INSIDE THE APRIL 2022 ISSUE: Manufactured Homes Going Fast p. 3 Bronze Sculptor Celebrated p. 4 Colleen Biggs Helps Women Lead p. 8
Preparing for Space Exploration on Babbitt Ranches p. 10 Businesses Support Red Rock Trails p. 13 Sedona Honors Actress Mariette Hartley p. 14
Housing Market Expected to Remain Strong for Years Millennials, investors and a lack of inventory are driving demand as interest rates rise By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN
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rizona’s real estate market remains “ridiculously hot,” says Arizona Association of REALTORS President Gary Nelson. “We are seeing tremendous increases in home
values in the last two years, increasing about 25% year over year in localized markets and about a 12% to 13% per year increase in median home prices.” A lack of inventory, Millennials and investors are playing a huge role in the home-buying frenzy, say the experts,
especially in scenic, tourism destinations. Prescott, Sedona, Flagstaff and parts of Scottsdale are experiencing the biggest spike in the cost of homes, says Nelson, a longtime realtor and delegated-associate broker with Realty Executives in Flagstaff. He describes a typical real estate scenario like this: “A property recently listed in Flagstaff was
built in 1975. It was a three-bedroom, two-bath, two-car garage, singlelevel house, nicely updated, 1,740 square feet. It comes on the market at $650,000. There were 11 showings and seven offers with bidding up over $800,000.” Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Bloomtree Realty CEO Nick Continued on page 37
Hybrid, Electric Vehicles Growing in Popularity By Stan Bindell, QCBN
A General Manager Jamaal McCoy showcases a popular hybrid model available at Findlay Toyota Prescott. Photo by Stan Bindell
April 2022 | Issue 4 Volume 10
s the price of gasoline continues to rise, sales for hybrid and electric vehicles are increasing at Findlay Toyota in both Flagstaff and Prescott. Brian Landauer, general manager of Findlay Toyota Flagstaff, says Toyota is the world leader of hybrid and electric vehicles, as Toyota invented the first generation Prius. Landauer said hybrids are more popular than fully electric cars because drivers worry about running out of power on long trips. With a hybrid, he says drivers can go from Flagstaff to Los Angeles and back without having to charge their batteries. When hybrid vehicles get low on battery power, the vehicle automati-
cally switches over to gas. “The vehicle does it all on its own. Most customers never feel the system working. You just plug it in and go,” he said. New hybrid vehicles also are less expensive than they used to be, ranging from about $24,000 to $40,000. In 2021, Toyota sold 2.5 million hybrid or electric vehicles; 17 million since they became available. Drivers like them because they save money on gas and have less of an environmental impact. Hybrid models available at Toyota include the Prius, Corolla, Camry, RAV4 and Highlander. Within a year, Toyota expects more hybrids, including the Tundra, the first full-sized SUV Sequoia hybrid and the sporty bZ4X. “We are focusing on the hybrids until the battery issues are worked out,” he said.
Currently, batteries are guaranteed for 125,000 miles. Landauer says he expects electric vehicles will be more practical for long-range driving in about five years as technology improves. Like many businesses, Toyota’s production of electric and hybrid vehicles has had inventory challenges during the pandemic as production slowed 20% to 30%. However, the number of charging stations for electric vehicles is increasing. So far, hybrids and electric vehicles make up less than 3% of the global market. “It is a relatively new technology,” he said, adding that electric and hybrid vehicles are about the same mechanically as other vehicles, although the brake pads and rotors last longer in Continued on page 39
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Southwest Homes owner Jon Rocha says more affordable manufactured homes, like this one, are giving first-time homebuyers a chance to enter the real estate market. Photo by Stan Bindell
Manufactured Homes Sell in Chino Valley Before They Hit the Market Homebuyers fill waiting list for homes coming to Paulden
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By Stan Bindell, QCBN
outhwest Homes recently sold five manufactured homes in Chino Valley and plans to sell 24 more in Paulden. The homes sold out six days before they were to be placed on the market, and more than 200 people showed interest in seeing the models even after the homes were sold. Southwest Homes owner Jon Rocha takes pride in the manufactured homes, saying that manufactured homes are built much better than they used to be. The one-acre, three-bedroom, two-bathroom homes in Chino Valley sold in the $350,000 to $400,000 range. Rocha calls the five homes a micro-community and emphasized that they are more affordable than new stick-built homes that are commonly selling for at least $200,000 more. “We are the most affordable option,” he said. “We have always been the most affordable, but now we’re more comparable to site-built homes in value and benefits.” Rocha said these manufactured homes give working class people a chance to reach the American dream. He said four of the five homes were sold to young couples and one was sold to a retiree from out of state. With rents averaging $1,600 to $1,800 per month, people will pay about that or less for the mortgages for these manufactured homes, he said. “It’s the only housing that’s not being gobbled up by people from out of state.” He says today’s higher quality of manufactured homes takes away the stigma of having
a manufactured home, as they now have stem walls and meet much higher standards than in the past. “The quality is there that wasn’t there a decade ago,” he said. “They have insulation comparable to site-built homes. They have traditional site-built features. A lot of the appliances used to not be up to standards, but now they are. The water heaters weren’t standard, but now they are.” The new manufactured homes also have vinyl flooring. “The flooring is intact for the long haul,” he said. The Chino Valley homes are 1,500 to 1,800 square feet and will have their own septic and private wells. The properties can have horses and other domestic animals. The planned manufactured homes in Paulden, which are not available yet, will be on two-acre lots. Rocha hopes to bring more manufactured homes to Chino Valley in the future, but added that may depend on what needs to be rezoned. “It’s a challenge. Either there’s no land or it’s way too expensive.” Rocha already has a waiting list for the planned homes in Paulden and possible future homes in Chino Valley. The interest in manufactured homes underscores the immense shortage of housing inventory in the Quad Cities area, he said. “People are outbidding others and going above the asking price to get in there.” QCBN
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Top: Renowned Western artist Bill Nebeker is surrounded by friends and admirers on opening day of his retrospective exhibit at the Phippen Museum. Below: The exhibit celebrates Nebeker’s 50 years of sculpting and casting Western life in bronze. Photos by Ray Newton
Nebeker Western Bronze Exhibit Expected to Attract Thousands
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he Phippen Art Museum is hosting “If Horses Could Talk: The Art of Bill Nebeker” through July 24. “It’s one of our popular recent exhibits, for sure,” said Executive Director Edd Kellerman. The exhibit honors Nebeker’s 50 years of sculpting and casting Western life in bronze. An estimated 300 people came on opening day to view more than 100 selected pieces. “I envision thousands coming to this show over the coming weeks,” said Kellerman. “Nebeker is one of the most respected and well-known Western artists in the nation. His art captivates people. Because the exhibit is up through Prescott Frontier Days and the annual rodeo, we’ll have people from all over the country coming to see it.” New Prescott residents Ken and Diane Fidyk have been Nebeker fans since they saw his bronze sculpture at the roundabout near the Prescott Airport. “We were awed.” They referred to the larger-than-life bronze sculpture featuring a cowboy with binoculars
sitting on a ledge searching for elk, while his horse is looking the other way at an elk crouched under the ledge. The show is named after that award-winning sculpture. “Even when he was a kid, Bill was always carving and creating things,” said Nebeker’s friend since childhood, Jim Riley. “And look at him now - world-famous.” Nebeker was the first president of a now-prestigious national organization, Cowboy Artists of America, founded 57 years ago by several Southwestern artists (not including Nebeker) when they were sitting in the Oak Creek Tavern in Sedona. Merry Nebeker, Bill’s wife, started planning the exhibit with museum staff members more than two years ago. “Bill is such a legend that we all thought a 50-year retrospective would be terrific.” “Having Bill Nebeker use his tremendous talent in keeping the history and tradition of Prescott and the American West alive - we are blessed,” said Prescott Mayor Phil Goode. “Thanks to Phippen Museum for this great exhibit that brings so many visitors to town.” QCBN
APRIL 2022 // Quad Cities Business News
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Prescott Mayor Calls Economic Outlook ‘Strong’
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By Ray Newton, QCBN
rescott Mayor Phil Goode said economic growth in the greater community seemed “…more than just solid for the coming year” when he shared his State of the City comments with hundreds of local residents. Goode was the featured speaker during the Prescott Chamber of Commerce annual meeting on March 1 at the Prescott Resort. The mayor’s remarks followed those of outgoing Chamber Board Chair Danielle Rickets, manager at Sir Speedy, and incoming 2022-23 Board Chair Mackenzie Rodgers, a local APS executive. Rodgers said that despite challenges of the past two years, the chamber had taken the lead, adapted, grown and found new and innovative ways to serve the business community. She pledged she will continue to support events, networking opportunities, partnerships and collaboration during her term as board chair. Goode emphasized key focus areas for the Prescott City Council, including: N Filling the 27 city boards and commissions. So far, more than 95 people have applied for positions. N Developing critical initiatives to
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guide and revise water policy and water use for the city. “Prescott is viewed by the state as having one of the top two water management programs in Arizona.” Reviewing provisions in the city charter to prevent the legislature from overriding locally determined regulations and procedures. Preparing the 10-year City of Prescott General Plan to take effect in 2025. This is required every decade. Providing more support and enhancement of Prescott Regional Airport (PRC) services and facilities, including an extended runway for larger commercial planes. Completing relocation of city offices into the new City Hall on Montezuma and Sheldon Streets. Filling vacancies in city staff caused by retirements and relocations. Reviewing and upgrading fire services. “We haven’t built a new fire station in 30 years. With our growth and expansion, it’s time for several new ones – three more, if possible. We also need a new fire truck. If we order one now, it will take three years for it to be built,” he said. Completing and initiating final steps in the Granite Creek Corri-
dor upgrade and renovation. “The city is seeking more grants and some significant innovations are going to begin this coming summer and fall.” Goode emphasized that city bed taxes are up considerably, which permits rapid reduction of the City’s PSPRS indebtedness. “Taxes are a strong indicator of economic health. We’ve seen a 40% increase over the past year and I am confident that we’ll continue to see strong growth, even with inflation as a factor.” Goode cited examples of positive growth. One is the construction of a FedEx distribution center on Centerpointe Dr., south of Hwy 89A in northeast Prescott. “That 220,000-square-foot building lets FedEx bring in considerably more ground and air freight to distribute throughout the region. For perspective, that building is about the size of four football fields. More important, they’ll be hiring dozens of employees.” A second example was the Espire Sports complex, now under construction in what was the Sears Center at Gateway Mall on Hwy 69. “This multi-sport, fitness and wellness complex with over 100,000 square feet of sports and entertainment
Prescott Mayor Phil Goode delivered a positive State of the City address to the Prescott Chamber of Commerce at the Prescott Resort. Photo by Ray Newton
features will be unique in Arizona. Not only will it have 13 indoor pickleball courts, it’ll have a full-size basketball court, four golf simulators, a putting green, volleyball and dodgeball courts, and a restaurant.”
Goode concluded, “The State of the City is incredibly strong. Our economic vitality is resilient and diverse. An exciting future is ahead of us.” QCBN
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Business Woman QCBN
of the Month
Colleen Biggs Bets on Women to Lead Entrepreneurial business coach has helped launch hundreds of small businesses By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN
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olleen Biggs grew up like a lot of little girls, imagining the life she thought she was supposed to live, including a prince, a big Disney-esque wedding and a happily ever after. But with her parents’ divorce, she watched her mom’s world fall apart. For 12-year-old Colleen and her mom, life was a struggle. They survived on food stamps in rural Chandler in the 1970s. “It was interesting because it was a horse town then. People would ride their horses to grocery stores. You would smell manure all day.” She began to realize that her little-girl dream didn’t exist. Instead, life felt, looked and smelled bad to her. She decided this was not her destiny. “The whole motivation behind being who we were born to be comes from really leaning into your voice, into who you are and what makes you stand out,” she said. “We know who we are in the first four years of our life. We spend the rest of our lives trying to dig ourselves out of what others have labeled us to be.” At 35 years old, she had an epiphany. “I remember the day I made the
decision that I was not going to be what everyone else labeled me to be. I was not going to be where others believed Colleen should fit.” She was working her way up to an executive position in Corporate America. But inside, she was breaking down, unhappy with trying to fit others’ opinions about who she was at work, as a mother or even around town. “Labels were flying at me, but it only takes one kind or generous label to wash all the others away.” The company where she worked was selling raffle tickets for prizes, with proceeds benefiting a charitable organization. Employees would drop a ticket in the basket of the prize they wanted to win. Biggs wanted only one prize – lunch once a month with the CEO for a year. She desperately wanted to be mentored by this person that she so admired. She bought 100 tickets and put them all in his basket. “I didn’t win. I couldn’t believe it,” she said. “But, my CEO came over to me and said, ‘Listen, I watched you and I know how bad you wanted those lunches and I know you’re devastated. I’m so impressed that you put all your tickets in my basket. You bet on me. Now I’m going to bet on you.’” As promised, the CEO met with her and coached her. “I learned
Biggs encourages women to change their environment to spark creativity and gain a fresh perspective. Her mastermind program includes retreats and new experiences. Courtesy photo
Colleen Biggs empowers women to increase their visibility, capacity and wealth. Courtesy photo
how to be a very successful human. I learned how to believe in myself and found my uniqueness. It was the standing-out part that he was teaching me. He was preparing me for entrepreneurship. We spent a couple of years together. He still supports me as the person I am today.” As a result, she broke up with her boyfriend, bought herself a house, met her husband and combined families. “It’s been 15 years, seven kids, 12 grandchildren and the most amazing life I could ever imagine, all because I decided just to free myself of the chains that everyone else put on me. Now, life isn’t happening to me, it’s happening for me.” That “amazing” life is highly focused on improving other women’s lives as well. Biggs has been a business coach for 22 years, is the founder and CEO of The Leap Community, an organization that offers summits, workshops and retreats designed to empower women to lead, and has helped launch 340 businesses. She is an international speaker, has co-authored “The Anatomy of Accomplishment: Your Guide to Bigger, Better, Bolder Business Results,” was a contributing author to “Stop Wait-
ing: Start Living,” and has published her own book, “Step Into the Spotlight to Expand Your Influence and Attract the Right Clients.” She also has written two journals and created a year-long mastermind program for high-achieving women to focus on their businesses and increase their visibility, capacity and wealth. “Every single person I’ve coached is different. You need the ability to get into the map of their world to understand them first – who they are, what they need, what they are looking for – to assist and empower them for greatness.” Biggs tells the story of “Jennifer” (not her real name): “She came to me after being an entrepreneur for 20 years. She was a confident, very intuitive person who works through spirit to speak with people. But the pandemic freaked her out and she developed a scarcity mindset. She lost all her confidence, all her clients and all her money. She felt like she didn’t have her legs underneath her. When I met her, she was making $1,500 a month. In the second month we worked together, she made $10,000. Around the fourth month, she made $30,000, her highest month ever. She
started a school for women who have these psychic gifts and don’t know what to do with them. We helped her set up the school and found a way to scale the business.” Biggs and Jennifer worked together for about six months. “It comes down to the belief we have in ourselves. When you have a thought and you believe it so much to be true, every single thing you see is telling you what you believe is true. We lose this as we get older. We almost become numb to what we are conditioned to be. It takes extraordinary effort for us to become extraordinary.” Today, Biggs carries around casino chips, which she hands out to women. “You need to bet on you,” she tells them, with a nod to her former mentor. “Be around me. I will bet on you and I will be there to empower you to bet on you, too.” QCBN Find Biggs at https://colleenbiggs.net and meet her on Zonie Living: Business, Adventure and Leadership at Dave Pratt’s Star Worldwide Networks, https://starworldwidenetworks.com.
