More than a thousand people rallied in Flagstaff on Thursday as part of nationwide May Day protests against the Trump administration and in support of labor Pam Bettis drove from her home in Prescott to attend She says she’s furious to see the administration deport legal residents and anyone can come and grab you in your home and they don't have to give a reason And that seems to be what's happening," Bettis says Bettis says she will continue protesting no matter the location Other protesters held aloft a large puppet of the Statue of Liberty Flagstaff resident Marcus Ford helped build the puppet "I think there’s been a tendency to let the political right have the flag and the eagle and the Statue of Liberty and everything that represents America These symbols belong to all of us," Ford says "We think the Statue of Liberty stands for justice for all and due process of law so that's the perfect symbol for this kind of demonstration." organizers say nearly 450 people marched along State Route 89A Thursday morning More than two dozen demonstrations were held across Arizona and nearly a thousand nationwide on what is known globally as International Workers Day Source: www.ghanaweb.com « Prev Next » Comments (108) Listen to Article The kankan nyame is believed to have been juju brought to Ghana by Nkrumah Terms of Use | Privacy Policy Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy Global Musics Ensemble members Steven Salamanca and James Leve rehearse on campus Thursday for their upcoming performance at The Orpheum Theater Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy student Steven Salamanca plays the electric guitar with the Global Musics Ensemble on campus Thursday as the group rehearses for its upcoming performance at The Orpheum Theater Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy Global Musics Ensemble members Kai Hamill rehearse on campus Thursday for an upcoming performance sings with the school's Global Musics Ensemble on campus Thursday as the group rehearses for an upcoming performance at The Orpheum Theater on Sunday FALA Global Musics Ensemble members rehearse with teacher Betsy Hamill on campus Thursday for their upcoming performance The Orpheum Theater Students in FALA's Global Musics Ensemble class will be performing at The Orpheum Theater today as they open for Yo La Tengo Students in Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy’s (FALA) Global Musics Ensemble class will be performing at The Orpheum Theater Sunday as they open for Yo La Tengo The ensemble includes seven FALA high schoolers who have been studying forms of music from around the world as part of the school's Global Musics class They began preparing for the show at the start of the spring semester Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content Abigail Kessler has been a reporter for the Daily Sun since 2021, covering education, health, science and more. Reach her at AKessler@azdailysun.com Email notifications are only sent once a day Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy announced recently that it will be changing its school schedule for the upcoming 2025-2026 school year. Read moreFALA announces changes to bell schedule for 2025-2026 school year FUSD hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for two new electric buses as part of Bus Driver Appreciation Day Tuesday. Read moreFUSD adds 2 electric buses to its fleet as driver staffing shortage continues “Blind AF” will show at Cline Library Assembly Hall at NAU on Monday, April 28, at 7 p.m. Read more'Blind AF' encore set to take place on NAU campus Pine Forest Charter School recently celebrated its 30th anniversary as it continues its plans of educating and adapting to the needs of the children it teaches. Read morePine Forest School celebrates 30 years in Flagstaff The Flagstaff High School Native American Club hosted the 46th annual Pow Wow Friday, April 18. Hundreds of people attended the two-day event. Read moreGallery: FHS Native American Club hosts the 46th annual Pow Wow FHS students took part in a dress rehearsal for Chicago the Musical on Tuesday. The show runs April 24-26. Read moreGallery: Flagstaff High School presents Chicago the Musical Dawn Quamahongnewa of Leupp is the 2025 Teacher of the Year and Lesley Littlefield of Knoles is the Rookie Teacher of the Year.  Read moreCoconino County announces 2025 Teacher of the Year Award winners Madeline Tilley, FNP, is now accepting patients at the NAH Primary Care Clinic. Read moreNorthern Arizona Healthcare adds primary care provider to Flagstaff office Researchers at Northern Arizona University are part of all three projects. Read moreABOR approves no-cost extensions for 3 research projects at Arizona universities This is the nonprofit’s first time holding a snack drive. Read moreTerra BIRDS hosting snack drive for youth internship programs in Flagstaff Page High School was among 72 schools selected to take part in the High School Welding Education Initiative from Airgas, an Air Liquide company. Read morePage High School welding program selected for initiative from Airgas The Regents’ Cup is a speech and debate competition presented by ABOR to promote free speech and civil discourse. Read more2025 Regents' Cup at Northern Arizona University this weekend According to the meeting agenda, the property is located at 1301 S. Fourth St. Read moreNorthern Arizona University proposes sale of 5 acres of vacant property The Arizona Daily Sun is owned by Wick Communications Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Get up-to-the-minute news sent straight to your device Account processing issue - the email address may already exist Invalid password or account does not exist Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the email address listed on your account Jason Gifford never imagined that getting a college education would take almost a third of his life Growing up in Prescott Valley with divorced parents would take him and his brother to work sites when he was growing up It was there that he learned to respect the trades and started dreaming about a different future for himself His dream was further cemented during the 2008 recession when his family struggled financially to make ends meet He recalls how hard the construction industry was hit by the housing crisis and that his father worked fewer hours a week also struggled to support her sons with her wages he started on his degree—not knowing it would be more than 10 years before he earned it taking six credits a semester and working full-time at a carpet warehouse to pay his tuition he took general education classes and struggled to choose a course of study “The possibilities are infinite because you can be anything,” Gifford said “I am interested in so much and I love learning I realized it was a useful skill and that it was broad-based because no matter what you do everything is a business and that is how the world operates.”  Getting an associate’s degree in business was the tool Gifford thought he needed to get ahead It was hard for him not to come into contact with NAU “I used to ride around here in my car and look around campus and think I would kill to be here,’ but I was just looking at the financials and it was not working out for me,” he said “Then I started looking at getting aid through FAFSA and scholarships Because he was a first-generation college student and unfamiliar with the admissions and aid process this did not derail Gifford from going after what he thought would be a better future for his little family doing landscaping at a golf course and glazing for a construction company He saved as much money as he could to support his return to school to get his bachelor’s degree “I remember the day I started school; I was stoked I was walking around and there was just a sea of kids,” Gifford said “I have never seen anything like it before I went to the top of the business building and looked out from the highest window that I could find and it just got to me; I was so happy As soon as he started his bachelor’s program It was a welcome surprise; both he and his wife wanted children but the timing was not what they had planned “Sometimes people have kids and they give up their dreams,” Gifford said get a job and forget about their aspirations That is what happened to my dad when he was young He wanted to be a bull rider and when he started a family I always noticed a twinge of longing for that But I was not going to do that—I was going to continue college even if it was hard I was not going to let that be my story.”  The cost of living in Flagstaff and the lack of family in the area made it hard for the young couple to stay afloat The three of them were sharing a bedroom in a house with Gifford’s brother who was working and could not help with the baby Gifford decided to put his education on pause and move to the Valley “We were already going on six years at this point so we decided to take a break and get help with the baby,” Gifford said “We moved to Glendale and lived with Allison’s dad who let us stay with him until we got on our feet The three of us were still living together in a bedroom but we were saving so that I could go back to school.”  