Yavapai County Seeks Tips In Attempted Child Abduction
The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office says it’s investigating after reports of an attempted child abduction near Prescott Valley. An unidentified suspect attempted to abduct an 8-year-old girl in the Castle Canyon Mesa Community; the child successfully escaped during the Tuesday evening incident, YCSO says. The suspect was described as a white man in his twenties with wavy orange or red hair; he was reportedly driving a black truck with black interior; the truck’s bed was lowered onto small wheels. County officials encouraged individuals to contact Yavapai Silent Witness with relevant information.
Kelly Proposes Bill To Bolster Broadband Access
Sen. Mark Kelly on Wednesday co-introduced legislation that would aim to bolster broadband internet coverage in rural communities. Kelly’s office says the law would more easily allow broadband providers to obtain federal-right-of-way licenses. Researchers at the University of Arizona estimated in 2019 that more than 13% of the state’s population lacked access to broadband internet connection.
Mining Proposal Near Williams Up For Review
Kaibab National Forest officials have released an environmental assessment for a potential mining project about 9 miles northeast of Williams. The Arizona-based company Drake Cement is seeking to mine natural pozzolan found in the area; pozzolan is a substance often used to improve the quality of cement. Drake Cement has proposed a 65-acre initiative that would involve open-pit mining activity, according to forest officials.
Drake Cement’s proposal says archeological sites and wildlife will be unaffected, and that no explosive methods would be involved. The Forest Service's Assessment, however, estimates about 50 acres of wildlife habitat could be lost through the project. Kaibab National Forest officials are seeking comments from the public and will hold a virtual session in early May.
Hopi Election Process Underway
Hopi officials have announced eligible tribal members can petition for candidacy in elections later this year. The tribe will hold primary and general elections this fall for a Chair and Vice Chair. Eligible candidates must be 25 years old, must reside on the reservation, and must speak the Hopi language among other requirements. Forms to petition for candidacy were released at the Hopi Election Office in Kykotsmovi this week.
For updates, visit KUYI Hopi Radio.
Yavapai College Offers Free Class After Higher Ed Sees Enrollment Decline
Yavapai College says it’s offering one free class for enrolled students in the fall semester. A spokesperson says the college is using CARES Act funding and other federal resources to provide three credits for free to new, continuing and high school students. The announcement comes as the college plans to return to in-person learning in the summer and fall. Amid the pandemic, a December study from the National Clearinghouse Student Research Centerfound that enrollment in public two-year colleges declined in 2020 by 10.1% nationwide.
Verde Valley Fair Returns As COVID-19 Cases Decline
The Verde Valley Fair will return to Cottonwood later this month, according to organizers. The annual event — which typically includes rodeos and livestock shows — had been cancelled in 2020 due to the pandemic and replaced with a virtual format. The announcement comes as Coconino County officials continue to deliberate a virtual, in-person, or hybrid format for the September county fair. The East Navajo Fair was cancelled in 2021 for the second consecutive year amid the pandemic. Gov. Doug Ducey’s office says the Arizona State Fair will roll out this year in Chandler.
New Day In AZ Celebrates Internment Camp Survivor, Activist
Arizona has implemented an official day of recognition for justice advocate and internment camp survivor Fred Korematsu. Gov. Ducey on Wednesday signed a house bill into law designating January 30th as an annual day of observance. State Sen. Sonny Borrelli proposed the bill, which received bipartisan and full unanimous support among lawmakers who voted. Korematsu was an American citizen of Japanese descent; he was convicted in 1942 for refusing military orders to enter an internment camp. He spent five years in a Utah internment and later brought his case to the U.S. Supreme Court; his original arrest was overturned more than 40 years later. During World War II, Arizona was the site of two internment camps in Gila River and Poston.
