The Foothills Focus 100522 Zone 2

Community rallies for Kathleen Patterson, family

BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer

Hundreds

of people came together for Kathleen Patterson, a 62-year-old Cave Creek resident, who went hiking on the Spur Cross trail Sunday, Sept. 25 and never came back.

Patterson was reported missing around 8 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25. According to Maricopa County Sheriff’s Department reports, she left her house around 7:30 that morning to hike Spur Cross, contacted her family via phone around 10:30 later that morning and was never heard from after that. Her vehicle was still at the trailhead.

PATTERSON page 8

Star gazing party illustrates the magni�icence of a dark sky

BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer

TheCave Creek Dark Sky Initiative group is inviting the public to come experience the wonders of the night sky and learn the importance of reducing light pollution with a star gazing party at the Spur Cross Recreation area Oct. 15.

Established by Bruce Arlen and Bob Hughes in March 2019, this will be the organization’s third star gazing event. Arlen said the last one was held in February at the Des-

ert Foothills Library and over 500 people came, so he’s excited to host another one.

The Oct. 15 star gazing party is free and open to everyone and, according to Arlen, will be an incredible spectacle — whether they’re a studied astronomer or just a night sky enthusiast. This isn’t just a crowd looking up at the stars, though, it’s a full show.

Astronomy expert and NASA Ambassador Mark Johnston will project his deep space telescope images in real time onto four large screens for everyone to see.

“It’s a big audio/visual event. So, we set

up his telescope that transmits what he’s seeing — constellations, galaxies, star clusters, nebulae and planets — and while we’re looking at them, he’s talking about them through a microphone in real time,” Arlen said about the event.

“It’s magnificent. Nobody is waiting in line to look at the eyepiece, we’re all seeing it at the same time and we have some music.”

While some of the visibility will be dependent on how clear the sky is, the targeted

Hundreds of people joined the search for Kathleen, with many donating items or funds, and 55 people attended a hike in her honor on Sunday, Oct. 2. (Emilee Spear/Submitted)

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DARK SKY from page 1

objects to view are the Lagoon Nebula, Triffid Nebula, Dumbbell Nebula, Ring Nebula, Helix Nebula, Hercules Globular Cluster, Andromeda Galaxy, Triangulum Galaxy, Double Star Cluster, Jupiter and Saturn and its rings.

There will also be a raffle at the event, where one lucky individual will win an Orion 127 mm telescope, complete with two cases, a tripod and multiple eyepieces. Raffle tickets are $10 for one or $50 for six.

Arlen said he hopes people will come away from the event with a new appreciation for the night sky and a realization of what they could be missing out on.

“The whole purpose of doing it is to promote the fight against light pollution,” he said. “The whole purpose of the organization that I founded is to bring information and awareness and education to the public and to towns and cities to begin to shield your lights or just turn your lights off.

Millions of lights cast a glow in the sky, particularly from Scottsdale and Phoenix, but, according to Arlen, “it’s still dark in northeast Maricopa county, and we can still see the Milky Way.” And that’s not just by happenstance, that’s because areas like Cave Creek, Carefree, North Scottsdale and Desert Hills have fought to keep it that way by putting or-

dinances in place.

“The town of Cave Creek has lighting statutes that say you have to turn off your lights eventually, you know, there’s a certain time period,” Arlen explained.

“And you’re supposed to shield your lights. But we do have what we call a complaint-driven town — they don’t drive around and tell people what to do. There has to be a complaint filed.”

So, when Arlen’s neighbor (who has since moved) had outdoor lights that were always on, but the town never filed a complaint, Arlen said he was compelled to start the Cave Creek Dark Sky Initiative to help with the problem.

He said people tend to “bristle” at being told what to do, so knocking on the neighbor’s door and asking them to turn off the lights isn’t usually a successful approach. That’s why he wants to provide information and education about light pollution so people can make the choice themselves.

“A lot of people are fans. We have a very big Facebook membership, a big big contact list and people love it,” Arlen said.

“We’re growing and growing and, over time, we’ve made a big difference. People have changed their behavior, shielding their lights, turning their lights off, changing some of the light fixtures that they use… So we’re making a difference.”

He’s hoping to continue that with the star gazing party.

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The event is free, but everyone is asked to RSVP by emailing info@cavecreekdarksky.com. Arlen said those who come should plan to arrive by 6 p.m. in order to park, get a good seat and purchase raffle tickets before things kick off — this will also help ensure there aren’t any headlights or people walking by that distract from the dark sky. Guests should bring folding chairs and warm clothing. There are restrooms available at the event.

Dark Sky Initiative Star Gazing Party

WHEN: 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15

WHERE: Spur Cross Recreation Area parking lot, 44000 N. Spur Cross Road, Cave Creek

Free

The Cave Creek Dark Sky Initiative is hosting its third star gazing party Saturday, Oct. 15 after success at previous events. (Bruce Arlen/Submitted)

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Signatures ‘fell short’ to block ESAs for all Arizona students

BY TORI GANTZ Cronkite News

The apparently successful petition drive that blocked a “universal” expansion of Arizona’s Empow erment Scholarship Accounts may not have been so successful after all.

Officials with Save Our Schools Arizo na, who said Friday, Sept. 23 that they turned in thousands more signatures than needed to force a vote on the issue, have now conceded that they “definitely got the numbers wrong.”

And while they were not ready to admit defeat, they said they were not optimistic that the secretary of state’s office would find that they collected the 118,823 signatures needed.

“We fell short. We are, of course, awaiting the accurate number from the secretary of state’s office,” said Beth Lewis, executive director of Save Our Schools Arizona.

Lewis’ comments came Tuesday, Sept. 27, one day after supporters of the uni versal ESA program said their own anal ysis of the petitions showed the number of signatures submitted was closer to 89,000 — well below the 141,714 SOS Arizona claimed it had.

It could be mid-October before the secretary of state’s office reviews “every

sheet and every signature” to determine the actual number of legitimate signa tures on the petitions, a spokesperson for the office said. She did confirm, how ever, that the office received 8,175 peti tion sheets, each of which can hold up to 15 signatures — 122,625 signatures at most, a cushion of just over 3%.

If there are more than 118,823, the law will be put on hold until 2024, when it would go before voters; if there are fewer, the expansion of the school voucher program will take effect imme diately.

As of Sept. 19, the Arizona Depart ment of Education said it had received more than 10,000 applications for scholarships under the expanded pro gram.

The signature discrepancy was first pointed to by supporters of the ESA pro gram, including the Goldwater Institute and the Center for Arizona Policy, who said petition organizers “radically over stated” the number of signatures sub mitted Friday.

“Our petition review team counted all the signatures,” said Joe Setyon, a Gold water Institute spokesperson. “They double-checked every line to ensure ac curacy.”

