Author: Community Contributor

Prescribed burn project cancelled (Nov. 8) due to unfavorable conditions

FLAGSTAFF — Mogollon Rim Ranger District fire managers have cancelled today’s Sawmill Project southwest of Mormon Lake due to unfavorable wind conditions that would negatively impact powerlines, the highway, and surrounding communities.

The 3,000-acre Sawmill project was originally scheduled to be completed over the course of the week from Nov. 6-9 but was modified to focus attention on a smaller 1,000-acre section today as winds and conditions were forecasted to keep smoke away from powerlines and surrounding communities. With the change in today’s conditions, this project will be postponed till a later date when conditions are more appropriate.

The Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy aims to increase prescribed fire and other treatments across the landscape to improve forest resiliency for generations to come.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — CCC&Y partners urged to start planning for GivingTuesday (Nov. 28)

COCONINO COUNTY — CCC&Y partners have an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of individuals and programs throughout Northern Arizona by taking part in the annual GivingTuesday movement on Nov. 28, 2023.

The Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth wants to support your effort by providing links to your organization and donation pages in our upcoming weekly e-newsletters.

We believe GivingTuesday is a perfect fit for our mission: “We ignite collective action that creates better lives for children and families.”

Individuals and for-profit organizations throughout Northern Arizona are looking for an opportunity to make a difference in the lives of families in the region and as stated by the founders of GivingTuesday: “Generosity is uplifting, generative, equalizing, and connecting.”

So if you are a member partner of CCC&Y, please send your information, donation links, stories and photos to Frank X. Moraga, outreach coordinator, at frank@coconinokids.org

We would love to include you in our growing list of GivingTuesday participants this year.

The NAU Review — A new microscope, STEM art and November’s Inclusive Insights

A whole new world
Most microscopes, common in labs, are limited to magnifications of about 1,500 times. NAU’s newly acquired transmission electron microscope can easily achieve magnifications of up to two million times, giving students and researchers the ability to study samples like never before, opening up their eyes to a world previously unknown.

Friends of Flagstaff’s Future — Apply for Coconino County District 3 Supervisor Vacancy by Nov. 13

The application process to fill District 3 County Supervisor Matt Ryan’s seat on the Board of Supervisors is now open.  Applications are being accepted through November 13th at 8:00 am. The seat will become vacant on January 1, 2014.

The NAU Review — Celebrating Native American Heritage Month, honoring our veterans and predicting the future of water based on the past

Celebrating ancestry, traditions and impact

NAU, which sits on lands sacred to Native American tribes, will celebrate Native American Heritage Month with a plethora of culture-oriented events which will run through Nov. 30. Events include Stew Fest, a basketball game against SAGU Indian College, meetings with NAU’s Indigenous elders and more. “We are honored to share about our legacy and ways of being with our communities,” said Ann Marie Chischilly, vice president of Native American Initiatives. 

New Podcast Series Highlights Tribal Connections to Grand Canyon

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. – In celebration of Native American Heritage month, Grand Canyon National Park is proud to announce the release of a new podcast series focused on Indigenous perspectives and the people who have called the canyon home since time immemorial. On November 3, 2023, the park released seven episodes of “Grand Canyon Speaks.”

During the summer of 2023, park staff created an interpretive program called “Grand Canyon Speaks,” which features live in-person conversations between park rangers and members from the 11 traditionally associated tribes of Grand Canyon. The program is one of many parkwide efforts to include Tribal members, voices, and culture in public outreach and education. Over 1,500 park visitors from all over the world attended the live events.

The NAU Review — Celebrating Native American Heritage Month, honoring our veterans and predicting the future of water based on the past

NAU, which sits on lands sacred to Native American tribes, will celebrate Native American Heritage Month with a plethora of culture-oriented events which will run through Nov. 30. Events include Stew Fest, a basketball game against SAGU Indian College, meetings with NAU’s Indigenous elders and more. “We are honored to share about our legacy and ways of being with our communities,” said Ann Marie Chischilly, vice president of Native American Initiatives.

