Halloween is nearly here! Have fun this holiday, while also being safe. Take a look at recommendations for both Trick or Treaters and Homeowners alike.
More recommendations and tips can be found at https://www.halloween2020.org/
Leaders in the technology industry say that cloud-based computing is not only the future, but it is already here.
Coconino Community College has joined other colleges across Arizona in a statewide effort to increase access to cloud computing education in schools. On Thursday, the Arizona Commerce Authority announced the initiative, with the support of Amazon Web Services, Inc., which has a goal to train and certify 5,000 students in the state for entry-level cloud computing careers by June 2022.
Coconino Community College Nursing student Wes Grove put a bandage on Pauline’s arm after he gave her a flu shot.
“I didn’t feel a thing,” she said in a Brooklyn accent. Although her face was mostly hidden by a mask, her eyes squinted and suggested a smile.
Pauline was one of a line of people waiting in their cars for their annual flu shots available during a number of clinics through the Coconino County Department of Health and Human Services. CCC Nursing students will be helping out every other Saturday.
Discover Flagstaff publishes Flagstaff 365 Happenings on a weekly basis to highlight local events happening in and around Flagstaff. It is distributed throughout Downtown Flagstaff, displayed in kiosks and storefronts, and also available at the Flagstaff Visitor Center. Below are some highlights. For a complete printable pdf list of events click below.
Vote early in person: Early voting is available up until Friday, October 30 at these locations: Early Voting Sites. Please note that some locations are closed on Fridays.
NOTE: New Voter ID requirements for voting early in person are now in effect. See ID Required to Vote In Person for list of acceptable ID.
How can I return my voted early ballot?
Return your early ballot in any of the following ways:
Mail your ballot no later than Tuesday, October 27, 2020
Drop your ballot off at one of these Ballot Drop Box Locations or Drive-Up/Drop-Off Locations on the Navajo Nation.
Deliver your ballot to any early voting location in the county prior to Election Day, during the hours the site is open.
Deliver your ballot to any polling place or vote center in the county on Election Day between 6 am to 7 pm (local time).
See also Tips on Returning Your Early Ballot…
It’s hard for some Arizonans to imagine. But there are communities all over the state where families can’t get internet, or even reliable phone service. Most of us can’t picture going through life without that, but for many, it’s a daily reality. Driving to the top of a hill to get cell service; hour-long bus rides to get to school; roads that are virtually unpassable in the winter. And for those on tribal communities the challenges might be even more basic – many households lack running water or electricity, or both.
As you cast your ballot this year, keep them in mind. These are some of our most vulnerable populations and they need the support and resources that both government and nonprofit groups provide.
Whatever your concerns are, they can be reflected in your vote. For rural communities in Arizona, there are resources and support, but at times, the resources available aren’t always reflective of the community’s immediate needs. During the pandemic, as teachers often do, many teachers continue to use their personal devices and other self-purchased tools to make it through this year.
Vote early in person: Early voting is available up until Friday, October 30 at these locations: Early Voting Sites. Please note that some locations are closed on Fridays.
NOTE: New Voter ID requirements for voting early in person are now in effect. See ID Required to Vote In Person for list of acceptable ID.
How can I return my voted early ballot?
Return your early ballot in any of the following ways:
Mail your ballot no later than Tuesday, October 27, 2020
Drop your ballot off at one of these Ballot Drop Box Locations or Drive-Up/Drop-Off Locations on the Navajo Nation.
Deliver your ballot to any early voting location in the county prior to Election Day, during the hours the site is open.
Deliver your ballot to any polling place or vote center in the county on Election Day between 6 am to 7 pm (local time).
See also Tips on Returning Your Early Ballot.
Early ballots must be received no later than 7:00 pm on Election Day, November 3, 2020.
Where can I go to vote on Election Day?
You may find your polling location online by searching your residence address or by looking up this list of polling places.
Message from Mary –
Fall is in the air and the oak and aspen trees around the museum are turning gorgeous colors. This is the time of year when we would normally be preparing for Celebraciones, but of course we are not able to have such a large gathering this year. Instead, we’re celebrating Dia de los Muertos with two beautiful community ofrendas. One is in the museum building courtesy of Flagstaff Nuestras Raices and the other in our Colton Community Garden. I hope you’ll come see them.
As the colder weather and shorter days bring us inside, the museum offers many experiences to enjoy indoors, whether by signing up for the Docent Training program, embarking on a virtual trip through the Grand Canyon with geologist Wayne Ranney, or coming to visit the museum. The staff and I look forward to seeing you at MNA, online or in person.
