July 2024

Educating Northern Arizona 2024 Page 19

Watters Garden Center Cultivates the Next Generation McKenzie Lain combines her passions for growing plants and helping people

By Heidi Dahms Foster, QCBN

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amilies often hope that their children are able to make a good living without having to move away from their community. McKenzie Lain is fulfilling that dream as the third generation to dispense plants and local

growing advice at Prescott’s Watters Garden Center.

In 1962, Harold and Lorna Watters expanded their landscaping company to include a plant nursery on Plaza Drive. As it grew, the garden center at one time included a pet store and flower shop. The couple’s four daughters all pitched in to help, a tradition that

continues today. By 1983, the garden center needed room to grow, so Harold moved it to its current location on Iron Springs Road.

In 2002, Harold passed the business on to his youngest daughter, Lisa Watters Lain, and her husband, Ken Lain.

Lisa remembers spending a lot of time at the center. “From very early on, as

the youngest child, I was dragged in to work all the time!” she said with some humor, considering she is the child who made the garden center a career.

Lisa and Ken first met at Prescott’s First Baptist Church, where they sang in its traveling choir, Deliverance. They were both attending Yavapai College, then transferred to Arizona State

Continued on page 35

A Car for a Cause Findlay Subaru Prescott donates new car in raffle to support veterans

S Commander Greg Staley (center in blue suit), shown here with the American Legion Post 140 flag crew, says he is thankful to work with Findlay Subaru Prescott to help veterans who need assistance. Courtesy photo

July 2024 | Issue 7 Volume 12

By Betsey Bruner, QCBN

ometimes there is an exciting synchronicity between winning a wonderful prize and helping community members in need.

Such an opportunity is being made available this summer through a partnership between Findlay Subaru Prescott and the Jerome S. Cranke Prescott Valley American Legion Post 140.

The prize is a shiny new 2025 Subaru Forester Limited, while supporting local veterans, their families and the community.

The car raffle began in mid-June and will be available for public participation until the deadline of 11:59 p.m. (PDT), July 31, 2024. Raffle tickets cost $100 each and all net proceeds will go toward supporting the post’s veteran priorities.

According to website, the Post 140 mission is “To enhance the well-being of our local veterans, their families, our military and our communities by our devotion to mutual helpfulness.”

Post officials presented a 19-page proposal to the dealership to enlist help raising money for local veteran causes. Findlay Subaru Prescott

General Manager Jason Jenkins was enthusiastic about the partnership with the post.

“They picked us!” Jenkins said. “Findlay Subaru Prescott is thrilled to partner up with the American Legion Post 140 to help support our local veterans. Oh yeah, and some lucky raffle ticket owner will win a brand new 2025 Subaru Forester Limited. That’s kind of a big deal too, but we are more excited to see the funds that will be raised for our local veterans. Please go online and buy your ticket today to support this great cause. Findlay Subaru Prescott is proud to be involved in our great community.”

Enthusiasm for the partnership is shared by members of Post 140, including Commander Greg Staley, who has served in that position for three years. “We are excited and thankful to partner with Findlay Subaru,” Staley said. “Their willingness to partner with us on this raffle will help many veterans in our community. There are a lot of veterans in our community that need assistance.”

One organization the post routinely assists is U.S. VETS, which helps homeless veterans to “rehab off drugs and alcohol and get their lives back together,” he added.

“So, this raffle will give us an opportunity to help them more. We can also provide some extra assistance to our local VA, because they help a lot of vets as well.”

Continued on page 34

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Quad Cities Business News // JULY 2024

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Prescott-based survival instructor Cody Lundin teaches survival skills to people of all ages and skill levels, from children to search and rescue teams. Courtesy photo

Wilderness Expert Cody Lundin Offers ‘The Survival Show’ Variety program designed for fun and staying alive

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By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

ith summer heating up in Arizona, survival instructor Cody Lundin is well aware of how quickly a day hike can turn into an emergency situation. Having taught survival skills to thousands of people – ages 7 to 80 – for more than 30 years from his Prescottbased Aboriginal Living Skills School, Lundin is “deadly serious” about survival. Along with his many courses, he now offers a playful, yet informative, variety show. Like a good daypack, “The Survival Show with Cody Lundin” is neatly packed, with life-saving tools and tips for all ages.

“I’ve wanted to create a survival show that gives viewers accurate information for years,” said Lundin, “while still holding a viewer’s attention.

As teachers, that’s a challenge that we all face.”

Part caveman, part businessman, Lundin hosts the program authentically as himself – in braids and a bandana – and has one goal: “To teach you how to stay alive. Self-reliance training will never go out of style,” he says.

Set in the 1970s inside a Streamline travel trailer with green shag carpet, The Survival Show has groovy visuals, eccentric co-hosts and occasional Elvis appearances. Lundin balances the silliness with segments like Bushwhacking with Cody for survival lessons, interviews with scientists and outdoor experts, practical advice about dealing with inconveniences such as poison ivy and even what to do with a dead body.

AN AWESOME PLACE TO EXPLORE, AN EASY PLACE TO GET INTO TROUBLE

Lundin calls Arizona an awesome place to recreate, where outdoor enthusiasts can go from what looks like Canada to what looks like Mexico, but much of it is arid landscape. He says one must drink water and know where it is “because you’re dead without it.”

He adds that there are a lot of myths about drinking your urine or putting a spicket into a barrel cactus to get water. “Of course, that’s not

true and it could cost you your life.”

The classic way to die in the Arizona desert is hyperthermia, he says. “It’s a rise in core body temperature from 98.6 to a dangerous temperature, and dehydration is the ugly brother that goes with hyperthermia.”

What we can do in a desert survival situation with urine or water that’s not drinkable, he says, is wet elements of clothing, like a bandana, to cool down our head and neck. “The head area especially because you have a lot of blood vessels up here. The neck, you have the carotid artery and the jugular veins, highly susceptible to heat loss and gain. So, if you had to pee, pee on a bandana and wrap it around your neck and you’ll get a vital cooling effect from that. I know it sounds nasty, but we’re dealing with people’s safety.”

THE WORLD’S FOREMOST PRIMITIVE EXPERT

With years of on-air experience, Lundin is an outdoor survival celebrity. He has been called “The World’s Foremost Primitive Expert” and has appeared on a great number of national television programs and in publications. The extensive list includes The Today Show, Good Morning America, NBC Dateline, CNN, the BBC, The Donny and Marie Show and The New York Times. In addition, he co-hosted and co-produced the hit TV show, “Dual Survival,” for four seasons.

Lundin also is the author of two best-selling books, “98.6 Degrees: The Art of Keeping Your Ass Alive” and “When All Hell Breaks Loose: Stuff You Need to Survive When Disaster Strikes.” Through the COVID-19 pandemic, his book sales spiked.

In them, Lundin gives straightforward scientific information about how the brain works when the body perceives a threat and what happens physiologically: blood vessels constrict, breathing becomes shallow, judgment is impaired. He also discusses how hypothermia and hyperthermia impact motor skills. And, he teaches how to conContinued on page 34

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ATHENA founder Martha Mayhood Mertz has been a champion and encourager for women for more than four decades. Courtesy photo

ATHENA Awards to Honor Women Leaders Among Us Quad Cities Business News presents the prestigious award in three categories

A

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

stronaut Sally Ride famously said, “You can’t be what you can’t see.” And it wasn’t that long ago when American women couldn’t see a lot of evidence of women like them being lifted up to lead businesses, affect policy, invent products or launch into space. And that bothered Martha Mayhood Mertz, a young professional working in corporate America in the early 1980s. She decided to create change. Today her impact is felt around the world and coming to Prescott Friday, Sept.

20, with the 5th Annual Prescott-Area ATHENA Awards.

More than 40 years ago, Martha Mertz was invited to become a member of the Lansing, Michigan Regional Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. “When I got there, I was the only woman on the board. And that was kind of the way it was everywhere in the country. Women hadn’t yet been able to acquire the kinds of leadership titles and positions that were required for people to be in those spaces.

And that’s because, my colleagues – men – told me women weren’t leaders.”

But Mertz knew that women were leaders because she saw them all around her, even if they didn’t have a title or a position. “Sometimes their ideas were so compelling and so Continued on page 28

Business Coach Colleen Biggs (right) encouraged women to “take the leap” with her keynote presentation in 2022. Photo by Kay Lyons

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JULY 2024 // Quad Cities Business News

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Refreshing a Village Arizona Nordic Village transforming from basic camping to rustic glamping

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

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ff the grid and into the woods, Arizona Nordic Village, about 15 miles north of Flagstaff on Highway 180, is becoming more of a village as backcountry yurts are being moved closer to the main lodge. Other improvements guests can expect this fall include a fresh coat of paint and new furniture and decorative touches including mattresses, linens and bedding, along with vintage-style lanterns.

“We will have six yurts and four cabins all near the lodge where guests share the kitchen and restrooms,” said Manager Sydney Nieminen. “We also have potable water, electricity and WiFi in the lodge. We plan to broaden our Wi-Fi reach in the near future and have the ability to create more electricity with additional solar panels.”

Nieminen says Arizona Nordic Village, owned by Babbitt Ranches, is using dynamic pricing for its yurts and cabins through Airbnb, which includes discounts during the week. Yurts start

Campers and their dogs enjoy exploring the outdoors with Arizona Nordic Village as their basecamp. Courtesy photos

at $60 per night. Cabins range from $80 to $130.

Also available for rent is the Ponderosa Room, a charming 165-square-foot suite upstairs in the lodge, which often serves as a bridal suite during wedding season, May through October.

“The popularity of Arizona Nordic Village as a wedding venue has absolutely exploded since the pandemic,” said Nieminen. “Our bridal parties tell us they enjoy the outdoor spaces, the freedom to personalize their events and decorate as they wish, dancing under the stars and overnight options for guests.”

“My husband and I got married here September 2023,” said Savhanna Hawley in an online review. “It was amazing. It did pour down rain all day but stopped just enough for our ceremony and even with the rain and clouds it was beautiful. The staff was great and very helpful though the whole process.”

Search and rescue training, foot and bike races and other activities occur throughout the year, including cross-country skiing during the winter at the Nordic Village’s 8,000-foot elevation. Nieminen expects more business-

This large yurt is available for meetings and gatherings.

snowshoeing and cross-country skiing es to take advantage of the nearby, yet wilderness-like, setting with indoor and or planning the future for your compaoutdoor gathering spaces and overnight ny with co-workers,” said Nieminen. opportunities for retreats, teambuilding QCBN and visioning sessions in the upcoming year.

The Arizona Nordic Village helps guests “Arizona Nordic Village strives to plan their events and works with local deliver a meaningful and memorable vendors such as caterers, photographers experience set within the glorious and florists to accommodate group needs. surroundings of the ponderosa pine For more information or to plan your next and aspen forest, whether it’s celebratcamping trip or event, visit https://www. ing a big moment, camping together arizonanordicvillage.com or call 928-326with family or friends, enjoying healthy 3121. outdoor activities like hiking, biking, camping, birdwatching, leaf-peeping,

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Business Woman QCBN

of the Month

Mother-Daughter Team Promotes Crafts Among the Ghosts Valerie Whitcomb and Anasthasia Darrah welcome visitors to their new store in Jerome

By V. Ronnie Tierney, QCBN

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new gift shop in an old town is what Ghost Town Handicrafts owners Valerie Whitcomb and her daughter, Anasthasia Darrah, have brought to the storied city of Jerome.

Perched 5,000 feet up on an escarpment overlooking the Verde Valley, Whitcomb loves to step outside her store for the view. “Every evening when the sun starts to set behind Mingus Mountain, a shadow is cast over Verde Valley and for about 10 minutes the red rocks of Sedona brilliantly light up. It is so amazing to see. We also have a great view of the San Francisco Peaks.”

Offering an assorted mix of handcrafted items for sale and classes for various fine arts, almost all of Ghost Town Handicrafts products are handmade. The new store opened in April. “Right now, we have about 24 crafters who are offering products, “said Darrah.

Located in the middle of town at the Merchants Gathering building, Whitcomb and Darrah say they have found their “happy place.”

“I am deeply honored to be a part of this community,” said Darrah, who has a master’s degree in finance and commutes to Jerome from Prescott. “Being able to take this

journey with my mom is the greatest blessing. We just love Jerome and I’ve wanted to open a store here for as long as I can remember.”

“We try to maintain a very chill atmosphere and everything here in the store is touchable except for a few crystal items, which are on higher shelves,” said Whitcomb. “We have a 14-year-old girl who crochets animals. She has been a big hit and we’ve had to restock four times since we’ve opened. Another vendor is a 17-year-old boy who also crochets.

One vendor makes dreadlocks and we have photographers, a watercolor artist/muralist from Prescott, t-shirts, macramé, one seller does taxidermy with insects and a three-dimensional printer is doing phenomenal [work] and is one of our top sellers.”

“I had been looking for retail space for a couple years here. I didn’t plan on having a craft store, but everything fell into place for us to have this shop and I don’t question it for a second. I plan on being here for the long haul,” said Darrah. “We love that we’re on Hull Street and the history of it adds some fun and humor. But even more than that, we are on a street with a lot of female business owners, and we feel very honored to be among them.”

“Jerome has always been a special place for us,” said Whitcomb. “When

Shown here outside the store, Darrah and Whitcomb enjoy operating their business in Jerome.

Ghost Town Handicrafts owners Anasthasia Darrah and her mother, Valerie Whitcomb, welcome visitors to their store, which was once an auto parts department. Photos by V. Ronnie Tierney, Fresh Focuses Photography

my kids were old enough to wear a backpack, we would hike Mingus Mountain to watch the hang gliders. In the 1950s, my grandfather worked as an engineer in the mine here before they closed and my dad went to Jerome High School.”

“I would call this a crafter’s happy place,” said Ashley Sanderson, a Prescott resident who teaches special education in Ashfork. “There’s always something to build, create or try here and if someone wanted to try a new craft but didn’t want to invest, this is the ideal place to do it. I grew up in the tri-city area and love coming to Jerome and just hanging out here at the store. I will be teaching an art color class in the near future and hope to attend a leather crafting and metal stamping art class.”

Ghost Handicrafts offers two workstations for crafts and an entire section dedicated to kids. “Children can drop in and sit and play and make free crafts,” said Whitcomb.

Long ago, the Merchants Gathering was once a Studebaker car dealership. “The business next to us, Scooter Trash, was the service department and where we are now housed was the parts department. Volunteers run Jerome, so they voted us in and our license was approved. We were totally blessed,” said Whitcomb, who rides her Harley Davidson motorcycle to work every day from her Camp Verde home.

“Long term, we hope to add more and more classes to our roster and promote crafting for all age groups,” said Darrah. “We are looking into

hosting school groups for craft projects and adding kids’ craft classes. We also hope to add more to our free craft section and get more people utilizing it. Once we are more established, we plan to sponsor local non-profit organizations with a percentage of our sales going back to them.”

While Jerome’s population is less than 500 people, the town sees an average of more than a million visitors a year. QCBN For more information about Ghost Town Handicrafts, the owners can be reached at ghosttownhandicrafts@gmail.com. They can be found on Facebook and Instagram #ghost_town_handicrafts.

Ghost Town Handicrafts 300 Hull Street Jerome, Arizona

// “I am deeply honored to be a part of this community,” said Darrah, who has a master’s degree in finance and commutes to Jerome from Prescott. “Being able to take this journey with my mom is the greatest blessing. We just love Jerome and I’ve wanted to open a store here for as long as I can remember.” //

JULY 2024 // Quad Cities Business News

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Unlock Your Potential with ARIZONA@WORK-Yavapai County Navigating Economic Recovery Together A Babbitt Ranches mama cow looks on as NASA astronauts Kate Rubins and Andre Douglas practice geology drills in their space gear. Photo courtesy of NASA

Promoting Space Travel with a Land-Use Ethic Preparing for new worlds with a land stewardship mindset

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By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

nce again, cows and astronauts shared the high desert landscape of Babbitt Ranches as NASA, assisted by geologists from USGS, tested equipment, conducted moonwalking drills and practiced geology in preparation for Artemis 3, a crewed mission to the dark lunar south pole region, anticipated for 2026.

