By Bear Howard Bear Howard Chronicles Sedona, AZ — In the wake of devastating natural disasters, the true measure of leadership is not found in pointing fingers but in rallying collective efforts to address the crisis. Yet, in the United States, particularly in the aftermath of tragedies like the wildfires in Southern California, Maui, and Northern California, the discourse has often devolved into political blame games. Listen to Narration by AI. The far right, along with some mainstream conservative politicians and pundits, has been quick to use these disasters as an opportunity to vilify Democrats and Californian policies, sidelining the…
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By Amaya Gayle Gregory I wonder … if I hadn’t had the experiences life granted me, who would I be? If instead of adversity I had been given ease, abundance, and love, would I be this version of me? It doesn’t seem so. Looking at a friend’s pictures, a friend who hasn’t seen death, who still is surrounded by all of her loved ones and seems to have more than enough of most everything, it triggered wonder. I love that … when my triggers don’t arise out of fear but curiosity. Had I been her, or if Kenny had lived,…
Camp Verde News – On 01-09-2025 at approximately 0850 hours, Camp Verde Marshals Office Deputies responded to assist Copper Canyon Fire and Medical for a report of male subject involved in an industrial accident that had just occurred near the 700 block of Finnie Flat Road in Camp Verde AZ. The initial investigation revealed that a 59 year old resident of Cottonwood AZ. was working on a large pipeline when the pipe became airborne striking the worker and falling on top of him. Other workers on scene rushed to assist and had to utilize heavy equipment to lift the pipe…
By Sean Dedalus Sedona, AZ — I don’t know what happened to the Publisher of Sedona.Biz, the once moderate and reasonable journalist, Tommy Acosta. Or maybe I do. He must be pulling our leg. In Mr. Acosta’s last Opinion piece, Cauldron of Chaos, Acosta pins together a necklace of current events and concludes we are on the verge of a “cosmic reckoning”. Acosta throws paint on the canvas with each hand slapping the slop on the imagination of the readers. He says in Georgia, a young college student jogging on campus was raped and murdered by Jose Antonio Ibarra, an illegal…
… on another January day not that long ago I was in the air getting shots of the peaks and the lenticular clouds some miles behind it formed by the wave coming off the peaks. Conditions were perfect for the formation of the wave … a stable air mass a few hundred feet above the surface and very high winds aloft. You can see the outrageous plums of snow coming off the peaks … excellent orographic lift in front of the peaks as the mountain bent the wind from horizontal to vertical and as it raced over the top of the peak,…
Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the Sedona encore of the powerful, life-affirming and uplifting “Every Brilliant Thing” — a live theatrical production starring Michael Doherty — on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 18 and 19 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 – Sedona’s newest transit service, Sedona Shuttle Connect, launched at the end of August 2024 and has been getting rave reviews, as residents and visitors discover how easy and economical it is to use. In response to questions raised by the community, we developed a Three-Month Report Card providing details about the service’s first months of operation. It shares performance stats like where riders are going, what it costs and how it is funded. This fall was a breaking-in period for the new service and the technology that enables it. You can use your smartphone to request, track and pay…
Sedona News – The Arizona Community Foundation would like your help in recognizing the outstanding individuals and nonprofit organizations in Sedona and the Verde Valley. Community members are invited to submit a nomination in the following categories: Philanthropist of the Year Nonprofit Organization of the Year Volunteer of the Year Business Benefactor of the Year Community Collaborator of the Year The nomination process is simple. Starting on January 14, visit azfoundation.org/sedona to submit a nomination online and to find out more about the award categories. Nominations must be submitted before 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 14, 2025 to be considered. Awards will…
Camp Verde News – The Town of Camp Verde invites residents to participate in a new Survey designed to gather community input for the upcoming Fiscal Year 2025-2026 Budget. This survey offers an opportunity for residents and those who work in Camp Verde to share their priorities, ideas, and concerns to help guide decisions that will impact the community. “We value our residents’ input and want to ensure their voices are heard in shaping the future of our town,” said Town Manager Miranda Fisher. “The feedback from this survey will play a critical role in determining how resources are allocated…
Arizona News – State Senator Wendy Rogers (R–District 7) has proposed a bill to fund the reopening of the Arizona Historical Society’s Pioneer Museum in Flagstaff. If passed in the upcoming session, S.B. 1017 will allocate funds for museum operations and new positions to staff the museum, which has been largely closed to the public since 2020. First opened in 1963, the Pioneer Museum was until its closure a popular site for museumgoers, attracting and exciting locals and visitors to our state. Despite efforts by Historical Society staff from other locations, the Society has been unable to reopen the museum…
Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to partner with the Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley to present a free screening of “Reckonings” on Monday, Jan. 20 at 4:00 p.m. at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre. https://vimeo.com/672967408?share=copy The only way forward was confronting the past. In the aftermath of the Holocaust, the unprecedented destruction and plight of survivors prompts the unthinkable: German and Jewish leaders meet in secret to grapple with the first reparations ever — compensation for the survivors of the largest mass genocide in history. Survivors were in urgent need of help,…
By Cliff Hamilton Sedona, AZ — Annexing almost 3,500 acres into our city limits brings a major new risk of setting off another round of Forest Service land trades in Sedona. This risk far eclipses the paper thin one of Cottonwood annexing more land toward Sedona or the petty squabble between some City staff and a few Yavapai County employees over building a bus repair facility at the wastewater plant. Based on the Council’s expressed reasons for pursuing annexation, it is akin to using a sledgehammer to swat a fly. Meanwhile the specter of unintended consequences rears its head. “More…
By Rabbi Alicia Magal The JCSVV offers soul-enriching services, programs, and classes, all listed on the synagogue website, jcsvv.org. Visitors are welcome to attend services after a security check. Those who cannot attend in person can access the service through zoom. Erev Shabbat services begin at 5:30 pm on Friday, January 17, 2025, led by Rabbi Alicia Magal. Rabbi Magal will chant from the Torah portion Shemot, (Exodus 1:1 – 6:1), the beginning of the Book of Exodus, introducing us to Moses who will become a future leader of the Israelites who are enslaved by Pharaoh in Egypt. Meditation class, led by Rosalie…
Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival presents the premiere of “Inspirational Mandala Oracle Cards Movie” on Thursday, Jan. 23 at 3:30 and 6:30 p.m. at the Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatre. Today, there are many tools to connect with Higher Wisdom. Popular among them are Tarot cards and various other types of oracle card decks. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sW9907EG8Ec Craig Junjulas — long time Sedona resident and a founder of the Sedona Metaphysical Spiritual Association — is pleased to present a movie experience based on the Inspirational Mandala Oracle Card deck he helped create from the 64 circular dot paintings by acclaimed international…
By Tommy Acosta Sedona, AZ — To see it all go up in smoke, burned to the ground, every hope and dream, every memory, gone. What once were flourishing communities of colorful homes, ocean views, and lush landscape have been turned into a charred, grey wasteland as far as the eye can see. What a blow from above as Los Angeles is turned into ash. These poor people, losing it all like that. Talk about an act of God, flinging a living hell at their unsuspecting heads, one day living a life of beauty and comfort, and hours later cast…