Monthly Archives: March 2019

Kaibab National Forest seeks public input on proposed expansion of Forest Service campground south of Tusayan

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TUSAYAN – The Kaibab National Forest is seeking public input and comments on a proposed project to remodel and expand the popular Ten X Campground located south of Tusayan about 5 miles south of the entrance to Grand Canyon National Park.

The Ten X Campground Expansion project is designed to increase overnight camping opportunities for visitors to the area and improve overall experience by upgrading aging facilities and adding amenities. Specifically, the proposed expansion would increase capacity from the current 70 individual campsites to a total of 300. Existing sites would undergo remodeling while new sites would be added, thereby expanding the overall campground footprint.

The proposed remodeling of existing sites and the addition of new sites would increase Ten X Campground’s ability to accommodate large RVs, which have become increasingly popular since the campground’s original construction in the early 1970s. The campground would also provide additional small group sites as well as individual tent sites. In order to facilitate the construction of the new camping loops, a new roadway would be established as a larger loop surrounding the current campground. Two egress routes are also being proposed in order to better facilitate any future emergency evacuation.

Proposed campground remodeling would include the installation of a new multilingual entrance station; the development of visitor common areas with ramada structures, grills, fire rings, and picnic tables; and, the addition of an amphitheater for campfire talks. Included with the proposed expansion is the possibility of modernizing the existing utilities.

In order to enhance the visitor experience and provide conservation education venues, the Kaibab National Forest is proposing the development of new nature and interpretive trails, including a trail connecting Ten X Campground to Tusayan and the Arizona National Scenic Trail, as well as an opportunity to site a future interagency visitor center at the location.

“Ten X Campground is frequently filled to capacity due to its popular location,” said Dutch Maatman, assistant recreation staff officer with the Kaibab National Forest. “We are excited about the opportunity to not only support the increased number of visitors to the area but also to provide them with a better overall camping experience.”

Ten X Campground on the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest was originally constructed in the early 1970s, and currently offers 70 individual sites, two large group sites, one host site, several vault toilets, paved roads, and a potable drinking water system. Since the development of Ten X Campground, there have been only minor expansions and updates, leaving it vulnerable to overcrowding and visitor use conflicts.

The Kaibab National Forest encourages public participation in the development of proposed projects and is seeking input and comments on the Ten X Campground Expansion project. Specific, written comments should be received no later than March 29.

Comments must be in writing and may be delivered electronically, in person, or by mail or facsimile. Electronic comments, including attachments, may be emailed to comments-southwestern-kaibab-williams@fs.fed.us. Comments may be submitted electronically in Word (.doc or .docx), rich text format (.rtf), text (.txt), Adobe portable document formats (PDF), or HyperText Markup Language (.html). Submit comments via hand delivery (Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., excluding holidays) or mail to: Kaibab National Forest, Williams Ranger District, 742 South Clover Road, Williams, Arizona 86046. Please marks comments “Attention: Ten X Campground Expansion.”

To view the full proposed action and other information related to the Ten X Campground Expansion project, please visit www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55626. For questions, please contact Dutch Maatman at (928) 635-5661 or jmaatman@fs.fed.us.

Kaibab National Forest information is also available through the following sources:

• Kaibab National Forest Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
• Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF
• Flickr: http://bit.ly/KaibabNFPhotos

Sonoran Corridor report available for review

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PHOENIX ‒ A report describing how the Arizona Department of Transportation reduced the potential routes for the proposed Sonoran Corridor from dozens of options to three recommended for further study, along with the no-build alternative, is now available for review and comment.

The Sonoran Corridor Draft Corridor Selection Report explains how factors such as growth, economic benefits, environmental impacts and feasibility contributed to identifying these alternatives in the Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement.

Public comment on the report is invited through Monday, April 22. Public comment on a public meeting held March 7 in Tucson is invited through Sunday, April 7.

The Sonoran Corridor would connect Interstate 10 and Interstate 19 south of Tucson International Airport. The Tier 1 Environmental Impact Statement, which started in May 2017, evaluates multiple 2,000-foot-wide corridors and the no-build option. A Tier 1 Draft Environmental Impact Statement is expected in late 2019 with a preferred alternative for public review. A Tier 1 Final Environmental Impact Statement is expected by spring 2020.

The next phase would include a Tier 2 study to locate an approximately 400-foot-wide route within corridor identified as the preferred alternative. The timeline and funding for the Tier 2 study haven’t been identified.