Mary Kershaw
Executive Director & CEO
Museum of Northern Arizona
Today, Friday, October 23, 5:00 pm, is the deadline for voters to request an early ballot to be mailed to them. The Elections Office has already sent out almost 70,000 ballots to our registered voters. In the first ten days of early voting, over 30,000 voted ballots have been returned. Our voter registration team is very busy verifying signatures and processing the voted early ballots.
If you want to check to see if your voted early ballot has been processed and accepted, go to: https://my.arizona.vote/PortalList.aspx
Please note that it takes the team a few days to process an early ballot after it arrives.
Last spring, we shared our new mission, to foster creative opportunity, with you. Since then, this mission was tested as we worked to support Flagstaff’s creative sector through one of the most challenging years on record. We know that you support our mission and vision, in order to continue our work, we need your help.
What do W. L. Gore & Associates, Wells Fargo, Northern Arizona University, Kinney Construction, Nestle Purina, the City of Flagstaff and Navajo County all have in common?
They are a handful of the companies and organizations that have lent their best and brightest to serve on the United Way of Northern Arizona Board of Directors.
This year we are proud to say that we have 100% participation by our 22-member board in this year’s Annual Campaign.
Earlier this month, guests from all over the word attended CCC&Y’s presentation of Kevin Campbell’s “Self-Healing Communities — A Continued Conversation.”
The presentation is now available on CCC&Y’s Prevention webpage at Self-Healing Communities with Kevin Campbell. The free program also includes presentation slides and Self-Healing Communities Data from the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.
“As a testament to Kevin’s international work we had participants from England, Canada, the Netherlands, Belgium, Texas, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Arkansas, and of course, all over Arizona,” said Virginia Watahomigie, executive director of CCC&Y. “This piece 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.”
Discover Flagstaff publishes Flagstaff 365 Happenings on a weekly basis to highlight local events happening in and around Flagstaff. It is distributed throughout Downtown Flagstaff, displayed in kiosks and storefronts, and also available at the Flagstaff Visitor Center. Below are some highlights. For a complete printable pdf list of events click below.
I find it difficult to believe, but we are halfway through the Fall semester here at Coconino Community College.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected the way we deliver courses at the college, our students have continued to make progress toward achieving their educational dreams a reality.
Some of our students have also told us, frankly, that as soon as it is safe to do so, they would like to see a return of in-person classes at CCC. We are listening, and we are planning, if it is safe to do so in the Spring semester, to offer a percentage of our courses in-person to help those students who thrive in a face-to-face setting. Social distancing, face coverings and other health measures will continue to protect students and instructors. If all in-person classes that students are interested in fill up, I invite them to take advantage of CCC’s new “waitlist” feature to save a place in line if a seat in an in-person course opens.
For the month of October, which is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Victim Witness Services for Coconino County is doing a Campaign for Healthy Relationships throughout Coconino County. While it is important to recognize that domestic violence is a real problem that people deal with daily, we also want to recognize a way to prevent it is by knowing about and striving for healthy relationships.
To continue our video series, the next video has been posted https://youtu.be/UP_UuVrMTWw. We will continue releasing these videos every Monday and Friday of the month.
Candidates for elected office through Coconino County and statewide have addressed youth education and child welfare issues with Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth’s Candidate Questionnaire Webpage.
CCC&Y is once again providing its one-stop webpage featuring information from candidates impacting the county.
The Coalition has created the short, attached questionnaire so that voters in Coconino County may understand how candidates will respond to issues related to children & youth. Voters will have access to the Coalition’s website to compare and contrast candidate responses, see who has responded and note missing candidates.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recognized the city of Flagstaff Water Conservation program with a 2020 WaterSense Excellence Award for promoting WaterSense and water efficiency in 2019. The Water Conservation Program offers rebates to both businesses and homeowners to install WaterSense labeled toilets, showerheads and faucet aerators. This resulted in thousands of fixture replacements in 2019.
The Jay Lively Activity Center, which is the City’s ice rink, will begin a tiered reopening on Oct. 12 at 12 p.m. The center will only open to the following groups: Flagstaff Avalanche High School Hockey, Flagstaff Figure Skating Club, Flagstaff Youth Hockey Association, and Just for Fun Hockey Club, based on rental agreements and ice time reservations. During the first tier of reopening, the ice arena will not be open to the general public.
Coconino County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Tommy Lewis is seeking applicants for appointment to seven school districts.
