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HOLIDAY 2016

T H E

HOLIDAY

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The Interview: Santa Claus ARIZONA CIT Y • C A S A GR ANDE • COOLIDGE • ELOY • FLORENCE • MARICOPA

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HOLIDAY 2016

Contents Features:

T H E

HOLIDAY

I S S U E

The Interview:

Holiday 2016

THE HOLIDAY EDITION

The Casa Grande Herald

The LIVING Interview: Santa Claus

Special Holiday Section

Santa Claus ARIZONA CIT Y • C A S A GR ANDE • COOLIDGE • ELOY • FLORENCE • MARICOPA

About the Cover: Last month, the children and grandchildren of ROX Media Group had the opportunity to meet with Santa and Mrs. Claus when they visited Casa Grande for the interview. Bea’s granddaughter, Zoe, is photographed telling Santa what she wants for Christmas. Photography by Tina Cates, Elegance N Images Photography.

Economy & Local Business

Health, Wealth & Education

Travel, Dining & Entertainment

Fall Insurance Tips and Personal Risk Management . . . . . . . . . . . 24

I Get to go Home. . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Skiing in the land of Deserts. . 84

Eloy: The East Line

Pinal County’s Community Symphony. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Happy Small Business Holidays. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

of Yuma. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Tax Credits. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34

Sonoran Desert. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Casa Grande Art Museum Celebrates 30 Years. . . . . . . . . . 88

It’s a Global Economy . . . . . . . . 38

Preserving History. . . . . . . . . . . . 72

Purr-fect Howliday List. . . . . . . 94

GOLDEN GOLDENCORRID CORRID OR ORLILI VV ING INGHOL HOL IDAY IDAY202016 16

THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

Letter from the Editor

WOW – THE HOLIDAY EDITION!

W Bea Lueck

here did 2016 go? Talk about an exciting, whirlwind year! On the local front PhoenixMart has walls. Seriously in the blink of an eye, this project has blossomed into something everyone can see. Along with positive news for PhoenixMart, several other projects of significant financial impact to the region have been announced and continue to move forward through the planning and development quagmire. I can’t wait to see what 2017 brings for Pinal County. Election 2016 is now over and we can return to normal! No more signs on every corner, post cards in the mail or the endless robo-calls during dinner. Congratulations to all the winners and condolences to those who lost. Either way, thank you for stepping up and running for office. It is not easy putting yourself out there as a moving target for those with differing points of view. This edition of Golden Corridor LIVING Magazine is the last of 2016, the Holiday edition. The Holidays are

THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

a special time of year for many. From shopping trips to the mall to family get-togethers and office parties, everything is festive and brightly decorated. Sadly, it is also a time of struggle for those in need. I am so proud to see some of the responses to gofundme’s on Facebook, car washes at businesses or donations for dining at local restaurants. We live in a great community where people step up to help each other. Every effort makes an impact in the lives of those less fortunate. So buy that extra turkey, or skip lunch out a couple of days and drop a $20 in the red kettle – every bit adds up. This edition features articles from several area non-profits on their programs and how your financial support impacts the community. Check out how your donation can help! I don’t know how we managed but we scored a BIG LEAGUE interview this edition. Somehow, we touched base with the right people in marketing and were able to schedule time to talk to the one and only, Santa Claus. Our fortune con-

tinued, with Mrs. Claus accompanying him on the (all expenses paid by us) trip to Arizona from the North Pole. Golden Corridor LIVING’s own bon vivant and writer extraordinaire, Wilson B. Dedman also made the journey to the humble city of Casa Grande, Arizona and sat down for a rather unique insight into Santa’s psyche. I hope you enjoy this oncein-a-lifetime interview. 2017 is just on the horizon. Coming in January is our first edition of the New Year – our Home & Garden Edition. Stop by our booth at the Greater Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce Home & Garden Show on January 7th and say “hi”. As always, if you have a story idea or would like to contribute an article of benefit to our community, please send me an email to editor@roxco.com. Until then – ENJOY!

–Bea

HOL IDAY 20 16 16 GOLDEN CORRID OR LILI VVING 7 HOL HOL IDAY IDAY 2016 20 GOLDEN GOLDEN CORRID CORRID OR OR LI VING ING

VOICES PUBLISHER Elaine Earle, CPA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bea Lueck MANAGING EDITOR Katie Mayer CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Harold Kitching Donna McBride Jim Rhodes ADVERTISING EXECUTIVE Debbie Cortez Melody Langevin CREATIVE DIRECTOR/GRAPHIC DESIGN Tim Clarke GRAPHIC DESIGN Jake Pagano Tad Smith CHIEF OF OPERATIONS & FINANCE Elaine Earle, CPA ADVERTISING INQUIRIES info@roxco.com COMMENTS & IDEAS editor@roxco.com CALENDAR INQUIRES calendar@roxco.com

Bob Jackson

Born in Whitefish, Montana, Mayor Robert Jackson has lived in Casa Grande since 1991. He is a graduate of the University of Nevada, Reno, holding a B.S. in Civil Engineering. He retired from the City of Casa Grande as Public Works Director in 2002 and is now serving his fourth term as mayor ending in 2016.

Helen Neuharth

Helen was hired as the President/CEO of the Greater Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce in August 1991 and is a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Institute for Organizational Management from Boulder, Colorado. Helen is an active member of the Arizona Chamber Executives

Donna McBride

Donna McBride is the Program Administrator/Public Information Officer and Supervisor for the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Unit for Pinal County Juvenile Court . McBride is actively involved as a Board Member for Casa Grande Alliance, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, BlackBox Foundation, Mayorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Reading Program, Pinal County Town Hall Vice-Chair, Parks and Block Watch Captain for the Casa Grande Police Department. A freelance writer and photographer, Donna and husband Mike enjoy white water rafting, kayaking and spending time with their 2 sons and 3 grandchildren who live in the valley.

(520) 426-2074 442 W. Kortsen Rd, Ste 101 Casa Grande, AZ 85122

Harold Kitching

Harold has worked for newspapers across the country. He was city government reporter for the Casa Grande Dispatch for 11 years until he resigned after the newspaper began downplaying local news.

Golden Corridor LIVING is published by Raxx Direct Marketing. Editorial content is provided by affiliates of Raxx Direct Marketing, community members and local organizations. The publishers of Golden Corridor LIVING assume no responsibility for errors or omissions of any advertisement beyond the actual cost of the advertisement. In no event shall the publishers be liable for any consequential damages in excess of the cost of the advertisement. Golden Corridor LIVING shall not be liable for inaccuracies, errors, omissions, or damages from the use of information contained herein. Submitted articles do not reflect the opinions of the owners or management of Golden Corridor LIVING Information contained within submitted articles had not been verified for accuracy and readers are responsible for forming their own opinions. Real CORRID OR ING HOL 20 16 8 GOLDEN estate information is asLIofV11-1-16 andIDAY is subject to current availability and pricing.

THE HOLIDAY EDITION

of the

Community

Evelyn Casuga

Evelyn Casuga CEcD, serves as Economic/ Community Development Advisor for Access Arizona, the area’s regional economic development foundation. Evelyn works part time at CAC and consults with the Center for the Future of Arizona, and other non-profit/private entities. She volunteers with numerous organizations in economic and community development throughout Arizona.

Breanna Boland

Breanna is the Executive Director of the Casa Grande Alliance. She started working for the organization in 2012 as a Prevention Specialist. Breanna studied Public Health at Northern Arizona University and is a Arizona Certified Prevention Specialist.

Victoria “Tori” Ward

Victoria “Tori” Ward is a cruise and resort specialist with a master’s degree in political science. After leaving public service Tori returned to her first love, travel and has completed more than 30 certification courses with the cruise and tour industry including the most advanced certification, Commodore, from Princess Cruise Lines. In addition, they have awarded her “Alaska Expert” status. Tori is a member of the Cruise Line International Association.

Tiffanie Grady-Gillespie CPT Tiffanie is the owner of WickedFiTT, in Casa Grande, AZ. She is a well-known personal trainer, group fitness instructor, and all around fitness junkie. Tiffanie specializes in weight loss, strength and conditioning, and general fitness.

THE HOLIDAY EDITION

BUSINESS INDEX 100 39 83 2 74 91 89 48 79 95 53 33 87 41 69 87 41 4 96 59 49 19 81 91 60 81 51 5 71 60 30 87 53 63 91 89 69 31 77 61 51 3 65 73 27 75 31 35 89 93 87 33 54

Academy Mortgage - CG Access Arizona Against Abuse Agave Dentistry Airport Tavern American Family Ins-Hobbs Annie-Mac Home Mortgage Arizona Luxury Lawns Banner / CGRMC Brutinel Caliche Senior Living Capital R Construction Casa Grande Elementary Casa Grande Family Dentistry Casa Grande Health Mart Pharmacy Casa Grande Union High School District Central Arizona College Coldwell Banker ROX Realty Coldwell Banker ROX Realty Coldwell Banker ROX Realty Coldwell Banker ROX Realty Coldwell Banker ROX - Property Management Cole & Leal Cottonwood Medical Center Cowtown Tavern Desert Sky Dental Dick & Mitchell DDS DM Family Dentistry Emergency Road Service LLC Elegance N Images Fitzgibbons Law Offices Francisco Grande Grande Innovation Academy Greater CG Chamber of Commerce Iron City Polaris Jenkins Chiropractic Liquor Factory Mankel Mechanical Mission Heights Preparatory Natures Nook O'Neil & Steiner, PLLC Phoenix Patio Systems Pinal County - CASA of Pinal County Pinal County Federal Credit Union ROX Casa Grande Insurance Shear Gossip Star Towing Sun Life Family Health Center Sunshine Child & Adolescent Care TeePee Sand And Gravel Title Security Yang and Horsley Dentistry ZONTA Club HOL IDAY 20 16 GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

Submit your events online at goldencorridorliving.com DECEMBER

Main of Lights & Adopt A Store Front - 6:00 PM - Contact Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce for location

THE 4TH STREET BACKYARD MARKET - 9:00 AM Herbalicious-423 N. Florence St., Casa Grande ELECTRIC LIGHT PARADE & CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING 5:45 PM - Colorado St. to Florence St. on Florence Blvd., Casa Grande CHRISTMAS ON MAIN STREET - 12:00 PM - CG Mainstreet-110 West 2nd St., Casa Grande

A Classic Christmas - 7:00 PM - Central Arizona Symphony Coolidge Performing Arts Center 684 W Northern Ave ANNUAL TOY PARADE & AUCTION - 12:00 PM - Dave White Park2121 N. Thornton, Casa Grande MUSICAL MEMORIES & COMEDY SHOW - 3:00 PM - Dorothy Powell - 405 E. 6th St., Casa Grande LuluRoe Pop Up Event 9:00 AM - Herbalicious of Arizona 423 N Florence Street Casa Grande

TONY KENNY'S IRISH HOLIDAY - 7:00 PM - CAC 8470 N Overfield Rd., Coolidge CHORAL & HANDBELL CONCERT - 3:00 PM - CAC 8470 N Overfield Rd., Coolidge

HOLIDAY BOOGIE 2012/ SKYDIVE ARIZONA - 12:00 AM - Skydive AZ-4900 N. Taylor Road, Eloy Concert in the Park - 6:00 PM - Peart Park

Free Hearing Screenings 10:00 AM - Herbalicious of Arizona 423 N Florence Street Casa Grande THE 4TH STREET BACKYARD MARKET - 9:00 AM - Herbalicious-423 N. Florence St., Casa Grande

4th Street Backyard Market - 9:00 AM - Herbalicious of Arizona 423 N Florence Street Casa Grande

LOCAL ELECTIONS 2016:

Unofficial Results Casa Grande City Council (two seats open), Mary Kortsen with 4,219 votes, Donna McBride with 3,862, former police chief Bob Huddleston at 3,402 and former city library director and county supervisor David Snider with 2,573. Incumbent Lisa Fitzgibbons was reelected in the primary for the third open seat. Mayor-elect Craig McFarland ran unopposed during the primary. Kortsen, McBride, Fitzgibbons and McFarland will be sworn in during the Dec. 5 City Council meeting, joining Dick Powell, Ralph Varela and Matt Herman on the City Council. Maricopa City Council (two seats open), Julia Gusse with 3,889 votes, Marvin Brown with 3,311 votes; Dan 10

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING HOL IDAY 20 16

Frank at 3,044 and Bridger Kimball with 2,790. • Maricopa city Prop. 415, updating the city’s 2006 General Plan, passed 6,869 to 1,636. • The Florence mayoral election was Walter Tara with 1,464 votes, defeating incumbent Tom Rankin, who received 985. School board elections: • Toltec Elementary: Pam Long, Dennis Callahan, Rich Matthew and Dennis Lloyd. • Eloy Elementary: Paul Rodriguez, Anna Salazar-Ogle, Frank Acuna. • Florence Unified: Katrina Castillo, Michelle Cordes, Bob Dailey. • Casa Grande Union High School:

Nancy Hawkins, Connie Dolezal, Chuck Wright. • Santa Cruz Valley High School: Elizabeth Flores, Richard Reyes Jr., Thomas Gil. Area school districts finance propositions include: • Casa Grande Elementary School District bond issue passed 6,798 to 3,784. • Stanfield Elementary budget increase passed 304 to 278. • Maricopa Unified budget increase passed 5018 to 4164. • Santa Cruz Valley High School bonds passed 859 to 549. • Coolidge Unified bonds passed 2,050 to 822.

THE HOLIDAY EDITION

DECEMBER

JANUARY

December-January 2017 JANUARY

CANADIAN INVASION/SKYDIVE ARIZONA - 12:00 AM - Skydive Arizona - 4900 N. Taylor Road, Eloy - Call for times

Free Hearing Screenings - 10:00 AM - Herbalicious of Arizona 423 N Florence Street Casa Grande

DECEMBER 3RD ELECTRIC LIGHT PARADE & CHRISTMAS TREE LIGHTING - 5:45 Dennis Beye andPM company - Colorado St. to present Florence St. on Florence Blvd., Casa Grande

HYPNO PALOOZA - 7:00 PM - CAC - 8470 N Overfield Rd., Coolidge

HOME, HEALTH & GARDEN SHOW/CAR & MTRUCK SHOW - 10:00 AM - AZ Home Furnishing Outlets-2300 N. Tanger Dr, Casa Grande

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN STREET FAIR-CAR & MOTORCYCLE SHOW - 10:00 AM - Florence St. in Historic Downtown, Casa Grande

NEW SHANGHAI CIRCUS - 7:00 PM - CAC - 8470 N Overfield Rd., Coolidge

32ND ANNUAL AGRICOUNTRY BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL - 10:00 AM - Pinal Fairgrounds - 512 S. Eleven Mile Corner Rd, Casa Grande

Concert in the Park - 6:00 PM - Peart Park

30th Annual Casa Grande Toy Parade Dennis Beye and company and 2016 TOYAuction present CASA

GRANDE PARADE Sunday, December 4, 2016

Dennis Beye and company present

“Every Child Deserves a Christmas”

ENTRY FEE OF

30th Annual

Casa Grande $10 OR A TOY

RUN PIN FOR THE FIRST 500

le Ite f f a fR

ots o L Casa Grande Toy Parade

30th Annual

Sunday, December 4, 2016 MUSIC BY “Every Child Deserves a Christmas” ENTRY FEE OF

ffle

ALL MAKES AND MODELS WELCOME ANTIQUE CARS AND HOT RODS

“Every Child Deserves a Christmas”

$10

OR A TOY

RUN PIN FOR THE FIRST 500

and Auction

Sunday, DecemberParade: 4, 2016

Toy Parade and Auction

s Item

f Ra ots o

MUSIC BY

ALL MAKES AND MODELS WELCOME ANTIQUE CARS AND HOT RODS

For more info:480-518-3311 or 480-287-0564 in at Dave White Park Raffle Item Sign http://www.pinalcountyroughnecksmc. @ 10 a.m. sStarting Leaving Park Promptly @ 12 Noon & AuctiEnding on Location:

Parade:

ENTRY FEE OF

$10

OR A TOY

RUN PIN FOR THE FIRST 500

s Item PARADE: ffle Sign-infatRDave o a White Park begins at s 10ota.m. LLeaving Park Promptly at 12 Noon PARADE ROUTE: Dave White Park: South on Thornton Rd. to Cottonwood Parade: Sign in attoDave Ln., left PeartWhite Rd. Park Right to McMurray Starting @ 10 a.m. Rd. Right to Blvd. Left to Arizola Leaving Promptly @The 12 Noon FlorencePark Blvd. Right to Property

ALL MAKES AND MODELS WELCOME ANTIQUE CARS AND HOT RODS

Auction at “The Property” ENDING LOCATION: http://www.pinalcountyroughnecksmc. Auction* at The Property MUSICConference BY 1281 W Gila Bend Hwy Ending Location: Casa Grand, AZ Auction at “The Property” Center 1281 W Gila Bend Hwy Beginning @ 1:00 p.m. 1281 W. Gila Bend Hwy. Casa Grand, AZ Lunch Buffet will be available for a small fee. Beginning @ 1:00 p.m. Casa Grande, AZ Lunch Buffet will be available for a small fee. Beginning at 1:00 p.m. ALL TOYS BY THE CASA GRANDE SALVATION ARMY *Lunch Buffet at The DISTRIBUTED Property additional ForTOYS moreDISTRIBUTED information: or 480-287-0564 ALL BY480-518-3311 THE CASA GRANDE SALVATION ARMY Make Monetary Contributions Make to CG TOY RUN FUND to CG TOY RUN FUND Monetary Contributions www.pinalcountyroughnecksmc.org ALL MOTORCYCLES, ANTIQUE CARS AND ALL TOYS DISTRIBUTED BY THE CASA GRANDE SALVATION ARMY Make Monetary Contributions to: CG TOY RUN FUND HOT RODS WELCOME!

For more info:480-518-3311 or 480-287-0564

THE HOLIDAY EDITION

http://www.pinalcountyroughnecksmc.

Ending Location:

HOL IDAY 20 16 GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

The Casa Grande H

• A RIZONA CIT Y • CASA GR ANDE • COOLIDGE • ELOY • FLORENCE • M A RICOPA • A RIZONA CIT Y • CASA GR ANDE • COOL

City and community evaluate street, park options

CG News by Harold Kitching

cgnews-info.webs.com or www.haroldkitching.com

Local police join statewide task force

he Casa Grande Police Department is teaming up with the Arizona Department of Public Safety to be part of the Gang Immigration and Intelligence Team Enforcement Mission, or GIITEM. The Pinal County part of GIITEM will be headquartered in Casa Grande, Police Chief Mark McCrory told the City Council. This will make it easier for coordination and sharing of resources. He added that the department detective who had been assigned to the U.S. Marshals Task Force will be transferred to GIITEM. McCrory said the U.S. Marshals had begun redeploying more of its people to the federal courts system “and it really wasn’t the needs that we thought we needed for our city.” He added, “We mutually agreed to remove our detective from the task force. They have pledged to work with us regarding fugitive appre-

hensions, as well as technical assistance on cases that we need, so we’re really not losing anything with that.” The Police Department has worked with GITTEM in the past with gang problems, but it was pointed out that there was some concern that lately the group was focusing more on border problems than on gang problems in cities. McCrory said GIITEM has recently gone through a major overhaul, including adding new commanders. He and department personnel, including Criminal Investigations Division commander Capt. Angel Leos, met with GIITEM about becoming part of the revamped operation. “We had some concerns by looking at some of the work they’ve been doing when we weren’t a member of GIITEM that they really weren’t helping our community the way we

GOLDEN GOLDENCORRID CORRID OR ORLILI VV ING INGHOL HOL IDAY IDAY202016 16

felt they could,” McCrory continued. “We addressed these very bluntly with them and discussed these at length and we decided on mutual goals, some ideas for some mutual strategies that would help our community, and we got a commitment from them to bring people in – initially 60 days – to focus on some of our problems that are starting to just creep to the top and cause calls for service, shots fired calls, things like that.” Although the local GIITEM division includes all of Pinal County, McCrory said, “We did receive a

continued on page 28...

he first thing to understand is that this sewer proposal is not the projected large line running east to the area of the future site of PhoenixMart. This concerns the lines down Kortsen Road and how that system is nearing capacity. The only way PhoenixMart ties in to the sewer is if nothing is done about Kortsen, because the future flow coming from PhoenixMart and linking to Kortsen will cause major problems. That’s why, perhaps belatedly, the city is paying an engineering company $499,700 to figure out what would be the best alignment for one of the three reliever line routes studied. “Currently, the existing sewer lines within Kortsen serve approximately half of the city’s wastewater service area,” Deputy Public Works Director Terry McKeon told the council. “The capacity available in those lines, it’s getting close to full, is the simple way to put it. We need to put together a plan for providing relief for those sewers to be able to continue to serve and develop within the area.” The evaluation by Sunrise Engineering will determine which of three corridors would be best for a replacement sewer. McKeon asked, “Where here can we get the most bang for our buck? What can we afford to build that provides us the most capacity we can afford without having a ridiculously large sewer?” McKeon said the city has worked with Sunrise to do that evaluation and provide a conceptual design. “Not full design plans,” he added, “but conceptual vertical and horizontal alignment to identify constraints, challenges and, most importantly, THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

Herald

Local News from Golden Corridor Living Magazine

ALL THE NEWS WE THINK IS FIT TO PRINT!

LIDGE • ELOY • FLORENCE • M A RICOPA • A RIZONA CIT Y • CASA GR ANDE • COOLIDGE • ELOY • FLORENCE • M A RICOPA •

Interim Community Services Department Director James Burke said the

Street, park options (cont.) cost estimating. At the end of the day we need a reliable cost estimate that we can then carry forward and budget and be able to find the money and build it.” Councilman Matt Herman, calling the project “very unglamorous, but very necessary,” asked how long it might be before the Kortsen system is full. “I know it is a bit of a moving target, but what are you anticipating?” he asked. “Are we going to have to be ready for this next year or in five years?” McKeon replied, “Unfortunately, we haven’t budgeted crystal balls yet. A lot of it, really, obviously all depends on development. When this project was conceptualized, if you will, or put THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

into the budget process, we were in the process of determining the needs for the PhoenixMart development and adjacent area.” He continued, “The short answer is essentially when and if the first phase of PhoenixMart is built, that is probably going to take up every drop we have available in the existing system. So in some ways, we might be a little bit behind the ball on this one, but we need to get this project ready to roll forward and make it shovel-ready for whenever that time comes.” Herman said he wanted to make clear that this is not the PhoenixMart sewer line project itself. “No, it is not,” McKeon replied. “This is not just to accommodate PhoenixMart. It would be almost as

continued on page 43...

Overview

things we heard a lot from teens was they wanted to have an area where they could study, do group projects. So, classrooms were very important to them, as well as the teen lounge and the game room aspect, a portion of the facility, essentially, that is just for them, for their use as specific to them. We wouldn’t really program it for senior activities or for very small youth activities or things like that. This would be a portion of the facility that, based on their feedback and what we’d love to do design wise, would be specific to them.” Other proposals for the center were also outlined.

