Category Archives: Holiday

Labor Day Weekend 2015 Busy with Search and Rescue Events in Coconino County

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This Labor Day weekend proved extremely busy for Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Deputies and Search and Rescue. There were at least 11 search and rescue events logging over 35 hours of response time. The 35 hours represents only the time from start of the calls to resolution and does not include the collective time of multiple responders. Several events required call out of Search and Rescue (SAR) volunteers and personnel from assisting agencies such as US Forest Service (USFS) and the AZ Department of Public Safety (DPS). Many of the individuals were residents from outside of Coconino County who were visiting the area for outdoor recreation activities during the holiday weekend. Below is a summary of the events with additional information on assisting agencies.

Friday, September 4, 2015

At 12:48 pm we received a call that an 18 year old male subject exited a vehicle in Oak Creek Canyon and ran into the woods. The subject had made earlier statements in the day indicating that he may be suicidal. Deputies searched area business, trailheads and roads looking for the individual. DPS, Cottonwood Police Department and Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office also were given a description of the individual and asked for their assistance in attempting to locate him. After an extensive search, the subject was located after a citizen reported seeing him walking along State Route 89A.

Saturday, September 5, 2015

At 11:54 am we received a report of a 64 year old male and 6 year old female who were overdue from an ATV ride off of FS169 in the Forest Lakes area. Responders included CCSO, USFS, DPS Air Rescue, Forest Lakes Fire Department, and Coconino Sheriff’s SAR. The subjects were located by DPS Air Rescue at 4:18 pm, and ground units were guided to their location which was approximately 0.36 miles south of the camp. The subjects were then led by ground units to their camp. Neither subject was injured.

At 7:11 pm we received a report of a 59 year old male hiker on Humphreys Trail who was overdue. The overdue subject intentionally separated from his son at approximately 5:30 as he was hiking slowly. When he did not arrive at the vehicle as expected, the hiking partner called 911 to report him overdue. Thunderstorms were active in the area. Sheriff’s Office responders were assisted by volunteers from the SAR Unit and DPS Air Rescue. Deputies began the search by checking the trail heads and along the trail to the wilderness boundary. During a break in the weather DPS Air Rescue was able to fly over the area and located the subject at about 10:20 pm. He was off trail in the Snowbowl Ski Area approximately 0.9 miles east of the trail head. SAR personnel hiked to his location and escorted him out to the trail head. He did not request any medical treatment and was reunited with his son.

Sunday, September 6, 2015

At 1:26 pm we received a report of a male subject who was injured while riding an ATV in Pink Bowl which is located in the Cinder Hills OHV area. The injured subject was later pronounced deceased. Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the scene of the accident and SAR units responded to assist with recovering the body of the deceased.

At 3:18 pm we received a report of a 50 year old male who was stranded off the AB Young Trail in Oak Creek Canyon. Cell contact with the individual revealed he was not in need of medical attention but was unable to navigate the terrain. Due to the difficulty in locating the subject who was off trail the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) helicopter and the DPS Air Rescue helicopter from Kingman responded to assist. SAR units were prepared to hike from East Pocket end of the trail to attempt to locate and assist the subject while Sedona Fire units hiked from Bootlegger Day Use Area end of the trail. By around 7:00 pm the YCSO helicopter crew had located the subject and guided searchers to his location. Rescue efforts required use of a rope hand line to stabilize the individual as he was assisted down the canyon walls back to the trail. DPS Ranger also assisted by providing light along the trail as rescuers escorted the individual back to the trailhead. He was evaluated by medics and refused medical treatment. The subject was then reunited with his family.

At 7:00 pm we received a report of a male subject who had been gone from his family campsite for over three hours. The subject was on his dirt bike riding in the Cinder Hills OHV area. Deputies patrolled the area looking for the overdue person. The subject later made his way to Leupp Road where he used someone’s phone to contact his family and advise them of his location.

Monday, September 7, 2015

At 1:15 am a deputy patrolling the Mormon Lake area received a report of two women who were overdue in returning to their campsite after taking a ride from two unknown subjects on a UTV. The reporting party also called the information into dispatch. Deputies patrolled forest service roads and when following up with the reporting party learned that the two women had returned safely.

At 12:00 pm DPS Air Rescue in Flagstaff requested a CCSO-SAR helicopter rescue technician to assist Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office with a technical rescue of an injured climber on Granite Mountain in the Prescott area. The climber was rescued and transported to the hospital for treatment.

