Tag Archives: Williams

First Baptist Church dedicates Dream Acres

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WILLIAMS — Several members of the community joined the First Baptist Church of Williams in dedicating their Dream Acres park after services Sunday. The focus was the opening of the Edith Pouquette Prayer Garden. The Garden was dedicated to a member of the First Baptist Church in honor of her long service to God. Dream Acres is a park built by the First Baptist Church and open to the public. Dogs on a leash are welcome.

Edith Pouquette cuts the ribbon to the Prayer Garden dedicated to her long service to God.


A crowd gathered to watch Edith Pouquette cut the ribbon to the Prayer Garden. Pastor Joe Oswald held a prayer service afterward to complete the dedication of the Garden.

Dream Acres has a Gospel Golf disc course. There is a hiking trail with stations along the way where hikers can participate in sports activities.

The First Baptist Church holds services on Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and Sunday morning at 10:30 p.m. They hold Bible studies earlier on Sunday, a Men’s Bible Study on Monday at 6:30 p.m. and Tuesday at 7 p.m. They also host the Spanish Bible Study on Monday. The Church is located at 629 W Grant Ave in Williams across the street from Safeway. You can call the Church at (928) 635-4692 to find out more about Dream Acres and the other activities they sponsor.

A crowd from the community gather to help dedicate the Edith Pouquette Prayer Garden.

Pastor Joe Oswald and the crowd wait for Edith Pouquette to cut the ribbon.

Along the hiking trail are stations where people can participate in sports activity.

Yet another season is upon us

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Buckskinner Trail in Williams.

WILLIAMS — As we hiked the Buckskinner trail from Buckskinner park in Williams, we heard a buzz that reminded us that we are moving into a new season. As the monsoon rains subside, we move into mosquito season. In the morning and evening hours, you can expect to note the rise in the mosquito population around Williams.

The monsoon rains have filled tanks and holes around the forested areas and, no doubt, buckets and pots around your homes. There is not a lot you can do about the water in the forest and in drainage areas, you can take steps around your home. Empty out tires, pots and other vessels that collect water around your yard. If you are growing a garden, you can empty them out there.

Kaibab National Forest temporarily closes Forest Road 149 near Kendrick Mountain

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WILLIAMS – The Kaibab National Forest has implemented a temporary closure of Forest Road 149 near Kendrick Mountain on the Williams Ranger District due to safety concerns related to the active monsoon season.

Forest Road 149, which is located in the far northeastern corner of the Williams Ranger District just east of Pumpkin Center, accesses the Pumpkin Trailhead on Kendrick Mountain. Due to the risk of flooding and the associated public safety concerns, the road has been temporarily closed and will remain so until monsoon conditions subside.

Barricades are installed at the entry to the road. No driving or parking along Forest Road 149 will be allowed until the closure is lifted. While the Pumpkin Trail itself is not closed, forest managers recommend use of either the Kendrick Mountain or Bull Basin trails while the closure of Forest Road 149 is in effect due to the lack of trailhead parking. Visitors to Pumpkin Trail could also find alternative parking along open forest roads and hike into the trail, although this could add significantly to overall hiking distance.

Due to a severe lack of winter moisture, there was very little growth of grasses and plants in the area of the 2017 Boundary Fire on Kendrick Mountain, making for potentially unstable conditions during heavy monsoonal rains. Because of that, there is an increased risk of flooding in the area, with Forest Road 149 being particularly vulnerable.

Besides temporarily closing Forest Road 149, Kaibab National Forest managers also advise visitors to the Kendrick Mountain area to have heightened awareness about potential safety hazards and exercise increased vigilance regarding personal safety, especially during rain events.

“After any fire, there is a need to recognize that the landscape is still stabilizing itself, especially in the immediate post-fire period and during monsoon conditions such as those we are experiencing now,” said Micah Kiesow, soil scientist for the Kaibab National Forest. “While the Kendrick Mountain area and its trails are open to public use except for Forest Road 149, it is still important to understand that hazards can exist. We ask visitors to be aware of their surroundings when recreating in the forest, especially in areas that have been impacted by wildfire in recent years.”

