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IFL’s Wranglers Preparing to Play in PV
Businesses Welcoming Upcoming Wranglers Season
By Brent Ruffner, FBN
Prescott Valley businesses are anticipating a boost as the Northern Arizona Wranglers take to the field for eight home games in the downtown area. The first game is scheduled against the Arizona Rattlers in Prescott Valley on Sunday, May 16.
Marnie Uhl, president of Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce, said the impact could be great. The Findlay Toyota Center has seen recent professional teams play in its arena – the NAZ Suns and the Arizona Sundogs. “It’s a huge impact when a team is playing regular games,” she said.
Uhl, who has been the chamber’s president for 15 years, said businesses from hotels to restaurants should see an uptick in business.
Through the years, she has seen the entertainment district take shape so that the newest team will be “an asset” to the community. “[The planners] did an amazing job of creating a vibrant feel in a rural area,” Uhl said.
Eddie Padillo, regional manager of Tailgaters Sports Grill & IL Primo Pizza And Wings, said he is looking forward to more events in the area. The restaurant features anything from a bowl of chili to several kinds of specialty pizza.
He said he is hopeful regular football would be a draw for patrons before and after gridiron games. “Anytime they are bringing back events, it is a positive thing,” Padillo said.
So far, it is unknown whether fans would be allowed to fill the entire arena – about 5,000 seats. That decision is a collaborative one from the town, health department and arena officials. Indoor Football League officials help advise what determination should be made come game day.
Ticket sales are “good,” according to Northern Arizona Wranglers Owner Trey Medlock. “Until we reach late April or the first of May, nobody can say accurately how many people will be allowed in the arena.”
Medlock is the owner of the state’s third team in the Indoor Football League (IFL), which includes the Arizona Rattlers and the Tucson Sugar Skulls.
Buffalo Wild Wings General Manager Jessica Wallace remembers spikes in business when the NAZ Suns were in town. She said she noticed “a lot more” sales before and after basketball home games and expects much of the same with the Wranglers. “We’re excited for what it’s going to bring.”
Prescott resident Chad Garner said he plans to go to the first game against the Rattlers. He has followed the team since officials announced its name on the IFL website. “I love watching indoor football,” he said. “It’s fun.”
Padillo said he is thankful that events such as football games are planned to take place in the summertime.
“At the end of the day, we are happy to be open.” FBN
Prescott resident Chad Garner (right) watches sports at Buffalo Wild Wings in Prescott Valley. Garner said he plans to attend the inaugural Northern Arizona Wranglers game on May 16. Photo by Brent Ruffner
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219 N. Humphreys Road, Flagsta , AZ 86001
In a mid-February media briefing conducted via Zoom, Northern Arizona Healthcare Chief Quality Officer Dr. John Mougin encouraged residents to get vaccinated and thanked volunteers for assisting at
vaccination clinics. Photo by Bonnie Stevens
More Arizonans Now Eligible for Vaccine
Governor announces those 55 and older included in current COVID-19 vaccination rollout
By Bonnie Stevens, FBN
Governor Doug Ducey and the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) are taking a hybrid approach to COVID-19 vaccinations that now provides Arizonans 55 and older eligibility, along with frontline essential workers. The new approach launched March 2, in the Phoenix Metro Area.
The governor’s office states 90% of Arizona’s deaths from the virus have been among those 55 and older. About 65% of those hospitalized from COVID-19 are in that age group. Including adults 55 and older in the vaccine prioritization category will cover between 56% and 66% of Arizonans with medical conditions that place them at severe risk for adverse outcomes because of COVID-19, according to the state.
“This critical update provides more clarity for Arizonans and will result in rapid administration of vaccine to our most vulnerable populations,” said Governor Ducey. “Continuing to vaccinate older Arizonans against COVID-19 will help protect those at risk and cover a majority of Arizonans with chronic medical conditions.”
The Department of Health and Human Services reported that both Moderna and Pfizer had been experiencing a backlog of orders for the COVID-19 vaccine because of February’s severe weather in parts of the country. Meanwhile, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is expected to be distributed in Arizona this month.
“As more vaccine reaches Arizona, we will continue refining our plan to maximize the benefits of this still-limited resource,” said ADHS Director Dr. Cara Christ.
Northern Arizona Healthcare officials say they are doing everything they can to get shots into arms. In mid-February, NAH, which operates Flagstaff Medical Center and Verde Valley Medical Center, reported administering 10,000 doses. “Right now our goal is to give at least 500 doses a day,” said NAH Chief Quality Officer Dr. John Mougin.
The most common side effect, he says, is soreness in the arm. “It’s from the injection itself and the needle. You can get low grade fevers, body aches or joint aches. Those things we’re seeing a little bit more frequently with the second shot than the first shot.”
