Kids’ Corner

KIDS’ CORNER GHOSTLY PLACES IN ARIZONA A HISTORY OF HAUNTING

By Jill “MamaBug” Frier

As the temperatures begin to drop in Arizona, the thrills and chills of Halloween spookiness begin to creep in. One of the most fascinating, and entertaining, aspects of Arizona is the legendary prevalence of its ghost stories. As the heart of the Wild West, Arizona has had a history of violence, tragedy and mayhem from its earliest days on record. The result was hundreds of ghostly stories that surround certain, creepy spots throughout our state. Some of the ghostly spots are difficult to find and can be hard to reach, but here are a few of the reportedly haunted places around Arizona you can easily visit and take a ghost tour this Halloween season.

HASSAYAMPA INN, EARLY 1930s

BIRDCAGE THEATER 535 East Allen Street Tombstone, Arizona Tombstone, located in the southern part of Arizona, is one of the most famous and celebrated towns of the historic Old West. Labeled “the town too tough to die,” Tombstone has seen its share of violence and death. The place with the worst reputation in Tombstone, widely believed to be the wildest and meanest place in town, is the Birdcage Theater. At least 16 deadly gunfights took place in the former saloon, brothel and gambling hall, and legend has it that at least 26 people died there between 1881 and 1889. Arguably one of the most haunted places in the state, the current owners of the Birdcage Theater describe it this way: “Over one hundred and forty bullet holes remain in the building. Visitors and employees of the Bird Cage Theater in Tombstone, Arizona, have reported seeing the spirits of former prostitutes and men in cowboy hats. Some claim to be touched and pushed by unseen forces. At night, the sounds of laughter, yelling and music have been heard, as though the parties of the old west were still raging.”

If you’re looking for one of the most infamous haunted hot spots in Arizona, take a day or weekend trip south to Tombstone and stop in at the Bird Cage Theater.

JEROME GRAND HOTEL 200 Hill Street Jerome, Arizona A bit north of Phoenix, nestled in the mountains near Cottonwood and Sedona, is the historic town of Jerome. Once a billion dollar copper mining town, Jerome was also once known as the “Wickedest Town in the West.” The town was designated a National Historic Landmark in 1976 and many of the original structures built in its heyday are still precariously hanging from the side of the mountain, looming over the Verde Valley of NorthCentral Arizona. The Grand Hotel is reportedly one of the most haunted establishments in Jerome, a town full of great ghost stories. A former hospital, it is said to have about eight different ghosts haunting the building, ranging from patients to staff who died in a variety of frightening ways. Although the current owner is not really into hauntings or ghost stories, he does say: “If there are spirits, they must be a lot happier occupying a hotel instead of a hospital. They are dealing with a clientele that are here by choice and not necessity.” Jerome is well known for its hauntings, and haunted tours of the town are available for visitors who want to see more of the spooky sights and rumored haunts of the spirits in Jerome and the surrounding area. 36610 North 355th Avenue Wickenburg, Arizona A little northwest of Phoenix is Wickenburg and the former site of Vulture City, another once-booming mining town with a brief and tempestuous history. In 1863, Henry Wickenburg discovered gold and silver and established the Vulture Mine. A small mining town cropped up to support the mine and the usual antics of the Wild West ensued. Once home to a population of several thousand people, Vulture City provides people with a glimpse of the mining culture and lifestyle in the Old West, and visitors can explore several of the buildings to see a piece of Arizona history. Visitors can also see the infamous, and very creepy, “Hanging Tree,” where legend has it that 18 miners were executed for stealing gold in the late 1800s.

Visitors report hearing voices, seeing “spirit orbs” and feeling cold spots around the former mining town, reportedly another Arizona hot spot for ghostly activity. The town of Wickenburg hosts its own Legends and Ghosts Tours, so if you are seeking a spooky trip to an old mining town, take a quick journey down the road to Wickenburg for a tour of the Vulture Mine and find out about the other haunted spots in the area. 122 E Gurley St. Prescott, Arizona The one time capitol of Arizona, Prescott is home to many stories of ghosts and Wild West antics. One of the most famous, however, is the supposed haunting of the somewhat more modern Hassayampa Inn in on Gurley Street. The hotel was constructed in the 1920s and quickly became the site of one of Prescott’s most notorious hauntings. The hotel describes its most famous ghost story this way: “The year it opened, 1927, a very young bride checked into a balcony suite with her much older husband. According to the story, her husband went out to buy cigarettes and never returned. She waited for three days and then took her life in despair. Since then, countless hotel guests and employees have reported encounters with a young woman throughout the hotel crying at the end of a bed, dressed in a pink gown in the hallway, appearing and disappearing from rooms. Others have reported strange cold spots in her honeymoon suite. Frequently the smell of flowers emanates from the empty room.”

The Hassayampa Inn is a beautiful, historic hotel in downtown Prescott, but it’s also the location of quite a few different reported ghost sightings. If you are in the mood for a good ghost story and some famous hauntings this Halloween season, the Hassayampa Inn in Prescott is worth

VULTURE GOLD MINE

HASSAYAMPA INN a weekend visit.

These are just a few of the many spots in Arizona rumored to be home to ghosts of our Wild West past. So if you are looking for the thrills and chills of a good ghost story this Halloween season and want a place that is easy to visit, take a day or weekend trip to one of these famously haunted spots. And be sure to check Ladybug’s Blog for a more ideas for great places to get your kids out of the house to enjoy historic and fun adventures throughout the state of Arizona.

