Golden Corridor Living Magazine

“THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY”

SUMMER 2015

Hiking & Biking CG Mountain Explored

Special Section:

MEDICAL HEALTH & WELLNESS Information for You and Your Family

EDUCATION

PAY IT FORWARD

The Interview:

Rona Curphy, CEO of Banner Casa Grande Medical Center

ARIZONA CIT Y • C A S A GR ANDE • COOLIDGE • ELOY • FLORENCE • MARICOPA

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THE MEDICAL EDITION

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A Note from the Publisher

What a great community we have here in what we call the “Golden Corridor”!

O Elaine Earle

Drop us a line at contact@ roxco.com and we will publish your comments in a public forum.

ur incredible group of writers, editors and management staff at the Golden Corridor LIVING Magazine have spent some time digging in the archives, meeting with the City and historical society, talking to elected officials and city dignitaries and historians and are truly impressed with where we have been and where we are going in our community. All of this is leading into a big celebration planned for the City of Casa Grande 100 year celebration (1915-2015); along with a commemorative issue of the LIVING Magazine and a Big City celebration.

We’ve been pondering what our community will be like in the next 5,10, 25 and more years; what will make it better and where will we see progress. We’ve noticed that things are improving in the local economy, which makes us think about amenities that we as a community want - and need. Progress of this nature should include amenities for us and our town; who doesn’t want bike paths, microbreweries, a real historical downtown?

Speaking of amenities, it just so happens there is one giant one we can help get accomplished RIGHT NOW - the multigenerational recre-

ual Site Plan Proposed Site Plan*

*From the City Council retreat presentation dated 2-11-15

4

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 20 15

PROPOSED CONCEPTS: Multigenerational Recreation Center*

ation center that was approved by the voters in 2006.

Nine years ago the citizens of Casa Grande with great enthusiasm supported a bond election for purposes of enhancing our way of life. One project among others to be developed was a new recreation facility to be built on donated land between Cottonwood and McMurray on Peart Road in Casa Grande.

Soon after however, the great recession began and the project was put on the back burner. Recently it was brought back to the forefront and as a result of a group of constituents along with some of our elected officials brought the subject of the new center to the forefront and as a result the new recreational center reportedly will go before Council for final OK soon. We urge you to contact your city council members - any way you can! - to voice your support for this worthy project; we certainly 21 will be!

CITY COUNCIL CONTACTS: • City Hall: 520-421-8600 • Bob Jackson: bjackson@casagrandeaz.gov • Mary Kortsen: mkortsen@casagrandeaz.gov • Dick Powell: dpowell@casagrandeaz.gov • Karl Montoya: kmontoya@casagrandeaz.gov • Matt Herman: mherman@casagrandeaz.gov • Lisa Fitzgibbons: lfitzgibbons@casagrandeaz.gov • Ralph Varela: rvarela@casagrandeaz.gov What are YOUR ideas to make our community a better place? What do YOU want to see in our community that we don’t currently have? What can WE do to initiate progress and make this community a better place?

We urge you to tell us and we can all band together to make this place a better place! How can you do that?

Drop us a line at contact@roxco.com and we will publish your comments in a public forum. STAY TUNED!

–Elaine THE MEDICAL EDITION

We are Casa Grande

List your home with us by the 10th of the month to be included in the next edition of Smart Shopper or Golden Corridor LIVING Magazine*

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Stop by our friendly and convenient office weekends for refreshments, area maps, and free lists of homes for sale or rent and other information about property in Arizona’s Golden Corridor.

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Hiking & Biking

CG Mountain Explored

PHOENIXMART

The Visionary Behind the Dream TOP LOCAL TRENDS IN EDU EVERYCAT THINGION

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NA CIT Y • C A S A GR ANDE • COOLI

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THE COMMUNITY

”

THE COMMUNITY”

SUMMER SPRING 2015 2015

Where DoSpeci Youal Section: Want to Trav MEelDIC ThisAL

HEALTH & SUMM ERESS ?

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TheTheInterview:

Interview:

The Most Powerfu l Person Rona Curphy in Pinal County? , CEO of Banner

Casa Grande Medica DGE • ELOY ARIZO NA CIT l Center • FLORE NCE Y • C A S A GR • MARIC OPA ANDE • COOL IDGE • ELOY • FLORE NCE • MARIC OPA

©2014 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

COLDWELL BANKER ROX REALTY 1919 N Trekell Rd Casa Grande, AZ 85122 THE MEDICAL EDITION

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SUMMER 20 15

Office 520.423.8250 Fax 520.423.8247 info@roxsells.com 5 GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

“THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY”

SUMMER 2015

Hiking & Biking CG Mountain Explored

Special Section:

MEDICAL HEALTH & WELLNESS Information for You and Your Family

EDUCATION

PAY IT FORWARD

The Interview:

Rona Curphy, CEO of Banner Casa Grande Medical Center

Contents Features:

THE MEDICAL EDITION

Rona Curphy, CEO of Banner Casa Grande Medical Center

ARIZONA CIT Y • C A S A GR ANDE • COOLIDGE • ELOY • FLORENCE • MARICOPA

26

Casa Grande Reigns Supreme

34

2015 Medical, Health & Wellness Section

58

Economy & Local Business

Health, Wealth & Education

Travel, Dining & Entertainment

18

38

86

A Note from the Publisher. . . . . . 4

Leadership Practices That Create a Positive Work Culture. . . . . . 40

Biking the Trails on Casa Grande Mountain. . . . . . . 86

Pinal County Reviews Response to Measles Outbreak in Kearny. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54

Go Where? Indonesia . . . . . . . . 92 Lost & Found. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Listen to Your Inner Voices. . . . 65

The Life of a Judge. . . . . . . . . . . 96

They Made House Calls . . . . . . 70

A Magic Rabbit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 98

Calling all locals for summer fun!. . . . 16 Life Care Planning and Advance Directives: An important Task for All of Us. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Pay it forward as an Investment in the Future . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30

6

Summer 2015

GOLDEN GOLDENCORRID CORRID OR ORLILI VV ING INGSUMMER SUMMER202015 15

THE THE MEDICAL MEDICALEDITION EDITION

Letter from the Editor

Articles, Expos, Parties & MORE!

A Bea Lueck

s I sit and type this, the temperatures are dancing closer and closer to the 100 degree mark. That means spring is over and SUMMER is about to begin. One other significant sign of the fading season is the departure of our winter residents, back to their home states or country. To the year round residents this means we no longer avoid the grocery stores on weekends, dining out is easier and doesn’t require an hour’s wait, and traffic isn’t a bottleneck. Or is it? No matter which road I take, which direction I turn – I encounter road resurfacing! Let’s look at this as a POSITIVE – the roads will be much smoother and in better condition…when it finally gets done!

While I potentially have your attention – I will get on my soapbox about two important summer concerns, watch your children around water and don’t leave your child (or pet) in a car, EVER. We do not want Pinal County to experience a child drowning or dying because someone forgot them in a sweltering hot car. You wouldn’t forget a bag filled with $100 bills in the car – pretend your child is as valuable as cash and watch them ALWAYS! This edition of Golden Corridor LIVING focuses on all matters health: physical, emotional, spiritual. It’s all about balance – eating right, exercising, relaxing and loving life! We have great resources in our community, take advantage of them and enjoy quality time with family and friends. Too often we focus on the negative influences in life rather than enjoying everything positive. I encourage you to find the positive in a negative situation. If you do, I bet your outlook seems brighter.

Perception is everything, learn and grow from your experiences.

And speaking of growth – we here at GC LIVING have grown! We have officially added special events to our repertoire. Our very first event was

THE MEDICAL EDITION

the Bridal & Formal Expo in March. 46 vendors filled the Francisco Grande to the delight of everyone in attendance.

Coming up on May 30th at Robson Ranch, we are hosting a Medical, Health & Wellness Expo. This funfilled family event has something for everyone of all ages – from bouncers and face painting for the kids to seminars, hearing exams and a ballroom packed with vendors of all kinds. This free event is from 10am-4pm. Whether you are looking for a blood pressure or glucose check from our friends at Banner Casa Grande Medical, information on essential oils or to chat with a financial advisor – you will find it at the Medical, Health & Wellness Expo.

As they say, time flies! No longer do I think in terms of the here and now, everything is based on print deadlines and months of release. As we put this edition to bed, our focus shifts to the July edition. This will be a commemorative edition, worthy of keeping for years to come. This edition will focus on the heritage and families that helped shape our community to what it is today.

There are so many stories to tell about this city we call home.

So please, if you would like to be included in this very special edition, please contact us as soon as possible.

And businesses, this is THE edition for your business to be featured – don’t miss out on the exposure.

So here’s to the next edition of Golden Corridor LIVING Magazine, our Casa Grande 100 Year Celebration.

Huh? Casa Grande isn’t 100 years old – it was founded in 1879. Well, Casa Grande was incorporated as a city in the new state of Arizona in 1915, making this the 100 year mark.

So let’s celebrate! Why waste a good celebration when you can have a party! And that is exactly what we are going to do – have a party at Carr McNatt park. The details are still being finalized with the city but the desired date is July 25th. So go ahead and mark your calendar NOW for the 100 Year Birthday Bash! You are all invited to come celebrate.

–Bea

SUMMER 202015 15 GOLDEN CORRID OROR LI V SUMMER GOLDEN CORRID LIING V ING7

7

VOICES PUBLISHER Elaine Earle, CPA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bea Lueck CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Susan Conn-Hood Harold Kitching Junior Reporters Jeppe Leifelt Shamus Leach MEDIA COORDINATOR Angela Johnson ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Jamie Wagner Marketing Assistant Tami Deeks Events Jennie Bartsch, Limitless Events CREATIVE DIRECTOR/GRAPHIC DESIGN Tim Clarke GRAPHIC DESIGN Kyle Bogan CHIEF OF OPERATIONS & FINANCE Elaine Earle, CPA ADVERTISING INQUIRIES info@raxxdirect.com COMMENTS & IDEAS editor@raxxdirect.com CALENDAR INQUIRES calendar@raxxdirect.com (520) 426-2074 3151 N Piper Ave., Suite B117, Casa Grande, AZ 85122

Bob Jackson

Born in Whitefish, Montana, Mayor Robert Jackson has lived in Casa Grande since 1991. He is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno, holding a B.S. in Civil Engineering. He retired from the City of Casa Grande as Public Works Director in 2002 and is now serving his fourth term as mayor ending in 2015.

Helen Neuharth

Helen was hired as the President/CEO of the Greater Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce in August 1991 and is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organizational Management from Boulder, Colorado.

Helen is an active member of the Arizona Chamber Executives

Donna McBride

Donna McBride is the Program Administrator/Public Information Officer and Supervisor for the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Unit for Pinal County Juvenile Court . McBride is actively involved as a Board Member for Casa Grande Alliance, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, BlackBox Foundation, Mayor’s Reading Program, Pinal County Town Hall Vice-Chair, Parks and Block Watch Captain for the Casa Grande Police Department. A freelance writer and photographer, Donna and husband Mike enjoy white water rafting, kayaking and spending time with their 2 sons and 3 grandchildren who live in the valley.

Cathy L. Martinez

Cathy L. Martinez is Family, Consumer, and Health Science Agent with the University of Arizona Cooperative Extension for Pinal County.

Gigi McWhirter Golden Corridor LIVING is published by RAXX Media. Editorial content is provided by affiliates of RAXX Media, community members and local organizations.

The publishers of Golden Corridor LIVING assume no responsibility for errors or omissions of any advertisement beyond the actual cost of the advertisement. In no event shall the publishers be liable for any consequential damages in excess of the cost of the advertisement. Golden Corridor LIVING shall not be liable for inaccuracies, errors, omissions, or damages from the use of information contained herein. Submitted articles do not reflect the opinions of the owners or management of Golden Corridor LIVING Information contained within submitted articles had not been verified for accuracy and readers are responsible for forming their own opinions. Real estate information is as of 4-26-15 and is subject to current availability and pricing.

Born in Arizona, raised by a village & married to “Dr. John”. I am an official Airport Tavern Kid and the manager of Henrietta. You can find me most days in Receptionland at Casa Grande Animal Hospital. My love for all creatures great & small is endless.

of the

Community

Harold Kitching

Harold has worked for newspapers across the country. He was city government reporter for the Casa Grande Dispatch for 11 years until he resigned after the newspaper began downplaying local news.

Jim Dinkle

Jim is currently the director of the Access Arizona, the area’s regional economic development foundation.

He came to Arizona as a 24 year veteran of economic development from Indiana.

Jim Rhodes

Jim is the Director of the Small Business Development Center at Central Arizona College and has a diversified work background in public administration; business administration; sales management; and new business development. Jim has taught leadership and senior management courses at several colleges and universities.

Robert Hughes

Robert Hughes moved to Casa Grande in 1976 from Pennsylvania. He along with his wife and four boys actively bike, hike, and Crossfit together. Rob is passionate about mountain biking.

Frank Davidson

Frank Davidson has been superintendent of the Casa Grande Elementary School District since 1997. He and his wife, Nancy, moved to Casa Grande in 1991.

THE MEDICAL EDITION

BUSINESS INDEX 100

Academy Mortgage

18

Access Arizona - CAREDF

32-33

Agave Dentistry

23

American Family Insurance - Jan Hobbs

22-23

Annie-Mac Home Mortgage

10

Avocado & Distinctive Earthscapes, Inc.

66-67

Banner Casa Grande Medical Center

81

Branhams Exterminating

37

Brutinel Plumbing and Electrical

49

Capital R Construction

20-21

Casa Grande Alliance

40

Casa Grande Elementary School District

49

Casa Grande Family Dentistry

3

Casa Grande Health Mart Pharmacy

16

Casa Grande Main St

41

Casa Grande Union High School District

39

Central Arizona College

57

Coldwell Banker ROX Realty - Georgia & Dawn

50-51

Coldwell Banker ROX Realty

55

Coldwell Banker ROX Realty - Sue Pittullo

5

Coldwell Banker ROX Realty - We’re Open Weekends

82

Coldwell Banker ROX Realty - Kay & Sarah

23

Cottonwood Medical Center

81

Desert Sky Dental

72-73

Dick & Mitchell DDS

99

DM Family Dentistry

24

Edward Jones-Fred Tucker

61

Farmers Insurance - Gaston Bryant

19

Fitzgibbons Law Office

81

Five Star Carpet Cleaning

43

Foothills Bank

52

Francisco Grande Hotel & Golf Resort

2

Heritage Motors

43

Legacy Traditional Schools

31

Mankel Mechanical

83

Merle Normal Cosmetics and Medspa

91

Phoenix Patio

84-85

Premier Orthodontics

69

Robson Ranch Clubhouse

82

ROX Insurance

29

ROX Travel - Career Opportunities

55

ROX Travel

44

Seeds of Hope

89

Service Master

71

Sircle Pain Clinic

39

Star Towing

78-79

Sun Life Family Health

25

Teepee Sand & Gravel

74-75

The Hearing Center

61

The Winners Circle Trophies & Awards

61

Title Security Agency

45

Trinity Southern Baptist Church

17

Whitfield Auto & RV

57

Yang Dentistry SUMMER 20 15 GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

9

• Cactus • Agave & Yucca • Sonoran Desert Plants • Honey & Seasonal Produce • Community Garden Specialist 5/2 Water Lily Workshop 8:00am-12:00pm 5/9 Farmers Market (Free flower for every mom) 10:00am-11:00am 5/16 Planting (Propagation) Workshop 10:00am-11:00am 6/6 Summer Irrigation Workshop 10:00am-11:00am 6/13 Farmers Market (Last one for the season) 8:00am-12:00pm (check our Facebook page for schedule!)

Thanks for considering us for all your gardening needs!

520-723-4480

6855 N. Overfield Road, Casa Grande 10 10 GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

SUMMER 20 15

To contact Casa Grande Smart Shopper Call 520-426-2074

THE MEDICAL EDITION

MAY

JUNE

May-June 2015 MAY

2

5

19

26

2

8

Leopard Lounge Dinner and Show-The Rat Pack Tribute 5:30-8:30 @ Robson Ranch, Hermosa Room (520) 426-3300 $60

19

29

2

9

19

30

3

Farmers Market 8:00am-12:00pm @ Distinctive Earthscapes at the Avocado Nursery (520) 723-4480

12

20

30

4

Farmers Market 9:00am-1:00pm @ Florence St & 4th St. (480) 818-3092

12

21

30

15

22

Water Lily Workshop 8:00am12:00pm @ Distinctive Earthscapes at the Avocado Nursery (520) 723-4480 Denim & Diamonds Rotary Club Auction Dinner 5:30 PM @ The Property Car Racing 7:00pm @ Central AZ Speedway www.centralarizonaspeedway.com Afternoon Tea & Fashion Show Fundraiser @ Paramount Theatre (520) 836-4200 Summer Registration 8:00am @ Casa Grande Parks & Recreation (520) 421-8677

5

Farmers Market 9:00am-1:00pm @ Florence St & 4th St. (480) 818-3092

5

Seniors Cinco de Mayo 2:004:00pm @ Dorothy Powell Senior Adult Center (520) 421-8760

Downtown Street SceneSummer Splash 5:30-9:00pm @ 3rd & Florence St. (520) 836-8744

Satin Slippers Ballroom Dance Club 7:00-9:30pm @ The Dorothy Powell Center (520) 421-8760 $5-$7 Party in the Park -Rattlecat Junction 6:00pm @ Peart Park (520) 421-8760

Union High School Graduation 8:00pm @ Casa Grande Union High School (520) 836-8500 Farmers Market 9:00am-1:00pm @ Florence St & 4th St. (480) 818-3092 Day Out Downtown Historic Walking Tour 10:00am2:00pm @ 3rd & Florence St. (520) 836-8744

Pinnacle High School Graduation 6:00pm @ Mesa Art Center (520) 423-2380 High School Graduation 8:00pm @ Vista Grande High School (520) 876-9400

Farmers Market 9:00am-1:00pm @ Florence St & 4th St. (480) 818-3092

2 Dance & Cheer Tryouts 5:00pm (ages 2-10), 6:00pm (ages 11-18), 7:00pm (ages 18+) @ 2 Dance Studio (520) 836- 3785 $10 Pancake Breakfast at the Airport 8:00-11:00am @ Casa Grande Municipal Airport

Medical Health & Wellness Expo 10:00am-4:00pm @ Robson Ranch, Hermosa Room ( 520) 426-2074 Car Racing 7:00pm @ Central AZ Speedway www.centralarizonaspeedway.com Mark Your Calendars: 100 Year Celebration City of Casa Grande July 25th - more details to come

Leopard Lounge Dinner and Show-The Marvelettes 5:30-8:30 @ Robson Ranch, Hermosa Room (520) 426-3300 $60

16

Planting (Propagation) Workshop 10:00am11:00am @ Distinctive Earthscapes at the Avocado Nursery (520) 723-4480

Add Your Event to the Community Calendar! goldencorridorliving.com/calendar JUNE

5

Casa Grande Junior Golf League (ages 11 – 17) 4:30pm @ Dave White Park (520) 836-9216 $20

2

9

16

Farmers Market 9:00am-1:00pm @ Florence St & 4th St. (480) 818-3092

23

9

11-13

16

30

Farmers Market 9:00am-1:00pm @ Florence St & 4th St. (480) 818-3092

Farmers Market 9:00am-1:00pm @ Florence St & 4th St. (480) 818-3092

SAVE THE DATE!

Satin Slippers Ballroom Dance Club 7:00-9:30pm @ The Dorothy Powell Center (520) 421-8760 $5-$7

Trinity Southern Baptist Church - Men’s Mountain Retreat Reservations (520) 836-2383

10TH ANNUAL SILENT WITNESS ANTI-CRIME NIGHT When: Tuesday, September 29, 2015 Time: 530p - 900p Where: Vista Grande High School

Day Out Downtown Historic Walking Tour 10:00am2:00pm @ 3rd & Florence St. (520) 836-8744

Farmers Market 9:00am-1:00pm @ Florence St & 4th St. (480) 818-3092 Farmers Market 9:00am-1:00pm @ Florence St & 4th St. (480) 818-3092

BIGGER SPACE MORE PARKING LOTS MORE TO SEE & DO! 11

The Casa Grande

• A RIZONA CIT Y • CASA GR ANDE • COOLIDGE • ELOY • FLORENCE • M A RICOPA • A RIZONA CIT Y • CASA GR ANDE • COOL

PhoenixMart Fire Analysis

CG News

F

by Harold Kitching

cgnews-info.webs.com or www.haroldkitching.com

State of the City Address

C

asa Grande had some successes during 2014 but there are some troubling aspects for 2015, Mayor Bob Jackson said during his March 19th State of the City address.

Jackson also touched on two topics that have been heavily discussed by Casa Grande residents:

Community center The city had been looking for a nonprofit partnership, the mayor said, continued, “because the model at that time was that if you could do it with a nonprofit partner you could afford to do it less expensively than having the city operate it totally.

“We had negotiated a contract with the Valley of the Sun YMCA. We were ready to take it to the City Council and got a call from the executive director and they said, you know, we think we’ve overextended ourselves

12

so we’re going to have to withdraw our contract offer.

“Staff has done a great job. They’ve come back with a plan that appears it would cost no more to run that community center than we currently provide for all of our recreation programs and the space that we’ve got spread all over town,” Jackson said.

“So I think that in the next 60 days, City Council will probably be asked to consider how to move forward on that project. I just will reiterate that the council has not totally seen all that we’ve got to do. That will come to us in the next 30 to 45 days.

At that point, we’ll make a decision.

If the decision is to move forward, we should have that done in the next 18 months.

PhoenixMart “As of this morning, we have is-

GOLDEN GOLDENCORRID CORRID OR ORLILI VV ING INGSUMMER SUMMER202015 15

Mayor Jackson sued a foundation permit for them and so we would expect to see them start working on the foundation in the next few weeks,” Jackson said.

“We’ve also been working with them on what’s called a fire code analysis. They turned that in about a week and a half ago. We will have reviewed that and returned it to

continued on page 36...

inal approval has been given by the Casa Grande City Council to extending a contract for fire safety oversight of plans for the proposed PhoenixMart main building.

What’s at issue here is the massive size of the building, some 1.7-million square feet of floor area.

That size is not covered by city fire and building construction standards for its occupancy classification or standard exiting requirements. That necessitated hiring of a specialist to review PhoenixMart’s plans for how to fight a fire there and how to safely evacuate those in the building, estimated to be 38,000-plus people at full occupancy.

In May of last year the City Council approved a $64,000 contract with JensenHughes, which since June of 2014 has had personnel working with city staff in reviewing performance-based design documents submitted by PhoenixMart. With final approval, the council action Monday night extends that contract at a cost of $36,000.

The cost of both contracts has been more than covered by a payment from PhoenixMart, Planning and Development Director Paul Tice told the council, meaning that taxpayers do not have to cover it.

“To prove the safety of their building design, the architects and fire consultants for the PhoenixMart project have submitted a code analysis that details the standard prescriptive building and fire codes that are not being met and the alternative design and construction standards they propose as equivalent replacements,” the staff report accompanying the agenda item says.

“They have also submitted a smoke model report that models the anticipated air quality and fire behavior conditions that theoretically would occur with a building fire. This modTHE THE MEDICAL MEDICALEDITION EDITION

Herald Local News from Golden Corridor Living Magazine

ALL THE NEWS WE THINK IS FIT TO PRINT!

LIDGE • ELOY • FLORENCE • M A RICOPA • A RIZONA CIT Y • CASA GR ANDE • COOLIDGE • ELOY • FLORENCE • M A RICOPA •

Second Police Department Captain

T

he appointment of Angel Leos, a 25-year veteran of the Arizona Department of Public Safety, as captain in the Casa Grande Police Department is the final chapter of a period of turmoil created when former Chief Johnny Cervantes reorganized the department, demoting three commanders to lieutenant and hiring two acquaintances, neither with extensive command experiences, as captains.

Both of those captains are now

Captain Angel Leos

gone, one under mysterious circumstances still not explained by the city, the other resigning in November at the same time as Cervantes, both men cleaning out their offices late at night without notice to the department.

Reginald Winston, an experience CGPD officer who was passed over for promotion to captain when Cervantes hired the two, was named a captain after Vasquez took over.

Because of the circumstances surrounding Cervantes’ appointment of his two friends, Winston had filed an Equal Opportunities Employment Commission complaint, a move still not resolved at the time Cervantes departed. In January, it was announced that Winston had been promoted, commanding the Patrol Division.

At that time, Interim Police Administrative Director (or acting

chief) Chris Vasquez told the Police Advisory Board that, “One of the most important things that I did or that’s happened, that was really a morale booster I’m excited about is the promotion of Reginald Winston to the rank of captain.”

