Tag Archives: Utah

Utah DWR waves requirement for Utah Lake Powell Stamp

Posted on by

– AZGF Photo

PHOENIX — As of January 1, 2019, a Utah stamp will no longer be required for fishing on Lake Powell, the red-rock fishing destination and geological wonder that straddles the Utah-Arizona border.

This means some anglers will save on what had been an $8 stamp. In addition, a resident of Utah or Arizona may buy a resident license from their home state and fish the entirety of the 254-square mile lake with only that one license. Likewise, nonresidents may buy one of the fishing license options from Utah or Arizona and fish the entire lake.

The same daily and possession limits for each state will apply.

“This change will be especially beneficial for the anglers of Arizona,” said Chris Cantrell, aquatic wildlife branch chief for the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD). ”It’s an example of the collaboration between both of our state agencies.”

On January 1, 2014, AZGFD made a similar change, waving the requirement for a $3 Lake Powell Stamp.

“Utah and Arizona agree on the fishing rules and regulations and converse often on how to amend the rules as needed,” said Wayne Gustaveson, the primary fisheries biologist for the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR). “The cooperation of the fish managers from both states makes fishing regulation compliance easier for all those who come to the lake to fish. Expect that cooperation and fishing insight to continue going forward as we face more challenges with the lack of water flowing into the lake.”

Lake Powell offers exceptional fishing for numerous sport-fish species including striped, smallmouth and largemouth bass, as well as walleye.

“The simplification of this process will allow more anglers to enjoy this fantastic fishing that Lake Powell has to offer,” said Richard Hepworth, aquatics manager for DWR.

Anglers are reminded that Lake Powell is infested with invasive quagga mussels and must still comply with respective state laws for inspection and decontamination when exiting Lake Powell.

For more information about quagga mussels in Arizona, call the AZGFD Aquatic Invasive Species Program at 623-236-7608. For more information in Utah, visit http://stdofthesea.utah.gov/

Kaibab recruiting for Youth Conservation Corp

Posted on by

azcc1The Arizona Conservation Corps is currently recruiting for Youth Conservation Corps crew members in communities adjacent to the Kaibab National Forest. Applications will be accepted through May 15. This is an outstanding opportunity for young people between the ages of 16 and 18 to learn conservation and job skills and earn financial support for college.

Crew members are being sought from the Williams, Tusayan and Fredonia/Kanab areas as well as other nearby communities. Of special interest, the Tusayan area crew is known as an Ancestral Lands Youth Conservation Corps crew and is specifically recruiting Native American students.

For additional information or to apply, the contact is Judy Tincher, Arizona Conservation Corps, 928-853-7760 or judy@conservationlegacy.org.

Fredonia, Kanab Elementary Schools receive grant for fourth graders

Posted on by

FREDONIA — Fredonia Elementary School and Kanab Elementary School are each one of 186 sites recently selected to receive a field trip grant from the National Park Foundation for the 2015-2016 school year in support of the White House youth initiative Every Kid in a Park.

As the official charity of America’s national parks, the foundation officially made the announcement in December. A full list of grantees and their projects may be found at http://www.nationalparks.org/ook/every-kid-in-a-park. Leading up to this year’s 100th birthday of the National Park Service (NPS), President Obama announced the Every Kid in a Park initiative in 2015 as a call to action to get fourth graders outdoors spending time with nature, family and friends.

Specific to fourth graders, the Forest Service and other land and resource management agencies already have conservation education programs in place to connect 9-to-11 year-old children to learn about landscapes surrounding their homes and schools. Every Kid in a Park aligns well with these education programs.

Shortly after the program’s announcement in September, representatives from the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest, Bureau of Land Management Kanab Field Office, Grand Staircase Escalante Partners, and the National Park Service’s Pipe Spring National Monument partnered together to visit fourth graders at schools in Fredonia, Ariz., Colorado City, Ariz., Centennial Park, Ariz., Hildale, Utah, and Kanab, Utah, in order to generate support for the program.

During these visits, each fourth grade student was given a one-year Every Kid in a Park pass, providing the student and anyone accompanying them in the vehicle with free entry to hundreds of parks, forests and sites across the country. In addition to the Every Kid in a Park pass, the National Park Foundation awarded grants to both schools in December. Grant funding will provide field trip opportunities for each fourth grade class to participate in three field trips during the 2015-2016 school year; one each hosted by the North Kaibab Ranger District, Bureau of Land Management Kanab Field Office, and Pipe Spring National Monument. The funding will be used to provide schools with funding for transportation, learning materials and meals.

