The holidays are upon us and the staff at The Times would like to take this opportunity to thank the community of Fountain Hills for making 2019 another memorable year. The town has stayed pretty busy these past 12 months and we’ll be taking a look at many of the highlights over the next couple of weeks.

Beginning with this issue and continuing on Jan. 1, you’ll find our countdown of the 10 biggest stories of the year, as well as annual wrap-up articles covering a variety of topics, in case you need a refresher on what has been going on around town throughout 2019. From wild weather to various development projects and the kick-off to a year-long community celebration, there’s a lot to read about.

In terms of housekeeping, this issue is slugged for Christmas Day and next week’s paper comes out on New Year’s Day. There’s a brief rundown of closures and deadline changes on page 1A, in case you need to plan ahead for the holidays. And as you might have noticed, this week’s paper hit newsstands and driveways a day early. That trend will continue next week, so look for that issue to arrive on Tuesday, Jan. 31.

Looking ahead, we encourage everyone to get out and enjoy this special time of year with friends and family. Make some new memories and be sure to share them with the community through letters to the editor or Fountain Spouts submissions.

No matter how you choose to spend the holidays, we ask only two things: Enjoy yourself, but stay safe. Merry Christmas and a happy New Year.