Category: Seniors

Public Comment Period for Proposed County Fair Fee Changes is now Open

The public is invited to comment on proposed Coconino County Fair admission fee changes until April 11, 2023.

The proposed recommended fees affect admission prices for adults, seniors, and active-duty military/veterans as well as the parking fee. Youth ticket prices would not change for the 2023 Fair but would change in 2024. Attendees ages 5 years and younger will not be affected by this change The Coconino County Board of Supervisors reviewed the fee changes at the regular meeting on February 6, 2023 and approved a 60-day public input process. 

Grand Canyon National Park Weekly Wrap-up: Jan. 30-Feb. 3, 2023

This week, the National Park Service (NPS) released details on 2023 investments that will improve access and facilities across the country, enhance climate and fire resilience, and further connect people with their national parks. 

In the coming years, NPS and federal partners will make investments that will support Grand Canyon’s Shuttle Bus Maintenance Facility, Bus Fleet Replacement and Charging Infrastructure project.

The project aligns with the sustainability and climate change goals of converting the federal fleet to zero emission vehicles. It consists of acquiring 10 new battery electric buses (BEB) and 20 new near-zero emission compressed natural gas buses (CNG) to replace the aging fleet; installing charging infrastructure to support the electric buses, including a solar parking canopy; and replacing an obsolete and undersized vehicle maintenance facility.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Jan. 23-27, 2023

Winter safety tips!

South Entrance Station

We have received multiple reports of park employees and/or residents driving through the south entrance station without stopping. As a reminder, when the bypass lane is closed or inaccessible due to snow, all vehicles are required to come to a full and complete stop when driving through any of the lanes of the entrance station. A failure to stop is not only hazardous but could result in a serious accident to employees who routinely move between booths.

Parking – Safety Concern

Please do not park vehicles on roadways.
Vehicles parked inappropriately compound already hazardous conditions and they impede the plowing of roadways.
Please use designated parking areas.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Jan. 16-20, 2023

Winter storm recap; additional storm system will move through Thursday evening into Friday

Winter weather has yet again hit us hard on the South Rim, and even more so on the North Rim. As of Tuesday, the North Rim has received more than 72 inches of snow for the winter season. As of Thursday morning, State Route 64/Desert View Drive has reopened; Hermit Road remains closed. Please continue to check the Dispatch Roads Line at 928-638-7496 for the latest road conditions and closure updates.

As we continue to dig ourselves out of the accumulated snow, conditions will improve with another fast-moving storm system Thursday evening into Friday, likely bringing another 3-5 inches of additional accumulation.

This amount of snow removal requires all hands-on deck. Please help us acknowledge the continued hard work of NPS and concessionaire road and trail crews as they remove snow from roads, trails, and sidewalks throughout the park. Additionally, our interpretation and visitor and resource protection staff have assisted in snow removal and aiding stranded and unprepared visitors.

Thank you all for your continued efforts; your work has not gone unnoticed!

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Jan. 2-6, 2023

COVID Updates

Masks Optional
As of January 5, Coconino County has remained in MEDIUM CDC Community Level. Masks are optional in all public buildings. We encourage individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to practice physical distancing from others while in indoor common areas.

Total new COVID cases in Arizona for the week of December 29-January 4 was 6,187 which is an increase from the week before at 4,973. There were three new COVID-19 cases reported in the park this week.

As a reminder, be sure to promptly report any illness, to include possible COVID-19 symptoms, COVID exposure, or a positive COVID test to your supervisor and our Public Health Consultant, Ronan King. Ronan can be reached at: 202-891-8599 or Ronan_King@nps.gov.

Through June 17 — Grand Canyon National Park hosts 33rd annual Grand Canyon Star Party

The thirty-third annual Grand Canyon Star Party will be held through Saturday, June 17, 2023, on both the South and North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. National parks such as Grand Canyon are protective havens for some of the last remaining dark skies in the United States.  

The event is sponsored by the National Park Service, Grand Canyon Conservancy, the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, and the Saguaro Astronomy Club of Phoenix. Numerous telescopes will offer views of planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars, as well as double stars, star clusters, nebulae, and distant galaxies. By day, keep an eye out for solar telescopes pointed at the sun. Weather permitting, expect spectacular views of the universe! 

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: December 26-30, 2022

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. 

