Category Archives: News

AZGFD reduces size of Glassford Hill pronghorn herd

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A helicopter helps drive the pronghorn into a holding pen during the capture.

PRESCOTT VALLEY — The fastest land animal in North America can make it seem so effortless, reaching a top speed of 55 mph, then being able to coast at 30 mph for miles. When they get their wheels rolling, there isn’t a predator that can keep up with them, let alone catch them.

There is one thing, however, that an estimated 100 pronghorn that have roamed the Glassford Hill area near Prescott Valley cannot outrun — development.

On January 24, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), in partnership with the Arizona Antelope Foundation (AAF) and local private landowners, reduced the size of the iconic herd by capturing 45 of the fleet-footed animals and transporting them to various release sites in southeast Arizona.“Our mission at Game and Fish is to conserve and protect all of Arizona’s wildlife,” said Erin Butler, terrestrial wildlife program manager for the department’s regional office in Kingman. “With a four-lane, divided highway to the north, an encroaching subdivision to the east, another housing community under construction to the west, and more development to the south, this particular herd needs our help.

Pronghorn are released at several sites in southern Arizona.

“As development in this area continues, and their habitat dwindles, these pronghorn will find it increasingly difficult to survive. Our goal is that translocating them will boost and add genetic diversity to existing populations in the southeast portion of the state.”

The one-day operation was conducted on private property south of Highway 89A. A helicopter was used to round up and funnel the pronghorn into a holding area, where wildlife biologists, veterinarians, and others evaluated the health of each pronghorn, attached an ear tag for identification and fitted them with GPS tracking collars.

The pronghorn then were transported almost 300 miles south to release sites near Bonita, Altar Valley and San Bernardino Valley, where they will bolster a small population numbering about 100. Extensive habitat improvement work has been done in these areas over the past 10 years in partnership with the Arizona Antelope Foundation and the National Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), both of which provided funding and volunteers. These improvements included clearing 22,000 acres of mesquite, modifying 35 miles of fencing to facilitate easier pronghorn movement, and the placement of 15 water troughs.

As for the remaining pronghorn near Glassford Hill, AZGFD expects the lower-elevation grassland habitat to be completely developed within the next five to 10 years, resulting in a decrease in the population through natural attrition.

Costs incurred for the operation were paid for through wildlife restoration funds (which are generated by sportsmen who support conservation through their purchase of hunting, fishing and other outdoor equipment), as well as support and volunteers from AAF and NRCS.

ADOT launches website focused on safe driving

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PHOENIX – Have you ever wondered what action to take when an overhead sign warns of an oncoming wrong-way driver? Curious about how to proceed when a dust storm appears on the horizon? Want to confirm the logistics of navigating a roundabout?

FocusOnDriving.com has answers to those questions and more.

This week, the Arizona Department of Transportation launched FocusOnDriving.com, a collection of safe-driving resources aimed to make motorists more informed about how to stay safe on Arizona’s roads. The site contains video public service announcements, information from current and past safety campaigns and general safe-driving tips.

“This website provides a wide variety of safe-driving information to drivers,” said ADOT director John Halikowski. “Informed drivers make better decisions and, in turn, that makes Arizona’s roads safer for all of us.”

Current safe-driving topics on the site include wrong-way drivers, dust storms, winter weather, child safety seats, Arizona’s “Move Over” law and more.

Thousands tune in as Lake Pleasant bald eagles welcome egg

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PHOENIX — Following a rollercoaster start, the next generation of bald eagles on Lake Pleasant could very well be on the way after a second egg was firmly laid in the nest.

The egg, which was laid around 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 24, came one day after a first egg was eaten by a pair of opportunistic ravens that swooped into the nest while the unassuming bald eagle parents were away. Each event was watched in real-time by thousands streaming video of the nest on the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s bald eagle nest camera.

“While this scenario occurs daily in nature, the department’s live-streaming camera allows us to bring this unfiltered nesting process to everyone with an internet connection,” said Jeff Meyers, AZGFD watchable wildlife program coordinator. “Viewers are repeatedly drawn into the daily drama of survival, tuning in to watch the eagles eat, fend off intruders — such as egg-eating ravens and a rival bald eagle — and finding time to take turns incubating the egg. All the while, viewers are learning about Arizona’s bald eagles and other native wildlife.”

While the department is hopeful the nest will produce young, biologists aren’t as optimistic based on activity they’ve seen so far.

