Dec 6 & 7 Chino Valley Hometown Christmas. Christmas Tree Displays by local businesses, schools, non-profits, individuals, etc.; crafts, live entertainment. See Santa & Mrs. Claus arrive by helicopter.
Women in Business Luncheon
Nov. 13 at the Hassayampa Inn.
Network with fellow Prescott Chamber members at our Women in Business quarterly luncheon.
Guest Special Speaker: Roxane D. Nielsen, Prescott Brewing Company.
$20 Members / $25 Non-Members
PV Chamber Mixer
Nov. 12 5:00 – 6:30 p.m. Chamber Mixer for Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce. AARP/Stepping Stones Café6719 E 2nd St.Prescott Valley
YC Hosting Gettysburg Anniversary Events
In recognition of the sesquicentennial (150 year anniversary) of the Gettysburg Address, Yavapai College will host a free symposium November 12-17 at both the Prescott and Verde Valley campuses.
The symposium will feature a free lecture series given by the College’s instructors, as well as films relating to the American Civil War. The Yavapai College Liberal Arts Department and the Performing Arts Center sponsor the event.
“The Gettysburg Symposium is a faculty endeavor,” said Amy Ilona Stein, Ph.D., Yavapai College professor of history and Gettysburg Symposium coordinator. “This interdisciplinary symposium demonstrates to our community the wealth of knowledge and expertise available through the faculty here at Yavapai College.”
Lecture topics range from photography and weapons to folk music and infectious disease. Yavapai College is partnering with the Prescott Film Festival to incorporate Civil War-themed movies into the Symposium, including Steven Spielberg’s “Lincoln” and Edward Zwick’s “Glory.”
“All scholarly lectures are provided by YC faculty. The films were reviewed by the history department,” said Stein.
Additionally, the Yavapai College libraries at both campuses will feature Civil War collection materials. A number of Civil War-era artifacts will be on display from early November through December 9 at the Prescott campus library, and a collection display containing books and DVDs related to the Civil War and Gettysburg (which will be available for check-out) will be at the Verde Valley campus library.
The Verde Valley campus is located at 601 Black Hills Drive in Clarkdale, and the Prescott campus is at 1100 E. Sheldon Street in Prescott.
Go online to www.ycpac.com/gettysburg for a complete schedule of lectures and films, including times and locations and biographies of the symposium’s lecturers. Call 928-776-2000for more information.
Gosar Listening to Business Leaders
Congressman Paul A. Gosar, D.D.S. (AZ-04) held roundtables in Prescott, Cottonwood and Prescott Valley yesterday to discuss the government slowdown, the debt ceiling, Obamacare and other issues with local business leaders. The events were attended by business owners, leaders from local Chambers of Commerce and government officials.
After the roundtables Rep. Gosar said, “People are fed up with the gridlock and partisanship in Washington. They are sick of feeling like pawns in a political chess game. Their families and businesses are hurting.”
“Hardworking Americans want an environment where they can thrive,” Rep. Gosar continued. “I will remain focused on solutions that get government out of the way and spur private-sector growth and job creation.”
Prescott: More than 30 business leaders came out Monday morning to the Hassayampa Inn in Prescott to discuss the small business issues impacting them. These business leaders are concerned that Obamacare will stifle economic growth and limit their ability to grow their companies.
Cottonwood: Business Leaders throughout Cottonwood and the Verde Valley joined Rep. Gosar at the Cottonwood Recreation Center for a Business Roundtable. Special thanks to Lana Tolleson, Andrea Harless and Casey Rooney for taking the time to share the developments of the growing viticulture industry in the region and the small business growth they are experiencing as a result.
Prescott Valley: Rep. Gosar listened to local business leaders share their thoughts concerning the economy and the pressures the business community is facing. Special thanks to Mayor Harvey Skoog and Marnie Uhl from the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce for their leadership as Prescott Valley continues to grow as a result of the pro-business attitude within the community.
Funding Your Dream Home
You may have noticed a lot more new homes sprouting up recently. Residential construction activity has increased substantially in the last year or so, driven by rebounding home values, low interest rates and homeowners’ desires to live in homes custom-tailored to their needs. If you are considering constructing a new home, you’ll have a lot of decisions to make, including choosing a bank and construction loan program to fund the cost of construction.
A construction loan differs from the typical long-term, fixed-rate mortgages with which you may be familiar. Conventional mortgages are fairly homogenous and easy to compare. Once you obtain the mortgage, you typically have very little interaction with the lender, aside from making your payments every month. Conventional mortgages are often sold on the secondary market and you may end up making payments to several different lenders over the course of your loan.
