Hannah Marrero of Red Mountain Ranch Elementary makes beautiful music in concert.
Mesa firm to build a bedroom for free onto home of generous foster family
By Tim J. Randall
Christmas arrived early for Virginia Revoir and her Mesa family.
Revoir, a mother of eight, and her husband, Charles, are preparing to welcome two foster children into their lives after securing what for them was a holiday miracle.
A bedroom addition to their home, courtesy of a donation from Cook Remodeling & Custom Construction, in partnership with Arizona-based charity Boost a Foster Family, is being built and is expected to be completed by late January.
“I’m amazed that Cook Construction was willing to build the addition,” Revoir
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New ‘Bomber Boys’ traveling exhibit at Commemorative Air Force Museum
“Bomber Boys: Portraits from the Front,” a new traveling exhibition developed by Bering Street Studio, is on display through Jan. 17 at the Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum.
Featuring photographs reproduced from a secret stash of World War II images, and a diary from 1945, the exhibit highlights the combat, captains, crew and camp life of the 445th Bomb Squadron of the 12th Army Air Corps stationed mainly on Corsica and in Italy.
“ is amazing collection was found when my sister and I were cleaning out the hayloft of our horse barn in Gig Harbor, Washington,” said Stephanie
...continues on page 7
Charles and Virginia Revoir will foster two additional children.
The “Bomber Boys” exhibit is at the Commemorative Air Force Museum in Mesa.
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Scramblers puzzle
Successfully fill out this month’s Scramblers puzzle on Page 12 and you could win a gift certificate!
Just mail your completed entry to us at:
PUZZLE EDITOR
1620 W. Fountainhead Parkway, Suite 219 Tempe, AZ 85282
We’ll select a lucky winner from among the correct entries received.
Watch for our announcement of the winner in next month’s edition. If you see your name, contact us by Feb. 10, 2017, to claim your prize. Good luck!
This month’s lucky winner is Linda S. Cobb.
Here is the correct puzzle from last month:
Publisher
Times Media Group
President
Steve T. Strickbine
Editor in Chief
Roberta J. Peterson
Managing Editor Lee Shappell
Associate Editor
Srianthi Perera
Graphic Design
Veronica Martinez, Paul Braun, Christy Byerly
Administration
Courtney Oldham
Contributors
Erin Bryan, Jan D’Atri, Eva Dwight, Marilyn Hawkes, Kimberly Hosey, Heidi Hurst, Kathy Kerby, Roland Murphy, Erica Odello, Jill Pertler, Tim J. Randall, Scott Shumaker, Alison Stanton
Contact the Nearby News at 480-898-5610 • Fax: 480-898-5606
Editor@NearbyNews.com For more information visit our website at www.NearbyNews.com
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Foster Family
...continued from page 1
said.
“I was a tad nervous about space in my house and whether I would be able to handle more children.”
A visit by a foster-care case manager confirmed an urgent need for the addition.
“Usually foster families help one, but we’re taking in two,” Revoir said. She said the calling to help others was instilled in her by her father.
“My dad was an orphan by the time he was 4,” she said. “He always talked to me about how he didn’t have a family. at just stayed with me as adult. Working with kids so they have a place to call home and feel like part of family is really important to me.”
With an already-large family of her own, Revoir said she assumed that she and her family could never take in foster children.
State officials told her there is such a need for foster families that they gladly would allow children to be placed with them.
“ at was like a dream come true for me,” she said. “I got my license as fast as I could, which is still a six-month process.”
So far, the family has fostered three children.
More kids places a burden on her own children.
“But they have the same heart,” she said. “ ey’ve told me they love it and want to be foster parents, too, when they grow up. You learn from parents.
“Whatever we do, we don’t do it without talking to our kids. We sit down, discuss the changes, and we have to all agree or it doesn’t happen.”
e two children who will be placed with the Revoirs have been to their home. Revoir is their designated safety monitor, meaning she can have them over and even let them spend the night.
e children were with them for Christmas.
“I would take in a ton more if we had the space,” she said. “My dream is to have my own orphanage some day.”
She thought it would be easy to enclose their patio, but, to her surprise, it will cost $8,000.
Cook Remodeling & Custom Construction, a Mesa building contractor since 1979, offered to assist in transforming the patio into a 150-squarefoot bedroom.
Jeff Cook, CEO of the company, offered to be the general contractor and donate his time managing the project.
“We told our subcontractors about the story, and they offered to donate their time, as well,” said Janet Cook, president of Cook Remodeling & Custom Construction. “Home Depot donated the materials for construction.”
She added, “Perhaps we can make this an annual holiday project.”
Jenny Cook, Boost a Foster Family client advocate and agency liaison, praised Cook Remodeling, Home Depot, the Revoirs, “and all of the other great foster families, who are so sacrificial in their love and care of our mostvulnerable children.”
Revoir acknowledged that fostering is hard work.
“You’re always having to meet codes, appointments, and having to be OK with saying goodbye, but it’s incredibly worth it knowing that these kids are safe and loved until they are able to be reunited with their family again,” Revoir said.
Boost a Foster Family was created to meet the needs of low-income families applying for foster-care licensure. For more information or to make a donation visit boostafosterfamily.org.
This patio at the Revoir home will be converted into a bedroom for the two foster children who are to join the family in January.
Lile, exhibit curator and longtime museum professional. “Dad never talked much about the war and never seemed to want to, so finding the box of dusty old photos and a diary was a huge surprise.”
e Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum is at 2017 N. Greenfield Road in Mesa, at Falcon Field.
Lile and her four siblings felt the collection was too special not to share. She has spent the last 10 years researching and cataloging the collection, an adventure that took her to Italy and to Arizona to fly in an historic B-25.
