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American Legion Post 34 auxiliary president PAGE
CNBC STATE RANKINGS
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INSIDE
This Week
NEWS.................. 9
Cactus Foothills Little League softball team
BUSINESS.......... 16
Platinum Living Realty growth
FEATURES......... 18
Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary debunks snake myths
OPINION.................... 10 BUSINESS.................. 16 FEATURES................. 17 YOUTH....................... 21 CLASSIFIEDS............. 22 Zone 2
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Serving the communities of Cave Creek and Carefree
Cave Creek - Carefree Area Edition
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Wednesday, July 27, 2022
New American Legion commander is motivated by service BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer
B
rian Fernandez has been elected commander of American Legion Post 34 after spending his entire adult life in service, including seven years in the organization. Prior to becoming commander, Fernandez has served as the post’s judge advocate and Legion Rider’s vice president. In his new role, he will be responsible for all aspects of the American Legion, including finances, membership and activities. He said becoming commander felt like a natural transition and allowed him to continue doing what he loves — serving. “I joined the military at 18, and then
that (service) kind of blended into both of my next careers. I got off active duty and then I went to the National Guard and then the reserves. While I was in the reserves, I was also a police officer for the city of Phoenix,” Fernandez said. “Some people are motivated by a sense of accomplishment or some people are motivated by money, and some people are motivated by the need to serve. I realized that’s what motivated me, my need to serve people, a community, the country, whatever capacity that is.” Fernandez joined the military after getting bored in college, as he put it. He had an extensive family history of military ser-
see COMMANDER page 4
Brian Fernandez is the newly elected American Legion Post 34 commander. (American Legion Post 34/Submitted)
Cave Creek fights back green waste drop off reduction
BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer
A
t the July 18 council meeting, Cave Creek town council unanimously approved a resolution to formally oppose Maricopa County’s schedule change for green waste collection, which reduces collections to quarterly instead of on all operating days. As of July 1, 2022, the Maricopa County Waste Resources and Recycling Division’s Transfer Stations is no longer accepting bulk
green waste year-round. Going forward, green waste and bulk lumber disposal will be offered every quarter, which Cave Creek Mayor Ernie Bunch said greatly impacts the town’s efforts to improve fire safety. At a separate meeting in early July, Jen Pokorski, assistant county manager and head of the environmental services department, spoke about why the Waste Resources and Recycling Division is making this change. “At most of our waste transfer stations, we only accept green waste that’s bagged or
bundled,” Pokorski explained. “At Cave Creek, we were accepting all waste because our landfill still needed to be capped. So, we were taking that and basically chipping it and spreading it over the landfill. The landfill has now been capped, so when we take the bulk green waste, it now becomes a fire hazard for us. We have to manage it and move it off to other landfills and it becomes quite expensive.” So, to help with the fire issue, the Waste Re-
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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 ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Display Advertising: 480-348-0343 Classifieds/Inside Sales: Elaine Cota | 480-898-7926 | ecota@timeslocalmedia.com TJ Higgins | 480-898-5902 | tjhiggins@timeslocalmedia.com Steve Insalaco | 480-898-5635 | sinsalaco@timeslocalmedia.com Advertising Office Manager: Tricia Simpson | 480-898-5624 tsimpson@timeslocalmedia.com Director of National Advertising Zac Reynolds | 480-898-5603 | zac@timeslocalmedia.com NEWS DEPARTMENT Executive Editor: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski | 480-898-5631 christina@timeslocalmedia.com Design: Nathalie Proulx | nproulx@timeslocalmedia.com Production Coordinator: Courtney Oldham | 480-898-5617 production@timeslocalmedia.com Circulation Director: Aaron Kolodny | 480-898-5641 customercare@timeslocalmedia.com
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COMMANDER from page 1
vice, with his dad, uncle and brother having served. So, Fernandez said after getting bored his freshman year of college and feeling like he wasn’t going anywhere, he decided it was his time to join and see the world. He entered active duty military service with the U.S. Air Force and was assigned to Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota, where he stayed for some time and settled down. “I got married early, we started a family,” Fernandez said. “My wife was going to college full time, I was going to college part time and so it just worked out for us to not have to move around so much and just stay up there. I was able to work on college and focus on my military career.” He didn’t stay there forever, though. His military career consisted of many deployments to include Operation Support Hope and Operation Iraqi Freedom. He concluded his career as a military war planner and retired as a master sergeant. During that time, Fernandez continued his education and, despite having to transfer four different times, graduated cum laude from Ottawa University. When his active duty ended, Fernandez said he had a hard time adjusting at first. “The military does a good job of giving you a sort of identity,” he explained. “You’re an airman, you’re a
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sergeant, you’re a supervisor, you’re a service member and wearing that uniform every day helps with that identity. When I got out of active duty and into the world to find a real job, it was a different animal. … It was really difficult at first, and the National Guard and Reserves offered me that identity back.” Fernandez transferred his identity as a service member into becoming a policeman as well. His early law enforcement career consisted of patrol operations. After being promoted to sergeant, he managed the Police Reserve Bureau, volunteer program and the Phoenix police explorers. His last assignment was conducting background investigations by supervising a squad of detectives in the Employment Services Bureau. His duties also included managing the bureau’s pre-academy and employment testing. Fernandez served on the Phoenix Police Department for 21 years. During his employment with the police department, Fernandez expanded upon his studies by earning a master’s degree in professional studies in homeland security from the Pennsylvania State University in 2017. Upon his retirement, Fernandez started his own coffee company, Yellow Spruce Roasters. He started out as a successful coffee roaster and wholesaler, but the pressures of the pandemic led him to open a retail coffee shop. “People ask me all the time how I can go from being a police officer to doing coffee, and my answer is really pretty simple,” he said about why he chose to go into coffee. “Being a police officer, people are always calling you
on the worst day they’ve ever had. … I discovered that coffee offers me the ability to be part of the community on their best day.” In keeping with his dedication to serving the community, Fernandez donates proceeds from their Desert Garda coffee to the Arizona Law Enforcement Emerald Society, which assists fallen police officers and their families. Yellow Spruce Roasters is also involved in numerous other charitable organizations. Fernandez joined the American Legion in 2015 and said he became more and more interested and involved. Fernandez said when he was a kid, his family was heavily involved in the Veterans of Foreign Wars organization but stopped going when he got a bit older. He happened across the American Legion Post 34 in Cave Creek and, after meeting some of the other veterans, he found it fulfilling. “I love to sit around and talk to the veterans and hear their stories and the more posts I visit, the more people want to tell me their story,” Fernandez said. “I realized that when these veterans tell you their stories, it’s very therapeutic for them, if they’re willing to share. But it’s also veterans helping veterans and therapeutic for us as well. It’s a win-win all the way around.” Chartered in 1947, American Legion Post 34 has been giving back to community charitable organizations for more than 75 years. The post, whose mission is to support and advocate on behalf of veterans, active military and their families, consistently reaches out to assist veterans and others in need. INFO: azpost34.com
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NEWS
•• 6
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JULY 27, 2022
COUNCIL from page 1
sources and Recycling Division is now asking everyone going to the Cave Creek waste transfer station to bag or bundle their green waste. Bagged and bundled green waste will continue to be collected on days the transfer stations are open, which is 7 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Wednesday through Saturday. With the understanding that some bulk green waste is difficult to bag or bundle, however, the division is offering the quarterly pickups as a compromise. For Cave Creek, however, this is not enough. “Several months ago, I got a notice from the county that their intention
was to go quarterly on the green waste,” Bunch said at the meeting. “Green waste, of course, is what we cut from our trees and the things that we’re doing in order to make our properties more firewise and in case another awful thing happens and they don’t get on it quick enough.” While the county is also worried about fire, Bunch said Cave Creek is in a much more vulnerable position being a wildland urban interface. With the implementation of the town’s fire department, town staff and leaders have made an effort to encourage community members to do their part in improving fire safety. The easiest way for homeowners to do that is by creating a defensible space
around buildings. This is essentially clearing out any debris, dead leaves, low hanging branches or other fire hazards. With bulk green waste pickups reduced to quarterly, Bunch said this is a deterrent for community members to step up and prepare their properties. By formally adopting this resolution, the hope is that it will spark further conversation about the schedule change. “(Maricopa County) is going to be discussing this and we want to get this agenda item in front of them so they know that they’re creating an issue for a community that is a wildland urban interface community and we need a little more help than that,” Bunch said. “We’d like them to stick
to a much more favorable schedule for the time of year when we feel like actually clearing the brush and haul it over there.” The resolution had two parts. The first was that in order to support defensible space and Firewise initiatives, Cave Creek is asking Maricopa County to continue assisting with these efforts throughout high fire danger seasons in the spring and summer months. It also proposed that if a schedule change had to be made, reducing the green waste drop off to a monthly schedule instead of quarterly. The second part of the resolution clearly stated the town’s opposition to the quarterly schedule, which would increase fire danger.
