Category Archives: Amusement

Kaibab National Forest seeks comments on adding camping corridors

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WILLIAMS — The Kaibab National Forest is seeking public comments on an Environmental Assessment released today that analyzes the potential effects of adding camping corridors and making other changes to the transportation system of the Williams and Tusayan ranger districts.

The document and background information are available on the Kaibab National Forest website at http://go.usa.gov/kpQV. The 30-day comment period begins today and runs through May 11.

Specifically, the Kaibab National Forest is proposing to:

  • Designate approximately 291 miles of camping corridors along all or portions of several system roads on both districts. The corridors would extend 200 feet from either side of the centerline of the road, except where limited by topographical factors, resource concerns or private land.
  • Add 15 spur roads to the open road system on the Tusayan district. These spurs total 1.3 miles and would provide access to areas historically used for motorized camping.
  • Close approximately 9 miles of currently open roads across the two districts.
  • Add approximately 16 miles of roads to the open road system across the two districts. This includes 12 miles of formerly closed roads and 4 miles of user-created routes.
  • Develop an adaptive management strategy for making future changes to the transportation system for the two districts based on changing needs and/or new information.

Besides the proposed action, the Environmental Assessment also analyzes the potential effects of other alternatives such as varying corridor widths.

The proposed action and alternatives were all developed based on several years of monitoring following implementation of the Travel Management Rule on the two districts, which included documenting public concerns about recreational access and other issues.

Additional information and methods to submit comments are available at http://go.usa.gov/kpQV

How to tell when it is spring in Williams

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640-15040701WILLIAMS — You may wonder how we in Williams determine when spring arrives. Is the flowers blossoming in the Kaibab? Perhaps the leaves appearing on the Aspens. Or when the eyes of those with hay fever start to turn red.

Actually we usually realize it is spring when the classic cars begin their trek down the longest existing stretch of route 66 through Arizona. Today we got a visit from a ’57 Chevy from California.
640-15040702Seems it is still a “right-of-passage” to travel route 66 through Williams and Flagstaff.

Fire managers issue moderate fire danger rating today

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forestWILLIAMS — Effective immediately, fire managers are raising the fire danger rating to “moderate” across the Williams Ranger District, Tusayan Ranger District and the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.

The fire danger rating on the North Kaibab Ranger District and the North Zone of the Grand Canyon National Park remain low, but North Zone fire managers are continuously monitoring conditions on the Kaibab Plateau and will increase fire danger levels to moderate when appropriate.

Forest visitors are reminded to use extreme caution when camping as warming temperatures, lack of precipitation, lowering humidity levels and high winds are ideal conditions for wildfires to spark up. Visitors are also reminded to check with local district ranger offices and ask if any fire restrictions are in effect, as this can quickly change.

Fire managers use the National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) to assist in determining Preparedness Levels and when Campfire and Smoking restrictions may be implemented. Using this tool helps Fire Managers to identify critical times when fires can become difficult to control.

For more information on fire activity updates, please call or visit: Fire Information Line: 928-635-8311

Gosar submits bill for cull hunt of bison at Grand Canyon

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(Because of the deadline for this article, the office of Representative Gosar could not be reached for comment)

White Bison at Bearizona Wildlife Park.

White Bison at Bearizona Wildlife Park.

WASHINGTON — In 1906, Charles “Buffalo” Jones brought bison to northern Arizona in an unsuccessful attempt to breed them with cattle. The descendants of these bison have been managed since 1950 by the state of Arizona in the House Rock Wildlife Area (HRWA) on the Kaibab National Forest, through an inter-agency agreement with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). In 1990 the 1990 the bison started moving to the top of the Kaibab Plateau and into the Grand Canyon National Park.

The Grand Canyon National Park began a request for input on a Bison Management Plan that ended in June of 2014. The effort was an attempt to balance their mission to secure natural vegetation, archeological sites and water resources while maintaining the bison as wildlife.

On March 18, Paul Gosar [R-AZ-4] submitted H.R. 1443 (S. 782 in the Senate by McCain) to permit a cull hunt for Bison at the Grand Canyon National Park.

The bill calls for the Secretary of the Interior to publish a management plan for Bison no later than 180 days after H.R. 1443 is enacted. The plan would be to reduce, through humane lethal culling by skilled public volunteers and other non-lethal means the population of Bison in the park.

Skilled public volunteers are defines as those with a valid hunting license issued by the State of Arizona and other qualifications the Secretary may require after consulting with the Arizona Game and Fish Department.

Kirby Shedlowski, Acting Public Affairs Officer at Grand Canyon National Park, said, “In order have allowed cull, there’s usually a very large management planning process.”

