Sierra Vista honors food-drive champions, names small-business winner and proclaims April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month

The Sierra Vista City Council recognized local volunteering and small-business contributions at its April 23 meeting.

Representatives of the Cochise County Food Network presented the city with a banner recognizing it as champions of the 2026 countywide food drive; presenters said the county raised more than £9,000 countywide and noted the city’s local collection totals. The council called forward members and thanked volunteers.

Tony Boot of the city’s economic-development staff introduced the National Small Business Week proclamation and invited the owner and team from 143 Street Tacos to the dais. The economic-development representative described 143 Street Tacos as Sierra Vista’s Small Business of the Year, citing the business’s recovery after a kitchen fire and its community support.

Sierra Vista police representatives outlined the department’s domestic-violence and sexual-assault response team, praised partnership work with Lori’s Place (the Cochise Family Advocacy Center) and introduced advocates from the center. Lori’s Place staff emphasized that their services — including free forensic interviews, exams and advocacy — are available to both adults and juveniles and provided contact information for volunteers and donors.

The mayor read and signed a proclamation declaring April 2026 as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, noting the health impacts of violence and the role of prevention, education and local support services.