She used the collection as inspiration for a young-adult novel “ e Tail Gunner,” and then she and her family expanded access to the collection with this traveling exhibition. Lile, a lecturer for Museum Studies at University of Washington-Tacoma, she saw an opportunity to use the collection and exhibit to involve her students in a realworld project.
“ e students did much of the
background research on specific topics and people that was then transformed into various interpretive elements,” Lile said. “ e stories that have surfaced are amazing. One student discovered that Lorton Wellnitz, one of the ‘Bomber Boys’ pictured in the exhibit, was not only an enlisted man and statistician, but an all-star baseball pitcher around the base.”
Bobbie Carleton, public-information officer at the Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum, said that among its missions is remembrance and providing experiences that help educate people, especially the younger generation.
“Stephanie has designed a beautiful display of portraits that honestly express both the optimism and the stark reality that this generation faced,” Carleton said.
“School children can play the ‘game of fate’ and discover the emotional stories behind these brave young men and women.”
e exhibit features portraits of those who flew B-25 bombers in the Mediterranean theater. Some of them are known, like Wellnitz and Keith B. Lile, the tail gunner whose collection
these images came from, but most are not known.
Among Lile’s hopes in presenting this exhibit is that, as the show travels, people will recognize some of the men depicted. A handful of the men in the portraits were identified by notes on the original prints.
Museum entry fees are $15 to ages 1361, $5 to kids 5-12, and $12 to seniors 62 and older. Disabled veterans and active military members in uniform are admitted free. Children 4 and younger also are free.
More information: 480-568-6778 or azcaf.org.
The ‘Bomber Boys’ exhibit runs through Jan. 17 at the Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum, 2017 N. Greenfield Road, at Falcon Field in Mesa.
Author has lived cancer’s horror
By Marilyn Hawkes
When Claudia Bretzing was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009, she searched for a book that could help her survive the grueling journey.
Books detailed the medical aspects of breast cancer, but Bretzing wanted to understand the emotional turmoil.
“I needed to hear somebody else tell their story,” Bretzing said.
Bretzing, a retired Mesa teacher, never found that book. Instead, after a bilateral mastectomy and chemotherapy, Bretzing wrote her own, “ e Cancer Effect.”
“Hopefully it will provide healing
and hope for others who are dealing with cancer,” she said.
During treatment, Bretzing found it hard to face her feelings.
“Your energy goes to getting better and trying to get over each chemo treatment,” she said.
When chemo ended, Bretzing began writing, and the stories poured.
“As I wrote, I remembered,” she said.
After the diagnosis, all Bretzing could think about was eradicating the disease. She did not process the loss of her breasts until much later. She decided against reconstructive
surgery and acknowledges that losing her breasts was hardest to write about.
Bretzing continued teaching her second-grade class with the help of a substitute, despite nausea and physical and mental exhaustion. She experienced unexpected setbacks, including a reaction to medication that mimicked a heart attack.
“Cancer was dreadfully unpredictable,” she writes in the book.
With the help of a hair-salon owner that she met at her church, Bretzing navigated picking out an appropriate wig and losing her hair.
Bretzing realized the only thing she could control was her attitude. When she found it difficult to be optimistic she eventually sought help from an
oncology counselor and later a cancer support group.
Bretzing was plagued with fear that cancer would return and “spin my world out of control.” Every cough or unusual pain sent her into a tailspin. About a year ago, when faced with another cancer scare, Bretzing “relinquished the need to be in control of all outcomes, trusting God.”
Bretzing retired from teaching in 2014, and now has more time to spend with her husband, Randy, a retired dentist, their five children and spouses and 16 grandchildren.
“ e Cancer Effect” is available at amazon.com, barnesandnoble. com and on Bretzing’s website, mypassionatepen.com.
BETTER than GRANITE
Arts in Mind
Adults with dementia and their care partners engaged through Mesa program
By Erin Bryan
Research suggests that arts-engagement activities for older adults can contribute to improved quality of life, increased community interaction and building companionship.
Accordingly, Mesa Arts Center has launched Arts in Mind, developed in partnership with Banner Alzheimer’s Institute, for those with mild to moderate dementia, and their care partners.
“ e program offers opportunities for those affected by dementia and Alzheimer’s to cultivate dignity and enrich their sense of self, while building connections between themselves and loved ones through fun and expressive arts engagements,” said Mandy Tripoli, director of engagement at Mesa Arts Center.
No prior arts experience is necessary for participation.
Art experiences are not a treatment or a cure for dementia, but they can provide significant benefits. A sense of accomplishment and achievement, the
gratifying feeling of completion, and creative expression through the artistic process are among potential outcomes.
As part of Mesa Arts Center’s Creative Aging program, Arts in Mind is designed to create a safe space for those living with dementia and their care partners, and to join peers and find creative expression through the arts. ere are options available to suit the needs of each person, all of which are geared toward the exploration of creativity.
Arts in Mind offers three engagement options:
Is Arts in Mind right?
Arts in Mind is for those with mild to moderate dementia and care partners. To determine if a person qualifies, consider:
•Does he or she live primarily at home?
•Has this person been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s or other dementia by a health-care professional? If so, is he or she in mild to moderate stages? Common
Gregg Beeson’s Marketing Plan:
• Professional 4 page full color flyers placed in flyer box on sign post.
•Mesa Contemporary Arts Museum focuses on expression, offering a program in which participants meet four times over a two-month period (every other week) for interactive gallery walks and hands-on art making.
•For individuals seeking a more interactive experience, Studio Engagement focuses on the participant’s creativity. ese participants meet four times over a two-month period (every other week) for hands-on collaborative art making and creative expression through the arts.
•Concert Events focus on the overall
symptoms may include difficulty with short-term memory or word-finding; repetitive questions; decline in ability to plan, organize and perform complex tasks, such as managing finances or household chores; needing help with everyday tasks.
