Preparing for the holiday shopping season at Watters has been crazy this week.  It's the annual mad rush to harvest, ship, unload, and set up hundreds of various holiday plants, trees, and poinsettias.  Fully packed trucks hurriedly deliver trees, poinsettias, Christmas cactuses, amaryllises, fresh wreaths and garlands then run back to the farm and hurriedly reload for another trip.  It's a busy time, but exciting to feel the energy of the season charge each day! 

Next weekend is when most folks traditionally buy their Christmas trees, but before walking onto the lot they should know how to choose the freshest cut tree, what tree choices are available, and which trees will stay “fresh” through the New Year.

Something to know before buying a Christmas tree:  there are trees being sold that were cut months ago and were sprayed with artificial preservatives or soaked in lakes while waiting for their ship dates.  Farms using these techniques harvest and ship for the national retail chains.  If the tree looks like it has been cut weeks ago, it probably was. 

Stay away from trees displayed in the Arizona sun.  Our sun is so intense, the air so dry, that just a few days of standing in our mountain air makes a difference between a tree that will make it safely to Christmas and one that is a tinder box waiting to spontaneously burst into flames. 

Green needles leaping off the branch as your hand glides across the branch is never good; stay away from these trees no matter how fresh they look.  Fresh trees have green needles that will stay on the branches when touched. 

Not all trees are equal when it comes to freshness.  At Watters we sell three different varieties of Christmas trees.  In order of longest lasting freshness to the shortest -lived cut tree they are: Fraser fir, Nordmann fir, and Nobel fir.  Of course, shape, size, color, and texture all go into choosing a Christmas tree, but if you don't have a favorite tree already in mind, use this 3-tree freshness guide to make a decision. 

As all trees lose moisture they lose weight, so it stands to reason that the heaviest trees are the freshest trees.  If deciding between two trees, choose the heavier one. A heavy tree is still full of water within its branches.

A big trunk indicates a tree that lasts longer because it has a greater water-holding capacity.  The trunk of any tree is much like a cluster of straws glued together.  The capillaries store and move water up through the trunk. The larger the trunk, the more water-retaining straws there are, and the “fresher” your tree will be for the longest time.  The wider the trunk, the better; just make sure it will fit into your Christmas tree stand! 

Best Tree Stand not found on Amazon

Best Overall Christmas Tree Stand on Amazon

 
Krinner’s Tree Genie Deluxe L $79 on Amazon

4.7 stars, 1,430 reviews

This tree stand is equipped with an original cable operation and a fully automatic water level indicator that takes the guessing out of watering  the tree. Just place your tree on the spike in the opened stand, hold it straight while pumping the foot pedal until the claws firmly hold the trunk in place. Done! Made in Bavaria.

Best Christmas Tree Stands for Live Trees

Jack-Post Welded Steel Christmas Tree Stand $69 on Amazon

4.5 stars, 104 reviews

A nice heavy-duty stand. Many stands will not accommodate larger trunks, but this stand can support a huge tree trunk.  Construction is high quality, guaranteeing years of enjoyment.   The smaller water capacity is concerning, but you should be checking your water levels daily anyway.  A bit pricey, but it does what it's advertised to do!

 
Cinco C-148E Express Tree Stand $33 on Amazon

4.1 stars, 319 reviews

The push-pull ratchet mechanism of this stand makes tree set-up and take-down easy tasks. Three strong galvanized pins in the center of the stand's base help lock and centralize the tree before the final securing adjustment. A clean leather cloth finish is used on the stand together with a deep spill guard and reinforced screw holes. This stand should require no more than ten minutes to get a tree up and stabilized.

 
Good Tidings Emerald Innovations XTS3 Swivel Straight Tree Stand $65 on Amazon

4.1 stars, 164 reviews

The Swivel Straight tree stand allows you to set up a Christmas tree in three simple steps: clamp it, raise it, and swivel it straight! This stand is suitable for real trees up to 10 feet tall with trunks up to 5 inches wide. Large bolts make tightening screws easy. The water reservoir holds a puny 3.5 quarts of water, so the water level must be checked often. When the season is over, drain slots prevent messy spills during disassembly.  This stand will get the most crooked, messed-up tree straight in minutes. It's a Christmas miracle stand!

Best Rolling Christmas Tree Stand

TreeKeeper 29-Inch Rolling Tree Stand $60 on Amazon

4.3 stars, 55 reviews

An easy way to roll your artificial tree in and out of the garage, or just to make space in the living room by rolling the tree closer to the wall.  Four locking castors lock the tree in place. The stand raises your tree an additional 2.90 inches above the floor.  Ideal for those trees that need to be on the move. 

Best Rotating Christmas Tree Stand

Christmas Tree Stand Ez Rotate $130 on Amazon

4.2 stars, 195 reviews

Really made for artificial trees that rotate 360 degrees right in the stand.    The light plugs are built into the stand to keep wires from getting tangled.  Perfect for stringing lights or garlands; just stand in one place, turn on the rotating stand and let the lights wrap themselves!  The cost is a bit high, but worth the added motion and distinctive touch of style. 

Best Christmas Tree Stand for Small Trees

Good Tidings CNCC163 Cinco Tabletop Christmas Tree Stand $17 on Amazon

3.9 stars, 112 reviews

Designed to hold smaller tabletop trees with trunks under 3 inches wide. Spill guard prevents over-filling mishaps of the .75 gallon reservior.  A rust-proof spike secures the trunk. Quick turn plastic bolts and threaded posts make securing the trunk smooth.  Perfect for trees from the small to the tiny.

COMING SOON: Watch for our reviews on the best Christmas tree preservatives and tree bags.

Wilt Stop' guarantees a Christmas tree will “last” through the New Year. This clear spray is used to coat the needles with a festive sheen; but, more importantly, it prevents the tree from perspiring. If the tree doesn't lose moisture through its needles it will retain more water and stay “fresher” longer.  'Wilt Stop' is a must for trees in very dry homes and in rooms that are kept on the warmer side of their thermostats.  'Wilt Stop' is even more effective on fresh-cut wreaths, garlands, and swags.

