FLAGSTAFF — During the June 20 Council meeting, the Flagstaff City Council approved an agreement with Friedman Recycling Company for the equipment, transportation, processing, and recovery of recyclable materials. This Agreement supports new and enhanced operational and financial efficiencies in the hauling, processing, and recovery of the City’s recyclables and ensures that materials are recycled to their fullest extent possible.
The job of United Way of Northern Arizona is to bring together our community resources so we can do big and bold things that move the needle and improve life for our friends and neighbors in Coconino, Navajo, and Apache counties.
It takes the support of a whole community to make it happen. Every donation, every volunteer hour, and every bit of advocacy is important.
Our Summit Society members have an outsized impact, however, because of their unique generosity with annual gifts of $500 or more to UWNA.
Here are some of the ways that the Summit Society contributions are making a difference:
Hull Fire grows to 1,102 acres between Kaibab National Forest and Grand Canyon
Crews continue to work on the lightning-caused Hull Fire on the Tusayan Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest as well as within Grand Canyon.
The Hull Fire, located near Lower Hull Tank along the Kaibab National Forest and Grand Canyon National Park boundary just northeast of the Grand View Lookout and east of Grandview Point, is currently at 1,102 acres burning in ponderosa pine forest, it is spreading north, and is being co-managed with Grand Canyon National Park (approximately 300 acres are burning within the park).
More than a market, the Heritage Festival is an unparalleled opportunity to experience the diverse Indigenous cultures of the Colorado Plateau region. 10 a.m.
GRAND CANYON, Ariz.— The National Park Service (NPS) is beginning civic engagement to seek public input on proposed improvements to the water system at the North Rim and inner canyon in Grand Canyon National Park. Public comments will be accepted from June 22 until midnight, July 5, 2023, and used to refine the project proposal.
The water system improvements are part of a proposed Great American Outdoors Act (GAOA) Legacy Restoration Fund project called Rehabilitate the North Rim and Roaring Springs Utility Systems.
TUBA CITY — Nearly 200 family members and individuals representing a number of community non-profit organizations took part in the return of the AZ Health Zone’s Family Fun Day held Thursday, June 15 at Louise Yellowman County Park, Tuba City.
The program, which was last held in 2019 prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, included food demonstrations, a variety off interactive education booths, games, a bouncy house and free summer lunches for children.
Some of the groups providing information at the event included Coconino County Health & Human Services’ AZ Health Zone, the Navajo Nation Indian Community Health Representative, various representatives from the Tuba City Regional Health Care Corp. and Coconino County’s Rec on Wheels program.
NOW FEATURING:
Nancy Bihler, Patricia Bohannon, Khrystyna Kozyuk, & Susan Moody
Our Gallery showcases the largest selection in Sedona of artwork by local artists. If you are seeking a rare piece of fine art, a gift of exquisite jewelry, appreciate stunning photography, or looking for a lovely keepsake from your visit to Sedona, the Arts Center has it all and more. The Arts Center is a 501(c)3 organization that offers all purchases without sales tax – almost a 10% savings.
UPCOMING CLASSES & WORKSHOPS
Taking Classes and Workshops on our campus in Uptown Sedona affords the opportunity not only to explore the arts, but also to meet new people and immerse yourself in the Sedona arts community. Ongoing Class instruction is available and donors at the $60 Friend level and above receive a 10% discount on Classes (does not apply to Workshops.) Click here to see all of our classes and workshops
Come celebrate Juneteenth with a variety of events in Flagstaff.
The Juneteenth celebration commemorates the day Texas slaves learned of the Emancipation Proclamation, granting them freedom. Juneteenth today, celebrates African American freedom and achievement, while encouraging continuous self-development and respect for all cultures.
Events begin with the 2nd Annual Southside Community Association’s “Lived Black Experience Project” Juneteenth Community Awards at 5 p.m. Friday, June 16, 2023 at the Doubletree by Hilton, 1175 W. Route 66, Flagstaff. Ticket sales have ended.
The annual Celebrate Juneteenth event with music performances, food, games and vendors will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, June 17 at the Flagstaff Murdoch Center, 203 E. Brannen Ave., Flagstaff.
