Arizona Game and Fish Wildlife Manager Karen Klima says the bear has been at the zoo since Thursday, after it went inside the Sonoita area residence looking for food. Klima explains they didn't believe the cub would survive on its own. Klima adds it's been a tough year for bears due to last year's fires in the area and the ongoing drought.
Traffic is back to normal on I-17 after a single vehicle accident caused back-ups. On Saturday afternoon at around 3:45, a vehicle was traveling northbound in the Camp Verde area when it hit a guardrail. The guardrail impaled the vehicle and the car spun, causing a tangled mess on the highway. The driver, who was the only person in the car, had to be extricated from the vehicle and was transported by helicopter to a Phoenix hospital. According to witnesses, the driver had been swerving between both lanes prior to the accident. The collision caused the section of roadway to be closed for 45 minutes. Traffic was diverted onto the General Crook off-ramp while emergency personnel were on scene.
A Cottonwood woman is recovering from injuries she suffered after she was struck by a minivan. The accident occurred last week in the 200 block of South Main Street in Cottonwood. The minivan was traveling southbound towards Highway 89A when 29 year old Jennifer Cooper started crossing the street. Cooper may have been drinking alcohol prior to the accident. The driver of the minivan was not found to be under the influence of alcohol or drugs and speed doesn't appear to be a factor. Cooper was flown out by helicopter for treatment of her serious injuries.
If you're interested in Chino Valley's General Plan process, that document will be discussed at 3:30 this afternoon. The General Plan Committee will be discussing Community Core areas of the town. Those areas include Roads 1, 2 and 4 North; 1 and 4 South and Perkinsville Road.
Some of these areas use or will use roundabouts, and members feel these can be routes towards the eastern expansion to Old Home Manor. The cores would incorporate such uses as medical, entertainment, mixed residential and commercial. They would also create a loop for pedestrian traffic. The Committee will also be discussing Land Use Goals during its meeting, which will be held in Town Council chambers on North Highway 89.
A peanut butter recall has been expanded to include other products. Last month, Yavapai County Community Health Services announced a multi state outbreak of salmonella infections. A joint investigation has suggested Trader Joe's Valencia Creamy Salted Peanut Butter is likely the cause of the outbreak. Joli Weiss from the Arizona Department of Health Services explains salmonella infections can have serious symptoms. Sunland has expanded the recall to include several varieties of flavored butters and spreads. Weiss says these products were made in Sunland's production facility between March first, 2010 and September 24th of this year. For a complete list of recalled products, go online to yavapaihealth.com.
Months of construction on 2 Prescott projects is coming to an end. The Old North Reservoir has been replaced in the area of Willow Creek Road. A new reservoir is now in service and Fann Contracting has finished all phases of construction. A walk through of the project was done last week and Fann will be working to finish up some punch list items. As for the Fiscal Year 2013 Pavement Rehabilitation Project, lane restrictions will be in effect starting tomorrow. Affected areas include Rosser Street, from Blooming Hills Drive to Highway 89, and Pleasant Street from Goodwin to Carleton. Paving work on these streets is expected to be done by this Friday. Crews wrapped up final lane striping on East Gurley, Cortez and South Montezuma streets last week as part of this project.
Prescribed burning is schedule to occur in the Prescott National Forest. Forest spokeswoman Debbie Maneely says the burning will be done early this week. Maneely says the weather and other factors determine whether or not burning will go off as scheduled. Maneely explains what you can do if you want more information on the burning operations. Maneely adds previous burning operations have been successful in reducing the risk of wildfires in the area. At night, smoke will settle into Hassayampa Creek southwest of the Groom Creek burn site, as well as into Miller and Willow Creeks near the Sierra Prieta site.