“We are excited to have this opportunity available to our fourth graders here in Kanab and Fredonia,” said Wildlife Biologist Lisa Church, Bureau of Land Management, Kanab Field Office. “Anytime we can motivate students and teachers to get outside and enjoy nature, it helps the children better understand how they can care for and protect the natural treasures that we have right here in our own backyards for future generations to also someday appreciate.”

Church assisted with the grant application process, resulting in $3,700 being awarded to the Kanab fourth-grade class and $9,000 to the Fredonia fourth-grade class.

“The Every Kid in a Park program has been a great benefit for our students, especially when you consider our location,” said Fredonia Elementary School Principal Joe B. Wright. “Being surrounded by multiple parks and forests, this program provides even greater accessibility for our 4th graders and their families. We sincerely appreciate the federal employees who have spent time working cooperatively with Fredonia Elementary School. Our students are very excited about the grant funded field trips that will be coming up in the next few months.”

National Park Foundation grants have made it possible for more than 400,000 students (including this year’s grantees) to visit national parks and other public lands and waters.

“It is inspiring to see the National Park Foundation and many other partners step up to support our goal of getting fourth graders and their families into parks, public lands and waters that belong to all Americans,” said U.S. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell. “These generous grants will ensure children across the country have an opportunity to experience the great outdoors in their community while developing a lifelong connection to our nation’s land, water and wildlife.”

Northern Arizona law enforcement track kidnapping suspect

Posted on by

On Wednesday, June 18, 2015 at approximately 1:19 pm the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Lieutenant who manages the Page Patrol division received information from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) that an individual may have been taken against his will. The FBI provided subject, victim and vehicle descriptions as well as direction of travel of the vehicle. Additionally, the subject was seeking to acquire a firearm.

The CCSO Lieutenant initiated a regional attempt to locate message with information regarding the case and a vehicle description to Northern Arizona Law Enforcement Agencies to include the Arizona Department of Public Safety, the Page Police Department, the Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety and the National Park Service.

An Arizona DPS Officer and a CCSO Sergeant located the suspect vehicle as it was north bound on Highway 89 and positioned behind a pilot vehicle at a construction zone near Cedar Ridge.

The officer and a deputy attempted to perform a high risk stop on the vehicle and administered verbal commands instructing the occupants to exit the vehicle. The occupants failed to follow instructions and the driver maneuvered the vehicle through the construction zone and continued north on Highway 89 at speeds reaching 100 miles per hour with officers in pursuit.

Page Police Officers, AZ DPS Officers and National Park Service Rangers attempted on four occasions to deploy Stop Sticks designed to gradually deflate vehicle tires; however the driver was able to avoid the stop sticks at all four locations.

At one point a Page Police Officer fired his duty weapon once at the suspect vehicle; no one was struck or injured by the bullet. CCSO Detectives and Page Police Department personnel are conducting independent investigations of this shooting.

The pursuit continued through the City of Page, AZ and north on Highway 89 into Utah. As the vehicle fled from pursuing officers the occupants threw items out of the windows to include miscellaneous papers. Utah law enforcement authorities deployed stop sticks at two more locations and during both incidents the devices effectively deflated all four tires of the suspect vehicle. In the area of milepost 54.9 on Highway 89 after traveling on tireless wheels, the vehicle veered to the side of the road.

Pursuing officers gave commands to the occupants to exit the vehicle. For a prolonged period of time the occupants refused to follow commands and continued to throw items out of the vehicle to include an empty handgun holster. They also waved an American Flag and a second unidentified flag out of the windows. At least one of the occupants placed gas masks over his face.

Eventually the driver who was believed to be the alleged kidnap victim exited the vehicle and shortly thereafter the passenger also exited the vehicle. Both individuals were taken into custody by Deputies assigned to the Kane County Sheriff’s Office Tactical Unit. Utah Highway Patrol officials are continuing this investigation.

A portion of Highway 89 in Utah was shut down for a prolonged period of time as the result of the pursuit and subsequent standoff with the vehicle occupants.