Monthly Archives: June 2025

13 Colonies Amateur Radio event starts tomorrow

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The annual 13 Colony amateur radio event begins tomorrow and runs through July 7th. Amateur radio operators are encouraged to attempt to contact all 13th stations from the original colonies of the United States plus two bonus stations from the list below.All modes of operation may be represented – SSB, CW, RTTY, Digital, Etc. – The mode of operation is up to the individual colony state station. Please refer to the State information pages for details.

All HF bands will be in play, including the WARC bands, with the exception of 60 meters. Simplex on 2 meters and 6 meters is encouraged. The SE stations are on the east coast and, are very close to each other. It will be harder for these states to contact each other so, use of 40m-160m is encouraged.

The exchange for this event is:

  • CALL SIGN
  • RS / RST / RSQ
  • STATE / PROVINCE or COUNTRY

If you are a Short Wave listener (SWL), you also qualify for the certificate. Follow the instructions on the Certificates page when you submit your log. A special SWL logo will be affixed to the certificate for you. One or all 13 stations logged qualifies you. Just log ALL of the 13 Colony states and you can get a complete set of custom special event QSL cards also! all 13 are different. QSL requests to be made to each individual Colony State Station with an self-addressed stamped envelope.

The 13 Colonies event invites those short wave listeners to consider getting an amateur radio license. Just use your favorite search engine and search for amateur radio clubs in your area to get information on becoming licensed.

The 13 Colonies Special Event is a not for profit event. All donations are used to fund the next years event, and to defray any expenses occurred. All donations are used for operating costs, supplies, equipment, and 13 Colony Group initiatives. Donation is voluntary

Make safety a priority if driving over the Independence Day weekend

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With no closures scheduled on state highways over the extended Independence Day weekend, the Arizona Department of Transportation is joining other agencies, including first responders, in asking drivers to focus on safety and staying alert during holiday road trips.

Allow extra time during peak travel periods, including Thursday afternoon, July 3, and Sunday afternoon and evening, July 6.

ADOT and its contractors will be giving motorists a break by not scheduling state highway closures between Thursday afternoon and Sunday night.

Drivers should still expect the unexpected, including unscheduled highway closures due to crashes, disabled vehicles, wildfires or other incidents.

ADOT anticipates heavy traffic and possible delays on highways in and out of the Phoenix and Tucson areas during peak holiday weekend travel times. That includes the Interstate 17 Improvement Project work zone between Anthem Way and the Sunset Point Rest Area north of Phoenix.

Other highways expected to be busy at times include State Route 87 between Fountain Hills and Payson; US 93 between Wickenburg and Hoover Dam; I-10 between Tucson and Phoenix; and I-8 and I-10 between the Phoenix area and the California state line.

For summer travel, ADOT recommends preparing an emergency kit including extra drinking water. Other items to consider are blankets, a first-aid kit, a flashlight, extra batteries, a fully charged cellphone and charger, snacks, diapers if necessary and a small tool kit. More information about traveling in hot weather is available on the ADOT website.

Because travel delays are possible, don’t forget other important items such as prescription medicines. A hat, sunglasses and umbrella – to help with rain or shade – also are good items to remember.

Be prepared for changing weather conditions, including blowing dust. Other road trip safety recommendations include:

  • Avoid distractions. Don’t text while driving. Eyes up, phones down.
  • Check your vehicle, including tire pressure and engine fluid levels.
  • Get some rest before traveling. Fatigue is a serious safety risk.
  • Never drive while impaired. Buckle up and obey speed limits.
  • Arrange for a designated driver or ride service if necessary.
  • If towing a trailer, secure chains so they are not dragging on pavement and creating sparks that might start a brush fire.
  • Avoid stopping in areas with grasses and brush. Hot vehicle components could start a fire.

ADOT will have personnel ready to respond to incidents along highways over the holiday weekend. In addition to on-call statewide maintenance crews, the ADOT Incident Response Unit (IRU), sponsored by GEICO, patrols Phoenix-area freeways in Maricopa County from 4 a.m. to midnight on weekdays and from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends. The IRU operators assist state troopers as well as drivers in need of help.

Real-time highway conditions are available on ADOT’s Arizona Traveler Information site at AZ511.gov, the az511 app (download for Apple or Android devices) or by calling 511. ADOT also provides highway condition updates via its X feed, @ArizonaDOT.

AZGFD to step up patrols over holiday weekend, promote sober boating

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) and partner agencies will be patrolling Arizona’s waterways over the Fourth of July holiday weekend to provide heightened enforcement and awareness about the dangers of drinking alcohol while boating.

