WILLIAMS — John Moore managed to squeeze out the 29 write-in votes with his 312 to win his re-election bid in the election yesterday.
The results for council members are:
Statewide and District 1 election results will be evaluated later. These are unofficial results.
With summer temperatures still exceeding 100 degrees, it’s hard to imagine that winter is coming and that soon desert tortoises will begin hibernation. To help ensure your native Sonoran desert tortoise or box turtle is healthy enough to hibernate and survive the cold winter temperatures, the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Tortoise Adoption Program is sponsoring a pre-hibernation health clinic with reptile veterinarians from the Valley and Tucson.
The clinic will be held Sunday, Sept. 18 from 12-4 p.m. at the Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital (azeah.com) located at 20040 N. 19th Ave., Suite C, Phoenix.
“This is a great opportunity to save money while ensuring your native desert tortoise or box turtle is healthy enough to enter hibernation, and to help other desert tortoises in need of care,” said Tegan Wolf, the coordinator of the Tortoise Adoption Program.
Health exams take approximately 15-30 minutes and will include a thorough physical exam, fecal test for parasites, and review of proper diet and care, including proper hibernation preparation. If left untreated, some diseases such as upper respiratory tract disease and intestinal parasites can be fatal. The cost will be $50 per tortoise, which is half of the normal tortoise exam price.
The veterinarians are donating their services and all proceeds from the health clinic will support the Tortoise Adoption Program and the tortoises in its care.
To make an exam appointment, please call the Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital at (623) 243-5300.
For more information on desert tortoise adoption, visit www.azgfd.gov/tortoise.
Whether it’s dipping the canoe or kayak into one of Arizona’s lakes for a quiet day of fishing or it’s just to enjoy some time on the water, studies show the number of people reaching for a paddle and heading outdoors is increasing.
Paddlesport activities, including canoeing, kayaking, inflatable rafting and standup paddleboards, are gaining in popularity nationally. In 2014, about 21.7 million people enjoyed the sport nationally – an increase of more than 3 million people since 2010, according to a report from The Outdoor Foundation.
“Paddlesports is truly finding an audience with many people and families looking to experience the quieter side of our lakes,” said Josh Hoffman, Arizona Game and Fish Department Boating Safety Education Program coordinator. “While paddlesports offers a great time on the water, the activity does offer some risk for those who are undereducated and unprepared. That is why it’s crucial for anyone heading out on a canoe, kayak, raft or paddleboard to always wear a life jacket and to take a safety course.”
AZGFD offers free boating and paddlesports safety courses in Phoenix and Lake Havasu City. Those interested in taking a course can register by visiting www.azgfd.gov/boating and clicking “Boating Safety Education.”
In 2015 nationwide, 68 people died while canoeing and 71 died while using a kayak, according to U.S. Coast Guard figures. The most common causes of fatal accidents were capsizing, the vessel overturning or someone falling overboard. More than 83 percent of those who drowned were not wearing a life jacket.
Those heading out on standup paddle boards, kayaks and canoes are reminded that each are legally considered watercraft. Users are required to have a wearable personal flotation device on board while on the water and must follow the same navigation laws pertaining to all watercraft.
“We can never stress it enough that life jackets do save lives,” Hoffman said. “If you were to fall overboard it could be several minutes until rescue arrives. That life jacket will buy you critical time.”
To better prepare for a safe and enjoyable time on the water, paddlers should consider these 10 safety tips:
The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a vehicle crash and an altercation at a home in Doney Park that appear to be related. At least two but possibly several individuals were involved in the events that occurred in the area of Slayton Ranch Road last night.
It is confirmed that a gun was fired inside the home, but there are no indications that anyone was injured by gunshot. One person was treated and released from Flagstaff Medical Center for non-life threatening injuries sustained during the altercation. From initial investigations, it appears the assailant(s) and victim(s) know each other.
