The National Weather Service is predicting a 10% chance of snow for Thursday through Friday. The weather should clear Saturday and warm up to 47-degrees. The next week should be clear.
Monthly Archives: January 2012
Senate committee sends emergency bill to the legislature
Phoenix —The Senate Committee on Border Security, Federalism and State’s Sovereignty voted on Thursday, January 26th to send two bills and a resolution to the legislature for a vote.
S.B. 1083 to establish the Arizona State Guard received six yes votes, one no and one not voting. Major General Salazar, Adjutant General of the National Guard, expressed some concerns about the wording in the Arizona Constitution which might make the Arizona State Guard under the National Guard. The Arizona State Guard when called by the governor would, in effect, be a militia and thus subject to National Guard. Senator Sylvia Allen noted that there is was an effort to write the language so that it is clear that they are two separate entities and the Arizona State Guard would be under Arizona State control. Another point General Salazar made was whether or not federal agencies would welcome State Guard personnel in their areas of operation. He was unclear what coordination could be conducted.
He did clarify that he was not objecting the the legislation but pointing out areas of the legislation and Arizona Constitution that might cause contention. At one point he joked, “I’m not taking this personally.”
One concern expressed was basically giving a gun to untrained people and sending them to the border. In previous testimony, however, it was made clear that they would be trained before they were sent into areas of operation. One Senator with previous military experience balked at the notion giving several examples of where the Army trained various groups around the world in a short amount of time to fight.
SCR 1008 and S.B. 1081 giving counties the ability to declare emergencies in the forested areas to clean out fire fuels also passed, both with a vote of 6 yes and two not voting.
2012 Coconino County Fair Vendor Applications Available
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — While snow still fills parts of Coconino County’s Ft. Tuthill Park, the Parks & Recreation Department is already gearing up for the 2012 County Fair, held Aug. 31 to Sept. 3.
Parks & Recreation officials hope the upcoming fair will surpass the 2011 event, which saw more than 45,500 attendees over four days. To prepare for the upcoming 63rd Annual Coconino County Fair, the County is now accepting vendor applications for food, commercial business and non-profit organizations.
In an effort to promote local products and services, an early bird rate is being extended to County‐based businesses only. Interested business owners and operators are encouraged to submit a vendor application by May 1 to take advantage of a 50-percent early bird discount for midway and outdoor booth locations.
Vendor applications are available on the Coconino County Parks & Recreation’s website at: www.coconino.az.gov/parks.
The following links will take interested vendors directly to the application packet:
• Early Bird Fair Vendor Application: (PDF) http://tiny.cc/xsrrl
• Vendor Application: (PDF) http://goo.gl/qn3bY
Applications Sought to Fill Void on Williams School Board
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Coconino County Superintendent of Schools Robert Kelty is seeking applications sought to fill a vacancy on the Williams Unified School District Governing Board.
A vacancy was left after Board Member Maggie Francis resigned with nearly one year left on her term. Kelty will appoint a local resident inside the District to complete the term, which runs from February to Dec. 31.
To be eligible to serve on a school district governing board:
• A candidate must be a registered voter of the State of Arizona;
• A candidate must be a resident of the school district for at least one year prior to the appointment;
• A candidate or their spouse may not be an employee of the district.
Those living within the WUSD, who are interested serving on the Governing Board, should mail a letter of interest to Coconino County Superintendent of Schools Robert Kelty at 2384 N. Steves Blvd., Flagstaff, AZ 86004; e-mail at Email; or fax to 928-679-8077.
The candidate’s email, telephone number and home address must be included in the letter. Once a letter of interest is received, an application for appointment will be sent to the candidate. All letters of interest and applications should be received no later than 4 p.m., Feb. 10.
An advisory committee consisting of district residents and a current board member will be assembled to conduct interviews and advise Superintendent Kelty on the appointment. For more information, please call Cathleen Garrison at the Office of the Coconino County School Superintendent’s Office at 928-679-8070.
Polling Changes for Feb. 28 Presidential Preference Election
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Only voters registered with the Republican party or Green party are eligible to vote in the Feb. 28 Presidential Preference Election (PPE).