Potential risks in any area recently burned by wildfire include the following:

    storms resulting in flash flooding that could wash out roads, initiate debris flows, and entrap people at flooded stream courses;
  • unsound burned trees (snags) that could fall or shed large limbs;
  • eroded and very rough roads resulting in dangerous driving conditions;
  • unstable terrain with potential for rolling debris (logs, rocks, boulders, etc.);
  • burned out stump holes that could cause injury if stepped in;
  • and, blowing dust on roads and hillsides.

Visitors to the Kendrick Mountain area are advised to follow these outdoor safety best practices:

  1. Know the weather forecast and check it frequently as conditions can change in a very short timeframe.
  2. Let someone outside of the area know exactly where you are and where you will be going daily.
  3. Do not park vehicles or camp in areas with burned snags or where potential flood waters would prevent escape.

    4. Know where you are in relation to drainages.

  4. During windy conditions, remain in open areas that are free of trees (both live and burned) as much as possible.
  5. If an area seems unsafe for any reason, leave.
  6. Have good maps and know where you are at all times.
  7. Keep a well-charged cell phone with you and check it frequently so you know when you’re in an area where there is no coverage.
  8. Understand that there are many areas on public lands that are remote. It can take a very long time before responders can arrive if a rescue is required. The Kendrick Mountain area is very remote.

For more information about the Kaibab National Forest, reference the following sources:

Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF

Interstate 40 ramp closures between Parks and Williams in northern Arizona

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Drivers on Interstate 40 in northern Arizona are advised to plan for travel delays on Interstate 40 because of traffic realignment and ramp closures at Parks, 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.

As crews complete work to rebuild 5 westbound miles of the freeway between mileposts 167 and 172, traffic moved back to the westbound lanes as the temporary crossover in that section was removed and the westbound on- and off-ramps at Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads reopened after being closed since May.

On Thursday, July 12, the eastbound on-ramp and westbound off-ramp at Parks will close for a few weeks to allow crews to continue rebuilding a 1-mile section of I-40 in both directions near the interchange. Traffic for both ramp closures will be detoured to Pittman Valley Road where traffic will exit and re-enter I-40 eastbound towards their destination.

In a few weeks, crews will place concrete barrier on the westbound side of I-40 so both directions of traffic will use one lane in each direction while crews rebuild the eastbound lanes between mileposts 167 and 172. The eastbound on- and off-ramps at Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads will close for the next few months. The ramps at the Parks Road interchange at milepost 178 will reopen to help detour traffic.

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.

Crews are completing work on westbound I-40 between Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads first, then moving to eastbound I-40 in the same area. 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 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.

Tiny Elk Calf and Pronghorn Fawn Rescued by Bearizona Make Their Public Debut

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WILLIAMS – An elk calf, appropriately named Lucky, was rescued by Bearizona after her pregnant mother was hit by a vehicle on I-40 June 10. A month later, the one-month-old calf is almost fully recovered from a dramatic entry into the world and is on display in her new home at the wildlife park near the Grand Canyon. Lucky is the twelfth wild animal rescued this year by the popular drive- and walk-through park devoted to providing homes to wild animals in need.

Lucky’s late mom was pregnant with her at the time of the accident, and the newborn elk calf was brought into the world and saved by Flagstaff firefighters and a Prescott family who stopped at the scene and then rushed the calf to Bearizona in their motor home. She is now healthy enough to be on display along with a recently rescued two-month-old pronghorn fawn. Jessie, the pronghorn fawn, was displaced and then unable to be safely reunited with her family by the Arizona Game and Fish Department. The public can see the two together in their new home at Bearizona beginning this week.

Lucky and Jessie.

