Author: Tommy

By Ted Grussing… a long time ago when the earth was erupting with fire and brimstone, forests were being ravaged and taking on new forms and purposes. Such was the case at a place we now know as Sunset Crater and the trees were scorched, gnarled, and distorted into mystical shapes and became home to spirits and creatures who eternally prowl the landscape looking for prey. High in a wooden cave, One surveils the landscape looking for movement, shadows and shapes that do not belong there and once seen or sensed she will launch her attack … successful, she survives…

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Award-winning climbing film makes Sedona stop on world tourSedona AZ (May 7, 2019) – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to join theaters around the globe in hosting the world tour of “The Dawn Wall” on Thursday, May 16 at 4 and 7 p.m. at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre.In January 2015, American rock climbers Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson captivated the world with their effort to climb The Dawn Wall, a seemingly impossible 3,000-foot rock face in Yosemite National Park, California.The pair lived on the sheer vertical cliff for weeks, igniting a frenzy of global media attention.

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The Stars Come out for the 14th Annual Bob Dylan Birthday Bash at the Old Town Center for the Arts Cottonwood AZ (May 7, 2019) – The Old Town Center for the Arts is pleased to announce the 14th Annual Bob Dylan Birthday Concert on Saturday, May 18th at 7:00 PM.  You’re invited to come and hear some of your favorite Bob Dylan classics,This popular tribute to the music of Bob Dylan is performed annually by some of the best musicians in the Verde Valley area, celebrating the birthday (Bob will be 78 years young) of one of the most…

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Drivers should expect long delays, budget extra travel timeSedona AZ (May 7, 2019) – Those traveling between Interstate 17 and Sedona along State Route 179 will need to plan extra travel time as the highway will be narrowed to one lane between the Red Rock Ranger Station and Chapel Road so Arizona Department of Transportation crews can apply chip seal.Beginning Monday, May 13, crews will restrict SR 179 to one lane in 3-mile segments through the Village of Oak Creek. Drivers moving through the area should expect long delays as each direction of traffic will alternate through the work zone.

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Sedona in Motion Uptown Roadway Improvements construction update of May 6, 2019Sedona AZ (May 7, 2019) – This update provides key dates and a general overview of Uptown construction plans. KEY INFORMATIONConstruction activities begin June 3.Construction work hours will be Monday-Thursday, 5:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., and, if needed, Fridays 5:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.First phase work will occur at Jordan Road to construct a new roundabout. All efforts will be made to complete this work by fall 2019. Two-way traffic on SR 89A will be maintained during the majority of the project.Major construction activities are expected to end by the…

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Sedona AZ (May 7, 2019) – Red Rose helps pet owners spay and neuter animal companions, provides emergency medical services for homeless felines and canines and assists pet owners on a fixed income to get their animal the veterinary care they desperately need.  The focus is reducing the over pet population; preventing felines and canines from potentially being injured, abused or neglected.Red Rose Inspiration For Animals is a local 501c3 nonprofit that supports animal welfare and has been promoting Art Shows in West Sedona since 2009.  The Art Shows help the non-profit generate revenue for the various long term existing…

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Cornville AZ (May 7, 2019) – On Monday May 6th,  at approximately 7:50pm, the Verde Valley Fire District responded to multiple reports of a house on fire off Coyote Trail in Cornville, with smoke visible from Cornville road. On arrival crews found a motorhome and 2 sheds fully involved with the surrounding brush on fire as well. The fire was contained to the immediate area and the home was not damaged. There were no injuries reported by the owners or Firefighters. Cottonwood Fire and Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the call.

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Sedona AZ (May 7, 2019) – The Sedona Heritage Museum will be one of more than 2,000 museums across America to offer free admission to active duty military personnel and their families this summer, including National Guard and Reserve, from May 18, through Labor Day September 2, 2019.This year marks the tenth annual Blue Star Museums, a collaboration among the National Endowment for the Arts, Blue Star Families, and the Department of Defense. A list of participating museums nationwide is available at arts.gov/bluestarmuseums. There is also a Parent Toolkit available to assist parents in preparing their children for a special museum…

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Sedona AZ (May 7, 2019) – The city has cancelled the May 7, 2019, 5:30 p.m. meeting of the Planning and Zoning Commission to avoid confusion that has arisen over two separate, unrelated actions. The agenda for the May 7 meeting included a staff request for a minor amendment to the Sedona Community Plan that would affect the criteria for consideration of further major amendments.  The city has received reports that some residents incorrectly perceived this agenda item as being related to the proposed Serenade Apartments development. While it is true that the proposed Serenade Apartments would require a major plan amendment, the staff request to revise minor amendment criteria is NOT related to the…

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Cornville AZ (May 6, 2019) – On May 5, 2019, around 4:15 PM, a two vehicle collision occurred on Cornville Road near milepost 2.5, Cornville. The collision involved a motorcycle and a van. Witnesses reported seeing the motorcycle rider ejected and thrown some distance. When deputies arrived, a white van towing a cargo trailer was stopped in the west lanes facing west with the driver and only occupant present and uninjured. Just east of the van in the west bound lane, a Honda Valkyrie motorcycle was laying on the roadway with heavy damage.

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By Ted Grussing… for whatever reason going through photos this evening was one of those very uninspired periods of time … “blah” pretty well says it all. I started with photos I took today and worked my way backwards in the year to find something that spoke to me. Nothing really did, but this shot that I took in January came close to it and is one of those moody shots … a cold January day with snow up on the San Francisco Peaks and the Colorado Plateau and light and shadow everywhere.

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World-renowned artists featured in exploration of art, madness and the unconsciousSedona AZ (May 6, 2019) – Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the Northern Arizona premiere of “Art & Mind on Tuesday, May 14 at 4 and 7 p.m. at the festival’s Mary D. Fisher Theatre.“Art & Mind” is a journey into art, madness and the unconscious — an exploration of visionary artists and the creative impulse, from the Flemish Masters of the Renaissance to the avant-garde movement of Surrealism and the unsung geniuses of Art Brut and Outsider Art.

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Clarkdale AZ (May 6, 2019) – The Clarkdale Historical Society and Museum, in partnership with Yavapai College Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) Sedona/Verde Valley, is pleased to present an Arizona Humanities Council-AZ Speaks free community education event on Thursday May 23, titled “Hell-raising, Heroic and Hidden Women of the Old West” by noted author and journalist Jana Bommersbach.The program will be held at 2:00pm in Room M-137 on the Verde Valley Campus of Yavapai College located at 601 Black Hills Drive in Clarkdale.

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Jerome AZ (May 6, 2019) – The Jerome Chamber of Commerce is preparing its yearly exploration of the back streets of this historic mining town with the 54th Annual Home and Building Tour. Save the dates of May 18 – 19, 2019 for a look at some totally renovated gems in the mile-high town. Guests will be driven by shuttle on some very interesting Jerome winding roads that most people have never even noticed.

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Sedona AZ (May 6, 2019) – Since 1949, Mental Health America and organizations across the county have observed May as Mental Health Awareness Month to raise the level of dialog and awareness about mental health issues. In Sedona and the Verde  Valley, the Mental Health Coalition Verde Valley has planned numerous programs for May including the following: 

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