April 1, 2015 • Vol. 13, No.18
POSTAL PATRON CAVE CREEK
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Anthem | Black Canyon City | Carefree | Cave Creek | Desert Hills | New River| North Phoenix | Tramonto
Diamond Canyon earns A+ School of Excellence designation ELIZABETH MEDORA STAFF
Rebecca Novicki photo
Diamond Canyon staff members cheered and clapped after they were informed that the school had been awarded the A+ School of Excellence designation from the Arizona Educational Foundation.
Experts: At best, snakebite kits don’t work; at worst, they delay care SAMANTHA INCORVAIA CRONKITE NEWS
NORTH VALLEY – For those heading into rattlesnake territory, a snakebite kit – often featuring an illustration of a viper ready to strike – may seem to offer a measure of safety. But experts say treating a bite by cutting tissue, using a suction cup in hopes of drawing out venom with the blood, and tying a cord in hopes of keeping the venom out of the lymphatic system can do more harm than good. “If you’re snakebit and you’re relying on this to save
your life, you’re wasting your time completely,” said Roger Repp, a former president of the Tucson Herpetological Society. “Why not put leeches on the wound while you’re at it?” Repp recalled being bitten on his right index finger by a rock rattlesnake while conducting research in the Huachuca Mountains of northwestern Arizona. “The swelling went all the way up my arm into my chest, and I had an arm like Arnold Schwarzenegger,” he
SNAKEBITE KITS continued on page 10
ANTHEM – The Diamond Canyon Coyotes have big news to celebrate. The PreK-8 school just received the A+ School of Excellence designation from the Arizona Educational Foundation. This award recognizes outstanding schools throughout the state. Per the Arizona Educational Foundation Web site, the program looks for schools that have a “commitment to excellence, equity, and service” and “sustained high achievement.” Schools applying for the designation must provide information on school programs, achievements, and practices, as well as documentation of parental and
community involvement. Five judges visit applying school campuses and personally meet with students, staff, and parents to determine which schools earn the A+ School of Excellence label. This was the first year Diamond Canyon has applied for the designation. Diamond Canyon joins two other Deer Valley Unified School District schools on the 2014-15 A+ list: Barry Goldwater High School and Desert Sage Elementary. “I am so ecstatic that we are A+!” exclaimed Diamond Canyon principal Tara LeCount. She was notified from the Arizona Educational
DIAMOND CANYON continued on page 3
Red Cross honors Anthem volunteer ANTHEM– Anthem resident Dianne Garcia has received the Rookie of the Year Award from the American Red Cross Grand Canyon Chapter. She was one of nine volunteers presented with awards on March 28, during the Breakfast of Champions. The breakfast event honored the Grand Canyon Chapter’s 1,350 adult and youth volunteers who are trained to use their Red Cross skills to help save lives. Garcia has had many Red Cross volunteer leadership roles and has averaged 27 hours of volunteer services per week since she started in 2013. She is the Volunteer Partner to the Disaster Program Manager for
the Greater Phoenix Chapter. Along with her team, she has covered as many as 10 counties in Arizona helping disaster clients with referrals, hotel extensions, and rental assistance. She has helped manage about 750 cases. Garcia organized the Red Cross involvement in the Triennial Emergency Exercise at Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport. During the 2014 Slide fire, she oversaw case files for 70 disaster clients and helped them with their recovery. She used her Spanish skills while working on the Restoring Family Links Unaccompanied Minors Operation in Nogales. “Dianne truly has gone above and beyond anyone’s
TRAIL RUN:
FOOD BANK:
LANDSLIDES:
Cave Creek Trail Run
Greens ‘R Great program at
Arizona Geological Survey
happening April 4
Foothills Food Bank
studying landslides
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Pictured: Dianne Garcia
expectations,’’ said Ashley Fairchild, Red Cross Regional Disaster Workforce Engagement Manager for Arizona, New Mexico, and El Paso. For more information on Red Cross programs or about becoming a Red Cross volunteer, go to www.arizonaredcross.org.
OTHER : • Bluhm Column
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• Service Directory
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• Classified Ads
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