'Tree Preservative' added to a stand's water basin really works!  It keeps a tree's pores open and allows for more water uptake into the tree. Stay away from adding sugar or carbonated drinks; they simply clog the tree’s system and reduce water absorption. Trees can “drink” over a pint of water each day, so check the water level daily and supply lukewarm water as needed. All the more reason to us a tree stand that holds a gallon or more of water. 

I hope that you e-readers will hit 'Share' so your friends/followers can have all this information and become Christmas tree expert buyers, too!    

Until next week, I’ll see you amongst the Christmas trees here at Watters Garden Center.  

Ken can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Rd in Prescott, or contacted through his web site at WattersGardenCenter.com  or  FB.com/WattersGardenCenter 

Ken Lain can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Rd in Prescott, or at his website WattersGardenCenter.com. Find us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/WattersGardenCenter

Watters Garden Center is a locally owned and operated garden center that specializes in providing avid gardeners and novices alike with the expertise and products to get things growing in the mountains of Arizona.

So, telemarketers have your phone number and they’re driving you crazy. What to do?

The first thing, according to a Reader’s Digest article, "I’m a Telemarketer - Here’s How to Get Rid of Me," is not to hang up. Yep. You need to stay on the phone. Why?

If you hang up, or, don’t answer at all, the call is marked as "no answer" and your number is simply reprogrammed for another call at a later time. Telemarketing computers are relentless, and your number can be re-called over and over, as you well know. 

When you answer, however, don’t chit-chat. Don’t try to be nice, empathetic, or kind. Don’t try to explain why you don’t want the product or service they are trying to sell. Here’s what you need to say - and only what to say:

"Please put me on your do-not-call list."

If they ask why? Simply repeat, "Please put me on your do-not-call list."

The goal for telemarketers is to sell you something. So they will engage you as long as possible. As explained in the Reader’s Digest article, 

"When you answer, I’ll try to sell the product to you using the Three Noes rule: Don’t let the customer go until she has said no three times during the phone call. After the first two noes, the client becomes more likely to spend money. If you don’t purchase the item, I will log everything you’ve said and suggest calling you back another time. These are logged as “callbacks”—tiny gold nuggets for telemarketers to follow up on. And thus, the cycle continues."

In the meantime, sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry run by the Federal Trade Commission. You can register your home phone or your mobile phone, and it’s free. This doesn’t get rid of all calls - charities, political groups, debt collectors and those conducting a survey can still dial your number. But it can stop those simply trying to sell you something. If it doesn’t, violators can be fined up to $40K per violation.

When you should hang up immediately

What you don’t want to do is use the word, "yes" for any reason. That’s because if they are recording the call (and in Arizona, you can record calls with certain limitations) getting your voice recorded saying, "Yes" is like gold and can be used by con artists to scam or steal from you.

Suppose you pick up the phone and hear someone you don’t know say something like, "Can you hear me now?" Do not respond. Do not say yes. This is when you should hang up immediately. Do not give them anything useful to record. 

Just. Hang. Up.

Online scams

You get an email from - fill in the blank here - a favorite company that you do business with that has your credit card and password information. It is asking you to click on a link for some reason. 

Don’t do that.

This email may be trying to "phish" you. 

"...the fraudulent practice of sending emails purporting to be from reputable companies in order to induce individuals to reveal personal information, such as passwords and credit card numbers."

The first thing to do is to look at the return email address. If the return address looks suspicious in any way, do not interact with the email. Do not click any of the links that may be in the email. Be cautious and wary - sometimes they use a domain address that is very close to the company name. Maybe instead of being from "google.com" the email is from "googles.com" or from "google.anothercompany.com" 

The next thing to do is look at the wording. Is the grammar off? Are words misspelled? Do you have a feeling that it might be a fake? If you have any questions, do not open it, and do not click!!!

Here are some other tips and tricks for email that you may not have: How to Handle Suspicious Email

This is the time of year that we’re all shopping and buying gifts. And there are bad guys out there, so be alert and safe!  

Finally, here’s a bit of humor for you from someone who took on a scammer at his own game. Enjoy!

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Yavapai County, AZ (November 29, 2018)– City of Prescott Mayor, Greg L. Mengarelli, proclaimed that Thursday, November 29, 2018 be known as “Dr. Penny Wills Day,” honoring the Yavapai College President at a retirement event held on the Prescott Campus on Thursday.

“Dr. Penny Wills is devoted to making people of all ages aware of the profound, transformative power of education,” said Mayor Mengarelli. “She is committed to the idea and practice of continued personal development, both in terms of education and cultural enrichment.”

Thursday’s event featured Yavapai County leaders, business owners, community members, and friends of the College.

Dr. Wills announced her retirement in May, ending her seven-year tenure as the College’s ninth president effective December 31.

Yavapai College has six locations in Yavapai County, including campuses in Prescott and Clarkdale, and centers in Chino Valley, Sedona, Prescott Valley, and near the Prescott Airport. To learn more about the college, visit www.yc.edu.

Beginning Dec. 1, Arizona motorists expecting vehicle registration renewals will see a new Public Safety Fee. The fee was established by state law to support public safety and Highway Patrol operations. The fee goes into effect for registrations due in January which can be paid as early as Dec. 1, and immediately for newly registered vehicles.

The fee will be collected during the vehicle-registration process administered by the Arizona Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Division. Arizona statute established the method for collecting the fee and sets the process for determining the amount based on a formula designed to support Highway Patrol operations.

Highway Patrol operations — among the most visible functions of the Arizona Department of Public Safety — include response to collisions on Arizona highways, enforcing state laws designed to keep the motoring public safe, arresting impaired drivers, assisting motorists in distress, air-rescue operations and patrolling more than 6,800 miles of highways.

Most motorists will pay $32 per vehicle, per year. Street-legal golf carts and primarily off-highway vehicles will pay $5. Those who register a vehicle annually or pay for a two- or five-year registration will pay the entire amount up front for each registered year.

The funds raised through the Public Safety Fee will not only provide necessary dollars for public safety, but will advance maintenance and construction of Arizona’s highway infrastructure, including the state’s Key Commerce Corridors that support economic development around the state.

