InMaricopa The Magazine - Fall 2009

IS NOW

THE MAGAZINE

Vol. 4 Issue 3

ECONOMY HITS HOME

4

Residents share their stories

Sheriolyn Curry Lasley

Renaissance woman

John Wayne LEGEND MADE HIS MARK ON MARICOPA

Science Teacher ‘Grows Green’

t h e m o a k l aw fi r m HELP IS ON THE WAY

Is bankruptcy right for you?

Who is Walter E. “Pete” Moak?

I am a local bankruptcy attorney with over 30 years experience practicing law in Arizona. I have a strong background as a consumer advocate with experience in Bankruptcy, Real Estate Law and Personal Injury. I have also served as the Arizona managing attorney for the largest consumer bankruptcy firm in the nation and I am a member of the National Association of Consumer Bankruptcy Attorneys.

What made you choose Bankruptcy Law?

I enjoy the relationships created while dealing with people, mostly ordinary people who need someone who will listen to their situation and help them figure out what to do. I know that many good people are struggling to provide for their families and keep their homes. I help protect the rights of debtors.

Why should I choose The Moak Law Firm?

What makes you different?

Walter E. “Pete” Moak

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(480) 755-8000

Toll Free/Seminar info: 888-98-DEBTS 2

www.azbankruptcyhelp.com

InMaricopa.com | Vol. 4 Issue 3

We at The Moak Law Firm truly care about people. We listen carefully, apply good sense and strong legal skills so that our clients can restore order to their lives and enjoy peace of mind. Bankruptcy is often the best way to get these results.

We also focus on educating our clients so they can make informed decisions. I enjoy hosting frequent bankruptcy seminars in local communities and invite people who need help understanding the bankruptcy laws to attend without any pressure or commitment.

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Contents DEPARTMENTS

6 8 10 44 50

VOL. 4 ISSUE 3

Editor’s Letter Events Calendar Community Gallery Food Business Gallery

12 FEATURES

12 Passion for plants 14 Destiny revealed; call answered 16 Pastor’s winemaking is ‘modest hobby’ 18 Realtor, postal worker, professional athlete...Dave Sommer

20 Opportunities abound for saving energy — and money — around the house

26 Economy hits home. How locals are dealing with the recession

36

34 Dealing with your dog’s ‘back to school blues’

46 Home maintenance tips from the pros

COVER STORY

36 John Wayne: Hollywood legend

made his mark on Maricopa

John Wayne had a ‘bigger than life’ presence, both on and off the screen, and the Oscar-winning actor had a profound effect on Maricopa.

14

18

ON THE COVER: John Wayne and his partner Louis Johnson survey their more than 50,000-acre cattle-breeding operation.

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InMaricopa.com | Vol. 4 Issue 3

Vol. 4 Issue 3

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Editor’s

LETTER

• SERVICE AND INTEGRITY • FISCAL RESPONSIBILITY • COMMUNICATION • EXPERIENCED • RESPONSIVE • PROACTIVE • EFFECTIVE

Complete Community and HOA Management Services

“Turning Subdivisions into Neighborhoods” BRING PRIDE INTO YOUR COMMUNITY

A

ll good things start with a story, right?

I guess it was about 10 years ago, give or take a decade. All I know is that I had more hair back then.

I was traveling with a friend back to Phoenix from Rocky Point. We were pulling his boat on a rickety old trailer. (And I’m being generous when I describe it as “rickety.”)

While passing through Maricopa, a tire on the trailer literally exploded. Chunks of rubber and loose gravel were flying all around us as my friend wrestled the truck and connected trailer off to the side of the road. As the dust settled and our hearts eased back into our chests, we stepped out to survey the damage. It wasn’t too bad; the boat was still clinging to the trailer but obviously, the tire was toast.

“You have a spare, right?” I asked my friend, knowing full well that as old as this trailer was, the tires could have been carved from stone.

“Ahhh, no,” he said, sheepishly.

About that time, an older man drove up beside us in a small truck. “Need help?”

As the words left his mouth, another vehicle pulled behind us. A teenager bounded out of a Dodge Caravan. “I saw your tire blow out. Wow! You OK?” he said. As we embellished our harrowing experience, yet another car stopped behind us. The story was the same: “You guys need some help?”

Long story short, with help from several folks from the community, we were able to get that waste of a trailer back up on wheels and finish the trip home. Years later, I still remember those kind strangers who stopped to help two disheveled, unshaved men pulling a museum piece. That was my first impression of Maricopa, Arizona. A town where people “care.”

I’ve had better luck in my recent visits, including the present, as I dive into all things Maricopa as editor of InMaricopa The Magazine. I can’t express how excited I am to be part of this growing, friendly, family-oriented community. Quality of life is important.

Just talk to anyone who is still looking to find it. I know enough about Maricopa to realize the people who live here revel in a lifestyle that’s all about family, neighbors and pride in their community. And that’s important to me. In fact, I’m passionate about it.

As I join the incredible staff at InMaricopa, I feel fortunate to be in a position to tell your stories and share your news. If you have a story to tell, please let me know. If you see me on the street, stop and say hi. I know from experience, many of you aren’t shy.

Thank you for the opportunity to join your community. And I promise, no more trailers.

“We manage communities as if we live there” Jim Williams EDITOR

(480) 682-3209

6 InMaricopa.com | Vol. 4 Issue 3 www.PrideAssetManagement.com

THE MAGAZINE

Publisher SCOTT BARTLE Editor JIM WILLIAMS Copy Editor JOYCE HOLLIS Writers JOE GIUMETTE EILEEN PROCTOR MICHAEL K. RICH Photographers JOSE ALBANIL SCOTT BARTLE JOE DENOWH JAKE JOHNSON MICHAEL K. RICH Designer CARL BEZUIDENHOUT Operations Manager CAROLYN STRUBLE Operations Consultant DICK BARKLEY Sales Representatives KATHY DODGE BRENDA HERMANSON Customer Service Coordinator CYNTHIA HAMMOND

• Window Coverings • Draperies • Garage Floor Coating • Ceiling Fans • Custom Closets • Sunscreens • Crown Moulding • Security Doors • Roll-Down Screens • Softwater Systems • Hide-Away Screens

Volume 4, Issue 3 85239.com, LLC dba InMaricopa The Magazine 19756 N. John Wayne Parkway, Suite 100 P.O. Box 1018 Maricopa, AZ 85139 (520) 568-0040 Tel (520) 568-0050 Fax Magazine@InMaricopa.com News@InMaricopa.com Sales@InMaricopa.com Published advertisements are not an endorsement of products or advertising claims by 85239.com, LLC. No part of this magazine may be reproduced by any means without the prior written permission of 85239.com, LLC. Copyright 2009.

Vol. 4 Issue 3

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Events

Calendar

FRIENDS OF THE LIBRARY SEMI-ANNUAL USED BOOK SALE September 19

Hundreds of books will be on sale for $5 per grocery bag. The Friends’ Cookbook, Home Cookin’ from Maricopa, Arizona, and Patricia Brock’s Reflections of a Desert Town will also be available. The sale will be held at Santa Rosa Elementary School from 8 a.m. to noon with all proceeds going to support programs at the Maricopa Public Library.

KIDS DAY INTERNATIONAL September 19

Kids Day will be held for the second year in Maricopa at Maricopa Wells Middle School from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event, which focuses on health, safety and environmental awareness, will feature special presentations by police and fire fighters, as well as free health screenings, prizes and food.

