Author Archive for R. Oliphant – Page 2

GREATER VERDE VALLEY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE TO HOLD MIXER AT SOUTHWEST WINE CENTER

Event set for January 16 at 5:30. | It offers opportunities for an evening of networking, great food, and wine, hosted by the Southwest Wine Center and catered by the Sedona School of Culinary Arts. | Registration available at VerdeValleyChamber.org

The Greater Verde Valley Chamber of Commerce will hold a mixer at the Southwest Wine Center on the Verde Valley Campus January 16.  The event is hosted by the Southwest Wine Center and will be catered by the Sedona School of Culinary Arts.  It begins at 5:30.

The event provides an opportunity to connect with fellow business professionals in the community while enjoying great food and wine at the Community College’s Southwest Wine Center on the Verde Valley Campus. 

In the announcement of the event, the Chamber of Commerce  stated that “Raffle prize donations are encouraged! Donating is a fantastic way to promote your business. Be sure to include your business card or rack card with your donation package.”

Registration for the event is available online at VerdeValleyChamber.org.

LEARNING HOW TO DRAW: VERDE VALLEY CAMPUS COMMUNITY EDUCATION PROGRAM OFFERS SPECIAL LANDSCAPE DRAWING PROGRAM

Classes begin February 3, 2025 with tuition set at $118

Yavapai Community College will offer a special landscape drawing class on the Verde Valley Campus starting February 3, 2025. This class is part of the College’s community education program.

The course provides an opportunity to learn how to draw landscapes, “from plains and forests to the red rocks and more.” It will run from February 3 to March 10, with tuition set at $118.

For more details, see the Community College advertisement below.

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE PERFORMING ARTS DEPARTMENT ADDS OUTSTANDING NEW FACULTY TO ITS EXPANSIVE PROGRAM

Five new instructors will teach acting, voice, and technical theatre courses at the Prescott Campus; it appears that no similar performing arts programs yet exist on the Verde Campus or at any of the College’s centers

In a December 19 press release, Yavapai Community College announced it has hired five new instructors for its expanding Performing Arts Department.  They will be teaching acting, voice, and technical theatre courses. They will be joining the faculty in January.

According to the Community College press release, the following are the new faculty hires:

“Mezzo soprano Danielle Corella will teach both Private Voice (MUS 101A) and Applied Voice (MUS 151A) courses. An Arizona Opera veteran, Danielle sang the role of Gertrude in AzO’s Roméo et Juliette and Belle in their Opera Tunity production of Beauty and the Beast. She holds a Master of Music Degree from the University of Southern California and a Bachelor of Music from Westminster Choir College. She currently conducts YC’s Community Chorale.”

“Prescott Valley residents may know Ben Naasz from The Movement Studio, which he operates with his wife, Sasha. A talented actor, director, scenic designer and producer, Ben will draw from his 30-year theatrical career to teach Stagecraft (THR 141) and Lighting for the Stage and Media (THR 160). He holds a Master of Fine Arts in Theatre Technology (with an emphasis on Scenic Design) from the University of Arizona, and a BFA in Musical Theatre from Shenandoah Conservatory in Virginia.”

“With her Masters in Classical Acting from Brandeis University, where she taught movement and voice, Heather Scott earned her Meisner certificate from New York City’s Neighborhood Playhouse and is a certified theatrical combatant. Her professional credits include As The World Turns and multiple regional commercials as well as work with Disney Regional Entertainment. The co-director of the Yavapai College musicals It’s A Wonderful Life and Hello, Dolly!, Heather is also the J&LLPAC’s Director of Operations. She will teach the College’s Acting I (THR 131) and Acting II (THR 132) courses.”

“A dedicated educator and veteran actor, director, stage manager and producer, Layla Tenney is thrilled to bring her 20 years of theatrical experience to YC. She has been a prominent figure in the local arts community, teaching theatre at Prescott and Chino Valley high schools, where she directed numerous productions that inspired students and audiences alike. She has also been a creative force at the Prescott Center for the Arts since 2009, creating programs that support young artists. Layla has her Master of Arts in Theatre Education from the University of Northern Colorado, and her bachelor’s from the University of Arizona and will teach THR 231, Acting the One-Act Play.”

