Speed Limit Lowered on Lake Mary Road to Aid Wolf Fire Backburning Operations

COCONINO COUNTY — The Coconino County Public Works Department has lowered the top speed limit to 35 mph along the southernmost 10 miles of Lake Mary Road in support of U.S. Forest Service (USFS) backburning operations for the Wolf Fire.

The 35-mph speed limit is in effect on Lake Mary Road between Milepost 300.5, which is located about five miles south of Happy Jack, to the junction with State Route 87. Electronic message boards are also in place to notify motorists of the speed limit reduction.

The reduced speed limit is being implemented for the safety of firefighters who are working alongside Lake Mary Road, and for the traveling public due to potentially heavy smoke from backburning operations that could obscure visibility and create hazardous driving conditions. 

Native Americans for Community Action (NACA) May-June 2024 E-Newsletter

NACA accepts & provides services to all ethnic groups and all ages while focusing on whole-family health care. We pride ourselves in focusing on Native American health care, with the whole person in mind. Specialty care referrals are available for all patients. Referrals are also available to Native American patients through the Indian Health Services facilities in Flagstaff and in surrounding areas.

Vol 3 Issue 3
May – June 2024

Coconino National Forest to resume prescribed fire plans next week following rain-induced delay

FLAGSTAFF  — Coconino National Forest fire managers will resume spring prescribed fire plans following an unexpected delay due to precipitation across northern Arizona.

“Last weekend’s snow and rain is an example of why we always frame our prescribed fire plans as ‘tentative’ until we can conduct our pre-project test fire,” said Jason Clawson, Coconino National Forest Fire Staff Officer.

Successful prescribed fire requires ideal conditions. “Hazardous fuels” – including pine needle accumulation, dead and down trees and decaying plant matter on forest floors – need to be dry enough to burn at a low rate of intensity, but not too dry as to burn hot and fast.

United Way of Northern Arizona — Discover the FREE Dolly Parton Imagination Library

United Way of Northern Arizona has launched a campaign to add 200 more children in Coconino, Navajo, and Apache counties to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library by the end of this summer.

The free book program is available to all children from birth to five years old and does not have any income eligibility requirements. The country music icon started the program in 1995 to honor her father, a sharecropper in Tennessee.

“He was the smartest man I have ever known but I know in my heart his inability to read probably kept him from fulfilling all of his dreams,” she said.

The Imagination Library started in Parton’s home county with the goal of providing every preschool child there with a library of books to encourage a love of reading and learning.

The initiative was so successful that she began offering the program to any community that would support it financially. It now sends out more than 2 million free books each month to children around the world, mailing them directly to families.

Flagstaff Regional Plan 2045 Update — online survey, in-person open house on May 9 and 11

Option 2: In-Person Open House

Thursday, May 9th from 6 PM – 8 PM
Boys & Girls Club of Flagstaff – 301 S. Paseo Del Flag, Flagstaff AZ

Saturday, May 11th from 9 AM – 11 AM
Hal Jensen Recreation Center – 2403 N. Izabel St., Flagstaff AZ

Childcare will be provided at the Open Houses. Please visit bit.ly/RPOpenHouseChildcare to reserve childcare. Parents or guardians will be asked to sign a waiver upon arrival, which can be downloaded here.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up — April 29-May 3, 2024

Town of Tusayan Weekend of Festivities—May 3-5

The Town of Tusayan is sponsoring several astronomy events and a Cinco de Mayo festival May 3-5.

On Friday, May 3, there will be a free showing of ‘Deep Sky’ an IMAX film on the images from the Webb telescope, and the ‘Grand Canyon Rivers of Time’ at the IMAX theater at 7:30 p.m. On Saturday, May 4, there will be a drone and light show after dusk at the Tusayan Sports Complex with telescope viewing available.

Tusayan’s second annual Cinco de Mayo celebration will take place on Sunday, May 5 at the Squire Resort. The fiesta takes place from 4 to 9:30 p.m., is family-friendly, free, and open to the community. There will also be lawn games, Mexican music and dancing, and a variety of authentic Mexican foods for guests to enjoy.

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — 2024 Coconino County Teacher of the Year Winners Announced

By the Coconino County

FLAGSTAFF — Under the bright lights of recognition and applause, the 2024 Coconino County Teacher of the Year Awards Ceremony was a resounding success, honoring educators whose dedication and innovation illuminate the path to excellence in education.

Coconino County Superintendent of Schools Cheryl Mango-Paget proudly announces the recipients of the 2024 awards:

• Teacher of the Year: Jeremiah Smith of Coconino High School
• Rookie Teacher of the Year: Emily Cartwright of Eva Marshall Magnet Elementary School
• Lifetime Achievement Awardees: Jeanne Crookston of Fredonia Elementary School District and Dr. Rick McEnaney of Flagstaff High School

The ceremony, held at the High Country Conference Center on Thursday, April 25, 2024, gathered educators, administrators, and community members to celebrate the remarkable achievements of these outstanding educators.

SEE MORE PHOTOS HERE

North Rim of Grand Canyon to reopen May 15 for 2024 season  

GRAND CANYON, Ariz. –The North Rim of Grand Canyon National Park will open on Sunday, May 15 at 6 a.m. to mark the official start of the 2024 season. Grand Canyon Lodge and Grand Canyon Trail Rides will also commence their 2024 seasonal operations on this date.

