Community events and announcements: Jan. 28, 2021

Manzanita Outreach to distribute Farmers to Families food box program

Manzanita Outreach will distribute the USDA’s Farmers to Families food box program at the organization’s free food sharing events in February, March and April.

The Farmers to Families food box program puts American farmers and distributors of all sizes back to work and brings healthy food to communities. According to the US Department of Agriculture, the program has distributed more than 132 million food boxes that support American farmers and families affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The quality of food in the boxes is equivalent to what one would expect to find at a local grocery store, Manzanita Outreach Executive Director Mike Newcomb said.

The boxes include fresh fruits and vegetables such as potatoes, squash, apples, oranges, onions, carrots, melons. Also included are dairy products such as milk, yogurt, cheese, cottage cheese and butter.

Verde Valley residents can pick-up their free food boxes at Manzanita Outreach’s drive-thru food sharing events. Please have ample space available in the trunk of your vehicle for the loading of food boxes.

The following are the February events in Yavapai County:

Saturday, Feb. 6 (8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.) at 406 S. 6th St., Cottonwood;

Tuesday, Feb. 9 (12:30 p.m.-2 p.m.) at 2062 AZ-89, Chino Valley

Saturday, Feb. 13 (9 a.m.-11 a.m.) at 7450 E. Pav Way, Prescott Valley

Wednesday, Feb. 17 (4 p.m.-5:30 p.m.) at 1801 E. Fir St., Cottonwood

Saturday, Feb. 20 (8:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.) at 406 S. 6th St., Cottonwood

Tuesday, Feb.23 (12:30 p.m.-2 p.m.) at 2062 AZ-89, Chino Valley

Saturday, Feb. 27 (9 a.m.-11 a.m.) at 7450 E. Pav Way, Prescott Valley

For information on where and when food will be shared in subsequent months, visit MOhelp.org. Manzanita Outreach is a 501(c) (3) organization. Donations made to the organization qualify for the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit. For more information on the organization or to volunteer or donate, visit ManzanitaOutreach.org.

Nominations now open for 2021 Yavapai Healthy School Award

Yavapai County Community Health Services would like to recognize how well all schools handled 2020 regarding the health of their students, staff, and community they serve.

Administrators and board members have been put in a tough position with no right answer, and have continued to make the best decisions for their communities.

Teachers and staff have gone above and beyond, teaching in new ways whether virtual or in-person, and truly doing what’s best for their students. Thank you to all for hanging in there this past year and making the best of a very challenging situation.

YCCHS would like to continue to hold the annual Yavapai Healthy Schools Award. Know of a school in Yavapai County going above-and-beyond to meet the health and wellness needs of their students? A school that strives for best practices in school wellness policy, nutrition, worksite wellness, emotional, mental, and physical health and caring for the whole student?

If so, here’s a chance to nominate the school for the Yavapai Healthy School Award. Nominations are open now through Feb. 15 on the Yavapai Healthy Schools website, yavapaihealthyschools.com.

Nominations may come from anyone: community, staff or students. Submit nominations by filling out the form at yavapaihealthyschools.com/index.php/2021-yhs-nomination/.

For more information, contact Heather Klomparens at 928-634-6857 or heather.klomparens@yavapai.us.

Cottonwood, Camp Verde AARP Tax-Aide services

This year, AARP Foundation Tax-Aide’s Cottonwood office will only accept tax season appointments for free tax preparation, from people whom they have prepared a tax return in the past three years.

They are limiting capacity to keep volunteers safe and healthy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional appointments may open later in the season.

To make an appointment, call 928-719-7674 between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Do not call the Verde Valley Senior Center as they are currently closed to the public.

In Camp Verde, no-cost tax preparation and e-filing services for taxpayers of all ages by AARP Tax-Aide IRS-certified volunteers is available at the Camp Verde Community Library (in the Founders Room) from 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. Tuesdays, from Feb. 4 through April 14. Call 928-421-3710 to make an appointment.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the library and AARP Volunteers have taken every precaution to ensure the health and safety of patrons who wish to take advantage of this service. Those precautions include extensive cleaning and sanitizing measures, requirement of face masks in the library, and use of plexiglass shields in the room where the appointments take place.

Bring the following items so tax volunteers can prepare returns: previous year’s tax return(s), social security cards and/or ITIN notices/cards or other official documentation that show the taxpayer identification numbers for every individual on the return, government-issued photo ID for each taxpayer, checking or savings account information for anyone who wants their returns direct deposited or to direct debit any amounts due, Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN) for each individual if applicable, income documents such as W-2s 1099s, etc., deduction documents if doing itemized deductions, and 1095-A forms for anyone who purchased insurance through the marketplace (exchange).

Depending on situation, other forms may be necessary.

Camp Verde Community Library is at 130 Black Bridge Road. For more information, visit cvlibrary.org or call 554-8380.

Wastewater station, near rec center, scheduled for upgrades and repairs

In an effort to maintain efficient and reliable operation of Cottonwood’s sanitary sewer system, upgrades and repairs are scheduled to be completed for Lift Station 4, located directly south of the old fire station on the southeast corner of Mingus Avenue and Brian Mickelsen Parkway.

Work is scheduled to begin Thursday, Jan. 28, and is expected to last until March 17. While upgrades and repairs are underway, temporary closures of Brian Michelson Parkway may occur.

To avoid temporary delays or access to the Cottonwood Recreation Center or the Public Library, the city asks visitors to take Sixth Street and turn into Mickelsen Parkway. Avoid coming up Mickelsen from the Mingus Avenue end.

Questions or concerns can be directed to Debbie Breitkreutz at 928-340-2750 or dbreitkreutz@cottonwoodaz.gov.

Who writes and funds cookie-cutter legislation?

