WILLIAMS — A Good Friday procession is planned for Williams on Friday, April 3 starting at 6:30 p.m. The procession will start at the Mustang Gas station on the east end of town on Route 66. They will travel west along Railroad Avenue to the Family Harvest Church. People wishing to participate can call (928)635-2430 for more details. This is the first time this event has been held.
File Photo
Following Saturday is the annual Community Easter Eggstravaganza. The event held at the Recreation Center will run from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event features Easter egg hunts for the kids, prizes and other family fun. There is some news about a special guest, but we have not been told who. We could hazard a guest. Call the Recreation Center at (928) 635-1496 for more information.
After your attendance at Easter service on Sunday, you can witness the Friends of the Williams Aquatic Center 5th Annual Ducky Egg Race. The proceeds fund the activities of the Friends through the months when the Aquatic Center is open. Eggs are $5 each or 6 for $20. The location of the race is TBD the day of the race. Tickets can be purchased prior to the race in front of Safeway on March 27, March 28, and April 3. They can also be purchased at the Community Easter Egg Hunt on Saturday, April 4. Monies raised will be used for pool publicity in Williams and the surrounding areas.
ARIZONA —– The Arizona Citizens Defense League, responsible for many positive gun laws enacted in Arizona, initially held a raffle for two custom-made AR-15 pistols. Online demand for the tickets was so huge that half of the tickets were sold in two days. They reported in an e-mail that they had to pull tickets that were reserved for an upcoming gun show to meet the demand.
AzCDL has ordered two more of the custom-built AR-15 pistols built by Forward Operating Base in Phoenix, Arizona. The AzCDL logo is laser etched on the lower of each pistol. The pistols are chambered for the 5.56 NATO round and include the following features:
SigTac stabilizing arm brace (SB 15)
Quentin Defense Billet ambidextrous lower receiver, slick side upper receiver and 3 pound trigger
Ambidextrous safety selector
QD rear takedown pin with swivel
Ambidextrous sling attachment end plate
GunTec rubber pistol grip and back up iron sights
7” Veriforce match grade billet stainless steel barrel with cone flash can muzzle device
10” Key-Mod free float rail
550 cord 2 point to 1 point convertible sling
Magpul 30 round window magazine
What this means is that the AzCDL is now holding two concurrent raffles for four of the AR-15 pistols. Each ticket is only $10 and represents two chances of winning one of the AR-15 handguns. Only 900 tickets will be sold for each raffle.
Winners must comply with all federal, state, and local laws, and must pick up the firearms from a federally licensed (FFL) firearms dealer. If a winner does not qualify for the possession of these firearms, their ticket is invalid and a new winner will be drawn.
Contact AzCDL for more information.
You can order tickets, books, memberships and other items from the AzCDL online store.
Marvelous Marv has been conducting tours to the Grand Canyon for well over thirty-years. He adjust the tour length to the time you have and picks you up where ever you are staying in Williams. He even gives you a disk of pictures he has taken over the years.
Marv’s Marvelous Van is equipped with a DVD system which plays educational videos on the trip to and return from the Canyon. When you arrive, he explains features and history of the Canyon. You then have time to wander, take photos or just enjoy the splendor of the Grand Canyon.
NPS Photo.
Marv does not just give tours in the spring and summer. His tours are available all year, weather permitting. He often laments that people do not take advantage of the beauty of the Grand Canyon during the “off-season.” The changing climate of the Canyon during the fall and winter provide some spectacular views such as the recent inversion layer witnessed.
If you do not get a reservation to his tours, there is always the Grand Canyon Railway and Jeep tours. You can sign up for the Pink Jeep Tours in downtown Williams.
One way or another, if you visit Williams we can get you to the Grand Canyon.
WILLIAMS — New solar light have been installed around Williams since January. They were initially installed on the east end of town along historic Route 66. Since then about 200 lights have been placed all along Route 66 and Grand Canyon Boulevard.
While some commented that it looked like an airport runway, most comments overheard were positive.
Yet some problems have been observed. Residents have noticed missing lights and some of the new lights not working.
Mayor John Moore of Williams—Who has said the lights are being donated by a private citizen—confirmed that at least three lights have been knocked down by vehicles parking in the downtown area. Like the older lights in Williams, they have been placed along the sidewalks to provide the most access to pedestrians. Thus they are closer to the street.
Other repairs being observed, he said, were because of faulty lights which the company is replacing at no charge.
Even with the problems noted, the lights seem to be a popular addition to the streets of Williams.
WILLIAMS — Arizona Archaeology month is nearing the end. This weekend will be the last opportunity for the guided tour of the Keyhole Sink site east of Williams. The site is four-miles west of Parks.
Traveling from Flagstaff, exit at Parks road and follow historic route 66 west. The tour starts at 2 p.m. Neil Weintraub reports on Facebook that you might expect to get wet from the water fall. There is no cost.
