Northern Arizona University presents variety of Cesar Chavez Week events on April 1, 3, 5

FLAGSTAFF — The Northern Arizona University’s Student Activities Council is presenting a series of events to honor labor leader Cesar Chavez.

Monday April 1, 2024

Location: IMQ Center (Fieldhouse)

Time: 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

Speaker: Dra. Vanessa Bustamante

Presentation: Standing Together: Xican Activism As A Model for Social Change

Sean Connolly selected as new Flagstaff Police Chief

“As someone who was born in Flagstaff and who absolutely loves everything about what the city has to offer, it is with an abundance of gratitude, humility, and excitement that I look forward to serving as Police Chief,” said Sean. “The diversity of our community, combined with the skillsets and work ethics of all members of the Flagstaff Police Department and Team Flagstaff, will be the cornerstones of our success.”

Kaibab National Forest firewood permits start April 15 and May 1

WILLIAMS — The Kaibab National Forest will soon be offering fuelwood permits for the 2024 season. On the Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts, the Forest Service will begin issuing permits April 15, 2024 and permit holders will be able to collect firewood April 13, 2025. On the North Kaibab Ranger District only, permit sales and firewood collection will run from May 1 through December 31, 2024.

Theatrikos Theatre Co. April Newsletter — ‘The Gods of Comedy’ continues through April 21

Theatrikos is proud to bring Ken Ludwig’s divine farce, The Gods of Comedy, to the Flagstaff stage. The play is a comedic whirlwind of divine intervention and scholarly chaos, centered around a young woman who invokes the gods of Ancient Greece to save her love life. As the gods step in, hilarity ensues in the form of screwball deities, a lost manuscript of a Greek tragedy, and uproarious predicaments.

Willard Springs Green Waste Site Reopens Friday April 5 for Free Green Waste Disposal

Coconino County Public Works will reopen the Willard Springs Green Waste Site on Friday, April 5, 2024 for free green waste-only disposal all season long to support residents’ efforts to clean up their properties for wildfire season.

Residents will be allowed to dump acceptable green waste such as pine needles, branches, leaves, and brush free of charge with no load limits on Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. through the end of the season on Saturday, October 26, 2024.

Ballet Folklórico de Colores de Flagstaff wins the ‘Excellence in the Performing Arts Award’ at the 2024 Viola Awards

Also see: Arizona Daily Sun — Gallery: 16th annual Viola Awards

FLAGSTAFF — Ballet Folklórico de Colores won the “Excellence in the Performing Arts Award” at the 2024 Viola Awards held on March 23, 2024 at the Orpheum Theater. The event was presented by by Creative Flagstaff.

More than a 100 guests celebrated the 42 finalists across 10 categories at the event.

Ballet Folklórico de Colores of Flagstaff was recognized for its “Paseo Navideno: A Christmas Journey Through Mexico” performance held at the Orpheum Theater on Dec. 9, 2023.

Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) — Bioscience Roadmap Update

We are all aware of the crucial role the bioscience sector plays in driving innovation, economic growth, and improving healthcare outcomes in Arizona. We hope you will join us next month for a virtual update on Arizona’s Bioscience Roadmap.

The Flinn Foundation, which originally commissioned this long-term strategic plan more than two decades ago, will host the free Zoom session from 12 – 1:30 p.m. on Monday, April 22. You can register to attend HERE.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: March 25-29, 2024

Spring Break is here!

As Spring Break continues for the next several weeks, we can expect long lines and full parking lots throughout the South Rim. As a result, traffic regularly backs up at all entrance stations, with wait times of up to one to two hours between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Parking lots begin reaching capacity by 12 p.m. and shuttle bus wait times will be prolonged.    

Thankfully, our fees program is fully staffed and have been working diligently towards expediting wait times by moving traffic into specific lanes. Visitors with pre-paid passes are still encouraged to go to Lane 1 to reduce wait times in line.  

City of Flagstaff approves $3.33M in bond funding to assist in creating 139 affordable rental apartments

FLAGSTAFF — The Flagstaff City Council recently approved $3.33M in Rental Incentive Bond Program awards, which will be leveraged by other funding sources and result in 139 affordable rental units being constructed in downtown Flagstaff by the Foundation for Senior Living. The San Francisco Square Apartments will serve seniors earning up to 80% of the area median income and the Aspen Lofts Apartments will serve individuals and families earning up to 60% of the area median income. This funding was created by the passage of Proposition 442 by Flagstaff voters in 2022, which authorized the use of general obligation bonds for the creation of rental and ownership opportunities for residents of Flagstaff.

Sedona Arts Center — Arizona Gives Day is April 2 (but you can donate today!)

“The arts are a $13.5 million industry here in Sedona providing jobs and attracting cultural tourists who spend more and stay longer than the average tourist. According to the recently completed Arts & Economic Prosperity 6 study which was led by Sedona Arts Center, our tourists rank 2nd in spending among all 373 study regions in the US.

The arts add so much to our quality of life, and yet, we still struggle to support our programs, exhibits, events and school.  Please consider supporting Sedona Arts Center this AZ Gives Day with a generous investment in our work.  Thank you.”

Planning and Community Outreach Effort Launched to Gain Citizen Input on Flagstaff’s Future Transit Needs

FLAGSTAFF — Mountain Line is launching a comprehensive community outreach initiative aimed at planning the future of transit in Flagstaff.

