The Foothills Focus 101922 Zone 1

Opioid

Restaurant owner, Marine supports Anthem

The Foothills Focus, inpartnership with the AnthemVeterans Memorial, will honora local veteran each month. This is the story of Ryan Ladiser.

BY ELIZABETH TURNER

Anthem Veterans Memorial

Ryan Ladiser enlisted in the U.S. Ma rine Corps after graduating high school in Seattle.

“My dad is an Army veteran who served in Vietnam,” Ladiser said.

“My grandfather is a Marine who served

Christmas program hits its 20th anniversary

BY KAILA MELLOS Foothills Focus Staff Writer

The Foothills Food Bank and Re source Center are gathering do nors and donations for its annual Adopt-A-Family Christmas program.

The donor program is now in high de mand.

“We are all aware of the rising food

and gas prices, but our neighbors are especially feeling the financial strain,” said Leigh Zydonik, Foothills Food Bank executive director.

“The food bank has experienced a 51% increase in visits over the same period in 2021.”

The Adopt-A-Family program gave back to 1,185 individuals and approxi mately 450 families in 2021. With that

51% increase in demand, they are now looking to serve around 600 individual families this year.

“The Adopt-A-Family is a gift-giving program,” Zydonik said.

“We have families, and our seniors as well, that we have two different parties for. One party is at the Holland Center,

The latest breaking news and top local stories in the Peoria! www.foothillsfocus.com

Ryan Ladiser will serve breakfast sandwiches from Tennessee Grill before the Anthem Veterans Day cere mony. (Ryan Ladiser/Submitted)

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in World War II. I don’t know if my family military history really had any thing to do with my service. Honest ly, I was like so many kids graduating high school who didn’t have a plan or a clue for the future. I knew I wasn’t ready for college, and deep down I knew I needed some discipline and maturity.”

When he finished basic training in San Diego, he was sent to Camp Pend leton, where he trained as an amphib ious assault crewman.

“I was a really strong swimmer and passed all the swimming tests with ease. That was a natural transition for me to train on this equipment,” he said.

“Enlisting in the Marines was the best decision of my life. It gave me con fidence, it forced me to grow up and it taught me valuable lessons. After the Marines, I was ready for college and the next chapter of my adult life.”

After earning his degree at ASU, La diser worked as a food consultant in

the restaurant and hotel industry.

“When COVID hit, and jobs in the food industry diminished daily, I decided it was time to take all this acquired knowledge and try it as a restaurant owner,” Ladiser said.

“I was lucky the upswing in the in dustry came soon after I purchased” Tennessee Grill. He said he enjoys giv ing back to the community through the restaurant.

“The greatest satisfaction I have owning this business is employing people from this community and giv ing back to the community where I can,” Ladiser said.

“There is immense pride in provid ing a paycheck and place of employ ment for community members. We have an amazing team of dedicated workers at Tennessee Grill.”

He said he feels fortunate to have served during peace time, but he ada mantly supports those who defended the country, protected freedoms and made the United States “what it is.”

“I am honored to serve as a food vendor at this year’s Veterans Day cer

emony at the Anthem Veterans Memo rial,” he added. “I hope everyone comes out this year to the Veterans Day ceremony to honor, salute and support our veterans and their fami lies. I look forward to seeing everyone at the Anthem Veterans Memorial on Nov. 11. It will be a great morning. Come early, have breakfast and listen to the free concert before the ceremo ny.”

Veterans Day Ceremony

Friday, Nov. 11

• 9:30 a.m. Free patriotic music concert by ProMusica AZ Orchestra and Chorale

• 9:30 a.m. All Vietnam War veterans are invited to a pinning ceremony in front of the stage

• 10 a.m. Ceremony begins

• 11:11 a.m. Solar spotlight and program conclusion

Seating is limited, and lawn chairs are encouraged.

Anthem Veterans Memorial is at 41703 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway For information, visit onlineatanthem.com

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that services the Cave Creek area, and then we have one up in Black Canyon City that services the Black Canyon City area and New River area.”

The food bank hosts two parties during Thanksgiving and Christmas to distribute the Adopt-A-Family gifts and bring the holiday spirit.

“We even have meal preparation stuff for fun family activities during the event and to take home for to gether time with the family,” she said.

“These prep kits include things like baking cookies, frosting them, hot cocoa, popcorn, some of those types of fun family holiday event foods. We also have a Santa who comes in for the party. It’s just a fun event for the family and our seniors to come and get the holiday spirit.”

The Foothills Food Bank lists on its website the recommended gifts to donate to the program.

Foothills Food Bank is accepting donations of the gift cards to help

families. It also is asking for board games, adult brainteaser books, and new throws or small lap blankets for the seniors this winter. All gift cards and gifts must be dropped off at the Holland Center, 34250 N. 60th Street, Scottsdale, between Sunday, Dec. 4, and Thursday, Dec. 8.

The food bank is also always look ing for volunteers for its two loca tions. If interested, contact the Foot hills Food Bank.

Donors can register to adopt a family through Nov. 30 at foothillsfoodbank.com.

Founded in 1988, the Foothills Food Bank and Resource Center provides food for neighbors expe riencing food insecurity as well as resources for other support services available in North Maricopa and southern Yavapai counties.

The Cave Creek food bank is at 6038 E. Hidden Valley Drive, Cave Creek, 480-488-1145.

The Black Canyon City pantry is at 34550 S. Black Canyon Highway, Black Canyon City, 623-374-9441.

Volunteers wait at the check-in table to get Adopt-A-Family ready to go thru the drive-thru style collection for the 2021 event. (Foothills Food Bank/Submitted)

BY FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF

Attorney General Mark Br novich’s office is making $4 million available in grants to help fight the opioid crisis. The money comes from attorney general office settlements with four pharma ceutical companies for their roles in the opioid crisis.

“While opioids have not recent ly received as much media atten

tion as other public health issues, we can never forget those that have been devastated by this epidemic,” Brnovich said. “The distribution of these grants should greatly assist many Arizonans on the road to re covery and well-being.”

