Category: Commentary

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Nov. 29-Dec. 3, 2021

Last week the World Health Organization (WHO) classified a new COVID-19 variant, Omicron, as a “Variant of Concern.” This new variant appears to have originated in the southern part of Africa. However, there have been reported cases in Canada, Australia, Israel, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, France, Hong Kong, and now the United States (California and Minnesota).

President Biden has added some precautionary measures until we know more about the new variant and has restricted air travel from South Africa and seven other nations in the southern region of Africa.   

The best protection against Omicron is getting fully vaccinated — and getting a booster shot as soon as you can. The CDC recommends people follow prevention strategies, such as wearing a mask in public indoor settings and congested outdoor settings, washing your hands frequently, and physically distancing from others. 

Hispanics Enjoying Camping, Hunting, and the Outdoors (HECHO) — With Gratitude

This year, many of us will be participating in Thanksgiving with family and friends that we have not seen since before the pandemic. After such a long time apart, this is a time to reconnect as a community and to reflect on what we are grateful for. Several research studies have found that a regular practice of gratitude, or an attitude of gratitude, is said to have far ranging emotional, social, and health benefits. In fact, benefits associated with gratitude include better sleep, more exercise, reduced symptoms of physical pain, lower levels of inflammation, and other benefits.     
 

The HECHO team is practicing gratitude during this time of year and we are grateful for the collective push for a sustainable and just future, for our community’s efforts in the movement to conserve public lands, and for our cultural connection with nature. 

Happy Thanksgiving from ECoNA

As we prepare to spend time with family and friends, sharing love and thoughts of gratitude, we wanted to wish all of you a Happy Thanksgiving and express some of what has made us grateful this year.

On the top of that list is you. Your support, insights, collaboration and drive to see a more economically vibrant region are what fuel our mission.

United Way of Northern Arizona — You Gave Safety & Security in 2021

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:

Patrice Horstman — Coconino County District 1 Newsletter: November 2021

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

The NAU Review — The secret of young volcanoes, body positivity and Notes from the President

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.

The NAU Review — Día de los Muertos, vegan recipes, DOE grants, Halloween and Notes from the President

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.

United Way of Northern Arizona — Imagine What’s Possible

With the recent kickoff of our Annual Community Fundraising campaign, we’re imagining what’s possible when we ensure that our children are ready to learn. That’s the purpose of programs like KinderCamp™ – making sure our students are ready academically, emotionally and socially for that all important first day of school.

Don’t take our word for it. We think Riley and her Mom do a great job explaining what KinderCamp has meant to them in the video above.

Thanks to generous people like you, United Way of Northern Arizona and our partners can provide KinderCamp and other early education program at no cost to families.

Will you join us as a supporter of this year’s campaign, and Step Up for Our Community with a donation today?

Every donation makes a huge difference in our community and we sincerely THANK YOU for your support.

The NAU Review — Celebrating Hispanic and Latina/o/x Heritage Month

“The overall goal I have for celebrating Hispanic, Latina/o/x Heritage Month on campus is for students who identify that way to know they have a community of support here at NAU,” Vidal Mendoza, assistant director of Hispanic, Latina/o/x Initiatives, said. “Cultural representation is something I valued as an NAU student, and I am sure many students today still feel the same.” Image courtesy of the National Archives.

Grand Canyon National Park — Wildlife SAFETY REMINDER: Elk Rut Season

From August to early winter, male elk are in a period known as the rut. During this time they become territorial and will attack if approached or threatened. Please do not approach elk, stay a safe distance of 100 feet (30m) away, and never water or feed them for any reason.

United Way of Northern Arizona — Our Neighbors Need Your Help

Monsoon season returned with a vengeance this year, pounding the Museum Fire burn scar and resulted in extensive damage to our community. Just look at the headlines from the past few weeks:

Historic Arizona flooding damages homes, leaves trail of debris
Flagstaff school closed due to flash flood damage
Ducey issues 2nd emergency declaration for Coconino County

In addition to the estimated $1 million in public infrastructure damage (not to mention the Killip Elementary School building being shuttered), much of the burden of this season has been shouldered by residential areas. Many homes were hard hit by flood waters – not once but multiple times – and now have extensive interior damage.

