Category: Cultural

March 3, 4, 5 — NAU Theatre presents The Long Christmas Ride Home, a play of contradictions

The Long Christmas Ride Home is written by Pulitzer-winning playwright Paula Vogel and directed by Kathleen M. McGeever. This play of contradictions uses puppets, yet it is not written for children; it is framed by a holiday trip home but is not meant as a Christmas story.

The play presents the family using human actors and puppets inspired by traditional Japanese bunraku puppetry, or as Vogel is quoted saying, “one Westerner’s misunderstanding of bunraku.” The puppets represent the children in some scenes, while the puppeteers themselves take over as the grown children in others.

March 4 — Bilingual report — APS, Chicano por la CAUSA to present Utility Assistance Event in Flagstaff

APS and  Chicano por la CAUSA will present Utility Assistance Event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 4 at 201 E. Birch Ave., Suite 7, Flagstaff

APS UTILITY ASSISTANCE IS AN INCOME BASED PROGRAM AND REQUIRES THE FOLLOWING ELIGIBILITY DOCUMENTS

March 23 — NAU to present ‘Women, Work, and Welfare: A History of Precarious Labor from mid-nineteenth century to the era of Uber and TaskRabbit’

In honor of Women’s History Month, the Department of History is sponsoring Jennifer Klein, Durfee Professor of history at Yale University, who will speak on “Women, Work, and Welfare: A History of Gender and Precarious Labor” at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, March 23, NAU Campus, Liberal Arts building, room 120.

This lecture is co-sponsored by the Commission on the Status of Women, the Department of Sociology, the Department of Social Work, and the Department of Women and Gender Studies.

Klein’s talk will offer a historical discussion of women’s precarious labor in the U.S., spotlighting the gendered development of urban wage work from the mid-19th century to the era of Uber and TaskRabbit.

March 31. April 1 — City And County to host public scenario planning workshops for the Flagstaff Regional Plan 2045

The City of Flagstaff and Coconino County will be hosting four public workshops centered around how we can plan for multiple possible future scenarios, including potential uncertainties, as part of updating the Flagstaff Regional Plan. This is a critical opportunity to help ensure the Regional Plan 2045 is a successful tool no matter what the future holds.

March 31 through April 2 — The Northern Arizona Book Festival is Back

The Northern Arizona Book Festival returns March 30 – April 2, 2023 with live and virtual programming for all ages, including readings from multiple local and regional authors, poetry slams, workshops, and a day of interactive activities and live performances for all ages in Heritage Square.

This year, we are proud to present a multitude of different authors as well as literary presses in a walkable downtown festival with many more in person events.

We will kick off the festival Thursday night, March 30 with Northern Arizona University’s Creative Writing Program MFA Reading Series, Cinder Skies. On Friday, March 31st we will resume events in the afternoon with both local and nationally renowned authors in several events, including an author meet and greet,featured readings, and an open mic

March 31 through April 2 — New Carpa Theater Co. in Phoenix presents ‘The Two Souls of Cesar Chavez’

New Carpa Theater Co. in Phoenix presents “The Two Souls of Cesar Chavez,” March 31 – April 2, at the Arizona Latino Arts and Cultural Center.

Set in 1993 on the last night of Chavez’s life, this new one-man show is written & performed by James E. Garcia and directed by Billy Ramsey.

Chavez was born in Yuma, Arizona, March 31, 1927, and lived on a nearby farm until his parents lost their family homestead to a local bank. Forced from their property, the Chavez family became migrant farmworkers. He died on the morning of April 23, 1993 in San Luis, Arizona, not far from the family homestead where he was born.

April 5 — Bilingual report — ENCUENTRO NAU: A Symposium, a Teach-in, and a Celebration of Latinidad!

(Postponed until April 5)

ENCUENTRO NAU: A Symposium, a Teach-in, and a Celebration of Latinidad! will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday, April 5 at the Du Bois Center.

We will have a full day of panels in the Du Bois Center (with a light breakfast and lunch provided). NAU President Cruz Rivera will kick off the day at 9 a.m.

Click here to see the schedule

April 17 — Northern Arizona University will host Graham Akhurst, award-winning Aboriginal Australian author

On April 17th, 2023, Northern Arizona University will host Graham Akhurst, award-winning Aboriginal Australian author. Akhurst is from the Kokomini of Northern Queensland and currently lives on Gadigal Country in Sydney. Akhurst will read from his work and discuss his experiences as a writer representing Indigenous Peoples in fiction.

