Each year in the spring (April – June), Grand Canyon National Park experiences an increase in turbidity in the drinking water. This increased turbidity is caused by the snow melt and by the spring rains recharging the aquifer and the increased water flows through the rock formations to the point of supply for the Grand Canyon National Park Public Water Supply System.
COCONINO COUNTY —
The Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth celebrates April as Child Abuse Prevention Month with its final free “Thriving Families” training on April 26 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 26 at the Page Unified School District boardroom, 500 S. Navajo Road, Page.
The series “Community Healing Change — Training, Meal & Discussion,” were also presented on April 17 in Fredonia and April 18 at Puente de Hozho in Flagstaff and in partnership with Fredonia Elementary School, Puente de Hozho in Flagstaff and the Page Unified School District.
You can register to attend the live viewing parties where food, discussion and prizes are available.
To attend the Page training, register with Penni Case at pcase@pageud.org
Art Classes & Workshops Coming Soon at Sedona Arts Center
Sedona is surrounded by a magical landscape of red rock formations and high desert hills with beautiful Oak Creek meandering through it all. Come experience the Shangri-La of the Southwest, a beautiful learning environment with Art Colony roots going back nearly 100 years. Click here to see all of our classes and workshops
Coconino County Superintendent of Schools Cheryl Mango-Paget is pleased to announce the winner of the 2023 Coconino County Teacher of the Year award is Emily Fisher of Marshall Magnet School.
The winner of the 2023 Coconino County Rookie Teacher of the Year award is Josie Teegardin of Mount Elden Middle School. The recipient of the 2023 Lifetime Achievement award is Brad Houston of Grand Canyon School.
The winners were announced at the 10th Annual Coconino County Teacher of the Year Awards Ceremony on Thursday, April 20, 2023, at the Doubletree by Hilton.
Every year, hundreds of undergraduate students in all disciplines become researchers—either joining a professor’s lab or creating their own research project, including getting their own funding. That work culminates at the Undergrad Symposium, a daylong event in which students present their research to the NAU and Flagstaff communities. Experience the 15th annual symposium on Friday at the High Country Conference Center. All events are free and open to the public.
This is National Volunteer Week, a time to appreciate and celebrate the people who invest their time and talent to better their communities.
United Way of Northern Arizona (UWNA) is blessed to have many individuals who work tirelessly to improve early childhood development, promote positive youth development, and assist neighbors in times of crisis.
Their work ranges from leading our Board of Directors, to serving on Community Investment Teams that evaluate grant requests, to filling sandbags before monsoon season.
One of the most remarkable volunteers to ever lend his talents to UWNA and numerous other organizations was Eugene Marvin Munger Jr., who we lost last month at the age of 88.
When he received the Arizona Daily Sun Citizen of the Year Award in 2013, Gene was asked why volunteering was important.
“Volunteering is important because it gives everyone the opportunity to give back,” he replied.
Tuesday, April 24
Sammy Kershaw, The Orpheum
Disciple Live Events Presents Sammy Kershaw LIVE at the historic Orpheum Theater in downtown Flagstaff! 6:30 p.m.
Learn More
California Condor Update
Free-flying California condors in Arizona continue to be confirmed with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI).
As of April 17, 2023, 20 condors have died in the Arizona-Utah flock; HPAI has been confirmed for 10 of those condors. Eight birds were captured and brought in for supportive care. Four of those condors died shortly thereafter and are included in the total of 20 deceased birds. Four condors are still receiving supportive care and have shown improvement.
Report bird mortalities to NPS wildlife immediately so that bird die-offs can be investigated and tested for avian influenza. Report dead wild birds to Grand Canyon Dispatch at 928-638-7805 and they will call the on-call wildlife specialist to assist.
“I didn’t see anyone doing it, so I felt like it needed to happen,” said Colin Denny, who provided a sign language performance at this year’s Superbowl. “We need someone to take the reins to make changes in a positive way and give back to the community.”
