The Foothills Focus - Zone 2 - 03.17.2021 by Times Media Group

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Wednesday, March 17, 2021

William’s Coffee owner credits Army for success BY MICHAEL SCHECK Foothills Focus Contributing Writer

NEWS ................ 6 ‘Do-Gooders’ sponsor local conservation center

he past year dealing with COVID-19 has been a difficult time for small business owners. A major advertising campaign is running, imploring people to support small businesses affected by the pandemic. William Hamilton, a former Army medic and owner of William’s Coffee in Carefree, is facing the challenges with the strength and determination he developed while serving in the U.S. Army — no easy task when competing with the major coffee chain stores.

see WILLIAM’S COFFEE page 4

William Hamilton, former Army Medic and owner of William’s Coffee in Carefree, is proud of his shop, William’s Coffee. (Photo by Michael Scheck/Phoenix Army Recruiting Battalion)

NEWS ...............10

Why Cave Creek, Carefree residents oppose water project

YOUTH ............28

BY SARAH DONAHUE Foothills Focus Staff Writer

News Briefs: Man dies in Bartlette Lake boat crash

Cactus Shadows men’s basketball loses heartbreaker

OPINION ................... 12 BUSINESS ................. 17 FEATURES ................ 20 YOUTH ...................... 28 CLASSIFIEDS ............ 29 Zone

ome are questioning the town of Carefree’s reasoning for initiating its acquisition project and whether it’s worth the associated cost and financial impact to the neighboring town of Cave Creek. A governmental contract has allowed the Cave Creek water company to service certain areas in Carefree for over a decade.

However, after “hundreds of Carefree residents raised concerns about the water service being provided by the Cave Creek system,” the town of Carefree initiated the acquisition of its assets in January 2019, according to an official Carefree Official Information Notification System (COINS) update sent to residents on Feb 5. This water acquisition project will cost the town of Carefree $19.4 million, which was announced during a recent Carefree Utilities Community Facilities District

meeting. This total covers the estimated figures of $11.5 million for disconnection and reconnection costs; $1.4 million for construction “soft costs;” $3.5 million for improvements to its existing system and $2.3 million for legal fees and experts, as stated during the meeting. “From a dollar standpoint, it’s detrimental to both communities,” Cave Creek Mayor Ernie Bunch in an interview with

see WATER PROJECT page 5

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NEWS

An edition of the East Valley Tribune The Foothills Focus is published every Wednesday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout the North Valley. To find out where you can pick up a copy of The Foothills Focus, please visit www.thefoothillsfocus.com CONTACT INFORMATION Main number: 623-465-5808 | Fax: 623-465-1363 Circulation: 480-898-5641 Publisher: Steve T. Strickbine Vice President: Michael Hiatt Associate Publisher: Eric Twohey | 480-898-5634 | erict@thefoothillsfocus.com ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Display Advertising: 623-465-5808 Classifieds/Inside Sales: Elaine Cota | 480-898-7926 | ecota@timespublications.com TJ Higgins | 480-898-5902 | tjhiggins@timespublications.com Steve Insalaco | 480-898-5635 | sinsalaco@timespublications.com Advertising Office Manager: Lori Dionisio | 480-898-6309 | ldionisio@timespublications.com Director of National Advertising Zac Reynolds | 480-898-5603 | zac@thefoothillsfocus.com NEWS DEPARTMENT Executive Editor: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski | 480-898-5631 christina@timespublications.com Photographer: Pablo Robles | probles@timespublications.com Design: Nathalie Proulx | nproulx@timespublications.com Production Coordinator: Courtney Oldham | 480-898-5617 production@timespublications.com Circulation Director: Aaron Kolodny | 480-898-5641 | customercare@evtrib.com Proud member of :

The Foothills Focus is distributed by AZ Integrated Media, a circulation service company owned by Times Media Group. The public is permitted one copy per reader. For further information regarding the circulation of this publication or others in the Times Media Group family of publications, please contact AZ Integrated Media at circ@azintegratedmedia.com or 480-898-5641. For circulation services please contact Aaron Kolodny at aaron@azintegratedmedia.com

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MARCH 17, 2021

WILLIAM’S COFFEE from page 1

Hamilton said William’s Coffee is doing well despite the difficulties of the pandemic. He recently expanded his business hours when some of the restrictions were lifted. A career in the café business affords Hamilton lots of client contact. Every chance he gets, Hamilton promotes his military service. “People ask me all the time about my military experience, and I tell them that I was very lucky. I had this great group of soldiers,” Hamilton said. “I think in the Army there’s a higher percentage of very moral people who want to do the right thing.” After completing basic training and Army medic training at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, Hamilton was assigned to Fort Knox, Kentucky, in 2003. His duties included working at the basic training medical clinic and at the military prison. At the prison, Hamilton worked alongside a physician’s assistant who he said had a profound impact on his military bearing toward detainees. “He told me when I got there that you’re going to see people mistreating detainees. He said it’s not up to us to judge them, let the system do its thing,” Hamilton said. To a 19-year-old, Hamilton said that was not the prevailing opinion among soldiers toward detainees following the events of 9-11. He remembers an incident when he entered a detainee’s cell and side-stepped his prayer rug. “He asked me why I did that, and I answered that it’s not for me to judge you or your beliefs,” Hamilton said. “And this was one year before the Abu Ghraib [prison] scandal story broke.” Hamilton said throughout his military career he served mostly alongside soldiers with the highest level of moral character. “Even in difficult circumstances, you have to know how to stand up and do what’s right,” Hamilton said. After the Army, Hamilton returned to Phoenix and attended ASU, armed with a responsible attitude, a firm sense of commitment and loyalty ingrained from his military service. “I thrived in college because of the

William Hamilton, head barrister and owner of William’s Coffee in Carefree, prepares a Café Americano for a customer. Hamilton, a former Army medic, credits his military service with giving him the strength to make his small business succeed during the pandemic. “Your event never happened if you can’t measure its return on investment.” (Photo by Michael Scheck/Phoenix

Army Recruiting Battalion)

Army,” Hamilton said. “That was another benefit of being a veteran; people looked up you as a good example.” In college, Hamilton and other classmates studying literature started a club called Common Sense. He said that he and his friends were politically involved, but not the Democrat verses Republican type. They studied congressional legislation and looked for ways to improve those bills they agreed with and contacted the congressmen sponsoring the legislation. Finishing college at the height of the recession helped Hamilton’s entrepreneurial spirit really kick in. “I found a yogurt store in town where the owner needed some help,” Hamilton said. Eventually the owner sold the business to Hamilton on a contract basis that he feels was based heavily on the strength of his military background.