Over the past decade, much of the Highway Patrol’s budget was considered part of the Arizona Highway User Revenue Fund, the gas-tax account that supports Arizona roadways, including law-enforcement support. The new $32 Public Safety Fee will allow gas-tax money to support roadway maintenance and construction, while providing a different source of funding for Highway Patrol operations.

For more information: www.azdot.gov/mvd.

For details on the enabling legislation, visit: https://www.azleg.gov/legtext/53leg/2R/laws/0265.pdf.

It’s not our favorite thing, until it’s needed. Then you’ll be thanking your local insurance agency. Listen in as Carissa Maxwell and Kellen Hoskens from the Maxwell Group are joined by Daniel Martinez of Farmer’s Insurance as they talk about what you need and what you might not know.

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• Where to start?
• How much do you need?
• If you have rental property, what do you need?
• If you renovate your property, do you need to increase your insurance? (Short answer: Yes.)
• What about pets? Are some dog breeds excluded?
• Best tip of the day: How to insure yourself for HOA incidents.

These questions and many more are answered!

This podcast is also on iTunes.

Would you rather watch than listen? Here it is: 

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You want a different kitchen, but you don’t want to buy a whole new house. Lynette Hoyt sits down with Master Certified Remodeler Mike Daniel to talk about home remodeling. They are joined by Zach Hoyt and Lynne LaMaster from Prescott eNews. 

Mike shares how he started Ability Prescott. "All I’ve done is build," Mike said. He is one of only two Master Certified Remodelers in the state of Arizona. 

Some of the topics under discussion include:

• Remodeling
• Decks (composite material or exotic hard woods?)
• Labor shortage & how to manage it
• Opportunities for young people looking for a job in construction: Boot camp for construction 

Mike said his goal is to keep the homeowner happy, and part of that is by managing the process. He has a Remodeling Survival Guide you can download from his website.

When is it right to steal? Does Robin Hood have what it takes to answer that question? 

Tucker and the Beard talk about Robin Hood, the latest remake with Taron Egerton, Jamie Foxx and Jamie Dornan. This movie isn’t exactly getting a strong rating from Rotten Tomatoes - what do Tucker and the Beard think about it?

This podcast is also published on iTunes.

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Rating: Somewhere between Rent It and Go See It. 

If you prefer to watch it, you can do so here:

You hear it in the media, on college campuses, from millennials and aging leftest former hippies. “My truth may differ from your truth.” “My truth tells me to go in this direction.” Etcetera, ad nauseum. The implication is that truth is a variable, subject to each individual's interpretation. Historical and dictionary definitions of truth is that it is real, actual things, events and facts. It is, therefore, not subject to individual interpretation. 

There are areas where an individual's or a small group of individuals' idea of what is truth, reigns supreme. Essentially, these are countries that are controlled by dictators. It doesn't matter if the country is run by a single fascist dictator or a communist politburo. What the dictator or oligarchy states is truth, will be enforced, no matter how contrary to actual fact it is. It is not real truth. It is a false truth imposed by ruthless power. 

One of the most effective ways of destroying a societal culture is to distort, confuse or change its definition of truth. This is happening every day in our unending culture war. It would be hilariously funny if it were not for the harm it is doing to our children and our culture, 

Gender identification is the area that exhibits the most egregious attack on truth. Since the beginning of time, with very rare exceptions, there have only been two human sexes: male and female. Suddenly, in the last decade or so, some pseudo scientists are claiming that there are as many as 72 or more sexes. Surely, there is a psychosis or two where a person believes he or she not a man or woman but is one or more of these other 72 sexes, but a psychosis is a mental disease, not a truth. 

This obscuring of the line between the reality of two sexes and the fiction of more than two, plays into the hands of those who want unisex bathrooms, locker rooms and sports teams. Puberty and adolescence are rough enough to go through without the addition of progressive psychobabble about 72 different genders. Eliminating the truth of two sexes also lends a certain left handed legitimacy to one of the smallest, saddest and most confused groups of human beings: transgenders. When truth was based on fact, transgenders, (who are estimated to be way less than 1 percent of the population, with attempt suicide rates above 40%) were considered to have a mental illness. Now, in many circles it's considered a cause celebre'. 

Immigration is another area where truth has been attacked. Since the George W. Bush administration it has been estimated that there were 11 million illegal aliens in this country. That was the stat that was used by Democrats and some Republicans in the 2016 election. With about two million illegals making it into the US each year during the Bush and Obama presidencies, mathematics, (a true science), alone proves that the illegal population would have to be much higher. Ann Coulter is probably much closer to the truth when she states that there are tens of millions more than estimated.

Currently, the main stream media's truth is that the caravan coming through Mexico from Central America is just a bunch of harmless refugees seeking asylum. They ignore and fail to report that some of the caravan are MS13 members, that 90% of them are men and that they are being financed. Many of them are carrying flags of the home country. The truth is, if you are marching toward another country with the intent to enter it, carrying the flag of your country of origin, you are not a refugee, you are an invader.

In a society that believes in the my truth/your truth fallacy, there is no real truth. With no real truth, there is no right or wrong. With no right or wrong, there is anarchy. That might be the whole idea. 

Representative Stringer is under the microscope once again for making comments that some have interpreted to be racist. He has lost his Chairmanship of a legislative committee. And according to Cindy Barks, of the Daily Courier, the Prescott City Council will call a special meeting on Tuesday to discuss whether or not they should make a special statement or recommendations regarding Stringer’s statement.

Were the comments really racist? Frequently, media, in it’s zeal to push a chosen narrative, carefully picks out comments in order to make a point. Often that media will have limitations on exactly what they can report - only so many words in an article, only so long in a newscast. In order to attract readers or viewers, they choose a few words they think will be salacious.

In this case, does the total context of Representative Stringer’s comments make a difference?

Background

Representative Stringer had attended a lecture by Professor Don Critchlow Afterwards, Stringer was in the elevator with a couple of students who started asking him questions, and, unknown to him, recorded the conversation. Here is a transcript - as complete as possible, a few words or phrases were not understandable - of both recordings.