Photo by Jake Johnson

FOUNDERS DAY October 10

Founders Day will celebrate the 6th anniversary of Maricopa’s incorporation as a city. Events, including a chili cook-off, live music, vendor booths featuring local businesses, and plenty of food and games will be provided for family fun and community fellowship. The celebration, beginning at 2 p.m., will run until 8 p.m. at Pacana Park.

Admission is free.

Escapes Wine Tasting will be held at The Duke from 7 to 9:30 p.m. Guests will have the opportunity to taste a variety of premium wines and enjoy an evening of music, appetizers and door prizes. The event is a fundraiser for the local food bank, F.O.R. Maricopa. Ticket prices are $100 per couple and $60 for singles.

the city of Maricopa and the Maricopa Agricultural Center.

This second annual event will feature scientific demonstrations, cricket spitting, tractor rides, equipment displays and more. It will be held at 37860 W. Smith-Enke Rd. from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Admission is free.

FARM DAY

October 31

October 24

With nearly 9,000 in attendance last year, this event has been moved from the Fry’s plaza to Pacana Park. The fun and safe Halloween spectacular, sponsored by Church of Celebration, will feature carnival games, a hay maze, inflatables, free candy and popcorn, a giant climbing wall, free raffle giveaways and a costume contest.

It will be held from 5 to 9 p.m., and admission is free.

Farm Day focuses on and promotes local agriculture. It is a cooperative effort between

GRAPE ESCAPES October 22

The

2nd

Annual

Grape

Photo by Jake Johnson

MARICOPA TRICK OR TREAT

For a complete list of community events, or to post one of your own, visit www.InMaricopa.com.

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Vol. 4 Issue 3

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Community

Gallery

Above: The grand opening of the $1.9 million Maricopa Public Library this summer drew more than 300 people. Photo by Jake Johnson Right: Maricopans Rob and Danielle Byers, and their two children, Olivia, 6, and Ian, 3, attend the Ringling Bros. and Barnum Bailey Circus this summer in Phoenix. They live in the Villages at Rancho El Dorado.

Photo by Jose Albanil

Above: Jake Romeo shows his support for Superintendent John Flores at a special meeting of the MUSD governing board. The board voted 4-1 to reassign Flores as principal of Santa Cruz Elementary School. Photo by Jake Johnson

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Left: Eddie Herrera relaxes while giving blood at a recent blood drive sponsored

by Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church.

Photo by Scott Bartle

Guest Photo By Joe Denowh “This photo was taken at the now-closed Sonoran Desert Monument. I was out riding ATVs with my brother, who you see in the picture. I was using a cheap 8 megapixel camera I bought at Target. The photo was taken along the Butterfield Trail between the two small mountains in the pass.”

If you have a photo you’d like to share with InMaricopa The Magazine readers, send a highresolution image and information about the photo to Photos@InMaricopa.com.

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11 TUITION

Education Profile

Bart Romero, an agricultural science instructor at Maricopa High School, shares with students his knowledge, culture and passion for growing plants. Photos by Jake Johnson

Passion for plants Veteran teacher leaving with agricultural program

By Michael K. Rich

B

elize is a small, tropical paradise bordered by the Caribbean Sea and the countries of Mexico and Guatemala. Its main exports are sugar, citrus and bananas.

However, this 8,867-square-mile country exported something else to Maricopa — high school agricultural science instructor Bart Romero.

Romero fell in love with agriculture as

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a young boy, working the fields with his father, but those years also planted in him a desire to get out of those fields. “I loved farming, but I didn’t like getting my hands dirty,” Romero recalled.

To keep his hands clean, Romero became an elementary school teacher in his native Belize, but a chance encounter with a young Peace Corps volunteer brought him to the United States.

“I was working as a teacher, and my future wife came to the school with the Peace Corps to do some work on the children’s teeth,” Romero said. The two eventually married and spent a total of three years together in Belize before moving to the U.S. Once in the States, Romero continued his education, earning a degree from the University of Arizona. He began teaching

Romero has no problem getting his hands dirty. In fact, it’s what he loves most.

Right: Romeo tends to his plants in the greenhouse. Photos by Jake Johnson

agriculture at Maricopa High School 17 years ago, but a waning interest in the field has him thinking of returning to his home country.

“The new group of students coming into Maricopa High School are not interested in agriculture,” Romero said.

Just 10 years ago Romero had 120 students a year register for his four-year program in agricultural science, but that number has dropped to 70. Even more disturbing to Romero is that of the 70 students who sign up as freshmen, only 10 to 15 will remain in the program through their senior year.

“I had a kid who signed up for the program tell me he doesn’t care where his food comes from as long as it ends up on the table,” Romero said.

MUCH TO LEARN Those who do stick with the program learn about leadership, public speaking, goal setting, electricity and plant growth.

“We try to make these kids into the future leaders of tomorrow,” Romero said.

Typically, the first year students in Romero’s program grow a garden, producing tomatoes, squash, chilies, corn and other popular items, but a decision at the district level has been made to phase the program out over the next three years.

“We will no longer have a garden, and no new freshmen will be enrolled in the program,” Romero said.

While the garden at Maricopa High School will go dormant, it does not mean plants will stop sprouting on campus. Students currently enrolled in the program will continue to grow 60 varieties of desert trees and plants in the program’s greenhouse and outdoor facilities.

“I will retire, grow a small garden and sell produce on the weekends. No matter where you go, there is always a demand for fresh produce.”

Bart Romero Prices for the plants, which are available for purchase by the general public, are determined by the size of the bucket; three gallon buckets cost $3 and five gallon buckets cost $5. “These are very affordable prices for plants,” Romero said.

Romero estimates the program has an inventory of nearly 4,000 plants ready for sale. “The kids are always telling me that there is a lot of money in those plants,” Romero said.

Each year the program generates

$4,000 to $6,000 through the sales of the plants and places that money in the Future Farmers of America fund to help students pay for attendance at leadership meetings and other events.

NEW PROGRAM COMING While the program and its plants are being phased out, a new program that focuses strictly on welding will take its place.

“We already teach welding as an aspect of the agricultural program, but now it will be its own stand-alone program,” Romero said.

Romero added that students in the new program will make items that can be sold to the public, like potters, letter holders and other small metal devices, and the money will go into an organization similar to the FFA called Skills USA. “It will instill a lot of the same leadership qualities as the FFA program.”

Although Romero said he is disappointed to see the agricultural program that has been in place since the early ’50s fade away, he is not angry. “Change comes, and you have to deal with it.”

Once the three-year transition period to the new program is complete, Romero said he and his wife plan to return to Belize where the couple already has a home.

“I will retire, grow a small garden and sell produce on the weekends. No matter where you go, there is always a demand for fresh produce.” s Vol. 4 Issue 3

| InMaricopa.com

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Business Entrepreneur

W

hile leading the typical, busy life of a modern woman — juggling a career, helping to raise two daughters, completing her education and eventually caring at home for an aging mother — Sheriolyn Curry Lasley kept having a recurring dream.

“I had no idea what the dream meant at first,” the Chicago native said. “It wasn’t a pleasant dream; full of odd shapes, with teeth bared that seemed to be chasing me.”

The dreams continued for 20 years.

Curry Lasley finally interpreted the dream: It was a calling from God. She was meant to feed a flock, figuratively speaking.

STEPS TO FULFILLMENT

Destiny revealed; call answered Sheriolyn Curry Lasley: Renaissance woman

By Joe Giumette Photo by Jake Johnson

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With degrees in accounting and psychology, she enrolled at the Fuller Theological Seminary’s Phoenix site in 2003 and was ordained a deacon in the African Methodist Episcopal church.

