9/5/2008

Murder suspect faces additional, separate charges

A Black Canyon City man arrested on murder charges this week is also now facing two counts of Sexual Conduct With A Minor. 20-year old Cody Forbis was arrested was Monday on a charge of murder in the shooting death of 33-year old Matthew Hrabina. Hrabina’s body was found along Bumble Bee Road near I-17 on August 11th. Investigators say the victim and suspect knew one another, but the motive for the killing is unclear. Forbis has a Tuesday EDC court appearance on both the murder and sexual conduct charges.

9/5/2008

Sedona Officer accused of raping DUI suspect cleared

A Sedona Police officer who was accused of raping a female DUI suspect in late July was cleared of any wrongdoing last week. Commander Ron Wheeler says 29-year old Veronica Frost of Cottonwood filed a report at VVMC claiming she had been raped by the officer while being processed at the Sedona Police Station. The officer stopped Frost on suspicion of DUI July 24-th. Wheeler says YCSO conducted the investigation which included an examination of Frost by the Family Advocacy Center, DNA tests and a review of the video taken from cameras in the officer’s patrol car, the stations booking room and the intoxilizer room. Once the evidence was reviewed, the officer was cleared and reinstated.

9/5/2008

Bradshaw Mountain High janitor arrested

A Bradshaw Mountain High School janitor was arrested today after police say he made threats of physical violence against administrative personnel. Prescott Valley Police responded to both the high school and to nearby Glassford Hill Middle School after receiving word of the threats allegedly made by 61-year old Erick Vernotico. Police Commander Laura Molinaro says police made sure both campuses were secure while they investigated. Vernotico was later arrested at his home on a felony charge of committing a hoax.

9/5/2008

Chipmunk tests positive for West Nile in Flagstaff

Coconino County Health Department Officials have announced that a chipmunk found in south Flagstaff near Ft. Tuthill has tested positive for West Nile virus. This is the third positive West Nile virus test in Coconino County this year. Last month, mosquito samples collected near Kachina Village and near Lake Mary tested positive. No human cases have been reported. In 2007, there were 2 human cases, in Coconino County.

9/5/2008

Authorities continue to look into death of Cottonwood man

Authorities continue to investigate the August 29th death of a Cottonwood man who fell from the hood of an automobile. 30-year old Oscar “Lance” Laxton died of head trauma at a Las Vegas Hospital shortly he fell from the vehicle, which was being driven by his brother, 27-year old Rick Laxton. Officials with the Yavapai County Attorney’s office today said they have requested additional information from investigators. At that point, prosecutors will decide what – if any – charges might be filed in the case.

9/5/2008

Justin Dwyer back in court Wednesday for trial

A former YCSO deputy charged with using his son to purchase cocaine from an under cover officer for his own personal use, will be back in court next Wednesday for trial. 40-year old Justin Dwyer was in court this week for a settlement hearing. Dwyer was a YCSO deputy for 8-years prior to his arrest in May of 2007.

9/5/2008

Kaibab Forest to begin City Project next week

Fire managers with the Kaibab National Forest plan to implement the City prescribed burn project on the Williams Ranger District. Spokesperson Punky Moore says burning will likely begin Monday and continue throughout the week. The project area covers approximately 2,500-acres north, west and south of Williams. Burning will take place in the following areas: Signal Hill, Cataract Lake and Buckskinner Park. Smoke will typically be heaviest the day of the burn and the night following the burn. The intent of the burn is to create a buffer between the City of Williams and the Forest to prevent a devastating wildfire in the future.

9/5/2008

UBS Blood Drives this weekend

United Blood Services needs your help with a couple of blood drives this weekend in Prescott Valley. Director Paul McCully says a blood drive will be held at Kohls on Glassford Hill Road from 10-to-2 on Saturday and at Midas on East Ridge Drive from Noon-to-4 on Sunday. To make an appointment call 1-877-448-GIVE or go on-line at bloodhero.com. Walk-ins are welcome.

9/5/2008

ADOT to "mill and fill" I-17 in Camp Verde

In the next couple of weeks ADOT crews will begin grinding the top half of pavement off of southbound I-17 between the McGuireville and General Crook Trail Interchanges. Spokesman Rod Wigman says the top 3-inches of asphalt will be removed and replaced with new. He says most of the work will be conducted at night.

9/5/2008

General Election just 8 weeks away

The Primary Election is over and now the focus turns to the General Election which is just 8-weeks from this Tuesday. Un-registered voters who want to participate in the November 4-th General Election need to be registered by October 6-th. Early voting begins October 2-nd; the last day to request an early voter ballot by mail is October 24-th and the last day to vote early in person is October 31-st.

9/5/2008

VCAT working their way into Yavapai County

The Violent Criminal Apprehension Team or VCAT was formed earlier this year per the order of the Governor. DPS spokesman Bart Graves says VCAT is made up of law enforcement officers from several different agencies; there sole purpose is to track down and arrest wanted felons. Graves says the group has been very successful in Maricopa and Pinal Counties and they’re currently working with YCSO and Prescott Police to bring VCAT to Yavapai County. Since May VCAT has arrested 250-fugitives and has cleared 330-felony warrants.

9/5/2008

Pavement Preservation Project next week on Highway-160 and 89A

ADOT will begin pavement preservation projects on Highway-160 east of Tuba City and Highway 89-A between Jacob Lake and Fredonia and between Bitter Springs and Marble Canyon. Officials say the Highway-160 project, which will be conducted Monday, will take 1-day to complete; the Highway 89-A projects, which start on Wednesday, will last into December. Work hours are from 7-am to 4-pm each day.

9/5/2008

Marteen and Mill Fires nearly out

The Marteen Wildland Fire Use Fire on the Kaibab National Forest continues to smolder. It's burning near Williams, but at last check was nearly because of heavy rains. Several other fires touched off by lightning have all but burned themselves out such as the Mill Fire which has charred just over 17-hundred acres.

9/4/2008

Donald Kruse trial underway

Donald Kruse’s trial got underway yesterday. The 53-year old Cottonwood man is on trial for an accident that seriously injured 5 Mingus Union High School girls a year ago. The accident occurred near the intersection of Highway 89-A and Camino Real as the girls were headed back to school from lunch. Witnesses say the truck Kruse was driving began to drift left, crossing 2-lanes of traffic before striking the victim’s vehicle head-on. Kruse’s trial is scheduled to end next Wednesday. Kruse was indicted on 8 counts of aggravated assault, endangerment, 2 counts each of DUI and criminal damage, and possession of dangerous drugs…marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

9/4/2008

Camp Verde woman arrested for DUI and agg assault

A Camp Verde woman faces a number of charges relating to a Wednesday night incident in which Marshall’s officials say she tried to hit someone with her car. Police were called to an area on Cliff’s Parkway near Holloman Street. Authorities say 37-year old Shannon Reichard had been arguing with a 27-year old man when she tried to hit him with her car. The victim was injured but was treated at the scene. Reichard was arrested for extreme DUI and aggravated assault.

9/4/2008

Minor injury accident on Cornville Road

Verde Valley Fire District crews were called to a reported motor vehicle accident on Cornville Road shortly before Noon Wednesday. Spokesperson Merry Shanks says the vehicle apparently struck a guard-rail and went down a 50-foot embankment. The driver was transported to the Verde Valley Medical Center.

