Coconino County’s Sustainability Division is pleased to present the 19th Annual Sustainable Building Tour this month as part of the Flagstaff Festival of Science.
The theme for this year’s tour is The Diverse World of Sustainable Building. The free community tour will be held completely in person on Saturday, September 30, 2023, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
FLAGSTAFF — Friends of Flagstaff’s Future announces a benefit concert for No on Prop 480 from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1 at Charly’s Pub & Grill, 23 N, Leroux St., downtown Flagstaff.
FLAGSTAFF — Coconino Community College will present a Career Fair from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 4 at the Lone Tree Campus — Commons, 2800 S. Lone Tree Road.
The CCC Career Fair is a special opportunity for employers, students and community members to connect and network in our beautiful Lone Tree Campus in the pines of Northern Arizona.
FLAGSTAFF — NAU Ethnic Studies Program will present Lecture Series Special Guest Artist Theodore A. Harris from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 10 in SBS West: Lecture Hall 200, Northern Arizona University.
Coconino County will unveil a new community sign identifying the community of Fort Valley located north of Flagstaff city limits.
WHO:
Coconino County District 1 Supervisor Patrice Horstman
Deputy County Manager Andy Bertelsen
Public Works Director Christopher Tressler
Arizona Snowbowl General Manager Rob Linde
Fort Valley Homeowners Representative John Vankat
FLAGSTAFF — Award-winning Chilean singer-songwriter Nano Stern is coming to Northern Arizona University!
A Screening of the recently completed documentary of Chilean singer songwriter Nano Stern “We’ll be Singing by September (Cuando canta el Gallo),” (in Spanish with English subtitles) will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11 Communications Room 119 at NAU.
This event is in conjunction with a performance on Friday, October 13 at 7:30 pm in Kitt Recital Hall.
Stern will be present on Zoom for the Q & A after the film. he Q & A will feature Stern in English
FLAGSTAFF — NAU Ethnic Studies Program will present the opening reception for Artist in Residence: Theodore Harris from noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11 in the IMQ Office in the University Union Fieldhouse at Northern Arizona University.
Registration not required.
Theodore A. Harris was born in 1966 in New York City and raised in Philadelphia. He is a collagist, poet, curator, and essayist on the intersection of art and politics. He has participated in residences at the Ashe Cultural Arts Center (New Orleans); 40th Street A-I-R (Philadelphia); Hammonds House Museum and Resource Center of African American Art (Atlanta, GA); and International Festival of Arts and Ideas (New Haven, CT). He is the founding director of The Institute for Advanced Study in Black Aesthetics.
FLAGSTAFF — Chilean singer songwriter Nano Stern will play a free concert, “Nano Stern Sings Victor Jara” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct 13 at the Kite Recital Hall at Northern Arizona University.
Free and open to the public.
As the world commemorates 50 years since the coup d’état in Chile, Nano Stern revisits the songs of legendary folk singer Víctor Jara, who personifies the spirit of the day through his timeless music and poetry. With austere virtuosity, Stern gives new breath to this immortal repertoire.
FLAGSTAFF —The City of Flagstaff is hosting a public meeting for the Butler-Fourth Improvements project on Wednesday, Oct. 18 from 5:30 – 7 p.m. at the Aquaplex (1702 N Fourth St). Members of the public are invited to learn about the project, its expected impacts, and to ask questions and offer comments on preliminary design.
The Butler-Fourth Improvements project consists of widening present-day Butler Avenue from Little America to Sinagua Heights Subdivision and widening present-day Fourth Street from Warm Springs Trail/Sparrow Avenue to the upcoming Canyon Del Rio development south of Butler Avenue.
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.
FLAGSTAFF — Ahead of the Nov. 7, 2023 special election, the City of Flagstaff will host an open house event on Wednesday, Oct. 25 from 5:30 – 6:30 p.m. at City Hall to provide information on the 19 proposed charter amendments that will appear on the ballot. Members of the public are welcome to attend the event to discuss the proposed charter amendments with City staff and ask related questions. Proposition 480 will not be discussed at this event.
