November 2021 by Flagstaff Business News

INSIDE THE NOVEMBER 2021 ISSUE: Pilot Elevates Kayla’s Message p. 3 Celebrating Businesses, Air Travel, Values p. 4 Taking ‘Aummm’ Outdoors p. 6

Aid Helping Northland Breweries p. 12 Community Profile: Adam Arp is the Bees’ Knees p. 21 Considering Alternative Therapies for Pets p. 24

Eyes on Dark Sky: Examining a Unique Flagstaff Brand E

By Sean Golightly, FBN

very business leader knows the importance of a good brand. In Flagstaff, “Dark Sky,” has evolved into a unique local brand. Currently, there are 18 corporations registered with the Arizona Corporation Commission in Coconino County using “Dark Sky” or “Dark Skies” in their name. These businesses span everything from construction contractors to

aerial dance professionals. In light of its growing popularity, the Dark Sky brand deserves some examination. The phrase “Dark Sky” originates from Flagstaff’s history of actively protecting the night sky from light pollution. On Sunday, Oct. 24, the Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition (FDSC) celebrated the 20th anniversary of the city’s designation as the First International Dark Sky City. This designation came from the International Dark-Sky

Association (IDA), a group dedicated to the protection of night sky from light pollution. According to IDA Executive Director Ruskin Hartley, Flagstaff has long been a leader in dark sky preservation. “By embracing dark sky protection, the community has introduced countless visitors to the stars for the first time and demonstrated that quality light is good for business and the environment,” he said.

This connection to a history of environmental protection imbues the Dark Sky brand with a mandate to uphold night sky stewardship. Dark Sky Brewing Co. provides an example. When the brewery hosted FDSC’s anniversary celebration, the local business donated a portion of sales from a specially crafted beer – “Circadian Rhythm IPA” – to support the FDSC’s continued protection of the night sky. Brewery event

FLY FLAGSTAFF FIRST!

Continued on page 41

Seasonal Sipping Willcox, Verde Valley cultivate ripe conditions for winter wines By Betsey Bruner, FBN

W Bob Carlson, John Carlson and Robert Carlson, III at their vineyard in Willcox. Photo by Jenelle Bonifield

November 2021 | Issue 11 Volume 14

inter fog hovers over the deck outside. A fire is lit and stacked logs crackle and pop as the hostess puts out a cheese, fruit and cracker tray on a side table. Four wine glasses stand ready to receive intoxicating treats from the bottle she presents. The hostess turns the distinctive gold label so her guests can read, “Carlson Creek, 2018 Rule of Three, Red Blend, Arizona,” a blend of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre grapes that defines the style of Cotes du Rhone wine.

Her hospitality sets the stage for the world of winter wines, a perfect pairing for the cooler temperatures of the holiday season. Standing as a prime example of Arizona’s winter wine offerings, one of the state’s largest and family-owned vineyards, Carlson Creek Vineyard, has just introduced its newest winter wines, the 2018 Rule of Three, 2018 Malbec, 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2020 Odyssey. All four winter wines are available for seasonal sipping and purchase at the Carlson Creek Vineyard tasting rooms in Cottonwood, Scottsdale and Willcox, where Continued on page 43

CHECK OUT OUR NEW FBN PET NEWS SECTION, COVERING A VARIETY OF SUBJECTS ABOUT OUR FAVORITE FURRY FRIENDS ON PAGE 24

Flagstaff Business News // NOVEMBER 2021 flagstaffbusinessnews.com

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In an emotional meeting, Kathleen Delany connected with Marsha and Carl Mueller after unknowingly purchasing their daughter’s backpack. Delany attached Kayla’s picture to the pack and shared her story of compassion with hikers, which served as an inspiration during the eight days on the mountain. Photo by Ray Newton

Carrying Kayla’s Message Pilot carries Kayla Mueller’s backpack on Mount Kilimanjaro climb, dedicates trek to humanitarian’s memory

By Ray Newton, FBN

hen Kathleen Delany went online to buy a used backpack for her upcoming trip to Tanzania to climb Mount Kilimanjaro, she had no idea it would become a life-changing event. Delaney is an Arizona State University graduate and commercial airline pilot stationed in California. She moved to Prescott Valley in March 2021 after being put on leave because of COVID-19, and in the aftermath of a traumatic breakup with her boyfriend. The Phoenix native previously had bought a home there for her retired parents. She had no idea she would be living with them nine months later. Delany, 53, explained, “After my breakup, I knew it was time for me to collect my thoughts and dedicate myself to a new future. I had dreamed of climbing Mount Kilimanjaro for more than 10 years. In 2010, I had visited Tanzania with a friend to celebrate my 42nd birthday. I’ve been an avid hiker since childhood. I have for years hiked the tallest mountains around me in Colorado and the Sierras.” Delany decided she needed a medium-sized backpack. She looked online and found one she liked. She contacted the people who listed it, Carl and Marsha Mueller, who live in Prescott. She met them June 11, to examine the backpack. She checked it, liked it, and bought it for $45. The Muellers told her it belonged to their daughter, Kayla, but said nothing else. Delany had never heard of Kayla. Later, she would learn Kayla’s tragic story of having been captured in 2013 in Syria, held captive for more than 500 days and then murdered by ISIS terrorists in Raqqa in 2015. Delany used the backpack for a few training hikes. One afternoon, while preparing the backpack for the Kilimanjaro trek she had scheduled for July, she reached into a pocket

and felt something. “I pulled out a worn but readable 2009 airline ticket receipt for Kayla Mueller from Phoenix to Atlanta and then Guatemala. My mom told me that name was familiar. I Googled it. When I saw who it was, I got chills. The hair on my arms was sticking up. The range of my emotions – intense. It hit me. I was meant to have this pack. I had a connection to this young woman who traveled the world making a positive difference in people’s lives, helping others, helping relieve suffering. What an incredible young woman Kayla was,” Delany said, wiping tears from her eyes. Delany called the Muellers again. “I told them I wanted to dedicate the hike in Kayla’s name. We all wept. I asked if I could have something small and lightweight to take with me. I told them I truly felt I was supposed to take their daughter with me to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro.” A few days later, Delany met with the Muellers. They gave her a laminated photo of Kayla, on the back of which was written: I find God in the suffering eyes reflected in mine. If this is how you are revealed to me, this is how I will forever seek you. I will always seek God. Some people find God in Church. Some people find God in Nature. Some people find God in love. I find God in suffering. I’ve known for some time what my life’s work is – using my hands as tools to relive suffering. Delany attached that photo and message to the rear of the backpack. The next day, she left for Africa. On July 3, she was in Moshi, Tanzania, near the equator. She was preparing for the hike, which was to begin the next day. The hotel manager asked who the photograph was. Delany told her the story and how she was dedicating the hike in Kayla’s honor. “Teddy gave me a large linen napkin. We used Continued on page 40

Flagstaff Business News // NOVEMBER 2021 flagstaffbusinessnews.com

New Routes, Whiskey Turned Hand Sanitizer, Quality of Life Tourism officials share updates on local air travel, businesses and initiatives By Bonnie Stevens, FBN

several new pieces of snow equipment that will be able to clear the runway faster than ever and additional airport espite the difficulties of proparking with a gated paid-parking promoting Flagstaff during the gram and moderate pricing. “If you’ve pandemic to potential visitors and businesses looking to relocate, Dis- been to the airport recently, you can see we have a second parking lot that cover Flagstaff officials and economic is going in and will be completed very vitality leaders had many successes to soon. There will still be free time – up report during their Annual Marketing to an hour – where you can enter and Meeting on Thursday, Oct. 21. exit, but you have options for parking.” City of Flagstaff Economic Vitality Hansen also noted four business inDirector Heidi Hansen stressed the fact centive programs that took effect in the that during the pandemic the Flagstaff past year along with the addition of the Airport never shut down. “This was Tesla part manufacturer, Whitehall Inno easy task. There were several other dustries, to the Flagstaff family, which smaller airports that lost service. We is bringing 150 new manufacturing jobs did not. This is because we continued to market the airport that we were open to the community. Discover Flagstaff Director Trace for business. Even though we experiWard praised the local tourism team enced enplanement decreases, we still for keeping the Flagstaff brand “alive, served over 86,000 patrons. We kept our Phoenix, Denver and Dallas flights. relative and engaging.” As a result, the Sometimes the daily amount fluctuated, Discover Flagstaff website received 2.1 million page views in the last 12 but we filled seats and we didn’t lose months and was the runner up for the service.” Best Tourism Website award at the She reported that attracting airline national ESTO Conference, U.S. Travel service and keeping it are no small accomplishments and said, “I see a San Association’s Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations. Francisco route on the horizon.” In addition, Discover Flagstaff proShe also provided an update about

The City of Flagstaff maintained an ambitious marketing effort throughout the pandemic, which included public health messages that encouraged residents and visitors to stay, play, distance and mask responsibly. Shown here are Flagstaff City Councilmembers Austin Aslan and Regina Salas, Economic Vitality Director Heidi Hansen and Discover Flagstaff Director Trace Ward. Courtesy photo

moted fire awareness in collaboration with the Forest Service, Flagstaff Fire Department and the Arizona Office of Tourism. “We also promoted ‘Hug a Tree’ for folks and kids who get lost in the forest, flood safety, community action, COVID awareness and support for our local businesses and many

other efforts such as ‘Acts of Kindness,’ which just tries to put a smile on your face,” he said. Ward discussed the “Pledge for the Wild” program, which informs residents and visitors about how to give back to the trail they just hiked and emphasized the importance of

promoting the community’s values, which he identified as: Community, Diversity, Inclusion, Dark Skies, Open Spaces, Local Economy, History and Sustainability. “You have to embrace the community that welcomes your visitors,” he said. Continued on page 32

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Top: With Mount Elden as the backdrop, yogis breathe into the stretch outdoors. Courtesy photo Bottom: Erin Widmer

Survival Space: Flagstaff’s Pandemic Yoga Experience

By Diane Hope, FBN

s with many personal fitness and wellness businesses state-wide, yoga studios in Flagstaff have taken a pummelling during COVID-19. When the extent of the pandemic became apparent and state mandates kicked in, there was no option but to shut down in-person group yoga classes. During the past 18 months, many yoga studios switched to online platforms like Zoom and YouTube in an attempt to keep their teaching programs alive. While this might sound like it would’ve been a relatively easy fix, the market for online workouts quickly became oversaturated, with teachers vying for students willing to take remote classes. And although studios were saving money on lights and heat, the biggest expense – rent – was just too much of a stretch for many yoga businesses, which couldn’t keep up with payments and closed. Flagstaff’s Erin Widmer is a survivor. Starting as a teacher at The Yoga Experience in 2000, Widmer took over as owner in 2008. But it’s been a hard road for her to stay open. With between 36 and 40 classes a week, workshops at least once a month, and a teaching training program once a year, Widmer’s studio was averaging 1,200 student visits per month, in the year prior to the pandemic. In 2018, she relocated her studio to Old Canyon Court, behind Warner’s nursery off Butler Ave. The move “gave a huge boost to the business, which was thriving – we were building income and attendance month-on-month” said Widmer, wistfully. Ordered to shut down on March 17, 2020, she immediately switched to online instruction, offering 50% of the pre-pandemic class schedule. She had to modify what she was teaching, too. “We don’t teach such advanced postures online, since I can’t make sure if students are being safe with those,” she explained. Echoing the experience of so many yoga business owners, things went pretty well for a while, although Widmer had to lower prices. “Essential-

ly almost everyone stopped work and had more time for home practice,” she explained. So, you might expect that when in-person classes were finally allowed to resume earlier this year, it would be back to business as usual. Not so, says Widmer – for a couple of reasons. First of all, former class sizes of 20 to 25 students are now limited to 10 participants. And even though Widmer now offers a mixture on 13 online classes and 11 in-person classes a week, she said, “It’s harder now than when pandemic first hit.” That’s because of a second factor – “with most COVID restrictions lifted, people are busy again and tired of doing things online, combined with sometimes not feeling comfortable with coming back to the studio,” Widmer said, which has resulted in classes that are often minimally attended. Undaunted, Widmer has demonstrated great creativity in making the return to in-person learning attractive and fun. Last year, she arranged to use one of the greenhouses at Warner’s nursery – “it was a great space, we were doing yoga surrounded by beautiful plants, with humidity, warmth and lots of light!” said Widmer, who called the classes “rainforest yoga.” Her studio space has windows and a door, which she’s been opening to an outside deck for classes, which have been going on once a week since April. But with the weather cooling down, that practice will have to end throughout the winter months. Continued on page 33

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NOVEMBER 2021 // Flagstaff Business News

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Supporting Minority-Owned Businesses

By Stacey Wittig, FBN

hree experts from different backgrounds and organizations spoke on a panel called Supporting Minority-Owned Businesses in Your Community at the Arizona Association for Economic Development Fall Forum. Although panelists Alika Kumar, Carlos Velasco and Melody Lewis represented diverse communities, they shared a passion for empowering minority groups and minority-owned businesses. The panel discussion was part of the Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED), a three-day conference at Little America Hotel in Flagstaff. According to Alika Kumar of the Minority Business Development Agency, people of color, women and underserved communities have been hit disproportionately by the COVID-19 crisis and ensuing economic crisis. “Now it’s estimated that 41% of blackowned businesses, 32% of Latinos in businesses and 26% of Asian-owned businesses closed, while only 17% of white-owned businesses closed as a result of the impact of COVID,” stated Kumar, executive director of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA) Business Center in

Phoenix. The MBDA is a branch of the U.S. Department of Commerce, which provides minority certification assistance, access to capital contracts, strategic business consulting and help with import/export. The disproportionate impact on minority businesses is a reminder of the racial disparities, said Kumar, who focused on the benefits of robust minority-owned business sectors. “Elimination of racial disparities with increased economic efficiency – especially as the minority populations are increasing in numbers in our population – and then removing the barriers to entry and expansion will help increase productivity rate,” she said. “More jobs to generate more revenue create economic and social stability … stimulating the economy and creating a more positive future for all Americans.” Currently in Arizona, 99.4% of all businesses are small businesses, and of those, about 21% are minority-owned businesses, she said. Carlos Velasco of Novle, a Valley-based agency that provides businesses with tools to develop relationships with the Latino community, said, “When it comes to economic development for us, transformative work has

Melody Lewis, Carlos Velasco and Alika Kumar provided insight and ways to offer support at the AAED Fall Forum in Flagstaff. Photo by Stacey Wittig

to start with community building and community organizing and movement building. I think once you accomplish that simple work, then you can begin the market transformative work of educating, of mobilizing and getting people to move into action to empower themselves.” “I think the three biggest barriers that we have are: one, we need to have some form of legal reform for the

documented folks – that’s something that still impacts every Latino in our community; investment in education; and then ultimately, access to capital for small businesses,” said the founder and CEO of Novle. Melody Lewis of Cahokia is a social entrepreneur dedicated to serving indigenous communities and individuals using collaborative approaches. “Social entrepreneurship is – for those

of you that don’t know – I call it ‘the non-profit heart with a for-profit model,’” she explained. Her newly launched project, Cahokia, is a SocialTech and creative empowerment Artspace in downtown Phoenix. Lewis suggested supporting indigenous populations by investing in indigenous communities. “By not taking advantage… really hiring them, Continued on page 41

NOVEMBER 2021 // Flagstaff Business News

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Business Woman FBN

of the Month

Carrying On the Family Profession Alexandra Ewell is a third generation Sedona-based realtor