Applicants will be able to apply for one or all three programs, which in clude:

• $2 million in total grant funding for rural counties (Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, Mohave, Navajo, Pinal, San ta Cruz, Yavapai and Yuma coun ties).

• $1 million in total grant funding for large counties (Maricopa and Pima).

• $1 million in total grant funding statewide for “medically under served” populations.

Grant funding may be used for sever al purposes, including:

• Treatment of opioid use disorder.

• Support for people in treatment and recovery.

• Addressing the needs of persons in volved in or at risk of becoming in volved in the criminal justice system.

• Addressing the needs of pregnant or parenting women and prevent ing the misuse of opioids. In July, Brnovich secured consent judgments with Cardinal, McKesson and AmerisourceBergen — the na tion’s three major pharmaceutical distributors — and Johnson & John son, which manufactured and mar keted opioids. Arizona and its polit ical subdivisions will receive more than $540 million over the next 18 years from the consent judgments for opioid treatment, prevention and education.

The money will be dispersed ac cording to the One Arizona Memo randum of Understanding (One Ar

izona Plan), an agreement with 90 Arizona cities and towns and all 15 counties to distribute funds from opioid settlements expeditiously.

As part of the One Arizona Plan, the Arizona Legislature appropri ated a portion of the settlement to the AGO during the 2022 legislative session to provide funding for grant programs to address and alleviate opioid abuse across the state.

Applicants will have until 11:59 p.m. Monday, Nov. 28, to apply for grants. Nonprofits, for-profit orga nizations, faith-based organizations and community coalitions are eligi ble. Government entities are not eli gible to apply for this round of fund ing and will be addressed in future disbursements by local and state gov ernments per the One Arizona Plan.

Interested applicants may apply for AGO opioid abatement grant funding at https://bit.ly/AZOpioidAbatement.

For more opinions

TheFoothillsFocus.com | @TheFoothills.Focus /TheFoothillsFocus

AROUND THE BLUHMIN’ TOWN

Hold the spice this fall season

BY JUDY BLUHM Foothills Focus Columnist

Cinnamon.

Ginger. Nutmeg. All spice. The holy grail of spices.

The pumpkin spice season has arrived! How did this “autumn flavor” gain so much popularity in America that it practically formed its own culture?

Look at coffee shops with the lines of people sitting in their vehicles, eagerly ordering pumpkin spice lattes.

The coffee flavor was experiment ed with by Starbucks in the 1990s, then launching the now-famous latte in 2003, setting off a pumpkin spice craze. Yep, 20 million of these “pump kin lattes,” lovingly called PSL, are sold each year, at just about every coffee joint in America.

They can barely keep up with the demand. But wait, it gets weirder. Americans spend about half a billion bucks on pumpkin spice products every year. Pumpkin-scented can dles, lattes, trash bags, beer, bagels, popcorn and pies are but a few of the ways that consumers show the “pumpkin love.” But why?

Teams of psychologists claim that the aroma of pumpkin conjures up pleasant memories (or fantasies) of cooler weather, cozy kitchens, leaves falling to the ground and the ap proach of holidays. Somehow, pump kin spice can make folks feel nostal gic, improving moods, and providing comfort through our senses. Can a flavor really do this? While the “ex perts” keep investigating our “nation al obsession” with pumpkin spice, we just keep sipping the lattes. Oh yeah, Americans love a change of seasons

and a cup of spiced-up java.

The history of pumpkin spice goes back to cookbooks written as early as 1796 and Indigenous people were making a baked pumpkin concoction long before that. McCormick first came out with pumpkin pie spice in 1934 just before Thanksgiving, and a star spice was born. It flew off the shelves, cementing the flavors that seem to represent Americana. So here we are.

A nation divided on about every thing, except our deep devotion to pumpkin spice. In everything. Even SPAM. Yes, the little can of versatili ty can be purchased in, you guessed it, pumpkin spice flavor. A terrifying thought.

Actually, very little pumpkin, if any, exists in most of these “spiced” prod ucts. But we Americans also love our pumpkins. Oh, give us a round orange ball to proudly display on porches, steps, patios and walkways and let the season begin. There is much more to the fruit (yes, it’s a fruit) than a latte or pie.

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BY J.D. HAYWORTH Foothills Focus Columnist

Theold joke is perhaps more insulting than amusing – and certainly burns the ears of educators and athletic de partment personnel alike.

Maybe you’ve heard it: “Those who can’t do, teach… and those who can’t teach, teach gym.”

But now, it appears some “former gym teachers”—also known as coaches— are getting the last laugh in the form of huge deposits into their checking accounts.

The first high-profile “personnel casual ty” in the National Football League during the 2022 season took place in the aftermath of week five, when the Carolina Panthers parted company with Head Coach Matt Rhule.

Good thing for Matt that an updated “Golden Rhule” was in effect because he signed a seven-year, $62 million contract that was fully guaranteed back in 2020.

He will have to make do with $834,000 per month over the next 48 months to just “hang around the house” – or perhaps build several new ones.

Maybe Matt will “go back to school,” and return to coaching in the collegiate ranks.

That would certainly please the Panthers, who would see that remaining $40 million “investment” offset by any future head coaching wages paid to Rhule.

Despite losing twice as many games as he won as an NFL coach, Rhule remains a “hot commodity” in the eyes of big-time college football headhunters. Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network claims that Matt will “have his choice of coveted college jobs” once this season ends.

Nowhere is a winning coach more need ed now than at Nebraska.

The Cornhuskers have suffered through a “football famine” for more than two de cades, having last won a share of the Na tional Championship in 1997. That’s why Nebraska named the starting quarterback

from that title year, Scott Frost, as the Husk ers head coach in late 2018. Frost was “ on fire” at the time, having just coached UCF to an undefeated season.

But once he returned home to Lincoln, Frost led Nebraska into a football “deep freeze,” suffering through four straight los ing seasons and recording only one win and two defeats through the first three weeks of the 2022 campaign.

By firing Frost in September, Athletic Di rector Trev Alberts was actually doing the hard-luck Nebraska alumnus a favor.