Please consider helping these neighbors by donating to the Crisis Response Fund.

Coconino Community College — The Comet — Local. Affordable. Quality Education

Local. Affordable. Quality Education.

Our marketing and public relations team at Coconino Community College decided on those words to describe the college because they have meaning, and they help paint a picture for every student we serve concerning what they can expect from us.

The NAU Review — Who’s to blame for COVID-19? Depends who you ask and more news

It’s safe to assume American politics has played a significant role in the COVID-19 pandemic, and different ideas about contagion, health behaviors and the actions of governing bodies impacted the spread of the virus and its subsequent effect on our lives. This, of course, was just a theory—until now.

Lisa Hardy, associate professor in NAU’s Department of Anthropology and director of the Social Science Community Engagement Lab, is the lead author on a study that looked at sociocultural responses to the virus and identified differences and similarities in anxiety, fear, blame and perceptions of the country across political divides.

Bilingual report — Gina Santi Photography — GSP 2022 Calendars are here!

GSP is pleased to announce her internationally acclaimed artisan calendars for 2022. The theme for this year is the Maya people of the Yucatan Peninsula in honor of the many wonderful human beings I met there, and in honor of this awesome Mexican state who taught me -and continues to teach me- so much! These high-class calendars are ideal for your home and for your office. The images captured by yours truly will immediately transport you to the mystifying land of the ancient Maya, its beautiful people, its culture and realities, and its epic landscapes.

Consulado de México en Phoenix — Información de interes para la comunidad

We are very excited to welcome you to another issue of the Consular Newsletter on Economic and Tourism Affairs. We strive with each issue to provide readers with relevant and useful information related to economic and tourism topics for the business and political community on both sides of the Arizona–Mexico border.

In this issue, the #ChooseMexico section offers valuable information about the mining industry in Mexico. In addition, José Antonio Larios Ponce, the Consul of Mexico in Yuma, explains the collaboration between authorities in San Luis, Arizona, and in San Luis Río Colorado, Sonora, to organize free cross-border vaccination campaigns. 

The NAU Review — Who wants to be an astronomer?

Space needs you! The next time you and your date head out to stargaze, volunteer to scan the sky for asteroids. NAU doctoral student Colin Chandler just launched a major project to recruit thousands of volunteers in the search for active asteroids—rare objects that have asteroid-like orbits but look more like comets. Chandler hopes to quadruple the number of known active asteroids and, in the process, answer key questions about where water on Earth came from and where it might exist on other planets, both within and outside our solar system. Ready to join the search? Visit the Active Asteroids project site to get started.

First AFL-CIO female president, Liz Shuler; Grammy-winning gospel artist Le’Andria Johnson; and Pastor Warren Stewart, Sr. to headline Phx voting rights rally on 58th anniversary of March on Washington

Visit the March On for Voting Rights Flagstaff page on Facebook.
Hundreds of thousands to rally across the country to protest a wave of voter suppression laws sweeping the nation. The events also kick off a national online drive to register 2 million voters.
Arizona civil rights leader Pastor Warren Stewart, Sr., who helped create a MLK Holiday in Arizona, slated to appear at Saturday event
Newly appointed AFL-CIO President Liz Shuler to deliver keynote. Shuler made history last week becoming the first female president of one of the nation’s most powerful labor unions.

Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) — Using Virtual Reality for Workforce Development

Coconino County and the Workforce Development Board are leading the way in helping dislocated workers and students explore new careers through virtual reality.

Using a workforce development platform called Transfr VR, the program allows job seekers to experience working in a warehouse, a manufacturing plant, an auto repair shop and even the hospitality industry.

These short simulations are hands-on, allowing people to “work” in the space using motion controllers similar to ones available in V/R gaming devices. Therefore, in the automotive simulation, you don’t just observe what it’s like to change the oil in a car, you actually are doing that job in the virtual space.

