Sedona, AZ & Jasło, Poland — A unique international photography exhibition “Sedona Through the Lens”, that explores the breathtaking landscapes and vibrant cultural heritage of Sedona, will debut in Poland this summer as part of the expanding Jasło–Sedona Sister Cities friendship. The project was proposed by Edyta Wieczorek, Chair of the Jasło Sister Cities Committee, and curated by Linda Goldenstein, longtime Sedona arts advocate, as a creative way to promote mutual understanding and artistic connection between the two communities. The first exhibition will be held August 24–31, 2025, in Jasło’s Main Square, where twenty striking images will be presented in…
Author: Tommy
Northern Arizona Healthcare (NAH) has released its 2030 Strategic Plan to guide the organization’s work. NAH created this set of goals and priorities after nearly two years of listening to more than 4,000 people in the region, including community members, patients, colleagues and providers, to understand the region’s needs. The listening sessions were incredibly useful, as consistent themes emerged from all of the people with whom we connected. We shared those themes with the NAH Board of Directors, which spent months revising the themes into a set of strategic imperatives to guide our work. From 2025 to 2030, NAH will: 1) Put…
Sedona, AZ — The Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley, located at 100 Meadowlark Drive off Route 179 in Sedona, is a welcoming, egalitarian, inclusive congregation dedicated to building a link from the past to the future by providing religious, educational, social and cultural experiences. The JCSVV offers soul-enriching services, programs, and classes, all listed on the synagogue website, jcsvv.org. Office telephone: 928 204-1286. Visitors are welcome to attend services after a security check. Those who cannot attend in person can access the service through zoom. Rabbi Magal will lead Friday evening services on August 15 which will begin at 5:30…
By David Stephen — The theme for the [August, 9] 2025 International Day of the World’s Indigenous People was Indigenous Peoples and AI: Defending Rights, Shaping Futures. On July 29, 2025, OpenAI introduced study mode. A new way to learn in ChatGPT that offers step by step guidance instead of quick answers. Google [August 6, 2025] is providing $1 billion to support AI education and job training programs and research in the U.S. Why is it unlikely for an individual to know everything about an area of medicine in 2 weeks? Just the knowledge, without practical, as much as a resident, in that timeframe? Assuming…
Five Reasons to Love Sedona’s Summer “Ghost Town” Vibe By Tommy Acosta — Everyone is wondering what the heck has happened to our tourists and visitors this summer season. Some are saying this has been the lowest tourist season in recent memory. Streets are empty. Parking lots are vacant. Restaurants and lodging are down by 40 points or more. Uptown is a ghost town. Some say it’s because of the heat. Others blame the instability in the world; airplanes crashing into each other, the mass shootings almost every day. People being attacked and beat up by gangs of young thugs…
By Bear Howard — Part one: The Deportation Fantasy: Why America Can’t Arrest Its Way Out of Immigration Sedona, AZ — In 2025, the United States stands on the cusp of one of the most ambitious—and in many ways absurd—law enforcement undertakings in its modern history. The stated goal of some in power is simple in theory, yet staggering in practice: to identify, arrest, detain, adjudicate, and deport millions of undocumented immigrants already living and working in the country. On the surface, it’s pitched as a clean, decisive solution—a single sweep of the broom to “restore order.” But beneath that…
Sedona’s Sole Adults-Only Retreat Elevates the Independent Getaway with Wellness, Privacy and Desert Luxury SEDONA, Ariz – As solo travel continues to surge in popularity, Ambiente, Arizona’s only Two MICHELIN Key property and North America’s first landscape hotel, is emerging as the destination of choice for discerning travelers seeking solitude, self-care and soul-stirring scenery. Driven by a rising desire for self-exploration, personal growth and untethered freedom, solo travel has become one of 2025’s most defining travel movements, especially among women, millennials and wellness-seekers. Tucked into the dramatic red rock terrain of Sedona, Ambiente is a high-desert hideaway that feels worlds away from…
