Category Archives: Flagstaff

Candidates sought to run for school board

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FLAGSTAFF – There are 11 Coconino County School Districts with governing board vacancies for the November 6 election.

Coconino County Superintendent of Schools Risha VanderWey encourages residents to get involved in local education by running as volunteer school board members to help shape policies impacting education.

Governing board seats are open in the following districts:

  • Flagstaff Unified School District (two seats);
  • Williams Unified School District (two seats);
  • Grand Canyon Unified School District (three seats);
  • Chevlon Butte Unified School District (four seats);
  • Fredonia-Moccasin Unified School District (five seats);
  • Page Unified School District (three seats);
  • Maine Consolidated Unified School District (four seats);
  • Tuba City Unified School District (two seats);
  • Coconino Community College District 5 (one seat);
  • Coconino Association for Vocations, Industry and Technology (CAVIAT) Fredonia, Grand Canyon, Williams, and Page; and
  • Northeast Arizona Technological Institute of Vocational Education (NATIVE) Tuba City.

To be eligible, candidates must be Arizona registered voters and residents of the school district for at least one year prior to the Nov. 6 election. Candidates or their spouses may not be an employee of the district.

Nomination packets can be found online at: http://coconino.az.gov/1939/2018-School-Board-Elections

Packets can only be turned in between July 9, 2018 through August 8, 2018.

For more information or to request a packet by mail, please call Elizabeth Sorg at 928-679-8070 or e-mail esorg@coconino.az.gov.

Interstate 40 ramp closures between Parks and Williams in northern Arizona

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Drivers on Interstate 40 in northern Arizona are advised to plan for travel delays on Interstate 40 because of traffic realignment and ramp closures at Parks, Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads. Crews are repairing 17 miles of pavement on I-40 between Parks and Williams. The project also includes making bridge deck repairs at Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads.

As crews complete work to rebuild 5 westbound miles of the freeway between mileposts 167 and 172, traffic moved back to the westbound lanes as the temporary crossover in that section was removed and the westbound on- and off-ramps at Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads reopened after being closed since May.

On Thursday, July 12, the eastbound on-ramp and westbound off-ramp at Parks will close for a few weeks to allow crews to continue rebuilding a 1-mile section of I-40 in both directions near the interchange. Traffic for both ramp closures will be detoured to Pittman Valley Road where traffic will exit and re-enter I-40 eastbound towards their destination.

In a few weeks, crews will place concrete barrier on the westbound side of I-40 so both directions of traffic will use one lane in each direction while crews rebuild the eastbound lanes between mileposts 167 and 172. The eastbound on- and off-ramps at Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads will close for the next few months. The ramps at the Parks Road interchange at milepost 178 will reopen to help detour traffic.

Work on this 5-mile section of I-40 is anticipated to wrap up by the fall.

Meanwhile, crews continue to repave other portions of the highway between mileposts 162 and 179 from Cataract Lake to Parks.

Crews are completing work on westbound I-40 between Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads first, then moving to eastbound I-40 in the same area. Construction will pause for the winter season and is scheduled to resume in spring 2019 for additional paving, bridge and intersection work. The project is scheduled for completion in late 2019.

What to expect

Crews are scheduled to work Mondays through Fridays from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Lane closures, ramp closures and restrictions will be required

For more information, email MKirby@azdot.gov or call Mackenzie Kirby, MPP, Community Relations project manager, ADOT Northcentral District, at 928.525.6494. Information is also available on the project web page.

Schedules are subject to change based on weather and other unforeseen factors. For more information, please call the ADOT Project Information Line at 855.712.8530 or email Projects@azdot.gov. For real-time highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT’s Traveler Information Site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except when driving.

Coconino County pilots Super Service Saturday

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FLAGSTAFF — Coconino County initiated a pilot project to bring services to residents one Saturday a month during the summer. In a multi-departmental effort called “Super Service Saturdays,” the County will provide select services from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the second Saturday of the month (July 14, August 11 and Septeptember 8) at the County Health and Human Services Office, 2625 N. King St. Flagstaff.

During every Super Service Saturday, there will be a wide variety of services offered by the Public Health Services District, Community Services Department, the Career Center and other County departments.