Twenty-six renowned plein air artists from across the country will capture Sedona’s extraordinary landscapes during Sedona Arts Center’s 19th Annual Sedona Plein Air Festival, October 20-28. The week-long event features artist demonstrations, paint outs, lectures, juried art competitions and more. All events are free and open to the public.
“Our Plein Air Festival is a premier destination event and Sedona Arts Center’s signature fall event,” said Julie Richard, CEO of Sedona Arts Center. “Everyone is invited—residents, visitors and art lovers of all ages—to observe professional artists in action painting this wondrous place outdoors or “en plein air.”
Join us for a fundraising celebration of literacy filled with wine education, food, and fun! Tickets are $55 to enjoy 8 tastings from around the world! VIP tickets are available for an additional $10 and include 4 more tastings and two free raffle entries! Live music and refreshments will also be provided.
The event will take place this Sunday October 29th from 2 – 4 Pm at Serendipity.
FLAGSTAFF —The NAU Ethnic Studies Program will present the Art Exhibit “The Capitol Vetoed and Other Works” by Artist Theodore A. Harris through Oct. 31 in the IMQ Office in the University Union Fieldhouse at Northern Arizona University.
FLAGSTAFF — Thursday Nov 2 at 6:30 pm at the Coconino Center for the Arts, there will be a Humanitarian activist panel:
This is an incredible panel, featuring four of the most extraordinary activists in AZ. You can read brief bios of them here: here: https://coconinoarts.org/event/humanitarian-activist-panel-discussion/ It’s going to be a very inspirational evening!
Friday Nov 3 at 6:30 pm Coconino Center for the Arts, there will be a screening of a new animated film about DREAMers called Home is Somewhere Else, and we’ll have the director Carlos Hagerman, present for discussion. You can see a trailer of the film here:
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.
FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff is hosting a virtual informational meeting about the current drinking water, wastewater, and reclaimed water rate study on Thursday, Dec. 7 from 5:30-7 p.m. The meeting will be accessible both virtually and by telephone. Members of the public are invited to attend to learn more about the rate study and to ask questions. The meeting will consist of an informational presentation, followed by time for questions and answers.
To attend the meeting online, please register at bit.ly/ratestudy. Members of the public may also attend the meeting by phone by calling 888-400-1932 for English or 888-400-9342 for Spanish at the time and date of the meeting. All attendees, whether attending online or by phone, will have the opportunity to ask questions and make comments. Spanish interpretation will be available at the meeting.
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.
Growing food at 7,000 ft with limited water resources is no mean trick. And yet, it is being done by R. Charlie Shultz. Shultz has been a pioneer in the field of integrating fish and plants for more than 20 years. He is Academic Director in the School of Trades, Technology, Sustainability, and Professional Studies at Santa Fe Community College where he teaches Controlled Environment Agriculture.
FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff is hosting an informational meeting for the Fourth-Lockett Roundabout project on Wednesday, Dec. 20 from 5 – 7 p.m. at the East Flagstaff Community Library (3000 N Fourth St., Suite 5). Members of the public are invited to drop in and learn about the project, expected construction impacts, and ask staff questions. Spanish interpretation will be available at the meeting.
The exhibit is a photographic documentation of the personal belongings carried by migrants and those seeking asylum that were seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at a processing facility near the artist’s home in Ajo, Arizona. U.S. border agents deemed these belongings as non-essential or potentially lethal. Kiefer asks the viewer to consider these photographs as untold and unknown stories, markers of human journeys cut short, creating a personal connection for the viewer that extends compassion and empathy to those who make the dangerous journey across the desert to seek a better life.
For individuals looking to start or expand a small business, the Save then Spend More program may be the hand-up you need. This program helps small business owners and those wanting to start a small business access two match grant dollars. Generally, the process is as follows:
For more information, visit: www.coconino.az.gov/ida
Or, contact IDA Recruitment (ida@coconino.az.gov),
Program Manager Scott Neuman (679-7463; sneuman@coconino.az.gov), or Program Manager III Diana Abele (679-7214; dabele@coconino.az.gov).
Saturday, December 31
Noon Year’s Eve, Heritage Square
Ring in the new year with a fun, free, family-friendly event in Heritage Square.10 a.m.
