The Coconino County Comprehensive Plan Advisory Group (CPAG) is meeting monthly. This temporary group, invited by the Board of Supervisors, represents the diversity of the County. The role of the CPAG is to provide recommendations on the updated goals, policies, maps, and implementation strategies of the Comprehensive Plan Update, Envision 2045 to the Board of Supervisors, the Planning and Zoning Commission, and staff.
Bright Angel Trail Reopening and Ongoing Trail Closures
On May 15, 2025, Bright Angel Trail and Bright Angel Campground (excluding large group sites) will reopen to the public following months of closures for Transcanyon Waterline (TCWL) project work. This milestone marks a significant step forward in restoring access to one of the park’s most popular corridor routes. However, construction in the inner canyon remains active, and several key trail segments and facilities will stay closed through October 1, with impacts expected throughout the summer.
Research, recommendations, and resources included!
The Arizona Department of Education’s Office of Indian Education is thrilled to launch the Tribal Regalia Graduation Toolkit for Students and Families! This invaluable resource has been developed through extensive collaboration with Tribal Leaders, State Leaders, community partners, and Indigenous families. It is a heartfelt effort designed to honor and protect Native American graduates during this significant milestone.
Inside this toolkit, you will find:
Arizona laws and other relevant legal protections
Information about tribal regalia and its significance during graduation
Visual examples of tribal regalia worn by community members across the State
A self-advocacy letter template for students and families
Additional resources from the ACLU, Native American Rights Fund, and more!
Ceramics : Advanced
with Ben Roti
April 14-May 19, 2025 – Mondays, 4-7pm
Designed for experienced ceramicists, this class offers a supportive studio environment for you to explore advanced throwing and hand-building techniques while working on personal projects. (Beginners are welcome in Ben/Lolo/John’s Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday classes or in the Pottery Wheel for Beginners on Saturdays.)
Join us for an inspiring afternoon at our Community Impact Luncheon & Annual Meeting on Wednesday, April 23rd at the High Country Conference Center.
This is your chance to connect with local leaders, celebrate our community’s impact, and look ahead to what we can achieve together.
Registration closes at noon on Monday, April 14. Secure your spot now!
As part of the exhibition, a series of public programs are planned for April. The Sedona Film Festival will host two outdoor film screenings in the SAC parking lot: “42,” the inspiring story of baseball legend Jackie Robinson, on April 10, and “McFarland, USA,” the true story of a small-town underdog cross-country team, on April 24. Screenings will take place from 7:30 to 9pm and are $10 per person.
GRAND CANYON, AZ. — Grand Canyon National Park will reopen the Bright Angel Trail and Campground for public use beginning May 15, 2025.
Multiple inner canyon areas were closed last fall for Transcanyon Waterline project construction activities. The Phantom Ranch Canteen and Lodge reopened on schedule, April 1.
The River Trail, between River Resthouse and the South Kaibab Trail junction, Silver Bridge and Plateau Point Trail, between the Tonto Trail West junction to Plateau Point, originally scheduled to reopen in May, will remain closed until Oct. 1, 2025. The Bright Angel Campground group sites will remain closed until Oct 1, 2025.
By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth
COCONINO COUNTY — From dealing with day-to-day tasks and public service requirements, to assessing and meeting community needs such as building permits, parks and recreation programs, library services, to addressing housing, fire and police response, to responding to and working to prevent emergency including wildfires and floods, City of Flagstaff employees often face a wide range of community stressors and traumatic events each day.
Each individual has their own stress and trauma that they may be dealing with on top of the complex work they are tasked with. To support the City of Flagstaff employees, CCC&Y Executive Director Virginia Watahomigie recently presented “Trauma in the Workplace” as a live workshop.
“The research is clear that what happens to us impacts our behavior and interactions with others. When we are in a trauma-responsive environment we not only understand this, we make simple changes that can improve outcomes and relationships as opposed to creating further stress or trauma,” Watahomigie said. “Organizations and systems who are on the frontlines of our community’s deepest needs are supported when they understand the behaviors they and others are experiencing.”
NAU students and senior citizens don’t have too many opportunities to interact with each other—but Honors College student Emma Patterson is changing that. Inspired by her relationship with her grandparents, Patterson launched a pen pal program connecting NAU students with residents at The Peaks as part of an independent study course. The writing club not only bridges generational gaps but also encourages students to see beyond seniors’ physical and mental limitations.
The 60-day public review of the Draft Regional Plan in late 2024 generated over 2,000 comments and led to substantial revisions to the Plan. The review revealed some important topics and issues that merit additional input from the community to guide the next steps of revising the plan.
Join City staff at one of the two Open Houses next week to learn about the public’s comments and discuss how the Plan has been revised. The community also can provide feedback via the public survey (see below), and learn about the next steps for adoption of the Regional Plan. The Open Houses will take place at the following dates and locations:
Tuesday, April 15: 5:30-7:30 pm at the Flagstaff Aquaplex, 1702 N. Fourth St.
