We are looking forward to this evening’s premier of The Library That Dolly Built, a documentary about how the Dolly Parton Imagination Library started as an effort to honor her father and grew into one of the largest non-governmental literacy programs in the world.
The film, being streamed on Facebook, will be followed by a live Q&A session with Dolly Parton. (We hear she might even sing a song.)
“Thru an Artist’s Eyes”
Join us for the John Henry Waddell Virtual Tour
December 16 at 5:00pm MST
Come join us for a rare opportunity to explore several works by artist John Henry Waddell through the lens of his partner in life and art, artist Ruth Holland Waddell. We each have our own ways of looking at the world and at art, Ruth will provide us with tools to deepen our experience when looking at a work of art.
Designated as Arizona’s winter wonderland, Flagstaff accumulates an average of 100 inches of snow annually to partake in a multitude of winter activities. Please stay, play, social distance, and mask while visiting and adhere to required CDC healthcare travel guidelines, business recommendations and varied hours.
Travel safely and know before you go to Flagstaff with these top ten winter awareness tips:
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.
Dolly Parton, simply put, is a legend. An icon. A cultural touchstone. She’s had phenomenal commercial and critical success. She’s earned an “EGOT,” winning an Emmy, a Grammy, an Oscar and a Tony. Her career spans a half century and she’s still going strong. Not bad for a kid born in a one-room cabin in the mountains of east Tennessee.
But before he passed away, her father told her that probably the most important thing she’s ever done was to start her “Imagination Library.”
This pandemic is challenging for all of us. CCC&Y has a weekly virtual meeting for parents and caregivers to connect and share resources. We are also launching “Creativity Calling,” specifically for youth! This monthly virtual opportunity will provide youth a chance to share their thoughts and feelings through the arts. Any youth interested in sharing their music, visual art, poetry, dance, or theater can text Hunter RedDay at 928.221.3688 to register. Each month four youth will have a 10-minute spotlight. Special thank you to our partner Stronger As One for providing a gift card to a local business. We will enter each month’s performers in a raffle for the gift card!
Coconino County Health and Human Services assists many home bound seniors. Please help to make their holidays brighter by providing these households with holiday gifts such as grocery stores and gas gift cards, electric throws, slipper socks and various other items personalized to the senior.
A gift tree is available at the Tourist Home All Day Café at 52 S. San Francisco, Flagstaff from November 30 through December 18. This holiday tree has information cards on it for the taking with information regarding the seniors in need. Take a ticket or contact CCHHS at mbentzen@coconino.az.gov to receive a virtual “senior gift tag.”
After receiving your tag, print it out and attach it to the unwrapped gift(s). Drop off your gifts at Tourist Home or contact mbentzen@coconino.az.gov or robegay@coconino.az.gov to coordinate a gift drop off.
All gifts must be received by December 18, 2020 to ensure time for delivery to our Seniors. All gifts are tax deductible and receipts available.
HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
Nationally, only 3 in 10 students entering the 4th grade are proficient readers.(1) That’s disheartening enough, but here’s the really scary statistic: children who aren’t reading proficiently by the 4th grade are four times more likely to drop out of high school.(2)
Instilling a love of reading is the key to success for our children. It’s the foundation upon which their education is built.
That’s why United Way of Northern Arizona (UWNA) is proud to partner with the Dolly Parton Imagination Library (DPIL) to make sure children in Coconino, Navajo and Apache counties discover the world of books in those critical years before they enter school.
He was a bright spirit, lively, adventuresome and extraordinarily kind.
Sean McMullin, a Northern Arizona University graduate, loved the potential of solar energy and hoped to pursue alternative energies as a business.
He passed away unexpectedly on Aug. 12, 2020, and his parents, dedicated to keeping his legacy alive, have started the Sean Roarke McMullin Memorial Scholarship through the Coconino Community College Foundation.
Many of us were taught or developed a belief that depending on others is a weakness. I believe, as do many others, that interdependence is a strength!
I invite you to take a moment for yourself to breathe a few deep breaths. Then ask yourself, how am I feeling? What do I need? Who can help?
Have you ever helped someone without expecting anything in return? How did it feel? Many of us feel good when we are helping others. Why, then, do we often not allow others the opportunity to feel that goodness by helping us?