9/4/2008

Yavapai College/VVMC expand partnership

Yavapai College will officially expand its partnership with the Verde Valley Medical Center in a ceremony Friday morning on the Verde Valley campus. The two entities will create a stand-alone nursing program. Executive Dean Tom Schumacher says the move provides financial assistance to the school and trains nurses for the hospital. Arizona is among many states struggling with a shortage of qualified nurses.

9/4/2008

Spring Valley man arrested for defrauding Make-A-Wish Foundation

A Spring Valley man has been charged with theft and fraud after he allegedly ripped off the Make-A-Wish Foundation. 53-year old Douglas Ray Riesberg is accused of scamming the foundation out of $11,000 dollars and causing a huge disappointment to a very sick child in Chicago. Authorities say Riesberg accepted the money last March and promised to build and deliver a custom go-kart to the child. Months passed with no go-kart, despite repeated contacts by the Foundation and even the child’s family. Last week, at the request of Make-A-Wish attorneys, YCSO questioned Riesberg who admitted he had used part of the money to cover personal expenses, but insisted he was still trying to make good on his end of the deal. Police found no evidence that that was true. Police say Riesberg was still maintaining his deception last month when he reportedly agreed to deliver the go-kart to the child and his mother on August 15th at the Chicago airport. The child was taken off his kidney dialysis and they drove to the airport, but Riesberg was not present. The child received a text message from Riesberg claiming the flight was delayed and to expect him within 30 minutes, but Riesberg never showed up.

9/4/2008

Iron King Mine and Humboldt Smelter make Superfund Cleanup List

A Dewey-Humboldt mine and adjacent smelter have been designated as a federal Superfund cleanup site. The Iron King Mine and the nearby Humboldt Smelter constitute 1-of-6 new sites nationwide to be included on the National Priorities List by the EPA. It's the first Arizona property marked for high-priority cleanup in nearly 2-decades. Inclusion on the Superfund list will help federal officials address arsenic and lead problems in the town of Dewey-Humboldt. The Iron King Mine excavated gold, silver, lead and zinc from the ground for nearly 70-years before closing in 1969. (Thanks to AP Phoenix)

9/4/2008

Criminal Damage in Prescott

Prescott Police are looking for the suspect or suspects that are linked to numerous acts of criminal damage in the city. Lt. Ken Morely says the crimes have occurred over the past couple of nights in random locations around the city. He says the suspects are likely in a vehilce; it's unclear what they're using to break out the windows.

9/4/2008

Horizon ready to fly between Prescott and LAX

Horizon Air will begin offering flights from Prescott to Los Angeles starting Monday. The inaugural flight will take place at 4:45-pm Monday; it will return from LAX at 9:30-pm. Horizon and Prescott-government representatives, community partners and businesses will celebrate the inaugural flight Monday with an airport fire department water-cannon salute over the arriving plane and a toast to Horizon by Mayor Jack Wilson. Starting Tuesday, the regular flight will leave Prescott at 6:45-am and arrive in LA at 8:20-am daily. The return flight will leave LA at 7:55-pm and arrive in Prescott at 9:30. Saturday flights will return in the afternoon.

9/4/2008

Governor wants to move forward with transportation funding and state trust land measures

Governor Janet Napolitano says she's not giving up on short-circuited ballot measures on transportation funding and state trust land. The 2-measures won't be on the November ballot because a judge ruled that supporters missed a deadline to challenge a state official's decision to throw out some initiative petitions. Napolitano says supporters will go back, retool, rethink and look at who they have to work with to advance the proposals. She says at the very least the Legislature should hold hearings this winter. The transportation measure proposed raising the state sales tax by a penny on the dollar to pay for highway construction, rail service and transit. The trust land proposal would have set aside 570,000 acres for conservation as open space. (Thanks to AP Phoenix)

9/4/2008

Flagstaff Loop Trail Project moving to next stage

Peaks and Mormon Lake District Ranger Michael Elson has signed a decision approving the Flagstaff Loop Trail project, which has been in the planning stage since 2003. When complete, the 42-mile trail will circumnavigate Flagstaff, providing access from all areas of the city. Officials say the next step is to work with Flagstaff Biking Organization, Coconino County, and Flagstaff and begin recruiting volunteers and additional partners to implement the project. More information can be found at www.flagstaffbiking.org/loop-trail/ or by calling 928-527-8226.

9/4/2008

Flagstaff PD gearing up for Citizens Academy

The fall class for the “Citizen’s Police Academy” is now forming. The academy is a collaborative effort between the DPS, Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and the Flagstaff Police Department. There are 2-academies each year with a limit of 35-participants in each class. The academy gives citizens an overview of the law enforcement role in the area. You must be 18 or older and be able to meet on Wednesday evenings. Class members may range from university students to retired residents. The meetings are held at the Law Enforcement Administrative Facility, LEAF, at 911 East Sawmill Drive. For more information, a copy of the class schedule or an application, contact Flagstaff Police Sgt. Tom Boughner at 928-556-2300.

9/3/2008

Flagstaff Police ID man killed in pursuit and head-on collision

The Flagstaff Police Department has released the name of the man that died following a high-speed chase and head-on collision on August 17-th on East Route-66. The man was identified as 24-year old Aaron Montoya of Flagstaff. Sgt. Tom Boughner says the events that lead up to the pursuit and accident are unusual. He says on the night of the accident Montoya entered the police station to report he’d rolled a vehicle. Before officers could talk to him, Montoya left the station. An officer located Montoya at his home at which time, for unknown reasons, Montoya fled. Boughner says they would like to talk to a second man that entered the police station right after Montoya. They believe he may be able to help them close the case. He was driving a black or dark colored pickup.

9/3/2008

Disabled vehicle leads to discovery of human smugglers

A DPS officer stopping to check on a disabled vehicle on northbound I-17 near Cordes Junction last week ended up finding seven undocumented aliens and two “coyotes.” While the officer was there, a woman in another vehicle drove up and attempted to escort the illegals to her vehicle for the remainder of their trip. She and the other two men were arrested for human smuggling; their passengers were turned over to ICE. Police also recovered $1,200 cash, a 2001 Dodge Caravan and a 2007 Chevrolet Tahoe.

9/3/2008

Prescribed fire on CNF Thursday

The Peaks Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest is planning to conduct a prescribed burn Thursday on the Eastside Project. Crews will conduct an initial-entry broadcast burn – about 150 acres – off Cinder Lake Landfill Road, west of the landfill. Southwest winds are in the forecast; however, smoke may impact the Timberline, Doney Park, and Fernwood areas.

9/3/2008

Flagstaff biker killed in South Dakota

A Flagstaff man was killed Tuesday in a motorcycle accident at the Crazy Horse Memorial in South Dakota. Authorities say a man from the United Kingdom made a sudden lane change and pulled out in front of 56-year-old Thaddeus Baker Jr. and several other bikers. Baker’s Harley hit the rear of the car and he was thrown from his bike into another vehicle that had stopped at a light. Two other motorcyclists traveling with Baker also hit the car and were injured. Police are still trying to determine if the driver of the car will face criminal charges.

9/3/2008

Primary Election results

The votes from yesterday’s Primary Election have been tallied and here are the results. District-1 State Senator Tom O’Halleron was defeated by his challenger Steve Pearce. Pearce had 12,831-votes to O’Halleron’s 11,528. Democrat Ann Kirkpatrick and Republican Sydney Hay will face each other in the November General Election for the Congressional District-1 seat currently held by Rick Renzi. Carol Springer retained her District-1 seat on the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors, easily defeating her challenger Georgene Lockwood. Also keeping his seat was YCSO Sheriff Steve Waugh. He beat his challenger Ernie Cox by more than 10,000 votes. Yavapai County Assessor Victor Hambrick will have to look for a new job. Hambrick lost his bid for re-election; Pamela Pearsall will become the county’s new Assessor. The race for Coconino County Board of Supervisor District 4 will be between Democrat Mandy Metzger and Barry Guillet and the November ballot will have Democrat Lenna Fowler and Republican Faron Morgan vying for the District-5 Supervisor seat. Tusayan voters said NO to Incorporation. And a recall election in Camp Verde ended with Rob Witt being replaced by Richard Rynearson.

