Category Archives: City

Two Male Juveniles Arrested for Doney Park Burglaries

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Coconino Sheriff’s Deputies and Detectives are investigating two residential burglaries that occurred in the Doney Park Community. The first burglary occurred between the dates of July 4th, and 5th 2015 at a residence located on Rojo; the other one occurred sometime before July 2nd at a residence located on Marilee Lane. Investigators had no substantial information that would lead to the identity and possible arrest of a suspect or suspects.

On July 20, 2015 detectives were contacted by the parents of two teenage boys who also reside in the Doney Park Community. According to the concerned parents their sons were in the possession of a large amount of expensive items that did not belong to either of the boys or their parents.

With the parents’ permission Investigators contacted and interviewed both of the suspects. During the interview both boys made statements implicating themselves in the crimes. With the parents’ cooperation and assistance Investigators recovered numerous items that did not belong to either of the two suspects. Many of the items recovered were positively identified as being taken during the two previously described residential burglaries. Some of the recovered items are listed below.

· Seven firearms
· Laptop Computer
· Play Station with games
· Twenty-seven tactical or combat type long knives
· Three ammo boxes containing as many as a thousand rounds of ammunition

Both Juveniles were charged with 2 counts each of Residential Burglary and 2 counts each of Felony Theft and were booked into the Coconino County Juvenile Detention Facility. One of the two Juveniles was also charged with 1 count of Trafficking Stolen Property.

Investigators also recovered several items that did not belong to the Juveniles. However, there are no reports listing them as being taken in a burglary. One of these items is a large car speaker that is approximately 3’ in length and 1’ wide. The speaker was allegedly taken from a ministorage locker located in the Doney Park area.

Community members who are victims of burglaries or any other crimes and who live in rural unincorporated areas of the county are urged to report these crimes to the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office. Remember our investigators can’t recover your property if they don’t know its missing.

Memorial services for Larry Norfolk

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800-Rose-15-06-0504WILLIAMS — Memorial services for Larry Norfolk will be held at the Williams Senior Center on July 28 at 6 p.m. Attendees are asked to bring a potluck dish for the services.

Larry passed away on July 9 sometime during the night of natural causes. St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church is arranging the memorial service.

Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation to hold Banquet in Prescott

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Arizona Game & Fish photo

Arizona Game & Fish photo

PRESCOTT VALLEY— The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation will hold their Prescott Big Game Banquet on July 25th. The doors will open at the Prescott Valley Event Center, 3201 N Main St, Prescott Valley, AZ 86314. For tickets and information call 928-710-8988. You can purchase tickets online here.

The funds from the banquet and the other projects of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation benefit habitat preservation for elk and deer. The group activities include purchasing land, creating and preserving safe water tanks and other activities to ensure a safe habitat for the animals across North America.

The dinner is open to anyone interested in maintaining a healthy big game population.

US 89 restrictions starting Tuesday south of Gray Mountain for start of roadway widening and passing lane project

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FLAGSTAFF/CAMERON — Restrictions for both north- and southbound travel on US 89 just south of Gray Mountain between Flagstaff and Cameron (milepost 452 to 455) will begin daily, starting on Tuesday (July 21) to Saturday (July 25) from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. The restriction will accommodate installation of temporary concrete barriers and shoulder work in preparation for a $2.8 million roadway improvement project.

The improvement project includes widening of US 89 through the project area, installation of a new passing lane for northbound travel, drainage extensions and new pavement resurfacing. This project is scheduled to be constructed in two phases, with the first phase to be completed mid-December, 2015.

During this phase of construction, lane restrictions can be anticipated, however one lane of travel in both directions will be allowed during most of the construction schedule. Please observe reduced speed limits and allow for extra travel time while traveling through the work zone.

Multi-Agency Response to Injured Hiker in the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon

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Coconino County Sheriff photo.

Coconino County Sheriff photo.

OAK CREEK — On Saturday, July 18, 2015 at approximately 4:07 pm the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a representative of the Arizona Department of Emergency Management (ADEM) advising that a Personal Locator Beacon (PLB) had been activated with GPS coordinates in Illusions Canyon located within the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon. ADEM personnel determined who the registered owner of the device was and also advised that Air Force Personnel received the emergency signal as well. A multi-agency response was initiated.

Participating agencies included Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Coconino County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue, US Air Force 55th Aerial Rescue Squadron based out of Davis Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, Sedona Fire District (SFD), the Arizona Department of Emergency Management and Arizona Department of Public Safety (DPS) Air Rescue based in Flagstaff.

At about 4:52 p.m. the Northern Arizona 911 reception center received a cell phone call from an individual who identified himself as a member of the hiking party that included the victim who was the subject of the activated PLB device. The caller advised that the victim was located in the area of the confluence of West Fork. According to the caller the victim suffered a broken leg at approximately 11:00 am that day and members of his party were not able to access cell phone service from the victim’s location. The caller hiked out of the canyon to a location where he could access cell phone service.

By 5:20 pm the CCSO resident deputy in Oak Creek Canyon and a Sedona firefighter were at the Call of the Canyon which is the trail head for West Fork. Two Sedona Fire Department Technical Rescue Teams were deployed into the West Fork of Oak Creek Canyon on foot in an attempt to locate the victim. DPS Rescue Helicopter was not able to assist on Saturday due to active thunderstorms in the area. By 7:50 pm two CCSO SAR teams were at the top of the rim and established an Incident Command Post (ICP) off of Woody Mountain Road. Because of the weather and inability to launch a heli-rescue, the victim and others in the party were asked to shelter in place. Rescue crews on the ground also staged at the ICP overnight, camping in the rain and thunder storms.

At about 6:00 am on Sunday morning rescuers received a break in the storm activity. The DPS helicopter with a CCSO SAR technical rescue operator on board flew the area and located the party of six including the victim.