The cattle seemed untroubled by the slow-moving visitors in spacesuits, a recurring event throughout the last half century. “I smile when I think about my grandad, John Babbitt, a quiet, understated, hardworking man who opened up the cattle gates for NASA in the 1960s for the Apollo missions,” said Babbitt Ranches President Billy Cordasco, during a media briefing at the USGS Astrogeology Science Center in Flagstaff last month.

“He had just one request: ‘Don’t let the cattle out – be sure to close the gates behind you.’

Like my granddad, on behalf of the Babbitt Ranches Community, I only have one request or hope, really, and that is: that we, as humans, carry the land-use ethic that we – along with the USGS, Coconino County, NASA and JETT – promote on Babbitt Ranches, to other worlds.”

The event was a reunion of sorts for Babbitt Ranches, USGS and NASA’s Joint EVA and Human Surface Mobility Test Team (JETT), as they share a land stewardship philosophy. The group last connected in Northern Arizona in October 2022.

“We acknowledge a personal and professional commitment to helping maintain the integrity of the land on which we are testing as we take this next step off our world and onto another,” said NASA Project Manager Barbara Janoiko, in a statement created in honor of NASA, JETT, USGS and Babbitt Ranches.

“Flagstaff is so supportive as a community. We love testing out in the terrain, working with the Babbitts, being out on their land and the property, and preparing for Artemis.”

Astronauts Kate Rubins, Ph.D., and Andre Douglas, Ph.D., donned the latest 95-pound ExCon spacesuit prototype for some of their field exercises, which included hi-fi cameras that beam a video signal back to Mission Control and a toolbelt with collection packs to carry rock samples.

“Our actual spacesuits are going to be 300 pounds, they are going to be pressured to 4.3 PSI, so it’s kind of like being inside a basketball and then having to do scientific and physical work,” said Rubins.

“As you kneel down on one knee, you have to stabilize,” said Douglas. “We have to be careful how we move our legs to make sure we stay safe in the suit. The analogue helps us understand how to do that in the environment that we’re in. Even putting it [a rock] into the bag and using the swing arms can be a little bit of a challenge.”

On their backs was a portable life support system. “That’s going to be the backpack that carries our oxygen, our cooling loops, our CO2 scrubbing. So, as you can see, we’ve got this really hi-fidelity model and we can test that out as we’re doing all of our geology,” said Rubins.

Flagstaff-based USGS geologist Jim Skinner helped chart the path for the astronauts to find a variety of rock samples. “We expect the moon to be very flat with a lot of crater holes in it and a lot of distributed rocks and sediments, probably that had been ejected from craters from different areas,” he said. “From a geologist’s standpoint and in training the crew, the gradation of sediments across the surface is very, very subtle. One of things we’re testing out is whether the astronauts can see the difference from one kind of unit of sediment into another. As we map the moon, we’re very interested in those subtle variations on the surface that we see from orbit. We don’t know what those variations are.”

Meanwhile, Flagstaff-based USGS geologist Lauren Edgar was receiving the information from the astronauts at Mission Control in Houston. “We were testing out situations in Continued on page 33

Yavapai County’s unemployment rate dropped to 3.1% in April 2024 from 3.9% in April 2023, reflecting improvements in hospitality, healthcare, and construction.

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Everyone Can Be a Philanthropist

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By Lisa Sahady

hilanthropy is the desire to promote the welfare of others, typically through donations of money, time or resources.

The wealthy are often acknowledged for their philanthropic endeavors, but anyone can be a philanthropist.

Philanthropy is about the spirit of giving and contributing toward the betterment of society, regardless of one’s financial status.

Even small acts of kindness and generosity can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others.

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Embarking on a philanthropic journey begins when you can identify causes that deeply resonate with your values and passions. Starting small, through volunteering your time or talent, allows for gradual engagement and learning.

Community foundations can play a pivotal role in jumpstarting your philanthropic journey by providing local expertise that helps individuals connect with their community and better understand its unique needs and opportunities. Through resources, knowledge and guidance, community foundations help individuals navigate the philanthropic landscape, identify causes aligned with their interests and develop effective giving strategies.

Additionally, community foundations manage funds and administer grants, allowing donors to support multiple causes or organizations through a single charitable gift.

As catalysts for philanthropy, community foundations can inspire and enable individuals to make a difference where it matters most. Joining or supporting a community foundation opens doors to unique opportunities, including impact investing initiatives and collective giving efforts. Community foundations can serve as a platform for individuals to learn, collaborate and maximize their philanthropic impact as changemakers committed to creating positive societal outcomes.

Philanthropy isn’t solely about monetary donations; there are a lot of ways to promote the welfare of others without giving money: Volunteer Your Time: One of the most valuable contributions you can make is

your time. Through volunteering, you can support charitable organizations, community events or initiatives that align with your interests and passions.

Share Your Knowledge and Expertise: Use your professional skills, experience or expertise to mentor others, provide training or offer pro bono services to non-profit organizations. Individuals can even lend their knowledge to community foundations by serving as grant panelists or scholarship reviewers.

Raise Funds and Awareness: Organize fundraising events, charity drives or awareness campaigns to support specific causes or organizations.

Donate Goods or Resources: Instead of giving money, consider donating goods, supplies or resources that can benefit those in need. Items such as food, clothing, books or school or medical supplies can make a significant difference in the lives of individuals and families.

Serving on a Board: Board members play a crucial role in guiding the strategic direction, overseeing the operations and ensuring the financial sustainability of non-profit organizations. Through board service, you could provide leadership, expertise and oversight to support an organization’s mission and advance its impact.

By engaging in these non-monetary forms of philanthropy, you can make a meaningful difference in the lives of others, contribute to positive social change and cultivate a culture of giving and empathy within your community and beyond. QCBN For more information on charitable giving, including family philanthropy, visit azfoundation.org/ legacygiving or call one of the Arizona Community Foundation’s offices serving northern Arizona: ACF of Yavapai County at 928-583-7815, ACF of Sedona at 928-399-7218 or ACF of Flagstaff at 928-526-1956.

Lisa Sahady is the regional director for the Arizona Community Foundation of Yavapai County. She can be reached at 928-583-7815.

// As catalysts for philanthropy, community foundations can inspire and enable individuals to make a difference where it matters most. Joining or supporting a community foundation opens doors to unique opportunities, including impact investing initiatives and collective giving efforts. //

JULY 2024 // Quad Cities Business News

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// COMMUNITY PROFILE // BY PETER CORBETT, QCBN

New Sharlot Hall Museum Director has Deep Roots in Prescott

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rescott’s Frontier Days Rodeo is clearly not Stuart Rosebrook’s first rodeo. This summer’s event is the 34th Prescott rodeo for the new executive director of Sharlot Hall Museum.

Rosebrook, 61, has been attending Frontier Days since he was 7 years old, and he’s no stranger to Prescott, Yavapai County or Arizona. Not bad for a guy born in Santa Monica and raised in North Hollywood.

The Sharlot Hall Museum hired Rosebrook to lead its historical museum and research center. He started July 1.

“I feel blessed to have the opportunity to apply my passions and my professional experience to Sharlot Hall Museum and give back to this community that’s given so much to me and our family,” Rosebrook said.

His related professional experience as an historian is extensive, as is his connection to Prescott and Yavapai County. “My first memory of a trip to Arizona was Tuzigoot (National

Monument) and Jerome.” He was 4 years old.

A few years later, in 1971, Rosebrook and his family were enchanted with Prescott during the filming of “Junior Bonner,” a story of an aging rodeo rider starring Steve McQueen.

Rosebrook’s father, Jeb, wrote the screenplay for “Junior Bonner.” It was his much-needed big break in Hollywood with a major motion picture directed by Sam Peckinpah.

As a kid, Rosebrook said he met cast members, watched the production and roamed around Prescott’s historic Courthouse Plaza. He recalls eating at Kendall’s Famous Burgers, buying comic books at a corner drugstore and standing outside The Palace on Whiskey Row. A half century later, he was back in Prescott working with a committee to celebrate the 50th anniversary of “Junior Bonner” during Frontier Days.

By then he was on the Sharlot Hall board and involved with Prescott’s Western Heritage Center, Prescott

Corral of Westerners and Arizona History Convention, to name a few of his non-profit activities.

Rosebrook has history degrees from Wake Forest University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and from Arizona State University, where he earned a master’s and doctorate.

He worked in Phoenix television news production at Channels 10 and 3 in the mid-1980s. Rosebrook spent seven years at Arizona Highways as associate editor of research.

In 2002, Rosebrook and his family moved to The Orme School in Yavapai County, where he served as assistant headmaster of external affairs. His wife, Julie, was a teacher there. She is now a psychologist for the Veterans Administration in Prescott.

Rosebrook had attended summer camp at The Orme School during his childhood and his father graduated eighth grade and high school from the boarding school.

Most recently, Rosebrook has

Stuart Rosebrook Courtesy photo

been a writer and editor at True West Magazine.

The Rosebrooks, who have lived in Prescott since 2020, have two children in college: Jeb, 27, and Kristina, 23.

“One of the things I was hired for is to raise the visibility of the Sharlot

Hall Museum and to get out and tell our story,” Rosebrook said.

He will also be working on plans for the centennial of Sharlot Hall Museum in 2028.

BEST ADVICE EVER RECEIVED Continued on page 34

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// BUSINESS CENTS // BY BONNIE STEVENS, QCBN

Five Ways to Make Your Life Louder Than Your Inner Critic

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o many of us walk around with a mean girl or guy or disembodied voice in our heads that is so quick to judge us harshly or agree with or at least strongly consider any negative words that come our way. And while it’s probably a healthy trait to have a constant monitor looking over our shoulder to see if what we are doing is actually helpful, noble, caring or our best, it can be crippling, too, if we don’t keep that noise in check.

That’s why I’ve started to notice how to live with that inner critic and even thank her for making me try a little harder, do better than I promised or squelch any amped up impulses with a let’s-sleep-on-it attitude before making a difficult decision or having a tough conversation.

Here are five ways to make your life louder than your inner critic:

1. FIND A REASON TO THANK YOUR YOUNGER SELF When interviewing someone for a news feature, I like to ask the question, “When was the last time you thanked your younger self?” It makes us reflect on our good deeds, pushes the pause button for a moment of gratitude and invites us to take a minute to like ourselves a little

more. The answer can be simple: “I am thankful to my younger self because she put gas in my car last week, which saved me time when I really needed it this week; I am thankful to my younger self for making exercise a priority – it set me on a path of physical activity that helps me engage socially and play with my grandchildren; I’m thankful to my younger self because she fed my 401k even through the lean times.”

2. LIVE YOUR VALUES

If you think about what makes heroes loveable, it’s often because they have a compelling reason for why they do what they do. Often, it’s out of love or caring for someone they were close to. I know doctors who have dedicated themselves to a life of health care because they wanted to help or cure their mom or dad or sister or grandma – someone they loved.

That powerful motivation can push us to study harder, work longer and help more people. It can turn average folks into superheroes. Whatever is important to you, take a look at your life. Is it showing up there? When we live our values, we know for sure why we do what we do and no matter how tired we are, we can feel good about ourselves for being true and honorable to ourselves.

3. SET YOURSELF UP FOR A LITTLE SUCCESS

There are times at the end of the day when my nasty inner critic wants to say, “So, what exactly did you accomplish today?” If you have ever felt like you were following an endless maze of phone calls or failed repeatedly on a project, you know how exhausting and discouraging it can be to put out so much energy and yet seemingly get nowhere. That’s why I now believe in starting the day with an easy win. An easy win can be: making your bed; sending a thoughtful text to someone who could use a kind word; or making an appointment for your colonoscopy that’s three years overdue.

It’s pretty incredible how good you can feel about yourself by finally attacking something that has been nagging at you, like cleaning the garage, office or closet. Sometimes I will make a To-Do List after I did some things, just for the simple satisfaction of checking them off.

And if that doesn’t quiet my critic, I’ll open my orderly refrigerator and smile at her smugly.

4. MAKE YOURSELF PROUD

I have interviewed several hyper-driven individuals who push that inner critic out of the way to make space for

a person, or character (real or not), who they believe sets the gold standard for how to be the person they aspire to be. When faced with a complicated choice or stressful situation, they will channel that mentor or superhero and respond from their higher ground. It’s funny how the outcome doesn’t really matter when we’re up there. The result shifts to what we can control, which of course is only our own positive behavior and the calm reasoning from our best selves. And, while we’re taking the high road, have you ever noticed the joy in volunteers? These people feel really good about themselves for helping others and they should – whether its reading for the blind or bringing their Cavalier King Charles Spaniel to visit sick children.

Can’t you just feel your inner critic’s heart melting?

5. IMPROVE THE LIFE OF YOUR FUTURE SELF

Relationship expert and best-selling author Mark Hussey says don’t confuse productive activities with something that’s pleasurable right now. “The point of those things is not just for what they may give you in the moment, which is a bonus,

but for what they are going to give you tomorrow. You are building a life today that will exist tomorrow that will be more full, more rich, full of anecdotes, experiences, pride in your health if you are getting healthier, or pride in the new stories you can tell because you went to that social function. Not everything will be pleasurable in the moment that you do it and it won’t always feel like it’s working.” In fact, Hussey keeps this on his white board: “Every little bit of effort counts,” reminding himself to stay encouraged when he does even a little bit of work toward his goals, like going to the gym. “You may not feel it right now, but those things are moving you forward and that’s why it’s so important to do them, whether it feels good or not.”

If Rihanna can “get along with the voices inside of [her] head,” we can too, or at least hush them with a life that’s blaring with goodness. QCBN Bonnie Stevens is the editor of QCBN. She is a career journalist and public relations consultant. She can be reached at bonnie.stevens@ gmail.com.

JULY 2024 // Quad Cities Business News

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Understanding the Key Role a Professional Loan Officer Plays in Homebuying

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By Greg Riordan

hether you are purchasing your first home, refinancing or upgrading to your dream home, your loan officer is a crucial player in a successful home purchase. When it comes to your financial future, you can’t afford to fill this role with anything less than the best.

You want to make sure that your loan officer has your best interest at heart, that they are experts in their field and that they have a clear process. Here are some key things to look for when meeting with a loan officer: You feel comfortable with them.

They emphasize pre-approval.

They know and can explain different loan guidelines.

They clearly explain their process to close your loan, including fees involved.

They patiently answer all of your questions.

They talk about obtaining necessary documents from you during the process.

Your loan officer is responsible for much more than just a simple financial transaction – they facilitate things like ordering the appraisal, sending disclosures, ordering the title work and tracking every step of the home-buying process.

PRE-APPROVAL

Your loan officer will help you get pre-approved by taking a comprehensive look at your finances. This will require obtaining various documents from you such as paystubs, tax returns and bank statements.

APPLICATION, LOAN STRUCTURING

Your loan officer will help you apply for and obtain the best home loan for your financial situation. They are responsible for knowing the guidelines for various loan types and helping you lock in the best possible interest rate. They also will structure your loan to include details like your loan terms and repayment schedule.

PROCESSING

P l ay A l l D ay

Once you’ve found a home and gone under contract, a loan processor will verify that all pertinent documents are obtained and organized. During this stage, you may be asked for additional financial documents and your loan officer will be doing things like ordering appraisals, making sure you obtain homeowners insurance, etc.

UNDERWRITING

After processing is complete, a loan underwriter will verify, based on all documents provided, that you are financially capable of making the payments your loan terms require.