By V. Ronnie Tierney, FBN

quipped with ambition and foresight in the late 1960s, John DePoe moved his family to Sedona and opened the first affiliate Coldwell Banker Residential office in the country. That move not only paved the way for a career for him but for his wife and three daughters, who all obtained their real estate licenses. Though DePoe did not live to see his granddaughter, Alexandra Ewell, follow his lead, today, Ewell is a full-time realtor for Coldwell Banker Realty in Sedona, the same office he once owned. As a third generation agent, Ewell covers the Sedona, Camp Verde and Cornville market and surrounding areas. “A lot of my childhood was driving through Sedona neighborhoods with my grandparents and my mom and looking at houses and critiquing them,” said Ewell. “It was really fun and I have a lot of fond memories. I felt like I grew up as a realtor.” Ewell worked with her mom for a long time and learned a great deal from her. “She’s really knowledgeable about real estate and it definitely helped me understand the terminology, technical terms, styles of construction, foundation, roofing and styles,” she said about her mother, Lauren DePoe. DePoe is the association executive for the Sedona Verde Valley Association of Realtors. “My dad loved Alex and her daughter, Arya, very much,” she said. “He would be so happy to know she’s followed in his footsteps.” Ewell says one challenge she had was establishing credibility, especially as a young agent. “At the time, I was only one of three realtors under 30 and other agents were older, tenured and very experienced, so I had to really work hard and try to appear as the good agent that I was.” Coach counselor and artist Caitlin Flynn says Alex helped her with letting go of her emotional connection to her home when she wanted to sell. “Alex said something that gave me relief. She said that selling a house is like becoming a supernova. Pressure builds up and then you’re set free to a new life. Alex is a very deep person, savvy and very diplomatic. “

Explaining how each transaction is different, Ewell says her success is about guiding and protecting her clients. “Be it legal liability, purchasing a home that is a money pit or a home that might break their finances, it’s important to be that problem-solver. I have to be creative and it really gets my brain working.” “Alexandra Ewell may be a little short on age but she is tall on knowledge and ability,” said Coldwell Banker Realty Associate Broker and Branch Manager for Village of Oak Creek and Sedona Ronald Volkman. “She is a natural problem solver who pulls solutions together time after time when others would give up.” Integrity is very important to Ewell and she believes that having a driving force that is grounded in integrity is key. “You want to be compensated for the work you put forth but ultimately it’s not the goal. I like to have a connection with my clients and I always come out of a sale with a new best friend or somebody I can have dinner with.” “I always enjoy working with Alex,” said Home Inspector General Ryan Palmer. “Not only is she very knowledgeable about real estate, but it’s clear that she cares for her clients and goes above and beyond to make sure they are taken care of.” The accomplishments of John DePoe are still evident in Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon, where a street carries his name. “My grandfather helped to build and develop Junipine Resort, the Canyon Portal which is now Canyon Breeze Restaurant, along with several other properties in and around Sedona. There’s so many reminders of him. He even diversified and was into solar and wind power for a while.” Another influential person in Ewell’s life is her grandmother, Mary Kay Depoe, who served as director of the Sedona Head Start Program for 41 years and retired in 2019. “She’s very inspiring and still involved in so many projects and serves on several boards. She has a lot of energy and I love the fact that we share the same birthday.” Ewell obtained a degree in literature from Arizona State University with the intention of getting her master’s degree to teach at the college level. “I didn’t want to live in Phoenix anymore and real estate kept calling me. I love

Realtor Alexandra Ewell has fond memories of her formative years driving around neighborhoods and critiquing houses with her mom (shown below with Alexandra) and grandparents. “I felt like I grew up as a realtor,” she says. Photos by V. Ronnie Tierney, Fresh Focuses Photography

// “At the time, I was only one of three realtors under 30 and other agents were older, tenured and very experienced, so I had to really work hard and try to appear as the good agent that I was.” // Sedona and the small town feel of familiarity, plus it’s so beautiful and there’s amazing food, hiking and, lately, so many fun events. Many of my school friends have stayed. It’s a hard place to leave.” Alex is married to Izaak, a vacation sales agent with Diamond Resorts. The couple has an 8-year-old daughter named Arya. FBN

NOVEMBER 2021 // Flagstaff Business News

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Flagstaff Business News // NOVEMBER 2021 flagstaffbusinessnews.com

Assistance Programs Keep Breweries Hopping

By Stan Bindell, FBN

reweries in Chino Valley, Flagstaff and Cottonwood are doing well following the pandemic, with one getting help from Yavapai College’s Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and two from the federal government’s pandemic assistance. Insurgent Brewing Co., located in Chino Valley, was selected as the SBDC’s Makeover of a Lifetime recipient. SBDC used its CARES funding to help small businesses. The selection for the makeover meant better signage, fresh paint and a sizable patio with awnings. The renovations worked. Rob Valenzuela, who co-owns Insurgent with his wife, Laura, said the makeover, especially the signage, has doubled the number of customers. He said before the large painting with their name went up, a lot of people didn’t know they were there. “As soon as the name was painted, people would come out of Safeway, see us and stop in. It has been extremely busy ever since. We have at least twice as many customers,” he said. Valenzuela said when they learned about the makeover, they applied for it and they were happy and grateful to

be selected. After they were selected, three representatives of SBDC came out to find out what needed to be improved. The SBDC was able to recruit Sherwin-Williams to donate the paint and then they hired painters. “It helps us that our place looks nice,” Valenzuela said. “I was surprised and honored that we were selected.” Insurgent offers classical styles of beer with personal touches. Valenzuela is proudest of an IPA called Infidel, which he points out means non-believer. “People try it and go, ‘wow, I can drink this.’ It’s hoppy, but not overly bitter,” he said. He calls food at Insurgents “elevated pub fare,” which offers flatbread pizza, tacos, quesadillas and enchiladas. The meals run about $15 each. Casual rock and roll music is provided every Saturday night from 5-8 p.m. Local musician Terry Wheeler often performs. Brunches are offered the first Sunday of each month from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.. The makeover also helped them improve their website. Valenzuela said Insurgent, which opened in 2016, survived the pandemic by offering take-out during the roughest time. He said regular customers kept them going. “I appreciate

them because they knew what we went through and that we’re still here.”

HELP FROM CRAFT BEER ACT

U.S. Rep Tom O’Halleran announced that the Craft Beer Modernization Act has helped Mother Road Brewing Co. in Flagstaff and Verde Brewing in Cottonwood prosper. Oliver Adams, director of People and Culture at Mother Road Brewing Co., said the Craft Beer Modernization Act supplied funding that allowed them to invest in their crew and their new CO2 water recapture system. “We view the Craft Beer Modernization Act as a great benefit to independent craft brewers across the U.S.,” he said. Mother Road’s goal is to pay employees in the 75th percentile relative to the job, industry and cost of living of the area where they are working, said Adams, and the Craft Beer Modernization Act helps them toward this goal. Ultimately, it was their workers’ resourcefulness and dedication to their purpose and values that kept them open through the pandemic, he added. Mother Road brews quality beer by using industry led technology, processes and techniques that ensure fresh and delicious pints every time,

The Craft Beer Modernization Act helped Mother Road Brewing Co. in Flagstaff through the pandemic. In honor of Route 66, the crew dresses like it’s the 1930s for their traditional anniversary photo every Nov. 17. Courtesy photo

said Adams. This includes four main beers, which are distributed throughout Arizona through Hensley Beverage Co. They are Tower Station IPA, Conserve and Protect Golden Ale, Limited Visibility IPA and Daily Driver Low Octane IPA. Conserve and Protect and Golden Ale has a collaboration with the

Arizona Game and Fish Department to support the conservation of more than 800 species in Arizona. A portion of the sales from every can sold goes toward conservation projects. Mother Road has a co-operated food truck called the Roadside Stove, which features 360 beef sliders; 360 Continued on page 41

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NOVEMBER 2021 // Flagstaff Business News

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Journalists Team Up with CCC to Offer Mary Jo West Excellence in Communication Scholarship

areer journalist Bonnie Stevens has announced a unique collaboration with her lifelong mentor and pioneering television news anchorwoman Mary Jo West to support young women and help shape the future of communication. The Mary Jo West Excellence in Communication Scholarship will be offered through Coconino Community College in Flagstaff and the CCC2NAU program. Perhaps the greatest value of this award, says Stevens, will be the guidance and coaching that comes with it. The scholarship will be granted in the fall 2022 semester. Preference will be given to a Native American female. “Someone once said, ‘The meaning of life is to find your gift; the purpose of life is to give it away,’” said Mary Jo West. “How grateful I am that my former colleague and journalist, Bonnie Stevens, has honored me with this opportunity to help ‘give it away’ with this scholarship! Not only will this gift to a special student provide financial assistance, but we will have the opportunity to personally meet and mentor whoever is chosen. The Native American community has

been underserved in the communication profession and hopefully the recipient of this scholarship can then pass on that knowledge to others.” “To say I’m ecstatic about this opportunity to partner with Mary Jo West to help develop and sustain communication excellence into the future would be the understatement of the year, in my world,” said Stevens. “This scholarship is about promoting integrity, quality, responsibility and women in communication, which are deeply held core values for me as a professional journalist. Beyond that, the teenage girl in me is freaking out about working on a project with Mary Jo West! My life has come full circle. Mary Jo West was my role model in the mid 1970s, as was Mary Tyler Moore, or more accurately, her character as Mary Richards making her way through the tough and male-dominated news industry. But Mary Jo was real, and miraculously, was the first person I wrote for fresh out of NAU with my journalism degree. I’m still pinching myself over that opportunity!” West’s television news career took her from reporting news, sports and

Above left: Mary Jo West was the first prime-time female television news anchorwoman in Phoenix, shown here interviewing legendary newsman Walter Cronkite. Above right: In 2018, FBN Editor Bonnie Stevens celebrated her role model’s accomplishments when West was inducted into the Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame. Courtesy photos

weather in the dual market of Tallahassee, Florida/Thomasville, Georgia, to the national network anchor chair at CBS in New York. She came to Phoenix in 1975 as a producer-host at the Public Broadcasting Station KAET-TV in Tempe. A year later, she

was invited to share the anchor desk with legendary Phoenix newsman Bill Close at the CBS affiliate KOOLTV and became the first primetime anchorwoman in Phoenix. “Mary Jo West was, and is, my idol to this day,” said Fox 10 anchor-

woman Linda Williams in a 2018 interview following West’s induction into the Arizona Women’s Hall of Fame. “She was the heart and soul of KOOL News for several years and she opened the door for all women Continued on page 42

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Economic Development Progress Continues on County Projects

By Chris Pasterz

his month, we are proud to share updates on several projects now coming to fruition. Each of these projects has potentially wide-ranging economic implications and will serve as catalysts for businesses and organizations to further define their business models and explore development opportunities. For-profits and non-profits alike can benefit from these projects and the resulting opportunities and resources they provide.

EQUITABLE ECONOMIC RECOVERY PLAN

EQUAL HOUSING

OPPORTUNITY

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Having Experience on Your Side “One of us is ALWAYS available!” Freddi Paulsrud 928.853.3737 Freddi.Paulsrud@russlyon.com Valerie Core 928.607.4344 Valerie.Core@russlyon.com Nina Bedatsky 928.607.8017 Nina.Bedatsky@russlyon.com

219 N. Humphreys Road, Flagstaff, AZ 86001

Coconino County was recently awarded a grant to develop an Equitable Economic Recovery Plan, sharing the distinction with eight other counties nationwide. As part of the grant, the county received $100,000 in funding. The funding also comes with the opportunity to work closely with the world-renowned Brookings Institution and Aspen Institute. Both thought-leading research institutions have partnered with Coconino County through the National Association of Counties (NACo) to bring leading-edge tools, data and best practices for Coconino County leaders to better serve our residents and place the region on a sustainable, equitable path to economic recovery. These organizations will help Coconino County provide better insight into how local government policy and practice can support equitable rebuilding of our local economy. What does equitable economic recovery entail? It essentially means Coconino County working with the community to identify those businesses and residents who were unable to access economic opportunities, such as affordable housing, business loans and employee

training programs, to name a few, and creating a plan that generates equity and recovery. This approach aims to better assist those impacted by the uneven economic recovery from the pandemic.

CAMP NAVAJO RAILWAY ACCESS PLAN

Coconino County will soon solicit a Request for Proposals (RFP) during November to complete the Camp Navajo Railway Access Plan. The RFP will seek partners to help Coconino County answer key questions about infrastructure, demand and industry demographics in the surrounding region. Outcomes of the study will help provide more opportunities for small businesses to access trans-modal shipping infrastructure. Maximizing the use of valuable industrial and commercially-zoned land is usually a challenge, but this challenge is being met by partners at Camp Navajo by developing the Enhanced Use Lease Concept. Studies conducted on these topics will inform how to balance the interests of private industry and the military relationship at Camp Navajo and the Naval Observatory. Coconino County has recently received funding to complete a necessary feasibility plan as it relates to private industry use of the rail infrastructure at Camp Navajo. This funding from the USDA Rural Business Development Grant helps our partners move this development opportunity forward for the benefit of Coconino County residents. For questions, comments or requests to partner on these projects, please visit Coconino County’s Economic Development website at https://coconino.az.gov/2237/Economic-Development. FBN

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NOVEMBER 2021 // Flagstaff Business News

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// BUSINESS CENTS // BY BONNIE STEVENS

Grounded in a Calling Received in a Bathtub

By Bonnie Stevens

here’s an old Western romance novel, “Call of the Canyon,” by cowboy author Zane Grey. It is set in Arizona’s Northland in the 1920s, featuring Oak Creek Canyon and the high desert terrain surrounding Flagstaff and Sedona. Stunning, glamorous Carley Burch is the heroine who follows her fiancé from her high-society life back East to the rugged and wild Southwest. By the way, it was a passage in the book about Carley warming her hands by the fire in Flagstaff’s Hotel Weatherford that inspired hotel owner Henry Taylor to go ripping through the drywall to find the original fireplaces and fueled his passion for renovating the historic Victorian building. I thought of Grey’s book when I met beautiful, serene Karen Russell during a Saturday afternoon party at her home in Sedona. She had recently moved there, the result of a middleof-the-night calling that brought her to Oak Creek Canyon and the Red Rock Country. Here’s how she describes it: “I was taking a bath and

suddenly it came to me. I have to move.” Karen lived in a little town in Ohio at the time. She was a nutritionist and health coach at the local hospital and would teach, “you are what you eat,” but she had a difficult time setting the example. “I couldn’t find organic food. It was hard to eat out and find healthy meals,” she said. Karen felt like a Martian in her circle of friends. “I don’t eat pizza and drink beer, so I’d feel like an outcast. The last vacation we took together, I was the only person in the group trying to buy healthier food. They laughed at me.” Trying to fit in was making her sick. Literally. She endured painful flare ups from fibromyalgia. The auto-immune disease caused her to feel tired and achy. Her neck would become so stiff and sore that she needed a massage twice a month for years. She also was suffering from adrenal fatigue, which she says was caused by chronic insomnia that was weakening her immune system. “I knew that inflammation was at the root of all disease, caused by gluten and processed sugar. Many

people don’t connect the dots between how they are feeling and what they are eating. I knew I had to get rid of the chemicals and get moving.” She says her gut was trying to tell her what to do. “I was afraid to leave. I had stuffed my feelings down so far, that after a while, you can’t even feel what your gut is telling you.” And that was Karen less than a decade ago, her body and spirit sinking into her bathtub. And then she received her own Call of the Canyon. “I’d only been to Sedona once,” she said. But it didn’t matter. She got out of the tub and booked a flight. “As soon as I got here, I felt like I was home.” For Karen, this was highly unusual behavior. She didn’t know if she could financially survive moving away from everyone and everything she knew, but she also knew, “I couldn’t stay there one minute longer.” To strengthen herself, she drew on words she heard in the health coaching school she attended in New York. “Leap and the net will appear.” To punctuate this phrase, her instructor had taken the class to a flying trapeze

gym. “We had to do it to get the point. It was about leaping and knowing you’ll be safe. But if you don’t take that leap, then you’re stuck.” Her leap landed her “right in the middle of nature,” as she describes living in Sedona and the Red Rocks. She found that encouraging people and ideas began showing up right away, and so did dragonflies. “All these dragonflies were here, landing on me, on my arms, on my legs, they were everywhere. Coming from Ohio, I didn’t know anything about dragonflies.” She did some research and learned that dragonflies symbolize change. “That was kind of my ‘Sedona Moment,’” she said, of the place that is often known for its vortexes, crystals and mystical energy. With or without dragonflies, I believe when you start following your heart and your gut, doors open, opportunities appear and an undeniable creative force blows into your life like a desert dust storm. Karen’s might have been elevated to a haboob. That gritty wall of intention demanded that she start baking. And, boy, did she. “This recipe had to come out!”

