Category: Health

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: March 30-April 3, 2026

Grand Canyon Water Update – April 2, 2026

The park is currently under Stage 3 water restrictions as crews continue work to restore pumping following a recent break.

Utility staff and contractors completed a key pipeline repair earlier this week. Flushing is expected to resume today (Thursday), with re-pressurization beginning early tomorrow (Friday). If successful, water sampling will follow, with results expected within 24 hours. The current estimate for restoration of service to the South Rim is late Saturday or early Sunday.

Flagstaff Communiversity — Mapping the Rio de Flag 2.0

Help create Flagstaff’s first-ever map of riparian plants!

Last fall, we began to map the the willows, sedges, box-elders, and cottonwoods that provide a shady, cool habitat for rare members of the Flagstaff community–amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and invertebrates.  

With the arrival of Spring, we can continue the project. Members of the team will work with renowned conservation biologist Dr. Paul Beier.   
 

May 2, 9, 16
10:00-12:30 

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — Join us for our next Prevention Council Zoom meeting on April 2 to share your story

By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth

COCONINO COUNTY — Please join CCC&Y for its next Prevention Council Zoom meeting at 10 a.m. Thursday, April 2, 2026.

Our featured presentation is on Northern Arizona Care and Services After Assault (NACASA) — Victim Witness Services Northern Arizona.

Our meetings provide our coalition partners with the opportunity to share the latest news about their projects that support children, youth and their families in Northern Arizona.

The Council meets the first Thursday of the month.

Want to be a guest speaker at our next meeting? Send an email to CCC&Y Executive Director Virginia Watahomigie at coalition@coconinokids.org​​​​​​​ to be placed on the agenda or to receive a Zoom link to our next meeting.

READ MORE​​​​​​​

Application due date extended to May 15, 2026 — Coconino County Health and Human Services, Northland Family Help Center seeking teens to join Youth Advisory Council

COCONINO COUNTY — Coconino County Health and Human Services Youth Center along with Northland Family Help Center are looking for youth 14-17 who would like to participate in a Youth Advisory Council (YAC). 

The application deadline has been extended to May 15, 2026. Click here to apply.

This council will work collaboratively with other participants and community partners to help guide the development of programming and activities for Coconino County Health and Human Services NEW Youth Center and Northland Family Help Center.

Pine needle drop off beginning April 3 in Railroad Springs, additional neighborhoods to follow

FLAGSTAFF — The Flagstaff Fire Department and the City of Flagstaff Public Works Division are facilitating the placement of roll off dumpsters in neighborhoods around the City to allow residents to dispose of pine needles near their homes. This project follows the success of last year’s initiative. The Flagstaff Fire Department recommends that residents remove excess pine needles from their yards and areas near their homes to lower the risk of catastrophic wildfire.   

Water conservation measures implemented on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. – Effective immediately, Grand Canyon National Park is implementing water conservation measures on the South Rim following a break in the pipeline along the North Kaibab Trail. As a result, water is currently unable to be pumped to the South Rim.

All park residents and visitors are required to conserve and reduce water usage wherever possible in homes, hotel rooms and campgrounds.

Water conservation measures include:

Friends of Flagstaff’s Future (F3) — Good news on Data Centers!

Yesterday, March 25, the Flagstaff Planning and Zoning Commission voted 4-3 in favor of  recommending the adoption of Proposal #2 to City Council as an amendment to the city zoning code. This proposal specifically excludes land use for data centers except as ancillary to another primary land use.  

City Council is scheduled to discuss and vote on the proposed zoning code amendment at the Public Hearing scheduled during their next meeting on April 7. Both Proposal #1 and #2 are currently included in the Draft Council Agenda located online here.

Friends of Flagstaff’s Future (F3) — Action Alert — Data Centers

Action Alert

F3 encourages you to submit your written comments to the Planning and Zoning Commission at CDPandZCommission@flagstaffaz.gov or make verbal comments in person to the Planning and Zoning Commission at their meeting starting at 4:00 on Wednesday, March 25 at the City Hall Council Chambers. More information and F3’s position are detailed below.

Data Centers

City staff recently identified that Flagstaff currently doesn’t have the regulatory framework to address land use by data centers should such a request be received in the future. The City of Flagstaff has not received any requests for data centers to date.

