A Holocaust survivor whose story continues to inspire. A seamstress who made state history. A librarian (Delia Ceballos Muñoz) who shed light on Flagstaff’s long-overlooked early Hispanic and Latine settlers. To celebrate Women’s History Month, we’re sharing a few stories about Lumberjack teachers, leaders and alumnae who made history by breaking glass ceilings, advocating for their communities and accomplishing remarkable things.
On Friday, March 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidelines for respiratory illness, to include Covid-19. The CDC is updating its recommendations for Covid-19 to bring them in line with its advice for other kinds of respiratory infections, including influenza and RSV.
People who test positive for Covid-19 no longer need to routinely stay away from others for at least five days. The CDC now says people who have Covid-19 should stay home until they’ve been fever-free without medication for at least 24 hours and their symptoms have been improving for 24 hours.
However, the CDC still does recommend that people take additional precautions for an additional five days to lower the risk of spreading the virus. These precautions include improving ventilation indoors, masking, and limiting close contact with others.
Don’t miss the chance to celebrate the vibrant creativity of our community’s young artists. 11 a.m.
Learn More
COCONINO COUNTY — The National District Attorney’s Association (NDAA) recently recognized Coconino County Attorney Bill Ring as the recipient of the 2024 Distinguished Prosecutor of the Year Award.
The Distinguished Prosecutor of the Year Award is presented annually by the NDAA, which is the oldest and largest professional organization representing criminal prosecutors across the country. Ring was selected from 22 other nominees from prosecution agencies nationwide. This honor is bestowed upon an individual who has demonstrated exceptional dedication, integrity, and excellence in the field of prosecution.
FLAGSTAFF — The community is invited to participate in the selection of the Flagstaff Police Department’s next police chief at an upcoming meet and greet. The public meet and greet is scheduled for Wednesday, March 20 at 5 p.m. in City Hall Council Chambers at 211 West Aspen Avenue or via Microsoft Teams.
The meet and greet will begin with each of the five candidates for Police Chief providing an introduction about themselves, including their previous education and experience, and how it relates to the police chief position. After all introductions have been completed, there will be a few questions answered by each candidate prior to an opportunity for participants to mingle with the candidates. Information about each candidate is listed below.
Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) is excited to announce that Dr. Michael Madsen has accepted the role of Chief Medical Examiner following the retirement of Dr. Lawrence Czarnecki.
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors appointed Dr. Michael Madsen as the Chief Medical Examiner pursuant to A.R.S. 11-592 beginning March 2, 2024, for Coconino County during the March 5, 2024, Board meeting.
COCONINO COUNTY — Coconino County Superintendent of Schools, Cheryl Mango-Paget, extends her heartfelt congratulations to the outstanding educators selected as finalists for the prestigious Teacher of the Year and Rookie Teacher of the Year awards.
The winner in each category will be revealed at the 11th annual Coconino County Teacher of the Year Awards event on Thursday, April 25, 2024, commencing at 5 p.m. at the High Country Conference Center.
COCONINO COUNTY — CCC&Y member partners have an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of individuals and programs throughout Northern Arizona by taking part in the annual Arizona Gives Day on April 2, 2024.
Arizona Gives Day is an annual giving movement uniting nonprofits, big and small, new and established, with all missions and backgrounds, to celebrate and increase philanthropy in Arizona through online giving, said AZ Impact for Good, which runs the program. The event helps raise awareness about the critical role Arizona nonprofits play in our community and inspires people to give generously, creating a thriving and stronger Arizona for all.
So if you have registered by the Arizona Gives Day deadline of Feb. 28, 2024, be sure to contact the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth so we can support your effort by providing links to your organization and donation pages in our upcoming weekly e-newsletters.
COCONINO COUNTY — Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) published the 2024 Coconino County Community Health Needs Assessment (CHNA) on March 5, 2024.
The chna is a comprehensive evaluation, conducted every three years, to gain a deep understanding of the health status, risk factors, causes and concerns of poverty in our communities and available resources within Coconino County. The main goals of this assessment are to understand community health; identify health disparities; create a path for improvement; and reduce barriers.
In this edition…
• Supervisors Oppose the Pinon Plain Uranium Mine
• County Awarded $7.7 million NRCS Grant to Protect Residents from Flood Damage
• Supervisor Vasquez Testifies on Transportation at Arizona Capitol Board Members Travel to Washington, DC to Advocate for Coconino County
• District 2 Events and Activities
Upcoming Events And More!
Learn about the contributions women have made to the world at campus events throughout the month of March. In partnership with other campus organizations, the Commission on the Status of Women has invited a diverse set of speakers to talk about the stories and accomplishments of women from both the past and the modern day.
FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino County Flood Control District (The District) and the Coconino National Forest have announced a new Upper Rio De Flag Watershed restoration plan to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and post-fire flooding.
“It’s been proven that forest restoration — including mechanical thinning and prescribed fire — is an effective tool to reduce wildfire spread and severity,” said Coconino County Forest Restoration Director Jay Smith. “The completion of forest restoration in Upper Rio De Flag Watershed will provide a multi-generational benefit to our region.”
COCONINO COUNTY — Coconino County’s contractor is preparing to break ground on the second phase of a project to improve travel lanes and shoulders along Lake Mary Road.
The $1.7 million Lake Mary Road Mill & Fill Project: Phase 2 includes the milling of existing pavement and the subsequent installation of 1.5” Polymer Modified Asphalt Concrete along the travel lanes and road shoulders of two sections of Lake Mary Road totaling approximately 3.6 miles.
Distilling the Landscape in Sedona
with Ben Hamburger
March 16 : Saturday, 9am – 3pm
Simplifying what you see is a necessary component of observational painting. But it can also be used as a liberating constraint to explore design, composition, and color. During this class, you will focus on distilling your surroundings into compositions that convey both the essence of the landscape around us and our individual artistic voices. We will begin by focusing on selection and composition exercises before moving on to full color paintings. Discussions on theory and demonstrations will be followed by painting time with guidance by the instructor and group critique. Beginner and experienced plein air painters are welcome, however, this class is a class for people with some substantial painting experience. While demos will be provided in oil paint, both oils and acrylic painters are welcome.
The City of Flagstaff’s Regional Plan is a vision for the future of our community. It is a policy guide and serves as the general plan for the city as mandated by state law. The Regional Plan addresses a range of topics and outlines current conditions, the community’s vision for the future, and a series of goals and policies that will bring us to realization of this future vision.
2023 Park Profile and statistics now available
Last week the NPS released its 2023 visitation statistics. Service-wide, the NPS welcomed 325.5 million visitors in 2023, an increase of 13 million or 4% over 2022.
Grand Canyon National Park experienced its eighth busiest year ever in 2023 with 4,733,705 visits. Last year’s visitation was only 1,600 more than the previous year with a less than 1% increase from 2022. Grand Canyon once again ranked as the second most visited National Park in the National Park Service system behind Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Visitation to Grand Canyon reached its highest level in 2018 with approximately 6.4 million visitors.
Plan on joining us as we celebrate our collective community impact and share some exciting news that will further our efforts to step up for our youth in Coconino, Navajo, and Apache counties.
Our Annual Campaign & Community Impact Luncheon will start at 11:30 am on Wednesday, March 27 at Little America Hotel.
Tickets are $50 / $375 for a table of 8.
New Student Orientation is now Lumberjack Welcome—an immersive experience that takes place the week before school starts and connects new students with resources and support that will help them in the first few weeks of school and for the entirety of their Lumberjack career. It’s an important piece of NAU’s commitment to helping 100,000 people earn high-value NAU credentials by 2035, preparing them to succeed in the always-changing Arizona workforce.
Stroll throughout Downtown Flagstaff to see and purchase paintings, jewelry, woodwork, ceramics, and more! 5 p.m.
View this email in your browser Art Workshops and Classes in March 2024! CERAMICS CLASSES: Ceramics: Pottery Wheel for Beginners with Neil Kennedy March 2 – April 6 Saturdays, 9am to 12pm CERAMICS – POTTERY WHEEL FOR BEGINNERS : SIGN…
FLAGSTAFF — Members of the public are invited to submit applications for community garden plots starting on Friday, March 1. Returning gardeners will have priority until April 1 to secure their plots from the previous season. The remaining available plots will be offered to new gardeners on a first-come, first-served basis. New gardeners who do not have access to growing space at home or those who qualify for SNAP benefits will be given priority for remaining available plots through the application process.
In Gods of Comedy, a young woman calls on the gods of Ancient Greece to save her love life—but it’s not the gods of love who show up to help. Theatrikos favorite playwright Ken Ludwig (Lend Me A Tenor) is back with a hilariously divine farce filled with screwball deities, carnal complexity, conspicuous consumption, madcap mayhem, a touch of romance, and lots of laughs.
By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth
COCONINO COUNTY —
Please join CCC&Y for its next Prevention Council Zoom meeting at 10 a.m. Thursday, March 7. Our meetings provide our coalition partners with the opportunity to share the latest news about their projects that support children, youth and their families in Northern Arizona.
