Monthly Archives: December 2015

Steward of Children training today at court house

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williams-justice-courtWILLIAMS — Sorry for the short notice. Just learned of this through the email. If you cannot make the training, you can call the number and perhaps set up future training.

Kathy Erler is having a training for anyone interested in Stewards of Children. The training will be at the Williams Court house, Fri the 11th, from 3-5 pm. Learn how you can make a difference in your community and help end child sexual abuse. You will learn 5 steps to protecting children, prevention policies, signs of abuse, confronting and stopping abuse. Leave knowing that child abuse can be prevented, stopped and overcome. The fee is $10 which includes the training and workbook. For more information call Kathy Erler at 928-707-0794. With enough interest, other training classes will be held.

Ice at Santa Fe nearly gone

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800-Ice-15-12-01-1WILLIAMS — To highlight the warm weather we have been enjoying, the Santa Fe Dam was nearly covered with a thin layer of ice on December 1. Today only a small patch remained near the south end.

Santa Fe nearly covered with a thin sheet of ice December 1.

Santa Fe nearly covered with a thin sheet of ice December 1.


Today the ice is confined to the south end.

Today the ice is confined to the south end.

Of course you could not help but notice the drop in temperature over the last couple of days. A cold front is moving across Arizona bringing the possibility of about 3.5″ of snow from Friday through Saturday. High winds of 35 to 55-mph may be experienced over the period.

Saturday and Sunday are expected to be sunny with a chance of snow returning on Monday due to a second front moving in.

According to the NOAA Hazardous Weather forecast:

A Powerful Cold Front Will Move Through Arizona on Friday. Expect
Strong Southwest Winds 25 to 35 Mph Gusting to 55 Mph Across
Portions of Eastern Arizona Where a Wind Advisory Is in Effect.
Local Areas of Blowing Dust May Develop East of Flagstaff. In
Addition…Rain and Snow Showers Will Develop Friday Afternoon and
Continue Through Saturday Morning. General Snow Accumulations Will
Range from 1 to 4 Inches above 5000 Feet with a Trace Possible as
Low as 4000-4500 Feet by Saturday. Higher Amounts Are Expected
Along Portions of the Eastern Mogollon Rim and Highest Terrain of
The White Mountains. If Traveling in the High Country…Expect
Winter Driving.

Cold Temperatures and Light Showers Will Persist Saturday. Dry
Weather Is Expected Sunday. A Second and Colder System Should
Bring Rain and Snow Showers from Sunday Night Through Monday
Night with Accumulating Snow a Good Possibility.

City Council meeting in Williams tonight

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williams-city-logoThe City Council will meet tonight at 7 p.m. It will begin with pledge and inovation. After there is a public participation period for citizens to give input to the council. They must submit a request before the meeting and they have five-minutes to speak.

After approval of purchase orders and check register, the council will disuss three agenda items.
Appointment of lay member from the community to the Williams Volunteer Fire Department Pension Board to replace 30-year member, Marty Glassburn, who has given his notice of retirement, effective December 31, 2015.

Council will review and may approve an Intergovernmental Agreement with the State of Arizona for the reconstruction of a portion of Grand Canyon Boulevard.

Council will review and may approve an Intergovernmental Agreement with the State of Arizona for artifact acquisition for the Arizona State Railroad Museum.

Tusayan Ranger District Conducts Russell Prescribed Fire

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TUSAYAN — Fire managers for the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest started treatment on the 475-acre Russell Prescribed Fire this morning. The Russell fire boundaries are located near Forest Road 311 and 311A to the west, and Forest Road 310RC to the east. A portion of the Arizona Trail is also within the prescribed fire area. That particular section of the trail will remain open, but visitors should exercise caution when traveling through the area.

A request to burn an additional 475-acres has also been submitted to the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and could potentially take place tomorrow in an area adjacent to today’s prescribed burn.

During prescribed fires, community members and visitors may see fire personnel and vehicles in the vicinity. There are no smoke impacts anticipated for Highway 64, the Grand Canyon or the town of Tusayan. Smoke is expected to be carried out to the northeast due to prevailing winds from the southwest.

All prescribed burning on the Kaibab National Forest is subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality and appropriate weather conditions. For additional information on the Smoke Management Division of the ADEQ and to view prescribed burns authorized on any given day, please visit http://www.azdeq.gov/environ/air/smoke/index.html.

Additional information, photos and maps are available through the following resources: InciWeb http://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/4113/; Kaibab National Forest Fire Information Phone Line (928) 635-8311; Text Message – text ‘follow kaibabnf’ to 40404.

