Flagstaff has long been known as a center for scientific research and education, and now it has its own science-themed store, Planet Science. Launched by Meteor Crater and Barringer Space Museum, the retail outlet – complete with meteors in the air, NASA gear and a couple of visitors from outer space – opened Friday, May 19 and carries a wide variety of science-themed items, including rocks and fossils, while also hosting interactive exhibits and a place for hands-on activities where people of … [Read more...] about Getting Spacey in Downtown Flagstaff
Local News
Microsoft Giant Becomes a Lumberjack
Although he may not go to work with an axe, computer software and hardware giant Bill Gates will forevermore be known as a Lumberjack. The Microsoft co-founder delivered a rare commencement address at Northern Arizona University on Saturday, May 13 and received his honorary doctorate. “I cannot wait to see how you will drive progress around the world,” Gates said to a Skydome full of excitement and regalia. Now retired from his global company, Gates left college after three semesters at … [Read more...] about Microsoft Giant Becomes a Lumberjack
Managing for Renewable Energy and Wildlife
Wildlife managers and researchers from across the country gathered in Flagstaff last month for the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA) conference to discuss deer and elk movement and the latest technology being used to track the ungulates as projects are planned for land uses such as public recreation and renewable energy. The conference at Northern Arizona University included a field trip to the Babbitt Ranch Energy Center north of Flagstaff. “There were overwhelmingly … [Read more...] about Managing for Renewable Energy and Wildlife
Summer Residential Real Estate Market Going Strong in the Sweet Spot
Looking back at the wild ride of the home-buying frenzy during the past three years, skeptics had warned prices could not keep going up, demand would have to level off, and certainly we should all be wary of the “bubble,” that, when popped, would cause home values to come crashing down. But despite an increase in homes for sale and the 10th interest rate hike in 14 months, the Flagstaff real estate market continues to sizzle. “We thought last summer was wild and the truth is, this summer is … [Read more...] about Summer Residential Real Estate Market Going Strong in the Sweet Spot
Joanne Keene Comes Home to the City of Flagstaff
A comfortable office chair now has a new occupant on the second floor at Flagstaff City Hall downtown. As of May 30, Joanne Keene has been filling that chair and its accompanying desk in her new post as deputy city manager. She also is enjoying commanding views from her office windows of the San Francisco Peaks, an exchange for a view of the red rocks of Sedona, as she has left her most recent job as deputy city manager for the City of Sedona. Keene, a resident of Flagstaff since 2004, was … [Read more...] about Joanne Keene Comes Home to the City of Flagstaff
NAU Student Engineers Soar with Boeing Drone Project
When Cassie Petit, development director at Northern Arizona University’s College of Engineering, Informatics and Applied Sciences (CEIAS), reached out to Boeing about being involved in a student capstone project, she wasn’t sure how the giant aviation manufacturer would respond. Fortunately, her Boeing contact was Senior Engineering Manager Amanda Nemec, an NAU mechanical engineering alumna, who now sits on the CEIAS advisory council. After a discussion with Nemec, other Boeing staff and … [Read more...] about NAU Student Engineers Soar with Boeing Drone Project
Bountiful Blooms Growing at Wild Heart Farm
The comfort found in the beauty of growing flowers is what triggered a dream-come-true life for Wild Heart Farm owner Kate Watters. “My farm is my refuge where I feel nestled in the arms of Mother Nature.” Located 40 minutes southeast of Sedona near Montezuma’s Well in the quiet town of Rimrock, Wild Heart Farm is a lush riparian woodland area dotted with mulberry and hackberry trees, a rock cliff limestone wall and a vast amount of flowers. “This farm is incredibly wild, we even have coyotes … [Read more...] about Bountiful Blooms Growing at Wild Heart Farm
Local Reporter Tells Story of Early River-Running Effort to Document Plant Life
Eighty-five years ago, two botanists put their lives on the line to survey the plants along the Colorado River. Joining a small group of amateur river runners, they embarked on a 43-day journey through the often treacherous waters. The expedition proved wildly successful, and the botanists were lauded by the media for their effort. This was partly for their scientific triumph, but more because of their gender – Elzada Clover and Lois Jotter had entered a man’s world of river running and … [Read more...] about Local Reporter Tells Story of Early River-Running Effort to Document Plant Life
Grandma Might Disapprove, But Laughter is the Best Medicine
If too much bad stress can kill us, wouldn’t you rather die of laughter? There’s a new movement practiced in more than 100 countries called Laughter Yoga. Developed by Indian physician Dr. Madan Kataria, Laughter Yoga combines laughter with breathing exercises and is said to be packed with as many benefits as clowns in a phone booth, bringing more oxygen to the body including the brain, calming the central nervous system, lowering blood pressure, reducing stress hormone levels, and boosting the … [Read more...] about Grandma Might Disapprove, But Laughter is the Best Medicine
Into the Closet with Bobbie Casalino Lewis
If you’ve ever wondered how some people can look great whether they are attending a gala or washing a car, it could be because they are clients of Expression Expert Bobbie Casalino Lewis. “Fashion is what you wear; style is how you wear it. I would love to help you fashion your style,” she says. And she means it. She wants us to show up on the outside as we are on the inside, and she wants us to do it now and at every age. Her just-published first book, “So That’s What 70 Looks Like! The … [Read more...] about Into the Closet with Bobbie Casalino Lewis