November at the Museum of Northern Arizona

Message from Mary –

November is Native American Heritage Month, an opportunity to spread awareness of Indigenous history and contemporary Native issues. At the Museum of Northern Arizona we share and celebrate the Indigenous peoples of the Colorado Plateau year-round, both in our exhibitions and through special programs. This month we have a panel discussion about Indigenous foods with a Diné chef and a performance by a group of young Native dancers who have earned international recognition. Both programs are rooted in tradition while being contemporary and relevant – an appropriate reflection of Indigenous peoples and culture today.

A visit to the Museum is always a good way to learn about Native American Heritage, this month and year-round.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Oct. 30-Nov. 3, 2023

We commemorate and celebrate Native American Heritage Month throughout the month of November to recognize the important contributions Indigenous people have made and continue to make to the country and to the Grand Canyon. This year’s theme is Celebrating Tribal and Indigenous Sovereignty and Identity. Tribal sovereignty ensures that any decisions about Tribes about their property and citizens are made with their participation and consent. The federal trust responsibility is a legal obligation under which the United States “has charged itself with moral obligations of the highest responsibility and trust” toward Indian Tribes.  

Grand Canyon National Park is built on Native lands, and although we cannot change the past, we can change the present and ultimately the future by strengthening our relationships with the associated tribes and the land we all share.

Coconino County Parks & Recreation November 2023 Update

Culinary Class: Holiday Side Dishes

The holiday season is quickly approaching! Time to spend time with friends and family, start thinking about defrosting the turkey, and cracking out the side dish recipes. This special holiday focused culinary class will teach you how to make a variety of classic Thanksgiving side dishes such as mashed potatoes, stuffing, mac and cheese, and grilled brussels sprouts.

This cooking class will be held on November 19, noon-3:00 p.m., at the Fort Tuthill County Park Mess Hall in Flagstaff, AZ. It will be taught by our incredible culinary instructor, Willa McAuliffe.

The cost for this program is $25* for Adults (18 and older) and $15* for Youth (8 – 17 years old).

Pre-register here.

Friends of Flagstaff’s Future — Become a F3 Member in 2023!

The Friends of Flagstaff’s Future (F3) Board of Directors invites you to become a member of our local grass-roots nonprofit.  If you are already a member, we hope you will pass this letter on to friends who you believe may be interested in supporting F3’s work.

F3 is a grassroots, multi-issue organization whose mission is to achieve a sustainable, just, and thriving Flagstaff through community education, engagement, and advocacy.

Variety of Día de Los Muertos continuing this week including — ‘Coco with Cocoa’ on Nov. 1 and other NAU events through Nov. 3, Dia de Los Muertos Celebration in Camp Verde on Nov. 5

FLAGSTAFF — In celebration of Dia De Los Muertos, we will be watching the movie Coco, decorating sugar cookies, and drinking hot cocoa.

Date: 11/01/2023

Time: 05:30 pm- 08:00 pm

Location: IMQ Center

Free to all

The NAU Review — Homecoming LumberSNAPS and Diamondbacks, spooky creatures and cross country champs!

Lumberjacks of all ages from near and far enjoyed a week full of Homecoming events. From the dedicatee luncheon and the student carnival to the Homecoming parade and football game, take a look back at these Lumberjack memories.

Theatrikos Theatre Co. November Newsletter – Christmas Show and 2024 Season

A Christmas Carol: A Twisted Musical Comedy Opens November 24, the day after Thanksgiving.
“This is not your Grandmother’s A Christmas Carol,” said show director and Theatrikos Executive Director Chris Verrill. “Theatrikos’ A Christmas Carol: A Twisted Musical Comedy is inspired by the most popular form of theatre in the UK. And we’re bringing it to Arizona. Our version of this holiday classic is interactive. It’s a crazy comedy. It’s a musical; with songs that are parodies of popular music. It’s hilarious. You’ll have a fun Christmas time and you’ll leave clap happy in the end!”

Flagstaff Festival of Science — USGS Open House Rescheduled to Nov. 5

The USGS Open House is now re-scheduled for Sunday Nov. 5 from 1-4 pm! Explore interactive displays and activities related to geography, biology, hydrology, planetary science and mapping! Free to the public!

