What's not to like about Prescott? (Phoenix, Chino Valley: felony, living in, restaurants)

[In_The_Sun]

Prescott is a huge recovery town. While most view this as a good thing, along with recovery comes relapse. For a small, peachy-keen, mountain community, there are exorbitant amounts of illicit drugs. I've lived here since I was twelve and the friends that didn't manage to escape after high school are all pretty much in the throes of serious addiction. People come here from all over the country to get 'clean and sober,' however an estimated 1 in 10 of those in recovery actually makes it. Meth and Heroin seem to be the worst perpetrators. In my time here I've run across every drug mentionable, including crack, cocaine, black tar, crystal meth, a multitude of pills, hallucinogens, ecstasy, a new designer drug out of China called 2CO, not to mention that DUI in this town seems to be a spectator sport that even the mayor fell prey to a couple of years ago. Since I was younger, the chief complaint of youth is that there really is nothing for us to do. Nothing in Prescott is open past 9, so the night life is nil, unless you plan to hit the ever infamous Whiskey Row. The only businesses in town open 24 hours are the Casinoes, Dennys and the Whataburger drive-thru. This contributes to the general unrest among the younger population. Unless you have transportation and are willing to drive out to Prescott Valley, you can forget about even going to the movies; the only theater in town just turned into a 21+ venue so they can generate revenue through alcohol sales. All this, even though Prescott hosts three colleges... Apparently we are still just a 'retirement community.'

[Esenjay]

How old are you now?

[DellNec]

Originally Posted by In_The_Sun

Prescott is a huge recovery town. While most view this as a good thing, along with recovery comes relapse. For a small, peachy-keen, mountain community, there are exorbitant amounts of illicit drugs...

Nothing in Prescott is open past 9, so the night life is nil, unless you plan to hit the ever infamous Whiskey Row.

This contributes to the general unrest among the younger population...

Apparently we are still just a 'retirement community.'

You've hit on many valid points. Prescott city council members have failed, and failed miserably, to design a town that has everyone in mind. Including teenagers. They wanted a town that generated big money through wealthy retirees moving here. In doing so, they left out the young.

There is nothing for the youth to do. They hang out at Denny's and McDonalds. This becomes boring fairly quickly, and as a teenagers mind sits unexcited, the prospect of drugs (which Prescott sure has plenty to chose from) becomes appealing.

Prescott being a "small town", becomes its own worse enemy. While the 60 year old can sit at home and watch TV. The 17 year old has nothing to do up here. Even the early 20 year olds have nothing to do. Whiskey Row is a joke. A small street of washed-up, tourist trap, bars. Where the gullible tourists go to see where Wyatt Earp drank. That scene (Whiskey Row) got old after 2 weeks living up here.

When I talk to teenagers, they all state the same thing, when they get of age and of financial stability, they are getting the heck of Prescott. To them, this is like a small town out in Kansas, they just want to get out of here and go to Phoenix or some other larger town. And the response of Prescottonians is, good riddance. That is the mindset up here. The ironic part is that the older generation needs the younger to cater to them and do their blue collar jobs for them while they live at the Ranch and Prescott Lakes.

[smilinpretty]

My teenager years, in the 60's and early 70's, I grew up in West and South Torrance, CA. Although, there was a beach nearby, and we often visited it, we found ourselves bowling twice a month. We often went to the movies. I do not think that Prescott is any different than any other places for kids to grow up. In fact, there are a few fishing lakes, hiking trails. Why do people think that there MUST be activities for teenagers to do. We created our own things to do and we were quite satisfied. Back in the 60's and 70's, families did not have allot of money to spend on their kids.

[Esenjay]

There are many things to do virtually anywhere you live, if you don't have high expectations or need "society" to hand out entertainment options. One of the problems with kids growing up is dependence on external sources such as TV, video games, media outlets, etc., to spoonfeed them their thoughts.

I'm not old but I'm not a teenager or in my twenties, either. When I grew up my friends and I didn't depend on quick-release options to have some fun. We made our own way and it did not depend on available commercial outlets. Plenty of camping, hiking or just hanging out at a friend's place having fun playing games--be they video, board or beyond--such as ping pong, pool, or stuff we just plain made up if somebody had a good idea. Reminds me of a game involving a hat, a deck of cards, a small fishing pole and a fan--spur of the moment idea that was great fun indeed!

