OAK CREEK – Just after recovering from the Slide Fire, the residents of upper Oak Creek were evacuated briefly from 4 to about 10:30 pm on the 16th. Reports today indicate that the fire remains as 13-acres and is 25% contained. The decrease wind-speed will no doubt assist fire fighters in their efforts. The fire was started by a downed power line. State Route 89 from Flagstaff to Sedona remains open after ADOT completed road work earlier than anticipated.
Monthly Archives: June 2014
Slide Fire Community Meeting Planned planned for tomorrow
Slide Fire Information Facebook photo
The meeting will be conducted by the City of Sedona, Coconino and Yavapai counties, and the cooperative agencies which assisted in fighting the human-caused blaze. Residents will receive an update on the U.S. Forest Service’s Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) assessment of the Slide Fire. Attendees will also learn how multiple agencies have spent the past several weeks assessing Oak Creek Canyon properties in anticipation of possible monsoonal flooding this summer.
A video recording of the meeting will be posted June 20 at the Coconino County YouTube Channel for those unable to attend the meeting. A link to the video will be posted at the Coconino County Post-Slide Fire Information web page.
The Slide Fire began May 20 just north of Slide Rock State Park and charred more than 21,000 acres north of Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon. The fire was fully contained on June 6. Investigation into the start of the fire is still on-going.
Just why did the chicken cross the road?
SARAH PALIN: The chicken crossed the road because, gosh-darn it, he’s a maverick!
BARACK OBAMA: Let me be perfectly clear, if the chickens like their eggs they can keep their eggs. No chicken will be required to cross the road to surrender her eggs. Period.
JOHN McCAIN: My friends, the chicken crossed the road because he recognized the need to engage in cooperation and dialogue with all the chickens on the other side of the road.
HILLARY CLINTON: What difference at this point does it make why the chicken crossed the road.
GEORGE W. BUSH: We don’t really care why the chicken crossed the road. We just want to know if the chicken is on our side of the road or not. The chicken is either with us or against us. There is no middle ground here.
DICK CHENEY: Where’s my gun?
BILL CLINTON: I did not cross the road with that chicken.
AL GORE: I invented the chicken.
JOHN KERRY: Although I voted to let the chicken cross the road, I am now against it! It was the wrong road to cross, and I was misled about the chicken’s intentions. I am not for it now, and will remain against it.
AL SHARPTON: Why are all the chickens white?
DR. PHIL: The problem we have here is that this chicken won’t realize that he must first deal with the problem on this side of the road before it goes after the problem on the other side of the road. What we need to do is help him realize how stupid he is acting by not taking on his current problems before adding any new problems.
OPRAH: Well, I understand that the chicken is having problems, which is why he wants to cross the road so badly. So instead of having the chicken learn from his mistakes and take falls, which is a part of life, I’m going to give this chicken a NEW CAR so that he can just drive across the road and not live his life like the rest of the chickens.
ANDERSON COOPER: We have reason to believe there is a chicken, but we have not yet been allowed to have access to the other side of the road.
NANCY GRACE: That chicken crossed the road because he’s guilty! You can see it in his eyes and the way he walks.
PAT BUCHANAN: To steal the job of a decent, hardworking American.
MARTHA STEWART: No one called me to warn me which way the chicken was going. I had a standing order at the Farmer’s Market to sell my eggs when the price dropped to a certain level. No little bird gave me any insider information.
DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it with a toad? Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I’ve not been told.
ERNEST HEMINGWAY: To die in the rain, alone.
GRANDPA: In my day we didn’t ask why the chicken crossed the road. Somebody told us the chicken crossed the road, and that was good enough for us.
BARBARA WALTERS: Isn’t that interesting? In a few moments, we will be listening to the chicken tell, for the first time, the heart warming story of how it experienced a serious case of molting, and went on to accomplish it’s lifelong dream of crossing the road.
ARISTOTLE: It is the nature of chickens to cross the road.
