Category Archives: Counties

Coconino County to hold hearing on user fee increases

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Coconino-County-4FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino County Board of Supervisors will hold a Regular Meeting and Public Hearing on Tuesday, January 10, 2017 at 10:00 am in the County Administrative Center First Floor Meeting Room, 219 East Cherry, Flagstaff, Arizona

The Coconino County Board of Supervisors will hold a Regular Meeting and Public Hearing on Tuesday, January 10, 2017 at 10:00 am in the County Administrative Center First Floor Meeting Room, 219 East Cherry, Flagstaff, Arizona, to hear any taxpayer wishing to comment for or against any proposed fee increase. Following the Public Hearing the Board will consider adoption of a revised fee schedule. Here is a PDF with the proposed changes.

Fatal ATV rollover a reminder to practice OHV safety

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DSC_4103_-_reduced_flippedPHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department reminds all off-highway vehicle (OHV) drivers and passengers to ride safely by remembering to always wear a helmet.

The reminder comes after an 81-year-old man died when the ATV he was driving rolled end-over-end while attempting to climb a 70-percent incline hill southeast of Meadview early Friday afternoon, according to the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office. Neither the man nor another rider on a separate ATV were wearing helmets.

“Our condolences go out to the family,” said Kim Jackson, AZGFD OHV Safety Education program manager. “It is absolutely imperative that everyone wears a helmet whenever they head out on an OHV. Many of these tragic accidents are survivable, but only if you wear a helmet.”

There were 28 OHV-related deaths in Arizona last year, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.

Helmets are required by law for all riders under the age of 18 regardless of the off-highway vehicle type. They are also strongly recommended for all riders, regardless of age. In addition, riders should remember to:

  • Wear a seat belt at all times, if equipped.
  • Wear riding goggles, a long-sleeved shirt, pants, riding gloves and over-the-ankle boots.
  • Never ride alone.
  • Be prepared and equipped with a map, a first aid kit, whistle and have basic tools on hand.
  • Stay on designated trails.
  • Take an OHV safety education course designed to teach off-road motorists how to ride safely and responsibly.

For more information about the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s OHV program and safety course options, visit www.azgfd.gov/ohv.

Amateur Radio Field Day active Saturday

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FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino Amateur Radio Club will be participating in the annual Field Day event sponsored by the Amateur Radio Relay League. The event will be held at the Silver Saddle Outdoor Market on Highway 89a in Flagstaff. In Prescott, the Yavapai Amateur Radio Club will be hosting an event at the Jeep Posse building.

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CARC Photo

Amateur radio clubs across the nation participate in this event allowing the uninitiated a chance to find out what Amateur radio is all about. You DO NOT have to have an Amateur radio license to get a chance to work the equipment. If you are new to Ham radio, this is an opportunity to check out various HF operations.

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Amateur radio has more to offer in this technologically advanced age. Most people do not realize that, with the Internet and Voice Over the Internet Protocol, you do not even need to purchase a radio. Echolink is a popular program that you can download and use on your computer and smart phone. You must have at least a technician license to use the program. There are web sites that allow you to operate over HF frequencies if you have the proper credentials.

Demonstrations at the Flagstaff location include:

  • SINGLE SIDE BAND RADIO
  • G.O.T.A (Get On The Air) STATION (You can talk of the radio)
  • DIGITAL STATION – sending message from radio to internet to radio, or, peer-to-peer
  • Auto Patch – Radio to phone
  • RIMLINK – Relaying radio messages from repeater to another repeater to reach Phoenix
  • APRS – Automatic Packet Reporting System
  • Alternative power sources – solar, hand cranked generator

Amateur radio groups across the country will operate at the exact same time and have similar activities. In Arizona the main operation will be from Saturday, June 25 at 11 a.m. ending Sunday at 11 a.m. In Flagstaff, the Coconino club will be setting up at 9 a.m. on Friday and members will be available in the afternoon for questions and possibly some demonstrations.

At 9 a.m. on Saturday at the Flagstaff location, the CARC will be giving the test for Amateur Extra for those who desire to get the license before the new examination is issued July 1. You must provide a picture I.D., copy of Amateur Radio license, and $15 fee. You need to bring a pencils for filling out the answer sheet and black pen for filling out the applications. You may bring and use a simple calculator.

