Category Archives: State Government

AZGFD wins 2 Rocky Mountain Emmy Awards for Arizona Wildlife Views TV show

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department’s audio-visual team won two Rocky Mountain Emmy Awards for its work on the Arizona Wildlife Views TV show. Winners were announced by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Oct. 14 at an awards reception in Phoenix. Among the winning stories:

Show 13 (Forest Restoration) from the 2015-2016 season took home an Emmy in the Politics/Government — Program category, recognizing the work of David Majure, videographer, producer, writer and editor, Ben Avechuco, show editor, and Carol Lynde, videographer.

Majure also won an Emmy in the Video Journalist category for his work on The Making of a Wildlife Manager Part 1, which follows eight recruits on their journey to become one of the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s wildlife managers who are part biologist, part law enforcement officer.

“Our team continuously sets the bar for visual storytelling, and these awards are further proof of the level of excellence in creating and producing the Arizona Wildlife Views TV show,” said Bill Andres, AZGFD Information Branch chief.

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences has numerous chapters throughout the country, and the Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter serves Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and El Centro, Calif.

Arizona Wildlife Views is produced by the department’s Information Branch and gives the public a behind-the-scenes view of the conservation work taking place throughout the state. The new season of the TV show airs this fall on Arizona PBS (channel 8.1 or channel 1008 on Cox Cable) and city cable channels statewide. Older shows, going back to the 2005 season, can be watched on YouTube.

Desert bighorn sheep poached, left to waste near Yuma

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YUMA – The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking information about the recent poaching of a desert bighorn sheep that was found near Yuma, Ariz.

A reward of up to $500 is being offered for information leading to the arrest of those responsible for the killing of the adult ram through the department’s Operation Game Thief program. The Arizona Desert Bighorn Sheep Society is offering an additional reward of up to $500 for a conviction in the case.

The carcass was found floating in the Wellton-Mohawk Canal, where it meets the Gila Main Gravity Canal. Some portions of the hide, legs and head of the animal had been removed, and additional leg quarters were found floating in nearby Fortuna Pond.

Game and Fish officials believe the sheep was shot around the week of Oct. 9 and that the suspects might have been visiting or camping at Fortuna Pond during that timeframe.

“There is no justifiable reason to poach an animal during a closed season and leave it to waste,” said Richard Myers, wildlife manager. “Poachers are not hunters or sportsmen. They are criminals who are stealing from the residents of Arizona.

“Due to the location of the crime scene, a fisherman or an off-highway vehicle user near the area may have seen something or heard something that may assist officers in solving this case.”

Anyone with information is encouraged to call the department’s Operation Game Thief hotline at (800) 352-0700, or visit http://www.azgfd.gov/ogt_form.shtml, and refer to case #17-004025. Callers can remain anonymous upon request.

ADEQ Announces $120,827 Brownfields Grant to Mohave County for Arnold Plaza Abatement Project

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PHOENIX – Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) officials announced today a $120,827 Brownfields Grant award to Mohave County, Arizona to conduct an asbestos and lead-based paint abatement at Arnold Plaza in the City of Kingman.

The abatement work funded by this grant will help the County move forward with plans to sell Arnold Plaza to the Jerry Ambrose Veterans Council, who will remodel the building for use as a veterans services facility.

Established in 2003, the Brownfields Assistance Program (BAP) conducts projects through Arizona’s State Response Grant using funds provided by the Environmental Protection Agency. The program has funded more than 70 projects, assisting entities from local governments, schools, hospitals and nonprofits to tribes in completing environmental assessments, cleanup and restoration.

Redeveloping Brownfields has the potential to reduce environmental hazards, mitigate public health threats, create new business opportunities, increase tax revenue and restore habitats and blighted areas to productive use. Program funds are limited and available to eligible applicants in the order that they apply and qualify.