Summer’s here and it’s the perfect time to make a difference in the lives of your friends and neighbors by becoming a volunteer.
Donating your time and work to our local nonprofits helps these organizations fulfill their shared mission of improving our communities.
If you’d like to volunteer but don’t know where to start, we have something that might help. It’s a 2023 Guide to Volunteering in Northern Arizona, featuring dozens of opportunities currently available with our nonprofit partners in Coconino, Yavapai and Apache counties.
COCONINO COUNTY — At their regular meeting on Tuesday, June 13, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors (Board) voted unanimously to officially recognize and celebrate Juneteenth in Coconino County.
Juneteenth, celebrated annually on June 19, is the oldest known celebration commemorating the end of slavery. On this date in 1865, Union soldiers landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the upwards of 250,000 Black Americans still enslaved in the state were free by executive decree. Since then, Juneteenth has marked the celebration of Black American freedom and the subsequent achievements within the culture while encouraging continuous opportunities and access to equitable advancement, education, and progress for all.
Pride in the Pines, Thorpe Park
Family friendly Pride Festival of Flagstaff, honoring acceptance, diversity, community, and Fun. We will also have our 1st Annual Flagstaff Pride Parade! Parade, 9 a.m., Pride, 11 a.m.
COCONINO COUNTY — Coconino County Clerk of the Superior Court and Jury Commissioner Valerie Wyant has recently received reports from concerned residents regarding phone scams where they were contacted by an individual impersonating the Jury Commissioner and asking for personal information in an aggressive manner.
This person has been reported as using aggressive and threatening language, attempting to confirm personal information (addresses, phone numbers, date of birth, and email addresses), and informing citizens a warrant has been issued for their arrest.
As temperatures heat up, it’s important for businesses to explore ways to save on their energy bills. Fortunately, APS offers a whole suite of services and programs to help businesses manage energy usage.
“Small business owners are still trying to catch up from the pandemic and now they’re dealing with inflation,” said Trevor Swanson, Energy Innovation Advisor for APS. “Whether it’s an energy assessment, rebate or special program, there are countless ways for small businesses to save on their monthly energy bills.”
2023 Star Party
The annual Grand Canyon Star Party will conclude this Saturday, June 17. On the South Rim, events include a nightly presentation from a special guest speaker at 8 p.m. in the plaza of the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, followed by telescope viewing behind the building. Green-laser constellation tours will be offered nightly at 9, 9:30 and 10 p.m..
The list of speakers can be found on our Grand Canyon Star Party webpage, in the attached flyer, and also in the NPS Mobile App.
During Star Party week, the Education Staff is conducting family hikes during twilight (Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, June 14 through 16) to celebrate Grand Canyon’s dark skies!
Kids of all ages and their families are invited to join a ranger to experience and explore nightfall during a 45-minute walk. Meet outside Shrine of the Ages Auditorium (Parking Lot A) a 7:30 p.m. More information, including a flyer can be found here.
FLAGSTAFF — Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) celebrated the completion of Mental Health Month with the annual “Walk for Wellness!” held Saturday, June 10 at Buffalo Park.
Some of the groups presenting information at the event included the AZ Health Zone, the Arizona Dept. of Economic Security — Arizona Early Intervention Program, CCHHS’ Prescription Drug Overdose Prevention Program, First Things First, the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth, Girl Scouts arizona cactus-pine and Native Americans for Community Action (NACA).
Celebrating Juneteenth
Last year, 158 years after Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, which freed all enslaved people, President Joe Biden deemed that day a national holiday, allowing the freedom of all U.S. citizens to officially be celebrated. This weekend, join in on a variety of events that honor the past, present and the hope for a more inclusive future.
In the wake of City Council’s June 6 decision to approve the Northern Arizona Healthcare (NAH) request for rezoning 98 acres to allow for a new hospital north of Ft. Tuthill, F3 has decided to support the work of the Flagstaff Community First (FCF) PAC to gather signatures for a referendum to allow Flagstaff residents to vote on this decision. A referendum is a way for voters to override a legislative decision at the state or city level and is a critically important part of the democratic process.
