City hosts ‘Voices Unheard: Breaking the Silence’ event on Oct. 22

FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff is hosting an event entitled “Voices Unheard: Breaking the Silence – a Community Gathering for Prevention, Strength, and Healing” on Wednesday, Oct. 22 from 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. at the Coconino Center for the Arts (2300 N Fort Valley Rd). This event seeks to educate Northern Arizona residents on the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Relatives crisis and raise awareness of the possible precursors of violence, stalking and harassment.

City of Flagstaff to begin demolition of former Montalvo Fire Station in preparation for new STEM education community center

FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff will begin demolition of the former Montalvo Fire Station Two, located at 2230 E. Spruce Avenue, on Oct. 27, 2025, with work scheduled for completion by Nov. 11, 2025. The demolition, performed by Loven Contracting, Inc., marks the first major step toward construction of the Montalvo Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Education Community Center.

County fills gap in WIC from federal government shutdown

COCONINO COUNTY — WIC recipients that rely on the Arizona Department of Health Services WIC (Women, Infants and Children) program will not go hungry in Coconino County due to the federal government shutdown.

“Good nutrition in the first years of life provides the foundation for a lifetime of health and learning,” said Patrice Hortsman, District 1 Supervisor and Board Chair. “The WIC program is vital for our most vulnerable residents and I’m proud that Coconino County can offer this temporary assistance.”

WIC is a federal program that provides healthy food for low-income pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers and young children. About 1,900 children in Coconino County count on WIC for daily nutrition. 

Celebrate 100 years of Route 66 at Theatrikos!

To commemorate the 100th anniversary of Route 66, Theatrikos Theatre Company has commissioned an original theatrical production, that pays tribute to the spirit, history, and humor of America’s most iconic highway. After months of creative development, we’re proud to announce:

Route 66 to the Grand Canyon
A World Premiere Comedy | Performances Throughout 2026
Tickets are on sale now at theatrikos.com

Flagstaff City Council Adopts Regional Plan

On Thursday, October 9, the Flagstaff City Council voted to adopt the Flagstaff Regional Land Use Plan 2045 with a list of Conditions of Approval and an Errata document. 

The Conditions of Approval and Errata direct staff to make several edits to the plan. City Council discussed and modified the recommendations by the Planning & Zoning Commission, which first reviewed and refined these lists. Click the links below to access these documents. 

The NAU Review — A stylish way to give back + recognizing Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Give back at Sharon’s Attic

Looking to use some of your NAU volunteer hours this fall? Check out Sharon’s Attic Thrift Store, a nonprofit whose proceeds support transitional housing for people and families experiencing homelessness. Whether you’d like to exercise your creative muscles setting up a display or channel your inner Marie Kondo by helping to organize the store, your Axe of Service are appreciated at Sharon’s Attic.

Reservation still available for popular Celebraciones de la Gente Sugar Skull Decorating workshops Oct. 25, 26

Workshops fill quickly. Get your reservations in now!

FLAGSTAFF — Join us for Sugar Skull Decorating during Celebraciones de la Gente (Oct. 25-26) and take part in a cherished Día de los Muertos tradition. Sugar skulls (calaveras de azúcar) are colorful, whimsical confections that celebrate the lives of loved ones who have passed. Made from sugar and decorated with bright designs, they symbolize the sweetness of life and are often placed on ofrendas (altars) or shared as gifts. Far from somber, these joyful creations bring warmth, memory, and celebration to the season.

Master decorators will be on hand to help you adorn your own sugar skull to take home. The Sugar Skull Decorating workshops are perfect for kids and adults. You must purchase a $10 ticket in advance for each participant.

Admission to Celebraciones de la Gente is an additional fee.

Coconino Community College to present course on ‘Exploring Flagstaff’s Latino Heritage and Community’ with Eva Barraza on Oct. 23 and 30

FLAGSTAFF — Dive into the rich and diverse stories of the Latino communities — Mexican, Basque, Spanish, Chicano — that have shaped the vibrant tapestry of Flagstaff. This interactive course offers a dynamic introduction to the people, traditions, industries, and historic sites that have played a vital role in the city’s development.