she explained. She started making dozens and dozens of gluten-free, sugar-free chocolate chip cookies. She put them in baggies, tied a bow around them and added a Karen’s Gluten-Free Living label that included the ingredients for her Chocolate Chip D-Lites. She sold them at farmers markets and in local health food stores. She focused on health coaching and nutrition counseling and began conducting cooking classes in her home and at the community college. She hired a business coach and discovered good things began happening quickly. “When you’re living your purpose, things go faster,” said Karen. “It could be the energy here, or the open-minded, like-minded people in Sedona. It could be the healthy living, the healthy eating, the hiking, the spirituality that I feel in nature and understanding that there is something out there bigger than us. Sedona helped me with that.” Eight years since her bathtub revelation, she opened Karen’s Gluten Free Bakeshop in Sedona. “I’m still helping people get healthier, but I Continued on page 41

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Flagstaff Business News // NOVEMBER 2021 flagstaffbusinessnews.com

Highlighting the Significance of December First

By Vonda Chisholm

uman nature dictates the things that capture – and keep – our attention. If you send a survey out to 300 random people and ask them about the significance of Dec. 1, I can guarantee you most of them will not know. Unless something affects us directly, we tend to not pay attention. Admittedly, there is too much going on in every individual life that we can barely pay attention to what is right in front of us, let alone the significance of any random date on the calendar. After all, there really is a specific calendar dedicated to telling us what each day of the year signifies – whether it is National Cheesecake Day or Global Handwashing Day – there is something that can always be celebrated. Dec. 1 is not necessarily a day that was designated as a day to celebrate. In 1988, when this date was specified as World AIDS Day, there was no celebrating going on because of the designation. Little was known about HIV and AIDS, and those who were affected by AIDS had little hope of surviving the deadly virus. Thanks to those who came along to bring people together from around the world to

raise awareness, HIV and AIDS began to get the attention it deserved. Considering one in seven people who have HIV are not aware they have it, it is important that our communities realize HIV is still around; it is still an infectious disease, and we all need to still give it attention to keep it from becoming a large pandemic again. Thankfully, those who are living with it can lower their

// Considering how easy it is to get a confidential, free test to make sure people do not have HIV, everyone should be getting tested every year if they are taking part in anything that could possibly expose them to the virus. //

Thank you

viral load to a point where they are not infectious via normal transmission avenues—anal, vaginal and oral sex, breast milk and the sharing of other bodily fluids. However, because so many people don’t know they are walking around with HIV in their bodies, it continues to spread, and in this case, ignorance can kill. Not only are many people unaware of their status and of the significance of Dec. 1, but most don’t know how easy it is to prevent and treat HIV. First, know your status. All people who have been in any form of sexual relationships with other people should always be tested so that they are aware of their status. Knowing your own status empowers you to either continue to make intelligent and life-saving choices for yourself and your sexual partners if you test negative or begin life-saving medical treatments if you test positive. Not knowing your HIV status and continuing a lifestyle as if you don’t is like running onto a freeway teeming with cars. One time or another, you’re going to get hit. In this year of 2021, those who care for loved ones infected with HIV will agree that it is time to end the stigma that HIV used to carry back in the 1980s once and for all.

Ignorance breeds stigma, and stigma breeds fear. In this case, the fear is dangerous because it causes people to not get tested, regardless of how many times in their lives they may be have been exposed. People with HIV who don’t know or ignore their status are walking time bombs. If they don’t know their status, they will continue to spread it unknowingly, and the virus continues to live on into other generations. Those who do know their status but are not in care will eventually succumb to other diseases (as they possibly continue to spread the virus) when their viral load reaches such a high number that their immune systems can’t fight anything off. Often, when a person’s viral load is so high that they are diagnosed with AIDS, too much damage has been done and the body can’t recover. Considering how easy it is to get a confidential, free test to make sure people do not have HIV, everyone should be getting tested every year if they are taking part in anything that could possibly expose them to the virus. Even those who are in or considering committed monogamous relationships should know their status, just for the

I take a portion of every sale and donate it to Northern Arizona Animal Search and Rescue. NAASR is a local non-profit organization that helps find lost animals and rescues dogs and cats from the reservation.

to my clients past, present and future, enjoy this holiday season, count your blessings and love your family and Call me to get into your friends. dream home today! homesbykeele.com 928-853-7373 keele.smith@outlook.com

peace of mind that they will not be spreading anything to their partners. When Dec. 1 rolls around this year and every year, ask yourself, “Should I get tested?” If you have even one reason that your answer could be yes, then do it. Your life, and the lives of your loved ones, could depend on it. FBN

If you have questions about HIV testing, would like to know how you can donate to or volunteer with Northland Cares or just have general questions about all the services we provide, please call us at 928776-4612. Vonda Chisholm is the executive director of Northland Cares, Northern Arizona’s premier specialty HIV treatment and prevention clinic. With offices in Prescott and Cottonwood and remote services, the staff of Northland Cares provides HIV/STI/ Hep C education, testing, treatment and prevention as well as wrap-around services such as housing assistance, medical case management, behavioral health treatment and stellar specialty HIV medical services. For questions of any kind, please call 928-776-4612 for those in and near Prescott or 928-649-0833 for those in and near Cottonwood.

NOVEMBER 2021 // Flagstaff Business News

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Emotional First Aid: Identifying Natural Solutions for Anxiety

By Amber Belt, ND

he stress over the past 18 months has been enormous for many people and I have certainly seen a lot more anxiety in my patients. Prescriptions for anti-anxiety and insomnia have increased over the course of the pandemic and, as we know, it’s easy for people to develop a dependence on these types of medications. The long-term effects of taking anti-anxiety and insomnia medications can be detrimental to our overall health, so they should be taken in the short term. But the reality is that people often take these medications long-term. This leads us to the question: how can we handle our stress and anxiety without developing a dependence on medications? It can’t be overstated that proper diet and lifestyle habits set us up to handle stress better when it does happen. Eating a healthy diet, hydrating, exercising, creating good sleep habits, consuming minimal media and maintaining healthy social relationships all equip us to handle stress better. You can’t out-medicate or out-supplement a poor diet and lifestyle. If you have a healthy diet and lifestyle, you set yourself up to handle stress better and you give supplements and medications their best chance to work if they are needed. Sometimes, despite our best efforts, stress can get the best of any of us and can begin to cause panic and anxiety. I wanted to share some of my go-to natural remedies that I use for both myself and my patients when help is needed. Box breathing is a great technique to tap into your parasympathetic nervous system. The parasympathetic nervous system is the opposite of the sympathetic (fight or flight) part of our nervous system. Box breathing has been associated with better mood, decreased anxiety and better sleep. I find that if I practice box breathing during non-stressful times, the technique works much better when I am stressed. Practice makes perfect! There are a lot of resources online to demonstrate box breathing so that you can integrate this simple technique. Aconitum napellum is a homeopathic remedy that I use frequently with patients in moments when they are feeling very panicked or having a panic attack. If someone needs aconite in the midst of panic, this remedy works very quickly to help bring their panic down. Rescue Remedy is a blend of flower essences that promote a calm mood and mind. I tend to have patients use this when their overall stress is high with

even more stressful moments sprinkled throughout their day. I also use it with patients who are prone to fainting when they get an IV or injection. There are several versions of this supplement available, including a formulation to help with sleep! Avena (oat) and skullcap is my personal go-to combination of herbs when I am feeling overly anxious. Both of these herbs are nervine herbs, which means they soothe and nurture the nervous system. This combination works well for people who are mentally overworked, who feel stressed to the point where they feel that they can’t bounce back from the stress, and who feel like they can’t focus because of their stress level. I usually take avena and skullcap as a tincture, but it’s also very enjoyable as a tea. L-theanine is an amino acid that promotes calm and focus without causing drowsiness. It has been shown to increase the neurotransmitters serotonin, GABA and dopamine. I really like to use a chewable form of this for people who are having a stressful moment in life and I also like to use it for students with test anxiety. Ashwaganda is another one of my favorite herbs for stress and it is both a nervine and adaptogenic herb. An adaptogenic herb is one that helps your body have a healthy stress response. Ashwaganda is great to use for people who are stressed because they are juggling a lot in their lives such as children, work, aging parents, etc. They will often get “tired and wired” and feel anxious a lot. Ashwaganda helps with resilience, clear thinking and proper cortisol output. I also like the positive impact that ashwaganda can have on sleep. The modalities I have mentioned here are what I use for myself and for my patients when it’s appropriate for them. If you need a recommendation specific to you, your best bet is to speak with your naturopathic physician or other healthcare provider who has specific training in natural medicine. And, as I mentioned before, don’t neglect the basics of a healthy diet and lifestyle. No supplement or medication will work as well if those pieces aren’t in place. FBN Amber Belt, N.D. is a naturopathic physician with sharp regenerative injection skills, a roller derby enthusiast, a business owner, an animal lover and a Flagstaff devotee. She has been performing regenerative injections for 12 years and can be contacted via aspenmedcenter.com or at 928-213-5828.

NOVEMBER 2021 // Flagstaff Business News

@flagstaffbusinessnews

// COMMUNITY PROFILE // BY V. RONNIE TIERNEY, FBN

Busy as a Beekeeper

Adam Arp and his bees travel all over the Northland to produce Sweet Sting Honey

uzzing from one side of Flagstaff to another, including parts of Sedona, Bellemont, Winslow and even Payson, Sweet Sting Honey Owner Adam Arp is one busy beekeeper. Growing up and working alongside his father’s accomplished 30-plus-year business, Mountain Top Honey, Arp’s beehives are transported from one site to another depending on several factors. “I start the hives in lower elevations and move to higher altitudes to follow different blooms,” said Arp. “It’s all contingent on the time of year, weather and precipitation. This year was good in Flagstaff because of the amount of rainfall we received.” Leaving his career as a civil engineer 12 years ago, Arp embarked on his brand of Sweet Sting Honey because he wanted to specialize in raw specialty honey. “It was also an opportunity for me to continue and build upon my dad’s business. He’s the only commercial honey business in Flagstaff.” Arp said he began selling his honey at the Flagstaff Community Market, Farm-

ers Market, and Flagstaff Community Supported Agriculture (CSA), and now attends various festivals and events. “People love their honey. It’s a great product and very popular,” said Flagstaff CSA Director, Genevieve Perkins. Several stores carry Sweet Sting Honey and customers are happy. “We offer samples of all the honey brands we sell and Sweet Sting Honey is the most favored,” said Old Barrel Tea Company (OBTC) Manager Eleanor Krueger. “We carry Sweet Sting Honey’s raw honey and rotate the different varieties. My favorite is Camelthorn honey. It’s super creamy and very light.” Camelthorn honey is produced in Winslow in June and July and is the most sought-after flavor. Flagstaff Wildflower is produced in late summer and fall. Managing about 210 hives this year, Arp says he yielded close to 15,000 pounds of honey. “We push an average of about 75 pounds of honey per hive,” said Arp. Mormon Lake, Belmont, Doney Park and Cordes Junction are other

Former civil engineer Adam Arp says monitoring the hives is a key element for producing quality honey. V. Ronnie Tierney, Fresh Focuses Photography

areas where Arp keeps his hives in a healthy and comfortable environment. “Three years ago, we built a new facility in Mountainaire to keep up with production,” said Arp. “This is where we extract the honey, bottle and store it, the whole process.” The attributes of honey far outweigh the sweetening properties. Honey is the sweetest food found in nature and has a long history of use as medicine.

“According to studies published in the Journal of Medicinal Food and the European Journal Of Medicine, honey in its raw form can lower cholesterol, raise antioxidant levels in the blood, reduce elevated blood pressure levels, increase nitrate excretion from the body, balance blood sugar in diabetes and even serve as a topical formula for diaper rash and other skin conditions,” said Sedona Natural Grocers Nutrition-

al Health Coach Nicolette Severa. The modern term for beekeeping is apiculture, but the practice is ancient. Arp says the placement of the beehives is imperative and hives must be inspected regularly. Sweet Sting Honey flavors also include Desert Wildflower, Flagstaff Wildflower, Orange Blossom, Mesquite and Clover. Continued on page 42

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Exploring Choices in Care During National Hospice Month By Katherine Simmons

ovember is National Home Care and Hospice Month, a time not only to recognize the professionals who provide care at the end of life, but also a time to discuss with your loved ones what your care at the end of life might look like. If you have never had a family member on hospice, you might not know the wonderful services that hospice can provide. Hospice is focused on

comfort and quality of life, and treats the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of patients and their families. Hospice care is provided wherever a patient resides and is covered by Medicare, AHCCCS and most other insurance plans. Hospice care is provided by an interdisciplinary team that includes the patient’s primary provider, a hospice medical director, nurses, certified nursing assistants, social workers, spiritual counselors and volunteers. Bereavement

// Patients looking at hospice care may have a wide range of diagnoses such as Alzheimer’s Disease, heart or lung disease or cancer. Regardless of a patient’s age or condition, hospice care is available for anyone with a life-limiting illness. If you are looking for information about hospice services, you should not hesitate to call a hospice and ask to speak to someone. //

counseling is offered to the patient and family. In addition to the caring professionals provided by hospice, other services include medication for symptom management and pain relief, medical equipment such as oxygen, a hospital bed or a wheelchair and supplies, as appropriate for the patient’s care. Patients looking at hospice care may have a wide range of diagnoses such as Alzheimer’s Disease, heart or lung disease or cancer. Regardless of a patient’s age or condition, hospice care is available for anyone with a life-limiting illness. If you are looking for information about hospice services, you should not hesitate to call a hospice and ask to speak to someone. Sometimes we just know that we need help but are not sure what we need or what is available. The determination that a patient is appropriate for hospice care is made by the hospice medical director and a patient’s own health care provider. One important thing to remember is that you have a choice. You choose the hospice provider you want to provide care for you or your loved one. Some hospices are non-profit

and some are for-profit. Patients who do not have insurance should not hesitate to seek help. One of the first things a hospice will do is determine if the patient is eligible for coverage that they may not be aware of. Additionally, some hospices may care for those who cannot pay. Even if you do not have a referral from a provider, you can still reach out to start the process. Be an informed consumer and talk to different agencies. Ask questions, for example, about what to do for help after hours, how visits are scheduled, how often hospice staff members visit, how medications and supplies are delivered. Although hospice providers follow the same Medicare requirements, care and services can vary from one hospice to another. Some hospices have special programs such as pet therapy or music therapy that are above and beyond the Medicare requirements. Choosing a compassionate, professional hospice is an important decision. Examining your options earlier is always best. Flagstaff local Joni says of the hospice care provided for her loved one “…the hospice team

worked with us to make sure his final days were as happy and comfortable as possible.” This time at the end of life is often difficult and stressful, but hospice is there with care and support so that patients and loved ones can find meaning and peace. FBN Katherine Simmons is the CEO of Northland Hospice & Palliative Care, Inc, which includes the Olivia White Hospice Home assisted living home, and the HodgePodge Thrift Store. Northland Hospice is Northern Arizona’s only non-profit hospice, serving the community since 1983. Our mission: Northland Hospice & Palliative Care is a non-profit community-based organization committed to excellence in end of life and comfort care. Our many community fundraising events throughout the year support our care for patients without the means to pay. For assistance or information on hospice services, or to volunteer, please contact Katherine at 928-779-1227 or KSimmons@ northlandhospice.org.

