••
ECRWSS Carrier Route PreSorted Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 371 Cave Creek, AZ
Chilleen’s finds its path
Sailing Club hosts events
PAGE 29
Serving the communities of Anthem, Black Canyon City, Carefree, Cave Creek, Desert Hills, New River, North Phoenix, Tramonto and Peoria
TheFoothillsFocus.com
INSIDE
This Week
FREE ($1 OUTSIDE OF CAVE CREEK)
NEWS..........................5
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
CCUSD superintendent finalists named BY SARAH DONAHUE Foothills Focus Staff Writer
Anthem Pets to host animal adoption event this weekend
PAGE 32
T
he Cave Creek Unified School District and an executive search consultant revealed the finalists for the Cave Creek Unified School District’s new superintendent. They are Dr. Drew Davis with Buckeye Elementary School District, Dr. Steven Jeras of Paradise Valley Unified School District and Dr. Cort Monroe with the Queen Creek Unified School District. All serve as assistant superintendents in their respective districts.
Their bios will be posted by the district soon. “(The CCUSD governing board) got a lot of work done, and they were diligent and very successful in their efforts and have identified the finalists, and we’re going to move forward,” said Steve Highlen, an executive search consultant with the Arizona School Boards Association. A Q&A-style forum will be conducted by the Arizona School Boards Association with questions submitted from the community. Questions for the finalists were collected through October 16, and due to the large pool of submissions, a random sampling of
questions will be asked, Highlen said. In the past, the Q&A event has attracted around 500 attendants; however, due to COVID-19, the Arizona School Boards Association will conduct a prerecorded session, which will be given to the district and posted online for people’s viewing, Highlen said. The community will have a few days to access to the online Q&A session until it closes on the morning of October 28, Highlen estimates. The exact dates on when the forum opens for online public viewing were ex-
see SUPERINTENDENT page 10
Anthem Farmers Market to return socially distanced
FEATURES .......34
Pumpkin sculptor Ray Villafane moves from Carefree to Mesa
FEATURES .......32
Cait Huble starts new job helming Sonoran Arts League
OPINION.................... 16 BUSINESS.................. 24 FEATURES................. 29 YOUTH....................... 35 CLASSIFIEDS............. 37 Zone
2
BY SARAH DONAHUE Foothills Focus Staff Writer
I
n the era of COVID-19, there’s a copious amount of community events going virtual or getting altogether canceled. The Anthem Community Farmers Market isn’t one of them. The socially distanced farmers market will open for the season on Sunday, November 1, where people can buy seasonal vegetables, bread, salsas, jams, jellies and honey products. The market will take place on the basketball courts adjacent to where it used to be held to give ample space for social distancing, according to Denise “Dee” Logan, senior coordinator and founder of the Arizona Community Farmers Markets. The market will follow CDC and Mar-
Andrew Bloom REALTOR®, Senior Partner Andrew@BVOLuxury.com VOTED #1 SCOTTSDALE REAL ESTATE TEAM FOR 2018
icopa County guidelines, she added. “It’s gratifying,” Logan said about the market being able to open. “We really love the area up in Anthem. We love the North Valley area, and there are some super nice people up here— they’ve really supported the market.” The booths will be spaced 5 to 10 feet apart from each other, and patrons will be asked to shop with their eyes rather than their hands, Logan said. Other measures include mask requirements, markers on the ground to encourage social distancing, as well as sanitation stations. The market will run Sundays through December 20. From there, the coordinators will re-evaluate to see if any changes need to be made for
see MARKET page 4
Tamales and salsa from the Tamale Store for sale at a previous year’s Anthem Community Farmers Market. (Foothills Focus file photo)
(480) 999-2948 www.BVOLuxuryGroup.com
2
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
3
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
The FOR 850853% Real Estate Market is HotWITH ME*! SELL WHEN YOU BUY Call Drew today @ 623.203.6803 Home Selling, Buying and Loan refinancing Made easy.
Serving Home Owners in 85085: 24 North
40 active listings. 110 closed sales 110 Pending Sales / Under contract $188.78 Avg $ per SF SingleSales Level homes Price commission when $157.85 Avg $ per SF 2 Level Homes
The 85085 Real Estate Market is Hot
Your savings
I will sell your home for 3% total VS paying 6% commissions $400,000 $12,000 I represent you on your nextCheck purchase. your home’s value 24/7 for FREE Home Selling, andbenefits Loan refinancing easy. $500,000 $15,000 VIP home seller and VIPBuying home buyer with Drew. Made www.LionRealEstate.com/evaluation 2411 W Gloria Ln. Serving Home Owners in 85085:
SOLD
Carefree Crossing 24 North
$700,000 $21,000 Sell your home 100% of asking price or 40 at active listings. I’ll pay difference* 5 Parcels sold as 1 110the closed sales Lionwww.TopSaleHomeSellerKit.com Real Estate Group 110 Pending Sales / Under contract $188.78 Avg $ per Board SF Single Level homes Mortgage Rate Need meHomes how? $157.85Cash Avg $Now? per SF Ask 2 Level
for -cash out and 2.75% - CONV 30Great YR FIXED rates (2.848% APR/ .000 PTS) Check your home’s value 24/7 for FREE rate term refinances! (2.55% APR/ - .50 LENDER CREDIT) 2.375% - CONV 15 YR FIXEDand www.LionRealEstate.com/evaluation Home Selling, Buying and Loan refinancing MadeCall easy. with your scenario 2.375% - FHADrew 30 YR FIXED (3.910% APR/ - .50 LENDER CREDIT) 623.203.6803 7.4 acres 2420 W Crimson Ter 2411 W Gloria Ln. Serving Home Owners in 85085: OAC,Sell 300k loan amount,home 750 credit, 70%LTV, rates change 40 active listings. your at 100% ofdaily. asking price orw/ Well & Manufactured home 24 North 110 closed salesPurchase, rate and term refi & cash out refinances available. Call Drew your local 110 Pending Sales / Under contract
The 85085 Real Estate Market is Hot Sonoran Gate Carefree Crossing
SOLD
difference* REALTOR and Lender Lion Real Estate Group www.TopSaleHomeSellerKit.com
$188.78 Avg $ per SF Single Level homes $157.85 Avg $ per SF 2 Level Homes
I’ll Rates as ofpay 10/7/2020the
YOUR HOME Need Cash Now? Ask me how? Free online Great rates for cash out and rate and term24/7 refinances! home valuation Powered by: Platinum Living Realty & Lion’s Gate Mortgage
Check your home’s value 24/7 for FREE www.LionRealEstate.com/evaluation
Sell your home at 100% of asking price or I’ll pay the difference* www.TopSaleHomeSellerKit.com
2411 W Gloria Ln. Carefree Crossing
HERE
Call Drew with your scenario 623.203.6803
Need Cash Now? Ask me how? Great rates for cash out and 31318 N 2nd StTer 2420 W Crimson rate and term refinances! Call Drew with your scenario 623.203.6803
RealEstateLion.com/evaluation
Sonoran Gate
DREWof TOsexual DISCUSS Help meCALL help victims abuse.YOUR With each closing I make a financial donation to Child Help here in Phoenix. 2420 W Crimson Ter
Call Drew your local REALTOR and Lender Lion Real Estate Group Powered by: Platinum Living Realty & Lion’s Gate Mortgage
Sonoran Gate
623.203.6803
Licensed REALTOR and Loan Officer. Lion Real Estate Group powered by: Help me help victims of sexual abuse. Platinum Living Realty With each closing I make a financial 31318 N 2nd StNMLS 1821053 Lion’ s Gate Mtg donation to Child Help here in Phoenix.
Call Drew your local Buyer rep, 11k in costs REALTOR and Lender Lion Real Estate Group Powered by: Platinum Living Realty & Lion’s Gate Mortgage
SCENARIO
31318 N 2nd St
negotiated in this market
Help me help victims of sexual abuse. With each closing I make aTHE financial PLATINUM + + donation to Child Help =here in Phoenix. EXPERIENCE + +
Specific marketing for buyers in 85085.
Specific marketing for buyers in 85085.
More verified home sales via Zillow
=
THE PLATINUM Help me help victims of EXPERIENCE sexual abuse. With each
closing I make a financial donation to Child Help here in Phoenix
data from ARMLS 7/15/20 to 8/15/20 * conditions apply
More verified home sales via Zillow
THE
data from ARMLS 7/15/20 to 8/15/20 * conditions apply
••
4
NEWS
An edition of the East Valley Tribune The Foothills Focus is published every Wednesday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout the North Valley. To find out where you can pick up a copy of The Foothills Focus, please visit www.thefoothillsfocus.com CONTACT INFORMATION Main number: 623-465-5808 | Fax: 623-465-1363 Circulation: 480-898-5641 Publisher: Steve T. Strickbine Vice President: Michael Hiatt Associate Publisher: Eric Twohey | 480-898-5634 | erict@thefoothillsfocus.com ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Display Advertising: 623-465-5808 Classifieds/Inside Sales: Elaine Cota | 480-898-7926 | ecota@timespublications.com TJ Higgins | 480-898-5902 | tjhiggins@timespublications.com Steve Insalaco | 480-898-5635 | sinsalaco@timespublications.com Advertising Office Manager: Lori Dionisio | 480-898-6309 | ldionisio@timespublications.com Director of National Advertising Zac Reynolds | 480-898-5603 | zac@thefoothillsfocus.com
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
MARKET from page 1
the spring farmers market. “It’s going to be definitely a little bit more limited,” Logan said, mentioning how there won’t be any eating or drinking allowed at the market to encourage people to keep their masks on. People can take it elsewhere, but “we just don’t want food opened and consumed at the market.” Food samples will also not be allowed to comply with the grocery store model that other farmers markets in the National Farmers Market Coalition are using, she said. The Arizona Community Farmers Markets’ new website also outlines other safety measures, like encouraging sick people to stay home, washing reusable bags between visits, making a shopping list to shorten visit times and only sending one person from each home to shop. Human interactions should only be limited to waves, and there is only one person allowed to shop at a booth at a time, the website also states. Hands should also be washed thoroughly after petting animals to ensure everyone’s safety.
NEWS DEPARTMENT Executive Editor: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski | 480-898-5631 christina@timespublications.com Photographer: Pablo Robles | probles@timespublications.com Design: Nathalie Proulx | nproulx@timespublications.com Production Coordinator: Courtney Oldham | 480-898-5617 production@timespublications.com Circulation Director: Aaron Kolodny | 480-898-5641 | customercare@evtrib.com Proud member of :
Lawrence Washington sells salsa from Los Muertos Salsa at a previous Anthem Community Farmers Market.
Devine Bakery sells bread at a past Anthem Community Farmers Market. (Foothills Focus file photos)
Michael Ford and Isaac Ford, 11, sell their hot sauce at a previous market.
There was some confusion in the community on whether or not the market would be able to open. Due to miscommunication, a premature announcement was made on its Facebook page informing the community that the farmers market wasn’t viable due to the pandemic’s spread. “I regret to inform you there will be no Anthem Farmers market starting on November 1st,” the now-deleted post read. “Sadly, the Anthem Community (homeowners association) does not want to continue the market. Even with advanced research data supporting outdoor venues being safer than indoor venues, Anthem HOA has decided to discontinue our community that we have strived so hard to build within there (sic) guidelines.” Shortly thereafter, Ray Dettlaff, the former manager who now works at another market, made a new post correcting his previous announcement. “Good news everybody. Apparently, as of Thursday the 8th, Anthem has given the green light for reopening of our market November 1st. Sorry for the misinformation, thats (sic) why communication is so important in our world today. Hope to see everyone there.” The communication gap was partly to blame on the fact that Facebook booted out
Logan as the page’s administrator, she said. Dettlaff’s information was, unfortunately, a few days old and he was simply trying to keep people in the loop, she added. The homeowners association has been very accommodating and supportive of getting the farmers market going for the community. They just had to figure out the best way to do it, she said. Other farmers markets across the Valley have been operating with social distance measures since February and have provided patrons with a more local and effective alternative. “Some of our markets were considered actual grocery stores,” she said. “When the shelves were being wiped out of certain food products, the markets were really able to supply.” And while the grocery store COVID-19 chaos has died down, “some of them are counting on some of the things that we bring up,” she said about Anthem’s patrons. It’s been exciting to see how many folks are looking for ways to get personally involved with the market, she said. The market welcomes new and novice growers, and there are several new ones participating in different markets across the Valley. People’s enthusiasm about growing is “really encouraging to me, especially since we lost so many growers over the last several decades,” Logan said. “This is what a farmers market is about– It’s a community experiencing what a community can produce.”
CHERIE HOFFMAN
The Key The Foothills Focus is distributed by AZ Integrated Media, a circulation service company owned by Times Media Group. The public is permitted one copy per reader. For further information regarding the circulation of this publication or others in the Times Media Group family of publications, please contact AZ Integrated Media at circ@azintegratedmedia.com or 480-898-5641. For circulation services please contact Aaron Kolodny at aaron@azintegratedmedia.com
The content of any advertisements are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. The Foothills Focus assumes no responsibility for the claims of any advertisement. © 2020 Strickbine Publishing, Inc.
- to selling your home effortlessly - to you stepping into your forever home • Reliable • Respected • Referred
Text or call so we can start the process
661-618-9283 cherie.hoffman@exprealty.com cheriehoffman.exprealty.com
Anthem Farmers Market
41703 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway, Anthem 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sundays November 1 to December 20 arizonacommunityfarmersmarkets.com Call or text, 623-848-1234
5
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
Anthem Pets hosting adoption event in Surprise
BY ANNIKA TOMLIN Foothills Focus Staff Writer
O
ctober is pet adoption month, and Anthem Pets is partnering with Subaru Superstore of Surprise for an adoption event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday October 24. “Subaru is very big, and Subaru has the Subaru Loves Pets initiative,” said Anthem Pets President Adam Raley. “They have a whole vacant showroom that we kind of set up in and use as our own space. “This will be our fourth event that we’ve done there. Obviously cats, dogs and kittens will be there, but I’m not sure how many are available. Any that we do have available will be at the event.” Anthem Pets is a 501(c)(3) volunteer rescue organization that has been in business for 15 years. The strictly foster-based rescue organization covers Anthem, Arroyo Grande, Arroyo Norte, Anthem Parkside, Anthem Country Club and Tramonto south to Dove Valley. “We physically right now do not have a building,” Raley said. “We rely on hundreds of fosters who open their homes to give cats and dogs homes while we look for their forever family.” As the animals are fostered, Anthem Pets covers bedding, food and other supplies as well as vet visits as needed. “We never adopt an animal out unless it is spayed, neutered, vaccinated and microchipped,” Raley said. “We do rabies if they are old enough.”
On average, Anthem Pets rescues a thousand animals each year. “It has been a lot more this year, because when COVID-19 came about, a lot of shelters shut down and stopped intake, but we did not,” Raley said. “Although we primarily focus in the North Valley, we do take a call around the state if we’re able to take them in obviously with the foster.” Raley and his family decided to foster animals at the beginning of this year as well. “I fostered two 5-week-old puppies this past January, and one of those was a foster failure because we adopted him, and now he’s almost 10 months old,” Raley said. Animals are considered “foster failures” if the foster family adopts them rather than nursing them back to health and getting them ready for a new forever family. According to Raley, about 50% of the time the animals that are rescued end up being foster failures. “A lot of our animals end up getting adopted by, if not from, the foster. They have friends who have seen the animal,” Raley said. “We adopt so many animals before they even hit our website. “Obviously, with the adoption fees, we don’t make money on the adoption, because we are not out to make money. We are in it to save and rescue as many animals as possible and make sure they get the correct care.” Anthem Pets recently rescued a pit bull that was abandoned in a kennel in
a Central Phoenix apartment. She was 40 pounds underweight. Anthem Pets rushed the dog to the emergency vet, and she is still under their care. “We do those cases, too, where someone needed to come and rescue that animal or it was very close to dying, but we do a lot of stuff like that, too,” Raley said. Anthem Pets is a volunteer-based orga-
nization with a volunteer board of directors that makes the decisions for the animals. “No one has taken a salary,” Raley said. “And they won’t. We’re strictly volunteer, and the ultimate goal is to help as many possible animals a year and we’ll always intake if we have a resource.” For more information about Anthem Pets, visit anthempets.org.
When you need to choose a Medicare plan, Humana can help Talking it through, helping you choose, getting answers, finding resources—human care.
Call a licensed Humana sales agent for a free consultation* EMILIE BAGGETT 602-245-5496 (TTY: 711) Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. ebaggett@humana.com Humana.com/ebaggett facebook.com/EmilieAgent
Saving a Life from a potential catastrophe EVERY 10 MINUTES
but I’m never alone. I have Life Alert.® AS SEEN ON
TV
For a FREE brochure call:
1-855-822-1055
Y0040_GHHHXDDEN_21_C
*No obligation to enroll.
