Saturday-Sunday, December 10-11
Flagstaff Snowflake Festival/ Skate at the Station, Flagstaff Visitor Center. Free skating rink in Downtown Flagstaff! 12 p.m.
Flagstaff Snow Park
Winter is coming and we know that means winter recreation! Coconino County Parks and Recreation supports safe and fun winter snow play.
For information about the Flagstaff Snow Park, visit www.flagstaffsnowpark.com. Reservations are required and tickets may be purchased on their website.
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!
Cultural Demonstrator this weekend at Grand Canyon Visitor Center
Beginning December 2 and lasting through the end of February 2023, cultural demonstrations will be held in Grand Canyon Village in the lobby of the South Rim Visitor Center. Demonstrations during the winter months will take place on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
This weekend, the Cultural Demonstration Program presents renown musician and flute maker, Aaron White. He is of two Nations, the Dine of Northern Arizona (Blacksheep Clan) and The Northern Ute tribe Whiteriver band. Award winning Artist/Singer/Songwriter, Grammy nominated musician, and recent recipient of the Native American Music Award, Aaron has been entertaining audiences for over 25 years.
Aaron will demonstrate the ancient art of reed flute making at the South Rim Visitor Center Friday, Saturday and Sunday, December 2 through 4, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Stop by and watch Aaron work and learn how reed flutes have deep ties to the history and culture of the Southwest.
Illness has struck at ECoNA and, as a result, we must regretfully postpone our Open House and Holiday Celebration, which had been scheduled for tomorrow afternoon at the ECoNA office.
We apologize for any inconvenience.
As soon as these flu-like symptoms pass, our party will be rescheduled so we can celebrate the season and this year’s accomplishments with you.
Stay Tuned
and Thank You for your patience.
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors will begin accepting applications from interested parties to fill the vacant office of Justice of the Peace in Page, Ariz.
The sudden passing of Page Justice of the Peace Donald G. Roberts before the November 8 election caused a vacancy of his judicial position. Although there were official write-in candidates in the election, a majority of voters in Page precincts re-elected Roberts posthumously to recognize his many years of service and dedication to the Page community. Per the laws of the State of Arizona, when a deceased candidate receives the highest number of votes the election is deemed not valid.
The City of Flagstaff Housing Section (the “City”) is pleased to announce the availability of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”) Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (“Local Recovery Funds”) to support Housing Assistance projects, programs, and services (“Projects”).
Applications Due: December 19, 2022 by 4:00pm
The City is seeking partners for eligible projects for the purpose of providing housing assistance to City of Flagstaff residents. The purpose of the Projects must be to respond to the negative economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic by helping households recover from economic impacts, particularly disproportionately impacted low-income workers and people of color.
All ballots in Coconino County have been counted and unofficial results have been posted on the Elections Office website at www.coconino.az.gov. The next step in the election process is for the Board of Supervisors to canvass and certify the results and transmit them to the State.
“The canvass is a culmination of all the data generated during an election cycle,” according to the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. “The canvass process aggregates and confirms every valid ballot cast and counted, including mail, uniformed and overseas citizen, early voting, Election Day, and provisional ballots.
Starting on Dec. 2, 2022, through Feb. 26, 2023, the Cultural Demonstrator Series will transition to the Grand Canyon Visitor Center (GCVC) on the South Rim. Every Friday through Sunday, artists from traditionally associated tribes of Grand Canyon will be in the lobby from 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Moving demonstrations from the Desert View Watchtower to the GCVC will increase interactions with artists and the public during months of slower visitation. After Feb. 26, 2023, the Cultural Demonstrator Series will transition back to the Desert View Watchtower.
All Coconino County Administrative Offices and the County Attorney’s Office will be closed Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25, for the Thanksgiving holiday.
While the administrative offices at the Sheriff’s Office will be closed, Dispatch, Patrol and Detention will be open. Records will be closed on Thursday and open from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. on Friday, with limited staffing. Please dial 9-1-1 for emergencies. For non-emergencies, dial (928) 774-4523 to connect with the non-emergency Dispatch number or to leave a message for one of the administrative offices.
