Category Archives: News

The Friends of the Williams Aquatic Center need more board

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The kids of Civitan made this poster for the Duck Race.

The kids of Civitan made this poster for the Duck Race.

WILLIAMS—The Friends of the Williams Aquatic Center and the Williams Lions Club are conducting a Duck Egg Race on Fairway Drive at the Highland Meadows North subdivision this Saturday April 6. The first place cash prize is $100, second place $50 with third at $25. Eggs are $5 each or five eggs for $20.

The members of the Friends of the Williams Aquatic Center also seek to fill two openings for the nine-member board. The volunteers would be required to attend 8 to 20 meetings a year and help in the events that they plan. The Friends of the Williams Aquatic Center finds ways to raise money to help keep the WAC open and provides help with swimming lessons and programs for children.

The current board members are Mike Dulay, Clare Hydock, Tom Hooker, Kris Vasquez, Bobby Patriccia, Beth Michelson and Edie Phillips. You can contact one of them or email friends_at_williamsaquaticcenter.org (remove the underscores and add the @ sign).

They are looking for five people to assist in setting up, serving and clean up for the Fourth Annual Golf Tournament scheduled for Saturday, June 8 beginning at 7:30 am. There will be a deep-pit barbeque of beef, pork and side dishes after the golf tournament that is open to golfers and non-golfers. The volunteers would be required from about 12:30 to 3:30 pm. If you cannot donate time, they are looking for desert items such as pies, cakes, cookies and the like.

If you would be available June 8 to assist for 2-3 hours, please contact Edie by e-mail (ehpoh_at_aol.com), in person, or by phone (635-4784).

Flagstaff Regional Plan Raises Concerns

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flagstaff-img_0314By Elisha Dorfsmith

FLAGSTAFF—Last Thursday the long awaited draft version of the Flagstaff Regional Plan was released to the public. The plan now has a 60 day public comment period before it goes to the Flagstaff City Council and Coconino County Board of Supervisors for their approval. Once the City and County approve the plan, it will go to voters in a special election scheduled for May 20, 2014.

Before the plan was released, Flagstaff City Council member Jeff Oravits and many others raised concerns that the Regional Plan Citizens Advisory Committee was not balanced and was stacked with members of groups like F3 and other organizations with an extreme agenda.

Oravits fought to get more balance on the Committee during several council sessions but the majority of the Council said no and so the Committee remained one sided.

Now that the draft version of the plan has been released, I am receiving emails from concerned residents who say wording in the plan tramples individual liberty and private property rights. Of particular concern are the comments in the plan about social sustainability.

“Environmental, economic, cultural and social sustainability ensure that present actions are the basis for future health and prosperity.”

People are taking this to mean behavior control and the possibility of a Bloomberg style nanny state coming to the Flagstaff area.

Read more at Flagstaff Liberty Blog

City makes gun ownership mandatory

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NELSON, Ga. — The Nelson City Council voted 5-0 Monday night to require every household to have a gun and ammunition, unless the residents of the household opt out.

City council members in Nelson voted on the Family Protection Ordinance at their meeting Monday evening.

The city of about 1,300 located about 50 miles north of Atlanta has gotten a lot of attention in the media since the ordinance was proposed.

Read more at 11 Alive

Habitat for Humanity Opry night this Friday

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grand-opryWILLIAMS—The Habitat for Humanity annual Opry Night is this Friday from 6:30 to 9 pm. It will be held at the Rodeo Barn across from True Value. The tickets are $6 for adults, $3 for seniors and students and $15 for a family of four or more. Water, sodas and hotdogs will be on sale for the event.

The event includes live auctions and door prizes. There is also a raffle in which you will be able to place tickets for specific prizes that you want to win. The price of raffle tickets is $1 each or six ticket for $5.

President Pam Hendrickson said that the proceeds benefit the Habitat for Humanity which is still working toward a new home for the next family.

Arkansas nuclear power accident kills one

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No nuclear material released

A 25-year-old man was killed on Sunday after part of a generator fell while being moved at the Arkansas Nuclear One plant. Eight others were injured during the industrial accident, but operators claim no nuclear material was released.

“We are deeply saddened by what has happened today,” executive vice president and chief nuclear officer Jeff Forbes said in a public statement, without providing details about the cause of the young man’s death or the severity of the other victims’ injuries.

Wade Walters, a 25-year-old employee at the Arkansas Nuclear One (ANO) plant and a resident of Russellville, died from unknown injuries sustained during the accident. Eight other employees at the facility sustained non-fatal injuries and were rushed to the hospital.

The accident, which occurred at 7:45 a.m. on Easter Sunday, has caused nearby residents to express deep concern over the potential hazards of living near the plant. The plant is located in Russellville, which is about 70 miles northwest of Little Rock.

Read more at Russian Today

SEE ALSO: Highly radioactive: 1,000 gallons of nuclear waste leak in Washington every year

Last chance to sign up for little league this weekend

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WILLIAMS—The last chance to sign up for Williams Junior and Major League baseball and try out for the teams is this Saturday, April 6th at the little league field. The $45 fee and an acceptable proof of age is required at the time of registration. Ages for the various league divisions are T-Ball 4-6, Minor League 7-8, Major League 9-12 and Junior League 13-14.

