… Spring is construction time for those feathered friends whose nest did not survive the year and these nests are either constructed or repaired twig by twig … and the great egret above is carrying one such small branch back to the construction site. Nothing good comes easy in this life and all we need to do is look around us at the enormous effort creatures everywhere put into their lives. Below the daily search for food is on display as the paths of a great egret and a snowy egret cross in the very shallow waters of a bay…
Author: Tommy
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Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the Northern Arizona premiere of “Tori and Lokita” showing April 28-May 3 at the Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatre. From two-time Palme d’Or winners Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne (“Two Days, One Night”) comes the story of seventeen-year-old Lokita and twelve-year-old Tori (in remarkable debut performances from Pablo Schils and Joely Mbundu), two immigrants — from Benin and Cameroon, respectively — struggling for survival on the margins of society. The inseparable pair work as performers in a cheap trattoria, dealing drugs on the side for the restaurant’s abusive cook, while balancing…
Flagstaff News – On Saturday and Sunday June 3rd and 4th the fourteenth annual Flagstaff Hullabaloo returns to Wheeler Park in downtown Flagstaff, AZ. Hullabaloo is a community festival and a celebration of summertime. Hullabaloo has been voted “Best Annual Event or Festival” ten times by Arizona Daily Sun and Flagstaff Live readers. Flagstaff Hullabaloo has raised over $150,000 for local non-profits since 2010. This year Hullabaloo will raise funds for Habitat for Humanity of Northern Arizona, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flagstaff and Flagstaff Shelter Services. The Hullabaloo will kick off with the Flagstaff Athletic Club Bike Parade which stages at…
Sedona News – The Mary D. Fisher Theatre is honored to be the home for the Met Live Opera programs for the 2022-2023 season, presented by the Sedona International Film Festival. The season continues with Terence Blanchard’s “Champion” live via simulcast on Saturday, April 29 at 10 a.m. and the encore presentation on Wednesday, May 3 at 3 p.m. Plan to come early as Russ Fox will lead a pre-opera talk one hour before the LIVE production on Saturday. Six-time Grammy Award–winning composer Terence Blanchard brings his first opera to the Met after his “Fire Shut Up in My Bones”…
By Tommy Acosta Sedona, AZ — We see them all around town: loitering outside the entrances and exits of supermarket parking lots, at the intersections of busy corners, holding signs up, and panhandling for handouts. Many are scruffy, carrying their home in their backpacks, walking their dogs along S.R. 89A, carrying guitars and other musical instruments. They are homeless, most definitely unemployed, each having come to Sedona for one reason or another and following some dream. They gather on corners, groups of them, trading stories, just hanging out, perhaps getting high, mingling, and laughing. During the day, they beg. At…
By Guest Columnist Donna Joy Sedona, AZ — With all the many news articles and posting going around Sedona, it is time to slow it down and think it through. Research proves many of these are opinion based, not factual pertaining to the Sedona Chamber and the City of Sedona. Headlines such as “Sedona must repeal the 0.5% bed tax if no plans to spend on marketing” have created knee-jerk emotional reactions. There are different sources of these types of headlines feeding the misinformation campaign. For any of you who know me, I’m not too fond of confusion, details matter, and…
Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the Sedona debut of the powerful, life-affirming and uplifting “Every Brilliant Thing” — a live theatrical production starring Michael Doherty — on Saturday and Sunday, April 29 and 30 at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre, sponsored by Health First Foundation Northern Arizona. “Every Brilliant Thing” — by Duncan Macmillan with Jonny Donahoe — is an award-winning, one-person play that The Guardian calls “heart-wrenching and hilarious … one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see about depression — and possibly one of the funniest plays you’ll ever see!” Could…
