Local Headlines

Motor Excellence is a four year old company developing electric motor technologies.   After more than doubling its workforce in the past year to 56 full time positions, the board decided yesterday to lay off 16 people.  President Jon MrKonich said it was a business decision, so the company could focus getting their core products to market.

Officials at Grand Canyon National Park have halted plans to ban the sale of bottled water to park visitors. AZPR’s Gillian Ferris Kohl reports the move comes shortly after discussions with Coca Cola, the main provider of bottled water at the Grand Canyon.

By Daniel Kraker

Flagstaff, AZ – Native Americans have one of the lowest cancer rates in the country. But when they do get the disease, Native people have the lowest survival rate of any minority group. Now, a group of linguists and public health professionals on the Navajo Nation is working to change that.

Edward Garrison, a public health researcher at Dine College, says the general consensus is "That Native Americans don't understand the importance of early detection and screening."

By Anne Minard

Flagstaff, AZ – Grand Canyon's current backcountry management plan has been in place since 1988. And things have changed. Rachel Bennett is the environmental protection specialist at Grand Canyon. She says river-assisted backcountry travel, or "packrafting" is a new use of the park, and other activities like trail running, bicycling and canyoneering are becoming more popular.

By Daniel Kraker

Flagstaff, Az – Cellist Zuill Bailey performs the prelude to Bach's Cello Suite No. 1 at the KNAU Studios on Flagstaff.

By Gillian Ferris Kohl

Flagstaff, AZ – Peace Corps Volunteer: Patricia Steiner, Bulgaria, departing March 2011

By Gillian Ferris Kohl

Flagstaff, AZ – Peace Corps Volunteer Story: Sam Hagler, Paraguay 2006.

By Gillian Ferris Kohl

Flagstaff, AZ – Peace Corps Volunteer: Jim McGeorge, Liberia 1938.