but the commission-based wages weren’t stable enough to support his family He sent out dozens of job applications in his field with no luck one at UPS unloading packages from airplanes and another at a warehouse in Goodyear “My day would go like this: I wake up at 3 a.m have a one-hour break and then go to my warehouse job that could be an 8-to-10-hour day,” Gifford said I would try to build my real estate skills and help with the baby They realized Gifford’s work schedule was not sustainable and decided to go back to Flagstaff Once back “home,” Gifford and his wife had a plan Allison found a good position with her old employer with the idea of staying with their young son while his wife was working and going to school when she was off Then NAU threw the young family a lifeline—JJ Boggs from the Jacks on Track program emailed Gifford “We started talking about how they help people who did not finish their degree and bring them back to NAU,” Gifford said “They offered their support and I was so happy I was hunting for support anywhere I could find it I think she was the reason why I was able to get the scholarships I received.”  Gifford was awarded the Lorraine Ethington Business Admin Scholarship the West Family Scholarship and the Marley Scholars Endowment which allowed him to be a full-time student while taking care of his son he will graduate with a degree in business management and a 3.95 GPA Remembering the hard times he faced while growing up Gifford is determined to give his son a future where he can experience the opportunities his father missed and decide what will make him happy “I wake up every day and I am happy,” he said “Life has down points and high points and if you stay positive Everyone has their struggles; some are worse than mine but what I learned is that success in my mind is not chasing money it’s being happy and doing something that is important.”  Gifford plans to work at a company that provides help for people who want to buy a home but can’t afford it his knowledge of finance and business and his willingness to make a difference will now be part of his life plan “Resilience is the most important part and that is one of the hardest things because it is so cliché,” he said “There are times when you get punched in the stomach The important part is to remember that life continues and if you keep trying to go down the right path Mariana Laas | NAU Communications (928) 523-5050 | mariana.laas@nau.edu Get The NAU Review email delivered to your inbox Sign up for The NAU Review now! The NAU Review is published by the NAU Communications If you have a news tip, share it with us! Lori Wright and Tadd Ragan stand in a classroom at Coconino High School where students are studying for Arizona diploma seals in personal finance and civics literacy Kayedence Arthur will be graduating from Coconino High School with a seal on her diploma in Arts Proficiency She is one of six students who will graduate with the seal High schools in the Flagstaff Unified School District (FUSD) now offer students the opportunity to earn state diploma seals for personal finance or civics literacy on their diplomas showing their experience with the subjects gained during their education Arizona’s State Board of Education offers four seals recognizing high schoolers’ proficiency in a specific area (the two mentioned above They are awarded through a notation on students’ transcripts and a seal on their high school diploma FUSD’s superintendent of curriculum and instruction presented an update on civics education in the district at its March 25 board meeting While social studies isn’t measured in state assessments he said he believes “it’s absolutely a critical subject.” “I will always believe that I think it’s the forgotten but maybe the most critical subject in a high-functioning democracy,” he said The high schools offer civic engagement options, such as student participatory budgeting and the state seal options While Huffman said the district has “really great social studies teachers,” he added “I think when I look at the world as it is there’s a lot of discourse out there that’s misinformed from both sides and I think if people were better educated in civics we might be able to move around that and past that and get to a better moment,” he said and I’ll tell you that the social studies teachers in our district are doing a phenomenal job.” Arizona’s standards for social studies are centered around skills and concepts rather than memorization Critical thinking is needed to demonstrate competency he added that FUSD requires students to pass the Arizona Civics Exam in order to graduate — and that the district’s graduation rate is over 90% When asked how the board can support civics education Huffman suggested advocating for more state funding for education and engaging with students about the district in their role as board members This discussion begins about an hour and 25 minutes into the recording of FUSD’s March 25 board meeting at vimeo.com/fusd1 Meet Shallot, a stunning one-eyed sweetheart with a story to tell! Originally adopted from us as a kitten in 2019, Shallot was recently found by a kind-hearted person who brought her to Canyon… Read moreHCH Pet of the Week: Shallot The four additional days will include Saturday, May 10, Sunday, May 11, Saturday, May 17, and Sunday, May 18. Read moreArizona Snowbowl season extended to May 18 Vitalant has announced its May blood drive locations for northern Arizona, including events in Flagstaff, Munds Park, Winslow and Tusayan. Read moreVitalant announces May blood drive locations in northern Arizona The closure will span from the entrance of the police station public parking lot to the intersection of Sawmill and Kensington Drive. Read moreSawmill Road to close at night from May 6-8 This week's High Country Running is from Sara Hall. Read moreHigh Country Running: Redefining success after my fourth Boston Marathon This week's column from Tom Carpenter. Read moreCarpenter's Column: We interrupt our regular programming This week's Flagstaff History column. Read moreFlagstaff History: Movies and little theatres dominated the news May 3 Read moreFlagstaff Event Almanac for May 3 BEACON UU SUNDAY SERVICE: “The Search for Truth: Academic Freedom and Diversity Education” May 4 — Beacon Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 510 N. Leroux St., Flagstaff. (928) 779-4492. 10-… Read moreFlagstaff Religion News for May 3, 2025 View FUSD bus article HERE | View Mexican gray wolf article HERE | View CCEM article HERE Read moreThe Arizona Daily Sun 3@3 report for Friday, May 2 The government intended to kill an uncollared wolf but instead killed a collared female wolf, who may have been pregnant. Read moreFeds 'mistakenly' kill female Mexican gray wolf in Arizona Creative Flagstaff is pleased to announce the appointment of Julie Comnick as executive director following her successful tenure as interim executive director. Read moreCreative Flagstaff names Julie Comnick as executive director Flagstaff Business News Northern Arizona’s premier source for business May 4, 2025 By Leave a Comment Filed Under: Business, Local News Tagged With: , “The object of farce is to provoke mirth of the simplest and most basic kind: roars of laughter rather than smiles.”—A Dictionary of Literary Terms English lit majors look to Aristophanes as the original comedic playwright but I suspect he is merely the beneficiary of an astute librarian who saved some of his plays from destruction I suspect there was an earlier comedy innovator whose works were lost but Aristophanes probably ripped off May 1 Read moreFlagstaff Event Almanac for May 1 A look at how local varsity teams have fared recently. Read moreLOCAL ROUNDUP: Flagstaff beach volleyball falls in D-II State Championship semifinals Northland Prep baseball concluded their season on Monday with a 18-7 loss against Round Valley at home. Read moreNorthland Prep baseball ends its season with loss in finale May 4, 2025 By Leave a Comment Filed Under: Business, Local News Tagged With: Sawmill Road will be closed nightly from 8 p.m and again Wednesday night beginning at 8 p.m The work will require overnight full closures of Sawmill Road from the Police Department public parking lot driveway to Kensington Dr The Lone Tree Overpass detour has resulted in additional traffic on Sawmill Road so motorists should follow the detours on Seville Lane A portion of Barrow Avenue will be used as a staging area today through Thursday The Latest News Stories Delivered Direct to Your Inbox and the surrounding areas with Northern Arizona’s Best Radio Stations Visitors enjoying the First Friday Art Walk in downtown Flagstaff stop by the Shane