ADOT will hold a public meeting Wednesday from 5-to-7 in the Prescott Valley Town Council chambers. A brief presentation will begin at 5:15 in regarding the 89-A Viewpoint Drive Traffic Interchange Project. ADOT is planning to complete the traffic interchange with the construction of a bridge and other improvements. ADOT is in the final design stage and will select a contractor this summer. Construction is expected to begin this fall and last 12-months. In addition to the bridge the project calls for the addition of westbound auxiliary lane between Viewpoint Drive and Glassford Hill Road, the widening of 89-A to 4-lanes east of Robert Road and improve the drainage in the area.

Due to continued illegal activity at the Upper Verde River Wildlife Area, Game and Fish has placed new restrictions. Beginning April 22, access to the wildlife area will be changed to horse and foot access only. All motorized vehicle access by the public will be prohibited except during authorized special events. Spokesman Zen Mocarski says illegal OHV use, littering, and vandalism made it clear that something needed to be done to protect the land. In addition, fences have been repeatedly destroyed, which has allowed unauthorized access to livestock.

State Democrats say Arizona's newly signed budget cuts too deeply into education and social services. Gov. Jan Brewer signed the budget-balancing measure, which includes a $385 million cut to the state's Medicare program. An additional $218 million will be saved by reverting to half-day funding for kindergarten. The package also includes a May special election for voters to decide whether to increase the sales tax to 6.6 percent for 3-years to raise roughly $1 billion annually. Brewer calls her signature on the package, "the first major step to recovery." Attorney General Terry Goddard, the presumptive Democratic nominee for governor, says the budget ignores other money-saving options, such as closing tax loopholes. (Thanks to AP)

Thursday, additional investigative documents were released regarding a fatal sweat lodge ceremony held last year by Motivational Speaker James Arthur Ray near Sedona. The documents offer more details of the experiences of participants. The more than 50-people who were inside the sweat lodge have offered wide-ranging opinions about Ray and his 5-day event; all could be called to testify during his trial which is slated to start August 31-st. Three people died; Ray has pleaded not guilty to manslaughter.

Motorists coming back from Phoenix may run into a short delay. Northbound I-17 will be narrowed to 1-lane between Anthem Way and New River Road from 8-pm Saturday to 9-am Sunday and from 8-pm-to-midnight Sunday for pavement repair. Traffic will be moving slowly through the work zone.

Construction has been completed on a portion of Highway-89-A in Oak Creek Canyon between Sedona and Flagstaff. A small portion of the roadbed on the Switchbacks was washed out during January storms and since that time the highway has been reduced to 1-lane. Crews today are removing all the equipment, conducting cleanup and finishing up some minor work. Both lanes should be totally open by tonight. 

The Sedona Parks and Recreation Department will host an open house to accept comments on a draft alcohol policy for City parks. Community input on the draft alcohol policy will be considered by the Parks and Recreation Commission and the City Council when it comes up for consideration. The open house will be held on Tuesday, April 6-th, from 9-to-10 at City Hall. Those who attend will be able leave their ideas on comment cards; comments will be accepted by phone or email until Friday, April 9-th.  

Mingus Union High School wrestling coach Tom Wokasch will be leaving the school district amid allegations he may have diverted as much as $30,000 per year in funding intended for the wrestling program. Superintendent Tim Foist says just prior to this past wrestling season, an audit indicated that funds raised through school wrestling programs were placed into Wokasch’s personal account over a period of several years. Wokasch reportedly admitted the monies had been placed into his account, but said they were still used for the wrestling program. Foist also says athletic director Mike Boysen will lose his position as AD, but will be allowed to stay with the district as a teacher. Foist says as athletic director, Boysen likely should have caught the funding misappropriations. So far, no criminal charges have been filed against Wokasch.