BILL GATES: I have just released eChicken2014, which will not only cross roads, but will lay eggs, file your important documents and balance your checkbook. Internet Explorer is an integral part of eChicken2014. This new platform is much more stable and will never reboot.
ALBERT EINSTEIN: Did the chicken really cross the road, or did the road move beneath the chicken?
COLONEL SANDERS: Did I miss one?
Arizona’s redesigned driver license, new process now effective
PHOENIX – Effective June 16, the newly designed Arizona driver license – and a new process to get it – are now in place.
The Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division has expanded the central credential issuance process to all offices statewide, meaning that customers visiting a Motor Vehicle Division or Authorized Third Party office to obtain a new driver license or identification card will leave with a temporary credential. The permanent license or identification card will be mailed to the customer and received within 15 days.
With a primary focus on protecting a customer’s personal information and protect against identity theft, ADOT has launched a new, high-security credential format. Arizona is following a change occurring across the nation by many states with the production of a driver license with a background that contains numerous security features. The previously designed photo background was very limited in its capability to contain viable security features.
“Our top priority is always customer safety and security,” said Stacey Stanton, director of ADOT’s Motor Vehicle Division. “The new and improved security features better safeguard personal information. The updated issuance process has added steps for ensuring the license or identification card is delivered to the right person and helps prevent identity theft.”
There is no need for a customer to rush out to an office to obtain the new credential. A current driver license or identification card will remain valid until its expiration date – or at least until the 12-year mark when the photo needs to be refreshed. The price of a duplicate credential remains $12 for many customers.
Customers at ADOT Motor Vehicle Division offices will no longer be issued a permanent or duplicate driver license or identification card at the end of the application process. The credential will instead be mailed to the address on the customer’s application. It is important to ensure the correct mailing address has been provided in order to receive the credential.
With the new central issuance process it is critical that customers keep their address updated with MVD. State law requires that residents notify the Motor Vehicle Division of an address change within 10 days, although the purchase of a new credential isn’t required. Address changes can be made online at ServiceArizona.com.
This central-issuance process has already been in place in 14 of ADOT’s offices in communities in Greater Arizona and in the Authorized Third Party offices that process driver licenses. Now the process has expanded to all offices statewide.
The temporary driver license or identification card contains a photo and the basic information that appears on the actual credential. As in other states that have moved to this process, the decision to accept the temporary credential as proof of identity exists solely with the organization requesting to see the license or identification card.
The process of central credential issuance is used by most states around the country and is a growing trend as states transition to higher-security credentials.
For at least 12 years, there will be more than one valid Arizona driver license and identification card.
Security features of the new credential include:
- A larger primary portrait with a smaller redundant ghost portrait ensuring customer appearance is clearly reflected.
- A high-security, design comprised of unique Arizona geological features in the background created through the use of Guilloché innovative symmetry.A Guilloché design involves techniques consisting of intricate, repetitive patterns that are interwoven to guard against counterfeiting, altering or other fraudulent use, making for a more secure credential.
- A laser perforation in the shape of Arizona, which when held up to the light is used to quickly authenticate the credential.
- Tactile date of birth field to assist in authenticating the credential using the sense of touch. The date in this field will have a raised feel to it.
- Tri-color Optically Variable Device consisting of the state outline, the state name “Arizona,” the state seal, a saguaro cactus and a star. This laminate overlay provides the final layer of the credential and provides one more feature for authentication.
- The ringtail, declared the state mammal in 1986, is illustrated on the front of the new credential. Ringtails, found throughout the state, are cat-sized carnivores resembling a small fox with a long raccoon-like tail.
State Route 89A switchbacks closure lifted early
PHOENIX — Drivers traveling between Sedona and Flagstaff received welcome news when the Arizona Department of Transportation lifted restrictions and opened the “switchbacks” section of State Route 89A to motorists, well ahead of schedule, late last night. There are currently no construction/fire-related restrictions along SR 89A between Sedona and Flagstaff.
