Monthly Archives: May 2017

Binational initiative wins economic development award

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YUMA – A binational initiative to increase commerce and tourism in southwestern Arizona and the neighboring region in Mexico, stemming from a collaboration involving border communities and state entities including the Arizona Department of Transportation, has been honored for excellence in economic development.

The American Planning Association’s Economic Development Division selected the 4FrontED Initiative for its Donald E. Hunter Excellence in Economic Development Planning Award, saying the public-private partnership “is adding economic value to a multi-jurisdictional region where it may not have otherwise occurred.”

The 4FrontED region includes Yuma, Somerton, Wellton and San Luis in Arizona, as well as San Luis Río Colorado, Mexico. The Cocopah Indian Tribe is a recent member of the initiative.

In 2013, ADOT, the Arizona-Mexico Commission, the Arizona Commerce Authority and the Arizona Office of Tourism worked with the border communities of Douglas, Nogales and San Luis/Yuma County to create the Arizona Border Communities Roadmap identifying assets and strategies to generate economic development.

The 4FrontED Initiative stems from a binational work program, the Border Business Case, that is the first step of the Border Communities Roadmap. Through the 4FrontED Initiative, communities and businesses in southwestern Arizona and in Mexico formed alliances to increase international commerce and tourism and develop strategies to connect investors with opportunities.

“ADOT recognizes that border communities, because of their binational nature, have unique needs but also present a number of valuable opportunities for growth and development,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “The collaborative approach through the Border Communities Roadmap ensures that we maximize the efforts to promote the region and foster new investment and job creation.”

Yuma Mayor Douglas J. Nicholls, who initiated 4FrontED’s launch, said the initiative’s successes have only just begun as participants unite behind its shared vision.

“We are doing so, in unison, with short-term and long-term goals, to put the region on the global map,” Nicholls said.

The award will be presented Monday, May 8, at the American Planning Association National Planning Conference in New York City.

Drivers should plan extra travel time on SR 89A in Oak Creek Canyon this weekDrivers should plan extra travel time on SR 89A in Oak Creek Canyon next week

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SEDONA – Motorists traveling on State Route 89A north of Sedona should allow extra time Monday, May 8, and Tuesday, May 9, while roadway striping is underway.

A rolling lane-striping operation is scheduled during daylight hours, weather permitting. Although no travel lanes on SR 89A will be closed, drivers should be patient and watch for slower-moving equipment between mileposts 375 and 386 in Oak Creek Canyon.

ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions and closures, but it’s possible that unscheduled impacts might occur because of weather or other factors. For the most current information about highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT’s Traveler Information site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except while driving

Sheriff meeting at High Country Fire stresses community

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RED LAKE – Sheriff Jim Driscoll held a forum of over 200 people at the High Country Fire Station on Highway 64 concerning the recent murders of 67-year-old Michael and his 64-year-old wife Nora Dimuria. The crowd was so large they had to move the fire truck out of the station to make room for the standing-room-only audience. Sheriff Driscoll was joined by the County Supervisor for District 3, Matt Ryan who also called for a community response to assist in the efforts of the Sheriff’s Department. [Video at web site.]

“We need you as a community. The Sheriff needs you as a community to help, to be the eyes and ears, to bring in support for one another,” Ryan said.

Sheriff Driscoll began his comments by encouraging everyone in the community to get to know their neighbors and share information. He then laid out a chronology of the events leading up to the arrest of a suspect.

To see communities come together; to see communities experience tragedy, you can make the best of it or you can make the worst of it.” Sheriff Driscoll said later in his talk. “You can use this as an opportunity to pull together or you can use this as an opportunity to become divisive. You know there’s great concern when a tragedy occurs and there’s bad guys out there that we don’t resort to going vigilante. ”

On Tuesday, May 2nd, at approximately 9:00 am the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a neighbor of the victims reporting he had found his neighbor dead. Sheriff’s deputies from the Williams District responded to the location and upon further investigation in the residence found two deceased adults, one male and one female who had resided at the home. The Sheriff’s Criminal Investigation Unit out of Flagstaff was contacted and responded to the location. The victims were identified as the home owners, 67-year-old Michael Dimuria and his 64-year-old wife Nora Dimuria. The couples’ white 2006 Jeep Liberty 4 door vehicle was missing from the home.

The morning of May 6, 2017, the Sheriff’s Office received a tip from an area resident that a potential suspect was fleeing to Colorado. Throughout the day, Sheriff’s Office conducted interviews and worked with Colorado agencies. The Dolores County Sheriff’s Office located the missing Jeep Liberty in South Western Colorado near Dolores after they received a call from a community member who reported the vehicle as suspicious and possibly abandoned.

