Category Archives: News

ADOT receives Employer of the Year award

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Transportation has been honored for its support and advancement of women in transportation. The department received the Employer of the Year award from the Phoenix Chapter of the Women’s Transportation Seminar at the organization’s annual scholarships and awards ceremony.

In an industry typically dominated by men, ADOT was recognized for its upward movement and promotion of women, along with its workforce development program, which supports, engages and empowers employees, recognizing the fundamental contributions of both women and men, which are necessary to achieve a high-performing organization.

“I am proud to lead an agency that recognizes the talents of so many dedicated and hard-working individuals, both women and men, who make a difference every day as we work together to provide a safe, efficient and reliable transportation system for the people of Arizona,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski, who accepted the award Saturday night with a team of top ADOT managers alongside him.

“There is strength in numbers, and the women of ADOT have done an outstanding job not only in the field of transportation, but in supporting each other through leadership and mentoring. This environment is part of the overall culture at ADOT, one that fosters success as an individual and success as an entire agency.”

One of ADOT’s most successful programs is the Women Information Network, or WIN. This program, which is led by a group of female supervisors and managers, provides opportunities for all female employees at ADOT when it comes to networking, discussion and mentoring, in order to identify and implement advancement and leadership opportunities within the agency. WIN provides a variety of events throughout the year for female employees through brown-bag lunch programs with relevant topics, an ongoing mentoring program, and education encouragement for working women.

“WTS celebrates ADOT’s initiative to provide women with workforce enhancement and management opportunities,” said Susan Tierney, president of the WTS Metropolitan Phoenix Chapter. “ADOT leadership clearly recognizes that providing opportunities for women to learn and thrive in the workplace is a rock-solid strategy.”

Doctor refusing to treat child of gay couple not Biblical

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6764771_GDETROIT — According to a report by FOX Dertroit, a Dr. Vesna Roi apparently “prayed” and decided that she could not act as the pediatrician for the baby of a lesbian couple in Detroit in February.

Apparently, when the gay couple arrived at the pediatrician’s office, they claim:

“The first thing Dr. Karam said was ‘I’ll be your doctor, I’ll be seeing you today because Dr. Roi decided this morning that she prayed on it and she won’t be able to care for Bay,” Jami said.

This is an example of someone who has not studied their Bible. The question here is who is the sinner?

It is perfectly Constitutional and legitimate to refuse service to homosexual couples for a Christian. To not participate in so-called “marriage” ceremonies between such couples by providing photographic, bakery, flowers and other such services and the use of true Christian property is perfectly in compliance with the First Amendment. It should be noted that it does not matter if man calls this “marriage.” It is not. Only God sanctifies marriage and he has clearly defined the conditions.

The child of a homosexual couple is another matter entirely. Would you refuse to treat the baby of a couple who engages in identity theft? Would you, as a doctor, refuse to treat the brother, sister, mother or father of a homosexual couple? Yes, it is exactly the same thing.

Some point to Deuteronomy 5:9 which reads:

You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children, and on the third and the fourth generations of those who hate Me,

You see, they say. God punishes the generations of sinners.

The observant of you may notice the comma at the end of this making it clause taken out of a greater thought. It continues in Deuteronomy 5:10:

And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me and keep my commandments.

God is not the author of confusion. The second clause means that if a child of a sinner turns to God, he—or she—will certainly be accepted. A child can break the curse of the parents. Indeed, even the parents can be saved should they chose to be.

There have been instances of children brought up in the home of a homosexual couple rejecting their “parents” lifestyle, in fact.

This is expressed in Ezekiel 18:20:

The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

Dr. Roi might well believe that she is following the dictates of God, but I believe it not to be so. The Bible is as clear on this matter as it is on the sin of homosexuality. Particularly with children who have not reached the age of discernment.

Gosar submits bill for cull hunt of bison at Grand Canyon

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(Because of the deadline for this article, the office of Representative Gosar could not be reached for comment)

White Bison at Bearizona Wildlife Park.

White Bison at Bearizona Wildlife Park.

