Business, Finance, Government, Health, Local, News, Public Safety

Coconino County Flood Control District Approved For $90 Million in Federal Funding

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The $1.7 trillion Fiscal Year 2023 Appropriations Bill was passed by Congress today, expected to be signed by President Biden tomorrow.

Congress acted today to approve the Fiscal Year 2023 Omnibus Appropriations Bill, which includes funding for federal programs that support post-wildfire watershed restoration and flood mitigation. The legislation includes an overall $925 million for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Emergency Watershed Protection Program (EWPP). The Coconino County Flood Control District (District) has two approved projects on the EWPP Project Waitlist totaling $50 million. The projects will provide flood mitigation in six neighborhoods within the Schultz/Pipeline Flood Area. The District will be considering in the near future the acceptance of these grants including ways to allocate the $12.5 million in required local matching funds. 

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Business, Cultural, Education, Entertainment, Family, Local, News, Seniors, women, Youth

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Dec. 19-23, 2022

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Weekly Call Updates

For the next two weeks, all employee calls as well as stakeholder/community calls will be canceled in observance of the holidays.

We will start the New Year with a new weekly call format beginning on January 11, 2023. There will be just one call each week, on Wednesday at 11 a.m. for both NPS employees and community members.

Wednesday all employee and community call from the Superintendent’s Office:

TIME: 11 a.m. Arizona Time

CALL IN: 877-491-6221

PARTICIPANT CODE: 7074828#

If you would like a calendar invite sent by email with this information, please email the public affairs office at grca_public_affairs@nps.gov.

Have a happy and safe holiday season!

-Grand Canyon Office of Communications

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Business, Government, Local, News, Public Safety

City of Flagstaff to begin dredging Frances Short Pond

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The City of Flagstaff will begin the process of dredging Frances Short Pond to remove sediment from post-wildfire flooding. First, the pond will be drained and dried so that the sediment at the bottom of the pond can be more easily accessed and removed. Once the sediment has been removed, the pond will be refilled with reclaimed water and spring runoff. The draining process will begin today, Dec. 22, 2023, and the entire project is expected to take three to six months, with the pond scheduled to be reopened in the late spring or early summer. The public should avoid the pond while the dredging process is taking place.

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Business, Commentary, Familia, Government, Local, News, Youth

F3’s 2022 Accomplishments — Thanks for Your Support!

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F3 continues to be a powerful force in the decision-making processes in our community. This year we have worked closely with city staff, council members, and community organizations to advocate for decisions and policies that align with F3’s eight Focus Areas. F3 grew in size to over 500 members and we grew in financial stability as well. We are thankful to our members for their support and for their devotion to making Flagstaff a place of community and heart.

In This Issue:
Accomplishments 2022
Looking Ahead to 2023: The Year of Regional Plan Planning!
Join F3’s Council Watch Climate Action Team!
Consider a Year-end Donation

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Business, Cultural, Education, Family, Government, Local, News, Youth

Coconino County Parks and Recreation Completes Upgrades to Pond at Archuleta County Park

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The improvements allowed for enlarging the pond space and adding a boardwalk, which makes the pond easier to access and enjoy, and an ultraviolet light system to reduce algae, so the pond will have improved visibility beneath the water’s surface.

Thanks to a heritage grant from the Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), upgrades to the pond at Elizabeth “Liz” C. Archuleta County Park are complete and it is now open to the public. The grant allowed Coconino County Parks and Recreation to make the necessary improvements to create a place for the public to visit and watch wildlife. The original pond was small, contained considerable algae, and was difficult for the public to access. 

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Business

City of Flagstaff — Minimum wage increases to $16.80 on Jan. 1, 2022

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The minimum wage in the City of Flagstaff will increase to $16.80 on Jan. 1, 2023. This increase was announced by the City in September of 2022.

Flagstaff voters passed the Minimum Wage Act (“the Act”) on November 8, 2016 as a citizen’s initiative (Proposition 414). The Act, which is codified in Title 15 of the Flagstaff City Code, prescribes that beginning in 2023, the Flagstaff minimum wage shall be increased annually by the increase in the cost of living. 

On September 13, 2022, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics released the consumer price index (CPI) numbers for August of 2022. The CPI for August 2022 was 8.3% greater than for August 2021. Accordingly, as of January 1, 2023, the minimum wage in the City of Flagstaff will increase from $15.50 per hour to $16.80 per hour.

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Cultural, Family, Local, News

Flagstaff community holds 2022 Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration

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The Flagstaff community enjoyed the return of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration to the Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Chapel with the procession from the chapel to St. Francis de Asia Catholic Church on Dec. 11. Once arriving at the church, worshippers attended a Rosary and a play on the origins of Our Lady of Guadalupe.

The next day, nearly 200 luminarias lighted the way for worshipers who came to the chapel for the 6 a.m. Rosary, followed by the performance of Mañanitas and a Mass.

Following the mass, worshipers were invited downstairs to the Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church Cultural Center (The Basement) for coffee, hot chocolate and Mexican sweet bread, presented by members of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces.

