Daily Archives: March 8, 2016

Delays expected at Queen Creek Tunnel on US 60 March 9 and 10

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The Arizona Department of Transportation will be setting up concrete barriers in Queen Creek Tunnel on US 60 at milepost 228 starting Wednesday night, March 9, in preparation for the installation of new lighting in the tunnel.

The speed limit will be reduced, barricades and concrete barrier wall will be installed and lanes will be narrowed. Officers will be present during these restrictions to strictly enforce all traffic laws. Due to the limited work area within the tunnel it is imperative all motorists obey the traffic control changes for the workers’ safety.

Work is scheduled from 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 9 to 4 a.m. Thursday, March 10.

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

ADOT works to inform the public about planned highway restrictions, but there is a possibility that unscheduled closures or restrictions may occur.

For more information about this project, please call Julian Avila at 602 320-7263, or email javila@azdot.gov

Reward offered for information on several elk poached in Pine

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azgf_logo2PINE, Ariz. — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is offering a $2,000 reward for information on elk that were poached near a residential community in Pine, about 15 miles northwest of Payson.

Reports to the Department’s Operation Game Thief Hotline over the past two months led wildlife managers to several elk that were shot in separate instances in the vicinity of Pine Canyon. The meat was left to waste. Not only were the animals were killed outside of the legal season, it is illegal and unethical to waste game meat in Arizona. Because the carcasses were found near residences, it is possible that someone saw the suspect leaving the area.

“Poachers are not hunters; they are criminals who steal from Arizonans and waste our state’s valuable natural resources. We would like to find those responsible and are looking for the public’s help. Whether you witnessed suspicious activity or noticed a post on social media that may help us solve this senseless crime, please report it,” said Amy Burnett, AZGFD spokesperson.

If you have any information or knowledge of this incident, please contact the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Operation Game Thief hotline and refer to Case # 16-000542 at 1-800-352-0700 or on the web at www.azgfd.gov/ogt.shtml. For this case, callers may be eligible for a reward up to $2,000 for information leading to an arrest. Callers can remain confidential upon request. Money for rewards comes from criminal poaching fines, civil restitution by violators who commit wildlife crimes, and donations.

Volunteers needed for Table Mesa Recreation Area cleanup

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Tread_Lightly__-_Image_1PHOENIX — “Tread Lightly!,” which promotes responsible recreation through stewardship, communication and education, has scheduled a cleanup Sunday at the popular Table Mesa Recreation Area north of Phoenix.

Partner organizations include the Arizona Game and Fish Department, the Bureau of Land Management, and the U.S. Forest Service.

Volunteers – including recreational shooters, off-highway vehicle (OHV) enthusiasts, hikers and others who champion responsible recreation – are needed for the four-hour event, which begins at 8 a.m. Volunteers are encouraged to bring water, work gloves, hat, sunscreen, trash pinchers and buckets. Long pants and sturdy shoes are recommended.

Sign up at https://treadlightly.wufoo.com/forms/z1sc8qkl0o4q2oj/. For more information, contact Dianne Olson at (800) 966-9900, Ext. 13, or e-mail: Dianne@treadlightly.org.

Table Mesa Recreation Area is located at Interstate 17 and Table Mesa Road. Proceed west on Table Mesa Road, then north on the frontage road. Follow signs posted at the end of the pavement. Volunteers will be on-site to provide more information and directions. To view a map, visit http://tinyurl.com/jyj6kby.

Specialty plates raise millions supporting Arizona charities

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300_118762_USMC platePHOENIX — With only a few exceptions, specialty license plates offered by the Arizona Department of Transportation’s Motor Vehicle Division do more than just allow drivers to show support for causes and express their individuality. They raise money – and a lot of it – for charities and nonprofit groups.

In 2015, the 389,536 specialty plates on Arizona vehicles raised more than $6.5 million.

“We’re pleased to be a facilitator for people to give to their favorite charity,” Motor Vehicle Division Director Eric Jorgensen said. “The specialty license plate program is a great way to personalize your vehicle and support great causes.”

Drivers pay $25 a year for specialty plates. Of that amount, $17 goes to a designated charity or nonprofit group.

The top specialty plate for 2015 features the Arizona Cardinals, raising $1,087,677 for Cardinals Charities and its many beneficiaries. Next were two plates benefiting the Arizona Veterans’ Donation Fund that supports veterans and their families: Veterans, raising $1,051,093, and Freedom/Military Support, raising $521,424.

“Seeing so many vehicles on the road displaying their Cardinals plates is fantastic, and the display of support is incredibly gratifying,” Cardinals President Michael Bidwill said. “But even more meaningful is knowing the type of impact that the project is having on Cardinals Charities and, in turn, so many worthy causes throughout the state.”

There are 60 specialty license plates available in Arizona. Among the few plates that aren’t connected to a charity or nonprofit group are those for historic and classic vehicles, as well as plates that support a public service like amateur radio operators.

Specialty license plates are created by state law. In 2015, laws led to specialty plates featuring the Arizona Coyotes, U.S. Marine Corps, Midwestern University and Firefighter Safety Training.

Once a plate becomes law, the nonprofit organization benefiting from it must pay $32,000 to cover MVD’s programming and production costs and work with MVD to design the plate. Upon approval by the organization, ADOT and law enforcement, the plate goes into production for vehicle owners to purchase.