NOVEMBER 2021 // Flagstaff Business News

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Are You a Happy Camper? By Karon Lynn, Au.D.

ost of us take our day-to-day experiences with a grain of salt. We don’t expect things to go too smoothly or we are disappointed, so why expect more? This article is about how to create the life you want. It takes planning, steadfast focus and self-reflection. A joyful life does not just happen, it is created!

FOCUS ON BEING YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF

Take the time to sit down and look at your future goals. You could divide them into short-term and long-term goals. Now, look at the goals and see if they are in alignment with your authentic self. This is the part of you that defines who you are and what your actions and thoughts will be to support your true self. This is not the part of you that attempts to please others at your own expense. It is not about making other people happy at your own expense. Your authentic self is about you, not what you want to project to others. If you are true to who you are, then you can use those thoughts to focus on future goals that are supportive to you!

LOOK FOR WHAT MOTIVATES YOU self-respect and in doing that, you Once you have decided on some life goals, you need to decide what motivates you. Think about why you picked the particular goals you have. What drives you toward them? Why are you craving the change in direction in your life? There must be a motivator from the inside, not external, for this to work. It is also important that you understand how you are driven and how to access what drives you.

LET GO OF NEGATIVE PEOPLE

The path to obtaining the joy you want does not include room for associating with people who treat you badly or are not a positive support for you. Part of being authentic is having healthy

protect your personal goals. A way to determine if a friend is negative or not is to observe the way they speak to you. Do they negate your ideas or encourage them? Do they seek out the bad things to talk about or focus on what is good in the world? The biggest test of a relationship is to ask, “How do I feel about me when I am around them?” Once you find the supportive relationships you have, spend more time with them and less time with the “Debbie Downers!”

LOOK FOR THE GOOD IN ANY SITUATION

As you focus on your life goals, it is important to reduce the non-sup-

// As you focus on your life goals, it is important to reduce the non-supportive thoughts and actions. Don’t allow yourself to become trapped in the old habit of whining about how things should be. Look for another point of view or perspective and then focus on that. //

portive thoughts and actions. Don’t allow yourself to become trapped in the old habit of whining about how things should be. Look for another point of view or perspective and then focus on that. You don’t have to be a Pollyanna; you are simply putting your thought time into what works for your life. It took time to create the life you have, so it stands to reason it will take time to create your new life goals. When they say, “Life is a journey, not a destination,” this simply means the day-to-day stuff is important. Step over the thoughts that bring you down and replace them with the stuff you want to move toward.

WHAT IF OTHER PEOPLE DON’T LIKE MY GOALS?

This can be a huge brick wall for all of us. We are so excited that we finally decided to live authentically and have set goals for ourselves and want to tell the world! Be careful here. Don’t try to talk other people into accepting your goals. These are your private goals and you are asking for trouble if you advertise them to your friends and family. They will probably want you to stay the way you are. This process is private, something you are

living toward. You may take a class or look for a new job or start a savings account, all with the intent of aiming your activities toward your dreams or life goals. It is rare to be able to announce to everyone what you intend to do and have global support.

CREATE SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS

Relationships come in all sizes and shapes. It is important to focus on proper communication with the individuals you feel make your life fuller and more joyful. You must learn to listen to what others are saying and allow them to have their own path. Be flexible with others as long as there is respect at the core. Offer support when it is asked for as long as it is comfortable for you and fits into your life-goal path. You can do this! FBN Trinity Hearing Center is located at 1330 N. Rim Dr., Suite B in Flagstaff. For more information, visit TrinityHearing.net. Karon Lynn, Au.D., is a doctor of audiology with 30 years of experience working with hearing impaired individuals. Dr. Lynn may be reached at 928-522-0500 or at audio@trinityhearing.net.

Flagstaff Business News // NOVEMBER 2021 flagstaffbusinessnews.com

Healing, Calming Pets with Reiki, Tuning Forks, Massage L

By Bonnie Stevens, FBN

icensed massage therapist and energy healer Lori Lané says she has seen “miracles” happen when people come to her Raven’s Call Healing Center in Sedona. “One client couldn’t hear out of his left ear for three years. After one session, he could hear again.” She tells the story of others who have found relief from the pain of migraines and fibromyalgia. Her husband, Denton, was diagnosed with a brain tumor and expected to have less than two years to live. “Now, he’s cancer free,” she said. In addition to traditional cancer treatments, the couple changed his diet, gave him vitamins and rubbed essential oils on his skin. Lané, a licensed spiritual healer, certified vibrational sound master teacher and certified Reiki master, also performed energy work on him with tuning forks. “We see these kinds of results all the time.” Lané finds that animals benefit from alternative treatments, too, whether a pet is in the room while its owner is getting a massage or if the focus is on it through practices such as acupressure or Reiki. Acupressure is about pressing on the body to release muscle tension and promote blood circulation. Reiki involves the transfer of “universal energy” through the practitioner to the patient. “I’ve been working on animals for years.” Lané uses tools like tuning forks, drums, music and singing bowls. She says the sounds keep energy high and cause a shift, which removes blockages and helps the body heal itself. “Sound is powerful because everything has a frequency. The goal is to raise the frequency and release the stuck energy in the cells of the body. You can change the energy in a room by clapping your hands or snapping your fingers.”

Through the pandemic, she has treated cats, dogs and horses who she says have picked up on the anxiety that their owners are feeling. “Pets might cry or moan more, bark more or act out in other ways by doing things they normally don’t do. Alternative care comforts animals and calms them down. My cat, Max, craves it. He will rub his whiskers on the singing bowls.” Results she sees in cats, horses and dogs include improved mood and behavior. They might become more playful, eat better or drink more water. For older animals, she says massage therapy helps arthritic joints.

“For dying animals, energy work and hands-on healing makes them more comfortable.” Currently, Lané is offering discounted 90-minute massage and sound healing sessions for humans and their pets. “Heal yourself and your animal,” says the promotional flyer. “We make house calls to ensure your pet is as comfortable as possible.” Raven’s Call’s service area includes all of Sedona, but therapists will travel outside the area for an additional fee. For more information, visit ravenscallinc.com. FBN

Top Left: Lori Lané says using tuning forks on horses like Mira calms them down. Top: Max enjoys the singing bowls, says Lané, and often rubs his whiskers on them. Bottom: Willow, a golden retriever shown here with her owner, is recovering from skin cancer surgery on her eye. Lané says she is recovering well with energy work treatments and staying quiet at home. Courtesy photos

NOVEMBER 2021 // Flagstaff Business News

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Pandemic Pets: How Animals, Owners, Vets are Managing By Diane Hope, FBN

“While everyone else was in shock when the pandemic hit, it slowed most s the COVID-19 pandemic has people down. But the veterinarian world sped up!” said Dr. Bason. “Vetdragged on, veterinarians and erinary practices in every city, in every pet owners say the emotional state have seen an increase in cases.” bond between people and their pets The two veterinarians purchased has had a significant positive influence the Granite Mountain Veterinary on human mental health. But, while Hospital a year ago. Despite it being pets have provided valuable companthe middle of a pandemic, Drs. ionship during the lockdown, there’s Bason and Siens are both moms who been a big increase in pet adoptions, according to the Animal Policy Group, wanted to be in charge of their work and home lives. In normal times, and also the workload for veterinary veterinarians rarely struggle to get practices, according to the American loans, but they say it wasn’t easy to get Veterinary Medical Association. Veterinarians like Drs. Sarah Bason funds together to make this purchase. That’s because, during COVID, major and Katherine Siens, joint owners of the Granite Mountain Veterinary Hos- lenders stopped lending. Having made pital in Prescott, have seen an increase it work, both doctors say that the local community, and other vets in town, of 10% to 20% in newly adopted pet have really embraced them and are exams for puppies, kittens and adult dogs in the past year. Previously, both glad to have more vets around during a time of a steep rise in demand for doctors had been working as associtheir services. ates at a veterinary practice in Chino A mark of that demand is that their Valley, where they’d experienced more business has hired nine new people, than a 20% increase in office visits including another doctor, in the past as a result of the pandemic. They say year. “We joke that we would be makthat the demand for appointments at ing more profit if we hadn’t done all veterinary clinics across the state has increased so much because of COVID, that hiring, but it’s better than getting burned out,” said Dr. Siens. That’s a that some emergency veterinary hospitals in locations like the Phoenix serious issue across the country, with Metro area have been overwhelmed to approximately half of all vet techs getting tired of the demands of the the point of closing their doors.

profession within their first five years, according to a recent report on CNN. Dr. Bason has noticed changes in pet wellness awareness during COVID-19. With many owners at home and spending a lot more time with their pets, issues that might have been going on with animals for a period of time have gotten noticed quicker. Tumors and lumps in older dogs have been found more often by owners who’ve been petting their dogs more. And spending more time at home has meant that owners have had the time to bring pets into the clinic to get those conditions addressed. Another pandemic effect is that pet owners are taking their dogs outside more, resulting in more injuries to paws and from dog fights. Now, with human life gradually returning to normal, pet behavioral problems are on the rise, often caused by separation anxiety in animals that were out of the habit of being home alone during the day. The two veterinarians also have experienced a change in attitude of their clientele since moving to Prescott. With a population that includes many seniors and retired people who really treasure their pets, the quality of care expected from veterinarians is high. “In Prescott, people will go to a lot of effort for a 10-year-old dog with a

COVID-19 gave pet owners more time with their traditional and exotic pets, which made them more aware of ailments and resulted in more trips to the vet. Courtesy photo

tumor, even if only adds a year of life – and there’s more of a focus on quality of life,” said Dr. Siens. “We sometimes have long, intense conversations with our pet owners and enjoy being able to really focus on setting them up for long-term success,” added Dr. Bason. “It’s very satisfying and all the staff here really work as a team.” And the pets are not all just cats and dogs. “We’ve been seeing a lot of

exotic pets, snakes and lizards. We have Freya, a beautiful yellow and silver reticulated python that comes in that always gets the staff excited,” said Dr. Siens. One thing that both vets are keen to stress is encouraging people who use the clinic to wear masks, be patient and kind to the staff members who are all there because they truly love animals. FBN

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Horses, ‘Hot’ Feeds, Misconceptions

By Cheyenne Brown

ver the years, I have worked for several horse trainers. Each barn had its own program in regard to training, routines and, of course, feed. Some trainers had their horses on schedules of feeding that entailed only forage (grass hay, alfalfa or a mixture of both) in the mornings and evenings, with “lunch” being supplement time: grain and various other supplements. Others fed forage and supplements simultaneously, morning and evening. Some fed only forage, with no supplements at all,

with the exception of a few special needs horses. In all cases, these were training programs that saw horses being trained rigorously, with lots of exercise. I think back to situations where a horse is exhibiting behavior that would be blamed, ultimately, on being over-energized. Bracing, prancing, head-tossing and all other behaviors that might make someone feel like they were straddling a keg of dynamite. One time in particular, I got lawn-darted by a three-year-old colt. After dusting myself off and scornfully asking that horse, “Jeez, didn’t

// This is where I ask people to focus on what is probably not a feed problem, but a training problem. It’s very easy to blame a flake of alfalfa for Fluffy’s less-than-stellar behavior one day. Some even say they take away the hot feed and, what do you know, the horse is back to normal. I don’t think it’s that simple. //

you read my resume?” I was told this explosion must have been the result of that horse getting too much alfalfa, too much grain, something to that effect. Being my ever-skeptical self, I disregarded it and blamed my poor horsemanship instead. The thing is, I hear this a lot. The folks who don’t feed their young horses grain are doing it because they think it will cause them to be too fresh, flighty and unruly. All I can think about is the leaps and bounds researchers have made in formulating feed that is balanced in protein, calories, vitamins and minerals to support the way horses – especially young horses – develop and recover after workouts. There is a supplement that targets support for practically any issue you could imagine – preventing gastric issues, muscle development and recovery, hoof health, coat health, mane and tail growth, adding fat, and more. Are we missing out on all these benefits because we’re worried it will make our horses “hot”? This is where I ask people to focus on what is probably not a feed problem, but a training problem. It’s very easy to blame a flake of alfalfa for Fluffy’s less-than-stellar behavior one day. Some even say they take away the hot feed and, what do you know,

the horse is back to normal. I don’t think it’s that simple. I worked in a barn that prided itself on the condition of its horses. The horses were almost exclusively under the age of five. Most were colts – two and three years old – just getting started under saddle. Each morning and evening, every horse would get a flake of alfalfa. They’d also get plenty of supplements, including a mix of rice bran and grain that had fat nuggets, 12.5% protein, and plenty of other nutrients that some might say classifies it as a “hot feed.” Furthermore, these horses had hay nets in their stalls that were always full of grass hay. Riding a horse on an empty stomach can cause ulcers and other issues, so we always tried to have them grazing. Mind you, these horses were ridden six days a week, outside, on cattle, and more. They looked amazing – shiny coats, ample muscling, good feet and not too much fat. The reason for this program was plain and simple: If a young horse was going to be part of a rigorous training program, he needed to be able to develop muscles and stay strong. This wasn’t like giving a Snickers bar to a toddler – this was a fitness

program, and these were athletes that needed proper nutrition to do their jobs without getting sick or injured. As far as their behavior? There were no endlessly loping circles to knock down a sugar high. These horses learned early on that being handled by a human meant it was business time. I say all that to say this: Learn about different types of feed. Learn about how certain nutrients affect your horse. Consider your horse’s lifestyle. Make the best choice you can to give your horse a balanced diet. FBN

Cheyenne Brown is the marketing manager for Olsen’s Grain.

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NOVEMBER 2021 // Flagstaff Business News

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Managing Risk in Your Life

By Rob Wilson

very action we take in our lives includes an element of risk. Both consciously and subconsciously, we constantly evaluate those risks and then modify our behavior. The result is a risk level that we as individuals are comfortable with. Daily activities as simple as crossing a street are relatively low risk if, and only if, we apply the commonsense criteria of looking both ways beforehand. Too frequently, we see folks so absorbed in their electronic devices that they are completely un-

aware of any risk around them. They are apparently OK with the increased risk that most of us would want to avoid. Being deliberately conscious of the risks we’re exposed to is the way to best manage and prevent unacceptable consequences. We each have different levels of acceptable risk and make our own decisions accordingly. Those decisions cover the spectrum, from crossing a street to handling firearms. In the firearms world, we follow The Four Fundamental Firearms Safety Rules, which practically elimi-

nate the risk of adverse consequences. The recent event on a movie set in New Mexico clearly disregarded both common sense and two of these rules. Had these rules been followed, one less life would have been lost and the tragic impact on all involved would not have occurred. The rules are: N Treat every firearm as if it is loaded. N Keep your finger off the trigger until you’re ready to fire. N Never point the muzzle at anything you’re not willing to destroy. N Know your target and what is

beyond it. EVERY person handling a firearm must know and follow these rules. Sadly, they are written in blood. As firearms instructors, we frequently hear students say, “I’m afraid of guns.” That fear can be redirected into a reasonable risk management strategy for someone who is not familiar with firearms. Once these same people understand the safety rules and the specifics of how a firearm functions, the fear is replaced with respect. As with any potentially high-risk activity, proper training and adher-

ence to the safety rules mitigates the risk. Knowing, understanding, and practicing The Four Fundamental Firearms Safety Rules is critical to that process and will prevent future tragedies. FBN Rob Wilson is the owner (with his wife, Elise) of Timberline Firearms & Training in Flagstaff. They offer a full line of firearms, accessories, safes and ammunition along with Liberty Safes. For more information, visit timberlinefirearms.us.

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Are You Managing Your Meds?

By Dorian Lange

edication management is an important service to help patients manage their prescribed medications. Patients need education on the right dosages to help them avoid the dangers of incorrect medication administration. To avoid incorrect administration, patients are taught simple strategies. Simple tips like setting an alarm may help with timing on dosages. As a nation, medication management is needed to prevent mistakes that occur daily. Here are a few facts provided by Terrace Pharmacy: Approximately 700,000 people

experience negative side effects of their medications that result in an emergency room visit. An estimated $290 billion is the cost each year of patients who fail to take their medications properly. On average, about 50% of patients in the U.S. do not take their medications properly and around 33% do not fill their prescriptions at all. Some of the Benefits of Medication Management are: N Improved administration of all medications. N Better patient use of prescribed medications. N Reduced side effects and drug interactions.