Vasquez noted that Winston started as an officer and worked his way up through the ranks, adding, “But not only that, he’s a great leader in the military. He was a Marine -- and being a Navy man I don’t hold that against him. After the Marines, he went into the National Guard. Some time ago (the city decided) that they would like to see the command staff, not just the PD but citywide, have a college degree in order to hold any executive level position. He took that to heart and he obtained his bachelor’s degree and his master’s. He took that in the military and he went to Officer Candidate School and became a second lieutenant. He didn’t stop

PhoenixMart Fire Analysis (continued) el is intended to prove that the alternative design and construction standards will allow all occupants (38,000+) to exit the building safely in the event of a fire.

“This performance based design approach is allowed under the alternative means and measures provisions of the building and fire codes.”

Tice told the council that, “I’m asking for this extension of the contract for an additional $36,000 because I don’t want to be in a situation where I’m halfway through the review of the building permit and we’re out of money and I have to come and wait 45 or 60 days delay.

“So, it’s just sort of get ahead of the curve here and ask for essentially a contract extension that we may or may not use this money, depending THE THEMEDICAL MEDICAL EDITION EDITION

on what happens as we move into the final review of the building permit and the other documents and reports associated with the performance based design exercise.”

Councilman Dick Powell said, “When a project is being built compensation that would come back to the taxpayers is well in excess of the figures we’re talking about at this point in time. Is that a correct statement?”

Tice replied, “That is correct.

“Even more so, there are two fees that we charge with review of building permits. One is a plan review fee and the other is the building permit fee.

“The plan review fee is intended to cover our staff costs in reviewing the plans, which is the stage we’re

in right now.

“PhoenixMart did pay, in the last fiscal year, a plan review fee of $164,000, so they’ve already paid enough to cover our total expense.”

Tice added that, “When we issue the building permit, they will pay an additional $250,000 fee, which is going to be intended to cover our total inspection cost on that project.

“So, essentially it’s a user-based fee and in addition to that the city will realize economic benefit from the project, absolutely.”

Powell said, “I wanted to let you make people aware of that fact.”

The staff report adds that PhoenixMart has submitted building construction drawings in anticipation of obtaining foundation and structural permits.

Captain Reginald Winston there. He’s been promoted to first lieutenant and now he is a captain in the military.

“He is a decorated officer; he isn’t just an officer, he’s a decorated officer. He’s a very modest man.

I talked to him about his accomplishments and the awards he’s received. He’s led men into battle, he’s got the Bronze Star for leading men into battle, for his leadership.

He has a Meritorious Service Medal.

This is something to be proud of.

“So for those skills alone, how can you pass this guy up and not make him a captain?

“I’ll let him take that same leadership in this department and lead these men into service for our community.”

Vasquez introduced Angel Leos, who commands the Criminal Investigations Division, to the City Council during its April 6 meeting.

Referring to the tan uniforms worn by DPS officers versus the blue in Casa Grande, Vasquez said, “We’re teaching him how to dress in the right colors and understand that there’s more to law enforcement than just traffic.

“He spent 25 years with them and he does bring, actually, a wealth of information or a wealth of expertise to the Police Department, especially when it comes with canine.

He’s probably one of the most renowned canine experts, not only in

continued on page 36...

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13

Community Celebrations

by Robert “Bob” Jackson, Mayor, Casa Grande

T Our latest efforts include the establishment of a committee of public and private sector partners to develop community awareness and participation in new programs.

14

he City of Casa Grande has developed a number of programs to help all ages participate in healthy programs. One of our newest initiatives is “Let’s Move”.

Let’s Move is the program that was introduced five years ago by First Lady Michelle Obama to address the growing problem of childhood obesity. As part of the fifth anniversary, the First Lady is encouraging Americans across the country to give out highfives when they see someone making healthy choices. She is challenging everyone to #GimmeFive things they are doing to eat better, be more active, and lead a healthier life.

Casa Grande has been recognized as one of the leading communities in the United States in developing new programs. We have partnered with the Casa Grande Elementary School District to provide healthy food choices for many of the schools. The Districts “Sensational Salad Bar” program received national attention as an innovative partnership to demonstrate healthy eating habits.

Our latest efforts include the establishment of a committee of public and private sector partners to develop community awareness and participation in new programs.

The committee, known as the “Let’s Move Casa Grande Coalition”, was created after Banner Casa Grande and SunLife Family Health completed a community survey showing obesity and diabetes (one of the results of obesity )as the leading local health concerns.

Among the Coalition’s current goals are: recruiting new business members and programs, developing a community calendar for the various programs, and creating new programs and events for the community.

Our City Recreation programs cross all ages and ability levels. You can hike Casa Grande Mountain trails, most of which are marked with both distances and degree of difficulty. Pickle Ball has become one of the newest fads for many of our older active population. While we are currently working to provide more courts to meet the growing local demand, we do have several courts available on a first come, first serve basis. We also offer indoor pickleball seasonally at Len Colla Center.** Team sports are also popular with softball leagues avail-

GOLDEN GOLDENCORRID CORRID OR ORLILI VV ING INGSUMMER SUMMER202015 15

able to all age groups and youth soccer, basketball, and football offered in conjunction with various non-profit groups. Drop in senior programs are offered at the Dorothy Powell Senior Adult Center.

One of the things we are trying to better understand is what types of wellness programs our major employers may have in place. There is a direct correlation between wellness programs and worker productivity and health.

I know at the City we have a wellness program that is offered to all employees and includes basic health screening.

We also encourage our employees to have a regular work out program and have exercise facilities available in many of our major work centers.

The employees also participate in a couple of weight loss programs similar to the “Biggest Loser” television series.

While I don’t know that there is a scientific response, we have seen our health and worker compensation rates decrease over the past couple of years.

There are community opportunities for all types of exercise and healthy eating programs, at all levels of cost.

Participate in any of your choice and feel better every day.

CITY

SPEAK

[**Editors Note: What: 2015 USAPA Nationals VII Pickleball Tournament Date: November 8-15, 2015 (practice day is Sat Nov 7) Venue: Robson Ranch (all Age Divisions Nov. 8-11) Palm Creek (player clinics and manufacturer demos Nov 12) Palm Creek (Open and Senior Open Divisions Nov. 13-15) 2014 Nationals Recap: With 713 player registrations and nearly 1,800 matches, Nationals VI was the largest pickleball tournament in the history of the sport. There were a number of new faces which further demonstrates the growth of the game and the ability to attract quality players from all over the nation. The age groups were larger than the previous year and $14,000 in prize money was awarded in the Open and newly-created Senior Open divisions. ]

THE THE MEDICAL MEDICALEDITION EDITION

Page Article

Economy • Local Business

Healthy Goals, Healthy Community

by Helen Neuharth, President/CEO, Greater Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce

C

alling all residents, employees and employers: let’s get moving! More than two years ago, a community-needs assessment was conducted by Banner Casa Grande Medical Center; Sun Life Family Health Center, Inc. and Pinal County Public Health Services District. From that assessment, obesity was identified as one of the three most significant health problems in our community; with 48% of people in Casa Grande stating they consider themselves to be overweight.

To address the concerns of obesity, a community-based coalition was established. After several meetings of the Coalition and an assessment of some of the existing health programs in the area, the Coalition determined to follow the guidelines of Let’s Move Casa Grande. The mission of the Let’s Move Casa Grande Coalition is to design and implement a wellness pilot program. The goal is to reduce obesity in Casa Grande by providing

THE MEDICAL EDITION

information and healthy opportunities to area citizens to develop and participate in a healthier lifestyle by creating and maintaining a dedicated website; providing links to other health resources and a master calendar listing free and inexpensive health-related opportunities.

Moving forward, the Let’s Move Casa Grande Coalition has set up subcommittees to begin planning an implementation of specific objectives to reach the goals. Each subcommittee will be identifying a chairperson, clarifying the purpose of the subcommittee, recruitment of individuals to partner with and to develop an action plan. Currently the following subcommittees are being established: Funding/Acquisitions; Outreach; Calendar; and Events. For more information on Let’s Move Casa Grande and to become active with the Coalition’s goals, please email:letsmovecasagrande@gmail.com.

We need your help to track the

number of miles that are walked in Casa Grande over the next several months. If you have an existing healthy program through your workplace, you walk regularly solo or with others, please keep track of the number of individuals and the total miles walked each month. We would like to know of businesses, large and small, that have implemented healthy employee programs. All of these statistics and types of healthy programs will help us as we work together to a healthier community. The information will assist us in the creation and establishment of a user-friendly and interactive website.

Please email your information to letsmovecasagrande@gmail.com.

A healthy community is a happy community!

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Page Casa Article Grande Main Street

Calling all locals for summer fun!

by Rina Rien, Director, Casa Grande Main Street

I

t’s heating up far too early this year, but your Historic Downtown has just the antidote for those lazy summer afternoons. Where can you go in town that has an upscale pub atmosphere offering craft beers and wine, tempting you into the Top and Bottom Room for card games reminiscent of the turn of the century saloons that dotted the street after which it is aptly named?

Historic Florence Street will soon be home to Old Town Ale House adjacent to Paramount Theatre. This newest addition to our eclectic district will surely tempt you out to meet friends in a cool place sheltered from the sizzling summer sun. Anticipated to open late May, keep posted on the latest opening dates by adding your name to our email list at www. cgmainstreet.org and like our facebook page while you are there.

Co-owner Danielle Delsi, had a lot to share about what will set them apart. “Old Town Ale House will bring the atmosphere and customer service Casa

Grande has been waiting for” she said, “We want to bring the history to life with vintage photos and drinks named for Lucky 412 and Ben Day. Arizona wines will be featured as our state wineries have matured and deserve to be celebrated.”

With new nightlife options serving as a catalyst downtown, those with an entrepreneurial spirit will be sure to want in on the action. Commercial space is a relative bargain compared to other areas of Casa Grande and taking a walk along Florence Street will probably kindle thoughts of making your great

idea a reality.

Businesses that thrive on a pedestrian, impulse-driven shopper or sightseer will be best served by the captive audience that frequents downtown.

Clearly, I’m not the only one who thinks so, as properties are changing hands and investment in existing historic properties is already underway. Right next door to my office is a newly available space that benefits from great 2nd Street frontage and direct access to our Main Street Alley. On 3rd Street and Picacho, the historic property that was Johnson’s Grocery Store over a century ago is nearing a complete renovation and includes a large outdoor area perfect for patio dining. Want

to know more? We’ll direct you to the property owners and managers that can answer your questions.

Casa Grande Main Street is a non-profit organization designed to improve all aspects of the downtown experience.

Strengthening public participation and making downtown a fun place to visit are as critical to Main Street’s future as drawing new business, rehabilitating structures and expanding parking options.

You can find all the latest information for ongoing events and more by checking out our website at www.cgmainstreet.org. Click on our Facebook link to stay connected and “like” our page for impromptu announcements.

16

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THE MEDICAL EDITION

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Page Article Access Arizona

LOCAL BUSINESS

Accessible, Affordable, Quality Healthcare in Pinal County

by Jim Dinkle, Executive Director, Access Arizona

O

ne of the highest considerations of any business locating or expanding in Pinal County is accessibility to quality, affordable healthcare.

We are particularly fortunate to be served in Pinal County by Banner Casa Grande Medical Center and Sun Life Family Health Center. Both Banner Health and Sun Life are non-profits and they are each strategic partners with Access Arizona in regional economic development. Rona Curphy, CEO of Banner Casa Grande Medical Center, is Vice Chairman of Access Arizona’s board of directors and Travis Robinette, CEO of Sun Life, is also a member of our board.

In addition to being very supportive and engaged in the communities that they serve in Pinal County, Banner and Sun Life are major employers. They attract top talent and skilled employees to their workforces.

Central Arizona College (CAC) is a great contributor to local healthcare by educating, tailoring and training talent to work with-

in the healthcare sector. The mission of the CAC Nursing Division is to: • Provide excellence in nursing education • Demonstrate nursing as a caring profession • Facilitate wellness in others and ourselves • Serve students and clients of all ages and cultures • Facilitate student learning and student success through the use of technology Banner Casa Grande Medical Center opened in 1984 and, according to its website, it has 177 patient beds, 780 employees, a medical staff of 200 and active volunteers totaling 311. Its mission is simple with a singular purpose, “We exist to make a difference in people’s lives through excellent patient care.”

Sun Life Family Health Center is Pinal County’s largest provider of primary health care and it serves over 36,000 patients, 36%

of whom are children.Sun Life has made significant efforts to review and improve the key factors that can affect the quality and safety of patient care. This standard is met and maintained by only 5% of the community health centers nationally, and Sun Life is one of only two community health centers in Arizona to achieve and maintain this accreditation. Its mission states, “Sun Life delivers comprehensive, high quality services to all people in need of affordable, accessible and culturally effective health care.”

Pinal County is well positioned to take advantage of the ever-growing healthcare industry through its medical facilities, clinics, private practitioners, assisted living facilities and, again, the availability of skilled workers trained for this sector by Central Arizona College and other in-state higher education institutions.

For more information, feel welcome to contact me at either 520.836.6868 or jdinkle@ accessarizona.org.

Jim Dinkle Executive Director 520.836.6868

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GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

THE MEDICAL EDITION

Page Article

Life Care Planning and Advance Directives: An Important Task for All of Us

by Ann F. Schrooten

L

ife care planning is an important task for all of us, whether young or old, healthy or facing challenges. People of all ages can make their wishes known about what kind of medical care they want (or don’t want) if they are unable to give instructions.

Advance Directives allow others to follow your directions regarding your health care and include a Heath Care Power of Attorney and a Living Will.

A Health Care Power of Attorney allows you to designate another person as your agent to make health care decisions for you if you are incapable of making your wishes known. The person you designate is empowered to sign consents, discuss health care issues with the care team, obtain second opinions, secure nursing home placement, and take similar actions. Your agent may be a family member or a close friend whom you trust to make serious decisions. The person you name should clearly understand your wishes and be willing to accept the responsibility of making medical decisions for you.

A Living Will is used in conjunction with a health care power THE MEDICAL EDITION

of attorney and sets forth your wishes regarding the extent of life-sustaining treatment you desire at the end of your life. A Living Will provides guidance about your general philosophy, ranging from “I do not want any life-sustaining treatment beyond comfort care” to “I want my life to be prolonged as long as possible.”

If you do not have advance directives in place, Arizona law gives decision-making power to “surrogates,” primarily in order of kinship. The order is your spouse (unless legally separated), your adult child (if more than one, the majority available for consultation), one of your parents, your domestic partner, a brother or sister, a close friend. Without a Living Will, your surrogate will not know your wishes. A surrogate cannot disconnect a feeding tube; only a Health Care Power of Attorney or a guardian appointed by a judge can make that decision.

In a case that focused national attention on advance directives, Terri Schiavo was in her 20s when she had her catastrophic collapse. Unfortunately, she did not leave written instructions expressing how she would like to be cared for if something happened to her. Because she did not leave instructions, the courts had to intervene. Further complicating matters, her family did not agree on what her wishes would be.

By taking the proper steps now, you can ensure that your wishes are known. Life care planning is a gift you can give to yourself and your family. Don’t delay!

Ann Schrooten is an estate planning and probate attorney at the Fitzgibbons Law Offices in Casa Grande, Arizona.

SUMMER 20 15 GOLDEN CORRID OR OR LI V LI ING 19 SUMMER 2015 GOLDEN CORRID V ING

19

PageAlliance CG Article

Summer is a Perfect Opportunity to Keep Kids Healthy and Well

by Stephanie Collier, Prevention Specialist, Casa Grande Alliance Summertime presents more opportunities for familytime activities like hiking, camping, watching a movie, or cooling off in the pool. Does your family have a tight budget that limits these activities?

20

T

he summer months are filled with opportunities for youth - more opportunities to sleep in, give their brains a break from schoolwork, and spend more time enjoying themselves with friends and family. However, the summer months can also present youth with some unwelcome opportunities.

Pamela S. Hyde, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) administrator, says in a news release, “More free time and less adult supervision can make the summertime an exciting time for many young people, but it can also increase the likelihood of exposure to the dangers of substance abuse.”

In 2012, SAMHSA compiled a report that tracked the months marked by the greatest incidence of first-time use of substances by youth. June and July showed higher numbers than the other months, with over twice as many youth trying alcohol for the first time and significant increases in the number of youth’s first-time use of marijuana and cigarettes. The summer months showed increases in most other substances as well1.

The good news is teens that have good relationships with their parents are two times less likely to use alcohol and three to four times less likely to use marijuana2. There are many ways to build a positive relationship with your child. One way is to spend time talking with them every day. Ask them questions they can’t answer with “yes” or “no”, such as, “what was your favorite thing about today?” Ask

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

their opinions and include them in making some decisions for the family, like what to have for dinner. Show your children that you value their thoughts and input.

Another way to build a positive relationship with your child is to spend time doing something they want to do. This could be as simple as playing a short game with them or as challenging as learning to play an instrument together through a class offered at your local parks and recreation department. You will both benefit from having a closer relationship, and you will learn some new skills at the same time. Research shows, teens that spend 21 hours or more per week with their parents are twice as likely to not use alcohol or try drugs compared to their peers who spend seven hours or less with their parents3.

Summertime presents more opportunities for family-time activities like hiking, camping, watching a movie, or cooling off in the pool. Does your family have a tight budget that limits these activities?

One everyday family activity that has been proven to reduce youth substance abuse is having frequent family dinners, five to seven days per week. The magic that happens during family dinners isn’t the food on the table; it is the communication and conversations that happen at the table. Creating opportunities to connect is what’s important3. Although having dinner is the easiest way to create routine opportunities for engagement

and communication, dinner isn’t the only time parents can engage with their children.

When conversations between youth and parents include factual information about the dangers of substance abuse, it increases the odds that your child will not use alcohol or drugs. A story on the news, a television show, or a song on the radio can provide parents an opportunity to invite their child to share with them what they know and think about an issue. Youth are more likely to engage in an ongoing conversation than listen to a parent give a well-meaning lecture.

If your schedule can’t be rearranged to include family dinners, engage in other kinds of activities with your children so that you are a reliable, involved, and interested presence in their lives3. Parents can use these strategies to create healthy opportunities for their children to enjoy their summer, as well as year-round.

Parents, to learn the facts about alcohol, tobacco, and drug use, and how to have conversations with your child visit www.casagrandealliance.org, or call 520-836-5022.

Sources: SAMHSA, The NSDUH Report, July 2, 2012.

1

The National Center on Addiction and

2

Substance Abuse at Columbia University, The Importance of Family Dinners VIII., Sept. 2012 The National Center on Addiction and

3

Substance Abuse at Columbia University, The Importance of Family Dinners VII., Sept. 2011

THE MEDICAL EDITION

KEEPING YOUR KIDS HEALTHY AND SAFE OVER THE SUMMER CAN BE P U Z Z L I N G !

Complete the crossword puzzle below for safe and fun family activities.* Across: 1. Game where strikes are desired.

2. Giving back to your community.

3. A place filled with adventure, science fiction, and romance.

4. A red checkered blanket and a basket are usually involved.

5. CG Mountain is a great place to go ________.

6. There are many different types of these places: art, history, science, etc.

7. Game that involves bunkers, lasers, and fun. (two words) Down: 1. A place where elephants, lions and penguins all live together.

2. You will find slides, lazy rivers, and wave pools here. (two words) 3. Where’s your tent? We are going ________.

4. Get some popcorn and go watch a ________.

1.

1.

2.

2.

3.

4.

3.

6.

4.

5.

7.

Youth who share in healthy family activities are less likely to use drugs and alcohol. * For extra copies of the crossword puzzle, please see the receptionist.

Drug abuse prevention and treatment referrals 901 E. Cottonwood Lane - Suite C Casa Grande, Arizona 85122 520-836-5022 www.CasaGrandeAlliance.org Follow us on Twitter: @CG_Alliance Across: 1. bowling, 2. volunteer, 3. library, 4. picnic, 5. hiking, 6. museum, 7. laser tag

Down: 1. zoo, 2. water park, 3. camping, 4. movie

Page ArticleHome Mortgage AnnieMac

Home Buying-Most Commonly Asked Questions

by Rudy Benitez, AnnieMac Home Mortgage • Mobile: 602-481-3967 • Office: 520-836-7776 • efax: 602-324-0800 211 North Florence St. Ste.#102-103 • Casa Grande, AZ 85122 • Email rbenitez@annie-mac.com

O

ver the course of the past ten years as your local Casa Grande area banker, I have seen the housing and lending markets change in a variety of ways. With these changes occurring within the housing arena, this has brought about new challenges and questions that face the modern day buyer. When I was graciously asked to write this month’ s article, I wanted to approach this in a manner as to provide a snapshot into the common questions that I receive on a continuous basis.

The housing market is flourishing, home values in most areas of Pinal County are rising, and rates remain near historic lows. However, lending has become increasingly more stringent in many aspects and qualifying for a mortgage is very different than in years, even months, passed. I have listed the information in a basic Q&A format and I sincerely hope you find this information beneficial.

Q): “Why is the amount of paperwork needed now, so much different than when I bought my home in years past…why the change?”

A): This is the Number One question I get asked on a daily basis. With the housing “boom” came the inevitable housing “bubble/ crash.” The United States housing regulatory agencies (Federal Reserve, HUD, etc.), along with mortgage lending companies, realized that the high level of foreclosures and short sales were tied in varying degrees to the sub-prime programs and loosened lending guidelines. This brought forth tighter guidelines, did away with government programs that allowed credit down below 560 FICO scores, and mandated that the buyer now provide (within most loan types) documentation of income with two years of completed tax returns, source of assets being used for the purchase/refinance, and work history of two complete years if not retired/disabled.

For those of you who have recently purchased a home/refinanced, you have perhaps seen the amount of paperwork needed and have felt it to be a bit overwhelmed or invasive. Lending, now more than ever, requires a strong partnership with your local lender that can walk you through the documents needed, provide you the reasons why the paperwork is being required, and address any questions or concerns you may have. The key to a successful transaction is to prepare

22

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

your paperwork before beginning your home search/refinance and to continuously ask questions to ensure you are informed and comfortable. The hard work and proactive preparation will pay off tremendously.

Q): “How soon after a foreclosure or short sale may I purchase a new home?”

A): Many of our clients have had credit issues in the past tied to the economic turns and job loss, divorce, medical issues, etc. These are all events that we may face and your credit may be the direct recipient of the negative effects. Many lenders now lend down to 580 FICO scores (including AnnieMac Home Mortgage), so there has been some reprieve in allowing folks with previous hardships, a second opportunity.

Loan programs have different requirements.

The general rule is you must have 3 years removed from a foreclosure or short sale for a FHA/USDA loan, 4-7 years (depending on the lender) for a Conventional loan, and 2 years for a VA loan. Please note, the VA loan has exceptions where the veteran can purchase immediately after a short sale.

There are dozens of outside the box lending programs that are available to assist you so please call and we may discuss.

Q): “Is this now a Seller’s Market or Buyer’s Market…is now the time to buy?”

A): As a preface, there are varying opinions to this question and this is a very common question that my clients ask, especially when they are in the early stages of actively home hunting. I feel that this is a time where we are teetering somewhere in the middle of both and I will explain why. Many homes are not staying on the market long and multiple offers are often being presented on the same home, thus creating a bidding war.

This is especially prevalent in the areas of Casa Grande, Maricopa, and Queen Creek.

However, many of the contracts that I have seen have the seller still providing strong seller assistance to the buyer to help cover closing costs (concessions). With rates near historic lows, this is continuing to allow buyers to purchase more home while maintaining satisfactory debt-to-income ratios that the lenders require. I urge anyone who is thinking about buying to do so soon before the rates and home prices increase-which they both inevitably will do.

Q): “Do I have to have a home inspection when I buy a home...it looks to be in great condition?”

A): I personally recommend ordering a home inspection, as do most REALTORS®, but it is not necessarily required. The home inspection allows you to receive an unbiased viewpoint of the overall quality of the home and perhaps point out potential issues not visible to the average home buyer. There are certain unique instances where a home inspection is required.

If you are pursuing a FHA loan (3.5% down government loan) and the seller has owned the home less than 90 days (known as a –flipsale), an inspection is required. Please note, in this instance, the lender may require a home inspection if home has been owned by current owner less than 180 days. You also may need a home inspection if the appraiser notates specific issues that may be evident with the home (i.e. mold, roof leaks, foundation cracks, termites/rodent infestations, etc.). A good rule of thumb is to always complete a home inspection for catching an issue early on; this may allow you the opportunity to request that the seller make the repairs noted within your contract’s inspection period time frame.

Q): “Interest rates are low, but will they last and for how long?”

A): Here is the million dollar question.

The media outlets have done a good job of providing the consumer with consistent and accurate updates regarding interest rate trends.

