a Daisy River community town hall meeting, R.J. Cardin, director of the Maricopa County’s Parks and Recre ation Department, discussed work on the 2030 regional park system plan, “Continu ing the Legacy,” along with its five key find ings and recommendations.
The
At
The Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
“We think we’ve done a pretty good job of addressing most of these pressing issues that we saw in 2019 or 2020 when we start ed this process and what we will be looking to do now is actually write all this out,” Car din“Hopefully,said. in October we’ll be putting that out for public review so you can give us your feedback and comment on the doc see PARKS page 4
VFW Post 1796 in Black Canyon City is hosting an auto show again this year — and this time, it’s adding a collection of motorcycles to the display.
For the organization’s second auto show, there will be an array of classic cars, trucks models and motorcycles. Community mem
Maricopa County parks 2030 plan to ‘continue the legacy’
“We had a lot of fun last year, and we be lieve it’s going to be even better this year,” said Garrie Prince, a third-year trustee for the“We’reorganization.prettywell assuming it’s going to be an annual thing now.”
Post 1796 provides services for current and former military personnel. Its building is home to several other organizations, in cluding the American Legion Post 90 and Sons of the American Legion. VFW Post 1796 also has a restaurant and bar.
Showroom Hours: Mon-Thurs 8:30-5:00, Fri 8:30-4:00, Sat 9:00-2:00 and evenings by appointment. Stop by our design showroom or call us for an appointment at your home.
BY SUMMER AGUIRRE Foothills Focus Staff Writer
VFW to host auto and motorcycle show
Wanting to hold more activities and events, the organization brainstormed the
Anthem Area EditionTheFoothillsFocus.com Wednesday, September 21, 2022 OPINION ................... 13 BUSINESS ................. 17 FEATURES ................ 18 YOUTH ...................... 23 CLASSIFIEDS............ 25 Zone I ThisINSIDEWeek BUSINESS ......... 17 Shop for a cause with Outlets at Anthem event FEATURES ........ 19 Suzanne Vega recalls inspirational MIM show YOUTH ............. 23 Football’s future comes to a head with parents’ concussion concerns Serving the communities of Anthem, Desert Hills, Norterra, Sonoran Foothills, Stetson Valley, Tramonto, New River, Desert Ridge and North Phoenix Veterans CeremonyDay PAGE 12 4454 East Thomas Road • Phoenix, AZ 85018 602.508.0800 liwindow.com
bers can see the collection while showing support for their local veterans at the Sat urday, Sept. 24, event in Black Canyon City.
SUBSCRIPTIONFREE
The 2030 parks plan has been in the works since 2019 and is expected to be established by the end of this year or early next year. (Maricopa County Parks and Recreation/Submitted)
BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer
see VFW page 6
2 THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 5 Star Ratings Customer Satisfaction Guaranteed 623.551.6688 • www.wyman-services.com COMPLETE PLUMBING SOLUTIONS Appliances • Camera Inspection Service • Drain Cleans • Emergencies Faucets & Sinks • Garbage Disposals • Gas Lines • Hose Bibb Replacements Remodels • Showers & Bath Tubs • Toilets & Sewer Lines • Water Heaters Water Pressure Reducing Valves • Water Treatment • Commercial Tamra & Doug Wyman COMPLETE PLUMBING SOLUTIONS We Do Gas Lines! Whether it’s a whole new underground pipe system or just a few feet, we have the experience and skills to install your gas piping! • Dryers • Kitchen Stoves • Built-In Grills • Fire Pits • Fireplaces • *PermitsHeatersRequired BOOK ONLINE TODAY!
Milgard Ultra ™ Series | C650 Windows & Doors: A Fiberglass Frame Designed for Complete Peace of Mind. are built to last. Through a careful design process, Milgard introduces a window more resistant to heat, insects, and water damage to help withstand the harsher sides of windows are covered by the Milgard Lifetime Limited Warranty for peace of mind. Available from Lasting Impressions. Stop by our design showroom. 4454 East Thomas Road, Phoenix, AZ 85018 Showroom Hours: Mon - Thu 8:30-5:00 | Fri 8:30-4:00 | Sat 9:00-2:00 Evenings by appointment: 602.508.0800 | liwindow.com Trade in your old windows & doors! Buy 5 or more Milgard Ultra™ windows or doors and receive $50 per window and $150 per door unit instant discount. Act Now and Call for a FREE Estimate! (602)508-0800 Limited time o er. Max discount $1500.
The
NEWSExecutiveDEPARTMENTEditor:
The second finding is that reinvest ment is a need and a responsibility in or der to continue to improve the existing park“Again,system.we have 120,000 acres of park land, and there are things we can do to further develop it without over-devel oping the existing park system so that it can accommodate more people in the next 10 years,” Cardin said.
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
Main number: 623-465-5808 | Fax: 623-465-1363
“We want to look at not only the coun ty parks, but how we can tie that better into the city and regional parks that have grown over the last 20 to 30 years, the BLM (Bureau of Land Management) properties and the Tonto National Forest properties,” Cardin said about the scope of the plan.
Cardin said the goal is to have the 2030 Strategic Systems Master Plan in place by the end of this year or early next year, but it will be available for public re view around October. More information about the plan can be found at marico pacountyparks.net.
Focus is distributed by AZ Integrated Media a circulation company owned & operated by Times Media Group The public is limited to one copy per reader. For circulation services, please contact Aaron Kolodny at aaron@phoenix.org.
Those efforts identified the top five reasons people visit the park (to observe the scenic beauty, enjoy physical exer cise, experience the open space, improve physical health and relax) as well as what facilities were most important to them (trails, trail signs, restrooms, parking availability and directional signs). Cardin said it was also determined that for every $1 that was spent on a county park, there is a regional economic benefit of $4.85.
Specific action areas and priorities of the plan were largely guided by com munity input. Cardin said the Parks and Recreation Department first start
Another recommendation of the plan is acquiring more park land and wildlife cor ridors to stay ahead of growth. One aspect Cardin said they are looking into is rethink ing the structure of floodplains to be able to have more urban park space in that area.
ed working on the project in 2019, and started things off by doing a parks vis itor study, economic impact study and an analysis by staff and volunteers who were out interacting with the public.
After all those conversations and the consideration of several studies about funding, trends in activity and postCOVID-19 behaviors, the 2030 Strategic System Master Plan has five main find ings and recommendations.
ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT
Advertising Office Manager: Tricia Simpson | tsimpson@timeslocalmedia.com480-898-5624
Production Coordinator: Courtney Oldham | production@timeslocalmedia.com480-898-5617
Distribution Manager: Brian Juhl | brian@timeslocalmedia.com
To start or stop delivery of the paper, please visit: https://timespublications.com/phoenix/orcall480-898-7901 Foothills
Publisher: Steve T. Strickbine
free online edition subscription, please visite:
Display Advertising: 480-348-0343
“In the late ’50s and early ’60s, the pop ulation of the county was about 800,000. By 1980, it was projected to be about 1.5 million, and at that time they realized that was a huge issue they needed to address.”
“Maybe there are new funding oppor tunities that are acceptable to the public but still don’t put a huge burden on the taxpayer and the tax base. It’s finding that equilibrium between what people want and what they’re willing to pay for preservation, conservation and open space
Design: Nathalie Proulx | nproulx@timeslocalmedia.com
Circulation Director: Aaron Kolodny | aaron@phoenix.org
To your https://www.thefoothillsfocus.com/e-subscribe/
The final finding of the report is that developing sustainable funding is crit ical for the success of the park system.
“We’ve got to be realistic in terms of what we can do with the funding that we have and what we aren’t able to do,” Cardin said.
“So, based on some of that basic infor mation, we put together a framework of some of the elements that we thought were important to address as we work through this planning process,” Cardin said.
Vice President: Michael Hiatt
CONTACT INFORMATION
Classifieds/Inside Sales: Elaine Cota | 480-898-7926 | ecota@timeslocalmedia.com TJ Higgins | 480-898-5902 | tjhiggins@timeslocalmedia.com Steve Insalaco | 480-898-5635 | sinsalaco@timeslocalmedia.com
ument. We’re very excited about where we’re going with this.”
4 THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022NEWS
The first is that a primary role of parks and open space is to enhance communi ty health and well-being. Cardin point ed out the parks help not only physical health, but mental health, too. Based on this finding, recommendations are to continue revitalization of river corri dors to bring nature to urban areas and low-income populations; engage and partner with nonprofit organizations that promote the importance of open space; and expand opportunities to in crease fitness and endurance.
According to Cardin, the last strate gic master plan for the park system was done in 2009, and he said it focused on bringing the parks together into a true system rather than individual properties. Now, with the 2030 plan, the department is looking at connecting the park system to the larger region as a whole.
PARKS from page 1
The content of any advertisements are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. The Foothills Focus assumes no responsibility for the of any advertisement. © 2022 Strickbine Publishing, Inc.
CIRCULATION : 623-535-8439
“When we talk about ‘continuing the legacy,’ this county park system goes back to 1953 when the county purchased roughly 400 acres of park land — and that was at Estrella Mountain Regional Park — but even then they realized that population was an issue,” he explained.
claims
Maricopa County’s regional park sys tem is one of the largest in the nation. It is made up of over 120,000 acres of Sonoran desert landscape which houses hundreds of miles of trails, campgrounds, nature centers, nature and recreation programs.
Then, after having to press pause during the pandemic, the department held nu merous focus groups with stakeholders around the county, virtual meetings open to the public and one-on-one discussions with partners in the area like Arizona Game and Fish, the Bureau of Land Man agement and Tonto National Forest.
Christina Fuoco-Karasinski | christina@timeslocalmedia.com480-898-5631
With the county’s exponential growth, the Parks and Recreation Department continues to plan for open space and preservation of the Sonoran Desert. In fact, Cardin said that’s been the mission all along, which is where the name for the 2030 park plan came from.
An edition of the East Valley Tribune
The next key finding of the study is that Maricopa County Parks needs to be a leader in the conservation and preser vation of its wildlands. A few of the rec ommended ways to do this are to partner with federal and state agencies; use the Maricopa Association of Governments to identify county and city parks, open spaces, trails and wildlife corridors to promote awareness and regional coop eration; and develop a natural resource plan at a local and regional level.
Those elements are community health and well-being, quality of life and the new economy, exceptional visitor experienc es, preserving regional natural heritage, sustaining and maintaining park resourc es, and connecting landscapes and trails.
Circulation: 480-898-5641
“We want to really look not only 10 years out, but 50 years out and see where we’re going with this regional park sys tem to address growth and development pressures, to help identify opportunities for new park land, buffer existing park land and expand partnerships. And then continue to look at regional scale con servation measures.”