CLOSING

The final step in the mortgage process is closing. Your loan officer will prepare the final loan documents and, along with the title company, your Closing Disclosure (CD). Once this is prepared, your loan officer will contact you to review as well as discuss the funds needed for closing. A good loan officer will not allow any surprises to pop up at the closing table.

Having a good loan officer can make or break your homebuying experience. They play an important role in making sure you have the best interest rate, but they also ensure a loan structure that will get approved and provide long-term financial security for you and your family. QCBN Greg Riordan is a loan officer with Legacy Mutual Mortgage. For additional information or to get in touch with Greg, visit legacymutual.com/officers/ greg-riordan or call 928-427-5156. You may find his office at 325 W Gurley St #102, Prescott, AZ 86301.

Greg cares about the people that choose to trust him with the biggest asset in their lives – their home. He will give straight, honest answers with exceptional advice whether you are refinancing your home to pay off debt, lower your rate, reduce the length of your loan or to purchase your first or next dream home.

// When it comes to your financial future, you can’t afford to fill this role with anything less than the best. You want to make sure that your loan officer has your best interest at heart, that they are experts in their field and that they have a clear process. //

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Quad Cities Business News // JULY 2024

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A New Approach to Chronic Pain Relief at Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Group

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By Anthony Torres

y now, you have probably heard of the “mindfulness movement.” You may have read a magazine article or two and it’s hard to ignore the ever-growing collection of mindfulness books at the bookstore or library. Many people who have tried it say that mindfulness has made a remarkable difference in their quality of life.

Now take mindfulness and apply it to medicine, specifically the treatment of chronic pain. This is what internationally acclaimed neurosurgeon Dr. Sam Safavi-Abbasi and neurosurgical nurse practitioner and certified somatic experiencing practitioner Elisa Venezia are bringing to their patients, right here in the Quad Cities area.

Safavi and Venezia are both with Yavapai Regional Medical Group - Neurosurgical Medicine and Physiatry in Prescott. They share a deep passion about what Venezia calls, “Helping our patients turn the volume down on their pain so it doesn’t dominate their life.”

It’s all based on a “biopsychoso-

cial” approach to understanding pain.

In simpler terms, pain is a complicated combination of biological, psychological and social factors.

According to Venezia, the standard medical approach, which too often is the norm, only treats the biological aspect of pain.

Venezia clearly acknowledges that there are highly effective surgical solutions for many types of pain, particularly back pain. In fact, the team at Yavapai Regional utilizes many leading-edge neurosurgical techniques. But when a patient is told that there is no clear indication for surgery, they are often left wondering whether they will have to live with their pain indefinitely. The unfortunate outcome for some of these patients can be anxiety, depression, isolation and, increasingly, an addiction to painkillers, particularly opioids.

This is where Safavi’s and Venezia’s holistic approach takes up the challenge.

“Our brain pathways, including those that send pain signals to the brain, are wired very early in life,” explained Venezia. “For a person who

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experiences constant fight-or-flight responses related to early trauma – which might include symptoms like chronic pain, a fast-paced lifestyle or issues with alcohol – mindfulness can help ease them into the present moment rather than the state of hypervigilance that they’re used to.

The practice is informed by neuroscience, as well as current pain-science literature, and is modeled after a more familiar practice called mindfulness-based stress reduction.

It can decrease anxiety, depression and pain.”

Yavapai Regional physical therapist Cheryl Van Demark has been facilitating the Chronic Pain Self-Care Program in the Quad Cities community for several years. Safavi and Venezia have now teamed up with Van Demark, combining their efforts to offer a true multidisciplinary approach. The five-week mindfulness and self-compassion class is free of charge, but a referral from a physician is required.

“The class is all literature-based because we’re geeks,” said Venezia.

“As people learn about the neuroscience of pain and incorporate some

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very simple practices in their lives, their pain experience can greatly diminish.”

The passion that Venezia has for this approach, and her patients, shines through.

“If you have already explored surgical options and your condition is non-surgical, you can still recover from the pain. The pain does not need to be front and center in your life. Be aware that it

will take work and it will take time, but you can connect with joy and lightheartedness in your life again.”

QCBN

For more information about the Chronic Pain Self Care Program at Yavapai Regional Medical Group - Neurosurgical Medicine and Physiatry, call 928445-4818.

Anthony Torres, M.D., FACP, is president and CEO of Dignity Health Yavapai Regional Medical Center.

JULY 2024 // Quad Cities Business News

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15

Tips and Tricks for New Mountain Gardeners

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By Ken Lain

any have gardened in places where the soil is rich, its pH perfectly balanced and the climate blessed with consistent rainfall, gentle sun and plant coddling humidity. If you have dug a hole in the ground, you know mountain gardening presents the opposite of such ideal conditions.

My words are limited here, but they’re enough that I can sketch out the big picture of mountain gardening. The local USDA garden zone is 7 with a definite influence from zone 8. This defines our area as mild but with a solid winter and possible subzero temperatures.

Never underestimate the Arizona sun, wind and dry air. They are significant influences in determining which plants do well in our landscapes and which ones won’t. Local soils are typically heavy clay with very little organic material. Therefore, soil preparation for planting is of extreme importance. It demands organic mulch to add to your soil to either hold in the moisture for granite soils or to keep clay soil from compacting. Our soil is alkaline and usually doesn’t need the addition of either lime or wood ashes, which would increase its already high pH. When selecting plants, look for

those with thick, leathery leaves; they allow plants to retain extra moisture and be less prone to tear in the area’s fierce windstorms. This is where it pays to talk to garden experts with some experience with local plants. It can save you a whole lot of time, energy and expense in planting your gardens. Visit Top10Plants.com.

Mild winter temperatures provide the chilling necessary to grow all the deciduous fruits and perennials that thrive in the region. The list includes apples, peaches, cherries, grapes and berries. Get a free copy of my new Fruit Tree Book for more. This climate also is conducive to blooming deciduous

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The climate is so mild, we garden and design landscapes 12 months of the year. The average last frost date in spring is Mother’s Day. However, spring is so mild that our cool-season gardens can be planted as early as March 1. These can include lettuce, spinach, broccoli, potatoes, onions, radishes and more.

The first light frost happens on or about Halloween, depending on your garden’s specific elevation, but gardens look great through Thanksgiving. This

makes the average frost-free growing season in the area approximately 150 days long.

Until next issue, I’ll be helping new mountain gardeners 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 web site at WattersGardenCenter.com or Top10Plants.com.

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Quad Cities Business News // JULY 2024

quadcitiesbusinessnews.com

Ensuring Opportunities for Quality Jobs

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By Teri Drew

ecent data from the Office of Economic Opportunity has shed light on the unemployment rates in Yavapai County, revealing both challenges and opportunities for our local workforce. As we navigate the economic landscape post-pandemic, supporting services like ARIZONA@ WORK, Yavapai County has become increasingly essential.

UNEMPLOYMENT TRENDS

According to the latest statistics, Yavapai County’s unemployment rate has decreased slightly over the past year. As of April 2024, the unemployment rate is 3.1%, down from 3.9% in April 2023. This decline reflects a gradual recovery in various sectors, including hospitality, health care and construction. However, specific challenges persist, particularly in retail and manufacturing, where job growth has slowed.

The Office of Economic Opportunity attributes this trend to several factors, including increased economic activity and targeted efforts to bolster employment in high-demand industries. Despite these improvements, we must still address underemployment and ensure all residents can access

quality job opportunities.

ARIZONA@WORK BRIDGES THE GAP

At ARIZONA@WORK-Yavapai County, we have been instrumental in addressing the region’s employment needs. Our comprehensive workforce development network provides various services designed to support job seekers and employers. From resume workshops and career counseling to job fairs and training programs, we are dedicated to enhancing residents’ employability and meeting local businesses’ workforce demands.

With funds from the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) initiative, we fund job training in high-growth industries. This program has enabled many residents to gain new skills and certifications, improving their employment prospects. Additionally, we partner with local businesses to identify skill gaps and develop training programs tailored to their needs.

COMMUNITY IMPACT

The impact of our services extends beyond mere employment statistics. By fostering a more skilled and adaptable workforce, ARIZONA@ WORK-Yavapai County contributes to

the overall economic resilience of our community. Local businesses benefit from a more capable labor pool, while individuals access better job opportunities and career advancement prospects.

Moreover, our focus on collaborative efforts with educational institutions and community organizations has created a supportive ecosystem for job seekers. This holistic approach ensures that residents find jobs and build sustainable careers.

Apply online at www.CASAofYavapaiCounty.org or call 928-771-3165 Prescott 928-554-8900 Verde This project is supported by Grant No. 2024-YCASA-00028 from the US Department of Justice-Office for Victims of Crime.

LOOKING AHEAD

Residents and businesses alike are encouraged to engage with ARIZONA@ WORK-Yavapai County to take full advantage of our available resources and opportunities. By working together, we can build a more robust, more resilient local economy. QCBN For more information about ARIZONA@WORK-Yavapai County and our services, please call 928-778-1422 or stop in and

visit our center at 221 N. Marina St. Ste 201 in Prescott.

ARIZONA@WORK-Yavapai County is here to help you achieve your educational and employment goals.

Teri Drew is the executive director of the Yavapai County Workforce Development Board.

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JULY 2024 // Quad Cities Business News

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Understanding the Difference Between an ENT and an Audiologist

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By Jeff Lane, Au.D.

earing health care can be a steep learning curve for many patients. It’s not something that is commonly discussed until help is required. One common question is the difference between an audiologist and an ear, nose and throat (ENT) physician. In actuality, both providers work closely together to holistically treat the patient. But the two are distinct professions with important differences.

SCOPE OF PRACTICE

Before delving in, it is important to define the idea of “scope of practice.”

Scope of practice refers to the services a licensed individual is legally allowed to provide. If a treatment is outside the scope of practice, the practitioner cannot perform it, regardless of their knowledge. For example, an audiologist may be trained to identify an ear infection, but prescribing antibiotics falls outside their scope of practice.

Thus, scope of practice plays a major role in distinguishing the difference between audiologists and ENTs.

AN ENT IS A DOCTOR OF MEDICINE

An ENT is a physician who has specialized in that area of the body. They have gone to medical school and have a Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) or a similar degree. ENTs are able to prescribe medicines and perform surgeries and other medical procedures. In the case of ear infections, for example, the ENT could take a culture of the bacteria and prescribe an appropriate antibiotic. If the infections are chronic, they could insert pressure equalization (PE) tubes to provide a long-term solution. Surgical implementation of cochlear implants (CI) or bone-anchored hearing aids (baha) would also be performed by an ENT. All of these services fall under their scope of practice, while falling outside that of audiologists.

While it may seem obvious, it is also valuable to remember that ENTs treat conditions beyond the ears. If somebody has sinus issues, an ENT could treat them. Thyroid disease and infected tonsils can also be treated by an ENT. So, their breadth of services is far wider than an audiologist’s.

They are also permitted to make re-

ferrals to other healthcare providers.

Since they cannot perform hearing evaluations, they will refer to an audiologist (provided they don’t have one working at their practice).

AUDIOLOGISTS SPECIALIZE IN TREATING HEARING LOSS

An audiologist is a medical professional specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of hearing loss, tinnitus and dizziness. While they do have a doctorate, they do not attend traditional medical school with other physicians. Rather, they attend a four-year graduate program and receive a clinical doctorate. In other words, they have a doctorate specifically in audiology, rather than being a general physician who chose a specialty. They are also required to take continuing education courses to keep their knowledge current.

If your main concern is gradual hearing loss, it is best to see an audiologist first. They will be the ones to perform a hearing evaluation and diagnose the type and degree of hearing loss. An ENT will always want a hearing evaluation, so if you plan on seeing one, scheduling with

the audiologist first will help to facilitate the process. Once hearing loss is diagnosed, the audiologist can counsel on management options. If hearing aids are determined to be the best solution, the audiologist will order them and then program them and provide education. They will also be the ones to maintain and repair the devices. While a surgeon would implant a CI or baha, the audiologist will be the one to perform all the programming.

If the hearing loss is determined to be caused by a medical condition, such as a hole in the eardrum, the audiologist will recommend that the patient see an ENT for intervention.

However, the audiologist cannot provide an actual referral, as it is currently outside the scope of practice.

A sudden hearing loss would also be a reason to collaborate with an ENT. (Please note, if you do have a sudden hearing loss, see an ENT first and immediately, as the rate of successful treatment is much higher with earlier intervention.) In essence, an ENT treats medical conditions, while an audiologist

manages the symptoms and helps to improve quality of life.

An audiologist can also help to manage tinnitus, provide custom hearing protection, and diagnose and treat vertigo. They can also clean out ear canals.

Ultimately, the goal of both audiologists and ENTs is to help improve the lives of their patients. Hopefully this article has provided some insight and guidance on the role of both individuals. However, if any uncertainty remains, call your local audiologist and they can help to guide you to the correct location. 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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// MAYOR’S ADDRESS // BY PHIL GOODE

Conserve Water, Receive Rebates

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By Phil Goode

ecently, after completing financial planning, a public hearing and a workshop, the Prescott City Council approved new water and wastewater rates, set to take effect July 1, 2024. These rates will increase gradually over the next five years, to provide for infrastructure operation and maintenance costs, and ensure funding for replacement or refurbishment of aging water systems. One way to save money on your water bill and conserve water is

to install water saving devices. The good news is that you may even be able to receive rebates for some of these devices!

Since 2006, the city has offered our water customers a rebate program to encourage water conservation.

There are many rebates for home and business owners who upgrade their appliances and fixtures to high efficiency models. Rebates are also available to reduce outdoor water use, such as rainwater harvesting systems, turf removal and smart irrigation timers. I would like to make our

// If you are planning to upgrade your home or business with new appliances and fixtures, there are efficient products such as low‐flow toilets, ultra-efficient washing machines and rainwater harvesting systems. These great water conservation rebate opportunities are available to all City of Prescott water customers. //

customers aware of these rebates in hopes that more will take advantage of the existing rebate program.

If you are planning to upgrade your home or business with new appliances and fixtures, there are efficient products such as low‐flow toilets, ultra-efficient washing machines and rainwater harvesting systems.

These great water conservation rebate opportunities are available to all City of Prescott water customers. Here are some examples of the rebates.

TOILET REBATE

If you replace a toilet with a 1 gallon per flush or less model, you can receive a $150 rebate. Install a 1.0/1.28 dual flush toilet and receive a rebate of $125. A 1.28 gallons per flush toilet will qualify for a rebate of $100. If you are a septic user, you will receive an additional $50 for installing any of these high efficiency models.

RAINWATER CISTERN REBATE

Customers who incorporate a rainwater harvesting system can save money and limit use of the municipal water supply. If you install an active rainwater harvesting system, you can receive a water conservation rebate of

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50 cents to $1 per gallon of storage, depending on the capacity of your system. There is a maximum rebate of $500.

TURF REMOVAL

Are you thinking about converting your irrigated turf grass to low-water use/drought tolerant landscaping?

The city provides a rebate of $1 per square foot of turf removed. For additional details, please contact the city’s Public Works Department.

SMART IRRIGATION TIMER

If you install a WaterSense labelled Smart Irrigation Timer, you can receive a $75 rebate.

HOT WATER RECIRCULATION SYSTEMS

If you install a hot water recirculation system, you can receive a $150 rebate.

COMMERCIAL URINALS

The replacement fixture must be an EPA approved alternative flushless design, flush once at a specified interval or 0.125 gallons per flush to be eligible to receive a $100 rebate.

ULTRA-EFFICIENT WASHING MACHINE REBATE

If you replace a washing machine with an ultra-high efficiency model on the Consortium of Energy Efficiency (CEE) washing machine list, you will receive a $200 rebate on your utility bill. If you are a septic user, you will receive an additional $50.

