It’s Monday, June 14th. An excessive heat warning applies to lower regions of northern Arizona this week through Friday – including Page, Winslow, Prescott, and parts of the Grand Canyon.
New NAU President begins term of office
Dr. José Luis Cruz begins his tenure as the 17th President of Northern Arizona University today. He moved to this position after serving as Vice Chancellor and Provost at the City University of New York.
Cruz says he is pushing to prioritize transparency and equity in the university. It comes after a large-scale faculty layoff in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The University Union of Northern Arizona, meanwhile, is calling for more secure contracts for employees.
Cornville Fire Grows; No containment reported
Crews are working to contain wildfire two miles east of Cornville; The fire reached 1,200 acres, according to a Monday morning update from the Bureau of Land Management.
The Cornville fire resulted in evacuation orders for an area east of Page Springs Road; the order has since been canceled. According to the BLM, the fire destroyed an outbuilding.
Slate fire is growing north of Flagstaff
The shale fire northwest of Flagstaff has now grown to 10,677 acres – about 16.7 square miles – with 23% containment, according to Coconino National Forest officials this morning. Part of the CNF will remain closed to the public as around 140 employees work to contain the fire. A 13-mile stretch of Route 180 will remain closed indefinitely.
Free health clinic planned in Prescott Valley
A free health clinic is up and running at the Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott Valley this week. The annual clinic will offer free eye exams, dental care and psychological help, among other things, on June 17th and 18th. It comes after a month-long trend of Americans avoiding appointments during the pandemic, along with temporary breaks from some Arizona election processes.
In a Time Magazine-Harris poll conducted in February 2021, nearly 80% of respondents said they had postponed at least one medical service in the past few months.
Havasupai extends tourism suspension
The Havasupai tribe have extended their current suspension of tourism until February 2022 to prevent the spread of COVID-19. The tribe says no date has been set for the reopening, and a statement said the continued closure will remain in effect to prioritize community health among tribe members. No COVID-19 cases have been reported within the reservation of approximately 450 people, reports the Associated Press.
Museum flood area is of concern amid fire and monsoon season
Coconino County will host a volunteer event this weekend to strengthen protection in the museum floodplain as the monsoon season approaches. The county is asking volunteers to fill up sandbags on Saturday to divert rainwater flows. The northern area of Flagstaff was designated as a high-risk floodplain due to the museum fire in 2019; The county reports that flooding could affect more than 400 homes in the area.
Grand Canyon officials search for missing TX man
According to National Park Service officials, a 49-year-old Texas man is being searched in the Grand Canyon area. Charles Lyon was last seen last Thursday, June 10th, at a Best Western hotel in Tusayan.
NPS reports that he left his vehicle near Lipan Point on the South Rim near Desert View Drive – likely on June 11 or around that date.
Lyon has brown eyes, brown hair, is six feet tall and weighs 177 pounds. NPS encourages the public to provide relevant information.
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