•Is this person able to tolerate and maintain focus for a 90-minute program?
•Can this person express thoughts and
• Las Sendas 6 page full color Market Report is sent out quarterly to 3200 Las Sendas homes.
• Streaming video of the Las Sendas community will be used on all my marketing. Educating everyone about Las Sendas only helps to build your equity. Go to www.vimeo. com/177929873 to view online now!
• Large monthly ad in “The View”. The community newspaper that goes out to 10,000 homes in Northeast Mesa. This ad will highlight my new listing and open houses.
experience, with participants meeting four times over the year for a onehour engagement consisting of a concert performance and conversation highlighting and reflecting upon the experience.
To learn more about Arts in Mind and other Mesa Arts Center Engagement programs, visit mesaartscenter.com/ creativeaging. To register, contact MAC’s engagement staff at engagement@ mesaartscenter.com or 480-644-6540. ere is a fee for participation.
feelings in conversation?
•Is this person comfortable in a group setting?
•Does this person have a care partner with whom to attend the series?
•Are both of you available on weekday mornings or afternoons to attend all programs in a series?
If you answered yes to all of these, then Arts in Mind is for this person.
• Large monthly ad in “The Ranch Review” which is a community newspaper like “The View”. It goes out to 10,000 homes in Scottsdale. Why - A similar home in Scottsdale would cost 30%+ more and that home would not have the beauty and amenities of Las Sendas. Educating Scottsdale home owners and renters brings more buyers to Las Sendas.
• Doll House 3D Media System, placed on the MLS, Realtor.com and Homes.com
• Professional photography. Show your home off in its best light.
• Showcase your home on Realtor.com and you will be placed on a multitude of other web sites.
• Open Houses - Actively marketed via internet and mail to get more possible buyers to see your home.
• Communications - Showing updates as they happen with feedback from the buyers agent and weekly marketing updates.
You can expect customized marketing for your home that is always professional.
IB adds value to Mesa schools
e International Baccalaureate program is available to Mesa students in Grade K-12 at Summit Academy (Grades K-8), Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies (Grades 6-8), and Westwood High School (Grades 9-12).
Since 1968, the International Baccalaureate program has inspired students around the world by combining world-class education with intercultural understanding and respect for others. Students learn skills needed to excel at the best universities and to prepare for success in a global economy.
Last year, every Westwood High IB student received at least one scholarship and many acquired multiple offers, worth more than $7.2 million in scholarships, grants and awards. is included three students who were named Flinn Scholars. e merit-based scholarship is given to 20 Arizona seniors and valued at more than $115,000.
“ e IB program offers the gold standard for academic rigor and college preparation, and our goal is to make college dreams come true for students,” said Dr. Jake Davis, IB coordinator at Westwood. “Colleges and universities seek IB students, because they not only do well academically in high school, but also go on to perform well at the university level.”
e program prepares students for college-level work, nurtures criticalthinking skills, emphasizes research and encourages students to collaborate and
learn from peers.
“ e IB program taught me practical life skills that prepared me for college,” said Alexis Darby, a 2015 Westwood graduate and Flinn Scholar, who attends Barrett, the Honors College at Arizona State University. “My successes were rewarded with college credit, collegiate-level writing experience and a drive to continue to challenge myself academically.”
An IB informational meeting is 6 p.m., Tuesday, Jan. 24, at the Westwood High auditorium, 945 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Mesa. For information about the IB program at Mesa Public Schools, visit mpsaz.org/ib or Dr. Jake Davis, IB Coordinator, at 480-472-4419.
Parents are invited to attend a newapplicant informational meeting at 6:30 p.m., ursday, Jan. 26, at the Mesa Academy for Advanced Studies multi-purpose room, 6919 E. Brown Road, Mesa. Application materials are available online at mpsaz.org/academy, or from Bob Crispin, Mesa Academy principal at 480-308-7430.
Summit Academy offers a parentinformation night for sixth-grade students interested in the IB Middle Years Program for 2017-18 at 6 p.m.,
ursday, Feb 2, at Summit Academy 7-8 campus auditorium, 1560 W. Summit Place, Chandler. For more information visit, mpsaz.org/summitclimb/ib, or contact Summit Academy at 480-4723457.
Students of the Month honored
By Heidi Hurst e Mesa Public Schools Governing
Board has honored six December Students of the Month.
ose honored are Brett Barker, sixth-grader, Patterson Elementary; Pedro Escalona, sixth-grader, Hawthorne Elementary; Daphne Estrada Palma, sixth-grader, Webster Elementary; Joslyn Knutson, sixthgrader, Mendoza Elementary; Rebecca Moser, senior, Red Mountain High; and Kenneth Cameron Toya, senior, Crossroads.
Principals or school representatives
read tributes aloud. Students take home special plaques and professionalquality portraits, provided by Mesa Public Schools. Winners also receive gift cards from the Mesa Foundation for Educational Excellence.
Each month during the school year, students from elementary, junior high and high schools throughout the district are selected. Honorees are recognized for quality of character and excellence in leadership, academics, arts and athletics.
Student of the Month portraits hang on walls of honor in the Board Room and in the lobby of the Administrative Services Center.
By Scott Shumaker
The Sirrine House looking back
e historic Sirrine House at 160 N. Center St. was built in 1896 as the first home of Joel E. Sirrine and his wife, Caroline Simkins.
ey lived there until 1904, when they moved to Idaho.
Joel E. Sirrine was the son of George Sirrine, considered to be among Mesa’s founding fathers.
Sirrine, a canal dredger, and Caroline had two children while they lived in the house.
