Category Archives: City

Coconino NF closing developed recreation sites

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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz., March 24, 2020 — Coconino National Forest has closed its developed recreation and day-use sites indefinitely to protect public and employee health, as well as align with state and local measures already in place to lessen the impact of COVID-19.

The vast majority of the forest is still open to visitors who want to spend time outdoors participating in recreational opportunities that support social distancing, such as hiking and biking on trails, and dispersed camping.

However, the following developed recreation sites, facilities, and restrooms are closed. More sites may close in the future, depending on the situation, as circumstances can change rapidly in response to COVID-19:

Day-Use Sites

  1. Banjo Bill Picnic Site
  2. Bootlegger Picnic Site
  3. Clints Well Picnic Site
  4. Encinoso Picnic Site
  5. Fossil Creek Area
  6. Halfway Picnic Site
  7. Long Valley Day-Use Site
  8. Oak Creek Vista

Group Campgrounds

  1. Chavez Crossing Group Campground
  2. Clear Creek Group Campground
  3. Dairy Springs Group Campground
  4. Elks Group Group Campground
  5. Long Valley Work Center Group Campground
  6. Moqui Group Campground
  7. O’Leary Group Campground

Heritage Sites

  1. Honanki Heritage Site
  2. Palatki Heritage Site
  3. V Bar V Heritage Site

Rental Cabins

  1. Apache Maid Cabin
  2. Crescent Moon Cabin
  3. Fernow Cabin
  4. Kendrick Cabin

Single Family Unit Campgrounds

  1. Ashurst Lake Campground
  2. Bonito Campground
  3. Blue Ridge Campground
  4. Canyon Vista Campground
  5. Cave Springs Campground
  6. Clear Creek Campground
  7. Clints Well Campground
  8. Dairy Springs Campground
  9. Double Springs Campground
  10. Kehl Springs Campground
  11. Knoll Lake Campground
  12. Lakeview Campground
  13. Little Elden Springs Campground
  14. Lockett Meadow Campground
  15. Manzanita Campground
  16. Pine Flat Campground
  17. Pine Grove Campground
  18. Rock Crossing Campground

Visitor Centers

  1. Red Rock Ranger Station & Visitor Center
  2. Oak Creek Visitor Center

Notifications to those who have made any reservations will be made as soon as possible and refunds will be processed.

Visitors should mitigate resource impacts wherever they recreate by taking their trash with them when they depart and appropriately managing human waste by burying it at least 6-8 inches deep and 200 feet away from water, trails and recreation sites.

All Coconino National Forests offices are conducting business and providing services virtually. While being outside is believed to be safer than indoor spaces, visitors to national forests are urged to take the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) recommended precautions.

Members of the public who have additional questions that cannot be answered through the Coconino National Forest website can contact one of our ranger stations:

  • Forest Supervisor’s Office: 928-527-3600, then press “0.”
  • Flagstaff Ranger Station: 928-527-8279.
  • Mogollon Rim Ranger Station: 928-477-2255.
  • Red Rock Ranger Station & Visitor’s Center: 928-203-2900, then press “0.”

Kaibab National Forest closes some recreation sites

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WILLIAMS — The Kaibab National Forest has closed specific recreation and day-use sites indefinitely to protect public health and align with state and local measures already in place to contain the COVID-19 outbreak.

The closed sites on each of the Kaibab National Forest’s three ranger districts are as follows:

North Kaibab Ranger District – (928) 643-7395
· Le Fevre Overlook

Tusayan Ranger District – (928) 638-2443
· Grandview Lookout Tower Day-Use Site
· Russell Tank Day-Use Site

Williams Ranger District – (928) 635-5600
· Oak Hill Snow Play Area
· Kaibab Lake Day-Use Site (boat launch and parking to remain open)
· Dogtown Lake Day-Use Site (boat launch and parking to remain open)
· Sycamore Falls Climbing Area and Day-Use Site

The Kaibab National Forest’s developed campgrounds remain closed, as they have not yet opened for the overnight camping season. All rental cabins on the forest are also closed. More recreation sites may close in the future as forest officials continue to monitor conditions and evaluate appropriate actions to limit the spread of COVID-19.