Had the Huskers handed Frost his walk ing papers in October, the buyout on Scott’s contract would have been reduced by 50%.

So, the September dismissal paid him a generous $15 million, which will keep Frost and his family warm this winter – and during many more winters to come.

Closer to home, the “Winter of Discon tent” for Arizona State with Head Coach Herm Edwards was likewise concluded in September with what looks like another

multimillion-dollar

payout. One estimate puts the total at $10.8 million.

Or maybe not.

Because there’s been no apparent reso lution to the NCAA investigation of the Sun Devil football program, it is conceivable that

Hear Ye? Maybe his records, but not his speech

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Foothills Focus Columnist

My mother often cautioned us on the value of silence. She mostly spoke her mind and expected her kids to as well, unless we had no clue what we were talking about. Then she advocated holding your tongue.

“It’s one thing to be an idiot,” she would say, “but another thing to con stantly open your mouth and prove it to everyone.”

Which brings me to the rapper/ clothing designer/cultural icon Kanye West, who goes by the one-word appel lation “Ye.”

Ye, who has rapped beautifully about his late mother, Donda, has spent several weeks proving my mother exactly right, and teaching us a valuable lesson besides.

It is possible to be prodigiously tal ented, wealthy and famous and still be a blithering idiot.

Ye’s recent turn in the media grind

er began in Paris during Fashion Week, when he sported an oversize T-shirt with a picture of Pope John Paul II on the front and the slogan “White Lives Matter” on the back.

While I agree with Ye that the state ment is “obvious,” there‘s no deny ing those three words carry a highly charged context: The Anti-Defamation League calls the phrase “a hate slogan,” seized upon by the Aryan Nation and Ku Klux Klan as “a staple among white supremacist mantras.”

In other words, this wasn’t fashion. It was like dressing up as a Nazi for Hal loween and calling it “just a costume.”

Speaking of Judaism, Ye turned his at tention there in an appearance on Fox News’ Tucker Carlson show and on so cial media. His interview with Carlson was a rambling two-hour mess even be fore the really anti-Semitic comments –edited out for TV – leaked to the media.

Among Ye’s greatest hits: “I prefer my kids knew Hanukkah than Kwanzaa. At

least it will come with some financial engineering.”

Because, you know, Jews control the world’s money and all.

Not content with claiming to “have vi sions that God gives me, just over and over, on community building,” Ye went on a social media rant that got him banned from Instagram and Twitter: “I’m a bit sleepy tonight but when I wake up I’m going death con 3 on Jewish peo ple. The funny thing is I actually can’t be Anti-Semitic because Black people are actually Jew also. You guys have toyed with me and tried to Black ball anyone whoever opposes your agenda.”

Can I get an “Oy vey?”

The woke left, from Rep. Alexandra Ocasio Cortez to singer John Legend, lined up on cue to cancel Ye. Others sug gested that Ye, who has spoken often of his battle with bipolar disorder, might be off his meds and should seek help.

Meanwhile, the business community, from Adidas to JPMorgan Chase, moved

to distance themselves, either suspend ing doing business with Ye outright or announcing the relationship was “un der review.”

Keep in mind, this is the same guy

More than 800 million pumpkins are produced and sold, each year in the United States. And they all ripen in October. No wonder our grocery stores are filled with bins of gorgeous gourds. Well, not only do people en joy pumpkins, so do javelinas. I think javelinas love to devour a tasty decorative pumpkin as much as people seem addicted to lattes. I found this out when I happily (stu

pidly) placed about eight pumpkins around my front walkway. When I woke up to a ruckus one night, I looked out to see a family of six big javelinas with orange gooey faces destroying my autumn display with great enthusiasm.

Oh my gourd, forgive me for what I am about to say. Forget about pump kins! Hold the spice.

Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local Re altor. Have a story or a comment? Email Judy at judy@judybluhm.com.

HAYWORTH from page 10

Edwards could wind up with no severance pay, and would perhaps have to pay $75,000 from his own pocket should the collegiate sports governing body determine that he was directly involved in rule violations.

But other observers believe a big payday is in Herm’s future, based in part on the “of ficial language” used to announce his depar ture by ASU Athletic Director Ray Anderson.

“Herm did not resign, he was not dis missed. We agreed to a mutual relinquish ment of duties,” Anderson said.

out there and attorneys are out there, both from the institutional point of view and the agents and client.”

Ray Anderson should know.

He was Herm’s agent back during Ed wards’ playing days in the NFL.

The recent intrigue at ASU has prompted a joke that’s not very funny to the Sun Devil faithful.

“There are two types of athletic directors. Those who hire and fire coaches…and those who hire and then fire their ex-clients.”

who said in 2018: “When you hear about slavery for 400 years … For 400 years? That sounds like a choice.”

Only now you’re reviewing his wis dom?

My take on Ye: He belongs on the Mount Rushmore of rap, alongside gi ants like Dre and Eminem. His talent has brought him wealth and fame, but like so many icons, he holds no special claim on intellect.

“Stronger,” “Golddigger,” and “Jesus Walks” are tunes I’ll spin until I die. But watch two hours of Kanye pontificate on kinetic energy or wear his atrocious chunky moonboots? Hell no.

The rich and famous might try keep ing their mouths shut more often. As for Ye, he would be wise to heed a line from his classic, “Hey Mama.”

“I know I act a fool,” he vowed to Don da, “but I promise you, I’m goin’ back to school.”

When Ye, when?

“We’ll have to work through what all of that means at the end of the day…Agents are

Ears are burning in Tempe and a big chunk of cash will burn a hole through the ASU athletic budget right into the pocket of Herm Edwards.

How to get a letter published

E-mail: christina@timeslocalmedia.com

The Foothills Focus welcomes letters that express readers’ opinion on current topics. Letters must include the writer’s full name, address (including city) and telephone number. The Foot hills Focus will print the writer’s name and city of residence only. Letters without the requisite identifying information will not be published. Letters are published in the order received, and they are subject to editing. The Foothills Focus will not publish consumer complaints, form letters, clippings from other publications or poetry. Letters’ authors, not the Foothills Focus, are responsible for the “facts” presented in letters.