Goldwater Director of Education Poli cy Matt Beienburg said the institute was

Beth Lewis on Friday, Sept. 23, when Save Our Schools Arizona thought it was turning in more than 140,000 petition signatures to halt the state’s expanded ESA program. The final number could be well shy of that. (Save Our Schools Arizona/Submitted)

“participating in the process to make sure that there was an accurate count of the number of signatures.”

The current Empowerment Scholar ship Account program gives taxpayer dollars to families whose children at tend failing public schools or a school that cannot provide the services their children need. The families can use that money to pay for private or other non public schooling.

The new law would expand that pro gram to any family in the state, giving as much as $6,500 per child in exchange for not attending a public school.

The law was sponsored by Rep. Ben Toma, R-Peoria, who said in a prepared statement on Sept. 28 that “when fund ing follows the student, the performance of schools and students has improved.”

“Proponents of the failed referendum built their effort on the fallacy that pub lic schools are harmed by Arizona’s ESA program,” Toma’s statement said. “That of course is untrue.”

The bill was the last signed into law by Gov. Doug Ducey — a move Lewis called “deliberate.”

“That took 10 days out of our 90-day window in which citizens are allowed to refer a bill, which may not sound huge to some people, but those 10 days… definitely broke our efforts,” Lewis said of Ducey’s delay.

She said her group of grassroots vol

unteers did everything in their power to meet the Sept. 23 deadline to turn in pe titions, but were often confronted and “harassed” by supporters of the law as they tried to collect signatures.

The Center for Arizona Policy Presi dent Cathi Herrod dismissed claims of harassment. She said it was a “grass roots group of parents organized to track the petition drive” who were merely trying to counter inaccurate descriptions of the law and “share the truth” about ESA funding.

Lewis praised the work of her vol unteers, who she said were “operating under an extreme amount of stress and chaos.” She said she wants people to un derstand “how wild it is at the end.”

“We had petitions just flying in from around the state, we had folks coming up from Sierra Vista and Yuma and the Navajo Nation,” Lewis said.

Even if her organization ends up fall ing short on the petitions, she said it is “not going to give up the fight.”

“There’s potential for litigation for fu ture initiatives,” Lewis said. “We are not going anywhere, and we’re not stopping this fight for the future of public educa tion in the state.”

“MCSO is asking the public’s help on locating 60-year-old Kathleen Patter son,” MCSO said in a missing person an nouncement. “She was last seen at her residence prior to departing for a hike at the Spur Cross, Cave Creek area. If seen or know of her whereabouts you are asked to please contact MCSO.”

MCSO launched a full search and were joined by Arizona Search and Rescue Tactical and Arizona Foothills 911, two nonprofit, volunteer community orga nizations. After clearance from MCSO, those organizations were able to bring in more volunteers to help with the search. Sunny Parker with Arizona Foot hills 911 said hundreds of people came out and scoured the area — searching miles and miles of land from sun up to sun down with a steadfast determi nation to find Patterson and bring her home.

“We have to find Kathleen and we’re not gonna quit until we do,” Parker said. “At this point, we have dogs out here, we’ve got drones, we’ve got horseback riders, we’ve got pretty much every thing. We just need to find her.”

Meanwhile, Patterson’s family from out-of-state rushed into the area and

were taken care of by the community.

Parker said the Carefree Hampton Inn gave discounted rates and Arizona Foot hills 911 paid for the family to stay there and the family’s meals were also largely paid for either by the restaurant donat ing the food or Arizona Foothills 911 covering the bill.

In addition, people donated dozens of cases of water and gatorade and snacks. Others loaned their camping chairs and popup tents for a base camp. Parker said some of the people that live in the area even offered access to their WiFi so that communication would be easier.

Patterson was found deceased by a vol unteer searcher around 8 a.m. Wednes day, Sept. 28, MCSO Sgt. Monica Bretado said, adding that there were no signs of foul play, but detectives were investigat ing. No further information about the cause of death has been released. Parker said Patterson’s body was found about 200 yards from a bathroom.

“We have found Kathleen,” Parker said. “This is not the outcome we had hoped for. We looked tirelessly. So many people hiked so many miles every single day. We just want to thank everybody for their support.”

Patterson was described as an “avid hiker,” but it was her first time to hike the Spur Cross trail. It’s a moderate hike and, according to Parker, cell phone signal is spotty at best in that area.

Paul Deifenderfer, a for mer Cave Creek town council member, was instrumental in helping with search efforts, according to Parker, because he knows the land so well. He commended the community for its efforts and said it did make a difference, even if the outcome wasn’t what was hoped for.

“I want to send out a huge thanks to everyone who participated in the search for Kathleen. People from around the state and even out of state joined in. The ‘boots on the ground’ search ers, the folks who helped at base camp, the people who brought food and drinks —

you were all an important part of the team that returned Kathleen to her fam ily,” Deifenderfer said.

“Searching for a ‘downed’ missing hiker in this type of terrain is very dif ficult. It is hot exhausting grunt work. We pulled it off and we found her. It is important for everyone to know that ‘we’ found her. The specific group that found her was able to do so because ev eryone else had eliminated the easier and more logical places to search. You can be proud that you were part of the team.”

Emilee Spear, another local who helped with the search, said in the short time she spent searching, she felt like

the Pattersons became her family. Spear organized a memorial hike in Patteron’s memory Sunday, Oct. 2.

“Help me honor Kathleen by completing her originally planned 5.2 mile hike at Spur Cross,” Spear said in a Facebook post about the event. “We will complete this hike for Kathleen and her family.”

Around 55 people showed up to the event, including Steve, Patterson’s hus band of 37 years. People brought flow ers and local businesses provided cook ies, donuts and snacks.

“I am completely moved to tears by the kindness, love and care that was shown

Kathleen Patterson, 62, and her husband, Steve, were married for 37 years. (Emilee Spear/Submitted)

Kathleen Patterson went missing after hiking on the Spur Cross trail and was found dead three days later on Wednesday, Sept. 28.

Spear/Submitted)

Carefree

BY LAURA LATZKO Foothills Focus Contributing Writer

Inan effort to increase community engagement, the town of Carefree is hosting an in-person informa tional open house to give communi ty members a chance to learn more about the town’s revitalization, sig nage and traffic safety issues.

The open house will be held Wednes day, Oct. 12 in the Carefree council chambers. The event will focus on three different areas: town revitalization, wayfinding and pedestrian and vehicular circulation. These topics are part of the town’s general plan amendment.

signage and traf fic safety at an open house Wednesday, Oct. 12. (Carefree/ Submitted)

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There won’t be formal presentations. Instead, it will be set up as informal talks with town of Carefree staff members, in cluding Communications Manager Erica Shumaker, Economic Development Direc tor Steve Prokopek and Planning and Zon ing Administrator Stacey Bridge-Denzak.