After a three-year pandemic induced absence, 5 Lesbians marks the return of Theatrikos’ smaller scale, grittier Studio Series shows.
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — The public is invited to celebrate Juneteenth on June 19 at Grand Canyon National Park. This day of events, including special programming, food and live music is sponsored by the National Park Service and Grand Canyon Conservancy.
On June 19, 1865, Major General Gordon Granger read his general orders to the people of Texas, recognizing and enforcing the end of slavery. June 19, or Juneteenth, is a day set aside to commemorate the freedom of African Americans from the bonds of slavery in the United States.
Beginning on June 13, the City of Flagstaff will begin sealing recently paved roadway segments at various locations throughout the community. The project will chip seal roadways including High Country Trail, Blackbird Roost, Riordan Road, Grandview Drive, Walgreens Street, McCracken Circle, Steve’s Blvd, Gemini Road, Latrobe Circle, La Costa Lane, La Quinta Way, and Harris Way and is anticipated to conclude by June 20, weather permitting.
The public should anticipate traffic impacts near these locations for the duration of the work, including temporary traffic restrictions, noise, and dust. The City will attempt to maintain access to businesses and residences.
Free meals for kids and teens!
Meals served all summer long!
Meals for ages 1-18
No proof of residency or income required
All Together Now! Earn prizes this summer with the Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library by reading, completing fun missions and attending awesome events!
Updates from the North Rim
Friday, June 2 kicked off the opening of the 2023 season on the North Rim with water conservation measures in place. With emergency funding assistance, water hauling operations began on June 4 and the North Rim water tanks are slowly refilling to meet visitor and residential demand. Construction contractors arrived on the North Rim this week and have begun the preliminary stages of rebuilding the broken section of pipeline, with work slated to continue through the coming weeks.
Fee staff are anticipating a full campground for the campground’s opening weekend beginning Friday, June 9. Trail crew staff continue to repair sections of the North Kaibab Trail and have cleared areas of major rockfall in the vicinity of Supai Tunnel. Project work continues with the North Kaibab Trail opening for hiker traffic beginning on Friday, June 16. Following this date, trail crew will continue working on the trail and hikers may encounter intermittent trail closures of up to 30 minutes.
Thank you to all staff, contractors, and concessions employees who have and continue to work tirelessly to reopen the North Rim to the public and provide quality visitor services during these extenuating circumstances.
The Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) on June 7 awarded nearly $20 million in grants to local governments from the newly-created Homeless Shelter and Services (HSS) Fund to provide shelter and other services to people experiencing homelessness. The new budget signed by Governor Hobbs included $60 million for the new fund with $20 million to be allocated immediately before June 30th.
“I’m proud of the immediate relief our bipartisan budget is delivering to the people of Arizona,” said Governor Katie Hobbs. “With the Homeless Shelter and Services Fund and the historic $150 million deposit into Arizona’s Housing Trust Fund, we are making real progress toward ensuring affordable housing for every Arizonan.”
The League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) issued the following statement for National Pride Month 2023, celebrated annually in June.
The League of United Latin American Citizens is observing Pride Month by challenging all state legislative bodies in the United States and U.S. territories to protect and defend the rights of LGBTQIA+ citizens. In our 94-year history, LULAC has always championed advancing rights for every American. We have been a party to many historic judicial cases that have expanded the rights of the minority and locked arms with other communities for the greater good.
NOTE NEW DATES for 2023: We are counting down the days to one of the biggest events of the year – the Heritage Festival of Art and Culture. This year the festival will be on June 24 and 25. We moved the date in response to artists and attendees who overwhelmingly agreed that moving away from the busy 4th of July weekend would be better for everyone.
I am so excited that this festival brings together Indigenous artists from across the Colorado Plateau, the only such festival that I know of. These artists will all share and celebrate their cultures from under the shade of tents among the tall pines surrounding the museum. What a beautiful setting! In addition to over 100 artists from 10 different tribes, highlights include flute workshops with Aaron White, a presentation by fashion designer Patricia Michaels, as well as performances by the Zuni Water Striders, Dilzehe’e, Apache Singers, and Yoyhoyam Hopi Youth Dancers. I am looking forward to an exciting an inspiring weekend! I hope to see you at the Heritage Festival, and at the museum.