While specific recreation sites on the Kaibab National Forest are closed, most of the forest is open for visitors who want to spend time outdoors. Recreation opportunities that support social distancing, such as hiking, biking, wildlife viewing and dispersed camping, remain available.

The Kaibab National Forest asks members of the public to recreate responsibly by avoiding high-risk activities that could increase the chance of injury or distress. Law enforcement and search and rescue operations may be limited due to COVID-19. While being outside is believed to be safer than indoor spaces, visitors to national forests are urged to take the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommended precautions.

Visitors can help reduce impacts to their public lands and protect forest resources for the future by following Leave No Trace outdoor ethics including properly disposing of waste, respecting wildlife, leaving in place artifacts and other objects of interest, and avoiding the creation of damage by staying on established roads and trails.

All Kaibab National Forest offices are conducting business and providing services virtually. Customers needing information, permits and maps are encouraged to call the following offices during regular business hours for prompt customer service:

Supervisor’s Office – (928) 635-8200
Williams Ranger District – (928) 635-5600
Tusayan Ranger District – (928) 638-2443
North Kaibab Ranger District – (928) 643-7395

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

NOAA Wind Advisory Monday

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WILLIAMS – The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory from noon to 7 p.m. Monday, March 23. The winds are expected to be 20- to 35-mph with gusts up to 50-mph. Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. In addition, winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.

I addition there is a 70% chance of rain and snow during Monday during the day with a 10% chance of rain early Monday night. Little or no snow accumulation is expected. Tuesday will be sunny with 52-degree high. Clouds will return Tuesday night through Wednesday with a chance of snow returning Thursday. It should clear up Friday night and return to sunny with temperatures around 50-degrees.

Governor Doug Ducey closes businesses

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PHOENIX – Governor Doug Ducey announced today that he is signing an executive order to close restaurants in counties with confirmed cases of COVID-19. Bars, movie theaters and gyms are also closed.

Other measures include delaying expiration dates on driver’s licenses so elderly will not have to renew them and using the National Guard to assist in stocking store shelves.

The Governor’s full post on Facebook reads:

“I’m announcing new steps to combat the spread of #COVID19. These actions are based on the facts and on data, and come after careful consultation with public health experts from every county in Arizona, our hospitals, local elected officials, and private sector partners.

“They reflect guidance from the CDC and the latest recommendations from the Arizona Department of Health Services while going even further to bolster our efforts with additional manpower and resources.

“To ensure Arizonans have continued access to food, I’m activating the National Guard to assist grocery stores & food banks in the face of heightened demand. This will ensure grocery stores have the manpower needed to keep shelves stocked @AZNationalGuard

“I’m issuing an Executive Order that halts all elective surgeries in the state to free up medical resources and maintain the capacity for hospitals and providers to continue offering vital services. This will reserve critical protective equipment for the fight against COVID-19.

“I’m issuing an Executive Order that requires restaurants in counties w/ confirmed cases of COVID-19 to provide dine-out options only, and closes bars, movie theaters and gyms. Restaurants will be allowed to deliver alcoholic beverages w/ food purchase

“I’m issuing an Executive Order to delay expiration dates on Arizona driver licenses, ensuring residents over the age of 65 do not need to visit Motor Vehicle Division offices to renew their driver licenses during the public health emergency.

“This is an all-in effort. We remain focused in the state of Arizona on proactively limiting the spread of COVID-19 and will continue to protect public health.

“Visit azhealth.gov/COVID19 for more.”

City Council votes to let Williams Businesses stay open

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WILLIAMS – The Williams Council meet in an urgent session to determine the response to the recent Coconino County Supervisors orders to close businesses beginning at 8 p.m. tonight. The Council decided to recommend that businesses follow CDC guidelines, but they would not enforce closures.

Mayor Moore, of Williams, said that the Council carefully weighed the available information and decided that there was no justification for such a measure at this time. He stressed that businesses should continue to observe CDC guidelines.

What this means is that bars and restaurants may remain open for dine-in service. Other government agencies may remain open. The Recreation Center indicated they will remain open unless otherwise informed.

Williams is still, unfortunately, being hit with economic woes with the Grand Canyon Railway not running and tourism down.