Paving Operations Underway on Townsend-Winona Road

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photo 1_CROPPaving is underway on Townsend-Winona Road between Rio Rancho and Cosnino. Operations will continue throughout the week. Traffic delays of up to 20 minutes can be expected. Motorists are encouraged to leave early, expect delays and use an alternate route.

Inmate Commits Suicide

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FLAGSTAFF — On Thursday, June 9, 2016 at around 1:13 pm Coconino County Detention Facility Officers conducting an inmate welfare check found an inmate unresponsive in the shower of the medical unit holding area. The inmate had hanged himself with a sheet from the shower bar. Detention Officers and Medical Staff quickly began lifesaving actions including CPR.

The inmate was transported by Guardian Medical Transport to Flagstaff Medical Center (FMC) for further medical treatment. The inmate passed away around 2:45 am on June 10 at FMC.

The 38-year-old male was in custody for a failure to appear warrant out of Flagstaff Justice Court on original felony charges related to destruction of jail property. He had been living transiently in Mohave County when he was arrested on the warrant.

His name is being withheld until notification of next of kin. Foul play is not suspected.

Four Individuals Indicted on Charges for Death of 6-Year-Old Boy

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ash-fork-1ASH FORK — On June 6, 2016 four people were arraigned in Coconino County Superior Court following a May 25, 2016 Grand Jury indictment for the death of six-year-old, Jason Hester. The indictment came after a nearly year-long investigation into the boy’s death by Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Detectives.

On June 22, 2015 the boy was found unresponsive in the home of his aunt and primary caretaker, Lillian Hester. Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and Kaibab Estates Fire personnel responded and attempted lifesaving efforts but were unsuccessful in reviving the boy. The boy was pronounced deceased later that day at Flagstaff Medical Center.

An autopsy was performed by the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office. The official cause of death was undetermined, but there were multiple findings suspicious of child neglect. The boy weighed 29 pounds at the time of the autopsy and showed signs of dehydration, multiple bruises and abrasions.

Indicted were:
37-year-old, Lillian Hester (aunt, primary caretaker) – indicted on first degree murder and child abuse
64-year-old, Lenda Hester (maternal grandmother) – indicted on negligent homicide and child abuse
61-year-old, Kimmy Wilson (boyfriend of Lenda) – indicted on negligent homicide and child abuse
36-year-old, Jason Conlee (live-in boyfriend of Lillian) – indicted on negligent homicide and child abuse

All four individuals are residents of an unincorporated area of Coconino County, north of Ashfork, AZ.

Are you ready to get your Amateur Radio License?

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UPDATED 20160423 9:38 a.m.
800-UV-2501-16-01-08-3If you have been studying to get your Amateur Radio license, you have two chances coming up in May.

The Coconinco County Amateur Radio club is planning an exam for all classes of license on May 14 from 9:00 – 11:00 AM. The examination will be held at the North County Health Care classroom. The North County Health Care center is at 2920 N 4th Street in Flagstaff. Visit their web site for information on what you are required to bring for the exam.

In Yavapai county you have an opportunity to become licensed by the Yavapai Amateur Radio club. They require you to obtain an Federal Registration Number (FRN). The requirements can be found on their web site. Their next exam is also scheduled for May 14 and you can take a practice exam on Tuesday May 10. You must pre-register online. The exam will be held in the Jeep Posse Building 1200 Commerce Drive in Pioneer Park behind the outdoor hockey rink (MAP).

The fee for the examination at either location is $15. You can take all three levels of exam unless you fail one along the way. You must pay another fee to continue or you can choose to take what you get and go home to study.

You are not required to know Morse code for any of the exams. That requirement has been stricken. However you can go on to learn Morse code for fun later.

Amateur radio is becoming more popular since lower priced hand held radios have been dumped on the market. They give you more range than those cheap Family Radio Service (FRS) and General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) radios you purchase in department stores. It also gives you access to more frequencies and propagation modes using amateur satellites and even bouncing a signal off of the moon.

There are many other aspects to Amateur Radio including emergency communications during disasters.

