Tag Archives: News

Paper applications for 2019 fall hunts now being accepted

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PHOENIX – The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has posted the 2019-20 Arizona Hunting Regulations online at www.azgfd.gov/draw.
The department now is accepting paper applications for 2019 hunt permit-tags issued through the draw process for deer, fall turkey, fall javelina, bighorn sheep, fall bison and sandhill crane. Note: In a significant change, this will be the first time that applications will be accepted as part of the fall draw process for sandhill crane. There no longer will be a separate application and draw process for the birds during the summer.
All paper applications must be received by 7 p.m. (Arizona time), Tuesday, May 14. Postmarks don’t count. The online application service is expected to be available in early to mid-May.
Paper applications can be mailed to: Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn.: Drawing Section, P.O. Box 74020, Phoenix, AZ  85087-1052, or dropped off at any department office statewide. The printed “2019-20 Arizona Hunting Regulations” booklets are expected to be available in the next week or two at department offices and license dealers statewide.
As a reminder, this will be the last draw in which paper applications will be accepted. AZGFD is moving toward paperless hunt draws. Only online applications will be accepted beginning with the 2020 spring draw, which typically opens in late August or early September. In the meantime, hunters are encouraged to become familiar with the online draw application process.
For more information, call (602) 942-3000.

Free Class A/B Training for Owners & Operators of UST Systems

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PHOENIX – Arizona Department of Environmental Quality invites underground storage tank (UST) owners and operators to attend these no-cost Class A/B training for certification and to help ensure UST systems maintain compliance.

Topics include:

  • Rule updates, including equipment upgrade and testing requirements
  • What to expect when being inspected
  • Available ADEQ programs to aid UST owners

There will also be an opportunity to meet state regulators, who will be available to answer questions.

Click HERE to view all upcoming training and register for classes.

Kaibab National Forest to offer firewood permits in Navajo and Hopi communities

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TUSAYAN — The Kaibab National Forest will offer free-use, paid personal-use and ceremonial firewood permits for the Tusayan Ranger District at a variety of locations in Navajo and Hopi communities over the next three months. These opportunities are part of the Kaibab National Forest’s ongoing effort to increase access to firewood for tribal members and communities.

Kaibab National Forest representatives will offer firewood permits on the specified days and times and at the following locations:

  • Friday, May 10 – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. DST – Tuba City, Flea Market
  • Saturday, May 18 – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. DST – Cameron, Chapter House
  • Friday, May 31 – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. MST – Upper Village of Moenkopi, Moenkopi administrative office
  • Friday, June 14 – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. DST – Tuba City, Flea Market
  • Friday, June 28 – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. MST – Kykotsmovi Village, Honahnie Building
  • Saturday, July 13 – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. DST – Cameron, Chapter House

A permit must be acquired by anyone harvesting firewood on the Kaibab National Forest. The 2019 firewood season runs from May 1 to Dec. 31 for the Tusayan Ranger District.

Each person, with proper identification, may obtain permits for up to 30 cords per season of combined paid-use and free-use firewood. Individuals may purchase up to two 10-cord paid-use firewood permits at a rate of $2 per cord, and may obtain one 10-cord free-use firewood permit. Ceremonial-use permits are also available, which authorize collection of two cords per individual.

The Kaibab National Forest has increased the amount of wood available to each person for purchase while reducing the cost per cord by crediting firewood cutting for the contribution it provides to forest restoration goals. By removing dead and down as well as small-diameter trees, firewood cutting can help improve forest health and reduce the risk of unnaturally severe wildfire.

It is important that a permit be acquired even for free-use areas because by tracking public demand for the various kinds of permits, the amount of wood removed, and other factors, forest managers are better able to plan for the future needs of firewood collectors and provide greater opportunities for accessing these important resources. Firewood from the Kaibab National Forest is frequently used by local community and tribal members for home heating, cooking and other critical purposes.

All firewood permits issued by the Kaibab National Forest will include a map and detailed cutting regulations as well as load tags, which must be physically attached to each ¼ cord of firewood and visible from the rear of the vehicle. The goal of this load tagging system is to ensure accountability for the amount of wood removed from the forest and to inform planning for future firewood cutting areas to meet public need and forest restoration objectives.

The removal of firewood is permitted only from National Forest lands on the specific district for which the permit is issued. Firewood cutters are reminded to take note of property boundaries and cut only on National Forest lands.

Firewood cutting permits may also be obtained throughout the 2019 season at the following locations and during the specified hours Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays:

  • Williams Ranger District, 742 S. Clover Road, Williams; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; (928) 635-5600
  • Tusayan Ranger District, 176 Lincoln Log Loop, Tusayan; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; (928) 638-2443
  • North Kaibab Ranger District, 430 S. Main St., Fredonia; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; (928) 643-7395

Public comments sought on proposed campground expansion project south of Tusayan

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TUSAYAN — The Kaibab National Forest is providing an opportunity to comment on a proposed project to remodel existing campsites and expand the current footprint of Ten X Campground, which is located south of Tusayan about 5 miles south of the entrance to Grand Canyon National Park.

