FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Authorities say the body of a Flagstaff man reported missing in July has been found near Fredonia.

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office says the body of 30-year-old Richard Clay Branham in a parked car about 14 miles south of Fredonia.

Arizona Game and Fish Law Enforcement officers discovered the body while conducting an unrelated enforcement detail Saturday.

The body has been sent to the Coconino County Medical Examiner for further investigation, but authorities don’t believe foul play was a factor in Branham’s death.

The Arizona Republic believe Branham may have been staying in either a Fredonia motel or his car between July 14 and 18 due to his credit card activity at local stores for food purchases.

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.

The money is part of a $270 million nationwide settlement with Tronox, an Oklahoma City-based company that sought bankruptcy protection last year to reorganize its operations and alleviate environmental liabilities and litigation costs.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Navajo officials say the money should be enough to do initial assessments of 49 sites. They say full investigations and actual cleanup would require more money.

The EPA says it will seek out other parties responsible for contamination at those sites to supplement the settlement funds.

Patrick Williams

Chino Valley (NAZ Today) – Authorities with the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office say they have arrested 18 year old Patrick Williams of Chino Valley for the murder of his 67 year old neighbor Stella Streppa.

On the afternoon of December 5th, deputies were called to perform a welfare check on the victim, after family members became concerned due to not hearing from her recently. Once inside the home, deputies found the victims body and determined she had been killed by another person.

Deputies learned that the victims truck was also missing and on Monday, December 6, the vehicle was located in Prescott. Officials found Williams near the vehicle, and developed information linking him to Streppa’s death.

Williams lived in the same neighborhood as the victim.

Detectives assigned to the case are asking for the public’s help. Detectives learned that sometime last week, possibly Tuesday, November 30th, someone called 911 and spoke to Prescott Police dispatchers after seeing Williams in the victim’s truck. Detectives would like to speak with the person who made this call. Please call Detective Mike Poling at 928-771-3260 with any information you may have.

The Flagstaff Fire Department tells The Arizona Daily Sun the pile burns will be at the U.S. Naval Observatory off West Route 66.

The wood piles are the result of forest thinning activities meant to reduce the risk of wildfire and to restore forest health.

Fire crews expect smoke from the controlled burn to disperse to the east and switch to the south Monday afternoon.

Between 9:00 am and 6:00 pm Sunday, Arizona Department of Public Safety Officers had already responded to more than 20 weather related accidents, and they feared the worst was yet to come. “The wet roadways will likely turn into black ice, causing even more accidents,” said one officer.

As of 6:00 pm no serious injuries had been reported, but at least 10 people had been taken to area hospitals as result of accidents.

“These are serious, serious problems going on inside of these children now, and we have to do drastic things to make them better,” pediatrician Nina Souders told the Flagstaff Unified School District board last week.

Flagstaff physicians and nurses are reporting obesity-related diabetes in children as young as age 4.

The school district’s top nurse estimates about 50 percent of the district’s elementary school students will be classified as overweight or bordering on overweight.

Elementary school students will be weighed and measured this fall with help from Flagstaff Medical Center’s Fit Kids staff and North Country HealthCare. The nonprofits will target education efforts, particularly to schools with more students with severe weight problems.

Letters will go to parents of students who are underweight, overweight or marginally overweight, and will include graphs showing a range of weights for a given age and height.

School district Superintendent Barbara Hickman said the educators will recommend good nutrition, exercise and a visit to a physician, but it’s up to parents to decide what they want to do.

Hickman also expects calls from displeased parents.

“This is an emotional subject,” she said. “It brings up difficult issues and parents can be a little bit offended sometimes.”

However, Hickman said the district needs to raise the issue.

“Given the effect this has on the long-term health of our kids, once we know about it, we have to say something,” she said.

Board member Chris Bavasi asked about adding more physical education time to the school week, but officials said that given academic requirements, that would be unlikely unless the school day were lengthened.

Elementary, middle and high school students in Flagstaff take physical education, but it’s not required daily.

Health classes cover nutrition but also other topics such as bullying or sexual health, Hickman said.

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Information from: Arizona Daily Sun

Copyright 2010 The Associated Press.

FLAGSTAFF (NAZ Today) – Family and friends of a fallen soldier from Williams received their loved one Thursday afternoon.

After arriving at Flagstaff Pullium Airport, a hero’s procession led the body of Marine Lance Corporal Matthew Broehm through Flagstaff.

Broehm, 22, was killed November 4th while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan , according to the Department of Defense.

The military assured Broehm’s family that his actions were heroic.

Many of those who turned out for the procession said they didn’t know Broehm but wanted to acknowledge his sacrifice.

“Everybody liked him, he was just a kid,” said a former co-worker of Broehm attending the procession.

A funeral service for Broehm is scheduled for 4pm on November 20th at the First Baptist Church of Williams, 629 W. Grant Ave.

Members of the community show their support by lining the streets along the procession route. Photo by: Chad Black/ NAZ Today

Members of the community show their support by lining the streets along the procession route. Photo by: Chad Black/ NAZ Today

This includes the Grand Canyon, Red Rock, Sunset Crater Volcano, Walnut Canyon, and several more.

For more information reguarding fee waivers at the Flagstaff Area National monuments:

Wupatki at (928) 679-2365 or got to www.nps.gov/wupa

Sunset Crater Volcano at (928) 526-0502 or go to www.nps.gov/sucr

Walnut Canyon National Monuments at (928) 526-3367 or go to www.nps.gov/waca

Red Rock Ranger District at (928) 282-4119 or (928) 203-2900

Grand Canyon National Park at (928) 638-7951 or go to www.nps.gov/grca

Sgt. Dick told NAZ Today that at Norman Greer was found at around 4:30 am Sunday morning by an Arizona Department of Public Safety Helicopter, using night vision technology.

Officials remind anyone who is outdoors in the wilderness for an extended period of time to always be prepared to stay overnight regardless of familiarity of surroundings.

To see the original story, visit http://www.naztoday.com/news/2010/11/multi-agency-search-for-missing-hunter-underway/

The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office says a search and rescue effort began Saturday for Norman Greer. The 62-year-old set out on a hunting trip with his son near Mormon Crossing and Chevron Canyon area off of forest road 504.  His son reported him missing Friday evening after they became separated while on the hunt.

Search and Rescue teams from Apache, Navajo, and Coconino counties are conducting the operation. Sunday morning mounted horse units as well as an Arizona Department of Public Safety helicopter from Tucson will assist in the search efforts.

Norman is a white male wearing a camouflage shirt with sweat pants.  Authorities say Norman is not wearing clothing that is suitable for the cold weather in the area.