In the midst of a difficult year, I’ve found myself frequently thinking how blessed we are at MNA. So many people help out to keep this museum strong — the volunteers who tend our gardens, the docents who provide a welcoming and informative museum experience, the members and donors who support us financially. This has been a hard year for museums and many may not survive, but MNA will, with your help. With Giving Tuesday coming up, and year-end donations to be made, please help MNA reach our fundraising goals. There are many ways to support MNA, including direct donations, upgrading your membership, doing your holiday shopping at the museum shop, or buying tickets to the art raffle.
Thank you for your support of MNA.
The city of Flagstaff will return to Stage 2 of its COVID-19 Reentry Plan on Nov. 30. This move is due to the upward trajectory in the number of new cases, hospitalizations and COVID related deaths in Flagstaff over four weeks or more.
Under Phase 2, the city will re-close the following city facilities and amenities:
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.
Greetings!
I am so thankful to serve Coconino County District 5 for another 4 years. My work for all citizens has been the greatest honor and joy in my life. Thank you to all District 5 citizens for re-electing me to the Coconino County Board of Supervisors. I am so excited for new opportunities and possibilities of the next 4 years. In this season of change and transition, I ask you to take care of your mental and physical well-being. Please stay vigilant and safe this holiday season.
Lena
The patented sanitizing system from Clean Light Laboratories will be placed in strategic locations throughout campus to help faculty, staff and students fight the spread of the coronavirus.
On June 5, 2020, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors approved a COVID-19 Re-Entry Plan for County Operations. The plan provides guidance to protect customer and employee health and safety.
Coconino County COVID-19 case numbers have followed an upward trajectory over the past several weeks. Based on this increase, and in alignment with the County’s Re-Entry Plan, effective Monday, November 23 Coconino County will return to more restrictive Phase I operations, summarized below.
Coconino County resident Susie Garretson has been selected as the 2020 recipient of the prestigious Distinguished Service Award at Coconino Community College.
“Coconino Community College relies heavily on the community to support students, vision and mission of the College,” said CCC District Governing Board Chair Patricia Garcia. “With the word ‘Community’ in its name, CCC always strives to invite the greater community to be a part of our work. An individual who took us up on that invitation is Susie Garretson.”
This year’s annual Stuff the Bus community food drive benefitting The Flagstaff Family Food Center will be held virtually November 16 – November 22 continuing the longstanding partnership between Coconino County, the City of Flagstaff and Mountain Line.
The need for donations is greater than ever due to COVID-19. The Flagstaff Family Food Center estimates that since the beginning of the pandemic, the demand for its hunger relief programs have increased by 80%. The Center feeds 2,000 people a day, 365 days a year.
The CCA Holiday Store Is Now Open!
Thursday-Saturday, 1-6 pm through December 22nd
(Closed 11/26, and 11/28-29)
Featured Artists:
Cathi Borthwick, Robin Cadigan, Darcy Falk, Katherine Farr, Carli Giese, Chandra Hemminger, Jonah Hill, Julie Jones, Don Nord, Sharon Richards, Ryanne Sebern, Heather Spontak
Hernandez, who works as a business analyst in Academic Affairs, transferred from Coconino Community College. Besides doing the normal student activities, he found ways to put his work experience to use in the classroom and what he learned in the classroom to use in his job.
NACA’s Native Connections are hosting three upcoming Youth Focus Groups via Zoom at 11 a.m. Saturday, Nov. 21 on the impact of COVID-19 on mental health and wellbeing of youth in our community. Youth who participate are helping inform our work to support them during this difficult time, and will receive a gift card to either Dutch Bros or Sprouts!
COCONINO COUNTY — The Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth is presenting a weekly Family Connection Zoom Meeting at 2:30 p.m. Mondays.
The meeting is open to parents, caregivers, professionals — All individuals in our community.
Now is the time to connect, be supportive and receive support in a safe and caring environment via zoom or by telephone.
This is an open time to connect with others, share joys, vent some concerns, ask for support, or offer others your support.
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 Superintendent of Schools Dr. Tommy Lewis is seeking applicants for appointment to five school districts which include:
Coconino Association for Vocations, Industry, and Technology (CAVIAT) in Fredonia (1 open seat)
Coconino Community College District #3 (1 open seat to be filled in January 2021- apply now)
Fredonia-Moccasin USD #6 (2 open seats)
Maine Consolidated USD #10 (3 open seats)
N.A.T.I.V.E., Tuba City (1 open seat)
I ended my first email by saying that with your help we can make a difference in the educational outcomes for every child in Flagstaff. So, I’ll start this final email by focusing on you.
I mentioned that LAUNCH Flagstaff is foremost an idea that leverages existing community organizations, businesses, policy makers, and citizens that produces systemic changes through collaborative action.