Whilerecreation.”the2030 plan looks out to the next 50 years, Cardin said there are a few opportunities that are more immediate ly present, like working with the Tonto National Forest and the Bureau of Land Management. In the next 10 to 30 years, Cardin said there will likely be establish ment of new regional parks. Then, over the next 50 years, the Parks and Recre ation Department will continue working on expanding the park and connectivity.
Director of National Advertising Zac Reynolds | 480-898-5603 | zac@timeslocalmedia.com
Proud member of :
- Glendale Resident
“Great service! Got the job done right, and for the right price.”
- North Phoenix Resident
A+ rating Call Us! We keep our appointments We fix it right the first time We offer a 100% money back guarantee We work weekends with no extra weekend charges We offer Valley Wide Service *Cannot be combined with any other offers. Expires September 30,2022. 16 Years in Business$25000* OFF A NEW TRANEINSTALLUNIT FallHere!is BESTOF 2022
623.582.1117VALLEYWIDESERVICEROC#221431#274551 We are dual licensed to service both residential and commercial Like Our Facebook facebook.com/westcoastplumbingandairPage
“Thank you for getting our air working for us! It was an urgent matter, and they had someone at our house within 2 hours of my phone call.”
Not only are we experts in plumbing and air conditioning, we are your neighbors. As residents of North Phoenix, we bring over 31 years of experience with 16 years in business and a neighborly approach to service. We recognize that nobody likes to have air-conditioning/heating or plumbing problems, but when you do, you have a choice. When you choose West Coast Plumbing and Air, you are choosing the company that looks out for its neighbors and one that comes with a 100% money back guarantee.
THERE’S NO SUBSTITUTE FOR INTEGRITYINTEGRITY & A JOB WELL DONE! That’s Why You’re Going To Love Us! We Are Your Resident Experts
Testimonials
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 5
Family owned company
- Anthem Resident
“The technician was awesome he was fast, professional and polite. Hopefully I won’t have to call anyone anytime soon but, if I had to West Coast Plumbing & Air would be my first choice.”
Post 1796’s organizations will be avail able at the event for those interested in joining.VFW Post 1796 in Black Canyon City was formed in 2004 with the mission to provide support services including benefits assistance, to military and re tired military personnel.
VFW from page 1
Live music will be featured on the pa tio, provided by VFW members and lo cal band David Allen and the VFW Boys. The organization will also provide bar becue fare, such as hamburgers and hotdogs, accompanied by side dishes.
WHERE: VFW Post 1796, 34801 S. Velda Rose Road, Black Canyon City
and bar is open to the public 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1 to 6 p.m. Sundays.
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24
“We had several guys ask about it so we decided to have motorcycles this year, also,” said Prince.
VFW Post 1796’s classic car, truck and motor cycle show will be held in its parking lot, and feature live music and barbecue fare. (VFW Post 1796/Submitted)
idea of a car show in its parking lot. The resulting event saw nearly 20 entrants last year, which was a better turnout than Prince said they were expecting.
“That pretty well covers the gamut we got the cars, the pickups and the motorcycles.”Automobiles and motorcycles will be staged at 10 a.m. Judging will occur from 2 to 4 p.m., with trophy awards at 4:30 p.m.
There is no entry fee. Entrants will be asked to sign a liability release when they arrive.
Veterans organization VFW Post 1796 is hosting a classic car, truck and motorcycle show this year. (VFW Post 1796/Submitted)
The post has regular meetings and events for members, and its restaurant
In addition, applications for VFW
VFW Post 1796 Classic Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show
This year’s show will feature an array of classic car and truck models up to the year 1985, with motorcycles of any year.
Those interested in entering a vehicle in the auto show can email their name, phone number and the year, make and model of their vehicle to rbischke@out look.com or stop by Post 1796 and ask the bartender for an entry form.
6 THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022NEWS
“We had a big crowd. They stayed around most of the day and people seemed to really enjoy it,” he said.
COST: Free INFO: 623-374-9246, bit.ly/VFWpost1796
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 7 * Must present coupon or ad at the time of initial appointment. Offers are first appointment incentives only and only good if both decision-makers are present. Cannot combine offers. Dustless tile removal does not actually mean no dust, rather a lot less dust and still a construction site and will need professional cleaning. $9 a day based on 36-month financing including basic installation and product with 1000sf or less, and room size 12x15. Rooms greater in size or using upgraded flooring will add additional monthly costs. Does not include stairs or rip up. Financing is based on approved credit. $5,500 min purchase for free air duct cleaning. Free home disinfectant service makes no claims to kill COVID-19 or prevent it. PetFlooringProofExpiresOctober1st,2022 $750$750COUPON Flooring BundleDiscountSavings When you purchase both carpet& any hard surface together Expires October 1st, 2022 $1,500$1,500COUPONOFFOFF** a Day!a Day!for Onlyfor Only Get WHOLE HOME of flooring Get WHOLE HOME of flooringVinyl CarpetTileWoodCarpetTileWoodLaminatePlank Call 623-244-8260623-244-8260NOW!CallNOW! 2 weeks only or until supplies last. % ALL NEW FLOORINGOFF 78 $3 OFF Up to 12 YEARSUp to 12 YEARS low monthly payments*low monthly payments* 5 Stars Reviews ROC328401 FREE Air Duct Cleaning* Shop At Home Next Day Installation Lifetime Labor Warranty Exclusive installationcustomertracking portal Dustless Tile Removal* Free Home Disinfectant* FREE Air Duct Cleaning* Shop At Home Next Day Installation Lifetime Labor Warranty Exclusive installationcustomertracking portal Dustless Tile Removal* Free Home Disinfectant* Or Go OnlineOr Go Online www.healthyhomeflooring.co www.healthyhomeflooring.co
From death to allergies, climate change harms health
new heat shelter in central Phoenix can provide relief for up to 200 people experiencing homelessness. (Troy Hill/Submitted)
The organization highlighted the health risks of producing fossil fu el-derived hydrogen and said it will develop plans to help physicians adopt environmentally sustainable programs in their practices.
plex and widespread issue, and how it affects mental health is overlooked,” Darira said, pointing to Arizona’s of ten record-breaking, blazing tem peratures as one example.
BY ALEXANDRA CONFORTI Cronkite News
s a climate change activist and mental health advocate, Arizo na State University graduate Saiarchana Darira studies the effects of global warming not just on the en vironment but on the well-being of people worldwide.
The recent graduate and self-de scribed “environ(mental) health re searcher” works as the youth engage ment lead at Turn It Around!, a proj ect enlisting young people across the globe to help educate adults about the dangers of climate change.
“Climate injustice is a very com
This
see HEALTH page 9
Toddlers, teens and young adults from Canada to India have designed flashcards with artwork on one side and short essays or comments about the effects of climate change on the other. The goal is to challenge people to “think, see and act in new ways.”
“The lack of being able to go outside due to the heat, the increase in feel ings of isolation, ecological grief — they all play a role in mental health.”
A
8 THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022NEWS Justin Simons, Agent 3655 W Anthem Way Anthem, AZ 85086 Business: 623-551-3700 justin.simons.j663@statefarm.com Discount up to 30% with Drive Safe & Save™!* I’m inviting you to make our roads safer and get rewarded for doing so. Are you in? Contact me today to get started. *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 Justin Simons, Agent 41722 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway, #110 Anthem, AZ 85086 (Next to Barro’s Pizza) Business: 623-551-3700 justin.simons.j663@statefam.com
During an annual meeting of its del egates in June, the American Medical Association declared climate change a public health crisis and said it would push for more policies to help limit global warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius, the ceiling included in the Paris climate accord.
“Our patients are already facing ad verse health effects associated with climate change, from heat-related in juries, vector-borne diseases and air pollution from wildfires to worsening seasonal allergies and storm-related illness and injuries,” AMA board mem ber Ilse Levin said in a statement.
onDecadesrecord.
Even before the official start of summer this year, Phoenix hit a high of 114 degrees. As of July 23, Mar
HEALTH from page 8 see HEALTH page 11
“Taking action now won’t reverse all of the harm done, but it will help prevent further damage to our planet and our patients’ health and well-be ing.”From 2030 to 2050, according to the World Health Organization, 250,000 additional deaths are ex pected each year worldwide because of climate-driven health problems, including malnutrition, malaria and heat.InArizona, health conditions relat ed to rising temperatures are a prima ry concern.
of rising temperatures prompted Phoenix to allocate almost $3 million to heat readiness in its 2021-22 budget, to launch an Office of Heat Response and Mitigation last
fall, and to develop a heat response plan.
“We’ve certainly seen significant trends in temperature here in Ari zona, especially nighttime tempera tures, as a consequence of urbaniza tion and global scale climate change,” said David Hondula, director of the city’s Office of Heat Response & Mit igation. “Those increases, particularly in our summer months, can have ad verse impacts on public health.”
Over 2021, Maricopa County recorded 339 heat-associated deaths the highest on record. As of July 23, the county had 38 confirmed heat-associated deaths for the year, more than the 26 record ed over the same time period in 2021. (Turn It Around!/Submitted)
Efforts in the works to address the problem include increasing tree and canopy shade by 25%; continuation of the city’s Cool Pavement Program, a project that applies an asphalt seal coating to combat the urban heat is land effect; and a new heat shelter in Phoenix that can provide relief for up to 200 people experiencing home lessness.“Almost everyone that comes in our doors initially has some level of heat-related illness, whether it be dehydration or extreme sunburn or
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 9NEWS 42211 N. 41st Drive, Suite A109, Anthem 623.399.8222 PremierWellnessAZ.com September Specials BODY CONTOURING has arrived at Premier Wellness! Tighten the skin, Reduce Cellulite, Improve Skin Tone and appearance, Decrease lines and wrinkles Abdomen $299/treatment OR Package of 6 treatments $1499 (reg. $1,799) Buttocks $599/treatment OR Package of 6 treatments $2999 (reg. $3,599) *Receive a FREE Body-Tightening Cream with Purchase of a Package TAKE YEARS OFF YOUR HANDS with Restylane Lyft (FDA-approved filler for Hands) Includes 2 filler syringes, IPL laser treatment for Hands and Revision Lumiquin $1,250Serum(reg.$1,499) Soften Etched-In Lines and Wrinkles and Get Rid of Sunspots with our Youthful Essence laser procedure $599 (reg. $750) Activate and Revitalize Collagen Production with the power of SCULPTRA AESTHETIC 2 vials $1,149 (reg. $1,500) INVEST IN YOUR WELL-BEING Schedule a Women’s Wellness Appointment with Ann Marie D’Onofrio WHNP-C, MSN $299 (reg. $349)
icopa County had seen 38 confirmed heat-associated deaths for the year, more than the 26 recorded over the same time period in 2021. Over all of last year, the county recorded 339 heat-associated deaths, the highest
1730 W Happy Valley Rd. eatmesquite.com | Coupon@eatmesquite good for one free taco *Valid at Happy valley location only, show at checkout to redeem
Last year, Darira’s group presented its flashcard initiative at the U.N. Cli mate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland, with the hope of influencing politicians, policymakers and educa tors to do more.