Five years later, as an elder, she became the founding pastor of Maricopa’s Mount Moriah Community Church, moving from Chandler to her new home in the Glennwilde community in 2006. Her congregation now boasts 50 members. “We’re packed into a remodeled, manufactured home,” Curry Lasley said, “but we do have plans to expand.”

Encouraged by her four siblings to take over their ill and aging mother’s care, Curry Lasley at first decided to move her mother in with her family in Chandler.

“For about 10 years we wavered between the belief that Mother would be better off in her own place and the need to have her re-join us at our home.”

Curry Lasley had her own consulting business for about eight years, helping companies train disabled employees and diversify their employee ranks to meet the needs of changing populations.

But it was her hands-on experience in dealing with the day-to-day needs of an ill, elderly parent that attracted Curry Lasley to her next challenge: buying and

nurturing a business, Comfort Keepers, a franchised service that provides in-home care for the elderly and disabled. With a staff of 50 employees Curry Lasley’s Comfort Keepers service provides for the needs of 100 clients.

ASSISTED LIVING In April Curry Lasley bought a home in the Senita subdivision and founded Solace Place, providing assisted living services for up to five residents in “safety and comfort.” She is also working on plans for another home for persons with dementia and related conditions.

“We pray for our town.”

Sheriolyn Curry Lasley Curry Lasley, who moved her offices a block away in Chandler to provide more room, spends about half her time working with Comfort Keepers and Solace Place.

The rest of her time is divided between her ministry and her personal life. She also serves as coordinator of women in the ministry for her denomination in a five-state area.

Every fourth Saturday Curry Lasley joins with other clerics in Maricopa at a special prayer meeting at Oasis Life Center.

“We pray for our town,” she said.

No longer visited by those dreams, Curry Lasley now hopes to pursue a doctorate in ministry, also from the Fuller seminary.

When she arrives home at night, Curry Lasley is usually greeted by her husband, Roderick, and Junior, her miniature Schnauzer, who is a constant reminder that even with multiple degrees and an impressive résumé, sometimes a prospective dog owner must past muster.

“I had to be interviewed by his former owners before I could adopt Junior,” Curry Lasley said with a chuckle.

“Obviously, Junior had pretty high standards.” s

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Home Hobbies

Pastor’s winemaking a ‘modest hobby’

By Joe Giumette “From the vine came the grape, from the grape came the wine…”

(Music and lyrics by Leonard Whitcup and Paul Cunningham, 1954. recorded by The Gaylords and The Hilltoppers)

G

rapes and wine have been inseparable since the earth’s climate allowed things to start growing, and one Maricopan in particular is grateful for that, in more ways than one.

As an aficionado of good wines, Rev. Kevin Kloster has been buying and making his own wines at home for about five years. As a member of the Methodist clergy, however, he serves only grape juice to his constituents in the Journey United Methodist Fellowship, which he started about a year ago when he moved to Maricopa from South Dakota.

WINE TIME “Methodists don’t drink wine during communion,” Kloster explained. “It all started back in the Industrial Revolution.

British society was traumatized by the transition from an agricultural economy to that of heavy manufacturing, and, as a result, the incidence of alcoholism was quite high.”

Methodist leaders decided to substitute grape juice for wine, not because alcohol was forbidden, but because they wanted to set an example. The practice has stood the test of time, not just for Methodists, but for other Protestants as well.

A native of Fargo, S.D., Kloster was the pastor of a congregation in Brandon, S.D., when he was asked to move to Maricopa in July 2008 to begin the process of building

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Rev. Kevin Kloster has been making his own wine for five years. He averages about 90 bottles a year. Photos by Jake Johnson

a church here. “I spent a lot of time doing some grassroots research,” Kloster said. He attended city council meetings, introduced himself to the mayor, city officials, school officials and other members of Marciopa’s establishment. “I handed out a lot of cards and flyers,” he said.

One year later Kloster had built his little United Methodist community, which meets Sunday evenings at Butterfield Elementary School, to about 180 members, with prospects of reaching 300 by September. “When we can enlist at least 200 members, we’re ready for an official church charter,” he explained, adding that the bishop will visit Maricopa to officiate at a consecration ceremony. Until that happens, he said, the church members are really “constituents” and the “church” is actually ranked as a “fellowship.”

GROWING INSPIRATION Married for 26 years, Kloster and his wife Tracy are the parents of two grown sons, Eric and Justin. “Actually, it was the parents of one of our son’s girlfriends who inspired me to start making my own wine,” Kloster said.

He averages about 90 bottles of wine a year, all reds. Most are given to friends.

“Last year, I broke the record,” Kloster said. “I supplied 125 bottles of my own wine for our son’s wedding.” His elderberry port has a full-bodied flavor and pleasant aftertaste. Port, in this case fortified with brandy, is favored as a dessert wine and

tends to be rather sweet.

“Personally,” Kloster said, “I prefer drier wines, and I don’t bother with whites at all.”

He controls the alcohol content of his wine by constant measurements with a special hydrometer. The instrument is periodically dropped into the carboy (a rather plain looking five-gallon glass container similar to water jugs of that capacity) to determine the alcohol levels. “I prefer my wines to have a bit more alcohol than the commercial varieties,” he said. The latter generally range from 8 to 20 percent by volume and are clearly labeled.

‘BATCHIN’ IT Kloster usually starts a batch of wine with fruit canned expressly for that purpose, then adds traces of chemicals in the “racking” process (moving the product from one carboy to another to remove more sediment, allowing the wine to clarify or become free of impurities).

Kloster’s wine rack, occupying a kitchen corner at his home in The Lakes at Rancho El Dorado, is an eclectic array (of cabernets, port, currant wines, domestic and imported, homemade and store bought). He uses a hand tool to neatly and tightly cork each bottle of wine he makes. The “labels” are really just identification of type and date, hand­-applied with a grease pencil.

“I have a friend,” he said, “who not only makes his own wine but is actually starting a vineyard in his own back yard, right here in Maricopa!” s

Did you know?

When leaders of the Methodist Church in England decided to offer their communicants grape juice instead of wine, they soon learned that the fruity beverage had what today would be known as a “short shelf life.” In the days before pasteurization and commercial refrigeration, much care had to be taken to ensure that members of the congregation wouldn’t become sick or die as a result of taking communion.

Experimenting with a combination of raisins and standard table grapes, Rev. Thomas Bramwell Welch hit upon a tasty formula for grape juice that seemed to retain its flavor, color and quality for a much longer period than other concoctions. Before long, his grape juice became the favored choice of the Methodist clergy in England.

Welch lost his ability to speak, however, and no longer could deliver sermons. So he moved to America, became a dentist and continued to improve his methods for preserving and bottling grape juice. His formulations exist today and are readily available at any supermarket; they bear the famous label of Welch’s Grape Juice.

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Vol. 4 Issue 3

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Sport Profile

Realtor, postal worker, professional athlete …

Dave Sommer’s varied career continues at The Duke at Rancho El Dorado

By Joe Giumette

B

asketball, baseball, golf.... no matter the sport, Dave Sommer gives it his all.

His latest game, managing a staff of 40 as general manager of The Duke golf course at Rancho El Dorado, has kept him fairly busy, with some weeks averaging 55 hours on the job.

Complaints? Not one.

The 42-year-old former minor league pitcher seems comfortably at ease in the job he’s held since March when Ahwatukee Golf Properties, which also owns two courses in Ahwatukee, bought The Duke.

