WILLIAMS – Three fire engines were called in to fight a fire at 418 5th Street in Williams that started about 5:45. Units from the Williams Police and Coconino County Sheriff’s Department responded for traffic control.
The cause of the fire is unknown at this time. There are reports that the family members are okay, but they lost one of the family dogs. The house was totally gutted.
Daily Archives: May 3, 2019
Four ADOT projects receive Partnering Excellence Awards
PHOENIX – To address pavement damage from many harsh winters, the Arizona Department of Transportation engaged a contractor to rebuild a total of 10 miles of Interstate 40 west of Williams near Devil Dog Road. In addition to the complexity of removing and replacing 5 miles of freeway in each direction, challenges included minimizing impacts on travelers and communities while finishing as soon as possible around a winter hiatus when the weather made work impossible.
ADOT and Fann Contracting Inc. navigated these challenges along with others that weren’t anticipated, such as weather, fire restrictions and unsuitable and unstable soil conditions, to deliver the improvement on time while maintaining two-way traffic throughout. Contributing to this success was a defined process called partnering through which the agency, contractors and stakeholders including area governments and utilities agree to goals, a communication structure and a way to resolve issues that arise.
For its efforts on this $34 million improvement, which was completed last fall, the project team, including ADOT personnel and Fann Contracting, recently received an Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Award. The I-40 Devil Dog award, one of nine given at the Arizona Conference on Roads and Streets in Tucson, was for projects worth more than $25 million.
Each year, the Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Awards recognize teams of contractors and other organizations that have used partnering to foster productive relationships and successfully complete projects through communication, commitment, cooperation and continuous improvement. In addition to ADOT, the awards are sponsored by the Associated General Contractors Arizona Chapter, Arizona Public Works Association, American Council of Engineering Companies, Associated Minority Contractors of Arizona, Arizona Transportation Builders Association, Federal Highway Administration and Maricopa County Department of Transportation.
The Arizona Transportation Partnering Excellence Awards for 2018 honored three other ADOT projects:
- For projects worth more than $25 million: ADOT and Ames Construction Inc., I-19 Ajo Way traffic interchange
- For projects between $5 million and $25 million: ADOT and Nesbitt Contracting Co. Inc., State Route 88 improvements between Apache Junction and Tortilla Flat
- For projects under $5 million: ADOT and Fann Contracting, I-40 Twin Arrows traffic interchange
“Successful partnerships reduce delays, develop positive and effective relationships and help partners identify and solve problems as quickly as possible,” said Michael Carter, ADOT partnering administrator. “Partnering allows ADOT to deliver projects on time and cultivate better working relationships with contractors and stakeholders.”
In 1991, before its partnering program began, ADOT faced 60 legal actions resolved through mediation, arbitration or litigation at a cost of $39.8 million. Today, almost no disagreements over projects give rise to legal actions involving stakeholders, and an ADOT legal team that once handled those actions no longer exists.
To learn more about partnering at ADOT, please visit azdot.gov/Partnering.
AZGFD launches enhanced online license purchasing service
PHOENIX — In the amount of time it takes to make an omelet, empty the dishwasher or write a thank you note, the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has made it that easy to purchase a hunting, fishing or combination license online.
- A new interface featuring a slightly different look is only the first thing AZGFD customers will notice. The enhanced online license purchasing service also offers:
- A mobile-friendly option to purchase a license directly from the department using a smartphone or tablet.
- Multiple choices for printing and reprinting a license.
Flexibility for AZGFD to implement upgrades that will continually improve customer service.
The ease of use is remarkable. With just a few clicks of a mouse, or taps on the screen of a smartphone or tablet, anyone can purchase a license online and be on their way to endless Arizona outdoor adventures.
A newly purchased license then can be printed, or saved as a photo or PDF to a smartphone. Lose or misplace a printed license? No worries. The electronic version is valid if requested by an AZGFD official.
A few tips to maximize the online license service experience:
Carefully read all disclaimers.
- Be sure to check the acknowledgement and the “I’m not a robot” box, which provides enhanced online security.
- When a license is purchased online, a link will be provided from which to print the license over the next 24 hours. Do not click this link on a shared computer, for security purposes. A license can be reprinted at any time (and multiple times) by visiting https://internal-license-beta.azgfd.com/RePrint.
- A department ID number and date of birth is needed to reprint a license. Customers who have lost or forgotten their department ID number should contact any department office statewide.
Need a license? Then consider buying more than just an individual hunting or fishing license. Visit https://license.azgfd.com/ and purchase a combination license that will be valid for the next 365 days – and for only $20 more (for state residents) than the price of a hunting or fishing license. As a reminder, a youth combo hunt and fish license (ages 10 to 17) remains $5.
Life jacket exchange events kick off Safe Boating Week on Saturday, May 18
PHOENIX — Safe Boating Week is on the horizon and the Arizona Game and Fish Department will kick off the national campaign locally with multiple life jacket exchange events at area lakes Saturday, May 18.
