Category Archives: Amusement

Free car wash at Cool Country Cruise In

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Cool-Country15-08-07-01WILLIAMS — Cool Country Cruise In is on in Williams and the weather is cooperating—or not depending on your view. Heavy rain is expected to continue with flash flood warnings until midnight. There is a slight chance of rain tomorrow which should clear up Saturday and remain clear until Monday when more thunderstorms are expected.

This is the first time in recent memory that the event has experienced this kind of weather. Today there was a short downpour with a couple of thunder cracks over Williams causing scattered tourists downtown. It cleared up by 7 p.m. in time for the gun show.

Generally Williams proper receives short bursts of rain in town while the surrounding areas get doused.

Cool-Country Cruise In may expect cool tomorrow

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Cool-Country130809-3WILLIAMS — Rain in the forecast may keep the Cool-Country Cruise In cool tomorrow. There is an 80% chance of rain dropping to 60% overnight and 10% tomorrow. Temperatures are expect to be about 77.

The rain today and through the night will cause difficulty keeping the Spring Fire burning so there should be no problem with smoke.

The problem is that the National Weather Service has issued a flash flood warning through midnight on August 8. The flash flood warning covers the Kaibab Plateau and all canyon area, including Oak Creek, Sycamore, Marble Canyons and the Glen Canyon and Grand Canyon country areas.

The flood warning covers the cities of Flagstaff, Williams, Jacob Lake, Fredonia, Page, Lees Ferry, Grand Canyon Village, Supai, Valle, North Rim, Tuba City, Munds Park and Sedona.

People arriving for Cool-Country Cruise In today can take in the movie at the Methodist Church on the corner of 2nd and Sherman at 7 p.m. tonight. The screening of Do You Believe? is free.

The Williams Aquatic Center will be open for a free swim tomorrow from noon until 4 p.m.

Do You Believe? screening at Methodist Church

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believeWILLIAMS — The United Methodist Church at 127 W Sherman Ave in Williams will host a screening of Do You Believe? this Friday.

The film stars Sean Astin who gained recognition for the inspirational 1993 movie Rudy based on he life of Notre Dame football player Daniel E. ‘Rudy’ Ruettiger. Most recently he stared in The Lord of the Rings movie series.

The movie also features Delroy Lindo who is one of those actors you instantly recognize, but probably do not remember the name. He started in the 1971 television series Police Surgeon and since has played in a host of roles such as in the movie Malcom X, a colonel in Broken Arrow (promoted to General in The Last Castle). He’s played cops and criminals and most recently had a recurring role as Sheriff Tip Harrison in the television series Blood and Oil. He’s even played a Supreme Court Justice on TV (Justice Clarence Thomas). Quite frankly he is one of those actors that deserve better roles.

The movie, from the creators of God’s Not Dead, is also currently in theaters.

Flash flood warning issued for Grand Canyon area

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Rain15-06-05-03A flash flood watch for portions of northc central and west central Arizona has been issued to end at 5 p.m today. People with weather radios should monitor for warnings and prepare to take appropriate action.

The weather affects the Coconino Plateau and western Mogollon Rim including the ciites of Grand Canyon Village, Supai, North Rim, Valley, Flagstaff, Williams and Munds Park.

Thunderstorms capable of very heavy rainfall are moving eastward across the area through late this afternoon. Normally dry washes and streams could begin to flow with the possiblity of heavier rainfall. Flooding on some roadways are possible.

Flooding could still occur after the warning is lifted.

Get out of town: Explore Route 66

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UPDATED 7/29 4:02 Thanks to Linda Messimer for the correction on Davenport Lake.

WILLIAMS— Williams has the distinction of being the last route 66 town bypassed by interstate 40. The mural on the wall by Circle K is a tribute to that. So while you are here you might want to stay an extra day in Williams to explore the Mother Road.

"On Arizona Highway 87, south of Chandler. Maricopa County, Arizona." by Dorothea Lange - U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

“On Arizona Highway 87, south of Chandler. Maricopa County, Arizona.” by Dorothea Lange – U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons

Route 66 gained the name of the Mother Road because of its significance to history. During the depression when tragedy struck the Great Plains—in what was called the great Dust Bowl—thousands took to Route 66 to travel west in search of a better life. This was depicted in the book and movie The Grapes of Wrath.

Route 66 was instrumental in winning World War I and World War II. Old-timers told me of the days when they would watch convoys of men and material moving down Route 66 to be shipped off to war. Most people don’t realize that Interstate 40, and all other freeways for that matter, were started by President Eisenhower who brought the idea back from the German autobahn.

Route 66 has seen a resurgence of interest since it was decomissioned. Williams and Flagstaff have a significant amount of Route 66 still available for travel. The stretch we will examine in this article is from Bellmont to Williams.

Of course it goes down to Ash Fork which is another significant Route 66 town, as well as a railroad center in the old west. Ash Fork history can be seen at the Route 66 Museum in Ash Fork on, well… Route 66.
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Springs Fire continues to meet management objectives

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Smoke from Spring fire visible from Williams, but County 73 currently unaffected.

Smoke from Spring fire visible from Williams, but County 73 currently unaffected.