The Keyhole Sink is open to the public year around, but this is one of the few chances to get a guided tour.
Laura Leinaar, Animal Care specialists, gives guests a close-up look at the cubs.
WILLIAMS — Last Friday we got to visit Bearizona Wildlife Park (Facebook) in Williams Arizona to see the newest addition. Three bear cubs born around 7 weeks ago in January. The cubs are Klondike, Blue and Captain.
Laura Leinarr, Animal Care specialist at Bearizona, explained that they are separated from their mothers because male bears will attempt to kill the cubs in an attempt to make the mothers go into heat.
In the wild, mother bears can hide their cubs, but this is not an option at Bearizona. They are also very protective of their cubs in the wild. That is why you should use extreme caution if you encounter a cub or bear in the wild. Immediately begin to slowly back up the way you came until you are well clear. Laura explained that they are currently being kept in the enclosure in the Mine Shaft so they can remain under constant observation to ensure their best chance of survival. While they are under constant observation by gleeful children, we think she meant professional observation.
The bear cubs will remain in the enclosure until about May. They will then be transferred to an enclosure near the new gift shop that is currently being constructed. If that is not finished, they will be located at the normal cub enclosure at the walk-through area. Like any newborns, the cubs are still developing eyesight and learning to walk. Yet they have a highly developed sense of smell that they rely on to identify their mothers. In this case, they know Laura’s smell and get excited hoping that it is feeding time. If you get a chance to see the cubs around feeding time, Laura might even give you a close-up look.
Bearizona is a drive-through wildlife park and the animals ARE considered wild. Laura explained that it is extremely important to keep windows rolled up and doors locked while in the drive-through section. Bears are intelligent and if they smell something interesting in your vehicle, they can actually operate your door latch. That includes the latch to the back door in many SUVs.
If you do not enjoy the option of shooting pictures through window glass, you can opt to take the windowless bus. You can catch the bus at the entrance to the walk-through area.
WILLIAMS — One of the historic Route 66 restaurants in Williams re-opens tomorrow. Almost like the Phoenix, Old Smokey’s restaurant is rising from the flood to move onto Route 66.
The restaurant opens tomorrow at 125 W. Route 66 at 6 a.m. They plan to open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., initially, adjusting the hours as necessary. The old Old Smokey’s only served breakfast and lunch, but the owners have added a dinner menu at the new location.
Owner Dan Barnes explained that they had a lease at the old building—located across the street from Dairy Queen—with an option to buy. The building fell into disrepair and there was some difficulty getting repairs causing the restaurant to be closed for several years. Mr. Barnes had acquired the rights to the name and the Old Smokey image and kept the LLC open. The image of Old Smokey is the same, albeit a little flashier.
The restaurant boasts a better menu with hamburgers and a chicken sandwich you can build to your taste from the menu. They recommend checking out the pretzel and corn meal dusted sandwich buns. They also recommend trying out their chicken, pork or beef barbeque. They still offer the old familiar breakfast favorites that made old Old Smokey’s famous.
WILLIAMS — Bison Lake at the Bearizona Wildlife Park seems to have filled up due to snow melt.
Actually it is not really a lake. The plain area where the Bison usually love to lay in the snow has filled with water creating a marsh which is difficult, at best, to drive through.
Not to worry, however. The Bison are still hanging around the road for viewing.
Next week visitors will be treated to viewing the newest residents to the park. Three bear cubs were born this spring and will be placed into the walk-through area.
Across the National Park System, there is an estimated half-a-billion-dollars of obligations owed concessionaires who run lodges, restaurants, and even some activities, for the National Park Service.
It’s a sum that, while Park Service officials say is manageable, has seemingly stifled concessions competition in some parks and led the agency to divert tens of millions of dollars from some parks to others to reduce the debts.
At Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming, the outstanding amount is more than $57 million. At Glacier National Park in Montana, it’s $22 million. At Grand Canyon National Park in Arizona, it’s nearly $100 million. At Yellowstone National Park, the sum is $21.5 million.
WILLIAMS — Spoiled Rotten Pet Boutique at 517 E. Route 66 will host a vaccine clinic by the Williams Veterinary Clinic. The clinic will be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 28 and the terms are cash only. No credit cards please.
The canine vaccines available will be DA2PPV (distemper and parvo) for $20, rabies $18, bordetella $18.
Feline vaccines will include FVRCP (upper respiratory) for $20, $18 for rabies and $22 for FELV.
WILLIAMS — A Good Friday procession is planned for Williams on Friday, April 3 starting at 6:30 p.m. The procession will start at the Mustang Gas station on the east end of town on Route 66. They will travel west along Railroad Avenue to the Family Harvest Church. People wishing to participate can call (928)635-2430 for more details. This is the first time this event has been held.
