WILLIAMS — Intermittent closures will be required on Interstate 40 near Williams (milepost 168) to accommodate overhead utility work Tuesday through Thursday (Sept. 27-29) from 5 a.m. to 10 a.m. daily. Two temporary closures per hour are needed as crews work in the area and will impact both east- and westbound travel during operations.
Drivers should allow extra time for travel, drive through the work zone with caution, slow down and watch for construction equipment and personnel.
WILLIAMS — An accident occurred on 2nd Street near Sheridan Avenue last night at approximately 5:45 p.m. It appears that a white vehicle was traveling north on 2nd toward downtown when it struck the back of a black Toyota pickup. Witnesses said the white car hit hard enough to spin. Witnesses heard the accident in their homes as far as First Street.
Police arrived at about 5:50 p.m. and an ambulance was called to the scene to check out the single male occupant of the white vehicle. It did not appear that his injuries were serious enough to transport.
The remnants of hurricane Paine push moisture into the area.
The weather service reports that a cold front approaching from the north will bring windy conditions to many areas on Thursday. This front will bring more showers and thunderstorms to mainly northern and western sections of the state. Some storms near the Utah border and in western Coconino county may become severe.
Briefly colder conditions will arrive behind the front Friday. Drier and warmer weather will develop over the coming weekend and into early next week.
WILLIAMS — The Council meeting will begin with the public comment section. Citizens are given five minutes to speak unless they receive prior approval for additional time. A registered spokesperson for a recognized community organization shall be afforded ten minutes provided other members of the same organization agree before hand to withhold their individual comments on the same subject. The Council members cannot act upon the items, but may respond to criticism. They may put the item on a future agenda.
Other items to be discussed by the council include:
WILLIAMS — The Kaibab National Forest will issue free-use, paid personal-use and ceremonial fuelwood permits for the North Kaibab Ranger District at the Bodaway/Gap Chapter House on Sept. 24 from 1 to 3 p.m. DST.
The Kaibab National Forest will also issue free-use, paid personal-use and ceremonial fuelwood permits for the Tusayan Ranger District at the Huskie Arena during the Cameron Community Celebration on Oct. 14 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. MST.
Besides the Sept. 24 and Oct. 14 chapter opportunities, fuelwood permits are also regularly available at the following Kaibab National Forest locations:
A permit must be acquired by anyone harvesting any fuelwood on the Kaibab National Forest, except for the rather small amounts used in a campfire and gathered at the campfire site. The 2016 firewood cutting season runs from April 15 to Dec. 31 for the Williams and Tusayan districts and from May 2 to Nov. 30 for the North Kaibab district.
The minimum cost for a personal use fuelwood permit is $20, which is good for four cords of wood. Free-use permits are available for specific areas on the forest. Individuals seeking free-use permits should check with the appropriate ranger district office for availability, locations and other information. The Kaibab National Forest also has a collection policy for providing free forest products to Native Americans for traditional and cultural uses.
All permits issued will include a map and detailed cutting regulations as well as load tags, which must be physically attached to each ¼ cord of firewood and visible from the rear of the vehicle. The goal of this load tagging system is to ensure accountability for the amount of wood removed from the forest.
The removal of fuelwood is permitted only from National Forest lands on the district for which the permit is issued. Fuelwood cutters are reminded to take note of property boundaries and cut only on National Forest lands.
Fuelwood cutters should be aware that chainsaws can throw sparks and ignite grasses and brush. Always carry a shovel and a fire extinguisher or water in case of a fire start. Additionally, all chainsaws must be equipped with a stainless steel spark arrestor screen.
WILLIAMS — Members of the public are invited to a National Public Lands Day event Sept. 24 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Cataract Lake Day Use Area in Williams hosted by the Kaibab National Forest.
The event will include several outdoor clinics, environmental education opportunities, fishing, interpretive presentations, and service projects to clean up the lakeshore and picnic area.