The League of Women Voters of Northern Arizona and OLLI at Yavapai College Sedona/Verde Valley will present two award-winning investigative reporters who have uncovered some startling answers to the questions: who writes and funds cookie-cutter legislation?

Nick Penzenstadler of USA TODAY and Rob O’Dell of the Arizona Republic were able to uncover rampant copycat state legislation nationwide, using unprecedented data-analysis techniques.

Their methods and findings have earned them the Goldsmith Prize for investigative journalism and an Edward R. Murrow award.

Join us on Monday, Feb. 15 from 1 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. via ZOOM as Penzenstadler and O’Dell reveal and update their findings.

This Voter Education Program is free and everyone is welcome. To register for the event and receive the Zoom link, email LWVNAZ@gmail.com.

The League of Women Voters is a non-partisan political organization dedicated to public service in the field of government. It is a national organization open to people of all genders.

For more information about the League, send an email to lwvnaz@gmail.com.

Wi-Fi hotspots, Dell laptops available for checkout at Camp Verde library

Starting Monday, Feb. 1, library patrons with a valid Camp Verde Community Library card or an account in good standing are invited to checkout a Verizon Wi-Fi hotspot or a Dell laptop for use at home.

The Wi-Fi hotspots and laptop computers are available thanks to a Community Connect: Digital Access at Home grant.

Patrons must be 18 or older and must present photo ID along with their library card to check out electronic equipment. The checkout period is for one week at a time and the transaction will only be handled at the PC Helpdesk.

Community Connect: Digital Access at Home is made possible by Capital One and the American Library Association. Thanks to Senior Library Clerk Wendy Cook-Roberts, Camp Verde Community Library has been selected as one of 20 U.S. libraries to participate in the project.

The Wi-Fi-lending project is an initiative of the American Library Association (ALA) and Capital One that offers cash grants to help rural libraries offer internet access and financial education for their patrons.

The laptop-lending project was made possible by a Yavapai County Foundation grant. Previously, laptops could only be used on library grounds, but Roberts has installed software controls and put policies and procedures in place to allow the laptops to be checked out.

Camp Verde Community Library also received a $2,000 cash grant to support the delivery of programs, services, and resources directly related to the Community Connect project. Materials and programs focused on financial literacy will be added to the library in coming months.

For details, check the library’s Facebook page or website or call 928-554-8380. Camp Verde Community Library is at 130 N Black Bridge Road.

For more information, visit capitalone.com/about or ala.org.

Mining Technology Programs preview day

Seeking a career in well-paying, high-tech industries? Then attend Yavapai College’s Mining Technology Programs Preview Day from 10 a.m. until noon Saturday, Feb. 13.

The event, presented in partnership with Freeport-McMoRan, will be held in a virtual, online format. Free registration is required and available online at yc.edu/mining.

Guests will learn about Yavapai College’s occupational programs, including diesel technology, industrial machine mechanic, and electrical & instrumentation technology. Freeport-McMoRan representatives will be available to provide information about the company’s scholarship and paid internship programs.

For more information, call 928-771-7107 or email stephanie.wiltcher@yc.edu.

Camp Verde Parks & Recreation moves Pecan & Wine Festival to April

Camp Verde Parks & Recreation has moved the Pecan & Wine Festival this year to April 17-18. This event is normally held the third weekend in March.

A year ago, the annual festival was one of the first casualties in the COVID-19 pandemic, as it was cancelled less than a week before its opening in mid-March 2020.

With the rollout of the COVID-19 vaccine, Parks & Recreation Manager Michael Marshall said there is hope that conditions “will begin to be more positive and by late April we can all enjoy a fun outside festival.”

“The third weekend in April still allows us great weather and also some additional time for the COVID situation to improve,” Marshall said. “Pecan & Wine is the premier spring event, featuring our great spring weather and free admission in downtown Camp Verde adjacent to historic Fort Verde.”

Hours for this year’s Pecan & Wine Festival are 11 a.m. until 7 p.m. Saturday, April 17 and 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Sunday, April 18. The event will feature wine tasting with wineries from across the Verde Valley.

Marshall explained that town staff is talking with the Verde Valley Wine Consortium and the Southwest Wine Center at Yavapai College about cooperative efforts.

“Offering multiple food vendors, a wide range of products for sale, great live music and local wineries this will be a great event for all,” Marshall said. “Current planning is looking at an improving COVID situation for the future with the understanding that any final decisions will be based on the most current situation as event gets closer.

“Event organizers have learned a lot in the months since the pandemic struck, including from Fort Verde Days in October,” Marshall said. “Some of the steps taken then will be repeated and in some cases are better liked by staff, vendors and the public than pre-COVID operations.”

The annual Pecan & Wine Festival is an all outside event. Marshall said that additional steps will be taken to properly space the vendors, and shade tents that allow good air circulation will be the new standard.

Additional hand washing and sanitizing stations will be available, and masks will be required for vendors and staff who are not able to socially distance.

People feeling sick with COVID-19 symptoms will be asked to stay at home.

Camp Verde Parks & Recreation is at 395 S. Main St. For more information or a vendor application, contact Camp Verde Parks & Recreation at 928-554-0828, parks@campverde.az.gov or visitcampverde.com/events.

The Sedona Women offers scholarships to Verde Valley women

The Sedona Women (TSW) is accepting applications for the Helen Wolfe Scholarships, the organization’s signature program, for the 2021-2022 academic year.

Providing scholarships for area women is just one of the ways The Sedona Women – TSW – has been making a difference in the community the past 20 years.

Learn more about the scholarship program and other TSW community service projects during the two-part virtual event, The Work We Do, at 10 a.m. Wednesday, Feb. 10 via Zoom.

The Helen Wolfe Scholarships are awarded to area women whose educations have been interrupted and are planning to resume or have resumed their studies.