Located at the USGS Flagstaff Science Campus: 2255 N Gemini Rd, Flagstaff, AZ 86001.

Bilingual report — Gina Santi Photography — Images of the Month – November 2023

Since the early Middle Ages, Europeans feared that phantasms, ghouls, and spirits somehow found their way back to earth and do harm to people, animals, and crops during Halloween. Igniting protective fires and torches and tolling the town’s church bells were especially important on this night to whisk off the mischievous entities.
 
William Shakespeare brilliantly depicts the Christian beliefs about witches during those times: the three nameless witches in Macbeth embody wickedness, obscurity, madness, struggle, and have a twisted sense of scruples. Using this curse, they warn Macbeth of his upcoming troubles:

City of Flagstaff announces Winter parking restrictions begin Nov. 1

FLAGSTAFF — Winter parking restrictions will begin on Nov. 1 and will remain in effect until April 1. During this time, parking on city streets and alleyways is prohibited from midnight to 7 a.m.Winter parking restrictions allow the City to thoroughly plow the streets during snow events and remains in effect even if it is not snowing to aid in street sweeping.

Return Your Voted Ballot for Nov. 7 Jurisdictional Election Now

FLAGSTAFF — The November 7 Jurisdictional Election is a ballot-by-mail election, so all registered voters residing in the City of Flagstaff, Sedona-Oak Creek Joint Unified School District, Ash Fork Joint Unified School District, Grand Canyon Unified School District, Pinewood Sanitary District, Williams Hospital District, and Highlands Fire District should have received their ballots. 

The Coconino County Recorder’s Office reminds voters that their voted ballots for the November 7, 2023, Jurisdictional Election must be received no later than 7:00 pm on Election Day.  Voters should put their voted early ballot in the mail no later than Tuesday, October 31, to ensure that it is received in time to be counted.

Coconino NF prescribed fire outlook: Week of Oct. 30

When: Oct. 31 or Nov. 1
Where: Along Fort Valley Road 1 mile west of Basecamp at Snowbowl
Why: As part of a Northern Arizona University project to burn a small piece of land on a five-year rotation to further study prescribed fire. This area was last burned in the fall of 2018.
Size: 3 acres
Method/ type of burn: Broadcast and maintenance
Duration: 1 day
Smoke impacts: Light smoke impacts may be felt on Highway 180.
Closures/ restrictions: None

City of Flagstaff — Scheduled lane closures on Butler Avenue beginning Oct. 30

FLAGSTAFF — Lane closures on W Butler Avenue are scheduled to begin on Monday, Oct. 30 to accommodate the installation of underground fiber-optic cable. Lane closures of the right/ westbound lane of Butler Avenue will be implemented from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. for a period of approximately two weeks.

Sedona Arts Center — This is the big night!

Friday, October 27, 5–7pm
Awards Night Celebration
& Reception
Sedona Arts Center, 15 Art Barn Rd

This is the big night!  Join us as we celebrate an amazing week of the 19th annual Plein Air Festival.  Best of Show and final awards will be presented by our special judge, Tim Newton. Tim is the publisher of Western Art & Architecture magazine and is also Chairman Emeritus of the famed Salmagundi Club.
Patron’s Circle members can arrive at 4pm for a preview and chance to purchase before the reception opens to the public.  VIP parking included. To become a Patrons Circle Member click here: https://sedonaartscenter.org/donate/

United Way of Northern Arizona Working WITH Youth FOR Youth in NE Arizona

Students from Holbrook High School and Joseph City High School are helping our communities better understand the needs of youth in Navajo County.

The two students are participating in an internship that was created through a partnership between United Way of Northern Arizona, the Center for the Future of Arizona, and the Work-Based Learning Alliance.

The six-week program is asking the students to conduct an analysis of current issues facing youth in northeast Arizona.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Oct. 23-27, 2023

Halloween Carnival at Grand Canyon School October 28

Grand Canyon School and the High School Student Council will be hosting the All Hallows Halloween Carnival on October 28 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.