Judy Schwiebertfor Arizona State House | District 2

Working for our public schools, protecting women’s rights

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LEIBOWITZ

READER’S VIEWPOINTS

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Letter to the Editor

Editor:

Many fire districts cover Arizonans in ar eas not covered by cities and/or towns.

Located mostly in rural Arizona and along the major roadways connecting Phoenix, Tucson, Kingman, Flagstaff and Yuma, fire districts have raised concerns for years re garding the various limits placed on revenue growth within their districts. The current limitations have precluded many fire dis tricts from maintaining adequate fire and emergency medical service delivery at levels necessary to protect life and property and keep fire fighters safe, response times can be as long as 30 minutes or more.

That can be a lifetime when you need medical attention after a car crash far from the nearest fire station. Or when you are one of the 1.5 million Arizonans who live in a fire district and a wildfire is bearing down on your family’s home and property.

How deep is the crisis? Over the last five years, 2,000 people have died in vehicle crashes on Arizona’s rural roads. Another 30,000 have been injured. The Daisy Moun tain Fire District responds to emergencies on the Interstate 17 from the Carefree High way to Sunset Point arguably the most dan gerous stretch of highway in Arizona. Over the same time, fire districts have helped fight wildfires that have claimed more than 2.2 million acres in our state.

The solution could be Proposition 310. Put forward by Arizona’s firefighters and a bipartisan group of state legislators, this small temporary increase in the state’s sales tax — just one-tenth of a cent on each dollar spent — will generate about $150 million annually for the state’s fire districts. These increased resources will take the pressure off our firefighters and paramedics and help ensure they have the equipment and train ing they need to provide fire, emergency and medical services to residents and travelers.

Think of it this way: The next time you spend 10 bucks on lunch at McDonald’s, this measure will cost you a penny. In return, the next time you take a day trip from the Valley to the White Mountains or drive over for a weekend in Rocky Point, San Diego or Vegas, the fire districts you pass through will be far

better prepared should you and your loved ones need help.

While urban fire departments frequent ly respond to 911 emergency calls in 6 or 7 minutes, rural fire districts’ response times routinely can exceed 30 minutes. Not only does that create serious risk for the 1.5 mil lion Arizonans who live in fire districts, it also impacts the residents and visitors who travel our state’s interstates and rural road ways on day trips, sightseeing tours, and vacations. Strapped for funding and short of manpower, equipment and training, Ar izona’s fire districts desperately need more resources to better serve our communities, families and businesses.

Notwithstanding the funding issues of ru ral fire districts, what could the Daisy Moun tain Fire District (Black Canyon City, Anthem, New River, Desert Hills, Cave Creek) do with additional funding from an initiative:

• Train additional firefighter paramedics that were lost due to budget cuts

• Construct and staff new fire station(s) for better response times

• Staff and equip additional regionally de ployed ambulance(s) for better response times

• Expand regionally deployed wildland/ur ban interface fire suppression capacities

• Train, equip and staff a regional technical rescue team (mountain rescues, high angle rescues, mine rescues, swift water rescues, off road rescues)

• Train, equip and staff a regionally deployed Battalion Chief (special ops certified) for firefighter safety

• Staff and equip a regionally deployed air/ light utility/rehabilitation truck for fire fighter safety

• Initiate/expand tele-med and tele-stroke services for better patient care for patients with long transport times to hospitals

• Staff and equip regionally deployed cri sis response unit(s) for urgent behavioral health issues

• Expand occupational cancer screening for firefighters

• Construct regional fire and EMS training center(s)

Brian P. Tobin Fire chief

Robert Clarfield combines real estate and flying

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

As a child, Robert Clarfield watched planes soar at New York air shows with his father, and he found his life long passion.

Now, the former tech project manager is known as “The Flying Realtor,” with the ARRT of Real Estate, embarking from Scott sdale Airport.

“I’m not looking to move on to the air lines like younger pilots,” said Clarfield, a former volunteer search-and-rescue pilot for the Civil Air Patrol.

“I’m 53 years old. It’s about building it into my business. Having the ability to scan Arizona with an eagle’s perspective is a huge advantage for home searchers — particularly those not as fa miliar with the areas. With all the migration into the Grand Canyon State from the West Coast and elsewhere, that’s an incredible plus.”

Clarfield is a partner in the ARRT of Real Estate, which has nine agents. The boutique firm hopes to graduate to 20.

“We really want to stay bou tique because we want to concentrate on helping all of our agents succeed,” he said. “We don’t advertise a lot. We go by refer rals.”

Clarfield specializes in finding homes in Sedona or in Prescott, especially for clients who would like a second home in the cool pines, away from the hot weather. He’s laser focused on Payson, which is an hour and a half by car, and less than 60 minutes by air. It’s not as pricey as Prescott or Flagstaff.

Nestled just under the Mogollon Rim, Payson is a short hop to mountain lakes, the Tonto Natural Bridge, and scores of hiking trails. Payson is an outdoor playground for

those who like nature, cooler temperatures, cabin retreats, or small-town comfort.

“But to find — and then acquire — the perfect home or retreat in this tree-lined paradise requires not only knowing where and how to look but an understanding of the details of the acquisition and the deal,” he said.

That comes from his project manager years, during which time he worked in real estate part time. Two years ago, his real es tate career took off, when he put his heart into it.

“One of my dreams was always to fly,” he adds. “I wanted to be a pilot, but it was ob

viously a very expensive hobby to get into. My wife and I talked about it, and she said to go for it; just get my pilot’s license. So, I got it, and I was able to take my dad flying. It was awesome.

“I thought, ‘Wouldn’t it be cool if I could combine my love and passion for flying with my love and passion for real estate?’ In Phoenix, most Realtors concentrate on the properties in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, the Valley. I was thinking I could expand that and include Payson, Prescott, Flagstaff and Sedona.”

By the end of the year, he’ll have his in strument rating, which allows him to fly through clouds, and then his commercial rating. Right now, he can fly clients, but he cannot charge them.