Now in its 11th year, the Life Jacket Exchange program allows people with an old, worn out life jacket to swap it for a new one (while supplies last). Last year, the department’s Boating Safety Education program exchanged 1,520 of the life-saving jackets.
“Life jackets save lives, but only if they’re still in good operating condition,” said Josh Hoffman, AZGFD’s boating safety education coordinator. “Like anything else, life jackets wear out with time and these exchange events are an amazing opportunity for Arizona’s boaters and paddlers to ensure they have a life jacket that not only fits correctly, but is in great condition.”
- The events run from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 18 at seven locations throughout the state:
- Bartlett Lake at the Jojoba Ramp
- Bullhead City at Fire Station #2-1230 Hwy 95
- Canyon Lake at the main boat ramp
- Lake Havasu City at London Bridge Beach
- Lake Pleasant at the 10- and four-lane boat ramps
- Saguaro Lake at the main boat ramp (from 8 a.m. to noon)
- Yuma at West Wetlands Park Pond
Please note that Type I and Type II life jackets will not be accepted, but other life jacket exchange events will be held at other times during the summer.
Before heading out on the water, it’s important that boaters check to ensure that their life jackets are in good condition and that they are the right size and fit for passengers. When inspecting life jackets, look for any rips or tears, missing straps, broken fasteners, and to ensure that the flotation hasn’t shifted. Life jackets should be inspected each boating season due to the environment’s impact on their materials.
State law requires all passengers 12 years old and younger to wear a life jacket while on board and each passenger must have a properly fitting, U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket available.
May 18 is also the start of National Safe Boating Week, an effort to spread the message that wearing a life jacket is the simplest way to ensure an individual’s safety on the water.
Drowning was the reported cause of death in four out of every five recreational boating fatalities in 2017, according to the U.S. Coast Guard’s most readily available statistics. In the 449 water-related deaths that year, 370 people — approximately 84.5 percent — were not wearing a life jacket. Those statistics are reflected in Arizona: There were eleven recreational boating fatalities in the state last year and sadly, we’ve already had our first fatality of 2019 that involved a kayaker that was not wearing a life jacket. These deaths are preventable.
“Through this program, the Arizona Game and Fish Department hopes to prevent boating tragedies and help to ensure everyone is safely enjoying Arizona’s waterways,” Hoffman said.
For more information about boating in Arizona or to sign up for a free safety course, visit www.azgfd.gov/boating.
Paper applications for 2019 fall hunts now being accepted
PHOENIX – The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) has posted the 2019-20 Arizona Hunting Regulations online at www.azgfd.gov/draw.
The department now is accepting paper applications for 2019 hunt permit-tags issued through the draw process for deer, fall turkey, fall javelina, bighorn sheep, fall bison and sandhill crane. Note: In a significant change, this will be the first time that applications will be accepted as part of the fall draw process for sandhill crane. There no longer will be a separate application and draw process for the birds during the summer.
All paper applications must be received by 7 p.m. (Arizona time), Tuesday, May 14. Postmarks don’t count. The online application service is expected to be available in early to mid-May.
Paper applications can be mailed to: Arizona Game and Fish Department, Attn.: Drawing Section, P.O. Box 74020, Phoenix, AZ 85087-1052, or dropped off at any department office statewide. The printed “2019-20 Arizona Hunting Regulations” booklets are expected to be available in the next week or two at department offices and license dealers statewide.
As a reminder, this will be the last draw in which paper applications will be accepted. AZGFD is moving toward paperless hunt draws. Only online applications will be accepted beginning with the 2020 spring draw, which typically opens in late August or early September. In the meantime, hunters are encouraged to become familiar with the online draw application process.
For more information, call (602) 942-3000.
Free Class A/B Training for Owners & Operators of UST Systems
PHOENIX – Arizona Department of Environmental Quality invites underground storage tank (UST) owners and operators to attend these no-cost Class A/B training for certification and to help ensure UST systems maintain compliance.
Topics include:
- Rule updates, including equipment upgrade and testing requirements
- What to expect when being inspected
- Available ADEQ programs to aid UST owners
There will also be an opportunity to meet state regulators, who will be available to answer questions.
Click HERE to view all upcoming training and register for classes.
Kaibab National Forest to offer firewood permits in Navajo and Hopi communities
TUSAYAN — The Kaibab National Forest will offer free-use, paid personal-use and ceremonial firewood permits for the Tusayan Ranger District at a variety of locations in Navajo and Hopi communities over the next three months. These opportunities are part of the Kaibab National Forest’s ongoing effort to increase access to firewood for tribal members and communities.
