Author: Tommy

Sedona News – The Rotary Club of Sedona Village recently celebrated the holiday season with a festive gathering at the home of Tracey and Gary Thie. The evening featured a delicious potluck and heartfelt generosity, as members brought unwrapped gifts for two local families in need. Rotarians worked together to wrap presents for four children and three adults, ensuring a brighter Christmas season for these families. The gathering was filled with good cheer, meaningful conversations, and the spirit of giving. As the active service club for the Village of Oak Creek, the Rotary Club of Sedona Village continues to make…

Sedona News – The city of Sedona seeks musician applicants of all varieties for the spring and fall 2025 Red Dirt Concerts Series. The Red Dirt Concerts are free to the public and will be held every Friday in May and September, from 5 – 8 p.m., at the Posse Grounds Pavilion in Posse Grounds Park. “This series has been very popular among Sedona locals since 2017, and we’re now in our ninth year of concerts! We’ve showcased over 70 distinct acts in the first eight years, and over 200 individual performers have taken the stage. I’m looking forward to…

Sedona News – Comedy legend Vicki Lawrence, known and loved for her Emmy-winning performances on The Carol Burnett Show and her iconic role as “Mama” in Mama’s Family, is bringing her hilarious new production, Vicki Lawrence and Mama: A Two-Woman Show, to the Sedona Performing Arts Center on Saturday, February 22 at 8:00 PM. This unforgettable evening of laughter will feature a mix of stand-up, musical comedy, and razor-sharp observations about life. Fans can expect Vicki’s trademark wit and the unpredictable antics of “Mama,” one of television’s most beloved characters. “We are beyond thrilled to welcome Vicki Lawrence to Sedona!”…

By Bear Howard Bear Howard Chronicles Sedona, AZ –Women in America have made significant progress toward economic and social equality, but that progress isn’t guaranteed to last. Lately, political shifts have signaled that some of these hard-fought wins could be at risk. Since numerous voters backed candidates with misogynistic views, we could see a major step backward, making the fight for gender equality even tougher. Listen to this story, read by a professional Ai announcer: This conservative, back-to-the-future political environment could undermine women’s rights and make it harder to close the gender pay gap or expand opportunities for women in…

Sedona, AZ — Nick’s on the West Side’s tradition of great food, hospitality, camaraderie and good times continues with new owners Jonathan and Elli Bourque. For more than 25 years Nick’s has been a favorite restaurant and watering hole for Sedona locals who enjoy dining at its most delicious best, breakfast all day, lunch and dinner, and for tourists and visitors who have heard of its reputation for quality cuisine and service. Now, the Bourques bring youth and new vision to one of Sedona’s longest lasting and favorite restaurants. As with most people who come to visit Sedona and could…

… I’ve been spending the day going through a portion of the portfolio and found a photo I took of what we call “Peregrine Island” that I shot back in December of 2022 … this was the month that we found Peregrine Falcons there almost every time we went down to the lake. All three photos were taken in December of 2022. In December of 2022 the water level was at 1663.61′ above mean sea level and today it is 1663.57′ msl which means the island is with us. This time last year the water level was almost 8′ higher…

Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present a “Festival Flashback” of the sensational British comedy “Keeping Mum”, showing Dec. 13-19 at the Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatre. “Keeping Mum” is returning for an encore in our “Remembering Maggie” series, honoring the late, great Dame Maggie Smith, who recently passed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z2kAfgKnfuA The film stars Dame Maggie Smith, Kristin Scott Thomas, Rowan Atkinson and the late Patrick Swayze. Some family secrets are best kept buried. “Keeping Mum” stars Atkinson as Walter Goodfellow, an absent-minded vicar of a rural parish who is so distracted by the pressures of his job…

