Tag Archives: Williams

Unofficial primary election results

Posted on by

WILLIAMS – The unofficial 2018 primary and local election results are out and it looks like Williams will have Moore mayor.

In the Williams elections, incumbent Mayor John Moore received 361 votes with contender George Otero taking 198 and 12 write-in votes. The three incumbent councilmen took the majority of votes with 95 write-in votes. 72.15% of the voters voted for Proposition 415 allowing alternate expenditure limits.

Rob Krombeem received 854 votes for Justice of the Peace for Williams with Brian Flescher receiving 281 and 35 write-in votes. In the Constable race, Rick Remender received 554 votes to 510 votes for Jay Douglass with 28 write-in votes.

These election results are unofficial.

Partners team together to promote healthy pronghorn populations

Posted on by

AZGF Photo

WILLIAMS — Earlier this month, more than 60 volunteers joined forces with Forest Service and Arizona Game and Fish Department specialists to modify fences on the Kaibab National Forest in order to promote healthy pronghorn populations.

The volunteers, largely brought together through the dedication and focus of the Arizona Antelope Foundation, modified more than 4 miles of fencing in an area on the Williams Ranger District about 8 miles north of the community of Parks. The fence modification work included removing the bottom barbed wires and replacing them with smooth wire at a height of 18 inches from the ground. This height allows pronghorn to easily slip under the fences without the risk of injury. Pronghorn rarely jump fences, rather preferring to go underneath them.

“Multiple research studies in northern Arizona have shown that pronghorn populations are being fragmented by fences and roads to the point that populations are suffering genetic consequences,” said Jeff Gagnon, statewide research biologist with the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “While the fragmentation of habitat affects many wildlife species, pronghorn are particularly vulnerable in our state. It is important that we take steps to ensure pronghorn population persistence.”

To this end, the Arizona Game and Fish Department began working with the Kaibab and Coconino National Forests, National Park Service, Arizona Antelope Foundation, Arizona Department of Transportation, and local ranchers in 2012 to begin addressing pronghorn habitat connectivity at a landscape scale.

The project uses GPS locations from collared pronghorn to identify barriers and potential corridors for improvements. On the Kaibab National Forest alone, the team of partners and volunteers has modified nearly 18 miles of fence since the effort began. Similar work has been accomplished on the Coconino National Forest and state and private lands.

“To help our current pronghorn populations persist, fences can be modified, grasslands can be restored, water can be made available, and the list goes on,” states an article entitled “A Data-Driven Approach to Reconnecting Pronghorn Populations North of I-40; Collaboration at its Best,” which was written by Gagnon and his colleagues Chad Loberger and Scott Sprague of the Arizona Game and Fish Department. “In all cases, the cooperation and collaboration of multiple stakeholders is required to help get today’s pronghorn to tomorrow.”

Not only is the GPS collar data collected from this project used to identify and correct barriers to pronghorn movement, but it is also made available to inform the planning and implementation of forest and grassland restoration work, such as that associated with the Four Forest Restoration Initiative.

“We are grateful to have partners and volunteers who care as deeply about the health of our forests and wildlife populations as we do,” said Roger Joos, wildlife biologist with the Kaibab National Forest. “We have been partnering on these efforts for many years and have had incredible successes not only in terms of the number of miles of fence modified but also in the acres of grasslands and savannas restored. We could not achieve these results without the continued commitment of our partners.”

The efforts earlier this month were just one example of ongoing work to promote healthy pronghorn populations in northern Arizona. The work will continue indefinitely, with upcoming volunteer and partner projects to shift south of Interstate 40 over the next several years.

To become an Arizona Antelope Foundation volunteer or member, or for additional information on the organization, visit https://azantelope.org/. The Arizona Antelope Foundation’s mission is to actively seek to increase pronghorn populations in Arizona through habitat improvements, habitat acquisition, the translocation of animals to historic range, and public comment on activities affecting pronghorn and their habitat.

To learn more about the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s “Reconnecting Pronghorn North of I-40 Project,” visit page 6 in the Pronghorn newsletter at http://bit.ly/2Lv49I7.

Cactus Asphalt Williams work schedule

Posted on by

Chip sealing on west end through Country Club Road completed yesterday.

WILLIAMS – Cactus Asphalt passed out flyers, yesterday, concerning the chip seal project they are working on. There is currently no plan to work on Route 66 proper. They are working on the cross-roads and work began today. Tomorrow they will be working from the Mustang station east toward ADOT. Cones and pilot vehicles will be used for worker safety.

