February 21, 2018 • Vol. 16, No. 13
POSTAL PATRON CAVE CREEK
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Anthem | Black Canyon City | Carefree | Cave Creek | Desert Hills | New River| North Phoenix | Tramonto | Vistancia
Daisy Mountain Fire Department facilitates citizen fire academy TARA ALATORRE STAFF
Pictured: A participant at the DMFD citizen academy uses a sledge hammer to break a passenger window in a vehicle extraction drill.
Photo by Tara Alatorre/Staff
NEW RIVER – Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be a firefighter? Well approximately 12 citizens are getting the full experience of what it is like to fill a first responder’s shoes while attending this year’s annual citizen fire academy put on by the Daisy Mountain Fire Department. The academy is an 8 weekcourse and it started on January 4; attendees have been participating every Thursday at DMFD’s station 141. Over the course of eight weeks participants get to use real turnout gear used by firefighters while using specialized equipment for simulation drills, getting a hands-on experience of
Local dancing grannies auditioning for America’s Got Talent
what it’s like to be a firefighter. So far academy attendees have operated functioning fire hoses, trained in CPR courses, and have taken classes on how to properly ventilate a burning home while minimizing damages to a victim’s possessions. The Foothills Focus, went out to the fire station on February 8, to observe the academy participants train on vehicle extraction methods, and demonstrate ladder drills on the fire truck while in full gear. While most participants that attend are doing so to merely quell their curiosity, a few people decided to attend this year’s academy as a way to dip their toe into the water and help them decide if they want to pursue a career in fire and rescue. Like Carol Smith, who lives
in Mesa, but found out about the academy through Facebook. She enrolled because she has been on the fence about pursuing a career as a firefighter. “This solidifies it, fire is what I want to be doing!” Smith said, while grinning after coming down from a ladder truck drill that took her over 45 feet in the air in full gear. Next, Paul Schickel, the Community Services Program Director for DMFD, moves the academy participants over to an older model vehicle with a plethora of heavy duty tools that sit next to it on a tarp. Each person gets a turn out using a tool to break the car windows, from a giant axe to a serrated hand saw.
FIRE ACADEMY continued on page 14
DVUSD: teacher receives outstanding mentor award
TARA ALATORRE STAFF
CAVE CREEK – The Desert Cactus Kickers, a “dancing granny group,” will be auditioning for the NBC show and talent competition America’s Got Talent on February 24, at the Phoenix Convention Center. The grannies will be dancing to “Uptown Funk” by artist Bruno Mars while rocking thighlength gold sequins dresses with matching fedora hats. The routine was choreographed by dance member, Jan Snow, who will also be performing it at the
Pictured: ASU’s 2018 Outstanding Mentor Teacher, Mr. Dugan (right, center).
Photo courtesy of DVUSD
Pictured:The Desert Cactus Kickers, a dancing granny group that will be auditioning for America’s Got Talent on Feb. 24.
audition later this month. “It’s very exciting whether we make it or not,” said the group’s
DANCING GRANNIES continued on page 10
DEER VALLEY – Sandra Day O’Connor High School teacher, William Dugan, received the Arizona State University’s Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College Outstanding Mentor
Teacher Award. Mr. Dugan has been with Deer Valley Unified School District (DVUSD) for 13 years and currently teaches government and United States history classes.
OTHER :
CCUSD:
MCSO:
PHOENIX PD:
Polly Rosenbaum Creative
North Valley
Over 160 animals seized
Writing Contest winners
cold case solved
in North Valley
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• Bluhm Column
6
• Service Directory
15
• Classified Ads
18