SignalsAZ.com Prescott News Podcast - Community Update with Prescott Mayor Cathey Rusing

Episode Date: January 14, 2026

Send us a text and chime in!Prescott Mayor Cathey Rusing provides updates for these topics in her Community Update:City Council MeetingsState of the City BreakfastMartin Luther King DayGroundbreaking of the Assembly HotelPrescott Public Library AnnouncementsCheck out the CAST11.com Website at: https://CAST11.com Follow the CAST11 Podcast Network on Facebook at: https://Facebook.com/CAST11AZFollow Cast11 Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/cast11_podcast_network

Happy New Year Prescott. Today's community update comes to you from one of our most welcoming and well-loved community spaces, the Prescott Public Library. This library is far more than a place for books. It's a hub for learning, connection, and lifelong discovery. And it's fitting that we're here as we share updates about what's ahead for our city. We have several important events coming up this month, the state of the city breakfast, groundbreaking for the new hotel. at the Old City Hall site and MLK Day. City Council will meet twice in January on the 13th and on the 27th. There are several important items on the agenda for our January 13th meeting. First, at the 1 o'clock study session, council will hear a presentation from Pollock and

company on the city's workforce housing strategy and implementation, a key issue impacting residents and employers alike. At the 3 o'clock voting session, we will be discussing a citizens' petition from Charles K. Thomas, and we'll also talk about some changes at our parks and lakes. We will be voting on how to proceed on the general plan. Our goal is to present a plan to the voters that will reflect how we want to grow and will include elements that are important for our quality of life. All meetings are open to the public, live-streamed, and available to watch later on Facebook and YouTube. Agendas and details are always available on our website, Prescott-Arizona.gov. On Thursday, January 15th at 8.30 a.m., I invite you to attend Prescott's first ever

state-of-the-city breakfast at the historic Sam Hill Warehouse. The theme of our event is preserving the past and ensuring a vibrant future. Council and staff will share highlights and accomplishments of 2025. The event is free, but RSVPs are required due to limited seating. You can reserve a spot by emailing Communications at Prescott-AZ.gov. And on Monday, January 19th, the city will observe Martin Luther King Day, and the following city offices will be closed on Monday, City Hall, the library, and the transfer station. Monday trash pickup will be on Tuesday. And to commemorate

MLK Day, you are invited to join in the annual Prescott, MLK Peace and Justice March and celebration. Please gather at the Prescott College parking lot 9.30 a.m. on Monday, January 19th. On Thursday, January 22nd, you are invited to join us for the groundbreaking of the Assembly hotel at the Old City Hall site at noon. This marks an exciting milestone and reflects continued investments in downtown Prescott and in its future. Now I want to take a moment to introduce our fabulous library director, Melissa Orr. Thank you, Mayor Rusing. And welcome to the Prescott Public Library. Winter is a great time to get cozy with a book, and we have several programs happening now, throughout the end of February that invite our community to read, connect, and give back.

Right now, we are hosting a winter reading challenge for both youth and adults. For students in kindergarten through 12th grade, stop by the youth desk to pick up a winter reading bookmark and start logging the books you read. Kids who complete the challenge will earn a free frozen custard and a free kids' meal from Culverse and a free book. For the adults in the teens ages 13 and up, we're offering a winter bingo challenge. Complete four library-themed activities in a row to earn a prize.

It's a simple and enjoyable way to stay engaged this winter. Throughout the month of January, the library is also hosting a non-perishable food drive to support the community cupboard food bank. one of our valued partners that host our busiest booknook outreach locations. We encourage visitors to bring canned or boxed food items when they stop by. Adults looking to connect are invited to join us at our game and gab, which meets on the second Friday of the month at 3 p.m.

and the third Tuesday at 2 p.m. It's a welcoming space to enjoy games, puzzles, and conversation. We're also excited about. our partnership with the Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Universities Planetarium, offering story time under the stars, and new steam-focused programs for older kids. In addition, we're working with students from Basis Prescott on an interactive learning project exploring the history of Prescott and the library.

Be ready for our 250. Nice. Finally, the Imagination Library, in Prescott now serves over 3,000 local children with more than 1,850 graduates since the program started in 2019, helping families build a love of reading from the very beginning. Thank you for supporting your library. We look forward to welcoming you this winter. Thank you, Melissa, and thank you to the entire library team for everything you do for our community.

The library is just one of the many amenities offered by the city of Prescott. Goodbye for now, and I'll see you soon.