Weekly prescribed fire plans modified due to weather

FLAGSTAFF — This week’s tentative prescribed fire plans have been modified due to unseasonably warm and dry weather.

Several projects located around Flagstaff – including the Flagstaff Urban Interface Mount Elden, Campbell Mesa and Mountainaire projects – have been postponed.

Prescribed fire plans will always be postponed or canceled if current and predicted weather plans do not align with forecasts outlined in the burn plan.

Projects are always listed and updated on InciWeb at inciweb.wildfire.gov.

Planned projects at this time include:

Denova Collaborative Health opens first Flagstaff Clinic

FLAGSTAFF — Denova Collaborative Health, Arizona’s largest outpatient behavioral health provider, is expanding access to behavioral health and primary care services in Northern Arizona with the opening of a new clinic in Flagstaff. The clinic, located at 555 W. Forest Meadows St., Suite 18, is already open to patients and will soon celebrate its grand opening with a ribbon cutting hosted by the Flagstaff Chamber of Commerce.

The new 1,818-square-foot clinic offers both in-person and virtual care, providing psychiatric services, therapy and primary care in a coordinated setting designed to improve access to timely healthcare for residents of Flagstaff and surrounding communities.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: March 16-20, 2026

Inner Canyon Update: Week of March 16

This week, an Extreme Heat Warning is in effect through Sunday below 4,000 feet, including Phantom Ranch. Visitors are advised to avoid strenuous hiking during the hottest part of the day (10 a.m.–4 p.m.), and to drink plenty of water and eat regularly.

As of Thursday morning, drinking water is now ON at 1½-Mile and 3-Mile Resthouses along the Bright Angel Trail. Many thanks to the Water Utilities team for their hard work in restoring these critical water sources during extreme conditions. You can find the latest updates on water availability across the rim and inner canyon on the park’s Key Hiking Messages webpage.

City of Flagstaff — Regional Plan election Info & upcoming chats

Registered voters in the City of Flagstaff will be asked to vote on whether to ratify or not ratify the Flagstaff Regional Land Use Plan 2045 in a special election held on May 19, 2026. The special election will be a vote-by-mail only election. There will be no polling places on election day.

Did your household receive this card in the mail? If so, a member of your household is registered to vote in the May special election.

Prescribed burns planned across Coconino NF next week

FLAGSTAFF — With favorable predicted weather conditions, the Coconino National Forest is planning to conduct several prescribed burns next week in areas around Flagstaff to reduce overgrown vegetation to help protect local communities, infrastructure and natural resources from wildfires.

The following prescribed burns are pending approval and as weather conditions allow:

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: March 9-13, 2026

  100 Years of Interpretation at Grand Canyon National Park On March 6, 1926, the first issue of Grand Canyon Nature Notes was published, marking the beginning of NPS interpretation at Grand Canyon National Park. The bulletin was created by…

Coconino County Parks & Recreation — Seasonal Stewardship, Trails Challenge, & Fair News. See What’s New!

2026 Ramada Reservations
for the Summer Season

Ramada reservations for the 2026 summer season began on March 2. Ramadas are great for your events like school graduations, birthday parties, and celebrations of life.

Reserve online.

Kaibab National Forest plans prescribed fire this spring on North Kaibab Ranger District

FREDONIA — The Kaibab National Forest is planning prescribed fire operations on the North Kaibab Ranger District as early as March 17, 2026, pending all required approvals. The four possible units, totaling 6,136-acres, are in the Jacob Lake vicinity and north of U.S. Route 89A, east of Forest Road 248 and west of Forest Road 487. Fire managers will look for opportunities to implement this burn from March 17 to May 15, as weather conditions allow. A broadcast burn is when fire is applied across a defined area or boundary to reduce overgrown vegetation to help protect local communities, infrastructure and natural resources from wildfires. This is a maintenance burn, which refers to a low to moderate intensity prescribed fire conducted to keep surface fuels reduced and continue to build a fire resilient ecosystem.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — Vendor registration open for ‘Full STEAM Ahead!’ Flagstaff Early Childhood Fair on April 11 in Flagstaff

By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth

Registration is open for community partners to table at the Flagstaff Early Childhood Fair from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, April 11, 2026 at W. F. Killip Elementary School.