“It’s full of challenges,” the six-foot, eightinch Sommer said, “but what isn’t?”

GOING POSTAL

Photo by Jake Johnson

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This is a man who’s used to some pretty dicey situations. He faced them in baseball and in the five years he spent as a clerk in the postal service. “That job really gave me a clear understanding of what it means when someone says, ‘He’s going postal.’” Sommer grinned, and then elaborated on the frustrations he faced, trying to sort mail under deadlines while walking a delicate line between union and management pressures, which were often in conflict.

“A customer at the post office in Scottsdale offered me a job that changed my life,” he said, “and I had to decide between a career of relative safety, with good pay and benefits, and a gamble with no certain future.” The attractions of the new position — as an employee of the Tiger Woods Foundation — were just too good to turn down, and Sommer hung up his rubber stamps and blue uniform.

The customer was impressed with how Sommer broke through the usual bureaucratic red tape to provide him with 300 Priority Mail boxes and overnight credit for $6,000 worth of postage so he could meet a deadline. Sommer convinced his boss, a man who consistently went by the rulebook, to bend the rules.

He viewed the part-time foundation job as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. The Tiger Woods Foundation conducts golf clinics for inner-city children and has tie-ins with the Make-a-Wish Foundation, which helps terminally ill children realize their dreams of travel and adventure. During his time with the foundation, he joined American Golf in 2001 as a staff member at Paradise Valley’s Stonecreek golf course.

LET’S PLAY BALL A native of Longview, Wash., Sommer graduated from Capital High School in Olympia, where he was all-state in baseball and all-league in basketball. He went on to play both sports at St. Martin’s College in Olympia. He also attended Clark College in Vancouver, Wash., and was drafted by the Chicago Cubs at age 19. When the Cubs released him, he signed as a free agent with the Expos two years later. At 24, he was traded to the Williamsport, Pa., Double-A team.

His second season in the minors (he also played on a farm team for the Mets) earned him third-place ranking for pitchers in the

Florida State League, with an 11-4 record and a 2.37 ERA. His baseball card — published while he was with the West Palm Beach Expos — shows him proudly gripping his right-hand glove.

Sliding into second base during spring training in the 1992 season, Sommer “tore up my knees.” A stint with the Mexican League the same year found him throwing 156 pitches in a 10 inning pre-season game, when the average pitch count was around 85. “I was young and didn’t know any better,” he said, “and I didn’t know how to protect myself.”

His family owned a real estate franchise in his hometown, so Sommer left baseball to pitch real estate for a while before moving to Arizona.

Wife Andrea is completing her master’s degree in education, and sons Walter, 10, and Rarey, 9, occasionally join their dad at The Duke for a round. “They’ll be here later this morning, and I better get in some practice.”

HONORING ‘THE DUKE’ Sommer started playing golf at 20.

“I was lucky enough to get a hole-in-one only six months after I started playing,” he

said, “and I’ve been trying to match that ever since.”

A former Little League baseball coach, as well as a volunteer high school basketball coach, Sommer had to drop those pursuits when he signed on to run The Duke.

“I’m a little bit puzzled about why, in this whole place,” his arms sweeping a wide arc around the The Duke’s interior, “there’s not one painting, photo or statue of John Wayne, the guy who this place was named for.”

One gets the feeling the task of acquiring some Wayne memorabilia — along with completing his plan to bring the course back to the original design created by David Druzisky — are among Sommer’s top priorities. In addition, he plans to start both men’s and women’s clubs at The Duke.

People often come into Sommer’s small office off the pro shop to help themselves from a bulging candy bowl on a bookshelf.

“I learned about the candy bowl at the post office,” Sommer said. “It’s a magnet, and a great way to meet folks. It also calms down guys who have an edge on.” s

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Home Energy Saving

Illustration by Jake Johnson

Opportunities abound for saving energy — and money — around the house

By Michael K. Rich

W

ith rising electric costs a reality, many residents look to the fall months as a time for home improvements aimed at saving both energy and money.

However, when looking at potential project savings, it is equally important to weigh the upfront cost to find a true return on the investment.

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Master plumber Tim Carter of askthebuilder.com says be wary of some sales people. “They will tell you how much you can save a month, but they won’t focus on the upfront cost. You don’t start saving on any home improvement project until you are able to recoup the initial investment.”

The initial investment for an energy-

saving project can vary from $20 to $20,000, depending on the cost of materials and whether homeowners decide to tackle it themselves or hire a contractor.

While the cost of the project can vary greatly, so can the payback. “It is hard to set an across-the-board payback on energy-saving projects,” Carter said.

Here are some potential energy-saving

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CFL BULBS CFL bulbs are the single most effective way people can save money on electric bills, according to APS Residential Energy Savings Program Manager Tom Hines.

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CFLs typically have a rated lifespan of 6,000 to 15,000 hours compared with 750 to 1,000 hours for regular bulbs. They also use one-fifth the amount of energy, giving the users a two-pronged savings.

However, the initial cost of the CFL bulb is more. Bulbs can cost $1.50 to $2.50 each for a 60-watt equivalent bulb. The average savings for a single bulb in a home is $10 per year or $40 over the bulb’s life.

According to Hines, the average home uses 40 bulbs, yielding an annual savings of about $400.

“When you think of it as one bulb, the savings seems insignificant, but when you add up all the bulbs in a home, the savings add up,” Hines said. “These bulbs are an investment with an almost immediate payback.”

CLOTHESLINES The clothesline is the original solarpowered device, using the sun to dry clothes.

According to energy estimates derived by taking the wattage of a dryer, time to dry a load and the rate at which Electrical District No. 3 bills customers for power, the average dryer in Maricopa costs 40 cents a load. If a family does four loads of laundry per week, the annual savings from hanging clothes out to dry amounts to about $83.

While the savings is minimal, so is the cost of a clothesline. Ace Hardware sells all the supplies needed to install a clothesline in the backyard, starting at $49. “Installing a clothesline is a very easy project,” said Ace Hardware co-owner Tom Bechtel. “On a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the most difficult project, I give it a two.”

CEILING FANS Installing ceiling fans is another low cost project that can help lower summer heating bills.

A ceiling fan has two directional settings; one pushes air down, keeping rooms cool in the summer, and the other pulls air up, keeping a room warmer in the winter.

While the air conditioner and fan will often work at the same time, Hines said fans work by creating a wind chill factor that causes the air to feel a few degrees

cooler. “If it causes you to keep your thermostat a few degrees higher, then they are a great investment.”

Turning the thermostat up one degree can save one percent of cooling costs.

Hines advises turning off fans when not in the room. “People think if they leave the fan on, it will circulate the air throughout the home, but that is not the case.”

WINDOW FILM/SUNSCREENS According to reports released by SRP, 50 percent of the heat entering a home in the Grand Canyon state comes through the windows. “Covering your windows is the best thing you can do to reduce cooling costs in the desert,” Hines said.

The SRP report suggests that installing sunscreens or window film can reduce cooling costs by up to 25 percent, saving nearly $210 a year on average.

Pat Weaver, owner of Selections Shutters, Blinds and Custom Drapery in Maricopa, said he has sold sunscreens to thousands of customers in the area and has yet to hear a single complaint. “You won’t be wearing a sweater in the house, but you will notice the difference.”

Weaver says customers initially put sunscreens on the east/west facing windows because they are not convinced of their benefit, but after he installs them on those windows, they generally call back to get the rest of the house screened.

