
Join us at The Arb for dinner, dancing, a live auction, raffles at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 21

Calling all students: Kick off your Lumberjack experience at Welcome Week!
Whether you’re new to NAU or returning after a summer away, start the year off right with a host of fun Welcome Week activities, including concerts, ice cream socials, club fairs, the NAU Letters photo for the Class of 2026 and more. Get involved. Get connected. Get ready for a great year!

August marks the 10th Anniversary of STEM City
and Flagstaff’s designation as “America’s First STEM Community.”
STEM City was conceived out of a shared community vision to recognize, celebrate,
and expand the tremendous human and capital assets in
Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) that exist in Flagstaff.
Now, ten years later, STEM City is proud to have facilitated:
–Nine annual community-wide STEM Celebrations
–Annual STEMMY Awards recognizing numerous STEM Students, Teachers & Organizations
–Direct student engagement in STEM learning through classroom partnerships
with local experts in the fields of science, technology, engineering, arts, and math.
We’ll celebrate this 10th Anniversary with various events throughout the coming months
to revitalize Flagstaff’s well-earned designation as “America’s First STEM Community.”

Nevaeh Talkalai, gaze strong, spoke to her peers so that they might get to know her and she them.
“I’m urban Native,” she said. “I took pride in being Navajo after a racism event and created an anti-racism coalition. I was born in Fort Defiance and lived mostly in Window Rock growing up.”
She recently graduated from Northland Preparatory Academy in Flagstaff and plans on attending university in Michigan. Her goal: To be an advocate and a counselor for Native Americans.
Talkalai was among more than 40 students participating Coconino Community College’s inaugural Summer Bridge program, created as part a larger program devoted to “Strengthening Indigenous Student Success.” The purpose of the SISS program is to improve the success of Native American students attending CCC.

Grand Canyon National Park lifted its mandatory water conservation measures for the South Rim when water storage reached an acceptable level on August 15.
Water conservation measures are generally prudent in the desert west to conserve water resources. Measures such as watering lawns/plants only as needed, washing cars infrequently; filling the sink with water while washing dishes; reporting drips, leaks, or other water loss to appropriate offices; turning off water while not in immediate use for shaving and brushing teeth; running dishwashers or washing machines with only full loads (and in eco mode if available), and taking shorter showers are all good conservation practices to have everyday.

You’re invited to come to the Sedona Arts Center and learn about Volunteer Opportunities for this coming year. We have a fun program planned, and we’ll be honoring the people who have generously given their time and enrgy to help make things happen here!
For those of you who have volunteered this past year, we want to say Thank You and show our appreciation!
If you haven’t had an opportunity to volunteer this past year, we welcome you to come and see what’s new this year and celebrate with us. Maybe something will sound interesting and fit into your schedule, and you will be able to sign up for particular events or other volunteer opportunities.

While many companies and organizations Step Up for Our Community through their workplace campaigns for UWNA, some take an extra step by becoming Pacesetters; they hold their workplace fundraisers in the month prior to the official annual campaign to help jumpstart it.
One of the most successful at this is Lowell Observatory, where typically 25% to 30% of the 163 employees participate in the Pacesetter campaign each year.
The person responsible for this pre-campaign effort at the observatory is Mattie Harrington. She’s the Executive Assistant to the Executive Director Jeff Hall; Director of Philanthropy Lisa Actor; and the observatory’s Sole Trustee, W. Lowell Putnam IV, the great-grandnephew of its founder, Percival Lowell.
The Pacesetter fundraising outreach is conducted primarily via email, she said, with her sending out a communication to the staff once a week reminding them of the work UWNA supports in early childhood education, youth development, and crisis response.

Flagstaff community members who would like to volunteer to support residents impacted by Pipeline Fire post-wildfire flooding on the west side of Flagstaff are invited to assist in filling sandbags. Volunteers are encouraged to visit either of the City’s self-fill sandbag stations (locations below) anytime during daylight hours, seven days a week to create sandbags. Empty sandbags and cinder sand are provided at the sites. Volunteers are encouraged to bring gloves, sun protection, shovels, and water for hydration. Completed sandbags can be left at the sites, where they can then be picked up by residents impacted by flooding. Self-formed groups, such as school groups, church groups, or other organizations are especially encouraged to volunteer. Volunteers can learn more about how to properly build sandbags a twww.flagstaff.az.gov/DocumentCenter/View/72613/Sanbags-Poster.

Coconino County Superintendent of Schools Cheryl Mango-Paget is seeking applicants for appointment for Fredonia Moccasin School District #6.
Applicants must be Arizona registered voters and residents of the school district for at least one year prior to the date of appointment. Applicants or their spouses cannot be an employee of the district.

