Author: Community Contributor

F3’s 2022 Accomplishments — Thanks for Your Support!

F3 continues to be a powerful force in the decision-making processes in our community. This year we have worked closely with city staff, council members, and community organizations to advocate for decisions and policies that align with F3’s eight Focus Areas. F3 grew in size to over 500 members and we grew in financial stability as well. We are thankful to our members for their support and for their devotion to making Flagstaff a place of community and heart.

In This Issue:
Accomplishments 2022
Looking Ahead to 2023: The Year of Regional Plan Planning!
Join F3’s Council Watch Climate Action Team!
Consider a Year-end Donation

Coconino County Parks and Recreation Completes Upgrades to Pond at Archuleta County Park

The improvements allowed for enlarging the pond space and adding a boardwalk, which makes the pond easier to access and enjoy, and an ultraviolet light system to reduce algae, so the pond will have improved visibility beneath the water’s surface.

Thanks to a heritage grant from the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), upgrades to the pond at Elizabeth “Liz” C. Archuleta County Park are complete and it is now open to the public. The grant allowed Coconino County Parks and Recreation to make the necessary improvements to create a place for the public to visit and watch wildlife. The original pond was small, contained considerable algae, and was difficult for the public to access. 

City of Flagstaff — Minimum wage increases to $16.80 on Jan. 1, 2022

The minimum wage in the City of Flagstaff will increase to $16.80 on Jan. 1, 2023. This increase was announced by the City in September of 2022.

Flagstaff voters passed the Minimum Wage Act (“the Act”) on November 8, 2016 as a citizen’s initiative (Proposition 414). The Act, which is codified in Title 15 of the Flagstaff City Code, prescribes that beginning in 2023, the Flagstaff minimum wage shall be increased annually by the increase in the cost of living. 

On September 13, 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released the consumer price index (CPI) numbers for August of 2022. The CPI for August 2022 was 8.3% greater than for August 2021. Accordingly, as of January 1, 2023, the minimum wage in the City of Flagstaff will increase from $15.50 per hour to $16.80 per hour.

Coconino County Treasurer Sarah Benatar Elected to President of AACo Board of Directors

At the 2022 annual conference of the Arizona Association of Counties (AACo), Coconino County Treasurer

Sarah Benatar. Courtesy photo.
was elected to serve as President of the Board of Directors and will assume the role on January 1, 2023.

She is the youngest county representative to serve as Board President since AACo’s founding in 1967 and the first woman from Coconino County. As President of AACo’s Board of Directors, Treasurer Benatar will be the voice for all county elected officials from Arizona’s 15 counties. She is preparing for the next year of advocating for our counties, building new relationships, and the preparing for the possibility for change. 2023 could be an interesting year for our state legislature as it’s been 16 years since the State elected a Democratic Governor. We will have the most freshman legislators in several years, and both chambers will have Republican majorities under new leadership. 

United Way of Northern Arizona — ‘You Can Give with Confidence’

When you make a donation to a nonprofit, you want to feel confident that your gift is being properly used by an organization that takes its fiscal responsibility seriously.

That’s why we are so pleased to announce that, for the fourth year in a row, Charity Navigator has given United Way of Northern Arizona a 4-star rating, this year with a score of 96%. This means UWNA exceeds or meets best practices and industry standards for nonprofits. Only 13 United Way organizations of our size have achieved this high a rating.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — Dec. 12-16, 2022

Volunteer to support the Grand Canyon Community this holiday season! 

On Tuesday, Dec. 20, Delaware North will be having a wrapping party to wrap the angel tree gifts from 1-5 p.m. in Yavapai Lodge atrium. All angels on the DNC Angel Tree have been adopted this year and donations should be dropped off before this Friday, Dec. 16 to the General Store. More information on this event can be found in the attached flyer here. 

On Wednesday, Dec. 21, Delaware North will be making food boxes in the Canyon Village Market Deli starting at 3 p.m.  The food boxes will accompany the angel tree gifts to each family. More information on this event can be found in the attached flyer here. 

Both events are open to the community and participation is highly encouraged! 