Paid for by Opportunity Arizona. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee. & putting people over politics. Working for our public schools, protecting women’s rights Judy Schwiebertfor Arizona State House | District 2 This card, written and designed by two teens from India involved in the Turn It Around! proj ect, encourages people to “think about sus tainability through the lens of environmental health.” (Turn It Around!/Submitted) HEALTH from page 9 Contact Christina Fuoco-Karasinski at 480-898-5631 or christina@timeslocalmedia.comGOT NEWS?
The authors note that vulnerable populations are those most at-risk: children, older people, individuals of color, the poor and those with under lying health problems. Black people
“The atmosphere is warming at a very alarming rate, and the world leaders are not taking urgent enough action,” Darira said.
An editorial in the New England Journal of Medicine, written by lead ers of medical journals worldwide, cites a host of other issues: “derma tological malignancies, tropical in fections, adverse mental health out comes, pregnancy complications, allergies and cardiovascular and pul monary morbidity and mortality.”
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 11NEWS
“As we look into a warmer future,” Hondula said, “we need to be mindful of our currently constrained water resources.”Concerns about the impact of the climate crisis on health are driving doctors, nurses, medical students and others to become advocates for change.TheMedical
Society Consortium on
“Now is the time to ‘go big’ to meet the needs of the moment,” the group said in a 2022 report on climate and health. “We can and must raise our voices to influence the decisions that will affect health now and for genera tions to come.”
signs of heatstroke,” said Jennifer Morgan, program director of the new shelter. “The need for a program like this one has existed, but the urgency was created by the heat.”
Heat affects the body in many ways: dehydration, heat stroke, exhaustion and anxiety, while also compromising preexisting heart and lung conditions.
are 40% to 59% more likely to live in high-impact areas – those that experi ence the most brutal effects of climate change first. Indigenous communities face a unique struggle with climate change. Living in tribal and rural ar eas along the coast leaves them vul nerable to the heat, and many rely on the environment for food and cultural practices.InArizona, the White Mountain Apache Tribe and other tribal com munities are facing water shortages, with heat and drought only exacer bating the problem.
Climate and Health, which amplifies the voices of doctors in the U.S. while encouraging climate solutions, devel oped a three-prong approach to the issue. The plan is to stop investing in energy produced by fossil fuels, invest in and support renewable energy and make the transition fair to everyone.
COST: Free
er, a USAF veteran from Denver, Colorado, will be present for a live performance of his song, “Thank ‘em.” There will also be a spe cial country music video surprise and trib ute performance. LED Screens will be used to project the ceremony for easy visibility of speakers, music and videos.
Anthem Veterans Memorial is hosting its 11th annual Veterans Day Concert and Ceremony this year and is inviting the community to join in honor ing, saluting and supporting the communi ty’s veterans and their families.
During the ceremony, the Musical Theatre of Anthem, ProMusica, Arizona Chorale and Orchestra will perform. In addition, Lo Beck
“The AVM has partnered with the Viet nam War Commemorative Program since
Those wishing to volunteer, become a sponsor or donate to offset ceremony ex penses should contact Elizabeth Turner at ElizabethTurnerUS@yahoo.com or 623640-8417.
The parking adjacent to the AVM is open only to ADA permitted drivers, drop off for special circumstances, law enforcement, security and first responders. Motorcycles will not be permitted in this parking lot. For all other, parking is available across the street from the AVM, across the street from park pond, at the soccer field parking lot off Gavilan Peak Parkway, and at the Anthem Community Center on Freedom Way. Locals are encouraged to carpool and walk.
The program will begin at 9:30 a.m. with a free concert of fan-favorite patriotic music performed by ProMusica Arizona Chorale and Orchestra. During the concert, all Viet nam War veterans are invited to approach the front of the stage to be awarded the 50th An niversary Commemorative Vietnam War pin.
“This year we are adding closed captions to elevate the experience for our attendees,” TurnerRetiredsaid.U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Amber Car gile will serve as the mistress of ceremonies thisAlsoyear.during the ceremony, the Anthem Ser vice Award will be presented by Darrin Fran com, the Anthem Community Council board of directors chair and U.S. Navy veteran.
“Being able to serve as the food vendor at this ceremony comes with great pride. We are honored to help open the second decade of AVM programming and to support this patriotic event,” said Tennessee Grill owner, Ryan“WeLadiser.hopeeveryone comes early to have a picnic breakfast as they listen to the free pre-ceremony concert and watch our Viet nam Veterans welcomed home. The ceremo ny this year will be amazing this year.”
The
Save the date for Anthem’s Veterans Day Ceremony
The keynote address will be given by retired U.S. Air Force Colonel Thomas H. Kirk,“ColonelJr. Kirk is an inspiration to us all,” Turner said. “His heroism and his enduring spirit of optimism provide hope to every person who is fortunate to know him and learn from him. Every person who attends this ceremony will come away with a unique perspective of the meaning behind veteran service and sacrifice.”
BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer
WHERE: Anthem Veterans Memorial, Anthem Community Park, 41703 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway, Phoenix
INFO: onlineatanthem.com
The Veterans Day ceremony will follow the concert at 10:00 a.m. and conclude at approximately 11:15 a.m. This year, the cer emony will pay special tribute to the 100th anniversary of US Navy aircraft carriers with video from the USS Nimitz; the 60th anniver sary of the US Navy Seals with video from the Navy Seal Foundation; the US Air Force’s 75th birthday with support from Luke Air Force Base; and the 30th Anniversary of Op eration Restore Hope.
A new addition to the ceremony this year, the Tennessee Grill, owned by a Marine vet eran, will sell breakfast sandwiches and bev erages prior to the start of the ceremony.
Near the conclusion of the ceremony, those in attendance can watch the solar spotlight. At exactly 11:11 a.m., the sun’s rays will pass through the ellipses (circles) in each of the military branch pillars to cast a perfect solar spotlight on a glass mosaic of The Great Seal of the United States, surrounded by 2,200 veteran commemorative pavers in the Circle of SeatingHonor. is limited. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn blankets and chairs.
it began in 2012. Then-President Obama designated from May 28, 2012 through Nov. 11, 2025, our nation will commemorate and honor our Vietnam War veterans as they did not receive the welcome home deserved of all veterans who sacrifice to serve our na tion,” said Elizabeth Turner, AVM program ming“Thisdirector.commemorative pin symbolizes our recognition and respect for our Vietnam Veterans and allows us to personally say to them, ‘Welcome Home.’ We are grateful to the Daisy Mountain Veterans who will assist us in this Welcome Home pinning.”
Anthem Veterans Day Ceremony
WHEN: 9:30 to 11:15 a.m. Friday, Nov. 11
12 THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022NEWS
Schedule a tour! • Varsity Athletics www.caurusacademy.org SMALLCLASSSIZES! K-5 Campus Location 41900 N. 42nd Ave. Anthem, AZ 85086 623-551-5083 Middle/High School Campus Location 44111 N. 43rd Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85087 623-466-8187 RIGOR, RELEVANCE & RELATIONSHIPS Call 623-551-5083 for K-5 Campus or 623-466-8187 for 6-12 Campus or schedule online. Visit caurusacademy.org/schedule-a-tour Schedule a tour! TUITION FREE! PUBLIC CHARTER SMALLCLASSSIZES! Call 623-551-5083 for K-5 Campus or 623-466-8187 for 6-12 Campus or scheule online. caurusacademy.org/schedule-a-tourVisit Schedule a tour!
Kyle did not talk much, had few friends and often slapped himself repeatedly in the head. He lived with his single mom and was an only child. Mr. Brown was a widower and loved to play chess. He also loved to cook. Eventually, Mr. Brown got Kyle interested in the game of chess. And life changed for both of them.
Campus or 623-466-8187 for 6-12 Campus or schedule online. Visit caurusacademy.org/schedule-a-tour Schedule a tour! • Varsity Athletics www.caurusacademy.org SMALLCLASSSIZES! K-5 Campus Location 41900 N. 42nd Ave. Anthem, AZ 85086 623-551-5083 Middle/High School Campus Location 44111 N. 43rd Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85087 623-466-8187 RIGOR, RELEVANCE & RELATIONSHIPS 623-551-5083 for
a best friend that he never had. Friend ship has no age restrictions and can be entirely unexpected.
AROUND THE BLUHMIN’ TOWN RIGOR, RELEVANCE, AND RELATIONSHIPS RIGOR, RELEVANCE & RELATIONSHIPS for 6-12 Campus caurusacademy.org/schedule-a-tour Schedule a tour! • Varsity Athletics www.caurusacademy.org SMALLCLASSSIZES! 44111 N. 43rd Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85087 623-466-8187 RIGOR, RELEVANCE & RELATIONSHIPS for
little bits of apple that had fallen from our tree and fly over the barn, dropping them in Sedona’s stall. A bird bring ing my horse a treat? Friends fly to any heights to give us encouragement.
for
Campus or schedule online. Visit
Campus or
After school, Kyle would go over to Mr. Brown’s house. Together they played
My young horse, Sedona, became gravely ill and was placed on stall rest. Two large ravens often sat on her fence rail, sometimes pacing back and forth. I was surprised at the antics of these two huge birds. They would sit for long pe riods of time, while Sedona was lying down. Sometimes she would get up to greet them. A routine was established, every morning and evening the two ra vens spent time with my sick horse. One day I watched one of the ravens pick up
BY JUDY FoothillsBLUHMFocusColumnist K-5 K-5 623-466-8187 6-12 caurusacademy.org/schedule-a-tour
TheFoothillsFocus.com | @TheFoothills.Focus /TheFoothillsFocusOpinion For more opinions visit thefoothillsfocus.com THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 13OPINION
colleague reluctantly moved to a new city to be closer to her daughter. She is shy and wor riedly asked, “Where can I meet friends?”
