Golden Corridor LIVING Magazine

Pinal County Press . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

ROX Interview: Matt Herman. . . . 16

Home & Garden Section. . . . . . 36

“THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY”

THE

HOME & GARDEN Builders We Love Rusty Riggs, Capital R Construction Aaron Simmons, Gallo Construction Jeff VanHise, Gallo Construction Not pictured: Jim Suor, Absolute Construction

In Every Edition:

EDITION

The ROX Interview: MATT HERMAN

Casa Grande City Council GOLDENCORRIDORLIVING.COM

$4.95 Complimentary • WINTER 2019

ARIZONA CIT Y • C A SA GR ANDE • COOLIDGE • ELOY • FLORENCE • MARICOPA

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*All offers on approved credit. Prices/Offers do not include taxes, title, license, dealer doc fees. See Dealer for complete details. *Must finance with GM Financial at standard rates. Some customers may not qualify. Down payment required at signing, if applicable. Finance charges accrue from date of financing. *Length of contract limited. Must finance with GM Financial. Some customers may not qualify. Not available with lease and some other offers. Take new retail delivery by 2/28/19. See dealer for details.

BRING IN THIS VOUCHER AND RECEIVE $25 OFF SERVICE AND PARTS!** **While supplies last. One voucher per person. Can only be used at Garrett Chevy. See dealer for details.

197 N. Arizona Blvd. • Coolidge, AZ 85128

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Annual Dinner & Silent Auction

Saturday, February 16 Robson Ranch 5677 W. Robson Blvd.

Eloy, AZ 85131

Promoting opportunities to improve lives through relationships and community development Spiritual, educational and social support to Casa Grande since 1993

5:00 PM Silent Auction

6:00 PM Dinner

$50 each / $450 table of 10 Tickets Available 

online at www.seedsofhopeaz.com

Pinal County Press . . . . . . . . . . . 14

ROX Interview: Matt Herman . . . 16

Home & Garden Section . . . . . . 36

“THE VOICE OF THE COMMUNITY”

Contents

Winter 2019

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

THE

HOME & GARDEN

Features:

EDITION

Builders We Love Rusty Riggs, Capital R Construction Aaron Simmons, Gallo Construction Jeff VanHise, Gallo Construction Not pictured: Jim Suor, Absolute Construction

In Every Edition:

The ROX Interview: MATT HERMAN

Casa Grande City Council GOLDENCORRIDORLIVING.COM

$4.95 Complimentary • WINTER 2019

ARIZONA CIT Y • C A SA GR ANDE • COOLIDGE • ELOY • FLORENCE • MARICOPA

ON THE COVER: Rusty Riggs, Capital R Construction Aaron Simmons, Gallo Construction Jeff VanHise, Gallo Construction Not pictured: Jim Suor, Absolute Construction

Pinal County Press Local News

14

THE LIVING INTERVIEW:

16

Matt Herman, Casa Grande City Council SPECIAL SECTION:

Home & Garden

36

Economy, Finance & Business

Health, Happiness & Education

Travel, Dining & Entertainment

Keeping It Local Makes Sense. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26

Golden Corridor LIVING: Out & About. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68

Traveling & Tasting in the Mediterranean. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 86

Run or Walk - You Can Do It . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

New Year’s Resolution: Volunteer More. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 76

See Artists At Work During Spring Studio Tour. . . . . . . . . . . 90

New Business Registry Program Makes Life Easier for Business Owners. . . . 34

Drivers Expect Too Much from Car Safety Technology . . . . . . . 80

Scholarship Winners Making a Difference in Casa Grande. . . 94

G OLDENCORRIDORLIVING .COM

Letter from the Editor

Happy New Year - A Look Ahead for Golden Corridor LIVING

2 Bea Lueck

018 is now officially over and 2019 is fresh and new. So what will the new year bring to us?

If I answer “world peace,” I’ll sound like a stereotypical beauty pageant contestant. Each year, we publish six editions of Golden Corridor LIVING. Here is a look at the year ahead for Golden Corridor LIVING. The January edition is our Home & Garden issue. In this edition, you will find information on area builders, contractors and trades. Construction is a big part of local and regional economy. We have several great companies available in our area. As a real estate agent, I’ve had the pleasure to work with many of them for my clients’ needs as well as my own home remodel projects. The economy has reached a recovery point where the number of new home starts each month is greater than the annual total a few years back.

The March edition is our Medical, Health & Wellness issue. As our community and region have grown, so have the availability of health care

WINTER 2019 • THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

access and options. Most specialists can now be found without traveling to the valley. The field of alternative medicine options is growing, as well.

Whether you are seeking naturopathic, homeopathic or allopathic care, it can all be found right here at home.

Many treatment options that were frowned upon a decade ago are now mainstream. CBD oil anyone?

The May edition is just in time to plan your summer fun with the Travel & Tourism issue. Whether you are planning a staycation nearby or a dream vacation, we have information to help you plan ahead. And if your plans include a destination wedding, this edition will have information on weddings, too!

What is summer but heading into back-to-school time! The July edition is our Education issue. Our area is blessed with many great choices for our children’s education. From traditional public schools to charter schools and private schools, parents are able to find one that meets their children’s needs.

September brings the Leadership edition featuring a section dedicated

to Women in Business. Leadership takes many forms and includes our local government as well as business and civic leaders. Many organizations thrive under the leadership of our women in business and we are proud to feature them and their accomplishments.

The year ends with the Holiday edition in November. From area events to family traditions and recipes, this issue brings the holiday spirit to the forefront.

I encourage our readers to reach out to our editorial team with suggestions and ideas for the coming year. What do you want featured? Who would you like to read more about in our ROX Interview? And if you have a flair and passion for writing, we would love for you to submit articles. After all, Golden Corridor LIVING is about local – local people and local events. Please fill my inbox with your ideas by emailing editor@roxco.com.

For now, I wish everyone a Happy and Healthy New Year.

–Bea

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

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G OLDENCORRIDORLIVING .COM PUBLISHER Elaine Earle, CPA EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Bea Lueck COPYWRITER & EDITOR Nancy Erdmann CONTRIBUTING WRITER Donna McBride CREATIVE DIRECTOR/GRAPHIC DESIGNER Tim Clarke

VOICES Angela Askey Executive Director, Public Relations and Marketing, Central Arizona College Angela is the Executive Director of Public Relations and Marketing for Central Arizona College. Prior to her arrival at CAC, Angela served as the Media Relations Coordinator at Mesa Community College and the Community Relations Coordinator at Idaho State University College of Technology.

Joel Belloc

CUSTOMER SERVICE/AD TRAFFIC MANAGER Jo Wobser

Mayor, City of Eloy Mayor Belloc was re-elected for his second term as Mayor of the City of Eloy in November 2016. He has also served as a member of the Eloy City Council from 2002-2012 and as Vice Mayor from 2012-2014. He graduated from Central Arizona College with an AAS degree in drafting/design, attended Pima College and the University of Arizona, where he enrolled in landscape architecture. He currently manages his family’s farming business Belloc Inc. Mayor Belloc is a longtime resident of Eloy and has been married to his wife Cecilia for over 40 years. Together they have three children, 10 grandchildren and one great grandchild.

PUBLIC RELATIONS & MARKETING MANAGER Julie Turetzky

Mark Benner

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS Rebecca Bowen Jake Pagano Shannon Price

COMMENTS & IDEAS editor@roxco.com CALENDAR INQUIRIES calendar@roxco.com • goldencorridorliving.com/calendar

GM & CEO Eloy Chamber of Commerce Mark moved to Casa Grande nine years ago after 59 years in his home state of Michigan. He attended Martin Luther Teachers College in Minnesota and is a graduate of Michigan Lutheran Seminary. A grocery/food service manufacturing executive for 38 years, he retired as VP of sales with FD Stella in 2010.

SUBSCRIPTIONS info@roxco.com • goldencorridorliving.com/copies ADVERTISING INQUIRIES info@roxco.com • goldencorridorliving.com/advertise (520) 426-2074 442 W. Kortsen Rd, Ste 101 Casa Grande, AZ 85122

Mila Besich Mayor, Town of Superior Mila Besich, a fourth-generation resident of Superior, was elected as the Town’s Mayor in 2016. She wears many hats in her community and region, serving as Executive Director of the Copper Corridor Economic Development Coalition and Advertising Director for Copper Area News Publishers.

Breanna Boland Golden Corridor LIVING is published by Raxx Direct Marketing. Editorial content is provided by affiliates of Raxx Direct Marketing, community members and local organizations. © 2019. All rights reserved. No part of this publication, including but not limited to editorial content, illustrations, graphics and photographic images, may be republished, reproduced or reprinted without the prior express written consent of the publisher.

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 CORRID V ING 8 GOLDEN forming their own opinions.OR Real LI estate information is as of 1-1-19 and is subject to current availability and pricing.

Executive Director, Casa Grande Alliance 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 an Arizona Certified Prevention Specialist.

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

of the

Community

Tiffanie Grady-Gillespie

John Nixon, CPRP

Certified Physical Trainer, CPT, WickedFiTT Tiffanie is the owner of WickedFiTT in Casa Grande, AZ. She is a well-known personal trainer, group fitness instructor and allaround fitness junkie. Tiffanie specializes in weight loss, strength and conditioning and general fitness.

Recreation Superintendent, Town of Florence Community Services Department John is recreation superintendent for the Florence Community Services Department. He is in his 33rd year in the parks and recreation field. An Arizona native, John and wife Sue have two grown sons; Jacob, a behavioral health administrator and Keith, a police officer.

Donna McBride

Christian Price

Councilwoman, City of Casa Grande Donna is the Program Administrator/Public Information Officer and Supervisor for the CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate) Unit for Pinal County Juvenile Court. She is actively involved as a Board Member for Casa Grande Alliance, Parks and Recreation Advisory Board, BlackBox Foundation, Mayor’s Reading Program, Pinal County Town Hall Vice Chair, Parks and Block Watch Captain for the Casa Grande Police Department. She is a current member of the Casa Grande City Council.

Mayor, City of Maricopa Mayor Price is serving in his third term as Mayor. Mayor Price is an entrepreneur and small-business owner and is a partner of the Sierra West Group, a financial advisory firm. Raised in Tucson and a graduate of Northern Arizona University, he participates in numerous regional and national coalitions including serving as the Treasurer on the Executive Committee of the Arizona League of Cities and Towns.

Craig McFarland

Rina Rien

Mayor, City of Casa Grande Born and raised in California, Mayor McFarland has lived in Casa Grande since 2005. He is a graduate of California State University, Fresno and retired from Golden Eagle Distributors in January 2015 as VP of Sales after a 10-year run with the company. He has spent 36 years in beverage business-sales management, marketing and operations. McFarland began his first term as Mayor in December 2016.

Director, Casa Grande Main Street As Executive Director of Casa Grande Main Street since 2012, Rina fosters a collaborative approach toward building a vibrant downtown community. Rina enjoys partnering with highly creative people who share a passion for promoting Historic Downtown and preserving its rich history.

Gigi McWhirter

Jon Thompson

Resident Animal Whisperer Conceived in a plane behind the Airport Tavern, Gigi is living proof that it takes a village to raise a kid properly. Married to the best man and we live in what I call the “Best Dog House in Casa Grande” shared with a bunch of dogs, two parakeets and a finch called “Rusty”. Lived in Alaska, drove on the Arctic Ocean, walked on the Great Wall of China and drank Guinness in Ireland. But none of this compares to my profound love of animals and Flying Leap wines!

Mayor, City of Coolidge Mayor Thompson graduated from NAU in 1979 with a Bachelor of Science degree. He was first elected to the Coolidge City Council in 2002 and served as Vice Mayor from 2006 to 2010.

He gave up his council seat to run for Mayor and since being elected has retired as Division Director for the Pinal County Adult Probation Department after 30 years.

Helen Neuharth

Tori Ward

President & CEO, Greater Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce 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, CO. Helen is an active member of the Arizona Chamber Executives.

Cruise and Resort Specialist, ROX Travel Victoria “Tori” is a cruise and resort specialist with a master’s degree in political science. She has completed more than 30 certification courses with the cruise and tour industry including the most advanced certification, Commodore, from Princess Cruise Lines. Tori is a member of the Cruise Lines International Association.

WINTER 2019 • THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

9

! o l l e H We’re ROX Media Group G

olden Corridor LIVING Magazine is brought to you by ROX Media Group, a multimedia organization providing an annual portfolio of 3.6 million print copies of community, custom and travel publications throughout Arizona and in neighboring states. Our publications collectively reach millions of consumers who reside in or travel to Arizona every year and bring engaging local content to the communities and marketing partners we serve.

Since our founding in 2011, we have earned the respect of our readers and marketing partners through

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In addition to Golden Corridor LIVING Magazine, our other products you may have seen in the region include Golden Corridor Smart Shopper, the annual Winter Visitors Guide and TravelHost Arizona. Although you can find our work throughout our state, we are proud to be headquartered right here in Casa Grande.

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Bea Lueck

Bea is the general manager and managing editor of ROX Media Group. She handles the various day-to-day activities necessary to take the publications from concept to print and distribution. She has over 22 years of experience in multiple advertising media, including print, direct mail, television and web.

General Manager & Managing Editor

Ray Newton

Contributing Writer

A veteran newspaperman, magazine and television reporter-editor, Ray also earned stripes at several universities, including Northern Arizona University, as a professor and administrator emeritus. Active throughout his adult years in several local, regional and national think-tank organizations, he’s a vocal advocate for giving back to communities where we live.

Julie is a marketing professional with 20 years of experience working in client and agency settings. Julie has created and managed marketing strategies across many industries, designed to meet client objectives and stay within an established budget.

Julie Turetzky

Graphic Designer

Jake Pagano Graphic Designer

Creative Director

Katie Mayer Editor & Project Manager

Nancy Erdmann Lead Editor & Writer

Public Relations & Marketing Manager

Shannon Price

Tim Clarke

Shannon joined ROX Media Group in September 2018. She has an associate degree in graphic design as well as a bachelor’s degree in business management with a concentration in marketing. Shannon is a graphic artist with more than six years of design experience and spent the past three years working in the newspaper industry. She and her family have lived in Casa Grande for over thirteen years.

Jake is an experienced and driven graphic designer whose creative design work can be found in dozens of consumer, travel and lifestyle publications throughout Arizona.

Jake is currently responsible for a number of publications at ROX Media Group including Sun Health LiveWell, Glendale@ PLAY and TravelHost Arizona.

Rebecca Bowen Graphic Designer

Jo Wobser Customer Service/ Ad Traffic Manager

Tim is a digital design professional with more than 28 years of experience. Tim is responsible for all creative consulting, magazine design, print production and web development for ROX Media Group.

He manages production for multiple publications as well as multiple Drupal and Wordpress sites for external clients.

Katie is an accomplished senior copywriter and editor with 12 years of experience working with everything from daily print newspapers to magazines and trade publications.

She is also an award-winning journalist and guest lecturer at her Alma Mater, the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University.

Nancy is a seasoned journalist, having spent more than 25 years in the magazine industry as both a lifestyle editor and writer. A visual person by nature, she has art directed photo shoots and her images have often appeared in print and online publications. A native of Wisconsin, she has lived in Phoenix for the past 27 years and loves everything about Arizona.

Rebecca is a graphic designer with over five years of experience in the design and marketing industries. She has her associate’s degree in graphic design, and is currently pursuing her bachelor’s degree in communication. When she is not creating eye-catching visuals, she is enjoying hiking and other outdoor activities.

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Jo joined the ROX Media Group team in March 2018 following a career in customer service spanning more than 20 years. This rewarding experience coupled with her skill sets as a graphic designer and photographer allow her to provide excellent service and guidance to the ROX Media Group advertising clients she serves every day.

442 W. Kortsen Rd., Suite 101, Casa Grande AZ 85122 520-426-2074 roxmediagroup.net WINTER 2019 • THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

11

JANUARY

4

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAY - 5:30 PM-9:30 PM 280 E. 3rd St., Casa Grande. Come and enjoy great food and music every 1st Friday of the month.

$5 & canned food item for local Food Bank. Call 520-208-3817 for info.

5

12

9

12

RUN FOR HOPE 5K RUN/WALK & VENDOR FAIR - 8:00 AM - Dave White Park 2121 N. Thornton Rd., Casa Grande. $25 early bird registration. T-shirt, medal & goodie bag included.

Call Seeds of Hope, 520-836-6335 for info.

SEASONS - PAINT NITE - 6:00 PM-8:00 PM - A Latte Vino - 958 E. Rodeo Rd., Casa Grande. Tickets available at www.paintnite.com.

12

NATIVE AMERICAN FLUTE CIRCLE - 2:00 PM-5:00 PM - St. Michael and All Angels Liberal Catholic Cathedran 545 E. Palm Parke Blvd., Casa Grande. Jingle Dress Healing Dancer.

MARICOPA’S FAMILY FISHING DAY - 8:00 AM - Copper Sky Recreation Complex 44345 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Maricopa.

14th annual event hosted by City of Maricopa.

Registration required. Visit www.maricopa-az.gov for more info.

2019 HOME, HEALTH & GARDEN SHOW - 10:00 AM-3:00 PM - CityGate 2300 E. Taner Dr., Casa Grande. Annual Chamber Event, more than 60 indoor exhibitors. Tickets at casagrandechamber.org.

12

FREE CONCERT SERIES - 4:00 PM-7:00 PM - Promenade 1005 N. Promenade Pkwy., Casa Grande. Bring a chair! Illumin80s to provide 3 hours of 80’s Pop Classics!

14

HOME Find. Buy. Protect.

Protecting Your

Property Rights Title & Escrow Services Commercial Service 1031 Exchange

Direct Title Services Account Servicing

Land Development/Trust

421 E. Cottonwood Lane Casa Grande, AZ 85122 Office: 520.426.4600 I Fax: 520.426.4699 Email: latisha.sopha@titlesecurity.com

THE PIATIGORSKY FOUNDATION CONCERT - 7:00 PM - Paramount Theater, 420 N. Florence St., Casa Grande. Join us for a free evening of musical entertainment featuring Jack Sanders, a concert guitarist. This event is generously sponsored in part by Casa Grande Arts & Humanities Commission. Call 520-836-1030 for info.

19-20

2019 STREET FAIR & CAR SHOW - 10:00 AM-3:00 PM - Downtown Casa Grande. Over 100 exhibitors’ paintings, jewelry, sculptures, pottery, food vendors, kids zone, and much more! Visit cgmainstreet.org for info.

24

BATTLE MOOSE IMPROV - 6:00 PM - CAC 17945 Regent Dr., Maricopa Campus, A101. House improv troupe at BlackBox Theatre bring the laughs, comedy scenes and games. Free admision. Call (520) 477-7469 for info.

26

POLAR PLUNGE - 8:00 AM-9:00 AM Palm Island Family Aquatics Center 1115 N. Brown Ave., Casa Grande. Proceeds to benefit the City of Casa Grande Swim Lesson program.

Hot chocolate and group photo to follow. Call 520421-8677 for info.

26

POWWOW FARMERS MARKET - 8:00 AM11:00 AM - Boston’s Restaurant Parking Lot, 804 N Cacheris Ct., Casa Grande. Produce on Wheels Without Waste. Up to 70 lbs. for $12. Visit borderlandsproducerescue.org for more info.

26

4TH ANNUAL SENIOR INFO/EXPO 10:00 AM-2:00 PM - CAC 17945 Regent Dr., Maricopa Campus, A & B Buildings. Free admission. Resources, workshops and info. Call (520) 477-7469 for info.

26

NEW SHANGHAI CIRCUS - 7:00 PM - CAC 8470 N. Overfield Rd., Coolidge. Signal Peak Campus. The “Acrobats of China” to perform a new show. Tickets $22. Call (520) 477-7469 for info.

31

SWING MEMORIES BAND - 7:00 PM9:00 PM - CAC 8470 N. Overfield Rd., Coolidge. Signal Peak Campus. 17-piece big band performance. Free w/CAC ID or $15 admission. Call (520) 477-7469 for info.

23

STARRY LAKE - PAINT NITE - 6:00 PM8:00 PM - A Latte Vino - 958 E. Rodeo Rd., Casa Grande. Tickets available at www. paintnite.com.

FEBRUARY

1

FOOD TRUCK FRIDAY - 5:30 PM-9:30 PM - 280 E. 3rd St., Casa Grande. Come and enjoy great food and music every 1st Friday of the month.

2

CASA GRANDE 5K & HALF MARATHON - 7:30 AM - CAC 8470 N. Overfield, Rd., Coolidge. 6th Annual event in support of free mammogram screening program at the Breast

Center, Banner Casa Grande Medical Center. Visit casagrandehalfmarathon for info.

9

PRIDE & PREJUDICE - 7:00 PM - BlackBox Theatre 407 N. Sacaton St. 2PM showing also on the 9th. visit facebook.com/blackboxfoundation or call 520-428-7050 for info.

www.titlesecurity.com

12

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

BUSINESS INDEX Absolute Homes / Vivid Landscape . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39 Academy Mortgage - CG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Al & Riley’s A/C . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 Annie-Mac Home Mortgage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 100

January – February 2019

Banner / CGRMC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29 Blackbox Foundation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 89 Brutinel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 65

FEBRUARY (continued)

Capital R Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 50

8

Casa Grande Art Association . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 90

SPRING CONCERT SERIES THE RISQUE BAND - 6:00 PM-8:00 PM - Peart Park 350 E 6th St., Casa Grande. Bring blankets and chairs for this free concert in the park series on a monthly basis throughout the series for everyone of all ages to enjoy. Vendors will be onsite selling goods each night.

16-24

COWBOY DAYS & O’ODHAM TASH RODEO - 1:00 PM - Rodeo Grounds 400 W. Rodeo Rd., Casa Grande.

Visit casagrandecowboydays.com for more info.

22

Casa Grande Alliance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 71 Casa Grande Family Dentistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Casa Grande Main St . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Central Arizona College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 75 Chris Buys Houses . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

FIESTA - 7TH ANNUAL FESTIVAL - 10:00 AM-4:00 PM - Assumption Parish 221 E. 8th St., Florence. Music, food, drinks, contests, fun in conjuction with The Florence Historic Tour.

HARRY LUGE RODEO DANCE AND CONCERT 6:00 PM-12:00 AM - Casa Grande Cowboy Days & O’odham Tash Rodeo Grounds 400 W. Rodeo Rd., Casa Grande. 21+ over show. Tickets for sale at Powell’s and The Winner’s Circle. Visit casagrandecowboydays. com for info.

