Even with cancelations and postponements of many activities in the greater community, the Prescott Downtown Partnership (PDP) has managed to support and organize several events around the popular Courthouse Plaza. Much is the result of the determination of the new executive director, MJ Smith. Smith assumed that role in early April after longtime resident Kendall Jaspers retired from the position. Smith praised Jaspers for his passion for Prescott and all he had achieved and initiated during … [Read more...] about Prescott Downtown Partnership Has New Executive Director
Community Profile
Clydene Dechert Summons Summer Music on the Square
Music lovers from throughout the Quad Cities are looking forward to another season of rousing band music, especially after having been cooped up for the past three months because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Ready to strike the downbeat to open her 23rd season, Clydene Dechert will wave her baton to coax the music out of the talented musicians of the Central Arizona Concert Band (CACB). “I think people throughout the greater community are going to be ready for some lively music,” she said. … [Read more...] about Clydene Dechert Summons Summer Music on the Square
Behind the Mask
Love of this community inspires Marla E. Jirak, Ph.D., to spend evenings at her sewing machine stitching colorful facemasks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. Her labor of love so far has produced more than 300 masks and generated more than $1,000 for the Yavapai Community Food Bank. She also supplied free masks through a special donor to staff at Prescott’s Arizona Pioneers’ Home. “There’s not a thing I have not sewn,” said Jirak, an expert seamstress and former sewing methods engineer … [Read more...] about Behind the Mask
Country Doctor Celebrates a Lifetime of Memories in Northern Arizona
For decades, retired physician and cattle rancher George Yard and his wife, Sharon, a nurse, have impacted the medical, educational and agricultural fields of both Yavapai and Coconino Counties, directly and indirectly. Though both had their primary careers in hospital medicine in Coconino County, they nevertheless owned and operated a large cattle ranch Yavapai County, just east of Paulden and west of Perkinsville. For 25 years, beginning in 1991, the Yards managed the Y Bar D Ranch and … [Read more...] about Country Doctor Celebrates a Lifetime of Memories in Northern Arizona
Top Brewmaster Concocting Winning Craft Beers for Prescott and Beyond
Travis Smith almost let his dream of making beer professionally go down the drain. But he permanently abandoned a law enforcement career in a move that ended up eventually helping him earn recognition as one of the top brewmasters in the nation. In 2019, Smith became became brewmaster of Prescott’s LazyG Brewhouse ahead of its grand opening in August. He quickly went to work in a brew pub that offers customers a broad range of styles, from original IPAs to lighter, crisper beers. LazyG … [Read more...] about Top Brewmaster Concocting Winning Craft Beers for Prescott and Beyond
Medical Entrepreneur Opens Aesthetics and Wellness Business
Entrepreneur Phil Schafer, an experienced Prescott acute care and family nurse practitioner, recently opened his own business called Tri-City Aesthetics and Wellness, located at 212 S. Montezuma St, Suite 1. The medically trained, certified owner said, “Demand is beyond expectations for Botox and dermal fillers.” He adds his firm will specialize in helping people feel better about themselves. Schafer said, “We do this by providing top-notch, client-focused aesthetic services in a … [Read more...] about Medical Entrepreneur Opens Aesthetics and Wellness Business
Former Green Beret Tackling Jail Issues
The coming weeks and months will be demanding and intense, says Yavapai County Board of Supervisors Chair Craig Brown. Requests continue to come in for more services and facilities. That, he says, coupled with what looks to be an aggressive political year, will heat up the governmental landscape. “The major issue we supervisors will face in the next month is looking toward the estimated $70 million bond issue to pay for a new jail in Prescott. Some have said we need to spend more, but I am … [Read more...] about Former Green Beret Tackling Jail Issues
Grand Canyon Saddle Maker Enjoying the Ride
Across from the Xanterra South Rim is a mule barn sitting on an inconspicuous lot at the Grand Canyon Village. The historic building was a blacksmith’s shop. Inside, the old wooden floors show their age, while the aroma of worked leather and mules give away its purpose. This is Joe Marshall’s territory: the Saddle Maker’s shop. Neatly arranged are leather straps and scraps, saddles, tools, machinery, a bottle of soda and a bag of chips. Like a Western Santa in his workshop, Marshall … [Read more...] about Grand Canyon Saddle Maker Enjoying the Ride
PJ Connolly Scouts the Southwest for Picture Perfect Scenery
It is always fun when you know someone who “knows someone,” and PJ Connolly has known and worked for a lot of famous someones in Flagstaff and the Four Corners region. That is because it is the nature of the entertainment industry and his business, Locations Southwest and Production Services (LSW). Whether it is a commercial for Ford Motor Company, a feature film like “Guardians of the Galaxy,” or special projects like Will Smith celebrating his 50th birthday by bungee jumping out of a … [Read more...] about PJ Connolly Scouts the Southwest for Picture Perfect Scenery
A Legacy of Giving Back
Learning that Jim and Linda Lee had been named the 2019 Philanthropists of the Year by the Arizona Community Foundation of Yavapai County was not a big surprise to those who have lived in the Quad Cities area for any length of time. For decades, the Lees have been major contributors to a diverse number of groups, organizations and individuals who benefit the greater region and, in some cases, the state. At the same time, the Lees have never sought honors or recognition for what they do as … [Read more...] about A Legacy of Giving Back