“It really is a miracle Lucky made it, which is why the family that helped save her requested we give her that name,” said Bearizona Owner Sean Casey. “We are so grateful to the Flagstaff firefighters and Prescott family that rushed to give her care at the scene, and to the veterinarians and animal staff that watched over her day and night those first few days.”

Bearizona’s mission is to rescue wild animals in need of new homes and promote conservation by inviting visitors to view wildlife in spacious, natural environments. The park has rescued four black bear cubs, two elk, one pronghorn and five otters to date in 2018.

Since it was founded in 2010, Bearizona has fast-become a must-see attraction when visiting the Grand Canyon’s South Rim or driving through Northern Arizona. It was voted among the top three wildlife parks by the annual USA Today Readers’ Choice Awards twice in the past two years.

Williams Ranger District Plan Pile Burns today

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WILLIAMS – Fire managers on the Williams Ranger District will take advantage of the recent widespread rain that has delivered adequate moisture to the area and will burn two small areas of slash piles on Friday of this week.

A 20 acre unit of hand piles approximately 8 miles south of Williams near county road 73 and forest road 139, and a single pile at the green waste disposal site located at the old dump site off forest road 900 north of Pittman Valley are scheduled for ignition on Friday morning.

This operation is projected to be complete in one day and is not expected to have any long term smoke impacts to roadways or developed areas. Smoke may be visible near both locations throughout the day however will be short in duration. No overnight impacts are expected.

Visitors are always reminded to use caution when traveling in the vicinity of prescribed fires, as firefighters, fire-related traffic and smoke may all be present.

All prescribed fires are subject to approval by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality. For additional information on the Smoke Management Division and to view prescribed burn authorizations for any given day, visit www.azdeq.gov/SmokeManagemet

Notifications of upcoming prescribed fires are provided regularly throughout the year. This information can be found at the following sources:

· Fire Information Recorded Hotline: 928-635-8311
· Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF
· Kaibab Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF
· Kaibab website “Recent News”: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
· Kaibab South Zone Rx Fire: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5922/

Forest Service fosters stewardship through youth conservation education

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WILLIAMS – In late June, Kaibab National Forest employees spent time educating young campers at the Pine Combs 4-H Camp near Williams in order to help create future public land stewards. The 34 campers, ranging in age from 9 to 13, eagerly participated as specialists showcased natural and cultural resources from across the Kaibab National Forest.

“The goal of 4-H is to develop citizenship, leadership, responsibility and life skills of youth through experiential learning programs and positive youth development,” said Misti Todd, youth development program coordinator for Pinal County 4-H. “Our slogan is ‘learn by doing’ and having the representatives from the Forest Service come and interact with our kids helps to not only broaden their horizons, but allows them to learn things while they are in the situation.”Over two days, the 4-H campers and counselors were treated to a series of interactive programs and activities presented by Kaibab National Forest specialists. On the first day, fire prevention specialists provided information on fire safety and protecting public lands through Leave No Trace outdoor ethics. Kids also learned how to extinguish a fake campfire and participated in an exercise designed to highlight the importance of forest restoration treatments. Even Smokey Bear made an appearance, reminding campers, “Only you can prevent wildfires.”

The second day brought a rotation of activities, with four separate stations highlighting Kaibab National Forest resources. At one station, campers learned about forest restoration and tree measurement tools with a forester from the Williams Ranger District. Under the guidance of an archaeologist, kids were given the chance to replicate 3,000-year-old willow branch figurines using pipe cleaner. Soon, the campers were excitedly trotting their colorful, deer-like miniatures around the table, giggling as they playfully sparred with each other.

“It is crucial that we pass on messages of conservation to youth so that when they visit the forest, they do so with respect for public lands,” said Neil Weintraub, an archaeologist with the Kaibab National Forest. “For archaeology, this is critical. Artifacts and cultural sites are fragile and irreplaceable traces of history, so conserving them on the landscape is critical to be able to reconstruct the past.”