The eggs are the first for this new bald eagle pair, after the previous male was bested by another bird early into the breeding season. The new male still has much to learn about his role in caring for and protecting vulnerable eggs.

“Egg laying is an important milestone, but the female can’t care for the egg alone,” said Kenneth “Tuk” Jacobson, AZGFD raptor management coordinator. “The male needs to provide relief and take his turn incubating the egg; bring food for the female; ward off potential intruders; and ensure there is a constant presence on the nest. Unfortunately, he hasn’t quite learned that and the nest is often left unoccupied for multiple stretches of the day.”

Still, records show the bald eagle population at Lake Pleasant has grown since 1993 and 28 birds have since survived to take their first flight, known as fledging. In this nest, two eggs were laid with the previous male in early January 2018 and each hatched the following month. The two young successfully fledged in late April.

The Arizona Game and Fish Department Lake Pleasant bald eagle live-streaming camera is funded through Heritage and Pittman Robertson funds, and public donations. Those wishing to support the Watchable Wildlife program can click the “donate now” button after selecting which live camera feed to view at www.azgfd.gov/livecams.

To support the department’s effort to conserve and protect Arizona’s more than 800 native wildlife species, the public can purchase a Conservation Membership package at www.azwildlifehero.com and clicking on “support us” and “become a member.” Different membership levels come with special perks, from a beautiful set of wildlife notecards to an annual subscription to Arizona Wildlife Views Magazine.

The bald eagle cam is the fourth wildlife camera offered by the department, which also provides seasonal views of wintering sandhill cranes in southeastern Arizona, a bat roost at Cluff Ranch Wildlife Area and an underwater pupfish cam. All the live streams can be viewed at www.azgfd.gov/livecams.

Pile Burning on Williams Ranger District Recommencing

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WILLIAMS – Fuels reduction efforts on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest will begin on Friday of this week and continue into next week as weather conditions permit. Machine piles on two separate timber sale units on the district have been evaluated and are suitable for ignition at this time.

383 acres of piles in the Wright Timber Sale area located north of Parks on the south side of Government Hill will be ignited Friday, and an additional 200 acres will begin on Monday of next week on the Shiner Timber Sale project located just southwest of Dogtown Lake along forest road 140.

Fuels specialists will continue to assess conditions in the weeks ahead and plan to continue implementing prescribed fire activities as opportunities arise.

Crews will use tactics to minimize smoke production and reduce the potential for impacts to the surrounding roadways and adjacent communities.
During ignition operations, smoke will be visible from areas surrounding these units but is expected to be light in volume and short in duration.

These pile burns are just a couple of many ongoing forest restoration projects happening that are critical to improving forest health and increasing vital protection of forest resources and community values.
As with all prescribed burns, weather conditions will determine the day’s most suitable for ignitions that have the least amount of negative effects on air quality and the best possible ventilation.

The public can view approved prescribed fires for any given day on the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s website at smoke.azdeq.gov/.
To learn more about smoke and public health, visit bit.ly/SmokeHealthAwareness.
Notifications of upcoming prescribed fire projects are provided regularly throughout the year. Additional information can also be obtained through the following sources:

· Kaibab National Forest Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
· Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF
· Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF
· Fire Information Recorded Hotline: 928-635-8311
· InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5922/

Barricaded Armed Person in Williams Taken into Custody After Shooting Himself in the Leg

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Matthew Solan – CCSO

WILLIAMS – On January 30 around 12:18 in the afternoon, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Deputies and the Williams Police Department initiated a traffic stop on Matthew Solan who was wanted for questioning related to a report of aggravated assault and kidnapping. The traffic stop was made on eastbound Route 66 in Williams, AZ. During the traffic stop the driver and another passenger exited the vehicle, but Solan barricaded himself in the vehicle.

Earlier in the day, around 10:17 am, the Sheriff’s Office received a report of aggravated assault and kidnapping. The reporting party told deputies that Matthew Solan had used a gun to hold him against his will on the evening of January 28 in the Junipine Estates area north of Williams, AZ.

Sheriff’s Deputies and Williams Police Officers were attempting to locate Solan to interview him when Solan’s vehicle was seen at several businesses in the downtown Williams area. Solan was seen going to Footworks and then entered his vehicle along with two other individuals. At that time, Sheriff’s Deputies along with Williams PD Officers initiated a traffic stop and attempted to contact Solan.

