
Happening at Your Library week of 11/08/21
Flagstaff City Hall offices at 211 W. Aspen Ave. will be closed on Nov. 11, 2021 in observance of Veterans Day. City Hall will reopen Nov. 12 with the hours of 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
City of Flagstaff facilities that are also closed on November 11 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.)
CCC&Y’s Action and Outreach Committee would like to make sure that individuals are aware that redistricting conversation, maps, and comments are taking place now. These decisions determine what district voters will vote in and how representation will take place. The results of redistricting last for 10 years and ultimately impact policy decisions. Please make sure you are informed and that your voice is heard.
The 30-day comment period ends on Nov. 20. The Arizona’s Independent Redistricting Commission will then take the feedback, make final change before they are approved in December, the Arizona Daily Sun reported this week.
The final maps will use to elect candidates for the next 10 years.
The first public hearing will be a virtual town hall at 10 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 6.
The City of Flagstaff will host an in-person Home Energy Efficiency Workshop next week. This workshop will kick-off the Home Energy Efficiency Workshop Series, which will last through the winter. This workshop series is held each winter season to help both renters and homeowners save money, reduce energy use, and make their homes more comfortable during cold weather.
At the free workshop, a licensed contractor from CozyHome will demonstrate simple do-it-yourself energy efficiency upgrades, showing individuals how to weatherize homes and save money on utility bills.
Throughout November, the NPS and Grand Canyon will be celebrating Native American Heritage Month. We gratefully acknowledge the Native peoples on whose ancestral homelands we gather, as well as the diverse and vibrant Native communities who make their home here today.
Recently, the affiliated tribes of Grand Canyon have been helping the park holistically address our history while we work collaboratively on the Desert View Inter-Tribal Cultural Heritage site.
A cancelled flight didn’t slow down President Cruz Rivera’s week, which included meetings with leaders from campus, local government, the Navajo Nation and higher education; a meaningful conversation about diversity, inclusion and justice with Black/African American faculty and staff; and attending the naming ceremony for the Clara M. Lovett Art Museum.
The Flagstaff Prescribed Fire Training Exchange (TREX) plans to conduct prescribed burns on Observatory Mesa from Friday November 5 through Sunday, November 7, 2021. Burns each day will be less than 100 acres and will be dependent on weather conditions.
With light southwest winds forecasted, smoke may impact central Flagstaff during the day and settle overnight into the Cheshire, Coconino Estates, downtown, Southside, Railroad Springs and Northern Arizona University campus areas. For more information on smoke and air quality, please visit http://www.azdeq.gov/WildfireForecast or https://legacy.azdeq.gov/environ/air/smoke/.
The Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission (IRC) “finalized” draft maps for Legislative and Congressional Districts last Thursday after conducting a “listening tour” around the state.
The IRC is now required to receive public input for 30 days on the draft maps.
F3 is concerned that these maps to not respect Flagstaff and its surrounding areas as a “community of interest.”
The first public hearing will be a virtual town hall on Saturday, November 6 starting at 10:00 am. Click here to register to speak in advance (note: you must pre-register by 9 am on Nov. 6). Your comments will be limited to 3 minutes.
You may also choose to provide written comments to the IRC. Comments can be submitted here.
Part of Stepping Up for Our Community is ensuring the safety and security of our residents in times of crisis.
This is why, in partnership with Northland Family Help Center, United Way is working to ensure that a safe haven is available when individuals are dealing with domestic violence or children are in need of foster care.
UWNA’s support – fueled by your donations- is vital for this program, which serves more than 150 individuals each year, including a significant number of children who stay in its youth shelter. This facility is designed to feel more like a home than a shelter, with people cooking together, watching movies and even gardening while they stay there.
On Tuesday evening, November 2, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) joined the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in approval of the Pfizer (Comirnaty) vaccine for children ages 5 – 11 years old, at a lower dosage.
“Although COVID-19 may impact children less severely than adults, it is a serious illness and can lead to significant long-term effects on people of all ages,” said Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) Director Kim Musselman. “The approval of vaccinations for this younger age group is a critical step toward ending the pandemic.”
COCONINO COUNTY — The Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth has created a series of no cost webinars for professionals, parents and youth, to provide them skills that are needed now more than ever.
Mindfulness for Professionals and Parents, an hour-long webinar that highlights the importance mindfulness holds for both individuals and for those we are working with.
One participant said:
“Mindfulness is an important part of daily operations! We need to remember to take time for ourselves. I love the acronyms and will share with my NAU students!!!!”