NAH officials are working with Yavapai County to open vaccine clinics in Camp Verde and Sedona, which they expect to occur in the next couple of weeks, depending on vaccine availability. “One of the NAH goals is to partner with the counties to really make Coconino County and Yavapai County the leaders of the state as far as the rate of vaccinations,” said Mougin.
Meanwhile, as the number of COVID-19 cases continues to decline in Northern Arizona, NAH Chief Nursing Officer Tyffany Laurano says creative strategies have helped to ensure that enough healthcare workers have been available to treat patients. “One thing that we’re most proud of as an organization is we maintained our nursing ratios throughout the duration of the pandemic, and that has not changed. We have travelers [traveling healthcare workers] with us, as well as some temporary staff.”
Healthcare officials continue to stress masking
// Northern Arizona Healthcare officials say they are doing everything they can to get shots into arms. In midFebruary, NAH, which operates Flagstaff Medical Center and Verde Valley Medical Center, reported administering 10,000 doses. “Right now our goal is to give at least 500 doses a day,” said NAH Chief Quality Officer Dr. John Mougin. //
// BUSINESS CENTS // BY BONNIE STEVENS
Mental Toughness Finds a Way Out of the Jungle
If Maui were a woman, she would look like Amanda Eller. At a lean 5-foot-7 and donning a long, breezy, tangerine-colored dress, Amanda seemed to float, not walk, down the main street of Makawao. Her delicate golden leaf earrings dangled and shimmered against her long smooth, shiny, dark brown hair. Tan, fit and self-assured, Amanda is a calm, poised vision of tropical health. If there is such a thing as an old soul, that would be Amanda, wise, yet youthful. From my perspective, she is the human essence of the Aloha Spirit, embodying the island’s gentleness, beauty and strength.
Not surprisingly, Amanda is a healer. She teaches yoga, practices mindfulness, exercises regularly – hikes, runs, scuba dives, swims – and spends a great deal of time in nature.
As I was locking the bike that my husband and I bought for $100 from a surfer named Chad, I could not help but notice Amanda’s natural elegance as she ascended the stairs next to me. Moments later, I realized she was the doctor of physical therapy that I had pedaled through the upcountry to see. Could this island goddess coax my limping, misaligned, banged-up body into something that moved like hers? I was more than eager to adopt that fantasy.
As I lay on her table and gave her my best self-diagnosis of injured discs, sciatica, torn ligaments and a sprained ankle, she methodically worked on my bruised muscles, misbehaving fascia and screaming trigger points. We talked about Maui as an island that calls to you. We discussed jobs, spirituality and gentle places to ease back into an active lifestyle: like hiking the Kahakapao Loop at the Makawao Forest Reserve for a short journey into the cool rainforest; and exercising at Baby Beach, a shallow cove protected by reefs from the wild North Shore waves but with such a strong current that you can actually swim in place – and people like to bring their babies there, both human and canine. She also talked about some special waterfalls on the Road to Hana that most visitors don’t know about.
Between outdoor adventures during my stay, I would limp back to Amanda’s office and limp a little less when I left.
Six months later and back in Arizona, I was half-listening to the morning news when I heard the words “Maui,” “yoga instructor” and “missing.” With a sick knot forming in my stomach, I looked to the television screen to see Amanda’s serene image, with the same delicate golden leaf earrings. I learned her car was at a trailhead, her keys were stashed under one of the tires and Amanda was nowhere to be found.
Extraordinary search efforts were organized, first by the state and later extended by her friends and family. Funds were raised, vigils were held, helicopter pilots flew and search dogs aided ground efforts. But still, no sign of Amanda. Upon immediately reaching out to her yoga community, one of her friends told me she was the strongest person she knew, “physically and spiritually.” Totally believable.
In the long days ahead, I couldn’t stop obsessing about where she could be. My constant concern crept into my dreams where I felt as though I was running through the thick Maui jungle passing broad giant leaves that seemed to be deliberately positioned to catch raindrops. Except when I looked down, those weren’t my legs, they were longer, leaner, darker. If you believe we’re all connected on some level, you’ll understand why I believed Amanda was out there somewhere, swallowed up by the lush vegetation.
Seventeen days after she vanished, a helicopter pilot spotted her, wildly waving from the top of a dangerously tall waterfall. Dehydrated, she cried dry tears of joy when she realized her rescuers had arrived. For 17 days, she ate leaves and berries and slept in dens made by wild boars. She had lost her shoes in a flash flood and dropped at least 20 pounds from her already slender frame. She had set out for a short jog and meditation in the trees on an ordinary Wednesday, her day off, in May with no hat, no sunscreen, no water, no phone. As she ceaselessly worked to find her way back, she had fallen, injured a knee and had raging infections spreading on her shins. In a news conference, Amanda expressed her gratitude to the community that never gave up. She was shocked to learn she had become national news. And many believe finding her alive was a miracle. I would say that miracle had a lot to work with: Amanda’s mental strength.