On Thursday, August 11, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) updated the Coconino County Community Level to LOW. People may choose to mask at any time. People with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 should wear a mask.
Please note that this standard is flexible depending on conditions in Coconino County. It is possible that we may return to a mask requirement under this guidance if conditions in Coconino County returns to a HIGH community level.
Updates on local community levels for Coconino County will be posted and updated on the main nps.gov/grca webpage under the ‘Alerts’ section. This information will be updated weekly on Thursdays by the CDC.
We will keep employees, our stakeholders, and the public informed of any new developments as soon as they become available. For those wishing to post this signage outside of buildings and in workspaces, please see the attached signage.

The Peregrine Fund and Bureau of Land Management at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument are hosting a celebration on National Public Lands Day, Saturday, September 24 by releasing captive-bred California Condors at 1 p.m. MDT (noon MST, northern-Arizona Condor Time) to take their first flights in the wild. The event will be held in-person at Vermilion Cliffs National Monument for anyone interested in traveling to the area, and it will be live streamed via The Peregrine Fund’s YouTube Channel.
The Arizona-Utah California Condor conservation effort is a cooperative program by federal, state, and private partners, including The Peregrine Fund, the Bureau of Land Management in Utah, the Bureau of Land Management’s Vermilion Cliffs National Monument, Arizona Game and Fish Department, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Grand Canyon and Zion National Parks, Utah Division of Wildlife Resources, and Kaibab and Dixie National Forests among many other supporting groups and individuals.

COCONINO COUNTY — As we prepare to celebrate our 50th anniversary on Oct. 27, 2022 at the High Country Conference Center, the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth continues to connect families and community members with a number of options, including free educational resources, city resource guides, calendars of upcoming family events and a variety of programs offered by our more than 100 individual and nonprofit members.

Family Pops Concert by Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra, Pepsi Amphitheater at Fort Tuthill Park. This festive outdoor event includes a program of exciting animal-themed music, face-painting, and an instrument “petting zoo” where they can pick up an instrument, learn how to hold it, and even try playing it! 3-5 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 13.

Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS), in partnership with state and federal partners, is responding to the recent increase in monkeypox illness in the United States. Although no cases have been identified in Coconino County, 102 monkeypox cases have been reported in Arizona as of August 5, 2022, and more than 7,000 cases have been identified in 49 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and prevention (CDC).

Native American Heritage Days take place this weekend on North Rim
The 27th Annual North Rim, Native American Heritage Days will take place on the grounds of Grand Canyon Lodge, this Friday, August 5, through Sunday, August 7.
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 region. Starting around 9:30 a.m. each day, special programs will be presented by tribal members on a variety of subjects, including, astronomy, cultural connections, and Native American music and dance performances. A variety of cultural artisan demonstrations will also be taking place, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. each day.
Some of this year’s demonstrators will include:
Richard Graymountain from Southern Paiute – Basket Weaving
Jessica Lomatewama – Hopi – Katsina Carving and Basket Weaving
Henry Nez Dine (Navajo) – Silversmith Jewelry making
Duane Maktima – Hopi/Laguna Pueblo – Silver Jewelry/metalsmithing
Leann & Tavavee Shearer “Kaivavich” Kaibab Paiute – traditional clothing creation
Lyle Harvey Dine Navajo – Loom Construction/Weaving
A full flyer of all the Heritage Days Demonstrators is available here.
Heritage Days began in 1993 as “Paiute Days” which celebrated the Paiute, the tribe most associated with Grand Canyon’s North Rim. In 1997, the event was expanded to include all 11 of Grand Canyon’s Associated Tribes with cultural ties to the canyon.
The schedule for each day is available on the Park’s website and mobile app, by clicking on the “calendar” button. A full flyer on the event is also available here.

This year’s Festival theme is “Pyramids to The Peaks,” with world-renowned Egyptologist Dr. Zahi Hawass appearing live to deliver the W. L. Gore & Associates Keynote presentation on Friday, Sept. 23, in NAU’s Ardrey Auditorium. The evening also features a local dance performance; an annual tradition celebrating the theme of this year’s Festival with the NAU Community Music and Dance Academy.
Audiences will delight in a journey with legendary Dr. Hawass into the vast and mysterious kingdom of Egypt’s ancient world. Where great pyramids dot the landscape and monuments to the gods tower into the sky, eventgoers will retrace extraordinary discoveries of hidden tombs, immense riches and the life and death of King Tut.

