Category Archives: Williams

Bearizona commission special sculpture for International Sculpture Day

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WILLIAMS – Bearizona, a popular wildlife park near the Grand Canyon devoted to providing homes to wild animals in need, is commissioning a famous sculptor family to create a new sculpture for the park in honor of International Sculpture Day on April 27, called “Inspiration Gone Wild,” in the hopes that if a grizzly bear-centric totem is built, the grizzly bears will come.

Josh, Jesse, and Jonathan LaBenne—who has created sculptures for celebrity clients including Robert Redford, George W. Bush, Richard Petty, John Crawford, and Judge Judy, to name a few—have also helped sculpt Bearizona into the experience it is today since the park’s inception in 2009. Among the impressive sculptures and full-scale experiential art installations the Afton, Wyoming family has created for the wildlife park are Canyonlands Restaurant, complete with sculpted canyons, eagles and a black jaguar, and the replica of an old mine that houses Bearizona’s gift shop.

Jonathan “The Bear Man” LaBenne is the patriarch of the artistic family, whose sculptures grace many art galleries throughout mountain regions in the United States and worldwide. He was originally known as a chainsaw artist, but his desire for refinement and detail as well as his passion for relief work began to show as he incorporated grinders, sanders, torches and high-speed carving tools into his trade.

He and his wife, Pamela, who is also an artist, began teaching their children how to create art at a very early age.

“We now have a family of awesome artists!” he says. “But our crown jewel is, undoubtedly, Canyonlands Restaurant at Bearizona.”

The LaBenne family continues to use a variety of materials and tools. At Bearizona, for example, many of the rock sculptures and arches overlay old cars and trucks. The otter mountain in the new otter habitat is built on top of a recycled dump truck, along with old Dodge and Chevy pickup truck parts. The rocks and ledges at Canyonlands Restaurant are also built on steel framing covered in sheet metal, which were later covered with foam, plaster, concrete and other mediums to sculpt the rock walls and ruins.

“One of my favorite things to do is recycle old materials and turn it into something new and beautiful,” LaBenne says. “When I see a totaled car at a junk yard, for example, I immediately start imaging what shape of rock it could be.”

A New Sculpture for Bearizona in Honor of International Sculpture Day: “Inspiration Gone Wild”
Bearizona owner Sean Casey announced today, in honor of International Sculpture Day, he is commissioning the LaBenne family to create a new sculpture called “Inspiration Gone Wild,” which will be on display in the walk-through portion of the park next to the otter habitat. The sculpture will feature a giant grizzly bear at the base of a real tree accompanied by three grizzly bear cubs climbing the tree, who are meeting three friendly otters, curious to see the cubs. A bald eagle on a nest will top off this epic collection of sculpted creatures, harmoniously existing on a single tree.

“There is no question about it: Bearizona would not be the experience it is today without the LaBenne family and their incredible talent and vision,” Casey says. “We could not be more thrilled that the new otter habitat will be marked by yet another fantastic LaBenne creation, and we are hopeful that if we build a grizzly bear sculpture, we may attract the opportunity to rescue them in the future. We have been wanting to rescue grizzly bears for years.”

Since it was founded in 2010, Bearizona has fast-become a must-see attraction when visiting the Grand Canyon’s South Rim or driving through Northern Arizona. It was voted among the top three wildlife parks by the annual USA Today Readers’ Choice Awards twice in the past two years.

Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts to Begin Spring Prescribed Fire Operations This Week on the Kaibab National Forest

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WILLIAMS — Fire managers on the south zone of the Kaibab National Forest will begin springtime burning on both the Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts beginning Thursday of this week and will likely burn through the weekend and into the following week ahead.

