FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff is pleased to announce the availability of American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”) Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds to promote the recovery of nonprofit organizations in the City that were negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. The City can use these funds to make strategic investments by providing valuable resources to community nonprofits to help ensure a strong and equitable recovery from the pandemic.
Conservation ecologist Jut Wynne is spending a month aboard a tall ship that’s retracing much of Charles Darwin’s famous HMS Beagle voyage 200 years ago. While on board, Wynne will study insects unique to eastern Polynesia in hopes of confirming that some of these animals were brought there by ancient Polynesians via voyaging canoe.
FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff will enter Stage 2 Fire Restrictions at 8 a.m. on Friday, June 21, 2024.
Stage 2 Fire Restrictions include the following new restrictions:
The use of fire pits and other open flame devices without an on/off switch is prohibited.
The use of charcoal and wood-fired BBQs are prohibited throughout the city, including at private residences and campgrounds.
The use of propane and gas BBQs with an on-off switch are still allowed throughout the city.
COCONINO COUNTY — Stay informed with our updated Coconino County Situational Awareness Viewer!
We are excited to announce the enhanced Situational Awareness Viewer. This all-hazards dashboard provides you with real-time access to critical emergency information, all in one convenient place.
Key Features:
Stay updated on the latest emergency alerts and evacuation orders.
View the latest fire restrictions and wildfire ordinance.
Interactive maps to help you understand which areas are affected during an emergency.
GRAND CANYON — Beginning Friday, June 21, the Bright Angel Point Trail on the North Rim leading to Bright Angel Point will be closed for construction. This closure is necessary for the protection of staff and visiting public during an extensive repair effort to the Bright Angel Point Trail.
The trail will be closed to all pedestrian traffic as National Park Service (NPS) personnel replace asphalt, move large rocks, and operate equipment in these areas. The NPS emphasizes the importance of always staying on designated trails, and visitors should never attempt to go over or around a closure.
FLAGSTAFF — Coconino National Forest fire managers will begin preparing this summer for the upcoming Timberline prescribed burn project adjacent to the Timberline community northeast of Flagstaff, which burn will be conducted at later dates between mid-October and mid-November.
Residents will begin to see dozers and personnel working in the forest around the prescribed burn area throughout the summer as they prepare the landscape for a safe and successful burn.
This 1,730-acre project is important as it will remove forest fuels in strategic areas, helping mitigate and protect the Timberline-Fernwood and surrounding communities from future extreme wildfires.
COCONINO COUNTY — The Coconino County Board of Supervisors recently toured the Pipeline Fire Flood Area to observe the progress of post-wildfire flood mitigation in the eight fire-impacted watersheds.
In the fifteen months since the receipt of federal funding, the Coconino County Flood Control District (District) has implemented over $60 million worth of mitigation, including over 240 acres of watershed restoration, over 250 erosion control structures, and nearly 5 miles of storm drain pipe and concrete channels.
“It’s monumental,” said District 4 Supervisor and Chair of the Board Judy Begay. “When I see the pace and scale of what has been accomplished to improve conditions for our people, I feel very proud of this team.”
Coconino County will host two free Drop Off Day events in June. The first will be in the Forest Lakes Community on Friday, June 14thfrom 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 1538 Merzville Rd. Forest Lakes Estate, and the second…
By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth
As Summer rapidly approaches, it’s time for parents to start collecting resources for upcoming Summer Programs including food security, reading support and more throughout Coconino County.
Please check with individual organizations to confirm times, dates, other information.
The Coalition will continue to update this resource list. If you have a program you want us to include, please send an email to frank@coconinokids.org. Thank you. (Updated June 11, 2024).
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Is 100% survival after stroke achievable?
One bioengineer says yes. Tim Becker and a team of NAU students are designing groundbreaking medical devices with the goal of increasing survival rates—currently at 30-60%—for stroke patients. With a focus on reducing racial and gender disparities in health outcomes for stroke patients and creating adaptable, functional medical devices that can go from the lab to the surgical suite, the students are getting hands-on experience that is turning into inventions and job offers.