The City of Flagstaff Housing Section is asking all Flagstaff residents to read the Draft 10-Year Housing Plan and assist with prioritizing the policy initiatives and strategies. The Draft 10-Year Housing Plan can be found here.
Provide your feedback by participating in the following Policy Initiative and Strategy Prioritization Survey. The survey takes approximately 15 minutes. Your feedback is appreciated.
This public comment period ends November 5, 2021.
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors proclaims November 2021 as Native American Heritage Month.
At its November 2 meeting, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors proclaimed November 2021 as Native American Heritage Month. As part of the Proclamation, Supervisors recognized Arizona’s 22 tribal nations and their cultures, also specifically recognizing the six tribal nations in Coconino County. The Board also showed special recognition to their two colleagues, Supervisor Judy Begay and Vice Chair Lena Fowler, who belong to the Navajo Nation and currently serve on the Board.
In the face of Covid-19, we are uncertain about whether putting on the 25th Annual Mountain Spelling Bee makes sense. We are planning to host the event on April 23rd, 2022 at the High Country Conference Center.
In order to determine the comfort level from the community about whether the bee would achieve the attendance needed to make the event planning worth it, we have created a short survey designed to gather which measures Covid-19 safety measures we can implement to raise attendance.
Coconino County Parks & Recreation celebrated the completion of the first permanent, publicly accessible, year-round restroom at Fort Tuthill County Park on Wednesday, October 21, with a ribbon cutting ceremony.
The restroom is located east of the Fort Tuthill Bike Park, in the north parking lot of Fort Tuthill County Park. County Supervisors and representatives from Kinney Construction Services, Peak Engineering, RJA-Architecture, and Arizona State Parks attended the celebration.
And the Winners are…
17th Annual Sedona Plein Air Festival
Festival Award Winners
Judge: Michele Usibelli
Best of Show: Gretchen Lopez
First place: Peggy Immel
Second place: Ellie Wilson
Third place: Manon Sander
Artists Choice: Margaret Larlham
Collectors Choice: Michelle Held
Honorable Mention: Bill Cramer, Margaret Larlham, James McGrew, Kari Ganoung Ruiz, Hadley Rampton, Krystal Brown
October is a month steeped in the celebration of our ancestral traditions. From closing out Hispanic Heritage Month, to the beginning of Día de Los Muertos, it is a time to reflect on the legacy we carry, and the antepasados that started it all. Some questions to consider exploring as a family to honor this special time could include:
What legacy would we like to see our family continue?
What traditions remind us of our time spent with family?
To learn more about Día de Los Muertos, make sure to visit our blog, where our Communications Coordinator, Amy Dominguez wrote about how her family has celebrated Día de Los Muertos.
Every November, the NACC joins with the Office of Indigenous Student Success to celebrate Native American Heritage Month alongside Native American, Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian, First Nation and Aboriginal students who have found a new home at NAU. Located near the Navajo and Hopi reservations, NAU offers a variety of events to help students, staff and faculty celebrate and foster awareness of Indigenous cultures and contributions during the month of November and throughout the year.
The Flagstaff Prescribed Fire Training Exchange (TREX) plans to conduct a prescribed burn of approximately 72 acres on Observatory Mesa tomorrow, Tuesday, November 2, 2021.
With light winds from the west forecasted, smoke may impact central Flagstaff during the day and settle overnight into the downtown, Southside, Railroad Springs and Northern Arizona University campus areas. For more information on smoke and air quality, please visit http://www.azdeq.gov/WildfireForecast or https://legacy.azdeq.gov/environ/air/smoke/.
The Arizona Chapter of the Arizona Planning Association (APA-AZ) held a virtual awards ceremony on September 5 recognizing Coconino County Planning and Zoning Commissioner John F. Ruggles as Distinguished Citizen Planner.
The Association’s awards recognize notable planning pursuits that exemplify planning principles and foster positive impacts on Arizona and its communities. Mr. Ruggles was recognized as the “Distinguished Citizen Planner” following nomination by the Coconino County Community Development Department.
Online learning opportunities are perfect for students who are interested in taking one of our educational opportunities, but prefer to work at home. These learning opportunities provide a well-rounded experience in various visual art mediums.
Our workshops are live online learning experiences with one-on-one interaction between student and instructor. Click here to see all our online learning opportunities
Open enrollment for Medicare has begun and will run until December 7, 2021!
The Medicare open enrollment period is your opportunity to re-evaluate your current Medicare health and prescription drug plans and make any changes that may better fit your needs for the coming year.