However, often the interest rates you see or hear on television or radio ads are known as “teaser” rates and come with a hefty fee in order to secure those rates. Thus far for 2015, we have seen rates stay fairly steady, with the exception of some interest rate spikes of .375%-.475%. The Federal Reserve Board has recently stated that rates will be increasing in the near future, but at a slow and steady pace.

With the majority of rates for all loan types remaining under the 4.25% mark nationally (*APR varies), this has continued to spark the housing market and continues to encourage home owners to refinance.

Thank you again for taking the time to review this information. Buying or refinancing is a major financial undertaking and requires preparation, a strong team supporting you, and patience. If you have any questions or requests always feel to call or stop by! Enjoy your summer!

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Associates in Pediatric & Internal Medicine Michael P. Ridge, M.D., A.B.I.M. Darryl R. Brown, M.D. LaTrecia M. Herring, M.D., F.A.A.P., A.B.I.M. Douglas E. Parkin, M.D., F.A.A.P. Natalie A. Teng, M.D. Craig W. Connor, PA-C Kevin G. Hall, PA-C Denise C. Sarsam, RN, MSN, FNP-C C. Marlene Hoeft, RN, MSN, FNP-C Derral E. Hawthorne, PA-C Kelsie D. Pate, RN, MSN, FNP-C 560 N Camino Mercado, Suite 7 (520) 836-5538 Casa Grande, AZ 85122 (800) 895-5538 www.cottonwoodmedical.com Fax (520) 876-0878 Accepting New Patients

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Mobile: 602-481-3967 • Office: 520-836-7776 efax: 602-324-0800 211 North Florence St. Ste.#102-103 Casa Grande, AZ 85122 Email rbenitez@annie-mac.com Arizona Mortgage Banker Licence #0926586

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Page Article Edward Jones

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GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

cally review it with the assistance of a financial professional — someone who can point out gaps in your existing holdings or changes that may need to be made.

• Follow a balanced investment “diet.” As you know, nutrition experts recommend that we adopt a balanced diet, drawing on all the major food groups.

Too much of any one category — for example, an excess of meat or of dairy products — can lead to health concerns.

An analogous situation exists when you invest — if you own too much of one particular asset class, such as aggressive growth stocks, you might expose yourself to an “unhealthy” degree of risk, because you could take a big hit during a market downturn. But not all investments move in the same direction at the same time, so if you own a mix of stocks, bonds, government securities and other vehicles, you can lessen the impact of volatility on your portfolio. In investing, as in all walks of life, balance and moderation are important.

• Don’t let investments get “lazy.” Exercise is essential in staying fit and healthy. Yet, exercise can also be hard work, causing many of us to put it off to “another day.” Some of your investments may also not be working hard enough for you. To cite one possibility, you might own quite a few certificates of deposit (CDs). There’s nothing “wrong” with

CDs, and they do offer a high degree of preservation of principal, but they provide very little in the way of return, particularly in a low-interest-rate environment, such as we’ve had over the past few years. So, if you have a plethora of CDs, you might be depriving yourself of the opportunity to own other investments that “work harder” by offering you the growth potential you’ll need to make progress toward your long-term goals.

• Avoid “unhealthy” habits.

Many of us are guilty of unhealthy habits, such as eating too much or failing to address stress.

Taken together, these bad habits can harm the quality of our lives. As an investor, you can also fall into some bad habits. To name just a couple, you could waste time and effort by chasing after “hot” investments, which may already be cooling off by the time you hear about them, or you could decide to take a “time out” from investing when the markets are turbulent. Another bad habit: Investing either too aggressively or too conservatively for your goals and risk tolerance.

By avoiding these and other negative habits, you can help yourself stay on track toward your objectives.

It takes diligence and vigilance to stay physically fit and healthy. And these same attributes are just as important in keeping your investment strategy in good shape.

THE MEDICAL EDITION

Page Article

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THE MEDICAL EDITION

The LIVING Interview

Rona Curphy

CEO of Banner Casa Grande Medical Center Interview by Bea Lueck GC LIVING: Rona, what is your official new position?

RONA CURPHY: I am the CEO of Banner Casa Grande Medical Center.

GC LIVING: And you were the CEO of Casa Grande Regional Medical Center, correct?

RONA CURPHY: Correct.

GC LIVING: Give me a bit of history about you. You’ve been in the medical field for a long, long time, but not always as an administrator.

RONA CURPHY: Right. I’m a nurse and graduated from nursing school many years ago.

GC LIVING: way to leave that, many years ago.

RONA CURPHY: I went directly into critical care, so I worked in cardiac ICU for a number of years. Also did some travel nursing, so I couldsee other places in United States, landed in Wyoming, and was one of 90% of traveling nurses in this hospital. They finally got a director of nursing, and called me and said, “Would you head up our ICU?” I went back to Wyoming for about ten years heading up the ICU, then took on their education and discharge planning department, and had the opportunity to do lots of patient care which I loved.

That was the start of my move into administration.

I was head of that department, and worked closely with the director of nursing.Then I had an opportunity to spend five weeks consulting in Australia, dealing witha nurse consulting and computer business.

I took that opportunity, five weeks off my hospital job and went to Adelaide, South Australia and did some consulting. Six months later, I moved to Australia and decided to start my own business, along with a partner, a previous Nursing Director I had met to do consulting and nursing decision support.

I was there a little over a year and half before my father got ill in Colorado.

I felt being in Australia was too far and decided to come back, got a job in Colorado Springs as a director of the ICU, and then took on functions of ER and the burn unit. Then I made the decision to move to Fort Smith Arkansas where I started as Assistant Director of Nursing and then became the Director THE MEDICAL EDITION

of Nursing at St. Edward Mercy Medical Center. I have been in management and leadership most of my career.

GC LIVING: So you joined Casa Grande Regional Medical Center as the director of nursing about ten years or so ago.

RONA CURPHY: January 2002, I came here as director of nursing, Chief Nursing Officer (CNO) and Vice-President of patient care service, and have been here ever since. Casa Grande is a wonderful community. I’ve watched it grow up in that 13 anda-half years. It’s a good place to live, and a great place to do good patient care. When I came, we had six previous CNO’s in five years which means there was not a lot of consistency in patient care delivery.

That was my job- come in and evaluate with the staff what was being done, what should be being done and how we could implement change. We wanted to make sure everyone was delivering the same care. And we were able to achieve that over the time I was there. In 2009, Marty Denier, the CEO, left, and the board asked if I would be an interim, so I took on the interim CEO. GC LIVING: And you’ve been stuck with us ever since.

[Laughs] RONA CURPHY: And I’m still here, and happy to be here. It is a great community. It’s the people! I see them in the grocery store, I see them at Wal-Mart or at Target, and it’s nice because you know the people you’re actually serving.

GC LIVING: We’re about 52,000-ish in Casa Grande.

Your coverage areas, counting the surrounding communities is about 80 to 90,000 people but as you said, we run into people we know everywhere.

RONA CURPHY: Exactly.

GC LIVING: So it is still a small town even though we’re growing up.

RONA CURPHY: Now, in 2014, we’re Banner Casa Grande Medical Center. I know the people. I’ve told business leaders and everyone, “If you’ve got somebody in the hospital, and you want me to go visit him, please call me and I will personally go and visit that person, and make sure that they’re getting the

care they want and that they’re really doing well in our facility.” It’s just a great community from that perspective.

GC LIVING: The medical field has changed so much since you began years ago in Casa Grande.What are some of the changes you’ve seen?

RONA CURPHY: When I started in nursing, we didn’t have all the innovation that has come across in the last 10, 20 years. We didn’t have computers to do documentation, everything was hand written.

Try to read not only a doctor’s handwriting, but the nurses’ handwriting so you can make sure you understand person-to-person what medication to give. It was difficult. And we’ve, over the last ten years, moved into a computer era.

Very few offices don’t have a computer system today. It makes it so much easier to make sure we record information about patients so the staff can understand what’s going on for the patients. We have systems in Banner Casa Grande ICU, we have Banner Telehealth’s TeleICU in our Intensive Care Unit, as well as in four ER rooms where we can push a button, and a “Critical Care Intensivist Physician” in either Mesa, San Diego, Greely, or Tel Aviv can immediately talk to our nursing staff or physicians and have all the information about our patient right there.

They can turn the camera on, and they can look at our patient, and really assist the caregivers. If you’re in an ICU in any Banner facility that has this technology, we have a better outcome, lower mortality than any other ICU. They can see the electronic medical record. And, if they start to see a trend we haven’t seen, they pick up on it immediately and call that ICU. It’s a phenomenal service to be provided in Casa Grande Arizona.

GC LIVING: So those are, just a couple of new specialty fields for physicians over the last few years, an intensivist and hospitalist.

RONA CURPHY: Exactly. So most people, when they go to their doctor, they expect to see he/she in the hospital, and yet very few doctors actually come and see patients because they feel they’re more efficient SUMMER 20 152015 GOLDEN CORRID OR OR LI V LI ING 27 SUMMER GOLDEN CORRID V ING

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The LIVING Interview (continued) taking care of patients in their office and they can see more patients. Instead we have hospitalist’s who are Doctors that only practice in hospitals seeing patients in the hospital from admission through discharge.

GC LIVING: What are some of the challenges facing the healthcare industry over the last few years?

RONA CURPHY: I think financial issues and the whole issue about Medicaid. We’re still there with this Arizona Medicaid expansion.The governor, the legislation, and now there is the potential law suit. Expansion is about making sure that low income single childless adults can get subsidized healthcare. We have to do it cost-effectively. That’s our responsibility as hospitals and physicians; making sure that we’re the most cost-effective possible. We want to make sure everybody has access to healthcare.

A couple years ago, we really struggled with the amount of un-insured patients that we were caring for but getting no reimbursement and it is one reason why we began the search for a partner. We were very heavily debt leveraged which made it difficult with the increasing level of uncompensated care. One of the things we know is that it’s important for people to be able to get healthcare. During that timeframe, when AHCCCS (Arizona Medicaid) dropped, we had many people in our community who actually used our emergency room as their only access to care- a high-cost care setting as their primary care, because they couldn’t get in to see other people, because they had no insurance.

So that whole issue about insurance, and how you pay for it, we really need to move toward doing more preventive care. You want people to see their doctor to prevent them needing care in hospitals. In one sense, you think, “Oh, you won’t have as many patients, and will be doing my care differently.”

At Banner we are asking about that post- hospital setting. Once people have been in our facilities, how are we taking care of them at home? Banner is doing telehealth also at home for those patients with chronic illnesses. It is called BanneriCARE® which is now expanded – it started as a pilot in SunCity and now moving into Central Phoenix for those patients in the Banner Health Network.

People with chronic illnesses can actually be set up with a tablet-like device, and a camera. Instead of making patients get into their cars and go to a doctor’s office, they have doctor visits in their home.

Electronic equipment checks their blood pressure to keep them as healthy as possible, and keep them out of hospital. It has been working phenomenally. We can’t wait to get that for our members in our communities in the future. It makes a difference that people can take care of their health right in the comfort of their own home.

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GC LIVING: So when Banner partnered with Casa Grande Medical Center it was $87 million in debt – give or take?

RONA CURPHY: Yes, they paid us about that and we had about $68 million in bond debt and other assets including equipment and facility. It was a phenomenal deal and a great partnership.

Now so we’re one of 28 acute care hospitals. We now have access to things we couldn’t have gotten.

We couldn’t have afforded eICU where we had to pay for Critical Care Doctors to sit at home 24/7 watching patients. But now, this community has access to technology that makes it safer for us to take care of patients.

GC LIVING: So you’re able to expand services ...

RONA CURPHY: Absolutely.

GC LIVING: Expand specialties ...

RONA CURPHY: Yes. GC LIVING: A number of fields are not available in Casa Grande. If you needed to see a specialist, you were going to Phoenix or Tucson.

RONA CURPHY: We recently hired a couple of obstetricians, so that’s started. Dr. Bronitsky started and he’s at Casa Grande OB-GYN where he joined Dr. Salisbury and Dr. Ivey. Dr. LaShonda Carlton, another OB/GYN starts in August. We also hired additional general surgeons. And Banner Medical Group will assess our area to look at other specialties we need to bring to the area. It’s a constant job! What’s nice is they want as much care to be delivered at Casa Grande as possible. We’re not doing open heart surgery and neuro-surgery and there may be other specialized things that make sense to do in big facilities, but everything else we will have the ability to do right here. They helped us expand our surgery services based on bringing surgeons on board.

We’re looking at a whole campus master plan.

Over the next three to ten years, what will our campus need to look like?? Three areas have bubbled to the top. Our Women and Infant Service area, we know we need to have a level two nursery which will help us keep higher risk patients. We started nurse practitioners in our nursery 24/7 in April to help move to that level two nursery. We have needed to expand the emergency room for a number of years, and the third area is our perioperative services area -surgery,endoscopy,and recovery room.

We’re developing this master plan to determine how it looks then to figure costs. That works through all of Banner as we go for best use of dollars.

I think you’ll be hearing more in the near future about plans and expansions.

GC LIVING: Now there are a couple of modalities at the house that might be a little unusual for a regional facility; the Central Arizona Breast Center for one.

RONA CURPHY: Correct. We have the Central Arizo-

na Breast Center, Desert Reflections Imaging, our out-patient imaging center, accredited sleep lab and Hyperbaric Wound Center.

We have services not normally seen in a community hospital. But back to the Central Arizona Breast Center, which is something I did in 2010 because we really needed something better for women. Dr. Ramon Mourelo came to me and said, “It’s taking too long for a woman who has a mammogram with a positive finding to get a biopsy or something else.

That’s not good for women.” We said, “You’re right.

Let’s create something where they get results quickly and get them into the pipeline for great care.”

Now we have a facilitator, Rebecca Fleuret, Breast Center Coordinator, who, when any woman has a positive finding, she navigates their care as well as provides support by giving them her personal cell phone number. They can call her 24/7, 365 days out of the year! It’s a scary time for any woman who might potentially have breast cancer and she wants to make sure to provide the necessary support.

GC LIVING: I know the hospital has been a recipient of the Susan G. Komen grant for a number of years. The grant provides free mammograms for women who either have no insurance or high deductibles. How does that benefit the community?

RONA CURPHY: Oh, it’s huge for the community! We have been a recipient for several years in a row.

Last year, they cut down from sixteen recipients to nine in Arizona and we are still one of those. I attribute that to the management of the grant by Karen Kerr-Osman, our foundation director, and Rebecca Fleuret, our facilitator in the Breast Center.

It helps women who do not have insurance, are under-insured, or have high deductibles. We get them serviced immediately. Not only do we have mammogram money with screening money, we have diagnostic money, so if we find something, we can help to do further diagnosis, stereotactic biopsy, and more.

The Komen Foundation has been exceptionally helpful. They have seminars on grant writing and management. Kudos to Pinal County Well Woman Health Check, they also do criteria-based mammograms. We might need to send them to Pinal County Well Woman HealthCheck first and they might send us to do the actual testing. Rebecca Fleuret has been phenomenal in managing all the functions the way Komen wants. That’s why we continue to get money, because we follow their guidelines to the letter.

GC LIVING: And just to expand on that a bit, if a woman does not have a referring physician?

RONA CURPHY: We do. We have a process through Dr. Francis Salisbury where he will write the referral.

continued on page 46...

THE MEDICAL EDITION

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Page Article Central Arizona College EDUCATION

Pay It Forward as an Invest

by Doris Helmich Ed.D., President/CEO, Central Arizona College

P

ay it forward is an expression for describing the recipient of a good deed who repays it to others instead of to the original benefactor. Education is a benefit that many of us received and now as responsible citizens “paying it forward” offers an equal opportunity to the generations behind us, an investment in the future. Why invest in education?

•

Education is the key to economic success for Arizona and the nation

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Arizona can serve as a model for successful education recovery

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Education can be both a great economic driver and equalizer

A bright future lies in educating and training the impending workforce. A skilled labor force is one of the top factors that businesses and industries use to judge an area in which to locate or expand. Pinal County needs to compete for living wage jobs in growth industries, to provide the quality of life all our residents deserve, and to sustain an ever-evolving economy.

Central Arizona College (CAC) is the vital component whether we are preparing current employees, students for yet-to-bedesigned careers, or for jobs that will grow in demand with an aging population (such as nursing and emergency personnel). While CAC is affordable and accessible today, the shift in State support away from education is widening the attainment gap. The ability for Pinal County and its residents to compete for a more prosperous economy cannot be achieved without an educated and trained workforce. Pinal County needs CAC. Within the next 10 years, Arizona will need to hire 123,000 college-educated personnel to fill the shoes of retiring baby boomers. A teacher shortage is hitting Arizona hard, with 62 percent of public schools reporting unfilled teaching positions in September 2014, according to an Arizona Department of Education survey. To make matters worse, 23 percent of Arizona educators will be eligible to retire in the next four years, according to the Arizona 30

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

State Retirement System‘s October 2014 Fact Sheet. The shortage of highly-qualified teachers for the past few years has led many Arizona public school leaders to seek candidates from other states and in some cases from other countries. Arizona needs highly qualified teachers to create a highly qualified workforce. On top of this, there is a huge social cost to Arizona, in terms of the dollar amount, when students do not complete high school and do not gain at least some college education. Arizona needs highly qualified teachers to keep students in school. For each high school drop-out, the lifetime social loss for the State of Arizona is $421,280 annually. The total annual social loss is $7.6 billion (almost the entire state budget). Social losses include earnings, crime, health, and other liability factors according to the Arizona Mayors Education Roundtable Report of 2014. So, even the Arizona residents without children or grandchildren would improve their own quality of life by supporting education funding now at all education levels.

Education used to be this country’s forte.

The United States was the envy of the world.

The country is no longer first in the world.

According to a global report by education firm Pearson, it is now ranked 17th in the developed world. Finland and South Korea top the list of 40 developed countries with the best education systems. Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore follow. The rankings are calculated based on various measures, including international test scores, graduation rates between 2006 and 2010, and the prevalence of higher education. The high ranking countries tend to offer teachers higher status in society and have a “culture” of education.

What is the “culture” of education in Arizona? Our state is second from the bottom in per pupil funding compared to other states. Many teachers live at or near poverty levels in Arizona. According to a white paper titled “Arizona’s Economy” found at www. aztownhall.org, “Funding for Education in Arizona is consistently near the bottom on most national rankings and metrics.” The “culture” of education may also be defined by the standards that are set for education.

The state does not agree on the curriculum

or the test to measure learning. And finally, what does is say about the “culture” of education in Arizona when education cuts are made at the university and community college levels to balance the budget?

Pinal County needs a community college.

More than 29,000 have graduated from Central Arizona College since its genesis.

According to a December 2014 Economic Modeling Study, the College creates economic value to the county in many ways.

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The College’s program offerings support a range of industry sectors in Pinal County and supply employers with skilled workers

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The expenditure of CAC, along with the spending of its employees and students, support the local economy.

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The economic impact extends as far as the State Treasury in terms of increased tax receipts and decreased public sector costs.

Without Central Arizona College in Pinal County, taxes would actually be higher according to this study. Why? Because there would be a decline in a skilled workforce and fewer industries would consider moving to Pinal County. Social costs would rise due to an increase in crime and an increase reliance on social services.

During fiscal year 2013-2014, CAC contributed $212.7 million to Pinal County.

Taxpayers experience a return of $1.30 in the form of higher tax revenues and avoided costs and for every dollar spent, students gained $6.00 more in lifetime income for every dollar spent. CAC plays a vital role in promoting economic development, enhancing students’ careers, and improving quality of life for Pinal County and the State of Arizona. The College remains dedicated to providing educational, economic, cultural, and personal growth opportunities for the citizens of our county and state.

To help Pinal County students remain competitive in the job market, CAC implemented several new academic initiatives last year. Some of the new academic courses THE MEDICAL EDITION

Central Arizona Page College Article

ment in the Future and programs now being offered include Communication Studies, expansion of the Culinary Arts program to three campuses (Signal Peak, San Tan and Maricopa), Fundamentals of Logistics-Organization Management, and Manufacturing Engineering. Each of these provides a foundation for job skills to support employment opportunities within Pinal County.

Additionally, CAC received the largest grant in the history of the college. A $10 million Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grants initiative (TAACCCT) was awarded to CAC and consortium members: Eastern Arizona College (Thatcher, AZ), Gateway Community College-Maricopa Skills Center (Phoenix, AZ), and Estrella Mountain Community College-Southwest Skill Center (Avondale, AZ).

CAC will share these funds to establish the

Arizona Regional Advanced Manufacturing Professional Upgrade Project (AZRampUp).

AZRampUp is financed 100% with funding provided through the Department of Labor’s Employment Training Administration. It is designed to accelerate student learning and strengthen student success in advanced manufacturing. Strategies include competency based education, prior learning assessments, and engagement with industry. Furthermore, academic and industry recognized certificates that transfer to degree programs within the state and that lead to skilled manufacturing jobs in Arizona will be established.

Education funding is an investment for students, taxpayers and society as a whole.

The college has three main sources of revenue: tuition, state appropriations and local property taxes. Since 2009, state funding for Community Colleges has declined by 65%.

The College has cut programs and reduced hours of operation. Tuition has taken a steady climb. The local property taxes are increasing.

Rather than borrow money and pay interest, costing the taxpayer even more money, the College is committing to a “pay as you go” program using a phased approach to its deferred maintenance and staffing. Thank you to the Pinal County residents who continue to demonstrate support for the College.

Education is an investment in everyone’s future and a method to “pay it forward”. A college graduate earns higher wages and provides a higher quality of life for themselves and those around them. Graduates obtain better jobs, pay higher taxes and therefore contribute more to the county and state’s revenue. Isn’t an improved quality of life in Pinal County what we all want for each other?

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Page Article

LOCAL BUSINESS

The Best Dental Insurance The best dental insurance you can have is to brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes, and floss once a day, every day.

A

gave Dentistry accepts numerous different dental insurance plans to help make your routine dental care possible and affordable. The American Dental Association recommends visiting your dentist twice a year to help catch any oral health problems early on when treatment is simpler and more affordable. We realize that visiting the dentist can be a financial strain, and could be the reason that 100 million Americans fail to see a dentist each year. However, most insurance plans cover two dental examinations and cleanings a year at 100%, leaving no out of pocket cost

to the patient. Excellent insurance can greatly improve the affordability of your dental care. Many patients have asked, what is the best dental insurance? Dr. Davis has the plain and simple truth: The best dental insurance you can have is to brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes, and floss once a day, every day. Over one’s lifetime this daily practice can save you a significant amount of money, not to mention the greatest benefit of all: keeping all your teeth healthy and pain free throughout your life. It’s easy to forget when you’re in a hurry in the morning or tired at night, but five minutes a day of brush-

ing and flossing can be the difference between losing your teeth at an early age and being able to thoroughly enjoy chewing your favorite foods for a large majority of your lifetime. If you are missing teeth, your ability to chew and digest your food decreases, which makes your body struggle to absorb all the nutrients from the food you eat. This leads to poor nutrition over time, which can lead to a multitude of health problems. Many people fail to make this vital connection that taking good care of your teeth can lead to vastly improved overall physical health, which is far better than any dental insurance out there.

FAREWELL...

If you are a patient of Agave Dentistry, chances are that you have either met or talked on the phone with our Southern belle, Melanie. Her Louisiana roots show through in her southern accent, and her warm smile and friendliness are the epitomy of “southern hospitality.” Melanie has been with us at Agave Dentistry since the very beginning. She was the first person to be hired to work at Agave when the doors opened seven years ago. She has served as our go-to person for all of our front office needs and has been our office manager this last year. With more than 20 years of dental experience under her belt, her vast knowledge in the dental field has been a huge asset to the practice. Melanie is 32

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

a hard worker, and always willing to go the extra mile to get the job done. She is honest, trustworthy, loyal, spunky, fun, and always making others laugh.

She has become a close friend of the Davis family, and a loved member of the Agave family over the years.

Sadly, a new chapter has begun for Melanie and she and her family will be moving out of state. Farewell, Melanie.

We are so grateful you will continue to do some work for us across the country, but your affectionate smile will be missed by your coworkers and patients at Agave Dentistry, as well as the many residents of Casa Grande who were lucky enough to rub shoulders with you. We wish you the best of luck in your future endeavors!

THE MEDICAL EDITION

For new and existing patients.

Call for details.

Expires 6/30/15 Expires 6/30/15

Coupon must be presented at initial visit.

Specials are for new and existing patients with no insurance.

520-876-9955 Tyson A. Davis D.D.S

2028 N. Trekell Rd #107 Casa Grande, AZ 85122

WWW.AGAVEDENTISTRY.COM

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Services Provided by an Arizona Licensed General Dentist

Casa Grande Reigns

by Richard O’Neil, CPA

I

s there anything more precious than a dream in the eye of a child? Mix that dream with a little inspiration, copious amounts of hard work and dedication, then spice it with a dash of good luck, and magic happens. What more logical place for magic to occur than just down the street from Disneyland®?