In celebration of the National Association for the Education of Young Children’s “Week of the Young Child,” https://www.azaeyc.org/connect/woyc/, we invite you to participate in the fair.

Please click here to complete this application to participate as a vendor. Each vendor must provide an interactive activity related to S.T.E.A.M. (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Math). Vendors set up at 8:30 a.m.

Applications are due by 03/30/26. You may direct any questions to kfarretta@azhs.gov We look forward to your participation in this community event.

Thank you to W. F. Killip Elementary School for hosting this free event for community partners to share resources and families to attend.

READ MORE​​​​​​​

League of American Bicyclists renews Flagstaff’s silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community status

FLAGSTAFF — The League of American Bicyclists has honored the efforts of Flagstaff to build better places for people to bike with a Silver-level Bicycle Friendly Community (BFC) award. The award recognizes Flagstaff for its commitment to creating transportation and recreational resources that benefit residents of all ages and abilities while encouraging a variety of transportation choices. 

Grand Canyon National Park seeks input on North Rim water system 

GRAND CANYON — The National Park Service is seeking public comment on an environmental assessment and a programmatic agreement for water system improvements at Grand Canyon National Park.  The improvements are part of a proposed Great American Outdoors Act Legacy Restoration Fund project called Rehabilitate the North Rim and Roaring Springs Utility Systems. 

The work would create a more reliable water system to meet supply needs at the North Rim and within the inner canyon between Supai Tunnel and Cottonwood Campground for a projected lifespan of up to 75 years. The existing North Rim water system is past its design life.  

Proposed improvements include:  

The NAU Review — Using existing tools to boost student success

Across Arizona, public educators know how to help their students succeed, but they often think they can’t make meaningful change without permission from the state. Permission Granted, a new tool co-developed by NAU’s Arizona Institute for Education and the Economy, aims to show schools there’s more flexibility than they think—and they can use it to their advantage to adjust bell schedules, launch career-readiness initiatives and more.

Water conservation measures implemented on the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. —  Effective immediately, Grand Canyon National Park is implementing water conservation measures on the South Rim following a power outage that impacted the SCADA system at the Havasupai Gardens pumphouse. As a result, water is currently unable to be pumped to the South Rim.

All park residents and visitors are required to conserve and reduce water usage wherever possible in homes, hotel rooms and campgrounds.

Water conservation measures include:

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — Your membership, donations support the work of CCC&Y

By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth

COCONINO COUNTY — We imagine a world where every person lives in peace and is supported by a thriving, resilient community.
The purpose of CCC&Y is bold and your help is needed.

When you become a member of CCC&Y, your financial contribution helps cultivate and strengthen well-informed communities by providing education and resources, bringing stakeholders together, building new systems of communication and more.

Each week, the Coalition produces a weekly newsletter where we share partner news and events in our blog section and links to community resource meetings.

READ MORE​​​​​​​

Coconino National Forest — Pile burns planned (Feb. 16) and this week

FLAGSTAFF — Coconino National Forest is planning pile burns today and this week, pending all required approvals and favorable weather conditions. Pile burns are a type of prescribed fire used to help reduce overgrown vegetation to help protect local communities, infrastructure and natural resources from wildfires.

Pile burns planned for the area include:

The NAU Review — Renaming the College of Nursing + a patented cybersecurity invention

Introducing the Maria and Steve Sanghi
College of Nursing 

NAU announced today that it has named its College of Nursing the Maria and Steve Sanghi College of Nursing in recognition of a recent gift from the longtime NAU supporters. The investment will strengthen nursing education, expand student and faculty support and help address Arizona’s critical nursing workforce shortage. 

Coconino County Unidentified Remains Task Force announces successful identification

The Coconino County Unidentified Remains Task Force has confirmed the identity of a previously unidentified decedent located in Navajo County in 2023.

The case was referred to the Coconino County Medical Examiner’s Office for identification. We are happy to announce that in conjunction with Navajo County Sheriff’s Office (DR# 2309-0332) and the Navajo County Medical Examiner’s Office this individual has been identified and returned to his family.  Out of respect for the decedent and his family, his identity is not being released.

Bilingual report — Redemption Counseling Center providing bilingual counseling services in Flagstaff

FLAGSTAFF — Redemption Counseling Center has announced it is providing bilingual counseling services at 3009 N. West St. Flagstaff.

