KNAU update for July 26 — Red Argillite, Avocado Shortage, and More

Coconino National Forest has announced the area around the Museum Fire will be closed to the public possibly for more than a month. Learn more at KNAU.org.

For centuries, Native Americans have cherished a compact, fine-grained clay called pipestone. Its common name comes from their use of larger pieces of it to carve ceremonial pipes. Learn more at KNAU.org.

It’s been a tough week in Flagstaff as we watch the Museum Fire burn on Mount Elden and in the Dry Lake Hills. Some of the area’s most beautiful and beloved trails are in the fire zone. It’s uncertain yet how much damage they may have sustained, but what is certain is that trails are where many of us go to find joy, solace and inspiration. Learn more at KNAU.org.

It’s been two and a half years since Arizona voters approved a gradual increase in the state’s minimum wage to $12 an hour, and examination by a centrist think tank shows growing pay is benefiting at least one traditionally low-wage industry. Learn more at KNAU.org.

Increased U.S. demand and a decreased California crop have nearly doubled the price of the green fruits. Restaurants are feeling the shortage. Learn more at NPR’s food blog, The Salt.