“And from there, for almost 10 years now, I’ve been doing café entrepreneurship.” Hamilton eventually sold the yogurt store and a business broker friend told him about an opportunity in Carefree. And William’s Coffee was born. Unlike the previous owners who offered coffee and sandwiches, William’s Coffee is strictly great fresh roasted coffee and specialty pastries. He admitted it’s been challenging to run a business during the pandemic, however he remains optimistic about the future once things balance out. Hamilton believes that, overall, people should have the greatest respect for those who have served in the military. “By and large if you see a veteran or someone serving in the military people should say that’s a shining star,” Hamilton said.

NEWS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MARCH 17, 2021

WATER PROJECT from page 1

The Foothills Focus. Bunch said the statement that Cave Creek has “substandard water” is “absolutely not true.” The Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) confirmed this, stating Cave Creek’s water system has never violated health-based Safe Drinking Water Act standards. Since Cave Creek purchased the water company in 2007, “all data shows that they’re in compliance with health -based federal Safe Drinking Water Act standards for all pollutants,” said Trevor Baggiore, ADEQ water quality division director, in an interview with The Foothills Focus. “All the testing, sample results and reporting received by ADEQ and Maricopa County show that Cave Creek water meets applicable Safe Drinking Water Act standards.” Despite this, many residents took to the Carefree utilities meeting to issue public comments voicing concerns about Cave Creek’s water quality. A large number of these concerns mentioned a violation notice sent to the Cave Creek water system customers in 2018 announcing that the water had exceeded the standard for a compound called total organic carbon. However, Baggiore said this notice was not “not a health-based exceedance.” “Over the entire time frame that Cave Creek has been running the water system,” this notice is the only “Safe Drinking Water Act violation for a nonhealth-based rule requirement.” Some of the 58 public comments read during the Carefree utilities meeting also said the water is brown. Baggiore explained how the Safe Drinking Water Act sets certain standards for pollutants that “must be complied with,” but also sets what is called a “secondary standard.” These standards, unlike pollutant standards, are not enforceable. “They’re like recommendations for water systems mostly dealing with the aesthetics of the water” like taste, color and smell, he said. While these secondary standards

are not enforceable, “we always work with systems to try to resolve those issues,” Baggiore said. As for the Cave Creek system, the ADEQ nor the county has received a single complaint to his knowledge, he added. The reason for this notice was also due to a reclassification of the Cave Creek water system, Baggiore said. This reclassification brought forth more stringent standards on how much total organic carbon can be present in the water, which required the Cave Creek water company to send a notice to each of its customers. “That issue has since been resolved” as improvements were made to comply with the more stringent standard for the nonhealth-based requirement, Baggiore said. “The water system is in compliance with that condition as well as all others right now.” Carefree resident Stephanie Barbour, a Carefree water company customer, said she reached out to the ADEQ to ask about the Cave Creek system’s water quality to decide whether or not she supported the acquisition project. However, “after extensive research, it has become clear to me there is no legitimate justification for such a fiscally irresponsible project,” Barbour said. “If I thought there was a real water quality problem, I would support the water transition despite the high cost.” This acquisition is “plunging us into what they call multigenerational debt in a time when the economy is going into a shaky period,” she said. “It makes no sense because there’s nothing to gain from it.” The anticipated loss of revenue from the Carefree customers will put Cave Creek in a precarious financial situation, Bunch said. Cave Creek water serves about 540 Carefree residences. The town’s expenses will surpass its income, and it will be forced to find alternate ways to compensate for the lost revenue, Bunch said. “Conceivably, there could be a rate increase because of this.” The town of Cave Creek is still paying off eight Water Infrastructure

Finance Authority of Arizona loans, which funded the purchase of the water company as well as subsequent system maintenance and improvement expenses in later years. Cave Creek still owes $36 million from these eight loans, which must be paid off between 2026 and 2030, according to town information. The payments for the system aren’t going away, however, the customers who helped bring in the revenue are going away. The Cave Creek Town Council has discussed refinancing two of the water loans, the 2007 WWTP loan and the 2008 Desert Hills Water system loan, to a lower rate to address the financial strain that will be brought forth from this acquisition project. Bunch said “it would have been nice” if the town could have paid off some of the loans on the original purchase of the water company and subsequent system improvements first before relinquishing the assets. “It’s a bad deal all the way around and not necessary.” This history of this goes back to 2005, when the towns of Cave Creek and Carefree signed an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) so Cave Creek could condemn its privately owned water company that serviced both its residents as well as Carefree, according to Carefree information. The IGA permits Carefree to eventually acquire these water assets that service parts of Carefree. However, Cave Creek ended up purchasing the private water company instead of condemning it. Once the acquisition was initiated by the town of Carefree, arbitration hearings began late October of last year to determine the compensation amount Carefree would pay Cave Creek for acquiring these assets, per the IGA. On Dec. 4, the Arbitrators’ Decision on the Merits was released, which stated the “just compensation” Carefree must pay Cave Creek for the condemned assets is $1,464,593, which was stated during the Carefree utilities meeting. The panel determined all the litiga-

tion expenses, attorney fees, expert fees and other costs were rendered in favor of Carefree, according to its Partial Final Award issued Jan. 14 after an additional briefing. The two towns have been working on a settlement agreement before the Partial Final Reward was issued and since then for the purpose of achieving cooperation, finality and an expedited integration of the Carefree Service Area into the Carefree Water System. On March 11, the Cave Creek Town Council entered an executive session to discuss and consult legal advice with the town’s attorney to potentially take action to approve the Carefree Condemnation Settlement Agreement. Carefree also claimed the acquisition is necessary because Cave Creek does not properly manage its water resources, and there are concerns about system reliability, fire protection as well as the future of the water supply. “Since it has owned its water company, Cave Creek has either under-funded needed — if not required — water infrastructure improvements and not followed an industry accepted maintenance schedule,” according to official town information. “Our bottom line is that no Carefree resident should be forced to have to continue to rely upon an outside political entity (Cave Creek) for their water service when that entity has not demonstrated an ability of effectively manage such a system,” it states. However, all water systems are inspected and reviewed annually by ADEQ and Maricopa County to ensure they meet requirements for operational and maintenance uses like water pressure, Baggiore said. “To my knowledge, to the information that we have, there have been no violations of operation maintenance requirements there,” he said about the Cave Creek system. If a required violation notice is not issued by a public water system, the ADEQ has a process in place to issue the notice to customers itself. “That has not been the case with Cave Creek.” —Staff writer Sarah Donahue can be reached at sdonahue@timespublications.com

