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

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

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

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

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

The Arizona Interscholastic Association Executive Board voted on Tuesday that Arizona high school athletes won’t have to wear masks for spring sports and winter sports sectional and state tournaments. Read more

Mingus improved to 10-0 with a 48-31 victory in Wilson Dome on Saturday, Feb. 27. Read more

If the sign isn’t enough to attract customers, Bret DaCosta has another weapon in his arsenal. Read more

Hunter Lee walked off the court at the end of a basketball game at Dave Wilson Dome for the final time on Saturday night. Read more

Autumn Lynch scored 12 points but it wasn’t enough as No. 6 Winslow beat Payson 75-47 in girls basketball at Wilson Dome on Saturday night, Feb. 27. Read more

Trevor Cline took over as Payson’s starting quarterback midway through his freshman season and served as the Longhorns’ starter the next three years. Read more

People who lost insurance in the pandemic can regain health care coverage through a special open enrollment period for the Affordable Care Act. Read more

After missing a week, Gila County’s moving into vaccinating the general public against COVID sooner than any other county in the state. Read more

Payson’s varsity girls basketball team has seen five games postponed or canceled either by COVID-19 or weather. Read more

Easton Redford drained a three-point field goal to put Payson ahead in overtime and the defense did the rest as the Longhorns beat visiting Holbrook 70-65 in boys basketball on Friday. Read more

Monica Henderson and her husband, Jason Fogel, opened Copper State Tax & Accounting in Payson last September. Read more

Arizona’s COVID vaccination program is finally ramping up, but so has criticism of the state’s slow start. Read more

Ty Chilson dug his first fencepost hole when he opened Payson Fence in 1991. Read more

“No! Close the door!” Read more

A rush of new vaccines and the rise of new COVID-19 strains offers both hope and hardship for the effort to contain the pandemic and return to some version of normal life. Read more

If you are an essential worker or 65 and older and have not yet received a COVID vaccine, sign up for a mass drive-thru vaccination event to be held this weekend in Payson. Read more

He paraded around the field like many NFL players do after scoring a touchdown. Read more

New COVID cases in Gila County have fallen sharply in the past week or two and the initially halting effort to vaccinate high-risk groups has picked up steam. Read more

Payson schools are looking down the barrel of a budget disaster. Read more

Arizonans remain deeply concerned about the spread of the virus — but it still worries Democrats a lot more than it does Republicans. Read more

Outpacing many Arizona counties, Gila County health officials announced Friday that they were expanding COVID vaccination efforts to include those residents 65+. Read more

Senior living residents and staff of Powell Place, an Enlivant-operated assisted living community in Payson, received their first dose of COVID-19 vaccinations on Jan. 29. Read more

Payson schools remain on track to resume in-person classes on Feb. 8, Superintendent Linda Gibson told the school board on Monday. Read more

Struggling to make an appointment for a person 75 and older? Read more

Hunter Lee and his Payson High classmates used to count on high school sports opportunities every year. Read more

We got a return to normalcy last week when things like snowstorms were the biggest challenge for high school winter sports schedules. Read more

Gov. Doug Ducey’s proposed budget will shortchange schools and child welfare programs, insist child advocacy groups. Read more

Arizona remains a national hot spot for the pandemic. Read more

Schools can mostly reopen safely, providing they take precautions like ensuring everyone wears masks, gets tested frequently and quarantines when they’re infected, the federal Centers for Disease Control has concluded. Read more

Three of their first four games were canceled/postponed. Read more

While COVID has mostly claimed the lives of older residents, it has also claimed young people in Gila County. Read more

The Longhorns overcame three forfeit losses in a win over Eastmark and four more in a win over Winslow. Read more

We needed moisture, and we got it. The National Weather Service in Flagstaff reports that from early Monday morning to late Tuesday afternoon, Pine-Strawberry received 24 inches of snow, 3 inches over the yearly average for the community. Read more

The Gila County Health Department is continuing to work with community partners to administer the vaccine to the residents of Gila County. Read more

First the bad news. Read more

Great prices. Read more

Josh Skehan built a thriving photography and video business in Scottsdale thanks to specialty events like weddings, celebrations, parties, etc. Read more

Payson trailed host Camp Verde 15-7 after one quarter of its boys basketball game on Thursday night. Read more

COVID-19 precautions pushed the start of the season back about six weeks. Read more

Tuesday’s boys and girls basketball games against Winslow have been either postponed or canceled because the snowstorm led Payson Unified School District to cancel school. Read more

The Longhorns overcame three forfeit losses in a win over Eastmark and four more in a win over Winslow. Read more

Payson won eight of the 14 weight classes to beat host Winslow 40-36 in wrestling on Friday night, Jan. 22. Read more

Family is at the heart of Delicious Cafe, which opens at 512 S. Beeline Suite 1, on Tuesday in Payson. Read more