Akhurst’s international reputation as an author, and his involvement in addressing colonization and indigenous issues make the reading of particular interest to the Northern Arizona Community.

May 3 — Sedona Arts Center — Free Performance by Guitarras Latinas during ‘Celebrate Sedona’

FREE EVENT
Celebrate Sedona!
Wednesday, May 3, 2023
4–6pm at Sedona Arts Center

Sponsored by: City of Sedona

Music by Guitarras Latinas
Food Truck, Artist Demonstrations, Beer and Wine for Sale
SAC Ceramics Department Demos & Sale
PLUS! A Special Exhibition: ¡Qué Hermoso!

This Celebrate Sedona takes place from 4 to 6pm, featuring music by Guitarras Latinas, and inlcudes a food truck, beer and wine for sale, and demonstrating artists. This free performance takes place along side a new Special Exhibition ¡Qué Hermoso! Celebrating Latinx cultural identity and traditions.

Celebrate Sedona takes place in Uptown Sedona at Sedona Arts Center.
FREE TO THE PUBLIC – Food & Beverage for Sale, FREE ADMISSION, 21 to Drink

May 6 — NAU Choral Studies presents Spring Festival of Choirs & Abya Yala at NAU

NAU Choral Studies will present Spring Festival of Choirs & “Abya Yala — The Land in Its Fullness,” at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, May 6 at Ardrey Memorial Auditorium, Northern Arizona University.

With the support of the Kitt Fund for Musical Excellence and in collaboration with Latin American Studies, Chilean composer Freddy Vilches and his Matices Latin Ensemble will be in residence for a series of public performances.

May 7 — NAU Choral Studies presents Spring Festival of Choirs & Abya Yala in Mesa

MESA — NAU Choral Studies will present Spring Festival of Choirs & “Abya Yala — The Land in Its Fullness,” at 3 p.m. Sunday, May 7 at First United Methodist Church Mesa, 15 E. First Ave., Mesa.

With the support of the Kitt Fund for Musical Excellence and in collaboration with Latin American Studies, Chilean composer Freddy Vilches and his Matices Latin Ensemble will be in residence for a series of public performances.

May 18 — NAU Global Film Series serves up the world

The Global Engagement and Language Learning (GELL) Center provides a space for NAU students to engage in the study of global languages and cultures in order to promote student success beyond the classroom.

As part of that mission, the GELL Center is bringing the Global Film Series, “Food in Film,” to campus; it explores human interactions and relationships through food and examining the ways we use food to express ourselves as human beings.

All films will be shown in their original languages with English subtitles on various Wednesday nights throughout the semester. Each film will be introduced by a faculty member from the appropriate language department with discussion afterward.

Adults and teens from the campus and community are encouraged to attend these free screenings. Watching foreign language films can be a great way to practice a new language and to learn about other cultures.

Through June 17 — Grand Canyon National Park hosts 33rd annual Grand Canyon Star Party

The thirty-third annual Grand Canyon Star Party will be held through Saturday, June 17, 2023, on both the South and North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. National parks such as Grand Canyon are protective havens for some of the last remaining dark skies in the United States.  

The event is sponsored by the National Park Service, Grand Canyon Conservancy, the Tucson Amateur Astronomy Association, and the Saguaro Astronomy Club of Phoenix. Numerous telescopes will offer views of planets Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars, as well as double stars, star clusters, nebulae, and distant galaxies. By day, keep an eye out for solar telescopes pointed at the sun. Weather permitting, expect spectacular views of the universe! 

June 17 — Tickets available for La Septima Banda and Freddy Vega Jr. with Decreto Norte concert at the Pepsi Amphitheater in Flagstaff

Tickets are now available for La Septima Banda and Freddy Vega Jr. with Decreto Norte concert on Saturday, June 17 at the Pepsi Amphitheater at Fort Tuthil County Park, Flagstaff.

Originally from Guamúchil Sinaloa, La Séptima Banda (formed in 1994), is made up of 19 talented, charismatic, simple and musically inspired members who manage a festive, happy and brave style to perfection. Today they have positioned themselves within the first places of the radial popularity lists and within the public taste in both Mexico and the United States.