ADOT has held four public meetings about the Sonoran Corridor over the past two years. Comments received at those meetings are included in the draft Corridor Selection Report and are being considered along with input from area businesses and governments, including Pima County and the cities of Tucson and Sahuarita.

To see the draft reports, visit azdot.gov/Sonoran Corridor. Click on the Documents tab to see the draft Corridor Selection Report, and click on the Alternatives tab to see a map of the three corridors that have been recommended for further study. A no-build option also remains under consideration.

The public can submit questions or comments in the following ways:

  • Email: SonoranCorridor@azdot.gov
  • Phone: The ADOT Bilingual Project Information Line: 855-712-8530
  • Mail: Sonoran Corridor Tier 1 EIS Study Team c/o Joanna Bradley, 1221 S. Second Ave., Mail Drop T100, Tucson, AZ 85713

Investigation of Homicide in Doney Park

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FLAGSTAFF – Sheriff’s deputies respond to a domestic violence call at about 7 a.m. yesterday. A reporting party notified the Sheriff’s department that a male fled the scene.

The deputies found 35-year-old Crystal L. Morgan of Doney Park on the scene with several stab wounds. Medical assistance was summoned and she was pronounced dead on the scene.

Deputies sought 38-year-old Timothy M. Duran, Morgan’s ex-husband. The Sheriff’s department received information that the vehicle of the suspect was headed southbound on I-17. The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office and Arizona Department of Public Safety assisted Coconino in stopping the vehicle on the I-17 at about 9:30.

Duran was booked into into the Coconino County Detention Facility on charges of First-Degree Homicide and Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon.

Crystal Morgan was transported to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office which will conduct an autopsy and further investigation to determine cause of death. The investigation is on-going.

Recent SAR Operation Locates One Alive and One Deceased

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BLUE RIDGE, AZ – The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office recently conducted a search and rescue operation over a five-day period for two lost persons east of the Hutch Mountain area. One person was located alive (a 35-year-old female of Winslow, AZ), and the other person was located deceased (38-year-old Ryan Long of Leupp, AZ).

On Thursday, March 7 the Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call from a female who was only gave her name before the call disconnected. The 911 call center was unable to get any location information from the dropped call or determine what the caller was trying to report. Later, the 911 center received a call from the mother of the initial caller, who was able to provide more information.

The mother’s call came in around 5:30 pm on March 7. The woman requested assistance in locating her lost daughter and male friend. The mother explained she received a call from her daughter around 11:00 am that morning. The only information provided by the daughter was that she and her friend (Ryan Long) left Meteor Crater that morning and the vehicle they were driving had become stuck and disabled. The daughter told her mother she could see a “lake” and requested her mother pick them up. The mother drove to the Lake Mary and Mormon Lake area south of Flagstaff to look for her daughter, and she called the Sheriff’s Office after she could not find them. The mother was not certain her daughter and friend were in the Lake Mary area but had driven there based off the statement her daughter made about seeing a lake.

A Sheriff’s Deputy called Ryan Long’s cell phone and spoke with him to try to get additional information about their location and situation. Long was uncooperative, providing little information and hung up on the deputy. The Sheriff’s Office made repeated attempts to re-contact the missing people on their cell phone, but the cell phone had been turned off. Through the investigation, deputies learned that Long may have a dislike of law enforcement.

A Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Coordinator contacted Long’s cellular provider in an attempt to determine the location of Long and the female who were reported missing. Search and Rescue initially received two possible locations of cell towers the phone had accessed, one was a tower near Strawberry, AZ and the other was a tower in the Blue Ridge area off State Route 87. The cell tower information was inconsistent with other information gathered and did not help in narrowing the search area. No search operations were conducted that night.

On Friday, March 8 the Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Coordinator continued the investigation with the cellular provider and families of the two missing persons. Deputies searched the roads that were accessible south and east of Meteor Crater, but did not locate the woman, Long or their vehicle. Deputies received information that Long believed he may have an arrest warrant and would likely avoid law enforcement.

New information from the cellular provider about the last activity from Long’s cell phone was obtained. The information still had many inconsistencies showing possible locations ranging from the top of the Mogollon Rim to south of Mormon Lake. However, some of the new location information showed consistency in cell phone activity in and around an area known as “Bargaman Park” near Happy Jack, AZ. This area is approximately 15 miles south of Mormon Lake and on the east side of Lake Mary Road.

