Category Archives: Williams

Forest Service and neighboring communities set Moonset Pit dates

Posted on by

Williams, Ariz., Mar. 11, 2016—For Immediate Release. The Kaibab National Forest, together with the communities of both Parks and Sherwood Forest Estates will provide the general public access to Moonset Pit, a cinder pit on Forest Service land, to assist residents in creating a defensible space around their homes and property.  The pit will be open on the following Saturdays starting in May through September, to dispose of natural forest debris such as pine needles and branches:

  • May 14, 28
  • June 11, 25
  • July 9, 23
  • Aug 13, 27
  • 10, 24

Moonset Pit is located just west of Parks, off a dirt road, east of Spitz Springs and to the north of old Route 66. The pit will be open starting at 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. for non-bagged, natural forest debris.

“By creating defensible space around our homes, we can help reduce wildfire risk not only to our individual property but to our entire community as a whole” said Danelle D. Harrison, District Ranger for the Williams Ranger District. “Working together with our partners, to offer this community service each year, shows the importance in preparing both ourselves and our neighborhoods for the upcoming wildfire season. Our community’s safety is of the utmost importance.”

Debris such as garbage, building materials, lumber or other non-natural items will not be accepted.

Sherwood Forest Estates Fire District, Ponderosa Fire District and the Kaibab National Forest are all also part of the 14-member Wildland Fire Advisory Board (WFAB), serving western Coconino and northern Yavapai counties, which seeks opportunities to treat vegetation within their respective communities.

For more information or to volunteer to staff Moonset Pit, please contact Anne Dudley at (928) 635-0417 or Joanie Raetzel at (928) 635-0059.

Additional information on how to create a defensible space can be found at www.firewise.org or www.fireadapted.org.

March comes in with a whimper

Posted on by

Sno160307-01WILLIAMS — Half-frozen puddles, a couple of chunks of ice and a dusting of snow is the remnant of the storm last night. There is a chance of snow overnight and rain on Tuesday clearing the rest of the week. The snow so far this winter could be a danger sign for a poor summer ahead.
Sno160307-03
Today there is a slight chance of snow raising to 30% before midnight clearing after that. Winds of 9- to 17-mph are predicted today through Tuesday with gusts of 25-mph possible. A 20% chance of showers exists Tuesday afternoon clearing to sunny skies on Wednesday. The rest of the week sunny skies are predicted with temperatures starting out in the low 60s and dropping to the mid 50s through Sunday. Overnight lows will be just below freezing.

Northern Arizona traditionally gets much of its snow in March and April even getting snow into May a few years. It is impossible to predict just how winter will turn out and the result on water levels and tourist activities over the summer.

Kaibab National Forest returns easement application to Town of Tusayan

Posted on by

WILLIAMS — The Kaibab National Forest notified the Town of Tusayan today that its application for road and utility easements on National Forest System land is being returned and will not receive further evaluation and processing.

According to a letter to Tusayan Mayor Craig Sanderson signed by Kaibab Forest Supervisor Heather Provencio, the proposed project does not meet agency requirements for initial and second level screenings and, therefore, is being returned to the town, as the Forest Service may not process such an application for authorization.

The Kaibab National Forest has been working to address the Town of Tusayan’s application for authorization to improve and maintain roads on National Forest System land and to install various utilities. The roads and associated infrastructure would provide improved access to the Kotzin and Ten-X ranch properties, and would allow significant residential and commercial development. The first step in that process was to notify potentially affected federal, state, and local government agencies and the public of the proposal and provide them an opportunity to comment.

During this initial scoping process, the Forest Service received 2,447 unique comment letters, 85,693 form letters, 86 comments connected to a blog, and two petitions with 105,698 signatures. After the close of the initial formal scoping period, the Forest Service received in excess of 35,000 additional comment letters. The vast majority of the commenters opposed the Forest Service authorizing the proposed roads and infrastructure.

“Based on the comments received, and considering the other information I have regarding the proposed project, I have decided to reconsider application of the screening criteria to the proposal,” Provencio wrote in the letter to the mayor.

Provencio goes on to cite specific agency requirements that the town’s application fails to meet under both initial- and second-level screening criteria including consistency with the Kaibab Forest Plan, the necessity that the proposed use not create an exclusive or perpetual right of use or occupancy, the requirement that the proposed use must not unreasonably interfere with the use of adjacent non-National Forest System lands, and the provision that a proposal must be rejected if the proposed use would not be in the public interest.