“It’s great because a lot of times, people don’t know what they want to do professionally unless they already know someone in that industry,” said Ali Applin, Virtual Reality Program Manager for the County. “A lot of today’s youth are visual or experiential learners, and this is perfect for them because they can picture what a job actually entails.”

Sedona Arts Center wants your feedback!

Sedona Arts Center is planning for the future and we’d love your feedback! Our short questionnaire will only be available until August 25, 2021, so please complete our survey today!

The Sedona Arts Center invites input from residents and visitors alike. Your insights, critiques, hopes, and priorities help inform our community’s long-term planning. 

Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) — Meeting the Challenge of the Delta Variant

As the Delta variant causes a surge in new infections and hospitalizations, the public and private sectors are scrambling to keep up with rapidly shifting recommendations on how to deal with the highly transmissible fourth wave of Covid-19.

Coconino County and the City of Flagstaff both reinstated requirements for masks while in City or County buildings, regardless of vaccination status. Yesterday, Northern Arizona University announced that masks will be required in classrooms and labs. Meanwhile, the Flagstaff Unified School District is requiring masks until at least September 29, in spite of current state law forbidding mask mandates in K-12 schools. (Requirements are evolving all the time; check an institution’s website for the latest information on their mask protocols.)

Leading the way in the response to the Delta variant, however, has been the business community. Large companies like Ford Motors, Walmart, United Airlines, and Target have recently enacted mask and/or vaccine requirements for workers. Some are also trying to coax vaccine hesitant workers to get their shots with cash bonuses.

District 1 Supervisor Patrice Horstman — District 1 August 2021 Newsletter

Hello from Supervisor Horstman
Museum Flood Response and United Way Volunteers
Mt. Elden Estates Flood Mitigation and Exigency Funding
Downtown Movies on the Square
NACo Annual Conference
Arizona Independent Redistricting Commission
COVID-19 Update
County Building Mask Requirement
Vaccine Incentive Program: Be A Big Shot
COVID Information Line and Testing Site
Museum Flood Information Line and Emergency Notifications
Flood Insurance Information
Contact Us

Friend of Flagstaff’s Future — The Aura Development & Rezone

The Aura development and rezoning project was a complicated but important process for F3 to engage with over the past several months. The project is located at 151 W. High Country Trail (just off of Lake Mary Road) and consists of an 11-acre parcel of land that was rezoned from Estate Residential to Medium Density Residential by City Council on July 6, 2021. The Aura development will consist of 160 one- and two-bedroom apartments, 32 of which will be provided as affordable housing to those earning both 80% and 70% Area Median Income (AMI).

United Way of Northern Arizona — Neighbor Helping Neighbor

As recent history has shown us, we often don’t know when a crisis will happen. Although we can anticipate certain emergencies, they usually strike without warning.

What we do know is that because of your support of the United Way of Northern Arizona Crisis Response Fund, UWNA and its community and partner agencies will be ready to assist.

In the past three years, your generosity has helped your neighbors as we faced at least five crises:
The Tinder wildfire
A month-long government shutdown
The Museum fire
The lingering crisis (both health and economic) from the pandemic
The recent flooding in Flagstaff.

Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) — Navajo Nation and Twin Arrows Reopen

It’s not an exaggeration to say that over the past 18 months, the Navajo Nation was one of the areas hardest hit by the pandemic. As of this week, the tribe reported a total of more than 31,000 confirmed cases of Covid-19 with 1,362 deaths attributed to the virus, according to the Navajo Department of Health.

Over the past year, however, the vast tribal area that includes land in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah, has gone from having one of the highest per capita infection rates to one of the highest vaccination rates in the country. Navajo President Jonathan Nez recently said that more than 70 percent of those eligible for the vaccine have received it.

That change prompted Navajo leaders to allow a limited reopening of the Navajo Nation to tourists this month. Navajo Nation roads are now available to visitors and tribal parks are opened at 50 percent capacity. On Monday, Twin Arrows Casino Resort also reopened, which is a huge boon to our regional economy.