Grand Canyon National Park lifted its mandatory water conservation measures when water storage on the South Rim reached an acceptable level, Aug. 1.
Water conservation measures are generally prudent in conserving our water resources at any given time, such as watering lawns/plants only as needed, washing cars infrequently; filling the sink with water while washing dishes; reporting drips, leaks, or other water loss to appropriate offices; turning off water while not in immediate use for shaving and teeth brushing; running dishwashers or washing machines with only full loads (and in eco mode if available), and taking shorter showers.

The Arizona Legislature voted this June to pass universal ESA vouchers. This impacts public education in the state by diverting over $1 billion away from public schools. The Legislature defied the will of 1.5 million Arizona voters who overwhelmingly rejected this dangerous voucher expansion in 2018 through Prop 305.
Arizona voters have one chance to stop this bill from going into effect – a referendum of HB2853 (Universal ESA Voucher Expansion): “Stop Voucher Expansion.” The Arizona Constitution allows voters the right to determine whether a law can go into effect via a referendum.
In order to stop the Voucher Expansion, 118,823 valid signatures must be collected before September 24, 2022. This will put the law on hold until the November 2024 election, when AZ voters will be able to eject these destructive universal ESA vouchers.

Summertime in Phoenix is the opposite of cities like Chicago and New York, where residents cannot wait for the temperatures to climb above freezing to get outside to enjoy their parks and al fresco dining. In Phoenix and the Southwest, we seek refuge from the extreme summer heat and head indoors or to the pool. Tourist season ends soon after spring training and doesn’t pick up again until the fall.
But that does not mean that business grinds to a halt. We continue to strengthen the Arizona–Mexico connection, as you will learn in #ChooseMexico when you read about the Space Project Partnership between the Mexican Space Agency and the University of Arizona (p.3).

As we emerge from the pandemic, this is the first time some of our cast has been on stage in quite some time. “It’s exhilarating to be back on stage. Although the pandemic is far from over, it reminds me of how resilient the art community is in Flagstaff,” said Caitlin Burd, who plays Sister Mary Amnesia.
Mark Hanson, who plays Sister Mary Hubert, said, “Performing for me is like church. And with this show, Nunsense, we expect to do the same for you.” Tianna Cox, who plays Sister Mary Leo, said being back on stage is, “good for my soul.”
Susan Chastain, Reverend Mother, has been on our stage for many shows. “Being on stage for this show is so much fun,” she said. “The audience is sure to get lots of laughs.”
Nunsense opened to standing ovations and runs now through August 14.

Community level HIGH–masking requirement indoors remains in place
As of Thursday, July 28, Coconino County remains in High Community Level and masking requirements will remain in place at least until Thursday, August 4.
The CDC Community Level tracks a county’s ability to provide health care to COVID patients. In Arizona, 10 counties are in High. Across the United States, 42% of counties are in High, 38% of counties are in Medium, and 20% are in Low. Due to the High Community level, masks are required indoors within all government facilities, vehicles and shuttle busses, as well as commercial facilities operating within the park.

The Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth provides a variety of free online training programs for parents, caregivers and all community members.
Our free Thriving Families webinar is a great starting place for parents, caregivers and community members brand new to the topics such as brain development, adverse childhood experiences, resilience and mindfulness. It is a great jumping off place to go deeper in knowledge and support through the rest of our library of webinars.
With thousands of views across our various topics, we are sure there is something for all community members and professionals. Whether you are seeking the best info for your family, your community or a program you work for, get a taste for our research supported prevention and community work.
A very special thank you to all of our partners who help get this information out to our community!

Coconino Community College student Grace Abell works at a preschool in Flagstaff, and her goal is to become an elementary school teacher.
“It’s never really been a question,” Abell said. “It’s all I’ve ever really wanted to do.”
She said she remembers turning 5 years old and bringing her younger sister into the picture.
“Ever since she could sit up, I made her my student,” she said and laughed. “I’ve always had the desire to be a teacher of children.”
Abell is making that goal a reality with the help of scholarships she has received from the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce Foundation in collaboration with the Helios Education Foundation. In the last two years, the Chamber/Helios partnership has awarded $13,500 in scholarships to CCC students.

After two years of being impacted by the pandemic, 2022 was when KinderCamp™ returned to normal.
“It felt like the kids got to be kids again,” said Sara Owen, a teacher with the Flagstaff Unified School District and the coordinator of the early education program. “They got to experience the school environment; their parents got to be part of it and we had lots of visitors.”
Those visitors included a pediatrician from North Country Healthcare, who taught the students how to use a stethoscope; firefights just back from battling local wildfires; a nutritionist; and basketball players from Northern Arizona University and Flagstaff High School.

