Category Archives: Arizona

2020 a year of service-oriented innovations for ADOT

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PHOENIX – Despite the obvious challenges 2020 presented to everyone, the year has been an important one for innovations from the Arizona Department of Transportation when it comes to service-oriented projects designed to make travel across the state safer and more efficient.

Those innovations came in all areas of Arizona and across every facet of ADOT’s business, including major projects, the Motor Vehicle Division, the Enforcement and Compliance Division and safety improvements.

In ADOT’s Major Projects Group, that includes the new shared-use path along the Loop 202 South Mountain Freeway, improvements to State Route 189 in Nogales and first steps on a four-year program to reconstruct Interstate 10 between the Loop 202 (South Mountain and Santan freeways) and Interstate 17, including the heavily travelled Broadway Curve.

Major Projects

A 6-mile shared-use path opened along the South Mountain Freeway in October. The path, which runs from 40th Street to 17th Avenue, is open to all non-motorized users, including cyclists, skaters, walkers and runners. The path was developed along the former alignment of Pecos Road, which was removed during construction of the freeway. It offers users a safe, free recreational opportunity right in their neighborhood.

In Nogales, Governor Doug Ducey kicked off work on State Route 189 in March and work has proceeded throughout the year on new flyover ramps to Interstate 19. Nogales, with its direct access to Tucson and Interstate 10, has always been Arizona’s most popular spot for international commerce. The new ramps, which are expected to be completed in fall 2021, are making the road to American markets more efficient for trucking companies and safer for Nogales residents. The ramps will save commercial interests time and money by eliminating the need to stop as many as three times before they reach I-19, and will improve safety by removing those trucks from city streets before they reach Nogales High School. More than 360,000 trucks will use the new ramps each year, representing more than 80% of commerce that enters Arizona from Mexico.

Along the I-10 Broadway Curve, one of Phoenix’s busiest freeway segments with about 300,000 vehicles per day, ADOT in November took the first step in a four-year project to improve safety and traffic flow by identifying a joint venture as the likely preferred developer. The project – which includes adding lanes to Interstate 10, replacing the interchange with State Route 143, widening the bridge over the Salt River and creation of innovative collector-distributor lanes to improve traffic flow and driver safety – is expected to begin construction in fall 2021.

Coconino County Sheriff’s Office investigating possible kidnapping

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Blue Ridge — On 12/15/2020 the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office was attempting to locate a male suspect and female victim who was reportedly forced into a vehicle south of Flagstaff, Arizona, along Interstate 17 in the late morning hours.

At 1157 hours the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office received a call from the Mustang Gas Station at Clint’s Wells along Hwy 87, reporting the vehicle involved from the incident on I-17 in the area. The caller reported a female passenger strapped/tied to the front passenger seat in a white in colored 4dr Jeep Wrangler with a black top. The reporting party then followed the suspect vehicle south along Highway 87 from Clint’s Wells until the suspect turned off on to Forest Service Road 141 east.

The Reporting party obtained and reporting the vehicle information to the 911 dispatch center. The vehicle returned to a subject out of Scottsdale, Arizona. During the investigation it was learned a Brandon Thomas Stewart of Scottsdale, was in possession of the vehicle in question.

Pings on the phone lead the Sheriff’s Office, Navajo County Sheriff’s Office and Department of Public Safety Helicopter to begin Searching the area east of Highway 87 and north of Forest Service road 300.

Later in the evening the suspect vehicle was located, and a high-risk traffic stop was conducted by DPS and Navajo County Sheriff’s Office at mile post 283 on Interstate 40.

The driver Brandon Stewart was taken into custody without incident and the female victim was located uninjured. Brandon Stewart was transported to the Navajo County Detention facility and booked on charges of Unlawful Imprisonment. Further charges are pending.

This incident is still under investigation and no further information is currently available. The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank the Navajo County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Public Safety for their assistance in this incident.

Channel 10 will carry The Grio network over-the-air.

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LOS ANGELES– Byron Allen’s Allen Media Group is proud to announce its recently-acquired MGM over-the-air broadcast television network Light TV will officially transition to TheGrio.TV television network on January 15, 2021 – the start of the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday weekend. The newly-rebranded broadcast television network TheGrio.TV will feature African American-focused content reaching over 100 million U.S. households via over-the-air broadcast television stations, cable/telco/satellite platforms, and free digital streaming.

TheGrio.TV – with its new network brand slogan “Our Culture Forever” – will feature movies, sitcoms, dramas, concerts, talk shows, variety shows, game shows, news, and lifestyle content.

Byron Allen, Founder/Chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group

At one time owned by NBCUniversal, TheGrio.com was purchased by Byron Allen in 2016 when it had less than 1 million monthly active users. In Summer 2020, TheGrio.com achieved its peak of over 10.5 million monthly active users. TheGrio.com is now one of the most visited news and entertainment sites for the African-American community, and is the largest employer of African-American journalists. In the past 2 years, Allen Media Group has invested over one billion dollars in acquiring media assets, including The Weather Channel in 2018, and 16 ABC-NBC-CBS-FOX broadcast network affiliate television stations around the country. Allen Media Group plans to invest an additional $10 billion over the next two years to acquire other strategic media assets.