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Dec. 19-23, 2022

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

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — Dec. 12-16, 2022

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! 

Cultural Demonstrator Series transitions to Grand Canyon Visitor Center for winter season starting Dec. 2

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.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Nov. 21-25, 2022

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.

Supervisor Jeronimo Vasquez District 2 Newsletter — 16th Edition

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!

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Nov. 14-18, 2022

ark visitors and residents are invited to attend a special celebration in honor of Native American Heritage Month. The event takes place in Shrine of the Ages Auditorium, beginning at 6:30 pm, and promises to be an evening filled with cultural dancing and perspectives.

Four dance groups will perform:

The Dineh’ Tah Navajo Dance Troupe,
The Hopi Sinom Traditional Singers & Corn Dancers,
The Guardians of Grand Canyon – Havasupai Ram Dancers,
and the Dishchii’bikoh – Apache Crown Dancers.
Grand Canyon’s Indigenous employees and community members have presented this annual event for more than 20 years. It is free, open to the public, and is sponsored by Grand Canyon National Park and Grand Canyon Conservancy, as well as local businesses, organizations, and individuals.

Coconino County Board of Supervisors Shows Support for United Way Annual Giving Campaign

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.

United Way of Northern Arizona — UWNA Means Community Impact

Here’s the power of Community Impact:

A woman in Flagstaff is diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, devastating her teenage daughters. Because of you, the family is able to access free support groups and classes to help them cope during treatment and beyond. Ultimately, the daughters help form a support group specifically for children of cancer patients, paying it forward by helping other teens.

A homeless man, wheelchair bound and in bad health, arrives at a shelter in Holbrook. Because of you, the shelter places him in a housing unit for veterans close to a grocery store and gets him connected with community and medical services nearby. There he begins to rebuild his life.

A second-grader at Thomas Elementary School proudly places a sticker in his lesson chart, showing that he has finished reading another book. He eagerly chooses his next book adventure. Because of you, we are able to support the “raising readers” program to foster a love of learning.

Coconino County Buildings to be Adorned in Green Lights through Nov. 13 to Honor Nation’s Veterans

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. 

Supervisor Patrice Horstman — October / November 2022 District One Newsletter

In This Issue

Hello from Supervisor Horstman
Forest Restoration Update
West-Side Corridor Meeting – Flood Mitigation
East-Side Flood Mitigation Projects
Winter is Coming! 180 Corridor
Fort Valley Community Meeting
16th Biennial Conference of Science and Management on the Colorado Plateau
2022 Western Interstate Region Business Meeting
Downtown Mile
Board Expands Pumphouse Wetlands Area
Habitat for Humanity Expands Housing
Wood For Life
Coconino Coalition for Children and Youth 50th Anniversary
NAU 123rd Homecoming
Welcome CCC President, Dr. Eric Heiser
Health Services Updates and Resources
Upcoming Events
District 1 Celebrating Halloween
Contact Us

Discover Flagstaff — Enjoy family concerts, cultural events and more this weekend with Flagstaff 365!

Family Pops Concert by Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, Pepsi Amphitheater at Fort Tuthill Park. This festive outdoor event includes a program of exciting animal-themed music, face-painting, and an instrument “petting zoo” where they can pick up an instrument, learn how to hold it, and even try playing it! 3-5 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 13.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — Aug. 1-5, 2022

Native American Heritage Days take place this weekend on North Rim

The 27th Annual North Rim, Native American Heritage Days will take place on the grounds of Grand Canyon Lodge, this Friday, August 5, through Sunday, August 7.

Heritage Days provide visitors and staff with the opportunity to experience and celebrate the rich cultural diversity of the Colorado Plateau, Arizona Strip, and the Grand Canyon region. Starting around 9:30 a.m. each day, special programs will be presented by tribal members on a variety of subjects, including, astronomy, cultural connections, and Native American music and dance performances. A variety of cultural artisan demonstrations will also be taking place, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day.

Some of this year’s demonstrators will include:

Richard Graymountain from Southern Paiute – Basket Weaving
Jessica Lomatewama – Hopi – Katsina Carving and Basket Weaving
Henry Nez Dine (Navajo) – Silversmith Jewelry making
Duane Maktima – Hopi/Laguna Pueblo – Silver Jewelry/metalsmithing
Leann & Tavavee Shearer “Kaivavich” Kaibab Paiute – traditional clothing creation
Lyle Harvey Dine Navajo – Loom Construction/Weaving

A full flyer of all the Heritage Days Demonstrators is available here.

