Category: Cultural

Discover Flagstaff — Eagle Workshop, ‘Twelfth Night’ and other upcoming events

Discover Flagstaff publishes Flagstaff 365 Happenings on a weekly basis to highlight local events happening in and around Flagstaff. It is distributed throughout Downtown Flagstaff, displayed in kiosks and storefronts, and also available at the Flagstaff Visitor Center. Below are some highlights. For a complete printable pdf list of events click below.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — one•n•ten Online Open Mic Night to be held on Feb. 27

one•n•ten — Today’s Youth. Tomorrow’s Future, will present the virtual Online Open Mic Night from 4 to 5 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27.

Goal(s):

To provide dedicated time and space for LGBTQ+ youth and their friends to freely express themselves
To build stronger safety net for LGBTQ+ youth through collaboration with organizations across the state
Click here for the event link

CCC and ASU partner to make transfer an easy path with MyPath2ASUTM

Coconino Community College has partnered with Arizona State University to offer a seamless transfer experience with the MyPath2ASU™ program.

MyPath2ASU™ allows students to take the steps needed, at the start of their college experience, to successfully plan their transfer to ASU and ensure a smooth transition process for success.

Arizona Board of Regents announces José Luis Cruz as Northern Arizona University presidential finalist

The Arizona Board of Regents on Feb. 18 announced that José Luis Cruz is the finalist for the position of the 17th president of Northern Arizona University.

“Dr. Cruz has an extraordinary record of academic leadership, and I am confident he is the right leader to build on NAU’s success and ensure a bold and boundless future for this beloved and historic university,” said ABOR Chair Larry E. Penley. “He is a proven innovator in higher education who keenly understands the enormous opportunities that NAU offers as well as the challenges facing higher education. His unsurpassed commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion, coupled with a long track record as a leading national advocate to improve educational outcomes for all students—especially those who have historically been underserved—will serve Arizona and NAU well. I am personally honored that he has accepted the opportunity to be the next president of NAU and offer my sincere congratulations.”

LULAC — Please Help Us Rush Assistance To The Worst Affected Areas Of Texas

The situation in Texas is dire. Dozens of people have died and countless more have been hospitalized for treatment from hypothermia and other effects of freezing weather. Electric power for millions has been knocked out. This has left people trapped in their homes without power for heating or a way to cook meals. Major water supplies have gone dry as sources and pipelines have frozen. The situation has led to alerts for residents to boil all remaining drinking water. Seniors are at especially high risk, along with patients operating medical equipment at home and are now using portable generators. Many food stores and gas stations are unable to meet the demand for essential items or fuel.

Please help us rush assistance to the worst affected areas of Texas. Donate what you can and ask others to do the same.

We can each make a difference and any amount helps.

NAU News update for Feb. 19 — NAU’s Joseph Moreno publishes article ‘A Mexican and Latina/o Indigenous Perspective on The Current Global Coronavirus Pandemic’ and more news

Joseph Moreno, senior lecturer in the Department of Ethnic Studies, published the article, “A Mexican and Latina/o Indigenous Perspective on The Current Global Coronavirus Pandemic” in the Journal of Global Indigeneity. The article examines how various U.S. Mexican and Latina/o Indigenous populations have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, focusing on the economic, health, social and political impacts.

Coconino County and Some Partners Forced to Cancel Some First Dose COVID-19 Vaccine Appointments

Coconino County was notified by the Arizona Department of Health Services that this week’s shipment of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine allocation has been delayed due to extreme weather conditions across the country.