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Testing a Smarter Planetary Rover on Babbitt Ranches Next generation rovers will be able to learn, decide, think By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN
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cientists like David Wettergreen and Eldar Noe Dobrea are making robots smarter. Zoë (a Greek word that means “life”) is a planetary rover prototype. As expected with next generations, she and future rover robots will be more intelligent than their predecessors who have journeyed to Mars. On Babbitt Ranches north of Flagstaff, scientists, engineers and geologists have been testing instruments on Zoë that are enabling her to make decisions, explore rocks that catch her attention and actually learn from past information. Essentially, Zoë is becoming more like robots in science fiction movies. “When we see Hollywood movies, we actually see a rover that gets sent out to explore and once in a while reports to the team and says, ‘Hey guys, I’m up here and I discovered this,’” said Noe Dobrea, senior scientist at the Planetary Science Institute. “In
reality, that’s not how rovers work on other planets. Right now, we are basically joy-sticking rovers. We tell them, ‘OK, we want you to move 10 feet forward.’ It moves 10 feet forward. On the next uplink or the next day, we tell it, ‘OK, that rock is interesting. Rover, we want you to move two meters to that rock.’ The next uplink, we tell it, ‘Rover, we want you to extend your arm and place this instrument on that rock.’ And this goes on and on. Every single action of the rover is commanded from Earth.” Mars rover “Opportunity,” for example, conducted science for 17 years on Mars and accomplished what could have been done by humans in two weeks, says Noe Dobrea. “Plus, additional discoveries could have been made if the rover was smarter because, as human beings walk around, they are seeing different things that are of interest. The rover doesn’t.” But that is about to change with software developed by Carnegie Mellon University and the U.S. Geological
Babbitt Ranches has gone from the pioneer age to the space age as the company continues to support efforts of scientists and engineers who test equipment on the private land for use on the moon and other planets. Photo by Bonnie Stevens
Survey with funding provided by NASA. “We’re trying to advance now to the point where the robot explores on its own, so it decides where to go based on what it’s seeing and based
on the geology of the site,” said David Wettergreen, Zoë’s creator, of Carnegie Mellon. “We have machine intelligence software that learns from prior examples that can interpret that
data and determine what kind of rock it’s looking at, so [identifying] the mineralogy of the different rocks.” Zoë’s primary instrument is the Continued on page 38
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Mary Colter. Courtesy of Grand Canyon National Park
Architect Mary Colter’s Legacy Captured in Stone Grand Canyon buildings continue to inspire a hundred years later
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By V. Ronnie Tierney, QCBN
he was tough, funny, fearless, dogmatic, imaginative, and her Grand Canyon architectural marvels continue to intrigue historians and fascinate visitors, including the only inner canyon lodging facility, Phantom Ranch, which turned 100 years old this year. Meet Mary Jane Elizabeth Colter, born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on April 4, 1869. She was 33 years old when she was hired as an interior designer and architect by the hospitality forerunner Fred Harvey Company, a contractor for Santa Fe Railway. That was in 1902. A few years later, Colter was asked to design the Hopi House, an indigenous-influenced architectural design that launched five other projects at the Grand Canyon: Lookout Studio, Bright Angel Lodge and cabins, Hermit’s Rest, Desert View Watchtower and Phantom Ranch, named after nearby Phantom Creek. She also designed the men’s dormitory at the Grand Canyon and Colter Hall, the women’s dormitory. According to the Grand Canyon National Park Website, NPS.gov, Mary Colter designed buildings that would become part of their surroundings, that “would create no discordant note against the time-eroded walls of this promontory. To obtain this result, Colter insisted that the rocks not be cut or worked… so they would not lose the weathered surfaces so essential to blend in with the Grand Canyon walls.” Flagstaff residents Allen and Carol Naille lived at the Grand Canyon for 13 years. Allen worked for Fred Harvey Company in several positions before assuming the position of general manager there, eventually moving to Flagstaff to accept his role as president of the company. In all, he worked for the company for 25 years. Carol was in charge of the Grand Canyon library. “Mary Colter was a woman in a man’s world and her characteristics made her unique,” said Carol, who had a friend whose father knew and
The Hopi House is located in the Grand Canyon South Rim Village directly across from the Historic El Tovar Hotel. Both were built in 1905. Photo by V. Ronnie Tierney, Fresh Focuses Photography
was employed with Colter. “She worked with men but was able to get her way. She stood up to men but she was tactful. She had to be. Also, at the time, Fred Harvey Company had all male managers. I believe she was an amazing person because of her talent and her ability to get along with the men she worked with. I’ve always admired her.” In a Jan. 23, 1904, article, the Minneapolis Journal referenced Colter, describing artists as people who develop themselves. “There is no necessity of seeking for art genius. When it occurs it will make itself apparent.” Though much has been documented about Colter’s design style and how she was adamant that things were done her way, little is known about her personal life. “You don’t hear many stories about her other than her work. I would like to know what drove Continued on page 36
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// COMMUNITY PROFILE // BY V. RONNIE TIERNEY, QCBN
Stoney Ward Teaches Hydroponic Gardening Through Spirit of the Canyon Team-building and healthy eating are part of his curriculum
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Changing lives one plant at a time,” is the heart and goal of Spirit of the Canyon owner Stoney Ward, who has had a vision for hydroponic gardening since moving to Grand Canyon Junction (also known as Valle) four years ago. “I want to show people, especially school children, how to be healthier and how growing healthy foods such as microgreens is tasty, inexpensive and fast,” said Ward. Ward’s vision has mushroomed into teaching 7th, 8th and 9th graders at Grand Canyon School, where students learn about several forms of hydroponics along with different systems such as microgreens and self-wicking systems with soil. “My ultimate goal is to teach students how they can grow their own food no matter where they live
and use less water than traditional farming,” said Ward. “I believe that instructing these kids about hydroponics and urban farming will help them prepare for their futures by helping them realize they can grow their own food, in their own space, especially during critical times such as climate change, pandemics, etc.” “I think it’s really interesting and I think it’s really important for the future and to help the community in many ways,” said 7th grader Ronan Alvarez, 13, “I’m eating better now and I appreciate fresh vegetables. I want to grow microgreens at home.” On the menu in Ward’s classes are sunflowers, peas and broccoli microgreens, along with several varieties of lettuce. Microgreen seeds are harvested at a very young stage and the sprouts mimic the flavor of the full-grown vegetable. “They are very nutritious,” he said. Employed as general manager of Buck Wild Hummer Tours in TusayContinued on page 39
Stoney Ward at ease at his Spirit of the Canyon ranch in Grand Canyon Junction. V. Ronnie Tierney, Fresh Focuses Photography
APRIL 2022 // Quad Cities Business News
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The Path to Trail Preservation Five-year initiative to continue Sedona Trail Keepers program
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By Betsey Bruner, QCBN
t’s often said that the journey is as rewarding as the destination. Such may well be the case for visitors using the more than 400 miles of world-famous red rock trails in the Sedona Red Rock District of the Coconino National Forest. Sedona trails serve about three million people each year. As the gateway to Red Rock Country, the trail system is designed to educate and thrill travelers by providing an outdoors experience and information about the vegetation, geology, wildlife and cultural traditions. Maintaining Sedona’s trails is no small task, with an estimated cost of $400,000 annually. In 2016, the Sedona Trail Keepers was founded as a way to supplement the Forest Service budget by raising donations to preserve, maintain and make safe trails in and around Sedona and the Village of Oak Creek. The program is a local partnership between the Sedona Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau,
private sponsors, the Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund, the Forest Service and the City of Sedona. Participating businesses donate $1,000 each to the Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund (SRRTF). “We’re very, very lucky to work in such a wonderful place like Sedona,” said District Ranger Amy Tinderholt. “It’s one of the most highly visited places in the country. It’s really critical to the economy and to all of us to support the maintenance of trails. We have so many trails, so many dropdead gorgeous views.” Tinderholt addressed the gathering for the Sedona Trail Keepers Donation Event on March 10 at the Uptown Visitor Information Center. She accepted a check for $102,000 made out to the Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund. The check represented donations for the first phase of the Trail Keepers 2.0 program, which follows the highly successful Trail Keepers program that concluded in February 2021 and brought in $370,000 in five years. In addition, the Chamber and Tourism Bureau matched the donations up to $50,000 with bed tax dollars allocated under the Chamber’s tourism management contract with the City of Sedona.
PATRIOT
Sedona Red Rock District Ranger Amy Tinderholt, Sedona Red Rock Trail Fund President Kevin Adams, Sedona Mayor Sandy Moriarty and Sedona Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau Interim CEO Michelle Conway hold the giant check representing $102,000 in donations from Sedona Trail Keepers. Photo by Betsey Bruner
“It’s just been an incredible partnership with the Chamber,” said SRRTF President Kevin Adams in his remarks during the presentation. “This community has gotten together to make it happen.” Adams reflected on the progress of the Trail Keepers Program. “A decade ago, there was one full-year and a seasonal person to maintain
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the then-approximately 300+ miles of non-motorized trail in the Red Rock District,” he said. “Today, with over 400 miles district-wide, the crew consists of two full-year and 10 seasonal [workers], with plans to increase by two full-year [people] next season.” Adams said SRRTF had raised nearly $600,000 during fiscal year 2021, which ended Sept. 30. The
Chamber has 725 organizations that are partners. Many of them are Sedona Trail Keepers sponsors, including smaller local businesses such as Absolute Bikes located in Flagstaff and Sedona, Canyon Outfitters and Thunder Mountain Bikes, as well as larger companies such as UniSource Energy Services, Holiday Inn Express Continued on page 39
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“To me, the film brought me down to a level of what’s important: family, children, grandchildren,” said Jerry Sroka, who wrote the script with Mariette Hartley. “The rest is nice, but you’ve got to keep your eye on what’s important.” Photo by Bonnie Stevens
Sedona Honors Mariette Hartley with Lifetime Achievement Award Hartley and husband Jerry Sroka present their film, ‘Our Almost Completely True Story’
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By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN
ariette Hartley and Jerry Sroka spent a sunny late-February day in the red rock country holding hands, quipping back and forth in their ongoing quick-witted banter and being nervous. The two veteran actors, married since 2005, were about to see their film, “Our Almost Completely True Story,” debut before a live audience at the Sedona International Film Festival. The movie is an almost completely true love story, and a really funny one, as evidenced by the laughter in the Sedona Performing Arts Center. It brings the couple together in a Los Angeles bird store, not the true part of the story but a bird store seemed to fit, they said, because it is owned by one of their friends, Lloyd Bremseth, an actor from the original Broadway play “Godspell,” who let them shoot there for free and also played himself in the film. As full as a sack of birdseed, “Our Almost Completely True Story” is packed with charming laugh-out-loud parts written by Hartley and Sroka for their famous friends like Bernie Kopell (Dr. Adam Bricker from “The Love Boat”), Morgan Fairchild (Chandler’s mom on “Friends,” also a cast member of “Falcon Crest”) and Mindy Sterling (Dr. Evil’s assistant in the Austin Powers films). Viewers need to be on their game to catch all the clever one-liners throughout the film and identify the many impersonations delivered by Sroka. Hint: Soupy Sales, Jack Benny, Jerry Lewis and Woody Allen are among the 63 personalities that Sroka can channel spontaneously. The story also is a really real one with scary dinner dates (Peter MacNicol), illness and loss. The challenges of aging are gently and humorously in the spotlight as the friends in their 70s, 80s and 90s navigate life from the tennis court to the audition stage to the operating room. “Most of my best friends are as old as I am,”
said Hartley, 82. “We really wanted a scene that showed what happens to older people who are still talented, still going out for auditions for crying out loud, and how they’re treated. Well, we got it.” The audition scene features Hollywood royalty: Hartley, Fairchild and Tess Harper (“Tender Mercies,” “Crimes of the Heart”), all playing themselves as working actresses, sitting in a reception area waiting to be called for their turn by a young studio assistant who mispronounces their names. But mostly, “Our Almost Completely True Story,” directed by actor Don Scardino (also from the original “Godspell”), features enduring friendship, love, compassion and depth both on film and behind the scenes. “It was amazing. Our friends knocked us out!” said Hartley, of the cast she and Sroka assembled. “We don’t know how much power we have, soul power. The idea of who you are and how you live attracts amazing people.” “We used everybody,” said Sroka, noting the roles that included their children and grandchildren. “Sweet, good people attract sweet, good people.” Both Hartley and Sroka were childhood actors, starting at age 10. The two met at a Screen Actors Guild meeting following long marriages and painful divorces. In the film and in person, Hartley says the most important trait she was looking for in a relationship was a sense of humor. “I just don’t know how you can live without it. It’s always there with Jerry,” she says of Sroka. “And sometimes, I’m pretty funny.” Fans know Hartley from roles such as Dr. Carolyn Fields in “The Incredible Hulk,” for which she received an Emmy, as Dr. Claire Morton in “Peyton Place” and from many other memorable roles in programs including “Gunsmoke,” “Bonanza,” “Star Trek” and “The Twilight Zone,” along with award-winning Polaroid commercials Continued on page 38
APRIL 2022 // Quad Cities Business News
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// BUSINESS CENTS // BY BONNIE STEVENS
Dream Big, Sweet Girls
T
he searing flash of flames, the ground-shaking vibration, the deafening roar of engines – witnessing a space shuttle launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, is not something easily forgotten, but for Lauren Edgar, it is the stuff dreams are made of. The then-second grader, who came to visit her grandmother in Florida, left her vacation with more than warmth in her heart. Little Lauren’s imagination was on fire. “That moment was pretty significant for me – the realization that there were people on board and they were leaving this planet.” Lauren began to wonder what else was out there, and thus began her own countdown to a career in space exploration. A few years later, Jessica Watkins, growing up under the starry skies of Lafayette, Colorado, decided she wouldn’t be limited by Earth’s boundaries either. “I wanted to be an astronaut since I was about 9 years old,” she said, “because of the desire to explore and an interest in planets, Mars in particular.” In the same decade that Lauren and Jessica were born, Sally Ride was the first American woman in space. There
weren’t a lot of women who had gone where these little girls wanted to go, but dreams thrive in a place where logic and doubt have no power. “By their very nature, dreams aren’t practical, and neither are they achieved by playing it safe,” writes author Marc Guss in “Instincts of a Talent Agent: Entrepreneurial Takeaways from an Industry Insider.” He says, “You are your own best risk. The time for practicality comes later, when you’re taking your first steps toward success, not when your dream is still gestating.” Lauren and Jessica both developed a passion for geology and followed similar paths through grad school. The two were guided by the same advisor at Caltech for their postdoctoral research. And some might say the gravity of their passion for rocks and space pulled them together in Hawaii for a planetary volcanology workshop. And then, like a dream, their stars aligned again, both called to work on the Curiosity Mars rover, investigating ancient sedimentary environments that might have been habitable at one time. In 2019, Jessica arrived in the rocky, moon-like terrain north of Flagstaff as one of six women who made up the
astronaut class known as the Turtles – it’s an astronaut tradition that your group is named by the one that comes before you – and there was Lauren to greet her. Lauren, a research geologist with the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff, was selected to train Jessica’s NASA astronaut candidate class about basic geology. “Jessica had insider knowledge, but she hadn’t been to the sites before,” said Lauren. “She is very level headed, easy to work with and a great teammate. She has the right disposition to be a great astronaut.” This month, Lauren plans to return to Cape Canaveral for the April 15 launch of SpaceX, as Elon Musk’s spacecraft carries four astronauts to the International Space Station. “I think I’ll be even more excited this time. I’m emotionally invested.” That’s because Jessica will be suited up inside. She will be celebrating her 34th birthday in the space station and is on course to be the first black woman to have an extended space station stay. Jessica also has been selected for the Artemis team – the astronauts who are helping Americans return to the moon in 2025. The actual crew going to the
Jessica Watkins, third from the left, breaks for a photo while training with other astronaut candidates north of Flagstaff in 2019. Courtesy photo
moon has not been selected yet, but President Joe Biden has said there will be a woman and a person of color on that mission. In the meantime, the Artemis team will be back in Flagstaff this year. And yes, the friends will be reunited again, as Lauren helps prepare them for the rocks they might encounter at the lunar South Pole. Is there power in a dream? “A dream feels like a big far-away goal that’s going to be difficult to achieve and something that you might achieve much later in life,”
said Jessica in a NASA video. “But in reality, what a dream realized is, is just putting one foot in front of the other on a daily basis. And if you put enough of those footprints together, eventually they become a path toward your dreams.” Marc Guss would agree. And so would Walt Disney, who said, “Dreams come true if you have the courage to pursue them.” QCBN Bonnie Stevens is a public relations consultant. She can be reached at bonnie.stevens@ gmail.com.
