Business, Government, Local, News

Winter holiday closures for Coconino County

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Coconino County’s Administrative Center, Attorney’s Office, Superior Court and Health and Human Services (CCHHS) office and clinic will be closed on Thursday, Dec. 25 and Thursday, Jan. 1 in observance of Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.

On Thursday, Dec. 25, Animal Services will be available for emergency calls only from 7 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. Calls will be dispatched through 911. For non-emergency matters please call 928-679-8756 and leave a message and an Animal Services Officer will return your call the next day. 

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Business, Comentario, Commentary, educacíon, Education, español, Local, Locales, News, noticias

Gina Santi Photography — Image of the Month – December 2025

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Stonehenge is a world-famous prehistoric monument in Wiltshire, England, built around 5,000 years ago, which features strategically arranged standing massive stones in a circular pattern. On the winter solstice, December 21, the sun sets to the southwest, aligning without a glitch with the central axis of the monument, indicating the arrival of the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.

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Business, Education, Finance, Local, News, Youth

Flagstaff Youth Riders (FLYRS) — 10 Years of Impact, One Ride at a Time!

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As FLYRS heads into its 10-year anniversary next year, we’re gearing up for our most impactful season yet—and we need your help to get there. Only about half of our annual budget comes from program fees, which means nearly 50% of our operating costs must be raised each year through donors, sponsors, and grants. This year, 221 youth participated in our school-based programs at no cost, made possible entirely through fundraising. These programs give kids resilience, confidence, mentorship, and a healthy community at a time they need it most. As we approach this milestone year, your support is what keeps these opportunities accessible to every young rider—no matter their family’s financial situation. A donation today strengthens the path into our next decade of impact. We have a goal to reach $15,000 dollars by the end of 2025! We are almost there!

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Business, Government, Local, News

City of Flagstaff holiday closures

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FLAGSTAFF — Flagstaff City Hall and all other non-essential City facilities will be closed to the public on the afternoon of Wednesday, Dec. 24, all day Thursday, Dec. 25 and all-day Thursday, Jan. 1 for the Christmas and New Year holidays. This includes the City’s recreation centers, public libraries, the Visitors’ Center, the Cinder Lake Landfill, the Hazardous Products Center, and the Materials Recovery Facility (Recycling Center). Two exceptions are the Joe C Montoya Community & Senior Center, which will close at 1 p.m. on Dec. 24 and the Jay Lively Activity Center, which will close at 6 p.m. on Dec. 24 and will be open with regular programming and operating hours on Jan. 1.

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Commentary, Cultural, Education, Family, Finance, Government, Local, News, Youth

Office of Indian Education — Biweekly Communication – Last one of 2025!

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This special section highlights the outstanding achievements of Arizona teachers and schools in 2025. These accomplishments reflect not only individual talent but also the collaborative spirit that drives educational success across schools and classrooms serving Native American students. (Note: This is not an exhaustive list and is presented in no particular order. Some achievements may be missing due to reporting timelines or limited availability of information.)

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Business, Commentary, Cultural, Education, Entertainment, Events, Family, Government, Local, News, Youth

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Dec. 15-19, 2025

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Lodging Reopens as Transcanyon Waterline Work Continues

As 2025 comes to a close, overnight lodging on the South Rim has resumed and some water restrictions have eased. This progress comes after park water utility crews successfully completed complex repairs to the existing pipeline and resumed pumping water without identifying additional breaks.

Hotels operated by Xanterra—including El Tovar, Bright Angel Lodge, and Maswik Lodge—as well as Delaware North’s Yavapai Lodge and Trailer Village, are now welcoming overnight guests, with reservations open. While water storage is improving, the park will continue operating under enhanced water conservation measures until storage tanks reach adequate capacity. Dry camping remains in effect, campground spigots are still turned off, and fire restrictions continue across the South Rim and inner canyon.

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Business, Commentary, Cultural, Education, Local, News, Seniors, women, Youth

United Way of Northern Arizona — Turn your Arizona taxes into local impact

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This holiday season, I wanted to take a moment to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our community. Your partnership, collaborative spirit, and generosity are what make northern Arizona so special and why we make this region our home.

I’d also like to invite you to consider a gift to United Way of Northern Arizona that will not only help support our youth and families but also give you a break on your taxes.

There are many ways to give and each has its benefits.

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Education, Government, Local, News, Youth

2026 Teacher of the Year and Rookie Teacher of the Year nominees announced

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COCONINO COUNTY — Superintendent of Schools, Cheryl Mango-Paget, announces 2026 Teacher of the Year and Rookie Teacher of the Year nominees. This year, there are 26 nominees for Teacher of the Year and 15 nominees for Rookie Teacher of the Year.

The Coconino County Teacher of the Year Program is designed to honor and celebrate teacher excellence. The objective is not to designate a singular “best” teacher, but rather to recognize and highlight exceptional teachers who have inspired a passion for learning in their students and have distinguished themselves in their profession.