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NEWS

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THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MARCH 17, 2021

‘Do-Gooders’ sponsor local conservation center BY SARAH DONAHUE Foothills Focus Staff Writer

stealth group of Cave Creek “Do-Gooders” is trying to make the community a little brighter by sponsoring a local charity each month. The Do-Gooders chose to sponsor the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center (SWCC) for March with a goal of raising enough money for a $1,000 incubator for the upcoming birthing season. The Scottsdale-based SWCC rescues, rehabilitates and releases native wild animals that have been abandoned, orphaned, injured or displaced by developments. Animals that aren’t able to survive in the wild can live the rest of their lives at the accredited sanctuary. Kim Carr, animal care manager, said she found out the Do-Gooders chose the SWCC as this month’s sponsored organization from a post in a local Cave Creek Facebook group.

The Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center uses incubators to shelter native wild animals like javelinas, skunks, foxes and raccoons. (Photo courtesy of The Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center) “I don’t know what we did deserve it, but we’re just really grateful,” Carr said. The incubator will “be put to such good use because we help so many orphaned animals every year.” Right now, a lot of these incubators at the facility are filled with baby javelinas, as they are born year-round, she said.

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The official “baby season” starts within the next two months, she added. The center gets “all sorts of baby animals throughout the spring and summertime” like skunks, racoons, javelinas, racoons, coyotes and foxes, she said. The incubators used to rehabilitate the animals are “very specialized,” she said. The animal care specialists can control the temperature, humidity and can pump extra oxygen in by using a computer monitor. The incubators also have an alarm system that alerts the specialists if the temperature or humidity drops below a certain level. “They’re pretty high tech, so that’s why they’re so expensive.” The center isn’t always able to find the funds to buy incubators because it spends much of its funds on medicine and food, “so when a group or donors offer to buy us something like that, it’s absolutely amazing,” Carr said. It costs over $1 million a year to “to keep our doors open to wildlife,” she said. Without the help of groups like the Do-Gooders or the others who donate goods, services and money, “we absolutely would not be able to do what we do.” Every donation, whether it’s $1, $1,000, an incubator or a bag of dog food, “all of it goes to help these animals.” The SWCC houses around 200 to 300 animals, she said. “Not all of those will be releasable.”

Some sanctuary animals will live there for the rest of their lives because of extenuating circumstances, she said. “But we definitely get a couple hundred releasable animals every year.” “We help to return as many as possible. That’s always our goal.” Carr started volunteering at the SWCC 20 years ago and has been a paid employee for 15 years. Since its inception, the facility has conducted its operations in the backyard of Linda Searles’ home, SWCC founder. Carr recalled volunteering in the early days, saying, “it was so small, and it’s just grown and grown and grown and grown. It’s just amazing how great it’s become.” However, the SWCC recently worked out a 99-year lease agreement on a 100acre piece of land at McDowell Mountain Park. The extra land will allow the facility to house even more animals in bigger enclosures for the sanctuary animals as well as releasable animals. The SWCC will also have a bigger hospital, Carr added. The SWCC hopes to be fully moved into the new location within four to five years, she said, adding “that’s pretty optimistic.” The SWCC is in the beginning phase of interviewing architects to create a plan on how it’s going to look. Once it knows the cost, the SWCC can do a “capital campaign and really go to the donors to raise the money to start building this.” She said her favorite part of working at the center is raising the animals and caring for them until they’re eventually released. Seeing her efforts come “full circle is really rewarding,” she said. Carr also said she loves how the sanctuary extends its recovery efforts to endangered Mexican grey wolves. The SWCC’s efforts started over 20 years ago. The facility has an on-site medical care center and volunteer dispatch teams that respond to “wildlife emergencies.” It also offers educational and full-

see DO-GOODERS page 8

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MARCH 17, 2021

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NEWS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MARCH 17, 2021

DO-GOODERS from page 6

time wildlife consultation service. The facility also offers public tours, at which time many people make donations. However, “because of COVID, we were shut down for a long time,” Carr said. This created financial difficulties, as these donations are a big part of what the center depends on to pay for food and medicine for the animals, she explained. However, recently, the facility has started its tours again at limited capacity. “It was a tough year, and the summer is the toughest for sure, because that’s when we see the most animals and that’s when our revenue goes down,” she said. Most of its donations are received in the spring and summertime is probably when it gets the least amount of donations, she added. It’s been difficult to find ways to receive donations without the tours in full swing, but “people have been very generous too,” Carr said. This is the fifth and latest month-long

The incubators used at the Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center are specialized and high tech, as animal care specialists can control the temperature, humidity and oxygen levels with a computer monitor. (Photo courtesy of The Southwest Wildlife Conservation Center)

effort from the anonymous Do-Gooders since it formed in November. The group “loved” the idea because it was its first animal-focused charity, said Liz Moran, Do-Gooder member. Moran said she received special permission from the Do-Gooders to go on the record in an interview with The Foothills Focus. She explained why the group members stay anonymous, saying “it’s not