As we prepare to celebrate the upcoming holiday weekend, there are many reasons for us to be thankful here at the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth. At the top of that list are the many friends, community partners and organizations who have supported us over the past year in our mission to “… ignite collective action that creates better lives for children and families.”
Our recent 50th anniversary celebrationemphasized the love and support this organization has received over the years as we seek to support the children and youth throughout Coconino County in the face of a variety of economic, health and social pressures facing local families.
For the more than a half-dozen years I have been with the Coalition, I’m thankful for the joy of being with a non-profit organization where each day I get to work in concert with people from all walks of life who are dedicated to serving children and families in the region. They include talented volunteer board members and executive directors and representatives from a variety of organizations who share their time and information during a number of monthly video remote, conference calls and in-person resource meetings, community health and information fairs and back-to-school events.
As of November 17, Coconino County is now in Medium CDC Community Level. This change is not unexpected. We have seen COVID spikes in the fall for the last two years, and unfortunately, this year this has happened a little earlier than in past years. As a reminder, the CDC and World Health Organization still considers us to be in a pandemic, and that it does not look to be ending anytime soon.
The DOI has set specific guidelines for us to follow based on the CDC Community Level. The primary change for Medium Community Level is to communicate the concerns of spreading COVID and areas where people gather. Therefore, we will post new signs on all building entrances that state that we are in Medium CDC Community Level, and we encourage individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to practice physical distancing from others in indoor common areas. Additionally, all building entrances should have signs stating that masks are optional and to practice physical distancing.
Finally, the best way to protect yourselves and your loved ones is to be vaccinated and boosted. If you have not received the newly developed and distributed COVID bivalent vaccine, we encourage you to do so. These vaccines have been scientifically proven to be safe and to help prevent COVID illness—and, for those that do become sick, the bivalent vaccine helps protect from serious or long-term COVID illness.
As we prepare to spend time with family and friends, sharing love and thoughts of gratitude, we wanted to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving and let you know how grateful we are for all of you.
We also are looking forward to seeing you next week at our Holiday Open House from 3 – 5 pm on Thursday, December 1. If you haven’t had a chance to RSVP yet, click here for more information and to register.
Until then, we wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving.
Gail Jackson
President & CEO
ECoNA
The Coconino County Attorney’s Office, in partnership with Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS), is pleased to announce the awarding of $2.1 million by the Arizona Criminal Justice Commission as part of the Rural County Alternative Prosecution and Diversion Grant Program. This funding will be used to support Phase I of a data-driven intervention project which will focus on reducing the occurrence of criminal behavior while also combatting recidivism in our community.
As part of Phase I, our partnership will begin collecting and processing data to identify social determinates of criminogenic behavior across several communities within Coconino County, with a focus on Health as a determining factor.
The National Park Service (NPS) is seeking public comment on a Wetland Statement of Findings for the Transcanyon Water Distribution Pipeline project. Public comments on the proposed action will be accepted Nov. 21 until midnight, Dec. 23, 2022.
The proposed Transcanyon Water Distribution Pipeline project is designed to relocate the potable water intake in the park, which supplies the South Rim and Cross Canyon Corridor, from Roaring Springs to an area at Bright Angel Creek near Phantom Ranch. Additionally, the project will replace the water distribution pipeline between Phantom Ranch and Havasupai Gardens (formerly known as Indian Garden), abandon or remove over time 7.5 miles of pipeline from Phantom Ranch to Cottonwood Campground, and reuse 1.5 miles of pipeline for slip-lining a smaller waterline from Cottonwood Campground to Roaring Springs.
City administrative offices will be closed Nov. 24 and 25, 2022 for the Thanksgiving holiday and will reopen on Nov. 28, 2022. Operating hours for other City of Flagstaff facilities are listed below.
