FLAGSTAFF — Resources are responding to the Hollow Fire, a roughly 1.5-acre wildfire located in the Schultz Pass area 5 miles north of Flagstaff.
Resources responding to the incident include two engines.
Firefighters are currently working to suppress the fire using adjacent trail systems as holding features.
GRAND CANYON, AZ. — Grand Canyon National Park’s North Rim will begin day-use operations on October 16, 2024. Grand Canyon Lodge will close, and no overnight accommodations, including camping, will be available to visitors. Those exploring the North Rim on or after October 16 should plan to be self-sufficient, bringing enough food and water for the day.
Available services will include a self-serve gas station that accepts only credit and debit cards for as long as State Route 67 remains open. After October 31, water will be available only at the North Rim Administration Building. The entrance gate on State Route 67 will close at sunset on November 30, 2024, or after the first major snowstorm, whichever comes first.
COCONINO COUNTY — The Coconino County Attorney’s Office has initiated a succession plan that includes the resignation and reassignment of County Attorney Bill Ring.
At the Board of Supervisors meeting today, Ring’s resignation was accepted, and he was appointed Chief Civil Deputy Attorney, while Chief Deputy County Attorney Ammon Barker was sworn in as interim County Attorney, and Senior Criminal Attorney Michael Tunink was appointed Chief Deputy County Attorney. All actions were approved by the Board of Supervisors.
FREDONIA — Beginning Oct. 8, National Park Service and USDA Forest Service fire managers, working together as the North Zone Interagency Fire Management Program, anticipate initiating prescribed burns on the North Kaibab Ranger District of the Kaibab National Forest and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Fire managers will be assessing weather, fuel moistures, and other conditions for opportunities to conduct burns safely and effectively into December.
Units targeted for spring burning are along Highway 67 near Jacob Lake, west of the Telephone Hills area, and in the vicinity of Demotte, and southwest of Forest Road 22 on the North Kaibab Ranger District, and along Highway 67 near the North Rim Developed area and the Cape Royal area within Grand Canyon National Park.
… In my short time on the Coconino National Forest, the extreme diversity of what our forest has to offer has been amazing to experience. From low deserts and our world-renowned Red Rock Country to the remnants of an ancient volcano that stands as Arizona’s tallest peak to the Mogollon Rim that runs for hundreds of miles across central Arizona, the Coconino is an amazingly diverse forest unlike any that I have worked on.
iPhoneography ONLINE Crash Course
with Kelli Klymenko
October 11: Friday, 9am–2pm Arizona Time
In this workshop you will learn the basic concepts of Nature Journaling and overview and practice of illustration and watercolor. Ed and Julie are both experienced hikers and began Nature Journaling many years ago while living in Phoenix. They have honed their process, focus and skills over the years and will share with their students a fun way to enhance their outdoor and hiking experience while creating a journal documenting their travels.
This one-day workshop will involve an up to 2.5 mile hike at a location in Sedona to be determined.
The Stormwater Management Design Manual has been developed to assist in the design and evaluation of public and private stormwater management facilities within the boundaries of the City of Flagstaff. The manual establishes stormwater management policies, design procedures, and design criteria for conducting hydrologic and hydraulic studies, designs, and evaluations. Revisions include updating outdated terms and conditions from the existing 2009 Stormwater Management Design Manual.
The National Visitor Use Monitoring (NVUM) survey is conducted every five years and provides an estimate of how many people recreate on the forest, what activities they engage in while there, and how satisfied people were with their visit. Economic impact to the local economy is also captured in the survey. This information is useful for forest planning as well as local community tourism planning.
By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth
Please join CCC&Y for its next Prevention Council Zoom meeting at 10 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 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.
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.
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Join the NAU community in a series of celebrations and conversations this month that shine a spotlight on the diversity and vibrancy of gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans and other queer members of the Lumberjack community.
“What stands out about NAU’s LGBTQIA2S+ community is its incredible resiliency, determination and ability to occupy spaces that were never originally meant for us,” said Souksavanh Keovorabouth, a Diné who identifies as Two-Spirit and an assistant professor of women and gender studies and applied Indigenous studies. “It is vital for NAU to celebrate and recognize this community because we represent a diverse array of experiences and identities that enrich the university culture.”
FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff invites the community to take a short survey to share ideas for a new City logo. The survey will ask respondents about broad concepts that will serve as inspiration for the design of a new logo, as it is crucial to the City that the logo design represents the history, culture, and values of the Flagstaff community as a whole. This survey is the first of several opportunities for the community to provide direct feedback on the logo project. To access the survey, visit flagstaf.az.gov/logo. The deadline to complete the survey is Oct. 25, 2024.