“Based on information received in the record, I have determined that the Tusayan proposal is deeply controversial, is opposed by local and national communities, would stress local and Park [Grand Canyon National Park] infrastructure, and have untold impacts to the surrounding Tribal and National Park lands,” Provencio wrote.

The letter closes by advising that if another application were to be submitted, it should address the specific concerns and criteria outlined.

Information wanted regarding Clover fire on Williams Ranger District

Posted on by
800-20160228-CloverFire

Clover Fire at 3:43 p.m. February 28

WILLIAMS — Fire managers from the Williams Ranger District responded to a suspicious human-caused fire on Sunday, Feb. 28, just west of Buckskinner Park after receiving a call from the Williams Police Department. The Clover fire, which was reported just after 1 p.m., was suppressed by fire personnel and will continue to be monitored.

Forest visitors are reminded to use extreme caution when camping with recent warm temperatures, lack of precipitation, and low humidity as it can create a situation for rapid fire growth. Visitors can help in reducing the number of preventable, human-caused fires by completely extinguishing campfires before leaving their camp site.

No fire restrictions are in effect on the Kaibab National Forest, though fire managers continuously monitor conditions and could increase fire danger levels at any time, as necessary. Regardless of whether or not restrictions are in place, abandoning a campfire is illegal.

The Clover fire is currently under investigation by Forest Service Law Enforcement and anyone who may have information regarding the cause of the fire, or observed anyone suspicious in the area near the time of the fire is encouraged to contact Kaibab National Forest Dispatch at 928-635-2601 or Fire Information at 928-635-5653.

More information on the Kaibab National Forest can be found at www.fs.usda.gov/Kaibab. Information on fire restrictions across the state can be viewed at http://firerestrictions.us/az/.

Hopi Tribe and Kaibab National Forest recognized for partnership on springs restoration work

Posted on by

hopi-1WILLIAMS — The Hopi Tribe and Kaibab National Forest were recently honored with a national-level Forest Service award for their partnership on important springs restoration work on the North Kaibab Ranger District.

The recipients of the 2015 “Rise to the Future” awards for excellence and leadership in fisheries, hydrology, soil science and air programs were announced this month and included recognition of the Hopi Tribe and Kaibab National Forest for “Tribal Accomplishment” related to the Big Springs and Castle Springs Restoration Project, which highlighted the ecological importance of natural springs as well as their cultural significance to tribes.

“I feel humbled and grateful that the partnership would be recognized for its merits and acknowledge that it is but a starting point for continued collaborative efforts in the future,” said Everett Gomez, Reed/Bamboo Clan, Paaqavi Village, and a case manager for the Hopi Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act program.

The Big Springs and Castle Springs Restoration Project was the first tribal-Forest Service collaborative project to be implemented after the 2014 publication of the new Land and Resources Management Plan for the Kaibab National Forest. This was significant because the project put into action two important goals of the newly revised forest plan.

First, it implemented desired conditions for seeps and springs that had been developed collaboratively and identified in the plan. Second, it provided a setting for exchanging information between tribal elders and youth about land stewardship and offered an opportunity for the sharing of traditional ecological knowledge between the tribe and forest, which will contribute to future management actions on seeps and springs.

Over the course of a week in 2014, Hopi elders and cultural advisors [Hopi Cultural Resource Advisory Task Team] worked with 18 tribal youth from the Hopi Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act program, Hopi cultural and natural resources staff, Kaibab National Forest leadership, and representatives from a variety of other organizations and programs to conduct key restoration actions at two natural springs sites on the North Kaibab Ranger District. Since then, additional phased restoration work has been accomplished, and annual projects are planned for the coming years.

Partners have removed graffiti at Castle Springs and eliminated a decaying corral, rusted barbed wire fence and trash in the area. They have also removed invasive vegetation encroaching in an adjacent meadow, constructed water catchments using traditional techniques for both wildlife and cattle, and built a fence to protect the spring. At Big Springs, a more visible path has been constructed in order to deter visitors from making their own paths, alleviating the spider web effect of footpaths that was damaging fragile soils. And, throughout the project area, Hopi ancestral sites have been restored and protected against potential impacts from recreation and public use.

“This work is important in many ways such as bringing our youth and elders together to promote teaching and understanding; cultural identity and survival; preserving our environment encompassing land, air and water; strong partnerships and sharing of resources between the entities involved; education and employment pathways for our youth; and, understanding better the importance of the spiritual value surrounding all these things,” Gomez said.