The U.S. Board of Geographic Names voted unanimously (19-0) earlier this month in favor of the formal request submitted by the National Park Service on behalf of the Havasupai Tribe to change the name of Indian Garden (FID #6209) to Havasupai Gardens.
Earlier this year, the Havasupai Tribe passed Resolution 29-21 which provided a formal request to the National Park Service to change the name. Havasupai Gardens is along the Bright Angel Trail and is a frequent stop for day hikers and backpackers exploring the backcountry of Grand Canyon.
Many voters in Page are aware that former Page Justice of the Peace Donald G. Roberts passed away suddenly prior to the November 8 election. Due to the timing of his death, his name had already been printed on the election ballots.
Although there were other write-in candidates that applied and were approved to run in the election, the preliminary election results indicate that a majority of voters in Page precincts voted for Judge Roberts posthumously to recognize his many years of service and commitment to the Page community.
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!
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved amendments to the County’s annual Winter Parking Ordinance at their regular meeting on Tuesday, November 15, 2022; amendments that will enable the Sheriff’s Office to enhance enforcement during the winter recreation season with the goal of increasing public safety on County roads and rights of way.
Each year during the Winter season, Coconino County becomes a recreation destination for many visitors from across Arizona, nationwide, and internationally. With numerous natural areas suited for snow play located close to County-maintained roads, rights of way, and private property, Coconino County Sheriff Jim Driscoll believes the added enforcement is necessary to ensure the public’s safety.
FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff invites you to stay and play responsibility this winter. Please view our winter recreation map here or below for more information.
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved receipt of a Department of Justice grant in the amount of $250,000 to create a Family Treatment Court program in the County.
This specialized court, operated through the County’s Juvenile Court, is a voluntary court-supervised program for parents with an open dependency case in which the state Department of Child Services (DCS) has removed the children from the household. In Coconino County, it is estimated that 85% of family court cases involve a substance abuse allegation, requiring DCS to intervene.
This federal pass-through grant enables the County to provide substance abuse treatment support and fill a Peer Recovery Support Specialist position to provide lived-experience consultation to program participants.
“I want to thank our family court. This is another example of how Coconino County keeps families together for the well-being of the whole community,” said District 5 Supervisor Lena Fowler.
Each year, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors directs the establishment of legislative agendas and priorities to advocate with our state and federal legislators and administration partners.
State and federal action can affect the County’s ability to develop and deliver services and resources needed in communities across Coconino County, in addition to removing obstacles to delivering those services.
“These legislative agendas and priorities represent a robust County advocacy program at both the state and federal levels with particular focus on securing post-wildfire flood mitigation funding, enhancing the pace and scale of the forest restoration industry, and ensuring adequate resources to assist communities with disaster recovery,” said Board of Supervisors Chair and District 1 Supervisor Patrice Horstman.
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.
Ahead of the upcoming holiday season, Flagstaff Pulliam Airport reminds travelers to arrive 90 minutes before departure to ensure a seamless experience during this busy travel period. New airline regulations do not allow passengers to check in or check bags less than 45 minutes before domestic departures or one hour for international travelers.
“New regulations require strict cut off times for checked baggage to run required reports regarding aircraft weight prior to take off,” said Barney Helmick, Flagstaff Pulliam Airport Director. “Flying out of Flagstaff is a seamless option for your holiday travel and we thank folks for flying Flagstaff.”
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors unanimously enacted a proclamation on November 15, 2022, officially recognizing the United Way of Northern Arizona as an essential non-profit partner and lending the County’s support to the organization’s annual Fall Giving Campaign.
The United Way of Northern Arizona has been a long-time non-profit partner with Coconino County, coordinating volunteer efforts during and after emergencies, as well as providing financial and other assistance to members of the community in need.
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.
The Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth has a long history of utilizing evidenced based and informed prevention strategies. From the 50 year longitudinal study in Kauai that informed resilience research to what is known about the effects of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), CCC&Y has been committed to understanding and sharing this information with the community.