Rather then being jaded or pessimistic, young adults should think outside the box and be creative. Sure, it's fun to go to the movies or out on the town but that doesn't have to be the norm and it's certainly something that can be planned for, around business hours. Outside of those times there are quite a number of things to do--if you're friendly, imaginative and tolerant of others (meaning: open-minded).

My opinion, for what it's worth.

[Gandalara]

Originally Posted by DellNec

While the 60 year old can sit at home and watch TV. The 17 year old has nothing to do up here. Even the early 20 year olds have nothing to do.

Why do people of *any* age expect other people and the cities they live in to entertain them?

Entertain yourself. You're the only one who can find things to do to make yourself happy.

Good ghod, you sound like the 8 year old on the second day of summer whining, "I'm bored!"

[DellNec]

Thank you for reinforcing the Prescottonian attitude & response about young adults.

As you see, the responses;

Originally Posted by smilinpretty

Why do people think that there MUST be activities for teenagers to do.

Originally Posted by Gandalara

Why do people of *any* age expect other people and the cities they live in to entertain them?

It's not about the city "entertaining" teenagers. It's about providing creative & constructive things for teenagers to do. That is why schools provide sports, music, art, and other activities, to stimulate the teenage mind and to help them stay focused on GOOD behaviors, rather than DESTRUCTIVE behaviors.

Apparently, you have not read or studied any psychology and how the mind of a teenager works. Maybe this might help:
http://www.rmpbs.org/content/index.cfm/show/197718

The point is the above comments are basically the resounding voice of the Prescottonians. The older generation, who wants to go about being "retired" and does not want those "whipper snappers" around. They don't offer solutions to the problem, their answers, as seen above, contributes to the problem.

[Esenjay]

Still sounds more like excuses than factual observation. Kids, young adults, old adults--they all have to find things to do with their time or they risk being bored or sucked into a TV. Naturally kids should be assisted by their parents, but young adults should be capable of finding things to do that don't involve destructive behavior. Being destructive is a choice--if that's the only option for entertainment then that's a fairly sad commentary on the young adult, not the town he/she lives in. Somehow it didn't seem so difficult to have a good time when I grew up. Sign of the times, I guess.

[DellNec]

Originally Posted by Esenjay

Naturally kids should be assisted by their parents, but young adults should be capable of finding things to do that don't involve destructive behavior.

Society and times change. With that, includes the behaviors and growth patterns of children. Also, many come from single family homes (high divorce rates, single mothers) and today's economy forces both parents to work full time (nobody around for the teenager).

Originally Posted by Esenjay

Somehow it didn't seem so difficult to have a good time when I grew up. Sign of the times, I guess.

Yes, society and cultural behaviors change. Years ago, it was not uncommon for a stranger to rebuke a misbehaving teen in public. Today, that is unheard of, even frowned upon.

The point of all is this discussion is that Prescott fails, and fails miserably, to offer teenagers something to do. Prescott is middle aged focused, retirement focused, while the younger generation is ignored and the fall into the abyss of drugs and destructive behaviors.

With statements like this, it does nothing to help with the current problem. As a matter of fact, I ran these comments across the desk of a friend of mine who is a behavioral psychologist, his jaw dropped (literally & figuratively) when he read some of these responses:

Originally Posted by smilinpretty

Why do people think that there MUST be activities for teenagers to do.

[Esenjay]

Funny, I ran your comments by some friends of mine and they just shook their head at the thought that the only outlet for teenagers is an abyss of drugs and misery because they can't find anything to do with their time.

It would be great to see community programs geared for kids. You sound very passionate about the subject, DellNec. If it means so much to you, have you considered spearheading an effort in the community to get something done about it? Or do you limit your effort to this forum and leave it at that? It's like complaining about the current economic climate and the poor political leadership--while abstaining during the voting process.

Everyone's got an opinion, but so few take the time and energy to do something productive to effect change.