Westbound Interstate 40 off-ramps at A-1 Mountain restricted early Wednesday

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FLAGSTAFF – Northern Arizona drivers exiting westbound I-40 at A-1 Mountain (milepost 191) will need an alternate route during early hours on Wednesday because of guardrail work. The Arizona Department of Transportation advises drivers to allow extra travel time as the nearest interchange–‒at Bellemont–‒is 5 miles to the west.

The A-1 Mountain off-ramp to westbound I-40 will be closed from 4:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 25. Drivers will use westbound I-40 to Bellemont (milepost 185) and turn around at the Bellemont traffic interchange to access eastbound I-40.

Schedules are subject to change based on weather and other unforeseen factors. For more information, please call the ADOT Project Information Line at 855.712.8530 or email Projects@azdot.gov. For real-time highway conditions statewide, visit ADOT’s Traveler Information Site at www.az511.gov, follow ADOT on Twitter (@ArizonaDOT) or call 511, except while driving.

ADEQ Announces $62,850 Brownfields Grant to the Town of Miami, Gila County, AZ

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PHOENIX – Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) officials announced today a $62,850 Brownfields Grant award to the Town of Miami to help the Bullion Plaza Cultural Center & Museum (BPCCM) expand its exhibits by making use of the basement of its historic building located at 150 North Plaza Circle in Miami. Currently contaminated with asbestos and lead-based paint, the building’s basement remains closed to the public.

Mayor Darryl Dalley said, “With the Town of Miami approaching its centennial year in March of 2018, this grant will help us improve this facility and expand the display of the rich history involving the copper mining industry and ethnic cultures that have been the heart and soul of Miami.”

Funds from this second Brownfields Grant will both help the Town realize its long-held vision for expanding the BPCCM and position Bullion Plaza as its showcase. Current museum exhibits document the economic, social and cultural history of Miami.

According to BPCCM Executive Director Thomas N. Foster, this second grant will help “add dimension and access for our visitors and the community overall,” and offer “safe, long-term development and enjoyment of formerly unusable spaces by abating and removing the hazards that linger.”

Last year, ADEQ provided an initial Brownfields Grant to the Town of Miami to:

  • complete an asbestos and lead-based paint survey of the building’s basement and crawl spaces,
  • identify contaminant locations and levels, and
  • estimate cleanup costs.

Clean-up work is scheduled to begin next week.

Desert Roses, Too set to blossom in 2017-18

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PHOENIX — Everything is coming up roses for the women’s shotgun shooting program at the Ben Avery Clay Target Center.

Desert Roses, Too, is a new level of the program for women who want to learn about advanced shotgun shooting. Participants are meeting every second and fourth Thursday of each month. A $10 registration fee includes eye and ear protection, loaner shotguns, ammunition and clay targets.

Desert Roses, Too is the big sister to Desert Roses, the introductory level of the program that meets every first and third Thursday of each month (a $10 registration fee also applies). There is no requirement to complete Desert Roses before registering for Desert Roses, Too.

“We want to retain newer shooters who go through Desert Roses — we didn’t offer anything past those classes,” said Mark Williams, program coordinator. “The goal is to keep them coming back.”

Women will learn in-depth techniques (more than how to shoot a shotgun) in the advanced program, including eye coordination, various stances, different methods of breaking targets and shooting games.

Classes are limited to 50 participants. To register for Desert Roses, visit www.azgfd.gov/desertroses. To register for Desert Roses, Too, visit www.azgfd.gov/desertrosestoo. For more information, call (623) 434-8119.

National association honors Interstate 15 bridge project

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PHOENIX – A national industry group has honored the Arizona Department of Transportation’s $30 million rehabilitation of an Interstate 15 bridge through the rugged Virgin River Gorge in far northwestern Arizona.

The American Public Works Association selected the Virgin Bridge No. 6 improvement, completed last year, as Project of the Year among transportation projects worth between $25 million and $75 million, with ADOT as the managing agency, Pulice-Wadsworth Brothers Joint Venture as primary contractor and Jacobs as primary consultant.

“This award acknowledges the creativity and cooperation that went into making a critically needed improvement to a vital regional economic corridor,” said Dallas Hammit, ADOT state engineer and deputy director for transportation.

