The Cottonwood Police Department has announced it will close its lobby on Fridays starting tomorrow. Officials note the closures are necessary due to staffing shortages and illness. The Police Department will still handle telephone calls of a non-emergency nature, however no one will be present to handle walk-in traffic to the lobby. Until January 8th, 2010, the new hours for the lobby will be Monday through Thursday from 8 am to 5 pm. In an emergency, residents should dial 911. The Department has announced the customers of the Communications Division are not limited to the City of Cottonwood. The Communications Center answers the primary 9-1-1 calls initiated by citizens and visitors in the city and town limits of Cottonwood, Clarkdale, Jerome and selected cell phone towers throughout the Verde Valley.

Yavapai Silent Witness is going high tech. For 28 years, Yavapai Silent Witness has offered cash rewards to citizens offering tips leading to arrests by calling 1-800-932-3232. Now residents will have the option of calling in on the phone or texting their information. Boom Text, a Chandler based company is serving as the hi-tech service provider. Co-founders Levi McClendon and Spencer Brannan are Cottonwood natives who are excited to add Yavapai Silent Witness to their long list of clients. The idea of texting messages to law enforcement isn’t new, and there are at least 2 other law enforcement agencies in Arizona using text messaging. The code word and number have not yet been decided, but as soon as they are Yavapai Silent Witness will make the new system official.

A new program has gone live on school campuses. Middle and high school students can keep themselves and their schools safe through the program, called See it, Stop it. Administered by Yavapai Silent Witness, the program allows students to anonymously report the presence of drugs, alcohol, weapons or illegal gang activity on their campus. MATForce, the Yavapai County Substance Abuse Coalition, is helping promote the program by preparing posters, pocket sized cards and banners to remind students how they can help keep their school drug free. MATForce will be delivering posters and pocket sized cards with information for students on reporting to Yavapai Silent Witness during this month. To make a See it, Stop it tip, students may call 1-800-932-3232 or text the word BUSTED, then the tip to 411247.

He may not have been reelected to the Prescott City Council, but Bob Luzius has just been elected to a Coordinating Committee. As part of its voting session Monday, the Verde River Basin Partnership elected 7 at large members of the Committee, including Luzius. Other members who will be starting 1 year terms include Dan Campbell of the Nature Conservancy, former Camp Verde Mayor Tony Gioia (joy-a), Prescott National Forest Verde District Ranger Dee Hines, President of the Prescott based Citizen’s Water Advocacy Group Chris Hoy, former District One State Senator Tom O’Halleran and Clarkdale Mayor Doug Von Gausig. A 3 member Nominating Committee produced a slate of 10 candidates for the positions. Those who were not elected include current Committee members Dick Ellis and former Chino Valley Mayor Karen Fann and Anita Goss.

The Arizona Sundogs were looking for their first home victory last night, and they ended up with one of their biggest wins in franchise history. In front of more than 2,100 fans at Tim’s Toyota Center, Arizona took a 2 to nothing lead against the Laredo Bucks in the opening period. In the second period, Arizona exploded with 5 goals, tied for the second most in a period in franchise history. The Sundogs scored 2 more in the final period for the 9 to nothing shut out win, the franchise’s biggest margin of victory. Forward Scott Thauwald scored the first hat trick of the season, and he says that was exciting:

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Goalie J.F. Perras turned aside 28 shots, and he says he gives a lot of credit to the defense in the win:

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Officials note 13 different players figured into the scoring for Arizona with 10 getting multiple points.

Hear Bill Monroe on Northern Arizona's Source for News, Talk and Sports, KQNA 1130 AM