WILLIAMS — In the wake of September 11, 2001, it seems to slip the minds of most people that we were injured in a surprise attack before. An attack that President Roosevelt labeled, “…a date which will live in infamy.” On December 7, 1941, the island nation of Japan attacked the Naval base at Pearl Harbor and the aircraft at Hickam Field, Hawaii. The attack came mostly from the sky, but some Japanese two-man submarines were also suspected. Over 2,000 service men and civilians lost their lives in the attack with several thousand more injured. The war with Japan came to an abrupt end with the bombing of two of their cities with newly-developed atomic bombs on August 9, 1945.
The symbol of the attack on Pearl Harbor is the U.S.S. Arizona over which a memorial has been built. A piece of that historic vessel was shipped to Williams and placed in Williams Memorial park on the west end of town.
Since the attack, December 7th has become Pearl Harbor Rememberence day. With a statue of Bill Williams and a World War II soldier looking on, a group of residents attended the memorial service of the American Legion Cordova Post #13 in Williams. After speeches and a prayer, the residents were invited to a Mexican buffet at the American Legion Cordova Post #13 on Grant Street at 4 p.m.
Daily Archives: December 7, 2019
Bearizona Kicks Off Wild Wonderland Holiday Celebration
Bearizona photo
Bearizona, a popular drive- and walk-thru wildlife park devoted to providing homes to wild animals in need, kicked off the annual Wild Wonderland celebration last night. Visitors are allowed to enter the glowing Fort Bearizona after normal operating hours every Friday, Saturday and Sunday in December to experience this night-time extravaganza.
Wild Wonderland is a family-friendly event that immerses guests in the Christmas spirit as they stroll among 400,000 lights illuminating the towering ponderosa pine trees. The lights are synchronized with traditional Christmas music every half hour, providing a dynamic multimedia show of colors and sounds. Additionally, several of the park’s resident critters, such as jaguars, otters, bobcats, raccoons, badgers and foxes, will be staying up late to open their early Christmas presents for the viewing pleasuring of park guests.
Guests will also be given the opportunity to spend time with Mrs. Claus during a nightly story time reading in the gift shop, stay warm by the outdoor fire pit where they can purchase s’mores to roast, and enjoy the seasonal libations and holiday treats available for purchase at Canyonlands Restaurant. After story time, kids of all ages can take photos with Mrs. Claus.
The full nightly schedule for Wild Wonderland is below:
- 6 pm – Front gates open
- 6:30 pm – Jaguars and otters open presents
- First light show takes place, repeating every 30 minutes until 8:30 pm
- Craft room opens in gift shop
- 7 pm – Story time with Mrs. Claus
- 7:30 pm – Bobcats and raccoons open presents
- 8 pm – Story time with Mrs. Claus
- 8:15 pm – Last admittance
- 8:30 pm – Badgers and foxes open presents
- 9 pm – Park closes
“Our Wild Wonderland has always been a wonderful opportunity for families to come together and get into the spirit of the holidays,” said owner Sean Casey. “We are proud to continue providing this experience for the thousands of park visitors who have let us become a part of their family traditions.”
Tickets for Wild Wonderland are available online at http://www.bearizona.com/ for $13 (using promo code bzwild19) or $20 at the gate, and children under the age of 3 are free. Admission to this event is a separate charge from general park admission. Wild Wonderland takes place in the Fort Bearizona walk-thru portion of the park only; the drive-thru portion of the park is closed. Wild Wonderland will be closed on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
Two Suspects in Custody on Williams Area Burglaries
WILLIAMS – On December 6, 2019 detectives with the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office executed two search warrants in the Williams District of Coconino County and within the City of Williams. These search warrants stemmed from several burglaries that had been reported in the Red Lake and Valle neighborhoods north of Williams between May and November of 2019. During the investigation, Detectives were able to identify suspects in the case. During the execution of the search warrants, several items were located and recovered that had been reported stolen from the burglaries.
Christopher Tow, age 27 of Williams and Clyde Dunwoody, age 36 of Red Lake were arrested and booked into the Coconino County Jail for 2nd Degree Burglary, Theft, Trafficking in Stolen Property, and 1st Degree Criminal Trespass. The case remains active and under investigation, which may result in additional charges.
The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Williams Police Department with their assistance in this case.