Category: Public Safety

The NAU Review — The future of stroke treatment, NAUPD in a minute and how you can watch the 3MRP finals

Advances in stroke treatment aren’t just coming from medicine—they’re coming from engineering too. Mechanical engineering student Josette Vigil is spending her career at NAU working on stroke research, including material testing of 3D printed polymers and tissues and algorithm development to define the volume and dimensions of an aneurysm. For stroke patients, this work could be life-changing—or even life-saving. Vigil, who works in associate professor Tim Becker’s Bioengineering Devices Lab, is sharing her work publicly this semester at NAU’s Undergraduate Symposium on April 22.

Forest Restoration Initiative earns top honors at Arizona Forward’s Environmental Excellence Awards

The Coconino County Flood Control District’s Forest Restoration Initiative (FRI) won both the 2021 Governor’s and President’s awards at Arizona Forward’s 40th Annual Environmental Awards Gala on March 19 in Phoenix.

Arizona Forward has hosted the annual Environmental Awards Gala for over 40 years.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: March 7-11, 2022

March is Women’s History Month 

March is Women’s History Month and a time for us to honor and celebrate the many women who have helped to shape our nation and the National Park Service. The national theme for Women’s History Month in 2022 explores the role of women of all cultures in providing both healing and hope throughout history. 

In honor of International Women’s Day on March 8, we would like to highlight the great feat of accomplishing goals and dreams, specifically one woman’s journey of doing it by herself. 

Mather Campground road improvement project to continue this summer within Grand Canyon National Park

A project to repave roads and parking areas within Mather Campground at Grand Canyon National Park will restart in early June and will continue through October 2022. Periodic closures will occur within Mather Campground throughout the summer and a fixed number of sites will be available to the public on a first-come, first-served basis.

The repaving will take place one loop at a time and campers booking reservations through www.recreation.gov will notice the following loop closures in effect beginning June 1, 2022 (closures subject to change): 

Updated — Prescribed fire planned along Colorado River near Lees Ferry may begin March 8

Grand Canyon National Park fire managers—working with resources from Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and the National Park Service Utah Parks Group anticipate initiating prescribed fire treatments as early as Tuesday downriver from Lees Ferry, Az. within Grand Canyon National Park. 

On Tuesday, March 8, ignitions may occur on the Paria Beach Riparian Restoration project. The project is not expected to last for more than one day and targets 5 acres of riparian vegetation and tamarisk along the banks of the Colorado River, approximately 1.25 miles downriver from the Lees Ferry boat ramp. 

Masks no longer required in City of Flagstaff facilities effective March 7

During the March 1 Flagstaff City Council meeting, the Council decided to update mask requirements in City facilities to match updated guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), effective Monday, March 7. As the CDC currently lists Coconino County’s community level as “medium”, masks will not be required to be worn indoors at City facilities, upon the effective date.

Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) — Winslow Levee Project Wins Federal Support

The City of Winslow and several regional communities along the Little Colorado River are facing a more secure, prosperous, and drier future with the announcement of almost $66 million in federal funding for the Winslow Levee project.

The project is critical for the region’s economic development, but also has implications for the national economy as well. More than 100 BNSF trains double stacked with cargo containers cross over the Little Colorado River in Winslow every day, and the City serves as a critical link in the movement of billions of dollars in goods between the port of Long Beach and Chicago.

Delay – 2022 Annual Point in Time Count

Due to the current surge in COVID-19, the annual Point in Time (PIT) Count has been moved to Feb 23-25 throughout the City of Flagstaff from its original date of Jan 25. This count documents the number of unsheltered people experiencing homelessness at a single point in time and is conducted across the country.

Trained city of Flagstaff and Coconino County employees, social service agencies and volunteers will join mobile outreach teams that will locate individuals, families and youth experiencing homelessness as well as staff booths to conduct surveys at libraries and various locations.

The success of this count is dependent on community volunteers. For more information or to sign up to volunteer, please visit https://docs.google.com/document/d/1eH9qA295buyFeQZ3gDF0Xk3kWP8SrFU_mnUUOqW6mE0/edit?usp=sharing

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — January 10-14, 2022

On Tuesday and Wednesday this week, South Rim fire managers were successful in treating 10 acres of woody debris piles near the South Entrance station. This pile burning will continue over the next several months, as conditions allow, and will take place between the South Entrance Station and Desert View Drive Junction (mile markers 238-240).

