Grand Canyon National Park officials say they’ve found the body of a man who’d been missing from the South Rim since last month. On Saturday, search crews recovered the body of 26-year-old Sandarsh Krishna below the rim near Verkamp’s Visitor Center.
Krishna’s body was sent to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office which confirmed the identity. He was reported missing on April 28th.
The National Weather Service issued a red flag warning today for much of northern Arizona between 11am and 8pm. Forecasters predict critical fire weather with gusts of up to 40 miles an hour along with humidity, that could reach the single digits across the Coconino and Kaibab plateaus and at the Grand Canyon. In addition, isolated showers and dry thunderstorms are possible mainly in far northeastern Arizona. The conditions could lead to easier fire starts and the possible rapid spread of wildfire. Warm and dry weather is expected from Thursday onward with more wind possible over the weekend.
Coconino County officials have released a draft of their newest hazard mitigation plan. It identifies numerous threats to residents including drought, flooding, wildfire and winter storms, and outlines ways to reduce long-term vulnerability to communities. The county collaborated with the cities of Flagstaff, Page and Williams along with the towns of Tusayan and Fredonia. The plan is open for public review throughout the month.
Today was the last day to return ballots by mail in Flagstaff’s May 19th special election to ratify the city’s Regional Land Use Plan 2045. The plan guides decisions on numerous issues including development, climate action, affordability and other long-term priorities. If approved it would become the city's General Plan, replacing the existing Regional Plan 2030. Ballots should now be returned to secure dropboxes throughout the city until 7pm on Tuesday May 19th. There will be no polling places on Election Day. A presentation on the plan is scheduled for Thursday at Flagstaff City Hall.
Dozens of western elected officials are blasting the Trump administration for rolling back protections for some federal lands. The so-called Public Lands Rule put conservation on equal footing with energy development, livestock grazing and recreation in areas controlled by the Bureau of Land Management. Last fall officials from Flagstaff, Coconino County and Tusayan were among 180 leaders who urged the administration not to do away with the policy.
A Prescott man has been convicted of a hoax for claiming he’d been kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel. The Yavapai County Attorney’s Office says, in January Mark Ellis sent his employer texts that he needed more than 17,000 dollars wired to his account or he’d be killed. Sheriff’s officials eventually found Ellis at home with his girlfriend who was unaware he’d supposedly been taken. Ellis admitted the scheme was an attempt to recover money he’d lost gambling.
Conservationists say recent trail-camera video shows the fifth documented jaguar in Arizona. The Center for Biological Diversity released footage of the large adult male in the Sky Island mountain range south of Tucson taken in March and April. The jaguar was first documented last year by the Wild Cat Research and Conservation Center. Conservationists say the species is under threat from habitat loss and border wall construction. Jaguars historically ranged from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon into northern Mexico. The video also features other animals like a black bear, mountain lion and bobcat.
Canadian tourism to Arizona fell by more than 20 percent in 2025. The Arizona Republic reports, the drop isn’t quite the record lows seen during the Covid-19 pandemic, but is still a major loss to Arizona tourism. According to data from the state Office of Tourism, about 664,000 Canadians visited Arizona last year, which is about 188,000 fewer than in 2024. It highlights the impact that Canadian boycotts on tourism to the U-S had on Arizona.
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