Preparations at the chapel began earlier in the week when members of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces gathered in the basement for the creation of the nearly 200 bags of sand and the placement of the candles.

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Business, Cultural, Finance, Local, News

Coconino County Treasurer Sarah Benatar Elected to President of AACo Board of Directors

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At the 2022 annual conference of the Arizona Association of Counties (AACo), Coconino County Treasurer

Sarah Benatar. Courtesy photo.
was elected to serve as President of the Board of Directors and will assume the role on January 1, 2023.

She is the youngest county representative to serve as Board President since AACo’s founding in 1967 and the first woman from Coconino County. As President of AACo’s Board of Directors, Treasurer Benatar will be the voice for all county elected officials from Arizona’s 15 counties. She is preparing for the next year of advocating for our counties, building new relationships, and the preparing for the possibility for change. 2023 could be an interesting year for our state legislature as it’s been 16 years since the State elected a Democratic Governor. We will have the most freshman legislators in several years, and both chambers will have Republican majorities under new leadership. 

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Business, Cultural, Education, Family, Finance, Health, Local, News, Youth

United Way of Northern Arizona — ‘You Can Give with Confidence’

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When you make a donation to a nonprofit, you want to feel confident that your gift is being properly used by an organization that takes its fiscal responsibility seriously.

That’s why we are so pleased to announce that, for the fourth year in a row, Charity Navigator has given United Way of Northern Arizona a 4-star rating, this year with a score of 96%. This means UWNA exceeds or meets best practices and industry standards for nonprofits. Only 13 United Way organizations of our size have achieved this high a rating.

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Business, Commentary, Cultural, Education, Entertainment, Events, Family, Government, Health, Local, News, Seniors, Travel, women, Youth

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — Dec. 12-16, 2022

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Volunteer to support the Grand Canyon Community this holiday season! 

On Tuesday, Dec. 20, Delaware North will be having a wrapping party to wrap the angel tree gifts from 1-5 p.m. in Yavapai Lodge atrium. All angels on the DNC Angel Tree have been adopted this year and donations should be dropped off before this Friday, Dec. 16 to the General Store. More information on this event can be found in the attached flyer here. 

On Wednesday, Dec. 21, Delaware North will be making food boxes in the Canyon Village Market Deli starting at 3 p.m.  The food boxes will accompany the angel tree gifts to each family. More information on this event can be found in the attached flyer here. 

Both events are open to the community and participation is highly encouraged! 

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Cultural, Education, Events, Family, Health, Local, News, women, Youth

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — As CCC&Y’s e-newsletter takes a break, we want to wish you a very happy holiday season

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As we conclude 2022, a year in which we celebrated our 50th anniversary, we want to wish you all a wonderful holiday season and a very happy 2023.

CCC&Y’s weekly e-newsletter will be taking the rest of the year off, but will return on Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2023.

If you need a little help during this hectic holiday season, please be sure to visit our many free online webinars to help ease some of the stress — CCC&Y presents free webinars on understanding how emotions impact adult and child relationships

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Commentary, Cultural, Education, Family, Local, News

Bilingual report — Gina Santi Photography Images of the Month – December 2022

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The hogan is the fundamental, traditional dwelling of the Navajo people of Arizona and New Mexico. It is a single-room roughly circular abode, with an east-facing access that encloses a central fireplace or wood stove set below a central smoke ventilation hole. It is built usually of logs and mud, with a domed roof. Historically, it has been not only a place to live but also a place of considerable spiritual significance. The hogan can be male (cone-shaped) or female (round or six-sided, as in the image).

In Navajo culture, every new Hogan must be ritually consecrated after it is built. This consecration is done by first touching the four main posts of the hogan, which symbolize the four cardinal points, and then scattering cornmeal or corn pollen all around the inside in a clockwise direction. This blessing is meant to make the hogan strong enough to safeguard the family from physical or spiritual injure. Other ceremonies, including healing ones, are also held in hogans. For these reasons, even if a Navajo family doesn’t live in a hogan, they would make sure there was at least one nearby.

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Cultural, Education, Local, News, Technology

The NAU Review — A graduate’s journey, affordable and fun holiday craft, playing to learn with Brian Stone

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When life throws you unexpected challenges, the only way forward is through. Graduate student Altoveda Tortice has embodied this moral throughout her master’s program while working full-time, raising a family and dealing with loss. Tortice first graduated from NAU in 2007 with a degree in psychology. Now, 13 years later, she’s ready to graduate again, this time with a degree in human relations and a goal of helping other students reach their educational goals.

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Business, Cultural, Local, News

Sedona Arts Center — NOW: Holiday Sale at Sedona Arts Center!

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Now through December 31, 2022 in our Uptown Art Gallery, get 10% OFF any purchase of $100 or more!* And don’t forget—Sedona Arts Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, so there’s NO SALES TAX on your purchases! Plus, you can shop for art in our online gallery — jsut use use code: HOLIDAY10 at checkout to receive your discount through the end of the year.

