July 6, 2011 • Vol. 09, No. 31
POSTAL PATRON CAVE CREEK
www.thefoothillsfocus.com
ECRWSS Carrier Route PreSorted Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 371 Cave Creek, AZ
Anthem • Black Canyon City • Carefree • Cave Creek • Desert Hills • New River • N. Phoenix • Tramonto
North Valley communities celebrate Independence Day MARC BUCKHOUT MANAGING EDITOR
Anthem and Cave Creek residents celebrated the Fourth of July over the weekend. In Anthem families showed up in force for activities on Saturday in Anthem Community Park. From bounce houses to a variety of water slides children raced around the fields. The food court offered numerous dining and beverage options and a DJ playing tunes as well as leading contests and activities throughout the night. Others spent the evening playing sports including basketball, football, soccer and Frisbee.
Anthem Idol Dave Hatley sang the National Anthem prior to the fireworks show. While high winds early in the day subsided prior to Saturday’s event in Anthem, the weather impacted the festivities Sunday in Cave Creek. A driving rainstorm sent patrons at Harold’s, who were there to listen to live music prior to the fireworks show, running for cover on the restaurant’s patio. The storm, which lasted almost an hour, included not only rain, but also an impressive lightning show. Once the rain subsided, an abbreviated fireworks show took place.
Caption: Marc Buckhout/The Foothills Focus
Both Anthem and Cave Creek celebrated Independence Day early with Anthem conducting its festivities on Saturday in the community park. Cave Creek had its celebration on Sunday. For a photo recap of the celebrations go to page 15. To view more photos from over the weekend go to The Foothills Focus Facebook page at facebook.com/thefoothills.focus
Creative spirit burns bright in New River artist
Quayle pays visit to Carefree
MARC BUCKHOUT MANAGING EDITOR
MARC BUCKHOUT MANAGING EDITOR
Ben Quayle, a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona’s 3rd congressional district, spent more than an hour in Carefree Friday discussing issues facing the Congress with members of the Carefree Town Council and a handful of area residents. “For far too long both Republicans and Democrats in Washington have spent money like drunken sailors,” he said. “We’ve got to get our financial house in order.”
QUAYLE
continued on page 3
Inside:
Caption: Marc Buckhout/The Foothills Focus
New River resident Tom Dunlap makes art using a tool that burns and carves into wood. The 62-year-old former mechanic has a collection of historic fire vehicle he has created on display at the Hall of Flame museum in Phoenix.
THEATER:
SPORTS:
Tom Dunlap chuckles that he got kicked out of the only art class he ever took, way back during his high school days. Despite the early rejection the 62-year-old New River resident said he always knew he had a knack for creating things. Up until recently though he never would have considered himself an artist, a label even now he doesn’t seem quite comfortable with. “I’m just a hick from North Carolina having a ball making stuff,” he said. “I’m not really artsy-fartsy.” While he is reluctant to accept the label, Dunlap has been alerted to the idea that he does have an artistic gift;
ART:
one he now hopes will ignite and perhaps burn brightly for the foreseeable future. In Dunlap’s words he “paints with fire.” Armed with an inexpensive wood burning tool Dunlap burns and carves pictures into basswood. The former mechanic’s current focus is completing a series of 12 historic fire trucks for the Hall of Flame, located at 6101 East Van Buren St. in Phoenix. The museum, with more than 90 fully restored pieces of fire apparatus on display dating from 1725 to 1969, already has the first five in the series that Dunlap has completed on display. Dunlap worked for Pierce Manufacturing, which builds
ARTIST
continued on page 6
OTHER :
On The Towne announces season’s upcoming lineup of shows
Cactus Shadows tabs new varsity baseball coach
Library celebrates photography contest winners
• Editorial Page
Page 4
Page 7
Page 11
• Classified Ads
17
• Service Directory 18 22