The first recording is evidently from a discussion during the lecture:

4:21 Clip

David Stringer: …Uh, the African American vote is probably over 90% Democrat, and it’s been that way for decades. The Asian-American vote, the Asian Americans are an educated culture, affluent, relatively speaking, and in our society are not an under-class, they vote overwhelmingly Democratic. The Hispanics, even middle-class Hispanics, they vote overwhelmingly Democrat, because the number one issue is immigration, and bringing more of their co-religionists and people like them, into the country. So, you’re never going to get Hispanics elected as Republicans as long as the Republican Party is for border security and lowering levels of immigration. Not going to work, they’re not that stupid. They understand which party will do more for them. And that’s a divide we’re never going to be able to breach.

John (a student): We should go out sometime and have a talk about this. I have something to say about this. I’m agreeing with you that…

David Stringer: It’s a very sensitive issue.

John: I thought it was a bit underwhelming for a Democrat election, dating back to 2010, midterm election, during Obama’s first term… But even, look at that. Barak Obama won reelection in 2012, the midterms didn’t really give us much to work with the upcoming presidential election. But Republicans gained, what was the final count in the Senate? Three in the Senate? And the GOP House, as you have pointed out, didn't do anything anyway on immigration, healthcare. They were pretty much sitting on the sidelines. I don’t think that this was the big victory that people were hoping for. And then that middle class observation - it is pretty clear, at least to me, especially after this election, thought it was clear before, but this election confirmed it, that the Democratic has now become the party of the wealthy, of elites. And it’s an uneasy alliance of very, very elite, wealthy coastal Americans and lower class urban voters, but not just money to the media, I think there was a Harvard study that showed that 90% of media coverage was anti-Trump against Republicans, who turn on late-night television, who one after another, hammering away, Silicon Valley, I have friends that work in IT that’s like, 100% um, consensus on the side of the left, so there are just so many institutional, not to mention university, so many institutional challenges here, that it’s actually amazing the Republicans do as well as they do, considering all the obstacles that, uh, that are there.

Don Critchlow: So, I am flying tomorrow for an interview for a documentary in New York City to benefit (unintelligible). So, if something happens to me, John, I want you to raise money for us by asking questions, 'Was Don Critchlow assassinated as we are making too much progress here in university as you can see by this…"

7:30 Clip:

David Stringer: …been going on for decades, have to remedy those things. The point is, we're spending more money than anyone else, and not getting very much. You say, 'By what measure are we failing?' I would say our educational system is failing, I would say our military system is failing. We've been fighting these wars now over there now for a decade and a half or longer, and they don't seem to be successful at all. Do you know how long World War...

Unknown Student: Is that because this is multi cultural?

David Stringer: It’s a lack of political will…

Unknown Student: Through mob culture.

David Stringer: A lot of problems within our military. Talk to our soldiers. Huge racial conflicts and tensions in our military. Costs a fortune to run our military. Soldiers cost a lot…

Unknown Student: Because we have black people in our military.

David Stringer: No, I didn’t say that. Sir, don’t put words in my mouth now.

Unknown Student: Well, you implied that.

David Stringer: No, I didn’t imply that.

(Unable to discern conversation.)

David Stringer: I said there is racial tension in the military. I didn’t blame it on blacks or any particular ethnic group. But, uh…

Unknown Student: You’re beating around the bush here.

David Stringer: I’m not beating around the bush. Your basic premise is that we don’t have any problems here.

Unknown Student: Yes.

David Stringer: Your basic point is that we are a very successful nation. And I would suggest to you that I don’t think that’s the case.

Unknown Student: But, why are there test…?

David Stringer: Also, diversity in our country is relatively new.

Unknown Student: What do you mean? Irish and Italian - my great-grandfather… (difficult to understand)

David Stringer: They were all Europeans. By the 2nd or 3rd generation, everybody looks the same, everybody talks the same, but that’s not the case with African-Americans or other racial groups because they don’t melt in. They don’t blend in, they always look different.

Unknown Student: Sure they do.

Unknown Student: Why does looking different matter?

David Stringer: I don’t know. And maybe it doesn’t. It doesn’t to you. Maybe it doesn’t to a lot of people. But it seems to matter to a lot of people who move out of Detroit, who move out of Baltimore - you know, we have white flight in this country.

Unknown Student: Well, just because the guy… unintelligible…

David Stringer: Well, people are making free choices about where they live. Why is Anthem mostly white, and South Phoenix mostly Hispanic, right? I don’t know why, I chose people (unintelligible)

Unknown Student: I sort of want to readdress what you said about how our test scores are lower because of multiculturalism.

David Stringer: No, I said that there is an achievement gap. I said that when you look at different ethnicities…

Unknown Student: You said, 'When you break it down…'

David Stringer: When you drill down, you find that there are achievement gaps. You’ve heard about this.

Unknown Student: I have not.

David Stringer: You really have not? You have not? It’s a big debate in education.

Unknown Student: Why?

David Stringer: About why is it that some groups seem to perform better than other groups over long periods of time in spite of huge resources being put into the school.

Unknown Student: Why?

David Stringer: I don’t know why. I honestly don’t know why. But it seems to be an enduring, persistent feature of American education that not everybody is getting an equal education, or the same education, even though we’re spending roughly the same amounts of money.

Unknown Student: So, what you’re saying is,

David Stringer: But you did not know this. I am sorry. I just assumed… I’m in the Department of Education, I’m getting my Master’s degree… I’m just suggesting this is why I’m paying attention to this.

Unknown Student: I am very aware…

Unknown Student: Ok, so taking your premise here, uh, so, here in the US, your proposal here, is just to cap it off, cap off immigration.

David Stringer: Slow it down…

Unknown Student: You’re very conservative.

David Stringer: To create more opportunity for assimilation. So it’s not too much too fast.

Unknown Student: So, you end up, so you’re still where we are, which is still a fairly diverse society,

David Stringer: Yes, very diverse.

Unknown Student: So, what’s your solution then? How would you go about..

