December is the time of year for charitable giving. And to become a member of Theatrikos. We hope you’ll become a member today so Theatrikos can keep bringing the best theatre to Northern Arizona.
We’ve only been able to reopen because pandemic relief grants and annual memberships have made it possible. But disaster relief is pretty much over. So annual memberships are all the more important. Your donation will make a difference.
In an effort to protect forest roads from damage, the Coconino National Forest has started closing forest roads in the Flagstaff Ranger District (FRD) for the winter and will continue closing roads over the course of the coming weeks across the forest in higher elevations.
While the FRD has closed forest roads north of Interstate 40 along U.S. Highway 180 and U.S. Highway 89, many forest roads currently remain open due to low levels of snow and precipitation.
Seasonal road closures on each district of the Coconino NF occur at different times each year and depend on weather forecasts and road conditions.
Forest visitors are encouraged to check forest road statuses prior to any excursion by visiting the Coconino NF’s Forest Roads Status web page.
Taking Classes and Workshops on our campus in Uptown Sedona affords the opportunity not only to explore the arts, but also to meet new people and immerse yourself in the Sedona arts community. We also have a variety of online workshops as well.
Besides what you see in this email, there are more offerings on our website.
Click here to see all of our classes and workshops.
A recent survey of students from Holbrook and Joseph City High Schools illustrates some of the mental health concerns of teens in Navajo County.
According to the survey, which was administered by two students at the high schools, a majority of the teens interviewed indicated they frequently feel anxious and under pressure in school and work.
About half felt they had someone to talk to about their concerns. Most relied on music, exercise, sleeping, or time alone as ways of coping with the stress they feel.
We’re very pleased with the outcome of the vote on Proposition 480 where 73% of voters chose to overturn the NAH request to rezone 98 acres near Ft. Tuthill for a new hospital. F3, in coalition with others, helped make this happen. We gathered signatures to ensure the referendum was placed on the ballot, we worked to educate the community about the choices posed and the consequences of the vote. Flagstaff spoke loud and clear and in a non-partisan manner against a new hospital and wellness village on the edge of town.
With the rejection of 480, Flagstaff is now provided with a great opportunity! We can now start a true community discussion about the healthcare needs in Northern Arizona. Here’s what F3 believes must happen now:
Please attend and, if you choose, make a public comment in support of keeping the Carbon Neutrality Plan in its current form.
Many thanks to the citizens who attended and spoke at the Nov. 28th Council meeting! Chambers were packed with Carbon Neutrality Plan supporters and the many speakers were passionate about not modifying the Plan.
Flagstaff citizens need to demonstrate our support again this Tuesday.
In order to step up for our youth, we need to make improving access to childcare a top priority.
According to a report released just this week, the lack of adequate childcare in Arizona is costing the state $4.7 billion in lost earnings, productivity, and revenue each year.
The analysis, conducted by ReadyNation with major funding by the Helios Education Foundation, shows that not having accessible, affordable, and high-quality childcare is adversely impacting parents, businesses, and taxpayers.
Winter Recreation Updates and Safety
Much of Coconino County is a winter wonderland! Parks and natural areas offer great winter recreation opportunities. Strap on your boots, snow shoes, or cross-country skis, and enjoy the trails. Make snow forts and snow people. Have a (safe) snowball fight. Enjoy the beauty of nature in the snow, whether birdwatching or walking in the trees.
Measuring biodiversity across the U.S.—with space lasers
Diverse ecosystems support the web of life and in the process, provide food, water, medicine and materials for humanity. But the butterfly effect tells us all things are connected. So, when biodiversity loss threatens the foundation upon which we live, what does that mean for the future of Earth and humanity? NAU research professor Chris Hakkenberg is taking a necessary step to finding a solution to biodiversity loss: mapping and measuring biodiversity across the U.S. using NASA’s space-borne lidar.
Join the Giving Tuesday global movement and support your local nonprofits!
Your end-of-year donation will go directly toward supporting F3’s on-going work as we continue to be fully integrated into the decision-making processes of our community, educating and advocating for a livable, sustainable, affordable, and climate resilient Flagstaff.