Community members will have a chance to learn more about future plans and give their input on issues that are important to them.

“It’s an opportunity for them to stop in on their way home from work or after din ner and talk with us,” Shumaker said.

Shumaker said the town of Carefree held virtual meetings during the height of COVID, but they weren’t able to get the lev el of public engagement they were seeking.

“We typically go out into the neighbor hoods to get citizen participation and en gagement, to get their ideas and thoughts on town business and economic develop ment,” Shumaker said.

“But because of the pandemic, we weren’t able to do that very effectively. So, really, we are returning to that model of outreach to the community, inviting them to our town to get their questions answered, voice their opinions and tell us what they would like to see in this next vision for the town.”

During the open house, there will be vi sual displays centered around key topics of discussion, including maps of the areas be ing referenced and images of signage that would make navigating the town easier.

“We are giving visuals so that people can

have a better idea of what we are talking about than just what their imagination can come up with. We are giving them concrete details to review,” Shumaker said.

For town revitalization, discussions will focus on town beautification, as well as bringing in businesses that fit with the town’s aesthetic and character. The con versation on wayfinding will focus on pe destrian and vehicular signage. Pedestrian and vehicular circulation will be centered around creating more visually-appealing and safe walkways and bikeways.

According to Shumaker, this is just the beginning of efforts to educate and in volve the public, and there will be other similar events in the future.

“This open house is helping us get those first steps in place in getting the commu nity engaged with us, and we’ll bring them along the way,” she said.

Shumaker has been the town’s commu nications manager for almost a year. As part of her efforts, she has been trying to interact more with the public more through social media channels and newsletters. She said social media has increasingly become a way that people seek out information, es pecially since the height of the pandemic.

“We’re trying to increase those efforts

recognize the digital trends going for ward,” Shumaker said.

Carefree Open House

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New law will lower Medicare recipients’ drug costs

BY RITHWIK KALALE Cronkite News

WhenBrenda Dickason switched from private insur ance to Medicare shortly af ter turning 65, she was shocked at how much more she had to pay for the EpiP ens she keeps on hand because of her severe bee allergy.

“When I got my EpiPen on regular in surance, it was $40 for two. When I went to get it last year on Medicare, it was over $300,” said Dickason, a retired Tuc son police detective and former middle school science teacher who sells special ty soaps and seasonal wreaths at craft shows for extra income.

Dickason said her booth is often swarming with bees because of the scent. She also has to manage her asth ma and a latex allergy.

“The season is starting, and I work to pay my Medicare and my insurance,” she said. “So I have to make a choice: Do I go

without the EpiPen, or do I buy supplies I need for my job?”

Under the Inflation Reduction Act, Dickason and millions of other Ameri cans no longer will have to shell out thou sands of dollars to pay for prescription medications through Medicare, the fed eral health insurance program for those 65 or older and people with disabilities.

The sweeping measure includes sev eral provisions aimed at reducing the cost of prescription drugs for the 64 mil lion Americans on Medicare.

In addition to cutting drug costs, the act extends tax credits to those insured under the Affordable Care Act — pre venting an estimated 2 million people nationally and 41,000 Arizonans from losing coverage and ensuring others avoid premium increases.

“What the (inflation) act will do is im prove affordability for Americans who purchase coverage from the health insur ance marketplaces across the board by improving the amount of tax credits that

Brenda Dickason needs to keep expensive EpiPens on hand because of a bee allergy, but rising prices have

Inflation

those folks are eligible for,” said Christi na Cousart, senior policy associate at the National Academy for State Health Policy.

“Eleven million individuals are now enrolled in marketplace coverage, large ly because of these affordability provi sions, and that will be maintained be cause of this law.”

Experts call the new law one of the most significant steps toward improv ing health care in the country since the 2010 passage of the ACA, then-President Barack Obama’s signature policy.

One big change allows the federal gov ernment to begin negotiating drug prices directly with manufacturers of 10 drugs starting in 2026 and 10 more drugs by 2029. That’s expected to reduce govern ment spending by about $100 billion over 10 years, according to estimates from the Congressional Budget Office.

“That’s huge savings to Medicare ben eficiaries, as well as the Medicare pro gram,” said Dana Kennedy, the state di rector of AARP Arizona.

Many provisions of the new law affect only those enrolled in Medicare and, specifically, Medicare Part D, which cov ers prescription drugs. About 1.3 million people in Arizona are enrolled in Medi care, with just over 1 million in Medicare Part D, federal data show.

Medicare enrollees who have diabetes or require vaccines will be the first to reap the benefits of the new policies. Starting in 2023, Medicare beneficiaries will pay no more than $35 a month for insulin — for which prices have soared in recent years.

And although influenza vaccines are always free under Medicare, other shots, including the shingles vaccine, often re quire copays. Under the new law, Ken nedy said, “vaccines will also be free for Medicare beneficiaries.”

Kennedy recalled hearing from one woman recently who was quoted $400 for a shingles vaccine. “She actually got shingles because she couldn’t afford” the shot, she said.

Starting in 2025, Medicare Part D en rollees also will see a new $2,000 cap on annual out-of-pocket spending for drugs. That will save a lot of money for people with conditions that require ex pensive prescriptions.

For example, Medicare enrollees using the cancer drug Revlimid spent nearly $9,000 out of pocket in 2019, according to a Kaiser Family Foundation analysis.

Another provision will penalize drug companies if prices for drugs covered under Medicare rise faster than the rate

PATTERSON from page 8

to Kathleen and her family,” Spear said about the community’s response.

“My hope for today was that it would bring some closure and peace to not only Steve and his family but also to a community that was heartbroken by what happened. Today we laughed, we cried and we healed. I am humbled. I am honored. And I am so very thankful to all of you that took the time out of your Sunday to honor Kathleen in such a meaningful way… Today helped us heal just a little, it brought us peace and it

answered some very important ques tions for the family.”

Patterson is the second hiker to die in the Spur Cross area in less than a month.

Dr. Evan Dishion, 32, died from heat exhaustion hiking in early Sept. These deaths have clearly highlighted an issue, and Parker said changes are coming.

RJ Cardin, director of Maricopa Coun ty Parks and Recreation Department, said the department is constantly trying to educate people on how to be best pre pared for a hike, whether through signs at trailheads, on social media or having a person on site to check and make sure

people are prepared.

“We’re trying to get that message out and we’ll continue to do that, but I guess it’s sort of like using your seatbelt,” Cardin said. “There are campaigns out there that tell you to use them, and most people do, but sometimes somebody doesn’t… It’s a tough situation.”