Recognized political parties are given the option to participate in a Presidential Preference Election and only the Republicans and Green parties selected to participate for 2012. If a voter wishes to register to vote or change party affiliation they must do so by Jan. 30.
Voters who are registered to vote as Democrats, Libertarians, non-partisans, independents or any other political party are NOT eligible to vote in the PPE. The reason being is that this “preference” election is being conducted by political party rules.
However, all voters no matter what party preference they are registered with, will be eligible to participate in the Aug. 28 Primary Election.
Per state statute for this election, the county is required to consolidate precincts except on reservation land. Based on that, Coconino County Elections has taken 85 precincts and consolidated into 26 polling districts.
Each household with a registered Republican or Green Party voter will be mailed a sample ballot that lists the name and polling place address for this election. Sample ballots should arrive about 30 days prior to the election.
In addition, as provided by ARS (16- 248A) voting precincts containing 300 or less registered voters will be conducted as mail ballot precincts. That means a ballot will automatically be mailed to every eligible registered Republican and Green Party voter in those precincts and there will be no polling place on election day. The following 23 precincts will be conducted as all mail ballot precincts; Bellemont, Parks, Ranches, Blue Ridge, Forest Lakes, Mormon Lake, Meteor, Winona, Kiva, Fort Tuthill, Kachina Village, Pinewood, Fort Valley, Fredonia, North Rim, Glen Canyon, Grand Canyon, Tusayan, Kaibab North, Havasupai, Paiute, Sedona North and Sedona South.
Republican and Green Party voters who currently have signed up to be on the Permanent Early Voting list (PEVL) will automatically be mailed a ballot on February 2.
Republican and Green Party voters that live in precincts that will be voting at a polling place but are not on the PEVL listing can still vote an early ballot by either calling the Elections Office at 928-689-7860 or toll free 800-793-6181; send a written request to Coconino County Elections, 110 E. Cherry, Flagstaff, AZ 86001; or submit an on-line request at www.coconino.az.gov/elections and click on “Request Early Ballot.”
Republican and Green Party voters may also vote an early ballot in person at early voting locations throughout the County. The following early voting locations are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 pm, unless noted differently, at the following locations:
Coconino County Elections Office – 110 E. Cherry (first floor), Flagstaff
Ferdonia Town Office – 25 N. Main Street, Ferdonia
Page City Hall – 697 Vista Avenue, Page
Tuba City Elections Office – Tuba City Library – Basement
Williams City Hall – 113 S. First Street, Williams. (Monday through Thursday only)
Toll proposal puts the brakes on economic recovery
By BUSTER JOHNSON
Chairman
Mohave County Board of Supervisors
During the January 10 meeting of the Mohave County Board of Supervisors, we unanimously voted to oppose the state’s proposal to turn a 30-mile segment of Interstate 15 into a toll road. Now, Arizona State Rep. Karen Fann (R-District 1, kfann@azleg.gov, co-sponsored by Republican Russ Jones rjones@azleg.gov) has launched legislation that would open the gates to toll roads throughout the state.
Fann’s House Bill 2358, titled Public-Private Partnership; Toll Facilities, creates regulations for collection of tolls and a variety of punishments for those who do not pay them. Specifically, it allows the suspending or revoking of vehicle registrations and driver’s licenses.
This long-winded bill sets up procedures for toll agencies to track and nail anyone who has “liability for toll nonpayment” throughout the state. HB 2358 is the legal foundation that will be used for the furtherance of toll roads, toll bridges and other toll transportation facilities (read rest stops) in Arizona.
I understand the traditional toll facility proposals. A major bridge or road is built through bonded indebtedness and, when it opens for use, customers pay a toll that eventually pays off the cost of construction. But to establish a precedent of charging tolls to use pre-existing roads and bridges is a terrible wrong turn that Arizona does not need to make.
If our State Legislature passes HB 2358, the gates will be opened for many toll proposals leading to costly trips. Driving Arizona highways will no longer be enjoying the open road. It will be more like traversing a board game with costly detours and, if you avoid a toll booth, an expensive Get Out Of Jail fee. The state slogan will become, “You can’t get there from here.”