Heritage Days began in 1993 as “Paiute Days” which celebrated the Paiute, the tribe most associated with Grand Canyon’s North Rim. In 1997, the event was expanded to include all 11 of Grand Canyon’s Associated Tribes with cultural ties to the canyon.

The schedule for each day is available on the Park’s website and mobile app, by clicking on the “calendar” button. A full flyer on the event is also available here.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — July 25-29, 2022

Community level HIGH–masking requirement indoors remains in place 

As of Thursday, July 28, Coconino County remains in High Community Level and masking requirements will remain in place at least until Thursday, August 4. 

The CDC Community Level tracks a county’s ability to provide health care to COVID patients. In Arizona, 10 counties are in High. Across the United States, 42% of counties are in High, 38% of counties are in Medium, and 20% are in Low. Due to the High Community level, masks are required indoors within all government facilities, vehicles and shuttle busses, as well as commercial facilities operating within the park. 

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — July 18-22, 2022

In this edition:

Community level HIGH–masking requirement indoors remains in place
Arizona and Grand Canyon Community Statistics
Vaccine Clinics in Grand Canyon and Tusayan on August 2
Reporting COVID symptoms is critical to limiting exposure and keeping our staff and community safe
Water conservation begins for South Rim Friday, July 22
Dragon Fire grows to 200 acres on North Rim
Tuweep day use pilot reservation program takes effect Thursday, July 21
Transcanyon Waterline Project Contract Solicitation
Closure of southwest boundary/Rowe Well Road beginning August 2
Desert View Construction update
Tusayan Pueblo Stabilization-2022
More …

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — July 11-15, 2022

Project update-Grand Canyon school fiber project

Last month, Commnet completed a fiber optics project that will now bring improved high-speed capability and bandwidth to the Grand Canyon School from Williams. Now that Commnet has completed the fiber optic project servicing the school, the park is exploring ways to utilize the incoming improved telecommunications services for park administrative functions.

New NPS owned/operated telecommunications infrastructure may be installed, or additional telecommunications infrastructure owned and operated by a commercial entity could occur–which must be authorized through the Right-of-Way permitting process. A sub-group of park staff from the Telecommunications Inter-Disciplinary Team are meeting later this month to identify next steps for improving telecommunications capabilities for Grand Canyon.

We will keep park staff and our community informed of the progression of this project, as well as other future telecommunications updates.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: July 4-8, 2022

Masking requirement indoors remains in place

Grand Canyon NP has been directed by the Department of Interior (DOI) to use Center of Disease Controls (CDC) COVID Community Levels to put in place guidance and masking requirements to protect our community, park employees, and visitors. Last week the CDC COVID Community Levels were High for the first time since this metric was used. Consequently, we were required to implemented masking for all individuals over the age of two, regardless of vaccination status, in all park buildings and in public transportation per DOI policy. As of Thursday, July 7, Coconino County has transitioned into Medium Community Level.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: June 27-July 1, 2022

Town of Tusayan July 4th Events

The Town of Tusayan has many events planned for July 4th, including music, food vendors, a kids corner, Native American Dancers, and a silent auction.

There will be a bike decorating contest and activities for kids at 3:30 p.m., a parade at 4:40 p.m., live music from 5:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m., and a drone and laser show beginning at dusk.

More information is available at the Town of Tusayan website here.

Creative Flagstaff — Kick off your holiday weekend at ArtWalk!

July’s ArtWalk is this Friday, July 1st!
Join us for ArtWalk this Friday, July 1st! Visit our info booth in Heritage Square from 4:30-8 pm to pick up an ArtWalk Map – your guide to downtown during First Friday! Go digital and use the online map here. Use the official ArtWalk map to make your way around downtown to our more than 20 participating galleries and businesses.

Museum of Northern Arizona — Heritage Festival July 2 and 3!!

If you drive by the museum you’ll soon see large tents going up in the parking lots, an obvious sign that we are busy preparing for the largest celebration of Colorado Plateau cultures we’ve ever held.