Here is the link to the CEE washing machine list: https://prescottwater. com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/2.

14.2024-CEE-List-Updated.pdf These rebates are available to all City of Prescott water customers.

Be sure to keep all receipts and visit www.PrescottWater.com for rules and guidelines. For more information or questions, call Public Works at 928-777-1130.

The city is doing its part to enact a sensible water policy so that we can manage growth and responsible water use for years to come. As citizens, it is up to all of us to conserve our precious water resource. QCBN Phil Goode is the mayor of Prescott.

@quadcitiesbusinessnews

JULY 2024 // Quad Cities Business News

Educating Northern Arizona 2024

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Quad Cities Business News // JULY 2024

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Lauren Mitchell Leads the Way in the YC Bachelor’s Degree Program

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By Heidi Dahms Foster, QCBN

n January 2023, Yavapai College announced its first Bachelor of Science in Business degree, the first baccalaureate degree offered by a rural community college in Arizona. This spring, Prescott Valley resident Lauren Mitchell made history as the first to graduate with the new degree.

In May, Senate Bill 1453 passed into state law allowing community colleges in Arizona to offer baccalaureate degrees.

“After years of effort in this state, we are thrilled to receive this authorization. Yavapai College was at the forefront of the lobbying effort for SB1453 because we knew how much of an impact it could have in our county,” said Yavapai College President Dr. Lisa B. Rhine in a YC news release. “Our goal is simple – we want to launch degrees that make sense for community members of all ages, demographics and occupations.

YC’s Bachelor of Science in Business degree focuses on organizational management and leadership, allowing a wide variety of people to find it valuable. Rhine says this degree prepares students to become effective leaders in the workforce as managers, supervisors and team leaders, which is just what Lauren Mitchell needed.

Mitchell, a wife and mother of two, has always

wanted to start her own business. Before taking on the bachelor’s degree at YC, she had already created an online business selling healthy drinks for children. At first, her goal with the YC bachelor’s program was to get her prerequisites for an information technology degree, then transfer to Northern Arizona University. Then the difficulties of having to attend classes out of town while raising her family and supporting her husband, an IT architect, in his schooling became clear.

“The majority of the classes could be done online; however, when it came to the core classes, I would have to do them in person. That wasn’t an option with a family,” she said.

That’s when the YC bachelor’s degree program became available. All of the classes could be completed online, on Mitchell’s own schedule. She said she appreciated the emphasis on entrepreneurship.

Mitchell’s decision to pursue the bachelor’s degree was not an easy one, especially with the other demands on her time. But she knew if she kept her focus on her dream of starting a business, she would succeed. “As long as you keep your eyes on the end goal, you can get through anything,” she said. “School was challenging. I took 23 credit hours the first semester and 25 the next, while being a mom, coaching two soccer teams and doing two part-time jobs. I was exhausted for two

Lauren Mitchell wanted to raise her family, support her husband, earn a bachelor’s degree and start a business. As the first through the Yavapai College Bachelor’s Degree program, she is able to do all this from Prescott. Courtesy photo

years!” she said.

A detailed calendar and the support of YC faculty helped her through the tough schedule. “You live by a calendar. Everyone in my family had a

color, so if it was on the calendar, you knew who had what and when. I had to be diligent – during any break I’d do homework or read something.

Continued on page 23

Lauding the Value of Critical Thinking, Education

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By Jon C. Haass

earning never stops. Every day, we encounter new people, new situations and the world continues to evolve. If willing, learning occurs as our beliefs and sturdy day-to-day habits are challenged.

The Center for the Future project developed by the Prescott Regional Opportunity Foundation (PROF), an Arizona non-profit, supports the creation of entrepreneurial ideas and the success of young businesses through its programs of training, workshops, mentoring and coaching. More than 20 aspiring companies have participated in the programs over the past several years and today five startups are on-site members of the leased space in downtown Prescott at 220 South Marina Street.

The impetus for the creation of the Center for the Future was the brain drain in which young people were being educated in Northern Arizona at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (ERAU) and then taking their ideas, skills and talent elsewhere to build their careers. With funding from the City of Prescott, Yavapai County and the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Business Development Grant program, the Center celebrates three years since its ribbon cutting in July 2021. In that period, new high-paying jobs have been

The Center for the Future supports the creation of entrepreneurial ideas.

Entrepreneurs can participate in three workshop weekends called “Startup Hackathons.” Each session is capped by a five-minute pitch to sell the idea to a panel of judges. Courtesy photo

created by growing firms in disparate fields, including cybersecurity, network technology, digital video, software systems, managed financial services, co-working and artificial intelligence.

Education is key to success in the development of a viable business.

The Center utilizes the lean business model made popular by Alexander Osterwalder and Yves Pigneur in their book, “Business Model Gener-

ation.” Unlike the old style of many page business plans that often were obsolete by the time printed, this educational approach creates a living and dynamic design that is agile and actionable. It begins with the customer. Who are the customers and what is the problem they face each day that your new business is going to solve? Our entrepreneurs engage with potential clients to help shape the products and/or services that will be

purchased by these customers.

Over the course of three months, entrepreneurs participate in three workshop weekends we call “Startup Hackathons.” Each session is capped by a “Shark Tank”-like five-minute pitch to sell the idea to a panel of judges. By the end of the quarter-long educational training, the company is ready to grow and deliver to its targeted customer audience and seek the capital for expansion. Our ecosystem of mentors and coaches includes

members of SCORE, score.org/northernarizona as well as partners at the local Small Business Development Center (SBDC). Services are offered free or at low cost to encourage and support the growth of innovative companies in rural Northern Arizona.

With the attention of companies to relocate to Arizona, thanks to spending on innovations such as the semiconductor industry (INTEL and Continued on page 22

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Denise Woolsey Named Phi Theta Kappa Regional Coordinator one of PTK’s Top 10 Most Distinguished Chapters.”

A popular and highly respected educator, with a hen the prestigious Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society Bachelor of Arts in speech communication and a needed a new coordinator Master of Business Adminto advocate for Arizona’s top collegiate scholars, they chose from within istration, Denise Woolsey has been a professor at – and chose well. Yavapai College Yavapai College since 2003. proudly announces that YC BusiA champion of academic ness Professor and Honors College excellence and an advocate Director Denise Woolsey has been selected as the new Arizona Regional for the students who achieve Coordinator for the Phi Theta Kappa it, she has served as director of YC’s College Honors Honor Society (PTK).

Program and chapter advi“I am pleased to welcome Denise sor for the Beta Gamma Pi Woolsey, from the Beta Gamma Chapter since 2017. She was Pi Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa at Yavapai College Prescott Campus, as named associate regional coordinator in 2023, and the new Arizona Regional Coordinow will succeed Phoenix nator,” announced PTK President Denise Woolsey College’s Amy MacPherson, and CEO Dr. Lynn Tichner-Ladner. who is stepping down to “Denise’s dedication to PTK is evimission is to recognize community dent in her commitment to nurturing spend more time with her family. college students› academic achieveEstablished in 1910, the Phi Theta students’ growth and empowering ments and provide opportunities for Kappa Honor Society is an interthem to become future leaders them to grow as scholars and leaders. national society of students seeking and scholars. Her leadership was The Phi Theta Kappa Foundation associate degrees, bachelor›s degrees pivotal in guiding the Beta Gamma awards $1.5 million in scholarships or other college credentials. PTK›s Pi chapter to be twice-recognized as

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By Lisa B. Rhine

to members each year, and four-year college partners now offer $250 million in transfer scholarships exclusively for Phi Theta Kappa members.

To date, Phi Theta Kappa has more than 3.5 million members across 1,300 chapters in 10 nations.

“I am truly honored to be in a position where I can contribute to the growth and success of Phi Theta Kappa and its members across Arizona,” said Denise Woolsey.

“As regional coordinator, I look forward to working with PTK students and advisors and continuing our region’s progress in scholarship and leadership opportunities for our Arizona Community College students.” QCBN

degrees, student and community services, and cultural events and activities.

To learn more about YC, visit www.yc.edu.

In February 2019, Dr. Lisa B. Rhine became the 10th president of Yavapai College, bringing to the institution over 30 years of leadership experience across a number of leading colleges and universities in Ohio, Kentucky and Virginia. Dr. Rhine assumed this role with a commitment to advance the mission of the college while ensuring access and support to those for whom opportunities may have been historically limited or denied.

Yavapai College offers over 100 degrees and certificates, student and community services, and cultural events and activities at six locations throughout Yavapai County, including campuses in Prescott and Clarkdale, and centers in Prescott Valley, Chino Valley, Sedona and the Prescott Airport.

Yavapai College operates six campuses and centers throughout Yavapai County and offers over 100 degrees and certificates, two baccalaureate

Starting School with a Three-Pronged Plan Chino Valley Unified School District shares its strategy for success

By Stan Bindell, QCBN

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orking together, being prepared and focusing on safety are essential cornerstones for the Chino Valley Unified School District for the upcoming school year.

New Superintendent Cindy Daniels says the district conducted a strategic planning meeting in May to chart the way forward and face challenges that include a shrinking budget and declining enrollment.

Daniels, who has worked in the district for 16 years, most recently as assistant superintendent, says working together means the schools address problems in the same way.

For example, if they are dealing with chronic absenteeism, each school in the district would agree to send letters to parents after a child misses three days.

Being prepared includes establishing goals for student achievement at each grade level. For example, she says eighth graders will be ready for high school and high school seniors will be ready for the workforce or college upon graduation.

Being prepared also means cutting spending in some areas to meet more

dire needs and sharing resources.

“We emphasize doing what’s best for the kids,” she said, adding that during her time in Chino Valley, teachers have never gone without a raise.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs, which train students in various careers, is part of the preparedness plan. Eighty percent of students at Chino Valley High School complete CTE courses, and many complete two or three courses. Students must pass Arizona Department of Education exams in their CTE areas in order to earn the certifications they need.

Welding, cybersecurity, culinary arts, nursing and pre-engineering are some of the subjects offered through CTE. Classes are taught at Chino Valley High School and at the Mountain Institute Career and Technical Education District in Prescott, where CVHS is one of seven participating schools. CVHS purchases the materials and provides transportation for the CTE students.

Safety to Daniels not only means personal safety, but also that students are in a safe environment. Chino Valley Unified School District has 400 students who are considered homeless. That’s 14% of the student

population, or one to two kids in every classroom.

“That’s a huge impediment to learning,” she said.

The district has counselors on site and will make referrals in more serious situations. The Chino Valley Education Foundation gives out backpacks and outfits students in need for the first day of school. The district offers free breakfasts and lunches for students as well.

As for physical safety, the district conducts safety drills, monitors cameras on campuses and enlists armed school resource officers. In addition, the district works with Yavapai County Emergency Services, Chino Valley Police Department and Arizona Department of Public Safety for emergency preparedness.

For the new school year, the district has hired 17 teachers. Daniels is proud that the school district has retained 84% of its teachers and all of them are certified in the area in which they are teaching.

“We’re the only district in the area that has done that,” she said.

The school district is the largest employer in Chino Valley, with 328 employees. About 200 are support staff such as bus drivers, classroom aides, nurses, secretaries, facilities workers and business managers.

“They are the heart and soul of our school district. They are my heroes.

Chino Valley Unified School District Superintendent Cindy Daniels, shown here with Facilities Director Chris Sheriff, is looking forward to the school year in a safe environment that prepares students for promising futures. Photo by Stan Bindell

Teachers get deserved recognition, but they cannot do it without the support staff,” she said.

Daniels says the community, parents and district staff are all excited about the coming school year.

“Everybody is saying, ‘This is going to be fun.’ There is a strong sense of direction and I’m excited about the direction.” QCBN

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Prescott Film Festival Spurs Thought, Develops Filmmakers

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By Stan Bindell, QCBN

he Prescott Film Festival and the Yavapai College Film and Media Arts Certificate program teach students skills that often get them hired in the film industry, according to college officials.

Helen Haxton-Stephenson, who oversees both programs, says editing and post-production courses in particular open doors for students. Currently, there are about 150 students enrolled; however, she says AZ QUEST Grant funding can make the college’s certificate program tuition free for students.

“That [number] might skyrocket with these Quest Grants.”

“I’m thrilled about the Quest Grant and our programs because there are so many job openings, and most of the editing jobs are remote. When producers come to town, this is what they ask for,” she said, noting that script supervisors are also needed.

Film classes are offered at the Prescott campus and online. The certificate program consists of 36 credit hours, with classes usually lasting eight weeks each.

The students in the film classes are varied. The younger ones are often preparing for careers, while older students are commonly interested in

telling a story. The classes also help with networking, as the film students can build their crews.

The program also offers dual enrollment for high school students, as Prescott High School and Coconino High School offer these dual enrollment classes. Haxton-Stephenson hopes to expand the dual enrollment to Chino Valley High School, Mingus Union High School and others.

This year marks Haxton-Stephenson’s 10th year teaching at Yavapai College, and she has noticed several changes over the years. One is that the cost of equipment has decreased. Another is that LED lighting has made it so film students no longer have to pack large lights for on-location shoots.

Haxton-Stephenson was raised in Cochise County. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in radio, television and film from Cal State Long Beach before working as a newscaster in Los Angeles. She went on to work for game shows and then started her own production company.

She moved to Prescott after the North Ridge earthquake impacted her Burbank home. Here, she raised her children and wrote scripts. She also became a librarian for the Prescott Unified School District. When her children were older, she, along with

her husband, Scott, started the Prescott Film Festival, which began in 2010. In 2021, the couple donated the film festival to the Yavapai College Foundation.

She continues to plan and coordinate the event.

One of the festival’s key goals is to support independent filmmakers. “A lot have never heard of the independent films. These are individual works of art,” she said. “It takes great teamwork.”

Some of the films from past years have led to jobs in the film industry for filmmakers and support staff. The students in the Yavapai College film program are assigned to watch the movies.

The feature film this year is “My Life as a Robot,” created by Robert Shields of the former mime team, Shields and Yarnell. “He’s also going to stay and watch all the movies. We’re excited about that,” said Haxton-Stephenson.

The best part of the film festival is watching the audience response, she says. Volunteers watch the movies to select which ones will be shown and they are often emotionally moved by the films.

“You can come from any walk of life and watching these movies will start a conversation. One movie is about a disabled vet who overcomes adversity.

Another film is about a dancer who

Future Chefs, Firefighters, Paralegals Training at the Mountain Institute

By Stan Bindell, QCBN

noting the institute also keeps up with industry trends to project skills that will be needed in the future. rom construction trades to aviation Mountain Institute classes are on-site at one technology, welding to culinary skills, of three Yavapai College campuses. high school students in Most of the courses count for dual Prescott seeking career training enrollment, so students can receive classes have 26 programs from both high school and college credit which to choose. simultaneously.

Mountain Institute Career “Eighty percent [of the students] and Technical Education are either employed or going off to District (MICTED) in Prescott college or university. Some transfer teaches students from seven from one program to another,” high schools in western Yavapai said Stiteler. “It’s good that they County. All of the courses, textfind that out here [if they have an books and supplies are free and Mountain Institute Career interest in the field] rather than transportation is provided. and Technical Education finding out after they’ve spent a CTE courses are taught at the District Superintendent large amount for college tuition.” institute and the high schools, Bill Stitler oversees In recent years, the number of including Prescott, Chino Valley, programs for seven area high schools. Photo by Stan Bindell CTE programs has grown from 11 Prescott Valley, Seligman, to 26. Mountain Institute recently Ash Fork, Mayer and Bagdad. partnered with the Prescott National Forest.

Students can learn what it takes to become a Now, 10 people who completed the program diesel technician, veterinary assistant, early are working as wildland firefighters. In addichildhood education professional, medical tion, a collaboration with Yavapai Superior technician, firefighter or computer programCourt has resulted in a paralegal program in mer, for example.

