Published by Estrella Publishing LLC, PO Box 6962, Goodyear AZ 85338. Additional copies can be obtained for a fee by contacting info@EstrellaPublishing.com
Catherine Uretsky, Publisher and Editor Talia Uretsky, Assistant Editor Al Uretsky, Publisher and Sales Executive 623.398.5541 info@EstrellaPublishing.com
I heard a story once of three older women who had been friends for many years, and as a result often repeated stories that the others had heard before. In order to save embarrassment, and probably a lot of time, they came up with a system. If someone started to tell a story that had already been told the listener would hold up one finger. If she had heard it twice before she held up two fingers, and so on. I thought this was a efficient and kind way to handle the situation.
As we age we will all start to forget things. I have begun to watch my dad carefully to make sure his occasional forgetfulness is not something more serious, but the fact is, I am noticing that I forget or mix things up on a regular basis too.
I often think of things to write when I am driving, or in the shower — you know those times when your mind sometimes wanders. By the time I get to a computer or paper and pen to write down my inspiration, I generally forget to do so and I am left with that niggling feeling of having forgotten what was of course going to be an amazing piece of writing. The forgetting occurs on a regular basis when I go into
a different room, intent on getting something, but once I am there I have no earthly idea what I came in for. Sound familiar?
My greatest fear is that I will end up repeating part (or heaven forbid all) of a previous editorial. I could do as my husband suggested and go into my computer and organize them all. The horror! That is 15 years of writing. After a quick tap on my calculator app, that comes to 180 articles to find, sort, read, title, and store in a file that I will remember to use going forward. That feels insurmountable to me right now. I suppose I will have to attack it at some point, I will just have to think of the quote, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!” That should make it more manageable.
In the meantime I am sure you will tell me if I am repeating myself. Perhaps you could be kind and just hold up one finger.
Catherine Uretsky
Editor, Viva Magazine info@estrellapublishing.com
623.398.5541
Cook With Zona
Chicken Stir Fry
If you’re looking for a quick, easy, and super tasty dinner, chicken stir fry is a total winner. This meal is a staple meal in my home. It’s so easy, very little prep, extremely customizable, and always tastes so good! Juicy chicken, veggies, and a flavorful sauce—all tossed together in one pan— what’s not to love? The best part? You can mix and match whatever vegetables you have in the fridge. Bell peppers, broccoli, snap peas, carrots, mushrooms— anything goes! Serve it over rice or noodles, and you’ve got a satisfying meal the whole family will love. It’s perfect for weeknights when you’re short on time but still want something fresh and delicious.
• Asian sauce of choice. e.g. Teriyaki, Kung Pow, Korean BBQ
• Rice or noodles of choice. e.g. Udon, Cantonese egg noodles, chow mein, low mein
• 4 cloves minced garlic
• Salt pepper and onion powder to taste
Steps
1. Cube the chicken and marinate in Asian sauce of your choice for at least 1 hour.
2. Mince garlic, slice peppers, and chop broccoli into bite size pieces. I use baby carrots out of convenience but you could also use shredded carrots.
3. Add garlic to both pans with a little olive oil.
If you have a recipe you’d like to share with your community email me at ArizonaCooks71@gmail.com to be featured in the magazine!
Prep time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 35 mins | Total Time: 50 mins
Ingredients
• 1 ½ lbs chicken breasts
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 ½ cups carrots
• 1 large head of broccoli
4. Cook chicken in one pan, while cooking all veggies together in a separate pan. You want to be able to easily poke the broccoli. Season both with salt, pepper, and onion powder.
5. Combine cooked chicken and veggies together in one pan. Add a bit more sauce if desired.
6. Cook your noodles according to the package directions and add everything together.
7. Top with sesame seeds or green onions if you’re feeling fancy!
8. Enjoy!
We love to see our neighbors’ delicious creations, so send us a picture of your stir fry or tag us on social media @EstrellaPublishing.
Save A Life
Since 1998, more than 1000 children have died from vehicular heatstroke – 46 in Arizona – with 52% of those incidents involving a parent or caregiver forgetting the child was in the vehicle. And hot cars can hit deadly temperatures quickly. On a 70-degree day, a car’s interior can hit 89 degrees in five minutes and 113 degrees within an hour. On a 90-degree day, the inside of a car can reach 100 degrees in five minutes and 133 degrees in an hour.