This Heritage Festival has been a long time coming. MNA hasn’t hosted a festival like this since 2019, or perhaps ever. The festival has moved completely outdoors, allowing it to spread across the museum campus. There were many reasons to move the festival into the fresh air, and one was that we are able to make space for nearly 200 artists from the Acoma, Navajo, Havasupai, Hopi, Hualapai, Jemez, Laguna, Yavapai Apache, and Zuni communities. Of those, 34 are attending the festival either for the first time ever, or the first time in many decades. They bring an exciting diversity of art and traditions.

Grand Canyon National Park Weekly Wrap-up: June 20-24, 2022

Grand Canyon Star Party 2022 underway for 2022

The 32nd annual Grand Canyon Star Party is currently underway and is being held through Saturday, June 25, on both South and North rims. National parks such as Grand Canyon are protective havens for some of the last remaining dark skies in the United States. This is the first onsite event since 2019.

The event is sponsored by the National Park Service, the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (South Rim), and the Saguaro Astronomy Club of Phoenix (North Rim), with funding from Grand Canyon Conservancy and in partnership with the International Dark-Sky Association.

Amateur astronomers from across the country are volunteering their telescopes and expertise for the enjoyment of park visitors. Numerous telescopes offer views of planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars, as well as double stars, star clusters, nebulae, distant galaxies—and the Moon, earlier in the week. By day, keep an eye out for solar telescopes pointed at the sun. Weather permitting, expect spectacular views of the universe!

For additional information on the Grand Canyon Star Party visit http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/grand-canyon-star-party.htm, or contact Rader Lane at 928-638-7641.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: June 13-17, 2022

Grand Canyon Star Party 2022

The 32nd annual Grand Canyon Star Party will be held from Saturday, June 18, 2022, through Saturday, June 25, 2022, on both South and North rims of Grand Canyon National Park. National parks such as Grand Canyon are protective havens for some of the last remaining dark skies in the United States. This is the first onsite event since 2019.

The event is sponsored by the National Park Service, the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association (South Rim), and the Saguaro Astronomy Club of Phoenix (North Rim), with funding from Grand Canyon Conservancy and in partnership with the International Dark-Sky Association.

Amateur astronomers from across the country will volunteer their telescopes and expertise for the enjoyment of park visitors. Numerous telescopes will offer views of planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars, as well as double stars, star clusters, nebulae, distant galaxies—and the Moon, earlier in the week. By day, keep an eye out for solar telescopes pointed at the sun. Weather permitting, expect spectacular views of the universe!

For additional information on the Grand Canyon Star Party visit http://www.nps.gov/grca/planyourvisit/grand-canyon-star-party.htm, or contact Rader Lane at 928-638-7641.

United Way of Northern Arizona — Once Again, Our Community Is Burning

For the past 12 years, the names have accumulated like a litany of destruction: Schultz. Slide. Tinder. Museum. Tunnel.

Now, less than two months after the last major wildfire left our mountains glowing red at night and our skies dark with smoke during the day, we have two more names to add to this sad list – Pipeline and Haywire.

The situation northeast of Flagstaff is still very fluid. The latest statistics from InciWeb (the US Forest Service site that tracks wildfires nationwide) indicate that 20,000 acres have burned in the Pipeline Fire with another 4,000 charred by Haywire.

Evacuation statuses have shifted back and forth as officials receive more information, but even those who were allowed to return to their homes Tuesday were warned to be ready to leave again at a moment’s notice. At this point, we know two structures have burned since Sunday.

Allstate donates $10,000 to the Flagstaff Family Food Center and hosts three events throughout June

The Flagstaff Family Food Center, guided by its mission of “Neighbors Feeding Neighbors, Every Day,” distributed just under 8 million of pounds of food in 2021 at an average of 153,000 pounds of food a week.

The Allstate Foundation extends its Good Hands in support of the most extensive and wide-reaching emergency food assistance programming in Northern Arizona with a donation of $10,000 and three unique events throughout the month of June.

Neighborhood distribution of food boxes: June 10th, 1-4pm, CCC 4th street parking lot.

Dinner service: June 18th, 3:30-5:30pm, FFFC Kitchen; 1903 N 2nd St.

Food Drive: June 29th, 1-5pm, Cedar Safeway, 1500 E. Cedar Ave.

Coconino Chronicle (June 3, 2022)

Welcome to the Coconino Chronicle, keeping you informed on the latest news from Coconino County. Published monthly, typically on the first Friday, the Chronicle makes sure you are in-the-know about recent happenings, upcoming events and services available to you as a resident of the County.