Applicants must be permanent residents of the Verde Valley, including Sedona, Cottonwood, Cornville, Camp Verde, Lake Montezuma, Rimrock or the Village of Oak Creek. Applicants must also be already accepted at an accredited academic or vocational institution. Financial need will be taken into consideration.

April 1 is the deadline to apply for the 2021-2022 academic year, with scholarships as much as $3,500 to be awarded in May.

Qualified applicants can visit thesedonawomen.com. Click on the ‘scholarship’ tab on the top menu to download the application.

Donations to the Helen Wolfe Scholarship fund are always welcome and can be made through the website.

The Feb. 10 program, The Work We Do, will feature past and present scholarship recipients who will share their personal journeys. Current scholarship recipient Rebecca McCullough and past recipient Anita Marcus will share how their TSW scholarships have aided their educational goals and enriched their careers.

McCullough is currently studying for her Master’s degree in Sociology at Northern Arizona University, while Marcus, a graduate, has started her own local business called Laser Girl.

For more information on Helen Wolfe Scholarships, contact Catherine Moore at cmooreabc@gmail.com.

In addition to scholarships, TSW’s February two-part program The Work We Do offers a chance to hear how TSW is making a difference through support of sister organizations and other community service outreach.

Learn how TSW works hand-in-hand with local sister organizations including the Sedona Community Food Bank. Cathleen Healy-Baiza, the Food Bank’s executive director, will join the meeting to discuss the organization’s partnership with The Sedona Women as well as the challenge of feeding our community during these difficult times.

To register for this program, visit thesedonawomen.com, click onto the “events, programs & trips” tab, then click “February - The Work We Do” and find the program registration button. TSW monthly programs will continue to convene virtually until it is deemed safe to gather.

Discuss historic election outcomes

At 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 28, the University of Arizona will present a panel discussion with local leaders and experts on barriers to voting, Native rights, Latina women and the vote, and the history of women's suffrage in Arizona.

The event comes on the heels of the recent inauguration of the United States’ first female vice president, as well as the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote. Kamala Harris is also the first African American and first South Asian vice president, and one of many candidates from diverse backgrounds elected in state and local elections in 2020.

The panel discussion is presented by Special Collections in partnership with Patricia MacCorquodale, professor emerita in the university’s Department of Gender and Women’s Studies. The event is part of Founding Mothers: From the Ballot Box to the University, an online exhibit by Special Collections.

Panelists include Gabriella Cázares-Kelly of the Pima County Recorder; Heidi Osselaer, author of Winning Their Place: Arizona Women in Politics, 1883-1950; and Lisa Sanchez, assistant professor at the University of Arizona’s School of Government and Public Policy in the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences

Panelists will discuss how the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote, and 2020’s historic election outcomes have impacted them.

They will also talk about how people and institutions can remove barriers that prevent people from participating in democracy, and how to encourage participation among women and people of color.

If You Go:

What: Virtual panel discussion

When: 6 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 28

Where: Online. Register for the online event at the University Libraries website: libcal.library.arizona.edu/event/7370654.

Camp Verde Library sponsors virtual art class for ages 10 and older

Camp Verde Community Library has an opportunity for a limited number of community members who want to learn alcohol ink painting techniques.

Instructor Lynne Kohler, founder of Lynne’s Jubilee, will teach a six-week series of virtual classes that introduce alcohol ink painting to anyone 10 years of age and older.

Learn this medium known for its vibrant colors and organic images. Art supply kits are available for free to the first 12 people who sign up and commit to attend all six classes.

The series begins Feb. 4 at 1 p.m. and repeats every Thursday at 1 p.m. through March 11.

In this workshop, Kohler will walk students through the basic techniques of working with alcohol inks on tile, paper, ceramic and plastics and include ideas for adding details using Gelly Roll ink pens.

This virtual alcohol ink painting workshop is part of the Smithsonian’s Voices and Votes: Democracy in America exhibit at Camp Verde Community Library, through Feb. 27.

People oftentimes use mediums beyond words or speech to express their opinions, thoughts or emotions. At the end of the six-weeks, students will be invited to show their visual voice through a display on the art wall at the library.

To sign up for the Virtual Art Class and receive a Zoom link to attend, contact Library Director Kathy Hellman at 928-554-8381 or Kathy.Hellman@campverde.az.gov

Camp Verde Community Library is at 130 Black Bridge Road. For more information, visit cvlibrary.org or call 928-554-8381.

Catholic Charities Community Outreach comes to Camp Verde Library

Join Catholic Charities Community Outreach Services in the parking lot at Camp Verde Community Library between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Feb. 2 to learn about veterans services, housing issues, mental health services, and other community resources that are available.

ACCHS Applications (including SNAP/TANF) help provided via phone/Zoom. Accommodations providing social distancing and sanitization have been implemented.

Camp Verde Community Library is at 130 Black Bridge Road. For more information, call 928-554-8380.

Donate bicycles for Adopt-a-Family program

It’s never too late to plan for the holidays. That’s why the Camp Verde Kiwanis and The Old Guys have partnered the past two years to restore old bicycles for the Kiwanis’ Adopt-a-Family Christmas program.

The Old Guys restore discarded bicycles and are looking forward to receiving some small and medium size bikes this year, along with teen- and adult-size bikes. Restored bicycles are then given to families at the annual Camp Verde Kiwanis Adopt-a-Family gift distribution in the mid-December.

Every Christmas, Adopt-a-Family partners to collect and distribute clothing, toys and food to families in Camp Verde.

Camp Verde Kiwanis is able to furnish more bicycles to the community’s youth with this partnership. Anyone may donate bicycles, either drop them off or Kiwanis can pick them up.

