2022 was a year of missions to space, inspiring stories of achievement despite the odds, game-changing research, creating new ways to help Arizonans go to college and putting a local spin on global issues. Check out The NAU Review’s top 10 most-read stories of last year, plus a few favorites that we just can’t stop thinking about.
At their first meeting of the new year the Coconino County Board of Supervisors (Board) took time to acknowledge the upcoming International Holocaust Remembrance Day on January 27, 2023 and unanimously approved a first-of-its-kind proclamation to recognize and honor the memories of victims and survivors and bring awareness to the historic atrocity of the Holocaust to successive generations.
Art Workshops at Sedona Arts Center
In-Person Workshops at the Sedona Arts Center offer an intensive experience that will provide inspiration and information to distill and practice for months and even years afterwards. A wide variety of disciplines and mediums are offered with a special focus on studio and plein air landscape painting, mixed media and abstraction. Workshops are appropriate for all levels of students and are presented through demonstrations, individual instruction and group presentation. Instructors are experts in their field – experienced teachers with national recognition.
At the Jan. 10, 2023 special session of the Coconino County Board of Supervisors, the Board unanimously approved a proclamation to designate January as Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month in Coconino County.
According to the US State Department, Arizona is a hub for illicit activity and a transit point for labor and sex trafficking due to our state’s geographic location and network of Interstate freeways. Locally, in the past five years various law enforcement and victim service agencies have encountered over 600 confirmed victims of human trafficking. Furthermore, numerous sting operations during that time have identified almost 500 individuals suspected of attempting to purchase sex with an underage victim.
“The exploitation of human beings for sex trafficking is a terrible crime and we must raise awareness and educate ourselves on this matter so that we can take action to end this travesty. This is an issue that affects all of our communities,” commented Chair of the Board Patrice Horstman.
Student Ceramic Exhibition & Sale
January 20 – 22, 2023
Opens Friday! January 20, 2023 from 4pm to 6pm
Saturday 10am to 5pm
Sunday, 12 to 5pm
Special Exhibitions Gallery in the Historic Art Barn
A ceramic exhibition and sale
featuring work from our advanced students and faculty.
The annual Point in Time Count (PIT) will take place starting Jan. 25 throughout the City of Flagstaff. This count documents the number of unsheltered people experiencing homelessness at a single point in time and is conducted across the country.
Local data collected during the annual PIT Count measures progress at local and national levels related to preventing and ending homelessness.
Due to inclement weather, the Downtown and East Flagstaff Community Libraries are closed Tuesday, January 17th.
Addressing cancer disparities in tribes
The Center for Native American Cancer Health Equity, funded by a new $4 million grant from the American Cancer Society, aims to improve education and screening rates in Native American tribes, which have disproportionately high rates of cancer.
We hope you are having a wonderful 2023 so far, and wanted to start off this new year right by thanking you.
You make the work of United Way of Northern Arizona possible and we wanted to share some of our favorite memories of the past year that happened because you generously gave through your donations, leadership, or volunteerism.
Winter Weather Returns; National Weather Service issues Travel Risk for impending weekend storm
According to the National Weather Service-Flagstaff, winter weather returns to the area this weekend, with periods of heavy snowfall likely beginning Saturday night across the high country. Snow levels will gradually fall from 6000–7000 feet Saturday evening to 4000–5000 feet Tuesday. One to two feet of snow is possible in the high country by the end of next week.
Prepare for an extended period of poor travel conditions next week!
REMEMBER – PLEASE KEEP ROADWAYS CLEAR OF VEHICLES; PARK IN YOUR DRIVEWAY AND FOR THOSE ON APACHE ST, PARK IN THE ALLEY. ALLEYS AND RESIDENTIAL ROADWAYS WILL BE PLOWED
The City of Flagstaff Sustainability Office is excited to announce the recipients of the 2023 Neighborhood Sustainability Grant cycle. The initiative is a competitive grant program that funds a range of community projects related to food, waste, climate action, resilience, building energy, public health, and transportation with awards up to $5,000.
Awarded projects selected by the Sustainability Commission this year include:
STEMMY Awards are presented annually to Students, Teachers, and Organizations
who are STEAM leaders in the greater Flagstaff community.
Check out our previous winners here:
The STEMMYs – Flagstaff STEM City
Observing the Winter Sky
Tuesdays: 1/17, 1/24, 1/31, 2/7
6:45 – 8:15 pm
Locate and identify the sparkling gems of the winter night sky!