Coconino County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Tommy Lewis is seeking applicants for appointment to seven school districts which include: Coconino Association for Vocations, Industry, and Technology (CAVIAT) Education District in Flagstaff (1 seat), Fredonia (1 seat), Page (1 seat); Fredonia-Moccasin USD #6 (2 seats), Maine Consolidated USD #10 (3 seats); Tuba City USD #15 (1 seat) and N.A.T.I.V.E. (1 seat). The County plans to fill these positions prior to December 24, 2020 so the appointees can start their duty on January 1, 2021 as new board members.
Questionnaire webpage provides voters opportunity for one-stop information. Deadline for candidates to submit written answers extended to Oct. 9
Candidates for elected office through Coconino County and statewide are addressing youth education and child welfare issues with Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth’s Candidate Questionnaire Webpage.
CCC&Y is once again providing its one-stop webpage featuring information from candidates impacting the county.
The Coalition sincerely appreciates candidates’ willingness to run for public office. Please know that the Coalition has gratitude for your public service and the sacrifices this requires.
The Coalition has created the short, attached questionnaire so that voters in Coconino County may understand how candidates will respond to issues related to children & youth. Voters will have access to the Coalition’s website to compare and contrast candidate responses.
They both are dedicated to the healing touch in a time of greatest need.
Sisters Teneesha and Lakeesha Todacheene of the Page area have their sights on becoming nurses, and thanks to the Coconino Community College Foundation, they can afford to pursue their dream.
“I always dreamed of becoming a nurse, and my ultimate goal is to become a nurse practitioner,” Lakeesha said. “I’ve always been inspired to help people.”
Coconino County’s Wildfire Defense Ordinance remains in effect due to dry conditions throughout the County. The open fire ban has been in place since earlier this spring due to dry conditions and lack of monsoon rains.
The County does wish to clarify that the ordinance and the fire ban do not apply to open fire maintained indoors in a fireplace for providing warmth. As temperatures drop overnight, the open fire ban does not apply to keeping residences warm and safe through controlled open fires in fireplaces or wood stoves.
Persons needing utility assistance for electric, gas, wood, water and propane (100 gallons or more) are asked to call Coconino County Health and Human Services, Community Services at 928-679-7453. Income eligibility requirements apply. Rental assistance is also available. Visit https://coconino.az.gov/149/Social-Services for more information.
Greetings Constituents,
I am writing to you today to spread the word about the need for volunteers to support the American Red Cross response to disasters like Hurricanes Laura and Sally and the wildfires that are raging out west. As you are aware 2020 has presented us with a series of unprecedented disasters with the added challenge of operating during a global pandemic. The Red Cross is up for the challenge to respond to disasters both here in Arizona and across the country, but we need the help of our community to bolster our available workforce.
We have a critical need for volunteers who are licensed healthcare professionals as well as people to help with sheltering. We are operating a little differently this year to provide the safest environment possible for our workforce and the clients we serve, but our mission to provide shelter to people displaced by disasters remains the same.
Drills whir. Circular saws throw up dust. The instructor works to be heard over the noise.
“This helps you cut in a straight line with a circular saw,” he says, sawdust in his hair.
The Coconino Community College Construction Technology students are starting simple by building tool boxes, but by the end, they will build a 5-foot by 8-foot shed that will contain everything necessary for the building of a house.
Registration continues for CCC&Y’s presentation of Kevin Campbell’s “Self-Healing Communities — A Continued Conversation,” from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020.
“The starting point for Self -Healing Communities is the recognition of the connection between how we live individually and together. We have built social welfare and health systems on the ideas of needs and services. This approach located problems and solutions within individuals obscuring the need to address structural factors. Our “helping” systems often reflect this view, increasingly defining power imbalances as personal imbalances, resulting in the medicalizing of inequitable experience rather than organizing and supporting people to live socially, environmentally and economically secure lives without depending on systems.”
There are just five days remaining to complete the 2020 Census. The Census Bureau will complete their counting efforts on September 30.
Coconino County urges all residents to complete the Census which can be done in less than 10 minutes. The Census can be completed in a variety of ways, including online at https://my2020census.gov/ or by calling 1-844-330-2020. The current self-response rate in Coconino County is 45.2% as of today, while the rest of Arizona is at 63.2%.
Don’t Miss the Final Events of the 2020 Flagstaff Festival of Science This Weekend!
Last Chance to Celebrate the Superpowers of Science
Hello, Festival Fans!
The 31st annual Flagstaff Festival of Science is nearly over, with a full week of activities come and gone, but there are still many events coming up this weekend to help you to indulge your curiosity and satisfy your yearning to learn!
Questionnaire webpage provides voters opportunity for one-stop information. Candidate questionnaires to be updated at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 23.
