Tag Archives: Phoenix

Commission Appointment Recommendation Board to interview four candidates

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Commission Appointment Recommendation Board will interview four candidates for the governor’s appointment to fill a 2018 vacancy on the Arizona Game and Fish Commission.

The meeting on Wednesday, November 15, begins at 9 a.m. at the Arizona Game and Fish Department headquarters, 5000 W. Carefree Highway in Phoenix. An agenda will be posted in advance at www.azgfd.gov/board.

The following candidates will be interviewed: Leland Brake; Kelly Clark; Bobby Cooper; James Goughnour. They were chosen from a list of 9 applicants considered by the board at its November 7 public meeting. After the interviews, the board will select between two and four candidates to forward to the governor for consideration.

Per Arizona Revised Statute 17-202, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission Appointment Recommendation Board shall assist the governor by interviewing, evaluating and recommending candidates for appointment to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. The board shall recommend at least two, but no more than five, candidates to the governor.

The governor must select and appoint a commissioner from the list submitted by the board. For additional information about the Commission Appointment Recommendation Board, contact the Governor’s Office of Boards and Commissions at (602) 542-2449 or toll free at 1-800-253-0883 or on the web at www.azgovernor.gov.

For more information on the Arizona Game and Fish Commission, visit www.azgfd.gov/commission.

2018 spring draw results available for AZGFD portal account holders

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PHOENIX – Hunters who have an AZGFD portal account now can view their draw results for the 2018 spring turkey, javelina, bison and bear seasons. Simply log into your account, and you will be taken to your personal ‘My AZ Outdoors” page.

A portal account provides VIP access to draw results up to a week before results are released to the general public. It’s quick, easy and free to create a portal account. Visit https://www.azgfd.com/Account/Register and just fill in the required fields.

A portal account offers hunters a secure way to manage and view their contact information, as well as license details, draw results and bonus points, in their personal “My AZ Outdoors” section. It’s also mobile-friendly, which means customers can view their information on their smartphone.

Meanwhile, the department will post an announcement on its website when results officially are released. All permit-tags are anticipated to be mailed by December 13; all refund warrants by December 1.

For more information, call the department at (602) 942-3000.

Tonto National Forest to hold public meetings on preliminary proposed management plan

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The Tonto National Forest has announced that the Tonto Preliminary Proposed Plan, the first step toward revising the current Tonto National Forest land and resource management plan, will be released for public comment on Monday, November 6, 2017. Forest officials are hosting eight public meetings in November to share information with the public about the preliminary plan, the next steps in the plan revision process, and how to get involved to help shape the future management of the Tonto National Forest.

Meeting dates, times and locations are:

  1. Tuesday, November 7, from 5 – 7 p.m. (Mesa)
    Franklin at Brimhall Elementary/Franklin Junior High, 4949 East Southern Ave, Mesa
  2. Wednesday, November 8, from 5 – 7 p.m. (Cave Creek)
    Desert Foothills Library, 38443 North Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek
  3. Monday, November 13, from 5 – 7 p.m. (Roosevelt)
    Tonto Basin Ranger District Office – Roosevelt Lake Visitor Center, 28097 AZ-188, Roosevelt
  4. Tuesday, November 14, from 5 – 7 p.m. (Payson)
    Payson High School, 301 South McLane, Payson
  5. Wednesday, November 15, from 2 – 4 p.m. (Young)
    Pleasant Valley Community Center, Highway 288, Young
  6. Thursday, November 16, from 5 – 7pm (Globe/Miami)
    Bullion Plaza Cultural Center, 150 North Plaza Circle, Miami
  7. Monday, November 20, from 5 – 7pm (Superior)
    Superior Junior/Senior High School, 100 W Mary Dr., Superior
  8. Tuesday, November 21, from 5 – 7pm (Phoenix)
    24th Street Conference Center, 1841 N 24th St #10, Phoenix

The Tonto National Forest is developing a revised land and resource management plan for the Tonto National Forest, utilizing the 2012 planning rule. The current plan, approved in 1985, is outdated and does not address current issues relevant to the Tonto National Forest including recreation, healthy watersheds, open spaces, ecosystem restoration and wildlife.