Winter Night Sky – Learn more and register!
COVID Updates
Masks Optional
As of January 5, Coconino County has remained in MEDIUM CDC Community Level. Masks are optional in all public buildings. We encourage individuals, regardless of vaccination status, to practice physical distancing from others while in indoor common areas.
Total new COVID cases in Arizona for the week of December 29-January 4 was 6,187 which is an increase from the week before at 4,973. There were three new COVID-19 cases reported in the park this week.
As a reminder, be sure to promptly report any illness, to include possible COVID-19 symptoms, COVID exposure, or a positive COVID test to your supervisor and our Public Health Consultant, Ronan King. Ronan can be reached at: 202-891-8599 or Ronan_King@nps.gov.
Friday, Jan. 6, 2023
See the beautiful full moon rise and hike the Buffalo Park loop. 5:30 p.m.; free.
The City of Flagstaff Solid Waste Section has published the 2023 schedule for bulky waste collection, which is provided to all single-family households within Flagstaff city limits. Bulky waste collection will continue to be performed in five geographic sections throughout the City once every five weeks per the map and schedule that can be downloaded athttps://www.flagstaff.az.gov/DocumentCenter/View/74416/2023-Bulk-Pickup-Schedule–.
Wishing you a peaceful, prosperous and productive 2023.
As the new year begins, the Coconino Coaltion for Children & Youth wants to remind everyone that we have a variety of free webinar training programs on our website to help relieve some of the stress as we wind down from a busy holiday season.
Our growing library of on-demand webinars is designed to help the public gain the tools they need to provide trauma-informed care, tips to help strengthen family protective factors, examine the effects of historical trauma and adverse childhood experiences, address issues such as bullying and the support to adults and youth through the use of mindfulness practices.
Flagstaff property owners, businesses and citizens are invited to a free lunch-n-learn event at City Hall (211 W Aspen Ave) on Jan. 31 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The City has access to money that can be used for revitalizing properties at no cost to owners.
Two-hundred thousand dollars in funding remains from a grant awarded to the City by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) as part of a property revitalization program. Money is available to property owners on a first come, first served basis until Sept. 30, 2023.
We are in desperate need of blood donors for our February 24th and 25th Blood Drive here at Flagstaff Mall!!
Join us for a community blood drive Friday, February 24, from 1:00 pm – 6:00 pm & Saturday, February 25, from 10:00 am – 3:00 pm.
Located at the Flagstaff Mall Retail Suite A03 by JCPenney Mall Entrance
Advanced appointments are encouraged!
The Coconino County Board of Supervisors is considering a new ordinance that would regulate short-term rental properties in Coconino County.
There will be a virtual public hearing about the ordinance on February 28 at 6 p.m. via Zoom followed by discussion among the County Board of Supervisors and a vote on the ordinance.
Any interested person may observe the hearing and comment during the public comment period.
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
Residents of the La Plaza Vieja and Southside neighborhoods are invited to attend the first Neighborhood Partnership Coalition (NPC) meeting on Wednesday, April 19, from 6 – 7:30 p.m. at the Murdoch Community Center (203 E Brannen Ave). Hosted by the City of Flagstaff and Northern Arizona University, the NPC meeting will create a space for staff to share updates relevant to the two neighborhoods and engage in related discussions with attendees.
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.
The City of Flagstaff is hosting a flooding community meeting in May to discuss preparations for monsoon season and answer questions from residents.
A FREE community wildfire and flood awareness event is being hosted by the Coconino County Flood Control District this Friday, May 19 from 6 – 8:30 p.m. at the Orpheum Theater, 15 W Aspen Ave, Flagstaff, AZ. Those attending will learn about fire and flood preparedness, connect with local leadership, and learn how to build resilience.
The evening will consist of tabling from local and statewide organizations, a short film on the current state of wildfires in the West, a keynote presentation from Flagstaff author John Vankat on the history of the region’s forest health, and a Q&A with a panel of regional experts from the field of forest management, fire management, emergency response, public health and more.
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.
Enjoy music that broadens your horizons and brings the world to your doorstep every Sunday through July 30 at 3 PM in Kitt Recital Hall.
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!
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.
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.
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.
Saturday, December 31
Noon Year’s Eve, Heritage Square
Ring in the new year with a fun, free, family-friendly event in Heritage Square.10 a.m.
