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Vyto Starinskas

Stories by Vyto

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Patty Delp, who directs the Youth Advocate Program Inc. in Arizona, is recruiting paid, part-time advocates to work directly with the Yavapai-Apache Nation teenagers.

By Vyto Starinskas March 26, 2024
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About 75 residents turned out to hear nine candidates for the next city races – two for mayor and seven for city council – introduce themselves du

By Vyto Starinskas March 26, 2024
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Sheila Stubler looked out at two red-tailed hawks majestically sailing through the sky above the vast field of buckwheat swaying in the breeze at Rockin’ Ranch State Park.

By Vyto Starinskas March 26, 2024
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The community plans a Deeper Dive Into Mining & Effects on Health during a “Mining in the Verde Valley. Did You Know” lunch-and-learn summit at the Clemenceau School Gym in Cottonwood on Saturday, April 6.

By Vyto Starinskas March 25, 2024
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It’s another return from an exodus of sorts.

By Vyto Starinskas March 23, 2024
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Faith Moore’s wash an issue in supervisor’s race
City disputes county over responsibility in court papers

Nearly three years after the drowning of Mingus Union High School student Faith Moore, the City of Cottonwood and the Yavapai County are battling it out in a Maricopa County Courthouse to determine who is responsible for installing safety warning devices on the road and who is responsible for the teenager’s death.

By Vyto Starinskas March 23, 2024
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Former heavyweight boxing champion “Iron Mike” Tyson has been at Cottonwood’s Verde Valley Brazilian Jiu Jitsu gym with owner Maynard Keenan getting ready for his nationally televised fight in AT&T Stadium in Texas.

By Vyto Starinskas March 21, 2024
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Mingus Union High School District President Lori Drake announced that she has begun the process to run for Yavapai County District 3 Supervisor and has pulled the paperwork to gather petitions.

By Vyto Starinskas March 19, 2024
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Residents, who are frustrated with the Sedona City Council over the Safe Place to Park program for homeless city workers filed a referendum application with the city clerk on Thursday, March 14.

By Vyto Starinskas March 19, 2024
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Former Cottonwood Police Chief Stephen Gesell has dropped out of the Yavapai County District 3 supervisor’s race to focus on a legal claim against the City of Cottonwood.

By Vyto Starinskas March 18, 2024
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A new high school is going to be opened by the Verde Christian Academy at its Willard Street location and they plan to start with ninth and 10th-grade classes next school year.

By Vyto Starinskas March 16, 2024
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Mingus play prompts apologies
‘This letter should’ve never been sent out’

Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District Superintendent Steve King wrote a letter to Mountain View Prep School families March 8 apologizing for a play production of “Sleeping Beauty” performed for their students by a Mingus Union High School theater class.

By Vyto Starinskas March 16, 2024
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Burger King to broil in Cottonwood
Design review goes before P&Z Commission Monday

It looks like Cottonwood residents will be able to eat like a king again – Burger King that is.

By Vyto Starinskas March 12, 2024
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The city’s next primary election will be held on July 30 and there are a total of four seats open on the Cottonwood City Council. But now with a recall election possible for that date, the council could have five new council members out of seven.

By Vyto Starinskas March 12, 2024
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Tom Taylor has been planning other people’s lives for decades. And his legacy continues today as his daughter, Mary Huntley, also a certified financial plan, is now at the helm of the family’s financial planning firm Cambium Wealth & Legacy Strategies

By Vyto Starinskas March 9, 2024
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The Cottonwood City Council is going to review the rules for the popular “Call to the Public” portion of council meetings on a future agenda.

By Vyto Starinskas March 9, 2024
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The Thunder Valley Rally will survive - just with less thunder - for at least one more year.

By Vyto Starinskas March 9, 2024
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As promised, Catherine Ransom of Cottonwood submitted petitions to recall Cottonwood City Councilman Lisa DuVernay on March 5, at 2 p.m. to City Clerk Tami Mayes in the City Clerk’s office.

By Vyto Starinskas March 6, 2024
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Former Councilmember Bob Rothrock was unanimously approved by the City Council Tuesday, March 5, as the newest member of the Cottonwood Planning and Zoning Commission.

By Vyto Starinskas March 6, 2024
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Tonight, the Cottonwood City Council will discuss clearing up deficiencies in the City’s responses to a legal complaint filed by the creator of a drag show that was performed last year.

By Vyto Starinskas March 5, 2024
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The construction of the Inspiration Apartments is 100 percent complete and the project is fully opened, according to Guy C. Roginson, Talking Glass Media, - a Fain Signature Group company.

By Vyto Starinskas March 5, 2024
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The city council unanimously approved negotiating and drafting a proposed land lease option and forming a commitment for financial support from the City possible approval at a future Council meeting for the Verde Plaza 2 project on a city-owned, two-acre parcel on Aspen and 7th streets during a special meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 27.

By Vyto Starinskas March 5, 2024
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The city residents are in the unusual position of being concert promoters. They spent $186,057 to put on Thunder Valley Rally last year, but recovered most of it. Now the city staff is looking at bands for next September. They are also evaluating the future of the event.

By Vyto Starinskas March 5, 2024
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The impact of the new airport landing fee system at the Cottonwood Municipal Airport on flights from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University will certainly be discussed when Vector Airport Systems presents its new system for enacting landing fees for all transient aircraft at the Cottonwood airport.

By Vyto Starinskas March 5, 2024
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The Ghost City has a rich history, was once the fourth largest city in the Arizona territory and always likes a parade.

By Vyto Starinskas March 5, 2024
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Three partners have opened a new restaurant in the former Hacienda and former Howling Coyote Restaurant building, and co-owner Osvaldo Santana knows it’s got to be unique to swim in the large sea of Mexican restaurants in the Verde Valley.