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about us.” “We want to focus on the organization,” she said. Moran added it prioritizes “raising awareness of all these fabulous charities we have” who really need the donations. In November, the members collected 680 pounds of food to donate to the Foothills Food Bank, according to Moran. The next month, Do-Gooders collected Christmas gifts and $400 worth of gift cards for a local family of seven, she said. For its January effort, the Do-Gooders assembled and collected nearly 600 birthday bags for Helping Hands, consisting of the balloons, cake mix, and cake tin for foster children ages 8 to 21. In February, the group made 100 Valentine’s Day cards for seniors, which were distributed by the Foothills Caring Corp. Many of the cards were made by children who were involved, Moran added. “We look forward to what we’re going to do the next month,” The 13 friends take turns choosing a charity to sponsor, using a private, hidden Facebook group as well as an Excel spreadsheet to brainstorm and plan fu-

ture endeavors. The group members post on their personal Facebook pages and on Cave Creek Facebook groups to get family, friends as well as Cave Creek students involved. In March, Do-Gooders attached a direct link to the SWCC donation page in their posts to encourage everyone to donate anything they can. “It doesn’t take a lot of people to make a big change,” Moran said. Many organizations are financially in “dire straits” due to the financial impacts of COVID-19, she said. These local charities need help at this time because a lot of people lost their jobs and are unable to contribute in the way they did in the past, she added. “But then again, this is a very affluent community,” Moran said. “We just would like to encourage everybody just to do their part. Everybody has a little extra time or a little extra money. They can do something to make this world a better place.” —Staff writer Sarah Donahue can be reached at sdonahue@timespublications.com

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MARCH 17, 2021

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NEWS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MARCH 17, 2021

News Briefs BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

Man dies in Bartlett Lake boat crash A 65-year-old man operating a Nitro bass boat died March 8 after a crash with another watercraft just north of Rattlesnake Cove, according to Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. Matthew Burlington was traveling north along the west side of the lake, contrary to the traffic pattern, deputies said. The second boat was operated by two adult males, ages 61 and 72. The Nitro bass boat No. 2 was traveling south along the west side of the lake north of Rattlesnake Cove. This area is marked with hazard buoys warning boaters of a submerged reef. As boat No. 2 was traveling south along the buoy line, the boat being operated by Burlington unexpectedly altered its course by turning directly into boat No. 2’s path. The operator of boat No. 2 was unable to make an evasive maneuver and ramped over

Burlington’s boat. All three men were ejected into the water. The two adult males in boat No. 2 sustained minor injuries and were both wearing personal floatation devices. Burlington sustained traumatic life-threatening injuries upon impact. The investigation has revealed that impairment did not contribute to this collision. This incident will remain open pending a thorough examination of both watercrafts and the medical examiner’s findings, deputies said. CCUSD welcomes two new executive directors The Cave Creek Unified School District Governing Board approved the hiring of executive director of elementary leadership and executive director of secondary leadership. Dr. Patty Jensen, the principal of Lone Mountain Elementary School, has been named executive director of elementary

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leadership. Jensen has served as an elementary school principal for the past eight years in Texas and Arizona. She has taught at the elementary and high school levels, served as a district bilingual/ ESL coordinator, and as an assistant principal prior to her years as principal. She earned her Ph.D. in educational administration and foundations in 2011 from Illinois State University and continues to research and publish. Her most recent article discusses the importance of listening in leadership. Jensen lives in Cave Creek with her husband who is director of writing programs at ASU and their three girls, all of whom attend Lone Mountain. Nancy Scott, the director of CTE and secondary curriculum in the Queen Creek Unified School District, has been named executive director of secondary leadership. Scott has been in education for 20 years. During her time as an educator, she has been an English and social studies teacher, secondary

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Inside-Out Learning launches ‘Authenticity Code’ program Inside-Out Learning Inc. and Dr. Sharon Lamm-Hartman launch The Authenticity Code: Authentic Presence and Presentation Skills Program. To help professionals and leaders achieve their next level of success in their career and business, Lamm-Hartman and her team of executive coaches launched this innovative virtual program which is inspired by her upcoming book: “The Authenticity Code: The Art and Science of Success and Why You Can’t Fake It to Make It.” Inside-Out Learning Inc. has been offering versions of this program inside several Fortune 500 companies for the past 20 years. “I teach that your presence plus your audience plus your presentation equals your success,” Lamm-Hartman said. “I call this ‘The Authenticity Code.’ By becoming more authentic as leaders and professionals, success results include 80% promotion rates, 90% retention rates, billions of dollars in sales, getting to yes faster in any presentation and improving overall professional and leadership presence and communication.” The program is for professionals and leaders. Inside-Out Learning will host two, two and a half hour-hour facilitator-led modules via Zoom that will provide an abundance of tips, strategies and interactive exercises to assist participants in achieving their next level of career and business success. The program begins March 23 and March 25. For more information or to register, visit insideoutlearning.com.

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MARCH 17, 2021

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OPINION

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AROUND THE BLUHMIN’ TOWN

Keep your cellphones handy for photo ops BY JUDY BLUHM Foothills Focus Columnist

ave you taken a good photo lately? It seems like humans love to snap photos of their pets. This must be true by all the adorable dog and cat pictures posted on social media. As my husband points out, we have had very few photos taken of the two of us together in the past few years. But our horses? We must have hundreds of snapshots. Well, animals are always photogenic, never have “bad hair

days” and rarely seem to age. Humans? Not quite so lucky. Have you ever entered a photo contest? If you are looking for inspiration, read on. An octopus stole a camera and the top prize at an international competition. And this was not just any photo. Now that selfies are an accepted part of photography (and our culture) these days, one clever octopus got in on the act. Yes, photographers from 80 countries submitted thousands of images in the annual Ocean Art Underwater Photo Competition, but it was the cu-

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rious octopus who won it all. Photographer Gaetano Gargiulo was shooting pictures in a tide pool in Australia, when the huge octopus came out of his den and started manipulating the camera with his tentacles, taking several selfies. And just like that, a winner was born. And perhaps photo competitions will never be the same. I did have a horse named Baxter, who loved the camera. You would think that a horse wouldn’t care about picture taking. But then you might not have known Baxter. Hold a camera or cellphone up and he would suddenly stop, throw his head back and show a toothy simper. Yes, horses can smile, showing teeth the size of piano keys. Baxter would strike a pose till he

heard the “click” of the shutter and then go back to whatever he was doing, which usually involved eating. Many of my friends didn’t believe it until I posted his goofy and happy face on Facebook. So enthralled was I with his

see BLUHM page 15

OPINION

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MARCH 17, 2021

Scales of justice out of whack on death row BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Foothills Focus Columnist

