Crews working on the Williamson Valley Road Improvement Project will be excavating the roadway down to the dirt sub-grade this week. City of Prescott officials note this work will occur along the project area from Shadow Valley Ranch Road to Sidewinder Road and will require multiple lane closures. One lane will remain open along Williamson Valley Road as excavation is performed. Motorists are asked to allow extra time while traveling through the project zone and to be aware of rough road conditions. Crews are also continuing installation of lateral water and sewer lines adjacent to the roadway and will continue to pour and form new retaining walls and construct storm water catch basins. Work hours are 7 am to 6 pm through Friday.

Yavapai County Community Health Services is advising residents of the dangers of shingles. According to Health Department officials, for anyone who is over 50 years old and had chicken pox as a child, the chances are very good you will experience the effects of a much more painful version known as shingles. In some cases, this disease causes long term nerve damage and could potentially lead to the loss of vision or hearing. Symptoms include a burning, itching and tingling sensation and a rash that appears on one side of the body that may spread to the face. Vaccination can reduce the risk of getting shingles by as much as 50 percent. After vaccination, anyone who still develops this painful disease will experience much milder symptoms and there is less risk of developing complications. For more information on shingles, call an Immunization Specialist at 771-3122 in the Prescott area or at 634-6822 in the Verde Valley.

The Dewey-Humboldt Open Space and Trails Advisory Committee meets at 3 tomorrow afternoon. The Committee will discuss items related to the Butte Park proposal, including startup money, adoption of the Park Site Plan and Site Development Calendar, the use of volunteer labor, potential material and equipment contributions and Committee members’ roles in soliciting donations. Two weeks ago, Chairwoman Sandra Goodwin addressed Council regarding this project and following that presentation, Vice Mayor Mark McBrady moved to allocate 10 thousand dollars from the budget to get the project started and to purchase materials and equipment for the park. The motion passed 4 to 2 with David Hiles and Nancy Wright voting against it. The meeting will be held at Town Hall on South Highway 69.

Arizona Sundogs defenseman Tyler Butler has been named the Oakley Central Hockey League Player of the Week. Butler, who serves as Team Captain, finished a 4 game week with 7 points, including a pair of goals and 5 assists and led his team with 15 shots on goal. Last Saturday night at Tim’s Toyota Center, Butler helped the Sundogs end their losing streak with a 6 to 3 win against the Fort Wayne Komets. He assisted in the game winning goal and scored the 6th goal of the game. During last night’s Coaches Show on KQNA 1130 AM and 99.9 FM, Coach Marco Pietroniro explained what Butler means to the team.

Butler also had multiple point efforts in 3 of the Sundogs’ 4 games, starting with a goal and an assist in a back and forth game in Wichita that saw the Thunder get the 8 to 4 win last Wednesday and he had a season high 3 assists in Arizona’s 7 to 5 loss to Fort Wayne last Friday.

The Prescott City Council will finish up its 2013 Budget workshop process at 3 this afternoon. This process started in October with an introduction to the budget for just about every 2 weeks until December 20th, departmental budgets had been presented. City Manager Craig McConnell has told Council City officials faces numerous challenges in preparing the current Fiscal Year budget and the City is facing a 6 million dollar shortfall heading into the upcoming Fiscal Year. Finance Director Mark Woodfill says problem areas have been discussed in the budget presentations and in a Mid-Year Budget report.

Council has been asked to make a list of programs and services to be discontinued in Fiscal Year 2013, programs, services and other items to be added, restored or emphasized and revenue stabilization and enhancement actions and other actions to be taken. Budget and Finance Director Mark Woodfill explains this is the first step in formulating a plan.

The workshop will be held in Council chambers on south Cortez Street.

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