Okay, that was a bit facetious, but in an age where we are trying to get business back to health and America back to work, HB 2358 sets up roadblocks to prosperity. Truckers who have to take the highways and interstates will be hit the hardest with new fees. At the end of the line, those costs will be passed on to retail customers. Those same customers will have to pay tolls on the roads bringing their more-expensive purchases home.
We will bring more prosperity and transportation funds to Arizona by removing roadblocks to economic development; not by adding them. This Board of Supervisors opposed the state’s proposal of putting a toll on I-15 and I oppose HB 2358, which would drive more toll proposals and bring economic recovery to a screeching halt.
Northern Arizona Authors Group expanding their vision
The small writer’s group in Williams is expanding in size and scope. Their plans are to tackle the intricacies of screenplays. The group normally meets once a month at the Williams Public Library, but will have two meetings next month.
On February 4th at 9 a.m. David Seals will be conducting a screenplay workshop. He is asking the group to write a 5 page treatment. Mr. Seals has been a writer in different genres for 45 years and has published with Penguin and Random House. David wrote Pow Wow Highway in 1989 which won awards at the Sundance Film Festivals in San Francisco, Montreal and Milan.
The regular meeting of the Northern Arizona Authors Group is scheduled for February 18th at 9 a.m. If the library is closed due to the holiday, the meeting will be held in the Brown Bag Sandwich restaurant across the street.
You can get more information about the group at their web site.
Arizona entrepreneur creates the “ultimate” survival tool
Scottsdale, AZ — Shortly after launching its Gear Up Center online store, Recon LLC has announced the arrival of its newest innovation, The Crovel Folding Shovel. After purchasing countless shovels, creator Tim Ralston conceived the idea and followed through with extensive research. The ex-military expert decided to move forward and develop the e-tool by combining several tools into one with its base serving as a crowbar and a shovel. The Crovel (shovel + crowbar) was unveiled at an outdoor camping gear show and introduced as the next evolution of the e-tool to the show’s attendees. The Crovel shovel offers multiple functions such as a hammer, ax, pick, pry bar, hoe, and machete. During the audience demonstrations, the Crovel’s sheer strength and solid construction proved the tool to be virtually indestructible and highly versatile compared to other folding shovels.
Made of 10 gauge-hardened steel, the Crovel claims to outlast and outdo its fellow competitors who offer stamped steel shovelheads with wooden handles. When put through a rigid test, competing folding shovels frequently bent and broke while the Croval remained in tact. By combining several tools into one, the Crovel can reduce excess weight of unneeded gear by approximately 45 pounds. Made for durability, multiple functionality and handling ease, the sharpness and strength of the Crovel’s edge gives the user the options for cutting, chopping, and sawing while keeping its edge. The shovel’s handle is a 19” hardened gooseneck crowbar with a hammer face on the end to add additional strength and function. Further distinguishing it from its competitors, the Crovel has 550 para cord wrapped around the handle for additional grip strength while giving the user 15-20’ of life-saving material that can be used thousands of different ways.
Sign the Declaration of Independence
The National Archives has devised an interesting way to be a part of history. Or to collect names for the next edition of the Department of Homeland Security Domestic Terrorist magazine. You can now sign the Declaration of Independence. Ironically, they even warn you.
Wonder what happens if you decide not to sign?
The Declaration of Independence was ratified by adopting the Lee Resolution for Independence with only New York not voting. After some minor changes by Franklin and Adams, according to the web site, it was declared officially adopted on July 4th 235 years ago in 1776.
Their Charters of Freedom web site has photographic images and text transcripts of the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution and the Bill of Rights. At the bottom of that page is a button which takes you to a page with another link to sign and other links to information about the signers and a timeline for the events surrounding the Declaration.
You can elect to sign the document in three different fonts; Colonist, American and Patriot. You can print on a color or black-and-white printer. Make sure you used the print link at the bottom of the page and do not try to print from your browser print function. Flash is required to use the program.
And you thought that investment in parchment paper was foolish.
Williams TEA party joins blackout protest
Today at midnight, Wikipedia blacked out the English version of their encyclopedia on the Internet. They were joined by a host of other web sites.
The Williams TEA Party, while not totally blacked out, joined the protest by blacking out the header on their web site with a quote by Thomas Jefferson.