David Stringer: I don’t have a solution. I’m just pointing out the problem. I don’t have a solution. I don’t know how to fix Detroit. I don’t know if anybody does know how to fix Detroit. I don’t know how to fix that. I lived in Baltimore a few years. I don’t know how to fix that. Okay? But that’s a different issue then immigration, ok? Those cities are primarily African-American. They’re diverse, they have other groups, but they’re primarily African-American. The immigration thing is affecting Arizona, California, Texas, Florida, states like that in a very dramatic way. And it’s not - You know, it’s producing tensions and producing burdens on our system. Did you know that in Arizona we have a very large Hispanic-speaking school children. And that’s what I’m studying, ESL. But we have a bunch of overrides for ESL, 11.5%, so it costs a lot more to educate a child that doesn’t speak English as a native language. So, that’s a burden on the taxpayers, and it’s a pretty significant burden.

Unknown Student: Wouldn’t they also be included in the taxpayers?

David Stringer: It’s not, who pays taxes? Who actually pays the taxes? We just learned that 49% of the people don’t pay any taxes at all.

Unknown Student: Just income taxes.

David Stringer: 51% pay taxes, yes - sales tax. Everybody pays sales tax. But then, some people spend more than others. But if you look at who’s paying the taxes in the State of Arizona or in the United States, you’d say that some people are paying a lot more than others.

Unknown Student: I just don’t see the difference between my great-grandfather, who’s a Polish immigrant wanting a better life and somebody from Venezuela who wants to escape a socialist regime.

David Stringer: I don’t see a big difference either. I mean, you’re coming here for similar purposes, I think that’s true.

Unknown Student: There were ethnic issues for that Polish immigrant, who was called a Polack, they were discriminated against, but they assimilated.

David Stringer: The difference between the Polack, I shouldn’t say Polack, you said Polack, but I shouldn’t say Polack, the difference between the Polish-American immigrant and the immigrant from say, Somali, is that the 2nd generation Polish immigrant looks like the Irish kid and the German kid and every other kid. But, the immigrant from Somali does not.

Unknown Student: Does it matter?

David Stringer: Well, that’s a question. That’s a legitimate question. It doesn’t matter to you. Maybe that’s a good thing. It seems to matter to a lot of people.

Unknown Student: Does it matter to you?

David Stringer: Uh, I don’t know. I honestly don’t know.

Unknown Student: C’mon, you’ve got to take a position on that.

David Stringer: No, no, because we’re talking philosophically here. My opinion and my preferences really don’t. I’m an old white guy, so I look like an old white guy, you know? My career, you might be interested to know this, I spent my career in Washington, D.C., doing a lot of legal aid work for the African American community. I did literally thousands of cases. So, I had a sense that you were maybe trying to stereotype me into this old angry white man, and I am anything but. I spent my life, not in Arizona, but in a very cosmopolitan working with a lot of minorities.

David Stringer: Ok, I have to go. But thank you, nice chatting with you guys.

Unknown Student: Yes.

After that, Representative Stringer received directions to where he was going, and then thanked the students once again as he went on his way.

The first report on these recordings was in a Phoenix New Times article, "In Latest Racist Remarks, Rep. David Stringer Says Black People Don't 'Blend In'" At the beginning of the article, it is explained that, "New Times embedded highlights from the audio throughout this piece and posted the full files at the bottom." This transcript was taken from the full files at the bottom of the article.

Note from the Editor:

In full disclosure, Representative Stringer is a partner in Specialized Publishing, the parent company of Prescott eNews. However, he has no input in the editorial content of this publication. Comments he makes as a politician, or as a guy on an elevator, are comments he makes for himself.

We will not try to defend or justify his comments in this forum. We will defend his right to express his opinions - it’s a matter of free speech. He will reap the good and bad consequences of his words on his own.

The LD1 voters decided overwhelmingly in an August primary and a November general election that he should continue representing this district. Stringer received the 2nd highest number of votes for the Arizona Legislature - only behind Representative Noel Campbell.

In the meantime, it is only appropriate that Stringer's comments be considered in full context before he is judged.

STATE CAPITOL, PHOENIX – House Speaker-elect Rusty Bowers (R-25) today announced that the House Judiciary Committee will take on criminal justice reform during the 54th Legislature.

The Sentencing and Recidivism Reform Committee will be dissolved, and those issues will be absorbed by the House Judiciary Committee. Judiciary Committee Chair John Allen (R-15), who had been Vice Chair of the Sentencing and Recidivism Reform Committee, will be leading criminal justice reform efforts on the committee. Representative Kirsten Engel (D-10), who had been Ranking Member of the Sentencing and Recidivism Reform Committee, is Ranking Member of the House Judiciary Committee.

“Speaker-elect Bowers has asked me to pick up the mantle of criminal justice reform in the Judiciary Committee, and I’m excited to do so,” said Representative Allen. “We have several members of both parties who have been working diligently on criminal justice reform issues, and they have my commitment that the House Judiciary Committee will take up those issues in the 54th Legislature.”

Representative-elect Walter Blackman (R-6) will replace Representative Stringer as Vice Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, and Representative-elect Leo Biasiucci (R-5) will replace Representative Stringer on the House Education Committee.

December 4, 2018

Republican Women of Prescott board of directors do not support or condone the recent remarks made by Arizona LD1 Representative, David Stringer.  His remarks are racist, pisive and inappropriate.  There is no place in our conservative Republican values for these opinions and remarks.

This is not the first time Mr. Stringer has made such remarks.  This indicates a pattern of unacceptable behavior. We join with Governor Ducey, AzGOP Chair, Jonathan Lines, Incoming AZ House Speaker, Rusty Bowers, Prescott Mayor, Greg Mengarelli in condemning Mr. Stringer’s remarks.

Our organization should not and can not stay silent regarding Mr. Stringer’s expression of racism & bigotry. It cannot be tolerated at any level.  His opinions do not reflect the values of our members, organization or the Republican Party.

Pat Lorenzen

President - RWOP

The open enrollment period for HealthCare.gov health insurance ends December 15, 2018 for coverage starting on January 1, 2019. Whether you are new to HealthCare.gov or returning, we want to make sure that Arizonans don’t miss the opportunity to sign up for 2019 coverage.

We’ve made important improvements to customer service this year. We streamlined the application to simplify the signup process for consumers, improved content and help information to make it easier for people to understand, and worked to deliver better customer service. The HealthCare.gov website has performed optimally, consumers have been able to easily access enrollment tools to compare plans and prices, and the call center consumer satisfaction rate has remained at 90 percent.