Thursday-Saturday, June 8-10
Flagstaff Pro Rodeo, Fort Tuthill County Park
Slide on your cow-boy or girl boots and giddy on up to the Flagstaff rodeo this June for a hoot and holler of a time. 5 p.m.
Learn More
Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Ed Keable announced the National Park Service’s selection of 16 companies to provide guided interpretive multi-day whitewater trips on the Colorado River in the park. These trips last from three to eighteen days, starting at Lees Ferry in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, continuing through Grand Canyon National Park, and ending at Pearce Ferry within Lake Mead National Recreation Area.
The contracts have been sent to the selectees for signature and once signed, will be transmitted to Congress for a 60-day notice period as stipulated by law. After this period, the National Park Service will sign and award the contracts.
Members of the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth’s Trauma-Informed System Change grant program met recently to discuss the next steps in developing a mental model change ensuring trauma-informed and resilience information is understood at the City of Flagstaff and Coconino County levels and enacted as policy change.
The goal of the program is to improve patient engagement, treatment adherence, health outcomes and provider and staff wellness.
CCC&Y will be working with city and county officials to develop, implement and institutionalize the System Change over the next three years as part of its $175,000 Vitalyst Health Foundation’s System Change Grant. The Coalition was one of four one of four organizations in Arizona to be selected for the grant this year.
A workgroup has begun planning on the rollout of the three-year program including raising awareness of trauma and resilience-informed practices at the city and county level through the use of surveys, meeting with leaders and staff training during year one; fine-tuning that awareness outreach and training program during year two; and ensuring those practices are institutionalized into city and county policies and sharing the successes of the System and Policy Change effort with partners statewide.
As the Arctic warms, arctic ground squirrels changing hibernation patterns
A unique long-term study, which NAU professor Loren Buck started more than two decades ago while doing his Ph.D. research in Alaska, helps us understand biological responses to climate shifts through the hibernation patterns of a cute little rodent. In the course of the 25-year study, researchers found that the female and male squirrels developed different hibernation periods over that time. The females “rise and shine” a little earlier in response to warming, which could have both positive and negative ripple effects throughout the food web in these ecosystems.
View this email in your browser FREE PERFORMANCE & SAC Anniversary Celebration Wednesday, June 7, 2023 CELEBRATE SEDONA AT SEDONA ARTS CENTER FREE EVENT Celebrate Sedona! Wednesday, June 7, 2023 4–6pm at Sedona Arts Center Sponsored by: City of Sedona…
Grand Canyon National Park fire managers will resume prescribed burning on the South Rim this week.
On Wednesday, June 7, fire personnel will continue working on the Grapevine unit, approximately 0.5 miles south of the “Duck on a Rock” overlook along Highway 64 (Desert View Drive).
The Grapevine unit is a total of 865 acres located between the Kaibab National Forest to the south and E4/Long Jim Canyon Road to the north. Last month, crews completed about 200 acres of “blacklining” (creating a boundary of burned fuel) on three sides of the unit.
The City of Flagstaff is soliciting community review and feedback on the second draft of the Greater Observatory Mesa Trail Plan. The public participation opportunity includes a community meeting and a 40-day public comment period. Public participation opportunities will allow citizens to review the plan, learn how it may affect them, comment on the plan, and contribute to ongoing communication to resolve concerns. Details on how to participate are listed below.
Summer Art Classes at Sedona Arts Center
Sedona is surrounded by a magical landscape of red rock formations and high desert hills with beautiful Oak Creek meandering through it all. Come experience the Shangri-La of the Southwest, a beautiful learning environment with Art Colony roots going back nearly 100 years. Click here to see all of our classes and workshops
The North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park has reopened today, June 2, for day use, with limited visitor services and water conservation measures due to a break in the North Rim water pipeline. The National Park Service recommends that visitors bring their own drinking water and food with them.
