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
With funding through the Southwest Health Equity Research Collaborative, Northern Arizona University researchers are partnering with the University of Hawai’i to investigate biological, socioeconomic factors driving early childhood caries.
In observance of the Labor Day holiday, Coconino Community College will be closed Monday, September 7, 2020.
Instruction will resume on its regular schedule Tuesday, September 8, 2020.
Have a healthy and safe Labor Day holiday weekend.
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.
The 2020 Coconino County Fair will move forward this year as an online event with virtual 4-H shows, pictures of entry winners, streaming entertainment, and a virtual vendor marketplace. A “community connections” portion encourages community members to share favorite recipes, gardening tips and tricks, flower growing advice, and to vote for people’s choice awards in fine arts for photography and other art mediums. While the annual Coconino County Fair will look different this year, the public is encouraged to participate and make it a community-wide celebration.
School is back in session in northern Arizona, although it looks unlike anything we’ve ever seen before, with most K-12 school systems opting for virtual classes at least for the first quarter of the school year because of coronavirus.
#1 Benchmarks. One of the big statistical indicators for whether a school district is ready to begin in-person sessions has to do with three benchmarks from the Arizona Department of Health Services. They are:
A decline in coronavirus cases or less than 100 cases per 100,000 individuals for two consecutive weeks;
Two consecutive weeks with “percent positivity” below 7%. (This is exactly what it sounds like; that fewer than 7% of the coronavirus tests come back positive. It’s an indicator of transmission rates or that too few people are being tested.)
Two consecutive weeks with hospital visits for COVID-like illnesses in the region below 10%.
Yá’át’ééh!
Thank you for taking COVID-19 seriously. The sacrifices you’re making during this time – closing of businesses, cancelling of gatherings and social distancing from those you love are not in vain. These are incredibly important as we are doing all we can to slow the spread and flatten the curve. Remember Coconino County to mask up!
Although many county offices are closed to the public, we are still working for you. I am still working for you. I am excited to continue my work with, and for, the residents of Coconino County District 5. I am pleased to share this weekly e-blast with you to provide you with a weekly update on my efforts, the latest COVID-19 information, and share resources from other community partners. We are in this together.
In This Newsletter:
Quote of the Day
2020 Emergency Preparedness Guide
Virtual Master Gardening Class for Northern Arizona
Don’t forget to fill out the 2020 Census!
Coconino County COVID-19 Testing Surge registration
COVID-19 Daily Dashboard
COVID-19 Weekly Report Available
AZDHS COVID-19 Website
Stay Connected with Us!
The Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth continued its support of Flagstaff Unified School District’s professional development efforts with a virtual presentation earlier this month.
“Through the support of CCC&Y we were able to provide the opportunity for all staff on our professional development day, August 10th to participate in viewing the webinar: “Understanding Adverse Child Experiences,” district officials reported. FUSD reports 1500 professionals were in attendance.
The hour-long webinar helps participants learn how the effects of childhood trauma play out both personally for individuals, along with having tremendous costs for society.
Regional Geography (GEO 133) general education course at Coconino Community College.
Have you ever wanted to understand…
what exists on the other side of the world?
what things are there to see and places to visit?
what people live there?
If so, then you may be interested in World Regional Geography (GEO 133) at CCC.
The Fall semester is a week away.
How is it that time seems to move so very quickly and yet so very slowly during a pandemic? I think it is because we so very much miss seeing our students and our communities up close and in person. And yet, Coconino Community College is moving right along.
This year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, we at CCC have chosen Remote Delivery methods for our courses in the interest of the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and the community. Our motto for this time is “Be Stellar, Be Safe.” Going to remote delivery was a difficult decision because all of us, especially our faculty, want to have that personal contact with our students, and some of our students would absolutely prefer to learn that way.
