Paving continues on Interstate 40 in northern Arizona; lane and ramp closures scheduled

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The Arizona Department of Transportation advises northern Arizona drivers on Interstate 40 to plan for travel delays because of traffic realignment and ramp closures at Parks, Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads. Crews are repairing 17 miles of pavement on I-40 between Parks and Williams. The project also includes making bridge deck repairs at Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads.

The westbound I-40 off-ramp at Parks (milepost 178) will be closed from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 12. The eastbound on-ramp at Pittman Valley Road(milepost 171) will be temporarily re-opened as a traffic detour for this closure.

Crews are completing work to rebuild 5 eastbound miles between mileposts 167 and 172 with all traffic moved to the westbound lanes using a temporary crossover in that section. In August, crews began work on the eastbound section of the freeway and closed the eastbound on- and off-ramps at Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads for the next few months. Traffic is detoured onto the Parks and East Williams traffic interchanges. Please see the attached detour map.

For more information, please visit www.azdot.gov/I40CataractLakeRd2Parks

Elk viewing workshop at Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area October 6

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PINETOP — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is again partnering with the Arizona Elk Society White Mountain Chapter (AES) to offer an elk natural history and viewing workshop on Saturday, October 6, 2018 at Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area near Eagar.

Late September to early October is prime elk breeding season and is the best time of year to view the majestic animals. Bulls will bugle as they battle to gather cow elk into harems. It is truly an awesome time of year to experience this unique wildlife event.

Workshop presentations will be begin at 11 a.m., followed by an early dinner served by the AES. After dinner, participants can attend an optional field trip to view nearby elk. Several field trip opportunities will be available, including some that will require driving and hikes or walks with various degrees of difficulty.

The workshop is limited to 100 participants. Children must be 12 years old to participate.

Dinner tickets cost $20 per person and must be payable by check only to Arizona Elk Society. The dinner is a fundraiser for the AES, which aims to enhance the quality of wildlife habitat as well as teaching future generations the importance of being responsible stewards of our national heritage our great outdoors. Dinner will include a hamburger, side and dessert.

Workshop topics include:

Elk Natural History
Elk Management in Arizona
History of Sipe White Mountain Wildlife Area
Reintroduction and Management of Mexican Wolves in Arizona
Elk calling
Wildlife Photography by AZGFD photographer George Andrejko

OR

How to Get Started Hunting by AES

Directions to Sipe
Take Highway 191 south to Eagar towards Alpine; you’ll see the turnoff signs just two miles outside of Eagar. Follow the graded dirt road, which is suitable for passenger cars, about five miles to the property.

What to wear
Wear long pants and hiking/comfortable shoes. Participants might be walking distances of a ¼-mile or more in low light conditions. Dress in layers, be prepared for a cool night and possible rain. Dark or camouflage clothing is best as white or bright clothes will alert wildlife to your location. Also consider bringing a headlamp or flashlight, binoculars or spotting scope, a camera and water. A limited numbers of spotting scopes and binoculars will be provided.

Additional details
For more information or to register, call Diane Tilton at the Arizona Game and Fish Pinetop Office at (928) 532-3691 or email dtilton@azgfd.gov. After registration, please mail checks to Arizona Game and Fish Pinetop Office at 2878 E. White Mountain Blvd, Pinetop, AZ 85935.

Sheriff’s Office Labor Day Holiday Activity Summary

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COCONINO COUNTY – The extended weekend encompassing August 31 – September 3 resulted in a large number of calls stemming from outdoor activity in Northern Arizona. The following is a summary of activity as best can be determined from dispatch and officer information available at the time of this media release.

During the extended Labor Day 2018 weekend, deputies responded to over 513 calls for service compared to 383 the previous Friday through Monday. These totals are comparable to the numbers of calls responded to over the 4-day weekend encompassing Memorial Day 2018 (455 calls) and the non-holiday weekend before Memorial Day 2018 (350).

In addition, deputies conducted 316 forest and community patrols and 83 traffic stops over the Labor Day weekend compared to 360 forest and community patrols and 47 traffic stops the previous, non-holiday weekend.

Deputies made multiple contacts with off-road vehicle operators and passengers throughout the county to promote off-road vehicle safety. A common safety violation they encountered was helmet violations. Deputies also made multiple contacts with boat operators and passengers on Lake Powell to promote water safety.

