NAU and President Cruz Rivera honored the Class of 2021 President’s Prize recipients, Maree Mahkewa and Angel Marshall, 29 Gold Axe Award winners and nine Distinguished Seniors at a formal ceremony on Nov. 16 at the High Country Conference Center.
She wants to be a surgeon.
To that end, Page resident Ryan Thomas, 18, is doing her best, through Coconino Community College, to get as many college credits out of the way before she ever leaves Page High School.
“I’ve always been focused on helping people and giving back to them,” Thomas said.
High school students in Coconino County have three options if they are interested in receiving college credits. Dual Enrollment students take college-level courses at a significantly reduced cost at their high schools. Concurrent Enrollment students take college-level courses at regular tuition costs at one of CCC’s campuses. Finally, Coconino Association for Vocations, Industry and Technology (CAVIAT) students take college level, vocational-based courses, leading to an industry or CCC certification, at no cost to the student, at one of CCC’s campuses.
Thanksgiving Holiday – CCC is Closed
Thursday, November 25 – Sunday, November 28, 2021
The college will reopen on its regular schedule Monday, November 29, 2021.
CCC is always open online at www.coconino.edu
Upcoming Vaccine Event-Monday, December 6
We are pleased to announce that we are once again partnering with Coconino County Health and Human Services and the Grand Canyon Rec Center to host a vaccine event for the Grand Canyon community. This event is scheduled for Monday, December 6 inside the Rec Center in the large community room.
We are still working with the County to finalize specific times as well as what vaccines will be available to what age groups for this event. More information, including a flyer, will be shared in the near future on these details.
As we continue our annual fundraising campaign for United Way of Northern Arizona, we wanted to take a look at how your generosity impacted the safety and security of residents in Coconino, Navajo and Apache in fiscal year 2021.
Which raised a question: what exactly is “safety and security,” and how did your Stepping Up for Our Community change lives?
There are the three basics that everyone knows – food, shelter, clothing. However, safety and security encompasses so much more than that. It’s about access to healthcare and vital medications, funds to pay for utilities, and financial education and employment programs so families can have a better future.
Here are some of the ways UWNA with its partners transformed your donations into strategic programs that helped those in need in the past year:
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.
Self-Healing Communities with Kevin Campbell is an argument for moving away from treating individuals, community members and families as the “recipient” of services, from medicalizing unlivable lives, from not acknowledging systems of injustice and a move toward the scientifically-based call to action of participation, truth and community healing.
“This presentation is outstanding- thank you!” “Thank you for the space and conversation….this was excellent!”
We’ve also created Igniting Collective Action: Moving Beyond ACEs, an hour-long webinar that 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.”
Coconino County Superintendent of Schools Cheryl Mango-Paget has announced the scheduling of interviews for the Governing School Board Member open seats at Maine Consolidated School District #10.
An advisory committee will be assembled consisting of a district resident, district teacher, and two current board members to conduct interviews and advise Superintendent Mango-Paget on the appointments.
Ora Marek-Martinez understands the need for Indigenous students to find community in order for them to reach their full potential in college. Marek-Martinez, who is of the Diné, Nez Perce and Hopi tribes, felt lost more than once while a student at NAU. As executive director of the Native American Cultural Center, her role is to create a place where the students who come after her will find the support, academic resources and familial and spiritual services needed to be successful at NAU and beyond.
Giving Tuesday, November 30, is a global generosity movement, one to which you can contribute meaningfully. This popular day of giving back has grown to inspire millions of people to make a contribution during the holiday season.
How can YOU make an impact on GivingTuesday? Donate to the Flagstaff Festival of Science!
At United Way of Northern Arizona, we love sharing with you the stories that illustrate the good work we are doing with our partners to Step Up for Our Youth and Our Community.
It’s work that you make possible through your generous donations, which we then direct to proven programs and services the improve the lives of our residents in Coconino, Navajo and Apache counties.
But sometimes, numbers can be even more impressive than stories. Sometimes they give you the full picture of the impact we are achieving together. Numbers like:
28,204 books that were distributed in the last year to young children (birth to age 8) through programs like the Dolly Parton Imagination Library and KinderCamp.™
In This Issue
11 November 2021
Hello from Supervisor Horstman
U.S. Forest Service Chief Visits Coconino County
Four Forest Restoration Initiative Investment
Western Interstate Region Annual Conference
Coconino County Redistricting Process
State Congressional and Legislative Redistricting Process
Meeting with NAU President Cruz Rivera
Ft. Tuthill Restroom Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
Stuff the Bus
FDA Approved COVID-19 Boosters
COVID-19 and Flu Vaccines
COVID Information Line and Testing Site
Contact Us
Honoring Our Veterans
On Veterans Day, we take a moment to salute the men and women who serve, and have served in our nation’s military. Many people have repeated Colonel Walter Hitchcock’s famous words, ‘Freedom is not free’ because it succinctly captures the essence of military service.
We want to express our great appreciation for every GRCA employee and resident who has served in the armed forces. We especially want to thank all of those who sacrificed and shared in the sacrifices of military service members. The nation owes a debt of gratitude for service members and their families and their sacrifices.
Thank you, Veterans!
Work continues to implement a pilot project installing separated bike lanes on Beaver Street and Butler Avenue. The contractor has completed the installation of a concrete curb and delineators to physically separate bicyclists from vehicles on Beaver Street.