The three-mile section of SR 89A (mileposts 387-390) between the Pine Flat Campground and the Vista Point scenic overlook south of Flagstaff was closed to allow crews to resurface the highway along this narrow, twisty section of roadway, which is prone to rockfalls. As part of the $2 million improvement project, ADOT removed loose rocks from the mountainside along the roadway and made deck repairs to the historic Pumphouse Wash Bridge.
By allowing the contractor (Phoenix-based Combs Construction) unrestricted access to the work zone, crews were able to safely complete paving, bridge repair and rock scaling work in an expedited manner that would not have been possible without the full closure of the roadway.
From the beginning, ADOT was committed to completing the project as soon as possible while focusing on safety and quality. Prior to the start of the project, ADOT provided the contractor monetary incentives to complete the project prior to the end of the scheduled five-week closure. The contractor will receive the maximum allowed bonus ($104,000) for completing the work early.
“Thanks to the swift efforts by the contractor Combs Construction and ADOT’s steadfast commitment to complete the project as efficiently and safely as possible, we were able to reopen the closed SR 89A section of roadway – an incredible 16 days ahead of schedule,” said Flagstaff District Engineer Audra Merrick. “Despite this project’s many challenges, in the end, this will be a smoother, safer road for the traveling public for many years to come.”
The project began on April 21, with single lane restrictions in place along the switchbacks. The five-week full closure of the highway had originally been scheduled from May 27 – July 2, but crews were evacuated from the project on May 20, at the start of the Slide Fire. The wildfire originated approximately six miles south of the project near Slide Rock State Park and forced the closure of the highway from Sedona to Fort Tuthill in Flagstaff.
Work on the project resumed on June 1, shortly after local authorities lifted wildfire-related restrictions near the highway.
ADOT had a limited window in which to complete the paving work in this region (June – August) because applying new pavement is extremely temperature sensitive. The goal was to complete the pavement improvements prior to the rainy monsoon season, which could have delayed the project significantly.
ADOT will need to return next month to complete final lane striping through the project corridor. A single-lane restriction will be required and flaggers will be present to guide traffic through the work zone.
Dirt haul on SR 89 between Prescott and Chino Valley scheduled this week
Traffic on State Route 89 between Prescott and Chino Valley (mileposts 320 to 322) will be required to stop intermittently this week to allow trucks to safely cross the highway.
The hauling operation will take place from 8 p.m. to 5 a.m. Monday and Tuesday, June 16-17, with intermittent closures for dirt hauling. Drivers can expect delays of up to 15 minutes at a time.
The work zone will be clearly marked by temporary barricades and signage. ADOT advises drivers to allow additional time to reach their destinations and to proceed through the work zone with caution, comply with the reduced speed limit, and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.
Wildland Fire in Oak Creek Canyon Results in Mandatory Evacuations in the Junipine Area
OAK CREEK CANYON – A wildland fire in Oak Creek Canyon has resulted in the partial closure of State Route 89A. The Junipine Lodge and the residential neighborhood in the immediate area of the lodge have been placed under a mandatory evacuation order. Residents located in Oak Creek Canyon north of Junipine to the bottom of the switchbacks have been given a pre-evacuation notification. Approximately 40 individuals have left their homes located in Junipine. The American Red Cross has established an evacuee reception center at Sinagua Middle School located at 3950 East Butler Avenue in Flagstaff. Evacuated pets can be taken to the Coconino County Humane Shelter located at 3501 East Butler Avenue.
Abramski conviction upheld by Supreme Court.
WASHINGTON D.C. – The Supreme Court decided in the case of Abramski v. United States (PDF) that straw purchases—such as those orchestrated by the Eric Holder BATFE for Operation Fast and Furious which took the life of Arizona Border Patrol agent Brian Terry—are illegal. The 5-4 decision was split along party line with Justice Kennedy again being the swing vote.
