FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino National Forest will move from Stage 2 to Stage 1 fire restrictions, effective 8 a.m., Wednesday, August 27,due to widespread precipitation across all three districts of the forest.
Motorized closures around specific areas of the San Francisco Peaks, Marshall Lake area and Pumphouse Wash area will be lifted, and campers at developed recreation sites are allowed to burn campfires following proper campfire guidance.
Judge McVickers has devoted the vast majority of her professional career to serving the people of Coconino County in a variety of roles, including as prosecutor, public defender, private attorney and on-call judge pro tempore. Her wide-ranging experience includes work in civil, criminal, juvenile and family law matters, both locally and across the country.
Discover something new, deepen your creative practice, or reignite your artistic passion with one of our upcoming workshops at Sedona Arts Center. Here are just a few exciting classes you can sign up for now—and you’ll find our full lineup of workshops and events online at SedonaArtsCenter.org. Join us in the studio and be part of a vibrant community of artists and learners in the heart of Sedona.
BAER SAFETY MESSAGE: Everyone near and downstream from the burned areas should remain alert and stay updated on weather conditions that may result in heavy rains and increased water runoff. Flash flooding may occur quickly during heavy rain events be prepared to act. Current weather and emergency notifications can be found at the National Weather Service website. NWS Flagstaff, AZ
Also see: Arizona Daily Sun — Coconino Community College celebrates Kaibab Campus grand opening
FLAGSTAFF — Dozens of college, community and business supporters gathered on Aug. 16, 2025 at the new Coconino Community College Kaibab Campus for the grand opening for a facility that will provide hand-on instruction in automotive technology and serve as the home for the college’s growing trades training program, including a potential welding program.
The event included speeches by CCC President Dr. Eric Heiser and other college and community officials, the traditional ribbon-cutting ceremony, music, food and tours of the new facility, which previously served as the unused Flagstaff Chevrolet automotive repair center.
The event underscores CCC’s commitment to expanding career training pathways and preparing students for in-demand, high-wage jobs across northern Arizona, the college stated in a media release.
FLAGSTAFF — Even though it was on short notice, a crowd of 500 or so protesters gathered at the Flagstaff City Hall on Aug. 16, 2025 as part of the “Rapid Response: Fight the Trump Takeover” to protest the potential moves by the Trump Administration and its allies in Texas change the voting map to keep Republican in power in Congress.
The protest in Flagstaff included members of Indivisible Northern AZ and other organizations.
“Trump told Texas Republicans to gerrymander the state to add congressional seats to the map. It’s a power grab pure and simple,” Indivisible Northern AZ officials stated before the event.
FLAGSTAFF — From classic lowrider to street rods and military trucks, the annual 2025 Mother Road Classic Car Show had it all at the Flagstaff City Hall Parking Lot on Aug. 16, 2025.
Here are a few of the classic rides:
14th Annual Hopi Arts and Cultural Festival
Flagstaff Mall
Experience the incredible talent of Hopi artists through diverse artwork and captivating social dance performances. Sat. 10 a.m., Sun. 11 a.m. Free.
COCONINO COUNTY — Businesses impacted by the Dragon Bravo and White Sage Fires can meet with representatives from the U.S. Small Business Administration to learn about the Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) program and receive assistance with competing applications.
The SBA declared an economic disaster on Monday, August 18 and Coconino County Emergency Management and Economic Development teams along with Coconino County Supervisors have been on the ground since, finding dates, times and locations to host two SBA mobile service teams.
or 36 years, the Flagstaff Festival of Science has been bringing free, cutting-edge STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) programming to Northern Arizona. In September, our community gathers to celebrate curiosity, innovation, and discovery during what has become fondly known as the 10 Best Days of the Year.