“I’m perfectly fine with that,” he said. “I can’t charge them until I get a commercial license. Then, I can look at the parameters for charging people, but I wanted to get my instrument rating first. If you just go from

private pilot to a commercial pilot, you can only fly passengers within a 50-nau tical-mile radius. That’s not going to be enough. So, I’ll get my instrument rating and then I can fly them wherever they want to go.

“If they’re looking in Sedona, for example, we’ll take off from Scottsdale and fly out to Sedona. I’ll have a car service waiting for them — a nice Town Car or something — and go to showings. Have some lunch, get back in the car that takes us back to Sedona airport and fly back to Scottsdale. Right now, I’ve been renting a plane, but I’m going to be purchasing my own plane. It’s going to be fun.”

ARRT of Real Estate / Robert Clarfield

5635 N. Scottsdale Road, Suite 170, Scottsdale 480-239-7793, arrtofrealestate.com robert@arrtofrealestate.com

For more Business News visit thefoothillsfocus.com

Robert Clarfield will have his instrument rating and commercial rating by the end of the year. (Dennis Murphy/Contributor)

Robert Clarfield discovered a lifelong passion for flying as a child attending New York air shows.

L’Entrata wine bar celebrating 1st anniversary

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

Jay and Maria Toupin knew they were filling a niche when they opened L’Entrata in Anthem a year ago.

It’s become such a staple in that now it’s bringing in travelers from the I-17, and guests from Cave Creek, Surprise and beyond.

“We’re not just getting people from Anthem,” Maria said. “There really isn’t anything like it. You have to go into Scottsdale. There are restaurants in Happy Valley, but nobody who has a bot tle shop with a restaurant, tastings and flights, and do events. We have our own wine. I guess it’s a unique combination.

“Sure, we serve mostly this communi ty because we’re so close. But it surpris es me sometimes where the guests come from.”

L’Entrata is celebrating its first anni versary from 3:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday,

Oct. 22, with a tented event featuring a ticketed wine tasting with seven wine vendors, over 50 wines, featuring Cay mus and Daou vineyards, giveaways, live music by Tom Mein and food available for purchase.

“It’s ticketed from 3 to 6 p.m. and at 6 p.m., the tent is open to everybody at 6 p.m.,” Jay said.

“We’re going to make it a bash and a fun celebration. The restaurant is open to everybody the whole day. This is just to show our appreciation for our cus tomers. The fact that we made it a year and we’re so well received in the com munity is great.”

L’Entrata’s 1,250-square-foot space includes an expansive covered patio and tasting room with dining and bar service. The tasting room features hundreds of curated global and local wine selections from across the globe, including, coming soon, L’Entrata’s own label. There are also wine accessories, branded appar

el, chocolates and other specialty items available for purchase.

Along with a rotating gourmet menu, and weekend brunch service with bot tomless mimosas, L’Entrata offers an online platform, where visitors can pur chase fine wines by the bottle or a case for pickup or delivery.

“People are so crazy for brunch here in Phoenix,” she said.

“We do brunch on Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. We have bottom less mimosas, mimosa flights with grape fruit, peach and orange. We did roll out our flight menu — a white flight and a red flight. Jay selects the wine for the week.”

For food, L’Entrata has served croque madame, eggs benedict, apple pancakes with currant brown butter maple syrup and avocado toast with smoked salmon.

In addition to in-person sipping and shopping, L’Entrata hosts chef wine din ners with meals and curated wine selec tions from L’Entrata’s extensive collec tion. Other events include paint-and-sip sessions to farm-to-table wine dinners.

Its multi-tier Wine Club Membership Program gives members two hand-se lected bottles of wine by the owners, charcuterie, plus 20% off all food, mer ch and wine in-store every month. Wine Club Members are also the first to know about wine dinners and special events.

“My Italian and Greek heritage practi cally infused wine into my DNA,” Maria said.

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“There has always been something special about sharing a bottle and a meal with family or friends that sparked our passion in building a community around it that’s inviting, inclusive, and invokes happiness each time you visit us.”

Jay added that the couple is excited about its anniversary.

“Some of our best times when we lived in Seattle were spent working and vol unteering at wineries and developing relationships with winemakers from across the region,” he said.

chef, Jen Van Fleet, who owned a wine bar with her husband in Fresno before moving to the Valley.

“We’ve definitely grown in ways we didn’t expect,” she said. “We have grown in the restaurant side of things. We were go ing to rock the charcuterie boards at first.

“We have an executive chef who we are working with who we are super ex cited about. People want food, especially in the Anthem community. So, we piv oted and we’re doing more of that. We have some awesome food.”

Maria said L’Entrata has been more fun than they expected. The wine club has been success and they’re waiting for it to cool down for their signature wine to be shipped here from Washington state. Aryn Morell of Alleromb Winery in Walla Walla, Washington, makes wines for a select number of boutique winer ies, including L’Entrata.

L’Entrata bottles Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Rosé, Pinot Noir and Sauvi gnon Blanc.

“After COVID, people were so cooped up that they’re so excited to be back out and engaging,” Maria said.

“We have these fun conversation cards all over the bar, so they can get to know each other. We don’t have TVs and that’s on purpose. We feel super blessed to have the staff we have.”

Van Fleet will revamp the menu. The staple items will remain, like the mush room flat bread.

“We’re going to roll out a fun fall menu,” Maria said. “She’s great about cooking within the seasons. We’ll have some fun new flatbreads, a new panini. When we have our one-year anniversary party, guests can taste samples of her new menu in the tent.”

L’Entrata First Anniversary Party

at every stop

at the Black Canyon City Visitor Center. More information: Glenda 720-217-7443

“We’re grateful to have gotten to share all we’ve learned with our friends, both new and old, in Anthem.”