Verde Valley, Ariz. – Northern Arizona Healthcare (NAH) announced that Sharita Nagaraj, MD, has joined Verde Valley Medical Center (VVMC). Dr. Nagaraj is a surgeon who specializes in general surgery, breast surgery and endoscopy. Dr. Nagaraj has a decade of experience treating a variety of conditions including breast disease, hernias, gallbladders, intestinal problems, and skin and soft tissue lesions such as cysts and lipomas. Her practice also comprises routine endoscopic screening for colorectal cancer, which is recommended for all patients starting at 45 years old. Dr. Nagaraj will be working alongside NAH breast surgeon Kate Preston, MD, at the Sedona Breast…
• Friday, August 15, 9:30 am – 11:00 am Sedona, AZ — The Democrats of the Red Rocks (DORR) host “Artificial Intelligence: What Is It and Why Do We Care?” with Dottie Schindlinger, Executive Director of Diligent Institute, and Peter Paccone, nationally acclaimed high school social studies teacher, at 9:30 am on Friday, August 15th at the Sedona Community Center, 2615 Melody Lane in West Sedona, and on zoom. Artificial Intelligence (AI) has become part of our world. Dottie Schindlinger and Peter Paccone will explain AI, how it’s shaping our world today, and what’s coming next. Dottie Schindlinger is Executive Director of Diligent Institute, co-author of Governance in the Digital Age:…
By David Stephen Sedona AZ — How much does an individual know about something and how many problems about that thing can the individual solve? It is possible that the more someone knows about something the likelier it is to solve problems around that thing. This indicates that intelligence means how to use what is known. Or, if something is in memory, or in a location in the brain, how it is used [or how relays proceed] means intelligence. How much can an individual know about everything and how much of every problem can an individual solve? There are several…
Sedona, AZ — The Sedona Heritage Museum’s annual Arts & Crafts Fair returns on Saturday, October 11, 2025, from 9 am to 3 pm. The event is held at the Sedona Heritage Museum, located at 735 Jordan Road in Uptown Sedona. The Museum has several openings for vendors to participate in this year’s event. Spaces are outdoors, measure 10 feet by 10 feet, and the fee is $35. Vendors must provide their own shade and displays. The Museum will provide the space and two chairs. Priority is given to vendors who are locally and regionally based and who sell handmade…
SEDONA, Ariz. – The city welcomes applications for the 2025 Citizens Academy, where participants will not only receive a holistic understanding of how local government functions but also learn about how the city is tackling community topics like workforce housing, transit, traffic and more. With presentations from City Council and each of the city departments, the academy is a free, nine-session program held from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Mondays, Sept. 22, 2025 to Nov. 17, 2025 in the Vultee Conference Room at City Hall, located at 102 Roadrunner Dr. In addition to the nine sessions, there will also be…
PHOENIX—The Arizona Community Foundation (ACF) and its donors are pleased to announce grant and scholarship distributions for the first quarter of its fiscal year. Between April 1 and June 30, 2025, a total of $36,874,565 was awarded from funds of the Arizona Community Foundation and its six statewide regional offices in Cochise, Flagstaff, the Gila Valley, Sedona, Yavapai County, and Yuma. This year’s grant and scholarship distributions significantly surpass the previous year’s first quarter, adding $11 million in impact.ACF and its donors distributed more than $36.8 million across 1,672 grants. Both foundation-directed and donor-advised grants and scholarships were awarded in five…
SEDONA, AZ – Professional photographer Michael Knapstein will present at the meeting of the Sedona Camera Club starting at 6 p.m. on Monday, August 25th, at the Christ Lutheran Church, 25 Chapel Rd, Sedona. Doors open at 5:30. A Wisconsin-based fine-art photographer, Michael will give a virtual presentation which will provide something of interest for all photographers, from beginners to seasoned professionals. Michael will share work from several portfolios of images from the American Midwest that have won national and international accolades and been exhibited in 23 countries around the world. He will discuss some of the many markets available…
Sedona, AZ — Yavapai County Attorney Dennis McGrane announced on August 4, 2025, that some members of his office have recently received prestigious office and statewide awards. County Attorney McGrane stated, “I would like to congratulate all of this year’s recipients on their well-deserved awards. The accomplishments of this Office are firmly founded in my staff’s hard work, dedication, professionalism and love for Yavapai County. These awards help to shine some well-deserved light on the invaluable and important work that the hard-working employees of the Yavapai County Attorney’s Office do every day.” Marie Higgins was awarded the statewide Victim Advocate…