“At RCC, we are committed to making therapeutic help accessible to all,” said Brianna Snow, LAC. “Our team of Spanish speaking therapists are qualified to work with individuals, couples and families, of all ages. We also have a voucher program available at the moment to help ease any financial barriers.”

The NAU Review — Unlocking the water mystery at the Grand Canyon

One of the biggest mysteries of the Grand Canyon is how exactly water gets from the surface into the springs. We know the basics—it snows on the Kaibab Plateau, the snow melts into sinkholes and the water comes roaring out of springs below the North Rim. But what does the journey from the sinkholes through thousands of feet of rock look like? Researchers at NAU are mapping the area to find the answer.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — CCC&Y Feb. 4, 2026 Update

By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth

COCONINO COUNTY — As another busy year begins, it may be a good time to take a deep breath, take care of yourself and find some ways to ease the stress for your children.

To help, Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth wants to remind everyone that we have a variety of free webinar training programs on our website.

Want to take a moment to take care of yourself? Visit our free Mindfulness (for adults) one-hour webinar.

Your child may also benefit from our free Mindfulness for Youth45-minute webinar or our free Bullying and Cyberbullying one-hour webinar

Our growing library of on-demand webinars are also designed to help you gain the tools you need to learn about trauma-informed care, tips to help strengthen family protective factors, examine the effects of historical trauma and adverse childhood experiences.

Assessor’s Office accepting applications for property tax exemption and relief programs

Arizona law provides property tax assistance options for eligible widows and widowers, veterans with a disability and individuals with a permanent disability, commonly referred to as individual exemption programs. These exemptions reduce the assessed value of qualifying property, which may include individually owned real estate, mobile homes and, in some cases, personal property. Applications for individual exemptions are accepted Jan. 1 through Mar. 1 each year.

The NAU Review — The future of nursing in Arizona + a new film partnership

In Arizona, Native Americans represent 5.3% of the population but just 1.1% of registered nurses. Charmaine Begay is determined to change that. A first-generation student from Crystal, New Mexico, Begay is pursuing her bachelor’s degree in nursing through NAU’s American Indian Nursing Program and helping shape a future in which Indigenous communities get care from providers who understand their culture and values.

Grand Canyon National Park (GRCA) issues statement o water system standards

The Grand Canyon National Park (GRCA) water system violated drinking water standards over the past year. Even though these were not emergencies, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we did to correct these situations.

GRCA is required to monitor our drinking water for specific contaminants on a regular basis. Results of regular monitoring are an indicator of whether our drinking water meets health standards. During August 2024 and the 2nd quarter of 2025 GRCA did not complete all monitoring or testing for Total Coliform, Chlorine, and Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC), and therefore cannot be sure of the quality of our drinking water during that time.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — Join us for our next Prevention Council Zoom meeting on Feb. 5 to share your story

By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth

COCONINO COUNTY — Please join CCC&Y for its next Prevention Council Zoom meeting at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 5. Our meetings provide our coalition partners with the opportunity to share the latest news about their projects that support children, youth and their families in Northern Arizona.

The Council meets the first Thursday of the month.

Want to be a guest speaker at our next meeting? Send an email to CCC&Y Executive Director Virginia Watahomigie at coalition coalition@coconinokids.org to be placed on the agenda or to receive a Zoom link to our next meeting.

READ MORE​​​​​​​

Grand Canyon National Park plans adaptive reopening of North Rim in summer 2026

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — Grand Canyon National Park is preparing an adaptive approach for the seasonal reopening of the North Rim, evaluating potential impacts from winter weather to park infrastructure after the Dragon Bravo Fire. The park aims to open popular points of interest, including the North Kaibab Trail, on May 15, weather and conditions permitting. 

Park officials emphasize that the guiding principle for the upcoming season is: “We will open what we can, where we can, when we can.” This approach prioritizes visitor safety, resource protection, and operational readiness. Park officials are aware of the challenges of local communities, businesses and our visitors in planning for the 2026 season and are committed to providing specific details about the 2026 North Rim season no later than April 1, 2026. 

