Category: Commentary

Health / Salud: Public Health and you – Picnics, barbecues and food safety tips

Editor’s note: The following commentary is provided by the Coconino County Public Health Services District. By Marlene Gaither  / Coconino County Environmental Health Program manager Summer is the season for picnics and cookouts, but these outdoor activities can present food…

Finances / Finanzas: Social Security: Retirement benefits – Part 1

By David Parra / Associate state director — AARP Arizona Social Security provides several benefits, including retirement, disability and survivor benefits, among others. Regarding beneficiaries, some relatives of the eligible person (spouses, former spouses, children and even parents) could also…

Commentary / Comentario: Thank you, Firefighters!!!

By Frank X. Moraga and Star Hunter / AmigosNAZ The banners near the freeway onramps at Kachina Boulevard seem to say it all. “THANK YOU FIREFIGHTERS! From Coconino County & the Communities of Oak Creek, Kachina Village, Mountainaire, Forest Highlands…

Finances / Finanzas: Social Security: What is it?

By David Parra / Associate state director — AARP Arizona The United States has two main retirement-related programs, namely Medicare and Social Security. The first provides access to medical care, while the second provides an economic benefit. This article will…

Commentary / Comentario: A education in redevelopment

By Frank X. Moraga / AmigosNAZ Developers of a proposed student housing project near downtown Flagstaff most likely expected relatively smooth sailing when they first approached city staff with their proposal last summer as they sought to re-zone the seven-acre…

Health / Salud: The Affordable Care Act: Closed door, opened door

By David Parra / Associate state director — AARP Arizona After six months of opportunity to obtain health coverage through the new health insurance marketplace created by the Department of Health and Human Services, as part of the Patient Protection…

Commentary: ‘National Day of Action’ on April 5 — Calling for an end to deportations

By Frank X. Moraga / AmigosNAZ Saturday, April 5 could go down as one of the low-lights for the Obama Administration regarding its handling of immigration. On that day, the administration is expected to deport its 2 millionth person, according…

Commentary / Comentario: Si se (something)!

By Frank X. Moraga / AmigosNAZ The first time I saw him was during a march for farmworkers rights in the early 1980s. I was a novice community college photojournalism student and we had decided to cover his protest march…

Commentary / Comentario: An opportunity to talk

By Frank X. Moraga / AmigosNAZ For community policing, it’s a fine balance between gathering information to investigate crimes and maintaining trust with a segment of society that previously viewed law enforcement in other places with suspicion, if not downright…

Commentary / Comentario: Leadership project earns award

By Frank X. Moraga / AmigosNAZ Congratulations are in order. It began as a way to get students involved in creating the leaders of tomorrow. Known as the Manifesto Project, the effort launched in early 2013 was recently presented with…

Commentary / Comentario: Celebrating the season

By Frank X. Moraga / AmigosNAZ The holidays have always been a special time to be thankful for what we have, give to those who need a hand and celebrate the season in music and culture. One of my most…

Bilingual commentary: Residents begin first of many battles

By Roxana Cardiel De Niz and Anamaria Velasco Ortiz The community at Arrowhead Village Trailer Park in the center of Flagstaff is on the verge of being destroyed over a student housing development. This project is one that Landmark Properties,…

Commentary / Comentario: County government in action

By Frank X. Moraga / AmigosNAZ The strangest thing Cynthia Seelhammer has seen so far in her brief tenure at Coconino County is the organization’s timesheets. They are churned out on a dot-matrix printer complete with those old-fashioned sprocket hole…

Commentary / Comentario: CCC plays a critical role in educating first-generation college students

By Patricia A. Garcia / CCC District Governing Board member As an elected official on the governing board of Coconino Community College, I believe it is critical for CCC to continue to be able to fulfill its core functions. As a…

Commentary / Comentario: Starting school off right

By Frank X. Moraga / AmigosNAZ It was Aug. 21, nearly one month after the start of school and the annual W.F. Killip Elementary School open house was in full swing in the Sunnyside neighborhood of Flagstaff. It seemed like…

Travel / Viajes: Spain pilgrimage draws seekers

By Stacey Wittig / Vagabonding Chica – Travel Writer Discovery is what I love most about traveling. When I have a tentative agenda, I have time to stumble upon new places. Once on foreign soil, I seek out events or…

Travel / Viajes: Extend your summer

By Stacey Wittig / Vagabonding Chica – Travel Writer When the long-anticipated Cars Land opened in June 2012 at Disney California Adventure Park, avid fans waited six to seven hours to experience new, exciting rides at the 12-acre theme land.…

Commentary / Comentario: Hispanics + education = ?

By Frank X. Moraga / AmigosNAZ Less than half (47 percent) of Coconino County students were ready for kindergarten, according to the “Coconino Community Education Report 2013” released in May by the United Way of Northern Arizona and a host…

Commentary / Comentario: Seeking to diversify representation

Editor’s note: This profile serves as a introduction to Second District Supervisor Elizabeth “Liz” Archuleta, who will be writing a regular column on issues and events impacting the local Latino community. By Martin Montes de Oca / Guest contributor When…