The Associated Press
Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano will put off a plan to seek public input on what design to use for Arizona’s state quarter until Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson signs off on five designs under consideration. The Governor’s Office had hoped to launch a public-input campaign in time for Statehood Day on Wednesday.
Arizona’s five finalists have been narrowed to options featuring the Grand Canyon, the saguaro cactus and Navajo code talkers.
In New Mexico, one idea was to feature a mushroom cloud depicting the first nuclear explosion in 1945. Another featured a UFO. Neither was a finalist. All four finalists feature the Zia sun symbol over an outline of the state.
New Mexico became a state a few weeks before Arizona. Both were admitted in 1912. Only Hawaii and Alaska were admitted later.
- The Associated Press