F3 attends all City Council meetings and we speak directly to Council about important policy and on-the-ground decisions that relate to our Focus Areas.* We seek accountability and transparency from our local local leaders through meeting with city staff and individual council members and we participate in local and regional planning efforts including the development of the Flagstaff Regional Plan 2045, which will be a major focus of our work in 2024.
STEM is more important to our community – and our world – than ever before. Hardly a day goes by when STEM is not in the headlines: artificial intelligence, climate change, space exploration, breakthroughs in medicine, and much more.
According to the U.S. Department of Labor, there are nearly 10 million workers in STEM occupations and this total is projected to grow by almost 11% by 2031, more than two times faster than the total for all other occupations.
Your support is critical to growing and sustaining MNA’s work. In 2023, we:
Opened three new exhibitions;
Welcomed nearly 2,000 students on school visits;
Shared the MNA collections with hundreds of members of the public;
Provided over 200 researchers with in-depth access to collections;
Hosted numerous educational events that connect visitors with the art, science, and culture of the Colorado Plateau through authentic experiences;
And so much more!
On Giving Tuesday, we come together to support the causes that matter most to us.
This year, I’m asking you to join us and create more opportunities for our communities in Coconino, Navajo, and Apache County to step up for our youth by supporting not only our children, but those who take care of them as well.
An underlying aspect of many of the programs we manage or fund is about being a partner to the parents and guardians who are raising the next generation.
We couldn’t do it without you.
We are United in Purpose 365 days a year, and together we are stepping up for youth and our community in Coconino, Navajo, and Apache counties. We are promoting early childhood education, positive youth development and the safety and security of our friends and neighbors in our local communities.
This Thanksgiving we are more grateful than ever for your friendship, partnership and support.
Warm wishes for a wonderful holiday,
Liz, Christine & Elaine
As Ioanna Morfessis, President & CEO of IO, Inc., recently put it: “Economies don’t remain static; there is no stasis. They either grow and progress or they regress.”
Morfessis and Danny Court of Elliott Pollack & Co. co-authored the recently released Strategic Plan created on behalf of ECoNA to outline a roadmap for the region’s economic future.
Their reporting indicates that Northern Arizona faces a major decision: whether the region’s economy will continue to remain competitive or if anti-growth sentiment will lead to stagnation and possible economic erosion.
(Paul) Long, who is from New Mexico, comes from a line of medicine men and is a medicine man himself. Growing up, his father taught him to be balanced—to know and practice the traditional beliefs and way of life but also to understand western life and education.
Editor’s Note — Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces and www.AmigosNAZ.com wishes to thank District 2 Supervisor Jeronimo Vazquez and the Coconino County Board of Supervisors for their support of the 20th annual Celebraciones de la Gente, held Oct. 21, 22 at the Museum of Northern Arizona. Attending the closing ceremony, above, was Supervisor Jeronimo Vazquez and family. Your continued support was very much appreciated.The 2023 Celebraciones de la Gente was also supported in part by the Arizona Commission on the Arts which receives support from the State of Arizona and the National Endowment for the Arts, the Coconino County Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC) and APS. Celebraciones presented in partnership with the Museum of Northern Arizona.
Also — Message from Jeronimo
Board Opens Application Portal to Fill District 3 Supervisor Vacancy when Supervisor Matt Ryan Retires
District 2 Highlights
Coconino County Services and Programs
Community Events & Resources
And more!
Rock Your Mocs Week November 12-18
As part of Native American Heritage Month, next week is Rock Your Mocs Week, when Indigenous people across the country show their cultural pride by wearing traditional moccasins.
Moccasins are not always worn in public by Indigenous people. They hold special significance and are most often worn for ceremonies and other cultural events. During Rock Your Mocs Week, the National Park Service encourages Indigenous employees to take pride in their heritage by wearing moccasins. A flyer for this week can be found here.
Grand Canyon National Park is proud to celebrate Native cultures and traditions by helping to share their rich histories and ongoing contributions to our park and our country.
So rock those mocs!
Breaking barriers for veteran student researchers
The Student Research Opportunity Grant helps military-connected students pursue their research goals. The grant of up to $6,000 was established by the Veterans and Military Service Office and Office of the Vice President for Research with the goal of creating more representation of student veterans in research fields.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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:
AmigosNAZ.com will be taking a short Fall break starting Wednesday, Nov. 1, back Monday, Nov. 6. Wishing you all a wonderful, safe and memorable Dia de Los Muertos celebration this week.