••
NEWS
6
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
Sierra Vista accepted into Firewise program
BY FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF
T
he Sierra Vista and Cottonwood Canyon roads area has been accepted into the Firewise USA program, a network of more than 1,500 rec-
ognized Firewise USA sites from across the nation taking action and ownership in preparing and protecting their homes against the threat of wildfire. The community is just north of Cave Creek in an area with a known high wild-
Your news 24/7 www.TheFoothillsFocus.com
fire fuel load and only one wildfire escape route. The Firewise program goal is to educate residents on making their homes and property more resistant to wildfire. On Thursday November 5, at the Prickly Pear Inn’s Parlor Room, Sierra Vista Firewise Certification training will take place with state and district fire officials from the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management. This eight-hour program will teach attendees about wildfire fuels, how wildfire typically moves, and how to prepare
their homes and property for the threat of wildfire. Taught by firefighters, the course will empower attendees to focus their efforts on wildfire mitigation. As part of the wildfire mitigation efforts, the Sierra Vista Fire Program has engaged residents through the use of its website (https://sites.google.com/ view/svfireprogram), a mailer and various email communications. The wildfire mitigation efforts are a direct result of the wildfire devastation and threat associated with the Ocotillo Fire in May.
Are you living in your dream home?
You Should Be! Start your FREE personalized search now at www.TheSakalaGroup.com
85085 Residents Joshua Heape, Sales Manager Mortgage Loan Originator | NMLS #259201
O: 604-384-2339 | C: 602-330-6446 | jheape@canopymortgage.com Canopy Mortgage 18444 North 25th Ave Suite 420-527, Phoenix, AZ 85023
“Like” our community page: Facebook.com/Norterra 85085
Shelley Sakala, Realtor
602-421-2324 shelley@thesakalagroup.com
7
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
Foothills Community Foundation renamed the Holland Center BY SARAH DONAHUE Foothills Focus Staff Writer
I
mproving education, community support, artistic expression and desert awareness has been the mission of the Foothills Community Foundation since 1986. Now, with a new name and refreshed branding, the George and Patricia Holland Community Center hopes to extend its programs and outreach even further. The name pays tribute to the donors, George and Patricia Holland, who made the construction of the community center possible 11 years ago, said the Holland Center’s executive director, Jennifer Rosvall. “I am hoping that people now identify with a vibrant community with arts and education and a growing theater and all of those great things that we do,” she said about the nonprofit 501(c)(3). Changing the name was instrumental to clarifying its purpose and extending a larger outreach to the communities of North Phoenix, Cave Cree, Carefree and North Scottsdale, where the center is located, she said. “The potential was here,” she said. “There’s this beautiful building that was so underutilized. They’re the warmest, kindest people (in the North Valley) and there was so much opportunity that just wasn’t being tapped.” The leaders wanted to show the “paradigm shift” from being thought of as an administrative, umbrella organization to an inclusive educational and artistic hub for the community to enjoy, she said. For a long time, the leaders of the foundation reflected on the identity of the organization, said Rosvall. Its purpose was “never clear, and there was always confusion around it,” she explained. The creation of the community center, located next to the YMCA on Black Mountain Campus, came to fruition in 2009 when the Foothills Community Foundation partnered with Paradise Valley Community College and donors. The original Foothills Community Foundation was created in 1986 in a merger of the Foothills Future Committee and the Carefree Improvement Association that later led to the creation of the Foothills Food
Bank and a variety of other community advancement programs. The “foundation” part of the old name came from the fact that when smaller organizations have a hard time standing on their own, the nonprofit gave them the support to either “grow up and go on their own” or “grow with us,” she explained. However, the word “foundation” obscured the community from seeing what the center really offered to individuals in the community, she said. The rebranded Holland Center has a goal of enriching the lives of the people living in surrounding areas with art, culture, academia and community service. It offers “Lifelong Learning” classes to people of all ages in a range of different subjects, including arts, culture, history and science. Under the new name, the Holland Center will launch the Desert Foothills Leadership Academy, which will welcome its inaugural class in January, Rosvall said. The Desert Awareness Committee is another program offered, which has been around since 1974, where people can immerse themselves outdoors and learn how to appreciate and protect the plants, wildlife and ecosystem of the Sonoran Desert. The Desert Foothills Theater is another integral program that attracts people of all ages, from young performing artists to senior thespians, where they all come together as a cast to create high-quality productions for the whole North Valley to enjoy. COVID-19 affected much of its programs and donations, which threw the organization for a loop, Rosvall said. The theater is currently operating with social distance measures, and its Lifelong Learning courses are being taught in a hybrid format, where people can choose to attend in person or tap in through Zoom. And while navigating the changes has been an “uphill battle,” she said, “the support for this place to grow is huge.” The Holland Center
34250 N. 60th Street, Building B, Scottsdale 480-488-1090, hollandcenter.org
A 501 (c) (3) Non-Profit Corporation
EIN 46-1474661
TO ALL DAISY MOUNTAIN VETERANS MEMBERS, RESIDENTS AND US ARMED FORCES VETERANS OF THE ANTHEM AND NORTH VALLEY AREA It is with heavy hearts that the Daisy Mountain Veterans organization in Anthem, AZ announces the cancellation of this year’s Anthem Veterans Day Parade that was to be held on November 7, 2020. In accordance with the CDC, Arizona Department of Health Services, and Maricopa County Public Health Department guidance, we, the Daisy Mountain Veterans, feel that it is best if the parade is cancelled for 2020. Daisy Mountain Veterans, a 501(3) charitable organization, stages the Veterans Day Parade each year to recognize and honor all veterans of the US Military, as well as currently serving members. While the parade will not be staged this year, we are still taking steps to recognize and honor veterans. 1. We are providing front yard signs that all veterans who live in our Anthem and North Valley service area may pick up and display in their front yards in the days and weeks leading up to Veterans Day (November 11, 2020). We will begin distributing the signs at our regular monthly meeting on October 8, 2020, 6:00 – 7:00 at the Anthem Community Council Building, 3701 W. Anthem Way, Anthem, AZ 85086. If you are a veteran or current service member please stop by and get one at no cost to you. Other places and times for distribution of the signs may be found on our website at www.daisymtnvets.org. 2. We will be providing a virtual presentation of the parade, using past years pictures and videos, that can be viewed both on our website, www. daisymtnvets.org, and as part of the Anthem Community Council’s tribute to veterans on Veterans Day. 3. Parade participants, we appreciate your involvement over the years. We would like to share photos from previous parades on our social media to encourage our veterans. Please email photos that we can share to sponsors@ daisymtnvets.org. We hope to see years of community support and continue to share your appreciation with our veterans through social media this fall. From all of us at Daisy Mountain Veterans, please be safe and healthy during these trying times and trust that you will join us for next year’s Anthem Veterans Day Parade on November 6, 2021. 3701 W. Anthem Way Suite 202 Anthem, Arizona 85086 www.DaisyMtnVets.org Thanks to Chris Gonzalez, All Western Mortgage, for donating this ad space.
••
••
8
NEWS
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
Kiwanis Club of Carefree projects ‘banner year’ BY FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF
K
iwanis Club of Carefree is moving into the New Year with newly elected officers, new plans and a new goal to set in support for the Kiwanis community! The organization is committed to creating awareness and recognition of the Kiwanis projects directed toward “supporting the kids” in this local area. Volunteers are posting banners in Carefree and Cave Creek calling attention to the Kiwanis activities, as it does more than host a pancake breakfast twice a year. Each year, for the last several years, Kiwanis has donated thousands of dollars to the community with scholarships; Chrome Book Computers; and financial support for local, smaller but important charities and projects. The Kiwanis Club of Carefree is one of the largest Kiwanis clubs in the world, with roughly 150 members. Its focus is
on helping children recognize and develop their potential. The members support post-secondary scholarships, summer art programs, special needs programs and youth service organizations. For more information, visit kiwaniscarefree. org. Incoming Kiwanis President Kimberly Marie Jack presents a new banner to Carefree Mayor Les Peterson and Vice Mayor John Crane. (Photo courtesy The Kiwanis Club of Carefree)
Planning commission OKs zoning change for PetSuites BY KAMALA KIRK Foothills Focus Contributing Writer
C
ave Creek’s Planning Commission voted to forward a rezoning request to the town council for the development of a 10,604-square-foot PetSuites location at the northeast corner of 52nd Street and Carefree Highway. The October 15 meeting was held via Zoom. Four commission members voted in favor and two voted “present,” which, according to Luke Kautzman, planning director and zoning administrator, “was a first in my many years serving the town.” PetSuites is a pet resort that has close to 40 locations across the United States. It offers a variety of services for cats and dogs, including boarding, day care, grooming and training. Kimley-Horn, a planning and design engineering consultant, applied for the
rezoning request on behalf of PetSuites, in addition to a site plan review. The applicant held a neighborhood meeting on September 10 to present the project to those notified within a half-mile of the property and discuss the proposal. Brian Moll from TM Crowley & Associates, an Indiana-based developer who represents PetSuites on several projects throughout the country, was present at the public hearing. “We’re very excited about this market, as this is our first product in the Arizona market,” Moll said. “We’ve put a lot of work and effort into this site. We pride ourselves on having a sense of purpose and culture within our organization, and most of our PetSuites locations share the same look and style. Our architect has gone around the Cave Creek area and selected a lot of existing buildings with materials and color palettes that we plan on matching the best we can.” If approved by the town council, the
rezoning request would change the zoning from desert rural residential to a commercial buffer zone. The 2-acre parcel falls within the Carefree Highway Specific Area Plan (SAP), which allows commercial buffer zoning between 48th and 53rd streets, north of Carefree Highway. The proposed one-story PetSuites building will be located near the property’s southern portion to provide a significant buffer from the adjacent residential area to the north and maintain the minimum required undisturbed area of 15% along the property’s northern portion. PetSuites will include a small retail area that will sell various pet supplies, and the exterior grounds will have an outdoor supervised play area for dogs with several pools, a misting system and covered canopies to keep pets cool during the day. The site plan also proposes a 6-foot
masonry wall along the north side of the property to screen the adjacent residential uses, as well as 25 parking spaces for customers and employees. That allows more space to provide an undisturbed area on the site and minimize unnecessary pavement and parking spaces. Letters of support from several Cave Creek residents who were unable to attend were read at the hearing, including a note from John Coleman, the neighbor who lives closest to the property. “I see no reason for it not to be rezoned,” he wrote. “I feel the area should be developed due to proximity of other commercial businesses and the overall improvement of Cave Creek.” In another letter, resident Annette Clement stated that having a pet day care and boarding facility in the neighborhood would be helpful to residents. “As a longtime pet owner, I know how
see ZONING page 9
NEWS
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
ZONING from page 8
often friends and I need a good boarding and pet care facility,” she said. “Having this will eliminate the need to find someone to care for my dogs and cats when I’m traveling and ensure a clean and healthy environment for them. This property is really suited for commercial buffer zoning. Since it is on Carefree Highway, the noise and traffic make it unsuitable for residential zoning.” Other residents called in to share their thoughts and concerns regarding the project. Cheryl Carmitchel wanted assurance that the trail on 52nd Street would remain a trail and not become a sidewalk. She also expressed concern over the additional traffic that PetSuites would bring to 52nd Street. She’s unhappy that despite being a 24-hour boarding facility, staff members wouldn’t be on-site during the late evenings and early mornings. Resident Mary Vraa echoed Carmitchel’s sentiments about traffic and added that the narrowness of 52nd Street would make it difficult for two cars go-
ing in opposite directions to pass one another. She was also uncomfortable with staff not being present 24/7 at the boarding facility, especially in the event of an emergency. Moll responded to their concerns by mentioning that the property, like all other PetSuites locations, will have fire alarms and a high level of security cameras, which are viewable through a mobile app for staff. He also shared that pets are secured before any staff member leaves and that all facility doors can only be pulled from the outside and not pushed from the inside, which will also help to prevent animals from escaping. “This is how all our locations work across the country, and it is not an unusual approach to not have a staff member on-site at night compared to other overnight day cares,” Moll said. “Should an animal escape from their cage, we have various safeguards in place to prevent them from leaving the building. A fire alarm goes off immediately to alert the manager who is on call at all times, which helps ensure that pets remain safe and secure.”
Discount up to 30% with Drive Safe & Save !* ™
Justin Simons, Agent 3655 W Anthem Way Anthem, AZ 85086
No Clipping Required.
Business: 623-551-3700 justin.simons.j663@statefarm.com
ON AVERAGE, AARP MEMBERS ENJOY
$449*
SAVINGS
I’m inviting you to make our roads safer and get rewarded for doing so. Are you in?
ON AUTO INSURANCE
when they switch from companies like
GEICO, State Farm and Allstate Your savings could be even more!
Call The Hartford 1-844-998-0817
The AARP® Auto Insurance Program from The Hartford.1 Saving is easy! With this policy, experienced drivers who switch save an average of $449* in the first year alone — and they get all the benefits and privileges you’d expect with the AARP Auto Insurance Program from The Hartford. Your own savings could actually be greater.
96%
of customers recommend The Hartford**
n n n n
24/7 claims service Lifetime renewability† Lock in your rate for a full 12 months New car replacement§§
Contact me today to get started.
The only national auto insurance program endorsed by AARP.
Call The Hartford now to request a FREE money-saving quote.
1-844-998-0817 No coupon necessary.
Not an AARP member? If you’re 50 or over, request a FREE quote and more information today!
FREE duffel bag when you request your free quote!*** * Savings amounts are averages based on information from The Hartford’s AARP Auto Insurance Program customers who became new auto insurance policyholders between 1/1/18 and 12/31/18 and provided data regarding their savings and prior carrier. Your savings may vary. ** Based on customer experience reviews shared online at www.thehartford.com/aarp as of April 2019. *** The gift offer is good for first time responders who provide a valid email address. Responders will be sent an email to confirm the gift. All responders in IA, IL, MA and RI who do not provide an email address are still eligible to receive the gift The gift offer is not available in GA, ND, NM or PA, but residents may still request a quote. The gift is available only as a limited time offer. Please allow 4-7 weeks for delivery. Bottle not included. † If you are age 50 or older, once you’re insured through this Program for ait least 60 days, you cannot be refused renewal as long as applicable premiums are paid when due. Also, you and other customary drivers of your vehicles must retain valid licenses, remain physically and mentally capable of operating an automobile (not applicable in MA), have no convictions for driving while intoxicated and must not have obtained your policy through material misrepresentation. Benefit currently not available in HI, MI, NH, NC and TX. §§ Limitations apply. AARP and its affliates are not insurers. Paid endorsement. The Hartford pays royalty fees to AARP for the use of its intellectual property. These fees are used for the general purposes of AARP. AARP membership is required for Program eligibility in most states. The AARP Automobile Insurance Program from The Hartford is underwritten by Hartford Fire Insurance Company and its affliates, One Hartford Plaza, Hartford, CT 06155. It is underwritten in CA by Hartford Underwriters Insurance Company; in WA, by Hartford Casualty Insurance Company; in MN, by Sentinel Insurance Company; and in MA, MI and PA, by Trumbull Insurance Company. Specific features, credits, and discounts may vary and may not be available in all states in accordance with state filings and applicable law. Applicants are individually underwritten and some may not qualify. The program is currently unavailable in Canada and U.S. Territories or possessions. 1 In Texas, the Auto Program is underwritten by Southern County Mutual Insurance Company, through Hartford Fire General Agency. Hartford Fire Insurance Company and its affiliates are not financially responsible for insurance products underwritten and issued by Southern County Mutual Insurance Company. 006131
*Some customers could see a discount up to 50%. Discount names, percentages, availability and eligibility may vary by state and coverage selected. Enrollment, terms and conditions apply. State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, State Farm Indemnity Company Bloomington, IL State Farm County Mutual Insurance Company of Texas Richardson, TX 1901979
9
••
••
10
NEWS
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
SUPERINTENDENT from page 1
pected to be communicated by the district on October 19, after The Foothills Focus went to print. The finalists will likely have time to answer around seven or eight questions, Highlen said. All the questions, including the ones not covered in the session, will be submitted to the board because “it’s good for the board to see what’s on the community’s mind,” Highlen said. The community Q&A forum will likely last around an hour to an hour and a half, Highlen estimated. The time duration is fluid to give each finalist “equal opportunity” to speak and answer questions, he added. After viewing the Q&A, stakeholders and community members can submit comment cards to express their feelings on the candidates and who they believe is the best fit for the district, Highlen said. The comment cards will be directly communicated to the Arizona School Boards Association, Highlen said. From there, he will present the comments to the CCUSD governing board to help
them get an idea of how the community is feeling. The candidates will see a final interview on October 29, Highlen said. All comments must be submitted before the final interview, he added. If a grand finalist is chosen, the district can choose to enter into contracts and negotiations. However, “they don’t move forward until they’re ready to move forward,” Highlen said. “The worst thing you can do is make a decision when you’re not quite sure.” “My effort is to help them be ready, and then their effort is to make sure they’re ready and make a good decision.” The superintendent position opened at the end of August and closed on September 23. From there, Highlen conducted background and preparation work and presented the 26 applicants to the CCUSD governing board on October 3. From that group of applicants, six potential candidates were chosen, Highlen said. Five of the six candidates agreed to participate in the interviewing process, which took place on October 13 and October 14, he said.
Tetsell Team
After that, the Arizona School Boards Association selected three finalists from that group on October 14, according to Highlen. The district connected with the community to take their thoughts and suggestions into consideration during this process through an anonymous e-survey that garnered over 1,700 responses. The survey was open from August 19 to September 14, and the information was presented to the governing board on September 21 for discussion and review. Overall, the responses from the e-survey showed a lot of support for the teachers, students, staff, and district as a whole, Highlen said. However, many voiced concerns about challenges with navigating into the future with the looming threat of COVID-19. Survey participants also voiced concerns about the school’s small budget and finding ways to bring more money into the schools to ensure that the students have the most effective education and programs, he said. “The way the budget is with Arizona— our funding isn’t high,” Highlen said. “So how can (the new superintendent) be creative to do what (they) need to do? Those are topics that were definitely part of it.” The responses also emphasized the importance of leadership, “keeping up
Your Neighborhood Realtors® serving all of Anthem and the North Valley! Discover the possibilities!