L’Entrata recently added an executive

WHEN: 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 22; 3:30 to 6 p.m. ticketed WHERE: L’Entrata, 41111 Daisy Mountain Drive, Anthem COST: Call for information about ticketed event

INFO: 623-248-1727, lentratawine.com

| @TheFoothills.Focus /TheFoothillsFocus

Washing dirty windows

CHURCH COMMUNITY CONNECTION Pastor Ed Delph Foothills Focus Columnist

One of the British national newspapers has been asking for comments about what it means to be British. So here is a statement from a chap in Switzer land who lived in Britain for twelve years.

“Being British is about driving in a German car to an Irish pub for a Belgian beer and then traveling home, grabbing an Indian curry or a Turkish kebab on the way, to sit on Swedish furniture and watch Ameri can Shows on a Japanese TV. And the most British thing of all? Suspicion of anything foreign!”

Like the story above, we often see things the way we are rather than the way they are. We see things through our experiences, political views, biases, prejudices, national ities, affiliations, and the like. But what happens when we think we are seeing is not what we are see ing? What happens when we look at someone or something through those rose-colored glasses we all tend to have?

Let me illustrate. A young couple moves into a new neighborhood. The following day while they are eating breakfast, the young woman sees her neighbor hanging the wash outside. “That laundry is not very clean,” she said. “She doesn’t know how to wash correctly. Perhaps she needs better laundry soap.” Ev ery time her neighbor would hang her wash to dry, the young woman would make the same comments.

About a month later, the woman was surprised to see a nice clean

wash on the line and said to her hus band, “Look, she has learned how to wash correctly. I wonder who taught her this?” The husband said, “I got up early this morning and cleaned our windows.”

It’s easy to turn a molehill into a mountain when our eye windows are dirty. It’s much easier to try and change everyone else when we are the ones that need changing. The problem with dirty windows is that we can become cynical and jaded. H. L. Mencken said, “A cynic is a man who, when he smells flowers, looks around for a coffin.” Dirty mental or emotional windows often end up hurting the critic more than the cri tiqued.

This illustration doesn’t mean that we throw away discernment or that everything we see is dirty. However, let’s examine ourselves first and ensure that the windows of our soul are clean enough to see others and our experiences clearly and non-judgmentally.

The Bible gives us wisdom on this. “To the pure, all things are pure; but to those who are defiled and unbe lieving, nothing is pure, but both their mind and conscience are de filed.” Titus 1:15. In other words, to the pure, everything is pure. To the impure, everything is impure. Her bert Samuel says, “The world is like a mirror. Frown at it, and it frowns at you. Smile at it, and it smiles too.” We rarely see what we are not look ing for.

So, here’s a question for you. When you open your eyes, what do you see? Here’s what one writer wrote. Maybe it could be you.

“You only need to open your eyes

to see the handiwork of God. I don’t worship the stars, but they stir me to worship God. So likewise, I don’t worship humanity. But when I look around me at the people in my life, I am in awe of their vast array of gifts and talents. Seeing these people is so incredible that it provokes me to thank the Creator of Life.

I look around and see beauty in one place and deep sadness and grief in another. This causes me to stop and give thanks for my life, a life filled with hope, purpose, and security when in pain. And my faith compels me to believe there is a fu ture and a hope because the feeling of life and creation that I am sur rounded by is not here by mistake but by glorious design.”

Let me guess what many of us are thinking. “That writer is not dealing with reality. There’s so much hurt in life. There’s so much injustice in the world. That person hasn’t expe rienced what I have. That person is sitting there doing nothing about all the problems we have in our world. They are so heavenly-minded that they are not earthly good.”

The Bible says Jesus knew what was in human beings, but he wouldn’t let human stuff give him a dirty window to look through. Why? He had his Father’s eyes. He saw people and events the way God sees people and events. Jesus could sep arate the person from their issues and behaviors. Jesus’ perspective was, “Yes, it’s real, it’s messy, but that is why I came to earth. Let’s re deem it.”

Jesus understood the idea that, to the pure, all things are pure. If Je sus saw life through the dirty win

dow of ‘wounded, bitter, or cynical,’ he wouldn’t have gone about doing good and helping all who were in need. A fruitful life sees the dirty window but is not paralyzed by the dirty window. I guarantee you will help more people, solve more prob lems, and transform evil into good with an outlook like the writer in this article has. God designed heav enly good to make us earthly good. When you open your eyes today, what do you see? Maybe it’s time to look at life like Jesus did, through grace-healed eyes. Then you will say, “Yes, I see the mess, but with God’s help, let’s turn the mess into a message.

Ed Delph is a noted author of 10 books, as well as a pastor, teacher, former business owner and speaker. He 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. He may be contacted at nationstrategy@cs.com.

For more features visit thefoothillsfocus.com

BY SUMMER AGUIRRE Foothills Focus Staff Writer

RayVillafane was preparing for a possible space trip when he had an epiphany.

Known for carving whimsical pump kins, Villafane realized he had to tell sto ries in a cohesive manner. That led to his new home, Vulture City Ghost Town in Wickenburg, which he feels was meant to be — a dream he manifested.

He’ll show off his latest creations at Gourdy Ghouligan’s first Halloween Spooktacular 2022 on Friday, October 21; Saturday, October 22; and Sunday, October 23, at Vulture City Ghost Town, 36610 355th Avenue, Wickenburg.

Gourdy Ghouligan’s Halloween Spooktacular features live pumpkin carving, dozens of pumpkin displays, family carve-along class, giant pumpkin, blacksmith demonstrations, boneyard mining company opening, trick or treat

ghost town style, puppe teers, face painting, food and a beer garden

Villafane has sculpted for Marvel, DC Comics, Blizzard and Warner Bros. He holds two Guinness World Re cords and has been recog nized by “Ripley’s Believe It or Not.”

To the moon

In March 2021, he applied for the dearMoon project, a lunar tourism mission and art project conceived and financed by Japanese bil lionaire Yusaku Maezawa. It will make use of a SpaceX Starship spacecraft on a pri vate spaceflight flying a sin gle circumlunar trajectory

Ray Villafane is slated to show off his artistic pumpkin carving creations at Gourdy Ghouligan’s first Halloween Spooktacular 2022 in Wickenburg. (Dennis Murphy/Submitted)

Blue October singer thrives on communication

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

BlueOctober singer Justin Fursten feld is big on communication.