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N Peace of mind for patients and their families as there is assurance that medications are taken correctly. N Reduced illness and death. N Decreased medical costs (i.e. costs spent on emergency room visits and hospitalizations). With approximately 50% of patients taking medications incorrectly, it is vital that hospitals and clinicians offer the education patients need to stay healthy while taking prescribed medications. When patients take their medications the correct way, their health can improve or, at a minimum, they can better manage their condition.

Medication management is a necessary service that helps the well-being of so many individuals on prescribed medications today. According to the American Medical Association, approximately 40% of seniors, age 65 and over, take at least five prescription drugs on a regular basis. This means tracking medications can be simply overwhelming. Call your physician to find a medication management clinic near you that can help your specific medication needs. FBN Dorian Lange is the CEO of Northern Arizona Pain Institutes. Lange is responsible for

the management, administration and business development for multi-disciplinary specialty clinics throughout Central Arizona that provide integrative treatment protocols for pain management, physical and rehabilitative medicine. Learn more at northernarizonapaininstitutes.com/ health-care-team/.

NOVEMBER 2021 // Flagstaff Business News

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Holiday Gift Guide

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Flagstaff Business News // NOVEMBER 2021 flagstaffbusinessnews.com

What Realtors Want

By Paula Mack

ou may see real estate sales professionals with a different perspective than mine, particularly if you are not one yourself. You may see our local Flagstaff realtors as salespersons you can call for information and prices for listed properties around town, or maybe show you a house or two, and even write an offer on your behalf. After all, how hard could it be? After 90 hours of pre-licensing, you take a state and local test and BAM- you are a realtor. I know, because that’s what I thought too, before retiring as a long-time veterinarian to become a realtor. What I have learned as a realtor in the past 10 years in Flagstaff is that this profession, like many others, is filled with highly educated, ethical and compassionate client advocates and trusted advisors. A realtor’s basic skill set revolves around contracts, representing both buyers and sellers, our code of ethics, and expands to negotiation skills, local inventory knowledge, accurate price opinions, marketing and the basic tenets of financing, title and escrow. Because conditions and technology are constantly changing, realtors must be life-long learners in order

to represent and advocate for their clients to the best of their ability. Besides the knowledge and experience, your realtor is your advocate. Realtors truly care and will protect you from disaster and disappointment like a Mama Badger. If you’ve found a great match with your realtor, you already know this, but if you are new to real estate, here are a couple of tips from the trenches to start off on the right foot with your realtor. Be loyal. We are loyal to you, we educate you on the current market conditions and learn your specific needs. Our ears perk up when we hear about a property not yet on the market that would be perfect for you. You are on our minds. Don’t go rogue and call and work with multiple realtors, including realtors at open house sales offices or new construction. You need your own trusted representative. Realtors are compensated by commission only. We are only paid once your sales transaction has been completed and recorded, which sometimes takes years of work. See a “For Sale by Owner” sign? Call your realtor. Your realtor may be able to represent you after a simple phone call. Believe us. If you are a seller, believe our recommended list price

ranges. Our goal is to make sure you get every penny out of your property, so please listen to our vast experience to strategize, market and stage in order to not only list, but to sell your home in this market. If you are a buyer, believe us when we detail what strategies and prices may result in a contract acceptance. Our goal is to give you a set of keys and not disappoint you with news that another buyer’s offer was accepted on a home you love. Be nice. Be respectful of your real estate professional. We are on your side. Our goal is to make your transaction as smooth and stressfree as possible for you. Don’t call or text after or before office hours if it’s something that can wait until the next day. There are exceptions, of course, if there are time constraints, or if there’s an emergency. If you are a buyer, be prepared. Decide what you are looking for and be able to list your top three or four priorities. Show up on time for showing appointments and narrow your search to what is in your prequalified budget, your chosen neighborhood or focus area in Flagstaff. Communication is key in this

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lightning-fast real estate market. If we call you, please pick up or get back to us promptly. It’s probably important. Although we likely have multiple clients, we will do our level best to return that courtesy. One of the biggest joys of being a realtor for me is the satisfaction of helping clients navigate our real estate market and achieve their goals, whether it is selling their large family home to downsize, or moving closer to family out of state, or buying that first home in Flagstaff and then welcoming them to our fabulous community. I have great respect for and am proud to serve with my dedicated realtor colleagues in Flagstaff who have such tremendous compassion and care for clients who become our neighbors and friends. FBN Paula Mack, SRES, is a REALTOR with Russ Lyon Sotheby’s International Realty. She can be reached at 928-699-6837 or paula.mack@russlyon.com.

// If you are a buyer, believe us when we detail what strategies and prices may result in a contract acceptance. Our goal is to give you a set of keys and not disappoint you with news that another buyer’s offer was accepted on a home you love. //

NOVEMBER 2021 // Flagstaff Business News

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Highest Priced Home Sale in Flagstaff History

By Lori Anna Harrison

his is a year of monumental firsts in real estate and fourth quarter thus far has been no exception. On Oct. 20, a 7,420-square-foot home with five bedrooms and four-and-ahalf baths sold for $5.7 million in Pine Canyon. This is the highest priced home sold in the history of Flagstaff. Prior to this sale, the highest priced home sold for $4.4 million in July 2020. Incredible to consider a $1.3 million, or 29%, difference between the first and second place most expensive homes, especially considering that third place was only $300,000, or 7%, less – selling for $4.1 million back in February 2016. Pine Canyon is one of three gated golf communities and the other two are Forest Highlands and Flagstaff Ranch. Currently, the average price of a single-family home has increased 12% month over month from September 2021 to October 2021, from $737,916 to $827,565 respectively. Last October, the average price of a single-family home was only $675,332 and now is $152,233 more for the same house, which represents an increase of 22% year over year, landing at a whopping average of $347 per square foot. Thus, it is not simply the luxury market

experiencing exponential surges in price, it is prevalent across the board. In fact, even prior to the historic price increases this year, the Flagstaff City Council declared a Housing Emergency on Dec. 1, 2020. As a result of the declaration, the City of Flagstaff recently released a 55-page 10-Year Housing Plan (draft) acknowledging the issues while providing a framework for initiatives and strategies. According to the Housing Plan, the goal is to substantially increase the number of homes available and also address affordable housing for community residents. Specifically, one of the overarching goals is to create or preserve 7,976 units by 2031 with a minimum of 10% of these homes deemed affordable. But what is the definition of affordable? According to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), a household should spend no more than 30% of monthly gross income toward housing costs. If a household spends more than 30% on rent or mortgage, it is considered “housing cost burdened.” Within our community, 45% of all households are living in a cost burdened situation and 12,072 households with an affordable household need. This number is staggering and without

some relief, Flagstaff is in jeopardy of losing the opportunity to employ the talent necessary to keep our community running. The silver lining is new construction communities on the horizon that will help relieve some of this pressure. Yet, Flagstaff will need additional partnerships to bring to fruition the almost 800 new units per year necessitated to alleviate our housing deficit. Fundamental issues impacting the entire country are material and labor shortages. Will scarcity and demand continue to push home prices to new heights in 2022? Will limited supply exacerbate an already tight market and escalate prices beyond next year? We will examine this phenomenon in a four-part series regarding growth and sustainability in Flagstaff. Nationally, home prices have increased 18% according to CoreLogic, a data and analytics company, which is the largest annual gain since 1976 when CoreLogic home data mining commenced. As a whole, home prices have increased 29% across Arizona and 30% in Phoenix, which is the top metro increase in the U.S. Thus, at an average price increase of 22% year over year, Flagstaff is not experiencing a phenomenon of greater

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This 7,420-square-foot home with five bedrooms and four-and-a-half baths sold for $5.7 million last month in Pine Canyon, setting a Flagstaff record. Courtesy photo

magnitude than that of our state. It is more prolific than that of our nation. It is with tremendous anticipation that we watch to see the success of our City Council’s collaboration to deliver on one of the basic human needs for our lives: shelter. FBN Lori Anna Harrison is a Flagstaff native and 17-year real estate veteran commencing post graduate school with Shea Homes. Lori is a full-time realtor with Zion Realty, LLC and head

of Arizona Dream Lifestyle. Call her today at 928-396-5851 or text 602-524-5674, email lori@AZdreamlifestyle.com and visit AZdreamlifestyle.com. Hear more from Harrison and the real estate market later this month on Zonie Living: Business, Adventure and Leadership at https://starworldwidenetworks.com/shows/ bonnie-stevens, sponsored by Flagstaff Business News.

Flagstaff Business News // NOVEMBER 2021 flagstaffbusinessnews.com

Combatting Compassion Fatigue By Keelyn Riley, LCSW, CYT, RYT

ourselves and others. Of course, this is not helpful to clients, family members, business associates or ourselves. Perhaps we who go into this work, or family members caring for loved ones, do so because we have a huge capacity for empathy. We can literally feel the pain others hold, so we want to help, because we care so deeply. As empaths, we are like sponges, we absorb. Eventually, the sponge becomes saturated and we cannot hold anymore. We begin to not be able to tell the difference between what is our issue, and what is not ours. Our boundaries are blurred. However, there are ways to maintain balance through self-care. It’s important to remain mindful of our own triggers, feelings, body and breath. Balancing the nervous system/adrenals can be aided through exercise, which releases tension and increases the feelgood hormones. Relaxation practices like yoga and meditation can be beneficial. And, adopting a habit of letting go and leaving the work at work can help maintain personal joy. Keep pleasurable activities in your life. Involve friends, play and have fun! FBN

hat happens when the provider, the caregiver, starts to burn out? Science reveals that we experience a change biochemically when we have taken on too much. Compassion fatigue creates a whole host of symptoms, including irritability, impatience, exhaustion, intolerance, dread, lack of clarity, poor motivation, a decline in personal well-being regarding sleep, health and mood, a transfer of stress to personal life, the internal eye roll, boredom, feeling of heaviness, forgetfulness, procrastination, avoidance, resentment, judgmentalness and aversion. Compassion fatigue results in a mind-body effect, which can activate a chronic low-grade sympathetic nervous system (SNS) response, resulting in a number of problems such as poor digestive health, insomnia, low immunity, inflammation, serotonin imbalances, muscular tightness, respiratory tension, anxiety and depression. When we are tired, we are more easily “triggered” in our work with others. We start to take things personally and make the client, or loved one, issue about us. We react, project, defend, judge, name call and transfer our frustrations with the individual onto them, AWD LAW for FBN 4 FIN.pdf

Keelyn Riley LCSW,CYT, RYT has worked in mental health since 1994 and has been a primary therapist and program contributor 1

3/1/21

for the last eight years at Back2Basics Outdoor Adventure Recovery. She began teaching yoga in the late 90s as an addition to a focus in holistic health and coaches professionals on addressing the symptoms of burnout. She specializes in the treatment of addictions and somatic related disorders. Back2Basics combines residential therapeutic counseling with experiential outdoor adventures to treat individuals with substance and alcohol addiction and lead them through rehab and recovery into long-term sober living for a positive meaningful life. The program (up to six months) is designed for young adult males, ages 18 to 30. Clients are exposed to a weekly combination of both wilderness adventures and residential programing. The program is highlighted by spending time in the beautiful serene wilderness where individuals are physically challenged, their minds are cleared and they learn ways to defeat old addictive thinking patterns through various outdoor adventures. For more information about Back2Basics, visit Back2basicsoutdooradventures. com, call 928-814-2220 or email rduprez@ b2badventures.com.

FLAGSTAFF continued from page 4

“We understand that the community has values, and we educate, inspire and motivate the traveling public to not only understand what our values are but to participate within those values.” Ward also called Flagstaff one of the “Goldilocks Destinations” in the country. “We have authentic Americana, outdoor recreation, and we are a great hub and spoke to the Seven Wonders of Northern Arizona, not to mention we have magnificent attractions right here in our city,” he said, adding that Flagstaff has great food, craft beer and “some amazing whiskey.” Maker of John Shaw whiskey, Canyon Diablo Distillery of Flagstaff, along with Discover Flagstaff recently won the Arizona Office of Tourism Governor’s Award for Spirit of Service Crisis Response. The local distillery shifted its operations to make sanitizer for the Tuba City Hospital when the medical facility became desperately low as the COVID-19 took hold in March 2020. Canyon Diablo Distillery owner Joe Pendergast spoke about the pivot. “We took what little alcohol we had left in our facility at the time when it was just incredibly difficult to get alcohol and we made sanitizer. It brought just great joy to me to be able to load up 36 gallons of sanitizer and

drive it up to Tuba City hospital in the first week of April. They were down to just several jugs left in the entire hospital. It was very heart-fulfilling for me to do so.” The distillery also offered it elsewhere to the Hopi and Navajo nations, as well as to local restaurants that needed it as well. Canyon Diablo continued to supply the Tuba City hospital with sanitizer for the remainder of the year. During the Annual Marketing Meeting, Flagstaff Councilmember and Tourism Commission Liaison Regina Salas called tourism “an inherently integral economic pillar in our community.” She said the economic impact of the tourism sector reaches far beyond the more than 9,000 jobs that directly serve visitors. “The multiplier effect of tourism dollars in our community extends to the tune of $750 million. Simply put, the city would not have the funds to provide the level of services for clean and safe parks, recreational facilities, open spaces, educational programs, cultural experiences, beautification, public arts and sciences that we and our families and our neighbors enjoy if it were not for the tourism sector and the Bed Board and Beverage BBB tax revenues it brings to our beloved mountain town.” FBN

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Lowell Observatory Reopening General Admission

owell Observatory will reopen general admission on Monday, Nov. 15, with new guest protocols to keep guests and staff safe from COVID-19. Guests will again be able to visit day or night to explore the historic campus, look through stateof-the-art telescopes, and learn about the stories of the stars and our place in the universe. This will conclude a period of 20 months during which the observatory has been closed or offered only limited programming because of COVID-19-related health concerns. The return to general admission will occur in two parts and is the third and final phase of the reopening plan that the observatory developed last year (lowell.edu/covid). Initially, in Phase 3A, guests aged 12+ will need to show results from a negative COVID-19 lab test within 72 hours of visiting the observatory, or they can provide proof of vaccination, which has been so effective at preventing infections. Children aged 2-11 will need to wear masks whenever indoors while vaccinations are not yet available to them. Every member of the observatory’s public-facing staff is fully vaccinated.

Lowell Observatory Director Jeff Hall, Ph.D., notes that this is a stepping stone to the ultimate goal of unrestricted general admission. “Phase 3A allows us to return to general admission now in a manner that is safe for our guests and staff alike. We look forward to Phase 3B, when we are once again fully open. As soon as the Delta numbers subside to the endemic level that all of us will live with for the rest of our lives, we will reopen fully without restrictions.” Lowell Observatory initially closed its doors to the public on March 13, 2020, to help deter the spread of COVID-19. In August 2020, the observatory entered Phase 1 of its reopening plan, opening on a very limited basis with a small number of private observing experiences. In April 2021, the observatory entered Phase 2 of its reopening plan, with a limited slate of guided tours. Throughout the pandemic, Lowell Observatory has relied upon the guidance of local and national scientific experts to help shape its operational planning. Dr. Dave Engelthaler of TGen North – the Flagstaff branch of

Lowell reports all staff members are fully vaccinated as the observatory enters the first of its two-part final phase this month toward the goal of getting back to more normal visitation levels. The Giovale Open Deck Observatory (GODO) with its stateof-the-art telescopes is shown here from this aerial photo taken above Mars Hill. Courtesy photo

the Translational Genomics Research Institute – said, “I’m really excited that the best science outcomes from the pandemic – namely, the COVID vaccines – are allowing the best science experience in Flagstaff – Lowell Observatory – to re-open to the public. This

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is just one more sign that we are finally moving into a post-pandemic world.” Complete information about the observatory’s general admission offerings and guest protocols is available at lowell.edu/welcomeback. FBN

YOGA continued from page 6

Widmer says that three key things have helped to keep her business afloat: receipt of some PPP loans, cutting every cost she could, and a core group of incredibly loyal and dedicated students – some of whom have been paying her the whole time as normal, even though she’s only seen them in person once or twice since the pandemic began. “I have incredible gratitude to the community who have kept that loyalty the whole time.” Going forward, Widmer is playing a “tortoise game” – taking things slow and steady – with her existing students, some of whom have been coming to her classes for decades. And while it is proving hard to generate new clientele right now, Widmer is trying to figure out how to utilize the array of online content she’s developed during COVID as part of her business plan. But her main hope is to re-establish the large, thriving community and pre-pandemic program of events that brought people together as soon as possible in the coming months. It’s a sentiment that many similar businesses no doubt share. FBN For more information about the yoga studio, visit theyogaexperience.com/.