lant is urging eligible donors to make an appointment to give blood and reminding the public that patient needs for both routine and emergency blood transfusions don’t take a holiday. The organization will be at various
locations in Scottsdale throughout the end of July and will host a blood drive at St. Gabriel the Archangel church in Cave Creek from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Sunday, July 31 in the Ministry Building. An appointment is required. All blood types and platelets are critically needed, especially type O blood, the most transfused and the most versatile when there’s not time to test a patient’s blood type. All who are eligible to donate are urged to make an appointment to give over the next days and weeks. According to AAA estimates, a record 42 million people traveled for the July 4 holiday weekend, and that translates into fewer blood donors available to give. As a special thank you to those who are taking time to donate during the summer blood shortage, Vitalant will send all blood, platelet or plasma donors who come to donate July 10 through July 31, 2022, a $5 prepaid gift card redeemable by email. Donors may select gift cards from a wide variety of retailers, restaurants, movie theaters and grocery stores. Donors don’t need to know their blood type to help. In fact, new donors can learn their preliminary blood type during their first visit, and all Vitalant donors can see their lab-confirmed blood type in their secure and confidential online account within two
weeks of donating. Donors who meet all eligibility requirements can be as young as 16 with parental consent, and there is no upper age limit. Masks are optional for staff, donors and visitors except where required by local regulations or the blood drive host.There is no waiting period to donate after receiving a COVID vaccine or booster. If a person has had COVID, he or she is eligible to donate 10 days after testing positive if no symptoms remain. Vitalant is the nation’s largest independent, nonprofit blood services provider exclusively focused on providing lifesaving blood and comprehensive transfusion medicine services for about 900 hospitals and their patients across the U.S. Every day, Vitalant needs to collect nearly 5,000 blood, platelet and plasma donations to help save lives. For more information, to schedule a donation appointment or find other blood drives, visit vitalant.org or call 877-25-VITAL (877-258-4825).
Blood donors needed to help overcome critical shortage BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer
C
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THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JULY 27, 2022
Sandy Cuttino named American Legion Post 34 auxiliary president BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer
S
andy Cuttino, a former Air Force civil service employee with love and respect for the military, is the newly elected president of the American Legion Post 34 auxiliary. In the new position, she will be responsible for the many veteran events and activities. Cuttino is the proud daughter of a WWII and Korean War Marine veteran, Bill Messner, and his wife, Joan Messner. She credits her parents for her love of God, country and family. Cuttino joined the Air Force as a civil service employee. She learned the environmental business, working closely with the regulatory community to develop and implement new programs driven by the constant proliferation of new environmental legislation and regulations. She also supported airspace management, community re-
N O R T H A M E R I C A’ S
lations and military design and construction — all aspects of the business required to keep planes in the air. Prior to joining the Air Force, Cuttino served as a professional civil engineer for a small civil/surveying company in Apple Valley, California. In 1990, Cuttino joined Earth Tech, a company focused on providing environmental services to commercial and government clients within the United States. During her tenure, she routinely supported program teams by providing vision and guidance. Cuttino rose through the ranks and held a number of different positions including executive vice president of business practices and enterprise ethics, president of Earth Tech federal programs, president of Earth Tech USA, and president of Earth Tech’s global water and environmental services divisions. In these roles, she had overall financial and leadership responsibility for more than $800 mil-
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kids.” Cuttino also launched a Childhood Cancer Comfort Pack Store for Loma Linda Children’s Hospital and raised funds for Childhood Cancer Research and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. With her love and respect of the military she walked into the Cave Creek American Legion Post and joined the auxiliary in June 2020. For her, the post is an extension of home and family, allowing her to continue to focus on her life’s passions. Chartered in 1947, American Legion Post 34 has been giving back to community charitable organizations for more than 75 years. The post, whose mission is to support and advocate on Sandy Cuttino: Sandy Cuttino was elected as the new American Legion Post 34 auxiliary president. (Submitted/ behalf of veterans, active military and their families, American Legion Post 34) consistently reaches out to lion in annual revenues, representing assist veterans and others in need. operations of more than 50 offices in American Legion Post 34 is located the U.S. and abroad, and a staff of 4,800 at 6272 E. Cave Creek Road in Cave professionals that served federal, mu- Creek, Arizona. The American Legion, nicipal and industrial customers. formed in 1919, supports and advoBesides her impressive work career, cates on behalf of veterans, active milCuttino has been heavily involved itary and their families. The 501(c) in community service as well. She (19) also supports the initiatives and served a six-year term on the Desert programs of the American Legion Communities United Way Board. She while fostering patriotism and rewas president of the Optimist Club of sponsible citizenship. American LeApple Valley, a service organization gion Post 34 is a non-secular, nonpodedicated to “bringing out the best in litical organization.
