Category Archives: City

I-40 paving through Winslow

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The Arizona Department of Transportation is starting on the final phase of paving through Winslow. Crews will be finishing the main portion of paving on both the westbound and eastbound lanes of I-40 this Friday (July 31) at (milepost 250-268).

Monday (Aug. 3) through Friday (Aug. 7) workers will be paving the interchange on and off ramps at Hipkoe Drive, North Park Drive, Transcon Lane and State Route 87. During this time, motorists will need to travel to the adjacent interchange east or west of the one being worked on to exit or enter I-40.

On Monday (Aug. 10), workers will begin to apply the final layer of asphalt over the top of what has already been replaced. This rubberized top layer allows for a quieter and smoother drive for motorists. This portion of the paving operation moves fairly quickly and it’s anticipated that crews will be finished by Friday (Aug. 21).

Crews will start replacing the SR 87 bridge deck, which crosses I-40 on the east side of Winslow, once all of the paving is completed. During replacement of the SR 87 bridge deck, north bound traffic will remain open during the entire project while southbound traffic will be diverted to the Transcon interchange.

Work hours will be 2 a.m. to sunset Monday through Friday. There will be narrow traffic lanes, wide load restrictions and a reduced speed limit through the work zones. Drivers are asked to use caution, watch for detour signs and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.

Distraught Suicidal Subject Rescued

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FLAGSTAFF — On Saturday at 4:35 pm the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a third party regarding a subject residing in Kachina Village who made statements about harming himself. While deputies were responding to the home, information was obtained that the presence of Sheriff’s Deputies could further aggravate the subject who was armed with multiple firearms. Deputies staged in the area of the residence to establish a perimeter around the home in case the subject attempted to leave the residence.

From these staged locations deputies reached out to family members and friends of the subject in an attempt to resolve the situation peacefully. Deputies were able to meet with the subject’s father and attempted telephone contact. This telephone call ended without success in talking the subject out of the home. During this incident deputies learned the subject in crisis was a military veteran with combat deployments overseas. Deputies were able to locate another local veteran and utilized him to try to talk the subject into a peaceful solution; however, this was to no avail.

At 8:30 pm deputies received information that the subject may have ingested a large number of prescription medications. Multiple attempts to contact the subject by telephone continued to be unsuccessful. Deputies utilized thermal imaging equipment from Highlands Fire Department in an attempt to determine the subject’s location inside the home. Sheriff’s Office personnel maintained a perimeter around the residence. At 9:53 pm deputies entered the home and discovered the subject unresponsive on the living room couch holding a loaded semi-automatic pistol against his chest and a loaded high caliber rifle on the floor next to him.

Deputies secured the weapons and immediately began rendering aid to the unconscious and unresponsive subject. Highlands Fire Department Medical Personnel and Guardian Medics who were staged at a safe location near the incident responded as soon as Deputies rendered the scene safe. Guardian transported the unconscious man to the Flagstaff Medical Level 1 Trauma Center where he was treated and later regained consciousness. It is believed this individual will survive.

Home Invasion in Kachina Village

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800-07-28-15-CoconinoKachinaSuspectKachina Village, AZ — Coconino County Sheriff’ Deputies and Detectives are asking for help from community members in identifying and locating an individual who entered a residence through an unlocked door and contacted an adult female who was taking a shower and inappropriately touched her.

On Sunday, July 26, 2015 at approximately 11:30 pm, an unidentified suspect entered a residence located in the Kachina Village Community through an unlocked door. The suspect walked through the residence and entered a bathroom where he found the female victim who was in the process of taking a shower and inappropriately and illegally touched her. The victim screamed at the suspect ordering him to leave her home. Eventually the suspect left the residence.