Mountain Institute officials say automotive, response to a statewide shortage.

Currently, the institute is considering welding and medical training are the most offering courses in cosmetology and drone oppopular courses and there is a waiting list for eration and safety. “We want students to have welding and aviation. choices so they can be active in the communiBill Stiteler, who has been superintendent of Mountain Institute since 2018, says students who ty,” said Stiteler.

More than 2,300 students are enrolled in complete the program are either ready to enter Mountain Institute courses this fall. QCBN their chosen career or on track to go to college.

“We work with the community to see the local and statewide needs of industry,” he said, For more information, call 928-771-0791.

F

Helen Haxton-Stephenson smiles through “Take 14” to promote the upcoming Prescott Film Festival. Photo by Stan Bindell

overcomes poverty to reach his dream.

It’s amazing to see these films about people who have a goal and work against incredible odds to obtain them.

It’s inspiring,” she said.

The Prescott Film Festival is scheduled for July 17-20, at Yavapai College.

The film festival also offers four free workshops: 9 a.m., Wednesday, July 17, “How to Stage and Film a Fight Scene,” by Gary Montana, who plans to open a stuntman school in Dewey.

11 a.m., Wednesday, July 17, “Making the Survival Show,” by Cody Lundin.

9 a.m., Thursday, July 18, “Scene Study Improvisation,” by Sean Dillingham.

11 a.m., Thursday, July 18, “Show Don’t Tell: A Screenwriters workshop” by Derek Chase. QCBN For more information, visit http://www. prescottfilmfestival.com.

THINKING continued from page 20

TSMC) and autonomous vehicles (WAYMO, GM and Ford), the opportunity has never been better for small businesses. The Center for the Future has been focusing on growing all of the elements required to incubate and accelerate young companies that will retain our talented younger people being educated at our colleges and universities, including Yavapai College, ERAU and Northern Arizona University. Students are being educated in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields in addition to business areas such as digital marketing and entrepreneurship.

The Center for the Future helps with mentoring, internship and capstone opportunities in a thriving environment.

Another critical area of growth for the region and the nation is the protection of data, devices and infrastructure from the ever-present cyber threat from criminals and other nations. The website cyberseek.org shows in easy-to-understand graphics the different job opportunities, skills needed and type of education that would be required to participate in this hot field. Thanks to funding, summer camps for high school students in the four northeastern counties are seeking interested teachers and students to learn more about this exciting field. Since there are more than 50 job roles, you don’t have to be a computer scientist or even a coder to get into this well-compensated career field.

Some adults are looking to re-train and change careers to this type of work, which can be performed remotely after six months to a year of apprenticeship-type learning and education with some of the leading firms.

This possibility has blossomed since the pandemic proved that productive work from home is a win for both employer and employee. Combine reward-

ing work with the beautiful Northern Arizona life and no wonder this a future-focused area.

Education is truly critical to keeping up with the changing landscape of the future workforce.

We don’t even know what 35% of the jobs of 2034 will be. How do you stay on top? The answer is critical thinking and the love of learning. Ben Franklin said, “All highly competent people continually search for ways to keep learning, growing and improving.”

If you are ready to continue your education and growth, reach out to the many resources available here in Northern Arizona. In the Flagstaff area, Northern Arizona University and Coconino Community College are good starting points. In Yavapai County, contact us at the Center for the Future or one of the colleges and universities.

Your future awaits you. QCBN Jon C. Haass, Ph.D., founded the Cyber Intelligence and Security degree programs at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in 2013. Since that time, more than 200 have graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees, finding employment in the public and private sectors at organizations including Boeing, Mitsubishi Union Financial Group, BofA, Raytheon, Honeywell, Lockheed, NASA and the FBI. He is a serial entrepreneur, having founded or served in executive positions in six startup companies, including OpenTV, which went public and was subsequently taken private by the Kudelski Group.

He continues to serve as professor in the College of Business, Security and Intelligence in addition to being the president of the Prescott Regional Opportunity Foundation. He earned his Ph.D. at MIT in Applied Mathematics and grew up in Casper Wyoming, another mile-high city like Prescott, where he resides with wife Stephanie. They enjoy traveling internationally and kayaking on the many lakes of the region.

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DEGREE continued from page 20

Basically, I carried it with me all the time. I could do a class on time management with the papers I’ve written the past two years!” she said.

YC staff was invested in helping Mitchell to achieve her goals. She needed approvals for her heavy class load so she could complete her capstone classes in her first semester. “They accommodated me and supported me through the whole process,” she said.

She credits the support of her husband, Neil, through the two years that also included the loss of her mother in her second semester of classes. “If I did not have Neil’s support, this would not have been achievable. We have a partnership in everything we do. He was a teacher at YC so he helped me know what classes I needed and helped me to facilitate the whole journey.”

Mitchell isn’t wasting time putting her accomplishment to work. She and her husband will be starting a quick drink business in Prescott in the near future.

“This has always been in my back pocket,” she said. “I’ve always wanted to create a place where you could get drinks for the whole family. I’m not a coffee person, my husband is. I like drinks with a variety of flavors. I never leave the kids in the car, it’s not an option. I want to stop in one place and get the drink I want, and for my husband to get his coffees.”

Mitchell has a larger goal than

Above: Provost Doug Berry and President Lisa Rhine honor Lauren Mitchell (center) as the first Yavapai College student to receive a bachelor’s degree. Right: Mitchell was able to earn her bachelor’s degree without having to attend classes away from Prescott and her family. Courtesy photo

convenience, however. Growing up in the Prescott area, she has a desire to give back to her community. She wants to provide family-friendly jobs with flexible hours and a variety of shifts.

“Being a mom myself, I know you get that call from school for a sick kid or an emergency happens. I want to accommodate that.”

The research is done, a 10-year business plan is complete, and a location is chosen. Mitchell hopes to open the

business in spring or summer 2025, depending on final details. “[These degrees] can instantly transform lives, help them reach a higher job level, increase their wages, start something new, grow something current and most importantly, not be gouged with financial or travel burdens,” said Dr. Rhine. “We want our students to graduate from YC and we want them to stay in Yavapai County.”

With her dreams and determination,

Mitchell has made history as the first YC student to receive her YC bachelor’s degree, leading the way for many more.

QCBN

For information about the Yavapai College bachelor’s degree program, visit www. yc.edu.

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Pets and Paintings Unite on Canvas at Blue Plume Studio J

By Stan Bindell, QCBN

enny Rose Harlow was about to turn on to a California freeway when she saw a dozen loose peacocks. She decided to follow them.

They made their way into the Los Angeles County Arboretum, where they led her to beautiful gardens.

She decided this would be the best place to finish her art degree. Today, her Chino Valley art home is named Blue Plume Studio, in honor of those peacocks.

Blue Plume Studio offers art and animal adventures to bring out the creative side of people and, in many cases, to help them heal from trauma such as domestic violence. She teaches art to anyone 5 years old and older at her summer animal art camp.

Blue Plume Studio will offer the art and animals classes after school in the fall, as well. Classes will be available during the day for those who are homeschooled. She also offers field trips and birthday parties for kids. Her classes teach how to make paintings of Arizona animals.

All of her adopted animals are fe-

ral, including Sweet Pea, a wild Mustang, and Cedar, a wolf dog, who she saved from a puppy mill. Her sheep, Johnny Cash, likes to headbutt people if given the chance, and Prairie Belle is a llama. Another dog, two cats, a macaw and several chickens round out the lineup.

Harlow has been combining her love for art and animals since she could walk, and started teaching others when she was 6 years old.

Her business began to take shape when Harlow, who is Cherokee and Choctaw, took a nap and had a vision dream about providing a safe haven for kids and adults. That’s when she came up with the idea of art and animals.

“I wanted to give people that front porch feel where adults could get tea and kids could get pop,” she said.

“I’ve always been passionate about the animals. I started with just the art.

I had rescued some animals and the kids wanted to see them.”

Meeting Sweet Pea was memorable, as the mustang was only three days out of the wild. The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) had put the wild horses up for sale. A dog

Above: Jenny Rose Harlow combines her love for art and animals at her Chino Valley studio. Below: Harlow enjoys time with her adopted feral pets, including Prairie Belle, the llama, Sweet Pea, the mustang and Cedar, the wolf dog. Photos by Stan Bindell

came running out by the horses, Harlow bent down to pet it, and that is when Sweet Pea put its head on Harlow’s shoulder. Her heart melted.

Harlow is a domestic violence survivor. Through Yavapai Advocacy Family Center, she connected with others who had experienced domestic violence. “We get together for a paint night,” she said.

Harlow is trained in many art forms, but she specializes in acrylic speed painting. Her paintings are completed in two hours. When she teaches, it depends on the speed that the student wants to go.

Harlow’s Blue Plume Studio has three focus areas. The first is her classes. The second is performance art, as she often paints at events. The third is commissioned art, in which someone pays her to create a piece.

In sixth grade, Harlow started painting professionally. By seventh grade, she was creating murals.

In ninth grade, she won a mural competition that was open to 400 high schools. At age 15, she started a mural business and that was her side job until she was 21. Her murals appeared in neighborhoods, nightclubs

and baby rooms.

Harlow earned her Bachelor of Art degree from Azusa Pacific University near Pasadena. After that, Harlow taught at an orphanage in South Africa for two months. She was able to bring the art pieces back for a gallery show in Los Angeles to raise money for the orphanage. She is especially proud because when she got there, the children were only able to have one meal a day, but with the money they raised, the children were able to have more food. While this occurred almost 20 years ago, she continues to stay in touch with them.

Harlow first started Blue Plume Studio in Oregon 15 years ago. She moved herself and her studio to Chino Valley recently to be closer to her parents. “I want to bring people to their creative haven,” she said. QCBN For more information, call 253-905-2842 or email blueplumestudio@gmail.com.

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Keeping Pets Safe through Dangerous Summer Temperatures

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By Loree Walden

s we can all tell from the temperatures outside, summer has arrived! Summer in Arizona brings extreme heat, posing a serious threat to our furry family members.

As temperatures soar, it’s important to take extra precautions to ensure the safety of our four-legged best friends.

Fact: when the outside temperature is 77 degrees, the pavement heats up to 125 degrees. At 87 degrees, the pavement can reach a scorching 143 degrees. An egg can fry at 131 degrees in just five minutes, so imagine the discomfort your dog’s paws endure on hot cement, rocks or even dirt.

Before taking your dog for a walk, press the back of your hand firmly on the pavement and hold it for seven seconds. If it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for them. If a walk is unavoidable, bring a bottle of water to wet their feet or body to cool them off. Ideally, it’s best to walk your dogs early in the morning or late in the evening when it’s cooler. If you notice signs of burned paws, carry your dog home if possible, apply cool compresses on their paws and body and contact your veterinarian immediately. Dogs are more vulnerable to ground heat

because they are much closer to it than we are.

Heatstroke is a common and deadly summer threat for dogs. Recognizing the signs and knowing how to treat it is vital. Symptoms include elevated body temperature, vigorous panting, unsteady gait, depression or agitation, thick saliva or froth at the mouth, rigid posture, vomiting, bloody diarrhea, collapsing and shock. Resources like the American Kennel Club Canine Health Foundation offer detailed guidance on heatstroke symptoms and treatment.

Heatstroke can lead to seizures, coma, organ failure and even death.

If your dog shows any of these signs, bring them indoors, cover them with a cool, wet towel, let them drink room temperature water (not cold), and call your veterinarian or animal hospital immediately.

Heatstroke can occur in any hot environment, often because of a pet owner’s actions, such as leaving a dog in a car or failing to provide water and shade. Never leave your dog in a car, even with windows cracked.

It takes just 10 minutes for the temperature inside a car to rise by 20 degrees. At 85 degrees outside, it can reach 105 degrees inside a car within 10 minutes and 120 degrees within 30

minutes, even in the shade.

Certain dogs are more prone to heat exhaustion, especially older dogs, darker colored dogs, dogs with longer or a lot of fur, overweight dogs, and breeds with flat faces like pugs and bulldogs.

Our feline friends are also susceptible to heat-related issues. Cats have an average body temperature of 102 degrees Fahrenheit, but this doesn’t mean they are safe in a warm house.

Cats don’t sweat like humans, so they must release heat by lying on cool surfaces, panting and drinking cold water.

To keep your cat comfortable, take a few preventative steps: Place bowls of cold water throughout your home, as water evaporates faster in summer.

Close curtains to limit sun and heat, provide shade and prevent a hot home.

Use fans to circulate cooler air.

Setting them on a timer can help manage energy use.

We need to watch for signs of heat exhaustion in cats too, such as excessive panting, rapid heart rate, sunken eyes or little to no urine in the litter box. Cats with flat faces, obesity, heart or lung issues or those that are elderly are particularly at risk,

according to the ASPCA. There are many resources available online to educate ourselves on the dangers of heat for our pets. It’s always a good idea to brush up on signs to look for and what to do should your pets get overheated.

Our pets give us so much love, joy and companionship. They rely on us for their safety and well-being, especially during the scorching summer months. It is our responsibility to protect and care for them because they cannot do it by themselves.

Let’s remember our pets are not just animals; they are beloved members of our

families. They trust us to keep them safe and it’s a trust we must honor.

With the love and care they shower upon us daily, it’s only right that we do everything we can to keep them safe and comfortable. So, as we enjoy the sunny days of summer, let’s make sure our pets can enjoy them too, safely and happily by our side. QCBN 928-445-2666 or yavapaihumanesociety. org.

Loree Walden is the marketing manager at Yavapai Humane Society.

Community Medicine Magic: The Power of Performance

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By Jay Ruby

s a theater director, my greatest satisfaction has been to create moments where communities reflect together and share a special experience. As a young man, I took inspiration from the work of John Waddell, an iconic bronze sculptor in the Verde Valley, whom I worked for as an archivist. One of the themes of his work was “the beauty of individual differences.”

As I developed my creative work, I was interested in finding platforms that brought out the power and distinct beauty of different types of human expression through performance. In sharing this work through free, open-air performance, I found a pathway to navigating diverse cultural expressions and creating community medicine magic.

It is in this spirit that Carpetbag Brigade’s Roving Wave Festival was conceived as a traveling festival to

// As I developed my creative work, I was interested in finding platforms that brought out the power and distinct beauty of different types of human expression through performance. In sharing this work through free, open-air performance, I found a pathway to navigating diverse cultural expressions and creating community medicine magic. //

bring free live performance culture to five different cities and towns in Yavapai County. The festival features the acrobatic stilt walking of The Carpetbag Brigade with international artists from the UK, Colombia and Canada performing their new work, “Flotsam & Jetsam.” The Carpetbag Brigade is internationally renowned for synthesizing acrobatic stilt dancing, but also known for dance, contact improvisation, musical composition, contemporary dance and physical theater.

There will be a mix of outdoor performance styles with guest artists at the festival presentations this month.

Chase Archer, a juggling flow artist, will present two mesmerizing self-devised creations. Meg & Thatcher’s “OK Apocalypse” aims to dress the wounds, set the bones, cool the fever and bring down the swelling of our collective trauma in the very midst of turmoil through story, song, poetry, movement and connection. The TBD Show puppets comically satirize current living conditions poking fun at the follies of humanity. There will be spoken word from Mona Nyree and dance from Breanna Rogers.

Bring your kids, bring your parents, bring your friends, bring strangers and make friends. It promises to be food fun for all! Come and enjoy an evening in a beautiful space with free all-ages performances. The Roving Wave Festival travels throughout Yavapai County from July 12-21.