9/3/2008

Davetta Peterson sentenced to 60 days in jail for death of son

47-year old Davetta Petersen, who was DUI when her son, 16-year old Levi McDaniel, was thrown from the back of her pickup truck and killed, was sentenced Tuesday. The state recommended that Petersen be sentenced to 2.5-years in prison after she pleaded guilty to negligent homicide and 3-counts of endangerment. Yavapai County Superior Court Judge Thomas Lindberg sentenced Petersen to 60-days in jail and 4-years probation. That’s Yavapai County Administrative Assistant Penny Cramer. The accident occurred in March, 2006.

9/3/2008

Yavapai Food Bank shelves low on food

Food supplies have once again dropped to near nothing at Yavapai Food Bank in Prescott Valley. Bob Wilson says the need is continuous. He says the state of the economy is the reason for the increase in people coming to them for help and why donations have dropped off. He says between 80 and 100 people come through their doors each day needing assistance. Food and monetary donations are being accepted.

9/3/2008

Kaibab Forest to burn Slash Piles

Kaibab National Forest officials plan to burn slash piles this week in the Bennett Springs area south of the Williams Ranger District Office. Smoke will be visible.

9/3/2008

Plan D to be used to silence trains in Flagstaff

On a 4-to-3 vote Tuesday night, the Flagstaff City council approved moving forward with plan-D to silence train horns in Flagstaff. The plan calls for quiet zones at Beaver, San Francisco and Enterprise, and wayside horns to be placed at Steves and Fanning. The cost of the project is $885,000 and should be in place by next April.

9/3/2008

Cottonwood Elementary School burglarized

Sometime between Monday night and Tuesday morning someone broke into Cottonwood Elementary School. Officials with Cottonwood Police say someone broke into the 500-building by breaking out windows and removing the screens. Taken from 3-classrooms were 4-laptop computers valued at $4,300; damage to the school comes to $1,800. Anyone with information on this crime should call Cottonwood Police or Yavapai Silent Witness.

9/3/2008

Prescribed burn planned along Lake Mary Road

Crews from the Mogollon Rim District will try to conduct a prescribed pile burn on the Bald Mesa Project this week. The slash piles are located between milepost 294-295 along Lake Mary Road. Crews will conduct a test burn today to see how well piles burn. If they burn well, burning will continue Thursday.

9/2/2008

Black Canyon City man arrested in shooting death of another man

A Black Canyon City man has been arrested and charged with murder in the shooting death of another man last month. 20-year old Cody Christopher Forbis was arrested Monday night. Police believe Forbis is responsible for the shooting death of 33-year old Matthew Hrabina, whose body was found on August 11th near Bumble Bee Road and I-17. Authorities have not yet released any information as to the motive for the crime. Police say Hrabina died of multiple gunshot wounds; police believe he was killed in the same spot where his body was discovered.

9/2/2008

Charges pending in brotherly argument that ends in one death

An argument between 2 Cottonwood brothers ended in tragedy Friday night. Cottonwood Police Sgt. Gary Eisenga says 27-year old Rick Laxton and 30-year old Oscar Laxton had been arguing at a party on Cochise Street. When Rick tried to leave the party in his vehicle, Oscar hit it with his fists and jumped on the hood. Rick continued to drive with Oscar on the hood. Rick applied his brakes causing his car to skid, which in turn, caused Lance to fall off the vehicle and hit his head on the pavement. Rick did not stop, but was located a short time later; Oscar was flown to a hospital in Las Vegas where he died from his injuries. Charges are pending a review by the County Attorney’s Office.

9/2/2008

Woman injured in accident in Prescott

One person was seriously injured in a three-car accident in Prescott Saturday evening. Police Lt Ken Morley says around 5:30PM a car driven by 64-year old Diane Bomboy of Prescott failed to stop at a light on Whipple Street and Merrit Avenue. Two other cars that had stopped at the light were struck. Bomboy was air-evacuated to a Phoenix hospital. Morley says Bomboy was in stable condition today; she will be interviewed by police when her condition improves.

9/2/2008

Phoenix man killed in hang-glider accident on Mingus Mountain

A Phoenix hang glider was killed Saturday afternoon when he fell from his hang-glider after taking off from Mingus Mountain. Yavapai Sheriff’s officials say 36-year old Kunio Yoshimura fell some 2,000 feet to his death. Sheriff’s spokesman Dwight D’Evelyn says Yoshimura tried to control the glider but eventually had to let go of the rig. He then attempted to deploy his emergency parachute, however, the chute did not fully open and Yoshimura fell. The DPS Ranger helicopter was used to recover Yoshimura’s body. The accident occurred during a weekend event in which as many as 60 gliders daily were expected to launch from Mingus.

9/2/2008

ADOT offers e-mail alerts

ADOT has launched a new e-mail alert service, wherein subscribers can receive e-mail announcements about road closures, construction delays and so on. Users can pre-select certain topics for which they will then be notified. Wireless alerts can also be sent to a subscriber’s cell phone. Learn more about this free service at www.azdot.gov, then click on “Email Updates.”

9/2/2008

10 arrested for DUI

(10 arrested for DUI during Chino Valley Checkpoint)—09/03/08 The Chino Valley Police Department along with the Tri-City DUI Task Force conducted a DUI Checkpoint near Road-3-South on Highway-89 in Chino Valley Saturday night. The checkpoint resulted in 1,320 vehicles being contacted with 10-suspects arrested for DUI. Prescott Police Sgt. Tim Fletcher says 7-DUI arrests involved alcohol and 3 involved drugs. Nine other arrests were made for various offenses including possession of cocaine, possession of marijuana, Possession of drug paraphernalia, minor consuming alcohol, and open containers of alcohol in a vehicle. The average blood alcohol level was .126% which is well over the legal limit, .08%. 138 other traffic violations were observed and noted including numerous seat belt, child restraint and vehicle equipment violations.

9/2/2008

Rollover accident causes 18-mile backup on I-17

Motorists headed southbound on I-17 Monday afternoon got stuck in a major traffic backup. DPS Lt. Frank Lopez says a single vehicle rollover accident 3-miles north of Black Canyon City was the reason for the lengthy delay. He says the driver lost control of the vehicle, hit a guardrail, and rolled. Lopez says the 3 occupants in the vehicle suffered only minor injuries. He says it took 45-minutes to clear the accident scene, but with the heavy Labor Day traffic, there was an 18-mile backup. Lopez says it took about 3-hours before traffic was moving smoothly again.

9/2/2008

Highway-89 repaving delayed 1-week

The Highway-89 repaving schedule between Prescott and Chino Valley has been delayed 1-week due to rain. ADOT will begin repaving a 5-mile section of the highway starting tonight; the work will continue through late September. There will be lane closures and slower speed limits, and motorists should expect delays of ten to fifteen minutes. Flaggers, pilot cars and construction signs will help direct traffic through the construction zones with the aid of local police.