For pickup or drop off, Call Camp Verde Kiwanis members Alice Sordahl at 928-301-1938 or Cris McPhail at 928-208-8328. For more information about Camp Verde Kiwanis, visit Campverdekiwanis.portalbuzz.com.

Steps to Recovery Homes meeting

Steps to Recovery Homes has applied to United States Department of Agriculture’s Rural Development for funding assistance for the Development of Steps to Recovery Homes Program and Facilities - Improvements to our Women’s Recovery Home (the Gratitude House) and the Men’s Recovery Home (The Hope House).

A public meeting will be held at 10 a.m. Thursday Feb. 4 via Zoom to discuss the specific elements of the application and to give area residents an opportunity to become informed with the proposed project.

Residents may provide comments on such items as economic and environmental issues that may impact the area or discuss any alternatives to the proposed project.

For questions concerning the project, or the Feb. 4 Meeting and Zoom ID and Passcode, call Dee Duryee at 928-649-0077 or send questions in the mail to 516 E. State Route 89A, Suite #113, Cottonwood, AZ 86326.

Public notice of upcoming accreditation review visit by ACEN

PRESCOTT – Feb. 22-25, Yavapai College will host a site visit for continuing accreditation of its Nursing Program by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN).

The public is invited to meet with the site visit team and comment about the program in person at an online meeting scheduled at 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24.

Visit the Yavapai College home page at yc.edu to get the link to the public meeting.

Written comments are also welcome, and should be submitted directly to Dr. Marsal Stoll, chief executive officer, Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing, 3343 Peachtree Road Northeast, Suite 850, Atlanta, GA 30326.

Or send email to mstoll@acenursing.org.

All written comments should be received by Tuesday, Feb. 9.

Enjoy movie night on the Camp Verde Library

At the Camp Verde Community Library, 130 Black Bridge Road, select one of the movies themed around the Democracy in America exhibit from the display shelf near the PC Helpdesk and get a free movie night snack bag to take home.

There are 10 selections for grownups and nine family selections that will help patrons experience different times and places to better understand some of the issues this country has faced on the journey toward a more perfect union.

For a complete list of eligible movies, visit the Town of Camp Verde website, campverde.az.gov, then click onto DEPARTMENTS > Community Library. Show the movie you have selected at the children’s checkout desk or the front desk and ask for a movie night snack bag.

Limit one movie night snack bag per family per week.

Verde Village Property Owners Association receives grant for nature preserve

The Verde Village Property Owners Association has been awarded a grant from the Friends of the Verde River for the improvement of the 3.3 miles of Greenway property owned by the association.

This stretch of the Verde River is a hidden gem located in Unit 5. The association’s nature preserve can be accessed by the property owned by association at the intersection of Broken Saddle and Comanche drives.

This piece of river fronting property has been in use for many generations but during the COVID-19 pandemic it has seen more use that ever. The association has encouraged the public to enjoy this private property while respecting the wildlife and habitat that reside here.

To help maintain this as a nature preserve, these funds will be used to keep motorized vehicles off this land and dogs from running loose and chasing animals.

Verde Village Property Owners Association has partnered with Friends of the Verde River to learn proper conservation methods and manage the natural trails along the river. These funds will provide signage and information to the public about this habitat and how everyone can help to protect it.

Verde Village Property Owners Association has also partnered with Mountain View Preparatory in Unit 3. The students will help create signs, maps and lists for visitors to use at the nature preserve.

Although the importance of the Verde River to the area’s residents is apparent, many people have no idea that they can access a stretch that is maintained by volunteers.

The Verde Village Property Owners Association River Committee has provided picnic tables and benches along the trails by the river and works continuously cutting brush so that visitors can enjoy a pleasant walk.

The Verde Village Property Owners Association appreciates this generous grant from the Friends of the Verde River and recognizes their importance in our community. Partners working together make this a great place to live.

Verde Village Property Owners Association February membership drive

The Verde Village Property Owners Association currently has 472 members. A vote at the association’s January meeting supported an increase of membership dues to $60 per year.

Because the association is a voluntary property owners association, it depends entirely on dues and donations.

The Verde Village Property Owners Association add values to member properties because property owners may use the pool all summer, can rent the large hall in the clubhouse or the small hall in the ranch house.

Members can walk the trails along the Verde River and enjoy the pond on Del Rio. The association offers a delicious meal the last Friday of every month, and hopes to soon offer Bingo. Once COVID-19 pandemic allows the association to again meet in person, classes such as hula, knitting, crafts and exercise will be available. The association also wants to offer a games day and a book club.

For all this to happen, the association needs financial support. Until March 1, join the Verde Village Property Owners Association at last year’s rate of $40.

For more information, visit vvpoa.net or email the association for a copy of the newsletter at vvpoaroundupnewsletter@gmail.com. Call 928-646-6505 and leave a message. Or send a check to VVPOA, 4855 E. Broken Saddle Drive, Cottonwood, AZ 86326.

Republican luncheon, Tuesday, Feb. 9

The public is invited to the Mingus Mountain Republican Club Luncheon, 11 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 9 at the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post #7400, 705 E. Aspen St., Cottonwood.

Speakers are Yavapai County Sheriff and MATFORCE Executive Director Merilee Fowler.

Rhodes is a 27-year veteran of the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office. He began his career as a volunteer, making it official in 1994 and promoting through the ranks in positions of sergeant, lieutenant, captain and chief deputy.

A graduate of the FBI National Academy, Session #244, Rhodes served as commander in both the Law Enforcement Division and the Detention Division of the agency, as well as serving as commander of the Northern Arizona Regional Training Academy.

He was elected Sheriff in November 2020.

The primary goal of MATFORCE is reducing substance abuse in Yavapai County. Some of their programs include the support prevention programs for youth and family, influence public opinion and policy, increase the capacity to intervene and treat, and to address issue of underage drinking in Yavapai County.

