Category Archives: Cochise County

Drowning victim recovered at Blue Ridge Reservoir

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BLUE RIDGE – On June 21, 2020, At 6:07pm the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and Blue Ridge Fire District responded to the Blue Ridge Reservoir, also known as C.C. Cragin Reservoir, for a report of swimmer who had gone under water near the boat ramp and never resurfaced.

A search of the immediate area was conducted using the boats of bystanders, but the subject was not located. Search operations were suspended as it began to get dark and a plan was developed for an underwater search on the morning of June 22.

On June 22 the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received assistance from the Gila County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team and Tonto Rim Search and Rescue to conduct an underwater search. As part of the search a Search and Rescue dog trained in human remains detection in water was used to confirm the area to search. Divers searched an area indicated by the search dog and located the missing subject at approximately 11:30am.

The subject, 32-year-old Austin Smith of Payson, was recovered from the lake and transferred to the custody of the Coconino County Office of the Medical Examiner. The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office is grateful for the assistance of the Blue Ridge Fire District, Gila County Sheriff’s Office, Tonto Rim Search and Rescue, and the US Forest Service in resolving this incident.

Judge Ted S. Reed appointed Presiding Juvenile Court Judge

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Judge Ted S. Reed – Coconino County Photo

FLAGSTAFF – The Coconino County Presiding Superior Court Judge Mark R. Moran has appointed Judge Ted S. Reed as the Presiding Juvenile Court Judge.

As Presiding Juvenile Court Judge, Reed will be responsible for the oversight of operations of the Juvenile Court, including Juvenile Detention, Juvenile Probation and Juvenile Programming.

“I am pleased to appoint such a qualified person to such an important position,” said Judge Moran. “Judge Reed’s involvement in the Juvenile Court over the last eight years and his dedication to the staff, kids and families in our Juvenile Justice System made him the top choice for Presiding Juvenile Court Judge.”

In 2011 Judge Reed was appointed as Judge Pro Tempore for the Superior Court, serving Division 6. His caseload included juvenile delinquency, family law and Recovery Court. In 2019, Judge Reed was elected to Division 1 of the Superior Court when Judge Hatch retired.

“I am honored to be selected as the Presiding Juvenile Court Judge and want to acknowledge the tremendous accomplishments of my predecessor and mentor, the Honorable Margaret McCullough,” said Judge Reed. “I look forward to building on the success of our Coconino County Juvenile Justice System and working with a professional and dedicated staff whose focus is on the well-being of the kids. It is truly humbling to receive this opportunity to lead the Juvenile Court in advancing the initiatives we currently are working on and developing further creative solutions to help our kids and families succeed.”

Prior to Judge Reed’s judicial service, he was in private practice in criminal defense and family law and served as a Deputy Coconino County Attorney from 2005-2008.

ADEQ Reaches $1,250,000 Settlement with Apache Nitrogen Products, Inc.

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PHOENIX — Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) officials announced today that Apache Nitrogen Products, Inc. (ANPI), a nitric acid and ammonium nitrate-based products manufacturer in St. David, Cochise County, has settled with the State for years of past noncompliance with ANPI’s air quality control permit issued by ADEQ.

ANPI will pay a $500,000 civil penalty, and could be required to pay an additional suspended penalty up to $750,000 if ADEQ documents additional significant violations in the next three years.

Between August 2010 and February 2015, ADEQ issued ANPI eight separate Notices of Violation related to production processes at two nitric acid production plants. Alleged violations included failing five emissions tests for ammonia and ammonium nitrate, the inability of the continuous emissions monitors for NOx (nitrogen oxide and nitrogen dioxide) to pass accuracy tests on four occasions, and failure to calibrate, maintain and operate a continuous opacity monitor.

“By holding Apache Nitrogen Products, Inc. accountable for its violations, the company has improved its operations, is now in compliance with its permit and public health and the environment are protected,” ADEQ Air Quality Division Director Eric Massey said.

ANPI has resolved the alleged violations and is now in compliance with the permit requirements.

The consent judgment is subject to court approval.

Background
According to the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), NOx can damage respiratory airways and burn skin and eyes. Nitrogen dioxide also reacts with sunlight, which leads to formation of ozone and smog. ATSDR also states that exposure to high levels of ammonia can cause irritation and serious burns on the skin and in the mouth, throat, lungs, and eyes.

ADEQ Hosts Free Environmental Roadshows in Bisbee and Benson

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PHOENIX — Arizona Department of Environmental Quality officials announced today that they and partners ADOT Adopt a Highway Volunteer Programs and Keep Arizona Beautiful (KAZB) will conduct two “Environmental Resources Roadshows” in Cochise County:

  1. Tuesday, June 23, from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Bisbee City Hall – Council Chambers, 118 Arizona St., Bisbee
  2. Wednesday, June 24, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., Benson City Hall – Council Chambers, 120 W. Sixth St., Benson.