The comment period for the Ten X Campground Expansion project begins today and will continue through May 30. A draft environmental assessment, background documents, and other detailed project information are available for public review on the Kaibab National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55626.

The project is designed to increase overnight camping opportunities for visitors to the area and improve overall experience by upgrading aging facilities and adding amenities. The expansion would increase capacity from the current 70 campsites to a total of 300. The total expansion and remodel would encompass about 345 acres.

The remodeling of existing sites and the addition of new sites would increase Ten X Campground’s ability to accommodate large RVs while eliminating the current problem of parking along the Ten X roadway, which creates congestion and safety concerns. The 230 sites to be added would be a mix of RV-friendly, individual tent, and small group sites.

In order to facilitate the construction of the camping loops, a new roadway would be established as a larger loop surrounding the current campground footprint. Two egress routes would be added in order to better facilitate any future emergency evacuation.

Other proposed campground improvements include adding ramada structures with more grills, fire rings and picnic tables, as well as a new amphitheater for campfire talks. To see all proposed campground expansion features, visit the project website at www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55626.

“There is increasing public demand for recreation and overnight camping opportunities in the area, and Ten X is in the ideal location given its proximity to Grand Canyon National Park,” said Dutch Maatman, assistant recreation staff officer with the Kaibab National Forest. “We also believe this campground expansion project will reduce resource damage associated with the increase in dispersed camping we have seen on the Tusayan Ranger District.”

The Ten X Campground Expansion project would be completed in phases, with the first phase likely to include the creation of three new camping loops, the development of 4 miles of two-way main loop road, and the installation of a multilingual entrance station and centralized location to access visitor services. Other phases of the project and the specific components of each would be determined over time based on a continuing assessment of needs and opportunities.

Ten X Campground on the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest was originally constructed in the early 1970s, and currently offers 70 individual sites, two large group sites, one host site, several vault toilets, and a potable drinking water system. Since the development of Ten X Campground, there have been only minor expansions and updates, leaving it vulnerable to frequent overcrowding and visitor use conflicts.

The comment period for the Ten X Campground Expansion project will continue through May 30. To submit comments, email them in an email message, plain text (.txt), rich text (.rtf), or Word document (.doc) format to comments-southwestern-kaibab-williams@fs.fed.us with the subject title of “Ten X Campground Expansion”; fax comments to (928) 635-5680; hand deliver comments Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to Victoria Tyler at the Williams Ranger Station; or, mail comments to Victoria Tyler, NEPA Planner, 742 S. Clover Road, Williams AZ, 86046. For additional information on submitting comments, visit the project website at www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55626.

Kaibab National Forest information is also available through the following sources:

• Kaibab National Forest Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF

Paving along SR 377 to take place over next few weeks

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PHOENIX – Arizona Department of Transportation crews will be improving the road surface along the entire stretch of State Route 377 between Heber-Overgaard and Holbrook over the next three weeks with paving operations.

Drivers in the area should budget extra travel time while sections of the highway are narrowed to one lane. Flaggers will be controlling traffic through the area resulting in delays of up to 30 minutes.

Drivers can also use SR 277 and SR 77 to get between Holbrook and Heber-Overgaard.

The work is part of a $4.4 million project that also includes widening shoulders, extending pipe culverts and adding new permanent pavement markings and signage.

Enter for your chance to win $5,000 and publication in a short story anthology.

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Borders. Boundaries. Limits. Life is a continual process of crossing borders and discovering something new. Tell us stories about overcoming obstacles; of physical, spiritual, and emotional change and growth.

Lulu is an Internet self-publishing book company. Authors can upload books, manage the covers and order copies for distribution. Set-up is free and the books are made available for purchase online. Lulu is currently seeking short stories for a chance to be published in an their upcoming anthology on change.

Lulu’s $5k for 5k contest seeks original works of fiction and non-fiction that center on the theme “Crossing Borders.” Entries should clearly tie to the ideas of change and transition with an emphasis on crossing borders.

Submission Requirements

  • Submissions must be received during the contest period from 4/1/19 at 12:01 am ET to 6/30/19 at 11:59 pm ET.
  • Entries should clearly tie to the ideas of change, and transition with an emphasis on crossing borders. Both fiction and non-fiction entries will be accepted.
  • All entries must be between 2,000 and 5,000 words.
  • All entries must contain only original content. The author must own all rights to the content. Content includes both images and text. No copyright text or images. Quotes and licensed images must be properly attributed.
  • All entries must be submitted through the form below as a PDF or DOCX attachment. Limit one submission per author please.
  • Entrants must be 18 years or older. U.S. residents only.

Enter for your chance to win $5,000 and publication in a short story anthology.
Prizes

  • Grand Prize Winner will receive $5,000, plus a ticket to BookCon 2020 in NYC.
  • Shortlisted submissions will be included in the Crossing Borders Anthology, get a free copy of the anthology, and get Lulu swag.