The CCC&Y Prevention Council has its roots in our long history of child abuse prevention, our most recent work with substance misuse prevention and our overall commitment to understanding the protective factors, resiliency research and assets our community needs to thrive.
Some examples include:
Planning for previous Child Abuse Prevention Conferences
Engaging in multiple projects with International Child Welfare expert, Kevin Campbell
Developing a library of recorded webinars
Initiating the PAWS community arts and education project
COCONINO COUNTY — Two recent pre-wildfire studies from the Coconino County FCD confirm there is a significant wildfire and post-wildfire flood threat in the Upper Rio De Flag Watershed above Flagstaff, with potential to cause substantial economic impacts to the region.
We asked faculty and staff: Which Black musicians inspire you? What prominent Black figure, living or dead, would you want to have dinner with? What’s your advice for future generations? Read and watch their thoughtful answers to these and more questions in this multimedia story, part of a university-wide celebration of Black History Month.
The Board of ECoNA had a robust, wide-ranging conversation with Senator Mark Kelly recently that covered infrastructure improvements in northern Arizona, possible strategies for addressing our chronic housing shortage here, and the senator’s profound disappointment that the border security bill that was negotiated in Congress did not garner enough support to pass.
Earlier in the day, Senator Kelly had presided over a field hearing of the Senate Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee at City Hall, which focused on a progress report from local officials and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers on the Rio de Flag Flood Control project.
FLAGSTAFF — Flagstaff Nuestras Raices & the Museum of Northern Arizona: 20th Annual Celebraciones de la Gente has been selected as a 2024 Viola Awards Finalists for the Excellence in Collaboration category by Creative Flagstaff.
The winners of the category will be announced on March 23, 2024 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Flagstaff.
The 20th anniversary annual Celebraciones de la Gente — Día de los Muertos / Day of the Dead festival was held Oct. 21, 22 at the Museum of Northern Arizona.
The event, a partnership between Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces and the Museum of Northern Arizona, featured the return of the the ever-popular InTlanextli Tlacopan Aztec Fire Dancers, Ballet Folklorico de Colores — Flagstaff, El Charro Bohemia, sugar skull and other workshops, and the display of nearly two dozen ofrendas/altars in the historic Jaime Golightly Courtyard.
As an All of Us scholar, NAU junior Cecilia Perez pursued a research project on the understudied topic of endometriosis in women of color. The disease that causes severe pelvic pain and menstrual bleeding is widely believed to affect mostly white women—but Perez’s research shows it touches the lives of racial and ethnic minorities at similar rates.
Read the story
FLAGSTAFF — Two Coconino Community College students, Grace McCullough and Carly Miller, have been nominated for the All-Arizona Academic Team as part of the All-USA Scholarship competition sponsored by Phi Theta Kappa.
Each year, the Arizona Board of Regents provides tuition scholarships to exceptional Arizona resident community college transfer students, based on outstanding academic performance and community service.
Students are nominated by their community college and submit their applications directly to the Phi Theta Kappa International Honorary organization. Scholarships cover resident tuition at any Arizona state university.
The Train Depot Bridge project is nearing completion and will officially reopen to the public on Friday, February 23. This project was a collaborative effort between the Grand Canyon National Park Special Projects Crew and the Trail Crew. Both crews worked together as a team, successfully rehabilitating this old bridge in the historic district of the South Rim Village. This bridge will serve visitors in accessing greenways, bus stops, and the train depot for many years to come.
Celebrate craft beer at any of Flagstaff’s 8 breweries, with discounts, events, and more! Various times.
When school started last year, the EdWeek Research Center (part of the publication Education Week) conducted a survey, asking high school students the following question: In the past year, what, if anything, has had a negative impact on your mental health?
Here was the statistic that pulled me up short: only 16% of the respondents said “Nothing.”
That means 84% had experienced enough stress and anxiety – about everything from school to the future of our planet – that it had a detrimental effect on their mental health.
“The creation of the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon National Monument forever protects almost a million acres of land around Grand Canyon from future uranium mining. However, existing mining permits remain in effect,” District 1 Supervisor Patrice Horstman said. “The Pinyon Plain mine is extracting ore and threatens the very existence of the Havasupai people and their homeland.”
COCONINO COUNTY — The 2023 Controller of the Year Awards recently recognized Coconino County Treasurer Sarah Benatar as the winner of Controller of the Year for the Government Category.
Benatar has served as Treasurer of Coconino County since being appointed in 2014, winning reelection in 2016 and 2020, and was the youngest County Treasurer in Arizona. She serves the County as an officer of the Arizona County Treasurer’s Association and as past President of the Arizona Association of Counties (AACo). She is a voice for rural communities, advocating for her constituents by serving on the board and as Treasurer of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), and as president of the National Association of Hispanic County Elected Officials (NAHCO).