Learn More
It was with tremendous sadness that we heard last week of the passing of Dr. Bert McKinnon, who epitomized the commitment to community and volunteer service that makes northern Arizona such a remarkable place.
Bert and his family came to Flagstaff in the early 1980s and he is perhaps best known as one of the co-founders of Flagstaff Bone & Joint.
The past year had its challenges for businesses locally and nationwide – from inflation to labor shortages to continued supply chain disruptions. Yet we still saw progress in northern Arizona, from the opening of businesses and facilities to plans for future growth in Flagstaff, Camp Verde, Sedona, and Winslow.
Among the highlights this year were:
New Year’s Eve fundraising event for 8th Grade Washington D.C. Field Trip
Grand Canyon Community Rec Center is hosting a New Year’s Eve Fundraiser Party to support the Grand Canyon Middle School D.C. Trip!
Live band, Juniper Hill, starts at 9:30 p.m. Pre-admission tickets and 50/50 raffle tickets available for purchase at the Grand Canyon Recreation Center. More information on the event can be found in the attached flyer here.
Message from Mary –
I hope you are enjoying the holiday season and are keeping safe and warm in the beautiful winter snow here in Flagstaff. As the new year approaches, I am filled with anticipation for what 2023 will bring and am hopeful it will offer energizing and inspiring times for us all.
Here at MNA we’re excited to be heading into the new year with a wonderful new exhibition – Vast Lands, Inner Visions: The Art of Joella Jean Mahoney – and lots of great ideas for 2023. We worked hard in 2022 to complete a new plan for MNA, and we will begin implementing it in earnest is 2023. You can find more information about that here: https://musnaz.org/about/strategic-plan/
The arts are fundamental to our lives – whether we always realize it or not. They foster civil discourse, understanding, and critical thinking – as well as fostering creativity, empathy and joy. The arts bring great economic benefit to our community through cultural tourism, education and connection.
There are so many reasons to support the arts – not least of all are the personal relationships built through our organizations. While we are back in person conducting events and programs, impacts from the pandemic are still felt.
We at Sedona Arts Center are definitely still feeling the effects.
Winter weather returns to much of Coconino County Tuesday night! If you must travel, be sure to use extra caution as roads may be slick with ice and fresh snow. Be sure to follow this page, and Coconino County Emergency Management for the latest conditions and alerts.
The City of Flagstaff is proud to provide a treecycling service during the month of January to assist with the proper recycling of Christmas trees. Collected trees will be mulched and used in the City’s parks and beautification projects throughout the year.
City residents can place their tree on the curb for pick-up by 6 a.m. from Monday, Jan. 2 through Friday, Jan. 6.
In This Issue
Greeting From Supervisor Horstman
City of Flagstaff Detention Basin Tour
Board Approve Applications for FEMA Grants for Flood Mitigation Projects
Coconino County Features Emergency Management (Video)
BOS Approves $5 Million of ARPA Funding for Community Projects
United Way of Northern Arizona, Thanks Our Community Volunteers
The Heart of Democracy: County Certifies Elections
Pathways To Communities Offers A Way Forward
Flagstaff Community Stuffed the Bus
Coconino Couty Celebrates the Holidays!
Winter Parking Ordinance
County Employee ” Dex” Honored
Welcome to Michael Jackiewicz Director of Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJJC)
Community Events and Resources
Contact Us
At the final Board of Supervisors (Board) meeting of 2022, the Board completed the weeks long process of appointing a candidate to fill the vacant office of Justice of the Peace for the Page precinct, selecting Maia Rodriguez to serve through 2024.
Ms. Rodriguez comes to the office with over 24 years of experience working for both the Flagstaff and Page Justice Courts in Court Clerk and supervisory roles, holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice, and has successfully completed the Coconino County Supervisors Development Academy and Executive Leadership Academy, as well as Court Management, Court Executive, and Court Fellows Programs with the National Center for State Courts Institute for Court Management.
City of Flagstaff administrative offices will be closed on Dec. 26, 2022 and Jan. 2, 2023 for the Christmas and New Year holidays. Closures and reopening schedules for other City facilities and services are listed below.