“Prescott-based baritone William Vallandigham is regularly featured on opera and concert stages in Arizona, Southern California and the greater Chicago area. In 2023-24, William sang Brahms and Mahler with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and appeared in Arizona Opera’s productions of Il barberie de Siviglia and Mozart’s Don Giovanni. He performed extensively with Opera Santa Barbara, with roles in The CrucibleCosi fan TutteCarmen and the title role in Eugene Onegin. William’s career highlights range from Phillip Glass’s Kepler at the Spoleto Festival to orchestrated music from video game legend Nobuo Uematsu. William earned his master’s in music from Westminster Choir College, and his Bachelor of Music from Baldwin Wallace University. He will teach Musical Theatre I (THR 133) and Musical Theatre II (THR 134).”

YCC GRADUATES 18 MEN AND WOMEN FROM FIRE ACADEMY

Complete program that places  rigorous academic, physical, and mental demands on its graduates — “no small feat”

Yavapai Community College announced in a December 17 press release that 18 men and women graduated from the College’s Fire Academy.  This was the second Yavapai Community College  Fire Academy graduating class of  this year.

Yavapai Community College President Dr. Lisa Rhine, when addressing the graduates, observed that  “completing this program is no small feat. You have demonstrated unwavering commitment to a field that demands skill, resilience, and above all, a servant’s heart… Graduates, as you move forward, remember that you are part of a proud legacy of those who put others before themselves. I urge you to continue striving for excellence, to serve with integrity, and to always uphold the values that brought you to this point.”

Community College Director of Fire Science Robert Borker said in addressing the graduates  that “caring and compassion” are the most important characteristics of first responders and he asked the graduates to treat the fire service like a national forest. “You take only pictures, leave only footprints and leave it better than you found it. If you do that, the fire service will take care of you if you take care of each other.”

Following are the graduates of YC Fire Academy Class 24-02:

Noah Allen, Jeremy Carroll, Rachel Dewees, Patrick Eyler, Austin Fradette, Korin Franks, Eric Jackson, Sunshine Johnson, Jordan Kelley, Joshua Kidwiler, Alexander King, Zachary Morgan, Tyler Petersen, Drew Peterson, Karl Samter, Henry Schulman, Benjamin Schwartz and Mason Taylor.

GOVERNING BOARD MEMBERS TOBY PAYNE AND BILL KIEL SWORN IN TO OFFICE BY COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF EDUCATION TIM CARTER

Payne completed the unexpired term of Paul Chevalier, will now hold office for six years; Kiel defeated long-time Board representative Ray Sigafoos in November

Toby Payne

Toby Payne and Bill Kiel were sworn in to office on December 18 by outgoing Yavapai County superintendent of schools Tim Carter.  Payne will represent Yavapai Community College District #3 for six years while Kiel will represent District #4 for the same amount of time. 

Payne was first sworn in as the District #3 Board representative for the Yavapai College District Governing Board on March 21, 2023 to fill the unexpired two-year term of Paul Chevalier, who resigned in January 2023. Kiel defeated long-time Governing Board member Ray Sigafoos in the November 2024 election.

Bill Kiel

Toby Payne is a second-generation Arizona native raised in Phoenix who spent twenty-five years in Cave Creek and Carefree. He spent thirty years as an entrepreneur in the audio-visual industry, as the founder of State Sound of Arizona, and also taught for ten years at the International Communications Industries Association Institute for Professional Development. Payne previously served on the Governing Board of the Cave Creek Unified School District and twice served as President of the Board.

He has worked with various non-profits and community groups for many years, including Arizona Town Hall, Kiwanis, site survey for the Mabery Pavilion on the Clarkdale campus of Yavapai College, the Growth Committee of the Clarkdale-Jerome School District, and the Verde Valley Amateur Radio Association.

