
Editorial: Rep. Stringer badly misses mark on ‘apology tour’
Prescott Rep. David Stringer went on the road last week to mend some fences.

Editorial: Residency requirement for town marshal comes back to haunt Camp Verde council
The common sentiment in Camp Verde right now is that the answer to what he should do about the Camp Verde town marshal vacancy is staring Town Manager Russ Martin right in the face.

Editorial: Douglas needs to take lead from local leaders on teacher walkout
Fortunately, she does not seem to have much support on the Arizona Board of Education, but State Superintendent of Public Instruction Diane Douglas’ zeal for disciplining teachers who participated in last spring’s state teacher walkout is troubling nonetheless.

Editorial: Separating children from families proves America’s moral compass askew
In an era of political divisiveness as wide as the Grand Canyon, there is one point on which many Democrats and Republicans alike agree. The current practice of separating children from their families to enforce U.S. immigration policies is morally wrong.
Editorial: No real bite in laws designed to protect animals from being left in locked cars
Three police calls in two days last week concerning dogs left in locked cars in 100-degree heat proves two things: • You cannot legislate common sense. • The laws addressing such acts are inadequate.

Editorial: Where can members of Congress live?
The fervor seems to never stop over the people who we as Americans have sent to Washington, D.C., to represent us. At a basic level, concerns about exactly where they live continues with each passing election cycle.

Lack of volunteers not a problem unique to Jerome
The talk of getting rid of all of Jerome’s advisory boards and commissions is a sign of the times.

Editorial: Carter’s office should shy away from Verde Valley offers of help on school district consolidation
Memo to Yavapai County Superintendent of Schools Tim Carter: Just say, “No thank you.”

Editorial: Water quality reporting a black eye for city, but problem resolved seven months ago
There are a lot of “would’ve, should’ve, could’ve” laments this week at Cottonwood City Hall following the revelations about careless, sloppy perhaps even fraudulent documentation of the water quality delivered by the city.

Editorial: Take a ‘moment’ to remember war dead
Try to fathom the number of men and women who have died fighting our nation’s enemies over the centuries. It’s overwhelming. It’s stunning. It’s certainly worth a moment of our time.

Editorial: 2018 political landscape taking shape in Verde Valley
The final touches on the picture will not be complete until 5 p.m. May 30, but the landscape of the 2018 Verde Valley political season already is taking shape.

Editorial: Much can change before sales tax hike becomes official
For those still not convinced the Cottonwood City Council is acting in your best interests by raising the municipal sales tax a half-cent on the dollar, rest assured that there is still plenty of time to make your voice heard on this one.

Editorial: Taxation issues front and center in Verde Valley this week
Your money was in the political bulls-eye this week.

Editorial: City’s sales tax debate becomes theater of unexpected
Cottonwood City Hall became the theater of the unexpected this past week. People were showing up to City Council meetings begging that their taxes be raised. They were waving signs and actually cheerleading the idea of an increase in the city’s sales tax levy.

Editorial: Private, public partnerships needed to make special events in Camp Verde successful
With lagging volunteerism prompting the plug to be pulled on this year’s Camp Verde Cornfest, the community’s attention is now focused on the town’s longest-running weekend event: Fort Verde Days.

Editorial: Planned teacher walkout a call to end empty promises of state lawmakers
The problem with the way the state funds Arizona’s classrooms has been a constant source of contention between Arizona lawmakers and the state’s education community for well over a decade now.

Editorial: Groseta is wearing a good poker face; let’s see what cards he is holding
Groseta isn’t blinking as he awaits the final card to be dealt his way. That card involves the successful passage of Senate Bill 1254, a “striker bill” introduced late in this legislative session.

Editorial: All eyes on Beaver Creek as tiny district looks to expand to K-12 school system
The latest wrinkle in Verde Valley school district consolidation discussions very well may be happening across the Valley in the tiny Beaver Creek School District.

Editorial: By taking a step down, Nancy Erickson has never stood taller
OK, hands down, no doubt, the Verde Valley hero of the week is Nancy Erickson. With the realignment of schools in the Cottonwood-Oak Creek District and school board approval of a principal-assistant principal model for the down-sized school system, Superintendent Steve King was left with the unpleasant job of having to demote one of two existing principals.

Editorial: Upper Verde school district consolidation debate finds its way to state capitol
Not since a citizen initiative in 1997 forced an election to consolidate the Upper Verde Valley’s three school districts into one has the community seen such serious discussion about the long-debated prospect of a marriage between the districts.

Commentary: Date for Easter a moving target, but message stands test of time
Easter is the most revered day in Christianity. It is the observance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Yet it is unique among holidays in that it has no set date on the calendar, other than a guarantee it will fall on a Sunday.

Editorial: Many questions remain concerning hazing at Mingus
There remains many questions concerning what was first reported as “an incident” on one of the Mingus Union High School athletic team buses.

Editorial: School closure debate was exercise in civil discourse with emphasis on civility
Closing down a school is usually a nightmare for a school board and its administration.

Editorial: Like consolidation and annexation, new city hall for Cottonwood a matter of all talk, no action
Fast forward five years and guess what? There wasn’t nearly as much resolve, consensus and determination as council members claimed was the case in 2013. For whatever reasons, the deal was never consummated and the city continued to do business at 827 N. Main St., along with 12 other city-owned properties in Cottonwood.

Editorial: Cottonwood-Oak Creek campus realignment a microcosm of school district consolidation
There are some interesting parallels between the perceived benefits of school district consolidation and the current movement by the Cottonwood-Oak Creek School District to merge two schools into one.
- Significant flooding throughout Verde Valley (with videos)
- Teen arrested for DUI following crash in Verde Village
- Floods on Verde, Oak Creek, Beaver Creek expected to peak into Friday
- Assault suspect leaves 3-year-old alone in running vehicle with drugs, alcohol
- Camp Verde man jailed on charges of sex exploitation of minor
- Silent Witness: $500 reward for Adam William Stevenson
- WHOSE WATER IS IT? Salt River Project explains historic rights, questionable rights, water certainty
- Flood forces breach of 105-year-old Clarkdale dam (with video)
- 5 places in the Verde Valley to take yourself on a date on Valentine’s Day
- Forecasts show more flooding along Oak Creek this week
- Significant flooding throughout Verde Valley (with videos)
- Flat-rate cash-pay medical practice opens in Cottonwood
- Cottonwood woman arrested in Old Town burglary
- Elderly man shoots self at Cottonwood Police building
- The Perfect Crime? Three years later, Cottonwood police, FBI stymied on $350,000 Cottonwood Bank of America burglary
- Cottonwood woman accused of stealing $7K-plus from Maverik store
- Teen arrested for DUI following crash in Verde Village
- Floods on Verde, Oak Creek, Beaver Creek expected to peak into Friday
- Detective accused of domestic violence back to work in ‘administrative role’
- Cottonwood PD: Officer discovers stolen Texas Camaro during traffic stop