
COCONINO COUNTY — St. Mary’s Food Bank has announced 2024 Holiday Food Distributions.
Click on flyer about times, locations of holiday food distributions, volunteer opportunities.

Have you wondered what it is like to plan the Festival of Science ensuring science is accessible to all? Would you be interested in contributing to the success of a thriving non-profit organization? Do you have skills or experience in event management, fundraising, governance, marketing or finance?
We are looking for individuals like YOU to share your passion of STEAM and science education. The Festival of Science is an established organization dedicated to community engagement and learning. Consider joining our team for a 2-year term and make an impact in your community!

The federal government currently lacks the resources to fulfill Trump’s pledge of mass deportations in the first months of his presidency, but ICE?can and will act?quickly to target immigrants for arrests. However, before that begins, President Biden has two months left in office to take decisive action to protect people at risk under Trump’s indiscriminate immigration enforcement plans.

FLAGSTAFF — Spanish language and English learning students at Coconino High School celebrated el Día de los Muertos/Day of the Dead with their third annual shoebox ofrenda competition. The winners were selected this week with students and others voting throughout the month.
“The Dead of the Dead Mini altar contest is a competition where students create beautiful and meaningful altars using a shoe box,” said said teacher Francy Solarte. “They can pay tribute to a family member, pet, or person who has contributed to society. They also write an altar dedication in Spanish and their home language. This is an interdisciplinary project between Spanish classes and English Language Learners classes.

FLAGSTAFF — The beauty and magic of el Día de los Muertos through folkloric dances from the regions of El Estado de México- Concheros (Aztec dances), Oaxaca, Puebla, Jalisco and Veracruz was presented at the Orpheum Theater on Sunday, Nov. 10, 2024 by Flagstaff’s own award-winning Ballet Folklórico de Colores during its “¡Mueve el Esqueleto¡” celebration.
The fundraiser also included an authentic altar/ofrenda presented by Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces to remember our loved ones who have passed on.
Traditional Mexican food for El Día de los Muertos was also available for purchase.

COCONINO COUNTY — The City of Flagstaff, Coconino County, and Mountain Line are once again partnering for a Stuff the Bus event on Sunday, November 17 to benefit the Flagstaff Family Food Center (FFFC).
This year’s event will be at the Safeway store located at 1201 S. Plaza Way in Flagstaff from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. The public is invited to bring non-perishable food donations for a Thanksgiving meal, and FFFC staff and volunteers will be on-hand to accept monetary donations. Additionally, the partners set a goal to stuff the bus with 300 turkeys to help our neighbors in need.

We know that many members of our community are feeling a sense of fear and even despair at what the future holds with the shift in administration. It is critical that we support one another and not lose focus of the work at hand to dismantle the systems that have been in place regardless of the current political administration, and that our ancestors have fought and resisted for generations before us. As part of the national Ethnic Studies collective, XITO will continue the critical on-the-ground organizing we’ve been engaged in for years and applying the lessons learned from the past.

Winter Preparedness: Best Practices for Power Outages
Winter in Grand Canyon Village brings its own set of challenges, including the possibility of power outages due to inclement weather. It’s important to be prepared for a variety of winter-related situations to ensure the safety and well-being of you, your family, and your neighbors.
What to Do During a Power Outage

A portion of east-bound Butler Ave will be closed and motorists in the area should expect short delays. Two Mountain Line bus stops near Butler Ave and San Francsico St will be temporarily relocated one block east near Butler Ave and WC Riles St. Signage in the area will direct transit riders to the temporary stop locations as well as pedestrian access. Construction activities will remove landscaping and furnishings on the north and south side of Butler Ave between Leroux St and San Francisco St.

Coconino County Deputy Manager Lucinda Andreani, a long-time member of the Summit Society of United Way of Northern Arizona (UWNA), embodies the spirit of giving and community involvement.
Born in California, she has been active in community affairs throughout her life, whether it was helping launch a local chapter of the National Organization for Women or participating in environmental cleanups.
Her journey with United Way began when she was working for the California utility company PG&E, which promoted workplace giving to their local United Ways and provided matching grants for donations. Lucinda was always in the top tier of donors.

COCONINO COUNTY — The Final Unofficial election results for November 5, 2024, are available. Coconino County voters cast 70,993 ballots. The voter turnout is 78.29%, which is on track to be higher than the state average.
The results will be final after the Board of Supervisors canvass the election on Tuesday November 19, 2024 at 1:15 p.m.

GRAND CANYON, AZ.— Grand Canyon National Park is seeking the public’s input on a proposed increase for frontcountry camping fees. This increase would begin April 1, 2025.
Grand Canyon National Park (GRCA) collects campground fees from visitors for overnight stays. GRCA is seeking public comment on proposed fee increases for standard tent and RV sites at Mather, Desert View and North Rim campgrounds. The current camping fees have remained unchanged for the past 20 years.