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9
Little league softball team wins third straight state championship BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer
T
he Cactus Foothills Little League Majors Softball team won the state little league championship for the third year in a row on July 16 and are now playing regionals in California in hopes of making it to the World Series. “Congratulations to our three-peat state champion little league softball team. They continue to represent the Cave Creek community with poise, class, grit and toughness,” said Chard Forbes, Cactus Foothills Little League president. “This year’s team is certainly different from the last two and represents a higher bar year after year. With Brett Cundall’s consistent leadership for many years within the league’s all-star teams, these girls rose to the challenge set by each preceding team. … Ladies, your hard work over many seasons and precision in how you play are something to celebrate. Each of you brings something special to your team and our community. How you play — with energy, focus, and most importantly, fun — makes us proud of you.” The All Star team is composed of 13 girls ages 12 to 13: Iliana Brasher, Molly Brown, Caylee Cundall, Ava Fossey, Olivia Fossey, Madison Handke, Gianna Lucchesi, Lila Mills, Elsie Pot-
tinger, Nina Riolo, Noelani Romo, Reese Spencer and Avery Williams. The team won the state championship in a knockout, outscoring their opponents 55 to 1 and finishing undefeated. “We’ve kind of built a dynasty up here in Cave Creek and it’s one of those things that turned out to be something pretty cool for kids in our community,” said Brett Cundall, head coach of the softball team for all three years it has been state champions. Cundall said he came on in 2017, and the team won the state championship in 2019. He said a lot of the younger girls saw the team’s success in 2019 and wanted to be a part of that, which he thinks is part of the reason they have continued to be successful. The 2020 season was canceled due to COVID, but the next Cactus Foothills Little League softball team came back with a force. “Last year, we won state again, made the West Regional and became the second team from the state of Arizona to ever make the Little League Softball World Series,” Cundall said. “It’s only happened twice since 1974, that a team from Arizona advanced out of the west region.” Now this year’s team is hoping to make it to the World Series again. In fact, the girls had a short celebration after winning state before heading off to play the softball western regionals
This is the third consecutive year the Cactus Foothills Little League softball team has won the state championship. (Cactus Foothills Little League/Submitted)
The Cactus Foothills Little League softball team won the state championship in a 55 to 1 victory on July 16 and are now playing in the western regionals in California. (Cactus Foothills Little League/
Submitted)
in San Bernardino, California. “They’re very excited,” Cundall said about the team’s morale heading into the regionals. “They get to play in a fun environment, surrounded by a lot of people that they go to school with. They’re excited, they’ve been looking forward to this.” The regular little league softball season runs from February to mid-May. The All Star team is a culmination of the most deserving players from the four different major divisions within the Cactus Foothills Little League. Because the All Star players aren’t selected until the end of the regular season, they don’t get to start practicing until around the end of May. Since then, however, Cundall said the team has practiced three to four times a week for three hours at a time. He added that the dedication from the players, parents, coaches and community has been a great thing to experience. “We have great coaches in the league, really for the reason that they love to teach the kids,” Cundall said. “All of our league is volunteers. We also have a very supportive community and supportive families. It’s a really neat atmosphere that in our regular season games there’ll be times when we have 200 people out there
watching 10 and 11 year olds play softball.” The kids love it, too. According to Cundall, a lot of the major players do club softball as well but still come back to participate in little league. While they obviously love the sport, Cundall said a lot of it has to do with the friendships made. He said a lot of them get to hang out with the same girls they go to school with and end up making their best friends in little league. Those friendships are another reason why Cundall thinks the teams have been successful — they genuinely have a good time together. “We treat every kid in our league the same, no matter their skill level,” he said. “If they’re a beginner or if there is a high level club player, we treat all the girls the same and it’s a friendly environment. These kids, no matter their skill level, enjoy playing with everyone that’s in this league.” The Cactus Foothills Little League softball team played their first regional game against Northern California Saturday, July 23. The girls won 12 to 1. At the time of print Monday, July 25, there were no further updates on the team’s progress at regionals. Games are broadcast on ESPN+ and can be watched by selecting little league softball.
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OPINION
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JULY 27, 2022
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AROUND THE BLUHMIN’ TOWN
Report claiming Arizona is worst in country is rubbish BY JUDY BLUHM Foothills Focus Columnist
D
ead. Last. Good grief, who are the mental giants (idiots) from Consumer News and Business Channel (CNBC) who ranked Arizona as the worst place to live in our country? Yep, that’s right. Guess we must all be losers for living in this wretched state, with last-place rankings in health care, environmental quality, crime, inclusiveness and education. The writer snidely said, “Just having the Grand Canyon is not enough.” Geez, not sure what these folks at CNBC are smoking, but since
we are about the fastest-growing state in the nation and new businesses are investing billions here, this report is a bunch of rubbish! Vermont ranked No. 1. They have great maple syrup, yet I think the ranking system is a bit off. Texas is evidently another horrible place to live, so I’d say the entire “study” is one big farce. No state is perfect. They all have certain charm and many problems. Arizona can improve. But the worst place to live in the country? No way. So why live in Arizona? This was the question I was asked with great frequency while in San Diego. Usually, I just smile and
shrug it off. From the waiter to the grocery clerk, everyone seemed interested in why a person of sound mind would want to live in our heat. I was a little bit insulted! Why does everyone assume that all of Arizona is in triple digits all summer? The owner of the local coffee shop in Imperial Beach wondered out loud what “hell on earth” would feel like living in Arizona in the summer. A customer chimed in that he drove through Phoenix one July day, parked his car and burned the skin off his hands when he got back in it and touched the
see BLUHM page 15
OPINION
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JULY 27, 2022
11
Arizona ‘victim’ just another curious ‘sign of the Times’ BY J.D. HAYWORTH Foothills Focus Columnist
T
his column previously suggested The New York Times could improve its accuracy by amending the longtime front page slogan “All the news that’s fit to print.” Now the so-called “newspaper of record” has again offered fresh evidence it really features “All the news that fits its agenda.” And the Times does so with a sympathetic profile of a curious figure who used to call Arizona home. Former Queen Creek resident Ray Epps, who initially appeared among the Top 20 of the FBI’s “most wanted” for the unrest at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and who was characterized as a “pre-planner” of the siege in the Times-produced video documentary about the events of that day, now gets a dramatic “makeover” in a recent story written by reporter Alan Feuer. The July 13 edition of The New York Times features a headline that spells out what that publication has just “discovered” about Epps’ nonprosecution. “‘It’s Just Been Hell’: Life as the Victim of a Jan. 6 Conspiracy Theory” presents readers with two value judgments in one headline. First, Ray Epps is a “victim;” secondly, anyone who questions his role or the events of that day is a believer in a “conspiracy theory.” The subheading goes even further in this effort to persuade instead of inform. It reads, “Ray Epps became the unwitting face of an attempt by pro-Trump forces to promote the baseless idea that the FBI was behind the attack on the Capitol.” Let’s translate the above from the “Progressive Press Stylebook,” shall we? What the Times is really feeding us is the following blather: Ray Epps is an entirely blameless, innocent man. This “gentle giant” was shocked to learn his well-intentioned but admittedly misguided trip from Arizona to Washington would be used by extremists so enthralled by Donald Trump they would
ignore the pure and noble motives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, an organization beyond reproach and so committed to true justice it would never dream of seeking to entrap American citizens in questionable activities. That “translation” is only a slight exaggeration. What is greatly exaggerated is the style of Alan Feuer’s reportage to reposition Ray Epps “on the side of the angels” — in other words, with the Times and its political allies. The writer goes to great lengths to “reimagine” Ray Epps as “a man whose life has been ruined by a Jan. 6 conspiracy theory.” Also “reimagined” is the video of Epps on the evening of Jan. 5, when he shouted out to Trump supporters gathered at Black Lives Matter Plaza. Here’s the way Alan Feuer recounts it: “During the event, he (Epps) was videotaped by a right-wing provocateur encouraging people to go inside the Capitol on Jan. 6 in what he described, even at the time, as a form of peaceful protest.” It’s more than passing curiosity that Feuer describes the person recording the video as a “right-wing provocateur” but fails to detail the crowd’s reaction to Epps. Those gathered responded to his call that “Tomorrow we need to go into the Capitol — into the Capitol!” with shock. They respond: “What? No!” Then, they accuse Epps of being a provocateur himself. “Fed, Fed, Fed, Fed,” they shout … but the reporter doesn’t mention it. Sadly, modern journalism has exchanged accuracy for advocacy. “Who, what, when, where, why and how” have been replaced by the “power of narrative,” delivered with the passion, and often the premeditated imprecision, of a partisan political perspective. With increasing regularity, the goal of such coverage is to portray conservative policies, pursuits and politicians as targets worthy of unremitting invective. Objectivity has been abandoned, and that abandonment has been championed.
