Tag Archives: Flagstaff

Walnut Fire located east of Flagstaff fully contained

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FLAGSTAFF — The small Walnut Fire, located east of Flagstaff along Interstate 40, is fully contained at a quarter of an acre.

Three engines and two hand crews responded to suppress the fire, which was originally estimated at two acres, but determined to be a quarter-acre at the time of containment.

The interior portion of the fire may continue to produce minimal smoke and may remain visible from I-40 for a short period of time.

I-40 motorists are asked to remain cognizant of fire suppression efforts along the roadway as firefighters continue to monitor the fire.

The Walnut Fire was first reported the morning of April 10. Its cause is unknown.

Firewood permit sales begin April 15 as seasonal road closures begin to lift

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FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino National Forest will begin selling 2024 season firewood permits at its ranger stations and headquarters Monday, April 15 as seasonal road closures begin to lift for roads suitable for motorized travel.

The minimum cost for a permit is $20, with a maximum purchase of 12 cords per household. Permits allow for the cutting of down and dead wood or standing wood that meets certain criteria in specified areas. The cost for oak, aspen, juniper and maple will be $5 per cord, and the cost for pine and mixed conifer will be $2.50 per cord.

Even though some forest roads across the Flagstaff Ranger District will be opening throughout next week, there are still some that will be closed due to wet and muddy conditions which can be the cause of people getting stuck and cause damage to the roads.

All forest roads in the Mogollon Rim area remain closed due to the amount of snow that is still present. Personnel are assessing conditions regularly and the status of forest roads can be checked on the Forest Roads Status web page.

Many lower elevation roads, such as those in desert areas of the Red Rock Ranger District, have been open for a while, as they are often ready for vehicle use several weeks before higher elevation roads are ready for use.

The public should remember to only stay on open and authorized roads that are shown on the latest Motorized Vehicle Use Map (MVUM). The are no changes from the 2023 to 2024 version, so either may be used.

The MVUM contains essential information about road, trail and area designations for drivers. It includes road allowances, restrictions, and prohibitions as they pertain to dispersed camping, campfires and off-highway vehicles.

Paper copies of the MVUM are available for free at all Coconino NF offices, and an Avenza version of the MVUM can be downloaded to smartphones and tablets and used offline.

Emergency Management Receives Federal Funds for Remote Operation Enhancements

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FLAGSTAFF — In March, Arizona Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema announced $25,018,000 in federal investments they were able to secure for Arizona priorities that include support for Arizona small businesses, wildfire and flood prevention, a stronger microchip manufacturing workforce, increased access to life-saving cancer treatment, increased access to rural health care, and more.

“By expanding access to treatment and upgrading health care facilities in rural communities, preparing Arizonans for good-paying jobs through workforce training programs, and supporting emergency response services, these projects will improve quality of life in communities across our state. Senator Sinema and I will keep working together to secure resources for the people of Arizona,” said Kelly.

As part of these investments, Coconino County’s Emergency Management Department was awarded $637,000 to be used to acquire an additional remote incident command vehicle and enhance the communications systems between field operations and the Emergency Operations Center in Flagstaff.

“Through the leadership of Senators Kelly and Sinema, our Senators have once again delivered for Coconino County by securing $637,000 for Emergency Operations Center Enhancements, which will increase the emergency response capability and capacity for Coconino County,” said Jeronimo Vasquez, Chair of the Coconino County Board of Supervisors and Supervisor for District 2. “This funding is included in the final Homeland Security bill for FY24. We are tremendously thankful for their leadership in delivering critical and necessary resources to our communities to better strengthen public safety and build resilience across our County.”

Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputy Under Investigation for Use of Force Incident

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FLAGSTAFF – On March 13, 2024 Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Deputies were dispatched to the area of Silver Saddle Road in Doney Park for a report of trespass. Upon investigating the call, Deputies found probable cause to arrest three suspects for trespassing and other misdemeanor charges.

