The Prescott area that most of us fell in love with has a community feel, not one of division or derision.

The case for fully reopening the state of Arizona and its 15 counties from COVID-19 restrictions is at a standstill, yet got a shot in the arm from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday, Oct. 9.

It is a silent affliction. It even comes with a stigma — people being afraid or reluctant to admit it is or has been a problem for them or someone they know.

This editorial is a shout out to Kind Defined, a local nonprofit community organization quietly striving to make a difference that’s perhaps needed now more than ever in many of our lives, especially for our children.

Extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures. That appears to be the mantra for the City of Prescott during the coronavirus pandemic, which is not over yet.

Arizona is by no means out of the woods in its war against the COVID-19 pandemic. But, there is growing evidence we are winning a key important battle. We have slowed the rate of virus infections, the long-desired goal of flattening the curve. Six months into the pandemic, Arizona’s data collection has made a few things perfectly clear.

Elections in America have come a long way since 1858. That is when Abraham Lincoln was challenging Stephen Douglas for the U.S. Senate seat from Illinois.

In recent days a post has been circulating on local social media pages that reveals an ugly reality — that there are hateful racists living among us in the Quad Cities.

Today, The Daily Courier Editorial Board is making its Primary Election recommendations.

When one considers our communities’ safety, and a threat to our very lives, what comes to mind? COVID-19, right?

Nearly every morning for many years a woman sits down and sends us a string of electronic hate mail. It’s not only hate mail about the newspaper staff, it’s also hate mail about many, many things.

Gov. Doug Ducey’s decision Wednesday to provide Arizona cities and counties with the power necessary to require people to wear masks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 (coronavirus) is a step in the right direction.

Last week, Gov. Doug Ducey announced that the state will not require residents to wear masks in public, and from the reactions we’ve seen on social media and through comments sent to the Courier it appears a good many people agree with him.

As our communities grow — consider: traffic congestion, overcrowded schools, nonprofits needing volunteers, law enforcement and rescues, and more — these challenges receive help from local, state and federal governments … or not.

Today is for mom.

We want to take a moment to express our sincerest thanks to you, our customers, who continue to read The Daily Courier. We especially want to thank the more than 1,000 readers who have donated money to help us continue reporting at a time when our supporting local businesses are closed down or operating on modified business models and are unable to advertise.

State lawmakers are debating whether to return to work or not, and wildland firefighters are eying the upcoming fire season, while the National Forest Service has already banned campfires.

Prescott Newspapers, Inc. — home of The Daily Courier, Prescott Valley Tribune and Chino Valley Review — is not immune to the challenges that the coronavirus pandemic has brought on our local economy.

As we forge ahead through untested waters amid the coronavirus pandemic, it is heartening to learn about the lengths to which some entities and residents are going to get their jobs done.

Imagine that you lead an active organization. Your organization has an important event scheduled for April 5.

As the counts of the coronavirus (COVID-19) have been increasing across the earth, it was inevitable that it would come to Yavapai County.

Now is the time for our communities to show their courage and resolution.

Mary Newton, who is from Prescott, is living a challenge: Keeping her 9-year-old child busy and safe while our schools are closed.

A bill given preliminary approval at the state House earlier this week that makes it a Class 3 misdemeanor for a pedestrian to be in a median “for any purpose other than to cross the street” may have good intentions, but the consequences are a bit stiff.

Everyone wants fair elections, and everyone wants equal representation at the polls.

HB2808, approved by the House Judiciary Committee last Wednesday, is a good start toward sentencing reform in Arizona.

It is a sad state of affairs that every Nov. 7 we now could be recognizing Victims of Communism Memorial Day.

Those who visit Prescott have many fine options when it comes to places to spend the night.

To hear it from some lawmakers, the state has too much money; they want to give a bit back to taxpayers.

The Arizona House gave preliminary approval this past week to legislation that would end “social promotions” in schools and hold students back if they don’t meet required criteria.

Some would call it a teenage prank. We call it criminal.

The State of Arizona is looking to tout the Grand Canyon, among six iconic landscapes that will appear on new signs welcoming visitors to the state.

The barking by a nearby dog may seem nonstop. It wakes you or keeps “the Sandman” from visiting.

It is not every day we get a U.S. senator to visit the Town of Prescott Valley, especially for a fact-finding tour. That is what happened Nov. 22 in the form of Sen. Martha McSally checking out the post office.

It is cold out there, and the area’s church congregations and nonprofits want to help the least among us.

With the 2020 Census just around the corner, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the U.S. Census Bureau are teaming up to help quad-city residents guard against potential census scams.

With 2020 just around the corner, we’re all trying to decide what type of health coverage we’d like to have in the next calendar year.

With five of the six schools in the Prescott Unified School District at least maintaining, if not improving, their letter grade scores from the Arizona Department of Education’s recent report, one in particular stood out among the rest.

Let’s forget for a second about whether people should have access to marijuana for medical purposes or whether the drug should be legalized. What the Arizona Department of Health Services is doing – moving on Dec. 1 to digital-only medical marijuana cards – is wrong.

We are glad City of Prescott leaders have delayed action on a controversial part of their proposed water-policy changes.

Fixing the education system in Arizona still is top-of-mind for state officials; however, the actual solution remains elusive.

Gov. Ducey won’t criticize the rates being charged by Arizona Public Service (APS), the state’s largest electric company, knowing that 8% of its residential customers could not pay their bills this past summer and that they are reportedly paying more than the 2017 rate increase allows.

It is the kind of event residents love — hay rides, tractor pulls and a show, a pumpkin patch and corn maze.

Beyond the weather, if two seasons exist each year in the Prescott area they are prescribed burns and roadwork.

The Arizona Corporation Commission reviewed a drafted plan earlier this week that would block electric companies from shutting off their customer’s power if forecasted temperatures over the next five days were expected to rise above 105 degrees.

They are called smartphones. From time to time, when you call up the Weather app, it gives all of the information you want.

State lawmakers know Gov. Doug Ducey usually holds firm with his “find another way” stance when it comes to raising taxes.

Goodyear on Monday, Sept. 23, joined two other cities in Arizona acting on vaping. Tempe and Cottonwood are also working to protect our youth.

The state of education has it that still one in five classroom vacancies remain to be filled, and Arizona schools started this year with more openings than last year as more teachers chose to leave the classroom.

The Town of Prescott Valley has a new police chief.

Election season is upon us. In accordance with an established tradition of fair play, the Courier handles letters to the editor and talks of the town a little differently during election season.

Change is inevitable; however, some changes are regrettable.

Today, in accordance with an established tradition of fair play, The Daily Courier has published the majority of the remaining letters we’ve received on direct campaign issues.

Every four years Arizona cities and towns must go before voters and ask them permission to do their jobs.

The Prescott City Council continues to discuss the need to implement a business license program.

A mob mentality seems to be sweeping the nation as political rabble-rousers and hate-mongers do their best to stir deep-seated religious and racial bigotry that heretofore has been hidden deep within the souls of many otherwise decent Americans.