The driver and other occupant exited the vehicle, but Solan refused to exit and barricaded himself in the vehicle. Officers began to set up a perimeter in the area. Barricades and stop sticks were placed to attempt to stop Solan from driving away or responding in a way that may possibly endanger others in the area. Schools and businesses in the nearby area were placed in lock down to further provide public safety. The Flagstaff Police Department’s Joint Northern Arizona Tactical Team and negotiator also responded to assist.

At approximately 6:30 pm, Solan placed the gun next to his leg and shot himself in the leg. Solan exited the vehicle and surrendered himself. Solan was treated by medics on scene. He was transported by Lifeline Medical to the Flagstaff Medical Center for further treatment.

Solan was booked into the Coconino County Detention Facility on offenses including Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault, Weapons Violations, Resisting Arrest, and Probation Violation.

Barricades and closures remained in effect during the follow up investigation and were lifted approximately 7 pm.

The investigation is on-going and no further information is available at this time.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office thanks the public and Williams community for their cooperation during this incident. It was vital to have the public’s cooperation and understanding of the life safety measures that were taken to keep the area clear while responders negotiated with the barricaded person. Thank you again for your cooperation.

Pile burn activity resumes near Jacob Lake

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FREDONIA – Firefighters plan to burn piles on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest today through Friday. Ignitions began this morning and are anticipated to last one to two days. Meanwhile, fire managers will continue to monitor conditions and evaluate additional opportunities to initiate more pile burning in other locations throughout the district, weather permitting.

From October through December, fire managers burned approximately 750 acres of piles to reduce hazardous fuels that if left untreated could threaten a high severity, high-intensity wildfire once warmer, dryer weather arrives. Visitors are reminded that during and for several hours following ignitions, smoke may be present on roadways in short durations. Drivers should use caution, drive slowly, turn on headlights, and avoid stopping in areas where fire personnel is working.

General Information: Implementation of any prescribed fire, including a pile burn, is dependent on weather and fuel conditions including winds, temperature, humidity, the moisture of vegetation, and ventilation conditions for dispersal of smoke. All prescribed fires are subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. For additional information on the Smoke Management Division or to view prescribed burn authorizations for any given day, visit https://smoke.azdeq.gov/.

No road or trail closures are expected. However, in the interest of safety, visitors are always reminded to use caution when traveling in the vicinity of prescribed fires, as firefighters, fire-related traffic, and smoke may all be present.

Notifications of upcoming prescribed fires are provided regularly throughout the year. Members of the public can find this information through the following sources:

· Fire Information Recorded Hotline: 928-635-8311
· Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF
· Kaibab website “Recent News”: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
· Kaibab Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF

2019 Coconino County Spelling BEE

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FLAGSTAFF – Coconino County students will vie for top spelling honors during the 2019 Coconino County Spelling BEE. The 21 spellers will begin competing at 10 a.m., Saturday, February 9, at Coconino High School located at 2801 N. Izabel Street in Flagstaff.

The County Spelling BEE consists of home, public, charter and private school-students from throughout the County who won their school or district Spelling BEE. The competition will begin promptly at 10 a.m. and will be held in the Coconino High School’s mini-auditorium.

Each year, the Rotary Clubs from Flagstaff, Grand Canyon and Williams donate the monetary prizes for the top three spellers. The clubs also provide experienced and qualified judges who determine if the contestants have spelled the words correctly.

The winner of the County Spelling BEE will advance to compete with 26 other top spellers at the state level. The Arizona Educational Foundation State Spelling BEE is scheduled for 1 p.m. Saturday, March 23 at AZ PBS, 500 N. Central Ave., 6th Floor, Phoenix, AZ 85004.

The winner of the state bee will represent Arizona at the Scripps National Spelling BEE in Washington, D.C. in late May or early June of 2019.

The County Spelling BEE is coordinated and hosted annually by the County Superintendent of Schools Office. Spectators are welcome to attend.

Police stand-off ends in self-inflicted gunshot wound

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WILLIAMS – A tense police stand off began at approximately noon today on Route 66 by Safeway ending six-an-a-half hours later with the armed suspect shooting himself in the leg. We have not received confirmation of the name of the suspect or what sparked the afternoon stand off.

We have heard that another male and female suspect were in the vehicle and surrendered at the beginning of the incident.