Coconino County COVID-19 response team staff are working with vaccination partners to assess vaccine needed for scheduled appointments and transferring available vaccine to partners to limit appointment cancellations. The County was able to provide vaccines needed for appointments at all vaccination sites in Coconino County for today; however due to the prolonged delay and limited on-hand vaccine supply, Coconino County and some partner vaccination sites must cancel and reschedule first dose appointments scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 18 and Friday, Feb. 19. Impacted vaccination sites are Fort Tuthill County Park, Northern Arizona University, Northern Arizona Healthcare/Flagstaff Medical Center (Elks Lodge), and North Country HealthCare.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — Family Protective Factors virtual training to be held Feb. 23

The Strengthening Families Protective Factors framework is a research-based approach to prevent child abuse and neglect, strengthen families, and promote optimal child development. The National Alliance of Children’s Trust and Prevention Funds (Alliance) launched Bringing the Protective Factors Framework to Life in Your Work-A Resource for Actionin 2012. When implemented, the framework helps ensure optimal outcomes for children and their families. These strategies strengthen families, develop responsive family support systems, and strengthen the community’s capacity to establish safe and healthy environments.  

Building Community, LLC, NACOG Head Start and Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth are collaborating to present the Intro course virtually. We invite all interested individuals, family service teams, and community leaders to join us on Tuesday, February 23rd, from 1:00 pm-2:30 pm.  The no-cost course will provide an introduction to the protective factors and strength-based theory. 

United Way of Northern Arizona — Welcoming Our 2021 Officers and New Board Member

Key to the success of the United Way of Northern Arizona is our Board of Directors. We are fortunate that in our 50+ years, this organization has always been led by volunteer leaders who keenly understand the needs of the communities we serve.

Recently, we held our organizational meeting where we named a new Board Chair, installed the 2021 officers, and welcomed a new member.

Scarves for Scholarships Online Store is Open – Your Purchase Helps Support Nursing Scholarships at Coconino Community College

Good morning Coconino Community College partners and friends,

Scarves for Scholarships is an annual fundraiser in support of Nursing Student Scholarships at Coconino Community College.

Why not stay warm and cozy this year while helping to support a good cause all at the same time?

To shop, please visit the online store at https://app.mobilecause.com/e/U1k9qQ or text SCARF to 41444. Your purchase of one-of-a-kind, hand-made knitted items will help the CCC Foundation reach its goal of $1,500.

All online sales are final and can be picked up at the CCC Lone Tree Campus, 2800 S. Lone Tree Road, Flagstaff.

Sedona Arts Center — New Online Classes Added!

Online learning opportunities are perfect for students who are interested in taking one of our educational opportunities, but prefer to work at home. These learning opportunities provide a well-rounded experience in various visual art mediums.

Our workshops are live online learning experiences with one-on-one interaction between student and instructor. Click here to see all our online learning opportunities

Sedona Arts Center — New Ceramics Classes at Sedona Arts Center!

The Sedona Arts Center’s ceramic department operates free from the constraints of grades and benefits from the talents of its ceramic faculty and assistants as well as nationally recognized guest instructors. This combination allows our department to offer flexible and diverse programming in both traditional and contemporary techniques.

The @Coconino County African Diaspora Advisory Council extending submissions for Black History Month essay contest until March 1

The African Diaspora Advisory Council is accepting submissions for Black History Month essay contest.

The contest is open to all elementary through high school students County-wide. Prompts and details are available through the ADAC HERE.

The deadline for essay entries has been extended to March 1, 2021.

This is our ninth year holding the essay contest and it really is such a joy to read these beautifully crafted pieces from children of all ages. This year, our essay prompts center around the Black family, which has been described by some as a microcosm of the entire Black/African-American race. We are offering a number of prompts for students based on their level of school and are eager to hear from them about examples of the Black family and community,” said Khara House Chair of ADAC.

CCC alum blends modern with traditional Navajo culture

The Mandalorian’s helmet is adorned with arrowheads, and he sports a Navajo Nation seal and traditional hair bun. He wears a silver bow guard decorated with turquoise. Yoda strikes a pose, very much in the Navajo tradition, also wearing turquoise necklace and a traditional hair bun.

His work is the blending of modern and traditional: The purpose about making connection across time, and that the traditional continues to be alive and incredibly important. His goal: To teach.