Williams is an incorporated City and may approve to not enforce certain County resolutions, but unincorporated towns are required to abide by them.

Presumptive positive case of COVID-19 reported in Coconino County

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FLAGSTAFF – Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) confirmed the first presumptive positive case of COVID-19 in Coconino County. The test was conducted by TGen North Clinical Laboratory.

The individual is from the greater Flagstaff area and is over 60-years old, which is considered a vulnerable population. CCHHS is conducting an investigation regarding the case to identify other individuals potentially exposed to the illness. Close contacts of the individual will be contacted by CCHHS staff and provided appropriate information. The CCHHS Communicable Disease is monitoring the person who is under home isolation. Due to medical privacy requirements and to protect the person’s identity, further information about this case will not be released.

“The County’s number one priority is the safety of our residents,” said Chair of the Board Lena Fowler. “We have complete faith in our public health officials, our community leaders and partners to manage our response to the pandemic. While information continues to change and more cases are identified, we encourage people to stay calm. If you’re sick, please stay home and contact a health care provider to obtain medical guidance.”

CCHHS is working closely with healthcare providers and partner organizations to continue to monitor the virus. People who are experiencing respiratory symptoms, including cough, fever and shortness of breath, and have either been in contact with someone who was tested positive, traveled to China or other areas experiencing community spread of the virus, or respiratory testing has not identified a known illness should be evaluated for testing. COVID-19 testing is conducted at the Arizona State Public Health Laboratory and in partnership with TGen North Clinical Laboratory.

“The CCHHS Communicable Disease team is determining potential exposures from this case,” said County COVID-19 Incident Commander Dr. Marie Peoples. “As the illness spreads in the U.S., the County has been educating people about prevention and working with health care providers and community partners to monitor and test potential cases. We encourage everyone to take actions to prevent the spread of respiratory illness.”

According to public health officials, the immediate risk of COVID-19 infection to individuals in Coconino County is still believed to be relatively low. Symptoms of COVID-19 may include fever, cough and shortness of breath consistent with other respiratory illness. Reported illnesses range from infected people with little to no symptoms to people being severely ill.

Some people may be at higher risk of getting very sick from this illness. This includes:

Older adults and people who have serious underlying medical conditions like:

Heart disease
Diabetes
Lung disease

There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19 infection. As a reminder, CCHHS recommends actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:

• Get a seasonal flu shot
• Wash hands frequently.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth.
• Avoid contact with people who are sick.
• Cover your mouth with your upper sleeve or with a tissue when coughing or sneezing.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

The County has set-up a CVOID-19 Information Line. People are encouraged to call 928-679-7300 if they have any questions. The Information Line is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. People can also email: covid19information@coconino.az.gov.

Please go to www.coconino.az.gov/covid19 for more information.

TGen’s Pathogen and Microbiome Division in Flagstaff, also known as TGen North, studies disease caused by bacteria, virus, fungi and parasites. More information is available at https://www.tgen.org. TGen, an affiliate of City of Hope, is a non-profit biomedical research institute headquartered in Phoenix.

Board of Supervisors proclaim emergency measures for social distancing

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FLAGSTAFF – The Coconino County Board of Supervisors issued a proclamation closing restaurants and other businesses in Coconino County to members of the public, effective at 8 p.m. on Thursday, March 19, 2020 through Wednesday, April 1, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. Board Chair Lena Fowler issued the proclamation aimed to help curb the spread of COVID-19 through social distancing.

All restaurants, food courts, cafes, coffeehouses, retail food facilities and other similar businesses and establishments are prohibited from serving food and beverages for consumption on premises. Members of the public are prohibited from entering and remaining to dine or consume beverages. Businesses that typically offer food and beverages for on-premises consumption are encouraged to offer food and beverage using delivery, window, drive-through or drive-up service. If a business chooses to offer this type of “to-go” service, members of the public may remain on its premises for the purpose of picking up their food or beverage orders.

