February 5, 2014 •
• Anthem
Vol. 12, No.12
• Black Canyon City
Cave Creek opts to fight lawsuit Tara Alatorre
After nearly 3 hours of discussion during the Feb. 3 Cave Creek Town Council meeting, the council unanimously agreed to not settle a pending lawsuit over easement property rights and also unanimously voted against an ordinance that would have banned the council from using electronic devices during meetings. The ongoing lawsuit Freeman vs. the Town of Cave Creek was brought on by the town’s plan to build a non-motorized trail on Morning Star Road that would connect the east and west side of Cave Creek. Jerry Freeman has filed suit against the town claiming the non-motorized road would impede with the use of his property. Citizens spoke out against the proposed settlement terms brought to the council during the meeting, which would not allow the construction of a trail as long as the Freemans reside on the property at least half-time. “I don’t understand why we are being held hostage by one person,” said resident Terry Smith. Attorney Gary Birnbaum said that there are a lot of “what ifs” because of a series of annexation agreements the town has entered, plus the complication of open space laws. “It depends on how you read
COUNCIL
Postal Patron Cave Creek
• Carefree
• Cave Creek
• Desert Hills
• New River
• North Phoenix
• Tramonto
First lady invites Anthem teen to join her for State of the Union Mauro Whiteman Cronkite News Service
Joe Hudy is not your average 16-year-old. The self-described “maker” from Anthem has been to the White House to demonstrate one of his inventions, has traveled the world to show off other creations and has landed an internship at Intel. All before graduating high school. But Joe said he was still excited to be back in Washington this week, one of a handful of people invited to join first lady Michelle Obama at the Capitol to watch the 2014 State of the Union address. “Who gets invited to the White House once, let alone twice?” asked Joe’s mother, Julie Hudy, from a Washington hotel room. “Me,” Joe chimed in, jokingly. Joe first came to the attention of the White House 2 years ago when he was one of 100 students from around the country invited by the administration to a science fair. It was there that his Extreme Marshmallow Cannon stole the show—and wowed President Barack Obama. Obama asked Joe to show him how the cannon worked. Next thing he knew, Joe, then 14, was trying to make sure he didn’t hit anyone. “At the time, I didn’t see his (Obama’s) expression,” Joe said of the encounter, which was captured on video as the president gasped in
TEEN
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Gregory Hayes photo
Impressive teen years — Anthem resident Joe Hudy, then age 14, in a file photo taken at the headquarters of Make magazine in California. Hudy, now 16, was invited to watch the State of the Union address in Washington last week with first lady Michelle Obama.
Twins share same birthday card since 1979 Eric Quade Editor
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Inside: Shooting................4 Bluhm........................... 5 Burros Killed......6 Events..................... 11 Editorial.............. 20 Services................. 21 Crossword......... 24 Classifieds.......... 25
ECRWSS Carrier Route PreSorted Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 371 Cave Creek, AZ
Eric Quade photo
The gift that keeps on giving — Jim Walkington of New River and his brother, John, have relayed the same birthday card between them for 35 years.
It all started innocently enough in 1979, said New River resident Jim Walkington. His former wife had been trying to convince him to send his twin brother, John, something for their shared birthday. Although the men, 34 years old at the time, had never been big on exchanging gifts, Jim relented, went to the store and picked up a whimsical card to mail off to John. The whole affair seemed to be forgettable until a year later when Jim checked his mail and found that his brother had mailed him a card—not just any card, though. It was the same birthday card Jim had sent the year before, just with his original signature scribbled out and John’s sign-off featured instead. They probably didn’t realize it at the time, but the simple act of re-gifting a birthday card would
start a tradition between the two brothers that still endures today. Sometimes they would just sign a name to the card. Other times, Jim said that they included a note with their name regarding a significant milestone from that year, such “Medicare.” “We were eligible for Medicare 3-4 years ago, and I kept calling saying, ‘Did you get your Medicare card?’” Jim said. When Jim’s card arrived first, he was sure to call John again and gloat in the manner siblings are accustomed to. Jim recalled that his brother’s wife characterized them as “a couple fifth grade boys,” which they took as a compliment. The physical distance between Jim and John surely didn’t stop their annual card-swapping custom, either. John retired
CARD
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