Grand Canyon National Park Weekly Wrap-up

COVID-19 Updates

This week’s numbers at a glance:

The average number of new cases per day in Arizona is 2,963, down from 4,893 on average per day last week.
As of Thursday, the total number of cases in the 86023 zip code is since the pandemic began is 170. This number represents cases inside and outside the park.   
There are no reported new cases in the park this week and no reported cases in which the individuals are isolating. 
Since the pandemic began, we’ve had 42 total positive COVID-19 cases in the park. To date, and as reported, none of the positive cases resulted from interaction with park visitors. 
More detailed statistics are available on the Coconino County COVID-19 Dashboard.

NAU News — NAU astronomer on team that confirms orbit of most distant object ever observed in our solar system

A team of scientists, including Chad Trujillo of the Department of Astronomy and Planetary Science, has collected enough observations to determine the planetoid’s orbit based on its slow motion across the sky.

Museum of Northern Arizona — Much to look forward to at MNA

Snow finally fell, like a sparkling blanket of hope laid across the landscape. Precipitation in any form is welcome after the driest year on record and we dare to dream that this is a harbinger of things to come – more rain, more vaccines, more ability to gather together. At the same time, we realize a single snowfall won’t end a drought. Nor will the other problems we face disappear quickly.

We are planning for this year with the same creativity, caution, and resilience that got us through last year, ready to continue adapting as we go along. This means many of our annual events are being planned to take place in new ways, and often we set a date closer to the event to assess the current conditions and make a final decision on whether we can go forward or not. Keep reading this newsletter and following us on social media to stay informed.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — CCC&Y’s ‘Igniting Collective Action: Moving Beyond ACEs’ free webinar now available

Imagine a community in which the effects of childhood trauma are clearly understood, the impact of inequitable experience is acknowledged, and people are aligned toward creating equitable access to assets and protective factors that support positive life outcomes. This hour-long free training — “Igniting Collective Action: Moving Beyond (Adverse Childhood Experiences)” — explores the roadmap to creating change at the community and system level by using the findings of both leadership research and today’s thought leaders.

Discover Flagstaff — Find virtual events with Flagstaff 365 Happenings

Discover Flagstaff publishes Flagstaff 365 Happenings on a weekly basis to highlight local events happening in and around Flagstaff. It is distributed throughout Downtown Flagstaff, displayed in kiosks and storefronts, and also available at the Flagstaff Visitor Center. Below are some highlights. For a complete printable pdf list of events click below.

District 5 Supervisor Lena Fowler — Facebook Live COVID-19 Vaccine Update

Supervisor Horstman, County Manager Jayne, and Interim Director of Health and Human Services Musselman and I joined forces for an in-depth Facebook Live last week about the COVID-19 vaccine. They discussed why vaccine is limited, how we distribute vaccine to rural communities, and what we can do now to protect ourselves and others. Watch the full piece HERE.

Sedona Arts Center — Weigh in on the Future of Uptown!

The city of Sedona is looking for feedback on Plan Uptown, a public outreach effort that will result in a plan that guides new development, redevelopment and city projects in the Uptown commercial area.
Feedback from this Plan Uptown initiative will be folded into in the Uptown Community Focus Area (CFA) Plan, an addendum to the voter-approved Sedona Community Plan that serves as a guide for future development of this area. The Community Plan goals include improving traffic flow, walkability, housing diversity and environmental stewardship, and the CFA plan looks at how those goals can be achieved in Uptown.

Today’s News for Coconino County District 2

In This Newsletter:

Quote of the Day
African Diaspora Advisory Council Accepting Entries for its Black History Month Essay Contest
COVID-19 Vaccine Update
Get Tested for COVID-19
Additional COVID-19 Testing Options 
NEW COVID-19 Daily Dashboard
COVID-19 Weekly Report
Have Questions? Call the COVID-19 Information Line
Stay Connected with Us!

Coconino County announces registration has opened for 1,100 COVID Vaccine Appointments for week of Feb. 12-16

Coconino County has opened registration for an additional 1,100 COVID-19 vaccination appointments for a special extended-hours vaccination event Feb. 12 – 16 at the Fort Tuthill County Park vaccination site. The County has been allocated these additional doses from the State of Arizona due to the high performance of Coconino County and partners at administering vaccine to the public. 