To Advertise 480.898.5606
Dick 480.227.6578 dick@tetsellaz.com
Jill 480.203.9066 Jtetsell@gmail.com
www.tetsellteam.com
erict@timespublications.com
Superintendent Dr. Debbi Burdick is retiring after working with CCUSD for 17 years and serving as its superintendent for 13 years. (Photo courtesy Cave Creek Unified School District)
with the times” as well as making sure the district is providing the students with the best possible learning experience they can, Highlen added. In regard to education, many survey participants also voiced their desire for improved special education, according to the September 21 school governing board agenda. Many others voiced that they want the students to learn the comprehensive truth and reality of American history. Many responses also mentioned how they will miss Dr. Debbi Burdick, who is retiring after working with CCUSD for 17 years and serving as its superintendent for 13 years. Overall, it’s a good thing that the survey had active participation, Highlen said. “That shows an interest in the community and an interest in this from the community to the schools.” “With the number of students (CCUSD) has, having over 1,700 people respond is at the top end of what I see when I work with districts. So, hats off to the community for being part of the process. It shows good support for the district.”
SHOP LOCAL AND SAVE UP TO - $1,500 • Replacement Windows • Barn Doors & Hardware • Replacement Windows New Construction Windows •••• Replacement Windows Replacement Windows New Construction Windows Multi-slide - Bi-folding Doors •••• New Windows New Construction Construction Windows Multi-slide - Bi-folding Doors •••Replacement Windows Entry, French and PatioDoors Doors Multi-slide -- Bi-folding • Multi-slide Bi-folding Doors • Entry, French and Patio Doors ReplacementWindows Windows • New•Construction •• Entry, French and Doors Entry, French and Patio Patio Doors • New Windows • Multi-Slide - Construction Bi-folding Doors
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
• Barn Doors & Hardware • Interior Doors and Trim • & Barn Doors Doors & Hardware Hardware •• Barn Interior Doors and Trim ® Skylights and Sun Tunnels • VELUX ••• Interior Doors Trim Interior® Skylights Doors and and Trim and Sun Tunnels VELUX • Barn Doors & Hardware • VELUX Security & and Retractable Screens ®® Doors Skylights Sun Tunnels • Skylights and Sun Tunnels • VELUX • Security Doors & Retractable Screens • Barn Doors &Doors Hardware • Interior and Trim • Security Doors & Screens Security Doors & Retractable Retractable Screens • • Interior Doors and Trim • VELUX® Skylights and Sun Tunnels
SHOP AND SAVE SAVEUP UPTO TO- $1,500 - $1,500 SHOPLOCAL LOCAL AND
Multi-slide - Bi-folding • Entry,• French and Patio DoorsDoors •
Entry, French and Patio Doors
® Skylights and&Sun Tunnels Screens • VELUX • Security Doors Retractable • Security Doors & Retractable Screens
ROOF WINDOWS AND SKYLIGHTS ROOF WINDOWS AND SKYLIGHTS ROOF ROOFWINDOWS WINDOWS AND ANDSKYLIGHTS SKYLIGHTS ROOF WINDOWS AND SKYLIGHTS
SECURITY SECURITY SCREEN SECURITY SECURITY SCREEN DOORS SECURITY SCREEN SCREEN DOORS SCREEN DOORS DOORS DOORS
602.508.0800 | liwindow.com
| liwindow.com 602.508.0800 4454 E. Thomas Rd. | Phoenix, AZ 85018
602.508.0800 liwindow.com Fri 8:30-4p.m. Sat 9-2p.m. ROC#179513 | Phoenix, 4454 E. Thomas Rd. AZ 85018 || |liwindow.com 602.508.0800 4454 E. Thomas Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85018 Mon-Thurs 8:30-5p.m. Fri 8:30-4p.m. Sat 9-2p.m. ROC#179513 | 4454 E. Thomas Rd. | Phoenix, AZ 85018 Mon-Thurs 8:30-5p.m.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
11
••
12
NEWS
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
NEVER FORGOTTEN
Paradise Valley DAR selling wreaths for event in December BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor
Kitty Woodward had chills the first time she saw the Wreaths Across America ceremony. It was so moving she had to be in-
volved. A member of the Paradise Valley National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Woodward is the co-chairwoman of Wreaths Across America campaign. “It’s a project in which Christmas wreaths are placed on gravesites of
Paradise Valley National Society Daughters of the American Revolution members Kitty Woodward, left, and Mary Rank encourage the public to buy wreaths from Wreaths Across America. The wreaths are laid locally during a December ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona in Phoenix to remember veterans. (Photo by Pablo Robles)
veterans in honor of their service so they will be remembered,” she said. “It’s also to teach children the importance of freedom.” Locally, the program will happen in December at the National Memorial Ceremony of Arizona, 23029 Cave Creek Road, Phoenix. The cemetery has approximated 65,000 graves, and each year more wreaths are placed as veterans are remembered for their service to our country, Woodward said. First, DAR must recruit sponsors for the wreaths. The sponsorships are $15 by emailing Woodward at kitfit2000@ aol.com or by visiting wreathsacrossamerica.org. The deadline for orders is November 19. The goal of the local program is to lay wreaths on every veteran grave at the National Cemetery in North Phoenix. Many Phoenix residents may have relatives buried there who would love to know how to have a wreath placed. Woodward sees the wreath celebration as a way to remember fallen veterans; honor those who serve; and teach children the value of freedom. “Last year our chapter alone laid
more than 400 wreaths on the graves of veterans in the National Cemetery in North Phoenix,” Woodward said. The Wreaths Across America was founded by the Worcester family in Harrington, Maine. As a 12-year-old paperboy for the Bangor Daily News, Morrill Worcester won a trip to Washington, D.C., and Arlington National Cemetery. He was moved by the trip. So, in 1992, when his Worcester Wreath Company found itself with a surplus of wreaths, he and Maine Sen. Olympia Snowe arranged for the wreaths to be laid at graves in the older section of Arlington National Cemetery. The tribute continued quietly until 2005, when photos went viral. Wreaths Across America was formed, and in 2018 its national network for volunteers laid more than 1.8 million memorial wreaths at 1,440 locations worldwide. It was accomplished with the help of more than 3,270 fundraising groups. “We want to have as many wreaths as possible,” Woodward said. “Last year we laid 5,800 wreaths. Our goal is to have 12,000 wreaths in the National Cemetery.”
NEWS
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
13
NORTH VALLEY PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEYS General Practice Law Firm for all your legal needs!
• • • •
Free personal injury case evaluations An attorney will supervise your case from start to finish No fees unless we collect on your behalf Now in our new History of successfully negotiating down medical costs location! -increasing the money in your pocket. • All vehicle accidents/wrongful death 42104 N. Venture Drive, Suite A 118, Anthem, AZ 85086
623-551-9366 CarrollLawFirm.com
Dental Insurance Call today for all the details.
Get the dental care you deserve with dental insurance from Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. It can help cover the services you’re most likely to use —
1-855-389-4273 Here’s the information you requested on Dental insurance
Cleanings
X-rays
Fillings
Crowns
FIRST-CLASS MAIL
Dentures
Preventive care starts right away Helps cover over 350 services Go to any dentist you want – but save more with one in our network No deductible, no annual maximum Product not available in all states. Includes the Participating Providers and Preventive Benefits Rider. Acceptance guaranteed for one insurance policy/certificate of this type. Contact us for complete details about this insurance solicitation. This specific offer is not available in CO, NY; call 1-888799-4433 or respond for similar offer. Certificate C250A (ID: C250E; PA: C250Q); Insurance Policy P150 (GA: P150GA; NY: P150NY; OK: P150OK; TN: P150TN). Rider kinds B438/B439. 6154-0120
l
l
Call now to get this FREE Information Kit!
dental50plus.com/214
14
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
■ RESIDENTS IN 6 STATES CASH IN: The phone lines will be ringing off the hook. That’s because for the next 48 hours, packages containing actual Gold Vault Bricks still loaded with four
5-ounce Jumbo State Bars layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold minted by the Federated Mint are being shipped to residents in 6 states. These are the only Gold Vault Bricks known to exist and everyone wants them. That’s because they’re still loaded with Jumbo Gold Bars bearing the name of The First Bank of the United States of America and the state they were once destined for. And here’s the best part. If you live in one of the 6 states listed in today’s publication you cover only the minimum gold fee set for state residents of just $49 per ounce. That’s a real steal because residents living outside of the designated 6 states must pay $124 per ounce if any remain.
Residents snap up Gold Bars issued in 6 States Heavy Gold Vault Bricks loaded with valuable Jumbo State Bars layered in 24 Karat Gold are up for grabs as thousands stand to miss the deadline to claim the gold bars; now residents in 6 states can claim the Gold Vault Bricks for themselves and keep all the valuable bars found inside just by covering the minimum gold fee set for state residents within the next 48 hours “It’s like a modern day gold rush,” said Mary Ellen Withrow, emeritus 40th Treasurer of the United States of America. That’s because actual Gold Vault Bricks™ still loaded with four 5-ounce Jumbo State Bars layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold bearing the name of the First Bank of the United States of America™ and the state they were once destined for are up for grabs as thousands of U.S. residents stand to miss the deadline to claim the gold. Now any resident of those states can claim the Gold Vault Bricks for themselves and keep all the valuable gold found inside. That’s four massive bars weighing a full 20 ounces of high demand bullion copper layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold in all. And here’s the best part. If you live in one of the 6 states listed in today’s publication you cover only the minimum gold fee set for state residents of just $49 per ounce which totals $ 980 for the full 20 ounces locked away inside these gold vault bricks. That’s (Continued on next page)
Who gets the Jumbo Gold Bars: Listed below in bold are the states that get the gold. If you live in one of these states immediately call the State Distribution Hotline at: 1-800-749-6917 GB1282
AK AL AR Arizona California Colorado CT DE FL GA
HI IA ID IL IN KY KS LA MA ME
MD MI MN MO MS MT NC ND NE Nevada
New Mexico NH NJ NY OH OK OR PA RI SC
SD TN TX Utah VA VT WA WI WV WY R1007C
15
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE
(Continued from previous page) a real steal because residents living outside of the designated 6 states must pay $124 per ounce which totals $2,480 if any remain. “As special counsel to Federated Mint I earn my pay delivering breaking news. And today’s announcement confirming the release of Gold Vault Bricks to the general public is as big as it gets. Believe me, I know how valuable these Gold Vault Bricks are to resellers, collectors, dealers and anyone else who gets their hands on them,” Withrow said. “So my advice is this, anyone who gets an opportunity to get their hands on one of these Gold Vault Bricks better jump at the chance before they’re all gone,” Withrow said. “These Gold Vault Bricks loaded with massive 5-ounce Jumbo State Bars layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold make the most impressive gifts for Christmas, birthdays, graduations, weddings, and any other occasion, especially for that hard-to-buy-for person,” Withrow said. According to Ms. Withrow, since thousands of U.S. residents stand to miss the deadline to claim the gold, today and tomorrow are intended as a “special 48 hour release” for the benefit of persons living in; AZ, CA, CO, NV, NM and UT. This gives residents of those states a fair chance to claim the Gold Vault Bricks and all the valuable gold loaded inside for themselves. But, Ms. Withrow added, “The Gold Vault Bricks are only available as inventory permits during the special 48 hour release and once they’re gone, they’re gone.” The emeritus Treasurer added, “Remember this, these Gold Vault Bricks contain a full 20 ounces of high demand bullion copper layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold and we have no power to stop dealers, resellers, collectors and the like from buying up all the Gold Vault Bricks they can get their hands on and reselling them for a big profit,” Withrow said. Anyone who fails to obtain them during this special 48 hour release may be forced to buy them later in the secondary market from a dealer, reseller or collector at a hefty premium. ”We already know the phones will be ringing off the hook. That’s why hundreds of agents are standing by to answer the phones beginning at 8:30am this morning. We’re going to do our best, but with just 48 hours to answer all the calls it won’t be easy. So make sure to tell everyone to keep calling if all lines are busy. We’ll do our best to answer them all,” Withrow said. “That’s why Federated Mint set up the State Distribution Hotlines in order to make sure residents in the 6 designated states listed in today’s newspaper publication can get them now,” Withrow said. The only thing readers of today’s newspaper publication need to do is make sure they live in one of the 6 states listed in today’s newspaper and call the State Distribution Hotlines before the special 48 hour release ends midnight tomorrow. ■
NEVER BEFORE SEEN: THESE FIRST BANK OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA JUMBO GOLD BARS ARE THE ONLY ONES KNOWN TO EXIST
VALUABLE: THESE ARE THE FOUR 5-OUNCE JUMBO GOLD BARS SEALED AWAY IN EACH GOLD VAULT BRICK BEARING THE STATE DESTINATION
How much are the Gold Vault Bricks worth: The answer is, it’s impossible to say. But, it would be foolish for anyone to try and determine the value of these Gold Vault Bricks based on today’s price of gold. Here’s why. Gold, silver and all precious metal values always fluctuate and there are never any guarantees. But what we do know is that these are the only Gold Vault Bricks still loaded with four 5-ounce Jumbo State Bars known to exist. In fact, the value of the pure 24 Karat Gold layered content is just a bonus for anyone lucky enough to get one of these Gold Vault Bricks because there’s no telling how much the actual collector value could be worth. That makes the minimum gold fee set for state residents of just $ 49 per ounce which totals $ 980 for the full 20 ounces locked away inside these Gold Vault Bricks a real steal since residents living outside of the designated 6 states must pay $124 per ounce, which totals $ 2,480, if any remain. Why the vault fee is so low: Since thousands of U.S. residents stand to miss the deadline to claim the gold, Federated Mint has re-allocated Gold Vault Bricks to be sent out in the next 48 hours. That means the gold is up for grabs and now residents in 6 states can claim the Gold Vault Bricks for themselves and keep all the valuable bars found inside. These are the only Gold Vault Bricks known to exist and everyone wants them. That’s because they’re still loaded with four 5-ounce Jumbo State Bars layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold bearing the name of The First Bank of the United States of America and the state they were once destined for. That’s four massive bars weighing a full 20 ounces of 24 Karat Gold and valuable bullion copper in all. And here’s the best part. If you live in one of the 6 states listed in today’s publication you cover only the minimum gold fee set for state residents of just $ 49 per ounce. That’s a real steal because residents living outside of the designated 6 states must pay $124 per ounce if any remain.
■ FIRST LOOK INSIDE THE GOLD VAULT BRICKS: Pictured above are the Gold Vault Bricks containing the only Jumbo State
Gold Bars known to exist bearing the name of the First Bank of the United States of America and the state they were once destined for. State residents are rushing to get them because the Gold Vault Bricks are still loaded with four 5-ounce Jumbo State Bars layered in valuable 24 Karat Gold. To claim you Vault Brick, just call 1-800-749-6917 GB1282 before the deadline ends. Everyone lucky enough to get them better hold on to them because there’s no telling just how much they could be worth.
R1007C
FEDERATED MINT, LLC IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. MINT, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, A BANK OR ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY. IF FOR ANY REASON WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM SHIPMENT YOU ARE DISSATISFIED, RETURN THE PRODUCT FOR A REFUND LESS SHIPPING AND RETURN POSTAGE. THIS SAME OFFER MAY BE MADE AVAILABLE AT A LATER DATE OR IN A DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION. OH RESIDENTS ADD 6.5% SALES TAX. FEDERATED MINT, PO BOX 1200, MASSILLON, OH 44648 ©2020 FEDERATED MINT
OPINION
•• 16
Opinion TheFoothillsFocus.com
|
@TheFoothills.Focus
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
For more opinions visit thefoothillsfocus.com /TheFoothillsFocus
Marking the birthday of a lifelong friend BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Foothills Focus Columnist
W
e met in eighth grade English. He was the tall kid with the dirty blond mop parted in the middle and feathered back. I was, unsurprisingly, the class wiseass. A couple of Stoli and OJs into a night out, he’s still likely to bring up my most humiliating academic incident: that time in ninth grade when I submitted an essay copied directly from a book. A book that was a No. 1 bestseller, and which our teacher happened to be reading at the time.