Once again, AZGFD will be participating in “Operation Dry Water,” a national boating under the influence awareness and enforcement campaign. The goal is to reduce the number of alcohol and/or drug-related fatalities and accidents by spreading this important message to the public: Drinking and boating is a potentially deadly combination.

“Our top priority is to create a safe environment for everyone who is out enjoying Arizona’s waterways,” said Major Danny Rodriguez, watercraft law enforcement programs coordinator/boating law administrator. “If alcohol is being consumed on your boat, always designate a sober operator.”

During last year’s Operation Dry Water campaign, almost 500 local, state, and federal agencies contacted 296,190 boaters and made 584 arrests nationwide for boating under the influence. A total of 10,008 citations were issued, as well as 33,546 safety warnings.

In Arizona, five agencies — AZGFD, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, Bullhead City Police Department, National Park Service, and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service — contacted a total of 2,822 boaters statewide during last year’s campaign, made four arrests for boating under the influence, and issued 89 citations. The agencies also combined to issue 588 safety warnings.

“It’s no different from driving a car on the highway; the operator is responsible for everyone on board the boat,” Rodriguez said.

While the main focus of the campaign is geared toward those who operate a boat under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, officers may also give warnings or write citations for other violations, including not having proper safety equipment, failing to slow down in no-wake zones, operating too close to another vessel, and riding on areas of a vessel that are not allowed, such as the bow or transom.

Arizona state law requires that children 12 and under must wear a life jacket at all times while the boat is underway, and there must be one life jacket on board for every passenger. In addition, a throwable flotation device, usually a cushion with handles or a ring buoy, is required for all watercraft longer than 16 feet (except for canoes and kayaks).

Operation Dry Water was launched in 2009 by the National Association of State Boating Law Administrators, in partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard. The initiative is credited with removing 7,453 impaired operators from the nation’s waterways.

AZGFD has been an Operation Dry Water partner since the beginning. “Any outreach that helps bring awareness to prevent fatalities and injuries in Arizona is a valuable investment of our time and resources,” Rodriguez said.

For more information on boating in Arizona, visit www.azgfd.com/Boating/.

Days left to enter Super Raffle; win hunt-permit tags

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PHOENIX–If you found yourself tagless after the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s 2025 fall draw, here’s a deal for you! Conservation First USA is wrapping up its Big Game Super Raffle where tickets to hunt mule deer, white-tail deer, bison, bighorn sheep and more for 365 days are only $10 per species. The best part: There is no limit to the number of tickets you can purchase.

The deadline to purchase tickets is June 30.

Ten lucky individuals will win one of 10 special big-game tags (elk, pronghorn, bighorn sheep, mule deer, white-tailed deer, bison, turkey, javelina, bear and mountain lion) for the 2025–26 hunting season.

Purchase the “All 10 Package” and receive one entry per species, PLUS a free entry for the Swarovski Optik Package. There’s more: All orders placed are eligible to win additional prizes in the “Buy Often, Win Big!” program. Read more here.

Details:

  1. Raffle tickets are $10 each, per species.
  2. The deadline to purchase tickets is June 30.
  3. The winner can hunt for 365 days (Aug. 15, 2025, to Aug. 14, 2026)
  4. Raffle tickets must be purchased online, and the buyer must be in Arizona at the time of purchase.
  5. The drawing will be conducted in July.
  6. A complete set of rules can be found here.

June 29 is deadline to apply for Local Sportsmen’s Group grants

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PHOENIX — Time is running out for local sportsmen’s organizations to apply for $75,000 in annual grant funding to provide public, mentored projects that are focused on the recruitment and development of new hunters and anglers.

Applications must be received by the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) no later than 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) Sunday, June 29. Grants will be awarded through a competitive application process. Online applications and instructions are available at www.azgfd.gov/LSG.

The Local Sportsmen’s Group grants program places a high priority on projects that involve the pursuit or harvest of fish or wildlife with a valid license (and any necessary hunt permit-tag) and are geared toward participants who have the appropriate experience and skill levels relevant to a particular project.

“This grant program continues to provide much-needed funding for Arizona’s conservation organizations to connect with the public through quality, mentored projects at a time when there’s a huge demand for traditional outdoor and wildlife recreation like hunting and fishing,” said Doug Burt, AZGFD’s recruitment, retention and reactivation (R3) manager.

“The projects from these funds, and the efforts of these community groups, return far more in value than the grant dollars would on their own by providing education about safe and ethical hunting and fishing, and how sportsmen play an important role in wildlife conservation.”