Upgrading the 50-year-old bridge was the centerpiece of $50 million in upgrades to the 30 miles of I-15 passing through Arizona, including paving the entire stretch and repairing the decks of three other bridges.

At Virgin River Bridge No. 6, crews replaced girders, decks and railings and widened the roadway. Accomplishing that required 4,000 cubic yards of structural concrete, 3 million pounds of structural steel, 910,000 pounds of reinforcing steel, 4,000 tons of earth moved and 3,600 tons of asphalt.

A $21.6 million Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) grant ADOT won for the project in 2014 provided three years for ADOT to complete the design, for the project to receive environmental clearance and for crews to complete the bridge upgrades.

The project’s challenges also included the rugged, remote location. The bridge stands 100 feet above the Virgin River in a narrow canyon, requiring specialized equipment to work in tight spaces. ADOT and its partners also worked closely with agencies including the Bureau of Land Management, Arizona Game and Fish Department, Arizona State Land Department and Environmental Protection Agency to safeguard the river.

Among other honors, the Virgin River Bridge No. 6 rehabilitation has been named International Partnering Institute Partnered Project of the Year and has received the Marvin M. Black Partnering Excellence Award as part of the Alliant Build America Awards.

ADOT’s current five-year construction program commits $50 million in fiscal 2020 to renovate Virgin River Bridge No. 1 near Littlefield and $5.5 million in fiscal 2019 to rehabilitate other I-15 bridges.

AZGFD asks hunters to help keep Chronic Wasting Disease at bay

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PHOENIX — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is asking hunters to continue doing their part to help keep Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD), a neurodegenerative wildlife disease that is fatal to deer and elk, at bay.

All successful deer and elk hunters are encouraged to bring the head of their harvested animal, especially bucks and bulls, to any department office statewide between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. The preferred method for delivery is to place the head in a heavy-duty plastic trash bag, and keep it cool and out of the sun.

The department also requests hunters to provide accurate hunter information (name, telephone number), as well as hunt information (hunt number, game management unit in which the animal was harvested, state and hunting license number). This information is crucial should a positive CWD sample occur.

Department officials did not find any cases of CWD in the 1,200-plus deer (mule and white-tailed) and elk that were harvested by hunters and voluntarily submitted for testing in 2016. Game and Fish has been testing for the presence of the disease in Arizona since 1998. While CWD has been found in the neighboring states of Utah, New Mexico and Colorado, the disease has not been detected in Arizona. CWD has not been documented to cause disease in people.

CWD is transmitted and spread by animal movement and direct contact, which means the illegal importation of a cervid carcass or parts with brain or spinal column tissue of an infected animal could introduce the disease into Arizona. To that point, an individual is only allowed to possess, transport or import the following portions of cervids lawfully taken in another state or country:

  • Boneless portions of meat, or meat that has been cut and packaged.
  • Clean hides and capes with no skull or soft tissue attached.
  • Antlers, clean skull plates or skulls with antlers attached with no meat or soft tissue remaining.
  • Finished taxidermy mounts or products (hunters may ship their harvested animal to a taxidermist)
  • Upper canine teeth with no meat or tissue attached.
  • Do not bring the brain, intact skull or spinal column of a deer or elk harvested in another state back into Arizona.

It may take longer than a year before an infected animal develops symptoms of CWD, which can include drastic weight loss (wasting), stumbling, listlessness and other neurological symptoms. CWD can affect animals of all ages, although it’s most frequently noticed in older animals. CWD is fatal, and there are no treatments or vaccines.

All hunters are advised not to shoot, handle or consume any animal that is acting abnormally or appears to be sick. Wear latex or rubber gloves when field dressing deer or elk. All hunters are asked to contact the department at 1-(800)-352-0700 if they see or harvest an animal that appears to be sick.

Surveys of endangered Mount Graham red squirrel show decline due to impacts from the Frye Fire

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PHOENIX — An annual survey of the endangered Mount Graham red squirrel showed a significant decline due to the effects of the lightning-caused Frye Fire in the Pinaleño Mountains of southeastern Arizona.