Indoor track “An indoor track is something that has been very attractive and something that a lot of people have discussed. I think that is something we’d want to have in the building,” Burke said. Councilman Herman asked how far along planning for the gym and walking track have gone. “This step is the programming step,” Burke said. “If you approve this tonight we’d like to authorize the architect to move into the schematic design phase. They’ll begin bringing these diagrams and square footage of

continued on page 29...

SITE AERIAL Kortsen Rd.

Subject Area

Hacienda Rd.

Teen surveys

teen surveys were taken because the last time the center was before the City Council, the department was asked to get additional community outreach specifically focusing on teens. Recreation Superintendent Matt Jankowski said 399 surveys were returned, with 952 responses, “so we got very good feedback.” After the surveys were received, he continued, department staff and the architect met with students from the three high schools, showing them preliminary design work and asking if it represented what they wanted in the facility, to be built on the west side of Peart Road just south of Kortsen Road. “The idea behind this was to show that, based on what these teens are saying they’d like to see, the programming they’d like to have there, we can definitely do many things within one specific part of the facility, if we build it properly,” he said. “One of the

Cottonwood Ln

Mission Pkwy.

ation

ne thing to remember about progress on a community recreation center in Casa Grande is that although the priorities of teens took center stage during the latest progress report, the operation will be for everyone. That was the message from Mayor Bob Jackson. “While I appreciate the teen input,” he said, “we all need to remember that it is a multigenerational facility. You’ve got the teens, but it’s got to be looked at for little kids and mid- sized kids, young adults and the older folks.” He added, “I know you guys know that, and it’s probably obvious, but I don’t want to lose sight of the fact that we’re not building a teen center; we’re building a community center for all ages.”

Interstate 10

City officials share ideas about community recreation center

Subject Area

Florence Blvd/ SH 287 HOL IDAY 202016 16 CORRID OROR LI V ING 13 HOL HOL IDAY IDAY 20GOLDEN 16GOLDEN GOLDEN CORRID CORRID OR LI LI VVING ING

CITY

SPEAK I During the past nine years, between business expansions and new business locates, we have created more than 2,000 jobs.

COMMUNITY CELEBRATIONS by Robert “Bob” Jackson, Mayor, Casa Grande

n early December I will end my 9-1/2 years as mayor of Casa Grande. Many people have asked what I am most proud of during my tenure. I honestly cannot pick just one item. When I ran for office in 2007, I wanted to improve our relationships with our neighboring communities, work to bring new jobs to the area and raise our image in the Metro-Phoenix area. Shortly after taking office, Byron Jackson, the mayor of Eloy at the time and I started an informal, regular meeting of the western Pinal mayors. Today, the group meets for lunch every other month, rotating our location so each city gets a chance to host the group. I am the only mayor still attending from the original group but the mayors of Florence, Eloy, Marana, Maricopa and Coolidge are committed to continuing the informal meeting. Our new mayor, Craig McFarland, has been attending as well and I am confident the group will continue. The meeting allows us to talk about common problems and we have become friends outside of our official capacity. Certainly I didn’t expect to have the economy collapse shortly after taking office but with our dedicated staff and a council that worked together for a common goal, we were able to survive the downturn. We never cut service, laid off staff, reduced work weeks or raised taxes while at the same time investing almost $200 million in new infrastructure. The timing for the work allowed us to get great value for our dollars. Because of our financial position we raised our bond rating three times, reducing the interest rates on our bonds and lowering the annual payments by an estimated $300,000. Of the projects completed, the one that has prob-

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING HOL IDAY 20 16

ably meant the most to the city is the expansion of our Wastewater Plant. Creating additional capacity has made the difference in bringing several new businesses to town, most notably Ehrmann Dairy and Franklin Foods. These new businesses have put us on the economic development map as a good place to do business with a professional staff, stable mayor and council and a fiscally-sound community. Over the next few months, I expect several new businesses to announce Casa Grande as their new home. During the past nine years, between business expansions and new business locates, we have created more than 2,000 jobs. More importantly, the Greater Phoenix Economic Council and the Arizona Commerce Commission regularly send us leads for new businesses looking to relocate or expand into Arizona. I am also very proud of all our citizens that helped make the Casa Grande Mountain Park trail system a reality. This had been a community vision for over 20 years. The dedicated volunteers started by working on the construction of trails every weekend. The City was lucky enough to receive help from a series of Americorp volunteers over several years. The end result is two trail heads and 14 miles of trails completed at no local taxpayer cost. I am not sure what the future holds for me but I know the City will be in good hands with the new mayor and council. I would like to thank all of our City staff for the great job they do, my fellow council members, both current and past, and a special thank-you to Jim Thompson and Larry Rains for all they have done to keep the City running efficiently and smoothly. Thanks to all of you for allowing me to be your mayor, it has been an honor and privilege to lead our City.

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CITY

SPEAK

THE PLAN! by Craig McFarland, Casa Grande Mayor-elect

he City of Casa Grande is in good shape in large thanks to our current City Council, Mayor and city staff. As we transition from our current Mayor and Council, we owe all outgoing and current sitting mayor, council and staff a big “Thank You for a job well done!” The following list is a strategic plan . . . a road

map. They are goals and objectives that have been compiled over the past few years while working and living in Casa Grande. These goals are areas that we must continue to invest in if we want to move forward and grow. Some items on this list will take time to complete. They are in no particular order and all are important!

CASA GRANDE IS “OPEN FOR BUSINESS” • Review impact fees and restrictive regulations (zoning laws and ordinances) • Set up a customer satisfaction survey to collect customer feedback (customers being anyone who interacts with the city) • Plan a meet-and-greet with AZ developers and builders in Casa Grande • Continue to support Casa Grande infrastructure projects

MARKET CASA GRANDE – DEVELOP OUR IMAGE, LOGO AND COMMUNICATION VEHICLES • Form a Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) and fund it with a city bed tax • Create a city visitor/marketing website and mobile app www.visitcasagrandeaz.com • Construct a message billboard on I-10 to communicate to the 20 million cars that drive by Casa Grande every year • Incorporate and support Casa Grande economic development • Shovel ready, rail and Interstate-served industrial park • Airport • Current industries • Infrastructure plan (waste water treatment capacity, city roads, trails, equipment, buildings, parks, etc.)

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As we transition from our current Mayor and Council, we owe all outgoing and current sitting mayor, council and staff a big “Thank You for a job well done!”

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CITY

SPEAK THE PLAN!

These are things to work on and goals – that if we can get them implemented – will make Casa Grande an even better place to live, play and raise a family.

(continued)

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT – TRAINING, EDUCATION, BUILD A WORKFORCE READY TO FILL JOBS • Form a committee to research and build a plan to better include the Millennial workforce • Arizona@Work to become the leader of this effort and support them • Use Central Arizona College, Casa Grande Elementary School District, Casa Grande Union High School District and Central Arizona Valley Institute of Technology as feeders for this effort to build a trained and ready workforce • Build an Arizona@Work training center in Casa Grande

MAYORS A+ SCHOOL INITIATIVE • Promote our school success via social media and local news (public, private, charter) • Continue and expand the Mayor’s Reading Program • Convene a committee of public/private citizens to meet quarterly and address K – 12 issues and/or opportunities • Work with our school districts to improve community use of all public school facilities

PUBLIC SAFETY • Develop a taskforce to review Casa Grande fire station needs • East of I-10 • Airport • Ambulance service • Continue to review response times for police and fire; work to meet or exceed national fire and police association recommendations

COMMUNITY RECREATION CENTER • Build the Community Center (as proposed) • Incorporate the Boys & Girls Club (including a teen center)

FURTHER DEVELOP THE CASA GRANDE TRAIL SYSTEM • Casa Grande Community Center as the hub • Work with developers and land owners to expand and help build the trails

I-10 BETWEEN CASA GRANDE AND CHANDLER • Widen it to three or four lanes each way • Convene a meeting of all stakeholders at the Gila River Indian Community (GRIC) office • GRIC • Arizona Department Transportation (ADOT)/Governor’s Office • Pinal County • Casa Grande • Eloy • Look at the Regional Tax Authority (RTA) Sales Tax as a potential incentive to ADOT • Get it on the ADOT Plan – sooner, rather than later!

PUBLIC TRANSIT • Complete the current city study • Liaison with local industry/business to discover needs • Coordinate with CART

10.

HISTORIC DOWNTOWN REDEVELOPMENT • Vagrant/homeless issue (work with EAM and Main Street) • Revitalize/evaluate “Life on Main” project • Support Casa Grande Main Street

As stated above, these are things to work on and goals – that if we can get them implemented – will make Casa Grande an even better place to live, play and raise a family.

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INVESTMENTS in our community, in things to do, investments for children, our young people, our veterans, our homeless, our seniors, and ourselves . . . let’s IMPLEMENT THE PLAN!

THE HOLIDAY EDITION

THE VALUE OF LOCAL BUSINESS & THE CHAMBER by Helen Neuharth, President/CEO, Greater Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce

appy Holidays! Yes, this is the time of year when the weather becomes “just perfect” and the reason we live in Casa Grande year-round. This is also the beginning of our “season” when winter visitors, or as some like to be called “snowbirds,” flock to Casa Grande. We welcome all with open arms. Sure, traffic on the roads becomes a little busier and one has to allot a little more time to travel between appointments and have patience in the lines at stores….but it is well worth it to all of us. Our year-round population expands by an estimated 16,000 to 18,000. We experience the positive impact to our local economy and, in our community, in the number of volunteer hours our seasonal visitors contribute to Casa Grande. Businesses in our community cannot depend only on the winter visitors; businesses need the support of the more than 50,000 residents who live, work, play and shop in Casa Grande all year long. All of us have a huge impact on the future of Casa Grande when we shop locally - shopping locally really does make a difference. Every time a dollar is spent in Casa Grande it positively impacts our local economy. Out of every dollar spent in Casa Grande, a portion of the tax goes toward our police and fire protection, streets, schools and other services that we sometimes take for granted.

2017 January Event On Saturday, Jan. 14, 2017, the chamber’s annual Home Health and Garden Show will be held at the Arizona Home Furnishing Outlets

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(formerly Outlets at Casa Grande), at I-10 and Jimmie Kerr Boulevard from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. This popular Buy Local 1st event is FREE to the public and provides the opportunity to visit more than 60 area businesses under one roof! This show is an excellent opportunity for area consumers to meet representatives and see the many services and products our local business community has to offer. There will also be food vendors, music and a car and truck show. Mark your calendar for Saturday, Jan. 14 for a day of fun for you, your friends and the whole family. See you at the Home Show! Another valuable resource in learning more about products and services offered in our area is the 2017 Greater Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce Business Directory & Community Guide. This publication will be available in mid-January and is distributed free-ofcharge at the chamber office and as a digital E-Flipbook on the chamber website: www. casagrandechamber.org. This guide also provides information about the community such as statistics and demographics, education, medical facilities, maps, an annual event calendar and much more. The directory/community guide is an excellent referral guide, helping you to become familiar with those businesses that support our community as members of the Greater Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce and it will assist you in locating the businesses that have the goods and services you may need.

Why should a business be a member of the Greater Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce? Well, for one, the chamber is an extension of your business and an investment of your business marketing dollars. The chamber offers its members many incomparable networking and marketing tools that help them develop their customer bases and grow their businesses. I like to say “the Chamber is the best bang for your buck.” Depending on the type and size of a business, for a little as $26.00 per month, a business can invest in the Chamber and his or her business. In a community like Casa Grande, it is important that a business have the visibility that the Greater Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce provides. No matter the size or type of your business, being affiliated with the Chamber provides you exposure and credibility for your business. How a business person chooses to utilize the opportunities all depends on that business leader. For more information about the many benefits and opportunities offered to your business through membership in the Greater Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce, please contact Ken Saltzmann membership@casagrandechamber.org or me, president@casagrandechamber.org at the Chamber office or call us at (520) 836-2125.

Frequently Asked Question I would like to take this opportunity to address a question that is asked frequently:

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A RETURN TO HOLIDAY SHOPPING BLISS Join us for Small Business Saturday and other events through fall and winter By Rina Rien, Director, Casa Grande Main Street

andwiched in between the barrage of Black Friday and Cyber Monday press is a little thing called Small Business Saturday. On Thanksgiving weekend, when the official shopping season is supposed to begin, this quiet little event takes place. Unfortunately, one day does not a season make, particularly when small businesses – just like major retailers – count on the season sales to survive the rest of the year.

This year, we’re celebrating our historic downtown with a

As the year draws to a close, don’t forget – we’ll be celebrating the season on Saturday, Dec. 3 with Christmas on Main and The Electric Light Parade. Cash Mob Event on Small Business Saturday. You can opt out

Meet us on the Main Street Patio 110 West 2nd Street Behind Cook E Jar Refreshments, Living History Tour Merchant Scavenger Hunt and more!

www.cgmainstreet.org

Every 3rd Thursday OCT-‐APRIL (EXCEPT JAN) 9:30 AM Orientation 10:00 AM Historical Walking Tour ( approximately 1 hour )

Casa Grande Main Street in partnership with The Museum Of Casa Grande Contact Casa Grande Main Street at (520) 836-‐8744

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of website security breaches and mall madness this season while discovering the treasure trove of one-of-a-kind gifts. We’ll reward you for shopping local with fun hunts, raffle prizes and a return to holiday shopping bliss. Here, local artisans and momand-pop shops offer uniquely crafted treasures for all tastes and price ranges. Our downtown is pedestrian friendly and you won’t have to find a new parking space to go from one store to the next. How about a gift certificate for wellness classes or a spa day? Maybe your speed is a romantic dinner and tickets for live music, theatre or dancing at one of a variety of entertainment venues? We’ll be staging the event at Old Town Ale House, where you can share a craft brew with a friend while checking off your shopping list. For every same-day receipt you turn in from a participating merchant or restaurant, we’ll provide you a raffle entry for prizes, including gift certificates, merchandise and the grand prize of a $100 Visa card. The drawing will happen at 3 p.m. and you must be present to win. As the year draws to a close, don’t forget – we’ll be celebrating the season on Saturday, Dec. 3 with Christmas on Main and The Electric Light Parade. Historic Florence Street will be hosting live music and activities during the day and is the best spot to set up your chair for a great view of the twinkling floats that evening. Mark your calendar now for our

Historic Downtown… Experience the Difference 110 W. 2nd St., Casa Grande 520-836-8744

17th Annual Street Fair and Car Show on Jan. 21 and 22, 2017. Day Out Downtown will be dark in January as we prepare to welcome crowds from all over the region. Hundreds of exhibitors from all over the Southwest will be lining up to offer one-of-a-kind arts and crafts. Last year’s car show had a record 209 entries, and based on participant feedback, will include awards for class categories. Be sure to check our website or contact our office for the latest update on available exhibition spaces, car show applications and volunteer opportunities. Casa Grande Main Street is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization advocating downtown revitalization and historic preservation. Visit our website at www.cgmainstreet. org for more information on our mission, memberships and upcoming events. Click on our Facebook link to stay connected and “like” our page for ongoing announcements.

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THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

The LIVING Interview

Santa Claus

In the “Spirit” of Christmas: Santa and other Miracles Interview by Wilson B Dedman GC LIVING: Santa - so nice that you could join us in Arizona’s sunny, beautiful “Golden Corridor” here today for this visit! SANTA CLAUS: Ho ho ho! Yes, thank you, good to be here, eh? GC LIVING: “Eh?” That sounds suspiciously Canadian, eh?! SANTA CLAUS: Ho ho ho! Well, Canadians are my neighbors at the North Pole, you know … very, very fine people! Ho ho ho! GC LIVING: OK, well thanks for coming down. Speaking of our friends from the Great White North, some of us were wondering if you and Mrs. Claus - or is it Mrs. Santa? - sneak in a little visit to sunny climes once your annual labors are finished. You know, like the so-called snowbirds who flock to Arizona in the winter? SANTA CLAUS: Well, Mrs. Claus and I have been known to seek some sun, so to speak, from time to time, but we certainly cannot publicize our proclivities, for reasons we are sure you are well aware of, being somewhat in the public relations business yourselves, eh? GC LIVING: Of course. So - your agent said you agreed to a wide-ranging interview covering a host of domestic as well as international social and political issues, is that right? Now is your chance to

THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

back out if you feel that exploring these themes could hurt your image. SANTA CLAUS: Ho ho ho! No problem! The missus and I feel that since the world has gone astray from the wisdom of the ancient prophets and their time-tested tenets of peace, love, brotherhood and so on, maybe it is time to add our voices to the noise. GC LIVING: OK, but before we get to all that really heavy stuff, let’s clear up a few small logistical details, for example, like how, actually, do you get around to ALL the children of the world, in the course of one evening? I think our readers would be very interested in answers to little things like that. SANTA CLAUS: Ho ho ho! Well, my presence all over the world seemingly in an instant is an instance of the narrow, twisting paths between reality and imagination and certainty and whimsy ... you certainly would be within your personal thought boundaries if you considered the situation kinda like what Einstein referred to as “spooky action at a distance”. In an experimentally unverifiable macroscopic sense, of course. [Santa winks] GC LIVING: Well, Santa, of course [sarcastically]; we here at LIVING Magazine deal with spooky action at a distance every

day, but I don’t think Einstein was referring to writers not meeting their deadlines - LOL. For the benefit of our perhaps less quantum-mechanically-inclined readers, could you elaborate a bit more? SANTA CLAUS: Ho ho ho ... no. You want the Truth? You can’t handle the Truth! [speaking emphatically] HO HO HO! GC LIVING: Umm, OK … wow ... this is a side of Santa we don’t believe anyone has ever seen before … can we just move on? SANTA CLAUS: People these days think they know everything. Well, Google Schmoogle! Even with all your knowledge, you actually know very little. Let’s just leave it at that. GC LIVING: OK, so let’s also just leave your superposition as a supposition for now, and instead talk about the toys you bring all the “good” children. Surely if we really are talking about ALL the “good” children, it is nonsensical to believe all those toys would fit in your sleigh, right? Please tell us you rely extensively on UPS, FedEx, DHL, Amazon and its drones? Or are you the ultimate magician?! [chuckles] SANTA CLAUS: [sighs] Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic, I suppose. GC LIVING: Regardless, you must have a mobile GPS app with an algorithmic

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The LIVING Interview (continued) plug-in that tells the good children from the bad?! SANTA CLAUS: ALGORITHMS?! Doesn’t anyone notice and recognize miracles anymore? They are all around you, and you don't even know it. GC LIVING: Santa, maybe we should take a break. We’re getting nowhere … MRS CLAUS: Now, now there … my husband is trying his best to help you understand the true nature of Truth and Nature, but words can’t explain magic. This is why we don’t give many interviews. SANTA CLAUS: Yes. It would appear that humans know less and less, despite more and more information. So sad, so sad ... ho ho. GC LIVING: Let’s go in a different direction; frankly, many children no longer believe in you. SANTA CLAUS: Good thing I’ve not yet heard about it - ho ho ho! [laughing] GC LIVING: Mrs. Claus - is he ever serious? Even for a single question? MRS CLAUS: Well, the truth of the matter is, Truth is just another miracle, and if one no longer speaks the language of Miracles, it is not possible to agree on any truth - large or small, capital “t” or not! GC LIVING: Ummmm … hmmm … uh, moving right along… tell me this, Santa

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Claus: would an Indian child of a Hindu family who has never heard of Santa, and does not have a Christmas tree, get a present under it on Christmas morning? SANTA CLAUS: Boy, now you are really not making any sense! If there is no Christmas tree, how could there possibly be anything under it!! [Mr. & Mrs. Claus laugh heartily] GC LIVING: I suppose not, no. Still, if that child stayed up late and actually caught sight of you, would he “see” Santa? SANTA CLAUS: What would a child see if she was looking at a loving feeling or an angel’s reflection in a mirror or a good idea? GC LIVING: Then you admit that you are imaginary!!!! SANTA CLAUS: In the flesh! Approximately 400lbs, large and in charge, a figment of your imagination sitting in an uncomfortable chair in your very real conference room answering your interminably inane questions. In the final analysis, though, whatever you decide I am, I am not so very much different than you. Or an angel’s reflection in a mirror. GC LIVING: Hmm, well … moving right along: do you favor Clinton or Trump? SANTA CLAUS: What are those? [Mrs. Claus whispers into Santa’s ear] Ah, yes - those

comedic actors on the telly on Saturday night? They’re funny! GC LIVING: Brexit? SANTA CLAUS: Yes! I just love cracked wheat cereal! Not easy to get at the North Pole, though. GC LIVING: [sigh] What about the starving children in Somalia? SANTA CLAUS: I don’t know … Santa’s never been to Somalia. GC LIVING: AHA!!!!!! Caught you!! SANTA CLAUS: Huh?! GC LIVING: How can you claim to bring toys to ALL of the world’s good children, but have not been to Somalia?!!!! SANTA CLAUS: Two plus two does not always equal five; only sometimes - like when spiders sing folk songs two-bytwo in polka-dotted flannel underwear in an octopus’s garden in the rain. GC LIVING: Excuse me, Santa, but you are starting to talk in circles. SANTA CLAUS: Some of my favorite arguments are circular! Bounded, one-dimensional infinity! Not to mention that circles are composed of arcs, which, in systems of certain dimensions, can function as geodesics, and I just LOVE geodesics. But all hyperbole aside, some of my favorite functions are hyperbolic! Ho ho ho ho ho ho … [hearty laughter] GC LIVING: ARRRRRGGGHHH! MRS CLAUS: Santa, perhaps our poor boy needs some cookies and milk! SANTA CLAUS: Grok!!! GC LIVING: I do NOT need milk and cookies. Maybe a sensical conversation though? SANTA CLAUS: Which came first: the cookies or the milk? GC LIVING: Oh, I don’t know … seventeen and a half? [sarcastically] SANTA CLAUS: Oh dear, sounds like you are making progress on the road to Sense! Perhaps we could arrive there sooner if I did the asking. Okay? GC LIVING: Whatever. SANTA CLAUS: What do you think of Clinton and Trump? GC LIVING: I think, like most Americans, that one is a crook and the other a cad and not much has really changed. SANTA CLAUS: What do you think those hungry Somali children think of them? GC LIVING: A child’s vision is keener than an adult’s; children see things adults

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can’t and don’t and wouldn’t even if they could. SANTA CLAUS: Exactly - stop making sense!! Ho ho ho! GC LIVING: When I was a child I caught a fleeting glimpse, out of the corner of my eye. I turned to look, but it was gone, I cannot put my finger on it now, the child is grown, the dream is gone. SANTA CLAUS: Right again! We are really getting somewhere, as you would say, now! GC LIVING: With three cats in the yard, life used to be so hard … SANTA CLAUS: By Jove, I think he’s got it! GC LIVING: Daisy, Daisy, give me your answer, do … I’m so crazy, all for the love of you ... SANTA CLAUS: Yes, of course! GC LIVING: Number nine, number nine, number nine, number nine, number nine … MRS CLAUS: Santa - do something - we’re losing him! SANTA CLAUS: [shaking interviewer violently] Get a hold of yourself, man! GC LIVING: [vacantly, with a glazed-over stare and a vaguely Australian accent] G’day! SANTA CLAUS: Get a grip, man! We were having a brilliant conversation about life, the universe and Santa when you went off on some kind of lyrical lap through the past or something. GC LIVING: Huh?! SANTA CLAUS: Mrs. Claus - do something! MRS CLAUS: How about some cookies and milk?