Thursday, April 17: 5:30-7:30 pm at the Boys & Girls Club of Flagstaff, 301 S. Paseo Del Flag
Do You Know About Our Scholarships Program?
Scholarships are an important part of Sedona Arts Center. It has a long history in providing students in need of financial assistance, the ability to hone their skills and creative talents. Art classes and workshops also allow an emotional break from daily life and offer social interaction with fellow lovers of art. We are proud to offer our scholarship program, with the help of The Kling Family Foundation, The Ceramics Scholarship Fund, and the Debbie Winslow Scholarship Fund, which allow us to continue this long standing opportunity.
Click here to start the Spring Survey on the Regional Plan
Weigh in on revised plan content and key topics, including the plan’s priorities, neighborhood density, commercial development, gentrification, and creating a sense of place.
FLAGSTAFF — As part of an annual tradition, volunteers with the Exchanged Club of Flagstaff placed dozens of white flags in the Coconino County Courthouse lawn during its “Field of Hope” event recognizing April as Child Abuse Prevention Month.
“The Field is a memorial to the 116 children that died in the past year in Arizona from abuse or neglect,” the club reported on its Facebook page. “Even in the snow & cold, we were there along with some wonderful helpers. Thank you Sierra for joining us with your children. You all were a big help.”
The club will hold a dedication ceremony at 5:15p.m. Friday, April 4.
“Please join us prior to enjoying Art Walk Friday,” the club reported. “Please stop by and remember these innocent lives lost.”
COCONINO COUNTY — At this week’s regular meeting of the Coconino County Board of Supervisors, the Board unanimously approved a proclamation recognizing April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month in Coconino County.
The proclamation reads, in part: “Sexual Assault Awareness Month,’ which officially began being observed nationally 24 years ago, is intended to raise public awareness to the fact that sexual violence is widespread and has public health implications for every community;”
FLAGSTAFF — Hundreds of Flagstaff residents are expected to pack the lawn and street in front of the Flagstaff City Hall at noon Saturday, April 5 as part of a national HANDS OFF! Flagstaff AZ Fights Back! protest.
Other HANDS OFF! events are planned for that same day in Sedona, Prescott, Payson, Show Low, Kingman and elsewhere in Arizona and nationwide.
A growing number of protests to Trump administration policies have taken place at Flagstaff City Hall including a protest against Rep. Eli Crane, R-Arizona on March 24; a Presidents’ Day protest on Feb. 24; an an immigrants rights protest on Feb. 7. Crowds have ranged from a 200 to 500.
Indivisible Northern Arizona touts the event as HANDS OFF! — Medicaid, Medicare, Social Security, Our Jobs, Our Wallets, Our Books, Fair Elections, Personal Data, Public Lands, Veteran Services, Cancer Research, NATO, Consumer Protections, Clean Air, Schools, Libraries, Free Speech, LGBTQ+ Rights, Immigrants, Courts, More
A unique cultural event over 4-5 days, highlighting the best in outdoor adventure, cultural, social and environmental films from around the world. Various Times.
Northern Arizona Weather Outlook: Navigating Drought, Fire Season, and the Anticipated Monsoon
Northern Arizona, including Grand Canyon, faces ongoing weather-related challenges. While March brought some relief, an exceptionally dry winter has left much of the region grappling with severe to extreme drought conditions. Flagstaff’s snowfall, at just 46.8 inches, represents only 56% of the average through March, and overall precipitation wince October 1, 2024, has remained below 50% of normal across the region.
Looking ahead, the forecast indicates a high likelihood of drier and warmer-than-normal conditions throughout Arizona during the fire season from April to June. This combination elevates the risk of wildfires. However, there is an anticipation that a warmer and drier spring could lead to an earlier or more intense monsoon season from July to September, with projections favoring above-normal precipitation alongside warmer-than-average temperatures.
Want more information on weather and fire projections for 2025? The National Weather Service-Flagstaff Office recently compiled this outlook in the attached powerpoint here.
The City of Flagstaff and Arizona Public Service (APS) have partnered on a pilot program to transform 10 utility cabinets into stunning works of art. Building on the City’s highly successful traffic signal cabinet program, this initiative continues to turn utilitarian cabinets into colorful, community-centered art. Now in its fifth year, the program has introduced a variety of designs to Flagstaff’s streetscapes, from imaginative scenes of northern Arizona’s flora and fauna to playful abstract compositions.
FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff is pleased to announce the winners and runners-up of the City’s Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) Model Plans Request for Informal Proposals (RFIP). ADUs can help advance the City’s adopted climate action and housing goals as ADUs are smaller housing units that have the potential to offer lower rent and monthly utility costs, provide additional income opportunities, and increase the available housing stock.
Do You Know About Our Scholarships Program?