Candidates for elected office through Coconino County and statewide are addressing youth education and child welfare issues with Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth’s Candidate Questionnaire Webpage.
CCC&Y is once again providing its one-stop webpage featuring information from candidates impacting the county.
The Coalition sincerely appreciates candidates’ willingness to run for public office. Please know that the Coalition has gratitude for your public service and the sacrifices this requires.
Currently only 45.1% of Coconino County residents have filled out the 2020 Census. This is worrisome because this can result in a SEVERE under count if more of our community members do not respond. The Census is important because it ensures that Coconino County receives federal funds for things like Public Safety, Schools, Roads and Infrastructure, Medicare and Medicaid, and more!
The Census also determines how many seats each state gets in the House of Representatives. It’s important to remember the following when filling out the 2020 Census:
Count everyone who is living in your house on or after 04/01/20 on your census form
The census DOES NOT ask about citizenship
All information collected is required BY LAW to be kept confidential
Make sure to include children and babies when filling out your census
EVERYONE COUNTS!
You count. Your families count. Your neighbors count.
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors recently proclaimed September 15 – October 15 to be Hispanic Heritage Month. Coconino County recognizes and honors the important contributions of Hispanics and Latinos in our community, said District 2 Supervisor Liz Archuleta.
The Coconino County Hispanic Advisory Council is offering a number of interactive events throughout the month that are open to the public. We invite you to join! See below for a calendar of events taking place this month!
With less than a half-month to go, Coconino County still lags behind its U.S. Census 2010 self-response rate.
Okay procrastinators, time to get going!!!
The time is now to fill out U.S. Census forms by Sept. 30, 2020 and also do everything possible to make sure your VOTE COUNTS in during the Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020 general election
As of Sept. 17, 2020, Coconino County reported a total self-response rate of 44.9 percent, down from from 51.0 percent from a year ago. The news is event worse for the Navajo Nation, which has reported 19.9 percent self-response rate as of Sept. 17, 2020, down from 29.4 percent in 2010.
Ayla Martinez, graduate researcher with the Center for Ecosystem Science and Society will join “Picture a Scientist,” a panel discussion presented during the Flagstaff Festival of Science. The panel, composed of active Flagstaff scientists at a variety of career stages, will discuss their diverse experiences navigating STEM fields. The discussion will be held via Zoom at 4 p.m. on Sept. 20.
We are very pleased to kick off the 31st annual Flagstaff Festival of Science–also known as the “Best 10 Days of the Year”–on Friday, Sept. 18, 2020.
Here is a brief overview of some of this weekend’s events. Visit our website at Scifest.org for the full list of more than 60 activities, and remember, everything is free!
Painting the Urban Landscape with Pastels
An Online Workshop with Nancie King Mertz
December 4 – 6, 2020
The urban landscape is a rich motif to explore composition in value and color. Pastels give us the direct immediacy of a drawing and the rich, organic pigment of oil paint. Through the Zoom platform, Nancie will share her rapid methods for simplifying cityscapes to get past the complexities of this sometimes intimidating motif.
Coconino County Community Development was recently awarded a grant in the amount of $920,000 from the Office of Economic Adjustment through the Department of Defense. This grant will allow for the implementation of key strategies to protect the missions of military installations at Camp Navajo and the Naval Observatory Flagstaff Station (NOFS), and will promote awareness of its activities in the community. These strategies were identified as priorities from a Joint Land Use Study that was concluded approximately one year ago.
CCC&Y will present Kevin Campbell’s “Self-Healing Communities — A Continued Conversation,” from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 7, 2020.
“The starting point for Self -Healing Communities is the recognition of the connection between how we live individually and together. We have built social welfare and health systems on the ideas of needs and services. This approach located problems and solutions within individuals obscuring the need to address structural factors. Our “helping” systems often reflect this view, increasingly defining power imbalances as personal imbalances, resulting in the medicalizing of inequitable experience rather than organizing and supporting people to live socially, environmentally and economically secure lives without depending on systems.”
Discover Flagstaff publishes Flagstaff 365 Happenings on a weekly basis to highlight local events happening in and around Flagstaff. It is distributed throughout Downtown Flagstaff, displayed in kiosks and storefronts, and also available at the Flagstaff Visitor Center. Below are some highlights. For a complete printable pdf list of events click below.
They are often the first ones on the scene when a person is sick or injured and needs help. They should have compassion, solve problems on the fly, and be able to work under pressure.
Being an Emergency Medical Technician is a rewarding career, and Coconino Community College is offering a course to help Page area residents become certified EMTs.