Common calls that deputies responded to over the Labor Day weekend included:

  • 46 disturbing the peace complaints (including off-road vehicle, weapons discharge/target shooting, fireworks, loud parties, complaints about neighboring campers, barking dog issues, etc.)
  • 38 emergency medical situations
  • 46 motorist and public assists (several calls related to public assists at the Coconino County Fair including 5 calls for lost children)
  • 45 assists to other agencies and attempt to locates
  • 35 suspicious activity incidents
  • 17 domestic disputes, assaults, threatening/intimidating related incidents
  • 22 (911) hang-up and alarm related calls
  • 12 fire related calls
  • several Search and Rescue calls (see below for synopsis)

Vehicle Collisions: The Sheriff’s Office received reports of 11 off-road vehicle collisions resulting in injuries.

Seven other vehicle collisions occurred on regular roadways. In all but one medical transport was either refused or not needed. Three of the collisions involved animals crossing the road.

Summary of off-road, recreation travel collisions:

  • August 31 around 10 pm – report of four males injured in off-road collision in the area of forest road 82 (near Blue Ridge). Vehicle reportedly struck a tree ejecting three people. Two patients in critical condition were transported by air, and two other patients were transported by ground medics.
  • August 31 around 11:30 pm – report of adult male injured in ATV rollover accident in the forest area outside of Munds Park. Upon arrival, no one was located at the scene, but the vehicle was still present.
  • September 1 around 8 am – report of adult male and teenage male injured in off-road vehicle accident in the Bear Canyon Lake area. Air medical also responded for patient transport.
  • September 1 around 12:45 pm – report of a teenage male involved in quad rollover accident in forest south of Flagstaff. The camping group self-transported him to medical care.
  • September 1 around 2 pm – report of male injured in dirt bike accident in the forested area around Pumpkin Center. The patient was transported by family to medical care.
  • September 1 around 4 pm – report of female injured in a boat accident near Anchovy Point, Lake Powell
  • September 1 around 4 pm – report of male injured in ATV accident in forested area around Willard Spring. One person was transported by ground medics.
  • September 2 around 9:30 am – report of “side-by-side” that flipped. Parties self-transported to medical care.
  • September 2 around 10:45 am – report of female injured in ATV accident in forested area near Kelly Canyon. Patient was transported by ground medics.
  • September 2 around 5 pm – report of 9-year-old boy and two adults injured in off-road vehicle collision in the Cinder Lakes recreation area. The passenger and boy were transported by ground medics.
  • September 2 around 6:30 pm – report single vehicle collision involving two young adults and their baby on forest road in the area of Walnut Canyon. One person was transported by ground medics.

Seven other vehicle collisions occurred on regular roadways. In all but one medical transport was either refused or not needed. Three of the collisions involved animals crossing the road.

Traffic / Moving Vehicle Stops: Deputies throughout the county conducted 83 traffic stops during the extended weekend, resulting in 18 citations and 15 written warnings.

Search and Rescue:

  • August 31 around 3:45 pm – report of a male hiker in West Fork who was in possible need of medical attention. Hiker later reported to no longer need assistance.
  • September 1 around 11 am – female was injured during fall in the area of West Fork. Patient required transport by rescue person via a litter carry to the trailhead / parking area.
  • September 1 around 3 pm – two young adult males were reported overdue to their campsite. They had been driving ATVs when they left their camp earlier in the morning. The were located and escorted back to their camp.
  • September 1 around 6 pm – deputy in Forest Lakes area located three lost hikers in the Bear Canyon area and provided them rides back to their camp
  • September 1 around 9:30 pm – received report of separated parties hiking Humphreys Trail. Parties were able to self-reunite and no longer needed assistance.
  • September 2 around 12:30 pm – a 21-year-old female on a 21-day group hike was reported to be in anaphylaxis. Several agencies were involved in the search to attempt to locate the patient in the area of Chevelon Lake and Horse Trap. The patient was transported by Arizona Department of Public Safety Northern Air Rescue.
  • September 2 around 5:45 pm – report of 7 teenagers overdue to their campsite at Bear Canyon Lake. Game and Fish officers assisted and learned all had returned safely to the camp.
  • September 3 around 9:45 am – report of a female hiker who had been stuck in quick sand in the Paria Canyon near Big Springs since the previous afternoon. Arizona Department of Public Safety Northern Air Rescue and Search and Rescue responded to rescue the person.
  • September 3 around 8:30 pm – assisted Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office in response to multiple vehicles caught in swift moving water and mud in the area of Perkinsville Road and Drake Road (south of Williams, AZ)

Deaths:

  • On September 1, 2018, deputies responded to a male subject who committed suicide at a residence in Greers Trailer Park.
  • On September 1, 2018 deputies responded to a male subject who was found unresponsive in a bathroom at Knoll Lake.

