Postal Patron Cave Creek
February 4th, 2015 / Vol.13 / No.11
ECRWSS Carrier Route PreSorted Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 371 Cave Creek, AZ
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the general public and offers an opportunity to learn more about the candidates’ backgrounds and plans for Cave Creek’s future. Dr. Adam Symonds, Director of Speech & Debate, Arizona State University, will moderate the forum. The Cave Creek Town Hall is located at 37622 N. Cave Creek Road, in Cave Creek. CAVE CREEK – Recall election ballots will be sent to Cave Creek residents this month. Find out more about the candidates at an election forum on Thursday, Feb. 12, 7 p.m., at the Cave Creek Town Hall. This forum will be open to
The Foothills Focus is continuing to profile recall election candidates. In this week’s paper, Councilmember Charlie Spitzer and his opponent Steve LaMar share their opinions and their goals for Cave Creek.
Elizabeth Medora Staff
Tara Alatorre Staff
LAKE PLEASANT – Kids Care Club, a local non-profit dedicated to getting elementary and middle school students involved in volunteering, spent an afternoon cleaning up trash at Lake Pleasant. The team collected several large trash bags of plastic bottles, cigarette butts, and paper. Lexi
Goebel, 4th grader at Grayhawk Elementary, had the most interesting find – a large swath of carpet. After the event, the team had a picnic and completed a reflection exercise on why it is important to keep the environment clean.
ANTHEM – Tell a friend – the 11th Annual PACC911 & Anthem Animal Extravaganza and Pet Adopt-A-Thon is happening at the Anthem Community Park on Saturday, Feb. 7, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. The Phoenix Animal Care Coalition 911 provides adopt-a-thons and events around the Valley during the cooler months. These adopt-a-thons bring together poMore On tential pet parents and multiple pg. 12 Valley animal rescues. Over 60
rescue groups will be attending the adopt-a-thon in Anthem. Raffles and entertainment, as well as an on-site food vendor, will be available at the Anthem event. Meet pets in need of a home, talk to rescue coordinators, and stop by various booths with pet items. For more details, visit www. pacc911.org. The Anthem Community Park is located at 41703 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway, at the corner of Anthem Way and Gavilan Peak Parkway.
Candidate Steve LaMar
Inside: Community News........ 4 Movie Review ............ 10 Arts............................. 11 Candidates.................. 12 Services ...................... 14 Classifieds .................. 17 Pet of the Week ......... 18
Steve LaMar has been a Cave Creek resident since 1986 and is no stranger to Cave Creek politics. He has previously served two terms on the Cave Creek Council, which he is now running for again in the special election in March. He will oppose current Councilmember Charlie Spitzer. LaMar also unsuccessfully ran for a seat on the Council in 2013 when the current Council was elected. As a longtime resident, LaMar has seen many changes in Cave Creek. “I was on the first planning commission for the Town of Cave Creek,” LaMar said. “I helped write the general plan for Cave Creek when we incorporated as a town.” LaMar noted that he “came to Cave Creek to have a barn and my own horses.” LaMar, a retired attorney, embraces Cave Creek’s atmosphere and says he wants to “keep it having a small-town feel.” LaMar says his “number one priority” is securing open space around Cave Creek. He also commented on partnering with local businesses and
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This March, Cave Creek Town Councilman Charles Spitzer’s seat will be challenged after efforts have dragged on for nearly two years to recall him and three other councilmen since taking office and firing the longtime town manager in May 2013. Spitzer almost faced a recall election in June 2014 when political committee Cave Creek Caring Citizens filed petitions to recall him and Councilmen Mike Durkin, Adam Trenk, and Reg Monachino. However, a judge ruled the signatures gathered on the petitions could not be verified, and said other forms were filled out incorrectly throwing the petitions out, sparing all four councilmen from a recall. Immediately after Cave Creek Caring Citizens lost its lawsuit in June, it filed paperwork for recalls again this time successfully; now Spitzer faces candidate and former councilman Steve LaMar in a special recall election this March. “Frankly, I think it is all negative, and it’s splitting our town apart,” Spitzer said in a phone interview about the
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