ACNSC is urging the community to act immediately to end these preventable deaths. By raising awareness of the danger of vehicular heatstroke and children and emphasizing the three primary circumstances that have led to children dying – a caregiver forgets a child in a vehicle, a child gains access to a vehicle, someone knowingly leaves a child in a vehicle – parents, caregivers and everyone, including bystanders, can play a pivotal role in preventing hot car deaths. “The possibility of a hot car tragedy is often overlooked. No one thinks it can happen to them or their family,” says Rick Murray, ACNSC President and CEO. “That’s why it’s crucial that we all become more aware of this danger to prevent such unthinkable and devastating losses.”
Free resources including tips for parents and caregivers, posters, videos, articles, technology solutions and a legislative report are available at: https://www.nsc. org/road/safety-topics/child-passenger-safety/kidsin-hot-cars. Visitors to the site are strongly encouraged to take NSC’s online course titled “Children in Hot Cars,” designed to raise awareness of the vehicular heatstroke hazard and outline proactive measures to
prevent child deaths in hot cars.
About the Arizona Chapter National Safety Council Established in 1949, the Arizona Chapter National Safety Council (ACNSC) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to educating and motivating individuals to lead safer and healthier lives at home, work, school, play, and on the roadways.
LOOK BEFORE YOU LOCK!
Create a routine! Check off the tasks you will try today.
Make it a routine to open the back door of your car every time you park.
If you are driving a child, after you correctly buckle them in a car seat or booster seat put something you need at your destination in the back seat so you will open the back door: a cellphone, employee badge, handbag, or other item you need to keep with you
Ask your babysitter or child care provider to contact you if your child hasn’t arrived as scheduled.
Keep a stuffed animal in the child’s car seat. Place it on the front passenger seat as a reminder when the child is in the back seat.
Set the alarm on your cell phone or computer calendar as a reminder to drop your child off at child care. Remember to make the alarm song/sound different from all other alert sounds on your device.
If you have a change in routine, such as your spouse or parent dropping your child off at child care instead of you, make sure you and the other person communicate to confirm the drop-off was made
Consider technology that alerts drivers to check the back seat. (Vehicle and child restraint manufacturers have been working on various evolving alert systems and some technologies are available now!)
PebbleCreek Men’s 9-Hole Golf Association Makes Grant to Local Non-Profit
The PebbleCreek Men’s 9-Hole Golf Association has made a $10,000 donation to the Luke Chapter of the Military Officers Association of America.
Ray Clements, President of the Association, presented a check for $10,000 to the President of the Chapter, Gene Wikle, at a dinner held at Grandview Terrace in Surprise on May 8. Clements said, “We are proud to present these funds to the Luke Chapter, which will help them to continue their charitable support of veterans, active-duty Airmen and students in the West Valley.”
Wikle thanked the Golf Association and said, “We very much appreciate the generous support. Your
donation will be put to good use to benefit many lives locally, and we couldn’t carry out our mission without donations from thoughtful organizations like yours.”
Among the Luke Chapter’s programs are three main charitable initiatives:
1) providing college scholarships to outstanding graduating high school and continuing college students from military families;
2) making emergency monetary grants to veterans in need of housing assistance;
3) supporting West Valley Junior ROTC programs at 13 local high schools.
In 2025, the Chapter provided 21 college scholarships totaling $30,000. In addition, the Chapter provided emergency grants totaling $40,000 to 19 veterans and families in need of rent, utilities, food, transportation and essential household needs. At Thanksgiving, the Chapter supports the Luke Air Force Base First Sergeants, “Turkey for Troops,” which provides turkeys and gift cards to junior enlisted families in need. The Chapter fosters a very active and nationallyrecognized Surviving Spouses Program, and provides transition assistance for separating service members. Luke Chapter partners with the national Military Officers Association of America and with the Arizona Department of Veterans’ Services to support grants to Arizona veterans facing housing and food emergencies.
To join the Chapter or learn more, log on here and “Never Stop Serving:” https://www.lukemoaa.org
The Bug Guy
Pest Control Crisis: Phoenix Valley’s Summer Sauna Becomes Bug Bonanza
In the relentless June heat of the Phoenix Valley, residents face an annual invasion that makes the scorching temperatures seem like a minor inconvenience by comparison.