With the potential for continued warm, dry, and windy conditions throughout Northern Arizona, Stage 1 Fire Restrictions were enacted today (June 6) in the City of Flagstaff, unincorporated parts of Coconino County, and the Coconino National Forest.
The precaution is to lessen the chance of a devastating wildfire like the ones we’ve had over the years, most recently the Tunnel and Pipeline Fires of 2022 and the Museum Fire in 2019.
United Way of Northern Arizona coordinates crisis response volunteers for both Coconino County and the City of Flagstaff during emergencies and disasters.
The best time to plan for an emergency is before one happens, which is why we’d like to ask you to consider adding your name to the list of volunteers we can call on if an emergency occurs.
The 34th annual Grand Canyon Star Party will conclude for the season on Saturday, June 8. South Rim events include a nightly slide show from a special guest speaker at 8 p.m. in the plaza of the Grand Canyon Visitor Center.
The list of speakers can be found on the Grand Canyon Star Party webpage and also in the NPS Mobile App. The talks are followed by free telescope viewing behind the building. Green-laser constellation tours will be offered nightly at 9, 9:30, and 10 p.m.
North Rim events include telescopes set up on the terrace of the Grand Canyon Lodge every evening along with astronomers with green lasers to pointing out constellations. By day, look for solar telescopes on the terrace and surrounding the Grand Canyon Lodge. A flyer for the evening events on the North Rim can be found here.
FLAGSTAFF — Resources are responding to a 100-acre wildfire on Camp Navajo located 9 miles west of Flagstaff.
The Bravo Fire was reported at 11 a.m. today and resources responding to the incident include the Arizona National Guard, one Hotshot crew, two hand crews and one engine.
GRAND CANYON — The National Weather Service has issued an excessive heat warning for parts of Grand Canyon National Park. The warning is in effect from 8 a.m. Thursday, June 6 to 8 p.m. Friday, June 7 for areas below 4,000 feet in the canyon including Phantom Ranch and Havasupai Gardens. Forecast temperatures in the shade range between 105 F/41 C and 111 F/44 C. Hotter than normal temperatures will also hit the rims, with highs of 92 F/33 C on the South Rim and 85 F/30 C on the North Rim.
The four grants awarded to the City by WIFA include $750K to accelerate the replacement of water meters with ultrasonic meters, $136K to improve the tracking of non-revenue water, $60K for the development of a watershed model for the Upper Lake Mary Watershed, and $80K for the development of a computer model that will integrate the City’s existing surface water and groundwater models.
By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth
“We ignite collective action that creates better lives for children and families.”
That is the Mission Statement of the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth. And with a county as large as Coconino (second largest in the nation); with an individual, non-profit and for-profit membership approaching 100; and a diverse, dedicated and talented board of directors — it takes a special individual to bring all these moving parts together to benefit families throughout Northern Arizona.
Virginia Watahomigie joined CCC&Y as executive director in September 2016. In a CCC&Y news posting at the time, she said: “The opportunity to work with CCC&Y is rewarding and very exciting as the work and reputation of the Coalition is impeccable. I have found the members to be genuinely dedicated to children’s issues. I feel privileged to further this mission, as well as, continue building relationships with the community” …
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For the first time, the School of Communication hosted a free two-day seminar for Hispanic and Latine high school students looking to explore film and visual communication.
FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff will enter Stage 1 Fire Restrictions at 8 a.m. on Thursday, June 6, 2024.
Under Stage 1 Fire Restrictions,
Permits for open burning within the City will not be issued.
The sale or use of consumer-grade fireworks is prohibited.
The use of charcoal and wood-fired BBQs are prohibited in City parks and open spaces.
Use of fire pits and other open flame devices without an on/off switch are prohibited on Red Flag Warning days, as issued by the National Weather Service.