Whether it’s sharing stories or songs with his fans, or romancing an ac tress in a music video, he needs to make his message clear.

Take, for example, Blue October’s latest video, “Spinning the Truth Around,” the ti tle track to a collection the band released on Oct. 14.

“I learned it’s better to communicate with an actress if you’re going to kiss her,” Furstenfeld said slyly.

“I brought a plethora of different gum. When I first met her, I walked up to her and said, ‘Hi. I’m Justin. What gum would you like me to chew today?’ She said, ‘What?’

“I said, ‘I’m going to be kissing you all fricking day. What flavor of gum would you like me to chew?’”

They mutually agreed upon Big Red.

“The crazier you’re going to get with an actress physically, it’s best to start right off with open communication,” Fursten

feld reiterated.

“It’s such a crazy conversation: ‘I’m lit erally going to kiss you now. I’m going to kiss the edge of your lips for a little bit and ease into it.’”

The “Spinning the Truth Around” vid eo was inspired by the movies “True Ro mance” and “Wild at Heart.” Directed by Zach Merck, it was filmed in the desert outside of Los Angeles.

“I love both of those films because love is taken to the absolute limits,” Fursten feld said.

“Most people don’t even believe ro mance exists anymore.”

The song will be on the setlist, along with all of Blue October’s radio hits, when the band plays the Van Buren on Saturday, Oct. 29.

“We’ll do three or four songs off the new album,” Furstenfeld said. “It’s so ex citing to be back on stage. Everybody’s in such good shape, good spirits and good moods. We want to create and be one with our supporters. We’re looking forward to everyone leaving on the highest of highs.”

Recorded throughout 2020 and 2021 at Furstenfeld’s Up/Down Studios, Blue

October’s 11th album, “Spinning the Truth Around,” will be a double: part one is out, while its companion piece is set for early 2023.

“I wrote 80 songs during COVID,” he said. “I wasn’t going to sit around and do nothing. Every day, I’d go out there (stu dio) and unleash on songs. Everybody has

their problems. I choose to write about them all. It’s nice to go out there and just express myself. Plus, I’m a music fanatic. I’m trying different things.”

That goes for his medium as well. Furstenfeld made his feature film de but on Sept. 23 as a villain in the action movie “Section 8” with Dolph Lundgren, Mickey Rourke, Dermot Mulroney and Ryan Kwaten.

“Section 8” is the story of a former sol dier who, after avenging the murder of his family, is sprung from prison and re cruited by a shadowy government agen cy. Furstenfeld has also wrapped the film “Lights Out,” co-starring Frank Grillo, Me khi Phifer, Scott Adkins and Mulroney.

Now celebrating 10 years of sobriety, Furstenfeld is the subject of the biograph ical documentary “Get Back Up,” with the mission of offering hope. It’s streaming on Amazon Prime and iTunes.

Formed in 1995, Blue October has amassed over a billion streams, and has charted 16 hits over 10 albums.

Blue October

WHEN: 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29

WHERE: The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren Street, Phoenix

COST: Sold out; tickets may be released closer to the show

INFO: thevanburenphx.com

Blue October frontman Justin Furstenfeld, second from left, wrote 80 songs during the pandemic quarantine. Some of them are on the new album, “Spinning the Truth Around Part One.” (Rachel Ziegler/Contributor)

Blue October frontman Justin Furstenfeld, seated, appears in the film “Section 8.” (Rachel Ziegler/Contributor)

around the Moon.

“He held a worldwide contest,” he said. “Of those 20 people, he was bring ing eight creatives to circle the moon, get inspired and create something and share it with the world.”

Villafane spent a year “getting into the headspace” that he was going to leave his wife and children and head out on this “dangerous mission.” He meditat ed by running through the desert at the hottest point of the day.

During this time, he came up with the story of “Mining Magic.”

“The premise is for thousands of years, people have made wishes to a full moon,” he said. “While many come true, a good part of those people, when they birthed those wishes, didn’t believe their own wish would come true.”

cerned.

“I didn’t care if I went to the moon,” he adds. “I had already won with the story that I came up with. In creating the characters, I discovered a lifetime of things to play with.

“‘Mining Magic’ brought purpose to my life. It is a story everyone could ben efit from. We prevent ourselves from achieving everything we want. It’s our own ghosts and demons who block our selves. There’s an underlying story that I thought was really important to share. I love the way I concocted a whimsical way to tell it.”

er is letting me have creative freedom. He gave me a workshop to work out of. The workshop was built in 1890, and my name (Ray) was carved into the wall when I walked into it.

“The whole place feels like home.”

He opened the Boneyard Mining Company, where he mines magic ore from the unwanted, discarded, over looked or ignored ingredients within and around us.

“Gourdy Ghouligan has mined more magic into this world. His blind opti mism has helped him to extract the most magical outcomes from the dark est of situations. Gourdy has a gang of hooligans who work as a team. Come check it out.”

RIGOR, RELEVANCE & RELATIONSHIPS

Those wishes were stuck on the moon.

spirits protecting those wishes. The ghosts and spirits were the people’s own fears and doubt. The demons were

As such, Villafane manifested a dream for himself. Just a few weeks later, “the universe delivered to me Vulture City Mine, Arizona’s most historic gold mine” outside of Wickenburg. Previous ly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Vil lafane displayed his creations in store fronts in Wickenburg.

“I went out to Vulture City Mine, and I fell in love,” he said. “It was my moon. It completed my story that I wanted to do. Not only was it such an amazing fit for everything I wanted to do, the own

Gourdy Ghouligan’s Halloween Spooktacular

WHEN: 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday, October 21; Saturday, October 22; and Sunday, October 23

WHERE: Vulture City Ghost Town, 36610 355th Avenue, Wickenburg COST: Visit website for information INFO: villafanestudios.com

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Kids can get an #extraordinary start

BY DR. CURTIS FINCH

If you are a parent of a 3- or 4-year-old, you know it is an ex citing time in your child’s life. As youngsters get close to starting kin dergarten, they will be surrounded by new beginnings, new friends, new skills, and new challenges.

