Monthly Archives: November 2022

Protect your identity through the holiday season and beyond

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Medicine bottles found blowing in the wind.

DISCLAIMER –After this photo we stripped off the pharmacy labels and shredded them without keeping any record of who the person was.

WILLIAMS – While walking the streets, today, we found these medicine bottles that, apparently, blew from a residents trash can and was blowing around town. They had pharmaceutical labels which might be used to steal an identity. We removed the labels and shredded them without recording any names.

Northern Arizona Gazette would like to remind everyone to take care to secure their identities, particularly through the holiday season. Is someone looking over your shoulder while you enter your PIN? Does your wallet block RFID chips? Do you account for all of your receipts after a day of holiday shopping?

Do not shop on an Internet site whose address does not begin wit “https://.” If you are expecting packages from Amazon, Chewy or other online sites, try to be home when they are expected. Do not open emails if you do not recognize who sent it. If a “government agency” or “company” calls asking for personal information, make them give you a phone number that you can call back to. Check the number in your favorite search engine. Reputable companies will NOT ask you for personal information via email or over the phone. Your local law enforcement office probably has had complaints about certain activities by people attempting to steal personal information or identities. If you are suspicious, call them or check their Facebook or Twitter feeds.

We recommend that you be proactive about protecting your identity over the holiday season. It tends to get so busy that you may not catch something on your credit card until it is too late.

Santaland leads off festive events

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WILLIAMS – Petey is out to remind everyone that Santaland is in full swing at the Recreation Center at 300 W. Railroad Avenue. Kids can get pictures with Santa and his nemesis, the Grinch. They can also pick up some goodies.

Petey also reminds everyone that parking along Route 66 will not be allowed beginning at 4:30. Vehicles may be towed from about 1st Street through 4th Street. This is the parade route and people will want to pack in and be able to see the parade.

The Parade of Lights will start at 6:30 and will be followed by the tree lighting ceremony.

Man arrested at White House

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Early this morning while witnesses watched the total lunar eclipse, they reported that an elderly white male in a bathrobe was seen dancing around the White House. They said they thought they heard him saying, “Vote the way I want or I make moon go away forever!”

Witnesses said that several men gently guided the man into the White House while he sang If I Had a Hammer

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre issued a statement that a dirty MAGA Republican election-denier attacked the White House, was arrested and will disappear like those non-BLM, non-antifa insurrectionist from January 6.

Fossil Creek reopened to public yesterday

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FLAGSTAFF — The Fossil Creek recreation area — closed since June 2021 due to impacts from the Backbone Fire — will reopen to the public beginning November 3.

All Fossil Creek sites, including Childs Dispersed Camping Area, will reopen November 3 except the Dixon Lewis Trail (formerly known as the Waterfall Trail). This trail is expected to reopen later this month when repairs are complete.

“This area is special to a great many people and we appreciate the public’s patience while it recovers,” said Deputy District Ranger Alex Schlueter. “That recovery continues for both Fossil Creek and Sycamore Canyon, but we are excited to welcome visitors back.”

The 16-month closure was necessary to allow the landscape to recover from both fire and monsoonal damage. Road and infrastructure repair was conducted during the closure period to ensure visitor safety.

The area’s continued recovery also means that a future closure is likely during the 2023 monsoon season (June through October) for public safety. Because vegetation in the area has not fully grown back since the fire, there is a greater risk for flash flooding and debris dams, especially during heavy precipitation.

Additionally, Fossil Creek will likely close temporarily in early 2023 to complete resurfacing of Forest Road 708.

Permits are not currently required to visit the Fossil Creek area, but permits will be required beginning April 1, 2023. Permits will be available for purchase beginning March 1, 2023 via Recreation.gov.

Recreationists interested in purchasing permits for the 2023 season can subscribe to emails from the Coconino National Forest or visit the Coconino NF website to remain up-to-date on permit information and check for unexpected changes in conditions or closures.

Recreationists seeking to explore Fossil Creek are reminded to pack out all trash, stick to developed recreation areas, and abide by all posted signage indicating restrictions or closures. It is also important to note that camping is only allowed downstream of Fossil Creek Bridge and upstream of the historic dam site in the backcountry. Camping is not allowed within the permit area during the permit season.

Winter Pile Burns Begin on Kaibab National Forest at Various Locations for Remainder of 2022

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WILLIAMS — Prescribed fire pile burning will commence across the Williams and Tusayan districts of the Kaibab National Forest for the remainder of the fall season.

Winter weather with forecasted snow present excellent opportunities nearly every year for fire crews to burn and consume piled slash and woody debris left over from previous forest restoration projects. For the months of November and December, up to 8,000 acres of piles near Tusayan, Williams, and Parks are planned for prescribed burning operations.

Operations will begin near the City of Williams on Friday, November 4th. About 300 acres of piles will be ignited on the south side of Bill Williams Mountain. These hand piles are relatively small in size and will consume quickly with little to no smoke impacts expected.

Smoke may be visible during the day as ignitions are occurring and may periodically impact Coconino County Road 73 and the City of Williams, but is predicted to be light in volume and short in duration. Smoke production is generally minimal after the first few hours with rapid dispersion as piles consume. Some smoke has potential to settle overnight into the lower elevations due to fluctuating atmospheric temperatures that produce nighttime inversions.

Forest visitors are asked to avoid active hot areas and are reminded to use caution and drive with heightened awareness when passing through any prescribed fire project vicinity.