Denny is referring to the preservation of North American Indian Sign Language, which was the topic of a presentation at Coconino Community College in Flagstaff on March 24. More than 40 people attended the presentation.
A resilient forest needs a little less tension
We know how hard winter was for us. How was it for the trees? How do our forests and their complicated, interconnected, life-giving ecosystems react to the sun, the wind, the drought, the rain, the cold? For Earth Day, creative writing professor Nicole Walker, who authored Sustainability: A Love Story and dozens of articles and essays on nature, reflects on the complicated relationships that exist in a forest ecosystem and how the smallest processes and organisms keep the largest trees—and all the rest of us—alive.
COCONINO COUNTY —
In recognition of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month, the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — in partnership with Fredonia Elementary School, Puente de Hozho in Flagstaff and the Page Unified School District — is presenting the series “Community Healing Change — Training, Meal & Discussion” in recognition of April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.
You can register to attend the live viewing parties where food, discussion and prizes are available.
A dozen parents and community members attended the Fredonia training on April 17, with a second training session held on April 18 at Puente de Hozho in Flagstaff.
The Page training will be held from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 26 at the PUSD boardroom, 500 S. Navajo Drive, Page. Register with Penni Case at pcase@pageud.org
Read More
The National Park Service (NPS) has scheduled meetings to provide information to the public and respond to questions about multiple construction activities at the South Rim of Grand Canyon National Park.
The meetings will include a presentation by NPS staff featuring the Transcanyon Waterline (TCWL), Bright Angel Substation and the substation access road projects with a question-and-answer period. These meetings will be an opportunity for community members to learn about construction updates and anticipated impacts to park operations, residents, and visitors. Questions are being accepted in advance at: https://forms.office.com/g/RM8ZVq7X4t.
This morning is your last chance to bid on unique experiences through the MNA Virtual Auction. The auction closes today (Wednesday, 4/19) at 12 pm (MST).
We are grateful to the many individuals and businesses who have generously donated their time and services to benefit MNA, and we are grateful to you for your enthusiastic bidding!
The experiences below are just a few of the many items you can bid on before noon. Happy bidding!
Anna Baker has always known she wanted to be a scientist. She came to NAU in 2021 to earn her doctorate in planetary science and dove into new research on Mars’ windblown sand dunes, which may hold clues to the planet’s past and present and help pave the way for more exploration of Earth’s closest neighbor. But it wasn’t just her passion for science that earned her the Graduate Research Fellowship Program award—her commitment to improving inclusivity and accessibility in STEM fields, particularly making field research accessible to people with disabilities, is an important part of her work.
The City of Flagstaff Sustainability Office invites you celebrate Earth Day on Saturday, April 22 by putting your waste in the right place at the Drop Off Event at the Flagstaff Police Department, and then join us for live music, food, workshops, and more at Bushmaster Park.
FLAGSTAFF — CCC Arts Fundraiser
The public is invited to enjoy an evening of fine art, fine food and entertainment which will feature a culinary style competition with 10 restaurants live art demonstrations, and live and silent art auctions. Time to dress up and enjoy an evening of epicurean delights
Tickets can be purchased through www.coconino.edu/foundation
Location: Coconino Community College, 2800 S Lone Tree Road, Flagstaff
The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office and Coconino County Emergency Management announce the creation of evacuation zones in Coconino County. In an effort to further enhance emergency messaging to the public, the evacuation zones focus on neighborhoods, communities, and residential areas throughout the county.
Prepare to be engulfed in a larger-than-life choral sound when NAU Shrine of the Ages Choir, directed by Timothy Westerhaus, joins the FSO to perform Haydn’s hopeful Missa in Angustiis (Mass in Troubled Times), also known as the “Lord Nelson” mass.
It is always a joy showing off all that northern Arizona has to offer – and what new things are on the horizon – to visitors who appreciate the power of economic development in keeping a community vibrant.
So it was with great pleasure that ECoNA recently hosted the business development team from the Arizona Commerce Authority on a whirlwind two-day tour of our region.