7 p.m., July 12, Sliding Rock Jail Park, Jerome 7 p.m., July 13, Old Town Basketball Court, Cottonwood 6 p.m., July 14, Posse Grounds, Sedona 6 p.m., July 20, Civic Center/Concert on the Green, Prescott Valley 4:30 p.m., July 21, Courthouse Plaza, (this starts with a free hour-long yoga class from Bend Yoga Studio) The Carpetbag Brigade is an integrative cultural force with a mission to present the performing arts in a diverse array of venues and environments and increase the quality, scope and impact of live performance culture through training, community outreach and

aesthetic presentation. Our work provides a platform for people of different cultural backgrounds to share, create, express and reflect on common experiences. By utilizing performing arts and its pedagogy as a tool to transcend language, class and environmental background, we aspire to evolve the role of performance culture and ensemble practice as a fundamental aspect of a healthy society.

When I founded the Tsunami on the Square arts festival, I wanted to bring something for everybody in everybody’s hometown. The Roving Wave Festival is a countywide continuation of that intention. We look forward to seeing you there! QCBN For more information, visit carpetbagbrigade.com.

Jay Ruby is an actor and the founder and executive director of The Carpetbag Brigade. He can be reached at info@carpetbagbrigade.com.

JULY 2024 // Quad Cities Business News

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How a Remodeling Project Impacts Your Investment

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elcome to another edition of “At Home with Tom and Sandy.” We are here to give you the inside scoop on real estate, the construction industry, what is up, what is down, what is hot and what is not. We will share real estate stats, home prices, building permit numbers, construction pointers and give you hints on renovations that will give you a return on your investment. We will talk about products, how to take care of your home and so much more.

Tom: Well, Sandy, what is new?

Sandy: Oh Tom, I have a new favorite snack from Trader Joe’s. Sweet & Salty Umami Crunchies Rice Crackers.

These little crunchie munchies are the best.

Tom: Nice! With the increased costs in construction materials and the remodeling taking place, I thought we could talk about the insured value of your home versus the cost to replace.

Sandy: Tom, I totally agree. The discrepancy in cost to replace versus insured value is huge, and as you said, with the rising construction costs, people need to be aware of the necessity to increase their insured values.

Tom: I agree. I know we have chatted about this in the past and I recently took a look at our insurance and reached out to our carrier to discuss coverage. I made a few modifications and I feel much better about our coverage.

Sandy: That is a relevant topic, given today’s volatile markets. Housing costs are skyrocketing and selling your home has become so much easier.

Tom: Remodeling Magazine publishes a “Cost vs. Value” report each year. They study about 150 U.S. markets to obtain information for different remodeling projects that folks undertake.

Sandy: I am familiar with this report.

They divide the U.S. into nine different regions that are geographically and economically connected. There is always a lot of great information there.

Tom: We use that study to approximate the cost of various projects, from deck additions to master bath remodels. There are 22 typical projects in the report.

Sandy: I have read the report and remodeling just to increase your home’s investment does not seem to be the smartest route in our region.

That region spans from Idaho through Colorado, Utah and Arizona.

Tom: Yes, it covers a lot of territory and the markets in this area are consistent with each other. Our material and labor costs are similar, and the availability of product is equal as well.

Sandy: The data collected also suggest that. Also, you can click on any of the listed cities to get a drill down on that specific market. How cool is that for all us data nerds! You will have to register to get it, though.

Tom: Yes, and they will send you emails on occasion. You can always opt out of them, though. I have found the data between cities in a region are remarkably close.

Sandy: The cost of jobs that are depicted can also fluctuate depending upon the design and finishes chosen by

// Spend money on remodels that offer unique and popular home features, because many people move when their physical needs change or when they are looking for newer technology. For example, if you are redoing the bathroom, add features like a walk-in shower with a bench and handrails to appeal to buyers concerned with limited mobility. //

the homeowner.

Tom: Very true. The real question this report answers is not so much what a project costs, it really addresses whether a project will add value to your home and if so, how much.

Sandy: That is important to a lot of people. Most people think it is a dollar-for-dollar add to their home’s value and it is not.

Tom: I have talked us out of work on many occasions. We will get a call from someone wanting to sell their home and think they will get a better price if they remodel the kitchen or bathroom.

Sandy: I understand that. This report, however, tells a much different story. By way of example, a modest bath remodel costing about $25,000 will only increase the home’s value by $15,000. That is only a 60% recoup of the cost.

Tom: That is the case for most projects. According to this report, the most value comes from replacing the garage doors. That comes in at almost a 94% return.

Sandy: That does not surprise me.

I have heard realtor after realtor talk about “curb appeal” when staging an existing home for sale. It is the simple things that count the most.

Tom: So true. I usually advise people to fix that which is broken, but not to replace the flooring unless the carpet is

in terrible condition.

Sandy: So, you really do talk yourself out of work!

Tom: Yup, I do. Trying to second guess what a potential buyer would want to see is a bad gamble. I have said it before, we have torn out new countertops and whole kitchens that are less than a year old because the sellers thought they needed to do that to sell.

Sandy: We both have always talked about the reasons to remodel.

A remodel project should be one that people want to do to enhance their lives and improve their comfort level.

So, Tom, we will end our column with this question: Should you remodel your home to sell for a higher price?

Tom: If you are remodeling to sell your property for a higher price, you must think about the return on your investment. Again, according to Remodeling Magazine’s “Cost vs. Value” report, most ROIs are not actually all that great. I suggest we ask our readers: “Will the renovation help your house sell faster?”

Sandy: And I want to chime in: make sure to spend your money on remodels that will help it sell, not just things you like. Spend money on remodels that offer unique and popular home features, because many people move when their physical needs change or when they are looking for newer

technology. For example, if you are redoing the bathroom, add features like a walk-in shower with a bench and handrails to appeal to buyers concerned with limited mobility. Or, you could add home automation features for buyers who want to control their thermostat or lights when they are away.

Tom: That is a great point, Sandy.

Should you remodel your home and if you do, make sure you look at revising your insurance coverage.

Before shelling out big bucks on a home renovation project, consider what is standard in your community.

Talk to a real estate professional or contractor if you are primarily concerned with whether a home renovation will add value to your house and help it sell more quickly. After all, different trends are popular in different places; a pool might be a valuable addition in Arizona but a poor investment in Minnesota.

Thanks for stopping in to read “At Home with Tom and Sandy.” You’re in good company and we love sharing educational, fun and important information with you. QCBN Tom Reilly, Architect, 928-445-8506 Sandy Griffis, Executive Director, Yavapai County Contractors Association. 928-7780040.

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Quad Cities Business News // JULY 2024

quadcitiesbusinessnews.com

Don’t Get Sidelined this Pickleball Season

By Michael Severino

their job to complete an activity that uses them specifically.

Activity is simply doing any action xercise and activity – are these the same thing? If you ask most (sports, walking, hiking, carrying groceries, climbing stairs, etc.) that uses individuals, the common anthe efficient energy of a muscle to swer is “yes.” Conventional teaching complete that task. When a muscle is would say that is correct; however, there is a very big difference between used to do a given activity, that muscle is used/broken down in order for these words, which can impact your day-to-day tasks as well as your sport it to produce the energy to complete its job to move the body. performance.

Many people believe that just Here is how I like to describe these two words to help clear up much con- playing pickleball gets them fit and makes them a better player. While fusion and misinterpretation: Exercise is doing specific strength- repetition and practice are required for improved skill, it is not the safest ening movements to improve approach to stay injury free or to play the size, strength, endurance and to an individual’s full potential. coordination of the muscular system Most articles we read about pickin order to allow these muscles to do

E

// Many people believe that just playing pickleball gets them fit and makes them a better player.

While repetition and practice are required for improved skill, it is not the safest approach to stay injury free or to play to an individual’s full potential. //

leball suggest that it “is the fastest growing sport in the country” and is often followed by the fact that pickleball is also filling emergency rooms with injuries. One reason the injury stats are high with this sport is that older adults are playing more than other age groups, making the need for a fitness program more important as strength, flexibility and balance decrease with age. Although entry into the sport does not require a high level of physical fitness, pickleball does involve coordinated movement patterns that put various joints of the body under stress and require them all to work efficiently, both individually and collectively.

Functional joint mobility (range of motion/flexibility), stability (strength/endurance) and transferring of reaction forces (balance/ twisting/change of direction) are all needed for safety and optimal performance. As a result, the importance of proper conditioning for any pickleball athlete cannot be underestimated since pickleball remains a very common, growing and favored form of healthy activity.

Functional exercise programs have their roots in the rehabilitation environments for athletes, with a focus on four exercise domains: spine stability

(core strength), balance, flexibility and resistance training (strength).

The success within the rehab field has given rise to translating this training focus to the healthy athlete as a way to better specifically prepare the body for the given demands of the particular sport. Pickleball has gained much attention and growth through the years, as it was initially considered a leisure sport that does not take much technical skill, especially for older adults.

Five Tips for a Practical Approach: 1. Exercise and activity are not the same things. If you want your activity to continue or progress, you had better add in some exercise.

2. Functional training is a useful way to specifically target the muscles and movements of a given sport to enhance their performance quickly.

3. Instruction, technique and equipment are merely factors that assist in completion of the activity of swinging that pickleball paddle. If the correct muscles are properly strength trained and the body learns to move efficiently, then tech-

nique and equipment become powerful.

4. It’s not a matter of whether you can do it, but rather how you do it. Just because you can move does not mean you move well.

It is much easier and faster to prevent a problem than to repair something after it breaks.

5. Age is only a number. Regardless of age, if you can physically move it, you can strengthen it!

Step up and address life to play this game at your standards with a greater feeling of control to remain independently active, strong, resilient and fit to continue to enjoy your own unique pleasure that comes from being out on the court. Discover the benefits of adding a strengthening component to your pickleball training today. QCBN Michael Severino holds a doctorate in physical therapy. He is a functional movement specialist and TPI certified golf rehab specialist. He created Fore Physio, located within the Espire Sports Facility at 3400 Gateway Blvd., Prescott, Arizona, 86303. For more information, or to schedule a free 30-minute Discovery Visit, contact mseverino@forephysio. com or call 1- 602-888-3703.

ATHENA continued from page 4

interesting, they drew people to them, which I started to recognize what I thought real leadership looked like.”

So, Mertz was inspired to create the ATHENA Awards program as a way to lift up one outstanding woman each year as an example of leadership in her community. She had 10 handcrafted ATHENA statues made and believed that after a decade, there would no longer be a need to recognize women separately from others.

“We thought once people could understand how good women were at these leadership qualities that they would be hired for important positions in the community and taken seriously as leaders.

I expected it to be over that quickly, but it hasn’t been. And actually, there are still a lot of disappointing, but similar, circumstances for women today.”

And thus, Mertz says the ATHENA Award, which now exists in seven countries with more than 8,000 recipients, is a tribute to the fact that women are leaders.

“About 20 years ago, we started asking the question, ‘How do women lead?’ We did a national research project, pulled together a group of recognized leaders to sift through the information we got and we came up with eight principles of leadership.”

Some of these principles are now showing up in other leadership studies, she says. “People are starting to recognize, no matter what field they are in, that being authentic, knowing who you are and knowing your own values is an essential part of leadership. That’s just one of those principles.”

The eight make up the ATHENA Leadership Model, which she calls “a model for the 21st century.” They are: The Authentic Self, Relationships, Giving Back, Collaboration, Courageous Acts, Learning, Fierce Advocacy, Celebration and Joy. Because of trailblazing women like Mertz, the Quad Cities community will come together at Starting Point, 3-5 p.m., Friday, Sept. 20, to celebrate and inspire women when Quad Cities Business News presents the 5th Annual Prescott-Area ATHENA Leadership Awards featuring legendary Arizona television news anchorwoman Mary Jo West as the keynote speaker. There are three ATHENA Leadership categories offered this year: ATHENA Leadership, Young Professional and Organizational Leadership.

“If anybody believes that they have leadership potential but hasn’t reached that place yet, let them continue to believe in themselves and work on that because they are right about their leadership potential,” said Mertz. QCBN For more information, to nominate an individual or organization, to sponsor a table or purchase a ticket, visit PrescottATHENA.com.

Hear from ATHENA founder Martha Mayhood Mertz on Zonie Living at Star Worldwide Networks: https:// starworldwidenetworks.com/episodes/encouraging-celebrating-women-in-leadership-with-athena-program-founder-martha-mayhood-mertz-video

JULY 2024 // Quad Cities Business News

@quadcitiesbusinessnews

Quad Cities Business News is proud to present the 5th Annual Prescott Area ATHENA Leadership Awards!

Save the Date:

September 20, 2024, 3-5pm, Starting Point, Pine Ridge Marketplace Nominations are now being accepted for the ATHENA Leadership Award®, which will be presented to an exemplary leader who has achieved excellence in their business or profession, served the community in a meaningful way and, most importantly, actively assisted women to achieve their full leadership potential.

Nominations are also open for both the ATHENA Young Professional Leadership Award and ATHENA Organizational Leadership Award.

Nominations are now being accepted until August 2 at prescottathena.com

Keynote Presenter:

Arizona’s Pioneering TV News Anchorwoman Mary Jo West

For sponsorship information, please call: Linda Thein, Advertising Manager 602-799-0583 linda@quadcitiesbusinessnews.com

prescottathena.com 2024 Quad Cities ATHENA Leadership Awards Sponsors Diamond Sponsors:

Silver Sponsors:

Bronze Sponsors:

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Quad Cities Business News // JULY 2024

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Embrace the Summer Moments: Prioritize Time with Family, Friends

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By Lucy Leyva

s summer reaches its midpoint, the realization that time is fleeting hits harder than ever. For many, summer is a season of relaxation, adventure and creating cherished memories with loved ones. Yet, with the hustle and bustle of daily life, finding the time to truly embrace these moments can be challenging.

THE VALUE OF TIME

Time is our most valuable commodity, one that cannot be bought or replaced. This summer, it is crucial to prioritize spending quality time with family, friends and especially our children. As school vacation days dwindle, making the most of every

moment becomes essential. Whether it’s a spontaneous trip to one of our beautiful lakes, a picnic in the park or simply enjoying a lazy afternoon at home, these moments of connection are irreplaceable.

CREATING LASTING MEMORIES

The essence of summer lies in the memories we create. For children, these experiences shape their understanding of the world and contribute to their emotional development. For adults, these moments provide a respite from the stresses of everyday life and a chance to reconnect with what truly matters. However, with the demands of maintaining a clean and organized home, finding the time for such activities can often seem impossible.

FREEING UP YOUR TIME

One way to free up time is by managing household responsibilities more efficiently. Coming home to a clean house, with everything in its place, can create a sense of peace and readiness for spontaneous adventures. Delegating, outsourcing or streamlining household chores can help families reclaim precious time, allowing them to invest it in the people they love.

Imagine being able to plan a weekend getaway or simply enjoy a movie night at home without worrying about unfinished chores. It’s not just a luxury; it’s a way to reclaim your time and focus on what truly matters.

Whether it’s planning a weekend getaway or simply enjoying a movie night at home, ensuring your home is

always ready for whatever adventures summer brings can make a significant difference.

PRIORITIZING PEOPLE OVER TASKS

In a world where we often find ourselves juggling countless responsibilities, it’s easy to lose sight of what truly matters. The endless to-do lists and household chores can wait. This summer, make a conscious decision to prioritize your relationships over tasks. Remember, the moments spent with family and friends are the ones that will be remembered long after the season ends.

As summer slips away, take a step back and consider how you want to spend

these remaining days. Embrace the joy of summer, prioritize the people you care about and create lasting memories that will be cherished for years to come.

In the end, it’s not about the spotless floors or the organized closets.

It’s about the laughter shared, the bonds strengthened and the memories made. So, let go of the daily grind and focus on making this summer unforgettable for you and your loved ones. QCBN Lucy Leyva is the owner of Prescott Maid to Order.