Our 2020 assessment combines national and local data. It sets the stage for a unique road map for using trauma-informed and adverse childhood experience knowledge as a prevention plan. The research field contains much information about the effects of childhood experience on later outcomes, but this report uniquely uses that knowledge, especially what is known about developing resiliency, and puts it to use in the prevention field.
Click here for more information about the prevention frameworks CCC&Y has used; Strengthening Families Protective Factors, Self-Healing Communities, and the Search Institute’s 40 Developmental Assets
Breakfast with Santa, Little America. Select days throughout November and December. 7-11 a.m.
Memories of 2022
Coconino County Parks and Recreation supports the community year-round. Have you enjoyed Coconino County arks and natural areas this year? Did you attend a program, like one of the archery clinics or a standup paddleboard class? Did you enjoy events like Pickin’ in the Pines or the Coconino County Fair? Have you enjoyed hiking, wildlife watching, or other recreational activities? We would love to see your memories! Submit your favorite Coconino County parks and natural areas photos for a chance to be featured in our newsletter and social media! Email your photos to cdonaldson@coconino.az.gov.
Whether you enjoyed the summer sun, captured wildlife sightings, watched the autumn leaves, or attended a program or event, we want to celebrate memories of Coconino County Parks and Recreation!
Coconino County’s Administrative Offices at 219 E. Cherry Ave. and the County Attorney’s Office at 110 E. Cherry Ave. will be closed in observance of the Veterans Day holiday Friday, November 11, 2022. Offices will return to regular operation on Monday.
By an official, unanimous proclamation of the Coconino County Board of Supervisors, 15 buildings and facilities throughout Coconino County will be illuminated with green lights from November 7 through 13 as part of Operation Green Light. The buildings will include the County Courthouse Clock Tower and Administrative buildings in downtown Flagstaff, the Justice Center in Williams, the Public Library in Tuba City, the Justice Court in Fredonia, and many more.
Operation Green Light is a new national initiative of the National Association of Counties (NACo) to recognize U.S. military veterans, as well as raise awareness about the unique challenges faced by many veterans and the resources available at the county, state, and federal level to assist veterans and their families.
Residents and businesses are encouraged to participate by simply changing one light bulb in their house to a green bulb. This can be an exterior light that neighbors and passersby see, or an interior light that sparks a conversation with friends.
Honoring our NPS Veterans
Through legislation passed 68 years ago on June 1, 1954, November 11 became Veterans Day—a day to honor American veterans of all wars.
At Grand Canyon, we deeply appreciate our veterans for their military service and their continued service as NPS employees. We are thankful for their sense of comradery, mission focus, and can-do attitude, and we are proud to work beside every veteran on our team. Grand Canyon National Park employs 65 veterans with a combined 294 years of creditable military service.
Many of our veterans have seen multiple deployments and have made countless sacrifices throughout their military service.
Sunday-Monday, November 13-14
Breakfast with Santa, Little America. Select days throughout November and December. Book your tickets today. 7-11 a.m.
The annual Stuff the Bus event returns to Flagstaff on Saturday and Sunday, November 12 and 13, 2022. This collection event has long been a partnership between the City of Flagstaff, Coconino County, and the Mountain Line Transit System.
“The Mountain Line team looks forward to this event each year, and we are honored to work with our partners to fill a bus with good to help our neighbors in need,” said Mountain Line CEO & General Manager Heather Dalmolin.
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).
The Coconino County Recorder’s Office will have three emergency early voting locations open on Monday, November 7. Voters that have an unforeseen emergency that will keep them from going to their polling place or a vote center on Election Day, November 8, qualify to vote at one of the county’s four emergency early voting locations.
Voters taking advantage of emergency early voting do not need to disclose the specifics of their emergency but will be required to sign an emergency early voting affidavit.
The City of Flagstaff and Coconino County would like to provide information on when election results will be available following the November 8 election.
The first batch of results will be released by Coconino County on Election Day after 8 p.m. These results will reflect early ballots processed and counted by Election Day. Following this first release of results, additional results are uploaded periodically through the night as Election Day ballots are delivered for counting.