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.
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.”
View this email in your browser ACTION ALERT! Help F3: Contact 10 of Your Friends & Return Your Ballot We could really use your help in the next few days. NAH is outspending the No on 480 campaign by hundreds…
focus to Stepping Up for Our Youth and Communities, we have successfully rallied around early childhood development with programs like KinderCamp™ and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.
This year with our annual campaign theme of United in Purpose – 365 Days a Year, we are recommitting to the goal of also supporting programs and initiatives that promote positive youth development and refocusing our efforts on a comprehensive approach that encompasses our youth from birth through early adulthood.
From the desk of:
Liz Archuleta
President & CEO
At our annual campaign kickoff last week, I had a chance to provide a detailed vision of how United Way of Northern Arizona can support our community and partners to foster opportunities for our youth at all ages. I envision it as a circle where we as a community wrap ourselves around our youth and can step in at any point of a youth’s development and make a difference.
This summer, a dozen NAU students went to Belize to do research. It’s called Jungle Boot Camp, and Jut Wynne takes a group down every summer. But this group was special. A well-worn flag joined the group—it’s the flag of the Explorers Club, which has gone to the top and bottom of the world, into space and all over, marking expeditions that contribute to our knowledge of the world in which we live. Learn more about the research Wynne and his students conducted in this tiny Central American country that is rich in biodiversity.
The City Sustainability Office will soon be launching the Flagstaff Home Energy Retrofit Program with a substantial grant award. The program provides home energy retrofits to low income residents, helping them reduce energy costs, increase the comfort of their homes, strengthen community participation towards greater climate resilience, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, contributing to our community’s Carbon Neutrality Plan.
On Tuesday, August 8, 2023, President Biden visited the park after announcing the designation of the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni – Ancestral Footprints of the Grand Canyon as a National Monument. Baaj nwaavjo means “where Indigenous peoples roam” in the Havasupai language, and i’tah kukvenimeans “our ancestral footprints” in the Hopi language. The new monument encompasses about 917,618 acres of the Kaibab National Forest (both north and south of the park) and portions of the Bureau of Land Management Arizona Strip District (BLM), lands already part of the 2012 mineral withdrawal Environmental Impact Statement. These lands will continue to be managed by the BLM and the U.S. Forest Service, and Tribal Nations will be included in decisions about managing the areas. The national monument only includes federal lands and does not include State and private lands within the boundary.
Flagstaff Community First will hold their No on Prop. 480 campaign kick-off on Saturday at Bushmaster Park’s Community Ramada.
Flagstaff Community First is the political action committee composed of local organizations, including F3, and individuals that spearheaded the collection and delivery of more than 5,000 voter signatures to the City Clerk in July. That effort has ensured that the citizens of Flagstaff have a voice in determining if the City Council’s approval to rezone 98 acres of land just north of Ft Tuthill will stand.
This citizens’ referendum will be included on the November 7, 2023 mail-in ballot as Proposition 480. A “NO” vote on Prop. 480 will overturn Council’s decision allowing the rezoning of the 98 acres (Phase I) of the Northern Arizona Healthcare Corporation (NAH) proposed new hospital and ambulatory care center. Phase I is the first step in NAH’s proposed two phased medical and commercial complex.
A welcome break from the summer heat
After our recent rainfall, Grand Canyon is no longer in an excessive heat warning, but Stage 1 fire and smoking restrictions are still in effect for the Coconino National Forest and the Williams Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest. Additionally, all undeveloped areas of Coconino County, the Town of Tusayan, and the City of Flagstaff are also in fire restrictions. *Please note, at this time the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest has no fire restrictions in effect.
Grand Canyon National Park remains in Stage 1 fire restrictions, as it is year-round, which means fires, campfires, charcoal, coal and wood stoves are prohibited, except within a developed campground site.
To combat pathogens like Zika, Ebola or the virus that causes COVID-19, we have to know how they work. One of the most effective ways of figuring that out is genomic sequencing, which allows scientists to break down the pathogen’s DNA or RNA. During the pandemic, use of this tool increased exponentially, with it playing a critical role in everything from tracking the virus’ movement to developing effective vaccines. In an essay published this week, biologists Jason Ladner and Jason Sahl argue that scientists, public health officials and policymakers worldwide must build on this momentum so society is better prepared for the next pandemic.