Practices will start in May and the games run from May to early July. Volunteers for coaching, umpiring, score keeping and other positions are also open.

The league is comprised of teams from Ash Fork, Grand Canyon, Parks and Seligman in addition to the City of Williams. The games are played in the surrounding communities so travel is required.

For more information, Contact Luci Felton at 928-266-2470 or via email at williamslittleleague@gmail.com.

First Baptist Church dedicates new property

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The sign outside the new Parsonage of the First Baptist Church tells the story.

The sign outside the new Parsonage of the First Baptist Church tells the story.

WILLIAMS—The First Baptist Church of Williams has closed the 10-acre Welles property and the adjacent home. The 10-acre area will be used to construct the new Church. The church dedicated the property on Easter Sunday. The property has been on the market for some time.

Pastor Andy (Left) and Youth Pastor Dan astride the dedication sign.

Pastor Andy (Left) and Youth Pastor Dan astride the dedication sign.

A significant number of members attended the ceremony which was lead by a prayer by Pastor Andy McDaniel. Pastor McDaniel thanked the Lord for the property and dedicated it to Him.

The Baptist Church is also planning their Vacation Bible Study for the week of July 15-19 themed Colossal Coaster World based on 2 Timothy 1:7 which reads:

For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

Any member wishing to help with the VBS should contact Carol Gutshall at 928-635-1291 to arrange to attend the training on April 6th at First Southern in Avondale.

Members of the First Baptist Church gather for the dedication ceremony.

Members of the First Baptist Church gather for the dedication ceremony.

Members of the Church gather around the sign.

Members of the Church gather around the sign.

PCSO: 11-year-old Joan Plumb dies after accidental shooting in Casa Grande

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CASA GRANDE, AZ – Authorities have released the name of a young girl who died after she was accidentally shot by another child in her home Thursday night.

She has been identified as 11-year-old Joan Plumb.

Pinal County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Tamra Ingersoll said the shooting happened around 8 p.m. in the home near Gila Bend Highway and Thornton Road.

Ingersoll said there were three other children in the home along with the victim’s father. At the home were Joan’s 15-year-old brother, a female friend of Joan’s and a male neighborhood friend. The children ranged in age from 8 to 15 years old. Joan’s oldest sibling and mother were out of the house at the time of the shooting.

The children were in the family room of the home when the shooting occurred, Ingersoll said.

Neighbors were shocked.

“We heard nothing,” Carol Stewart, who lives next door, said. “My grandson looked out the window and he saw EMTs and I got really horrified. I said, ‘Something bad has happened.'”

Read more and see video at ABC15

Cataract Lake Park opening soon in Williams

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WILLIAMS—Coconino County announced that the 2.1 million Cataract Lake County Park will open on April 13th. The funds to renovate the park were derived from the Coconino Parks and Open Space sales tax program approved by county voters in 2002.

Mayor John Moore of Williams explained that the transformation of the old camping site into a day use area is not a loss for Williams. “I personally don’t think that the loss of camping will bad. I think it will make a place for the locals, now, to go in for a day, have family reunions in some of the shelters and be able to go fishing.”

Fishing at Cataract Lake requires a trout stamp. There are still camp site on the south-east area of Cataract Lake which can be accessed by taking Cataract Road to Copper Ranch Road. As of this writing, that camping area is closed for the season.

“It’s a county park operated by the City of Williams,” Mayor Moore added.

County Parks and Recreation Director Judy Weiss said, “The renovation of Cataract Lake County Park is our new model of park operation that we have implemented to provide quality park amenities in the most efficient way possible.”

cataract-park-04

The $2.1 million dollars invested to redevelop the park was used for planning, development, design and construction of the site. The park features restrooms, a boat launch, two picnic ramadas, a playground, fishing areas, walking trails and horseshoe pits.

The County and City of Williams plans a barbeque from 11 am to 3 pm on April 13th to christen the new park.

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Game and Fish seeks information on elk poaching case

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The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking the public’s assistance in finding the individual or individuals responsible for illegally killing a cow elk in a poaching incident in northern Arizona.

The poaching may have occurred during the weekend of March 16. Evidence discovered at the scene indicates that the elk was shot twice, with a center fire rifle, from Lake Mary Road near the Narrows, about 12 miles southeast of Flagstaff. The entire animal was left to waste, leaving investigating officers to believe that the suspect(s) may have been scared off by another vehicle, were spotlighting, or just randomly shot the elk from the road.

“We investigate numerous poaching cases throughout the year and rely heavily on the public’s help in catching the people that do this.” says Wildlife Manager, Lee Luedeker. “The weather was really nice that weekend and a lot of people were out, we need information from someone who was in that area. Luedeker adds, “They may have enough information for us to bust the poachers, all it takes is one piece of evidence to break a case.”

Anyone with information regarding this case can call the department’s Operation Game Thief Hotline toll free at (800) 352-0700 or use the online form at www.azgfd.gov/thief. Callers should provide case number 13-000609 when calling. All calls may remain confidential upon request. A reward of up to $1,350 may be available for information leading to the arrest of the violator(s).