Coldwell Banker ROX Realty - Connie Rush . . . . . . . . . 51

9

22

THE BROTHERS FOUR - 7:00 PM - CAC 8470 N. Overfield Rd., Coolidge. Signal Peak Campus. Pioneers in the “folk revival”. Tickets $22. Call (520) 4777469 for info.

DM Family Dentistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

23

Gallo Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 45

9

TOWN OF FLORENCE HISTORIC HOME TOUR - 10:00 AM-4:00 PM - Jaques Square 291 N. Main St., Florence. 34th Annual event. Tickets available at Florence Chamber of Commerce, Library and Pinal County Historical Society and Museum.

9

GREAT SOUTHWEST RADIO TRIPLE MYSTERY SHOW 3:00 PM-5:00 PM - CAC 8470 N. Overfield Rd., Coolidge. Signal Peak Campus. Watch the good ‘ol days come to life with this troupe of voice actors and singers. Tickets $15. Call 520-477-7469 for more info.

PLEIN AIR PAINTING COMPETITION - 8:00 AM4:30 PM - The Women’s Club 407 N. Sacaton, Casa Grande. 7th Annual Painting Competition. For more info call 520-421-8600 ext. 1110

23

SHUT THE BARN DOOR PAINT NITE - 6:00 PM-8:00 PM - A Latte Vino - 958 E. Rodeo Rd., Casa Grande. Tickets available at www.paintnite.com.

POWWOW FARMERS MARKET - 8:00 AM-11:00 AM - Boston’s Restaurant Parking Lot, 804 N Cacheris Ct., Casa Grande. Produce on Wheels Without Waste. Up to 70 lbs. for $12. Visit borderlandsproducerescue.org for more info.

16

27

13

COWBOY DAYS & O’ODHAM TASH PARADE - 10:00 AM - Downtown, Casa Grande. Visit casagrandecowboydays.com for more info.

A LATTE OF BOOKS - PAINT NITE - 6:00 PM-8:00 PM - A Latte Vino - 958 E. Rodeo Rd., Casa Grande. Tickets available at www. paintnite.com.

Coldwell Banker ROX - Property Management . . . . . 63 Coldwell Banker ROX Realty . . 46, 49, 53, 57, 59, 67, 83, 93, 97 Coolidge Chamber of Commerce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23 Cypress Point . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Desert Sun Heating, Cooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 56 Dreamstyle Remodeling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Ed Whitehead’s Tire Pros . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Fitzgibbons Law Offices . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Garrett Motors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Grande Innovation Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 77 Iron City Polaris . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 91 Jewell Glass & Mirror . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Mitchell & Crosby Dental . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Norris RV . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 Oasis Home Health Care . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73 Pinal 40 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32 Power Bound Electric LLC . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61 ROX Casa Grande Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55, 81 Rox Travel CG . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 99 Seeds of Hope . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Star Towing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 85 Sun Life Family Health Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 79

Submit your event online at GoldenCorridorLiving.com/calendar

Title Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Two Brothers Plumbing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Renaissance Festival . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Yang and Horsley Dentistry . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 73

WINTER 2019 • THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

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PINAL COUNTY

by Staff Reports

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

Health center receives grant to focus on opioid abuse

W

Landmark event features unveilings for zero-emission vehicles

O

n April 16-17, Nikola World will take over the grounds at WestWorld in Scottsdale for a oneof-a-kind event featuring product unveilings, interactive experiences, live music, food, drinks and much more.

“The world has been waiting to see the Nikola vehicles in action. We will have the Nikola Two and Nikola Tre at the event, with demonstration drives of the Nikola Two. We will also showcase the production intent Nikola NZT,” says Trevor Milton, CEO of Nikola Motor Company, who is putting on the event. “In true Nikola fashion, we will have a few surprises that are sure to get you excited about a zero-emission future.”

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Nikola customers, investors, suppliers and media are invited to attend the private unveiling April 16, with vehicle and technology demonstrations to follow on April 17. The general public is welcome to participate on April 17 from 1-6 p.m. For those unable to attend, the unveiling event will be live streamed on nikolamotor.com.

On April 17, Nikola will host demonstrations of the Nikola Two and offer a passenger riding experience in the Nikola NZT, allowing guests to experience these vehicles on the road and in the dirt. Key executives, technical engineers and suppliers will be on site to talk about the technology behind Nikola’s products in a

variety of workshops.

“This is a real celebration of Nikola bringing innovation to market,” says Michael Erickson, President of Nikola Powersports.

“A decade from now, I’m confident people will look back at Nikola World 2019 as a pioneering moment for electric vehicles in both heav y-duty trucking and powersport applications centered around a zero-emission future,” he says.

Public registration can be made at nikolamotor.com.

All activities will be free, but space is limited. Reservations are accepted in the order they come in. Nikola will send a digital badge to all confirmed RSVP holders via email.

ith the opioid crisis making headlines across the country, it’s clear that more needs to be done to help the growing number of patients dealing with issues of substance abuse. Recently, Sun Life Family Health Center received an Access Increases in Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services (AIMS) Project Grant from the Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) in the amount of $175,700.

HRSA’s supplemental funding supports the expansion of access to mental health and substance abuse services and focuses on the treatment, prevention and awareness of opioid abuse.

“This grant has allowed us to reach more patients who are struggling with opioid addiction while providing education and treatment through the MAPP program (Mindful Alternative Pain Program),” says Davis Plunkett, Manager of Integrated Behavioral Health.

A full-time clinical pharmacist will be hired to enable the company to expand its pain-management services in partnership with primary-care providers by helping patients taper off pain medications and ensure they receive the proper doses of medications. Funding will also be used to support the costs of sending behavioral health and clinical pharmacy staff to training related to the treatment of addiction and pain management.

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

PRESS

Visit GoldenCorridorLiving.com for Up-to-date Local News from Golden Corridor LIVING Magazine

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

Where will the water come from?

S ince 2000, Arizona has experienced one of the longest droughts on record.

For cities, developers, farmers, ranchers and tribes, it has been a major topic of concern. Still, plans for dealing with potential water shortages have yet to be agreed upon.

Last year, the Drought Contingency Plan (DCP) was presented by the Arizona Department of Water Resources (ADWR) to help determine how to best share river water shortages among the seven river basin states (Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming).

Due to previous water-rights agreements, as well as a junior-level ranking for Colorado River water, Arizona will take the majority of the water cuts when lakes reach depressed levels. Being the low man on the totem pole means lower-priority users in Arizona will receive heavier cuts, and a water shortage would prompt mandatory water reductions for some of the state’s largest water users.

What Arizona is trying to do is figure out a way to reduce and move water around so that it doesn’t run out.

The Groundwater Quandary Recent developments in the Drought Contingency Plan are giving Pinal County farmers concern, as they may still receive the same amount of water as in an earlier plan, but most of it would be groundwater, which would be a decade sooner than they had hoped for. They also face a cut of nearly half of their

Central Arizona Project water, which diverts water from the Colorado River. With agriculture consuming close to 70 percent of the state’s water, farmers could take a big hit.

Reviews are mixed and city officials, tribal officers, farmers and developers have yet to come to an agreement on what to cut.

If the groundwater plan comes to fruition, it would mean new wells, and infrastructure would need to be built. Still, the consensus is the project is moving along in a positive direction.

Water Sources Arizona gets its water from four places: Colorado River; surface water from lakes, rivers and streams; groundwater; and reclaimed water.

Lake Mead, which provides 40 percent of Arizona’s water, and Lake Powell have both begun to reach dangerously low-water levels. Most notably, Lake Powell has been drained of some of its water to bolster Lake Mead.

About 44 percent of our water comes from groundwater that is found in natural underground reservoirs called aquifers. Because more water has been pumped out than replenished, conservation efforts have been put into place for long-range planning. In 1980, the Groundwater Management Act was signed to help conserve water in the most populated places.

Looking Ahead Although we did receive record amounts of rain last October, temperatures were hotter than normal. Due to high

WINTER 2019 • THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

evaporation rates, the amount of rain we received during the 2018 monsoon season was not enough to alleviate any longterm drought conditions.

“A shortage is going to happen,” predicts Tom Buschatzke, Director for ADWR. “We can’t do enough conservation to avoid it.

We are all anticipating a shortage in 2020.”

Strategies for dealing with this,

however, are falling into place.

“We now have a draft Drought Contingency Plan with California and Nevada. We have a draft plan with Mexico,” Buschatzke says. “We have been working on an intra-Arizona plan since the end of June. We have a viable proposal moving forward. But the devil is in the details.”

Read more news on page 31...

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The LIVING Interview

Matt Herman Casa Grande Roots Go Deep Interview by Bea Lueck

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ou might be able to take the kid out of Casa Grande, but you can’t take Casa Grande out of the kid. For almost his entire life, Matt Herman has made this town the center of his universe. And although he left for a short while to attend college … a mere 40-some miles from home … he was happy to return to his roots where three generations of his family were born and raised and today are bonded together by their family owned business, Norris RV. As husband, father, and hardworking member of the Casa Grande City Council, Matt is as dedicated to his family as his town. We sat down with him to find out exactly what makes him happy and where he sees the future of Casa Grande.

GC LIVING: I’m here today with Matt Herman, a short-time resident of Casa Grande ... Seriously, you were born and raised here and your family has been here for three generations!

MATT HERMAN: That’s true. My grandma on my dad’s side came from Oklahoma in covered wagons. They settled near the Florence area and lived in tents in the desert. We asked her about that and she said they got rich and then had two tents!

GC LIVING: What were their names?

MATT HERMAN: Johnnie and Irwin Herman. She remarried and became Johnnie Myers. She was a teacher in Maricopa for a long time. My dad’s name is, coincidentally, Johnnie Irwin Herman, which no one knows because everyone calls him Butch. (Laughs) GC LIVING: Did they live in Maricopa or did she commute?

MATT HERMAN: She lived in Maricopa. On my mom’s side of the family, the Norris side of the family, my grandpa and grandma came from Missouri and settled in the Phoenix area before coming to Casa Grande. He sold mini blinds before he got into the fertilizer business and eventually, with a partner, started his own com-

WINTER 2019 • THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

pany. It was called Taylor and Norris and they sold fertilizer, agricultural chemicals and such to area farmers. He bought out his partner and for 50 years it was the Norris Chemical Company. When the farms started selling out to RV parks, he said, “Maybe we should start selling a few RV parts.” And now our main line of business is Norris RV. GC LIVING: What school did you go to?

MATT HERMAN: I went to Cottonwood and Cholla Elementary Schools and then I went to Casa Grande Middle School where my wife, Erica, currently teaches. Both my wife’s mother and my mother went to school there. And then I went to the only high school at the time, Casa Grande Union. [Editors note: The original Casa Grande Union High School is now the current City Hall.] I was actually student body president in middle school and high school.

GC LIVING: Who was your favorite teacher in school?

MATT HERMAN: Mrs. Peterson. She was our student council sponsor and English teacher in junior high. I had the honor to speak at her funeral years ago. She really got us going as a group. I grew up with a core group of friends. We did student

council together, regular classes together and everything. Mrs. Peterson was also our drama teacher as well as our English teacher. She got me to be in plays and somehow made me wear tights to be the Pied Piper in one of our plays. She was a not a big lady but somehow got me to wear tights in front of all my friends.

GC LIVING: Were you into athletics?

MATT HERMAN: Yes. I played Cougar football all through junior high and high school — freshman, JV, Varsity with a lot of my friends. One of our coaches, Coach Purdom, had us go out for track in the off-season. It wasn’t for my running ability, he just wanted us to keep active. I did shot put and discus and tried to run my way around the track. The joke was they timed me with a calendar not a stopwatch.

GC LIVING: You graduated high school in 1994 and then you went to the famed university down the road, the University of Arizona.

MATT HERMAN: (Laughs) I went to ASU.

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The LIVING Interview (continued) Third generation of my family to go to ASU. I got my degree in business administration and business management. A big part of my college life was my fraternity, Delta Sigma Phi, and I was active in the leadership of our fraternity house. We had a really good time and we helped each other get through school.

So the funny part ... pretty much I’ve lived my entire life within a 50-mile radius of Casa Grande. I lived in Tempe for a little over four years when I was going to college, and that was it.

GC LIVING: Any plans to go back to get your MBA? MATT HERMAN: Erica and I talk about it all the time, and I joke that I spent a lot of my MBA money on my restaurant projects in the early 2000s. She keeps encouraging me to go back, but I’m trying to get the finances and the time rounded up first.

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GC LIVING: Back to the early 2000s. You had a Quiznos in Casa Grande?

MATT HERMAN: Yes with my good friend and business partner, Grant Shaw. We had three at one time. I really respect people who work in the restaurant business because it is the hardest work you’ll ever do.

GC LIVING: What civic groups are you involved with?

MATT HERMAN: One of the first things I did when I moved back to Casa Grande was get involved with the Boys and Girls Club.

About the time I moved back, they had sponsored a fundraiser concert featuring Pam Tillis. I remember reading about it in the paper, and I thought the tickets were kind of expensive for a family to attend. It didn’t work out how they expected and lost money. And I thought, “They should’ve done this and should’ve done that.” And then I said to myself, “If I’m

going to talk about it, I better do something and get involved.”

I got to work with a lot of great people — Colleen Bechtel, Bill Bridwell, Randy Davis, Paula Lambert, Bert Lesher. We had a great board of directors. I ended up as president of the board. They still have a great board today. We got a lot of things started during the time period I was active. We opened more branches, hired Matt Lemberg as our director, another local guy that grew up here and came back to live.

I also participated in The Center for Rural Leadership — Project CENTRL, class 16.

I met a lot of people around the state of Arizona and that opened a lot of doors for me on the city and state level. It’s a good way to start a conversation with someone about issues that we have here.

GC LIVING: When did you become involved in Rotary?

MATT HERMAN: I received a Rotary scholarship to go to ASU. In Project CENTRL, I met people that were Rotarians in other cities.

They told me about this program called Group Study Exchange, where professionals from different Rotary districts go to another country and learn about their businesses, their lifestyles and their Rotary clubs. You can only do that before you’re a Rotarian. I went to Australia, sponsored

by The Rotary Club of Casa Grande. After I came back, I joined the Rotary Club and I’ve served a lot of positions including president and auction chair.

GC LIVING: So Boys and Girls Club, Project CENTRL, Rotary ... what else have you done?

MATT HERMAN: Well, city council, of course.

GC LIVING: What led you to decide to run for city council? You were the youngest person on the council when you were elected.

MATT HERMAN: I still am the youngest person on the council. There was an opening on the Planning and Zoning Commission.

I talked to some people who said, “Hey, Matt. You ought to try this. It’s a good way to learn what the city’s all about.”

So I interviewed and was appointed to the Planning and Zoning Commission. But before the first meeting, there was a vacancy announced for the city council when Karl Peterson resigned.

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

L-R: Butch Herman, Jordan Miraldi, Matt, Erica, Lela Herman and Alexis Miraldi

I had met Karl through Project CENTRL and Pinal County Town Hall. They were doing interviews to fill his vacancy. A couple of people in town said, “Hey, why don’t you apply for it? Give it a shot.”

GC LIVING: Who was the driving force behind you submitting your application?

MATT HERMAN: Two people, my wife, Erica, and my friend and business partner, Grant Shaw.

GC LIVING: So you served the remainder of Karl’s term, which was about a year and then you ran for office?

MATT HERMAN: And then I ran. And, luckily, we were unopposed. The people that were and still are on the Council, taught me a lot and were very helpful. I don’t want to say I was unprepared, but I was just ...

GC LIVING: Would you say naïve?

MATT HERMAN: Yes, naïve. You think, “It’s a couple meetings a month.” But it’s a lot

WINTER 2019 • THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

more than that. I love doing it, but it’s a balance between family life, work at my real job and being on the city council.

GC LIVING: It’s a lot more work than people perceive.

MATT HERMAN: Very true. It’s a big commitment, but it’s something that I really enjoy doing. There’s so many things it takes to run a city of Casa Grande’s size.

GC LIVING: What do you see some of the challenges facing city government? Not just Casa Grande’s city government but city government overall.

MATT HERMAN: Of course, funding is always going to be a challenge. In Arizona, the state legislature is limiting our power as a city to do some things that might be in our best interest. It seems like a small thing, but they changed the date when our city council elections could be held. We liked having the elections in March, be-

cause then it was more focused on the city elections. Now we’re on the general cycle with Presidential elections, Congress, Senate ... everything going on at the same time, so we get lost at the bottom.

One challenge is what people expect the city to do. We want big business to be here, and we want little business to be here. As a city, we can only do so much, but we take a lot of the blame for things.

GC LIVING: Like a business closing?

MATT HERMAN: We don’t want businesses, restaurants, retailers or warehouse clubs to close. We want them all to succeed. The flip side is when people say, “We don’t want this business here, we don’t need another fast-food restaurant or nail salon.” Well, it’s a free market. From the city perspective, it’s zoning, it’s safety, it’s legal requirements, it’s business li-

continued on page 82...

OR LI V ING THE INTERV IE W • GOLDEN GOLDEN CORRID CORRIDOR VING

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CITY

SPEAK I Casa Grande is home. A home that we care for and cherish.

And the reason I ran for Mayor was because I wanted to try to make it better and make a difference.

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HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

by Craig H. McFarland, Mayor, City of Casa Grande

t’s a line made famous by Elvis Presley: “For home is where the heart is, and my heart is anywhere you are, anywhere you are is home.” It’s also a line that my wife has used for as long as I have known her. Maybe that’s because I moved her 10 times … hmm! She is a trooper and my rock.

Casa Grande is home. A home that we care for and cherish. And the reason I ran for Mayor was because I wanted to try to make it better and make a difference.

A recap of the last year reveals we did some good, but we still have much to do. Here are some accomplishments and some unfinished goals.

Strategic Plan: This plan was completed with the help of all City Council members. It includes proposals for fiscal responsibility, quality of life, marketing, infrastructure and education. Within the plan are calls for things such as internships (for our high school and Central Arizona College students); addressing our “blight,” including south-side lots littered with glass; our boarded-up gas station; and the widening of I-10. The planning phase will begin by the first quarter of 2019. It’s a really good plan. Staff has bought in and is helping to implement it.

Community Center: It is almost complete and should be open in April. It is a beautiful facility with an area for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Casa Grande Valley.

Education & Workforce Development: This is an ongoing process, and it’s moving forward nicely.

With the help and guidance of the Pinal Alliance for Economic Growth and Achieve Pinal, there is more cooperation and coordination between community leaders, Central Arizona College, Casa Grande High School District, Casa Grande Elementary School District, and our charter schools than I have observed in the previous 12 years. One of my personal goals is to build on this spirit and look at building a “Science and Technology Center” in Casa Grande.

Development: • Planning and Development - Impact-Fee Review and Streamlining Process: Thanks to the great work of the Planning and Development Department, impact-fee changes will be implemented by mid-April.

On-line building application processes and automated building inspection requests and notification will happen mid-year and the first quarter of 2019, respectively. We are also looking into an ombudsman program to have someone help walk people through our planning and development processes.

• Water Planning - This is a work in progress. I am co-chair of the Eloy, Maricopa and Stanfield water-basin study, a $1.36 million study that will take three years to complete. Additionally, the City of Casa Grande is currently developing its own water plan.

• Supporting CG Business - I will continue to be a big supporter/promoter of all Casa Grande businesses through my City to Business meetings, supporting Main Street and our Neon Park (opening the first quarter of this year), supporting our Chamber of Commerce and buy-local programs and looking forward to the Urban Land Institute downtown study coming in March.

• Home Starts and Homebuilders - A year ago we had two builders and today we have 10 homebuilders working in Casa Grande. We should finish 2018 with over 350 new-home permits. We still have much work to be done regarding affordable and workforce housing.

• Industry - Notwithstanding our current industry, which we should never discount and continue to support, the LKQ opening, Attesa and Lucid Motors are all amazing projects. Additionally, we have another 20 projects in the pipeline with one being bigger than all the aforementioned.

• Publication - We will have a new Economic Development magazine completed and out for use by early 2019.

Homelessness: The Mayor’s Task Force on Homelessness has concluded with a strategic plan and seven committees that are all working with the Homeless Coalition, United Way and Community Action Human Resources Agency (CAHRA). Additionally, we will open the first-of-its-kind Casa Grande Community Resource Center at the Peart Center in February. This center will help guide underserved community members through the maze of community services and should help our most vulnerable citizens.

Casa Grande Airport: We continue to expand on our business park and services at the airport. Our airport is a gem and we need to continue to support its use, expansion and current businesses.

For me, home is Casa Grande. I will continue to work for its betterment. That, and all the above, being said…here is looking forward to a great 2019!

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

T H E

H E A R T

O F

H I S T O R I C

D O W N T O W N

19 th A nnuAl CAsA G rAnde M Ain s treet

Street Fair/Car & Bike Show STREET FAIR

Saturday, January 19 10 am - 5 pm Sunday, January 20 10 am - 4 pm

CAR & BIKE SHOW Saturday, January 19 10 am - 3 pm

Sa ca to n

Flo re nc M eS ar sh tre all et St re et t ree St

• Budweiser Beer Garden • Food Courts • Children’s Area • Continuous Entertainment

d 2n

110 W. 2nd St. Casa Grande, AZ (520) 836-8744 cgmainstreet.org

PLEASE RESPECT OUR CONCERN FOR PUBLIC SAFETY: No pets, bicycles, skateboards or solicitation at this sanctioned event.

St re et

Florence Boulevard

Over 100 Exhibitors New This Year: Vintage Market and International Bazaar

Sponsors

COOLIDGE, ARIZONA THE BEAUTY OF A GREAT TRANSIT SYSTEM

by Mayor Jon Thompson, City of Coolidge

I As Coolidge grows, a transit service is increasingly necessary to help the environment and move people around the city.

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t’s a pleasure to write an article for the Golden Corridor Living Magazine. I’m always excited to share more great news about Coolidge.

This month, I’d like to take a moment to write about our fantastic bus service, the Cotton Express and CART system.

Coolidge is one of only two cities in Pinal County to offer regular bus service. Cotton Express is among the oldest, spanning more than 25 years of service to the city. The Council and I have made serving our citizens a priority and the transit system continually improves each year. With just a van and a dream to carry riders across the town in the early ’90s, the Cotton Express became one of the more popular offerings for our residents.

By 2001, the vision for a full-featured bus service began to take shape. The city was able to acquire a bus capable of allowing more riders to reach their destinations more expediently. This was the beginning of a larger transportation system where six buses now ride through the town. Stops are setup along Arizona Boulevard and throughout the city where passengers can get to various shopping, dining, health and activity centers.