Of course, The New York Times isn’t alone in this effort. No less a prominent practitioner of “modern journalism” than Lester Holt, the anchor of “NBC Nightly News,” added his energy, advocacy and alleged insight to the cause when he stated in 2021 that “fairness is overrated.” And more recently, the Pulitzer Prize Board refused to revoke the joint award it bestowed on the New York Times and the Washington Post in 2018 for articles concerning — as the board states it — ”Russian interference in the U.S. election and its connections to the Trump campaign.” Never mind the fact that in March of 2019, the Mueller Report found no evidence that Donald Trump colluded with Russia to interfere in the 2016 presidential election. Facts, full reporting, fairness … who needs ’em? Just a free society, filled with citizens
who yearn to remain free. And now objectivity is passé … it’s just so 20th century! But it’s worth remembering the 20th was called “The American Century.” Don’t bet on the same description for the 21st.
CNBC state rankings say a lot about the network BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Foothills Focus Columnist
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his week we ponder the greatest mystery in the 110-year history of the Grand Canyon State. No, not how does a noxious fraud like Kari Lake lead the Republican gubernatorial field in 2022, according to multiple polls. I’m talking about Arizona’s other great mystery. Namely, if this state is such a wretched place to live — as proclaimed yet again recently by the folks at CNBC television — then why do so many people keep moving here? My hypothesis follows, but first we should delve into CNBC’s analysis, released last week. As the network tells it, “We put the states through an unprecedented 88 metrics in 10 categories of competitiveness,” all to crown America’s best
states for business and 10 worst states in which to live. On the positive side, Arizona ranked 34th for business. On the negative side, we’re dead last in states to call home. CNBC correspondent Scott Cohn’s Arizona write-up started off with a super
see LEIBOWITZ page 12
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OPINION
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clever “it’s a dry heat” reference before knocking the state for having “some of the worst air quality in the nation,” which stresses our “poor health care system, short on hospital beds and staff.” In a nod at balance, Scotty touted Arizona’s “stunning natural beauty and topnotch cultural and recreational attractions.” However, “that comes at a stiff price in America’s worst state to live in.” I contacted Scott to discuss his hometown, the hippie dippie central California enclave of Santa Cruz. Just FYI, in Santa Cruz the average monthly rent on a studio apartment doubled over the last year to $2,500, according to the website Zumper. Santa Cruz’s violent crime rate is 31% higher than Arizona’s, according to the Best Places website, while the property crime rate is 12% higher. Of course, all the maiming and stealing may be explained by Santa Cruz’s stratospheric cost of living — approximately double Arizona’s, according to Best Places. Sadly, Scott did not get back to me before my deadline. I hope he’s OK, living in such a hellhole. As far as the CNBC survey, I’m of two minds. One, let’s hope the 100,000 people planning a move to Arizona this year read it and stay home. All that migration is driving up the cost of housing and goods, plus hurting everything from traffic to air quality to the wait time between holes on
one of Arizona’s 500 golf courses. Then there’s my other theory, which explains the mystery of Arizona being ranked so miserably, yet remaining so popular to new residents. It’s simple: while CNBC’s “unprecedented 88 metrics” sound impressive, their made-up criteria have zero to do with why people choose a home. Put simply, their analysis is all about the brain, crunching “empirical data,” while human beings choose homes with the heart. When was the last time you asked someone, “Hey, what brought you to Arizona?” only to have them respond, “Well, I ranked my top choices on 88 metrics, like inclusiveness in state laws, including protections against discrimination of all kinds, as well as voting rights.” People move to Arizona for exactly six reasons. A job. Family. The weather. And also: the weather, the weather, the weather. Cable networks can say what they want, but Arizona apparently has the essential qualities people seek in a home. Humans are fickle that way, falling in love with places for the oddest reasons. It’s the same with TV channels. Maybe that’s why CNBC ranks 44th in the TV ratings, right behind Nick Jr., and with half the audience of the Game Show Network. I guess it’s tricky to outdraw Gene Rayburn and reruns of “Match Game” — even though Gene’s been dead since 1999. Apparently, fake state rankings aren’t doing the trick.
OPINION
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JULY 27, 2022
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READER’S VIEWPOINTS LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Carefree term limits Editor: With two term-limit initiatives on the ballot, the subject and the history of Carefree term limits has risen to the forefront. Four years ago, the town of Carefree statutes included a voter approved ordinance requiring term limits for our mayor and council. The question is not if term limits are good or bad. It is a question of operating our electoral process in compliance with Arizona state law. State law did not allow noncharter towns, such as Carefree, to impose term limits. The Carefree term limit ordinance unlawfully took away my right, as a citizen, to seek reelection to the office of Carefree Town Council and it took away the right of our citizens to vote for or against me.
When the town refused to accept my signed candidate petitions, I petitioned the court to protect my right. A Maricopa County Superior Judge ruled town term limits could not be enforced and were in violation of state law. The judge ordered the town to process my candidate petitions. Although the court ordered the town to pay my attorney fees, I paid 100% of my legal fees. I then filed a notice of satisfaction of judgment stating that although the town had made no payment to me, the town had satisfied the judgment and that I considered this cause of action to be fully resolved. The judgment and the notice of satisfaction of judgment are public documents available from the Maricopa County Superior Court, case CV2018006012. This means, despite claims to the contrary, I paid all my legal ex-
penses and received no funds from the town of Carefree. Challenging the law and protecting my right to run for office was the right thing to do. I stand by it and, in fact, I am proud of it. I would support anyone, even those who today are misrepresenting these facts, in their fight to protect their rights when those rights are trampled. Subsequently, as the result of the hard work of some Carefree residents who truly believed in term limits, the state modified its law permitting noncharter towns to have term limits. Because of this, today we can vote on lawful term limit initiatives. There are two term limit initiatives on the Aug. 2 ballot. Proposition 473 seeks to impose term limits of two, two-year terms for the mayor and council with a lifetime ban on serving more than two terms
and retroactively counting previous terms served. This draconian measure will shift knowledge and authority to the town staff, empowering staff instead of your elected officials. Proposition 474 will institute term limits with four-year staggered terms. Sensible term limits in return for the continuity garnered from staggered terms is a reasonable policy. Staggered four-year terms will preserve institutional knowledge and experience within the town council making for more effective and stronger elected officials better positioned to engage with town staff. Term limits will legislate turnover, bringing in new candidates while not compromising effective government by the people. This is why I encourage you to vote
see LETTERS page 14
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OPINION
LETTERS from page 13
no on Carefree Proposition 473 and vote yes on Carefree Proposition 474. John Crane Mayoral candidate, town of Carefree
Carefree Votes Editor: In healthy democracies, multiple viewpoints are always welcome, and there’s been no shortage regarding the important upcoming Aug. 2 Carefree elections. The entrenched hurl negatives about newcomers, while they maintain the status quo, unanimously deciding major issues/costs in executive closed sessions. What’s to stop the “experienced” from continuing such unilateral judgements without referenda? Experience counts, but, after experiencing them we are done with them. Incumbents can be reluctant to resist the rest of the crowd on their team, instead becoming rubber stamps for the influential. Why break from the prevailing plans? Maintain “loyalty” regardless of personal beliefs, with conclusions arrived at during executive closed sessions, conveniently excluding the input of the citizenry. An incumbent councilor recently wrote a defense for these sessions as “things that cannot be disclosed publicly due to the sensitive nature of those concerns.” The old guard have also been characterized in letters as our protectors preventing runaway town employees from taking advantage of their implementation of duties. Also, construction developers have written support for them, describing their close involvement with, and ties to, the established. It appears the bread and butter of their businesses are linked to maintaining the tenure of their possible employers. In contrast, new candidates are not bound to local power brokers, preordained designs or the dominant polit-