United Way of Northern Arizona — 2 New Reports Show How Far We Need to Go

A pair of recently released reports illustrate how far our region and state have to go to provide better outcomes for our children and youth – and how the pandemic has complicated those efforts.

According to the 2021 Kids Count Data Book from the Annie E. Casey Foundation, Arizona was slowly making improvements in multiple areas for children. The state is consistently in the bottom 25% for overall rankings, but had shown gains in 2019 in both the economic well-being of children and with more elementary and middle school students meeting math and reading proficiency levels.

And then COVID hit.

District 5 Supervisor Lena Fowler Weekly Update

Our Tuba City office is open but operating remotely, with limited in-person services. When possible, please conduct business by phone or email.

Office Hours:
Monday to Thursday | 10 am to 4 pm
Closed Fridays

If you need assistance, please call: 928-283-4518 or email Miranda at mmorales@coconino.az.gov

Coconino County Supervisor Jeronimo Vasquez — District 2 Newsletter

We have been pretty busy this month! I am enjoying meeting more people and connecting with the District 2 community. It has been a month full of board meetings, events and lots of learning. I have walked along the Museum Fire drainages and am happy to report that a lot of work has gone into improving the drainage. Thank you to United Way, the County and the City for the efforts to get the drainages clear and ready for monsoon season. In addition, we had about 80 volunteers between two weekends come out to support the neighborhood volunteer day. Seeing everyone come together to help one another is a rare sighting, but I know District 2 is full of generous, loving people that want to see their community thrive. As the weather warms up I am looking forward to seeing family, spending time with my kids and working on items for the fall. I hope that you reach out to my office whenever you need. You can reach District 2 at 928-679-7162 or email me at jvasquez@coconino.az.gov or contact my District Director, Areina Contreras at acontreras@coconino.az.gov.

Bilingual report — Gina Santi Photography Images of the Month – July 2021

As I drive through the open expansions and vast wilderness of quiet and bare Arizona State Route 92 between Bisbee and Sierra Vista, Jack Kerouac’s On the Road comes to mind. Published for the first time in 1957, On the Road is the classic novel about the Beat Generation of the 1950’s that hands over an extended peek into the lives of a group of cheerful misfits and their ill-fated encounters with women, liquor, drugs, destitution, and music as they hitchhike and weave their way in and out of Los Angeles, New York, San Francisco, and many other major cities through the heart of the United States and Mexico.

District 1 Supervisor Patrice Horstman Newsletter for July 2021

Hello from Supervisor Horstman
Happy Independence Day
County Adopts FY22 Budget
Downtown Community Market
United Way Volunteer Day: Neighbors Helping Neighbors
Museum Flood Information Line and Emergency Notifications
Stage 3 Fire Restrictions
CCC Commercial Driver’s License Ribbon Cutting
Pastries with Patrice
Congratulations
Vaccine Incentive Program: Be A Big Shot
COVID Information Line and Testing
Contact Us

United Way of Northern Arizona — Ready to Live United

If there is anything good that we can take from the pandemic, it is that it reinforced some things that we can all agree on: the importance of taking care of each other and the power of caring communities to step up in times of crisis and create positive change.

Supporters like you raised tens of thousands of dollars to help those impacted this past year. Your United Way of Northern Arizona (UWNA) funneled those funds to where they would do the most good. Because of you, families were able to stay in their homes, feed their families and keep the lights on.

But our work is not over.

AARP Hispanic Connection — AARP to Observe Juneteenth Federal Holiday and more information

This afternoon President Joe Biden signed the Juneteenth National Independence Day Act, establishing June 19 as a federal holiday to commemorate the end of slavery in the U.S. As this date falls on a Saturday this year, it will be observed tomorrow, Friday, June 18. AARP will also recognize this holiday…

Juneteenth commemorates June 19, 1865, when word reached Texas that slaves had been freed — two years after the Emancipation Proclamation. It is also known as Black Independence Day, Freedom Day and Emancipation Day.