WASHINGTON — In 1906, Charles “Buffalo” Jones brought bison to northern Arizona in an unsuccessful attempt to breed them with cattle. The descendants of these bison have been managed since 1950 by the state of Arizona in the House Rock Wildlife Area (HRWA) on the Kaibab National Forest, through an inter-agency agreement with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In 1990 the 1990 the bison started moving to the top of the Kaibab Plateau and into the Grand Canyon National Park.

The Grand Canyon National Park began a request for input on a Bison Management Plan that ended in June of 2014. The effort was an attempt to balance their mission to secure natural vegetation, archeological sites and water resources while maintaining the bison as wildlife.

On March 18, Paul Gosar [R-AZ-4] submitted H.R. 1443 (S. 782 in the Senate by McCain) to permit a cull hunt for Bison at the Grand Canyon National Park.

The bill calls for the Secretary of the Interior to publish a management plan for Bison no later than 180 days after H.R. 1443 is enacted. The plan would be to reduce, through humane lethal culling by skilled public volunteers and other non-lethal means the population of Bison in the park.

Skilled public volunteers are defines as those with a valid hunting license issued by the State of Arizona and other qualifications the Secretary may require after consulting with the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Kirby Shedlowski, Acting Public Affairs Officer at Grand Canyon National Park, said, “In order have allowed cull, there’s usually a very large management planning process.”

She said, “There has never been a cull hunt for bison at the Grand Canyon. There has been a cull on the forest. On the Kaibab Forest on the north side.”

Kirby said she was not sure of cull hunts for Bison in other parks, such as Yellowstone. “There are different culling hunts in different parks for different animals. Rocky Mountain did it for elk. Rock Creek Park has done it for white-tail deer. Getteysburg has done it for white-tail deer. But, as far as Bison go—I’m not sure. But Grand Canyon National Park has never had a cull for Bison.”

Good Friday procession down Route 66

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40-GF04-03-37WILLIAMS — As the sun set in Williams, the Williams Police Department safely escorted those carrying the cross in the Good Friday procession.
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The procession traveled the length of the city down Route 66 from the Mustang gas station to the Family Harvest Church. The event attracted a crowd from all faiths in Williams.
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(NM) Hal Stratton: Civil asset forfeiture bill is needed reform for state

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[NEW MEXICO] —

I still am against crime and a strong advocate for law enforcement. But there is no bigger miscarriage of justice than when those who are charged to protect us abuse that duty and cause harm to innocent and sometimes helpless citizens.

By Hal Stratton

Guest column
Posted: 04/02/2015 10:30:07 AM MDT

For those New Mexicans who believe in bipartisan government, reaching across the aisle and the political spectrum — there is good news. The New Mexico Legislature has just unanimously passed HB 560, without a single dissenting vote in either house. HB 560 revises the procedure involved in the forfeiting of citizens’ assets by government agencies, a practice referred to as “asset forfeiture.” Every year, federal and state law enforcement agents seize billions of dollars during traffic stops, simply by alleging the money is connected to some illegal activity. Under federal and New Mexico’s laws, these agencies are entitled to keep most (and sometimes all) of the money and property, even if the property owner is never convicted and, in some cases, never charged with a crime.

Why would law enforcement agencies, whose mission is to protect citizens and their property, engage in forfeiture? That question was candidly answered last November by the city attorney from Las Cruces who said that forfeiture could be a “gold mine” for city law enforcement agencies. “We could be czars. We could own the city. We could be in the real estate business” he stated further noting that the Las Cruces law enforcement agency collected about $1 million from residents through forfeiture since 2006. And these funds that are forfeited go directly into the law enforcement agencies coffers outside of the appropriations process and legislative oversight.

Read more at Ruidoso News

Veolia ES Technical Solutions to Pay $360,000 in Civil Penalties for Hazardous Waste Violations

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ADEQ-2PHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality announced today that Veolia ES Technical Solutions, LLC, of Phoenix, will pay $360,000 in civil penalties under a consent judgment for illegally disposing hazardous waste to a sand and gravel pit near the Salt River in 2009.