Sedona News – The city of Sedona encourages residents to apply for the Citizen Budget Work Group (CBWG) to serve as a citizen sounding board during the upcoming annual budget process. More specifically, the group of up to nine volunteers will meet at least three times this spring on the following topics: City staff will give a high-level explanation of the budget, followed by facilitation of a meaningful discussion in which community members serving on the CBWG provide valuable input about changes to programs and services, and what community issues with budget implications they would like to see addressed. City staff will present the preliminary budget for the coming year to the CBWG. This…

Sedona News – After performing to a packed house at Red Dirt Concert Series last Spring, the Southern California bluegrass band — The Storytellers — returns to Sedona. They will appear for two nights at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre on Dec. 14 and 15. It was a cool and breezy May evening at Posse Grounds Pavilion in Sedona, AZ, when the Southern California-based progressive bluegrass band, The Storytellers, took the stage as part of the City of Sedona’s Red Dirt Concert Series. “At that point, we already had an exceptionally large turnout,” said Jason Vargo, the cities’ Special Events…

By Tommy Acosta Yep, it’s true. I am a born-again, card-carrying cynic. And I love it. Cynics have the opportunity to look at things and see them in a different way than most others do. We can be happy, sing Kumbaya, and always look for the pot of gold at the end of that rainbow, but it’s the cynic who sees the clearest. When our new president is sworn into office and promises on the very first day to end the war in Ukraine, it’s a noble endeavor—a great goal. But does he understand what he’s up against? True, if…

Bear Howard: Bear Howard Chronicles Listen to this story, read by a professional Ai announcer: Sedona, AZ — The recent article in the local paper confirms what many of us who regularly use 179 have known for quite some time: the crosswalk between the two Tlaquepaques (north and south) does not, in fact, slow traffic. Instead, it plays a crucial role in facilitating smoother merging between uptown and westbound traffic. Despite complaints from well-meaning locals, the crosswalk creates necessary openings, helping traffic flow more efficiently. It also significantly enhances pedestrian safety and accessibility, fostering a more inclusive and community-friendly environment. Let’s…

Community Connection and Spiritual Growth in Sedona’s Emerging Wellness Scene Sedona’s natural beauty has long drawn seekers, healers, and visionaries from all corners of the globe. In recent years, the town’s flourishing wellness scene has begun to evolve into something richer—a tapestry of community connection and spiritual growth that extends beyond the offerings of individual practitioners. What was once a destination primarily known for its vortex sites and red rock vistas has blossomed into a hub of collaborative, heart-centered gatherings, educational workshops, and supportive networks dedicated to personal and collective well-being. A Shift Towards Collective Experiences While Sedona’s storied landscapes…

By David Stephen Sedona News: Where is hate in the human brain? When an individual is hateful to the point of steep vengefulness, what went on in that brain to result in that resolve? The unprecedented waves of hate—that often follow events—on social media is a problem that should be at the forefront of brain science research this decade. There is a lot of effort about mental health. There are priorities about addictions as well. There are, however, fewer explorations along causes and solutions for hate, vindictiveness, bitterness, grievance, and the rest, which sometimes precede crimes. It is common to…

By Amaya Gayle Gregory A friend recently responded to one of my posts with an in-depth statement about it being fatalism, that without choice we wouldn’t do what we need to do, couldn’t change what needs to be changed (very much a paraphrase) and if that was the case, why bother to write at all. I thought you might be interested in what I wrote back. Rather than fatalism, for me at least, what I write is an attempt to point to a much more uncomfortable uncontainable inconceivability. Unfortunately, even though right here, right now, the actuality is in plain…

… going through the portfolio again and finding images that I love and have not looked at in some time … the San Francisco Peaks and some of the others on the San Francisco Volcanic Field turn spectacular colors and defy modesty with outrageous blankets of color and that includes my favorite, Kendrick Peak, which is shown above covered in golds, yellows and reds and its pyramid shaped peak is in shadow … 10,418′ MSL and on the left side you can see Bill Williams Mountain in the distance and on the right a portion of Sitgreaves Mountain. Outrageously beautiful and happy I got…