Sunscreens and tints are available in different coverage strengths. The 90 percent shade screen provides the most protection because it blocks up to 90 percent of the sun’s rays. “When it comes to blocking the heat, exterior coverings are eight times more effective,” Hines said. “APS recently completed a study stating the average payback on sunscreens was two to three years.”

DUCTWORK In a recent APS study of newly constructed homes in Phoenix, the average duct leakage was 15 percent. Typically, ductwork is located in the attic in newer homes; a leak in the output side will result in a loss of cold air, and a leak on the return side will allow unwanted debris in the unit.

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“Sealing ducts can improve energy efficiency, lengthen the life of your a/c unit and improve the quality of air,” Hines said. “A unit with a 15 percent leak will equate to $200 to $300 annually in energy lost.”

Mason Mechanical in Mesa provides a duct-sealing service that starts at $1,000 per home. They pressurize ducts to locate any leaks, injecting a sealant to stop any air loss.

“We always find a leak, but the question is whether it is a one percent leak or a 20 percent leak,” owner Steve Mason said.

He typically recommends a visual duct inspection first, a service his company offers free of charge. “You can’t see the small leaks visually, but it can give you an idea if a duct sealing would help.”

Some indicators of a home with leaky ducts are excess dust in the interior, high electricity bills, noisy a/c units and excessive cooling times.

SOLAR WATER HEATER Across the Valley solar water heaters have become an attractive option due to rebates covering nearly half their cost and installation, but in Maricopa they have yet to take off.

“We just don’t have the rebates available to make them popular,” Bechtel said.

A solar water heater works by using the sun’s rays to heat water on sunny days and electricity to heat water when sunlight is unavailable. However, because of the size of the 100-gallon tank, compared to the 50-gallon tank on a regular water heater, the unit can often operate completely off power generated by the sun.

Typically an electric water heater accounts for $210 of a home’s total annual electricity cost; with a solar unit that number is reduced by 80 percent, to just $42 on average. “In general the water heater is the second largest user of energy in a home,” Hines said.

While ED3 may not offer incentives to their customers for solar water heaters, currently state and federal tax credits of about $3,000 offset the $5,000 average installation price.

Ron Gillespie, who owns Maricopabased Victory Plumbing, said he sees the benefits of solar water heaters firsthand.

“These things reduce a person’s footprint on the environment and save money.”

Gillespie doesn’t sell or install the units due to a newly passed state law requiring special certification to install the devices; however, Ace Hardware contracts with a company that installs the units. “It is odd these haven’t taken off in Maricopa,” Bechtel said.

RADIANT BARRIER These materials are available in several forms, including paint and film stapled to the interior of the roof, but according to Carter, the most effective barrier is the chip.

Chips are blown into the attic, providing a reflective cover for the already existing insulation. This cover reflects the sun’s rays as they pierce the attic, diverting the heat away from the home.

The chips’ inventor, Brad Lindsay, CEO of Horizon Energy System, has a similar product called Thermal Control Membrane. Lindsay said his products work more effectively because they offer multiple layers of protection against dust, which is the Achilles heel of reflective insulation products. “When the single layer radiant barriers get a coat of dust on them, they lose their effectiveness.”

Lindsay claims the installation of a radiant barrier, a high-powered attic fan

to remove the heat and the proper radiant barrier on the ducts will result in a 30 to 50 percent reduction in the total electric bill.

The cost of all three services would be close to $3,000 on a 2,000-square foot home; a 30 percent reduction in the cooling bill would equate to $600 a year in savings and an increased comfort level. “Radiant barrier costing $3,000 may take up to five years to break even.” Carter said.

“Solar used to be one of those things people did just to be green, but it is now starting to approach that line where people do it to save money.” Tom Hines Hines added that Arizona power companies have been reluctant to offer rebates for radiant barriers, but the products do work.

SOLAR PANELS Living in the desert, solar energy seems ideal although the cost is high. However, ED3 offers up to a $15,000 rebate on

systems, and state and federal governments offer tax credits for solar system purchases of $1,000.

“Solar used to be one of those things people did just to be green, but it is now starting to approach that line where people do it to save money,” Hines said.

A solar system transforms a home’s electrical meter into a two-way device.

When the amount of energy a person consumes exceeds the output of the solar panels, the meter spins one way, and when the amount produced exceeds usage, it spins the other way.

This two-way spinning meter typically adds up to a savings of 50 percent on a home’s electric costs, according to Jonathan Bass, spokesperson for Solar City, one of the largest residential solar installers in the U.S. In May, Solar City installed a system in the home of local residents Dan and Suzie Miller, who said they are seeing an average savings of $140 per month.

“We kept hearing about these systems on the radio and all the rebates available and finally decided to purchase one,” Suzie said. After the rebates, the system cost the couple around $17,000.

“The payback on a solar system is around 10 years, but the great thing about these systems is that they are low maintenance and have a long life span,” Hines said.

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25

Maricopa Resident

Business Economy

The economy hits home How a few locals are dealing with the recession

By Joe Giumette Editor’s Note: The worst recession the world has known in recent times has taken its toll on millions of people, and the residents of Maricopa are not immune.

Four people, chosen at random, told their stories.

The purpose here was not to dwell on hardship and tales of woe, but to show how some folks steel themselves and tap the depths of the human spirit to meet and overcome life’s demands.

Carrie Vargas teaches a voice lesson at Oasis Life Center’s School for the Arts.

A CALL FROM GOD IS ANSWERED Three years ago, Carrie and David Vargas and their three children left the San Francisco area and moved to a new home in Maricopa Meadows.

Why Maricopa?

“I believe it was a call from God,” said Carrie Vargas.

After her husband found work with an insurance firm in Phoenix, Carrie Vargas, with a degree in communications and speech from San Francisco University and five years of classical training in piano, joined the faculty of Maricopa High School. The couple and daughters Caitlyn, 14, and Alexandra, 7, and son Tyler, 11, also became members of the Oasis Life Center.

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InMaricopa.com | Vol. 4 Issue 3

Photo by Jake Johnson

Last year Vargas left the high school when she was named the first director of the Center’s new School for the Arts, offering individual and class instruction in instrumental music, voice, drama and other arts to students “from 3 up.”

The expectation was for as many as 150 students, but enrollment peaked at 40.

“During hard times, when people are losing jobs and their homes are threatened, these sorts of activities are the first to be removed from the family budget,” Vargas said.

Fortunately, David’s insurance company job seems immune, thus far, to the ups and downs of the economy, but any young family, used to surviving on two incomes, finds the loss of one salary a hardship.

Elected to a four-year term as a member of the governing board of the Maricopa Unified School District last November, Vargas brings a unique perspective to her new duties and responsibilities as a member of a group of individuals who oversee budgets, curricula and personnel.

“I’m looking for other employment here in Maricopa,” Vargas said, “and it’s not easy.”

She maintains hope for the future and recounted how she learned a valuable lesson about life and its peaks and valleys when her parents lost their retirement savings during the recession of 1989-91.

“There’ll always be times of recession,” she said, with a smile. “And there’ll always be a recovery.”

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27

Business Economy

A SPREADSHEET FOR SUCCESS Steve Sanders appears to be a person who could fieldstrip and reassemble a computer while blindfolded, probably in less than 15 minutes. He exudes a quiet confidence, the quality common to people who possess special knowledge of a field that is constantly changing. In this case, it’s the world of computers, with all of its peripherals.