He said a few safe hiking tips include:

• Use maps, and know where you are going and what kind of terrain you are hiking on. If you are unfamiliar with the area, carry a printed trail map.

• Stay on designated trails.

• Tell someone where you are hiking

and when you expect to return.

• Carry enough water for your entire hike. Remember to bring water for your dog if you are trekking with a pet.

• Turn around and return to the trail head when your water is half gone.

• Carry a fully charged cell phone and backup battery.

• Don’t hike alone.

• Wear appropriate footwear and cloth ing for hiking.

• During the summer months, trek ear lier in the morning or later in the eve ning when temperatures are slightly cooler.

of inflation. Sarah Bourland, legislative director for the advocacy group Patients for Affordable Drugs, said that could help all Americans by incentivizing drug manufacturers to keep prices in check.

“The monetary penalties paid by drug manufacturers that hike their prices are based on Medicare sales and paid back to the Medicare program,” Bourland said, adding:

“But this does not mean Medicare ben eficiaries will be the only ones that bene fit or that prices will rise in other sectors. That’s because the penalties are based on market-wide measures of prices. This should discourage drug companies from hiking prices in the private sector as well.

“Commercial payers are not helpless here,” Bourland continued. “They have a tremendous amount of market power to push back on potential price increases.”

Federal research shows that Americans pay two to three times more for prescrip tion drugs than people in other countries.

For Dickason, those increased costs have been hard to manage.

She had to utilize coupons through Go odRx to get her EpiPens, an injection de vice that delivers epinephrine to counter life-threatening allergic reactions. That cut the cost to about $150. But Dickason also uses an inhaler because of severe

asthma and needs Botox injections to help alleviate chronic migraines. Botox alone can cost $800.

Although it will take time for some of the law’s cost-saving provisions to go into effect, Dickason is hopeful that once they do, she’ll have more money to spend on other necessities.

“It’s actually more than just income,” she said. “It’s paying your bills or getting food. Those aren’t cheap.”

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ADOT driving test changes evoke fond memories

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Foothills Focus Columnist

The summer after I turned 17, my father took me to a middle school parking lot and attempted to teach me how to drive a car. This did not go well, mostly because we were operat ing at cross purposes.

I wanted to drive fast. My dad wanted me not to crash his beloved Toyota Ter cel.

Voices were raised. Feelings were bruised. The car may have brushed a traffic barrier. Thus, my driving les sons quickly came to an end — until my mother took over.

Which was how I learned to drive on my mom’s ancient 1972 Ford Pinto with a four-speed stick shift, a mushy clutch and 150,000 miles on it.

We practiced two nights a week, working up to the big encore: parallel parking, which my mother simulated for

me with some five-gallon paint cans and a couple of stolen traffic pylons.

Chances are good the Perry Middle parking lot still has splashes of latex semi-gloss from my many suboptimal tries at parallel parking. There was a rhythm to it that eluded me, a sense of space and objects my eyes and hands couldn’t nail.

Especially with my mom screaming over the screech of grinding gears.

Still, when the big day came and I had the Motor Vehicles examiner in the car, I wedged that Pinto into a parking space well enough to earn my driver’s license.

This immediately surpassed winning the eighth grade spelling bee as my life’s biggest accomplishment to that point.

And it’s why I was a bit nostalgic this week when I saw that the Arizona De partment of Transportation has changed the state’s road test so it no longer re quires new drivers to parallel park as a

condition of earning a license.

I get it: Parallel parking is one of those skills, like knowing how to drive stick or how to start a fire, that has been lost to time and modern convenience.

ADOT did add a few wrinkles to the test that I appreciate, like requiring each would-be driver to locate the vehicle’s registration and insurance card among the old napkins in the glove compart ment.

There’s also a brief vehicle inspec tion to make sure the turn signals work — though I’ve rarely seen an Ari zona driver use that particular feature — and a safety test to prove the ap plicant can find the hazard lights and emergency brake — again, not Arizona specialties.

Only then will the road test begin. “This portion of the test will now take approximately 15-20 minutes to cover the five to eight miles that better reflects a typical commute,” ADOT’s press re lease explained.

Their prep materials indicate that screwing up following distance during the test is a 10-point violation, while hit ting the curb gets you four points. Score 21 points or more and you fail.

The test apparently doesn’t include points for tweezing your eyebrows while driving, using an electric razor while on the freeway, or dislodging a 500-degree venti Starbucks from your lap because you stopped short to avoid running a red light — all things I’ve witnessed during my 27 years driving in Arizona.

OK, fine. It was my coffee. And yes, my thighs healed nicely after a month and three tubes of Neosporin. Thanks for asking.

My relationship with my parents healed eventually, too. Parallel park ing and driving stick were teenage rites of passage we muddled through together, along with learning to tie a Windsor knot and how to balance a checkbook.

Now it’s 2022. I only wear ties to fu nerals and Quicken handles my checking account. But I did parallel park down town last week without clipping a car or ending up four feet from the curb. My mom would have been proud — right af ter she stopped screaming.

How to get a letter published

Cheney shows true colors with appearance here

BY J.D. HAYWORTH Foothills Focus Columnist

You, your neighbors, heck… even Aunt Mavis and Uncle Travis… know all about the “strange bed fellows” that populate politics.

But it’s not the bedfellows who war rant watching… it’s the bedbugs.

Political bedbugs find their fulfillment in efforts aimed at “campaign infesta tion,” hoping to first deprive their tar geted candidates of sleep — and even tually of votes.

A caterpillar becomes a butterfly through metamorphosis; a political bed bug undergoes a process that is com pletely reversed, metaphorically speak ing.

Once a political “high flier,” often due to very generous financial backing or a famous family name (or both), the reclusive creature is soon attracted to the neon sign of Washington’s so-called “smart set.”

Willing to trade principles for prom inence, the previously promising pub lic servant begins to echo the outlook of elites, forgetting the promises made and the priorities expressed by the folks “back home.”

It becomes quite problematic if “back home” isn’t really back home… if the lu minary in question is much more com fortable living amidst the bright lights of the big city and all the attendant hub bub, instead of the quieter, simpler ways of the remote “residence.”

True residents of the aforementioned “residence” eventually respond harshly and justly.

Simply stated, they find their voices through their votes.

ZAP!

The people speak and the one-time high flier is brought low.

The fall is a long one, and the landing rough, though not fatal.

But rather than being humbled and chastened, the soon-to-be former office holder wallows in self-pity, dependent on the accolades of the elites, who are happy to utter them loudly, if insincerely.

After all, there’s an ulterior motive

afoot… one for which the now-van quished, earthbound and publicly em barrassed “public servant” is uniquely equipped… if “handled” in a clever, faux compassionate manner.