The proclamation also closes the following:

  • Bars, taverns, brew pubs, breweries, microbreweries, distilleries, wineries, tasting rooms, special licensees, clubs, and other similar businesses and establishments offering alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption.
  • Theaters, cinemas and indoor and outdoor performance venues.
  • Libraries and museums.
  • Gymnasiums, fitness centers, recreation centers, indoor sports facilities, indoor exercise facilities, exercise studios, yoga and barre studios and other similar facilities.
  • Bingo halls, bowling alleys, indoor climbing facilities, skating rinks and other similar recreational or entertainment facilities.

The restrictions do not apply to any of the following:

  • Grocery stores, markets, convenience stores and other similar businesses and establishments that offer food and beverage not for on-premises consumption;
    Pharmacies and drug stores;
  • Food banks and food pantries;
  • Cafeterias, commissaries, and restaurants located within health care facilities, nursing homes, shelters, group homes, places of worship, or similar facilities; and
  • Cafeterias, commissaries, and restaurants located within or on the premises of institutions of higher learning.

The County set-up a COVID-19 Information Line (928.679.7300) from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends for people who have questions. People can also email questions to: COVID19Information@coconino.az.gov.

Further information is available on the Coconino County COVID-19 website at www.coconino.az.gov/covid19.

Board of Supervisors declare County State of Emergency

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FLAGSTAFF – The Coconino County Board of Supervisors declared a State of Emergency due to the outbreak of COVID-19. The declaration was approved at special session on Wednesday, March 18.

With the declaration, Coconino County will be able to make appropriate orders, provide emergency resources, request additional resources and receive mutual aid from the state and federal governments. There are currently no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Coconino County.

The County was the first agency in the state of Arizona to set-up COVID-19 specimen collections sites. There are two sites in Flagstaff. As per CDC guidelines, individuals must meet criteria, as determined by their provider, to qualify for testing. An order from a healthcare provider or from the Coconino County Health and Human Service COVID-19 Response Team is required prior to arriving at the specimen collection site. People are asked to call their providers prior to visiting a medical office.

“Coconino County takes the COVID-19 outbreak seriously and we are doing everything we can to keep our residents informed and safe,” said Chair of the County Board of Supervisors Lena Fowler. “Coconino County continues to deliver services as we adapt to this rapidly evolving situation. We have opened two specimen collection sites for people that have doctor’s orders for a test. We continue to provide the latest information and resources to our communities and local businesses. Our employees are absolutely important so we are implementing extra support so they can continue to provide essential County services for the public.”

While there are currently no County office closures, there is planning for potential facility closures, modified staffing plans, work-from-home options and enhanced communications to employees to ensure County services are continued. County Board meetings will continue as planned unless conditions change and people are encouraged to stream meetings and attend in person only if necessary.

Coconino County Health and Human Services established the Coconino County COVID-19 Incident Command Team that included a Command and General Staff structure for the monitoring and preparedness measures surrounding COVID-19 on January 29, 2020. The County also established an Emergency Operations Center on March 12 to prepare for a potential outbreak of COVID-19. The County also set-up a COVID-19 Information Line (928.679.7300) from 8 a.m. – 9 p.m. Monday – Friday and 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. on weekends for people who have questions. People can also email questions to: COVID19Information@coconino.az.gov. Further information is available on the Coconino County COVID-19 website at www.coconino.az.gov/covid19.

Mexican wolf population rises to at least 163 animals

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AZGF Photo

PHOENIX — The wild population of Mexican wolves continues to grow at a healthy pace. The recent Mexican wolf count shows the population of Mexican wolves has increased by 24 percent since last year, raising the total number of wolves in the wild to a minimum of 163 animals.

That number is among the findings of the Mexican Wolf Interagency Field Team (IFT), a task force comprising federal, state, tribal and international partners. From November 2019 through January 2020, the team conducted ground counts in Arizona and New Mexico that concluded with aerial counts of Mexican wolves in January and February.

According to the IFT, the 163 wolves are distributed with 76 in Arizona and 87 in New Mexico. Last year, the team documented 131 wolves at the end of 2018, which was a 12 percent increase from 2017. This population has increased an average of 15 percent annually in the last 10 years.

“The count shows we have more wolves, more breeding pairs and more pups born in the wild than ever before,” said Amy Lueders, Regional Director for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Albuquerque, NM. “This is the second year we have seen a significant increase in the wild population of Mexican wolves, a success that is directly tied to the science-based, on-the-ground management efforts of the Interagency Field Team.”