There will be a haunted house, activity booths, and games for all ages. Be sure to wear your costume!

If you are interested in having a booth there, you can contact rrobertson@grandcanyonschool.org.

The NAU Review — Living and teaching with a disability, the effects of warmer oceans on fish and Notes from the President

Justice Armfield is a guest presenter in Introduction to Disability Studies. From the front of the classroom and in small-group discussions, he talks about living with a disability and how it affects his life—and how it doesn’t. Armfield has Down syndrome, he loves Pink and the Smashing Pumpkins, he enjoys travel and public speaking and he brings a valuable experience to the classroom: “I teach people about what it is like to live with Down syndrome. I want to help people see that a disability is a difference, but not a limitation to living a happy, healthy life with a purpose.” 

Flagstaff Regional Resilience Project receives $1 million grant for community-based Climate Resilience Hubs

FLAGSTAFF — The Flagstaff Regional Resilience Project (FRRP), a coalition of community-based organizations, local government agencies, and regional partners, has received notice of $1 million in grant funding from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).  

This funding will support three resilience hub pilots in Flagstaff. A resilience hub is a community-serving facility that supports residents, distributes resources, and reduces carbon pollution while enhancing the quality of life every day and in times of crisis. Each resilience hub will be managed by a separate community organization, serving a distinct part of the community. The FRRP will launch three pilot resilience hubs with the Flagstaff community:

Board of Supervisors Directs Staff to Proceed With Application Process to Fill District 3 Vacancy

COCONINO COUNTY — At a Special Session of the Coconino County Board of Supervisors (Board) on Tuesday, Oct. 24, the Board discussed several proposed procedures for accepting and reviewing applications to fill the upcoming vacancy in District 3.

The seat will become vacant on Jan. 1, 2024 after the retirement of Supervisor Matt Ryan at the end of this year. Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) provide limited qualifications for applicants. In this case, the applicant must reside full-time at a physical address within the current District 3 boundary. Furthermore, the applicant must be registered with the Democratic Political Party, as ARS mandates the position be filled by a member of the same political party as the incumbent. Supervisor Ryan was elected to the position in 2020 as a Democrat. 

Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) Holds Manufacturing Tours for High School Students

As part of our celebration of Manufacturing Month, the ECoNA Business Retention and Expansion (BR&E) team recently organized a tour of three local manufacturers for 17 juniors and seniors from Flagstaff and Coconino high schools to show the rewarding work – and excellent pay – available in this sector.

The Arizona Office of Economic Security projects that between 2022 and 2024, there will be an 8.2% increase in manufacturing jobs in Coconino, Navajo, and Yavapai counties. This equates to more than 100 new jobs.

“Our intent is to have more of these educational tours throughout the northern Arizona region,” said Cynthia Hudspeth, the newly named Director of Operations at ECoNA who attended the tours with the students. “The message is to show students the possible careers right here in their backyard and that they can work, live and stay in northern Arizona.”

Coconino County’s Winter Parking Ordinance Begins Wednesday, Nov. 1

Coconino County’s annual Winter Parking Ordinance 2022-06 goes into effect next Wednesday, Nov. 1.

The ordinance, which will remain in effect through Monday, April 1, 2024, prohibits vehicles, trailers, and storage containers from being parked in County-maintained rights-of-way at all times during snow season. 

Between Nov. 1 – April 1 of each year, vehicles, trailers, and storage containers must be kept clear of County-maintained rights-of-way both to facilitate safer snow removal operations and to help mitigate dangerous “snow play”-related traffic congestion and parking issues along County rights-of-way. Any vehicle parked in prohibited areas is subject to be cited and may be towed at the owner’s expense due to the possibility of threatening the health or welfare of County residents. 

Prescribed fire project northwest of San Franscisco Peaks postponed until Friday

FLAGSTAFF — Flagstaff Ranger District (FRD) fire managers have temporarily paused firing operations on the Horseshoe Project, located 5 miles directly north of Bellemont, today due to higher-than-expected humidity levels.