Currently only 44.2% of Coconino County residents have filled out the 2020 Census. This is worrisome because this can result in a SEVERE under count if more of our community members do not respond. The Census is important because it ensures that Coconino County receives federal funds for things like Public Safety, Schools, Roads and Infrastructure, Medicare and Medicaid, and more!
The Census also determines how many seats each state gets in the House of Representatives.It’s important to remember the following when filling out the 2020 Census:
Count everyone who is living in your house on or after 04/01/20 on your census form
The census DOES NOT ask about citizenship
All information collected is required BY LAW to be kept confidential
Make sure to include children and babies when filling out your census
EVERYONE COUNTS!
Seasonal influenza vaccine is being offered at the Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) Clinic, 2625 N. King Street, Flagstaff. Drive-up and Walk-up Flu Vaccination Clinics will be held every Friday beginning September 11 and every other Saturday beginning September 12 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. No appointment is needed. Masks or face coverings are required.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends a yearly flu vaccination as the first step in protecting against flu viruses. It is strongly recommended that everyone 6 months old and over get a flu shot each year.
The cost for a flu vaccination at the CCHHS Clinic is $30. CCHHS is contracted with most major insurance carriers. As a courtesy, CCHHS will bill the insurance carrier, but those seeking a flu shot should check with their insurance provider to determine whether they are covered.
Seasonal influenza vaccine is being offered at the Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) Clinic, 2625 N. King Street, Flagstaff.
Seasonal influenza vaccine is being offered at the Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) Clinic, 2625 N. King Street, Flagstaff. Drive-up and Walk-up Flu Vaccination Clinics will be held every Friday beginning September 11 and every other Saturday beginning September 12 from 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. No appointment is needed. Masks or face coverings are required.
The premise of self-healing communities is individuals within communities hold the wisdom to transform our most pressing community challenges. When the community at large asks their neighbors and community what would be most supportive, listens to their perspectives, and supports a collective response, we begin the process of healing.
Coconino Coalition for Children and Youth (CCC&Y) is leading an effort to facilitate a self-healing county! With such a vast county, where do we start? First, acknowledge YOU are a leader!
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors issued a proclamation designating September as Suicide Prevention Month. Coconino County pledges to continue supporting suicide prevention efforts across the County, in partnership with @StrongerAsOneNAZ and our other community partners.
For free services, text the 24/7 Crisis Line at 741-741, call the Northern Arizona Crisis Line at 1-877-756-4090, or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
Sedona Arts Center’s Online Classes and Workshops are perfect for students who are interested in taking one of our educational opportunities, but are unable to travel. These learning opportunities provide a well-rounded experience in various visual art mediums.
Our classes are live online learning experiences with one-on-one interaction between student and instructor. Visit us online to learn more about all of our online classes!
All Coconino County administrative offices will be closed Monday, September 7, 2020 in honor of Labor Day.
COVID-19 testing at Fort Tuthill and the COVID-19 Information Line will also be closed. The County’s COVID-19 response efforts will resume on Tuesday, September 8.
Coconino County Health and Humans Services recommends taking extra precautions when participating in Labor Day activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 safety recommendations include:
Avoid close contact with others, avoid large groups.
Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others.
Wash hands frequently.
Cover coughs and sneezes.
Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces.
Practice physical distancing while at social events.
Skip the celebratory events, if sick over the holiday
As we head into this holiday weekend, I want to congratulate the organizers of two of the biggest events on the Flagstaff calendar for their ingenuity in bringing us virtual versions of these annual celebrations.
For fans of the Coconino County Fair, it’s not easy to capture the sounds, smells and thrills of the Fair, but the folks at Coconino County Parks & Recreation have done their best to bring the experience into your home.
Would you like to see the 4-H Livestock Show? How about 7-plus hours of steers, pigs, goats and lambs right here. (They’ll also be hosting the auction over these next three days online).
PAGE — Tashina Williams, director of student support services for the Page Unified School District, has been named CCC&Y’s Community Ambassador for Page.
The new position will strategically extend CCC&Y’s capacity and reach into communities in Coconino County.
“I have been with the school district for three and a half years,” Williams said. “Before that I was a dedicated case manager with Encompass Health Services for about nine years. I ran the matrix, intensive out-patient treatment program for adolescents. I also worked with high need children ages 5-18 on their treatment plan.
2020 has been a year of uncertainty. Flagstaff’s creative sector met the challenges of this year and demonstrated incredible resilience while doing so. The 13th Annual Viola Awards, set to take place on Saturday, March 27, 2021, will recognize artists, educators, organizations and leaders who make positive contributions to the arts, sciences, and culture in Flagstaff. Nominations are being accepted until December 31, 2020.