Bill Kiel is a licensed Civil Engineer with 40 years of professional experience. He has a Bachelor of Science and a Master of Science degree in Civil Engineering. He has managed major construction projects ranging in cost between $4,000,000 – $90,000,000.

He has over three decades of service on non-profit Boards. He currently serves on the Highland Pines Water District Board and is enrolled in the Gunsmithing Program at Yavapai College. Kiel has pledged to improve transparency with a goal of increasing  public access to information both at the Board and administration levels.

COMMUNITY COLLEGE GRADUATES 52 FUTURE RNS, PLUS FIRST GRADUATES WITH BACHELORS DEGREE IN NURSING

Considered a “milestone” in the nursing program

On December 13, Yavapai Community College celebrated the graduation of 52 nursing students at traditional pinning ceremonies held at the Jim and Linda Lee Performing Arts Center on the Prescott Campus. The event also marked a milestone for the college as it recognized its first cohort of students to complete the Bachelor’s Degree in Nursing.

In a press release, Yavapai Community College President Dr. Lisa Rhine described the ceremony as a “rite of passage,” honoring the nursing students for their “intense study, fortitude, diligence, and—as our graduates are well aware—sacrifice.” She also expressed gratitude to family members for “supporting and walking this journey with our students.”

The first recipients of a Yavapai College Bachelor’s degree in nursing are: Sirena Alvarez, Karen Black, Rhyann Davies, Michelle Diaz, Jennifer Doerksen, Amber Ewart, Shailee Hamm, Nicole M. Johnson, Starlett Morales, Aimee Olum, Emma Pundt, Aidan Raute, Gabriel Roybal, Jennifer Santoyo, Julia St. Pierre, Annalicia Stann, Nicole Welker and Clark White.

Following are the 52 student nurses and future RNs (following a national licensing exam) who earned associate of applied science degree in nursing at Yavapai Community College during the  fall semester: Alexandra Alvarado, Katie Anderson, Gianmarco Anzelmo, Emily Armijo, Courtney Bauer, Sheron Brown, Karissa Buchanan, Morgan Castillo, Katelyn Chapman, Clay Crane, Jordyn Cromer, Caitlynn Dickinson, Madison Dowell, Joey Farley, Raechel Ferguson, Jenna Fields, Holly Forsberg, Destiny Gilpin, Sarah Gregory, Alexis Haidet, Sada Hendricks, Cheyenne Hull, Noi Jackson, Adam Johnson, Ronnie Kohlhauer, Kendall Kunick, Jennifer Leibin, Matthew Mabbitt, Nicolette Maestas, Hailey Mayhan, Aiden McCarter, Haydee Mesta, Brad Milan, Justin Miller, Geri Mills, Audrey Norman, Alejandro Ocampo, David Podkowa, Chloe Polacek, AJ Purinton, Kaylee Rhodes, Patricia Robinson, Kyla Rolfes, Eric Ross, Alister Rothrock, Katelyn Schield, Anna Sharp, Christine Teague, Jennifer Thomas, Alyssa Wasil, Christopher Wengerd, James Youngblood.

 

SEDONA RED ROCK NEWS HIGHLIGHTS FREE SPEECH CONCERNS OVER YAVAPAI COLLEGE GOVERNING BOARD POLICY

Front- page story suggests that free speech provisions in the Constitution and state legislation permit elected Board members to discuss community college matters with staff and faculty and openly speak to the community about college issues that concern them because  it is in the public interest to do so

The Sedona Red Rock News published a front-page article on December 11, written by Tim Perry, that examines a controversial policy adopted by the outgoing lame-duck Yavapai Community College Governing Board at its November meeting, the last of the year. The article raises serious questions about whether the policy infringes on the rights of elected Board members to engage with staff,  faculty, and the public on matters of public interest.