Detention Facility: The Coconino County Detention Facility Flagstaff Facility which receives arrested persons from multiple agencies throughout Northern Arizona (including: Coconino Sheriff’s Office, Flagstaff Police Department, Northern Arizona University Police, Williams Police, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety, as well as federal and state agencies) processed 105 bookings from August 31, 2018 through September 3, 2018. The majority of these booking occurred at the Flagstaff facility; 18 bookings occurred in the Page facility.

Of those bookings, 34 had felony related charges. Bookings by type of offense included (but were not limited to), 6 aggravated assault, 8 other assault, 8 DUI’s, 29 wants or warrants (e.g., failure to appear, failure to comply, probation violation, other warrants), 10 disorderly conduct, 9 drug offenses, 8 court remands, 4 trespass offenses, 4 driving offenses, 1 sex offense, 1 endangerment offense, 1 burglary offense.

Thank you to the other agencies who assisted: The Sheriff’s Office thanks all those individuals and other public safety agencies that assisted with responses during this holiday weekend and in helping to keep our community safe.

Pavement work on State Route 89A between Cottonwood and Sedona begins in early September

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The Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers to plan for delays on State Route 89A between Cottonwood and Sedona this fall while a pavement-repair project is underway.

Crews will have lane closures in place in both directions Mondays through Fridays from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. Work is scheduled to begin Tuesday, September 4 and continue through November.

Drivers should always proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment.

Grant funds Bike Park construction

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FLAGSTAFF – Coconino County Parks and Recreation was awarded a Land and Water Conservation Fund grant from the Arizona State Parks and Trails for infrastructure improvements and visitor amenities, including a restroom, at Fort Tuthill County Park. The grant award of $150,620 will also fund the construction of trails and additional features at the Fort Tuthill Bike Park.

Construction of the Bike Park’s new trails and features began August 27. The completion of Phase 2 will include adult pump tracks and Phase 3 will include technical flow trails.

Coconino County Parks and Recreation has an agreement with non-profit Flagstaff Biking Organization (FBO) to build the Fort Tuthill Bike Park. FBO is contracting with American Conservation Experience (ACE), who is sub-contracting with FlowRide Concepts, a professional company that specializes in building bike parks across the country. FBO, ACE and FlowRide Concepts successfully built Phase 1 of Fort Tuthill Bike Park, which opened to the public in 2015.

The construction area is next to the existing trails at Fort Tuthill Bike Park and has been sectioned off and is closed to the public. There are no immediate closures to the Bike Park scheduled, however some minimal closures may occur for maintenance of the area. Construction of the Bike Park and restroom are expected to be completed by Fall 2020.

Statement from the Board of Supervisors on the passing of Senator John McCain

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FLAGSTAFF – “The Coconino County Board of Supervisors were deeply saddened to learn that Senator John McCain lost his battle with brain cancer this past weekend. Senator McCain was a tremendous statesman and dedicated public servant for the country and to the people he served. We were always grateful for the honest conversations we had with him in Washington D.C. and here in the County.

We will remember him most for always putting politics aside and coming to the aide of County residents. For example, during disasters such as the Schultz Fire and subsequent flooding, the Slide Fire and other events throughout the County, the Senator was instrumental in securing funding for disaster assistance, changing the law so residents could get flood insurance in the future and in mediating boundary disputes.

As a County, we worked with the Senator and his staff throughout his outstanding legacy on a wide breadth of issues from federal funding to the establishment of national monuments. He was always there when it mattered for the citizens of Coconino County and we will be forever grateful for his partnership.

His influence will continue to have a lasting impact on Coconino County, the State of Arizona and the Nation. We extend our deepest sympathies to Senator McCain’s family and friends.”

Unofficial primary election results

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WILLIAMS – The unofficial 2018 primary and local election results are out and it looks like Williams will have Moore mayor.

