Sedona AZ (December 17, 2021) – The city of Sedona encourages residents to apply for the Budget Work Group to serve as a citizen sounding board throughout the upcoming annual budget process. More specifically, the group of up to nine volunteers will meet no more than four times in February on the following topics: First, city staff will give a high-level explanation of the budget, followed by facilitation of a meaningful discussion where city staff asks what changes to programs and services need to be made and what community issues with budget implications need to be addressed. Second, the work group will make recommendations on the additional major budget requests staff prepares for the coming year’s budget.…
Author: Tommy
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By Ted Grussing … however much I enjoy shooting all creatures and especially those with wings I keep returning to raptors … birds of prey. These are a couple of shots I recently took of Leroy a Harris’s Hawk which is among the birds that Michele of International Raptors and Falconry flies. The top photograph was taken as Leroy was leaving his perch in a juniper tree and entering flight … the photo below is Leroy in action, flying low over the prairie in search of prey and rabbits are a favorite. It was a beautiful day in Flagstaff today, snow on…
Sedona AZ (December 16, 2021) – The Mary D. Fisher Theatre is proud to present the acclaimed new drama “The Lost Daughter” showing for a limited time: Dec. 26-30. “The Lost Daughter” is nominated for two Golden Globe Awards: Best Actress in a Motion Picture Drama for Olivia Colman and Best Director for Maggie Gyllenhaal. The film is rated as one of the best films of 2021 by critics around the world and is Gyllenhaal’s directorial debut, based on the novel by Elena Ferrante. “The Lost Daugher” features an award-winning ensemble cast, including Olivia Coman, Jessie Buckley, Dakota Johnson, Ed…
Flagstaff AZ (December 16, 2021) – The National Park Service is seeking public input on the Draft Backcountry Management Plan and associated environmental assessment (EA) for Wupatki National Monument. The purpose of this Plan is to provide protection and preservation of irreplaceable resources and wilderness character, while establishing long-term direction for public access and experiences to be had in eligible wilderness and other backcountry lands of the Monument. The EA describes two alternatives: a no-action alternative and an action alternative — which has been identified as the NPS preferred alternative. The no-action alternative reflects a continuation of current management practices,…
By Ted Grussing … that tomorrow morning the peaks and Flagstaff area will be a winter wonderland and that the peaks and volcanic cones in the San Francisco Volcanic Field have coats of snow at least as much as these two photos. After snowfalls I always used to fly up there and spend an hour or so shooting them from every angle … once I had to go up through a blue hole and fly at 17,000′ to get above the clouds and make it up there and as promised by a friend there was a large blue hole up…
Sedona AZ (December 15, 2021) – The Coconino National Forest is releasing a Draft Environmental Assessment for the APS Oak Creek to McGuireville 69kV Power Line project and initiating a 30-day comment period beginning today. The APS Oak Creek to McGuireville 69kV Power Line project is a proposal for the authorization of a long-term special use permit to construct, operate, and maintain a 13.7 mile long 69kV power line between the existing Village of Oak Creek substation and the existing McGuireville substation. The purpose of this project is to connect the power grid in the Verde Valley region, which would…
Sedona AZ (December 15, 2021) – In preparation for the 2022 grant application process, the Arizona Community Foundation of Yavapai County will host free virtual grant application workshops. The workshops will equip organizations with information to apply for funding in 2022. Representatives from nonprofits, public schools, government agencies, and tribal entities interested in applying for funding next year must attend one of the three workshops offered to be eligible for funding consideration. The first workshop offered is a full-length session for organizations who have never applied for ACF funding or whose application wasn’t previously successful (i.e. application was not reviewed…