Doors open at 10:45 a.m., Lunch served at 11 a.m., meeting/programs begin at 11:30 a.m. Lunch is $12 and includes entree, salad, dessert, coffee or iced tea.

No lunch charge is $5 venue fee, sodas are $1 extra.

RSVP by email before Friday Feb. 5 to MingusMountainRepublicans@gmail.com or call Carol at 928-295-8769.

Share your story on the ‘Be Here’ story app for iOS

Camp Verde Community Library is collecting local stories about voting and democracy for Voices and Votes. Using the Be Here story app from MuseWeb, participants can record a five-minute story, anecdote, or experience about life in Camp Verde and take a photo or upload one.

By collecting local stories in the voices of local people, the app creates an archive of place-based stories created by the people who know the community best. People interested in participating can tune-in via Zoom for a virtual demonstration, ask at the PC Helpdesk for one-on-one assistance, check out an iPad for in-library use of the Be Here story app in a quiet/study room, download the app to their personal iOS device and record their stories, and interact with the story collection kiosk that is part of the Voices and Votes exhibit.

Camp Verdeans can add their voices to the national narrative through the Be Here story app. Visitors can then use the app to tap into the community's cultural heritage when they listen to the stories based on the geolocations on their smartphones.

Camp Verde Community Library is at 130 Black Bridge Road. For more information, call 928-554-8380.

Be Here: Main Street is a partnership between MuseWeb and the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street program, which, along with the Arizona Humanities Council, brought the Smithsonian Voices and Votes: Democracy in America traveling exhibition to Camp Verde Community Library. MuseWeb is working with communities to record stories about culture, history, people, and the things that make each community unique.

This program is part of the Smithsonian’s Voices and Votes: Democracy in America exhibit at Camp Verde Community Library, through Feb. 27.

Voices and Votes: Democracy in America has been made possible at Camp Verde Community Library by AZ Humanities Council. Voices and Votes: Democracy in America is part of Museum on Main Street, a collaboration between the Smithsonian Institution and State Humanities Councils nationwide.

Voices and Votes: Democracy in America is based on an exhibition by the National Museum of American History. Support for Museum on Main Street has been provided by the United States Congress.

Annual Sip, Stroll, & Shop in Old Town Cottonwood

Sip, savor, shop and stroll through charming Historic Old Town Cottonwood from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 14 at the annual Valentine’s Day Sip and Stroll.

You will receive a complimentary glass, wine tasting, along with a special sweet treat at each participating venue. It’s the perfect way to spend Valentine’s Day.

Beginning at 1 p.m., collect your glass at Small Batch Wine & Spirits, 1044 N. Main St. (Old Town Square), your ticket, map, swag bag, and start your Sip & Stroll at any of the participating locations: 3 Kings Kasbar, Burning Tree Cellars, COLT 804 Grill, Fojol Brothers, Merkin Vineyards, Small Batch Wine & Spirits, Tantrum Wines and Winery 101.

This is an adults-only event, ages 21 and older, as alcohol will be served.

COCSD offers free developmental screenings for preschool children

Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District offers free developmental screenings for preschool children between the ages of 3-5 years who live in the school district and are not receiving special education services or enrolled in kindergarten.

Screenings are typically held on a monthly basis and will check a child’s speech, motor, cognitive, adaptive and social development.

The next screening is Wednesday, Feb. 3. For an appointment, call 928-634-2191.

The Arizona Early Intervention Program also offers developmental screenings for children age birth to 3 years.

For an appointment, call 800-237-3007 or email AzEIP.Info@raisingspecialkiks.org.

League of Women Voters creates diversity, equity and inclusion committee

The League of Women Voters of Northern Arizona (LWVNA) has created a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee (DEI) and will host regular educational programming and create opportunities for policy advocacy on DEI issues as they arise.

Thursday, Feb. 4, from 6 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. via ZOOM, Reverend Dr. Bernadine Lucille Lewis, director of undergraduate programs, The W. A. Franke College of Business at Northern Arizona University, will speak.

Diversity, equity, and inclusion are central to the organization’s current and future success in engaging all individuals, households, communities, and policy makers in creating a more perfect democracy.

Lewis’ professional experience also includes more than 20 years in higher education and entrepreneurship as a visual and wearable arts, high-end costume, and fine jewelry retailer. Lewis is passionate about her work with business students, including a focus on equity, diversity, and inclusion programming for the college, other university departments, and the Flagstaff community.

To kick off the committee’s launch, the meeting will start with an attendee icebreaker, and include a brief on available LWV DEI resources, which can further guide and enable these critical dialogues. This program is free.

To register, email lwvna@gmail.com. The League of Women Voters is a national, non-partisan organization fully committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in principle and in practice.

The League influences public policy through education and advocacy without supporting or opposing political parties or candidates for elective offices.

For more information about the League of Women Voters programs, visit lwvverdevalley.com.

Democrats of the Red Rocks hold auction

Feb. 1-10, Democrats of the Red Rocks will hold an online Auction for Change featuring items from local restaurants and shops, and unique, one-of-a- kind items. The free event is open to all.

The auction is a fundraising event to support the organization’s work registering and educating voters in the Sedona/Verde Valley area.

To preview items or for information on how to participate, visit democratsoftheredrocks.org/auction.html.

Democrats of the Red Rocks is an all-volunteer Democratic club for Sedona, the Village of Oak Creek, Verde Valley and surrounding communities that welcomes all independent-minded citizens.

For more information, visit democratsoftheredrocks.org.

No Oak Creek Apples meeting in January

There will not be an Oak Creek Apples meeting in January 2021.

The Oak Creek Apples Macintosh User Group (OCAMUG) is exclusively an educational institution for the public on the use of Apple Computers and other iOS devices, including maintenance, security, and software applications.