As the owner of the local Data Doctors franchise, that image is an asset for Sanders. But a conversation of Steve Sanders owns the Data Doctors franchise more than a few minutes reveals he is in Maricopa. Photo by Jake Johnson more well rounded than that. A native of Santa Monica, Calif., Sanders moved to Arizona in 1972. He’s worked for Domino’s Pizza, WebMD and a few other well-known companies in Scottsdale, Tampa and Los Angeles.

At one time he even considered buying a Domino’s Pizza franchise because he helped manage 12 of the stores for one of the firm’s most successful franchisees. “My wife Annie is still involved in the restaurant business,” he explained. The couple has two children, Stephanie, 12, and Justin, 18.

Encouraged by the explosive growth in Maricopa in its first few years as a city, Sanders and his wife sold a rental property to help fund the cost of their Data Doctors operation, which is located on John Wayne Parkway just north of Smith-Enke Road.

Sanders opened his store in late 2006 before the housing bust and the subsequent waves of bank failures, unemployment and related problems.

Like all Data Doctors outlets, Sanders’ store sells and customizes computers, and does repairs and data restoration for individuals and businesses, either on location or in the store’s well-equipped lab. There Sanders recently reviewed the economy’s effect on his business.

“A year ago in July,” he said, “we had sold 40 computers. Year to date, we’ve only sold 16.

That’s a 60 percent drop in sales.” He added, however, that repair requests are up 10 percent over last year, “a sure sign that folks are conserving. They’re more apt to fix something than scrap it and buy something new, especially if repairs cost less.”

Since Sanders is a hands-on entrepreneur, he relies only on one other employee, a staff member who deals with customers and also handles repairs and other chores. “I haven’t had to lay anyone off,” Sanders said.

In fact, Sanders projects a pretty confident view of what lies ahead for his business: “We anticipate, on average, an annual growth of 5 to 10 percent.” And he makes no secret of the fact that his long-range plans include the possibility of a second Data Doctors store.

“For now,” he said, “let’s say it’ll be in an undisclosed location.”

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InMaricopa.com | Vol. 4 Issue 3

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Business Economy

BUILDING FOR THE FUTURE “What happens in Las Vegas stays in Las Vegas.” Or so goes the familiar TV spot. But sometimes, what happens is that people in Las Vegas decide to move elsewhere for new opportunities.

That happened to Laura and Scott Armstrong in 2005 when they decided to see what life was like in the burgeoning new community of Maricopa.

Laura had 10 years of experience in the administrative and financial areas of commercial construction, and she was confident she could land similar employment here, which she did. But then the economy soured, and Laura was one of many construction industry employees whose jobs became expendable due to market conditions.

“I had been out of work since April,” Armstrong said, “but I hadn’t given up by late June.” Armstrong, whose husband continues to work at a Tempe cabinet firm, had applied for more than 75 jobs, with no success. And then, finally, she was hired by

Perseverance paid off for Laura Armstrong. She applied for 75 jobs before landing a position. Photo by Jake Johnson

Ames Construction Co. in Phoenix. “The job is great,” she said, “and I am so very thankful for my new adventure.”

“Fortunately,” Armstrong admitted, “we’re a more established couple, with only one son who is on his own. We believed and still believe in savings, and we were just getting by with Scott’s income and my unemployment.”

She and Scott are proud of their neighbors and the friends they have made.

“These people are so supportive,” she said.

“We all help each other out with babysitting or rides, or whatever else we can do. I even do a little cleaning and ironing to help out when I can.”

Not one to grouse about her circumstances, Armstrong emphasizes the positive

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slant to most situations. She supplemented her online and in-person job hunt with stints working at Maricopa’s outlet for Bountiful Baskets, a sort of community food co-op.

Bountiful Baskets is a Valley-based volunteer organization where money is pooled in exchange for food credits. Armstrong explained that a contribution of $15 entitles a shopper to $50 worth of produce, which is be picked up at any of a multitude of locations.

“I work one day every two weeks,” Armstrong explained, “and that means we can draw food from the food bank for free.” She added that Scott likes to cook at their Rancho El Dorado home, which they share with their Jack Russell terrier, Samantha, and Penny, a miniature Pinscher.

“The dogs eat as well as they ever have,” Armstrong said, “I don’t think they even have a clue!”

SPOUSE MAKES HARD TIMES EASIER With no children to support and comfortable jobs they enjoyed, Jim and Esther Gerard decided to move from Mesa in 2004 and do what a lot of other folks did: purchase a new home for less money and be part of a growing community.

So they packed up their belongings, gathered their dogs, Cinnamon and Ringo, and moved into their new home in Acacia Crossings.

With the life lessons his parents instilled in him as he grew up in Indiana, Gerard knew the value of living at or below one’s means. The couple had built up a nice savings account; they had 401Ks, and Jim had been at his job as a software administrator for two years. Esther was working for a pharmaceutical firm.

Everything seemed to be going well until the Gerards started to be concerned about the early signs of a recession: the sub prime housing mess, layoffs, the stock market and federal bailouts.

Then, at the end of May, the recession was no longer an abstract concept; Gerard was one of 900 DHL Express employees placed on the layoff roster.

“I had received raises and promotions

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Business Economy since we moved here,” Gerard said, “so we luckily were living within our means. There were no equity loans, no second mortgages.”

And he received a severance package.

Nevertheless, when you’re 48, as Gerard is, a layoff can take on life-altering overtones.

“We still have two cars, and we have always resisted impulses to upgrade to larger TV sets, better appliances and so on,” Gerard said. They even decided to forego a luxury they had enjoyed in Mesa — a weekly landscape service. Gerard now does his own yard work. He also does a lot of the cleaning, housekeeping and cooking. And he walks the dogs.

“My wife has been fortunate enough to keep working,” Gerard said, “and she’s even taken on a second job at a fitness center as a scheduler and teacher.” Her healthcare plan covers them both.

“The least I can do is help relieve some of the stress so that when she comes home,

“The least I can do is help relieve some of the stress so that when she comes home, she doesn’t have to take on yet another job.”

Jim Gerard

she doesn’t have to take on yet another job,” said Gerard.

Every weekday Gerard checks a number of online job postings, and he’s consulted recruiting services and keeps in touch with former colleagues from DHL who have moved on to new jobs. “You never know who will help with a good lead on a job.”

Gerard admitted his routine at home helps the time go by faster. “You can’t be concentrating on a job search all day long, so I like to balance my time with my chores and helping others.” He provides transportation to and from health services for a brother who is ill. He rides his bike a little more, and he has increased his workout regimen.

Gerard’s employment situation changed recently. He accepted an IT job with a major financial advisement company in Scottsdale. “I am thankful that I had a very supportive spouse during this time of uncertainty. Good things can happen when you work as a team in times of stress.

“Before the layoff, I had read an article about what people should do if they lose their jobs,” he said. “Believe it or not, some of the tips included volunteering, networking, exercising, helping out family members and so on.”

Gerard did it all. s

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33

Pets Back to school

Dealing with your dog’s ‘back to school blues’

By Eileen Proctor

“H

ey, where ya goin’?

And why aren’t I goin’ witcha?”

That very well might be what your dog is frantically thinking as he sees his kids leave for their first day back to school. After all, the two leggeds and tailwagger have been non-stop companions for the past couple of months during summer break, but now — like McCauley Culkin — he’s ‘home alone.’

It’s enough to make a grown dog cry!

Or result in undesirable puppy antics like boredom chewing, indiscreetly positioned indoor puddles and piles, or attentiongenerating disobedience. And who could blame him? Well, YOU will!

Wait! Don’t throw the doggy out with the dishwater! Such bad behaviors from your forlorn fur friend can be avoided with a little pre-thought and planning by all members of the family.