In 2009, Coolidge opened its first ever Transit Terminal. Passengers have a place to relax inside an air-conditioned waiting area where large-screen televisions offer various programming. In addition, the building offers ample space for transit administration and a high-tech meeting room. Riders may

purchase monthly passes and tickets at the terminal to ease the boarding process.

As Coolidge grows, a transit service is increasingly necessary to help the environment and move people around the city. With the recent news of Nikola Motors coming here, the Cotton Express plays an important part to attract new business opportunities.

Coolidge strives to improve the community with various roadway projects, an enhanced downtown area and a business-friendly environment attracting retail and service oriented businesses. The transit part of these amenities helps pave the way for small and large-scale companies to call Coolidge home.

The success of our citywide transit program has also enabled the creation of a regional service. In 2011, the Central Arizona Regional Transit, or CART, was introduced. Florence, Pinal County, Central Arizona College and Coolidge have been incredible partners in maintaining a regional service carrying riders throughout the surrounding communities.

The service makes various stops at such destinations as Central Arizona College, Pinal County Court Complex and local medical centers.

The Cotton Express and CART are examples of how a small city can accomplish great things. Together, along with our partners, we’ve made inroads to creating a system that links various communities.

This will help create an even larger economic opportunity for the region.

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

Coolidge Chamber of Commerce

38th Annual Cotton Days March 1-3, 2019 San Carlos Park 320 W Central Ave., Coolidge, AZ Friday March 1st

Sunday March 3rd

10am-4pm: Quilting Show @Women’s Club 7pm: Teen Night United Dance Crew Presents King of the Ring 2 vs 2 Freestyle Battles 1st Place $500

10am-4pm: Quilting Show @Women’s Club 12am: Thy Band 1:30pm: A 3 Variety Show 2pm: Bonnie Lee 2:30pm: Thy Band

Saturday March 2nd 7am - 10am: Pancake Breakfast 10am: Parade 10am-4pm: Quilting Show @Women’s Club 11am: Corn Hole Registration 11am-2pm: Car Show 11am to 9:30pm: Beer Garden 11am: Cotton Bale Rolling Registration

Main Stage

11am: Mayor Jon Thompson - Welcome Announce Parade Winners

Fun for the Whole Family Food, Arts & Crafts Booths, and More!

Discount Carnival Tickets on sale at the Coolidge Chamber of Commerce.

351 N Arizona Blvd., Coolidge, AZ 85128

For more information call (520) 723-3009 or visit www.coolidgechamber.org

SUPERIOR, ARIZONA COME SEE SUPERIOR’S RENAISSANCE FROM TOURING HISTORIC HOMES TO HIKING IN MAJESTIC SCENERY

by Mila Besich, Mayor, Town of Superior

Nestled in the Superstition and Pinal mountains and in the midst of Arizona’s most majestic beauty, Superior offers activities that appeal to a broad range of recreational interests.

W

elcome to Superior! During the month of January, our community comes together to host the 11th annual Superior Chamber of Commerce Home Tour and Antique Show Jan. 26 and 27. This event gives attendees an insider’s view to some of the town’s most unique houses and architecture.

At each stop along the tour, participants are guaranteed to learn more about Superior’s history and folklore. This is the home tour you do not want to miss, our crown jewel of Main Street, the Magma Hotel, will be included on the tour along with the original Superior High School and Element 29, one of Superior’s oldest structures.

But there is so much more to do in Superior, and we invite you to experience all that our town has to offer.

Situated on U.S. 60 at the junction of State Highway 177, Superior is just 60 minutes from the Phoenix metro area. As the gateway to Arizona’s Copper Corridor, the Town of Superior has a storied legacy as an important center for the mining industry. Today, Superior is in the midst of a renaissance — one that is being driven by long-time residents as well as newcomers and new business establishments that have

Element29 - Superior’s Oldest Home

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come here because of the small- town ambience and values, natural beauty and the promise of building a “new,” vibrant community.

Our population is growing and now numbers 3,000plus residents. Superiorites are passionate about their community as evidenced by the scores of citizen and business volunteers who work hard to stage our four major annual festivals that have become regional and statewide attractions. In addition, our monthly Second Friday event, which features live music, locally produced food, shopping and food vendors has become wildly popular.

Nestled in the Superstition and Pinal mountains and in the midst of Arizona’s most majestic beauty, Superior offers activities that appeal to a broad range of recreational interests. Hikers, bikers, mountaineers, campers and birders from across the world visit here to experience the stunning beauty of our natural terrain. Hikers and mountaineers enjoy our famous 98-mile Apache Trail or scaling the 6,056-foot Iron Mountain or the 4,700-foot Apache Leap Mountain.

Our newest segment of the Legends of Superior Trails is now open and traverses the riparian wonderland of Arnett Canyon.

The Boyce Thompson Arboretum, Arizona’s largest botanical garden, encompasses more than 390 acres of plants from the earth’s deserts and arid lands displaying them alongside pristine native Sonoran Desert vegetation. There are 3,900 species of plants in the arboretum, and visitors will find a remarkable range of bird species, as well.

Along Superior’s Main Street and U.S. 60, bustling eateries offer visitors places for repast that appeals to all palates. Locally owned businesses offer clothing and fashion accessories, and our antiques shops provide the discerning collector with unique furnishings and collectibles.

Superior indeed is a very special community, and you are invited to visit our town, enjoy all we have to offer, and we welcome you, your family and your business with open arms. We believe, that Together, We are Superior!

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

Dick and Mitchell Dental is now Mitchell and Crosby Dental Dick & Mitchell Dental is happy announce the addition of our new Dentist, Dr. David Crosby and his family to our team. Like all of our staff and doctors, Dr. Crosby and his family live right here in Casa Grande.

Mitchell & Crosby Dental

We are excited for Dr. Dick and his decision to retire after 36 years of serving our wonderful community.

Thank you Dr. Mike! You are amazing!

We wish you well on your new adventures!

520-836-7111 Services Provided by an Arizona Licensed General Dentist

(520) 836-7111 721 N Olive Ave. • Casa Grande, AZ 85122 • www.dickandmitchelldds.com

Economy • Finance • Business

KEEPING IT LOCAL MAKES SENSE

by Helen Neuharth, President/CEO, Greater Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce Be sure to stop at the Chamber’s 2019 Home, Health & Garden Show and Car & Truck Show on Saturday, Jan. 12, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at CityGate

26

H

appy 2019! Have you made a resolution for the new year?

Even if you have, I’d like to encourage you to make another resolution to support our community in 2019.

You can attend events in the area, support the theater and arts, volunteer in one of the many organizations, churches or schools, and always look in Casa Grande first before heading off to another county or online to make your purchases.

The City of Casa Grande in partnership with other organizations is working on a shop-local program.

By exploring the variety of shopping available in our City, you can save your-

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self time, money and wear and tear on your vehicle. If you are interested in learning more about the program, please contact Katie Vazquez, Alliance VISTA, Shop Local Program Manager at the Casa Grande Main Street office, downtown@cgmailbox.com.

This past year, I have heard more people discuss businesses that have closed their doors in Casa Grande, but you don’t hear people talking about the new businesses opening up. The more positive we are when conversing about our community, the better we will feel. You’ll see that a positive attitude is contagious when you talk to others about our City.

It also amazes me when I hear individuals say “there is nothing to do” in Casa Grande. Again, take time to look around; read the local paper, check the internet to find out what is happening in our community. You can view the Casa Grande Community Calendar on the Chamber’s website casagrandechamber.org or stop by the Chamber office and pick up a printout of the calendar of upcoming events.

The BlackBox Theatre Foundation, blackboxaz.com; Central Arizona Col-

lege, centralaz.edu; and area schools have a number of performances and sporting events throughout the year.

Check out the events held in historic downtown Casa Grande through Casa Grande Main Street’s website cgmainstreet.org.

Be sure to stop at the Chamber’s 2019 Home, Health & Garden Show and Car & Truck Show on Saturday, Jan. 12, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at CityGate, 2300 E. Tanger Drive, Casa Grande, at I-10 and Jimmie Kerr Boulevard. There will be more than 60 businesses exhibiting information about their services and products as well as a Car & Truck Show, food vendors, a beer garden and music outside. It is a free event designed to help you learn more about our great community.

We also invite you to stop by the Chamber office at 575 N. Marshall St.to pick up your copies of the free 2019 Greater Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce Business Directory/Community Guide.

Let’s make 2019 the year of learning about and celebrating Casa Grande.

See you around town!

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

Run or Walk — You Can Do It!

by Kaitee Doll-Bell, Director of the Foundation & Volunteer Services, Banner Casa Grande Medical Center

W

e need help from our incredible community! We are looking to register another 700 participants for Casa Grande Community Hospital Foundation’s 6th annual 5K & Half Marathon and 1-mile walk.

This year’s event will take place on Saturday, Feb. 2 at Central Arizona College and is open to runners and walkers alike. It is fun for people of all ages.

As in previous years, this course is flat, fast and winds through some beautiful desert landscape. All 5K and half-marathon finishers

Proceeds from Casa Grande Community Hospital Foundation’s 5K & Half Marathon will benefit the free mammogram screening program at the Breast Center, located at Banner Casa Grande Medical Center. This program allows uninsured and underinsured patients access to potentially life-saving services in a compassionate environment that coordinates, educates and manages all breast-related health-care issues. We are grateful for the support of our community and everyone involved that helps to make events like this one a success.

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will receive a limited-edition race shirt and the first year of our new 4-year medal.

Not only is registration now open, but there are still opportunities for local businesses to sponsor this event. If you, or someone you know is interested in this fun experience, don’t hesitate to contact us or go online at casagrandehalfmarathon.com for more information. We hope to see you there.

SPONSOR OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE: Contact Kaitee Doll-Bell for more information 520-381-6541.

“Making health care easier, so life can be better.”

Celebrate the Difference BCGMC Volunteers Make In 2017, Banner Casa Grande Medical Center had:

• 346 volunteers contribute 35,068 hours of service.

• Volunteer hours in dollars total $846,542.

• Value to BCGMC staff, patients & guests … PRICELESS!!!

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

Sponsorship Opportunities Available

Mammogram screening programs for uninsured/underinsured patients at Banner Casa Grande Medical Center.

Multi-Year Medals

Chip Timed

Finisher Awards

REGISTER NOW

AT CASAGRANDEHALFMARATHON.COM For More Information Contact: Kaitee.Doll-Bell@bannerhealth.com or Karen.Pitman@bannerhealth.com

Half Marathon

5K Run

7:30 a.m.

7:45 a.m.

 $60 - prior to Jan. 2, 2019  $70 - Jan. 3 – Jan. 31  $80 - Last Minute Feb. 1-2

 $35 - prior to Jan. 2, 2019  $40 - Jan. 3 – Jan. 31  $45 - Last Minute Feb. 1-2

1 Mile Walk 8:00 a.m.

 $25– prior to Jan 2, 2019  $30 - Jan. 3 – Jan. 31  $40 – last minute Feb. 1-2

* Students under 15 yrs can receive a $5 discount.

What’s Developing in Eloy A Global View of What’s Going On

by Mark Benner, CEO, Eloy Chamber of Commerce

M

uch is happening in our city with many new projects taking the spotlight. Our new City Hall, for example, is right on schedule and should be open near the end of March. In the near future, Eloy will initiate the design and construction of a brand new Police Department to be completed in 2020.

A new renovation of Eloy’s dow ntow n Main St reet arcade is being analyzed and will be put into action this spring.

Four years ago, we had 13 vacant buildings on Main Street; today we have six. This includes the recent purchase of the old Sonic Drive-In, which will open as a new eatery.

La Paloma Family Restaurant on Frontier Street is up and running under new ownership and operates daily, opening at 7 a.m. for breakfast. The Fish Fry is back on Fridays, and Menudo (a traditional Mexican soup) will be served on the weekends. The Tumbleweed Inn has also reopened, and “Bunky” the Troubadour is back on Friday nights.

Breakfast is served on weekends.

Last month, I spoke with Sky-

Dive Arizona’s Marketing and Events Coordinator George Hargis. Skydive recently completed a Head Up Formation Camp. This was to prepare for the upcoming world-record tryouts that will take place in April 2019. The Formation Camp required two airplanes because 46 people all jumped simultaneously. Due to the size of the group, observers on the ground could see and hear sky divers falling from the sky.

Overall, the Formation Camp was very successful. This experience will better prepare the participants for the tryouts. The record itself will be attempted in July in Chicago.

Another event that occurred last December was “The Battle of the Sexes” where a team of female sky divers and a team of male sky divers participated in this friendly but fierce competition. The teams made several jumps with different criteria being judged each time. In the end, the men prevailed with a small lead of three points. The girls can’t wait to “get them back” next year!

On a Global Level Recently, I had the opportunity to have breakfast with Elliott Pollack, along with 159 of my friends and business associates, sponsored by Pinal Partnership.

Mr. Pollack is perhaps the most well-respected economist in Arizona. Here are my take aways from his presentation. Things continue to look good for the current year for Arizona in particular. Housing should continue to be fine through 2019, after that “who knows?”

I asked him about investing in the stock market (the Dow Jones Industrials closed at 24,947 that

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PHOTOS BY SKYDIVE ARIZONA

day), and Pollack says we are in the eighth inning of our current economic expansion and it could go into “extra innings.” The economy continues to be good for being in its 112th month of continued growth. “I believe in American companies,” he said.

I remembered one of his comments earlier this year: “There is no other reserve currency in the world besides the dollar, so America is pretty much the prettiest building on an ugly block.”

At a recent Pinal County Economic meeting, I heard the phrase “IoT” casually men-

tioned. I, for one, did not know what this meant. I found out that IoT refers to The Internet of Things, which is the network of devices, vehicles and home appliances that contain electronics, software, actuators and connectivity, which allows these things to connect, interact and exchange data. I am sure IoT will be a household word in the near future. For a quick overview on everything IoT, go to https://cdn.ymaws.com/www. lai-phx.org/resource/resmgr/ docs/2018_09_12_iot.pdf.

I wish you all the best in 2019!

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

PINAL COUNTY PRESS A R IZONA CIT Y • C A SA GR A NDE • CO OLIDGE • ELOY • F LOR ENCE • M A R ICOPA

CONTINUED…

City of Maricopa honored for setting its sights on diversified housing, future growth

A

conceptual plan for a town center, as well as options for diversified housing have earned the City of Maricopa a Master Plan award from the Arizona Chapter of the American Planning Association.

“It is a tremendous honor to be recognized in this manner,” says Kazi Haque, Zoning Administrator for the City, whose team won the award for its Housing Needs Assessment & Housing Plan. “We embarked on this study to better assess the housing needs of our community, as well as create a viable plan to meet them.”

Reviews of regional and local housing reports, as well as interviews with housing experts, focus groups and stakeholders, were conducted by Atria Planning LLC. After analyzing the data, they City was provided with strategies for moving forward.

“By diversifying the housing options within the City of Maricopa, we can better manage

Mayor Christian Price holding the award is flanked by his City Council staff.

growth and incentivize development,” explains Haque. “The goal of this plan is to further develop a ‘live-work-play’ environment that supports the goals of the City’s General Plan.”

Ideas were conceived for a “town center” at the current City Center site to include shops, restaurants, walkways, civic space, condos and apartments.

“This concept plan represents

the first step in adding new housing types to the Maricopa market,” notes Haque, “while also addressing the ‘Village Center’ concept of the City’s General plan.”

Florence Hospital at Anthem to reopen

J

ust seven months after announcing the closing of Florence Hospital at Anthem, a new operator has announced its plans to reopen it early this year.

Dallas-based Steward Health Care, which also runs Mountain Vista Medical Center in Mesa, Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital, St. Luke’s Medical Center and St. Luke’s Behavioral Health Center in the Valley, have named it Florence Hospital, A Campus of Mountain Vista Medical Center.

“We plan to provide specialty WINTER 2019 • THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

services such as pulmonary, nephrology and urology, as well as cardiology services,” says Gary Smith, MD, CMO of Steward in Arizona. A team of hospitalists — dedicated physicians who work exclusively for the hospital — will tend to the patients full time.

Florence Hospital will also have a 24-hour emergency room. However, patients with more complex needs will receive care at Mesa-based Mountain Vista Medical Center, Steward

officials say.

Florence Hospital opened in 2012, then abruptly closed its doors last June after years of financial problems. In 2013 it filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy, then in 2015 merged with Gilbert Hospital, which had also filed for bankruptcy. Hoping to form a stronger company together, the combined hospitals didn’t do much better, and a final bankruptcy was filed last April.

Read more news on page 58...

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Pinal 40 Charity Golf Classic

The third annual Pinal 40 Charity Golf Classic was held Nov. 16, 2018, at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club near Maricopa, Arizona. More than 100 golfers enjoyed a beautiful day on the course, all in support of youth in Pinal County.

The event was a tremendous success and raised more than $50,000 for the Pinal 40 Foundation. The funds will help Pinal 40 provide agricultural scholarships and continue with funding of youth-focused programs. In 2017, Pinal 40 provided financial support to more than 20 local organizations in Pinal County, including Boys and Girls Clubs, FFA and 4-H. Golf Magazine and other golf publications have listed Ak-Chin Southern Dunes as one of the top championship courses in Arizona.

It has hosted many high profile tournaments, including PGA qualifiers, the Arizona Senior Open and the Arizona Amateur Championship.

Rain Delay

The tournament was originally scheduled for October, but the remnants of Hurricane Rosa washed over Central Arizona and left the course unplayable due to flooding.

Southern Dunes was looking more like Southern Lakes, so the tournament was rescheduled for Nov. 16.

Tee Time

It was an early start for the 124 golfers, and they had perfect weather for their rounds. Southern Dunes groundskeepers had returned the course to excellent condition in time for the tournament.

The Ak-Chin Southern Dunes course is a par 72 layout, with a length of 7,330 yards from the black tees. The design was a collaboration between Fred Couples and Schmidt-Curley Design, Inc. It is located on 320 acres of the Ak-Chin Indian Community and is managed by Troon Golf.

Auctions and Raffle

After the tournament, players enjoyed lunch while taking part in a silent auction, raffle and live auction.

There were some impressive sports memorabilia items that attracted many generous bids. Thank you to everyone who donated items, and a big thank you to our winning bidders!

Raffle winners were Chris Lopez, Craig Scott, Dan Mace, John Tidenberg, Jake Robinson, Ted Peterson & Ruben Mier. Live auction highest bidders were Frank Boyce, Clint Shearer, Ted Peterson, Chris Lopez, Doug Meier, Tony Salcido, Shane Wilcox and Jason Heilbrun.

Thank You Sponsors and Players This year’s tournament had tremendous support from sponsors

and players. Thank you to the companies that sponsored the 2018 Pinal 40 Charity Golf Classic.

We’d also like to thank Ak-Chin Southern Dunes Golf Club and the staff for their outstanding contributions to the tournament, gracious hospitality and for helping us put on a first-class event.

A special thank you to tournament organizer David Vermillion and his team, Pinal 40 Golf Committee chairman Bill Scott and auction committee Chairman Eric Lehman.

Their efforts in presenting the tournament are very much appreciated by Pinal 40 members.

Thanks also to Crescent Crown Distributors, Chris Lopez, the Arizona Renaissance Festival, Dan Mace and Craig Scott. Tournament photos are

by Egan Eyes Photography. Additional photos from the tournament are available for viewing and download on the Pinal 40 Flickr account.

See You in 2019

We’re looking forward to next year’s tournament at Ak-Chin Southern Dunes. Watch for tournament info in the summer. Meanwhile, you can keep up to date with Pinal 40 by following us at www.facebook.com/ pinal40/ and www.instagram.com/ pinal40foundation/. Learn more about the Pinal 40 Foundation and sign up for our e-newsletter at pinal40.org.

MARK THE CALENDAR

for the Pinal 40 Annual St. Paddy’s Day Party

DATE:

Thursday, March 14, 2019 TIME:

Doors open at 12 Noon for ticket holders only and open to the public beginning at 6:00 PM. Tickets for the Party are available at the door.

WHERE:

McMashers Sports Bar & Grill - parking lot 1355 E. Florence Blvd., Casa Grande (Tri-Valley Plaza)

ST. PADDY'S DAY PARTY

Irish Entertainment, including the always popular Phoenix Firefighter’s Bagpipe and Drum Corp.

Hosted Food, Beverages and Irish Entertainment

Tickets - $100* *Includes one grand prize raffle ticket.

Additional raffle tickets will be sold separately for $20 ea. or (6) for $100.

Food provided by “Up in Smoke” Bar-B-Q Company, including traditional corned beef and cabbage.

Grand Prize Drawing: May 4th To purchase party and raffle tickets, please visit: pinal40.org/party or ask any Pinal 40 member or contact David Vermillion, Event Director at: 480-986-9238/602-628-5777 or dvermillion4@q.com.

info@Pinal40.org | Pinal40.org | 520-840-5758

NEW BUSINESS REGISTRY PROGRAM MAKES LIFE EASIER FOR BUSINESS OWNERS

by Jennifer Brown, Director of Administrative Services, City Manager’s Office

E

ffective Jan. 1, 2019, the City of Maricopa will debut its new Business Registry Program (BRP), eliminating the requirement for residents to carry a business license while operating a business in the City.

Enacted in 2017, the state’s Transaction Privilege Tax (TPT) covered the majority of licensing on behalf of Arizona cities, rendering a city-imposed license unnecessary. This allows the City of Maricopa to lessen the burden of registration on local businesses in the area.

Business and entrepreneurship often drive innovation and economic growth in American cit-

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GOLDEN CORRID CORRIDOR OR LI LIVVING ING • BIZ!

ies, and Maricopa is no exception. The City believes the new BRP will energize economic growth with smart, business-friendly regulation while ensuring public safety and strong customer protection.

The City of Maricopa is strongly encouraging business owners to register their companies for an annual fee of only $10. Registering not only allows the City’s Economic Development Department to use the information to create a viable economic future for Maricopa, it also offers invaluable resources for the business owner.

Registrants will receive a welcome letter with resource information, site selection Services, access to Business Education Series workshops, and they will be included in

a categorized business directory on the City’s website to further expose their enterprises. Beginning Jan. 1, business operators and owners may register their business and get more information at the City website, maricopa-az.gov.

Interested parties are encouraged to contact the City of Maricopa Economic Development at (520) 316-6990 or economicdevelopment@maricopa-az.gov.

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

PINAL COUNTY

AT A G L A N C E Poverty Level Arizona 14.9%

Pinal County 12.6% THE LOWEST IN THE STATE!