--- FIVE minute break with cookies and milk during which interviewer regains his composure; interview restarts --GC LIVING: So, Santa, our time is almost up, so let’s try to get some honest, factual answers to some simple, straightforward questions, OK? SANTA CLAUS: Quite right. GC LIVING: I think our readers, not to mention our children, want to know some really basic facts about you, like, how old are you? SANTA CLAUS: I doubt that anybody wants to know that! [snorts] GC LIVING: Well, you might be right about everybody else, but I want to know the

THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

singular, truthful answer to this one simple question; how old are you? SANTA CLAUS: If there is no single truthful answer, then the question is not a simple one. GC LIVING: Why must you always, and only, speak in riddles? SANTA CLAUS: Because that is the nature of Truth. The Truth of the matter is that my presence here, in your interrogation room, in this very scintilla of a NOW that we are sharing, is a very complicated affair of energy that you can only dream about dreaming about. HO HO HO! The happenstance that a magical being, like myself, should manifest out of thin air in front of you, should be ex-

perienced by you as a very unlikely yet fortuitous and sublime event that you are privileged to witness just this once, and perhaps never again. And yet, you gainsay your own good fortune by constructing queries designed to kill the cat, so to speak - Schrodinger’s cat, that is - never knowing, or even imagining, that the rare bird of enlightenment never alights twice in the same place. In all four dimensions of space-time, that is, of course. Your time with Santa is drawing to a close, and yet when you should suspend your own disbelief and simply marvel at the spirit that I am, that Spirit creat-

continued on page 36... HOL IDAY 202016 1620GOLDEN CORRID OROR LI VLI ING 23 HOL HOL IDAY IDAY 16GOLDEN GOLDEN CORRID CORRID OR LI VVING ING

FALL INSURANCE TIPS AND …for Winter Visitors and residents too!

Most United States insurance providers will work hard to get good pricing for you. But, good pricing should never take the place of good underwriting and good insurance coverage.

o all Winter Visitors (of which I am one) – Welcome, again, to the Valley, which I know you also think of as your second home! We so do love it here, and have made many lasting friendships! A special “Thank You” to all full-time Valley residents for, as always, making us feel so welcome. Time to put a little effort back into our community, so here goes… To you, our hosts and local residents, stick with me until the end, OK? In the second half of this article, wewill talk about winter risks and issues from the perspective of those of us who deal with winter “back at home” from a – shall we say – cooler perspective! We know some things that I know you’ll find helpful. So do please read to the end. For Canadians, insurance in the United States can be a bit of a mystery. It all takes a while to figure out. Hopefully, this summary will give Canadian visitors some answers and ideas. My own solution (having been an insurance broker in Canada for over 35 years) was to buy a local insurance brokerage (ROX Casa Grande Insurance) together with my good friend, Casa Grande’s own Rock Earle. If you want things done right…well you know the rest!

For Canadians: 1. HOUSE AND MOBILE HOME INSURANCE – Experience tells us that the best home policy providers provide significant discounts based on good claims experience and credit scores. If you are arranging local insurance for your winter home, make sure that your local insurance professional is provided with a claims free letter from your Canadian insurance company. While American insurance companies generally cannot credit score Canadian customers, you may be able to interest them by confirming the mortgage status of your Arizona home (for example if it is mortgage-free), and you can provide a credit letter from your Canadian bank. Most United States insurance providers will work hard to get good pricing for you. But, good pricing should never take the place of good underwriting and good insurance coverage. In particular, watch for the following mistakes: a. Your home should be rated as a Seasonal Residence. It is obviously less expensive for the home to be rated

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as a Principal Residence, but unless your Valley home is actually your home most of the time, an insurance company may take issue with a serious claim once they discover the truth. We have seen policies rated ‘Principal’ with permission from the insurance company to do this to get the lower rate and better coverage, however you should get and hold a copy of that written agreement with the insurance company to rate this way, and keep it for your file and peace of mind. I believe strongly that good coverage should always take priority over the least expensive insurance premium cost. Make sure that your policy is ‘All-Risk’ for both dwelling and contents; make sure that your policy includes ‘Guaranteed Replacement Cost’; make sure that Water Damage and Sewer Backup are fully included without limitation; and buy at least a One Million ($1M) limit for liability. There are other options, and some policies may have specific limitations or warranties. Ask your insurance provider for suggestions or full information. Make sure that you provide details of the services and security you have for your property to get maximum discounts. If you have an alarm system, provide a copy of the alarm certificate to the insurance provider. If you have an inspection service, detail the name of the service provider and the schedule of inspections. If you have pool service, gardening service, pest inspection service and similar, the same thing applies. Providing all of this information to the insurance company representative will ensure that you get the best rate possible. If you rent out your winter home to others, make sure that your insurance company is aware of this and is accepting of the additional risk. Details as to who the renters are (well known to you - or not - for example) can go a long way to making a claim a more friendly affair. Need I remind that rental income generated in the USA must be reported to the IRS? We once heard a story of an insurance company citing the ‘illegal activity’ exclusion under a policy when a serious claim was caused by renters and the rental income had not ever been properly declared and taxes paid.

THE HOLIDAY EDITION

Economy • Local Business

PERSONAL RISK MANAGEMENT by Douglas Morrow CCIB, CIP, CRM ROX Casa Grande Insurance

For Winter Visitors, Canadian and American: 2. HOUSE AND MOBILE HOME INSURANCE – A final note for all visitors from colder climes, both American and Canadian; remember that your residential insurance back home will likely have serious limitations for losses (particularly water damage) when you are away from the home during the heating season, generally for longer than 72 hours. To ensure that coverage ‘back at home’ remains in full force and effect, arrange to have your home inspected – inside and out - at least every 72 hours. Remember also to shut off the main water valve in your basement; opening all taps, and flushing all toilets to drain the tanks, starting with the top floor is also a good idea, even if you leave the furnace on. If you have an alarm system, consider adding temperature and water sensors for protection and peace of mind. Check your own policy for further details.

For Canadians Again: 3. CANADIAN VEHICLE AND RV INSURANCE - For outof-state vehicles, RV units and Holiday Trailers, check with your insurance provider at home in Canada to ensure that your vehicle or RV may remain in the United States for an extended period – or permanently - and still remain fully insured. As with home insurance above, we recommend that you also get a copy of this agreement with your insurer in writing to ensure a ‘meeting of the minds’ in the event of a claim. Be prepared to share with your insurance company how many kilometers you drive in the USA each year, where the vehicle will be stored, and who other than the registered owner(s) will be allowed to operate or use it, in particular, in your absence. You should also familiarize yourself with the local rules in Arizona for operation and insurance of out-of-state vehicles. There are rules requiring local insurance and registration after a certain period of time. 4. UNITED STATES VEHICLE INSURANCE – It is pretty easy to either purchase a local vehicle or formally import a Canadian vehicle into the United States, and then to buy local insurance and registration. Certainly, if your plans for

THE HOLIDAY EDITION

local ownership are long-term, this is a solution that can make good sense. Check out the multi-year registration option too – there are good savings available. You should know that while your local address will be required for policy and registration paperwork, you should make arrangements to have your policy documents and all notices also sent either to your Canadian mailing address or e mail address to ensure good communication. We have all heard the story of the Canadians that picked up their car from storage at the airport and had a conversation with Arizona’s finest while driving home; only to discover that (a) the insurance documents in the car were expired, and that (b) in their local mailbox was the overlooked renewal notice. An expensive mistake! Another point is to note that the process in Arizona is different than in Canada with respect to vehicle registration. If you delete some or all insurance coverage on your local vehicle while you are away for the summer, your Arizona insurance company is required to advise the registration office, which will in turn suspend your registration and tags. Ask your local insurance provider for an outline of the rules and procedures, so that you understand them fully. And, again, make sure that both the registration office and your insurance professionals have your Canadian mailing addressor email.

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INSURANCE

For Everyone, Visitors and Local Residents:

A pipe break inside the home, even for those that have a weekly inspection service, can create a water damage claim that can literally render your home a complete write-off.

Owning a winter home – Or, for all of you local residents, just owning your own home or condominium creates certain exposures to loss that may be overlooked without an annual risk management plan. Let’s take this opportunity now to refresh as we head into the Arizona winter and to detail some things to keep in mind: 1. SMOKE DETECTORS – Fall, a time when we are back outside working on our yards and doing renovation projects, is also a good time to replace batteries in all smoke, fire and CO2 detectors. It should be noted that even permanently wired units often havebackup batteries to replace, so check for them, and if applicable look after these too. Also, don’t forget to push the test button on each unit as you go, to verify proper operation. Some new style detectors have actual detector expiry dates. Look for labels and replace these units as required. 2. OUTSIDE HOSE CONNECTIONS – Even here in the Valley, overnight winter temperatures are cold enough to cause freezing pipes. Your outside taps are designed to drain when turned off, but if there is a hose connected to the faucet, the drainage process may not happen properly. Freezing of water inside the hose connection valve may cause that valve to fail, creating a significant loss of water and possibly house or landscaping damage. Disconnect all hoses from outside water connections today, and drain the hose itself before coiling it up for winter! 3. INSIDE WATER SHUT OFF VALVES – Each source of water inside your home, including sink areas, toilets etc. has (or should have) a shut-off valve on the water supply line that can be turned off in the event of an emergency. Local water service in the Valley has a high mineral content, which can cause these valves to deteriorate or even seize.

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As with smoke detectors, check all of your shut-off valves once a year to ensure that they turn freely and that they actually shut off the water. Replace as necessary. This is an easy job for a plumber and not too expensive. 4. WASHING MACHINES – The common rubber hoses that connect your washer to water service were never designed to hold residential water pressure 24/7/365. I recommend getting in the habit of turning these off whenever the washer is not in use. Failing that, at least change your hoses to steel braided lines that are much stronger than rubber, and always shut these lines off when you are away overnight or on holidays. You should consider also changing these hoses regularly (Hey, you’re changing your shut-offs and detector batteries anyway, right?) 5. MAIN WATER SHUT OFF – OUTSIDE – it amazes me that so few homes in the Valley are constructed by the builders with separate water shut off valves between the service to the house itself and the line that supplies the garden and/ or swimming pool. Most local homes just have a single shut off that either shuts off all water – or not! For those of us that are not here full time, or locals that take any type of time away on holidays, consider strongly separating your garden drip system and pool fill from the direct water connection into your home. A pipe break inside the home, even for those that have a weekly inspection service, can create a water damage claim that can literally render your home a complete write-off. Have this done – please. You are looking to be able to shut off your inside house water supply, while still being able to water your yard and fill your pool. This is also an easy job for a plumber and not too expensive. 6. SMOKING AND FIRE HAZARD – Most planter boxes, and almost all planters provided by nurseries or retail stores incorporate a significant amount of peat moss mixed in with the topsoil. Peat moss burns very nicely.( The Irish have used this material to heat their homes for centuries, and the peat bogs in Ireland have been burning for over 100 years! Google it. It’s interesting.) So, never ever use a planter box as an ashtray. Peat fires burn slowly, hotly with little smoke and can start house fires even several days after a cigarette was “extinguished.” Statistics show that this is now an alarming cause of fires in condominiums and apartments with outside decks. On behalf of myself and ROX Casa Grande Insurance, I hope that the article above is of some small assistance to all of you readers. If you have suggestions or comments about this article, please feel free to send me a note anytime at dmorrow@excelrisk.ca. I would enjoy hearing from you! Please also know that our Canadian company, Excel Insurance Group, would be happy to assist you with all of your Canadian insurance needs; and our company here in Casa Grande, ROX Casa Grande Insurance Group, 442 W. Kortsen Rd, Casa Grande, 520-836-7660 would be more than pleased to discuss all of your local insurance needs from the perspective of an expert, whether you are a winter visitor or local resident. Call Cindy or Irene for a chat today!

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We have insurance programs available for winter residents. Coverage available for Park Models and Golf Carts too!

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POLICE TASK FORCE...cont. from page 12 commitment from every one of their command, all the way down to their sergeant who will be running that, that Casa Grande will definitely be the major focus of this task force.” McCrory told the council that “the last three shootings and shots fired calls that we have here, they have been gang-related and it’s our belief that this partnership will enhance our ability to deal with gang and narcotics issues better within the city and sharing intelligence and the force multipliers.” McCrory pointed out what he said are advantages to the partnership: • “The whole concept of this task force is really accomplishing a very common objective that’s important to all law enforcement within our county – to do it as a task force concept.” • “The DPS will reimburse our agency, on a monthly basis, 75 percent of the detective’s payroll expenses. This includes salary, benefits, workers’ comp, Social Security, vacation and sick leave. They will also provide a vehicle and all related equipment for this detective to be a member of the task force and reimburse any travel expenses associated with the task force.” • “They will also allow us to access their intelligence analyst. They can work with the intel analyst that we currently have in our department on better tracking crime syndicates, cartels and gang activity within our county.” • “There will be a force multiplier when it comes to helping our narcotics officers, anything with a gang nexus or a cartel nexus that would bring people into our community, to help work with us, which is a great help for us since we have a smaller narcotics unit.” • “They can also provide us with air resources, and they have the technical assistance that we don’t have available.” • “Their office is actually located within our city and their commander and supervisor are housed out of this

office. That’ll make meetings, plannings, briefings and things like that a lot easier for our people to attend. Our command staff can get involved in some of these intel briefings and strategy sessions.” There are a couple of disadvantages, McCrory pointed out: • “It is a two-year commitment with (a) one-year extension.” • “Realistically, there will be times that our detective will be pulled away from our city to assist in other locations within our county if they have gang issues. Our detective would not be housed in-house, it would be housed outside our agency.” The major part of the partnership, McCrory said, is that, “We plan to add this detective to the GIITEM Task Force. He’s experienced with task force work, having come from the Marshals Service; he’s very good at relaying information to our field troops and to our detectives, so it’s not going to be just somebody carrying around a bunch of knowledge; it’s going to be shared knowledge. We plan on running joint gang and narcotics investigations with them, to be centered out of our city.” He added, “And as a follow up, we worked out with them where our command staff will meet with the GIITEM command staff a minimum of two times a month to review the strategies, to review the pros and cons of activities that we’ve taken on, look at results and plan future operations.” Answering a question from Councilman Ralph Varela on goals, McCrory said, “What we’d like to be able to do is use them as a force multiplier when they’re in our city and they can work with our people so that if we have a lot of activity, when we have calls for service like shots fired, that will draw a lot of our resources…What we’re hoping to use mainly on this is a force multiplier so that we can use their networks and their people to come into our community and help us out with some hot spots.” Capt. Leos told the council that, “Our gang problem is always continuing. If you’re not dealing with

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it and showing them that we’re out there and we’re going to have zero tolerance toward gang activity, it will increase. You’ve seen that with the drive-by shootings…starting to have narcotics issues. We kind of let that go by the side, for lack of manpower, leadership change, so now we need to get on that.” He added, “In ’07, ’08, we were having shootings every weekend, just about.” As Councilman Karl Montoya sees it, “It’s good to see GIITEM get back into town, get refocused to where they are going. I think they kind of got lost with the border portion of that.” He continued, “It’s good to see that they’re already back in town. They’re doing good work and putting a soldier with them is going to only enhance them. We know back from the past, where they’ve helped us with manpower and other accessories that go along with the job. I’m glad to see you guys take the initiative in doing that, because I think that’s what’s kind of missing the last time was having

those monthly meetings and getting more involved at the top to give that direction.” As a result of past anti-gang, anti-drug operations, several people were sent to prison, Montoya said, but “a lot of those people are starting to come out of jail and we’re starting to see a lot of difference. It’s a new policing out there and if we don’t stay on top of it, it’s our own fault. So I’m glad to see this coming back and you guys being proactive with it.” Councilman Matt Herman said he had previously seen a presentation by a police officer where “he put together the whole family tree of gangs in Casa Grande. I hope you guys go to him for some resources, because he took a lot of his own time, I know, and put together this entire report – pretty impressive.” McCrory answered, “He is involved in every strategic plan that we have. Very few people know this city on the crime side and the networks like he does. He is actively involved in every strategic plan that we have.”

Conditional use permit given to adult care center

conditional use permit for a vocational adult care operation at 1729 N. Trekell Road has been approved by the Casa Grande Planning and Zoning Commission. The PPEP-Encompass center, at the northwest corner of Trekell and O’Neil Drive, will handle between 17 to 20 students and patients, the application says, helping teach them “daily living skills, quality of life,

and community integration.” According to the application letter, “PPEP has a longstanding history in the Casa Grande community of providing adult care services to people with developmental disabilities.” The use permit limits occupancy to 30 people, including patients and staff. Any increase would require a new use permit. The site was formally occupied by NextCare, an urgent care facility.

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CG News

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REC CENTER...cont. from page 13 what is inside the building and they’ll be looking at things like exact square footage, looking at materials, constructibility and then be matching that to the budget, too.”

Cafe “We’re still discussing whether or not we actually do a full cafe or if we will be doing more like a vending option, or something like that,” Jankowski said. “But it is something that is very popular with the teens – a way to get food and drinks while they’re at the facility. If we provide that to them, that’s another reason that they will stay there.” He continued, “Based on the feedback, the vending option of food is definitely something that people are wanting in the building, so being able to do it as efficiently as possible is important.” Councilman Dick Powell asked, “With the food, can they take that back to the teen rooms or whatever, with them, or is that something you’d want to eat in the cafe?” Planning hasn’t gone that far, Jankowski answered. “As we get a little bit further, seeing what all we have in there,” he said, “we’ll start looking at wanting probably to keep the food or drink in one area, so that you don’t ruin areas.” Mayor Bob Jackson said, “I love the

idea of having a food vendor in there, because I do think that’s important for all ages, not just the teens. It would be kind of cool if we could figure out with the architect a way to put the food vending adjacent to that teen area. The policy decision is ours over whether we want to have food back there or not, but maybe you could do it in such a way that we’ll let you take food back in your area. Just don’t bring it out in the rest of the facility.” He added, “It would keep it clean back there if you have some adjacency, so you don’t have to walk through the whole facility to get in and out of there.” Jackson said he is aware there have been discussions about a third-party cafe vendor for the center. “I know we do that over at the library and at the airport. Not as successful as we’d like it to be, but I think the community center will be much more active and much more likely to be able to generate enough business that somebody could support themselves off of that, as opposed to us trying to do it ourselves.” Jackson also asked if the cafe would have a prep kitchen, “so if somebody wants to do an event, you can’t prepare the meal there, but you can certainly put it together there.” Jankowski answered, “That 700 square-footage is essentially a craft kitchen where you could do classes, where you could kind of cater a little bit.

It could be a cafe and we’ve got the kitchen you could use for programming.”

Transportation When the surveys were being done, Councilwoman Lisa Fitzgibbons asked, “Did anyone talk about transportation? Were there issues on how they’re going to get there, or are we coordinating something with the schools?” That has been brought up multiple times during discussions and presentations, Jankowski answered. “We’ll be working with the school district. We’ll make sure that we get transportation to that facility,” he continued. “Absolutely, one of the big concerns was that there are teenagers from 13 to 16 and can’t get there (not old enough to drive a car). So, transportation is always something that is going to be necessary to make this facility operate and make sure that we’ve got teens there, (that) they have a way to get there.” Councilman Powell asked if that transportation would be specific to the Boys & Girls Clubs, bringing its members from the elementary schools. Jankowski replied, “I know that the Boys & Girls Clubs currently has transportation to their facility. We also get transportation to Len Colla Recreation Center, as well, so it’s just a conversation we have to have, saying, ‘OK, there’s some buses going to Boys & Girls Club, coming to parks facility.’”

Mayor Jackson said, “I know you’ve talked to the Boys & Girls Clubs to potentially be within that center, and they do have a van, and while I think they’ve got a deal with the elementary school district where the elementary school district will deliver all of their kids to a location, I wonder if they could work with the Boys & Girls Clubs and maybe have their van just at the three high schools (and) figure out a way that maybe that would be part of the rent that they pay to be in the building, (to) help transport some of the kids.”

More on Boys & Girls Clubs “The Boys & Girls Clubs was an important concept that the council wanted us to pursue,” City Manager Larry Rains said. “And at least from a staff’s perspective, we had anticipated that there would be a good opportunity for us to share space, so we have met with them, something similar to focus group meetings, to talk a little bit about what their expectations were regarding entryways, regarding what they wanted to offer – if they wanted to grow their programs, continue to provide their existing services levels, so on and so forth.” He continued, “We met with them again last week with an executive team to talk a little bit more substance. We’re now in discussions trying to better un-

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Public Works Department works to improve traffic flow

here are always complaints to the Public Works Department about traffic signals in Casa Grande, especially at busy intersections. As Traffic Engineer Duane Eitel told the City Council during a recent study session, two of those intersections are Florence Boulevard/Trekell Road and Florence Boulevard/Arizola Road. The main complaint is that more time is needed for left turn arrows. This year’s capital improvements plan calls for designing improvements at both, he said. THE HOLIDAY EDITION

Arizola Road will require additional work, but Trekell/Florence could be just a matter of restriping lanes. Eitel’s presentation covered only Trekell/Florence. He made clear that, at this time, it is only a concept. The city will issue a contract request for a professional traffic flow designer to do the final plan for that intersection and for Arizola/Florence. “The predominant traffic flow at Trekell and Florence is going southbound, either turning right or they’re turning left,” Eitel said. “There’s more right and left turns than there are

through traffic. So we thought, ‘Well, maybe could do away with one of those through lanes, make that a left turn lane and fit everything in there and have dual lefts – one lane southbound right, one lane northbound.’ Up by Cal Ranch intersection we would taper back into the four lanes, with the twoway left turn lanes.” He added, “Traffic capacity-wise, we don’t need two lanes going through south of Trekell.” That left the question of how to match up Trekell south of Florence, Eitel continued, “because you want the

through lane to match –not necessarily go into two through lanes. Well, with that thought we revised what is called a ‘road diet,’ where you take a straight four-lane with no left turn lanes, no right turns lane and change it into one lane southbound and one lane northbound and a left turn lane in the middle and then we would put bike lanes on the outside edge.” That would extend south on Trekell to about the elementary school, Eitel said.