Wednesday’s firing operations successfully treated 768 acres of land. Operations that had been tentatively scheduled for today have been postponed to tomorrow.

“Prescribed fire operations are both an art and a science,” said Burn Boss Ryan Rawlinson, FRD Fuels Assistant Fire Management Officer. “We have to have the right temperature, humidity, wind speed and direction, staffing levels and fuel moisture. Anything less than perfect isn’t enough for us to proceed.”

Sedona Arts Center — FREE Artist Demonstrations at Sedona Heritage Museum

Be Bold, Be Fearless! Plein Air Demonstration

with Michele Usibelli

October 28, 2023 | 4:30 – 6:30 pm | Theatre Studio

Registration: Each student must register individually. Click on the “Cancellation Policy” tab above for more information, then the “Add to Cart” button to the right to start registration/payment process. Students enrolled in the 3-day Be Bold, Be Fearless! Plein Air Painting Workshop with Michele Usibelli do not need to register here.
Location: Sedona Arts Center, North Studio

Willard Springs Green Waste Site to Close for Winter on Oct.28

COCONINO COUNTY — The last day of 2023 operations for the Willard Springs Green Waste Site will be this Saturday, Oct. 28.

Willard Springs will be closed throughout the upcoming Winter season, which runs each year between November 1 and March 31, so that Coconino County can reopen the station for green waste-only disposal on Friday, April 5, 2024. It will then be open for the summer season on Fridays and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. until Saturday, Oct. 26, 2024.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — Our Weekly Update will be a taking a short break next week. We will return on Nov. 8

COCONINO COUNTY — Our Weekly Update will be a taking a short break next week. We will return on Nov. 8.

Until then, please explore our website to view a variety training opportunities and resources that we have available: 

We provide educational resources so that community members are informed, energized, and ready to come together to solve problems, impact policy, and create solutions that allow every person to realize their full potential. Learn more here
CCC&Y board members, coalition members and community volunteers attend our committee meetings. These are opportunities to share information, learn about community partners, support mission efforts and become involved. Learn more here. 
Attend our monthly Coconino Prevention Council Zoom meetings (10 a.m. the first Thursday of the month). Share information about your local organization. Send an email to virginia@coconinokids.org to receive an invitation.

The NAU Review — Getting dental hygiene experience at the Hopi Health Care center, the surprising effects of fire and a peek at Earth’s most ubiquitous mammal

After a pandemic-induced hiatus, the partnership between the Department of Dental Hygiene and the Hopi Health Care Center is back up and running, offering dental hygiene students the opportunity for hands-on learning and dental care to patients on the Hopi Reservation. The program, which began in 2003 and is supported by the John and Sophie Ottens Foundation and Indian Health Services in addition to NAU, is an important experience for the students in becoming culturally competent healthcare providers. For National Dental Hygiene Month in October, learn what it’s like for the students.

Sugar Skull Workshops online reservations selling out for the 20th Annual Anniversary of Celebraciones de la Gente on Oct. 21-22, 2023 at the Museum of Northern Arizona

FLAGSTAFF — Sugar Skull Workshops online reservations are now available for the 20th anniversary annual Celebraciones de la Gente — Día de los Muertos / Day of the Dead festival at the Museum of Northern Arizona on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 21 and 22.

Sugar Skull Decorating – reservations required

Decorating sugar skulls is a favorite activity for kids and families during Celebraciones. Nuestras Raices makes the sugar skulls and provides frosting and decorations. Since this is a very popular event that always sells out, we require pre-registration. That way you know your child’s sugar skull is waiting for them and what time to arrive. You will also need to purchase admission tickets for Celebraciones.

Cost – $5

SOLD OUT — Click here to reserve a sugar skull workshop on Saturday at 10:30.

Click here to reserve a sugar skull workshop on Saturday at 12:00. 

Click here to reserve a sugar skull workshop on Sunday at 10:30. 

Click here to reserve a sugar skull workshop on Sunday at 12:00. 

Celebraciones de la Gente is a partnership between Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces and the Museum of Northern Arizona, with generous funding of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces’ programming by the Arizona Commission on the Arts, Coconino County District 2 Supervisor Jeronimo Vasquez and the Coconino County Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC).