New County roadway safety action plan survey

COCONINO COUNTY — Coconino County is launching a new Roadway Safety Action Plan and inviting residents, workers, businesses and visitors to help improve safety on County roads by sharing their experiences and concerns through a brief online survey

“Improving roadway safety is a shared priority for County leadership, our residents and everyone who travels our roads,” said Christopher Tressler, Coconino County Public Works Director. “The Roadway Safety Action Plan gives us a clearer, data-driven way to identify, evaluate and prioritize needed improvements—bringing us closer to our goal of eliminating traffic-related fatalities on Coconino County roads. Public input is essential, and we encourage everyone to participate in the online survey.”

Northern Arizona anti-ICE organizers announce variety of protest in response to latest shooting in Minnesota

By MosaicNAZ.org

NORTHERN ARIZONA — Anti-ICE organizers have announced a series of protests and actions in response to the shooting death of a Minneapolis, Minn. man on Saturday, Jan. 24, 2026 by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and other federal law enforcement agencies.

Protests will be held at:

National Park Service — Drinking water advisory for Phantom Ranch and Bright Angel Campground

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — Effective immediately, the National Park Service (NPS) is issuing a drinking water advisory for all water in the vicinity of Bright Angel Campground and Phantom Ranch of Grand Canyon National Park. This includes the Phantom Ranch Canteen, Bright Angel Campground, Phantom Delta Restroom, and Phantom Boat Beach.

All drinking water in these areas should be treated or boiled. These processes should be applied to water for any consumptive use including drinking, making ice, preparing food, brushing teeth, and washing dishes. All other park drinking water is safe for consumption.  

Long-Term Recovery Plan survey for Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires

COCONINO COUNTY — Small businesses, community stakeholders and residents affected by the 2025 Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires are invited to take part in a community survey that will help shape long term recovery priorities.

This survey follows nine public listening sessions held across Coconino County in December 2025.

Your experiences matter, and your voice can directly influence how recovery resources are prioritized. Please complete the community survey by Jan. 30, 2026, if any of the following apply to you, your household, your community or your business:

The NAU Review — When snowflakes go metal

For NAU physicists, it’s snowflake season

When water molecules solidify and stick together in cold air, they form complex hexagonal formations known as snowflakes. As it turns out, fabricated gold, copper and iron nanocrystals do the same thing during lightning-fast chemical reactions. This new discovery by NAU researchers could give scientists better control over the nanomaterials they fabricate, leading to unprecedented breakthroughs.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — Coalition provides listing of 2026 Health and Welfare Resource Meetings in region

COCONINO COUNTY —  As we kick off a new year, this is a good time to provide an update on the variety of monthly in-person and virtual community resource meetings available to nonprofit and governmental agencies who serve children and families throughout Northern Arizona.

To aid in that effort, the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth maintains this listing of health and welfare resource networking meetings held each month in Coconino County and Northern Arizona.

The meetings offer health professionals and representatives from a variety groups the opportunity to share information on upcoming programs and events that benefit the educational, health and welfare needs of children, youth and families throughout the region.

The following is a listing of some of those meetings. Please check with individual meeting group coordinators for updated times, dates and meeting links. Please send any updates to frank@coconinokids.org

READ MORE

Copyright Notice

AmigosNAZ does not accept any illustrations, photos or other images and written material that are in violation of copyright law. Individuals and organizations may be required to provide proof of such copyright authorization. Otherwise, please provide only website links to your upcoming events.

NACASA program transfers to Northern Arizona Healthcare and Victim Witness Services leadership

COCONINO COUNTY — Coconino County Attorney’s Office announces transition of Northern Arizona Care And Services after Assault (NACASA) from North Country Healthcare to a shared leadership model between Northern Arizona Healthcare (NAH) and Victim Witness Services (VWS).

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — Time to gather details on your hopes, goals, resolutions for 2026

COCONINO COUNTY — With 2026 rapidly approaching, we want to find out what hopes, dreams, goals or (if you are willing to share) resolutions you may have for the coming year.

Maybe it’s setting a personal physical or mental health goal? Maybe it’s achieving a family or professional goal? Maybe more vacation travel, carving out more personal time or spending more time with friends and loved ones?

Imagining a world where every person lives in peace and is supported by a thriving, resilient community starts with all of us and your dreams and goals feed back into the collective.