Here at Sedona Arts Center we just wanted to say thank you for your commitment to our local nonprofit and all that we do.
As we move into a new year, we wish you moments of peace and connections with family and friends, the warmth of memories from holidays past, and hope for a better future.
Thanks to our amazing donors, supporters, and fantastic patrons like you, we have been able to continue sharing the arts and arts education over the last 64 years, and we thank you!
May you have a wonderful holiday season
and a safe and happy new year!
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.
Weekly Call Updates
For the next two weeks, all employee calls as well as stakeholder/community calls will be canceled in observance of the holidays.
We will start the New Year with a new weekly call format beginning on January 11, 2023. There will be just one call each week, on Wednesday at 11 a.m. for both NPS employees and community members.
Wednesday all employee and community call from the Superintendent’s Office:
TIME: 11 a.m. Arizona Time
CALL IN: 877-491-6221
PARTICIPANT CODE: 7074828#
If you would like a calendar invite sent by email with this information, please email the public affairs office at grca_public_affairs@nps.gov.
Have a happy and safe holiday season!
-Grand Canyon Office of Communications
The City of Flagstaff will begin the process of dredging Frances Short Pond to remove sediment from post-wildfire flooding. First, the pond will be drained and dried so that the sediment at the bottom of the pond can be more easily accessed and removed. Once the sediment has been removed, the pond will be refilled with reclaimed water and spring runoff. The draining process will begin today, Dec. 22, 2023, and the entire project is expected to take three to six months, with the pond scheduled to be reopened in the late spring or early summer. The public should avoid the pond while the dredging process is taking place.
“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.”
Thursday-Wednesday, Dec. 22-24, 26-28
Skate at the Station, Flagstaff Visitor Center
Free skating rink in Downtown Flagstaff. 12 p.m.
F3 continues to be a powerful force in the decision-making processes in our community. This year we have worked closely with city staff, council members, and community organizations to advocate for decisions and policies that align with F3’s eight Focus Areas. F3 grew in size to over 500 members and we grew in financial stability as well. We are thankful to our members for their support and for their devotion to making Flagstaff a place of community and heart.
In This Issue:
Accomplishments 2022
Looking Ahead to 2023: The Year of Regional Plan Planning!
Join F3’s Council Watch Climate Action Team!
Consider a Year-end Donation
The improvements allowed for enlarging the pond space and adding a boardwalk, which makes the pond easier to access and enjoy, and an ultraviolet light system to reduce algae, so the pond will have improved visibility beneath the water’s surface.
Thanks to a heritage grant from the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), upgrades to the pond at Elizabeth “Liz” C. Archuleta County Park are complete and it is now open to the public. The grant allowed Coconino County Parks and Recreation to make the necessary improvements to create a place for the public to visit and watch wildlife. The original pond was small, contained considerable algae, and was difficult for the public to access.
Memories of 2022
It is almost 2023! Coconino County Parks and Recreation has had a great season!
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!
The Flagstaff community enjoyed the return of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration to the Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Chapel with the procession from the chapel to St. Francis de Asia Catholic Church on Dec. 11. Once arriving at the church, worshippers attended a Rosary and a play on the origins of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The next day, nearly 200 luminarias lighted the way for worshipers who came to the chapel for the 6 a.m. Rosary, followed by the performance of Mañanitas and a Mass.
Following the mass, worshipers were invited downstairs to the Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church Cultural Center (The Basement) for coffee, hot chocolate and Mexican sweet bread, presented by members of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces.
Preparations at the chapel began earlier in the week when members of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces gathered in the basement for the creation of the nearly 200 bags of sand and the placement of the candles.
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.
Volunteer to support the Grand Canyon Community this holiday season!
On Tuesday, Dec. 20, Delaware North will be having a wrapping party to wrap the angel tree gifts from 1-5 p.m. in Yavapai Lodge atrium. All angels on the DNC Angel Tree have been adopted this year and donations should be dropped off before this Friday, Dec. 16 to the General Store. More information on this event can be found in the attached flyer here.