WILLIAMS — Unfavorable weather arriving to the local area overnight has persuaded Fire Managers to temporarily delay treatments on the Three Sisters Prescribed Fire Project until conditions improve that are more suitable for meeting project objectives.
Crews will shift operations to the 6900 acre Blue Stem Rx Project located on the Tusayan Ranger District located south of the Coconino Rim near Russell Tank and the Bucklar Ranch. There will be a temporary detour on approximately 7 miles of the Arizona Trail from forest road 310 to the Moqui Stage Station. Trail users will be diverted to forest roads 311 and 301 along the west side of the burn area, and are asked to follow designated routes posted along the trail until the detour is lifted. Operations are expected to last 3-4 days.
Grand Canyon National Park is required to annually distribute a consumer confidence report for the park’s drinking water. The purpose is to allow consumers to make educated decisions regarding any potential health risks pertaining to the quality, treatment, and management of drinking water.
To view the entire report, click on the button below. If you have any questions or comments about this report or your public water supply, please contact the GRCA Water Utility team at 928-638-7898.
FLAGSTAFF — On Thursday, Sept. 26, the City of Flagstaff Water Conservation Program was named 2024 Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) WaterSense Partner of the Year. Awards were conferred at the WaterSmart Innovations Conference in Las Vegas, Nev.
WaterSense and its more than 2,000 utility, manufacturer, retail, builder, and other organizational partners make it possible for consumers and businesses to save water, energy, and money by producing and promoting water-efficient products, homes, and programs. Since 2006, WaterSense partners have helped save 8.7 trillion gallons of water and $207 billion on consumer utility bills.
FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino National Forest plans to continue work on two prescribed burn projects this week that will help restore healthier conditions to the forest and fire-dependent ecosystems.
Prescribed burns will be canceled if weather conditions – such as temperature, wind or humidity – do not meet the criteria outlined in the burn plans.
Conscious Aging
Wednesday, Nov. 6, 13, 20, Dec. 4, 11
1:30 to 3:30 p.m.
We’ll focus on the philosophy, skills, and practice needed to become a wise elder, with lecture, readings, guided meditations, group activities and discussions.
Conscious – Learn more and register!
FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff will begin construction on the Flagstaff Visitor Center Snowmelt System Installation Project on Oct. 7, 2024. This project will enhance safety and accessibility for all visitors to the Visitor Center by installing a heated walkway to aid with snowmelt during the winter season. To facilitate the completion of the project, the Visitor Center west parking lot, including the ChargePoint charging stations, will be closed to vehicles and pedestrian traffic from Oct. 7 – Nov. 4. The Flagstaff Urban Trail System (FUTS) path that runs along Route 66 and the Visitor Center north entrance will also be fully closed to both pedestrian and vehicular traffic during this time.
Into the Night:
A Nocturne Plein Air Workshop
with Krystal Brown
October 28 – 30, 2024
Painting nocturnes is one of Krystal’s favorite things to paint and so is giving you the tools and techniques to create successfully…no matter the time of day. You will learn from Krystal how to choose the best sight, set up, and process to paint nocturnes from life which will help you carry the last rays of the day into the night in your work. You will effectively learn how to remove the “Fear Factor” from any nighttime scene in a way that fits in with your unique creativity and skill set.
The first evening you will participate in an interactive demo of a sunset scene followed by the transition into a nocturne. Take notes and paint along as you like. There will be no one-on-one instruction during the demo time.
The next evening we will follow the same pattern Krystal shared the night before and a return to the same scene. This time you will be painting and Krystal will be right beside you, helping you along.
FLAGSTAFF — Northern Arizona University welcomed in Hispanic Heritage Month with its second annual Celebracíon de NAU held on Sept. 20 at the Health Center Gymnasium.
More than a dozen NAU school organizations set up information booths for students attending the event including the NAU First Generation Program, NAU Campus Health Services — Counseling Services, NAU Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid, NAU Hermanas United for Change, NAU Education Abroad, NAU Peer, Jobs, Mentoring and NAU LaFe-Latino Christian Fellowship of InterVarsity Christian.
Community organizations that participated included the Coconino Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC), Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces and Sun Entertainment.