There is no cost to Arizona taxpayers for this grant program. Game and Fish does not receive any of the state’s general tax funds and operates under a user-pay, public-benefit model. The grant program is an investment in the continuance of wildlife conservation efforts and outdoor recreation participation in Arizona.

Visit www.azgfd.gov/wsfr for more information about how hunters, anglers, shooters, and boaters fund wildlife conservation through the Wildlife and Sport Fish Restoration (WSFR) program.

To learn more about AZGFD’s Recruitment, Retention and Reactivation (R3) program, visit www.azgfd.gov/outdoorskills for hunting, and www.azgfd.gov/FishAZ for fishing.

Hutton Ranch Road – Rio de Flag Crossing Project Completed

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FLAGSTAFF — A project to build a new and improved Rio de Flag crossing culvert at Hutton Ranch Road has been completed.

The $548,000 Hutton Ranch Road – Rio De Flag Culvert Crossing Project will improve transportation in and out of the Hutton Ranch neighborhood when the Rio de Flag is flowing. The project, which broke ground in late March, features a 3×20-foot cast-in-place concrete arch culvert under Hutton Ranch Road at the Rio de Flag crossing along with new fencing, guardrails, water inlet & outlet protection, and a paved surface over the culvert.

The Coconino County Public Works Engineering Division and County contractors began planning the project after the Slayton Ranch Road/Rio de Flag crossing was washed out by heavy snowmelt flows in March 2023. The Slayton Ranch crossing was replaced in July 2023, and the team used data from both that project and the record winter runoff of 2023 to determine the optimal drainage structure for the Hutton Ranch Road/Rio de Flag crossing.

“The washout at Slayton Ranch Road two years ago was a powerful reminder of the Rio de Flag’s flood potential and the need to swiftly address any vulnerabilities in our drainage infrastructure,” said Public Works Director Christopher Tressler. “Just as we did at Slayton Ranch, we’ve designed and constructed a resilient new crossing at Hutton Ranch Road engineered to safely handle seasonal snowmelt and monsoon flows while minimizing impacts to the surrounding neighborhood, as much as is feasible.”

“I’d like to thank everyone in Hutton Ranch area for their patience during the three months of work it took to complete this important project,” said Supervisor Judy Begay, whose district includes the Slayton Ranch Road area. “I’d also like to thank the engineers and construction team for working so hard to finish this project in time for what is forecast to be an active monsoon season.”

For more information about the Hutton Ranch Road – Rio De Flag Culvert Crossing Project please contact Public Works at 928-679-8300.

Stage 1 Fire Restrictions to begin Friday, June 27

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WILLIAMS—Due to increasing fire danger, Stage 1 Fire and Smoking Restrictions will go into effect beginning 8:00 a.m. Friday, June 27, 2025, on the North Kaibab and Tusayan ranger districts.

Under Stage 1 restrictions, the building, maintaining, attending, or using fire, campfire, or stove fire including charcoal and briquettes outside of a permanent metal or concrete fire pit or grate that the Forest Service has installed and maintained at its developed recreation sites is prohibited. Smoking is also prohibited, except within an enclosed vehicle or building, at a developed recreation site, or while stopped in an area at least 3 feet in diameter that is barren or cleared of all flammable material.

Using a stove or grill that is solely fueled by liquid petroleum or liquid petroleum gas (LPG) fuels that can be turned on and off is allowed in areas that are barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within three feet of the stove or grill.

The Kaibab’s fire restrictions do not prohibit target shooting. However, all existing regulations for discharging a firearm on public lands still apply.

Additional restrictions may be necessary in the future. Fire restrictions typically remain in effect until the area receives enough widespread precipitation to significantly lower the fire danger.

Fire restrictions are implemented to help prevent human-caused fires and to limit the exposure of visitors during periods of potentially dangerous fire conditions. Decisions about fire restrictions are based on a combination of carefully measured factors. Criteria used to determine when to implement restrictions include current and predicted weather, fuel moisture, fire activity levels, enduring drought, and available firefighting resources.

The public is reminded to always be extra cautious when recreating on public lands, regardless of restrictions. Fireworks and explosives are always prohibited and leaving a campfire unattended is illegal all year round.

Violations could result in mandatory appearance in a federal court, fines, or jail time.

For information on restrictions and other alerts on the Kaibab National Forest visit https://www.fs.usda.gov/r03/kaibab/alerts.

For restriction information on state and federally managed lands in AZ visit wildlandfire.az.gov/fire-restrictions. Coconino County fire restriction information can be found at https://www.coconino.az.gov/AlertCenter.