Kaibab National Forest representatives will offer firewood permits on the specified days and times and at the following locations:
- Friday, May 10 – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. DST – Tuba City, Flea Market
- Saturday, May 18 – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. DST – Cameron, Chapter House
- Friday, May 31 – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. MST – Upper Village of Moenkopi, Moenkopi administrative office
- Friday, June 14 – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. DST – Tuba City, Flea Market
- Friday, June 28 – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. MST – Kykotsmovi Village, Honahnie Building
- Saturday, July 13 – 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. DST – Cameron, Chapter House
A permit must be acquired by anyone harvesting firewood on the Kaibab National Forest. The 2019 firewood season runs from May 1 to Dec. 31 for the Tusayan Ranger District.
Each person, with proper identification, may obtain permits for up to 30 cords per season of combined paid-use and free-use firewood. Individuals may purchase up to two 10-cord paid-use firewood permits at a rate of $2 per cord, and may obtain one 10-cord free-use firewood permit. Ceremonial-use permits are also available, which authorize collection of two cords per individual.
The Kaibab National Forest has increased the amount of wood available to each person for purchase while reducing the cost per cord by crediting firewood cutting for the contribution it provides to forest restoration goals. By removing dead and down as well as small-diameter trees, firewood cutting can help improve forest health and reduce the risk of unnaturally severe wildfire.
It is important that a permit be acquired even for free-use areas because by tracking public demand for the various kinds of permits, the amount of wood removed, and other factors, forest managers are better able to plan for the future needs of firewood collectors and provide greater opportunities for accessing these important resources. Firewood from the Kaibab National Forest is frequently used by local community and tribal members for home heating, cooking and other critical purposes.
All firewood permits issued by the Kaibab National Forest will include a map and detailed cutting regulations as well as load tags, which must be physically attached to each ¼ cord of firewood and visible from the rear of the vehicle. The goal of this load tagging system is to ensure accountability for the amount of wood removed from the forest and to inform planning for future firewood cutting areas to meet public need and forest restoration objectives.
The removal of firewood is permitted only from National Forest lands on the specific district for which the permit is issued. Firewood cutters are reminded to take note of property boundaries and cut only on National Forest lands.
Firewood cutting permits may also be obtained throughout the 2019 season at the following locations and during the specified hours Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays:
- Williams Ranger District, 742 S. Clover Road, Williams; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; (928) 635-5600
- Tusayan Ranger District, 176 Lincoln Log Loop, Tusayan; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; (928) 638-2443
- North Kaibab Ranger District, 430 S. Main St., Fredonia; 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; (928) 643-7395
Public comments sought on proposed campground expansion project south of Tusayan
TUSAYAN — The Kaibab National Forest is providing an opportunity to comment on a proposed project to remodel existing campsites and expand the current footprint of Ten X Campground, which is located south of Tusayan about 5 miles south of the entrance to Grand Canyon National Park.
The comment period for the Ten X Campground Expansion project begins today and will continue through May 30. A draft environmental assessment, background documents, and other detailed project information are available for public review on the Kaibab National Forest website at www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55626.
The project is designed to increase overnight camping opportunities for visitors to the area and improve overall experience by upgrading aging facilities and adding amenities. The expansion would increase capacity from the current 70 campsites to a total of 300. The total expansion and remodel would encompass about 345 acres.
The remodeling of existing sites and the addition of new sites would increase Ten X Campground’s ability to accommodate large RVs while eliminating the current problem of parking along the Ten X roadway, which creates congestion and safety concerns. The 230 sites to be added would be a mix of RV-friendly, individual tent, and small group sites.
In order to facilitate the construction of the camping loops, a new roadway would be established as a larger loop surrounding the current campground footprint. Two egress routes would be added in order to better facilitate any future emergency evacuation.
Other proposed campground improvements include adding ramada structures with more grills, fire rings and picnic tables, as well as a new amphitheater for campfire talks. To see all proposed campground expansion features, visit the project website at www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55626.
“There is increasing public demand for recreation and overnight camping opportunities in the area, and Ten X is in the ideal location given its proximity to Grand Canyon National Park,” said Dutch Maatman, assistant recreation staff officer with the Kaibab National Forest. “We also believe this campground expansion project will reduce resource damage associated with the increase in dispersed camping we have seen on the Tusayan Ranger District.”
The Ten X Campground Expansion project would be completed in phases, with the first phase likely to include the creation of three new camping loops, the development of 4 miles of two-way main loop road, and the installation of a multilingual entrance station and centralized location to access visitor services. Other phases of the project and the specific components of each would be determined over time based on a continuing assessment of needs and opportunities.
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, 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 frequent overcrowding and visitor use conflicts.
The comment period for the Ten X Campground Expansion project will continue through May 30. To submit comments, email them in an email message, plain text (.txt), rich text (.rtf), or Word document (.doc) format to comments-southwestern-kaibab-williams@fs.fed.us with the subject title of “Ten X Campground Expansion”; fax comments to (928) 635-5680; hand deliver comments Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to Victoria Tyler at the Williams Ranger Station; or, mail comments to Victoria Tyler, NEPA Planner, 742 S. Clover Road, Williams AZ, 86046. For additional information on submitting comments, visit the project website at www.fs.usda.gov/project/?project=55626.
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