Thank you to the Quad Cities for voting f o t s e BSINESS us Best Real Estate BU Company!
W
e are a Prescott homegrown company with more than 200 agents in Prescott, Prescott Valley, Sedona, Cottonwood and the Greater Phoenix Area. We are proud to be in the Top 10 brokerages in the national Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Network. Our full time professional agents sell more property per agent and have specialties in residential, commercial, land and investment properties. If you would like listings please text "bloomtree" to 35620. Agents who would like to join our incredible team can text "careers" to 35620. Each franchise independently owned and operated.
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Quad Cities Business News // APRIL 2022
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Del E. Webb Family Enrichment Center Providing Opportunities
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By Ray Newton, QCBN
f not for the Del E. Webb Family Enrichment Center (FEC) at Yavapai College’s Prescott campus in Prescott, two local women said it would be impossible for them to hold jobs, attend college and have their children in an early childhood education program. Sarah Martin of Chino Valley and Karely Rodriguez-Mata of Prescott are among dozens of parents who benefit from the FEC program as they balance work, college and parenthood. The program, now in its 15th year, provides a full week of early education and professional childcare, from 7:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. Martin said her 17-month-old daughter, Isabelle, is among the youngsters at FEC, as is Rodriguez-Mata’s daughter, Orianna, who is three years old. Both women had scholarships, too, which helped them financially. “We can have as many as 76 youngsters at the center,” said FEC Director Jennine Skousen. “We have 23 students we use as support staff, and 13 full-time faculty and staff members. We have children ranging from three months
old up to 5 years in this preschool educational program.”
RAISING FUNDS FOR FAMILY ENRICHMENT CENTER
A large crowd attended a fundraising event last month in the YC Performing Arts Center to support the FEC. “No other institution I know of has a similar comprehensive program that benefits so many children, parents and students,” said Yavapai College Governing Board Chair Debbie McCasland. “Also, the program was recently given a 5-Star rating and awarded accreditation by the National Accreditation Commission for Early Care and Education programs.” Friends of the FEC President Janelle Goligoski urged attendees to support the FEC through contributions or other assistance. “Your help can provide support for the lab school, for students enrolled in the early education degree program. You can help provide tuition assistance and scholarships for qualified families. Most important, you can help us continue an atmosphere that underscores our community belief that children are the future.” QCBN
Jeannine Skousen, Mary Talosi and Janelle Goligowski are among leaders for the Del E. Webb Family Enrichment Center program offered at Yavapai College’s Prescott campus. Photo by Ray Newton
For more information, visit yc.edu.
Two Great Places to Stay in Prescott!
Springhill Suites is located in historic downtown Prescott, an easy walk to Whiskey Row, local restaurants and nightlife.
Residence Inn is conveniently located between Prescott and Prescott Valley, across from the Trader Joe’s Marketplace.
Offering spacious mini-suites with kitchenettes, heated indoor pool and FREE breakfast. Spacious suites with fully equipped kitchens. Evening social events and FREE breakfast makes us a premier lodging choice.
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APRIL 2022 // Quad Cities Business News
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Exploring the Benefits of Smart Security Systems manipulated using customized programming. For example, you can create rules to have the lights turn on when motion is detected, have your doors unlock when the smoke alarm goes s old, hardwired security systems off and have cameras begin recording when a become extinct and new wireless sensor is triggered. systems become all the rage, choosing Recording video can be a must-have feature what is the best protection for your home or and many new systems offer this option. business can be quite the task. New systems However, many of the DIY components do are connected through a Wi-Fi network or not store video, so recording over recordcellular network, allowing you access anytime and anywhere on your smartphone. These new ed videos is an issue. Cloud storage can be smart security systems are highly customizable utilized to keep videos safe and has become a cost-effective option depending on the time with cameras, door sensors, smoke detectors, length of video being stored. More sophistiwater detection, motion detectors, and a wide cated professional systems offer both cloud range of devices that can be installed just about anywhere. A professional security com- storage and local storage, and some provide a dedicated storage drive that gives you DVR pany can tailor a system to fit your needs. capabilities with a time-lapse recording, Though many of the smaller over-thewhich makes it easy to find a video event that counter systems can work well for some took place at a specific time. A professional homes, the latest security systems also can be security company can advise you on the most monitored professionally, which allows 24/7 economical options for your home or business security and connection to your local fire and to make sure your assets are being protected, police departments when an alarm is triggiving you peace of mind. gered. This releases you from playing security Need help deciding what is best for your guard on your own property and gives you home or business? Call a professional security more peace of mind. Any professional smart company and have them explain the pros and security system offers components that work together in a seamless environment and can be cons to you. The best thing you can do for your safety and peace of mind is to have a system that works for you and your lifestyle. QCBN
A
By Jon and Jamie Aten
// These new smart security systems are highly customizable with cameras, door sensors, smoke detectors, water detection, motion detectors, and a wide range of devices that can be installed just about anywhere. //
Jon and Jamie Aten are the owners of All West Fire & Security, a family-owned business that has been keeping Arizonans safe in Prescott for nearly 30 years. All West Fire & Security has designed and installed thousands of fire protection and security systems for industrial, commercial, residential and special hazard clients. The company works closely with architects and contractors to ensure new construction or remodeling project meet all safety code requirements. All West Fire & Security are experts in smart home automation, state-of-the-art fire suppression systems, inspections, sprinklers, fire alarms, fire extinguishers, monitoring, intrusion alarms, security cameras, badge access systems, backflow certifications and more.
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Quad Cities Business News // APRIL 2022
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Discarded Syringes: A Dangerous Byproduct of the Drug Epidemic
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By Hedda Fay
avapai County has an opioid epidemic; we have for more than a decade. In 2021, the DEA singled out Yavapai County as a “hot spot” for opioid and illicit drug abuse and created an initiative called “Operation Engage” to help stop the abuse. Yavapai County is the fourth highest county in the state for overdose deaths. These deaths can happen in minutes and anywhere. Thankfully, we have a wonderful task force: PANT, MatForce, YCSO, Prescott Police Department, Prescott Valley Police Department, Mental Health Coalition, Yavapai Re-entry Project and the Overdose Death Review Task Force. These hard-working, dedicated professionals developed this partnership to prevent these deaths and stop this epidemic. There is another threat to the public, including people who do not inject drugs. It is a small and silent threat, a byproduct of the drug use epidemic: discarded or found used syringes. It is not only syringes used for illicit drugs; needles are used for steroid injection, health maintenance and cosmetic
improvements. All have a potential for pathogen sharing. Yavapai County has a lot of wideopen spaces for hiking, picnicking, biking and camping. There are hundreds of beautiful trails for us to enjoy. Every year we host annual clean-up events of these spaces for continued enjoyment and use. It is not uncommon to find discarded syringes in these shared spaces. Did you know HIV can survive in a discarded syringe for 42 days? When the temperature does not exceed 32 degrees, those germs can live longer. HIV is not the only virus that can survive in a discarded syringe. Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B, Syphilis, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Epstein-Barr and other pathogens can survive, too. According to CDC data, healthcare workers experience 385,000 reported needlestick and sharps injuries annually. It is estimated that one in three law enforcement officers will experience a needle stick during their professional career. That is a high number for our country’s finest. There is no cure for HIV or Hepatitis B, and the cure for Hepatitis C is expensive. One such medication,
Epculusa, costs about $94,500 for a 12-week treatment. What do you do when you experience an accidental needle stick? 1. Wash the needlestick area thoroughly with soap and water (hand sanitizer is not the same). 2. Immediately seek medical treatment. N If you have the syringe and do not have a container to dispose of it in a safe manner, you put it in a can, jar or bottle and close it. You can bring it with you to meet with a healthcare provider for proper disposal. N Pay attention to where you were stuck and how deep the needle went in. Even though HIV is treatable and no longer the death sentence it once was, we still want to prevent people from becoming HIV+. There is a pharmaceutical tool today that can stop HIV in its tracks! That’s right, there are medications that will stop HIV from hijacking a person’s immune system. We’ve used these medications for years and know they are effective and safe. The tool is called PEP - Post-exposure Prophylaxis.
At Northland Cares, we keep these medications in-house in the event of an exposure. For PEP to be effective, a person needs to get these medications within 72 hours of their exposure to HIV. The sooner we can get these medications to the exposed person, the more effective they are at stopping transmission of the virus. Northland Cares has implemented an on-call weekend and holiday Emergency PEP Program. We are the first clinic in the state of Arizona to offer this service. Our trained staff members are ready to be dispatched to a hospital, clinic or secure public space to respond to a public health emergency. What happens when you call for Emergency PEP? 1. If the exposure occurs during our business hours, call one of our offices Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For Prescott, call 928-776-4612. For Cottonwood, call 928-6490833. 2. If the exposure happens outside of our normal business hours, contact us at our on-call weekend and holiday number,
928-910-6707. You will meet with one of our trained outreach staff members who will provide you with a new patient packet and gather information such as your name, insurance information, health history, current medications, allergies to medication classes, etc. 4. You will have an in-person or a telephonic meeting with our provider. 5. We will provide you with a oneweek regimen of PEP medications. 6. Our PrEP and PEP Navigator will follow up with you and help you obtain the remaining three weeks of medications required to stop you from becoming HIV+. 7. If you don’t have insurance, we are always able to get these medications covered. 8. We will schedule two follow-up visits to ensure the medication was effective at stopping the virus. PEP medications are taken daily for 28 days for optimum efficacy. It is critical that they are taken as 3.
Continued on page 39
ARIZONA@WORK-Yavapai County Join the winning team 2022 Impact award winners of National Association of Workforce Boards Business Service Opportunities including: • • • • •
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APRIL 2022 // Quad Cities Business News
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PrEP medications are safe and effective and can help prevent you from getting infected with HIV. When someone is exposed to HIV, PrEP medications can work to keep the virus from causing infection. Taking PrEP medication can stop new HIV infections and help end the HIV epidemic.
Help25% us stop the spread of HIV in EHE Yet less than
The national goal for PrEP coverage under the (Ending the HIV Epidemic) initiative is to achieve at least 50% coverage by 2030.
of the
Yavapai County.
estimated more than
1 million Americans
who could benefit from PrEP are using this important medication.
PEP PATHWAY Less than 72 hours
YES
“Are you confident in providing complete prevention services for the patient?”
YES
Call Northland Cares.
their risk when taken daily as prescribed.
Patient is engaging in risky behavior who could benefit from PrEP
Patient wants to be prescribed PrEP
“Are you confident in providing complete prevention services for the patient?”
NO
Are you confident in providing care and follow-up services?
dramatically reduces
PrEP PATHWAY
More than 72 hours
Can you see patient today?
PrEP use among people at risk for acquiring HIV
NO YES
NO
Help us stop the spread of HIV in Call Northland Cares or Call PEPLine (888) 488-4911 Send RX to Walgreens in Prescott Valley
Proceed with provided care and RX to Walgreens in Prescott Valley.
PEP PATHWAY
PrEP PATHWAY
“Are you confident in
Can you see
Prescott: 928-776-4612 Cottonwood: 928-649-0833 Faxcomplete - 928-771-1767 providing patient today? prevention services for the patient?”
Are you confident in providing care and follow-up services?
NO
NO YES
Call Northland Cares.
YES
Patient is engaging in risky behavior who could benefit from PrEP
“Are you confident in providing complete prevention services for the patient?”
YES Proceed with provided care.
Patient wants to be prescribed PrEP
NO Refer to Northland Cares.
Thank you Quad Cities for Call Northland Cares us Best Non Profit/ Voting Proceed with or Call PEPLine provided care and Charitable Organization! (888) 488-4911
Send RX to Walgreens in Prescott Valley
Refer patient to Northland Cares for specialty care and treatment services.
If patient cannot afford PrEP, refer to Northland Cares.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? If patients meet the requirements, all prescription Lesscovered. than 72However, hours the cost of necessary More than hours costs are 100% clinic72 visits and lab tests may vary based on patient income and insurance coverage.
YES
Proceed with quality care and treatment.
Yavapai County. YES
NO
Proceed with provided care.
Refer to Northland Cares.
RX to Walgreens in Prescott Valley.
HOW MUCH DOES IT COST? If patients meet the requirements, all prescription costs are 100% covered. However, the cost of necessary clinic visits and lab tests may vary based on patient income and insurance coverage.
Prescott: 928-776-4612 Cottonwood: 928-649-0833 Fax - 928-771-1767
Proceed with quality care and treatment.
If patient cannot afford PrEP, refer to Northland Cares.
NO Refer patient to Northland Cares for specialty care and treatment services.
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Quad Cities Business News // APRIL 2022
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We are Everybody’s Hometown Dealer!
www.FindlayToyotaPrescott.com 3200 Willow Creek Rd. Prescott, AZ (928) 443-8300
@quadcitiesbusinessnews
APRIL 2022 // Quad Cities Business News
The Local Dealership that Supports Your Community
www.FindlayBuickGMCPrescott.com 1006 Commerce Drive Prescott AZ (928) 445-7350
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Quad Cities Business News // APRIL 2022
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// MAYOR’S ADDRESS // BY PHIL GOODE
Preparing for Wildfire Season
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ildland fire season is just around the corner in the Prescott area. This is a good time to review the resources that are available to prevent and fight wildland fires in this area, and to remind ourselves about our roles as citizens in reducing the wildland fire threat to our community. The Forest Service’s Fire Center, Henry Y. H. Kim Aviation Facility at the Ernest A. Love airfield in Prescott, was dedicated in May 1992. The Prescott Fire Center combines a vast array of programs and expert staff members, who provide wildfire and incident response at a local, regional and national level. Today, the Prescott Fire Center incorporates an Aviation Program, Zone Incident Coordination and Communication Center, a National Emergency Incident Supply Center called the Fire Cache, an Interagency Hotshot Crew called the Prescott Hotshots that has been in place since 1973, a Helitack Crew and Airtanker Base. With its aviation, communications and coordination capabilities, the Prescott Fire Center can dispatch aircraft, supplies, equipment and crews to assist with emergency incidents in the United States and around the
world. The entire Quad Cities area and beyond benefits from this vast array of capabilities, literally in our own backyard. While the Prescott Fire Center operates year-round out of the facility on the grounds of the Prescott Regional Airport, crews staff up for the spring wildland fire season, beginning in April. At peak season, the Fire Center has about 160 professionals specializing as pilots, communications specialists, supply management teams, logistics experts, firefighters, incident commanders and fire managers. The Fire Center hosts a number of aircraft of various sizes, from helicopters all the way up to the large airtankers, which operate under a permit for overweight aircraft at the Prescott Airport during fire season. Located within the Fire Center, the airtanker base can fill airtankers with retardant or water. Retardant is composed of mostly water, mixed with fire retardant materials, to help firefighters on the ground quell active fires locally, regionally and throughout the nation. To ensure a seamless and rapid response, the Prescott National Forest has a number of interagency agreements, working with Prescott Fire Depart-
ment, which houses a Forest Service fire engine at Station 71 year-round, Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority, Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management and Bureau of Land Management. An important part of the Forest Service’s activities includes prescribed fire burns, which replicate the natural fire process. These are low intensity fires, set in controlled conditions, managed by Forest Service experts. These prescribed burns actually create a healthier forest, clearing debris and materials that could otherwise be a source of fuel for an uncontrolled wildland fire. Usually, these prescribed burns take place when conditions are ideal – low wind, high humidity. Often fall and winter are the best seasons for this. Readers may have seen or heard about burning in the spring. These are usually pile burns. After loose debris is removed, it’s piled and then burned to reduce the amount of fuel in the forest and replicate the natural, restorative process. As citizens, we have a role in helping to reduce wildland fire danger in our community. Prescott Area Wildland Urban Interface
Commission (PAWUIC) is a notfor-profit group chartered by the City of Prescott and Yavapai County. PAWUIC has been in place since 1990, and its mission is to inform and educate the public on how to reduce wildland fire danger by means of an annual expo, support for neighborhoods, HOAs, and individual homeowners. PAWUIC also is seeking volunteers to assist with reducing the threat of wildfires and educating our local residents about how the smallest changes around their homes can make a big difference in increasing safety. To learn more about PAWUIC and how you can help reduce your risk of property damage in a wildland fire, go to www.yavapaifirewise.org, so everyone can have a fire-wise home and community. As we enter the 2022 wildland fire season, we should remember that the Prescott area is extremely fortunate to have the Forest Service’s Fire Center at the Prescott Municipal Airport and the Prescott Area Wildland Urban Interface Commission. QCBN
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www.quadcities businessnews.com/subscribe INSIDE THE JANUARY
Downtown Corridor Taking Shape p. 3 American Icon Closing its Doors p. 4
Athena Coming to Prescott p. 6 Bringing Renewable Energy to Navajo Nation p. 8
New SANA Hospi Community Medictal Fills al Needs S By Ray Newton,
QCBN
aying everyone in the community will benefit from the opening of a state-of-the art hospital, Prescott Mayor Greg Mengarelli welcomed executives, administrators, healthcare professionals, elected officials, staff personnel and residents at the grand opening of SANA Behavioral Hospital during afternoon ceremonies on Dec. 9.
