Author: Tommy

Verde Valley News – Zachary, Hannah and Spencer Shumway have something in common that’s as priceless as biological kinship. The siblings, all Yavapai College nursing students, share a desire to ease the suffering of people whose lives are upended by illness or injury. The brothers and sister found their way to nursing school at different stages in their lives, Zachary and Hannah after pursuing other careers, but all out of compassion for others. Evidently the healing gene runs in the family. The Shumway siblings –reunited for the first time in weeks for a joint interview and all wearing signature YC…

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Sedona News – The Sedona Heritage Museum is excited to announce the return of their popular Oak Creek Canyon guided history tours.  An extra day has been added to the Tour this year, and the dates are April 30-May 4. Tour attendees will enjoy a ride in a coach up and down Oak Creek Canyon, led by a Sedona Heritage Museum guide, and stopping at historical sites scattered throughout the Canyon.  Roughly 20 historic sites are included on the Tour.  Some of the sites will be pointed out from the coach while others will invite attendees to exit the coach…

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… the beauty of earth at sunset is readily available from my front door … travel is not necessary and the beauty is beyond belief; regardless of where we live such grandiloquence is there for us to view at home. The sky soon darkened, but I had preserved a memory of beauty that artists paint and poets give life to with words … Below is an image of rocks about 150′ up from the ground on the side of the cliff where I shoot the red tail hawks in the loop area … no hand has touched these rocks other…

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Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the Northern Arizona premiere of “La Chimera” showing April 26-May 2 at the Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatre. Josh O’Connor and Isabella Rossellini star in the acclaimed new film “LaChimera”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkIC8YI9-eU After the death of the love of his life, English archaeologist Arthur (Josh O’Connor) is desperate to find the mythical door to the afterlife — but to do so, he must team up with a network of tomb raiders who break into ancient tombs in search of archaeological wonders to sell on the black market. Everyone has their own…

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Arizona News – Arizona is launching a program through which drivers on the autism spectrum can place their credentials in special blue envelopes to enhance communication with law enforcement officers during traffic stops. This voluntary program, which includes education for law enforcement officers, follows a model used successfully in Connecticut. The envelope will have instructions for the driver and law enforcement officer to follow and advise the officer that the driver may respond differently to instructions in situations that can increase anxiety. To provide the necessary groundwork and training, the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division is partnering with…

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Arizona News – Having helped fund the educational goals for nearly 100 Arizonans over the last four years, the Fiesta Bowl Organization and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona have again partnered to provide the Empowering Diversity Scholarship ahead of the 2024-25 school year. The Empowering Diversity Scholarship presented by Fiesta Bowl and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona supports the dreams of Arizona minorities in their educational journeys, as part of the organizations’ commitment to diversity, equity & inclusion. The financial commitment from both partners ensures that applicants have the opportunity to further their education, no matter their cultural…

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Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to partner with award-winning surround sound composer and producer Koz Mraz for a Surround Sound Music Experience, featuring The Eagles, on Thursday, April 25 at 7 p.m. at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre. Experience “The Eagles: Hell Freezes Over” in a surround sound experience that will blow you away in 5.1 surround sound in Sedona’s best sound system. After a 14-year hiatus, the Eagles performed live for the first time in April 1994 at Warner Brothers film studio in Burbank. Recorded and mixed in 5.1 Surround by engineer extraordinaire Elliot…

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Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to partner with Chamber Music Sedona for a special encore of “The Secret Song” and “The Last Repair Shop” in celebration of the Chamber Music Season on Thursday, April 25 at 4 p.m. at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre. THE SECRET SONG “The Secret Song” won the Marion Herrman Award for Excellence in Filmmaking at the 2023 Sedona International Film Festival. “The Secret Song” chronicles the final months of Doug Goodkin’s fabled 45-year career teaching music to children in San Francisco. Goodkin’s time-tested methods are thrown into disarray as the…

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Sedona News – The Government Finance Officers Association (GFOA) has awarded the city of Sedona the Distinguished Budget Presentation Award for the city’s fiscal year 2024 budget. This is the eleventh year the city has received this award.  In conjunction with the award for the city’s fiscal year 2024 budget, the city has also received special recognition for discussions in the budget related to strategic goals and strategies. The award represents a significant achievement by the city. It reflects the commitment of the city council and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting. To receive the budget award,…

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Verde Valley News – The Yavapai County Detention Center (YCDC), in collaboration with Prison  Families Alliance (PFA) is pleased to announce the launch of in-person support meetings for families who have incarcerated loved ones. The first family support meeting was held on February 1st, 2024, and by the number of hugs, tears, laughter, and stories shared amongst the group, it was a success!  The goal of these gatherings is to offer a welcoming environment where families can connect with others who are facing similar circumstances in having a loved one in incarceration.  Creating a space for peer support that fosters…

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… there is such beauty in life and in every life form … in the photo above an egret is taking off from the rock in the lower left corner of the photograph and it is about ten feet above the water level. The egrets’ legs are done giving the initial force to lift him into flight and the wings are being forced downward to keep the initial momentum going … the curvature of the wings and the positioning of every feather has purpose … and we get to witness this beauty whenever we take the time to do so.…

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Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present Stand-Up Comedy Night live onstage at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre on Sunday, April 21 at 7 p.m. The show will feature headliner Claude Stuart with Brian Kohatsu opening the evening. CLAUDE STUART From packing comedy venues across the globe to regular television appearances on shows like “The Tonight Show” and “Last Comic Standing”, veteran comedian  and popular Dry Bar comic Claude Stuart has come a long way from his down-home southern roots. His explosive, in-your-face, rapid-fire, madman stage style is truly an exhilarating assault on the senses…

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Verde Valley News – On the heels of earning the top spot in the Arizona region last month, the Yavapai College chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa (PTK) international honor society has earned a No. 5 ranking nationally, as well as five additional national awards. The announcement of the fifth-place national ranking out of 1,290 chapters nationwide, “speaks volumes about our students’ dedication, hard work and exceptional leadership,” said Denise Woolsey, YC PTK chapter advisor. She and four PTK officers and members were on hand to accept the award during the PTK national conference known as “Catalyst’ earlier this month…

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Sedona News – Every Friday evening from 5:00 to 8:00 p.m. in May, the city of Sedona’s Parks and Recreation Department will host the Red Dirt Concert Series at the Posse Grounds Pavilion at 525 Posse Grounds Rd., featuring a wide variety of musical acts. The 2024 Spring Series will feature: Friday, May 3 – Well Dressed Wolves, with opener Moon Tsunami Friday, May 10 – Foxy Koshka, with opener Craig Yarbrough Friday, May 17 – The Swamp Poets, with opener Jack OC & The Alien Friday, May 24 – The Storytellers, with opener Banjo Joe & Danielle Friday, May…

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Arizona News – Building and maintaining Arizona’s vast highway system isn’t an easy job, and to do it, Arizona Department of Transportation crews spend a lot of time near traffic as it rushes by. That closeness to oncoming traffic can come with serious safety risks when motorists speed through work zones or choose to drive dangerously. That’s why during this year’s Work Zone Awareness Week, ADOT is calling on motorists to be patient and alert when driving through work zones so everyone can get home safely. The theme of this year’s Work Zone Awareness Week, which runs April 15-19, is…

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