Daily Archives: June 5, 2015

Paving continues on US 180 from Flagstaff to Snow Bowl next week

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640-sfp-141207-20FLAGSTAFF — The Arizona Department of Transportation is returning next week to continue application of the top layer of asphalt along a five-mile segment of US 180 from Schultz Pass to Bader roads (mileposts 219 – 224).

Due to expected rain and unseasonably cooler temperatures, the paving work had to be halted for the remainder of this week. Warmer weather is forecasted to move into Flagstaff next week which will allow paving to resume.

The finishing paving work will occur daily, Monday, June 8 through Friday, June 12, between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

During paving operations, the two-lane roadway will be reduced to one lane. Pilot cars will allow for alternating travel and delays can be expected in both directions.

Motorists interested in traveling to the Grand Canyon National Park can use Interstate 40 to State Route 64 west of Flagstaff in Williams as an alternate route.

According to Flagscanner, other street repairs in Flagstaff from June 8 to 12 include:

  1. Aztec St. – Beal Rd. to Thorpe St.
  2. Beal Rd. – Rockridge Rd. to W End
  3. Lava Ln. – Rockridge Rd. to End
  4. Basalt Ln. – Rockridge Rd. to End
  5. Whipple Rd. – Navajo Rd. to Fort Valley Rd.
  6. Whiting Rd. – Navajo Rd. to Fort Valley Rd.
  7. Anderson Dr. – Aztec St. to Navajo Dr.
  8. Fort Valley Frontage Rd. – Fort Valley Rd to Murray Rd.
  9. Hazel Way – Talkington Dr. to End
  10. Davis Dr. – Talkington Dr. to End
  11. Talkington Dr. – Meade Ln. to Crescent Dr.
  12. Lantern Ln. – Talkington Dr. to End
  13. Meteor Dr. – Crescent Dr. to Crescent Dr.
  14. Kramer St. – End to End
  15. Foothills Way – Fremont Blvd. to End
  16. Eddy Dr. – Wilson Dr. to West End of Cul De Sac
  17. Shannon Dr. – Prescott Rd. to Wilson Dr.
  18. Wilson Dr. – Shannon Dr. to Fremont Blvd.
  19. Nicole Ln. – Peakview St. to End
  20. Red Rock Ln. – Snowcap Way to Peakview St.
  21. Sheila Dr. – Brenda Loop to Fremont Blvd.
  22. Mountain Dr. – Peakview St. to Fremont Blvd.
  23. Lois Ln. – Peak View to End
  24. Peakview St.– Ft. Valley Rd. to Shannon Dr.
  25. Kendrick St. – Mikes Pike St. to Butler Ave.
  26. Mikes Pike St. – Route 66 to Phoenix Ave.
  27. Leroux St. – Cottage Ave. to Phoenix Ave.
  28. Dupont Ave. – Verde St. to Agassiz St.
  29. Verde St. – Franklin Ave. to End

Detours are expected for the above street repairs.

Wet and Williams

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Rain15-06-05-03800-Rose-15-06-0504WILLIAMS — To the chagrin of those setting up for yard sales or trying to maintain the Route 66 Street Market, Williams is receiving another dose of rain to begin the weekend.

The forecast shows at 20% chance of scattered thunderstorms for Williams tomorrow and a 30% in Flagstaff. Tonight there is a 4)% and 50% chance respectively for the two cities.

The flowers around town seem happy to get a drink.

PUBLIC NOTICE: Town of Prescott Valley AZPDES permit modification

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PROPOSED ARIZONA POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (AZPDES) PERMIT MODIFICATION

Pursuant to the Clean Water Act and in accordance with Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R18-9-A907, the Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) proposes to issue an Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES) Permit to discharge pollutants to Waters of the United States to the following applicant, subject to certain effluent limitations and special conditions:

Public Notice No. 15-62                                   Published on June 7, 2015
Published in the Prescott Daily Courier

AZPDES Permit No. AZ0025381
Town of Prescott Valley
7501 E. Civic Circle Drive
Prescott Valley, Arizona 86314
Continue reading →

Inter-Agency Cooperation Results in an Arrest for Multiple Counts of Exploitation of a Minor

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300Leroy-BehnkeFLAGSTAFF — On May 12, 2015 Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Agents contacted Coconino County Sheriff’s Detectives regarding the possession and distribution of child pornography by an adult male who lives in the greater Flagstaff area. According to the FBI agents they developed information that caused them to believe that 28 year-old Leroy Behnke of Flagstaff, Arizona was in possession of numerous images depicting young children and infants engaged in various sexual acts. They further believed that Behnke had obtained the images from several online chat rooms and then distributed the images to other online users.

On May 21, 2015 Coconino County Sheriff’s Detectives, Deputies and FBI Agents served a search warrant on Behnke’s place of residence while he was at home. During the service of the search warrant Behnke’s laptop computer was seized and he was interviewed by a Sheriff’s Detective and an FBI agent.

During the interview Behnke made statements implicating himself in numerous counts of possessing and exchanging child pornography images online. Behnke was arrested on 10 counts of Sexual Exploitation of a Minor Distribution and transported to the Coconino County Detention Facility where he was incarcerated.

This case is one of many cooperative efforts between the FBI and the Sheriff’s office that resulted in the arrest of an outstanding suspect on very serious charges.

Sheriff’s Detectives and FBI agents are continuing this investigation.

ADEQ Awards $275,000 Environmental Stewardship Grant for Oak Creek

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ADEQ logo resizedPHOENIX — The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) announced today that a $275,000 grant has been awarded to the Oak Creek Watershed Council (OCWC) for continued educational outreach and cleanup efforts of the Water Quality Ambassadors program in Yavapai County.