Among the 2019 findings:

  • At the end of 2019, there were a minimum of 42 packs of wolves (including 11 new pairs), plus 10 individuals. A wolf pack is defined as two or more wolves that maintain an established territory.
  • A minimum of 21 of the 28 packs the IFT was monitoring in spring of 2019 had pups; 19 of these packs had pups that survived to the end of the year.​​​​​​​
  • A minimum of 90 pups were born in 2019, and at least 52 survived to the end of the year (a 58 percent survival rate). Average survival of Mexican wolf pups is around 50 percent.​​​​​​​
  • The IFT documented 14 mortalities in the wild population of Mexican wolves in 2019. This is a 33 percent decrease from documented mortalities (21) in 2018.

During the aerial count, biologists captured 21 wolves and fitted them with new GPS tracking collars. This brings the number of collared wolves in the wild to 103 (63 percent of the known population). These radio collars use satellite technology to accurately record wolf locations on a frequent basis. Biologists on the IFT use this information to gain timely information about wolf behavior in the wild and assist with management of the wild population.

In 2019, the IFT placed 12 captive-born pups into five wild dens (a process called “cross fostering”) to boost the genetic variability in the wild population. The IFT has since captured and collared two of these pups and will continue efforts in 2020 to document others that may have survived. Since the first cross-fostering of Mexican wolf pups in 2014, the IFT has documented a minimum of nine cross-fostered pups recruited into the population and currently alive. Four cross-fostered wolves have survived to breeding age, resulting in multiple litters of genetically diverse pups born in the wild. Three more cross-fostered wolves will reach breeding age in April of 2020.

“The numbers highlight the wolf’s progress in the wild,” said Jim deVos, Assistant Director of Wildlife Management for the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “The results of this census are very important as they reflect the great progress being made in the recovery of the Mexican wolf in the United States. The increase in the Mexican wolf population is not an isolated year, but rather a continuum of increases over the last 10 years.”

The Mexican wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) is the rarest subspecies of gray wolf in North America. It is listed separately from the gray wolf (Canis lupus) as an endangered subspecies under the federal Endangered Species Act. Once common throughout portions of the southwestern United States and Mexico, it was all but eliminated from the wild by the 1970s.

Working with the Mexican government, the Service in 1977 began developing a captive breeding program to restore the wolf’s numbers. It started with seven wolves, aiming for the day the program could release wolves into the wild. That day came in 1998, when the Service, in cooperation with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, released 11 wolves within a range called the Mexican Wolf Experimental Population Area in Arizona and New Mexico. In 2011, the program expanded to Mexico with the release of wolves in the Sierra Madre Occidental. Mexico currently estimates there are approximately 30 Mexican wolves in the Sierra Madre Occidental.

In November 2017, the Service completed a revised Mexican Wolf Recovery Plan, after working with state agencies and other partners. The recovery plan uses the best available science to chart a path forward for the Mexican wolf that can be accommodated within the subspecies’ historical range in the southwestern United States and Mexico. This revised plan provides measurable and objective criteria for successful recovery. When those goals are met, the Service will be able to remove the Mexican wolf from the list of endangered species and turn management over to the states.

In addition to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Arizona Game and Fish Department, partners in the recovery program include the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish (NMDGF), USDA Forest Service (USFS), USDA-Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Wildlife Services (USDA-APHIS WS), White Mountain Apache Tribe (WMAT), Bureau of Land Management (BLM), and the U.S. National Park Service (NPS).

For more information on the Mexican Wolf Recovery Program, visit the USFWS Mexican wolf website (www.fws.gov/southwest/es/mexicanwolf) or visit the Arizona Game and Fish Department website on Mexican wolves (www.azgfd.gov/wolf).

Game and Fish Commission’s March 20 meeting in Tucson is canceled

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PHOENIX — Notice is hereby given that the meeting of the Arizona Game and Fish Commission, scheduled for March 20, 2020, in Tucson, is canceled.

Due to current conditions and CDC recommendations about public events, the Commission meeting will be rescheduled to a later date.