Prescribed fire plays a vital role in decreasing wildfire risks to life, resources and property by reducing available hazardous fuels. Fire staff carefully plan prescribed fires, initiating them only under environmental conditions that are favorable to assuring firefighter and visitor safety and to achieving desired objectives.

The NAU Review — The 10 most read stories of Fall 2021

The Fall 2021 semester was a big one for NAU—it brought new leadership, a return to fully in-person activities, another national championship and a new look to the university newsletter. Reread some of our most popular stories from the semester and share your news with us to help us start the new year strong.

Voto Latino Reflects on January 6th Insurrection One Year Later and Urges Senate to Pass Voting Rights Legislation

On the one year commemoration of the January 6th Capitol insurrection, Voto Latino President and CEO Maria Teresa Kumar, issued the following statement:

“Today marks one year since insurrectionists stormed the Capitol in an effort to overthrow the results of a verified, fair and free 2020 presidential election, generating unprecedented chaos and resulting in the deaths of five people. They tried to stymie a peaceful transfer of power. The attempted coup at the Capitol was the most anti-democratic visible display in a larger effort to subvert American elections and partisan attempts to stop eligible voters from casting their ballots. 

“The events of January 6th and the profoundly irresponsible actions espoused by twice impeached Donald Trump and his supporters continues to poison faith in American democratic processes and institutions. In the coming days, Congress has an opportunity to safeguard our most precious right to guarantee the thriving American experiment: – equal access to the voting booth for every eligible citizen regardless of color or creed. 

July 9 — City hosts community volunteer day in areas impacted by Museum Fire flooding

The City of Flagstaff is hosting a community volunteer day in areas downstream of the Museum Fire burn scar on Saturday, July 9. Volunteers will be assisting residents who are elderly or have a disability repair their emergency sandbag mitigation. Please note that this will be the last volunteer day in the Museum Fire flood area as we enter the monsoon season.

Sept. 7 — Community Welcome event connects NAU student residents with their Flagstaff neighbors

Northern Arizona University and the City of Flagstaff are teaming up for the 5th Annual Community Welcome walk. On Wednesday, September 7, between 5:30 to 7:30 p.m., a small team of volunteers will be visiting homes in neighborhoods near the NAU campus. During the door-to-door “knock and talks” volunteers meet with local and student residents, share tips for safe and respectful living, and encourage neighbors to get to know one another. Community Welcome aims to improve relations between local and student residents renting rooms and homes in the historic La Plaza Vieja and Southside Neighborhoods.

Oct. 6 — Community Invited to a Celebration of the Pathways to Community Program

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) invite the community to celebrate the opening of the Pathways to Community Program at an Open House and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony on Thursday, October 6 from 1 – 3 p.m. at 951 E Sawmill Road, Flagstaff, AZ.

The Pathways to Community Program is a partnership between the Sheriff’s Office and CCHHS, in collaboration with many community partners. This new program brings community and legal resources together in one physical space to support those being released from incarceration as they return to the community. 

Smoke visible from Willard Springs green waste burn

Coconino County Public Works, in conjunction with the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), will ignite the annual green waste burn at the Willard Springs Green Waste Station, located 17 miles south of Flagstaff at Exit 326 on the west side of Interstate 17 (I-17), by Tuesday, December 14, 2021 The Willard Springs green waste burn is expected to produce smoke during the ignition period, which will last approximately three weeks. Based on wind and weather conditions, smoke may be heavy at times and visible to motorists on I-17. The Coconino National Forest will post signage on I-17 to notify motorists about smoke and to drive with caution.

Beaver Street lane closures scheduled for week of Dec. 6

Three lanes on Beaver Street will be closed on Monday, December 6, Thursday December 9, and Friday December 10 for construction related to the Butler Avenue Condominiums project.

The west three lanes of Beaver Street will be closed at the northwest corner of Butler Avenue and Beaver Street so that a crane may be parked to complete construction work during the week. Staging the crane within the City’s right-of-way is the most feasible option given the site constraints and considering the temporary circulation impacts.

Work substantially complete on Beaver Street and Butler Avenue

Work to implement a pilot project installing separated bike lanes on Beaver Street and Butler Avenue is substantially complete for installation of the curbs and candlesticks as designed.  The City is working to modify and re-installing candlesticks that have been hit or damaged by vehicular traffic. 

Originally the pilot project, Phase I and II, was scheduled for completion by the end of 2021.  The contractor was able to receive materials and successfully install the curbs and candlesticks ahead of schedule.  November 19, 2021 is the date of substantial completion.