The 17th Annual Celebraciones de la Gente at the Museum of Northern Arizona has been postponed until 2021. Originally scheduled for Oct. 24-25, 2020, the Day of the Dead festival was rescheduled for the health and safety of all of our artists, visitors and staff.
Rooted in community, this weekend-long event has been presented at the museum in partnership with Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces. It features fine art and unique crafts, music and dancing, colorful and elaborate ofrendas (altars), insightful heritage programs and Day of the Dead inspired crafts for the kids.
Members of Nuestras Raices and the Museum of Northern Arizona are currently working on virtual Celebraciones de la Gente programming for this year. Details to come shortly.
Heating. Ventilation. Air Conditioning. Refrigeration. Oh, my!
Coconino Community College will now be offering a certification in Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration (HVACR) this fall thanks to a generous grant from the Del E. Webb Foundation. The program includes training in Plumbing, Blueprint Reading and Estimating, Basic Electrical Theory, House Wiring, Building Methods. International Residence Code and HVACR.
The Coconino Community College TRIO Student Support Services program received a $1.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education.
The grant, which will be distributed over a five-year period, is the third such grant CCC has received since 2010.
“This is a big deal because our priority is first-generation students, students with disabilities and low-income students,” said Jessica Laessig, TRIO project coordinator at CCC. “This grant is important to be able to help these students who need it the most on our campus.”
Barely getting by at a dead-end job, April Sandoval left an abusive husband and decided to try her hand at college.
Sitting in the parking lot of Coconino Community College in 2002, she forced herself to go inside and attend her first class. She thrived and quickly received her associate degree. She then went on to get two bachelor’s degrees and a master’s degree.
Now, Sandoval, Assistant to the President and the District Governing Board at CCC, can add another feather in her cap on her road to success. She was chosen this week to receive the Pacific Region Professional Board Staff Member Award for 2020 from the Association of Community College Trustees.
Coconino County currently has a response rate of 41.6% for the 2020 Census.
If you have not yet filled out the 2020 Census, please do so!
In times of crises, communities need funding, data and representation in order to support their people, and respond to the challenges. Coconino County needs your support to make sure we able to tackle the challenges we face today, and for the next ten years.
By filling out the 2020 Census, you’re helping to make sure that our community continues to receive federal funding for Medicare and Medicaid and support for the health centers we rely on to serve our people. Billions of dollars in federal aid come into our state each year for these programs, and completing your Census ensures that we continue to receive our share.
It also ensures that you are represented in government at the local, state and federal levels, and that the data collected helps your elected representatives to make informed decisions.
Make sure your voice is heard and your community is supported for the next decade. Respond today at www.2020Census.gov or call 844-330-2020 for English or 844-468-2020 for Spanish.
I count. You count. Together we can make a difference for Coconino County.
Community healing is not something someone (the savior) does to another (the needy). Community healing is what happens when we internalize that we are all one, that the choices of the past mingle with the experiences of the present and none of us are free from the consequences of our actions -both individual and collective.
Sadly, some non-profits are reporting lost donors because they decided to address social justice and equity issues (or in some cases just comment) due to the current events transpiring in our nation. Quite frankly, this has angered me and further exemplifies how ingrained inequity is in each facet of our society. More than equity- it shows how voice, control and power work throughout systems and perpetuate problems year after year. I am pleased to report that the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth (CCC&Y) has not experienced this situation. Through all of this, our membership has steadily increased.
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.
Coconino Community College has finished converting Fall 2020 courses to remote delivery. With modifications complete, students may register (https://www.coconino.edu/registration) right away for the best class selection.
These changes to the course schedule and delivery options were necessary to ensure the safety of students, faculty and staff during COVID-19.
Sophia Weinzinger, a Flagstaff resident currently studying Business Management at Arizona State University, listens intently in her Physics class at Coconino Community College.
She and two other students are conducting hands-on experiments on the different types of energy. They all wear face coverings, including instructor Chad Davies. They all are at seats at least six feet apart. They are supposed to clean their stations when they are done with the lab.