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JULY 27, 2022
ical pressures. They can bring more debate to issues instead of passing most unanimously, and can reveal the real reasons behind the entrenched’s decision-making process. They are willing to encourage votes on big projects by the citizens, rather than learning about internal council decisions retroactively after it’s too late. This is especially important regarding changes permanently altering Carefree’s environment, infrastructure and budget. What’s to stop those now in authority from continuing to make future judgements unilaterally without the vote of the citizens if we don’t stop them in this election? The “experienced” are convinced they know what’s best for us? Why urge referenda for the townspeople to vote upon, and risk mucking up their plans? The new council candidates and Peter Sample for mayor are genuinely concerned about the unbridled, unknown benefits of massive spending — to create revenue according to incumbents. To the contrary, the new candidates are looking out for Carefree residents by promoting direct ballot involvement. Peter Sample, running for mayor, unsuccessfully attempted to debate Vice Mayor Crane at Desert Foothills Library, but Crane refused the neutral location, preferring a Carefree church. Crane also opposed Sample’s preference for questions direct from the audience. Crane wanted questions pre-submitted, preventing embarrassment from spontaneity degrading “into a free-for-all.” A moderator could have prevented audience interference, instead of Crane dodging debate! As an abutter directly affected by Council’s plans for 21-acre NW corner at Darlington/Carefree, I’ll speak to town misinformation. Design for a second multistory, multinational chain hotel was originally portrayed, at an initial 40 abutters’ meeting in April 2021, as a “quaint boutique resort” similar to 43 hacienda-types at Hermosa Inn Paradise Valley. Plans later devolved into high-rise 175 to 180 rooms, twice the multistory, 90-room Hilton Hampton in Care-
free’s former “quaint boutique” center, where golden arches alone cost almost $400,000. Abutters were awestruck, anticipating the owner would sell 2-acre lots for residential development of 12 to 13 homes. Though told by the economic development director “many people” were in favor of this chain hotel/resort, a vote of attendees showed only one favoring it — coincidentally, the land owner’s friend. We were advised the hotel’s presence would encourage needed revenue from tourist sales tax at center retail establishments, overlooking that hotels/resorts include guest packages for on-site dining and souvenir shops, not needing to leave and relaxing in place. Additionally, Carefree’s many center buildings remain empty and unattractive to tourists, merely used as income tax business loss deductions. Incumbents should be more concerned with the water usage of these huge hotels during AZ’s record 1,200 year drought. We are all currently coping with the bizarre traffic detours on Darlington near the in-construction reservoir. Consider the traffic that will be generated in Town by the 90-room and 180-room hotels, as guests circumnavigate around Carefree Highway, Cave Creek Road, Tom Darlington Road and Black Mountain. We need candidates who will be responsive toward constituent voting before making unalterable decisions. I don’t think we want to be converted into a cookie-cutter town of empty center shops, typical budget hotels and transient VRBO rentals. Arthur J. Veves. Carefree
Keep It Carefree Editor: When we moved into Carefree four years ago, we thought we had moved into a wonderful small town. Little did we suspect there was an undercurrent of dirty politics. Oh I know, as
we have been told by the mayor and others, we have only been here for four years. How long do you have to live in a place before you have a say? I have found out more in four years that I do not like; just think when we have been here for 10 years. There’s a Carefree blog in the town. In my opinion, this blog has been known to do character assassinations of people when they disagree or question the way the town is being run. This blog also supports all the council people currently running for reelection. I find this interesting because in the past, Mayor Peterson has said the reason they don’t need term limits is because nobody would want to run for council. In this election cycle, that does not seem to be the case. We have two people running for mayor and ten people running for council. That seems to be a good thing to me, especially to get some new blood with new ideas on the council. During this election cycle, people have had their character maligned and political signs stolen or damaged by running into metal mounting posts and bending them. It amazes me that in an affluent community, there are people so immature they can’t have a discourse without vile behavior or committing crimes. Wehave enough issues at hand, in this small community, that need a civil discourse. In the most recent blog, John Crane says he relieved the town of paying fees for his lawsuit against the town regarding term limits. I wonder if he ever thought in suing the town that the town would have to pay legal fees to their attorney to represent them. Has John Crane paid the town back for their legal fees they were required to pay because of his lawsuit? I haven’t seen or heard that this has occurred. John Crane is the vice chair of Desert Foothills Land Trust. Carefree’s General Plan 2030 stated a committee should be formed in an attempt to preserve the large parcel of state land in the town of Carefree off Cave Creek Road across from the airport. There were suggestions in the GP to look
see LETTERS page 15
OPINION
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JULY 27, 2022
LETTERS from page 14
into getting a Heritage Fund grant to purchase the property. This was never done, and John Crane has not done anything to preserve this land. According to the Desert Foothills Land Trust, they have not had dealings with the town of Carefree since 2013. I wonder why that is? Then it’s very peculiar that the town council and town administration allowed the general plan to expire in May of 2022, without any action. Arizona State law requires each town and city have a general plan. It would seem to be a malfeasance of office for nobody to address this in a timely manner. Five of the candidates (possibly 6, Stephen Hatcher does not have his filings online, or has not filed them) running for town council and mayor received funding from the Scottsdale Realtors Political Action Committee: • John Crane: $2,500. (I must give Mr. Crane credit that his filing was filled out correctly and on the required reporting form). • Cheryl Kroyer: $1,000, believed to be from Scottsdale Realtor PAC, but it is unknown because the latest campaign finance report was not filled out properly. Why does somebody run for reelection saying “experience counts,” yet can’t even fill out the appropriate state forms required by law? Anybody who do-
BLUHM from page 10
steering wheel. I pointed out that Prescott is pretty cool and that Californians are moving to Arizona in droves, but no one cared. The man I rent the beach house from said he can’t understand how people survive the heat in an Arizona summer. He then asked, “Why live in misery?” I told him (with a straight face) some folks like misery; seek out punishment; and love dust, drought, haboobs and prickly cactus. I went on to add some people like frying eggs on the sidewalk. The poor man didn’t talk to me much after that conversation. Where else can you sit and watch the monsoons roll in and relish a thunder-
nates more than $50 is supposed to be logged on the form with the first and last name, mailing address, occupation, and the date the funds were received. This was not done. This isn’t her first time running, so why aren’t the forms filled out properly, or filled out at all? That is not the “experience” the town needs. • Tony Geiger: $1,000 from a PAC, we do not know what PAC because he, too, did not fill out the forms the state of Arizona requires when reporting on the campaign finance report. • Michael J. Johnson: $1,000, listed as PAC Realtors of AZ PAC (Scottsdale Realtors) although it does not list the campaign contributors he refunded $1000 to. Arizona law requires that if a contribution is more than $50 you shall report the person’s first name, last name, address, occupation and date you received the funds. That was not done. • Vince D’Aliesio: $1,000 from Scottsdale Association of Realtors (actually their PAC). He did list the names of two other campaign contributors, although left off their address and occupation, which is required by law. • Shelia Amoroso: There was no indication of PAC money or expenses. • Stephen Hatcher: The required report has either not been filed or the town has not put it on the web yet. storm? Sunsets are the best in the world, right here in our backyards. Our wildlife is abundant, the mountains are beautiful and, if Phoenix is hot, we have the high country. A surfer told me that without a beach and a wave, life wouldn’t be worth living. I said I’m happy for him. It’s good to feel passionate about where you live! It’s great to thrill to a wild ride on a longboard, skimming the tops of waves. Living in Arizona is a different type of ride. I love Arizona. No surfboard required, and last-place ranking rejected. We know why we’re here. Enough said. Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local realtor. Have a comment or a question? Email Judy at judy@judybluhm.com.
