Federal officials are recommending that Arizonans 65 and older, residents of long-term care facilities, and those ages 50 to 64 with underlying medical conditions get a booster dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine if they are at least six months past their second shot. Read more

Three steps forward. Read more

PHOENIX – Some households have suffered serious threats to their health that went beyond COVID-19 over the past 18 months: domestic violence. Arizona has the fifth highest rate of domestic violence in the country, according to the World Population Review, and throughout the pandemic, domesti… Read more

PHOENIX — Arizonans are poisoning themselves with medication meant for horses and cattle in their belief it will prevent or fight COVID-19. Read more

The Payson school board this week grilled administrators on whether the host of students quarantined for COVID-19 can keep up with their classes. Read more

Even before COVID-19, America faced a crisis of poor nutrition aggravated by widespread food insecurity. Those underlying factors, researchers say, allowed the disease to decimate poor communities. Read more

Payson schools remain a COVID hot spot, as the fierce national debate about how to contain the pandemic turns to vaccine mandates. Read more

Gila County’s dangerous surge in COVID cases has leveled off, but remains far higher than the state and national averages. Read more

Fundraising. Read more

COVID cases have blown up across Gila County, especially in schools — leaving the Payson school board trapped between a new state law and advice from county, state and federal health officials. Read more

The following information is from the Centers for Disease Control. Read more

Crowds packed Payson Event Center once again last weekend for the 138th edition of the World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo. Read more

Welcome to the second season of the Payson Longhorns Swim Club. Read more

The legislature’s effort to prevent schools, towns and counties from requiring masks or vaccinations to reduce the spread of COVID has blown up into a statewide brawl. Read more

A surge in COVID cases on campus prompted the Payson school board to tweak its pandemic protocols at an emergency meeting on Monday. Read more

PHOENIX — Gov. Doug Ducey lashed out Thursday at President Biden’s bid to go after governors who ban mask mandates, calling his administration’s message to him “weak and pathetic.” Read more

As the Delta variant produces a new surge, vaccine and mask mandates have become yet another political battleground. Read more

Holding posters and waving to receptive drivers as they honked, upward of 100 people took part in a protest against Banner’s vaccine mandate Monday on the Beeline Highway. Read more

PHOENIX -- A top doctor at the state's largest hospital network said the facilities could begin to impose capacity restrictions at the rate COVID-19 is multiplying in Arizona. Read more

The COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts have touched the lives of all Gila County residents. Read more

Handcuffed by state mandates, the Payson school board last week adopted a minimalist set of COVID precautions for the just-launched, in-person school semester. Read more

Local health officials say concerns about the Delta variant have driven a modest increase in the number of people seeking COVID shots. Read more

A surge in new cases driven by the Delta variant last week prompted the Centers for Disease Control to add Gila County to a list of counties where even vaccinated people should wear masks indoors. Read more

The highly contagious Delta variant now dominates in Arizona, leading public health officials to issue a fresh plea for people to get vaccinated — especially teenagers about to head back to in-person classes. Read more

PHOENIX – Although the percentage of those unwilling to take a COVID-19 vaccine has remained unchanged since May, Arizonans are showing less concern about the risks, according to a new survey by OH Predictive Insights. Read more

As the Delta variant spreads, Gila County has seen an 82% increase in new cases in the past two weeks, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control. Only 49.3% of the county population is fully vaccinated — close to the state average and below the national average. Read more

Once classes resume, Arizona school boards have few options for coping with a COVID outbreak on campus, thanks to orders from the legislature and the governor that fly in the face of the recommendations of the federal Centers for Disease Control. Read more

Gila County could get more than $19 million in COVID-19 funds when all is said and done. Read more

Arizona State canceled its annual weeklong team-bonding trip to Camp Tontozona in August 2018 because the installation of a new artificial field couldn’t be installed in time. Read more

Time is running out to protect schools from becoming the epicenter of a fresh spike in COVID cases when class resumes in August. Read more

The two main COVID-19 vaccines in use in the U.S. may not prevent the rare, “breakthrough” infection — but even in those cases they reduce the severity of the disease, according to landmark study by researchers from the University of Arizona Health Services. Read more

The COVID superspreader event at a Linden dance hall underscores the consequences of the faltering vaccination campaign in Arizona. Read more

Vaccination rates down. Read more

The vaccine works. Read more

New strains of the COVID virus are now widespread in Arizona, which could account for a worrisome increase in cases among children, according to health officials. Read more

Not great. Read more

Great news. Read more

The Payson Unified School District’s budget update looks a little like a lumberjack log rolling in a pond full of alligators — the school board’s running like crazy just to keep its footing. Read more

Teens aged 12-18 can now get vaccinated — another hallmark in the long, deadly struggle to turn back the pandemic. Read more

Payson schools are scrambling to find enough teachers to meet the demand for summer school classes, with the session thrown open to a student body that has struggled for the past year to cope with COVID-19. Read more

Don’t die. Read more

As vaccination efforts hit a wall of resistance, epidemiologists worry the U.S. will never reach the shelter of “herd immunity” against a virus that continues to ravage the world — with 2 million deaths and a record number of new infections. Read more