COVER STORY MULTIMILLION DOLLAR RENOVATIONS BRING NEW OUTDOOR SPACE TO NORTERRA

By Haley MacDonell

The Shops at Norterra are changing as the completion of multimillion-dollar redevelopments draw to a close. Six months ago, RED Development began these renovations on retail space and adding outdoor seating. Within the next three months, new vendors will be moving in and opening their doors.

“We noticed a need in the neighborhood to repurpose existing retail buildings and create a more communal, social area for eating, drinking and gathering in a well-designed, welcoming space,” said Scott Rehorn, partner at RED Development, a wholly integrated commercial real estate company. “Our vision has really come to life and we think our guests will enjoy the new atmosphere.”

The Shops at Norterra, located at the northeast corner of Happy Valley and the I-17 include more than 40 shops and restaurants. Outdoor seating at restaurants like Pita Jungle, was one of the goals for the new developments. The shopping center also boasts community events such as live music at Elevate Coffee on Friday and Saturday nights, and a Halloween Spooktacular and Car Show which will take place on Friday, October 19.

“It’s a destination location because of the restaurants, and because of the atmosphere we have created,” said Rehorn. “You want what you can’t get online: dining and a great atmosphere. That doesn’t come in a box to your house.”

As construction finishes in the next few months, new stores will be opening their doors including As You Wish Pottery, Shasta Pools Showroom and Koi Poke. The 44,500 square feet of the Shops at Norterra already include restaurant favorites like Mellow Mushroom, and entertainment options including Harkins Theatres.

“Local and regional businesses are constantly evolving, but brick and mortar stores aren’t going away,” Rehorn said.

For more information on The Shops at Norterra and to learn about one of the many upcoming events, visit NorterraShopping.com.

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KOI POKE SHASTA POOLS AS YOU WISH POTTERY

DON’T GET TRICKED THIS HALLOWEEN – CANDY AND MEDICINE MIXUP

By Shomari Jackson Drug-Free Communities Project Coordinator Southwest Behavioral & Health Services

There is no doubt that Halloween is right around the corner. Grocery store shelves are bursting with costumes and candy. While this is a time of the year where families can come together and enjoy the fall season, it is also important for parents to remember the importance of safeguarding medications that may be easily accessible to their kids.

Many medicines and candy can be difficult if not impossible to tell apart. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), each year approximately 3 million people swallow or have contact with a poisonous substance — many under the age of 5. A young child may be poisoned by ingesting prescription or over-the-counter medications. Making it particularly enticing to young children is the fact that many medicines have a lookalike candy counterpart.

Some of the most common household medicines that resemble candy include: • Motrin tablets look like orange M&M’s • Adderall XR resembles Tic-Tacs • Aspirin look like Certs • Dayquil capsules look like Mike and Ike’s • Ex-Lax looks like a Hershey’s candy bar • Vitamins look like Gummy Bears

To help prevent this, parents should keep all medicines, prescription and over-the-counter, in a safe place not accessible to their children. This is also an opportunity for parents to talk to their children about the dangers of taking medicines or other substance that did not come from their parents. An additional concern is the availability of marijuana edibles. These products look and taste like regular food a child might consume: cookies, brownies, toaster pastries, and candies.

Older kids who wish to experiment with getting high might choose these products because they are harder to detect. Edibles have no tell-tale smoke or odor.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and AAP share these tips for keeping medication away from children. • Keep medications stored in areas up high and out of your children’s reach, or in a locked medicine cabinet • Don’t leave medications out on the counter after you are finished taking them • Keep your medications in their original containers, with labels intact • Remember to securely close the childproof safety cap each time you use any medication • Don’t leave your next dose out on the table or counter as a reminder to take it later • Properly dispose of any unused or expired medications • Never refer to any medications as “candy” or a treat

Parents need to be aware of the safety issues with any prescription or over-the-counter medications and know what to do in an emergency situation if you suspect that a child has ingested something poisonous. Stay calm and try and determine what the child has ingested. If your child is awake and alert, immediately call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. But if they are unresponsive, have collapsed or not breathing call 911 immediately. And if the child has swallowed something, take it away from them but do not induce vomiting.

For more information, visit www. sbhservices.org/.

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RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE VALUE PRICED HOMES

By Shelley Sakala

It’s not often you see two homes in the same zip code separated in price by $1.4 million. But that’s exactly what we’re experiencing in the area right now. While most of the properties for sale are listed at $300,000-$600,000, there’s an increase in homes at both higher and lower price points. The highest priced 85085 house is on the market for $1.6 million. And just a few miles away there’s one listed for $250,000. This type of disparity tends to happen in newer areas – you get a mix of different property sizes, home designs, and price points. Older, more established neighborhoods have usually settled into their home values, which typically move up and down in price together as the market moves.

The million-dollar homes, as beautiful as they are, have a narrower marketplace. But the increased inventory of value priced homes (in the $200’s) appeals to a much larger group of first-time home buyers, downsizers, or anyone previously “priced out” from the neighborhood. A search of listings at $250,000 or below shows 41 properties for sale in Norterra/ Deer Valley.

Aside from being a great place to live, Deer Valley and Norterra are in the midst of a strong growth period, residentially and commercially. This combination of factors makes a community desirable and soughtafter. Buying a value priced home in a growing neighborhood could prove to be a savvy investment, as we might eventually see nothing available below $300,000. Those who “buy low” could soon find themselves with a pretty good chunk of equity. Not a bad position to be in, especially in a city that’s growing.

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