By Former Hacienda and Howling Coyote now renamed Puerto Azul March 2, 2024
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In an area where cell towers have been controversial, dozens of concerned citizens packed the Verde Valley Fire District Station 32 firehouse Tuesday evening to hear about a proposed tower at the station.

By Vyto Starinskas March 2, 2024
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City accused of sex discrimination
Hostile work environment alleged

A Notice of Charge of Discrimination has been filed by the Arizona Attorney General’s Office Civil Rights Division alleging the City of Cottonwood engaged in a pattern of discriminatory conduct against employees based on sex and race.

By Vyto Starinskas March 2, 2024
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The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality has authorized Minerals Research, Inc. to resume operation of its slag processing plant on Wednesday, Feb. 28, under its pending air quality permit application that ADEQ has determined as complete, according to ADEQ Communications Director Caroline Oppleman.

By Vyto Starinskas February 29, 2024
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Patrick Schweiss deserves an Academy Award after his dramatic presentation at Tuesday’s Brown Bag Series at Yavapai College.

By The Verde Independent February 28, 2024
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The Cottonwood City Council on Tuesday, Feb. 20, met in executive session about former Police Chief Steve Gesell’s $620,000 notice of claim, a letter received from former City Manager Scotty Douglass regarding his severance provisions and a notice of charge filed by the Arizona Civil Rights Division of the Attorney General’s Office.

By Vyto Starinskas February 27, 2024
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The Cottonwood City Council approved final plats for two single-family, somewhat different, residential subdivisions.

By Vyto Starinskas February 27, 2024
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Vaping alarms VACTE kids
Student-teachers reach out to nip it in the bud

The alarming number of students who are vaping in places around local schools prompted teacher Geena Adams and her peer educators at Valley Academy for Career and Technology Education to go on a mission and try to reach kids before they get hooked.

By Vyto Starinskas February 27, 2024
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The fire department is proposing a 100-foot communications and cell tower at its station near the intersection of Page Springs Road and Cornville Road after two controversial cell towers have been proposed in Cornville in recent years, but not built.

By Vyto Starinskas February 26, 2024
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More than 100 people crowded into the 99-year-old Men’s Lounge of the Clark Memorial Clubhouse concerned about the density of new homes and apartments in a new housing development proposed in their community.

By Vyto Starinskas February 24, 2024
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Cottonwood’s Church of Blues
Songwriters, musicians find unity of community

In the Church of Blues, harmony is the prayer. Music is the theology and rhythm is the doctrine.

By Vyto Starinskas February 24, 2024
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ADEQ says slag pile failed emission test
MRI's consent order canceled

Arizona Department of Environmental Quality terminated its consent order with Minerals Research, Inc. the operator of the slag pile processing plant, on Wednesday, Feb. 21.

By Vyto Starinskas February 24, 2024
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The Tuzigoot National Monument in Clarkdale reopened Tavasci Marsh to the public on Monday, Feb. 5.

By Vyto Starinskas February 20, 2024
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It happens once a decade, and the topics affect everyone in the city. The Cottonwood City Council is reaching out to the public for input about an update to its Cottonwood General Plan, which the residents will vote on this year.

By Vyto Starinskas February 20, 2024
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The City of Cottonwood is exploring ways to encourage developers to build more housing in the city, which could include everything from reviewing the zoning regulations to offering builders financial incentives.

By Vyto Starinskas February 20, 2024
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The Cottonwood City Council on Tuesday, Feb. 20, will discuss former Police Chief Steve Gesell’s $620,000 notice of claim, a letter received from former City Manager Scotty Douglass regarding his severance provisions and a notice of charge filed by the Arizona Civil Rights Division of the Attorney General's Office.

By Vyto Starinskas February 19, 2024
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The Verde Valley Senior Center is busy as a beehive with AARP Foundation Tax-Aide volunteers who are helping people do their tax returns free of charge in the building.

By Vyto Starinskas February 17, 2024
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Thunder Valley Rally is running out of gas, and it may be wine that’s the fuel for a future music festival in Cottonwood.

By Vyto Starinskas February 17, 2024
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Mingus book policy gets first reading
Board’s draft seeks to meet state law on sexually explicit material

The supporters in the audience of the Mingus Union Governing Board School meeting clapped and cheered as the board finished discussing the first reading of a draft policy regarding how students can look at books in the Mingus school library.

By Vyto Starinskas February 17, 2024
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Hiking-related accidents claimed two lives in Sedona during the past two weeks, including a man who fell 75 to 100 feet to his death after his ATV group stopped on the Merry-Go-Round Rock Area to take some pictures, according to the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.

By Vyto Starinskas February 13, 2024
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Patrick Schweiss deserves an Academy Award after his dramatic presentation at Tuesday’s Brown Bag Series at Yavapai College.

By Vyto Starinskas February 11, 2024
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Mathews, Kurot pick up packets to seek election
City council hopefuls have spring deadlines

It’s gearing up to be a lively local election season this summer.

By Vyto Starinskas February 10, 2024
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The fans of Clarkdale’s bandstand got some good news Tuesday night as the Council and Historic Preservation Commission voted to start the rehabilitation project to save the popular Main Street Park structure with the blessing from the State Historic Preservation Office.

By Vyto Starinskas February 10, 2024
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The Black Bear Diner is asking people to come celebrate the birthday of their waitress Heather Bahls by having lunch or dinner and helping the 45-year-old life-long local resident with her battle with Stage 4 cancer.

By Vyto Starinskas February 10, 2024
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The Arizona Game and Fish Department trapped and euthanized a mountain lion Friday, Feb. 2.

By Vyto Starinskas February 9, 2024

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