Scholarships are an important part of Sedona Arts Center. It has a long history in providing students in need of financial assistance, the ability to hone their skills and creative talents. Art classes and workshops also allow an emotional break from daily life and offer social interaction with fellow lovers of art. We are proud to offer our scholarship program, with the help of The Kling Family Foundation, The Ceramics Scholarship Fund, and the Debbie Winslow Scholarship Fund, which allow us to continue this long standing opportunity.
For more scholarship information, policy updates and to apply: CLICK HERE
Story/photos courtesy of www.MosaicNAZ.org
FLAGSTAFF — With 200 people pre-registered, and at least another 100 dropping in seeking immigration services, the Mexican Consulate’s “Consulado Móvil en Flagstaff” proved to be an overwhelming success at Coconino Community College on March 29. Those attending the event were able to sign up to receive information on Mexican Electronic Passports (Pasaporte electrónico), Consular Registration (Matríconsular), Voter Credentials (Credencial ed elector) and Birth Certificates (Actas de nacimiento). The event was organized locally by Alejandra Vasquez, the City of Flagstaff and the Sunnyside Neighborhood Association. Officials from Mexico addressing the audience included representations from the Consulado General de México en Phoenix (Deputy Consul General of Mexico in Phoenix, Armando Manuel Esparza Miranda) and representatives from the Mexican state of Sonora (Gerardo Valenzuela Buelna).
Please join CCC&Y for its next Prevention Council Zoom meeting at 10 a.m. Thursday, April 3. 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.
Scheduled guest presentations include the United Way of Northern Arizona on FUSD’s KinderCamp and Goodwill of Central and Northern Arizona’s “My Career Advisor” program.
The Council meets the first Thursday of the month.
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.
FLAGSTAFF — The American Legion Auxiliary and Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces will present their annual Cinco de Mayo Dance from 5 to 11 p.m. Saturday, May 3 at the American Legion Mark A. Moore Post 3, 204 W. Birch Ave., Flagstaff.
Dinner, $12 per red enchilada/rice/beans plate, will be held from 5 to 7 p.m., with dance music, courtesy of DJ Eddie Trillo, from 8 to 11 p.m.
Dance tickets are $20 per person / $25 per couple.
Come and engage directly with F3’s Executive Director at F3’s monthly Coffee Conversations. Share your concerns, questions, and ideas about Flagstaff issues while meeting others who want to get involved with issues in Flagstaff.
The April Coffee Conversation will take place on Wednesday April 2nd at Campus Coffee Bean from 9:00-10:00 am.
The May Coffee Conversation will take place on the first Thursday of the month, May 8th. This will allow those who have not been able to attend the Wednesday meetings to join these conversations. More details on the location will be forthcoming.
The Coconino County Comprehensive Plan Advisory Group (CPAG) is meeting monthly. This temporary group, invited by the Board of Supervisors, represents the diversity of the County. The role of the CPAG is to provide recommendations on the updated goals, policies, maps, and implementation strategies of the Comprehensive Plan Update, Envision 2045 to the Board of Supervisors, the Planning and Zoning Commission, and staff.
FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff will celebrate Water Awareness Month in April with events hosted at various locations around town. Events will be focused on helping residents and community members conserve water.
The Flagstaff Water Conservation team will provide free water efficiency consultations and supplies at events throughout the month. They will also host a raffle for a free high efficiency toilet. The full schedule of events and tabling is below:
GRAND CANYON, AZ.— Grand Canyon National Park will implement a fee increase for frontcountry standard campsites at Desert View, North Rim, and Mather Campgrounds starting May 1, 2025. Rates for standard campsites will increase to $30 per night. Group sites will remain $55 per night.
Celebrate Asian and Pacific Islander culture
Azah Quach, manager of Louie’s Cupboard within the Lumberjack CARE Center, remembers feeling “huge culture shock” when she moved from Hawaii to the mainland. “I was suddenly in a space where I rarely saw anyone who looked like me, and I felt out of place in ways I hadn’t before,” Quach said. “That experience highlighted just how important it is to celebrate students from a wide variety of Asian and Pacific Islander backgrounds.”
With the arrival of spring, the Museum of Northern Arizona is filled with beauty and activity from our gardens to our galleries.
The MNA gardens are waking from their winter slumber, and we’re excited to see our native plants flourishing once again. At Colton Garden, we’re kicking off the growing season with a free Garden Starts Workshop this Saturday, April 5th.
As we embrace the season of renewal, we invite you to mark Slow Art Day with us. The April 5th global event encourages us to slow down, look deeply, and genuinely appreciate the beauty and complexity of art. In a world that often moves too fast, Slow Art Day reminds us to pause, reflect, and connect with creativity more meaningfully. We hope you’ll join us in taking a closer look at some of the remarkable works in our galleries.
At the end of April, we are thrilled to welcome six talented emerging artists to MNA for the Namingha Institute, an annual two-week residency program led by master artists Dan and Arlo Namingha.
We look forward to sharing this beautiful time of year with you. Thank you for being part of our MNA community.
Mary Kershaw
Executive Director & CEO
Museum of Northern Arizona
