INSIDE THE APRIL 2025 ISSUE: Exploring Luxury Living for Seniors p. 3 Using Technology to Make the Shoe Fit p. 4 Unique Stores Open at Pine Ridge Marketplace p. 12
Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls to Showcase Rodeo TrickRiding p. 16 Mural Artist Honors U.S. Military in a Big Way p. 19 Businesses Apply Sustainable Practices from Green Boot Camp p. 22
Dignity Health Unveils New ICU at YRMC East Campus D
By Stan Bindell, QCBN
ignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) East Campus marked a major milestone on March 4 with the unveiling of a new 10-bed, state-of-the-art Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Community leaders and hospital officials gathered for a ribbon-cutting ceremony to celebrate the expansion, which aims
to enhance critical care services for the growing region. “This is critical to increase the capacity from 72 to 82 ICU beds,” said YRMC President and CEO Dr. Anthony Torres. “As our community continues to grow, so does the need for ICU treatment.” Torres noted that the addition will allow YRMC to repurpose existing ICU space for medical, surgical and
telemetry inpatient care. He highlighted the expansion as a testament to the hospital’s commitment to high-quality health care. “This is another example of providing care where it is needed,” he said. “It gives us the opportunity to treat more patients and provide healing to families.” Prescott Valley Mayor Kell Palguta, members of the Prescott Valley Town
Council and representatives from the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce joined hospital officials for the ceremony. Torres credited the community’s ongoing support for making the expansion possible and expressed his desire to strengthen partnerships with local leaders for future projects. “This is a perfect example of working with community leaders,” he said. “This is a huge step forward and an
Continued on page 38
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes Highlights Business Services, Election Integrity in Prescott Valley Visit
W
Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes, shown here third from the left, brought his “On the Road” initiative to the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce. Photo by Stan Bindell
April 2025 | Issue 4 Volume 13
By Stan Bindell, QCBN
hen Arizona Secretary of State Adrian Fontes visits communities across the state, most people expect him to talk about elections. But during a stop at the Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce on March 5, Fontes also highlighted another key responsibility of his office: business services. Speaking as part of his “On the Road” initiative, Fontes emphasized the role his office plays in streamlining business operations in Arizona. He noted that while elections often grab headlines, business services are critical to the state’s economy. The Secretary of State’s office oversees trademarks, out-of-state investments and notary public regulations. It also manages Business One Stop, an online resource designed to help entrepreneurs navigate the requirements of starting and maintaining a business in Arizona.
“It took one investor seven months to invest $66 million [because of regulations]. If someone wants to invest, we want to make it happen as soon as possible and as efficiently as possible,” Fontes said. One of the most basic but significant improvements under his leadership, he added, has been reducing the number of unanswered phone calls. “Before I took office, 700 calls were being lost a week by the Secretary of State’s office,” he said. “We have cut that number down to a dozen.” The Business Services Division operates with a staff of 12, based in Phoenix and Tucson. The team is digitizing records to make processes more efficient, and Fontes said they are continuously working to improve accessibility. He also said he wants to make sure reservations have better access to business services, especially notary publics. “The reservations lack notaries, so we want to make it easier for people to become Continued on page 39