The possible suspect obtained a different vehicle and later in the evening the suspect fled the area and a high-speed chase ensued, with the subsequent firing on pursuing law enforcement. Law enforcement performed a pit maneuver on the suspects’ vehicle, rolling it. The suspect, 29 year-old, Derrick Shawn Barnett, from Grand Junction, Colorado, was arrested on outstanding Colorado warrants and is in-custody in Montezuma County, Colorado. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is comfortable that this suspect is a suspect in our Red Lake area double homicide. Sheriff’s Office detectives are in route to Colorado to continue the investigation.

There was some concern about the lack of information flow to the public. Sheriff Driscoll explained that they only want to release information that they know as fact.

Lake Mary Road Reconstruction Project starts next month

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FLAGSTAFF — The contractor for the Federal Highway Administration’s Central Federal Lands Highway Division (CFL) will break ground Monday, May, 8 on an $8.2 million renovation project on Lake Mary Road.

Crews have mobilized and are ready to start construction. Electronic message boards are in place on both sides of the project corridor. Work is scheduled during daylight hours, Monday – Saturday. Flaggers, signage and other traffic control measures will be in place and pilot cars will also be used to guide vehicles through the construction zone.

Drivers along Lake Mary Road should expect delays of up to 30 minutes and are encouraged to use extra caution and obey posted speed limits though the construction zone.

The CFL-managed Lake Mary Road Reconstruction Project includes widening five miles of the roadway for multimodal use, which will help the Lake Mary Road Corridor become an international destination for major cycling and triathlon events.

The five miles of widening will be between milepost 312.5 and milepost 317.5. Another two miles of Lake Mary Road between mileposts 310 and 312.5 will be milled and overlaid. In addition, the superstructure and decking of the Willow Valley Creek Bridge at milepost 297.5 will be replaced. The project is expected to be completed this fall, weather permitting.

A key route between Flagstaff and Payson, Lake Mary Road is a vital economic generator. Between 1,200 and 1,300 vehicles travel the road each day. It is also a high-use recreational corridor with access to camping, hiking, hunting fishing, road and mountain biking, cross-country skiing and wildlife watching. In 2015 the U.S. Forest Service estimated that 70 percent of all travel along the road was for recreation including a daily average of 161 bicyclists.

The Lake Mary Road Reconstruction Project is largely funded by a Federal Land Access Program (FLAP) grant that was awarded in April 2013. The County’s portion of the project is being funded by Proposition 403 revenues. CFL awarded the contract for the project to Glendale, AZ-based Stormwater Plans, LLC earlier this month.

Grand Canyon Unified School District seeking Governing Board applicants

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FLAGSTAFF – Coconino County Superintendent of Schools Risha VanderWey is seeking applicants for appointment to the Grand Canyon Unified School District Governing Board. Effective May 4, one seat became vacant due to the resignation of Jennifer Allen.

Applicants must be Arizona registered voters and residents of the school district for at least one year prior to the date of appointment. Applicants or their spouses can’t be an employee of the district.

Application information:

An advisory committee, consisting of district residents and a current board member will be assembled to conduct interviews and advise Superintendent VanderWey on the appointments.

For more information, please call the Office of the Coconino County School Superintendent at 928-679-8070 or e-mail: rvanderwey@coconino.az.gov.

North Kaibab Ranger District to open campgrounds on May 15

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FREDONIA – Recreational campgrounds on the North Kaibab Ranger District will open May 15 and remain open until Oct. 15.

Both the Jacob Lake campground and the DeMotte campground will be open and available for public recreation and overnight camping. The Jacob Lake campground is located 30 miles southeast of Fredonia, Ariz. on U.S. Route 89A at roughly 7,900 feet. The DeMotte campground is located about 25 miles south of the Kaibab Plateau Visitor Center on Arizona Highway 67 at roughly 8,700 feet.

A complete list of amenities may be found at Recreation.gov by searching for the specific campground. Campers are reminded to be mindful of any rules associated with the campground and always maintain fire safety when making a campfire. To stay current with any fire restrictions in Arizona go to firerestrictions.us/az.

Additionally, the Kaibab Camper Village, which is privately owned and managed but surrounded by Kaibab National Forest, is also scheduled to be open from May 14 through Oct. 15. Kaibab Camper Village offers full RV hookups and tent sites, and is located just 40 miles from the Grand Canyon National Park North Rim. For more information on Kaibab Camper Village, please visit kaibabcampervillage.com or call 928-643-7804.

To make reservations at the Jacob Lake campground or the DeMotte campground, please visit Recreation.gov or call 877-444-6777. For additional information on all of the Kaibab National Forest recreational sites please visit fs.usda.gov/recmain/kaibab/recreation.

Stormy weather possible through Wednesday

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WILLIAMS – The temperature is expected to rise to near 80o tomorrow and be sunny which may be the last good day through Wednesday. NOAA is calling for light and variable winds up to 15-mph with gusts of 23-mph tomorrow.

