Arizona Centennial Union Pacific Steam Locomotive Tour

You may already be aware that Arizona will be celebrating 100 years of statehood in February 2012. What you may not know is that celebrations for this important occasion have already begun!

Earlier this month, a very special steam-powered locomotive rolled through the Grand Canyon State as part of our centennial celebration. The Union Pacific #844 steam locomotive was available for public viewing at the Union Pacific rail yard in downtown Phoenix on Sunday November 13th and Monday November 14th, 2011.

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Arizona's Largest Christmas Tree Arrives at Anthem Outlets

With Christmas just six weeks away, the Outlets at Anthem shopping center is getting into the holiday spirit. The outdoor shopping mall boasts that it has the largest Christmas tree in the state of Arizona on display!

This year's tree is a white fir that stands 114 feet tall, according to the Arizona Republic. In comparison, the Norway Spruce tree on display in New York City's Rockefeller Center measures just 74 feet tall. That makes the Anthem tree the tallest fresh-cut Christmas tree in the country, according to officials.

To celebrate, the Outlets at Anthem will be hosting three days of family-friendly activities during the weekend of November 18th-20th, 2011. Here is the calendar of events:

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Visit Arizona National Parks During Fee-Free Weekend 2011

It was two years ago that I first wrote about Fee-Free Days from the National Park Service. Now, the NPS is gearing up for another Fee-Free event on November 11th - 13th, 2011!

This year's final event will offer free admission to ALL US National Parks and Monuments during Veteran's Day weekend. The following list of parks and monuments in Arizona will not charge any admission during the aforementioned dates:

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19th Avenue Bridge to North Valley Parkway Nearing Completion

In a major city like Phoenix, it's common to have heavy traffic on arterial streets as well as freeways. 19th Avenue is one of Phoenix's busiest arterial streets. The road begins near South Mountain Park and runs north for an impressive 26 miles before terminating at Jomax Road in North Phoenix.

Soon, a new bridge will open that will allow drivers to continue into the North Valley Parkway neighborhood and on to Carefree Highway. This new bridge will provide a much-needed alternative to the congested Interstate 17 and Norterra Parkway routes.

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Glendale Sugar Beet Factory to Become Upscale Winery

I've got a riddle for you: What is five stories tall, a whole city block in length, and older than Arizona itself? It's not a natural feature or the Hayden Flour Mill in Tempe. I'm talking about the Sugar Beet Factory in Glendale, Arizona!

This red-brick behemoth has fascinated me for years, so I was very excited to see an article about it in today's Arizona Republic. The article says that the Sugar Beet Factory has recently been sold to a local entrepreneur who plans on turning the massive building into a liquor distillery and wine tasting establishment.

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