“We’re very excited to be launch this new program that will expand services to Saturdays,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Matt Ryan. “The Board of Supervisors fully supports trying this out and opening our doors on Saturdays to help ease the burden for people who can’t access services during normal business hours. We hope people take advantage during this pilot period and help us spread the word.”

Resources for job seekers, Financial Empowerment Workshops and WIC Services will be available every Super Service Saturday. People can also get a free backpack, while supplies last, when they get back-to-school immunizations or sports physicals during the July and August events. District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta’s office will also take part in Super Service Saturdays to help answer constituent questions and inform them on County updates.

“We live in a very rural and diverse county where accessing these crucial services, Monday through Friday, during working hours, isn’t always easy,” said Supervisor Archuleta. “I’m thrilled that this program will help people, who usually have to take vacation or sick time or take unpaid time off work during the week, get services they need. If we can make the lives of the people we serve just a little bit easier, this program will be a success.”

The 2017 Coconino County Community Need Assessment and focus groups conducted by the Health District found that accessing services during traditional hours was sometimes difficult due to transportation issues and work schedules. The Super Service Saturday program will be evaluated after the pilot is completed to determine if Super Service Saturdays are continued or expanded to include more locations, dates and services.

More information and a complete list of services can be found at http://www.coconino.az.gov/superservicesaturday or by calling 928-679-7120. Registration is required for some of the services. Regular fees apply.

Rescue of Injured Hiker at Lava River Cave

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FLAGSTAFF — On July 9, 2018 at approximately 2:00 pm the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Coconino County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, Guardian Medical Transport, and Ponderosa Fire District responded to an injured hiker in the Lava River Cave. The 44-year-old male hiker from Cordes Lakes, AZ suffered an ankle injury near the end of the cave and was unable to walk out on his own. Ponderosa Fire and Guardian Medical personnel hiked in to initiate patient care while Search and Rescue carried a litter and responded with additional personnel to transport the hiker out of the cave. Twenty-three rescue personnel from the three agencies were involved in the operation.

The terrain in the cave as well as the darkness made for a challenging rescue. After an approximately three-and-a-half-hour rescue operation, rescuers were able to get the hiker out at 5:52 pm. The hiker was transported to Flagstaff Medical Center for treatment of an ankle injury.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind hikers planning a trip to the Lava River Cave to be prepared for the conditions inside the cave. In addition to total darkness, the ground is rocky and uneven. Temperatures range from 32 to 40 degrees Fahrenheit inside the cave even during the summer. It is recommended that hikers use a headlamp and helmet as well as wear appropriate hiking footwear when entering the cave.

Meeting to be held Thursday, July 12, in Sedona on SR 89A improvements

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PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation will hold an informational meeting on Thursday, July 12, in Sedona about plans for safety, roadway and bridge improvements along 12 miles of State Route 89A between Sedona and Flagstaff.

The meeting will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, July 12, at the Sedona Public Library, 3250 White Bear Road. A formal presentation is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.

The four projects planned for this stretch of SR 89A beginning in 2019 will require traffic restrictions and are being coordinated to minimize impacts on those who live, work and recreate in the area. The work involves:

Rehabilitating the Pumphouse Wash bridge.
Rehabilitating pavement from the Sedona city limits north to Bear Howard Drive.
Reducing the potential for rock fall between mileposts 375 and 389.
Installing erosion control infrastructure.

More information on the projects is available at azdot.gov/SR89AImprovements.

Project team members will be at the meeting to explain the improvements and share information about proposed construction schedules and traffic plans. The public can ask questions, provide comments and speak directly with project team members.

Those unable to attend the meeting can ask questions and submit comments in these ways:

Toll-free ADOT bilingual project information line: 855.712.8530.
Email: SR89A@hdrinc.com.
Mail: SR 89A Projects c/o HDR, 101 N. First Ave., Ste. 1950, Phoenix, AZ 85003.

The deadline for comments is July 28.

You asked for it. You’re gonna get it.

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FILE PHOTO

The monsoons are about to hit with a fury over the next week. There are no official weather advisories for the period, but there is a 60% chance of thunderstorms through tomorrow. Thunderstorms, of course, bring lightning so there is a possibility of fire starts. The moisture, however, might make them easier to contend with.