2020 ISSUE:
Considering Corals on Next Beach Vacation Your p.11 Community Profile: Saddling Up with Joe Marshall p. 13
The parking lot was crowded as visitors toured the SANA in Prescott 15,378-squarewas based on exfoot, one-story, tensive research recently constructed about medical needs viding acute integrated in-patient medical facility, of the broader community. psychiatric and medical estimated to cost care to between $9 million adults age 65 and Pierce told the crowd and $10 million. above on Medicare, occupancy will begin that official SANA Hospital and 55 and above Administrator with additional when the AriPamela K. Pierce zona Department contractors as they introduced Kirk of Health Services add SANA to the Olsen, principal Medical Licensing provider networks. and owner of ERH unit Healthcare, a Salt hospital and licenses surveys the In an exclusive interview Lake it with Quad hospital development City-based Hospital in Geriatric as a “Specialty Cities Business News, Pierce, a highly company that Psychiatry.” manages SANA That was expected credentialed behavioral hospitals. to occur at the end health leader of December, she Olsen said the decision with more than 30 said. years of experience, to build described the 24-bed The hospital will focus on prohospital with 14 Continued on
Winfield at the Ranch Preparing for Reside nts page 39
By Ray Newton, QCBN was once the site of one luxurious apartments the wealthiest quartz of arketing itself as will exore gold tract spectacular mines in Central vistas “Prescott’s premier Arizona. south over panoramic looking Located on the eastern luxury apartment rolling hills and natural of Prescott and nestled edge community,” Winfield surroundon the at the ings toward the south side of Bullwhacker Ranch is nearing Bradshaw competition. Hill, Mountains. the site was famous Pre-leasing is to for almost begin this The six-building 60 years – 1876 to month, with new apart1936 – as residents ment complex at Bullwhacker Mine. expected to begin 1470 Lee Records moving in Circle will house show that hundreds around March 1. 100 apartof gold ore were extractedtons of ment units, all of which Luxury may be the from germane the steep elevated views. Residentshave term for the apartments, hillsides before the here for will have almost mine closed. they are being built immediate on what access to retail shopping Now, those who rent the and
M
The soon-to-be completed 100 luxury apartments Prescott will feature at Winfield at one and two-bedroom begin in March. units on a seven-acrethe Ranch on the east boundary Photo by Ray Newton of property. Occupancy is scheduled January 2020 |
Issue 1 Volume
to
8
WHO’S THE
Continued on
page 36
BEST OF THE BEST?
OUR BEST OF BUSINESS WINNERS ARE ANNOUNCED ON PAGE 32
INSIDE THE FEBRUARY
Willow Creek Apart Ready for Occup ments ancy A By Ray Newton,
ERAU, Lowell Observatory Partner Up p. 4 Forest Health Hero Retires from Academia p. 6 Blushing Cactus Photography Showcases Quad Cities p. 8 Barrett-Jackson Gleams
2020 ISSUE:
with Car Show Tradition p. 11 Community Profile: Craig Brown Discusses Jail, Water Concerns p. 13
QCBN
Owner-developer Cole Johnson told the Quad Cities house building and rea residents who Business News fitness center. prefer apart- that The approximate the garden-style ments in the north-central value apartments had been many years project is approaching of the total area of Prescott in the making. now have that $40 million, opportunity. Johnson said. “We now have from the City of Prescott certificates Willow Creek Apartments, Six apartment floor of occupancy. plans range a 160unit complex on Residents are moving in square footage a five-acre developfrom about 670 to in. I’m thrilled ment located at to see these new 1,188 square feet. 3137 Willow Creek residents in what Floor plans can be I Road, is accepting believe are the nicest viewed at willowcreekaptsprescott. renters for studio, apartments of one-bedroom, two-bedroom their type in the com/floorplans. community.” Rental rates also can carriage house apartments. and be viewed on the There are seven same link, Johnson buildings in the complex, one of said. They range which is the clubfrom $1,100 to $1,768 a month. Some utilities are included.
Currently, those interested can take advantage of the grand opening promotion, which allows the choice of a six-month rental option. Also available is an extended stay rental for a minimum of 30 days. Johnson said all units feature a fullsize washer and dryer, stainless steel kitchen appliances, granite counter tops and spacious living areas with wood plank flooring and carpeting, Continued on
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Region Celebrates Terminal Constru Airport ction By Ray Newton,
QCBN tossing of dirt to initiate during years of planning construction process. the fter years of planning, and preparation. Prescott Regional an official groundAirStating the new port Director Robin breaking for the terminal Sobotta $15 will make it possible praised the support million passenger to inshe and terminal at crease the number the city Prescott Regional of flights to Airport had Aviationreceived from Federal and from Prescott, more than 200 invited Administration she emphaguests sized it would have Regional Administrator applauding and a dramatic cheering on Mark economic McClardy and his impact on the rethe afternoon of colleagues. Jan. 7 gional economy. She also thanked Dignitaries from Sobotta said TransportaPrescott, economic studies tion Security Administration Prescott Valley and reveal the Chino new terminal could Assistant Valley joined state generate as and federal Director Federal Security much as $160 million officials in the ceremonial Justin Bryant for annually the for the local economy. support the TSA provided
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Dignitaries from around Airport’s new terminal. the Quad Cities dug in during the groundbreaking Photo by Kay Lyons
February 2020
| Issue 2 Volume 8
ceremony for Prescott
Regional
WHO’S THE
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BEST OF THE BEST?
Phil Goode is the mayor of the City of Prescott.
OUR BEST OF BUSINESS WINNERS ARE ANNOUNCED ON PAGE 32
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What Happens When Hearing Loss Occurs in One Ear?
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By Jeff Lane, Au.D.
CAUSES AND SYMPTOMS
An estimated 7% of adults in the United States have a unilateral hearing earing loss presents itself in loss. The causes can include anatomical a unique manner in each abnormalities, acoustic or physical individual. Barring hereditary trauma, chronic ear infections and viral losses, each occurrence will be slightly varied. Some people will have a sensory infections. Similar to bilateral losses, loss, while others are conductive. Some they can be sensorineural or conductive, and can have different degrees of will occur at birth, while others do not appear until late in life. One aspect that severity. That second part is important, as it will influence the language that is sometimes glossed over is whether the hearing loss is bilateral or unilateral. is used. A unilateral hearing loss, as mentioned, is a loss that occurs in Bilateral means the loss occurs in both one ear, but wherein some degree of ears, whereas unilateral is just one ear. Since the majority of hearing losses are useable hearing remains. The term bilateral, this tends to be the default as- single-sided deafness refers specifically sumption. But unilateral hearing losses to a profound hearing loss in one ear can occur and present their own unique and normal hearing in the other. That is, the affected ear is dead. challenges and treatment options. All hearing losses affect quality of life
// If a sound is coming from the right, it will arrive slightly sooner and louder to our right ear than our left because our heads create a barrier around which the soundwave must travel. Our auditory systems are highly tuned to these slight discrepancies. //
and communication ability. Unilateral losses unfortunately add even more challenges. Namely, they reduce the capacity to hear in background noise and localize sounds. When we hear normally, our brains are able to filter out the noise we don’t want to hear and focus our attention on a specific talker. This is called the cocktail party effect. It’s not that our ears don’t hear all the other commotion; our brains are just able to ignore it all so that we can carry on a conversation. Localization refers to the ability to know where sounds are coming from in relation to your position (e.g., behind, to the left). To do this, our brains take advantage of something called the head shadow effect. If a sound is coming from the right, it will arrive slightly sooner and louder to our right ear than our left because our heads create a barrier around which the soundwave must travel. Our auditory systems are highly tuned to these slight discrepancies. They compare and contrast the signals from each ear to determine the origin of the sound. However, this system relies on the signals on each side being even, which is obviously not the case if one ear has a hearing loss. The lopsided signal throws us off, making it significantly harder to know where sounds are coming from. The same is
true for hearing in noise. In short, there is auditory chaos.
MANAGING UNILATERAL HEARING LOSS
Fortunately, there are ways to help manage unilateral hearing losses. One, of course, is to put a hearing aid on the affected ear. This will improve sound awareness on that particular side and balance out the ears, which will benefit hearing in noise and localization. However, this is not always an option. In such cases, we look to specialty devices.
CROS
If the hearing loss is too significant, or speech understanding it too poor, putting a hearing aid on the affected ear won’t help. In this case, a CROS could be used. A CROS looks like a normal hearing aid, but instead of delivering the sound to the bad ear, it transfers it to the good ear. That way, the good ear does all the listening, but the user still gets the benefit of improved sound awareness on the bad side.
BAHA
A Baha, or bone-anchored hearing aid, is a surgical implant that vibrates the skull. The sound then travels across the head and stimulates
the good ear. A Baha is typically used in cases where a hearing aid is not possible, such as an undeveloped ear or chronic infections. It also can be used in cases of single-sided deafness, but again, this would require the bad ear to be completely dead.
COCHLEAR IMPLANT
A cochlear implant as also surgically inserted and works by skipping past the ear altogether and stimulating the auditory nerve directly. They were recently approved by the FDA for cases of single-sided deafness. Cochlear implants have the most prerequisites, but are a wonderful option for those who qualify. Unilateral hearing can be frustrating and disorientating, but there is always hope. Reach out to your local audiologist to start your journey toward better communication. QCBN Trinity Hearing Center is located at 1330 N. Rim Dr., Suite B in Flagstaff. For more information, visit the website at TrinityHearing. net. Jeff Lane is a doctor of audiology with a passion for improving the lives of others. Dr. Lane may be reached at 928-522-0500 or at audio@trinityhearing.net.
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pet news
Scientists Believe Dogs are Using Magnetic Field to Navigate By Rebecca West, QCBN
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e’ve all heard the stories about pets finding their way home across a great distance. They may have become lost during a move, left behind to live with friends or become separated during a trip. While dogs have a remarkable sense of smell, it could be something more. A recent study suggests dogs are able to use Earth’s magnetic field to orient themselves. The ability, known as magnetoreception, allows other creatures, such as whales, dolphins, sea turtles and birds, to use this sixth sense for plotting a course for their annual migrations. It’s called homing behavior. Homing, defined as the ability to return to a known location (breeding grounds, shelter sites, etc.) after displacement, has been exhibited in a diverse range of vertebrates that rely on a multitude of signals for navigating. These can include visual, scent, acoustic, celestial, magnetic and idiothetic cues. Idiothetic, or self-proposition, is used in navigation models for describing the use of self-motion cues, rather than allothetic, or external cues, which are forms of sensory information derived from the surrounding environment. Up to this point, studies characterizing the navigational strategies of homing behavior in non-migratory species — particularly free-ranging mammals — have been scant. One of the earliest examples dates to 1920 when scientists attempted to decipher the mystery after using canine military couriers displaced while delivering messages during World War I. Authors of the new study stated, “The magnetic field may provide dogs with a ‘universal’ reference frame, which is essential for long-distance navigation, and arguably, the most important component that is ‘missing’ from our current understanding of mammalian special
The ability for dogs to find their way home across long distances may involve their senses as well as an innate ability to tap into Earth’s north-south axis to help orient them. Courtesy photo
behavior and cognition.” To test their theories, researchers from Czechoslovakia and the U.S. utilized GPS and video cameras to study the navigational styles of 27 canines from 10 breeds. In total, 622 trials were conducted at 62 locations consisting of forested hunting grounds. Based on the records, they determined turning points, thus dividing the excursions into outbound and inbound tracks. Undertaken between 2014 and 2017, they chose hunting breeds bred to locate prey in dense woodlands and thick brush and then find their way back to where they were released. Researchers discovered that during
two-thirds of the excursions, the dogs typically retraced their steps by using smell. But in a third of the expeditions, the dogs took a different route back. Of this group, most of them began by running for 65 feet along Earth’s north-south axis — even if the direction of their destination differed from this line. This prepping, or “compass run,” is thought to aid in determining where magnetic north and south lie and where the animal is in relation to those points. In other words, they needed to get their bearings before heading back. “This run is instrumental for bringing the mental map into register with the magnetic compass and to
establish the heading of the animal,” the authors wrote. In 399 cases (59.4 %), dogs “homed” by following their initial outbound track (scenting or tracking strategy), and in 223 cases (33.2 %), dogs homed using a novel return route (scouting strategy). In 50 cases (8.0 %), it was determined dogs combined both strategies during a single return. It was ultimately revealed that scouting dogs were faster to return. In other canine magnetoreception mysteries, after observing 37 breeds over a two-year period some 10 years ago, 12 Czech and German scientists came to the conclusion that dogs eliminate waste in alignment
with the Earth’s magnetic field. They studied a total of 1,893 defecations and 5,582 urinations while recording the orientation of the animals’ spines with a compass to reach their conclusions. No explanation was given as to why they relieve themselves in a north-south direction, but scientists have known for years that several species spontaneously align with the Earth’s magnetic field when engaging in certain behaviors. More research is expected to better understand our canine companions and how they navigate the world. QCBN
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Putting a Little Spring in Your Step
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By Loree Walden
t’s April and time to put a little spring in your step! Grab a leash and your four-legged best friend and hit some of the many dog-friendly trails in Prescott. It’s the perfect time to start a new exercise routine together, because April is National Canine Fitness Month. Make sure your dog has a clean bill of health from your veterinarian to prevent any injuries and avoid any issues that might arise from exercising. Getting proper physical stimulation helps dogs keep their muscles and
joints healthy, maintain a healthy weight and work off energy that might be pent up from being inside. Start your dog out with a nice walk around the neighborhood and work up to a longer hike. Just as it is with us humans, you don’t want to jump right into a three-mile hike without building up your endurance and muscles, so make your walks together a little bit longer each day and add in a hill or two. When you’re ready to hit the trails, I suggest the Watson Woods Trail that starts at Rosser and goes to Watson Lake. It’s a nice three-and-a-half mile round-trip hike
that is pretty flat and a good starting point for beginners. From there, you can venture out to other trails and eventually to some that challenge you both a bit more. Lynx Lake Loop is a beautiful twoand-a-half mile hike that is relatively easy, too. The Constellation Loop comes in at about the same length and is also easy but often quite busy. Goldwater Lake’s Trail 396 is an eight-mile hike out and back, which has nice benches along the way to take a break when needed. You can find more dog-friendly hikes at alltrails.com and bringfido.com.