The new “code of conduct,” passed by the lame-duck Governing Board 4-1, explicitly restricts individual Board members from communicating with college employees. The policy states: “Under no circumstances should an individual board member direct or contact by any means a staff member concerning a college or community issue. Board members will refer all of their concerns and constituent concerns via email to the president to resolve or answer.”

Additionally, the code stipulates that “Board members do not speak to the press in any way that reflects negatively on their colleagues or the college.”

The Sedona Red Rock News article suggests that such provisions may amount to a “prior restraint” on speech, a concept that is frowned upon under constitutional free speech protections and state legislation. Legal experts argue that in general elected officials have a right—and indeed a duty—to meet with constituents, including staff and faculty, to gather information that is voluntarily offered. Such interactions are widely regarded as being in the public interest, particularly in matters concerning public institutions like Yavapai Community College.

The article’s focus underscores ongoing concerns about transparency and communication between the Yavapai Community College Governing Board, the college community, and the public at large.

You may read the entire article by clicking here:  https://www.redrocknews.com/2024/12/11/ycc-president-attempts-to-seize-control-from-board/

TEN STUDENTS CELEBRATE COMPLETION OF RIGOROUS PARAMEDIC TRAINING PROGRAM

They  now return to serving their local communities as certified paramedics

In a news release dated December 16, 2024, Yavapai Community College (YCC) announced that ten paramedics have successfully completed the College’s rigorous training program and are now certified to serve their local communities. Many of the graduates are already affiliated with first-responder agencies such as the Prescott Fire Department, the Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority, the Copper Canyon Fire District, and the Groom Creek and Cottonwood Fire Departments.

Dr. Chris Lampe, an emergency room physician and Yavapai Community College’s EMS Medical Program Director, praised the graduates for their dedication and perseverance. “You completed a very difficult course while balancing full-time jobs and family responsibilities—that’s truly commendable,” said Dr. Lampe.

The graduates are part of Yavapai Community College’s Emergency Medical Services (EMS) training program. EMS is a coordinated system that provides skilled pre-hospital care to individuals in emergency situations. While EMS is often recognized for its vehicles, helicopters, and frontline workforce, it represents far more than transportation to the hospital. It is an integrated system of emergency medical response that involves numerous highly trained professionals and agencies, prepared to handle any type of emergency, whether or not hospital transport is required.

Yavapai Community College offers four distinct pathways for students seeking to join the EMS field:

  • Associate of Applied Science in Paramedicine
  • Paramedicine Certificate
  • Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Certificate
  • Community Health/Critical Care Paramedic Certificate

YAVAPAI COMMUNITY COLLEGE GOVERNING BOARD WELCOMES PATRICK KUYKENDALL TO REPRESENT DISTRICT 4

Deep roots in the community and decades of leadership and service experience

Patrick Kukendall

The Yavapai County Superintendent of Schools Tim Carter announced in a press release December 18  the appointment of Mr. Patrick Kuykendall to the Yavapai Community College District Governing Board. He will  represent District 4, which includes: North Prescott, Williamson Valley, Chino Valley, Paulden, Ash Fork, and Seligman.

Mr. Kuykendall is a lifelong resident of Prescott. He attended the Prescott Unified School District and graduated from Prescott High School. His father, a dedicated public servant, served multiple terms on the Prescott City Council and as Mayor from 2009 to 2016.

Mr. Kuykendall began his service to the nation by entering active duty with the U.S. Army in 1983, serving a four-year term. He later dedicated an additional 18 years to the Arizona Army National Guard, including a combat deployment in support of the Gulf War/Desert Storm. He retired from the military in 2005 with the rank of E-8, First Sergeant.

Following his military career, Mr. Kuykendall served as Executive Director of the California Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve under the United States Department of Defense. In 2016, he transitioned to working with the State of Arizona’s Department of Labor Jobs for Veterans State Grant program. His career continued with roles as the State Veterans Manager for Arizona and later as the Arizona Business Services Representative for Yavapai County. According to the press release, Mr. Kuykendall currently collaborates closely with the Yavapai Community College Regional Economic Development Center.

