Category Archives: Counties

2015 ‘No Burn’ Campaign Kicks Off

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no-burn_modPHOENIX — Officials from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and the Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD) announced the kickoff of their annual Maricopa County ‘No Burn’ campaign.

Smoke from wood-burning fireplaces and chimineas during winter months poses a serious health threat to children with asthma, the elderly and those with respiratory issues. Smoke, which contains soot particles, can be absorbed into the blood stream and lessen lung function, exacerbate bronchitis and asthma and increase chances for heart attacks and premature death.

Left uncorrected, high levels of Particulate Matter-2.5 (PM 2.5) from smoke could cause Maricopa County to exceed the federal health standards, leading to more burdensome and costly federal regulation.

This is the third year of the ‘No Burn’ campaign and this past winter season was its most successful. For the first time in 11 years, Maricopa County residents benefited from no exceedances of the state and federal annual 24-hour health standard for PM 2.5, on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day. Maricopa County also met the annual federal health standard for PM 2.5.

“We want to thank the residents of Maricopa County for supporting last year’s ‘No Burn’ campaign, which allowed everyone to enjoy cleaner air,” Maricopa County Air Quality Director Philip McNeely said. “We must remain vigilante, however, because without voluntary compliance, there could be stricter regulations and stronger fines.”

This season, ADEQ and MCAQD are joined by nearly 100 partners and stakeholders including several cities, towns and county agencies, Bashas’ Family of Stores, Arizona Rock Products Association, and the Arizona Chapter Associated General Contractors, all involved since the very beginning. This year, several new partners including the Arizona Association of Community Managers, the Better Business Bureau, Tonto National Forrest, and Lyft also are contributing to this worthy cause.

ADEQ Air Quality Division Director Eric Massey said, “Building on last year’s successful ‘No Burn” campaign, the focus for 2015 is strengthening and expanding our partners and leveraging technology to reach more Maricopa County residents than ever before using innovative and cost-effective ways.”

MCAQD issues no burn days throughout the winter season and asks county residents to refrain from lighting wood-burning fires on those designated days. To find out if it is a no burn day, visit CleanAirMakeMore.com, download the Clean Air Make More mobile app or call (602) 506-6400.

For more information, call Caroline Oppleman with ADEQ at (602) 771-2215 or Bob Huhn with MCAQD at (602) 506-6713.

Night work scheduled tonight on the Hell Canyon bridge replacement on SR 89

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CHINO VALLEY/PAULDEN — Crews will shift traffic on State Route 89 to a new temporary detour parallel to the existing highway tonight, Dec. 3, approximately 18 miles north of Chino Valley as part of the bridge replacement project.

Work hours will be from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and drivers will be restricted to one lane and guided through the work zone with flaggers. Delays of up to 10 minutes are possible.

This $14.4 million bridge replacement project began in mid-July and is expected to be completed in late 2016.

Sheriff’s Deputies Respond to Multiple Parties in Wooded Areas

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FLAGSTAFF — Coconino County Sheriff’s deputies have seen an increase in the occurrence of “secret” underage alcohol parties occurring in unimproved wooded areas throughout Coconino County. These “Woods Parties” as they are often referred to by the participants can be very hazardous and at times life threatening to underage party goers.

Deputies have seen numerous underage subjects who are intoxicated to the level they can no longer make rational decisions and are not able to protect themselves from predatory adults who also frequent these events. Deputies have also seen a significant increase in the number of individuals present who are in possession of firearms.

Sheriff Bill Pribil would like to remind parents that it is imperative to know where your children are, what they are doing and who they are with. It is advisable for parents to talk to their children about underage parties and all the dangers associated with them. Crimes associated with underage parties include illegal consumption of alcohol, illegal possession and use of controlled substances and drugs, serious assaults, sexual assaults, DUI, serious motor vehicle collisions, and weapons misconduct.

On October 4, 2015 Sheriff’s dispatchers received an anonymous Crime Stop Call reporting a large underage “Woods Party” in the area of School House Draw with a large number of attendees. The caller also advised of multiple physical fights involving intoxicated party goers.

A Sheriff’s sergeant who was supervising the deputies assigned to the Flagstaff Patrol Division coordinated a response consisting of himself and two deputies. As the responding deputies approached the intersection of Forest Service roads 762 and 867 they observed a large bonfire with numerous vehicles parked around it. As the deputies approached a large gathering of people they saw numerous subjects run or stagger into a tree line located south east of the group’s location.