Revenge.

And that promised vengeance is found through (you guessed it) voting.

Only now, the newly created political bedbug advocates voting for candidates anointed by the elites… candidates who will quickly disassociate with the new ly motivated “pest” once the masterful manipulation is complete and any envi sioned electoral advantage is realized or rejected.

Though she lost the GOP nomination for her seat in Congress, Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyoming) is the obvious nominee for “Political Bedbug of the Year.”

Egged on by the elites and her “new best friends” on the left, Liz has gone… well, “buggy.”

Her displeasure — some might say derangement — concerning Donald Trump remains unabated.

But for some reason, she now wants to insert herself into the race for governor here in Arizona.

Featured as the “closing keynote” at the “‘Texas Tribune’ Festival” Sept. 24, Liz lashed out at Kari Lake.

“I’m going to do everything I can to make sure Kari Lake is not elected,” the soon-to-be ex-congresswoman said.

Liz even said she would come to our state and campaign for the Democrats.

If that was supposed to be a threat, it failed miserably.

When informed of Rep. Cheney’s com ments, the Arizona GOP nominee was jubilant.

Lake exclaimed, “I think she just gave me the biggest, best gift ever!”

Don’t look for the Dems to invite Liz Cheney here… and don’t expect Aunt Mavis or Uncle Travis to vote for Katie Hobbs either.

They’re behind Kari Lake, but they don’t think Liz Cheney is a political bed bug.

They call Liz by another name: RINO.

Summer is �inally over

BY JUDY BLUHM Foothills Focus Columnist

Looking for a reason to celebrate?

Summer is over! Hey, I am not making this up… check the calendar. Autumn has arrived! So, we might still have a little more sweating to do, but at least there is a crisp hope in the morning air that cooler days are coming.

One woman new to the Valley called this summer a “disgusting, sickening, onslaught of hot horror.” She claims that her poodle was “too hot to make doo-doo” and refused to step out of air conditioning, consequently getting a “life-threatening” bladder infection. This may give new meaning to the saying, “dog days of summer.” I’m no expert on “doo-doo,” but I can understand wanting to stay in the house.

A newcomer to the area emailed to say

that one July day, while walking barefoot to his pool, he burned the soles of his feet so badly that he couldn’t wear shoes for a week. This is exactly the reason why flip-flops were invented! He also said he “fried” his hands just grabbing the steering wheel of his car after it was parked outside for a few hours. Gloves were designed for this very purpose! He claims that no one “prepared” him for such a “harsh, inhospitable, dangerous place.” Welcome to paradise my friend!

It can get a bit hot here.

A neighbor believes that the only way to walk her dog “safely” in the summer months is to put little booties on his feet, to protect his pads. She said that her dog would absolutely not run in the heat (who would?) and “fattens up” every summer. Well, have you been on a scale lately? Scorching weather, inactivity, and too much ice cream is not a “recipe” for

fitness and health. Thank goodness Autumn is here!

Now with summer over, life is getting better. I was driving in Desert Hills and watched three horses running and chasing each other. It was a beautiful sight. Children are out playing ball in the parks. Golfers are back at it, looking peppy and having fun. ATVs, horses and bikes are being ridden (or driven) and even couch potatoes are venturing into the great outdoors. Physicians say that people who have been sedentary all summer are suddenly out doing things (and injuring themselves). Be careful! It may take some time for your body to get used to walking out to get the mail at a fast clip.

Autumn brings the promise of better things to come — leisurely strolls, ballgames and open doors. Ninety-degree days are positively thrilling! It holds the possibility of walking barefoot without having to be rushed to the local Burn Unit. Little doggies can make “doo-doo” and old dogs can dream of running,

jumping and feeling young again.

As one reader put it, “Autumn is the time to remember why we love it here.” Or perhaps summer isn’t a season, but merely an inconvenience. Until next week, look for your sweater and hang it boldly in a prominent place that can help you imagine the cool that is coming!

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

Larsen Art Auction returns with over 400 works

BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer

Larsen

Gallery, a national leader in the secondary art market for more than 29 years, will have its largest collection to date of Native American works going up for auction with the return of the Larsen Art Auction Saturday, Oct. 22.

Of the 400 lots that will go up for auction, the Larsen Gallery is offering well over 60 works by Native American artists including paintings, sculptures and limited-edition graphics.

Native American artists in the sale include four pieces by Earl Biss, one piece by T.C. Cannon, one piece by Tony Da, two pieces by R.C. Gorman, one piece by Darren Vigil Grey, one piece by Ethelbah Upton (Greyshoes), one piece by Allan Houser, four pieces by Dan Namingha, one piece by Kim Obrzut, one piece by Kevin Red Star, 28 pieces by Fritz Scholder, three pieces by Roxanne Swentzell, and one piece by Emmi Whitehorse.

Other notable Native American works include a selection of indigenous works by women artists. The Tafoya family brings Blackware pottery by Gwen Tafoya, LuAnn Tafoya and two works by Margaret Tafoya. In addition, the sale will include works by Teresita Naranjo, Sharon Garcia Naranjo and Cliff Roller. There are also two lots being offered, one with six items and another with a collection of 18 miniatures, by a variety of Native American potters mostly from the Santa Clara Pueblo.

As mentioned above, the auction will include 28 pieces by Fritz Scholder, whose work has been soaring in popularity. In addition to the auction, the Larsen Gallery will host its annual Fritz Scholder exhibition next February, with over 75 works available for sale in the gallery.

Larsen Art Auction is honored to be offering many works consigned from the Estate of Fred and Gail Tieken, prominent collectors in Scottsdale, Arizona and Marina Del Rey, California. For more than �ive decades, Fred and Gail Tieken’s lives were centered around music, art and design. They received more than 200 national and international awards in the �ields of design.

Their collection includes two Keith Haring works, two Jean-Michel Basquiat, an iPad drawing from David Hockney and notable modern design furniture. Two works by Fred Tieken, who was also a notable artist, include I Said No Anchovies!, a mixed media work from 2017, and his ceramic sculpture Horse, are being sold with all proceeds donated to the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA), an organization that both Fred and Gail were actively involved with as members.

Other contemporary works in the sale will include an original Arman, a Janet

Fish painting, work by Esteban Vicente, a 1991 work by Larry Bell and exquisite work by California artist Tony Berlant. Contemporary graphics in the sale include works by Alexander Calder, Robert Indiana, Sam Middleton, Robert Motherwell and Adolph Gottlieb, to name a few. Additionally, the sale features a large collection of turned wood including works by Ed, Philip and Matt Moulthrop and their contemporaries Ron Fleming, Rod

& Myra Kent, John Berger and Joel Urruty. Also included in the sale are contemporary ceramics including a dynamite work by Betty Woodman from her Vase series and a large Dango by Jun Kaneko.