During the stand off, the suspect indicated that he wanted his mother to call an attorney to retain him or he would take his life. Later, the suspect arranged a phone call with the Coconino County Sheriff’s office commander because he no longer wanted to talk to the on scene negotiator.

At approximately 6:32 p.m., the suspect shot himself in the leg and the Williams Police Department dispatched a Lifeline ambulance that was standing by during the incident. No officers were injured or exchange fire.

No other details are known. We have a possible name of the suspect but are awaiting confirmation from the police.

Law Enforcement Response to Barricaded Subject – Williams

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Police stand off with a suspect in a black truck.

WILLIAMS, ARIZONA – Coconino County Sheriff’s Office along with Williams Police Department, Arizona Department of Public Safety, and Northern Arizona Tactical Team are currently on scene of an armed subject, barricaded inside his vehicle in the area of the Safeway grocery store in Williams, Arizona. At this time, no shots have been fired. There are no reports of injuries. A perimeter has been established and negotiations with the person are ongoing.

Law enforcement are asking that the public avoid the area. We will provide further information as it becomes available.

Winter Field Day in Williams hailed a Success.

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The Coconino Amateur Radio Club and Bill Williams Mountain Radio Club set up for Winter Field Day in the Visitor Center parking lot.

WILLIAMS – Every year on the last full weekend in June, the amateur radio community conducts an operation called Field Day to practice setting up emergency operations and introduce people to amateur radio. The summer exercise is conducted by the Amateur Radio Relay League. Another group of amateurs felt it was just as important to be able to set up in winter conditions. They formed the Winter Field Day Association and held the first Winter Field Day January 13 and 14 in 2007.

On Saturday January 26 and Sunday January 27, the Coconino Amateur Radio Club (CARC) and Bill Williams Mountain Radio Club (BWMRC) combined talents to conduct the first Winter Field Day in Coconino County. Williams was selected as the location and it was set up in the Williams Visitor Center parking lot.

“Thanks to the City of Williams, our first Winter Field Day was a success,” said Glen Davis KG7YDJ. “It was a short notice operation and they worked with us to get this thing going.”

Jacob Miller KI7WNS, who organized the event said, “Thank you all for a great Winter field day. Over 200 contacts were made and we couldn’t have done it without your help and support setting up, maintaining that generator, and breaking down. ”

“We definitely learned a number of lessons from this winter field day and look forward to more winter field days for years to come,” he added.

Joe Hobart W7LUX shoots a fishing line over a lamp post to raise one end of the antenna used for the operation.

A high frequency antenna is strung from one lamp post to another across the parking lot. This antenna allows operators to make contacts across the country.

During these Field Day exercises, amateur radio operators set up amateur radios and try to make as many contacts as possible through all of the frequency ranges that amateur radio, or Ham, operators are allowed to use. During actual emergencies, amateurs have the capability and latitude to operate outside of their normal frequencies. For example, transmitting on general mobile radio serive (GMRS) frequencies with an amateur radio is illegal during normal conditions. In an emergency situation where there is a possibility of loss of life or property, however, anyone is allowed to use any frequency to summon and respond to a summons for help.

Volunteers from CARC and BWMRC set up the CARC emergency trailer for the Winter Field Day. The trailer is set up to perform several modes of communication.

Amateur radio emergency communications has existed almost since amateur radio began in the early 1900s. During the cold war, the Federal Communications Commission developed the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service (RACES) to respond with emergency communications in the event of a nuclear engagement. RACES required special licenses and training and only responded to nuclear war. The Amateur Relay Relay League established the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES Pronounced air-ease) to respond to all emergency situations. The special license requirement for RACES has been dropped over time and their role has expanded. ARES and RACES groups now work together toward the same goal.

Coconino ARES members provide emergency communications in a variety of situations. They provide emergency communications for different events, such as the Lion’s Club Route 66 Labor Day run in Williams and the 100 mile Stagecoach race from Flagstaff to Tusayan. At the beginning of the Blueridge Fire, cell communications were unavailable. Amateur radio was used to communicate with the Emergency Operations Center in Flagstaff to relay evacuation notices which was credited with saving lives.

The next ARRL Summer Field Day will be held June 22-23, 2019.

Volunteers from CARC and BWMRC set up the CARC emergency trailer for the Winter Field Day. The trailer is set up to perform several modes of communication.

Joe tests the radios during the set up phase of the Winter Field Day.

Morgan Conklin KI7WTS and Jacob Miller KI7WNS start making contacts for Winter Field Day.