Proposed Arizona State Implementation Plan Revision Rescinding Outdated Provisions to Update the State Plan

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The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) opens a 30-day public comment period today, December 9, 2015, for a proposed revision to the State Implementation Plan (SIP). This SIP revision updates the SIP by removing state statutory provisions, administrative and prohibitory rules, and test methods that have been identified as outdated, irrelevant, or previously repealed.

A public hearing will be held on Monday, January 11, 2016, at 9:00 AM in the ADEQ Building, Conference Room 3100A, 1110 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85007. All interested parties will be given an opportunity to submit their comments, data, and views both verbally and in writing. Written comments shall state the name and mailing address of the person, be signed by the person, their agent or attorney, and clearly set forth reasons why the SIP revision should or should not be finalized. To request an auxiliary aid or service for accessible communication, please contact ADEQ’s Human Potential Office Department at (602) 771-4791 or at HPO_AZDEQ@azdeq.gov or dial 7-1-1 for TTY/TTD Services.

If you are unable to attend the public hearing, your written comments should be addressed, faxed, or e-mailed to Justine E. Miller, miller.justine@azdeq.gov, (602) 771-6723, Air Quality Division, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, 1110 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85007. All comments must be received by January 11, 2016, at 5:00PM.

Copies of the revisions’ proposal are available for review, Monday through Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., in the ADEQ Records Center, 1110 W. Washington St., Phoenix, AZ 85007, (602) 771-4712. The proposal can also be accessed through ADEQ’s Website (PDF). The final SIP revision will be submitted to EPA following consideration of all comments received during the public notice period.

2015 ‘No Burn’ Campaign Kicks Off

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no-burn_modPHOENIX — Officials from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and the Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD) announced the kickoff of their annual Maricopa County ‘No Burn’ campaign.

Smoke from wood-burning fireplaces and chimineas during winter months poses a serious health threat to children with asthma, the elderly and those with respiratory issues. Smoke, which contains soot particles, can be absorbed into the blood stream and lessen lung function, exacerbate bronchitis and asthma and increase chances for heart attacks and premature death.

Left uncorrected, high levels of Particulate Matter-2.5 (PM 2.5) from smoke could cause Maricopa County to exceed the federal health standards, leading to more burdensome and costly federal regulation.

This is the third year of the ‘No Burn’ campaign and this past winter season was its most successful. For the first time in 11 years, Maricopa County residents benefited from no exceedances of the state and federal annual 24-hour health standard for PM 2.5, on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day. Maricopa County also met the annual federal health standard for PM 2.5.

“We want to thank the residents of Maricopa County for supporting last year’s ‘No Burn’ campaign, which allowed everyone to enjoy cleaner air,” Maricopa County Air Quality Director Philip McNeely said. “We must remain vigilante, however, because without voluntary compliance, there could be stricter regulations and stronger fines.”

This season, ADEQ and MCAQD are joined by nearly 100 partners and stakeholders including several cities, towns and county agencies, Bashas’ Family of Stores, Arizona Rock Products Association, and the Arizona Chapter Associated General Contractors, all involved since the very beginning. This year, several new partners including the Arizona Association of Community Managers, the Better Business Bureau, Tonto National Forrest, and Lyft also are contributing to this worthy cause.

ADEQ Air Quality Division Director Eric Massey said, “Building on last year’s successful ‘No Burn” campaign, the focus for 2015 is strengthening and expanding our partners and leveraging technology to reach more Maricopa County residents than ever before using innovative and cost-effective ways.”

MCAQD issues no burn days throughout the winter season and asks county residents to refrain from lighting wood-burning fires on those designated days. To find out if it is a no burn day, visit CleanAirMakeMore.com, download the Clean Air Make More mobile app or call (602) 506-6400.

For more information, call Caroline Oppleman with ADEQ at (602) 771-2215 or Bob Huhn with MCAQD at (602) 506-6713.

US 60 east of Superior to close briefly for blasting operations Dec. 8

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Motorists traveling along US 60 between Phoenix and Globe next week need to plan ahead or allow extra time as the Arizona Department of Transportation continues blasting work as part of an improvement project to build a new passing lane and widen roadway shoulders east of Superior, approximately 65 miles east of downtown Phoenix.

The construction of the two-mile-long climbing lane from Devil’s Canyon to Oak Flat (mileposts 231-233) will require one full closure of US 60 for up to 90 minutes from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 8.

Traffic on eastbound US 60 will be stopped east of Superior (milepost 227) and westbound US 60 will be stopped at the Top of the World, west of Miami (milepost 235) until the blasting work is completed and the roadway is reopened after all debris is cleared. Law enforcement officers will be stationed at each closure to assist with traffic control.

Approximately 30 minutes prior to each blast, motorists should be prepared for possible delays and lane closures as crews set concrete barrier prior to each scheduled closure.