OCAMUG is a 501 (c) (3) organization and donations are tax deductible. Membership in the Oak Creek Apples is open to anyone.

Thank you for your interest in and support of the OCAMUG. For more information, email oakcreekapples@gmail.com.

Installation of Riverfront Park pedestrian multi-use trail

The City of Cottonwood has contracted with Copperstate Paving & Construction to complete the Riverfront Park Pedestrian Trail project. Work began on Monday, Jan. 11.

This project will entail the installation of a decomposed granite multiuse trail along the southerly portion of Riverfront Park between 10th and 5th streets.

Residences and businesses along this project corridor will experience periods of increased noise during the project. Vehicular traffic in and out of the little league parking lot should experience minimal disruption.

Parking directly adjacent to the work area will not be permitted. There may be a need for temporary lane or road closures as work in and adjacent to 10th Street is completed.

Residences and businesses along this corridor will remain open and accessible. We ask that motorists and pedestrians follow all posted signs.

Construction will take place Monday through Thursday. The contractor will be allowed to start work at 6 a.m. and may work until 7 p.m. as allowed by the Cottonwood Municipal Code.

If you are within the active work zone limits, we ask that you park your vehicles safely and legally outside of those limits.

The City of Cottonwood understands that this may be a short-term inconvenience and we hope to work together with you in a professional and amicable manner for the long-term improvement of your neighborhood.

Rest assured that we will do everything possible to minimize the impact of our activities on your neighborhood. If you have particular concerns, such as scheduled deliveries, construction, or accessibility needs that must be addressed, call 928-340-2773. The City of Cottonwood will do everything possible to find a mutually agreeable solution.

If you have any questions regarding this notice or the trail installation project, call Project Manager Martin Smith at 928-340-2773.

Solar co-op launches for northern Arizona residents to go solar

The non-profit group Solar United Neighbors (SUN) has launched the Northern Arizona Solar Co-op to help area residents go solar.

The co-op will help northern Arizona homeowners and business owners to join the growing community of people saving money by harnessing solar power.

The co-op is free to join and open to homeowners and business owners in Flagstaff, Sedona, Coconino County and surrounding northern Arizona communities.

Together, co-op members will learn about solar energy and leverage their numbers to purchase individual solar systems at a discounted group price.

Joining the co-op does not obligate members to purchase solar. Instead, members will have the option to individually purchase panels and electric vehicle chargers based on the installer’s group rate.

After a competitive bidding process facilitated by Solar United Neighbors, co-op members will select a single solar company to complete the installations. Solar United Neighbors provides guidance on the process but remains vendor neutral, empowering the co-op members to decide.

The county and municipal governments are partnering with SUN on the co-op to help residents go solar and meet local climate and sustainability goals.

OLLI at Yavapai College Sedona/Verde Valley offers Try Me $10 membership

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute (OLLI) offers educational opportunities in Sedona and the Verde Valley.

OLLI challenges its members to explore areas of interest in peer-supported and peer-directed learning.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Yavapai College Sedona/Verde Valley was founded in 2003 with a grant given by the Bernard Osher Foundation to provide learning experiences for those 50 years and better as a member-led program, organized by a volunteer council.

The $10 Try Me membership provides these benefits:

-Membership in Sedona/Verde OLLI for two semesters (winter and spring 2021)

-A la carte pricing of Sedona/Verde OLLI learning groups ($35) and workshops ($15)

-Access to Prescott OLLI’s free member workshop offerings.

Always wanted to try OLLI but never had time? With winter classes starting on Jan. 25, now is the time to do just that. Join OLLI to:

-Continue your love of learning.

-Meet people who are involved, and enthusiastic about learning.

-Share knowledge, experiences and perspectives with a learning group.

-Stimulate your mind.

-Learn and develop new skills.

-Foster new friendships through collaboration in learning groups.

-Share social activities.

-Stay active through walking, hiking and other outdoor activities when safety allows.

This special opportunity to try out lifelong learning. Register now:

-Online at yc.edu/ollisedonaverde

-Call 928-649-4275

-Email ollisv@yc.edu.

El Valle Artist Association cancels January meeting

El Valle Artist Association (EVAA) will not hold its monthly meeting in January because of the current increase in the COVID-19 in our state and county.

The Board will decide on the February meeting as it gets closer.

Meetings are usually the second Thursday of the month at 1 p.m. at Pine Shadows Club House, 2050 W. State Route 89A, Cottonwood.

If you are an artist or interested in the arts, come to the meeting when we get back on schedule. The meeting includes a business session and an art demo.

EVAA artists have the opportunity to show their work at the Cottonwood Library, Northern Arizona Rehab Center on Willard Street and Foothills Bank when it reopens.

Clare Justine Bennett was awarded first prize for her painting Ginger Jar at the Fall Art Festival at the Verde Valley Fairgrounds in Cottonwood. Ginger Jar is an 18-inch x 22-inch painting in oil on canvas that compared and contrasted the textures of ceramics and fabric.

“I have been painting in oils since I was 8 years old, and professionally since 1995,” Bennett said. “I have won several awards in both New York and California and relocated to the Verde Valley in 2013, where I joined El Valle in 2019.”

El Valle is proud to serve artists in the Verde Valley, and welcomes new members and guests to our meetings to become active members.

For more information, visit elvalleartists.org or email elvallepresam13@gmail.com.

ACF hosts grant application workshop for local non-profits

In preparation for the 2021 grant application process, the Arizona Community Foundation of Sedona and the Arizona Community Foundation of Yavapai County will host virtual grant application workshops. The workshop will equip local organizations with preparing to apply for funding in 2021.