They don’t actually have a pilot “car.” It’s more of a pilot truck.

The process begins with cleaning the roads, spraying oil and chip seal and leaving it overnight. The next day they re-clean the area and open it up. They will be working from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Thursday and Friday they will be chip sealing the two-mile stretch from Santa Fe dam to Dogtown Road. One lane will be open for traffic. They ask that you follow the directions of construction workers and wait for pilot vehicle

Arizona Game and Fish Commission recognizes Kaibab National Forest for partnering to sustain wildlife waters

Posted on by

Michael Sedgeman and Travis Largent (both on right) accepted the Arizona Game and Fish Commission award on behalf of the Kaibab National Forest earlier this month. – Kaibab Forest photo

WILLIAMS – Earlier this month, the Arizona Game and Fish Commission recognized the Kaibab National Forest for partnering to sustain wildlife waters during recent drought conditions.

Specifically, the Kaibab National Forest was presented with a Commission Commendation of Achievement “for the continued partnership, stewardship, and unwavering commitment to wildlife conservation.” The recognition resulted from the two agencies teaming together during the exceptionally dry spring and early summer months to provide viable water sources for wildlife in Game Management Units 9 and 7W, which generally fall within the Kaibab National Forest’s Tusayan and Williams Ranger Districts.

“Due to the heightened fire danger and the additional fire resources we had available, we had the opportunity to provide some extra support to the Arizona Game and Fish Department,” said Jeremy Human, fire management officer for the Tusayan and Williams Ranger Districts. “Arizona’s wildlife is an important resource. A lot of what we do as an agency [Forest Service] is tied closely to the department’s wildlife management work, so this was an opportunity for us to be a good neighbor and do the right thing. We were able to accomplish meaningful work that made a difference when we weren’t actively engaged with responding to wildfires.”

Kaibab National Forest employees used large tenders to haul and deliver water to catchments that were identified as critical by Arizona Game and Fish Department wildlife managers. All told, more than 50,000 gallons of water were made available at priority locations across the forest, and hundreds of hours of equipment and personnel time were donated.

“We have a strong and ongoing partnership with the Arizona Game and Fish Department, and this was another example of how we can work together to improve outcomes for wildlife and support the missions of each agency,” said Travis Largent, wildlife biologist with the Kaibab National Forest. “We hope to continue our mutual efforts to achieve shared goals such as improving forest health and enhancing wildlife habitat.”

Water was a particularly scarce resource earlier this year due to the ongoing drought in Arizona and the extreme lack of winter precipitation. In fact, the Tusayan and Williams Ranger Districts had the driest October to June period on record in the past 25 years, creating potentially deadly conditions for area wildlife.

Across the state, the Arizona Game and Fish Department monitors and maintains thousands of water catchments in strategic locations. Due to the importance of these waters to diverse wildlife species and the exceptionally dry conditions prevailing in northern Arizona, the department faced the monumental task of trying to refill catchments that were quickly drying out statewide.

“They stepped in at a time when what we had in place wouldn’t have been able to cover the need,” said Nate Ragan, wildlife manager for the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Game Management Unit 9. “They helped us when we needed it the most and got water to a lot of places that would have gone dry without them. It was a breath of fresh air to have that resource made available to us and to get the help when we most needed it.”

In addition to the Kaibab National Forest, many other partner and volunteer organizations also donated time and resources to the important work of sustaining these wildlife waters.

Bald Fire Update

Posted on by

WILLIAMS — Thunderstorm outflows with shifting wind patterns are fanning flames and influencing growth on the Bald Fire located on Sitgreaves Mountain on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest.

BALD FIRE OVERVIEW
Start Date: July 22, 2018.
Cause: Lightning.
Location: South slope of Sitgreaves Mountain southwest of Spring Valley.
Current Size: Approximately 40 acres.
Resources: 1-Type 6 Engine, miscellaneous aircraft.

Current Status: Officials have been monitoring the Bald Fire for just over a week and will continue to watch fire behavior using aircraft and from vantage points on the ground below. The Lightning caused Bald Fire now 40 acres in size continues to burn within the 2014 Sitgreaves fire scar about halfway up the south slope. Because there are less control risks associated with this fire, managers are airing on the side of safety by limiting exposure keeping fire personnel off the steep terrain. Growth will likely continue as weather allows.