Knight Gallery in February The block of Aspen Avenue between Leroux Street and San Francisco Street -- which runs along Heritage Square -- will be closed to vehicles and opened to pedestrians May's First Friday ArtWalk in downtown Flagstaff will be car-free as a special celebration of art community and all things multimodal such as walking ARTx is the presenting sponsor and funding the closure Creative Flagstaff is proud to announce the winners of the 17th annual Viola Awards Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints announced 15 new temples during the concluding session of the April 2025 general conference The temples will be built in the following locations: “We are grateful to the Lord for the acceleration of temple-building in recent years,” said the prophet who has announced 200 temples since he became president in 2018 In addition to announcing 200 temples, last year the 100-year-old prophet dedicated the Church’s 200th operating house of the Lord Today’s announcement brings the total number of temples — operating Each temple is a house of the Lord and the most sacred place of worship on the earth The primary purpose of temples is for faithful members of the Church to receive peace and spiritual power as they enter into sacred agreements with God in His holy house See below for more information about the Church of Jesus Christ in each location The Reynosa Mexico Temple will be the 27th house of the Lord in the country Reynosa is located on the southern bank of the Rio Grande River across the Mexico–United States border from Hidalgo Mexico is home to more than 1.5 million Latter-day Saints in nearly 1,900 congregations, the second largest membership outside of the United States. Missionary work began in Mexico in 1875 The Chorrillos Peru Temple will be the 10th house of the Lord in the country Chorrillos is located on the Pacific Ocean and is home to many popular beaches there are nearly 650,000 Latter-day Saints in about 800 congregations in the country The first missionaries arrived in the country in 1956 The Rivera Uruguay Temple will be the second house of the Lord in the country, joining the Montevideo Uruguay Temple The Montevideo Temple was dedicated in March 2001 by President Gordon B Rivera is the capital of Rivera Department of Uruguay It borders the Brazilian city of Santana do Livramento they form an urban area with about 200,000 residents There are about nearly 110,000 Latter-day Saints in around 130 congregations in Uruguay The Campo Grande Brazil Temple is the 24th announced temple in Brazil Campo Grande is a city in west central Brazil Andersen of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles There are more than 1.5 million Latter-day Saints in Brazil the third-most populous country of Latter-day Saints outside the United States Porto, with a population of approximately 1.3 million, is the second-largest city in Portugal a nation home to nearly 48,000 Latter-day Saints in more than 60 congregations The temple in Porto will be the second in the country, joining the Lisbon Portugal Temple The first branch was organized in Lisbon in 1975. That same year, then-Elder Thomas S. Monson dedicated the country for the preaching of the gospel of Jesus Christ There are more than 250,000 Latter-day Saints in nearly 850 congregations in Nigeria West Africa is one of the fastest growing areas of the Church in the world The San Jose del Monte Philippines Temple will be the 14th in the country. There are more than 880,000 Latter-day Saints in around 1,325 local congregations in the Philippines Since the country officially opened for missionary work in 1961 the rate of Church growth in the Philippines continues to be among the fastest in the world This will be the first temple in New Caledonia a group of islands in the southwestern Pacific Islands that are home to more than 2,500 Latter-day Saints The first members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints moved to New Caledonia from Tahiti The first stake (a group of congregations) was organized in 2012 The Liverpool Australia Temple will be the second temple in the greater Sydney area The Church was introduced in Australia in 1840 when a British convert immigrated to the country were among the first stakes established outside of North America Today, Australia is home to nearly 160,000 Latter-day Saints in around 300 congregations The temple to be built in Caldwell will be the third in the Boise, Idaho, metropolitan area. The Boise Idaho Temple was dedicated in 1984 and the Meridian Idaho Temple was dedicated in 2017 Idaho is home to more than 475,000 members of the Church in over 1,225 congregations Early Church pioneers settled in Idaho in 1855 Several Church presidents are natives of Idaho Flagstaff is located about 150 miles north of Phoenix among one of the world’s largest ponderosa pine forests and next to the tallest mountain in the state Rapid City is the second-most populous city in the state In nearby Black Hills stands the iconic Mount Rushmore National Memorial The Rapid City South Dakota Temple will be the first in the state South Dakota, located in north-central United States has more than 11,500 members in approximately 30 congregations The Greenville South Carolina Temple will be the second house of the Lord in the state. The Columbia South Carolina Temple has been in operation since October 1999 found in the northwestern part of South Carolina South Carolina which is in the southeastern United States is home to nearly 46,000 Latter-day Saints in approximately 85 congregations a waterfront city located along Chesapeake Bay Virginia is home to 100,000 Latter-day Saints in about 210 congregations The Spanish Fork Utah Temple will be the ninth temple in Utah County Utah County is also home to Brigham Young University with Utah Lake to the northwest and the Wasatch Range to the east Latter-day Saints settled Spanish Fork in 1851 Utah is home to more than 2.2 million Latter-day Saints approximately two-thirds of the state’s population of 3.5 million people The temple in the city of Spanish Fork will be the 32nd temple in Utah either in operation On November 10, 2024, President Russell M. Nelson dedicated the 200th operating temple of the Church — the Deseret Peak Utah Temple in Tooele For more information about temples, visit temples.ChurchofJesusChrist.org Return to top You are about to access Constant Contacts (http://visitor.constantcontact.com) You are now leaving a website maintained by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints We provide the link to this third party's website solely as a convenience to you and security practices that differ from those on our website By referring or linking you to this website we do not endorse or guarantee this content If you would like to stay on the page you are viewing please click Cancel To download media files, please first review and agree to the Terms of Use Download a photo or video by clicking or tapping on it To download all photos or videos related to this article select the links at the bottom of each section donates blood in this 2021 file photo inside Vitalant's blood drive bus at the National Night Out and Blood Drive hosted by the Coconino County Sheriff's Department Vitalant has announced its May blood drive locations for northern Arizona May is National Trauma Awareness month, and, according to the announcement, all blood types are needed, particularly Type O. Appointments can be made at vitalant.org on the Vitalant app or by calling (877) 258-4285 Today's Paper I appreciated very much being honored on April 5 by Nat White and others by having my name on a park bench at Buffalo Park But Nat and many others on the steering committee also deserve to be honored and I hope that we will do that on the 40th anniversary this coming August I hope that younger people will now carry on protection for this unique treasure into all future generations Local runner Sara Hall smiles after finishing her fourth Boston Marathon on April 21 This week's High Country Running is from Sara Hall I crossed the finish line of my fourth Boston Marathon As I walked through the chute and toward my agent especially after completing one of my best marathon buildups in my 10 years of training for the event I had taken a swing out there -- going out at sub 2:20 pace -- but paid the price when I hit the big hills at the end it wasn’t my best performance (my personal best is exactly six minutes faster) My immediate reactions were that it wasn’t bad was sorting through how I felt about it as I walked toward my agent 2:20 marathoner and former half-marathon American record holder For myself, and probably for anyone who has run consistently for more than six months, running has transformed with time. I began running as a sport in middle school. I continued competing thr… Read moreHigh Country Running: Running as a constant in change The Panthers opened with three home runs, scoring six runs in total during the first inning. Read morePanthers softball completes sweep of Eagles for crosstown rivalry crown A look at how local varsity teams have fared recently. Read moreLOCAL ROUNDUP: Flagstaff girls tennis remains undefeated in the region ahead of postseason A list of Stephanie Bruce's top 10 favorites after spending 15 years as a professional runner in Flagstaff. Read moreHigh Country Running: 10 Flagstaff favorites after 15 years as a pro-runner A look at how local varsity teams have fared recently. Read moreLocal Roundup: Coconino softball pitcher Kaitlyn Tso hits 1,000 career strikeouts After losing by nine runs on Tuesday, Flagstaff baseball (9-6, 6-4 Grand Canyon) came back and won at home against Prescott, 7-6, on Thursday. Read moreEagles hold off Badgers for a 7-6 win at home NAZ Elite's Alex Masai and Adrian Wildschutt must be taking heed to what their head coach is saying. Read moreNAZ Elite This Week: Masai, Wildschutt run gutsy races for new records With a little over a week left in the regular season for the Flagstaff girls tennis team, the Eagles are striving for a farther playoff push than in previous years. Read moreFlagstaff tennis strives for farther playoff run in 2025 The tennis and golf programs have been making noise toward the end of their seasons.  