Additional programs included outdoor safety and orienteering. During the outdoor safety session, campers learned the importance of being prepared and packing the correct equipment. As part of the orienteering lesson, the kids were taught to use a map and compass. Forest Service specialists even brought along aerial maps of the camp, giving the kids a birds-eye view of everything from the outhouses to the dining hall.

“For many of the 4-H campers, this was one of their first experiences with a National Forest and meeting Forest Service employees. I think they got to see another side of Arizona and were interested in the skills presented by our employees,” said Mark Christiano, GIS coordinator for the Kaibab National Forest. “The best way to protect and conserve our public lands is though creating good stewards of the forest. This all starts with our youth, helping them to make that connection to the outdoors. We plant the seeds now to grow strong stewards of the future.”

For pictures of Kaibab National Forest’s involvement in the Pine Combs 4-H Camp, please visit the Flickr album at bit.ly/4HKidsCamp2018.

Kaibab National Forest to Manage Three New Lightning Caused Fires

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Officials on the Kaibab National Forest will begin managing three new lightning caused wildfires for the benefit of accomplishing land management objectives that include reducing hazardous fuel accumulations and restoring overall forest health.

The Pine Ridge fire at 5 acres and the JD fire at half an acre were discovered on July 8 and are located on the southern portion of the Williams Ranger District near Pine Flat. The 1 acre Blue fire also discovered on July 8 is located approximately 5 miles east of Red Butte on the Tusayan Ranger District. All of these fires will be monitored closely over the next several days with the intent of allowing fire to burn as it would naturally over the landscape as long as it can be safely managed while benefiting forest resources.Each of these fires will have a designated planning area that will identify management objective priorities within the individual locations.

Recent moisture from monsoon rains has created ideal conditions to allow for low to moderate fire intensity to occur in these areas that are in a predominant ponderosa pine fuel type. Weather forecasts are predicting more rain in the week ahead so growth potential is expected to be minimal over the next several days.

Smoke may be visible at times from the surrounding areas. Fire managers will monitor smoke closely and take precautions to minimize impacts to adjacent residential areas. Motorists are asked to be aware of fire personnel and vehicles and use caution when driving near the vicinity of these fires.

For additional information on these fires and for the Kaibab National Forest the following sources are available:

InciWeb: inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5916/ inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5917/ inciweb.nwcg.gov/incident/5918/
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.

I-40 project east of Williams advances with 5 westbound miles rebuilt

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WILLIAMS – An Interstate 40 paving project east of Williams continues to move forward with crews completing work to rebuild 5 westbound miles of the freeway between mileposts 167 and 172 and preparing for a traffic switch Thursday, July 12, that will move traffic back to the westbound lanes, according to the Arizona Department of Transportation.

Westbound I-40 traffic in this stretch has been using one eastbound lane, separated from eastbound traffic by temporary concrete barrier.

Also on Thursday, July 12, the westbound on- and off-ramps at Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads will reopen after being closed since May. In addition, the westbound on-ramp and eastbound off-ramp at Parks will close for a few weeks to allow crews to continue rebuilding a 1-mile section of I-40 in both directions near the interchange.

In a few weeks, crews will place concrete barrier on the westbound side of I-40 so both directions of traffic will use one lane in each direction while crews rebuild the eastbound lanes between mileposts 167 and 172. The eastbound on- and off-ramps at Garland Prairie and Pittman Valley roads will close for the next few months. The ramps at the Parks Road interchange at milepost 178 will reopen to help detour traffic.

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. Crews will work until cooler temperatures arrive, then they will break for winter and return next spring to complete the work.

ADOT continues to improve pavement on other sections of I-40 and Interstate 17 in the Flagstaff area. Crews repaving northbound I-17 continue to progress toward Flagstaff making a smoother surface to drive on. Work at the I-17/I-40 interchange continues to move forward as falsework for bridge improvements has been put in place and the westbound I-40 bridge decks have been removed.