Those interested in scheduling an appointment can visit coconino.az.gov/covid19vaccine and navigate to the SPECIAL REGISTRATION – Fort Tuthill, Flagstaff First Dose link. Individuals without internet access or those who require assistance can call the Coconino County COVID-19 Information Line at 928-679-7300. Seniors aged 65 and over who need scheduling assistance will be placed on the County’s senior assistance list. The Information Line hours are Monday – Friday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Bilingual report — Gina Santi Photography Images of the Month – February 2021

Religion is a difficult concept to define when we try to be inclusive of all human societies. We can say that religion is observable and measurable, that it is a cultural expression, and that it plays a definite role in society. As cultural anthropologists we can only attempt to describe and understand what people believe and do in regard to the sacred and supernatural, not judging whether those beliefs and actions are based in an objective truth or not.Take Arthur, for example, an 83-years old resident of Bisbee, Arizona. He has lived frugally in solitary in the hills of that town for 30 years and has spent his life building, with his own hands and using only indigenous materials, shrines to worship a wide variety of beings: Martin Luther King, Che Guevara, the Virgin of Guadalupe, Buddha, Quan-Yi, departed relatives and friends… The shrines have become increasingly popular, with dozens of people visiting them every day to pray, meditate, take pictures of what Arthur labels his ashram, or to simply be.

Coconino County Outlines Process for Filling District 2 Supervisor Vacancy

The Coconino County Board of Supervisors met on Feb. 4 to hear from the public and decide upon next steps to fill the District 2 vacancy following the resignation of former Supervisor Liz Archuleta.

After hearing from several members of the public and reviewing approximately 75 emails from residents, the Board decided upon process to fill the vacancy.   

Coconino Parks & Recreation — Winter recreation spots

Fort Tuthill County Park is open and free for passive slow play recreation. There is no dedicated sledding hill however.

Flagstaff Snow Park, which is located in Fort Tuthill County Park, makes snow in a dedicated area with tubing runs. Their website has more information and a link to purchase tickets, which are required to recreate in this area of the park.

For other sledding and snow play areas in and around Flagstaff, the City of Flagstaff publishes a winter recreation map and operates a winter snow play information line at 1-844-256-SNOW.

Coconino County Diversity Councils Elect Leaders

Coconino County’s three Diversity Councils recently elected new leaders. Officers for the Councils are elected for two-year terms by their fellow members.

Chairman Matt Ryan expressed his gratitude for the leadership of the Councils, “Our Diversity Councils have a long legacy of serving our community and advising and advocating to the Board of Supervisors on issues and policies that impact our diverse community. These newly elected leaders will work closely with the Board as we tackle significant challenges in the year ahead from the COVID-19 pandemic. Thank you to the officers and members of our Councils for their dedication to helping us grow a brighter future for Coconino County.”

Today’s News for Coconino County District 2

In This Newsletter:

Quote of the Day
Coconino County Diversity Councils Elect Leaders
County Superintendent of Schools to host 2021 Spelling BEE
COVID-19 Vaccine Update
Get Tested for COVID-19
NEW COVID-19 Daily Dashboard
NEW COVID-19 Weekly Report
Have Questions? Call the COVID-19 Information Line
Stay Connected with Us!

Coconino County announces additional COVID-19 vaccination appointments for week of Feb. 8-12

Coconino County has opened an additional 200 COVID-19 vaccination appointments for the week of Feb. 8 – 12 at the Fort Tuthill County Park vaccination site.

interested in scheduling an appointment can visit coconino.az.gov/covid19vaccine and navigate to the SPECIAL REGISTRATION – Fort Tuthill, Flagstaff First Dose link. Individuals without internet access or those who require assistance can call the Coconino County COVID-19 Information Line at 928-679-7300. 