Flagstaff Business News // NOVEMBER 2021 flagstaffbusinessnews.com

Empowering the Native American Voice at CCC

By Colleen Smith

s it any wonder that people from all over the world draw, paint and shoot photographs of the natural beauty of Northern Arizona? Iron reds and oranges of sandstone contrast wonderfully with blue skies and green pine, juniper and sage. It is land that is rich in geological stories and steeped in a sacred importance to all of us who live here. Coconino Community College is located in the middle of the land’s magnificence. More than 20% of our students at the college are Native American,

and because CCC is dedicated to creating a welcoming and inclusive learning environment, the perspective of our Native American students is vitally important to our identity. To that end, when students from the college’s Indigenous Student Association developed a Land Acknowledgement Statement, the college community acted universally to make it a part of CCC’s culture. It states: “On behalf of Coconino Community College, we would like to express our gratitude and appreciation to the sacred land on which this educational institution resides.

// CCC will be launching a summer bridge program for new Native American Students. The program is designed for Native American students planning to attend CCC for the first time in the next fall semester. Students will enroll in the eight-week course, and they and their families will be involved in orientation activities. The students will take a composition review course that will focus on writers and topics relevant to them. //

Sacred sites located within Coconino County include the San Francisco Peaks, Oak Creek Canyon, Sedona Red Rocks, the Colorado River, the Little Colorado River, the Colorado River Confluence, the Grand Canyon and many more sites. This land has been inhabited by the Sinagua and Ancestral Pueblo for thousands of years. Currently, the Zuni, Apache, Yavapai, Hualapai, Havasupai, Paiute, Diné, Hopi and many other Arizona tribal nations recognize this land as a significant spiritual place. This sacred land is enriched with indigenous history and culture that lives on to this day. We, as a community with our CCC family and friends, are very fortunate to live, work, and share this unique location. Thank you.” Whenever I am honored to get the opportunity to speak it – like at CCC’s recent Indigenous Peoples’ Day event – I am struck by its power and its meaning. The educational success of CCC’s Native American students is also vitally important. Recently, staff at the college applied for and received a $2.1 million, five-year Native American-Serving Non-Tribal Institutions (NASNTI) grant from the U.S. Department of Education. The grant is specifically devoted to helping

increase the course success and program completion rates of our Native American students. The NASNTI program at CCC is made up of three components to help Native American students succeed in higher numbers, and to help them, their families and communities find a greater sense of belonging with us. First, CCC will be launching a summer bridge program for new Native American Students. The program is designed for Native American students planning to attend CCC for the first time in the next fall semester. Students will enroll in the eight-week course, and they and their families will be involved in orientation activities. The students will take a composition review course that will focus on writers and topics relevant to them. They will also be taught college success strategies, meet with advisors, and receive tutoring and academic support. Second, CCC will be establishing and staffing Native American Student Success Centers at our locations in Flagstaff and Page. The centers will be a dedicated location, with staff, to provide Native American students with a recognizable physical space to

receive services unique to their lived experiences and to interact with peers with similar experiences – to serve as a home away from home. Finally, CCC will be improving culturally responsive teaching. Faculty in highly enrolled foundational courses like math and English will receive training to include learning opportunities where Native American students are able to see their values and culture reflected in the coursework. This is meant to help the students build perceptions of academic success, confidence and belonging. CCC is here to serve all our communities and to help all who come to us with dreams satisfy their educational goals. Don’t forget, registration for the Spring 2022 semester is fast approaching. Come visit us at coconino.edu. Onward! FBN

Colleen A. Smith, Ph.D. is the president of Coconino Community College.

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NOVEMBER 2021 // Flagstaff Business News

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Veterans Day Honors All Who Served

By Nancy Wiechec

eterans Day is approaching, and I have a singular mission in mind. I will be sure to wish my father a Happy Veterans Day and thank him for serving our country. Dad served in the Air Force as a young man, prior to his marriage and raising four children. The U.S. was not at war at the time, and his work as a nuclear weapons systems specialist was always a footnote to his life as a husband, father, softball coach and computer software engineer. Although we rarely discussed his military service, I know it was important and meaningful to him. Veterans Day honors all Americans who served in the Armed Forces, those who saw combat and those who did not. It’s a day to celebrate veterans and their contributions to our country.

The observance dates to 1918 when a ceasefire, or armistice, took effect on the 11th hour of the 11th day in the 11th month to end World War I. Proclaimed by President Woodrow Wilson, Nov. 11 was first known as Armistice Day and was marked by people gathering at 11 a.m. for special ceremonies. President Dwight D. Eisenhower later renamed the holiday Veterans Day, a national celebration honoring all American veterans for their patriotism, love of country, and willingness to serve and sacrifice for the common good. Veterans Day is especially noteworthy this year. It marks the centennial of the dedication of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Arlington National Cemetery. The national memorial stands to remind Americans of the courage, sacrifice and grief that surrounds the fight to preserve our nation and its values.

There are many ways to observe Veterans Day. Here are a few ideas: N Ask a veteran about their service and listen attentively. N Write a letter of thanks to a veteran. N Appropriately display the U.S. flag. N Take part in a local Veterans Day parade or celebration. N Donate to a non-profit organization that supports veterans. N Personally deliver thanks and good wishes to veterans in your family, workplace, and community. Health First Foundation Northern Arizona gives special attention to improving the health and well-being of veterans in Northern Arizona. The foundation invests in programs that directly aid veterans. Anyone can help by donating to the foundation’s Healthy Heroes campaign while paying tribute to a veteran or active service member. Visit

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healthfirstforall.org to learn more. Although the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides veteran benefits and care, the system is complex and often challenging to navigate. Non-profits often step in to help veterans access and manage the care they have earned and lend them additional support. More than 65,000 military veterans live in Northern Arizona. In Yavapai and Mohave counties, veterans make up about 10% of the population. Many need help obtaining health and mental health care, job placement and housing. The top veteran health concerns are sleep problems, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression, and back, neck and shoulder issues. Military service is demanding and can take its toll on physical, mental and

emotional wellness. Combat situations are especially rigorous and dangerous. More than two million American men and women served in the post-9/11 war on terrorism, waged primarily in Iraq, Afghanistan and Syria. Many of them sustained physical or psychological injuries from the conflicts. Most concerning is the suicide rate among U.S. veterans, which is more than 1.5 times that of non-veteran adults. These concerns tell us that much more can be done for our veterans. In what ways will you help this Veterans Day? FBN

Nancy Wiechec is a former journalist and the Strategic Relations and Communications Manager for Health First Foundation Northern Arizona, an independent 501(c) (3) non-profit charity dedicated to advancing health and well-being.

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Considering Short-Term Health Insurance Plans

By Ken Whitley

imited, or short-term, health insurance plans are an inexpensive alternative to a traditional major medical health plan and can be kept for up to three years. These plans are ideal for people who are generally healthy but make too much money to qualify for a subsidy under Obamacare. If you do not have serious pre-existing medical conditions and you don’t qualify for a tax credit under the Affordable Care Act to help pay those high monthly premiums, these options are much cheaper than an Obamacare plan. For many people, these plans are an inexpen-

sive alternative to traditional major medical health insurance. You’ll save thousands of dollars on premiums and also on medical care bills. Some of these three-year plans give you doctor visits for a $30 copayment, generic drugs for $10 and urgent care visits for $60. These plans are not for everyone. For example, some of these plans do not cover pre-existing conditions and they are not required to cover preventive care at 100%. But many Arizona residents can save thousands of dollars a year by enrolling in one of these plans. Here is a real-life example using an Arizona family of five living in Flagstaff: The family has no pre-ex-

isting health conditions and makes too much money to qualify for a tax credit under Obamacare. The cost for the family to enroll in one of the most popular Obamacare plans from Ambetter or Blue Cross Blue Shield ranges from about $1,900-$2,600 a month. The cost for a non-Obamacare plan that we recommend ranges from about $800-$1,200 a month. Aside from cost, Another reason to consider a non-Obamacare plan is the limited network options that the Obamacare plans offer. Every Obamacare plan currently offered to Arizona residents uses a limited HMO network, and many of the plans require you to get a referral from your primary physician before

seeing a specialist. If you travel outside the network, you will only be covered for an emergency. These short-term plans use much larger PPO networks, offering you the ability to visit a lot more doctors and hospitals, including the top-ranked Mayo Clinic, which is not included in the network for any Arizona Obamacare plans. If you have had a serious health condition such as type 1 diabetes, cancer, a heart attack or stroke, HIV, emphysema, or Crohn’s disease, then Obamacare is your best option for getting coverage in the individual market. Obamacare plans are not allowed to turn you

down for coverage because of pre-existing conditions. These short-term plans can deny you coverage based on your past health history. FBN Need help deciding which plan is best for you and your family? Fill out our form at LehrmanGroup.com or give us a call at 928-813-7173, extension 19. We’ll help you determine which plans you qualify for, and your smartest option to take based on your particular situation. Ken Whitley is the director of group sales at Lehrman Group.

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Experiencing Flagstaff’s Top Seven Self-Guided Tours

By Meg Roederer

re you curious about Flagstaff’s public art? How about Route 66 or Flagstaff’s Lunar Legacy? Interested in haunted history or historic downtown? Did you know there is a Green Book historic walking tour? And, ale aficionados will absolutely love the Flagstaff Brewery Trail! You don’t need to go far to experience these extraordinary tours because they are all located right here in your hometown. You will enjoy every step with the freedom to go at your own pace. Discover Flagstaff offers free self-guided tours that showcase Flagstaff’s unique history and character. Get started and download the free self-guided tours at discoverflagstaff.com or stop by the Flagstaff Visitor Center (1 E. Rt. 66) for the tour maps, brochures and helpful suggestions.

ROUTE 66 WALK THIS TALK

Also known as “The Mother Road,” Route 66 continues to bisect Flagstaff today, and the nostalgic road is lined with relics from the route’s heyday. Traveling along the original alignment through the redeveloped Southside Historic District, this self-guided tour begins at the Historic Train Station, passing by classic drive-in motels and landmarks of old. You might recognize the voice of “Cheers” star Ted Danson, welcoming

owners and other colorful characters, plus fascinating historic facts that are revealed on this self-guided tour. Guided tours also offered seasonally at the Flagstaff Visitor Center.

FLAGSTAFF PUBLIC ART TOUR one of Arizona’s most haunted cities. Stroll through Flagstaff’s paranormal past on this self-guided tour. Guided tours also offered seasonally.

you to Flagstaff when you dial in to the audio tour. Danson spent his formative years in this mountain town while his father served as director of the Museum of Northern Arizona. The tour, narrated by local author Rose Houk, takes about an hour to complete and winds up at the corner of Mike’s Pike and Milton Road. Bring your friends and family, smartphones and earbuds, and start walking. Earbuds or headphones for your phone can be purchased at the Flagstaff Visitor Center and will heighten your experience. Use your mobile phone to dial and listen to a recorded history at each of 10 locations. This tour is a great way to celebrate Route 66 turning 95 years old! Recorded tour: 928-218-2926

THE GREEN BOOK HISTORIC WALKING TOUR

For nearly 30 years, multiple editions of the “Traveler’s Green Book” provided African Americans with advice on safe places to eat and sleep when they traveled during the Jim Crow-era. Experience a self-guided tour of Green Book listings around Flagstaff on foot, bike or by car. The tour takes approximately 90 minutes as a walking tour and 30 minutes by car. For convenience, it is recommended to start at the Flagstaff Visitor Center (1 E. Route 66).

HAUNTED FLAGSTAFF WALKING TOUR

With more than a century of haunted history and ghostly legends about bank robbers, ladies of the night, eccentric hotel guests and unfortunate lovers, Flagstaff has earned the reputation as

FLAGSTAFF BREWERY TRAIL

The Flagstaff Brewery Trail is your self-guided beer tasting adventure. Flagstaff’s eight local breweries have something for everyone’s craft brew palate, from distinctive IPAs and light-hearted Sessions to limited-edition brews and Kölsch-style ales. Grab a free Brewery Trail Passport and start exploring the wild creativity responsible for Flagstaff being recognized as Arizona’s Leading Craft Beer City. Bring your completed passport to the Flagstaff Visitor Center to receive a free commemorative pint beer glass! craftbeerflg.com

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN FLAGSTAFF WALKING TOUR

Meander through historic 1900s era downtown Flagstaff, reveling in stories about the lynching of outlaws, fires that destroyed entire blocks, friendly saloon

Flagstaff has a growing and varied selection of original public artwork, including murals, three-dimensional and interactive pieces, mosaics and photo exhibits. Much of the artwork was inspired by the natural surroundings and local culture of Northern Arizona, often reflecting the rich heritage of the area.

LUNAR LANDMARKS TRAIL

Every Apollo astronaut who walked on the Moon, from Neil Armstrong to Gene Cernan, trained in Flagstaff. This self-guided tour allows you to walk in their footsteps by visiting locations where astronaut science training, lunar rover field testing and lunar mapping occurred during NASA’s Apollo Moon missions of the 1960s-1970s. Have your Lunar Landmarks Trail Map & Passport stamped at three of the six stops to receive a free Lunar Legacy souvenir at the Flagstaff Visitor Center. Please stay, play, distance and mask responsibly. DiscoverFlagstaff.com. FBN

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How Stress Affects Hormone Health By Christina Kovalik NMD, L.Ac.

e are all bombarded by the daily stresses of life. Some people are better at coping with stress than others. The body’s stress response is a normal process and is meant to help keep you away from harm. The adrenals are located on top of the kidneys and are a part of the endocrine system that is strongly influenced by stress. Cortisol, norepinephrine and epinephrine are produced by the adrenal glands. Cortisol is released in times of stress, promoting a fight or flight response that stimulates the sympathetic nervous system. If a prolonged period of stress occurs, the adrenals become exhausted and in extreme cases, cortisol may be minimally released. The adrenal glands strongly depend on the thyroid, liver, pituitary and reproductive hormones. Therefore, the adrenal glands are the source energy of all other endocrine glands. Proper adrenal function promotes stress management response (physical, emotional, internal or external stressors) and controls fluid balance, blood sugar levels, immune response and inflammation markers in the body. They produce hormones associated with overall energy, vitality and sex hor-

mones such as DHEA, pregnenolone, estrogen, progesterone and testosterone for rebuilding/repair and aging. When cortisol is released, it promotes more blood flow to the extremities, increases heart rate and increases pupil dilation to allow you to see crystal clearly. This sympathetic (fight or flight) response by the nervous system and brain results in temporarily decreased blood flow to the digestive organs so that you can run away. In times of chronic or prolonged stress, the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems are taxed. The body tries to regenerate itself in the consistent fight or flight reaction, resulting in a fatigued system. It then switches over to a more vegetative state (parasympathetic nervous system response). This can result in extreme fatigue, stress, trouble sleeping, lowered immune system and mood issues. The three phases of adrenal fatigue are: 1. Acute stress: Alarm phase results in increased cortisol. This is the fight or flight response. 2. Prolonged stress response: Lower DHEA, normal to high cortisol surges. This is the resistance phase. Some people stay in this phase for years. 3. Exhaustion: This leads to chronic

fatigue, low DHEA and low cortisol. Any time the adrenals are taxed, it is important to support the hypothalamic pituitary axis as it will affect other glands (thyroid, sex hormones and insulin release). Cortisol levels can be tested through blood, urine and saliva. The most accurate results come from testing salivary cortisol in four different samples during the day to evaluate the cortisol curve. A normal curve should be higher in the morning and decrease at the end of the day. Some people’s curves can be flipped, causing extreme fatigue in the morning and trouble sleeping at night. Cortisol also boosts the immune system. When you are sick with a cold or illness, mornings are often better than evenings because cortisol levels naturally decline in the evening.