More information about the meetings will be available on the plan revision website www.tontoplan.org. Those with additional questions are encouraged to contact the Tonto National Forest via email at: tontoplan@fs.fed.us.

Arizona Highways takes home 10 top prizes in prestigious awards

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PHOENIX ‒ Arizona Highways has won 10 top prizes, including Magazine Writer of the Year and Photographer of the Year, from the International Regional Magazine Association.

At the association’s recent meeting in Banff, Canada, the Arizona Department of Transportation-produced magazine took home 22 awards in all, the most in the competition, and was a finalist for Magazine of the Year for work published in 2016.

“State highways are key commerce corridors not only because of commercial travel but because so many are drawn to the beauty of Arizona’s open spaces,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “Arizona Highways has been an ambassador to people around the world for almost 100 years, and it continues to excel.”

Frequent Arizona Highways contributor Matt Jaffe won Magazine Writer of the Year for pieces about the history of thick-billed parrots in Arizona, the David and Gladys Wright House in Phoenix, trading posts still operating on tribal lands and historic fire lookouts.

Adam Schallau, who specializes in photos of the Grand Canyon, won Photographer of the Year for several of his appearances in Arizona Highways.

Other 2014 gold winners in writing were:

Public Issues: Terry Greene Sterling, “Cutting It Down to Size”
Historic Feature: Matt Jaffe, “Quite Wright”
Essay: Craig Childs, “The Sound of Fallen Trees”
General Feature: Annette McGivney, “Across the Great Divide”
Department: Staff and contributors, “The Journal”
Photo Series: Multiple photographers, “This Land is Your Land”
Portrait Photo: David Zickl, “Out of the Ordinary”
Portrait Series: David Zickl, “Getting Your Face Wet”

The International Regional Magazine Association was founded in 1960 to support and promote regional magazines in the United States and elsewhere.

Founded in 1925, Arizona Highways is dedicated to promoting travel to and through the state of Arizona. In addition to the world-renowned magazine known for spectacular landscape photography, Arizona Highways publishes travel guide books, calendars and other products to promote travel in Arizona. The magazine has subscribers in all 50 states and more than 110 countries.

Learn more at ArizonaHighways.com.

Commission Appointment Recommendation Board to meet November 7

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Commission Appointment Recommendation Board will meet on Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017, beginning at 9 a.m., to review and select for interview applicants for the 2018 vacancy on the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. The meeting will be held at the Arizona Game and Fish Department headquarters at 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Quail Room, in Phoenix and is open to the public.

See meeting agenda (PDF).

The board will meet again on Wednesday, Nov. 15, beginning at 9 a.m., to conduct interviews with the candidates who were selected at the Nov. 7 meeting. That meeting is also at 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Quail Room, in Phoenix and is open to the public. The board will select from two to five finalists at the Nov. 15 meeting and forward those names to Gov. Doug Ducey for his consideration.

Members of the Commission Appointment Recommendation Board are William “Jim” Lane (chair), Susan E. Chilton, W. Hays Gilstrap, Charles I. Kelly, and Phillip D. Townsend.

Per Arizona State Statute 17-202, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission Appointment Recommendation Board shall assist the governor by interviewing, evaluating and recommending candidates for appointment to the Arizona Game and Fish Commission. The Commission Appointment Recommendation Board shall recommend at least two, but no more than five, candidates to the governor. The governor must select and appoint a commissioner from the list submitted by the board.

For additional information about the Commission Appointment Recommendation Board, contact the Governor’s Office of Boards and Commissions at (602) 542-2449 or toll free at 1-800-253-0883 or on the web at www.azgovernor.gov.

For more information on the Arizona Game and Fish Commission, visit www.azgfd.gov/commission.

Arizona DOT launches ‘ADOT Alerts’ free travel app

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PHOENIX – Available now for your mobile device: A free app from the Arizona Department of Transportation that will help you avoid unplanned and lengthy travel delays, and other serious highway hazards.

ADOT Alerts will help keep drivers moving on Arizona’s highways and away from potentially dangerous situations by providing information to drivers before they are trapped on a highway closed because of a crash or severe weather. Using geofencing technology, ADOT will send alerts to mobile devices with the app in affected areas and in advance of roadway decision points, giving the public plenty of time to choose an alternate route or delay their travel plans and avoid sitting in lengthy backups.

“We’re excited about ADOT Alerts because the app will help us quickly get critical information directly to motorists,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “With that information, travelers can make a decision to take a different route or stop somewhere for a bite to eat or stay where they’re at, and avoid sitting in a long backup because of an unplanned event, like a serious crash that closes a highway. We can also alert motorists to public safety issues, like wrong-way vehicles or severe weather affecting state highways.”

ADOT Alerts goes beyond providing daily commuting reports and travel times – ADOT already provides that kind of real-time information to drivers via overhead message boards and social media, not to mention the numerous traffic and navigation apps that also offer that kind of information. By using geofencing, ADOT can send alerts only to mobile devices with the app in an impacted area. That means affected motorists can make a decision to re-route or delay their travel plans long before encountering a traffic backup.

All alerts are sent by a public information officer at ADOT’s Traffic Operations Center to ensure they are accurate, critical in nature and appropriately targeted to a geographic area.

To get the most out of ADOT Alerts, enable Location Services and Push Notifications so you can be immediately notified of the most relevant alerts in your area. That way, whenever ADOT sends an alert to an area your mobile device is in, it will pop up on your device’s screen with a distinctive alert sound.

Users do not have to sign up, register or create a log-in to use the app. You remain 100 percent anonymous.

The app can be downloaded free of charge in Apple’s App Store and Google Play. Search for “ADOT Alerts” in the respective app store.

“The introduction of the ADOT Alerts app is one more way ADOT is working to promote highway safety and reduce frustrations for drivers,” Halikowski said. “We want drivers to be informed about issues, knowledgeable about options, and up-to-date on hazards. We hope this app – along with AZ511 and our social media outreach – will prove to be a major advancement in our efforts to connect with drivers.”

More information about the app can be found at ADOTAlerts.com.

ADOT seeks public input on options for US 60 bridge at Pinto Creek

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PHOENIX – The Arizona Department of Transportation is seeking public input on options for the US 60 bridge over Pinto Creek, including the agency’s decision to pursue removing and replacing the structure.

Built in 1949, the 637-foot-long Pinto Creek Bridge, located east of the Valley between Superior and Miami, no longer meets minimum standards set by the Federal Highway Administration, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials and ADOT’s bridge design guidelines. Though it continues to be safe for traffic, the structure is considered structurally deficient and functionally obsolete.

In accordance with federal law governing proposed transportation projects involving sites with historic significance, ADOT is seeking public input on possible courses of action for the Pinto Creek Bridge. These are:

  • Building a new bridge and removing the existing bridge, the action that ADOT and the Federal Highway Administration have decided to pursue
  • Rehabilitating the existing bridge
  • Building a new bridge and rehabilitating the existing bridge
  • Taking no action

The Arizona Federal Highway Administration office has completed a report, Programmatic Section 4(f) Evaluation and Approval for FHWA Projects that Necessitate the Use of Historic Bridges, which is posted at azdot.gov/PintoCreekBridge. Comments can be submitted by email to PintoCreek@azdot.gov, by calling the ADOT Project Information Line at 855.712.8530 or by mail to:

ADOT Communications
1655 W. Jackson St., MD 126F
Phoenix, AZ 85007

Comments must be received by December 8 to be included in the official project record.

Halloween decorations may attract wildlife

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PHOENIX — Halloween is on the horizon and soon those carefully carved pumpkins sitting outside may be attracting some unwanted trick-or-treaters: hungry wildlife looking for an easy meal.

As such, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) reminds area residents to be aware that Halloween pumpkins and other fall decorations, such as gourds or squash, can attract wildlife when displayed outdoors.

AZGFD recommends that jack-o-lanterns, uncarved pumpkins and cornucopias be displayed indoors on window sills so they can be seen from outside if desired, and discarded securely to help prevent encounters with foraging wildlife.

“Pumpkins and other edible decorations are easy meals for wildlife and often attract javelina, coyotes, deer and even bears,” said Mike Demlong, AZGFD Wildlife Education program manager. “Habituating wildlife to human food sources can lead to conflicts, resulting in potentially serious injuries to people or pets and even property damage. That is why it is important to help keep wildlife wild.”

Additionally, unintentional or intentional feeding can cause problems for wildlife, such as obesity and malnutrition, and promote the spread of disease.

The public is reminded that it is illegal under state law (A.R.S. 13-2927) to feed wildlife in Pima, Maricopa and Pinal counties, with the exception of birds as well as tree squirrels, which are rare at lower elevations.

Other wildlife may eat bird seed, so birds are best fed only in an enclosed yard, preferably from a bird feeder. A tray can be attached beneath a feeder to catch spillover seed. Seed blocks should be placed in an enclosed area or on a secure raised platform.

For tips on minimizing conflicts with wildlife, see www.azgfd.gov/urbanwildlife.

Paving on Interstate 17 near Cordes Junction scheduled next week

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The Arizona Department of Transportation is scheduled to begin a paving project next week along a nearly 20-mile section of north- and southbound I-17 north of Phoenix.

Expect delays while traffic is guided through alternating travel lanes and speed is reduced to 55 mph.

Paving is scheduled to occur between 6:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Monday, October 30, and Tuesday, October 31, between milepost 259 (Crown King Road) and milepost 278 (just south of State Route 169).

Drivers should proceed with caution, slow down and watch for construction personnel and equipment.

November 2 is deadline to update credit card information for online spring draw

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PHOENIX – The Arizona Game and Fish Department reminds hunters who applied online for 2018 spring hunt permit-tags that 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) Thursday, November 2, is the deadline to update their credit card or debit card account information, as well as purchase PointGuard to protect their bonus points.

Online applicants are responsible for keeping their account information current. If a credit card or debit card is invalid for any reason at the time when the computerized draw is performed, an online application could be rejected.

Online applicants who have been issued a new credit card or debit card, a new expiration date, or had a change to their card’s number should visit https://draw.azgfd.gov/. Scroll down the page, select “Update My Payment Information” and follow the prompts. Note: It is important to update payment information for each species for which an online application has been submitted. If payment has been declined, the application will not be drawn. The department no longer calls applicants to obtain payment on drawn applications where credit cards have failed.

Meanwhile, applicants can purchase PointGuard, as part of their online application, through 11:59 p.m. (Arizona time) Thursday, November 2. A free AZGFD portal account is required to purchase PointGuard. Visit www.azgfd.gov, click on the “My Account” button in the upper right-hand corner of the home page, then select the “Create Account” option.

PointGuard is a great way to protect those coveted bonus points for when “life happens.” PointGuard is only $5 per species, per applicant, and ensures if a successful applicant is unable to participate in a hunt for any reason, the accumulated bonus points that were expended to draw that hunt permit-tag will be reinstated. Visit https://www.azgfd.com/hunting/pointguard/, or call (602) 942-3000, for more information.

Another benefit for those who create a portal account is getting VIP access to draw results up to a week before the results are released to the general public. The department will post an announcement on its website when results become available. All spring hunt permit-tags will be mailed by December 13; all refund warrants will be mailed by December 1.