If you’re happy with your coverage, you don’t need to take any action; your existing plan will continue uninterrupted in 2022.
Coconino County’s annual Winter Parking Ordinance will go into effect Monday, November 1, 2021. The ordinance requires parking restrictions on County-maintained roads during snow season.
Between November 1 and April 1 of each year, motor vehicles must be kept clear of County-maintained highways and roads. Any vehicle parked in prohibited areas reserve the right to be cited or towed at the owner’s expense (not less than $200.00) due to the possibility of threatening the health or welfare of County residents. Penalties are applicable where violations take place and where signed.
The last day of 2021 operations for the Willard Springs Green Waste Station was Saturday, October 30.
The station will be closed throughout the upcoming winter season, which runs each year from November 1 to March 31. Coconino County can reopen Willard Springs for green waste-only disposal on Friday, April 1, 2022. It will then be open for the summer season on Fridays and Saturdays from 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. until Saturday, October 29, 2022.
Celebraciones de la Gente, the annual Día de los Muertos / Day of the Dead celebration, returned to the Museum of Northern Arizona on Oct. 23-24 with an appreciative crowd who strolled around the historic Jaime Golightly Courtyard to view family ofrendas / altars, view workshops on creating ofrendas, a presentation honoring the more than 400 people who died due to COVID-19 in Coconino County, dance performances by Ballet Folklorico de Colores — Flagstaff and music by Mariachi Tradición de México from Tucson and Los Alambrados Flagstaff.
The 18th annual event, which was hosted by the Museum of Northern Arizona, in partnership with Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces, was presented virtually in 2020 due the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
Work to implement a pilot project installing separated bike lanes on Beaver Street and Butler Avenue originally scheduled to begin next week has been postponed one week due to a delay in the delivery of essential hardware.
Work on Beaver Street will now begin on Monday, November 8, 2021 and end on Friday, November 19, 2021. The project limits are Beaver Street, from Forest Avenue to Butler Avenue.
The Coconino County Elections Office would like to remind voters residing in the Williams Unified School District #2 that they have until 7:00 p.m. on Election Day —Tuesday, November 2 — to return their voted ballots. As of Thursday, October 28, the Elections Office had received 1,003 voted ballots. A total of 4,069 ballots mailed were mail to district voters.
Voters are reminded that this election is a ballot-by-mail election and there will be no polling places on Election Day. If a voter believes they are eligible to vote in this election and did not receive a ballot in the mail, the voter should call the Elections Office at (928) 679-7860 or toll free (800) 793-6181.
Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton in the West
Oct. 30, 1 pm
Attend in person at MNA, or watch on Facebook
Alan Peterson, MNA’s Fine Art Curator, will discuss Mary-Russell Ferrell Colton’s early life and education in Philadelphia, her first trips to the West as a young artist, how she met Harold Colton, their honeymoon trip, and their subsequent trips to Flagstaff before moving here in 1926.
Friday, October 29
Awards Night and Party! 5-8pm
Held at Sedona Arts Center’s Special Exhibition Gallery and Theatre Studio in the Historic Art Barn. Fine wine, fine hors d’oeuvres and fine art. This is the big event! Artist’s awards are presented throughout the evening recognizing the best work created during the week including Best of Show and merit awards by Festival Judge Michele Usibelli, Artist’s Choice Award, Collectors Choice by ballot and Sedona Arts Center Awards.
As part of the Flagstaff Prescribed Fire Training Exchange, prescribed burns are tentatively planned for the week of November 1, depending on weather conditions.
Prescribed burns help to restore forests to healthier conditions and improve the safety of the communities around them. Frequent, low-intensity fire removes accumulated smaller fuels and recycles nutrients in the soils to promote healthy vegetation and wildlife habitat.
In this Views from NAU, Karen Schairer, associate professor in the Department of Global Languages and Culture, writes about how Día de los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, is first and foremost a celebration and a reminder that life and death are both part of the same experience. Neither is to be feared and both are to be celebrated with joy and laughter, music and dancing and a heartfelt appreciation of family and all who came before us.
As one of the nation’s premier humanitarian organizations, the American Red Cross is dedicated to helping people in need throughout the United States and, in association with other Red Cross networks, throughout the world. We depend on the many generous contributions of time, blood, and money from the American public to support our lifesaving services and programs.
At the Red Cross, there is no such thing as a small disaster. In every single case it is the Red Cross’ mission to help people affected by disaster meet their emergency needs that include shelter, food, clothing, and health and mental health services. As a paid staff member, you will support our loyal Red Cross disaster volunteers who serve selflessly to provide a bridge of assistance until individuals and families can resume a normal life.