Highlights: On the northernmost portion of the fire, suppression repair work is nearly complete. Equipment operators are progressing toward the south to continue their work. Chipping groups are working across the west side, and hazard tree removal progressed on the southern portions of the fire. The Kaibab National Forest reduced the size of the temporary forest closure on the North Kaibab Ranger District on August 19, 2025. Western portions of the district are now open to public access and the closure boundary is comprised of a series of forest roads between the Jacob Lake area and Timp Point.
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. – A multi-agency Department of the Interior (DOI) Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) Team is beginning work this week to assess the impacts of the Dragon Bravo Fire on National Park Service and Bureau of Land Management lands. This process involves identifying the values at risk, determining any post-fire impacts to those values, and prescribing treatments to mitigate impacts.
FREDONIA — A U S Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team, led by Eric Schroder, has begun making burned area surveys of the Kaibab National Forest. BAER team assessments are rapid evaluations of post-fire conditions of the burned landscape to determine the level of risk from potential flooding and debris flow to values on National Forest System lands. If unacceptable risks are found the team recommends appropriate and effective emergency stabilization measures to reduce the risks to national forest lands and values. BAER emergency stabilization efforts are focused on the protection of human life and safety, property, and critical cultural and natural resources.
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — Effective immediately, Grand Canyon National Park’s South Rim will transition to Stage 2 water restrictions due to rising water levels in reservoir tanks.
Operational changes include:
Camper Services, operated by Delaware North, will reopen to the public.
Water spigots in Mather Campground and Desert View Campground will be turned on.
Despite these changes, water restrictions remain in place on the South Rim. Visitors and residents are urged to reduce water consumption by following these practices: flush toilets selectively, take shorter showers, wash clothes and dishes only with full loads and in eco-mode if available, and turn off the sink while brushing teeth, soaping hands, or shaving.
Good afternoon, Frank,
Dr. Eric Heiser has spent more than two decades in higher education, with the past three as President of Coconino Community College. His journey to the role wasn’t a straight line: in fact, he first tried his hand in the hospitality industry before a chance invitation to teach changed his career trajectory – and life – forever.
In our recent conversation, Dr. Heiser, a member of the ECoNA Executive Committee, shared how growing up on Wyoming’s Wind River Indian Reservation gave him a deep understanding of — and commitment to — diverse and often underserved student populations.
The County has updated the Plan and will hold public hearings this fall. Opportunities for public comment will be available during the public hearings. To submit written comments in advance email: mshaw@coconino.az.gov.
The 60-day review comments and the public hearing draft will be available on September 1, 2025. To view these documents:
“If you live on the Eastside or have a strong connection to this area, the artist team wants to hear from you,” said Jana Weldon, program manager for Beautification, Arts & Sciences. “This is your chance to share what makes this part of Flagstaff special.”
An online survey, open now through September 9, invites participants to answer a series of experiential questions designed to spark factual, imaginative, and community-rooted responses. Insights gathered will help the artist team develop a site-specific, one-of-a-kind artwork that reflects the spirit of the Eastside.
A parliment? A pandemonium? A flamboyance? There should be a word to describe an assembly of puppet-makers! Under the guidance of guest artist Lisa Sturtz, puppet-maker extraordinaire, and the enormous energy of our peerless citizen-artists, Lady Liberty came to life.
Originally inspired by the end of slavery (look for the symbolic broken chains), the Statue of Liberty welcomes everyone to a life that is free of tyranny. She reminds us to imagine the possible and BE EMBOLDENED by it.
Two recent graduates and one faculty member won prestigious Fulbright Awards that will send them to three different continents for teaching and research. The Lumberjacks contended with a pool of 11,500 other applicants to land their awards.
This gathering is more than a conference—it’s a call into hope, connection, and limitless potential.
Our keynotes were crafted specifically for this event and setting—Lowell Observatory, a place that symbolizes the infinite universe and infinite possibility. In a time when spirit, science, and connection are needed most, our speakers will guide us into transformation on both a personal and community level.
Here’s what you’ll experience (see details in the images below):
A keynote weaving together storytelling, science, spoken word, and systems change to ignite transformation in individuals and communities.