9/2/2008

Prescribed burns planned on Coconino Forest this week

Coconino National Forest Fire Managers hope to conduct some prescribed burning this week. Crews hope to burn slash piles stacked just north of the Oak Creek Vista scenic overlook. They hope to burn 25-to-50-acres each day. A prescribed burn may begin this week near the Cinder Lake Landfill; crews will try to burn 100-acres per day. Smoke will be visible.

9/2/2008

Highway-89 night work in Chino Valley continues

ADOT crews in Chino Valley this week will temporarily close Road-3-South just east of Highway-89 and the driveway to ACE Hardware allowing them install the water main across both roads. This closure will occur during the nighttime hours only. Each closure should last one night; motorists should use Road-2-South and Road-1-East. Evening work will continue through the month.

9/2/2008

Highway 89/69 Update

ADOT crews will be installing and activating a new signal on Highway-69 at Heather Heights in Prescott. Tonight from 8-pm to 6-am, signal installation will restrict 69 to 1-lane in each direction. Motorists should expect delays. The sidewalk will be closed 24-hours a day along westbound Gurley Street between Sheldon Street and Rush Street for road widening. Pedestrian should cross to the opposite side of Gurley Street.

9/2/2008

Car burglary suspects caught in Camp Verde

The Camp Verde Verde Marshals Office arrested 2 juveniles in connection with 2 vehicle burglaries on 4-th Street. Officials says the boys are ages 16 and 17 and admitted their involvement in the crimes. The burglaries occurred in the early morning hours of Saturday. Both are charged with 2-counts each of 2-nd degree burglary, possession of stolen property and possession of burglary tools. A call of suspicious activity resulted in the arrests.

8/30/2008

Cottonwood man arrested for sexual exploitation of a minor

A Cottonwood man was arrested Wednesday on a felony warrant issued through an investigation that started more than a year ago. Police served the warrant on 56-year old Nicholas Knudsen Robin Green at his 12th Street home. The warrant charges Green with Sexual Exploitation of a Minor, Luring a Minor for Sexual Exploitation, and Sexual Conduct with a Minor. Green was arrested without incident. The investigation began on January 3rd, 2007, when the male victim – who was 16 years old at the time - reported that Green had allegedly taken a photograph of him in the nude and placed the photograph on his computer. The victim also alleges that Green had showered with him. A previous warrant was served on Green shortly after the victim made his claim; at that time, the computer was sent to the DPS crime lab for processing. Based on the results of the crime lab report and the investigation, the arrested warrant for Green was issued this past Wednesday. Green was arrested and booked into the Camp Verde jail facility.

8/29/2008

Elk-viewing workshop coming soon

The Arizona Game and Fish Department is sponsoring an elk-watching workshop on September 6th. This event will feature a presentation, field trip and a free BBQ sponsored by the Mormon Lake Lodge. Officials say early Fall is a great time to view the hundreds of elk in the Mormon Lake/Lake Mary areas near Flagstaff. The workshop will start with a presentation at 4PM Saturday, September 6th, followed by the field trip and BBQ. Attendees are encouraged to bring binoculars, water, snacks and appropriate clothing. To register, call 928-774-5045.

8/29/2008

Bagdad woman to be sentenced in son's death

A sentencing hearing has been scheduled for Tuesday afternoon for 47-year old Davetta Petersen. The Bagdad woman was convicted last month of Negligent Homicide and Endangerment with Substantial Risk of Physical Injury relating to the March, 2006, traffic accident in which her son was killed. 16-year old Levi McDaniel died when he was thrown from the bed of a pick-up truck being driven by his mother. The boy was pronounced dead at the scene. Authorities said Petersen was DUI at the time of the accident.

8/29/2008

Man wanted in Western States for ID theft caught in Cordes Lakes

A tip to Yavapai Silent Witness lead to the arrest of 2-people on felony charges that include fraud schemes, ID theft and possession of dangerous drugs. Dwight D’Evelyn says deputies responded to a motel in Cordes Lakes where they made contact with 35-year old Edwin Locke and 22-year old Cori Ryan. During a search of the room, deputies found methamphetamine residue, credit card receipts, a label maker and labels embossed with credit card numbers, blank gift cards, hotel keys, various sales receipts from WalMart, Home Depot, McDonalds, etc., and a checkbook and driver’s license, neither of which belonged to the subjects. D’Evelyn says they also learned that couple had been using a label maker and blank gift cards as part of a process to create “credit cards” with stolen credit card numbers. The investigation continues. It was also learned that Locke was wanted in several other western states on several fraud related warrants.

8/29/2008

SRP urges quagga mussel protection

Salt River Project officials are pushing the statewide "Don't move a mussel campaign." They're asking boaters to help keep invasive quagga mussels from getting into the Salt and Verde River reservoirs or Lake Powell. Officials are asking boaters to clean their hulls and trailers before heading out on the water, and that water from the boats, live-wells and lower units be drained. They’re also asking that boats, fishing gear and trailers be dried between launches, and that boaters wait five days between launches. Quagga mussels can damage aqueducts, water intakes, dams, power plants and watercraft and affect lake ecosystems and fisheries. (Courtesy AP)

8/29/2008

Mosquitoes test positive for West Nile virus near Kachina Village

Coconino County Health officials have announced that mosquito samples collected south of Flagstaff, near Kachina Village, have tested positive for the West Nile virus. This represents the second positive West Nile virus test in Coconino County this year. Last month, mosquito samples collected near Lake Mary also tested positive for W-N-V. No animal or human cases have been reported. In 2007, there were 2 human cases in Coconino County. In addition, one bird and 3 horses tested positive for the disease last year.

8/29/2008

Trial to start Wednesday for man charged with hitting teenagers

The criminal trial of the man accused of causing a head-on collision in Cottonwood last year that injured 5 teenagers is to start on Wednesday. 53-year old Donald Kuse was charged with DUI and other crimes when his pickup plowed into a car carrying five Mingus Union High School cheer-leaders last September; all five were injured. In April a judge found Kruse competent to stand trial.

8/29/2008

Grand Canyon shuttle service to be extended

A shuttle service that has been operating between the Grand Canyon's South Rim and neighboring Tusayan will be extended through September 28th. The shuttle service was designed to ease traffic in one of the busiest spots along the South Rim. Park Superintendent Steve Martin says more than 62,000 people have boarded the shuttles since the pilot program started on June 2nd, resulting in a reduction of more than 9,000 cars at the park's south entrance. The program was to expire on Labor Day. Martin says data collected through the pilot program will be analyzed and used to determine whether the federal government can operate the shuttles next summer. The shuttles run every 20 minutes from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m.

8/29/2008

Renzi attorneys get evidence from prosecutors

Prosecutors in Arizona Representative Rick Renzi's corruption trial have handed over much of their evidence to defense attorneys so they can prepare for trial. In a U.S. District Court filing, attorneys say Renzi and his two co-defendants have each been sent a box of evidence. The material includes four binders of FBI reports, 84 compact disks of consensual and other recordings, 115 exhibits used in grand jury sessions and transcripts of testimony from three former congressional staffers. The 50-year old Republican represents Arizona's 1st Congressional District, which encompasses all of Yavapai County. Renzi was indicted in February on 35 counts, including conspiracy, wire fraud, extortion, money laundering and insurance fraud.

8/29/2008

Speed Racers caught by Prescott PD

Two Prescott area men were arrested early this morning after Prescott Police caught them allegedly racing. Lt. Ken Morely says the suspects are 25-year old Ruben Aguilar and 18-year old Jose Garcia. One vehicle was going 92-miles per hour; the second was going 89-miles an hour. The speed limit in the area is 50. Morely says both men were pulled over; Aguilar was found to be driving under the influence of marijuana and he was in possession of an ounce of marijuana and a pipe.

