As of today, closures are now in effect on Granite Mountain and Thumb Butte. According to Prescott National Forest officials, the Granite Mountain closure will be the same as it has been for the past 17 years. It is prohibited to be upon any part of the rock cliff face or the rim above the rock face and extending 100 feet back from the edge of the cliff face by rock climbing or any other means of access. Trail 261 will remain open. Maps of the closed area will be posted throughout the Granite Basin Recreation Area. On Thumb Butte, both the north and south climbing faces, the top of Thumb Butte and the areas at the base of the climbing faces will be closed to entry. Trail 33 will remain open for hiking. For the past 10 years, this closure has provided the protection peregrine falcons need to produce young birds from their nest on Thumb Butte. Maps of the closed area will be posted around Thumb Butte. The closures will last until July 15th to provide peregrines the quiet environment needed for successfully nesting and raising young birds.

A Prescott Valley man has been arrested for alleged sexual abuse. On Monday afternoon before 1, Prescott Valley Police officers responded to the Circle K store in the 6100 block of Highway 69 for possible sexual abuse. Sergeant Brandon Bonney explains what happened during the incident.

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The subject left the store, but stayed close. Twenty-five year old James Briant was located and he admitted to grabbing the victim and made references about having an uncontrollable urge. Briant, who is a registered sex offender, faces 1 count each of sexual abuse and disorderly conduct.

Yavapai College will honor 1 of its emeritus faculty members at 6:30 tonight. College officials note Karen O’Neil’s teaching career began at Yavapai in 1982. She was one of the instrumental instructors in the early nursing program and her teaching career spanned 21 years. O’Neil became an Emeritus Faculty Member in 2006. She is currently the Important Bird Area Program Coordinator for the Prescott Audubon Society. O’Neil served 1 two year term as President of the Arizona Audubon Council and she was on the Board of Directors of the Prescott Audubon Society for several years, including 2 terms as President. She has also served as Conservation Committee Chair for 2 years.
Since retiring from Yavapai, O’Neil and her husband Jim have traveled extensively to countries in Central and South America, Tanzania, Ireland, Wales and London. Members of the public are invited to the free event honoring O’Neil, which will take place in the College Library, Susan Webb Community Room on the Prescott campus on Sheldon Street.

The Prescott City Council has scheduled a special session at 6 tonight. The meeting is a joint session with the Prescott Frontier Days Board and Board members will present the annual Rodeo Report, including an overview of last year’s Rodeo, impact and uses of the grounds while City officials will present an overview of City owned land, buildings and leases. Other items that will be discussed include facilities to be vacated by the County in June and future occupancies, repairs to the grandstands prior to this year’s Rodeo, the lease between the City and Prescott Frontier Days, the bed tax allocation to the Frontier Days Organization for promotion, the Rodeo Grounds Master Plan and other items of mutual interest regarding the Rodeo Grounds. The meeting will be held in the Danny Freeman Building on Rodeo Drive.

The Prescott Valley Charter School’s Youth Chamber Club and the CASA Senior Center will host a Community Blood Drive from 10 to 2 tomorrow. This drive will be operated by United Blood Services and is open to people 16 years of age and up. The drive will be held at the Senior Center, which is located on Manzanita Circle in Prescott Valley. Other blood drives will be held from 12:30 to 5 this afternoon at the Ash Fork School Gym and Cafeteria on North 5th Street and at the Prescott Church of the Nazarene Fellowship Hall on Willow Creek Road in Prescott from 8 to 1 on Saturday, February 11th. For more information on these drives or to make an appointment, visit bloodhero.com.