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LEGAL

NEW ARIZONA LAW HELPS AVOID EMPLOYEE MISCLASSIFICATION by Tina Vannucci & Denis Fitzgibbons, Fitzgibbons Law Offices

any A rizona businesses struggle with determining whether to classify some of their workers as employees or independent contractors. Making the right determination is important, as a misclassification can incur costly penalties and liabilities for failure to pay overtime wages and employment taxes and to provide workers compensation and other employment benefits. To help employers avoid employee misclassification, a state law now in effect allows many companies, under certain conditions, to substantiate a proper independent contractor relationship by asking their contractors for a “Declaration of Independent Business Status.” A signed Declaration creates a “rebuttable presumption” of an independent contractor relationship. The law’s intent is that, if there is a dispute as to whether an independent contractor relationship exists, the burden is on the objecting party to show that it does not. REPRESENTATIONS A valid Declaration must be signed and dated by the independent contractor and represent that the contractor: • Operates an independent business • Is not an employee and is not entitled to any rights arising from an employment relationship • Is responsible for all taxes associated with payment under the contract • Will maintain any necessary registrations, licenses or authorizations to perform services. Also, the Declaration must affirm at least six of the following conditions: • The contractor is not insured under the contracting party’s insurance coverage; is authorized

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to accept work from others; has the right to accept or decline requests for services from the contracting party; is not economically dependent on the contracting party; is paid based on the work contracted for and not based on a regular salary or minimum regular payment; is responsible for maintaining all necessary tools and equipment and is responsible for all expenses incurred in performing the services. • The contracting party expects the contractor to provide services for others; will not dictate the contractor’s performance, methods or processes; and has the right to impose quality standards and deadlines but not to control the days and time periods worked. The new law does not require employers to enter into a Declaration with their independent contractors, and the absence of a Declaration cannot be used to deny that an independent contractor relationship exists. If a Declaration is signed, it will be effective only if the parties’ actions toward each other are consistent with the Declaration’s provisions. Limitations: Neither the new law nor a signed Declaration is binding on federal agencies, such as the IRS or the U.S. Department of Labor. Also, a signed Declaration does not guarantee that a court will agree that the relationship is that of an independent contractor. Finally, the new law does not apply to general contractors and subcontractors unless they are entering into a Declaration with someone whose work does not require them to be licensed by the Arizona Registrar of Contractors. For assistance in working through the classification of employees and independent contractors, contact Fitzgibbons Law Offices (520-426-3824). THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

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LOCAL BUSINESS

HAPPY SMALL BUSINESS HOLIDAYS Can a small retailer survive realizing half of its annual revenue in Q4? by Jim Rhodes, Business Advocate In the digital age, it is a challenge for the entrepreneur to maintain an effective exposure to rapid changes in the area of social media.

erhaps the title for this piece should actually begin "Can a small retailer actually earn half of its revenues in Q4?" An old retail business adage suggests that they earn 50 percent of their revenues in the fourth quarter of the business year. Since this performance characteristic became popular, we have numerous new business models. Some of these new models mitigate issues that used to make retail profitability more challenging. Highly efficient shipping and delivery firms such as UPS and FedEx allow consumers to seamlessly participate in distribution. Computer-driven performance data is available through dashboards to support a specific focus on the most profitable methods of consumer research, purchasing, merchandising/marketing, sales, distribution, and collecting revenues from customers. Consumer research data is now available to even the smallest entrepreneurs. The data can be sliced and diced to make participating small businesses play larger than they are. Technology has provided new definitions for the business food chain. No longer do the big eat the small. Instead the fast eat the slow. One of the most devastating weaknesses in current management practice is procrastination. Knowing what should probably be done and standing frozen in time leads to almost certain revenue loss and perhaps failure for business owners. Worldwide purchasing power is available to businesses of all sizes via technology, trade agreements, and financial/banking agreements. The purchasing piece is not without its challenges. Loss and damage sometimes occur even under optimal conditions. Exposure to new products is accomplished through international buying trips, local product meetings and pur-

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chasing roundtables. In this way, businesses of all sizes can participate in the purchasing process. Those small businesses that outsource merchandising and marketing often turn to local firms. In fact, marketing is a common activity for a hometown new business startup. In the digital age, it is a challenge for the entrepreneur to maintain an effective exposure to rapid changes in the area of social media. Thus, there is an opportunity for social media specialists to step in and make a small business look and act like a larger one. Difficult for the small business owner to master is the process of selling. I say “process” rather than “act,” because we know from our research that selling often involves a relationship. A very small business may not have financial support, or even a need for a full-time sales force. Selling may be a piece of the relationship that a potential client has with a business owner. An example may be doing business with the startup marketing firm. The owner of the startup may do the prospecting, the initial customer contact, the data collection for the required analysis and create the actual proposal to the customer to support a contract. In larger marketing firms, each of these activities may be the responsibility of an individual or even an entire department. The desired result will be the same – the sale of a product or service. Successful selling may be characterized by axioms that work for a variety of businesses or products. Keep in mind that we are retailing, rather

than engaging in long-term relationship-building and product development to address specific problems. A couple of sayings have guided my own successful sales career. The first, I found on a yellowed wrinkled scrap of note paper on the bulletin board of an inner-city printing company in Detroit. It said, "If the customer likes the salesperson, he or she will make the product and the price fit.” The second morsel was, "We do not sell our product or service, rather we sell the problem that our product or service will address." As you recall, we entrust our distribution, in most cases, to specialists to provide packaging, pickup, tracking and delivery. Important to remember is the fact that no matter how glitzy, automated and efficient a shipper may appear, the reputation of the shipping business is built on the face and the demeanor of the human being doing the “last mile” delivery. How important is collecting revenue? Studies by major banks revealed that the majority of small businesses that fail each year do so with a book of receivables that, if collected, would have provided the funds to continue operations. If money earned is not collected, none of the other work described above makes any difference. Starting and successfully operating a small business is tough. Squeezing half of the annual financial success into Q4 for a small retail operation is really tough. So during this Holiday Season love your local small business owner and know what they face every day.

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HEALTH

TAX CREDITS

Doing good for others (while also helping yourself)

by Renée Louzon-Benn, Director of Community Outreach, Sun Life Family Health Center, Inc.

id you know that Arizona tax law provides a credit for taxpayers who make contributions to qualifying charitable organizations? Did you know that you could be making contributions to organizations like Sun Life Family Health Center, while also reducing your state tax liability? According to the Arizona Department of Revenue (AZDOR), taxpayers filing as “single” and “head of household” status may claim a maximum credit of $400. Taxpayers filing as “married filing separate” may claim a maximum credit of $400. Taxpayers who file as “married filing jointly” may claim a maximum credit of $800.

Tax Deduction & Tax Credit – What’s the difference? According to the IRS, tax credits and tax deductions can help reduce your overall income tax liability. While you might want to take advantage of as many of these as possible, it’s important to know that tax deductions and tax credits are not the same thing. Tax deductions lower your taxable income and they are equal to the percentage of your marginal tax bracket. For instance, if you are in the 25 percent tax bracket, an $800 deduction saves you $200 in tax (0.25 x $800 = $200). On the other hand, tax credits can help reduce your tax liability dollar-for-dollar. However, they cannot reduce your income tax liability to less than zero. In other words, your gross income tax liability is the amount you are responsible for paying before any credits are applied. This means that an $800 tax credit saves you $800 in taxes. A tax credit is always worth more than a dollar-equivalent tax deduction, because deductions are calculated using percentages. To get a better idea of how tax credits work and whether or not you qualify, you need to know what is available to taxpayers in your situation — such as your filing status, age, employment and education. It is important to remember that just because you qualify for one type of tax credit does not mean that you qualify for the rest (IRS.gov). Talk to your tax preparer to see if you qualify and might want to take advantage of the tax credit for charita-

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ble organizations. A Qualifying Charitable Organization is a charity that that meets ALL of the following provisions: • Is exempt from federal income taxes under Section a 501(c)(3) or is a designated community action agency that receives community services block grant program monies pursuant to 42 United States Code Section 9901. • Provide services that meet immediate basic needs. • Serves Arizona residents who receive temporary assistance for needy families (TANF) benefits, are low income residents whose household income is less than 150 percent of the federal poverty level, or are chronically ill or physically disabled children. • Spends at least 50 percent of its budget on qualified services to qualified Arizona residents. • Affirms that it will continue spending at least 50 percent of its budget on qualified services to qualified Arizona residents. A charity must apply for and meet all requirements of the law to be considered as a Qualifying Charitable Organization. Approved charities’ names are listed on the Arizona Department of Revenue’s website.

Now that I know more about the tax credit, how am I doing good for others? At nonprofit organizations like Sun Life Family Health Center, every dollar counts. Health centers face the same financial pressures private health care practices experience. Health centers often offer preventative programs for their patients that are not fully reimbursed by insurance, such as diabetes education, integrated oral health, integrated behavioral health and integrated clinical pharmacy services. When you make a donation to Sun Life, you’re helping take care of your neighbors and improve the health of your community. Healthy communities are prosperous communities. By making a donation to a charitable organization, like Sun Life, you are choosing where your tax dollars go and helping to impact your community.

So this year, please do good, feel good and help yourself. To learn more about the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit https://www.azdor.gov/About/FAQs/ CharitableTaxCredit.aspx To learn more about Sun Life Family Health Center, or to make an online donation, visit www. sunlifefamilyhealth.org.

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Excellence in Health, Wellness and Education

Help us continue the mission we started in Pinal County 40 years ago of bringing health, wellness and education to the community. With your donation, we can continue to improve the health and wellness of your family, your neighbors and your community.

To mail your donation in

please include this form and send it to Sun Life Family Health Center, Attention: Community Outreach, 865 N. Arizola Rd. Case Grande, AZ 85122

Sun Life EIN: 86-0296211

Do Good. Get Credit. When you support Sun Life! Name ____________________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________ City ______________________________________________________________ State _______________________ Zip Code ______________________________ Email ___________________________________Phone ____________________

Hurry, donations made can give you a dollar for dollar

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The LIVING Interview (continued) continued from page 23... ed right in front of you - a beneficent act of largesse unprecedented in your lifetime - all you can do is think of more and more inane questions to satisfy your own ignorant craving for flat, dead words masquerading as facts, as if those ever would or could aid you in your ignorant thus interminable quest for what you and your species refer to as “truth”. GC LIVING: HUH? SANTA CLAUS: The worst of it is that you don’t have any inkling that the drama of Santa is playing out around you, for you and YOU alone, in this exact NOW. GC LIVING: Sorry. I think. But what about all of the questions? SANTA CLAUS: What questions? GC LIVING: All of the questions the World wants answers to, like: How did you get here today? China’s role as an emerging hegemon? The commercialization of Christmas? Other yuletide traditions? How do you get down the chimney of an igloo? What about the children who happen to be on boats on Christmas eve? Or airplanes? What about the bad boys and girls? Do they really not get anything? In our society today, seems to me that there are rewards for any and every behavior? Is a perfect illusion still an illusion? What about Jesus? Do you and He speak often? Mohammed? Buddha? Did you know them? Do you still? Do they live at Santa’s Village? Or do they just visit? Does Santa’s Village have guest quarters? Do the Elves know them? Who does the dishes? Do our modern flights over the North Pole disrupt your solitude? What about submarines under the North Pole? Do you hibernate? Your reindeer? Obviously you have stand-ins for your appearances at malls and such, right? What question(s) do you get asked the most? Do all dogs go to Heaven? Where is Heaven, exactly? Did you know Methusaleh? Ibn Batutta? Do Gandhi and Lord Mountbatten get along yet? How many acres are there in Santa’s Village? Is there really such a thing as the Polar Express? Are the Elves unionized? Does the North Pole have a Mayor? Do you believe in God? Are there children on other planets? Other Santa's? Do you

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have any brothers or sisters? How many languages do you speak? Did you graduate from high school? Are there cars at the North Pole? Are your parents still alive? Was Mrs. Claus your high school sweetheart? Have you ever told a lie? What is your favorite color? Do you prefer McDonalds or Burger King? Why are the French so … well, you know, fruity? Why don’t the Germans control the entire universe? How many universes are there, really? Does your portfolio include T-bills? Are there ATMs at the North Pole? Why are there so many species of insects? Do you pray? When you pray, do you get on your knees? Have you had replacements? Do you ever get sick? Do you have diabetes? Obamacare? NHS? Why are progressives so obstinately regressive? Have you ever seen a UFO? Why are there no spaceports in Africa? Why do some children die in infancy? Why do religions make war against each other? What is your favorite Holiday? Do you go to church? Do you have Mondays at the North Pole? Have you ever taken an IQ test? Does FedEx deliver to the North Pole? What does God think of us humans at the moment? How did you deliver toys before sleighs were invented? How long does it take to train a reindeer to fly? What do they eat? Are quantum mechanics and relativity unified at the North Pole? Are dolphins really that smart? Did the mafia have Kennedy killed? Is the Bermuda Triangle really a secret Tibetan undersea Naval base? Will Craig McFarland make a good Mayor? What happened to MH370? What happened to Amelia Earhart? Did Moses really part the Red Sea? SANTA CLAUS: Excuse me!! Hey - excuse me, please, hang on a sec here. What is the point of all these questions? GC LIVING: Well, Santa, this is an interview. An interview is an arrangement whereby the interviewer (me) asks the interviewee (you) questions, answers to which you give, for the benefit of an audience, in this case our readers. SANTA CLAUS: I know what an interview is. What I want to know is how you and your readers can possibly hope to benefit from my simple yet deeply and starkly truthful answers to your silly questions.

GC LIVING: … well … er, uh … SANTA CLAUS: Yes, I thought so. Now I have a few final questions for you. #1: How many fish does eleventy-nine purple quake? #2: Are any of your many questions more important than mine? GC LIVING: But … SANTA CLAUS: Thank you for this exceptional opportunity to clear things up. Mrs. Claus - shall we be leaving? GC LIVING: Wait, wait! You can’t leave like this! SANTA CLAUS: Ho ho ho! GC LIVING: We have some questions actually asked by kids - would you mind spending a few more minutes, answering their questions? SANTA CLAUS: Ho ho... OK. GC LIVING: What is your middle name? SANTA CLAUS: Nick GC LIVING: What is your last name? SANTA CLAUS: Claus GC LIVING: How did you get your beard? SANTA CLAUS: It grew, I never shaved it. GC LIVING: Can you teach me magic? SANTA CLAUS: No GC LIVING: Where did you grow up? SANTA CLAUS: The North Pole GC LIVING: What is your mother's name? SANTA CLAUS: Mother GC LIVING: What is your chief elf's name? SANTA CLAUS: Bernard GC LIVING: How old are you? SANTA CLAUS: I never tell! GC LIVING: What is your favorite type of cookie? SANTA CLAUS: Chocolate Chip GC LIVING: Did you ever ice-skate? SANTA CLAUS: I tried but wasn't very good at it GC LIVING: Do you overheat at night? SANTA CLAUS: YES! It's hard work. GC LIVING: So how do you stay cool? SANTA CLAUS: I live at the North Pole. GC LIVING: Thank you, Santa. This session has got me thinking about the true meaning of Christmas, and the spirit of Santa. SANTA CLAUS: Oh, stop it. There you go again: thinking! Just turn off your brain and live from your heart. Don’t analyze Santa - feel me! Be silent for a change; let the real joy of existence - magic and miracles - settle into your own spirit. And now we must be going … wink, wink, poof! 

THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

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LOCAL BUSINESS

IT’S A GLOBAL ECONOMY Working together to develop Arizona-Mexico trade – opportunity is just across the border by Shea Nieto, Regional President, Foothills Bank & Evelyn Casuga, Economic/Community Development Advisor, Access Arizona

exico is Arizona’s largest trade partner with almost $17 billion worth of goods traded between the two. In 2015, Arizona exports of goods to Mexico totaled $9.2 billion. Working together, we can create additional economic opportunities on both sides of the border – and that includes right here in Pinal County. At the Arizona Town Hall in Tucson in April, trade with Mexico was the focus of the discussion among more than 120 representatives from a variety of industries, governments and organizations around the state. We learned that we all too often underestimate the Mexican economy. In fact, Mexico’s economy is the 15th largest in the world and is projected to become the 6th largest by 2050. Part of that is due to the fact that Mexico has the fastest growing middle class in the world and has seen its per capita gross national product dramatically increase from $3,500 to over $10,000. Arizona-Mexico has become a super region competing in a global marketplace that creates significant job growth on both sides of the border. We are leveraging our resources across the border to effectively compete with China, South Korea and the world by teaming to combine research and development, design, development and assembly. As labor and transportation costs have increased, doing business in China has become less attractive, making near-shoring in Mexico a very competitive option and increasing opportunities for U.S. businesses – especially here in Arizona – to become part of that supply chain. Economic reforms in Mexico are also strengthening our ties, including creating new opportunities for U.S. investment as demonstrated by expansion in the Mexican energy sector. We are seeing significant growth in the electronics, aerospace, mining, automotive and agricultural sectors.

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There is potential for growth to Pinal County’s bottom line. Still, enhancing trade will require an investment. Based on the Town Hall’s recommendations, we need to look for ways to improve border-crossing efficiencies including eliminating redundant commercial stops wherever possible. Better utilization of existing ports of entry is needed, including improving how commercial traffic can be separated from other vehicles at ports of entry. Reliable, secure, high-speed cross-border broadband infrastructure is also critical to expanding Arizona-Mexican business partnerships and trade, and could even be used to make border crossings more efficient, enable the monitoring of wait times and facilitate better management of our ports of entry. Tourism and hospitality are also growth opportunities for the Arizona economy, and we know there are attractions right here in Pinal County. The Maricopa Association of Governments, the Intertribal Council of Arizona and the city of Nogales have proposed expanding the existing border zone from its current 75-mile limit for visitors from Mexico who have border-crossing cards to include the entire state. This move would benefit our region and increase tourism in northern Arizona, making it easier for customers from Mexico to shop throughout the state. A better understanding of our neighbors to the south was also noted as a critical need. We should encourage the awareness of Mex-

ican history as part of Arizona history, which could contribute to bringing our peoples closer together. We could also consider a world trade center that would provide understanding and awareness of multiple cultures, encourage exporting, and offer assistance and training. Remember the saying – you tend to do business with the people you know? Well, let’s get to know our neighbors better. The recommendations suggest Arizona's leaders need to develop and communicate a clear, comprehensive, and compelling vision of what our border region can become and how the entire state can benefit from trade with Mexico. We need a prioritized plan to achieve that vision, including the development of a skilled Arizona workforce, who can meet the needs of this growing economic opportunity as well as infrastructure and investment from both public and private sources. We need to consistently demonstrate that Arizona is open for business and that our political, business and educational leaders are working together to create highly desirable outcomes in our region. Shea Nieto, Regional President, Foothills Bank and Evelyn Casuga, Sr. Advisor-Community Relations, Central Arizona College serve as Board members for Access Arizona. Shea participated in the 108th Arizona Town Hall on Arizona/Mexico and Evelyn volunteers with the organization. For the complete recommendation report, go to www. aztownhall.org.

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Helping you build your business in PINAL COUNTY, ARIZONA

developable land

easy access to air, highway and railway

great place to live

accessarizona.org

Connect with us.

Call 520-836-6868 or email info@accessarizona.org

THE HOLIDAY EDITION

HOL IDAY 20 16 GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

EDUCATION

RELEVANCE: HOW IS RELEVANCE, RELEVANT TO YOU? by Kevin J. Fort, MBA, Center Director, Central Arizona College Small Business Development Center (SBDC)

n my daily interactions with the businesses and business owners I work with, I often find myself addressing the topic of relevance. The daily whirlwind of chaos that consumes the majority of our time leaves little room to properly address this subject. Often times, when a business realizes the necessity of evaluating relevance, it is from a reactive stance rather than a proactive stance. Businesses can expend vast amounts of resources trying to attract and retain sales that will drive profitability. Experience has taught me that understanding cash flow and how it differs from profitability is a relevant topic that invokes fear and is therefore ignored. Even the concept that sales and profitability are different is relevant and avoided. Current market conditions as well as local, national, and international economics; local, national, and international politics; and ecological factors all influence decisions we make in our lives as consumers, business owners and members of society. Yet, so many distractions are purposely put in front of us to distort the relevance of these issues in our lives.

So how is relevance, relevant to you?

For me, the process of relevance begins by looking at the SBDC center through the eyes of our clients. Those of you that are clients have likely heard me mention at some point that it will benefit you to look at your business through the eyes of your

customers. Business owners, and especially those who consider themselves to be entrepreneurs, often pride themselves on being great innovators. They bring “world changing” ideas and vision to the table but often fail to view that innovation through the eyes of their customers. Henry Ford once said, (it is arguable that he actually said it, but his actions tend to imply that his thought process leaned toward it) “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have told me a faster horse” and “you can have it in any color, so long as it’s

GOLDEN GOLDENCORRID CORRID OR ORLILI VV ING INGHOL HOL IDAY IDAY202016 16

black.” Steve Jobs had a similar approach, insisting that customer feedback would hinder innovation because customers themselves don’t know what they want. This idea can be a topic in and of itself. The point I wish to make here is that whether you are a leading edge tech company, a traditional retailer on Main Street, an automotive manufacturer or a homebased business, your relevance begins by solving a customer’s problem(s). At the end of the day, the customer must be willing to sit across the desk and write a

check (so-to-speak) for a product or service that solves a problem. When business owners look at their businesses through the eyes of the customer, they are actively engaging in the process of relevance. Asking what makes you relevant to your customers doesn’t have to impede innovation. It doesn’t have to mean that you only deliver what customers are specifically asking for. It simply means that you consider all factors that affect what is relevant to your customers and you make that relevance relevant to you.

THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

Community Events

Arts • Entertainment • Theater • Music • Drama & More Tony Ke nny’s Sat., De Irish Holiday c. 10 , 2 016

y Music Countr 6 f o s d n 201 Lege ov. 30, N ., d e W

Come Back Buddy Thurs., Feb. 16, 2017

Dave Stamey, Cowboy Entertainer Fri., Feb. 24, 2017

New Shanghai Circus Wed., Jan. 25, 2017

www.EventsAtCAC.com or Call for the 2016-17 Season Brochure: 520-477-SHOW

CASA GRANDE FAMILY DENTISTRY “We cater to cowards”

• Crowns & Bridges • Restorative Dentistry • Root Canal Therapy • Teeth Whitening • Extractions • Full & Partial Dentures CASA CASA GRANDE GRANDE FAMILY FAMILY DENTISTRY DENTISTRY

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$ $ FREE OFF 200 49 EXAM, 2NDFREE ZOOM WHITENING ANY MAJOR TREATMENT XRAYS & CLEANING OPINION ZOOM WHITENING ANY MAJOR TREATMENT Restrictions apply. Call for details GOLDEN CORRIDOR LIVING SMART SHOPPER

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smiles@casagrandefamilydentistry.com www.casagrandefamilydentistry.com THE HOLIDAY EDITION

• Same Day Crowns • Periodontal Therapy • Implants • Denture Lab on Site • Same Day Repairs

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Daryl B. Potyczka, D.D.S. Tri-Valley Plaza 1355 E. Florence Blvd., Ste 107 Casa Grande, AZ 85122

HOL IDAY 20 16 GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

CG News

CONTINUED… square feet of office space would be in the building and where it would be located. Jankowski answered, “We don’t know where that would be; we haven’t done anything design wise. Kind of ballparking it, if we’re talking about office space not only for us but for the Boys & Girls Clubs having some administrative space, as well, we’re looking at somewhere between 2,500 to 3,000 square feet for office space.”

Patio area

REC CENTER...cont. from page 29 derstand numbers that they’re looking at, space that they’re looking at, programming that they may be looking at.” Rains added, “I know it’s been several years ago, but their original proposal talked about the potential of them taking over some of the programming and alleviating that from the city’s perspective, as well, and the cost saving to us. So, the dialogue continued, I thought it was a very fruitful dialogue and ultimately what I envision the next steps to be is really better understanding from their perspective of the space that they’re going to need just for themselves. The second would be space that we would need, where perhaps we would have some kind of programming in the morning, they would have something in the afternoon.” He continued, “One of their biggest challenges, as everyone knows, is the space that they need to provide their summer services. During the school year, it’s very easy for them to set up at a specific campus. I know that they’ve got two now, along with this site, but during the summer those campuses close. That’s the ongoing dialogue, so with that basis in mind I envision that we’ll be finalizing that here in the next couple of weeks with them and really then get into the major work on the

schematic design. One of the things that we dealing with is landing on specific square footage. A 56,000-square-foot building, based on the programming need and the outreach, I can tell you that our $16 million budget would not accommodate something that size. So what we’re looking at now is trying to pare that back, continue to build that flexible space – one that will allow us to achieve the amenities that our community is expecting.”