The detentions that ensued felt like the longest hours of my life. But that was before adulthood, conference calls and endless meetings about details that in the end will never matter more than one simple fact: All of us are the sum total of the family we are born into and the family we choose. And while blood and kin get the publicity—books, films, series on HBO— friendship is every bit as defining. Because when a day goes wrong or life swerves into some frightening skid, only a chosen few step up to serve as an ear, a guardrail, a hand to pull you up. Family relationships can be compli-
LONE MOUNTAIN ELEMENTARY
an A STEM School +
INSPIRING EXCELLENCE
through innovative, engaging teaching methods LMES students are inspired in the application of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics as it relates to serving and changing our local community within our global society. A+ STEM Partnership with AZ Science Center • Chinese Pre-K-6 • Preschool
cated, fraught. Friendship, I’ve found, is decided less so. At least with the man I am writing about today, the guy who has spent much of his life being known only by his last name—Sugg. Among those of us who have known him for 40 years, his surname has multiple applications: as a term of affection when you spend yet another night on his couch, or as a profanity when you’re rushing to make a 7 o’clock movie and he is creeping glacially on what is known as “Sugg time.” His friends will laughingly tell you about “another Sugg plan,” code for any event that involves military-style advance calibration to the minute but which in real life bears utterly no resemblance to the plan itself, instead ending up in chaos—chaos that ends up more fun regardless. Sugg has always been the connective tissue uniting my small posse of buddies. His apartment is where we played video games at Florida State. He’s the friend who always had beer in the fridge and a working Nintendo, the fast talker who bargained with ticket scalpers if we road-tripped to an away game. When I moved to Philly and New York for grad school, Sugg relayed the news from home. Our 20s went by in a minute, our 30s even faster. He was the best man at my wedding, the first person I told about
Send your letters to the editor Christina Fuoco-Karasinski 480.575.2000 www.CCUSD93.org
christina@timespublications.com
the divorce. Then the same thing happened to him, except his relationship produced a daughter, a tall girl now 17 whose blonde hair is everything lush that her father’s maybe is not these days. We don’t mention his hair anymore. It’s a Sugg thing. He has been everything you could ask for in a parent, though there is no playbook for being a single father with primary custody. Braden, his girl, is smart, poised and funny, sassy and a wizard on horseback. She has college in her near future, despite 2020’s best efforts to screw up all our lives. If the character of the child is a testament to the parents, then this is one Sugg plan that worked out exactly as scripted. Mike Sugg turns 55 today, and I’m proud of the man he has become, the friend he has always been. In a better world, you’d read about in all the newspapers instead of the thugs who grab the ink. Even so, you read about it in this newspaper and that is a Sugg story I am proud to have written.
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
DESERT ELITE OPINION
AROUND THE BLUHMIN’ TOWN
GROUP
17
••
A buzz-worthy debate guest flies in face of humanity BY JUDY BLUHM Foothills Focus Columnist
W
hy does a fly in the ointment have to spoil everything? Oops, I meant hair, not ointment, and no disrespect to our vice president. If there was one moment—or living creature—that “stole the show” during the vice presidential debate, it was certainly the little, black fly that landed on Vice President Pence’s hair and then sat there, quiet as a mouse, not moving a wing, for an entire 2 minutes. The “fly” in the hair broke the internet with over 100,000 memes and tweets in 1 minute. The Biden campaign had a “Pence Fly Swatter” up on its website for sale within minutes, selling 35,000 within an hour! Hey, who said debates are boring? I give Pence great credit for sitting
still and not even addressing the errant insect. Even the moderator said nothing. Sen. Harris ignored it. Yet it was in plain sight for all to see! So how, exactly, did a fly become the “big news” out of a 90-minute debate? That, my friends, is only something an expert on “cultural phenomena” can answer. And I am waiting for the explanation. Politics are generally not funny. Passions flares and angry words, loud voices, finger pointing, smirking and name-calling have often been the substitutes for substance. We, the American people, do notice that when asked a direct question, politicians just answer with whatever talking points are important to them, which often has little to do with the question. Evasion tactics are in full display when you are watching a debate! But who can ignore a fly? Evidently, we can’t. There are T-shirts now selling that show Pence with the fly on his head with
the caption, “The crowned winner of the debate! Flies don’t lie.” In defense of the vice president, there have been numerous discussions about why the fly “chose” his head. Well, he does have beautiful silver hair, so perhaps that is the reason. A rancher in Texas has come forward stating (with no particular scientific evidence) that flies prefer to land on white horses over brown horses. So maybe it was a color attraction? Hmm, and having a brown and white horse, I would agree. A beauty shop owner in Phoenix claims that flies are attracted to hairspray, suggesting that our vice president was “lacquered” more than his opponent. There have been some headlines that scream, “The Fly Was A Spy!” (Nonsense.) And one reporter claimed that the fly was “trying to capture the spotlight” and “distracting” viewers from the content of the debate. (Perhaps.) Well, in that regard, our little winged friend
seems to have achieved a measure of success. Still, if anything came out of this “fly situation,” it is that Americans have a sense of humor, love mischief and know how to have a good laugh. Elections are serious. Yet this fly got more mention on Twitter than any other the 2020 candidate! But much like the real world, the life cycle of celebrity is fleeting. The fly had just a brief moment of stardom. And the best part of the whole affair? The genuine bipartisan laughter that came out it. We may not always agree across the aisle, but we can sure share a few giggles. And that was the best buzz so far. Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local Realtor. Have a story or a comment? Email Judy at judy@judybluhm.com.
What’s Your
“Really” Worth 480-770-2466 Desert Elite Group
A member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates, LLC.
DESERT DESERT ELITE ELITE GROUP GROUP GROUP
What’s What’s Your Your What’s Your
“Really” “Really” Worth? Worth? #1 Selling Team at Berkshire Hathaway Anthem Gary Wilson 602-320-6327 | Sonja Hill 480-353-9263 | Jeff Huff 480-888-6361 | Maja Tatar 602-332-0270 | Chuck Finzer 602-908-4424
480-770-2466 480-770-2466 480-770-2466 3434 W Anthem Way #112, Phoenix, AZ 85086
A member of the franchise system of BHH Affiliates, LLC.
••
18
OPINION
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
Corn mazes and pumpkin patches BY PASTOR DAVID BOWEN Standing Stones Community Church Standing Stones Christian Academy
I
n a normal year, October is a time of petting zoos, pedal carts, bounce houses, face painting and pony rides, but 2020 is anything but a normal year. OK, except for it being national pizza month, October 2020 is looking rather challenging. Many of the activities families would normally do will be either canceled or severely cut back. However, there is always a light in the midst of darkness. Maybe this October your family won’t be able to walk through a
Have something to say?
freshly planted corn maze or picked the largest, fattest pumpkin still growing in the field, but there is something of great value that you can come together as a family and participate in. From October 18 to October 25 is Family Promise Week. Family Promise Week was founded in Summit, New Jersey, in 1988. It is a national nonprofit organization mobilizing communities and existing resources to help homeless families regain their independence. From their website they proclaim: “Family Promise is a national organization which prevents families from becoming homeless, sheltering those in crisis, and
Send your letters or news to the editor. Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
christina@timespublications.com
HILLCREST B A P T I S T
C H U R C H
Grow With Us!
SUNDAYS AT 10:30AM ✔ Practical Bible message ✔ Inspiring music
✔ Family atmosphere
HILLCREST BAPTIST CHURCH (Meets inside Ridgeline Academy)
602.350.0968
www.hillcrestbaptistaz.org
stabilizing families so they are no longer at risk.” Family Promise primarily serves families with children who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. How did this start? The Family Promise website explains that in 1986, Karen Olson was rushing to a business meeting in New York when she passed a homeless woman on the street. On impulse, Karen bought her a sandwich. The woman, Millie, accepted the sandwich but asked for something more, a chance to be heard. Karen stayed with Millie and listened. What she heard made her understand that homelessness brought profound feelings of diminished self-worth and disconnection from society. Soon after, Karen and her two sons began delivering lunches to homeless people on the streets of New York. When Karen learned that homelessness was affecting families right in her own community in New Jersey, she knew she had to do something. But this was much more than giving sandwiches. She brought together people in need and people who wanted to help. Existing community resources could provide shelter, meals and housing. Volun-
teers could use their skills, knowledge and compassion to help their homeless neighbors find employment, reconnect with society and restore their dignity. Six years later, in 1992, President George H.W. Bush and First Lady Barbara Bush awarded Family Promise one of the 21 Points of Lights awards, signifying Family Promise as one of the top volunteer agencies in the country. The Points of Lights awards are given in honor to those who take action to create change in their communities. So maybe October 2020 doesn’t have to be the gloomiest October ever. Maybe you and your family will discover how to make this month one of the brightest ever. If you find a pumpkin patch open and growing bright, healthy pumpkins, maybe there’s a family in need who could use a colorful healthy pumpkin as a gift. Maybe add a few sandwiches and a coffee or tea as well. And let’s not forget October is National Pizza Month. What better reason than that to take a large pepperoni pizza to someone who’s hungry and in need of a smiling face to share a slice with?
OCTOBER 21, 2020
Serving the Proud Residents of the Greater North Valley NorthValleyPride.com
Photos by: Lisa Hensley Photography
North Valley
PRIDE
••
••
Anthem The Landing
Gated Community 2,295 Square Feet 4 Bedrooms 2.5 Bathrooms 3-Car Garage
$435,000
FRONT COVER HOME
We are thrilled to be a part of the Foothills Focus Family! We have been in the real estate business, full-time, for almost 20 years. During that time, we have remained loyal to our advertising partners who have done so much to help our local area business grow and prosper. When we learned that 85086 Magazine (our multi-year advertising partner) was merging with Foothills Focus, we could not have been more excited about the opportunity! The broader distribution of Foothills Focus will allow us to expand our audience to a larger geographical area and a wider demographic audience. It's exactly what we needed to expand our business across the North Valley. We look forward to meeting you and being your "Real Estate Team of Choice" when you need professional real estate services to represent you.
-Dennis & Lisa
••
Call 623-551-0766 for details about these Featured Listings! SCOTTSDALE 4BR • 2.5BA • 3,794sf $1,150,000
Scottsdale • 4BR • 4.6BA • 4,617sf • $1,950,000
CAREFREE Elevated! • 3BR • 4,024sf $1,795,000
ANTHEM COUNTRY CLUB Vacation Rentals Call for Availability
ANTHEM PARKSIDE • 3BR • 2BA • 1,697sf • $325,000
ANTHEM COUNTRY CLUB 4BR • 3.5BA • 3,364sf $639,000
ANTHEM COUNTRY CLUB 3BR • DEN • 3.5BA • 2,978sf $748,900
UNDER CONTRACT IN 1 DAY!
ANTHEM COUNTRY CLUB 5BR • 4.5BA • 4,319sf $699,000
ANTHEM COUNTRY CLUB 5BR • 4BA • 2,892sf $549,000
THE LANDING AT ANTHEM 3BR • 2BA • 1,822sf $422,000
UNDER CONTRACT IN 1 DAY!
All Listings Exclusively Represented by Realty Executives
••
Local Expert Agents from Realty Executives:
Dennis Jones
Lisa Jones
John Luders
Dan Bachelor
Dave Nolan
Gordon Brown
Jennifer Merrill
Sandra Christiansen
What our clients have to say about us: "...The D.L. Jones Home Team made buying my first home easy and stress free..." "...even though we live 1,500 miles away, the D.L. Jones Home Team made our home buying experience easy and flawless..." "...The D.L. Jones Home Team is absolutely wonderful to work with! Always available to answer any questions. Highly recommended..." "...The D.L.Jones Home Team is an amazing group of real estate professionals..." "...The D.L. Jones Homes Team was with me every step of the way and went above and beyond my expectations..."
CALL OUR OFFICE:
623-551-0766 REALTY EXECUTIVES 3668 W Anthem Way B-158, Anthem, AZ 85086 FRIENDLY • KNOWLEDGEABLE • PROFESSIONAL • AVAILABLE www.DLJonesHomes.com
OPINION
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
23
Understanding your risks for breast cancer BY DR. LINDA GREER Medical Director Abrazo Breast Health Center
A
mammogram can save a life. The message is heard every October during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, but it applies all year round: Your health can’t wait. Regular mammography screenings, combined with advances in imaging technologies, are leading to more accurate diagnoses so breast cancer can be detected and treated in its earliest stages. Early diagnosis increases treatment options and reduces the risk of dying from breast cancer. Mammography is the current standard of care. A mammogram is a lowdose X-ray examination, typically with two images taken of each breast. The purpose is to detect small cancers before patients become symptomatic. Did you now that a high percentage of breast cancers occur in women with no family history or known risk factors? Cancers in younger women tend to be more aggressive, so early detection is critical. Many women with breast cancer have had no symptoms, which makes screening so important. Consider these statistics from the American Cancer Society: • About 1 in 8 U.S. women will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime. • In 2020, an estimated 276,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in women in the United States, along with 48,530 new cases of noninvasive (in situ) breast cancer. • About 2,620 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed in men in 2020. A man’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is about 1 in 883. • In women under 45, breast cancer is more common in African American women than caucasian women. • Ashkenazi Jewish women have a higher risk of breast cancer because of a higher rate of BRCA mutations.
Dr. Linda Greer is the medical director of Abrazo Breast Health Center. (Photo courtesy Abrazo)
• About 5% to 10% of breast cancers can be linked to known gene mutations inherited from one’s mother or father. Mutations in the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes are the most common. • About 85% of breast cancers occur in women who have no family history of breast cancer. These occur due to genetic mutations that happen as a result of the aging process and life in general, rather than inherited mutations. • The most significant risk factors for breast cancer are sex (being a woman) and age (growing older). The general consensus is to start scheduling annual mammograms at age 40, but factors such as family history may influence whether screenings begin at an earlier age. Advances in imaging such as 3D mammography are shown to have a significant increase in cancer detection and simultaneous decrease in unnecessary repeat imaging.
Knowing your personal breast density and lifetime risk of breast cancer can help you decide, along with your physician, if you would benefit from additional screening, like ultrasound or MRI. If diagnosed with breast cancer before age 50, and at any age with dense breasts, an annual MRI is recommended in addition to mammography. YOU Women TOshould BE be proactive about knowing their breast density and risk assessment value, and no matter their schedule, make time to get screened. If you think you may be at risk, please talk to your doctor about recommendations for mammograms and how often you should get them. Abrazo Health has a dedicated mammography registration phone number, 602-824-HOPE. Callers can speak directly with a scheduler who can help plan appointments for personalized care.
You Deserve You Deserve to be Comfortable You You Deserve Deserve to be Comfortable You Deserve to toDeserve be be C Comfortable omfortable You Deserve You totobebe CC omfortable YOU omfortable to be Comfortable TO BE
HEATING INDOOR AIRQUALITY QUALITY HEATING HEATING•••COOLING COOLING COOLING ••• INDOOR INDOOR AIR AIR QUALITY HEATING •• COOLING INDOOR AIR QUALITY HEATING COOLING •• INDOOR AIR QUALITY HEATING • COOLING • INDOOR AIR QUALITY HEATING • COOLING • INDOOR AIR QUALITY Feel the Feel Feel the the Feelthe the Feel the Feel
602-789-3000
602-789-3000 602-789-3000 602-789-3000 602-789-3000 Feel the 602-789-3000 Com f ort Com Com ffCom ort ortinfo@azperfectcomfort.com Com ort info@azperfectcomfort.com info@azperfectcomfort.com Com ffort finfo@azperfectcomfort.com ort info@azperfectcomfort.com info@azperfectcomfort.com www.azperfectcomfort.com
602-789-3000
www.azperfectcomfort.com www.azperfectcomfort.com Com fBeen ort info@azperfectcomfort.com You’ve Been You’ve You’ve Been Been You’ve You’ve Been You’ve Been
www.azperfectcomfort.com www.azperfectcomfort.com www.azperfectcomfort.com
Missin Missin Missin Missin Missin ggg !gg!!!! www.azperfectcomfort.com Missin g! You’ve Been
ROBIN &JOHN JOHN MCCOMBS ROBIN &ROBIN &JOHN MCCOMBS ROBIN & JOHNROBIN MCCOMBS &MCCOMBS JOHN MCCOMBS VETERAN OWNED OPERATED VETERAN OWNED && &OPERATED VETERAN VETERAN OWNED OWNED & &OPERATED OPERATED VETERAN OWNED & OPERATED VETERAN OWNED OPERATED
Missin gOFF !25 on ANY REPAIR on onREPAIR ANY 25 ANY REPAIR on on 25 OFF ANY ANY REPAIR REPAIR ANY REPAIR 25 25OFF OFF OFF 25 OFF $ 25 OFF on ANY REPAIR
ROC#300933 BONDED & INSURED ROC#300933 •ROC#300933 BONDED &ROC#300933 INSURED • BONDED INSURED ROC#300933 • •BONDED BONDED & &INSURED INSURED ROC#300933 •• BONDED & &INSURED
$$$$
$
$
ROBIN & JOHN MCCOMBS VETERAN OWNED & OPERATED
N o t v a l i d w i t h o t h e r o f f e r s o r p r o m o t i o n s , o n e c o u p o nROC#300933 p e r p e•rBONDED s o n . & INSURED Not valid with N o toht evraol ifdf ewr ist ho ro tphreormooftf ieornss o, ro nper ocmo ou tpioonn sp, eornpe ecrosuopno. n p e r p e r s o n .
tvlvai d al ildiwdw er sresoronsn.o.n . N oNtNo ovt a i twihti ht ohotothhteherer roofoffffeef rerssr soo orr rppprroroom mmooottitioioonnnsss, ,,o oonnne eec cocououpupopononnppepererprpep
Not valid with other offers or promotions, one coupon per person.