Prior to the implementation of the restoration treatments, technical specialists from the Kaibab National Forest, Hopi Tribe and Springs Stewardship Institute collected baseline data at both springs locations. They plan to conduct long-term monitoring at the sites to assess the potential ecological benefits of incorporating traditional ecological knowledge and techniques into other restoration efforts on the forest.

“The Hopi Tribe and the Kaibab National Forest have been working together for over 20 years, but I feel the work that’s taking place through this partnership sets a new precedent for collaborative management of the forest,” said Mike Lyndon, tribal liaison for the Kaibab. “These projects are greatly increasing the exchange of technical and traditional knowledge between the forest and the tribe while accomplishing critical restoration projects in places that are culturally important to native people. This has been, and continues to be, a valuable learning process for all of us.”

Representatives of the Hopi Tribe and Kaibab National Forest will be presented with their “Rise to the Future” award at a ceremony in Washington, D.C., in May.

View project photos at https://www.flickr.com/photos/kaibabnationalforest/albums/72157648171820197. The Kaibab National Forest and Hopi Tribe worked with the U.S. Department of Agriculture Office of Communications to collaboratively produce a short video about the project, which will soon be released.

Temperatures could drop over Washington’s Birthday

Posted on by

DogtownRoad16-02-13-1WILLIAMS — Those who have grown used to the 60-degree, spring-like weather in Williams may find themselves chilled over Washington’s Birthday on Monday. Temperatures could dip as low as 58-degrees. Temperatures are expected to rise to the mid 60’s again on Tuesday.

Night time temperatures will run from the mid-20’s to around 30-degrees through Tuesday. There will be a slight chance of showers Thursday.

New amateur radio operators seek to re-establish Williams Group

Posted on by

stationWILLIAMS — A few ham radio licensees in Williams are trying to re-establish the Bill Williams Mountain Radio Group. They are looking for former members who would like to re-establish the group as well as anyone who would like to obtain and amateur radio license.

Glen Davis, who recently obtained an amateur radio license, is one of those making the attempt. He tried to contact some of the former members through the web site, but received no response.

“A strong amateur radio group is important,” Davis explained. “It gives the opportunity for new amateur radio operators to learn from experienced operators. Most people do not know that a person of any age that can past the test can get a license.”

Amateur radio has been around since radio began. People interested in obtaining a HAM radio license no longer have to worry about Morse code.

“In fact you do not even need a radio, anymore,” Davis said. “With programs such as Echolink you can make contacts around the world on your computer or smart phone.”

Amateur radio also serves the community with emergency communication. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)—also known as the National Weather Service—has established the Skywarn system that trains weather spotters to report hazardous or unusual weather conditions during a storm. The Federal Communications Commission has established the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES). In some areas, such as Coconino County, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) has established the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES). These services provides emergency communications when other forms of communication fail.

Another advantage of a local group is that experienced amateur radio operators can help those interested in obtaining a license pass the examination. Communications even with a simple Technician license can be expansive through the use of repeaters. Mobile units no bigger than your hand can keep you in communication on the highways even where cell phone service fails.

Davis also noted that there are several new forms of communication that people do not think about. “You can communicate with a 2-meter hand held radio via satellite. You can bounce signals off of the moon. You can do digital communications through a computer. There are contest where you try to make as many contacts as possible in a set time. And you can even learn and use good-old Morse code.”

Anyone who is interested in re-establishing the Bill Williams Mountain Radio Group can contact Glen at kg7ydj@kg7ydj.us.

ADOT’s first TowPlow clearing stretch of I-40 faster, more efficiently

Posted on by


PHOENIX — An innovative new snowplow is allowing the Arizona Department of Transportation to remove snow and ice more efficiently by having one driver clear the width of two lanes.

The first TowPlow to join ADOT’s fleet of 200 traditional snowplows is assigned to 20 miles of Interstate 40 between Williams and Bellemont west of Flagstaff. The device saw its first use during this week’s snowstorm.

The TowPlow is a steerable trailer with a 26-foot blade that’s attached to the back of a regular snowplow truck. The combination, able to plow a 24-foot-wide path, lets ADOT clear more lanes in less time using less fuel.

