Clouds covers Bill Williams mountain.
The long range forecast shows temperatures returning to around 50 during the day through Wednesday dropping to around 30s at night.
Some still found ways to enjoy what little snow we are receiving.
WILLIAMS – There are not only clouds over Williams. The Kaibab Forest Service is burning piles of debris while the weather is so pleasant. There was not enough snow, however, to burn as much as they wanted. You can expect more pile burns as weather permits.
Pursuant to the Clean Water Act and in accordance with Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R18-9-A907, the Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) proposes to issue an Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES) Permit to discharge pollutants to Waters of the United States to the following applicant, subject to certain effluent limitations and special conditions:
Public Notice No. 15-29
Published on Thursday December 18, 2014
Published in the East Valley Tribune
AZPDES Permit No. AZ0025151
City of Mesa Water Resources
Southeast Water Reclamation Plant (SEWRP)
P.O. Box 1466
Mesa, AZ 85211-1466
The City of Mesa applied for a renewal AZPDES permit for the discharge of up to 8 million gallons per day (mgd) of treated process wastewater from the SEWRP to the East Maricopa Floodway, tributary to the Gila River in the Middle Gila River Basin in Township 1S, Range 6E, Section 12, in Maricopa County, Arizona. The SEWRP is a publicly owned treatment works that receives domestic wastewater from residential, commercial, and industrial sources in Mesa. Residual solids from the SEWRP are conveyed via pipeline to the Greenfield Water Reclamation Plant or the Sub Regional Operating Group’s 91st Avenue Waste Water Treatment Plant for disposal.
The permit and fact sheet may be viewed online at http://www.azdeq.gov/cgi-bin/vertical.pl by typing the permit number in the box left of “Search Event”. The public notice and related documentation also are available for public review, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the ADEQ Records Center, 1110 W. Washington St., Phoenix, Arizona, 85007. In Phoenix, please call (602) 771-4380 or e-mail recordscenter@azdeq.gov 24 hours in advance to schedule an appointment to review the file.
Persons may submit comments or request a public hearing on the proposed action in writing, to Jacqueline Maye, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality Division, 1110 W. Washington St., 5415B-3, Phoenix, Arizona 85007. All written comments received by ADEQ by the close of business on the date 30 days after publication of this notice will be considered in the final permit decision. A public hearing request must be in writing and must include the reasons for such request. If there is a significant degree of public interest, the Director will hold a hearing in accordance with A.A.C. R18-9-908(B).
PHOENIX – Governor Jan Brewer ordered flags at half-staff for the death of an Arizona soldier. Specialist Wyatt J. Martin of Mesa was killed on Friday, December 12 along with Sgt. 1st Class Ramon S. Morris of New York city. The pair died as a result of a homemade bomb in Parwan Province in Afghanistan.
Specialist Martin joined the Army in August of 2012. He was assigned to the 3rd Cavalry Regiment of the 1st Cavalry in June 2014.
The proclamation of the governor reads:
I have ordered that flags at all state office buildings be lowered to half-staff from sunrise until sunset Monday, December 15, 2014, in honor of United States Army Specialist Wyatt J. Martin, 22, of Mesa, Arizona.
Specialist Martin died Friday, December 12, in Parwan Province, Afghanistan, in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. According to initial reports, Specialist Martin died of injuries sustained when an improvised explosive device detonated near his vehicle.
He was assigned to A Company, 3rd Engineer Battalion, 1st Cavalry Division, Fort Hood, Texas.
Please join me in offering a prayer for Specialist Martin, for his loved ones, and for all the men and women who have risked and given their lives to preserve and protect freedom throughout the world.
Motorists traveling on southbound Interstate 17 on Wednesday morning, Dec. 17 need to be are aware of a brief closure scheduled between Rock Springs and Table Mesa Road that allow crews to remove rock fall debris along the shoulders of the highway, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.
A five-mile segment (mileposts 237 to 242) of southbound I-17 will be closed for up to 20 minutes between 9:30 a.m. and 9:50 a.m. to provide a safe work zone for crews to remove debris from the roadway. Motorists are urged to plan accordingly or allow extra travel time. Northbound traffic will not be affected.
In addition to the full southbound closure, a right lane closure will be in place between 8:30 a.m. and noon between mileposts 237-238 for shoulder clean up. Minimal delays expected.
The speed limit through the work zones will be reduced to 45 mph during work hours.
WILLIAMS – Guest harpist Corelia Tom performed a beautiful series of Advent music at St. John’s Episcopal-Lutheran church Sunday Afternoon. She also took the time to educate about the Christmas history of some of the pieces.
Unfortunately my audio recording was clipped.
The last of the series of Advent music takes place on December 19 at 4 p.m. and features Blue Grass music.
WILLIAMS – Kiwanis International hosted another tremendous community dinner for Williams. The weather was cool, but sunny for the event held at Doc Holiday’s Steakhouse and Salon, 950 North Grand Canyon Boulevard in Williams.
Visitors to Santa received teddy bears although at times it was difficult to find the jolly elf. There was also a raffle for prizes.
Santa is in this picture somewhere.
WBRZ photo
Investigators said around 1 a.m., Brandt Torres and his friends were putting coins down on the train tracks at the Livonia Rail Yard when he was struck. He died at the scene.
More at WBRZ
FREDONIA – With the predicted onset of snow this weekend on the Kaibab Plateau, North Zone Fire Managers plan to begin preparations for burning hand piles at multiple locations across the North Kaibab Ranger District.
It is estimated that 100-200 acres of hand piles may be burned if weather conditions are agreeable.
Forest visitors should be aware that the planned treatment areas include Stina Point and the Dry Park Lookout area.
Generally, the pile burn season is an annual winter objective for fire crews to take advantage of snow conditions to burn piles and remove these fuels from the forest floor.
Fire managers will continue to monitor forecasts prior to igniting piles and burns will only be initiated if conditions are within established parameters for safe, effective fuel reduction treatments.
Weather conditions must allow for safe burning and the elimination of any threat of fire spreading to surrounding vegetation; pile burning will continue throughout the winter as weather permits.
All prescribed burning on the Kaibab National Forest is subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
For additional information regarding the North Kaibab Ranger District pile burns, contact the North Zone Fuels Specialist, Dave Robinson, at (928) 643-8138.
WILLIAMS – Kaibab National Forest fire managers plan to begin burning slash piles in multiple locations across both the Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts as an approaching weather system is forecast to bring rain, snow and cooler temperatures to northern Arizona over the weekend. Piles are the result of past forest health and restoration treatments and are primarily composed of small-diameter trees, branches, twigs, pine needles and other remaining tree slash. The goal of pile burning is to remove fuels in the forest, lessening the potential for spread of future wildland fires and improving overall forest health conditions. In order to limit the chances of fire from a pile burn spreading into nearby trees or other fuels, fire managers often ignite piles just prior to or during snow or rain events.
Williams Ranger District
There are six areas of slash piles on the Williams Ranger District that fire managers plan to ignite this winter.
Tusayan Ranger District
Fire managers plan to burn two areas of slash piles on the Tusayan Ranger District as soon as conditions are appropriate.