And �inally, the artwork already garnering worldwide attention is an Andy Warhol Red Self Portrait from 1965. This particular, Red Self-Portrait is from Richard Ekstract’s original group of self-portraits, printed from acetates given to Ekstract directly from Andy Warhol himself.

All bidders must register to bid ahead of the auction and can bid in-person, via phone, via absentee bid or online on auction day. The gallery anticipates standing room only for potential bidders in the room and will execute approximately 500 telephone and absentee bids with the online platforms generating an additional 2,500 to 3,000 internet bidders.

The artwork may be previewed at the Larsen Gallery during regular business hours, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

Larsen Art Auction

WHEN: Doors open at 8 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 22

WHERE: Larsen Gallery, 3705 N. Bishop Lane, Scottsdale

COST: Free registration

INFO: 480-941-0900, larsenartauction.com

$25,000. (Larsen Gallery/Submitted)

The Lord wants us to follow the leader, not the follower

Pastor Ed Delph Foothills Focus Columnist

Here’s

an opening thought I gleaned from Monday morning coffee.

“On the playground of any school, and on any day, you can witness examples of children playing ‘follow the leader.’ One child hops, skips or jumps, and all the others follow. As adults, however, many of those children play a variation of that game — called ‘follow the follower.’

“On the job, they look around, see how someone else is doing their work, and duplicate the effort. They don’t realize that their fellow employee is also watching someone else. A circular ‘follow the follower’ game evolves, resulting in a mediocre workforce. The same can be true in marriages, education, hobbies, sports, religion, politics or culture.”

Consider the story of a telephone operator in a small town. Every day she received a call from a gentleman asking for the correct time. Finally, one day, she asked the mystery caller who he was and why he called every day. His answer? “I’m the one who blows the factory whistle daily at noon. I like to be right on time!” The operator laughed and then responded, “Here at the telephone company, we set our watches and clocks by the noon whistle at the factory!”

Today’s world and culture seem filled with followers following followers. Look at those horrific political ads. Each ad follows the other ad’s strategy. The same intense music; the same outraged barely able to control their anger voice; the same half-truths and lies; the same pretexts taken out of context; magnifying the ‘demonic’ in the follower candidate they are demonizing. There’s no leader here because there is no leader to follow. Only lemming followers, following other followers, creating other followers.

It’s OK to follow the leader if you know who they are and where they are going. However, I suggest it’s not OK to follow mysterious, autonomous, anonymous, beyond wealthy followers, hiding behind fancy organizations with nice-sounding names, creating confusion via their emotions-driven chaos commercials.

Jesus found himself with the follower problem early on in His ministry. His following had become too big, too “attractional” and too consumer-driven and conditional. The crowd used Jesus as a means to their end, making Him into their image. They weren’t going to em-

brace the mission given to Jesus by God of building quality people who build quality nations.

Because Jesus was secure, he risked numbers and the polling expert’s data for a higher purpose, fulfilling God’s desire to make disciples that would create cultures of wisdom and upliftment. Jesus wanted people to know where He was going and how to get there. So he said, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.”

To thin the crowd of followers, He started talking about issues like, “For I come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life.” He was talking about the elements of the communion table, not spiritual cannibalism. But I can see the political ads about statements like these. Headlines: Jesus is a cannibal creating cannibals, and I’m appalled.

What happened when he taught those things? “Many of His disciples withdrew

and were not talking with Him anymore.” They became followers following followers. But the 12 disciples hung around, saying, “…to whom shall we go? You (Jesus) have the words of eternal life.”

That’s what history-making disciples do. They recognize a true leader worth following when they see one.

Jesus used “attractional” strategies as a starting point for building His church and movement but not at the expense of God’s mission to “disciple nations.” Jesus presented a new model of church and society. Jesus was designing a nation changed from the inside out, not the outside in.

Jesus addressed four attractional but completely wrong reasons for following Him in John 6. Unfortunately, in most cases, these four reasons are the same reasons people follow political parties or candidates.

1. Miracles. Verse 2, “a great multitude was following Jesus because they were

seeing signs….” Jesus was charismatic and gifted. Jesus did amazing things, and He could attract people. But you don’t follow Jesus because He makes life better. You follow Jesus because He’s better than life. Signs and miracles are attractive, even sensational, but don’t necessarily create leaders who can transform underachieving societies.

2. Food stamps, give-a-ways, and entitlements. Verse 26, “…you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.” He compassionately fed the poor, but not forever. Jesus knew trading votes and popularity for constant handouts created co-dependence, producing followers following followers. Jesus lived by God’s voice and a higher calling to uplift all levels of society.

3. They wanted a political party or candidate to rid themselves of an oppressive government. Verse 15, “…they were intending to come and take Him by force, to make Him king.” Many followers wanted to make Jesus the king, the

president or the senator of their political party. They thought politics was the answer to their problems. But Jesus wasn’t about legislation. Legislation is an outside job. Jesus was about transformation. Transformation is an inside job.

4. Jesus’ branding as an excellent leader/personality/winner for people to identify with. Verse 14, “When people saw the sign…they said, ‘This is of a truth the Prophet who is to come into the world.’” Everyone loves a winner. There will always be another latest,

greatest, biggest and best movement or personality people want to identify with. But deifying a figure, a fad or a movement has seldom transformed a runaway society.

Jesus’ mission is to engage, influence and empower underachieving cultures and nations, not just get bodies in chairs or scare people enough to vote. Being attractional might produce larger church meetings or political rallies, but while this is happening, societal problems worsen. Gaining attendance or winning

an election at the expense of losing the culture is not a beneficial societal contribution.

Ask yourself this question. Am I following a true leader with real solutions or am I following followers who say to their followers, “Where I lead you, you will follow; what I feed you, you will swallow because your head is mighty hollow”? I don’t believe for one moment that your head is hollow.

Undoubtedly, the Lord has more for us than this.

Ed Delph is a noted author of 10 books, as well as a pastor, teacher, former business owner and speaker. Ed has traveled extensively, having been to more than 100 countries. He is president of NationStrategy, a nonprofit organization involved in uplifting and transforming communities worldwide. For more information, see nationstrategy.com.

Ed may be contacted at nationstrategy@cs.com.

Comedian’s new film is a love letter to Arizona

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

Actor

Rob Schneider has a love affair with the Valley, where he now resides. Because of this, he’s bringing a taste of Hollywood to the Grand Canyon State.

His forthcoming movie “Daddy Daugh ter Trip” — which he produced, directed and stars in — is now showing exclu sively in Harkins Theatres as of Friday, Sept. 30.