Due to the higher snow and precipitation levels that were received across northern Arizona this past winter, conditions have presented ideal opportunities to implement prescribed burns in the spring months of the year. Prescribed fire is one of the many tools used to accomplish multiple forest restoration objectives. It is also beneficial as a practical method to reduce risks associated with uncharacteristic wildfires that can pose significant threats to public health and safety.On the Williams Ranger District, crews are hopeful to finish the final 5200 acres of the Sunflower project which began in 2017. The area to be treated is located approximately 10 miles southeast of Williams between County Road 73 and Whitehorse Lake. A helicopter may be used to assist with aerial ignitions on this project and up to 1000 acres a day could potentially be ignited.

On the Tusayan Ranger District managers will continue working on the Reed Prescribed Fire project and will be looking to burn approximately 500 acres 3 miles northeast of the town of Tusayan. Crews may move over the Russell Rx project located approximately 18 miles southeast of Tusayan and continue working in this project area if conditions allow.

Smoke will be highly visible at times near all of these locations. Officials understand that smoke impacts to air quality may be unpleasant at times, however they can significantly reduce the amount and limit the duration more effectively using prescribed methods as opposed to an uncontrolled wildfire situation with long term effects. Smoke will be monitored very closely with the intent to minimize impacts to rural areas.

Turkey Hunters are advised to be aware of these fire operations occurring across the southern half of the Kaibab National Forest and use caution if hunting near these areas.

During operations, fire personnel and vehicles working in these vicinities will be visible to the public. Motorists are reminded to slow down and drive with heightened awareness when passing through active project areas.

All prescribed burning on the Kaibab National Forest is subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality.

For additional information about the Smoke Management Division of the ADEQ and to view prescribed burns authorizations, please visit www.azdeq.gov/environ/air/smoke/index.html. Additional fire information for Kaibab National Forest can be obtained through the following sources:

· Fire Information Recorded Hotline: 928-635-8311
· Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF (Text ‘follow kaibabnf’ to 40404 to receive text messages.)
· Kaibab Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF
· Kaibab website “Recent News”: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
· Kaibab South Zone Rx Fire: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5922/

Grand Canyon Boulevard FULL closure under Interstate 40 in Williams scheduled April 16

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WILLIAMS – Drivers who use Interstate 40 in northern Arizona are advised to plan for travel delays as crews return to complete paving, bridge and intersection work between Parks and Williams.

On Tuesday, April 16, crews will close Grand Canyon Boulevard in both directions under I-40 to perform roadway reconstruction. This three-week closure will also include the eastbound I-40 on- and off-ramp. The following detour will be in place:

  • Southbound Grand Canyon Boulevard traffic will enter westbound I-40 via Country Club Road (exit 161).
  • Northbound Grand Canyon Boulevard to eastbound I-40 traffic will head eastbound on Historic Route 66 to enter eastbound I-40 at Williams/Grand Canyon (exit 165).
  • Northbound Grand Canyon Boulevard to westbound I-40 traffic will head westbound on Historic Route 66 to enter westbound I-40 at Country Club Road (exit 161).
  • Eastbound I-40 traffic accessing Williams will exit Country Club Road (exit 161).

In addition, the following ramp closures and detours are scheduled while crews repair the on- and off- ramps at Grand Canyon Boulevard:

  • From 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, April 29, through Friday, May 3, crews will close the westbound I-40 off-ramp at Grand Canyon Boulevard. DETOUR: Westbound I-40 traffic accessing Williams will exit at State Route 64 (exit 165).
  • From 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, May 6, through Friday, May 10, crews will close the westbound I-40 on-ramp at Grand Canyon Boulevard. DETOUR: Eastbound I-40 traffic accessing Williams will exit at Country Club Road (exit 161).

The eastbound and westbound I-40 ramps at Grand Canyon Boulevard will NOT be closed at the same time.

In early summer, crews will put down new asphalt on 17 miles of I-40 pavement in both directions between Parks and Williams. The project also includes a final layer of asphalt, known as friction course, to further improve the roadway surface, as well as installation of guardrail, striping and signage. The project is scheduled for completion in late 2019.

Motorists should allow extra travel time and plan for possible delays while work is underway.