Naturalization Ceremony at the Grand Canyon
On September 20, the Grand Canyon served as a breathtaking backdrop for the naturalization of 30 new American citizens from 11 diverse countries, including Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Mexico, New Zealand, the Philippines, Turkey, Ukraine, Venezuela, and Vietnam. This ceremony, the first since 2019, celebrated unity and hope as it brought together individuals and families embarking on their new journeys as U.S. citizens. Held at Mather Amphitheater, the event was part of US Citizenship and Immigration Services annual celebration of Constitution Day and Citizenship Day, emphasizing the importance of citizenship in American democracy.
The ceremony featured a welcome from Havasupai spiritual leader James Uqualla, grounding the event in cultural heritage and respect for the land. U.S. Magistrate Judge Camille D. Bibles presided over the proceedings, which included the Oath of Allegiance administered by U.S. District Court Deputy Clerk Christina Davison. New citizens were reminded of the principles of freedom and diversity as they took their oaths. Adding to the solemnity of the occasion, Audrey Stone of the band, Juniper Hill, beautifully performed the National Anthem.
The event also included a presentation of colors by the Air Force ROTC Honor Guard from Northern Arizona University and a musical performance by the A-Train Sound. The ceremony concluded with the presentation of citizenship certificates, emotional cheers from friends and family, and a Pledge of Allegiance led by Supervisory Immigration Services Officer Ramon Melocarela. This meaningful celebration not only recognized a significant milestone for the new citizens but also underscored the lasting spirit of diversity that enhances American society.
Flagstaff Festival of Science, Various Locations.
The Flagstaff Festival of Science is a free, 10-day event celebrating science in Northern Arizona, established in 1990 and known as the longest continuously running, free science festival in the world. Various Times.
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Get ready for an exciting day on September 28 at the Sky Bar at Agassiz Lodge for Brews & Views, Snowbowl’s 3rd Annual Community Fundraiser benefiting the United Way of Northern Arizona.
Enjoy a full day of fun in the mountains featuring a fantastic selection of craft brews from both local and nationally recognized breweries, including:
FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff is proud to announce the completion of the Landfill Road Reconstruction Project, which re-paved and improved the road from US Hwy 89 to the Cinder Lake Landfill northeast of Flagstaff. The completed project provides reliable and easy access to the Landfill for customers, as well as increased stormwater capacity along the road, which was necessary due to wildfires and post-wildfire flooding in the area.
By the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth
FLAGSTAFF — From peering through telescopes to driving robotic vehicles and launching toy air rockets, hundreds of young people had the opportunity to learn about a variety of STEM activities at the annual Science in the Park event presented during the Flagstaff Festival of Science.
The event, which featured more than 50 vendor booths, was held Sept. 21, 2024 at Wheeler Park in downtown Flagstaff. Some of the organizations offering hands-on activities included the Coconino Astronomical Society, which presented a variety of telescopes and astronomy information; Coconino High School’s CocoNuts, which allowed young people to drive their robotic creations; and the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth, which offered youth the opportunity to launch stomp air rockets and learn about the space program. See more photos here.
COCONINO COUNTY — A Health and Human Services Open House will be held on from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 2 at 2625 N. King St., Flagstaff. Proposition 482, Proposition 487, and Proposition 488 will be on the ballot this year.
“There are many important propositions on the ballot this year,” said Coconino County Elections Director Eslir Musta. “And for some voters, it will be a rather lengthy ballot, so it is imperative that voters take advantage of education opportunities so that they can know their vote before they go to the polls.”
Managing this fire to allow it to consume hazardous forest fuels such as pine needles, cones, and dead wood, which will help create a buffer in an area that is typically susceptible to the direction of catastrophic wildfires during traditional southwest winds. In the long run, the treatment this fire provides will help protect residents, the surrounding community, powerlines, and the airport.
This pamphlet, presented in both English and Spanish, contains the official language of Proposition 482 as well as the language of a YES vote and a NO vote as they will appear on ballots in November.
Also included in the pamphlet are the detailed description of Arizona’s Constitutional Amendment setting the County’s base expenditure in 1980, Frequently Asked Questions, and statements from community members regarding their thoughts about Proposition 482.
FLAGSTAFF — Beginning October 2, the public will encounter contract employees working on the Coconino National Forest in developed and dispersed recreation sites and along forest service roads as they conduct surveys to help inform future forest management.
The National Visitor Use Monitoring survey is conducted every five years on national forests, which provides forest managers with an estimate of how many people recreate on the national forest, what activities they engage in while there, and how satisfied people were with their visit.