In response to a complaint in April 2009, ADEQ compliance officers inspected a sand and gravel pit in which they observed crushed lamps, intact fluorescent lamps, intact metal halide lamps, intact compact fluorescent lamps, and other lamp related debris in a portion of the sand and gravel pit that was less than 600 feet from the Salt River. The investigation revealed the lamps and broken glass had been generated by Veolia. Samples of the broken glass taken from the pit were found to be above regulatory thresholds for mercury.

An inspection of Veolia’s facility in May 2009 resulted in ADEQ issuing a Notice of Violation to the company for improper sampling equipment and techniques, inadequate response to high mercury samples, open containers, containers in poor condition, hazardous waste on the ground, and disposal of hazardous waste without a permit. Veolia staff also had failed to examine lab reports to verify if hazardous waste was being sent to the landfill.

Since the activities of 2009, Veolia has improved processes at their facility; and had been in compliance with its hazardous waste storage permit and related hazardous waste generator requirements during recent inspections.

“As a result of our agency’s investigation and holding the company accountable for its violations, Veolia has improved its operations and is now in compliance with all conditions of its permit, thus ensuring public health and the environment are protected,” ADEQ Director Henry Darwin said.

The settlement is subject to court approval.

Williams Sportsman’s Club 2015 Grad Night fundraiser

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williams-sportsmans-club-1WILLIAMS — The Williams Sportsman’s Club (Facebook) and Parents Who Care are hosting a fundraising shoot to benefit the 2015 Grad Night. Practice will start from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. The cash shoot will run from 9 a.m. until finished.

The range is located on Highway 64 about a quarter mile north of I-40. Watch and turn to the left and follow the signs to the range. The range is open every Wednesday and Saturday morning from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

The different shoot categories are :

  • 100 yard long rifle with sandbag rest
  • 100 yard long rifle off hand
  • 20 yard pistol
  • 50 yard .22 with sandbag rest
  • 50 yard .22 off hand
  • Kids .22 shoot (12 & under)

The entry fee for non-members is $5 with an additional $5 a round. The winner of each shoot gets 50% of the pot for each shoot.

All range rules apply and shooters must use range tables and sandbags.

Breakfast burritos, hamburgers and drinks will be available. For more information you may contact Ron Hollamon at 928-526-4766.

Board of Supervisor regular session April 7

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Coconino-County-4FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino County Board of Supervisors meets next Tuesday, April 7 at 10 a.m. The meeting will be held at the Board of Supervisors First Floor Meeting Room, 219 E. Cherry Ave, Flagstaff.

They remind you that if you are carrying electronic devices, that they are set to silence before the meeting begins.

Some highlights of the meeting include:

  • Approve the request to Arizona Governor Doug Ducey to designate Coconino County as a Local Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Area under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014.
  • Approve the appointment of John Lamb as Justice of the Peace Pro Tempore for Coconino County, February 9, 2015, through June 30, 2015, on an as-needed basis.
  • Approve the renewal of the contract with GPS Monitoring Solutions for an additional one (1) year term to provide home detention, electronic monitoring and continuous alcohol monitoring of clients in all four (4) Justice Courts and in Superior Court. The term of the renewal is from July 1, 2015 to June 30, 2016.
  • Approve the budget amendment and grant award totaling $22,200 from the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission (ACJC) Substance Abuse Prevention and Education Program for the term of 4/1/15 – 9/30/15 for drug tests and substance abuse assessments for those clients that are court-ordered and require a thorough assessment for treatment/prevention referrals for Integrated Family Court and DUI/Drug Court.
  • Approve a Grant Award, Hazardous Materials Emergency Planning (HMEP) Grant FFY 2015, Grant Award Agreement Number, HM-HMP-0454-01-00 for the amount of $5700 from the Arizona Emergency Response Commission (AZSERC) and a budget adjustment of $6567.
  • Approve the purchase of two (2) vehicles under Arizona State Contract No. ADSPO12-01667 from San Tan Ford in the amount of $57,546.66.
  • Pass and adopt Flood Control District Resolution 2015-01 authorizing and directing District staff and legal counsel to accept the counter offer made by the Defendants in settlement of Cause Number CV 2014-00390, and to execute any documents that may be necessary to carry out the purpose of the resolution.

