By Tommy Acosta — It’s not often that poo is in the news, but these past weeks and months it seems we just can’t flush it away, with the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier being put out of commission because of toilet malfunctions, and the crew of the recently launched moonship Artemis II not able to take a decent pee because of clogged or frozen pipes in their capsule. Imagine 3,000 people contained on one ship having to relieve themselves in toilets that don’t work. What a crappy experience it must have been—having to do their thing in buckets, then…
Author: Tommy Acosta
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By Rabbi Alicia Magal The Jewish Community of Sedona and the Verde Valley, located at 100 Meadowlark Drive off Route 179 in Sedona, is a welcoming, egalitarian, inclusive congregation dedicated to building a link from the past to the future by providing religious, educational, social and cultural experiences. The JCSVV offers soul-enriching services, programs, concerts, and classes, all listed on the synagogue website, jcsvv.org. Office telephone: 928 204-1286. Visitors are welcome to attend services after a security check. Those who cannot attend in person can access the service through zoom. All are invited to Erev Shabbat service on Friday, April 10 at 5:30…
By Amaya Gayle Gregory — Sedona, AZ — There are infinite responses available to us as we approach possibly the last (anything’s possible) peaceful handover of power on January 20th. Several come to mind: unbridled anger, deep and clawing angst, suffocating depression, willful ignorance, and feigned neutrality that would put Switzerland on notice. Oh, I forgot myself for the moment. Geez, can’t forget to add unreasonable joy, although for the life of me, I will never understand that one. Sorry guys, that’s a step too far. I do, however, realize and accept that some of you do. From the looks…
By David Stephen The best thing that happened to consciousness science research in the last four decades is the new book by Michael Pollan, A World Appears: A Journey Into Consciousness. However, if the best thing to happen to a field, is a book that contributes nothing new to the field, or not incipient of anything significant, it shows that the only reason the field is not dead is because whatever is keeping it in coma must be endemic corruption of unprecedented magnitude. There is a recent [March 31, 2026] podcast by The New York Times, The More You Study Consciousness,…
By Bear Howard and Associates — Arizona created the initiative system to empower citizens in 1912, but over time, it has become a tool that allows individuals to force personal agendas onto the ballot—something Sedona may soon experience with Proposition 403. Sedona, AZ — Arizona created the initiative system to empower citizens in 1912, but over time it has become a tool that allows individuals to force personal agendas onto the ballot—something Sedona may soon experience with Proposition 403. When Arizona became a state in 1912, its founders built something bold directly into the state constitution: the power of citizens…
In addition, ‘Twice Nice Fall Thrifty’ set for Oct. 3 in Camp Verde COTTONWOOD, Ariz. — After a successful Twice Nice Spring Thrifty event in Sedona a year ago, Verde Valley Sanctuary (VVS) announced they will host two events in 2026 to coincide with national Sexual Assault Awareness Month in April and Domestic Violence Awareness Month in October. On Saturday, April 4, VVS will welcome the community to their Twice Nice Thriftique location in Sedona where for every three items donated, attendees will receive a raffle ticket they can enter into a drawing for a free Apple iPad. Visitors will…
By David Stephen There is a recent [March 27, 2026] spotlight on Sky News, The AI delusion problem is bigger than we thought, stating that, “A new study from Anthropic and the University of Toronto analysed 1.5 million conversations with the AI chatbot Claude, revealing rare but concerning cases of what some are calling “AI psychosis” and what researchers describe as “reality distortion”. What happens when AI starts pulling people away from reality and even encourages them to act on distorted beliefs?” There is recent [March 26, 2026] analysis on The Guardian, Marriage over, €100,000 down the drain: the AI users whose lives were wrecked…
Sedona, AZ — On Wednesday April 15 at 5:00 PM in Patio Las Campanas, Tlaquepaque will host a poetry reading under the Verses in the Village banner. The Verses in the Village poetry reading series, hosted by Poet Laureate Gary Every, was so successful last fall, that it was decided to run another series in the spring. These were nearly perfect evenings last year, perfect temperatures amidst the flowers, sculpture, and exquisite architecture of Patio La Campanas and featuring the best in local and regional poets. Audience members were treated not only to poignant and often humorous spoken words but made…