BIPOC, Minority Mental Health Awareness Month: A Call for Equity and Understanding

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By Deanna Eder

uly is BIPOC and Minority Mental Health Awareness Month, a crucial time for mental health organizations to highlight the unique challenges faced by minority communities and to advocate for equitable mental health care. Initiated in 2008 by the late Bebe Moore Campbell, an accomplished author and advocate, this observance aims to shine the spotlight on mental health disparities experienced by Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) and to promote effective strategies for improving mental health outcomes.

At Polara Health, we believe that understanding and addressing these challenges is vital for creating a more inclusive and supportive mental health system for all.

Mental health challenges affect individuals across all demographics, but minority communities often face additional barriers that can exacerbate their struggles. These barriers include systemic racism, cultural stigma, socioeconomic disparities and a lack of access to culturally competent care.

The intersection of these factors can lead to higher rates of mental health issues and lower rates of seeking and receiving appropriate care.

According to the American Psychiatric Association, minorities are less likely than white individuals to receive mental health services, and when they do, they are more likely to receive lower-quality care. This disparity is a clear indicator of the urgent need for increased awareness and action.

SYSTEMIC CHALLENGES AND CULTURAL STIGMA

Systemic racism is a pervasive issue that affects every aspect of life for minority individuals, including their mental health. Discrimination and prejudice can lead to chronic stress, trauma and a feeling of helplessness, all of which are detrimental to mental well-being. Additionally, minority individuals may face cultural stigma surrounding mental health challenges, which can discourage them from seeking help.

For example, in many communities, discussing mental health is taboo, and seeking therapy may be viewed as a sign of weakness. This cultural stigma can prevent individuals from accessing the care they need, leading to untreated mental health conditions and worsening outcomes.

Socioeconomic disparities also play a significant role in minority mental health. Lower income levels, lack of health insurance, and limited access to quality education and employment opportunities can contribute to stress and mental health struggles. These socioeconomic factors are often intertwined with systemic racism, creating a cycle that is difficult to break.

THE IMPORTANCE OF CULTURALLY COMPETENT CARE One of the most effective ways to address minority mental health disparities is through culturally competent care. This means providing care that is respectful of and responsive to the cultural and linguistic needs of the patient. At Polara Health, we prioritize cultural competence in our

services by ensuring that our staff is trained in cultural awareness and sensitivity. This includes understanding the unique experiences and challenges faced by minority communities and providing care that is tailored to meet their needs.

Raising awareness about minority mental health is only the first step. As a mental health organization, we are committed to advocating for systemic change and providing tangible support to minority communities. This includes: Community Outreach: Engaging with minority communities to provide education and resources about mental health. This can help to reduce stigma and encourage individuals to seek help.

Training and Education: Providing ongoing training for mental health professionals on cultural competence and the specific

mental health needs of minority communities.

Policy Advocacy: Working to influence public policy to address the systemic barriers that contribute to mental health disparities.

This includes advocating for increased funding for mental health services in underserved communities and promoting policies that address social determinants of health.

Partnerships: Collaborating with other organizations and community leaders to create a network of support for minority individuals.

By working together, we can amplify our efforts and create a more inclusive mental health system.

BIPOC and Minority Mental Health Awareness Month is a time to recognize the unique challenges

faced by minority communities and to advocate for change. At Polara Health, we are dedicated to promoting equity in mental health care and ensuring that all individuals, regardless of their background, have access to the support they need. By raising awareness, providing culturally competent care and advocating for systemic change, we can make a meaningful difference in the lives of minority individuals and move closer to a future where mental health care is equitable and accessible for all.

QCBN

For more information, please call 928-4455211 or visit our website.

Deanna Eder is the director of marketing and communications at Polara Health.

JULY 2024 // Quad Cities Business News

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Navigating the Election Year: Focusing on Data Above Narrative

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By Steve Schott

s we all know, 2024 is an election year filled with extensive media coverage – some of it valuable, some questionable at best.

Here are some insights we’re discussing with clients as we approach early summer 2024.

FOLLOW THE DATA, NOT THE NARRATIVE

It’s crucial to prioritize data over narrative, especially amidst the election season’s media bombardment – from traditional outlets to social media.

Here are three key points to consider:

1. THE FEDERAL BUDGET DEBT

The prevailing narrative claims that the federal budget debt is spiraling out of control and will bankrupt the country. However, the facts tell a different story. While federal budgets and debt are significant concerns, debt coverage is an important measure. Currently, the interest cost on the debt is about 2.6% of GDP. Historically, from 1980 to 2000, this figure averaged around 3.2% of GDP. While the debt is indeed growing, and the coverage number

is increasing, the country is far from bankruptcy.

2. CORPORATE AMERICA’S RESILIENCE

Another narrative suggests that corporate America is in trouble, with the global economy catching up and threatening to crumble the U.S. economy. In reality, 12 of the 13 most profitable quarters in corporate America’s history have occurred in the past 12 quarters. Concerns do exist, particularly regarding how Artificial Intelligence (AI) will impact various sectors, including finance.

While AI’s rapid advancements make future predictions challenging, the current data indicates a strong corporate performance.

3. THE INTEGRITY OF THE ELECTION

There is a narrative claiming that the election is fraudulent or predetermined, rendering individual votes meaningless. I disagree with this view. As of today, predicting the election outcome is impossible because of the ongoing narratives about trials, verdicts, candidate ages and more.

Nonetheless, the election will occur, a

winner will be declared, and on Nov. 6, financial markets will open, people will go to work and life will continue.

ADAPTING TO ALTERNATIVE OUTCOMES

As financial advisors (or executives of Fortune 500 companies), we prepare for various outcomes. Personal preferences aside, in finance, we adjust to whatever may happen. For example, if Trump wins, it might be wise to avoid investing in certain international sectors because of potential tariffs on imports. Conversely, if Biden wins, companies benefiting from his Green Initiative might be promising investments.

While we may vote with our hearts, in business, we invest based on the data. QCBN Securities offered through Registered Representatives of Cambridge Investment Research, Inc., a broker-dealer member FINRA/SIPC. Advisory services through Cambridge Investment Research Advisors, Inc., a Registered Investment Advisor. Cambridge and Schott Financial Management are not affiliated. These are the opinions of Stephen Schott and not necessarily those of Cambridge, are for informational pur-

poses only, and should not be construed or acted upon as individualized investment advice. The information in this email is confidential and is intended solely for the addressee. If you are not the intended addressee and have received this email in error, please reply to the sender to inform them of this fact. We cannot accept trade orders through email. Important letters, email, or fax messages should be confirmed by calling 928 776-1031. This email service may not be monitored every day, or after normal business hours. Indices mentioned are unmanaged and cannot be invested into directly. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) is a price-weighted index composed of 30 widely traded bluechip U.S. common stocks. The S&P 500 Index is a market-capitalization-weighted index of 500 leading publicly traded companies in the U.S. The Nasdaq 100 Index is a basket of the 100 largest, most actively traded U.S. companies listed on the Nasdaq stock exchange. The index includes companies from various industries except for the financial industry, like commercial and investment banks. Investing involves risk. Depending on the types of investments, there may be varying degrees of risk.

Investors should be prepared to bear loss, including total

loss of principal. Diversification and asset allocation strategies do not assure profit or protect against loss.

Steve Schott has been a financial advisor since 2010. His expertise in business ownership and capital management spans banking, office products, office machines and autos. A former owner of Prescott Honda, Steve holds an MBA from the University of Arizona and a Bachelor of Science in Finance from The University of Denver. Steve is a proud graduate of Prescott High School and an avid community volunteer. Steve purchased Tomlinson Wealth Management from its predecessor, Andy Tomlinson, in 2019, making Schott Financial Management a third generation financial firm in Prescott.

Grand Canyon Conservancy Hears of Grand Adventure

By V. Ronnie Tierney, QCBN

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ward-winning photographer, filmmaker and author Pete McBride served as the keynote speaker for the Grand Canyon Conservancy’s (GCC) Grand Gathering 2024.

Held at the Shrine of the Ages on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, the event attracted members from around the country. They were treated to an informative and entertaining slide show by McBride, followed by a book-signing of his latest book, “The Colorado River: Chasing Water.”

“It was an inspiring kick-off to the 2024 Grand Gathering with Pete McBride’s talk, pictures and storytelling about the effect of climate change in the Grand Canyon and the importance of the Colorado River to our fragile ecosystem,” said GCC Interim CEO Susie Huhn.

Along with South Rim walks, GCC members were treated to a tour of the historic boat collection, night sky viewing, educational discussions and slideshows, and an informative question and answer talk with Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Ed Keable.

The list of McBride’s accomplishments seems endless. As a self-taught photographer and filmmaker, he has

Award-winning photographer, filmmaker and author Pete McBride visited with Grand Canyon National Park Superintendent Ed Keable during the Grand Canyon Conservancy’s Grand Gathering. Photos by V. Ronnie Tierney, Fresh Focuses Photography

traveled to more than 75 countries for the National Geographic Society, Smithsonian, Google and The Nature Conservancy and has spoken at the World Economic Forum. He has hiked the length of the Grand Canyon and documented it in his book, “Grand Canyon Between River and Rim,” and in a feature-length documentary, “Into the Canyon,” for the National Geographic Channel.

“Pete talked about how his book, ‘The Colorado River: Chasing the

Waters,’ which has been 20 years in the making, with photos and observations about the path of the Colorado River from source to final destination,” said GCC Member Kung Chong Quah. “I’m astonished to learn each year about how many ways the organization touches the Grand Canyon. Some examples include tangible and visible things like trail improvements and so much more.”

“It’s just an honor to be here,” said

McBride entertained GCC members with his adventures and latest book.

McBride. It’s a great organization and it’s great that there are people who are engaged and care about our National Parks because they need all the support they can get.”

“I look at what Pete McBride has shown us and I think, we have an earth that is alive. Humans are only here a smidgen, why can’t we not be part of this world and behave peacefully,” said, GCC Member and Golightly Tire Owner Susan Golightly.

“This year’s Grand Gathering was

attended by GCC members of every level, which is what makes this event so amazing,” said Mindy Riesenberg, GCC’s Chief Communications Officer.

“It’s open to anyone who supports GCC, no matter if you give $35 a year or $1,000, you will have access to hearing directly from the park superintendent, other park employees and special guests, like Pete McBride.” QCBN

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Understanding the Importance of Effective Leadership

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By Sheri Heiney

n today’s dynamic and fast-paced world, effective leadership is more crucial than ever. As president and CEO of the Prescott Chamber of Commerce, I have witnessed firsthand the transformative power of strong leadership. It is the cornerstone of successful organizations and thriving communities. Leadership is not just about holding a position of authority; it’s about inspiring, guiding and empowering others to achieve a shared vision.

One of the fundamental aspects

of leadership is the ability to inspire and motivate. A great leader can articulate a compelling vision that resonates with others. This vision acts as a roadmap, providing direction and purpose. When people understand and believe in the vision, they are more likely to be engaged and committed to their roles. This sense of purpose and alignment fosters a positive work environment, leading to increased productivity and job satisfaction.

Moreover, effective leadership is about fostering a culture of trust and collaboration. Leaders who

are approachable, transparent and empathetic create an environment where team members feel valued and respected. This, in turn, encourages open communication and the sharing of ideas. When people feel safe to express their thoughts and opinions, innovation thrives. Collaborative teams can solve problems more effectively and adapt to changing circumstances with agility.

Leadership also involves making tough decisions and taking responsibility for those decisions. In times of uncertainty or crisis, strong leaders remain calm and decisive. They ana-

// Moreover, effective leadership is about fostering a culture of trust and collaboration. Leaders who are approachable, transparent and empathetic create an environment where team members feel valued and respected. This, in turn, encourages open communication and the sharing of ideas. When people feel safe to express their thoughts and opinions, innovation thrives.

Collaborative teams can solve problems more effectively and adapt to changing circumstances with agility. //

lyze situations thoroughly, consider the input of their team and make informed choices. This decisiveness instills confidence in the team and helps navigate through challenges.

A leader’s ability to stay composed under pressure and take responsibility for outcomes, whether positive or negative, sets a powerful example for others.

Furthermore, leadership is about continuous growth and development.

Great leaders are lifelong learners who seek out opportunities for self-improvement and encourage the same in others. They recognize that leadership is not a static trait but an evolving skill set. By investing in their own growth and supporting the development of their team, leaders ensure that their organization remains competitive and resilient in the face of change.

At the Prescott Chamber of Commerce, we understand the critical role that leadership plays in driving economic growth and community development. We strive to cultivate leadership skills among our members

through various programs and initiatives. By empowering local business leaders, we contribute to the overall prosperity and well-being of our community.

In conclusion, leadership is the lifeblood of any successful organization or community. It inspires, motivates and unites people toward a common goal. Effective leaders foster trust, collaboration and innovation while making tough decisions and embracing continuous growth. As we navigate the complexities of the modern world, the importance of strong leadership cannot be overstated. It is the key to building a brighter future for all. QCBN For more information about the Prescott Chamber of Commerce, please visit www. prescott.org, or contact us by phone at 928-445-2000 or 1-800-266-7534. If you find yourself in Prescott, don’t hesitate to drop by our Visitor Information Center at 117 W. Goodwin Street, Prescott, AZ 86303.

Sheri Heiney is the president and CEO of the Prescott Chamber of Commerce.

July Chamber

Events

Thursday, July 11th at 4pm The Edison - Ribbon Cutting 447 S. Montezuma St Prescott, AZ 86303 Tuesday, July 16th at 4pm Polara - Ribbon Cutting 726 Gail Gardner Way Prescott, AZ 86305

Thursday, July 18th at 5pm Networking @Nite Sam Hill Warehouse 232 N Granite St Prescott, AZ 86301 Wednesday, July 24th at 7:30am Coffee Connect The Launch Pad Teen Center 424 6th Street Prescott, AZ 86301

Thursday, July 25th at 4pm Christian Brothers Automotive - Ribbon Cutting 260 Lee Blvd.

Prescott, AZ 86303 Tuesday, July 30th at 8:30am Chamber 101 Prescott Chamber of Commerce 117 W. Goodwin Street Prescott, AZ 86303

Visit Prescott.org for More Information and to Register or Call 928-445-2000

JULY 2024 // Quad Cities Business News

@quadcitiesbusinessnews

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SPONSORED CONTENT

Reflecting on the Meaning of the Fourth of July

T

By Mike Fogel

he Fourth of July has deep meaning for me as both a candidate for the Arizona Senate and as a retired history teacher. My early memories are of backyard barbecues with friends, eating corn on the cob and watermelon, and waiting for the fireworks. As an adult, I reflect on the richness of the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed with certain unalienable rights, and among these are Life, Liberty and the

Pursuit of Happiness.” These hallowed words came to define freedom for our burgeoning country.

When I first ran for State Senate in 2022, I listened to my Republican opponent and his colleagues champion the expansion of Empowerment Scholarship Accounts (ESAs) – sometimes referred to as school vouchers – to promote “choice.” In theory, children from low-income families could leave underfunded public schools and the state would subsidize their “choice” of private or alternative education. But without any restrictions or oversight on participants, our

// As an adult, I reflect on the richness of the Declaration of Independence: “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed with certain unalienable rights, and among these are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness.” These hallowed words came to define freedom for our burgeoning country. //

Department of Education has opened the floodgates to abuse and fraud.

The result of this Republican-led initiative to promote “choice” is that 84% of the children enrolled in today’s ESA program were already attending private schools; they didn’t switch over. In just two years, the surplus that our current legislators vowed to manage with caution (and for our benefit) has become a $1.8 billion deficit. Just last month, it was uncovered that $1 million of those tax dollars were approved for wealthy ESA families to purchase premium toy Lego sets.

Unregulated distribution of ESAs has, and will continue to, bankrupt the state budget, causing painful cuts to public resources and disenfranchising millions of students statewide.