WILLIAMS — The 410-acre, lightning-caused Springs Fire continues to meet fire management objectives, allowing natural fire to play its part in the ecosystem, improving both wildlife habitat and overall forest health. Crews are monitoring growth and evaluating the need for actions to keep the fire at a low to moderate intensity. The potential for continued growth depends on a variety of factors to include weather conditions, potential fuel continuity and winds.

Fire managers performed blacklining operations, yesterday, on the south side of County Road 73, also known as the “South Road” between Forest Road 354 (near Kunde Knoll) to Forest Road 3117. County Road 73 will now serve as a boundary to stop or eliminate fire growth to the north. Today blacklining may be conducted along boundaries near private lands, as the Springs Fire moves closer to sections of private land within the fire area.

Light impacts of smoke can be expected in the Garland Prairie and Sherwood Forest areas as winds are forecasted out of the southwest. Smoke may be visible in the Bellemont and I-40 area, Dogtown Lake and White Horse Lake vicinity. Over the next several days the wildfire is expected to move up Summit Mountain, where smoke may be more visible from a greater distance.

The fire, which started July 2, is located 9 miles southeast of Williams, near Davenport Knoll, to the west of Summit Mountain. No closures exist at this time, however campers are advised to be cautious when selecting campsites along Forest Road 354 and Forest Road 110. Although smoke was visible from Williams today, camp sites along County 73 are unaffected.

Hidden Treasures opens in Williams

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640-hidden-treasures-2015-07-25-03WILLIAMS — Hidden Treasures Antiques re-opened in its old haunt at 125 W. Railroad Avenue next to Anna’s Grand Canyon Coffee and Cafe. Troy Troutman moved into the location a few years ago before he moved into the mall. He, and partner Susan Pederson, have moved their stock back into this location.

The stock contains old electronics, books, collectibles and much more. If you broke one of the dishes to grandma’s set, you might find a replacement here.
640-hidden-treasures-2015-07-25-13

How could we forget Bearizona?

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Awesome walk thru lights at night low resWILLIAMS — How could we have forgotten the annual Bearizona Backwoods Bash? Some how this slipped our minds in our article on weekend events.

Bearizona is hosting a Backwoods Bash on July 25, from 12:00p.m – 8:00p.m. This event will be held in the Fort Bearizona walk-thru area of the park and is open to the public.

Live country music throughout the day will set the mood for the event. Kids can jump ‘til their hearts content, get a balloon animal, get some Bearizona ink among other things in the Kid Zone. Barbecue food will be available for purchase as well as local drink selections from Grand Canyon Winery, Historic Brewing Company & all your domestic favorites as well.

Bearizona is excited to welcome the Phoenix Herpetological Society who will be at the event from 1:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. with an alligator and an 18’ snake that attendees, who are adventurous enough, can get up-close, touch and get their picture taken with them. There will also be Bearizona’s walk thru animals on exhibit for all to see, as well as program animal encounters throughout the day.

Advance discount tickets for the Bearizona Backwoods Bash can be purchased by going to http://www.eventbrite.com and typing in Bearizona Backwoods Bash. $9 ages (4-12) and $20 (13 & Up). Tickets at the event will cost $11 ages (4-12) and $22 (13 & Up). Tickets will get you into both the drive-thru and walk-thru areas of the park, however the drive-thru closes at 7p.m. Bearizona pass holders get into the event for free.

Weekend begins tonight at 7:30 p.m.

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WILLIAMS — Begin the weekend in Williams by taking in the stars. The Coconino County Astronomical Society will host a stargazing party at the Glassburn Park area near the Zipline.

At 10 a.m. Saturday there will be a meeting at the Wild West Junction on the east end of Route 66 to discuss Community Protection Teams being set up by Oath Keepers. These teams are designed to provide services in a man-made or natural disaster. They are open to anyone; not just veterans, police and so-forth.

Saturday and Sunday is the annual Hamfest located at the rodeo barn at the Bob Dean Rodeo Grounds across the street from True Value hardware.

The forests have remained open this summer for camping and hiking. In recent years the forests were closed due to lack of moisture. So it is a great time to hike the trails and take in the lush green of the oaks and aspens and the beautiful wild flowers.

If you are bored this weekend it is not our fault.

Announcing a New Search Management Training Video

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SAR-Video-1FLAGSTAFF — A new training video which was a year in the making titled “Introduction to Search Management Best Practices” has been released to aid in training search managers. The video project was a joint effort between the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Unit, a Mountain Rescue Association member team, and the National Park Service Branch of Search and Rescue. To maximize its benefit to the search and rescue community, the video is being distributed free of charge via the internet. The video is intended to be used in conjunction with a comprehensive search management course or as a review of search management concepts for seasoned search managers.

Search management involves a combination of art and science to analyze the situation and then organize responders to efficiently and effectively cover the search area in an effort to find lost or missing persons. The National Park Service has a long tradition of excellence in search management and the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office has played an active role in search and rescue management training in Arizona for many years and continues that role with the release of this video.

In addition to the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and the National Park Service, other agencies that participated in the video project included the Arizona Department of Public Safety Aviation Bureau and Guardian Medical Transport.

A premiere showing for public safety agencies will take place at the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue Building on July 15th at 7:00 pm. The video can be found at the following link. https://vimeo.com/CCSOSAR/Search-Management