“We are excited to offer an opportunity for the community of Williams to come together to enjoy Cataract Lake, participate in some fun events, and make the area even nicer in recognition of National Public Lands Day,” said Lisa Jones, recreation program manager for the Williams Ranger District. “We hope members of the public will bring their families and friends and make this a day to celebrate the outstanding outdoor recreation opportunities we have right here in our backyards.”
Community members planning to attend should meet on the Kaibab National Forest side of Cataract Lake at N. Cooper Ranch Road in Williams. Participants are advised to wear clothing and shoes appropriate for outdoor fun and adventure and to bring their own water and snacks.
For additional information on the event, contact Lisa Jones at lljones@fs.fed.us or (928) 635-5619 or Dutch Maatman at jmaatman@fs.fed.us or (928) 635-5661.
This year is the 23rd annual National Public Lands Day, which is the nation’s largest, single-day volunteer effort for public lands. The goals of National Public Lands Day are to connect people to public lands in their community, inspire environmental stewardship, and encourage use of public lands for education, recreation, and general health.
National Public Lands Day events will be taking place across the country at thousands of sites on public lands. To learn more or to find events, visit https://www.neefusa.org/public-lands-day.
“Please join us on Sept. 24 as your work will help ensure our public lands continue to be beautiful places for all to enjoy,” Jones said. “We invite you to take this day to enjoy the great outdoors and celebrate the lands that give us so much.”
The National Weather Service has issued a high wind advisory from 11 a.m. today through 7 p.m. tonight from Ash Fork to Flagstaff. The high wind advisory extends to Tusayan and Prescott.
Winds will be from the southwest from 20 to 30 mph gusting up to 50 mph. Travelers should take caution driving from Ash Fork to Flagstaff.
WILLIAMS — Trees around Williams are hinting of the coming climate change commonly called fall. The heavy rainfall from the monsoons has filled the oaks and aspens and other trees in and around the city with lovely green leaves.
Some leaves with their yellow color which still contain some chlorophyll.
As summer wanes, some outsiders might believe that there is less to do in Williams. They miss the some great hiking a photographic opportunities leading us into the major holiday seasons of Halloween, Thanksgiving and Mountain Village Holiday.
Benham trail—two-miles out of Williams across Perkinsville Road from the turn to Dogtown Road—is a nice hike. The aspens at Buckskinner reservoir are popular with photographers. There is, however, another hiking trail at the day-use area of the park. It meets up with the Williams Trail at the end of Sheridan Avenue. It is a fairly stringent hike, however.
The acorns are sprouting on the oaks.
If you drive about seven-miles east of Williams on Route 66, you will find Oak Hill Snow Play area on the left. Across Route 66 from the Oak Hill Snow Play area is a nice hiking trail which leads to the Keyhole Sink where you will find ancient petroglyphs. The hike is about a mile and is beautiful during the fall.
Even during the cooler fall weather, we recommend taking water. If you plan on hiking with your dog, or cat, take water for them and remember to keep them on a leash. Others may be hiking with their animals. Also carry bags to clean up your dogs leavings.
There are other places to hike and other things to do during the season. To find out more visit the Williams Visitor Center on Railroad Avenue.
You are invited to the Children’s Miracle barbeque event at Love’s on Saturday, September 17 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Love’s around the country are collecting money for the Children’s Miracle Network. This event benefits the Children’s Miracle Network of the Phoenix Children’s Hospital. The Love’s in Williams is in competition with the Love’s in Kingman for this event. Every dollar helps.
Anyone can donate from now until the event on Saturday by purchasing a balloon at Love’s. Businesses are asked to donate $100 while individuals can donate any amount.
The event Saturday will have hamburgers, hotdogs, chips and cold drink available for a requested minimum donation of $5. KZBX radio will be on hand with music and are working to get some live music. There are games and a special pie-in-the-face event with the Love’s manager.
WILLIAMS — On September 11, 2015, the Williams Boxcar bridge was set into place. Nearly a year later, the new lights are lit signalling the completion of the project. The lights were on for the first time today.
In April, Mike the sign painter began the process of adding sinage to the bridge.
The bridge has been open for use for several months and attracts many visitors for pictures.