Daily Archives: May 17, 2013

Coconino Rises for County’s First Stand Down May 17-18

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CC Stand Down 2013 - update

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Event aids homeless, at-risk veterans and their families with services

FLAGSTAFF—Coconino County, in conjunction with area veteran’s advocate groups, will host the First Annual High Country Stand Down event May 17 to 18 to connect area homeless veterans and their families with the services they need.

From 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, May 17, County-area homeless and at-risk veterans will have access to a host of services aimed at helping those who served our country. The Stand Down continues from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, May 18, with breakfast and the Armed Forces Day Parade in Downtown Flagstaff.

“It is an honor to be a part of Coconino County’s first veterans stand down,” said District 4 County Supervisor Mandy Metzger, who convened the event. “Providing critical and basic services is the very least we should be doing for those who have bravely safeguarded our freedoms, but have become homeless or are at-risk of becoming homeless.”

“The High Country Stand Down is the first of what we hope becomes an annual tradition to continue creating positive impacts for veterans and their family’s within our communities. No veteran will be turned away,” Metzger added.

The event May 17 event will be held at the Flagstaff Armory at 320 N. Thorpe Road. During this event, veterans will be offered free dental exams, haircuts, clothing, hygiene kits and showers or they can receive ID assistance, Veteran’s Affairs healthcare and housing information and much more. That evening, veterans will also be offered a bed to sleep indoors and a hot dinner.

On May 18, veterans will convene for breakfast at the American Legion Post 3 at 204 W. Birch Ave. in Flagstaff. At 11 a.m. they can attend the Armed Forces Day Parade. The veteran’s services fair will continue throughout the day until 5 p.m.

“Our veterans had the courage to rise and serve when our nation called on them. It’s only fitting that we rise to aid them in their time of need,” said John Davidson, who helped coordinate the event. “It’s been a great privilege to work with Coconino County in a unified effort to host this event. Our service groups, Native American communities, statewide organizations and other partners stepped up to help our veterans.”

In addition to Coconino County, the event is a collaboration among multiple organizations, including the Coconino County Courts, County Public Health Services District, the Hopi Tribe, Navajo Nation, American Legion Post 3, Salvation Army, Arizona Stand Down, Arizona Coalition to End Homelessness, Madison Street Veterans Association, US Veterans Administration, Arizona Department of Veterans Services, United for Change, US Veterans Association and many others.

From the Bench: Justice Krombeen thanks Tusayan.

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rob-krombeen(Grand Canyon Edition) by Justice of the Peace Robert Krombeen

Since entering into an Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) with the Town of Tusayan just over a year ago, it has been our court’s privilege to partner with the Town to provide your court and judicial services. Now that the council has voted to enter into a longer-term IGA for the next five years, I want to reiterate our court’s commitment to your community.

During the past year, our staff has made administrative changes and improvements which have led to improved customer service in our court. Surveys conducted by the Coconino County Court Administration have shown our court to have amongst the highest ratings for customer service in the county. We are continually striving to find ways to improve the function and services of our court.

It has been my observation that our staff has worked exceptionally well with the Town Prosecutor and Public Defender to provide consistent, designated time on the court calendar to Tusayan customers who appear in our court. The relationship with the Town Prosecutor and Public Defender will only continue to improve, as we find creative ways to provide those services in an efficient manner to reduce drive time for those appearing. As has been demonstrated this past year, it has and will continue to be our court’s desire to be good neighbors to the Town as you develop your community into the future.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as your judge. We look forward to providing services to your community for the next five years. Please contact the court at (928) 635-2691 if you have any questions about the IGA or the services provided.

City of Williams announces free community swim

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WILLIAMS—The Williams Aquatic Center will be open for a free Community swim to open up their 2013 season. The pool will be open Saturday, May 25th from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free swim day is sponsored by the Friends of the Williams Aquatic Center and the Williams Chamber of Commerce.

The Friends of the W.A.C. is a non-profit group in Williams which conducts fundraising events to help keep the pool open during as much of the season as possible. They currently have openings for volunteers and board members.

County Attorney announces citizen prosecutor academy

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FLAGSTAFF—The County Attorney has announced the next no-cost Citizen Prosecutor Academy. The academy will be held Friday, June 7, 2013 from 8:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.

This could be the start to your legal career. However if you plan to pursue a career in this area you can expect a little more schooling at a little more cost. This course gives citizens an idea of how the court system works in general terms. “Participants will gain a behind-the-scenes understanding of real-world prosecution and the responsibilities of the Coconino County Attorney’s Office,” the press release states. These classes fill up quickly so it is recommended that you sign up soon if you are interested.

Tami Suchowiejko, coordinator for the academy at the County Attorney’s office, said that they prefer participants be over 18-years of age because of the graphic nature of some of the content of the course.

“We’re excited to continue our academy which brings the community into the office to share information, exchange ideas, and facilitate a better understanding of how the County Attorney’s Office serves the public. It’s also a lot of fun”, said County Attorney Rozema.

The academy presenters include various experts from the Coconino County Attorney’s Office as well as other professionals from the criminal justice system. Participants will learn how criminal cases are handled from intake/grand jury through trial. They can also expect presentations from the County Medical Examiner and a Criminalist from the Department of Public Safety Crime Lab.

To get an idea of what the course entails, you can see the previous academy agenda. If you are interested in participating, you can download an application to fax to (928) 679-8201 or mail to Coconino County Attorney’s Office, 110 E. Cherry Avenue, Flagstaff, AZ 86001.

The County Attorney’s office also holds an advanced version of the academy for graduates of this course.