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Cultural, Education, Family, Food, Government, Health, Local, News, women, Youth

Coconino Coalition for Children & Youth — Time to gather details on your hopes, goals, resolutions for 2026

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COCONINO COUNTY — With 2026 rapidly approaching, we want to find out what hopes, dreams, goals or (if you are willing to share) resolutions you may have for the coming year.

Maybe it’s setting a personal physical or mental health goal? Maybe it’s achieving a family or professional goal? Maybe more vacation travel, carving out more personal time or spending more time with friends and loved ones?

Imagining a world where every person lives in peace and is supported by a thriving, resilient community starts with all of us and your dreams and goals feed back into the collective.

We want to know so we can include your thoughts when our newsletter returns on Wednesday, Jan. 7, 2026, following our two-week newsletter break starting Dec. 17. And please let us know if you want us to share your comments anonymously with all our newsletter subscribers.

Maybe it’s too early to think about setting goals for the coming year. Instead, you can tell us what you are most proud of that you have done in 2025, be it a personal or professional accomplishment. For the Coalition, one of the things we are most proud of is our collaboration with our community partners on a variety of resource events throughout the year. (See photos).

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Business, Government, Local, News, Public Safety

Coconino County and City of Flagstaff announce Violent Offender Program

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COCONINO COUNTY — County Attorney’s Office (CCAO), County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO), and Flagstaff Police Department (FPD) announce the launch of a Violent Offender Program, an initiative to identify, track and respond to individuals who repeatedly engage in violent conduct.

The Violent Offender Program establishes a unified, countywide strategy to ensure violent offenders are recognized early and prosecuted with heightened oversight to prevent further harm.

“Violence in our community requires a proactive, collaborative response,” Coconino County Attorney Ammon Barker said. “The Violent Offender Program strengthens the partnership between our offices and ensures that people who demonstrate a pattern of violence are identified quickly and handled with the seriousness they warrant. Our goal is straightforward, protect the public and prevent future victims.”

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Business, Cultural, Government, Local, News, Seniors, women, Youth

Grand Canyon National Park announces updates to construction schedule for 2026

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GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — Grand Canyon National Park is announcing Transcanyon Waterline (TCWL) construction closure-related work for 2026.

Rockfalls occurred along a section of the River Trail in August, causing a 50-foot section of the trail to collapse and triggered the need for additional assessments and work to rebuild the trail.

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Business, Government, Local, News, women

Flagstaff Senior Deputy City Manager Shannon Anderson credentialed by International City/County Management Association

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FLAGSTAFF — Flagstaff Senior Deputy City Manager Shannon Anderson will receive the Credentialed Manager designation from the International City/County Management Association (ICMA) in January 2026. Anderson joins over 1,300 local government management professionals currently credentialed through the ICMA Voluntary Credentialing Program.

ICMA’s mission is to advance professional local government through leadership, management, innovation, and ethics by increasing the proficiency of appointed chief administrative officers, assistant administrators, and other employees who serve local governments and regional entities around the world.

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Business, Government, Health, Local, News, Seniors, women, Youth

Grand Canyon National Park to reopen South Rim hotels Dec. 17 ahead of holiday season

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GRAND CANYON, Ariz. — Grand Canyon National Park will reopen hotels on the park’s South Rim beginning Wednesday, Dec. 17 and will begin easing some water restrictions. 

Park water utility crews successfully completed complex repairs to the Transcanyon Waterline last week and resumed pumping water without identifying any new breaks. The park will continue to operate under enhanced water restrictions until the water storage tanks have adequate capacity to return to routine water conservation practices. 

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Business, Family, Government, Local, News

Kaibab NF firewood permits available January 5th for Williams and Tusayan and May 1st for North Kaibab Ranger District

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WILLIAMS — The Kaibab National Forest will soon be offering fuelwood permits for the 2026 season. On the Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts, the Forest Service will begin issuing permits January 5, 2026

On the North Kaibab Ranger District only, permit sales and firewood collection will run from May 1 through December 31, 2026.

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Cultural, Entertainment, Events, Family, Local, News, Religion

Flagstaff community holds traditional Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration

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FLAGSTAFF — Early morning temperatures in the low 20s didn’t deter parishioners or supporters of the Our Lady of Guadalupe Celebration held at the historic Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel in Flagstaff on Dec. 12, 2025.

About 100 Luminarias, placed by members of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces, lit the way for the more than 100 churchgoers who took part in the event that included a Rosary led by Sociedades Guadalupanas, a Mañanitas Serenade to Our Lady of Guadalupe, a bilingual mass with a blessing of new new Guadalupana members.

Pan dulce, coffee and Mexican chocolate, served by members of Flagstaff Nuestras Raíces, greeted attendees who went downstairs to the meeting hall in the basement.

