American Rescue Plan Fact Sheet
March 17, 2021 - The White House released this American Rescue Plan fact sheet about the impacts in Arizona as well as the Plan's impact on health care costs and coverage, including examples of cost savings. View the American Rescue Plan for Arizona.
How to Stay Safe from COVID-19 this Spring
March 30, 2021 - A little more than one in six people in the United States or 15.6% of the population have been fully immunized. Arizona has administered over 3.3 million doses of vaccine, with 29.1% of the population receiving at least one dose of vaccine - Yavapai County is at 29.3%. Federal guidance on post-vaccination is still emerging, but at this point it has been deemed that fully vaccinated people can safely gather with other fully vaccinated people inside without masks is encouraging.
It hasn’t been determined how long the protection given by the existing COVID-19 vaccines lasts, or whether the vaccinated can still transmit the virus to the unvaccinated. Data so far suggests that these vaccines provide meaningful protection against more transmissible variants of the virus, but measures like wearing a mask and keeping a distance from others in public places will remain crucial to stop their spread in the first place. | PBS News “How to Stay Safe from COVID-19 this Summer"
Help your Neighbor Make an Appointment for the COVID-19 Vaccines
March 26, 2021 - Governor Ducey stated yesterday that distribution of vaccine is the best path to getting back to normal and thanked the millions of Arizonans who have rolled up their sleeves to make the rollout of the vaccine campaign successful.
With only 56.1% of Yavapai County’s population 65+ vaccinated, many community partners are stepping up to assist seniors in obtaining their vaccine – Spectrum Healthcare and YRMC have mobile units visiting homebound seniors, NACOG Area Agency on Aging has coordinated with Verde Valley Caregivers to help seniors with making appointments and transportation to and from their appointments.
Another valuable resource is the residents of our county who could encourage their friends and neighbors in finding the available appointments using the Yavapai County Vaccine Information page and booking the appointment for them. | March 26th Update
A Few Lessons Learned During the Pandemic
March 18, 2021 – This past year has been hard – for everyone. Here is a list of lessons learned during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Transparency
March 12, 2021 - As an elected official, transparency is a must. So is owning your actions. See Supervisor Michaels' letter to constituents dated March 12, 2021.
CDC Releases Guidance for Fully Vaccinated Americans
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines say people who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 may safely gather with small groups from other households without wearing mask or physical distancing, even if those people have not yet had their shots. The long-awaited guidelines loosen restrictions on how people can socialize. The guidance also notes that fully vaccinated people do not need to quarantine or be tested after exposure if exposed to the coronavirus if they have no symptoms. People are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after they have gotten the second shot of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines - or two weeks after receiving the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. | March 8 Update
Governor Ducey’s Executive Order Regarding Schools
In a news release from the Governor’s Office, Governor Ducey has been in discussions with public school leaders and based on new guidance from the Center for Disease Control Prevention (CDC), an Executive Order was issued to have schools return to in-person, teacher-led instruction. | March 4 Update
APS FAQ Oak Creek to McGuireville Reliability Project
Why is a new power line needed in this area? What are the benefits of this new power line? These questions, and several others, are answered in this APS Project FAQ.
Marking the One-Year Anniversary of the COVID-19 Pandemic
March 11, 2020 was the day the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus outbreak a worldwide pandemic. Dr. Anthony Fauci, Chief Medical Advisor, reflected on the past year in an interview on the Today show this morning. He expressed cautious optimism about what lies ahead for the rest of 2021. While the virus is “still very much circulating,” Dr. Fauci said there is indeed “light at the end of the tunnel as the vaccine rollout continues, but we’ve got to keep putting our foot to the pedal when it comes to public health measures.” He also urged the public to “at a minimum” keep wearing masks, adding that it’s indeed “risky” for state leaders to insist on prematurely reopening. | March 11 Update
Transitioning to 55+ Age Category
March 2, 2021 - In a press release by Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) yesterday, the state adopted a hybrid model for COVID-19 Vaccine Prioritization. Governor Doug Ducey and ADHS announced this new approach that provides Arizonans 55 and older eligibility along with the front-line essential workers to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. | March 2 Update
AZ Medicaid approves Payment for Rides to Vaccine Appointments for Seniors
AHCCCS will reimburse non-emergency medical transportation providers for driving eligible Medicaid members to and from their COVID-19 vaccination appointments, including reimbursement for time spent waiting during the drive-through vaccination process.” Eligible members can schedule non-emergency transportation to attend scheduled vaccine appointments through their health plan. | February 23 Update
Developer withdraws plans for 'glamping' project near Sedona’s Bear Mountain - for now
A California-based luxury lodging company has formally withdrawn its application to build a “glamping” site on an unused parcel of land near Sedona but left the door open to return with a revised plan. | azcentral.com article