NAU News — ‘Holding the torch of hope: The story of a LatinX Lumberjack and her mission to change the world’ and more news

With dreams of becoming a pop star and also changing the world, Guadalupe Hernandez found herself pursuing a bachelor’s in early childhood education and early childhood special education.

Statement on the Passing of former Navajo Nation President and Arizona State Legislator Albert Hale

Coconino County Vice-chairwoman Lena Fowler issued the following statement, on behalf of the Board of Supervisors, regarding the passing of former Navajo Nation President and Arizona State Legislator Albert Hale.

“We are all deeply saddened and humbled by the passing of Albert Hale, former President of the Navajo Nation and Arizona State Legislator who represented much of Coconino County. Albert was a colleague and friend to many of us and his loss leaves a deep void in our hearts. Navajo people knew him simply as Ahbihay, his grandmother’s name for him. He believed in the Navajo traditions and championed the rights of Native people and tribal sovereignty.”

Supervisor Liz Archuleta — Today’s News for Coconino County District 2

Coconino County congratulates District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta for her appointment with the Biden-Harris Administration. Supervisor Archuleta resigns from the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday evening.

Coconino County congratulates District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta for her appointment with the Biden-Harris Administration. 

“I am very honored to take this next step in public service. Serving the people of Coconino County has been a treasure. As I leave the Board of Supervisors, my heart will always remain with the community I call home and which has been so good to me,” said Supervisor Archuleta.

District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta to take position with the Biden-Harris Administration

District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta has resigned to take position with the Biden-Harris Administration. 

“I am very honored to take this next step in my public service. Serving the people of Coconino County has been a treasure. As I leave the Board of Supervisors, my heart will always remain with the community I call home and which has been so good to me,” she stated in a media release Tuesday evening. …

Chairman Matt Ryan expressed the County’s congratulations and gratitude to Supervisor Archuleta. “Coconino County has made tremendous progress over the last 24 years because of Supervisor Archuleta’s leadership and passion for public service. She has served as Chair during our most difficult times, including the current pandemic. We will miss our colleague and friend, but we are happy for her transition to a new level of public service. We know Liz will bring her energy, innovation, and steadfast commitment to public service to the federal government. On behalf of all of Coconino County we thank you Supervisor Archuleta, for your tremendous commitment and dedication to serving our County,” expressed Chairman Ryan.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — Next CCC&Y Youth ‘Creativity Calling’ virtual showcase to be held on Feb. 7 and more news

This pandemic is challenging for all of us. CCC&Y has a weekly virtual meeting for parents and caregivers to connect and share resources. We have also launched “Creativity Calling,” specifically for youth! This monthly virtual opportunity provides youth a chance to share their thoughts and feelings through the arts. We are seeking youth to share their music, visual art, poetry, dance, theater, or cultural sharing!

Each month four youth will have a 10-minute spotlight.

Coconino Community College — A quick word from the President and more news

Last spring semester, when classes began at Coconino Community College, students were busily passing through the halls of our campuses on their way to classes. Their attention was on their studies and on achieving their educational goals.

Then, just before Spring Break, the world started to take notice of the virus that was making its way across the globe – COVID-19. The world went on lockdown to try to halt the spread of the virus. Safety measures were put into place at CCC. Our halls and classrooms grew quiet. Faculty and staff, dedicated to delivering a quality, affordable education to students, worked long hours to offer classes online and through Zoom videoconferencing to keep the machinery of education moving so students could keep working toward their goals. Events were canceled, or they were held “virtually” in the digital world. A new kind of normal developed. Some of our students decided to wait until they could rejoin their fellow students and faculty in the classroom. Many of our students adapted to taking classes virtually, even if that was not what they preferred.

This spring, our halls and classrooms are still mostly quiet. All classes, except for ones that absolutely require an in-person component, continue to be online and through Zoom. Big events like the Commencement and Nurses Pinning ceremonies will again be virtual this May. Our signature fundraising event for the CCC Foundation, Palette to Palate, which supports the Fine Arts Department at CCC, will reimagine itself as a virtual event this April.