The victim described the suspect as a Hispanic male that appeared to be in his mid-30s, approximately 5’8” tall with a skinny build, no visible scars, marks, or tattoos. Prominent features include unusually large round eyes (possibly from drug intoxication) with a predominant overbite or “buck” teeth. At the time this crime was committed the suspect was wearing a gray short sleeve shirt with buttons but no collar, baggy cream colored denim pants, brown belt with a gold buckle, black baseball cap turned backwards and black and white Vans type shoes. Attached is a composite drawing that the victim believes is similar to the suspect’s appearance.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is requesting anyone who believes they may know someone who is similar to the composite drawing of the suspect and his physical description to call the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at the numbers listed below. Anyone who has knowledge of this crime or similar crimes occurring in Coconino County or in the City of Flagstaff is urged to call the below listed numbers for the Sheriff’s Office or the Flagstaff Police Department at (928) 774-4523 (non-emergency). Community members also may call Silent Witness (928) 774-6111 and remember we need your information not your name.

Get out of town: Explore Route 66

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UPDATED 7/29 4:02 Thanks to Linda Messimer for the correction on Davenport Lake.

WILLIAMS— Williams has the distinction of being the last route 66 town bypassed by interstate 40. The mural on the wall by Circle K is a tribute to that. So while you are here you might want to stay an extra day in Williams to explore the Mother Road.

"On Arizona Highway 87, south of Chandler. Maricopa County, Arizona." by Dorothea Lange - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

“On Arizona Highway 87, south of Chandler. Maricopa County, Arizona.” by Dorothea Lange – U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

Route 66 gained the name of the Mother Road because of its significance to history. During the depression when tragedy struck the Great Plains—in what was called the great Dust Bowl—thousands took to Route 66 to travel west in search of a better life. This was depicted in the book and movie The Grapes of Wrath.

Route 66 was instrumental in winning World War I and World War II. Old-timers told me of the days when they would watch convoys of men and material moving down Route 66 to be shipped off to war. Most people don’t realize that Interstate 40, and all other freeways for that matter, were started by President Eisenhower who brought the idea back from the German autobahn.

Route 66 has seen a resurgence of interest since it was decomissioned. Williams and Flagstaff have a significant amount of Route 66 still available for travel. The stretch we will examine in this article is from Bellmont to Williams.

Of course it goes down to Ash Fork which is another significant Route 66 town, as well as a railroad center in the old west. Ash Fork history can be seen at the Route 66 Museum in Ash Fork on, well… Route 66.
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Celebration of life for Larry Norfolk

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640px2015-07-28-26WILLIAMS — I will tell you that writing this article has become increasingly difficult. This is one of the times that I find it extremely difficult to separate the reporter from the subject.

Here’s the reporter stuff.

Friends and family gathered at the Senior Center in Williams in a standing-room only celebration of life for Larry Norfolk who passed away on July 9. The gathering was attended by the Williams City Mayor, John Moore, who is not always known for attending such gatherings. The crowd would probably have been larger except for the fact that many had jobs to go to.

Father Killian and Mayor John Moore join the Celebration of Life for Larry.

Father Killian and Mayor John Moore join the Celebration of Life for Larry.


Father Killian of St. Joesph the Worker Catholic Church—the Church also put in many hours arranging a mass and this Celebration of Life—gave a prayer of intercession that the Lord would guide the soul of our friend to the eternal City of Jerusalem.

Like many of us, the Mayor recounted that when asked where Larry was from, we did not know. When asked what Larry’s last name, we did not know. He commented that Larry was to Williams what Cher is to America. He only needed one name. Larry. Because everyone knew Larry. Yet, like many of us, while the news of Larry’s passing spread quickly, many of us did not connect it to our Larry.

The Mayor also spoke of a research paper on success that he did in college and had to say that Larry was “very successful.”

The rest of the crowd shared stories of humor and love that Larry tended to generate whenever he met people. He was a true ambassador for Williams as representatives from the Williams Visitor Center and Chamber of Commerce pointed out.