In this case, it was at the Anaheim Convention Center. There 26 of Casa Grande’s youth, ranging in age from 6 to 17 would compete against 7,307 of the best dancers and cheerleaders from across the country, at the American National Championships of Cheer and Dance.

Up for grabs were Superior performance medals for the best performances. For the best of the best were gold, silver, and bronze medals.

However, the most coveted prize of all was the National Champion’s jacket, a blue letterman style jacket with bold stitching on the back, “NATIONAL CHAMPION.” Only once in a great while would you see someone wearing a jacket from last year, and those who wore them were held in awe.

The Casa Grande kids were well prepared.2 Dance Studio recently celebrated its eighth anniversary, and many of the performers had been training there since its inception.Still, there was no shortage of adversity for the Casa Grande team. One battling chronic asthma, one competing with a painful broken arm, one competing with a migraine headache, and they all had butterflies. The sheer size of the facility, at over a million square feet was intimidating. It was bigger than 10 TOP-LEFT: Kayla Vowels, displaying her national championship jacket, gold medal, and tiara for top performer of the entire event LEFT: Young national champions, Anea Neal (age 6), Rilyn Ronquillo (age 8), and McKenzie Cull (age 8)

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Home Depot stores with three stages of non-stop competition. Add to that, the ruthless intimidation tactics used by some of the other teams.

In retrospect, I should have recognized what might be coming when the Casa Grande kids gathered in small circles to pray. Each prayer was different, but they all shared a common theme, not that they would win, but rather,that with help from above, they could put their best performance on stage.

I found myself sitting in the Anaheim arena waiting for the first CG dancer to take the stage. That’s when word began getting whispered from seat to seat amongst the Casa Grande families, about a quarter mile away, little Liana Salas had just won the first national championship for the Casa Grande team. I began feeling butterflies, my own granddaughter would be performing soon, but that did not matter as much as the fact that all of these kids are like grandchildren to me.

What followed was near miraculous, routine after routine, each of Casa Grande’s children gave the performance of a lifetime. When the last performer left the stage my heart was singing.

These kids had done exactly what they had dreamed of accomplishing. They each had put their best performance ever on stage. Every one of my “almost” grandchildren could return home with their heads held high. At that point it didn’t matter what the judges had to say.

That is, it didn’t matter until the judges started to speak. Award after award presentation began with the phrase, “from Casa Grande, Arizona.”

It did not stop until every child from Casa Grande had received the Superior performance medal, or better. Then the officials began a long description of the final award. Out of all 7,000 plus competitors, across all genre of dance, across all age groups, this award was for THE MEDICAL EDITION

Supreme Casa Grande’s performers with the national championship jackets they earned in the foreground.

First row, left to right: Eli Haro, McKenzie Cull, Rilyn Ronquillo. Second row: Italya Dudley, Faith Owen, Liana Salas, Madysen Haro, Audrey Perez, Kaitlyn Gremmell, Averi Pepper, Maddie Franco, Hannah O’Neil, Taitum Ronquillo, Alexis Solberg. Third row: Kindra McKinney, Nnena Okuagu, Diamond Dominguez, Steven Granados, Destiny Johnson, Ashley Fisher, Shannon Kenney, Alyssa Soto, Kayla Vowels, Grace Owen, Michael Kenney. Forth row: Coaches Tyler Amundson, Caitlyn Humphries, Kaitlyn Quintana, Carrie Galle, Kimberly Hurtado Rodriquez. (absent from picture, Anea Neal)

the top performer of the entire event.

The name announced, “Kayla Vowels” a junior from Casa Grande Union High School. In all, the 26 kids from Casa Grande earned 63 medals,12 national championships, the top performer award for the entire event, and a World Dance Bid. Nearly half of the young people from Casa Grande would be returning home with the coveted “National Champion” jackets.

The following morning as the sun rose, numerous sets of Casa Grande

parents awoke to the same sight, their exhausted child, still sleeping, still clutching the National Championship jacket they had earned the night before.

TOP-RIGHT: In the award ceremony spotlight, 8 year old McKenzie Cull and her babysitter, 14 year old Grace Owen. What began as playful tumbling with Grace often sending McKenzie flying, culminated in a national championship in junior partner stunt.

RIGHT: National Champions Hannah O’Neil, almost hospitalized for asthma days before the event, and dance partner Faith Owen, who accomplish the near impossible. She performed three routines, with three changes of costumes, on stages a quarter mile apart within 42 minutes. In so doing, she earned two national championships and a medal for superior performance.

LEFT: This is the sight Dr. Jeremy Cull and wife Mindy awoke to, their daughter McKenzie, exhausted, still asleep, still clutching the national championship jacket she had earned the night before.

THE MEDICAL EDITION

SUMMER 20 15 GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

35

Page Article

CG News

CONTINUED…

STATE OF THE CITY...cont. from page 12 them by the end of the month. And once they get that back and we’re all in agreement with what it says, you’ll start seeing the building go vertical.”

The city is also about to start building a major sewer line to serve the PhoenixMart project, paying a share to be able to upsize the line to serve future development in the area.

“Design is almost done, so we expect to start that project probably in the next 60 or 90 days.” Jackson said.

CITY FINANCES Fund balance “We did increase our fund balance this fiscal year by a little over $22 million,” Jackson said. “We have always tried to maintain a fund balance of $20 million. To put that in perspective, our General Fund budget is about $35 million, so we have a pretty healthy rainy day fund, if you will.”

Golf course “We did privatize the golf course,” Jackson continued. “I know when I first came into office, eight years ago, the golf course was operating at about a half a million dollar a year deficit.

Today I’m happy to say it looks like we might even turn a profit.”

AREAS OF CONCERN Sales tax “We are very reliant on sales tax,”

POLICE CAPTAIN ...cont. from page 13 the state of Arizona but nationwide, when it comes to drug interdiction and other areas of canine usage, so he does bring a wealth of expertise in that area.”

Vasquez said Leos also has experience as an acting police chief in Douglas and with the Capitol Police Department, “so I think we’re blessed to have him on board.”

Speaking to the council, Leos said, “I’m ecstatic to be here. I am born and raised in Pinal County, in

36

Jackson said. “We had fairly flat sales tax revenue for the last seven or eight years. We are starting to see a general trend upward on retail sales tax.

“Sales tax has multiple components to it, and if you put all the components together we’ve seen about a half a percent increase in the total sales tax year over year between 2013 and 2014.”

City services “Certainly over the last five or six years we’ve had very little operational growth within the city family, if you will,” Jackson continued.

“And I think the pressure being applied to increase services, enhance services, to add services is always going to be there.

“We’re not out of the woods yet, so I don’t know that the next fiscal year growth is going to be any different than the past has been.”

Public safety pension costs “One of the things that has happened that is really beyond our control, the public safety retirement system for police and fire, has hit on some hard times,” Jackson said.

“That cost to the city of Casa Grande in the upcoming year is estimated to be a million dollars more than it was last year. So a significant hit.

“We have no choice, we do have to pay it.

“The police and fire pensions issue is not going to go away. We expect

the Picacho-Eloy area, and very familiar with Casa Grande. I look at some of the growth we’ve had here and remember working in the cotton fields back in the ‘70s, ‘80s, now they’re all businesses.

“Very ecstatic. Very good agency.

I’m looking forward to coming on board and bringing some of my expertise, some of my experience, my leadership experience, to the officers here and to the agency.

“I’m very happy to be here and, again, thank you for giving me this opportunity.”

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

over the next four or five years for that trend to increase.”

Trash and sewer fees “One of the other areas that I think that we’re still challenged with is the wastewater and sanitation revenue,” Jackson said.

“And certainly one of the calls that I regularly get from people is, why do our fees continue to go up?

“In the case of the sanitation fund, we own and operate our own landfill.

Ten years ago, we were able to show the state we had the financial ability to close the landfill when the time came and take care of it for 30 years after it closed, which is what the federal requirement is.

“They changed the rule and we now have to fund a replacement for the landfill, so a big chunk of your sewer and trash bill that you pay goes toward that closure, post closure care and the replacement of the landfill.

“On the wastewater side, we just

expanded the wastewater treatment plant, doubled the capacity, about two years ago and we predicated a lot of capacity increase on projected growth that was going to happen.

“That project started probably in 2006-07 at a time when we were booming, so we set up a financing mechanism that anticipated that the growth would continue and we would use some of that revenue to help pay for the sewer plant expansion.

“As all of you know, the housing market has fallen apart. Certainly, the amount of money we get in on capacity charges for new development has gone down, so we’ve had to substitute a portion of our sewer bill to help cover the cost to pay for the bonds that paid for the treatment plant expansion.”

(A comprehensive package covering the State of the City, including reports, documents and videos, is posted under STATE OF CITY at www.haroldkitching. com)

Police Water Outreach Program

T

he Water Outreach Program, begun as a way for Casa Grande police officers to carry bottled water in their vehicles in case of emergencies or dehydration victims, will continue this year.

During the April 6 City Council meeting, Public Information Officer Thomas Anderson said the program was to resume on April 13.

During the meeting, the Police Department gave appreciation plaques to four local businesses involved in beginning the project: Sutton Law, Walgreens, Old Town Custom Framing and CG News.

“Many of you have already heard about this program that we started last year,” Anderson said, “but we’re always looking for new and creative, innovative ways to interact with our community as part of our community policing philosophy.

“Last summer, some key individuals and organizations in our commu-

nity approached us and came up with this great idea called Water Outreach Program. We instituted it last year and it was very effective.”

Anderson said the program is

continued on page 48...

THE MEDICAL EDITION

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Page Article Casa Grande Union High School District st

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40

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

Leadership Practices That Create a Positive Work Culture

by Dr. Frank Davidson, Superintendent, Casa Grande Elementary School District

T

his year will complete my 36th year of working in schools. I believe more than ever that individuals who find a daily reward in what they do, who feel valued and supported, and who see a relationship between what they do on a daily basis and the overarching purposes of schools are bound to be not just more effective, but also more engaged, empowered, supportive, and dedicated.

A well-known researcher by the name of Larry Cuban points out that, when we examine the factors that create a positive work culture in schools, it is clear that organizational improvement is not the result of a superintendent or a principal working in isolation to “secretly improve” the institution. The most effective leaders recognize that their best work is done through and with others, and that such work comes about in a healthy, fulfilling, and rewarding work culture.

There are no simple recipes or quick-fixes that can bring about an overnight transformation of a school or a school district. A wide variety of factors come together to shape the school as workplace. Practitioners and researchers both agree that the leader’s influence is critical in establishing a work culture that benefits both teacher and student. While acknowledging the uniqueness of schools and the absence of an easy path to creating a highly effective workplace, there are some high-yield practices that can be employed by leaders that have a greater likelihood of contributing to a positive work culture: Prioritize teaching and learning. A leader’s decisions about the use of time can have a significant impact on the organization’s capacity to prioritize teaching and learning. One of the biggest frustrations for any educator is a lack of time. There are no simple answers

for solving the time problem, but a leader’s decisions should be influenced by a desire to prioritize teaching and learning and to respect the many demands on an educator’s time.

Build strong connections through being present and responsive. Effective leaders make strong connections with others, and they constantly work to refine their interpersonal communication skills. Building strong connections also involves creating a strong sense of purpose in the people within the organization. Effective leaders foster commitment to a shared vision, and help people to feel that the work being done genuinely matters. They also pay attention to the qualities that build trust, respect, and commitment in those around them. School leaders must also create an expectation that communication among the faculty will be open and honest,

THE MEDICAL EDITION

Page Article

Casa Grande Elementary School District is

ity

m Co

ol

ho Sc

The responsibility is Yours and Mine

m un

Success for Every One

ts en ud St

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The choice for families in Casa Grande

Did You Know?

• Casa Grande Elementary has more A+ Schools and A+ Programs than any other school district in Pinal County • The District has a proven, rigorous instructional program built upon “Success for Every One” and that dissenting opinions will be respected. Civil discourse and openness to honest internal and external feedback are important elements of the communication patterns in high-performing schools.

Maintain a disciplined focus. Effective leaders have a clear sense of purpose. They center their actions and the actions of others on the organization’s mission and goals. They shield themselves and the staff from the distractions of a minor crisis or a passing fad.

Manage efficiently, in order to lead effectively. It is difficult to focus on a shared vision of academic excellence if the schools are perceived as poorly staffed, disorganized, overcrowded, lacking in basic supplies, or dirty. Effective leaders must possess specific organizational skills to enable them to work

THE MEDICAL EDITION

more efficiently in order to successfully lead their schools and districts.

Choose optimism. To create a better future for their organizations and their students, effective school leaders are engaged in consciously picturing, choosing, and creating a better future. Leaders must strive to create caring environments where students are valued for who they are and what they can become.

Note: The above is excerpted from “Secrets of Creating Positive Work Cultures: The Work Lives of Teachers,” authored by Frank Davidson, and published in The SAGE Guide to Educational Leadership and Management, February, 2015, ISBN: 9781452281926. Davidson is superintendent of the Casa Grande Elementary School District.

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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL DISTRICT

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SUMMER 20 15 GOLDEN CORRID OR OR LI VLI ING 41 SUMMER 2015 GOLDEN CORRID V ING

41

University of Arizona HEALTH

Small Steps Lead to Healthier You!

by Cathy L. Martinez, Ph. D. Family, Consumer & Health Science Agent

M

ore than 40% of Americans take advantage of the New Year to make resolutions intended to improve our lives or our health, but only about 8% of us keep them. #1 on the list of resolutions is losing weight, and #5 is staying fit and healthy. However, the good news is that those of us to explicitly make a resolution are 10 times more likely to attain our goals than people who don’t.

For those who don’t attain the goals they set, it’s generally because their goal is either vague or unrealistic. That’s why, no matter what time of year you decide to start, when you decide you want to be healthier it’s important that you set goals that aren’t too big and that are doable, and goals that are easily measured.

For example, instead of saying I’m going to lose 40 pounds, think about those behaviors that

will lead you to weight loss. This would include things like drinking fewer sugary drinks (cut the amount you drink by half), walking each day for 30 minutes (this could be three 10-minute walks in the morning, at noon, and after dinner), drinking more water (drink a glass with every meal), or eating more vegetables (have a salad with dinner every night).

One of the more difficult components of healthy eating seems to be eating enough vegetables.

Research published in the journal Public Health Nutrition found that convenience was key among those who eat more produce, but what didn’t matter was price (this study was conducted with a predominantly minority and low-income audience). The perception shared by many people is that cooking with fresh produce takes significantly more work.

The reality is that all foods

FRESH TOMATO with FRESH MOZZARELLA Active time: 5 minutes; Time to table: 5 minutes Serves 1 (easily multiplied) • • • • •

2 - 3 thick slices of ripe tomato (for easy slicing, use a serrated knife) per tomato slice, 1 thin slice fresh mozzarella dash of salt (optional) splash of balsamic vinegar few strips of fresh basil

Arrange the tomato slices on a small plate, top each one with mozzarella. Sprinkle a tiny bit of salt on the mozzarella, then splash on a bit of vinegar and the basil.

42

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

need some amount of preparation to be safe, like cleaning. And vegetables can be as quick to prepare as any other type of food. For example, when you’re grilling your hot dogs and hamburgers this summer, you can grill some zucchini alongside – just brush it will a tiny bit of olive oil and a bit of salt and pepper and you’ll have a healthy side dish. Jicama is another quick favorite snack – just slice it like chips and then squeeze on some fresh lime juice and a dash of cayenne pepper. Included below are a couple of other quick snacks using tomatoes.

Just as people don’t stick with a diet, they also have a hard time sticking with a new exercise program. Again, the goals they set are often too vague (get in shape) or unrealistic. Again, what helps are goals that focus on behaviors that are doable and easily measured. Many of us who

decide we have to get in shape think that means joining a gym and exercising for an hour or more – and most of us believe we just don’t have the time for this.

For those of us who do try this route, we often end up quitting because we initially overdo it, get quite sore, and decide it’s just not worth it. If we instead took the approach of making small changes to our usual routine, we could make some clear progress without the expense and pain. This could include doing things like adding a 10 minute morning walk to your daily routine, doing 10 squats each day while you’re brushing your teeth or walking laps around the living room coffee table each time a commercial comes on during our favorite program.

When you break it into small, easy to do tasks then you are much more likely to achieve your desired result.

TOMATO on RYE

Active time: 5 minutes; Time to table: 5 minutes Serves 4 • • • •

8 thin slices heavy rye bread Butter 1 tomato, sliced Salt & pepper

Spread thin layer of butter on each slice.

Top with tomato slice. Sprinkle liberally with salt and freshly ground pepper.

THE MEDICAL EDITION

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Seeds of Hope

A Historical Day for Seeds of Hope

by Terri Durham, Office Coordinator

O

n April 7 we participated in Arizona Gives Day, a 24 hour online giving experience that unites Arizonans around causes they believe in. Seeds of Hope set a goal to raise $24,000 in 24 hours. At first, the thought

of raising that much money in a short amount of time caused many an eyebrow to be raised in cautious uncertainty. But the more we said it out loud, the more confident we became. If we could pull this off it would be the most successful fundraiser in our

Spiritual, Educational, and Social Support to Casa Grande since 1993.

Programs: After School program, Hot Lunch program, ESL program, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren program, Stanfield Medical Clinic, Community Garden

WWW.SEEDSOFHOPEAZ.COM 44

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

22 year history. Rallying around the idea our board of directors, close supporters, and staff began praying and planning. On the morning of April 7 we hoped all our time and effort spent in preparation would pay off. Literally. There was a buzz of excitement in the air as we gathered at the Mondo Anaya Community Center to watch the running total of donations update continually throughout the day. We were also competing against other mid-sized nonprofits for additional prize money for most dollars raised. By noon we had reached $20,000 and our goal was within reach. By midafternoon we hit the $24,000 mark, and blew right past it. And at midnight our grand total of money raised was $26,985! But that’s not all.

Our community of supporters catapulted us into first place for rural nonprofits and second place for mid-sized nonprofits, earning us an additional $10,000 in prize money! We are so blessed to serve a community who affirm

our mission to provide spiritual, educational and social support through our many programs.

Thank you to each one who gave on April 7. It’s because of your generosity Seeds of Hope thrives.

And “with God’s power working in us, God can do much, much more than anything we can ask or imagine. So to Him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus for all times, forever and ever.

Amen.” Ephesians 3:20 (ncv)

THE MEDICAL EDITION

Trinity Church

Sportsmen’s Banquet

O

n Saturday the 21st of March over 200 men and their sons from the greater Casa Grande area, from other parts of Arizona, and even from other states were enthralled with the outdoor adventures of Dr. Paige Patterson, an avid hunter and outdoorsman. Trinity Southern Baptist Church hosted the event in order to reach out to men of all ages, to build relationships with people in the community, and to enjoy an evening of food, fellowship, and laughter. In addition to the presentation, attendees enjoyed a great chicken and steak dinner, as well as door prizes and free gifts. Howard Nixon, the Men’s Ministry Coordinator at Trinity Baptist Church said that, “It was great to have over 200 men and their sons at Trinity to hear Dr. Patterson speak about his hunting adventures in Africa! It shows that we can turn out when we have a common purpose. This is a healthy sign for our community.”

The highlight of the evening was Dr. Paige Patterson, past president of the Southern Baptist Convention and the president of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Indeed, Paige Patterson is a different kind of preacher. He holds membership

in Safari Club International and the National Rifle Association.

He has hunted in many nations, but especially Africa. As a scuba diver, he has dived the Red Sea, the Great Barrier Reef, the Andaman Sea, Belize, and elsewhere.

He has visited many of the Natural Wonders of the World in 72 nations. When he is not diving or hunting, he serves as president of a school to prepare pastors and missionaries.

Dr. Philip Calvert, Senior Pastor at Trinity Southern Baptist Church, also an avid outdoorsman, said of the event that, “It was a wonderful opportunity for the men of the greater Casa Grande area to get together to make new friends while listening to one of the greatest Christian speakers of our time talk about a topic that so many of us are passionate about: the great outdoors. Arizona is blessed to have a variety of landscape and terrain, as well as distinct micro-climates, which allow people to enjoy nature at its best every month of the year.”

Trinity’s men’s ministry’s next event is the Men’s Mountain Retreat which is June 11th through 13th. Reservations can be made by calling the church office at 520-836-2383.

Dr. Paige Patterson, President of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

REGULAR SUNDAY SCHEDULE: First Morning Worship Service 8:00 am to 9:15 am Sunday School 9:30 am to 10:30 am Second Morning Worship Service 10:45 am to 12:00 pm Sunday Night Seminary, Youth Group 6th grade to 12th grade 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm

REGULAR WEDNESDAY SCHEDULE: Wednesday Prayer Warriors & Praise Band Rehearsal 6 pm to 7 pm Youth Group meets at 6 pm Grades 6-12 Children in Action at 7 pm Grades 1-5 Adult Choir Practice 7 pm to 8 pm THE MEDICAL EDITION

SUMMER 20 152015 GOLDEN CORRID OR OR LI V ING 45 SUMMER GOLDEN CORRID LI V ING

45

The LIVING Interview (continued) continued from page 28...

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GC LIVING: What do you attribute having some of these extras here in Pinal County? I’m leading back to someone who was instrumental in bringing Casa Grande Regional Medical Center to this community and is no longer with us - that’s John McEvoy.

RONA CURPHY: John McEvoy was a wonderful person with a lot of vision. He made a true statement when they decided to move Casa Grande Regional Medical Center from the Hoemako Hospital location.

He brought that vision and I was lucky to sit in the board meetings with him from 2002 to 2008. He was focused on what we could do for people. He didn’t want people to have to travel and that’s why we have the depth and breadth of services. Why should somebody go out of town if we could provide it?

The out-patient imaging, before we built the Breast Center, is an example. That’s something that could be done right there. They built it to make it easy for people to get tests done quickly as they move forward. The Sleep Center, for a community hospital to have a sleep center accredited as we have done is really unusual. But, people like to do their healthcare as close to home as possible and that was John McEvoy’s vision to do, and then Cherie McGlynn and the rest of the Board of Trustees who have really carried that forward.

When Banner purchased the facility, we kept our board as an advisory board and they realized how important it was to have community members through the strategic plan who understood our community. All previous board members are still on the advisory board and that’s a true testament to this community. People who want to make a difference in healthcare.

GC LIVING: Do you think, in hindsight, adding that whole wing was a smart move at the time, probably not one of the best moves because the financial market crashed the day after it opened?

RONA CURPHY: With 20/20 vision now, it made sense at the time, but in hindsight, we had that tower of 56 beds, [28 beds on each wing] and we opened it in 2004. In 2006, I shut down 43 beds of our old surgical unit. I’m not sure we needed the additional beds at that time, and it did add a fair amount of debt. But we believed in continuing growth, but you’re right, the market crashed all of a sudden.

GC LIVING: We didn’t have the real estate boom anymore anticipating the population increase. It was supposed to happen but didn’t.

RONA CURPHY: Exactly. But now it’s there and gives us the opportunity to do some of the expansions we think possible.

46

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

GC LIVING: OK. What are some of the nuances in medicine...the challenges. Obviously, the economic impacts healthcare providers everywhere from a single practitioner to a mega-hospital face. How is this effecting patient care?

RONA CURPHY: Peter S. Fine, president and CEO of Banner Health, talks about disruption. We are in a disruptive time now and it’s how we proactively address the issues that will improve our health system; this whole issue about insurance and access to care. Had we not moved into the Affordable Care Act, we wouldn’t have been in this disruptive state where hospitals and health systems are now taking e control saying, “What can we do? What makes best sense to take care of patients at a lower cost with high quality, the triple aim of healthcare?”

What is happening is how can we take control of health? How can we move into preventative care?

We have responsibilities for what we call population health, the health of the population from the time you’re born to the time you die. Where can we impact that most? What is the best for our position?

Where is it best to use different modalities such as telehealth so we can make sure we reduce healthcare costs? That’s critical. The United States has one of the highest costs for healthcare and we’ve got to figure that out. We’re positioned, in Casa Grande,as part of a large health system to be part of that change and really be forward thinking, putting our patients at the forefront of great care.

GC LIVING: I’m going to put you on the spot here.

RONA CURPHY: Okay.

GC LIVING: Do you think insurance costs sometimes get between a physician and the patient?

RONA CURPHY: Absolutely! You said you would put me on the spot, but I think we have to look at the whole issue of health care and insurance reform as well. It puts a piece in the middle that says, who is really directing patient care? Is it the physician, or the insurance company, when you have to get authorizations and referrals, when you get denials for necessary testing? Do I think we, as the providers, always do it right? No. But there’s got to be a better way to do it.

Banner is a pioneer accountable care organization - ACO. Some pioneer ACOs are starting to understand that risk from a very different perspective.

