T-minus 8 days until the North Rim reopens for the 2026 season! NPS staff from the Planning, Environment, and Projects Division assist with installing barrier fencing on Thursday, May 7, in preparation for reopening.
Dear Museum Friends,
May brings a sense of anticipation at the Museum of Northern Arizona as we prepare for a vibrant summer season of exhibitions, programs, and other opportunities to connect with the Colorado Plateau. Before the busy months ahead, we invite you to enjoy a special start to the season with a colorful new exhibition and a day dedicated to celebrating museums as places of discovery and community.
Artist Hopid Unveiled, opens May 16 in the Courtyard Gallery and highlights the groundbreaking collective formed in 1973 by Hopi artists Michael Kabotie, Delbridge Honanie, Terrance Talaswaima, Neil David Sr., and Milland Lomakema. Drawn from MNA’s fine art collection, including recent acquisitions, the exhibition explores how these artists created bold contemporary visuals rooted in Hopi life, tradition, and storytelling. Presented in three thematic installations, the exhibition offers fresh perspectives on modern identity and cultural continuity.
We also look forward to celebrating International Museum Day on May 16 with free admission and activities for all ages. From hands-on art and science experiences to touch tables, guided tours, and family-friendly exploration throughout the Museum, it’s a chance to experience MNA as a place of creativity, learning, and connection.
I hope you’ll join us at the Museum as we welcome the season ahead.
Mary Kershaw
Executive Director & CEO
Museum of Northern Arizona
United States Department of the Interior NATIONAL PARK SERVICE Grand Canyon National Park PO BOX 129 Grand Canyon, AZ 86023 PUBLIC SAFETY NOTICE 2026 Wildland Fire Season: Be Ready, Stay Informed, and Know Your Evacuation Plan As we enter wildfire season,…
Mother’s Day is coming up soon, and it’s a good time to start thinking about ways to celebrate the people who care for us. Give the mom in your life the gift of art.
CCA membership with Arts+ Pass includes free exhibition entry, invitations to exhibition previews, discounted pricing on events, concerts, and workshops, and enrollment in the North American Reciprocal Museum (NARM) Association, offering free admission and exclusive discounts to over 1,300 museums and institutions across North America. This means that, whether the mom in your life is near or far, this gift offers ongoing access to a variety of artistic experiences all year long!
Cesar Duarte
From launching a campus engineering community to advancing cutting-edge exoskeleton research, this first-cohort mechanical engineer has been building impact from day one. His journey blends innovation, leadership and purpose, marking him as an emerging voice in the next wave of engineering talent.
By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth
Please join CCC&Y for its next Prevention Council Zoom meeting at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 7, 2026.
Christopher N. David, chief executive officer of Native Americans for Community Action Inc., will be the opening speaker. The Council meets the first Thursday of the month.
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.
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.
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This month, we are excited to present a new exhibition, FORM and FACE: Abstract Bodies + Masked Identities, in our Special Exhibit Gallery. Featuring work by Zarco Guerrero, Mike Medow, and Kevin Titzer, this dynamic show runs through May 31. Exploring the intersections of abstraction, the human form, and identity, the exhibition uses sculptural masks, figurative assemblage, and evocative materials to examine how identity is constructed, concealed, and revealed. It’s a truly compelling experience—don’t miss it.
If you’ve been a part of the United Way of Northern Arizona community for a while, you are already familiar with what KinderCamp™means for scores of preschoolers.
You’ve heard how this targeted intervention program, provided free to families, helps prepare 4- and 5-year-olds with little to no preschool experience so they are ready for that first day of school.
It’s the difference between a child walking into kindergarten ready to learn – and one who feels overwhelmed.
KinderCamp returns this June in Flagstaff, Williams, Holbrook and Pinetop-Lakeside, but we’re coming up on a critical deadline.
FLAGSTAFF – – The City recognizes that data centers are a topic of significant interest for Flagstaff residents. City staff have been actively evaluating ways to safeguard the community by addressing possible impacts associated with data centers, including water use, energy demand, and other critical resources.