Usurping the concept of choice or freedom to funnel public money to private interests like this doesn’t just destroy rural public school budgets (like the one I oversee on the Chino Valley School Board). It undermines our entire economy.

When President Franklin D. Roosevelt devised the New Deal, he was guided by freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from want, and freedom from fear. Fol-

ASTRONAUTS continued from page 9

which the crew might be out of communications due to topography blocking the signal, or how we might not get the video feed from the crew beyond a certain distance from the lander. We also tested a situation in which we could get some real-time images transmitted from the crew to the science team in Houston, which is another way of experiencing what they’re seeing so we can help them make geology interpretations during the EVA [Extravehicular Activity]. Our colleagues at NASA’s Johnson Space Center have developed some great software tools that help us piece together all of the information in space and time.”

“This is a really great place for us to learn what might happen on the moon,” said Douglas, “but also, for just about anybody interested in geology. We train people from beginners to advanced because it’s just a rich place to look at different features and different minerals.”

The astronauts practiced two night walks, as the moon’s south polar region will have challenging lighting conditions with the sun low on the horizon. NASA wants to know how water is stored there.

“We don’t know what form it is in,” said Edgar. “Is it a solid layer of ice? Is it trapped in pockets in the regolith? It would be a critical resource for supporting longer term exploration of the moon, to serve as a source of water for humans and as an important source of hydrogen and oxygen for rocket propellant.”

Douglas holds a doctoral degree in systems engineering. He served in the U.S. Coast Guard as a naval architect and was a senior professional staff member at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, where he worked in maritime robotics, planetary

defense and space exploration.

Rubins, a microbiologist with a doctorate in cancer biology, is the first person to sequence DNA in space. She has worked on two flights on the International Space Station and spent 300 days in space. She says the innovations being developed for the space program could have “a serious impact” on remote corners of the world that don’t have access to clean water or effective ways to sanitize waste.

“On the International Space Station, we recycle all of our water,” she said. “If you don’t have a lot of mass that you can lift off of Earth, every single molecule is important. But if you think about the kinds of things that we’re going to need to do to get to the moon in a sustained way and to get to Mars, conserving our carbon cycle means breaking down waste, making human waste biologically safe, potentially using that to build structures, making sure that we have plants that can scrub CO2 out of the atmosphere and then put that nitrogen back into the plants. All of these things are useful technologies for humans on Earth to help us live in our environment better, provide clean water, reduce waste and reduce our impact on the environment.”

Cordasco added, “What the community of NASA, USGS, JETT, Coconino County and others, along with Babbitt Ranches, provides with regard to our obligations to a land-use ethic, matters today and will benefit generations to come.” QCBN Hear more about the Artemis 3 mission from USGS geologist Lauren Edgar on Zonie Living: Business, Adventure and Leadership at https://starworldwidenetworks.com/shows/bonnie-stevens.

lowing this interpretation led us to the greatest rise of the middle class in U.S. history, and they are the same set of principles that guide me as a candidate for public office. By contrast, MAGA extremists throughout state and local government today have persistently tried to pass policies that control, exploit, censor and menace us. They have supported abortion bans written when the age of consent was just 10. They have refused to protect the right to access contraception.

They have attempted book banning in our libraries and have dragged our teachers into dangerous culture wars.

The differences between these two contrasting sets of freedoms are stark.

FDR’s four freedoms are the building blocks of a humane, egalitarian society, which is a basic premise for universal public education. ESAs subvert the American desire for an egalitarian society.

Businesses will suffer short-term consequences of financial malpractice like the ESA program, too. Health care, nutrition and housing programs will get put on the chopping block to save money now that ESAs and tax

cuts drove us into the red. Part-time workers who survive with the help of these services fall further and further behind, impacting their stability at home and eventually their reliability at their jobs.

In the future, businesses will inherit a workforce that was inadequately trained by unregulated private programs or public programs that couldn’t afford to provide quality instruction. Society will absorb ESA “educated” citizens who have not been required to pass a basic civics or constitution test before graduating from 12th grade. This is a major liability for preserving our democratic republic, and it should concern all of us whether we are parents of schoolchildren today or not.

If we can come together in November to reject MAGA’s budget-busting schemes, we will have a shot at preserving the majesty and the true meaning of the Fourth of July for generations to come. QCBN Mike Fogel is a retired educator, a member of the Chino Valley School Board and a candidate for Arizona Senate.

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Quad Cities Business News // JULY 2024

quadcitiesbusinessnews.com

SUBARU continued from page 1

LUNDIN continued from page 3

Findlay Subaru Prescott Marketing Director Kara Hartman said the 2025 Subaru Forester is a redesign from last year’s model, with a new look, but the actual car raffled will be determined by the inventory at the time of the drawing.

“The deadline is July 31, and the actual drawing will be early August,” she said.

“The winner will be able to pick based on our inventory at the time.”

The approximate value of the car is not to exceed $40,000. “We’re conducting the raffle,” said Staley. “Findlay Subaru is helping us with the marketing because they are much better at that than we are!”

The 12-year-old post has been operating out of the Lifepointe Church, Assemblies of God in Prescott Valley. “We don’t have a building and a bar; we meet at a church,” he said. “Eventually, we’d like to get a building. Right now, we look at our community as our building, with things we can do to help our community and local veterans.”

With about 40 regular members, meetings are once a month, and a collection is taken to help local community projects and charities. “We’ve donated to programs such as Horses with Heart and the program in the Dewey-Humboldt School District that provides box lunches for kids that need help with that kind of food,” Staley said. “Those are two things that come to mind.”

Findlay Subaru Prescott also supports many of the organizations that the American Legion Post 140 supports, including Horses with Heart, U.S. VETS and the school district, Hartman noted.

The post has also adopted the American Legion Park in Prescott Valley. Post volunteers visit the park every other Thursday to pick up trash and make repairs.

The post recently changed its name to include that of Jerome S. Cranke, a soldier in the Spanish American War, whose unclaimed cremains were in an Arizona funeral home for about 100 years.

“Another program we work with is the Missing in America Project, (MIAP),” Staley said. “They go out and search the country for cremains of veterans who have been forgotten by their families or abandoned. They go through all the legal processes to become the family in order take the history of those cremains and give them a proper military burial. It’s a really good thing.” QCBN

trol fear by what he calls “cultivating rational insanity.”

“You need to be rational in the respect of ‘OK, here’s what’s going on with my body,’ but then you kind of just need to be like a kid in a way. Kids don’t have limitations or boundaries.

When your life’s on the line, you might be expected to do stuff you never thought you could do. So, when you have the science down pat, get ready to expand your boundaries and be more of an animal than a human or like a little kid and be able to push your mind through areas that you didn’t think you could go before. There are a lot of survival stories out there about regular people who survived situations by having nothing more than the goal of wanting to see their mom or their dad or their family. So having that thing that you want to live for is huge for that positive attitude to stay alive.”

Lundin says everyone needs basic survival skills. His courses include urban preparedness, modern outdoor survival skills and primitive living skills. His intention is not to scare people, but to help them stay calm, think logically and start out their journeys being prepared and educated. “These are not just outdoor survival courses, they help make us stronger, more resilient in the face of change.” QCBN

To purchase raffle tickets, visit www.post140az.org.

With a ‘70s variety show theme, “The Survival Show with Cody Lundin” is designed to entertain and teach how to stay alive in emergency situations. To find the program, visit codylundin.com. Courtesy photo

For more information about “The Survival Show with Cody Lundin,” or his books and courses, visit codylundin.com. For more tips and scenarios, watch Zonie Living, “Surviving Arizona’s Extreme Environments and Emergencies with Cody Lundin”

on https://starworldwidenetworks. com/episodes/surviving-arizonas-extreme-environments-and-emergencies-with-cody-lundin-video

ROSEBROOK continued from page 11

One piece of advice I received from my father, Jeb Rosebrook’s, partner producer-writer, Joe Bryne, for whom I was working in 1989 on the Fox television series “The Outsiders.”

I came to him with a problem one day, and he told me, “Never come to me with a problem without a solution. I might not agree with your solution, but always have a good idea ready to share to solve the issue you are facing.” I’ve never forgotten that and have followed his advice ever since.

Phone 928-310-9662 Fax 928-226-0303 The Courtyard Building | 115 E. Goodwin Street - Suite D, Prescott, AZ 86303 troy@quadcitiesbusinessnews.com Web quadcitiesbusinessnews.com Founder: Troy Bix Contributing Writers Kristina, Julie, Jeb and Stuart Rosebrook gather across from The Palace on Whiskey Row during the 2023 Prescott Rodeo Days Parade.

Photo courtesy of Jan Brachial

WHAT I WANTED TO BE WHEN I GREW UP

I wanted to be a historian or an ambassador. I guess I’d say I’ve been able to do both: I see myself as a professional ambassador of history.

ADVICE FOR MY YOUNGER SELF

Travel more, take more chances personally and professionally, and work in London. I lived in London for a semester and always thought it would be great to go back and work there.

BUCKET LIST MOMENTS COMPLETED

I have three. In 1985, I traveled to the former Soviet Union with

a history-political science-language student group from Wake Forest University. We were in Leningrad when they announced Premier Chernenko was dead and the next morning we watched (on Soviet TV) Gorbachev take over in the classic Red Square ceremony.

The second sounds simple, but growing up in Los Angeles, we didn’t get back East a lot and there wasn’t a lot of pomp and circumstance around July 4. When we were living in Williamsburg, Virginia, we got to witness a Thomas Jefferson reenactor read “The Declaration of Independence.” Amazing.

The third, I was able to join

my mom and dad, Dorothy and Jeb Rosebrook, in the Frontier Days Parade in 2016, when they honored my father on the 45th anniversary of the making of “Junior Bonner.” I sure wish he could have been here for the 50th. He would have loved it.

WHAT HISTORY HAS TAUGHT ME

I could try and be overly philosophical with my answer, but what history has taught me is to stay positive – stay on the sunny side of the street – and always be grateful for the blessings of life, good friends and family. QCBN

Publisher Troy Bix | 928-420-4407 troy@quadcitiesbusinessnews.com Advertising Manager Linda Thein | 602-799-0583 linda@quadcitiesbusinessnews.com Account Executives Tyler Hood | 928-440-0747 tyler@quadcitiesbusinessnews.com Editor Bonnie Stevens | 928-380-4349 bonnie.stevens@gmail.com Copy Editor Carolyn Wendell | cwendell@gmail.com Design & Production Rob Ghosh Design | rob@robghosh.com

Bonnie Stevens Stan Bindell V. Ronnie Tierney Betsey Bruner Contributing Photographers Kay Lyons, Bonnie Stevens, 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.

JULY 2024 // Quad Cities Business News

@quadcitiesbusinessnews

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WATTERS continued from page 1

University. That’s where they “clicked,” she said.

While Lisa had a lifetime of plant knowledge, Ken had always wanted to be an entrepreneur. During their ASU years, the couple earned extra money by starting a business, Expressions, crafting silk bouquets. The couple married after graduation and had their first child in 1988, eventually having four kids, including McKenzie, who is an identical twin.

The Lains spent time in Phoenix and then Northern California, where Ken worked in banking and then marketing.

The couple began to miss home and returned to Prescott in 1992, when they became the second generation to join the Watters business.

For Ken, the gardening part was easy. The hard part was accounting and marketing, credit cards and insurance. “I grew up gardening with my grandparents. That was my connection point with them. I could dig holes and lift rocks! One grandmother had a huge farm with an acre garden. She would let me take the salt shaker to the garden and have whatever I wanted. I love my vegetables even today!”

Three of the couple’s children continued their education in Texas. Katelyn moved to Texas, where her friend lived, and stayed. James entered the military and is now a captain stationed in San Antonio. Meghan, McKenzie’s twin, moved to San Antonio to be

closer to her siblings. She is now a store manager.

“Part of it is they came of age during the Great Recession,” said Ken. “Job opportunities were hard in Arizona, while Texas was booming. A lot of Prescott kids went to Texas.”

McKenzie traveled west after high school, earning a degree in psychology from Fresno Pacific University and a master’s degree in marriage and family counseling from Fuller Theological Seminary. But Prescott was in her blood, so she returned to work in the family business, turning her desire to help people into helping them cultivate a love for gardening.

“I love helping people find some peace at home through gardening.

It’s a nice thing for them to do and enjoy,” she said. “I love Prescott. I enjoy working with family and I fell in love with the freedom and seasonality of it. Gardening never leaves you. The smells, the sounds, the flowers are always with you.”

Along with her parents, McKenzie says she continues to focus on the latest gardening trends and top quality, unique plants. She spearheaded the only rare and exotic tropical houseplant selection in Northern Arizona, searching for plants from the jungles of South America to southeast Asia.

She continues to take on more of the business, such as managing the center’s employees. “I’m on the floor 24/7, and I

get to know them as family. We respect people and their time, and when we have an opening, it’s not hard to fill,” she said.

“We can usually find folks who want to be here,” Ken said.

“It’s therapeutic and it pays well. It’s a good place to be!”

McKenzie is passionate about seeing the garden center succeed into the next generation, and some day, she hopes to open a second location. She’s also active in Prescott Area Young Professionals and the Prescott Chamber of Commerce. This year, she is one of only three young gardening professionals nationwide nominated for the American Horticulture Association’s Green Profit/The Garden Center Group Young Retailer Award. The winner will be announced this month at the Cultivate ’24 Conference in Columbus, Ohio.

After more than 60 years in Prescott, the Lains are confident Watters Garden Center will be in good hands into its third generation. “Watters is not just a business, it’s a legacy,” said Ken. “We wanted to continue that with the second generation and now, the third, with McKenzie. If Watters went away, we would be missed. We want to fill that need in the community.” QCBN

Top left: Ken and Lisa flank their daughter, McKenzie Lain, at the multi-generational family business. Top: McKenzie Lain, shown here atop the primrose table, has a deep connection with Watters Garden Center. Bottom: The first Watters Garden Center was founded on Plaza Drive in Prescott in 1962. Courtesy photos

Wednesday, July 4 Red, White and Boom Independence Day Celebration Prescott Valley Civic Center - 3 to 9:30 p.m.

New activities. Live music, fireworks, beer garden, inflatable playground, face painting, exciting games and food trucks. Free Fun Family event https://www.prescottvalley-az. gov/1141/Red-White-and-Boom 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

Friday, July 19 - Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce 50th Anniversary Golden Gala and Community Excellence Awards “Celebrating 50 Years of Serving Business and Community” Join us for a fun celebration of the Chamber’s golden anniversary featuring entertainment, awards, a photo booth, a grand raffle and wine and liquor pull.

Topped off by an outstanding culinary experience prepared by Chef Jim Cabral.

Wear your Sunday finest or best formal attire.

Tickets are $90 and can be purchased online at pvchamber.org.

The reservation deadline is July 12.

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Quad Cities Business News // JULY 2024

quadcitiesbusinessnews.com

Minimally invasive.

Maximally effective.

Robotic-assisted surgery and state-of-the-art neurosurgery come to Yavapai Regional.

Yavapai Regional continues to invest in the latest leading-edge innovations in patient care. Our recent acquisition of a DaVinci Xi Surgical System extends the capabilities of expert surgeons who are specially trained in using this device for orthopedic, urologic, gynecologic, and general-surgery procedures. Furthermore, minimally invasive intracranial (skull) and spinal neurosurgery are now performed using Medtronic’s O-arm™ Surgical Imaging System and StealthStation™ Navigation.

In the hands of our outstanding surgical teams, these powerful, ultra-advanced technologies are getting people back to their lives faster—with less pain, shorter recovery times, shorter hospital stays, less blood loss and scarring, less post-operative pain medications, and a lower risk of infection

Explore at yrmc.org/NewEra.

DH QCBN-robotics-fp.indd 1

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