f you believe in the criminal justice system, file this under good news: The Arizona Department of Corrections recently issued a press release reporting it’s once again ready to execute some of the 115 murderers housed on death row. “At the direction of Gov. Doug Ducey, (Corrections) has been working diligently to obtain the drugs necessary to implement executions in the state of Arizona, and to identify sources to prepare the drugs in compliance with Arizona law,” the release explained. “(Corrections) stands ready, with the Attorney General’s Office, to administer justice.” It’s about time. Some of these murderous scumbags have been on death row for decades. Like Ernesto Salgado Martinez,

sentenced to death in 1998 for the 1995 cold-blooded execution of legendary Arizona state trooper Bob Martin. Martinez was speeding along the Beeline Highway 7 miles north of Shea Boulevard when he passed Martin, a 28-year Department of Public Safety veteran known by his colleagues as “Mother Martin” for the way he took care of his fellow cops. As Martin approached the stolen Monte Carlo Martinez was driving, Martinez fired four times. Martin died at the scene from a fatal chest wound, lying face up in the middle of the highway he patrolled for more than 20 years. Martinez was captured a day later in California, though not before he murdered a convenience store clerk in Blythe. He used Bob Martin’s service weapon to commit that murder. Even on death row, Martinez hasn’t been idle. His prison record shows 27

disciplinary infractions, including multiple assaults and weapons charges. I’ve heard all the arguments against the death penalty over the years. None of them justify allowing Martinez to escape ultimate justice for a quarter century. There’s zero doubt Martinez committed this murder. He has exhausted every last appeal — as have nearly two dozen Death Row residents. He’s even been gifted with an additional seven years of life while anti-death-penalty attorneys thumb-wrestled with the state in a silly lawsuit over which drugs can be used to execute inmates. On an April day 23 years ago, I witnessed Jose Roberto Villafuerte receive lethal injection for the murder of Amelia Schoville. Villafuerte hog-tied his victim, then raped her. Schoville choked

see LEIBOWITZ page 15

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BLUHM �� page 12

funny grin, that I even used his image to be plastered on my Christmas cards. Nothing says “Peace on Earth and Good Will to All” like a big smiling horse. I do appreciate the efforts of wildlife snapping their own photos. A bald eagle in Alaska grabbed a GoPro camera, probably thinking it was a salmon, and took it to the skies for a joyride. The eagle swooped, snatched the device and flew up to a mile high, taking panoramic photos and even a few selfies. What greater thrill is there than seeing the majestic face of an eagle sailing through

LEIBOWITZ �� page 13

to death on the grimy sheet he stuffed down her throat to keep her quiet. Villafuerte enjoyed a sumptuous repast of broiled chicken, tortillas and rice before he was sent off the great beyond. The following year, I witnessed Michael Poland get a lethal needle. Poland chose breakfast food for his last meal — eggs sunny side up, bacon, hash browns, toast and Raisin Bran. I often wonder why we bother letting the condemned choose what to eat. It would have been far more fitting to read to Poland short biographies of the two men he and his brother Patrick killed: Cecil Newkirk and Russell Dempsey, armored car guards the Polands kidnapped, beat, tasered, stuffed in canvas bags and dumped in Lake Mead to drown. Villafuerte and Poland seemed to doze off as the poison surged toward their hearts. It was a peaceful end for both men, unlike the mayhem they visited on their victims and noth-

the air with blue sky above and rivers below. The best part of all was the images of the eagle carefully examining the GoPro when he landed back on the ground, giving a sort of half smirk as he pensively backed away and flew off. The eagle left behind a treasure trove of video for one lucky camper. Dear readers, keep your cameras and cellphones handy. The world is filled with moments of sheer beauty, hilarity and nature. And smile. You might be on candid camera. Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local Realtor. Have a story or a comment? Email Judy at judy@judybluhm.com.

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ing like the so-called “botched” executions often held up as reasons to abandon the death penalty. Our system of justice is predicated on balance. Scales have long been the metaphor of choice for what happens in our courtrooms. Anything short of execution for the murderers on Death Row, in my mind, leaves these scales out of whack. Ernesto Salgado Martinez and his 114 friends long ago forfeited their lives when they committed murder in the most heinous ways imaginable. The state says it’s ready to mete justice. Let’s dispatch these killers into the hereafter.

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THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MARCH 17, 2021

Run to the Hills Spring Fest Car-Bike Show Photos by Pablo Robles

ar enthusiasts from around the Valley converged on New River’s Kiwanis Park on March 6 for the free Run to the Hills Spring Fest Car-Bike Show. Live bands performed during the eight-hour event, and other entertainment included a pin-up pageant show for adults and juniors, and people’s choice awards for the best bike and best car. The trophies were handcrafted by Gremlin Garage.

1. Food vendors kept the crowd fed during the event. 2. Tatum Fisher, 10, and Kyle Ryan, 9, try their hand at rock climbing. 3. Chops Griego from the Tin Can Screamers Band performs for music fans. 4. Sylvia Valenzuela shows off her 1936 Pontiac. 5. A 1994 Toyota Supra was popular. 6. Event organizers Ed Taylor, Adam Johnson and Mike Johns take a break.

3 2

BUSINESS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MARCH 17, 2021

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Business Briefcase BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

Prior to affiliating with Coldwell Banker Realty, he was an agent with Realty Executives since 2011. Before working in real estate, he spent 28 years in the corporate world as a regional manager, recruiter and sales trainer. Passionate about helping others, he supports the work of The First Tee of Phoenix, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and Surrendered Souls Animal Rescue. Hansen has associated with the Scottsdale/Carefree office of Coldwell Banker Realty as an affiliate agent. “I want to assist families and individuals in becoming homeowners and establish long-term assets, which

ohn Trojan and Michelle Hansen have associated with the Scottsdale/ Carefree office of Coldwell Banker Realty as an affiliate agent. Trojan comes to the office with 15 years of real estate experience. “I want to learn more of the mechanics of Luxury Real Estate Marketing as there is none better than Coldwell Banker,” Trojan said. “I also want to explore the recent cutting-edge prospecting and client retention trends, so I decided to affiliate myself with Coldwell Banker Realty.”

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at ASU, a bachelor’s degree in global business with an emphasis in finance from the School of Management and Global Leadership at ASU’s West Campus and a minor in political science from the New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences at ASU. Passionate about helping others, she supports the Salvation Army. Coldwell Banker Realty in Arizona, a leading residential real estate brokerage company, operates 22 offices with approximately 1,465 independent agents throughout Arizona. Coldwell Banker Realty is part of Realogy Brokerage Group, the nation’s largest residential real estate brokerage company.