So, the contributions from the Scottsdale Realtors Political Action Committee begs the question: Why? What does the Scottsdale Realtors Political Action Committee expect in return? Why $2,500 to John Crane, then $1,000 to the other four on the slate? Why would the electors want to vote back in candidates who cannot file the appropriate paperwork required by law, voted for three large commercial developments (see resolution 202011), approved the Hampton Inn and Suites and did not follow state law? They let the general plan expire and did not follow their own resolution (2020-11) to appoint an economic development committee, and, because they did not, three of the work strategies in 2020-11 had no public notices, public hearings or minutes. If this is how this council has acted in the past, I for one, do not want to see what they would do if reelected. Carefree’s official town code states that the former Term Limits Ordinance (2-1-9) section is “reserved,” yet the town’s website says it was
“repealed.” Which is it? The town will not answer a public records request for an explanation, or by whose authority it was removed. By the best practices of the Arizona League of Cities and Towns, this is not how you handle this. The town council did not even have a vote to do anything with the ordinance. They are hanging their hat on the judge’s order in the Crane vs. town lawsuit. The judge said it was “unenforceable.” The ordinance was not illegal and did not state that the ordinance had to be removed. The order just said it was unenforceable and the town (and to this day, it is not known who made the decision) removed the ordinance (a proposition) that was voted on and passed by a super-majority vote (66%) of the electors. This is a perfect example of how this town operates. This town needs a change. Vote Peter Sample for mayor, Duke Vukotic, Sven Maric and Kathlina Lai for council. John Mattes Carefree
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BUSINESS
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Real estate brokerage company sees massive growth BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer
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latinum Living Realty, an independent luxury real estate brokerage with four offices across Arizona, has seen exponential growth and added 26 real estate agents to the firm in the first half of 2022. “The impressive number of agents that have joined us this year is testament to the alternative brokerage model that we have built,” said Jay Macklin, co-owner of Platinum Living Realty. “As an independent brokerage, we are able to offer our agents a high-touch, high-support environment to help them achieve the greatest levels of success.” Macklin said the business started out in 2010 as “a little mom and pop shop,” rebranded a few times and has now grown to employ more than 100 full-time real estate agents helping home buyers and sellers navigate Arizona’s shifting real estate market. Platinum Living Realty takes a different approach than traditional real estate brokerages by providing agents with a customized package of more than 20 marketing tools to effectively target and grow their businesses, consistent and individualized coaching to work through challenges and problems that arise, opportunities for generating new leads and clients, plus other tools and policies that focus on the agent’s success. One of the main things that sets Platinum Living Realty apart from competitors is its collaborative work atmosphere and dedication to improving the agents, according to Macklin. “We market with the agent as partners, helping them become better CEOs of their own little businesses,” he explained. “A lot of brokerages will treat the agents like a W2 employee, but we tend to treat them like a CEO of their own business. We help coach them, we train them on really specific things that a lot of brokerages don’t, and we help
The Jack & Raul Real Estate Group is one of 26 new agents added to Platinum Living Realty in the first half of 2022. (Platinum Living Realty/Submitted) them become marketer solutions for looking to buy and sell real estate versus just becoming a real estate agent.” Macklin credits this collaboration as a big reason for the company’s growth, too. He added the market has changed a lot over the past few years, which means the needs of the real estate agent have as well. Agents are looking for more than a place to lang their license; Macklin said they’re looking for a partnership. The new Platinum Living Realty agents are professionals with varying backgrounds, experience levels and expertise across the Valley. “We’ve done a really good job over the years really filtering people to our core values list,” Macklin said. “We do look at things like work ethics and professionalism, like a lot of companies do, but I also look for potential. If an agent comes to me and doesn’t need anything I offer and doesn’t take advantage of anything, there’s no value for me to have them in my company and there’s no value for them either. So I have to see potential, meaning I have to see that they’re coachable, willing
to grow and willing to do the work.” The new agents include: Jack Luciano, Raul Siqueiros, Peter Hall, Madison Raskin, Niko Siqueiros, Melissa Hererra, Rosemarie Siqueiros, Diana Martinez, Glen Mills, Kimberly Pulido, Christopher Pulido, Bridget Brennan, Marshawn Cummings, Lynise Trice, Craig Dahl, Donna Doglione, Vanessa Roark, Eric Fullam, Stephanie Gorden, Frankie Mae Rojas, Courtney Zimmerman, Darlene Palmer, Joleen Sposeto, Melody Peterson, Amy Lavine and Ian Lynch. “Continuing to grow our business in Scottsdale and Paradise Valley is a priority for us,” said Raul Siqueiros of Jack and Raul Real Estate Group at Platinum Living Realty. “After meeting with Jay and learning about the collaborative culture, innovative marketing and terrific ‘no ego’ support, we were certain that Platinum Living Realty was exactly what our team needed to elevate our business even further.” Macklin said he is excited about the growth and is confident these new agents will grow and succeed. In fact, he said agents just have to look at Platinum Living Realty’s numbers to see the benefits of working with
the company. “We typically will help agents grow at about a 23 to 24% rate year over year. Most companies help agents grow between 5 and 7%, which is actually equal with the market (growth). We have a track record if they engage with us, do what we’ve asked them to and do the work, they’ll grow. So, I’m encouraged by what I’m seeing coming in.” Platinum Living Realty, headquartered in Scottsdale, currently specializes in real estate services for communities like DC Ranch, North Scottsdale, Cave Creek and Paradise Valley. Macklin expects growth to continue, and said he hopes to add another 35 agents by the end of the year. Further down the line, Platinum Living Realty will expand nationally. The company is working on creating a marketing and listing concierge system where it can take care of 100% of the marketing, legalwork and paperwork and handle it remotely while staying rooted in Scottsdale. INFO:
Platinumlivingrealty.com
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FEATURES
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It’s important to live loved in unloving times CHURCH COMMUNITY CONNECTION
Pastor Ed Delph Foothills Focus Columnist
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ere’s a thought for you: love is the irresistible desire to be irresistibly desired. One of the Scriptures’ most influential and insightful books is the Song of Songs. It is a love story of two real-life characters and their relationship that happened long ago. One was a sun-beaten shepherdess at the bottom of the social spectrum. Her life and choices had beaten her up. She had given up on most anything other than the worst happening to her. The other character was a king named Solomon. He was at the top end of the social spectrum. He ruled one of the most powerful kingdoms the world has ever seen. As the shepherdess saw him, she was overwhelmed by his persona, but, in her mind, the king would never be overwhelmed by her persona. Hint: be careful when talking to yourself, because you’re listening. What happens next is recorded for eternity for us to get a glimpse into the wonders and essence of God. Solomon sees the shepherdess and is ravished by her. He saw in her what she could never see in herself. Solomon’s attraction wasn’t physical. The years and her background had taken some of that away. Nevertheless, Solomon recognized her value, essence and potential royalty even though she wasn’t a queen. He loved her … “even though.” That’s what true godly love is. The Hebrew words in Song of Songs illuminate a type of love that is much more than the world’s type of love. The original language reveals words