Mean Commute Time:

445,125

31 Minutes

2010 Census 375,768 INCREASE of over 15% since 2010

Land Area: 5,635 square miles

(Connecticut is 5,543 square miles)

Total Workforce:

A Record High!

51,190

$

Median Household Income

180,252

Unemployment Rate:

Pinal County 4.6%

Workforce Growth: 2,245 workers

New Capital Investment

Education

added to the total workforce in November/December 2018

Record low May 2018: 4.1%

High School Graduate or Higher

84.9%

Record high October 2009: 13.2% Arizona 4.7%

Pinal County signed Development Agreements in December with two companies totaling $2.3 Billion in capital investment. These agreements will provide for 3,500 employees with an average wage of $68K/annually.

Pinal County is experiencing a current growth rate of 3.0%, HIGHEST in the State and one of the highest in the nation.

Gaining about 13,500 new residents or more each year.

Employment by Sector – August 2018 Total Nonfarm. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 59,450 Total Private. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39,550 Goods Producing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7,275 • Mining and Construction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,425 • Manufacturing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3,850 Service-Providing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 52,175 • Trade, Transportation and Utilities. . . . . . . . . . . . . 10,475 • Information. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 525 • Financial Activities. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,425

WINTER 2019 • THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

• • • •

Professional and Business Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,125 Education and Health Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6,075 Leisure and Hospitality. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5,925 Other Services. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,725

Government. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19,900 • Federal Government . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,575 • State and Local Government. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,325

Sources: Arizona Department of Administration (ADOA), December 21, 2018, US Census, Arizona Regional MLS, laborstats.az.gov

GOLDEN CORRID CORRIDOR OR LI V ING BIZ! • GOLDEN

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Special Section:

Construction 2019: A New Opportunity Awaits A Labor Shortage Translates to Big Opportunities for Students

by Nancy Erdmann

W

hile the tech industry has thrived since the mid-90s, with an abundance of college graduates available for hire, the construction industry has experienced a long, but slow downturn in its workforce. For years now, companies have been dealing with a shortage of heavy-equipment operators, masons, electricians, carpenters and plumbers, but even more so recently since construction rates in both residential and commercial building have begun to pick up.

“The U.S. Economy has changed,” says Forbes contributing writer Nicholas Wyman. “The manufacturing sector is growing and modernizing, creating a wealth of challenging, well-paying, highly skilled jobs for those with the skills to do them.

Last November, Arizona’s construction industry gained 1,100 jobs, according to the Arizona Builder’s Exchange. “A year ago, we had two builders,” says Casa Grande Mayor Craig H. McFarland. “Today we have 350 new home permits.” Upcoming projects, such as Attesa, LKQ Corporation, Lucid Motors and Nikola Motors are making big headway, but all need qualified trade workers to bring the projects to fruition.

the economic downturn, with no one to replace them. Changes in attitude across the generations have prompted parents to encourage their children to focus on four-year colleges, rather than considering trade-related careers.

In addition, because many junior high and high school industrial arts programs have been cut from curriculums, classes once offered in shop, such as woodworking, welding, drafting and electronics are no longer available to pique students’ interests, and builders and their trades are having a tough time getting competent employees.

“We have to make the trades acceptable again to the parents and the public,” says Jacquelyn Elliott, Ed. D., Central Arizona College President and CEO. “This generation wants hands-on technology-infused learning opportunities. I would put more money into education and trade programs and getting those back into schools and colleges.”

Why the Shortage?

One of the reasons for the shortage is the aging tradesman who is either preparing to retire or has turned to a different profession after

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THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

Trade Schools are Gaining Popularity Not everyone goes to college or gets a four-year degree. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 69.7 percent of high school graduates enrolled in college in 2016, which means more than 30 percent did not even try for a degree. Of those that went, almost 40 percent did not complete their college program, with computing having the highest dropout rate. And 37 percent of employed college grads are doing work for which only a high school degree is required.

That being said, there are many jobs in manufacturing that can be obtained after completing vocational programs at community colleges, and they often take two years or less.

Industrial arts educators are not only teaching students how to work with standard saws and drills, but also everything from soldering irons and water jet cutters to 3D printers and robots. In Arizona, there are several campuses that offer career and technical education programs, including Central Arizona College, Central Ar-

WINTER 2019 • THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

izona Valley Institute of Technology (CAVIT), or in the Phoenix-metro area Western Maricopa Education Center and Valley Institute of Technology.

Casa Grande Businesses Taking the Lead Those in building and construction are realizing the need to do everything they can to get the word out about job opportunities and support the industry overall. Many are adjusting their recruiting strategies by offering apprenticeships, internships, on-the-job training, signing bonuses and tuition reimbursements.

It also helps to be involved in the community, as name recognition sparks familiarity. Custom homebuilder Absolute Homes, for instance, sponsors a variety of local events and donates to several charities and programs. Capital R Construction prides itself on the timeliness of its completion of a job and its quality of work, all which leads to a good reputation in the community and drawing the attention of potential students

to the trade industry. Many local companies benefit from proximity to home to compete with companies in Phoenix or Tucson. Saving time for family instead of a two-hour commute is important to many.

According to Shaun Cardenas, owner of Power Bound Electric, an experienced journeyman electrician can make $40-60K per year depending on skills and experience.

Paula Leslie, co-owner of Mankel Mechanical said the salary range is similar for experienced plumbers, with helpers and trainees earning $22-25K per year.

Several companies report turning down additional work due to the lack of skilled staff. This is an excellent time to train for a career with a bright future!

With Casa Grande growing at a strong pace and myriad job opportunities in the building industry, hopefully, the current labor shortage will fuel a whole new crop of students looking to make a different mark on their community and their lives with a career in the construction trade.

Those in building and construction are realizing the need to do everything they can to get the word out about job opportunities and support the industry overall.

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

37

Special Section: Home & Garden

Absolute Homes Builds to Your Budget SERVICES PROVIDED: New Home Construction Kitchen and bath remodel Detached garages Tile and stone Concrete/ block fences Garage doors Design ideas

F

ounded in 2002, Absolute Homes is a locally owned, family business specializing in new home custom and semi-custom construction projects in Arizona.

Owner Jim Suor has more than 24 years of experience in the industry and still loves the day his clients move into their home. Having built over 300 houses since 2002, Absolute Homes is here to stay.

Absolute prides itself on keeping to the planned budget and schedule during build and delivering a high-quality finished home. They are equipped to handle everything from the construction of your dream house to kitchen remodeling and impeccable finish work detailing the builder’s commitment to craftsmanship. Buyers are able to visit the design studio to select all the details for their new home. Absolute believes there is a house for every budget.

The Future of Construction

The need for energy-efficient and affordable homes is growing in the Golden Corridor. Absolute is working with clients to provide multigenerational housing solutions that are low maintenance and provide long-term handicap accessibility when needed.

Doors are wider, houses are updated to remove steps into the home or shower, and walls are reinforced to accommodate grab bars and other needs. We care currently building in these two

Landscape Cleanup New Installation Gravel & Pavers Sod and Synthetic Grass

communities: Chaparral Estates (1/2 acre lots); and Arroyo Verde Estates (1 acre lots). See our latest construction projects at absoluteconstructionaz.com.

Community Involvement

Jim Suor, of Absolute Homes, is an active member of the Pinal 40 Foundation and believes in supporting local organizations through sponsorship participation. Absolute Homes is a sponsor of numerous events for The Boys & Girls Club of Casa Grande including a golf tournament and soccer teams.

Absolute sponsors and donates to the Special Olympics, Nation Kids Athletics, the Back to School Cruise Drive for Big Tyme Productions, and is a seven-year sponsor of the Susan G. Komen Team.

Hardscape Outdoor kitchen & BBQs Firepits & seating Ramadas Paver patio & driveway Absolute Homes is your only one-

stop local homebuilder. We provide a streamlined process that makes home building fun, easy stress free. *Includes sod, basicand curbing, assorted trees/plants and drip Leave the headaches to us and enjoy the process!

Basic backyards start at $2

Built With Pride

Absolute Homes Jim Suor 861 W. Gila Bend Hwy Casa Grande, AZ 851222 520-836-6511 arcinc2002@gmail.com www.absoluteconstructionaz.com

(520)836-6511 38

CORRID OR LI LIVING V ING • SPECI A L SEC TION GOLDEN CORRIDOR

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

Residential & Commercial

520-705-5250 ROC303493

Landscape Cleanup New Installation Gravel & Pavers Sod and Synthetic Grass Hardscape Outdoor kitchen & BBQs Firepits & seating Ramadas Paver patio & driveway

AL I C E P S R PAVE g at $4.99 Startin q. ft. per s

Basic backyards start at $2500* *Includes sod, basic curbing, assorted trees/plants and drip system.

Built With Pride From The Ground Up

(520)836-6511

Custom Homes On Your Lot Or Ours ROC#175926

Coming Soon - Arroyo Verde Estates

Special Section: Home & Garden

34th-Annual Florence Historic Home Tour “Small Town, Big History – Living Within Adobe Walls”

by John Nixon, CPRP, Recreation Superintendent, Town of Florence Community Services Department

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fter settlers began arriving in Florence, Arizona, the community was soon driven by the discovery of silver and supported by a strong agricultural base. The resulting economic opportunities, born of a growing town, attracted a diverse population, which is reflected in many

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The Vasquez House was built in 1878 by probate judge, John T. Bartleson. The Sonoran-style home was built with a zaguan or center hall and is one of the few examples with this type of feature still in place. Juan Castro, a later owner of the home, added a hip roof in 1904 when a particularly rainy season caused the flat roof to leak. The Vasquez family came to own the home in the early 1920s.

of today’s Florence homes and other structures.

Those architectural styles of historic homes reflect more than adobe and brick foundations.

Archaeologists and sociologists use a variety of methods to learn about past societies and communities. Historic homes and buildings speak volumes about

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the lives of this community’s earliest inhabitants. Archaeologists narrow their study of past cultures through a variety of methods including architectural studies. These professionals know that older homes and buildings contain clues about the lives of its earlier inhabitants.

Visitors to the 34th Annual Florence Historic Home Tour on Saturday, Feb. 9, can view 18 homes and historical structures, each with unique architectural styles. The tour begins at Jaques Square located at 291 N. Main St. Day-of ticket sales begin at 9:30 a.m. and the tour is open from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Visitors may walk the tour route or ride any one of three trolleys to the outlying historical structures.

One of the featured homes is the Vasquez House, a Sonoran-style home built in 1878. Records show the house was built by John T. Barleson, a probate judge who was the husband of President Harry Truman’s aunt. One of the historic buildings on the tour is the Silver King Hotel, which was originally built in 1876 and served as “modern” accommodations for overnight guests and offered fine dining. Today, it is home to several businesses as well as a sandwich shop.

The theme for the Home Tour, “Small Town, Big History – Living with Adobe Walls,” describes the

historic significance of this small community as well as the lives and stories contained within the walls of the homes.

In addition to the home tour, the Florence Arts and Culture Commission will present its third-annual Quick Draw Artist Contest beginning at 9:30 a.m.

Artists have 90 minutes to begin and complete a portrait or landscape scene. The finished pieces will be auctioned off at the end of the contest. Spectators are welcome to watch as talented artists, create impressive works of art. The contest is at the Jacob Suter House located at 270 N. Pinal St. The Pinal County Historical Museum will present its Vintage Quilt Show from 10 am.-4 p.m.

Quilts representing historic Florence will be displayed.

Home Tour tickets are $20 for adults the day of the event or $15 in advance. Advance tickets are available at the Pinal County Historical Society and Museum, Greater Florence Chamber of Commerce,and the Florence Library and Community Center.

Tickets may also be purchased online at: brownpapertickets. com/event/3605805.

For questions or more information, please call the Florence Community Services Department at (520) 868-7040 or go to florenceaz.gov/hometour.

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

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Special Section: Home & Garden

Top Design Trends: ness has become a new concept in kitchen design.

From the use of recycled and ultra-hygienic materials to growing herbs and vegetables indoors with small-scale farming units to choosing a minimalist look with soothing neutrals and chalky, smooth matte finishes, it’s all about creating a relaxed setting that fosters healthy living.

PANTONE 16-1546 Living Coral

Empowering Colors

Small & Smart

The tiny-home movement is still a hot ticket when it comes to paring down and living simply.

With the average house measuring less than 400-square feet, these pocket-size residences offer an alternative to high-cost living, are energy efficient and teach homeowners how to live well with less.

While the small-house concept may not be for you, there are ways to reap the benefits in your own home by staying with a neutral color palette, installing energy-efficient appliances and windows and saying goodbye to clutter.

Bold, bright and unexpected are the Pantone Color Institute’s forecast for this year’s color trends in home design, with reds and oranges taking the lead. “The mindset for spring and summer of 2019 reflects a desire to face the future with strong colors that provide confidence and spirit,” say the experts at Pantone. “The hotter the colors are, the more ‘empowerment’ they encourage.” This year’s shade of the year is Living Coral, with its pinkish hue and golden undertones meant to evoke feelings of warmth and life.

Each year the institute selects a color that influences the development of products in fashion, home furnishings and industrial design.

Insect Gardens

Wellness Kitchens

As consumers look to live healthier lifestyles and are concerned about the sustainability of their food, well-

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Saving our pollinators continues to be a garden trend, but it’s no longer just about the bees.

“Gardeners have taken up the mantle to save the bees, but we need to garden to save all flying insects by planting not only flowers with pollen but majestic trees such as oaks,” says Katie Dubow of Garden Media.

Growing native plants is the best way to start and can include shrubs, vines, grasses, succulents, ground covers and such trees as desert willow, Texas olive and Arizona cypress. For a complete list, check out desertmuseum. org/plantcare.

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

Special Section: Home & Garden

by Nancy Erdmann

What to Adopt and What to Ditch in 2019 Statement Ceilings

Forget about accent walls, it seems that ceiling embellishments are all the rage. Printed wallpapers, vibrant paint colors, shiplap, coffered ceilings and lacquered finishes are hitting their strides, as are natural wood planks, statement stripes, corrugated metal, easy to install tile and breezy fabrics.

Designers are even lining ceilings with lighted crystals, 3D accents and starlights. It’s all about going for the unexpected.

Larger Flooring Tiles

Floor tiles are getting bigger and better. While 12- by 24-inch tiles are still popular, you can now find them as large as 24 by 48 inches.

Better yet, they look like the real deal from stone and marble to limestone and travertine. Tile planks are available in 48-inch lengths, and due to ink jet technology can be manufactured to look exactly like wood or concrete and are hard-wearing and easy to maintain.

Looking for something even bigger?

Porcelain tiles are being produced as large as 5 by 10 feet.

Indoor Gardens

Bringing the indoors out is shifting back to bringing the outdoors in. While the majority of us spend up to 90 percent of our time inside — often in front of a computer, phone or TV screen — we also crave connecting with nature.

Now homeowners are electing to grow all sorts of plants inside.

“Growing plants and food indoors doesn’t have to be utilitarian,” says author Leslie Halleck in her book Gardening Under Lights (Timber Press, 2018). “It can be a beautiful practice that blends into our living space and lifestyles.” And there are a surprising number of edibles to choose from, including tomatoes, avocados, kale, beets, mandarin oranges and a slew of herbs.

WHAT’S OUT Bronze Finishes: Flashy hardware had its moment, but now designers are starting to incorporate natural woods and discreet kitchen and bath hardware.

Millennial Pink: Didn’t know it was in? Well, the popular blush pink has been replaced with richer-hued colors overall.

Cold, Modern Design: In its place is a much homier, traditional style featuring warmer woods and the return of color inside the home.

WINTER 2019 • THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

Vertical Garden Walls: Love the look of those artistic box-wall gardens? Due to the weight and difficulty in maintenance, homeowners are now opting for good old-fashioned pots … except today’s choices are so much better.

Granite Overload: Too much granite can make a kitchen look “heavy.” While granite isn’t going away, quartz and composite countertops are taking the lead.

OR LI V ING SPECI A L SEC TION • GOLDEN GOLDEN CORRID CORRIDOR VING

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Special Section: Home & Garden

GALLO CONSTRUCTION IN CASA GRANDE Gallo prides itself on doing work of such high quality that businesses request the company for ongoing construction needs.

G

allo Construction Inc. is a locally licensed and bonded general construction/management and consulting firm specializing in new commercial and tenant improvements as well as home renovations.

The company was originally established in 1970 as “Gallo & Sgrignoli” under Bob Gallo and Ted Sgrignoli — two men who set the bar for quality construction in the Casa Grande area.

They worked as a team until 1984 when Bob bought Ted’s ownership shares and ran the company with his wife, Miriam. Upon their retirement in 2002, long-term employee and Head Superintendent John Breitkreitz and Operations Manager Jeff VanHise purchased the company and continued the quality of work that Bob originated, under the current operating name of Gallo Construction.

Some of the many projects Gallo has completed over the past 16 years include renovating and restoring historic buildings, constructing strip shopping

centers from the ground up, various tenant improvements, restaurants, custom homes, several projects for various departments within the Pinal County government, and designing and developing the Casa Grande Airpark.

Gallo prides itself on doing work of such high quality that businesses request the company for ongoing construction needs. These repeat customers include local school districts, the City of Casa Grande, Eloy Fire Department, Arizona Grain, Jones Ford, GossHawk Unlimited, Price industries, Prescio Consulting, Valley Pump and Machine Works, and Aco Polymer Inc. Past and current project photos are available on their websites.

Two big projects completed in 2018 include an additional hangar for GossHawk Unlimited and a large expansion of a new service building, write up building, lobby renovations and parking lot expansion for Jones Ford.

GossHawk president and CEO, David Goss, credits Gallo’s follow up service as the trait that sets them apart in

the industry, “Quality, scheduling and budget control are all a given with Gallo Construction, but it’s the follow up service I receive after construction that sets them apart.”

As a local contractor, Gallo is very familiar with the design and permitting phases in the area, which makes the process from concept to finished project as easy and streamlined as possible. Since they are a local contractor, they are readily available to meet with city building officials, architects and customers when needed.

Along with building quality projects for residents to enjoy, Gallo is very involved and supportive of the Casa Grande community. John was a mentor for those struggling and needing guidance, and his assistance included advice, support or employment to those in need. John was also very involved in Vo-Tech education for the youth of Casa Grande and served on the board for Casa Grande Union High school vocational programs. Jeff has been a board member of the local Boys

In Loving Memory John Breitkreitz 1951-2018 44

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THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

Special Section: Home & Garden

& Girls Club of Casa Grande, City of Casa Grande Library Advisory Board, the Casa Grande Historic Preservation Committee, and the Greater Casa Grande Chamber of Commerce board of directors. Together, they sponsored youth soccer and baseball teams.

In March of 2018, John died unexpectedly and Jeff was left to handle the operations in a busy and improving economic year for construction.

After a successful but challenging year, Jeff chose to team up with Aaron Simmons from S&S Wall Systems & Remodeling in January to capitalize on specialties they both have and to continue on the quality path Gallo has led for nearly 50 years. Aaron manages the field operations as John did and Jeff continues to manage the sales and administrative aspects of the business.

While their work looks exclusively high end, Gallo is proud to be among the most competitive contractors in the area, guaranteeing honest bidding and dedication to quality and cost control. The newly formed partnership between Jeff and Aaron will give Gallo even more expertise and manpower to complete commercial or residential, large or small projects in a timely manner while providing excellent workmanship and customer satisfaction so that when the dust settles you can count on a quality product with Gallo Construction.

Gallo Construction, Inc.

Trusted by Arizona Customers since 1970 Gallo Construction, Inc. is a general contractor based in Casa Grande.

• • • • •

Consultation & Conceptual Planning Value Engineering Cost Control Permitting Construction

• • • •

Tenant Improvement Development Remodeling Project Management

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ith decades of commitment, experience and success, Gallo Construction, Inc. is ready to work for your next construction project. Our professional team will assist you on any and all aspects of the job from conception/design, zoning/permitting, and development/construction.

While our work looks exclusively high-end, we are proud to be among the most competitive contractors in the state, guaranteeing honest bidding and dedication to quality and cost control.

We have a comprehensive knowledge of every aspect of a project – large or small, commercial or residential – so you can count on a streamlined process free from guesswork and stress.

Gallo Construction, Inc. • 701 W. Second St., Casa Grande, AZ 85122 (520) 836-8899 • info@galloconstruction.com • ROC# 170493 OR LI V ING SPECI A L SEC TION • GOLDEN GOLDEN CORRID CORRIDOR VING

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Experienced agents

Susan Abdallah

Robin Armenta

Sarah Campbell

Susan Gallegos

Jerry Kirkpatrick

Bea Lueck

Robert McManigle

Jon Orphanidis

Cathy Taylor

Jennifer Turner

Leslie Workman

Roxsells.com Š2018 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

who live in our community.

Aiessa Guerra

Karen Henson

Kelly Herrington

Kay Kerby

Connie Rush

David Schlagel

Joyce South

Annalisa Tapia

Rock Earle

Visit us today!

1919 N Trekell Rd, Casa Grande, AZ 85122

520-423-8250

Special Section: Home & Garden

CITY STEPPING UP TO MAKE UP NEW MAIN STREET LOOK

by Joel G. Belloc, Mayor, City of Eloy

Once the outside world sees that Eloy has stepped up to invest in its own future, we will be able to attract new outside investments resulting in new jobs, shopping choices and housing opportunities.

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W

elcome to 2019! I hope you and your family had a great holiday season, a Merry Christmas and a successful start to the new year. As this is my first message of 2019, it is a perfect time to provide an Eloy update.

Construction continues on the new Eloy City Hall building, and we anticipate completion around the end of February with a move-in in March.

This event has been a long time in the making, resulting in a modern facility that everyone who lives or does business in Eloy can be proud of.

City Hall, perfectly located across from Main Street Park, will be a center of government and commerce. Similar to a shopping center, City Hall will be the anchor tenant that acts as a magnet for new private investments.

At the same time, work is underway to transform the previous City Hall/Police building into a modern public-safety facility with the space and services necessary to enhance police activities and improve efficiency.

Also happening in 2019: Our consultants continue to make progress on two economic development fronts — revitalizing downtown and completing the Eloy Economic Development Strategic Plan.

In terms of revitalization, the architecture firm of Blank Studio, paired

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with ARC Studios, has been researching and preparing illustrations of various architectural treatments for Main Street building facades. The often-used term of “open for business” will be made very clear as residents and visitors turn north on Main Street, see new design elements and a refreshed building face on many of the buildings.

Main Street Park will serve as the centerpiece; City Hall as a bookend on one side and Public Safety serving on the other. Once the outside world sees that Eloy has stepped up to invest in its own future, we will be able to attract new outside investments resulting in new jobs, shopping choices and housing opportunities.