July 28-30 — Heritage Days Returns to the North Rim

Heritage Days will return to the North Rim within Grand Canyon National Park July 28 through July 30, 2023. Each day, Heritage Days programs and demonstrations will run from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. throughout the North Rim developed area. Heritage Days provide visitors and staff with the opportunity to experience and celebrate the rich cultural diversity of the Colorado Plateau, Arizona Strip, and the Grand Canyon area.

Throughout Heritage Days, members from Associated Tribes will offer special programming and demonstrations, ranging from music and dance performances to presentations on their connections to the Grand Canyon. For more information and a complete list of event activities, including times and locations, please inquire at the North Rim Visitor Center.

Aug. 8 — Sedona Arts Center Volunteer Fair & Appreciation next week!

You’re invited to Sedona Arts Center’s Volunteer Event! Learn firsthand about all the exciting opportunities for this coming year and join us as we honor the people who have generously given their time and energy to help our staff put on great events and exhibits!

If you have volunteered this past year, we hope you will join us so that we can Thank Youand show our appreciation! 

If you haven’t had an opportunity to volunteer, we welcome you join us and see what’s new this coming year.  We have several different volunteer opportunities that can suite everyone’s interests, capabilities and time.  You’re welcome to bring friends who may be interested in volunteering as well. The more the merrier!

Aug. 14 — City of Flagstaff hosts event celebrating Indigenous Code Talkers Day

FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff will celebrate Indigenous Code Talkers Day with an event on Monday, Aug. 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Aquaplex Community Room (1702 N. Fourth St). Members of the public are welcome to attend.

The event will feature a variety of speakers, including Keynote Speaker Ms. Jamescita Peshlakai, U.S. Army Veteran, Persian Gulf War, former Arizona State Senator, former member of the Arizona House of Representatives, and member of the Navajo Nation. The event will also feature youth ambassadors and the Yoyhoyan Hopi youth dance group, which will provide a cultural share. A pre-event 2K honor walk/run (in-person/hybrid) will be held near the Aquaplex at 8:30 a.m. 

Aug. 20 — 12th Annual Flagstaff Symphony Guild Home Tour!

How the Home Tour works:
A self-driving tour of some of Flagstaff’s finest homes with live music by symphony musicians at each home. All proceeds support the concerts, education and community outreach programs of the Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra.
You’ll walk through five beautiful homes, from historic Downtown Flagstaff to several of the exclusive golf and ranch communities. Each residence showcases unique features and captivating stories, creating an unforgettable journey through Flagstaff’s past and present.
Purchase advance tickets on the event website here. You’ll receive the Tour Program one day before the event at the email account you used to register. Need help? Reply to this email or call Stephanie Stallings at (928) 774-5107.

Aug. 25 — Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias: Back on Tour at the Pepsi Amphitheater at Fort Tuthill, Flagstaff

Gabriel “Fluffy” Iglesias is one of America’s most successful stand-up comedians performing to sold-out concerts around the world. He is also one of the most watched comedians on YouTube with almost a billion views and has over 25 million fans across social media.

Sept. 2 — Mayan Winds Coffee Shop in Flagstaff to present First Saturday of Month Lecture and Workshop

FLAGSTAFF — Mayan Winds Coffee Shop in Flagstaff will present First Saturday of Month Lecture and Workshop from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 2 at 2144 N. 4th St., Flagstaff.

We will be bagging organic teas, mistick herbs and blessing plants. Please come and have fresh coffee on the house.

Sept. 28 — Pedro Gonzalez Corona to speak on ‘Echoes of Racial Fantasies: The Politics of Mexican Antisemitism’ at NAU

FLAGTAFF — Pedro Gonzalez Corona, a Postdoctoral Fellow at the Martin-Springer Institute will be giving a talk titled “Echoes of Racial Fantasies: The Politics of Mexican Antisemitism,” at 7;30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 28 at Liberal Arts 120.

Presented by the Martin-Springer Institute. His current research focuses on Mexican antisemitism and the phenomenon of forced disappearances. He will also teach a course on this topic in spring 2024, HUM 382 Cultures of Disappearance on Mondays from 4-6:30 p.m. for CCS.