like passion, ravished, fervent, desire, intimate, longing, wonder, splendor, reckless holiness and total abandonment. It took a “Solomon” who loved her unconditionally to awaken the sun-worn shepherdess to her value, potential and future. His “reckless” faith, hope and love awakened her faith, hope and love. The shepherdess moved from living to be loved to living from being loved. There’s a big difference there. The king’s unconditional love transformed the shepherdess’ mindset about herself. She thought, “I’m ugly.” He thought, “You’re beautiful.” She thought, “I have a terrible past.” He thought, “You have a great future.” She thought, “I’m poor; I have no money.” He said, “You’re wealthy; I’ll give you ornaments of gold.” She thought, “I’m a lowly shepherdess.” He thought, “You’re a queen.” She thought, “I’m unclean from sin.” He thought, “You are now whiter than snow.” She thought, “I was condemned and ostracized by my family.” He thought, “There’s no condemna-
tion in my family.” She thought, “I’m unworthy.” He thought, “You are worthy.” She thought, “My house is a dirty field.” He thought, “Your house is now the king’s chambers.” She thought, “I’m bad.” He thought, “You’re good.” The four basic human needs for people to prosper in their souls are significance, acceptance, love and security. Most people live to be significant, not from being significant; to be accepted, rather than from being accepted; to be loved, rather than from being loved; to be secure, rather than from being secure. That’s where the shepherdess was living before meeting the king. After the transformational encounter with the king, she moved to living significant, accepted, loved and secure. And how her soul prospered. Why? She had the correct IP address. So, what does IP mean? It’s living from your God-given identity and purpose, rather than for some human-made fake identity and purpose. When you know your worth, you will stop giving discounts. Do you see how this real-life example relates to you and me in a way most everyone can connect with? The king dismounted from his royal horse and met the shepherdess where she was. Then he took her up to where he was. That is what God did for us; God is the king. We are a type of shepherdess. The Bible says we can love because God first loved us. Just like the shepherdess and King Solomon, we awaken to our actual worth, identity and value by God awakening us to what we mean to God. We don’t deserve it. We can’t earn it. Our part is to believe it and then receive it, just like the shepherdess did.
Why do we need to know God loves us? Pastor Mike Bickel said: “We will never have more affection or passion for God than we understand that He has for us. Likewise, we will never be more committed to God than we understand that He is committed to us.” Hello? Did you know there is a maternal side to God? Mark Twain captures God’s maternal side in this writing about motherhood. “Being a mother is not about ‘birthing a child into the world.’ Rather, it is about repeatedly ‘birthing into the child’ a steady sense of their inestimable worth, a prized understanding of their authentic self, a conviction that the impossible perfect life is largely the stuff of myth, and an utterly unwavering belief that the cold actions of men never represent the warm heart of God. The relentless act of birthing these things into the innermost soul of a thirsty child makes a woman a mother. The child you hold in your arms is your gift to a future that you will not see.” King Solomon birthed the maternal side of God into the shepherdess (and us, too). That’s how you live loved in unloving times. Ed Delph is a noted author of 10 books, as well as a pastor, teacher, former business owner and speaker. Ed has traveled extensively, having been to more than 100 countries. He is president of NationStrategy, a nonprofit organization involved in uplifting and transforming communities worldwide. For more information, see nationstrategy.com. Ed may be contacted at nationstrategy@cs.com.
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Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary debunks snake myths BY MARK MORAN Foothills Focus Staff Writer
T
he hottest summer months are not actually the most dangerous time of year for you or your pet to encounter a rattlesnake. Snakes don’t come out to “sun themselves” on the rocks, “emerge from hibernation,” or prey on you or your pet. “When it gets to be a hundred degrees, they shift to nighttime,” said Cale Morris, venom manager at the Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary in North Scottsdale. “It’s all about the temperature. The heat burns them just like it burns you. When it’s 82-degrees at midnight, they are moving, but they’re moving to find a place to get out of the coming sun.” So, with that myth busted, the truth is that the most likely times for a rattlesnake encounter are at night during the hottest summer months and during April and August. There are 13 species of rattlesnake in Arizona, the largest variety of rat-
A Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, the most common species of rattlesnake in Arizona, at the Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary in Scottsdale, Arizona. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
A Blue Speckled Rattlesnake at the Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
tlers in the United States. If bitten, while the bite is painful, the good news is medical treatment is available and straightforward. There is only one antivenom, which is an antidote for every venomous snake in America. “The beauty of that is that you don’t have to know what you have been bitten by,” Morris said. “There’s a myth where people say ‘I’ve gotta capture that snake or they won’t know how to treat me.’ That is not true,” Morris said. Myth number two — busted. “People will try to capture them or kill them and it delays medical attention,” Morris continued. “You get bit. You go to the emergency room. All the emergency rooms have antivenom and they have plenty of it.” The same can’t be said for dogs, un-
see SNAKES page 19
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one illegally had two American alligators in their Phoenix swimming pool, which were rescued by wildlife officials. With nowhere to take them, the wildlife officials called Dan Marchand, a known wildlife enthusiast. “Charlie” and “Lucy,” named after the Peanuts comic strip brother and sister, were re-homed in a shallow wading pool on Marchand’s land, 2.5 acres of wild Sonoran Desert at North Scottsdale Road and Dynamite, and the sanctuary was born. The most improbable of sanctuary residents was the result of a prank one friend played on another. A man named Chuck Simmons was a homesteader in northern Arizona, near a place called Pakoon Springs. A friend somewhere across the country thought it would be funny to mail Simmons a baby alligator, which he kept and fed on his land until 2017. Having disappeared from view for a while, Simmons left the alligator for dead when he vacated his place, now part of the Parashant National Monument in the Grand Canyon. When the Bureau of Land ManageThe Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary’s antivenom bank focuses on antivenom for exotic, non-native snake species; hospitals keep antivenom for local snakes. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
SNAKES From Page 18
dogs,” said Morris. “If a dog gets bitten by a rattlesnake … when they run right up to it and bark and get a bite on the nose, on the muzzle, it swells up and makes it hard for them to breathe, they definitely need antivenom. They can die from it.” Not a myth: the population of Arizona has grown dramatically over the past two decades, but somehow, the number of reported snakebites has not increased along with it. “Our averages really haven’t changed,” said Dr. Bryan Kuhn, a pharmacist and clinical toxicologist with the Banner Poison Control Center. “But the population has increased by about two million. If you think of where people move, Maricopa County has been expanding outwards for quite a while.