This course meets on four Thursdays from 3:30 to 5 p.m.: Oct. 9, 16, 23, 30. $40 registration fee.

Forest Service announces fire positions for 2026

The Kaibab National Forest of the USDA Forest Service is hiring! We are looking for dedicated individuals to support fire operations. These positions are vital to wildfire preparedness and disaster response across federal and state agencies.

Jobs include dispatchers, equipment operators, fire engine operators, fire prevention specialists, forestry aids and technicians, handcrew members, helitack crew members, hotshot crew members, prescribed fire and fuels specialists, smokejumpers, and more. 

Friends of Flagstaff’s Future (F3) — City Council rejects harmful last minute changes to Flagstaff’s Final Regional Plan

F3 is happy to report that on October 9 City Council unanimously chose to reject two Conditions of Approval that would have had negative impacts on the Core Priorities of the Regional Plan and render the Plan out of compliance with Flagstaff’s 2021 Carbon Neutrality Plan.

Your action in response to F3’s October 5th Action Alert resulted in the City receiving 80 letters of concern from the public about these two issues! Many thanks to NAZCCA and Dara Marks Marino for sending alerts to their contacts as well.

Coconino County Treasurer Sarah Benatar warns of fraudulent payment sites

FLAGSTAFF — With the arrival of 2025 Tax Notices, the Coconino County Treasurer’s Office is warning residents about the potential for fraudulent websites that falsely claim to accept property tax payments.

Residents should be on the alert for sites that don’t end in .gov, require unusual forms of payment like gift cards or wire transfers or that charge additional processing fees.  

“We want to ensure that taxpayers know the only safe and secure way to pay their property taxes is directly through the County’s official channels,” said, Sarah Benatar, Coconino County Treasurer. “Using these channels can prevent financial loss and identity theft.”  

American Red Cross celebrates launch of its Los Donates (The Donors) campaign with event on Sept. 18 at NAU

FLAGSTAFF — While nearly 60 percent of Hispanics have blood type O, the most needed blood type for emergencies and transfusions, less than 1% currently donate in Arizona, according to officials from the American Red Cross. To improve that percentage, and save lives, the organization brought its Los Donates (The Donors) campaign to Northern Arizona.

A ceremony celebrating the event was held on Thursday, Sept. 18 at the International Pavilion at Northern Arizona, featuring a variety of community leaders touting the need to increase blood donations by local Hispanics.

The event was held just outside a room where more than 75 NAU student, faculty and staff had signed up for the campus-wide blood drive. An additional 76 were scheduled to donate blood on Friday.

City of Flagstaff celebrates 2025 Hispanic Heritage Month

FLAGSTAFF — At last week’s Council meeting, Mayor Becky Daggett proclaimed September 15 to October 15, 2025 as National Hispanic Heritage Month in Flagstaff. This month celebrates the histories, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic, Latino, and Latinx communities, integral to Flagstaff’s past, present, and future.

Grand Canyon National Park announces partial reopening of North Rim on Oct. 1 Following Dragon Bravo Fire

The partial reopening will include Highway 67 to the W1 road, (approximately at mile marker 11), and the Cape Royal Road, providing access to both Point Imperial and Cape Royal. Additionally, Fire Point and Swamp Ridge will reopen. These areas will be open daily from official sunrise to official sunset. No overnight use is permitted on the North Rim with the exception of Swamp Point and Fire Point. Open areas will remain accessible through Nov. 30, 2025, or until the first major snowfall, whichever occurs first.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: September 22-26, 2025

In 2024, 4.9 million visitors to Grand Canyon National Park spent an estimated $905 million in local gateway regions while visiting the park. These expenditures supported a total of 8,780 jobs, $393 million in labor income, $698 million in value added, and $1.1 billion in economic output in local gateway economies surrounding Grand Canyon National Park.

Flagstaff Festival of Science — The Festival of Science – Thursday Offerings!

Just a snapshot of Thurs, September 25th:

Check out this presentation offered both in person and online! ” Following the Sun and Moon on a Petroglyph Calendar Panel” explores a unique site where shadow lines and light daggers interacting with certain petroglyph elements mark significant cultural events in the Hopi calendar. Attend in person at the East Flagstaff Community Library, 5:00 – 6:00 p.m.