“The Grio – which means ‘storyteller’ in Africa – is the first platform to offer an online digital news destination, a free streaming app providing local news, weather, sports, traffic, and entertainment content geofenced to the user’s zip code, and an over-the-air broadcast television network,” said Byron Allen, Founder/Chairman/CEO of Allen Media Group. “TheGrio.TV is especially important to me as it will both serve and uplift all viewers. TheGrio.TV is the first and only 100 percent African American-owned and targeted broadcast television network and free digital platform – making us truly authentic, without being filtered or controlled by others outside of the community.”

Kaibab Forest Service selling Christmas tree permits

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WILLIAMS — The Kaibab National Forest is selling Christmas tree permits through Recreation.gov. Permit holders will be allowed to cut November 16 through December 24.

A total of 2,500 permits will be available for purchase through the Recreation.gov webpage for Kaibab NF Christmas Trees, which also lists details about designated cutting areas, maps, dates, and sizes of trees that may be cut. Five hundred permits will be designated for cutting areas on the Tusayan Ranger District, while the North Kaibab and Williams ranger districts will each have 1,000 permits available.

Permits are limited to one per household and will be issued on a first-come, first-served basis until sold out. Each permit costs $15.00 per tree. Permits designated for the Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts will be good for one tree each. For the North Kaibab Ranger District, up to 5 trees may be purchased on a single permit. A processing fee will be applied to each transaction.

When purchasing an online permit, it is important to carefully read the overview and need-to-know information prior to purchasing. Visitors will also need to set up or login to a Recreation.gov account to complete the transaction.

Fourth-grade students can get a free Christmas Tree through the Every Kid Outdoors Program by entering their pass ID on Recreation.gov. For additional information about the initiative and how to obtain a pass, visit www.everykidoutdoors.gov.

Fire restrictions lifted in Coconino and Kaibab Forests

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FLAGSTAFF, WILLIAMS — Stage 1 fire restrictions have been lifted for the Kaibab National Forest, and a reduced Bill Williams Mountain closure is anticipated to be issued in the coming days.

Although fire danger has decreased, safety hazards will still exist on Bill Williams Mountain while fuels reduction and forest restoration operations occur on the steep slopes, which is expected to continue through the season as conditions allow. The current closure on Bill Williams Mountain will remain in place at this time; however, the Forest Service is developing a reduced closure that allows as much access as possible while continuing to provide for public safety. Details of this change will be distributed when the closure is updated.

Fire managers have been evaluating conditions regularly since restrictions were implemented earlier this summer. While the forecast for the next several weeks includes dry weather and unseasonably higher temperatures, the recent precipitation and generally colder weather has helped reduce fire danger.

It is important to remember that wildfires could still burn uncharacteristically for this time of year, given the overall conditions of the forest. The public is urged to help prevent human-caused wildfires by ensuring campfires are fully extinguished – cold to the touch – before leaving them unattended. Abandoning a campfire is prohibited all year round.

Fire restrictions and closures can be found on the Kaibab National Forest Alerts and Notices webpage.

Stage 1 fire restrictions are currently lifted across Coconino National Forest, as key components and measurements that fire managers use to determine the implementation of fire restrictions have dropped, which has also decreased fire danger.

However, visitors should be aware of certain areas that have fire restrictions year-round, which can be found on the Coconino NF Forest Orders web page.

Coconino Forest briefly came out of fire restrictions when monsoon arrived in July, but then reentered Stage 1 fire restrictions on August 14 and has been in restrictions up until today.

Mule deer buck poached and left to waste in Heber

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HEBER — The Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD) is seeking information about the recent poaching of an adult mule deer buck near Heber, Arizona. The mule deer buck was found near Borrow Tank off Forest Road 210 in Game Management Unit 4B. It had been shot with a firearm and left to waste on either Oct. 24 or 25, 2020.

“The public will play a vital role in finding who is responsible,” said AZGFD Wildlife Manager Justin Winter. “This is not the act of a hunter. Poaching is a crime. It is stealing wildlife from the citizens of Arizona. It is important for anyone with information to come forward and help Game and Fish bring those responsible to justice.”

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the department’s Operation Game Thief hotline at (800) 352-0700, or visit www.azgfd.gov/ogt, and refer to case #20-003559. Callers may be eligible for a reward of up to $1,500 from AZGFD’s Operation Game Thief Program. All callers are confidential and can remain anonymous upon request.

Endangered Mount Graham red squirrel shows promising rebound

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PHOENIX — Three years after their habitat was nearly wiped out by the 2017 Frye Fire in the Pinaleño Mountains of southeastern Arizona, an annual survey of the endangered Mount Graham red squirrel shows an exciting and notable increase in their population.