COCONINO COUNTY — As the hectic holiday season rapidly approaches, the Coconino Coaltion for Children & Youth wants to remind everyone that we have a variety of free webinar training programs on our website to help parents and families at home during the upcoming holiday school vacations.
Our growing library of on-demand webinars is designed to help you gain the tools you need to learn about trauma-informed care, tips to help strengthen family protective factors, examine the effects of historical trauma and adverse childhood experiences, address issues such as bullying and the support to adults and youth through the use of mindfulness practices.
Click on the image above to get a quick look at the various free programs we offer, or get more details below:
READ MORE

APPLICATION DEADLINE: NOVEMBER 25, 2024
Ceramics and ceramics education has been a cornerstone of the Sedona Arts Center since it was founded over 65 years ago. As part of our Elements series this season, we invite all ceramic artists to submit work for consideration for Earth and Fire.
The exhibit will be held in the Special Exhibitions Gallery at Sedona Arts Center from January 3-31, 2025.
Deadline to submit: November 25, 2024
Notification to Artists: December 6, 2024
Opening Reception: January 3, 2025, 4-6pm

FLAGSTAFF — Northern Arizona University administrators, colleagues, former students, local political and nonprofit organization leaders, family and friends gathered to present a “Celebration of Life” in honor of Michael L. ‘Miguel’ Vasquez PhD on Sunday, Nov. 3 at the Dubois Center at Northern Arizona University.
The celebration, with an audience number well over 125 individuals, was the first of two events honor Vasquez, who died on Oct. 6.
During the two-hour event at NAU, speakers honored the life of Vasquez, remembering him an associate professor joining the small NAU ethnic faculty, going on to becoming a full professor and teaching a minimum of 12,000 students over 32 years at the university.
As the oldest Latino civil rights organization in the nation, LULAC stands firmly committed to uplifting and empowering the Latino community across America—working to strengthen economic and educational opportunities and to protect our civil rights.
For nearly a century, LULAC has been here, side by side with the communities we serve, tirelessly working toward a future that fulfills the dreams of our families and honors the sacrifices of those who came before us. Now, as we look to the horizon, we welcome the opportunity to work with President Donald J. Trump, Vice President-elect J.D. Vance, all of last night’s elected officials, and the incoming Administration. Together, we are called to build a future that holds space for all our stories, our voices, and our dreams.

FLAGSTAFF — Flagstaff City Hall offices at 211 W. Aspen Ave. will be closed on Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day. City Hall will reopen on Nov. 12.
City of Flagstaff facilities that are also closed on Nov. 11 include:
East Flagstaff Community Library (3000 N. Fourth St.)
Flagstaff City-Coconino County Public Library (300 W. Aspen Ave.)
Hal Jensen Recreation Center (2403 N. Izabel St.)
Joe C. Montoya Community and Senior Center (245 N. Thorpe Rd.)

(On Nov. 8), the leadership of this 130 year old institution will transfer from Executive Director Dr. Jeffrey Hall to Dr. Amanda Bosh, currently the observatory’s chief operating officer. The following weekend, Lowell will celebrate the grand opening of its $53 million Marley Foundation Astronomy Discovery Center (ADC).

Monday, November 11: Free Admission to National Parks
In honor of Veterans Day, Grand Canyon National Park and all National Park Service sites that charge an entrance fee will offer free admission to everyone on Monday, November 11. Please note that this fee-free designation does not apply to camping, reservations, tours, or lodging.
Thanks to all our veterans in the park and in our community for your service to the nation!

Last year, United Way of Northern Arizona was a partner in a project to help teens in Navajo County survey their peers about current mental health issues facing youth in northeast Arizona.
One of the items to emerge from that survey was that teens in the area were eager for a space to call their own – a teen center.
Now Grow Arizona Workforce Network is pursuing a plan that would establish a facility to not only provide a safe and supportive environment for teens, but to develop the region’s future workforce.
FLAGSTAFF — Fire managers with the Coconino National Forest plan to burn piles of slash along Snowbowl Road tomorrow to reduce hazardous forest fuels.
For the latest information at any time of the day, details and updates about all prescribed burn projects can be found on the Coconino NF Prescribed Burn Projects Inciweb page, which is updated any time new information is available

By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth
COCONINO COUNTY —
Please join CCC&Y for its next Prevention Council Zoom meeting at 10 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 7. 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.
The guest speaker for this week is Jason D. Gillette, CEO of the Guild Health Group
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.
READ MORE

Join me on the first Wednesday of each month from 9:00-10:00 am at a local coffee shop. Tomorrow, I’ll be at Mayan Winds Coffee Emporium located in the Greenlaw Village Shopping Center, 2144 N Fourth St.
There’s a lot to talk about! This month we can discuss local election results, the Draft Regional Plan and your chance to provide comments as well as attend multiple city-led thematic workshops scheduled next week, zoning code amendments, and F3’s newly announced program, “The Flagstaff Economy for the Good Project.”
Looking forward to talking with you!
Michele James
Executive Director

On Friday, Nov. 8, the existing traffic control along Milton Road will be removed and north and southbound lanes will be re-opened until spring 2025. Additionally, eastbound access onto University Drive via Milton Road will be re-opened. Please keep in mind that traffic control along Milton Road, University Avenue and University Drive will return in spring 2025 so crews can perform asphalt paving and concrete installation operations to finish out the remainder of the project.

New names for two Indigenous campus hubs
After a nine-month process involving community forums, surveys and meetings, NAU unveiled its renamed Office of Native American and Indigenous Advancement and Center for Native American and Indigenous Futures on Friday, Nov. 1. The office and center will continue to welcome Native American and Indigenous communities across all NAU campuses, bringing a sense of opportunity, kinship and hope.