COCONINO COUNTY — Whether it’s connecting families with local representatives from the Coconino County Health & Human Services’ Women’s, Infants and Children (WIC) program, to helping foster care families learn about potential scholarship programs for their youth, resource guides provide a valuable assistance to residents throughout Coconino County and Northern Arizona.
To spread the word about these valuable information options, CCC&Y has compiled a listing and link to a variety of resource guides throughout the region including CCC&Y’s created Page/Fredonia and Tuba City resource guides and the recently updated Williams Area Community Resource Guide.
Spring registration has opened for some groups.
The spring schedule is posted on our website. The registration date is listed next to each group on the schedule so please double check your correct registration date. The spring season registration will be on February 21 and 22. We will be staggering the registration to reduce the congestion of many people logging in at once. Registration for the Upper Level groups (Middle and High School), push bike, 4-5 years, and 5-6 year old groups will be at 6:00am on February 21. The registration for 1st-5th grade groups will be on February 22 at 6:00am. Registration on February 21st will be locked for all groups with a registration date of February 22nd so please only log in on the date of your group.
The spring waitlist will be posted on the registration page at 6:30am on February 22.
— Gina Santi is a freelance photographer born and raised in Venezuela and currently based in Tempe, Arizona. She earned her master’s degree in Cultural Anthropology from Northern Arizona University and has participated in various events in Northern Arizona, including the annual Celebraciones de la Gente at the Museum of Northern Arizona. Visit http://www.ginasantiphotography.com for more information.
Nearly 800,000 Americans suffer a stroke every year, and most end up with some level of permanent motor disability. Reza Sharif Razavian, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering, is using grant funds from NAU and the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab to develop a device that could help healthcare providers personalize care for stroke survivors—and improve their chances of full recovery.
There is no better way to document your visit to the Grand Canyon than through art, photography and journaling.
This two-day workshop will provide an overview and practice of basic illustration as well as the elements and practice of nature and art journaling. Participants will spend time in the classroom learning and practicing key concepts and ideas. We will then spend a significant amount of time outside exploring the rim of the Grand Canyon hiking and documenting our visit.
Participants must be able to walk at least two miles. We will not be exploring below the rim.
A hilariously divine farce filled with screwball deities, carnal complexity, conspicuous consumption, madcap mayhem, a touch of romance, and lots of laughs.
While at NAU, Andrea Lopez dedicated herself to bridging the gap between international and domestic students: She took part in countless clubs and organizations and spent two semesters in Spain and Costa Rica. Now, thanks to a Fulbright scholarship, the recent graduate is back in Spain—and this time, she’s at the head of the classroom.
We all agree that children are our future, and we need to invest in their development.
KinderCamp™, a signature program of United Way of Northern Arizona, is part of our efforts to Step Up for Our Youth. For almost two decades, it’s gotten positive reviews from teachers, parents, and most importantly, the four- and five-year-olds who participate each summer.
Learn more about how we are gearing up for KinderCamp 2024, and how you can play a role in helping the next generation get ready to take on the world.
Friday, February 16: Intermittent road closures on Center and South Entrance Roads
On Friday, Feb. 16, there will be intermittent closures of South Entrance and Center Roads. These closures are necessary to facilitate the transport of two large transformers and a crane being delivered for the APS Substation Project west of Clinic Road.
Friday, February 16 Details:
7 a.m.- 12 p.m.: A single lane closure will be in effect ¼ mile south of the South Entrance station along Hwy. 64. Traffic flaggers will be present and traffic delays are expected in this area.
9 a.m.-12 p.m.: Three separate closures will be in effect for up to 30 minutes each. The closure area will be both lanes from the South Entrance Station to the Clinic/Center Road junction. No vehicles will be able to enter/exit the park via the South Entrance during the closure periods (this includes the employee bypass lane).
4:30-6:30 p.m.: Three separate closures will be in effect for up to 30 minutes each. The closure area will be both lanes from the South Entrance Station to the Clinic/Center Road junction. No vehicles will be able to enter/exit the park via the South Entrance during the closure periods (this includes the employee bypass lane).
This is the 11th year STEM City and its partners have worked to create this unique opportunity for all of Flagstaff to engage with the STEM community (K-12 schools, college and university educational institutions, businesses, government agencies, non-profit agencies and others).
Hands-on activities, demonstrations and conversations excite participants, expose the community to STEM educational and career opportunities in Flagstaff and celebrate Flagstaff’s designation as “America’s First STEM Community.”