Prepare your pooch for being left alone by practicing brief absences from home.

Start with just a few minutes at a time, gradually making them longer and more unpredictable in length.

Before leaving, spend a few minutes of quality time together. Throw the ball or take a brisk walk, something to tire him out so he welcomes a catnap after your departure.

And of course, make sure there is ample opportunity for him to fully answer Mother Nature’s calls!

Don’t make a big deal about leaving. A simple “see ya soon fella” with a pat on the head or scratch behind the ears should be sufficient or maybe a small treat so he starts

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InMaricopa.com | Vol. 4 Issue 3

to look forward to your leaving. Ditto for when you return!

If your dog is going to be spending more time inside the house while you’re away, be sure to ‘puppy proof ’ the area and provide fun distractions such as a new chew toys or a stuffed kong to keep him busy and amused. Be sure to safeguard your pet against items you don’t want destroyed or those that could be harmful such as electrical wires.

To stave off loneliness, leave a nearby television or radio on to emulate the absent family members.

Until he gets used to his new routine, consider breaking up your dog’s day with a

midday visit from a professional pet sitter or weekly or bi-weekly visits to your local dog daycare. His own personal version of school will give him something to look forward to and have him ‘sleeping it off ’ well into the next day! s Top Dog Eileen Proctor is a nationally renowned speaker, author, media personality, animal welfare advocate and award-winning entrepreneur committed to creating truly harmonious relationships between dogs and their people. www.TopDogEileenProctor.com.

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Vol. 4 Issue 3

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K

K

K ohn Smith, a Maricopa resident since 1951, sits in an old reclining chair by his living room window, looking out at the sea of rooftops that were once farms. He describes an event that helped transform Maricopa.

“Mike Ingram used to sneak out every night and hang that sign.”

The sign he refers to transforms state Route 347 into John Wayne Parkway as it runs through town, and many were opposed to that change, according to Smith. “The Indian communities didn’t want the change because John Wayne was known for killing Indians, and the old timers just wanted it to remain Maricopa Road.”

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John Wayne’s bedroom and attached bathroom at the Johnson residence.

Ingram, the developer behind much of modern day Maricopa, insists the county was putting up the signs, and people taking them down were trying to have Duke memorabilia to hang on their walls.

Although he was able to get the sign approved, Ingram said he could understand the feelings of the early residents who didn’t want to change the road’s name. Although some of the Indian communities had issues with Wayne, the Ak-Chin did not, according to Ingram. “They worked and drank with the man.”

“I changed the name to honor a great man who made an incredible contribution to western Pinal County,” Ingram explained.

“He (Ingram) loved John Wayne and thought it would be a great marketing ploy,” Smith said.

However, Wayne, a.k.a. The Duke, is

more than just a marketing tool for the city.

He has a history with the area that stretches back to the late ’50s when the Hollywood legend purchased 4,000 acres of farmland

between Maricopa and Stanfield. He paid $4 million in borrowed money for the acreage because his tax attorney thought it would be a good investment.

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COTTON FARMER Wayne financed a cotton crop through Anderson Clayton Company of Phoenix, one of the largest cotton brokers in the world. Then, due to a lack of time and farming experience, Wayne paid the brokerage to farm the land for him.

It soon became clear to Wayne that the Anderson Clayton Company didn’t know how to farm cotton either.

During Wayne’s many visits to his farm he noticed the farm of his neighbor, Louis Johnson, was doing considerably better than his own, according to Johnson’s widow, Alice.

“The Duke’s farm was struggling, so he called his brokerage people and asked who the best cotton farmer in the area was. They told him Louis Johnson,” Alice said. “When everyone else was getting two and a half bales to the acre, Louie was getting four.”

Convinced that Johnson was the farmer Wayne needed to make his floundering property a success, he called him. Explaining he couldn’t come to Arizona because he

was making a film, he offered to cover all expenses if Johnson would fly to California to talk with him.

Johnson agreed to meet Wayne, and the outcome of their discussion was that Johnson would manage Wayne’s crop for one year for $14,000. If the farm produced three bales per acre, he would receive an additional $50,000, and, if he produced four bales per acre, he would get an additional $100,000.

Johnson produced 4.22 bales to the acre that year, earning Wayne in excess of $1 million, but the success was not obstacle free.

During the harvest, agents from the bank showed up in the field to repossess 10 Clari cotton pickers. “Louie marched over to the bank and signed a nearly $800,000 note so that they wouldn’t take the equipment,” Alice said.

PARTNERS FOR LIFE Wayne was impressed by the success of his newfound manager, and the two

decided to merge Wayne’s 4,000-acre farm with Johnson’s 6,000-acre farm and become partners.

“They had a running bet that if Louie was able to produce more than four bales per acre a year, he (Wayne) would buy him a Cadillac,” Alice said. “Every year but one Duke bought Louie a new car.”

Johnson renovated a room for Wayne to stay in when he and his family made trips to the Johnson residence. Often Wayne would come to the house to have Alice help him shave weight for an upcoming movie role.

“I would follow a diet plan from a book called the Diet Watchers Guide,” Alice said. “It was a sort of an old-time Weight Watchers program.” According to Alice, the real key to his weight loss was a specially designed bathroom in which every surface was mirrored except the ceilings and floors. “He always said being able to see his body from every angle helped him to drop the weight.”

While the cotton business treated the two men well, federal government

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InMaricopa.com | Vol. 4 Issue 3

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inMaricopa.com | Vol. 4 Issue 3

cutbacks on water allocations in the 1960s, aimed at preventing Southwestern cotton farmers from putting others in the nation out of business, pushed the partners toward cattle.

Johnson and Wayne built an 18,000head feedlot and soon expanded into cattle breeding with an operation in Springerville, Ariz., that covered more than 50,000 acres.

At the Springerville location the two focused on raising the highest quality bulls and then auctioning them off at the 26 Bar Ranch near Maricopa. These annual auctions attracted hundreds of potential buyers to the area from across the nation.

“They were a big event back in the day,” Alice recalled.

In addition to the Springerville ranch, the feedlot near Maricopa expanded to 85,000 head, becoming the largest privately owned feedlot in the United States.

However, in 1974 housewives across the nation, enraged by skyrocketing beef prices, staged a brief but powerful boycott, sending the duo’s operation into the red.

“We lost millions,” Alice lamented. “It was amazing that Louie could just come to bed every night, close the door and not worry about a thing.”

To counteract the failing industry, Wayne and Johnson reduced the number of cattle on their feedlot to 8,500, but the bankers were not going to let Johnson give up on the business.

“They insisted he begin buying cattle

despite being low on credit,” Alice said.

“They told him to keep buying until they told him to stop.” Johnson began buying in January 1975 and by June had expanded the operation tenfold from 8,500 to almost 85,000 head of cattle.

The partnership between the two men ended later that year when Wayne died of cancer, but early residents like Smith still

“The Wayne children were going to sell Duke’s portion, so we decided it would be a good time to get out rather than getting stuck with a partner we didn’t know,” Alice said.

When the children were auctioning off items from Wayne’s estate, they surprised the Johnsons by calling them out to their father’s California residence. Alice had first visited there many years before, falling in love with an extravagant chandelier

have fond memories of him.

During his many trips to the farm Wayne would often drive through Maricopa, stopping at local businesses. “No one rushed him for autographs when he stopped,” Smith said. “He loved the kids and would stand all day signing things for them.” Wayne would also often head out to his favorite drinking location, the Table Top Tavern in Stanfield, and spend time with local farmers.