Read moreNAU ROUNDUP: Men's, women's tennis complete undefeated home schedules A look at how local varsity teams have fared recently.  Read moreLOCAL ROUNDUP: Flagstaff Eagles baseball knocks off No. 3 ALA Queen Creek Ultrarunner Alynn Davis is taking a second attempt at the Cocodona 250. Read moreHigh Country Running: Deaf ultrarunner taking a second swing at Cocodona 250 For NAZ Elite head coach Jack Mullaney, the night of The TEN in California was "very special." Read moreNAZ Elite This Week: Results from The TEN show coaches, athletes on right track VIEW: To read more of Susannah Carney and Susan Johnson's Flagstaff History series point your smartphone camera at the QR code incident to the filming of “Wild Horse Mesa” are attracting many visitors this week Ike Smith was out there Tuesday helping round up horses into a canyon ready for the stampede scene Wednesday there was an Indian celebration with chicken pulling and pony races Editor Chris Etling takes you behind the scenes of just one example of how we look through archives for information used in the Flagstaff History column Susan Johnson has lived in Flagstaff for over 30 years and loves to delve into her adopted hometown’s past She has written two books for the History Press Haunted Flagstaff and Flagstaff’s Walkup Family Murders You’ll find her hiking the trails with her corgi All events were taken from issues of the Arizona Daily Sun and its predecessors the Coconino Weekly Sun and the Coconino Sun Arizona Daily Sun calendar event submissions run in print and online and are free of charge. To submit events, visit https://azdailysun.com/addevent, and for a full list of events, visit azdailysun.com/calendar. The Flagstaff Police Department made two arrests following an alleged drive-by shooting late Monday night The department believes there are no additional suspects at large The incident occurred on the 1800 block of South Milton Road near the In-N-Out Burger around 11 p.m A female passenger in a vehicle was struck by gunshots fired from a black pickup truck The victim is in stable condition after being transported to the Flagstaff Medical Center May 4, 2025 By Leave a Comment Annual celebration returns to Cottonwood’s Riverfront Park with wineries the popular event will bring together more than 20 wineries from across the Verde Valley and beyond Attendees can sip their way through some of Arizona’s finest wine selections while enjoying craft beer live music and artisan shopping – all set against the scenic backdrop of Riverfront Park at 1284 E “This event is the best way to celebrate Mother’s Day,” said Festival Organizer Paula Woolsey “It’s a wonderful opportunity for families to celebrate mothers while enjoying local wines and delicious food The chance to meet the winemakers adds a personal touch allowing attendees to learn more about their favorite wines directly from the source.” The festival is co-sponsored by the Verde Valley Wine Consortium and the City of Cottonwood Organizers expect a strong turnout of wine enthusiasts from across the state and region Participating wineries include well-known names such as Page Springs Cellars Caduceus Cellars/Merkin Vineyards and Chateau Tumbleweed Here is the full list of participating wineries: Other libations will be offered by Desert Diamond Distillery which will serve both alcoholic and non-alcoholic kombucha options an array of food trucks will be on site serving everything from wood-fired pizza and crepes to gourmet kettle corn and handcrafted chocolates Tickets start at $20 for early birds and include a commemorative wine glass and six tasting tickets and non-drinker tickets are available for $10 For more information or to purchase tickets, visit verdevalleywinefestival.com/tickets or Stride Events Courtesy Photo: More than 20 Arizona wineries are pouring into the Verde Valley Wine Festival in Cottonwood The Boys and Girls Club of Flagstaff hosted the seventh annual Kentucky Derby charity fundraiser on Saturday at the High Country Conference Center smiles as she attends the Boys and Girls Club of Flagstaff's seventh annual Kentucky Derby charity fundraiser on Saturday at the High Country Conference Center Horse racing-themed centerpieces decorate tables at the Boys and Girls Club of Flagstaff's seventh annual Kentucky Derby charity fundraiser on Saturday at the High Country Conference Center Boys and Girls Club of Flagstaff CEO Mark Cox poses for a selfie with Andy Post during the seventh annual Kentucky Derby charity fundraiser on Saturday at the High Country Conference Center V Nnantah and Katherine Maahs dress to impress at the Boys and Girls Club of Flagstaff's seventh annual Kentucky Derby charity fundraiser on Saturday at the High Country Conference Center Jesse and Courtney Blakesley choose from an array of culinary delights during the Boys and Girls Club of Flagstaff's seventh annual Kentucky Derby charity fundraiser on Saturday at the High Country Conference Center board member at the Boys and Girls Club of Flagstaff speaks during the seventh annual Kentucky Derby charity fundraiser on Saturday at the High Country Conference Center Attendees gather for the Boys and Girls Club of Flagstaff's seventh annual Kentucky Derby charity fundraiser on Saturday at the High Country Conference Center and Bruce Sobczak decide which horses to bet on during the Boys and Girls Club of Flagstaff's seventh annual Kentucky Derby charity fundraiser on Saturday at the High Country Conference Center Flagstaff will be joining Arizona and much of the nation in the May 1 protests organized by the 50501 Movement It has been named the ‘May Day’ protest and will be at City Hall in downtown Flagstaff from 4-6 p.m and the demonstrations will advocate for strengthening programs like Medicaid and Social Security The NAU student club United Left Coalition will march from campus to join the protest and the Museum of Contemporary Art Flagstaff has invited the public to a celebration of workers and members of the labor movement from 4-8 p.m there will be at least 26 total May Day demonstrations throughout Arizona continuing through the weekend Additional Northern Arizona protests will be held in Sedona at 10 a.m and in Prescott at noon at the Yavapai County Courthouse in addition to a protest and general strike scheduled at the State Capitol Building at 9:00 a.m The 50501 Movement is an initiative to organize protests aiming to uphold the Constitution and end executive overreach A section of Sawmill Road will be closed for pavement repairs on the nights of May 6 and May 7 The closure will span from the entrance of the police station public parking lot to the intersection of Sawmill and Kensington Drive Flagstaff's road construction has become self-replicating: in order to repair damage caused by the use of Sawmill Road as a detour around construction on Butler Avenue and Lone Tree Road a portion of Sawmill Road itself will be closed for overnight construction this week Dave Zorn enters Coconino County Superior Court Monday for his arraignment on charges of luring a minor for sexual exploitation represented by Flagstaff attorney Daniel Kaiser entered an initial plea of not guilty to all counts Smith walks from the jury box to the defense table in Coconino County Superior Court Monday for his arraignment on a single charge of child sex trafficking represented by Flagstaff attorney Ryan Stevens All of the suspects initially pleaded not guilty to the allegations set forth in grand jury indictments -- a routine starting point in felony cases Superior Court proceedings began this week for multiple suspects arrested in the Flagstaff Police Department’s recent online