Mr. Kuykendall’s appointment follows the resignation of current District 4 Board Member Chris Kuknyo, effective December 31, 2024. Mr. Kuknyo will assume his new role as an elected member of the Yavapai County Board of Supervisors on January 1, 2025.

To fill the vacancy, County Education Superintendent Carter publicly posted the position and received applications from three qualified candidates prior to the deadline. Superintendent Carter relied on the support of a Candidate Review Committee composed of District 4 community members, including:

  • Craig Brown – County Supervisor and elected official for the area
  • Dan Burns – Taxpayer representative
  • Nicole Clower – Student representative
  • Megan Hanna – Faculty representative
  • Tyran Payne – Representative of economic development and first response entities

The committee reviewed candidate materials, prepared interview questions, and conducted evaluations, providing Superintendent Carter with its recommendations. Three finalists were interviewed on Monday, December 13, in Prescott, though one candidate later withdrew due to time commitment concerns.

Superintendent Carter further engaged the community by offering face-to-face meetings on March 16 in Prescott, as well as opportunities to communicate via phone or email. He consulted directly with current Yavapai Community College Governing Board members, college administration, and residents before finalizing the appointment. In his press release, Superintendent Carter expressed appreciation for the community’s participation and thoughtful feedback.

Mr. Kuykendall was officially sworn in at the Yavapai County Education Service Agency  on Tuesday, December 17, 2024. His term will conclude on December 31, 2026. Mr. Kuykendall has also indicated his intent to run for a full six-year term in the 2026 election cycle, which would commence in January 2027.

With his deep roots in the community and decades of leadership and service experience, Mr. Kuykendall appears well-positioned to contribute meaningfully to the Yavapai Community College Governing Board and District 4 residents.

THREE CANDIDATES COMPETE FOR YAVAPAI COLLEGE DISTRICT 4 GOVERNING BOARD SEAT

Citizens in District 4 may express their views to County Superintendent Tim Carter, who will make the appointment, by email at Tim.carter@yavapaiaz.gov, or meet personally for a 10-minute meeting between 9 am to 4 pm on Monday, December 16

There are three candidates vying to fill the remainder of outgoing District 4 Yavapai District Governing Board member Chris Kuknyo’s term, which expires December 31,2026. Their names were announced earlier this week.

Residents of District 4 can share their views with County Superintendent Tim Carter, who is responsible for making the appointment. They may email him at Tim.carter@yavapaiaz.gov or schedule a 10-minute in-person meeting on Monday, December 16, between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. at the Yavapai County Education Service Agency, located at 2970 Centerpointe East, Prescott, AZ 86301. Meetings will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis.

The three candidates, in alphabetical order are:

Mr. Alex Daniels of Chino Valley. Daniels is a 2017 graduate of Chino Valley High School. He holds an Associate of Arts degree in Cyber Security and Networking from Yavapai College. He completed his Bachelor of Applied Science degree at Northern Arizona University. He is an IT professional (Systems Engineer) for Yavapai County Government.

Mr. Henry Ebarb of Prescott. Henry is a 2005 graduate of Prescott High School. He also holds an Associate of Arts degree, in Business Administration and Management from Yavapai College and two Bachelor of Science degrees from Northern Arizona University, one in Music Theory and the other in Political Science. His Masters Degree is from the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Digital Marketing and Finance. He owns and operates several local businesses.

Mr. Patrick Kuykendall of Prescott. Kuykendall  is a 1983 graduate of Prescott High School. He entered the United States Army where he served four years and then another 18 years with the Arizona Army National Guard where he served a combat deployment in support of the Gulf War/Desert Storm. He retired in 2005 at the rank of E-8, First Sergeant. He has been serving veterans ever since, in several leadership roles.

Carter is expected to announce his decision on Wednesday, December 18.