Shot in Arizona, the film is a family affair. His wife, Patricia Maya Schnei der co-wrote the script, and it stars his daughters, singer-songwriter Elle King and Miranda Scarlett Schneider. “Daddy Daughter Trip” also features the legend ary John Cleese (“A Fish Called Wanda,” “Monty Python’s Flying Circus”) and in troduces Gavin Guerrero.

“We hope people love it,” he said. “I hope people get the love. My daughter is fantastic. She’s young and she never made a movie before, of course. She just turned 8. It was her idea.”

She took multiple takes well, too, once she understood.

“I had to explain that it’s not that easy. It’s work,” he said.

“It’s fun and it’s exciting and it’s glam orous, with camera and makeup. It’s long hours. It was so hot in the back of the car. We had an old car and it was repainted a beautiful blue. That’s the theme of the movie. The color of the car is the color of the sky that I see in Arizona.”

Rob and Cleese appeared at comedy clubs around town during the filming.

The actor, often paired with friend Adam Sandler, said it was an honor to work with Cleese.

“He’s my hero,” he said. “He really is a wonderful man. He has a lot to say, and God bless him. It’s OK to have opinions. He’s to the left of where I am, but we both agree it’s about making the human condition better. He won’t call himself a conservative, but we do bridge the gap.

Free speech is everything.

“But ‘Life of Brian’ is the greatest Brit ish comedy of all time. I love British humor. Monty Python is the high water mark of comedy in the 20th century. If you think otherwise, you’re not educat ed about comedy, and you can’t argue it. They changed comedy. Without Monty Python, we wouldn’t have had ‘Saturday Night Live.’”

A blend of live action and animation, “Daddy Daughter Trip” tells the story of second grader (Miranda) who dreams of a fun-filled spring break vacation her family can’t afford. Against the bet ter judgment of her mom (Jackie San dler, Adam Sandler’s wife) and with only coins in their pockets, her dream er father (Rob) decides to take her on a spring break trip anyway.

After a series of misfortunate adven tures, their vacation is saved when the duo meets a couple of famous travel bloggers.

“It’s about dreams,” Rob said. “If you don’t have money, it doesn’t mean you can’t figure out how to have a dream. It’s about family and hanging on to your dreams.

“In a way, it’s a universal truth that we’re dealing with in the movie that I’m really, really happy with. Besides all the jokes and the physical comedy, this is about love and family and that’s some thing I really wanted to show.”

The film is also a love letter to Arizona, where the Schneiders moved two years ago.

“My family, we are California refugees,” he said. “Arizona was nice enough to take us in. This is my thank-you letter to the people in Arizona. We feel very welcome here. I’m grateful.

“It’s my love letter to the state and the people who were unbelievably helpful to get this movie made. I show some pretty cool places here and how beautiful the

“Daddy Daughter Trip,” entirely filmed in Arizona, is now showing in Harkins Theatres. (Daddy Daughter Trip/Submitted)

state is. The differences are incredible between Flagstaff and Sedona. It just goes to show how gorgeous the state is. I love it here.”

Now he’s hoping to bring more films here, thanks to the state’s tax incentives.

“I was asked to make this movie in other states for a tax rebate,” he said. “I’m glad we did it here. I think we’re looking to open a studio here, but we need to see how this movie does and how it’s received and then we’ll take it from there.

“We want to support other filmmakers. I’ll produce the movies and make a few more. I don’t know how many more I’ll do. I’ll make more films here and have them made here. As a matter of fact, I’m flying to meet some investors to produce more films here.”

Info: daddydaughtertripmovie.com

Comedian Rob Schneider and his daughter Miranda Scarlett Schneider star in his upcoming movie, “Daddy Daughter Trip.” (Daddy Daughter Trip/Submitted)

‘Favorites – Past and Present’ commences ProMusica’s 20th season

BY ERYKA FORQUER Foothills Focus Staff Writer

“It’s just a fabulous venue there,” Dolby said. “The acoustics are great, and all the equipment is great.”

ProMusica

Arizona is kicking off its 20th performance year with “Favor ites — Past and Present,” a concert featuring a variety of well-known and -loved pieces from throughout the ages at 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15.

The opening concert will feature a full first half of patriotic favorites including “America the Beautiful,” “God Bless Amer ica,” toe-tapping John Philip Sousa march es and “The Battle Hymn of the Republic.”

The second half will continue with more favorites including music by John Wil liams, a medley of songs by Stephen Sond heim, including “Send in the Clowns,” and a Richard Rodgers medley with songs from “The Sound of Music,” “South Pacif ic” and “Oklahoma,” to name a few.

The Oct. 15 performance will be the first in a three-part series for the 20222023 season.

The season’s concerts feature the or chestra and choir where they will per form sets including patriotic songs, famil iar show tunes, holiday music and new tracks. Yvonne Dolby, the executive direc tor of ProMusica Arizona, said there will be “a lot of variety” in the organization’s upcoming season.

“There will be some pieces that are the chorale with an accompanist, and there’ll be some pieces with just the orchestra,” Dolby said. “Then there will be pieces that they do together.”

This season, ProMusica Arizona con

sists of 50 to 60 choir members and near ly 40 orchestra members. The number of participants is far from the original count that ProMusica Arizona started with when it was founded in 2003.

“Seventeen singers got together and wanted to sing and form a choir,” Dolby said. “So, within a few months, there were 50 people in the choir, and then they add ed an orchestra the next year.”

Dolby said the ages of the organiza tion’s members range from mid-teens to early 80s. The choir and orchestra are mixed with college students, unpaid com munity volunteers and paid professionals who are actors and musicians. Although there is no maximum or minimum age to join the organization, Dolby said mem bers are required to audition and perform

a piece with the artistic director and con certmaster.

“They need to have an intermediate skill level and ability to read music,” Dol by said.

Members must also have an intermedi ate or advanced playing level to join the orchestra.

The organization receives funding from grants, donors and ticket sales. ProMusica Arizona is also supported by the Arizona Commission on the Arts, which provides grants to help support the arts communi ty and make it accessible to the public.

“Most of our funding comes from in dividual donors, but we do get a lot of grants from government agencies,” Dol by said. “The Arizona Commission on the Arts gives us grants and we do get corpo rate sponsorships as well.”

In addition to its concert series, Dolby said ProMusica Arizona also partakes in outreach performances with its women’s ensemble, Women in Song. The ensemble is directed by Patti Graetz and performs at community events, retirement commu nities and different meetings.

ProMusica Arizona has performed over 275 times for more than 134,000 people. Although its offices are based out of An them, the chorale and orchestra perform in Sun City and north Phoenix. Dolby said the organization was looking to expand and cover more of the north valley when it stumbled upon the American Lutheran Church in Sun City.