The search for the next head of United Way of Northern Arizona is entering its final stage, with the Board of Directors opening up the application process to replace current President & CEO Carol Dykes.
The Board has spent the past few months meeting and surveying key community stakeholders to gain their insights about the future direction of UWNA and the qualities they would like to see in the next head of the organization.
“We felt that input was vital, because – let’s face it – Carol will not be easy to replace,” said Board Vice Chair Armando Ruiz (Coconino County).
Ruiz was appointed by Board Chair Mike Kelly (W.L. Gore & Associates) to head up the Search Committee.
Flagstaff Mayor Paul Deasy proclaimed November 2022 as Native American heritage Month and encourages members of the community to learn about an appreciate the history, heritage and contributions of Native American and Indigenous peoples of this great land.
At a special session of the Coconino County Board of Supervisors on November 1, the Board approved a proclamation recognizing the month of November as Native American Heritage Month and highlighted several issues that impact our Native communities.
“This month we pause to celebrate and honor remarkable Native Americans who contribute to our communities,” stated District 4 Supervisor Judy Begay. “We should all rejoice in our diverse culture and celebrate the accomplishments, contributions, and sacrifices made by Native people throughout our history.”
he Coconino County Recorder’s Office reminds early voters that voted early ballots must be received no later than 7:00 pm on Election Day, November 8. The recommended deadline to mail your voted early ballot has passed. Instead, early voters should drop their ballots off in person.
As of Tuesday, November 1, only 38% of the early ballots issued for the General Election have been received by the Recorder’s Office.
Football: Montana State vs NAU, NAU Walkup Skydome. Northern Arizona University plays Montana State. 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 5
Thank you supporters of the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth who attended our 50th anniversary celebration on Oct. 27, 2022 at the High Country Conference Center. We had representation of more than 20 organizations, and of course, and more than 200 guests who came out for a gala date night.
The event was highlighted by the presentation of a special “Caring for Children Lifetime Achievement Award” to local educator Julianne E. Hartzell.
“I just adore Julianne and I’m so excited to honor her in this way,” said Virginia Watahomigie, executive director of CCC&Y. “She has been so very giving with her time, not just to me personally but to the organization as a whole.
“The contributions Julianne has made, and continues to make, have had tremendous impact on the organization and the wider community. We are very fortunate to benefit from her knowledge and giving nature.”
The City of Flagstaff is happy to announce that the Schultz Creek Sediment and Flood Mitigation Detention Basins are complete and functional. The basins were completed incredibly quickly, with the project being designed, planned, bid and constructed in less than three months, including significant rain delays.
The dedication and hard work of the City’s Stormwater and Public Works divisions, as well as the expertise of Shephard Wesnitzner, Inc, and the commitment of Fann Contracting made such a swift delivery possible. The project was delivered with $2.4M in funding from the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Emergency Watershed Protection Program and a match of over $700,000 from the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management.
With snow forecast for northern Arizona in the coming days, the City of Flagstaff would like to provide information regarding snow operations. The City’s Public Works Division will deploy all available equipment and operators during winter snow events, with operations running 24 hours a day during significant events.
Coconino County Public Works crews are prepared to keep County roads open and passable during the first snowstorm of the 2022-2023 winter season, which is forecast to hit Northern Arizona this week.
According to the National Weather Service, rain and snow showers are expected across northern Arizona starting Wednesday night and lasting into Friday, with the heaviest expected Thursday morning/afternoon. Minor accumulations are expected down to about 5000 feet with around 4 to 6 inches expected above 6500 feet.
Key Messages-Week of October 31, 2022 Sign up for the Weekly Wrap Up Here COVID Updates Arizona and Local Statistics As of October 27, the CDC Community Level for Coconino County continues to be Low. In Arizona, 13 counties are in Low…
FLAGSTAFF — On October 25, the Coconino County Flood Control District (District) Directors approved investing up to $11.5 million in a set of smaller scale flood mitigation projects in the Schultz/Pipeline Flood area. These projects will restore the capacity of some of the existing flood mitigation measures in the area and reduce flood impacts to the Doney Park area through construction of a series of berms near Landfill Road.