Free and open to the public.

Sept. 17 — Sedona Arts Center, MNA to present ‘Moving from Appropriation to Authenticity ‘ at the Museum of Northern Arizona

Sedona Arts Center (SAC) and the Museum of Northern Arizona (MNA) announce their collaboration to bring a series of panel discussions to the region on the topic of appropriation of Indigenous art and culture with funding provided by Arizona Humanities.

The three panel discussions are scheduled for:
September 17, 2 PM at the MNA; November 5, 2 PM at the MNA; and January 21, 2024, 2 PM at SAC.

This series of panel discussions complements the Arizona Humanities’ mission in several ways. The talks aim to expand the audience’s understanding of what constitutes authentic Indigenous art versus art that has appropriated aspects of Indigenous culture, and to create deeper connections between artist, culture, and community. By contextualizing the role of the Indian Arts and Crafts Board and the Indian Arts and Crafts Act, the boundaries of Indigenous artists’ intellectual property and agency over representation will be explored. By framing each discussion with questions that attendees can adopt in their evaluation of how to engage with Indigenous cultures and art, an enhanced knowledge will foster their ability to appreciate and differentiate authentic representation from appropriation. Panelists will be a diverse complement of Native and non-Native experts, representing a mix of traditional, contemporary, accepted, and challenged perspectives on Indigenous representation.

Oct. 11 — Screening of recently completed documentary of Chilean singer songwriter Nano Stern at NAU

FLAGSTAFF — Award-winning Chilean singer-songwriter Nano Stern is coming to Northern Arizona University!

A Screening of the recently completed documentary of Chilean singer songwriter Nano Stern “We’ll be Singing by September (Cuando canta el Gallo),” (in Spanish with English subtitles) will be held at 5 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11 Communications Room 119 at NAU.

This event is in conjunction with a performance on Friday, October 13 at 7:30 pm in Kitt Recital Hall.

Stern will be present on Zoom for the Q & A after the film. he Q & A will feature Stern in English

Oct. 11 — NAU Ethnic Studies Program to present opening reception for Artist in Residence: Theodore A. Harris

FLAGSTAFF — NAU Ethnic Studies Program will present the opening reception for Artist in Residence: Theodore Harris from noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 11 in the IMQ Office in the University Union Fieldhouse at Northern Arizona University.

Registration not required.

Theodore A. Harris was born in 1966 in New York City and raised in Philadelphia. He is a collagist, poet, curator, and essayist on the intersection of art and politics. He has participated in residences at the Ashe Cultural Arts Center (New Orleans); 40th Street A-I-R (Philadelphia); Hammonds House Museum and Resource Center of African American Art (Atlanta, GA); and International Festival of Arts and Ideas (New Haven, CT). He is the founding director of The Institute for Advanced Study in Black Aesthetics.

Oct. 13 — Chilean singer songwriter Nano Stern plays Victor Sara in free concert at NAU

FLAGSTAFF — Chilean singer songwriter Nano Stern will play a free concert, “Nano Stern Sings Victor Jara” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct 13 at the Kite Recital Hall at Northern Arizona University.

Free and open to the public.

As the world commemorates 50 years since the coup d’état in Chile, Nano Stern revisits the songs of legendary folk singer Víctor Jara, who personifies the spirit of the day through his timeless music and poetry. With austere virtuosity, Stern gives new breath to this immortal repertoire.

Through Oct. 28 — 19th Annual Sedona Plein Air Festival

Twenty-six renowned plein air artists from across the country will capture Sedona’s extraordinary landscapes during Sedona Arts Center’s 19th Annual Sedona Plein Air Festival, October 20-28. The week-long event features artist demonstrations, paint outs, lectures, juried art competitions and more. All events are free and open to the public. 
 
“Our Plein Air Festival is a premier destination event and Sedona Arts Center’s signature fall event,” said Julie Richard, CEO of Sedona Arts Center. “Everyone is invited—residents, visitors and art lovers of all ages—to observe professional artists in action painting this wondrous place outdoors or “en plein air.”

30 de octubre — Matando Con Discrecion: Desapariciones, impunidad y traición en México

FLAGSTAFF – – Martin – Springer Institute, Northern Arizona University, presents en español “30 de octubre — Matando Con Discrecion — Desapariciones, impunidad y traición en México” lunes 30 de octubre, Liberal Arts Building. Evento gratuito y abierto a todo publico.