My
Friendships can form, mysteriously, against all odds. A 12-year-old boy with autism, Kyle, was asked by his 74-year-
see BLUHM page 14 Friendship can happen anywhere at any time
14 THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022OPINION
Carpet • Tile • Grout • Upholstery • Air Duct Cleaning • Commercial & Residential Cleaning We only have one care. It’s Your Satisfaction. ANY 3 ROOMS Up to 600 sq. ft. total $9900 Prices Include: Truck Mounted Units • Pretreat Vacuum • Optical Brightener • General Soil Removal Also Available: Carpet Stretching • Carpet Repair BUSY LIFE? Call Today! Clean Today! ANY 5 ROOMS Up to 975 sq. ft. total $149.00Reg. $13900 $189.99Reg.WestMentionValleyViewforanExclusiveOffer! VALLEYWIDE SERVICE • 623-218-7044 PNPOneCareCleaning.com • pnponecarecleaningtoday@protonmail.com
Suburban housewife Lisa Gallagh er is no “MAGA mastermind.” She is simply an American citizen who sup ported the 2020 Trump Campaign with posts on social media, a banner
Don’t be deceived. This isn’t about wrongdoing. It’s about “wrong think ing…” and ultimately, about “wrong voting…” at least in the eyes of the Biden Bunch.
The revisions at hand are truly revo lutionary, especially the manipulation of our legal system to criminalize po litical differences. Yet they are greeted with a collective yawn and deliberate disinterest from a politicized press corps.Instead, the Fourth Estate seems intent on playing up a phantom fifth column in an effort to aid the Biden Administration’s ominous objectives.
Five days after that, the feds sur rounded successful “My Pillow” en trepreneur and outspoken Trump de fender Mike Lindell in the takeout lane
Note that the NBC moderator em
BY J.D. FoothillsHAYWORTHFocusColumnistNation
ployed no modifier when introducing a dubious assertion as settled fact. Nope, for Chuck Todd and the “news organization” where he is gainful ly employed, controversial partisan talking points are presented as the truth and nothing but.
nicate with a horse and as sorrowful as hearing their plaintive call when she is gone. It is as special as watching an el derly man see the future potential in a young boy.
Lending credence to Lisa’s instinc tive assessment was the false accu sation that prompted the arrival of federal law enforcement officers. The agents told Lisa the FBI had received an anonymous tip that she was at The Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. She wasn’t. But even if she had been on the Cap itol grounds that day, she was well within her constitutional rights. The First Amendment affirms our basic right to freedom of speech and assem bly. Yet the fear felt by this everyday American prompted her to show the agents her phone and her personal calendar to “prove” she was nowhere near Washington.
Time, kindness and attention are the currency of friendship, which are small treasures bestowed upon us that make life worth living. To witness friendship is as joyful as watching ravens commu
We can wake up every two hours andOrcry.more likely, we’ll sleep with one eye open.
“We are now as a nation fighting a threat from within. Is the threat equal or greater than we faced on 9/11?”
Make no mistake: Joe Biden wasn’t spouting a boilerplate political script, he was priming the rhetorical pump for the actions that followed.
T
Six days later, 35 FBI raids were conducted, aimed at senior MAGA of ficials.
from page 13
Ol’ Chuck seldom disappoints pow erful Democrats, and sure enough, af ter the obligatory mention of the 9/11 anniversary, Todd teed up the admin istration’s theme:
To her credit, Kamala suppressed her customarily reflexive cackle, but that was probably due to prearranged “message management” rather than mereRightcoincidence.oncue,she responded “there’s an oath we always take, which is to defend and uphold our Constitution against all enemies foreign and do mestic.”While Harris at least mentioned the Constitution, she and her senior partner in the executive branch seem intent on pursuing the illogical and dangerous notion that they can best preserve our founding document by destroying it.
of a fast food restaurant, taking away hisOfphone.course, all of this was preceded in August by the unprecedented raid on the home of the 45th President.
The rest of us, including the “chil dren of 9/11,” can take a cue from to day’s infants. Even though “Freedom from Fear” has disappeared, we can all sleep like babies.
As Kyle prepared for college, he wrote in his admission letter that Mr. Brown showed him that he was “more” than just autism. Kyle began to believe in him self. After Sedona died, two grieving ra vens sat in the Cottonwood trees by the barn and would squawk, “caw, caw, caw.” For five days they made their sorrowful cry for their friend.
On Sept. 2, three armed FBI agents arrived at her front door. Gallagher later recounted her experience for Fox News.“Iwas crying, my knees were shak ing. And even though I knew I’d done nothing wrong, after Joe Biden’s speech the night before, I thought, ‘Oh my God, this is political.’”
How else to explain the outrageous content and conduct from former Democrat political operative Chuck Todd and Vice President Kamala Har ris on the Sept. 11 telecast of NBC’s “Meet the Press?”
in her yard and, presumably, her vote on Election Day.
BLUHM
he “Children of 9/11”— infants who literally entered this world on Sept. 11, 2001 — reached the age of “legal majority” this year. As they turned 21 on the most disturbing date in American history, those young adults and the rest of us were remind ed to take note of the threatening changes underway to profoundly alter our political process and way of life.
I am no expert on friendship. But to my colleague who just moved, I’d say if finding a friend can take place in a barn, helping a neighbor with a garbage can or while learning to play chess, it can happen anywhere. Keep the faith and be open. The possibilities are endless. The results are outstanding.
The Commander-in-Chief said as much 10 days earlier in Philadelphia, snarling that “Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an ex tremism that threatens the very foun dations of our Republic.”
sleeps amid disturbing signs of change
Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local real tor. Have a comment or a story? Email Judy at judy@judybluhm.com.
The Foothills Focus welcomes letters that express readers’ opinion on current topics. Letters must include the writer’s full name, address (including city) and telephone number. The Foot hills Focus will print the writer’s name and city of residence only. Letters without the requisite identifying information will not be published. Letters are published in the order received, and they are subject to editing. The Foothills Focus will not publish consumer complaints, form letters, clippings from other publications or poetry. Letters’ authors, not the Foothills Focus, are responsible for the “facts” presented in letters.
For two years running, this team has played beautiful basketball. They are unselfish, united, collabo rative and a group that holds one an other accountable. In other words, the team on the floor has been ev erything their owner is not off it.
James went on, “I said it before and I’m gonna say it again, there is no place in this league for that kind of behavior. I love this league and I deeply respect our leadership. But this isn’t right. There is no place for misogyny, sexism and racism in any workplace.”Asaclose observer of Suns hoops for the past quarter century, I was long ago pushed to dislike the team by Sarver’s sour demeanor, horrific roster moves and sideline narcis sism.Still, it was hard not to pull for this iteration of the Suns squad, led — ironically, given the accusations of racism — by two incredibly talented African American executives, head coach Monty Williams and general manager James Jones.
Sarver’sColumnist conduct leaves us, team with a question
fter a year-long investiga tion, the NBA’s allegedly in dependent investigation into the conduct of Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver was condensed to a tidy 43 pages. It’s a breezy read I can further synopsize into two sen tences.Sarver, per the investigators, is not a racist or a hater of women. He’s merely a tyrant — a terrible boss and a miserable human.
Yeah, me neither.
All of us have worked for a tyrant at some point. Ask yourself, did you really give it everything you had when push came to shove?
This leaves every Suns fan with a choice to make, a decision I find most curious at a moment when every as pect of life, from dining at Chick-fil-A to grabbing java at Starbucks, has
For me, I long ago made the deci sion not to put another thin dime in Sarver’s pocket, walking away from season tickets rather than support ing the man’s reign of error.
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 15 HILLCREST BAPTIST CHURCH (Meets inside Ridgeline Academy) www.hillcrestbaptistaz.org602.350.0968 ✔ Practical Bible message ✔ Inspiring music ✔ Family atmosphere Grow With Us! SUNDAYS AT 10:30AM HILLCREST BAPTIST CHURCH
remain “all in” to pursue the Suns’ elusive first championship
A
Within a day, players and pundits weighed in, with virtual unanimity that Sarver deserved far worse, like the forced sale of the team levied against Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling in 2014.
become a time for choosing.
“I was and am horrified and dis appointed by what I read,” tweeted Suns star Chris Paul. “This conduct especially towards women is unac ceptable and must never be repeat
BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Foothills Focus
E-mail:
christina@timespublications.com
Among Sarver’s faults: He “said the N-word at least five times in repeat ing or purporting to repeat what a Black person said.” Then there’s “unequal treatment of female em ployees,” indulging in “sex-related statements and conduct” and com mitting “harsh treatment of employ ees that on occasion constituted bullying.”For18 years of such tyranny, the league banned Sarver from running the Suns for one year and fined him $10 million, the maximum allowable under NBA bylaws.
I certainly respect your right to choose otherwise. I even under stand it to a degree. Bleeding orange and purple is tough to get over, and quitting Sarver also means quitting solid human beings like Williams and Devin Booker. It’s hard to blame an employee for the conduct of a business owner. It also makes you wonder how long players like Paul and Booker will want to toil in Sarv er’s employ, and whether they will
How do you reckon with Robert Sarver, his conduct and his team? Do you continue to give the Suns your passion, your sweat and blood, your cash? Or do you hop off the Suns bandwagon and refuse to enable and enrich its ownership?
ed. … I am of the view that the sanc tions fell short in truly addressing what we can all agree was atrocious behavior.”Lebron James, the most power ful player on the planet, seconded Paul’s disgust, tweeting “our league definitely got this wrong.”
How to get a letter published
That can be a lifetime when you need med ical attention after a car crash far from the nearest fire station or when you are one of the 1.5 million Arizonans who live in a fire district and a wildfire is bearing down on your family’s home and property.
• Expand regionally deployed wildland/urban Interface fire suppression capacities
The solution could be Proposition 310.
• Train equip and staff a regionally deployed battalion chief (special ops certified) for fire fighter safety
Many fire districts cover Arizonans in areas not covered by cities and/or towns. Located mostly in rural Arizona and along the major roadways connecting Phoenix, Tucson, King man, Flagstaff and Yuma, fire districts have raised concerns for years regarding the various limits placed on revenue growth within their districts. The current limitations have pre cluded many fire districts from maintaining adequate fire and emergency medical service delivery at levels necessary to protect life and property and keep firefighters safe, response times can be as long as 30 minutes or more.
Strapped for funding and short of man power, equipment and training, Arizona’s fire districts desperately need more resources to better serve our communities, families and businesses.Notwithstanding the funding issues of ru ral fire districts, with additional funding from an initiative, the Daisy Mountain Fire District (which covers Black Canyon City, Anthem, New River, Desert Hills, Cave Creek) could:
Editor:
• Staff and equip a regionally deployed air/ light utility/rehabilitation truck for firefight er safety
on Arizona’s rural roads. Another 30,000 have been injured. The Daisy Mountain Fire District responds to emergencies on Interstate 17 from Carefree Highway to Sunset Point, arguably the most dangerous stretch of highway in Arizo na. In the same time period, fire districts have helped fight wildfires that have claimed more than 2.2 million acres in our state.