The call originally came into the Sheriff’s as two separate 911 calls that appear related. At approximately 9:30 pm on August 29, the Sheriff’s Office received a report of a truck that crashed on Slayton Ranch Rd. A few minutes later, the Sheriff’s Office received a report of a home invasion and assault at a nearby residence. DPS Ranger out of Flagstaff also responded to assist in locating suspect.
Initial investigations confirm this was not a random act home invasion. We do not have reason to believe there is an ongoing threat to residents in the area, but as always citizens are asked to be aware of their surroundings and report anything suspicious.
Detectives currently are working to determine all of the involved parties and interview them. The event is still under investigation.
WILLIAMS — Wildlife Park officials at Bearizona report that they have worked with Arizona Game & Fish to facilitate a rescue of a young female bear that was seen multiple times around the Mt. Lemmon area. The bear reportedly followed hikers, tried to get into homes and had no fear of humans. In cases like this, usually the bear would be euthanized.
Often time’s bears will venture into campsites or urban areas for food that is more easily accessible. That’s where the saying a fed bear is a dead bear comes from. It’s important for people to clean up after themselves while camping and not make it easy for bears to get a quick meal. If a bear finds easily obtainable food and/or food trash, the animal will continue to return until the food source is gone.
Black bears usually avoid people, but are attracted to human food and trash. The AGFD reminds campers to be “bear aware” by doing the following:
If bears are seen in the distance, it is advisable for visitors to change their route to avoid contact. If approached by a bear, discourage contact by looking large and imposing, waving arms or jacket, making loud noises and giving the bear an opportunity to leave the area.
Sean Casey, Bearizona’s owner stated “This past year we enacted a birth control plan for all of our bears. Cubby and Rizzo, our current cubs, will very likely be the last bear cubs born at the Park. We do this so we are able to rescue bears out of the wild when possible. Unfortunately we won’t be able to rescue every bear in need, but we are moving in a direction to rescue when the situation works for all parties involved.”
“We are fortunate to have found a new home for her,” said AZGFD Region 5 Supervisor Raul Vega. “That rarely is possible with common species like black bears. So this story has a happy ending, but it could have gone another way. Young bears that seem dangerous grow up to be large bears that are aggressive.”
Out of all of the bears that call Bearizona home, over 60% were rescued. Bearizona’s newest addition named “Lemmon” after Mt. Lemmon in Tucson where she lived, will stay in mandatory quarantine for 30 days before being released into the cub exhibit with Cubby and Rizzo.
Driver license applicants can now fit road tests into their schedules
That’s changing as of this week. Customers are now able to schedule road tests up to 30 days in advance through ServiceArizona.com for 11 office locations in the Phoenix metro area and northern Arizona. MVD will be bringing remaining offices online over the next two weeks.
The change, part of MVD’s efforts to continuously improve its customer focus, adds to online appointments launched in April for those converting a driver license or ID card to a Voluntary Travel ID.
“This new feature will provide a lot of value to our customers by allowing them to fit the test into their schedule instead of spending half a day at an office waiting to take it,” ADOT Motor Vehicle Division Director Eric Jorgensen said. “This is another step forward in achieving MVD’s vision of getting customers out of line and safely on the road.”
To schedule an appointment, visit azdot.gov/roadtestinfo, which has step-by-step instructions for arranging road tests. Customers can fill out and submit a driver license application online, get a list of documents needed to obtain a standard driver license or Voluntary Travel ID and schedule their road tests onServiceArizona.com.
Once at the MVD office, those with appointments can check in at a kiosk rather than waiting in line at the information desk.
Applicants must meet all requirements before taking the road test, including passing the written test. Appointments are only for road tests, not the written portion of the exam.
As part of ADOT’s agencywide commitment to continuous improvement, MVD is experimenting with other ways to reduce wait times, an effort that has led to process improvements that include printing temporary credentials at customer service windows instead of sending customers to a separate line. Customers who need to retake the driving test now go directly to the testing area instead of first waiting in line to re-verify their applications with a representative.