On Wednesday, Dec. 21, Delaware North will be making food boxes in the Canyon Village Market Deli starting at 3 p.m. The food boxes will accompany the angel tree gifts to each family. More information on this event can be found in the attached flyer here.
Both events are open to the community and participation is highly encouraged!
Flagstaff Snowflake Festival/ Skate at the Station, Flagstaff Visitor Center. Free skating rink in Downtown Flagstaff! 12 p.m. Friday-Wednesday, December 16-21
Learn More
More than 2,400 students have applied to graduate this semester; they will be celebrated in two ceremonies at the Skydome on Dec. 16. Learn about parking, traffic, the clear bag policy and how you can get updates on commencement.
As we conclude 2022, a year in which we celebrated our 50th anniversary, we want to wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a very happy 2023.
CCC&Y’s weekly e-newsletter will be taking the rest of the year off, but will return on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023.
If you need a little help during this hectic holiday season, please be sure to visit our many free online webinars to help ease some of the stress — CCC&Y presents free webinars on understanding how emotions impact adult and child relationships
The hogan is the fundamental, traditional dwelling of the Navajo people of Arizona and New Mexico. It is a single-room roughly circular abode, with an east-facing access that encloses a central fireplace or wood stove set below a central smoke ventilation hole. It is built usually of logs and mud, with a domed roof. Historically, it has been not only a place to live but also a place of considerable spiritual significance. The hogan can be male (cone-shaped) or female (round or six-sided, as in the image).
In Navajo culture, every new Hogan must be ritually consecrated after it is built. This consecration is done by first touching the four main posts of the hogan, which symbolize the four cardinal points, and then scattering cornmeal or corn pollen all around the inside in a clockwise direction. This blessing is meant to make the hogan strong enough to safeguard the family from physical or spiritual injure. Other ceremonies, including healing ones, are also held in hogans. For these reasons, even if a Navajo family doesn’t live in a hogan, they would make sure there was at least one nearby.
When life throws you unexpected challenges, the only way forward is through. Graduate student Altoveda Tortice has embodied this moral throughout her master’s program while working full-time, raising a family and dealing with loss. Tortice first graduated from NAU in 2007 with a degree in psychology. Now, 13 years later, she’s ready to graduate again, this time with a degree in human relations and a goal of helping other students reach their educational goals.
Now through December 31, 2022 in our Uptown Art Gallery, get 10% OFF any purchase of $100 or more!* And don’t forget—Sedona Arts Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, so there’s NO SALES TAX on your purchases! Plus, you can shop for art in our online gallery — jsut use use code: HOLIDAY10 at checkout to receive your discount through the end of the year.
Our Uptown Gallery is open 10am–5pm, Monday – Saturday and 12–5pm, Sundays. We look forward to seeing you at Sedona Arts Center’s Gallery! Call 928-282-3865 for additional information. Sedona Arts Center is located at 15 Art Barn Road in Uptown Sedona.
Our online gallery represents a full spectrum of the diversity of artists represented by the arts center.
Visit us today!
Gift Cards Available!
FLAGSTAFF — Nearly 200 luminarias will light the way for worshipers during the 2022 Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration to be held at 6 a.m. Monday, Dec. 12 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Chapel.
Members of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces will begin placing and lighting the luminarias shortly after 5 a.m. in time for worshipers to take part in the services, which included a Rosary, the singing of Mañanitas and Mass. Café y pan will then presented downstairs at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church Cultural Center (The Basement) following the services.
Due to the Winter Weather Advisory for this evening and tomorrow morning, all Flagstaff Unified School District schools will be on a two-hour delayed start tomorrow, December 12. The weather conditions will be re-evaluated tomorrow morning and further communication will be sent out, if needed. More information available at www.fusd1.org
Throughout December, Grand Canyon National Park is featured alongside three other national parks in the East Room at none other than the The White House. The East Room décor reflects the communion we find in nature. As part of the fireplace mantel displays, visitors see four iconic National Parks from around our country represented: The Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, the Great Smoky Mountains, and Shenandoah National Park.
As the largest room in the White House, the East Room has hosted public receptions, ceremonies, bill signings, and other memorable occasions. More information on 2022 White House decorations can be found here.