The NAU Review — Celebrating our graduates, Notes from the President and the Early Learning and Development Center

More than 2,400 students have applied to graduate this semester; they will be celebrated in two ceremonies at the Skydome on Dec. 16. Learn about parking, traffic, the clear bag policy and how you can get updates on commencement.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — As CCC&Y’s e-newsletter takes a break, we want to wish you a very happy holiday season

As we conclude 2022, a year in which we celebrated our 50th anniversary, we want to wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a very happy 2023.

CCC&Y’s weekly e-newsletter will be taking the rest of the year off, but will return on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023.

If you need a little help during this hectic holiday season, please be sure to visit our many free online webinars to help ease some of the stress — CCC&Y presents free webinars on understanding how emotions impact adult and child relationships

Bilingual report — Gina Santi Photography Images of the Month – December 2022

The hogan is the fundamental, traditional dwelling of the Navajo people of Arizona and New Mexico. It is a single-room roughly circular abode, with an east-facing access that encloses a central fireplace or wood stove set below a central smoke ventilation hole. It is built usually of logs and mud, with a domed roof. Historically, it has been not only a place to live but also a place of considerable spiritual significance. The hogan can be male (cone-shaped) or female (round or six-sided, as in the image).

In Navajo culture, every new Hogan must be ritually consecrated after it is built. This consecration is done by first touching the four main posts of the hogan, which symbolize the four cardinal points, and then scattering cornmeal or corn pollen all around the inside in a clockwise direction. This blessing is meant to make the hogan strong enough to safeguard the family from physical or spiritual injure. Other ceremonies, including healing ones, are also held in hogans. For these reasons, even if a Navajo family doesn’t live in a hogan, they would make sure there was at least one nearby.

The NAU Review — A graduate’s journey, affordable and fun holiday craft, playing to learn with Brian Stone

When life throws you unexpected challenges, the only way forward is through. Graduate student Altoveda Tortice has embodied this moral throughout her master’s program while working full-time, raising a family and dealing with loss. Tortice first graduated from NAU in 2007 with a degree in psychology. Now, 13 years later, she’s ready to graduate again, this time with a degree in human relations and a goal of helping other students reach their educational goals.

Sedona Arts Center — NOW: Holiday Sale at Sedona Arts Center!

Now through December 31, 2022 in our Uptown Art Gallery, get 10% OFF any purchase of $100 or more!* And don’t forget—Sedona Arts Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, so there’s NO SALES TAX on your purchases! Plus, you can shop for art in our online gallery — jsut use use code: HOLIDAY10 at checkout to receive your discount through the end of the year.

Our Uptown Gallery is open 10am–5pm, Monday – Saturday and 12–5pm, Sundays. We look forward to seeing you at Sedona Arts Center’s Gallery! Call 928-282-3865 for additional information. Sedona Arts Center is located at 15 Art Barn Road in Uptown Sedona.

Our online gallery represents a full spectrum of the diversity of artists represented by the arts center.
Visit us today!

Gift Cards Available!

Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration returns to OLG Catholic Chapel in Flagstaff on Dec. 11, 12

FLAGSTAFF — Nearly 200 luminarias will light the way for worshipers during the 2022 Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration to be held at 6 a.m. Monday, Dec. 12 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Chapel.

Members of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces will begin placing and lighting the luminarias shortly after 5 a.m. in time for worshipers to take part in the services, which included a Rosary, the singing of Mañanitas and Mass. Café y pan will then presented downstairs at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church Cultural Center (The Basement) following the services.

Due to the Winter Weather Advisory, Flagstaff Unified School District schools will be on a two-hour delayed start on Dec. 12

Due to the Winter Weather Advisory for this evening and tomorrow morning, all Flagstaff Unified School District schools will be on a two-hour delayed start tomorrow, December 12. The weather conditions will be re-evaluated tomorrow morning and further communication will be sent out, if needed. More information available at www.fusd1.org

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Dec. 5-9, 2022

Throughout December, Grand Canyon National Park is featured alongside three other national parks in the East Room at none other than the The White House. The East Room décor reflects the communion we find in nature. As part of the fireplace mantel displays, visitors see four iconic National Parks from around our country represented: The Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, the Great Smoky Mountains, and Shenandoah National Park. 