Hours of operation Councilman Karl Montoya asked if there have been discussions on hours of operation and how programming would flow. Jankowski responded, “I don’t believe we discussed specific hours. I know we’ve thrown around from 92 to 96 hours a week. Nailing down those times, that’s really something that we need to do. But the other part of it, those are the hours open to the public.” He continued, “We’d like have the ability to have some of the after-hour things, rentals or lock-ins or special events and things like that, where can we provide even more programming and specific activities that are going to be something a little bit outside the usual.”

Office space

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Councilman Powell asked how many

“The patio space, I’m thinking a multi-use place,” Councilman Herman said. “Most of the year, we can use a lot of patio space and it’s not as expensive as indoor space. A multipurpose area where the Boys & Girls Clubs could use it, people could rent it out and have parties. Nine months out of the year, it would be a great place to have stuff. Is that going to be included in this plan?” Jankowski said there have been discussions on patio space, “because it’s exactly like you’re talking about, possibly doing rentals and things like that. That would be something that is definitely desirable.” He added, “Right now, everything that we focused on is going to be inside of the building, when it comes to all the programming and things like that.”

Flexibility Councilman Ralph Varela asked if the final building design will be flexible enough to meet future needs, given that needs and public desires change over time. Burke answered that the idea has been to design the larger rooms for flexibility, using moveable walls and other solutions. “It’s going to have some ultimate limitations, but we do want to have this last a very long time, for generations,” he said.

Fitness area Councilman Powell had been heavily critical of the initial plans for a fitness area of 5,000 square feet, saying the size of it would compete with private fitness companies in the city. “I brought up in discussions that we

could have it but not have it so big it was going to compete,” he said, adding that, “I think you guys did a great job at 3,500 square feet, because that gives certainly enough room for it and it’s not going to put anybody out of business. It’s going to be noncompetitive, really, with the others here in town. I compliment you on that.”

Next step Mayor Jackson asked if the next step is to bring back essentially a construction contract with a guaranteed maximum price. Rains responded that, “Our vision has been a community place and I think we’re going to be able to achieve that. We’d be looking at somewhere between a 45,000-square-foot to 50,000-square-foot facility when we’re all said and done, something that would fit within that $16 million budget parameters, and yet still building a quality facility.” Still being worked on with designers is improvements to Peart Road at the center and other work on the property. After this briefing to the council, Rains continued, “We envision moving forward with what I would consider to be the first phase of that schematic design here very quickly. And at that point in time, we’ll be able to come back to the mayor and council, through either updates in a special meeting, just for additional information, to let you know what we’ve landed on from the square footage perspective, let you know a little bit of kind of what the building’s going to look like, how we’re going to actually coexist with the various individuals and whatnot.” He added, “I would say we’re probably five to seven months out before we come back with a guaranteed maximum price. At that point in time, what we would be coming back for is approval for the construction team to commence construction. And obviously, we’re working around that $16 million budget. I’m setting the expectation now – it’s probably close to that, give or take – but really from that point we would begin construction, likely 12 months.” THE HOLIDAY EDITION

CG News

CONTINUED…

STREET, PARK OPTIONS...cont. from page 13 complicated as this, but it would be kind of pointless. We’re looking for much more than that – to be able to support much more future development than simply PhoenixMart or even the east area.” Councilwoman Lisa Fitzgibbons asked if it is common that sewer lines need to be expanded, adding, “How are we here?” McKeon said, “Well, I think the nature of development is you can master plan. We have a number of master plans (and) we’ve had many over the years that show you ultimately this is what you need. But you’re a small community, you can’t afford a 60-inch diameter, 12-mile-long sewer that’s going to sit there for 40, 50 years, so you develop interim solutions, sizing that fits the need.” City Manager Jim Thompson said that about 10 years ago, before the TransWestern gas line came through the community, the city talked about putting a sewer line along the north branch of the Santa Cruz to help service the area, plus talked about going to Rodeo Road to catch everything from the north. “Eventually, they all ended up on Kortsen, because that’s where the

TRAFFIC FLOW...cont. from page 29 “Now, what this does — it may sound odd — is the capacity actually goes up in an area like this where there’s a lot of left turns versus a straight four-lane,” he continued. “What happens in a straight four-lane if you’re driving in the through lane going south, somebody in front of you decides they want to turn left, you have to slow down and, quite often, somebody maybe makes the decision, well, I’ll just zip over to the right turn lane and go around them. Maybe somebody’s already there; they get over to the right turn lane and somebody decides to turn right and have to slow down there, (then) they zip back over to the left.” THE HOLIDAY EDITION

(treatment) plant is located,” Thompson continued. That plant would eventually handle 50 million gallons of sewage a day, Thompson said, noting the city has acquired additional land for expansion. “We know eventually Kortsen’s going to have to service a lot or we have to come from different directions,” he continued. “We’ve looked at different alternatives but we’ve never sat down and done a master plan to really give us all the numbers and all the information. We’ve talked about alternative lines; we’ve talked about picking some additional up south of it down on Casa Grande Avenue and other locations and bringing it closer to the plant, then putting it back into Kortsen, but we’ve never sat down and talked about the final portion on this side of the interstate.” On the east side of Interstate 10, Thompson said, “We’ve designed the entire system through the master plan and then in relationship with our partnership with PhoenixMart where they’re going to pay for that portion of the engineering, which they have done. But on this west side we know that we needed some additional alternatives.” He continued, “So I think right now the biggest issue for us over the history of it is to find out what of those

alternatives is the best.” A major challenge for upsizing the Kortsen lines, Thompson said, “is that Kortsen is so heavily used and we have multiple schools now located off that roadway and when you put a major sewer line into Kortsen you start tearing up the road. That’s why we looked at the north branch of the Santa Cruz back then, but that was somewhat inefficient and then when TransWestern came in and took some of that area that we would have otherwise used, we talked about concerns over if we do have a large (flood) event how much of the soil is going to be scoured away, will it expose pipes? There are other concerns. So then we started talking about Rodeo. We pick up almost everything from the north if we put a larger lateral down Rodeo and then drop into the plant that way, as well.” He added, “That’s where we kind of gravitated towards over the years, but now we want to really know what’s the best alternative (and) what the costs are associated with that. But we have been talking about it for 10 years, so it isn’t something that we’ve ignored, it’s just a matter of this is a sewer project, so whenever we go to spend money it impacts rates. And we know our concerns over the rates over the years, we’ve tried (to be) as frugal as we can,

and as Terry’s mentioned we found other ways to divert flows, to do other things, but now we’re to the point that we need to start doing something and move the project forward, so that’s why we’re here this evening.” Mayor Bob Jackson said the situation is similar to the southwest area of the city, where the Burris Road sewer line was upgraded to handle more flow from the industrial area. Councilwoman Mary Kortsen said, “I like the timing on this because my concern has been that we have that Kortsen interchange (on I-10) coming up, we’re trying to encourage Arizona Department of Transportation to come in and expand and add those lanes in there. I’d like to have this in place and done before they come in to do it because I think it’s going to be cheaper than them putting everything in and then us trying to dig under. So the timing, I believe, is just critical in that area in addition to capacity.” McKeon replied, “Just to note, as Jim mentioned, the city’s east area sewer expansion project, which is currently under design and that PhoenixMart is actually paying for, goes from the west side of I-10 all the way over toward PhoenixMart. That project actually accommodates the footprint of that overpass.”

That can often lead to accidents. “There’s been a lot of research on this, that a three-lane design, where there are a lot of left turns, there are somewhere between 20 to 40 percent less crashes than a straight four. And the capacity goes up. The capacity of a three-lane design can be anywhere from 10,000 to 20,000 cars a day, and on Trekell Road south of Florence we have 4,800 cars a day,” Eitel said. “In this case, it would be more bicycle and pedestrian friendly, because we would have the bike lane on the outside edge, and instead of having to across four lanes now, you only have to cross three as you’re walking.

taper out of the existing four-lane, left turn lanes, still keeping a left turn at C-A-L Ranch driveway and then we start dropping the lanes right after that, so from there we go into the dual lefts, one lane southbound, one lane northbound,” Eitel said.“The traffic north of Florence is higher than the traffic south of Florence. The traffic continually builds as you’re up to Cottonwood.” Mayor Bob Jackson pointed out that under the present configuration northbound drivers try to make left turns into Pinal County Federal Credit Union. “Is that going to be a movement that you no longer allow?” he asked. That needs more study, Eitel responded, adding, “The two move-

ments I wish we didn’t have there are both that one and the one going into C-A-L Ranch. They both cause a lot of issues there.” Jackson said that several years ago, McMurray Boulevard was changed from a straight four-lane to three lanes – one in each direction and a turning lane in the center. “I think the thing that we didn’t anticipate very well was the right turn volume,” he continued. “And I’m guessing there’s a fair amount of traffic southbound at that intersection (Trekell-Florence) and with this configuration now, everybody’s going to have to stop. The first guy in line wants to go straight; (the) next five people

How it would work “North of C-A-L Ranch is where we

continued on page 50...

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Out & About Happy Halloween!

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING HOL IDAY 20 16

THE HOLIDAY EDITION

Health • Wealth • Education

THE HOLIDAY EDITION

HOL IDAY 20 16 GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

More...

Out & About Exciting events and striking scenery in Pinal County

If you would like to contribute images of area events, people, pets and scenery, please post on our Facebook page or email to: editor@roxco.com BOYS & GIRLS CLUB SOCCER

PHOTO BY: JOHANNA MONTIJO

ELAINE EARLE

PHOTO BY: BRANDI BAIN-CLARK

PHOTO BY: DEBORAH MCEVOY

PHOENIX MART

DOLLY LOVING HANDS QUILTERS OF CG

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CONTINUED…

Rezoning discussions resume then hit pause again

s Shakespeare had Lysander say in “A Midsummer Night’s Dream,” “The course of true love never did run smooth.” Neither does city planning. A developer wants one thing; the city wants another; the neighbors many times are not sure what they want, but it’s certainly not that and the City Council has its own ideas. In this case, it’s some west side property south of Cottonwood Lane in the Shultz and Lewis streets area, west of The Cottonwoods development. The request was hashed out during the Sept. 6 council meeting. No one from the public spoke and the matter was tabled indefinitely. The developer, Gino Tarantini of Scottsdale, had approached the city with yet another plan to rezone the area – something that happened off and on over the past 30 years. This time, the developer wanted zoning changed to multifamily north of The Cottonwoods, a business/commercial area west of Lewis just below Cottonwood

and a heavy industrial area west of Lewis/ Shultz. That began about a year’s worth of discussions, negotiations and views from neighbors. “Although we were receptive to the reasoning for changing the zoning, we weren’t clear on whether or not the proposal was a good one or not,” Planning and Development Director Paul Tice told the council as the rezoning requests came before it during the last meeting. “We did hold a neighborhood meeting to talk about it. It was lightly attended, but the folks who showed up participated and expressed to us what concerns they had — noise, lighting and visual appearance, the traffic on Lewis street, negative impact on quality of life. We also did receive a petition at that time…that had been circulated to the neighborhood opposing the proposed rezoning and under the same reasons.” The city planning staff then began discussions with the applicant’s representatives, Tice said, “and suggested that a revision to the proposal would

TRAFFIC FLOW...cont. from page 43

can put in the right turn lane. That was the original idea with the RFQs we’re going to put out for the two intersections. (We are) kind of wanting to get everybody’s thoughts tonight.” Councilman Matt Herman said one of his concerns about the Florence/ Trekell concept is “you have these two southbound lanes coming up and then right at Eighth Street it just goes down to one straight south and then the left turn to east. How do you transition that? I see you can get to the left turn lane from the inside southbound lane, but you still have that lane continuing and it just kind of funnels. I’m just afraid people are going to go and then have to make a quick decision.” Eitel responded, “On the pavement we would say, ‘through traffic merge right.’ We’d have signs up. And there

want to turn right, so you’re going to stop that whole queue of cars. Am I understanding that correctly?” That will happen, Eitel said. Jackson continued, “The flip side of that is, first guy in line wants to turn right and there’s a pedestrian in there, so you have to wait for that pedestrian to clear. I know you can’t solve every problem, but have we thought about trying to see if we can get some right of way from the bank for a right turn lane?” Eitel responded, “We actually have the right of way available to put a right turn lane in there. We could do that. This concept would be the most inexpensive way to do this, but when the bank was developed, we got the right of way. These are just some concepts. We

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be appropriate and it also would be appropriate to develop some customized development standards, that would go along with the zoning, (which was) intended to address these concerns raised by the neighborhood and make sure that whatever future development happened here was compatible and did not have an adverse impact on the existing Cottonwoods residential.” What resulted, Tice continued, was sort of a hybrid industrial I-2 zone that had several restrictions that make it actually a less intense use than the I-1 light industry zoning. “In our minds, staff’s minds,” he said, “there was an issue with whatever zoning happens here. There is an existing single-family neighborhood and we have to take steps to make sure that the future development of those properties does not have an adverse impact on that existing residential neighborhood.” Some specific development standards were put in place for the first 200 feet of the industrial area. “For example,” Tice said, “it’s a 30-

foot landscape setback versus our normal 15-foot landscape setback, with additional tree plantings all along the entire Lewis/Shultz streets frontage.” He added, “There would additionally be an 8-foot block wall put on the back side of that landscape frontage, so as you are driving down Shultz Street and you enter into that neighborhood what you’d be seeing is some landscaping and some nice block wall behind the landscaping. There would be a height restriction on any buildings placed along Shultz, sort of the eastern boundary of the I-2, along the Shultz frontage. The height for those buildings, within 200 feet back, would be limited to 35 feet. Once you go past that first 200 feet, you get the normal height, which in the I-2 zone is 55 feet.” He continued, “From a site design standpoint, a good site designer is just going to put the parking and those kinds of things on that boundary and push the buildings back, anyway, which would be great from a visual aspect, vi-

continued on page 67...

continued on page 67... THE HOLIDAY EDITION

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HEALTH

TIPS FOR TAKING A GROUP FITNESS CLASS by Tiffanie Grady-Gillespie CPT, owner of WickedFiTT in Casa Grande

Focus on YOU! When you're seriously working hard, you won’t have time to compare yourself to others or to look around and catch them watching you work your butt off.

o some people, it can be awkward to do almost anything when you are surrounded by a room full of strangers. When you combine that awkwardness with the embarrassment that many people feel about their bodies, it is easy to see why people would be nervous about working out in public. The good news is that there are ways to overcome your gym anxiety when taking group fitness classes. Let’s face it – we all have our excuses for avoiding workouts, but “gym intimidation” can be one of the most powerful in preventing people from exercising. Many people are worried about being judged and say, “I need to get into better shape before I go to the gym, or group fitness classes.” Looking back, I think that may be one of the biggest concerns I have heard throughout my (few) years in the fitness industry. And my favorite reply is, “How do you think those people got into such good shape?” I understand, we are all worried about

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what everyone else is thinking, but honestly, no one is paying attention. They’re focused on themselves and the important things, like breathing, staying upright and not dying. Here are just a few tips to make the group fitness experience less terrifying: There’s safety in numbers, and you quickly realize that everyone is a different age and body size and all are struggling together. You’ll probably also discover that you’re not the worst one there. It’s encouraging, because there’s always someone behind you and someone better than you. (And P.S. It’s OK to own the back row until you feel more comfortable). That brings up my next point. Almost everyone is as nervous as you are. If they say they're not, they're probably feeding you a white lie. For many people, the thought of working out in public is downright scary. Fortunately, everyone else in the room is thinking the same thing. And halfway through class, everyone will likely be so focused on the intense workout,

that they will hardly notice those around them anyway. Focus on YOU! When you're seriously working hard, you won’t have time to compare yourself to others or to look around and catch them watching you work your butt off. Concentrate on you, and consistently remind yourself of how great you’re doing. Try bringing a friend with you. When you’re with a friend, you feel more relaxed and are able to have fun. You are accountable to each other; you help to motivate each other and can share a laugh and learn from your experience. The beauty of group fitness classes is that you don’t have to know what you’re doing, because the class instructor will do that for you. And in the classes, you can expect a friendly environment where most people are trying out new exercises and aren’t expecting any experts. What’s more, as long as you tell the fitness class instructor you’re a newbie, we will usually be more than willing to help you out and give you extra attention, if you need it. Be confident. The best look you can adopt when attending for the first time and trying to overcome anxiety is one of confidence, because as long as you look like you know what you’re doing, you’re golden. Confidence is everything, and before long, you’ll trick yourself into actually feeling self-assured, even before you realize it. Finally, the most important thing to realize is everyone has been a newbie, and everyone gets that. The hardest part about going for the first time is getting yourself there, but once you get inside the doors and realize that everyone there is in their own world, you’ll likely see that there was nothing to be afraid of in the first place.

THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

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1968 53

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organization dedicated to improving the status of women worldwide. Linda will remain an inspiration to us all for her courage, grace and humor. Deborah Hudak Thanks to the Black Box Foundation for contributingContributed to ourBy Dr.laughter and fun. A special thank you to The Property Conference Center for providing the venue and our delicious food. Another special thank you to Diane, our Auctioneer, for making our evening so lively and meaningful!!!

Zonta’s 15th Annual Community Gala

Thank You To Our Donors: 203 Gallery Adventures in Stained Glass BeDillon’s Restaurant Big House/Red’s Estilo Mex Restaurants Boston’s Restaurant & Sports Bar Buffalo Wild Wings Burger King Carlitos Changing Hands Book Store Chompie’s Cindy Patterson, local Artist Cliff Castle Casino Cobos Bar & Grill Cook-E-Jar Creative Café Cypress Point Salon (Tina Heward)

D’s Hair Lounge Denny’s Elli’s Artisan Jewelers Foster’s Fashions Francisco Grande Hotel & Golf Resort Hensley Distributors J.B.’s Restaurant Kay Benedict Kim Tai Chi Laura Osborn Hair Stylist Lavida Hair Boutique (G.McGrath) Liquor Factory Lucky Chinese and Sushi Mary Kay Cosmetics (Judy Kitching) Mi Amigo Ricardos Nature’s Nook (Sandy Salcido)

Pinal Hispanic Council Professional Eye Care (Dr. Ken Jeffers) Regal Nails Salon Seeds of Hope Susan Conn-Hood The ApothCraft Shop Udderly Sweet Bakery UltraStar Ak-Chin Cinemas U.S. Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick Vanity Nails (Laura Osborn) Wash N’ Roll Wellness 'n Hand Western Trading Post All Zonta Club of Casa Grande Valley Members All Guests who made it a special evening

WHO WE ARE

Zonta club of Casa Grande Valley is an organization made up of dedicated professional women here in the Casa Grande Valley area. We are just one of the 1,200 clubs in 67 countries. Our club will be celebrating our 70th year anniversary in January of 2017.

THE ZONTA CLUB OF CASA GRANDE VALLEY MISSION

Advance the status of women and girls by supporting their health, welfare, education and development.

ZONTA CLUB OF CASA GRANDE VALLEY THEME

Shaping the future for successful youth through education, inspiration and leadership.

SERVICE PROJECTS • • •

Holiday Family Giving Project Back to School Supplies Youth Activities Projects

CONTRIBUTIONS TO ORGANIZATIONS SUPPORTING ZONTA’S MISSION • • • • • •

Seeds of Hope Stanfield Women’s Clinic Home of Hope Food Bank Against Abuse CAC Promise for the Future scholarships

ADVOCACY • • • •

Against Abuse Sponsor Z Clubs and Golden Z Clubs for High School and University Students Teen Law School Young Women in Public Affairs (YWPA) Scholarship

ZONTA INTERNATIONAL envisions a world in which women’s rights are recognized as human rights and every women is able to achieve her full potential. In such a world, women have access to all resources and are represented in decision making positions on an equal basis with men. In such a world, no women lives in fear of violence. CONTACT INFORMATION: zontaclubofCGV@gmail.com | www.zontaaz.org | www.zonta.org MEETINGS: second Thursday of each month 5:30 p.m. CONTACT: Debbie Angwood | Cell: 360-304-3044

l a i c e p S y a d i l o H Section

Special Holiday Section

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THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

Special Holiday Section

The Holidays traditionally are a magical time of year for children of all ages, toddler through centenarian. There is no one item that stands out as unique; it’s more the combination of so many elements that create the excitement. From houses decorated with tens of thousands of twinkling lights to scrumptious treats, the singing of carols to the reading of favorite stories or messages of good will shared around the globe – the Christmas season brings out the best in people. We asked our readers to share some of their favorite Christmas memories. A common thread to the responses is the simple things mean the most. Readers

said that spending the afternoon hiking, going to the movies, reading, ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas’ to each other, giving and wearing silly pajamas or just getting together with family and friends means more to them than expensive gifts. So make the sugar cookies and fudge, decorate the ornaments and make the garland. Yes, you will make a mess, but who cares! Create those special life-long memories that will last far beyond the cleanup. From our families to yours – Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and here’s to a Happy New Year 2017!

Deck the Halls!

re you the type to stress over the placement of the last ornament? Or are you more the type to throw a handful of tinsel at the tree and call it decorated? While there is no right - or wrong, way to trim the tree, there are several secrets that make it look like a professional decorated for you. •

Pick the right location - as they say in real estate, LOCATION LOCATION LOCATION. Choose a location in a low-traffic area, away from fireplaces and other heat sources.

•

Shape the tree - Depending on whether you have a real tree or artificial, it takes just a few minutes to shape the tree to look just so. Real trees require a bit of grooming, so step back and view from all angles. If you have an obvious bare-spot, consider hiding that at the back of the tree.

•

Prep the lights - Step one is to test they light before you place them on the tree! Start at the bottom of the tree, circling round and round, working up as you go.

THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

•

Organize and hang your ornaments - there are many ways to place your ornaments; color, size, theme, and of course sentiment. Other important considerations are small children and pets. Keep fragile and valuable ornaments out of reach and danger of breakage by hanging near the top of the tree. Hang long, dangling ornaments towards the outer edge of the branch. Don’t forget to in-fill the inside of the tree.

•

Review your work - step back a few feet and admire your work. Don’t be afraid to move something that looks out of place.

•

When in doubt - GOOGLE!

Decide on how to hang your garland - draped, straight, vertical or diagonal, you have many considerations. Garland comes in many forms, from the humble popcorn or berry strings to ribbon or glittery strands.