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BUSINESS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MARCH 17, 2021

Carefree Bath & Body ready to return BY SYDNEY FITE Foothills Focus Staff Writer

panish Village in Carefree is busy, even midday on Wednesday. The area has ice cream shops, art studios and boutiques that are frequently visited. Families sit outside on benches in the sunshine eating lunch, their backs leaned up against a window that used to display products for Carefree Bath & Body. Carefree Bath & Body had been paying rent for a 1,600-square-foot space before being told that every event it scheduled for the rest of the year would be canceled. Not unlike other small businesses, they did everything they could to stay afloat until they had no other options. The space is currently occupied by dust and drywall that fell from the ceiling. The unit is padlocked and looks nothing like it did a year ago. Carefree Bath & Body is Trish Brother-

Carefree Bath & Body originally opened at Spanish Village in March 2020 — just before the pandemic hit. (Photo courtesy Carefree Bath & Body)

ton’s longtime dream. She started making scrubs in her kitchen in 2017 and took them to fairs and festivals. “I set up my whole display and did demos on people’s hands,” she said. “Once they try it, 80% of the time, they fall in love with it.” It was a hobby that helped her earn extra money—until she appeared at the Maricopa County Home & Garden Show. “I didn’t make a single sale the first day,” she said. Brotherton didn’t do a single demo that day, but she met several great people. “I met the other vendors. I met all the security guards for the home show. I met the people who ran the show, and I met my mentor there,” said Brotherton, who learned how to make soap, bath bombs, lotions and scrubs from her. Brotherton put her own spin on the

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RETURN from page 18

recipe and added them to her booth at events. “I eventually ran out of space where I was making it but taking that leap from your kitchen table to paying rent on a commercial place is frightening,” she said. After looking at properties with friends, she called Spanish Village and said the price tag wasn’t too scary. It was manageable. At that time, she had weekend shows in every corner of Arizona. She hired an employee who split shows with Brotherton. Her business was doing so well that she felt comfortable signing the lease that started in January 2020. “It took us a while to get in, sand the floor, redecorate and all of that. I opened the retail area there in March 2020,” she said, pausing. “You can do the math.” In March, the pandemic hit, and she added hand sanitizer to her product line. Unfortunately, Carefree Bath & Body was only open for two weeks. Nobody knew it was there. Spanish Village’s owners were willing

Carefree Bath & Body’s display at Scottsdale Sparkles in October 2020. During the pandemic, owner Trish Brotherton went back to her roots, selling her products at shows. (Photo courtesy

Carefree Bath & Body)

to work with the small business, but she could only afford to keep her space until November. “For the next three months my business was in a storage unit behind a Home Depot,” she said.

Brotherton is selling her Carefree Bath & Body products online at carefreebody. com. Brotherton said she’s wearing all the hats to the company and some fit better than others. Online is a struggle for her and when her business picks

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back up, she wants to hire someone to help her navigate the online store. “I feel like it’s safe to move forward with some things, though. I just haven’t figured out how yet. I’m doing the best I can with what I have, and it’ll get there.” “I love talking to people. By doing this, I am able to teach classes and it gives me an outlet to be creative and teach other people.” But there’s a happy ending to the story. Nearly three months after Brotherton packed up a U-Haul and left Spanish Village, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel. Brotherton is preparing to sign a lease for a space near Bryan’s Black Mountain Barbecue on Cave Creek Road for Carefree Bath & Body. She plans to teach classes on the patio that comes with the space. She’ll go back to doing what she loves most: talking to people and making them happy. Carefree Bath & Body carefreebody.com

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Local women come together for art exhibit BY SARAH DONAHUE Foothills Focus Staff Writer

he Sonoran Arts League’s Center of the Arts is celebrating Women’s History Month with an exhibit featuring a diverse collection of pieces created by local Arizona women. The “Making Her Mark” exhibit showcases a wide variety of mediums from contemporary paintings to sculptures, pottery and jewelry. The works are on display at the Center for the Arts in Cave Creek through April 4. Around 40 Arizona women, who are Sonoran Arts League members, are featured in the exhibit with ages ranging from 15 to 75. The community has already shown an en-

thusiastic interest in the women’s art show, said Sonoran Arts League executive director Cait Huble. “So far, the response has been outstanding.” The exhibit’s official opening night took place on March 5 and “we had over 200 visitors just that evening,” Huble said. The center extended its hours to make the opening night more “COVID-friendly.” “This month we’re actually going back to keeping our center for the arts open on SatReflections of Orange, a pastel piece created by 62-year-old Carefree resident Beverly Bradshaw. Bradshaw said she is inspired by sights that invoke a certain feeling and tries to recreate it for others to enjoy. (Photo courtesy

of Beverly Bradshaw)

urdays to make it a little bit easier for people to come in and see the work,” she said. For the past year, the museum was only open on weekdays due to COVID-19, she said. “It’s a beautiful exhibit,” she said. “We want to educate the community and we love to have a relationship with our community. “Just because you’re not buying art doesn’t mean we don’t want to engage with you. There’s so much more to experience about it than just coming in for a transaction.” Artists submitted their work and the Sonoran Arts League’s jury committee selected the featured pieces. The jury committee wanted to showcase a “well-represented col-

see EXHIBIT page 21

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EXHIBIT from page 20

lection” and also a “cohesive body of work.” Two of the exhibited pieces were completed by 15-year-old Robin Rand, a Northwest Phoenix native. Robin said she is “very honored that my art is able to be featured in the gallery at all.” As a young artist, “it feels really gratifying when I’m able to have my art be put right alongside more established artists who’ve been doing it for so long.” One of her pieces is filled with blues and purples and the other has a blend of purples and gold. She also had seven pieces showcased in the Sonoran Art League’s youth exhibit in December. The young artist is homeschooled and focuses on abstract art and uses creative tools like a hairdryer as a brush to add interesting textures within her pieces. All of this came to be from an Instagram post, said her mother, Alison Rand. Two years ago, she posted one of Robin’s paintings and someone reached out and said her pieces should be displayed in a gallery or in the Sonoran Arts League’s Hidden in the Hills event.