Think of it this way: The next time you spend ten bucks on lunch at McDonald’s, this measure will cost you a penny. In return, the next time you take a day trip from the Valley
• Staff and equip regionally deployed crisis re sponse unit(s) for urgent behavioral health issues
Now in our 38th year! ARIZONA’S LONGEST-RUNNING EXPO IS HERE! Healthcare | Retirement Living | Financial Leisure | Home Repair | Education Casinos | Tour & Travel and More... (480) 898-6500 • (480) www.seniorexpos.com959-1566 Lots of PrizesandEveryINCLUDINGGiveawaysa$100CASHDRAWINGHour! Entertainment by MS. SENIOR ARIZONA FREE PARKING! FREE ENTRY! Wednesday, November 2nd 8am - 12pm Mesa Convention Center 201 N. Center Street, Mesa, AZ 85201 Expo Partner Gold Sponsor Entertainment Sponsor Bag Sponsor LETTERS TO THE EDITOR READER’S VIEWPOINTS
• Train equip and staff a regional technical rescue team (mountain rescues, high angle rescues, mine rescues, swift water rescues, off-road rescues)
While urban fire departments frequently respond to 911 emergency calls in six or sev en minutes, rural fire districts’ response times routinely can exceed 30 minutes. Not only does that create serious risk for the 1.5 million Arizonans who live in fire districts, it also im pacts the residents and visitors who travel our state’s interstates and rural roadways on day trips, sightseeing tours and vacations.
• Expand occupational cancer screening for firefighters
• Construct and staff new fire station(s) for
• Staff and equip additional regionally de ployed ambulance(s) for better response times
• Train additional firefighter paramedics that were lost due to budget cuts
Proposition 310 couldhelp save lives
• Initiate/expand tele-med and tele-stroke ser vices for better patient care for patients with long transport times to hospitals
to the White Mountains or drive over for a weekend in Rocky Point, San Diego or Vegas, the fire districts you pass through will be far better prepared should you and your loved ones need help.
• Construct regional fire and EMS training cen ter(s)
Put forward by Arizona’s fire fighters and a bipartisan group of state legislators, this small temporary increase in the state’s sales tax — just one-tenth of a cent on each dollar spent — will generate about $150 million annually for the state’s fire districts. These increased resources will take the pressure off our fire fighters and paramedics and help ensure they have the equipment and training they need to provide fire, emergency and medical services to residents and travelers.
How deep is the crisis? Over the last five years, 2,000 people have died in vehicle crashes
16 THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022OPINION
Brian P. Tobin Daisy Mountain Fire Chief
www.JudyBluhm.comjudy@judybluhm.com602.826.3215
BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer
Tickets to the event are $15, and all proceeds are donated to one of the nine participating nonprofit organizations based in the Valley. This year’s partic ipating charities are Almost There Res cue, Daisy Mountain Firefighters Char ities, Girl Scout Troop 2595, Homes for Heroes, Jobs for Arizona’s Graduates (JAG), Musical Theatre of Anthem, Southwest Kids Cancer Foundation, Stepping Stones of Hope and Youth for Troops.Musical Theatre of Anthem founder Jackie Hammond said the event bene fits everyone involved.
Accordingseason.toTruax, Outlets at An them usually has about 800 to 1,200 people attend. So, with tickets being $15, that’s $12,000 to $18,000 in do nations to nonprofits. Plus, 100% of the proceeds of any extra prize draw ing tickets that are purchased will also go to the charities. Truax said that amount, which can be anywhere from $15,000 to $20,000, is split evenly
tomers can specify which nonprofit they would like to support.
Ticket holders will receive a wrist band that designates them from regu lar shoppers who are not participat ing in the event and allows them ac cess to the exclusive discounts and prize drawings.
Serving Anthem, Desert Hills and New River since 1999
“It’s a win-win situation,” she said. “The outlets get business because peo ple are shopping there and taking ad vantage of the deals, and then the orga nizations, we get 100% of the proceeds from the Hammond,tickets.”who participates in the Shopping Extravaganza, also said there are some great sales and the event is a lot of fun. According to Truax, about 85% to 90% of Outlets at Anthem
The Shopping Extravaganza event was created by Steve Craig, president of Craig Realty Group, owner of Outlets at Anthem, in 2004 to contribute to the community and support local chari ties. Since its inception, the event has become a go-to charity shopping tradi tion for people throughout the Valley and a great way to kick off the holiday shopping
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1
WHERE: Outlets at Anthem, 4250 W. Anthem Way, Phoenix
INFO: outletsanthem.com/events
THE REAL ESTATE MARKET HAS CHANGED
TheFoothillsFocus.com | @TheFoothills.Focus /TheFoothillsFocus Business For more Business News visit thefoothillsfocus.com THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 17BUSINESS
Shopping Extravaganza
The Outlets at Anthem Shopping Extravaganza benefits nine select, Valley-based nonprofits, offers shoppers exclusive discounts, and gives away $20,000 in prizes and gift cards. (Outlets at Anthem/Sub mitted)
stores participate in offering
prize drawing tickets, and more can be purchased at the event to increase the chances of winning.“We’re giving away over $20,000 in gift cards to the center,” Truax said. “Then the charities will also provide us with gift baskets to auction in a silent auction.”
Live Your Best Life!
Judy Bluhm REALTOR®
Tickets can be purchased from a par ticipating nonprofit, at the Customer Service Center at the Outlets or online at eventbrite. If purchased at the Cus tomer Service Center or online, cus
among the participating organizations. Then the nonprofits also receive funds from what they offered in the silent
T
“Since we’re a nonprofit, I would say about 35% to 40% of our organi zation’s budget is based on donations and grants,” she said. “So, we need fundraisers and opportunities like this in order to stay afloat, it’s part of our yearly budget so we can make sure we continue to thrive in Anthem and all of the North Valley.”
he Outlets at Anthem is having its 18th annual Shopping Extrav aganza retail philanthropy event, which benefits select Valley nonprofits and gives shoppers discounts and the chance to win more than $20,000 in gift cards and prizes Saturday, Oct. 1.
auction.“So,when you factor all of that in, it’s a significant amount of money that is available for these smaller charities at a time when people are maybe giving a little less given the economic condi tion,” Truax Hammondsaid.said the Musical The atre of Anthem has participated in the Shopping Extravaganza nearly every year, and it has made a huge impact.
COST: $15
BUT JUDY’S MARKETING HASN’T LIST • ADVERTISE • SELL
though.justThere’sdiscounts.morethanretailshopping,Truaxsaideveryonewhopurchasesaticketalsoreceivesa$5lunchcoupon,whichcanbeusedatanyofthefoodcourtrestaurantsthatday.Inaddition,therewillbeentertainmentattheevent,includingaDJanda“lipreader.”There’salsothechancetowinprizes.Everyadmissionticketcomeswiththree
“Not only do participants have a fantastic time, they are helping wor thy causes close to their hearts,” said JoAnn Truax, director of real estate op erations and marketing for Outlets at Anthem.“With the current challenges, char ities need more help than ever and we’re thrilled we can still provide this fundraising opportunity.”
Shop for a cause with Outlets at Anthem event
The Festival of Trees, which will be held at Outlets at Anthem, is essen tially a room full of donated Christ mas trees, wreaths, ornaments, snow villages and other holiday decora tions that will be available for sale or raffle.
able at the door. Then, people can buy additional raffle tickets to in crease their chances of winning. The winners will be drawn the evening of Saturday, Nov. 19.
“The ladies that put all this stuff together just blew me away. Every
BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer
“It’s like going into a winter wonderland from a designer,” said Rhonda Bryce, commu nications director for ACTS. “You walk into the room and you feel like you’ve just been transformed out of the heat of Arizona and into the North Pole. It’s just beautiful.”Allofthe funds raised go to ACTS, a nonprofit community service or ganization that aims to help individuals, families and other nonprofits in Anthem.
Tickets are $5 for one day or $10 for all three days and will be avail
Bryce said the organization is looking for donations as well, “any Christmas decorations that you’re no longer using.” Trees are the most desired item. Then, a team will actu ally start putting everything togeth er in October, and they will be look ing for people to come help decorate and move trees into the building.
Festival of Trees ‘winter wonderland’ gives back to community see FESTIVAL page 19
TheFoothillsFocus.com | @TheFoothills.Focus /TheFoothillsFocus Features For more features visit thefoothillsfocus.com 18 THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022FEATURES
W
ith the official end of sum mer just around the cor ner, Anthem Cares through Service (ACTS) isn’t wasting any time preparing for its second Fes tival of Trees holiday fundraising event, scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 17, to Saturday, Nov. 19.
42104 N. Venture Drive, Suite A 118, Anthem, AZ 85086 GENERAL PRACTICE LAW FIRM ANTHEMIN General Practice Law Firm for all your legal needs! 623-551-9366 CarrollLawFirm.com SERVICES INCLUDE: ESTATE PLANNING • PERSONAL INJURY BUSINESS LAW • FAMILY LAW • PROBATE BANKRUPTCY • DUI/TRAFFICE VIOLATIONS AND MORE! The event has a wide range of holiday decorations, all available for sale or raffle. (ACTS/Submitted)
R
Suzanne Vega recalls inspirational MIM show
Vega’s shows are dubbed “An Inti mate Evening of Songs and Stories.” They will feature her on acoustic gui tar and her musical director, Gerry Leonard, on guitar.
WHERE: Outlets at Anthem, 4250 W. Anthem Way, Phoenix
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 19FEATURES
eturning to the Musical Instru ment Museum Saturday, Oct. 1, and Sunday, Oct. 2, Suzanne Vega was moved by previous visits.
FESTIVAL From page 18
see VEGA page 20
“It’s a beautiful place,” Vega said. “I remember all the beautiful instru ments and what they look like. I began my Instagram account there — how ever long ago it was.”
She thought McCullers would be an ideal character to play. When her col lege professor asked the class to come in dressed as a notable figure, Vega appeared as McCullers.
Festival of Trees
and her life and how they commin gled.“It’s been a lifelong challenge to put her life and work on a stage in a one-woman show. It’s something I’ve gone back to time and time again. The film is the end of that journey with Carson. I’m way older than she was she died. I thought it’s time to put this down. It’s been such a pleasure and real interesting exercise for me. I’ve loved it.”
Suzanne Vega’s most recent album is “An Eve ning of New York Songs and Stories,” recorded in 2018 during her two-week residency at New York’s Carlyle Café. (George Holz/Contributor)
One of the big appeals is that just about everything is ready to go out the door and be immediately set up somewhere. The ornaments and
thing was so perfect,” Bryce said, ref erencing last year’s event that was so successful that organizers expanded it.“Everything had a theme and was so organized, it was amazing. We had trees as little as 18 inches, and then our tallest tree was 14 feet. Most of the trees had a theme, so we had little kid trees that could go in their room that had toys on it and Mickey Mouse stuff. And then we had a fourfoot tree that was done in a Mexican theme with Mexican ornaments and a sombrero on top.”