The changes we seek happen in the hearts and minds of each person and each organization in Flagstaff. I thank you for your current level of engagement in this important work and I invite you to consider additional ways you can help improve outcomes for our kids.
Here are some ideas:
The Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth will present “Bullying and Cyberbullying Training” on Zoom at 10 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 17.
Based on training provided by the Arizona Department of Health Services to school districts across the state, this webinar examines the latest bullying statistics; unpacks the relationship between bullying, cyberbullying, ACES, trauma and substance use; and provides tips and techniques for intervention and prevention.
Presented by Brad Snyder, executive director of Dion Initiative for Child Well-Being and Bullying Prevention and chair of the Arizona Adverse Childhood Experiences Consortium.
25% of a student’s educational success relies on the quality of the educational leadership of the school administrator. This means that the school principal is the second most important school influence on student success, after high quality teaching.
Great school leaders create a culture of excellence, drive school performance, teacher retention and student outcomes. The partners of LAUNCH Flagstaff recognize the critical need for executive leadership developmentcoupled with the building of collaborative, collegial relationships among educational leaders across the community.
This is why LAUNCH Flagstaff partnered with the Center for the Future of Arizona (CFA) in 2017 to bring their educational executive leadership training to Flagstaff.
According to the Association for Supportive Child Care, almost 1 in 3 young children in Arizona live in poverty. More than half of low-income children are not prepared for kindergarten. That is not only a tragedy for the present; it means their, and our, future is at risk too.
Because the majority of children who start behind, stay behind. They are less likely to be ready for kindergarten or to read at grade level during elementary school; they have more behavioral issues; they have higher high school dropout rates; and without their diploma, their economic prospects are dimmed.
To her, math is the language of the universe and helps her to be a better person.
So, it’s only fitting that Coconino Community College student Niousha Toroghi would be offered the prestigious American Mathematical Association for Two-Year Colleges Wanda Garner Presidential Student Scholarship.
“This scholarship is a blessing for me,” Niousha said. “It means I have achieved my goals so far. I have higher goals to achieve, and I look forward to striving for them.”
Coconino County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Tommy Lewis is seeking applicants for appointment to the Tuba City School District Governing Board.
One seat will be vacant. This position will be filled prior to December 24, 2020 so the appointee can start their duty on January 1, 2021 as a new board member.
Applicants must be Arizona registered voters and residents of the school district for at least one year prior to the date of appointment. Applicants or their spouses cannot be an employee of the district.
What do the round-tailed chub and Walnut Canyon have in common?
They were both featured during recent field trips by student clubs at Coconino Community College.
The CCC Students Advancing STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Club and the CCC Anthropology Club, properly socially distanced and with face coverings, met to celebrate the comradery of shared experience and to gather a little knowledge at the same time.
The Flagstaff Arts Council is happy to announce that the 13th Annual Viola Awards will take place on Friday, June 18, 2021. This new date provides the greatest opportunity to host an awards event in-person, likely outdoors. The Viola Awards, historically hosted in March, are a celebration of our creative community. After such a difficult year, it is important to celebrate the resiliency of our community in person, if it is safe to do so. Please mark your calendars!
“I do it myself”
This common toddler phrase often makes adults sigh. We want to honor our child’s autonomy, but we also realize some things are more manageable with a little help. The same is true in adulthood. As a family, we autonomously choose our traditions, routines, and meals. However, raising children and managing family life is complex. Although some family challenges may be unique, many families share common challenges. And, it is certain…we all deserve support! …
To support families in making new connections, CCCY partners with Building Community to host a virtual, bilingual Family Connection for families via Zoom.
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors recently proclaimed November to be Native American Heritage Month.
Coconino County embraces 22 Native American tribes in Arizona, and takes pride in the six tribes calling Coconino County home; whose economic contributions, foods, medicines, remedies, art and literature are vital contributions to American life and endeavors.
We are dedicated to preserving and promoting Native American culture in the community, education and workforce.
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.
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.
Events include a movie screening of “Gather,” followed by a facilitated conversation; a virtual Stew Fest; a conversation with NAU Elder Lorenzo Max; resources for first-generation students; and more. All of the NAU community is invited to participate in the virtual events.
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.
Coconino County and the Coconino County Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC) are 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!
In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, learn how University Admissions has expanded and grown recruitment resources for students with Spanish-speaking families by offering bilingual events, fliers and other recruitment materials. SEE MORE NAU NEWS HERE
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.