Joel had been widowed twice and had a son by his first wife.
for the house.
e home features high ceilings, large windows and well-positioned doors to aide ventilation from a time before air conditioning.
e home’s architecture reflects the Queen Anne style and is constructed of brick and wood. e lumber for the home was purchased in Prescott and brought to the home by Joel and his brother, Warren. e Shill family of Lehi, made the brick
e large porch served as a sleeping porch, a good place to eat dinner or watch other people on the street.
e city has owned the home since 1980.
It was restored by volunteers, reopened in 1986 and now falls under the care of the Arizona Museum of Natural History. e home was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1995 after restoration to its 1904 appearance.
Sirrine House is open only for special events and tours, such as the Mesa Historical Museums’ Annual Historic Home Tour.
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The house was restored by volunteers and reopened in 1986. It is on the National Register of Historic Places.
THe Sirrine House was built in 1896 as the first home of Joel E. Sirrine and his wife, Caroline Simkins.
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NearbyNews
Natural-history museum a delight for the children
By Kimberly Hosey
If you’re looking to revisit an old Valley favorite with your family to ring in the new year—or if you’d like to go back in time, search for “gold,” explore ancient cultures or even experience the wonder of a galaxy far, far away in a special celebration this month, you can do it all right here in Mesa.
And if that doesn’t work out, you can always throw your kids in “jail” when you get there.
I’m talking, of course, about the Arizona Museum of Natural History. For my own son, it began there as the “dinosaur museum.” e towering camarasaurus, fearsome tyrannosaurus, iconic triceratops drew us in; along with their weirder, lesser-known cousins: e skull of a crowned crocodile, eerie dioramas of the Cretaceous Period when Arizona was covered in prehistoric seas, the wicked-looking skull of a phytosaur (like a crocodile, but they evolved separately). We love our critters, and the Arizona Museum of Natural History never disappoints.
Still, once we were reeled in, we found that the museum had much more to offer.
e “Native Peoples of the Past” exhibition explores human culture in our area, from Paleoindian hunters, who arrived about 13,500 years ago, to Hohokam irrigation systems that were active as recently as 1450 A.D. rough photography, life-size dioramas and interactive walk-through exhibits, kids can explore the human history of where they live now.
If your family would like to explore human culture a bit more, “Mesoamerica and South America” delves into several cultures living in the surrounding areas of Mexico and Central America. From ancient Mexican cultures to a history of Mayan culture and architecture, the exhibition delves into the rich artistic, architectural and cultural backgrounds of the societies, even touching upon aspects like sports, food and religion.
Several pieces of art from the cultures are displayed. One thing we found really fascinating, especially after studying Hohokam culture—itself tied to our local history— was how they directly tied into other Native American civilizations of the Southwest.
History can be a bit dry even for the most studious kid, and, OK, I’m not always the best student myself, but there’s an undeniable draw to
learning about people who walked these paths before we did.
e museum, 53 N. Macdonald in Mesa, is small compared to other Valley destinations. But the great thing is that with the diversity and depth of the exhibits, it has grown right along with my son and his interests.
At first, we really did only ogle the dinosaurs. As time went on, he developed interest in our area’s cultural history, and began to explore the Native Peoples and Mesoamerica and South America exhibits. And he became absolutely enthralled by the “Origins” gallery, which details the history of not just our corner of the world—not even just our corner of the galaxy—but the universe itself, with image displays detailing the billions-yearlong history of stars and galaxies.
e museum’s newest Second Friday event, Science Before Saturday, this month features “Star Wars: A Galaxy of Discovery.” Guests of all ages are invited to join scientists and others from the Valley on Friday, Jan. 13, in a “Star Wars” and science-theme bash, including workshops and experiments.
Admission for the event is $5 for children, $9 for adults. Museum members are free. If your kid is anything like mine, all you need is the most tenuous connection to “Star Wars.” So why not sneak in some real science while you’re at it?
en in February, the museum hosts
a celebration of science, “I Love Science Day,” with special activities, crafts and experiments.
ere’s plenty more: Toss your kids in a territorial jail cell, or, even more hilarious to them, let them lock you up. Pan for gold. Assemble 3-D puzzles. Discover fossils in the Paleo Dig Pit. As you take in the dinosaurs, the environment of the Mesozoic Era comes to life on Dinosaur Mountain, complete with a thunderstorm and flash flood every 23 minutes. It sends water cascading down the three-story mountain. If you want to get a good idea of what the museum has to offer, visit its website and take a virtual tour.
If you’d like to delve into the history of Arizona and the Southwest, from prehistoric giants to panning for gold, this museum has you covered. Admission to the Arizona Museum of Natural History is $12 to adults, $7 to children ages 3-12, $10 to seniors 65 and older, $8 to students 13 and older with ID, and free to children 2 and younger. Check online for more details or for more upcoming museum events.
Arizona Museum of Natural History
53 N. Macdonald, Mesa Open 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Tuesdays through Fridays; 11 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturdays; 1-5 p.m., Sundays; closed Mondays. 480-644-2230 or arizonamuseumofnaturalhist ory.org
‘Star Wars: A Galaxy of Discovery’ 5:30-8 p.m. Friday, Jan. 13. 12 and younger $5; 13 and older $9; members free.
‘I Love Science Day’
1-3:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 11. Free to members and free to non-members with paid admission.
around the neighborhood
At the end of the fall semester, students across Mesa celebrated the midpoint of the school year with an array of performances and shows. As a new year dawns, it’s time for good cheer. Photos by Larry Mangino.