We packed a lot into those 48 hours, and our guests could not have been more positive and engaged as they learned more about the strides we are making to improve economic vitality in Flagstaff, Winslow, Sedona, and Camp Verde.
Growing up in a mostly white community, Cate Cameron was almost a teenager before she truly felt curious about her Chinese heritage; not until she was around people with similar backgrounds did she feel comfortable exploring her roots as an adopted Chinese American. That journey continued in Flagstaff; during her four years at NAU, she found a community and learned more about her birth culture. In honor of Asian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which NAU celebrates in April, Cameron talks about how she first explored and then embraced her Chinese heritage through Chinese language classes, the Chinese Culture Club at NAU and spending a year studying abroad in Hong Kong.
Friday, April 14
Star Party, High Country Motor Lodge
Explore the universe with astronomers from Lowell Observatory. 7:30 p.m.
Learn More
On April 11, 2023, Coconino County Chair Patrice Horstman and District 5 Supervisor Lena Fowler, joined eleven tribal leaders of the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition, alongside Congressman Raúl M. Grijalva (D-Ariz.) and Senator Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), to launch an effort to call on President Joe Biden to use his authorities under the Antiquities Act of 1906 to designate the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument.
The Monument designation would protect 1,102,501 acres adjacent to the Grand Canyon by making the current 20-year moratorium on mining permanent across the vast landscape of the Grand Canyon region.
COCONINO COUNTY — The City of Flagstaff proclaimed April 2023 as Child Abuse Prevention Month on during an official ceremony attended by members of the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth on April 4 at the Flagstaff City Council chambers.
The proclamation was presented by Mayor Becky Daggett to CCC&Y Board members Heather Marcy, Deputy Director, Northland Family Help Center; Laura Rosensweet, M.Ed, Community Impact Manager, Education Forward AZ; Jacelyn Salabye, MSW, Native Americans for Community Action; with CCC&Y Executive Director Virginia Watahomigie attending via Zoom.
Read More
At their regular meeting on April 11, 2023, the Coconino County Board of Supervisors (Board) unanimously approved a proclamation designating April 2023 as Earth Month in Coconino County.
“Coconino County affirms that all that inhabit the Earth have a right to a healthy, sustainable environment,” the proclamation reads. “… as humans we are caretakers of the planet, and have an obligation to change human behaviors that contribute to climate change and environmental degradation and work to preserve the Earth’s beauty and its resources.”
President José Luis Cruz Rivera recognized and honored outstanding students at NAU with the President’s Prize, Gold Axe and Distinguished Senior awards. The ceremony, held on April 10, celebrated the hard work and accomplishments of students selected from a pool of applicants representing different colleges. NAU honored 50 Gold Axe winners, including five President’s Prize winners—the highest honor awarded to undergraduate students. Additionally, nine students were honored as Distinguished Seniors of their colleges.
The City of Flagstaff continues to see high spring runoff flows with the recent warm temperatures. The Schultz Creek Detention Basins reached 100 percent capacity last night due to runoff. Water overtopping the basins will flow downstream towards the Rio de Flag, crossing the Schultz Creek culvert at Hwy 180 and potentially impacting the neighborhood of Coconino Estates. Please note that the Schultz Creek Detention Basins are fully functioning and were designed to allow for the safe overtopping of water while allowing for debris and sediment to settle within the basins. Additional mitigation for homes in Coconino Estates beyond what was recommended after the Pipeline Fire is not recommended at this time.
Starting April 22nd and meeting one Saturday evening a month through August, we invite you to “pro-vision” ways to shape robust community life.
Pro-visioning is the intentional practice of planning for the future, preparing for its challenges and possibilities, and providing for generations to come. It is a practice of care, foresight, and positive action.
In the tradition of salon gatherings where cutting-edge conversations encouraged friendship and creativity, we’ll share a meal and learn how to re-frame our thinking, write our own public narratives, and understand how to leverage our power for social change.
Most of all, we’ll inspire each other to initiate the changes we’ll need in the years ahead.