We want to know so we can include your thoughts when our newsletter returns on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, following our two-week newsletter break starting Dec. 17. And please let us know if you want us to share your comments anonymously with all our newsletter subscribers.

Maybe it’s too early to think about setting goals for the coming year. Instead, you can tell us what you are most proud of that you have done in 2025, be it a personal or professional accomplishment. For the Coalition, one of the things we are most proud of is our collaboration with our community partners on a variety of resource events throughout the year. (See photos).

Grand Canyon National Park to reopen South Rim hotels Dec. 17 ahead of holiday season

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — Grand Canyon National Park will reopen hotels on the park’s South Rim beginning Wednesday, Dec. 17 and will begin easing some water restrictions. 

Park water utility crews successfully completed complex repairs to the Transcanyon Waterline last week and resumed pumping water without identifying any new breaks. The park will continue to operate under enhanced water restrictions until the water storage tanks have adequate capacity to return to routine water conservation practices. 

United Way of Northern Arizona — Meet the People Driving This Year’s Campaign

Workplace fundraising is truly the beating heart of our Annual Campaigns, and they simply wouldn’t be possible without the incredible dedication of Workplace Campaign Coordinators. 

These champions inspire their colleagues, organize creative events, and help share the message of what it means to Live United. 

From the government and education sector to businesses of all sizes, their leadership ensures that our community continues to come together to support youth opportunity, healthy communities, and meeting the basic needs of our neighbors in Coconino, Navajo, and Apache counties. 

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — Your membership supports variety of community efforts

COCONINO COUNTY — In 2025, the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth, a local non-profit in service for more than 50 years, was able to be a founding supporter to the Voices Unheard movement because of the support we receive. (Please see elev8voices.info for details.)

We were able to respond when approached by the community for urgent needs when many others were not able. As a membership organization, our members are the first line of support that we receive, and it is crucial for this vital work that we do.

If you were able to attend Voices Unheard, you know how powerful, emotional, healing, educational and impactful that it was- how important it was to honor our community and their stories. And our members really helped us to be a part of this important work.

If you are interested in supporting our work to ignite collective action that creates better lives for children and families- Your membership is more than a dollar amount- it lends your name to a mission and a movement.

NAU Review — How one Lumberjack travels the world for work

Making medicine better for all

As an undergraduate at NAU, Ashley Martinez took a chance and reached out to a faculty member who looked like her. A few years later, she’s thriving as a graduate researcher whose work could contribute to more effective and sustainable drugs, better vaccines and more. Martinez’s work continues thanks to the National Science Foundation’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program, one of the most prestigious awards in the nation.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: December 1-5, 2025

South Rim Water Update – December 2, 2025

Grand Canyon National Park continues to address the significant breaks along the Transcanyon Waterline (TCWL). As announced, additional water restrictions and a temporary suspension of overnight guest lodging on the South Rim will begin Saturday, December 6.

This short-term measure will help conserve limited water supplies while repairs continue. The park remains open for day use, and overnight lodging in Tusayan and other gateway communities is unaffected.

Listening sessions for small businesses, community stakeholders and residents impacted by summer fires to be held Dec. through 12

COCONINO COUNTY — Small businesses, community stakeholders and residents impacted by the Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires are invited to help shape recovery priorities through a series of nine community recovery listening sessions during the week of Dec. 8.

Coconino County contracted AC Disaster Consulting to develop a Long-Term Recovery Plan to address the impacts of the Dragon Bravo and White Sage fires. This plan will include economic/tourism, health/social and natural/cultural resource recovery initiatives for the county, local jurisdictions, Tribal Nations and Grand Canyon communities. 

Volunteers needed for 2026 Point in Time Count

COCONINO COUNTY — The 2026 Point-in-Time Count is almost upon us, and my amazing team of fellow organizers and community partners wanted to pass along a little bit of information regarding what we know so far and what to expect going forward!

If you are unfamiliar with the Point-in-Time Count, it is a survey conducted across the nation that aims to survey people experiencing homelessness and ask them where they were staying on one particular night during the week of the survey (whether that be a shelter, Safe Haven, in a place not meant for habitation, etc.).