I have to admit that my “reporter instinct” failed at this celebration. For some reason, perhaps because of the solemn nature of the occasion, I failed to get the name of Larry’s brother and niece who brought the memorabilia representing the life of Larry Norfolk. I apologize.
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Larry’s brother noted the toy soldiers which were lined up next to the Mickey Mouse items. He recounted how Larry had contracted polio as a child. He was bedridden for years while his family was an active family. Larry’s mother built a table so that the children could play. He was known as “Sarge” by the family. One time Larry apparently crossed his mother and she called him by his full name. Larry’s brother, being younger, looked at his mother and had to ask who that was.
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Overcoming the polio, he told many of the attendees how he remembered playing basketball with brothers.
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Flagstaff PD 32nd annual National Night Out

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DSCN0103FLAGSTAFF — In conjunction with the National Association of Town Watch (NATW) campaign, the Flagstaff Police Department will be hosting the annual National Night Out in the west parking lot of City Hall, August 4, 2015 from 6pm-8pm.

This free event is for the whole family and will feature a live radio broadcast, free hotdogs, sodas, watermelon and a chance to get out for the evening. There will be presentations including hands-only CPR, identity theft and fraud prevention, updates on community crime prevention activity.

Citizens will have the opportunity to meet with the police officers who work in their neighborhoods. They can learn what is being done near their homes and make suggestions to their officers for issues that might need attention. Information about neighborhood Block Watch will be available.

Officers from the Flagstaff Police Department, Northern Arizona University Police, Department of Public Safety, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and many others will have displays and educational materials.

The National Night Out, is a yearlong community building campaign, is designed to: (1) heighten crime prevention awareness, (2) generate support for, and participation in, local anti-crime programs, (3) strengthen neighborhood spirit and police-community partnerships, and (4) send a message to criminals letting them know that neighborhoods are organized and fighting back.

This is a special night for the Flagstaff community to take an opportunity to promote awareness, safety and neighborhood unity through partnering with public safety professionals and local businesses to give crime a “night out.”

Three added to Flagstaff Police Department communications

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Dispatch graduation Flagstaff — On July 24, 2015, Eli Navarro, Morgan Cheely, and Alfredo Navarro graduated from the Western Arizona Law Enforcement Training Academy after a three week training regime. The instructional content and teaching methodologies in this course are presented to better train new students in the increasingly complex role and functions of the public safety dispatcher. Certificates obtained include EMD, APCO, ACJIS, CPR, and NIMS.

All three Flagstaff Police Department employees completed this extensive training, while Alfredo Navarro was recognized for his Academic excellence.

US 89 narrowed to one lane north of the Gap and south of SR 64 Junction beginning Monday

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US 89 will be narrowed to one lane north of the Gap and south of the SR 64 Junction in Cameron (milepost 510 to 460) from today to Friday from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The pavement marker installation work will be a moving operation, utilizing a three-mile restriction. The restriction is required to allow Arizona Department of Transportation crews to install pavement markers on the roadway.

During installation, delays of up to 15 minutes can be anticipated. A pilot car will allow for alternating travel through the work zone. Please allow for extra travel time during construction and be alert while traveling through the work zone.

ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions, but there is a possibility that unscheduled closures or restrictions may occur. Weather can also affect a project schedule. To stay up-to-date with the latest highway conditions around the state, visit the ADOT Traveler Information Center at www.az511.gov or call 5-1-1.

Lane restrictions on northbound Interstate 17 this week for shoulder work

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The Arizona Department of Transportation will perform routine maintenance on northbound Interstate 17 at Table Mesa Road on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 28 and 29 between 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.

Motorists should be prepared for a right lane restriction and intermittent shoulder closures between mileposts 236 and 237 to allow for a safe work zone for maintenance crews. Minimal delays are expected.

The speed limit through the work zones will be reduced to 45 mph during work hours.

Williams City Council approves police body cams

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640-city-hall-williamsWILLIAMS — The Williams City Council approved body cams for the police department at the meeting on July 23. They also approved an Inter-governmental agreement with Coconino County to provide waste services to county residents outside the city limits.