When the Kayenta and Black Mesa coal mines closed, many Hopi and Navajo families lost a key source of fuel for home heating. With coal no longer available, some turned to gathering firewood – an effort complicated by land-use restrictions and limited resources. On the Navajo Nation, firewood collection is often restricted to designated clan lands, and removing wood from another’s allotment is not tolerated. While some Hopi mesas have forested areas, wood is often scarce, and cutting live trees … [Read more...] about Volunteers Cut, Split, Deliver Firewood to Tribal Communities
Business
Wine, Food, Festivities to Flow at Verde Valley Wine Festival
Wine lovers and festivalgoers will once again flock to Cottonwood’s Riverfront Park this spring as the Verde Valley Wine Festival makes its highly anticipated return 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday, May 10. Now in its seventh year, 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, spirits, food from local eateries, live music and artisan shopping … [Read more...] about Wine, Food, Festivities to Flow at Verde Valley Wine Festival
Yavapai-Apache Nation Marks Fifteen Years of Earth Day Awareness and Action
Fifteen years after launching the Yavapai-Apache Nation’s first Earth Day event, David Lewis says the annual gathering continues to grow in both participation and purpose. Lewis, manager of the tribe’s Environmental Protection Department, created the event to promote environmental awareness while strengthening tribal and community partnerships. This year’s celebration, held Saturday, April 5, welcomed representatives from the region, including the Town of Camp Verde, APS, Home Depot, the … [Read more...] about Yavapai-Apache Nation Marks Fifteen Years of Earth Day Awareness and Action
Lucy Leyva Builds Maid to Order Into Regional Powerhouse
As a single mom, Lucy Leyva began her residential cleaning business as its lone employee. Today, 20 years later, Prescott Maid to Order has more than 80 workers and Leyva is planning to expand into the Verde Valley. At the beginning, Leyva said, she knew that she wanted to create a business and she needed one that did not require a lot of investment money for startup. She also wanted to stay connected to people and the community. “I love people,” the former Prescott Valley Town councilmember … [Read more...] about Lucy Leyva Builds Maid to Order Into Regional Powerhouse
From Healing Hands to Happy Paws: Rimrock Grandmother Finds New Calling in Pet Grooming
From purebred poodles to one-of-a-kind mixed breeds, Rim Rock’s Lazurus Rising Pet Grooming owner Pat Watson and her granddaughter Victoria “Vicky” Ellen Casey are busy doing what they love. And their dog-loving clients love that. Watson, a retired nurse, says she never would have opened a dog-grooming business, but her granddaughter asked her to consider the idea. “Vicky worked as a dog groomer and left that job to work as a veterinarian technician. Customers missed her and begged her to … [Read more...] about From Healing Hands to Happy Paws: Rimrock Grandmother Finds New Calling in Pet Grooming
Mining for Meaning: What Your Brand is Saying About You When You’re Not Around
If we think of our brand as a fashion accessory, we may give more thought to the meaning behind it and what it’s saying about us. Often it is the first impression a potential client, associate or customer develops before meeting us in person. And it should be visible almost everywhere that we are and especially where we are not, including in the background of our Zoom calls and on marketing items like t-shirts, keychains, sun visors and whatever else we wear, carry, give away or leave … [Read more...] about Mining for Meaning: What Your Brand is Saying About You When You’re Not Around
All Aboard for Sustainability: Grand Canyon Railway to Debut Battery-Powered Train in 2027
Future passengers on Grand Canyon Railway will arrive at the South Rim with little fanfare or noise, as a battery-powered electric locomotive is added to the fleet. The Williams-based railway announced in late 2024 that it was awarded a $3.4 million federal grant to convert one of its diesel locomotives to a zero-emission battery-electric locomotive. Xanterra, the parent company of GCR, will pay 20% of the conversion cost under the U.S. Department of Transportation grant agreement. “This … [Read more...] about All Aboard for Sustainability: Grand Canyon Railway to Debut Battery-Powered Train in 2027
Motel 6 Shift to Shelter Adding Needed Beds
Construction work to convert a Flagstaff Motel 6 into a homeless shelter is nearing completion after a number of setbacks. Flagstaff Shelter Services bought the 104-room motel on Lucky Lane in April 2023 for $8.95 million. When completed, the FSS transitional shelter will increase capacity by more than 40%. “We’re rounding the bend on, unfortunately, two years of construction in that spot. We have hit a ton of hiccups,” said Ross Schaefer, FSS executive director for the past decade. The FSS … [Read more...] about Motel 6 Shift to Shelter Adding Needed Beds
Kickstand Kafé Introduces Coffee-Inspired Happy Hour in Downtown Flagstaff
Kickstand Kafé, a longtime local hangout for Flagstaff’s coffee lovers, is now offering a fresh reason to linger a little longer in the afternoons: a new happy hour menu featuring coffee-inspired cocktails, local brews and a variety of small bites. The expansion comes on the heels of the café receiving its liquor license last October, with happy hour launching around the holidays. Co-owner Catherine Chabot said the new offerings are a response to customer feedback and an effort to boost … [Read more...] about Kickstand Kafé Introduces Coffee-Inspired Happy Hour in Downtown Flagstaff
How to Navigate a Marriage in Crisis
After struggling through her own painful divorce, Becky Whetstone wondered, “Why couldn’t a marriage therapist help us?” Motivated to understand the underlying causes of marital distress and help others manage themselves and their relationship through challenging times, she took a deep dive into marital research and the challenges that tear a relationship apart. “I found a treasure trove,” she said. “I found so much information on marriage crisis and it just drove me crazy that this … [Read more...] about How to Navigate a Marriage in Crisis