Category Archives: Flagstaff

Coconino County Sheriff’s Memorial Weekend 2015 Activity

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coco-sheriff-300pxCoconino County, AZ — Historically holiday weekends attract large numbers of people to northern Arizona. Deputies responded to multiple calls for service and initiated many contacts with the public over the Memorial Day weekend Friday, May 22 (noon) – Monday, May 25 (midnight). They responded to approximately 270 citizen requests for assistance and conducted over 500 patrol activities (e.g., area patrols, business checks, traffic stops, etc.).

In efforts to enhance highway, roadway, and recreation safety throughout Coconino County, Deputies in the Flagstaff, Williams, Page Districts, officers conducted approximately 115 traffic stops resulting in: one Aggravated DUI arrest, 19 citations (including two for child restraint offenses, 3 seat belt offenses, several speed citations, and one Title 4 alcohol offense), 8 repair orders, 28 verbal warnings, and 21 written warnings.

Outdoor recreation being higher this time of year, we received over 25 emergency medical related calls, 18 fire related calls, and numerous other calls reporting shooting near public areas, disturbing the peace, large parties, and suspicious activity. Many of these calls were in campground areas or on public land. In an effort to help educate people about off-road, ATV, and boating safety, officers made contact with riders and boaters to ensure safety measures were being followed. We had four reports of off-road related injury accidents in the county.

There were 97 total bookings processed at the Flagstaff and Page Coconino County Detention Facility from May 22 (8:00 am) – May 25 (midnight). Bookings are processed for agencies including: Flagstaff Police Department, Page Police Department, Williams Police Department, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Arizona Department of Public Safety as well as other law enforcement agencies in the county.
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Final paving to resume on US 180 from Flagstaff to Snow Bowl June 1

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sf-peaksFLAGSTAFF — After a winter hiatus, the Arizona Department of Transportation is returning next week to apply the top layer of asphalt along a five-mile segment of US 180 from Schultz Pass to Bader roads (mileposts 214-219).

The work is part of a pavement preservation project that started in summer 2014, but work had to be temporarily suspended until warmer temperatures allowed for the final paving.

The work will occur daily, Monday, June 1 through Saturday, June 6, between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Additional work may be necessary throughout the month and additional traffic alerts will be issued in advance of those operations.

During paving operations, the two-lane roadway will be reduced to one lane. Pilot cars will allow for alternating travel and delays can be expected in both directions.

Motorists interested in traveling to the Grand Canyon National Park can use Interstate 40 to State Route 64 in Williams west of Flagstaff as an alternate route.

Pet services in Williams

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clinic-15-05-22-3WILLIAMS — If you are coming to Williams for this long weekend (or pretty much any time), you probably wonder what pet services are available in town. Apart from the Chinese made toys and treats stocked in the general stores.

Veterinary services are available at the Williams Veterinary Clinic open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday to Friday. The clinic is located at 122 3rd Street. They provide a full range of pet health care services. They also sell Science Diet dog food products at their store. On certain weekends, they hold a vaccine clinic at the Spoiled Rotten Pet Boutique. Their phone number is 928-635-5392.

200-Pets-02They do not, however, have emergency care. There are two locations in Flagstaff that provide emergency pet care. You might want to call ahead to make sure they know that you are coming.

  1. Canyon Pet Hospital, 1054 E. Old Canyon Court, Flagstaff, AZ 928-433-3970
  2. Westside Veterinary Clinic 963 W. Route 66, Flagstaff, AZ, 928-779-0148

Another emergency veterinary clinic is trying to get started in Flagstaff. According to the latest on their web site, the Veterinary Emergency & Specialty Center of Northern Arizona plans to open on May 29. They plan to be open all weekend long from Friday at 5 p.m. to Monday at 8:30 a.m. to provide emergency medical services for pets. The pet hospital will be open 24 hours on holidays when other veterinary clinics are closed.

200-dog-02As an aside to the Williams clinic, Traci started Spoiled Rotten Pet Boutique & Supplies (Facebook) located at 517 E. Historic Route 66 on the east end of town. They sell cat and dog toys and clothing, bedding and the like. They stock Science Diet foods and treats. They include a selection of treats from the Bubba Rose Biscuit Company that are baked treats iced with yogurt.
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On the grooming front, just down the street from Spoiled Rotten at 402 E. Route 66 is Manytails Pet Grooming. They have pet sitting and daycare services. They open Tuesday through Saturday at 9 a.m. You can call 928-635-8897 for appointments.
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If you are traveling from Kingman, Seligman—and all points west—to Williams, you might have a pet that just needs to be groomed. Or, perhaps, Manytails is too busy to get your pet groomed on time for that formal activity. You can call Aunty Abby’s Pet Services and Doggie Day Spa at 928-380-5123. Aunty Abby’s is located at 47125 N. 5th Street in Ash Fork. She provides bathing, grooming, nail clipping and pet sitting.

