Local

The Sedona Fire District issued a news release this week to assure the community that it continues to focus on responding to and mitigating all-hazard type incidents in the district.

Matthew Martin answered immediately when asked Monday which of the usual necessary supplies needed at a facility that serves the homeless is most needed right now.

YAVAPAI COUNTY - Local leaders don’t have exact numbers yet for how the temporary closure of hundreds of businesses in Yavapai County will affect overall sales tax revenue for Fiscal 2020 — they simply know it’s going to be a huge drop.

For weeks now, Yavapai County Community Health Services has urged people assume that coronavirus is “everywhere.”

Clients will still receive their meals with additional food now,  but they won’t be able to get that personal touch that many home-bound seniors develop with meals-on-wheels volunteer drivers.

Spectrum Healthcare is maintaining medical and behavioral health services in the Verde Valley and Prescott during the coronavirus emergency.

A semi-truck carrying a load of ice burst into flames on Interstate 17 Sunday afternoon, as the plastic bins carrying the ice actually contributed to the fire, explained Copper Canyon Fire and Medical District Battalion Chief Eric Strauss. No one was injured in the fire.

The COVID-19 virus infected Arizonans at unprecedented rates over the weekend with the state now reporting 2,269 confirmed cases.

Test-result turnaround times for COVID-19 have improved over the past few weeks, a Northern Arizona Healthcare official said Thursday. NAH’s chief quality officer, John Mougin, said turnaround from local laboratories has improved over the course of the month of March.

The most popular hiking trails in the Sedona area are being closed in response to the large number of people hiking during the coronavirus crisis.

As of 8:40 a.m. Thursday, Verde Valley Medical Center in Cottonwood has three in-house COVID-19 patients who have tested positive, with another seven positive tests pending.

There are now 34 confirmed COVID-19 cases in Yavapai County, the county’s Community Health Services office reported Thursday afternoon.

The Old Town Mission has seen a steady increase of clients during the last couple of weeks since the pandemic began, according to Executive Director Kelly Wilson.

In the Spirit of Rosie the Riveter, a group of Cottonwood women are sewing hospital gowns and masks for doctors, nurses and staff at the Verde Valley Medical Center.

Northern Arizona Healthcare Thursday announced a change in its COVID-19 sample collection dates.

Behind the national, state and local news conferences and public health updates on the spread of the COVID-19 coronavirus is a lot of confusion, misunderstanding and even some conspiracy theories.

There are now 12 confirmed COVID-19 cases in the Verde Valley and 31 total in Yavapai County, according to the Wednesday afternoon update from Yavapai County Community Health Services.

The Verde Valley Fire District will be implementing burn restrictions, effective Monday, April 13, 7 a.m.

City and town governments are adjusting to Gov. Doug Ducey’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy, Stay Connected” executive order, signed Monday.

Restaurants in the Verde Valley are struggling with ways to provide takeout food and how to keep customers and staff safe during the coronavirus crisis.

The COVID-19 virus continued its forward march in Arizona with 124 new cases in the past 24 hours. This brings the state’s total to 1,413 confirmed cases, according to the April 1 morning update on the Arizona Department of Health Services website.

In its Tuesday, March 31 afternoon update, Yavapai County Community Health Services reported there were 24 positive cases of a COVID-19 positive virus diagnosis in Yavapai County — 17 residents in the Quad-Cities area and seven in the Verde Valley area.

On March 20, Yavapai County announced a 72-year-old Sedona resident was the first presumptive positive in Yavapai County for the COVID-19 virus.

In response to the impact of COVID-19 in the Verde Valley, Manzanita Outreach has made wholesale changes to its operations in order to meet the growing demand for food assistance locally.

As of Monday afternoon, Verde Valley Medical Center has collected 54 specimens to be tested for the coronavirus, Marketing Specialist Karlee Weiler stated Wednesday in an email.