Deer Valley Unified School District was one of the first school districts in the West Valley to offer free, all-day, kindergarten. When more than 90% of your 42 schools are rated A or B by the state of Arizona, it’s no wonder kindergarten parents line up

to get into Deer Valley’s kindergarten programs. You do not want to miss your window for next year as the spots will fill up quickly. We are one of the best school districts in all of Arizona because of our #extraordinary start for our younger students. This is where the learning foundation is laid for future suc cess.

grams and even learning social-emotional well-being skills. We know that when our youngest students are provided with the tools necessary to develop strong academic, social, and emotional skills, we are setting them up to succeed not only academically through to graduation, but on into life.

to develop the necessary skills needed to be a well-balanced student. They will learn how to positively focus their emotions, work with others, boost academic and so cial confidence, and engage their curiosity for learning and exploration.

YOUTH

In our free full-day kindergarten pro gram, you will find students learning every thing from how to read, to coding during STEM lessons, speaking in Spanish and Mandarin in our language immersion pro

Deer Valley also provides a “specials” class (art, music, or PE) every day for our kindergarteners. This unique approach gives our students the greatest opportunity to enhance overall learning, growth, creativ ity, and physical development. In addition, students are provided with technology-rich classrooms where learning extends beyond the school walls.

Registration for kindergarten for the 2324 school year opens Nov. 1. All of DVUSD’s K-6 and K-8 schools will hold Kindergarten Preview Nights Tuesday, Nov. 1, to Thurs day, Nov. 3, and Wednesday, March 1, and Thursday, March 2.

Find out when your favorite school will hold its event at dvusd.org/KinderEvents. For more information about DVUSD’s kin

TheFoothillsFocus.com

For more Youth News visit thefoothillsfocus.com

Deer

STUDENT CHRONICLES

BY FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF

Lela Allen of Phoenix qualified for the spring 2022 dean’s list at Seton Hall University in South Orange, New Jersey. After the close of every semester, under graduate students completing all cours es with a GPA of 3.4, with no grades low er than “C,” qualify for the dean’s list.

Lucas Feiden of Phoenix was named to the dean’s list for the spring semester for the 2021-22 academic year at Illinois

Wesleyan University in Bloomington, Illinois. Feiden is a senior majoring in business. Feiden was among 743 stu dents from 30 states and 17 countries named to the spring 2022 dean’s list. To qualify for the dean’s list, students must earn a GPA of 3.50 or better during the semester, based on 4.0 for straight As.

Justin Williamson of Anthem was named to the 2021-22 dean’s list at Law rence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. The dean’s list is an annual honor roll of students demonstrating exemplary aca demic performance. The list is compiled at the end of the academic year once all grades have been recorded. Lawrence University, a private liberal arts college situated along the Fox River in Appleton, Wisconsin.

Iva Drobnjak of Phoenix was named to the dean’s list at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado, for the spring 2022

semester. Her major is psychology. To be eligible for dean’s list, a student must carry a semester GPA of 3.6 or better in no fewer than 15 credit hours of graded college-level work and have completed all work for which they are registered by the end of the semester.

Anthony Beal of Phoenix was named to the dean’s list at Emerson College in Boston for the spring 2022 semester. The requirement to make dean’s list is a grade-point average of 3.7 or higher for that semester. Beal is majoring in media arts production and is a member of the class of 2026.

Emma Mayeux of Phoenix made the dean’s list at Emerson College in Boston for the spring 2022 semester. The require ment to make dean’s list is a grade-point average of 3.7 or higher for that semester. Mayeux is majoring in media arts produc

tion and is a member of the class of 2023.

Kiana Hindi of Phoenix qualified for the dean’s list at Purchase College in Purchase, New York, for the spring 2022 semester. Hindi is studying theater and performance. To be eligible for the dean’s list, students must carry a semes ter GPA of 3.5 for Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science programs and 3.75 for Bachelor of Fine Arts and Bachelor of Music Performance programs. They must take a minimum of 12 credits.

Lisa Jurmu of Phoenix made the dean’s list at Palmer College of Chiro practic campus at Port Orange, Florida, for the spring 2022 semester. Palmer College of Chiropractic, the first and largest college in the chiropractic pro fession, has campuses in Davenport, Iowa; San Jose, California; and Port Or ange, Florida.

1 Annual amount based on possible monthly or quarterly amounts. 2 Allowance amount does not carry over to the next quarter or the following year. All Cigna products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation. The Cigna name, logos, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. Benefits, features and/or devices vary by plan/service area. Limitations, exclusions, and restrictions may apply. Contact the plan for more information. This information is not a complete description of benefits, which vary by individual plan. You must live in the plan’s service area. Call 1-888-284-0268 (TTY 711) for more information. Cigna is contracted with Medicare for PDP plans, HMO and PPO plans in select states, and with select State Medicaid programs. Enrollment in Cigna depends on contract renewal. © 2022 Cigna Some content provided under license.

Know a student doing something remarkable? Tell us about it! Email christina@timespublications.com.

dergarten program, visit dvusd.org/kin dergarten. Come learn with the best and receive a great educational start.

If you are ready to enroll, visit dvusd.org/ Enroll. To open enroll at a DVUSD school outside of your home school boundary, go to dvusd.org/OpenEnrollment. Preparation is key, so the sooner you sign up, the better the chance to secure a seat.

Educational research points to the early

years of education being the cornerstone to a student’s future academic, social and emotional success as a learner. Deer Valley Unified School District has the history of ex cellence to back up its record of accomplish ments; it all starts in kindergarten. Come join one of the best school systems in all of Arizona, Deer Valley Unified School District!

Dr. Curtis Finch is the superintendent of Deer Valley Unified School District and can be reached at superintendent@ dvusd.org

The Stagecoach Village Art Festival kicks off Arizona’s Festival season with a unique gathering of local and regional artists and craftsmen exhibiting throughout the open-air plaza. Patrons enjoy patio dining and live music, while strolling through the Village - A place where Art meets the West.

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