Kaibab National Forest announces March archaeology month events

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WILLIAMS — This March, the Kaibab National Forest will continue its more than decade-long tradition of offering stimulating presentations and outdoor excursions in the Williams area as part of Arizona Archaeology and Heritage Awareness Month.

On Wednesday evenings throughout March, experts will present a series of lectures starting at 6 p.m. at the Sultana Theatre in Williams covering topics such as the preservation and rehabilitation of the historic 1911 Kendrick Mountain Lookout Cabin, the history of railroads in the Williams area, historic aircraft navigation arrows in northern Arizona, and a film recognizing the Arizona heroes of World War I.

On all five Saturdays in March, Kaibab National Forest archaeologists will lead fun and educational hikes to the Keyhole Sink petroglyph site near the Parks community starting at 2 p.m. The Keyhole Sink Trail offers a short, relatively flat hike to a scenic box canyon where prehistoric residents left their mark carved into the canyon’s gray volcanic walls. Those wishing to participate in the hikes should call in advance for reservations to (928) 635-5600.

“Archaeology month is one of my favorite times of the year because it gives us the opportunity to share the historic and cultural treasures of the Kaibab National Forest with so many people,” said archaeologist Neil Weintraub. “Those who get to experience these special places and resources end up being some of our greatest partners in preserving them.”

Archaeology month is intended to generate understanding of and support for the state’s archaeological heritage. Celebrations and events focus on promoting the preservation of archaeological resources and illustrating ways the public can help in protecting and appreciating them.

For detailed information about the Kaibab National Forest archaeology month offerings in the Williams area, visit the March 2019 Archaeology Event Calendar. To reserve a spot for either a lecture or hike, contact the Williams Ranger District at (928) 635-5600 or email Weintraub at nweintraub@fs.fed.us.

Big storm Thursday

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WILLIAMS – A winter storm watch has been issued by the NOAA starting Wednesday night and running through Friday during the day. There is a possibility of 17″ to 28″ through Friday night. High winds are expected through out the period.

2″ to 4″ is expected to fall overnight Wednesday. 9″ to 13″ is expected Thursday during the day with 5″ to 9″ overnight. Friday during the day 1″ to 2″ more is possible clearing over Friday night. Flagstaff is predicted to have a few inches less than Williams over the same period.

8.5″ of snow from the last storm.

That, of course, is not the end of the story. The snow may be heavy at times so city crews may not be able to start snow removal until Friday at the earliest.

Starting now, it is time to get extra water and food for your family and animals. By Sunday travel should be getting back to normal. If you have no where to go, however, it might be a good idea to stay home.

The last storm left a beautiful blanket of snow, but made forest roads bad.

If you have extra power packs to recharge phones and pads, you may want to charge them up. Charge any batteries you have for alternate forms of communications. Get extra batteries for flashlights and radios. Anticipate power and cell phone outages.

Kaibab National Forest kicks off third year of citizen science project

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Photo of a burrowing owl that was submitted as part of the Kaibab National Forest’s iNaturalist citizen science project. – Kaibab Forest Photo

WILLIAMS — Forest Service biologists are inviting eager naturalists, outdoor enthusiasts, and amateur scientists to join the citizen science team and help in documenting the plants and animals that inhabit the Kaibab National Forest. At the beginning of the year, forest specialists launched the Kaibab NF 2019 Citizen Science Project through the free online iNaturalist platform so that visitors can share pictures of flora and fauna they’ve discovered on the forest.

This is the third year that the Kaibab National Forest has promoted an iNaturalist citizen science project, and the observations recorded are helping to improve forest managers’ understanding of the abundance and distribution of species.

Photo of the Typocerus gloriosus beetle that was submitted as part of the Kaibab National Forest’s iNaturalist citizen science project. – Kaibab Forest Photo

“iNaturalist is an amazing platform that was created to document biodiversity throughout the world,” said Natasha Kline, forest biologist on the Kaibab National Forest. “While we’ve scaled it down to the forest level for our project, these observations are both improving forest management practices and wider scientific knowledge.”