During the testing, residents in the area will hear an alarm sound, followed by a voice message repeated three times in English, Spanish and Navajo, concluding with a wind down siren sound signifying the end of that message. This process may repeat several times during the testing period. Testing may be postponed in the event of rain or smoke in the area. To hear the siren sounds that will be used or to read more about the Museum Fire flood area siren alerting system, please visit www.museumfloodprojects.com/sirensystem
• Hello From Supervisor Horstman
• Andy Bertelsen Appointed Next County
Manager
• 4FRI and Upper Rio de Flag Forest Restoration Update
• Flood Control District Receives $19.3 Federal
• PROTECT Grant for HWY 89
• Pinyon Uranium Mine Continues to Extract Ore
• County Designates Lake Mary Road as Recreation Corridor: Where the World Comes To Train
• Valle Arizona: An Innovative Community
ª Cheshire Community Gets Creative about Improving Street Safety
• BLM/AZ RAC Meeting on Proposed Recreation Fees at Arizona BLM Sites
• Western Interstate Conference in Yosemite Highlights Partnership and Responsible Land Management
• Northern Arizona Tradition Continues … Next generation of Moon-Bound Astronauts Train at Babbitt Ranches.
• Mount Elden Trailhead Re-Opens
FLAGSTAFF — A new fuels reduction project, slated to begin next week, will work to protect communities northeast of Flagstaff from future catastrophic wildfire while restoring forest land to a healthier condition.
The Coconino National Forest’s Flagstaff Ranger District (FRD) will begin work on the Timberline Wupatki Trails Hazardous Fuels Reduction project Monday.
“We’re looking forward to adding another layer of risk reduction to the Timberline and Wupatki Trails communities by proactively taking this initiative,” said District Ranger Matt McGrath. “This project is just one small part of our overall commitment to Wildfire Crisis Strategy work.”
FLAGSTAFF — Residents of the Coconino Estates neighborhood can begin moving sandbags to the curb in front of their home in late July, following the completion of the Schultz Creek Drainage Improvements Project at US Hwy 180. City of Flagstaff crews will begin sandbag pick-up and removal from the neighborhood in August. City employees cannot go onto private property to remove sandbags, so residents should ensure that their sandbags are placed in City right of way prior to pick-up.
By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth
Please join CCC&Y for its next Prevention Council Zoom meeting at 10 a.m. Thursday, June 6. 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.
The CCC&Y Prevention Council has its roots in our long history of child abuse prevention, our most recent work with substance misuse prevention and our overall commitment to understanding the protective factors, resiliency research and assets our community needs to thrive.
By the U.S. Forest Service – Coconino National Forest
COCONINO COUNTY — Fire danger has changed to “High” on all three districts with continued windy and warmer temperatures throughout the forest, Coconino County officials reported on the county’s Facebook page
When the fire danger is “High,” fires can start easily from most causes, and small fuels (such as grasses and needles) will ignite readily. Unattended campfires and brush fires are likely to escape. Fires will spread easily, with some areas of high-intensity burning on slopes or concentrated fuels. Fires can become serious and difficult to control unless they are put out while they are still small.
FLAGSTAFF — Coconino Community College’s nursing program recently celebrated the achievements of two of its graduates, Jennifer Swomley and Joseph McIntire. Each brings a unique background and a personal story of dedication to the nursing field, reflecting both the diversity and the challenges of modern healthcare education.
Jennifer Swomley, 27, moved from Colorado to Flagstaff in 2021, drawn not only by personal relationships but also by the strong reputation of Coconino’s nursing program. Initially interested in becoming a firefighter, influenced by her friends in the emergency services, Swomley’s career path took a pivotal turn after her experiences on an ambulance crew. These experiences exposed her to the realities and complexities of medical care, sparking a new passion for nursing. “I was drawn to the depth of patient interaction and the broader scope of care I could provide as a nurse,” Swomley explained.
FLAGSTAFF — The speed limit on portions of Butler Ave has been reduced, effective immediately. The speed limit on Butler Ave from S Milton Rd/ Rte 66 to E Sawmill Rd was reduced from 35 mph to 30 mph and the speed limit from E Sawmill Rd to Ponderosa Pkwy was reduced from 40 mph to 35 mph. Speed limit signs in the corridor have been updated.