Another project underway and approaching completion is the Eloy Economic Development Strategic Plan.

As I have stated in the past, Eloy has employed a very different approach with this effort, choosing to focus on the short term of three to five years rather than a typical 10- to 20-year plan that is the common approach.

In addition to improving Eloy’s curb appeal, as mentioned above, this strategic plan will address challenges headon, leverage opportunities and provide the needed road map for jump-starting and maintaining Eloy’s economic development momentum.

The consultant team of ESI Corp., Michael Baker International, and L.L.

Consulting has been busy completing the basic analytics necessary to create the plan. In addition to almost daily interactions with staff and completing 60 one-on-one interviews, a special committee — the Economic Development Advisory Committee (EDAC) — has been formed to help lay the foundation for a plan that is dynamic and Eloy specific.

This plan, in addition to the existing efforts by staff, is intended to elevate and keep Eloy successful in the highly competitive world of community economic development. The goals are straight forward: Create a plan to benefit Eloy residents by encouraging new employers to locate in Eloy and existing companies to expand here.

The plan is expected to be completed in March.

Lastly, please join me in thanking our recent out-going City Council member JoAnne Galindo for her service to the community and welcoming our incoming Council member George Reuter.

Serving as a Council member is no easy task, and we sincerely appreciate her hard work and his desire to serve.

My New Year’s resolution for 2019 is simple: to not only continue advancing the good work we are doing in Eloy, but also to work hand in glove with our partners to enhance the region and Pinal County. Please accept my best wishes for a prosperous 2019!

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

LAND & LOTS Stock image and does not represent any of the land listed for sale.

As our community grows, now is your opportunity to buy land and build the

home of your dreams!

11429 W. Benito Dr., Arizona City $18,000

Very nice residential lot waiting to have a lovely home built on it. Utilities are to the lot line, with a block wall on three sides.

Located close to elementary school.

0 Sotol Rd & Oak Rd., Maricopa $68,900

Excellent opportunity to purchase 10-acres in the Hidden Valley area of growing Maricopa. Close proximity to I-8. Gorgeous mountain views and native vegetation. Utilities nearby.

0 S. Hidden Valley Rd., Maricopa $125,000

Looking for scenic views? This beautiful 5-acre Sonoran Desert lot features an abundance of cactus of all kinds, ironwood, palo verde and mesquite trees plus city lights and mountain views to the west and south. BLM land across the fence to the west and state land to the south. An additional 15-acres with a well to the north of this property is also available for sale.

2491 S. Hidden Valley Rd., Maricopa $375,000

15-acres of peaceful desert. Past the big saguaro to the left is a patio area for relaxing and a storage shed to the east. To the right is the well and pad site that once had a mobile home with electric panel, water line, piping for propane tank, and septic.

Great views of BLM and state land. Mountain views and city lights of Casa Grande to the east. There are four custom homes in the area, a guest ranch and Grilley’s RV Park within 1/2 mile of the property. Zoned Suburban Homestead (SH)

11477 W. Calle Con Queso, Casa Grande $147,000

Horse property with stunning mountain views! Beautiful, picturesque 4.13-acre custom homesite with natural desert vegetation. Country living with easy access to I-10 and close to Central Arizona College. Water and electric to the property line. Property can be split.

Service is my Specialty I won’t just find you a house, I will find you a home 19 years experience with buyers and sellers

Senior Real Estate Specialist (SRES designation)

JOYCE SOUTH

520.705.1272 joyce@joycesouth.com 520.423.8250 | ROXsells.com ©2018 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

Special Section: Home & Garden

PUT OUR PASSION AND EXPERTISE TO WORK FOR YOU!

by Rusty Riggs, President, Capital R Construction

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t Capital R Construction, we enjoy what we do, and it shows in the finished product. We are passionate about building, and feel we can bring you a construction team that is ready to meet your building needs, from commercial projects to tenant improvements.

For our customers, we will strive to develop a foundation of trust with you by offering construction services designed to support your building projects and help you achieve your goals. Our goal is to be the best construction company for you, and this is only possible by working together with you to understand your needs and then build the project that meets those needs, within budget and on time.

We realize that it is takes hard work, integrity and a commitment to excellence to build a quality product. We believe in building lasting relationships and being dedicated to the success of each project.

At Capital R Construction, you will find it easy to work with our professional, reliable and innovative construction team. We have

experience in offices, medical clinics, retail centers, schools, restaurants and more. We provide you with quality professionals who can focus on the details, coordinate the complex and understand the importance of a timely completion.

Whether you need to make a few minor changes to an existing office space or do a complete build-out of an empty shell, Capital R Construction excels in meeting the challenges that tenant improvements bring. We can remove walls, redesign layouts, move plumbing fixtures or whatever is needed to complete the transformation. You can depend on our team to help you transform the look and feel of your office space into the environment and that fits your needs and inspires your success.

Capital R Construction is a qualified KB-1 general contractor in the state of Arizona.

This license allows us to build commercial buildings, commercial remodels and tenant improvements. At Capital R Construction, our goal is to build foundations of trust with you, as we want you to trust us with your next commercial project.

We provide you with quality professionals who can focus on the details, coordinate the complex and understand the importance of a timely completion.

ROC 190936

Commercial Construction | Tenant Improvements Building Foundations of Trust www.capitalrinc.com | 520-858-6501

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CORRID OR LI LIVING V ING • SPECI A L SEC TION GOLDEN CORRIDOR

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

Hannah & Tweedy, Eloy

10AC with CAIDD Irrigation. Paved road access Electricity near property.

Have your own mini farm. $85,000

1222 E Martin Rd., Coolidge Utilities including water & septic on site. 1 ac lot.

May have commercial possibilities with a zoning variance or change (Pinal County). Great opportunity for home - site built or manufactured $67,900

La Palma Rd, Coolidge

4.82 ac parcel which can be split. Call for copy of survey splitting into 5 parcels.

Water and power on La Palma. ED2 power and Arizona Water Company Flag Lot. Site Built home or manufactured home. Plenty of room for you your toys and animals or to split. Lots of potential. $77,000.00 Each office is Independently Owned and Operated

Connie Rush Associate Broker, CDPE, SFR, GRI connie@roxsells.com

www.CONNIErush.com 520/560-0433 Cell

866/774-6502 Fax

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Special Section: Home & Garden

Javelina-Resistant Plants Annuals • • • • • • • • • •

Alyssum Butterfly Bush Cosmos Geranium Globe Amaranth Ice Plant Larkspur Marigold Salvia Snapdragon

HUNGRY JAVELINAS

Groundcovers • • •

Golden Fleece Ivy Vinca

Herbs & Veggies • • • • • •

Basil Chili Pepper Eggplant Lavender Rosemary Sage

by Nancy Erdmann

Shrubs, Cacti & Succulents • • • • • • • • • • • • •

How to Keep These Critters Out of Your Yard

Aloe Barrel Cactus Caesalpinia spp.

Cholla Creosote Desert Spoon Fire Sticks Gopher Plant Juniper Moroccan Mound Nandina Ocotillo Yucca

Source: Harlow Gardens

I

f you’ve lived in Arizona for any amount of time, you’re probably familiar with the damage javelinas can do to your yard. One day your garden is thriving with color and greenery, the next day it looks like something came in and destroyed your favorite plants.

More than likely it was a ravenous javelina getting its fill.

These herbivores, known as collared peccaries, do most of their foraging at night and early mornings, feasting on bulbs, grass, seeds, roots, fruit and cacti (they especially love prickly pear and any flowering cactus).

“Javelinas have poor eyesight, but they have a keen sense of smell,” says Jeff Schalau, county agent for University of Arizona Yavapai County Cooperative Extension.

“Their diet changes with food availability in the environment, but they may also nibble on

or dig up plants they do not actually eat.”

That’s why you might find something like a barrel cactus, which javelinas normally don’t eat, pulled out of its planting hole but still in good shape. The only certain method to prevent plant injury is through exclusion, such as a fence or other type of barrier.

Many homeowners have had good luck with electric fences.

Aside from this, the best options for keeping javelinas out of your yard are to plant vegetation they tend to avoid (although there are no guarantees), keep your gates closed, remove any uneaten pet food that might be outdoors, and never feed them. The idea is to keep your yard from being an inviting environment. Once you do, javelinas will resume foraging in more natural areas.

Did You Know?

Peccaries are similar to domestic pigs, but are a species of their own.

They are aggressive by nature, yet will usually leave humans alone unless they feel threatened. Javelinas emit a pungent odor, especially if they become alarmed, so you will most likely know if one is in the vicinity first by its smell rather than by sight.

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CORRID OR LI LIVING V ING • SPECI A L SEC TION GOLDEN CORRIDOR

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

?

Do You Want to Be a

ROX STAR

Are you a licensed Real Estate agent looking for a change? Or looking for a career in Real Estate?

Coldwell Banker ROX Realty is looking for new and experienced agents.

We offer: • New Agent Training • Mentorship • Marketing Toolkit • In-house Lead Generation

's Let !

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A career in real estate offers new challenges, freedom from the 9 to 5 routine, and the opportunity to get paid what you are worth.

• Residential • Commercial • Land

• Agricultural/Farm • Leasing • Property Management

The possibilities are endless.

To find out more, call or text:

Kelly Herrington Sales Manager

520.780.0843 1919 N Trekell Rd, Casa Grande, AZ 85122 Send resume or letter of interest to: HR@roxsells.com 520-423-8250 ©2018 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

Special Section: Home & Garden

If You Shop for Homeowner’s Insurance Based on Price, You May Regret It Later Many homeowners may be tempted to shop around, especially as some insurers have pulled out of areas they live in.

A

s natural disasters continue to increase in number and severity, and insurers pay out record amounts of claims for damaged homes in many parts of the country, homeowner’s insurance rates are on the rise.

In recent years, that has prompted some homeowners to hunt for the lowest possible premium they can find, but that can end up costing more than expected. Shopping for insurance based on price alone can have a number of consequences: • Poor coverage and exclusions that may absolve the insurer from paying all or a portion of the claim.

• Insufficient coverage or insurance with low payout limits that may not cover all the damage.

•

Insurance with a poorly rated carrier that may not be as diligent about paying claims as other insurers.

Many homeowners may be tempted to shop around, especially as some insurers have pulled out of areas they live in. This has started happening in some parts of the country that have been hit with nearly annual catastrophes. But, some people have learned the hard way that lower premiums can come with a price.

Many people will be underinsured during some catastrophes because they may have focused too much on price in exchange for lower coverage.

Even with an additional 50 percent cushion that most homeowner’s policies provide, many people are still not able to rebuild their homes after they are destroyed.

The danger here is that price shopping may leave you short because it forces your agent to cut corners on coverage to get to a premium level you are looking for.

How to avoid coming up short

When shopping for homeowner’s insurance, make sure your policy’s coverages and limits are adequate and appropriate for your situation. When working with us, you should focus on these five areas: Choosing between replacement cost or actual cash value — Actual cash value is the cost to repair your home or replace your belongings, less a deduction for a decrease in value due to age, wear and tear and other factors. Replacement cost is the actual cost to repair or replace your property with items of equivalent quality and kind at current market value.

The total insured value — If you want your home rebuilt as close as possible to the way it was, you need a policy that that will cover the full replacement cost of your home, not the

property’s market value or the amount you paid for it. If the home structure is underinsured, you may not be paid enough to rebuild.

Home contents — Most homeowner’s policies cover personal belongings at a percentage (usually 50 percent to 70 percent) of the amount your dwelling is insured for. So if your home is insured for $200,000, and your policy covers contents at 50 percent, your contents are insured for $100,000 if there is a total loss.

Watch out for policies that have only 25 percent content coverage or none at all. Believe it or not, those policies are floating around in the market.

Water backup coverage — A standard homeowner’s policy usually covers damage caused by faulty plumbing, heating or air conditioning. But you should make sure the policy has water backup coverage if the damage comes from outside of your property, for example if there is a sewer backup into your home. This is common in hurricane-prone states. It is not flood coverage.

Wind and hail deductible — Check to see if the deductible for wind and hail damage differs from your standard deductible.

The Takeaway

While you don’t want to pay too much for a policy, don’t make the mistake of underinsuring your most valuable asset. Also, don’t be swayed by offers of extraordinarily low premiums. There is usually a catch, being that you will be left holding the bag for a portion of the loss.

more information on your insurance We Specialize inFor Home and Auto for InsurWinter Reside needs, contact ROXSolutions Casa Grande ance at 520-836-7660.

Coverage available for Park Models and Golf Carts too!

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CORRID OR LI LIVING V ING • SPECI A L SEC TION GOLDEN CORRIDOR

We’ll give y grocery car 442 W KORTSEN RD SUITE 101 come to our o (BEHIND AT PINAL•& WINTER KORTSEN) THE HOME WALGREENS & GARDEN EDITION 2019 us quote your

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HOME • AUTO • RV • PARK MODELS • GOLF CARTS • ATVS • MOTORCYCLES Offer #Shop17 and is limited to the first 25 respondents. Must provide coupon code at the time of quote to qualify. Offer subject to rules and regulations of the Arizona Department of Insurance. Offer valid for households that have not received a new quote for ROX Casa Grande Insurance in the past 9 months. Limit one gift card per household. Expires 4-30-19.

Special Section: Home & Garden

HVAC Maintenance Tips for Keeping Your Home Cool in the Heat

by Jonathan Martinez, Owner, Desert Sun Heating, Cooling & Refrigeration, Inc.

I

n the summer, air conditioners are the most needed appliance in the home. The worst thing that can happen is the air conditioner breaks down when it’s 115 degrees outside. In order to avoid this, you need to start thinking about your air conditioner in spring. Routine maintenance is crucial in order to keep your cooling unit from breaking down in summer. Here, at Desert Sun, we recommend two tips to keep your air conditioner maintained.

Change Filters — Most prob-

lems occur because the filter has not been changed. How often you change it depends on usage.

In the middle of summer, you will change it one to three times a month. When temperatures are in the 70s, you may only change it every two to three months, if it’s not running. A good practice would be to look at your filter when walking past it periodically and see if it’s dirty.

Service by Licensed Contractor — It is recommended that you have your air conditioner

serviced at least once a year. This way, problems can be caught before they happen or fixed before they do additional damage to the system. At Desert Sun, we have a 20-point checkup that will cover general maintenance on the system. There also are more extensive maintenance options

available when needed, such as evaporator coil cleaning.

HVAC Maintenance may not be the most exciting thing to think about, but if you can make an effort to change your filters and have your unit serviced, it will save you money and keep your home cooled all summer long!

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CORRID OR LI LIVING V ING • SPECI A L SEC TION GOLDEN CORRIDOR

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THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

Attention all Shop-Enthusiasts! Your search is over!

216 E. Pebble Ct.

$355,000

30x30 detached shop is a DREAM COME TRUE!! The shop can be an extra garage big enough for 2 cars, a she-shed, a man cave, whatever you can imagine! It has electricity and a/c, and both garage doors have electric openers. It is also equipped with a security system.

●

Inside the home you will find a lovely 3-bedroom home with a large office. Office has an exterior door, perfect for a home business. This 3-car garage home is situated on a larger lot in a cul-de-sac. The landscaped yard is low maintenance and the backyard with extended patio is pre-wired for a pool or spa.

Call today for your private showing and fall in love with the endless potential!

●

KELLY HERRINGTON, SALES MANAGER/REALTOR® 520.780.0843 | Kelly@roxsells.com

520.423.8250 | ROXsells.com ©2018 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated.

Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

PINAL COUNTY PRESS A R IZONA CIT Y • C A SA GR A NDE • CO OLIDGE • ELOY • F LOR ENCE • M A R ICOPA

CONTINUED…

State Route 347 overpass slated for lengthy closure on Honeycutt Road

A

s the second phase of work beg ins on t he 347 Overpass Project in Maricopa, Honeycutt Road between SR 347 and Pershing Street will be closed for an extended period of time and will continue into summer. The closure is needed for widening the road and adding new sidewalks, curbs and gutters on the south side of Honeycutt Road.

According to the Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT), there will be no access from Honeycutt Road to John Wayne Parkway. However, a detour will be opened up on the recently constructed Plainview Street, and two-way traffic on Honeycutt Road will remain open to local businesses as well as Pershing Street.

ADOT is building a $55 million bridge to carry traffic over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks on State Route 347 in a busy area where trains can stop cars up to 60 times a day. The addition of the bridge is designed to remove delays for both drivers and first responders.

The two-year project also includes crews building a new elevation for Honeycutt Road, which will connect the new section of SR 347 once the overpass is built. A new signalized intersection to improve the traffic flow at SR 347 and Honeycutt Road will also be installed.

Designated as one of the fastest growing communities in Arizona, Maricopa is expected to double its traffic by 2040. With SR 347 serving as a primary route for those commuting between Phoenix and

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Work continues on the SR 347 overpass project.

Tucson, “the bridge will alleviate traffic, enhance safety, and improve the quality of life in Maricopa and the region,” according to ADOT Director John Halikowski.

Funded in part by a $15 million grant from Transportation Investment Generating

Economic Recovery and close to $14 million from the City of Maricopa, the long-anticipated project began in March 2018 and is expected to be complete by late 2019.

“This marks the culmination of 14 years of work and fiscal prudence,” says Maricopa May-

or Christian Price. “This crucial infrastructure project has been one of our biggest hurdles to growth and safety. We now begin a new chapter and look forward to working with ADOT to build our overpass.”

For more information on the project, visit overpasstracker.com.

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

Hello!

We’re Coldwell Banker ROX Realty

On behalf of Coldwell Banker ROX Realty, I’m thrilled to introduce the newest agents to our team! Please join me in welcoming Leslie Workman and Bob McManigle as our newest ROX Stars! We are excited for their energy and enthusiasm and desire to make the home buying and selling experience exciting and enjoyable.

Kelly Herrington, Sales Manager/REALTOR©

Leslie Workman

Introducing Leslie Workman has lived in Arizona most her life. She grew up in Sells, went to high school in Eloy and Tucson and attended college at Eastern Arizona College. She lived in Flagstaff for 23 years where she raised her three children and bought and sold several homes on her own, which is where her passion for becoming a REALTOR® began.

While living in Flagstaff, Leslie was a small-business owner and also built a home and commercial building. Leslie currently lives and works in Casa Grande

Bob McManigle

Born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, Bob McManigle joined the military right out of high school and traveled around the world and the U.S. He moved to Washington in 1979 and remained there until 2013 working for the Department of the Navy on Whidbey Island in Puget Sound.

Bob and his wife Cindy decided to move to Arizona in 2013, and they chose the Casa Grande area because of its ideal location between Phoenix and Tucson. Casa Grande has a great small town feel, yet it’s a growing and

where she has been since 2009. In addition to working in real estate, Leslie also has many years of experience in grocery management and even proudly earned a Safeway Presidents Customer Service Award.

Buying a home is one of the most exciting things you can do in your life, and Leslie is dedicated to helping you find the right house at the right price. If you would like her help finding a place to call home, whether it’s land on which to build your dream house, a fixer upper, or move-in ready home, she is happy to help you through the process. Leslie proudly services Casa Grande and Phoenix and surrounding areas as a REALTOR® with COLDWELL Banker Rox Realty. thriving city, as well. Bob worked in the IT industry where he spent a great deal of time helping people solve problems with their computers, with the network or just how to use an application.

Solving problems for people has been a big part of his career, and he would like to do that for you as a REALTOR® with COLDWELL Banker Rox Realty. Whether you think you can’t sell your home and get what you want, or sell at all in this market, or you have been tirelessly searching for homes online and you’re just not getting anywhere, Bob can help. For Bob it all comes together at the closing table, and you know you’ve succeeded when the client is thanking him for a job well done!

1919 N Trekell Rd, Casa Grande, AZ 85122 ● 520-423-8250 ● roxsells.com ©2018 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

Special Section: Home & Garden

Tips For Hiring a Contractor

by Shaun Cardenas, Owner, Power Bound Electric, LLC

Who Should I Hire?

If you are reading this, you are probably interested in hiring a contractor.

I know when choosing a contractor it can be overwhelming and seem like a game of chance. Will I get a craftsman?

Will they be honest? Will they build to a standard acceptable to their respective trade? Can I trust these people in my home, my business? So many variables, that it would seem a daunting task to anyone.

There are some things you can do to help find a reputable and honest

Power Bound Electric LLC

P

ower Bound Electric LLC is an electrical contractor that is fully committed to giving our diverse Casa Grande clientele prompt, consistently top-quality electrical work designed to meet and exceed industry standards for safety and efficiency, regardless of the size or scale of the electrical work you need done.

Our personable team of fully licensed and insured in-house electricians are leading experts in residential and commercial electrical applications. Drawing on a wealth of experience and training in electrical work of all kinds, we are optimally positioned to give Casa Grande and surrounding communities a more complete electrical service.

With our time-honored commitment to client care, the Power Bound team acts quickly to put your mind at ease and provide electrical services that are completely adapted to meet your specific needs. We will work closely with you to give you a range of proven effective and up-to-date solutions to your home or business’ electrical requirements. And at Power Bound Electric, we never cut corners in our endeavor to give you the very best and fully code-compliant electrical work possible.

contractor. Due to the fact that I am licensed in two states (Arizona and Alaska) as an electrical contractor who has been through the licensing process, I have in-depth knowledge of the safeguards set in place to protect the consumer. In Alaska, for example, I am required to be licensed as both an electrical administrator and a licensed specialty contractor. My business must have a license, and I need a municipal license and a borough license, as well.

And to get any of these licenses, I must be bonded and insured. To be a contractor, I must submit proof of my insurance to the state. It is required by law that my insurance representative notify the state if my insurance is canceled or in non-payment. If this happens, my license will be suspended.

So this leads me to my first point:

Request a Contractor’s License Numbers In Arizona, you can go to azroc.gov and search by company name, owner’s name or license number to check out if a contractor is legitimate. Honest contractors will go through all steps necessary to assure their customers of their good intentions by filling out the appropriate paperwork.

Ask for a Contractor’s Insurance It is perfectly acceptable to ask for a certificate of insurance from a

contractor’s insurance agent. Ask for the name of their agent and request that they have the agent contact you.

This document should come from the insurance agent on record, not the contractor. These rules are in place for the protection of the consumer.

Make Sure You Like Your Contractor Before you choose a contractor, make sure that you like them and that your personalities mesh. Chances are that if there are problems, the end product won’t be everything you wanted. Building anything requires communication and a team effort to achieve exactly what you envision for your project. You are trusting your contractor to take your vision and build it with their knowledge. Only you know your vision, so communication is a must.