Visitor services, including the campground, Grand Canyon Conservancy bookstore and the Backcountry Information Office will open at 8 a.m. Information on daily Park Ranger programs will be available at the Roaring Springs Overlook Kiosk through October 15. Grand Canyon Lodge North Rim operations, including lodging, groceries, retail, food and beverage services, shower and laundry and the gas station, will also open May 15. The lodge dining room will be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner with reservations required for dinner service. The last day of the 2024 season for most commercial services will be October 15, 2024.

Tickets still available at the door on May 4 for annual Cinco de Mayo Dance in Flagstaff featuring Los Alambrados

FLAGSTAFF — The American Legion Auxiliary and Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces will present their annual Cinco de Mayo Dance, featuring Los Alambrados, from 7 to 11 p.m. Saturday, May 4 at the American Legion Mark A. Moore Post 3, 204 W. Birch Ave., Flagstaff.

Tickets are $20 per person / $35 per couple.

Coconino County — 90-Day Notice for the July 30, 2024, Primary Election Mailed to Registered Voters on Active Early Voting List

FLAGSTAFF — The Coconino County Recorder’s office wants to alert registered voters that have signed up to be on the Active Early Voting List (AEVL), formerly known as the Permanent Early Voting List (PEVL), that they should be receiving a 90-Day Notice letter with early voting information about the July 30, 2024, Primary Election.

AEVL voters registered with a state-recognized political party – Democratic, Republican, Libertarian, Green or No Labels Party will automatically be receiving that party’s ballot. 

Sedona Arts Center — Your Artistic Journey Begins Here!

Painting a Bold, Colorful, Arizona Landscape
with Joe A. Oakes
May 4 : Saturday, 10am – 4pm

Join award-winning artist Joe A. Oakes for a fun, info-packed, painting experience. Learn to take an ordinary image and transform it into an extraordinary, finished, VIBRANT painting. Valuable art principles and important acrylic painting techniques will be discussed while we work through and complete a finished piece. All painting styles and skill levels are welcome. Also open to oil and pastel painters.

The NAU Review — Celebrating faculty and staff excellence, how young people see COVID and a student’s experience with Phoenix Rising

Last Tuesday, NAU honored dozens of faculty and staff for their work in the past year and throughout their careers. Faculty across all colleges and departments were recognized for excellence in research, teaching, creative activity and mentorship, as were faculty who earned promotions in the past year. Nine staff members also were honored with the President’s Achievement Awards for their exceptional work to advance NAU’s mission. “As we approach the end of another banner year of achievements at our university, I am deeply appreciative of all that our faculty and staff have contributed to making this work possible,” President José Luis Cruz Rivera said.

2024 Coconino County Teacher of the Year Winners Announced

By Coconino County

FLAGSTAFF — Under the bright lights of recognition and applause, the 2024 Coconino County Teacher of the Year Awards Ceremony was a resounding success, honoring educators whose dedication and innovation illuminate the path to excellence in education.

Coconino County Superintendent of Schools Cheryl Mango-Paget proudly announces the recipients of the 2024 awards:

Teacher of the Year:  Jeremiah Smith of Coconino High School
Rookie Teacher of the Year:   Emily Cartwright of Eva Marshall Magnet Elementary School
Lifetime Achievement Awardees:  Jeanne Crookston of Fredonia Elementary School District and Dr. Rick McEnaney of Flagstaff High School

2024 STEM Celebration at Fort Tuthill Fairgrounds to be held on April 27 come rain or shine

FLAGSTAFF — Come rain or shine, the 2024 Annual Community STEM Celebration will be held from 1 to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 24, 2024 at the Fort Tuthill Fairgrounds.

Flagstaff STEM City invites everyone to join in this FREE celebration of knowledge, innovation, and community collaboration featuring both indoor and outdoor exhibits.

The STEM Celebration offers Flagstaff residents a chance to explore the dynamic world of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). This day will be full of hands-on activities, engaging demonstrations, and insightful conversations. At this event, attendees should expect to be introduced to STEM as potential for educational opportunities and viable career paths.

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: April 22-26, 2024

Beginning this week, fire managers from the Kaibab National Forest are planning to begin ignitions for prescribed fire treatments. Exact ignition dates are unknown at this time as burning is dependent upon daily weather conditions.

One treatment area includes the Tusayan Ranger District and the Blue Stem Rx, totaling 2,724 acres located east of Forest Road 311 and approximately 16 miles southeast of the Town of Tusayan. During this burn Russell Tank will be inaccessible and approximately 4.5 miles of the Arizona Trail will be rerouted.

For more information on this unit and the other treatment areas planned for this spring, please visit the Kaibab National Forest’s website.

Coconino National Forest prescribed fire projects slated to begin week of April 29

FLAGSTAFF  — The Coconino National Forest will begin conducting prescribed fire on two of its three districts next week should wind and weather conditions allow.

Fire managers plan to begin a variety of projects across both the Flagstaff Ranger District (FRD) and the Mogollon Rim Ranger District (MRRD) starting the week of April 29.

“We’re looking forward to another great season of using prescribed fire to restore our local landscape and safeguard our communities,” said Coconino National Forest Fire Staff Officer Jason Clawson. “The work we’re doing now helps prevent the risk of catastrophic and unexpected wildfire during our hottest, driest and windiest months.”

Sedona Arts Center — Experience Art in the Wild!

DON’T MISS THESE UPCOMING
FIELD EXPEDITIONS

Field Expeditions are created around the idea of a perfect match between an artist, a special place and the best season to explore that location. We work with local resources and providers to create an exclusive one-of-a-kind experience for participating artists/students. Field Expeditions are designed with expert instruction and support staff. There is no replacement for experiencing life directly with great instruction in a unique location!