Questions? Comments? Please email us at chronicle@coconino.az.gov.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — May 30-June 4, 2022

Cultural Demonstration Program resume in-person at Desert View

After a two-year hiatus due to COVID-19, the Cultural Demonstration Program resumes in person beginning this week! The Cultural Demonstration program provides an opportunity for visitors and community members to interact with Tribal artisans from Grand Canyon’s Traditionally Associated Tribes – and for them to share their history and crafts, along with the skills, knowledge, and efforts involved in creating each craft. This series is made possible with grants from Grand Canyon Conservancy and ArtPlace America.

This week, on Thursday and Friday, June 2 & 3, we welcome Zuni fetish carver, Jimmy Yawakia and Zuni inlay jeweler, Duran Gasper. They will be located at the Desert View Welcome Center under the large shade structure at the north end of the main parking lot from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. each day. In addition, park rangers are staffing an information desk at the same location, from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. For more information on the Cultural Demonstration Program, please visit the park’s website here.

Supervisor Jeronimo Vasquez District 2 Newsletter — 12th Edition

Sup. Vasquez volunteering at the Tunnel Fire recovery events hosted by United Way of Northern Arizona. Thank you to all that have spent time and energy to give back to the community during this difficult time.

In this edition…

Message from Jeronimo
Tunnel Fire
Event Highlights
Service Positions Open in District 2
Services and Programs
And more!

Congestion tips for visiting Grand Canyon National Park this Memorial Day weekend

Visitors to Grand Canyon National Park this Memorial Day weekend should expect long lines and full parking lots. Traffic regularly backs up at all entrance stations, with the longest wait times between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Parking lots, especially near the Grand Canyon Visitor Center, will reach capacity by 12 p.m. and shuttle bus lines will be long.

Visitors should follow these tips in preparing to visit the South Rim:

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — May 16-20, 2022

Desert View Groundbreaking Ceremony and Inter-tribal Working Group meeting  

On Tuesday, May 17, we held a ceremony at Desert View to celebrate the near completion of the initial phases of work being done at Desert View to turn it into the park Inter-tribal cultural heritage site. 

Members of the Inter-tribal Working Group, Grand Canyon Conservancy, park staff and other partners attended a short celebration of the accomplishments to date. James Uqualla from the Havasupai Tribe, offered a blessing for the work and the efforts for all who have been involved. 

In addition to Superintendent Keable, Theresa McMullan from GCC offered words of support, along with individual Working Group members. The Working Group will continue its efforts to develop the exhibit plan for the Desert View Welcome Center and has begun work on the next strategic plan. 

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — May 9-13, 2022

The CDC Community Level tracks a county’s ability to provide health care to COVID patients. We continue to register Low at the community level, and we have been at this level since early March.

The Coconino County Community Transmission looks at the number of COVID cases and positive tests. Coconino County is now High, which has increased from Substantial as of Thursday, May 5. COVID transmission in the county is continuing to rise and although we have relaxed mask mandates and other mitigation strategies in the park, we are reminded that the pandemic is not over.

As we continue to make decisions about park operations, we want to emphasize that we are considering the current transmission status and trajectory of cases nationwide. We want to acknowledge and recognize that there is a lot of information being shared by agencies, and some are conflicting. Our goal is to share pertinent information with you and also to use the best data to make decisions about park operations.

Tusayan Route Shuttle Bus “Park and Ride” begins May 28

Starting Saturday, May 28, the National Park Service (NPS) will offer shuttle bus service between the Grand Canyon National Park Visitor Center and the gateway community of Tusayan, Arizona. The Tusayan Route will run at 20-minute intervals between 8 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. daily through September 9, 2022.

Summer can be very busy at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. During busy periods, visitors can expect up to two-hour wait times at the South Entrance Station between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., and parking lots can reach capacity as early as 12 p.m. Riding the shuttle from Tusayan can help visitors avoid entrance station lines and parking frustrations and reduce vehicle congestion in the park.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — April 18-22, 2022

Sign up now—Coconino County Emergency Notifications

When emergencies happen, be the first to know.

The Coconino County Emergency Notification System uses Alerts powered by Rave Mobile Safety’s Smart911 to send official, real-time alerts to the public with information about potentially life-saving actions you may need to take to keep you and your family safe.