On Monday, November 1, Coconino County Health and Human services will be holding two COVID-19 and flu vaccine events in the community. Similar to previous events, no registration is required ahead of time.
Tusayan (behind the IMAX Theater) from 12:00 p.m.-2 p.m. (flyer here)
Grand Canyon Recreation Center Ramada from 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m. (full flyer here)
Coconino Coalition for Children and Youth (www.coconinokids.org) is working hard to better understand root causes of trauma and promoting tools for resiliency. We know that social connection is a key protective factor for both youth and families.
During Covid, we began a virtual youth open mic. The purpose is to provide a safe space for youth to express themselves through music, art, poetry, theater, dance, photography, or cultural sharing. The event takes place the first Sunday of each month at 4pm. The next event is scheduled for Sunday November 7th.
We realize many of our community’s youth may be “Zoomed out”. So, we are also looking for youth voice to brainstorm suggestions for community-based youth connection opportunities. We would appreciate you asking the youth you serve, “What youth events would you like to see in your community?” We are also available to speak with your youth group to facilitate that conversation.
The land of Coconino County is rich in geological stories and steeped in a sacred importance to all of us who live here. Coconino Community College is located in the middle of the land’s magnificence. More than 20 percent of our students at the college are Native American, and because CCC is dedicated to creating a welcoming and inclusive learning environment, the perspective of our Native American students is vitally important to our identity. To that end, when students from the college’s Indigenous Student Association developed a Land Acknowledgement Statement, the college community acted universally to make it a part of CCC’s culture.
Winter parking restrictions will begin on November 1 and will remain in effect until April 1. During this time, parking on city streets and alleyways is prohibited from midnight to 7 a.m.
The parking restriction allows the City to thoroughly plow the streets during snow events and remains in effect even if it is not snowing to aid in street sweeping. This ordinance is enforced by the Flagstaff Police Department. Cars that are parked in violation of the ordinance when it is not snowing will receive a ticket and those parked in violation during inclement weather will receive a ticket and could be towed.
Fires in the West have been getting more severe and threatening more communities in the last 30 years. A team, including ecologists and economists from NAU, received a grant from the National Science Foundation to study how communities can use fuel treatments to keep themselves safe and preserve their relationship to the forests they love.
For the first time, fire managers from nine agencies and partners are gathering in northern Arizona to learn about and train in prescribed fire through a formal training exchange (TREX). Hosted by the Flagstaff Fire Department and Summit Fire and Medical District and sponsored by the International Association of Fire Chiefs and the Fire Learning Network, this Prescribed Fire Training Exchange is a unique opportunity for fire personnel from across the county to learn about prescribed fire, land management, the wildland urban interface, smoke management, and much more.
“This Prescribed Fire Training Exchange is designed to provide experiential training that builds local capacity for fire management while offering professional fire practitioners a more holistic perspective” said Neil Chapman, Wildland Forest Health Supervisor with the Flagstaff Fire Department.
Vaccine Events in Tusayan and Grand Canyon
On Monday, November 1, Coconino County Health and Human services will be holding two COVID-19 and flu vaccine events in the community. Similar to previous events, no registration is required ahead of time.
Tusayan (behind the IMAX Theater) from 12:00 p.m.-2 p.m.
Grand Canyon Recreation Center Ramada from 3:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m.
Flyers will be distributed on these events once guidance from the CDC on booster doses is finalized (hopefully by early next week).
The effects of domestic violence are far-reaching; not only for the partners involved but also for the children who have witnessed it. Witnessing violence by seeing, hearing, or observing the aftermath can leave children feeling anxious, fearful or angry. In some cases, when domestic violence occurs in the home and the children are unsafe, the children must be removed from their homes and placed into the foster care system until it is safe to return.
COCONINO COUNTY — The Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth has created a series of no cost webinars for professionals, parents and youth, to provide them skills that are needed now more than ever.
Our hour-long webinar on Igniting Collective Action: Moving Beyond ACEs explores the roadmap to creating change at the community and system level by using the findings of both leadership research and today’s thought leaders. One participant said:
“This training was truly amazing and can be used no matter your walk in life … I hope that everyone and anyone takes advantage of this presentation. It really can make a difference.”
(*Recommended prerequisite for Igniting Collective Action: Moving Beyond ACEs webinar in particular, but also for other trainings, is Understanding Adverse Childhood Experiences: Hope in Resiliency)
The City of Flagstaff Sustainability Program invites members of the public to participate in Drop-off Day 2021. The event is free and provides an opportunity to properly dispose of items that should not be thrown away in the regular trash.