Flagstaff Community First, a broad coalition of organizations (including F3) and individuals advocating for accessible, quality health care in Flagstaff and the region, will deliver of over 4,800 signatures to the City Clerk (on July 6) to place a referendum on the ballot.
The referendum will allow the public to weigh in on City Council’s June 6 rezoning decision that gave Northern Arizona Healthcare the go-ahead to move the hospital from the center of town. Flagstaff Community First launched the petition drive in order to refer the zoning decision to a vote of the public.
The Fourth of July is a day to celebrate not only the anniversary of American independence, but the values that make our country great. One of those values is the importance of Living United.
Living United means coming together to solve problems and build a better future for our neighbors. It’s the sincere belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to succeed, regardless of background or circumstance. It’s knowing that when we include all members of society in shaping the solutions, our community will always be stronger for it.
Thank you for Living United this holiday – and every day.
Our offices will be closed on Tuesday, July 4.
Have a safe and wonderful Independence Day.
We wish you a safe holiday weekend as we continue the tradition of honoring those who gave all so we could live in freedom.
Our offices will be closed on Monday, May 29th.
The Spelling Bee was a success
We could not have had such a successful event without all of you who participated! Congratulations to The Nerdettes: The Cat in the Hat Comes Back for their win! And congratulations to the Mead Hall Marauders for winning the spirit award!
The concerns that F3 continues to raise with regards to the NAH proposal to relocate the hospital relate directly to providing quality health care that benefits Flagstaff residents as well as the Region.
NAH continues to state that a new greenfield hospital is what’s best for Flagstaff and that a new hospital is needed in order to recruit and retain good doctors. These are questionable statements. While every doctor would like to work in a shiny new building, there are many hundreds of thousands who do not. In fact, many of these doctors work at the highest-rated hospitals in the US that are located in dense cities, such as Johns Hopkins and Mass General. Older hospitals in dense cities cannot always be moved miles away and rebuilt. Instead they are renovated or rebuilt in the same place.
Many thanks to everyone who has been so warm and supportive during my first month as the new CEO and President of United Way of Northern Arizona. I’ve always been proud of this organization and the work it does.
”Improving lives by mobilizing communities to create lasting changes in community conditions” has always resonated with me. I have been involved with UWNA for over 25 years serving on the Board of Directors, the Community Investment Committee and chairing multiple UWNA campaigns.
My life’s work has been dedicated to building community, promoting equity, and improving lives locally, statewide and nationally. I will continue to bring those values and passion for community to my work at UWNA. As a native of Flagstaff with five generations of my family living in Flagstaff, it is an honor to serve my community through UWNA.
During this time of transition, I want to recognize what has come before me.
In this Edition…
Message from Jeronimo
Preparation, Prevention, and Information: Our Surrounding
Environment
District 2 Highlights
Special Spotlight: Areina Contreras
Service Positions & Job Listings
Services and Programs
Community Events & Resources
And more!
Introducing the 4 Rs of recycling: Recycle right, reap rewards
NAU is revamping its sustainability efforts with a new recycling program intended to increase recycling rates while decreasing landfill waste. The bin system is getting an upgrade, making it easier for everyone to know where to put which materials. Funding from the Green Fund, including new waste sensors, will allow the team to track how much waste is generated on campus to analyze and ensure effectiveness. The team hopes to encourage everyone to recycle correctly and reduce our environmental footprint. This program will enable us to do our part and be recycling superheroes!
In This Issue
Hello from Supervisor Horstman
Short Term Rentals
Hearing on Coconino County Fair Fees
BOS Adopts New Fort Tuthill Management Plan
Upper Rio de Flag Watershed Forest Restoration
County Receives $10.9 Million State Funding for
Flood Mitigation
County Comprehensive Plan and Flagstaff
Regional Plan Explained
Community Meeting on Proposed Forest
Restriction Plans and Emergency Preparedness
NACo Legislative Conference
Fort Valley Gets Its Sign!
Fort Valley Community Meeting on Rain and
Snow Melt
Valle It Is!
County Parks and Recreation Receives Arizona
Forward Environmental Excellence Award
Congratulations to Jim Driscoll, Western States
Sheriff of the Year!