PROPOSED ARIZONA POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (AZPDES) RENEWAL PERMIT

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ADEQ-2Pursuant to the Clean Water Act and in accordance with Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R18-9-A907, the Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) proposes to issue an Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES) Permit to discharge pollutants to Waters of the United States to the following applicant, subject to certain effluent limitations and special conditions:

Public Notice No.15-54 Published on April 20, 2015 Published in Red Rock News

AZPDES Permit No. AZ0021807
The Sedona Venture Sewer Company
7310 N. 16th Street, Suite 165
Phoenix, AZ 85020

The Sedona Venture Sewer Company applied for a renewal AZPDES permit for the proposed discharge of up to 0.075 million gallons per day (mgd) of treated domestic wastewater from the Sedona Venture Wastewater Treatment Plant to Dry Creek, a tributary to Oak Creek in the Verde River Basin at Township 17 N, Range 5 E, Section 19, in Yavapai County, Arizona. The Wastewater Treatment Plant is a privately owned treatment works that receives domestic wastewater from residential sources in Sedona Shadows Manufactured Home Community and Sunset Hills Resort. Waste activated sludge is held in the aerobic digester for a period of 45 to 60 days and then hauled to either the Butterfield Station or N.W. Regional Municipal Solid Waste Landfill for disposal.

The permit and fact sheet may be viewed online at http://www.azdeq.gov/cgi-bin/vertical.pl by typing the permit number in the box left of “Search Event”. The public notice and related documentation also are available for public review, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the ADEQ Records Center, 1110 W. Washington St., Phoenix, Arizona, 85007. In Phoenix, please call (602) 771-4380 or e-mail recordscenter@azdeq.gov 24 hours in advance to schedule an appointment to review the file.

Persons may submit comments or request a public hearing on the proposed action in writing, to Richard Mendolia, Water Permits Section, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality Division, 1110 W. Washington St., 5415B-3, Phoenix, Arizona 85007. All written comments received by ADEQ by the close of business on the date 30 days after publication of this notice will be considered in the final permit decision. A public hearing request must be in writing and must include the reasons for such request. If there is a significant degree of public interest, the Director will hold a hearing in accordance with A.A.C. R18-9-908(B).

One Vehicle Rollover Crash on Lake Mary Road Results in Two Deaths

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FLAGSTAFF — On May 18, 2015 at around 1:30 pm, the Sheriff/Police 911 Dispatch Center in Flagstaff received a report of a one vehicle rollover crash that occurred near milepost 328 Lake Mary Road. On scene responders found two female victims who had been ejected from the vehicle and were deceased, and a male who was trapped inside the vehicle and who was still responsive. First responders extricated the male who was then transported via air to Flagstaff Medical Center (FMC).

The three victims are siblings. The driver who was transported to FMC is 21 year old Nathan Bighorse. He is in stable condition. The two females who succumbed to injuries were his 9 year old and 13 year old sisters. The vehicle was a Chevy ½-ton pickup.

Responding agencies included Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Guardian Medical Ground, Guardian Air, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Blue Ridge Fire Department, and Highlands Fire Department.

At this time the cause of the crash is still under investigation by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office; speed is likely to have been a contributing factor.

Stand Down a success despite the weather

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Arizona Veterans Standdown Alliance photo.

Arizona Veterans Standdown Alliance photo.

FLAGSTAFF — The third High Country Stand Down at the Flagstaff National Guard Armory seems to have been a success. Despite the weather, District 4 Supervisor Mandy Metzger said that about 125 veterans came through the door just after opening. The event is organized by Philan Tree, assistant to Mandy.

The High Country Stand Down is a branch of the larger Arizona Veterans StandDown Alliance (Facebook). For the last three years the High Country Stand Down has been growing.

The event this year is dedicated to Flagstaff Marine Lance Davison, who suffered from PTSD and traumatic brain injury and took his own life in February 2014. Davison is one of the roughly 22 veterans who commit suicide in this country each day, or one every 65 minutes, according to a 2013 study by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.

