The City of Flagstaff has adopted a new stormwater rate, equivalent to a 12 percent annual increase, effective April 1, 2023. The current rate will increase from $3.74 per equivalent rate unit (ERU) to $4.19 per ERU, then increase by 12 percent annually through 2028. Funding from the rate increases will be used to create enhanced flood mitigation and flood risk reduction through improved infrastructure and maintenance services.
Right now, two UWNA volunteer groups are evaluating more than 50 requests for grants from either the Community Impact Fund or the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Earlier this year, the City of Flagstaff chose UWNA to administer $700,000 in ARPA funds on behalf of the City.
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
Two Coconino Community College students – Maize Pratt and David Cassidy – have been recognized for the prestigious 2023 Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) All-Arizona Academic Team Scholarship.
The scholarship provides free tuition for 60 credit hours at the recipient’s choice of one of the three state universities: Arizona State University, University of Arizona and Northern Arizona University.
A transplant from the west coast, Pratt came to Sedona, Arizona for a mindfulness-based program.
“Having gone to four previous community colleges, I was looking at CCC to save some money before going to NAU,” Pratt said.
Pratt said he plans to use his new scholarship money toward a Business Management degree from NAU and is currently exploring different career paths through internships.
Coconino County Parks and Recreation is inviting you to attend presentations to learn more about the proposed Coconino County Fair fee updates.
The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 22 beginning at 6:00 PM through Microsoft Teams. We expect these presentations to last approximately 1 hour including the Q&A. You can learn more, RSVP to those meetings, and provide comments at coconinocountyfair.com/feeupdate. The public may also post comments and questions to the Fair’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/CoconinoCountyFair.
Parks & Recreation is hosting public meetings about the proposed Coconino County Fair fee updates. Two meetings have been scheduled for the public to hear the presentation, ask questions, and inform the Department of any concerns they may have.
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.
Significant snowfall and resulting snow loads have caused several roofs to collapse within the Flagstaff area. The City of Flagstaff and Coconino County are encouraging residents to check structures for signs of damage or stress. These signs can include:
Sagging ceiling tiles or boards, ceiling boards falling out of the ceiling grid, and/or sagging sprinkler lines and sprinkler heads
Sprinkler heads deflecting below suspended ceilings
Popping, cracking, and creaking noises
Sagging roof members, including metal decking or plywood sheathing
Bowing truss bottom chords or web members
Doors and/or windows that can no longer be opened or closed
Cracked or split wood members
Cracks in walls or masonry
Severe roof leaks
Excessive accumulation of water at nondrainage locations on low slope roofs
The Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) gives you the chance to pay less for your internet:
Up to $30 per month for broadband services purchased by eligible households and up to $75 per month for households located on Tribal lands.
One-time discount of up to $100 on purchasing a laptop, desktop computer, or tablet from participating providers if you contribute more than $10 and less than $50 toward the purchase price.
Applications are now available. Only one monthly internet service discount is allowed per household.
Super Bowl 2023: For these student reporters, it doesn’t get better than this
When sophomore Ava Nichols enrolled at NAU with a dream of becoming a sports reporter, she knew that in addition to the Final Four and annual spring training, Arizona was set to host the Super Bowl. Just the thought of being in the same state as such major sporting events made her that much more excited to move out west. She never expected, however, that she would be one of five NAZ Today students selected to cover Super Bowl Media Week. And if that wasn’t enough, she was also given a game day media pass, giving her field access to cover the game—something most career reporters can only aspire to.
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.”
The public is invited to comment on proposed Coconino County Fair admission fee changes until April 11, 2023.
The proposed recommended fees affect admission prices for adults, seniors, and active-duty military/veterans as well as the parking fee. Youth ticket prices would not change for the 2023 Fair but would change in 2024. Attendees ages 5 years and younger will not be affected by this change The Coconino County Board of Supervisors reviewed the fee changes at the regular meeting on February 6, 2023 and approved a 60-day public input process.