FLAGSTAFF — The Flagstaff Fire Department is planning a prescribed burn on Tuesday, May 21 in the Observatory Mesa Natural Area off Forest Service Rd 515A and Westridge Rd. The burn area is approximately 123 acres. Sections of the Observatory Mesa Trail will be closed to the public during firing operations. The Mars Hill, Tunnel Springs, and Karen Cooper FUTS trails will remain open. There will be an increased firefighter presence in the area during the hours of 7 a.m. and 4 p.m.
Smoke is expected to drift to the northeast over the neighborhoods of Westridge, Anasazi Ridge and Ridge Crest. Fire managers will coordinate with neighboring national forests, national parks, fire departments, and the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality to monitor smoke impacts.
The focus of the ninth Regional Plan Committee meeting will be to discuss the draft Future Growth Illustration and initial Land Use Framework for the plan.
Thank you to everyone who participated in the Growth Concept Survey! Your feedback is crucial. We are excited to share the preliminary results at the meeting and how they will be used to inform the Regional Plan’s Future Growth Illustration.
FLAGSTAFF — Coconino National Forest fire managers will begin conducting the Mint West prescribed burn project this weekend to help protect communities from catastrophic wildfires and improve the health of the forest.
The Mint West project is slated to begin Saturday, May 18 and is located 25 miles south of Flagstaff. Smoke impacts may occur along Lake Mary Road and in the Mormon Lake Village area.
Plans for prescribed burns often change quickly since they are dependent upon weather conditions and wind predictions. Details and updates about all prescribed burns can be found at inciweb.wildfire.gov. Planned prescribed burn projects will always be canceled if weather conditions – such as temperature, wind and humidity – do not meet the criteria outlined in the burn plan.
Inner Canyon Water Status
The North Rim has reopened for the season and inner canyon temperatures are beginning to climb! Our water utilities staff are working diligently to turn on all remaining inner canyon water sources over the next week.
Projected “ON” dates for remaining inner canyon water sources:
FLAGSTAFF — Northern Arizona University is conducting a survey on stress on Latina mothers.
Complete a 30–40-minute survey and receive a $25 gift card
After completing the survey, you may be selected to join our Community Advisory Board!
Total Compensation up to $350
The community advisory board members will inform the development of a stress and coping program for Latina mothers*
NACA accepts & provides services to all ethnic groups and all ages while focusing on whole-family health care. We pride ourselves in focusing on Native American health care, with the whole person in mind. Specialty care referrals are available for all patients. Referrals are also available to Native American patients through the Indian Health Services facilities in Flagstaff and in surrounding areas.
Vol 3 Issue 3
May – June 2024
FLAGSTAFF — Coconino National Forest fire managers will resume spring prescribed fire plans following an unexpected delay due to precipitation across northern Arizona.
“Last weekend’s snow and rain is an example of why we always frame our prescribed fire plans as ‘tentative’ until we can conduct our pre-project test fire,” said Jason Clawson, Coconino National Forest Fire Staff Officer.
Successful prescribed fire requires ideal conditions. “Hazardous fuels” – including pine needle accumulation, dead and down trees and decaying plant matter on forest floors – need to be dry enough to burn at a low rate of intensity, but not too dry as to burn hot and fast.
Town of Tusayan Weekend of Festivities—May 3-5
The Town of Tusayan is sponsoring several astronomy events and a Cinco de Mayo festival May 3-5.
On Friday, May 3, there will be a free showing of ‘Deep Sky’ an IMAX film on the images from the Webb telescope, and the ‘Grand Canyon Rivers of Time’ at the IMAX theater at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, May 4, there will be a drone and light show after dusk at the Tusayan Sports Complex with telescope viewing available.
Tusayan’s second annual Cinco de Mayo celebration will take place on Sunday, May 5 at the Squire Resort. The fiesta takes place from 4 to 9:30 p.m., is family-friendly, free, and open to the community. There will also be lawn games, Mexican music and dancing, and a variety of authentic Mexican foods for guests to enjoy.
Beginning this week, fire managers from the Kaibab National Forest are planning to begin ignitions for prescribed fire treatments. Exact ignition dates are unknown at this time as burning is dependent upon daily weather conditions.