ADEQ’s third grant in support of the ambassadors program has two goals in addressing polluted runoff to Oak Creek: measure the positive outcomes from the prior two grant awards and establish the foundation for a self-sustaining program. Oak Creek, from its headwaters to its confluence with Spring Creek in Oak Creek Canyon, is listed as impaired for E. coli.

“ADEQ’s role is not only to ensure compliance with environmental regulations but also to educate Arizona’s citizens and its visitors about how they can make a positive impact,” ADEQ Director Henry Darwin said. “The Water Quality Ambassadors program grant demonstrates our commitment to funding partnerships with local non-profit organizations to foster hands-on environmental education for Arizonans.”

With this grant, ADEQ will fund eight ambassadors who will continue face-to-face educational outreach in the area, waste removal and volunteer coordination to solidify the program for the future. To date, the ambassadors program has removed nearly three tons of trash from frequently visited Oak Creek recreational areas.

Missing man found camping

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FLAGSTAFF — Robert Roach, the person of concern reported missing June 1, was found safe. Sergeant Beckman of the Flagstaff Police Department confirmed that FPD patrols that monitor campfires in the area of Flagstaff found Mr. Roach yesterday at a camp site. Sgt. Beckman confirmed that he is well.

Thanks to one of our readers for letting us know that he was found.

Pavement work on State Route 260 near Young Road toward Heber next week

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Crews are scheduled to repair shoulders on State Route 260 on a 10-mile segment (mileposts 284 to 294) starting near Young Road heading eastbound toward Heber next week.

Work hours are Monday through Wednesday, June 8 through 10 between 7:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. each day. Drivers will be guided through the work zone with flaggers and should expect delays of up to 10 minutes at a time.

ADOT advises drivers to proceed through the work zone with caution, slow down, and be alert for construction equipment and personnel.

Paving project on Interstate 17 near Camp Verde continues next week

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CAMP VERDE — Work continues next week on a repaving project on a 12-mile segment of Interstate 17 between State Route 169 and Middle Verde Road traffic interchange (mileposts 279 to 291).

Crews will be resurfacing the off and on-ramps at Middle Verde Road (milepost 290), and the following restrictions have been scheduled:

  • The northbound I-17 off-ramp will be closed on Sunday, June 7
  • The northbound on-ramp to I-17 will be closed on Monday, June 8 and Tuesday, June 9
  • One lane restriction northbound I-17 on Wednesday and Thursday, June 10 and 11 between Middle Verde Road and the McGuireville traffic interchange (milepost 290 to 292)
  • Drivers are encouraged to use the next exit as an alternate during work hours

Work hours are Sunday through Thursday nights between 7 p.m. to 6 a.m. each night.

This $7.5 million project consists of the removal of a layer of the existing pavement, repaving the roadway, bridge work and shoulder improvements. Work is expected to be complete by September.

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. 

Addicted to Route 66 Deals adds new stock for military and veterans

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Addicted-15-06-04-08WILLIAMS — Addicted to Route 66 Deals in Williams has added new stock just in time for Honor America Days and Independence Day.

Today they just received some beautiful hat pins and maganets honoring all services. Along with the service pins, they have pins and maganets for Vietnam veterans and honoring POWs. They still carry US made American flags which benefits the Sons of the American Legion youth programs.
Addicted-15-06-04-06
Addicted to Route 66 Deals is still the center for Route 66 memoriablia. CDs with your favorite music from the 50s through the 70s, R&B, Country, Rock and more. Route 66 T-Shirts, hats, videos and too much to list.
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And, of course, they still have the largest Route 66 sign on the Mother Road.
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Reforestation efforts continue on North Kaibab Ranger District

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FREDONIA — Together North Kaibab Ranger District personnel and a crew from MP Forestry Inc., from Medford, Oregon, were able to take advantage of this winter’s relatively light snow pack and reasonably mild weather to successfully replant another 485 acres of ponderosa pine seedlings in the Warm V project area that was severely damaged by the 2006 Warm Fire.

During a 3-week window in late spring, crews replanted approximately 100,000 seedlings, made possible in part by a $12,200 grant from the American Forests’ Global ReLeaf program, a program dedicated to restoring forest ecosystems.

“This is a multi-phase reforestation effort with many facets that must be accomplished,” said North Kaibab District Ranger Randall Walker. “Seeds must be harvested, grown, and the area salvage logged before any seedlings actually go in the ground.”

Salvage logging this project area and then replanting has been a high priority for the North Kaibab Ranger District. Logging the salvageable wood reduces the volume of potential fuel loads on the ground that could potentially pose a wildfire re-burn risk.

In addition to salvage logging, seeds must be harvested. Seeds for this reforestation effort were harvested from the Kaibab Plateau in 2009, grown at the Cal Forestry Nursery in northern California, and returned to the North Kaibab and stored in a large cooler where they were kept frozen until conditions favored their survivability.

“These replanting efforts are crucial to helping speed the recovery of this project area by reestablishing the native trees and creating a seed source for natural regeneration,” said North Kaibab Silviculturist Garry Domis.

Reforestation efforts will also help to stabilize sensitive soils, reduce erosion and provide improved habitat for wildlife, according to Domis.

To date, more than 5,000 acres have been reforested since this recovery project began, more than one million ponderosa pine and Douglas fir seedlings have been replanted, and this year’s reforestation project is the fifth replanting endeavor in the Warm Fire project area.

Over the last five years, this reforestation effort has been made possible through grants provided by the National Forest Foundation, American Forest Foundation, Salt River Project Trees for Change program, and the National Bank of Arizona’s Sustainable Initiatives program.