COCONINO COUNTY — A Coconino County delegation this week presented long-term plans for flood mitigation and forest restoration to several of Arizona’s representatives in Congress and their staff.
“Our delegation to Washington D.C. had a very productive day of meetings. Supervisors Begay and Vasquez and County Flood Control District management presented Coconino County’s immediate and long-term plans for flood mitigation and forest restoration to several of Arizona’s representatives in Congress and their staff,” county officials reported.
United Way of Northern Arizona will be administering $700,000 in American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds on behalf of the City of Flagstaff to benefit nonprofits recovering from challenges due to Covid-19.
The funds are intended to assist organizations working in Flagstaff that had an increased demand for services or suffered declines in fees or donations due to the pandemic.
There are three different categories that make up the funds:
The City of Flagstaff invites artists, individuals, community groups, schools and local businesses to apply for a Beautification in Action (BIA) grant. Applications will be accepted through March 15 at 5 p.m. Up to $4,500 is available per project.
Specific projects that beautify and revitalize the urban environment can take the form of community gardens, neighborhood paths, benches, sculptures, murals, mosaics and more. Priority will be given to community-driven efforts that provide a lasting benefit, such as building neighborhood relationships, fostering a sense of ownership and pride, inspiring playfulness, and greening the environment.
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the establishment of a new Flood Control District (District) Grant Match Fund at its meeting on January 24, 2023.
In late 2022, Congress approved $50 million in federal funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) to engineer and construct flood mitigation measures in the neighborhoods impacted by post-wildfire flooding from the Pipeline Fire.
Several local government agencies are offering grants and programs to help small business in 2023, but deadlines to apply for many of these funds are coming up soon.
The City of Flagstaff has allocated $300,000 of its American Rescue Plan Act package to help small businesses offset the fiscal challenges due to the pandemic, including staffing shortages, decreased revenues, and modification that were required due to Covid-19.
The awards, ranging from $5,000 to $20,000, can be used for a wide array of purposes, including marketing to overcome losses in revenue due to the pandemic, attracting and retaining employees, or purchasing business equipment. The business must be locally owned and operated, within the Flagstaff City limits, and have fewer than 50 full-time equivalent employees. Deadline to apply is January 31 and details can be found here.
Coconino Community College has been selected by the Women’s Foundation for the State of Arizona (WFSA) as the nonprofit partner to launch the Pathways for Single Moms Program in the state’s northern region.
This program is designed to eliminate barriers to higher education for single moms by giving them the necessary resources to secure livable wages and forge a career path. Taking a holistic approach, the program helps women navigate life’s challenges by supporting the successful completion of a certificate program in growing fields. The tuition-free certificate prepares these women for careers in growing industries that pay a thriving wage, thus confronting the cycle of poverty in their families.
Pathways for Single Moms was launched in 2020 in Southern Arizona, and, due to its success, has expanded to cover central Arizona and now the northern region of the state. Coconino Community College has a goal of supporting 30 to 40 women in the duration of the program. There will be 11 career tracks, determined to pay living wages for mothers to choose from.
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.
Flagstaff property owners, businesses and citizens are invited to a free lunch-n-learn event at City Hall (211 W Aspen Ave) on Jan. 31 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The City has access to money that can be used for revitalizing properties at no cost to owners.
Two-hundred thousand dollars in funding remains from a grant awarded to the City by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of a property revitalization program. Money is available to property owners on a first come, first served basis until Sept. 30, 2023.
APS and Chicano por la CAUSA will present Utility Assistance Event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 4 at 201 E. Birch Ave., Suite 7, Flagstaff
APS UTILITY ASSISTANCE IS AN INCOME BASED PROGRAM AND REQUIRES THE FOLLOWING ELIGIBILITY DOCUMENTS
Since 2007, over 600 local residents have enrolled in Coconino County’s Building Businesses & Entrepreneurs (BBE) business plan development training. Now we’ve added BBE Support Services Group (BBESSG) presentations, plus new cash assistance and referral incentives each worth up to $500. It’s been said 70% of the U.S. population has dreamed of starting a business but only 10% do, mostly for lack of know-how and capital. BBE training is for those starting and/or expanding a home-based or other micro-business (five or less employees).