Financing & Warranties There are laws in place as far as acceptable down payments and warranty time frames go. Standards vary from state to state, but for the most part it is standard to not accept

520.836.2677 (AMPS) PowerBoundElectric.com ROC#289407, 319871

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THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

Special Section: Home & Garden

more than 10 percent down for any job and a year warranty for defects in craftsmanship and work. I never ask for money down, and I personally won’t accept any money until the work has been performed. This is one very effective way I’ve developed trust with my customers. It’s my way of showing my confidence in the fact

that I will perform as I stated before accepting any money. You need to trust your contractor to remain ethical and have integrity.

If you do take my advice and ask for license, bonding and insurance information, the contractor should be open and understanding and not make you feel any way other than welcome. If a

contractor makes you feel bad about asking or starts making excuses, pay attention to these red flags and follow your gut. It’s usually right!

I hope my insights are useful in your search for a contractor that will make your project stress free and enjoyable.

Even if you don’t use my services, I hope your build is a success!

POWER BOUND ELECTRIC LLC RESIDENTIAL - COMMERCIAL - INDUSTRIAL Electrical Services We Provide: • • • • • • • • • •

Residential Wiring Commercial Wiring Low Voltage Wiring Network Cabling Security Installations – Cameras – Access Controls Generator Automatic Transfer Switches Services Calls Automation/Control Wiring Electrical Consultation 24 Hour Emergency Service

SOLAR!

Commercial Electrical Services: Residential Electrical Services: Whether it’s a tenant improvement, security system installed or just a change in the electrical needs of your business, Power Bound Electric can handle the job, regardless of size. Some of the commercial electrical services we offer are: • • • • •

Oudoor Signage Security system wiring Remodels and tenant improvements Retail displays Track Lighting

Free Estimates (520) 836-2677 (AMPS) powerboundelectric.com WINTER 2019 • THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

WE REPAIR

When you need an electrician for anything from a home remodel or addition, to installing a ceiling fan, new lighting or new outlets, Power Bound Electric is the one to call. Our electricians can handle any size residential project including: • Ceiling Fan Installation • New home/remodeling project wiring • New lighting installation • Repairing/replacing faulty electrical outlets

ROC#289407 OR LI V ING SPECI A L SEC TION • GOLDEN GOLDEN CORRID CORRIDOR VING

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Special Section: Home & Garden

MAKE 2019 STRESS FREE!

TOP 8 REASONS TO HIRE A PROFESSIONAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT COMPANY

B

eing a landlord isn’t for everyone. There is a lot more involved with managing a property than just collecting the rent.

When you invest in rental property, you wear many hats. If the day-to-day management of your investment is not a direction you want to go, consider hiring a professional property management company.

Here are a few ways they can help: 1. TENANT SCREENING Proper screening of tenants helps to avoid messy problems months into the lease.

2. KNOWING THE RULES The Arizona Landlord-Tenant Act is the most important law for rental properties.

Property managers know the law and how to follow the statute to protect both the property owner and tenant’s rights under the law.

3. NO 3 A.M. CALLS Getting a phone call at 3 a.m. about a leaky toilet will make most property owners grouchy. Property managers have established procedures for tenants to report maintenance issues and emergency situations.

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4. REGULAR MAINTENANCE & REPAIRS Property managers have contractor resources to provide prompt and competitive maintenance and repairs. Due to the volume of business with these companies, many times they are able to negotiate a discount that is passed along to the property owner.

5. MARKET RENTS Property managers are in-tune with market conditions and rental rates and are able to keep your home priced competitively.

6. COLLECTIONS AND EVICTIONS Property managers stay on top of rent collection. In the event of nonpayment, they follow the legal steps to evict the tenant and get the property ready to rent again.

Each office is independently owned and operated.

7. KEEP AN EYE ON THE PROPERTY This is critical for out-of-state owners.

Even if you are just down the street, your property manager will look at the home with a critical eye for any needed maintenance before it becomes an issue.

8. ACCOUNTING RECORDS Online software allows 24-hour access to owner financial statements from the owner portal.

520.423.8250 info@roxrents.com THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

Make 2019 Stress Free!!!

RENT with Coldwell Banker ROX Realty and have

peace of mind with our experienced management team.

!

G N I T A R + A

CONSISTENTLY HIGH OCCUPANCY RATE NEED HOMES FOR PROSPECTIVE TENANTS

SUCCESS AT FINDING TENANTS QUICKLY

WE OFFER • Marketing

• Rent Collections

• Emergency Calls

• Tenant Screening

• Evictions

• Lease Execution

• Accounting

• Coordinating Maintenance

• Rent Payments

• Regular Inspections

COSTS

• 10% Monthly management fee only on collected rents.

• No Hidden Fees and No Mark-up in Vendor Bills!

& Much More

SET UP FEES!

• Discounted monthly management fees for 3 or more properties.

FREE RENTAL EVALUATION Thinking of renting your home?

Contact Coldwell Banker ROX Realty today for a FREE consultation

520.423.8250 | info@roxrents.com 1919 N Trekell Rd, Casa Grande, AZ 85122

©2018 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

SUSAN GALLEGOS

KAREN HENSON

ROXrents.com

Special Section: Home & Garden

When You Need A Contractor

Builders We Love / Trades We Love When looking to build a new custom home, a new office or medical building or need tenant improvements, these three Casa Grande-based companies stand out among the best in the region.

GENERAL CONTRACTORS Absolute Homes / Vivid Landscape ROC#175926 520.836.6511 www.absoluteconstructionaz.com Jim Suor Jim has over 24 years’ experience in the building industry and is the owner of Absolute Construction. Absolute Homes believes there is a house for every budget.

• General Contractor • Residential – Custom New Home Construction • Remodeling - Kitchen & Bath • Tile, Stone, Block

Capital R Construction ROC#190936 520.858.6501 www.capitalrinc.com Roddy “Rusty” Riggs At Capital R Construction, we have experience in business offices, medical clinics, retail centers, schools, restaurants, and more. Capital R offers professional construction services through all phases of the construction process.

• General Contractor • Commercial and Industrial • Construction, Development and Project Management • Tenant Improvements

Gallo Construction ROC#170493 520.836.8899 www.galloconstruction.com Jeff W. VanHise and Aaron Simmons Founded in 1970, Gallo Construction is your solution for affordable and quality general contracting, construction management and consulting throughout Arizona.

• General Contractor • Commercial - Design, Construction, Project Management, Tenant Improvements • Residential - Remodel & New Construction

TRADES When something breaks, who do you call? ROX Media Group has compiled a list of trades that not only are our advertisers, these companies have provided excellent service when we needed them.

Al & Riley’s Air Conditioning & Sheet Metal, Inc. ROC#082820, 282665 520.836.8450 www.alandrileys.com Cecil Kinser Serving the area since 1971, Al & Riley’s is a trusted air conditioning company offering repair, maintenance and installation services.

• Residential - Commercial • Heating & Air Conditioning • Indoor Air Quality • Sheet Metal Fabrication & Ductwork Brutinel Plumbing & Electrical, Inc. ROC#068025, 067458, 074815, 067457 520.836.5802 • www.brutinel.com Wes Baker Founded in 1949 by Bob Brutinel, the company built their reputation of providing exceptional service to their customers throughout Pinal County.

• Residential - Commercial Industrial • New installation • Repairs & Remodeling 64

Desert Sun Heating, Cooling & Refrigeration Inc. ROC#243161 • 520.466.1489 www.desertsunhvac.com Jonathan Martinez Jonathan founded Desert Sun Heating, Cooling & Refrigeration in 2008. He and his team take pride of ensuring 100% satisfaction on every job they perform.

• Residential - Commercial • New Installation • Repairs & Maintenance Jewell Glass & Mirror ROC#279489 • 520.836.6196 www.jewellglass.net Mark & Angela Mitchell Since 1978, Jewell Glass & Mirror has been providing customers with the quality and reliable glass.

• Residential - Commercial Automotive • Windows - Shower Doors Sun Shades - Tinting • Full-service commercial glass contractor • Storefront glass, door installation, emergency board-up

CORRID OR LI LIVING V ING • SPECI A L SEC TION GOLDEN CORRIDOR

JMC Remodeling ROC#316921 520-252-9130 James McWherter With 30+ years of construction experience, James formed his own company in 2018. He prides himself on the quality work he and his crew provide their clients.

• Residential - Small Commercial • Repairs & Remodeling - all phases • Tile & Flooring • Tenant Improvements Mankel Mechanical ROC#145043 520.316.9120 www.mankelmechanical.com Eddie Mankel & Paula Leslie In 2019, Mankel Mechanical is celebrating 20 years in business.

Our new construction projects range from standard spec homes to 30” diameter piping for a bio methane plant, and everything in between.

• Commercial - Residential Industrial - Mechanical Piping

Two Brothers Plumbing ROC#145043 • 520.251.0076 Two Brothers Plumbing is a full service plumbing contractor. We can do simple repairs like leaky faucets to whole house re-pipes. We can replace/repair sewer, water and gas lines.

Power Bound Electric, LLC ROC#289407, 319871 520.836.2677 www.powerboundelectric.com Shaun Cardenas Power Bound Electric LLC is an electrical contractor that is fully committed to giving our diverse Arizona clientele prompt, consistently top quality electrical work designed to meet and exceed industry standards for safety and efficiency, regardless of the size or scale of the electrical work you need done.

• Residential - Remodel/Addition, Repairs, Home Theater, Security System Wiring • Commercial - New construction, Remodel, Tenant Improvements, Outdoor Signage & Lighting, Equipment & Machinery Wiring, Security System Wiring • Solar Repairs

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

Your tax return may be your ticket home.

MAC1218-1460765

Could you use your tax refund towards a down payment on a home?

Let’s do the math together and see if we can put your tax refund to good use!

Call Us Today!

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toll free: 1-800-839-5802

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520.836.8450 www.alandrileys.com

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL INSTALLATIONS

40 N. Brown Ave., Casa Grande, Arizona WINTER 2019 • THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

65

Get TOP $$$ for your house Quickly and Easily!

Are you facing foreclosure?

Behind in your payments?

Looking to downsize or move quickly?

CHRIS CAN HELP!

WELCOME BACK WINTER RESIDENTS! Locally & family owned for over 30 years!

(520) 836-7921

www.norrisrv.com 973 W. Gila Bend Hwy. Casa Grande

Service • Sales • Parts ChrisBuysAZHomes.com Local Real Estate Investor

Serving the Valley since 1978!

Updating Your Master Bath?

Quick Close - 10 Days or Less Stay in your home up to 30 days after closing No Fees - No Commissions NO REPAIRS - We buy AS-IS!

We offer custom shower doors for every budget.

Call for a free estimate and browse the newest designs.

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Call TODAY for a quick, NO-OBLIGATION offer!

520.560.5616

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COMMERCIAL

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WINDOWS • SHOWER DOORS • SUNSHADES SECURIT Y DOORS • SCREENS • PATIO ENCLOSURES WINDSHIELDS • TINT • STOREFRONT

Not a licensed real estate agent Se habla español

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GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

(520)-836-6196

401 W. 2nd Street • Casa Grande, AZ 85122 www.jewellglass.net ROC279489 THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

Is it time to sell your home?

Are you curious about your home’s value?

Let Coldwell Banker ROX Realty be your local neighborhood expert.

Call today for a FREE, No-Obligation market analysis.

Here are some easy ways to help your home sell faster!

• Deep clean the entire house • Declutter and pack personal items • Fix any issues with the house.

• Spruce up the yard.

• Enhance your curb appeal with potted plants by the door.

“We are local real estate professionals and are here to help!”

Kelly Herrington

Sales Manager/Realtor (520)780-0843 kelly@roxsells.com 1919 N Trekell Rd, Casa Grande, AZ 85122

520-423-8250 Roxsells.com ©2018 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated.

Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

Out & About 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

RONNIE RODRIGUEZ

ANN DUNAWAY

DONNA MCBRIDE

ROCK & ELAINE EARLE

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ROCK & ELAINE EARLE

JOSH WUCHTERL THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

Health • Happiness • Education Boyce Thompson Arboretium

ROCK & ELAINE EARLE

ANN DUNAWAY

ROCK & ELAINE EARLE

Boyce Thompson Arboretium

ROCK & ELAINE EARLE

ANN DUNAWAY

JANA BARNARD

ROCK & ELAINE EARLE

ROCK & ELAINE EARLE

Boyce Thompson Arboretium

WINTER 2019 • THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

ROCK & ELAINE EARLE

RONNIE RODRIGUEZ GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

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New Year Resolutions That Last a Lifetime

by Nicole Youcupicio, Casa Grande Alliance, Prevention Specialist

Teens whose parents talk to them regularly about the dangers of drugs and alcohol are 50 percent less likely to use drugs

S

POILER ALERT: It is 2019! A new year means fireworks, resolutions and starting off on the right foot. Every January, despite determination to follow through, we seem to fall short on our resolutions. What if this year was different? What if we set goals that were not only reachable but could have a profound effect on the lives of children?

By strengthening our relationships with the children in our lives, and by having frequent conversations about drugs and alcohol, we can accomplish this. Does it sound too good to be true?

Let’s see what the data is telling us.

Goal 1: Strengthen the relationship between you and your child(ren).

Teens who have good relationships with their parents or a trusted adult are two times less likely to use alcohol and three to four times less likely to use marijuana. Children look up to us 1.

2.

3.

70

as adults. They want to be with us, and they want to be heard.

Just “be” with them.

One way to nourish these relationships is by having family dinners five to seven times a week, whether at home or at a restaurant. It is not about the food being eaten, but about the conversation and adult-child engagement that takes place at a dinner table.1 Goal 2: Talk to your child(ren) regularly (regularly being the key word) about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

You might be thinking that these conversations will fall on deaf ears. As adults we believe that once children become teenagers they don’t listen to us anymore, and we don’t hold any influence over their decision to use drugs and alcohol. Parents are actually the greatest influence on a child’s decision to use drugs or not! Teens whose parents talk to them regular-

ly about the dangers of drugs and alcohol are 50 percent less likely to use drugs, 2,3 yet less than 40 percent of Pinal County teens report having these conversations.

We need to correct this. We need to have these conversations and have them frequently. It could be the determining factor of whether or not a youth ever tries a drug.

So, are you with me?

These resolutions not only strengthen the relationships within your family but can also help prevent your child from ever using drugs and alcohol. As role models in youth’s lives we have the influence needed to make a difference. Let’s use these powers for good!

Be the trusted adult your child needs.

If you would like more information on how to talk with your child about drugs and alcohol, go to CasaGrandeAlliance. org or call 520-836-5022.

The National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, The Importance of Family Dinners VIII. (Sept. 2012).

Partnership for Drug-Free Kids, Parents: What You Say — and What You Do — Matters to Your Kids. (March 2011).

Arizona Criminal Justice Commission, Arizona Youth Survey. (2018).

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THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

Happy New Year!

2019

This year, leave a positive lifelong impact on your child(ren) by talking to them regularly about the dangers of drugs and alcohol.

More than 70% of Pinal County teens who don’t drink or use drugs choose not to because they do not want to disappoint their parents or another adult in their life. * Arizona Criminal Justice Commision, Arizona Youth Survey, PInal County 2018

Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment Referrals 280 W. McMurray Blvd.

Casa Grande, Arizona 85122 520-836-5022 www.CasaGrandeAlliance.org www.facebook.com/CGAlliance Follow us on Twitter: @CG_Alliance

DO YOU HAVE A WORKOUT PERSONALITY?

by Tiffanie Grady-Gillespie, Certified Physical Trainer, CPT, WickedFiTT

B

elieve it or not, before I worked in fitness as a personal trainer and group exercise instructor, I was a group-fitness junkie. I was the one who showed up early to get the step and risers set up so I could claim a great spot in class, and I’d race home from the studio to practice the choreography.

You name the class, and I’ve probably taken it. The super-duper early morning class, the early morning class, the early afternoon class, the evening class — I totally believe each type of class has its own benefits.

Of course, to be completely honest, you obviously only get out what you put in. You can take a really intense boot camp class and only burn a few calories if you don’t follow the instructions. And you can find yourself sweaty and wiped out after a Pilates or core class because of the intensity of the moves.

So let’s take a quick look at some popular class formats, and then we’ll dig deeper.

Cardio: Generally, your goal is to get your heart rate up either through intervals or a pyramid structure (low intensity, medium intensity, high intensity and then back down).

Strength: Here, you want to build muscle mass and/or strength.

Core: This is where you want to increase your core strength so that you can have better functional fitness.

Most classes have more than one benefit, however, so a class that includes cardio may also feature a strength component, and, of course, when we use our full range of motion and move across our planes, we will naturally

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GOLDEN CORRID CORRIDOR OR LI LIVVING ING • YOU!

have some overlap (yea, three for one).

Some popular formats and certification agencies include Les Mills classes (BODYPUMP, BODYATTACK), BeachBody (PiYo Strength, Turbo Kick, Insanity). In these cases, the class really doesn’t vary much from instructor to instructor or class to class.

Some of these are totally pre-choreographed, meaning that the songs and moves don’t change; others have a basic outline, but each teacher can have some flexibility on how the class is presented.

Again, the key to getting a good workout lies within you. Nobody can make you turn the dial up on your spin bike to make the hill climbs more intense or force you to go a little deeper during a squat series. Remember that your weight, fitness level, intensity and age all make a difference in how effective your workout is. I totally believe that most classes can be modified for every student, but there are a few things to keep in mind.

If you have joint issues or injuries, you may want to avoid higher-impact classes. But that doesn’t mean you have to avoid high intensity! With a doctor’s or medical provider’s clearance, you can get a great body-weight workout that raises your heart rate and helps with muscle strength and power, builds bone density and helps you lose weight without doing any plyometric (jump) training.

Do you love to dance but have trouble with advanced choreography? Maybe try a class like Zumba. You’ll typically follow the same or a similar format from week to week, so it can really help you gain confidence and

retain the moves and postures without getting overwhelmed. Do you have great muscle strength but really struggle with balance? A yoga class might be the perfect class to add to your regime. If you aren’t sure which type of class is best for you, I suggest trying as many as you can.

And one last tip: You will need to dress the part! For example, for core and Pilates classes, you will want to wear fairly fitted items so that as you work through postures, often holding them for extended periods of time, you won’t be hindered or distracted by baggy shirts or shorts that, ahem, let it all hang out.

For Zumba, go all out! The more colorful gear you wear, the more you’ll get into character.

If you’re taking a boot camp or strength-training class, you’ll likely be spending some time on the floor or a mat and doing a lot of plyometric training. So I’d recommend wearing leggings and a shirt or tank top that is breathable. It doesn’t need to be as fitted as in a yoga class, but you don’t want something so loose that it gets caught on the equipment.

Remember, it’s always a great idea to switch up your fitness routine from time to time whether you are experienced or a beginner. Ultimately, the best workout is one that you’ll actually do. So get out there and start doing!

Please contact us at WickedFiTT for any additional group fitness information. Or visit our website, wickedfitt.com.

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

(520) 421.1120

115 E. 1st Street, Casa Grande, AZ 85122

Fax (520) 421.2877 • Ohhc.cg.fax@oasishomehealthcare.org WINTER 2019 • THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

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CENTRAL ARIZONA COLLEGE HOLDS INAUGURAL INDUCTION FOR LEADERSHIP SOCIETY

by Angela Askey, Executive Director Public Relations and Marketing

Nine CAC employees were recognized for their service to the campus and community.

I

n August 2018, Central Arizona College (CAC) established a chapter of the National Society of Leadership & Success (NSLS). By the end of the fall semester, 209 new members had joined. Ninety-one students completed the program and received a Certificate of Leadership Training honoring their achievement and lifetime membership in the NSLS. The NSLS is the nation’s largest leadership society with 950,000 members representing 700 universities and colleges nationwide. In addition to honoring excellence, NSLS provides a systematic program for members to build their leadership skills through participation on their campus.

Nine CAC employees were recognized for their service to the campus and community. Honorary memberships were presented to Dr. Jenni Cardenas, Vice President for Student Services; Michelle Gomez, Academic Division Assistant; and Dr. Sandra Rath, Professor of Speech Communication. Honored for Excellence in Teaching were Dr. Liz Baroi (Professor of Psychology), Heather Moulton (Professor of English), and Fotini Sioris (Professor of Biological Sciences). Also honored by the chapter were Celina Salinas (Assistant Director of Recruitment), Mark Ebert (Academic Advisor), and Gail Nettles (Project Director for TRIO Student Support Services).

Newly inducted members receiving their leadership certificate include: Bailey Abel, Maricopa Garrett Acuna-Taylor, Casa Grande Karen Aguero-Mancillas, Maricopa Michaela Anderson, Florence (Exec. Officer) Kimberly Atkinson, Florence Arcelia Avechuco-Lopez, Hayden Harleigh Behrens, Florence Caleb Bianco, Casa Grande Aubrie Blauvelt, San Tan Valley Evan Braun, Casa Grande Josiah Burnett, Casa Grande Michaela Bustos, Maricopa Michael Cabrera, Arizona City Jose Carrillo, Eloy (Exec. Officer) Cache Castelow, Avondale Amari Chaput, Eloy Arien Clemons-Hubbard, Florence (Exec. Officer) Nicole Cline, Florence Kimberly David, Florence (Chapter Advisor) Mariena Dearstyne, Maricopa Taylor Deepe, Kearny Ashley Dobbs, Maricopa Alexus Dominguez, Casa Grande Vanessa Enos, Sacaton Victor Espino, Queen Creek (Exec. Officer) Roxana Figiel, Mesa Tanesha Joan Freytes Colon, Maricopa Aerin Fulton, San Tan Valley Amanda Garcia, Casa Grande Brian Garcia, San Tan Valley Nicholas Gartland, Maricopa

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Eric Glass, Coolidge (Exec. Officer) Naiya Guin, Casa Grande Leticia Hamilton, Coolidge Theresa Harkabus, Maricopa David Hernandez, Casa Grande Ravenna Hinojosa, Casa Grande Samantha Huey, Apache Junction Debriana Ibarra-Rodriguez, Casa Grande Ana Kearns, Globe Jessica Krempasky, Casa Grande Joseph Lara, Casa Grande Brittney Leonard, San Tan Valley Alexis Lindsay, Maricopa Kimberly Lovely, Apache Junction Liliana Matthews, Casa Grande Kayla McDowell, Kearny Kris Mejia, Casa Grande Angelica Joyce Mesa, San Tan Valley Michelle Muhs, Hailey, ID Jacob Nelson-Boaz, Casa Grande Drayton Nicholson, San Tan Valley Valeria Nieto, Coolidge (President) Valene Ordonez, Casa Grande (Vice President) Yadhira Osuna, Maricopa Flora Peters, Florence Alexander Pollard, Coolidge Anna Ramirez, Eloy Dr. Tramaine Rausaw, Coolidge (Chapter Co-Advisor) Lauren Reed, Casa Grande Samantha Ricardo, Maricopa Peggy Rider, Maricopa

Jade Rodriguez, Casa Grande Marcos Rodriguez, Apache Junction Nery Rojas-Leo, Maricopa Danica Rubio, Casa Grande Estefan Ruiz, Eloy (Exec. Officer) Kayla Russ, Casa Grande Pauline Sanchez, Kearny Maylynn Santana, San Tan Valley Julianna Sanudo, Stanfield Laura Sanudo, Stanfield Timonyeh Shines, Maricopa (Exec. Officer) Cody Smith, Florence Jacob Soslowsky, Casa Grande Zaille Staine, Casa Grande (Exec. Officer) Adina Stephens, Casa Grande Daniel Swann, Stanfield Emily Taft, Maricopa Ashley-Danielle Thompson, Eloy Janelle Tillman, Gold Canyon Yuliana Toledo Avila, Stanfield Ana Traslavina, Casa Grande Karolina Traslavina-Quihuis, Florence Juana Trujillo, Casa Grande Andrew Turner, Casa Grande Caitlyn Turner, Casa Grande (Exec. Officer) Guillermo Valenzuela, Casa Grande Madeleine Van Sickle, Maricopa Rupert Ventenilla, San Tan Valley Stephanie Williams, Apache Junction Kelsey Winquist, Queen Creek Raya Woods, Eloy

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

New Shanghai Circus Saturday, Jan. 26 at 7 pm | $22 Signal Peak Campus, Pence Center

Stunning acrobats who have performed around the world come to CAC for an unforgettable performance.