During the May 5 Public Hearing on data centers, staff provided the City Council with an update on a potential zoning code text amendment related to data centers. Given the importance of the issue, staff requested additional time to conduct broader public outreach and allow for more extensive community input. This additional time will also be used to further research available options. Staff will return to both the Planning and Zoning Commission and the City Council at a future date to share community feedback and receive further direction.
Application Deadline: May 8, 2026
(This Friday)
Notification: May 15, 2026
Program Dates: June 1–25, 2026
Sedona Arts Center invites teens and college-age students (ages 15–22) to apply for Gallery 928, a paid summer art apprenticeship that pairs emerging artists with a master artist to design and create a public mural on the Sedona Arts Center campus.
Up to 12 apprentices will be selected for this immersive program. Each participant receives a $500 stipend and three free college credits through Yavapai College, along with hands-on experience in the full public art process — from concept to completion.
Gallery 928 also helps artists build essential professional skills, including teamwork, leadership, presentation, and résumé development, preparing them for future opportunities in the arts.
FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff will begin a roof replacement project at the historic Milligan House, located at 323 W. Aspen Avenue, starting Monday, May 11. The project is expected to take approximately one week to complete, weather permitting.
The Milligan House, built circa 1904, has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the Department of Interior. It is architecturally significant as a unique representation of Victorian residential architecture in Flagstaff and carries additional significance for its connection to James C. Milligan, a local brickmaker and building contractor who played a major role in shaping Flagstaff’s historic commercial and residential landscape.
Conscious Writing & Sharing
Wednesday, June 3, 10, 17, 24
1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
Through writing prompts, the group will reflect, renew, share stories, and enhance their creativity. The class will also focus on building trust and learning how to offer constructive feedback.
Writing – Learn more and register!
Do you have questions about the Regional Plan?
Click here to visit the Regional Plan FAQ page, which has been updated to include these topical questions:
What does the Regional Plan propose for the AZ State Land parcels known as Section 10 and Section 20?
Why is there an Employment District near Ft. Tuthill?
Does the Regional Plan 2045 require new homes to be all electric?
City of Flagstaff voters,
There’s a lot of misinformation being spread in our community, on social media and by word of mouth, about ratifying the Flagstaff Regional Land Use Plan 2045.
F3 would like to directly address this misinformation by providing direct answers to specific misinformation. The questions and answers below are taken directly from the City of Flagstaff’s Regional Plan 2045 website FAQs.
Does the Regional Plan 2045 require that all new homes must be electric?
No, there is no policy that directly states that all new homes should be all electric. There is an action item in Chapter 10 to “Update the City Sustainable Building Resolution and Sustainable Residential Building Incentives to further implement net-zero energy standards.” The incentives could include points or options for all electric homes.
(This) week is the 11th annual Economic Development Week, created by the International Economic Development Council in 2016 to increase awareness of local efforts to promote economic vitality and highlight programs that create jobs and opportunities for individuals and businesses.
Throughout the week there are opportunities locally and nationally to celebrate and access resources that help businesses – and communities – continue to prosper.
May is a perfect time to step into something new.
At Sedona Arts Center, creativity is meant to be experienced. Our May classes and workshops — from oil painting and jewelry making to iPhone photography — are designed to be welcoming, hands-on, and inspiring.
Whether you’re exploring something new or building on existing skills, you’ll learn from working artists in a supportive environment that values curiosity, craft, and creative joy — all in the heart of Sedona.
FLAGSTAFF — The American Legion Auxiliary and Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces will present their annual Cinco de Mayo Dance, featuring music by Ruben Hernandez, on Saturday, May 2, 2026 at the American Legion Mark A. Moore Post 3, 204 W. Birch Ave., Flagstaff.
• Dinner from 5 to 7 p.m. — $12
• Dance from 8 to 11 p.m.
• Tickets are $15 per person / $20 per couple.
By Indivisible Northern Arizona
FLAGSTAFF — (The Boycott) lays the foundation for future economic disruption.
LET’S SHOW OUR COLLECTIVE POWER!
What to do instead? Celebrate collective bargaining.