In the Williams elections, incumbent Mayor John Moore received 361 votes with contender George Otero taking 198 and 12 write-in votes. The three incumbent councilmen took the majority of votes with 95 write-in votes. 72.15% of the voters voted for Proposition 415 allowing alternate expenditure limits.

Rob Krombeem received 854 votes for Justice of the Peace for Williams with Brian Flescher receiving 281 and 35 write-in votes. In the Constable race, Rick Remender received 554 votes to 510 votes for Jay Douglass with 28 write-in votes.

These election results are unofficial.

Partners team together to promote healthy pronghorn populations

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AZGF Photo

WILLIAMS — Earlier this month, more than 60 volunteers joined forces with Forest Service and Arizona Game and Fish Department specialists to modify fences on the Kaibab National Forest in order to promote healthy pronghorn populations.

The volunteers, largely brought together through the dedication and focus of the Arizona Antelope Foundation, modified more than 4 miles of fencing in an area on the Williams Ranger District about 8 miles north of the community of Parks. The fence modification work included removing the bottom barbed wires and replacing them with smooth wire at a height of 18 inches from the ground. This height allows pronghorn to easily slip under the fences without the risk of injury. Pronghorn rarely jump fences, rather preferring to go underneath them.

“Multiple research studies in northern Arizona have shown that pronghorn populations are being fragmented by fences and roads to the point that populations are suffering genetic consequences,” said Jeff Gagnon, statewide research biologist with the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “While the fragmentation of habitat affects many wildlife species, pronghorn are particularly vulnerable in our state. It is important that we take steps to ensure pronghorn population persistence.”

To this end, the Arizona Game and Fish Department began working with the Kaibab and Coconino National Forests, National Park Service, Arizona Antelope Foundation, Arizona Department of Transportation, and local ranchers in 2012 to begin addressing pronghorn habitat connectivity at a landscape scale.

The project uses GPS locations from collared pronghorn to identify barriers and potential corridors for improvements. On the Kaibab National Forest alone, the team of partners and volunteers has modified nearly 18 miles of fence since the effort began. Similar work has been accomplished on the Coconino National Forest and state and private lands.

“To help our current pronghorn populations persist, fences can be modified, grasslands can be restored, water can be made available, and the list goes on,” states an article entitled “A Data-Driven Approach to Reconnecting Pronghorn Populations North of I-40; Collaboration at its Best,” which was written by Gagnon and his colleagues Chad Loberger and Scott Sprague of the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “In all cases, the cooperation and collaboration of multiple stakeholders is required to help get today’s pronghorn to tomorrow.”

Not only is the GPS collar data collected from this project used to identify and correct barriers to pronghorn movement, but it is also made available to inform the planning and implementation of forest and grassland restoration work, such as that associated with the Four Forest Restoration Initiative.

“We are grateful to have partners and volunteers who care as deeply about the health of our forests and wildlife populations as we do,” said Roger Joos, wildlife biologist with the Kaibab National Forest. “We have been partnering on these efforts for many years and have had incredible successes not only in terms of the number of miles of fence modified but also in the acres of grasslands and savannas restored. We could not achieve these results without the continued commitment of our partners.”

The efforts earlier this month were just one example of ongoing work to promote healthy pronghorn populations in northern Arizona. The work will continue indefinitely, with upcoming volunteer and partner projects to shift south of Interstate 40 over the next several years.

To become an Arizona Antelope Foundation volunteer or member, or for additional information on the organization, visit https://azantelope.org/. The Arizona Antelope Foundation’s mission is to actively seek to increase pronghorn populations in Arizona through habitat improvements, habitat acquisition, the translocation of animals to historic range, and public comment on activities affecting pronghorn and their habitat.

To learn more about the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s “Reconnecting Pronghorn North of I-40 Project,” visit page 6 in the Pronghorn newsletter at http://bit.ly/2Lv49I7.

Stina, Cat Fire officials thank local businesses for support

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FREDONIA — For Immediate Release. With outbreaks of severe wildfires unfolding across the West many firefighting and support resources were stretched thin this fire season, this included support contractors who were spread out in all directions across the country.

