“Everything worked as intended,” said Lucinda Andreani, Coconino County Flood Control District Administrator. “The flows we observed on August 7th were by no means the largest we’ve seen in the area, but they were significant enough to indicate that the system is functioning well.”
“These mechanical thinning operations are part of a larger forest-wide initiative to fulfill our local obligations to the Forest Service’s Wildfire Crisis Strategy,” said District Ranger Matt McGrath. “These efforts are just one small part of a greater overall strategy to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire and subsequent post-fire flooding in the Flagstaff area.”
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Grand Canyon records second driest, second hottest July on record
The National Weather Service reports July temperatures at Grand Canyon averaged +3.8° warmer than normal, and the precipitation total for the month was only 0.65 inches – that’s a full inch below normal! The period June 1-July 31, 2024 was the hottest on record for most locations across northern Arizona (including Grand Canyon).
During this period of high fire danger, it is important to take proactive measures to reduce the risk of wildfires and ensure the safety of ourselves and our community.
Mariachi Rubor Femenil, Soul Persuasion and Ballet Folklorico de Colores — Flagstaff to headline FREE event. Veterans are encouraged to attend so they can participate in the traditional group photo
FLAGSTAFF — Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces will present its FREE 9th annual “Flagstaff Summertime Tardeada — Mariachi and Folklórico Festival, from noon to 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024 at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church, 224 S. Kendrick St., Flagstaff.
The event was launched in 2014 to pay homage to past traditional tardeada and jamaica celebrations in the neighborhood and at the historic church, which was constructed by the local Hispanic community in 1926.
Premier sponsors for 2024 include Cococnino County Board of Supervisors, the Coconino County Hispanic Advisory Council (CHAC) and San Francisco de Asis Catholic Church, with additional sponsors to date including AmigosNAZ, APS, Barbara Arnold, Dale Crick Purple Hear Chapter No. 793, Duran Family, Flagstaff Findlay Toyota, Guadalupanas, Lozano’s Flagstaff Mortuary, Mama B’s, Mike and Ronda’s The Place, Nackard Pepsi and Nestlé Purina.
Thirsty Thursday with Black Lemon, Museum of Northern Arizona
Live music by Black Lemon, food, beer, and wine from 5:00 to 7:30 p.m. in MNA’s beautiful, historic courtyard. 5 p.m.
Learn More
Register here for the breakfast, which will begin at 8:30 am at the High Country Conference Center.
We’ll hear from Campaign Co-Chairs, Northern Arizona University President Dr. José Luis Cruz Rivera and Dr. Rima Brusi, celebrate the early fundrising efforts of our Pacesetters, and unveil our plans for the coming year.
With your support, UWNA will continue to Lead the Way in promoting early childhood development and positive youth development as well as ensuring the safety and security for all in Coconino, Navajo, and Apache counties.
COCONINO COUNTY — Area school district officials and health care providers have been busy planning for a variety of Back to School events in Coconino County, including fall enrollment, freshman orientations for parents and students, meet the teacher events, school supply distributions and youth sports physicals.
One of the most recent events occurred on Aug. 1 when the Native American Education Support Program Indian Education Committee presented its “School Supply Distribution & Health Fair” at Sinagua Middle School in Flagstaff.
Organizers reported that more than 200 back-to-school supplies kits were handed out to students during the event, which featured a variety of information booths staffed by such organizations as the Arizona Dept. of Economic Security, the Boys & Girls Club of Flagstaff, the Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth (CCC&Y), the Coconino High School CocoNuts Robotics team, Grand Canyon Youth, Lowell Observatory, the Native American Disability Law Center, the Office of Gov. Katie Hobbs — Northern Arizona Constituent Engagement Dept. and North Country HealthCare, just to name a few.
Please check with individual school districts, health care providers and other organizations to confirm times, dates, other information.
(Updated Aug. 6, 2024)
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5:30 to 7 p.m.