8/29/2008

Black Fire 203 acres

As of Thursday, the Black Fire burning on the Coconino National Forest had reached 203-acres in size. The wildland fire use fire was touched off by lightning and is burning north of Flagstaff. Forest Officials say the fire is burning very slowly across the forest floor; smoke is visible along Highway-89.

8/29/2008

Prescott Valley sponsoring UBS Blood Drive

The Town of Prescott Valley is sponsoring a blood drive for United Blood Services and all donations will help to support local hospitals. The blood drive will take place on Monday, September 15-th from 9-am to 2-pm. The blood drive is being held in Council Chambers in the Civic Center. To make an appointment call 759-3009 or sign up online at bloodhero.com

8/29/2008

Coco Forest fills 3 top positions

Coconino National Forest officials have hired a new Forest Public Affairs Officer, and Peaks and Mormon Lake District Ranger and Deputy District Ranger. Brady Smith is the new Public Affairs Officer; he was most recently the Assistant Director of Career Services for Bringham Young University in Hawaii. Mike Elson is the new District Ranger; he most recently was the Deputy District Ranger on the Roosevelt and Duchesne Ranger Districts on the Ashley National Forest in Utah. Mike Chaveas is the new Deputy District Ranger; he worked at the National Programs office where he coordinated technical cooperation activities in Africa, developed natural resource management activities with counterpart host-country land management agencies.

8/29/2008

PNF offering Fuel Wood Permits

Permits for the Wagon Tire Green Juniper Personal Use Fuelwood Sale on the Prescott National Forest are now available. The 2-to-4-cord permits will be available for $15 per cord. Permits are available on a first-come first-serve basis at the Bradshaw Ranger District Office in Prescott. The permits are good from now until December 31-st.

8/28/2008

Justin Dwyer back in court Wednesday for Settlement Conference

A former YCSO deputy arrested last year on numerous felony drug charges will be back in court next Wednesday for a settlement conference; a September 10-th trial date remains in place. 40-year old Justin Dwyer was in court this week for an evidentiary hearing. Dwyer was arrested in May, 2007 when he allegedly used his 16-year old son to purchase cocaine from an undercover narcotics officer. Dwyer was a YCSO deputy for 8-years prior to his arrest.

8/28/2008

Do not mail your early voter ballot...drop it off in person

If you still have your early voter ballot for the September Primary Election, do not try to mail it back. Elections officials ask that the ballots be dropped off in person at the County Buildings in Cottonwood, Flagstaff or Prescott or at your individual city or town hall. Yavapai County Recorder Anna Wayman Trujillo says there are still a lot of early voter ballots out there. Out of 43,000 ballots mailed only 19,000 have been returned. You can also drop your ballot off on Election Day at any polling place. All ballots must be in by 7-pm Tuesday night; post marks do not count.

8/28/2008

Voter registration increases ahead of election

Arizona Secretary of State Jan Brewer has released the voter-registration figures for the state as of August 4th; the numbers show an increase of just over 65,000 voters over the last report on June 1st. Brewer attributes the increase to interest in the upcoming Presidential election. There are roughly 1.06-million registered republicans in Arizona and nearly 958-thousand registered Democrats. There are also approximately 780-thousand voters registered under Independent, Libertarian, Green Party or other party affiliations. There are 99,583 registered voters in Yavapai County and 62,896 in Coconino County.

8/28/2008

Slower in Sedona starting next Thursday

The Arizona Department of Transportation will be reducing the speed limit on Highway 89A through the City of Sedona beginning next Thursday, September 4th. The speed limit will be reduced from 40 to 35 MPH between Dry Creek and Airport Roads. ADOT crews will replace the current speed limit signs with the new signs beginning at 9AM next Thursday morning. The speed limit reduction is in response to a recent request from the Sedona City Council to address pedestrian safety issues.

8/28/2008

Bowers receives lengthy probation but escapes jail time

A 71-year old Cottonwood man escaped additional jail-time when he was sentenced today for crimes relating to a sexual relationship he had over a period of several years with his mentally-disabled stepdaughter. Judge Michael Bluff today sentenced William Bowers to 20-years supervised probation with sex offender terms and 180 days “on-order” jail time. Prosecutors explain if Bowers fails to meet any of the terms of his probation, the judge can hand him a maximum 180-day jail sentence without even holding a hearing. Bowers must also register as a convicted sex offender throughout his 20-year probation. Bowers was arrested two years ago and earlier this year pleaded guilty to felony vulnerable adult abuse.

8/28/2008

Seligman busted with meth

A recent traffic stop on a motorist that was weaving on I-40 resulted in the arrest of a Seligman man. YCSO spokesman Dwight D’Evelyn says K-9 Elliot alerted to the vehicle being driven by 27-year old Jerry Vives. Vives told the deputy that he and his wife has just returned from Las Vegas and the dog likely alerted to scent of drugs originating from his shoes. Realizing the vehicle would be searched regardless of his reasoning for the alert by K9 “Elliot,” Vives admitted he had stashed some methamphetamine in his wife’s make-up bag without her knowledge. The deputy located the small baggie and Vives was arrested for possession of a dangerous drugs.

8/28/2008

15 Illegal Immigrants found in van in Chino Valley

At 1-am this morning, Chino Valley Police stopped a mini-van in the 2500 block of north Highway-89. Spokesman Vincent Schaan says the van was stopped for a license plate violation. Inside the van, the officer located 15 occupants found to be illegal immigrants from Mexico en route to Kingman, AZ. Schaan says while officers were interviewing the 15 occupants they learned that 4 of the 15 were juveniles. ICE requested that all be detained.

8/28/2008

EA available on Coconino National Forest project

The Coconino National Forest issued the Environmental Assessment and Decision Notice approving the Jack Smith/Schultz Fuels Reduction and Forest Health Project. The more than 11,800-acre project area is north of Flagstaff, east of the San Francisco Peaks, including Schultz Pass. The plan calls for approximately 9,600-acres to be thinned and/or prescribed burned, fencing aspen stands on 150-acres and obliterating 38- miles of roads which are damaging natural resources. Officials say this project will reduce the wildfire threat to Flagstaff, Doney Park, Timberline and the Kachina Peaks Wilderness area. Additional information on this project can be found on the Coconino National Forest website.

8/27/2008

Sun City man killed near Wickenburg

DPS is investigating a rollover accident which resulted in the death of 48-year-old Gerald Lee Surplus of Sun City. The crash occurred early this morning on US 60 near Wickenburg. The accident forced a 9-hour closure of US 60, which in turn delayed northbound traffic on Highways 93 and 89 in southern Yavapai County. Police say the victim’s pick-up veered off the left side of the roadway and rolled numerous times. Surplus was pronounced dead at the scene. He was the only person in the vehicle.

8/27/2008

High-speed chase leads to arrest of Prescott Valley man

A Prescott Valley man faces numerous felony charges after he allegedly harassed his estranged wife and then led police down a city street at speeds over 70-miles per hour. 37-year old Shaun Tapey was arrested Monday evening. After getting a 9-1-1 call that Tapey had been following a friend of his wife, police caught up to Tapey’s vehicle near Robert Road. The suspect then floored it and eluded police. Police spokesman Gene McFarland says out of concern for public safety, police broke off their chase of the suspect. He was eventually traced to a Prescott motel where he was arrested without incident. He was charged with Stalking, Endangerment, Weapons Violations and Felony Flight.