• See current job openings
• Lean how to create a resume and cover letter and use Microsoft Teams for interviews
• Speak with members of city departments to see what they’re looking for in applicants
• Sign up for personalized resume and cover letter to help or a mock interview
FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff’s Community Development Division is hosting a public open house on Thursday, Oct. 19 from 4 – 6 p.m. at City Hall (211 W Aspen Avenue) in the first-floor Council Conference Room. During the open house, City staff will discuss several proposed Zoning and City Code amendments and take feedback. This event is in-person only. Interested individuals who are unable to attend the meeting can view all information on the proposed text amendments online at flagstaff.az.gov/3000/Amendments.
Coconino County’s Fall 2023 BBE business plan development Zoom-based hybrid training will run 6-9pm, Tuesday evenings, September 19th through November 14th. To enroll in this training, please reply attaching a fully completed BBE application and all other required supporting information. The purpose of this training is to assist development of viable business plans leading to enterprise success. Lack of planning is one of two main reasons for business failure. BBE training is available to confirmed Coconino County residents. Attached are a fillable-PDF BBE application flyers for BBE and our match-saving grant opportunity.
Join us on Wednesday, Dec. 13 for a morning Holiday Mixer at the ECoNA office in downtown Flagstaff.
Enjoy beverages from Noble Ground Coffee and cinnamon rolls from Honey Pie Bakery as we celebrate the successes of 2023 and the joy of this special season.
We look forward to seeing you! Please RSVP by Friday, Dec. 8.
WHAT: ECoNA Holiday Mixer
WHEN: Wednesday, Dec. 13, 8 – 10 am
WHERE: 201 E. Birch Ave., Suite 12, Flagstaff
Please RSVP via email HERE.
The $1.7 trillion Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Bill was passed by Congress today, expected to be signed by President Biden tomorrow.
Congress acted today to approve the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, which includes funding for federal programs that support post-wildfire watershed restoration and flood mitigation. The legislation includes an overall $925 million for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWPP). The Coconino County Flood Control District (District) has two approved projects on the EWPP Project Waitlist totaling $50 million. The projects will provide flood mitigation in six neighborhoods within the Schultz/Pipeline Flood Area. The District will be considering in the near future the acceptance of these grants including ways to allocate the $12.5 million in required local matching funds.
“Tickets alone don’t make theatre in Flagstaff happen,” said Stan Sutherland, Theatrikos Board President. Theatrikos relies on patron contributions to succeed. Now’s the time of year to make a donation.”
In this edition…
Message from Jeronimo
Short-Term Flood Mitigation Projects
Snow Preparation
District 2 Highlights & Special Spotlights
Year in Review
Service Positions Open in District 2
Services and Programs
And more!
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.
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.
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.”
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.
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!
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!
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:
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.
You can support the Festival of Science’s Educational Inititatives on Giving Tuesday. A gift of $25 or more will get us to our $1,000 match and our $5,000 goal!
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!
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.
In this edition…
• Message from Jeronimo
• Short-Term Flood Mitigation Projects
• District 2 Highlights
• Service Positions Open in District 2
ª Services and Programs
ª And more!
Message from Jeronimo
Photo: Jeronimo Vasquez and father Dr. Miguel Vasquez.
Hello Everyone! Happy November! I wanted to give a special
thank you to everyone who came to the community barbeque
and all those who supported the event. I am glad we were able
to come together and spend time as a community. We have
gone through many obstacles this year and it is important to
unite and recognize all we have been through. We have been
able to overcome and remain resilient. We are a community
and together we are stronger. I am here for you all, so please
remember to email me with any concerns you may have that
we can get working on!
Join us for an Open House and Holiday Celebration at the ECoNA office in the Historic Ice House in downtown Flagstaff.
Check out the new conference room, warm up at the hot cocoa bar, and celebrate the accomplishments of 2022!