Community Events
Liz Archuleta, highly accomplished and nationally recognized leader, and former Coconino County Supervisor who has been serving as a presidential appointee in the Biden-Harris Administration as part of the U.S. Department of Agriculture senior leadership team, has been chosen to be the new President & CEO of United Way of Northern Arizona (UWNA).
“We are thrilled to have such a highly respected and accomplished leader as Liz join us,” said UWNA Board President Mike Kelly. “Her ties to UWNA and commitment to our program of work go back to 1997. During that time, she’s championed many efforts at UWNA. She’s been a Board chair, led an annual campaign and a capital campaign, been the chair of the Summit Society, and spearheaded a special 50th anniversary drive to support the KinderCamp program.”
Cultural Demonstrator this weekend at Grand Canyon Visitor Center
On Friday, Saturday and Sunday, February 17, 18, and 19, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., stop by and meet Zuni fine art painter, Anthony Gchachu. He will discuss how he conceptualizes and executes his paintings.
Watch him work and learn how Zuni culture and art have influenced his unique painting style that uses layered acrylic paints to create texture, depth and movement to generate emotions.
This series is made possible with grants from Grand Canyon Conservancy.
While northern Arizona is home to many festivals throughout the year, the month of February tends to be a little slower, with much of the region’s tourism dollars coming from out-of-towners looking to ski and play in the snow.
There are a few exceptions to this rule, however.
Do you know how Black history has shaped the history of Flagstaff and NAU? Through events, panel discussions and guest speakers, NAU commemorates the legacy, heritage and brilliance of our Black community. During Black History Month, learn about the significant contributions of Black Americans to our community and the United States and gain a greater understanding of how that legacy continues to evolve and affect Black and African Americans today.
COCONINO COUNTY — 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.
CCC&Y is building an inclusive movement of people dedicated to transforming and healing our communities.
Through leadership, education and advocacy. By becoming a member you add your name to an expansive list of individuals, families, businesses and organizations who are igniting collective action that creates better lives for children and families.
Please visit Membership Options
Make an Online Donation
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.
FLAGSTAFF — Ana Roman met and became best friends with Montserrat “Montse” Rodriguez when they worked together at a Flagstaff restaurant. Rodriguez needed help studying for her United States citizenship exam that she was preparing for, and Roman was happy to help.
After Rodriguez passed her citizenship test with flying colors, the two young women continued taking English Language Acquisition for Adults courses in the Adult Education program at Coconino Community College. Successful in their studies, they were awarded a grant that allowed them to take a course at the college free of charge.
They chose ENG 101A, and they both passed their first official college course, and now the two are considering continuing down the college path.
“I was so scared,” Rodriguez said. “We were with students so young, so bright, who spoke English their whole lives. This class has taken me out of my comfort zone. This is a first step.”
Lights, camera, SCALPEL!
When the stage lights and hospital beds meet, greatness happens. Students from NAU’s School of Nursing and the Department of Theatre collaborated to create a simulation lab as part of the Health Care Theater Class, giving students hands-on experience in their respective fields of study.
By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth
CCC&Y and community members fondly remember the life of founder Florence Mae Karlstrom who passed away on Jan. 8, 2023 in Amherst, Mass. She had recently celebrated her 100th birthday on Dec. 22, 2022.
“Many of us in Flagstaff remember Florence. The community we live in today has roots in her work, founding CCC&Y, serving on the FUSD Board, supporting United Way and the vision of early childhood education and development,” wrote consultant and coach Kerry Blume, former president and CEO of the United Way of Northern Arizona.
“I am so sorry to learn of Florence’s passing. … Florence also championed women’s rights and was instrumental in the budding women in history programs at NAU in the early 1970’s which included a cross department collaboration with Peg Morley and Katherine Nutt. Her commitment for building a better world led to focusing on children and the most vulnerable and resulted in the creation of what is now CCC&Y. She was a strong advocate for early childhood education. I worked on her successful campaign for FUSD school board and her unsuccessful campaign for state senate. A consummate community builder who led with compassion, intellect and kindness. During her 100 years many of us got to experience that warm smile and her grace. A life well lived. Her memory will always be a blessing,” wrote Coconino County District 1 Supervisor Patrice Horstman.