Attendance is mandatory for any organization wishing to apply for a grant from ACF of Sedona and/or ACF of Yavapai County this year. Topics to be discussed include an overview of the new ACF online grants center, grant guidelines, and elements of an effective application.

Representatives from nonprofits, public schools, government agencies, and tribal entities are invited to attend one of the three workshops offered. The same information will be provided at each workshop, so organizations are encouraged to attend the one that works best with their schedule.

Grant Application Workshop is Thursday, Jan. 28 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

To register for a workshop, visit azfoundation.org/events. All grant workshops will be held virtually to protect the health and safety of the community.

The grant cycle will open for ACF of Yavapai County at 9 a.m. Monday, Feb. 1 with final applications due no later than 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 26. The grant cycle will open for ACF of Sedona at 9 a.m. on Monday, March 1 with final applications due no later than 4 p.m. Friday, March 19.

Staff from both the ACF of Sedona and ACF of Yavapai County offices will be in attendance to answer questions. For more information about the workshops or if you need help registering, contact ACF of Sedona’s Regional Director Jennifer Perry at JPerry@azfoundation.org or ACF of Yavapai County’s Regional Philanthropic Advisor Lisa Sahady at LSahady@azfoudation.org.

Cottonwood-Oak Creek needs substitute teachers

Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District strives to keep its schools open for in-person learning. One of the district’s greatest challenges is having enough substitute teachers to cover classrooms when a teacher or a teacher’s aide is absent.

District leadership asks you to consider becoming a substitute.

Requirements for substitute teaching:

• Bachelor's Degree or higher

• IVP Fingerprint clearance card

• Arizona Department of Education Substitute Teaching Certificate (azed.gov)

Pay is $100 a day. If you are near to completing a Bachelor's Degree, call District Human Resources Manager Becky Wilson at 928-634-2288 for alternative methods.

If you do not have the degree and still want to help as a support substitute, requirements are:

• IVP Fingerprint Clearance Card

• Pay is minimum wage

If interested, contact District Human Resources Manager Becky Wilson at 928-634-2288.

Political Book Club invites members

The League of Women Voters Northern Arizona (formerly Greater Verde Valley) begins the sixth year of its political book club on Saturday, Jan. 30. New participants are invited to join. The only requirement is that you read the book.

The Political Book Club meets online on ZOOM from 1-3 p.m. the last Saturday of the month. Everyone has an opportunity to comment on the book, and to participate in a general discussion of the issues raised by the book. The selection for Jan. 30 is Let the People Pick The President: The Case for Abolishing the Electoral College by Jesse Wegman.

For February, the selection is 10 Lessons for a Post Pandemic World, by Fahreed Zakaria, For March, the selection is Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents, by Isabel Wilkerson.

Launched in January 2016, the goal of the political book club is to provide another way for citizens to become informed about government and history and to increase their participation in our democracy. This is consistent with the mission of the League of Women Voters Northern Arizona which is to empower voters and defend democracy.

The League envisions a democracy where every person has the desire, the right, the knowledge and the confidence to participate. The League is an organization fully committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion in principle and in practice. The League does not support or oppose political parties or candidates for elective offices.

For more information, contact Barbara Litrell at 928-300-5839 or blitrell@aol.com.

Leisurely slideshow from Clarkdale Museum

A new narrated slideshow is available for viewing at the Clarkdale Historical Society and Museum’s website, Clarkdalemuseum.org.

Click on the Resource tab, then Video Slideshows and choose Clarkdale Smelter Worker Recreation. You’ll be treated to almost 10 minutes of vintage photos of such bygone Clarkdale icons as the golf course, Peck’s Lake and the movie theater. Sports teams are prominent as are holiday celebrations. A lively narration accompanies the photos and tells the story of leisure times gone by.

This presentation is one of the many resources available at the museum’s website. Explore the extensive collection of yearbooks and see what businesses bought advertisements.

Peruse the First Friday presentations to hear some of the fascinating personal stories that make up Clarkdale’s history. Read the newsletter. And join us. The membership form is available on the website.

Two-year camping closure along State Route 260, Salt Mine Road

For the next two years, recreation officials on the Verde Ranger District will implement a special camping closure for areas along State Route 260 and Salt Mine Road.

Over the past few years, dispersed camping in these areas, as well as high use have caused significant resource damage to soil and water quality.

Abandoned property, trash, and sanitation issues have also created an unsafe environment for other forest users and continued resource degradation.

To address these issues on the Verde Ranger District, forest officials have issued a two-year temporary closure to include the following three restricted areas:

Restricted Area 1: Includes all National Forest System (NFS) lands, roads, and trails within one and half miles terminating at the Forest Boundary (Verde River) east of State Route 260, Salt Mine Road, and NFS Road 574, beginning at the intersection of State Route 260 and Prairie Lane in Cottonwood, then following southeast to Salt Mine Road, then following Salt Mine Road west and south to its junction with NFS Road 574, then following NFS Road 574 south to a point one mile south of its intersection with NFS Road 334 in Camp Verde, then following east to the Beasley Flat Day Use Area at the Verde River (Verde District Boundary).

Restricted Area 2: Includes all NFS lands, roads, and trails within 4.5 miles west of State Route 260, beginning at West Mingus Avenue in Cottonwood, following southeast to Interstate 17.

Restricted Area 3: Includes all NFS lands, roads, and trails within three miles west of State Route 260, beginning at the intersection of State Route 60 and Interstate 17, then following southeast to Salt Mine Road, then following Salt Mine Road southeast to its intersection with NFS Road 574, then following NFS Road 574 south to a point one mile south of the intersection of NFS Road 574 with FR334 in Camp Verde.

Over the next two years, the district will analyze current dispersed camping corridors, areas of overuse and look at the long-term management of these areas. This process will provide opportunity for public involvement and input.