The North Rim General store, gas station and post office are open, along with Grand Canyon Conservancy’s Park Store in the Visitor Center. Store hours are 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. A variety of park ranger programs are being offered daily. The backcountry information center, in the North Rim Administration Building, will be open 8 a.m. to noon, and 1 to 5 p.m. daily.
What’s that clicking noise?
Pretty much everyone on the South Rim during the last two weeks has noticed the ‘click click click click click’ sounds coming from pretty much everywhere.
On the South Rim, we’re hearing Putnam’s Cicada, (Platypedia Putnami) — large, dark-colored insects with bulging eyes and membranous wings that are folded tent-like over their bodies. Putnam’s Cicadas are only found in the western states, and have a three to five year life cycle, unlike some varieties of cicadas found in the eastern U.S. that have 13 to 17 year cycles. Like other cicadas, they don’t bite or sting, just go around feeding by using their straw-like mouth to drink watery nutrients from plants and trees.
Digital Photography Basics
Tuesday, July 11, 18, 25, and Aug. 1
4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Learn foundational skills and find the joy in photography! This course will be an introduction to digital photography. Participants need to bring their own DSLR camera.
Photography – Learn more and register!
Saturday-Sunday, June 3-4
14th Annual Flagstaff Hullabaloo Festival, Wheeler Park
Flag’s favorite community festival back for another weekend of fun! 10 a.m.
Learn More
The City of Flagstaff, in consultation with the City’s Heritage Preservation Commission, has updated the guidelines for the Historic Signs & Facades Grant Program and Heritage Preservation application materials.
The new guidelines, which go into effect on June 6, 2023, establish a two-tier funding level system for projects that rehabilitate, restore, or preserve Flagstaff’s heritage sites, buildings, structures, and objects. Level 1 projects, which follow the grant programs existing guidelines, are eligible for up to $10,000 in matching funds. A new, Level 2 funding category allows projects to receive up to $20,000 in matching funds when the associated property is eligible for listing on the National Register and when the work being done meets the U.S. Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Rehabilitation.
Theatrikos brings the crazy comedy 5 Lesbians Eating A Quiche to the Flagstaff stage. Hold on to your quiches! It’s 1956 and the Susan B. Anthony Society for the Sisters of Gertrude Stein are having their annual quiche breakfast. A tasty recipe of hysterical laughs, sexual innuendos, unsuccessful repressions and delicious discoveries.
Wednesday, May 31, 2023
FREE LECTURE
El Metro: Art & Wayfinding
in Mexico City with Cristen Crujido
4-6pm with a wine reception following the talk
COCONINO COUNTY — CCC&Y shares this free online opportunity to ease some of the daily stress during this busy time of year.
Motivated by a long wait list for behavioral health services, and aware of challenging adult and child emotions causing behavior difficulties, Bethany Camp put this two part training together for CCC&Y to help meeting a wide-spread community need.
First we learn to understand our emotions and then we can understand and respond to the big emotional responses of children.
Watch Webinar – Managing Adult Emotional Responses, Part One
Watch Webinar – Helping Children Manage Their Emotions, Part Two
The City of Flagstaff and its partners announce the creation of all-hazard evacuation zones within the Flagstaff City limits. These zones group each location in the City into easily recognizable areas to aid in messaging and communication during emergencies. The zones build upon the existing “Ready, Set, Go!” program and were developed with area partners including the Flagstaff Fire Department, Flagstaff Police Department, Coconino County Emergency Management, City of Flagstaff Emergency Management, and Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.
Promises made, promises kept by your community college.
One year after the passage of a primary property tax reset for Coconino Community College, CCC has made significant progress in following through on commitments made to the voters of Coconino County. Of the several programs and initiatives promised by the increase in the primary property tax rate to Coconino Community College, many of them have already been implemented or are in process.
“To date, we’ve fulfilled nearly 75 percent of the items we noted on the ballot initiative,” said CCC President Eric Heiser, Ph.D. “And guess what? We’re not done yet. We have many new and exciting career and technical education programs and courses in the pipelines.”
Coconino County’s Administrative Offices and Superior Court will be closed in observance of the Memorial Day holiday on Monday May 29, 2023, and will reopen for business on Tuesday.
