A secret society in the White Mountains?

I spent the weekend in Show Low to escape the Valley’s searing heat. The forecast called for 112. It was an easy decision.

For you Show Low rookies who think the sun rises and sets around Fools Hollow Lake and Charlie Clark’s steakhouse, try branching out for a greasy spoonful of local gossip.

Whenever I’m up in the White Mountains, I like to pick up a copy of the White Mountain Independent newspaper. That’s right — a newspaper. Does anyone remember those? And as if that’s not “old school” enough, I like my Independent over French toast at Aunt Nancy’s, a hidden gem in the neighborhood just minutes away from the Highway 60/260 junction. Breakfast is $5 and the paper costs as much as The Arizona Republic (50 cents weekdays).

However, the gossip on the “Letters to the Editor” page is infinitely better. Consider this:

According to resident Jim Beck of Pinetop-Lakeside, several locals have banded together to form the “Citizens for Progress.” In his letter to the editor on Aug. 1, Beck writes that this group is meeting in secret “by invitation only” to plan the town’s political and development future. “Some joke, suggesting they may even wear hoods and meet after midnight on the full moon,” he says.

Beck is worried that the group is working to undermine a long-range plan a majority of the town’s residents recently approved. The 20/20 Vision Plan works to preserve the town’s character, landscape and tree line for future generations.

So what do the Citizens for Progress want? What is their vision for the town? Is it a local branch of the Keep Sedona Beautiful (KSB) group, which is involved in almost every level of Sedona life?

Only time will tell. Let’s hope their vision is more enlightened than having another intersection with Wal-Mart, Home Depot and Lowe’s on opposing corners.