Inviting 27-year-old Jessica O’Connell to pull up a chair and talk about her training is like asking a gazelle to sit still and enjoy a cup of tea. Poised on the edge of her seat, she cannot help but look like a runner on the starting blocks. Energy is emanating from her bright brown focused eyes, and it is clear, this woman needs to move. At 5’2” and barely more than 100 pounds, O’Connell is the world’s 22nd fastest female runner in the 5,000-meter race. She came to Flagstaff from Calgary … [Read more...] about Building a Faster, Stronger Athlete
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Block-Lite Next Generation Appreciating the Past
One of the greatest gifts parents can receive is watching their children grow into excellent human beings and become great parents themselves. What makes the gift even sweeter is when they know their children are grateful to them for their sacrifices and love. Now, as Chris and Nancy Ross pass the baton of their business, Block-Lite, to the next generation, they can be assured their children, Christy Maycumber and Ryan Ross, are prepared to carry on. “We want to show our appreciation … [Read more...] about Block-Lite Next Generation Appreciating the Past
Timberline Firearms Construction Plan on Target
Seeking to create Coconino County’s first indoor shooting range for people to practice skills, participate in competitions and learn how to be safe with guns, Rob and Elise Wilson are aiming to open Timberline Firearms and Training in early 2017. The couple purchased land in East Flagstaff on U.S. Highway 89 and Copeland Lane to build the 10,000-square-foot facility, which will house a full retail store with firearms, ammunition and accessories, a classroom for training, and twelve 25-yard … [Read more...] about Timberline Firearms Construction Plan on Target
Seeking Solutions for Unwanted Smells
It is not the kind of an aroma that comes from a good meal. Rather, the odor that wafts from the Nestle Purina manufacturing facility on the east side of Flagstaff may well be a smell that only a dog could love. In fact, the plant odors are related to the pet food cooking process. Although Nestlé Purina meets all state and federal air quality and odor requirements, funky smells from the plant in the past have upset some local residents living nearby, and have been a challenge for … [Read more...] about Seeking Solutions for Unwanted Smells
Cultivating a Multi-Million Dollar Boutique Wine Industry
As clouds wash over the Verde Valley on a drizzly spring day, Nikki Bagley shakes the dirt from her gloves and offers a smile of satisfaction. “We’re planting tannat today, which is a minor Bordeaux blending varietal,” she said above the sounds of raking and shoveling. “It’s very dark and tannic so it can be a good stand alone wine – it is age-able and sturdy – or it can be used to beef up a lighter-bodied wine.” Bagley is the director of Yavapai College’s viticulture program. Joining her … [Read more...] about Cultivating a Multi-Million Dollar Boutique Wine Industry
Field of Dreams
On a quiet Saturday afternoon in a secluded pocket of open land in Picture Canyon, a light breeze began picking up strength as the afternoon progressed, sending in banks of dark gray clouds from the Southwest. On a fenced piece of land, a group of younger workers leaned low over shovels and concentrated intently on the work at hand: the rush to get ready in time for the growing season this fertile quarter-acre farm plot that will be the heart and soul of Flagstaff Family Farm, a small-scale, … [Read more...] about Field of Dreams
Businesses Trading Hotel Rooms, Printing, Flowers
Imagine that a museum needs $1,000 worth of printing done. If the museum is a member of the Value Card Alliance (VCA), it could contribute $1,000 worth of memberships to the network and VCA would find a printer in the system to get the job done. In return, the printer would receive a $1,000 credit with VCA, to be used for services that another VCA member provides. The printer is not limited to whatever is offered by the museum, but can choose from anything within the network across the country. … [Read more...] about Businesses Trading Hotel Rooms, Printing, Flowers
Boston Strong; Flagstaff Kind
The pain of Heartbreak Hill may have softened a bit for more than a thousand athletes who reached the rose-petal-covered stretch in last month’s Boston Marathon. Amid the sideline mix of spectators, water stations, power bars and police officers were four enthusiastic Flagstaff runners – Katy Abrams, Fon Cordasco, Kim Marr and Annie Phillips – loaded with buckets of compassion and red roses. “I think it put smile on everybody’s face,” said Dr. Maureen Meyer, a Flagstaff optometrist and … [Read more...] about Boston Strong; Flagstaff Kind
Hatcher Shares Baseball’s Life Lessons
As America’s self-proclaimed national pastime, baseball is more than a game. It is a tradition, one born of history and folklore, impassioned devotion and eternal hope. Wistful old timers recall legends of the past while wide-eyed schoolboys dream of making it to “the show,” assuming the persona of those very legends and leading their team to the summit of the baseball mountain, a World Series championship. For Williams native Billy Hatcher, the dream not only became a reality, sprinkled with … [Read more...] about Hatcher Shares Baseball’s Life Lessons
Preparing for New Hotel in the Heart of Flagstaff
Across from Wheeler Park in the heart of historic downtown Flagstaff, a team with heavy earth-moving equipment made short work this spring of demolishing three non-historic buildings. By mid-April, a huge gap in the urban landscape had developed, consisting of multiple parcels, including a half block north and a quarter of a block south of Aspen Avenue. If all goes according to the plan of the owners, Whiting Brothers Investment Company, the new Flagstaff Marriott Residence Inn, a … [Read more...] about Preparing for New Hotel in the Heart of Flagstaff