As the largest room in the White House, the East Room has hosted public receptions, ceremonies, bill signings, and other memorable occasions. More information on 2022 White House decorations can be found here. 

Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) — TGen Grows with Diagnostic Lab

Among the many changes that came out of the era of Covid-19 was the dramatic growth of one of the pillars of our local biosciences sector, the TGen Pathogen and Microbiome Division, better known as TGen North.

TGen North was on the front lines very early on in the crisis, using genomics to analyze the structure of the coronavirus and develop one of the first tests to detect it. The pandemic also prompted the nonprofit to build its own CLIA-certified diagnostics lab. (CLIA, which stands for Clinical Lab Improvement Amendments, is the federal certification needed before a lab can accept human samples for diagnostic testing.)

“That allowed us to test patient samples and return the results to patients and clinicians, which we hadn’t done before,” said Dave Engelthaler, PhD, the director of TGen North. “It had been a long-term goal for us to develop a diagnostics lab, but there’s nothing like an emergency to put things into place.”

Coconino County Board of Supervisors Approves Recommendations for American Rescue Plan Funding

The Coconino County Board of Supervisors (Board) unanimously approved 19 community funding proposals submitted by organizations within the County to receive American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.

The funds, totaling approximately $5 million, were specifically set aside by the Board to fund community services and projects outside the scope of the County’s capacity.

The Board’s decision is the culmination of a process that began in July when the County published a request for proposals (RFP) from organizations that need additional funding to benefit the Coconino County community.

The NAU Review — Non-traditional grad finds passion in special ed, exploring the icy surface of Europa and Santa rides the bus

Lorie Lee never imagined she’d make it to university; she is now graduating with two degrees, having won the prestigious President’s Prize. A mother of three and non-traditional student, her inspiring tale begins earlier than her first day at NAU. As a child, Lee experienced poverty, a mother with substance abuse issues and a father unwilling to care for her. Through the support of her friends and teachers, Lee found a love and passion for education and excelled academically. Married and raising three children with special needs, Lee enrolled at NAU’s North Valley campus and is earning a bachelor’s degree in both elementary education and special education.

Bilingual report — Coconino County Signs Letter to Congress to Pass Behavioral and Mental Health Policies

Led by the National Association of Counties (NACo), a bipartisan group of nearly 150 county elected officials urged congressional leaders to pass key behavioral and mental health policies before the end of the year.

In a letter to congressional leaders, the county officials wrote, “As a key intergovernmental partner, we urge you to work towards the passage of a bipartisan behavioral health package that enhances our ability to provide comprehensive behavioral health services in all settings, strengthens the behavioral health workforce and increases resident access to services.”

“In alliance with counties across the United States, this letter to our nation’s leadership details our shared goals of ensuring resources are provided to address the behavioral and mental health needs of residents,” stated Coconino County Board of Supervisors Chair Patrice Horstman. “I encourage everyone to read the letter sent to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, to learn more about the national policies we support.”

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — CCC&Y presents free webinars on understanding how emotions impact adult and child relationships

With the hectic holiday season in full swing, CCC&Y shares this free online opportunity to ease some of the daily stress during this busy time of year.
Motivated by a long wait list for behavioral health services, and aware of challenging adult and child emotions causing behavior difficulties, Bethany Camp put this two part training together for CCC&Y to help meeting a wide-spread community need.

First we learn to understand our emotions and then we can understand and respond to the big emotional responses of children.

Watch Webinar – Managing Adult Emotional Responses, Part One

Watch Webinar – Helping Children Manage Their Emotions, Part Two

These videos are meant to help support our community. Having the tools to take care of ourselves and respond to children, is a great resource.

The NAU Review — Engineering an escape, soil microbes—friend or foe?, how alumni are helping current Lumberjacks thrive

Figuring out how to get out of an escape room can be stressful. Now imagine your challenge isn’t to get out of the escape room—it’s to build one, troubleshoot it and then make fixes on the fly when things break as people move through them. That’s what mechanical engineering student Valentin Gamez did alongside his compatriots in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. It was a great opportunity to put their engineering skills to good use as well as let the community have a good time. It also provided a rare opportunity for Gamez’s family to come from California and experience the work he did. Gamez graduates next week and starts his new job at Gore in 2023.

