Author: Tommy

By Ted Grussing… Lake Alamo that is … and what a beautiful lake it is. As seen in this photo it is roughly a square mile in surface area and if there is a lot of water it gets a lot bigger. Lake Alamo can be accessed by taking the turn off in Wenden from Hwy 60 and it is about 40 miles back into the lake. I drove out there on the way back from California, mid-September and never saw another vehicle going out there or on the way back … it is remote. There is a NPS ranger…

Camp Verde AZ (October 29, 2015) – A program on Verde Valley Ancestral Heritage and the new Site Watch Program will be held 
November 14, 6 – 8 p.m. at Montezuma Castle National Monument.  Several Hopi traditional leaders and youth, who want to learn more about their ancestral sites in our area, will give an introduction speaking of the importance to them of protecting these prehistoric sites. 

Sedona AZ (October 29, 2015) – By definition, a successful artist never ceases being an inventor.  The creation of a new work is always an act of innovation – and on a larger parallel, the development of an artistic career can be likened to a continual process of reincarnation.

SEDONA, Ariz. (Oct. 29, 2015) It’s no secret that when it comes to spending money on education Arizona ranks as one of the worst states in our country. Nor is it a surprise Arizona students are almost at the bottom of the barrel in academic performance.With a state legislature continually cutting school budgets while increasing budgets for jails and other pet projects, schools in Arizona are reaching a critical mass where substandard education is becoming the norm rather than exception.

By Ted GrussingA couple of days ago I stopped by the ponds for a walk and to see if anything new was hanging out down there; the Widgeons and a few Ring Necks have started coming in, some Blue Herons were there for the plentiful supply of fish and I got some neat shots of a Kingfisher hovering looking for a fish dinner below him … then while walking between a couple of the drained ponds I was startled by an explosion of feathers as at least a hundred birds erupted from some bushes in the drained pond and began…

Sedona AZ (October 28, 2015) – Sixty Sedona artists will reveal a variety of wildly creative art works exploring interpretations of the color, mood, personality, and soul of “BLUE” at the upcoming Sedona Visual Artists’ Coalition’s 15th annual Fall Art Exhibition & Reception. The show opens on November 4, runs 10 a.m.-5 p.m. daily, and closes November 16, 2015.

Sedona AZ (October 27, 2015) – The Sedona Heritage Museum’s annual Veteran’s Day Tribute will be on Wednesday, November 11th beginning at 11:00 a.m. at the Museum. This event has become the community’s official Veterans Day event. The tribute will honor veterans and active service people.

A Unique Four-Day Art ShowClarkdale AZ (October 27, 2015) – Made In Clarkdale is presenting a four-day art show– December 3-6, 2015.  The art show will open Thursday, Dec. 3; host the annual Gala evening event on Friday, Dec. 4; offer a variety of arts educational workshops on Thursday, Dec. 3, through Saturday, Dec 5; and continue through Sunday, Dec. 6.The show is open daily at 9am. Closing times are Thursday and Saturday nights at 7pm. The Gala celebration is Friday from 6pm-9pm. The show closes at 4pm on Sunday.

By Ted Grussing… an absolutely amazing audio and visual experience. I’m attaching the title image [following the break] for a video that I produced promoting the concert that Anthony and I are doing at the Mary Fisher Theater, 7PM on November 14th 2015.This “trailer” video is 7 minutes long and except for not having Anthony performing live in the video is the exact audio/visual experience you will have at the Concert, except it will be infinitely better because it is live theater. The song in this video is Omnipotent from Anthony’s “Heavenly Guitar” album and runs just over 7 minutes.

Jerome AZ (October 26, 2015) – The Gallery 527 November 7th Jerome Art Walk will continue the show of new works by Ramona Stites. Her latest body of work includes 15 new oil paintings and is titled “Playing with Knives”. Stites, long time resident and established artist in the Verde Valley is known for her contemporary Southwestern landscape paintings in oil and pastel as well as her abstract paintings in oil and acrylic.

YCSO Rescue Volunteers remain a constant Invaluable ResourceVerde  Valley AZ (October 26, 2015) – On the morning of October 24, 2015, 4 male subjects from the Phoenix area left on a two day hike from the north end of Waldroup Canyon in the Wet Beaver Creek Wilderness area, Camp Verde. The group made it in 6 miles and stopped for the night. One member of the party (all were in their late 20’s) became ill, possibly related to dehydration and heatstroke, and was not able to keep food or fluids down. When they awoke the next morning, the ill subject was…

SEDONA AZ (October 24, 2015) – At the October 5 Sedona Oak Creek Unified School District (SOCUSD) board meeting, Superintendent David Lykins announced upcoming meetings designed to improve the Sedona-Oak Creek School District and identify challenges.

Sedona AZ (October 23, 2015) – Tucker’s StoryIntake date of November 2014My name is Tucker and this is my story. I came into the shelter as a transfer from another rescue in November of 2014. I remember it clearly. I was scared, not knowing where I was being taken to and not knowing if I would be safe. I remember that I was anxious and afraid.  As it turned out, I was soon relieved of my stressful experience because the Animal Care Staff and Volunteers welcomed me with such love and understanding that I was no longer scared. The only difficult…

Phoenix AZ (October 23, 2015) – The State Board of Education (SBE) has extended the comment period for Arizonans to provide comment on Arizona’s Mathematics (math) and English language arts (ELA) Academic Standards.  Comments will be accepted through Friday, November 20, 2015.The website dedicated to the standards review, https://k12standards.az.gov, provides parents, teachers, community members, and others an easy way to review the current standards and provide their thoughts on how the standards can be improved.  Comments will be used to assist the state in the improvement of Arizona’s current academic standards.

Sedona AZ (October 23, 2015) – Rabbi Alicia Magal and Council Member Angela LeFevre will hold the fourth in the “Coffee Talk” series, held the First Tuesday of the month, on November 3, from noon to 2 p.m.at Java Love Cafe, 2155 Hwy 89A, Suite 118, near the Harkins Plaza in West Sedona. This series was formed to encourage and enable members of the Sedona community to meet informally with Rabbi Magal, who serves the Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley, and with Angela LeFevre, who serves on the Sedona City Council.