1. David Briseño, 14, an eighth-grader at Poston Junior High, prepares for a concert. 2. Poston eighth-grade trombone player Adrian Ortiz, 14, has his cummerbund adjusted by Susan Legg, a band mom. 3. Music teacher Jenn Bock rehearses with the Poston Cadet Band for its big show. 4. Band Director Cory Trout leads a rehearsal for the Holiday Concert at Entz Elementary School. 5. Jacob McDonald (left), 11, a sixth-grade trumpet player in the Explorer Band, and Tyler Davis, 11, a sixth-grade percussionist, are ready for the show at Entz. 6. Marilynn Hall, 10, gets ready for the Red Mountain Ranch Elementary School Winter Concert. 7. Red Mountain Ranch Elementary orchestra members Rees Thomas (foreground), 10, and Ben Glennon, 12, rehearse for their Winter Concert.
By Jill Pertler
Contemplating marriage
I’ve been contemplating marriage. Not getting married. I took care of that task years ago.
I’ve been contemplating marriage as in the concept of. My daughter recently tied the knot and I’ve been reminiscing about my own newlywed days—and some of the lessons learned since way back then.
When I signed up for this deal called marriage, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. Neither did my husband. If someone had told us marriage might be challenging and difficult, we wouldn’t have believed them. How could loving another person be difficult? (Ha!) ank goodness for our naivety. And optimism. Now, all these years later, I think we’d both say marriage can be challenging (not to mention a bit of hard work). But it is good work, and challenges are
opportunities for growth. And when done right, it gets easier and more fulfilling as the years pass. Most days.
Since saying “I do,” my better half and I have learned a few tidbits (Dare I say rules?) about successfully navigating this thing called wedded bliss. If we were to give unsolicited advice to our daughter and other newlys (which of course we never would), here’s what we might say:
1. First, realize there are no rules, really. ink of these as starting points.
2. Over the years, you will break most if not all these rules (a.k.a. starting points). So will your spouse. Forgive him or her and just as importantly, forgive yourself.
3. It’s not about you. It’s about both of you. If you live out your marriage as though it’s about you, you’ll likely have a short marriage—or at the very least an
unhappy one.
4. Eat meals together. At least once each day. ey will serve as an anchor and provide an opportunity to share time and conversation with each other. e seemingly small habits like this fortify your relationship. In a marriage, small things can be big things.
5. Sleep in the same bed. Even if it seems more convenient not to. Even if the one of you snores or kicks the covers off (not that I’m implying anything). Love is hardly ever convenient.
Waking together gives you a few moments to plan your day, and plot your strategies—if you have children. It also gives you the opportunity to experience morning breath and morning hair.
It gives you the chance to say, “Good morning,” before the chaos of the rest of your day proceeds.
6. Always kiss each other goodbye. It’s also nice to kiss hello and goodnight and happy Groundhog’s Day, but goodbye is the one to make a priority. You never know if a goodbye will be your last, and you’d regret forever if you hadn’t paid enough attention to seal it with a kiss.
7. Realize you do not have to agree on everything. Chances are, even after
decades, you won’t have come to terms about the thermostat. It’s the bane of many a great marriage and a war that can’t be won. ere are countless similar battles involving laundry-folding techniques, vacation destinations, parenting practices and driving habits (which could be a category in itself).
8. Falling in love is easy. Staying there not always so. Work to keep things new. Don’t be distracted by the multitude of life experiences that could come between you and your spouse. is includes your job and your children. ere are more (there always could be more) but eight is enough for one day. When we got married years ago, our pockets may have been empty, but our hearts were as full as our hair was big. Now we relive those emotions (but not the hairstyle) through our daughter and son-in-law, and we are glad for times when life comes full circle.
Jill Pertler is an award-winning syndicated columnist, published playwright, author and member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. Don’t miss a slice, follow the Slices of Life page on Facebook.
By Erica Odello
How to make pop-tab bracelets
If you’re looking for last-minute gifts for teachers or relatives, or you’re planning ahead for that love-theme holiday that is fastapproaching in February, handmade, unique and inexpensive is always the way to go. With that in mind, bracelets made out of the tabs from aluminum cans fits all of the above criteria.
You will need
Pop tabs removed from aluminum cans, suede cord, flat/multi-cord fasteners, pencil, packing tape, scissors, super glue or jewelry glue, pliers (preferably needle-nose) with tape on the tines to prevent scratching.
Optional: Beads.
Step 1: Both patterns
Measure the cord by wrapping loosely around your wrist. For the simple X pattern, the cord should be about 2 inches longer than your wrist circumpherence. For the stacked pattern, it should be about 4 inches longer. After cutting, fold the cord in half and tie a knot, leaving enough room in the loop to fit around a pencil. Once this is done, use the packing tape to anchor each side of the pencil to the table.
Step 2: X pattern
For the X pattern, it is best to use pop tabs that still have the center loop attached. Fold the center loop over and squeeze with the pliers.
With the top of the tab facing up, weave each side of the cord through the main holes, crossing in the center to make an “X.” Pull the tab up to the knot and pull the ends of the cord to tighten. Repeat process, keeping the tabs facing the same direction, until the bracelet is long enough to wrap around your wrist.
Alternate idea: Create an alternating pattern with beads and pop tabs.
the cords inside the fastener. Pinch each side of the fastener with your pliers, squeezing the top and sides until you get a tight fit. Cut the excess cord and remove the bracelet from the pencil anchor. Attach the two ends and you’re done! Alternate idea: For someone who might not wear a bracelet, tie off the
two ends of the cord and then affi x a key ring to the anchor loop instead of using a jewelry fastener. I’ll bet nobody’s had a keychain like this!
Step 2: Stacked pattern is pattern works well with pop tabs with center loop broken off. Hold two tabs with the bottoms facing up and one tab on top with bottom facing down. read the rightside cord up into the first right-side hole created by the first bottom tab, then weave down over the edge of the top tab and through the rest of the bottom tab. Bring the cord up again through the hole created by the rest of the top tab and the start of the second bottom tab. Repeat this process with the left-side cord. You are basically “sewing” the pop tabs together in two straight lines. Repeat the process, adding a tab to the top and a tab to the bottom as you lengthen the bracelet. Remember to not pull the cords too tightly as the bracelet needs room to bend around the wrist. Keep measuring around your wrist to reach the desired length.