Between November 1, when open enrollment began, and December 1, more than 55,000 Arizona consumers had selected a plan on HealthCare.gov.

Here are three things Arizona consumers need to know:

1. The deadline to sign up for coverage is December 15, 2018.

Arizonans who do not enroll by the December 15 deadline can’t get 2019 coverage unless they qualify for a Special Enrollment Period. Consumers can visit HealthCare.gov and CuidadodeSalud.gov to preview 2019 plans and prices, and sign up for coverage today.  

2. Now is the time for consumers to go to HealthCare.gov or CuidadodeSalud.gov to update their information or add it for the first time, and select the plan that best meets their needs.

We are encouraging Arizonans who need health insurance to join the millions of people who have found health insurance via HealthCare.gov. The plans on HealthCare.gov are comprehensive and offer:

• Annual checkups at  no extra cost; and 
• Coverage of doctor visits, prescription drugs, and certain preventive care with no out-of-pocket costs.

3. Average premiums have decreased in Arizona and other states.

For the first time since HealthCare.gov started offering coverage, average premium rates for a benchmark silver plan in 2019 have gone down across the 39 states that use the federal website. In Arizona, premiums have dropped 10 percent for a 27-year-old consumer who buys the second lowest priced Silver plan. Consumers should compare plans and prices on HealthCare.gov; they may be able to find a plan that saves them money and better meets their health needs.More than 80 percent of Arizona consumers qualify for federal subsidies that will reduce the cost of their insurance even further.

Help is available! Arizona consumers can get help filling out their application in three ways:
 
*By phone.Consumers can call the Marketplace Call Center at 1-800-318-2596 (TTY: 1-855-889-4325). Customer service representatives are available every day, except certain holidays.

*In-person help.​ Conumers can use the Find Local Help tool on HealthCare.gov to see if they can get in-person help in their community.

*Health insurance agents and brokers.​ Agents and brokers can help consumers enroll with HealthCare.gov or handle the entire enrollment process. You can search for agents and brokers by using the Find Local Help tool on HealthCare.gov.

Greg Dill is Medicare's regional administrator for Arizona.

PHOENIX — Governor Doug Ducey released the following statement honoring the sacrifices made at Pearl Harbor: “On December 7, 1941, what began as a seemingly normal morning in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii became a day that would forever change the course of world history.

“While we reflect on the tragedy of the attack at Pearl Harbor, we also remember that amidst the destruction and chaos emerged some of the most incredible demonstrations of bravery, heroism and sacrifice.

“The State of Arizona feels a special connection because nearly half of the crewmen killed were aboard the USS Arizona. I encourage all Arizonans to take time to remember the 1,177 lives taken that that day on the historic battleship named after our state.”

You used to have to go to the Mall to see the Enchanted Christmas Indoor Tour of Lights, but now it’s come to downtown Prescott. 

In its new location at the Depot Marketplace, it’s an Enchanted Christmas indeed, with over 500,000 lights, 50 trees, 12 themed rooms, a Model Railroad display and a stunning Department 56 Christmas Village display with over 300 houses. 

You’ll see some of your favorite characters, such as Charlie Brown, Mickey Mouse, and Elsa from Frozen. 

This Christmas-y attraction is also a great benefit to our community, offering a $1 discount on tickets for those that bring a donation of canned food or toys for the non-profit Yavapai Food Bank. 

"Having additional downtown Christmas-related events is good for the City," said Michael Lamar, Prescott City Manager. 

"It’s a draw, and absolutely adds to the downtown area this time of year," added John Heiney, the City Communications Director. 

Matt Brassard of M&M Entertainment and Productions stopped to give a personal invitation:

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If You Go: 

What: Enchanted Christmas, An indoor Tour of Lights
Who: Open to the Public
When: Open through December 30
Where: Depot Marketplace
Cost: $5 per person, or $4 + donation to Yavapai Food Bank.

Hours:

Sunday: 12-8
Monday: 2-8
Tuesday: Closed 
Wednesday: 2-8
Thursday: 2-8
Friday: 12-9
Saturday: 12-9 

The first Rocky movie came out in 1976 - 42 years ago. Can you believe it? Do you remember it?

Neither Tucker or the Beard were alive when that first movie came out. Gulp.

The latest movie in the Rocky franchise is Creed II. 

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So, what are the impressions from Tucker & the Beard? What did they like about it? What did they not like so much? Listen in as they delve into Creed II.

Rating: Go See It!

Carissa Maxwell and Kellen Hoskens, from the Maxwell Group at BloomTree Realty talk about some of the pitfalls you can encounter when you’re buying a home. Being prepared makes all the difference - after all, nobody likes surprises in this process!

Some of the topics discussed include:

• Money - how will you pay for your home?
• Get a lender - why local lenders are recommended
• Be prepared for appraisal, inspection and closing costs
• Know how much you qualify for
• Timing: It doesn’t happen overnight!
• Find the right home for you
• All about contingencies
• Last minute closing issues
• Pre-possession
• Insurance you might need that you haven’t thought about
• What not to do

This is a MUST-Listen episode if you’re considering a new-to-you home. 

The Maxwell Group: Website | Facebook 

In this episode of Quad Cities Business Beat, Lynette Hoyt and the team of Zach Hoyt and San Martin Rodriguez sit down with Debbie Maranville and talk food, health and the Prescott Business scene!

Debbie is with The Natural Healing Garden Wellness Center and Goods in the Garden. "We believe that every life well lived begins in the garden… It starts with people who love to cook."

Listen in and find out how Debbie got started and about her philosophy of food and eating. After this, you'll know why she's one of the most sought-after caterers in the Quad Cities!

The Natural Healing Garden Website | Facebook 

Goods from the Garden Website | Facebook 

In an article titled, "America is Addicted to Outrage. Is There a Cure?" Lance Morrow states that, "Outrage has become the signature emotion of American public life."

Perhaps there is no better current example than that of LD1 Representative David Stringer.