As the community’s 10-year transit tax approved in 2016 that funds the city’s bus system approaches expiration, Mountain Line wants to engage the community in dialogue and decision-making about a potential extension and increase of this funding source in the November 2024 election.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — Join us for our next Prevention Council meeting on April 4 to share your story

Please join CCC&Y for its next Prevention Council Zoom meeting at 10 a.m. Thursday, April 4. 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 CCC&Y Prevention Council has its roots in our long history of child abuse prevention, our most recent work with substance misuse prevention and our overall commitment to understanding the protective factors, resiliency research and assets our community needs to thrive.

Some examples include:

Planning for previous Child Abuse Prevention Conferences
Engaging in multiple projects with International Child Welfare expert, Kevin Campbell
Developing a library of recorded webinars
Initiating the PAWS community arts and education project

Coconino County Board of Supervisors Approves Updates to Wildfire Defense Ordinance

“After receiving valuable community feedback regarding the 2022 ordinance, we brought together our public safety partners and the Coconino County Attorney’s Office to take a critical look at ways to improve the ordinance. Together, we proposed changes that place emphasis on preparedness, such as creating defensible space, while maintaining the requirements needed to help reduce the likelihood of wildfires,” said Tim Carter, Deputy Director of Coconino County Emergency Management. 

Construction across Milton Road to begin for the Beulah/University Realignment Project

FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff and their contractor, Eagle Mountain Construction, along with the Arizona Department of Transportation, are working to finish Phase 1 of the Beulah/University Realignment Project. The final portion of Phase 1 includes crossing Milton Road with new water and sewer utility infrastructure, which is scheduled to begin in early April 2024. In order to safely install new utilities across Milton Road, lane closures will be required.

The NAU Review — Using mobile apps for global conservation, how volunteer scientists are helping us learn about the universe and what one degree of warming could mean for Earth’s ecosystems

Countries throughout the world have committed to conserving 30% of the Earth’s land and sea by 2030, but questions remain about how such conservation efforts will be implemented and monitored without causing harm to Indigenous peoples and local communities. In a recent publication, researchers at NAU proposed a win-win solution: offer direct payments to those in target areas in the Global South in exchange for their help monitoring and validating conservation data via mobile apps. This mechanism could improve both the quality of the data collected and the economic conditions of local communities. 

Construction to begin on Schultz Creek Drainage Improvements at US Hwy 180

FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff and their contractor, Banicki Construction, will start construction on the Schultz Creek Drainage Improvements at US Hwy 180 in April. The project will include the installation of a new concrete box culvert under US Hwy 180 and is scheduled to be substantially complete by July 1 to help mitigate flooding before the 2024 monsoon season. Final project activities such as repaving of the highway and re-establishing nearby landscaping will be completed by Aug. 1.

Sedona Arts Center — Boost Your Art Skills with Our Workshops

Introduction to Encaustic Painting
with Helene Farrar
April 4 – 5 : Thursday: 10am – 4pm, Friday: 9am – 4pm

Drip, pour, drag, layer, heat, and incise! Investigate the ancient medium of encaustic painting in this very hands-on workshop using pigmented wax, and a heated palette! Explore a rich variety of marks and surfaces while doing image transfer, etching, and collaging in this seductive medium.

Flagstaff College March 2024 Newsletter — Community Film Series on Food

Flagstaff College/Communiversity has partnered with seven local organizations to begin a community-wide conversation on food security in Flagstaff.
TerraBirds
Flagstaff Foodlink
Just Cultivation Coalition
Northern Arizona Rural Foods Pathways Project
Northern Arizona Climate Change Alliance
Friends of Flagstaff’s Future
The City of Flagstaff’s Office of Sustainability

Friends of Flagstaff’s Future (F3) — Tell Coucil Not to Amend Our Carbon Neutrality Plan

A local group, Flagstaff First (FF), has petitioned Council to amend the Flagstaff’s Carbon Neutrality Plan (CNP) to prioritize fire, flood and drought. Many community members told the Council in December and January to not amend the Plan. We need to speak again this Tuesday because FF’s petition is scheduled to be formally considered by City Council this Tuesday, March 26. Council will be deciding whether to or not to amend the CNP.

The community needs to respond to this threat by sending emails to City Council and/or speaking at the Council meeting this Tuesday and asking council members to reject the action requested in the FF petition.

Coconino Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC)’s César E. Chávez Community Breakfast returns on March 22 with guest speaker Cesar L. Chavez

Event also served as launch of CHAC’s Covid-19 History Project 

FLAGSTAFF — After a several-year delay due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the Coconino Hispanic Advisory Council’s (CHAC) finally celebrated it’s sixth annual César E. Chávez Community Breakfast on Friday, March 22, 2024 at American Legion Post 3 in Flagstaff.

The event, which drew nearly 100 guests and local dignitaries, was highlighted by guest speaker Cesar L. Chavez, grandson of the civil rights and farm labor leader, and son of Anthony Chavez, Cesar’s youngest son.

Cesar, who was born and grew up in the farm worker movement, spoke about legacy of the late farm leader and shared personal memories including joining his grandfather to picket lines and demonstrations in the Central Valley plus cities such as Los Angeles and San Diego. They went on hikes together in the mountains surrounding UFW headquarters at La Paz.

Coconino County Board of Supervisors Approves Resolution Recognizing Portion of Lake Mary Road as a recreational corridor

“The safety of everyone who uses Lake Mary Road remains a top priority for County leadership and for our community,” said Jeronimo Vasquez, Chair of the Board of Supervisors. “We would like to thank all of the stakeholders who participated in the process that helped make this resolution a reality.”