Sedona News – Hikers on certain Red Rock trails during the week of April 10th had an opportunity to watch the lights-camera-action of a professional film crew creating a documentary on the work of the Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund. The Los Angeles-based film crew and an international marketing firm are creating short documentary-style showcase pieces on inspirational land stewardship work being accomplished with volunteers. The final piece will explain the unique partnership between US Forest Service, Red Rock Trail Fund and Friends of the Forest that supports the demanding maintenance needs of the remarkable 400-mile system of non-motorized trails. …
Verde Valley News – The Verde Valley Sinfonietta is pleased to announce the appointment of its next Artistic Director and Conductor, Janna Hymes. Ms. Hymes was chosen from four superb finalists in Sinfonietta’s season-long search for a new music director. She was chosen from an original field of 99 candidates who initially applied for the position. Her April 2nd performance with the Sinfonietta in Sedona included rousing performances of the Saint-Saens 1st cello concerto with guest soloist Sterling Elliott, and Beethoven’s 7th Symphony. The Sinfonietta’s 8-member search committee, comprised equally of orchestral musicians and board members, selected Hymes after considering…
… a little east of Page Springs at 5304 feet above mean sea level and Page Springs is at 3514 feet above mean sea level, so we’re about 1800 feet above the ground and looking over the Page Springs area … this is where a lot of my wildlife photos are from. Looking from the bottom to the top of the photo we have Oak Creek flowing through the photo inside the green ribbon that is coming at us. Above the green ribbon there is a triangle peak on the horizon and that is Bill Williams Mountain (the first volcano…
Sedona News – Musicians Anthony Mazzella, Peter Sterling and John Dumas will be teaming up for a concert of beautiful music inspired by the legend of Kokopelli. The show is on Earth Day Saturday April 22 at the Mary Fisher Theatre in Sedona. The concert will consist of flute, guitar and harp and the music will be extraordinary! The legend of Kokopelli represents different things to different people and is a fun and interesting topic to research. In the context of this concert, Kokopelli represents the musical spirit of Sedona. ANTHONY MAZELLA Guitar Wizard Anthony Mazzella began studying music on…
Letter to the Editor Sedona, AZ –Despite attempting to gather concrete information from multiple sources on what the City of Sedona has done in response to Martin v. Boise, I have only found one City Council meeting on September 27, 2022 that addresses the relevant ordinance 9.10.010. During the meeting, the issue is explained thoroughly, with many references to further discussion. Whether there has been further discussion or not, the ordinance remains unchanged and continues to be enforced. I have spoken with several people who recently received a warning. After one warning, a person may be arrested. Despite the Supreme Court’s…
Sedona, AZ- The Sedona-Oak Creek Airport Authority announces the start of improvement projects for 2023 on the Sedona Airport. The $1,461,608 project includes rehabilitation of the entire taxiway system as well as crack sealing, seal coating, and remarking of the airport’s runway. Work is expected to begin in mid-May and take approximately three weeks to complete. Airport Manager, Ed Rose, stated: “Safety is always our primary objective. This project, grant funded by ADOT with monies attained from aviation user fees, repairs and maintains critical infrastructure for local pennies on the dollar. The Sedona-Oak Creek Airport Authority provides the matching funds…
… an Osprey came through this evening and gave his ringing endorsement of the Sedona Rainbow Trout Farm … please check out that beautiful Rainbow Trout in his talons as the Osprey is doing takeout! You can do it too, but humans have to pay 🙂 The birds of prey do stop in at various times of day, so if you make the trek up there for fine dining yourself, you may get to watch these beautiful creatures come in too. A Double Crested Cormorant is showing off in formal attire and wondering if he should make the trip north to join…
Sedona News – Celebrate the movies with “Legendary Cinema Songs” — a solo concert with Sedona-renowned Paolo Scardina, acclaimed singer, songwriter, composer and pianist — live on stage, performing treasured songs from famous films at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre on Sunday, April 23. Enjoy this extraordinary collection of songs from famous films spanning the decades. Don’t miss songs like Three Coins in a Fountain and Music of the Night. Hear the musical creations by composers like Stephen Sondheim, Cole Porter, Duke Ellington, and Irving Berlin. Reminisce about great shows like Phantom of the Opera and Cabaret. Be reminded of…