Step 3: Both patterns
Bring the ends of the cord together once the bracelet has reached the desired length. Place a dab of glue inside the cord fastener, then place
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By Eva Dwight
Happy (Gritty) New Year! Navigating Parenthood
Are you gritty? Are your kids? I’m not talking about having gravel in your shoes from hiking in the desert. “Grit” is the term Angela Duckworth, University of Pennsylvania psychologist and researcher, uses to describe a high level of persistence.
Taking on and sticking with a challenge, even when it’s not fun, is one of the highest predictors of success in life because mastering a challenge grows our confidence in our ability to handle the next one, and life is full of them.
In her book “Grit: e Power of Passion and Perseverance,” Duckworth summarizes her research about what makes grit so important and how to grow it in ourselves and our children. ere’s too much to address in one article so I will spend the next couple of
months highlighting what I consider her most important points. Duckworth encourages parents to look at school as a place to practice “getting gritty.”
As you assess your child’s performance, maybe you’re noticing that he’s sailing through without a lot of effort. Easy A’s feel good in the moment, but the longer kids go without a challenge, the more they are at risk of giving up too quickly when they encounter something difficult. Talk to elementaryschool teachers about adding some challenging assignments that will require more time and effort. Junior- and senior-high counselors can guide your child toward honors-level classes that provide opportunities for digging deeper into his grit reserves.
Happy (Gritty) New Year
...continued from page 20
If your child is struggling in school, he needs you and his teachers to work together to help him learn persistence. When you hear, “I can’t do it!” respond with, “I know it’s hard. Let’s figure it out together.” en help him set up appointments for getting assistance from the teacher outside of class, retaking tests, redoing assignments, whatever it takes to master that tough curriculum.
It’s a very natural reaction to avoid what is difficult, and many kids do that while their parents groan about how their children don’t know how to work hard. Rather than groaning, parents need to get gritty themselves, and insist (kindly and firmly) that the kids learn how.
Children who are taught to face and master a challenge gradually think of themselves as able to face and master challenges. Teaching
grit skills takes parents’ time up front, but gradually, kids will take on the hard work themselves because they will have experienced success and will want more of it. When that happens, it’s gratifying for parents and kids.
So, gritty kids need gritty parents. Make a family rule: No giving up! Talk about the challenges you face (and the ones you faced when you were young) and how you’re conquering them, and support your children in conquering theirs.
Work together, be a team, and make 2017 the Year of Grit!
Next month: How extracurricular activities build grit.
Eva Dwight offers parent, individual and couples coaching to adults and teens. For more information, go to www. creativecoachingconversations. com.
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top 10 family events
January 2017
1 ‘The Lion King Jr.’
Based on the hit Broadway show based on the Disney movie, this youth production of “The Lion King” is sure to entertain.
When: Fridays-Sundays, Jan. 6-15, times vary.
Where: Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa.
Cost: $15.
Info: 480-644-6500 or mesaartscenter.com.
2 Science Before Saturday
Join the Arizona Museum of Natural History for a night of science and Star Wars. Take part in a hands-on experiment and learn amazing facts from scientists.
When: Friday, Jan. 13, 5:30-8 p.m.
Where: Arizona Museum of natural History, 53 N. Macdonald, Mesa.
Cost: $5 kids, $9 adults.
Info: 480-644-2230 or arizonamuseumofnaturalhistory.org.
3 Mesa Arts & Crafts Festival
Stroll downtown Mesa and take in the work of local artists and makers, and enjoy live music and other familyfriendly fun.
When: Saturdays, Jan. 7 and 21, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Where: Downtown Mesa, 4 N. Macdonald, Mesa.
Cost: Free. Info: macfestmesa.com.
4 Family Dodge Ball
Get the family together and go head-to-head with other families in a— friendly—cutthroat game of dodgeball.
When: Wednesdays, Jan. 4-25, 6-8 p.m.
Where: Mesa Family YMCA, 207 N. Mesa Drive, Mesa.
Cost: Free.
Info: 480-969-8166 or valleyymca.org/mesa.
5 Dr. Seuss’ ‘The Cat in the Hat’ Dr. Seuss’ classic tale of a troublesome cat in a striped hat comes to the stage courtesy of Child’s Play AZ.
When: Weekends, Jan. 14-Feb. 19, 1 p.m. or 4 p.m.
Where: Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W. Rio Salado Pkwy., Tempe.
Cost: $12-$26.
Info: 480-350-2822 or childsplayaz.org.
6 Disney On Ice presents Worlds of Enchantment
Watch Disney characters, both classics and new favorites, dazzle as they skate across the ice.
When: Thursday-Sunday, Jan. 19-22, times vary.
Where: Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix.
Cost: $11.25-$85.
Info: 602-379-7800 or talkingstickresortarena.com.
7 The Illusionists
Live from Broadway comes some of the best magic and illusion you will see on the stage.
When: Tuesday-Sunday, Jan. 17-22, times vary.
Where: ASU Gammage, 1200 S. Forest Ave. Tempe.
Cost: $20-$125.
Info: 480-965-3434 or asugammage.com.
8 Arizona Balloon Classic
Spend a weekend in the company of majestic hot-air balloons, from morning flights and races to evening
“glow” events. Tickets for tethered and untethered flights available.
When: Friday-Sunday, Jan. 20-22, times vary.
Where: Fear Farm Sports & Entertainment Complex, 2209 N. 99th Ave., Phoenix.
Cost: $15 adult, $20 2 adults, $7 seniors/veterans, free for kids 11 and younger and active military. $10 parking.