An experiment at MVD’s West Phoenix location has found that having customers line up rather than relying on the number-calling system dramatically reduces wait times, and that innovation is rolling out to other large MVD offices. MVD has also seen positive results in experimenting this summer with expanded office hours in the Tucson area.
“All of the process improvements, like road test appointments, help make MVD more efficient and customer-oriented,” Jorgensen said. “All aspects of MVD are on the table as we continue to experiment and innovate to improve the overall customer experience.”
For more information, please visit azdot.gov/mvd.
Radio amateurs are taking part in the response to the 6.2 magnitude earthquake on August 24 in central Italy, International Amateur Radio Union Region 1 (IARU-R1) President Don Beattie, G3BJ, reports. IARU Region 1 Emergency Communications Coordinator Greg Mossop, G0DUB, has requested that 7060 kHz (LSB ±10 kHz) be kept clear of non-emergency traffic, as well as any other center-of-activity (COA) frequencies that may be in use for emergency communication within Italy. (On 80 meters, the COA frequency is 3760 kHz). Other frequencies reported to be active include 7045, 3643, and 3580 kHz (PSK).
The earthquake claimed some 240 lives, although rescue operations are still under way. According to the IARU Region 1 website, Italian radio amateurs are active in the emergency response, and no outside assistance has been requested at this time.
According to Beattie, the Italian Amateur Radio volunteers are “following their planned response with their government” and that any requests for information on missing persons should be made via the Red Cross or other recognized relief organizations.
The worst loss of life was in the town of Amatrice, where more than 180 people died. Tremors in the aftermath of the initial quake were felt as far away as Rome. Survivors are staying in tents or otherwise out of doors. A reported 4300 people were said to be active in rescue operations in the region.
WILLIAMS — After achieving the objective of zero human-caused wildfires for two years in a row on the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest, fire prevention specialist Bob Blasi was recently honored with a prestigious award for his outstanding work and significant program impact in wildfire prevention.
Blasi was selected to receive a 2016 National Smokey Bear Award, which is the highest honor one can receive for accomplishments in preventing wildfires.
“These awards remind us of the hard work our employees and cooperators do to reduce the threat of human-caused wildfires,” wrote James E. Hubbard, deputy chief for state and private forestry, U.S. Forest Service, in a letter announcing award recipients.
There are three levels of awards given each year – gold, silver, and bronze. All three of the award categories are the highest level of recognition possible, with the only difference being the geographical sphere of the nominated work – national, regional, and statewide. Blasi received a bronze award because of the statewide impacts of his efforts.
“We could not be more proud of Bob and the incredible work he has done over the years,” said Heather Provencio, supervisor of the Kaibab National Forest. “This is an enormous achievement and one that will hopefully draw attention to the critical role our fire prevention specialists play in keeping our forests and communities safe and healthy.”
Blasi’s selection for the Smokey Bear award was due, at least in part, to the fact that in both 2014 and 2015 he led the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest to achieve his longtime vision of zero human-caused wildfires, which according to forest records hadn’t happened since 1965, some 50 years earlier.
“Bob successfully reduced human-caused wildfires to zero for two years running,” said Quentin Johnson, fire management officer for the Tusayan Ranger District. “Given that the district receives millions of visitors each year because it is located immediately adjacent to Grand Canyon National Park, this was an incredible challenge if not an almost impossible task.”
Johnson added that while the district had been averaging about seven human-caused wildfires per year over the last 20 years, there were actually many summers during which Blasi documented 200 or more abandoned campfires and extinguished them before they were declared wildfires. It quickly became clear to Blasi that he needed to focus his fire prevention efforts on chipping away at these abandoned campfires, which had become the leading source of human-caused wildfires in the Tusayan area.
Over time, Blasi worked to gain compliance in dispersed camping areas and issued citations when necessary. With increased early-morning patrols, an extensive signing program, visits to local schools, Smokey Bear presence at local events, and a consistent prevention message for 16 years, Blasi was able to systematically reduce the number of abandoned campfires and, therefore, the overall number of human-caused wildfires.