One treatment area includes the Tusayan Ranger District and the Blue Stem Rx, totaling 2,724 acres located east of Forest Road 311 and approximately 16 miles southeast of the Town of Tusayan. During this burn Russell Tank will be inaccessible and approximately 4.5 miles of the Arizona Trail will be rerouted.
For more information on this unit and the other treatment areas planned for this spring, please visit the Kaibab National Forest’s website.
FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino National Forest will begin conducting prescribed fire on two of its three districts next week should wind and weather conditions allow.
Fire managers plan to begin a variety of projects across both the Flagstaff Ranger District (FRD) and the Mogollon Rim Ranger District (MRRD) starting the week of April 29.
“We’re looking forward to another great season of using prescribed fire to restore our local landscape and safeguard our communities,” said Coconino National Forest Fire Staff Officer Jason Clawson. “The work we’re doing now helps prevent the risk of catastrophic and unexpected wildfire during our hottest, driest and windiest months.”
On Friday, join more than 1,200 undergraduate students as they present research on topics ranging from the voices of Chicano rap, evapotranspiration in Canyon de Chelly, pathogens in North American ticks, being a woman in a male-dominated field, how to sustainably de-ice during Flagstaff winters, the best way to 3D print a drone and so much more. The Undergraduate Symposium is NAU’s premier showcase for research and creative works that reach all disciplines and career paths.
FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff is pleased to announce the upcoming City Hall Stair Replacement Project, which will enhance safety and accessibility for all visitors to City Hall. The project will replace the concrete steps and install new railings in front of the north entrance of City Hall. Work will begin on May 6 and be complete by May 31, 2024.
During construction, the steps leading to the north entrance of City Hall will be closed. The ramp to the east of the steps will remain open, allowing the public to access the main front doors without interruption. The public can also access City Hall through the west and east side entrances near Route 66.
The Preventive Search and Rescue (PSAR) program at Grand Canyon National Park is pleased to announce the launch of its innovative HIKE SMART film project aimed at enhancing hiking safety awareness among visitors.
In response to evolving communication trends and the increasing influence of social media, PSAR managers recognized the need to update its messaging approach. With platforms like YouTube and social media shaping public discourse, staff developed an approach to the important PSAR message through an engaging video to effectively convey vital safety messages.
Thank you so much for being in partnership with the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth! I wanted to send you some quick updates and also encourage some action!
We continue to partner with the City of Flagstaff and Coconino County on a Systems Change Grant project we have titled Reimagine Community. I wanted to share this 60 sec promo with you (notice that there are 2 trainings available for City and County employees that will be rolling out in the coming months).
I am sharing this to both keep you updated about our work, but the video also sums up much of the work we do here at CCC&Y through the prevention council, the newsletter, training, advocacy and more.
Save the date!! Oct 22 or Oct 23 (we have two identical days so you have a choice!) As part of the Reimagine Community project we will be hosting a live Zoom Systems Change Symposium. *speakers and event agenda currently under design thanks to our planning committee.
FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino National Forest will begin selling 2024 season firewood permits at its ranger stations and headquarters Monday, April 15 as seasonal road closures begin to lift for roads suitable for motorized travel.
The minimum cost for a permit is $20, with a maximum purchase of 12 cords per household. Permits allow for the cutting of down and dead wood or standing wood that meets certain criteria in specified areas. The cost for oak, aspen, juniper and maple will be $5 per cord, and the cost for pine and mixed conifer will be $2.50 per cord.
The Arizona Department of Transportation, in cooperation with the town of Tusayan, advises area drivers to plan for lane restrictions on State Route 64 in Tusayan from Monday, April 15, through Wednesday, April 17.
Drivers should allow extra travel time while the following daytime restrictions are in place from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m.:
SR 64 will be intermittently narrowed to one lane in each direction roughly between Coyote Lane and Moqui Drive (mileposts 236 – 237).
Flaggers and/or a pilot car will guide drivers through the work zone.
There will be a 12-foot width restriction.
Restrictions will be lifted at the end of each work day.
The speed limit will be reduced in the work zone. The restrictions are needed so crews can safely restripe pavement markings on the roadway to add one additional northbound travel lane along this section of SR 64.
