January 11, 2012 • Vol. 10, No.5
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Anthem • Black Canyon City • Carefree • Cave Creek • Desert Hills • New River • N. Phoenix • Tramonto
Sheriff’s officer from New River killed in shooting MARC BUCKHOUT MANAGING EDITOR
Marc Buckhout/The Foothills Focus
William Coleman, a Maricopa County Sheriff’s deputy, was killed on duty Sunday morning in Anthem. A memorial went up for the New River resident near the scene of the shooting. On Monday New River residents and fellow MCSO deputies Don and Ronna (not pictured) Harvey left flowers at the memorial.
Annual art festival returns to Carefree MARC BUCKHOUT MANAGING EDITOR
James Ayers takes pride in the authentic look of his painting of Native Americans. The oil painter and featured artist for the 19th annual Carefree Fine Art and Wine Festival, which is set for 10 a.m. – 5p.m., Friday – Sunday in downtown Carefree, has honed his craft by going and living with different tribes around the country periodically. “I had a teacher in college who emphasized trying to explore what it was you were painting to as great a degree as possible,” Ayers said. “Even if it was just a flower you should act as though you were an alien experiencing it for the first time and try and find out as much
Inside:
as possible about it in terms of texture and everything else. From an emotional standpoint I think my experience living with the groups I paint adds a lot. I think my paintings convey a truthful account of these people’s history. I’ve done years of research, going to museums, seeing artifacts, but experiencing it first hand takes it to another level.” The Colorado resident has Arizona ties, having lived in Flagstaff for 10 years. During part of that time he went and lived in a trailer on the Hopi Reservation. “After college I was a teacher for two years, but I decided I
ART FESTIVAL
continued on page 11
CRIME:
Maricopa County Sheriff ’s deputy William Coleman, a New River resident, was shot and killed in the line of duty Sunday after responding to a call at an Anthem strip mall at approximately 4 a.m. Upon arriving in response to an alarm going off at the scene of an Anthem pediatrician’s office, located at 3654 W Anthem Way Ste B114, at the intersection of Anthem Way and Gavilan Peak Parkway, the veteran deputy approached a van in the parking lot. Officers on scene said the suspect appeared as though
MCSO PIO officer Jeffrey Sprong, said typically an alarm would only warrant one officer responding, but that because there was an indication that glass had been broken at the business that multiple officers were sent with the expectation that a robbery may have taken place rather than simply a false alarm. The 20-year veteran officer, and father with two young children, became the first Maricopa County Sheriff ’s Office deputy slain in the line of duty since 1995.
OFFICER
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Balloon Festival moves to Carefree MARC BUCKHOUT
The third annual CarefreeCave Creek Balloon Festival has a new location for this year’s Jan. 21 event. After taking place in Cave Creek at Rancho Manana Golf Course each of the last two years the event has moved to the Carefree Resort and Conference Center. “The event has grown so large that we thought this would be an easier venue to accommodate everybody,” Vanesa Clifton, of Aerial Solutions said. “We had somewhere between 9,000 - 10,000 last year and we think we’ll be around those
UTILITIES:
APS meets with Desert Drug bust in Anthem Country Club ends in 2 Hills Community regarding arrests, $800,000 seized addition of new power poles
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he was sleeping in his vehicle. W h e n t h e y tapped on the window COLEMAN t h e driver, identified as 30-year-old Drew Ryan Maras, exited the vehicle with an assault rifle and opened fire on Coleman, hitting him below his bullet proof vest. Maras was then shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire with two other deputies, neither of whom was injured
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Submitted photo
The 3rd annual Carefree-Cave Creek Balloon Festival moves to Carefree this year and will take place from 4 – 11 p.m. on Jan. 21 at the Carefree Resort and Conference Center. Along with lighting up balloons at dusk the event includes, food, live music, activities for children. The night also will include skydivers and a fireworks show.
numbers again this year.” The event, which is highlighted by 10 hot air balloons being lit up at dusk, also includes a variety of activities from a vendors market, food, a kids zone complete with bounce houses, slides and other activities and a host of food and drink options. Gates open at 4 p.m. as activities continue throughout
FIRE:
the evening, with festivities concluding at 11 p.m. Along with the hot air balloons, the night sky will be illuminated by the Arizona Skyhawks, a sky diving team wearing lighted suits and pyrotechnics. The evening also will include a fireworks
BALLOONS
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OTHER :
Court fight over burned Parkside home nears conclusion
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