The 2020 Flagstaff Festival of Science will explore “Superpowers of Science,” Sept. 18-27, and earth scientist Christa Sadler will lead off the free, 10-day adventure with the
W. L. Gore & Associates Keynote Presentation scheduled for 7 p.m. Friday, Sept. 18. Sadler’s presentation will be streamed via the Festival of Science website along with an online question-and-answer session.
CCC&Y Member Profile — Arizona’s Children Association — It’s time for a new FREE parenting workshop presented by Arizona’s Children Association and Parenting Educator Krista Bush believes the new Zoom format has been well received.
“The response has been very positive because parents (say it’s more convenient) to stay at home and attend the webinars instead of going out in person,” she said.
The Arizona’s Children Association is presenting its “Parenting Workshop! — Early Childhood STEP” through Zoom from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Saturdays, Aug. 1 through Sept. 19.
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.
Coconino County Health & Human Services (CCHHS) is holding Back to School Immunization Clinics, Monday, August 3 through Saturday, August 8, 9:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m. at the King Street building, 2625 N. King St., Flagstaff. The clinics will be located in the parking lot.
Registration Dates and Time:
Note: building will be closed each day from 11:30-12:30 to sanitize for the next time frame. Please follow the alpha schedule by last name
as we are doing our best to followCDC guidelines and social distancing.
Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS), in collaboration with North Country HealthCare and other community partners, will offer COVID-19 Testing in Williams, AZ on Thursday, July 30 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. The testing site will be located in the Williams Elementary/Middle School parking lot, 601 N. 7th St., Williams AZ. Those attending are asked to enter at the north side of the campus. Testing will occur in the bus loop.
No appointment or healthcare provider order is needed.
A “March for Community Health” will be held at 3 p.m. Thursday, July 23 starting at the Flagstaff City Hall. Please wear a mask and observe physical distancing guidelines.
The University Union of Northern Arizona is concerned about the health of the NAU and Flagstaff community during the coming year.
Coconino Community College students can receive Zoom Academic Advising 8 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday – Friday, starting Monday, August 3 through the first day of fall remote instruction on Monday, August 24, 2020.
No Appointment Needed – first available time-slots are based on thirty-minute sessions for continuing CCC students and sixty-minute sessions for new CCC students.
With the ongoing pandemic many children are not able to leave their homes/communities due to evening and weekend curfews and a stay at home order. Books for Diné Bikéyah is raising money to support Diné authors and children by buying Diné children’s books and sending them out to children for free through local COVID-19 Relief packages for families in Navajo Nation. These books will be a huge support to young Navajo children during these tough times by bringing light to their traditional stories of resilience.
When the world turned upside down this year, we learned to do somersaults, working from our home offices. The specialist work of caring for our extensive collections is an important part of our mission and continues despite the pandemic, as does our archaeological and ecological fieldwork and the preservation of MNA’s buildings, gardens and landscape. We are finding new and imaginative ways to bring the art, science, and culture of the region to your homes, including a re-imagining of The Annual Gala.
CCC&Y has received a capacity building grant from Vitalyst Health Foundation to help CCC&Y to increase its capacity and effectiveness by telling its unique and authentic story.
“The Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth (CCC&Y) is a nonprofit organization that ignited collective action to cultivate, honor and empower resilient, thriving communities,”Vitalyst Health Foundation reported. “The vision of a holistic community where all children of Coconino County are increasingly free from the trauma experience and all have equitable opportunities that build resiliency aligns with the mission of Vitalyst in Access to Care and coordinated systems of care and Social & Cultural Cohesion and support services for mental health needs.”
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We take the word “community” seriously. It’s a part of our name, and being involved in communities across Coconino County is integral to our philosophy as a college.
That’s why those of us at the college were so excited when nearly 60 people and agencies from all over the county took the time to expertly craft and submit floats to the virtual Coconino County Community Shoebox Parade hosted by CCC. For a list of the winning floats and to get a look at the parade, see the story below.