Smoke: Smoke will continue to be visible from a wide area around the mountain and could occasionally impact the communities of Spring Valley, Pittman Valley, Parks, and the Interstate 40 corridor. Motorists are asked to always use caution when ever driving near the vicinity of a fire.

For additional information the following sources are available:

InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6006/
Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
Twitter: twitter.com/kaibabnf
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF/
Kaibab National Forest Fire Information Phone Line (928) 635-8311.

Zipline takes another hit

Posted on by

Another RV tries and fails to zip under the Zipline sign.

WILLIAMS – This morning at about 7 a.m., another RV attempted, and failed, to get under the Zipline signage. There is no safety issue with the Zipline ride.According to a witness, the RV attempted to go under the rails and got stuck. It backed up and attempted to go in-between the sign posts and a white van. The witness stopped the vehicle while calling the Williams Police Department. The damage was minimal.

Lightning strikes continue, Forest visitors reminded to be weather aware

Posted on by

GRAND CANYON – For Immediate Release. Monsoonal activity continued to cross portions of both the northern and southern areas of the Kaibab National Forest and Grand Canyon National Park this week, bringing varying amounts of rain and lightning to various areas throughout both the forest and park. Fire resources in both the North Zone and South Zone continue to respond to each lightning-caused fire as it is discovered and reported.

Due to the increased amount of fire activity throughout both the Grand Canyon and the Kaibab National Forest, operations are anticipated to continue throughout the weekend. This means that smoke will likely be visible on both the North and South Rims of the park and all three ranger districts on the Kaibab National Forest: North Kaibab Ranger District, Williams Ranger District, and the Tusayan Ranger District.

At this time there are no road closures within the park or forest; however, motorists traveling within these areas should use caution as fire crews could be present at any time. Motorists are asked to drive with headlights on and drive slow in and around emergency response vehicles.

As a reminder, lightning-caused fires are evaluated by fire management officials for the most appropriate management strategy. Firefighter safety, resources at risk, location of the fire, available resources, regional and national preparedness levels, and weather forecast are taken into consideration when responding to a wildfire ignition.

For more information on the largest and most active of these wildfires, please visit the following:

Obi Fire – https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6030/
Rain Fire – https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6002/

For fire information on the Kaibab National Forest, visit www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab or @KaibabNF on Facebook and Twitter or call (928) 635-8311 for recorded fire information.

For fire information at Grand Canyon National Park, please visit https://www.nps.gov/grca/learn/management/firemanagement.htm or call 928-638-7819 for recorded fire information.

Paving continues on Interstate 40 in northern Arizona

Posted on by

Drivers on Interstate 40 in northern Arizona are advised to plan for travel delays because of traffic realignment and ramp closures at Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads. Crews are repairing 17 miles of pavement on I-40 between Parks and Williams. The project also includes making bridge deck repairs at Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads.

Beginning in August, as crews complete work to rebuild 5 westbound miles between mileposts 167 and 172, all traffic will be moved to the westbound lanes using a temporary crossover in that section. Crews will begin work on the eastbound section of the freeway and will close the eastbound on- and off-ramps at Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads for the next few months. Traffic will be detoured onto the Parks and East Williams traffic interchanges.

On July 30, the following ramp closures are scheduled to be in place:

The westbound on- and off-ramps at A-1 Mountain Road will be closed from 7 a.m. to noon. Traffic will be detoured to Bellemont, exit 185, to re-enter eastbound I-40 towards A-1 Mountain Road.
The eastbound on- and off-ramps at A-1 Mountain Road will be closed from noon to 5 p.m. Traffic will be detoured to Business Loop, exit 191, to re-enter westbound I-40 towards A-1 Mountain Road.

On August 3, the eastbound on-ramp and westbound off-ramp at Parks are scheduled to re-open after being closed for a few weeks while crews rebuilt a 1-mile section of I-40 in both directions near the interchange.

Work on this 5-mile section of I-40 is anticipated to wrap up by the fall.

Meanwhile, crews continue to repave other portions of the highway between mileposts 162 and 179 from Cataract Lake to Parks.

Construction will pause for the winter season and is scheduled to resume in spring 2019 for additional paving, bridge and intersection work. The project is scheduled for completion in late 2019.

What to expect:

  • Crews are scheduled to work Mondays through Fridays from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Lane closures, ramp closures and restrictions will be required

For more information, email MKirby@azdot.gov or call Mackenzie Kirby, MPP, Community Relations project manager, ADOT Northcentral District, at 928.525.6494. Information is also available on the project web page.