MENTALLY STRONG PEOPLE:
Solve problems. Amanda knew she needed food, water and shelter. Obtaining those necessities was where her energy went.
Tolerate discomfort. Instead of grieving about the bed she didn’t have, Amanda was grateful to find plants trampled and patted down by animals where she could rest.
Accept responsibility and learn from their mistakes. Amanda was the first to acknowledge that she had set off that Saturday morning unprepared and without informing anyone.
Believe in a higher power. There were times when Amanda questioned why she was being put through such anguish, but found comfort in an inner voice that assured her that she was not being punished.
Keep their goals in front of them. Amanda’s goals have long been to offer healing. Even through her ordeal, she thought there might be something she could learn that would help others. She forced herself to think about what benefits could be derived from the experience and pushed her mind beyond her current predicament.
Have a strong network. Amanda was shocked to know how many people
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PAID PARKING RESUMES MARCH 1, 2021
WHAT HAS CHANGED:
You asked, we listened. We’ve made the following enhancements to the parking program.
▶ New Hours / New Signs – The number of free parking hours have been extended, and paid parking will be managed fewer hours. • Sunday thru Thursday 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM • Friday and Saturday 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM ▶ FREE Curbside Pick-Up Zones • Multiple parking spaces allocated for 20-minute periods to accommodate quick in-and-out business access on north and south sides of the tracks. ▶ Added Employee Parking • 200 N. Leroux St. • 100 W. Birch Ave. • 200 N. Beaver St. ▶ Employee Permits are now $10 ▶ Kiosk Care – Daily Disinfecting
DOWNTOWN PAY-TO-PARK SUN –THUR 9 AM–5 PM FRI–SAT 9 AM–8 PM
WHAT REMAINS THE SAME:
▶ Parking cost remains $1.00 an hour ▶ Know your LICENSE PLATE NUMBER – keep a photo/note in your phone ▶ Touchless options available with the Flowbird App and online at
ParkFlag.NuPark.com ▶ Cash payment options available at the
Flagstaff Visitors Center and 4 (four) cash and credit kiosks downtown ▶ Free ECO passes (bus) available for downtown employees ▶ Free parking in city and county lots daily after 5 pm and on weekends; free two-hour parking on Route 66
BENEFITS:
▶ Manages limited parking for residents and businesses ▶ Promotes safe parking practices ▶ Sets aside funds for future parking supply
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Governor Doug Ducey has announced the appointment of Stacy Krueger to the Coconino County Superior Court to fill the vacancy created by the retirement of Judge Mark R. Moran.
In 2018, Coconino County voters opted to move from elections for judges on the Superior Court to merit selection, where the Coconino County Trial Court Commission makes recommendations to the governor for appointments to fill judicial vacancies. Krueger is the governor’s first appointment to the Coconino County Superior Court through this new process.
“Stacy’s dedication and service to the Coconino County community is an asset to the bench,” said Governor Ducey. “I am pleased to announce Stacy’s appointment to the Coconino County Superior Court.” FBN
Stacy Krueger
CCC and ASU Partner For Smooth Student Transfer
Coconino Community College has partnered with Arizona State University to offer a seamless transfer experience, with the MyPath2ASU program. CCC officials say MyPath2ASU allows students to take the steps needed at the start of their college experience to successfully plan their transfer to ASU and ensure a smooth transition process for success after earning credits or an associate degree from CCC.
“Our partnership with Arizona State University and the MyPath2ASU program offers a wonderful opportunity for our students,” said CCC President Dr. Colleen A. Smith. “Alongside the incredibly successful CCC2NAU program, CCC can now offer students who wish to attend ASU the same seamless transition to attaining a bachelor’s degree and beyond.”
Students using MyPath2ASU will have access to personalized benefits to help them navigate their transfer experience, such as:
End-to-end learner navigation through course-by-course guided pathways;
Help with identifying courses that apply to their associate and ASU bachelor’s degrees;
Guaranteed general admission to ASU and admission into MyPath2ASU major choice if all requirements are satisfied. Some majors have additional or higher admission requirements;
More than 400 course-by-course guided pathways into immersion and online ASU degree programs;
Self-service, degree progress tracking through My Transfer Guide to minimize a loss of credits;
Connected experience through personalized ASU communications to prepare academically and build a connection to ASU.
ASU and CCC will work together to promote educational degree pathways in-person and online course offerings.
To schedule an appointment, contact Sonjia Jones, CCC Academic and Career Advisor and Transfer advisor for ASU, at calendly.com/sonjia-jones, or call 928-226-4392, or email Sonjia. Jones@coconino.edu. FBN