As the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth celebrates its 50th anniversary, we want thank our members, partners and community supporters who help us accomplish our mission. We work to eliminate childhood trauma and inequity by building an inclusive movement of people dedicated to transforming and healing our communities. Through leadership, education and advocacy, we are reconnecting children and families to the greater community and their own potential.
Our Mission:
We ignite collective action that creates better lives for children and families.
Our Vision:
We imagine a world where every person lives in peace and is supported by a thriving, resilient community.
We could not accomplish our mission without the support our funding partners and our more than 100 members.

On Aug. 1, the Flagstaff City – Coconino County Public Library will begin construction on a new front entry plaza for its downtown location at 300 W. Aspen Ave. in order to meet Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards.
This renovation project involves the entry approach to the Downtown Library and includes the installation of new sloping sidewalks and parking that meet and exceed ADA accessibility standards, with an inclusive design to support equity of access for all community members. Beautification and art will also be incorporated into the project, along with a public seating area near the library entrance.

Project update-Grand Canyon school fiber project
Last month, Commnet completed a fiber optics project that will now bring improved high-speed capability and bandwidth to the Grand Canyon School from Williams. Now that Commnet has completed the fiber optic project servicing the school, the park is exploring ways to utilize the incoming improved telecommunications services for park administrative functions.
New NPS owned/operated telecommunications infrastructure may be installed, or additional telecommunications infrastructure owned and operated by a commercial entity could occur–which must be authorized through the Right-of-Way permitting process. A sub-group of park staff from the Telecommunications Inter-Disciplinary Team are meeting later this month to identify next steps for improving telecommunications capabilities for Grand Canyon.
We will keep park staff and our community informed of the progression of this project, as well as other future telecommunications updates.

In less than two months this spring, three major wildfires dominated our news as they charred land, displaced residents, and destroyed structures in their path.
One of the few silver linings during those eight weeks was how well individuals, nonprofit organizations and local governments came together to deal with the crises.
“What I find in Coconino County is that everyone works together like a family,” said Joel Bunis, who joined Coconino County Health and Human Services in January as its Outbreak Response Division Manager. “It’s all about connecting people with what they need.”

By First Things First
You have two weeks left to register at the early registration rate of $45 for the virtual First Things First Early Childhood Summit 2022. The standard registration rate increases to $55 on July 24.
FTF EARLY CHILDHOOD SUMMIT | AUGUST 18, 2022
You won’t want to miss keynote speakers Liz + Mollie. Based on their book, “Big Feelings,” their session will provide participants with tactical tips for how to combat burnout and effectively navigate uncertainty.
All Summit attendees will have access to all of the recorded sessions up to 60 days after the event.
Register today!
Read More

Astronomy postdoctoral scholar Valerie Payré is on an international team that discovered the origin of the martian meteorite known as Black Beauty, one of the most-studied meteorites in the world. It may hold clues to the development of Earth and other terrestrial planets and help explain why Earth sustains life when its closest neighbor does not. The results of this study are shared in the latest Nature Communications.

Park staff and contractors have successfully repaired the electrical system that supports water delivery from the Roaring Springs Pumphouse to the North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park. Water restrictions have been removed and the park has resumed basic water conservation measures.
An electrical failure north of Roaring Springs was identified on June 26, resulting in limited water services and water conservation measures.
Grand Canyon National Park always operates under water conservation measures, encouraging all residents, visitors, and businesses to mindfully use water and adopt basic water conservation practices.

Masking requirement indoors remains in place
Grand Canyon NP has been directed by the Department of Interior (DOI) to use Center of Disease Controls (CDC) COVID Community Levels to put in place guidance and masking requirements to protect our community, park employees, and visitors. Last week the CDC COVID Community Levels were High for the first time since this metric was used. Consequently, we were required to implemented masking for all individuals over the age of two, regardless of vaccination status, in all park buildings and in public transportation per DOI policy. As of Thursday, July 7, Coconino County has transitioned into Medium Community Level.