Two SFD technical rescue operators were inserted into the canyon via a helicopter rappel from the DPS aircraft. A CCSO SAR technical rescue ground team was staged at the rim. The DPS Ranger helicopter extracted the victim and a SFD rescuer using the Short Haul method during which the rescuer and victim are suspended on a line underneath the helicopter and flown to a safe area in this case the parking lot of the West Fork of Oak Creek trail head.

Sedona Fire transported the victim to the Flagstaff Medical Level One Trauma Center via ground ambulance. Two HH 60 Pave Hawk helicopters from the USAF 55th Air Rescue Squadron extracted the remaining 5 members of the victim’s party by hoisting them from the ground into the hoovering helicopters.

Williams City Council meeting July 23

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williams-city-logoWILLIAMS — This Thursday July 23 the Williams City Council will meet in the council chambers of City Hall on 1st Street. The council will discuss and may approve on two matters.

The first is whether or not to approve a one-year extension with Coconino County on the waste transfer station.

The second item is to discuss the possibility of purchasing body cameras for the Williams Police Department.

Clouds threatening rain overnight

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clouds-072015-00WILLIAMS — Clouds roll in for another day keeping the temperatures in Williams down and bringing moisture. The nice thing is that it has kept the forests open for hiking and camping.

There is a 50% chance of rain and thunder this afternoon dropping to 30% overnight. Tomorrow there is a 10% chance after 11 a.m. clearing up to mostly cloudy over Tuesday night. Wednesday through Saturday night it is expected to be clear and warm with some cloudiness.

In Flagstaff, a slight chance of rain is predicted over Tuesday night and Wednesday. The weather in Flagstaff will clear up Thursday through Saturday night.

The chance of rain begins to develop again Sunday.

Bridge work complete on SR 260 east of Payson

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The Arizona Department of Transportation has completed a bridge rehabilitation project on State Route 260, approximately 20 miles east of Payson and will remove all existing traffic control devices today on Monday, July 20.

Last year, ADOT upgraded five eastbound bridge approaches on State Route 260 and then returned in the spring to replace and repave three westbound bridge approaches between mileposts 272-277.

The $2.9 million improvement project included the removal of the existing bridge approaches and departure slabs, repaving the roadway at the bridge approaches, guardrail reconstruction and the replacement of existing pavement markings.

Crews will repair a dip in the roadway on SR 260 eastbound at milepost 271 starting on Monday, August 3 which will require a single lane restriction through September 11.

Nation of Patriots motorcycle ride comes to Williams

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800-NationofPatriots-15-07-19-07

WILLIAMS — In the shadow of the Bill Williams statue, the group Nation of Patriots rolled into Williams today. A ceremony was held at the Williams Own Veterans Memorial at the Memorial Park on the west end of town. Williams Mayor John Moore was on hand to give and receive a proclamation for the event.

640-NationofPatriots-15-07-19-11The group carries an American flag starting in Wisconsin on Memorial Day through the continental United States with local flag bearers in each of the 48 States. It returns to the Wisconsin Harley Davidson in on Labor Day. The proceeds of the ride are intended to benefit veterans.

Bob Sherer reads a proclamation from Nation of Patriots to the City of Williams.

Bob Sherer reads a proclamation from Nation of Patriots to the City of Williams.

Dan Smith, flag bearer for the State of Arizona, introduced Bill Sherer, the founder of the group ride. Sherer and Mayor Moore exchanged proclamations. The proclamation of the City of Williams declared July 19 as Nation of Patriots day. The proclamation claimed that 100% of the proceeds of the ride go to help benefits.
640-NationofPatriots-15-07-19-16After the exchange, taps was played with a gun salute.

ADOT enhances security of driver license application process

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation is taking an active role in curbing identity theft and fraud by implementing facial recognition technology in the application process for state-issued credentials.

An applicant for a new or duplicate driver license or state ID card at an ADOT Motor Vehicle Division or Authorized Third Party office will have their photo taken at the beginning of the process. Facial recognition during the “Photo First” review process occurs seamlessly and without delay as the customer continues through the application process.

In 2012, ADOT Motor Vehicle Division implemented a Photo First approach to aid in the detection of and prevention of fraud, forgery and identity theft. In 2014, ADOT Motor Vehicle Division implemented Central Credential Issuance, eliminating credentials being issued at the MVD or Authorized Third Party offices. Both processes have contributed to a more comprehensive review of applications along with providing more time to identify possible fraudulent submissions.

One of the best screening formats in the detection of identity theft, attempted fraud or forgery in the application process has always been the ADOT Motor Vehicle Division customer service representatives who initially review all documents submitted in the application packet. During this initial screening process of the application packet by ADOT employees, possible file errors or fraudulent submissions are detected.

“Facial recognition technology supports the commitment by ADOT to protect the privacy of its customers, and to maintain the integrity and accuracy of the credential issuance process,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski. “This technology enables us to fight against fraud and identity theft.”

The technology provides an effective screening method to identify errors in customer records in the state driver license database and to prevent fraudulent attempts to obtain an Arizona driver license or identification card. It also allows ADOT to develop the new federally compliant Voluntary Travel ID according to the requirements outlined in the federal REAL ID Act of 2005.

When a credential application record generates an alert resulting from the facial recognition technology, the system will automatically perform an additional review of the record to identify and correct any possible file errors. If the system verifies it is not a file error, the record will then undergo a comprehensive review by personnel in the ADOT Office of the Inspector General.

“This technology allows us to take a proactive approach to protecting people’s identities and stopping fraud,” said ADOT Assistant Director Terry Conner, who leads the Enforcement and Compliance Division. “Our detectives are already working investigations after reviewing reliable information provided by the system.”