It’s easy to understand why conversations have centered on health care in recent years.

• THANKS – I am very thankful this year.

There comes a time in one’s life when change seems to happen more and more.

Across the country, newspaper endorsements are fading away as prizes to be nabbed by political campaigns and an effort by the media to share insights with readers.

We hear about scams at the newspaper, mostly in which someone calls or contacts you.

I hope you have read with interest our series about “forever chemicals” found in area wells. It concludes Sunday, Oct. 30, with coverage about what you can do ...

While we’re still wondering how much more the City of Prescott will go over budget on the new city hall, the City Council this week picked a local architect, Doug Stroh, to redevelop the old city hall site. It is quite the project, topping out at five stories and mixed use throughout (hotel, apartments, businesses, restaurants, etc.).

Readers have been making allegations of late concerning my stance(s), as well as those of the Courier Editorial Board, on the General Election and the candidates.

A lot of misinformation is floating about concerning teachers and Prescott-area school districts.

The Friday Catchall: • APARTMENTS – Residents of a local subdivision went before the Prescott City Council this week, urging the city not to approve too many apartment complexes.

• REALLY? – Just a few thoughts, while cleaning out my mind this week.

On Thursday, we published an article submitted by the Oath Keepers of Chino Valley. It announced that Sheriff David Rhodes would be speaking to the group, and touted what the group stands for and does in the community.

The City of Prescott conducts a lot of events, and their mobile stage – for which they’ve done more than 500 events – is deteriorating.

It started Monday morning, Aug. 8, with a text message: “Happy BIRTHDAY to you Tim. Have a Wonderful Day. Love You, Mom.”

Did you vote? Seriously, mail-in ballot, early voting or at the polls? The people I have spoken with about politics since Primary Election Day, Aug. 2, say either they did vote or, no, they don’t believe in it (the system is broken).

The Republican Party is fractured, folks. I am not referring to the GOP’s “left” or “middle” versus the “far right,” per se, but the more easily seen lineup of Mike Pence versus Donald Trump.

I hear frequently people asking – even screaming from the rooftops! – “We don’t have enough water for these developments.”

A Courier reader sent me a message about the resignations of County Recorder Leslie Hoffman and Elections Director Lynn Constabile: “If it is too hot, get out of the kitchen.” I think some people are missing the point here.

Among my many emails this week were some declaring Arizona being “on the cutting edge of school choice in the nation.” Like so many other things, it’s true — from a certain perspective.

I’d love to be a famous novelist, but I don’t trust well enough that I can do it.

In the realm of health care competition, some things are afoot in the Prescott area – if you look at the bigger picture.

It’s been a tough week, folks, with a lot on my mind. Losing a sibling is very hard, losing a parent seems even worse.

I think our society is kidding itself, more like we’re living where what we see and who we talk to is our “world.”

This week I received some emails from folks wondering where their license plate refund is. Yes, money.

Earlier this week I took a break to walk over to the intersection of Highway 69 and Robert Road. Demolition crews were tearing down the old Circle K there and I needed a photo; it had stood vacant for about two years.

Another wildland fire, more lessons learned. Let’s count the ways:

• BUSY BUSY – As we all pray for a little less wind this week, and that the Crooks Fire south of Prescott comes to a quick end without harm or destruction (and let’s say, that it stays “south”), consider the amount of information we have at our fingertips.

I have watched with interest, it was cringing worthy each time, the developments involving a certain trial on the East Coast over the past three weeks.

We have all heard about the Great Resignation, which is a phenomenon thanks to the pandemic — an ongoing economic trend in which employees have voluntarily resigned from their jobs en masse, beginning in early 2021.

OK, so most of us have seen or heard about actor Will Smith slapping emcee Chris Rock at the Oscars on stage this past weekend.

It was not what the Prescott City Council wanted: a new name for the Centennial Center with hitches.

• GASOLINE — It was like stepping from a time machine — coming out of the mountains last weekend to see a whole new world.