Schedules are subject to change because of weather and other unforeseen situations. Subscribe to receive traffic alerts and project updates by email. 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 when driving.

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 when driving.

Kaibab National Forest implements forest restoration projects near Parks

Posted on by

WILLIAMS/PARKS — The Kaibab National Forest is conducting preparatory work in anticipation of implementing timber sales in five project areas east of Williams near the community of Parks on the Williams Ranger District. These forest restoration efforts have resulted in increased activity that may be noticeable to residents and visitors in the area.

Preparatory work including tree marking and boundary layout operations are underway in each of the five project areas, which stretch from Brannigan Park near Bellemont west to Pittman Valley on the north side of Interstate 40. Once this work is completed, the Kaibab National Forest will be seeking to offer timber sales to local contractors and others who may be able to support the forest restoration effort. The tree marking and boundary layout work will ultimately serve as visual guidance to assist these contractors in ensuring Forest Service expectations for treatment are met.

As activity on these projects increases over the next few months, residents, land owners and visitors will likely notice more Forest Service personnel and vehicles in the area. Once timber sale contracts have been awarded, forest restoration work including timber removal and log hauling operations will also be noticeable to members of the public.

The ultimate goal of both the preparatory work and the eventual timber sales is to improve forest health and reduce the potential for high-intensity wildfires that could threaten lives, property and natural resources. These projects are planned for long-term implementation and may be ongoing for the next several years on an intermittent basis depending on weather and other conditions.

“We are pleased to be making progress on this important work, and we hope local residents continue to support our efforts in improving forest health and public safety,” said Josh Giles, silviculturist with the Kaibab National Forest. “Projects like this are critical to the long-term sustainability of our forests, watersheds and communities.”

The five projects, known as 49er, Saddle, Moonset, Parks West, and Sitgreaves, are all part of the overarching restoration work associated with the Four Forest Restoration Initiative, which is intended to treat more than 2.4 million acres of ponderosa pine forest across northern Arizona.

One goal of the Four Forest Restoration Initiative is to increase resilience in the fire-adapted ponderosa pine forest by reducing tree stand densities to a more historic level, which eventually reduces the potential for uncharacteristic wildfire. This work also offers greater protection for residents living in and adjacent to the wildland-urban interface, where developments and forested areas merge together.

Goals of treatments in the Four Forest Restoration Initiative footprint include:

  • Restoring pine forests across northern Arizona using mechanical harvesting and fire to thin dense stands of smaller trees and leave larger, mature trees.
  • Improving streams, springs, and wildlife habitat.
  • Reducing wildfire threats and impacts to communities, watersheds, and recreation areas.
  • As more forest is restored, allowing wildfires to be part of a suite of forest management efforts.
  • Engaging private industry to conduct treatments and provide jobs to rural communities.
  • Monitoring treatments to ensure a healthy forest for future generations.

For more specific information about these and other current restoration projects on the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest, contact Josh Giles at (928) 635-5616.

Information is also available through the following sources:

Kaibab National Forest Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
Four Forest Restoration Initiative Website: www.fs.usda.gov/4fri
Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF

New Lightning Caused Bald Fire on Sitgreaves Mountain to be Monitored

Posted on by

WILLIAMS — A new lightning caused wildfire has ignited on the Williams Ranger district on the south side of Sitgreaves Mountain. It is currently burning in steep terrain within the 2014 Sitgreaves wildfire burn scar.

The Bald fire is currently burning in ponderosa pine and does have the potential to expand over the next several days as monsoon moisture is forecasted to temporarily subside. An engine crew was on scene the day of discovery on July 22 and will continue to monitor fire behavior daily taking appropriate actions as necessary.

The decision to monitor this fire will not only benefit forest resources, but will also ensure the safety of firefighters by limiting exposure of people working on steep slopes. Due to the location in a pre-burned area, this fire is not considered to pose a threat to adjacent developed areas at this time.

Smoke will be visible from a wide area and could occasionally impact the communities surrounding Sitgreaves Mountain and the Interstate 40 corridor. Motorists are asked to be aware of fire personnel and vehicles and use caution when ever driving near the vicinity of a fire.

For additional information the following sources are available:

InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/6006/
Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
Twitter: twitter.com/kaibabnf
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF/
Kaibab National Forest Fire Information Phone Line (928) 635-8311.