After uncovering the venue, ProMusica Arizona worked to build an audience and establish its presence in Sun City.

“When we started with the first concert there, we only had 75 people show up,” Dolby said. “We had more people on stage than we did in the audience, and now we attract between 300 and 400 people ev ery time we perform there.”

Following “Favorites — Past and Pres ent” in Oct., ProMusica Arizona will per form its holiday concert, “Christmas Through the Ages,” at 7 p.m Saturday, Dec. 17 in north Phoenix. Audience members can sing along to “Carol of the Bells” and other traditional Christmas songs at the holiday concert.

“Christmas is typically the most well attended concert because people are in the mood to go to an event and celebrate the holidays,” Dolby said. “It will be music they recognize and then some special ar rangements of other pieces.”

The concert series will conclude with the “20th Anniversary Celebration Con cert,” which will include the debut of “Sa guaro Song,” a suite of five songs created by Arizona composer Craig Bohmler. The songs feature texts from the Canadian author Marion Adler, who uses a saguaro cactus to depict the seasons of life.

“We’ll also do a lot of music that we’ve performed over the years that audiences have really liked,” Dolby said.

The last performances will be held at 7:00 p.m. Saturday, April 1 in north Phoenix..

Dolby said the orchestra and choir have been rehearsing for the upcoming concert series since August. The artistic director of ProMusica Arizona has also been working on the programming for several months.

ProMusica Arizona’s “Favorites — Past and Present”

WHEN: 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 15

WHERE: All Saints Lutheran Church 15649 N. 7th Street, Phoenix

COST: Children under 15 free with paid adult; $12 for students; $25 for seniors and military; $27.50 for adults

ProMusica Arizona, a community nonprofit, is celebrating its 20th anniversary with the upcoming season. (ProMusica Arizona/submitted)

CAVE CREEK

e Foothills Focus publishes on Wednesday. e weekly calendar — a listing of entertainment events such as concerts, theatrical performances, events for schools, churches, county parks and nonprofit groups — runs every issue.

Events must be open to the public to be considered and generally must be held within the Foothills Focus coverage area. Events such as concerts and theatrical performances that fall outside the Foothills Focus circulation area will be considered because there are no concert halls or theater venues within our boundaries.

Weekly calendar items print on a space-available basis. e only way to guarantee that an item will print is to purchase an advertisement.

Submissions must reach our office by 4 p.m. Wednesday to be considered for the following Wednesday publication. Submissions must be in writing and may be emailed to Christina Fuoco-Karasinski, christina@ timespublications.com.

Friday Night Bull Riding & Mutton Bustin’

FRIDAYS

Come watch riders rodeo on the back of a mighty bull. For children ages 3 to 6, sheep are available to ride alongside them.

Bu alo Chip Saloon and Steakhouse, 6823 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, 8 to 11:45 p.m., $10 tickets $20 to ride a bull, bu alochipsaloon.com

Crafternoon – Unsupervised

Craft N Chat

MONDAYS

Those who knit or crochet are invited to the Desert Foothills Library for Craft N Chat. New and experienced crafters are welcome to join.

Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, 1 to 3 p.m., free, dfla.org

Death Café

WEDNESDAYS

Death Café is a discussion about death and dying, meant as a way for people to come together and talk about a topic that is often seen as taboo. Rather than a support group, Death Café is meant as a way for anyone at any station to appreciate the time they have left. To date, over 12,000 Death Cafés have opened up worldwide in 78 di erent countries.

Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, 12:30 to 2:30 p.m., free admission, 480-488-2286, dfla.org

FRIDAYS

Kids from the ages of 2 to 18 can craft to their heart’s content in the Imagination Lab. With no sta to act as supervision, all kids must be accompanied by an adult.

Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., free admission, 480-488-2286, dfla.org

house Road, Cave Creek, 4 to 5 p.m., free, 480-993-6147, jubilateconservatoryofmusic@gmail.com

Tai Chi & Qigong for Everyone

OCT. 11

Practice self care and work on balance, flexibility, and inner peace through Tai Chi. Get help from Bina Bou, a senior trainer who has been working on the art for a decade.

Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, 9 to 10 a.m., $10, 480-4882286, dfla.org, mindbodyfocusqi.com

eBook and Online Database Help

OCT. 11

Yoga Fusion

THURSDAYS

Join Elizabeth Boisson in an intermediate-level course of Yoga Fusion at the Desert Foothills Library from noon to 1 p.m. Thursdays. The class will start with breathing exercises and then go through di erent types of stretching movements and then into Vinyasa or flow yoga.

Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, noon to 1 p.m., $10 cash per class, dfla.org

Live Music at Janey’s Co eehouse

NIGHTLY

Come listen to live music every night at Janey’s Co eehouse, performed by a variety of talented local artists. The venue has over a dozen unique performers each month, and for those looking to perform, new talent is encouraged to come by and sign up. This week, check out Eric Ramsay, Sweet Tony Paiotti, Stumbling Moxie, and Aaron Howard.

Janey’s Co eehouse, 6602 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., cavecreekazmusic.com

Jubilate Voice and Choir Class

OCT. 5

Students nine and older are encouraged to come learn how to sing di erent styles of music, including classical works, with others in a group setting and follow a director.

Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. School-

Writer’s Connection

OCT. 7

Get together with other writers and figure out how to bring worlds of fiction into written form. Discuss ideas, chat about how to make them work, and create stories that are engaging and interesting.

Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, 1 to 3 p.m., free, 480-488-2286, dfla.org

Beginner Conversation French

OCT. 11

Learn French from a native speaker and expert foreign language teacher. Spend eight weeks together with students and get experience learning in a small group. Handouts provided.

Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, 10 a.m. to noon, $80, 480-488-2286, dfla.org, dominique.flamm@ gmail.com

Downloading and using eBooks can be a confusing process at first, but is easy to figure out after a little practice. For those with questions, the Desert Foothills Library has an informal drop-in class for anyone who is confused about Libby, Cloud Library or any other apps the library o ers.

Desert Foothills Library, 38443 N. Schoolhouse Road, Cave Creek, 11 a.m. to noon, free, 480488-2286, dfla.org, mindbodyfocusqi.com

Service Industry Night & Karaoke

OCT. 12

Celebrate the service industry and good company at the Cave Creek Corral, with karaoke from 9 p.m. to midnight. Enjoy inexpensive beers and priceless company. Harold’s Cave Creek Corral 6895 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, 8 p.m., free admission, 480-488-1906, haroldscorral.com

Sunday Funday with Casey and George

OCT.16

Enjoy live music with local favorites Casey and George as they play guitar melodies while you eat. No cover charge. Harold’s Cave Creek Corral 6895 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek, 5 p.m., free admission, 480-488-1906, haroldscorral.com

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