The celebration officially began on Dec. 11 when participants met in front of the chapel prior to the traditional procession to San Francisco de Asis Church, which featured a performance by Danza San Francisco de Asis, followed by a Reenactment of the Apparition and Consecration to the Virgin Mary.

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Cultural, Education, Events, Family, Government, Local, News, Seniors, women, Youth

CCC Community Education — Sign up for Jan. and Feb. classes!

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Comet Talk – Finding Santiago: Indians, Immigrants, and the Meaning of Birthright Citizenship

Monday, Jan. 26 | 6 to 7 p.m. | Free

Hear the story of the origins and development of the legal doctrine known as birthright citizenship from the perspective of three unique individuals.

Santiago – Learn more and register!

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Business, Commentary, Cultural, Education, Events, Family, Finance, Government, Health, Local, News, Seniors, women, Youth

United Way of Northern Arizona — Meet the People Driving This Year’s Campaign

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Workplace fundraising is truly the beating heart of our Annual Campaigns, and they simply wouldn’t be possible without the incredible dedication of Workplace Campaign Coordinators. 

These champions inspire their colleagues, organize creative events, and help share the message of what it means to Live United. 

From the government and education sector to businesses of all sizes, their leadership ensures that our community continues to come together to support youth opportunity, healthy communities, and meeting the basic needs of our neighbors in Coconino, Navajo, and Apache counties. 

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Business, Cultural, Entertainment, Events, Local, News

New art projects celebrate Southside history and community in Flagstaff

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FLAGSTAFF — The City of Flagstaff Beautification, Arts & Sciences program has announced the completion of two public art projects at Cleo Murdoch Park and the Murdoch Community Center.

“Rustle,” an 8-foot-high weathering steel artwork located at Cleo Murdoch Park, adjacent to the Murdoch Community Center, was designed by artist Beth Nybeck. The sculpture incorporates words and phrases contributed by the community into its leaf-like form.  Symbolizing both nature and the interconnected stories that define the neighborhood, the artwork celebrates the Southside, its history, and its people.

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Business, Commentary, Cultural, Family, Finance, Government, Local, News

Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) — Working to Streamline Development in Flagstaff

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For the past four years, the city of Flagstaff has been leading transformative work in an attempt to address two City Council-declared emergencies: the critical need for approximately 8,000 more housing units by 2031, while also striving to achieve carbon neutrality by the end of this decade.

Much of the work to address these issues is coming out of the city’s Planning and Development Services Division, led by Director Michelle McNulty in partnership with the Housing and Sustainability Divisions.

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Business, Commentary, Cultural, Education, Entertainment, Events, Family, Food, Government, Local, News, Seniors, women, Youth

Grand Canyon Weekly Wrap-up: Dec. 8-12, 2025

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Good news—Phantom Ranch (reopened Dec. 11)! Crews repaired the damaged section of the Transcanyon Waterline and began pumping water again on December 8. South Rim water tanks are slowly refilling, and if that progress continues, we expect to reopen South Rim lodges in the near future.

All existing water and fire restrictions remain in effect. This includes:

• No overnight lodging inside the park
• Dry camping only (no spigot access at Mather Campground)
• No outdoor wood or charcoal fires
• Continued conservation measures for residents and employees

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Business, Commentary, Cultural, Entertainment, Events, Finance, Local, News, Seniors, women, Youth

Give the Gift of Coconino Center for the Arts

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Give the Gift of CCA This Holiday Season
This year, share the joy of creativity, connection, and community. Whether you’re celebrating a loved one or treating yourself, gifts from Coconino Center for the Arts last far beyond the season. Because the gift of celebrating the arts gives all year long.

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Business, Commentary, Cultural, Education, Events, Finance, Government, Local, News, Public Safety, Seniors, women, Youth

Friends of Flagstaff’s Future (F3) — Council vote on the renewal of controversial Flock camera contract on Dec. 16

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F3 believes that there are too many concerns and questions at this time for the City Council, in good faith, to approve an amended contract with Flock. There is ample evidence around the country of misuse of the data and extremely lax security measures to protect people’s privacy. We will be urging the City Council, as we did prior to the Flock discussion in October, to stand against this type of surveillance, cancel the contract with Flock and remove all cameras leased by the city. Please read our summary of the issue below and consider writing or speaking to the council in opposition.

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Business, Cultural, Entertainment, Events, Finance, Local, News, Seniors, women, Youth

Theatrikos Theater Co. — Help Us Close the Year with a Standing Ovation!

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As 2025 comes to a close, we reflect with deep gratitude on the extraordinary community that keeps Theatrikos Theatre Company thriving. This year, your support fueled bold productions, empowered local artists, and ignited creativity in students across Flagstaff.  Your generosity has been the heartbeat of our success, fueling our passion and determination. As we prepare for another incredible year, we invite you to join us in shaping a vibrant future for our community.

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