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Dear Museum Friends,
Welcome August! At the Museum this month, we’re warming up for some end-of-summer fun and an awe-inspiring open house. Please join us this week as we rock to the tunes of Black Lemon for our final Thirsty Thursday of the year. Then, take time for our free Easton Collection Center Open House on August 24. The center is an architectural marvel where the Museum cares for and preserves its vast collection of pottery, weavings, paintings, carvings, jewelry, photographs, and much more. Seeing the Journey murals by Hopi artists Michael Kabotie and Delbridge Honanie (detail shown above) is a delightful experience in itself. The annual open house is an opportunity for all to tour the center, engage with our collections staff and curators, and ask questions about the collections.
Whether a first-time visitor or a regular guest to the Museum of Northern Arizona, you’ll be amazed to see and learn something new about the Colorado Plateau. I hope to see you soon.
Mary Kershaw
Executive Director & CEO
Museum of Northern Arizona
FLAGSTAFF — Flagstaff Pulliam Airport (FLG) will conduct a full-scale exercise simulating an aircraft crash resulting in a mass casualty incident on Monday, Sept. 9, 2024. This exercise, named “Operation Ready FLG,” is being carried out in compliance with Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) regulations.
The primary goal of the exercise is to test and enhance the airport’s emergency response capabilities in the event of a mass casualty incident. More than 25 local, state, and federal agencies will participate in the exercise to improve interoperability and coordination.
SEDONA — Several miles of new trails are slated for construction in five different areas of the Coconino National Forest’s Red Rock Ranger District (RRRD) following public feedback given during a lengthy planning process.
“The first phase of this project includes trails that we think every type of user will appreciate,” said acting District Ranger Alex Schlueter. “Whether hiking, biking, or riding a horse, there’s a lot to look forward to.”
Work is planned to begin later this summer near both Cornville and Sedona, including the Bell Rock, Cornville Oak Creek Elementary School, Doe Mesa, Hardline Trail and Schuerman Mountain areas.
GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — Effective immediately, Grand Canyon National Park will reimplement mandatory water conservation measures for the South Rim of the park. These water restrictions are in response to a pump failure at Havasupai Gardens.
Water conservation measures require all park residents and visitors to conserve and reduce water usage wherever possible in homes, hotel rooms and campgrounds.
Mandatory water conservation measures include:
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz – The City of Flagstaff and their contractor, Eagle Mountain Construction, along with the Arizona Department of Transportation, have finished the majority of the work associated with Phase 1 of the Beulah/University Realignment Project. With this work complete, Phase 2 of the project is set to begin. Phase 2 starts with construction of the new pedestrian underpass prior to surface improvements along Milton Road. Additional work includes the reconstruction of a section of University Avenue (future Fresquez Avenue) and Yale Street.
In order to safely install the new pedestrian underpass beneath Milton Road, the existing traffic pattern will shift. This shift will begin on August 19 and last through September 2024. With this shift, the southbound lanes along Milton Road will be detoured to University Avenue (future Fresquez Avenue) and onto the new Beulah Boulevard extension, utilizing the newly constructed roundabout, to Forest Meadows Street. The new Beulah Boulevard extension and roundabout will also be accessible by University Avenue, as shown in the detailed map below. Please note that northbound traffic will be closed along the new Beulah Boulevard extension, as well as northbound traffic on Yale Street. Northbound traffic on Milton Road, including eastbound access to University Drive, will be maintained during this traffic shift.
Large cranes and trucks will also be present to assist in the installation of the pedestrian underpass. Motorists are asked to follow the marked signage, travel at the posted speed limit, and should expect delays when traveling through the project area. Crews will be working extended shifts to expedite this work. Work may occur Monday through Friday, with occasional work on evenings and weekends. Motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists can expect traffic delays, lane closures and detour routes along Milton Road, University Drive and University Avenue until late 2025.
We appreciate your understanding and patience as we work hard to finish this project. For additional project information, please visit www.beulahuniversityproject.com. To reach a project team member and receive further project information, call the Project Hotline at (928) 255-5153. To receive weekly eNewsletter project updates, email a request to news@beulahuniversityproject.com.
“This is the best field trip I’ve ever been on!” exclaimed a third grader who recently visited MNA as she admired the towering Therizinosaur in the museum’s lobby.
Did you know that in 2023, over 2,000 K-12 students visited MNA for free, thanks to generous philanthropic support like yours? A visit to the museum changes your perspective, regardless of your age. Recent visitor surveys tell us that 96% of visitors surveyed report gaining new insights and understandings from their MNA experience!
FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff ‘National Night Out’ to be held from 5:30 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 6 at Bushmaster Park East Parking Lot and Community Ramada at the East Locket and North Thomas Entrance, Flagstaff.
North Rim Native American Heritage Days kicks off this weekend
Heritage Days will take place this Friday, August 2, through Sunday, August 4. Throughout the weekend a variety of programs will be presented by members of Grand Canyon’s Associated Tribes, including music and dance performances, film screenings, discussions about cultural connections to Grand Canyon, and a variety of demonstrations by renowned Indigenous artists.
Activities will take place daily from 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. in and around Grand Canyon Lodge. For more information and the schedule of activities, visit the park’s Heritage Days webpage or see the full event flyer attached here.
Greetings Potters, Artists, and Friends,
Neil Kennedy is moving!
His last day will be on September 6 at our Celebrate Sedona event from 4 to 6pm at Sedona Arts Center in Uptown Sedona. As many of you know, Neil joined our Sedona Arts Center ceramic department almost 7 years ago. During Neil’s tenure with us, he developed the Tuesday afternoon’s Hand Building and Saturday morning’s Pottery Wheel for Beginners classes. With Neil’s years of ceramic experience and his natural talent as an artist, he has helped build the ceramic department’s programming to what it is today—one of the most active and popular clay schools in northern Arizona.
Flagstaff International Film Festival, The Orpheum Theater
Flagstaff International Film Festival (FIFF) is an annual event that celebrates the power of cinema to inspire and entertain. 9:30 a.m
Learn More
ECoNA with its municipality partners got a chance to promote northern Arizona to hundreds of semiconductor manufacturers and related businesses during the recent SEMICON West expo in San Francisco.
According to SEMI, the international trade organization that organizes the expo, global sales of semiconductor manufacturing equipment are poised to reach $109 billion this year, a new industry record. ECoNA’s 5-year Strategic Plan identifies advanced manufacturing as one of the five sectors the region should pursue for economic development.
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, Aug. 1. 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.
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.
Click here for unofficial results from the July 30, 2024 Arizona Primary Elections in Coconino County.
Additional Info…
Flagstaff’s big summer family musical Annie, which opened last Friday to a standing ovation, is already selling out some performances. The heartwarming classic, winner of seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, is lighting up the Flagstaff stage.
“Annie is a wonderful musical for families. It’s such a feel-good story, gives a little taste of Christmas mid-summer, and lets everyone escape into history and song for a couple hours,”said chorus member Kim Hensley Owens.
Coconino County has been notified by the United States Forest Service that the hauling of uranium ore from Pinyon Plain Mine near Grand Canyon National Park to White Mesa Mill in Utah began this morning.
The haul route begins south on SR 64 to Williams, heads east on Interstate 40 through Flagstaff, then north on US 89 to Tuba City, and then northeast on US 160. A map with the route indicated by the red and purple lines is attached.
FREDONIA — The Kaibab National Forest (KNF) is considering authorization of a new fiber optic line between Fredonia and Jacob Lake, Arizona. The need for high-speed internet connections grows as new technologies require faster and higher-grade services. As such, the USDA Rural Utility Services Reconnect program helps rural utilities expand and keep their technology up to date by increasing bandwidth and communications capabilities. South Central Utah Telephone Association Inc. (a.k.a. SCUTA) is making high-speed internet affordable by participating in the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Affordable Connectivity Program and is proposing to install buried fiber optic line in rural northern Coconino County.
Humans of NAU
with Kimberly Higuera
Growing up in Mexico, Higuera dreamed of attending college in the U.S. She earned a degree at NAU, and now she’s fulfilling another dream—teaching English in Argentina as part of the Fulbright program. Learn more about why she fell in love with Flagstaff, what’s pulling her toward Argentina and what’s on her bucket list.
As we do every two years, F3 is preparing our Flagstaff City Council Candidate Questionnaire. F3’s questionnaire will include up to 10 questions designed to provide insight into the values, knowledge, and opinions of the candidates relevant to their potential positions as future city council members.