Sedona Arts Center — NEW Online Learning Opportunities at Sedona Arts Center

Online learning opportunities are perfect for students who are interested in taking one of our educational opportunities, but prefer to work at home. These learning opportunities provide a well-rounded experience in various visual art mediums.

Our workshops are live online learning experiences with one-on-one interaction between student and instructor. Click here to see all our online learning opportunities

District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta — February is Black History Month

The Coconino County Board of Supervisors proclaimed February as National Black History Month.

Coconino County recognizes the rich and diverse history of the African Diaspora, a people who shaped continents all over the world.

Coconino County takes pride in the diversity of its residents and recognizes the many contributions of the past generations of our African Diaspora to our lumber and sawmill industries, and notably in the present generation of entrepreneurs, educators, artists, authors, scientists, athletes, community leaders and public servants.

CCC Adult Education makes easy conversation

Jiyoung Lee comes from South Korea, and Jose Landaverde comes from El Salvador. Kaoru Pierre comes from Japan, and Aurora Silleni comes from Italy. There’s Victor Parra from Mexico and May Henao from Colombia.

They may have come from all over the world, but they have one thing in common: They’re all taking classes with the Adult Education program at Coconino Community College to improve their English language skills.

“It’s college and career preparation,” said Jennifer Dennis, Adult Education instructor at CCC, of the class, which is an advanced English language-acquisition class. “A lot of our students have been through university in their home country.”

The Flagstaff City – Coconino County Public library to Launch New library catalog service

The Flagstaff City – Coconino County Public library will launch a new, online catalog for physical and online library materials on Feb. 1, 2021. The catalog was developed in response to requests for a more streamlined and straightforward navigation approach to accessing library materials and services. Patrons can access the new catalog by visiting www.flagstaffpubliclibrary.org. Video tutorials demonstrating how to access your library account and how to place a hold can be found at www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hvt_CP80kI8 and www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKQqeGG5Adc. Call (928) 213-2330 with any questions. 

District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta — New Series: In the Coconi-KNOW

Coconino County is bringing you a new series, called the “In the Coconi-KNOW” on Facebook Live today at 12 noon.

Our team will discuss the latest County updates, news and of course, give you a look at the COVID situation in Coconino County. Tune in on the Coconino County Facebook page at noon today!

Coconino County appoints Cheryl Mango-Paget as Superintendent of Schools

The Coconino County Board of Supervisors has appointed Cheryl Mango-Paget as Coconino County Superintendent of Schools effective immediately.

Mango-Paget has served as the Associate Superintendent for Coconino County since 2012, holds a certificate to teach in schools in the state of Arizona, and holds Arizona administrator and superintendent certifications. Mango-Paget has classroom experience as a teacher and administrator, and expertise and passion for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Education (STEM).

Flagstaff libraries curbside services not available Feb. 1-2

The Flagstaff City – Coconino County Public Library and East Flagstaff Community Library’s curbside services will not be available Feb. 1 -2 for a library software update.

Phone in reference services and placing holds on library materials will still be available.

County Vaccination Efforts Hampered by Lack of Vaccine Doses

The Coconino County Board of Supervisors heard the message clearly at Tuesday’s board meeting: Coconino County’s COVID-19 vaccination efforts are hampered by the lack of available vaccine doses.

Coconino County Interim Health and Human Services Director Kim Musselman informed the Board that the County and medical partners have capacity to administer approximately 1,300 doses of vaccine daily but give fewer than 400 doses each day due to the lack of supply. 

District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta — COVID-19 Vaccine: Similarities and Differences

Coconino County will only administer COVID-19 vaccines approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which currently includes the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. There are similarities and differences between the two:
Pfizer is for those ages 16 years and older, and requires 21 days between doses.
Moderna is for those ages 18 years and older, and requires 28 days between doses.
Both are safe and effective.
Both require two doses.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — CCC&Y discusses overcoming childhood trauma on KAFF County’s Pete’s Community Cafe

Virginia Watahomigie, executive director of the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth, recently sat down with KAFF Country for a recent Pete’s Community Cafe interview on childhood trauma issues impacting youth and families in the region and the use of techniques to promote healing, growth and build resiliency.