Through Oct. 31 — NAU Ethnic Studies Program to present Art Exhibit ‘The Capitol Vetoed and Other Works’ by Artist Theodore A. Harris

FLAGSTAFF —The NAU Ethnic Studies Program will present the Art Exhibit “The Capitol Vetoed and Other Works” by Artist Theodore A. Harris through Oct. 31 in the IMQ Office in the University Union Fieldhouse at Northern Arizona University.

Nov. 2, 3 — Panel, film screening of ‘DREAMers called Home is Somewhere Else’ to be held at the Coconino Center for the Arts

FLAGSTAFF — Thursday Nov 2 at 6:30 pm at the Coconino Center for the Arts, there will be a Humanitarian activist panel:

This is an incredible panel, featuring four of the most extraordinary activists in AZ.  You can read brief bios of them here: here: https://coconinoarts.org/event/humanitarian-activist-panel-discussion/ It’s going to be a very inspirational evening!

Friday Nov 3 at 6:30 pm Coconino Center for the Arts, there will be a screening of a new animated film about DREAMers called Home is Somewhere Else, and we’ll have the director Carlos Hagerman, present for discussion. You can see a trailer of the film here:

Dec. 7 — Bilingual report — City of Flagstaff hosts informational meeting on water rate study

FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff is hosting a virtual informational meeting about the current drinking water, wastewater, and reclaimed water rate study on Thursday, Dec. 7 from 5:30-7 p.m. The meeting will be accessible both virtually and by telephone. Members of the public are invited to attend to learn more about the rate study and to ask questions. The meeting will consist of an informational presentation, followed by time for questions and answers.

To attend the meeting online, please register at bit.ly/ratestudy. Members of the public may also attend the meeting by phone by calling 888-400-1932 for English or 888-400-9342 for Spanish at the time and date of the meeting. All attendees, whether attending online or by phone, will have the opportunity to ask questions and make comments. Spanish interpretation will be available at the meeting.

Dec. 13 — Flagstaff College to present ‘High-Altitude Agriculture!’ Zoom oresentations

Growing food at 7,000 ft with limited water resources is no mean trick. And yet, it is being done by R. Charlie Shultz. Shultz has been a pioneer in the field of integrating fish and plants for more than 20 years. He is Academic Director in the School of Trades, Technology, Sustainability, and Professional Studies at Santa Fe Community College where he teaches Controlled Environment Agriculture.  

Dec. 20 — Bilingual report — City of Flagstaff hosts open house for Fourth Lockett Roundabout project

FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff is hosting an informational meeting for the Fourth-Lockett Roundabout project on Wednesday, Dec. 20 from 5 – 7 p.m. at the East Flagstaff Community Library (3000 N Fourth St., Suite 5). Members of the public are invited to drop in and learn about the project, expected construction impacts, and ask staff questions. Spanish interpretation will be available at the meeting.

Through Dec. 23 — Tom Kiefer’s ‘El Sueño Americano / The American Dream’ exhibit continues at the Coconino Center for the Arts

The exhibit is a photographic documentation of the personal belongings carried by migrants and those seeking asylum that were seized by U.S. Customs and Border Protection at a processing facility near the artist’s home in Ajo, Arizona. U.S. border agents deemed these belongings as non-essential or potentially lethal. Kiefer asks the viewer to consider these photographs as untold and unknown stories, markers of human journeys cut short, creating a personal connection for the viewer that extends compassion and empathy to those who make the dangerous journey across the desert to seek a better life.

United Way of Northern Arizona — Celebrating a Community (and UWNA) Champion

It was with tremendous sadness that we heard last week of the passing of Dr. Bert McKinnon, who epitomized the commitment to community and volunteer service that makes northern Arizona such a remarkable place.

Bert and his family came to Flagstaff in the early 1980s and he is perhaps best known as one of the co-founders of Flagstaff Bone & Joint.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: December 26-30, 2022

New Year’s Eve fundraising event for 8th Grade Washington D.C. Field Trip 

Grand Canyon Community Rec Center is hosting a New Year’s Eve Fundraiser Party to support the Grand Canyon Middle School D.C. Trip!