We don’t really grow up, we grow out. That’s putting residents closer to the boundary of where the natural habitats of snakes are. So, intuitively you would expect more bites.” So why hasn’t the number of reported snakebites increased? Morris credits a focused and extended informational campaign. “We have been doing education outreach programs for the past 21 years here in the Valley,” he said. “We taught a total of 250,000 people last year through tours and outreach programs. This year will be even more.” He also credits an increase in social media activity and the Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary’s 1 million TikTok followers. “It definitely is making a difference,” Morris said. Dan and Debbie Marchand started the sanctuary in 2003 when some-
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ment went in to clear the overgrown reeds, they discovered “Clem,” severely malnourished, underweight and in need of a home. The Bureau of Land Management called Marchand, and the sanctuary bolstered its reputation as the go-to place for rescued reptiles of all sorts. The Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary is currently home to more than 200 venomous snakes, bearded dragons, crocodiles, gila monsters, tortoises and a host of other creatures over its 2.5 acres. The nonprofit sanctuary, with its 80 plus volunteers and 17 paid employees, is funded through guided tours ($20/adults, $15/kids), grants, summer camps and donations. “It’s like a no-kill animal shelter,” Morris said. “We don’t euthanize the stuff, we educate people.” Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary 480-513-4377 phoenixherp.com
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Crafternoon — Unsupervised
CAVE CREEK The Foothills Focus publishes on Wednesday. The weekly calendar — a listing of entertainment events such as concerts, theatrical performances, events for schools, churches, county parks and nonprofit groups — runs every issue. Events must be open to the public to be considered and generally must be held within the Foothills Focus coverage area. Events such as concerts and theatrical performances that fall outside the Foothills Focus circulation area will be considered because there are no concert halls or theater venues within our boundaries. Weekly calendar items print on a space-available basis. The only way to guarantee that an item will print is to purchase an advertisement. Submissions must reach our office by 4 p.m. Wednesday to be considered for the following Wednesday publication. Submissions must be in writing and may be emailed to Christina Fuoco-Karasinski, christina@ timespublications.com.
Craft N Chat MONDAYS Those who knit or crochet are invited to the Desert Foothills Library for Craft N Chat. New and experienced crafters are welcome to join. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, 1 to 3 p.m., free, dfla.org
Yoga Fusion THURSDAYS Join Elizabeth Boisson in an intermediate-level course of Yoga Fusion at the Desert Foothills Library from noon to 1 p.m. Thursdays. The class will start with breathing exercising and then go through different types of stretching movements and then into Vinyasa,
or the Flow, yoga. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, noon to 1 p.m., $10 cash per class, dfla.org
Friday Night Bull Riding & Mutton Bustin’ FRIDAYS Come watch riders rodeo on the back of a mighty bull. For children 3 to 6, sheep are available to ride alongside them. Buffalo Chip Saloon and Steakhouse, 6823 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, 8 p.m. to 11:45 p.m., $10 tickets $20 to ride a bull, buffalochipsaloon.com
FRIDAYS Kids from the ages of 2 to 18 can craft to their heart’s content in the Imagination Lab. With no staff to act as supervision, all kids must be accompanied by an adult. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., free admission, 480-488-2286, dfla.org
Live Music at Janey’s Coffeehouse NIGHTLY Come listen to live music every night at Janey’s Coffeehouse, performed by a variety of talented local artists. The venue has over a dozen unique performers each month, and for those looking to perform, new talent is encouraged to come by and sign up. This week, check out Glade Wilson, the Hoodoo Casters, Bill Dutcher, Tap Takeover, Nancy Bagley, Tim Brady, Jay Allan and Tres Burros! Janey’s Coffeehouse, 6602 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., various pricing, cavecreekazmusic.com
Oceans of Possibilities: Summer Reading Program TO AUGUST 1 All summer long, come celebrate the gift of reading with the Desert Foothills Library. All ages are encouraged to register for events. This summer, the theme is “Oceans of Possibilities,” so expect plenty of ocean related programs to help get your feet wet. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, 3:30 p.m., free admission, 480-488-2286, maricopacountyreads.org
Morning Stretch at the Rocks JULY 27 Enjoy views of nature, while stretching out by the rocks. Improve range of flexibility, relax muscle, and let go of body tension. Any fitness level is welcome. Bring an exercise mat. Desert Hills Presbyterian Church, 34605 N. Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., 480-980-3439, operations@deserthills. org
The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles Activity JULY 27 Learn the story of a man who spreads kindness by putting messages in bottles, then figure out how you can do the same. Participants will be encouraged to write kind messages, which will be hidden around the
library for patrons to stumble upon. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, 3:30 to 4:30 p.m., free admission, 480-488-2286, dfla.org
Pat James Band at Mountain View Pub JULY 29 Join country music singer and songwriter Pat James and his band at the Mountain View Pub for good music while you eat. The Mountain View Pub, 7033 E. Cave Creek Rd, Cave Creek, 5 to 9 p.m., free admission, 480-575-7782, mountainviewpub.pub
Puzzle Exchange JULY 29 Find new and interesting puzzles to solve, and help others find something for themselves. Drop off gently used puzzles and come exchange the old for the new all day at the library. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., 480-488-2286, dfla.org
If You Read a Kid a Book AUGUST 1 Join Miss Heather every Monday at the Imagination Lab to hear sections of good chapter books read aloud. Related coloring sheets will be provided for kids to enjoy while listening. The program, while open to all ages, is ideal for children ages 8 to 11. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, 10 to 11 a.m., free admission, 480-488-2286, dfla.org
Lego: Build Your Own Adventure — Unsupervised AUGUST 2 Come to the Imagination Lab and let the kids try out the wonderful world of Lego. Let them hone their fine motor skills and explore their creativity with the library’s supply of Lego and minifigs. Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., free, 480-488-2286, dfla.org
Service Industry Night & Karaoke AUGUST 7 Celebrate the service industry and good company at the Cave Creek Corral, with karaoke from 9 p.m. to midnight. Enjoy inexpensive beers and priceless company. Harold’s Cave Creek Corral 6895 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, 8 p.m., free admission, 480-488-1906, haroldscorral.com
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Four local students graduated at the May 5, 2022 commencement ceremony at the University of Utah. Solomon Enis of Phoenix earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business administration. Nolan Andrus of Cave Creek earned a Bachelor of Science degree in entrepreneurship. While Enis and Andrus graduated in Fall 2021, they waited to attend the in-person commencement this spring. Rachel Curnutt of Cave Creek graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree, summa cum laude, in games. Mary Wenzbauer of Phoenix earned a Master of Education degree in educational psychology with an emphasis in school psychology in Spring 2022. “The Class of 2022 is filled with so many amazing students, with unique and remarkable stories,” said Taylor Randall, president of the University of Utah. “All of our graduates helped create a rich, diverse and vibrant environment during their time at the U. We appreciate
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Know a student doing something remarkable? Tell us about it! Email christina@timespublications.com.
Cameron Ninneman of Anthem was named to the dean’s list and Sydney Reno of Cave Creek and Madeline Hayden of north Phoenix were named to the president’s list for the spring semester at the University of Alabama. Dean’s list students are full-time undergraduate students who acquire an academic record of 3.5 or above for the semester. President’s list students have a 4.0 grade point average for the semester. The University of Alabama, the state’s flagship university, provides an inclusive, forward-thinking environment and offers nearly 200 degree programs on a student-centered campus.
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their dedication as scholars and their enthusiasm for building a better future.”
Natacha Ramioulle of Cave Creek made the dean’s list for the Spring 2022 semester at the Georgia Institute of Technology. This designation is awardYOUTH ed to undergraduate students who have earned a 3.0 or higher academic average for the semester. Georgia Tech is a Top 10 public research university developing leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition through degrees in business, computing, design, engineering, liberal arts and sciences.
Genner Cervantes of Phoenix graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in criminal justice from Abilene Christian University. Cervantes was among more than 800 students who received degrees during the Abilene Christian University’s May commencement. Abilene Christian is the highest ranking university in Texas according to a 2022 U.S. News & World Report assessment of institutions.
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