A keynote exploring the power of the heart’s energy as a catalyst for healing, coherence, and system-wide change—giving you actionable tools for leadership, communication, and personal empowerment.
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. – Grand Canyon National Park has reopened sections of key corridor trails on the South Rim that were closed July 13, 2025, due to safety concerns following the Dragon Bravo Fire.
Effective immediately:
South Kaibab Trail is open from the South Kaibab Trailhead to Tipoff.
Tonto Trail is open from Tipoff to Havasupai Gardens.
Bright Angel Trail is open from the Bright Angel Trailhead to Pipe Creek Resthouse.
Discover something new, deepen your creative practice, or reignite your artistic passion with one of our upcoming workshops at Sedona Arts Center. Here are just a few exciting classes you can sign up for now—and you’ll find our full lineup of workshops and events online at SedonaArtsCenter.org. Join us in the studio and be part of a vibrant community of artists and learners in the heart of Sedona.
OCONINO COUNTY — Please join the Greater Flagstaff Forests Partnership (GFFP), Coconino County and your local fire departments/districts at five distinct community meetings in support of the development of a countywide Community Wildfire Protection Plan (CWPP).
The dates and locations of each unique community meeting are listed below.
“As fire crews were on the ground, Coconino County was also thinking about economic recovery assistance for businesses who rely on tourism both on the North Rim and South Rim of the Grand Canyon,” said County Manager Andy Bertelsen. “The loss of the infrastructure at the North Rim and the fires impact on tourism have definitely affected the economy of northern Arizona. Coconino County took proactive steps to begin a process for federal resources to be made available to businesses throughout our county and surrounding counties.”
FREDONIA — The Kaibab National Forest is reducing the temporary forest closure on the North Kaibab Ranger Districts. Beginning Tuesday, August 19, western portions of the district will reopen to public access. Fire behavior on Dragon Bravo has decreased, containment has increased, and fire crews have shifted focus to suppression repair, allowing large areas of the National Forest to be reopened without compromising fire operations or public safety.
COCONINO COUNTY — Volunteers are still needed. We are very excited to be conducting a Summer 2025 PIT Count here next week! See the flyer and QR code attached or the link to view the sign-up sheet! Please note that shifts vary in both location and length of time. More details for each specific location are to come.
Highlights: The Kaibab National Forest is reducing the temporary forest closure on the North Kaibab Ranger Districts. Beginning Tuesday, August 19, western portions of the district will reopen to public access. The new closure boundary connects a series of National Forest System Roads (NFSR) between the Jacob Lake area and Timp Point. The boundary line was designed to maximize public access while providing for the safety of forest visitors and wildfire personnel.
Protecting the Grand Canyon’s water from fire
The Dragon Bravo Fire could threaten the drinking water supply for millions of visitors and thousands of workers at the Grand Canyon, but not if Abraham Springer has anything to say about it. With rapid-response funding from the National Science Foundation, the NAU researcher is working with Grand Canyon National Park, the U.S. Geological Survey and other colleagues to protect Roaring Springs, the park’s sole water source.
Audrey O’Connell speaks to the camera
Fit it in a Minute
with Audrey O’Connell
Have you heard about the Training Development and Technology Adoption services? O’Connell, the lead technical training analyst, explains how the TDTA team creates training materials that support the NAU community. Can she fit it in a minute?
We want to hear from you! The City of Flagstaff seeks community input for a landmark three-dimensional artwork to be installed at the promontory at East Cedar Avenue and North West Street as part of the Spruce Wash Wedge Detention Project. If you live on the Eastside, or have a strong connection to this area, this is your chance to share what makes this part of Flagstaff special.
An online survey, open now through September 9, invites participants to answer a series of experiential questions designed to spark factual, imaginative, and community-rooted responses. Insights gathered will help the artist team develop a site-specific, one-of-a-kind artwork that reflects the spirit of the Eastside.
