March 28, 2018 • Vol. 16, No. 18
POSTAL PATRON CAVE CREEK
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Anthem | Black Canyon City | Carefree | Cave Creek | Desert Hills | New River| North Phoenix | Tramonto | Vistancia
Sonoran Trails Middle School student receives grant, new custom hockey sled CAVE CREEK – Lera Doederlein, an eighth-grade student at Sonoran Trails Middle School was presented with a $2,000 check from the Challenged Athletes Foundation and a new, custom hockey sled while appearing on the NHL Network in February for the segment “Hockey is For Everyone.” “You’re even more of a superstar than I thought you would be,” said NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes. In June, Lera, who was adopted from Russia had bilateral knee disarticulation surgery to address a congenital condition called arthrogryposis. Before the surgery she was able
to walk with the aid of braces, but did not believe that would provide her with the level of mobility she craved. So, she elected to have the amputation surgery. At the urging of one of her prosthetists, she tried sled hockey for the first time. “I’ve always been into sports and, after the surgery, I thought I would try sled hockey out. It was great,” Lera said. “My Teammates are really encouraging, and I love that part of it.” She fell in love with the game and was borrowing a sled that was too big for her. “I like to be out in front,” she said, “I’m a playmaker.”
Lera wears the number 50 on her jersey and is a forward on the Phoenix Coyotes Sled Hockey Team. “It’s the one place she feels she can move freely. It has helped her in her own ability to grow into and cope with this new phase of her life,” her father, David said. In a videotaped message, Lera was also invited to an Arizona Coyotes game by defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, who is her favorite player One of her dreams is to play in the Paralympics in the future. The sled and the grant for the purchase of additional equipment will help in many ways her father said.
YCSO Sheriff meets with U.S. Attorney General Sessions about school safety
Photo courtesy of YCSO
Pictured: L to R- Sheriff Mike Bourchard of the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office in Michigan; YCSO Sheriff Scott Mascher; Attorney General Jeff Sessions, Sheriff David Walcher of the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office in Colorado; and Sheriff Grady Judd of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office in Florida.
PRESCOTT – On Thursday, March 8, 2018, Sheriff Mascher along with Sheriffs from Michigan, Colorado and Florida, had the honor to meet with Attorney General Jeff Sessions on the topic of school safety and information sharing. Sheriff Mascher shared his concerns, suggestions and an overview of the work being done in Yavapai County to address upfront prevention with mental health treatment and available resources. The one-hour meeting with Sessions included discussions on students and the impact of drugs, mental health intervention and diversion, threat YCSO MEETS WITH AG continued on page 7
Photo courtesy of NHL Network/CCUSD
Pictured: The NHL Network presents Lera Doederlein with a custom hockey sled and a $2,000 check from the Challenged Athletes Foundation for additional equipment.
299 homes proposed for development near I-17 and Circle Mountain Road TARA ALATORRE STAFF
ANTHEM – Approximately 75 residents attended a neighborhood meeting on March 19 at the Anthem Community Center to voice their opposition to a proposed development on approximately 69 acres of land on the northeast corner of the Interstate 17 and Circle Mountain Road. The purpose of the meeting was to inform the community about the request to rezone the entire parcel from commercial to residential zoning, which would allow a developer to potentially build 4.2 homes per acre for a total of 299
ANTHEM:
AZGFD:
BARTLETT LAKE:
Outlets provide free
Accepting applications for free
Suspect arrested for
fundraising coupon
desert tortoise adoptions
2017 hit and run
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single-family homes. “I don’t want to hear your pleasantries, because I don’t want your development!” one woman stood up and declared. Locals grew more skeptical as many questions went unanswered by the meeting facilitator Jorge Villasenor, because he either lacked specific information or was interrupted by the upset crowd with questions or comments. All the while the community continually accused the city of intentionally hiding the March 19 meeting notice sign behind DEVELOPMENT continued on page 14
OTHER : • Bluhm Column
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• Service Directory
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