It gives us the opportunity to look at that kind of reform we know needs to happen. It makes us look at issues in regards to costs as well. Banner has done very well as a pioneer ACO, but a lot of work remains.

GC LIVING: Do you think society as a whole has taken to running to the doctor’s office for every little sniffle or splinter, and there’s a level of abuse of the system?

RONA CURPHY: I wouldn’t say society as a whole. I don’t think there is a general understanding of how those costs work, because they’re complex. Its com-

plex how insurance companies pay individuals, pay health care, pay providers. Because that’s not well understood, people who go into doctors’ offices for every sniffle see only a small piece that is paid. They don’t understand the processes. We have responsibility to help educate the public. I truly believe there are abuses on both sides of the system.

GC LIVING: You talked about the emergency room.

That’s one of the key elements of any hospital. It’s also one of the areas you probably receive the most number of complaints. “I had to wait.” But, sometimes, yes, you have a bad cold, but the guy who got run over probably needs to be seen first.

RONA CURPHY: Right.

GC LIVING: Explain the triaging process to get the most critical in first, the rest later.

RONA CURPHY: We have a nurse who triages patients, to determine the complaint and criticality. National guidelines help us know if they’re level 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5.

It does help us make sure we serve the most critical first, to make sure we don’t let them get sicker than they are. But, every person thinks they’re pretty ill.

It’s difficult when you have to wait and see somebody go in front of you.

One thing we’ve done is our emergency room physicians are in the triage with the nurses at least 12 hours of the day. For many, they treat them quickly, get prescriptions, and get them moving out.

Others, at least, are started on treatment. We may put them in the waiting room while waiting for an x-ray or lab to be drawn, but we’re trying to come up with better flows, to help people understand that.

Because it is also about communication.

Sometimes we don’t communicate what that wait is about. So, it’s hard for everybody. When you don’t feel good, you just want to feel better. If we do a better job communicating what’s happening,we’re going to do this for you now; it makes it easier for people to wait.

The other thing we need to do is help people understand the right place for care. The ER is easy to understand, because it’s open 24/7. And no matter what time of the day you know you can get immediate care. We also have an urgent care. It’s open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. It’s a little bit lower than emergent care, but for many things, we can treat very well in the urgent cares. The other piece is doctors’ offices. You can get in most doctors’ offices with a same day appointment. Not all, I’m sure. And how do we structure people to the right level of care, as well.

GC LIVING: Do you see more critical patients coming in from accidents on the freeway than in years past, or are they mainly transported by air into the Valley?

RONA CURPHY: No, we still see a lot of patients coming in, transported. Some, depending, we do ad-

continued on page 80...

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Sarah Campbell

Email, kay_sarah@cox.net Efax 866-954-2443 Cell 520-560-0769 Kay Cell 520-424-6577 Sarah SUMMER 20 152015 GOLDEN CORRID OR OR LI V LI ING 47 SUMMER GOLDEN CORRID V ING

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CG News

CONTINUED…

WATER OUTREACH...cont. from page 36 simple: “These members provided us with ice chests and bottled water so that our day shift officers, primarily, can have these ice chests in the back of their car and when they’re out in this weather, which is on us again, this heat, they’re able to provide some quick refreshment to individuals that are involved in vehicle collisions or a citizen walking that look they may be in need of some hydration.”

Although it’s primarily day shift, officers on other shifts also carry the water bottles, Anderson said.

“We’re about to have our kickoff,” he continued, “but we wanted to get in front of you and recognize those key individuals that helped bring this program together.

“We’re just the tool that they’re using to get it out, but we’re not the ones that came up with it, so we’d like to recognize them tonight.

“Sutton Law firm, they provided the water.

“A local Walgreens (Peart and Florence), they provided the ice chests.

Originally, we started off with the Styrofoam ice chests. They lasted a couple of days in the back of a patrol car, so they gave us a little bit better product after that, some hard shell ice chests.

“Harold Kitching with CG News pro-

vided the labeling for the water bottles.

“And then, of course, our own Regis Sommers from Old Town Custom Framing.”

Sommers told the council that, “I want to thank the Police Department for embracing this program. It was an idea that I came up with last year because I saw a need for it just around in my ‘hood by the store (at 719 N. Center Ave.).

“It was a grandfather walking with his granddaughter in a stroller and it was 110 out. I always keep bottled water in the store, I went in and got water for them.”

Word spread, Sommers said, and others would stop for water.

“And then,” she continued, “I thought, well, put it in a patrol car, because it is in the five-year police plan to have community outreach of some kind and so I thought it was a win-win.

“So, thank the department.”

Mayor Bob Jackson added, “I was pleased and privileged last year to help kick that program off at Sutton Law office. Great, great program, Regis. I think it’s one of those things that just shows that we’re a community that really does care about what we do.

“While she’s not asking for donations, I’m sure if people wanted to donate bottled water, they’d be more than happy to take it.

“So, thank you.”

Seeking Landfill Diversion Contractor

C

asa Grande is seeking a contractor to build a facility that “will increase the city’s overall landfill diversion rate to 75 percent or greater, create jobs, maintain a cost-neutral expense to the city, reduce emissions compared to current processes and protect and educate local communities.”

According to the request, “the proposer shall design, construct and operate a facility that will mechanically and biologically separate the city’s entire residential and commercial waste stream into sellable recyclables,

48

process the city’s wastewater treatment facility biosolids and process organic wastes into sellable products.

“Proposer will also be responsible for the marketing and sale of all products.”

The initial contract would be for up to 20 years, with option for five twoyear renewals.

The deadline for responses was April 24, after which the city would conduct interviews and fee negotiations. The City Council is expected to award a contract in July.

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

Major Traffic Signals in Casa Grande

I

f all goes as targeted, by the time the next school year starts major traffic signals will be operating at West McCartney Road/North Casa Grande Avenue, alleviating a major problem from residents leaving and entering Villago subdivision and persons coming to and from Villago Middle School.

The city is also installing major signals at Florence Boulevard and North Camino Mercado, alleviating a longstanding traffic problem there.

The pricetag for both is $562,911.

“We’re hoping to get this done before the start of next year’s school at the end of this summer, so that’s staff’s goal,” Public Works Director Kevin Louis told the City Council.

According to the staff report, “The city street system in the vicinity of the McCartney Road/Casa Grande Avenue intersection experiences severe congestion during peak traffic periods due to traffic related to nearby schools. This congestion causes backups and delays in traffic, resulting in safety issues and concerns. The proposed traffic signal at this intersection is expected to enhance traffic safety, provide gaps for entering and turning traffic, and minimize current congestion issues.

“Similarly, the city street system in the vicinity of the Florence Boulevard/ Camino Mercado experiences considerable congestion at frequent intervals throughout the day, resulting in significant safety issues and concerns at this location.

“New development on the north side of the intersection, including the CST convenience store, will further

exacerbate the safety issues and congestion being experienced in the corridor. The proposed traffic signal at this intersection will mitigate the effect of current and proposed traffic and enhance traffic safety in the area.”

Public Works Director Kevin Louis told the City Council that the signals at McCartney/Casa Grande Avenue will be the standard frame design.

“It’s going to look very similar to the other signals that we’re installed of late,” he said. “It meets our typical standard.

“The south side of that intersection will ultimately be moved. It will be constructed in a location that when that roadway widens to its ultimate width those portions of that signal will have to be pulled out and removed, but we don’t see that happening in the near future, so the signal should last for quite awhile.”

Development at Florence/Camino Mercado has added to the need for a signal, Louis said.

“The new development of the CST convenience store at that corner is going to generate additional traffic and further congest that area,” he continued, “so this signal is one staff feels very important to get done as quickly as possible, as well as the one at Casa Grande Avenue.”

It had earlier been pointed out that a traffic signal on Florence at the entrance to the Cracker Barrel would not be practical because it would be too close to the signals on the Interstate 10 overpass.

Both signals will have lighted street signs, Louis said.

THE MEDICAL EDITION

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5BD, 3BA, 2,493SF. 1BD/ 1BA are on the main level.

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Family friendly with a water park, this Mission Royale beauty has 3 BR, 2 BA & 1,650 SF! Neutral paint, ceramic tile, upgraded carpet, 9’ ceilings, soapstone kitchen counters & huge breakfast bar, MBR has separate exit & lovely landscaping front & back! Ceiling fans & water softener.

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Georgia F. Schaeffer • 520-560-3333 • www.georgiaschaeffer.com Dawn Zimbelman • 520-431-2875 • dawnz@coldwellbanker.com 2,690 SF home sits on 2.45 acres. There is 30’x 40’ workshop/garage with evap cooling,two garage doors with openers, a half bath & added compressor room. Open kitchen & family room with direct access to large covered patio and outdoor kitchen. Totally custom home with high ceilings, comfortable & quiet living. Easy access to Casa Grande, Phoenix & Tucson.

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Elaine M Canary elaine.canary@coldwellbanker.com 520-431-3988 3 BD 1.74 BA 2,186 SQ FT. Country living at its best! Custom built slump block on 1.31 acres with great mountain views. Open floor plan with 3 bedrooms,1.75 bath, living room, formal dining room, stainless steel appliances, breakfast bar & custom concrete counters, wrap around covered patio and workshop/storage building for all your storage needs.

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1919 N. TREKELL RD. CASA GRANDE ©2014 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. *Listing must be active as of the 10th of the month to qualify.

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Living room and bed all carpeted. Carport enclosed to make 4th bedroom. App Fee-$40 per adult Sec Deposit-$700 Earnest Money-$300 Cleaning Dep. $300

1466 E 10th Pl, Casa Grande

4 Bed/3 Bath - 1,939 SF - Pets OK AVAILABLE 6/1 -- $1000 Spacious home with great room, kitchen with adjoining breakfast area, range and microwave. 4 Bed, 3 Full bath with one bed/bath downstairs. Large Master suite.

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3 Bed/2 Bath- 2,177 SF -Pets OK AVAILABLE 5/31-$950.00 Nice cul-de-sac home over looking large greenbelt area. Kitchen island, upgraded appliances and eat-in area that open to family room.

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21338 N Keystone Dr, Maricopa

3 Bed/2 Bath- 1,276 SF- Pets OK AVAILABLE 5/31 -$750.00 FIRST TWO WEEKS FREE; w/12 month lease Nice home in the golf course/lake community of Rancho El Dorado. Includes a sunny eating area in the kitchen. Split floor plan with a large backyard.

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3 Bed/2 Bath- 1,687 SF- Pets OK -- POOL AVAILABLE 5/31 -- $950 Beautiful home with easy access to I-10 and shopping centers. Don’t miss this backyard with a large covered patio and salt water play pool.

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FOR MORE INFORMATION, OR TO SEE A HOME PLEASE CONTACT COLDWELL BANKER ROX REALTY: 520/423-8250.

1919 N. TREKELL RD. CASA GRANDE ©2014 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. *Listing must be active as of the 10th of the month to qualify.

Measles Outbreak HEALTH

Pinal County Reviews Response to Measles Outbreak in Kearny

by Joe Pyritz, Communications Director, Pinal County This game was a year in the planning and every federal agency was in on the planning.

They wanted it to go off without a hitch. And in the end, it did.

54

I

n January, the Pinal County Public Health Services District (PCPHSD) found itself in the middle of a developing international story.

Four members of a Kearny family following a December trip to Disneyland had contracted the measles virus. None of them had received their MMR vaccination.

“Measles is one of the easiest diseases to spread,” Public Health Director Tom Schryer said. “I consider ourselves fortunate that it didn’t spread to more people that came in contact with that family.”

PCPHSD released a media statement on January 22, alerting the Town of Kearny that a family had contracted the disease. It became a race against the clock for the staff at PCPHSD to investigate every place the family visited and to contact every person who might have been near them when they were out in public.

“Data became extremely important,” Assistant Director of Public Health for OperationsKore Redden recalled. “We had to find out those people who had come in contact with this family and determine their vaccination status because measles is easily spread to those who are not vaccinated.”

Because Measles is highly infectious, PCPHSD committed most of their staff to the investigation and response.

Director Schryer said “We worked with schools, healthcare providers, the infected family and used the State immunization registry to determine who was at risk based on their contact with the family or lack of vaccination and then did all we could to immunize those who were susceptible.”

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

One set of employees proved to be extremely invaluable to the investigative process.

School Health Liaisons are placed in many public schools throughout Pinal County. It’s a program that offers health education for students and help with any health-related issue the school sees as a need.

“The School Health Liaisons were one of the keys to helping us out during this outbreak,” Schryer noted. These people are official county employees. They are trusted by school staff, students along with parents and that reaps huge benefits for us as a public health entity. They are our eyes and ears in the communities we serve.”

The cost of the handling the outbreak: • 1,547 staff hours • $51,571.85 in salary and ERE • $34,429.35 in vaccines and other supplies $86,001.00 TOTAL COST Schryer emphasized that this response to the measles outbreak expanded past the scope of public health. Many county departments had a role to play in assisting the department stop this outbreak. Members of the Emergency Management, Finance and Communications were named for their efforts in helping Public Health.

“We don’t have a very large staff,” Schryer explained. “We have a lean and very effective staff and we have a reason for that. Maintaining this lean staff allows us to use grant money to

invest in the infrastructure that helps handle outbreaks like this”.

Schryer added the key to keeping everyone focused to the job at hand is clarity and setting priorities.

“All of us have a regular 8 to 5 job and there are duties that have to be completed day in and day out,” Schryer stated. “Public Health leaders have to give clarity to the staff to help them understand what is most important at this time, clearly public safety was most important”.

There was an added bit of pressure put on PCPHSD and the Arizona Department of Health Services due to the timing of the outbreak. The Super Bowl was just around the corner and the last thing the most watched championship game in the world needed was to have Measles as the pre-game show.

“This was one of the reasons we stepped up our efforts,” Schryer said.

“This game was a year in the planning and every federal agency was in on the planning. They wanted it to go off without a hitch. And in the end, it did.”

Schryer gave his thanks to the public health staff who handled this outbreak while he was out on medical leave. He stated “It is a testament to the strength and talent of our staff that they did a fantastic job when without me, it makes me very proud that we have such a great staff from top to bottom”.

“One of the core reason county government exists are for issues like this,” Schryer concluded. “We keep people alive that could have died or suffered permanent health impacts from this very preventable disease.”

THE MEDICAL EDITION

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Sue Pittullo (520) 560-0957 http://cowgirlhomes.com

All this for only $249,900 2115 N. Cougar Ct. 1919 N. Trekell Rd. Casa Grande ©2014 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

Stunning 4,107 Sq. ft. 6 bedroom, 3.5 bath, on 9,500 sq. ft. lot.

Upon entering the home, you immerse yourself into the openness of this great floor plan. Upstairs there are 5 bedrooms, large entertainment loft, 2 full baths & laundry room. Downstairs let your imagination run wild with this huge entertainment area that opens to the family room just off the kitchen. The family room features a stone gas fireplace with a custom built-in for all your entertaining needs. The beautiful kitchen has 42’’ cabinets, center island, & extra large pantry.

The Master Suite is downstairs with the bath you have been looking for with a snail shower, tub, 2 vanities & the closet of your dreams. Also downstairs there is a office, closets, & 1/2 bath. Three car garage, professionally landscaped backyard with a play area, & green belt that backs to the house. Tot play area just around the corner and Dave White Golf Course just a hole in one away!

Visionaries of the Past EDUCATION

Our City’s Solid Foundation was Built by the Visionaries of the Past

by Georgia Schaeffer, Associate Broker, Coldwell Banker ROX Realty

Angela Hutchinson Hammer*

These hearty, brave men and women were themselves the brick and mortar of our community, many never imagining what we would become

Don A Trekell

I

Don D Trekell

n my profession as a REALTOR®, I often find myself giving community tours to people who are considering making their home in Casa Grande.

As a proud native, I love to share our past as well as opportunities for the future. It is a time I reminisce about my life and those who have gone before. We live in the Golden Corridor!

I admit I am a name dropper and fortunate to have known many of the following names. Do you remember…

Trekell, Grasty, Pate, Ethington, Rugg, Storey, Caywood, Henness, Pruitt, Getzweiller, Kortsen, Gilbert, Lehmberg, Thode, O’Neil, McMurray, Peart, Robson, Wuertz, Benedict, Keeling, Koenig, Hutchins, Wilson, Jones, Echeverria, Auza, Manterola, Johnson, Beggs, Cooper, Russell, Jackson, Ford, Wagoner, Holmes, Pearce, Robinson, Ochoa, Valdez, Cruz, Hackler, Turner, Ludwig, Self, Hooper, Dean, Mason, Ollerton, Roberts, Sides, Wells, Peters, Montgomery, Bianco, Kerr, Guinn,

Ed Hooper

Sam Benedict

Clemens, Barmes, Barnes, Boiko, Daley, Erdmann, Walton, Logue, Brugh, Lawson, Earley, Sullivan, Smith, Wah, Prettyman, Green, Cates, June, Kinsley, Foster, Cole, Maud, Bingham, Norris, Garcia, Salazar, Serrano, Kerby, Gomez, Don, Isom, Gladden, Diwan, Singh, Nichols, Tomkinson, Kramer, Dallis, Albrecht, Hammer, Thornton, Pederson, Brutinel, Hancock…and Fearn. They are the roots of our community!

A community is built not only with brick and mortar, studs and nails, or as in our area, adobe and straw. It is built with heart, the community’s heart, from a dream each member has for something greater than themselves.

Sounds lofty, but these men and women were real. They got up each morning, put their pants on, got their children ready for school, went to work, volunteered, sang in the church choir, played ball, were 4-H leaders, Sunday School teachers, taught their children how to hunt, ride horses, drive a car, play cards and work. They were not perfect, but they were real men and women, and our community is the sum total of who they were.

Wouldn’t most of them be amazed by what we have become and where we are headed?

These hearty, brave men and women were themselves the brick and mortar of our community, many never imagining what we would become, but hoping for something bigger and greater than themselves. They

Frank David Trekell

Rebecca Dallis*

survived the summer heat, droughts, fires, floods and dust storms. They gloried in the sunrises and sunsets, infrequent rains, the wonderful winters and beautiful spring flowers.

Our city’s foundation was not built on sand, but on the solid rock of these forward thinking, hard working farmers, dairymen, ranchers, bankers, miners, builders, laborers, firemen, car dealers, businessmen, doctors, lawyers, nurses, teachers, newspapermen, grocers…who served as our Mayors, City Councilmen, lawmen, laymen, coaches… They also took time out to serve our country in the Armed Services, returning home with renewed vigor, ideas and hope.

Who will rise up to spearhead the daunting tasks ahead, building on the foundation laid by these marvelous men and women of the Greater Casa Grande Valley?

©2015 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

*COURTESY OF CASA GRANDE HISTORICAL SOCIETY & MUSEUM

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GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

THE MEDICAL EDITION

Putting People & Places Together $139,900

$180,000

$287,500

3 BR 2 BA 1,766 SF. Perfectly maintained on a corner lot in Desert Crossing near Dave White Park! Neutral colors throughout with a roomy living room plus a den/office. An eat-in kitchen has an island and adjacent to the indoor laundry/pantry. Large master suite and the 3rd bedroom is split. Sunscreens & ceiling fans. The covered patio looks onto the landscaped backyard.

2 BR 1.75 BA 1,684 SF. Lovely Plan 3 in Ironwood Village, a 55+ gated community conveniently located with incredible amenities!

Plantation shutters, vaulted ceilings, neutral colors, ceramic tile, formal living and dining, Corian counters, oak cabinets, all new appliances, breakfast room has separate exit to front patio. Added insulation throughout. Covered patio overlooks the green belt.

3 BR 2 BA 1,957 SF. Coyote Ranch luxury with a 260 SF guest house with 3/4 bath plus an RV gate and concrete slab with complete RV hook-up on .34 acre lot! The great room features 10’ coffered ceilings, ceramic tile, granite counters, maple cabinets, bay window in the dining area and views of the extended covered patio and manicured backyard. 3 car garage.

Georgia F. Schaeffer • 520-560-3333 www.georgiaschaeffer.com

Dawn Zimbelman • 520-431-2875 dawnz@coldwellbanker.com

Gretchen Slaughter • 520-483-6054 Gretchen.s@coldwellbanker.com

$595,000

$198,000

3 BR 2.5 BA 3,187 SF. Gorgeous contemporary southwestern mountainside home on 2.5 acres! 12’-18’ soaring ceilings, tile throughout, gourmet kitchen has copper sinks, cherry cabinets, slab granite counters, high-end appliances and opens to a 20’x26’ Ramada/kitchen overlooking the sparkling pool! Overheight and extended 3 car garage and building site for casita.

2 BR 1.75 BA 1,777 SF plus Office/Den. Gated Ironwood Village Plan 4 beauty! White custom cabinets throughout, tile floors, vaulted ceilings, plantation shutters and den/office has built-in cabinets. The split master has a bay window. Privacy wall around the covered patio overlooking the green belt on a corner lot. Conveniently located with lovely amenities!

Georgia F. Schaeffer • 520-560-3333 www.georgiaschaeffer.com

Dawn Zimbelman • 520-431-2875 dawnz@coldwellbanker.com

520-423-8250

1919 N Trekell Road, Casa Grande

©2014 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. *Listing must be active as of the 10th of the month to qualify.

Teeth Whitening | Veneers | Dental Cleanings | Crowns & Bridges Implant Restorations | Root Canal Therapy | Extractions | Dentures | and More!

(520) 836-9685 • 325 E. Cottonwood Lane • www.casagrandedental.com

Famil y

SPECIAL MEDICAL SECTION

Medical, Health & Wellness Expo

YOU CAN WIN UP TO

$50 0

JUST BY AT TENDING* THE EXPO! BOUNCE HOUSES, BALLOONS, CARTOON CHARACTERS & INFORMATIVE SEMINARS Fun & Information for ALL AGES!

Bring the Whole Family!

ADMISSION: FREE TO THE PUBLIC

Saturday, May 30th • 10am-4pm ROBSON RANCH – CLUBHOUSE 5750 N Robson Blvd, Eloy AZ • Medical • Dental • Chiropractic • Massage Therapy • Physical Therapy • Hypnotherapy • Mental Health

• Pharmacy • Health Food Stores

HOSTED BY

• Nutritional Supplements • Fitness & Yoga

SPONSORED BY

• Hospice • AND MORE!

*We are giving away money on the hour from noon - 4pm totaling $500.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: INFO@GRANDE.EVENTS • 520-426-2074 58

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

THE MEDICAL EDITION

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HOSTED BY:

SPONSORS:

Elegance N Images Portrait Studio Music & Sound by Prime Time DJ Limitless Events

VENDOR PARTICIPANTS: Academy Mortgage

Jeunesse

AFLAC

Juice Plus

Amberlynn’s Sweet Treats

Keys to Wellness

Banner Casa Grande Medical Center

Lasting Nutrition

Belly Dancers Carolyn’s Dogs Casa Grande Chiropractic Casa Grande Family Dentistry Casa Grande Health Mart Pharmacy

McHaney Family Dentistry Mission Heights Prep OneAccord Physical Therapy Party Mascots Planet Fitness Precious Dental Service

Center for Dermatology and Plastic Surgery

Premier Cardiovascular Center

Costco Wholesale

Prime Time DJ

Dance with Chad DayLight Awakenings

Secure Retirement Solutions, Inc.

Edward Jones Investments

Seeds of Hope

Essante Organics

Stewart Clinic Chiropractor

Frys Kettle Corn

Sun Life Family Health Center

Harmony Hospice

The Hearing Center

Health by Design

Villas by Mary T

High School Exchange Year

Vitality Through Touch

Homestead Hospice and Palliative Care

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Young Living Essential Oils

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Casa Grande Family Dentistry “We Cater To Cowards”

520.836.0100

smiles@casagrandefamilydentistry.com www.CasaGrandeFamilyDentistry.com Daryl B. Potycska, D.D.S. Tri-Valley Plaza 1355 E. Florence Blvd., Suite 107 Casa Grande, AZ 85122 SUMMER 20 152015 GOLDEN CORRID OR OR LI V ING 59 SUMMER GOLDEN CORRID LI V ING

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Precious Dental Service Experience exceptional care to your most important feature - Your Smile!

Join the Green Revolution!

Visit our booth at Robson Ranch Saturday, May 30th!

520-466-3920

3260 N. Toltec Rd, Eloy AZ www.eloydentist.com

Choose 100%Toxic-­Free and 100% Organic

Explore how to become a Wellness Warrior It’s as easy as 1, 2, 3 – 4!

1. Watch 10 Americans & The Toxic Truth www.LivingLifeChemicalFree.com

2. Take the quick video tour – 12 min www.GoGreenGetPaid.com

3. Check out what’s in your products at www.ewg.org/skindeep

4. LET’S TALK!

Harmony Hospice's Mission is to provide excellent and compassionate care while creating a community bond.