The Stand Down is a collection of services and gifts for homeless veterans and veterans in need. The tables and services all reflect the services available to veterans all year around.

Some of the services, such as the pet care provided at the event, are not just for veterans. Aspen Veterinary Clinic provided check-ups and medical services for pets. The Low Cost Spay/Neuter Clinic of Flagstaff gave free vaccines. Many of the local veterans seemed to be taking advantage of this service. One family brought in two dogs and about five cats to be vaccinated.

Another service that anyone who resided in Coconino County should be aware of, and take advantage of, is the Downwinder’s Program. The North Count Healthcare system presented their radiation exposure screening and education (RESEP) program. If you lived in Coconino County—and other certain areas of Nevada, Utah or Arizona—from 1959 to 1962, you may be eligible for compensation due to the nuclear weapons testing in Nevada. The Northern Arizona Health Care system provides free screening for people who lived in those regions during that period for cancer and other anomalies that might have been a result of those tests. They even help you file the paperwork.

Northern Arizona University provided dental technicians for dental screening and to assist veterans in filing paperwork for dental work needed.
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The Salvation Army provided hamburgers, hotdogs and chips for the event. They also gave out sack lunches.

One important feature of the event for the last two-years was the Veterans Court. The Veterans Court is called a therapeutic court in the legal system and is available to veterans all year round. This special court was set up at the event solely to quash pending warrants and allow veterans to get their cases moving in the Veterans Court system. This is not the way the normal court works.

Judge Cathleen Nichols, of Coconino Superior Court Division 5, is the coordinator for the Veterans Court. There are two other therapeutic courts for DUIs and mental health issues which work in similar fashion.

Judge Nichols explained that in the normal course of an arrest, the fact that a defendant is a veteran may enter into the paperwork. If it does not, the veteran may identify himself. Self-identification does require the veteran to prove service, such as a DD-214 or retired identification card. This is particularly useful in misdemeanor cases where a defendant is usually not represented by a lawyer.

Once a veteran is identified, the case is reviewed by the office of the County Attorney to see if they can allow it to be referred to the Veterans Court. The attorney of the defendant is also consulted if he has one. It is up to the defendant to decide if they choose to take this course. It does not allow the veteran to “get away” with anything. The veteran will have to agree to probation with all that entails. They may also be required to attend certain classes or programs and report their progress to the court.

Judge Nichols pointed out two unusual features of this therapeutic court in the Coconino County Superior Court system. First is that the veteran does not necessarily have to have an honorable discharge. A person with a convenience of the government or other type discharge may be considered for the Veterans Court. The second feature is that this is the only court system in the State that currently considers felony cases.

The High Country Stand Down also provided back packs stocked with sleeping bags and hygiene kits. They also provided new shoes and the Goodwill Industries provided free clothing for the homeless veterans.

Any organization or corporation which may be able to provide services or products to veterans may participate in the program. To be involved in the Fourth Annual High Country Stand Down, contact Philan Tree at the office of Mandy Metzger at 928-679-7154. For other areas you can consult the Arizona Stand Down Alliance web site.

Bellemont gets hit first

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640-15-05-15-11WILLIAMS — A winter storm warning has been issued for northern Arizona as snow and fog is predicted overnight. There is an 80% chance of snow overnight in Williams with a possibility of up to 2-inches. There is a 20% chance of snow and rain Saturday clearing by Sunday. Flagstaff has a 10% better chance of precipitation over the same period.

It appears that Bellemont bore the brunt of the storm today with snow turning to mostly rain in Flagstaff. Snow started to fall in Flagstaff about 4 p.m.
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Williams received mostly rain and fog.

Multi-Agency Response to Injured Hiker in the Area of West Clear Creek

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FLAGSTAFF — On May 10th at approximately 2:30 pm the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and the Coconino County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Unit responded to a report of an injured hiker in West Clear Creek. The adult male victim was believed to have a broken leg and was in need of rescue.

The Blue Ridge resident deputy sheriff and the Pine-Strawberry Fire District responded and requested Search and Rescue. The Search and Rescue team responded for a litter carry. Given the time of day and the conditions in the bottom of West Clear Creek it was determined that a helicopter short-haul rescue would be the safest option.