…the day is seen as a time for reflection and assessment, for focusing on education and achievement, and for self-improvement and for looking ahead to the future. I am so proud that the President has taken this historic step to ensure that Juneteenth will be commemorated across the country for generations to come.

LAUNCH Flagstaff — A Reflection, A Farewell, and A Look Forward

The summer solstice is upon us, a moment of solar peak in the cycle of Earth’s seasons and a time for annual reflection. 
 
LAUNCH Flagstaff began in 2014 as an ad-hoc gathering of interested stakeholders seeking to improve educational outcomes for our community’s children.  With the leadership of the Coconino County Superintendent of Schools and the backbone of the United Way of Northern Arizona funding was secured in 2016 from the Arizona Community Foundation of Flagstaff to initially fund a staff position for the then fledging idea that is now LAUNCH Flagstaff.
 
I am honored to have been chosen to serve our community in that role and am proud of the work that LAUNCH Flagstaff has accomplished over the past five years.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — June 14-18, 2021

Stage 2 Fire Restrictions & Extreme Fire Danger

As of June 11, Grand Canyon National Park, along with Coconino County, City of Flagstaff, and the Kaibab and Coconino National Forests have transitioned into Stage 2 fire restrictions. As a reminder, Stage 2 restrictions prohibit any outdoor wood burning and charcoal fires. This does not include liquid petroleum or LPG fueled devices that can be turned on and off such as stoves, lantern, or heating devices. Stage 2 also prohibits outdoor smoking except within an enclosed vehicle.

District 5 Supervisor Lena Fowler Weekly Update

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held recently at 583 S Lake Powell Blvd, Page, AZ 86040 as the Coconino Juvenile Court moves into a renovated wing at Tse Yaato High School.

Juvenile Court and Adult Probation have shared an office space in Page for decades. Over the last few years, Adult and Juvenile have planned around each other’s events, programming, court, and conferences to accommodate the limited space. This meant a reduction in the services they were both able to offer their clients. The new location has five offices, which is two more than the current space. This gives the Juvenile Court room to expand the CASA program and outreach. The facility is also only for juvenile court youth and their families and has been constructed in a deliberately softer way in order to be trauma-informed. By being located down the hall from the Alternative School they can also offer support to youth more readily.

Friends of Flagstaff’s Future — Resolution to Adopt the Climate Neutrality Plan this Tuesday!

F3 is excited to tell you that City Council will be considering and, we believe, approving the Flagstaff Carbon Neutrality Plan at their meeting this week, Tuesday, June 15. The Plan addresses our Climate Emergency and outlines our strategy to reach carbon neutrality by 2030.
 
The Plan establishes a vision for how Flagstaff will create a carbon-neutral future. Achieving this goal will require reducing greenhouse gas emissions through drastic shifts in how we heat and power our buildings, travel from place to place, and manage our waste. These shifts must occur at multiple levels within the community, as well as across the state, the country, and the world. This Plan includes nine target areas for reducing our community’s emissions, each with specific strategies to guide Flagstaff’s work. They include:

Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) — Flagstaff Art Scene Making a Comeback

After a very long pandemic year, the arts scene in Flagstaff is re-emerging, bringing music, performance and visual arts back to eager northern Arizona audiences.

Go to the calendar page of the historic Orpheum Theater and you’ll see there’s already half a dozen shows booked for next month, including two comedians, a mini blues festival (seven hours, five featured performers) and a Pride Party.

Meanwhile, June 4 will mark the formal return of the First Friday ArtWalk (now called ArtWalk FLG). The Viola Awards – Flagstaff’s answer to the Oscars for the arts and sciences community – will hold its ceremony on June 18. Then in July, Theatrikos will be back with an outdoor show at The Arboretum.

Friends of Flagstaff Future — Action Alert: Your Support for Climate Neutrality Plan Needed!

F3 needs you to tell City Council that you support the draft Carbon Neutrality Plan. This plan has been written with much knowledge and passion by the Flagstaff Sustainability Program to address our Climate Emergency and outline our strategy to reach carbon neutrality by 2030.
 