At 12:42 pm we received a report of a 10 year old and a young adult overdue from an ATV ride near their campsite off of FS124 in the Mormon Lake area. The other people at the campsite had located the ATV but the subjects were not with it. The Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from USFS (both law enforcement and fire personnel), SAR, and DPS to conduct a search by ground and air. At 3:21 pm DPS Air Rescue from Phoenix located the subjects in good condition approximately one mile east of their camp site. Ground personnel were guided to the location and transported both subjects back to camp. Neither subject required medical attention.

At 12:51 pm we received a report from a woman that her husband and two children, a 7 year old and a 3-1/2, were overdue from a hike on the Kachina Trail. Deputies and SAR units responded and located the subjects on the Kachina Trail. Rescuers assisted them to a vehicle and drove them to the trail head at Snowbowl where they were reunited with family members.

At 3:50 pm we received a report that a male and female were overdue from their campsite near the Lava Tubes. Deputies patrolled forest service roads in the area. Approximately an hour later the reporting party called to advise that both people had returned to the camp safely.

Lions Club prepares for Mountain Man run

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upload-lion-run-1aWILLIAMS — The Williams Lions Club is looking forward to the Mountain Man Run and fun walk on Labor Day September 7. The run features a 10-k and 5-k run or fun walk along historic Route 66.

The proceeds benefit community vision and hearing programs. Participants may register here.

The Lions Club has been serving Williams for over 70-years. They meet on the first and third Tuesday of each month at 6:45 am. They meet at Anna’s Grand Canyon Coffee and Cafe at 137 W. Railroad Avenue in the Red Garter Inn. They are always looking for new members.

Williams Independence Day parade a smashing success

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640-015-07-04-05WILLIAMS — If Facebook is any gauge, it appears that the historic Route 66 Williams Independence Day parade was a rousing success. Pictures and videos of the parade appeared from Richard Goettel of Phoenix and local resident Brenda Carter. Brenda even caught the Mayor directing traffic.

There was some concern that it might be a wash. Rain came down starting about two hours before the parade, but cleared up. While clouds darkened the city and threatened more rain, it never came.

The parade began with the members of the American Legion Cordova Post #13 carrying the colors. They were followed by the Vietnam Veterans of America. Smokey the Bear was the parade Grand Marshall.
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The American Legion Post and Vietnam Veterans were joined by the Ladies Auxiliary of the American Legion and Matthew Broehm VFW Post.
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A new addition is the War Memorial Museum of Arizona in their 1942 WWII half-track.640-15-07-04-16It would not be a Williams parade without the Bill Williams Mountain Men—official ambassadors of the State of Arizona, the tractors and the classic cars.
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640-15-07-04-34It was good to see Bearizona in the parade this year. The were promoting their upcoming Backwoods BBQ July 25.

640-15-07-04-11Save Meant to Rescue had a tremendous float this year. They get our vote for Number 1. They were surrounded by pets rescued by new owners.

Overall the parade was the best we can remember.
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How can you celebrate Honor America Days?

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729px-1885_History_of_US_flags_medWe are in the time frame established by Congress in which they declare:

…that there be public gatherings and activities during that period at which the people of the United States can celebrate and honor their country in an appropriate way.

The City of Rome, New York takes Honor America Days to heart. Many are unaware of it because it does not specify picnics, barbeques or drinking green beer.

So what could one do to honor America during this time? There are several things and they do not take up too much of your time.

You can start by practicing using the term Independence Day instead of July 4th. July 4th is just a date on a calander. Independence is what it is all about. The Declaration of Independence is readily available online. Why not take time to read what the causes of Independence were? Read them with your family. Why not study the Bill of Rights? [Oddly enough the government archives web site gives a 400 error on these topics.]

One important fact of the Bill of Rights is often overlooked; perhaps purposely. The main effect of the anti-Federalist arguments was to get a Bill of Rights attached to the Constitution in the form of the First Ten Amendments. A Bill of Rights was not a popular idea among the Federalists. They argued that if a specific list of rights were added to the Constitution, the Congress would trample on other rights of American citizens. It was felt that the Constitution fully protected the rights of citizens from the evils expressed in the Declaration of Independence. People knew their rights. For example they knew that people had the right to private property which could never be taken away for any reason (except for public purposes such as roads as expressed in the Fifth Amendment). They knew that people had the right to do with their property what they wanted so long as it did not affect the property of their neighbors.

They did not bank on Woodrow Wilson.