And if you must shop, SHOP LOCAL!
Event details:
Water Conservation Remains Critical Following New Pipeline Break
Grand Canyon continues to operate under water conservation measures. A new break in the Transcanyon Waterline was identified the evening of April 29 and as of Thursday afternoon, the break has been located along the North Kaibab Trail north of Phantom Ranch near the 4th footbridge. This latest development is a reminder that the system remains fragile and conditions can change quickly.
The Scavenger Hunt is THIS WEEKEND!
REGISTER SOON! Don’t miss your opportunity to save your spot for one of Flagstaff’s most memorable spring events.
Join us May 2nd for the Science Scavenger Hunt—a city-wide adventure where teams build communication skills, creatively solve problems, think flexibly, and develop leadership strengths.
Teams of up to four will solve rhyming clues, discover science artifacts all over the city, and have a blast with friends and family!
Perfect for families, friends, coworkers, and curious minds of all kinds.
Don’t miss out!
https://scifest.org/scavengerhunt/
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — Beginning Oct. 15, 2026, at 11:59 p.m., a section of the North Kaibab Trail in Grand Canyon National Park will close to all public access for critical pipeline rehabilitation work on the Transcanyon Waterline. The closure area will be between Redwall Bridge (2.5 miles north of Manzanita Rest Area) and the northern end of Cottonwood Campground.
This hard closure will remain in place through approximately February 2027. There are no alternative routes or detours available through this section of trail. This closure is necessary to ensure the safety of both visitors and work crews operating in a narrow corridor with heavy equipment and active construction.
Warmer streams may weaken river food webs
Can you tell the difference when a stream gets warmer? The tiny living things that make that ecosystem their home can. In a new study, researchers from Ecoss found that microbes and aquatic insects are processing fallen leaves, twigs and bark more rapidly and releasing more carbon dioxide into the water and air. The findings could have implications for plants and animals in rivers across the western United States.
One of F3’s board members was awarded a Flagstaff Sustainability Office neighborhood grant to remove invasive plants in the section of the Rio de Flag that runs along Thomas Elementary school and reseed with native flowers and grasses.
The second of three plant pull events is happening this Saturday from 9am – noon. Meet at the east entrance to Bushmaster Park.
Classes and Workshops
at Sedona Arts Center
May is a perfect time to step into something new.
At Sedona Arts Center, creativity is meant to be experienced. Our May classes and workshops — from oil painting and jewelry making to iPhone photography — are designed to be welcoming, hands-on, and inspiring.
Whether you’re exploring something new or building on existing skills, you’ll learn from working artists in a supportive environment that values curiosity, craft, and creative joy — all in the heart of Sedona.
By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth
Winds exceeding 40 mph didn’t deter youth and parents from attending at the 2026 Annual Community STEM Celebration at the Fort Tuthill Fairgrounds on April 25.
In fact the youth appeared to have plenty of fun running down the stomp and air bottle rockets courtesy of the Coalition’s display at the annual celebration.
“Despite the cool and blustery weather, we had a turnout of close to 1,000 folks and certainly seemed like everyone had a great time,” said STEM City Coordinator Eli Cohen. More than 50 exhibitors took part in the free event.
“What an amazing day! Thank you to all of the incredible exhibitors who brought hands-on STEM experiences to life and shared your passion with our community. Your creativity, energy, and dedication made the event truly special,” the organization stated on its Facebook page.
FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino County Superior Court will present new installation during Flagstaff First Friday Art Walk from 5 to 9 p.m. May 1.
This event will feature new art on display inside the courthouse from the CJCC Indigenous Initiatives Committee, along with opportunities to connect with various county departments and learn more about the services they provide. It’s a great chance to experience the courthouse in a new way while supporting community collaboration.
The Scavenger Hunt is THIS WEEKEND!
REGISTER SOON! Don’t miss your opportunity to save your spot for one of Flagstaff’s most memorable spring events.
Join us May 2nd for the Science Scavenger Hunt—a city-wide adventure where teams build communication skills, creatively solve problems, think flexibly, and develop leadership strengths.