Beverly Bradshaw, a 62-year-old pastel artist and Carefree resident, creates her works from photographs, but also enjoys taking her easel outside to create “en plein air.” (Photo courtesy of Beverly Bradshaw)

Robin was inspired by these words and started focusing on showing her art publicly. Alison said she is “proud of her art and it’s just transformed so beautifully — all from Instagram.” Robin has always been creative. Since she was adopted, she wanted to work

21 ••

displayed in the Arizona Fine Art Expo in Scottsdale. She hopes to take her art to the level in which her pieces can be displayed in even more prestigious galleries. Carefree resident Beverly Carlson-Bradshaw, 62, is also featured in the exhibit. One of her desert pastel pieces has already sold. “That was exciting,” she said. She said she “felt flattered” to be chosen among the many “wonderful artists in this area.” Pastels are Bradshaw’s medium of choice because she likes the “immediacy” of it, she said. Bradshaw has worked with oil paint YOU and watercolors in the past, but she really TO BE enjoys the “vibrancy of the color” that is created by using pastels as a medium. Bradshaw is a member of the Arizona Pastel Artists Association as well as the Pastel Society of the West Coast. “It’s a very welcoming community of artists,” she said. “There’s a lot of inspiration.” She said she is inspired by the sights she sees that create a certain feeling inside. “I kind of go all over. I can’t stay in one thing.” Animals, flowers and desert landscapes

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with her hands and always enjoyed painting, Alison said. However, “three years ago, there was a shift” in which she decided she was going to take it seriously and create on a larger scale, Alison said. Robin’s short-term goal is getting her art

see

page 24

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TOLD BY KUMA AND WRITTEN BY LORRAINE BOSSÉ-SMITH Foothills Focus Contributing Writer

sually when we are headed out for an adventure, we go north. Not this time. Dad jumped on the 17 South to the 10 and then got on the 60 East to Superior. At Superior, dad headed south on 177 for about 15.5 miles to Kelvin. I hadn’t heard of such a place. It’s a tiny bedroom community that serves the Ray Mine. Anyway, you will need to take a very sharp right onto Florence-Kelvin Highway, and it isn’t marked. It is literally just before the bridge. If you miss it, go back and take the first left after the bridge. The road becomes dirt, but it is flat. No special vehicles required. The area appears to be a neighborhood, because there are a few houses, but keep going.

Don’t turn onto private driveways but continue straight for just a half mile. You will see the sign for the trailhead parking lot on your left. Parking is free, but it isn’t a huge lot. As always, arrive early if you can. From North Phoenix, it took us two hours. It was approximately 88 miles. We had to chuckle at the sign in the parking lot that said, “Although dogs are welcome, we don’t recommend they hike this trail as it is rocky, has cactus and could have snakes.” Um, your point? Most hikes in Arizona are rocky and have cactus. We proceeded ahead. The trail is actually back on the road to your left. It says “AZT” or Arizona Trail, but the hike is actually the Gila River Canyon Trail. You can go as short or as long as you like, but 3 miles in is the Gila River Canyon Bridge. That was our goal for the day or 6 miles total.

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Impressive saguaros against a blue sky. (Photo by Lorraine Bossé-Smith)

see KUMA page 23

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huge copper mine that was bought by Mexico in 1988. It goes for miles and miles. You can definitely see the copper color. As you keep climbing up and make some turns, you will then get a view of the Gila River, which had water flowing in it. Because of the river, Cottonwood trees line the canyon floor. They were already green in anticipating of spring. Mom’s ankle started giving her trouble, so she stopped short of the bridge

Kuma and his mom with views. (Photo by Lorraine Bossé-Smith)

KUMA �� 22

The trail is moderate and isn’t actually that rocky. It does, however, go up at a steady climb. You start by following the old railroad tracks. We saw some signs of spring coming with the Ocotillo turning green and some had orange flowers already. Because this is way out in the middle of nowhere, it was very quiet. The temperatures for us were nice and cool, but on a hot day, this trail would be tough. There is zero shade. Keep that in mind and always pack enough water to and fro. Be sure to sign in at the registration stand so they know you are there in case something happens. About 15 to 20 minutes in, you will get a great view of the Ray Mine and Granite Mountain. The Ray Mine is a

The Gila River Canyon Bridge. (Photo by Lorraine Bossé-Smith)

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at 2 miles. She wasn’t happy about it, but she wasn’t sure how it would do on the way back. Dad and I pressed on to get the view of the bridge at about 2.5 miles. The Gila Canyon Ridge is actually a railroad bring over the river. It’s cool looking, but we decided it wasn’t worth the half mile down to it and back out. We got back to mom, who found a

�� KUMA �� 26

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EXHIBIT from page 21

are shown within many of her pieces. She enjoys challenging herself with different subjects and whatever “speaks to me.” Originally from Montana, Bradshaw moved to Carefree two years ago from Seattle. “The color and the lighting from the sun is so much brighter here.” She enjoys creating works that show the desert scenes that surround her, but also likes doing landscapes of scenes from everywhere, she said. “Everywhere you live, there’s always something inspirational to paint.” Bradshaw has always been interested in the arts but wasn’t able to dedicate the time because of her job, she said. “It’s great to finally be doing something I’ve always loved and doing it full time.” This is the first time the organization has featured this exhibit, however, Huble said “I hope to make it an annual event.” This exhibit was designed to serve an important purpose. One of the Sonoran Arts League’s initiatives for the year is “arts equity,” which Huble described as “serving the people what is needed.”