The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) Records Division will be available between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Flagstaff City Hall offices at 211 W. Aspen Ave. will be closed on Monday, May 29 in honor of Memorial Day. City Hall offices will reopen on Tuesday, May 30 from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
City of Flagstaff facilities that are also closed on Memorial Day include:
East Flagstaff Community Library (3000 N. Fourth St.)
Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library (300 W. Aspen Ave.)
Hal Jensen Recreation Center (2403 N. Izabel St.)
Joe C. Montoya Community and Senior Center (245 N. Thorpe Rd.)
Flagstaff Recycling Transfer Facility (1800 E Butler Ave)
This year, Coconino County’s Facilities Management Department has applied for and been awarded a grant from the EPA in the amount of $573,615 to fund the clean-up of hazardous materials within the former County Jail in downtown Flagstaff.
The County has owned and operated this property, located adjacent to the historic County Courthouse, on W.C. Riles Street between Birch and Cherry Avenues as the County Jail from 1892 until 2000.
Secretary of Interior, Deb Haaland, visits Grand Canyon
Secretary of the Interior, Deb Haaland, and her team were in the park this past weekend to meet with the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition and community leaders about the efforts to create the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument.
This effort, spearheaded by the tribal coalition and supported by Representative Raul Grijalva and Senator Krysten Sinema, is a continuation of efforts to provide permanent protection from new uranium mining on over 1 million acres of land surrounding Grand Canyon National Park.
In addition to the meetings with the coalition and local stakeholders, the Secretary held separate informal meet and greets with staff from the Horace Albright Training Center and Grand Canyon National Park. Members of the park leadership team also had the opportunity to talk to her about our big infrastructure projects (trans-canyon waterline) and provide an aerial tour for she and Rep Grijalva of the area and proposed boundaries of the new national monument. Thanks to all the staff who helped support the Secretary’s visit and who came out to meet her on Saturday afternoon!
We wish you a safe holiday weekend as we continue the tradition of honoring those who gave all so we could live in freedom.
Our offices will be closed on Monday, May 29th.
ARTx is an annual, accessible community opportunity to engage with the arts in an immersive and interactive way. Various Times. Free.
Culturally rich and chaotic, El Metro is a living entity—a lively and dynamic underground city. Distinctive in character, it offers around the clock sensory stimulation. From bustling food stalls and shops to public art, exhibitions, and impromptu concerts, Mexico City’s subway system facilitates conscious and subconscious emotive bonds and attachments. Since its inauguration in 1969, El Metro’s scenography continues to celebrate Mexico’s modernity and antiquity through architecture and art, particularly its stylized wayfinding signage¾an unforgettable graphic signature that continues more than a half century later.
The City of Flagstaff has contracted with energy and sustainable solutions provider NORESCO through a competitive process, to implement a new decarbonization, energy and water efficiency program through an energy performance contract (EPC). The $4.4 million project will provide $6.1 million in guaranteed savings and will enable critical infrastructure upgrades while accelerating progress on the city’s Climate Neutrality Plan.
Coconino County continues to lead the effort in connecting students with SpaceX’s Starlink high-speed internet across Northern Arizona, including multiple tribal communities within the region, and now on school buses.
With continued focus on education, Coconino County collaborated with Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD) and Page Unified School District (PUSD) to identify and select routes with an emphasis on connecting students who must ride the bus more than one hour to and from school. SpaceX provided Coconino County with two of their Flat High Performance Starlink kits that are installed on the buses, enabling students to stay connected and complete homework during their transit.
Images of the Month – May 2023 View in your browser Gina Santi Photography Images of the Month – May 2023 In English En Español The ideal type (in the German language: Idealtypus) is a concept created by Max…
Summer Art Classes & Workshops at Sedona Arts Center
Sedona is surrounded by a magical landscape of red rock formations and high desert hills with beautiful Oak Creek meandering through it all. Come experience the Shangri-La of the Southwest, a beautiful learning environment with Art Colony roots going back nearly 100 years. Click here to see all of our classes and workshops
