Buzzing 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 … [Read more...] about Busy as a Beekeeper
Community Profile
Bashas’ Employee Nears Half a Century with the Grocer
For Bashas’ Supermarket Store Director Wayne Jones, “treating people the way they want to be treated” can create a long and rewarding career. Jones has been in the grocery business for 47 years. “That’s my platinum rule and whatever I do, I do to the best of my ability.” Moving to Flagstaff in December 1970, Jones was born in inner city Los Angeles and started his career in the grocery business at A.J. Bayless on North Humphreys in 1973. “My family would come here every year for the July … [Read more...] about Bashas’ Employee Nears Half a Century with the Grocer
Chris Shields Leads the Team at Sonesta ES Suites
Chris Shields is in love with Flagstaff and also his career. He has spent a dozen years in this mountain town and more than 30 years in the hospitality industry, including working with Hilton, Marriott and Hyatt. Today, he oversees the operations of Flagstaff’s Sonesta Extended Stay Suites as the property’s general manager. “I’ve been here at Sonesta for four months and I love the company,” he said. “The Sonesta motto is based on the culture of caring, so we take good care of our team and … [Read more...] about Chris Shields Leads the Team at Sonesta ES Suites
American Cowboy Keeps Northern Arizona’s Thirsty Rangeland Watered
If Jack Rodgers’ life had a theme, it would be all about water. On the night this fourth generation cowboy was born, Sept. 23, 1955, the rains came: 17 inches in the little city of Rotan, Texas, near Sweetwater, marking the end of a devastating drought. “I remember my dad talking about the bad drought in Texas that happened in the early ‘50s. It was so bad, they would take propane burners and burn the needles off prickly pear so the cattle could eat the cactus for moisture,” said … [Read more...] about American Cowboy Keeps Northern Arizona’s Thirsty Rangeland Watered
Enjoying the Ride
Thinking about surfing in Northern Arizona may sound a bit unusual, but according to outdoor recreationist Nicolas Sutherland, riding his Soledaddy Longboard here “is the closest you can get to riding the ocean waves.” “I heard about Soledaddy Longboards at Aspen Sports,” said Sutherland. “The board is handmade, beautiful and rides like a dream, and I love the retro look, so I knew I had to give them a try. It’s so much fun carving down hills with its flexible deck and extra-long shape. I’ll … [Read more...] about Enjoying the Ride
Artist Kellie Day is Transforming Lives through Creative Expression
Good luck will come to those who are prepared to greet it,” foretells the Trader Joe’s greeting card decorated with Chinese takeout boxes and fortune cookies. And, like her design predicts, artist Kellie Day has prepared for this moment, as aspiring artists are reaching out to her, now more than ever, to help them break open the fortune cookies of their long-buried dreams and paint their own bright futures. Day works in mixed media and has no hesitation when it comes to tearing up poetry … [Read more...] about Artist Kellie Day is Transforming Lives through Creative Expression
Eric Slack Finds ‘Hidden Gem’ at Flagstaff Ranch
Whether on the golf course or in his new position as Flagstaff Ranch Golf Club general manager, the discipline, experience and drive behind Eric Slack has paid off and gained him an ace in his career. Originally from Forest City, Pennsylvania, Slack started learning the game when he was 15 years old. “I wanted to spend time with my dad, who had recently started to play golf. The population of our small mining town was between 1,500 to 1,700, so golf for us was $10 for nine holes and a pull … [Read more...] about Eric Slack Finds ‘Hidden Gem’ at Flagstaff Ranch
Teen Builds Business Out of Chocolate
When you have been the Flagstaff High School student body president, captain of the football and track teams, and a part of the school’s Governing Board, it’s not surprising that you would be in a business management position at age 19. For Grand Canyon Chocolate Factory Co-owner and Manager Tyler Stickler, starting a business and running it was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up. “I just wasn’t interested in going to college after high school,” said Stickler. “Then, my dad had this epiphany … [Read more...] about Teen Builds Business Out of Chocolate