FLAGSTAFF, AZ – The ongoing search for missing local resident Nancy Guthrie has reportedly been paused for the third time this week, not due to inclement weather or lack of daylight, but because of an escalating dispute among volunteers over the most effective and morale-boosting search party provisions. Sources close to the operation confirm that a particularly acrimonious debate erupted yesterday concerning the precise carbohydrate-to-protein ratio required for sustained wilderness trekking.

“Some people are pushing for a high-sugar, quick-energy approach with things like gummy bears and soda, claiming it provides an immediate boost,” explained bewildered Sheriff’s Deputy Mark Jensen, wiping sweat from his brow. “Then you have the ‘slow-release’ contingent, advocating for whole-grain crackers and cheese sticks. It’s a real ideological battle, and frankly, it’s slowing things down. We almost had a fistfight over whether a banana counts as a ‘portable, non-messy fruit option’ or if it’s just a slippery hazard.”

The impasse has reportedly drawn in national experts, with a prominent nutritionist from the University of Phoenix Online weighing in via a hastily organized Zoom call, only to further complicate matters by suggesting a “Mediterranean-inspired foraging strategy.” Meanwhile, Nancy Guthrie remains missing, presumably unaware of the spirited logistical quandaries her absence has inadvertently created.