The Sheriff’s Office coordinated search and rescue efforts and received assistance from several other agencies. Deputies and a fire crew from the Coconino National Forest Mogollon Ranger District responded to the area of Bargaman Park and began a search of the roads. Search efforts were severely hindered by deep snow, extremely muddy conditions, and an incoming storm that was producing intermittent precipitation and a heavy, low cloud ceiling. Travel in the area could only be accomplished using vehicles outfitted with specialty tracks. The storm and cloud cover prevented the use of a helicopter or airplane.

Around 3:00 pm, the Coconino National Forest crew located the lost female alive and suffering mild hypothermia. She was found on a forest road about 4.6 miles north of Bargaman Park. She was transported out of the forest to Lake Mary Road by a tracked vehicle. A ground ambulance then transported her to Flagstaff Medical Center where she was treated and released. The rescued woman was unfamiliar with the area and not able to provide much information about the route she and Long had travelled.

Throughout the day, Search and Rescue was in communication with the National Weather Service (NWS) staff in Bellemont. On Friday afternoon, searchers received word from the NWS that there was an expected break in the cloud cover that might allow for a flight over the area. The Arizona Department Public Safety helicopter from the Central Air Rescue Unit based in Phoenix, AZ was able to respond and conducted about 40 minutes of searching by air before the storm forced them out of the area. Neither Long or his vehicle were located at that time.

The search was continued on Saturday, March 9 by teams on the ground supported by air operations. Arizona Game and Fish Department had a fixed-wing flight scheduled that day and assisted by flying the area. Neither Long or the vehicle were located at that time.

The search was continued on Sunday, March 10 by teams on the ground supported by air operations. The Department of Public Safety helicopter from Central Air Rescue Unit based in Phoenix searched by air. The air rescue team located Long’s truck stuck in the mud on a closed forest road approximately 4.8 miles north east of Bargaman Park and approximately 3.6 miles east of where the other missing person had been found. Searchers were unable to locate Long.

The search was continued on Monday March 11, 2019. The ground search was again aided by the DPS Northern Air Rescue Unit. Due to impassible conditions on the ground, ground searchers were transported by helicopter to the location of Long’s truck to search by foot.

Sheriff’s deputies and Search and Rescue volunteers located Long’s tracks in the intermittent snow patches south east of where the woman had been located on Friday. Searchers were able to track Long and found him deceased around 2:15 pm. His body was found about two miles south east of where the woman had been rescued. Evidence of Long’s foot prints indicated he had tried to avoid being tracked by staying off snow and the roads. His body was found approximately 30 yards off a two-track forest road. Deputies believed the two had traveled south from Meteor Crater, through the Chavez Pass area, then west on closed forest roads to the location they became stuck several miles east of Hutch Mountain.

There are no signs of foul play and it appears Long may have died of exposure. Deputies and detectives are continuing the investigation. The Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office is conducting an autopsy to determine the cause of death.

This was a multi-day extended search conducted with the assistance of several agencies. Although the outcome was tragic in the loss of one life, one person was saved. The Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Coconino National Forest Fire Crew, the Arizona Department of Public Safety Air Rescue Units and the National Weather Service for their support and participation in this search effort.

Judge Ted S. Reed appointed Presiding Juvenile Court Judge

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Judge Ted S. Reed – Coconino County Photo

FLAGSTAFF – The Coconino County Presiding Superior Court Judge Mark R. Moran has appointed Judge Ted S. Reed as the Presiding Juvenile Court Judge.

As Presiding Juvenile Court Judge, Reed will be responsible for the oversight of operations of the Juvenile Court, including Juvenile Detention, Juvenile Probation and Juvenile Programming.

“I am pleased to appoint such a qualified person to such an important position,” said Judge Moran. “Judge Reed’s involvement in the Juvenile Court over the last eight years and his dedication to the staff, kids and families in our Juvenile Justice System made him the top choice for Presiding Juvenile Court Judge.”

In 2011 Judge Reed was appointed as Judge Pro Tempore for the Superior Court, serving Division 6. His caseload included juvenile delinquency, family law and Recovery Court. In 2019, Judge Reed was elected to Division 1 of the Superior Court when Judge Hatch retired.