Representative Stringer is in hot water, there’s no denial. Days after committee assignments were announced, and chairmanships were awarded (Stringer was given 1 chairmanship and 1 vice-chairmanship, and placed on 2 additional committees), the Phoenix New Times revealed recent recordings of a conversation that some have deemed as racist. Three Arizona State University students, who happened to be riding in an elevator with Stringer, surreptitiously recorded their questions and his answers.

According to the author of the Phoenix New Times article, Steven Hsieh, "This all happened because ASU sophomore Stephen Chumra - who approached Stringer after attending a lecture for extra credit - asked the representative some smart and pointed questions."

Who is Stephen Chumra? What are the names of his friends that were accompanying him? Did they have an agenda? How did Hsieh get the recording and why? None of those questions have been asked in the mainstream media or answered.

You can read the entire transcript here: So, What Did Representative David Stringer Really Say? and decide for yourself whether or not the comments were racist and worthy of outrage. Thousands of thoughtful people have read the entire transcript, and have come away with differing perspectives. Some people ask what it was exactly that is considered racist. Others believe that the context still shows racism. There is no universal opinion.

Almost immediately, due to a very loud public outcry, Stringer was stripped of everything except an assignment to the government committee. Several elected officials (including, but not limited to, Governor Ducey, State Senate President-Elect Karen Fann, AZ State Republican Chair Jonathan Lines), political figures and governing boards (including the City of Prescott Council) denounced his words and/or called for his resignation. The Humboldt Unified School District has banned him from their campuses.

One state NAACP organization called for a boycott of Prescott in response to the recordings, asking that Stringer either resign or be expelled.

At this point, there are three separate known online petitions to ask Stringer to resign, and to tell House Speaker Rusty Bowers to remove him from all committees. Links to the online petitions are being shared by Democrats and Republicans alike.

Statewide and even national media have enjoyed a grand romp through any of Stringer’s past words they could find record of; including his history, and other aspects of his life and business partnerships.

(Speaking of which, in full disclosure: Representative Stringer is a minority investor in Specialized Publishing, the parent company of the eNews sites. He has no input or control over editorial content. He has written some op-ed pieces. And yes, the media reveled in putting that business relationship under the microscope, too.)

One elected official, Representative Noel Campbell, Stringer’s seat mate, has spoken out in favor of Stringer and is not calling for his resignation.

Who are some of the key people asking for his resignation?

Many of the people calling for Stringer’s resignation presumably did not vote for him in the primary; choosing instead to support his opponent, Jodi Rooney, and contributing to her campaign. Those include Karen Fann, Sheila Polk, Pamela Jones, Darlene Packard and Billie Orr.

In addition to the $39,000 she raised for her primary campaign, Rooney had nearly $100,000 in Independent Expenditures made on her behalf. That’s in opposition to Stringer, who had $6800 in Independent Expenditures spent against him.

Yet, Stringer still defeated Rooney by about 16% of the vote.

What about a recall?

Why ask for his resignation? Because it would be so much easier than a recall.

According to Toni Denis, Chair of the Yavapai Democratic Party, "A recall election will likely commence in January."

Actually, Stringer cannot be recalled right now, he hasn’t officially taken office yet. And it cannot happen in January, there is a specific procedure that must take place.

The Arizona Secretary of State’s website explains the procedure:

Number of votes from last preceding general election for that office: 199,914

25% of that number: 49,978

Divided by the number of offices (2): 24,989

This number does not include any write-ins that may have been received. Basically, in order to recall Stringer, you would need to collect roughly 25,000 signatures from LD1.

Those signatures would need to be collected within 120 days, about 4 months. Then they have to go through the standard verification process.

That easily gets into May or June - and by then, the session is already over. Typically, if all the hurdles are cleared, the question would be added to the next election.

However, in 2012, legislators voted to approve consolidated elections - which means all elections must be in even-numbered years. The argument was that it would increase voter turnout. In the past, many cities held their elections on local issues and candidates in odd-numbered years, while state-wide elections were held in even-numbered years.

Several charter cities challenged the 2012 legislation and won in the Court of Appeals. The Appeals decision was affirmed by the Arizona State Supreme Court without comment. So, Prescott, for example, still has their elections in odd-numbered years, but Prescott Valley is on the consolidated election schedule. For background, read: Bill would mandate local election schedule for larger cities

Why is this important? Because many cities and voting entities will not have any elections until 2020. That means it would have to be done through a special election, which would cost well over $100,000 (and who pays for that?), or wait until 2020, when Stringer would have to run again for re-election anyway.

Could a recall happen? Possibly, but it would not be easy to accomplish. And Stringer would surely campaign in his own behalf.

Public reaction

According to Prescott City Manager, as of Friday morning, they had received about 50 calls from the public in response to the Council’s vote on December 4 to ask for Stringer’s resignation. The comments were approximately 30 in favor of the council action, and 20 opposed. That’s generally a 60-40 split.

Online, in Facebook groups, comments are mostly mixed. It’s difficult to have an exact measurement, of course. The Prescott Area Living page is skewing heavily in support of Stringer. The Prescott, Arizona page seems to be about 50-50ish. On the dCourier page, the debate is vigorous, but mostly amongst just a few people that seem to be evenly split. On the Prescott eNews Facebook page, the comments are strongly in support of Stringer.

(Editor’s note: As mentioned above, Stringer is an investor in Specialized Publishing, but he has never once commented on the eNews Facebook pages. I’m not sure he knows how.)

What happens next?

1. Expect more of the same. People and groups will continue to publicly denounce his words and call for his resignation.
2. Media coverage will continue to be largely negative, but, lacking some new bombshell, will fizzle until the next loud call for his resignation is made, at which point it will revive briefly.
3. Representative Stringer announced publicly at a Prescott Valley Town Council meeting on Thursday that he will not resign.
4. Speaker Rusty Bowers has said he will take no further action.

NEW: House Speaker-elect Rusty Bowers (R) will take no further action against state Rep. David Stringer (R) over his racist remarks. Bowers called for Stringer's resignation, stripped him of all but one committee assignment & says expulsion in this case would be unconstitutional.

— Dennis Welch (@dennis_welch) December 5, 2018

5. The Democratic Caucus has asked for a formal censure if Stringer has not resigned by the time the legislative session has begun. It is worth noting that the Democratic Caucus did not ask for him to be expelled.