NAU saw the largest annual increase in research expenditures in fiscal year 2023, leading to a record-breaking amount of research in a year that also saw NAU’s projected achievement in R1 research status. Leaders say it’s a testament to NAU’s teacher-scholar model and the university’s mission of recruiting professors who can help students excel in the classroom while thriving in the research field as well. Learn more about the significance of these numbers for NAU’s research program and meet three of NAU’s researchers who are on the front lines of planetary science, health equity and inclusion.
WILLIAMS — The Kaibab National Forest, in cooperation with the communities of Parks and Sherwood Forest Estates will be re-opening Moonset Pit on May 4, 2024 for residents to dispose of green waste materials from private property.
The pit will be open every other Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. until September 7, 2024. Moonset Pit is located just west of the Parks community, east of Spitz Springs on the north side of old Route 66.
The NARBHA Institute and Coconino Community College unveiled major new investments in our youth at our recent United Way of Northern Arizona Annual Campaign and Community Impact luncheon.
The NARBHA Institute announced a $100,000 grant being awarded to UWNA to further our efforts to foster youth leadership, promote youth mental well-being and resilience, and increase their sense of belonging and inclusion. (That’s The NARBHA Institute COO Jon Perez receiving the Community Builder Award from UWNA President & CEO Liz Archuleta and Board Chair Armando Ruiz during the luncheon).
The majority of the funds from The NARBHA Institute will be dedicated to expanding the KinderCamp™ program to rural areas in Coconino, Navajo, and Apache counties.
During excavation work at the Mile-and-a-Half Resthouse, as part of the Transcanyon Waterline project, a member of the NPS monitoring team unearthed a rare and entirely new fossil for Grand Canyon and the Hermit Formation. One of the park’s research partners at UC-Berkeley has identified it as an Equisetalean strobilus.
This fossil is approximately 290 million years old and represents the spore-producing reproductive organ of an extinct species of horsetail known as Sphenophyllum. While Sphenophyllum fossils are not uncommon in the Hermit Formation, discovering the fruiting bodies is unprecedented.
The public affairs office is in the process of coordinating public communication efforts including a news release to announce this and other recent paleontological discoveries. Stay tuned for more updates!
COCONINO COUNTY — As the snow melts and the weather warms up, a variety of organizations are busy planning and presenting a number of health, welfare and education fairs throughout Northern Arizona.
The Coalition opened its outreach season on March 28 by staffing the Family Health Fair at Star School in Leupp. The event, presented by Star School and the Winslow Indian Health Care Center, featured a number of information tables for parents staffed by representatives from the Coconino County Health & Human Services, Coconino County Parks & Recreation, Native Americans for Community Action (NACA), North Country HealthCare, the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension — Coconino County and the Winslow Indian Health Care Center and Youth Wellness.
It looks like winter will not let up in Flagstaff. With another storm set for this weekend, we are going to push back our season start date to the week of April 15th. We want to make sure our trails are ready and avoid causing any damage to them. This extension will change the last week of the season to May 27-31 and will not allow for any makeup practices. We will do our best to get creative with practices if necessary so we don’t cancel any practices throughout the season.
There are still the following junior groups with open spots:
WILLIAMS — The Kaibab National Forest will soon be offering fuelwood permits for the 2024 season. On the Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts, the Forest Service will begin issuing permits April 15, 2024 and permit holders will be able to collect firewood April 13, 2025. On the North Kaibab Ranger District only, permit sales and firewood collection will run from May 1 through December 31, 2024.
Coconino County Public Works will reopen the Willard Springs Green Waste Site on Friday, April 5, 2024 for free green waste-only disposal all season long to support residents’ efforts to clean up their properties for wildfire season.
Residents will be allowed to dump acceptable green waste such as pine needles, branches, leaves, and brush free of charge with no load limits on Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. through the end of the season on Saturday, October 26, 2024.
Spring Break is here!
As Spring Break continues for the next several weeks, we can expect long lines and full parking lots throughout the South Rim. As a result, traffic regularly backs up at all entrance stations, with wait times of up to one to two hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Parking lots begin reaching capacity by 12 p.m. and shuttle bus wait times will be prolonged.