8/27/2008

Prescott Police pull suicidal man to safety

Prescott Police were called to the Downtown Parking Garage around 9:30 this morning on a report of an intoxicated and distraught man threatening to jump to his death. Lt Ken Morley says officers arrived to discover a tense situation as the man displayed a small knife and ordered police to stay away. Morley says police complied with the man, but continued talking to him. They were eventually able to get close enough to secure the man’s knife and pull him to safety. He was taken to YRMC; his name was not released.

8/27/2008

N. AZ Red Cross volunteers head to Gulf Coast

Seven American Red Cross Grand Canyon Chapter volunteers are being deployed to prepare for the possible landfall of Hurricane Gustav along the US Gulf Coast. Four volunteers will be part of the feeding operation. One of those teams is from Prescott, the other from Flagstaff. They are traveling in Emergency Response Vehicles to San Antonio, Texas where a staging area is set-up. The Emergency Response Vehicles are used to deliver hundreds of meals to disaster victims. Additional volunteers are from the Phoenix area. We are not releasing their names so as to protect their privacy.

8/27/2008

Special ATV enforcement this weekend in Coconino County

Coconino County Sheriff’s deputies and volunteers this weekend will be using special patrols to enforce safety among ATV riders. Spokesman Gerry Blair says even on forest roads, safety infractions are a serious problem. Blair says the law requires all ATV’s to be titled and bearing a license plate; all riders under age 18 must wear helmets and passengers are not allowed on an ATV unless the vehicle is specifically designed for passengers.

8/27/2008

Man arrested after attack on family

A man from Congress was arrested Tuesday night after he allegedly assaulted several members of his family. YCSO was called to a home on Santa Fe Road by the wife of 66-year old Roy Goff. The woman said when her husband started to become violent after drinking, she called her sister and brother-in-law to help her remove some personal property from the residence. Goff’s wife told deputies the suspect became upset and started pushing her sister; the brother-in-law attempted to intervene to protect both women and was punched and pushed by Goff, causing the victim to fall on his artificial leg and hurt his hip. During the assault, Goff claimed he would shoot the victims; at that point, the three victims quickly left the home. Deputies located Goff a short time later at a nearby grocery store. He faces multiple counts of Domestic Violence Assault and Threats per Domestic Violence.

8/27/2008

Trailhead burglary reported at Bell Rock in the VOC

Tuesday morning YCSO deputies were called to the Bell Rock trailhead in the Village of Oak Creek on the report of a burglary. The victim had parked her black Hyundai Sedan at the trailhead around 8 A.M., and when she returned at 11:30 A.M., she found that unknown suspects smashed out a vehicle window and stole several items of personal property. Spokesman Dwight D’Evelyn says the victim lost her check book and wallet which contained $100 in cash and numerous credit cards.

8/27/2008

Justin Dwyer in court for evidentiary hearing today

A former YCSO deputy, arrested on drug charges, will be in court today for an evidentiary hearing. 40-year old Justin Dwyer was arrested in May, 2007 on a multitude of charges including using his 16-year old son to purchase cocaine from an undercover narcotics officer in Prescott. Dwyer was a deputy with the Sheriffs Office for 8-years. His trial is set for September 10-th.

8/27/2008

Cornville Fire Station hit twice by lightning

The Cornville Fire Station was hit by lightning Monday; it’s the second time the stations been hit in the past few weeks. Verde Valley Fire District Chief Jerry Doerkson says the lightning has damaged their phone lines and computers. The problems should be repaired by the end of today.

8/27/2008

Winslow first city to participate in ADEQ’s environmental program

ADEQ Director Steve Owens says the City of Winslow has become the first municipality in northern Arizona to participate in ADEQ's statewide program to help communities comply with state and federal environmental regulations. As part of the program, Winslow agrees to disclose known environmental violations within the city, request compliance assistance before enforcement actions begin, participate in compliance evaluation to identify violations and to promptly correct known violations. In so doing, the city will be eligible for up to a 100-percent penalty reduction if it has future environmental violations.

8/27/2008

Challenged Props stay off the November ballot

A state Supreme Court ruling means Arizona voters won't be deciding proposed ballot measures on transportation funding and conservation of state trust land. A separate Supreme Court order also issued Tuesday upholds a different judge's rejection of a challenge by homebuilders to a homeowners' rights initiative. That measure stays on the ballot. Supporters of the trust land and transportation measures didn't get enough petition signatures and a trial judge had ruled they missed a deadline to challenge part of those determinations by the Secretary of State's Office. (Thanks to AP Phoenix)

8/27/2008

Slash Pile burning to take place near Flagstaff

Coconino National Forest fire managers may conduct some pile burning over the next several days. Today up to 10-acres of piles will be treated with fire on Bald Mesa off Lake Mary Road; tomorrow 5-acres of piles will be burned at Bly Pit along Highway-87. Smoke will be visible for several days.

8/27/2008

Camp Verde collision injures 2

Shortly before noon Tuesday, Camp Verde Fire was dispatched to a reported head-on collision on Highway-260 at Finnie Flats Road. Spokesperson Barbara Rice says when units arrived on scene they found 2-vehicles with a total of 2-occupants. She says the driver of each vehicle was transported to VVMC with unknown injuries.

8/27/2008

Vail Fire to be allowed to burn

Lightning has sparked another fire that will be allowed to run its course. The Vail Fire was started by lightning on Monday; it’s located 5-miles west of Pine Grove Campground, just south of Lake Mary near Flagstaff. Coconino National Forest officials say the fire is less than an acre in size and is moving slowly across the forest floor. Officials say with drier weather anticipated this weekend, the Vail Fire could intensify. Visitors to the area may see smoke.

8/27/2008

AZ student's SAT scores down again

Arizona students are scoring lower on their SAT scores in reading and math, but remain above the national average, education officials said. It marks the 3-rd straight year that Arizona students' SAT scores have fallen. The Arizona Class of 2008's average scores on the college-admissions exam fell 3-points in reading, 3-points in math and 2-points in writing. Testing officials say they attribute the dip to more Arizona students taking the test, which tends to bring down overall averages. Arizona Education Chief Tom Horne says parents shouldn't be concerned about the drop in reading scores. He says it likely can be explained by different groups of students being tested as they move through high school. (Thanks to AP Phoenix)

8/26/2008

Williams man dies in motorcycle accident

A single motorcycle collision that occurred Sunday night resulted in 1 fatality. Coconino County Sheriffs spokesman Gerry Blair says the accident claimed the life of, 60-year old James Veillette of Williams. He says the accident occurred on Forest Road-707, which is located by Cedar Mountain in Red Lake. Blair says a husband and wife found the victim and the bike lying along the road. At the time he was found, Veillette was still breathing, but unresponsive. He died in route to hospital in Phoenix. The cause of the accident is under investigation. Veillette was wearing a helmet and other safety gear.

8/26/2008

Man arrested for assault

A Cottonwood man was arrested over the weekend for allegedly assaulting his former girlfriend. Police were called to an apartment on East Apache where 41-year old Philip Brady allegedly grabbed the victim, shook her and threw her to the ground several times. The victim escaped with the young child that she and the suspect have together. Brady was arrested for assault per domestic violence.