With a construction loan, your lender will be substantially more involved. Loan proceeds are typically disbursed directly to your contractor through a series of draws against the loan based on a pre-determined draw schedule agreed upon by you, your contractor and the bank. Each draw will require an inspection by the bank to ensure the progress on the home is adequate for the amount of the draw requested. Some banks manage the draws out of centralized facilities, often located in other cities or states, while some manage the draws out of local branches. It is important for you and your contractor to fully understand the draw process, including who approves the draws, how long the draws take, and who you will talk to if issues arise. Working with a lender that you trust and can easily communicate with will help the construction process go more smoothly. Your contractor may be able to give you feedback on which banks have been easy to work with.
Some construction loans are short-term and intended to provide financing for the construction period only. Upon completion of the home, these loans are refinanced with conventional “permanent” mortgages at the prevailing rate at the time of refinance. These are often referred to as “two-time close” loans. The primary advantage to this type of loan is that you will have access to the long-term, low rates offered by conventional mortgages upon completion of construction. The drawback, however, is that you will not know what the terms of the permanent mortgage will be until after construction is complete. You will also have to pay certain closing costs, such as title and appraisal fees, both when you get the construction loan and again when you refinance the loan.
Other construction loans, often referred to as “one-time close” loans, provide a combination of construction financing and permanent financing in a single loan. These loans are attractive on the surface because of the convenience of not having to refinance the construction loan and the associated cost savings, but you will need to pay close attention to the details. Some of these loans convert to permanent financing at terms that are not attractive compared to conventional mortgage offerings. They may have a higher rate or carry an adjustable rate that many borrowers prefer to avoid. These one-time close loans may also have much higher up-front fees that outweigh the cost savings of the single close. It is not uncommon for people to get a combination construction/permanent loan and then realize after construction that they would be better off refinancing into a conventional mortgage anyway.
Whichever loan structure you choose, a down payment of 20 percent of the project cost will typically be required. You can usually include any existing equity in the land toward your down payment, though some banks may limit the amount of equity created solely by value appreciation that you can use. An “as complete” appraisal on the proposed house and land will be ordered prior to origination of the construction loan to verify that the value of the proposed house is at least as much as the project cost. If the appraisal is less than the project cost, the bank may adjust the loan downward.
Building your dream house can seem like a daunting task. Talk to prospective lenders early in the process to find out their specific loan terms, requirements and timelines. You’ll want to have your financing in place before any work is completed on the home. Choosing the best contractor and lender for your needs will help ensure the process is as smooth and rewarding as possible. QCBN
Country Bank is a full service community bank serving Yavapai County with offices in Prescott, Prescott Valley, and Cottonwood. Ryan Glennan, NMLS # 478327, is a vice president of Country Bank specializing in commercial lending and residential construction loans. Please visit www.countrybankaz.com or call 928-443-9595 for more information.
Summit Center Hiring Marketing Director
The Summit Center is pleased to announce Carrie Heinonen has joined the organization as Director of Marketing and Community Relations. The Summit Center is home to Summit Surgery and Recovery Care Center, Northern Arizona Orthopaedics (NAO) and DeRosa Physical Therapy.
Heinonen has more than 19 years’ experience in marketing roles, having spent the last eight years as the Marketing Specialist for Northern Arizona Healthcare, which included Flagstaff Medical Center (FMC) and Verde Valley Medical Center. A Northern Arizona University (NAU) alumna, she started her career in sales and marketing immediately after graduating, while working in places like Seattle, Portland and Tahoe City, Calif., for groups such as Ride Snowboards, Nike, Suncloud and HD96. Eleven years after leaving Flagstaff, she moved back with her husband and daughter and began working for FMC.
Heinonen’s primary responsibilities are broad in scope. She will serve as project manager for all advertising, web, social media, print collateral, physician relations, community outreach and special events. She believes in grassroots, relationship-based marketing and communication methods. Much of her focus will be on resurrecting The Summit Center brand – ensuring the local communities understand the level of care available within its walls, including expert physicians, inpatient and outpatient surgery and physical therapy services. Other goals on the horizon include fostering the existing partnership with NAU Athletics as their preferred team physician practice; co-marketing the Spine and Joint Surgery Center service line at FMC; establishing healthy primary care referral patterns; beginning an educational physician lecture series at the Summit Center; and helping support the launch of the new Urgent Ortho clinic.
For more information or to stay connected, visit NorthAZOrtho.com or “like” us on Facebook.com/NorthAZOrtho.