FLAGSTAFF — If you have not registered to vote and are interested in voting in the upcoming March 19, 2024 Presidential Preference Election (PPE), you have until midnight on Tuesday, February 20 to register to vote.
The PPE is not a primary election. This means Arizona’s open primary law does not apply to the PPE. Therefore, only voters of a participating party may vote on that party’s ballot. Since the Democratic and Republican Parties are the only parties participating in the PPE, only registered Democrats and Republicans can vote in the PPE.
FLAGSTAFF — Register today for Flagstaff Police Dept.’s Citizen Police Academy Spring 2024 which begins Wednesday, Feb. 21.
Shakespeare’s timeless masterpiece comes to life in a special one-of-a-kind performance featuring actors from the Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival, set to Felix Mendelssohn’s music written for the play performed by the FSO! 7:30 p.m.
Learn More
The Artist’s Professional Toolkit:
A Writing Class for Your Portfolio
with Camille LeFevre
April 2-23 : Tuesdays, 1:30 to 3pm
What’s the difference between an artist statement and artist bio? How do you write a compelling proposal? Learn how to exquisitely craft and then repurpose all three of these artist tools when applying for exhibitions, workshops, residencies, funding, and more.
Your Financial Education
Tuesday, March 5, 19, 26, April 2, 9
5:30 to 7 p.m.
This five-week financial workshop will cover income taxes, estate planning, retirement, investing, and insurance.
Finance – Learn more and register!
MORE!!!
By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth
We imagine a world where every person lives in peace and is supported by a thriving, resilient community.
The purpose of CCC&Y is bold and your help is needed.
When you become a member of CCC&Y, your financial contribution helps cultivate and strengthen well-informed communities by providing education and resources, bringing stakeholders together, building new systems of communication and more.
Nominate Your Favorite NOW
STEMMY Nominations Close This Friday
These annual awards are given to students, teachers, and organizations who are STEM Leaders in our community. Plus winning student and teacher also receive $500!!
FLAGSTAFF — City Hall offices at 211 W. Aspen Ave. will be closed in observance of Presidents’ Day on Monday, Feb. 19, 2024. City Hall offices will reopen on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
City of Flagstaff facilities that are closed on Presidents’ Day include:
Teens ages 15-18 are invited to apply to Sedona Arts Center’s Gallery 928 program, a unique summer art apprenticeship that partners students with a master artist to create a work of public art. Applications are due April 19, 2024. The program begins June 3 and runs through July 3 and will be held Monday-Thursday from 9 a.m.-3 p.m. at Sedona Arts Center, located at 15 Art Barn Road.
“We are excited for year three of Gallery 928,” says Julie Richard, CEO of Sedona Arts Center. “This summer, apprentices will create a public art mural for our Center all the while learning about the public art process—from conception to completion to celebration.”
FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino County Recorder’s office has mailed a 2024 Voter Guide to all registered voters in the county. The guide contains important voting information about the upcoming elections that will be held this year.
2024 is going to be a very busy election year with three countywide elections. The guide describes the differences between the March 19 Presidential Preference, July 30 Primary and November 5 General Elections.
Who snores more, you or your partner? Who is the better driver? Who does more dishes? For Valentine’s Day, we asked three NAU couples, made up of faculty and staff, all these questions and more. Find out how often they agree, how often they don’t and whose victory dance we get to see at the end. Let the game begin!
COCONINO COUNTY — The Coconino County Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) is pleased to release its Justice Statistics dashboard. The dashboard is designed to provide Coconino County residents with a high-level overview of criminal justice system activity.
It was created through a collaborative effort between multiple Coconino County and City of Flagstaff agencies and will provide residents with important information on community safety, diversion programming, and the overall operation of their criminal justice system. Residents will be able to view current data as well as long term trends in areas such as arrests, diversion program completion, Superior Court caseload, and successful probation completions, among others.
Message from Mary –
I often consider February a month of transition, when winter shows a mighty beauty, but we long to see what spring will bring. Now is an ideal time to enjoy the warmth of the museum and explore Selling the Southwest. MNA’s newest exhibit unveils idyllic portrayals of unspoiled landscapes – artworks commissioned to lure visitors to enchanting, unfamiliar lands. It tells a story of transition, one that would bolster early tourism, impact southwestern culture and art for generations, and influence the lives of Indigenous peoples. The exhibit showcases works by Thomas Moran, William Robinson Leigh, Louis Akin, Arthur W. Best, and Gunnar Widforss, as well as pottery, jewelry, and textiles by Native artisans from that period.