The District Directors received an in-depth presentation regarding the District’s short-term on-forest and neighborhood mitigation projects and staff requested a budget adjustment in the amount of $10.5 million to cover the costs. The funding will come through a loan from the County’s General Fund. After the presentation and clarifying questions from Board members, the budget adjustment was approved unanimously by those present.
Tamale Sale-GRCA School
Fundraising efforts for 8th grade class underway
The fundraising for the 8th grade trip to Washington D.C. has officially begun!
The vision of the Washington, D.C. field trip is to engage students as citizens in American Democracy. The mission is to provide 8th grade students at Grand Canyon School an opportunity to capstone their 8th grade civics curriculum by engaging with locations that exhibit how people of the past and present change the world through the processes in American Democracy.
For more information, please see the attached flyer here.
Earlier this month, ECoNA’s Advisory Council heard a presentation from Joe Russell, Legislative Assistant to Senator Mark Kelly, about the implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act, which was signed into law this past August.
For more than a year, Sen. Kelly had championed the underlying pieces of legislation that formed the act, and served as the Arizona representative on the conference committee to reconcile the Senate and House versions of the bill.
The Act includes a $52 billion plan to boost domestic microchip manufacturing; a four-year, 25% investment tax credit to provide long-term incentives for semiconductor manufacturers and suppliers to construct or expand facilities in the United States; and $13.2 billion for research and development and workforce development.
Coconino County’s annual Winter Parking Ordinance goes into effect on November 1, 2022. The ordinance, which will remain in place until April 1, 2023, prohibits vehicles from parking along county-maintained right of way at all times both to facilitate safer snow removal operations and to help mitigate dangerous snow related traffic congestion and parking issues.
Coconino County Elections Vote Centers and polling locations provide accessible voting devices for voters that need visual, hearing, or language assistance.
The accessible voting devices have a touchscreen that voters can use to mark their paper ballot. These devices must meet federal requirements and pass a State of Arizona test before each election. Election workers at polling locations have been trained to help voters with the devices.
These devices also provide language accessibility of the ballot in Spanish, Navajo, and Hopi. Coconino County has a population of just over 145,000, with approximately 27.5% Native American and 15% Hispanic (U.S. Census Bureau).
Homelessness – whether temporary or long-lasting – has become a more dire crisis in the past year.
According to the Arizona Department of Economic Security, the number of unhoused Arizonans was nearly 11,000 in early 2020. As of December 2021, that number is estimated to have increased by nearly 30 percent.
A tragic trifecta has driven up the numbers of those without housing – rapidly rising housing costs, persistent inflation for basic necessities, and the end of pandemic-era protections to keep people from being evicted.
The last day of 2022 operations for the Willard Springs Green Waste Site will be Saturday, October 29, 2022. Willard Springs will be closed throughout the upcoming winter season, which runs each year between November 1 and March 31, so that Coconino County can reopen the station for green waste-only disposal on Saturday, April 1, 2023.
The Coconino County Recorder’s Office reminds registered voters that the last day to request an early ballot to be mailed to you for the November 8 General Election is Friday, October 28 at 5:00 pm. Voters on the Active Early Voting List (AEVL) should have already received their early ballot by mail. If not, you should call the Recorder’s Office.
The ballot for the General Election is quite long because it contains several candidate races and ballot questions. “Voters may want to request an early ballot be mailed to them so they can take their time voting,” suggested County Recorder Patty Hansen.
The City of Flagstaff invites the public to drop off dried leaves and pine needles at three drop-off locations in Flagstaff on Saturday, October 29 and Sunday, October 30.
Bags of dried leaves and pine needles can be delivered to the following locations between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.:
Jay Lively Activity Center (1650 N Turquoise Dr)
Continental Park (5650 E Old Walnut Canyon Rd)
University Highlands Park (3888 S Jewel Dr)
