Joseph K Giddens

89A reopens through Oak Creek Canyon

The Pocket Fire is 76% contained at 27,293 acres as of Monday, July 13, with 862 personnel. State Route 89A was reopened in both directions through Oak Creek Canyon, and the canyon, Seven Canyons and Enchantment Resort were downgraded...

City of Sedona to pay $34K in legal fees for Prop 403

In an order handed down June 22, Yavapai County Superior Court Judge John Napper ruled that the city of Sedona must pay $33,872.50 of the political action committee Save Sedona Committee's legal fees and $320.69 in costs. The city filed...

Fire, smoke kills tourism in Sedona

Businesses, city officials say Sedona is safe but brace for a rough month "Sedona's open for business" is the message the Greater Sedona Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau is sending to the world as the Pocket Fire has engulfed...

Pair powers Agua Prieta

Christensen and Romanska's site visit to Rancho Feliz turns into relief for families Tod Christensen, the Sedona and Prescott manager for Russ Lyon Sotheby's International Realty, trekked to Agua Prieta, Mexico, in April to present a $3,455 check to the...

City of Sedona creates its library of housing plans

Pre-approved architectural designs aim to cut costs and permitting time It's all going according to plan at the city of Sedona's Community Development Department, following the July 1 opening of its Verde Valley Housing Plan Library. The city put the...

City of Sedona unveils program to get subdivisions ‘Firewise’ status

'Fire Safe Sedona' aims to stabilize insurance rates due to region's higher-risk urban-wildland interface The Community Development Department unveiled its Fire Safe Sedona Program during the City Council meeting on June 23, during which council unanimously supported the program to...

Bliss’ bill turns soliciting sex into a felony

Laws target those who purchase prostitution Paying for sex is now a class 6 felony in Arizona following the signing of House Bill 2720, by Gov. Katie Hobbs on June 5. Prostitution will remain a misdemeanor under the legislation...

VSAR mourns Hajek, founder of its drone program

Sedona volunteer died June 18 while hiking trails Jerry Hajek Jr., 70, died on June 18, of natural causes doing what he loved: Hiking Sedona trails. Hajek was a member of the Verde Search and Rescue Posse volunteer auxiliary force...

Hobbs signs ‘Groseta Act’

Law honoring Cottonwood rancher requires labeling of lab-grown meat Where's the beef? A new Arizona law says that if it came from cultivated cells rather than slaughtered livestock, the package will have to say so. The "Andy Groseta Act," House Bill...

Kurt Harris hands off Sedona’s roads

Roxanne Holland takes over from retiring Public Works director Sedona Public Works Director Kurt Harris' last day was Wednesday, July 1, after handing over the city's infrastructure keys to current Director of Wastewater Roxanne Holland, who will jointly leading both...

About Me

Joseph K. Giddens grew up in southern Arizona and studied natural resources at the University of Arizona. He later joined the National Park Service in many different roles focusing on geoscience education throughout the West. Drawn to deep time and ancient landscapes he’s worked at: Dinosaur National Monument, Petrified Forest National Park, Badlands National Park and Saguaro National Park among several other public land sites. Prior to joining Sedona Red Rock News, he worked for several Tucson outlets as well as the Williams-Grand Canyon News and the Navajo-Hopi Observer. He frequently is reading historic issues of the Tombstone Epitaph newspaper and daydreaming about rockhounding. Contact him at jgiddens@larsonnewspapers.com or (928) 282-7795 ext. 122.
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