When Kaibab National Forest visitors capture photos of plants or animals and share them through iNaturalist, they are contributing to a global biodiversity database. The iNaturalist platform shares findings with scientific repositories to help scientists around the world find and use data. They are also contributing to understanding species closer to home, as Kaibab National Forests biologists are monitoring project-specific findings and participating in helping to identify and confirm local discoveries.

Since the start of this citizen science effort, visitors and employees have made more than 5,000 observations across the Kaibab National Forest. This has included more than 800 different species of plants, birds, insects, mammals, reptiles, fishes and more. Unsurprisingly, due to its abundance in northern Arizona, ponderosa pine holds the top spot for most observations. Other discoveries, however, have proven much more telling about current forest conditions, leading to the potential to help inform future management approaches.

“We didn’t have any physical documentation regarding burrowing owls in the forest,” Kline said. “We’ve had verbal reports of people seeing them but not much else. Over the course of our citizen science projects, though, we have now received two photos of burrowing owls near the end of the breeding season. These kinds of unique observations, when verified, can lead to important scientific documentation.”

The Kaibab National Forest’s citizen science effort has also led to at least one rather remarkable discovery. In 2017, iNaturalist user “birding4fun” posted images of a distinct-looking beetle that turned out to not only be rare but also have no previous photographic evidence in the scientific literature. The insect was identified by a beetle expert on the platform as a Typocerus gloriosus beetle, one of the rarest longhorn beetles in the United States. The observation earned iNaturalist’s “Observation of the Week” title and caught the attention of a variety of media outlets.

Whether rare or common, observations shared as part of the Kaibab NF 2019 Citizen Science Project can help inform forest and wildlife management and provide information about species that might not have previously been known. The iNaturalist platform assists managers by documenting the presence of rare or introduced species so that actions can then be taken to help protect or eradicate them.

Forest managers encourage those interested to “See, Snap, and Share” their Kaibab National Forest discoveries through iNaturalist as part of the citizen science effort. iNaturalist offers the free app for both the iPhone and Android, which makes uploading observations easy. Through the platform, forest visitors can record and organize nature findings, meet other nature enthusiasts, and learn about the natural world.

“These citizen science projects enhance the visitor experience while providing the Kaibab with valuable information about our resources,” said Mark Christiano, GIS coordinator for the Kaibab National Forest. “In 2019, I’m looking forward to creating more educational and outreach opportunities for forest visitors, showing them how they can use iNaturalist to learn more about our forest’s amazing plants and wildlife. I’m hoping to encourage visitors to explore trails and document their fantastic observations.”

Through connecting different perceptions and expertise of the natural world, iNaturalist seeks to create extensive community awareness of local biodiversity and promote further exploration of local environments.

Pile Burning on Williams Ranger District Recommencing

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WILLIAMS – Fuels reduction efforts on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest will begin on Friday of this week and continue into next week as weather conditions permit. Machine piles on two separate timber sale units on the district have been evaluated and are suitable for ignition at this time.

383 acres of piles in the Wright Timber Sale area located north of Parks on the south side of Government Hill will be ignited Friday, and an additional 200 acres will begin on Monday of next week on the Shiner Timber Sale project located just southwest of Dogtown Lake along forest road 140.

Fuels specialists will continue to assess conditions in the weeks ahead and plan to continue implementing prescribed fire activities as opportunities arise.

Crews will use tactics to minimize smoke production and reduce the potential for impacts to the surrounding roadways and adjacent communities.
During ignition operations, smoke will be visible from areas surrounding these units but is expected to be light in volume and short in duration.

These pile burns are just a couple of many ongoing forest restoration projects happening that are critical to improving forest health and increasing vital protection of forest resources and community values.
As with all prescribed burns, weather conditions will determine the day’s most suitable for ignitions that have the least amount of negative effects on air quality and the best possible ventilation.