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Oct. 16-20, 2023

North Rim Atoko Point prescribed fire

If you were near the rim or in the canyon this week, you probably noticed smoke on the North Rim and below the rim.

This is a prescribed burn in the Atoko Point unit, which is on the eastern edge of the Walhalla Plateau. Park fire staff are working with the Kaibab National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management to treat this unit and others, for a total of about 1,700 acres. They plan to continue burning through October 31.

Smoke impacts are anticipated along Cape Royal Road, the North Rim developed area, and the inner canyon from Bright Angel Point to Clear Creek. Fire plays a crucial role in maintaining the health of the land, and prescribed burns are carefully planned and only initiated under very specific conditions.

The NAU Review — NAU’s logging sports, your guide to Homecoming 2023 and a special edition of Notes from the President

The saw must go on 

NAU Logging Sports athletic captain Adeline Jones had been preparing with her teammates for the Choptober competition in Colorado for months. She was set to compete in five events—the pole climb, obstacle pole, single buck, Jack-and-Jill and horizontal chop—against athletes from throughout the western U.S. Then, just two weeks before the competition, she had a bouldering accident that left her with the temporary inability to use one of her arms. With nothing to lose, she decided to compete in the single buck event, sawing a wood cookie off a large log with a 5.5-foot saw, one-handed.  

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — CCC&Y offers families a variety of free webinars

COCONINO COUNTY — The Coconino Coaltion for Children & Youth wants to remind everyone that we have a variety of free webinar training programs on our website to help parents and families during the upcoming back to school season.

Our growing library of on-demand webinars is designed to help the public gain the tools they need to provide trauma-informed care, tips to help strengthen family protective factors, examine the effects of historical trauma and adverse childhood experiences, address issues such as bullying and the support to adults and youth through the use of mindfulness practices.

Prescribed fire projects continuing on Coconino NF throughout week

FLAGSTAFF — Prescribed fire projects will continue on all three districts of the Coconino National Forest throughout the rest of the week.

Prescribed fire projects are an important part of landscape restoration work being conducted in accordance with the Forest Service’s 10-year Wildfire Crisis Strategy, which aims to improve forest resiliency and reduce the risk of high-intensity wildfire in northern Arizona.

Prescribed fire projects are conditional and subject to change if wind and weather conditions are not met.

The NAU Review — Increasing Indigenous teachers, getting to know the Lumberjack behind Louie and photos from family weekend!

How NAU is tackling the teacher shortage in Indigenous communities

In an effort to increase the number of qualified teachers statewide and help Indigenous educators remain in their communities, NAU started Preparing Indigenous Teachers for Arizona Schools—a program that offers a pathway to a bachelor’s or master’s degree to educators who are already in the classroom but are not certified teachers. The program, which recently won a grant from the Office of the Governor, is already seeing success—the first cohort of participants, which graduates in a year, are making connections, getting leadership and teaching experience among Indigenous students and putting to use the culturally responsive content they’re learning.

Prescribed burn near Naval Observatory planned for Wednesday, Oct. 18

FLAGSTAFF — A prescribed burn will be conducted by the Flagstaff Fire Department near the Naval Observatory on Wednesday, Oct. 18. The burn will target approximately 80 aces on the northern side of the observatory area. Resources on scene will include the City Wildland Fire Management Module, two Type 6 wildland engines, one US Forest Service wildland engine, the Highlands Fire Department Bear Jaw Crew, and the Arizona State Wildland Crew.

Sedona Arts Center — Festival Volunteers Needed!

Volunteers needed for the
19th Annual Sedona Plein Air Festival!

Sedona Arts Center invites you along to be inspired and experience master artists painting in the Shangri-La of the Southwest! The Sedona Plein Air Festival is a week-long celebration of extraordinary landscapes, world-renowned artists, unique workshops, and wonderful free events from October 20 through 29, 2023!