Flagstaff needs to reignite the energy and support shown in January 2020 when 300 people and three hours of comments were provided in support of declaring a Climate Emergency. We need your voice! If you are able, comment at the meeting by doing the following:
At least one hour before the meeting on May 25, which begins at 3 pm, send an email to publiccomment@flagstaffaz.gov with the following information.

AARP Hispanic Connection — What Happened This Week (05/13/21) recap video and more information

What Happened This Week (05/13/21) recap video

COVID-19: Vacuna, Dinero y Más de 11 de mayo, 2021

More videos and information available HERE

— AARP Arizona Hispanic Connection is a platform that educates on relevant issues, celebrates Latino accomplishments, and connects Hispanics of all generations.

Grand Canyon National Park Urges Visitors to Hike Safely

Hikers and backpackers hiking in the inner canyon are strongly encouraged to be prepared for excessively hot temperatures greater than 100 degrees Fahrenheit this spring and summer season. Hikers attempting rigorous distances, such as ‘Rim to Rim’ through the inner canyon, must be self-reliant and understand their own physical limitations to prevent emergency situations for themselves and responders.

Rangers at Grand Canyon strongly urge visitors who plan to hike in the canyon to take extra precautions and hike safely. Hikers should hike before 10 a.m. and after 4 p.m., rest in shade whenever possible, and avoid hiking during the heat of the day. Important tips for a successful hike include the following: balancing real food, electrolyte, and water intake; drinking when thirsty; getting wet to stay cool; and stopping hiking if you start to feel ill.

Consulate General of Mexico in Phoenix — Consular Newsletter

Please find attached the fourth edition of the Newsletter on Economic and Tourism Affairs of the Consulate General of Mexico in Phoenix. We are encouraged by the growing number of business and political leaders from both sides of the border who have become subscribers.

#ChooseMexico has a variety of interesting articles that focus on current business topics relevant to both Mexico and Arizona. One in particular, from Consul Alejandro Martínez, who heads the Consulate General of Mexico in Nogales.

Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) — APS Helping Small Businesses Go Green

APS has launched a new initiative to help small businesses embrace environmental sustainability and win more customers along the way.

The Going Green and Going Smart program is a free, on-demand certificate program that identifies ways businesses can save money on their electric bills by leveraging industry knowledge and best businesses practices.

Designed with smaller brick-and-mortar locations in mind – such as restaurants, offices, stores or warehouses – it teaches businesses how to conduct an energy audit and develop a sustainability plan. Going beyond that, however, it also shows how businesses can use their new energy efficiency to attract new customers.

HECHO April Newsletter

We hope that you’re enjoying the spring weather and the blossom that often follows! From my vantage point, I can finally see our beloved backyard tree regaining its bright green leaves. It serves as a reminder to me that growth is possible with a little bit of sunshine, time, and patience.

At HECHO, we’re excited to share that a (virtual) seed we planted is also in bloom. We’ve worked hard over the past several months to revamp and reorganize our website, and it is LIVE! We hope that you’ll take the time to explore our new pages, and find the stories that inspire you to continue to advocate for the protection of our prized public lands. On our website, you’ll also be able to read about the recognition HECHO received this month in New Mexico and Colorado, honoring the work we do to ensure that Hispanic culture and perspectives are part of the conservation of our lands and waters.

Latino Outdoors — Yo Cuento: Mapping Migraciones

“Mapping Migraciones” es un proyecto narrativo único de un año de duración de Audubon California con la Sociedad Nacional Audubon y Latino Outdoors que celebra la latinidad, la migración y las historias que nos conectan en las Américas.

Mire nuestro mapa interactivo que utiliza datos de aves migratorias e historias de personas como usted para darnos una imagen completa de cómo las aves y las personas están conectadas a través de la geografía y la cultura. Durante el año, este mapa crecerá para incluir más aves, patrones de migración e historias en todo el continente americano.