EventsAtCAC.com • (520) 477-SHOW Facebook.com/CACCommunityEvents WINTER 2019 • THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

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New Year’s Resolution:

Volunteer More!

by Donna McBride, Pinal County Juvenile Court Program Administrator II

W

ith the new year staring us square in the eyes, many of us jump on the bandwagon with lots of New Year’s resolutions.

Unfortunately, we often lose sight of them within a month or two. But there’s one resolution that can be a guaranteed success.

This resolution won’t necessarily help you lose weight, take you to an exotic place or put money in your bank account. But I bet that you will feel lighter, be more culturally enriched and feel worth a million bucks.

How, you ask? By volunteering!

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GOLDEN CORRID CORRIDOR OR LI LIVVING ING • YOU!

Volunteering is one of the most popular activities in the country. Americans are regularly involved in some type of volunteer activity and donate more than 20 million hours yearly. With 5 million people actively engaged each year, how do you fit in? You help organizations, people and the economy.

By volunteering just 10 hours a year, the economic impact you contribute is $250.

With a population over 430,000 in Pinal County, and if every person volunteered, that would have an economic impact of over $107,500,000!

Pinal County Juvenile Court is looking for volunteers willing to help their community embrace young people who need redirection.

If you have a talent, we can use it. There are many nontraditional roles that can help enhance the life of a young person, even one that is currently serving time in our detention facility. Here are just a few examples: Teachers: If you are teaching now or retired, we can use your help. We need professionals who can tutor juveniles in detention who are trying to obtain their GED or do better with their reading, writing or math skills.

Author or Artist: Self expression is a meaningful way to help someone learn about themselves and a great way to encourage their personal talent.

Coach: Whether in our detention or week-

end programs, you could help teach a sport and help a young person use their energy in a healthy environment.

Hairdresser or Makeup Specialist/Barber: Help a teen learn the proper way to look good and feel good about their appearance.

They might also find a career interest, too!

Job Counselor: Help a teen by providing a workshop on the proper way to fill out an application, have a successful job interview or learn about proper work etiquette.

Musicians: Offer to teach a young person how to play an instrument as a way to redirect their energy to express themselves.

Healthy Lifestyle Classes: From alcohol and drug workshops to parenting and CPR classes, there are plenty of lessons that could support their rehabilitation.

CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates): A specialized program in which volunteers work with the courts to speak on behalf of a child who has been abused or neglected.

There are so many opportunities to get involved. Whether it is with the courts, a nonprofit, a church or your community, make a New Year’s resolution that will be easy (and worthwhile) to keep … VOLUNTEERING! Find out more by contacting Pinal County Juvenile Court Volunteer Program at 520-8664405. Happy New Year!

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

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Our Jr. Chef Competitions, Global Day of Design, out-of-state field trips and clubs offer scholars extracurricular opportunities to learn skills they’ll need throughout their lives.

Everyday PE is always more exciting with a rock wall. The only way to see how we take education beyond the textbook is to see for yourself!

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77

SUN LIFE: MANAGING THE OPIOID CRISIS LOCALLY

Integrated Behavioral Health and a Family Practice Provider collaborate on patient care Internal Note

by Dr. Matthew Bertsch and Dr. Chinwe Chukwurah, M.D., Sun Life Family Health Center At Sun Life Family Health Center, we practice pain management responsibly.

While our primary care providers have autonomy in pain management, their decisions are guided by policy and proper clinical judgment using guidelinebased therapy.

78

T

he opioid crisis has had an effect on many people around Arizona and around the country.

Although the problem with opiates is not a new one, it certainly has gained much traction recently.

With governors, legislators, our national congressional representatives, our senators and even our president talking about the issue, it has garnered a lot of mainstream attention. Opiates/ opioids, often used interchangeably, are not new, and neither is drug abuse.

However, the attention on the crisis has made health care challenging, even to Sun Life Family Health Center.

tions electronically.

Continuing education will be required for providers as a part of maintaining their license. Prescription doses will be limited and new opioid packaging requirements have been implemented.

The scrutiny around opiate prescribing has led to opioid refugees, those who have had to abandon their addictions to prescription opiates and have turned to illegal street drugs. Patients have turned to both methamphetamine and heroin. Because of all of these overdoses, both legal and illegal, access to the life-saving overdose drug naloxone has increased as well.

Patient education

At Sun Life Family Health Center, we practice pain management responsibly. While our primary care providers have autonomy in pain management, their decisions are guided by policy and proper clinical judgment using guideline-based therapy.

What makes us unique, however, is our integrated approach to pain management. We have a team of integrated behavioral health specialists who work with our patients, as many times symptoms can be managed at a behavioral level as opposed to prescribing a medication. This is where our Mindful Alternative Pain Program comes into play. MAPP is a series of classes focusing on alternative and natural ways to cope with issues associated with pain.

Clinical pharmacy has made a huge impact on the approach to pain

It really is not all about the opiates though. Drug abuse, legal and illegal, has run rampant for decades. People who abuse have abused promethazine with codeine for its pleasurable and sedative effect. They have abused dextromethorphan for its mild euphoria or extreme hallucinations depending on dose; and they have abused other medications meant to treat neuropathic pain for its marijuana-like effects.

The laws and technology in our state have changed, and there is now an Arizona Controlled Substances Prescription Monitoring Program for the safety of patients.

Prescribers are now required to check the prescription monitoring program. Prescribers will also be required to prescribe addictive medica-

GOLDEN CORRID CORRIDOR OR LI LIVVING ING • YOU!

Sun Life

management within Sun Life. Clinical pharmacy has teamed up with primary care providers to review dosing of pain medications of the patients we serve.

Clinical pharmacists also provide education to patients about opiates, discuss pain goals with patients, check dangerous drug interactions and consult with providers to ensure proper therapy for patients. The goal of this collaboration is that patients learn to manage their pain and reduce their dependency solely on medications.

Sun Life’s community pharmacists assist in the process by providing a thorough review of the prescriptions sent by the providers to one of our six pharmacies. Although this is not different from how other pharmacies should operate, Sun Life pharmacies have the advantage of being in close proximity to the clinical pharmacy team, the behavioral health team and the primary care provider.

Pain management is a complicated subject. We have seen that with this collaborative, interdisciplinary approach, medication use is decreasing, and there is an overall decreased risk for medication-related problems.

Patients benefit when health care providers set an example and work together to ensure proper care of our patients who are in need.

Matthew Bertsch, PharmD., is the director of pharmacy and Chinwe Chukwurah, M.D., is the medical director at Sun Life Family Health Center.

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

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Drivers Expect Too Much from Car Safety Technology A

new study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has found that too many drivers are unaware of the safety limitations of the advanced driver-assistance systems in their vehicles. As a result, they are taking for granted that these systems will always warn them or help them take corrective action before a collision occurs. The AAA study found that: • About one in six drivers didn’t know whether their car had automaticbraking technology.

• Some 78 percent of drivers with blind-spot monitoring systems were

•

•

•

unaware of their limitations or incorrectly believed the system could accurately detect vehicles passing at very high speeds, or bicycles and pedestrians. In reality, the technology can only detect when a vehicle is traveling in a driver’’s blind spot and many systems are not well-equipped to sense pedestrians or cyclists.

Nearly 40 percent of drivers did not know the forward- collision warning and automatic- emergency braking system’’s limitations, or confused the two technologies. They thought that forward- collision warning could apply the brakes in the case of an emergency, when the technology is only designed to deliver a warning signal.

About 25 percent of drivers using blind-spot monitoring or rear cross-traffic alert systems reported feeling comfortable relying solely on the systems and not performing visual checks or looking over their shoulder for oncoming traffic or pedestrians.

About 25 percent of vehicle owners using forward- collision warning or lane- departure warning systems reported feeling comfortable engaging in other tasks while driving.

Advanced driver-assistance systems have a variety of tools to help drivers avoid collisions, including: Adaptive cruise control — This will automatically slow down or speed up the vehicle in response to the actions of the car or truck in front of it.

Automatic braking — This technology is designed to reduce the severity of highspeed collisions in the event of a lapse of driver attention.

Blind-spot monitoring — Some of these systems sound an alarm if they sense the presence of an object within a blind spot; others include cameras that can transmit an image to the head unit or another monitor.

Forward-collision warning — These systems sense the proximity of other vehicles, pedestrians, animals and various roadway obstructions, then warn you. Some systems can also take other preventive actions, such as pre-charging the brakes or applying tension to seat belts.

Lane-keeping assistance — If the system determines that the vehicle is drifting, it sounds an alarm so that you can take corrective action in time to avoid hitting another car or running off the road.

The Takeaway

When these systems are relied upon and used properly, experts say hey can greatly reduce the chances of having an accident.

However, false expectations for these systems can easily lead to misuse of the technology, or an increase in driver distraction, resulting in a greater chance of a serious accident. If you are purchasing a car, you should read the owner’’s manual to understand all of the bells and whistles in terms of advanced driver- assistance systems that may be installed.

If you are purchasing the vehicle at a dealership, ask the salesman to go over all of the safety features and how to properly use them. Ask the dealership for an in-vehicle demonstration and test drive to better understand how the systems will engage on the roadway.

And ask plenty of questions about the alerts, functions, capabilities and limitations of the vehicle’’s safety technologies before leaving the dealership. For example, ask if there are scenarios when a technology will not function properly on the road.

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Drivers typically spend five seconds looking at their phones, which is enough time to cover more than the length of a football field going normal highway speeds.

Drivers typically spend five seconds looking at their phones, which is enough time to cover more than the length of a football field going normal highway speeds.

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The LIVING Interview (continued)

...continued from page 19 censes. That is all we can do. We get these big projects that come in, “Well, we’re going to invest millions and billions of dollars, and we need this.” So we get the zoning, which is in our purview. We come to agreements that work best for the people of Casa Grande and we say, “Okay.

We’ve done our part. Now you build.”

And then people ask the city, “Why aren’t they starting?”

One of the biggest threats right now to cities is sales tax revenue bleed, especially in the Western states. Our property taxes are low. There’s no property taxes on the public lands and less than half of the state is privately held land. We don’t derive a lot of our revenue from property taxes.

We’re sales-tax driven and online shopping impacts local sales. One of our biggest strengths is also one of our biggest weaknesses. Proximity to I-8 and I-10, we’re

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OR LI GOLDEN CORRID CORRIDOR LIV VING ING • THE INTERV IE W

close to Phoenix, close to Tucson and it’s easy to go shopping elsewhere. That is lost sales tax revenue.

There’s been a lot of court cases lately about sales tax revenue going back to the states, going back to the cities. When you spend a dollar in Casa Grande at any store, little or big, you’re employing people who live in Casa Grande, who work here, or who own businesses here.

GC LIVING: I believe I read in one of the Chamber articles that a dollar circulates seven or more times in the community.

MATT HERMAN: Exactly. Local dollars stay here in town. If you shop at the local store instead of going to Chandler, that helps Casa Grande.

GC LIVING: Since 2010, we’ve had a lot of really large businesses announce they’re coming to Casa Grande. The first being PhoenixMart. Any updates? It’s been a slow process.

MATT HERMAN: I remember seeing the

concept and thought, “This is a huge new concept.” They came to us, bought their land, submitted their plans to the city, paid their application fees and worked on getting permit approvals. One thing that was different was it hinged on a federal government immigration program called EB-5. For the foreign investors to bring their families here, they had to invest so much money and guarantee so many U.S. jobs. Casa Grande was an attractive location for the PhoenixMart investors.

Everything got held up at the federal level and stalled the project.

There are plans for a sewer line to that side of the town. PhoenixMart is going to be the impetus for that sewer line to be built. Eventually we’re going to need a sewer line to the east.

A few years ago, city staff and city council had the foresight to build the Burris Road sewer line to our industrial park on the southwest side of town. We built the sewer line first and now we have Ehrman Dairy, Tractor Supply distribution center and Keystone Automotive; we have Lucid Motors looking at the area. That wouldn’t have happened unless we had the sewer line in place.

Sewer is important. It’s not one of the glamorous sides of the city, but it’s a big part of our infrastructure and something that big businesses need. The city has a cost-sharing agreement with PhoenixMart to bring the sewer line to the area. We haven’t started building the sewer line, but have the plans and right of way lined up. We haven’t put any undue dollars into their project.

GC LIVING: Now, Attessa is moving forward.

MATT HERMAN: Attessa is not currently in the city limits right now, but it is in our planning area. We’ve had a lot of discussions with them and at the last council meeting approved a new PAD (planned area development) district. Attessa is such a unique project with so many zoning components — race track, entertainment center, retail, residential, all kinds of different zoning.

GC LIVING: And their own industrial park.

MATT HERMAN: Yes, their own industrial area and possibly airstrip, too. There was no zoning that fit the project, so we made a new zoning district that their project and hopefully other projects may fit into

continued on page 88...

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

Completely fenced 60 acre ranch, land and home.

16016 E. Cactus Forest Road, Florence $1,041,250 This was the headquarters for the England Cattle Company. Modular 2BR 2BA with office, great room with wet bar and dining area. Kitchen has nice breakfast bar and tiled floor. Large enclosed screened patio, great for entertaining or feeding your cowboys.

Butcher shop, tack room, corrals, squeeze chute, scales and lots more!

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520.705.1272 | Joyce.South@coldwellbanker.com 520.423.8250 | ROXsells.com Š2018 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC fully supports the principles of the Fair Housing Act and the Equal Opportunity Act. Each Office Is Independently Owned And Operated. Coldwell Banker and the Coldwell Banker Logo are registered service marks owned by Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC.

ACHOO! IS IT THE FLU?

by Gigi McWhirter

“Prevention is worth an ounce of cure,” is the mantra to halt the spread of contagious diseases.

W

hile we haven’t had an outbreak of dog flu in our area, it is important to be ready in case it happens. With more and more visitors arriving, often bringing their pets from communities affected by it, so increases the odds of an outbreak.

Canine influenza virus, also known as the dog flu, is an infectious respiratory disease caused by an influenza A virus, much like the strains that cause the flu in humans.

The U.S. has two known strains: H3N8 and H3N2.

The H3N8 strain was first seen in horses. Around 2004, the virus transferred to several greyhounds at a Florida racing track and became a canine influenza virus.

The other strain, H3N2, originated in Asia and is thought to have been transferred from birds to dogs. This virus was responsible for the flu outbreaks that hit the Midwest in 2015 and 2016 and has continued to make its way around the U.S.

to lessen after the fourth day, but the H3N8 can remain contagious for up to 10 days post exposure. Those carrying H3N2 will be contagious for up to 26 days.

Veterinarians usually recommend keeping your dog isolated for at least 21 days to help lower the risk of passing it on. It is essential that you discuss proper quarantine techniques with your veterinarian, not Dr. Google.

How Canine Influenza Spreads

These symptoms are very similar to kennel cough. If you notice any of these, please make an appointment to see your veterinarian for a proper diagnosis and to develop a treatment plan for your dog that includes ways to lessen the chance of spreading it. Because there is no cure for the dog flu, the vet may treat the symptoms and offer suggestions on how to keep your pet comfortable during the illness and recovery process.

Just like the flu people get, the canine flu is an airborne-spread disease. The stuff that flies from the body during a sneeze, a cough, barking or sniffing are inhaled by another dog where it settles in the new canine host. Contaminated objects such as dog bowls and collars can help share the wealth. If your dog goes to a boarding facility, doggy park, veterinarian’s office, groomer, or has contact with a person who has been around an infected dog, it can pick up the virus. Even more nerve-wracking is that dogs are the most contagious during the incubation period and before symptoms appear.

It is believed that almost every dog that comes in contact with the virus will contract it. While not every dog will show symptoms, they will still be carriers and can spread the disease. The incubation period is about two to four days from the first exposure. Shedding of the virus begins

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Symptoms to Watch For

Dog flu is not a seasonal disease and can occur anytime of the year. Cases can range from mild to severe. Symptoms to be aware of include: • Fever • Sneezing • Coughing (moist and dry) • Nasal discharge (clear and or pus-like) • Lethargy • Respiratory distress

Avoiding Canine Flu

“Prevention is worth an ounce of cure,” is the mantra to halt the spread of contagious diseases. There are now vaccines available for both strains of the canine flu. Talk to your veterinarian about vaccine options and other pet health-related concerns. If you are traveling with your dog or boarding him where there are other dogs, consider having him vaccinated.

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

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Traveling & Tasting in

Article and Photos by Tori Ward, ROX Travel, Cruise and Resort Specialist

A

fter returning from a European cruise with two friends, it became clear that I misunderstood the meaning of the Mediterranean diet. I gained some weight and a new appreciation for areas around the sea from which the diet earned its name.

Venice

The water was high in Venice and streets were wet, but we sloshed along with the locals who took it in stride. Watching the gondolas motoring about in the rushing canals, we jumped back from the bank when power boats caused water to crash over the pavement.

We had three days to explore Venice’s churches, museums and a couple of the neighboring islands. In 1291, officials in Venice 86

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moved glassmaking to Murano, a short boat ride away, to protect the city’s wooden structures from fire. The move protected the wooden frames and supports of the iconic St. Mark’s Basilica, whose bell tower immediately identifies it and its next door neighbor Doge’s Palace, as the heart of the city. The Palace now houses one of Venice’s museums. Walk in and look up

at the breathtaking masterpiece that is the ceiling.

Croatia

Sailing from Venice as the sun set, we headed to Croatia.

The fifth season of “Game of Thrones” was filmed in Sibenik, our port, but we were more interested in visiting Krka National Park. Time spent outdoors among the native plants and cascading waterfalls took up our morning. About an hour away from Sibenik is Split, a Medieval town with a very millennial vibe.

Often, locals greet each other with a word that means “take it easy.” As we wander the narrow, winding streets along this coastal jewel, we can’t help but be charmed and relaxed as the sea sparkles below.

Kotor

Our next port of call, Kotor, a coastal town on Montenegro’s Adriatic coast, was a surprise. I loved all the cobblestone streets and local crafts presented in the shops. The old city was built like a maze to confuse invaders, and even the locals get lost. We spent a lazy hour at an outdoor cafe enjoying some of the delicious local fare while counting the stray cats that inhabit the city by the hundreds.

Greece

To gain some perspective of Corfu, Greece, a Hop-On, HopOff bus was our method of travel.

The ship docked opposite the New Fortress, and when I read that it was constructed in 1576, I was eager to see the remains of the Old Fortress that protected the city

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

Traveling • Dining • Entertainment

the Mediterranean during the Byzantine period. We hopped off at Mon Repos Estate, a neoclassical villa and grounds, that was the birthplace of Prince Phillip of the United Kingdom. The grounds are beautiful in an overgrown “The Secret Garden” kind of way, and the buildings are rather neglected. However, the parklike setting is relaxing.

We spent the remainder of the day in Old Town, first climbing to the top of the Old Fortress, a fortification full of history. We were rewarded with amazing views. Directly across the street from this site is the Venetian-inspired area of Old Town.

Charming arched cafes face the Esplanade. The streets within the city center are mostly traffic-free, and the bakeries, with the travernas (small restaurants or cafes), competed for my attention after hours of sightseeing.

Leaving the port at dusk, the rain that had threatened fell, and a rainbow appeared on the starboard side of our boat, ushering us out to sea. We were on our way to Rhodes.

Rhodes and Santorini I fell in love with the lovely walled port town of Rhodes and was enchanted by the hilltop city of Lindos and the Acropolis.

Meandering through the pebbled streets, we were always just a few footsteps away from views of the Mediterranean Sea below or a cat or two posing for a picture.

Santorini was everything I imagined it to be. The white buildings and blue-domed churches shine far above the sea. While it’s thought that the buildings are painted white as a defense against the intense summer sun, the truth is that in 1967, the military government dictated the color scheme, and now it’s the landmark of the hillside villages on the island. After walking on paths shared by donkeys that transport materials along the cliff-side structures of Fira, we popped into an Aegean-inspired bistro for grilled octopus and mashed chickpeas.

Athens

Since my freshman year of college, I’ve longed to visit Athens and was not disappointed. The Temple of Zeus, which began construction in 470 A.D., is a focal point of the city, with 15 of the Corinthian columns still standing.

Earthquakes, wars and environmental impact have contributed to its destruction. The Acropolis that sits as guardian to the city was constructed during 5th-century B.C. Once inside, we spent the next two hours marveling at the Parthenon, the Odeon of Herodes, the Theatre of Dionysus and the Temple of Athena. I had mixed feelings about the restoration project of the site, an effort that’s been going on since 1975, with modern scaffolding and equipment visible everywhere.

The Plaka, the old district of Athens, sprawls under the Acropolis and is a pedestri-

WINTER 2019 • THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

an-friendly neighborhood of shops, restaurants and outdoor cafes where people-watching is on the menu.