As this pandemic unfolds around us, many people shared with me that they found it comforting to enjoy the creativity and the passion displayed in the shoebox parade, and my hope is that others did as well.
In the interest of the health and safety of our students, faculty, staff and the wider community, Coconino Community College has made the difficult decision to limit in-person contact for the fall semester.
We are excited to provide options designed to give a quality learning experience. The College will offer Remote Delivery courses, with only a few exceptions for in-person interaction. Students will have a choice among Videoconferencing (Zoom only), Online and Hybrid (Canvas/Zoom, plus in-person labs). The good news is that every method of delivery will include regular and meaningful interaction with faculty, but it will be through different means.
The Flagstaff Arts Council is excited to announce the Please Stay, Play Distance & Mask Responsibly Art Contest in collaboration with the City of Flagstaff and Coconino County. This contest promotes creativity while social distancing, reflection on the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, and drives awareness of important public health guidelines.
Resiliency is developing the skills and power to overcome adversity and become stronger and healthier. CCCY is grateful to have partnered with the Flagstaff Family Food Center Sumer Reading Program to share resiliency information with youth. We asked 86 Flagstaff youth, “How are you resilient?” Here are their responses:
Cyberstalking. Denial-of-service attacks. Fraud. Malware. Industrial Espionage.
Every day, the news is filled with reports of computer hackers finding their way into databases to steal sensitive information.
Companies – and people – now more than ever, need skilled, well-trained Information Technology Services staff to keep personal, sensitive data safe from cybercriminals. It’s a rapidly growing field. At Coconino Community College, the new Cybersecurity program is scheduled to begin this fall.
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.
Join us for the Nackard Pepsi presents: Kid’s Virtual Summer Camp every Monday at 6:30pm through August 10. The camp will stream from The Orpheum Theater’s YouTube channel and features seven local organizations including Little Music Makers of Flagstaff, Museum of Northern Arizona (MNA), Momentum Aerial, Flagstaff Shakespeare Festival, Lowell Observatory, Willow Bend Environmental Education Center, and The Arboretum of Flagstaff. With content for all ages, the camp will take viewers on virtual tours of The Force is With Our People exhibit at MNA, the mushroom garden of The Arboretum, and the night sky through a telescope at Lowell Observatory. Kids will learn how to sing traditional African songs, write a haiku, juggle, and even build their own at-home worm composting bin.
Register for camp sessions here by clicking the ‘FREE’ button to have the stream link and downloadable activity materials delivered to your inbox:
July 9-15, 2020 This Week’s Virtual Highlights 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…
CCC&Y’s Webinar Part B Historical Trauma now available by clicking here.
In Part B, culturalist and historic trauma specialist Iya Affo takes us deeper into the impact historical trauma has on so many of our community members. A topic that is not always openly discussed and well understood in mainstream society, historic trauma is often not considered when designing helping programs, systems or overall prevention programming and worse when placing judgements against groups of people.
Coconino County Parks & Recreation is now accepting registrations for the Outdoor Adventure Summer Day Camp. Activities for this year’s camp include archery, group games, hiking, arts and crafts, and a field trip to Flagstaff Extreme Adventure Course.
Due to COVID-19, staff made some changes to camp this year, including:
· Camp will operate Monday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
· Camp will not operate with fewer than 10 participants and no more than 15.
· There will be fewer field trips this year, with most activities occurring at Fort Tuthill
County Park.
Check out CocoRec for a complete list of camp COVID-19 policies and to register by July 10
We encourage you to engage in responsible physical and social distancing when recreating outdoors. Parks, natural areas, and trails managed by Coconino County are open for public enjoyment; this excludes Louise Yellowman County Park. While many amenities have opened, all playgrounds managed by Coconino County Parks & Recreation remain closed at this time. Check our website for updated park amenity information.