When Wayne died, Johnson decided it would be best for him to exit the business also.

Wayne had purchased in Europe. “It was so weird seeing such a beautiful chandelier in his home; it just didn’t fit his personality,” Alice said.

When they arrived for the estate sale, the children said they were going to vote on gifting the imported chandelier to Alice, and all seven voted in favor. “I was so happy I did a dance on the kitchen floor,” Alice said. Louie died of cancer in 2001, and Alice, now in her 70s, remarried a few years later. To this day she and her new husband live on the property that hosted John Wayne in Maricopa. s

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www.SapphireTechnology.net • (480)208-5566 (Direct)

Food Recipe

Cedar Plank Salmon

Cedar Plank Salmon Serves 6 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil 2 tablespoons of soy sauce 6 tablespoons of Jack Daniels 1 teaspoon of ground ginger 2 tablespoons of brown sugar Salt and Pepper, to taste 2½ pounds of salmon fillets, skinned and boned 1 teaspoon of lemon juice Soak cedar plank in water for minimum of 4 hours. You can use 3/8” x 5½” x 22” or ¾” cedar planks or, just match the length to the portion being cooked; this will hold a full salmon fillet.

Mix first six ingredients in bowl. Marinate salmon on both sides for 60 minutes to 6 hours in a plastic bag, refrigerate. Keep turning.

Turn your grill to high. When hot, place plank on the grill. Flip it over, when you hear the plank starting to crackle; the wood should be burnt. Put salmon skinned side down, reserve marinade, cover and hot smoke the salmon for 10 to 15 minutes. The plank will burn.

The fish will turn golden brown. Don’t flip the salmon.

Reduce remaining marinade on stove by half and add lemon juice. Spoon on top of salmon and cook for 1 minute.

You will serve the salmon on the burnt plank. If the plank is burning, squeeze additional lemon juice on the wood before you bring it into the house. You can add lemon slices along the salmon as garnish.

Enjoy. s

Photos by Jake Johnson

Wayne Santi Wayne Santi started cooking family meals about 30 years ago when his wife Priscilla started working evenings. Later he began a catering company and, as a personal chef, did house parties and small weddings. He has done commercials on the Food Channel for Iron Chef America, and many of his recipes have been published in various cooking magazines. Santi’s favorite type of cooking is Greek- and New Orleans-style food.

“One of the nice things about this recipe is its simplicity,” says Santi. “You don’t worry about fire or smoke; just turn the temperature to high and let it develop flavor on its own.”

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InMaricopa.com | Vol. 4 Issue 3

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Vol. 4 Issue 3

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45

Home Tips

Home maintenance tips from the pros

C

aring for a home generally requires one of two things: time to accomplish some minor, hands-on maintenance projects or hiring a capable service provider.

In order to make your do-it-yourself projects easier, here are some tips from the pros (who are only a phone call away):

HARD WATER SPOTS Customers ask, “How do I get hard water sediments off my showers or sinks?”

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InMaricopa.com | Vol. 4 Issue 3

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some metals and many other surfaces. It can polish a stainless steel refrigerator back to new...even with minor scratches and stains. Remember to read and follow all product directions. www.AnthonyClean.com

GETTING READY TO PAINT Preparing the room before beginning your project not only makes it easier for you to paint, it also protects your home from inadvertent splatters or spills.

• Remove draperies, pictures, mirrors, area rugs, hardware (if possible) and switch and receptacle cover plates.

• Move all furniture to the center of the room, if possible. Cover all furniture with plastic.

• Tape off woodwork (trim).

• Wrap plastic around light fixtures, and use masking tape to cover any hardware you can’t remove.

• Open a window or door to ensure good ventilation.

• Clean the surface being painted as needed.

• Cover flooring using clean drop clothes or thick floor plastic.

• Gaps between walls, ceilings, crown moldings and other interior trim can be filled with the appropriate caulk.

• Fill unwanted nail or screw holes using lightweight Spackle.

Remember, preparation is 80 percent of the job and, when done correctly, makes for easy painting. www.ArizonaContractPainting.com

QUESTIONS FOR CLEANERS BEFORE THEY WORK IN YOUR HOME 1. Are they an IICRC-certified firm? If not, as of 2008, you will likely void the carpet’s warranty.

2. Do they steam clean the carpet?

The manufacturer specifically requires you have it steam cleaned in order to maintain your warranty.

3. What’s the dry time? If the dry time is more than four hours, the cleaners’ equipment doesn’t have the necessary power to remove enough moisture or unhealthy contaminants from your carpet. This equipment is inferior in today’s market, and your family and carpets deserve better.

4. Do they pre-vacuum every job? If they do not offer this service, will do it for an additional charge or tell you to do it, you should call someone else.

Don’t mistakenly fall for the claim that they will get everything out with their equipment.

5. Are they properly insured?

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Vol. 4 Issue 3

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No lip service, just great service!

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InMaricopa.com | Vol. 4 Issue 3

A PLUMBING TIP ABOUT TOILETS

Check the brand of your toilet. Mansfield toilets have had a problem with the threads connecting to the supply line. They have been known to develop a hairline crack in those threads. Over time, the crack starts with a drip, then eventually fails, flooding the home with toilet water. If you notice a drip, turn the water off to the toilet.

You can replace the ballcock yourself or call someone to do it. Some builders have offered to replace these toilets at Bob Stranford no charge. www.MaricopaMountain Plumbing.com

QUICK FIXES FOR WATERWASTING TOILETS Your toilet can be one of your home’s biggest water-wasting fixtures. Just one leaky toilet can waste about 1,000 gallons of water over a month’s time. Save some money by trying the following: Do a food color dye test on your toilet.

Choose blue, or any other food color you like, and put it in the tank. Make sure the water turns that color and then wait ten minutes. As long as you didn’t use clear dye, you should not see any color change in the bowl’s water. If you get any color in the bowl, you have a leak. This could be a flapper or a bowl seal.

1

2

Make sure the water level is where it should be. There is a line on the big white tube in the tank; water should be right at that mark or just a bit below it.

Make sure the white or black tubes in the tank are not too far down the flush valve. Having the tube too far down can cause ‘ghosting,’ the toilet flushing itself like a ghost is there.

If your toilet is an older style and uses more than the required 1.6 gpf (gallons per flush), you can reduce water usage by adding a brick or a gallon-sized bag of water to the tank.

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Although most minor toilet repairs can be done yourself with parts from a hardware store, you may want to consider upgrading to a Ron Gillespie water-saving toilet if you have one of the older, heavy water usage models.

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Business

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Wells Fargo (inside Bashas’) Manager Jeana Saari and two coworkers demonstrate a grab game for kids who open a new account. Participants stick a hand in the bowl and pull out coins, the amount of which is then deposited into their new account. Photo by Michael K. Rich

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Mando’s Mexican Food owner Salvador Villanueva shows off three tacos. The restaurant finished in third place in a recent InMaricopa best-taco poll.

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www.SamCraigLawnSprinklersandLeaks.com 50

InMaricopa.com | Vol. 4 Issue 3

Photo by Michael K. Rich

Maxine McDaniel pulls out a fresh pizza from Bashas’ brick oven. McDaniel has worked at Bashas’ for 17 years. Photo by Michael K. Rich

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We are AHCCCS providers for Pinal County InMaricopa.com | Vol. 4 Issue 3

(520) 568-7630 44480 W Honeycutt Rd., Ste. 109 DelicateDentalClinic@gmail.com | Mon.-Fri. 8-5