PRESCOTT - The Yavapai County Board of Supervisors Monday plans to discuss setting a future hearing date for a Development Services’ “permit amnesty program.”

It plans also to discuss the county’s economic condition and payment plan for construction projects and could vote on a five-year road plan.

A permit amnesty program would allow homeowners and property owners that built a building or addition without a permit, or bought something built without a permit, to apply for the required permits without having to pay a penalty. It would not waive the cost of any permits, but would for a period of time save the applicant from paying a fine, Land Use Manager Steve Mauk said.

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The April/May 2009 issue of American Cowboy Magazine lists Prescott as one of the Best 20 Places to Live in the West.

The magazine writes of Prescott, “Most of the downtown buildings are on the National Register of Historic Places, including Whiskey Row, once home to 40 saloons - including The Palace, frequented by Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday and Virgil Earp, among others.”

The magazine continues, “Prescott is home to the ‘World’s Oldest Rodeo,’ which dates back to 1888. Wild West traditions are celebrated at the Folk Arts Fair in June and the Arizona Cowboy Poets Gathering in August. Great trail rides and campsites await nearby at Prescott National Forest.”

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The local showing of Lunafest, the fundraising film festival dedicated to promoting awareness about women’s issues, highlighting women filmmakers, and bringing women together in their communities, will take place for the third year at the Elks Opera House in Prescott, AZ on Friday, March 6th, 2009.This unique film festival will highlight women as leaders in society, illustrated through ten films by women filmmakers. The films range from animated shorts to fictional drama, and cover topics such as women’s health, body image, spirituality, relationships, cultural diversity, and breaking barriers.

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PRESCOTT

Karate Classes

The City of Prescott Parks and Recreation is offering a family-oriented karate class suitable for ages five and up, held 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. every Monday and Wednesday at Miller Valley School. Cost is $40 per month and uniforms are required (not included in the cost). Classes are ongoing month to month, allowing for advancement. Register at the Recreation office at 824 E. Gurley St.

Acker Trust Grant

The City of Prescott is now accepting grant applications from eligible non-profit organizations that promote “music and parks, especially for the children of Prescott,” for funding for fiscal year 2010 (July 1, 2009, to June 30, 2010). Application deadline is Feb. 27. Download an application from www.cityofprescott.net/services/parks/admin or pick one up at the Parks and Recreation office, 824 E. Gurley. Call 777-1552 for more information.

Yoga with Becky Lind

The City of Prescott is sponsoring yoga classes by certified instructor Becky Lind. All levels are invited to participate in this activity that is practiced to develop strength and flexibility, and to reduce stress. Classes are scheduled from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays through March at the Grace Sparkes Community Center, 824 E. Gurley. Cost is $20 for February and $35 for March. Call 777-1122 for more information.

Scrapbook Night

Learn new ways and creative ideas to organize pictures and mementoes. This workshop event is 6 to midnight Saturday, Feb. 28, at the Grace Sparkes Activity Center. Cost is $10 and includes a techniques handout and scrapbook supply giveaways. Participants should bring items such as photos, paper and stickers. Register at the activity center, 824 E. Gurley, or call 925-3801.

PRESCOTT VALLEY

Bark in the Park

Prescott Valley Parks and Recreation will hold this dog activity event 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, April 25, at the Civic Center. Events include canine demonstrations in fly ball, herding, obedience, frisbee, freestyle, rescue, agility and clicker. For more information or to register, visit www.qccrfl.com or call 759-3090.

Acronastics

Prescott Valley Parks and Recreation is offering this program in tumbling, gymnastics, pyramids, strength and flexibility training with an emphasis in sports acrobatics for kids ages 8 and older, all levels. Sessions will be in the Glassford Hill Middle School gymnasium Mondays, 7 to 8 p.m. for beginners, 7:30 to 9 p.m. for intermediate and advanced, March 6 - 26. Cost is $20 for the four-class session. Register at the Grace Sparkes Community Center, 824 E. Gurley, or call 777-1122 for more information.

Hiking Beyond 50

The Prescott Valley Public Library and the Central Arizona Senior Association are offering a workshop for seniors by Ted Johnson, who has hiked the southwestern wilderness since 1975. The group explores age-appropriate destinations and discusses how to prepare, what to take, and what to do when an unexpected problem turns into an overnight ordeal. Hikes are scheduled the last Saturday of each month through April. The next hike is 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 28 and is a four-mile trek in the Agua Fria stream bed. Call 759-3090 for more information.

Youth Arts Month

The Town of Prescott Valley will collect and display works of art from artists in grades K through 12 in the Civic Center. Media on display will include drawings, paintings, sculptures, photography, watercolor, printmaking and more, from March 1 - 30. The celebration will culminate with the Family Arts Festival, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 28. Call 759-3123 for more information.

Sample of French

Prescott Valley Parks and Recreation is offering French language classes instructed by Nadia Clark. Clark will instruct a five-class session for beginners and an advanced class for ages 16 and older. The one-hour beginning-level class is 6 to 7 p.m. Thursdays at the Bradshaw Mountain High School west campus, room D206. The advanced class is offered the same dates from 7:15 to 8:15 p.m. Dates for Session III are April 2, 9, 16, 23 and 30. Cost is $30. Register at the Parks and Recreation office, fourth floor, 7501 E. Civic Circle. Call 759-3090 for more information.

