"Flagstaff Historic Home Saved, City Council Considers Tax Increases, and Local Election Updates"

Good morning, this is your Flagstaff Local Frequency for Tuesday, May 20, 2025. Big news for historic preservation in Flagstaff as the May Hicks Curtis House has been saved from demolition. The home, which belonged to May Hicks, known as the "Betsy Ross of Arizona" who sewed the first Arizona flag in 1911, was relocated last week after being slated for demolition to make way for apartments. City officials say they're still determining the final location for this historic treasure, with possibilities including a city park or returning it to the Southside neighborhood. The house has even made the National Trust for Historic Preservation's 2025 list of America's 11 Most Endangered Historic Places. Today marks an important day for local governance as the Flagstaff City Council will hold their second reading of an ordinance to increase the Use Tax rate from 2.281% to 2.486%, matching the local transaction privilege tax rate. This meeting follows their initial discussion on May 6th and is part of broader tax changes coming to Flagstaff. Starting July 1st, the transit tax will increase from 0.0295% to 0.0500%, extending through June 30, 2040, following voter approval of Proposition 488 in last November's election. If you're planning to travel today, be aware that US Highway 89 has lane closures scheduled for today following work that began yesterday. Plan your commute accordingly to avoid delays. It's also Election Day across Arizona, with polls open until this evening. The Arizona Secretary of State's office will begin canvassing the returns in six days, following the Memorial Day holiday on Monday. On the emergency management front, officials continue to monitor the situation with the Sandy Fire near Mt. Elden that was reported on May 11th, as well as the Club Fire reported on May 10th. While both incidents were classified as priority alerts, no evacuation orders are currently in effect for Flagstaff residents. In a piece of good news from the weekend, authorities report that a vulnerable child who was reported missing has been found safe and sound. This has been Flagstaff Local Frequency. We'll see you tomorrow with more local updates. This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.