While one of the suspects was in handcuffs being escorted to a patrol vehicle a struggle ensued, and the suspect was able to briefly pull away from the arresting Deputy. The Deputy struck the handcuffed suspect two times in the face with their fist and control was re-established. The Sergeant on scene immediately intervened and the suspect was transported to the CCSO Detention Facility without further incident. The suspect in this case sustained minor injury during the altercation.

Due to the Deputy’s use of force on a handcuffed suspect, CCSO has requested the Flagstaff Police Department to conduct a criminal investigation into the actions of the Deputy. CCSO will simultaneously conduct an Administrative Investigation into the Deputy’s actions to determine if they were justified under CCSO Policies and Procedures. As per standard procedures, the Deputy has been placed on administrative leave pending the investigation.

CCSO holds the highest value on public trust and transparency. Every instance of force used by Deputies and Detention Officers is investigated thoroughly to ensure it coincides with state and federal law as well as the policies set forth by this department. When the investigation finds the Deputy or Detention Officer has violated either state or federal law or CCSO policies, they are held accountable in the justice system and according to CCSO Policies and Procedures.

This case remains under investigation.

Governor’s Office of Highway Safety Grant Awards FY 24

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FLAGSTAFF – The Flagstaff Police Department is pleased to inform the public we received grant funding in fiscal year 2024 from the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety (GOHS) to support saturation patrols for impaired drivers and for underage alcohol consumption violations. In addition, we received grant funding toward the purchase of software programs to assist the Flagstaff Police Department’s Collision Reconstruction Team with scene documentation. This software will assist in providing to scale measurements and making precise scene overlays for accident scenes as well as photogrammetry software that will generate survey grade 2D maps and 3D models from ground or aerial images captured by our Skydio drones. These software programs will cut down on the time spent on scene and the time the City of Flagstaff roadways need to be closed for accident investigations.

For additional information, please contact the Flagstaff Police Department at (928) 774-1414.

Navajo Mountain polling location moved

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FLAGSTAFF – In light of unforeseen circumstances, the Coconino County Elections Department announces the relocation of the Navajo Mountain polling location, Precinct 71, for the upcoming Presidential Preference Election scheduled for Tuesday, March 19th.

The new polling location will be the Navajo Mountain Alliance Community Church, conveniently situated on Navajo Route 16 south of Road 6414.

Please note that only registered Democratic or Republican voters are eligible to vote in this election. All polling places will be open from 6 am to 7 pm on election day. The Coconino County Elections Department reaffirms its commitment to facilitating a smooth and accessible voting process for all eligible voters.

To assist Coconino County voters in locating their designated polling places, they are urged to visit www.coconino.az.gov/elections.

For all other election inquiries contact the Coconino County Election Department, at 928-678-7896.

Elections Department Prepares for Arizona Presidential Preference Election

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FLAGSTAFF — Election officials are prepared for tomorrow’s Presidential Preference Election (PPE), with 29 polling places across Coconino County. In this year’s PPE, only registered Republicans and Democrats can participate.

While polling places are consolidated, voters can utilize any of the 12 vote centers throughout the County to cast their ballot on Election Day. Polling locations will be open between 6 a.m. and 7 p.m. local time. All voters in line at 7 p.m. will have the opportunity to vote. Voters can find their polling location and check voter registration online at My Arizona Vote.

With training completed, Coconino County is set to deploy nearly 300 bipartisan election board workers to provide assistance to voters on Election Day. These dedicated community members have undergone rigorous preparation to ensure a smooth and efficient voting process.

“While we expect a moderate turnout, we strongly encourage voters to make a plan for voting on election day,” said Elections Director Eslir Musta.

This call underscores the county’s commitment to facilitating secure, accessible, and inclusive elections. The public can expect to see the first batch of election results in Coconino County shortly after 8:00 PM on the county’s website coconino.az.gov/elections.

For more information, voters can also contact the Elections Department hotline at 928-679-7896.

CCSO responds to Fatal Shooting in Doney Park

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Doney Park — On January 18, 2024, at approximately 11:36 PM, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a shooting in Doney Park near Flagstaff.