During the interview, Watahomigie discussed how CCC&Y tackles the issue through a variety of online training programs on its https://coconinokids.org/prevention/ webpage.

Discover Flagstaff — Find virtual events with Flagstaff 365 Happenings

Discover Flagstaff publishes Flagstaff 365 Happenings on a weekly basis to highlight local events happening in and around Flagstaff. It is distributed throughout Downtown Flagstaff, displayed in kiosks and storefronts, and also available at the Flagstaff Visitor Center. Below are some highlights. For a complete printable pdf list of events click below.

United Way of Northern Arizona Changes for VITA program

As the United Way of Northern Arizona (UWNA) grows in its commitment to Step Up for Our Youth, it’s important to ensure that the work we do aligns with our three core areas of focus: early childhood development, positive youth development, and supporting families in need.

With that in mind, we’ve been working diligently to transition the Volunteer Income Tax Assistant program to trusted partners so that thousands of local tax filers who have relied on VITA services in the past will continue to have access to them.

We are pleased to announce that United Way of Tucson and Southern Arizona (UWTSA) and Northland Free Tax Assistance (NFTA) will be coordinating efforts to provide VITA services this year in our region. We are grateful to these two organizations for continuing our work so that northern Arizonans will keep receiving the tax refunds and credits they are entitled to.

PreventT2 Lifestyle Change Class in Spanish

Community members are preventing type 2 diabetes together with the FREE PreventT2 lifestyle change program offered by North Country HealthCare. Guided by a trained lifestyle coach, groups of participants are learning the skills they need to make lasting changes such as losing a modest amount of weight, being more physically active, and managing stress.

District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta — Coconino County Announcing COVID-19 Testing Site Changes

The Coconino County COVID-19 testing site located at Fort Tuthill County Park in Flagstaff will move to a new location effective Saturday, Jan. 23.

The move to the new site at Coconino Community College (CCC), 2800 S Lone Tree Rd. will allow the County to expand vaccine administration at Fort Tuthill County Park and at mobile sites throughout the County when additional doses of the COVID-19 vaccine become available.  

NAU News — ‘NAU-TGen study results show COVID-19 virus triggers antibodies from previous coronavirus infections’ and more news

The findings of the study, of which assistant professor Jason Ladner was a lead author, may also explain how previous exposure could partially account for differences in severity between old vs. young patients.

Discover Flagstaff — “I, too, sing America” a Celebration of Black Poets, Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival. New video project and more news

Discover Flagstaff publishes Flagstaff 365 Happenings on a weekly basis to highlight local events happening in and around Flagstaff. It is distributed throughout Downtown Flagstaff, displayed in kiosks and storefronts, and also available at the Flagstaff Visitor Center. Below are some highlights. For a complete printable pdf list of events click below.

Sedona Arts Center’s Online Learning

Online learning opportunities are perfect for students who are interested in taking one of our educational opportunities, but prefer to work at home. These learning opportunities provide a well-rounded experience in various visual art mediums.

Our workshops are live online learning experiences with one-on-one interaction between student and instructor. Click here to see all our online learning opportunities

District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta — African Diaspora Advisory Council Begins Accepting Entries for its Black History Month Essay Contest

The Coconino County ADAC is now accepting entries for its Black History Month Essay Contest. The essay contest is open to all elementary through high school students in Coconino County.

Essays submissions will center around the theme of the Black family and must be received by Feb. 19.

“This is our ninth year holding the essay contest and it really is such a joy to read these beautifully crafted pieces from children of all ages. This year, our essay prompts center around the Black family, which has been described by some as a microcosm of the entire Black/African-American race. We are offering a number of prompts for students based on their level of school and are eager to hear from them about examples of the Black family and community,” said Khara House Chair of ADAC.