Motorists seeking an alternate route can consider state routes 77 and 177, which is approximately 68 miles long. Motorists headed to the White Mountains region, including Show Low and Springerville, can also take State Route 87 through Payson and travel east on State Route 260 as an alternative.

ADOT will work to minimize the traffic impacts as much as possible, including scheduling some nighttime work.

There will be narrow traffic lanes, wide-load restrictions and a reduced speed limit through the work zone. Flaggers and pilot cars will be used at different times throughout the project.

Drivers are asked to use caution, watch for construction equipment and personnel, and allow extra time for your commute.

Interstate 11 receives designation in federal transportation funding bill

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PHOENIX – The designation of two high priority Arizona transportation corridors in the five-year transportation bill approved by Congress represents a step forward for the planned Interstate 11 and the Sonoran Corridor in Tucson and the promise of both to boost Arizona’s economy, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

The Fixing America’s Surface Transportation Act, or FAST Act, formally designates Interstate 11 throughout Arizona. It states that the I-11 corridor will generally follow Interstate 19 from Nogales to Tucson, Interstate 10 from Tucson to Phoenix, and US 93 from Wickenburg to the Nevada state line. From there, the Interstate 11 corridor extends north through Nevada, and is designated as an interstate highway north of Las Vegas, through Reno, connecting to Interstate 80.

“Interstate 11 is part of Arizona’s Key Commerce Corridors plan that connects our state to regional and international markets while opening up new opportunities for mobility, job growth and economic competitiveness,” ADOT Director John Halikowski said. “In addition to the formal designation of I-11 and the Sonoran Corridor, having a five-year plan offers the long-term predictability we have been fighting for and helps ADOT better plan, build and sustain a transportation system that improves the quality of life in our growing state.”

Among other provisions related to Arizona, the transportation bill provides for the bundling of bridge projects, meaning ADOT can enhance efficiency by hiring one contractor for multiple repair projects. It also continues funding for Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program grants that help states reduce crashes and hazardous materials incidents involving commercial vehicles.

Interstate 11 received a congressional designation from Phoenix to Las Vegas in 2012 under the Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act. The FAST Act designation of Interstate 11, along with the Sonoran Corridor in southern Arizona, does not include funding, but makes the corridors eligible to be funded, along with other high-priority corridors throughout the nation.

The designation reinforces ADOT’s overall concept for Interstate 11 in Arizona. As part of its two-year feasibility study completed in 2014, ADOT focused on and supported the concept of an Interstate 11 that runs throughout Arizona, beginning at the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge and ending at the Arizona-Mexico border.

ADOT is beginning work on a Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement covering the area between Nogales and Wickenburg. At the end of this three-year study, a preferred corridor alignment will be chosen, along with a preferred mode of transportation for accommodating future traffic needs from Nogales to Wickenburg.

The Sonoran Corridor will run along the planned State Route 410 in Pima County, connecting I-19 and I-10 by passing south of Tucson International Airport.

At 16 miles, the Sonoran Corridor is expected to shorten the average truck driving time by 20 minutes for shipments moving between Mexico and points to the east and provide an estimated $30,000 in total truck cost savings per day. It will enhance connections with other major interstate highways along with established routes and ports of entry to Mexico, Arizona’s major partner for trade and commerce. These daily time savings add up to tremendous overall savings along these major trade corridors. The Sonoran Corridor will be located within a planned aerospace, defense and technology business and research park.

Night work scheduled tonight on the Hell Canyon bridge replacement on SR 89

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CHINO VALLEY/PAULDEN — Crews will shift traffic on State Route 89 to a new temporary detour parallel to the existing highway tonight, Dec. 3, approximately 18 miles north of Chino Valley as part of the bridge replacement project.

Work hours will be from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and drivers will be restricted to one lane and guided through the work zone with flaggers. Delays of up to 10 minutes are possible.

This $14.4 million bridge replacement project began in mid-July and is expected to be completed in late 2016.

Paving work continues on US 60 in Gold Canyon

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PHOENIX — To better accommodate traffic flow in the area, the schedule for paving work along US 60 through Gold Canyon has changed, with paving now set for 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. today and 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Wednesday next week.

Arizona Department of Transportation crews are replacing worn pavement at intersections in the area east of Apache Junction between Mountain View Road and the highway crossover east of Kings Ranch Road. The work requires lane closures and turn restrictions.

Community members urged ADOT to address deteriorated pavement in the intersections, and the agency made the work a safety priority after assessing roadway conditions.

When an intersection or other location is closed to traffic because of the resurfacing work, drivers will be directed to a nearby intersection or crossover. Drivers are urged to plan ahead, allow extra travel time and use caution when traveling on or turning along US 60 in the Gold Canyon area.