Arizona Department of Public Safety Central Air Rescue in Phoenix responded to the area and a Coconino County Sheriff’s Office SAR volunteer who is trained as a heli-rescue technician boarded the helicopter and performed heli-rappel into the scene.

Once on scene the SAR heli-rescue technician and Pine-Strawberry Fire District personnel packaged the patient on a backboard and then placed him in a Bauman Bag device for the short-haul. The patient and the SAR heli-rescue technician were then short-hauled out of the canyon to the intersection of State Route 260 and State Route 87 where a ground ambulance was waiting for the patient.

This mission was another good example of interagency coordination among northern Arizona responders and the Department of Public Safety Aviation Bureau.

Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Flagstaff Police Department, and US Forest Service Offer Woods Watch Training and Orientation

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Coconino-County-3FLAGSTAFF — Concerns regarding very dry conditions and the impending Wild Land Fire Season are on the minds of many community members who live in cities and unincorporated areas throughout Coconino County. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Flagstaff Police Department, and the US Forest Service are offering “Woods Watch” training and orientation.

This volunteer program is similar to Neighborhood Watch and is of vital importance in residential areas that interface with forested land. Volunteers are trained to assist local officials in watching for and properly reporting people accessing closed areas or people who are using fire carelessly or against fire restrictions, especially on forested lands.

Woods Watch has been very successful in years past. Volunteers assist Northern Arizona law enforcement officers in watching access points to the forest. By providing additional sets of eyes in our community, Woods Watch Volunteers assist law enforcement officers in keeping unlawful fire activity under check. With the extremely dry and windy conditions our communities often experience, a fire start may spread very quickly endangering lives and property.

This year, we are offering Woods Watch re-certification and new volunteer training on Wednesday, May 27, 2015 at 6:00 pm at the Law Enforcement Administration Facility located at 911 E. Sawmill Rd. Citizens who have attended this training in previous years are asked to attend again as a review and to receive updated information. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office will also provide Woods Watch training to our established volunteer groups such as Search and Rescue, existing Neighborhood Watch Programs, and CERT during their regular meetings. The training takes approximately one hour.

The Woods Watch Program is a commitment to join local law enforcement officers with community members to keep our communities and our forests beautiful, safe and free of wild land fires. For any additional questions or information, please contact Gerry Blair of the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at 928-226-5089 or Sergeant Margaret Bentzen at 928-556-2300.

Veterans Court not just for Stand Down

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stand-down-1FLAGSTAFF — Tomorrow is the third annual High Country Stand Down organized by Philan Tree—Assistant to Coconino County Supervisor Mandy Metzger. The event will open with the posting of the colors at 10 a.m. and run until 3 p.m.

The services that will be available are numerous. There will be hot meals, hygiene kits, and clothing and survival gear available. Services include notary, dental, vision, medical care and pet food and care.

The services and products are free and available to any veterans that require them.

There will be a special version of Veterans Court held by Judge Cathleen Brown Nichols and Flagstaff Justice of the Peace Howard Grodman. Veterans with warrants for arrest that can be transferred to Veterans Court can have them removed at this special session.

DNA legal services of Flagstaff will be available for consultation at the event.

The Veterans Court is a service of the Coconino Superior Court system and the other judicial courts of Coconino County. It is not just available at the High Country Stand Down. This special court meets the first and third Thursday of each month at 1:30 p.m. Warrants that are transferable to this special court setting may be eliminated at this special court system, but possible penalties are subject to the laws of the State of Arizona.

In an interview with Justice of the Peace Rob Krombeen of the Williams Justice Court, he noted the significant savings to taxpayers to quash outstanding warrants.

Judge Krombeen said, “[W]hen you look at the out-come from a warrant arrest—the police involvement, the detention facility involvement, and then everything else that has to happen to get that defendant back into court—there’s a significant cost.

“In fact, Maricopa County did a study this last year, and through their research down in their county they found that a warrant arrest cost the taxpayer about 793 and some-odd cents. So it’s a significant amount of money per warrant that acutally ends up being closed by arrest. So this is saving, literally, thousands of dollars by getting folks to voluntarily appear and get their cases back underway.”

The special Veterans Court at the Stand Down is empowered to hear cases from all judicial jurisdictions in Coconino County. Veterans can also obtain more information about the Veterans Court system at the Stand Down.

Philan Tree, organizer of the event, said that last year over 200 veterans took advantage of the services last year. She said that there could be as many as 500 this year because the word is getting around about the event.