Category Archives: Fredonia

Lightning Strikes Three Killing Two

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Fredonia AZ—Yesterday at about 3:00 pm a bolt of lightning struck in the area of the LeFevre  Scenic Overlook at MP 590.4 on Highway 89A about eight miles north of Jacobs Lake. Two visitors from a foreign country were pronounced dead at the scene and a non-related minor received non-life-threatening injuries. This highlights the dangers that thunderstorms represent.

A group of people were standing in the area of the overlook when a man and wife from out of the country were struck and later pronounced deceased at the scene.  A third victim who is a male minor also was struck by the lightning and knocked to the ground.  He was treated at the scene for non-life-threatening injuries.  He was transported to an area hospital by Kane County Utah Medical Transport.  The child was not associated with the two deceased victims and was traveling with several adult guardians.

After the lighting strike several other people at the overlook called the Kane County 911 Dispatch Center on their cell phones and reported the incident.  Dispatchers sent the Kane County Ambulance and notified the Arizona Department of Public Safety and the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.  The two deceased victims were transported to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office located in Flagstaff.

Names of the two deceased victims are being withheld pending next of kin notification.  This investigation is being continued by Sheriff’s Detectives and the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Department recommends the following when thunderstorms are present. Chance of thundershowers exist through Saturday in the 40% to 50% range.

Lightning Safety Tips

Plan in advance your evacuation and safety measures. When you first see lightning or hear thunder, activate your emergency plan. Now is the time to go to a building or a vehicle. Lightning often precedes rain, so don’t wait for the rain to begin before suspending activities.

IF OUTDOORS…Avoid water. Avoid the high ground. Avoid open spaces. Avoid all metal objects including electric wires, fences, machinery, motors, power tools, etc. Unsafe places include underneath canopies, small picnic or rain shelters, or near trees. Where possible, find shelter in a substantial building or in a fully enclosed metal vehicle such as a car, truck or a van with the windows completely shut. If lightning is striking nearby when you are outside, you should:

Crouch down. Put feet together. Place hands over ears to minimize hearing damage from thunder.

Avoid proximity (minimum of 15 ft.) to other people.

IF INDOORS… Avoid water. Stay away from doors and windows. Do not use the telephone. Take off headsets. Turn off, unplug, and stay away from appliances, computers, power tools, & TV sets. Lightning may strike exterior electric and phone lines, inducing shocks to inside equipment.

SUSPEND ACTIVITIES for 30 minutes after the last observed lightning or thunder.

INJURED PERSONS do not carry an electrical charge and can be handled safely. Apply First Aid procedures to a lightning victim if you are qualified to do so. Call 911 or send for help immediately.

KNOW YOUR EMERGENCY TELEPHONE NUMBERS.

Candidates Sought for County’s School Boards

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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Up to three seats each on school boards throughout Coconino County will be open for voters to fill on Election Day, Nov. 6.

County Superintendent of Schools Robert Kelty invites residents from throughout the County to consider serving their communities by seeking offices that help shape policies impacting our children’s future. All current terms end Dec. 31 and those elected serve four-year terms.

The following school districts will hold elections Nov. 6 to fill governing board openings:

• The Flagstaff Unified School Board will have three open positions, which are currently held by Chris Bavasi, Sarah Ells and Paul Kulpinski. A minimum of 201 nominating signatures must appear on a potential candidate’s petition forms and a nomination paper must be filed to seek one of these seats.

• The Fredonia Moccasin Unified School Board will have two open positions. Two of the positions are currently held by Jim Goodnow and Lamar Heaton. A minimum of five nominating signatures must appear on a potential candidate’s petition forms and a nomination paper must be filed to seek one of these seats.

• The Grand Canyon Unified School Board will have three open positions, which are currently held by Clarinda Vail, Peter Shearer and Luis Garcia. A minimum of six nominating signatures must appear on a potential candidate’s petition forms and a nomination paper must be filed to seek one of these seats.

• The Page Unified School Board will have three open positions, which are currently held by Sandra Kidman, Martha Natonabah and William Justice. A minimum of 39 nominating signatures must appear on a potential candidate’s petition forms and a nomination paper must be filed to seek one of these seats.

• The Williams Unified School Board will have three open positions, which are currently held by Herman Nixon, Thomas Ross and David Nenne. A minimum of 15 nominating signatures must appear on a potential candidate’s petition forms and a nomination paper must be filed to seek one of these seats.

• The Tuba City Unified School Board will have three open positions, which are currently held by Judy Begay, Linda Honahni and Marie Wheeler. A minimum of 46 nominating signatures must appear on a potential candidate’s petition forms and a nomination paper must be filed to seek one of these seats.

• The Chevelon Butte Elementary School District #5 School Board, will have three open positions, which are currently held by Richard Eng, Linda Blosser, and Trina Cooper. A minimum of three nominating signatures must appear on a potential candidate’s petition forms and a nomination paper must be filed to seek one of these seats.
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March 13th election results in Coconino County

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FLAGSTAFF — In the Mayoral race in Flagstaff, Jerry Nabours leads with 3632 votes followed by Al White with 3302. Paul Kulpinski received 1919 votes with Paul Reilly receiving 557. There were 38 write-in votes.