“I am honored to be selected as the Presiding Juvenile Court Judge and want to acknowledge the tremendous accomplishments of my predecessor and mentor, the Honorable Margaret McCullough,” said Judge Reed. “I look forward to building on the success of our Coconino County Juvenile Justice System and working with a professional and dedicated staff whose focus is on the well-being of the kids. It is truly humbling to receive this opportunity to lead the Juvenile Court in advancing the initiatives we currently are working on and developing further creative solutions to help our kids and families succeed.”

Prior to Judge Reed’s judicial service, he was in private practice in criminal defense and family law and served as a Deputy Coconino County Attorney from 2005-2008.

AZGFD Expo is 2 weeks away

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Arizona’s largest hands-on outdoor expo is less than 2 weeks away. And it’s FREE!
The Arizona Game and Fish Department Outdoor Expo, presented by Shikar-Safari Club International, will be held on Saturday, March 30, and Sunday, March 31, at the world famous Ben Avery Shooting Facility in Phoenix. The event offers loads of activities, presentations and exhibits for everyone from novices to seasoned outdoor recreationists.
The Expo has come a long way since its inception, growing from a small occurrence with a handful of attractions and exhibitors in 2004, to one of the north Valley’s biggest and best-attended annual events.
Some of the things attendees can do include:
  • View live wildlife (hawks, reptiles, small mammals, more) in the expanded amAZing Wildlife tent.
  • Give kayaking a try at the “Lake Paddlemore” kayaking pond.
  • Hike a field course and learn cool camping tips.
  • Take the kids to two huge catch-and-release fishing tanks.
  • Learn target archery.
  • Try out different firearms in a safe, controlled environment on the shooting range, or learn specialty shooting disciplines such as clay target, cowboy action, practical pistol, black powder, air gun, and more.
  • Learn from informative talks on topics on wildlife, conservation and outdoor recreation.
  • Attend exciting cowboy mounted shooting competition at the Royce W. Anderson Family Arena.
  • View off-highway vehicle exhibits, rock crawler demonstrations, and learn about responsible riding.
  • View boating exhibits and learn about watercraft safety.
  • Visit with more than 160 exhibitors, including outdoor organizations, government agencies, and commercial vendors of outdoor products and services.

The Title Sponsor for the event is Shikar-Safari Club International. Gold sponsors are OneAZ Credit Union and Sig Sauer.

Admission and parking are free, but people might want to bring a little cash for the variety of food and beverage concessionaires and other vendors. ATMs will be on-site.

Hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, March 29, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday, March 30. To get to the Expo, take I-17 to Carefree Highway, turn west, and watch for the signs.

See more information.

Nominations sought for Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame

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Deadline to submit nominations is April 30

PHOENIX — The Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation is soliciting nominations for this year’s inductees into the Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame.

The Outdoor Hall of Fame annually recognizes individuals and organizations that have made significant and lasting contributions toward Arizona’s wildlife, the welfare of its natural resources, and the state’s outdoor heritage.

Nominations will be accepted through April 30, 2019. To submit a nomination, download a form (also found on the Arizona Outdoor Hall of Fame web page), complete it and return a scanned copy along with all supplemental materials to Rebecca Bouquot, wildlifefortomorrow@gmail.com

Or, you can mail the completed form and materials to:

Wildlife for Tomorrow Foundation
c/o Arizona Game and Fish Department
Attn: Rebecca Bouquot, Outdoor Hall of Fame Nominations
5000 W. Carefree Highway
Phoenix, AZ 85086

This year’s inductees will be honored in August at the annual Outdoor Hall of Fame Banquet.

Past Outdoor Hall of Fame inductees have been individuals with backgrounds in wildlife volunteerism, corporate leadership, politics, wildlife and the media, including Ben Avery, Barry Goldwater, Morris Udall, John McCain, Bill Quimby, Tom Woods, Steve Hirsch, as well as groups and organizations such as Adobe Mountain Wildlife Center Volunteers, Arizona Antelope Foundation, Rio Salado Sportsman’s Club, Arizona Deer Association, National Wild Turkey Federation, Safari Club International, Audubon Arizona, Arizona Public Service and Salt River Project.

Wildlife for Tomorrow was created in 1990 to enhance the management, protection and enjoyment of Arizona’s fish and wildlife resources. The foundation is an independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works closely with the Arizona Game and Fish Department to provide additional support for projects and education activities where traditional resources are not adequate. For more information, visit www.wildlifefortomorrow.org.

