment group.

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The Arizona Rock Products Association has announced that Rinker Materials Western Inc., 3640 S. 19th Ave. in Phoenix, is the recipient of the Sentinel of Safety Award. by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Mine Safety and Health Administration and the National Mining Association. This award is considered the most prestigious award in the mining industry and is the oldest established award for occupational safety. Eight mining operations were honored for their outstanding safety records during 2002 in the annual Sentinels of Safety awards program hosted recently in Washington, D.C. To qualify for a Sentinels of Safety award, a company must compile at least 30,000 employee work-hours during the year without a lost-time injury or fatality. The Sentinels of Safety award is considered the most prestigious award in the mining industry.—