In Williams, Mayor John Moore took 66% of the vote over former mayor Ken Edes. Moore received 439 to Edes 218 votes with 41% of registered voters going to the polls.

When asked about the vote, a voter in Williams commented, “I didn’t know Edes had that much kin in Williams.”

Frank McNelly and James Wurgler were the top two people seeking City Council spots with 488 and 470 votes respectively. Bobby Patricca came in third with 314 and Craig Fritsinger received 297 votes making a run-off election between the two in the next election cycle.

In Fredonia, Alvin Johnson received 57% of the votes for city council over Dustin Riddle; 230 votes to 164.

In the Tusayan recall election, Robert Evans received two more than the 54 votes for Greg Bryan. Clarinda Vail received 54 to the 53 votes received for Al Montoya. In the recall of Cecily Maniaci, Craig Sanderson received 71 votes tallying to 85.54% against 12 votes for write-in candidates.

In the race for board members of the Kaibab Estate W. Fire District, Pat Whitted took 80 votes followed by Douglas Gorniak with 77. Robert Wilkins received 75 votes and Carol Miller and George Wallace tied with 74 votes each. Andy Velasquez received 19 votes.

This county-wide summary is based on non-canvassed results and they could change. For more detailed election results, go to the Coconino County Elections web site.

Towns of Fredonia, Tusayan, City of Williams, Kaibab Estates West Fire District conduct March Elections

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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – The Coconino County Elections office is preparing for several consolidated elections March 13 in Fredonia, Williams, Tusayan and the Kaibab Estates West Fire District.

The Town of Fredonia and City of Williams will all be holding elections for mayor and/or council seats. The Town of Tusayan will conduct a recall election and Kaibab Estates West Fire District will elect five board members.

Fredonia and Kaibab Estates West Fire District elections are being conducted as “Vote by Mail” elections. This means all eligible voters will automatically be sent a ballot starting Feb. 16. There will be no polling location on the March 13 Election Day.

To be eligible to vote in either of these elections, a voter must have been registered by Feb. 13 and live within the boundaries of the district. If an eligible voter does not receive a ballot by Thursday, Feb. 23 please contact the Elections Office at 928-679-7860 or toll free at 800-793-6181 to obtain a replacement ballot.
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Polling Changes for Feb. 28 Presidential Preference Election

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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. – Only voters registered with the Republican party or Green party are eligible to vote in the Feb. 28 Presidential Preference Election (PPE).

Recognized political parties are given the option to participate in a Presidential Preference Election and only the Republicans and Green parties selected to participate for 2012. If a voter wishes to register to vote or change party affiliation they must do so by Jan. 30.

Voters who are registered to vote as Democrats, Libertarians, non-partisans, independents or any other political party are NOT eligible to vote in the PPE. The reason being is that this “preference” election is being conducted by political party rules.

However, all voters no matter what party preference they are registered with, will be eligible to participate in the Aug. 28 Primary Election.

Per state statute for this election, the county is required to consolidate precincts except on reservation land. Based on that, Coconino County Elections has taken 85 precincts and consolidated into 26 polling districts.

Each household with a registered Republican or Green Party voter will be mailed a sample ballot that lists the name and polling place address for this election. Sample ballots should arrive about 30 days prior to the election.

In addition, as provided by ARS (16- 248A) voting precincts containing 300 or less registered voters will be conducted as mail ballot precincts. That means a ballot will automatically be mailed to every eligible registered Republican and Green Party voter in those precincts and there will be no polling place on election day. The following 23 precincts will be conducted as all mail ballot precincts; Bellemont, Parks, Ranches, Blue Ridge, Forest Lakes, Mormon Lake, Meteor, Winona, Kiva, Fort Tuthill, Kachina Village, Pinewood, Fort Valley, Fredonia, North Rim, Glen Canyon, Grand Canyon, Tusayan, Kaibab North, Havasupai, Paiute, Sedona North and Sedona South.

Republican and Green Party voters who currently have signed up to be on the Permanent Early Voting list (PEVL) will automatically be mailed a ballot on February 2.

Republican and Green Party voters that live in precincts that will be voting at a polling place but are not on the PEVL listing can still vote an early ballot by either calling the Elections Office at 928-689-7860 or toll free 800-793-6181; send a written request to Coconino County Elections, 110 E. Cherry, Flagstaff, AZ 86001; or submit an on-line request at www.coconino.az.gov/elections and click on “Request Early Ballot.”

Republican and Green Party voters may also vote an early ballot in person at early voting locations throughout the County. The following early voting locations are available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 pm, unless noted differently, at the following locations:

Coconino County Elections Office – 110 E. Cherry (first floor), Flagstaff
Ferdonia Town Office – 25 N. Main Street, Ferdonia
Page City Hall – 697 Vista Avenue, Page
Tuba City Elections Office – Tuba City Library – Basement
Williams City Hall – 113 S. First Street, Williams. (Monday through Thursday only)