Work to install similar barriers on Butler Avenue will begin on Monday, November 15, 2021 and end on November 26, 2021. The project limits are Butler Avenue, from Milton Road to Sawmill Road.
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 satellite location of the next public hearing to be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 10 at the High County Conference Center, 201 W. Butler Ave., Flagstaff. Click here for the agenda or here for future meeting information.
Visit the CCC Foundation booth for festive holiday gifts at the St. Mary’s/San Francisco de Asis Annual Christmas Bazaar.
CCC Scarves for Scholarships is a fundraiser in support of Nursing Student Scholarships at CCC.
Why not stay warm and cozy this year while helping to support a good cause all at the same time?
This in-person, family-friendly event will feature crafters and venders from Flagstaff and the surrounding area. There will be a lot of home-made gifts, arts and crafts, pre-packaged baked goods and food items for sale.
There will also be a raffle with lots of really great prizes.
Open to the public – $0.50 per person entrance fee.
Zach Hamilton enlisted in the Marine Corps, “caught up in the romantic dream of dress blues and honor.” During his service, which included a stint in Afghanistan, and since leaving the Marines in 2013, he has reflected often on words his father, a veteran of Desert Storm, told him: The military provides experience he wouldn’t get anywhere else, but someday, he might look back at that experience through a different lens. In honor of Veterans Day, he reflects on that counsel in this Views from NAU.
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.)
Join CHAC in a community clean-up event! We will remove garbage from around Coconino High School on E. Cedar Ave and towards Buffalo Park from 10 a.. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 6.
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.
There are many virtual and in-person science events around Flagstaff this winter. See the list below to make sure you don’t miss out!
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Mariachi music and Folklorico dancing, colorful and elaborate ofrendas (altars), insightful heritage programs, and Day of the Dead inspired crafts for the kids. 10 a.m.
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)
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.
From Make it Monday and Flannels and Flapjacks to the carnival, parade and winning football game Saturday, relive the fun and excitement of NAU’s 2021 Homecoming Week.
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.
Federal Workforce Vaccination for NPS Employees
As a reminder, November 22 is the deadline for federal employees to be fully vaccinated.
To meet the November 22 deadline, NPS employees must receive their first dose by October 11 if getting the Moderna vaccine or October 18 if getting the Pfizer vaccine
November 8 is the deadline for the second dose of both Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, and for receiving the single dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine
By November 22, all federal employees must be fully vaccinated or actively working with their supervisor and HR on a reasonable accommodation request. More information can be found on the vaccine FAQ page on the Safer Federal Workforce website.
The age-old question of ‘are we alone?’ is a compelling one, and third-year doctoral student Amber Young is committed to finding an answer. She is looking for life on other planets, and now NASA is helping her out. The Department of Astronomy and Planetary Sciences student recently recieved a grant to analyze chemical components and specific biosignatures from exoplanets that could show potential signs of life. As part of the grant, she will work with NASA team members on the LUVOIR Mission to build computer modeling tools that will allow her to examine which observational scenarios are ideal for detecting and interpreting biosignatures.
An ongoing pandemic. Wildfires. Flooding.
In reflecting on the past year, United Way of Northern Arizona President & CEO Carol Dykes probably summed it up best when she said, “Some days it just felt like we couldn’t catch a break.”
But working together, we ensured that our communities rallied. Thanks to generous people like you who donated to the United Way, funds were available to ensure that people were able to stay in their homes, feed their children and keep the lights on.
… Several Native teachings have deeply impacted my life and brought me peace. First, simply knowing we all have a purpose. Our ancestors lived through hardships so we could come to be. Therefore, what we do in this life should honor our ancestors and the next seven generations. Also, to “walk in beauty” by being grounded and intentional with our thoughts, words, and actions. Walking in beauty includes honoring our responsibility to be stewards of the land. And the teaching that most profoundly resonates with my purpose is quite simply we all are connected (people, animals, and plants). It gives me hope to know we are all K’e, a community of extended family.
In this edition…
Message from Sup. Vasquez
Redistricting Public Input Wanted
Housing Solutions Flood Assistance
Area Plan Open House
And more!
Monday, Oct. 11, was National Coming Out Day, and IT project manager Grace Huang Ditsworth (they/them) shares what coming out has meant to them. Ditsworth said it is not a singular moment; rather, coming out is a process of wayfinding as they align themself with who they are and directs others to find and recognize them.
View this email in your browser October 11th, 2021 Come connect with your community Featured Resource Adult & All-Ages Events Book Clubs Youth Events To request a reasonable accommodation for any type of disability, please call 928-213-2331 (Downtown Library) or…
As Coconino County Diversity Team continue to celebrate, learn, share, and create awareness during Hispanic Heritage Month, welcome to Week 4!! Please share with your departments, social media networks, family, and friends as we come together to Engage, Celebrate, Reflect, Embrace, our Cultural Differences while Empowering each other.
Events include: “Halloween vs. Día de los Muertos” at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 8 and “Story Time” at 9 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 9.
Coconino County Superintendent of Schools is pleased to announce that the Coconino County Education Service Agency was selected to receive a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant for $259,128.
Coconino County Superintendent of Schools, Cheryl Mango-Paget, is pleased to announce that the Coconino County Education Service Agency was selected to receive a U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) grant for $259,128 through the Office of Urban Agriculture and Innovative Production (UAIP).