Plus, update your headshot for the New Year. We’ll have a photographer on site taking photos on a first come, first serve basis, so wear your business best.
Coconino County Superintendent of Schools Cheryl Mango-Paget is pleased to announce that the Coconino County Education Service Agency (CCESA) in partnership with Yavapai County Education Service Agency (YCESA), was awarded six grants totaling more than $8.3 million from the Arizona Department of Education.
The six grants awarded in Coconino and Yavapai counties support elementary and secondary schools’ programs and services benefiting children, families, and the teaching community in Coconino County. The grant funding will enhance K-5 literacy programs; early childhood STEM education and literacy development; mental wellness in K-12 schools; retention of educators through the development of mentorship programs; and further development of the “Grow Your Own Pathways” program to support non-certified staff and high school students in their pursuit of careers in education.
As I write this letter, we have just recently finished celebrating another Hispanic Heritage Month
Of course, in our world, we celebrate and promote Hispanic culture every month of the year––and this issue of the Consular Newsletter will give you many reasons to celebrate.
One big reason to celebrate is the announcement that Mónica S. Villalobos, president and CEO of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, will receive the prestigious Ohtli Award at the Ambassadors‘ Ball on Nov. 19 in Phoenix (p.8).
In a new, first-of-its-kind partnership, Northern Arizona University will partner with all ten community college districts across the state and the Arizona Commerce Authority (ACA) to launch the Arizona Attainment Alliance (A++). This collaboration aims to harness the collective impact of distinct institutions based on a shared desire to dramatically boost Arizona’s postsecondary attainment rate. A++ represents a new kind of student-centered postsecondary ecosystem, one based on collaboration across shared interests and priorities and the optimization of complementary assets in service to Arizonans.
The City of Flagstaff is proposing amendments to the City Code to adopt new or increased fees related to stormwater service charges.
Several events since the most recent rate adjustment have combined to make the current stormwater rate insufficient to meet current and future community needs. These events include post-wildfire flood mitigation needs, critical infrastructure upsizing needs in multiple drainage areas, deferred Capital Improvement Projects identified in the 2010 Northeast Area Master Drainage Study, and rapidly increasing materials and construction costs worldwide.
You just graduated from high school in Coconino County, and you’ve been thinking about college or career training. You know you like working with computers, but you’re unsure of the next move.
CCC’s participation in a new career-orienting service, called Pipeline AZ, can help.
Juanita Tarango, Director of Student Success at CCC, said Pipeline AZ is a statewide effort to help students figure out their professional futures.
“If a student doesn’t know where to start, Pipeline AZ will provide that assistance and give them ideas on what fields they may want to go into,” Tarango said. “It’s truly a pipeline to getting the job they want. It’s a virtual one-stop shop for students.”
Northern Arizona University will hold a Community Open House on Thursday, October 6 to discuss the development of its Smart, Sustainable, Comprehensive Campus Master Plan, which will provide a framework for land use, open space and facility development at NAU.
NAU is asking that you register for the session, which will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at the High Country Conference Center.
The master plan will emphasize “smart campus” capabilities to drive new efficiencies, reduce carbon emissions, and effectively manage resources. NAU is working with DLR Group, a nationally recognized design firm, in developing the master plan.
Step Up for Our Community and be part of the movement that is continuing to make positive, lasting changes in Coconino, Navajo and Apache counties by donating today to the United Way of Northern Arizona.
Together we can:
Improve early childhood development through education initiatives like KinderCamp™ and the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.
Encourage positive youth development to ensure strong and resilient teens.
Help our neighbors in times of emergency by providing basic needs for safety and security.
United Way of Northern Arizona is in the process of developing a plan to bolster our work in northeastern Arizona and support our nonprofit partners in Navajo and Apache counties.
The strategic plan being developed is similar to a process we went through several years ago in the greater Flagstaff region, which allowed us to refocus our efforts on the most critical needs in Coconino County.
A special Task Force has been assembled for this project and is being led by Eric Scott, Human Resource and Risk Manager for Navajo County and a member of the UWNA Board.