The Kaibab National Forest was not immune – the wildland fire community was at preparedness level five nationally (the most elevated preparedness level) – and getting critical logistical support was going to be a challenge. Lightning ignited fires on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest and North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park – 53 times in July and 21 times in August. Local resources had their hands full with the Obi Fire, Stina Fire, Cat Fire, and initial attack on every other lightning-caused fire in the area, which meant fire managers would soon begin seeking outside resources.

For Stina Fire and Cat Fire Logistics Chief Gary Holsten, this meant finding meals for firefighters, among other needs. Locally Mickey and Kami Houston, owners of Houston’s Trails End Restaurant and Catering, are typically Holsten’s go to for catering needs as they’ve done for years – serving countless numbers of meals to our nation’s wildland fire community on incidents both locally and nationally. But this time the Houston’s were already committed to supporting the national firefighting effort, which meant that Holsten had to find an alternative solution.

With nearly zero notice, six local businesses agreed to support the North Zone Fire Management Organization and the Arizona Central West Zone Type-3 Incident Management Team.

“We could not do this job without your trust and support, and for that, we are truly thankful,” said Stina Fire Incident Commander Mike Uebel. “We are blessed and fortunate to have such a supportive community.”

“You came through when we needed you most,” added Cat Fire Incident Commander RobRoy Williams. “Thank you for your unwavering support these past two weeks.”

Below is a list of these local businesses and their contributions on the Stina Fire and Cat Fire:

• In the midst of his first week in business, Walt Thirion and his staff at Vermillion 45 filled the gap by providing 140 dinners daily to firefighters on both the Stina Fire and Cat Fires.
• Honey’s Marketplace filled the gap by providing 200 breakfasts, 200 lunches, and 100 dinners daily to firefighters on both the Stina Fire and Cat Fires.
• Subway of Kanab filled the gap by providing 200 sandwich meals to firefighters on day number one of the Stina Fire.
• The Kaibab Lodge filled the gap by providing 50 breakfasts, lunches, and dinners for several days to firefighters on both the Stina Fire and Cat Fires.
• The North Rim Country Store filled the gap by providing unleaded gasoline and diesel fuel needed to keep the refrigerator trailer running and for fuel for burnout operations on both the Stina and Cat Fires.
• Jackpot Waste Management provided 23 portable toilets and six portable hand wash stations in support of firefighters on both the Stina Fire and Cat Fires.

For fire information on the Kaibab National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab and Inciweb under the name of the fire at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov or visit us on Facebook and Twitter @KaibabNF or call (928) 635-8311 for recorded fire information.

Stina, Cat Fire Update: Area closures lifted

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FREDONIA — The Kaibab National Forest will lift all area closures this Thursday, August 23, at 8 a.m. due to the significant and widespread monsoonal moisture that occurred over both the Cat Fire and Stina Fire over the last 72 hours.

“We encourage visitors to exercise caution, good judgment, and abide by the following recreational best practices,” said North Kaibab District Ranger Randall Walker.

Potential risks in an area recently burned by wildfire include the following:

· Storms resulting in flash flooding that could wash out roads, initiate debris flows and may entrap people at flooded stream courses.
· Unsound burned trees (snags) that could fall or shed large limbs.
· Eroded and very rough roads resulting in dangerous driving conditions.
· Unstable terrain with potential for rolling debris (logs, rocks, boulders, etc.).
· Burned out stump holes that could cause injury if stepped in.
· Blowing dust on roads and hillsides.

Visitors to the North Kaibab Ranger District are advised to follow these outdoor safety best practices:

1. Know the weather forecast and check it frequently as conditions can change in a very short timeframe.
2. Let someone outside of the area know exactly where you are and where you will be going daily.
3. Do not park vehicles or camp in areas with burned snags or where potential flood waters would prevent escape. Know where you are in relation to drainages.
4. During windy conditions, remain in open areas that are free of trees (both live and burned) as much as possible.
5. If an area seems unsafe for any reason, leave.
6. Have good maps and know where you are at all times.
7. Keep a well-charged cell phone with you and check it frequently, so you know when you’re in an area where there is no coverage.
8. Understand that there are many areas on public lands that are remote. It can take a very long time before responders can arrive if a rescue is required. The North Kaibab area is very remote.

For fire information on the Kaibab National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab and Inciweb under the name of the fire at https://inciweb.nwcg.gov or visit us on Facebook and Twitter @KaibabNF or call (928) 635-8311 for recorded fire information.