Coconino County Parks & Recreation December Update

Flagstaff Snow Park
Winter is coming and we know that means winter recreation! Coconino County Parks and Recreation supports safe and fun winter snow play.
For information about the Flagstaff Snow Park, visit www.flagstaffsnowpark.com. Reservations are required and tickets may be purchased on their website.

Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA)’s open house rescheduled to Dec. 9

We are so excited! Our Open House is back on, now for 2-4 pm on Friday, December 9.

We will still be offering lattes and hot cocoa from Honey Pie and we’ll have a photographer on hand (available on a first-come first served basis) so you can update your headshot for 2023.

Don’t worry about sending an RSVP, just mark your calendar and plan to join us on Dec. 9. We look forward to seeing you!

Sedona Arts Center December News

Happy Holidays! I can’t believe the holiday season is full upon us. It seems like just yesterday we were wrapping up the Plein Air Festival!

This week we open the Big Gay Art Show (BGAS). While the Big Gay Art Show has been held at the Arts Center for many years, this is the first time the show is “ours”. Sedona Pride developed and organized the show for many years and only held the exhibit at the Arts Center. They reached out to us shortly after I arrived here and offered us the program. We jumped on it! Typically, BGAS has been held over the Fourth of July weekend, lasting only a few days. And while we had planned on doing the same, our schedule, with other programming already planned, did not allow us to do that. By moving it to December, we could actually have the show up longer and coordinate it with Celebrate Sedona.

A home for Native American students at CCC

A home away from home.”

That was the phrase mentioned by multiple students when asked about what the Native American Success Center (NASC) means to them. With the smell of good food in the air, the sound of laughter, and being surrounded by friends and family, it was hard not to feel at home.

On the evening of Nov. 15, 2022, Coconino Community College hosted the Grand Opening of the Native American Student Success Center at the Lone Tree Campus. The event was attended by over 100 people including; students and their families, tribal leadership and education representatives, and College faculty, staff, and leadership.  The NASC serves as an academic and cultural resources center for Native American and Alaskan Native students attending Coconino Community College. The NASC is a part of the Strengthening Indigenous Student Success Program (SISS), a new program at CCC that enhances the services and opportunities provided to Native American students.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — Nov. 28-Dec. 2, 2022

Cultural Demonstrator this weekend at Grand Canyon Visitor Center   

Beginning December 2 and lasting through the end of February 2023, cultural demonstrations will be held in Grand Canyon Village in the lobby of the South Rim Visitor Center. Demonstrations during the winter months will take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. 

This weekend, the Cultural Demonstration Program presents renown musician and flute maker, Aaron White. He is of two Nations, the Dine of Northern Arizona (Blacksheep Clan) and The Northern Ute tribe Whiteriver band. Award winning Artist/Singer/Songwriter, Grammy nominated musician, and recent recipient of the Native American Music Award, Aaron has been entertaining audiences for over 25 years.

Aaron will demonstrate the ancient art of reed flute making at the South Rim Visitor Center Friday, Saturday and Sunday, December 2 through 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Stop by and watch Aaron work and learn how reed flutes have deep ties to the history and culture of the Southwest.

NAU to present ‘Human Rights Across the Americas!’ in-person, Zoom presentation on Dec. 5

On Monday Dec 5 from 11am-12:15pm in the Blome Conference Room (and on Zoom) we are hosting a roundtable discussion with a Human Rights Across the Americas group through the State Department’s international visitor leadership program.  This is a unique opportunity, especially in Flagstaff, to hear from a diverse group of Latin American Human Rights activists! All students, staff, and faculty are welcome and translation will be provided.

The NAU Review — NAU Flagstaff receives its first Hispanic Serving Institution grant: Meet the two women who made it happen

NAU’s School of Forestry recently received the first HSI grant for the Flagstaff campus. Yeon-Su Kim, executive director and professor, and Anita Antoninka, assistant research professor in the School of Forestry, won an award of more than a quarter-million dollars for support in the professional development and training of the next generation of Hispanic leaders to manage resilient forests under a changing climate. The community is mourning the unexpected death of Yeon-Su, who leaves behind a legacy of scholarship, numerous grants, professional firsts and faculty and students supported and mentored by her.

Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra — We reached our Giving Tuesday Goal!

We exceeded our goal of $5,000! Thank you so much for giving!

The FSO staff, board, and musicians are so grateful for the generous donations that came in leading up to and on Giving Tuesday. With your support, 3500 kids have the opportunity to attend our music education program, Link Up!

This Giving Tuesday was a major success and it is all thanks to our amazing and generous community that donated. We are so excited about what the students of Northern Arizona will get to experience in February for the Link Up concert!

December at the Museum of Northern Arizona

As a Holiday gift to our communities, we are opening the museum this Saturday and Sunday with free admission during our Winter Art Market on December 3rd and 4th. If you haven’t been to the museum for a while, this is a wonderful opportunity to come enjoy the exhibitions, let the kids make seasonal crafts, and buy a few unique gifts from Indigenous artists.

For later this month, we’re also preparing a new exhibition – Vast Land, Inner Visions: The Art of Joella Jean Mahoney. This retrospective of a prominent regional artist is full of color and energy, and a beautiful complement to the ongoing exhibition of art by Baje Whitethorne Sr. Both will brighten the dark days of midwinter, so if you are not a member, now is a great time to become one.

Please also consider the museum in your end-of-year giving. MNA is a private non-profit that depends on the support of people like you. Your donation helps us continue engaging local, regional and global audiences with life-enriching knowledge and experiences.

I hope to see you soon at the museum,

Mary Kershaw
Executive Director & CEO
Museum of Northern Arizona

Theatrikos December Newsletter — Christmas classic Miracle on 34th Street opens to sold out standing ovation

Theatrikos’ opening night of Miracle on 34th Street, last Friday, was sold out and got a standing ovation.

Miracle on 34th Street is a Christmas favorite of American audiences. Crew member Lisa Coe commented that, “I always love being part of the Christmas shows at Theatrikos! There’s a positive, warm, and fun magical atmosphere of work and fellowship among cast and crew because of the holiday season.”

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — CCC&Y Provides Membership Update and Holiday Giving

We are so excited to be continuing all of the good cheer and celebration that came with honoring our 50th anniversary this year.  As a part of that we welcomed many new sponsors and members- please see here.

Receiving feedback from many of our members, understanding the current economic uncertainties, and demonstrating a strong desire to partner w, trust and support our members- the board approved some creative edits and price adjustments to our group memberships.  Please see here for more information.

Lastly, as the Holiday Season is among us, we thought of a creative way for you to share CCC&Y with loved ones.  This will not only support our Giving Tuesday and Year-End giving….it will strengthen the reach and interconnectedness of the coalition in preparation for our next 50 Years!!!  

You can go to our membership page to purchase individual, family and organization memberships as a gift….just make sure to click the “this membership is a gift” box.

With Gratitude for all of you!!

Remember, CCC&Y is a non-profit organization with a 501(c)(3) status-so your contributions are tax deductible eligible. Please consult your tax professional.

Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) — omorrow’s Open House POSTPONED

Illness has struck at ECoNA and, as a result, we must regretfully postpone our Open House and Holiday Celebration, which had been scheduled for tomorrow afternoon at the ECoNA office.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

As soon as these flu-like symptoms pass, our party will be rescheduled so we can celebrate the season and this year’s accomplishments with you.

Stay Tuned

and Thank You for your patience.

Board of Supervisors Now Accepting Applications to Fill Vacant Office of Justice of the Peace

The Coconino County Board of Supervisors will begin accepting applications from interested parties to fill the vacant office of Justice of the Peace in Page, Ariz.

The sudden passing of Page Justice of the Peace Donald G. Roberts before the November 8 election caused a vacancy of his judicial position. Although there were official write-in candidates in the election, a majority of voters in Page precincts re-elected Roberts posthumously to recognize his many years of service and dedication to the Page community. Per the laws of the State of Arizona, when a deceased candidate receives the highest number of votes the election is deemed not valid. 

Sedona Arts Center — Special screening with artist George Anthony Morton this Friday

An HBO documentary Film, “Master of Light”, will be coming to Sedona for a special impact screening with artist George Anthony Morton at the Mary D. Fisher Theater on Friday, Dec. 2, 2022.
 