All prescribed burning on the Kaibab National Forest is subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.
For additional information about the Smoke Management Division of the ADEQ and to view prescribed burn authorizations, please visit: legacy.azdeq.gov/environ/air/smoke/index.html

Weird: The Al Yankovic Story

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Movie Review by Glen C. Davis

ROKU – The much anticipated Weird debuted, today, on Roku TV. This is the actual true story of Weird Al Yankovic. And there are so many things that are revealed about him.

The movie stars Daniel Radcliffe simply because they did not offer me the part. Radcliffe is known for staring in the Harry Potter series of movies. Radcliffe does a tremendous job of bringing the story of Weird Al Yanovic to life.

Weird Al’s musical journey started when his dad beat up an accordion salesman collapsing his lung. In order to avoid a lawsuit his mother offered to buy the accordion. His dad objected to this stringently. I don’t want to spoil the movie for you so I won’t tell you that his dad bought an accordion which caused his ejection from the Amish community he lived in.

Weird Al Yankovic and Daniel Radcliffe.

He attempted to sell his first song, My Bologna, to a record company run by Tony Scotti who is played by an actor who is vaguely familiar, though I can’t place him. They refused the song and advised him to write more songs and play before an audience. It was his song I Love Rocky Road that catapulted him to the top.

What I found amazing was how closely our lives parallel. We both grew up listening to Dr Demento.  He was a musical genius with the accordion. I had one of those wind-up monkeys that clashed the symbols together. He was Madonna’s lover. I saw Madonna’s videos on MTV. He was invited to the birthday party of drug lord Pablo Escobar, who was his biggest fan. I read about Escobar in the newspaper and then used the newspaper as a fan.

The movie follows his true life experience right up until the time when he was assassinated at the Shrine auditorium in 1985 while accepting an award.

The movie is a drama in pure Weird Al style. If you are a Weird Al Yankovic fan, you will want to see this film. If you’re just looking for a good movie with a lot of comedy you want to see this movie.

The only problem is it leaves a burning question. Did Michael Jackson come out with “Bad” first or did he parody Weird Al’s Fat?”

Missing Person Located Deceased in Wupatki National Monument

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FLAGSTAFF — On Saturday October 29th, 2022 at 4:08 pm, Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the Antelope Hills area along Hwy 89 for the report of a Trespass in Progress. When Department of Public Safety Troopers arrived, the subject had left the area. Deputies and DPS Troopers were advised by witnesses the subject was last seen walking northbound on Hwy 89.

Deputies on scene were able to identify the individual as Conan Stults, a 46 year old male out of Utah, through personal property left on scene. An extensive attempt to locate was conducted by Deputies and DPS with negative contact. After multiple hours of attempting to locate and Stults not returning to his vehicle, Coconino County Search and Rescue units were requested.

Search and Rescue efforts continued through the weekend into Monday. On Monday October 31st, at approximately 11:36 am, a Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue dog team located Stults deceased within Wupatki National Monument, south of the Lomaki Pueblo area.

This incident remains under investigation by CCSO and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Department of Public Safety, the Flagstaff Area National Monuments, and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office for their assistance.

Stranded Tour Group Extricated from Grand Canyon Caverns

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Peach Springs — On October 23rd at approximately 8:30pm the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office was notified about a potential rescue at Grand Canyon Caverns for a party that was stranded at the bottom of the elevator, approximately twenty-one stories below surface level, due to an elevator malfunction. The stranded party was not capable of
self-evacuating using the emergency staircase. After assessing the situation over the phone and with personnel from Grand Canyon Caverns and a Coconino County Sheriff’s Office deputy sheriff on scene, it was determined that the stranded party could stay overnight in the hotel suite located in the bottom of the cavern while repair attempts were made on the elevator.

On October 24th at approximately 10:30am the Sheriff’s Office was notified that the repair to the elevator was not successful and that the party at the bottom of the cavern would need rescue assistance. Ten members of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Unit-Mountain Rescue Team, along with four members of the Flagstaff Fire Department Technical Rescue Team responded to Grand Canyon Caverns to conduct the rescue. Upon arriving on scene at approximately 2:00pm the situation was assessed and a technical rope rescue
system was constructed in the elevator shaft. Rescuers made access to the location of the stranded party via the emergency stairs and prepared them for the technical rope raising operation by securing them in a rescue harness and connecting the haul and belay ropes to the harness. The members of the stranded party were raised up the elevator shaft via the technical rope rescue mechanical advantage system one at a time. Each raising operation took approximately 15 minutes to complete. Once on the surface the members of the party were evaluated by personnel from the Sheriff’s Office and the Flagstaff Fire Department. None of the party suffered any medical issues requiring treatment on scene. The rescue was complete by approximately 6:00pm.

This operation is an example of the benefits of close working relationships between Northern Arizona public safety agencies. Expertise and equipment from the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Unit, the Flagstaff Fire Department Technical Rescue Team, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety Northern Air Rescue Unit were instrumental in accomplishing this operation successfully.

Winter Weather Advisory issued for northern Arizona

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The National Weather Service in Bellmont issued a winter weather advisory for areas abover 6500-feet. The advisory started at 2:52 this afternoon and is in effect until Thursday, November 3 at 11 p.m.

Plan on slippery road conditions. Patchy blowing snow could significantly reduce visibility. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning or evening commute.

Possible Snow forecast from 11 PM Wednesday to 11 PM Thursday are Doney Park 2 to 4-inches, Flagstaff 4 to 8-inches, Forest Lakes 4 to 6-inches, Heber-Overgaard 1 to 3-inches, Shonto 1 to 3-inches and Williams 4 to 8-inches.

Temperatures are expected to be freezing during the advisory raising to 54-degrees Saturday. The temperatures should remain in the mid-50s during the day through Tuesday and below freezing during the night.