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Special Holiday Section

Home Holiday Safety Tips by Barbara Rice, Fire Marshal, Casa Grande Fire Department

he weather is cooling off and here in Casa Grande, we are gearing up for the holidays. Not only are we preparing for the holiday season, we are enjoying our amazing weather. School is in session and there are endless events to enjoy. This is also the time of year that more home fires occur. We are busier, rushed, distracted and even tired. All of us with the City of Casa Grande Fire Department want everyone to have a joyous holiday season and want to share some safety tips to help ensure you enjoy a safe holiday season. By following some simple, preventative measures which involve cooking, Christmas trees, candles and holiday decorations used during the months of November through January, you can reduce the likelihood of a fire in your home. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) an average of 162,400 fires caused by cooking occur every year, claiming 430 lives. That is almost half of all home fires reported. Thanksgiving sees more than three times the daily average of home cooking fires with more than 1,300 cooking fires on that day alone. The leading cause of cooking fires is unattended cooking. Frying seems to be the major type of cooking where fires occur. Combustible materials, such as potholders left too close to the cooking heat source, is another major source of fires

during cooking. With unattended cooking as the leading cause of U.S. home fires and home fire injuries, we urge you to stay in the kitchen while you’re frying, grilling, boiling, or broiling food. Since most cooking fires involve the stovetop, keep anything that can catch fire away from it, and turn off the stove when you leave the kitchen, even if it’s for a short period of time. Be sure to check your cooking regularly and use a timer as a reminder. Keep a lid nearby when you’re cooking to smother small grease fires. Don’t use water, flour or baking soda to extinguish the fire since these may worsen the fire. If a fire occurs in the oven, turn off the heat and keep the door closed. Now that we’ve talked turkey about cooking fires; did you know approximately 210 home fires are caused by Christmas trees every year? If you use an artificial tree during the holiday season, it is still susceptible to fire since one-third of all Christmas tree fires are caused by electrical problems in lights, wiring or other equipment. One in four Christmas tree fires is due to a heat source that’s too close to the tree. While Christmas tree fires are not common, they are very intense and fast burning. If you use an artificial tree be sure it’s labeled, certified or identified by the manufacturer as fire-retardant. Nothing smells like a fresh-cut Christmas tree but if you choose to enjoy one during the holiday season, make

GOLDEN GOLDENCORRID CORRID OR ORLILI VV ING INGHOL HOL IDAY IDAY202016 16

sure the green needles don’t fall off when touched when you buy it. Cut 2” from the base of the trunk and keep the water reservoir in the stand full every single day. Get rid of the tree after Christmas or when it is dry. Dried-out trees are a serious fire danger. Regardless of what type of tree you use, make sure you don’t place it in front of an exit and keep it a minimum three feet from any heat source. Replace any lights with broken cords or loose bulb connections and make sure they have a label showing they were tested by a recognized laboratory such as UL. Always turn off the lights before leaving home or going to bed and NEVER use candles to decorate the tree. Candles are responsible for 8% of all Christmas tree fires. Candles are widely used in

homes throughout the holidays, and December is the peak month for home candle fires. More than half of all candle fires start because they are too close to things that could catch on fire. Flameless candles look and smell like real candles and some come with timers or remote controls to adjust their glow. But if you do use traditional candles, keep them at least 12” away from anything that can burn, and remember to blow them out when you leave the room or go to bed. Avoid using candles in the bedroom or other areas where people may fall asleep and never leave a child or pet alone in a room with a burning candle. Following these safety tips will help everyone have a joyous and safe holiday season by keeping your home fire-safe.

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Special Holiday Section

Christmas Crafts For Kids HOMEMADE GIFT WRAP

Difficulty level: moderate, involves sharp knife Plain paper, white and colored Water-based acrylic paint, assorted colors Metal cookie cutters, assorted holiday shapes Paring knife Cutting board Shallow bowls Artist paint brushes One potato for every two shapes Cut the potato in half, lengthwise. Press the cookie cutter into the potato. Carefully cut the potato around the cookie cutter, about 1/2” deep. Remove the cookie cutter and trim any edges to remove the cut slice of potato. Spread the paper flat. Pour a small quantity of paint in each bowl. Dip the potato into the paint - or use the paint brush to brush the paint onto the raised surface of the potato. Press the potato onto the paper, creating a stamped pattern. Let the paint dry before rolling or using the gift wrap.

PINECONE GARLAND

PAINTED GLASS ORNAMENTS

Assorted pinecones White craft paint Glitter Red yarn Craft glue Paper plates

Plain glass ornaments Assorted colored sharpie markers Draw on the glass ornaments to your heart’s content!

To make snow covered pinecones, pour a small amount of paint on a paper plate. Dip the edges of the pinecones in the paint, rotating to do all sides. Be careful to use minimal paint and not saturate the pinecones. To make glittery pinecones, pour a small amount of glitter on a paper plate. Drizzle craft glue on the pinecone. Roll the pinecone in the glitter, or sprinkle glitter over the pinecone. Once the pinecones have dried, wrap the yard around the base of the pinecone, tying in a knot to keep from slipping off. Place a drop of glue on the knot. String pinecones in clusters every few inches.

MARSHMALLOW GARLAND Regular and miniature marshmallows White yard or fishing line Darning needle, large enough to thread the yarn or fishing line White button Let the marshmallows sit out in the air for a couple of days before stringing. Tie a knot at the end of the yarn, then string a button. Carefully string the marshmallows without tearing. The button will stop the marshmallows from pulling through.

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THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

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Special Holiday Section

Holiday Truffles

Ingredients Ganache • • • •

Instructions

1 quart heavy cream 3 pounds bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped 1 1/2 sticks cold unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons Pinch of salt

Truffle flavorings • • • •

1 1/2 tablespoons dark rum, brandy, amaretto or whiskey 4 teaspoons pure peppermint oil 2 teaspoons instant espresso dissolved in 2 teaspoons water 1 teaspoon ground cardamom

Coatings • • • • • • • •

Peppermint candies Finely chopped pretzels Malted milk balls Chocolate chip cookies Oreo cookies Finely crushed toffee bits Finely chopped toasted almonds Chocolate covered espresso beans

• • • • •

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Toasted coconut Roasted salted peanuts Candied ginger Cinnamon-sugar Powdered sugar mixed with cocoa powder and large pinch kosher salt

1. n a large saucepan, bring the cream to a simmer. In a large bowl, combine the chopped chocolate with the butter and salt. Pour the hot cream over the chocolate. Let stand until the chocolate and butter are melted, about 5 minutes. Whisk the ganache until smooth and shiny. 2. Divide the ganache into 4 bowls. To flavor it, add either the liquor, peppermint oil, espresso or cardamom to each batch. Cover the ganache and refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours. 3. Line 3 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment or wax paper. Using a 1-tablespoon-size ice cream scoop, drop level tablespoons of the ganache onto the baking sheets. Chill until firm, about 1 hour. 4. Spoon the coatings into small bowls. Moisten your hands with ice water and roll the ganache into balls, then roll in the coatings. Package the truffles in decorative bags or boxes.

THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

Special Holiday Section

Salted Fudge Brownies Ingredients • • • • • • • •

1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter 2 ounces finely chopped unsweetened chocolate 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa 2 cups sugar 3 large eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract 1 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 9-inch square metal cake pan with foil, draping the foil over the edges. Lightly butter the foil. 2. In a large saucepan, melt the butter with the unsweetened chocolate over very low heat, stirring occasionally. Remove from the heat. Whisking in one at a time add the cocoa, sugar, eggs, vanilla and flour. Whisk each thoroughly. Pour the mix into the prepared pan and sprinkle the salt evenly over the batter. Using a butter knife, swirl the salt into the batter. 3. Bake the fudge brownies in the center of the oven for about 35 minutes, until the edge is set but the center is still a bit soft and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out coated with a little of the batter. Let the brownies cool at room temperature in the pan for 1 hour, then refrigerate just until they are firm, about 1 hour. Lift the brownies from the pan and peel off the foil. Cut the brownies into 16 squares. Serve at room temperature. http://www.foodandwine.com/recipes/salted-fudge-brownies

Foolproof Chocolate Fudge Ingredients • • • • •

3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 1 (14 ounce) can EAGLE BRAND(R) Sweetened Condensed Milk Dash salt 3/4 cup chopped nuts (optional) 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (OPTIONAL: Peppermint candies, crushed, Caramel, Sea saltToffee candies, crushed)

THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

Instructions

1. In heavy saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate chips with sweetened condensed milk and salt. Remove from heat; stir in nuts (optional) and vanilla. 2. Spread evenly into wax-paper-lined 8- or 9-inch square pan. Chill 2 hours or until firm. 3. Life fudge out of pan and place onto cutting board; peel off paper and cut into squares. Store covered in refrigerator. Recipe By:EAGLE BRAND® HOL IDAY 20 2016 1620GOLDEN CORRID OROR LI VLI ING 63 HOL HOL IDAY IDAY 16GOLDEN GOLDEN CORRID CORRID OR LI VVING ING

“I GET TO GO HOME!” In the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) world, we strive to do what is best for a child. Always. Does it happen? Not always. Every child has a real name, a face and unfortunately, a story. When our CASA advocates are assigned a case, they look into the eyes of that child. They travel through the court records and reports to see what is best for that face looking back at them. It isn’t easy. Sometimes we can’t make their dreams come true. But we try – every single time. One of our most seasoned advocates, Lydia Mercier, takes us on one of those journeys to understand what many children want. Some don’t understand why – but we do. And so does Lydia. Introduction by Donna McBride Juvenile Court Program Administrator /CASA Supervisor Viewpoint by Lydia Mercier, CASA Advocate

eunification- In the adult world of the Dependency Courts and Department of Child Safety (DCS), it is generally defined as the returning of children to the custody of their biological parent or parents after the children have been involved in a period of foster care placement outside of the family home. One simple sentence. One simple goal – to reunite the children with their parents. Simple assumptions: All parents want their children back home. All children want to go home to their parents. Not so simple in the real world. Not simple for parents, for case managers, for judges, for CASA volunteers and most importantly, not simple for the children. When a family falls into crisis, the children are often removed for their security and are placed with foster

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parents, or perhaps even other safe family members. The parents are devastated. The children often blame themselves. It takes time for these adults to absorb and come to terms with the issues that separated them from their children. Then, the process of correcting these issues begins with the parents. Sometimes this is a very lengthy process. Some situations take longer than others to stabilize. Some parents never get back on track. Reunification may not always be attainable. How do we explain this to a 5-year-old who only wants to go home? This reunification period can take from 15 months to well over two years or longer. While this length of time and personal commitment seems long and painful to the parents, in the eyes and hearts of the children, it feels like an eternity. DCS and Juvenile Court can assist

parents by offering services, parenting classes, counseling and rehabilitation programs, but ultimately the responsibility is that of the parents. Reunification takes place when the parent has demonstrated change and has eliminated the unsafe issues, so their children can be returned to their home. The work is not easy for parents. It's emotionally taxing on their children. But the reward on family reunification is great, when it happens. In the eyes of a child, reunification is a big word, but it means simply going back home with their Mommy and Daddy, their sisters and brothers, back with their pets, back to their own beds and back with their friends at school. It means to be safe and loved by their family. It is the blessing every child should be entitled and a second chance for a happy childhood. This is what reunification looks like to a CASA – seeing a child reunited with his or her family; a family made stronger now by one or both parents’ commitment to provide a home that is filled with security, love and harmony. A child's simple definition of Reunification: “I get to go home!” There are no happier words for a child. The child holds dearly to the stories they've often heard that read, “and they all lived happily ever after!” This is the CASA's prayer also. If it all could be that simple.

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GET THE FACTS ON TAX CREDITS by Terri Durham, Office Coordinator

here has never been a better time to help your community! As an Arizona taxpayer, you have a unique opportunity to give to Seeds of Hope and have it count dollar-for-dollar toward your tax liability with a tax credit. Here are some answers to questions you might have.

WHAT IS A TAX CREDIT? This is a contribution made to a qualifying charitable organization that reduces the amount of tax you owe on your Arizona state tax return dollar-for-dollar. HOW MUCH CAN I DONATE TO SEEDS OF HOPE? This year, the amounts have gone up! Thanks to SB1216, you can now donate up to $400 if you are filing as a single and up to $800 if you are filing jointly. WHAT TYPES OF TAX CREDITS ARE THERE? There are four tax credits – a qualified

charitable organization tax credit, public school tax credit, private school tuition tax credit and foster care charitable organization. CAN I GIVE TO MORE THAN ONE? Yes! You can give to one or more to maximize your tax credit power. There are different maximum amounts you can donate for each type. For Seeds of Hope, you can donate up to $400 or $800 depending on how you are filing. CAN I GET A CREDIT FOR DONATIONS MADE THAT EXCEED HOW MUCH I OWE IN TAXES? No. If your tax liability — the amount of taxes you owe for a given year — is less than your donation, the credit can only be used to reduce your liability to zero. IF I CLAIM A TAX CREDIT CAN I ALSO WRITE OFF THE DONATION ON MY TAXES? No. Donations claimed as tax credits cannot also be used to itemize deductions.

An Arizona

WHAT IS THE DEADLINE TO DONATE? The deadline to donate to Seeds of Hope and claim a tax credit on your 2016 taxes is April 15, 2017. There are many places where you can get more information on how to redirect your tax dollars. The above information was taken from www.azcredits.org. You can also learn more at www.azdor.gov/taxcredits.aspx or talk to a tax professional. Seeds of Hope is a local faith-based nonprofit. Our programs help improve lives through relationships and community development. Find out more about what we do at www.seedsofhopeaz.com

There has never been a There has never to help your comm been an easier way to help your community!

The state of Arizona offers its taxpayers the opportunity is as easy as 1..2..3! to make contributions to offers its taxpayers The state of Arizona non-profit organizations that An Arizona There has never been an easier the opportunity totaxmake contributions to way reduce the amount of TAX CREDIT 1. Donate online, by mail, non-profit organizations to help your thatcommunity! reduce the owed to the state or increase or inasperson* is as easy 1..2..3! the amount the taxpayer’s ofofits tax owed to the state or increase The state of amount Arizona offers taxpayers the opportunity to make contributions refund, dollar-for-dollar. the amount of thethetotaxpayer’s refund, Receive anmail, emailnon-profit receipt organizations 1. 2. Donate online, by that reduce If you file single you can or in person* dollar-for-dollar. If you file single you can amount of tax owed to the state or increase donate up to $400 and up Claim the receipt dollar-for the amount of the taxpayer’s refund, 2. 3. Receive an email donate tosingle $400 and up to $800 if you file to $800 ifup you married. dollar tax credit on dollar-for-dollar. If you filefile you can 3. Claim the AZ dollar-for Find out more Find and out up more by visiting your income donate tax up tomarried. $400 to $800 if you file by visiting dollar tax credit on married. Find out more by visiting yourreturn AZ income tax www.azcredits.org or the or the Seeds of Hope www.azcredits.org return www.azcredits.org Seeds of Hope Seedsorofthe Hope website. *donate by April 15, 2017 website.

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REZONING DISCUSSIONS...cont. from page 50 sual impact aspect.”

Land uses were also modified. “There are some uses in the I-2 zone which we did not think would be compatible with the existing residential,” Tice said, “such as a scrap metal yard, junk yard – some uses that could potentially add adverse impacts. We also have created some specific noise standard – the noise that the residences might be subject to – so we have some specific noise standards that would be measured at the residential boundary, as well, that are not in our normal city code.” He added, “We limited the access for the industrial traffic and prohibited it onto Lewis and Shultz streets, so there’s no access allowed there for the industrial area. The access for the industrial area will come from Cottonwood, come from Thornton Road (the west boundary), will not come from Lewis and Shultz, other than an emergency.”

Reaction from council “I hate this plan,” Councilman Dick Powell said. “You don’t put I-2 next to residential, Paul. You don’t do that. You can try to buffer it, but you still can see it; it’s still there.” He added, “How would you like to be out and look at the industrial park?” Powell asked why there couldn’t be a buffer of the less intense I-1 industrial across from The Cottonwoods, with I-2 heavier industry below that.

TRAFFIC FLOW...cont. from page 50 are some stripes. We could stripe out some things, too, that would show.” Councilman Karl Montoya asked how traffic would be affected south of Florence when a driver wants to make a left turn into that shopping area. “That’s where traffic queues up and backs up,” he said. “Does that guy have to wait until the light clears? How much of a problem is that going to create for your intersection? It’s a problem right now and you’re reducing it from THE HOLIDAY EDITION

“That way,” he said, “it would be a much cleaner view when they looked out. They had I-2 zoning anyway. It would still be industrially zoned, but if they went with I-1 and then I-2 further down for the heavy stuff, that would, I think, be a much better plan for everybody involved, because I feel sorry for anybody that bought a home, lives there with a residential plat next to it and then found out, OK, guess what, they’re going to build I-2 next to me.” He continued, “That’s wrong. And I hope we can discuss maybe using some garden industry to buffer. It’s pretty hard to drive through the industrial park and look at some of that stuff and think you would have a house close to it.” Tice responded, “I share your concern and, at some level, you’re exactly right. In fact, we discussed that with the applicant. We discussed having maybe the eastern half of this be I-1 and the western half be I-2. We did have that conversation. The problem with that is that when you’re in the site selection for industrial user, it really starts modifying what users might want on that site, because if you have a user for 100 acres, you don’t have that site, you have two 50-acre sites. That’s limiting that.” He continued, “So it’s hard to know where to draw that line for how much for the I-1, how much for the I-2 and where that makes it marketable. What we’ve done as a compromise here is we have a hybrid zone. This zone, we’ve taken the I-2 and we’ve really made it even less intense than the I-1 along this whole eastern boundary – those noise standards,

the buffer and the height. Now it’s even less intense than an I-1 along that frontage. If you do the I-1, you can get more intensive development with I-1 along that Shultz/Lewis frontage than this I-2 with these conditions that we’ve proposed.” “I-1 would be a buffer,” Powell said. “No,” responded Tice.“My point is, if you went with I-1 it would be more intense than the I-2 with the conditions of record we’ve imposed.” Powell said he believes it would be more intense. “Not so,” Tice said, “because we have noise standards that we don’t normally have; we have height limitations that we don’t have with I-1 and we have a buffer requirement that we don’t have with I-1. So, we have introduced design standards to achieve compatibility that are beyond those even that are associated with I-1.” Powell responded, “I don’t recall any in town that are garden industry (I-1) now, that have been problematic for anybody. The heavy industry is what the big problem is. It’s the ones that are dirty; it’s the ones that have the big tanks; it’s the ones that have the big traffic coming through and those types of things. And I think if we could get a buffer of the I-1 and then the I-2 combined, it would still be all industrial, but it would be so much better for the people who live there. I just don’t think that new development should punish existing residents — and that’s what we’re doing here. We’re punishing these people who live there because they bought a house from this developer and it’s beautiful; it’s a neat place.” He continued, “To me, it’s wrong

to say, OK, these people that live here, they’re residential and now you’re going to jump to an I-2 right next to them. That just does not seem right.” Councilman Matt Herman said, “This is a tough situation due to the fact (that) when the people bought their houses they were expecting houses across the street by the same developer. I appreciate the work that the planning department and the Planning and Zoning Commission went to, because reading through all the minutes there was a lot. I just would really like to see more specifics about what it is, to give more comfort with it. And this is really hard to read tonight, to be honest with you, on these screens up here.” He continued, “I’d almost be in favor of kind of tabling it to get some more comfort and talk to the talk to the people. You know, when you’ve got people that, at this point no one’s here tonight at our meeting, and I want to say maybe it’s a different meeting.” Herman then moved to table the request. Approval from the council was unanimous. No date for another meeting was set. In summation, Mayor Jackson said, “Paul, I think you’ve heard what everybody’s concern is and maybe we need to go back and reengage in the neighborhood and kind of see some examples of what that might look like from the neighborhoods with the restrictions. Not so much the cross section, but maybe some visuals looking at what a normal person’s house and what they may or may not see.” OK, Tice replied.

two lanes to one. Has there been much thought on that?” Eitel responded, “One of the problems is, too bad that driveway’s there. It’s hard to pull into.” But it is there, Montoya said. Eitel replied, “We just didn’t feel, in looking at the traffic counts, that right now the traffic’s going through. That would be an issue where it would back up onto Florence.” Montoya said he drives the route every day. “I go south, and it is a big deal,” he

continued. “I just feel that’s going to be a big bottleneck through the intersection, so maybe take a better look at that.” Councilwoman Mary Kortsen said she would like to see it configured as two lanes with a turn lane for the shopping area. “I’ve never seen more than three cars trying to turn into that mall at one time, so you could have something that would accommodate at least two vehicles to wait and then you don’t have that,” she said. Eitel responded, “This is just kind of

a concept to show you tonight. When we hire the consultant to do the design, they’ll look more at this (and) we can see the results.” The full report, with the presentation, charts and diagrams, is posted at www.haroldkitching.com/special

HOL IDAY 20 16 GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

Eloy: The East Line of Yuma by Mark Benner, Executive Director, Eloy Chamber of Commerce

n 1902, the area surrounding the city began to carry the name Eloy because the Southern Pacific Railway built a siding and section house and it was called ELOY, an acronym for the East Line of Yuma. In 1918, the Cotton City Land and Development Company purchased land and plotted a town and called it Cotton City. Early settlers recognized that the city was sited in the fertile Santa Cruz River Basin which prompted the cultivation of cotton. An application was made in 1919 to establish a post office at which time the city founders favored the name 'Cotton City'. However, this name was rejected by both the railroad and postal service and the name ‘Eloy’ was selected. When the City of Eloy officially incorporated in 1949, it was home to approximately 4,700 residents. There are three developed areas of the City- the Downtown area; the Toltec area

and Robson Ranch. The City of Eloy is located nearly equi-distant from Phoenix and Tucson and now includes approximately 113 square miles. A population of 18,000 resides in the City, with forecasts to double in the next 10 years. Eloy has a fantastic future, because of the location at the heart of the Arizona Sun Corridor. For many years, Eloy has had the opportunity to serve as the vortex of manufacturing and major distribution firms located along Interstates 8 and 10, as well as offering key transportation assets with the Union Pacific Railroad and Eloy Municipal Airport. The new Eloy Community Development Department Director, Jon Vlaming, recognizes the value of the open space and trails that surround the city. He is working on long-term plans to preserve and increase the opportunities for citizens and visitors to enjoy the outdoors. Eloy’s great out-

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doors and nearby hiking venues include Picacho Peak State Park, the Picacho Reservoir, Ironwood Forest National Monument, the Casa Grande Natural Resource & Trail Park, and Casa Grande Ruins National Park in Coolidge. Historically, Eloy’s economy has been largely dependent upon agriculture. During harvest time, the city’s population could temporarily triple. The city’s economy has now diversified, with over three-quarters of its businesses and nearly half of its employment in the industrial, wholesale/retail / service sectors. The majority of city revenues accrue from the seven truck stops along Interstate 10 and the privately-operated prison, Corrections Corporation of America (CCA). The Eloy Municipal Airport is home to SkyDive Arizona, which is considered the busiest operation in North America. Recently, over 13,530 jumps were completed in a nine day period.