This service allows you to receive voice, text, and email emergency notifications generated by Grand Canyon Dispatch and public safety officials. More information on this program can be found on the county’s website and a link to sign up can be found here.

United Way of Northern Arizona — TUNNEL FIRE: ‘A Time for Neighbors to Help Neighbors’

During last night’s informative community meeting on the Tunnel Fire, it was the words of Coconino County Board of Supervisors Chair Patrice Horstman that stood out to us:

“This is a time for neighbors to help neighbors.”

United Way of Northern Arizona is currently raising money to help those impacted by the Tunnel Fire through the UWNA Crisis Response Fund. You can donate to the fund by texting UWNAZresponse to 41444. Donations can also be processed on our website here.

City of Flagstaff enters Phase 4 of COVID-19 Reentry Plan

The City of Flagstaff will move to Phase 4 of its COVID-19 Reentry Plan on April 11. This move is due to the downward trajectory in the number of new cases, hospitalizations and COVID-related deaths in Flagstaff. The City will continue to monitor conditions and take steps it deems necessary to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 exposure and spread within City facilities.

AZMOM NORTH (Arizona Dental Mission of Mercy) is calling for volunteers for its Summer 2022 Patient Dental Clinic on June 17-18, 2022 at Fort Tuthill, Flagstaff

AZMOM NORTH (Arizona Dental Mission of Mercy) is calling for volunteers for its Summer 2022 Patient Dental Clinic on June 17-18, 2022 at Fort Tuthill Commercial Building, Flagstaff.

Join us this summer with hundreds of other volunteers helping treat patients in under-served populations that need our help in providing dental care.

This is your chance to participate in the largest dental charity in Arizona.

CDC Updates COVID-19 Metrics to Determine Community Risk Levels

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has announced new metrics to guide COVID-19 mitigation practices.

The new metrics will continue to consider caseloads to determine community risk level and will also incorporate the impacts on the healthcare system as indicators to determine appropriate prevention measures for each county. According to the CDC, counties in Low and Medium can consider going without masks in public indoor settings. In High, the CDC recommends masks in all public indoor settings, including schools.

Bilingual report — Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) launches homeowner assistance fund awareness campaign

The Arizona Department of Housing (ADOH) (on Jan. 31) launched an advertising campaign to spread the word that financial help is available to struggling Arizona homeowners through the state’s Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF). The print, radio, digital, and social media ads, in English and Spanish, will concentrate in rural Arizona and encourage homeowners facing foreclosure to apply for assistance.

“The HAF is open to eligible homeowners statewide and the word has spread in many urban areas about the program,” ADOH Director Tom Simplot said. “This ad campaign aims to reach those rural communities where there may be low-income homeowners in need and there are limited other resources available to keep them in their homes.”

AARP Hispanic Connection — First update of the year

I trust you and yours are doing well! …as well as can be, given the circumstances.

This is our first update of the year. We, as I’m sure many of you, are working on our plans to deliver services and products that benefit our communities, in my particular case, Hispanic/Latinos.

In 2022 we will continue with our radio/FB live shows on Salud, Dinero y Amistad, a show where we address Social Security, Medicare, healthcare in general, finances, fraud and scams, retirement preparation and other current issues. We have done 4 shows so far (all with Finances as the underlying concept); as you know, the videos can be accessed on our FB page at www.facebook.com/aarparizonahispanicconnection.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — Jan. 24-28, 2022 — ‘Safer Federal Workforce Update’ and more news

We’ve gotten new guidance this week from the Safer Federal Workforce Taskforce pertaining to vaccinations for federal employees. This information is the result of legal challenges related to COVID-19 vaccination requirements.

The new guidance instructs us to take no action to enforce or implement the COVID-19 vaccination requirement pursuant to Executive Order 14043 on Requiring Coronavirus Disease 2019 Vaccination for Federal Employees. All the other guidance on protocols related to masking, distancing, travel, testing, and quarantine—remains in effect.

Did you ever wonder who makes up the Safer Federal Workforce Taskforce? This group is led by the White House COVID-19 Response Team, the General Services Administration (GSA), and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM). Task Force members include: the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Federal Protective Service (FPS), the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), and the United States Secret Service (USSS). For more information, visit: https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/.