As COVID-19 wages another relentless attack across the country, Flagstaff, Phoenix, Peoria, Tempe and Tucson are requiring masks in city facilities for staff members and visitors – whether they are vaccinated or not – as the highly contagious delta variant is being blamed for the surge. “Delta has become overwhelmingly dominant in our state and pretty much everywhere else,” said David Engelthaler, director of the infectious disease branch of TGen North. “Delta is an extremely fast-spreading … [Read more...] about Disinfecting on the Navajo Nation
Neighbors Helping Neighbors Through Summer’s Events
It has been a rather tumultuous couple of months for our mountain town, from the Rafael Fire that had many of our community members set to evacuate, to the Museum Fire floods, which caused more than $5 million in public infrastructure and private property damage. Through it all though, I have seen how we have come together in times of need. Neighbors helping neighbors to rake needles and other fire fuels away from yards in the midst of wildfire, and then right after that threat ended, filling … [Read more...] about Neighbors Helping Neighbors Through Summer’s Events
Tips for Preventing STIs
It is my passion and professional commitment to stop the spread of HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) and STIs (sexually transmitted infection) in our county and state! Today, I’d like to discuss prevention. Why? Because we need to increase our knowledge to stop the STIs from being shared. Here are some ways we can prevent STIs. Abstinence Abstinence is one way to prevent and stop the spread of HIV/STIs. If abstinence worked as the most solid solution, Arizona would not be No. 2 in the … [Read more...] about Tips for Preventing STIs
Five Myths About Foot Care
Old wives’ tales and myths can be fun to laugh at. We believed them as children. “Step on a crack and you’ll break your mother’s back.” But there are other myths that are no laughing matter, especially when they involve your health. From bunions to broken toes, as a foot and ankle surgeon, I have heard it all as I treat patients in Flagstaff. To that end, I’d like to share five myths about foot care and the realities behind them. Myth: Cutting a notch (a “V”) in a toenail will relieve the … [Read more...] about Five Myths About Foot Care
When You Love an Addict
When you love an addict, it is a painful and confusing journey. The effects of addiction are like a stone being thrown into a pond. There seems to be no ending to the spillover of pain, drama, intensity and insanity. The whole family system is imprinted, and we all suffer. Concepts of recovery for family and loved ones include: Understanding the basics of how addiction wires the brain. Gaining some clarity of how addiction affects personality, mood and behavior. Taking inventory … [Read more...] about When You Love an Addict
Signs of Hormone Imbalance for Women and Men
Hormone imbalance can occur at any age and at any stage of a woman’s life. Teenagers experience an emotional rollercoaster of changes as they transition through puberty and into early adulthood. A woman’s fertile years span from Menarche (onset of menstruation) and can start to decline as young as age 30. Egg quality declines significantly after age 35, making fertility challenging for a woman who desires pregnancy later in life. The average age for a woman to transition into menopause is 51. … [Read more...] about Signs of Hormone Imbalance for Women and Men
Rodeo Family Wins at Auction and in the Arena
Fresh off a first place team-roping win at the Pioneer Days Rodeo in Clovis, New Mexico, on a Babbitt Ranches horse named Tubs, 19-year-old Cy Singer quietly conferred with his younger sisters on the front row of the bleachers at the Annual Hashknife Colt Sale. Cy, 18-year-old Sherina and 16-year-old Shaelene are big fans of Babbitt horses. They have three at home on their Bird Springs ranch north of Winslow. Busy with rodeo competition and travel through the summer, the teens were all in one … [Read more...] about Rodeo Family Wins at Auction and in the Arena
New Electric Bike Shop Already in High Gear
For Luke Howland, owner of Electric Bikes of Flagstaff, business has been booming since he opened the store at 14 E. Birch Ave. in April. He says college students, tourists and locals all want to ride the ebikes. Howland, who previously worked at an electric bike store in Scottsdale, said ebikes are great in Flagstaff because of the 7,000-foot altitude, as it takes far less work to ride with a pedal-assisted bike than with a traditional bike. “You don’t have to be totally in shape to ride … [Read more...] about New Electric Bike Shop Already in High Gear
SCORE Helping Businesses Succeed for Decades
I moved to Prescott in 2018 after 41 years in the commercial audiovisual industry in Southern California. We opened and ran a successful manufacturers’ rep company for 33 of those years, serving a five-state region. I had several terrific mentors, but I wish I had known of SCORE in those days. I like to say, “I could have had a V8.” SCORE is a non-profit, volunteer-staffed, free business mentoring service. SCORE is America’s premier source of free, confidential small business advice, and was … [Read more...] about SCORE Helping Businesses Succeed for Decades
Growing Trend: Houseplants for Your Home, Office
If you purchased an indoor plant recently, you are part of a growing trend that began several years ago and exploded during the pandemic. The popularity of houseplants was already on the rise before 2020. Young adults who couldn’t afford to rent or buy a house turned to indoor plants as a way to enjoy gardening in the limited space of an apartment. Many people of all ages turned to houseplants as a way to “unplug” from our high-tech world. And then COVID-19 and the subsequent lockdown … [Read more...] about Growing Trend: Houseplants for Your Home, Office