By Ted Grussing … this morning the normal routine was implemented … on my end, it was rolling out well before sunrise, exercises, grab some coffee, camera and out the door. Hook up the boat and down to the lake with friends … launch the boat and begin exploring the lake and the lives of all the creatures who call Lake Pleasant home. It is a transitory place for many as they spend the season here on the fall migration … and permanent for others including the burros, coyotes, cougars and others … the fish who supply the food for…
Flagstaff AZ (December 14, 2021) – Health First Foundation solicits interest in its 2022 Northern Arizona Community Health Grant Cycle, which looks to fund innovative and sustainable nonprofit programs addressing chronic health conditions. Letters of intent are required before grant application and must be submitted by Jan. 14. Health First has delivered up to $1.5 million in grants each year to improve health in the five counties of northern Arizona. Individual grants typically range from $35,000 to $200,000. “Many people in our region have unaddressed diabetes, heart disease, respiratory issues, cancer, dental disease, and obesity,” said Health First President and CEO…
Flagstaff AZ (December 14, 2021) – With the arrival of snow and wet weather, the Flagstaff Ranger District and Mogollon Rim Ranger District of the Coconino National Forest are beginning to close many forest roads for the safety of visitors and to protect forest roads during the winter season. Main forest roads are expected to be closed across much of the forest where snow has fallen, and the closures are expected to begin tomorrow (Dec. 14). Forest Service personnel will be patrolling forest roads starting this afternoon through mid-week to inform forest visitors and swing gates. Each year the Forest…
Cottonwood AZ (December 14, 2021) – ‘Vin de Filles’, an Arizona wine grown, produced and bottled by women was released during its first annual Fund-Raising Party in mid-October at Page Springs Cellars. The group of female volunteers ranged between the ages of 11 and 68. They nurtured two different grape varieties, Malvasia and Syrah since the beginning of the 2020 winegrowing season for their pied-de-cuve co-ferment. Jenelle Bonifield, a professional female photographer photo-documented the journey: pruning, shoot thinning, suckering, leaf pulling, hedging, netting, harvesting, pressing and bottling. Lauren designed the label showing homage to Page Springs Cellars and adding a…
Sedona AZ (December 14, 2021) – The city invites the public to attend its next artist reception on Thursday, Dec. 16, 2021 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers and Vultee Conference Room at City Hall to celebrate some of Sedona’s most seasoned local artists such as Jacque Jordan Jackson, Ruth Holland Waddell and Theodosia Greene, as well as posthumously Dorothy Tanning, Harriet McInnis, Lillian Wilhelm Smith and Ruth Jordan. Special music guest will be Erroll Foldes. Masks are required at the event due to pandemic concerns. This exhibit is on display through Wednesday, Jan. 5, 2022. “After…
By Ted Grussing … memories of two consecutive days in February of 2018 when I flew to and photographed the peaks after a beautiful snowstorm. The photo above was taken early afternoon on the 16th and the view is looking up a ski lift and some runs coming down the ridgeline leading up to Agassiz Peak. The peak is 12,356′ and the shot was taken from 11,520 feet. Most of the Snowbowl runs are to the left side of this shot. The trees were powdered with snow or hoar frost and the entire mountainside sparkled in the sun. If you…
By Tommy Acosta It was a vicious and unexpected kick to the cojones when Covid variant Omicron slammed into world consciousness the day after Thanksgiving. Just when the fully vaccinated figured they had finally achieved a modicum of protection against the killer virus, now we learn that Omicron cherry picks its victims, preying mostly on the fully vaccinated, even those who have taken the booster shoots. What a double cross. What a betrayal by those who pushed the vaccines as the bono-fide protector of life against the previous Covid mutations. It’s just not right. They believed, even when reports came…
By Amaya Gayle Gregory I am what I am. I look how I look. My health is what it is. The people in my life are what they are. Life on this planet is what it is. I do not have access to the wondrous perfection seekers pursue. I have not found something others don’t have. The gazillion things in life come and go, just like always. Everything is in constant movement; nothing is constant. The needle on the scale tends right; the needle fades left. Health improves just in time for a new health crisis to appear. Relationships begin;…