Mike Gangloff of the The Roanake Times in Virginia wrote a detail account in December of 2010 on the background of Bruce Abramski, Jr.—the defendant in the case. The basic line is that Abramski purchased a Glock 19 fully intending to transfer the weapon to his uncle in Pennsylvania for cash. He purchased the weapon using a police discount on an identification he held after he was released by the police department two years earlier. They transferred the weapon using the background check required by law which revealed that his uncle was legally eligible to receive the weapon.
Abramski was charged with lying on line 11a of ATF Form 4473 which is a felony under United State Code 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(6). He checked the box indicating that he was the purchaser of the weapon. He was sentenced to probation instead of the ten-years imprisonment he faced. He maintains a felony conviction, however.
The problem in the case was what constitutes a “straw purchase.” In essence a straw purchase is when a straw purchases a weapon for another person using the intended receivers money even if both are eligible to purchase firearms. This apparently does not apply to a person purchasing a firearm as a bona fide gift.
In a January article on Guns.com NRA Spokeswoman Catherine Mortensen told them via email:
This is another case of the BATFE attempting to criminalize the legal activity of law-abiding gun owners. In this case, both the buyer and his uncle submitted to and passed the requisite background checks to own the firearm in question. Congress did not criminalize the transfer of firearms between persons who are both legally entitled to purchase the firearm. Rather, Congress’ objective was to prevent individuals from purchasing firearms on behalf of prohibited persons and that is – in fact – what the law provides.
Justice Kagan, writing the decision for the majority, stated:
Abramski also challenges his §922(a)(6) conviction on a narrower ground. For purposes of this argument, he assumes that the Government can make its case when a straw hides the name of an underlying purchaser who is legally ineligible to own a gun. But, Abramski reminds us, that is not true here, because Alvarez could have bought a gun for himself. In such circumstances, Abramski claims that a false response to Question 11.a. is not material. … Essentially, Abramski contends, when the hidden purchaser is eligible anyway to own a gun, all’s well that ends well, and all should be forgiven.
But we think what we have already said shows the fallacy of that claim: Abramski’s false statement was material because had he revealed that he was purchasing the gun on Alvarez’s behalf, the sale could not have proceeded under the law—even though Alvarez turned out to be an eligible gun owner.
…
If the dealer here, Town Police Supply, had realized it was in fact selling a gun to Alvarez, it would have had to stop the transaction for failure to comply with those conditions. Yet more, the sale could not have gone forward because the dealer would have lacked the information needed to verify and record Alvarez’s identity and check his background.
The dissenters made the argument that this particular purchase constituted a gift more than a straw purchase. This decision seems to keep in tact the provision that a person can purchase a weapon as a gift for another—provided both are legally eligible to possess firearms. A husband can purchase a weapon for his wife as a gift, for example, provided that he knows that she is legally allowed to own firearms. This does not necessarily mean a felony conviction, but if the receiver has certain mental instability, drug abuse problems or the like, they may not be legally allowed to possess firearms.
See also: Federal Firearms “Cheatsheet” PDF
Life springing up in Williams
Duck population increases
The only notable weather in the forecast is two more days of high winds. Monday winds are expected to rise in the afternoon 29 to 34 mph with gusts of 50 mph continuing throughout the night. On Tuesday the southwest wind will start at 17 to 22 mph rising to 21 to 31 mph with gusts up to 47 continuing through Tuesday night. The high winds are expected to cease Wednesday and running through the rest of the forecast. No rain is included in the immediate forecast.
It appears that for the immediate future, Williams will have to maintain its plant life with grey water.
Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper apologizes for handling of gun control legislation
ASPEN – Gov. John Hickenlooper told a group of Colorado sheriffs he is sorry for the way last year’s gun-control measures were handled, and he acknowledged that the lawmen were shut out of the process.
Answering questions at the County Sheriffs of Colorado conference in Aspen on Friday, the governor said, “I would say in the gun stuff, we certainly could have done a better job.”
Read more at ABC 7 Denver
See Also: Aspen Daily News, NBC 9News