She said, “There has never been a cull hunt for bison at the Grand Canyon. There has been a cull on the forest. On the Kaibab Forest on the north side.”

Kirby said she was not sure of cull hunts for Bison in other parks, such as Yellowstone. “There are different culling hunts in different parks for different animals. Rocky Mountain did it for elk. Rock Creek Park has done it for white-tail deer. Getteysburg has done it for white-tail deer. But, as far as Bison go—I’m not sure. But Grand Canyon National Park has never had a cull for Bison.”

Good Friday procession down Route 66

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40-GF04-03-37WILLIAMS — As the sun set in Williams, the Williams Police Department safely escorted those carrying the cross in the Good Friday procession.
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The procession traveled the length of the city down Route 66 from the Mustang gas station to the Family Harvest Church. The event attracted a crowd from all faiths in Williams.
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Good Friday procession begins Easter weekend

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todo-2WILLIAMS — Easter holiday begins today with a Good Friday procession starting at the Mustang Gas Station on the east end of Route 66 at 6:30. The procession will travel west down Railroad Avenue to the Family Harvest Church. Father Killian, of St. Joseph the Worker Catholic Church, announced at the Younglife steak dinner fundraiser that they could use eight strong men or seven women to carry the cross for the procession.

The annual Community Easter Egg hunt will be held at the Recreation Center on Railroad Avenue on Saturday, April 4. The event will be held from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

On Sunday, Friends of the Williams Aquatic Center will hold their 5th Annual Ducky Egg Race. Tickets can be purchased at Safeway, today, and at the Community Easter Egg Hunt.

Except for some cold gusty winds, as high as 28 mph Saturday and 37 on Sunday, the weather for the weekend appears clear and warm.

Williams Sportsman’s Club 2015 Grad Night fundraiser

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williams-sportsmans-club-1WILLIAMS — The Williams Sportsman’s Club (Facebook) and Parents Who Care are hosting a fundraising shoot to benefit the 2015 Grad Night. Practice will start from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. The cash shoot will run from 9 a.m. until finished.

The range is located on Highway 64 about a quarter mile north of I-40. Watch and turn to the left and follow the signs to the range. The range is open every Wednesday and Saturday morning from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m.

The different shoot categories are :

  • 100 yard long rifle with sandbag rest
  • 100 yard long rifle off hand
  • 20 yard pistol
  • 50 yard .22 with sandbag rest
  • 50 yard .22 off hand
  • Kids .22 shoot (12 & under)

The entry fee for non-members is $5 with an additional $5 a round. The winner of each shoot gets 50% of the pot for each shoot.

All range rules apply and shooters must use range tables and sandbags.

Breakfast burritos, hamburgers and drinks will be available. For more information you may contact Ron Hollamon at 928-526-4766.

Fleas Test Positive for Plague in Picture Canyon

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640px-HookeFlea01FLAGSTAFF — Coconino County Public Health Services District (CCPHSD) officials confirmed that fleas collected in Picture Canyon, a popular hiking area located in northeast Flagstaff, tested positive for plague (Yersinia pestis).

Picture Canyon is located east of Highway 89 North, and north of Interstate 40 and Old Route 66.

The tests were recently conducted by the Center for Microbial Genetics and Genomics at Northern Arizona University.

CCPHSD Environmental Health staff collects and tests flea samples from locations throughout the County. The recent samples were collected from burrows located along the Picture Canyon hiking trails. Visitors to the area are asked to avoid rodent burrows and keep dogs on a leash as required by Arizona State law.

The CCPHSD and the City of Flagstaff have notified nearby residents of the situation and posted signage at the trailheads. The burrows are being treated and the area will be closely monitored to determine if further action is required.

This positive test is the first evidence of plague activity reported in the County this year. While this is the only location within the County where the plague has been confirmed, the disease is endemic to areas throughout the County and may be more widespread.

The CCPHSD is urging the public to take precautions to reduce their risk of exposure to this serious disease, which can be present in rodents, rabbits, and sometimes predators that feed upon these animals. The disease can be transmitted to humans and other animals by the bite of an infected flea or by direct contact with an infected animal.

Symptoms in humans generally appear within two to six days following exposure and include the following: fever, chills, headache, weakness, muscle pain, and swollen lymph glands (called “buboes”) in the groin, armpits, or limbs. The disease can become septicemic (spreading throughout the bloodstream) and/or pneumonic (affecting the lungs), but is curable with proper antibiotic therapy if diagnosed and treated early.

Additional Information: PDF