“June in Phoenix isn’t just hot—it’s like we’ve created the world’s largest all-you-can-eat buffet for insects,” explains Larry Cash, a veteran exterminator with Estrella Mountain Pest Control. “The scorpions think they’ve died and gone to heaven, which is ironic because Phoenix in summer feels like the opposite of heaven.”
Local homeowner Sandra Wilkins recounts her recent kitchen showdown with a brazen cockroach. “This thing wasn’t just surviving in my kitchen—it was
thriving. It had the audacity to look at my can of Raid like I was offering it a refreshing spritz on a hot day.”
Even swimming pools, normally a blessed relief from the heat, become insect graveyards. “I spend more time fishing bugs out of my pool than actually swimming in it,” laments Dave Thompson of Goodyear. “Last week I found what I’m pretty sure was a scorpion riding on top of a dead cricket like it was a tiny apocalyptic jet ski.”
Cash offers some practical advice: “Check your shoes before putting them on, seal your food properly, and remember that gaps under doors aren’t just letting your expensive AC out—they’re rolling out the red carpet for six-legged squatters.”
As Phoenix residents battle this annual invasion, there’s at least one silver lining according to Cash: “The bugs are so plentiful that we’ve seen a decrease in human snowbirds. Apparently, retirees from Minnesota draw the line at sharing their morning coffee with bark scorpions.”
Until July brings even more brutal temperatures that even the hardiest pests find excessive, Phoenix locals will continue their vigilant defense of territory, armed with nothing but flyswatters, diatomaceous earth, and increasingly creative profanity.
Submitted by Larry Cash, of Estrella Mountain Pest Control
The Doctor Is In
Respect is Earned, Not Owed
The way to get respect is to command it, not demand it. The difference is significant. Demanding respect relies on external validation like titles or power, often stemming from insecurity and breeding resentment. Conversely, commanding respect is an “inside job,” rooted in consistent character and observable actions, demonstrating qualities that inspire admiration.
Four fundamental qualities underpin commanding respect: competence, trustworthiness, empathy and humility. Competence signifies knowing your subject and delivering on your promises. Trustworthiness involves dependability, honesty and integrity. Empathy is the willingness to understand others’ perspectives, distinct from sympathy’s shared experience. Humility entails a modest self-view, openness to feedback, and a willingness to apologize.
Crucially, commanding respect begins with selfrespect. This internal confidence arises from valuing oneself, accepting imperfections and practicing self-forgiveness. Cultivating self-respect involves challenging negative thoughts, practicing self-kindness and nurturing positive, balanced relationships where one feels valued. Understanding and honoring personal wants and desires through identifying values, practicing self-care and being assertive are also vital. Commanding respect is about attraction, not expectation. While basic human rights warrant respectful treatment, earning further respect requires conscious effort in six areas. First, know your worth
and behave accordingly, projecting confidence and upholding expectations. Second, set and maintain solid boundaries, valuing your time and energy and addressing disrespect immediately. Third, behave honestly and ethically, aligning words and actions, keeping commitments and taking responsibility. Fourth, be an effective communicator through active listening, clear and respectful speech, assertiveness and maintaining composure. Fifth, increase your competence and expertise through continuous learning, decisive action and a strong work ethic. Sixth, treat others with respect through empathy, courtesy and positive interactions.
By focusing on earning respect through your actions, you cultivate genuine admiration and loyalty, a far more sustainable and effective approach than demanding it.
Submitted by Dr. J. Paweleck-Bellingrodt, Psy.D.
Puzzle Time
This samurai sudoku puzzle is a great way to engage the brain and help develop logic skills. To solve this Samurai puzzle use standard sudoku rules for every 9x9 grid: each digit from 1 to 9 can only appear once in every row, column and 3x3 box. Solutions are on our website www.EstrellaPublishing.com
Difficulty: Moderate Tuesday, 13th May 2025
Competition
With July 4th just around the corner and the barbecues and picnics, family gatherings and neighborhood pot lucks looming, our thoughts go to that favorite dish. You know the one. The corn bread, wings or potato salad renowned for being the first dish people finish or the desserts full of berries and love. Every family has one or even two.
Well now is your chance to share with the rest of us. Send in your recipe for your favorite crowd pleasing Fourth of July dish (pictures too if you have them). The best of the best will be published in our July editions and be eligible to win a gift card for either Bodega or Salt restaurants in Westgate.
Email your recipes to info@estrellapublishing.com before June 12th to be entered into the competition.