“The acknowledgement of all of Florence’s accomplishments in her lifetime is truly amazing. I was never aware of Florence’s beliefs in life. But now being aware of them, they don’t surprise me. If you looked deep you would know that she was always giving of herself in a compassionate, love filled way, no matter what she did. In working with Florence most closely as we worked together on the school board, I found a woman who was strong in her beliefs, not afraid to share them and if necessary challenge others on theirs. At the same time, her quiet love of all of those she worked with and for came through. There were always those times when she would come to me to be sure all was alright. I knew she truly cared and loved those she worked with, no matter what may be going on. She continually demonstrated her faith of love and hope by the way she lived, whether we were aware of the reason or not. Children were always a top priority. I now wonder if we were all her children, no matter the age. How proud as a founder of the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth she would be today, knowing of their many accomplishments. For us and our children she not only met the challenge of life, but found opportunity for the young and old in all that she did,” wrote Julianne Hartzell, past board president and member of CCC&Y’s Action & Outreach Committee.
Read More
At the Jan. 10, 2023 special session of the Coconino County Board of Supervisors, the Board unanimously approved a proclamation to designate January as Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month in Coconino County.
According to the US State Department, Arizona is a hub for illicit activity and a transit point for labor and sex trafficking due to our state’s geographic location and network of Interstate freeways. Locally, in the past five years various law enforcement and victim service agencies have encountered over 600 confirmed victims of human trafficking. Furthermore, numerous sting operations during that time have identified almost 500 individuals suspected of attempting to purchase sex with an underage victim.
“The exploitation of human beings for sex trafficking is a terrible crime and we must raise awareness and educate ourselves on this matter so that we can take action to end this travesty. This is an issue that affects all of our communities,” commented Chair of the Board Patrice Horstman.
Cartagena de Indias, Cultural Heritage of Humanity, was founded in 1533 and still has a certain sumptuousness from that time: old houses of Spanish architecture with splendid central patios and bewitching balconies full of flowers. The city is all magical realism: it can be, at the same time, pearly, crimson, pink, bluish, brown, orange, purple, or emerald. In its narrow cobbled streets one can breathe legend, melancholy, gallantry, revelry, and natural beauty.
In the late afternoon, around 5:00 p.m. these colors of Cartagena become magical under the light of the tropical sunset, and the entire city becomes a colorful cacophony. The windows, the doors, the facades and walls of vibrant colors, all filled me with joy, enchanted me, and I felt like Florentino Ariza, that character of Gabriel García Márquez who thought he was dying of love. As the Colombian Nobel Prize for Literature would say in his autobiography Vivir para Contarla, “It was enough for me to take a step back inside the wall to see [Cartagena] in all its grandeur, in the light of 6 o’clock in the afternoon, and I could not repress the feeling of having been born again”
We hope you are having a wonderful 2023 so far, and wanted to start off this new year right by thanking you.
You make the work of United Way of Northern Arizona possible and we wanted to share some of our favorite memories of the past year that happened because you generously gave through your donations, leadership, or volunteerism.
COVID Updates
Masks Optional
As of January 5, Coconino County has remained in MEDIUM CDC Community Level. Masks are optional in all public buildings. We encourage individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to practice physical distancing from others while in indoor common areas.
Total new COVID cases in Arizona for the week of December 29-January 4 was 6,187 which is an increase from the week before at 4,973. There were three new COVID-19 cases reported in the park this week.
As a reminder, be sure to promptly report any illness, to include possible COVID-19 symptoms, COVID exposure, or a positive COVID test to your supervisor and our Public Health Consultant, Ronan King. Ronan can be reached at: 202-891-8599 or Ronan_King@nps.gov.
It was with tremendous sadness that we heard last week of the passing of Dr. Bert McKinnon, who epitomized the commitment to community and volunteer service that makes northern Arizona such a remarkable place.
Bert and his family came to Flagstaff in the early 1980s and he is perhaps best known as one of the co-founders of Flagstaff Bone & Joint.
The past year had its challenges for businesses locally and nationwide – from inflation to labor shortages to continued supply chain disruptions. Yet we still saw progress in northern Arizona, from the opening of businesses and facilities to plans for future growth in Flagstaff, Camp Verde, Sedona, and Winslow.
Among the highlights this year were:
