Tag Archives: Phoenix

Please help locate a bit of Arizona Highways history

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PHOENIX – Since it began showcasing the state’s beauty and diverse landscapes, Arizona Highways has been a collector’s item. People around the country have not only subscribed but held on to the monthly issues of the magazine, produced by the Arizona Department of Transportation, so they could go back again and again to look at the photos and read about the history.

Now Arizona Highways needs a little help finding a piece of its history, in this case a December 1930 issue to add to its digital collection.

“We know that many of you are collectors,” editors shared on the magazine’s Facebook page. “Is there any chance one of you could give us a hand in locating a copy?”

Editors say they’d like to have a copy of the December 1930 edition to keep, but they’d gladly scan and return the edition if the owner wants to keep it.

Arizona Highways began as a simple newsletter in 1921 and became a magazine in April 1925. From the beginning, it contained travel stories and scenic photographs. In the early years the photos were black-and-white, and the magazine contained page after page detailing the Arizona Highway Department’s (now the Arizona Department of Transportation’s) road-building projects. Editors added cartoons to liven up those pages.

Arizona was one of several states to develop a magazine to entice drivers to explore their newly developed roads. Of these magazines, none dates as far back or has featured the iconic photography that has made Arizona Highways a national treasure.

If you can help by sharing a December 1930 edition of Arizona Highways, please contact the magazine through its website at arizonahighways.com.

Arizona Red Cross chapters responding to California fire crisis

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PHOENIX — The American Red Cross is working closely with government and community partners to coordinate relief efforts and provide evacuation centers where people can find safe refuge from the fires. Meals, health services, comfort and other support is being provided for the affected residents. Red Cross volunteers from across the country are now traveling to California to support relief efforts, including 9 Red Cross volunteers from the Arizona, New Mexico, El Paso Region (3 from Phoenix Chapter, 2 from Southern AZ Chapter, 4 from Northern Arizona Chapter). Additional supplies, such as, cots, blankets and other relief supplies are also being mobilized to support the effort.

People with loved ones in the affected area can visit the Red Cross Safe and Well website at http://www.redcross.org/safeandwell. The site allows individuals and organizations to register and post messages to indicate that they are safe, or to search for loved ones. The site is always available, open to the public and available in Spanish. Registrations and searches can be done directly on the website. Registrations can also be completed by texting SAFE to 78876.

The Red Cross depends on financial donations to be able to provide disaster relief immediately. You can help people affected by Hurricane Harvey by visiting redcross.org, calling 1- 800-RED CROSS or texting the word HARVEY or IRMA to 90999 to make a $10 donation. Donations enable the Red Cross to prepare for, respond to and help people recover from this disaster.

US EPA Proposes to Authorize Arizona’s Hazardous Waste Management Program Revisions

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Between May 26, 1998, and July 28, 2006, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) revised certain rules under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA). To maintain equivalency of state and federal programs after these changes, Arizona has applied to EPA for authorization of changes to its hazardous waste program under the RCRA.

EPA has reviewed Arizona’s application with regards to federal requirements and is proposing to authorize the state’s changes. EPA’s proposed determination is subject to public review and comment.
View the Proposed Rule Document >
View Arizona’s Authorization Application >

You may also view Arizona’s application by contacting the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality Records Center at 602-771-4380, Monday through Friday: 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Comment Period
Ends Nov. 6, 2017
Comment Now >

EPA will prepare a document summarizing how public comments were considered in the final EPA decision. The summary of comments and responses will be available at EPA’s website when completed. This notice is given in accordance with 40 C.F.R. § 271.21(b)(4).

As boating season winds down, prepare your safety gear for 2018

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PHOENIX – Fall marks the end of boating season for many in Northern Arizona and as owners prepare to stow their watercraft until the spring, it’s an ideal time to inspect life jackets, safety gear and mechanical equipment. Getting repairs done in the offseason and taking stock of safety equipment will help ensure a successful start to the 2018 boating season — and it’ll give you a few more quality hours with the boat before storing it.

“Take advantage of the end of the boating season to look for anything that may need repairing and to take inventory of life jackets and other safety gear,” said Josh Hoffman, boating safety education coordinator for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “By doing this now, you will have a head start in the spring and can make sure all the mechanical equipment is working properly and that all safety gear is stored correctly.”

The following steps will help ensure the boat or watercraft is stored properly for next year and you’re ready to safely hit the water in 2018:

1. Inspect life jackets for any rips, tears, mold, mildew and worn areas. Also check to see whether the label is still readable before storing life jackets in a dry location. Arizona’s climate is tough on life jackets, and on average they need to be replaced every five years. If you own an inflatable-type life jacket visually check to ensure there are no rips, tears, excessive abrasion or holes, all seams are securely sewn, and the cover, straps and hardware are still strong. It would also be a good idea to test the inflatable for leakage. Orally inflate your life jacket until firm and then let it sit inflated for 16 hours. A life jacket with a leak in it will not hold its firmness and should be replaced.

2. Check the fire extinguisher to ensure it’s sufficiently charged. If not, make a note to recharge or replace it before the next boating season or your next outing.

3. As every watercraft owner should do every time he or she leaves the lake, pull the vessel’s drain plug, and dry and clean the hull. Doing so helps prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species like quagga mussels.

4. Make sure propellers are free of dings, pitting, cracks and distortion, and that they are secured properly. Inspect the hull for blisters, distortions and cracks.

5. Check the fuel system for any leaks or damages, giving special attention to fuel lines and connections. Damaged fuel hoses could either be cracked, brittle or soft. Also ensure the engine exhaust and ventilation systems are functioning properly. As with fuel lines, inspect all belts, cables and hoses that may have been damaged during the season. Ensure belts are fitted tightly and that there are no cracks on the outer jacket of the throttle, shift and steering control cables.

6. Brush up on your boating knowledge by taking one of the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s free safety courses. The classes are offered in Phoenix and Lake Havasu City every month to provide boaters with the information and tips needed to stay safe while on the water. Get more information and sign up for a course online.

For more information about storing your boat or watercraft during the offseason, BoatUS has numerous articles covering topics like tips for storage on the water as well as a PDF checklist detailing the steps to winterize a boat.

AZGFD makes change to Wild Trout Challenge

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PHOENIX – The Arizona Game and Fish Department is temporarily suspending the requirement for anglers to catch a Gila trout in order to complete the Wild Trout Challenge.

With the closure of Frye Creek, there is no longer a wild population of Gila trout open to fishing.

The Arizona Trout Challenge, which requires anglers to catch six of the eight total species in Arizona, remains unchanged since the closure to Frye Creek will not affect anglers trying to catch stocked Gila trout in Frye Mesa Reservoir.

In June, the 48,000-acre Frye Fire severely impacted the habitat in Frye Creek and nearby Ash Creek, and both populations of Gila trout, listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, were effected by post-fire flood events that moved large amounts of ash, sediment and debris through the creeks.

Survey crews did not find any Gila trout in the creek, said Tracy Stephens, AZGFD’s Native Trout Biologist.

See more information about AZGFD’s trout challenges.

Military, first responders to receive discount at Ben Avery Clay Target Center

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PHOENIX — As a salute to those who keep everyone safe, the Ben Avery Clay Target Center has announced that the first Thursday of every month will be “Military and First Responders Appreciation Day.”

Beginning Oct. 5, all military members (active, reserve and retired) and first responders (all law enforcement, EMTs) will receive a discounted rate when purchasing a round(s) of trap, skeet or sporting clays, or an archery day-use pass.

Pricing:

Trap: 25 targets “wobble” ($6), 25 targets “international” ($6), 25 targets “bunker” ($6.50).
Skeet: 25 targets ($5.50).
Sporting clays: 25 targets ($9), 50 targets ($18), 100 targets ($27).
Gold card: $100 refill ($95).
Archery: day-use pass ($6), 10-day pass ($65).

Proof of service is required.

The Ben Avery Clay Target Center is a professionally managed public shotgun-shooting facility, located at 5060 W. Skeet St. (about 1.5 miles west of Interstate 17 on West Carefree Highway) in north Phoenix. Hours: 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday through Tuesday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday.

For more information, call (623) 434-8119, or visit https://www.azgfd.com/Shooting/BACTC/.

ADOT’s blue logo signs benefit businesses and highways

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PHOENIX ‒ Thanks to some creative thinking several years ago at the Arizona Department of Transportation, those blue logo signs along state highways are doing much more than helping you find a restaurant, gas station or hotel. They’re helping fund highway improvements while offering businesses a cost-effective way to promote themselves.

While many states use contractors to manage logo signs, Arizona is among those with their own programs. Operated since 2012 through Arizona Highways magazine, which is part of ADOT, Grand Canyon State Logo Signs has to date netted about $5 million for the State Highway Fund.

“We have approached this as a business without losing the community service aspect that is part of serving in a public agency,” said Bob Allen, chief financial officer of the Grand Canyon State Logo Signs program.

This fiscal year, the State Highway Fund may receive as much as $2.5 million from logo signs.

Advertising rates, based on average daily traffic counts, are posted to GrandCanyonStateLogoSigns.com. In areas where demand exceeds the six available spaces on a sign, businesses are invited to bid for placements. After the bidding, bid amounts are posted to let future bidders know what to expect.

The program has been a hit. For example, just three companies bid for space on one Phoenix area sign in 2013. In 2016, 11 companies made bids. In 2017, there were 22. The total amount bid for the sign grew from $12,400 to $92,770 in just four years.

“Dollar for dollar, the blue freeway sign program is one of the most-affordable programs there is in the market,” said Jason Kveton, who operates Culver’s franchises in the Phoenix area. “I don’t think there will ever be a year we do not try to stay on the sign.”

And once businesses sign up, they stay. The program’s retention rate is 95 percent.

Bob Borenstein of Chompie’s Deli and Bakery said he likes having his company’s name on the signs and also likes that proceeds go to the State Highway Fund.

“It’s great to know that the money we’re spending is actually going to the construction of new roads or upkeep of these roads,” Borenstein said.

AZGFD closes Frye Creek to fishing

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PHOENIX – Fishing trips to scenic Frye Creek, a Gila trout recovery stream located on Mt. Graham in southeast Arizona that offers rare opportunities to hook Gila trout—one of two trout native to Arizona—will have to be put on hold.

AZGF Photo

The Arizona Game and Fish Department has temporarily closed Frye Creek to fishing in order to evaluate and restore a population of Gila trout following widespread habitat damage on Mt. Graham due to this past summer’s Frye Fire and ensuing flooding.

The Department hopes to reopen the stream to fishing once habitat is suitable for stocking of Gila trout and a population is established that can sustain angling pressure.

Good news for anglers: the closure does not include Frye Mesa Reservoir, where Gila trout are stocked for recreational opportunities. However, the area is still under a closure order issued by the Coronado National Forest.

In June, the 48,000-acre Frye Fire severely impacted the habitat in Frye Creek and nearby Ash Creek, and both populations of Gila trout, listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act, were effected by post-fire flood events that moved large amounts of ash, sediment and debris through the creeks.

Fortunately, just prior to the flooding, AZGFD salvaged 190 Gila trout from Frye and Ash creeks and they were transported in good health to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife’s Mora National Fish Hatchery in New Mexico.

Recently, AZGFD surveyed the creeks and did not find any fish. AZGFD will continue to monitor both streams annually to document habitat changes and recovery.

Also, see the Mt. Graham closure update from the Coronado National Forest.

AZGFD study clarifies Mexican wolf historical range

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PHOENIX — A recent peer-reviewed scientific paper reaffirmed the historical range of the endangered Mexican wolf as being southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico and the Sierra Madre Mountains in Mexico.

The paper was the featured article published in the July issue of The Journal of Wildlife Management, a leading international wildlife science journal. The authors – each reputable experts in their respective fields – included a skull morphologist, internationally known geneticist and an Arizona Game and Fish Department biologist.

In the peer-reviewed paper, they use ecological, physiographic and morphological data to clarify the Mexican wolf’s historical range.

“Most sources prior to the mid-1990s were in agreement and defined the historical range of the Mexican wolf as southeastern Arizona, southwestern New Mexico and portions of Mexico,” the paper states. “Of this historical range, 10 percent occurs in the United States and the remainder in Mexico.”

Historical data shows other subspecies of wolves roamed the Southwest, but each differed from the smaller, distinctive Mexican wolf, which was found in southern Arizona and New Mexico and southward deep into Mexico. The data also illustrate that Mexico is critical for wolf recovery, given that 90 percent of the animal’s historical range and extensive high-quality habitat is found south of the border.

To aid Mexican wolf recovery, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service included a 200-mile buffer north of the animal’s core historical range. The boundary was included in the 1996 federal environmental impact statement, which expanded the range into central Arizona and New Mexico.

Extending the historical range boundary northward would place Mexican wolves north of historical transitions in wolf body size, breaks in vegetation associations, barriers to gene flow and substantial differences in prey base, which help form and identify subspecies differences, the paper states.

“Rather it should respect original descriptions that were made when the animal was still present on the landscape…Clarifying the historical range of the Mexican wolf accurately will be foundational to developing a scientifically defensible recovery plan,” the paper states

Additionally, introducing Mexican wolves too far north of their historical range runs the risk of “genetic swamping” by the larger Northern Rockies wolves, said AZGFD biologist Jim Heffelfinger, who co-authored the paper.

“Allowing establishment of Mexican wolves north of their historical range before they are recovered could lead to genetic swamping and the potential destruction of the uniqueness for which the Mexican wolf was listed,” he said. “That would undo decades of efforts to return ‘El Lobo’ to the Southwest.”

The Arizona Game and Fish Commission and Department have been at the forefront of Mexican wolf recovery for more than 30 years.

There were a minimum of 113 wolves in the wild in Arizona and New Mexico at the end of 2016, according to a survey by the Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team. The survey found that there were 63 wolves in Arizona and 50 in New Mexico.

This represents a more than doubling of the population since 2009.

Want to learn outdoors skills?

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PHOENIX — Are you a beginner interested in learning more about hunting, fishing, camping and other outdoors activities, but don’t know where to start? Do you have a need to be directly connected with your food source and the experience?

The Arizona Game and Fish Department, along with an extensive network of partnering organizations, offers dozens of events throughout the year to suit almost everyone’s needs through the Outdoor Skills Network. The events are organized based on skill level and interest: introductory, beginner, developing, intermediate and experienced.

You can find a schedule of upcoming events, see a description of the skill levels, and sign up for events online at www.azgfd.gov/outdoorskills. The online registration system is mobile-friendly.

“Keep in mind that the event types and descriptions are merely guidelines to help you choose what is best for you — they are not prerequisites,” said Doug Burt, the department’s hunting and shooting sports program manager. “In the end, we want attendees to have the right expectations and the right experience. That’s the key to keeping folks engaged in hunting and traditional outdoor recreation activities.”

There is no cost to Arizona taxpayers for this program. Game and Fish does not receive any of the state’s general tax funds and operates under a user-pay, public-benefit model. The program is an investment in the continuance of wildlife conservation efforts and outdoors recreation participation in Arizona.