// Taking a walk or hike with your dog is not only good for your pet, but also for you. Benefits include getting exercise and time to bond with your furry friend. You can even add in some training time with them by socializing with other people and other dogs. As it gets warmer, be sure to keep an eye out for snakes that may be in bushes or even hiding buried in the dirt of the trail. //
Remember to bring potty bags and water for both of you, and be sure to keep an eye on your dog(s) to make sure they are not becoming overheated or exhausted. And, remember that while it’s tempting to let your dog off its leash, it is Arizona law that your dog remain on a leash that is a maximum of six-feet long. This is for the safety of not only your dog, but others you may come across. Taking a walk or hike with your dog is not only good for your pet, but also for you. Benefits include getting exercise and time to bond with your furry friend. You can even add in some training time with them by socializing with other people and other dogs. As it gets warmer, be sure to keep an eye out for snakes that may be in bushes or even hiding buried in the dirt of the trail. We have a lot of different species of snakes in Northern Arizona and while some are not poisonous, many are. It’s a good idea to take a moment to learn the different types so you can spot ones that may be potentially poisonous or dangerous to you and your pet. Should you happen to come across a snake and your dog gets bitten, it’s important to know what kind of snake it is
and make sure you get your dog to your vet as soon as possible. In addition, April is also Prevent Lyme Disease in Dogs Month. Lyme disease is caused by ticks found in tall grass, thick brush and woody areas. Ticks attach themselves to your pooch when they walk by and rub up against something the tick is on. A tick can transmit Lyme disease to your dog in as soon as 24 to 48 hours after being attached. When you get home from a walk or hike, be sure to inspect your dog for ticks. Be very thorough, especially in long-haired dogs, as they tend to dig their way down to their skin quite quickly. If you happen to find one, carefully remove it, making sure you get the entire tick. You can prevent ticks from jumping on your dog altogether by giving them a veterinary-approved flea and tick preventative available over the counter. So, grab that leash and your dog and head out for a nice walk together! It’ll do you both good! QCBN Loree Walden is the marketing manager for Yavapai Humane Society.
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Pets are Eating Better as Humans Become More Health Conscious By Betsey Bruner, QCBN
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hen we eat healthier, pets eat healthier, say those in the pet care industry. Purina Chief Growth Officer Andrea Faccio says that as people have redefined wellness for themselves, they are also doing so for their pets. “We don’t see this as a trend so much as an evolution that can ultimately benefit pets and the bond they share with their owners.” Thus, she says, more than ever, pet parents are doing their research to help create the best lives for their pets. “This translates to an increased interest in everything from pet foods with functional ingredients like probiotics, to dietary supplements and technology that can help them track pet health, train their pet or spend more quality time together.” As a result, Purina has experienced record growth across several brands in the past year, including Purina Pro Plan, ProPlan Veterinary Diets prescription products and Purina ONE pet foods. The Purina Pro Plan and Purina ONE pet foods are made in the Flagstaff factory, which has been
in operation since 1975. Veterinarians like Jen Sullivan, DVM, cVMA, at Canyon Pet Hospital in Flagstaff say the first step with good nutrition for a pet is to ask many questions about the age or life stage of the pet, the activity of the pet and the breed of the pet. “Is the pet an ideal weight or is the pet underweight or overweight? These are just a few questions to assess the best brand of food for the particular need of the pet.” The organization that regulates and standardizes the pet food industry is the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) It provides ingredient definitions, label standards and laboratory guidance for state, federal and international feed regulators. “Technically, the best brands are those that perform feeding trials,” said Sullivan. “These companies have taken their food through a specific AAFCO protocol and from this they are scientifically reporting the quality of the ingredients in their formula. A feeding trial is also the only way to accurately assess the quality of the protein in a diet, as this is the only
Ryan Baynes at Olsen’s Grain in Prescott helps pet owners find food to match their pets’ needs. Courtesy photo
Nestlé Purina PetCare Company has experienced record growth across premium quality pet food brands like Purina Pro Plan and Purina ONE, made in the Flagstaff factory. Courtesy photo
valid way to determine the digestibility of a protein, and therefore its quality.” There are also special health needs to consider for pets, says Prescott Olsen’s Grain Manager Ryan Baynes. “One of those is special circumstances for the pet itself, like allergies or other medical conditions that require avoidance of certain ingredients or
lower or higher macro nutrients, like less carbohydrates for dogs with diabetes or less protein as a requirement for dogs with pancreatitis or pancreatic cancer.” “Dogs are omnivores, which means they eat more like humans,” said Sullivan. “There are certain foods that we eat that are toxic to dogs, so when feeding dogs human foods, be certain
that you aren't feeding them those things. The ASPCA has a good list of foods that are toxic to dogs.” Generally, she says, if it is wholesome for us, it is wholesome for them, like carrots, green beans, apples, bananas, potatoes, hard boiled eggs and lean meats that are boiled. “Cats are obligate carnivores, Continued on page 38
QCBN Supports Police Dog
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owling for Eden, a fundraising event initiated by QCBN Sales Director Ann Herrington to support the needs of the Prescott Police Department’s comfort dog, generated more than $15,000. Eden, a nearly one-year-old goldendoodle, joined Police Chief Amy Bonney and the force earlier this year. “We are proud to support a project such as this that benefits the Prescott Police Department and Eden,” said QCBN Publisher Amy Bix. Herrington, Chief Bonney and Eden welcomed volunteers to the February event. QCBN
APRIL 2022 // Quad Cities Business News
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Mental Health Community Featuring Documentary to Spread Hope, Fight Suicide
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By Deanna Eder
suicide attempt left 16-yearold varsity cheerleader Emma Benoit paralyzed, but propelled her on a mission to use her painful experience to help others find hope and shine more light on the fact that 20 young people die every day by suicide in the United States. “My Ascension” is a feature-length documentary that chronicles Emma’s inspiring journey and quest to walk again, as she works to bring Hope Squad, a school-based suicide prevention program, to Louisiana. The film also highlights the stories of two remarkable young people who tragically did not survive their attempts, and we learn first-hand from their families, friends, school officials and suicide prevention experts about the devastating effects of suicide and what can be done to prevent it. A group of community partners, including Polara Health, MATFORCE, Suicide Prevention Coalition of Yavapai County, Community Counts AZ and Yavapai College are working
together to increase awareness and talk about suicide prevention during Mental Health Awareness Month in May. As part of the effort, the community is invited to a free showing of My Ascension at 5 p.m., Wednesday, May 11, at the Yavapai College Performing Arts Center. The 90-minute film will be followed by a virtual question and answer session with Emma and the filmmaker, Greg Dicharry. According to the National Institute of Mental Health’s most current data from 2018, approximately 7,600 young people under the age of 25 died by suicide that year. That’s 20 young people dying every day in the U.S. alone. If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 1-800-273-8255 or text the Crisis Text Line - HELLO to 741741. QCBN Deanna Eder is the director of marketing and development for Polara Health. She can be reached at d.eder@polarahealth. com
Emma Benoit will answer questions virtually following a free showing of the film on May 11. Courtesy Photo
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Northern Arizona IT – Your local IT Security Provider. Call Theo at (928) 719-7724 or email me at theo@northernazit.com
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Moves from Big Cities are Changing Local Gardening
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By Ken Lain
e have experienced some interesting trends over the past year as more people are attracted to plants and gardening. Hashtags like #PlantParenthood are common. Fast-forward to 2022, and the magnetic draw to gardening has grown stronger. Many folks who visit the garden center this spring are seeking their first experience with plants. I’ve asked these new gardeners what compels them to the garden. They say the current economic and health scare turned them into wannabe gardeners ready to try their hands at growing food. In research for this article, a quote from WebMD caught my attention: “Take advantage of the gym growing right outside your front door.” Now, Watters Garden Center never thought we were in competition with local fitness centers, but it’s a natural transition. People who say gyms closed by a COVID-19 scare have sparked a robust interest in the health benefits the garden provides with fresh air and physical activity. The WebMD article, “Get Fit in the Garden,” reads: “Gardening is a good way to whittle down your waistline. Thirty minutes of garden exercise (for a
180-pound person) burns calories from activities like planting seedlings - 162 calories, weeding -182 calories and general gardening - 202 calories.” An article on GardeningKnowHow. com entitled “Garden Fitness: Learn About Exercise In The Garden” states, “Gardening contributes to healthy living. Approximately 300 calories an hour are burned just by gardening. You burn calories and have a beautiful landscape to show for it.” When practiced regularly, gardening may help lower blood pressure and cholesterol level, and may help prevent diabetes, heart disease, depression and osteoporosis.
A NEW TREND: MIGRATION BACK TO RURAL AREAS
We are at the leading edge of a new trend by those ditching big-city living in favor of less densely populated areas. There is an intensified desire for garden knowledge that comes with this migration. As we’ve seen this spring, the importance of herbs, vegetables, fruits and farm-related products is a recurring trend. We may even revisit the strategies for homesteading in the coming season! This is an excellent opportunity for renewed interest in and expansion of the Yavapai 4-H and FFA programs.
The 4-H Pledge may well be attractive to the next generation. Dr. Maya Shetreat-Klien, M.D., shares these fascinating thoughts in her recent article, “The Dirt Cure.” “Our connection to plants, the soil and nature has been with us since the beginning of our existence. It is part of our DNA. During stressful times, gardening and getting our hands in the soil can be just what’s needed. What I have learned is that ultimately, it all begins with dirt. Dirt means exposure to microbes, eating fresh food from healthy soil and spending time in nature. “Instead of letting children get dirty, we have sanitized them. We’ve sanitized their bodies with antibiotics and hand sanitizer, their homes and schools with bleach, their food with pesticides, and their very lives by living more indoors. This is a problem because the bio-terrain inside our bodies is connected intricately to the eco-terrain outside our bodies.” Dr. Shetreat-Klien goes on to say, “We are part of a super-organism that includes microbes around and inside us, the food we eat and the elements of nature: sun, soil, water, air and plants.
How to Manage Spring Cleaning in the Kitchen
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By Debbie Maranville
ise and shine, it’s springtime – one of my favorite seasons to celebrate renewal and freshness! Such a delight to transition out of winter. However, I will miss my morning fires that my husband creates. According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of “spring cleaning” is the act or process of doing a thorough cleaning of a place. I imagine you would agree with me that the kitchen is the most commonly used room in the home. Should you own pets, there is even more traffic in the kitchen. Here are some helpful tips that may assist you: 1. Counters/Surfaces - Remove everything off the counters. If there is an appliance or piece of culinary equipment that you have not used, place it in your pantry or closet, or gift it. Wipe down the counters to ensure you have a clean foundation. Focus on corners also. 2. Walls/Cabinets - While you were cooking all those great soups and stews during the winter as well as enjoying evening fires, there are oils and steam that have danced over to the surfaces. You will want to wipe down all the surfaces, both inside and out, to ensure you have wiped off the grime. 3. Stoves/Cooktops - Now is the perfect time to clean where the magic begins. When using oven cleaners, if they are not natural, I encourage you to open a window or screen door for proper ventilation. Cleaning under the hood of the exhaust system also is needed.
4. Refrigerator - Out with the old and in with the new. If you haven’t used an open condiment or sauce, throw it out and ensure you start with fresh. Most products have “use through” dates on them. Two weeks to 14 days is the norm on most products. Of course, ketchup, mustard and vinegars have a bit longer shelf life. Pull everything off the shelves and the doors and do a thorough cleaning. Some folks use vinegar or bleach. Be mindful of proper ventilation. I use Melaleuca products at home. And, here’s a friendly reminder to clean the condensers and wipe down dust and pet hair. This helps with proper air circulation and longer life of the refrigerator. 5. Floors - A thorough cleaning of the floor surface, including grout and baseboards, will freshen up your kitchen. Don’t forget the pantry floors also. 6. Drawers - You may also at this time open up your drawers and clean out any unnecessary clutter and dust. Silverware caddies can get the dirtiest. I suggest placing all silverware and cooking utensils in the dishwasher for sanitation purposes. Often the cleaning can be overwhelming. Might I suggest sharing the cleaning with a friend or relative and then the following week, plan to go to their home and assist with their spring cleaning. Sharing lunchtime will be a great reward for both of you after the work. Take today to plan a little spring cleaning in your kitchen. QCBN Debbie Maranville is the co-owner of Goods from the Garden, Catering and Events and The Natural Healing Garden Massage and Wellness Center.
Whether through their presence or absence, these elements are in constant conversation with our bodies’ guts, immune systems and brains. Most of us don’t think about soil or think of it as irrelevant to modern life. But we couldn’t be more wrong. Soil plays a profound role in our health and happiness. Indeed, the health of our inner terrain, the internal environment of our bodies, reflects the health of our outer terrain, i.e., the world around us.” The doctor details many fascinating benefits of “playing in the dirt” in topics like better nutrition, fewer allergies, more phytonutrients, better focus and memory, antidepressant effects, clean
food and water, less stress, better sleep, reduced inflammation and more! Until the next issue, I’ll be helping locals garden healthier here at Watters Garden Center. QCBN Ken Lain can be found throughout the week at Watters Garden Center, 1815 W. Iron Springs Road in Prescott or contacted through his website at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10Plants.com.
3rd Annual
PRESCOTT AREA
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Save the Date! SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 2022
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What is a Memory Café? By Candace Lea
factors. When you meet others and you observe that you are not alone, a shift in perception occurs. Friendships and emory Cafés are a worldwide recognized support system for confidants may be established and this is a powerful tool when fighting a longthose persons afflicted with term illness. dementia or other cognitive impairMemory Cafés are held in the ment. The cafés are meant to be fun, community at libraries, day centers, educational and relaxing for both the clinics or any place that is interested in caregiver and the person diagnosed with a memory disorder. According to starting a café. In the past two years, the University of Washington, the idea many cafés have become virtual, for those who are not comfortable attendof memory cafés or Alzheimer’s cafés ing in person. There is usually a snack started in 1997 by Dutch psychiatrist Bere Missen. His goal was to bring peo- or meal served, followed by an art/craft, game or an educational moment. This ple with dementia and their caregivers “out of the shadows and into the light.” is an opportunity to enjoy quality time Today, there are more than 1,000 cafés with one another and put the diagnosis on the back burner. Smiles, laughter worldwide. and relaxation are strongly encourWhen a person is diagnosed with aged! One of the important aspects memory loss, it can be a challenging of the cafés is that the space is set up time, not only for them, but also their entire family. All persons involved may so the person with memory loss and go through the stages of grief, including the caregiver are able to enjoy quality time together. This leveled-out playing anger, sadness and denial. This can field breaks down the ongoing be a trying time for the family and a stress and demands that Memory Café is a perfect way to come together with others who are experienc- both participants have been ing the same thing. This support system going through. They are not separated; this is not a is such a valuable resource. Isolation respite event. The activity is that comes along with many illnesses structured so that both people can be one of the most debilitating
M
can partake and enjoy! The Susan J. Rheem Adult Day Center is so excited to be bringing their Memory Café back to the Quad Cities area. This free café will be from 9 to 10:30 a.m., the second Saturday of each month, beginning April 9. A continental breakfast will be served, followed by a fun-filled game or art project. If you or a friend or family member are suffering with memory loss, dementia or a cognitive impairment, we encourage you to attend. Please RSVP by texting, calling or emailing Candace Lea at 928-441-1039, cl@adultcareservices. org. QCBN If you would like to learn more about the Memory Cafés in the U.S. and other countries, please visit the Memory Café Directory at www.memorycafedirectory. com . Candace Lea, MBA, is the community liaison and marketing person for Adult Care Services. She has worked in the human service and healthcare field for more than 30 years. She also is a local yoga teacher. To learn more about these programs, visit adultcareservices.org.