Catania and Naples

Heading back to Italy, we had sunny days in the Sicilian ports of Catania and Naples. Catania sits in the shadow of Mount Etna.

The highlight of the day was stumbling upon a farmers market in the Piazzo Carlo Alberto. As much as I was trying to hold out until lunchtime pizza, I couldn’t resist a grilled artichoke fresh off the fire, drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with fresh herbs and garlic. Catania is Phoenix, Arizona’s sister city.

In Naples, we opted for a day excursion to explore nearby Sorrento. Sorrento is famous for its lemons, and the product to bring home is Crema di Limoni, a creamy version of Lemoncello. We kept an eye on Mount Vesuvius, but the only thing rumbling was my stomach as we wandered the streets in search of sfogliatellas (shell-shaped filled

Italian pastries) and an espresso.

This pastry was first created in a monastery, and believe me, eating one is almost a religious experience in and of itself.

We ended our afternoon at a winery with a wine tasting and were treated to a lunch of olives, cheeses and bread drizzled with the winery’s olive oil and vinegar.

After all these treats, I wasn’t prepared for the huge bowls of pasta topped with grilled cherry tomatoes and fresh basil leaves that they brought us.

Cruising the Mediterranean To see so much of the Mediterranean, I can’t think of a better way to experience the diversity of the area than a cruise. Our voyage was a 12-day cruise aboard the Pacific Princess. The cost of sharing with two friends made the trip affordable and airfares during that time of year were reasonable. Call me if you would like to start planning a trip today!

EXPERT TIPS: • Purchase excursion tickets and Hop-On, Hop-Off tickets prior to leaving the U.S. so that you can pay with U.S. dollars, not Euros.

• Many of the archeological sites such as the Acropolis in Athens have no concessions or public toilets, so make sure you bring water. It’s a long hike to the top.

• While visiting churches, proper attire is required. No shorts for men or women, and ladies must have their arms covered, as well.

• Tourist season in the Mediterranean is hot and crowded. Late fall is much less so, but the weather is unpredictable. However, many of the archeological sites offer tickets at half price during this time.

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The LIVING Interview (continued) ...continued from page 82 in the future.

GC LIVING: And Lucid Motors has secured funding?

MATT HERMAN: Yes, they received private funding from an investment fund. And Pinal County agreed to a lease-purchase option on the land and those county bonds went to sale this past week. From what I heard yesterday, they’re doing very well on the market.

GC LIVING: Dreamport Village?

MATT HERMAN: The City has their needed zoning set and they’re still trying to get their funding. We have the agreements in place regarding infrastructure costs, but it only kicks in if they meet certain benchmarks.

GC LIVING: There’s a current buzzword: public-private partnerships. One example would be the Boys and Girls Club and the community recreation center.

MATT HERMAN: Yes. We’re stretching dollars to get the amenities people want in the

community. We have a new home for the Boy’s and Girl’s Club, we have a new place for families to go and exercise, do classes, and a place for teenagers to hang out.

GC LIVING: Let’s segue a little bit to your wife, Erica. She’s big in the arts.

MATT HERMAN: My wife is an artist and one of her solo projects is she is trying to help beautify the downtown by painting murals. Instead of alleyways full of graffiti, she sees a canvas. She has gotten permission from building owners to paint murals on the sides of their buildings. She’s also an art teacher at Casa Grande Middle School and helps mentor kids through art and creativity. In her spare time (haha) she is active on several arts boards and committees for our city and state.

GC LIVING: One of her projects included the mural on the entire wall of Palo Verde Elementary School.

MATT HERMAN: We were so excited about that. Joann Kramer had the vision of the 140-foot wall as a mural by Erica and she

donated all the paint and supplies. Erica donated her time and the design because she thought it was such a great thing.

Several kids helped her. Lots of her former students and our friend’s kids came to paint with her during the summer of 2017.

You’ve got to have community pride.

That’s one of the things I’ve been working on is figuring out how we can build more community pride. I’m proud to be from Casa Grande.

GC LIVING: How do you see ways to engage residents? We’re still a bedroom community, a lot of people commute to the Valley.

MATT HERMAN: From the city side, I believe the community recreation center will help, including various community events such as the art festival a few weeks back that featured music, storytelling, live performances and, of course, art. One of our best annual events is the Electric Light Parade. We had an estimated 50,000 people attend this year.

GC LIVING: Is there any jealousy with the neighboring communities? Maricopa’s had their community and aquatic center for a number of years. Coolidge has the performing arts center and artisan village. Casa Grande seems a little slow on adding amenities.

MATT HERMAN: Well, it depends on how you look at it. We’ve been here a lot longer than Maricopa. We have a lot of parks and amenities located throughout Casa Grande that

continued on page 92...

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THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

SEE ARTISTS AT WORK DURING SPRING STUDIO TOUR

S

ave the date for the Casa Grande Art Association Spring Studio Tour Saturday, March 2 from 9 a.m.-4 p.m. It’s a unique art viewing experience inviting the public

into the homes and studios of working artists throughout the City of Casa Grande.

Each studio location includes a market place with additional regional fine artists showing and

Local Art Event!

Free Admission

Saturday, March 2nd 9am - 4pm

Meet local artists in their studios!

Shop for unique treasures!

Map & Details: www.casagrandeartassociation.org 90

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selling their artwork.

The Studio Tour is a novel way to explore the city as the map weaves you in and around historic downtown and interesting residential areas. Brochures with maps will be available at each location, or you can go to casagrandeartassociation.org for more information and to print your map and brochure.

The event is free, and many of the studios provide refreshments for visitors, so why not check it out? On March 2, look for signs around town with the colorful Casa Grande Art Association logo directing traffic to each studio, and you will be astonished by the talent and creativity in our community.

The CGAA advocates for all forms of fine art in the Casa Grande area. Members include amateur and professional artists as well as non-artists with a passion for art. Over the years, it has grown into an active organization that hosts events and activities.

The fun and inclusive group enjoys educational speakers, pot lucks and outings to museums and art events. It also provides opportunities to volunteer with others who support the arts in Casa Grande.

CGAA is a great organization to meet like-minded people sharing common interests and

working together to make creative things happen in Casa Grande. The group meets at the Art Museum, 319 W. Third St. on the second Monday of each month September through May. Members also host a weekly life-drawing group year round and an Urban Sketchers group that meets weekly.

Find out how to attend meetings or drawing groups on the website: casagrandeartassociation.org where you can also learn more about the wonderful things the group does for the community. In particular, you may enjoy reading about their committees, focus and passion.

CGAA’s love of the historic Casa Grande Art Museum has manifested itself in its commitment to the rejuvenation of the museum grounds through efforts in fundraising, donations and volunteer time. In progress is a steel fence of artistic design that will surround the property.

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

G O L D E N C O R R I D O R L I V I N G.C O M

COMING MAY 2019

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WINTER 2019 • THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

GOLDEN CORRID OR LI V ING

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The LIVING Interview (continued)

...continued from page 88 have been here for a long time. We have Paul Mason Sports Complex, Dave White Regional Park, the rodeo grounds, Peart Park, the softball fields at O’Neil Park, Carr McNatt Park with Palm Island Aquatics, and Grande Sports World. We have a lot of sports fields around town, they’re just not concentrated in one place. We’re currently putting in pickle ball courts at Dave White.

We do have a lot of amenities.

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Maricopa had one advantage of master planning their community at one time and growing all at once. But Maricopa’s taxes are higher due to the voter-approved bonds to provide their amenities.

GC LIVING: So what do you see for Matt Herman’s future?

MATT HERMAN: Matt Herman hopes to live in Casa Grande for the rest of his life and be comfortable in life, enjoying our community, you know, happy, healthy and just keep trucking along here in Casa Grande.

GC LIVING: Have you thought about one day becoming mayor, legislator or governor?

MATT HERMAN: I don’t think I can handle the big politics, I’m too nice of a guy.

I like to try to keep everyone happy. I’d like to be mayor someday, but it requires a lot more time than city council. It’s a fulltime job but without the pay. Right now my family likes having a house, food and electricity, stuff like that. I’m fortunate I work for the family business. Without my mom and dad’s support, it would be difficult. But they hope to retire soon.

GC LIVING: You and Erica have done some traveling. What was your favorite destination?

MATT HERMAN: One would be the British Virgin Islands. We had the opportunity to go boating around the islands with some friends of ours to ring in 2018. Also, Cuba with Erica and my parents. Another would be. The other would be Graceland in Memphis. I’m a huge Elvis fan and it was just phenomenal.

GC LIVING: (Laughs) I’ve seen you in the white, rhinestone jumpsuit.

MATT HERMAN: Uh-huh.

GC LIVING: Picture Casa Grande about 25 years from today. What do you see?

MATT HERMAN: Hopefully, I see an electric-car manufacturer and a racetrack.

Our neighbors in Coolidge will have a truck manufacturing facility and this area will be the hub of electric transportation manufacturing. Our population will be around 100,000 to 120,000 people, which I think is a good size to support regional retail needs. Our mall will be bustling with activity and our downtown will have more destination restaurants and shops, as well as regular events and activities. We need to grow, but we want to make sure that it’s going to fit our lifestyle and keep Casa Grande’s unique small-town feel.

GC LIVING: What’s the one thing that stands out growing up here in Casa Grande?

MATT HERMAN: The people. Everyone says that, but I still walk into restaurants and see people I know, people I grew up with.

Many have moved on for different reasons — education, jobs and just to leave, but then they come back to Casa Grande and are now raising their families here.

There are several generations who call Casa Grande home. 

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

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Scholarship Winners Making a Difference in Casa Grande

by Amber Galuppo, Future Voices Leadership Award winner and Chuck Wright, CO-Director, Future Voices Association

I Amber Galuppo Amber Galuppo is a scholar and an active member of the Future Voices Association. She is a freshman majoring in business-sustainability at the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. As vice president of communications at Greenlight Solutions, an ASU organization that works with local businesses to make them more sustainable, Amber is able to use her communication skills to build a bridge between green practices and the community. Amber also loves art and learning new languages. One of her main goals is to become a chief sustainability officer so she can connect people to their environment and to themselves.

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n 2018, the Future Voices Association created the Future Voices Leadership Award for two graduating seniors, for $1,000 each, at Union and Vista Grande high schools in the Casa Grande Union High School District. The two recipients were Madelynn Halley of Union High School and Amber Galuppo of Vista Grande High School. The Future Voices Association is getting ready to release the Future Voices Leadership application for 2019 and wanted to share the thoughts of one of our recipients, Amber Galuppo.

In Her Own Words,

by Amber Galuppo The Future Voices Association awards two leaders from both Vista Grande High School and Casa Grande Union High School with a $1,000 scholarship. They must demonstrate exceptional leadership skills and have made an impact on the community. I was the Vista Grande High School recipient of the scholarship last year due to being a leader in several clubs and having hundreds of hours of community service.

I was very fortunate to receive this scholarship, and it allowed my dream of attending Arizona State University to come true. I was able to use this scholarship to pay for part of my tuition. When I graduate with a bachelor’s degree in business-sustainability, I will be able to pursue my next goal of becoming a chief sustainability officer of a large corporation. I want to help lead the sustainability movement.

The Future Voices Association not only

awards the top leaders in the high school community with the Leadership Award, but provides them with opportunities to serve their community. As a current Voices member, I am able to participate in meetings and help participants achieve their goals, such as bettering the scholarship program.

Recently, I was able to participate in updating the Leadership Award application process by brainstorming and planning with the Voices board. It was an enlightening experience to go from being a recipient of the award to creating a new version of the award for future applicants. I’m glad I was able to help create the scholarship application because I was able to offer a different perspective of it so it would be more tailored toward future Voices recipients.

This experience with the Future Voices Association has allowed me to gain real-world leadership experience. I am better able to communicate as a leader and understand how a local Casa Grande association is run.

I was able to see not only how the scholarship has impacted my future, but others as well. It has allowed me to learn more about Casa Grande and how I can make a positive impact on it.

The Future Voices Association also made me realize that maybe you don’t need to be the top executive of a global enterprise to make a difference. Maybe all it takes is believing in the next generation and enabling them to pursue their academic dreams with a scholarship. It has influenced me to become one of the Voices for the next generation of scholars and others who need it.

THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

To apply for scholarship in January: Vista Grande or Union students, contact your student counselors to receive an application. The applications will become available on January 8th, 2019.

Board of Directors Are: Thomas Anderson-President, Tim MaceVice, Sam Reinhard-Sec-Tres, Erica Herman-Member at Large and Connie and Chuck Wright-Co-Directors.

About This Award

The Future Voices Association Leadership Award is about cultivating leadership and projecting it forward in one’s life through continuing education, business relations, professional interactions and strategic social networking. This is a scholarship granted to a Senior of CGUHSD’s Union and Vista Grande current graduating class that is able to provide several examples of leadership experience in their lives to date. The applicants must also project how they would employ leadership techniques in their continuing education and career development.

human-interest photography project created in 2016 by local businessperson Chuck Wright.

The project focused on 12 Casa Grande citizens, who were between the ages of 20-45 years old. These twelve individuals all worked in Casa Grande and had a strong community service agenda in their resume. They were all selected because of their impact in our community but were not yet publicly identified community servants. These individuals were and still are providing their efforts in the community, under the radar of local public recognition. Creators and members of Voices-2016 endorse the principles of this scholarship and its foundation.

The Birth of This Award

The Scholarship Amount

The Future Voices Association Leadership Award is a projection of the Voices-2016

WINTER 2019 • THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION

The scholarship amount will be a maximum of $1,000 to each CGUHSD Union and Vista

Grande award recipient. Each scholarship amount will deposited in a one-time amount into the tuition account of the trade school, college or university chosen by the award recipient. The scholarship will be for one year only.

Voices/Future Voices Members Voices: Emily Brinkin, Breanna Boland, Sam Reinhard, Robert Miller, Matt Lemberg, Timothy Mace, Jennifer McClintic, Veronica Morton, Erica Herman, Stacey Seaman, Andy Salazar, Thomas Anderson Future Voices: Amber Bolling Gallupo, Madelynn Halley

GOLDEN CORRID CORRIDOR OR LI V ING FUN! • GOLDEN

95

PRESENTS

Featured Medical, Health & Wellness Professionals Golden Corridor LIVING Magazine presents Featured Medical, Health & Wellness Professionals 2019. The Featured Medical, Health & Wellness Professionals 2019 special section will appear in our March 2019 issue, showcasing the area’s best health care professionals. Tell us about your specialties, accomplishments and expertise to help our readers make decisions about their medical needs.

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Library Creative Writing Contest

Casa Grande Public Library

CREATIVE WRITING CONTEST WINNER

T

he Vista Grande Public Library Creative Writing Contest is an ongoing monthly contest where children write stories at the library’s Creative Writing Station.

Each monthly winner gets his or her picture taken and placed on the Creative Writing Hall of Fame, receives a free book of his or her choosing from the creative writing cart and gets the winning story published in Golden Corridor LIVING Magazine.

Youth can also write stories

at home and submit them to the library. Winners are selected by library staff members, who read through monthly submissions and choose the one that stands out, based on creative merit.

Vista Grande Public Library has hosted this contest since 2013, and receives hundreds of submissions every year. The Creative Writing Station is a fun way to get kids involved in writing and storytelling by allowing them to write about whatever they want and making it a fun experience.

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

This Issue’s Winner

d a e R 't n ld u o C o h The Boy W

by Todd Stueland

O

nce there was a kind, young boy. Yet he was ALWAYS getting bullied. Once he missed the whole science class because he was being bullied. He got bullied so much because he couldn’t read! His mom and dad didn’t know though. Once they went to the library. He was in an extra good mood, and he shared his secret with the Librarian. And the Librarian taught him how to read.

The End

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THE HOME & GARDEN EDITION • WINTER 2019

toast the timeless mediterranean

Travel to the cradle of Western civilization, where centuries-old myths came to life. Stand in the shadow of what were once temples to the gods and wander ancient amphitheaters where the great Greek dramas played for their first audiences. Play on the sun-kissed sands of remote beaches and shop the open-air markets of seaside towns dotted with blue-domed churches.

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For a limited time this cruise includes free pre-paid gratuities and on-board spending credit.

Tori Ward

928 254-9968 Tori@roxtravel.com

HAPPYDOWN HOLIDAYS AND BEST WISHES FOR 2019 PAYMENT ASSISTANCE: COMPARING ARIZONA PROGRAMS DOWN PAYMENT ASSISTANCE: PATHWAY COMPARING PROGRAMS PROGRAM HOMEARIZONA IN 5 TO PURCHASE HOME PLUS REQUIREMENTS PROGRAM REQUIREMENTS Down Payment Assistance Down Payment Repayment Assistance

ADVANTAGE*

HOME IN 5 * 2 –ADVANTAGE 3% depending on loan

type and credit score +1% for qualifying Veterans, 2 –Responders, 3% depending loan First andon Teachers

PLUS 0 – HOME 5% depending on loan type and credit score +1% for FHA and 0 –FNMA 5% depending on loan HFA Preferred

(Can only be used in conjunction PATHWAY with Home Plus)

TO PURCHASE

(Can only be used in conjunction Up to 10% of purchase with Home Plus) $ price maximum 20,000

type and credit score Forgivable over three years +1% for qualifying Veterans, First Responders, and Teachers $

type and credit score Forgivable over three +1% for FHA andyears FNMA HFA Preferred $

$ Forgivable over five years 20,000 price maximum

Repayment Debt-to-Income Ratio Income Limits

Forgivable over three years

Forgivable over three years

Forgivable over five years

Debt-to-Income Ratio

50%- 3% DPA) FHA: 64045% - 659– (2% depending loanDPA) type 660+ (3%on- 4% FHA: 640 - 659 (2% - 3% DPA) USDA-RD or VA: 660+(3% (3%- -4% 4%DPA) DPA) 640+ USDA-RD or VA: Conventional HFA 640+ (3% 4% DPA) Preferred & -Advantage: Conventional 640+ (3% - 4% HFA DPA)

Income Limits

Credit Score Minimum Credit Score Minimum

92,980 Annually

45% – 50% $ 92,980 on Annually depending loan type

Preferred & Advantage: 640+ (3% - 4% DPA)

Eligible Areas Eligible Areas

Eligible Loan Types Eligible Loan Types

Purchase Price Limits Purchase Price Limits Occupancy Occupancy Requirements Requirements Homebuyer Education Education Homebuyer

Maricopa County (Including the city of Phoenix) Maricopa County (Including the city of Phoenix)

FHA, Conventional FHA, FNMA HFAConventional Preferred, FHLMC FNMA HFA HFA Advantage, Preferred, FHLMC HFAorAdvantage, VA USDA - RD VA or USDA - RD $ $

371,930 371,930

99,170 Annually 50% 99,170 Annually

$

Up to 10% of purchase $

$

92,984 Annually 45% 92,984 Annually

50%

45%

FHA: 660+ (for 3%) HFA LTVs 95.01 – 97%: FHA: 660+ 680+ (for(for 4%)3%) HFA – 97%: HFA LTVs LTVs 95.01 95% or less: 680+ 640+ (for (for 4%) 5%)

640 640

HFA LTVs 95% or less: 640+ (for 5%)

Bullhead City: 86442 Casa Grande: 85122 Bullhead City: 86442 Glendale: 85301 Casa Grande: 85122 Available statewide.

Green Valley: 85614 Glendale: 85301 Eligible areas include: Kingman: 86409 Available statewide.

Green Valley: 85614 Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Phoenix: 85042, 85016, Eligible areas include: Kingman: 86409 85017, Gila, Graham, Greenlee, La Paz, 85051 & 85041 Apache, Cochise, Coconino, Phoenix: 85042, 85016, 85017, Maricopa, Mohave,La Paz, Rio Rico: 85648 Gila, Graham, Greenlee, 85051 & 85041 Navajo, Pima, Mohave, Pinal, Santa Sahuarita: 85629 Maricopa, Rio Rico: 85648 Cruz,Pima, Yavapai and Sierra Vista: 85650 & 85635 Navajo, Pinal, Santa Sahuarita: 85629 Yuma Counties Tucson: 85706, 85712, Cruz, Yavapai and Sierra85730, Vista: 8565085747, & 85635 85710,85730, 85711,85706, 8571385747, & 8574685712, Yuma Counties Tucson: Vail: 85713 85641 & 85746 85710, 85711, Vail: 85641 Yuma: 85364, 85365 & 85367 FHA, Conventional FHA, FNMA HFAConventional Preferred, FHLMC FNMA HFA HFA Advantage, Preferred, FHLMC HFAorAdvantage, VA USDA - RD VA or USDA - RD

396,680

$

396,680

Yuma: 85364, 85365 & 85367

FHLMC HFA Advantage FHLMC HFA Advantage

371,936

$

371,936

$

$

Primary Owner-Occupied Primary Owner-Occupied

Primary Owner-Occupied Primary Owner-Occupied

Primary Owner-Occupied Primary Owner-Occupied

Yes Yes

Yes Yes

Yes Yes

CONTACT ME TODAY! RUDY BENITEZ RUDY BENITEZ

MORTGAGE LOAN ORIGINATOR

NMLS# 279367 Phone: 520-836-7776 Cell: Cell: 602-481-3967 602-481-3967 RBenitez@annie-mac.com RBenitez@annie-mac.com rudybenitez.annie-mac.com rudybenitez.annie-mac.com

R E A L P E O P L E, R E A L S TO R I E S , R E A L S O LU T I O N S

R E A L P E O P L E, R E A L S TO R I E S , R E A L S O LU T I O N S

Down Payment Assistance for Home in Five is offered by Miracopa County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) and Phoenix IDA neither of which is affiliated with AnnieMac Home Mortgage.

Down Payment Assistance for Home in Five is offered by Miracopa County Industrial Development Authority (IDA) and Phoenix IDA neither of which is affiliated with AnnieMac Home Mortgage.

Approval for down payment assistance is subject to certain eligibility requirements, such as those described above and available funding. Program requirements are subject to change at any time Approval for down payment assistance is subject to certain eligibility requirements, such as those described above and available funding. Program requirements are subject to change at any time without notice. AnnieMac Home Mortgage, 211 N. Florence Street, Suite 102 and 103 Casa Grande, AZ 85122 NMLS# 338923. Arizona Mortgage Banker License #0926586

*

*

without notice. AnnieMac Home Mortgage, 211 N. Florence Street, Suite 102 and 103 Casa Grande, AZ 85122 NMLS# 338923. Arizona Mortgage Banker License #0926586