Vega recently sent to cinemas her one-woman stage show about the life of 20th century American writer Car son McCullers in the Michael Tully-di rected “Lover, Beloved.”
“He’s great. It was great working with him,” she said. “It was very in spiring. He pushed me way out of my comfort zone. He has a very different sense of melody than I do. I thought we were a good team. I thought we worked together well. Musically it’s thrilling to sing the work.”
BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor
The film features music by sing er-songwriter Duncan Sheik, who won Tony Awards for “Spring Awakening.”
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 17 through Saturday, Nov. 19
COST: $5 to $10
The film debuted at SXSW in March. For the trailer, visit https://vimeo. com/680131952.“Itstartedwith an acting exercise that I was given in college a long, long time ago,” she said with a laugh.
“I had to be ready to field questions as if I was on a television show,” she said. “We had to really inhabit them. I really got way into her. I ended up do ing my senior thesis on her, her work
“I had seen a picture of Carson Mc Cullers back then and I knew one or two of her stories. I remember we sort of look alike.”
“He uses a fair amount of electron ics,” she said. “It ranges from very acoustic to some of the produced songs. We do the remix version of ‘Tom’s Diner’ and ‘Luka.’ We do a lot of songs people know and a couple of new things. We love it. It’s been great to get back on the road again.”
INFO: anthemacts.org
Anthem Cares through Service’s “Festival of Trees” fundraising event is scheduled for Thurs day, Nov. 17, to Saturday, Nov. 19. (ACTS/Submitted)
Last year’s event brought in nearly $20,000, and Bryce said the goal is just to outdo that this year. She add ed that anything they make is great, because it allows ACTS to continue in itsBrycemission.said ACTS’ motto is “neigh bors helping neighbors,” and any thing the community gives to the or ganization goes right back into help ing the community. The organization has helped more than 70 people so far in 2022, whether by paying bills, preparing meals, getting groceries or assisting in yard cleaning. It also works in partnership with organiza tions like the Foothills Food Bank, Salvation Army, Anthem Giving Cir cle and St. Vincent de Paul to make a greater impact.
lights are already on the tree and there are even full Christmas villages complete with little trees and snow.
This year, there will be two new ad ditions, a jewelry tree and a lottery tree. Bryce said the lottery tree itself is “amazing,” and the winner also re ceives two $1,000 gift certificates.
“Honestly, if you can’t find some thing that you like in there, then you don’t do Christmas,” Bryce joked. “It’s not all red and green, we have every color in the rainbow. There’s definitely a variety of things that decorate the house, and it’s all for the price of the raffle tickets. It’s amazing.”Inaddition to the Festival of Trees, ACTS will host a live and silent auc tion dinner Wednesday, Nov. 16. Bryce said it will be an elegant event with a buffet dinner and bar and there will be about 10 times for auc tion that evening. Tickets for the din ner are $50, and must be purchased in advance by calling 602-228-2579.
He said he and Arrested Develop
20 THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022FEATURES
see VORTIFEST page 21
Vega hopes to move more on stage and be more present when she sings. Acting helped with that goal.
Suzanne Vega
“I still have more work to do before my time is up,” she said. “I feel like I have more to say, more to do. There were certain goals set for myself as a teenager and I’ve spent my life trying to fulfill all of those goals.
“It’s a celebration,” said Thomas via Zoom from London. “It’s a full, eightpiece band, with dancing, rhyming and vocal singing. It’s going to be a full-out show. We’re going to really give every body our all.”
“I had a lot of interests as a child. I used to draw. I used to sculpt. I made busts out of clay. I studied dance for 10 years. I’ve done all kinds of oth er training — martial arts, the swim team for a while. It was a challenge for
The “Lover, Beloved” project was on Vega’s bucket list, of which there are plenty of other tasks.
to follow up to 1999’s “The Passionate Eye: The Collected Writing of Suzanne Vega.”“I’d like to write something a little more narrative,” she said. “I’d love to draw again. I fooled around with painting, but I can’t do everything.”
Suzanne Vega is best known for her songs “Tom’s Diner” and “Luka.” (George Holz/Contributor)
In 1993, one of those acts was Ar rested Development, an Atlanta-bred positive, Afrocentric hip-hop collective, who made its mark with its expansive band.Founder
as songs from 2020’s “Don’t Fight Your Demons” and its follow-up “For the (ex pletive) Love.”
COST: Tickets start at $54.50
The tour celebrates the 30th anni versary of Arrested Development’s 1992 debut album “3 Years, 5 Months and 2 Days in the Life Of...” The setlist will include tracks from that album like “Mr. Wendal” and “Tennessee,” as well
“It’s the whole process of acting to make the emotion alive in the mo ment on the stage,” Vega said. “It’s surprisingly draining. The film is an hour and 15 minutes. The one-woman show is an hour and 45 minutes. It’s me up there holding on to the audi ence as someone else. I couldn’t ad lib or change the order of things. I had to commit myself to the moment.”
She hopes to write a book as well,
VEGA From page 19
WHERE: Musical Instrument Museum, 4725 E. Mayo Boulevard, Phoenix
Arrested Development continues its mission
efore Lollapalooza became the Chicago juggernaut, it was a touring summer camp of sorts with some of alt rock/hip-hop/rap’s hottest bands.
INFO:mim.org480-478-6000,
Led by Speech Thomas, third from left, Arrested Development is best known for its songs “Mr. Wendal” and “Tennessee.” They’ll play this weekend’s Vortifest. (Arrested Development/Submitted)
ment were prolific during COVID-19. After all, there wasn’t much else to do. “We had all the distractions taken away and we were just sort of locked
and frontman Speech Thomas promises more of the same when Arrested Development makes a rare appearance in Arizona as part of the Sedona Vortifest Musical Festival & Experience Friday, Sept. 23, and Satur day, Sept. 24, at the Sedona Performing Arts Center and Sedona Red Rock High School Stadium Fields.
me as a kid to express the feelings and ideas of the moment as well as express myself emotionally and personally.”
B
away,” he said with a smile. “I think that gave us a lot more creativity and the
BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor
WHEN: 7:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, and 7 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2
has forever given me not only an outlet for all of my pains and hurts, but for my joys, opinions and thoughts.”
w/Arrested Development, G. Love and Special Sauce, the Yawpers, Decker., Phoenix Afrobeat Orchestra, Banana Gun, Adam Bruce and Damiyr, hosted by Dicky Barrett of The Mighty Mighty Bosstones
To480.898.5606Advertise erict@timespublications.com
In the long-form documentary, “16 Bars,” inmates in Virginia attempt to transcend the cycle of recidivism through an artistic collaboration be hind bars with Thomas. “Hoodwinked” is a three-part mini-docu series, ex posing a 400-year white supremacist marketing campaign that purposely perverted the Black diaspora’s image worldwide.“I’vebeen doing documentaries for the last four, five years,” he said. “That’s
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 21FEATURES
“When you run across something that you really feel like is your calling, that can be a life changer for you,” Thomas said. “It definitely was for me. Hip-hop
“Coming from that background, I be lieve in the art of documentaries and expressing truths about various issues and publishing those truths. In ’16 Bars,’ I went into a jail to work with the ‘inmates’ inside of that jail. I call them ‘residents’ because I want to humanize the experience of those who are incar cerated.“The ‘residents’ are amazing guys, and we did some incredible music to gether and documented the whole
been exciting. It’s another way to get my thoughts out. Also, my mom comes from a publishing background. She owns the largest Black newspaper in Wisconsin, which is where I was born.
ability to work with artists, ironically, across the world but only via technol ogy. We didn’t get a chance to meet up and record together, but we still did a lot of recording, and it was great.”
Vortifest
WHEN: Various times Friday, Sept. 23, and Saturday, Sept. 24
WHERE: Sedona Performing Arts Center and Sedona Red Rock High School Stadium Fields, 995 Upper Red Rock Loop Road, Sedona
He admitted, though, that sharing his inner-most thoughts can be intim idating — especially as the culture gets more politically correct.
VORTIFEST From page 20
“What you say now has a lot more weight than it ever used to,” Thomas said. “Before, I think it was assumed that you’re the one person with one opinion. Now it could be a career changer.”Thomas shares his views via docu mentaries as well, most recently 2018’s “16 Bars” and “Hoodwinked.”
On “For the (expletive) Love,” Ar rested Development worked with the Sugar Hill Gang, a landmark group that inspired Thomas to get into hip-hop, as well as Big Daddy Kane, Fat Man Scoop and Masta Ace and others.
INFO: sedonavortifest.com
COST: Tickets start at $66
“We also worked with people like Kxng Crooked, who’s an underground inspiration to me all the way to Monie Love, who is, again, someone who’s just been an inspiration. I’m just excited to be able to collaborate with these people plus way more on this record. And it’s really an opportunity to express how much we love the art form of hip-hop.” Hip-hop, he said, changed his life and gave him a voice.
thing. It was a great experience. People really responded to both.”
Let
Pastor Ed Delph Foothills Focus Columnist
It takes commitment to the relation ship first and self-interest second to look for a win-win, not the current win-lose we see everywhere and in everything these days. Often, the people and insti
What’s the takeaway here? Thus, saith Bruno, “Be a first responder with a fire extinguisher. Only you can prevent the ater fires.” And thus, saith God, “When brothers dwell together in unity, the Lord commands the blessing… Life for evermore.” Psalm 133.
tutions discussing diversity are the most frequent violators of their own rhetoric. We need to heal so we don’t have anoth er generation of trauma passing itself off as culture. That was Bruno speaking.
To480.898.5606Advertise erict@timespublications.com
22 THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022FEATURES
Let’s explore the subjects of unity and
gets bad enough.”
me introduce you to Bruno, if you don’t know him. In the movie “Encanto,” Bruno is the uncle in a family who no one in his family talks about.Billboard said, “We might not talk about Bruno, but music fans are sing ing about Bruno. ‘We Don’t Talk About Bruno,’ the breakout hit from Disney’s ‘Encanto’ is hitting brand-new heights on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is peaking at No. 2 and becoming the sec ond highest charting song ever from a Disney animated film, following the No. 1 hit ‘A Whole New World’ from 1992’s ‘Aladdin.’”Whydidn’t people like to talk about Bruno? He is a scraggly looking, stutter ing, “hippo in the garden” type of guy. He foretells what will happen in the future if the family keeps going the way they are going. Unfortunately, the family thinks he is negative, causing bad things rath er than just reporting what will happen. Following his disappearance, it became taboo to mention Bruno. He was reviled as a villainous figure by the townsfolk until his deep-rooted love for his family was unearthed at the movie’s end. The family finally understood that his gift was for the family’s benefit.