We are available 24 hours.

Tel: 520-421-2157 Fax: 520-421-2481

Simply Replace the products you already use with 100% Certified Toxic-Free AND 100% Certified Organic ones Skin Care and anti-aging face and eye creams Skin care - cleansers and moisturizers Hair care – shampoo, conditioner, styling No animal testing Home Care – sanitizer & Laundry liquid No GMOs Baby Care Nutrition Weight loss – Power Pops: “Eat Candy & Lose Weight” For A Phone or In Person Consultation Contact: Brisa Manis (480) 815 – 5531 www.EssanteOrganics.com/DanceWithBrisa Chad Lakridis (602) 549 -1916 www.DanceWithChad.com Maja Servé (520) 226 – 5088 www.QueenOfOrganics.com Tucson Area

The Hearing Centers Of Arizona

• • • •

Weight Loss Healthy Aging Energy and Performance Cellular Cleansing

Contact Associates: Rick and Donna Shepherd 520-350-9172 Bob and Betsy Whicker 360-981-9889

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For Your FREE Brain Hearing Consultation Call 520-494-3886 1201 N. Pinal Avenue, Suite A, Casa Grande, AZ 85122 THE MEDICAL EDITION

Instantly Ageless™

Have you tried that crazy wrap thing? $

is a powerful anti-wrinkle microcream that works quickly and effectively to diminish the visible signs of aging. The revolutionary ingredient is argireline: a peptide that works like botox—without the needles.

Instantly Ageless™ revives the skin and minimizes the appearance of fine lines and pores for a flawless finish.

25 with coupon. Mention this ad for an extra gift.

Contact Corry @ 602.620.0217 Christine Jones www.agelessbeautiesrus.jeunesseglobal.com

602-705-4463

1675 E. Monument Plaza Circle Casa Grande, AZ 85122 • Caring for America since 1979 (520) 421-7143 • Fully covered

by Medicare/Medicaid and most insurances

• Our Care Teams visit as often as needed to ensure patient and family quality of life • Available 24 hours a day/7 days a week • Medical equipment, medication and personal care supplies • Pain and symptom control centered around patient and family goals • Care provided in patient’s home, nursing and assisted living facilities • Personal physician, hospice medical director and RN coordination care

For more information, please visit our website www.hospicecompassus.com 1675 E. Monument Plaza Circle Casa Grande, AZ 85122

(520) 421-7143

Lisa Cassity 520-371-1273 Louisa Wallis 520-510-8755

The Winners Circle Trophies & Awards CHIROPRACTIC MAY HELP WITH: • Migraine headaches • Lower back pain • Numbness or soreness in your arms or legs • Constant fatigue: lack of energy • Muscle spasms, sprains & strains

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Includes Consult, Examination & X-Rays.

Up to $250 value. Expires 6-30-15. Certain limitations may apply. See office for details

1415 N. Trekell Rd, Ste. 101 Casa Grande, AZ 85122 • (520)509-6160

515 E. Florence Blvd.

Across from City Hall

520-421-9484 520-421-2641

Nobody offers more discounts than Farmers.

• Title & Escrow Services • Commercial Services • Direct Title Services • 1031 Exchange • Account Servicing • Land Development/Trust 421 East Cottonwood Lane Casa Grande, Arizona 85122 Office: 520-426-4600 • Fax: 520-426-4699 Email: latisha.sopha@titlesecurity.com THE MEDICAL EDITION

• Call to see if you can save • Low Monthly Premiums

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GASTON BRYANT WWW.FARMERSAGENT.COM/GBRYANT 829 W COTTONWOOD LN CASA GRANDE , AZ 85122-2217

Call 520-836-9002 today for Auto, Home, Life and Business.

SUMMER 20 15 GOLDEN CORRID OR OR LI VLI ING 61 SUMMER 2015 GOLDEN CORRID V ING

61

SPECIAL MEDICAL SECTION

Secure Retirement, David S. Wilkins

D

ave Wilkins is the founder and president of Secure Retirement Solutions, Inc. With over 30 years of financial services and investment management experience, Dave has extensive industry knowledge as a Registered Investment

Advisor. Having held FINRA Securities licenses that include the Series 6, 7, 24 and 63 over the past 30 years, Dave has experienced many economic, political and financial cycles.

With the opening of the new Casa Grande area office he has fulfilled a

Put our team approach to work for you.

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long held goal. That of offering in one location all of the professionals who can provide the services a retiree needs in the areas of managing their retirement assets, preparing wills and trusts, tax return preparation and providing them with Home, Auto, Life, Long Term Care and Medicare insurance.

He has earned the LUTCF designation from The American College and has also earned The Chartered Retirement Planning Counselor designation from the College for Financial Planning. He is licensed for insurance and investments*. Dave and his team approach every client from the perspective that no two clients are alike and each client deserves a recommendation of what is best for their particular situation. He is like a Doctor of Finance; he always customizes his recommendations for each client’s specific situation and referring clients to a specialist when necessary. Take advantage of Secure Retirement Solutions team of professionals with the expertise and experience to help you navigate the challenges of historically low interest rates, volatile stock and bond markets and increased life spans with an ever increasing risk of needing some type of long term care in the future. Make sure your retirement assets and income are secure for the future.

Put Dave and his team of experts to work for you today. *Investment Advisory Services provided

by Secure Retirement Advisors, LLC registered with the Arizona Department of Securities

Wills / Trusts | Lower Your Taxes Build, Protect, and Preserve Your Assets. www.SecureRetirementPlanning.com

520.423.6800

Build, Protect, and Preserve Your Assets. www.SecureRetirementPlanning.com In the Robson Ranch Center 5251 North Robson Boulevard, Suite 7 Eloy, Arizona 85131 In the Robson Ranch Center 5251 North Robson Boulevard, Suite 7 Eloy, Arizona 85131

520.423.6800

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GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

THE MEDICAL EDITION

Having a Party?

Come One Come All...

Are You Looking For A Balloon Artist For Your Next Event?

Or Scobby Dude Look Alike?

Or Spiderman Look Alike For Your Next Event?

Party Mascots For Rent in Casa Grande and Surrounding Areas!

Well here at Zippy Entertainment we can help with your next event, birthday party, corporate event and more.

Now booking for summer events.

Call or email zippyisfunny@gmail.com for more information and pricing.

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PrimeTime DJ Light up the Night with Star Entertainment Traditional Values with Today’s Standards

PrimeTime DJ offers pre-event planning and constant communication to ensure all your needs and wants are met. We are not the biggest DJ company, but we do offer top of the line service and you will not be let down!

PrimeTime DJ specializes in weddings.

We have been the entertainment for receptions since 1988. From large formal events to small casual events, our clients are treated like they are the most important people - because you are! We work hard to ensure your dreams are met.

520-431-1377 www.primetimedj.biz ptdj@outlook.com

SPECIAL MEDICAL SECTION

“I’m So Confused”

by C. Marlene Hoeft, RN, MSN, FNP-C, Cottonwood Medical Center

I

t seems that every other day a new study or agency is changing some recommendation. One day coffee is good, the next it isn’t. Eggs are bad, but maybe not really.

A screening test is recommended yearly by one group of experts, and then it’s considered ‘unnecessary’ to do testing that often.

Keeping up with this is confusing and really hard to do. However, there are two things

that every government agency, specialist organization, and family practice group agree on: healthy eating and regular movement of your body.

Every group that makes recommendations for the health and wellbeing of people takes into consideration - the pros and cons, risks and benefits, before publishing the information. Everyone agrees there are no cons or risks for healthy eating and regularly moving the body. They may disagree on the specifics, but here a simple list that meets every requirement out there.

1. Get rid of the artificial. The closer to the original, the better it is for you.

There isn’t a (insert any junk food here) tree anywhere to be found. Also, think about has anyone gotten sick or died from a lack of the item? If they haven’t, then it’s safe to say you won’t either.

2. Limit all forms of refined or processed sugars. Fresh fruits and vegetables have all the correct sugar we need.

3. Move the body. Walk, dance, play outside, reach, stretch, flex and bend, anything to increase activity. Do something every day. The more often we move the more we want to move – a nice side effect.

A physician once said the healthcare system could be almost completely fixed if we would all just “ELMMO” – Eat Less Move More Often.

™

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1576 East Cottonwood Ln., Casa Grande, AZ 85222 www.marytinc.com • facebook.com/maryt.inc

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GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

We love helping our patients and look forward to seeing you!

Call us anytime!

3rd Generation Resident.

(520) 421-9770 1821 N Trekell Rd #9 Casa Grande, AZ 85122 www.mchaneyfamilydentistry.com

• Highly Qualified Teachers • College Prep Atmosphere • Tuition-Free Public Charter School

Enroll Online Today at www.mhprep.com/enroll or call (520) 836-9383 Find Us on Facebook!

1376 E. Cottonwood Ln., Casa Grande, 85122 THE MEDICAL EDITION

SPECIAL MEDICAL SECTION

Listen to Your Inner Voices

by Derral Hawthorne, PA-C, Cottonwood Medical Center

W

hat if you told me that your favorite thing to do was to eat root beer floats 3 times per week before going to bed? What if I told you, as your primary care provider, that given your health conditions, you are not allowed to eat them any longer? It does not matter how old you are, you will likely revert to a time when you were a teenager and will say ‘You are not telling me what to do!’ This plays out every day in primary care offices all over the country. The providers wonder why the patient will not do what they are told and the patient does not want to go back and see that bossy provider who takes away all their fun.

Patients are often surprised when I tell them to go home and eat that root beer float before going to bed. I tell them that after eating the float, they should pay attention to how their body feels and again when they awake in the morning. The next night that they want a root beer float, they should think about how their body felt the last time and replace the treat with a bowl of grapes or carrot sticks.

Then, they should again evaluate how they are feeling. With time, the patient will build a natural aversion to the foods that they know they should not eat: not because some bossy primary care provider told them they could not, but rather, because their own body told them that it does not want it.

Come Experience The Oneaccord Pt Difference!

This may seem a simple concept but I have seen it work first hand in my family in regards to a very popular fast food chain. My children used to be drawn to this fast food restaurant, like tiny moths to a golden flame, and we would eat there often. After one such visit, we all looked around at each other, noting how terrible the food was, and how physically uncomfortable we were. We discussed what our bodies were trying to tell us, and each time we would pass the restaurant I would remind them of how we felt that day. Now when we are out and I ask where they want to eat the response is “Anywhere but there!”

There are many habits that each of us have that if, afterwards, we would listen to our

bodies, we would hear it beg us not to do again. You very well may hear it say “I don’t want to feel that way ever again!” In counseling patients on health matters, I do not expect them to make sweeping changes all at once, but I would like them to hear my voice in their head asking “Are you healthier today than you were yesterday?” and “Have you identified something your body doesn’t want you to do anymore?”

This may be your first step to better health, and it is something that each of us can do. We should make incremental changes daily, stay positive, care about our health more than anyone else does, and LISTEN to what our bodies are telling us.

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Visit Our Booth to Find Out How We Can Help You With Your Spectacular Smile!

Dr. Dustin Coles & Dr. Tyler Coles 1968 N. Peart Rd., Suite 24 Casa Grande, AZ 85122 Phone: (520) 421-0880 SUMMER 20 152015 GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING 65 SUMMER GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

65

SPECIAL MEDICAL SECTION

A look back at Banner Casa Grande’s year of transition

I

t’s already the middle of 2015!

It seems like Christmas was only yesterday. Who would have thought how quickly one year would fly by? It’s been about a year since Casa Grande Regional Medical Center transitioned into Banner Casa Grande Medical Center. In that short timeframe, so much has taken place.

On the morning of June 9, 2014, the hospital officially became a part of the nonprofit Banner Health system. The hot summer day was filled with pomp and circumstance as the community came out to support the new name, but same great care they received for three decades. The hospital administration, staff and volunteers braced themselves for change – change that came after 30 years of already being established as Casa Grande Regional Medical Center.

“We know how vital our services are to this community,” said Rona Curphy, CEO of Banner Casa Grande. “The Board of Trustees for Casa Grande Regional Medical Center made a decision that will ensure quality healthcare for our community members for the future. Lucky for us, the community embraced the merger once we announced that the letter of intent had been signed.Our goal was to assure them that nothing was going to change except what they saw on the outside; the physical building itself. We wanted to reiterate that on the inside of that building, we’re the same dedicated professionals, invested in the health and well-being of our community who remain proud to be a part of this town.”

Once the merger was complete and “the dust had time to settle,” it was time to focus on several projects. One of the very first projects was the name change.

66

On the first day a temporary sign had been placed above the hospital indicating the new name of Banner Casa Grande Medical Center. Within several months, a new permanent sign above the hospital, along with several other signs around the campus, and a new coat of fresh paint, had completed the transition on the outside, indicating that Banner Casa Grande was definitely serving the community.

From a physical perspective on the inside, one of the first things to be started after completion of the merger was a new front lobby. This included taking the main entrance and registration area of the hospital and repurposing it so it was updated, brighter and more customer centric for patients and visitors. The new layout includes five registration areas that are more open and inviting to the public, and new flooring.

“It was exciting to see the physical change take place so quickly,” Curphy said. “Who knew that after 30 years our hospital could look so good? I remember when we unveiled the new front lobby and registration area to the community on Oct. 28, the amount of pride we all felt for the accomplishments we had made in such a short period of time. It’s an honor to be able to show our community that everything we’re doing is for them. Whether it’s an updated front lobby, implementing new technology or receiving accolades for the care we provide, this is all for them because we’re here to serve them.”

As the months moved on, other changes took place including improvements to convert the hospital’s integrated Electronic Medical Record (EMR) system to the Banner Health system, making for safer and more efficient

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

COURTESY OF KAITEE DOLL-BELL

by David Lozano, Public Relations – Arizona East Region

patient care.

The Banner TelehealthTeleICU (intensive care unit) program made its way to the hospital in late December – just six months after the acquisition was complete. Since its official “go live” date, this state-of-the-art technology has been saving countless lives at the hospital by teaming on-site medical staff with intensive-care specialists or intensivists and experienced nurses. They use specialized software and audio/video technology to continuously monitor patients’ vital signs, lab tests and other important medical data to track progress and watch for any changes that might signal a problem. These health care professionals have been following patient care from remote monitoring centers located in Mesa; Santa Monica, Calif.; Denver, Colo.; and Tel Aviv, Israel.

Finally, can we talk about some of the awards and accolades the hospital received just in the last year alone? There were several of them.

How about the full certification the hospital was awarded by DNV GL-Healthcare for quality and patient safety? This certification recognizes Banner Casa Grande for its work on creating clear and consistent processes of patient

care, and ensuring that process is constantly being made toward specific quality objects. Or, how about the hospital being recognized for a second year in a row as a 150 Great Place to Work by Becker’s Hospital Review?Speaking of great places to work, recently Banner Casa Grande ranked in the No. 5 position in the 2015 edition of the Ranking Arizona directory in the “Best Places to Work” category.

In addition to these accolades and honors, the biggest winner from all of this is the community we serve, whom we’ve committed to providing great care.

“It’s been a great roller coaster ride for all of us in this community in terms of how health care has been delivered,” Curphy said.

“What this hospital has been able to accomplish and what Banner Health committed to do for us in such a short period of time has been truly amazing! Some people worry about the future, but we embrace it. We see great things coming down the track like enhancements to our trauma and emergency services, and plans to expand our surgical and maternity units. This has only been our first year with Banner Health and we’ve had 31 great years in this community, so we’re not getting older we’re only getting better.”

THE MEDICAL EDITION

Special Medical Section

The best way to fight breast cancer is to find it early.

Mammography is the single best tool for finding breast cancer. And at Banner Casa Grande Medical Center, we offer digital mammography. That means you can benefit from less radiation exposure, shorter exam times and enhanced image clarity resulting in 28% more breast cancer being detected. Early detection is the best way to protect yourself from breast cancer.

SCHEDULE YOUR MAMMOGRAM TODAY: (520) 381-6700

www.BannerHealth.com/CasaGrande •

/BannerCasaGrande

Mammograms for uninsured and underinsured women are provided through a grant from Susan G. Komen® Central and Northern Arizona (Komen CAN AZ). Call (520) 381-6744 to learn more.

THE MEDICAL EDITION

SUMMER 20 152015 GOLDEN CORRID OR OR LI V ING 67 SUMMER GOLDEN CORRID LI V ING

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SPECIAL MEDICAL SECTION

Experienced and Compassionate Physicians Serving the Pinal County Community for Nearly 20 Years Our friendly office staff are a dedicated, experienced, and caring team who share our vision and values for providing 100% patient satisfaction.

P

remier Cardiovascular Center is a thriving cardiology practice with office locations in Casa Grande, Chandler, Maricopa and Florence. Our experienced and compassionate physicians have been serving the Pinal county community for nearly 20 years and have earned a trusted reputation for providing excellent cardiac care. PCC physicians are affiliated with many major hospitals, including Banner Casa Grande Medical Center, Chandler Regional Medical Center, Mercy Gilbert, Florence at Anthem Hospital, and Arizona Heart Hospital.

Our practice includes eight board certified cardiologists including 3 non-invasive cardiologists, Ashok Solsi MD, John Tretter MD and Jason Cool MD, 2 interventional cardiologists, Georges Nseir MD, Lyndon Xavier MD, and 1 electrophysiologist, Ziad El Khoury MD. Dr. Solsi is the president and founder of PCC. Dr. Nseir is actively involved in ongoing research. We are proud to be an IAC accredited facility for Nuclear Cardiology, Vascular testing, and Echocardiography with state of the art diagnostic equipment. We have fully integrated certified electronic medical records, including our new Patient Portal that allows you to connect with our doctors and staff through a convenient, safe, and secure online environment.

PCC offers a full range of diagnostic services, including consultation and evaluation, exercise stress testing, cardiac catheterization, cardiac interventional procedures, Holter/ Event monitoring, Pacemaker assessment/implantation, Arrhythmia Ablations, Stress Echo/Pharmacological Stress Echocardiogram, Transesophageal Echocardiography and Cardiac, Carotid, Abdominal, and Vascular. Our interventional cardiology services include: Intravascular Stenting, Artherectomy, Balloon Angioplasty, Intravascular Ultrasound, Peripheral Vascular Interventions, and Thrombolysis.

Our Casa Grande location is conveniently located at 803 N Salk Drive, adjacent to Banner Casa Grande Medical Center. Our office hours are: Monday-Thursday 8am-5pm and Fridays 8am- 4pm. We accept all major commercial, Medicaid, and Medicare insurance plans. Many of our staff members and doctors are bilingual, including Spanish. Our friendly office staff are a dedicated, experienced, and caring team who share our vision and values for providing 100% patient satisfaction.

Please call or stop by to schedule an appointment for a complete cardiac checkup because “Prevention is better than cure”!

Your Number One Heart Specialists Ashok C. Solsi, MD • Lyndon C. Xavier, MD John Tretter, MD • Georges Y. Nseir, MD Jason J. Cool, MD • Ziad El Khoury, MD 68

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

OFFICES LOCATED IN: Chandler 480 814 0266 Casa Grande & Maricopa 520 836 6682 Florence 520 836 6682 THE MEDICAL EDITION

Ranch House Events!

Special Medical Section

We can accommodate and host a great variety of different Events or Functions • • • •

Wedding Ceremonies Wedding Receptions Quinceaneras Birthdays

• Anniversaries • Private Dinners • Private Meetings

Any Occasion and any Celebration!

We have meeting rooms and a private dining room

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THE MEDICAL EDITION

Heather Hardesty 520-450-8643 cell heather.hardesty@robson.com 5750 N. Robson Blvd Eloy, Az 85131

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SPECIAL MEDICAL SECTION

They Made House Calls

by Jim Rhodes, Long Time Small Business Advocate

W

e lived in the Herman Gardens housing project on the near West side of the City of Detroit. My dad was a Detroit police officer and my mother was a stay at home mom.

Herman Gardens was home to many of the workers who built the war machines that ultimately won the 2nd World War. In our home we didn’t have the modern labor saving devices that we have today. One car families were considered “well off”. Television sets were rare. Looking back, by today’s standards our life then would have been one of great sacrifice. Sacrifice, that is, for everything but basic 1940s healthcare delivery.

As I recall our health care was delivered directly to our front door by Dr. Edwin Fenton. Dr. Fenton cared for my mother when she was expecting me. He attended at my birth. He cared for our family through numerous typical family illnesses. He had office hours but I seldom saw his office because he was always at our home when I was sick enough to need him. He performed minor surgery and stitched up the usual childhood injuries. We seldom had a doubt as to who was billing us for medical services because it was always the same guy, Dr. Fenton.

Medical research was not as spectacular then as it is today in terms of speed and accuracy.

Before we had the benefit of computer power, the laboratories for development of life-sustaining techniques were the MASH units

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on the battlefields of Europe and Asia. Larger and faster computers have allowed us to compress years of research into weeks or months. When my second wife, Linda, was diagnosed with stage IV ovarian cancer in July of 2000 she was not given much of a chance to live beyond a few months. She benefited from three key factors. First, she was in exceptional physical shape save for a wayward ovary. Second, her surgeon was a product of Vietnam battlefield medicine.

He never gave up and was quite imaginative in his various approaches. Linda was concerned about the impact of abdominal surgery on her future functioning. Dr. Thompson said “let me make the medical decisions. I can redo your plumbing every day, all day and you can survive.

You cannot live with this cancer.”

Finally we had the benefit of phenomenal computer power to facilitate research. In the five years that she lived we approached the goal of saving more cancer patients than we lost.

A challenge with which we wrestle today is the distribution of affordable healthcare over our entire population. I’m not defending a particular scheme.

However, some efforts will work better than others. The house call concept is probably not going to win many awards for efficiency or effectiveness in today’s healthcare industry. On the other hand home healthcare is quite popular and one of the faster growing small business opportunities in the US. Storefront

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

medicine is also popular in parts of the US. Versions of this are offered through Kaiser Health and a number of other companies. Urgent care providers are springing up around the country.

Some have partnered with existing businesses while others are stand alone.

Some of the Kaiser facilities are linked wirelessly with full-service Kaiser Hospitals in order to bring state-of-the-art medicine to rural populations.

This same model is used to link some urgent cares with a parent full-service hospital. In Michigan, Fenton, Michigan based Early Solutions Clinic offers contractual services through Meijer, Inc. superstores. Convenient and affordable healthcare is the goal. Participating retail outlets are looking for ways to draw customers. Citizens are struggling to locate accessible and affordable healthcare. Among the retailers early adopters are stores such as Target, Kroger, CVS and Wal-Mart. Many of the clinics are open at times that doctors’ offices are not. Appointments are generally not necessary. The fact that only limited health services are available helps to keep costs low. The in store clinics typically do not employ doctors.

Because clinics don’t use expensive diagnostic equipment and limit treatment risks by excluding certain groups or certain maladies, medical malpractice

insurance costs can be kept low.

Some clinic groups voluntarily use electronic medical records and work with local physicians to refer patients when symptoms are beyond what the clinic can handle. There is great demand for basic healthcare services that might 50 years ago have been handled by doctors making house calls. Today the retail storefront clinics are in line with our lifestyles, making the services readily available with a minimal need for preplanning. By their flexible organizations, retail clinics are able to respond to specific health topics as well as runof-the-mill illness and injuries.

Convenience and affordability are desired by customers. That becomes more important as family schedules make doctor visits less and less convenient.

The changes in healthcare delivery that we have noted bring with them new career opportunities. Careers in healthcare delivery planning; health care marketing; and healthcare financing are beginning to develop. The byword for new healthcare businesses will be the same as that for many other new businesses -adaptability.

In the emerging field of healthcare delivery we will discover as we have with other emerging businesses that necessity is not the mother of invention. Rather, convenience drives our demands for new directions.

THE MEDICAL EDITION

ARE YOU IN PAIN?

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nomenal event; the first of its kind, actually. Maybe you suffer from a neuropathic condition like fibromyalgia, or restless legs, or peripheral neuropathy. Or you have degenerative discs in the spine, disintegrating knee cartilage, or frozen shoulders.

Heaven knows that any drug strong enough to cover those problems will surely leave you worse off over time.

Because underlying causes are still raging on, entirely unaddressed. It all comes back to seven categories of underlying causes that have to be addressed if you ever hope to turn your life around.

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THE MEDICAL EDITION

FREE 60-minute Biomarker/Wellness Assessment! FREE Book titled How to Raise Your Cellular pH!

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messenger that alerts the mitochondria that something needs repair. It manifests as tingling, burning, numbness, shooting pains, tremors, seizures, loss of coordination, anxiety, etc.

Too often, we ‘shoot the messenger’, which prevents our mitochrondria from instituting repair that our body needs for the cause of the pain to be healed.”