SEDONA, Ariz. — The city invites the public to attend two upcoming open houses to learn about and provide input on Sedona’s Balanced Housing Strategy. The first open house will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Monday, April 6, 2026, at the Hub at Posse Grounds, 525 Posse Ground Road. The second open house will take place from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Monday, June 29, 2026, at the same location. At these events, community members can learn about Sedona’s Balanced Housing Strategy and share feedback with city staff. In Sedona, balanced housing refers to an appropriate mix and amount…
Festival teams up with Northern Arizona University for Classics Series and discussions Sedona, AZ — Northern Arizona University and the Sedona International Film Festival are partnering to present The Classics, a monthly classic film series NAU/SIFF Classics will be curated and hosted by School of Communication Professor Emeritus Paul Helford https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=292Oouog8fI The series will continue on Thursday, April 16 with “The Way We Were” — from 1973 — directed by Sydney Pollack and starring Barbra Streisand and Robert Redford. Streisand and Redford star together for the only time in the American Film Institute’s sixth greatest love story of all time.…
Sedona, AZ — Love quilting? Got questions? Members of the Red Rock Quilters will be the featured guests for “Monday at the Museum” on April 6, from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Perhaps bring a small project to work on and enjoy the fellowship of quilting by getting your questions answered or just talking about the joy of quilting. They welcome all levels of quilters, fabric lovers, guests, and traveling quilters. There is no fee for this demonstration. April 13, Verde Valley Wood Carvers If you have a piece of wood and a wood carving knife, come to “Monday at…
By Ysabella Mar Rongo An estimated 8 million people nationwide — including over 2,100 in the Verde Valley — took to the streets for No Kings 3, the largest protest in U.S. history Cottonwood, AZ — More than 2,100 Verde Valley residents exercised their First Amendment right to peaceful assembly on March 28,2026, joining an estimated 8 million Americans across more than 3,300 cities for No Kings 3 — now recognized as the largest single-day protest in United States history. From West Sedona to Jerome, residents gathered to send an unambiguous message: the Constitution is not negotiable – we have…
Chef Kyle Rhodes Blends Global Influences with Peak Verde Valley Ingredients in a Bold Seasonal Refresh SEDONA, Ariz. (March 25, 2026) – Set against Sedona’s iconic red rock landscape, Forty1 — the signature restaurant at Ambiente, North America’s first landscape hotel and Arizona’s only Two MICHELIN Key property — is ushering in spring with a dynamic new seasonal menu that reflects both the rhythms of the Verde Valley and a globally inspired culinary perspective. Led by Executive Chef Kyle Rhodes, the refreshed menu showcases a thoughtful fusion of Asian, French, Caribbean, Mediterranean and Southwestern influences. Rooted in the restaurant’s commitment to exceptional quality,…
Keep Sedona Beautiful will hold its next Preserving the Wonder™ Speaker Series event on Wednesday, April 15 at 5:00 pm at KSB’s EcoHub, 360 Brewer Road, Sedona. This month’s speaker is Andrew Grossman, Tourism Manager – City of Sedona. He will speak about the evolution of tourism management in Sedona. The event is free and open to the public. Doors open at 4:30 pm. Carpooling is appreciated and recommended. Please visit the KSB website, www.keepsedonabeautiful.org for details. Andrew will discuss how over the past two decades, communities across the United States have been rethinking the role of tourism, moving beyond traditional marketing toward…
SEDONA, Ariz. – The city of Sedona invites the public to a live pastel demonstration of current solo City Hall art exhibitionist and award-winning artist Christine Debrosky for the Meet the Artist event on Thursday, April 9, 2026 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Council Chambers, located at 102 Roadrunner Dr. At the core of Debrosky’s work is the timeless dance of sunlight and shadow. Her work has been described as both tranquil and stirring. Her 35-painting exhibition at City Hall is a celebration of Sedona and the Verde Valley famed landscapes in every season from dawn to dusk.…