CHINO VALLEY

Free Tax Help

AARP sponsors free tax help at the Chino Valley Senior Center 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Tuesday through April 14. No appointment necessary.

Game Nights

Play poker, scrabble and other games or bring your own to the Recreation Activity Center, 1527 N. Rd. 1 E., 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesdays. Call 636-9780 for more information.

Square Dancing Lessons

Chino Valley Recreation is sponsoring square-dancing lessons 6 to 8 p.m. Fridays at the Recreation Activity Center, 1527 N. Rd. 1 E. Cost is $3 per person or $5 per couple. Call 636-9114 for more information.

Sculpt and Tone Class

Chino Valley offers this class at the Recreation Activity Center 9 to 10 a.m. Mondays and Wednesdays beginning in March. Cost is $3 per class. Pre-registration is required. Call 636-0162 for more information.

Youth and Adult Dance Classes

The Academy of Performing Arts will present classes in jazz, hip-hop, ballet and creative movement 3:30 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays. Cost is $45 per class with a $25 registration fee. Call 636-2007 to register or visit www.apaprescott.com.

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Strives to bring levels into compliance

PRESCOTT - Even though the real estate market is in a slump, the Yavapai County Assessor’s Office raised the full cash value (FCV) on some commercial property owners, while at the same time lowering the FCV on residential property.

“We went up on commercial values in some areas because we have been historically too low,” County Assessor Pam Pearsall said. “Commercial properties have been selling higher than their assessed value, and the Department of Revenue told us to bring the values into compliance.”

Treasurers use the assessor’s 2010 value to calculate property owners’ 2010 tax bills.

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Like all Arizona cities, Prescott is being challenged by steep reductions in three major sources of revenue: sales tax, development fees, and payments from the State. Anticipating even less revenue in the next year, the City has effected additional employee layoffs, bringing total reductions to 9% of the labor force over the past 14 months through a combination of attrition, retirements, and in some areas, layoffs.City Manager, Steve Norwood terms the result “right-sizing”—instituting shifts in organization and methods to fit the times.  “We’ve gone through the City’s budget, line-item by line-item, department by department, identifying and eliminating both underperforming programs and those available elsewhere in the community.”

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PRESCOTT - The long-awaited contract between the city and the Prescott Community Access Channel will be among the issues the City Council will deal with this week.

The council will conduct its regular voting session at 3 p.m. Tuesday, at Prescott City Hall, 201 S. Cortez St.

On its voting agenda will be the consideration of the city-PCAC agreement that has been under consideration for months.

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Feb. 21, 2008

The Prescott City Council heard a proposal for the purchase of 3.5 acres of Arizona State Trust land east of Stringfield Ranch and north of Pioneer Park that help fill in some of the gaps that exist in the Circle Trail around Prescott.

Feb. 21, 2004 Arizona Department of Public Safety District 12, which covers most of Yavapai County, had five patrol vacancies, making it difficult for DPS to carry out its functions. DPS officials blamed the vacancies on law wages.

Feb. 21, 1999

Arizona Children First, a child advocacy group, called upon Arizona legislators to reduce K-3 classes to 18 students or less. The advocacy group maintained that children across the state were not learning effectively because large class sizes limit individual attention.

Feb. 21, 1984

Officials from the Arizona Department of Health Services, Yavapai Community Hospital and members of the Prescott City Council planned to discuss the status of the City of Prescott’s Intermediate Emergency Medical Technician program at a forum at Prescott College.

Feb. 21,1959

“The men and boys of St. Luke’s Episcopal congregation are being sent invitations this week to be present at the annual Washington’s Birthday Sunday corporate Holy Communion at 8 a.m. Sunday, Feb. 22.”

Feb. 21,1934

“‘Adequate and ample’ are the terms applied to the facilities of the Prescott public schools against fire hazard, according to a report received today the board of trustees from G. K. Evarts of the Tri-State Safety Engineering Service, in connection with a survey he made of the schools at the request of the board.”

Feb. 21,1909

“Five dollars reward will be paid for information leading to the arrest of any person stealing the Journal-Miner from the doorsteps or yards of subscribers.”

Feb. 21, 1884

“Several taxpayers have requested us to ask school officials for a statement.”

Antelope Hills is a public golf course operated by the City of Prescott, Arizona. Designed by Gary Panks, The South Course features open fairways, generous mounding, large undulating greens and a very panoramic views of the surrounding mountains and granite rock formations.

At 5,000 feet in elevation, Antelope Hills makes for a great escape from the summer valley heat. Temperatures can average 15 to 20 degrees cooler than the Phoenix area. For those who would like to fly in and play a round of golf, Antelope Hills is located next to Prescott Municipal Airport (Ernest A. Love Field).

Antelope Hills hosts over 200 tournaments and events annually. Among the list of tournaments are the Arizona Golf Association’s Father & Son, Northern Arizona Amateur, Arizona State Boys Championship, Southwest Section PGA State Junior Championship, Smoki Amateur and the M.S. Charity tournament.

With two beautiful courses, outstanding weather and wonderful food and beverage from our Manzanita Grille, Antelope Hills is the perfect destination for your next tournament or outing. Please contact our tournament director at 928-777-1882 for information on holding your next tournament, event or outing at Antelope Hills.