Sedona Arts Center needs volunteers for multiple positions during the festival: Canvas Stampers, Exhibit Installation assistants, Catering Support, Parking Lot Attendants, Certified Bartenders, Setup and Break Down Crew, Main Street Artist Support Crew, Gallery Attendants, Airport Artist Support, Community Paint Out Volunteers

Put your waste in the right place during the Fall of Reuse!

FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff Sustainability Office invites you to celebrate the changing seasons through a series of opportunities focused on preventing and diverting waste from the landfill throughout October and November. Read on for details about upcoming Drop-off Day, Fix it Clinic, and Pumpkin Drop events.

Grand Canyon National Park announces backcountry camping fee increase effective April 2024

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. – Effective April 1, 2024, Grand Canyon National Park will increase the cost of overnight backcountry permits. Grand Canyon began charging for overnight backcountry permits in 1997 and last modified backcountry fees in 2022.

The cost recovery charge for overnight backcountry permits will increase for all permits that begin on or after April 1, 2024. The charge of $10 per backcountry permit remains the same; the nightly per person fee will be increased from $12 per person to $15 per person or stock animal camping below the rim in designated backcountry camping areas. This increase does not affect camping fees at Mather, Desert View, or the North Rim campgrounds.

United Way of Northern Arizona — Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month

For the past month, we as a nation have celebrated Hispanic Heritage Month, a time of recognition for the many contributions made by the Hispanic and Latino community in the United States.

Because of my own background and family roots, this annual appreciation has particular meaning for me, but it should also resonate with all northern Arizonans. According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts statistics for 2022, 15% of Coconino County residents are of Latino or Hispanic descent. In Navajo County, it’s 12.3% and 7.2% in Apache County.

Celebrations like Hispanic Heritage Month confirm our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and access, which is important to our youth, so that they can develop a strong sense of self-worth and belonging.

We hope you enjoy learning more about Hispanic Heritage Month below.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Oct. 9-13, 2023

Annular Eclipse October 14

This coming Saturday, October 14, you may be able to catch a glimpse of the annular solar eclipse somewhere between 8 and 11 in the morning, with peak visibility at 9:30.

This will be a very rare type of eclipse referred to as a “ring of fire” eclipse, in which the moon aligns directly with the sun so that only the outer edges of the sun are visible, creating the appearance of a ring of fire in the sky. It won’t be a total eclipse in Grand Canyon, but pretty close – about 86 percent.

DO NOT ATTEMPT TO LOOK AT THE SUN WITHOUT SUN-VIEWING GLASSES. PERMANENT EYE-DAMAGE WOULD RESULT.

You can stop by the South Rim Visitor Center Saturday morning and grab some free Sun-viewing glasses to see it. Solar telescopes modified to protect your eyes from the sun will also be set up at Mather Point.

Prescribed fire planned for North Rim of Grand Canyon beginning Oct. 16

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — Grand Canyon National Park fire managers—working with  staff from the Kaibab National Forest and Bureau of Land Management, anticipate initiating prescribed fire treatments from October 16-31, on the North Rim, as weather and fuel moisture conditions allow. 

On Thursday, Oct. 16, ignitions will occur on the Atoko Point unit, located on the far eastern edge of the Walhalla Plateau. The north and east boundary consist of the canyon rim edges and encompass Roosevelt Point, Atoko Point, and Naji Point. The southern boundary will be ~300ft of handline where the plateau necks down tightly between Cape Royal Rd. and canyon rim edge. The western edge is bound by the Cape Royal Road from Roosevelt Point to the handline segment. This project totals an area of 1,700 acres and is anticipated to conclude on or around Tuesday, Oct. 31.  

Coconino County — Ballots Mailed for the Nov. 7, 2023, Special Election

FLAGSTAFF — Ballots for the Nov 7, 2023, Special Election have been mailed to all eligible registered voters. This is a ballot-by-mail election so registered voters residing in the City of Flagstaff, Sedona-Oak Creek Joint Unified School District, Ash Fork Joint Unified School District, Grand Canyon Unified School District, Pinewood Sanitary District, Williams Hospital District, and Highlands Fire District will be receiving their ballots in the next few days.