By the Arizona Voter Information Portal
The Arizona Primary Election is coming up on Tuesday, August 2! Take a moment to get ready to vote.
Check your registration status ASAP to make sure it matches your current address: https://tvote.org/3czO01W.
Still need to register to vote? Go to your state’s registration website.
Register online on or before Tuesday, July 5 to vote in this election.
Request your mail ballot; or
Any voter in your state can request an early/mail-in ballot. You can request an early/mail-in ballot online: https://tvote.org/2uFCvpc.
We recommend you request your early/mail-in ballot at least two weeks before the Friday, July 22 deadline to make sure you have time to receive and cast your ballot before the election.
Make a plan to vote in person.
Did you know you can vote early from Wednesday, July 6 to Friday, July 29? (Dates and times may vary by location.) Learn more about where you can vote early in your area: https://tvote.org/2Wn1pp9.
Planning to vote on Election Day? Great. We’ll send info about your voting location the day before the election so you know where to go.
Read More

Is a universal coronavirus vaccine in our future? Possibly, according to a recent study from TGen and NAU. The research team, which includes assistant professor Jason Ladner, found that COVID-19 vaccination activates antibodies targeting parts of virus spike protein shared between coronaviruses. This technology could help fine-tune future vaccines.

United Airlines has announced plans to suspend service at Flagstaff Pulliam Airport and will review after six months. United Airlines currently provides direct service to and from Denver, Colorado and will continue service through the end of October 2022.
“We are disappointed to hear that United Airlines has plans to suspend service in and out of Flagstaff,” said Barney Helmick, Flagstaff Pulliam Airport Director. “Unfortunately, the airline industry is seeing service reductions nationwide due to increasing fuel prices and staffing issues. United flights out of Flagstaff are at 90% load capacity, meaning 90% of the seats are filled which is viewed as very successful in the commercial airline industry. We will continue to stay in contact with United during 2022 in hopes we can reestablish service in 2023.”

Experience oohs and aahs or hoots and hollers along with big laughs, giggles, and smiles as you look up to an amazing night sky on the 4th of July in Flagstaff. This new laser light show will captivate your attention replacing the standard fireworks with a stunning display of multicolored lights and lasers in sync to fun music. “The shift from traditional fireworks to a laser light show was the responsible action to take due to extreme fire risk with the dry and hot conditions in the northland. It is extremely important to have a safe celebration and be fire aware,” said Flagstaff City Manager Greg Clifton. “And it is also important to have a yearly celebration that we can all anticipate and rely upon, without the disappointment that comes from frequent cancellation of fireworks.”

Town of Tusayan July 4th Events
The Town of Tusayan has many events planned for July 4th, including music, food vendors, a kids corner, Native American Dancers, and a silent auction.
There will be a bike decorating contest and activities for kids at 3:30 p.m., a parade at 4:40 p.m., live music from 5:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m., and a drone and laser show beginning at dusk.
More information is available at the Town of Tusayan website here.

July’s ArtWalk is this Friday, July 1st!
Join us for ArtWalk this Friday, July 1st! Visit our info booth in Heritage Square from 4:30-8 pm to pick up an ArtWalk Map – your guide to downtown during First Friday! Go digital and use the online map here. Use the official ArtWalk map to make your way around downtown to our more than 20 participating galleries and businesses.

In cooperation with the U.S. Forest Service on the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests, at noon on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, Coconino County removed all staged fire restrictions formerly in place in unincorporated communities and recreation areas.
Most Forest Service restrictions and related forest closures on the Coconino and Kaibab National Forests, as well as City of Flagstaff restrictions, will expire at that time as well. Forest closures in and near the Pipeline and Haywire Fire zones will remain in place. (https://www.fs.usda.gov/detailfull/coconino/landmanagement/?cid=stelprdb5331631&width=full)

FLAGSTAFF — Undergraduate students from the state’s 22 federally recognized Native American tribes will no longer have to pay tuition and mandatory fees at the University of Arizona main campus in Tucson.
Beginning in the fall, new and continuing full-time, degree-seeking undergraduates will be eligible for the Arizona Native Scholars Grant, the first program of its kind in Arizona. The program, funded through a reallocation of financial aid dollars, will be administered by UArizona Enrollment Management.
“Serving Arizona’s Native American tribes and tribal students is a crucial part of the University of Arizona’s land-grant mission, and the Arizona Native Scholars Grant program is another important step among many to do that,” said University of Arizona President Robert C. Robbins. “I am so proud that that this university has found a way to help hundreds of students more easily access and complete a college education, and I look forward to finding ways to take these efforts even further.”

Effective immediately, Stage 2 fire restrictions are rescinded for the entire Grand Canyon National Park. Increased monsoonal activity throughout northern Arizona has significantly lowered the fire danger risk within the last week.
Grand Canyon National Park will remain in Stage 1 fire restrictions which requires that a campfire always be in a designated fire ring within a maintained campground. Inner canyon users can use gas cook stoves, but campfires and other open fires are never allowed below the rim. River users should continue to follow the conditions of their permit regarding fires along the Colorado River.