Flagstaff and Lowell Observatory to celebrate 50th Anniversary of the Lunar Landing

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FLAGSTAFF – On July 20, 1960, a small module—called the Eagle—separated from the Command Module of Apollo 11 to set the first men on the moon. Long before that historic event, astronauts trained around Flagstaff including Meteor Crater approximately 37-miles east of Flagstaff. The City of Flagstaff and Lowell Observatory is celebrating their participation in the event with a year long event known as Lunar Legacy.

The Northern Arizona DX Association (NADXA) is an amateur radio group that will participate in the Lunar Legacy event by having four special events through out the year at places where the astronauts trained; Lowell Observatory, Sunset Crater, Meteor Crater and the Grand Canyon.

The NADXA will be setting up radio equipment to make contact with amateur radio operators around the world to promote the event. Amateur radio operators often set up special events to promote historic events or places. They participate each year in an event celebrating Route 66, known as Route 66 On The Air sponsored by the Citrus Belt Amateur Radio Club

The operation begins with a special event this Saturday, March 16 at 10 a.m. near the Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument.

To find the event, drive north on highway 89 to Forest Road 776 about 7-miles north of Flagstaff. Look for the OHV cinder hills area sign. Turn right off N89 and drive 3 to 4-miles. On Saturday, the NADXA will post yellow paper signs showing “Special radio event-Lunar Legacy” with arrows on FR 776 starting about 3 miles off of N89.

Go to flagstaffarizona.org to find out more about the Lunar Legacy event.

County Emergency Management to host EOC Open House

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The Emergency Operation Center in Flagstaff. – Photo courtesy of Glen Davis, KG7YDJ

FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino County Emergency Management will host an Open House of the Emergency Management Center (EOC) for the public. The public will be able to tour the nerve center of disaster control for Coconino County and meet with emergency personnel from the various agencies involved.

The EOC activates when a major disaster occurs or during pending storms, such as the recent storm this month. The EOC was activated during the Tinder Fire in Blue Ridge in April of 2018. The fire received international attention. For a portion of the fire, the only communications available was between fire personnel and amateur radio operators of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) operating at the EOC.

It is an opportunity for the public to see what the EOC does during an emergency. It is of a modular design meaning that only portions of the EOC are activated necessary for the emergency. The design is based on a Federal Emergency Management Agency model used across the country.

Coconino County invites the public to bring their families to see what the county does in an emergency. Young people can learn about various volunteer organizations in the community, such as the Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) and the Amateur Radio Emergency Service.

The EOC will be open to the public on March 23 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The EOC is located at 2201 N. Gemini Road in Flagstaff. Refreshments will be available.

Volunteers needed to spotlight endangered black-footed ferrets

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SELIGMAN — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking volunteers to assist with spotlighting efforts to help document the population of endangered black-footed ferrets in Aubrey Valley and on the Double O Ranch near Seligman.

As part of the recovery effort, the department has scheduled two spring spotlighting projects – March 21 to 25 and April 18 to 21 (the department also conducts two spotlighting projects in the fall). The spotlighting method involves using high-powered lights to locate and identify black-footed ferrets. Their eyeshine is reflected by the spotlight and helps surveyors with identifying and locating these elusive, nocturnal carnivores.

Volunteers must have the ability to stay attentive from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. while spotlighting for black-footed ferrets and use, or learn how to use, a Global Positioning System (GPS). Volunteers can sign up by e-mailing azferret@azgfd.gov — with “spring spotlighting” in the subject line — by March 15 for this month’s project and by April 12 for the later opportunity.

Volunteers are reminded to include their full name, a contact phone number, month(s) and night(s) available to spotlight, and full names of others who also will be attending (a parent or guardian must accompany any youth under 18). Volunteers also should note any equipment they can bring, such as GPS, clipboard, headlamp, pen, binoculars, walkie-talkies, compass, cordless rechargeable spotlight, backpack or 4X4 vehicle.

A total of nine individual black-footed ferrets were captured in 2018, down from 19 in 2017. Of those nine, eight were captured in Aubrey Valley and one on the Double O Ranch. Almost 140 volunteers totaled 1,500 spotlighting hours over the course of the spring and fall projects.

Visit www.azgfd.gov/wildlife and click on “Nongame Species” for more information about the black-footed ferret recovery effort.