The sergeant went from vehicle to vehicle checking each one for occupants. He observed a maroon Chevrolet Suburban with the front passenger door wide open. He observed a male in the driver’s seat who was passed out and slumping over with his head resting on the steering wheel. The sergeant attempted to wake the subject and advised him to get out of the vehicle to which he responded by threatening to kill him and telling the sergeant he was going to die. The sergeant removed the subject from his vehicle.

While this occurred, another member of a group of approximately 25-30 people who had gathered to the watch the interaction, began to agitate the crowd with negative comments regarding this presence of the Sheriff’s Office. The sergeant was able to remove the subject from the vehicle, the subject resisted and a physical fight resulted. He forced the intoxicated subject to the ground and the struggle continued. At one point the sergeant observed a semi-automatic pistol stuffed in the subject’s waist band. He disarmed the subject and was eventually able to restrain him.

The sergeant yelled at the crowd for anyone else who was armed with a gun to separate themselves from the large group and walk to the north of where they were. Five other armed subjects complied by leaving the group and complied with being disarmed by other deputies on scene. In total six firearms were collected from various individuals in attendance at the party.

The subject who resisted the sergeant was arrested for Threatening and Intimidating, Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer and later the charge of Resisting Arrest was added by the County Attorney’s Office.

The other subject in the crowd that was agitating the large group was arrested and charged with Minor Consumption of Alcohol and an arrest warrant that was not related to the incident. Deputies also identified several minors, persons under the age of 18, and provided courtesy rides for them back to their parents/guardians residence to turn them back to their custody.

Body of Cliff Jumper Recovered by Multi-Agency Response

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Coconino County Sheriff Photo

Coconino County Sheriff Photo

PAGE — Today [Wednesday] at 9:37 a.m., the 6-day search for missing 29-year old Billy Burke of Jackson Hole, Wyoming concluded when his body was spotted at a depth of 153 feet in Lake Powell.

Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office Lake Patrol Division discovered the body using an underwater Remote Operated Vehicle (ROV). Billy’s body was discovered at the base of a cliff in the Coconino County portion of Face Canyon where friends reported that he entered the water in the afternoon of Friday October 9 after attempting a cliff jump of approximately 90 feet.

The ROV deployed by Maricopa County is over 60% smaller and more agile for navigating the rugged underwater terrain in the search area than the ROV used on previous search days. This ROV was able to approach the cliff walls without stirring up as much sediment, which allowed for improved viewing of the area.

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area Acting Superintendent Lindy Mihata extends thanks to Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office and Utah State Parks for contributing to this successful search and underwater recovery effort.

The search was coordinated by Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, while the investigation is being coordinated by Coconino County Sheriff’s Detectives. At this point in the investigation, investigators do not believe that foul play was involved, and that this was an unfortunate accident.

Since the year 2000, six cliff jumping deaths have occurred in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.

ADEQ Reaches $1,250,000 Settlement with Apache Nitrogen Products, Inc.

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PHOENIX — Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) officials announced today that Apache Nitrogen Products, Inc. (ANPI), a nitric acid and ammonium nitrate-based products manufacturer in St. David, Cochise County, has settled with the State for years of past noncompliance with ANPI’s air quality control permit issued by ADEQ.

ANPI will pay a $500,000 civil penalty, and could be required to pay an additional suspended penalty up to $750,000 if ADEQ documents additional significant violations in the next three years.

Between August 2010 and February 2015, ADEQ issued ANPI eight separate Notices of Violation related to production processes at two nitric acid production plants. Alleged violations included failing five emissions tests for ammonia and ammonium nitrate, the inability of the continuous emissions monitors for NOx (nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide) to pass accuracy tests on four occasions, and failure to calibrate, maintain and operate a continuous opacity monitor.

“By holding Apache Nitrogen Products, Inc. accountable for its violations, the company has improved its operations, is now in compliance with its permit and public health and the environment are protected,” ADEQ Air Quality Division Director Eric Massey said.

ANPI has resolved the alleged violations and is now in compliance with the permit requirements.

The consent judgment is subject to court approval.