8/26/2008

Burglar caught but loot still missing in Prescott Valley

Police in Prescott Valley are looking for a large amount of cash and antique jewelry that was recently stolen during a residential burglary. Police spokesman Gene McFarland says a suspect has been captured but he had ditched the goods. McFarland says the suspect placed the stolen property in a pink pillowcase and dropped along the roadside near Lone Cactus and Lobo Roads in Prescott Valley. Anyone with information should call Prescott Valley Police at 928-772-9261 or Yavapai Silent Witness at 1-800-932-3232.

8/26/2008

Cottonwood woman arrested for extreme DUI

A Cottonwood woman was arrested on charges of extreme DUI and endangerment after police say she nearly hit a pedestrian at Mingus and Main. Police were called to an address on South 15th Street to find 59-year old Carolyn Parent lying on the ground next to her vehicle. The suspect reportedly fell down twice when the officer asked her to stand up. Parent declined medical treatment; she was booked into the Camp Verde jail.

8/26/2008

Truck and boat slip under waters at Lake Mary

Saturday evening Coconino County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to the report of a pickup and boat that rolled into Lake Mary. Spokesman Gerry Blair says the investigation revealed that the owner was in the process of pulling a small motorboat out of the water. The boating party consisted of an adult couple, an 18-year old girl and 4-children. Deputies believe one of the small children may have accidentally released the parking brake; or the driver forgot to set the parking brake. Blair says all of the children were successfully rescued from the sinking vehicle and there were no injuries reported. Onlookers helped retrieve the boat; a tow truck was used to pull the truck from the lake; it was completely submerged.

8/26/2008

Waters rise in Cornville

Heavy rains Monday afternoon left many streets in Cornville flooded. Emergency service personnel placed barricades across a numbner of washes and low-water crossings. There were no reports of any significant damage. Further heavy precipitation across Northern Arizona is expected today, tonight and early Wednesday.

8/26/2008

Cottonwood man illegally pursues former girlfriend

Police arrested a Cottonwood man on numerous charges relating to his following a former girlfriend. Authorities say 45-year old Ricky Runyon violated a court order when he came within 10-feet of the victim and followed her around an outdoor event in the Old Town area. When police approached the suspect, he refused to submit and eventually two officers had to kick Runyon’s legs out from under him to place him in handcuffs. Runyon was charged with stalking, aggravated harassment and resisting arrest.

8/26/2008

Car repair scam suspects spotted in Chino Valley

YCSO continues to look for 2 men involved in a car repair scam. Spokesman Dwight D’Evelyn says the men have been spotted in Dewey-Humboldt and Chino Valley. The suspects are offering to repair vehicle dents for cash, but the repairs are nothing more than drywall mud or joint compound spread over the dent. D’Evelyn says over the weekend the men approached a man in Chino Valley and offered to repair a dent for $500, when the man said no, they lowered their price to $300; again the man refused. The suspects were driving a white newer model Chevy dually. The suspect that did all the talking was described as being either Hispanic or Middle Eastern, between 28-and-30-years of age. D’Evelyn says anyone that comes into contact with these suspects should try to get a license plate number and then call police.

8/26/2008

Sex Offender notification for Congress

YCSO has issued a sex offender notification for residents living in Congress. 34-year-old Donald Carl Flick, Jr., has been convicted of a sex offense which allows for community notification. This sex offender has advised the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office that he will be living at 22445 Scholar Lane, Congress, Arizona. Spokesman Dwight D’Evelyn says Flick was convicted of having ongoing sexual relations with a female under the age of 16 and served time in the Department of Corrections. He was arrested in 2006 for failing to register and is currently on parole. Flick is a level 2-sex offender or intermediate risk to the community.

8/26/2008

8 Ballot Initiatives make on the November Ballot

A total of 8 ballot initiatives will appear on the November General Election ballot. Secretary of State Jan Brewer says the last of the initiatives to make the ballot was Prop-105 the “Majority Rules Initiative”. Three initiatives did not make the ballot.

8/26/2008

Andy Tobin named Legislator of the year by Education organization

The Arizona Association of County School Superintendents selected Republican State Representative Andy Tobin of Paulden as their Legislator of the Year for 2008. The annual award was presented in conjunction with the annual Summer Retreat and Legislative Conference. The gathering was hosted by Yavapai County School Superintendent Tim Carter at Camp Yavapines in Prescott. The Legislator of the Year is chosen through a nomination process, including an assessment of the positive influence the Legislator has had on the legislative efforts of AACSS and on educational issues in general.

8/26/2008

Prescott Rape case grows cold

An arrest has not been made in connection with the July 27-th brutal rape of a 58-year old Prescott woman. The assault on the victim began on Carleton Street in Prescott and continued to Summit Point where the victim was forced out of the vehicle and left in the woods. Lt. Ken Morely says detectives have exhausted all their leads in the case. The suspect was caught on camera at a gas station in Prescott Valley using one of the victim’s credit cards, which he stole. Yavapai Silent Witness is offering a $1,000 reward for information that leads to an arrest.

8/25/2008

Attic fire in Cornville heavily damages home

A home in Cornville suffered major damage Friday evening due to an attic fire. Verde Valley Fire District Chief Jerry Doerkson says they arrived at the Oak Run home to find flames coming out of both sides of the attic. Doerkson says the cause of the fire remains under investigation; no one was injured. He says firefighters also responded to a motor-home fire on Highway-260 Sunday afternoon. Damage estimates on the home and motor-home were not available.

8/25/2008

Handful of voters to decide Tusayan Incorporation

Only a handful of voters will decide September 2-nd if Tusayan becomes an incorporated city. It's a big decision that could impact future development on the main route to the Grand Canyon's South Rim. Opponents say they fear incorporation will bring unbridled growth, environmental degradation and unwanted change. Backers say turning Tusayan into an incorporated town simply brings better control and a chance to create a strong, stable community by setting its own destiny. The groups apparently agree on 1-issue -- that Tusayan needs more housing for its transient work force. (Thanks to AP Phoenix)

8/25/2008

Black Canyon City woman linked to Check fraud and forgery

Friday morning YCSO deputies responded to a reported check forgery incident that occurred at Barney’s Bargain Barn in Black Canyon City. The victim explained that an ex-employee, 29-year-old Shelley Amick from Black Canyon City, had stolen and forged two checks resulting in a loss of $1250.00 dollars. The victim provided the deputy with copies of both forged checks which had been made out to Amick and forged with the victim’s signature. Spokesman Dwight D’Evelyn says at first Amick denied the allegations, but then confessed once she was face to face with the victim. Amick was charged with theft and forgery; it was also discovered that she had a warrant for her arrest involving check fraud out of Yavapai County.

8/25/2008

Sex offender notification Camp Verde

The Camp Verde Marshals Office has released a sex offender notification for residents living on Clear Creek Drive. 44-year old Dana Carroll is 6-2, 190-pounds with brown eyes and his head is shaved. In 2002 Carroll was convicted of sexual abuse and sexual contact with a minor. He is a Level-2 or intermediate risk to the community.

8/25/2008

Mayor Doug Von Gausig appointed to Arizona League of Cities and Towns

executive committee. The appointment came during their meeting last week in Paradise Valley. The League’s Executive Committee is comprised of 25-members, consisting of Mayors and councilmembers from across the state. The committee is charged with overseeing and directing the League’s activities. Von Gausig was elected to a 2-year term.

8/25/2008

Yavapai Apach Nation makes $15,000 donation to Havasupai Tribe

Last week the Yavapai-Apache Nation Tribal Council voted to provide $15,000 to the Havasupai Tribe in the Grand Canyon for assistance in managing and assessing the damages of the recent flood that the Havasupai Village endured. Tribal leaders were given a tour of the damages to the village and viewed the impacts that the flood had on the Havasupai Falls.