The screening is free of charge and presented by the Sedona International Film Festival, Sedona Arts Center, and Northern Arizona Restorative Justice.
 
“Master of Light” follows George Anthony Morton, a classical painter who spent 10 years in federal prison for dealing drugs. While incarcerated, he nurtured his craft and unique artistic ability. Since his release, he is doing everything he can to defy society’s unlevel playing field and tackle the white-dominant art world. Now, back in his hometown of Kansas City, he’s on a journey to break cycles of intergenerational trauma and incarceration, too.

The NAU Review — A grad says no to the familiar, the effect of grazing on drylands and the anthropology of Star Trek

Valerie Pietrczak, who graduates in December, has kept busy during her time at NAU. She’s had three internships, including a six-month stint at Audi HQ in Germany; she is in the NAU Wind Symphony, which went to the national championship this year; and she’s a member of the Honors College. As for what’s next, well, figuring that out is part of the fun.

City of Flagstaff — Applications due by 4 p.m. Dec. 19 for American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 to support housing assistance programs

The City of Flagstaff Housing Section (the “City”) is pleased to announce the availability of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”) Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (“Local Recovery Funds”) to support Housing Assistance projects, programs, and services (“Projects”).

Applications Due: December 19, 2022 by 4:00pm

The City is seeking partners for eligible projects for the purpose of providing housing assistance to City of Flagstaff residents. The purpose of the Projects must be to respond to the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by helping households recover from economic impacts, particularly disproportionately impacted low-income workers and people of color.

Support Friends of Flagstaff’s Future on Giving Tuesday (Nov. 29)!

Join the Giving Tuesday global movement and support your local nonprofits!

Please consider supporting the work of Friends of Flagstaff’s Future as we educate & advocate for policies and decisions that will lead Flagstaff towards a more sustainable, resilient, and just community.

Help us reach our year-end fundraising goal of $5,000.
 

Your donation and/or membership will go directly towards:

Ensuring that City Council and officials hear the voices of the Flagstaff Community in 2023 about these important issues:

United Way of Northern Arizona and Giving Tuesday — 3 Reasons to Step Up

The countdown has begun!

#GivingTuesday is the world’s largest day of giving when millions will be making a difference by donating to their favorite nonprofits.

We hope that you’ll join us and support United Way of Northern Arizona. Every donation, big or small, makes a huge difference. Together we can Step Up for Our Community by:

Supporting early childhood development and programs like KinderCamp™ and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.
Promoting positive youth development by providing our youth with the mentorships and initiative that help them fulfill their potential.
Providing safety and security, including assistance during times of emergency.

Thank you for considering UWNA for your #GivingTuesday contribution on Nov. 29.

Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra — Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday!

Buy a gift for yourself on Cyber Monday, but don’t forget to share the love with others tomorrow, on Giving Tuesday! 
 
Exciting news! Your gift to the Link Up music education program has the chance to be DOUBLED thanks to a generous donor who has committed to match the first $2,500 raised. 

So what’s all this again? 

Tomorrow, as people around the world support important causes, donate to the FSO Link Up program and help give children across the Northern Arizona Region access to the music education they deserve. 

We’ll be in touch again soon to ring in Giving Tuesday. Get ready, it’s going to be one inspiring day of giving! 

Coconino County Board of Supervisors to Canvass Election Results in Special Session, at 10 a.m. Nov. 28

All ballots in Coconino County have been counted and unofficial results have been posted on the Elections Office website at www.coconino.az.gov. The next step in the election process is for the Board of Supervisors to canvass and certify the results and transmit them to the State. 

“The canvass is a culmination of all the data generated during an election cycle,” according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. “The canvass process aggregates and confirms every valid ballot cast and counted, including mail, uniformed and overseas citizen, early voting, Election Day, and provisional ballots.

Cultural Demonstrator Series transitions to Grand Canyon Visitor Center for winter season starting Dec. 2

Starting on Dec. 2, 2022, through Feb. 26, 2023, the Cultural Demonstrator Series will transition to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center (GCVC) on the South Rim. Every Friday through Sunday, artists from traditionally associated tribes of Grand Canyon will be in the lobby from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

Moving demonstrations from the Desert View Watchtower to the GCVC will increase interactions with artists and the public during months of slower visitation. After Feb. 26, 2023, the Cultural Demonstrator Series will transition back to the Desert View Watchtower.