sting operation Flagstaff radio broadcaster Dave Zorn and three other suspects accused of making sexual advances to minors were arraigned at the Coconino County Courthouse on Monday appearing in person and in the custody of the Coconino County Detention Facility initially pleaded not guilty to the allegations set forth in grand jury indictments – a routine starting point in felony cases The police department released additional details about the sting operations leading to nine felony arrests for sexual offenses -- most notably that of well-known Flagstaff radio broadcaster Dave Zorn Flagstaff News – On Saturday and Sunday June 7th and 8th the sixteenth annual Flagstaff Hullabaloo returns to Wheeler Park in downtown Flagstaff Hullabaloo is a community festival and a celebration of summertime Hullabaloo has been voted “Best Annual Event or Festival” ten times by Arizona Daily Sun and Flagstaff Live readers Flagstaff Hullabaloo has raised over $175,000 for local non-profits since 2010 This year Hullabaloo will raise funds for Habitat for Humanity of Northern Arizona Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flagstaff and Boys and Girls Club of Flagstaff The Hullabaloo will kick off with the Flagstaff Athletic Club Bike Parade which stages at 9am at City Hall Solar Lot and departs at 9:30am on Saturday June 7th Joy Cone is sponsoring the Kids Zone and there will also be bungee trampolines Live music on the Findlay Toyota Stage from national regional and local artists will include Bay Area retro-soul festival staples The California Honeydrops indie-Latin from Tucson’s Orkesta Mendoza PHX powerhouse funk ensemble Goldwax Revival one of the southwest’s premier bluegrass acts- Cisco & the Racecars Americana stalwarts Viola & The Brakemen Southwest Flow Festival will be there with juggling and poi spinning throughout the weekend and Prescott-based Living Folklore will provide giant puppets The Waste Management Stage will feature Southwest Flow Festival Suzuki Strings and live hip hop from Fang Over Fist Flagstaff’s Lumberyard Brewing and Phoenix’s Four Peaks are the official beer sponsors while Canyon Diablo Distillery is the official liquor sponsors and great food will be available from some of Arizona’s best local restaurants and food trucks There will be costume contests hosted by Bookmans with great prizes going to the winners Event sponsors include Greenhouse Productions Mountain Spirits/Majestic Marketplace/Grand Canyon Liquors (Cup Sponsors) Flagstaff Athletic Club (Bike Parade Sponsor) Karma Sushi & Rainbow’s End (VIP Sponsors) The event begins on Saturday 6/7 at 10am and will run until 9pm The event is free to the first 250 people with three cans of food to benefit Flagstaff Family Food Center and $20 thereafter VIP tickets are available ($150 two-day pass/$95 Saturday/ $75 Sunday) and include a private entrance a wonderful tented area with seating and a great view of the stage TICKETS ON-SALE NOW! Tickets are available at Rainbow’s End(12 E Route 66) online at www.flaghulla.com For more information check out www.flaghulla.com or contact Matthew Ziegler/zmattyz@gmail.com/928.853.4292 Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Photographer Jake Bacon was on the scene Thursday as more than 1,000 people gathered on the city hall lawn for a May Day protest The protest was part of a series of ongoing national protests in cities across the country The Flagstaff Snow Sharks pose after posting a series of strong results as the team completed its season in April The Flagstaff Snow Sharks just completed four weeks of championship swim meets across Arizona the Snow Sharks qualified 24 swimmers for the regional championships four swimmers for the senior state championships 11 for the age group state championships and three for the U.S Two of these athletes achieved USA Swimming Futures time standards and will be competing in this higher-tier championship meet in July four swimmers qualified for the Far Western championships in California and/or the Senior Zones meet in Utah The Northern Arizona women's tennis team is gearing up for a doubleheader against Mesa Community College today. Read moreNAU ROUNDUP: Women's tennis plays back-to-back matches against MCC A look at how NAU teams have fared recently.  Read moreNAU ROUNDUP: Swimming beats Idaho at home Four Northern Arizona University football players have been named to the Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Sky team. Read moreNAU ROUNDUP: Four football players named to Phil Steele Preseason All-Big Sky team Knott on July 1 qualified for the U.S. Paralympic roster. She’ll swim for the United States at the Paralympic Games Paris 2024 in late August, competing in the 400-meter freestyle. Read moreCan Knott slow her down: NAU swimmer set for Paralympics Northern Arizona earned a medal in the first day of the national indoor meet Thursday. Read moreNAU ROUNDUP: Bernt earns bronze in weight throw at indoor nationals Make it nine straight victories for the Northern Arizona women's basketball team. Read moreNAU ROUNDUP: Women's basketball caps four-game road slate with win A look at news around Northern Arizona Athletics. Read moreNAU ROUNDUP: Bernt, Smee earn conference track honors A look at how Northern Arizona teams have fared lately.  Read moreNAU ROUNDUP: Swimming and diving goes 1-1 in Tucson The Northern Arizona track and field teams were voted as unanimous favorites for the upcoming season in the conference coaches' polls. Read moreNAU ROUNDUP: Track and field teams named unanimous favorites Catalina Devia, Katarina Klatt, Kaci Kelaher, Lily Powell, Teddy Sabev and Isahbel Krasht will look to help continue the team's dominance in the WAC Conference. Read moreNAU ROUNDUP: Swimming and diving adds six recruits Eloi Kwete highlighted the honors with a spot on the first team. Read moreNAU Roundup: 8 football players honored by conference Keegan Knott is already earning accolades on the international stage. Read moreNAU ROUNDUP: Swimmer Keegan Knott named to USA 2023 Parapan American Games squad NAU soccer picked up a win behind strong play from its seniors. Read moreNAU ROUNDUP: Soccer celebrates seniors with victory at home over Bengals A junior on the NAU swimming and diving team was honored with the Col. Jay Vargas Perseverance Award. Read moreNAU ROUNDUP: Warner wins new award for perseverance, athletic excellence Alina Skrocki is the first Basis Flagstaff senior to sign to play Division I sports. Read moreBasis Flagstaff senior Skrocki signs with SDSU diving The Snow Sharks swim club is losing its top swimmer. But it’s for a positive reason. Read moreSnow Sharks standout VanLuvanee signs with CMS swimming in California Emory Burden’s swimming career is set to continue next season. Read moreFlagstaff Eagles senior Emory Burden signs to Puget Sound swimming The Northern Arizona University track & field teams had three athletes who earned Big Sky Athlete of the Week honors after a record breaking first meet. Read moreNAU ROUNDUP: NAU track and field earns three Big Sky weekly awards Adding to its 2023-24 roster, the Northern Arizona women's tennis team announced the signing of Dolavee Tumthong. Read moreNAU ROUNDUP: Women's tennis adds Tumthong to 23-24 roster The Northern Arizona track and field program started its indoor season strong. Read moreNAU ROUNDUP: Track and field athletes break records at Axe 'Em Open Friday in Flagstaff The Lumberjacks swimming and diving team will be back on the road for the last double-dual meet of the season, facing Arizona and Washington State in Tucson today. Read moreNAU ROUNDUP: Swimming and diving heading to Tucson April 7, 2025 By Leave a Comment The rub is that it’s financially challenging to stay the small-town charm and the massive biodiversity in a small radius but this community definitely has its own unique flavor of mountain magic that pulls people in The rub is that it’s financially challenging to stay While I can appreciate that there are a variety of reasons people may choose to go my message this month is to the folks who want to stay and even more focused on the folks who really want to make Flagstaff work and who are part of this community but are struggling to pencil out the financial logic I don’t have all the answers but there are very strong indicators that the next four to six months may just be the time to lock in your Flagstaff home and not to get pushed out down the road The most exciting part about the spring housing market is the typical seasonal surge in listings making the available inventory much more enticing for homebuyers This year we are already seeing a larger increase than in the recent past with Flagstaff sitting around 30% higher in new listings year-to-date than last year surveyed buyers put “finding the right house” at the top of their challenges by far compared to all other aspects of home buying The increased inventory appears to be helping resolve some of those buyers’ concerns