Coconino County Detention Facility Receives Donation of a Baptistery

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FLAGSTAFF — The American Rehabilitation Ministry which is a non-profit organization based in Missouri has donated a new full immersion portable heated baptistery valued at $1,700 to the Coconino County Detention Facility. Detention staff will schedule the use of the baptistery on a regular and frequent basis to inmates who request it. Inmates who request a baptism will meet with the full time Jail Chaplin who will explain the process to them and its significance. Once the inmate has a full understanding of the process he or she will be scheduled for baptism.

In the past the Jail Chaplin and other religious volunteers have received requests from inmates to be baptized, but we did not have that capability. The Jail Chaplin contacted other detention facilities to learn what policies they had in place regarding baptisms. He learned that many agencies offer baptisms on a regular basis. He researched the availability of full immersion baptisteries. The Rescued Not Arrested non-profit group that provides bibles to prisons and jails throughout the country including our detention facility assisted our Jail Chaplin in identifying The American Rehabilitation Ministry as a resource and in contacting them. It should be noted that the Rescued Not Arrested organization also provides religious volunteers to minister to inmates in our facility on a weekly basis.

The American Rehabilitation Ministry provided the baptistery to our detention facility free of charge. The Sheriff’s Office paid for the shipping and several upgrades such as the heater.

At the Coconino County Detention facility we strive to provide our inmate population with opportunities to improve their quality of life while they are with us and once they have been released. The baptistery is yet another way we can provide religious services to the inmates in our care.

2015 ‘No Burn’ Campaign Kicks Off

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no-burn_modPHOENIX — Officials from the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) and the Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD) announced the kickoff of their annual Maricopa County ‘No Burn’ campaign.

Smoke from wood-burning fireplaces and chimineas during winter months poses a serious health threat to children with asthma, the elderly and those with respiratory issues. Smoke, which contains soot particles, can be absorbed into the blood stream and lessen lung function, exacerbate bronchitis and asthma and increase chances for heart attacks and premature death.

Left uncorrected, high levels of Particulate Matter-2.5 (PM 2.5) from smoke could cause Maricopa County to exceed the federal health standards, leading to more burdensome and costly federal regulation.

This is the third year of the ‘No Burn’ campaign and this past winter season was its most successful. For the first time in 11 years, Maricopa County residents benefited from no exceedances of the state and federal annual 24-hour health standard for PM 2.5, on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve or New Year’s Day. Maricopa County also met the annual federal health standard for PM 2.5.

“We want to thank the residents of Maricopa County for supporting last year’s ‘No Burn’ campaign, which allowed everyone to enjoy cleaner air,” Maricopa County Air Quality Director Philip McNeely said. “We must remain vigilante, however, because without voluntary compliance, there could be stricter regulations and stronger fines.”

This season, ADEQ and MCAQD are joined by nearly 100 partners and stakeholders including several cities, towns and county agencies, Bashas’ Family of Stores, Arizona Rock Products Association, and the Arizona Chapter Associated General Contractors, all involved since the very beginning. This year, several new partners including the Arizona Association of Community Managers, the Better Business Bureau, Tonto National Forrest, and Lyft also are contributing to this worthy cause.

ADEQ Air Quality Division Director Eric Massey said, “Building on last year’s successful ‘No Burn” campaign, the focus for 2015 is strengthening and expanding our partners and leveraging technology to reach more Maricopa County residents than ever before using innovative and cost-effective ways.”

MCAQD issues no burn days throughout the winter season and asks county residents to refrain from lighting wood-burning fires on those designated days. To find out if it is a no burn day, visit CleanAirMakeMore.com, download the Clean Air Make More mobile app or call (602) 506-6400.

For more information, call Caroline Oppleman with ADEQ at (602) 771-2215 or Bob Huhn with MCAQD at (602) 506-6713.

Night work scheduled tonight on the Hell Canyon bridge replacement on SR 89

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CHINO VALLEY/PAULDEN — Crews will shift traffic on State Route 89 to a new temporary detour parallel to the existing highway tonight, Dec. 3, approximately 18 miles north of Chino Valley as part of the bridge replacement project.

Work hours will be from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. and drivers will be restricted to one lane and guided through the work zone with flaggers. Delays of up to 10 minutes are possible.

This $14.4 million bridge replacement project began in mid-July and is expected to be completed in late 2016.