People of all ages, adorned in cowboy boots, belt buckles and jeans filled the high-commotion area of the barns at this year’s Coconino County fair. The sounds of hair buzzers and vacuums fill the hot, dusty summer air as young people parade their animals in a counter clockwise direction at the best in show event.
Coconino Community College student Andrea Yazzie is at the county fair in hopes of selling Jeff, her prized sheep. Jeff is well proportioned, buzzed down to the skin with the exception of natural wool leg warmers, which were extra fluffed and ready for show.
“Over the summer, I sold two steers and one goat to help pay for my tuition,” Andrea said, adding that she hoped Jeff could sell for about $10 a pound at the fair auction which would go towards additional living expenses while she attends classes at CCC at the Page Center.
The City of Flagstaff would like to makemembers of the public aware of educational resources availablefor Propositions 441 and 442. Resources can be found at theCity’s official website for the 2022 bonds -flagstaffbonds2022.com.
The Literacy Center has recently received a generous grant to start offering childcare to our learners. We hope that it will allow more learners (especially adult learners with kids) to come to our classes.
Currently, we are creating an enriching and fun space for kids at the center, and we are looking for donations to supplement the grant. We are looking for lightly used children’s books, toys, and other childcare supplies. In addition, we hope to install carpet, and we are looking for material and labor donations for that. We are also accepting donations through our Amazon Wish List that you can find here:
https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/1AV3YV9LGK09T?ref_=wl_share
We hope that our wonderful Flagstaff community will help us make the childcare room as inviting and safe as possible for our learners and their children.
Thank you for considering our request!
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Students moved into their residence halls, attended their first concert, showed up for the annual NAU Letters tradition and yesterday attend their first classes of the academic year—and first college classes ever for the Class of 2026. Relive the excitement of NAU move-in (while dodging monsoons), the welcome back concert and the Letters in this slide show.
It’s time to start providing input into the City of Flagstaff and Coconino County’s Planning Process.
The Regional Plan is a policy guide and serves as the general plan for the City of Flagstaff and an amendment to the Coconino County Comprehensive Plan. It reflects the community’s vision for the future, and describes how the community wants to grow and change over the next 20+ years. The current Regional Plan was adopted in 2014 and this new update will guide future growth and development in our region.
The Coconino National Forest is seeking public input on proposed fee implementation at six specific high-use recreation sites to provide consistent maintenance and keep these sites and trails at a level of quality visitors have come to expect. The deadline for comment is Aug. 31, 2022.
The following sites are under consideration for the fee implementation. Red Rock Passes and the Interagency America the Beautiful pass will continue to be honored at these sites.
If it hadn’t been for the caring of a gifted teacher, Dr. Nat White might not have gone to graduate school and ended up an astronomer at Lowell Observatory.
He hadn’t been known for good grades during his educational journey, but his astronomy teacher, after watching White fix a telescope and love doing it, got him to be considered for a graduate program, and if he did all right in his coursework, the graduate program would consider him.
“His stepping out of the box to get this waif pointed in a direction that was useful made a difference in my life,” Dr. White said, and the rest has been his history.
Becoming a homeowner in Flagstaff has never been easy, but this year the barriers have been particularly high, with the median average price of a single-family home well above $700,000 by this summer.
Combine that with hikes in mortgage rates and overall inflation pressures, and it was a triple whammy that dashed the dream of homeownership for many who live and work in northern Arizona.
Public, nonprofit, and private entities are working together to give some relief by producing starter homes through Habitat for Humanity of Northern Arizona (HFHNA) that are small-scale, affordable, and meant to create equity quickly for homeowners.
The group is currently building the first of these homes in Flagstaff’s South Side, but it is likely the effort will grow exponentially in the next five years under a plan to build at least 40 of the units at the new Timber Sky development on West Route 66.
“The escalation of home prices has closed the window for a huge amount of middle-class people,” said Eric Wolverton, Executive Director of HFHNA. “This isn’t about serving the poorest of the poor. We are looking to create workforce housing.”
