Sedona News – Named one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World by MovieMaker Magazine, the Sedona International Film Festival is gearing up for its most exciting season yet! Mark your calendars for February 22 – March 2, 2025, as Sedona becomes the epicenter of cinematic excellence, showcasing the very best in independent film from across the globe. With over 150 films spanning nine unforgettable days, cinephiles can indulge in a rich array of features, shorts, documentaries, animations, foreign films, and student projects. Recognized as one of the nation’s premier film festivals, this 31st-anniversary celebration promises to honor filmmakers whose passion and artistry bring meaningful, timely, and…
Author: Tommy
Read More
Yavapai County News – The Yavapai County Reach Out Program is making a difference in the lives of individuals at high risk for substance use disorders (SUD), mental health concerns (MH), and Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE). By connecting individuals to essential services after they leave the Yavapai County Detention Center, the program is helping reduce the chances of re-offending and providing support for those in need. Between March 2022 and February 2024, the Reach Out Program worked with 13,071 individuals who interacted with Reach Out Release Coordinators at the Yavapai County Detention Centers. The program focuses on connecting people to…
By David Stephen If any AI company is exposed enough to be included in a report for safety assessment of their AI model, that company’s model is an aspect safe. This does not mean that the report’s index is inaccurate, but risks for AI exceed some of those benchmarks. Simply, there have been too many misuses of AI that did not originate directly from those models or that cannot be traced back to them, or there are several other non-central models that can do some of the same harm for which AI-central models are risky, making the focus on those…
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, December 20, 2024, led by Rabbi Alicia Magal. As Shabbat enters with the lighting of the candles peace and calm descend, a welcome respite from the troubles and concerns of the week. Rabbi Magal offers a reading from this week’s Torah portion, Vayheshev (Genesis 37:1 – 40:23) continuing the story…
Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present “A Bocelli Family Christmas”, showing Dec. 21 and 22 at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3M37zCdkUxI “A Bocelli Family Christmas” captures the wonder and music of the Christmas season, transporting viewers into an Italian winter wonderland. Featuring a mix of classic carols and original songs from the family’s multi-generational holiday album, this special program will give audiences a fanciful glimpse of Christmas with the Bocellis. Featuring Andrea Bocelli, along with Veronica, Matteo, Amos, and Virginia, it’s a magical Christmas special for the whole family! “A Bocelli Family Christmas”…
Arizona News – Both the Coconino National Forest and Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management are beginning a project aimed at restoring forest lands in the Pumphouse Wash area near Flagstaff’s Kachina Village community this week. Crews are preparing for timber sales on a 2,500-acre parcel of land located near Kachina Village and Forest Highlands as part of the Pumphouse Community Protection Project. Timber crews have started delineating project boundaries and designating trees to be removed as part of the thinning project. By cutting and removing trees from overgrown, community-adjacent areas, forest managers can reduce overcrowding and restore local…
Prescott News – On Friday, January 24, Prescott’s 4th Friday Art Walk will welcome art enthusiasts to explore 16 downtown galleries showcasing local and nationally acclaimed artists. These galleries extend their hours each month and offer unique exhibits, artist receptions, and signature events. Prescott, surrounded by cool mountainous forests, has long inspired its resident artists. The Art Walk provides a unique opportunity to meet these artists, gain insight into their creative processes, and immerse in the community. Historic buildings serve as a striking backdrop, preserving Prescott’s rich heritage. Since its founding in 2004, the 4th Friday Art Walk has been…
Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the Sedona encore of “Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.”, showing Dec. 20-26 at the Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatre — back by popular demand. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WZM90izJ8sI When a pacifist is called to a political act that could change the course of history, how will a man of honor respond? This is the true story of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a man who preached love while plotting the assassination of an evil tyrant. With world-shattering stakes, “Bonhoeffer: Pastor. Spy. Assassin.” begs the question, how far will you go to stand up for what’s right? As…
By Tommy Acosta Sedona, AZ –Uh-oh, what the heck is going on? Have they decided to show themselves at last with their drone invasion of greater New Jersey? The authorities are tearing their hair out. They can’t figure out what’s happening. They can’t read the electronic signatures of the drones. When they “put an eye on them”—whatever that means (though I suspect it means locking their sights on them)—they go dark. Hmmm. What’s that supposed to mean? The Pentagon, FBI, CIA, and Homeland Security say they have no clue. But I think they’re lying to us. They know damn well…
… well, switched mornings and did Bubbling Ponds this morning and early tomorrow morning it is down to Lake Pleasant … on the whole I do better at the Ponds than the lake with ducks as I get closer to them and standing on the banks of the ponds get level shots of them as they change ponds they want to be in … mostly the water levels in the ponds are about six feet below the bank and when the ducks take off they quickly get to eye level … shooting takeoffs and landings they are just below level.…
Sedona News – Ring in the holidays and celebrate the sounds of the season! The Sedona International Film Festival will host a special performance that combines TWO popular holiday shows, “Christmas Tenors” and “In the Christmas Mood”, on Saturday, December 21 at 7:00 p.m. at the Sedona Performing Arts Center. Both shows, created by Arizona-based concert production company KDE (Khris Dodge Entertainment), harken the holiday spirit by taking traditional sights and sounds of the season and infusing a creative twist that makes it modern while retaining all the tradition of a treasured family heirloom. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSEHsFzZvZk “Christmas Tenors” takes audiences on…
Sedona News – As part of an effort to inspire donations from the millions of visitors who use the trails in the Red Rock Ranger District, the Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund (SRRTF) launched a new fundraising appeal, kicking off over the Columbus Day weekend and running through the holiday season. The campaign is part of a collaboration between the SRRTF and the National Forest Foundation (NFF). The NFF is the official nonprofit partner to the U.S. Forest Service and was created with the mission to bring people together to restore and enhance National Forests and Grasslands. In 2023, the…
Sedona News – Renowned filmmaker Paul Davids is set to unveil his latest documentary, The Life After Death Project 2: Personal Encounters, on January 12, 2025. This highly anticipated film delves into the realm of after-death communication, featuring compelling accounts from individuals across various professions, including archaeologists, physicists, a retired colonel, a librarian, clinical psychologists, sales executives, publishers, and notably, doctors and nurses who have witnessed extraordinary phenomena. Following the success of his previous film, Marilyn Monroe Declassified, Davids continues to explore the paranormal with this second installment in his series. The Life After Death Project 2 presents spellbinding stories of personal encounters with…
Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the Sedona premiere of “Homestead”, showing Dec. 20-26 at the Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatre. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XURLw2XXHWA “Homestead” is an intense post-apocalyptic family survival drama. A nuclear bomb is detonated in Los Angeles, and the nation devolves into unprecedented chaos. Ex-Green Beret Jeff Eriksson and his family escape to The Homestead, an eccentric prepper’s fortress nestled in the mountains. As violent threats and apocalyptic conditions creep toward their borders, the residents of The Homestead are left to wonder: how long can a group of people resist both the dangers of human…
Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the Sedona premiere of “Maria”, showing Dec. 20-26 at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7_ze9palm0 Academy Award-winner Angelina Jolie is Maria Callas, one of the most iconic performers of the 20th century in acclaimed director Pablo Larrain’s operatic “Maria”. The film follows the American-Greek soprano as she retreats to Paris after a glamorous and tumultuous life in the public eye. “Maria” reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days as the diva reckons with her identity and life. “Maria” will be shown at Mary D. Fisher Theatre Dec.…