What if we were committed to our nation, employer, church, spouse and the like with this perspective? I’m not talking about staying in extreme, abu sive, toxic, one-way relationships. But too many relationships are broken that didn’t need to be because of hubris, fear, previous hurts or how to get back to gether. We don’t know how to talk about Bruno other than to suppress and vil lainize
“We tend to take the door when faced between the fire and the door. But we are forced to deal with the fire when the door is locked. Unity is found in this sim ple analogy. Every relationship is tested in times of trouble. We would not con front the fire if we left a door open. We have an excuse to leave when the fire
Thinkhim.of how many relationships of all types could be transformed if they worked out their differences. Too many employees run from one job to another. Too many people run from one relation ship to another. Too many nations divide because two different philosophies dig in, and the nation’s leaders don’t have the maturity or values to negotiate their differences like they used to. When peo ple dig in, they are usually digging their graves.Inevery
The Hebrew word for unity is “Echad.” “Echad” means to “strongly fence the door.” So, from this word picture, unity comes when we strongly fence the door. What does that mean? Let me quote Frank here in his teachings.
relationship of any kind, there will be a time when conflict comes. Conflict is inevitable when two or more parties try to work together. Humility is a prerequisite to unity. First, there must be the willingness to work through is sues, integrity, and maturity on both sides to negotiate. Then and only then can both parties agree to disagree, but not be disagreeable.
harmony. How can you achieve unity in your family, business, marriage, nation or church? While we like the concept of agreement and unity, things often end up worse than they started. Why? We tend to talk on principle but act on self-interest. As a result, we work hard at the wrong thing.
CHURCH COMMUNITY CONNECTION
In ancient Hebrew, every letter is a sound and a picture. The letters in each word combine to paint a word picture that describes the word’s meaning. Au thor Frank Seekins, a friend, conducts seminars about Hebrew words and their meanings. I’ve used some of Frank’s ma terial today to help us discover the es sence of unity.
Talking about Bruno
Ed Delph is a noted author of 10 books, as well as a pastor, teacher, former business owner and speaker. He has traveled extensively, having been to more than 100 countries. He is president of NationStrategy, a nonprofit organization involved in uplifting and transforming communities worldwide. For more information, see nationstrategy.com. He may be contacted nationstrategy@cs.com.at
Let’s go back to that fire in the front of the theater. Wisdom says the fire is a big ger problem than your problem, agen da, or issue when the doors are locked. Fight the fire, not the person or party next to you. Too many people, nations, churches, businesses and the like have died in theater fires while fighting each other. Just think if firefighters fought fires that way. Everyone loses, and noth ing is gained in the long run. Many times, the only thing worse than talking about Bruno is not talking about Bruno. But we don’t talk about Bruno.
So today, I’m going to talk about Bru no. Why? Because I have a deep-rooted concern for families and relationships.
“Imagine that you were in a movie theater and saw a fire start in front of the theater. What are you going to do? Like me, you will get out of the theater fast! But suppose that the theater doors are locked, and there is no way to leave. What are you going to do now? You put out the fire!
out of fear of head injuries. From 2014 to 2018, flag
News)
BY TAYLOR CORLEW Cronkite
TheFoothillsFocus.com @TheFoothills.Focus /TheFoothillsFocus Youth For more Youth News visit thefoothillsfocus.com
“How far are we removed from the injury? How far into recovery are we? How much longer do we have to go? You can put it in the context of COVID. Someone tests positive with COVID. They don’t yet know if they’re going to have mild or severe symptoms, and they don’t know how long those symptoms are going to last. And if they lose their sense of smell, that
Many parents steering children football football Cronkite
In areas where flag football isn’t a viable solution, advanced tools are being implemented to measure the
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 23YOUTH
and dealing with adversity. It is im perative to keep adolescents safe and make the changes necessary to prevent traumatic brain injuries that may result in long-term psychologi cal complications. Replacing contact football with flag football accom plishes just that.
Football’sNews future comes to a head with parents’ concussion concerns
As awareness of sports-related con cussions and brain injuries increas es, Arizona parents have expressed apprehension about allowing their children to play contact football, ac cording to a study published by the Barrow Neurological Institute in Phoenix. In 2016, 68% of parents al lowed their kids to play football. That number has fallen each year to a low of 47% in 2020.
“It’s growing,” DeSpain said. “Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen more junior highs starting their flag football teams. They’re not quite there yet, but it is growing.”
Youth sports provide an outlet for children and teenagers to learn char acter development, accountability, working within a team environment
are
unknowing amount of time is very challenging.”Concussions are defined by the Centers for Disease Control and Pre vention as “a type of traumatic brain injury caused by a bump, blow or jolt to the head by a hit that causes the head and brain to move rapidly back and forth.”
toward flag
or more than two decades, con tact football has faced a concus sion crisis.
participation at all levels rose by just more than 16%. (Susan Wong/
F
Kerry DeSpain, the senior commis sioner for the Gridiron Flag Football league, said she’s aware of the low er participation in contact football among high schoolers and is wellequipped to offer a safer route to ath letes.“We saw increased enrollment be cause of concerns about tackle (foot ball) and concussions and all that,” DeSpain said. “Since 2016, we’ve been working to adjust to the new found volume so that we can accom modate everyone accordingly.”
Coming in Call:HEALTHMEDICAREOctoberANDCAREISSUEIncludingourAnnualMedicareSupplementGuideDeadlinetoReserveSpaceSeptember23rd480.898.5609orEmail:Mhiatt@TimesPublications.com see FOOTBALL page 24
their
In Arizona, the response to access to more information about concus sions has resulted in parents seeking alternatives to contact football. Flag football is the most viable option.
YOUTH
In 2021, the CDC conducted a study comparing the number of head im pacts in youth tackle football versus flag football. The study revealed that athletes who played contact football from ages 6 to 14 suffered 15 times more head injuries than flag football athletes and 23 times more high-mag nitude head impacts. The research also revealed that youth tackle foot ball athletes undergo a median of 378 head impacts per athlete during the season. In contrast, flag football athletes experience a median of eight head impacts per year.
Head injuries, once considered an occupational risk, have steadi ly gained the attention of the sports world, specifically the parents of younger athletes.
Football remains king among pop ular high school sports, but concern over traumatic brain injuries has seemingly resulted in a dip in overall participation. And as experts learn more, there’s still the unanswered question of whether playing contact football is in a teenager’s best inter est.“The biggest unanswered question is, ‘How far along are we after a con cussion?’” said Dr. Jonathan Lifshitz, the director of the Translational Neu rotrauma Research Program at Phoe nix Children’s Hospital.
In a study, the Boston University Research CTE Center linked CTE to both repetitive brain trauma, such as concussions, and subconcussive hits. The study concluded that for every 2.6 years of playing contact football, the risk of an athlete developing CTE doubles.“Sothe concussion research right now is trying to figure out whether that CTE is related to concussion and impact in chronic concussions, or is it normal people playing football?”
Although injuries may be baked into football by nature, the increased awareness of the different forms of brain injuries has caused concern surrounding the overall safety of the sport, the most concerning for Ari zona parents being the link between concussions and chronic traumatic
FOOTBALL from page 23
Gearing Towards the Future will culmi nate at STEM Fest, a one-day event on the first Saturday of Barrett-Jackson’s 2023
encephalopathy (CTE).
New automotive STEM initiative for Arizona students
Gearingenthusiasts.”Towardsthe Future began the week of September 5 and project submis sions will close Tuesday, Jan. 3, 2023, in advance of the annual Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction, which takes place Jan. 21 through 29.
“Their engagement with STEM is a prime example of how science, technol ogy, engineering and math are so import ant in our lives. We are grateful for their continued interest in bringing STEM to Arizona’s long-lived tradition of the Barrett-Jackson collector car auction in Scottsdale.”SciTechInstitute
24 THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022YOUTH
arrett-Jackson, The World’s Great est Collector Car Auctions, and Sci Tech Institute have joined forces to launch “Gearing Towards the Future,” a new community education and outreach initiative focused on STEM education.
Stough“Thesesaid.football players are hitting their heads too many times, they’re going crazy, they’re killing their wives, they are taking their lives type of stuff. So the concussion rap has gotten very bad. So that push away from letting your kids play has gotten extremely large.”
Concern over traumatic brain injuries has contributed to a dip in participation of youth football. (Kevin Hurley/Cronkite
“We are so excited to continue our partnership with Barrett-Jackson,” said Dr. Jeremy Babendure, Executive Direc tor of SciTech Institute.
effects of concussions on the brain and estimate a safe timetable of re covery. ImPACT testing, also known as baseline testing, is done at Arizo na’s middle and high school levels af ter an apparent concussion to gauge an athlete’s impairment. ImPACT testing checks for IQ, memory and re action time.
is a Valley-based non profit organization dedicated to enhanc ing and promoting STEM education and awareness in Arizona and beyond. In an effort to achieve this, SciTech has some of the strongest STEM initiative programs in the state, including the Arizona Sci Tech Festival, the Chief Science Officers program, the RAIN grant, the Arizona STEM School Community of Practice and Science For All. SciTech Institute is a collaborative initiative with the Arizo na Commerce Authority and the Arizona Technology Council Foundation
The program will serve a leading role in encouraging and developing future automotive engineers and technicians through learning modules focused on teaching young people how to solve problems and develop new skills using challenge-based contests related to au tomobiles.“Barrett-Jackson is passionate about its long history of creating family-friend ly automotive lifestyle events that en courage multiple generations to come together and enjoy a shared interest with one another,” said Craig Jackson, chair man and CEO of Barrett-Jackson.
B
Barrett-Jackson, The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auctions, headquartered in Scottsdale, is the leader in collector car auctions and automotive lifestyle events, which include authentic automobilia auctions and the sale of private collec tions. Welcoming over 500,000 attend ees per year, Barrett-Jackson produces live collector car auctions in Scottsdale, Arizona; Palm Beach, Florida; Las Vegas, Nevada and Houston, Texas, where thou sands of the most sought-after, unique and valuable automobiles cross the block in front of a global audience.
“This new STEM program provides an even greater opportunity to engage with the youth here in Arizona through an ex citing educational platform that will help support the future community of auto motive
For more information on Gearing To wards the Future and how to participate in the projects themselves, including out lines, registration and submission, visit STEM.Barrett-Jackson.com.