The annual survey, conducted jointly by the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), Coronado National Forest, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Arizona Center for Nature Conservation – Phoenix Zoo, and the University of Arizona, resulted in an estimate of only 35 squirrels. This is a significant decrease from the 252 squirrels estimated in 2016. Evidence of the Frye Fire was observed in 95 percent of the surveyed locations, 80 percent showed at least some habitat loss, and 44 percent were completely burned.

“Although the estimated numbers were significantly lower this year, we are uncertain if our standard survey method allows for an accurate estimate in severely burned areas,” said Tim Snow, AZGFD terrestrial wildlife specialist. “Our current survey methodology does not account for squirrels that dispersed from fire-impacted areas. Surveyors observed some squirrels in previously unoccupied areas.” Annual red squirrel surveys consist 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.

“This year the Forest has experienced a particularly challenging fire season, with 79 fires burning over 125,000 acres,” said Coronado National Forest Supervisor Kerwin Dewberry. “Several fires covered large portions of the mountain ranges we manage, including the Frye Fire at over 48,000 acres in the Pinaleño Mountains. We appreciate the efforts of fire suppression personnel, and of the Burned Area Emergency Response Team. Their evaluation and recommendations will guide us as we work to stabilize and protect those areas on Mount Graham that sustained damage from the fire, including Mount Graham red squirrel habitat.”

“This is a textbook example of how species with low population sizes, especially those confined to a small geographic area, are vulnerable to natural events such as fires, floods, and severe drought,” said Steve Spangle, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Field Supervisor. “We’re grateful to have a cadre of the best squirrel biologists and habitat specialists dedicated to this subspecies’ survival.”

“Survival through this winter may be the key to the persistence of this species given the fire effects on their habitat,” said Snow.

Immediate conservation measures under consideration due to the effects of the Frye Fire include: assessment of the remaining habitat, reducing food and habitat competitors, supplemental feeding during this winter, as well as the enhancement of natural middens. These actions will be followed next spring by a complete census of the population in the Pinaleño Mountains.

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. Other long-term impacts to Mount Graham red squirrels and their habitat include insect infestations, competition with non-native Abert’s squirrels, and poor cone crops caused by drought, all of which influence population size; however, this year’s fire had unprecedented impacts. Biologists continue to explore new methods to conserve the species, including continued squirrel research, developing long-term forest management strategies across the fire-impacted landscape such as reseeding and planting coniferous trees, and a managed care breeding program. The Mount Graham red squirrel population peaked at about 550 animals in the late 1990s, but typically ranges between 200 and 300 individuals.

Please help locate a bit of Arizona Highways history

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PHOENIX – Since it began showcasing the state’s beauty and diverse landscapes, Arizona Highways has been a collector’s item. People around the country have not only subscribed but held on to the monthly issues of the magazine, produced by the Arizona Department of Transportation, so they could go back again and again to look at the photos and read about the history.

Now Arizona Highways needs a little help finding a piece of its history, in this case a December 1930 issue to add to its digital collection.

“We know that many of you are collectors,” editors shared on the magazine’s Facebook page. “Is there any chance one of you could give us a hand in locating a copy?”

Editors say they’d like to have a copy of the December 1930 edition to keep, but they’d gladly scan and return the edition if the owner wants to keep it.

Arizona Highways began as a simple newsletter in 1921 and became a magazine in April 1925. From the beginning, it contained travel stories and scenic photographs. In the early years the photos were black-and-white, and the magazine contained page after page detailing the Arizona Highway Department’s (now the Arizona Department of Transportation’s) road-building projects. Editors added cartoons to liven up those pages.

Arizona was one of several states to develop a magazine to entice drivers to explore their newly developed roads. Of these magazines, none dates as far back or has featured the iconic photography that has made Arizona Highways a national treasure.

If you can help by sharing a December 1930 edition of Arizona Highways, please contact the magazine through its website at arizonahighways.com.