Saturday the temperature is expected to drop to 69o with winds increasing up to 25-mph and gusts as high as 41-mph. There is, currently, a 10% chance of thunderstorms. It should clear up and be breezy on Sunday with temperatures around 58.

On Monday there is a chance of rain and snow with some thunder possible continuing overnight. Tuesday and Wednesday a slight chance of showers continue with temperatures rising to about 60o.

Currently there are no hazardous weather warnings for the period. Campers should be aware of high winds when building camp fires, however.

U.S. Deer Antler EX. & IM., INC. Announces The Recall Of Herbal Tea Varieties In Pouches

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U.S. Deer Antler Ex. & Imp., of Los Angeles, CA is recalling a variety of Herbal Teas prepared on premises between 4/1/17 and 4/30/17 in cooperation with an inspection made by the California Department of Public Health. The aforementioned Herbal Teas, especially those with low-acidity held at room temperature, were not produced according to approved guideline, making them susceptible to contamination by Clostridium botulinum.

Below are the product descriptions and photographs:

Products Packaging Cases
Herbal Tea Variety Batches prepared on premise between 4/1/17 – 4/30/17 120 ml/ Pouch 40 Pouches / Case

The Herbal Teas were distributed to individual customers and acupuncturists in California, Florida, Illinois, Maryland, North Carolina, Texas, and Virginia.

Symptoms of Clostridium botulinum typically begin with blurred or double vision followed by trouble speaking, swallowing; and progression to muscle weakness starting in the upper body, moving downward.  Botulism can lead to life-threatening paralysis of breathing muscles requiring support with a breathing machine (ventilator) and intensive care. http://www.cdph.ca.gov/HealthInfo/discond/Pages/Botulism.aspx

People experiencing these symptoms who have recently consumed these Herbal Teas should seek immediate medical attention.

In its ongoing cooperation with the California Department of Public Health, U.S. Deer Antler Ex. & Imp., Inc. has immediately segregated its entire inventory of Herbal Tea varieties, and is notifying consumers and customers not to consume potentially-contaminated product. Furthermore, U.S. Deer Antler Ex. & Imp. Inc. is voluntarily recalling all varieties of general Herbal Teas prepared on-site in the period of 4/1/17 to 4/30/17 to ensure consumer safety.

Consumers in possession of these products are to stop consumption and return unconsumed product to their original place of purchase.

U.S. Deer Antler Ex. & Imp., Inc. will be sending recall notices to all of its direct customers.  Please contact Joong W. Park (323) 735-9665 for further information.

ReFlow Medical Issues Recall of Specific Lots of Wingman35 Crossing Catheters

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WASHINGTON, D.C. – On April 22, 2017, ReFlow Medical initiated a lot-specific voluntary recall of the Wingman35 Crossing Catheters.

The FDA is classifying this as a Class 1 recall, the most serious recall situation where the patient is exposed to a reasonable likelihood of death or a serious injury. The Wingman35 Crossing Catheters have been found to exhibit tip splitting or separation, which has resulted in two adverse events. ReFlow has received 2 complaints of catheter-tip splitting and/or separation. A total of 2327 Wingman catheters are in distribution.

Tip splitting has the potential to lead to loss of device function. Tip separation may require medical intervention to retrieve a separated segment or may occlude blood flow to end organs.

The Wingman Crossing Catheters in this recall were distributed between January 2015 and March 2016.

ReFlow Medical has notified its customers and distributors by recall notification letters. The letters requested that all customers and distributors quarantine and discontinue use of all potentially affected units and return the affected product to the company as soon as possible for credit.

FDA and other regulatory agencies around the world have been notified of this action.

Consumers with questions may contact ReFlow Medical Customer Relations at 1-949-481-0399, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Pacific time or by email at info@reflowmedical.com.

Adverse reactions or quality problems experienced with the use of this product may be reported to the FDA’s MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting program either online, by regular mail or by fax. Complete and submit the report Online: www.fda.gov/medwatch/report.htm Regular mail or fax: Download form www.fda.gov/MedWatch/getforms.htm or call 1-800-332-1088 to request a reporting form, and then complete and return to the address on the pre-addressed form, or submit by fax to 1-800-FDA-0178.

Names of victims of double homicide released

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WILLIAMS – The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office released what most people in Williams, sadly, already knew. The victims have been identified as the home owners, 67-year-old Michael Dimuria and his 64-year-old wife Nora Dimuria.

The investigation of a double homicide in Red Lake north of Williams is continuing. Sheriff’s detectives as well as a team from the Arizona Department of Public Safety comprised of investigators and crime scene technicians are on their second day of processing the scene. No other details are being release at this time.

The couples white 2006 Jeep Liberty 4 door bearing Arizona license plate of 123-VDL is missing from the home. The Sheriff’s Office is asking the public to be on the lookout for this vehicle and to contact law enforcement immediately if they see the vehicle.