••
•• 24
BUSINESS
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
Business TheFoothillsFocus.com
|
@TheFoothills.Focus
For more opinions visit thefoothillsfocus.com
/TheFoothillsFocus
Dr. Julie Lam goes beyond typical eye care needs BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor
D
r. Julie Lam shadowed an optometrist as a youngster, and one thing struck her: Patients aren’t afraid to see their eye doctor. “I’m a people person, and that fits with the profession,” Lam said. “I communicate with people. It’s a rewarding profession, and that was my goal.” In 2013, Lam founded Eye Care North in Cave Creek to treat patients like her grandfather, who suffered from eye disease. She specializes in ocular disease management, dry eye
treatment and Neurovisual Medicine. Lam is the only optometrist in Arizona currently practicing Neurovisual Medicine. As a consequence, many patients travel a distance, including from outside the state, to see her. “Neurovisual Medicine is a new subspecialty,” she said. “It helps people who have misalignment of the eye muscles. On a routine exam, when you get your regular eye exam, it might not be detected. Most people have compensated for it, but when you’re constantly doing it all day long, every day, it can cause dizziness, headache, nausea and anxiety.” Many patients who suffer from
Good news. Auto rates just got lower. 623-742-6866
those symptoms get frustrated due to lack of a proper diagnosis. Lam treats that with glasses with prism, and she has had up to 90% to 100% improvement in people who have gone through a gamut of specialists. “Most people are familiar with prism,” she explained. “What we work with is microprism, which is a lot more accurate with smaller increments. It’s a different technique than what we were taught traditionally in optometry school. I like doing this type of treatment. It’s integrative, as we work with different specialists. You have to look at the whole picture—balance and how the ears play a role with how we see as well.” Born in San Diego, Lam moved to North Scottsdale in middle school. She attended ASU, where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree and graduated Summa Cum Laude. At the Southern California College of Optometry in Fullerton, California, she earned her Doctor of Optometry degree and was also awarded honors for academic excellence. She studied optometry in California because, at the time, Arizona colleges didn’t offer the field of study. Lam completed externships at the Center for the Partially Sighted in Los
Dr. Julie Lam is the only optometrist in Arizona currently practicing Neurovisual Medicine, which helps patients who have a misalignment of their eye muscles. (Photo courtesy Dr. Julie Lam)
Angeles, Hu Hu Kam Memorial Hospital in Sacaton and Southern Arizona Veterans Hospital in Tucson. Following college graduation, Lam returned to the Grand Canyon State— right in the heart of the recession. “That was challenging, because there weren’t too many job opportunities,” she said. “I was lucky enough to find a job filling in at first at retail places like Walmart and Costco.” She then landed a position at a large medical clinic in Sun City, where she
see LAM page 26
Nanette McClelland-Miller, Agent nanettemiller.com
Fry’s Shopping Center: Next to Verizon and Tru Burger
The Cave Creek Eyewear line features frames like these, named after Lone Mountain Road. (Photo courtesy Dr. Julie Lam)
School House Road is memorialized on these frames from the Cave Creek Eyewear line founded by Dr. Julie Lam and her husband, Bryan Barber. (Photo courtesy Dr. Julie Lam)
25
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
NOW OPEN
Trusted care that’s now close to home. Serving north Phoenix and Anthem
Healing and comfort in a state-of-the-art medical center: • 70 inpatient beds • Labor and delivery, including a newborn nursery • Physicians specializing in joint replacement and minimally invasive orthopedic, spine, gynecologic and general surgery procedures
HonorHealth Sonoran Crossing Medical Center
• Outpatient specialty care • 24-hour emergency services for patients of all ages
Learn more and take a virtual tour at HonorHealth.com/SonoranCrossing
••
••
26
BUSINESS
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
Jabz, Bright Pink team up for breast cancer fundraiser BY CONNOR DZIAWURA Foothills Focus Staff Writer
L
ocal Jabz Boxing franchisee Samantha Ford has a personal connection to the women-targeted fitness studio’s new partnership with cancer prevention and early detection nonprofit Bright Pink. She has a family history of breast cancer. “Every single female has gotten breast cancer—thankfully later in life, so it wasn’t fast spreading and nobody has lost their life to it, just because it was again later in life,” noted Ford, who runs Jabz North Phoenix, located at 32nd Street and Shea Road. Her location was the company’s first franchise, having opened in 2013. The partnership, which coincides with Breast Cancer Awareness Month and includes a series of donation-based classes across various locations, is important to her because she said it’s focused on spreading awareness of breast and ovarian cancers. She recalls having to be proactive in her own life to learn about the risks. “I love to see that it’s being proactively talked about now and younger people are getting tools that could help them and they don’t have to demand and be their own advocate,” Ford said. Jabz is a 45-minute, full-body, circuit-style workout based around boxing-inspired exercises—which Ford clarifies are adaptable to the individual needs and fitness levels of each client, who should be aware of their limits. Classes incorporate cardio, strength, plyometric and other functional exercises, with workouts changing daily. The upcoming donation-based sessions are open to the public, though attendees still must sign up in advance. They’re
LAM from page 24
was inspired to work with geriatric patients. There she treated and managed complex eye diseases such as macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. When it came time to open her own practice, she found the perfect spot in
Jabz Boxing is a 45-minute, full-body, circuit-style workout based around boxing-inspired exercises. Jabz North Phoenix owner Samantha Ford said clients aren’t rotating stations, due to COVID-19; however, safety measures have been implemented. Jabz also partnered with nonprofit Bright Pink to spread awareness of breast and ovarian cancers with a series of donation-based classes, through which attendees will also receive the information needed to be proactive with their health. (Photo courtesy Jabz Boxing)
set for 5 a.m. Monday, October 26; 6 a.m. Tuesday, October 27; 7 a.m. Wednesday, October 28; 9 a.m. Thursday, October 29; 4:30 p.m. Friday, October 30; and 6, 7, 8 and 9 a.m. Saturday, October 31. All attendees are encouraged to wear pink, and a minimum donation of $5 is recommended per class. Ford said her location will also have a donation jar on-site, so anyone looking to support the cause can drop by; 100% will go to Bright Pink. Though Ford noted Jabz has launched partnerships in the past, working with Bright Pink is a new initiative. “I like their concept because they’re focusing on education and prevention rather than just dealing with it once you have it,” she explained. “And it’s not just breast cancer. They’re doing the ovarian cancer,
which is really, really important because we have female-based clients and I have a lot of women, more than I would like to say, that are battling breast and ovarian cancer. “We’ve lost a couple of clients to both of those diseases, and it’s horrible,” Ford continued. “So just educating people on prevention is huge.” When it comes to cancer, Ford said just maintaining a healthy lifestyle isn’t enough. Bright Pink will give attendees of the special classes digital tools with information on individual risks and personalized prevention plans. “Most of our client base are being proactive in their lifestyles and train to live a healthy lifestyle in general,” Ford said. “I think a lot of people think that they’re immune to these diseases because they are living a healthy lifestyle—and that’s
a former yogurt shop. “We started from scratch,” she said. “It was all orange. We had to tear down the dispensers and things. My dad did the buildout. That’s why I wanted to have my own practice. My parents have always been self-employed. That was set in my head since I was young.
“We really like our patients in Cave Creek. We get a broad range from young to old.” At Eye Care North, Lam and her husband, Bryan Barber, created Cave Creek Eyewear with frames named after hotspots around town—Foothills Food Bank (to benefit the nonprofit), local schools, hiking trails and
not necessarily the case.” Though Ford feels her studio was always cleaned and sanitized well, efforts have been stepped up due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Jabz locations are being cautious about CDC, local, state and federal guidelines, according to the company’s website. Precautions include staff temperature checks; sanitizing stations; continued nightly cleanings and at least one professional deep cleaning a week; station cleanings between classes; reduced class sizes to ensure social distancing; and distanced class arrival times. According to Ford, sessions aren’t rotating stations as they usually would either. “Our clients are staying put, but everyone will have a bag—or a BOB, which is called a body opponent bag—and they’ll be doing some bag work on them with a mix of” workouts, she said. Ford is excited about the partnership and feels her clients have been supportive, so they will echo that sentiment toward Bright Pink. She said “it’s for a good cause.” “We’re excited. Our community is very important, especially due this pandemic. You’ve been reminded how important community is, and it’s been an honor,” she said. “Our client base has stepped up, they’ve been a huge family, huge support as a small business trying to get through this, so I think they’re going to rally up and we’re going to have a successful Bright Pink charity.” Jabz North Phoenix
10880 N. 32nd Street, Phoenix 602-910-5229 brightpink.org jabzboxing.com/locations/32ndandshea
streets. “We tried to get creative with it,” she said. “My husband and I, when we were creating the line, went around town and took photos of the frames with their namesakes. We hiked up to the top of Black Mountain and took photos, too. The patients have really liked the frames.”
OUR OFFICE IS MOVING! BUSINESS
27 •• We might be changing locations, but we aren’t going anywhere same committed support, but with a new view.
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
OUR OFFICE IS MOVING!
Medspa’s Charles Small wants to help clients look great BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor
Charles Small said owning Glo Medspa is the “best job ever.” Because of his work and that of his staff, Small’s clients leave the Scottsdale Medspa living their best life. “The best part of my job is helping people look better and then they feel better about themselves,” Small said. “It’s definitely rewarding.” Small’s background is in helping people. For 15 years, he served as a critical care nurse. “I needed a change and a friend introduced me to aesthetics,” he said. “I became trained and certified. It’s such a competitive field. I decided to start my own business. I’m glad I did.” Small has many certifications, including basic and advanced techniques of Botox and Juvederm injections. He’s an active member of the Dermatology Nurse Association as
We might be changing locations, but we aren’t
We might be changing locations, going anywhere. You can expect the samebut we aren’t g commited support, butsupport, with a newbut view. same committed with a new view.
John Kovach, A
well as the American Society of Plastic Surgical Nurses. “We also do mini facelifts with PDO Facial Threading,” he said. “We use those to give mini facelifts without the surgery. We do aesthetics, body conWeand might changing locations, but we aren’t going anywhere. You can expect the touring all thebe lasers. “I’msame doing committed such advancedsupport, injections but with a new view. that people are coming to me to learn New Address as of these injections, like injections under the eyes. I can do nonsurgical rhinoplasty We might 3715 W Anthem W with fillers. I believe I was the first personbe changing locations, but we aren’t going anywhere. You can expect the same committed support, but with a new view. in Arizona to do PDO Facial Threading.” Anthem AZ 85086 When he started Glo Medspa, he We might be changing locations, but we aren’t going anywhere. You can expect the was alone in a 10-by-10-foot room. same committed support, but with a new view. Now, Small and his seven employees are housed in a 3,000-square-foot spa. “This is really the best job ever,” he said.
Bus: (623) 551-790 jkovach@amfam.c
OUR OFFICE IS MOVING!
John
OUR OFFICE IS MOVING!
OUR OFFICE IS MOVING!
Bus: (6 jkovac
John Kovach, Agent
Glo Medspa
10505 N. 69th Street, Suite 1000, Scottsdale 480-245-6881, glomedspas.com
John551-7900 Kovach, Agent Bus: (623) OUR OFFICE IS MOVING! Bus: (623) 551-7900 John Kovach, Agent jkovach@amfam.com
We might be changing locations, but we aren’t going anywher same committed support, but with a new view.
New A
jkovach@amfam.com Bus: (623) 551-7900
New Address asjkovach@amfam.com of August 2020 New Address as of August 3,3,2020
3715 W 3715 W Anthem Way Suite 112 Anthe 3715 W Anthem Way Suite 112 Bus: (623) 551-79 Anthem AZ 85086
Kovach, A New Address as of AugustJohn 3, 2020
American Family Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. and its Operating Companies, American Family Insurance Company, 6000 American Parkway, Madison, WI 53783 014472 – 1/18 ©2018 – 12539633
3715 W Anthem Way Suite 112 Anthem AZ 85086 jkovach@amfam Anthem AZ 85086
New Address as o
3715 W Anthem W Anthem AZ 85086
American Family Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. and its Operating Companies, American Family Insurance Company, 6000 American Parkway, Madison, WI 53783 American Family Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. and its Operating Companies, 014472 – 1/18 ©2018 – 12539633
American Family Insurance Company, 6000 American Parkway, Madison, WI 53783 014472 – 1/18 ©2018 – 12539633
American Family Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. and its Operating Companies, American Family Insurance Company, 6000 American Parkway, Madison, WI 53783 American Family 014472 – 1/18 ©2018 – 12539633 Glo Medspa owner Charles Small, a former critical care nurse, is an active member of the Dermatology Nurse Association and the American Society of Plastic Surgical Nurses. (Photo courtesy Charles Small)
American Family Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. and its Operating Companies, Mutual Insurance Company, S.I. and its Operating Companies, American Family Insurance Company, 6000 American Parkway, Madison, WI 53783 014472 – Company, 1/18 ©2018 – 12539633 American Family Insurance 6000 American Parkway, Madison, WI 53 014472 – 1/18 ©2018 – 12539633
••
28
BUSINESS
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
Inaugural leadership academy accepting applications BY ALISON STANTON Foothills Focus Contributing Writer
D
esert Foothills Community residents who would like to be involved in their community are welcome to apply for the first Desert Foothills Leadership Academy. The eight-month inaugural academy is scheduled to begin in January 2021 and will include up to 25 participants. The deadline to apply is up until the first meeting in January or when 25 people apply, whichever comes first. As Jim Sherbert, development leader of the academy and chairman of The Holland Center, noted, the idea for the Desert Foothills Leadership Academy began a couple of years ago when a group of business and community residents realized there was a need to expand the community awareness of the issues that impact the region. “They brought their concept to the Cave Creek-Carefree Chamber of Commerce and to The Holland Center, looking for organizational guidance and leadership,” said Sherbert, adding that the Desert Foothills Com-
munity roughly encompasses the area north of the 101, with Interstate 17 to the west and Rio Verde to the east. “Their inspiration was to provide a fully functional organization that can help the region grow productively and be well planned.” Through its partnership with the Cave Creek-Carefree Chamber of Commerce and The Holland Center, the Desert Foothills Leadership Academy was created. “Both organizations feel there is a huge need for a leadership program in our community, and both also have talented people on their boards willing to dedicate the time and effort to bring it to fruition,” said Jennifer Rosvall, The Holland Center’s executive director. Sherbert said while anyone may apply, the academy is ideal for people who are interested in attaining a greater awareness of the key issues, resources and concerns that impact their community and who are willing to engage in solution building. “We also believe that the byproduct of this community networking will be invaluable to the participants in both their business and in
their community efforts,” Sherbert said. The academy will include nine individual on-site and classroom training sessions that will meet for nearly a full day the second Thursday of every month from January through September 2021. Tuition is $500. Sixty to 90 minutes of each session will be dedicated to leadership skills development, Sherbert said. “In these sessions we will address a board array of subjects, from forming and managing a business culture to conflict resolution management and goal setting,” he said. Each monthly community session will also include four to five hours dedicated to a given community topic that Sherbert said is critical to the success of the community, such as natural resources sustainability, government services and planning, health care, education, the arts and other topics. In each of the nine sessions, participants will learn from experts in the subjects that are being discussed, Sherbert said. “These will be people who are both experts on the specific subject matter but also
who understand the need to build awareness and future planning processes so to optimize the benefits of these sessions for the participants,” he said. “We are also encouraging community sponsors that can assist by sponsoring a day or a lunch or a participant.” Rosvall and Sherbert both said they are looking forward to the launch of the first academy. “I am beyond thrilled. The program was in its infancy stage when I came on board at The Holland Center last year. There is now a dedicated board who pulled it all together and is ready to launch,” Rosvall said. “I believe that knowledge is the key to making good decisions and building engagement,” Sherbert said. “Our belief is that through this transfer of knowledge we will create better future decision making through community involvement.” To learn more about the Desert Foothills Leadership Academy and/or to apply, visit desertfoothillsleaders.org. People may also call The Holland Center at 480-488-1090 or Jim Sherbert at 716-450-8320.