Info: abcfest.com.
9 ZooLights
Enjoy the zoo at night with millions of lights, a three-story tree, a Music-in-Motion show, and photos with Santa.
When: Nightly, Jan. 1-8, 5:30-10:30 p.m.
Where: Phoenix Zoo, 455 N. Galvin Pkwy., Phoenix.
Cost: $12.95-$19.95.
Info: 602-286-3800 or phoenixzoo.org.
10 Zoppé: An Italian Family Circus
An Old-World Italian experience in an intimate circus with clowns, acrobatics, horses and a new flying trapeze act.
When: Jan. 1-8, times vary.
Where: Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler.
Cost: $15-$40.
Info: 480-782-2680 or chandlercenter.org.
events calendar
January 2017
Adult Coloring Club
Start the new year off with a calm mind. Spend an evening relaxing and coloring. Pencils and coloring pages provided.
When: Thursday, Jan. 5, 6-7:30 p.m.
Where: Red Mountain Library, 635 N. Power Road, Mesa.
Cost: Free.
Info: 480-644-3100 or mesalibrary. org
3D printer training
If you want to get a jump on the future, take this class on how to use 3D printers, with actual printers. Once you pass, you can sign up to use the 3D printers for your own projects.
When: Monday, Jan. 12, 23, 2-4 p.m.
Where: Red Mountain Library, 635 N. Power Road, Mesa.
Cost: Free (registration required).
Info: 480-644-3253 or mesalibrary. org.
Itzhak Perlman
Internationally renowned violin virtuoso Itzhak Perlman brings his musicianship and warm personality to Mesa.
When: Thursday, Jan. 12, 7:30 p.m.
Where: Mesa Arts Center, 1 East Main St., Mesa. Cost: $50-$90. Info: 480-644-6500 or mesaartscenter.com.
Bark After Dark
The i.d.e.a Museum gets an adult take-over with a cash bar, appetizers, dancing to a live DJ, museum activities and prizes.
When: Friday, Jan. 13, 6-9 p.m.
Where: I.d.e.a. Museum, 150 W. Pepper Place, Mesa.
Cost: $20 person/$35 couple in advance, $25/$45 at the door. Info: ideamuseum.org/adulttakeover. html.
‘Annie’
The classic musical about a spunky orphan girl returns to the Valley with a Tony award-winning production. Don’t miss your favorite songs, like “It’s A hard Knock Life” and “Tomorrow.”
When: Friday-Saturday, Jan. 13-14, times vary.
Where: Mesa Arts Center, 1 East Main St., Mesa. Cost: $35-$75. Info: 480-644-6500 or mesaartscenter.com.
for individual play.
Info: 480-644-6500 or mesaartscenter.com.
UnCommon Markets
Browse local artists, makers, businesses, fashion designers and other vendors who produce handmade, sustainable goods. It includes a “29 & under” showcase to highlight emerging talents.
When: Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 14-15.
Where: Salt River Fields, 7555 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale.
Cost: $5 day pass.
Info: 855-238-6999 or uncommonmarkets.com.
Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration – Breakfast
Kick off your MLK Day with breakfast and a talk from speaker, educator and community builder Calvin Terell.
When: Monday, Jan. 16, 8-9:30 a.m.
Where: Mesa Convention Center, 263 N. Center St., Mesa.
Cost: $50.
Info: mesamlk.org.
Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration - Parade
Celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day with a parade in downtown Mesa. Police Chief John Meza will be the grand marshal.
When: Monday, Jan. 16, 11 a.m.noon.
Where: Dr. MLK Way and Center Street, Mesa.
Cost: Free.
Info: mesamlk.org/parade.
Dr. Martin Luther King Celebration - Festival
In the afternoon, attend a festival of artists and vendors, and participate in an interfaith candlelight vigil and the annual Creative Arts Awards.
When: Monday, Jan. 16, noon-4 p.m.
Where: Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa.
Cost: Free.
Info: mesamlk.org
Russo and Steele Collector Automobile Auction
Sock hop
Grab the poodle skirt and the leather jacket, and take a step back in time with an old-fashioned sock hop to live music from the ’50s and ’60s. Enjoy ’50s diner food.
When: Saturday, Jan. 21, 5-8 p.m.
Where: Bethlehem Lutheran Church, 2745 N. 32nd St., Mesa.
Cost: TBA.
Info: 480-832-0462.
High Noon Show & Auction
For a massive collection of cowboy, Indian and western art, as well as antiques, look no farther. Simply browse or participate in the Saturday auction.
When: Saturday-Sunday, Jan. 21-22, 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Where: Mesa Convention Center, 263 N. Center Street, Mesa.
Cost: $10 per day adults, free for 12 and younger.
Info: oldwestevents.com
Historic Home Tour
Take a tour of Mesa’s historic homes in the West Second and Fraser Fields areas, including the Sirrine House, Antique Wedding House and other classic residences.
When: Saturday, Jan. 28, 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
Where: Start at Sirrine House, 160 N. Center St., Mesa.
Cost: $20 online or at Sirrine House at 9:30 a.m.
Winter Fest
Enjoy two of the greatest plays ever written from one of the greatest playwrights: Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and “Much Ado About Nothing.”
When: Thursdays-Sundays, Jan. 1328, times vary.
Where: Mesa Arts Center, 1 East Main St., Mesa.
Cost: $28-$44 adult, $15 students
With more than 800 classic cars and a reputation for auction-block excitement, this car auction offers something for everyone, from collectors to owners to spectators.
When: Wednesday-Sunday, Jan. 1822, times vary.
Where: Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, 7555 N. Pima Road, Scottsdale.
Cost: $30 Wednesday-Saturday, $20 Sunday.