This event will take place Saturday, October 23 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the Flagstaff Police Department, located at 911 E. Sawmill Rd, Flagstaff, AZ 86001. Project partners include the Flagstaff Police Department, the Flagstaff Hazardous Products Center, Elevated Shredding, the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office, Ponderosa Medial Waste Services and Electronic Responsible Recyclers (ER2). Attendees are asked to remain inside their vehicle during the event. Masks are required of all attendees.
Sedona Arts Center invites you along to be inspired and experience master artists painting in the Shangri-La of the Southwest! Sedona is a sublime and stunningly beautiful environment steeped in art history. Sedona Arts Center dates back 63 years to the founding of Sedona’s identity as an ‘art colony.’ Our community’s iconic and wonderfully creative event—Sedona Plein Air Festival—is a week-long celebration of extraordinary landscapes, world-renowned artists, unique workshops, and wonderful free events from October 23 through 30!
My name is Katie Mommaerts and I am a licensed clinical social worker and fourth year Interdisciplinary Health doctoral candidate at Northern Arizona University completing my dissertation. I am conducting research to determine the relationship between self-reported symptoms of anxiety and self-esteem from the perspectives of female Mexican-American adolescents (ages 14-17) and mental health therapists.
I am inquire about your interest in participating in this study and/or referring someone who may be interested. I attached the flyers (one for adolescent participants and one for mental health therapist participants) that can be distributed.
Work related to a pilot project installing separated bike lanes on Beaver Street will take place on Wednesday, October 20. The work will be completed on the same day and will take place on Beaver Street, spanning from Cherry Street to Butler Avenue.
Traffic control devices and/or a shadow vehicle will be implemented throughout the day and motorist are encouraged to seek an alternate route or be prepared for slight delays as they travel through the project limits.
In the 8th edition of our Consular Newsletter on Economic and Tourism Affairs, we celebrate
Mexico’s fight for independence and its exciting future as the 2021 Hispanic
Heritage Month ends on Oct. 15.
In #ChooseMexico, we learn what we
already knew in our hearts: Everyone loves Mexican food. We also see a bright
future, as Hispanic buying power continues to increase and more and more of our
young people are getting college degrees. In addition, we learn that there has been an increase
in the number of both large and small Mexican companies expanding into Arizona, thanks to the welcoming business environment. In this newsletter, you also will meet three successful Mexican citizens working in Arizona––and our Faces of Mexico in Arizona webinar (in Spanish) will introduce you to a few more.
F3 wants to make you aware of the 3.5% Project that has just been launched locally by Flagstaff College. Through a combination of reading a novel that focuses on climate change, in-person and virtual discussions with a small group of fellow participants, and renowned guest presenters, the 3.5% Project goal is to create a “small group of thoughtful, committed individuals” who, working together, make big changes.
What if “the answer to climate change is organizing,” as Bill McKibben, co-founder of 350.org, recently said? And what if what we need is only 3.5% of the public actively engaged in making a change? Flagstaff College is launching the Flagstaff 3.5% Project because of the belief that both of these things are true.
With nearly 100 free and exciting events this year in the Festival of Science, it can be hard to make it to all of the ones you want to go to! But, don’t let this stop you from engaging in the Flagstaff science community all year round, and catching up on the events you missed.
The Flagstaff Festival of Science has a YouTube Channel!
Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces celebrates the in-person return of Día de los Muertos / Day of the Dead when the 18th Annual Celebraciones de la Gente is presented at the Museum of Northern Arizona on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 23 and 24.
Celebrate the history and culture of Mexican, Mexican American and Latin@ communities in Northern Arizona at this annual fall event, which will include music, dance, food and heartfelt remembrances.
In partnership with Flagstaff’s Nuestras Raíces, the museum’s Jaime Golightly Courtyard will be transformed into a beautiful lit setting, with intricately cut papel picado (pierced paper) and lovely arrange ofrendas (altars) to welcome past loved ones to the party.
Coconino Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC), which is celebrating its 20th anniversary, will be honored during the game
Northern Arizona University is excited to celebrate its Hispanic Heritage Game as Lumberjack Football takes on Southern Utah.
When: October 16th, 2021
Game Time: 1 P.M.
Where: Walkup Skydome
During the game, NAU will honor the Coconino Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC) for its 20 years of service to the local community. Stop by the CHAC tent for more information on the organization during the tailgate party from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.