Businesses plan protest at Grand Canyon

TUSAYAN, Ariz. — Businesses and residents frustrated over the ongoing federal shutdown plan to protest near the Grand Canyon on Tuesday.

According to organizers, businesses and employees in Northern Arizona are suffering because the federal government has turned down offers of financial assistance from South Rim business owners, the state of Arizona and the town Tusayan. Those funds would have partially opened the Grand Canyon National Park during the government shutdown.

Tusayan voted to appropriate more than $200,000 to fund the partial opening. Local businesses pledged another $150,000.

Last week, Gov. Jan Brewer’s office called Grand Canyon Park Superintendent Dave Uberuaga and offered to find a way to pay for the park, but he rejected the offer.

The protesters will gather at 1 p.m. Tuesday south of the Grand Canyon’s South Rim entrance gates.