Work on the interchange is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year, while paving along I-17 will break for winter and finish next summer.

For more information on this project and others in the Flagstaff area, visit azdot.gov/projects (click on Northcentral District).

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.

Fire restrictions to be lifted Wednesday on Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts

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WILLIAMS – Due to significant and widespread precipitation south of the Grand Canyon, the Kaibab National Forest will lift all fire restrictions across the Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts at 8 a.m. Wednesday as well as the area closure of the Bill Williams Mountain watershed. Due to different weather conditions, however, Stage II fire restrictions will remain in effect for the entire North Kaibab Ranger District, which is located north of the Grand Canyon.

As of Wednesday morning, there will be no fire restrictions in effect on the Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts. The districts have received a substantial amount of rain over the last few days with more in the forecast. The area closure of the Bill Williams Mountain watershed will also be lifted, and visitors can once again camp, hike and drive in the popular recreation area.

“I want to express my appreciation to our local communities and visitors for their outstanding compliance with fire restrictions this year,” said Art Gonzales, fire staff officer for the Kaibab National Forest. “We had an incredibly low number of human-caused wildfire starts on the forest despite being in extreme fire danger and having one of the driest periods on record in many years. When members of the public abide by fire restrictions and closures, they greatly help us in protecting their public lands and adjacent communities from the threats posed by human-caused wildfires.”

The North Kaibab Ranger District has not yet received the amount of precipitation seen on the southern two districts of the Kaibab National Forest and will therefore remain in Stage II fire restrictions until rainfall amounts increase.

Under the Stage II fire restrictions that will remain in effect on the North Kaibab Ranger District, the following are prohibited:

Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, charcoal, coal, or wood stove fire, including fires in developed campgrounds and improved sites.
Smoking, except within an enclosed vehicle or building.
Discharging a firearm except while engaged in a lawful hunt pursuant to state, federal, or tribal laws and regulations.
Operating chainsaws or any internal combustion engine between the hours of 9 a.m. and 8 p.m.
Welding or operating acetylene or other torches with an open flame.
Using an explosive. (It is always illegal to use any kind of explosives on National Forest lands.)

Exemptions to the Stage II fire restrictions that will remain in effect on the North Kaibab Ranger District include the following:

Using a device fueled solely by liquid petroleum or LPG fuels that can be turned on and off. Such devices can only be used in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3 feet of the device.
Operating generators with an approved spark arresting device within an enclosed vehicle or building or in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3 feet of the generator.
Operating motorized vehicles in compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Parking off any road must be in an area that is barren or cleared of all overhead and surrounding flammable materials within 3 feet of the vehicle.

Due to the lack of precipitation over last winter and the rapidly increasing fire danger, forest officials first implemented campfire and smoking restrictions, also known as Stage I fire restrictions, across the entire Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts on April 27. Those were quickly increased to Stage II fire restrictions on May 4, with the closure of the Bill Williams Mountain watershed implemented on May 11. The Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts have remained in Stage II fire restrictions with the Bill Williams Mountain area closure since that time.

The North Kaibab Ranger District first entered Stage I fire restrictions on May 18 and then increased to Stage II on June 8. Because of its location north of the Grand Canyon, the North Kaibab Ranger District frequently enters fire restrictions and then remains in them later than the rest of the Kaibab National Forest, as is the case this year.

Fire restrictions and area closures are implemented when necessary in order to protect human life, property and natural resources. The Forest Service uses fire restrictions and area closures in order to prevent unwanted, human-caused fires and to limit the exposure of visitors during periods of potentially dangerous fire conditions.

For more information about the Kaibab National Forest and any fire restrictions in effect, reference the following sources:

Website: www.fs.usda.gov/kaibab
Twitter: www.twitter.com/KaibabNF
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KaibabNF
Arizona Fire Restrictions: firerestrictions.us/az