The closure order and map can be viewed online at fs.usda.gov/detail/prescott/notices/?cid=FSEPRD872589.

For more information, contact the Verde Ranger District at 928-567-4121.

Stay up to date on Prescott National Forest news by checking the Prescott NF website and following us on Facebook and Twitter.

Precept Revelation

Wednesdays from 2:30 p.m. until 4 p.m., women are invited to study the book of Revelation through Precept.

Since 1970, Precept has equipped small group Bible study leaders who can help you discover the truth of scripture for yourself, but not by yourself.

This women’s Precept Bible study will be held at the Koeppe home, 1300 E. Regge Way, Cottonwood.

Go to Precept.org to order workbook.

Email Kay_tee_did@hotmail.com for more information.

Democracy in America

The Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street, in cooperation with the Arizona Humanities Council presents Voices and Votes: Democracy in America through Saturday, Feb. 27 at the Camp Verde Community Library, 130 Black Bridge Road.

The exhibition examines the nearly 250-year-old American experiment of a government of, by and for the people, and how each generation since continues to question how to form a more perfect union.

Camp Verde Community Library, in partnership with League of Women Voters of Greater Verde Valley has been chosen by the AZ Humanities Council to host the exhibit as part of the Museum on Main Street program, a national/state/local partnership to bring exhibitions and programs to rural cultural organizations.

The exhibition has toured five communities in Arizona and will end at the Camp Verde Library in 2021 with the last chance to view it locally.

Voices and Votes: Democracy in America explores the action, reaction, vision and revision that democracy demands as Americans continue to question how to shape the country.

From revolution and suffrage, to civil rights and casting ballots, everyone in every community is part of this ever-evolving story – the story of democracy in America.

Exhibition sections highlight the origins of American democracy, the struggles to obtain and keep the vote, the machinery of democracy, the right to petition and protest beyond the ballot and the rights and responsibilities of citizens.

Voices and Votes features historical and contemporary photos; educational and archival video; engaging multimedia interactives with short games; and historical objects like campaign souvenirs, voter memorabilia, and protest material.

I Am an American Too: History of American Indian Voting Rights, is a local poster exhibit designed to accompany the Arizona tour of the Voices and Votes exhibit. Sponsored by League of Women Voters of Greater Verde Valley it helps tell the story of Indian voting rights in Arizona and the United States.

Designed for small-town museums, libraries and cultural organizations, Voices and Votes will serve as a community meeting place for conversations about democracy, the freedoms and responsibilities of citizens of all ages and walks of life, participating in government.

With the support and guidance of AZ State Humanities council, Camp Verde Community Library has developed complementary exhibits and will host virtual programs to raise people’s understanding about their own history, the joys and challenges of living rural, how change has impacted their community, and prompt discussion of goals for the future.

Visit museumonmainstreet.org, cvlibrary.org or call 928-554-8380 for more information.

Volunteers needed for Cornville Vision 2032 project

In January, the Cornville Community Association (CCA) will begin work on a new Cornville Vision Statement that, along with statements from other Yavapai County communities, will become tools to start discussions for the County Comprehensive Plan process, which will take two years.

Volunteers are now needed to serve on a Cornville Vision 2032 working group, which will work with the CCA Planning & Zoning Committee and Board of Directors, to come up with a statement created by the residents to describe their vision of the Cornville community and how it would like to develop over the next 10 years.

Association members (Cornville residents and property owners) who have an active interest in the community and are willing to give time and energy to the task are welcome to join the group.

The visioning process will involve intense work for three to four months, beginning in January. Judy Miller, longtime CCA member and chair of the 2005 Cornville Community Plan committee, will coordinate the project.

Computer skills are required and knowledge of information technology desired. Creativity will be needed to fully involve the public via internet, small groups, and individual outreach. Comprehensive contact lists need to be developed and information gathered.

A community survey, in cooperation with Yavapai County, will be an important part of the process. The product is to be a 10-to 12-page vision statement covering eight planning elements: land use, transportation, water, open space, energy, environment, cost of development, and growth areas.

The initial document, which may still evolve and be adjusted over time, needs to be submitted to Yavapai County by April or May.

To become a part of the Cornville Vision 2032 working group, e-mail Judy Miller at ccadirector3@gmail.com or call 928-649-1916.

Christmas tree drop-off

Free of charge, the City of Cottonwood will accept Christmas trees for disposal through Jan. 31.

Trees must be dropped off at the City of Cottonwood’s Reclaimed Water Fill Station, at 1480 W. Mingus Ave., adjacent to the Public Works yard.

The drop off site will be open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please follow the signs to the site. All lights and decorations must be removed from the trees before they are dropped off.

Any questions, call the Cottonwood Public Works Department at 928-634-8033.

Friends of the Verde announces third Wild and Scenic Film Festival

Join Friends of the Verde River at its third annual Wild and Scenic Film Festival, to be held virtually at 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 30.

Enjoy an evening of entertainment and connect with others, and watch films that feature the people, places, wildlife and initiatives making a splash in modern conservation today.

Although festival organizers have curated a lineup that relates deeply to the Friends of the Verde River mission here on the Verde, that lineup also takes place against a global backdrop.

Watch and learn about the threats and challenges, as well as the triumphs and joys, of habitat restoration, river conservation, environmental protection, and more.

For more information or to register for the Wild and Scenic Film Festival, visit verderiver.org.

Lunch Wednesdays at Camp Verde American Legion Post 93

From noon until 2 p.m. Wednesdays, Post 93 Camp Verde American Legion Auxiliary serves lunch at the legion, 286 S. 3rd St.

Lunch is open to the public. Cost is $6 and includes lunch and dessert, as well as a soda or water.

Menu changes each week, so call the post at 928-567-6154 to find out what is going to be served.


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