as we’re seeing buying activity up year to date as well with about an 11% year-to-date increase in Flagstaff Mortgage rates have also seen some marked improvement since the first of the year dropping from the low 7% range into the mid-to-high 6% range Big picture predictions still estimate conventional mortgage rates ending the year somewhere between the high 5% and low 6% range While the inflation data has been a bit more stubborn than expected here in the first quarter tariff concerns and other economic data points will continue to have a strong impact on how quickly those rates go down It is important to note that while your 401K and mutual funds typically do not respond well to economic slowing mortgage rates have been patiently waiting for economic slowing and truly sustainable inflation levels That can seem a bit contrarian but just remember a slower economy typically means cheaper borrowing costs which ironically is good for the housing market A statistic commonly forgotten is that housing prices increased in 9 out of the last 10 recessions primarily because of the cheaper cost of borrowing Most experts are then really watching rates with the expectation of prices having a strong inverse correlation with home prices and demand the projected appreciation levels really start to mirror “normal,” with the 30-year historic average sitting in the 3-5% range and most experts believe we’re going to slide right into that historic trend My advice then to anyone considering staying and wanting to make it happen here is clear: You should definitely buy and get out of the uncertainty and money pit of Flagstaff rentals Buy before rates hit lower levels in the next six to 18 months which will beat a likely higher demand wave and while inventory is in a surge position without demand necessarily surging equally just yet This likely will put you in a home at a lower price than you’ll see in the next three to five years and position you to simply refinance any financing to optimal terms should we see them as expected down the road For additional information or to schedule an appointment, visit ChrisHallows.Benchmark.us or call 928-707-8572 The Flagstaff location is 824 W Rte 66 Suite A-3 Chris Hallows is the Branch Manager & Sr Mortgage Advisor of Benchmark Mortgage Flagstaff Filed Under: Columnists Tagged With: , Demonstrators gathered throughout Arizona Saturday for what were dubbed "Hands Off" protests It was part of a nationwide day of opposition to deep cuts to the federal government by the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency Nearly 2,500 people rallied in front of Flagstaff City Hall against cuts to health care and Social Security It was the largest protest in the city so far during President Donald Trump’s second term Austin Kerr is a schoolteacher and vice chair of the Coconino County Democratic Party “It's a pretty essential time to be protesting the rise of fascism it's my responsibility to make sure that my community is safe either in my classroom or out here protesting," Kerr says Those concerns were echoed by Flagstaff resident Karen Leroy “I feel like it's necessary to fight back because so many people are being harmed by this and it's changing our entire way of American life organizers say more than 900 people gathered in Uptown Sedona where Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes spoke to the crowd Mayes has filed nearly a dozen lawsuits against the Trump administration The events were among nearly 30 in Arizona and more than 1,200 protests across all 50 states and the District of Columbia Republican members of Congress from Arizona condemned a road rage incident in Flagstaff involving a Tesla driver amid protests of the automaker's relation to Elon Musk the Flagstaff Police Department reported a case of road rage that ended in a violent encounter between a Flagstaff resident and the Tesla driver But police and eyewitnesses only described a road rage even if implications may seem grander amid a backdrop of national protest over Tesla's CEO a billionaire adviser to President Donald Trump Musk has been overseeing Trump's controversial Department of Governmental Efficiency initiative that has led to massive agency cuts and layoffs The two GOP members of Congress commented on the traffic incident as if it was a case of anti-Trump and anti-Musk sentiment Here's a look at the incident involving a Tesla driver and how Arizona politicians reacted Flagstaff police detail road rage incidentIn the mid-afternoon of March 19 Rintala said Flagstaff police responded to calls of road rage in which the driver of a Chevrolet Cavalier drove in front of the Tesla driver and exited the vehicle leading to a brief altercation between the drivers The Flagstaff police spokesperson said the incident resulted in minor injuries between both drivers and that witnesses saw both drive erratically just before the altercation Rintala said that despite conflicting reports of why exactly the road rage happened both parties involved alleged it started with aggressive honking and hand gestures Rintala said the case had been closed but that a detective was assigned for a review Arizona Republicans in Congress condemned the incidentRep took to social media to decry the incident "Unable to come to terms with their historic loss in November & spurred on by the incendiary anti-Elon rhetoric of the leaders of their party the radical left has resorted to violence," Hamadeh wrote on X who shared Hamadeh's post with his followers A large group of Flagstaff residents gathered in front of City Hall on Thursday for a powerful and peaceful May Day Strong protest joining over 340 cities nationwide in a show of solidarity for workers Officers from the Flagstaff Police Department and volunteer protest marshals helped ensure safety and respect for both demonstrators and the public Organizers had estimated a turnout of around 1,200 but onlookers suggested the crowd may have grown even larger during the protests’ peak The event honored the legacy of past labor struggles and called for increased public investment in essential services and communities Protesters also raised their voices against proposed cuts to social safety net programs and demanded protections for public sector jobs A passionate delegation of students from Northern Arizona University marched from campus to City Hall Many students took the microphone to speak about the importance of supporting labor rights Participants held signs reading “Invest in People Bring Dignity to Working Families,” “Equality Harms No One,” and “The Environment is Bipartisan,” as chants echoed through downtown streets The demonstration reflected a growing national movement demanding that government budgets prioritize people over profits and protect the most vulnerable along with other members of the Flagstaff City Council attended the protest in support of the community’s right to peaceful assembly “This is democracy in action,” Mayor Daggett said Some 2,500 demonstrators gathered in downtown Flagstaff around City Hall on Saturday as part of the "Hands Off!" protest against the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk Thousands of protesters take to the lawn outside Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally protesting the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk Around 2,500 protesters gather outside Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally protesting the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk and Candace Beringer hold up signs and walk along Route 66 near Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally protesting the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk A passenger in a vehicle shows support to "Hands Off!" protesters along Route 66 near Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday Protesters hold up signs near Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off" rally protesting the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk Protesters hold up signs outside Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally protesting the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk Around 2,500 protesters demonstrate outside Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally protesting the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk Owen Davis and Brandi Fairbanks of the Interference Series play music and lead chants on the lawn outside Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally Protester Deidre Burton holds a sign near Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally protesting the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk Thousands of protesters line Route 66 near Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally Protesters hold up signs on the lawn outside Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally protesting the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk Protesting