Sedona News – The Verde Valley Sanctuary Board of Directors is pleased to announce that Jessye Johnson has taken the helm as the organization’s Executive Director. Jessye has a rich history of serving children, families, and survivors of domestic and sexual violence as a seasoned nonprofit leader with deep roots in Arizona. Jessye has over two decades of experience within the violence against women movement, with the last ten (10) years as an executive leader for local and statewide nonprofit organizations. Throughout her career she has assisted in the passage of critical legislation to help survivors of domestic and sexual…
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Verde Valley News – Approximately 5 miles of Mt Elden Road will be closed May 4 till July 1 for construction associated with reducing sediment flooding from the Museum Fire and in order to keep the public safe during heavy construction activities. This temporary closure prohibits motorized vehicles, pedestrians, and cyclists from using the Elden Lookout Road (Forest Road 557) and Trail #153 (Rocky Ridge Trail) in the closed portions identified in the order and map. Those exempt from this temporary closure include participants with the Cocodona 250 Race, which was coordinated and planned well before this closure order was developed.…
Sedona News – The 2022 fire season has begun early in Northern Arizona, as the Crooks Fire near Prescott and the Tunnel Fire near Flagstaff have unfortunately shown. On Thursday May 26 from 10:00 – 11:30 the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) will host a community conversation to discuss how the Verde Valley can best prepare for fire season. The session will take place in Room 34 at Yavapai College, 4215 Arts Village Drive in West Sedona. The session is free and open to the public. During this panel discussion, attendees will learn about the current threat of wildland fire…
… slipping into the wild and experiencing the wildlife in their natural habitat is life changing and will always keep you coming back … and when you are away from it for a while, gazing at photos of it will satisfy, until once again you can return to the real life. The Bald Eagle is crossing a quiet bay as he searches for food and a Great Blue Heron is on his way to another location on the lake where the fish will be more plentiful than it was here. Another beautiful day and a great deal learned, but still…
Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the charming new drama “Haute Couture” showing May 13-18 at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre. “Haute Couture” is a charming drama that takes viewers inside the House of Dior for a fascinating look at the world of high fashion, told through the stories of two women: Esther (legendary French icon Nathalie Baye) and Jade (rising star Lyna Khoudri). Esther is at the end of her career as Head Seamstress at Dior Avenue Montaigne workshop. One day, she gets her handbag stolen in the metro by a 20 years…
By Amaya Gayle Gregory It’s a story you tell yourself, you know the one that you are broken. It isn’t true. It couldn’t be true for you are the whole enchilada. Love that — the idea of the cosmos (within without around and through) as infinite layers of tortillas, dripping with melting cheeses, polka dotted with ripe olives and smothered in yummy red sauce and dollops of guacamole. It as good a story as any, at least as good as the idea that we could be broken, that we are works in progress, that something needs to change and then…
Verde Valley News – Health First Foundation Northern Arizona is among the first organizations nationwide to be recognized as a Healthy People 2030 Champion by the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Health First Foundation is part of a growing network of public and private organizations partnering with ODPHP to improve health and well-being at local, state and tribal levels. As a Healthy People 2030 Champion, Health First has demonstrated a commitment to helping achieve the Healthy People 2030 vision of a society where all people can reach their full…
Sedona News – The Rotary Club of Sedona Village held the 3rd annual Grocery Grab shopping spree on Saturday, April 23 at Clark’s Market. The Rotary Club of Sedona Village members sold tickets to friends, neighbors, and supporters for one month leading up to the shopping spree. The winner was chosen at the annual plant & seed sale held in the community garden on Saturday, April 16. The winner of the shopping spree this year was the Verde Valley Sanctuary. Shoppers representing the Verde Valley Sanctuary were able to choose items to treat the many children they are serving through…
Verde Valley News – Effective Thursday, May 5 the following agencies will implement campfire and smoking restrictions: Coconino, Kaibab [Williams and Tusayan Ranger Districts], Prescott, Tonto and Apache-Sitgreaves National Forests; Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Phoenix and Colorado River Districts; Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management as it relates to state trust lands in Coconino County south of the Grand Canyon, Mohave, La Paz, Yavapai, Yuma, Maricopa, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, Apache and Navajo counties. Beginning May 5, 2022, and until rescinded, the following are prohibited: Building, maintaining, attending or using a fire, campfire, charcoal, coal or wood stove fire,…
Verde Valley News – El Valle Artist Association Artist of the Month for April is Cathy Demko, for her original oil painting of a white bird. When Cathy Demko discovered her talent for painting, she knew it was what she was meant to do. Multitalented, she paints in every medium and has shown in galleries from Carmel, California to the Florida Everglades and in various professional publications including Western Art and Architecture and Phoenix Home and Garden, and Naples Magazine. Her art has been a 40 year adventure and Cathy claims “Every day is a new beginning, my motivation for…
… the other day friends walked by home, walking a beautiful little lady named Misha … they are taking care of their sons dog for a few weeks and what a beautiful creature she is. I took more than a hundred shots of her against various backdrops including a few when they first arrived as is captured below by Peter as I was taking the first shots. One is perched on top of the barbecue with bored disinterest on full display … not sure what breed Misha is, but those blue eyes are absolutely amazing. Lots of work organizing and…
Verde Valley News – From May 19 through June 21, 2022, the ‘Tis Art Center and Gallery in historic downtown Prescott will present “Journeys in Spirit 2022”: Traditional and Contemporary Native Art. Produced in partnership with the Museum of Indigenous People, with additional support from the City of Prescott and the Prescott Area Arts and Humanities Council, this fascinating exhibit will showcase the artwork, culture and stories of a diverse group of Native artists. Attendees will have a chance to meet the artists during Prescott’s 4th Friday Art Walk, on May 27 from 5-7 p.m. From the rock paintings and carvings of…
Sedona News – The Sedona Historical Society is hosting a free open house so the entire community can participate in celebration of their 40th anniversary of “Saving History & Making History”. Set for Saturday, May 14 from 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., the free event will have old-time fun, food, entertainment and activities for everyone. This will be a day for locals and visitors to experience the Society’s Sedona Heritage Museum and have some hands-on experiences. A full schedule of these activities begins at 11 a.m. with a brief ceremony of recognition of Society past presidents and introduction of pioneer…
Verde Valley News – A Forest Service Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) team began surveying the fire-affected areas within the Tunnel Fire perimeter this past Saturday. BAER team assessments are rapid evaluations of post-fire conditions of the burned landscape. These assessments determine the level of risk from potential flooding and debris flow, and calculate how these risks will affect both human safety and the natural and cultural resources in the area. The Tunnel Fire BAER team, led by Forest Service Hydrologist Brendan Waterman, will conduct field surveys, and use science-based models to rapidly evaluate and assess the burned area. BAER is an…
Sedona News – Red Earth Theatre brings live theatre to the Patio de las Campanas at Tlaquepaque on Wednesday, May 18th at 7pm with an evening of 10-minute plays by five different playwrights from all over the country. Swimming with Giants by Liz Kerlin is read by Michael Gallagher and Abigail Heydorn with Zayne Hirsch. A Chihuahua is desperate to be useful at the beach. Liz is an artist and non-profit administrator working in Kansas City, MO. This 10-minute play piece was originally featured in the Women on Stage playwrighting festival in 2019. Prescott author Melanie Ewbank wrote Old School which is read…