Welcome to the community
The Carefree Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce recently hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Studio Kinetics at 7171 E. Cave Creek Road, Suite N. Studio Kinetics offers Pilates, physical fitness and movement therapy depending on a client’s needs. Sessions are private and offered in either dual or group format. Studio Kinetics targets and designs each session to help clients achieve their goals—fitness training, conditioning, sport-specific training, physical therapy, muscle toning and/or weight loss. Pilates is a system of exercise that provides strength, core stability, flexibility, muscle control and balance. For more information, call 520-940-5849 or visit studiokineticsdance.com. (Photo courtesy Carefree Cave Creek Chamber of Commerce)
FEATURES
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
Features TheFoothillsFocus.com
|
@TheFoothills.Focus
29
For more opinions visit thefoothillsfocus.com
/TheFoothillsFocus
Chilleen’s vows to keep weddings, restaurant going BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor
C
hilleen’s on 17 is known for its barbecue and its stint on “Bar Rescue.” But behind the restaurant is a wedding oasis—with a venue that overlooks the mountains with nary a sign of the I-17. Recently, the owners Donna Chilleen and her daughters, Cheyenne and Aleah, remodeled the wedding venue to make it even more appealing. Garage doors open from Chilleen’s restaurant to unveil the spacious backyard. Wedding packages are for 50 to 200 guests, and Chilleen’s can provide the food, DJ and minister. “You just basically get the dress and the ring and find the person to marry,” Donna said. The renovation project was bittersweet. The Chilleens lost thousands of dollars in wedding revenue, but they were able to give the
Donna Chilleen, right, and her daughters, Cheyenne and Aleah Chilleen. (Photo by Tim Sealy)
space a facelift. Chilleen’s on 17 still managed to stay afloat. With wood-lined booths and its legendary bathrooms, the lowlit family eatery takes barbecue to the next level. The former wedding coordinator for the Satisfied Frog, Donna has owned
Satisfied Frog. I said, ‘Why don’t we just buy that place?’ The kids were little. It was a rainy day. We bought it that day. “I had to have it. I saw the potential.” She bought it in 2002 and reopened it in February 2003. Since then, it has been remodeled and received a food makeover, with “Bar Rescue” at the helm in April 2013. Barbecue is where restaurant excels, and Donna thanks “Bar Rescue” and Jon Taffer for that. “Jon Taffer wants you to do well,” Donna said. “We were one of their most successful episodes. We kept everything he did. I have a friend who worked with ‘Bar Rescue.’ He had all
The reception hall was remodeled after weddings were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. (Photo by Tim Sealy)
The corrugated tin trim is a relatively new addition to Chilleen’s on 17. It makes for easy cleaning from barbecue mishaps. The wooden booths are lined with pieces from Donna Chilleen’s late grandfather’s home. (Photo by Tim Sealy)
the restaurant since 2002, when she bought it on a whim with her now exhusband, Scott. “We were just driving by and we saw this place was for sale,” the Anthem resident said. “My husband was no longer working for his dad at the
the equipment in the attic.” Before the “Bar Rescue” visit, Chilleen’s didn’t smoke the barbecue. Now it’s its trademark dishes. “Everything from the smoker is
see CHILLEEN’S page 30
••
••
30
FEATURES
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
CHILLEEN’S from page 29
really good,” Donna said. “The smoker is amazing. It gives us that good flavor. The brisket takes 14 hours. They put that in at night and the chef in the morning gets it. We can’t make it really quick. That’s something we do fresh.” The all-you-can-eat barbecue beef ribs are $19.50. Other menu items include Black Canyon chicken that is brined and slow smoked ($14.50); Southwestern smoked brisket that is cooked with the fat on it ($17.50); Chilleen’s St. Louis-style pork ribs that are seasoned and slow smoked ($17.50 to $21.50); the chicken and pork rib combo ($18.50) and the “I Want It All” barbecue platter with pork ribs, chicken and sliced brisket ($27.50). The green chili con carne has seen guests driving for miles to have it. A pork-based green chili, it’s served with a fresh flour tortilla ($7.99). Other green chili-themed starters are Chilleen chips, cooked in-house tortilla chips with the green chili dip ($6.99); green chili cheese fries ($7.99); and
The outdoor wedding space overlooks the mountains, providing a romantic locale. (Photo by Tim Sealy)
fried green chiles, a 40-year-old family recipe of hand-breaded, deep-fried mild ortega chiles ($7.99). Entrees include standard fare like New York strip steak ($25.99); choice ribeye ($27.99); top sirloin ($19.99); boneless marinated chicken
with “grandma’s secret marinade” ($14.99); broiled cod fillet ($12.99) and blackened cod fillet ($13.99). Burgers and sandwiches round out the menu—just before dessert. The specialty is a personal-size apple pie with mounds of ice cream and
cinnamon-sprinkled whipped cream. Donna keeps the restaurant fresh. In the summer of 2018, Chilleen’s closed for five days to remodel the dining room and the bathroom. That completed the circle started by “Bar Rescue.” “We had three layers of flooring,” she said. “We put down new flooring, the corrugated tin in the booths. If you get barbecue sauce on particle board, you can’t wipe it clean. “We redid the bathrooms, too. Every time we go in there, we see how pretty they are. We had really bad bathrooms before, so we gutted them completely. It took all of our energy.” The wood that lines the booths is from her grandfather’s house at 19th Avenue and Dunlap that was torn down after he died. “I think it looks amazing in here,” Donna said. Chilleen’s on 17
33150 S. Coldwater Road, Black Canyon City 623-374-5552, chilleenson17.com Open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
FEATURES
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
Slider Throwdown moves to North Phoenix BY ANDREW CHECCHIA Foothills Focus Staff Writer
T
his fall is the perfect time to venture back out into a— safely distanced—social world with North Phoenix’s annual Slider Throwdown. The culinary festival will return Sunday, November 8, despite planning difficulties surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. Primarily a fundraising effort for the Arizona Friends of Foster Children Foundation (AFFCF), the event will use High Street as an outdoor venue for a day of food trucks and live music. “We think the venue will be very conducive to social distancing. We can spread the food trucks out,” said Susie Timm, the Slider Throwdown event coordinator and president of Knife & Fork Media Group. Those local food trucks—which include returning competitors like Two Fat Guys Grilled Cheese, Food Diva, Aioli Burger, Bayou Bistro, Randizzle’s Food Truck, Tzikii Food Truck, It’s Seoul Good and Buzz N Bee—plan to serve up
The Slider Throwdown features local food trucks in a safe environment. (Photo by Joanie Simon)
sliders all afternoon in a friendly, COVIDconscious environment. From noon to 3 p.m., attendees can sample a unique assortment of sliders, featuring beef, chicken, veggie and other types of smallform sandwiches. The $35 admission fee, which can be paid in advance or the day of, includes samples from each of
A variety of sliders, even those with waffles, are avaialble at The Slider Throwdown. (Photos by Joanie Simon)
31
ultimately serves to raise money for the AFFCF, a comprehensive charity supporting foster children around the state. This marquee fundraising event will sponsor the organization’s frequent financial awards given to help foster kids lead normal childhoods—providing sports equipment, music lessons and scholarships, among other support. “We haven’t been able to give out as many awards as we want. The giving hasn’t necessarily regressed, it’s more that we need to find more creative ways to fund things. Requests are down,” said Timm of the AFFCF’s efforts during the lockdown. “(The event is meant) to support kids who are most vulnerable.” Though awards have been down during the pandemic, the AFFCF has
The Slider Throwdown will raise funds for AFFCF. the seven currently committed food trucks. “It started 7 years ago,” Timm said of the event’s history. “It originally was just a food truck festival. Eventually we focused (on sliders) and decided to have it be a competition.” That competition will have two parts. Throughout the afternoon, selected judges will taste the food truck’s various offerings for professional selections, but guests will stayed focused on helping at-risk foster also have the opportunity to vote for children, pushing the charity to safely their favorite sliders with the “People’s plan the Slider Throwdown with the Choice” award. pandemic safety regulations. The event will also have live music “It’s really a fun way to enjoy beauty from Josh West Trio, led by the and support a good cause in Arizona,” namesake, “The Voice”-featured singer. Timm said of the annual event. The performance, one of the first since lockdown, plans to soundtrack the event while not necessarily pulling The Slider Throwdown the full focus of a traditional concert, Noon to 3 p.m. Sunday, November 8 maintaining the appropriate distancing High Street, 5415 E. High Street, Phoenix regulations in place across the whole $35 throwdown. https://secure.qgiv.com/event/slider But all this food and entertainment
••
••
32
FEATURES
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
Cait Huble to helm Sonoran Arts League BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor
C
ait Huble isn’t an artist herself, but she’s doing the next best thing she can do for the art form. She’s advocating for it. After spending time with SAACA in Tucson, Huble is the new executive director of the Sonoran Arts League, a nonprofit arts organization in Arizona. “I’m super, super excited to be working there,” Huble said. “They’ve built this great organization on the backs of volunteers. I hope to help them build some internal structure and continue the growth that they’ve made and help them meet their goals.” She also hopes to develop Cave Creek and Carefree as an arts community, as the Sonoran Arts League opened a “beautiful space” in Stagecoach Village in January. “It’s near the general office galleria,” she said. “It’s a makerspace that provides classes and handson education and workshops for members. That’s where we do our veterans classes, too.” Huble spent the last decade working with nonprofit arts organizations across the country, primarily focusing on strategic planning, programming and development. She earned a bachelor’s degree in management
from ASU and a Master of Business Administration degree from Concordia University - Irvine. “The arts community in Arizona is resilient, and it is in this spirit that I begin my work confident that we will emerge from these challenging times with a renewed commitment to providing opportunities for artistic expression and arts education programming,” she said. Huble, most recently director of programs for Arizona Business Committee for the Arts, said her passion for creativity, diversity and progress drives her dedication to sharing the arts with as many people as possible. “We are pleased to welcome Cait to the league,” said Paul Diefenderfer, Sonoran Arts League president and a metal artist. “With her experience and love of the arts, she will be instrumental in moving the league into the future.” Jonni DeAnda, member of the search committee, league treasurer and a glass bead artist, said she is “thrilled to have Caitlin join our organization. She is going to artfully carry the Sonoran Arts League to the next level.” Huble will work with the board of directors and league committees in programs, finances, member services, communications and collaboration
with others. She will assume a leadership role in partnering with businesses, foundations, government officials, other nonprofits and supporters, and will lead fundraising efforts, major gifts, planned giving, sponsorships, donor cultivation and
three significant sailing clubs in Arizona, the Scottsdale resident said. His, however, is the largest cruising club in the state. “We were founded in 1977, and the club has had continuous existence,” Payne said. “We go sailing and we socialize. If you ask the members what’s the most important part of the club, it’s the sailing friendships that we make with each other. We’re very social. A lot of the club activities on and off the water are socially oriented.” The club also hosts new member events that educate them on how to anchor, how
to raft up and how to navigate the lake. “Once a year, we have a sweethearts cruise, where the ladies take the helm and run the boats,” said Payne, who has been a member with his wife, Deedy, since 2002. “The men are the crew. We also have ‘raft ups.’ A ‘raft up’ is where we’ll get three to four boats and we’ll go into beautiful coves where we’re surrounded by hills or mountains, burros and other wildlife. It’s pristine and tranquil back in those coves. “We bring the boats together, side by side, and anchor as a group. We can move
Cait Huble is the new executive director of the Sonoran Arts League, a nonprofit arts organization in Arizona. (Photo by Pablo Robles)
grant writing. The Norterra resident, who enjoys long-distance running and traveling, replaces Patty Bell-Demers, who left in August to lead a nonprofit in Prescott. Huble is the wife of Lt. Col. Peter Huble, the battalion commander of the 2-285th Assault Helicopter Battalion at Papago. “It can be challenging at times,” she said about the military lifestyle. “It’s its own great community. You grow where you’re planted. Having that time with the arts wherever we live is an easy way to build a community.” In related news, the league is a finalist for the 2020 Governor’s Arts Awards in the arts administrator/ organization category. The virtual event will be held Wednesday, October 28, on the Arizona Citizens for the Arts’ Facebook page. A nonprofit, the Sonoran Arts League has more than 750 members from around the United States and Canada. Home of “Hidden in the Hills” Studio Tour, which runs November 20 to November 22 and November 27 to November 29, the league’s mission is to “give to the community by promoting art, artists and art education through leadership and service in the belief that an artistic awareness is essential to the wellbeing of life and our community.”
Lake Pleasant Sailing Club seeks to increase membership
BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor
S
ailing and the desert usually don’t go hand in hand. But Doug Payne, commodore of the Lake Pleasant Sailing Club, thinks otherwise. “There’s an often-cited statistic that there are more boats per capita in Arizona than any other state,” Payne said. “There’s a lot of boating here. It’s just challenging to get the word out.” The Lake Pleasant Sailing Club is one of
from boat to boat and socialize. We have a few cocktails and hors d’oeuvres and sometimes have a potluck dinner. We socialize until everyone goes to bed. It’s like boat camping.” Members also partake in public service events like Adopt-a-Highway cleanups along Cave Creek Road. Other off-the-water events include a winter wine and cheese party, a “beat the heat” camping trip up north in July, a fall
see SAILING CLUB page 33
FEATURES
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
SAILING CLUB from page 32
Oktoberfest picnic and a holiday party with awards. They also introduce children ages 8 to 14, and their sponsors, to sailing. Prospective adult members can ride along on a guest sail, which is hosted three to four times a year. When COVID-19 restrictions end, the public can sign up on the Lake Pleasant Sailing Club’s website at lakepleasantsailing.com.
The Lake Pleasant Sailing Club will celebrate Halloween with a Full Moon Cruise. (Photo courtesy Doug Payne)
The club charges $50 a year to be a member, plus a small, one-time initiation fee. “It’s a great place to come and be with other sailors and to make sailing friends,” Payne said. “If you’re an accomplished sailor, you can share knowledge with others. If you’re a newbie, it’s a great place to get your start. “Many sailors started on Lake Pleasant with a small boat and then upsized and have gone cruising all over the western hemisphere. My wife and I were in
33
Houston for about five or six years. We had a 46-foot, world-class Blue Water cruising boat. We went all over the Gulf of Mexico.” Upcoming events
Pirate Cruise and Raft Up, Saturday, October 24 Full Moon Cruise, Saturday, October 31 Surf and Turf Picnic, Saturday, November 7 Highway cleanup, Saturday, November 7 See the Lake Pleasant Sailing Club’s website, lakepleasantsailing.com, for more information.
PAID POLITICAL ADVERTISEMENT
Stand Against Tyranny. Stand With Trump. “Our Historic Way of Life is at Stake” Open Letter from Military Leaders to the American People
As senior leaders of America’s military, we took an oath to defend the United States from all enemies, foreign and domestic. At present, our country is now confronted with enemies here and abroad, as well as a once in a century pandemic.
As retired military officers, we believe that Donald J. Trump has been tested as few other presidents have and is the proven leader to confront these dangers. It can be argued that this is the most important election Gen. Alfred Hansen, USAF, Ret., Gen William R. Looney III, USAF, Ret., Gen. Lance Smith, USAF, Ret., ADM. Mark Fitzgerald, USN, Ret. ADM. Thomas B. Hayward, USN, Ret., ADM. Jerome L. Johnson, USN, Ret., ADM Leighton Smith, USN, Ret., ADM. Steven White,USN, Ret.ADM Paul Yost, USCG, Ret., LTG Edward Anderson, USA, Ret., LTG Emil “Buck” Bedard, USMC, Ret, LTG William G. Boykin, USA, Ret.LTG Dennis Cavin, USA, Ret., LTF James Chambers, USAF, Ret., LTG Matthew T. Cooper, USMC, Ret. LTG, Gordon E. Fornell, USAF, Ret.LTG Jay Garner, USA, Ret, LTG Stan Green, USA, Ret,.LTG Earl Hailston,USMC, Ret.,LTG D.J. Heljlik, USMC, Ret,.LTG James H. Johnson, Jr., USA, Ret, . LTG Timothy A. Kinnan,USAF, Ret., LTG James M. Link, USA, Ret.LTG Frederick McCorckle, USMC, Ret. LTG Thomas McInerney, USAF, Ret.,LTG Thomas J. Owen, USAF, Ret.LTG Garry L. Parks, USMC, Ret. LTG Clifford H. Rees, USAF,Ret.LTG James C. Riley, USA, Ret. LTG Richard M. Scofield, USAF, Ret.LTG Leroy Sisco, USA, Ret.LTG Ellie G. Shuler, Jr., USAF, Ret.LTG Hubert G. Smith, USA, Ret.LTG David Teal, USAF, Ret. LTG William Thurman, USAF, Ret.LTG Garry Trexler, USAF, Ret. LTG Thomas C. Waskow, USAF, Ret.LTG Ronald L. Watts, USA. Ret. LTG R. L. Wetzel, USA, Ret.LTG John W. Woodmansee, Jr. USA, Ret.LTG John L. Woodward Jr., USAF, Ret.LTG Michael W. Wooley, USAF, Ret.VADM Edward Briggs, USN, Ret.VADM Toney M. Bucchi, USN, Ret. VADM E.W. Clexton, USN, Ret. VADM George W. Emery, USN, Navy, Ret.VADM W. J. Hancock, USN, Ret, VADM Peter Hekman, Jr., USN, Ret.VADM Gordon Holder, USN, Ret. VADM Paul Ilg, USN, Ret.VADM William Dean Lee, USCG, Ret.VADM James W. Metzger, USN, Ret.VADM James Pappas, USN, Ret.