the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk Melinda McKinney and Casey Malone dress as the Statue of Liberty and Uncle Sam as they hold up signs on the lawn outside Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally Flagstaff police patrol during a during a large protest outside Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday that was part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally Thousands of protesters line Route 66 near Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally protesting the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk Counter-protester Justin Youngman holds a sign and converses with protesters near Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday during the large "Hands Off!" rally Thousands of protesters line both sides of Route 66 near Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally protesting the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk Protesters hold signs near Flagstaff City Hall on Route 66 on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally protesting the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk Jess Magee holds a sign as she sits outside Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally Nigrelli and Morales families hold up signs outside Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally protesting the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk and Ashley Davis hold up signs on the corner of Route 66 and North Humphreys Street near Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally protesting the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk Incredible costume as he protests on Route 66 on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally Protesters line both sides of Route 66 near Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally and Dennis Chavez hold signs near Flagstaff City Hall on Saturday as part of the nationwide "Hands Off!" rally protesting the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk hold up a sign inside their vehicle on Saturday as they leave the "Hands Off!" rally protesting the actions of the Trump administration and Elon Musk More than 500 people demonstrated outside Flagstaff City Hall Monday in opposition to the Trump administration’s layoffs of thousands of federal workers how many workers across northern Arizona have lost their jobs Many of the protesters wore hats or shirts sporting logos of federal agencies that have experienced layoffs in recent days But Jim Landahl had a piece of duct tape covering his hat with the word “terminated” written in Sharpie He was among an unknown number of people laid off at Grand Canyon National Park I care about the Grand Canyon region very deeply — this area in northern Arizona," Landahl says And you look at your national parks and it's a natural I was supposed to be in the canyon today to work on a restoration project for the health of the ecosystem down at the Grand Canyon.” Landahl says his home in Grand Canyon Village is also tied to his employment meaning he may lose his housing He says the layoffs have shaken the small community of mostly national park employees “It's sent a shockwave through the town itself And I think everybody is rallying around this first wave of cuts because people are expecting more and we all are sticking up for our little town,” Landahl says Landahl has worked for the park since 2022 but his first full-time position ended Friday when the Trump administration directed multiple federal agencies to lay off all employees in probationary status That includes most employees who have entered a new position within the last year or the last two years if they are a veteran or have a disability Corina Haines was also at the rally and says multiple generations of her family have worked in the federal government She says she always believed she would follow that tradition into federal service “I'm scared for my family that works in the federal government I'm scared for myself as someone who wants to pursue a career with the government I feel like my whole future has been turned upside down Environmental Protection Agency and Indian Health Service have not responded to KNAU’s requests for comment A spokesperson for Grand Canyon National Park said they were unable to answer questions Application Fair for Letter Carrier Positions in Flagstaff Postal Service is hiring to fill City Carrier Assistants (CCA) and Rural Carrier Associate (RCA) positions in Flagstaff USPS is hosting a job fair at the Flagstaff Main Post Office on Friday Personnel will be on-site to provide detailed information about the positions and help potential candidates through the application process step by step Starting pay ranges from $18.69 - $24.70 per hour Applications are also accepted online at www.usps.com/careers Check for other job opportunities as well so check back frequently for additional opportunities The Postal Service is also proud to provide great career opportunities for veterans Join a diverse team with a variety of positions and advancement to maximize your skills and interests Accepting a position with the United States Postal Service is the first step to starting a long forward-thinking organization committed to delivering for the American people The United States Postal Service is an equal opportunity employer offering a fast-paced rewarding work environment with competitive compensation packages The United States Postal Service is an independent federal establishment, mandated to be self-financing and to serve every American community through the affordable, reliable and secure delivery of mail and packages to 169 million addresses six and often seven days a week. Overseen by a bipartisan Board of Governors, the Postal Service is implementing a 10-year transformation plan, Delivering for America restore long-term financial sustainability dramatically improve service across all mail and shipping categories and maintain the organization as one of America’s most valued and trusted brands The Postal Service generally receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage products and services to fund its operations Copyright© 2025 United States Postal Service Multiple Positions Available to Fill Immediate Openings The Postal Service is hosting a job fair Friday at the Flagstaff Main Post Office to fill immediate openings for Rural Carrier Assistants Assistant Rural Carriers and City Carrier Assistants USPS Job Fair at the Flagstaff Main Post Office: Accepting a position with the United States Postal Service is the first step to starting a long forward-thinking organization committed to delivering for the American people we want you to be a part of our proud tradition of service Applications are also accepted online at www.usps.com/careers. Job postings are updated frequently so check back often for additional opportunities The United States Postal Service is an equal opportunity employer offering a fast-paced rewarding work environment with competitive compensation packages and a Flagstaff scientist is being hailed as one of the success stories Dale Fonken moved to the High Country because of his love for the outdoors and the Grand Canyon. He spends his days working on the Colorado River for the Arizona Game and Fish Department “Being able to work down there was a dream job for me,” he said That dream was almost lost as Fonken dealt with rent hikes of hundreds of dollars and spent the last year living out of his car and I had gone to school for a really long time The housing situation was just unsustainable.” According to a study by the city of Flagstaff, housing costs rose 136% from 2013 to 2023, and according to the Chamber of Commerce “To be able to provide resources to help people who didn’t think they’d be able to own homes do that is really why I’m governor,” Gov “So it’s probably one of the best parts of my job.” Now he feels safer and more rested with a roof over his head “I was kind of at a point where I loved my job and I loved my town but I probably would have had to move elsewhere But this program really made this possible to stay here long term.” For more information about the program or how to apply, click/tap here. See a spelling or grammatical error in our story? Please click here to report it Do you have a photo or video of a breaking news story? Send it to us here with a brief description Dave Zorn is a familiar voice in Coconino County. For more than a decade at the local KAFF News radio, he’s covered local sports and was a trusted voice, appearing on the air, online and in this video a city councilmember recorded of him in 2022 He hosted student spelling bees and gave voice to the region’s most important news like last November’s elections police say he was arrested during an investigation into child sex trafficking in Arizona’s high country when law enforcement’s North Star Task Force opened a series of investigations in northern Arizona Six men were arrested on felony child