Live band, Juniper Hill, starts at 9:30 p.m. Pre-admission tickets and 50/50 raffle tickets available for purchase at the Grand Canyon Recreation Center. More information on the event can be found in the attached flyer here. 

January 2023 at the Museum of Northern Arizona

Message from Mary –
I hope you are enjoying the holiday season and are keeping safe and warm in the beautiful winter snow here in Flagstaff. As the new year approaches, I am filled with anticipation for what 2023 will bring and am hopeful it will offer energizing and inspiring times for us all.

Here at MNA we’re excited to be heading into the new year with a wonderful new exhibition – Vast Lands, Inner Visions: The Art of Joella Jean Mahoney – and lots of great ideas for 2023. We worked hard in 2022 to complete a new plan for MNA, and we will begin implementing it in earnest is 2023. You can find more information about that here: https://musnaz.org/about/strategic-plan/

District 1 Supervisor Patrice Horstman — Happy Holidays December 2022

In This Issue

Greeting From Supervisor Horstman
City of Flagstaff Detention Basin Tour
Board Approve Applications for FEMA Grants for Flood Mitigation Projects
Coconino County Features Emergency Management (Video)
BOS Approves $5 Million of ARPA Funding for Community Projects
United Way of Northern Arizona, Thanks Our Community Volunteers
The Heart of Democracy: County Certifies Elections
Pathways To Communities Offers A Way Forward
Flagstaff Community Stuffed the Bus
Coconino Couty Celebrates the Holidays!
Winter Parking Ordinance
County Employee ” Dex” Honored
Welcome to Michael Jackiewicz Director of Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJJC)
Community Events and Resources
Contact Us

Board of Supervisors Appoints Maia Rodriguez as Page Justice of the Peace

At the final Board of Supervisors (Board) meeting of 2022, the Board completed the weeks long process of appointing a candidate to fill the vacant office of Justice of the Peace for the Page precinct, selecting Maia Rodriguez to serve through 2024.

Ms. Rodriguez comes to the office with over 24 years of experience working for both the Flagstaff and Page Justice Courts in Court Clerk and supervisory roles, holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice, and has successfully completed the Coconino County Supervisors Development Academy and Executive Leadership Academy, as well as Court Management, Court Executive, and Court Fellows Programs with the National Center for State Courts Institute for Court Management.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Dec. 19-23, 2022

Weekly Call Updates

For the next two weeks, all employee calls as well as stakeholder/community calls will be canceled in observance of the holidays.

We will start the New Year with a new weekly call format beginning on January 11, 2023. There will be just one call each week, on Wednesday at 11 a.m. for both NPS employees and community members.

Wednesday all employee and community call from the Superintendent’s Office:

TIME: 11 a.m. Arizona Time

CALL IN: 877-491-6221

PARTICIPANT CODE: 7074828#

If you would like a calendar invite sent by email with this information, please email the public affairs office at grca_public_affairs@nps.gov.

Have a happy and safe holiday season!

-Grand Canyon Office of Communications

Coconino County Parks and Recreation Completes Upgrades to Pond at Archuleta County Park

The improvements allowed for enlarging the pond space and adding a boardwalk, which makes the pond easier to access and enjoy, and an ultraviolet light system to reduce algae, so the pond will have improved visibility beneath the water’s surface.

Thanks to a heritage grant from the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), upgrades to the pond at Elizabeth “Liz” C. Archuleta County Park are complete and it is now open to the public. The grant allowed Coconino County Parks and Recreation to make the necessary improvements to create a place for the public to visit and watch wildlife. The original pond was small, contained considerable algae, and was difficult for the public to access. 

Flagstaff community holds 2022 Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration

The Flagstaff community enjoyed the return of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration to the Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Chapel with the procession from the chapel to St. Francis de Asia Catholic Church on Dec. 11. Once arriving at the church, worshippers attended a Rosary and a play on the origins of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The next day, nearly 200 luminarias lighted the way for worshipers who came to the chapel for the 6 a.m. Rosary, followed by the performance of Mañanitas and a Mass.

Following the mass, worshipers were invited downstairs to the Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church Cultural Center (The Basement) for coffee, hot chocolate and Mexican sweet bread, presented by members of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces.