Coconino County Offices Closed for Thanksgiving Holiday

All Coconino County Administrative Offices and the County Attorney’s Office will be closed Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25, for the Thanksgiving holiday. 

While the administrative offices at the Sheriff’s Office will be closed, Dispatch, Patrol and Detention will be open. Records will be closed on Thursday and open from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Friday, with limited staffing. Please dial 9-1-1 for emergencies. For non-emergencies, dial (928) 774-4523 to connect with the non-emergency Dispatch number or to leave a message for one of the administrative offices. 

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — CCC&Y thankful to friends, community partners and organizations dedicated to helping children and youth in Coconino County

As we prepare to celebrate the upcoming holiday weekend, there are many reasons for us to be thankful here at the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth. At the top of that list are the many friends, community partners and organizations who have supported us over the past year in our mission to “… ignite collective action that creates better lives for children and families.”

Our recent 50th anniversary celebrationemphasized the love and support this organization has received over the years as we seek to support the children and youth throughout Coconino County in the face of a variety of economic, health and social pressures facing local families.

For the more than a half-dozen years I have been with the Coalition, I’m thankful for the joy of being with a non-profit organization where each day I get to work in concert with people from all walks of life who are dedicated to serving children and families in the region. They include talented volunteer board members and executive directors and representatives from a variety of organizations who share their time and information during a number of monthly video remote, conference calls and in-person resource meetings, community health and information fairs and back-to-school events.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Nov. 21-25, 2022

As of November 17, Coconino County is now in Medium CDC Community Level. This change is not unexpected. We have seen COVID spikes in the fall for the last two years, and unfortunately, this year this has happened a little earlier than in past years. As a reminder, the CDC and World Health Organization still considers us to be in a pandemic, and that it does not look to be ending anytime soon.

The DOI has set specific guidelines for us to follow based on the CDC Community Level. The primary change for Medium Community Level is to communicate the concerns of spreading COVID and areas where people gather. Therefore, we will post new signs on all building entrances that state that we are in Medium CDC Community Level, and we encourage individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to practice physical distancing from others in indoor common areas. Additionally, all building entrances should have signs stating that masks are optional and to practice physical distancing.

Finally, the best way to protect yourselves and your loved ones is to be vaccinated and boosted. If you have not received the newly developed and distributed COVID bivalent vaccine, we encourage you to do so. These vaccines have been scientifically proven to be safe and to help prevent COVID illness—and, for those that do become sick, the bivalent vaccine helps protect from serious or long-term COVID illness.

Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) — Happy Thanksgiving from ECoNA

As we prepare to spend time with family and friends, sharing love and thoughts of gratitude, we wanted to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving and let you know how grateful we are for all of you.

We also are looking forward to seeing you next week at our Holiday Open House from 3 – 5 pm on Thursday, December 1. If you haven’t had a chance to RSVP yet, click here for more information and to register.

Until then, we wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving.

Gail Jackson

President & CEO

ECoNA

Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra — Giving Tuesday (Nov. 29)

After Black Friday and Cyber Monday, the back-to-back days of deals, join us in kicking off the holiday giving season on Giving Tuesday (November 29th)! 

On this global day of giving, we’re raising $5,000 to give 3500+ children the life-changing gift of participating in Link Up, an interactive and educational program with the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra. With busing transportation provided, kids can participate in the culmination of what they’ve been learning all year from the Carnegie Hall classroom activities! 

Flagstaff Festival of Science — Breaking! Match gift on Giving Tuesday (Nov. 29) doubles your impact!!

The Flagstaff Festival of Science needs your help to give kids the opportunity to find their moment of inspiration! That inspiration could be a pathway to their future career and the Festival is making those connections happen — but we need your help to reach our funding goal!

In our program connecting science professionals with classrooms, students are exposed to a plethora of topics including geology, engineering, biology, archaeology and more! Throughout the fall semester, we match scientists with classrooms in northern Arizona and kids get the chance to learn about STEM careers.