Payson schools came up with a spotless state audit. Read more

The pandemic has upended school budgets across the state through a combination of big enrollment declines and the state’s reduced funding for online classes. Read more

The COVID-19 pandemic has taken too many lives, said Arizona Congressman Ruben Gallego (D-Dist. 7) in a recent letter. Read more

Public health officials this week implored people to get a shot to protect themselves and others against COVID-19 as the spread of new, more deadly variants has caused a fresh spike in some cases. Read more

Courtney Spawn-Kort and Kaprice Bachtell must like lemonade because they have made the most of the lemons COVID-19 handed them. Read more

Faster-spreading strains of the COVID-19 virus have caused the start of a fresh spike in cases nationally as states like Arizona have relaxed precautions. Read more

The prospects for safe, in-person classes continues to brighten — with new research on the limited spread of the virus within schools as well as development of a safe, highly effective vaccines. Read more

Almost as soon as the county posted the openings, it was a sold out event for a COVID vaccination event in Pine-Strawberry — the first one held in the tiny community north of Payson. Read more

They scrambled in a mad race for eggs. Read more

The cancellation of the 2020 high school golf season because of the COVID-19 pandemic after Payson played just two nine-hole matches means a Longhorns team with just one upperclassman entered this season lacking in varsity experience. Read more

Payson Dermatology celebrated a longtime employee this week, rewarding her with a hefty bonus. Read more

Declaring the COVID-19 pandemic under control and the need for restrictions over in Arizona, Gov. Doug Ducey is abolishing all the limits that remain on businesses and public gatherings. Read more

Payson Event Center got an early start on a busy 2021 with a new rodeo over the weekend. Read more

Researchers have started to answer some of the most vital questions with whether the current vaccines can smother the pandemic — providing 80% or 90% of the population gets the shot. Read more

The number of people lining up for COVID shots has started to dwindle, which means Gila County health officials have a whole new challenge, especially now that Gov. Doug Ducey has lifted mask mandates and other social distancing restrictions. Read more

PHOENIX — More than 1 million Arizonans — approximately one in seven residents — are now fully vaccinated against COVID-19, Gov. Doug Ducey and the Arizona Department of Health Services announced. Arizona is making plans to continue the momentum as temperatures heat up and in anticipation of… Read more

Moments after watching from the shadows as his junior teammate raised the index finger of both hands in the spotlight, Soto Sellis bowed his head on the mat at Poston Butte High as his dream ended on the doorstep of glory. Read more

If you have driven by the Payson Christian Clinic in the past few months, you may have noticed the building is slowly being covered in stars. Read more

Payson honored the nine seniors from last year’s team before the baseball home opener against Chino Valley on Wednesday night. Read more

New, more dangerous variants of the COVID virus have arrived in Arizona, prompting doctors to redouble their efforts to get people vaccinated — and to continue wearing masks in public. Read more

The abrupt decline in new cases and deaths in nursing homes has provided as dramatic, national proof that the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines can tame the pandemic. Read more

Testing is the best way to find out if students learned what the teacher is trying to teach them. Read more

Copper State Tax & Accounting celebrated their grand opening Tuesday with a ribbon cutting ceremony. Read more

Arizona’s jobless rate ticked down a tenth of a point in January, helped in part by more people being willing to go out to eat and drink. Read more

The Arizona Department of Transportation is making it easier to renew your vehicle registration or driver’s license. Read more

Some may only know David Daniels as Payson High’s head wrestling coach. Read more

Approximately 165 kids showed up for Payson Little League tryouts at Rumsey Park on Saturday, March 6. It’s a much different start to the season than 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic delayed then shortened the season. Payson was one of the few leagues to play ball a year ago. So, there’s opti… Read more

The recent U.S. approval of a third safe, highly effective COVID-19 vaccine could help speed up a mass vaccination effort that represents a bright spot in the long tragedy of the pandemic. Read more

The Payson school board this week adopted an optimistic preliminary budget plan, with lots of problems in the fine print. Read more

Payson can expect a $3.7 million windfall now that the U.S. Senate has adopted the House-passed version of a $1.9 trillion COVID stimulus bill. Star Valley can expect $550,000 and Gila County some $10.4 million, according to figures released by the House Budget Committee. Read more

Gov. Doug Ducey last week ordered schools to resume in-person instruction no later than March 15 after Spring Break. Read more

Kind of like filling a bucket with a hole in it. Read more

The number of riders on Beeline Bus routes has fallen off since the COVID-19 pandemic hit Rim Country about a year ago. Read more

Hunter Lee closed his career with a game high 18 points and 15 rebounds to lead a trio of Longhorns scoring in double figures as Payson pulled out a 62-60 boys basketball thriller at Show Low on Tuesday, March 2. Read more

Payson closed the girls basketball season with a 59-43 loss at home against No. 3 Holbrook on Wednesday, March 3. Read more

Payson’s return to in-person classes is going much more smoothly, now that most of the teachers have gotten vaccinated. Read more