Author: Tommy

Verde Valley News – The Yavapai College District Governing Board has re-elected Ms. Deb McCasland as its Chair at its Board workshop today at the College’s Prescott Campus. An alumna of YC, McCasland has served on the YC District Governing Board since 2014. Prior to her time on the Board, McCasland spent 34 years as an employee of the College as the Student Activities Director, Community Events Director, and Director of Major Gifts before retiring in 2010. It will mark the sixth consecutive year that McCasland will serve as the Board Chair. Mr. Steve Bracety was elected secretary of the…

Arizona News – Kick the New Year off by participating in a Free Weekend Training in Restorative Practices hosted by Northern Arizona Restorative Justice (NARJ)on Friday and Saturday, January 25 and 26,  in Flagstaff. This training is made possible through funding from the Summitt High School and the Flagstaff Unified School District. Over the two-day training, NARJ will cover facilitator training, implementation in the classroom and criminal justice, the roots of restorative justice, and provide an opportunity to participate in restorative justice programs.  Lunch will be provided for participants on both days. Restorative Practices are grounded in Restorative Justice theory,…

Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the Northern Arizona premiere of “Diane Warren: Relentless”, showing Jan. 24-30 at the Mary D. Fisher and Alice Gill-Sheldon Theatres. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1sacIFNhIk Diane Warren, one of the most prolific songwriters of all time, with a four-decade track record of writing mega-hits for industry giants, emerges as a force to be reckoned with in “Diane Warren: Relentless”. Boasting 15 Academy Award nominations, an Honorary Oscar along with Grammy, Emmy, and Golden Globe Awards, Diane has etched her name on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame…

Sedona News – The city of Sedona seeks applicants for one vacant seat on the Planning and Zoning Commission. This voluntary body, established by city council, consists of seven citizens appointed to play a critical role in the city’s planning process. The commission serves as the city council’s advisor on land use, growth and development issues. Commission duties include making recommendations to the city council on Community Plan updates, Land Development Code amendments, property zone changes and subdivision applications. In addition, the commission makes the final decision on conditional use permits and development review applications. “The Planning and Zoning Commissioners…

By Bambi Dudley Sedona News – Join us for an enlightening event featuring Ronald Regehr, a distinguished UFO researcher with over 65 years of experience, alongside Grandfather Malava, as they explore the intriguing connections between the Puebloan people and the enigmatic Star People. This event aims to unveil the evidence supporting the notion that extraterrestrial beings have visited and influenced Puebloan culture. With over 65 years of dedicated UFO research, Ronald Regehr is a retired aerospace engineer with 36 years of experience at Douglas Aircraft and Aerojet ElectroSystems. As MUFON Deputy Director of Research and a specialist in space satellite…

Verde Valley News – All those seeking a career in the well-paying, high-tech and hands-on mining industry are invited to attend Yavapai College’s Mining Technology Preview Day on Saturday, Jan. 25 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. The event, presented in partnership with Freeport-McMoRan, will be held at the College’s Career & Technical Education Center (CTEC) at 220 Ruger Road in Prescott. Registration is encouraged, and is best accomplished before Friday, Jan. 24 by going online at www.yc.edu/mining. Contact Stephanie Wiltcher Sproul at 928-717-7107 or stephanie.wiltcher@yc.edu. Guests will learn about Yavapai College’s Diesel Technology and Electrical and Instrumentational Technology programs, which are…

Sedona News – The Mary D. Fisher Theatre is home for the Met Live Opera programs for the 2024-2025 season, presented by the Sedona International Film Festival. The season continues with Verdi’s “Aida” live via simulcast on Saturday, Jan. 25 at 10:30 a.m. and the encore presentation on Wednesday, Dec. 29 at 3 p.m. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PXWx2t0f-Oo Plan to come early as Russell Fox will lead a pre-opera talk one hour before the LIVE production on Saturday. American soprano Angel Blue headlines as the Ethiopian princess torn between love and country in a new production of Verdi’s “Aida” by Michael Mayer that…

Sedona News – Emerson Theater Collaborative is pleased to announce that Craig Schneider has joined its Board of Directors, bringing valuable expertise in the financial arena to further the organization’s mission, which is to explore timely themes and issues through new, original works and modern theatrical classics. They develop and nurture both emerging and professional artists and collaborate across the artistic disciplines. Craig Schneider is a recognized leader in the financial planning, insurance, personnel management and sales sectors. with a proven track record of serving the following businesses during his long career:  Erie Malleable Iron Company (Assistant Personal Manager), Mutual…

… I love this place and every once in a while it is fun to imagine what the Sedona area looked like before it was Sedona … just another nameless place on the map, but it had been visited and made home by the Sinagua for hundreds of years, perhaps a thousand years. I spent a couple of hours this afternoon restoring the photo above to what it must have looked like back then … all traces of humanity have been removed! I worked this photo up in 48″ x 24″ format if you are interested in one that size…

Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is proud to present the Sedona debut of “What the Constitution Means to Me” — a live theatrical production starring Alex Keiper — on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 18 and 19 at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre. “What the Constitution Means to Me” was nominated for two Tony Awards, including Best Play and two Drama Desk Awards, including Outstanding Play. It was also a Pulitzer Prize finalist. Playwright Heidi Schreck’s boundary-breaking play breathes new life into our Constitution and imagines how it will shape the next generation of Americans. Fifteen-year-old Heidi earned her…

Sedona News – Members and guests will launch the 2025 Great Decisions programs on Monday January 27 with a discussion of “American Foreign Policy at a Crossroads.” The program will be held from 10 a.m. till noon at the Community Library Sedona, 3250 White Bear Road. The incoming administration will face a world that has changed dramatically in recent years.   Disorder seems to be spreading, posing challenges to America’s leadership and to the post-war global system. Many Americans are questioning the foundations of post-war policy. How will the Trump administration seek to put “America First”? What could be done to…

Sedona News – The Arts Academy of Sedona in collaboration with The Verde Valley School is kicking off the celebration of America’s Black History Month with a reading of the work of The acclaimed poets Langston Hughes and Zora Neale Hurston.  Both Hurston and Hughes are considered to be pre-eminent writers of twentieth-century African American literature.  Both were defining figures during the Harlem Renaissance in the 1920s and their words still profoundly echo today.  This free celebration of their writings takes place on Wednesday, January 29, at 2 pm at the Verde Valley school. Zora Neale Hurston wrote groundbreaking works…

Sedona News – The Sedona International Film Festival is once again proud to present “Red Rocks Magic” for an encore performance — an extraordinary audience-driven magical experience — on Saturday, January 25 at 4 p.m. at the Mary D. Fisher Theatre. This is Sedona’s #1 magic experience! Mentalist Brett Barry presents his mind-boggling Sedona themed magic show, exploring the incredible power of the mind and the unseen connections we have to one another. Red Rocks Magic is a “sleights of mind” tour-de-force, with extensive audience interaction and this will not be your typical magic show. The 75-minute journey promises an…

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…

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,…