SUMMER 20 15 GOLDEN CORRID OR OR LI VLI ING 71 SUMMER 2015 GOLDEN CORRID V ING

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SPECIAL MEDICAL SECTION

Dr. Mitchell and family

An Ounce of Prevention

Patients would spend a lot less of their time and money in dental offices if they would simply spend a little more time each day brushing and flossing, and avoiding sodas and sticky candies.

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W

e have all heard the saying, “An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure”. In the dental world we see evidence of this statement every day. Those patients that take a few extra minutes each day to brush and floss, while avoiding high sugar diets, spend far less time and money in the dental office.

As dental professionals our main concern is the health of our patient’s mouths. As the gateway to the rest of the body, it makes sense that if we have a healthier mouth this would benefit our entire system. Disease and sickness need an entry point to infect their host. The oral cavity is a great entrance for most everything that comes into our bodies.

Recently, it has been recognized that bacteria that occupy our mouths may lead to systemic diseases including; cardiovascular disease, bacterial pneumonia, pre-term low birth weight births, and Diabetes. The most common cause for this bacterial overload of the system is Periodontal Disease.

Not only does periodontal disease contribute to these diseases, but it is the leading cause of premature tooth loss.

Dental caries (decay) is the most prevalent chronic disease among adults even though it is highly preventable.

Decay needs 4 things to exist; teeth,

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

bacteria, sugar, and time. So, which of these things can we control?

Most individuals in the population have teeth, and we would like to keep most of them. Our mouths are full of millions of bacteria at any given moment, so there is no way to completely rid ourselves of this factor. Now, sugar is something that we can avoid or limit.

Also, the amount of time that these sugars are allowed to sit on our teeth is something we can control (brushing and flossing). High sugar diets and poor oral home care are the leading causes of tooth decay.

While we are happy to take care of our patients and are very capable of restoring many of the ailments of the mouth, patients would spend a lot less of their time and money in dental offices if they would simply spend a little more time each day brushing and flossing, and avoiding sodas and sticky candies.

The importance of regular dental cleanings & exams So if we can prevent most dental issues by ourselves at home, why do we need to see the dentist every 6 months?

Even the best brushers and flossers will inevitably leave some debris behind. This debris (plaque) remaining

on teeth for too long will solidify and stick to the tooth, requiring removal by a dental professional. If it is not removed, over time gum tissue will recede, bone will recede, teeth may get loose and eventually need to be removed. Now, this generally happens over a long period of time, but once supporting bone is lost there is not much that can be done to recover the loss. It is much easier to keep small build up off if it is removed regularly, than to remove build up from years of neglect.

As far as decay is concerned, regular check-ups can detect problems when they are small and more easily treated.

Waiting years between visits can lead to larger problems which inevitably result in more costly and time consuming dental visits.

There you have it, if you want to save money and visit the dentist less often, don’t forget to take care of yourself. Brush and floss regularly, eat a healthy diet, and get regular cleanings and exams from your dental professional. Remember prevention is the key.

We are proud to live in and serve this community while helping our patients take care of themselves.

Your Hometown Dental Office for over 60 years – Dick & Mitchell DDS

THE MEDICAL EDITION

Special Medical Section Experienced, Quality Care for the Entire Family

Living & Serving in Casa Grande for over 60 Years After-hours Emergency Treatment Available Most Insurance Accepted Services Provided by an Arizona Licensed General Dentist

Time for a Spring Cleaning!

Come see how we can help you take care of your health

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* Must present coupon at time of visit. Not valid with any other offer. Valid with copy of written treatment plan from another dentist, including xrays if applicable. Expires 7-15-15

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(520) 836-7111 THE MEDICAL EDITION

721 N Olive Ave. Casa Grande, AZ 85122

www.dickandmitchelldds.com

SUMMER 20 152015 GOLDEN CORRID OR OR LI V LI ING 73 SUMMER GOLDEN CORRID V ING

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It’s your brain that hears.

Special Medical Section

Not your ears.

Interview with Terri Ellert, owner and manager of The Hearing Centers of Arizona and her husband and Practice Development manager Ric Felder - Interview by Jamie Wagner What exactly does hearing healthcare consist of? Isn’t it just hearing aids?

Terri–That is the common misconception the general public has about hearing healthcare. It is assumed that you can properly address your hearing loss in the same fashion as buying a cell phone, tablet or any other consumer electronic device. When hearing is properly addressed, it is more than anything a rehabilitative process and that process is not directed at the ear, but the brain where hearing actually takes place. The technology is important but it has to know its place in the process.

Ric–That is exactly right. People would be much better served if they did not address their hearing the same way they shop for a cell phone. Instead, treat the issue more like you would if you had a bad knee and needed a knee replacement. In that case, most patients do not concern themselves with which knee replacement parts are going to be used.

They search for the professional they trust to address that part of their healthcare. That is the same way hearing healthcare is most effectively addressed as well.

Tell me more about the “BrainHearing” concept Terri–All hearing and processing of sound takes place in the brain. The ear processes nothing, it is only responsible for gathering information and passing it on to the brain to make sense of the what it receives. The brain needs exact and complete information to process properly. If it is forced to make do with only part of the information such as when certain frequencies start getting cut out of the equation when hearing loss starts to set in, the brain will do the best it can for a while but there is a price to pay eventually.

We have found that the only way to properly address this issue is to target the brain with appropriate technology centered around a rehabilitative process to get true function back as much as possible.

Ric–Also, let’s not forget, when we talk about rehabilitation there is a process involved. This will include more visits to our 74

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

office in the beginning for the patient and more work for our specialists but it is the only way hearing is properly addressed. In addition, when we talk about rehabilitation, there will almost always be some discomfort involved. Anyone who has been through rehab on a knee or shoulder for example will recall some discomfort in the process but the benefit of going through this is as much true function back as possible in that part of the body. If they skip the rehab process and instead opt to take pain killers and mask the problem, there is less discomfort at first but more actual damage is taking place resulting in a larger problem down the road. It is no different with hearing. Everyone wants to have comfort in noise with their hearing aids.

That is fine as an eventual goal but if that becomes the primary goal right from the start, that is the take the painkiller, mask the problem approach. At The Hearing Centers of Arizona, we will always take a rehabilitative approach, managing and supporting our patients through this process. The result of this approach is as much true function as possible is restored in the brain and that is where comfort in all sound environments, especially noise, comes from.

How is a hearing loss properly addressed? What has to happen for success?

Terri–First, the right tool to carry out the rehab must be picked. This is where the technology come into play but again, it has to know its place. Unfortunately, in the hearing healthcare industry today, most practices focus in on the technology as the solution, always trying to build a “smarter” hearing device. Now, don’t get me wrong, the advanced technology is important but it needs to be designed and used to support the brain, not replace it. When we pick the tool needed to carry out this rehab and support the brain, it is important that we have a “toolbox” full of a number of specialized tools at our disposal.

Ric–Exactly, and the fact that we are an independent practice, meaning not tied to any one manufacturer, enables us to have access to a number of proper technologies to fit each patients unique situation.

What about price? What is the difference and why the large differences in pricing between models?

Terri–Prices for Hearing technology vary a lot depending on the level of technology and processing power depending on what features the patient may or may not need.

What level of technology a patient needs is primarily determined by lifestyle vs. budget.

We carry all levels of technology at our practices but insist any tools in our toolbox are designed around the “BrainHearing” approach I described earlier.

Ric–Another point on price. Don’t assume you will get a better price or value addressing your hearing at a big box, warehouse store or chain store practice. Let me tell you, these days, budget is a huge concern to our patients, so as business owners it must be important to Terri and I as well. We combine our purchasing power with almost 1200 other independent practices around the country through the American Hearing Aid Associates organization. This enables all of us to get bulk pricing just like the big box, warehouse stores and chain practices. So we can be just as if not more competitive on price and maintain our independence.

Terri–Exactly, and add to that with us, you will get full rehabilitative care and a personalized solution and you can see the value we offer far outweighs anything you would get elsewhere.

How does someone get started in addressing their hearing loss?

Terri–It’s simple, just call our office at (520) 494-3886 and set up an appointment for a complimentary evaluation and consultation.

Or, if you are not sure whether you have a hearing issue or not, call and let us know that and we can get you set up on an annual hearing screening schedule as a part of an overall health and wellness program. This service is also complimentary.

Ric–Our practice is the place to go for hearing healthcare. We are a locally owned and operated, independent practice centered around proper rehabilitative care providing the best value and services to our patients.

THE MEDICAL EDITION

Special Medical Section

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SPECIAL MEDICAL SECTION

MIND-BODY WELLNESS:

Addressing Wholeness

by Suzy Day, CCHt, CLC, Mind-Body Wellness Practitioner

T

he mind and body are intertwined systems which are in a symbiotic relationship, with one constantly influencing the other.

Change your mind, change your body; change your body, change your mind. This is the foundation of what is known as the mindbody connection. More than a mere hypothesis, this relationship has been scientifically documented and proven.

Your body responds to your emotions, the way you think (positive and negative thoughts), the beliefs you hold, as well as your actions. What happens in your mind affects your body, and in reciprocity, the health of your body affects your mind. When any aspect of these systems are out of balance, it creates fertile soil for the seeds of illness to sprout and grow. When in balance, they are the keys to wellness and vitality. A life of health and wellness extends beyond walking 20 minutes on a treadmill, taking calcium supplements, and avoiding trans-fats.

As human, you are a multifaceted and sophisticated being. Using a metaphor to illustrate, imagine an individual as an exquisite tapestry woven with the colorful threads of beliefs, thoughts, actions, and perceptions. If the tapestry shows signs of imbalance, the Mind-Body Wellness approach is to restore health, balance, and vitality using proven holistic modalities which address both the individual threads of the tapestry and the tapestry as a whole.

Because of the interdependent and unified relationship, each dynamically impacts the other.

Think “this and that” instead of “this or that.”

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Mind-Body Wellness is a restorative system of health which recognizes every individual as multidimensional and addresses imbalances by honoring the interconnection of mind, body, emotions, and spirit. Rather than focusing on the symptoms, MindBody Wellness looks at the root causes of health challenges with an understanding of these symbiotic relationships. This creates a fuller view, a wider perspective, of all the parts and pieces which play into the dimensions of vibrancy, health, and wholeness.

A variety of mind-body wellness modalities exist which support the care and nurturing of an individual to optimize health, wellness, and the quality of life. Powerful and proven holistic methods, such as hypnosis, life coaching, holistic nutrition, yoga, aromatherapy, and energy healing, such as reiki and polarity, all serve as catalysts for restoring health and generating positive changes which enhance and support the quality of life.

It is important to note that Mind-Body Wellness practitioners do not diagnose or treat disease or prescribe medications.

In a cooperative and co-creative relationship with you, their training, skills, and highly effective techniques are utilized to facilitate a strong and vibrant mind-body connection which enhances your health and wellness.

Here is a sampling of the variety of mind-body modalities available:

management, pain management, and many other therapeutic interventions. Through hypnosis, you are able to examine your deep and long-held beliefs, attitudes and responses, consider the possibilities for creating a different perspective, one which reframes the emotions and beliefs around those situations, and then chose a new perspective which brings you peace and healing.

• Life Coaching - Making lifestyle changes requires a plan, commitment, and accountability. If you are confused, or perhaps unsure about the course of action most beneficial for you, or if you lack motivation, consider working with a Life Coach. Life coaching is powerfully effective to help you clarify your desires and goals, overcome any resistance and/ or self-sabotage you hold, and gain the personal fortitude to achieve your health and wellness goals. Professional life coaching is used to achieve balanced health, success, and happiness on every level of life.

• Energy healing - Energy healing is a generalized term for health-supporting modalities which balance, restore, or shift the energy systems of the body. The art of energy healing helps to restore emotional and physical balance and often provides deep relaxation while assisting in releasing blockages of emotional issues or belief systems.

It can decrease the impacts of stress or other emotional and physical challenges. It’s common to experience profound peace, joy, and balance during energetic sessions.

Reiki, polarity therapy, and therapeutic touch are just a few of the energy work specialties. Many energy practitioners combine their techniques with other mindbody wellness modalities, such as blending hypnotherapy with Reiki.

Wellness and vitality begin with understanding the interconnected systems on which your health and happiness are based. Maintain a vibrant balance by nurturing and supporting each thread of your exquisite mind-body tapestry.

• Hypnosis - Hypnotherapy is effective in easing a wide variety of physical, emotional, and psychological challenges, including fears, phobias, addictions, stress, weight

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

THE MEDICAL EDITION

All about Hearts

by Susan Conn-Hood, Certified Yoga/Fitness Instructor & Juice Plus+ Whole Food Educator •

• •

• • • •

The mature Human Heart weighs about 10-12 ounces and is about 5 ½ inches long, 4 inches wide and 3 inches thick.

The heart rate is higher on warmer days.

As a functioning muscle, the heart extracts about 70 percent of the oxygen carried in the blood to nourish its own beating mechanism.

The heart rate increases after a heavy meal.

In a minute, a woman’s heart beats usually seven or eight times more than a man’s.

Sudden happiness increases the heart rate. So does anger.

The human heart weighs about

• • •

•

•

1/200th of the total body weight.

The human heart beats continuously from the fifth month before birth until death.

Each heartbeat lasts about eighttenths of a second.

On average, the human heart beats 72 times per minute, or about 100,000 times per day, or about 38,000,000 times a year.

-he human heart beats about 4 billion times during an average lifetime-In one minute, the heart pumps from eight to ten pints of blood through 60,000 miles of blood vessels-that’s more than twice around the world.

In one day, the heart pumps the equivalent of 5,000 gallons of blood

• •

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Initially, an experience of fear lowers the heart rate.

The heart rate is highest in the early afternoon and lowest in the morning.

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THE MEDICAL EDITION

SUMMER 20 152015 GOLDEN CORRID OR OR LI V LI ING 77 SUMMER GOLDEN CORRID V ING

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79

The LIVING Interview (continued) continued from page 46... ditional assessment from accidents. Many we can handle, but if it’s critical, we transport by air or by Southwest Ambulance to the Valley. One of the good things is that over the next, say 18 months, we hope to become a trauma level hospital. We’ll probably go with the lowest level first - a level 4 - because we really want to make sure we have everything in place for those patients. We see a lot off the interstate, and we want to make sure we’re doing the best. I think we’ve done it well, but we’ll have standards in place to continue to do it better. Over time, we might move up to a level 3 trauma facility. That’s really about doctor availability and we can do that.

GC LIVING: The higher level trauma doesn’t that require a neurosurgeon?

RONA CURPHY: That’s level 1.

GC LIVING: Okay.

RONA CURPHY: I don’t think we would ever be at a level 1, or a level 2, even. Level 3 and 4, we could handle those pieces.

GC LIVING: What are some new things on the horizon?

You touched on the computer system, when you got the Cerner system. And then, the availability of the x-rays.

RONA CURPHY: The PAC’s system.

GC LIVING: Yes, thank you. What are some of the other innovations on the horizon?

RONA CURPHY: The biggest is telehealth. We currently have a telestroke program with Mayo in our ER and throughout our facility. At some point, we’ll transition to Banner. Mayo’s done a great job for us. We have been able to keep, probably 95% of our patients with stroke type symptoms in Casa Grande. And we’ve been able to treat them with the knowledgeable physicians helping us. We’ve had to transport fewer patients, and that’s good for patients.

The reason is, we had complaints that people were coming to our emergency rooms with strokelike symptoms. They would go to the Valley, and be released later that day or the next. Why did they have to pay an ambulance bill? Couldn’t they have been seen in our facility? So we’re looking at other things with telehealth. We’re looking at telepsychiatry. When we had to close our behavioral health unit, we faced a problem in our emergency room with numbers of behavioral health patients we don’t have a place to send to. We have to leave them in emergency much longer than we should.

Being part of a system helps, because there’s Banner Behavioral Health in Scottsdale and Banner Thunderbird Behavioral Health Center in Glendale.

Banner Health, has approved additional beds at both facilities next year. That helps Casa Grande, because it gives us a place to send patients.

GC LIVING: Some of the challenges that face our com-

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GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

munity are lifestyle related. Diabetes is prevalent in the community. What does the hospital do to help educate people about disease management?

RONA CURPHY: We do a little of that now. I think we will do more as we move into this preventative care. Jackie Houston is our dietitian in our culinary services. She and her fellow dietitians do monthly group classes for diabetes because we didn’t have enough people to do one-on-one sessions. Casa Grande has a wonderful diabetic clinic that is run by Nilda Fimbres at Sun Life Family Health Center who does a phenomenal job.

But you’re right. We have a lot of patients with chronic conditions we can help educate to manage better so they don’t have to come to the facility. I do think we will start to see more clinics of some type and be able to handle that. I can’t tell you exactly what that will look like, but in this whole time where population health is becoming a reality we’ve got to do things in a very different fashion than we do today.

GC LIVING: How has nursing changed from when you began? Are nurses now more independent? Do they have more roles, more authority, more tasks?

RONA CURPHY: There are lots of roles for nursing today where there weren’t in the past. They can work in home health, in hospice, etc. But the actual care delivery model with the exception of the fact they have computers now to do their documentation general care is similar to when I graduated years ago. What’s nice is, with the advent of having hospitalists there are people to communicate with more frequently, to help that autonomy, to help them do the needed care if they have questions as they move forward.

Nursing still has lots of tasks, but they are independent practitioners, and have a full scope of practice. When you recognize that, how do we make sure those new people coming out have the best opportunity at orientation to refine those skills?

When you’re in school, you don’t see everything.

At Casa Grande Regional, we had a twelve-week new grad program, to make sure they were out of the count, that they were really mentored tightly in those twelve weeks. I’m pleased Banner has the same type of program, maybe even a little bit more robust, and they can take more new grads in Banner facilities than we were able to. It was critical for me to make sure that our new practitioners felt safe, and practiced safe care.

GC LIVING: Now, from when you began, some of the fields that nurses can go into, like nurse anesthesiologist, nurse practitioners...

RONA CURPHY: Wound nurses have a whole certification in our wound-care center. Our manager in that area is a nurse practitioner, and she will soon be able to, under supervision, be able to run that clinic from

a provider perspective. Lots of nurse practitioners run clinics. We’re looking, Banner wide, at how to use nurse practitioners more, to really extend what physicians do across the board, because there is a physician shortage. Like in our nursery. We will have a nurse practitioner 24/7 who is a neonatal nurse practitioner who has responsibility to visit the neonatal associate physician, but they will be able to manage high level care.

GC LIVING: What else haven’t we covered that you would like to discuss?

RONA CURPHY: Two things. I would like to tell you a really special, “Thank you.” You brought up John McEvoy, but I also want a special thank you to the board of directors of Casa Grande Regional Medical Center. It’s a tough job. It’s a job and board members really don’t know what they’re getting into. They have to understand the risks that go along with health care, and understand the operations pretty well to be a governing board. We have had a phenomenal group in this community over many years that were willing to serve. And, this last board of directors had a tough decision to make, but I think they made a decision community members should recognize. We now, as part of such a huge system, will have ensured health care at a very high level for all the years to come.

It’s a special group of people willing to make a tough choice. That was hard, I know, for each of them to ask, do we want to be independent? Do we want to be part of a system? A tough choice. And they made a good choice. Had John McEvoy been here, he would have made that same choice, particularly when he saw what it would bring to the Casa Grande community.

GC LIVING: You said there were two things, and, I think I forgot the other.

RONA CURPHY: Oh, the other thing is, we have a phenomenal group of employees who work at that facility. We had over 800 employees, and they stuck with this facility as we went through the transition. In the time period we said we were looking for a partner, and then found a partner, and then what we had to do in this massive transition. And you know, not everyone had to stay. We could have had people leave, but we didn’t.

Our directors have been phenomenal. It’s tough to make this type of a transition, but they were committed to these community members, and all the patients and people here. They wanted to see it work well. They’ve even come to me now and said, “Rona, if they need help at University, we’re willing to go down and help them transition,”They know what it’s like. So, we really have committed people who want to make this quality health care close to home for all citizens in the communities we serve.  THE MEDICAL EDITION

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!(Dad!is!a! !!!I!grew!up!around!the!dental!field mile ou!s ng!y elpi ve!h !I!lo and es,! !Col My!name!is!Dr.!Dustin s!I!can!remember,! !wanted!to!be!a!dentist!from!as!early!a nd!I s),!a ling y!sib f!m st!o !mo are !so! dentist!and !and!work!with!people!like!you!! and!love!to!create!spectacular!smiles aces!!!This! d!how!it!helps!you!smile!without!br ,!an stem n!sy alig nvis he!i !is!t ons assi One!of!my!new!p serve!without!the! ople!of!all!ages!get!the!smile!they!de g!pe lpin n!he !bee has uct! rod ve!p innovati inconvenience!of!braces.! lastic!trays,!we!call! ign!works!through!a!series!of!clear!p isal ,!inv ails !det any o!m h!to !wit !you Without!boring !to!straight.!!Pretty!cool,! ively!move!your!teeth!from!crooked ress rog rs’!p gne !‘ali ese .!!Th ers’ lign them!‘a eficial!to!you.!! ould!rather!know!why!they!are!ben u!w e!yo !sur ,!I’m ork ey!w w!th t!ho huh?!!Enough!abou e!are:! ign!in!straightening!your!teeth,!thes There!are!many!advantages!of!invisal ean!your!teeth)! tating!braces!and!much!easier!to!cl 1. Healthier!teeth!and!gums!(no!irri lign,!how!great!is! t!!!Eat!whatever!you!want!with!invisa !righ at’s !!!Th ING !EAT ON NS! TIO 2. NO!RESTRIC that?!!

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As!you!c lp!you!smile!!!If!you!would!like!more!in o!he nt!t !wa !we !and ou, ve!y !ser d!to Orthodontics!is!excite t!520]421]0880.!! remierOrthoAZ.com,!or!give!us!a!call!a !at!P t!us !visi ase ,!ple fice r!of r!ou n,!o about!invisalig !about!how!you!can!smile!more!! ons!and!give!you!more!information esti r!qu !you wer ans !to! love uld! !wo We !

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THE MEDICAL EDITION

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by Robert Hughes Little did I know that those early years of riding with my much better friends set the foundation for my current skill set.

86

Biking the Trails on Casa M

ountain Biking has been a part of my life for many years. 15 years ago some friends asked me to ride the only trail on CG Mountain. That sounded like fun so I agreed. I really wanted to fit in with my riding friends, so instead of borrowing a bicycle I purchased a gently used higher quality mountain bike with helmet. That way I would not look out of place when being picked up to ride. That first ride years ago started at CG mountain when there was but one trail carved out in the lower desert. I remember suffering through each pedal stroke, when my much better friends were ripping along. They would ride ahead just flowing along the trails, jumping and wheelies through every obstacle then stop and wait for me. Their skills on a bicycle was a thing of beauty and I wanted that flow. Even with my slower pace and pain of pedaling I couldn’t help but smile. Bicycling awoke a youthfulness that had me full of joy, it took me back to my early years when as kids all we did was ride our bikes. I remembered that feeling

GOLDEN GOLDENCORRID CORRID OR ORLILI VV ING INGSUMMER SUMMER 202015 15

of freedom, the wind in your hair, hopping off curbs and popping wheelies. I was hooked. My much better riding buddies continued to let me follow them on different adventures with my bike handling skills improving with every ride. For many years that one trail on CG Mountain was the core training ride as it was only minutes from town. As my passion for cycling increased so did the price of higher end bicycles. I learned early on that cheap bikes broke on the rawness of the trails, and I wanted to ride

not push a broken bike. Flat tires were a thing of beauty because that meant we were riding.

CG Mountain present day has gone way past that one trail I’ve come to know very well, with 2 trailheads one at Peart Rd and one at Arica Rd. These trailheads lead to a huge network of trails that lets you ride for miles. The trails are built not much wider than a person on a bike, this is called single track. Single track is the desired type of trail that bikers love.

The trails are labeled at trailhead as

THE THE MEDICAL MEDICALEDITION EDITION

Traveling • Dining • Entertainment

Grande Mountain easy (green), moderate (blue) and difficult (black), they also have GPS tag/signs along the way so you know where you are. All trails are close to the trailheads so you can explore with your bicycle all you desire and not get lost. Then as you get familiar with the network you can vary the length of your ride looping in the miles. Riding on the trails fuels your adrenaline with steep rocky sections and fast flowing sections. Local bicycle riders keep the trail in great shape, smoothing out rough lines and making sure water can

THE THEMEDICAL MEDICAL EDITION EDITION

run off trail during monsoon rains. For fun I use an app on my phone (Strava) that maps your rides, the local riders have set up virtual courses around the mountain that let you race each others times through different sections of trail. As the summer gets hotter I ride at night to beat the direct heat. All you need is a quality set of LED lights with good battery life to bring in a whole different type of adventure. The view from the trails is amazing with all sorts of desert vegetation. There is a ton of cactuses also so be sure to have tools and tubes for any flat tires incurred.