Grand Canyon National Park to temporarily close overnight hotel accommodations beginning Dec. 6

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. – Grand Canyon National Park will implement additional water restrictions on the South Rim starting Saturday, December 6, due to a series of significant breaks in the 12½ mile-long Transcanyon Waterline that supplies water from the canyon for use in the park. Since mid-November, the park has faced challenges with water supply, and currently, no water is being pumped to the South Rim. 

While the park remains open to visitors, the following measures will be enacted for the foreseeable future: 

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — Join us for our next Prevention Council Zoom meeting on Dec. 4 to share your story

Please join CCC&Y for its next Prevention Council Zoom meeting at 10 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 4. Our meetings provide our coalition partners with the opportunity to share the latest news about their projects that support children, youth and their families in Northern Arizona.

The Council meets the first Thursday of the month.
​​​​​​​
Want to be a guest speaker at our next meeting? Send an email to CCC&Y Executive Director Virginia Watahomigie at coalition@coconinokids.org​​​​​​​ to be placed on the agenda or to receive a Zoom link to our next meeting.

Coconino County Superintendent of Schools announces $500,000 SVPP grant to strengthen school safety

The Coconino County Accommodation District has been awarded a $500,000 School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) federal grant to enhance safety at Ponderosa High School in Flagstaff and Tse’ Yaato’ High School in Page.

The award is part of a $682,471 safety project, supported by a $182,471 district match, that will deliver modern, integrated security improvements. The project, “Safer Coconino County Accommodation Schools,” advances federal SVPP goals by addressing critical safety needs through evidence-based technologies and practices.

The NAU Review — Reading the tea leaves on climate change + the critical shortage facing the Rio Grande basin

Predicting the fate of tropical forests via (rainforest) tea leaves

Researchers at Northern Arizona University and the Smithsonian went to the top of a Panamanian rainforest to simulate heat death in leaves and measure the effects on surrounding leaves. The results were encouraging: Tropical forests may be less sensitive to climate change than originally feared.

Coconino County offices and services closed for Thanksgiving holiday

Coconino County’s Administrative Center, County Manager’s Office, County Attorney’s Office and County Superior Court and Justice Courts will be closed for the Thanksgiving holiday on Thursday, Nov. 27 and Friday, Nov. 28.

Coconino County Health and Human Services (CCHHS) offices and clinic will be closed. The CCHHS Animal Management office will be closed Thanksgiving Day but will have an officer working normal hours on Friday from 7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Contact the CCHHS Animal Management office at 928-679-8756 to leave a message and an officer will return the call. Please dial 9-1-1 for emergencies.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — Coalition provides listing of upcoming Health and Welfare Resource Meetings

By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth

With a variety of program service changes affecting nonprofit and governmental agencies, it is vital that organizations maintain communications and partner with each other to better serve families and youth at this time of uncertain funding support.

To aid in that effort, the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth maintains this listing of virtual and in-person health and welfare resource networking meetings held each month in Coconino County and Northern Arizona.

The meetings offer health professionals and representatives from a variety groups the opportunity to share information on upcoming programs and events that benefit the educational, health and welfare needs of children, youth and families throughout the region.

The following is a listing of some of those meetings. Please check with individual meeting group coordinators for updated times, dates and meeting links. Please send any updates to frank@coconinokids.org

Kaibab National Forest prepares for pile burns on Williams and Tusayan ranger districts

WILLIAMS — The Kaibab National Forest is planning prescribed fire pile burns on up to approximately 9,000 acres on the Williams and Tusayan ranger districts, pending all required approvals. We estimate this work to continue through the winter as weather conditions allow.

Pile burning is meant to treat slash, like branches, piled by thinning crews in hand piles and after the completion of timber projects, with the aim of reducing flammable fuels. The decision to proceed with each pile burn will depend on multiple factors, including snowpack, air quality, ventilation, forecast weather and wind, and resource availability. We use prescribed fire to help reduce overgrown vegetation to help protect local communities, infrastructure and natural resources from wildfires.

City of Flagstaff launches short term rental map with emergency contact information

FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff has launched aninteractive map showing the location of short-term rentals throughout the City and the emergency contact information for each rental. This information allows members of the public to easily locate contact information for the owners of a short-term rental property in the event of a concern or emergency. The map and other information about the regulation of short-term rentals in Flagstaff can be viewed at Flagstaff.az.gov/STR.