“Passionate and dedicated fire prevention specialists like Bob Blasi are preventing wildfires all season long. When they are not in the woods talking to forest visitors or extinguishing unwanted fires, they are in classrooms, chamber of commerce meetings, city council meetings, and other community meetings sharing why fire prevention is important and educating youth and adults on what they can do to prevent fires,” said Bill VanBruggen, director of fire, fuels and aviation for the U.S. Forest Service’s Southwestern Region. “Wildfire prevention is an important component in keeping destructive and unwanted fires from damaging our forests. Some of Arizona’s largest and most destructive fires have been caused by careless acts like abandoned campfires.”
Besides implementing more traditional fire prevention techniques such as patrols and signing, Blasi has also played an active role in the Kaibab National Forest’s overall commitment to restoring fire-adapted ecosystems. Blasi has been instrumental in helping manage lightning-caused wildfire that has been allowed to spread across thousands of acres of the forest and in supporting thinning projects and prescribed fires.
“Nearly 45 percent of the Tusayan Ranger District has been treated with thinning and fire over the last 13 years, and this is a huge part of reducing human-caused wildfire,” Johnson said. “Because most of the popular camping areas have already been treated with fire at appropriate times of the year, these areas are less likely to accidentally catch fire during the hottest, driest months.”
It was Blasi’s recognition that all of these fire prevention tools must be used in combination, and the fact that he consistently put energy into all of them, that he was able to be successful in attaining the goal of zero human-caused wildfires.
“We have a very proactive fire management program here in Tusayan that has been successful for over 20 years. I have been fortunate to be a part of this and several of the remarkable records that have been accomplished here,” Blasi said. “Our community has come to learn the importance of living in a fire-adapted ecosystem and understands the critical work we do to ensure long-term, sustainable forest health. That simply takes time. Eliminating unwanted, human-caused wildfire is just one of many beneficial consequences of this work being done by all the dedicated employees of the Kaibab National Forest.”
The National Smokey Bear Awards Program is sponsored by the U.S. Forest Service, the National Association of State Foresters, and the Advertising Council. These merit awards have been bestowed on well deserving groups and individuals annually since 1957.
PHOENIX — Arizona’s bald eagles continue to impress biologists with their upward growth trends and year-after-year breeding records.
Key productivity records that were broken in 2016 include number of: breeding areas, occupied breeding areas, eggs laid, active breeding areas, successful breeding attempts and young hatched. All of these measures are important indicators of the species’ health.
The most notable: a record minimum of 93 bald eagle eggs were laid by a record 65 pairs of adult eagles with 78 young hatched.
“Bald eagles in Arizona continue to surprise us and surpass all expectations. The population continues to expand into new breeding areas and less typical habitats. What was most remarkable this year is that we had birds nest in areas extremely close to human activity, which is unusual for the species in Arizona. Thankfully those adults were very tolerant of the activity and successfully fledged their young,” said Kenneth Jacobson, Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) bald eagle management coordinator.
Annual productivity records indicate that bald eagles continue to flourish in the state. Bald eagles were removed from the federal Endangered Species Act in 2007. The department’s conservation efforts contributed to the species recovery. Nationally, the birds remain protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act.
The impressive growth of the population is attributed to the continued efforts of the Southwestern Bald Eagle Management Committee – a coalition of AZGFD and 25 other government agencies, private organizations and Native American tribes – and its years of cooperative conservation efforts, including extensive monitoring by the nationally-awarded Bald Eagle Nestwatch Program.
The breeding season for bald eagles in Arizona runs from December through June, although eagle pairs at higher elevations nest later than those in the rest of the state.
Continued support from the committee, State Wildlife Grants and the Heritage Fund (Arizona Lottery ticket sales), will help ensure that Arizona’s bald eagles continue to thrive.
For more information on bald eagles in Arizona, visit www.azgfd.gov/baldeagle or www.swbemc.org.