Thankfully, our fees program is fully staffed and have been working diligently towards expediting wait times by moving traffic into specific lanes. Visitors with pre-paid passes are still encouraged to go to Lane 1 to reduce wait times in line.
FLAGSTAFF — The Flagstaff City Council recently approved $3.33M in Rental Incentive Bond Program awards, which will be leveraged by other funding sources and result in 139 affordable rental units being constructed in downtown Flagstaff by the Foundation for Senior Living. The San Francisco Square Apartments will serve seniors earning up to 80% of the area median income and the Aspen Lofts Apartments will serve individuals and families earning up to 60% of the area median income. This funding was created by the passage of Proposition 442 by Flagstaff voters in 2022, which authorized the use of general obligation bonds for the creation of rental and ownership opportunities for residents of Flagstaff.
Please join CCC&Y for its next Prevention Council Zoom meeting at 10 a.m. Thursday, April 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 CCC&Y Prevention Council has its roots in our long history of child abuse prevention, our most recent work with substance misuse prevention and our overall commitment to understanding the protective factors, resiliency research and assets our community needs to thrive.
Some examples include:
Planning for previous Child Abuse Prevention Conferences
Engaging in multiple projects with International Child Welfare expert, Kevin Campbell
Developing a library of recorded webinars
Initiating the PAWS community arts and education project
“After receiving valuable community feedback regarding the 2022 ordinance, we brought together our public safety partners and the Coconino County Attorney’s Office to take a critical look at ways to improve the ordinance. Together, we proposed changes that place emphasis on preparedness, such as creating defensible space, while maintaining the requirements needed to help reduce the likelihood of wildfires,” said Tim Carter, Deputy Director of Coconino County Emergency Management.
FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff and their contractor, Banicki Construction, will start construction on the Schultz Creek Drainage Improvements at US Hwy 180 in April. The project will include the installation of a new concrete box culvert under US Hwy 180 and is scheduled to be substantially complete by July 1 to help mitigate flooding before the 2024 monsoon season. Final project activities such as repaving of the highway and re-establishing nearby landscaping will be completed by Aug. 1.
We’ll be making not one, but two major announcements at next week’s Annual Campaign & Community Impact luncheon, and we hope you will be with us when we share the exciting news about how we will expand efforts to Step Up for Our Youth.
But time is running out to register for this event and be among the first to find out about these ground-breaking developments.
Our Annual Campaign & Community Impact Luncheon will start at 11:30 am on Wednesday, March 27 at Little America Hotel. Tickets are $50 / $375 for a table of 8.
The deadline to register is end of business today, March 21.
A variety of virtual health and welfare resource networking meetings are held each month in Coconino County. The meetings offer health professionals and representatives from a variety of governmental and non-profit organizations 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.
COCONINO COUNTY — Coconino County Deputy Manager and Flood Control District Administrator Lucinda Andreani testified to the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs on the federal response to the threat of wildfire and post-wildfire flooding. …
“I can tell you firsthand: The scale of these crises rapidly overwhelms the capacity of local governments,” Andreani said during her opening remarks. “While there are opportunities for federal support, much must be done to improve the accessibility, immediacy, and effectiveness of the federal response to the wildfire crisis.”
State leaders recently called upon health sciences researcher Dierdra Bycura to analyze firefighter recruitment and retention across Arizona. Working with experts from the Franke College of Business, Bycura published a report showing that most firefighters in the state are satisfied with the profession, but some say they struggle with mental health and large call volumes. The report’s findings could influence future state policies.
“Since 2022, post-wildfire flooding impacts from the Pipeline Fire have severely impacted the interstate travel corridor of Highway 89, the Navajo Nation road system, and surrounding communities. It is imperative that we continue to construct flood mitigation infrastructure in this area to reduce the threats to our community and regional economy” said Jeronimo Vasquez, Chair of the Coconino County Board and Supervisor for District 2. “Thanks to the Congressionally Directed Spending funds recently secured by Senators Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema, we now have more resources to make this much needed infrastructure a reality.”