VADM J. Theodore Parker, USN, Ret.VADM John M. Poindexter, USN, Ret.VADM Robert J. Spane, USN, Ret.VADM Edward Straw, USN, Ret.VADM Donald C. Thompson, USCG, Ret. VADM Howard Thorsen, USCG, Ret. VADM Nils Thunman, USN, Ret.VADM Jerry Unruh, USN, Ret.MG James E. Andrews, USAF, Ret. MG Joseph Arbuckle, USA, Ret.MG Paul Bergson, USA, Ret.MG Casey D. Blake, USAF, Ret.MG William G. Bowdon, USMC, Ret.MG Edward Bracken, USAF, Ret. MG Patrick Brady, MOH, USA, Ret.MG David Burford, USA, Ret. MG H. Hale Burr, Jr., USAF, Ret.MG Thomas Carter, USAF, Ret. MG. Carroll Childers, USA, Ret.MG Peter W. Clegg, USA, Ret.MG Jeffrey Cliver, USAF, Ret.MG John Closner, USAF, Ret.MG Richard S. Colt, USA, Ret.MG James W. Comstock, USA, Ret.MG Wesley Craig, USA, Ret.MG James Cravens, USA, Ret.MG Thomas F. Crawford, USAF, Ret.MG Gene A. Deegan, USMC, Ret.MG James D. Delk, USA, Ret.MG Robert E. Dempsey, USAF, Ret.MG Travis Dyer, USA, Ret.MG Neil Eddins, USAF, Ret. MG David Eidsaune, USAF, Ret.MG Fred E. Elam, USA, Ret.MG Peter Franklin, USA, Ret. MG John t. Furlow, USA, Ret.MG David C. Garza, USMC, Ret.MG Brian I. Geehan, USA, Ret.MG Timothy F. Ghormley, USMC, Ret.MG Francis C. Gideon, Jr. USAF, Ret.MG William A. Gorton, USAF, Ret. MG Lee V. Greer, USAF, Ret. MG John S. Grinalds, USMC, Ret. MG John Gronski, USA, Ret. MG Patrick J. Halloran, USAF,Ret. MG Gary L. Harrell, USA, Ret.MG Bryan Hawley, USAF, Ret.MG John W. Hawley, USAF, Ret.MG C.A.“Lou” Hennies,USA, Ret.MG Robert R. Hicks Jr. USA, Ret.MG Geoff Higginbotham, USMC, Ret. MG William Hobgood, USA, Ret.MG Bobby Hollingsworth, USMC, Ret. MG. Jerry D. Holmes, USAF, Ret.MG Clinton V. Horn,
since our country was founded. With the Democratic Party welcoming to socialists and Marxists, our historic way of life is at stake. …The Democrats have once again pledged to cut defense spending, undermining our military strength. The Democrats’ opposition to border security, their pledge to return to the disastrous Iran nuclear deal, their antagonism towards the police and planned cuts to military spending will leave the United States more vulnerable to foreign enemies. President Trump’s resolute stands have deterred our enemies from aggression against us and our allies.... We believe that President Donald Trump… will continue USAF, Ret.MG Dewitt T. Irby, Jr. USA, Ret.MG Donald L. Jacka, USA, Ret.MG William K. James, USAF, Ret.MG Alan D. Johnson, USA, Ret.MG David J. Kaucheck, USA, Ret.MG Michael C. Kerby, USAF, Ret.MG Anthony R. Kropp, USA, Ret.MG John A. Leide, USA, Ret. MG Vernon Lewis, USA, Ret. MG Thomas Lightner, USA, Ret.MG JamesE. Livingston, MOH, USMC, Ret. MG Robert E. Livingston, Jr., USA, Ret.MG John D. Logeman, USAF, Ret. MG Jarvis Lynch, USMC, Ret.MG O. G. Mannon, USAF, Ret.MG Randall Marchi, USA, Ret.MG Clay T McCutchan, USAF, Ret.MG John Miller, USAF, Ret.MG Paul Mock USA, Ret.MG Bruce Moore, USA, Ret.MG William A. Navas, Jr., USA, Ret.MG George Norwood, USAF, Ret.MG Ray O’Mara, USAF, Ret.MG. Joe S.Owens, USA, Ret.MG Richard Perraut, USAF, Ret.MG Ronald G. Richard, USMC, Ret.MG Ernest O. Robbins II, USAF, Ret.MG H. Douglas Robertson, USA, Ret.MG Nels Running, USAF, Ret.MG John P. Schoeppner, Jr., USAF, Ret.MG Richard A. Scholtes, USA, Ret.MG Gregory Schumacher, USA, Ret.MG Richard Secord, USAF, Ret.MG Mark Solo, USAF, Ret.MG Melvin Spiese, USMC, Ret.MG James Stewart, USAF, Ret.MG Michael P. Sullivan, USMC, Ret.MG Paul Vallely, USA, Ret.MG Russell L. Violett, USAF, Ret.MG Robert Walter, USA, Ret.MG. Kenneth W. Weir, USMC, Ret.MG Geoffrey P. Wiedeman, Jr., USAF, Ret.MG Gary C. Wattnem, USA, Ret. MG Richard Wightman, Jr., USA, Ret. MG Robert J. Williamson, USA, Ret.MG Michael N.Wilson, USA, Ret. MG Walter H.Yates, USA, Ret. MG. Albert Zapanta, USA, Ret. RADM Philip Anselmo, USN, Ret.RADM Stephen Barchet, USN, Ret .RADM Jon W. Bayless, Jr., USN, Ret. RADM Timothy Beard, USN, Ret. RADM James B. Best, USN , Ret. RADM Stanley D.
Bozin, USN, Ret .RADM Bruce B. Bremner, USN, Ret .RADM John T. Byrd, USN, Ret. RADL Norman Campbell, USN, Ret. RADM James J. Carey, USN, Ret. RADM Arthur Clark, USN, Ret. RADM Jay Cohen, USN, Ret. RADL David Cronk, USN, Ret .RADM Ernest A. Elliot, USN, Ret .RADM James. R. Fowler, USN, Ret. RADM George Furong, USN, Ret . RADM Albert Gallotta, USN, Ret. RADM William J. Gilmore, USN, Ret. RADM Andrew A. Granuzzo, USN, Ret. RDML John G. Hekman, USN, Ret .RADM Robert P. Hickey, USN, Ret. RADM Donald E. Hickman, USN, Ret. RADM Steve Israel, USN, Ret. RDML Grady L. Jackson, USN, Ret .RADM Ronny Jackson, USN, Ret. RADM John Graham King, USN, Ret. RADM Jon Kreitz, USN, Ret. RADM Charles Kubic, USN, Ret. RADL Bobby C. Lee, USN, Ret .RADM Douglas E. Lee, USN, Ret .RADM Frederick L. Lewis, USN, Ret .RADM Edward S. McGinley II, USN, Ret .RADM John H. McKinley, USN, Ret. RADM Mark R. Milliken, USN, Ret. RADM Ralph M. Mitchell, Jr., USN, Ret. RAML Robert Moeller, USN, Ret. RADM Douglas M. Moore, Jr., USN, Ret. RADM John A. Moriarty, USN, Ret. RADM David R. Morris, USN, Ret .RADM William E. Newman, USN, Ret .RADM Robert Owens, USN, Ret .RADM John F. Paddock, Jr., USN, Ret. RADM Marc Pelaez, USN, Ret .RADM Russell S. Penniman, USN, Ret .RADM Leonard F. Picotte. USN, Ret.RADM David P. Polatty III,
to secure our borders, defeat our adversaries, and restore law and order domestically. We urge our fellow Americans to join us in supporting the re-election of Donald Trump for President. 300 retired generals and admirals, including nine 4-star and fifty-two 3-star flag officers, have signed this letter endorsing the re-election of Donald Trump.
Donald Trump Stands with America. He Fought the China Virus Joe Biden Defends China
www.flagofficersfortrump.com USN, Ret. RADM Brian C. Prindle, USN, Ret. RADM J.J. Quinn, USN, Ret. RADM Michael Roesner, USN, Ret. RADM Norman T. Saunders, USCG, Ret. RADM William R. Schmidt, USN, Ret. RADM Scott Semko, USN, Ret.RADM Doniphan B. Shelton, USN, Ret.RADM Robert Shumaker, USN, Ret. RADM Kenneth Slaght, USN, Ret. RADM Bernard J. Smith, USN, Ret. RADM Alton Stocks, USN, Re t.RADM Thomas E. Stone, USN, Ret. RADM Barton D. Strong, USN, Ret .RADM Jeremy D. Taylor, USN, Ret.RADM William E. Terry, USN, Ret. RADM Robert P. Tiernan, USN, Ret. RADM Lenn Vincent, USN, Ret .RADM George Wagner, USN, Ret.RADM Garry R. Wright, USN, Ret. RADM H. Denny Wisely, USN, Ret .RADM Ray Cowden Witter, USN, Ret.RADM Charles B. Young, USN, Ret.BG John Allen, USAF, Ret.BG John Arick, USMC, Ret.BG Mark Beesley, USAF, Ret.BG Charles L. Bishop, USAF, Ret.BG William A. Bloomer, USMC, Ret.BG Donald C. Bolduc, USA, Ret. BG Frank Bruno, USAF, Ret.BG Jimmy Cash, USAF, Ret.BG Clifton C. Clark, Jr., USAF, Ret. BG Peter b. Collins, USMC, Ret.BG Keith B.
Connolly, USAF, Ret.BG Howard G. DeWolf, USAF, Ret.BG Duane Deal, USAF, Ret.BG Philip M. Drew, USAF, Ret.BG David K. “Bob’ Edmonds, USAF, Ret.BG Curtis Emery II, USAF, Ret.BG Terry Ethridge, USA, Ret.BG Robert L. Floyd II, USA, Ret.BG Jimmy E. Fowler, USA, Ret.BG Jerome V. Foust, USA, Ret.BG CWilliam Fox, Jr. MD, USA, Ret.BG Edmund J. Giering, USA, Ret.BG Timothy J. Grogan, USA, Ret.BG Norman R. Ham, USAF, Ret.BG David A. Herrelko, USAF, Ret.BG C. J. Hindman, USAF, Ret.BG Stanislaus J. Hoey, USA, Ret.BG Thomas Honeywill, USAF, Ret. BG Tamhra Hutchins-Frye, USAF, Ret.BG James Johnston, USAF, Ret. BG Phillip Jolly, USA, Ret.BG Charles Jones, USAF, Ret.BG Robert Jordan, U.S. Army, Ret. BG Jack Kotter, USA, Ret.BG Douglas E. Lee, USA, Ret.BG Robert W. Lovell, USAF, Ret.BG Ronald S. Mangum, USA, Ret.BG Thomas P. Maney, USA, Ret.BG Michael H. McClendon, USAF, Ret.BG Michael P. McRaney, USAF, Ret.BG James M. Mead, USMC, Ret. Brig Gen Joseph Mensching, USAF, Ret.BG Bruce Miketinac, USA, Ret. BG Daniel L. Montgomery, USA, Ret.BG Hans Mueh, USAF, Ret. BG Charles W. Neeley, USAF, Ret.BG Michael I. Neil, USMC, Ret. BG John Nicholson, USA, Ret. BG Joseph Oder, USA, Ret.BG Guido J. Portante, USA, Ret.BG Teddy E. Rinebarger, USAF, Ret.BG Douglas J. Richardson, USAF, Ret.BG Steven A. Roser, USAF, Ret.BG Michael Scholes, USA, Ret. BG George L. Schulstad, USAF, Ret. BG Richard M.Tabor, USA, Ret.BG David B. Warner, USAF, Ret.BG David Weeks, USA, Ret.BG William O. Welch, USAF, Ret.BG Robert E. Windham, USA, Ret.BG Robert V. Woods, USAF, Ret. BG Robert H. Woods, Jr., USA, Ret.BG David Zalis, CH, USA, Ret.
Our Military leaders stand with Trump. 300 U.S. Retired Generals and Admirals signed an Open Letter supporting President Trumps’re-elections. For a full list of signers go to flagofficersfortrump.com This is the most important election in our history. The choice is between socialist/Marxist policies and our freedoms and the traditional way of life for our children and grandchildren. Vote for Trump
Paid for by JewsChoose4MoreYears@gmail.com. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee. Carol Greenwald, Treasurer, 62 William St, NY, NY 10005, 845-743-0608
••
••
34
FEATURES
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
Scarecrows, playful pumpkins take over Downtown Mesa BY JACQUELINE ROBLEDO Foothills Focus Staff Writer
Ray Villafane’s playful, carved pumpkins are synonymous with Halloween in Carefree. But when COVID-19 hit, he was forced to make a change when the town canceled its events. “Strange Encounters: A Halloween Scavenger Hunt” was installed throughout Downtown Mesa and in its storefronts—all visible from the sidewalk to ensure proper social distancing. Maps are available online and in Downtown Mesa until the show ends on November 8. Villafane explained each scene tells its own anecdotal story. This year, “Mr. Hallows” is making his debut. A 9-foottall scarecrow, Mr. Hallows is made from natural materials—a pumpkin for a head and limbs made from branches Villafane found on a hike. He has a heart made of hag stone and three felted mice living inside of him.
“I’m probably most proud of that scarecrow, and I’m excited for his final debut,” he said. Villafane said he uses hag stones as the hearts for his scarecrows because they have naturally occurring holes through the middle and they signify magic and good luck. “My life is constantly in the pursuit of finding what makes me tick—what I’m really passionate about,” he said. “Over the years I’ve refined it to the point where I really find myself settling with making things with natural materials for the public to enjoy.” Villafane was a K-12 art teacher when
PREMIER COMMERCIAL PAINTING, SW
As the exclusive Anthem Community Painter since 2005, we KNOW Anthem, and we love it. We’ve been in business for over 30 years and have an A++ Rating from the Better Business Bureau. All crew members are our own highly skilled craftsmen. We do not hire subcontractors. We care about the details and our goal is always 100% CUSTOMER SATISFACTION.
MENTION THIS AD FOR A $100 DISCOUNT! Call us today for an estimate!
623-551-8640
thebesthousepainting.com
Acclaimed sculptor Ray Villafane brings his vignettes and creepy cast of characters to Downtown Mesa this year. (Photo courtesy Villafane Studios)
he carved a pumpkin for his students, who loved it. He soon traded his chalkboard for sculpting tools. He began commercial sculpting on the side and eventually, Villafane became a full-time commercial sculptor, working for companies such as Marvel, Warner Bros., DC Comics and McFarlane Toys. As he became more skilled in his craft, he began receiving more attention for his work, including that of the Food Network, eventually contributing to the launch of a pumpkin carving series. Villafane found his niche in storytelling using pumpkin carving and sculpting as his medium. “I just created this sort of enchanted magical world utilizing natural materials,” he said. “I just love creating magic, making stuff from nothing. I love working with natural materials and making enchanted storylines, and while it is based in a sort of Halloween vibe, it certainly transcends that.” Villafane’s work has been displayed
around the world. To name a few, he has carved at the White House, model Heidi Klum’s annual Halloween party, and Ocean Park Hong Kong. He holds two Guinness Book World Records, including largest pumpkin sculpture, and has been called the “Michelangelo of pumpkin carving” by Martha Stewart. “It is the most magical Halloween on the planet,” Villafane said. “Strange Encounters: Halloween Scavenger Hunt” Through November 8 Downtown Mesa mesaartscenter.com/strangeencounters
YOUTH
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
Youth TheFoothillsFocus.com
35
For more opinions visit thefoothillsfocus.com @TheFoothills.Focus
/TheFoothillsFocus
Brook Bowman selected for Clifton Builders Program BY FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF
B
rook Bowman, a sophomore business administration major from Cave Creek, is among 35 students selected for the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Clif-
ton Builders Program. Coordinated by the Clifton Strengths Institute in the College of Business, the program enables its students to learn from, study alongside and network with fellow entrepreneurial-minded people. “The program was created to find and
Black Mountain Elementary School rated A+
BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor
C
ave Creek Unified School District’s Black Mountain Elementary School was named one of 44 Arizona public schools receiving the coveted A+ School of Excellence Award. “The A+ School of Excellence Award shines a spotlight on the positive stories and successes occurring in public schools,” said AEF Executive Director Kim Graham. “The application and evaluation process for this program is comprehensive and rigorous. We applaud these schools for exceeding expectations to meet their students’ needs and for achieving overall success despite the many challenges that face the education community statewide.” BMES offers its students drama, dance, music and art. Many of these programs are only offered to those lucky enough to afford them, said Principal Matt Owsley. “BMES believes that our students are special and deserve the very best,” he said. “We believe we must develop the whole child, through advanced academics and the arts. Our students will be community minded and globally prepared due in large part to these amazing programs that we have built.” Owsley said it feels great when others, especially administrators from award-winning schools, recognize his school as one of the best in Arizona. “We are thrilled to receive the well-de-
YOUTH
served distinction that our staff have earned through their hard work and dedication to the advanced educational opportunities and distinguished programs that make BMES what it is,” he said. “This prestigious award recognizes the exceptional work by BMES teachers, staff, students, family and community. I am so proud to be a part of something so special.” AEF has been championing public schools with the A+ School of Excellence Award program since 1983. The A+ Award is a way to identify, celebrate and recognize educational excellence in prekindergarten to 12th-grade schools throughout Arizona. In addition to showcasing outstanding public schools, the A+ program provides school teams with an extensive, comprehensive framework that serves as a basis for school self-assessment and planning. The A+ School of Excellence Award is a powerful energizer for increasing public confidence in recognized schools. A+ schools are celebrated and recognized as exceptional. Schools receive $500 and a banner designating them as an A+ School of Excellence winner. “We are thrilled to see the amazing school community that BMES has cultivated honored with the prestigious AEF A+ School of Excellence Award,” said Superintendent Dr. Debbi Burdick. “BMES’ staff, students, PTO and families focus all their energy and resources on students to make their educational experiences supportive and interactive.”
develop entrepreneurs, startup types, rainmakers and extraordinarily talented salespeople and leaders—people who have a natural gift to create economic energy where none existed before,” said Jim Clifton, Gallup chairman and CEO. The Clifton Builders management major and minor equip students with the tools to build, lead and manage people. The program consists of three tracks: business builder, team builder and community builder. Experimental components of each track provide students with elite, real-world experience that will make them a disruptive force in industry. “These students have natural talents to create a positive impact in their communities, businesses and teams,” said Tim Hodg-
es, executive director of the Clifton Strengths Institute and assistant professor of practice in management. “They have been called ‘disruptive’—a term not always seen as a positive. But we believe that there is no changing the future without disrupting the present. We believe these students have what it takes to lead us to a better future, and we are doing everything we can to help make that happen.” Students are admitted to the program based on a combination of their Gallup Builder Profile 10 assessment results, application strength and interview performance. Builders are selected in the spring of their first year to begin courses the following fall. Info: business.unl.edu/builders
••
••
YOUTH
36
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
Pleasant Harbor hosts safe Halloween outing BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor
L
ake Pleasant is hosting its annual Haunted Harbor Trunk-N-Treat from 5 to 9 p.m. Saturday, October 24, featuring a costume contest, a rockabilly band and food trucks. The cost is $7 per carload, but the fee is waived if children are dressed in Halloween costumes. All attendees must wear a mask and follow posted social distancing guidelines. Pleasant Harbor Marina & RV Resort is open to the public 365 days a year. It boasts Dillon’s Bayou lakeside restaurant; boat; sail and Jet Ski rentals; kayaks and paddle boards; fishing
guides; boat and RV sales; H2-Whoa!, the world’s largest floating waterslide; The Phoenix boat cruise; slip rentals and storage; as well as a full-service RV resort with 253 spaces, featuring a clubhouse, store, heated pool and Jacuzzi. “Trunk-N-Treat is a fun and family friendly event,” said Deneen Ramirez, event coordinator at Pleasant Harbor RV Resort & Marina. “And, with our scary costume characters wandering about, both kids and adults will experience the spirit of the season.” For more information about Pleasant Harbor, call 623-203-5173 or visit pleasantharbor.com.