Prepping Your House for Sale
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By Lucy Leyva
s the unprecedented seller’s market continues in Arizona’s real estate industry, here are some tips to make your house attractive to buyers and command the best price.
THINK LIKE A BUYER
Keep in mind the things that you would be looking at if you were looking to buy. There are things that we just get used to in our own homes that a buyer may not look past. Look for cracks, peeling, squeaks, drips, hard water stains, ceiling stains, loose handrails and more. The little things may not be little to someone else.
MAKE THE NECESSARY REPAIRS
You don’t have to renovate to sell, but making the most important repairs will go a long way for your home to show nicely and won’t crop up later. Make a list and plan to take care of the things that are going to show up in an inspection report and may hold up your closing. Take care of what you can up front.
DECLUTTER AND DEPERSONALIZE
The less stuff you have in the house, the easier it will be to deep clean and the easier it will be for someone else to imagine their stuff in the space. Get rid of extra furniture, piled up boxes or paperwork and take down the family photos from the walls. Your home will also appear larger when there are not too many things everywhere.
CLEAN, CLEAN, CLEAN
Even if a home is older and needs renovation, a clean home that smells clean
gives buyers a sense of confidence that the home has been well taken care of. Carpeting, windows, walls, curtains and upholstered furniture all hold odors. Consider having the windows and carpets professionally cleaned. Clean, sparkly windows are a top priority for a home to show nicely. Carpeting may be replaced by the new homeowner, but dirty carpet is an immediate turnoff to potential buyers. Make sure the inside of your appliances are clean (people tend to open them and look inside). A good deep clean, including baseboards, fans and blinds, will do the trick.
REPLACE BOLD COLORS WITH NEUTRAL COLORS
You want to appeal to the broadest audience possible, so if you have a purple or lime green accent wall, consider painting them with neutral colors. People can put their own personalized stamp on the home when they move in.
STAGE IT AND KEEP IT CLEAN
Photos will likely be taken, so you want your space to be photogenic from the front to the back. While the home is listed, keep it clean. There is often not enough time to clean up before the next showing. Stage the house to appeal to the average buyer.
REPAIR IT, DECLUTTER IT, CLEAN IT, STAGE IT AND SELL IT The housing market is hot, so large, expensive renovations are often not necessary, but a wellkept, clean home will show the best. Here at Prescott Maid to Order, we wish you happy new adventures! QCBN Lucy Leyva is the owner of Prescott Maid to Order.
Memory Cafés are designed to lessen stress so both the person with memory loss and the caregiver may enjoy time together. Courtesy photo
Watch Your Business News Bonnie Stevens' Communication Station is delivering a refreshing, engaging and inspirational vodcast (video podcast) that features Northern Arizona businesses, outdoor adventure and leadership twice a month. Zonie Living is sponsored in part by Quad Cities Business News. Go to https://starworldwidenetworks.com/shows/bonnie-stevens to learn more.
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NACOG Demonstrates Leadership
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By Teri Drew
aving recently passed the 45year milestone in my career at the Northern Arizona Council of Governments, I pause to reflect on the shaping of the leadership legacy that has brought me to my station in life today. I have enjoyed and had the great privilege of rubbing shoulders with great leaders on the national, state and local stage and have experienced many opportunities to lead and innovate to effect change in my community, region, state and country. I learned early on that real leaders invest in others, as many of my men-
tors invested in me and my success as a leader. I am reminded of a quote from author Sally Koch, “Great opportunities to help others seldom come, but small ones surround us every day.” I’ll tell you a story of a successful businessman right in our own city. Grant Quezada started his career path as a hairdresser in a top salon in Springfield, Missouri. Three years later, Grant heard the patriotic call during the War on Terrorism and enlisted in the United States Army, spending the next eight years serving his country. After completing his tour of duty in the summer of 2014, he
completed extended male barbering training and obtained his barber license. Grant, his wife, two sons and a daughter moved back to their hometown of Prescott in fall 2014. His plan was to open the best barbershop in town. Grant began his business when he opened the John Hancock Barbershop in 2014, with a vision to create a work environment to benefit his fellow veterans and provide a unique, signature experience for his community at the same time. Prescott is home to a large U.S. Veterans Administration presence, as well as U.S. VETS, a non-profit organization
// Founding Fathers Collective (FFC) was born from its premier anchor business, John Hancock Barbershop, as a way to give back to the veteran community, contributing to the thriving hospitality and tourist destination that is Prescott. FFC continues its partnership with the Yavapai County WDB with at least 10 veteran placements and has been a leader within the Prescott community by delivering an outstanding shared experience through caring and connecting the citizens of our community. //
established nationwide to serve those who served with career placements and housing, both of which Grant connected with to offer career opportunities to veterans needing to re-start in civilian life. Leveraging the “perfect storm” of a large veteran community and WIOA workforce training opportunities, Grant accomplished his goals through a partnership with the Northern Arizona Council of Governments (NACOG) Yavapai County ARIZONA@WORK Title I Program, overseen by the Yavapai County Workforce Development Board (WDB), which assisted John Hancock Barbershop with recruitment and training of veterans as barbers and management staff. Founding Fathers Collective (FFC) was born from its premier anchor business, John Hancock Barbershop, as a way to give back to the veteran community, contributing to the thriving hospitality and tourist destination that is Prescott. FFC continues its partnership with the Yavapai County WDB with at least 10 veteran placements and has been a leader within the Prescott community by delivering an outstanding shared experience through caring and connecting the citizens of our
community. Chairman Anita Payne of the Yavapai County WDB and I are going to accompany Grant in April to the National Association of Workforce Boards “The Forum,” an annual event held in Washington, D.C., where Grant and John Hancock Barbershop/Founding Fathers Collective will be receiving the prestigious W.O. Lawton Award. The award honors businesses and business organizations that have made the commitment of time, money and leadership to make their community’s workforce and economy more vibrant. Out of 550 workforce development areas, Grant and the WDB was singled out as the 2022 recipient. We are beyond thrilled that we partner in the success and are proud of our Prescott-based businesses. So, that’s the story. Do you want to know what a leader is? Look no further. QCBN Serving, Solving, Sustaining Teri Drew is the regional director for Northern Arizona Council of Governments Economic/Workforce Development (NACOG-EWD).
Is the American Dream Possible?
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By Steven Calabrese
o answer the question: Is the American Dream possible, many will say no, but based on what set of facts? What if I told you it is possible and there are more than 22 million millionaires in the United States? You may be living next door to one and not even know it. Certainly, it may feel impossible to believe this in today’s economic environment. Let’s dig into this. Currently, inflation is running hot. The price of everything is up. Have you bought gas recently? It’s a sore point with many, as it is up 30 to 40 cents in the last week. In many parts of the country, the cost of gasoline is higher than $4 per gallon. Then, we have the cost of food, up 20% to 30% in the last year, and housing, up 15% to 20%. You might be thinking, “These times are bad and one will never be able to get ahead. The
American Dream is dead.” Certainly, it seems like it. In the words of that famous philosopher Yogi Berra, “It’s déjà vu all over again.”
WHAT IS THE AMERICAN DREAM?
Is it simply owning one’s own home? Or is it something more? How can you realize the American Dream? For the sake of this article, let us define the American Dream as becoming a millionaire. Is that possible? Let’s find out.
A LOOK BACK IN TIME
Some may not remember, or perhaps it was before your time, but way back in the early 1980s, things were a mess. The economy was bad, interest rates were double digits, close to 20%. The American Dream was dead. Or was it? The housing market had collapsed. Inflation was in the double digits. The employment market
// Other interesting data shows that 94% live on less than what they make, spend less than $200 a month on restaurants and use coupons when they shop. Many have gone to college, not necessarily an Ivy League school, but a state college. Most never earn more than $100,000 per year. //
was tight. But somehow, the American Dream survived. Are we in that same period?
ARE TIMES DIFFERENT?
Does it matter? The economy goes in cycles. Some years are good and some years are bad. The common denominator is persistence. It is possible to become a millionaire. There are several factors that millionaires have in common. When you put these factors together, you get a winning formula.
RECENT DATA
A major study conducted by Ramsey Solutions revealed some interesting data. This study was conducted between November 2017 and January 2018. It polled 10,000 millionaires. What does a millionaire mean? Simply anyone who has a net worth over $1 million. Net worth is what you own less what you owe. The journey for many was across 28 years. About 5% did it in 10. 80% of this wealth was built in their 401k, consistently saving for retirement. Few inherited it. Other interesting data shows that 94% live on less than what they make, spend less than $200 a month on restaurants and use coupons when they shop. Many have gone to college, not necessarily an Ivy League school, but a state college. Most never earn more than $100,000 per year.
WHAT ARE THE TOP CAREERS OF MILLIONAIRES? Once again, the data is interesting. These careers generally attract detail-oriented people. These folks plan and they have a long-term view of the
world. They are persistent and in many cases are focused on a goal. Their goals are often written. Here are the top five careers: engineer, accountant (CPA), teacher, management professional and attorney. Does this list surprise you? In conclusion, it is possible to become a millionaire even in today’s economic climate. You need a plan and persistence. Times may seem tough right now, but things cycle from good to bad to good. So set your goals and implement your plan. Here is a link to the Ramsey Solutions Study: https://cdn.ramseysolutions.net/media/company/pr/everyday-millionaires-research/national-study-of-millionaire-new. pdf?_ga=2.256772363.1400410220.16467938471673457016.1646708530&_gl=1*1tnr4ve*_ ga*MTY3MzQ1NzAxNi4xNjQ2NzA4NTMw*_ ga_02SXDH1H96*MTY0Njc5Mzg0Ni4xLjEuMTY0Njc5NDI3Ny4xNw You work hard for your money, make sure it stays your money! Thanks for reading, I hope you found this helpful. QCBN Steven Calabrese, CPA, is the CFO of Polara Health. He also is the owner/operator of a website known as thebiweeklyadvisor.com, where topics such as budgeting, investing, paying off debt and goal setting are discussed.
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Experiencing the Extraordinary Rising Costs of Construction Materials
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elcome to “At Home With Tom & Sandy.” We are here to give you the inside scoop and tips on everything A to Z for your home and we love talking about the construction industry. Settle in, enjoy and have fun reading our column. We sure do enjoy sharing our words with you. Thanks for being such loyal and great readers. Tom is on vacation, floating in the beautiful blue seas and kayaking somewhe re in the San Juan Islands, drinking beer, eating great food and having a super time. He is not here for me to yak with, so consequently I am recycling a column, so I do not have to talk to myself. This is a column from June 2021, and I hope you will find it interesting and together we can miss my sidekick. Next month we can hear about his vacation travels. Sandy: YIKES, YIKES, and more YIKES!!! What is going on with the cost of construction materials? I have never seen industry prices like this before. Tom: Oh, boy. You said it! In preparation for this conversation, I talked with several contractors and some suppliers. And they are all shaking their collective heads. Sandy: I have heard everything from COVID to the Suez Canal blockage to tariffs causing material supply issues and rising prices. Tom: Me, too. It is amazing at how intertwined our economic systems are. Sandy: The labor supply is no real big news to me. That is why the YCCA started the “Boot Camp” process a few years back. It was created to get younger people interested in a career in the construction industry. Tom: And wow, were you were successful at that. How many souls got jobs from that effort? Sandy: Thirteen, and I am proud to say they are still working in the industry for the original companies that hired them – all local. Tom: But the labor problem has many facets to it. From young folks being drilled for years that college is the only route to happiness and success and eschewing blue-collar jobs. Sandy: COVID contributes to the shortage as well. With the stimulus package paying higher unemployment,
the motivation to work is lessened for some. Not necessary the skilled trades, but the manual labor force as well. Tom: True. Our readers need to know that construction costs are skyrocketing though. The labor shortage is only part of it. Sandy: I agree. The price of a piece of OSB plywood ½” thick has almost tripled since this time last year. Can you imagine – $64 for a 4’x8’ sheet! Tom: That is only the tip of the iceberg. Dang near everything is up 50% to 250%. Sandy: People are still building like crazy, though. There is a lot of pent-up demand. Talking with contractors, the funnel is not slowing down. Tom: It is almost the perfect storm of craziness. I do not think the average consumer has a clear picture of the depth of negative impact COVID has had on our economy. Sandy: The industry is grateful that construction was considered an essential service in Arizona; that was not the same elsewhere. Tom: Exactly. Let us look at something as simple as granite countertops. Quarry workers in other countries could not work because of the quarantine. Therefore, the granite is not mined, and the supply dries up. The demand is still there, just not the product. If the quarantine is lessened and some mining is done, the next cog in the wheel is shipping. Cargo ships are sitting in Long Beach harbor waiting to be unloaded. Add to that a trucking shortage. I think I heard it takes more than 800 trucks for a ship to be unloaded. And stacking container space has swallowed up the docks. Sandy: That same scenario touches almost every aspect of the supply chain, including mining for aluminum windows and manufacturing – everything from a 2 x 4 to sinks, mechanical equipment – you name it. Tom: In the last year, many facilities were either shut down completely, or partially opened then shut down multiple times, adding to the low supply. Sandy: And the high demand all leads to the classic economic theory of supply and demand affecting the price of a service or commodity.
Tom: What our readers need to know is how the construction industry is handling this craziness. Estimating a project normally takes a few weeks – depending, of course, on the project’s complexity. Before the pracademic, a supplier or subcontractor would hold their numbers for 30 to 45 to 60 days. I am told that currently, seven days is the max. Sandy: I have heard that also. How can anyone sign a contract at a fixed price when the project might take three, four, six or 12 months to complete? Tom: Therein lies the dilemma. Some of the tools being used are pre-orders with price guarantees. This works for some products but usually not the most volatile. Sandy: One could delay construction until things settle, but we are not really seeing a lot of that. Tom: Some savvy contractors and smart owners are agreeing to a shared price clause in the contract. That allows a project to move forward with both parties agreeing to something akin to a floating cost. This allows the project to move forward without delays because of price increases. Sandy: Contractors are also going to cost-plus contracts. Tom: Prices are rising. Construction materials are surging amid higher demand and as we talked about earlier in our column, supply constraints are big. Sandy: I have seen construction costs rising since last June and we know the increase is having a big effect on the residential construction industry. Everything from lumber to asphalt to cement to insulation has soared in price as the home-building industry has heated up. Tom: When this thing called the pandemic happened, many suppliers cut their output, expecting that the subsequent economic disruption would cause severe reduction in demand. Sandy: Tom, that drop in demand never occurred and because the industry was deemed essential, we avoided a shutdown. In fact, home building and renovation have been leaders in the post-pandemic economy. In one year, from March 2020 to March 2021, lumber has increased 83%. Tom: From everything I have read,
prices show no signs of abating amid the surge in home building driven by the receipt of stimulus money and higher consumer saving because of stay-at-home restrictions. Remote work is also supporting the trend, with many people forced to live, work and play at home. Sandy: Adding to the squeeze on supplies, wildfires struck the Pacific Northwest last fall, burning through forests slated for market. Many construction companies and suppliers have turned to central Europe to fulfill lumber orders. Forest Economic Advisors has stated that it expects lumber imports in the United States to rise 14% to 15% for 2021. Tom: The takeaway of this is: For construction companies, higher material and shipping costs are adding to margin pressures. Through the past year, final demand pricing for construction services has grown only 2% year over year through March. This means that contractors are absorbing these cost increases without passing
them on to their customers. Sandy: Tom, our region is growing and there is no doubt about it – the housing market and the construction industry are two strong sectors keeping our economy going. Thanks for stopping in to read At Home With Tom and Sandy. You are in good company and we love sharing educational, fun and important information with you. QCBN Tom Reilly, Architect, Renovations, 928445-8506 renovationsaz.com Sandy Griffis, Executive Director, Yavapai County Contractors Association, 928-7780040 Remember to tune in to YCCA’s Hammer Time every Saturday and Sunday morning 7 a.m. on KQNA 1130 AM/99.9 FM/95.5FM or the web kqna.com. Listen to Sandy and Mike talk about the construction industry and meet your local community partners. Hammer Time is a great way to start your weekend.