Preparations at the chapel began earlier in the week when members of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces gathered in the basement for the creation of the nearly 200 bags of sand and the placement of the candles.

Coconino County Treasurer Sarah Benatar Elected to President of AACo Board of Directors

At the 2022 annual conference of the Arizona Association of Counties (AACo), Coconino County Treasurer

Sarah Benatar. Courtesy photo.
was elected to serve as President of the Board of Directors and will assume the role on January 1, 2023.

She is the youngest county representative to serve as Board President since AACo’s founding in 1967 and the first woman from Coconino County. As President of AACo’s Board of Directors, Treasurer Benatar will be the voice for all county elected officials from Arizona’s 15 counties. She is preparing for the next year of advocating for our counties, building new relationships, and the preparing for the possibility for change. 2023 could be an interesting year for our state legislature as it’s been 16 years since the State elected a Democratic Governor. We will have the most freshman legislators in several years, and both chambers will have Republican majorities under new leadership. 

United Way of Northern Arizona — ‘You Can Give with Confidence’

When you make a donation to a nonprofit, you want to feel confident that your gift is being properly used by an organization that takes its fiscal responsibility seriously.

That’s why we are so pleased to announce that, for the fourth year in a row, Charity Navigator has given United Way of Northern Arizona a 4-star rating, this year with a score of 96%. This means UWNA exceeds or meets best practices and industry standards for nonprofits. Only 13 United Way organizations of our size have achieved this high a rating.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — Dec. 12-16, 2022

Volunteer to support the Grand Canyon Community this holiday season! 

On Tuesday, Dec. 20, Delaware North will be having a wrapping party to wrap the angel tree gifts from 1-5 p.m. in Yavapai Lodge atrium. All angels on the DNC Angel Tree have been adopted this year and donations should be dropped off before this Friday, Dec. 16 to the General Store. More information on this event can be found in the attached flyer here. 

On Wednesday, Dec. 21, Delaware North will be making food boxes in the Canyon Village Market Deli starting at 3 p.m.  The food boxes will accompany the angel tree gifts to each family. More information on this event can be found in the attached flyer here. 

Both events are open to the community and participation is highly encouraged! 

The NAU Review — Celebrating our graduates, Notes from the President and the Early Learning and Development Center

More than 2,400 students have applied to graduate this semester; they will be celebrated in two ceremonies at the Skydome on Dec. 16. Learn about parking, traffic, the clear bag policy and how you can get updates on commencement.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — As CCC&Y’s e-newsletter takes a break, we want to wish you a very happy holiday season

As we conclude 2022, a year in which we celebrated our 50th anniversary, we want to wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a very happy 2023.

CCC&Y’s weekly e-newsletter will be taking the rest of the year off, but will return on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023.

If you need a little help during this hectic holiday season, please be sure to visit our many free online webinars to help ease some of the stress — CCC&Y presents free webinars on understanding how emotions impact adult and child relationships

Bilingual report — Gina Santi Photography Images of the Month – December 2022

The hogan is the fundamental, traditional dwelling of the Navajo people of Arizona and New Mexico. It is a single-room roughly circular abode, with an east-facing access that encloses a central fireplace or wood stove set below a central smoke ventilation hole. It is built usually of logs and mud, with a domed roof. Historically, it has been not only a place to live but also a place of considerable spiritual significance. The hogan can be male (cone-shaped) or female (round or six-sided, as in the image).

In Navajo culture, every new Hogan must be ritually consecrated after it is built. This consecration is done by first touching the four main posts of the hogan, which symbolize the four cardinal points, and then scattering cornmeal or corn pollen all around the inside in a clockwise direction. This blessing is meant to make the hogan strong enough to safeguard the family from physical or spiritual injure. Other ceremonies, including healing ones, are also held in hogans. For these reasons, even if a Navajo family doesn’t live in a hogan, they would make sure there was at least one nearby.

The NAU Review — A graduate’s journey, affordable and fun holiday craft, playing to learn with Brian Stone

When life throws you unexpected challenges, the only way forward is through. Graduate student Altoveda Tortice has embodied this moral throughout her master’s program while working full-time, raising a family and dealing with loss. Tortice first graduated from NAU in 2007 with a degree in psychology. Now, 13 years later, she’s ready to graduate again, this time with a degree in human relations and a goal of helping other students reach their educational goals.