Ironic Note

A frequently heard comment is, "Don’t Californicate Arizona." There are even bumper and window stickers that can be purchased with this message. The term "Californication" is not new - having been coined more than 50 years ago by Time Magazine.

Yet, the movement against David Stringer sounds very similar to what California's LA Times tweeted on Saturday evening:

Five former political directors of the California Republican Party have called on the state GOP leadership to renounce President Trump’s nationalist rhetoric and candidates who use “messages of hatred, division and rhetoric that divides us by race.” https://t.co/KEXPJwQSjm

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) December 9, 2018

Politicians of all stripes are bemoaning the fact that nothing much is getting done through Congress in Washington, D.C. With the Democrat takeover of the House of Representatives, the groaning will only get louder. Even though the Republicans held the Presidency and both houses of Congress, they were unable to repeal all of Obama Care and get funding for the border wall. The easy answer for this inertia is that the Republicans have essentially become two opposing factions within one party: establishment Republicans versus Trump Republicans. 

The Democrats have their own problems with their two factions: establishment Democrats versus socialist/progressive Bernie Sanders Democrats. While they have their differences, both Democrat factions are united in their desire to get rid of President Trump by any means possible. With both of the major parties having their own agendas and both having major splits within, it seems unlikely that Congress will have any major accomplishments or legislation. That will only happen, the experts and pundits all say, if there is compromise.

In the field of compromise, the Democrats have a big leg up over the Republicans. Over the last half a century or longer, the Democrats have refined the art of compromise to where they get everything they want and the Republicans get a few crumbs at best. In 1965, Congress passed the Hart-Celler act. It was an immigration reform act. It passed the Senate, in part, because what Senator Ted Kennedy said about it on the floor of the Senate. 

Kennedy said that if this bill passed, immigration would remain substantially the same. The ethnic mix of the country would not be upset. The bill wouldn't inundate our country with immigrants from any one country. The ethnic change would not be as sharp as the bill's critics said. It would not cause Americans to lose their jobs and our cities would not be flooded with millions of immigrants annually. With the 20/20 vision history provides, we can now see that virtually everything Ted Kennedy said was wrong. This certainly wasn't anything the Republicans or their base wanted. 24 Republican Senators voted for it and 118 Republican House members voted for it. It was a great compromise – for Democrats. 

In 1986, the Simpson-Mazzoli (Immigration Reform and Control)Act was passed and signed into law. In exchange for legalizing (giving amnesty) to an estimated 4 million illegal aliens other provisions of the law required employers to attest to their employee's immigration status. On its face, this law made it illegal to knowingly hire or recruit illegal aliens. Immigrants who had come to the US prior to 1982, and had remained here continuously, were required to admit guilt, pay a fine, pay back taxes and prove they were not guilty of any crime. They were also supposed to have a minimal knowledge of English, US history and government. 

After the bill became law, approximately 3.2 million were granted amnesty. How many of them fulfilled their requirement regarding English, history and government of our country? How many paid fines and back taxes? We do know that there was fraud in about a third of the applications according to a New York Times article by Rachel L. Swarns on May 23, 2006. Was anyone prosecuted for fraud?

This was a compromise between the establishment of both parties and those who wanted more strict immigration laws. Few employers were ever prosecuted because they soon were able to circumvent the law by hiring subcontracting companies, who then hired the illegals, not as employees but as subcontractors. The establishment got its way when they were able to legislate amnesty, and then purposefully didn't enforce anything in the bill with which they disagreed. 

Whenever a “bipartisan” bill is passed, it usually involves some compromise. The McCain/Feingold act allegedly reforming campaign finance laws, is such a case. While Senators McCain and Feingold get the credit, the bill that was actually signed into law was a very similar bill by Connecticut Republican Congressman Chris Shays. The main compromise in this bill was by President George W. Bush, who signed it into law despite publically expressing his misgivings about the Constitutionality of parts of the bill. Part of the bill was found to be unconstitutional. Why a president would sign a bill he thought was partially unconstitutional is a question that remains unanswered.

It seems unlikely that with the split in Congress, any of compromise would even be suggested, so there isn't the remotest possibility that the House will fund the border wall. They'll be too busy investigating everything Trump has done, said or thought since birth. Considering the Republicans abysmal record on compromises, this is probably a good thing for them. Without some compromise, nothing substantial will get done. But don't fret. Remember the Henry David Thoreau quote, “That government is best which governs least.

During the holiday season, most of us, regardless of our beliefs, focus on the children we love. Children are our future — we share our knowledge and talent with them — we pass on our values to them knowing they will share those gifts. Social Security safeguards children all year long, but we’d like to take this opportunity to share information about our programs that provide direct support to children.

In 2017, Social Security distributed an average of $2.6 billion each month to benefit about 4.2 million children because one or both of their parents are disabled, retired, or deceased. Those dollars help to provide the necessities of life for family members and help make it possible for those children to complete high school. When a working parent becomes disabled or dies, Social Security benefits help stabilize the family’s financial future.

Children with disabilities are among our most vulnerable citizens. Social Security is dedicated to helping those with qualifying disabilities and their families through the Supplemental Security Income (SSI) program. To qualify for SSI:

•  The child must have a physical or mental condition, or a combination of conditions, resulting in “marked and severe functional limitations.” This means that the condition(s) must severely limit your child’s activities; 
•  The child’s condition(s) must be severe, last for at least 12 months, or be expected to result in death; and
•  The child must not be working and earning more than the Substantial Gainful Activity limit ($1,180 a month in 2018 and $1,220 in 2019). 

If the parents of the child or children have more resources than are allowed, then the child or children will not qualify for SSI. You can read more about children’s benefits at www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10026.pdf.

Social Security also covers many chronic illnesses and conditions. Compassionate Allowances are a way to quickly identify diseases and other medical conditions that, by definition, meet Social Security's standards for disability benefits. Thousands of children receive benefits because they have one of the conditions on the list at www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances/conditions.htm .

Visit www.ssa.gov/people/kids to learn more about all we do to care for children. Social Security is with you and your children throughout your life’s journey, securing today and tomorrow. If you know a family who needs our help, please share these resources with them.