Learn More
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.
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.
Winter weather returns to much of Coconino County Tuesday night! If you must travel, be sure to use extra caution as roads may be slick with ice and fresh snow. Be sure to follow this page, and Coconino County Emergency Management for the latest conditions and alerts.
The City of Flagstaff is proud to provide a treecycling service during the month of January to assist with the proper recycling of Christmas trees. Collected trees will be mulched and used in the City’s parks and beautification projects throughout the year.
City residents can place their tree on the curb for pick-up by 6 a.m. from Monday, Jan. 2 through Friday, Jan. 6.
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
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
“Tickets alone don’t make theatre in Flagstaff happen,” said Stan Sutherland, Theatrikos Board President. Theatrikos relies on patron contributions to succeed. Now’s the time of year to make a donation.”
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.
In this edition…
Message from Jeronimo
Short-Term Flood Mitigation Projects
Snow Preparation
District 2 Highlights & Special Spotlights
Year in Review
Service Positions Open in District 2
Services and Programs
And more!
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.
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.
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!
Flagstaff Snowflake Festival/ Skate at the Station, Flagstaff Visitor Center. Free skating rink in Downtown Flagstaff! 12 p.m. Friday-Wednesday, December 16-21
Learn More
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.
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
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.
FLAGSTAFF — Nearly 200 luminarias will light the way for worshipers during the 2022 Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration to be held at 6 a.m. Monday, Dec. 12 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Chapel.
Members of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces will begin placing and lighting the luminarias shortly after 5 a.m. in time for worshipers to take part in the services, which included a Rosary, the singing of Mañanitas and Mass. Café y pan will then presented downstairs at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church Cultural Center (The Basement) following the services.
Due to the Winter Weather Advisory for this evening and tomorrow morning, all Flagstaff Unified School District schools will be on a two-hour delayed start tomorrow, December 12. The weather conditions will be re-evaluated tomorrow morning and further communication will be sent out, if needed. More information available at www.fusd1.org
Throughout December, Grand Canyon National Park is featured alongside three other national parks in the East Room at none other than the The White House. The East Room décor reflects the communion we find in nature. As part of the fireplace mantel displays, visitors see four iconic National Parks from around our country represented: The Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, the Great Smoky Mountains, and Shenandoah National Park.
As the largest room in the White House, the East Room has hosted public receptions, ceremonies, bill signings, and other memorable occasions. More information on 2022 White House decorations can be found here.
Lorie Lee never imagined she’d make it to university; she is now graduating with two degrees, having won the prestigious President’s Prize. A mother of three and non-traditional student, her inspiring tale begins earlier than her first day at NAU. As a child, Lee experienced poverty, a mother with substance abuse issues and a father unwilling to care for her. Through the support of her friends and teachers, Lee found a love and passion for education and excelled academically. Married and raising three children with special needs, Lee enrolled at NAU’s North Valley campus and is earning a bachelor’s degree in both elementary education and special education.
Led by the National Association of Counties (NACo), a bipartisan group of nearly 150 county elected officials urged congressional leaders to pass key behavioral and mental health policies before the end of the year.
In a letter to congressional leaders, the county officials wrote, “As a key intergovernmental partner, we urge you to work towards the passage of a bipartisan behavioral health package that enhances our ability to provide comprehensive behavioral health services in all settings, strengthens the behavioral health workforce and increases resident access to services.”
“In alliance with counties across the United States, this letter to our nation’s leadership details our shared goals of ensuring resources are provided to address the behavioral and mental health needs of residents,” stated Coconino County Board of Supervisors Chair Patrice Horstman. “I encourage everyone to read the letter sent to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, to learn more about the national policies we support.”
With the hectic holiday season in full swing, CCC&Y shares this free online opportunity to ease some of the daily stress during this busy time of year.
Motivated by a long wait list for behavioral health services, and aware of challenging adult and child emotions causing behavior difficulties, Bethany Camp put this two part training together for CCC&Y to help meeting a wide-spread community need.
First we learn to understand our emotions and then we can understand and respond to the big emotional responses of children.
Watch Webinar – Managing Adult Emotional Responses, Part One
Watch Webinar – Helping Children Manage Their Emotions, Part Two
These videos are meant to help support our community. Having the tools to take care of ourselves and respond to children, is a great resource.