Brief Agenda (PDF)

Fleas Test Positive for Plague in Picture Canyon

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640px-HookeFlea01FLAGSTAFF — Coconino County Public Health Services District (CCPHSD) officials confirmed that fleas collected in Picture Canyon, a popular hiking area located in northeast Flagstaff, tested positive for plague (Yersinia pestis).

Picture Canyon is located east of Highway 89 North, and north of Interstate 40 and Old Route 66.

The tests were recently conducted by the Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics at Northern Arizona University.

CCPHSD Environmental Health staff collects and tests flea samples from locations throughout the County. The recent samples were collected from burrows located along the Picture Canyon hiking trails. Visitors to the area are asked to avoid rodent burrows and keep dogs on a leash as required by Arizona State law.

The CCPHSD and the City of Flagstaff have notified nearby residents of the situation and posted signage at the trailheads. The burrows are being treated and the area will be closely monitored to determine if further action is required.

This positive test is the first evidence of plague activity reported in the County this year. While this is the only location within the County where the plague has been confirmed, the disease is endemic to areas throughout the County and may be more widespread.

The CCPHSD is urging the public to take precautions to reduce their risk of exposure to this serious disease, which can be present in rodents, rabbits, and sometimes predators that feed upon these animals. The disease can be transmitted to humans and other animals by the bite of an infected flea or by direct contact with an infected animal.

Symptoms in humans generally appear within two to six days following exposure and include the following: fever, chills, headache, weakness, muscle pain, and swollen lymph glands (called “buboes”) in the groin, armpits, or limbs. The disease can become septicemic (spreading throughout the bloodstream) and/or pneumonic (affecting the lungs), but is curable with proper antibiotic therapy if diagnosed and treated early.

Additional Information: PDF

House Democrats revive armor piercing bullet ban

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m855ammoAR15WASHINGTON — The Bloomers are at it again. After the failed attempt by the BATFE to unconstitutionally outlaw ammunition, the Representative of New York have taken up the gauntlet. Representative Eliot L. Engel (D-NY-16) submitted H.R.1358—the Armor-Piercing Bullets Act of 2015.

This bill would actually increase the types of ammunition considered “armor-piercing” and include shotgun “slugs.” The kicker in the bill is that it would change 921(a)(17) of title 18 to allow:

“…the Attorney General may treat a projectile as not primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes if substantial evidence exists that the projectile is not primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes”

Who determines what is intended for “sporting purposes” is the Attorney General.

H.R. 1358 was submitted on March 13, but the Republicans have not remained silent. On March 16, Representative Patrick McHenry [R-NC-10] has submitted the Ammunition and Firearms Protection Act, H.R.1365. The Republican bill would change Section 921(a)(17) of title 18, to read:

“(D) Notwithstanding subparagraph (B), the term ‘armor piercing ammunition’ does not include—
“(i) any M855 (5.56 mm x 45 mm) or SS109 type ammunition; or
“(ii) any ammunition designed, intended, and marketed for use in a rifle.”.

H.R. 1358 is currently in the House Committee on the Judiciary while the Republican bill has moved to the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations. If co-sponsors are any indication, the ammo ban bill has nine while the Republican bill sports 41.

Representative Michael Honda [D-CA-17] submitted H.R.378 – Responsible Body Armor Possession Act in January. This bill with five co-sponsors has been in the Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, Homeland Security, and Investigations since February. This euphemistically titled bill actually states that private citizens are not responsible enough to possess body armor.

The problem is that the Second Amendment does not protect hunters and sport shooting. The amendment does not read “A well-regulated hunters, being necessary to the security of a free State…” Hunting and hunters are protected by the Ninth Amendment.

The Second Amendment does not protect “firearms” and ammunition specifically. The Second Amendment provides that,

…the right of the People to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

The ban on any arms is technically unconstitutional. According to Federalist Paper No. 29. This was so that local militias could protect the rights of themselves and their communities.