Have Youth News? Contact Christina Fuoco-Karasinski at 480-898-5631 or christina@timespublications.com
The annual Haunted Harbor Trunk-N-Treat’s $7-per-carload fee is waived if children are dressed in Halloween costumes. (Submitted photo)
STUDENT CHRONICLES Know a student doing something remarkable? Tell us about it! Email christina@timespublications.com. BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor
J Visit starlightcommunitytheater.com for tickets or more information!
oshua Van Gysel of Phoenix enrolled at Central College for the fall 2020 semester. Central College of Pella, Iowa, is a private, four-year liberal arts college. Central is known for its academic rigor, leadership and character development, global experiential learning, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and sustainability education,
athletics and service.
Michelle L. Leu of Phoenix was among the graduates honored by UMass Lowell’s 2020 commencement. Leu earned a Master of Business Administration degree. The university held a virtual commencement ceremony for the more than 4,400 members of the Class of 2020, which represents 45 states and 108 nations and included 1,624 individuals who graduated with honors.
CLASSIFIEDS
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
37
CLASSIFIEDS AND SERVICE DIRECTORY Air Conditioning/Heating
Obituaries Jane Gerard Layne (Michelotti)
Age 68 passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 17, 2020, at her home in New River, Arizona. She was born January 25th, 1952, in Indiana, Pennsylvania, to Rudolph “Rudy” and Milliteen (Kopp) Michelotti, living in Clarksburg, Pennsylvania. Jane was a 1970 graduate of Saltsburg High School, where she was a member of the chorus, cheerleading squad and drama club. Jane came to Arizona following graduation and attended Arizona State University where she began lifelong friendships with girls in Manzanita Hall, Peggy, Kim, Pat, Phyllis. Moving back to Pennsylvania, Jane married and gave birth to a son, Clinton, in 1978. The most tragic event of Jane’s life came in 1990, when Clinton suddenly passed away. Jane took her abilities to connect with people and became highly successful in the window film industry. In 1995 she found an undeveloped six acres of land on Daisy Mountain in New River, and contracted a beautiful home herself. Around that time Jane began her years working with and for The Town of Cave Creek, retiring in January of 2018. In 2011, Jane met Norman “Jeff” Tucker, with whom she would spend the rest of her life. Jane had an extraordinary life and truly lived it to the fullest. She traveled to Europe, worked with Boeing and NASA with film for aircraft windshields and astronaut’s helmets, took Clinton to Hawaii, and took her son along as she visited nearly every state in the USA. Always one for the simple pleasures; chatting with friends and family, Jane had an uncanny ability to reach people in a deep and positive way. She is survived by her boyfriend, Jeff; a brother, Kopp Michelotti; a niece, Janet, nephew, Stephen, and her cousin Celeste who was with Jane when she passed. Family, friends, and others whose lives Jane touched are invited to a Celebration of Life event on October 24th at the Amphitheater, Desert Awareness Park, 38100 N. Vermeersch Road, in Cave Creek, Arizona, 5 p.m.-sunset, to celebrate Jane, reminisce, grieve, support each other and, of course, just chat. Flowers or Remembrances for Jane may be delivered to Cave Creek Town Hall at 37622 N. Cave Creek Road, Monday – Thursday (7a.m. to 5p.m.)
Obituaries John Scott Donovan
On Saturday, September 19, 2020, John Scott Donovan (Jack) (PopPop), went to be with Jesus. Jack was born January 19, 1936 in Methuen, MA to John and Elizabeth Donovan. On November 10, 1984 Jack married the love of his life, Nancy McLaughlin sharing 36 years together. Jack and Nancy moved to Anthem Arizona in 2000 to be near family. He attended Fairleigh Dickinson University and Seton Hall University and received a degree in microbiology. He served in the Army from 1953 to 1956 during the Korean War working as an aircraft mechanic. He served in Korea and in Germany. One of Jack’s greatest pleasures was serving in his church, The Crossroads in Anthem Arizona. He truly enjoyed the fellowship of the people he served with and of course telling his silly jokes many times over. He was an avid reader, his special interest was history and World War II especially. He really enjoyed playing board games, his favorite being Trivial Pursuit and everyone wanted to be his partner because he always had the correct answer. He was very competitive and loved to win. Jack is preceded in death by his parents John and Elizabeth Donovan, a sister Betty and his darling daughter Kathleen Donovan. Jack is survived by his loving wife Nancy, a special granddaughter Lauren Donovan and husband Dee Savery, Stepchildren Christi Helmuth, David McLaughlin and wife Jennifer and Donald McLaughlin and wife Linda. Grandchildren Colin Passa, Tarra Weems, Brianna Helmuth, Ross McLaughlin, Elliott Mclaughlin, Jackie Debartolomeo , Shane McLaughlin, Ellen, Brian, Anna Strain, Five great grandchildren Elling and Isla Savery, Colton, Reagan and Addison Weems. Sisterin-law Carol Sawyer Calkins. Family Steve, Laura. Several nieces and nephews. No services are planned at this time. There will be a graveside service in Maine at a later date. We are here to make this difficult time easier for you. Our 24 hour online service is easy to use and will walk you through the steps of placing a paid obituary in the Foothills Focus or a free death notice. Visit: https://obituaries.eastvalleytribune.com
AZ PERFECT COMFORT A/C & Heating Services Info@azperfect comfort.com
(602)789-3000 azperfectcomfort.com Follow Us!
Foothills Focus
Cleaning Services Affordable, dependable, professional. Household/Residential Cleaning. Anthem Owned. Bonded/ Insured. Call 623-825-6364. Visit ValleyMaid.com
Commerical/Industrial/Retail Affordable Anthem Executive Office Suite for Lease in Gateway Office Park. Incl: Internet, util, alarmed. 623-696-8670
Drywall
DONALDSON DRYWALL Cave creek Resident Since 1984 • Water Damage • TV Niche Changes • Texture Match • Repairs/Remodels • New construction
FREE ESTIMATES 480-861-1375
Family Owned & Operated
Licensed Bonded Insured ROC #289594
Electrical Services
Electrical Services Anthem's Most Trusted Electrical Experts ProSkill Services. 623-562-3500 ROC#322328
Air Conditioning/Heating HEATING • COOLING REPAIRS RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL ROC#327221
Serving Anthem, New River, Desert Hills, Carefree, North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Black Canyon City
623-414-2544
Owner: Cayce Sahr | Office Mgr: Dawn Kelley
evercool06@gmail.com
10% Discount for Veterans! Concrete & Masonry
H errera’s M asonry LLC
Block Walls • Stucco Repairs • BBQ • Fireplace Concrete • Ret-Walls • Flower Beds • Iron Gates Licensed & Bonded ROC #154346
Free Estimates
Office: 480-575-7245 • Armando: 602-763-3696
For AllYour Electric Needs Licensed - Bonded - Insured • Over 20 Years Experience
FREE ESTIMATES Senior Discounts
480-502-6871 or 623-869-6019
ReliantElectricAZ.com ROC#146796
Glass/Mirror • Custom Glass • Shower Doors & Enclosures • Window Glass Replacement • Custom Mirrors • Glass Table Tops & Shelves Come and visit our custom glass showroom behind the Dairy Queen in Cave Creek.
480-235-6101
www.aboveandbeyondglass.com ROC 233846 & ROC 236899
Handyman Anthem’s “Honey-Do” List Specialists • Light Electrical • Garbage Disposals • Light Plumbing • Smoke Detectors • Drywall & Stucco Repairs • Exhaust Fans • Thermostats • & Much More • Television Mounts ray@2h4h.com ◆ 602-799-4842 twohandsforhire.com
••
••
38
CLASSIFIEDS
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
To place an ad: 480-898-6465 class@timespublications.com Health & Beauty
THE GLO ROOM Grand Opening
30% Off Your First Treatment CLINICAL FACIALS CHEMICAL PEELS WAXING
MEDICAL GRADE SKINCARE ACNE SPECIALIST
Located off the I-17/Carefree Hwy Licensed Aesthetician | 10 Years Experience IG@thegloroom_bynatasha Call or Text 623-469-8922 to schedule an appt.
thefoothillsfocus.com
Landscape Design/Installation
HIRING?
HAWKEYE LANDSCAPING INC 85085 local company. Doing business for over 22 years. ROC CR-21138105, ROCB-3284133. Providing all your custom design and installation needs. 623-582-1122 HawkeyeCustom Landscaping.com
People are looking at the Classifieds Every day! Email Your Job Post to: class@times publications.com
Legal Services
Windows
Local general practice law firm. Free case evaluation for personal injury matters. Experienced attorneys and effective representation. 623-551-9366
All Your Window Covering Needs & Security Doors. Tint, Sunscreens, Patio Shades, Plantation Shutters, Wood Blinds. Check our web site for products & ref's. Family Own/Op 623-465-0373
Landscape/Maintenance
or Call
Sprinkler Repair Landscaping & More!
Landscape/Maintenance
ROC#215280
Irrigation
& Landscape est. 2002 ~ Anthem, Arizona
Install • Repair • Replace
Offering Delivery, Install & Removal: Landscape Rock. Crushed Asphalt. Arena Sand Free Estimates & Scheduling Call 602-410-4153 Quality Service & Competitive Pricing *15 Ton Min. Required. Family Owned & Operated
623-203-7717
FREE ESTIMATES • 623-465-2546 • Custom Design • Water Feature • Container/Pot Gardens • Fireplaces & BBQs • Patio & Walls • Irrigation Specialists • Tree Trim/Removal • Bi-weekly/Monthly
• Affordable Same Day Service • Dependable • Guaranteed • 12 Years Experience
No Job Too Big or Small
Residential & Commercial
Roofing
PHILLIPS ROOFING LLC Licensed • Bonded • Insured ROC 223367
KIB EXCAVATING Your Septic System Experts
Complete Septic Systems • Conventional & Alternative and Repairs
Engineered Pads • Site Prep • Grading • Hard Digs Utilities • Trucking/Hauling • Driveways (Gravel, Dirt and Rock)
Mobile
602.319.1089
Licensed • Bonded • Insured COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL
DUKES EXCAVATING
Valleywide
CR 42 DUAL
480-898-6465
We'll Get Your Phone to Ring! We Accept:
All employees verified Free estimates on all roofs 36 Years experience in AZ Licensed contractor since 2006
623.606.8411
515 E. Carefree Hwy, #44, Phoenix, AZ 85085 dukesexcavatinginc@gmail.com
Electric • Acetylene • Heliarc Equipment • Fireplace Screens Repair • Blacksmithing Portable Equipment • Gates Fencing • Wrought Iron Work Home Accessories • Small Repairs & More!
480-488-3677
CaveCreekWelding.com
Well Drilling & Repairs Specializing in Water Well Drilling and Pump Installation and Service (including well inspections)
25+ Years in New River
623-465-9355 www.beemanbrothersdrilling.com
Licensed, Bonded & Insured ROC 064267 Major Credit Cards Accepted
MISSED THE DEADLINE?
SEPTIC SYSTEMS ◆ COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL CONVENTIONAL, ALTERNATIVE SEWER, STORM DRAIN & RETENTION SITE DEVELOPMENT ◆ UTILITIES ROC KA 302118 General Contractor JIM DUKES
Please recycle me.
Welding
623-873-1626
Licensed, Bonded & Insured • ROC #166390
CALL CLASSIFIEDS
Licensed, Bonded, Insured ROC# 286896 Desert Hills Sunscreens LLC
Cave Creek Welding, Inc.
602-330-6965
Member of ABM
Landscape/Maintenance
Your newspaper. Your community. Your planet.
dhwindowcoverings.com
480-898-6465
Desert Rock Spreaders
Irrigation
PREMIER LANDSCAPING & GARDENING
Deadline: Wednesday at 5pm for the following Wednesday
phillipsroofingaz.com phillipsroofing@cox.net
Call us to place your ad online!
480-898-6465
39
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
VIRTUAL TOURS AVAILABLE WITH ALL LISTINGS!! We are positively disrupting the way luxury real estate is bought and sold. Our omnichannel strategy leaves no stone unturned to bring a buyer to your home!
ST
U
I NN
NG
M
I ED
TE
R
N RA
Every Home Sale Directly Benefits Phoenix Children’s Hospital
480.400.1985 EA
N
ES
ANDREW BLOOM Senior Partner REALTOR®
BABS BLOOM
Director of Marketing Director of Client Care
AUSTIN BLOOM Director of Expansion
REALTOR®
TE TA
Silverleaf
10412 E Robs Camp Road Scottsdale AZ 85255 6 BEDROOM | 7 BATH | 10,975 SQFT | OFFERED AT $7,500,000
UN
D
CO ER
NT
RA
CT PH
EN
E OM
NA
LV
IEW
S
OP
$2,800,000
UN
CO
NT
RA
UN
R DE
CO
NT
RA
CT
$1,062,500
OP
1T1 SA EN
U 2S
N1
N UN
IN
G
RE
MO
OP
U 2S
2 N1
L
SU
2 N1
ON
O TC
ND
IM
IN
IU
S
$1,099,000
M
JU
ST
SO
LD
$890,000
ST
SO
$750,000 CALL BVO 480.999.2948
GRAYHAWK 7623 E Wing Shadow Road Scottsdale AZ 85255 4 BD | 2.5 BA | 3,081 SF
LD JU
$535,000 CALL BVO 480.999.2948
ND
DESERT HIGHLANDS 10040 E Happy Valley Road 341 Scottsdale AZ 85255 3 BD | 3 BA | 3,118 SF
CALL BVO 480.999.2948
JU
PARK SCOTTSDALE 8619 E Angus Drive Scottsdale AZ 85251 3 BD | 2 BA | 1,832 SF
LA
CALL BVO 480.999.2948
EDGEWATER 120 E Rio Salado Pkwy 102 Tempe AZ 85281 2 BD | 2.5 BA | 1,829 SF
-4
$545,000 CALL BVO 480.999.2948
R EF
$899,500
N PE
SE
GH
$1,549,000
CALL BVO 480.999.2948
O
WINFIELD 33553 N 74th Street Scottsdale AZ 85266 2 BD | 2 BA | 2,001 SF
DE
HI RT
CALL BVO 480.999.2948
GRAYHAWK 7487 N Nestling Way Scottadale AZ 75255 4 BD | 3 BA | 3,331 SF
-3
$639,900 CALL BVO 480.999.2948
GRAYHAWK 19550 N Grayhawk Drive 1113 Scottsdale, AZ 85255 3 BD | 3.5 BA | 2,623 SF
DE
$935,000
1T1 SA EN
4
PARADISE VALLEY 3256 E Palo Verde Drive Paradise Valley AZ 85253 5 BD | 3.5 BA | 4,616 SF
K LA
CALL BVO 480.999.2948
HIDDEN HILLS 14399 E Corrine Drive Scottsdale AZ 85259 4 BD | 2.5 BA | 3,526 SF
4
:3 N1
CALL BVO 480.999.2948
CORAL GABLES ESTATES 14402 N 15th Drive Phoenix AZ 85023 5 BD | 5.5 BA | 6,277 SF
ST
CALL BVO 480.999.2948
ROSALEE RANCH 10184 E Sunnyside Drive Scottsdale AZ 85259 4 BD | 3.5 BA | 3,438 SF
EN
U TS SA
$1,899,000
CALL BVO 480.999.2948
PARADISE VALLEY 6828 E Valley Vista Lane Paradise Valley AZ 85253 4 BD | 4 BA | 6,990 SF
CT
0-
OP
$2,000,000
CALL BVO 480.999.2948
TATUM GARDEN ESTATES 5002 E Berneil Drive Paradise Valley AZ 85253 5 BD | 5.5 BA | 4,853 SF
R DE
-4
2 T1 SA EN
ST
SO
LD
$395,000 CALL BVO 480.999.2948
GRAYHAWK 19550 N Grayhawk Drive 2053 Scottsdale AZ 85255 3 BD | 2 BA | 1,795 SF
$349,000 CALL BVO 480.999.2948
GRAYHAWK 20121 N 76th Street 1023 Scottsdale AZ 85255 3 BD | 2 BA | 1585 SF
w w w . B V O L U X U R Y G R O U P. c o m
••
••
40
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | OCTOBER 21, 2020
Why Invest in a REME-Halo?
Installed Price:
Benefits Include:
• Whole home and building purification • Kills up to 99% of bacteria, mold and viruses • Reduces sneeze germs by 99% in the time a sneeze can reach 3 ft • Reduces airborne particulates (dust, dander, pollen, mold spores)
Learn more by Scanning Here
Schedule for a Furnace Safety Inspection
Membership Price:
Includes:
• • • •
Calibrate Gas Valve Clean Flame Sensor Electrical Component Test Check and Clean Gas Burner
$79.00 Normally
Call or Text to Schedule an Appointment
AIR
CONDITIONING
•
ELECTRICAL
•
PLUMBING
•
WATER
TREATMENT