My waders are hanging by the front door. The ground under me was not very solid and I was in constant danger of losing my footing and being swallowed into the Conference Report from the recent tax law changes. That's what it takes to even try to understand the business changes, rates, exclusions, etc., that will apply to tax returns for small business owners for the next few years. My takeaway, the easiest part of it, if you will, is that if you have a small business, there is a 20 percent … [Read more...] about How the New Tax Law is Affecting Small Businesses
Local Chefs Re-imagining Girl Scout Cookies
Chefs from two of Flagstaff’s restaurants are joining chefs around the state in the Fifth Annual Girl Scout Cookie Dessert Challenge. Silver Pine Restaurant at Little America and Lumberyard Brewing Company are using their know-how to re-imagine Girl Scout cookie flavors into custom desserts. The innovative taste treats are featured on menus from now until the end of the month, with a portion of the proceeds from each dessert sold directly supporting Girl Scouting in Arizona. “I’m very … [Read more...] about Local Chefs Re-imagining Girl Scout Cookies
Making Your 2018 Financial Resolutions
The New Year is upon us, bringing a fresh opportunity to consider your goals. For 2018, we are taking a different approach to resolutions. Instead of giving you a laundry list of tasks to accomplish, we want to encourage you to make this the year you really own your financial life. Imagine fast forwarding your life to December 31, 2018, and looking back on the year. What do you think you will have accomplished? How did your financial life change? What roadblocks did you remove? Answering … [Read more...] about Making Your 2018 Financial Resolutions
Addressing Affordable Housing, Cost of Living
Hello, Flagstaff! Now that the holidays are over, we at City Hall are back to work and 2018 looks to be a busy year. When the current council set our goals for this term, it was obvious that affordable housing had to be at the top of the list. The cost of living here is legendarily high, and housing is the major factor in that. That said, it’s also not an easy issue to address; otherwise, it would have happened already. The cost of living and the cost of housing have been issues for … [Read more...] about Addressing Affordable Housing, Cost of Living
Heads Up on Preventing Brain Injuries
With the Winter Olympics on the horizon, many of us will be watching and celebrating these snowy, athletic feats worldwide. But, a downside of this popular event includes the head injuries that have been known to come with it. In the past, American Jackie Hernandez slid unconscious against the snow after hitting her head during a snowboard cross event. British halfpipe skier Rowan Cheshire suffered a concussion during a training session – the first of three head injuries she received in the … [Read more...] about Heads Up on Preventing Brain Injuries
If These Walls Could Talk
Driving down Humphreys, do you find it hard not to notice the eye-catching traditional bungalow on the southwest corner of Cherry and Humphreys? Flagstaff has such a rich history and so does our real estate bungalow at 219 N. Humphreys Street. Built in the early 1900s, this bungalow was originally someone's home. In 1962, Willard Harkey (a real estate agent working for George Babbitt Realty) and his wife, Fran, purchased a quarter block on the southwest corner of Humphreys and Cherry … [Read more...] about If These Walls Could Talk
Launching Visit.Discover.Grow. in Flagstaff
The City of Flagstaff and its partner ECONA (Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona) recently attended the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas, Nevada. CES is the world’s largest meeting place for global innovators. This year, more than 900 startups from over 40 countries exhibited in the Eureka Park marketplace. This is where the most talented tech pioneers come to unveil their latest innovations. It only makes sense that Flagstaff, The City of Innovation, would be represented at … [Read more...] about Launching Visit.Discover.Grow. in Flagstaff
Iconic Route 66 Dog Haus Still Taking it Easy
If the vibrant colors of the Dog Haus drive-though on East Route 66 in downtown Flagstaff seem friendly and familiar, it may be because they are the colors of ketchup and mustard. They are also the colors of another classic American fast-food empire, Der Wienerschnitzel, founded in 1961 in Los Angeles and specializing in hot dogs. The A-frame design and central drive-through slot are also inspired by the older hot dog joint. The Flagstaff version has a warning sign over the … [Read more...] about Iconic Route 66 Dog Haus Still Taking it Easy
Juniper Tree Pollen: The Most Allergenic Pollen in Northern Arizona
From mid-February to the end of March, copious amounts of Arizona’s most allergenic pollen billow out from juniper trees. Junipers are to the Southwest what fir trees are to the Northwest: widespread and represented by several species. While junipers define the landscape on the Colorado Plateau with their glacial growth, half-dead/half-alive appearance and fragrant aroma, they are THE GREATEST trigger of allergic reactions in winter. Although junipers are found from sea level to 10,000 feet … [Read more...] about Juniper Tree Pollen: The Most Allergenic Pollen in Northern Arizona
Is it My Fault That Company Morale is Terrible?
I have been extremely fortunate during my life to have had a wide range of jobs, from delivering newspapers to helping the poorest of the poor in Kenya to leading a $130 million public company. One of the greatest opportunities and challenges is being an executive director/CEO/president of an organization. With all the personal and financial rewards come the good and the bad. During the good times, you get all the credit and life is wonderful. I once remember holding my board of directors’ … [Read more...] about Is it My Fault That Company Morale is Terrible?