Because of our world-class quality parachute jumping facility, complimented by 350 days-ayear of sunshine, the airport activities now include an indoor skydive wind tunnel, aircraft maintenance, aircraft painting, parachute manufacturing and equipment maintenance, and aerial crop dusting. Additionally, the High But Dry Company provides hot air balloon rides. Another jewel is the Santa Cruz Valley Historic Museum. In June 2003, the Sunland Visitor Center took possession of the Old Toltec Primary School campus after signing a long term lease with the Toltec school board. Two original buildings were donated in 1928 by Frank Shedd and were in use for almost 30 years as segregated schools for White and Colored children until desegregation was instituted in 1951. Because the buildings needed extensive renovation, the continued on page 92... THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

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Sonoran Desert by Albert J. Copley, Professor Emeritus, Truman State University

he Sonoran Desert is a large desert of North America. It covers about 120,000 square miles and includes parts of Arizona, California, and southward into the Mexican states of Sonora, Baja California, and Baja California Sur. It has the distinction of being the hottest desert of North America. Parts of the desert are of so much interest in Arizona that former President Clinton set aside part of it as The Sonoran Desert National Monument. In his proclamation, President Clinton stated; “The Sonoran Desert National Monument is a magnificent example of untrammeled Sonoran Desert landscape. The area encompasses a functioning ecosystem with an extraordinary array of biological, scientific, and historic resources. The monument’s biological resources include a spectacular diversity of plant and animal species. The monument also contains many significant archaeological and historic sites, including rock art sites, lithic quarries, and scattered artifacts. The most biologically diverse of the North American deserts…” Some of you might ask; “What is Rock Art?” This is a good question. The answer is that it is comprised of “writings” or inscriptions which were done by various groups of the Native

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American people who were in this land over the last several thousand years. These writings were probably made by using one rock as a chisel, and another rock as a hammer stone. Some drawings may be incredibly ancient. The younger or more recent writings or petroglyphs may date into historic times. A zoomorph depicts some type of animal. Some petroglyphs depict figures recognizable as humanoid and are termed anthropomorphs. Some figures do not seem to fit into an understandable category and are fairly abstract. Serious studies have led to interpretations which are helping us to understand these people. It has become apparent that some rock

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art sites are the only record of an ancient group of people that once lived, loved and had children, grandchildren, etc. perhaps for hundreds of years. It is sad to think that because of indifference or carelessness that some writings may be destroyed and lost. When you see petroglyphs please use care in viewing or taking photographs so as not cause any damage. Please do not touch or molest what many people have come to consider as Rock Art in their own right. Native American Rock Art is part of our national heritage, respect it. I have lived in or visited the Sonoran Desert for about 35 years, and never tire of going

into the desert to study the plants, animals, and rock art. With such a glowing description written by former President Clinton it is easy to see why my interest is maintained. Because the flowers are so vivid, trips to view them are always high on the list of things to do. In fact some plants of the desert are unique to the Sonoran Desert. The giant Saguaro cactus is a good example. The desert wild flowers may be seen in profusion usually 6 to 8 weeks after the spring rains. In Arizona the summer monsoon rains also bring an abundance of flowers 6 to 8 weeks after the rains. Commonly it is called a second spring.

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Preserving History by Marge Jantz, Chairwoman Historic Preservation Commission

ave you ever been curious about the history of our old buildings, historic residential districts, the bronze historic plaque programs or how long our neon and vintage signs have been around? Wonder no more! The City has numerous volunteer boards and commissions and the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC) is charged with protecting, enhancing and perpetuating the City’s landmarks and historic district for the economic, cultural, educational and general welfare of the public. What does all this mean to the curious resident? And how does a person tap into knowing more about this world of history and preservation? The Museum of Casa Grande, home of Heritage Hall (rock church), is a gem that far too many people haven’t taken the opportunity to visit. This was local stonemason, Michael Sullivan’s crowning glory. His other stone buildings are spread throughout the downtown. www.tmocg.org Across Florence Boulevard is the Art Museum During the season, art shows and events are held in this 1929 Historic Register bungalow style home of German immigrant, Gus Kratzka. www.casagrandeartmuseum.org Casa Grande became a Main Street community in 1992. The National Preservation Trust charged Main Street downtowns with preserving, promoting, sustaining and growing with elements of design and economic development activities. Local historic walks begin at 10 a.m. on the Main Street Patio (3rd Thursday of October, November, December, February, March and April. Meet and Greet begins at 9:30.) www.cgmainstreet.org Historic Preservation Commission project facts: • 51 properties have been designated to the National and Local Historic Register and 4 properties are on the Local Historic Register only (40 of

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•

these properties are location within the Casa Grande Main Street downtown boundaries). 1 Historic Residential neighborhood has been designated. The Evergreen Addition is located behind City Hall from Casa Grande Ave. to the west side of Gilbert Ave. The Local Register District was established in 2004 and the National Register District in 2009. Top and Bottom Street was changed in 1915 to Washington Street. The commission made a recommendation to Council in 2014 and the named was changed back to Top and Bottom Street. An Evergreen Historic District newsletter is going out on a scheduled basis and can be read on line at www. casagrandeaz.gov. Go to Planning and Development then click on Historic Preservation Program to read the newsletter or more on other HPC projects. A new History/Art Window display will be celebrated on December 15th. The location will be at the north end of Top and Bottom Street at the 2nd Street Alleyway.

A recent CLG pass-through grant made possible a historic resource survey of the historic signs of Casa Grande. The HPC's goal is to preserve and save Casa Grande’s neon and vintage signs. The survey was needed to help make this a reality. Of the 82 signs surveyed, 32 are eligible as Local Landmarks. The process to place these signs on the local register

will begin in the first quarter of 2017. The survey confirmed that the downtown Dairy Queen sign (Cone and Brazier Board) was eligible. Due to the threat of losing this signage from the time the Dairy Queen reopened in 2015, the HPC recommended to City Council to approve the Local Historic Landmark designation and that was done by resolution on April 18, 2016. Recently, the HPC was asked to remove the Brazier sign from the Local Landmark designation. The request was denied. Further negotiations will continue with the threat of losing the Cone. Other notable signs have been stolen or sold. The Airport Tavern neon sign disappeared in March 2013. The Silver Bullet sign, believed to be a Pedro Guerrero design, was sold by a local bank in April of this year and is now in Ankeny, Iowa. The Carr McNatt Park new design plans, currently in the final stages of approval, did not include the existing signage that the survey determined were Landmark eligible. The Community Services Department has confirmed to the HPC that provisions will be made to keep and maintain the Kiwanis signs and the old Cougar Scoreboard. The Local Landmark status is critical to saving our signs and history. Casa Grande has recently received national recognition in the Society for Commercial Archeology (SCA) Road Notes Magazine with a featured two-page column titled "Five Favs" which include six local signs: the Casa Grande Bulk Plant, Cotton’s Wonder Bar, the S.S. Blinky, Jr. lettering on the ship at Five Points, Boots and Saddle, Se-Tay Motel and the former Sofia’s restaurant sign.

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EDUCATION

MISSION HEIGHTS PREPARATORY HIGH SCHOOL:

More than the basics! T

he basic curriculum at Mission Heights Preparatory High School on Cottonwood Lane is similar to other schools. It’s the other programs available that make attending and learning there special, maintains Drew Goodson, the school leader (the new term for principal).

Curriculum Highlights VIDEO “We have a really neat teacher for electronic arts. Adam Power is a former full-time video game designer,” Goodson said. “He’s incorporated some of those elements into our art, visual art, and animation classes. He did a class a couple of years ago on game design, where students were not only designing video games but also the story line and the artwork behind it. In the class, they learned teamwork, leadership, how to get along with each other, and strategy.” POLITICS In addition to the video instruction, Power teaches a class on politics. “The class has discussions with the students about different top-

ics, such as talking about current events in politics, the history of politics, geopolitical parties, and the whole gamut. It’s kind of Poli-Sci 101. This helps when the students take various government classes and they have that exposure. We have a new mandated civics test from the state, so it gives us those benefits.” “In the class they get up and debate, practicing those skills. They have to be persuasive; they do a campaign speech in a mock campaign. It’s a really fun class, something different than a typical government class; it really focuses on the politics of it.” ENTREPRENEURS “In our group of schools in the Leona Group, we are the first in Arizona to get the Youth Entrepreneurs Program,” Goodson said. “Students are learning about different economic systems, how they function, and learning how to become entrepreneurs. It includes a business plan, a business model canvass and they actually operate their business on campus.” “With the support of the Youth Entrepreneurs Program, the students receive startup funds and the potential to expand their business and actually earn cash.” Goodson continued, “They’ll have market days at our school where they get to post their pop-up business, and put their business project into practice.”

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AVID: Advancement Visa Individual Determination. AVID is a nationwide program that realizes one of the biggest barriers to going on to college is a student is not realizing their full potential and not having a key relationship with an adult that pushes him onward. “We select a group of students that have college potential but they’re not reaching for it; kids that have been identified by their teachers as really bright but failing to focus their potential,” Goodson said. He continued, “It gets results. The kids’ GPA when they begin AVID versus when they exit AVID is always greater. The number of students we felt would not have gone on to college but do enter college after taking the AVID program is significant.” TEACHER SEMIFINALIST “One of our teachers, Amanda Mace, was the semifinalist for

the Arizona Charter Schools Association’s Teacher of the Year,” Goodson said. “She teaches part of the day and she’s my assistant principal and curriculum coach the other part of the day. She plays so many different roles. She is an incredible teacher and we are very fortunate to have her.” How does all this impact the students and test scores? “Mission Heights has ranked higher than other area high schools on the state average in the Arizona Merit Tests,” Goodson said. “We’re really excited about our Algebra 2 and geometry this past year as well as the previous year 11th grade English scores,” he continued. “We are doubling the state average or close to it in comparison to our peers in the district schools; in many cases tripling their performance on those exams.” “This last spring in five of the six subjects tested, our students scored above the state average. The previous year, four of the six subjects scored above the state average.” “The great thing about the new tests is 11th graders are going to take the Arizona Merit Test, tests, and it tells us how prepared they are for college.” For more information about Mission Heights Preparatory High School visit: www.mhprep.com

THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Prepare t o

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Rated a "B" school by the Arizona Department of Education, Mission Heights Preparatory High School is a tuition-free public college prep school with a family atmosphere featuring... Highly Qualified teachers Dual Enrollment and Early College Options Digital arts programs including cutting edge competitive video game program & Photoshop Sports including football, volleyball, cheerleading, basketball, soccer, baseball, softball & track A wide variety of clubs & extracurricular activities

Enroll today online at mhprep.com/enroll or stop by for a tour! High Performance on AZMerit Exams

How Prepared is Your Child for College? 2015 Spring AZMerit Scores

70%

60%

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11th Grade Math

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Grades 9-12 1376 E. Cottonwood Ln. Casa Grande, AZ 85122 www.mhprep.com | 520.836.9383 Drew Goodson, school leader

FLU SEASON 2016: PREVENTION IS THE KEY TO AVOID GETTING THE FLU

any of us can’t wait for the cooler weather in Arizona. Because Casa Grande is situated between Tucson (hot in the summer) and Phoenix (even hotter in the summer), it gets pretty hot here in the summer. So cooler temperatures for many people are always welcomed – especially during the autumn and winter months. But as the cooler weather makes its way into our area, that’s typically the time when flu season begins to ramp up. It’s a double-edged sword because on the one hand, you get the relief of cooler temperatures, but on the other hand, you have to take precautions to prevent getting the flu. Influenza, or “the flu” as it’s more commonly known as, can not only be serious, it can be deadly to some. The flu can be highly contagious and, right now, the only way to prevent it is through constant hand washing, the wiping down of commonly used surfaces and, of course, the flu shot. If you do get the flu, your symptoms typically include: • Fever • Body aches and muscle pain • Headaches • Tiredness • Coughing • Runny nose and sore throat Who likes needles? Not very many of us, but if you’re six months of age and older, you should be getting immunized every year. Older adults,

by David Lozano, Public Relations External Media

The flu can be highly contagious and, right now, the only way to prevent it is through constant hand washing, the wiping down of commonly used surfaces and, of course, the flu shot. pregnant women and those with pre-existing medical conditions should check with their primary care physician for their best option. During the 2014-2015 flu season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that the flu vaccine prevented approximately 67,000 influenza-related hospitalizations. Also during that season, the

vaccination is credited with preventing about 1.9 million illnesses and 966,000 medical visits. This flu season, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the flu shot and not the nasal spray, which is believed to be less effective for this season’s strain. If you do get the flu, Banner offers two options to obtain treatment in the Casa Grande area, depending on the severity of your illness: • Banner Casa Grande Urgent Care at 1676 E. McMurry Blvd., Ste. 1 • Banner Casa Grande Medical Center Emergency Department at 1800 E. Florence Blvd. “Our goal is to help our community treat their illnesses through exceptional service and care,” said Rona Curphy, CEO of Banner Casa Grande Medical Center. “We know how serious the flu can be, and we’re here to help. But if we can encourage prevention through education and immunization, I think that we can not only save lives, but also prevent the spread of this illness to many people who work and live in Casa Grande.” There are various strains of influenza out there, so getting the flu shot does not necessarily mean you won’t get the flu. However, it does protect you against the influenza viruses most common during a particular flu season. This season, that includes influenza A (H1N1), an influenza A (H3N2), and one or two influenza B viruses. Some of the more common side effects of the vaccine can mimic the flu, but – contrary to widespread belief – you won’t suffer from the flu if you get the shot. The most common side effects of the flu shot include soreness or redness of the inoculation site, headache, fever, muscle ache and nausea. In addition to Banner Health employees, all Banner Casa Grande Medical Center employees and volunteers are required to get immunized against the flu. Curphy said, “As health care providers, if we can do our part to help prevent the spread of the flu, then I think we’re doing a great service for each other in the hospital and for those we serve in our community.” For more information about the services offered at Banner Casa Grande Medical Center, in case you or a loved one get the flu, go to www.BannerHealth.com/ casagrande For more information on the flu, go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at www.cdc.gov.

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Why Be Thankful? Why Not? by Donna McBride

When the kids are on their best behavior because “somebody” is watching. Cruise through the neighborhoods just to look at the lights – and get ideas for your house “next year”.

t is no secret that this is a troubling time of our country: Our veterans continue to cry for help, tornados and hurricanes rip away people’s possessions and even lives, children have no place to call home. How can we really think about being thankful? We cannot dismiss these tragedies are going on around us but we can control how it affects us. The question is often “Why be thankful?” Maybe we need to change it to “why not by thankful?” A little humor is good for the soul. Did you know that smiling lowers stress and anxiety? A smile is not only contagious, it release endorphins and makes you more attractive (no face lift required!). It also makes you more feel more comfortable and others see you as approachable. In talking to a handful of people around the area, I came up with a short list of things they are thankful for. Some have to do with the holidays – others don’t. Hopefully, a few of them will bring a smile to your face too. • Caller ID: Because telemarketers don't take the holidays off. • People who give accurate directions (from a winter visitor).

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•

• • • • • • • •

• • •

The combination of a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup when the temperatures hit below 80 degrees! Irish coffee spiked with Black Bush Irish Whiskey. Eggnog – just because it’s on the shelves for a short time! Thanksgiving leftovers - turkey, stuffing, cranberry sauce, and deviled eggs Home-cooked meals (that are made by someone else)! The tradition of cheap stocking stuffers. When Christmas and New Years’ Eve are both on a Friday! Can we say 3 day weekend!? Hallmark commercials that give you the excuse to cry for no reason. Cruise through the neighborhoods just to look at the lights – and get ideas for your house “next year”. When the kids are on their best behavior because “somebody” is watching. Holiday break! (Yes, this was a teacher!) Board game marathons with

• • • • • •

out-of-town family Coming home from work and finding the house cleaned by the kids. Opening your front door and finding the UPS man there with packages. Spending another holiday with an aging parent. Internet connection at my grandma’s house! A houseful of relatives and a good supply of toilet paper! Unexpected phone calls from someone far away.

And then there is the traditional thoughts from our children who fill our hearts with hope and appreciation. The LeGrand family shared some of their thoughts too. Braydon is thankful for a good family and grandparents who go great lengths to be there for him. His twin siblings share his appreciation. Baylie shared she is “Thankful for our family, home and my mom”. Bryson said he too is thankful for all his family because without them he would not exist. And that, in the world we live in, makes it all worth it.

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Taste of Casa Grande

30th Annual

by Jo Anne Pinto, MS Children’s Counselor, Against Abuse, Inc.

Every year we are privileged to watch women and children who have given up hope find the will to dream again when they experience the generosity of the community during these holidays.

e at Against Abuse, Inc. can scarcely find the words to thank everyone who made the 30th Taste of Casa Grande the success it was. Thanks to our exceptional participants, our generous sponsors and contributors, and especially our energetic volunteers, who made it all possible, the Taste was hugely successful. Now it is time to move on to the next series of events that will help us continue to provide direct services to anyone needing shelter or assistance in battling violence and abuse in their lives. The incredible generosity and levels of support we have received over the years makes it possible for us to provide services to a wide range of women and children who suffer from abuse, neglect, domestic violence and myriad other forms of exploitation and maltreatment. Our work is ongoing, as is our need for support, and as the holiday seasons approach, we must once again depend upon the generosity of our communities. Without the stunning generosity that never seems to fail, we are able to provide Thanksgiving dinners and Christmas joy to the families with whom we work. For anyone wishing to reach out and pay something forward, there are many ways to help Against Abuse, Inc. and the people we serve. For example, donating gift cards to supermarkets will provide extra ‘goodies’ for people who would not otherwise be able to afford

2016 Door Prize & Raffle Donors 24/7 Fitness Against Abuse, Inc. Thrift Store Air Time Jump Centers Alex Griffen Andrea Mora/Shear Gossip Angela Creech/Shear Gossip Angela Griffen Apache Gold Casino & Resort Apeeling Skin Medical Aesthetics/ Kimberly Leavitt, Owner APS April Parrillo

Arizona Cardinals Arizona Coyotes Arizona Diamondbacks Arizona Science Center Aurora & Art Leon Avi Resort & Casino Bearizona Big Surf Billie Dalrymple Biosphere 2 Blanca Varela Bonnie Burson, Artist BowWowMeow Thrift Store

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a Thanksgiving dinner. Angel trees will be appearing in businesses around the county; take an angel, buy a gift and return it to the tree. Everyone in services with Against Abuse, Inc. receives gifts from the angel trees. Every year we are privileged to watch women and children who have given up hope find the will to dream again when they experience the generosity of the community during these holidays. One year, a young mother with three small children could not stop the tears of joy as she watched her children stare, open-mouthed, at the tree and presents brought to them through the kindness and bigheartedness of a group of community members whose neighborhood decided to adopt the family. The angel trees answer many prayers. On a more serious level, there is another opportunity to support Against Abuse, Inc. by donating through your State of Arizona income tax. On the Arizona State income tax form, at the bottom, there are a series of charities to which one can donate, and preventing child abuse is one of them. A person can put any amount they like in that spot and the money goes directly to Child Abuse Prevention Arizona, which then distributes the money collected to local councils in each county. In Pinal County, the Pinal County Child Abuse Prevention Council, for which Against Abuse, Inc. is the fiscal agent, sponsors events that raise awareness of ways and means of preventing

Brandy Prescott/Shear Gossip Cactus Bowl CAF Aircraft Museum Casa de Hair Affair/Ida Zertuche Casa Grande Family Dentistry City of Casa Grande Parks & Recreation Castles n Coasters Chandler Center for the Arts Children’s Museum of Phoenix Children’s Museum of Tucson Chili’s Grill & Bar

Chrissy Jenkins Cornerstone Mall Maricopa/ Dominic Palmieri & Curtis Lewis Cottonwood Medical Center Curves/Jenny Craig – Annette Hanson Cynthia Keck Desert Botanical Garden Dillard’s Distinctive Earthscapes, Inc. at The Avocado Dolly Steamboat Emily Gonzales/Shear Gossip

Did you know you can donate up to $800* to Against Abuse, Inc by April 15th and take a State of Arizona income tax credit for the same amount? See your tax professional for details! *$400 single and $800 married taxpayers.

child abuse. The Council sponsors the annual Resource Round-up as well as the annual Child Abuse Awareness Conference. If any group in the county needs a speaker for a program, the Council is happy to provide someone knowledgeable on the subject. It is simply a matter of calling Against Abuse, Inc. and asking for a child abuse prevention speaker. The Council’s signature color is royal blue and our symbol is the pinwheel. Whenever you see a blue pinwheel, remember it is for child abuse prevention awareness. At City Hall you will see the children’s garden being planted and in amongst the flowers, you will see blue pinwheels, a symbol to help you remember the children. And remember Against Abuse, Inc., an agency that, with your continued help and support, works tirelessly to help raise women and their children out of the depths of darkness of violence and into the light of taking their rightful places in their communities.

Enchanted Island Amusement Park Erica Herman, Artist Foster’s Fashions Fry’s Food Stores Gary Godbold Gene Irvin, Artist Gilbert Tellez/Shear Gossip Gina Weatherly Gloria Carrillo Golfland Entertainment Centers Gloria “Gigi” Smith Grand Canyon Deer Farm

Grand Canyon Railway & Hotel Greg Kajowski Heard Museum Heather Woodruff/Shear Gossip Hilda Granados Ida Zertuche/Casa de Hair Affair Inge’s Fashions (Arizona City) In Touch Center for the Healing Arts/Arlene Storie, LMT Intrepid Enterprises/Bill Miller, Owner THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

The Board of Directors and Staff of Against Abuse, Inc would like to say THANK YOU to everyone who made the 30th Annual Taste of Casa Grande a success.

We couldn’t have done it without you!

2016 Sponsors: PREMIER ($5,000): APS • The Property Conference Center (Host) DIAMOND ($2,500): Banner Casa Grande Medical Center PLATINUM ($1,500): Living Magazine/Smart Shopper (In Kind) • N & D Designs (In Kind) • Shamrock Foods (In Kind) • SRP Desert Basin • Thomas Erickson, M.D. • Wal-Mart Distribution Center #7013 GOLD ($750): Cooper & Rueter, LLP • Henry & Horne, LLP • Iron City Polaris • John & Deborah McEvoy • Pinal County Federal Credit Union SILVER ($500): Abbott Nutrition • B & D Restaurants, Inc. • David Snider • Electric District 2 • First American Credit Union • Foothills Bank • Garnet of Casa Grande • Garye & Teri Vasquez • GEO Group AZ State Prison Florence West • GEO Group Central AZ Correctional Facility • Pinal County Attorney • Sun Life Family Health Center • Villas by Mary T • Vantage West Credit Union • Western Bank

Participating Restaurants: Banner CG Medical Center • Bedillon’s/The Property • Cook E Jar • Mi Amigo Ricardo • Cold Stone Creamery • eegees • The Big House • IHOP • Olive Garden • Culver's • O! Cupcakes • Cupcakes n' More • La Paloma Restaurant • Buffalo Wild Wings • Café de Manuel • Carlito's Mexican Grill • Chili's Grill & Bar • Raising Cane’s • Red Estilo Mex • Boston’s Pizza/Sports Bar • Macayo's Kitchen • Modbox Bistro

Special Thanks to Our MANY Fabulous Volunteers Who Made This Day A Great Success! CGUHS DECA Club and Our Shuttle Drivers – you are so appreciated! SPECIAL THANK YOU TO LUIS GONZALES FOR ATTENDING!