Despite the league’s membership being made up of primarily women, the pieces shown within the space didn’t represent that, she explained. The Sonoran Arts League decided to do this specific show to “give a platform for just women to help bring that equity among our members.” Huble said it was also important to increase representation and acceptance among transgender women as well. “We were very intentional about the language about self-identified women artists.” “We feel that the arts are what ties our community together. They’re what kind of brings out that humanity in each of us.” —Staff writer Sarah Donahue can be reached at sdonahue@timespublications.com Making Her Mark: Art by Women

Patchwork Dream was created by 62-year-old pastel artist and Carefree resident Beverly Bradshaw. Pastels are her favorite medium because of its purity, vibrancy and immediacy. (Photo

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KUMA from page 23

nice, big boulder to sit on. I laid down in the dirt to cool off. Meanwhile, she got our lunches out, and we enjoyed a nice picnic with a view of the river. It was very peaceful and enjoyable. I love how green the Saguaros were against the blue sky. After our break, we headed back out. We only saw a few humans on the trail and one set was on mountain bikes. This would be a fun trail as it isn’t rocky but provides a steady climb without breaks. We were going pretty slow as mom’s ankle would give out on her. Poor mom. I know what it is like to have a lame paw. Not fun. She was a trooper, though. Before we knew it, we were back to the car. All in all, we went 5 miles. I was in my kennel and asleep before we even left the parking lot. Note: The trail head does not have human restrooms, so you probably want to stop in Superior to use the restrooms. The Circle K’s ones are clean, mom says. Anyway, we were going for

The view of the Ray Copper Mine. (Photo by Lorraine Bossé-Smith)

a long while, so I settled in for the ride. My mom, Lorraine Bossé-Smith, is kind enough to help me share my great adventures, big and small. My mom

is a motivational speaker, corporate trainer, executive recruiter, business consultant, coach, fitness expert, and author of nine published books.

Kuma on the Gila River Canyon Trail. (Photo by Lorraine Bossé-Smith)

Enjoy my blog at lorrainebosse-smith.com or follow me at facebook.com/Kumathedog/ and Instagram: kumaitothedog .

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y r a n i d r LEXUS NX 300h Extrao comes with a hefty price tag Rides STORY AND PHOTOS BY C.A. HAIRE Foothills Focus Contributing Writer

hose seeking an SUV with excellent fuel economy, but demanding quality and style, should give the Lexus NX 300h a look. This vehicle is a gas-sipping hybrid, but has many of the fancy features expected from a luxury brand. This is the F-Sport version, which is loaded with everything, as in no options. Modern safety gadgets include lane track assist, pedestrian detection, radar cruise control, blind spot monitor, rear cross traffic alert, brake assist with smart stop tech, and lane depart alert. For luxury, the vehicle boasts leather

At a twist of this dial, there are three driving modes: economy, normal and sport.

The Lexus 300h front view. trim, power goodies, sport tuned suspension, cornering lamps, 18-inch sport wheels, heated steering wheel, and eight-speaker premium sound. To provide top fuel economy figures, a 2.5-liter engine connected to three electric motors, with total output of 194 horsepower, is under the hood. Fuel economy is listed at 33 mpg city, 30 highway, and 31 overall. There are three drive modes:

Under the hood is a 2.5-liter hybrid engine putting out 194 horsepower. Fuel economy is rated at 33 city/30 highway.

economy, normal and sport, selected by a round control knob. We spent a week driving this SUV all over the state. It is a great highway cruiser, with comfortable ride, and low wind noise. This makes it a nice city commuter as well. Our real-world fuel economy ranged from 26/30 mpg. While the 300h F-Sport is a nice ride, it’s also an expensive one at $47,835. This compares to the nonhybrid NX 300 at $37,000. But at this price, we get a true Japanese luxury machine made in the Lexus factory in Miyawaka, Fukuoka, Japan. This explains the superb quality control we observed.

F-Sport package includes black 18-inch alloy wheels with 225/80R18 all-season tires. This 300h shows drivers can reap the benefits of hybrid fuel economy, without sacrificing luxury, quality or style. It’s an excellent choice for those who can afford the entry fee.

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For more opinions visit thefoothillsfocus.com @TheFoothills.Focus

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Centennial defeats Cactus Shadows in heartbreaker BY ETHAN GRENI Foothills Focus Staff Writer

entennial defeated Cactus Shadows 67-55 in its 5A Quarterfinal matchup on March 13. Junior Jake Lifgren led the Coyotes with 28 points in the victory. “A lot of it was Abe Rangel, our point guard, he was driving and made the defense come help, and he kicked (the ball) out and I was just able to hit the shot,” Lifgren said. “I just try to get our guys going, attack, and do whatever I can.” Centennial coach Randy Lavender said Lifgren has “been a beast all year.”

Cactus Shadows coach Zach Washut meets with his team.

“What works for him is just attacking and being aggressive,” Lavender said. “I couldn’t ask anything more of him, with him playing as aggressive as he does.” Centennial was the home team, but you wouldn’t know that from looking at the crowd. The nearly full stands were evenly split between Coyotes and Falcons fans. Still, Lavender said the energy from the crowd played a role in ramping

up his players’ performance. “It was a surprise for them because there was a crowd,” Lavender said. “They’re not used to playing with a crowd, when we played before, there were only 20 people,” Lavender said. “So now, when you’ve got probably almost 100 people, they’re playing to the energy of the crowd, so that’s what was enjoyable and fun, too.” Cactus Shadows coach Zach Washut said he feels that his team’s lack of physicality hurt it the most. “Effort was good,” Washut said. “It was the little things (that beat us.

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Carson Woods (11) battles against Centennial on March 13. (Photos by Pablo Robles)

CACTUS SHADOWS from page 28

We’ve been beat so many times this year because we’re just not physically tough enough. You have to start pushing people around down there. They hurt us big time on the offensive glass.” The Falcons also ran into unnec-

essary foul trouble, including a technical foul on senior Connor Benson for hanging on the rim after a dunk. Washut was visibly displeased with the call from the official. “We had some mental errors in there,” Washut said. “The technical for hanging on the rim, I can’t get over that

one. The flagrant foul, that was a good call. We hurt ourselves.” Washut said he is proud of the effort his team gave this season, but there is still work to be done. “Listen, at the end of the year, we’re going to look back and we’re going to say we’re region champs, that’s the first step every year,” Washut said. “Obviously, to advance in the playoffs and get to the elite eight is great, and we’ve been there before, but for our program… we’re trying to find a way to break through to the final four for the first time in program history… and I don’t think we quite got where we wanted to be.” Centennial will face off against Gilbert in the semifinals on March 18. Before then, Lavender says working on his team’s defense is a key point. “(We need) more of a defensive effort. When you’re in the playoffs, it’s all about defense,” Lavender said. “Teams are good. They’re going to scout you, so they know what you’re going to do, you’ve just got to continue to play tough defense, because the teams are solid. They’re all going to be solid and good.”

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