Sánchez Meador, currently a professor in the School of Forestry, is a trusted expert among ecologists, scientists and land managers for his high-impact research in forestry and ecological restoration and innovative approach to science delivery and communication.
CCC&Y has agreed to partner with Heal Historical Trauma to become a historical trauma certified agency, which will include providing training to the non-profit organization during a full day level-one certification program.
“The Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth is one of few organizations ready to declare their commitment to serving communities of color with such vigor and determination. It is with extreme pride and excitement that I welcome our partnership as we work as one to create a world filled with love and equity that honors diversity and embraces all colors, shades, races, ethnicities, levels of ability and gender fluidity,” said Iya Affo, founder of Heal Historic Trauma.
In This Newsletter:
Quote of the Day
Coconino County Offices closed in honor of Independence Day
Coconino County Calls on All to Wear Face Coverings
Coconino County Emergency Fire Ban includes fireworks
DDD Virtual Town Hall Meeting
COVID-19 Daily Dashboard
New COVID-19 Weekly Report Available
AZDHS COVID-19 Website
Don’t forget to fill out the 2020 Census!
Stay Connected with Us!
Enroll today in American Heart Association First Aid and CPR Classes at Coconino Community College in Page with instructor, Fran Thomas.
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.
New Bilingual Statewide Program Accessible via 2-1-1 Arizona
In partnership with the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) and the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) and made possible by Federal Emergency Management Agency Grant funding, Crisis Response Network (CRN) announces that the new Resilient Arizona Crisis Counseling Program was launched on June 22, 2020, to provide 100% free and confidential support and connections to resources for Arizona residents impacted by the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Accessible via CRN’s existing 2-1-1 statewide information and referral phone number, the Resilient Arizona Crisis Counseling Program is a bilingual (English and Spanish), federally-funded program that will connect callers to crisis counseling providers in their area throughout the state of Arizona.
Madison Olson, a senior at Williams High School, received a $500 scholarship from the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth. Our Prevention Council created our annual Child Abuse Prevention Essay contest so that Williams High School Seniors could describe what the community can do to help prevent and respond to child abuse and childhood trauma.
Her winning essay focused on bullying, the lasting impact that bullying can have on individuals throughout their lives and prevention options.
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.
Join in a virtual Juneteenth 2020 Celebration on Saturday, June 20th at 2pm hosted by the Southside Community Association and the Coconino County African-American Advisory Council. We may be physical distanced, but we are connected for equality, liberty and justice for all!
To learn more about this important holiday, click the video below.
Since 2007 Coconino County has been assisting eligible county residents with itsBasic Business Empowerment (BBE) training (www.coconino.az.gov/bbe) and Individual Development Accounts (IDA) match saving grants (www.coconino.az.gov/ida) opportunity. The 9-week, summer 2020 BBE training (session 2) is scheduled to be held 6-9pm, Tuesdays, Aug. 4th through Sept. 29thonly online via a 9-week Zoom Web-based video conferencing format. Coconino County currently contracts facilitation for its BBE training from the Coconino Small Business Development Center which provides additional resources for our BBE participants.
A recent report from Save the Children further proves how location can profoundly affect a child’s prospects in this country, and why it is vital that we continue to Step Up for Our Youth in northern Arizona.
The report, called “The Land of Inopportunity,” is a part of the nonprofit’s annual evaluation of how children are faring around the globe. This year, however, Save the Children added a powerful tool that allows regions to see how they measure up – an online interactive map ranking U.S. counties by how well they prioritized and protect children.
The ranking is determined by four factors that “end” childhood: poor education, malnutrition, teenage pregnancy and early death due to ill health, accident, murder or suicide.
Doctoral student Schuyler Borges is leading a project studying hot springs structures in Antarctica, comparable to features on Mars, that may be evidence for life on the Red Planet since microorganisms facilitate the production of similar hot spring structures on Earth.
