Neck pain. Back pain. Joint pain. Nerve pain. Headaches. Pain from an injury yesterday or years ago. Pain from disease. Pain that stops and starts. Pain that never ends. Many people suffer with ongoing pain. In fact, chronic pain is a worldwide epidemic, with more than 1.5 billion people living with this relentless condition. In the U.S., the numbers are staggering and recent data shows that chronic pain affects more Americans than diabetes, heart disease and cancer combined. The American … [Read more...] about Stopping Chronic Pain: New Treatments, Technology, Medications
How Important is My First Job After I Graduate?
I’m always amazed when a student walks in my office or approaches me after class to tell me that he or she isn’t accepting a job offer. It is usually followed with something like, “I didn’t go to college for four years just to stock shelves…make phone calls…work a front desk…etc.” I have three pieces of advice for graduating students regarding their first job: Be prepared to work hard; find a company not a job; and remember that you don’t have to stay there for your entire … [Read more...] about How Important is My First Job After I Graduate?
Mother Nature Offering Health, Happiness in Every Season
Even with the snow flurries, chilly temperatures and brisk spring winds, the great outdoors beckons us to come outside and enjoy the wide-open spaces, vast skies and fresh mountain air. Spending time outdoors and in nature is enjoyable. But, did you know there is evidence that proves spending time outside can make you happier and healthier? Here are just a few reasons to go outside: Nature Decreases Stress Being in a natural environment provides a feeling of relaxation that … [Read more...] about Mother Nature Offering Health, Happiness in Every Season
Collective Impact Pilot Program Makes Accessing Services Easier for Those in Need
Coconino County is known for its diverse culture, stunning natural wonders and landscapes and strong, thriving communities. However, many of our residents also struggle to make ends meet and lack basic human needs. Adjusting for cost-of-living, 27 percent of county residents are living in poverty compared with 18 percent for the rest of Arizona. For these citizens, local government and not-for-profits are there to help people and help them become more self-sufficient. Because people often … [Read more...] about Collective Impact Pilot Program Makes Accessing Services Easier for Those in Need
Seeding the Future
At Warner’s Nursery, we love this time of year. It’s not quite spring and our home gardens are mostly just plans in our heads. We’ll put the vegetable patch here, we think. Maybe we’ll grow some wildflowers in that section by the front walk. And this is the year we are finally going to get some nice strawberries going. All these horticultural ambitions start with the humble yet utterly amazing seed, that tiny packet of potential that can turn bare earth into flowering bounty. With a little … [Read more...] about Seeding the Future
IRS Change May Affect the Individual Mandate for Health Insurance
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has signaled a change in how it monitors compliance with the Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) individual mandate. Under this change, tax returns will no longer be automatically rejected if they do not certify whether the individual had health insurance for the year. The new IRS policy on accepting “silent returns” is based on President Donald Trump’s executive order directing federal agencies to provide relief from the burdens of the ACA. However, this change is … [Read more...] about IRS Change May Affect the Individual Mandate for Health Insurance
Is it a Cold or the Flu?
Oh no, here it comes again. The cough, sore throat, stuffy nose. It’s that time of year when the cold and flu become prevalent. But how can you tell the difference? A common cold and the flu are similar because they’re both respiratory illnesses. Even though they’re caused by different viruses, they share many of the same symptoms. This makes it hard to know for sure which you may have unless you visit your doctor. Symptoms for both illnesses can include a cough, sore throat, runny or … [Read more...] about Is it a Cold or the Flu?
Protect Your Business, Customers from Identity Theft
Identity theft is a real threat to consumers, even in Northern Arizona. The statistics are frightening. In 2015 alone, $15 billion was stolen from 13.1 million American consumers according to The 2016 Identity Fraud Study released by Javelin Strategy and Research. In 2016, 1,459,851 consumer records were exposed because of employee error, negligence and improper disposal according to the Identity Theft Resource Center. And that is just what was reported. So many of these exposures were … [Read more...] about Protect Your Business, Customers from Identity Theft
Our On-Demand World
How many of you have made a mixtape? Back in the day, making someone a mixtape was a well-known sign of affection. For those of you who are too young or too old to understand the significance of the mixtape, they were significant because of the time and effort it took to make one. Filling a 90-minute cassette tape with music meant cueing up a record 20 times or so (unless you included In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida, which cut down the number considerably). This was after you decided on the songs, rounded up … [Read more...] about Our On-Demand World
Honoring Voters, Addressing Minimum Wage
Shortly after the election, I realized that one of the first challenges I would face as mayor was going to be sorting out the implications of the passage of propositions 414 and 206. I immediately began sitting down with concerned citizens and local stakeholders, something I am continuing to do. Proposition 206 passed with 58 percent of the vote, Proposition 414 passed with 53.99 percent. These are substantial margins and send a clear message. Voters would like to see a higher minimum wage. … [Read more...] about Honoring Voters, Addressing Minimum Wage