Dan Akee, one of the last Navajo Code Talkers, wants to go home for Christmas. The house that he built in the 1960s has been vacant and uninhabitable for years. When Red Feather Development Group of Flagstaff learned of the war hero’s wish, they set out to do something about it. “All I want to do before I die is live in the house I built with my own hands 60 years ago,” Dan Akee, 94, said to his son Danny, one of his caretakers. “When my father was in the hospital, he wasn’t praying for … [Read more...] about Navajo Code Talker Wants to Go Home for Christmas
Plant Your Christmas Tree After the Holiday
Using living trees over fresh-cut trees to decorate the holidays has increased in popularity. More than half of my local Christmas tree sales are for living trees that will be planted in January. Because of their waxy needles and high internal pitch, most conifers need surprisingly little water. This is true for the high country natives like pine, cypress, cedar and juniper. Once these trees reach their mature sizes, they thrive in our arid climate, dry soil and extreme mountain … [Read more...] about Plant Your Christmas Tree After the Holiday
Cats for Hire
Girlie, a fluffy calico cat, has a great new home, complete with a stunning view of the San Francisco Peaks. Her bed is comfy, too, and is located by the desk in the office of Lynne Nemeth, executive director of The Arboretum at Flagstaff. Along with her relative, Cleo, they are on 24-hour rodent patrol inside the historic Walter Reichardt House, the former stone home of the non-profit organization’s founder, Frances McAllister. “Girlie rolls around when I come in the morning,” Nemeth said. … [Read more...] about Cats for Hire
Nordic Center Opening Friday
As the snow is coming down in Arizona’s Northland, Nordic Center crews are preparing the 30 miles of trails for holiday outdoor fun. The ski area is set to be open every day for snow sports from Friday, Dec. 18 through Sunday, Jan. 3, offering cross-country skiing, snow biking, skate skiing and snowshoeing. At 8,000 feet in elevation and 15 miles north of Flagstaff on Highway 180, the Nordic Center has received eight inches of snow today at the lodge, in addition to six inches from Friday and … [Read more...] about Nordic Center Opening Friday
How Congressional Inaction Affects Tax Planning
Every year the scenario is the same – taxpayers, as individuals or in pairs, will gather their tax information and prepare their taxes for the prior year. They may prepare the taxes themselves or they may hire a professional to prepare them. Either way, tax returns are required. The well-prepared taxpayers will have all the necessary documents in one place already. The REALLY well-prepared taxpayers will have done some tax planning. Tax planning consists of taking advantage of your individual … [Read more...] about How Congressional Inaction Affects Tax Planning
How to Get the Good Night’s Sleep You Deserve
After a long day of work, running around with the kids or running errands, getting a good night’s sleep should be top of mind. Unfortunately, for the roughly 60 million Americans who experience insomnia, this is not the case. Those who experience insomnia have difficulty falling and/or staying asleep. Insomnia can be caused by a number of things such as stress, a change in one’s schedule, anxiety or even a result of certain kinds of medications. In some cases, insomnia can be hereditary. Put a … [Read more...] about How to Get the Good Night’s Sleep You Deserve
Retirement Planning: The Big Picture
Future and current retirees should take into consideration the big picture of their retirement planning, which includes conducting financial planning and tax reviews. Once you have the full picture, it helps you make more detailed and necessary decisions to achieve the retirement for which you have worked so hard. Planning for retirement is a multi-step process that can bring along many questions. For example, there is inflation, healthcare costs, and debt. At American Financial Security, we … [Read more...] about Retirement Planning: The Big Picture
NALA Encouraging Leadership on Environmental Issues
Those of us living in Northern Arizona are acutely aware of our environment. We live here in part because of our desire to be in close proximity to the natural wonders surrounding us. We also know that healthy snowfall brings visitors to our city and replenishes water supplies. Dark Sky initiatives further allow us to differentiate ourselves as an environmentally aware community. Recently, there has been a spate of conversations and meetings regarding the Four Forest Restoration Initiative … [Read more...] about NALA Encouraging Leadership on Environmental Issues
From the Mouth of the Hearing Aid Consumer
People often ask me after an exam how much better they will hear if they choose to wear hearing aids. They want to understand what they are getting themselves into by investing their time and effort into a device about which they have heard mixed reviews. It is an excellent question, one that I would ask if I was in their shoes. Improvement with a Hearing Aid Each person will experience a different outcome with hearing aids. Every hearing loss is unique, as is the way the brain understands … [Read more...] about From the Mouth of the Hearing Aid Consumer
YRMC Offers Pioneering Radial Artery Cardiac Catheterization
Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) is among Arizona’s first hospitals to offer radial artery cardiac catheterization, a pioneering and proven procedure for heart patients. This technique allows YRMC interventional cardiologists to diagnose blockages in the arteries of the heart and offers several advantages over traditional heart catheterization, which is done through the leg. “Most people are familiar with cardiac catheterization through the femoral artery in the leg,” said James … [Read more...] about YRMC Offers Pioneering Radial Artery Cardiac Catheterization