The annual survey, conducted jointly by the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), Coronado National Forest, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Arizona Center for Nature Conservation – Phoenix Zoo, and the University of Arizona, resulted in a minimum estimate of 109 squirrels. This is the first time the population has returned to the triple digits since they were severely impacted by the Frye Fire.

In 2016, there were an estimated 252 squirrels. Immediately following the Frye Fire estimates dropped to a mere 33 individuals. Typical ranges since 2000 fall between 200 and 300 squirrels.

“Mount Graham red squirrels have faced some significant, daunting challenges since their habitat was severely damaged by the Frye Fire,” said Tim Snow, AZGFD terrestrial wildlife specialist. “The data suggests that while the fire was devastating to red squirrel habitat and their overall population, this is truly a resilient species.

“Even though much work still must be done to help conserve and protect this squirrel to ensure its continued recovery, seeing this growth is extremely promising and a signal that our conservation efforts are working.”

This annual red squirrel survey consisted of visiting all known middens, which are areas where red squirrels store or cache their cones. Activity at these middens is used to estimate the population size.

“The squirrels are teaching us about their resiliency and how they respond to altered and even devastated habitat,” said Jeff Humphrey, USFWS Arizona Ecological Services field supervisor. “The survey results are a ray of hope in our partnership efforts to address their post-fire habitat needs.”

The subspecies was listed as endangered in 1987. Mount Graham red squirrels live only in the upper elevation conifer forests of the Pinaleño Mountains and feed primarily on conifer seeds. This subspecies is highly territorial and has lower reproductive rates than red squirrels in other locations.

“The Safford Ranger District is pleased to see an upward trend in numbers for the Mount Graham red squirrel,” said George Garcia, Safford District Ranger for the Coronado National Forest. “This is very encouraging as we move forward in working with our partners and community in ensuring the long-term health and resiliency of the squirrel. We work together to actively manage and restore forest conditions for the benefit of all the species on Mount Graham.”

Long-term impacts to Mount Graham red squirrels and their habitat include high-intensity wildfires and associated insect infestations, possible competition with Abert’s squirrels and poor cone crops caused by drought, all of which influence population size. Biologists continue to explore new methods to conserve and protect the species, including continued squirrel research, developing long-term forest management strategies across the fire-impacted landscape such as re-seeding and planting coniferous trees, and a managed care breeding program.

Wet weather does not dampen voting

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WILLIAMS — The drizzly weather did not seem to dampen the voting spirit in Williams as those who did not vote early went to the polls to cast their ballots. Isolated showers are expected to continue throughout the day.

Tomorrow and Thursday it is expected to be sunny with highs to the low 70s. Friday it will be breezy and cooler with snow expected over the weekend.

Today will end a particularly contentious election season. In addition Arizona will vote on whether or not to make recreational marijuana legal and to raise taxes for schools. Recreational marijuana was defeated last election and will probably be defeated this time around.

Coconino NF to sell limited number of Christmas tree permits

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FLAGSTAFF — Coconino National Forest began selling a limited number of Christmas tree permits online on October 15, and permit owners will be allowed to begin cutting Nov. 16 through December 24.

A total of 1,050 permits will be available for purchase on the Coconino NF Christmas Tree Recreation.gov webpage, which also lists details about designated cutting areas, maps, dates, and types of trees that may be cut.

Two hundred permits will be designated for the cutting areas within the Flagstaff Ranger District, while 850 permits will be designated for the cutting areas within the Mogollon Rim Ranger District. A small amount of over-the-counter permits may be available in late November, but are not available currently since all permits are being sold online starting tomorrow.

When purchasing a permit online, it is important to carefully read the overview and need-to-know information prior to purchasing. Visitors will also need to set up or login to a Recreation.gov account to complete the transaction. Permits will be issued one per household on a first-come, first-served basis until sold out.

Many other national forests are also selling Christmas tree permits online for their forests. To find out if online Christmas tree permits are available in your neck of the woods, visit www.recreation.gov and search for “Christmas Tree Permits” to pull up a list of all the national forests that are participating.

Horse Fire in Bradshaw Mountains near Crown King started Thursday.

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PRESCOTT — The Horse Fire, 7-miles NW of Crown King and 18 miles south of Prescott in the Prescott National Forest grew 3,500 acres over this evening. The fire started Thursday and the cause is under investigation.

Airtankers and helicopters were essential in slowing the spread of the fire as firefighters gained access. The fire is in a remote section of the forest with steep, rugged terrain. The strategy for the Horse fire is full suppression as crews continue to use aircraft to slow the rate of spread and scout for holding features to use as containment lines.

Goodwin, Senator Highway at Palace Station, and County Road 59 from Cleator have been closed.

Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office has issued a Code Red ‘Go’ for the communities of Crown King, Minnehaha, Horsethief Cabins and any private inholdings in and around the fire area. There are evacuations currently in effect. For information on the Code Red alerts issued you can visit the Sheriff’s Office Facebook page for updates or call (928) 771-3321 or to sign up for Code Red notifications visit Yavapai County Code Red Notification.