Iron City Polaris J. Warren Funeral Services Janie Miller Jeff Fairman Jeri Rodriquez/Shear Gossip Julie Thornhill Katrina Rodriguez Kelsie Pate/Shear Gossip Salon Laser Quest Phoenix Laura Bagby/Shear Gossip Laurete Gamma Alpha Chapter PL 3082 Legoland California

Lillian Peart Hoover Linda Tawny, Photographer Little Barrel Antiques & Collectables Maria-Elena Ochoa Mark White, Artist Michael Larson/ West USA Realty Musical Instrument Museum (M.I.M.) N & D Designs Nature’s Nook Oasis Pavilion Nursing & Rehabilitation/Sandra

Hernandez Office Depot On Site Shooting Otter Box Party & Cake Depot Pat & Jim Petroski Pat Miller Paula Foley Phoenix Art Museum Pilates Plus - Chandler/ Kimberly Leavitt, Owner Pinal-Gila Council for Senior Citizens Powell’s Feed & Supply

Pristine Cleaners/Marci Benge Purcell’s Tire & Auto Service Quality 1st Dry Cleaning & Laundry/Marci Benge Queen Mine Tour RCS – Arizona State Fair Regis Sommers Roy Friedman/Yost Realty Sabrina Chacon/Shear Gossip Serendipity Day Care/ Lorraine Lewis Shamrock Foods Shawna’s Top Notch

Grooming Sommers Jewelers Southwest Printing & Promotions Southwest Shakespeare Co. Sylvia & Mike Aguilar The Apothe.craft Shop/ Michele Velum, Owner The Gaslight Theatre The Mini Time Machine museum of miniatures The Phoenix Symphony The Pink Pear/Bonnie Light, Owner

The Winner’s Circle Tina Heward/Cypress Point Salon Travis Fitzpatrick Trish Georgeff Tucson Botanical Gardens Tucson Symphony Orchestra Valerie Williams Verde Canyon Railroad Westworld Paintball Wet ‘n’ Wild Phoenix Wildlife World Zoo & Aquarium Zonta Club of Casa Grande

SKIING IN THE LAND OF DESERTS by Tori Ward , ROX Travel, Cruise and Resort Specialist

any people live in Arizona to escape the cold weather, but I love winter! I even declared as much when I arrived in 2004, pushed on by the final gusts of three hurricanes that blew through Orlando in a span of six weeks. When my newfound friends asked if I skied, I naively answered that I didn't think the lakes were numerous enough to merit dragging skis across the country, and got rid my equipment before leaving the sunshine state. Then, they told me they meant snow skiing â&#x20AC;&#x201C; a possibility I had never considered. So, I began to explore the options! We are fortunate to have two wonderful ski areas in our state. While they don't boast expert slopes, they do have advanced, intermediate and beginners slopes, and both have areas for snowboarding. They are located in diverse areas of the state, with other activities to enjoy, if you have family members who want to stay warm and dry. Sunrise Park Resort in Greer, Arizona, located in the White Mountains, is in its 46th year of business.

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There are a number of lodging options in and around Greer, if the resort conference center is booked. The Pinetop/Lakeside area is about 35 miles from the resort and the resort is about a four-hour drive from Phoenix. Sunrise Park has 65 runs divided into 40 percent each for beginners and intermediates and the remaining 20 percent for advanced skiers. The summit is at 11,000 feet with an 1,800-foot vertical drop. In 2015, the resort enjoyed 115 days of skiing with over 250 inches of snow. They are predicting an opening on November 24 and will close for the season in late March. Cross country skiing is available and the resort recently added a half-pipe. The lift system includes a high speed detachable quad. During the off season, Sunrise offers activities that include zip lines, which operate into the fall months. I was delighted to also find a plethora of antique shops in Pinetop. I bought a beautiful stained glass panel that cost a fraction of what I would have paid in Prescott. The San Francisco Peaks are always the hallmark for me that winter is

THE HOLIDAY EDITION

Traveling • Dining • Entertainment

coming. I can see the summit from my house and always thrill at the sight of the sun hitting the white crown and setting it ablaze in the morning. In the summer, I frequently visit Flagstaff and the peaks to enjoy hiking in a cooler environment. Arizona Snowbowl, opened in 1938, takes advantage of the 11,500-foot summit to provide skiers with a 2,300 foot vertical drop to the base. Beginners and intermediates have 37 percent and 42 percent of the slopes dedicated respectively to their skill levels. Advanced skiers have 21 percent of the slopes reserved for them. There are six chair lifts at Snowbowl to carry skiers during the winter and it operates during the remainder of the year to transport folks to the top for the amazing views below. The ski season is scheduled to start on November 18 and run until the middle of April, as they have the ability to make snow if nature is less than cooperative. Both Sunrise Park and Arizona Snowbowl offer lessons and equipment rentals if you don't have your own gear. Flagstaff has many lodging options

THE HOLIDAY EDITION

from quaint B&Bs to chains. While there, enjoy a meal at Brix, Shift or the Tinderbox – all wonderful dining options. The Riordan Museum and the Lowell Observatory are two options for the non-skiers in your group, or those wishing to enjoy a warmer activity. EXPERT TIP: Check the websites of both Sunrise Park and Arizona Snowbowl for the best prices or specials for lift tickets, and don't forget that Groupon often offers special discounts. Season passes and value packages are offered at both

ski areas. Try to go during the weekdays, as the weekends –particularly holiday weekends – are very busy and wait times for the lifts are often long. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Snowbowl: www.arizonasnowbowl.com Sunrise Park: www.sunriseskiparkaz.com Victoria “Tori” Ward is a cruise and resort specialist with an interest in traveling and seeing the world since she first began to crawl. For more information on these trips and others, contact Tori at tori@ roxtravel.com or 928-254-9968.

HOL IDAY 20 16 GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

ENTERTAINMENT

Pinal County’s Community Symphony The Central Arizona Symphony by Corianna Lee

entral Arizona Symphony, the resident symphony of the Coolidge Performing Arts Center is entering their third season in 2016-2017. Under the direction of conductor, Kim Calderone, the symphony offers a wide variety of music for audiences and musi-

cians of all ages! The symphony itself is comprised of 50+musicians, ranging from students to semiprofessionals, from all over Pinal County. Performers are volunteers with a deep love of music and the arts. From students to snow birds and everyone in between,

Desert Song Community Choir In Combined Performance With

Central Arizona Symphony A Classic Christmas Saturday, December 3, 2016 7pm Free Concert

all are welcome to participate. The symphony seeks to provide opportunities for all musicians to have an opportunity to perform and is always seeking new talent. Rehearsals are currently on Thursday evenings from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Artisan Village of Coolidge. Performances are held at the Coolidge Performing Arts Center. Opening their performance season on October 1, at the Coolidge Performing Arts Center, the symphony has doubled their schedule this year from four performances at the Coolidge Performing Arts Center to including variety of community performances such as Florence Gardens and Robson Ranch to name a few. A full performance schedule can be found at www. coolidgeperformingartscenter. org. Performances are free and donations are always welcome in support of the symphony.

The much anticipated Holiday Concert, “A Classic Christmas” will take place on Saturday, December 3, 2016 at the Coolidge Performing Arts Center at 7 p.m. and will include a collaboration with the Desert Song Community Choir and the Pinal County Mass choir in excerpts from Handel’s “Messiah”. The diversity of the musical selections, combined with the theatrical elements and collaborations from other community groups, make the Central Arizona Symphony performances entertaining for all ages. Each performance is always surprising! Much like the Coolidge Performing Arts Center, the Central Arizona Symphony has been a well kept secret, but word is getting out! Be sure to visit them at the Coolidge Performing Arts Center or at one of their many community concerts this season.

Featuring George Fredric Handel's

Hallelujah Chorus Coolodge Performing Arts Center 684 W. Northern Avenue Coolidge, AZ 85128 For Information Call: 610-496-3365 Freewill Donation to Support Youth Music Scholarships

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ACTIVITIES

Choir and Drama, FFA, FBLA, FPS, Robotics, Marching Band, National FCCLA, DECA—state, national and international awards

COLLABORATION ALTERNATIVES CAVIT, CAC, private corporations, City of Casa Grande

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latisha.sopha@titlesecurity.com HOL IDAY 20 16 GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

CASA GRANDE ART MUSEUM CELEBRATES 30 YEARS

his year marks the 30th anniversary of the Casa Grande Art Museum presenting annual art shows in the Casa Grande valley. The shows for 2016 begin on Nov. 4, with the Surrender Art Show, which was our most popular show last year. This show involves one artist doing a portion of the artwork, and then surrendering it, and a different artist finishing the artwork. This show runs through Dec. 10. On Jan. 6 – 28, we have Oracle artist Barbara Kemp Cowlin showing her artwork. On Feb. 10 – March 4, photographer Samantha Taylor presents her show at the museum. On March 10 – April 1, local artist Bob Spille will display his art at the museum. We conclude our season, as we always do, with a student art show that runs April 21 – May 6, featuring the Casa Grande Middle School students. The Casa Grande Art Museum is housed at 319 W. 3rd St., on the corner of Mar-

Since the first show at the Casa Grande Art Museum, hundreds of exhibits have been held at the museum over the years, including Carl Clapp, Paul Modlin, Judy Walsh, Mike Chiago and Mark White.

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icopa and 3rd streets in Casa Grande. The house, built in 1929 by Gus Kratzka, is on the National Register of Historic Places. The building has a rusticated concrete exterior and includes several features that made the summer heat more bearable for the retired baker and his wife. The house was purchased and opened as the Casa Grande Art Museum by The Friends of the Arts, Inc., in 1987. The Friends of the Arts have lovingly restored the house to its present condition. The Friends of the Arts, Inc. had its first meeting in October 1986, when it elected its founding officers of Gary Kehias, Treasurer; Kay Benedict, Secretary; Nancy McEvoy, Vice-President and Tom Cole, President. After purchasing the Kratzka house, the board went about its principal mission: to provide the citizens of central Arizona with the opportunity to enjoy a diverse selection of quality art in a setting that is conducive to its viewing with educational opportunities for all ages – young and old alike – so that everyone has the opportunity to view and appreciate the arts. Since the first show at

the Casa Grande Art Museum, hundreds of exhibits have been held at the museum over the years, including Carl Clapp, Paul Modlin, Judy Walsh, Mike Chiago and Mark White. In addition, The Friends of the Arts has accumulated its own impressive art collection. The museum’s exclusive source of funds to operate came from private memberships, donations and gifts. The museum board maintains a policy of not charging fees to visitors so that their art exhibits are available to everyone. The board of directors of the museum seeks to promote the arts in Casa Grande by soliciting funds and new members so the museum can remain the focal point for culture in our city and county. Anyone interested in volunteering or making a donation to support the arts in Casa Grande and, specifically, the museum, should contact David A. Fitzgibbons III at david@fitzgibbonslaw.com or Dan Mace at danm@hhcpa.com; call Regis Sommers at (520) 836-0237 or write to the board at P.O. Box 11543, Casa Grande, AZ 85130.

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Eloy: The East Line of Yuma ...continued from page 68 Santa Cruz Valley Historic Museum was formed to oversee their restoration and operation. The restoration completed so far is the result of individual and charitable donations; monies raised at the Museum’s Annual Dinner Dance fundraising events, local grants, donated materials from local businesses, individuals who donated their time and support, labor donated by the Southwest Archaeological Team from Mesa, and from the support of the City of Eloy. The Museum will be the “Entrance to Eloy”. It will present the “history of cotton in the Santa Cruz Valley”. It will also house items representing the history of Eloy, with the soda fountain from Hodge’s Pharmacy as well as the Toltec Tavern

sign already secured. For more information on the Museum Project, to make a donation or to volunteer your assistance, please call Dick Myers, 520-421-0696. www.scvhmuseum.org. Another ongoing project is the Eloy Downtown Advisory Commission (DAC). DAC meets monthly to discuss ways to improve the downtown area. The objective is to provide recommendations to the city council. DAC recently completed their second ‘Tour of Empty Buildings’ to bring property owners, Realtors®, investors, the city and other interested parties together to see the area potential. Since the first tour in June of this year, a parachute manufacturing company is currently renovating a property, with Firebird Parachutes opening

Puzzles Answers

See Puzzles on Page 99 92

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING HOL IDAY 20 16

Eloy Electric Light Parade December 10th in January. A vacant lot is now owned by Pinal Hispanic Council and the parcel will be developed into a community garden (the Eloy Veterans Center will coordinate the facility.) and four building owners have begun a clean-up and maintenance of their property and are looking to lease or sell. Kevin Fort, the director of the Central Arizona College Small Business Development Center, has attended the tour and offered his expertise to the owners & buyers. Kevin wants to insure that people understand the relevance of their business to the community. He tells his clients “to look at your business through the eyes of your customers.” Business owners, and especially those who consider themselves to be entrepreneurs, often pride themselves on being great innovators. They bring world- changing ideas and vision to the table but often fail to view that innovation through the eyes of their customers. Henry Ford once said: (it is arguable that he actually said it but his actions tend to imply that his thought process leaned towards) “If I had asked people what they wanted, they would have told me a faster horse.” When a business owner looks at their business through the eyes of their customer, they are actively engaging in the process of relevance. At the end of the day, the customer must be willing to sit across the desk and write a check for a product or service The DAC is developing a mission statement & a vision which will identify the relevance of downtown and what needs to happen so the citizens of Eloy

will thoroughly enjoy the amenities their downtown can and will offer them. Recent Successes/Near Term Directions. The following projects have or will exhibit a positive impact on the City: Completed/In Progress • Expansion of Otto Environmental-Completed • City Entry Monument Signage-Constructed • 2% Food Tax for Economic DevelopmentAdopted • Economic Development Consultant-Hired • Downtown Advisory Commission-Formed • Veteran’s Heritage Park (On Main Street) • Expansion of CCA PrisonUnder Construction • Monsanto Water Line Extension-Under Construction • Municipal Airport Taxi Lanes-Under Construction • Wayfinding SignageUnder Design • Downtown Entry Landscape-Under Design Future/Near Term • PhoenixMart-Initiated • New City Hall-Under Design, 2018 Completion • Interstate 10 improvementsProgrammed • Municipal Airport T-Hangars-Programmed • Downtown Master PlanProgrammed • Red Rock Rail Classification YardProposed THE HOLIDAY EDITION

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PURR-FECT HOWLIDAY LIST

by Gigi McWhirter, Casa Grande Animal Hospital

he winter holiday season is a special time, often filled celebrating with family and friends. With all the hustle and bustle it is easy to forget the pet-proofing measures set in place the rest of the year. To help keep your pets out of danger during the holidays please put this list on your list of lists:

1. CHOCOLATE – The darker the chocolate, the more dangerous to your pet. This includes baker's chocolate. While 90 percent of chocolate toxicity emergency calls are about dogs eating chocolate, it is important to note that cats can also have an adverse reaction. Also important to know, regular or chocolate-covered macadamia nuts and espresso beans can dispense an unhealthy dose of methylxanthines to pets. 2. ALCOHOL – It is dangerous in any form, such as rum cake, any baked good, candy containing alcohol or drinking any alcoholic beverage.

3. YEAST DOUGH – Once in the stomach, yeast dough can rise because the stomach acts as an oven that turns the yeast in the dough into carbon dioxide and ethanol. The extra carbon dioxide can cause the animal to bloat which can cause the stomach or intestines to rupture. The ethanol can lead to alcohol poisoning. Baked bread can be used as a treat, but should be less than 10 percent of your pet's daily intake. 4. GRAPES & RAISINS – Grapes, in any form including raisins in breads and baked goods, are dangerous. While the toxic substance is unknown, they can cause kidney failure. 5. MEDICATIONS – Keep all prescriptions and over-the-counter drugs out of reach – preferably in a closed cabinet. Remind your guests to do the same. DO NOT OFFER ANY MEDICATIONS to any animal without first consulting a veterinarian – a real veterinarian, not “Dr. Google” or “Dr. Internet.”

GOLDEN GOLDENCORRID CORRID OR ORLILI VV ING INGHOL HOL IDAY IDAY202016 16

6. CHRISTMAS TREE HAZARDS – Be mindful of pets around holiday tree and décor items. This includes Christmas tree water, electric cords, ribbons, tinsel, ornament hangers, batteries, glass ornaments and potpourris in any form. 7. PLANTS – Lilies can be deadly or cause kidney failure in your cat. If your cat should consume a lily, in any form, contact your veterinarian immediately. If you are able, take the flower with you to the vet's office to allow for proper diagnosis and treatment. Mistletoe and holly can lead to severe gastrointestinal issues, trouble breathing and in extreme cases, heart failure. Poinsettias can irritate the mouth and stomach and can also cause nausea and vomiting. 8. XYLITOL – This sugar substitute found in candy, gum, peanut butter and other recipes may cause vomiting, loss of coordination, seizures and in extreme cases, liver failure.

9. RAT AND MOUSE POISON – It is critical that you place these products in areas that are inaccessible to companion animals. 10. CIGARETTES, CIGARS, TOBACCO & MARIJUANA. If your pet consumes any of these products, in any form, contact your veterinarian immediately. BE PREPARED: Keep the following numbers stored in your phones and a written list placed in a prominent place where all members of the household can find them. VETERINARIAN: _______________________________ AFTER HOURS EMERGENCY VETERINARIAN: _______________________________ PET-POISON HELPLINE: 855-213-6680 Here's wishing you and yours a purr-fectly joy-filled howliday season full of tweet surprises!

ALWAYS REMEMBER – WHEN IN DOUBT CONSULT YOUR VETERINARIAN! THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

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COMMUNITY

PROTECTING CASA GRANDE’S “ANGEL” by Breanna Boland, Executive Director (ACPP II), Casa Grande Alliance

The canine’s sense of smell is approximately 400 times greater than a person’s sense of smell.

ne of the goals of the Casa Grande Alliance is to increase community collaboration around reducing youth and adult substance abuse. The Casa Grande Alliance achieves this goal by partnering with coalition members, as well as supporting coalition member activities and events. The Casa Grande Police Department (CGPD) is an active member of the Casa Grande Alliance coalition. The Casa Grande Alliance and the CGPD work together, as well as individually, to reduce community members’ access to illicit drugs. The CGPD has a Narcotics Unit dedicated to reducing access to illicit drugs and investigating drug-related crimes. The CGPD Narcotic Unit is a high functioning, mission-driven team. In 2015, as a three-member team, the Narcotics Unit made 294 arrests,

served 33 drug-related search warrants, seized 867 pounds of marijuana, 14.7 ounces of methamphetamine, and 3.1 ounces of heroin. In November 2015, Angel, a 3-year-old Belgian Malinois, became the fourth member of the CGPD Narcotics Unit. A canine that is trained in narcotic searches can locate drugs in areas where the average officer would be incapable of searching. The canine’s sense of smell is approximately 400 times greater than a person’s sense of smell. At the start of her hire, Angel went through five weeks of narcotics detection training and was certified as a narcotics detection dog on Dec. 15, 2015. After she received her certification, Angel began actively working with the CGPD Narcotics Unit. Just like her human counterparts at the CGPD, Angel’s mission is to serve and protect

our community. Angel was introduced to the Casa Grande Alliance coalition in Spring 2016. Immediately, the coalition felt a desire to provide Angel with the same level of protection as her colleagues – a ballistics vest specifically designed for a canine. A ballistics vest would provide Angel with ballistic and spike protection as she works drug cases in and around Casa Grande. The Casa Grande Alliance leadership team applied for funding through Cenpatico Integrated Care and their Community Reinvestment Funds to purchase a ballistics vest for Angel. In August 2016, the Casa Grande Alliance was awarded the full amount to purchase the vest. Angel received her vest in September 2016 and is now out in the community working cases fully protected.

ABOVE: All of the agencies involved in providing Angel with her new vest were at the Public Safety Building on Val Vista Boulevard on Wednesday, October 12 for a photo with Angel.

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THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

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More to Me by Rebekah Stark

popped the last piece into my mouth. “Woah, it tastes kind of like grape soda.” I smiled towards the camera. “And that’s all, see you next time!” I tapped the button and slumped into my seat. Ugh … it wasn’t that I didn’t like filming, it was that I was expecting something … very soon. A knock snapped me out of my thoughts. I jogged over and opened the door. A tall man stood inside the door frame. He stared at me and whispered, “You are more to me.” Then the man slipped out of sight. I felt a small pain in my head. I fell into a dream where deep echoes sounded “more … to … me.”

Have your child stop by the Vista Grande Library in Casa Grande to enter the Golden Corridor LIVING essay contest!

So join me next time as I write out the exciting adventures yet to come!

GOLDEN GOLDENCORRID CORRID OR ORLILI VV ING INGHOL HOL IDAY IDAY202016 16

THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

Puzzles Sudoku

Word Search

Answers to puzzles on page 92 THE THEHOLIDAY HOLIDAYEDITION EDITION

HOL IDAY 20 16 GOLDEN CORRID OROR LI VLI ING 99 HOL HOL IDAY IDAY 2016 20 16GOLDEN GOLDEN CORRID CORRID OR LI VVING ING

PATHWAY TO PATHWAY TO PATHWAY TO PATHWAY TO PURCHASE PATHWAY TO PURCHASE PURCHASE PATHWAY TO ATHWAY TO PURCHASE

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A ��uali�ed is �eteran� is a erans, active duty United Statesincentives military, active United Reservists, 6. Many of the current HOME Plus DPA program course). Special incentives for military through the AZ Home Foreclosure Prevention Funding Corp. person who served in the active military, naval, or air service, and who was and active members of the National Guard. A ��uali�ed �eteran� is a course). Special incentives for military through themillion AZ Home Foreclosure Prevention Funding Corp. 6. Many of the current HOME Plus DPA program guidelines will r course (can be an online $89,008. 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more Casa information. 442 W Kortsen Road, 104, Grande, AZ 85122 �xed 4.125% interest rate,. credit score of 720, 4.741% APR. MI will be higher with a credit score under 720. All mortgage Branch Managerdawn.svoboda@AcademyMortgage.com | N M LS #177235 dawn.svoboda@AcademyMortgage.com products are subject to credit and property approval. Rates, program terms, and conditions are subject to change without www.AcademyMortgage.com/dawnsvoboda (520) 421-1171 ▲0913936 Cell: (480) www.AcademyMortgage.com/dawnsvoboda Branch Manager | N M L S221-9826 # 1 7 7 2 3 5 notice. Not all products are available in all states or for all amounts. Additional conditions, quali�cations, and restrictions AZ appl This is not an offer for extension of credit or a commitment to lend. Please contact Academy Mortgage for apply. AZ442 0913936 Branch Manager LAZ S #1 7 7 2State 3 5 may W Kortsen Road, 104, C o r pCasa N MGrande, L S|▲ #N3M 1Cell: 1 3 |85122 Corp Lic AZ #BK-0904081 (520) 421-1171 (480) 221-9826 Branch Manager | N MC dawn.svoboda@AcademyMortgage.com 7 7L2 oLrSp #N1M S 3#53 1 1 3 | Corp State Lic AZ #BK-0904081 more information. (520) 421-1171 ▲ Cell: (480) 221-9826 W Kortsen Road, 104, Casa Grande, AZ 85122 www.AcademyMortgage.com/dawnsvoboda (520) 421-1171 ▲ Cell: (480)442 221-9826 442dawn.svoboda@AcademyMortgage.com W Kortsen Road, 104, Casa Grande, AZ 85122 AZGrande, 0913936 442 W Kortsen Road, 104, Casa AZ 85122 www.AcademyMortgage.com/dawnsvoboda dawn.svoboda@AcademyMortgage.com

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