Tuesday through Friday the chance of thunderstorms continues ranging from 40% to 50% chance. There is a 30% chance on Saturday.

Temperatures are expected to cool slightly dropping from the low 80s to the upper 70s and there are no excessive winds predicted for the period. The forecast for Flagstaff is almost identical to Williams with slightly cooler temperatures overnight.

Rescue of Climbing Accident Victim at Oak Creek Vista

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FLAGSTAFF – On July 2, 2018 at approximately 1:15 pm, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call about a climbing accident at Oak Creek Vista off of State Route 89A. Multiple agencies responded to assist in the rescue of the injured climber.

A 57-year-old male from Tucson, AZ had sustained a back injury when he fell approximately 20 feet at the end of his rappel. Due to the location of the patient and the nature of his injuries, Search and Rescue established a technical rope system to lower a rescuer and basket litter to the patient. Highlands Fire and Guardian Medical personnel had hiked to the patient’s location to provide initial treatment and help prepare the patient to be raised by the rope system. The Search and Rescue litter attendant and the patient were then raised via a mechanical advantage rope system to the top of the canyon and carried out to the waiting ambulance. The patient was transported to Flagstaff Medical Center for treatment of his injuries.

Thank you to Highlands Fire District, Guardian Medical Transport, and Coconino County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Unit.

Rain in the future

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In case you forgot, rain looks something like this.

WILLIAMS — According to the long-range forecast, moisture may move into the area next Friday. Williams and Flagstaff have a 20-percent chance of rain starting Friday morning and continuing through Saturday night. The chance of rain increases to 30-percent Sunday morning.

Whether or not it will be enough to break the drought remains to be seen.

Independence Day closures

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FLAGSTAFF –– All Coconino County offices will be closed Wednesday, July 4 in observance of Independence Day.

While the administrative offices at the Sheriff’s Office will be closed on Wednesday, July 4, records will remain open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Please dial 911 for emergencies. For non-emergencies, dial 928-774-4523 to connect with the non-emergency dispatch number or to leave a message for one of the administrative offices.

Coconino County Public Health Services District (CCPHSD) Animal Management will have an officer available from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, July 4. Contact the CCPHSD Animal Management office at 928-679-8756 and leave a message and an officer will respond. Call 9-1-1 for emergencies.

Coconino County’s parks and natural areas will remain open during the holiday, but administrative offices at Fort Tuthill County Park will be closed and limited staff or services will be available. The Fort Tuthill Bike Park is open. The public is encouraged to visit one of the County’s parks for a morning run, afternoon hike or to view local wildlife.

The County remains in Stage Three Fire Restrictions below the South Rim of the Grand Canyon and the use of fireworks is prohibited throughout the County. For more information on restrictions go www.coconino.az.gov/ready.

2018 Coconino County Fair early bird ticket sales began today

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FLAGSTAFF — Coconino County Parks & Recreation is hosting the 69th annual Coconino County Fair, on Labor Day Weekend, August 31 – September 3, at Fort Tuthill County Park. The Fair is a community event where people exhibit animals and handcrafts. There are also various entertainment acts, carnival rides and games.

Starting July 1, fairgoers can purchase early bird Coconino County Fair admission tickets and carnival wristbands for a discounted rate at coconinocountyfair.com. The promotion ends July 31. Discounted carnival wristbands are available until they are sold out.

Early bird admission tickets will be $5 each for adults and $3 each for youth (ages 6 – 12) and seniors (65 and older). Kids, 5 and under, are not charged admission at the Fair. Carnival wristbands, which allow people to ride unlimited carnival rides for one day, will be $25 each, while supplies last. There is a limit of ten wristbands that can be purchased at one time.

To enter exhibits such as artwork, photography, crafts, homegrown vegetables and flowers, clothing, quick breads, cookies, cherry pies, candies, preserved foods, quilts and more, go to coconinocountyfair.com. Entries are free except for livestock. Participants will compete for red, white or blue ribbons with special awards, including cash prizes.

The 2018 Fair Book is now online for people to view categories and enter their exhibit information. There are a limited number of printed Fair Books available at the Parks and Recreation Administration office or participating locations in Coconino County.

For more information on the County Fair go to coconinocountyfair.com or call the Coconino County Parks and Recreation Department at 928-679-8000.