A small plastic comb is something to have in your pocket too in case a cactus gets stuck to your body, just slip the comb behind the cactus next to your skin and flick it off. Then there are the critters. CG Mountain has plenty of birds, prairie dogs, jackrabbits, tortoises, hogs, ring tail cats, coyotes, lizards and SNAKES. Many rattlesnakes have been seen laying on the trail, so keep your eyes and ears tuned into your surroundings. Bring lots of water because there is none available to drink.

Little did I know that those early years of riding with my much better friends set the foundation for my current skill set. The difficult trails are ridden with confidence, the moderate/ easy trails ridden at a faster pace. The faster pace increases the smiles, but is rough on your equipment. Many parts have been shattered on rocks, tubes punctured and worn out tires.

Casa Grande has a local bike shop (Round Trip Bikes) that is not far into town from the mountain to get me riding my bike again. Mountain biking has becomes a family event with all my kids having bikes. CG Mountain also has a smooth dirt road that runs along the base of the mountain for younger kids and folks who are new to biking for an easy start. Plus you still get the amazing desert views and get to see some critters. So dig out your bike, pump up those tires, oil the chain and experience all the joys of your childhood, a pedaling fountain of youth. It might even be time to treat yourself to a new bike, do it for your health, do it for some smiles and see you on the trails.

SUMMER SUMMER W IN T ER2015 20 2015 15GOLDEN GOLDENCORRID CORRIDOR ORLI LIVVING ING

87

CG Mountain

ENTERTAINMENT

CG MOUNTAIN:

As Challenging & Spectacular As You Want

by Todd A. McHaney, DDS

I

t was a late night last Fall and the conditions were just right… the air temperature was just right, not too hot not too cold, a light breeze was swirling, there was a starry night overhead with a full moon glowing brightly. All the better to focus on the job at hand…a climb without lights. CG mountain, or CG (as the locals call it), can be just an ordinary mountain climb if you let it, however, it can be as challenging and spectacular as you want.

I’ve climbed it slow…enjoying the scenery, and fast…for the workout; and during all weather conditions. No matter your desire, it’s a great place for both! With the conditions as they were, I expected to find a few folks on the trail with the same thought I had; however after reaching the top I realized I was the only one around which made the trip even more exciting. Once you make

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the top of the mountain (a little above the towers), the peaceful night scene is awesome. During the daytime, this point offers a grand view of our city and its surrounding farmland as well as several nearby features like Newman Peak, Picacho Peak, Signal Peak, Tabletop Mountain, and the Sawtooth Mountains. I’ve been a fan of CG Mountain for years, ever since my mom would say, “In High School we used to hike up there and “whitewash” the CG letters!” That’s not something I ever did but I think it would have been a blast. From afar, those little white letters look much smaller than they are up close.

Aside from hiking, CG Mountain offers an assortment of biking trails, many of which have been recently renovated, making them less demanding and treacherous. Plan some time to visit our mountain…you won’t regret it!

THE MEDICAL EDITION

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Trip to Indonesia TRAVELING

Go Where? Indonesia!

by Elaine Earle

W

e like to travel internationally and we also like to travel off the beaten path. However, we don’t necessarily want to travel uncomfortably and are definitely not backpackers. So, the topic came up for this year: “Where shall we go on vacation?”. Tuscany made it into the discussion as did Australia and many other places. Then, we started focusing on Malaysia and Southeast Asia. These areas are “hot” these days for experienced travelers so to speak; especially Vietnam and Myanmar. Then the perfect plane ticket combination came up for Jakarta, Indonesia with a connection through Tokyo, Japan. And with that we were off on the next adventure…

This past March, we flew from Phoenix to Denver (2 hour flight), then to Tokyo (12 hour flight), then to Jakarta, Indonesia (6 hour flight). Now, I am thinking that just one flight to Tokyo or Hong Kong is just a short skip across the ocean! Taking that second international flight from Tokyo to Jakarta really puts in perspective how far away Indonesia is! We did get stuck in Tokyo on the way over and had to stay the night due to a missed connection on our Jakarta flight. In terms of days, we left Phoenix for Denver on Monday

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GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

and arrived in Jakarta on Friday! You skip forward in time for the time difference and we also lost a day due to the missed connection in Tokyo. So there goes a whole week - poof - just for traveling - just for moving your body across the ocean!

As far as Indonesia goes, we absolutely loved it! It is a must-go, must-see place and also a place that we will return to. There is a growing list of places within Indonesia that we didn’t see that will make its way onto the agenda for the next trip there.

We were on the ground in Indonesia for 12 days in total (not counting travel days).

Indonesia is an archipelago comprising thousands of islands. Indonesia has over 250 million people, making it the world’s fourth most populous country. Indonesia is also the world’s most populous Muslim-majority nation (greater than 80% of its population follows Islam). We certainly felt the Islamic influence with the multiple calls to prayer on the loudspeakers and the Kiblah on the ceiling of the hotel room pointing the direction to Mecca.

We had encountered quite a few Muslim drivers and hotel workers and also Hindu ones.

It appeared at least to us that they for the most part got along and moved about their

Resort in Nusa Dua, Bali

business peacefully with one another.

There is so much territory to cover in Indonesia and so much to see that we focused our trip to the island of Java. Our first stop was the city of Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia. On this trip, we thought that we would “work” our way through cities then end in the “paradise” spot of Bali and rest.

The great thing about Indonesia is your dollar goes very far which was a nice change for us compared with our latest Asian adventures in Hong Kong and Japan. The poverty level is $22 per month. An average Indonesian worker makes $5,000 / year and that is for a very good paying job. With every insignificant (to us) tip or extra amount given to anyone we encountered in the hotel or service business, we knew that we could make a difference to that person and their family that day.

In Jakarta, we did your typical city tour with a hired driver. Hired drivers is the way to get around there. We thought that there would be a Hop-on Hop-off Bus like we use in so many cities. This was not the case! Traffic is a nightmare. There are no lanes and it is amazing that people come out alive at the end of the day!

Needless to say, this was just as much of the THE MEDICAL EDITION

Borabudur, a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist Temple in Magelang, Central Java, Indonesia

Terraced rice fields of Bali

experience as was seeing the city. Scooters / Motorbikes are quite popular and these weave in and out of traffic. People hold babies, chickens, what they plan to sell in the city, their mobile store, etc. all on their motorbike!

We then ventured off to Bandung which is a city in the highlands on the island of Java, Indonesia. Bandung appears to be where no Western tourist ever goes. We did not see anyone like ourselves for a stretch of days.

Traffic was no better in Bandung. There were motorbikes every which way criss-crossing the roads. We went to see an active volcano.

We also did some “outlet” shopping. When I heard that there was outlet shopping, I thought that would be a great way to spend an afternoon. I didn’t know that they think an “outlet” is one store and the store sells “knock-off” branded purses and clothes. So, for $86, we obtained our first 5 fake purses of many very popular brands, just for the novelty of it. Please apologize to Michael Kors for us…

Yogyakarta was our next stop for a few days; the home of Borobudur, a 9th-century Mahayana Buddhist Temple. This monument has 504 Buddha statues on it and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Borobudur THE MEDICAL EDITION

is Indonesia’s single most visited tourist attraction. This doesn’t mean that we ran into many Westerners in this part of the world.

We were still very much on our own as far as people who looked like they were from anywhere close to where we were from. The few “white” tourists we did see were mostly Europeans, probably mainly Dutch (due to colonial history) Then, the great finale came upon us and we went to the most-desired place in Indonesia; the island of Bali. We checked into a resort in Nusa Dua, Bali at the very end tip of the island. We were feeling pleased with ourselves having navigated our way through the island of Java mostly on our own planning; catching trains and shuttles when needed and also hiring drivers. For the most part, people spoke good-enough English. We were actually quite impressed with that compared with other places we have visited in Asia (Japan!).

Bali is absolutely beautiful with terraced rice fields and more plants and vegetation than one has ever seen in that density. We visited a monkey forest where wild monkeys wander and come right up to you (at your own risk!). I had my shopping bag stolen by a monkey in this part of the adventure but it was thankfully recovered. We also saw another volcano and had some great satay at a local restaurant (an Indonesian dish of seasoned, skewered, grilled meat with sauce).

The menu didn’t have prices on it and we were pretty sure they charged us the “tourist” rate knowing that we wouldn’t know any better… Then, of course, we were driven to visit a coffee plantation unlike any that we have been to. This coffee is kopi luwak*; look it up and you will see why it is different!

The resorts of Bali are full of tourists and we finally saw Western faces like our own in large quantities. We were thankful to have trod through the interior of Indonesia to see

what the country was all about before hitting the resorts with the tourists. It is possible to go to Bali and not really see what the country is all about. Our resort was no different than one that you would see in Cancun or anywhere else on an ocean or beach. When we traveled into the interior of the island of Bali, it exhibited many of the traits that we saw in the rest of the island of Java (lots of traffic, people selling on the streets, etc). We also saw cruise ships parked in the waters off Bali and also thought that a day trip would not do Indonesia or even just Bali justice.

All in all, I am thankful and grateful for the experience of a lifetime of traveling independently on the island of Java, Indonesia.

One big thing that we would have done differently is hire a few guides in addition to our drivers. In this part of the world, travel is cheap and our experience would have been enhanced if we had a professional guide on a few of our adventure days. We will certainly be back and will get more daring and adventurous for the next trip. The islands of Lombok and Komodo is on the next to-do list as is Sumatra, Sulawesi, Papua, and many others.

[*Editors note: Kopi luwak or civet coffee, refers to the seeds of coffee berries once they have been eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet The name is also used for marketing brewed coffee made from the beans. Source wikipedia.]

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93

Pinal County CASA

Home Town Hero

by Donna McBride, Pinal County Juvenile Court Volunteer Program Administrator

I

want to tell a story. The ending hasn’t really happened yet. This is a journey about my life. You see I was a foster kid along with my brothers and sister. I was afraid from the day we were taken away from our parents.

That fear has been my shadow, turning into distrust, shame, feeling sorry for myself and depending only on myself.

Nothing was explained to me and my future was uncertain. I was separated from my family. I was so confused; why did my parents let this happen to me, was it my fault, don’t I deserve a family?

What did I do wrong?

I grew up in the foster care system drifting in and out of relationships and trying to be ‘normal’ whatever that was. But the fact is, I never felt ‘normal.’ How can that happen when you don’t know from day to day where you will be living, where you will be going to school or who will be there for you. I was on ‘survival mode’ just trying to get by. I had 4 different case workers, lived in 6 placements including juvenile detention and a number of group homes and attended 5 different schools.

Every time I had to change places my personal stuff was usually tossed in a trash bag. Some of my childhood is just a blur with no school pictures, no mementos of achievements from school or a parent cheering me on at my little league games. Living in the foster

care system meant that no one was permanent in my life. It was a revolving door of case workers, attorneys, foster parents, therapist, teachers and judges.

Then I turned 18, a time for young people to spread their wings… I was an adult in the eyes of the court; ‘aging out’ of the child welfare system is what they call it. I call it fending for myself.

I had never paid rent, bought groceries or managed my own expenses. I went from someone telling me what to do and how to do it on a daily basis to being lonely and afraid. On my own for the first time in my life, I had no one to catch me if I fell…I was responsible for surviving in a world on my own. I felt so alone – again.

As a child I was an innocent victim but as an adult I had to make decisions and those decisions would help me to shape my destiny. I was forced into a system that tried to care for me but did not prepare for being an adult. I knew could continue to be a victim of my circumstances or I could turn those negatives memories in my life into motivation to push forward. If only I had made more positive choices I would have no regrets. I cannot erase my past but I can tackle those obstacles head on and move forward.

Even though I grew up away from my family, who were dysfunctional at best, I met some

CASA Volunteers Making a Difference!

• • •

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CASA of Pinal County is celebrating its 26th year of service to our community In 2014 our advocates donated over 6,500 hours on behalf of their CASA child Driven over 45,500 miles to visit and assist foster children in Arizona

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

great people that looked beyond my fears and distrust and accepted me for who I was. One of those people included my Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA). He listened to me when no one else was willing, he believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. He advocated for my best interest in/out of court and he encouraged me to follow my passion. I will never forget what my CASA did for me even though I didn’t always tell him thank you.

My journey is not over but I do see light at the end of the tunnel.

After struggling with homelessness and not being able to hold down a job, I finally earned my high school diploma. I now have a fulltime job and go to school part-time. I am unsure of what I want to be when I “grow up”… but I do know that I have forgiven my past, triumphed over the challenges and can now focus on the person I was meant to be.

My ‘hometown hero’ are all the kids in foster care that have decided to change their life by looking beyond their past to a future that is whole and bright.

These youth cannot do it alone.

They need the support and compassion of healthy adults and a community willing to give them a chance. According to United

Friends of the Children (UFC), “Youth often state that it was the presence of one caring adult that made all the difference.”

Fred Roger’s from “Mister Roger’s Neighborhood” said, “We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It’s easy to say ‘it’s not my child, not my community, not my world, not my problem.’ Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider these people my heroes.”

How can you help? Support a ‘hometown hero’ by becoming a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), a foster parent, a mentor, or employing a youth and help them to start their future.

CASA advocates are everyday people appointed by a judge to speak up for abused and neglected children in court. A CASA provide judges with vital information to ensure all children have a safe, nurturing and permanent home.

Pinal County has over 1,100 children in foster care with nearly 200 under the age of one. Even with nearly 80 active CASA advocates, it isn’t enough to keep up with the cases that come into our court.

Would you like to get involved?

Call the Pinal County CASA Office at 520-866-7076.

THE MEDICAL EDITION

Lost & Found

Lost & Found

by Gigi McWhirter

Y

ou have done everything you can to keep your pet inside and accounted for, then, in one instant, despite all of your efforts, a natural or manmade disaster occurs or your cat or dog has slipped through the open door or the gate the kid left open and it is now missing. Your heart comes up through your throat and then you remember that it is wearing a collar, with a tag with your contact information on it. But what happens if the collar has come off?

Many owners now turn to microchip technology to help protect their pets during these scenarios. However, you should not count on a microchip alone to keep your pet safe. Should an accidental separation occur, identifications tags can be your animal’s first step in getting it home. A microchip adds an extra level of protection should she loose her collars and tags.

Offering your animals a microchip and tags can help bring your pet back to you should they get lost should the unthinkable happen.

About the size of a grain of rice, microchips are small transponders that use radio frequency waves to transmit the animal’s information.

The chip is placed just under the skin and typically between the shoulder blades. Each chip has a different identifying number. A found animal is scanned using a handheld scanner. The scanner picks up the frequency and a series of numbers appear. The vet clinic or animal control officer can look through their records to see if the animal is registered in their data bases. If not, the chip manufacturer will be contacted. The manufacturer will have your name and number – but only if you register.

Without registration, the only information the

THE MEDICAL EDITION

manufacturer will have is who the microchip was sold or registered to. If your details show up, the microchip company makes an attempt to contact you. It is essential and your responsibility to make sure the chip is registered with your personal contact information. It is also very important to notify them should your information change. Veterinary clinics are not required to keep your animal at their office if you cannot be contacted. In that instance, ideally they should try to get the finder’s information and then contact local animal control authorities and make arrangements for the animal to be picked up and placed in a shelter until it is either returned to its owner or after a waiting period, the animal becomes available for adoption or other life choices. It should be noted, they are not required to do this and the animal can be sent home with the finder.

Most veterinarians and some animal shelters implant microchips for a fee. It is done with a large needle and does not require anesthesia. Once it is in place, your pet’s subcutaneous tissue usually bonds to the chip within 24 hours and should prevent it from moving. There is a small chance that the chip will migrate but it cannot get “lost” inside your pet. It is very important to know that getting the chip is not enough – you must register your pet with the microchip company even if the person placing the chip says that they will handle it. ALWAYS call to confirm that it has been done. Sometimes, if the office is busy it may take several days for your information to be passed on to the registry. Some companies charge a one-time registration fee while others charge an annual fee. Once the

chip is placed, you will receive a tag for your pet’s collar and a set of labels with your pet’s microchip number on it for your records and registry phone numbers.

Because there are several different chips available a universal microchip scanner was developed to detect most chips. But, not all vet clinics or shelters have universal readers.

Despite all efforts in creating universal scanners and registry procedures, microchips are not fool proof and should therefore not be relied on as the only way to get your pet home.

If the scanner used is not a universal reader or if the person using the scanner does not use it properly a chip could go undetected.

If you move or must relinquish your pet contact the microchip registry, your veterinarian and local authorities and inform them of the changes.

If you adopt an animal that already has a microchip, ask the adoption agency or the person you are adopting the animal from to provide you with proof that the animal now belongs to you and then contact the registry and register the animal to you.

When you lose a pet, it is up to you to get it home. You should immediately contact all animal shelters in your area with your pet’s information and the last place it was seen. Call your local paper and ask if they can run an ad in their classified section. Contact all area veterinarian offices. Use social media to help get the word out and by all means, contact the microchip company. Contact them all, every day, until she is found. Once your beloved is returned, do the courtesy of contacting everyone with the great news.

SUMMER 20 152015 GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING 95 SUMMER GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

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Page Articlein the City Adventure ENTERTAINMENT

A Day In The Life Of A Judge

by Jeppe Leifelt, age 16 and Sebastian Nussbaumer, age 15 Junior Reporters for Golden Corridor LIVING Magazine

O

n a Friday morning, we met the Honorable William J O’Neil in the parking lot of Fry’s Marketplace, where he was enjoying some coffee. Judge O’Neil starts his days early, and sometimes ends late as well. He wakes early every morning to start his long, treacherous commute to downtown Phoenix; it’s not that bad of a commute actually, unless the traffic is bad. On the way up to the court house in the heart of downtown, after we had great conversations about being a judge, our future job plans, other countries and the way the law is; Judge O’Neil told us that he is the Presiding Disciplinary Judge for the Arizona Supreme Court

96

and he explained to us how he got to where he is today. He was a lawyer for 12 years before he became a Superior Court Judge, and after that he worked for 20 years as a Superior Court Judge.

Judge O’Neil has been working as a full time judge for over 24 years. He loves his work, and he explained to us that the most exciting thing about being a judge is the application of rules and law to the facts of a case. He has to determine what the facts are and apply the law; he has to determine the intent, which also is a factor of the punishment. Even though the traffic to Phoenix was slow, it felt like we were at his job in no time.

We are finally at his job and the buildings around and in front

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

of us are just amazing. The Court House is an architectural beauty.

The sculptures on the building are golden awesomeness. The inside is twice as sweet as the outside. The floors are a very nice marble tile, and in the center of the building is a very beautiful golden staircase.

Judge O’Neil gave us a tour of his floor, and his office, and then we got right down to business. Fortunately, there was only one case that he had that day, so the day wasn’t very long for us. The case was about a former lawyer trying to become reinstated as a lawyer again. Judge O’Neil explained to us the entire process of why this lawyer quit, and what she had to do to get back to being a lawyer, this included an application fee and passing the state Bar Examination.

The state Bar Examination is a test that all lawyers have to pass to become a lawyer. So, when it was time for Judge O’Neil to judge the case and listen to why she is qualified to be a lawyer again, he hit us with a surprise. We got to watch the case and she had to prove she was qualified again to be a lawyer.

It was extremely interesting and we enjoyed it very much. After the hearing, Judge O’Neil invited us to the conference part, where the judge and the hearing panel, (Judge O’Neil, a volunteer attorney and a volunteer public member) come to a decision, either she gets to be a lawyer or doesn’t. The

lawyer had provided numerous amounts of evidence, and Judge O’Neil and the panel came to the decision to recommend her to be a lawyer again. The whole process took only about an hour, which is very short compared to other cases. This was because she had no prior discipline record.

After the case was over and settled, Judge O’Neil returned to his office to the thing that everyone loves: paperwork. Lucky us, a nice lady from the upper floors took us on a tour of her part of the building; we got to see all the paperwork on cases from years ago. She also took us on a tour of the Supreme Court’s Court room, and the Justice’s chambers. It was a great tour; we got to see the behind the scenes of the court as well. After that, we met up with Judge O’Neil and his assistants, and we went out for some lunch.

We took a while to decide on a place to eat, but we all decided to go to a fancy little restaurant. The food was absolutely amazing.

After lunch, the day was coming to an end. We dropped off Judge O’Neil’s assistants, and then we started on the road again. After a tiring day in the office, on the road, and walking around, we were back in Casa Grande. There wasn’t very much traffic, so the drive was quick. Our journey had come to an end, as well as the day in the life of a judge.

THE MEDICAL EDITION

Page Article ENTERTAINMENT

EQUINE ACTIVITIES ARE GREAT FOR KIDS!!

by Sue Pittullo, Coldwell Banker ROX Realty

D

o you have a child who is crazy about horses? Do they have toy horses all over their room, get excited when they see a horse in the pasture or someone riding down the road? Well consider the benefits of allowing your youngster the privilege of equine activities.

Activities with horses allow your child to get outside and be with nature, decide how to communicate with and create a connection with the horse.

They will experience physical and emotional growth, learn to be a leader, improve their ability to listen and follow directions, and ask questions of the instructor. Horses give immediate feedback to the rider’s actions and will mirror the feeling of the rider, all allowing the child to grow in knowl-

edge and sensitivity. Horse’s large and intimidating appearance force the rider to trust being around them which helps a child learn about trust as the animal has to learn to trust the rider.

There are so many avenues for children to connect with horses. One of the best places in our community is with Tammy O’Neil. She is a Parrelli instructor and has been giving riding lesson for years to riders young and old. You can ride her lesson horses or bring your own for a fun time on horseback. So if you have a child who is a horse lover don’t ignore their desire. Give them the opportunity to experience a joyful and rewarding time spent with one of the most amazing and loving animals we are blessed with in this world.

sue@cowgirlhomes.com • 520-560-0957

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Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

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Country living but close to all amenities is what you need, this is the home for you!

This custom built slump block home sits on 1.31 acres with great mountain views.

Walk in to the spacious open floor plan and you will fall in love with this home.

Features include; 3 bedrooms,1.75 bath, living room, eat-in kitchen & formal dining room. The beautiful kitchen has an abundance of cabinets, stainless steel appliances, breakfast bar & custom concrete counters. The extra large laundry room with cabinets and counters is an plus to this beautiful home. The wrap around covered patio leads you out to the property full of mature shade & fruit trees. There is plenty of room for horses, your garden, toys or play equipment. In addition, you have a workshop/storage building for all your storage needs.

Contemporary southwestern hillside beauty on 2.5 acres with incredible city lights & mountain views Dramatic 12’-18’ ceilings, custom 8’’ knotty alder doors, niches to display your art, tile floors, exits from every room, resort-style master suite with garden tub & walk-thru shower with a view and Ronald Reagan’s bed frame to boot! Formal living/dining with fireplace. The gourmet kitchen has copper farm & prep sinks, an elevated dishwasher, walk-in pantry, Wolfe gas range & Bosch double ovens, cherry cabinets & granite counters. Virtually maintenance-free San Juan pool with salt-water chlorinator & a 20’x26’ Ramada/kitchen for outdoor living! The 3 car extended, over height garage has 220 & walking deck over the garage. BIA electric. Views of the city lights & mountains are rivaled by none!

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Library Creative Writing Contest

A Magic Rabbit

by Shyannah Teeter

O

nce upon a time there lived a rabbit, his name was Ray. He wasn’t just any rabbit, he was special. He was magic. He was famous for his magic. One time he ended a carrot famine. Let me tell you about it ...

It was a cold winter night a rabbit had a carrot craving and she knew where to go: the crops. She went to the crops as fast as she could. When she got there, she looked for a carrot and when she spotted it, she said to herself, “Oh no, the last carrot!”She ate it anyway.

The next morning everyone went to the crop for breakfast and all the carrots where gone. Then Ray, with powers he never knew he had, made it rain carrots!

Have your child stop by the Vista Grande Library in Casa Grande to enter the Golden Corridor LIVING essay contest!

— THE END

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GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING SUMMER 2015

THE MEDICAL EDITION

INTELLIGENTLY!

Dawn Svoboda

RSales ic k Manager/Loan R e a c h Originator

(520)Marketing 421-1171Manager â–˛ Cell: (480) 221-9826 Field (801) 442 W 233-3700 Kortsen Rd., Ste. 104, Casa Grande, AZ 85122

1220 East 7800 South, Sandy, UT 84094 dawn.svoboda@AcademyMortgage.com rick.reach@AcademyMortgage.com www.AcademyMortgage.com/dawnsvoboda www.AcademyMortgage.com/rickreach NMLS #177235 | AZ 0913936 NM LS #270539 NMLS #3113 | Corp|State AZLic #BK-0904081 Co r p NM LS #3113 Corp Lic State UT #5491140-MLCO

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THE MEDICAL EDITION