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Knowing Your Options When Selling A House
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By Nick Malouff
hese days, sellers have many options. In just a few short years, it seems the options available to a homeowner who wants to sell his or her house has gone from either hire an agent or sell it yourself to so many options that most of us can’t keep up. In addition to the traditional methods, home sellers can now choose from a range of iBuyer options, discount brokerages and home-swap programs. How do you decide which option will serve you best? The good news is many of the options have merged, so you can have the best of all worlds. How so? Companies like Easy Knock will pay you up to 90% of the appraised value of your home up front (less fees) and they will pay the agent who is advising you in the process. If you need to be out quickly or you have another home you want to purchase, you can accomplish both by taking advantage of this option and have the advisor you need to help with both the sale and a new purchase. You may even lease back the home for up to a year in this program. Knock is another company that basically allows you to swap your
current home for another. In this program, Knock will give you up to 75% of your appraised value up front and purchase the home you want. According to Knock’s publications, you can buy a new home before listing your old house for sale, skip the hassle of living through house showings, pay only one mortgage at a time and build equity while you sell. You may also receive up to $25,000 of home prep work prepaid so your old house sells for the best price, and you avoid renting costs and moving twice. Of course, if you have sufficient knowledge of the industry and don’t need an advisor, you can go the old-fashioned route of selling your home yourself. There are advantages and disadvantages to this approach. If you aren’t familiar with the selling contract process, critical mistakes could cost thousands of dollars. You may also miss out on giving your home the maximum selling exposure without the benefit of a brokerage or listing service. Some companies are a hybrid of the sell-it-yourself versus sell-withan-agent approach. They help you place your house on the market and provide limited services for a lower fee. However, you still need to have sufficient knowledge of the process to
deal with the complexities of selling your home in this scenario. You also must be prepared to deal with many potential buyers and do most of the negotiating. The time commitment could be substantial, and the potential pitfalls are many.
MAKING A GOOD CHOICE
Overwhelmed by the options? You
don’t have to make a hard-and-fast decision right away. Instead, talk to a few good agents, get quotes from several iBuyers, and scope out your local market. The programs listed above are only a snapshot of the available options in the selling process. Make sure you understand the options
available to you before you commit to a path. QCBN Nick Malouff is the CEO and co-owner of Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty with offices in Prescott, Prescott Valley, Cottonwood and Sedona. To reach Nick or a highly qualified agent, please call 928-443-8800.
Dignity Health, YRMC Opens State-of-the-Art Blood Draw Center
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By Bridget O’Gara
ignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) has realigned its Prescott outpatient blood draw centers into a single, state-of-the-art location. The new Outpatient Draw Center is now serving patients in the recently opened Outpatient Services Building (OSB) West, on the campus of YRMC West at 1001 Willow Creek Road, Suite 1100A, Prescott, Arizona 86301.
// “The Draw Center is technically advanced as well as spacious, comfortable and convenient for patients,” said Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) Marketing and Communications Director Ken Boush. “It’s a great example of YRMC’s commitment to growth that serves the community.” //
“The Draw Center is technically advanced as well as spacious, comfortable and convenient for patients,” said Dignity Health, Yavapai Regional Medical Center (YRMC) Marketing and Communications Director Ken Boush. “It’s a great example of YRMC’s commitment to growth that serves the community.”
CONVENIENT PARKING AND SERVICE HOURS
A particularly welcome convenience will be the multi-level structure adjacent to the OSB West. By parking on the first level, patients can reach the Outpatient Draw Center on the first floor of the OSB West. The new Outpatient Draw Center hours are 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, open for patients during all service hours. No appointments are necessary for those with a provider order. The office can be reached at 928708-4591. This realignment does not affect YRMC’s Outpatient Draw Center in Prescott Valley, which will continue serving patients in its current location. QCBN For more information about YRMC’s Laboratory Services, visit DignityHealth.org/YRMC. Bridget O’Gara is a writer, communications strategist and project manager who specializes in healthcare. She works with mission-driven healthcare organizations, including hospitals, other healthcare providers and advocacy organizations.
Pairing Pecans with Wine
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ore than 7,000 people attended the Camp Verde Pecan and Wine Festival last month. The free event featuring 13 Arizona wineries was co-hosted by the Verde Valley Wine Consortium and the Town of Camp Verde, sponsored by Yavapai College and its Southwest Wine Center and Larry Green Chevrolet. “This year, people were happy to be outside, talking and having a good time,” said Verde Valley Wine Consortium President Tom Schumacher. “It was outstanding,” said Camp Verde Town Manager Russ Martin. “We had almost as many people on Saturday that we did over two days last year.” Pictured here, Arizona Stronghold Vineyards Wine Club Manager Summer Hawk, Verde Valley Wine Consortium President Paula Woosley, Arizona Stronghold Assistant Winemaker Amanda Oswald and Arizona Stronghold Events Coordinator Marie Tucich, were among those promoting the Verde Valley as a recently designated American Viticultural Area (AVA). QCBN
Photo by V. Ronnie Tierney, Fresh Focuses Photography
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Pink Jeep Tours Offering Free Tuition to Employees
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erschend Enterprises, the parent company for PINK Jeep Tours, announced it will cover 100% of tuition, fees and books for its 11,000 employees who choose to pursue further education. The significant investment in employee education will be made through Herschend’s GROW U. The program aims to make it exponentially easier for employees at all levels to pursue their personal and professional dreams through education. Herschend’s GROW U. officially launched last month for all seasonal, part-time and full-time employees across its 25 U.S. attractions including at PINK Jeep Tours. “Whether it’s to pursue a new dream or advance their career with us, we care about our employees’ personal and professional growth, because we believe that their futures should be grown with love, not loans,” PINK Jeep Tours President John Fitzgibbons. “Our team members’ success is our success – and that’s why we’re thrilled to make this benefit available to all, regardless of their role in the company and with-
Student pilots receive practical instruction in the ERAU Dick Samuels Flight Instructor Building at the Prescott Regional Airport. Photo by Ray Newton
Arizona ADOT Officials Laud ERAU Pilot Training as Economic Growth Factor Pink Jeep tours serve visitors from around the world. Courtesy photo
out the burden of debt.” Those interested in working at PINK Jeep Tours can apply for open positions or learn more by visiting www.pinkjeep.com/jobs. In the last 20 years alone, the com-
pany reports more than five million guests from across the globe have shared their vacations with PINK Adventure Tours, founded in 1960 and based in Sedona. QCBN
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By Ray Newton, QCBN
he global pilot shortage has helped create what the Arizona Department of Transportation 2021 Aviation Economic Impact Study (AEIS) called “one of the premier professional aviation and aerospace programs in the country at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott (ERAU).” The report says ERAU “fosters economic growth throughout the greater Prescott region” as one of the largest aviation training programs in the nation. Continued on page 39
Securing Your Remote Workers
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By Theo Soumilas
ver the last few years, we have seen several tech companies, such as Buffer, Todoist and Help Scout, to name a few, switch to a fully remote or partial work setup. Most of these companies spent months preparing for the switch by training their employees, setting up remote work policies and ensuring the necessary infrastructure was in place to deal with cybersecurity threats. However, many companies were forced to make the switch overnight when COVID-19 hit. Very few got the chance to fully prepare themselves, which left them more vulnerable to cyberattacks and data breaches. And this is exactly what cybercriminals are capitalizing on.
RISKS, CONSEQUENCES OF NOT UPDATING YOUR SECURITY PROTOCOLS, TRAINING PROGRAMS
For starters, your existing protocols and training programs were created in a pre-pandemic world. However, things have since changed drastically. Now, employees access critical company data through connections and devices that are beyond your control, making your company more
vulnerable to cybersecurity threats than ever. Failure to update company security protocols and training programs could lead to the following consequences: Business paralysis: There has been a massive rise in DDoS attacks over the last few months. And such attacks typically lead to website downtime, increased vulnerability and disruption of business operations. Compromise of crucial business information: If you fail to defend yourself, cybercriminals may end up getting away with everything from confidential client data, patents, sales information, business plans and much more. Financial implications: The world saw an alarming 105% surge in ransomware cyberattacks last year. But paying ransom is not the sole financial implication. A breach could see you lose money, your clients’ financial details, your reputation and much more. Legal sanctions: If you fail to adequately protect yourself against cyberattacks, you could face everything from consumer lawsuits, hefty fines and sanctions, to even a business shutdown.
HOW CAN YOU SECURE YOUR REMOTE WORKFORCE?
To protect your company against cyberattacks and data breaches, you need to constantly evolve and grow to
stay one step ahead of cybercriminals. The moment you lower your guard, there’s every chance a nefarious cybercriminal will look to exploit any vulnerabilities. In fact, all it could take is a password shared publicly on a team chat app, an accidental click on a phishing link, or confidential company information accessed through a public Wi-Fi connection. This is why you need to have a new IT Policy in place that directly addresses remote workforce requirements. Apart from that, you must ensure all employees receive additional security training. N Personal device security: If your company allows employees to work using their personal devices, it is your responsibility to ensure they are of a minimum standard. You must clearly define what is permissible and what is not – the type of devices, operating systems, applications and websites that can be accessed. N Besides that, give your employees a list of all security, remote access, VPN and other tools they need to install before they start. Your employees should also be aware of the level of access/control you have over their devices, the type of technical support you can provide
and the company’s right to wipe/ alter the devices. N Network security: Public Wi-Fi and home Wi-Fi networks are nowhere near as secure as the LAN connection in your office. That’s why you must enforce minimum-security standards to ensure employees don’t put company data at risk. Define everything from Wi-Fi encryption standards, Wi-Fi password difficulty, network security software, router safety guidelines and the types of devices that can be connected to the same network. Also, the use of public Wi-Fi must be actively discouraged. In case an employee has no other alternative, give them a list of essential safety guidelines that they need to follow -- secure connection, WPA3 compliance, websites to avoid and so on. N Cybersecurity training programs: Because of this sudden migration to a remote work setup, IT teams in most organizations are stretched beyond their limits. They have to take care of support requests and make sure data and digital assets are safe and secure. This is why you
need to make sure your employees get adequate cybersecurity training and are equipped to deal with common and emerging cyberthreats. The training program must include everything from password management, using multifactor authentication, identifying phishing and ransomware attacks, guarding personal devices against cyberattacks, operating/updating security software, configuring Wi-Fi, setting up VPNs, email usage, reporting/responding to cyberattacks and much more.
STRENGTHENING YOUR FIRST LINE OF DEFENSE
Cybercrime is on the rise across the world. The ongoing economic downturn is only going to make things worse. That’s why you need to ensure everyone in your organization has their guard up at all times. QCBN For additional information or to schedule an appointment to assist your business, call 928-719-7724 or visit www. northernazit.com. Theo Soumilas is the owner of Northern Arizona IT, servicing Arizona.
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COLTER continued from page 11
her to do what she did,” said Edward “Ted” McClure, librarian at the Grand Canyon National Park research library. “She traveled all over the Southwest looking at Native American construction and patterned her design for the Desert View Watchtower on what she saw. I think what is most important is that she was her own woman in a man’s world.” Senior Contributing Editor at Preservation Magazine and author Arnold Berke in his book, “Mary Colter Architect of the Southwest” titled his first chapter “Drawn by the Desert: An Incomprehensible Woman in Pants.” Berke wrote, “She possessed a special genius for interpreting the past to create new buildings and interiors that, with their striking forms and fanciful atmosphere, have enchanted generations of travelers crossing the American Southwest.” Colter “may well be the bestknown unknown architect in the United States who helped to create the National Park Service rustic style,” stated Preservation Magazine. Though historians, architects and visitors find her work fascinating, the Desert View Watchtower stands out, built on the South Rim with views
Colter traveled the Southwest studying Native American construction and designed the Desert View Watchtower based on her observations, said Edward “Ted” McClure, librarian at the Grand Canyon National Park research library. Photo by V. Ronnie Tierney, Fresh Focuses Photography
of the Painted Desert to the east, the San Francisco Peaks to the south and the Colorado River as it exits Marble Canyon to the north. “After exploring archaeology sites in the Four Corners region, Mary Colter closely supervised the design of Desert View Watchtower, a majestic recreation of an ancient stone tower rising from the eastern rim of the
Grand Canyon,” said Grand Canyon Conservancy Director of Marketing Mindy Riesenberg. “The conservation of the historic murals inside the Watchtower was completed in 2019 and the second phase of the development of an Intertribal Cultural Heritage Site at Desert View started this winter with work on a new amphitheater on the rim of
Mary Colter (right) with Secretary of the Interior Harold L. Ickes’ wife and Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Minor Tillotson. Courtesy of the Grand Canyon National Park
the canyon. In the next few years, the area will see many changes, including redesigned pathways, a new triballyrun welcome center and expanded capabilities for hosting cultural demonstrators,” said Riesenberg. Other structures built under Colter’s architectural ingenuity outside the Grand Canyon include La Posada in Winslow, El Navajo in
Gallup, New Mexico and La Fonda in Santa Fe, New Mexico. She also has her mark on the restaurant at The Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal. Colter died at age 88 on Jan. 8, 1958. T-shirts and stickers commemorating the 100th anniversary of Phantom Ranch can be found at shop.grandcanyonlodges.com. QCBN
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HOUSING continued from page 1
Malouff has similar stories. He says Hillcrest, inside Forest Trails on the west side of Prescott, was built and sold two years ago in the high $600,000s. “Now, it would probably go in the high $800s – a $200,000 increase in two years.” A home in Prescott’s Tenney Ranch sold for $589,000 in 2016. “It just went on the market for $1.2 million,” said Malouff. “This is what’s happened in pricing. And it’s not just new homes. An older home in Timber Ridge, built in the late ‘80s, was bought in 2015 for $289,000. It just sold for $639,000.” Those looking for a 2,500-squarefoot home might expect to pay a million dollars, if not more, in desirable areas, says Nelson. In the North Scottsdale community of Terravita, a 2,400-square-foot home sold in February for $1,335,000. “The house had just sold for $1.1 million four months previous and the new owners did nothing to increase its worth,” stated a report from the Scott Gaertner Group. It’s largely because of supply and demand, says Nelson. “Right now, we’re looking at maybe a one- to two-month supply in most parts of Arizona. In the higher elevations, there’s less than a month’s supply of [available] real estate at any one time.” Currently, there are fewer houses on the market than there were last year, plus Arizona continues to feel
the impact from The Great Recession when new construction nearly slowed to a halt. “Builders have been unable to get product out of the ground quick enough. It’s taking about twice as long to build a home as it did a few years ago,” said Malouff. “The pandemic caused more stress and strain on labor and materials. Builders are fighting for the same crews and the cost of lumber and other commodities are all up.” Also, Millennials have arrived on the scene. “We didn’t think about the impact of that generation and that’s really what we’re seeing on a national level,” said Nelson. “The Millennial generation is as big as the Baby Boomers and we just did not plan for that many people entering the real estate market with new construction and building. The top end of the Millennial generation is about 40 years old.” In addition, short-term rentals have become a “market disrupter,” says Wickenburg Deputy Town Manager and Economic Development Director Tim Suan. “The short-term vacation market, including VRBOs, Airbnbs and turnkeys only gained real popularity since 2015. What Uber did to the transportation industry is the same thing as what these short-term rentals are doing to the lodging industry as well as the housing market. Now, beautiful destinations such as the city of Page have
hundreds of these short-term rentals in the community taking up housing stock. Just imagine that 25% or 30% of housing in your community is just completely disappearing from the market in such a short amount of time!” Meanwhile, interest rates are expected to hover around 4% to 5% this year. All of this has complicated efforts to provide affordable housing in Arizona communities, which is impacting small businesses’ ability to attract and retain workers. Thus, the Arizona Association for Economic Development (AAED) calls affordable housing the No. 1 challenge facing Arizona cities. Suan, who has held leadership roles with AAED, cites the Verde Valley region as a model for collaboration moving toward a sustainable solution. “Camp Verde, Cottonwood, Jerome and Sedona have formally partnered to address housing with shared resources. For example, Cottonwood and Sedona are both small communities but they partnered to hire a housing manager, which otherwise they wouldn’t be able to do on their own. With that housing manager, they are able to lead the implementation of some of their housing initiatives.” In addition, Cottonwood has a housing assistance program and Camp Verde has an inclusionary zoning plan to allow for more dense housing, he says. “They’ve even attracted a low-income, housing tax credit program
Prescott homes like this one are selling for $200,000 more than they were just two years ago. Courtesy photo
developer inside the community.” At the same time, Wickenburg is creating a deed restriction program to keep homes affordable in perpetuity and Flagstaff is managing affordable rental units. “The city funds a home-buyer assistance program,” said Suan about Flagstaff. “They work closely with organizations like Housing Solutions of Northern Arizona to offer even more housing solutions.” While the sizzling real estate market shows no signs of cooling, Nelson expects a strong sellers’ market for at least the next three years. “We don’t see that there’s a change in the market.