Upon arrival Deputies encountered multiple subjects, two of whom sustained gunshots wounds. Deputies rendered emergency aid to one patient until medics were cleared to enter the scene. The patient was transported to the Flagstaff Medical Center for further treatment and later released. The second patient was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Initial investigation indicates there was a small get together on Thursday night January 18th at a residence on N. Bryant in Doney Park. During the party, an argument ensued between two of the people in attendance.

One of the people was asked to leave the property. This person complied with the request and left the property. This person went back to his residence, which was next door, and later returned to the residence where the party was with a handgun. He entered the front door and shot one person with the handgun inside the house. Two other people retreated to a bedroom to try and escape the shooter.

The shooter followed both subjects into the bedroom, where a struggle for the firearm ensued. During the struggle, one of the subjects was able to take possession of the gun from the shooter. The initial shooter was fatally shot during the struggle and was later pronounced deceased on scene. The deceased person was later identified as David Navela.

The initial person who was shot was transported by Guardian Medical Transport to the Flagstaff Medical Center. He was treated and released later that evening.

It is the Sheriff’s Office practice to not release names of victims in cases. The Investigation is ongoing and no further information is available at this time. If anyone has any information reference this incident, you are asked to contact the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at (928) 774 – 4523.

Coconino County Opens New Elections Center in Flagstaff

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FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino County Elections Department (Elections) announced today the opening of the new Elections Center in Flagstaff. The ribbon cutting ceremony took place on Monday, January 22, 2024, and was attended by local dignitaries, including Arizona Secretary of State (SOS) Adrian Fontes.

The new Elections Center, spanning 9,000-square-feet, provides space for the entire Elections Department staff to work on-site, consolidating operations under one roof. The Center emphasizes County leadership’s commitment to integrity and transparency of election administration processes. Drawing on best practices and feedback from partners, like the AZ SOS and U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Election Center incorporates accessibility, transparency, and security in the administration of elections in Coconino County. The facility is equipped with tools and resources to conduct candidate filing, ballot tabulation, and statutory hand audits accurately and precisely.

“Having separate rooms for ballot tabulation, as well as the hand-count audits, permits our staff to be more efficient in counting the votes by allowing these functions to be conducted simultaneously,” said Jeronimo Vasquez, Chair of the Coconino County Board of Supervisors and Supervisor for District 2. “Also, each room has windows for observers to see and document every step of the tabulation process.”

The new facility helps uphold the core values of democracy and empowers our community to make a meaningful impact through their vote.

The event also featured a screening of the documentary “No Time to Fail,” presented by The Carter Center.

“Transparent and credible elections are a cornerstone of the Carter Center’s work. The Center commends Coconino County election officials for ensuring that their new Elections Center will be a reliable source of information for voters and will help strengthen ties between election officials and the local community,” said David Carroll, director of the Carter Center’s Democracy Program.

Following the screening of the documentary, we had the privilege of welcoming Rob Rock, Rhode Island’s Deputy Secretary of State and one of the leaders featured in the movie, to engage in a Q&A session.

By collaborating with the Center and utilizing its guidance materials, Coconino County Elections empowers its full-time, temporary, and volunteer elections staff to deliver exceptional service that upholds the highest standards of excellence.

For more information about Coconino County Elections, including polling locations, candidate filings, financial disclosures, and other services, visit www.coconino.az.gov/Elections.

Flagstaff and Winslow Police arrest bank robbery suspect

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FLAGSTAFF – On January 12, 2024, the Flagstaff Police Department in cooperation with Detectives from the Winslow Police Department were able to arrest George Villas, 33, of Flagstaff in connection with the three local bank robberies over that past two months. Villas is also believed to be involved in an attempted bank robbery that occurred in Winslow, Arizona on January 8, 2024.

This investigation is still ongoing. If you have any additional information regarding this investigation, you are urged to contact the Flagstaff Police Department at 928-774-1414 or Silent Witness at 928-774-6111.