sex trafficking charges were charged with luring a minor for sexual exploitation KAFF News said in a statement that Zorn was placed on leave as soon as the station was informed of his arrest Police say they won’t yet discuss specifics of the allegations Zorn taught at Northern Arizona University up until his arrest and covered local high school teams in depth "There’s a misconception that a lot of this crime is coming from the outside and coming in which is absolutely not true," said task force lead detective Bethany Hyde "It’s people who have been embedded in our community for years Some of them even born and raised in Flagstaff for 40-plus years." Michelle Rucker is executive director of Northland Family Help Center’s human trafficking services She said law enforcement long ago recognized the need to collaborate on human trafficking in northern Arizona "Human trafficking does not look anything like what you see in movies or television," she said And that's even more true in rural areas like Coconino County It’s going to be underground," Rucker said she stressed that many of those charged were local residents our nephews who are being targeted by these perpetrators for sexual exploitation," Rucker said Hyde said she hopes this case brings awareness for parents of the type of threats children face "Finding that balance between letting your teens have freedom but also monitoring who they’re talking to and the types of conversations that they’re having," she said and Rakesh Dullbson was given a $250,000 bond "We've known for a while that there are folks in the community — sometimes hidden in plain sight that are perpetrating these crimes and that was the purpose of the North Star Task Force was to collaborate better on these types of investigations," said Coconino County Attorney Ammon Barker "We assumed that we would find some folks during a sting like this Barker said law enforcement trainings have stressed that child exploitation cases are common across the country "It's a sad commentary on the state of society and the way people are seeking for these things and creating this market that exploits children." According to a release from the Flagstaff Police Department "Amongst those arrested for felony charges were:" EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to correct a transcription error in a quote by Michelle Rucker; and to clarify that the Flagstaff Police Department said the nine individuals arrested were "amongst those arrested for felony charges"; and to clarify that Rakesh Dullbson's bond amount was $250,000 Bond amounts for the seven people arrested besides Zorn and Dullbson were not immediately known This story will be updated as more information becomes available Seeking committed applicants for immediate job openings Postal Service is hiring to fill City Carrier Assistants (CCA) and Rural Carrier Associate (RCA) positions in Flagstaff The Postal Service is an equal opportunity employer offering a fast-pace rewarding work environment with competitive compensation packages and high-tech skills veterans bring to the organization CCA hourly wages start at $19.33 per hour (paid bi-weekly) with benefits including health benefits and a path to becoming a Career City Carrier CCAs may be required to work any day of the week including weekends and holidays as scheduled See the job posting for full details for background check RCA hourly wages start at 20.38 per hour (paid bi-weekly) with health benefits which may lead to a career position RCAs must be available to work on an as needed basis See the job posting for full details for background check To apply: Go to usps.com and click on “Careers” at the bottom left of the home page (Or go directly to https://about.usps.com/careers/)  From the Careers page select “Search jobs,” then select “Arizona” as location or “Flagstaff” in the search bar and hit “Start.”  Current job postings with locations and requirements will appear Job seekers should check back weekly for new job postings February 10, 2025 By Leave a Comment Tribe looks forward to job creation The casino is planned on property that was home to Horsemen Lodge steakhouse since 1975 and the adjacent Flying Heart Stables The site is outside the city limits on U.S 89 the Navajo Nation signed a warranty deed that transfers the land to trust status meaning it is part of the Navajo Reservation That gives the tribe the right to build a casino on the property Navajo Nation President Buu Nygren announced the Nation’s plans to partner with the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise to develop a gaming facility on the newly acquired land I wouldn’t want to speculate how long that entire process will take,” Nygren said in written responses to questions from Flagstaff Business News “We know that there will be limited gaming at the property but no decisions have been made to date on what that will look like.” will be permitted to have up to 300 gaming devices according to the Tribal-State Gaming Pact of 2021 “Of greatest significance are the jobs it will create,” Nygren said “Unemployment on the Navajo Nation remains at nearly 50%.” “We anticipate construction will create more than 300 jobs and more than 100 permanent jobs upon completion.” Gaming Enterprise employees are 85% Navajo and 5% other tribal members Nygren said the Gaming Enterprise plans to reopen Horsemen Lodge steakhouse I fully expect the reopening of the restaurant will be welcomed by the local community and Highway 89 travelers Horseman’s Lodge was an iconic establishment and it’s been greatly missed since it closed its doors in June 2020 because of COVID.” The Gaming Enterprise will pay rent on the casino with the revenue going directly to a Diné Relocatee Fund to support Navajos under the Navajo-Hopi Settlement Act of 1974 The new casino will be much closer to Flagstaff residents It will generate revenue not only for the tribe but also shared revenue to the state of Arizona The casino will be on a key tourist route to Grand Canyon Nygren said in explaining why the Navajo Nation acquired the site on U.S “The Navajo Nation continues to diversify our economic development and build up more tourism opportunities since the closure of the Navajo Generating Station and the impact on tribal revenue.” The Gaming Enterprise has operated a casino and 200-room hotel since 2013 at Twin Arrows The Navajo Blue Travel Plaza just west of Twin Arrows has 26 gaming devices and two sports-betting kiosks Twin Arrows casino features 1,007 gaming devices one roulette table and eight sports-betting kiosks The Arizona Department of Gaming will oversee development and operation of the Lower 89 casino under Gaming Pact regulations The city of Flagstaff and Coconino County are largely out of the loop since neither entity has zoning jurisdiction over development of Navajo Nation trust land Coconino County District 4 Supervisor Judy Begay represents the Doney Park-Timberline-Fernwood area where the casino is planned “Although the property is no longer regulated by Coconino County I hope to work with the Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise to ensure that residents are informed about the project,” Begay said in a statement “A project such as this will attract visitors and will impact our roads and the experience of living in such a special place,” she said “These are the issues that will involve ongoing discussion and The Gaming Pact advises tribes to give notice to surrounding communities about substantial changes to their gaming facilities It also urges tribes “to develop procedures for consultation with surrounding communities.” Nygren noted that the Coconino County Board of Supervisors has two knowledgeable Navajo supervisors – Begay and Lena Fowler – who represent Navajos and non-Navajos in their districts NNGE and the Navajo Nation will continue to be good neighbors to our respected colleagues in Flagstaff and Coconino County,” he said Gaming revenue has improved tribal economic conditions across Arizona 16 tribes with 26 casinos contribute millions of dollars to the Arizona Benefits Fund “NNGE pays money to the state of Arizona – in lieu of taxes – of which 12% of the money goes back to the local communities where the Twin Arrows Casino is located,” Nygren said Navajo and Apache counties have been recipients of these annual fund distributions since 2013.” the Arizona Department of Gaming announced $42.5 million in tribal gaming contributions to the Arizona Benefits Fund for the second quarter of fiscal year 2025 “Strong collaboration and partnership between the state and Arizona’s tribal communities continue to drive the growth of the tribal gaming industry,” Jackie Johnson Arizona Benefits Fund provides funding for instructional improvement in schools wildlife conservation and problem-gambling intervention Photo by Peter Corbett: Navajo Nation Gaming Enterprise plans to reopen Horsemen Lodge and build a casino on the site northeast of Flagstaff