“It’s been a very busy year for ADOT’s winter operations, and as we work through this latest storm the TowPlow has already been out on the highway plowing snow and ice,” said Dallas Hammit, ADOT’s state engineer and deputy director for transportation. “This new plow is a time-saving and safe addition to the department’s fleet of snowplow trucks and provides a higher level of service to all drivers and travelers.”

When possible, ADOT will run another snowplow truck alongside the TowPlow setup, clearing both lanes and the shoulder at once. To keep vehicles at a safe distance, a flag car will be positioned behind the snowplows traveling side by side.

ADOT will evaluate the TowPlow’s performance this winter before deciding whether to purchase more.

As with any snowplow, drivers need to do their part to stay safe:

Slow down: Stay well behind the safety vehicle that follows the TowPlow.
Don’t try to pass: The flag car and the plows will move over periodically and allow traffic to pass when it is safe to do so.
Remember: The road behind the TowPlow and other snowplows is the safest place to drive. For more tips on preparing for travel in snow country, please visit azdot.gov/knowsnow.

How Williams weathered the storm

Posted on by

2016-01-31-01WILLIAMS — Just as the results of the January storm melted away, northern Arizona was struck with yet another storm.

Rain began about 4 p.m. turning into snow by about 5:30. By about 6:40 there were already two rollover accidents reported. Through out the night, Department of Public Safety officers were kept busy with accidents and searching for lost vehicles.
20160201-02
Williams residents may have found it necessary to reset clocks as power failed twice for about thirty-seconds starting at about 10:10 p.m. and fluxuations continued until about 10:40.

The storm lasting through Monday dumped about another 10-inches of snow. Fortunately the City of Williams returned to its formal snow removal pattern.
buck16-02-02-03

Snow at Buckskinner and Ski Play road keeps piling up.

Snow at Buckskinner and Ski Play road keeps piling up.


A 10% chance of more snow is predicted for tomorrow before noon with wind chills dropping the temperature to -2 degrees. It is expected to clear up Friday through Tuesday next week with temperatures rising from 38 on Friday to mid 50’s by Tuesday.

Local talent produces great gospel CD

Posted on by

It is a good thing to give thanks unto the Lord, and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High: to shew forth thy lovingkindness in the morning, and thy faithfulness every night, Upon an instrument of ten strings, and upon the psaltery; upon the harp with solemn sound. For thou, Lord, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. – Psalm 92:1-4

DanielAbbott-16-01-30-03WILLIAMS — I have been serenaded by karaoke nightly for some time. So when I hear a good voice in Williams, it comes as a shock to the senses. Such is the voice of Daniel Abbott. Daniel said that he comes from a musical family and he practices his art by singing at weddings and at his Church. He also donates his time to help Habitat for Humanity by singing at their annual Opry Night.

When I learned that Daniel worked at the Grand Canyon Railway, I thought he worked as one of the talented singers used to entertain during the summer. I was surprised to learn that he is the Risk Manager for Grand Canyon Railway. That in itself is not a mundane task taking on the responsibility to ensure the safety of guests and workers for the Railway.

daniel-abbot-hymnsHe took time from his work to travel to Nashville, Tennessee to produce the Hymns & Favorites Country Style CD through Daywind Recording Studios. He chose to start with a country gospel album because he likes to play music with a positive message. It is a mix of old time gospel and newer Christian gospel songs.

He had the advise of a music producer to refine his interpretation of the songs on this album. The CD contains old gospel favorites such as Just a Closer Walk with Thee, In the Sweet By and By and Since Jesus Came Into My Heart.

There are a few songs I have never heard before such as Long Black Train, a 2003 Christian song by Josh Turner. Daniel also performs If That Isn’t Love originally performed by Elvis Presley. Daniel retains the country gospel sound of these old hits. Anyone who enjoys country music should enjoy this CD.

The CD contains:

  1. Just a Closer Walk With Thee
  2. If That Isn’t Love
  3. Rise and Shine
  4. The Old Rugged Cross
  5. In the Sweet By and By
  6. Since Jesus Came Into My Heart
  7. When He Was On the Cross (I Was On His Mind)
  8. Are You Washed in the Blood/I’ll Fly Away
  9. What a Friend We Have in Jesus
  10. Long Black Train

Daniel started writing original songs about four years ago and has plans for a follow-up CD in March.

Hymns & Favorites is currently available at Buck’s Place and Williams Western Wear in the mall, Grand Canyon Coffee and Cafe, The Outdoor Store and Pine Country