Friends of Flagstaff’s Future — Neighborhood Community Commercial Zoning

Tall buildings like those recently built for student housing along Milton Road and W. Route 66 are currently allowed in places that would surprise most of us. They are allowed anywhere north (N. End) and south of downtown (Southside), even next to the public library. Five and six story buildings are also allowed anywhere in the Sunnyside Neighborhood bordered by 4thStreet, Cedar Avenue and McMillan Mesa. This is not the result of any recent comprehensive planning, but an historic artifact.
 
City staff is proposing to council on April 27th a new zone called the Neighborhood Community Commercial (NCC).

A goodbye from The Literacy Center Executive Director Dianna Sanchez

I have some exciting, although bittersweet, news to share with you all.  I have recently accepted a position at Coconino Community College as their Chief Development Officer.  I will begin my new role at CCC on April 19th; however, I will remain at TLC through the end of June to assist with a smooth transition and to help with the completion of our Storybook Path.  Although I am looking forward to my position at CCC, leaving TLC was a difficult decision for me to make.  The relationships and the memories I have made with the TLC family are significant and I have absolutely treasured my time here. 

Sedona Arts Center — Today’s the Day — Arizona Gives Day

Arizona Gives Day is an annual giving movement uniting nonprofits, big and small, new and established, to celebrate and increase philanthropy in Arizona through online giving. The event helps raise awareness about the critical role Arizona nonprofits play in our communities and inspires people to give generously creating a thriving and stronger Arizona for all.
Click the button below to donate today!

Bilingual report — Gina Santi Photography Images of the Month – April 2021

The Easter celebrations in in Antigua Guatemala are a clear example of the important role that celebrations play in the community. They draw attention and reverence from all levels of society. Hundreds of residents volunteer to carry huge wooden floats through the city streets, the church goes to great lengths decorating and preparing for the tribute to the life and death of Jesus, and families go through a truly mesmerizing collaborative process of designing elaborate carpets of vibrant colors made of dyed sawdust, intricately arranged on the streets, to cover the path of the processions. 

District 1 Supervisor Patrice Horstman Newsletter for April 2

IN THIS ISSUE:
Hello from Supervisor Horstman
Congressman O’Halleran Visits Ft. Tuthill
Vaccine Site
Fire Season and Monsoon Forecast
Mt. Elden Estates Community Meeting
Arizona List Awards
Supervisor Horstman’s County Boards and
Commissions
Thank You to FEMA, National Guard, and
Partners
COVID Information Line, Testing, and
Vaccinated Guidance
Contact Us

Coconino Community College’s Stellar Newsletter — The Comet — A quick word from the President and more news

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit families hard—emotionally and economically—locally and beyond.

Many hard-working people in Coconino County and across the nation are scraping by, sometimes with more than one job. Many others are out of work or working in jobs that aren’t making ends meet.

I am here to remind everyone we have a local resource that is ready to help—Coconino Community College. Community colleges are needed now more than ever, and we are here, proud to serve as your community college throughout Coconino County.

Statewide, your community colleges, including CCC, have been working tirelessly to gear up for providing fast, job-focused training for unemployed and underemployed residents of our wonderful state. In order for our residents to reskill and recover from the economic impact of the pandemic, CCC is responding quickly to new job trends that will help put people to work.

District 5 Supervisor Lena Fowler — Yá’át’ééh! Coconino County Residents

Thank you for taking the time to scroll through another edition of our newsletter. 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 please 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 resources. We are in this together.

Sincerely,
Lena

The Literacy Center — Sunny Days on the Horizon…

Happy Spring!! As the weather warms, vaccines become available, and schools reopen, we have so much exciting news to share with you all!  Please read on for announcements regarding some staff changes, our reopening plan, and Arizona Gives Day.

Coconino County Applauds Passage of the America Rescue Plan

Coconino County (on March 10) applauded the passage of the America Rescue Plan (ARP) and praised the leadership of Representative Tom O’Halleran and Senators Krysten Sinema and Mark Kelly for fighting for rural northern Arizona priorities in the federal relief bill. The America Rescue Plan passed the Senate this past weekend and the House of Representatives today.