8/25/2008

Stabbing at Gold King Mine rock concert

Saturday night, YCSO deputies responded to a reported stabbing at the “Rock Stock” concert in the Gold King Mine area near Jerome. A suspect, identified as 21-year-old Cottonwood resident Matthew Smith, was located and arrested at the venue. The victim had been stabbed in the left arm while seated in a vehicle and arguing with Smith. Spokesman Dwight D’Evelyn says the victim was treated at the scene by medical personnel and apparently did not require hospitalization. Smith was charged with aggravated assault and disorderly conduct.

8/25/2008

Labor Day DUI Task Force nabs 228 drunk drivers so far

An Arizona task force targeting drunken drivers has arrested 228 people so far. The Labor Day DUI task force, which began August 15-th, lasts more than 2-weeks and ends on Labor Day. On Saturday night alone, 58 people were arrested for drunken driving. Officers from 69 agencies are participating in the task force. The average blood-alcohol content of the 228 people arrested by the task force so far was 0.15%, double Arizona's 0.08 limit. Among those arrested were 46 minors. (Thanks to AP Phoenix)

8/25/2008

AIMS test scores show students are improving

The latest scores indicate Arizona students taking the AIMS test are improving. The state education department says a higher percentage of Arizona students passed the AIMS reading and math portions this year than did last year at nearly every grade level. The percentage passing the essay section fell in every grade except 8-th grade. Arizona has yet to get 75% of students at any grade level to pass the math and reading sections. But the state is nearing its goal. Over the past 3-years, writing scores have fluctuated, but state officials said the scores are stabilizing. State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Horne says it’s progress, just not as fast as they'd like. Third through 8-th graders and high-school sophomores take the AIMS exam each spring. Federal and state officials use the scores to determine which schools are performing and which are failing. (Thanks to AP Phoenix)

8/25/2008

AZ Spring 2009 Hunt Draw regulations and applications now available

Arizona’s spring 2009 hunt draw regulations have been posted on Game and Fish’s Web site. Hunters can now start applying for the spring hunts for turkey, javelina, buffalo and bear. A PDF application form is available for downloading. The form must be mailed or dropped off in person by Tuesday, October 14-th at 7-pm. Postmarks do not count. Printed regulation booklets and applications are anticipated to be available at license dealers statewide by September 15-th.

8/25/2008

Lake Mary Parking and Picnic areas to be closed for construction

Beginning September 2-nd, Parking Areas 1-and-2 at Upper Lake Mary will be re-paved and improved. As a safety precaution both parking areas will be closed until construction is complete, which should take about 30-days. During the closure, the Narrows boat ramp and day-use site will remain open, and traffic on Lake Mary Road shouldn’t be affected.

8/25/2008

Prescott PD looking for purse snatching suspect

Prescott Police are looking for an alleged purse snatcher. Lt. Ken Morely says the female victim told police that while walking in the 11-hundred block of East Gurley Street a Hispanic male grabbed her purse and stole the wallet out of it. The suspect is 5-8, 180-pounds with black hair. He was wearing a white T-shirt and gray cargo shorts. Anyone with information is asked to call Prescott Police or Yavapai Silent Witness.

8/22/2008

Vehicle scam reported in Dewey-Humboldt

YCSO is investigating a vehicle repair scam that occurred in Dewey-Humboldt Thursday. A man approached a woman at her home and told her he could fix the dent in her vehicle for $200. The woman agreed to the fee and the suspect and 2 other men began working on the vehicle Spokesman Dwight D’Evelyn says the suspect put a white substance on the dent and then told the victim to let it dry and to not wash it off until the next day. When she did wash it off, the dent was still there. He says in addition, the suspects damaged her bed liner. The same scam has been reported in Chino Valley in the past 2 weeks. The suspects were in a large white truck.

8/22/2008

"Arizona Civil Rights Initiative" fails

An Arizona initiative to dismantle state and local government programs giving preferences to women and minorities has been disqualified from the November ballot. Secretary of State Jan Brewer says Prop-104 lacked enough valid voter signatures to qualify for the November 4-th general election. According to Brewer, the "Arizona Civil Rights Initiative" had nearly 195,000 valid signatures, well short of the roughly 230,000 required for proposed amendments to the Arizona Constitution. Supporters had turned in just under 335,000 signatures. Currently 7-ballot measures have been qualified to be on the November ballot; 3 have been disqualified and there’s one still being verified by the County Recorder.

8/22/2008

Auto-repair scammers still in area

Yavapai County Sheriff’s officials have a little more information on a pair of vehicle-repair scam artists who have been active in the Prescott area. A Prescott Valley resident who had heard about the scammers through a news story on radio station KVRD was approached by two men early Friday afternoon. The suspects offered to use a powder to fix a dent in the victim’s vehicle – the same claim that has been used to rip off several citizens in recent weeks. The victim declined but got a description and called authorities. One suspect is a Hispanic male, late 20’s or early 30’s with a round face, a mustache and wearing a white T-shirt. The suspect vehicle was a white “dually” Chevy pick-up. The vehicle displayed a California license plate with a number similar to 8-H 2178. Anyone with information on these suspects should call law enforcement.

8/22/2008

54 cattle die on Chino Valley ranch

State agriculture officials now say 54 head of cattle have died on a Chino Valley ranch due to a toxic weed. Laura Oxley says they have traced the problem to the commonly-found “pig-weed.” Oxley says more than 200 other cattle were removed from the pasture where the die-off occurred and no more animals have become ill. She says other ranchers should definitely examine their livestock pens and pastures for “pig-weed.”

8/22/2008

1 in 13 boaters found to be OUI

Despite fewer boaters on the water, alcohol remained a concern for law enforcement following results from a 4-hour multi-agency OUI/Safety Checkpoint on the Colorado River near Topock. Game and Fish officials say 9-boaters were arrested for OUI; a total of 117 boaters passed through the checkpoint. Additional OUI checkpoints on Arizona waterways are planned between now and the Labor Day holiday weekend.

8/22/2008

PV woman found with $200 in marijuana

Thursday evening, Prescott Valley Police stopped the driver of a station wagon for an equipment violation and for 2 small children, ages 6-and-8, playing in the back cargo area unrestrained. Spokesman Gene McFarland says officers made contact with 30-year old Athena Brady of Prescott Valley who was extremely agitated and upset for being stopped. McFarland says K-9 Ike was deployed and 56-grams of marijuana was found in Athena’ purse. The drugs are valued at 200-dollars. Brady was arrested for possession of marijuana; the children were turned over to their father.

8/22/2008

School District Board elections decided

Yavapai County School’s Superintendent Tim Carter has announced which school districts will have contested races in November, which will not and which districts he’ll have to make appointments. Contested races will be held in Prescott, Clarkdale-Jerome, Mingus, Cottonwood-Oak Creek, Congress, Bagdad, Humboldt, Camp Verde, Ash Fork, Seligman, and Mayer. Carter says due to a lack of candidates the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors canceled elections in Williamson Valley, Walnut Grove, Sedona-Oak Creek, Skull Valley, Bagdad, Humboldt, Kirkland, Beaver Creek, Hillside, Canon, Chino Valley, Yarnell, VACTE in Clarkdale and Camp Verde and Yavapai College—Districts 1,2 and 3. Carter will have to appoint school board members; one in Skull Valley and 2-each in Crown King and Yarnell. Additional information on this story can be found on the counties website a link for which can be found at the bottom of this page.