January 22, 2020 • Vol. 18, No. 7
POSTAL PATRON CAVE CREEK
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ECRWSS Carrier Route PreSorted Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 371 Cave Creek, AZ
Anthem | Black Canyon City | Carefree | Cave Creek | Desert Hills | New River| North Phoenix | Tramonto | Peoria
Tragic horse accident brings traffic issues to light BY TRACY DEMETROPOLIS
DESERT HILLS – Last Wednesday, just before 6 p.m., Maricopa County Sheriff ’s deputies (MCSO) responded to the scene of a horse vs. car accident near 7th Street and Maddock Road in Desert Hills, a MCSO spokesperson said. The horse died on the scene, and the driver of the vehicle that hit the horse was treated for minor injuries, MCSO said. The horse who was killed was Aspen, a 10-year-old bay mare who was registered with the American Quarter Horse Association. She belonged to Anthem resident Kristy Frankel and her family. Aspen was boarded at CnC Performance
Horses on Maddock Road. CnC owner, Cortney Morris, said Frankel’s 17-year-old daughter and a friend had left CnC shortly before the accident to go trail riding on the nearby state trust land. They were planning to lead the two horses across 7th street, rather than ride them. Morris said she asks some of her boarders to do this for safety reasons. One of the gates that allows residents to access to the state land is located across from the stop sign at 7th Street and Maddock. Frankel, speaking on behalf of her daughter, said Aspen spooked for an unknown reason, escaped from her daughter and ran into traffic. Morris said she ran to the
scene shortly after the accident. When she arrived, she saw that Aspen was dead. Morris tried to reach the girls on the opposite side of the street to console them and help them get back across the busy road. “Aspen was laying in the middle of the street, and I was screaming and waving to try to get people to stop. Some people did but some just kept on driving,” Morris said. “I couldn’t get the girls across the road because of traffic.” Morris said she was - and still is - furious at the lack of respect given to riders in the area, even though Desert Hills is a well-
ACCIDENT
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Desert Hills residents Jessica Connelley (front) and Linda Landon stop by a memorial for a horse named Aspen who was struck by a car and killed late afternoon January 15 near 7th Street and Maddock Road, an MCSO official said. Photo by Tracy Demetropolis
New Daisy Mountain Fire Chief brings years of experience and knowledge BY TRACY DEMETROPOLIS
Photo by Greg MacElroy/ Cronkite News
Heat deaths continue to rise, as federal relief continues to lag BY KAILEY BROUSSARD CRONKITE NEWS
and other disasters, but the deadliest disaster WASHINGTON – goes largely unfunded – The Federal Emergency extreme heat. The Centers for Disease Management Agency Control and Prevention doles out billions annually for recovery from HEAT continued on page 17 tornadoes, hurricanes
LEGAL:
ANTHEM – Brian Tobin, Daisy Mountain Fire and Medical’s (DMFM) incoming Chief, will officially replace outgoing chief Mark Nichols next month. Tobin brings with him more than 37 years of fire-fighting experience. In June, he retired as Assistant Chief of the Phoenix Fire Department (PFD). Long-time friend and colleague, Chris Pardi, a PFD Captain, said Tobin has “seen it all” and will make an excellent new chief for DMFM. “When you have someone like him, you’ve got a chief who knows both sides of the
coin – the administrative side and the labor side,” he said. “I was excited to hear that he got this job – excited for him and excited for the firefighters who will work for him and excited for the community.”
ARTS:
AGRICULTURE:
Reasons to go to Family Court
Valley artist inspired by color, nature and junk
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Pardi was 23 when 18-year-old Tobin arrived at the fire academy in Phoenix in 1983. Tobin told him that he had wanted to be a firefighter since he was a kid; he would often ride his bike to Phoenix Fire Station 31 to hang out with the firefighters. “I owe the members of the Phoenix Fire Department who took me under their wing at an early age a huge debt of gratitude,” Tobin said. “They didn’t have to welcome me into their fire station, but they did.” Tobin joined the Phoenix cadet academy
CHIEF
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OTHER :
Farmers take to the skies to save water and money
• Bluhm Column • Finance Column
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• Pet of the Week
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