Our Uptown Gallery is open 10am–5pm, Monday – Saturday and 12–5pm, Sundays. We look forward to seeing you at Sedona Arts Center’s Gallery! Call 928-282-3865 for additional information. Sedona Arts Center is located at 15 Art Barn Road in Uptown Sedona.

Our online gallery represents a full spectrum of the diversity of artists represented by the arts center.
Visit us today!

Gift Cards Available!

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Cultural, Family, Local, News, Religion

Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration returns to OLG Catholic Chapel in Flagstaff on Dec. 11, 12

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FLAGSTAFF — Nearly 200 luminarias will light the way for worshipers during the 2022 Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration to be held at 6 a.m. Monday, Dec. 12 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Chapel.

Members of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces will begin placing and lighting the luminarias shortly after 5 a.m. in time for worshipers to take part in the services, which included a Rosary, the singing of Mañanitas and Mass. Café y pan will then presented downstairs at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church Cultural Center (The Basement) following the services.

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Business, Education, Family, Local, News, Youth

Due to the Winter Weather Advisory, Flagstaff Unified School District schools will be on a two-hour delayed start on Dec. 12

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Due to the Winter Weather Advisory for this evening and tomorrow morning, all Flagstaff Unified School District schools will be on a two-hour delayed start tomorrow, December 12. The weather conditions will be re-evaluated tomorrow morning and further communication will be sent out, if needed. More information available at www.fusd1.org

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Business, Cultural, Education, Family, Government, Health, Local, News, Youth

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Dec. 5-9, 2022

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Throughout December, Grand Canyon National Park is featured alongside three other national parks in the East Room at none other than the The White House. The East Room décor reflects the communion we find in nature. As part of the fireplace mantel displays, visitors see four iconic National Parks from around our country represented: The Grand Canyon, Yellowstone National Park, the Great Smoky Mountains, and Shenandoah National Park. 

As the largest room in the White House, the East Room has hosted public receptions, ceremonies, bill signings, and other memorable occasions. More information on 2022 White House decorations can be found here. 

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Business, Education, Finance, Government, Local, News

Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) — TGen Grows with Diagnostic Lab

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Among the many changes that came out of the era of Covid-19 was the dramatic growth of one of the pillars of our local biosciences sector, the TGen Pathogen and Microbiome Division, better known as TGen North.

TGen North was on the front lines very early on in the crisis, using genomics to analyze the structure of the coronavirus and develop one of the first tests to detect it. The pandemic also prompted the nonprofit to build its own CLIA-certified diagnostics lab. (CLIA, which stands for Clinical Lab Improvement Amendments, is the federal certification needed before a lab can accept human samples for diagnostic testing.)

“That allowed us to test patient samples and return the results to patients and clinicians, which we hadn’t done before,” said Dave Engelthaler, PhD, the director of TGen North. “It had been a long-term goal for us to develop a diagnostics lab, but there’s nothing like an emergency to put things into place.”

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Business, Finance, Government, Health, Local, News

Coconino County Board of Supervisors Approves Recommendations for American Rescue Plan Funding

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The Coconino County Board of Supervisors (Board) unanimously approved 19 community funding proposals submitted by organizations within the County to receive American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding.

The funds, totaling approximately $5 million, were specifically set aside by the Board to fund community services and projects outside the scope of the County’s capacity.

The Board’s decision is the culmination of a process that began in July when the County published a request for proposals (RFP) from organizations that need additional funding to benefit the Coconino County community.

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Cultural, Education, Events, Family, Health, Local, News, Youth

The NAU Review — Non-traditional grad finds passion in special ed, exploring the icy surface of Europa and Santa rides the bus

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Lorie Lee never imagined she’d make it to university; she is now graduating with two degrees, having won the prestigious President’s Prize. A mother of three and non-traditional student, her inspiring tale begins earlier than her first day at NAU. As a child, Lee experienced poverty, a mother with substance abuse issues and a father unwilling to care for her. Through the support of her friends and teachers, Lee found a love and passion for education and excelled academically. Married and raising three children with special needs, Lee enrolled at NAU’s North Valley campus and is earning a bachelor’s degree in both elementary education and special education.

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Education, español, Family, Government, Health, Local, Locales, News, noticias, salud, Youth

Bilingual report — Coconino County Signs Letter to Congress to Pass Behavioral and Mental Health Policies

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Led by the National Association of Counties (NACo), a bipartisan group of nearly 150 county elected officials urged congressional leaders to pass key behavioral and mental health policies before the end of the year.

In a letter to congressional leaders, the county officials wrote, “As a key intergovernmental partner, we urge you to work towards the passage of a bipartisan behavioral health package that enhances our ability to provide comprehensive behavioral health services in all settings, strengthens the behavioral health workforce and increases resident access to services.”

“In alliance with counties across the United States, this letter to our nation’s leadership details our shared goals of ensuring resources are provided to address the behavioral and mental health needs of residents,” stated Coconino County Board of Supervisors Chair Patrice Horstman. “I encourage everyone to read the letter sent to Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, and Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, to learn more about the national policies we support.”

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