Hotshot Families Organize Yarnell Fundraiser
The Granite Mountain Hotshot Girls are the wives and fiancées of the fallen Hotshots. They’re coming together, along with their families, to help finish the job that the Granite Mountain Hotshots started. The Hotshot Girls invite you to help them help the people of Yarnell rebuild their lives. Join them Sunday, Oct. 27 from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m., outdoors at Celtic Crossings, now located at the old Outback Steakhouse in Prescott for live music and merriment.
These amazing women are donating all proceeds to the Yarnell Hill Recovery Group. The event includes live music, a beer garden, silent auction and a raffle. Raffle items include cowboy art by Joseph Robertson, custom jewelry by Artful Eye and an original painting from Newman Galleries. If you’ve wanted to make a difference, don’t miss this event, sponsored by the families of our fallen Hotshots.
Admission is by donation. Raffle tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the event, or call Joni Cahn at928-899-0646. Celtic Crossings is located at Frontier Village, 1951 E. Highway 69, Prescott.
About Yarnell Hill Recovery Group
Exiled from their homes and divided by the closure of Highway 89, a group of 20 Yarnell and Peeples Valley residents conferred in person and by phone about how to rebuild their fire-ravaged community.
Out of that conversation, the all-volunteer Yarnell Hill Recovery Group was formed with a steering committee made up of five key leaders representing organizations that have long provided services to residents: the Yarnell-Peeples Valley Chamber of Commerce, the Yarnell Community Center, the Yarnell Community Presbyterian Church, the Fire Department and Weaver Mountains – People Who Care.
Under the direction of the steering committee, a dozen volunteer sub-committees have been formed to provide resources for everything from emergency housing and financial assistance to clean up and rebuilding. The group’s website, www.YarnellHillRecoveryGroup.
The group was recently recognized by Arizona and Yavapai County as the official recovery group for the Yarnell Hill Fire.
The Yarnell Community Presbyterian Church, acting as the Yarnell Hill Recovery Group’s fiscal agent, has set up an account for the Yarnell Hill Recovery Group though the National Bank of Arizona, account #76 0000 2730, Routing #122105320. There is a Pay Pal button for donations atwww.YarnellHillRecoveryGroup.
Redesign Project Presentation Oct. 24
Prescott Creeks and the Dexter Connectors will host a discussion on Thursday, October 24th at 6:30 pm at Northpoint Expeditionary Learning Academy (551 First St.) on the redesign and rebuild of the retention basin at the corner of Miller Valley and Whipple. T. Barnabas Kane and Associates will present their design and discuss this local project that will improve water quality by reducing Nonpoint Source Pollution.
The Upper Granite Creek Watershed contains six water bodies that are not meeting Arizona’s water quality standards. The goal of this Arizona Department of Environmental Quality funded project is to retrofit urbanized areas of the watershed with green infrastructures that will protect surface waters from non-point source pollution and improve surface water quality in Granite Creek and its tributaries by using plants and soil to slow, filter, cleanse, evapotranspire, and infiltrate runoff.
Prescott Creeks is a nonprofit organization with the mission to achieve healthy watersheds and clean waters in central Arizona for the benefit of people and wildlife through protection, restoration, education and advocacy.
For more information, see www.PrescottCreeks.org.
Ft. Whipple Museum Needing Volunteers
The sound of the bugle is calling for volunteers who enjoy military and regional history! Located at the Bob Stump Veterans Administration Center in Prescott, Ft. Whipple was constructed in 1864 as a United States Army post. The fort served as a tactical base for the United States Cavalry during the Indian Wars of 1864 to 1882, when it was also the information and entertainment center of the Prescott area. The historic structure also served as a military hospital during World War I and World War II.
Today, Ft. Whipple Museum is managed by Sharlot Hall Museum. The historic building remains in its original footprint, as do the former officers quarters nearby which are now used by VA personnel. Ft. Whipple Museum is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The all-volunteer staff gives visitors the Fort’s historical background as they tour the first and second floors with exhibits and notable architecture. During Spring, Summer and Fall, volunteers and Museum staff also gather for the Frontier Arizona Experience, a monthly program that gives insight to what military life was like in early Prescott.
The Museum is now in need of volunteers to man Ft. Whipple and/or participate in the monthly Frontier Arizona Experience programs. If you are interested in area or military history, please call us today or come to Ft. Whipple Museum on Monday, October 21. While not open to the public that day, the Museum will be hosting a meet and greet for those interested in volunteering, beginning at 10 a.m. Please RSVP by calling 928-445-3122.