For Arizona students interested in par ticipating in the contest, there are three different options available. There is a more advanced, 10th grade-only compe tition focused on the design and build of an electrical component for any vehicle for the future of transportation. There is also a 4th grade-only competition fo cused on presenting the design and lay out of a future vehicle. Then, open for all grades, Pre-K through 12, there is a competition that focuses on presenting a plan for future transportation options in a community setting of any size.
Scottsdale Auction as part of Barrett-Jack son’s Family Day. STEM Fest will spotlight all the Gearing Towards the Future win ners and their projects along with compa nies and organizations focused on STEM initiatives. Contest winners will also re ceive their awards at this event.
News)
BY FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF
The future of contact football is cloudy at the moment, with strong opinions on both sides of the ar gument about the sport’s viability. Replacing contact football with flag football is the most pragmatic solu tion to the concussion problem, but whether flag football will ever be ac cepted as a mainstream alternative isn’tForclear.more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.
“It’s one of the things (that’s done) nationwide, and it’s used in concus sion research all the time,” said Dr. Christina Stough of OneAccord Phys ical“It’sTherapy.notthe best concussion tool, but it will at least give you some pre diction of what your function was preconcussion. So, a lot of high school programs, like in Arizona specifically, Banner has a lot of high schools that do imPACT testing, so that if their athletes get concussed, they go do imPACT testing and once you meet your score of impact, you’re techni cally cleared for game play.”
THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 | JOBS.PHOENIX.ORG / JOBS.PHOENIX.ORG / JOBS.PHOENIX.ORG / JOBS.PHOENIX.ORG / JOBS.PHOENIX.ORG / JOBS.PHOENIX.ORG 25 TOCALLADVERTISE480-898-6465 HIRINGNOW JOBS.PHOENIX.ORGJOBS.LOCALPEOPLE.LOCAL INTERESTED IN BECOMING A BUS DRIVER FOR THE #1 SCHOOL DISTRICT IN THE NORTH VALLEY? NOW HIRING! CAVE CREEK UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT RIDE AND DRIVE JOB FAIR SEPTEMBER 24, 2022 8 AM - 11 AM 33606 N. 60th St., Scottsdale, AZ 85266 Visit www.ccusd93.org JOIN OUR TEAM OF EXCELLENCE INTERVIEWS WILL BE HELD ON SITE For more information about this event contact 480-575-2081 or FINDPASSIONYOUR To Advertise Call: 480-898-6465 or email Class@TimesPublications.com Ahwatukee Chandler Gilbert Glendale Mesa North Valley Ocotillo Peoria Phoenix Scottsdale Tempe West Valley JOBS.PHOENIX.ORG WORK IN DEER VALLEY JOIN THE DVUSDTODAYTEAMFindavailable positions & apply www.careers.dvus.orgonline:FULLBENEFITS/PAIDVACATIONPENSIONPLANTHROUGHASRSTRAININGADVANCEMENTOPPORTUNITIESWEARESEEKINGENTHUSIASTICTEAMMEMBERSWHOAREPURSUINGGREATNESSANDWHOCANHELPPROVIDEOURSTUDENTSWITHDIVERSEOPPORTUNITIES.FROMSTAFFMEMBERSTOTEACHERS,WEEMPOWEROUREMPLOYEESTOMEETTHENEEDSOFOURSTUDENTSANDENGAGEINTHEIRLEARNINGCOMMUNITY.
26 THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022CLASSIFIEDS Ahwatukee Chandler Gilbert Glendale Mesa North Valley Peoria Phoenix SanTan Scottsdale Queen Creek West Valley Valley Peoria Phoenix SanTan Scottsdale Queen Creek West Valley To Advertise Call: 480-898-6465 or email Class@TimesLocalMedia.com CLASSIFIEDS.PHOENIX.ORG Anthem - Office Suites Available for Rent Low price Great SeveralworkingprofessionalatmospherebusinesssuitesavailableCallortext623-340-3700 Air Conditioning/Heating Lifetime Warranty on Workmanship New 3-Ton 14 SEER AC Systems Only $5,995 INSTALLED! New Trane Air Conditioners NO INTEREST FINANCING - 60 MONTHS! QUALITY, VALUE and a GREAT PRICE! Bonded/Insured • ROC #289252 602-805-0703 Plumbing Heating & Air PlumbSmart $49 Seasonal A/C Tune-up! FEEL THE Comfort YOU’VE BEEN Missing! HEATING • COOLING • INDOOR AIR QUALITY VETERAN OWNED & OPERATED ROC#300933 • BONDED & INSURED 602-698-0865 info@azperfectcomfort.com www.azperfectcomfort.com Thank you for Voting us Best Air RepairConditioner/Service Local Veteran Owned & Operated BESTOF 2022 Air Duct Cleaning B E F O R E A F T E R (480) 912-0881 Licensed & Insured Air Duct Cleaning & Dryer Vents BY JOHN H 30+ Years ExperienceHVAC H Disinfected & Sanitized With Every Job Drywall DONALDSONDRYWALL Cave creek Resident Since 1984 Licensed Bonded Insured ROC #289594Family Owned & Operated FREE480-861-1375ESTIMATES • Water Damage • TV Niche Changes • Texture Match • Repairs/Remodels • New construction Glass/Mirror 480-235-6101 www.aboveandbeyondglass.com ROC 233846 & ROC 236899 • Custom Glass • Shower Doors & Enclosures • Window ReplacementGlass • Custom Mirrors • Glass Table Tops & Shelves Come and visit our custom glass showroom behind the Dairy Queen in Cave Creek. Irrigation &IrrigationLandscape ROC#215280 623-203-7717 est. 2002 ~ Anthem, Arizona Install • Repair • ReplaceIndustrial/RetailCommerical/ Affordable Anthem Executive Office Suite for Lease in Gateway Office Park. Incl: Internet, util, alarmed. 623-696-8670 Announcements collaboration. The Chamber excels at bringing together leaders and influencers from throughout the community to build the teams that make things happen. Build strong business relationships at www.carefreecavecreek.orgCatalyst,Convener,Champion Landscape Design/Installation AwZ Desert Care Affordable! JOE 480-703-6686 Serving Cave Creek for 40 years • We Spread Rock • Sprinkler Repair • Same Day Service Meetings/Events Alanon meeting : New River Serenity Thursday nights 7P Desert Hills Comm Church, 34835 N. 7th St. 85086 newriverserenity.com Wanted to Buy WANT PURCHASETO Minerals and other oil & gas interests Send Details to: PO Box 13557 Denver, CO 80201 AZCAN Looking for assisted living, memory care, or in d ependent living? A P lace for Mom simpli fies the process of find i ng senior living at n o cost to your family. Call 1-866-383-0061 today ! (AzCAN)
THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 27CLASSIFIEDS SHARE WITH THE WORLD! Place a Birth, Anniversary, Wedding Announcement, In Memoriam, Obituary or any life event in this paper today! Call us for details. class@TimesLocalMedia.com or call 480-898-6465 To Advertise Call: 480-898-6465 or Class@TimesLocalMedia.comemail PASSIONYOURFIND JOBS.PHOENIX.ORG CALL CLASSIFIEDS 480-898-6465 We'llGetYourPhonetoRing! DUKES EXCAVATING ROC KA 302118 General Contractor JIM DUKES 623.606.8411 515 E. Carefree Hwy, #44, Phoenix, AZ 85085 dukesexcavatinginc@gmail.com SEPTIC SYSTEMS ◆ COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL CONVENTIONAL, ALTERNATIVE SEWER, STORM DRAIN & RETENTION SITE DEVELOPMENT ◆ UTILITIES KIBEXCAVATING Your Septic System Experts 602.319.1089 Licensed • Bonded • COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIALInsured Mobile Complete Septic Systems • Conventional & Alternative and Repairs Engineered Pads • Site Prep • Grading • Hard Digs Utilities • Trucking/Hauling • Driveways (Gravel, Dirt and Rock) Plumbing PLUMBERS CHARGE TOO MUCH! FREE Service Calls + FREE Estimates Water Heaters Installed - $999 Unclog Drains - $49 10% OFF All Water Puri cation Systems Voted #1 Plumber 3 Years In A Row OVER 1,000 5-STAR REVIEWS Bonded/Insured • ROC #223709 602-805-0702 Roofing Your leaks stop here! 623-522-9322 SAME DAY SERVICE 30 Years LicensedReferencesExperienceAvailableBondedInsuredROC286561 Senior & Military Discounts FREE ESTIMATES & MONSOON SPECIALS New Roofs, Repairs, Coatings, Flat Roof, Hot Mopping & Patching & Total Rubber Roof Systems PhillipsRoofing@cox.netPhillipsRoofing.org ROOFINGPHILLIPSLLC Family Owned and Operated 43 Years Experience in Arizona COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL Licensed 2006 ROC InsuredBonded223367 623-873-1626 Free Estimates Monday through Saturday Roofing RoofingAlmeidaInc. All Types of Roofing Licensedwww.almeidaroofing.com•Bonded•Insured•ROC#215758 602-743-3175 Free Estimates & Inspections • Tile • Shingles Foam • Coatings • Modified Bitumen • New Roof Repairs • Reroofs Roofing Serving All Types of Roofing: • Tiles & Shingles • Installation • Repair • Re-Roofing FREE ESTIMATES sunlandroofingllc@gmail.com 602-471-2346 Clean, Prompt, Friendly and Professional Service Not a contractorlicensed MonsoonRoofingInc.com Licensed – Bonded – Insured – ROC187561 10% Discount for Ahwatukee Residents 100% NO Leak Guarantee Re-Roof & Roofing Repairs Tile, Shingles & Flat Roof 480-699-2754 • info@monsoonroofinginc.com Landscape/Maintenance 602-330-6965 • SameAffordableDay Service • Dependable • Guaranteed • 12 Years Experience SprinklerLandscapingRepair&More! &ResidentialCommercialorTooNoJobBigSmall North Valley Landscaping Quality you deserve for a great price you can a ord. 480-388-9442BrianCall ✔ Yard Clean-ups ✔ Maintenance ✔ Tree trimming ✔ Water features ✔ Irrigation / Repair FREE ESTIMATES! Drain Cleaning Experts, water heaters, disposals, water & sewer lines reRapidpaired/replaced&remodels.Response. If water runs through it we do 602-663-8432it! Wyman Plumbing Your NORTHplumberneighborhoodfriendlyforthePHXarea! We can quote most jobs over the phone! 623-551-6688 ROC License #309216 Book Online wyman-services.comat
28 THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | SEPTEMBER 21, 2022 JEWELRYBESTSTORE - ANDBESTSERVICECUSTOMER BESTOF 2022