James Madison was most adimant against a Bill of Rights. Yet in the first Congress under the new Constitution, he—among others—proposed 12 amendments. Ten were added forming the unalienable Bill of RIghts—meaning they could never be revoked. Because it was proposed as law, it came with a Preamble. That Premable read, in part:

Preamble

Congress OF THE United States
begun and held at the City of New York, on Wednesday
the Fourth of March, one thousand seven hundred and eighty nine.

THE Conventions of a number of the States having at the time of their adopting the Constitution, expressed a desire, in order to prevent misconstruction or abuse of its powers, that further declaratory and restrictive clauses should be added: And as extending the ground of public confidence in the Government, will best insure the beneficent ends of its institution

Incidentally, the Bill of Rights were not written in order of importance. The government of the United States—the people—cannot enforce a First Amendment without utilizing the true intent of the Second Amendment.

The government approved Federalist Papers were used convince the people to accept the newly written Constitution. These are the most cited in court cases and so-on. There were others who argued for the Constitution as well as those who argued against. Essays on the Constitution of the United States by Paul Leicester Ford represents several arguments from both sides. The Federalist Papers Project has some anti-Federalist arguments on their site. Infoplease has a more extensive listing on their web site.

If you prefer a more regimented course of action, Hillsdale College has free online courses that you can sign up for. They have courses on the Constitution, the Federalist Papers, American Literature and more. The courses feature a video lecture, required reading and examinations to test what you have learned.

Another source of information is Archive.org which has many old videos used in American schools through the sixties. They also have a number of audio books and audio read by volunteers you can download. Such as 1984 by George Orwell who became disillusioned by Communism. Project Gutenberg has hundreds of thousands of books online which you can download and print. These two sources have thousands of other entertainment selections, as well.

The one thing that is commonly misunderstood is that liberty and freedom does not mean the freedom to do whatever you want. The volume on your stereo stops where another has to listen, for example. One cannot dump toxic chemicals into a stream that runs through the property of another.

It is highly unlikely that you will get through all of the references we have presented here by Independence Day. The purpose of this article is simply to show that resources for self-education do exist. You do not have to have a time frame specified by Congress to use them.

Honor America Days; America

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Neil Diamond performs America from the Jazz Singer. Although part of a movie, it has become a popular song.

Honor America Days

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The 21-days from Flag Day to Independence Day have been declared Honor America Days. Here is a thank you from Arizona citizen Gianluca Zanna.

Happy Honor America Days!

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honor-americaHappy Flag day and Flag Week!

Title 36, United States Code, Section 112 (Public Law 105-225) declares this Honor America Days. The 21-days between Flag day and Independence Day are days in which:

Congress declares that there be public gatherings and activities during that period at which the people of the United States can celebrate and honor their country in an appropriate way.

President’s have simply mentioned in the Flag Day proclamations such as that by Barrack Obama on June 12.

Williams remembers those who passed

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20150525aaWILLIAMS — After the graduations, the parade, the roping and all of the other Memorial weekend activities, Williams ended with a memorial service to honor those who went to serve our country and did not return.
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Veterans and the families of loved ones who have passed gathered in the Williams Cemetery to honor their memory. The solemn occasion was accompanied with a 21-gun salute and the playing of taps by Lu Carle. Volunteers assisted in the placing of flags to mark the resting places of veterans. Some with only a small marker to indicate their presence.
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The event was scheduled by “Perico” Avila and the American Legion Cordova Post #13. Father Killian of St. Joseph The Worker Catholic Church gave the invocation.

Unfortunately, due to a scheduling conflict, we could not get the names of all of the participants.

Memorial parade over

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American Legion Cordova Post #13 color guard leads the parade.

American Legion Cordova Post #13 color guard leads the parade.

WILLIAMS — The Williams Memorial Parade went off with only a few drops or rain felt. The parade was led by the color guard of the American Legion Cordova Post #13. Along with the emergency first responders of the Kaibab National Forest and Williams, businesses and organizations joined to create the parade lasting just shy of 30-minutes.

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Williams Memorial parade starts soon

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640-memorial-15-05-23-01WILLIAMS — The American flag lines Route 66 from west-to-east along the Williams Memorial parade route. The Williams Police Department went all out to make sure people understand not to park in the parade route this year. KPBX 91.1 FM is blasting from the announcers stand. The 4-H club is setting up for their bake sale at Circle-K.
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The parade is ready to begin in a little less than one-hour. The parade starts from the Banker’s Real Estate plaza in the area of the Williams Memorial Park on the west end. It will travel Historic Route 66 past 1st Street where it will end.