Honor Flight Arizona Spring 2019 Flight Season Closes

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PHOENIX – Our final trip of spring 2019 will fly to Washington, D.C. early Monday morning, April 29th from Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. This will be the last of four Honor Flight trips for central & northern Arizona this spring.

Our Veterans flying with us served in both WWII and the Korean War. We will have three former prisoners of war (POW) onboard. Two of them were prisoners of Japan in WWII. The third, served in both the Korean War and Vietnam War, and was a POW for eight years in Vietnam. We will also have a husband and wife on this trip who both served in the Korean War.

Honor Flight Arizona took its first flight of 11 WWII Veterans in November 2009, and has now flown more than 1,700 WWII Veterans, nearly 600 Korean War Veterans, and more than 1,400 guardians. We have a base of approximately 50 active volunteers.

There is currently a waiting list for Vietnam Veterans, and we hope to begin flying them in 2020 or 2021. They are encouraged to sign up on our website.

We thank Southwest Airlines, who is one of our major sponsors, and their employees. In addition, TSA employees compassionately process our Veterans through security.

On every trip, there have been so many handshakes, hugs, kisses, and “Thank you for your service” comments along the way. It all makes a huge difference in the lives of our Veterans. Many Veterans do not like to be called heroes – they will say that title is for those who did not make it home. But, because of all they sacrificed and endured, heroes are indeed what they are.

We will resume our flights for the fall 2019 season in September.

Wet day Monday, then back to 70s

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WILLIAMS – Rain is moving into the area tonight which might produce some beautiful sunsets. Unfortunately it brings with it some relatively high winds through Tuesday.

There is a 20% chance of showers tonight after 11 p.m. with winds of 7 to 15-mph gusting to 22-mph. On Monday, showers are likely with thunderstorms possible after 11 a.m. Winds are expected to increase to 13 to 18 mph with gusts as high as 33-mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

On Tuesday there is a 20% chance of showers with southwest winds of 9 to 17-mph with gusts as high as 29.

It should clear Tuesday night with temperatures rising back up to the 70s by Friday.

Coconino County Courts host Law Day

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FLAGSTAFF — Coconino County Courts are hosting Law Day at the Coconino County Courthouse at 200 N. San Francisco Street in Flagstaff. The proceedings will begin at 8:45 a.m. Friday, May 3, 2019.

This year’s Law Day theme is “Free Speech, Free Press, Free Society.” The theme provides an opportunity to explore the ways the First Amendment has shaped American law and society. Law Day activities in Flagstaff are coordinated by Coconino County Superior Court, the Coconino County Bar Association and local attorneys. The theme is selected by the American Bar Association each year.

Throughout the day, local middle and high school students will participate in Moot Courts. Students prepare, present and argue cases with the assistance of local attorneys in front of a Superior Court Judge. This opportunity shows students the complexities of the legal system.

The Coconino County Board of Supervisors approved a proclamation during the April 17 regular meeting declaring May 3, 2019 as Law Day in the County. This was in accordance with the nationally recognized day for commemoration.

The public is encouraged to attend and participate in all activities for this year’s Law Day.

Tow chains, underinflated tires can cause wildfires

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PHOENIX – Summer is right around the corner, and with it comes an increased risk of wildfires along state highways caused by motorists dragging chains, driving on underinflated tires and tossing cigarettes.

Fires along highways not only put people and property at risk but can cause long backups and even extended closures.

Last June, the 377 Fire in Navajo County started when dragging metal on a trailer sparked several fires along 24 miles of State Route 377 between Heber-Overgaard and Holbrook. Those fires grew into a 5,000-acre wildfire that closed the highway for four days and prompted evacuations.

“Simple tasks like properly inflating your tires and taking a moment to make sure nothing is dragging on your vehicle or trailer can significantly reduce the risk of creating sparks that can cause wildfires,” said Dallas Hammit, the Arizona Department of Transportation’s state engineer and deputy director for transportation. “One act of carelessness, like tossing a lit cigarette out the window, can potentially burn thousands of acres.”

According to the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, dragging chains is one of the main causes of fires along highways.

“Roadside fires continue to be one of the biggest causes of Arizona’s wildfires every year, especially on heavily traveled highways like Interstates 10 and 17. A majority of these roadside fires are preventable, yet they continue to happen,” said Tiffany Davila, public affairs officer for the Department of Forestry and Fire Management. “Please do your part to help keep wildfire activity low this summer. Before traveling, ensure tow chains are secure and your vehicle is properly serviced. We all need to do our part.”

Here’s how you can help cut down on sparks that start wildfires:

  • Check and secure tow chains, and never substitute parts when towing.
    Make sure nothing is hanging beneath your vehicle and dragging on the pavement.
  • Check tire pressure before you travel. Exposed wheel rims can cause sparks.
  • Don’t park in tall grass, as the heat from parts under your vehicle can start a fire.

For more information on how to prevent fires, please visit wildlandfire.az.gov.