LOW CORTISOL SYMPTOMS INCLUDE:

N Very fatigued, especially in the morning/hard to get up N Difficulty handling stress N Difficulty staying asleep N Nervous energy N GI issues

HIGH CORTISOL SYMPTOMS INCLUDE:

N Anxiety, nervousness N Trouble sleeping and/or falling asleep N Increased blood sugar levels N Sugar/carb cravings N Weight gain/water retention N High blood pressure N Digestive issues; stomach burning, irritable bowel, leaky gut N Fatigue N Memory/cognitive issues N Decreased ability to handle stress N Lowered immune system N Thyroid issues N Progesterone deficiency

WHAT YOU CAN DO TO HELP REDUCE STRESS:

N Identify the symptoms, body connection and behaviors that are feeding the stress. N Get clarity on what needs to change to help you to deal with stress and get your hormones tested. N Make the necessary steps to help you adapt and manage stress – seek out help, acupuncture, herbs, mediation, regular exercise, diet and lifestyle changes. N Eat an anti-inflammatory diet such as the Mediterranean Diet or Whole 30. N Move more often than not – exercise regularly three to

five times per week. N Get plenty of sleep. N Meditate regularly. Focus on deep breathing. Inhale for a count of eight, exhale for a count of 16 or do some grounding exercises (walk in the grass barefoot or sit under a tree barefoot). N Maintain optimal health by improving your quality of sleep, energy and motivation with consistent action toward managing stress. We are all surrounded with the daily stresses of life. It is essential to learn coping skills to help reduce the effects of stress on the body, get help when needed and do your best to manage a healthy lifestyle to help the body adapt to life’s challenges. FBN Dr. Christina Kovalik NMD, LAc, The Vitality Doctor, is a naturopathic physician and acupuncturist specializing in hormone optimization, optimal health and vitality. She is a new Flagstaff resident, practicing since 2004, and opened her second location in Doney Park in 2020. For more information, visit thevitalitydoctor. com or call 928-863-6086.

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Get Your Holiday Tree While You Can By Misti Warner-Andersen

e are all about the holidays right now. Right after we put away the Halloween candy, it’s time to think about how we are going to bring the beauty of the season into our homes. Getting that traditional centerpiece of the holiday season – a Christmas tree – may be harder this year. Between wildfires in the northwest, extreme drought and supply chain and labor issues that have beleaguered most businesses, trees will be scarce this year. Warner’s Nursery has been lucky enough to secure both cut and potted trees from our supplier. Live (potted) Austrian and Colorado Spruces are already available, and we’ll be getting Douglas Fir, Noble Fir and Nordman Fir cut trees shortly before Thanksgiving. There are benefits to each type of tree. You can enjoy your cut tree longer in the house (a live tree really should only be indoors about a week). On the other hand, a live tree can be planted and enjoyed outdoors for years to come.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS FOR EACH ONE:

While Christmas trees are usually available the week of Thanksgiving, people often hold off purchasing a cut one until closer to the holiday, afraid it will dry out before Christmas. A few simple steps, however, will ensure that your tree stays fresh throughout the season. N Before placing indoors, spray your tree with a product like CloudCover, a harmless, transparent film that reduces water loss, keeping tree needles fresh and moist. N Make a fresh cut of at least a half inch off the trunk of the tree to allow the tree to take up water. Your tree needs to be set up immediately after making this fresh cut, within 15 minutes at the most! N Once the stand is mounted and your tree is properly situated (far away from heater ducts and fireplaces), fill the water tray with lukewarm water. Check the water level in your tree stand daily, ensuring the trunk is immersed in water. You can also add a preservative like Keeps-It-Green to the water to keep the tree fresher longer. For living trees, proper care is even more important. First, you need to acclimate your tree. We suggest placing the tree outside in partial

sunlight (possibly on a porch) for one week prior to taking it indoors, and remember to water it daily. N The day before you bring it into the house, hose it down with water to remove dust and insects. Again, we suggest also spraying the tree with CloudCover to protect against dehydration. N Once inside, set your tree in a large tray to catch overflow and protect your floors. It should be situated close to a window for light and far away from heating ducts or fireplaces that could sap its moisture. N Continue to water your tree daily, but not quite as deeply as you did when it was outside – you don’t want your living tree to be standing in a tray full of water! Add a few ice cubes to keep the tree cool and prevent it from breaking dormancy. As we mentioned earlier, your living Christmas tree can only remain indoors for about seven days; otherwise, it might break dormancy and then will not survive outdoors. After that week, place your tree in a shady spot and out of the wind until you’re ready to plant. We suggest the north or east side of your home, as trees can be wind-burned and are prone to sun

Five Myths about Foot Care

“

By Anthony Rosales

Step on a crack and you’ll break your mother’s back” and other sayings may be fun for children and others to say, but when it comes to your health, it’s important to separate sayings from facts. From bunions to broken toes, here are five truths to old myths. Myth: Cutting a notch (a “V”) in a toenail will relieve the pain of ingrown toenails. Reality: When a toenail is ingrown, the nail curves downward and grows into the skin. Cutting a “V” in the toenail does not affect its growth. New nail growth will continue to curve downward. Cutting a “V” may actually cause more problems and is painful in many cases. Myth: My foot or ankle can’t be broken if I can walk on it.Reality: It’s entirely possible to walk on a foot or ankle with a broken bone. It depends on your threshold for pain, as well as the severity of the injury. But, it’s not a smart idea. Walking with a broken bone can cause further damage. It is crucial to stay off an injured foot until diagnosis by a foot and ankle surgeon. Until then, apply ice and elevate the foot to reduce pain. Myth: Shoes cause bunions. Reality: Bunions are most often caused by an inherited faulty mechanical structure of the foot. It is not the bunion itself that is inherited, but certain foot types make a person prone to developing a bunion. While wearing shoes that crowd the toes together can, over time, make bunions more painful, shoes themselves do not cause bunions. Although some treatments can ease the pain of bunions, only surgery can correct the deformity.

Myth: A doctor can’t fix a broken toe. Reality: Nineteen of the 26 bones in the foot are toe bones. What I tell patients is this: there are things we can do to make a broken toe heal better and prevent problems later on, like arthritis or toe deformities. Broken toes that aren’t treated correctly can also make walking and wearing shoes difficult. A foot and ankle surgeon will X-ray the toe to learn more about the fracture. If the broken toe is out of alignment, the surgeon may have to insert a pin, screw or plate to reposition the bone. Myth: Corns have roots. Reality: A corn is a small build-up of skin caused by friction. Many corns result from a hammertoe deformity, where the toe knuckle rubs against the shoe. The only way to eliminate these corns is to surgically correct the hammertoe condition. Unlike a callus, a corn has a central core of hard material. But corns do not have roots. Attempting to cut off a corn or applying medicated corn pads can lead to serious infection or even amputation. A foot and ankle surgeon can safely evaluate and treat corns and the conditions contributing to them. FBN To make an appointment with Dr. Rosales, contact his office at 928-864-0602 or visit his website at flagstafffootandankle.com. Anthony Rosales DPM, FACFAS, a foot surgeon with offices in Flagstaff and Page, is board certified in foot surgery by the American Board of Foot and Ankle Surgery. He is a member of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons.

scald if left on the south or west side of a house. Thoroughly water the tree immediately after transferring outdoors; then, once a day for the first week; then, once a week thereafter. If the tree is to be left in a pot temporarily (for example, if the ground is frozen), water every three to five days, but remember that you should plant the tree as soon as possible. In addition to Christmas trees, Warner’s Nursery will have other décor items for your home, including wreaths, garland and poinsettias. We also have indoor bulb plants that you

can “coax” to bloom like Amaryllis and Paper White Narcissus. We hope that you will join us this holiday season and let us help you celebrate. Come by, grab a nice warm cup of coffee or cocoa from Dottie’s Garden Coffee Shoppe – located in the heart of our nursery – and stroll our tree lot to find the perfect tree for you. Happy Gardening and Happy Holidays! FBN Misti Warner-Andersen is the manager of Warner’s Nursery & Landscape Co., located at 1101 E. Butler Ave. in Flagstaff. To contact Warner’s Nursery, call 928-774-1983.

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KAYLA continued from page 1

Above: Kayla Mueller carried her backpack with her to Guatemala, where she helped children who were suffering from hunger and homelessness. Above right: With Kilimanjaro in the background, Kathleen Delany carried Kayla’s backpack and shared Kayla’s story on the trek, along with her message of service and kindness Below: With Kayla’s photo prominently displayed, Delany dedicated her journey in honor of Kayla. Courtesy photos

was quite active in the ecumenical campus organization United Christian Ministries while at the university. Still in college in early 2009, Kayla bought a ticket on Delta Airlines to Guatemala, where she and others with Campus Ministries immediately devoted themselves to helping children who were suffering from hunger and homelessness. She stuffed the ticket stub into a deep pocket of the medium-sized olive and pale green backpack she carried – and forgot about it. A four-inch oval black patch on which “KAYLA” was stitched in white identified the backpack as hers. It was that ticket receipt Delany

found 12 years later. Kayla dedicated her life to the rights and dignity of oppressed people around the world, said some of her college friends. She worked in India, the Middle East, Israel and ultimately Turkey and Syria. She was considered an advocate for anyone who was suffering persecution or violence.

DELANY FLYING AGAIN

Delany, who has piloted commercial jets for several major carriers, is now back in Laguna Beach, California. She has been recalled by an airline. She reported that on her first night there,

Oct. 17, she was sleeping on her air mattress in a small, vacant apartment when she awoke to the sound of an owl hooting early in the morning. “I knew from her parents that the owl was Kayla’s favorite spirit animal. I think hearing the owl my first night back is a sign from Kayla that everything is going to be all right.” FBN For an extended video interview of Kathleen Delany, go to https://starworldwidenetworks.com/ shows/bonnie-stevens.

Kayla Memorialized in Prescott Park, State Capitol Building

a black permanent marker to write ‘FOR KAYLA.’ We attached it to the backpack. People then would ask me who the picture was of and why the napkin. I told them the story and about my dedication of the hike to Kayla. Lots of tears were shed.” Delany and eight companion hikers and several porters began the hike up the 19,341-foot mountain on July 4. “It took us seven days to summit Africa’s tallest mountain, so I shared the story of Kayla with everyone. We reached the summit. I made sure the backpack with Kayla’s photo and the napkin were prominent as we held them up in howling winds at sub-zero temperature. I sent that picture to the Muellers as soon as I could.” Delany

said. “That experience was incredibly sensitive. I was able to shed the emotional baggage I was carrying while, at the same time, representing Kayla in my accomplishment.”

KAYLA, A DEDICATED HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST

Kayla Jean Mueller was the second child of Carl and Marsha Mueller, born Aug. 14, 1988, in Prescott. She graduated from Tri City College Prep High School in 2007. She immediately enrolled at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff. As an honor student, she earned a degree in political science in 2009, only two and a half years later. A committed Christian from early childhood, she

By Ray Newton, FBN

ayla Mueller, the 26-year-old Prescott humanitarian who was killed after being kidnapped by ISIS terrorists in February 2015, has been memorialized in Prescott and at the Arizona State Capitol in Phoenix. The Prescott Kiwanis Club spearheaded construction of a fully accessible children’s park, appropriately called Kayla’s Hands Playground. It was dedicated in the spring of 2016. Located at the edge of Pioneer Park in northwest Prescott, the $300,000 roofed playground is now managed by the City of Prescott. The second memorial is an original painting dedicated to her memory. It now hangs in the Arizona State Capitol and is visible for thousands to see. It was dedicated on Sept. 28, by Governor Doug Ducey. He told those present, “Arizona will always remember Kayla Mueller’s compassion, bravery and legacy. It is my honor to join her parents, Carl and Marsha Mueller, to display a commemorative painting of the military raid named in her honor right here in the Capitol.” FBN Find out more about Kayla Mueller at forkayla.org.

NOVEMBER 2021 // Flagstaff Business News

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DARK SKY continued from page 1

coordinator Miguel Sotelo recognized that the Dark Sky brand comes with a sense of commitment. “We chose the name Dark Sky Brewery as a homage to Flagstaff’s beautiful night skies and intend to support and promote the beauty of our home through craft beer,” he said. “We rely heavily on our connection to the sky as we develop and design new beers year-round.” Sotelo’s assessment illustrates the cultural effect of the Dark Sky brand. By evoking a commitment to environmental protection, the brand promotes a value system across the businesses that adopt it. To understand how unique that is, it helps to look at some other city brands. There are hundreds of corporations in New York that use “Big Apple” in their name, and the same is true for “Windy City” businesses in Chicago. But “Big Apple” and “Windy City” originated from observations of greed and political hot-air, respectively, and while they’ve since been endeared to more lovable brands, they still don’t promote a set of values for the businesses that use them. By comparison, use of the Dark Sky brand communicates an acknowledgement of environmental responsibility. According to a 2018 Nielsen report, people prefer to support environ-

mentally-minded businesses. “Brands that are able to strategically connect (sustainability) to actual behavior are in a good place to capitalize on increased consumer expectation and demand,” the report writes, adding that “Sustainability claims on packaging must also reflect how a company operates inside and out.” In other words, the Dark Sky brand may be a gift to Flagstaff businesses, one that connects goods and services to a unique local history of environmental protection, but it is also a responsibility. To use the Dark Sky brand is to suggest that the attached company operates with a conservation ethic in mind, and if customers catch wind otherwise, they may feel cheated. As a Flagstaff brand, Dark Sky is likely to expand. The aforementioned anniversary celebration attracted a locals and visitors. Celebrators paired their beers with peeks into a telescope, where they could see the rings of Saturn, Jupiter and its moons. Among the crowd was Flagstaff Mayor Paul Deasy, who marked the occasion by proclaiming the month of October as “Dark-Sky City Month,” and October 24th as “Dark Sky City Night.” FDSC Executive Director Bonnie Stevens remarked upon the proclamation saying that Deasy “encouraged all to look up at

Flagstaff Mayor Paul Deasy proclaimed October as International Dark-Sky City month and encouraged all to look up at the stars and pledge to keep Flagstaff in the Dark. Sunday, Oct. 24, marked Flagstaff’s 20th anniversary as the First International Dark Sky City. The Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition started a global movement that took off in 2001. Now there are more than 180 International Dark-Sky Places, including many in Northern Arizona! Shown here, Charlie Wilson, Bonnie Stevens and astronomer Barry Malpas check out Jupiter and four of its moons outside of Dark Sky Brewing Co. Photo by V. Ronnie Tierney, Fresh Focuses Photography

the stars and pledge to keep Flagstaff in the dark.” When it came time to toast Flagstaff’s dark starry nights, a palpable pride filled the space. But while this unique local brand is going strong, it bears repeating that it aligns with the spirit of environmental stewardship. Based on current projec-

Flagstaff’s famous dark skies also are celebrated on Zonie Living: Business, Adventure and Leadership at https:// starworldwidenetworks.com/ shows/ bonnie-stevens.