Attendee favorite, “The Flagstaff Star Party” returns for 3 nights, starting today! Enjoy twilight talks–short, engaging presentations by astronomers who share fascinating facts about the night sky and look through powerful telescopes! 6:00 – 10:00 p.m. at Buffalo Park.

Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) — Canada-Arizona Relations: Opportunities despite tensions

Earlier this month, R. Glenn Williamson, founder and CEO of the Canada Arizona Business Council (CABC), spoke to the ECoNA Advisory Council about the unique relationship between Arizona and Canada and the pressures it is currently facing.

For northern Arizona, the relationship is significant. Canadian companies employ more than 300 people in Coconino, Navajo, and Yavapai counties, with another 2,600 jobs impacted by exports to Canada.

Statewide, Canada remains Arizona’s largest foreign direct investor. Additionally, an estimated 1 million Canadians visit the state each year, while about 100,000 Canadian “snowbirds” live in Arizona for part of the year. Combined, they contribute $2.4 billion to the local economy.

That impact is impressive – but not without pressure

Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra’s Season 76 opens with Fanfares & Fireworks on Sept. 26

September 26, marks the first notes of a new season for Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra—and we’d love to see you there! Fanfares & Fireworks opens a year of music that celebrates beauty, bold journeys, and thrilling triumphs. Tomorrow night’s concert begins at 7:30 PM in Ardrey Memorial Auditorium.

Reserve your seats today, and share the excitement of Season 76’s opening night with us. We can’t wait to see you there!

The NAU Review — Quantum science—it’s a little quarky

parking an interest in quantum science
 
Gravity makes sense: You drop a pencil, it falls. Quantum is harder to grasp: When you’re looking at the smallest particles in the universe, the same rules just don’t apply and what you find is … confusing. But quantum technologies are the future, and the U.S. workforce is woefully underprepared to fill that need. The SparCQS team, housed within ¡MIRA!, is working to change that in fun ways.

Coalition joins partners at 2025 Science in the Park. More events to come

By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth

FLAGSTAFF — From geology to rocket science and everything in between, young people had a wide variety of hand-on activities to enjoy and learn from at the 2025 Snook Science in the Park presented on Sept. 20 by the Flagstaff Festival of Science.

More than 50 exhibitor booths crowded Wheeler Park in downtown Flagstaff as children had a wide variety of activities to choose from.

Some of them ranged from Arizona Science Center, Arizona State Parks and Trails, CCC&Y, Coconino Community College, the Coconino Astronomical Society, Coconino High School’s CocoNuts Robotics, Flagstaff Fire Dept., Flagstaff Model Railroad Club, Momentum Aerial, the Museum of Northern Arizona, Northern Arizona University, Tynkertopia, to the U.S. Geological Survey.

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Friends of Flagstaff’s Future (F3) — Councilmember Aslan makes a call for NAH to build in place

When voters in Flagstaff resoundingly rejected Proposition 480, they did more than simply block a development plan. They issued a clear, community-wide statement: we want our hospital to stay where it is. The Northern Arizona Healthcare(NAH) proposal to abandon the long-established Flagstaff Medical Center (FMC) campus and build an entirely new facility on the outskirts of town was not what this community wanted. And it still isn’t.

Flagstaff Mayor Becky Daggett issues statement addressing fatal collision

“The life of one of our community members tragically ended last Saturday and my heart goes out to everyone this individual personally touched. Several members of city and police leadership and I met with family and friends to express our heartfelt sorrow and share our condolences. I was touched by their expressions of love for this individual. I know I speak for the entire city council as I convey our sympathies for this tragic loss.” – Flagstaff Mayor Becky Daggett

Sedona Arts Center — The Ceramics Department at SAC

Discover the joy of working with clay at Sedona Arts Center!
Our ceramics program welcomes all levels to explore, experiment, and create in a supportive community. With guidance from studio manager Ben Roti, instructors Lolo Howe and John Post, plus visiting guest artists, you’ll gain hands-on experience in both traditional and contemporary techniques. Join us for a class or workshop and see where your creativity takes you!