We don’t feel that there’s a bubble and there won’t all of a sudden be an influx of inventory.” However, he does not believe there will be as much of a spike in median home prices this year. “This is a good thing. We need to slow down, that’s for sure.” QCBN For more about Arizona’s housing market, visit Zonie Living: Business, Adventure and Leadership with Bonnie Stevens at https://starworldwidenetworks.com/ episodes/lack-of-inventory-driving-real-estate-market-communities-seeking-housing-solutions-video.
You are invited... Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Breakfast Tuesday, April 19 - 7 a.m. Breakfast served | 7:30 Program “What Makes Prescott Valley Great?... Community, Business and You!” Presenters: Mayor Kell Palguta Mike Paredes, Prescott Valley Economic Development Foundation Frank Almendarez, VP Operations Dignity Health, YRMC East Campus Casey Van Haren, Director, Community Services Town of Prescott Valley Trey Medlock, owner Northern Arizona Wranglers indoor football team. Sponsored by National Bank of Arizona, Gabby’s Grill and The Event Spot $22 and $18 for Chamber Members Reservations can be made online at pvchamber.org or call 928-772-8857 by April 12th.
Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce; Catalysts for business and community growth, Conveners of leaders and influencers, Champions for economic success. For more information or for membership connections visit
pvchamber.org or call 928-772-8857
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ROVER continued from page 10
HARTLEY continued from page 14
near infrared spectrometer, which measures wavelengths of minerals. “It’s like having thousands of pixels, each measuring a different color all the way out into the infrared,” said Wettergreen. “Our eyes see three colors: red, green and blue,” said Planetary Science Institute Lab Technician Neil Pearson. “With this instrument, we can see a lot more colors and it gives us a lot more information about the mineralogy that we’re seeing in rocks – how different elements are bonded with them. That tells us how they are formed and processes that they’ve been through.” For example, on Babbitt Ranches, the spectrometer is telling scientists that there’s a lot of limestone and dolomite. “That’s calcium carbonate and magnesium carbonate and so it was basically an ancient shallow sea, probably warmer at one period where you a had a lot of evaporation. And then more recently, we had lava flows cover it.” “Some of the instruments are capable of detecting water, which is a component of rocks that were formed in the presence of water,” said Noe Dobrea. “You can actually identify water and you can identify what kind of minerals or types or rocks the water is trapped in. We can tell the rover we would like to find the places where we have these types of minerals because this may be where we can find life or evidence for past life.” A laser scanner on Zoë calculates the
from the ‘80s with James Garner. She also is known for her work helping those who have a mental illness or who have survived a family member’s suicide. At the showing, Hartley and Sroka held hands. “Neither one of us wanted to be great stars. We wanted to create an ensemble. That gave us the most joy. We realized we created this,” she said of “Our Almost Completely True Story.” “It was an ensemble. We just loved everybody in it. It gave us the most joy.” The audience responded to the film with a standing ovation. Sedona International Film Festival Executive Director Patrick Schweiss presented Hartley with the festival’s 2022 Lifetime Achievement Award. “In honor of your passion and dedication to cinema and your commitment to the art of filmmaking; in recognition of your outstanding career of bringing memorable characters to life on stage and screen; in appreciation of your tireless advocacy on mental health issues and the countless lives you have touched and saved, thank you for sharing your passion with us and for making a difference in the world!” he said. Again, the audience responded with a standing ovation. QCBN
Zoë’s rugged mountain bike tires work well in the rocky high country of Babbitt Ranches, but wouldn’t work on the moon, say engineers. Photo by Bonnie Stevens
distance to points in the field. “It kind of works like a smart bumper on your car that warns you when you get too close to things,” said Wettergreen. “As the rover drives, it takes measurement after measurement and builds a three-dimensional model of the topography. That’s what it can use to navigate autonomously.” Babbitt Ranches President and General Manager Billy Cordasco thanked the scientists for the work
they are doing and compared their pioneering spirit with the early groups of American settlers from England. “In 1639, you have Ed Babbitt in England hopping on a little boat like the Mayflower crossing the Atlantic to the New World with a few instruments and the stars. And today, almost 400 years later, here we are in front of this rover that is learning how to explore other planets. It’s just so inspiring to be with these folks who have the same ‘Go West’
kind of attitude as Ed did so long ago!” “We are very grateful to Babbitt Ranches for making it so easy for us to access this site to drive our rover around and perform our investigations,” said Noe Dobrea. “It’s been quite an honor and this kind of work is incredible – it’s a childhood dream.” QCBN
Hear more from Hartley and Sroka on Zonie Living with Bonnie Stevens at StarWorldwideNetworks.com
PURINA continued from page 28
which means that they do need high protein diets. Cat foods are formulated much differently than dog foods for this reason,” said Sullivan. Growing puppies and kittens require a higher caloric requirement, and because of growing bones, they also require different calcium-to-phosphorus ratios than adult dogs and cats need. Baynes says bioavailability is important to consider for dog food. “For example, both vegetable and meat contain protein. But the dog’s digestive system didn’t evolve to break down lots of vegetable matter. In the wild, most of the fruits and vegetables dogs would consume they got from eating the stomachs of prey animals, those animals who have digestive systems geared to breaking down that type of food.” He advised pet owners to generally look for brands that have higher meat content, but “still contain fruits and vegetables that are more bioavailable to the dog and serve a nutritional purpose in their inclusion.“ Sullivan said pet owners are well advised to avoid ash as a pet food ingredient. “Generally, a diet with a higher ash content is of lower quality.” She also warns about common myths. “For example, meat byproducts [organ meats] are not bad, they are just a different source of protein than meat from a muscle. Many of these
ingredients actually have a higher nutritional value and have a higher digestibility when compared to muscle meat, which means that they provide better nutrient levels.” And grain-free diets are not recommended for the healthy pet, she says. “Dogs have been eating grains from the beginning of time and the vast majority of dogs do not have a grain allergy. We reserve grain-free foods for those that are suspected to have food allergies that lead to GI upset and/or skin related issues. For diarrhea [in dogs], we generally recommend a bland diet, like boiled chicken and rice – think of chicken noodle soup for humans and probiotic support If vomiting accompanies diarrhea, we often recommend a 12-24 hour fast [for dogs only].” Constipation is generally a cat problem, she says. “Wet food to keep pets hydrated is helpful, along with fiber [green beans, canned pumpkin for dogs, Metamucil for cats].” Faccio said it is important to consider every dimension of pet health – physical, emotional and mental. Purina has more than 500 pet behaviorists, nutritionists and vets on staff who are focused on total pet health. “This holistic view of pet wellness is core to who we are and more relevant than ever to the way pet owners are viewing their pets’ health.” QCBN
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Contributing Writers Bonnie Stevens Patty McCormac Sue Marceau Ray Newton Tom Vitron Starla Collins Contributing Photographers Kay Lyons, Bonnie Stevens, Ray Newton, Sue Marceau, Stacey Wittig, Veronica Tierney, Fresh Focuses Photography The Quad Cities Business News is a publication of Quad Cities Business News, LLC and distributed free each month to residents of Prescott, Prescott Valley, Chino Valley and Dewey-Humboldt. Reproduction of any portion of the publication is strictly prohibited without expressed permission. The publisher reserves the right to refuse any advertisements submitted to the newspaper and is not responsible for the claims of its advertisers.
APRIL 2022 // Quad Cities Business News
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an, Ward moved to Grand Canyon Junction from Las Vegas where he owned an outdoor recreation company. “I’ve worked with thousands of kids, teaching them survival courses, team building, zipline, ropes courses and whitewater rafting at Big Rock Candy Mountain Resort.” For good measure, Ward says he likes to incorporate team building into his lessons. “No matter what their future job is, team building helps them learn how to work together as a team to accomplish their goals.” Starting each class with breathing exercises is also a part of Ward’s instruction. “I’ve encountered some youth who seem pretty listless and uninspired. This could be partly due to the past two years of life during a pandemic and the uncertainty in their lives. Plus, kids spend a lot of time on their devices, [they have] unhealthy eating habits and not enough time doing hands-on tasks and exercise. Oxygen is good.” “Mr. Ward has amazing energy and that’s a really great starting point, especially for middle school students,” said Grand Canyon School science/environmental science instructor Adrian Alvarez. “The students are really excited to see how fast the growing process is for microgreens. The other thing they’re really excited about with hydroponics
ELECTRIC CARS continued from page 1
// New hybrid vehicles also are less expensive than they used to be, ranging from about $24,000 to $40,000. In 2021, Toyota sold 2.5 million hybrid or electric vehicles; 17 million since they became available. // the hybrid and electric vehicles. “We use regenerative brake pads and rotors.” Landauer said the hybrid and electric vehicles perform at a higher level than other vehicles and do better than gas-powered vehicles at high altitudes. “These vehicles are more peppy. There is no downside to having a hybrid. That’s why they are so popular.” QCBN
is the low usage of water. A lot of us live in rural areas, so we know the importance of protecting our water, as many of us haul water to our homes.” The students also have shown a lot of interest in the nutritional value of microgreens and how they can incorporate this into their diets, said Alvarez. “They are really excited to share this experience with their families and the community at large.” As the students grow plants, they will be donating them to local food banks. “They will also be hosting a Farmers Market to bring healthy and organic produce to the community,” said Ward. Spirit of the Canyon has gained support from the Grand Canyon Rotary Club with a generous donation. “Our kids are our future and more education about hydroponics is good for our community and I’m really glad about Stoney’s program with the kids. Fresh, pure organic vegetables and fruits and water conservation is important,” said Grand Canyon Rotary Club President Clayann Cook. Located in Grand Canyon Junction, Ward established and constructed Spirit of the Canyon hydroponics ranch last May. “My plans are to have the students who are involved in this project come out to see the ranch and experience hydroponic farming firsthand.”
Middle School students at Grand Canyon School taste microgreens.
Ward plans to work with other farmers in the area and expand his educational program. “Once the foundation is set here at Grand Canyon School, I plan to use it as a model for other schools in Northern Arizona,” he said. For more information about Spirit of the Canyon, visit spiritofthecanyon.com or call 702-333-8361.
ADVICE FOR THOSE STARTING A BUSINESS
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prescribed. Remember, the closer to the time of exposure the more effective they are at stopping virus transmission. Do not delay in getting immediate help. Accidental needle sticks and sharps injuries are not the only reason for PEP. Condom breakage with someone of an unknown status and being the victim of a sexual assault by someone of an unknown status are also reasons to seek PEP medications. We are here for you. No judgement. Just help! I would like to thank everyone who voted for us to be the Non-Profit of the Year in the Quad Cities 2021. We appreciate your continued support. Northland Cares is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that relies on donations and grant funding. Have a safe time enjoying our shared community spaces. Call us if you encounter a discarded syringe! QCBN
and The Global Wealth Management Group of Raymond James. “For every guided hike and bike tour, we pull back $5 and pour it into the fund,” said Jim Foss, activities director at Enchantment Resort in Sedona. “We do what we can to help.” Also helping to maintain trails is an ever-expanding team of volunteers. “Through Feb. 15, the Forest Service reported 281 volunteers at the various volunteer workdays this season, including Friends of the Forest,” Adams said. “We’ve had several workdays since, so [we have had at least] 300.” Trail maintenance tasks include brushing, debris removal, tread work, social trail naturalization, retaining wall and armoring construction, rock stair installation, draining structure installation and maintenance, as well as kiosk, maps and trail signage installation as needed. Mayor Moriarty announced the March 24 launch of a new shuttle system by the City of Sedona that will transport people to five of the most popular trailheads in Sedona, in conjunction with the creation of two new parking lots at the trailheads where parking is often limited. “We accelerated the launch just in time for Spring Break,” she told the audience. The new shuttle service will link up with the existing Verde Shuttle system. “The Verde links will bring
Hedda Fay is the community outreach and program developer for Northland Cares. In a former life, she worked in law enforcement and public mental health. Her passion today is educating people about their sexual health and prevention services to the community. Northland Cares is located at 3112 Clearwater Drive, Ste. A, in Prescott. For more information, call 928-776-4612.
V. Ronnie Tierney, Fresh Focuses Photography
You need to make sure you have the passion for what you are doing. Research your competitors and create a business plan with the understanding that you will probably make changes along the way. A marketing plan is also important.
supporter.
CHARACTER QUALITIES ADMIRED IN OTHERS
MY SUPERPOWER
First, I love learning who they are and what they enjoy. I then like to understand what personality type they are: promoter, controller, analytic,
FAVORITE HOBBY
Enjoying nature’s wonders is tops.
FAVORITE VACATION SPOT
Havasu Falls in the Grand Canyon. Is regulating my body temperature under extreme conditions through the Wim Hof [a Dutch extreme athlete] Method. It has been life-changing for me. QCBN
PILOT TRAINING continued from page 35
Erin Bruce, partner engagement manager at the Sedona Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Bureau, holds one of the plaques that will honor sponsors of the Trail Keepers 2.0 program. Photo by Betsey Bruner
people up to the edge of Sedona near the cultural park,” she added. The five trailheads served are Dry Creek, Mescal, Little Horse, Cathedral Rock and Soldier Pass, with new parking lots at Mescal and at the Church of the Red Rocks. Businesses participating in the first phase of Trail Keepers 2.0 program are honored in a large banner at the Uptown Visitor Information Center in Sedona and also will be listed on plaques at trailheads in the Sedona trail system. QCBN
Prescott Mayor Phil Goode called ERAU a “critically strong factor in the community’s economy, especially because of its positive impact on the Prescott Regional Airport (PRC). PRC would not be what it is today - the state’s third busiest airport - if it weren’t for ERAU. We all need to support ERAU in every way we can.” “Our ERAU program is a top place for the industry to go to recruit talent,” said ERAU President Barry Butler recently. “We’re truly pleased the professional world recognizes Prescott as the ‘go-to’ campus for the best professional pilot recruits in the country.” “Airlines are contacting our flight training program and its instructors routnely because once they get their training here, they are hired immediately by the major carriers in the country,” said ERAU Chancellor Anette Karlsson. “American carriers are coming to ERAU for pilots because they know our students have some of the soundest, most professional training of any in the world,” said College of Aviation Dean Tim Holt. The university has added 35 new planes to its training fleet and is anticipating adding even more. More than 800 students are being trained to fly. QCBN
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