BREWERIES continued from page 12

BATHTUB continued from page 17

would never have known I’d be doing this. I would not be owning and operating a healthfood bakery if I were still in that small town in Ohio.” The baked goods she sells are often inspired by and named for land formations in the area, including the Chocolate Diablo Cookies, made with dark chocolate, cayenne pepper and ginger. “They are like happiness in your mouth,” she said. And Red Rock Energy Bites, a mix of almond flour, maple syrup and beet root. But her most important ingredient, she says, is love. “How you feel when you’re making the food goes into the food. If you’re calm and happy, that transfers over.” And that’s exactly how I met Karen: calm, happy, introducing others to delicious – yes, delicious – gluten-free, dairy-free, sugar-free, non-GMO food, and living a life surrounded by nature. Her favorite hiking trail is Devil’s Bridge, a four-mile round-trip path that rewards the visitor with a spectacular sandstone arch – the largest in Sedona. Once you get to the bridge, It’s a great stopping point to find a shady spot and enjoy a snack. Karen recommends the Chocolate Chip Quinoa cookie.

tions from the U.S. Naval Observatory, Flagstaff, despite its rapid development, should only increase its overall sky brightness by 10% in the next 50 years, made possible by the community’s ongoing commitment to keeping its starry nights dark. FBN

“When you’re hiking,” she said, “you want to keep higher protein in mind. This cookie is packed with protein – nuts, chia seeds, quinoa flour and almond flour. I would eat one of these and feel really good.” Her Red Rock Energy Bites are a great choice, too. Plus, they come packaged in a little bag and are hardy enough to hold their shape, even in a backpack! For perhaps the first time, Karen feels grounded, energized and healthy now that she’s found her “home” in Sedona. “If we love people and love what we’re doing and really try to live in integrity in our purpose, that is really what we’re here for.” And, oh yeah, she hasn’t experienced any sign of fibromyalgia since she arrived. “To be in gratitude with where you’re at and what you’re doing and what you have, I think that’s the best way to stay grounded. You realize how lucky you are and how grateful you can be for what you have.” FBN Bonnie Stevens is a public relations consultant. She can be reached at bonnie. stevens@gmail.com.

beef is raised within 30 miles of the brewery, where ranchers Zach and Shannon Wolfe practice regenerative, sustainable cattle grazing and feed their cattle Mother Road spent grain. Mother Road has a large selection of indoor and patio seating, as the brewing company recently renovated its downtown Flagstaff taproom to include indoor seating, a large bar and a large walk-in beer fridge. “Our purpose is to build community one pint at a time,” Adams said. “One of the joys that we have as a brewery is welcoming back our repeat customers. We’re family-friendly, dog-friendly and will teach anyone the fundamentals of craft beer.” Also praising the Craft Beer Modernization Act and other pandemic assistance is Alex Goetting, founder and brewer for Verde Brewing Co. Goetting credited Rep. O’Halleran for understanding that breweries are an important manufacturing business in small towns, as every manufacturing job creates three other jobs. He said O’Halleran’s staff, especially Keith Brekhus, helped them navigate the federal programs that were available to Verde Brewing Co. “The various forms of assistance that we were able to access were very helpful in allowing us to reopen bigger and better,” he said. “We spent the

time keeping heads down and masks up, and assisting the staff navigate the vaccination process. The federal assistance has allowed us to increase our staff and their pay rates.” Goetting said they also took time to improve their facilities for both the customer experience and their ability to make more great beer. Verde Brewing Co. has eight beers on tap that are full-flavored, fresh and delicious. This includes a wide range of styles and flavors. “We aim to give our customers world-class beer with an authentic brewery experience in the heart of Arizona.” He says their food is simple and affordable. Specials include half-price growler fill on Wednesday, half-price nacho Thursday and halfprice BBQ sandwich on Fridays. Verde Brewing Verde Brewing seats 35 people inside and 35 outside. Goetting hopes to add music in the spring. Verde Brewing’s appeal has expanded beyond Cottonwood. Arizona State University student research showed that Verde Brewing has become known statewide as a recognizable brand. Goetting attributes the company’s popularity to a simple desire to make better beer. “We have a great staff, and it makes it so enjoyable to work with them,” he said. FBN

AAED continued from page 8

really investing in their programs and not just using,” she said. “Go to the communities and engage in the communities.” She recommended that people go to indigenous markets or powwows. “Go to learn and immerse yourself in the culture. Learn about the community, then keep showing up and keep trying. It’s about consistency and being visible and creating programs with them, not for them,” the social entrepreneur advised. Kumar added, “It’s not a handout. It’s not just ‘the right thing to do.’ It’s the economy – we need to drive America’s business growth, economic growth and job creation by helping these communities

and businesses in these disadvantaged communities. We should reduce the barriers to access of contracting opportunities and capital.”

FINDING DISADVANTAGED BUSINESS ENTERPRISES (DBE)

For a list of minority-, women- and disadvantaged-owned businesses in Arizona with Disadvantaged Business Enterprises (DBE) certifications, go to utracs.azdot.gov/Search For information about minority-owned suppliers, go to Pacific

Southwest Minority Supplier Development Council pswmsdc.org. AAED presented 10 Golden Prospector Awards and five Awards of Merit to recognize excellence, innovation and creativity in economic development at the annual fall forum. In addition, the organization presented the small population Economic Development Deal of the Year awards to the Economic Collaborative of Northern Arizona (ECoNA) and the City of Flagstaff for recruiting Whitehall Industries, a vehicle manufacturer. It recognized the City of Prescott for recruiting headquarters and manufacturing operations for CP Technologies. FBN

Flagstaff Business News // NOVEMBER 2021 flagstaffbusinessnews.com

SCHOLARSHIP continued from page 14

BEES continued from page 21

journalists to follow. I could go on and on about her strength and character as a journalist, but it is her strength and character as a woman that guides me still.” “When she started in news, it was tough,” said retired Fox 10 weatherman Dave Munsey, who worked with West in the ‘70s and ‘80s. “She paved the way for all of these women in Phoenix anchor chairs. Every one of them owes her something.” At Coconino Community College, with campuses in Flagstaff and Page, Native American students make up more than 20% of CCC’s enrollment. The college has been recognized for its efforts in promoting accessible and affordable education to Northern Arizona. “Scholarships like the Mary Jo West Excellence in Communication Scholarship, which offers a young Native American woman an opportunity to develop a powerful voice for community change, are a vital part of the mission of Coconino Community College,” said President Colleen A. Smith, Ph.D. “The college is dedicated to empowering individuals to inspire our communities and help shape the future of our beautiful county.” Stevens says she cannot emphasize enough the life-changing opportunity that will be afforded through the scholarship. “Mary Jo is the epitome of professionalism, grace under pressure, warmth and generosity. She is a first-rate storyteller and has encouraged so many young women in the news business. She continues to give to the world through her efforts to bring love and clean water to an African orphanage, and encouragement and hope to those suffering with mental illness. As my mother would have done for me, I would not be surprised if moms with aspiring journalists at home are ripping this article out of the newspaper or printing it out on their printers right now and placing it in their daughters’ rooms!” For more information about the Mary Jo West Excellence in Communication Scholarship, visit https://www.coconino.edu/foundation-scholarship-requirements. To donate, go to https://app.etapestry.com/onlineforms/ CoconinoCommunityCollegeFou/ScholarshipGivingIZ.html or contact CCC Foundation Chief Development Officer Dianna Sanchez at dianna.sanchez@ coconino.edu. FBN See the extended interview with West on Zonie Living: Business, Adventure and Leadership at https://starworldwidenetworks.com/shows/bonnie-stevens, sponsored by Flagstaff Business News.

“Business has been going really well for me,” said Arp. “My main goal is to keep the bees healthy, alive and maintain their population by moving them around and keeping them in good foraging conditions.” Along with OBTC and Flagstaff CSA, Sweet Sting Honey can be found locally at The Golden Hive, Steep Leaf Lounge and other specialty stores around Arizona. “My wife, Monique, owns Shear Bella Salon and she carries our honey, probably the only salon in town that does,” he said. Outside of his beekeeping, Arp loves spending time with his two boys. “We hike, fish, boat and play soccer and football.”

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My favorite movie is still Top Gun.

Going fishing, on hunting trips or on hiking trips and boating at Lake Powell. Seems like there’s always work to do but it’s good to take a break and get out and experience nature. It does help productivity later.

I’M INFLUENCED BY

LATEST HOBBY

FAVORITE MOVIE

It would have to be my dad, Dennis Arp. Growing up around the business and seeing his hard work ethic and how that transfers – the whole beekeeping business and the unseen work it takes to get the honey in the jar and his knowledge of a lot of different skills. I strive to be the same as a father and business owner.

I just started to learn archery and hope to learn to do it well. It’s very challenging but I like it.

THE MOVIE ABOUT ME WILL STAR

Chuck Liddell. He’s a mixed martial artist and former light heavyweight champion fighter. I look a bit like him. FBN

lagstaff and Prescott – it’s that time of year again! Stone Canyon Media’s radio station Rewind 92.5/104.1 and 107.9 Flagstaff /Prescott, AZ annual Christmas music switch will occur on Nov. 26, continuing through Christmas Day, Dec. 25. Stone Canyon Media’s VP/Market Manager Mike Jensen stated, “We have the perfect holiday mix of music during the holiday season. We always have been Flagstaff’s and Northern Arizona’s Christmas Music Station. It’s an all-Christmas radio station bringing holiday cheer and the season’s best Christmas music to lift people’s spirits, and this is the best way we know how.” If you want to listen, tune to 92.5/104.1 in Flagstaff or 107.9 in the Prescott area.

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Listen Online at rewindmymusic.com or on your Alexa smart speaker at rewind9251041. Rewind brings you feel good favorites from the 80s and more – stars like The Goo Goo Dolls, The Police, U2, Prince, AC/DC, Guns N Roses, Bryan Adams, The Bangles, Janet Jackson, Madonna and more! Stone Canyon Media LLC, a division of Withers Broadcasting based in Illinois, was formed in 2018 with the purchase of four FM stations from Grenax Broadcasting, LLC. In addition to KFLX-FM, the company also owns and operates the Country format KSED-FM (known as KOLT Country 107.5), Classic Rock KWMX-FM (96.7 The Wolf) and News Talk 97.1-FM. FBN

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WINE continued from page1

the Carlson family operates its 320-acre vineyard in the heart of Cochise County, in southeastern Arizona. “Winter wine tends to reflect and pair well with winter cuisine,” said Robert Carlson III, the co-founder who spearheaded the creation of the family business in 2008. “They are richer, heartier and higher in alcohol, and go well with the heavy holiday meals we associate with winter. In the summer months, wine is meant to be refreshing; in the winter it is to be warming. It is an excellent time for Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec or our Rule of Three blend.” According to an October press release on the Carlson winter wines, the 2018 Rule of Three is an award-winning wine, which has a dark and mysterious nose and tastes of overripe blackberry, blueberry and crushed violets, as well as a touch of vanilla and sweet sage. The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon has an aroma of black cherry liqueur, uncut violets, and a subtle waft of cinnamon, followed by hints of Maraschino cherries and bright fresh raspberries on the palate. The 2020 Odyssey is a unique blend of Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec that was made especially for Carlson and his wife, Britney, for their wedding day in 2021, but a limited number of bottles are available for purchase at the three tasting rooms. The Carlson extended family history includes farming in pre-war Poland and in the Midwestern fields of Illinois. In 2008, Carlson, now 40, left his

career as a stockbroker to pursue a less stressful life. He decided to reinvent the family dream of farming with vine planting on the original 40-acre plot of Carlson land in Willcox. “We have always had a love of wine and viewed it as essential to a well-set table,” Carlson recalled. “But I was the one who brought the idea of starting a wine estate to my family just before the Great Recession. Our family had been farmers for generations in the United States and in Europe. Though our grandfather had mentioned some distant winemaking in the family’s past, we had no current experience. It was the burgeoning wine industry in Arizona that truly kindled our fascination. Once we saw the quality and the potential for growth, our love of wine grew into a passion for winemaking.” Family roots in Arizona run deep, as most members have lived in the state “at one time or another,” Carlson said, “from my father’s parents time in Nogales, to my father’s time stationed at USMC Yuma, to all my siblings attending Arizona universities, and even as the location that my grandmother entered the United States.” The Willcox area provides a favorable terroir, or complete natural environment for producing wines, which encompasses soil, topography and climate. “It is an excellent area, as evidenced by the majority of Arizona wine grapes being grown there,” Carlson explained. “There are several factors that put it as the top wine-growing region. One is the

elevation, which moderates temperature. The second is our sandy, loamy soil that is excellent for grapevines. Third is our unfettered access to water, for now. The last factor is often overlooked, and it is the agricultural community. The support network of this community from farm advisor, irrigation expertise, fertilizer production, ready at hand labor, to tractor mechanic and dealers, is essential to support an expanding growing region.” Carlson encouraged other members of his family to join in the wine enterprise, including his younger brother, John, 33, who came on board as the head winemaker after studying winemaking and viticulture and interning at local wineries to gain experience. Their father, Robert “Bob” Carlson, Jr., 70, longtime lawyer and a retired Marine fighter pilot, worked every step of the way with his sons, as a co-owner, financial advisor and even a day laborer in the vineyards. Their mother, Elizabeth Carlson, handles everything from accounting and retail merchandise, to representing Carlson Creek at wine festivals throughout the state. Their sister, Katherine Carlson, managed the development of the distinctive Carlson Creek logo, wine labels and other design needs and handles the company’s legal affairs. The eldest Carlson son, Robert, who lives in Gilbert, now splits his time between Willcox, Scottsdale and Cottonwood, overseeing sales, retail operations, distribution and the vineyard’s three tasting rooms, in addition to managing

the vineyards and production facility with his brother, John, who lives in Scottsdale. “My brother, John, and I develop the wines together,” Carlson noted, “though we take full input from our cellar staff. Good ideas are always welcome, so we encourage a collaborative atmosphere.” In addition to in the tasting rooms, Carlson wines are available for purchase in Sedona at Art of Wine, Made in Arizona Wine and Gift, and Bashas’, as well as Sedona, State Bar, Cottonwood, The Grand Canyon Wine Company, Williams and at Vino Zona, Jerome. Another good terroir for vineyards is the Verde Valley, where the Carlson family opened their third tasting room in December 2018 in Cottonwood on North Main Street. “The terroir of the Valley is also outstanding, though more expensive and challenging to farm,” Carlson said. “I have always enjoyed the difference of the two regions. Water rights tend to be more difficult and the ag community is not as large, a good spot on either the Verde River or Oak Creek produced excellent concentration.” There are some challenges for growing grapes in the Verde Valley, such as frost along the riverbeds that can provide channels for cold air and insects in the riparian areas can act as vectors for disease for grapevines, he added. Carlson’s previous experience in the Verde Valley led to expansion of the family business into that region.

“I chose the Verde Valley because it is where I got my start in the Arizona wine industry. I worked harvests on many of the vineyards in the area, interned in one of the top cellars in the state, and got to know the character of the pioneering industry there. Plus, I just like spending time in such a beautiful place.” The Carlson family has felt welcomed and encouraged by Verde Valley residents and visitors. “The response we received was overwhelmingly positive,” Carlson said. “We made our wine in Verde Valley for almost half the winery’s existence before consolidating production in on our vineyard in Willcox. You can still find bottles in our tasting room that say either Camp Verde or Cornville. So, it was less of us going there to expand and it was returning. All of our ‘new neighbors’ were really just our old friends.” Carlson does not see other wineries as competitors. In fact, he says the more wineries in the area, the better, as they attract more visitors. “It is about growing the pie, instead of arguing over the pieces. But that is the Arizona wine industry for you: positive, supportive and forward looking. That is why I love it -- that, and the delicious wine.” Plans for Carlson Creek Vineyard include tours in Willcox after the New Year. “The grounds surrounding our winery are currently being redone and we are excited to share all the improvements with our guests in early 2022.” FBN

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