ADEQ encourages community members, business people, public officials, and school representatives in Bisbee, Benson and the surrounding area to attend these free events.

ADEQ staff will discuss potential recycling funding opportunities, future electronic waste recycling events, food recovery program, and brownfields grants. Adopt a Highway officials will talk about the process for volunteers to adopt sections of Arizona highways for litter cleanup. KAZB officials will discuss their statewide litter prevention and beautification programs. Representatives of each agency will give brief presentations, engage attendees in an open dialogue and answer questions during the two-hour event.

“Bisbee recycled 442 tons of waste materials in 2014 using 100 convenient drop-off locations,” said ADEQ Recycling Coordinator J.B. Shaw. “ADEQ hopes that Bisbee’s successful program, which started with one of our recycling grants, will inspire nearby communities to provide customized recycling opportunities that benefit their citizens.”

“ADEQ’s governmental and non-profit partnerships, like our state-wide roadshow series, provide environmental education and raise awareness by matching available resources with specific needs of our communities,” said ADEQ Director Henry Darwin.

Contacts:

ADEQ Recycling Coordinator J.B. Shaw at shaw.joseph@azdeq.gov or (602) 771-5613
ADEQ Brownfields Coordinator Jennie Curé at jec@azdeq.gov or (602) 771-2296
KAZB Executive Director Jill Bernstein at executivedirector@kazb.org or (602) 651-1227
ADOT Adopt a Highway Programs Patricia Powers-Zermeño at ppowers-zermeno@azdot.gov or (602) 712-4620

PUBLIC NOTICE – City of Willcox Willcox Wastewater Treatment Plant

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PROPOSED ARIZONA POLLUTANT DISCHARGE ELIMINATION SYSTEM (AZPDES) RENEWAL PERMIT

Pursuant to the Clean Water Act and in accordance with Arizona Administrative Code (A.A.C.) R18-9-A907, the Director of the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) proposes to issue an Arizona Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (AZPDES) Permit to discharge pollutants to Waters of the United States to the following applicant, subject to certain effluent limitations and special conditions:

Public Notice No.15-23

AZPDES Permit No. AZ0025771

City of Willcox

101 South Railroad Avenue, Suite B

Willcox, Arizona 85643

The City of Willcox applied for a renewal AZPDES permit for the discharge of up to 0.6 million gallons per day (mgd) of treated domestic wastewater from the City of Willcox Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) to Lake Cochise in the San Pedro-Willcox Playa-Rio Yaqui River Basin in Township 14S, Range 25E, Section 7, in Cochise County, Arizona. The City of Willcox WWTP is a publicly owned treatment works that receives domestic wastewater from residential and commercial sources in Willcox. Sludge is accumulated at the bottom of the lagoons and will be removed when necessary by dredging and thickening, and disposed off site in accordance with state and federal regulations.

The permit and fact sheet may be viewed online at http://www.azdeq.gov/cgi-bin/vertical.pl by typing the permit number in the box left of “Search Event”. The public notice and related documentation also are available for public review, Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at the ADEQ Records Center, 1110 W. Washington St., Phoenix, Arizona, 85007. Please call (602) 771-4380 or e-mail recordscenter@azdeq.gov 24 hours in advance to schedule an appointment to review the file.

Persons may submit comments or request a public hearing on the proposed action in writing, to Chiou Chen, Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, Water Quality Division, 1110 W. Washington St., 5415B-3, Phoenix, Arizona 85007. All written comments received by ADEQ by the close of business on the date 30 days after publication of this notice will be considered in the final permit decision. A public hearing request must be in writing and must include the reasons for such request. If there is a significant degree of public interest, the Director will hold a hearing in accordance with A.A.C. R18-9-908(B).

Cochise County ballot tabulation issue could revise primary election results.

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Arizona-electsCOCHISE COUNTY – The office of the Secretary of State reports that Cochise County experienced technical difficulties with yesterday’s tabulation of ballots that will cause a revision of the Primary Election Night Results, possibly changing the outcomes of some races. Cochise County is covered by Legislative District #14 and Congressional District #2. Thus no Coconino County results will be affected.

Previously posted results for this county have been removed from the Secretary of State’s election reporting system. Cochise County is actively working on a resolution and new files will be uploaded when available.

Please note that all election results are unofficial until the Canvass.

The only Statewide election which might be affected is the race for Corporation Commission between Tom Forese, Doug Little and Lucy Mason on the Republican side. On the Democrat side, Sandra Kennedy and Jim Holway are about 14-points apart.

Gail Griffin is running unopposed in LD-14 for the office of State Senator. Republicans David Gowan and David Stevens appear too far ahead of Susan Syfert to effect much of a change in the race for representative of that district.