Background
According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), NOx can damage respiratory airways and burn skin and eyes. Nitrogen dioxide also reacts with sunlight, which leads to formation of ozone and smog. ATSDR also states that exposure to high levels of ammonia can cause irritation and serious burns on the skin and in the mouth, throat, lungs, and eyes.

Responders caught in flash flood while recovering body

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FLAGSTAFF — Yesterday around 4:30 p.m., approximately 16 Sheriff’s Deputies, Search and Rescue and US Forest Service responders were forced to higher ground during a flash flood in Oak Creek Canyon.

The responders were conducting a body recovery for a suicide that occurred off Midgely Bridge. Due to a storm cell over the area that produced heavy rain, hail and lightning, rescuers had to delay removal of the body.

After the storm subsided, rescuers entered the canyon for the body recovery. While conducting the recovery, Sheriff’s Office personnel reported a flash flood in Oak Creek Canyon from the heavy rainfall over Wilson Mountain.

Rescuers were in the process of hoisting the body to the bridge when the flash flood occurred. The body was already above flood waters; however, responders below the bridge had to retreat quickly uphill away from rising waters. With several feet of fast moving water going through the canyon, three of the responders became briefly stranded on one side of the canyon.

They were not in danger and waited just under an hour to ensure storm cells had cleared and the water receded before they re-crossed.

Oath Keepers meeting this Saturday

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a22de8_7e7df60d14a74d7d8368f167f9729975.jpg_srz_p_271_271_75_22_0.50_1.20_0.00_jpg_srzWILLIAMS — There will be an meeting of Oath Keepers this Saturday at the Wild West Junction at 10 a.m. They invite those who wish to join Oath Keepers to attend the meeting.

There will also be discussion on the organization of Community Preparedness Teams. These teams are being formed from the community to consist of people with skills necessary to react to natural or man-made disasters. You do not have to be a member of the Oath Keeper organization to participate.

The CPT system is open to anyone in Coconino County—not just Williams. Anyone from Coconino County can attend the meeting to learn what the CPT program is about.

Five-Year-Old boy goes missing near Jacobs lake

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UPDATED: 8/7, 9:27: Photo added
Jerold WilliamsJacobs Lake, AZ — The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received the report yesterday at about 5:30 p.m. of a missing 5 year-old boy at an unimproved campsite located approximately 12 miles south of Jacobs Lake in the area of Highway 67 off of Forest Service Road 241. This area lies within the northern portion of the Kaibab National Forest.

Jerold Joseph Williams is described as a white male, 5 years of age, approximately 3’6” in height, and weighing approximately 35 pounds. He has brown eyes and brown hair cut very short. Jerold’s mother described him as having a thin build and a light complexion. Jerold had visible facial abrasions and was last seen wearing a gray or tan shirt size (4) and a pair of blue jean pants size (4) and hiking boots size (12) and white long handled underwear.

Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies were immediately dispatched to the campsite. Upon their arrival they spoke with the missing child’s mother who identified her son as Jerold Joseph Williams.

According to Mrs. Williams she and her son were with 15 to 20 other friends and family members who were camping in the area. At approximately 1:30 pm Jerold and his mother were approximately 100 to 200 yards from the camp site and Jerold was chasing grasshoppers. Mrs. Williams lost site of the child and for the following 4 hours members of the camping group to include Mrs. Williams searched for Jerold. At approximately 5:30 pm the decision was made to call the Sheriff’s Office.

The search continued through the night with personnel from various agencies, 2 search dogs and two night-vision equipped helicopters from Nellis Air Force Base searched the area where Jerold was believed to be missing.

Anyone with information regarding the possible location of Jerold Williams or the circumstances leading up to his disappearance is urged to call the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.

Flash flood warning issued for Grand Canyon area

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Rain15-06-05-03A flash flood watch for portions of northc central and west central Arizona has been issued to end at 5 p.m today. People with weather radios should monitor for warnings and prepare to take appropriate action.

The weather affects the Coconino Plateau and western Mogollon Rim including the ciites of Grand Canyon Village, Supai, North Rim, Valley, Flagstaff, Williams and Munds Park.

Thunderstorms capable of very heavy rainfall are moving eastward across the area through late this afternoon. Normally dry washes and streams could begin to flow with the possiblity of heavier rainfall. Flooding on some roadways are possible.

Flooding could still occur after the warning is lifted.

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.