Author: Tommy Acosta

Sedona AZ (February 10, 2016) – Springtime will bring the Native Plant Workshop to Sedona on Saturday, April 2, from 8:30 am to 2:00 pm. Doors open at 7:45 am.Sponsored by Keep Sedona Beautiful, the popular program will cover topics ranging from insect ecosystems to tree care and self-watering landscapes, with how-to sessions. It will be held at the West Sedona School, 570 Posse Ground Road. Advance tickets are $25 for KSB members and $35 for the general public. Tickets purchased at the event are $35 for KSB members and $45 for the general public. Admission includes two keynote speakers,…

By Ted Grussing… to sometime in the 80’s when Cork and I spent some time in Morrow Bay as we headed up the coast. This is a scan of a shot I took late afternoon of a nice sailing vessel in the bay and I have softened the focus on it to give it kind of a dreamy effect. Heading back up to Half Moon bay towards the end of the month for a short visit with Ted, Sus and Annika and plan on doing some shooting in the harbor up there and if I’m lucky there will be some…

By Nazih Hazime, Fire ChiefVerde Valley Fire DistrictCottonwood AZ (February 9, 2016) – Nominated by his colleagues for Firefighter of the Year, is Firefighter Ian James, because of his talents of not only providing firefighting and EMS services to the Verde Valley Fire District but also his technical communication abilities. Ian brings valuable experience from his years of service as a communication technician, not only to the Verde Valley Fire District (VVFD), but also to the forest service as he gets deployed to wildland fire as a Communication Technician.

Sedona AZ (February 9, 2016) – Working artists in the Verde Valley will be opening their private studios to the public at the end of April for the Sedona Visual Artists’ Coalition’s (SVAC) 13th annual Open Studios Tour. The festive event is free, self-guided and runs daily from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Friday, April 29 through Sunday, May 1, 2016.

$75,000 in Grant Funding AvailableSedona AZ (February 9, 2016) – The Arizona Community Foundation, Northern Arizona Healthcare, and the Delta Dental Foundation of Arizona are pleased to announce the Healthy Challenge, a philanthropic prize competition. The prize will provide a one-time $75,000 grant for an innovative program that improves oral health as a critical component of overall health.  The Arizona Community Foundation of Sedona, Northern Arizona Healthcare and the Delta Dental Foundation of Arizona are equal funding partners in this challenge, each contributing $25,000.

Prescott AZ (February 8, 2016) – The Yavapai County Recorder, Leslie Hoffman would like to remind voters about important information regarding the upcoming Presidential Preference Election (PPE) that will be held, Tuesday, March 22, 2016.Pursuant to state law, the PPE is only open to those voters who are members of a qualified political party that has decided to participate in this election. For the PPE the Democratic Party, Green Party, and the Republican Party are the only three parties participating.

By Ted Grussing… a very difficult thing for me to do, but it has been suggested that I kinda kick back for a few days and let the stem cells do their thing; it is not an instant thing, but a gradual change over a period of weeks and longer … I am listening … a little bit. It has been about 84 hours since the treatment and things are changing for the better which is nice. In the spirit of healing and observing recommended protocols I skipped the planned trip to Tucson today and got my jewelry bench reorganized…

Sedona AZ (February 8, 2016) – The Sedona Police Department and City Engineering Services will be implementing a traffic control plan over Presidents’ Day Weekend. City personnel will temporarily set up an additional southbound lane from Amara Lane to Forest Road. As traffic conditions become heavy, the second southbound lane on N. State Route 89A will be opened for vehicle travel. The activation of the second southbound lane will cause closure of the northbound left turn lane onto Jordan Road and left turns will be restricted from southbound Jordan Road.

Cottonwood AZ (February 8, 2016) – On February 25th, MATFORCE will host an important community Lunch ‘n Learn addressing teen suicide and depression prevention.Teen Lifeline will be conducting this presentation to help parents, teachers, coaches and any adult working with youth learn how to identify signs and intervene to prevent suicide.  Participants will learn risk factors and warning signs for suicide and depression, as well as different coping techniques.  The presentation will also include suggestions on how to appropriately approach youth and discuss issues in a safe manner.

Cottonwood AZ (February 8, 2016) – Ron Barton and Company play the tunes at the Saturday, Feb. 20th, contra dance. Ron on guitar, Sonja Whisman and Rhonda Hotop on  fiddle, and Dave Wildermuth on electric bass will get you dancing and our caller, Michael Barraclough, will keep you on track. If you can walk, you can contra! Check out contra dancing on Youtube for a peek at this fun dance form.  No partner or experience is required.

Sedona AZ (February 7, 2016) – Saturday morning, February 6, registrants from around the globe raced through Sedona’s beautiful red rocks in the 11th Annual Sedona Marathon Event.  Over 2,800 runners and walkers enjoyed the scenic yet difficult course; and the results are in.For the second year in a row, Flagstaff runner Thomas Rivers Puzey, age 31, took first place in Full Marathon Men’s Division. Puzey finished with a time of 2:47:25, three minutes away from the course record set in 2008. In second place with a time of 2:50:36 was Derrik Sweeney from Riverside, Illinois, age 24; followed by…

By Adele O’Connor-VernierDirector of Marketing & Public RelationsHumane Society of SedonaSedona AZ (February 5, 2016) – With just a “Heart Felt Donation”, The Humane Society of Sedona in partnership with PetSmart® is having an adoption event for cats and dogs on Saturday, February 6th at PetSmart® in Sedona.Our beautiful adoptable animals are looking forward to this event in the hope that they find a forever home. Please call the Humane Society of Sedona at (928)282-4679 for more information or visit our website at www.humanesocietyofsedona.org. The event starts at 10:00 am until 2:00pm!

By Ted GrussingI like this flower, it has completed the life cycle, bees and whatever have been in there busy pollinating the bloom and leaving a bit of a mess behind … no Merry Maids to clean up after them. A few more days of life and then nature takes care of the rest and next year she will be back beginning another cycle of life and a bunch of seeds which will have scattered will grow, spreading beauty throughout the area. Speaking of re-birth, I understand that Shatner may be coming back as an aged (he is 84) Captain…

Sedona AZ (February 5, 2016) – Sedona has many festive traditions.  Leprechauns march down Jordan Road on St. Patrick’s Day; cowboys hold shootouts on Uptown streets in July; and Patrick Schweiss visits OLLI (the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) in February to preview the upcoming Sedona International Film Festival (SIFF).Yes, SIFF will be here in Sedona again from February 20 – 28, 2016.  For nine jam-packed days, there will be talks, workshops, receptions, discussion groups, and more than 160 independently-made films: narratives, shorts, documentaries, foreign films, animation.  Which sessions should you attend?  Which films are outstanding?  How can you volunteer?  How does…

Prescott AZ (February 5, 2016) – On February 3, 2016, 45-year-old Marla Davis was arrested for felony charges including 2 counts of Inducing Witness to avoid Testifying and 3 counts of Threatening to Cause Physical Injury. Davis was booked at the Camp Verde Detention Center and remains in-custody. Bond has not been set as of this writing.In recent weeks, PANT detectives developed information that Davis was involved in a plan to intimidate witnesses related to her previous arrest on January 8, 2016, on several drug charges. The information was investigated and evidence obtained to substantiate the allegations.