The public can view approved prescribed fires for any given day on the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality’s website at smoke.azdeq.gov/.
To learn more about smoke and public health, visit bit.ly/SmokeHealthAwareness.
Notifications of upcoming prescribed fire projects are provided regularly throughout the year. Additional information can also be obtained through the following sources:

· Kaibab National Forest Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
· Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF
· Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF
· Fire Information Recorded Hotline: 928-635-8311
· InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5922/

Barricaded Armed Person in Williams Taken into Custody After Shooting Himself in the Leg

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Matthew Solan – CCSO

WILLIAMS – On January 30 around 12:18 in the afternoon, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Deputies and the Williams Police Department initiated a traffic stop on Matthew Solan who was wanted for questioning related to a report of aggravated assault and kidnapping. The traffic stop was made on eastbound Route 66 in Williams, AZ. During the traffic stop the driver and another passenger exited the vehicle, but Solan barricaded himself in the vehicle.

Earlier in the day, around 10:17 am, the Sheriff’s Office received a report of aggravated assault and kidnapping. The reporting party told deputies that Matthew Solan had used a gun to hold him against his will on the evening of January 28 in the Junipine Estates area north of Williams, AZ.

Sheriff’s Deputies and Williams Police Officers were attempting to locate Solan to interview him when Solan’s vehicle was seen at several businesses in the downtown Williams area. Solan was seen going to Footworks and then entered his vehicle along with two other individuals. At that time, Sheriff’s Deputies along with Williams PD Officers initiated a traffic stop and attempted to contact Solan.

The driver and other occupant exited the vehicle, but Solan refused to exit and barricaded himself in the vehicle. Officers began to set up a perimeter in the area. Barricades and stop sticks were placed to attempt to stop Solan from driving away or responding in a way that may possibly endanger others in the area. Schools and businesses in the nearby area were placed in lock down to further provide public safety. The Flagstaff Police Department’s Joint Northern Arizona Tactical Team and negotiator also responded to assist.

At approximately 6:30 pm, Solan placed the gun next to his leg and shot himself in the leg. Solan exited the vehicle and surrendered himself. Solan was treated by medics on scene. He was transported by Lifeline Medical to the Flagstaff Medical Center for further treatment.

Solan was booked into the Coconino County Detention Facility on offenses including Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault, Weapons Violations, Resisting Arrest, and Probation Violation.

Barricades and closures remained in effect during the follow up investigation and were lifted approximately 7 pm.

The investigation is on-going and no further information is available at this time.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office thanks the public and Williams community for their cooperation during this incident. It was vital to have the public’s cooperation and understanding of the life safety measures that were taken to keep the area clear while responders negotiated with the barricaded person. Thank you again for your cooperation.

Police stand-off ends in self-inflicted gunshot wound

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WILLIAMS – A tense police stand off began at approximately noon today on Route 66 by Safeway ending six-an-a-half hours later with the armed suspect shooting himself in the leg. We have not received confirmation of the name of the suspect or what sparked the afternoon stand off.

We have heard that another male and female suspect were in the vehicle and surrendered at the beginning of the incident.

During the stand off, the suspect indicated that he wanted his mother to call an attorney to retain him or he would take his life. Later, the suspect arranged a phone call with the Coconino County Sheriff’s office commander because he no longer wanted to talk to the on scene negotiator.

At approximately 6:32 p.m., the suspect shot himself in the leg and the Williams Police Department dispatched a Lifeline ambulance that was standing by during the incident. No officers were injured or exchange fire.

No other details are known. We have a possible name of the suspect but are awaiting confirmation from the police.

Law Enforcement Response to Barricaded Subject – Williams

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Police stand off with a suspect in a black truck.

WILLIAMS, ARIZONA – Coconino County Sheriff’s Office along with Williams Police Department, Arizona Department of Public Safety, and Northern Arizona Tactical Team are currently on scene of an armed subject, barricaded inside his vehicle in the area of the Safeway grocery store in Williams, Arizona. At this time, no shots have been fired. There are no reports of injuries. A perimeter has been established and negotiations with the person are ongoing.

Law enforcement are asking that the public avoid the area. We will provide further information as it becomes available.