Info: 602-252-2697 or russoandsteele.com.
Info: valleyhistoryinc.com/2016home-tour/
2017 Chinese New Year Show
Start the year of the Rooster right and celebrate the Chinese New Year with stunning performances of traditional songs, music and dances, plus special effects.
When: Saturday, Jan. 28, 6:30 p.m.
Where: Mesa Arts Center, 1 East Main St., Mesa.
Cost: $20, $30.
Info: 480-644-6500 or mesaartscenter.com.
Much ado about something
2 Shakespeare plays coming to arts center
Southwest Shakespeare Company is bringing East Valley theatergoers a winter treat with performances of “Hamlet” and “Much Ado About Nothing” at the Mesa Arts Center, Jan.13-28.
Cry one night, laugh the next with Shakespeare’s noted tragedy and comedy.
ese are bold new productions, presented in rotating repertory by a single company of players.
“Hamlet” is directed by David Barker, a professor of theater at Arizona State University. is production tightly focuses on the “outrageous circumstances the young prince is thrust into and his relentless fight to avenge his father’s murder,” according to Barker.
“Gone are tangents that characters launch into that add nothing to the dramatic action, which needs to surge forward,” said Barker, whom SSC audiences might remember from the 2011 Titus Andronicus that he directed.
With “Much Ado About Nothing,” Tracy Liz Miller, known for her involvement with e Bridge Initiative, takes the helm.
“I just know this will prove to be one of the most enjoyable and fun productions I’ve been fortunate to work on,” said Miller, who is also associate producer at the Vermont Shakespeare Company.
Miller, on faculty at Chandler-Gilbert Community College, is known in the Valley for her efforts to empower women to assume greater leadership roles in theater.
“We’ve had such a good time coming up with how to fit recognizable character types from the 1940s Golden Age of Hollywood into the world of Shakespeare, creating a world that fits both the beautiful play and our postWorld War time period,” Miller said about “Much Ado.”
Tickets range from $24 to $48. For students with valid ID, it’s $18.
Reserve online at swshakespeare.org or by calling the MAC box office at 480-644-6500. Tickets may be purchased for only one show or for both.
Southwest Shakespeare Company was founded in 1994 by educators who wanted to create a modern-day people’s theater inspired by Shakespeare and his contemporaries, where audience members from all walks of life are encouraged to take an active role through contact with the artists. SSC’s mission is to entertain, educate and inspire the public and educational community by exploring the intricacies of language through the performance of live theater.
Lunch – Tues-Fri 11am to 2pm
– Mon-Sat 4pm to 9pm Sundays 3pm to 7pm
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“Hamlet.”
January is jam-packed at Mesa Arts Center
By Erin Bryan
With Itzhak Perlman, the iconic Broadway musical “Annie,” the Moth Mainstage and e Fab Four, the entertainment lineup is full and diverse at the Mesa Arts Center in January.
On Jan. 12, master violinist Perlman performs classical music. Noted for his charm and humanity, Perlman is treasured by audiences throughout the world for his artistry and his joy in making music.
“Annie,” among the world’s bestloved musicals, will be performed Jan. 13-14. is national touring Broadway production, directed by original lyricist and director Martin Charnin and choreographed by Liza Gennaro, is a new incarnation of the iconic original. All of the fan-favorite songs still are featured in the show, including “Maybe,” “It’s the Hard Knock Life,” “You’re Never Fully Dressed Without a Smile,” “Easy Street,” “I Don’t Need Anything But You” and the eternal anthem of optimism, “Tomorrow.”
A full range of emotions surface as true stories are told by e Moth, Mainstage on Jan. 27. e Moth is an acclaimed not-forprofit organization devoted to the art and craft of storytelling. Each Moth Mainstage features simple, old-fashioned storytelling by five wildly diverse narrators, who develop and shape their stories with e Moth’s directors.
Some things never go out of style. Get ready for a trip back to the 1960s and ’70s with songs you know and love from the Beatles on Jan. 20. e Fab Four will pay tribute to the Beatles in the ultimate tribute show. e Fab Four has amazed audiences around the world with their remarkable note-for-note live renditions of Beatles’ music.
For more about upcoming events at MAC, visit mesaartscenter.com.
e Moth, Mainstage
e Fab Four
Itzhak Perlman
“Annie”.
on the town
By Kathy Kerby
BT’z Pizza Grill Sports Bar
A neighborhood place no matter what neighborhood you’re from
BT’z Sports Bar, named after owner Bruce Towle, is the kind of place where you just want to hang out on Friday nights with all your buddies.
With the open kitchen on one wall and a granite, circular indoor-outdoor bar that seats at least 20 on the other, there is room for 10 or 12 bar-height tables and stools as well as several comfy booths taking up the center of the dining area.
Corrugated metal hangs above the kitchen area, giving this neighborhood hangout an urban industrial feel. Garage doors open to the patio with seating for 30.
Bruce and his wife, Deborah, who are from Truckee, California, joined
with son Chris to open BT’z on Power and McKellips roads in October 2013. ey had never owned a restaurant, but they wanted to create an environment that was fun for families and sports enthusiasts. eir loyal customers would all agree that the Towle family has accomplished that goal.
ey welcome all youth-sports teams and participate in community events, as well.
Our server, Amanda, gave us the twopage menu and I could tell that this was not just your typical bar food. Many healthy options, including salads and veggie plates, are menu choices , along with 12 charbroiled burgers and dozens of pizza combinations. e entrees
include Bourbon Mushroom Chicken and Penne with Sausage.
For an appetizer, my husband Lou and I chose the Meatball Skewer ($7). With three tennis-ball-size meatballs bathed in spicy marinara and melted mozzarella, this was a winning combination. Lou’s Chili Burger ($8) was the perfect winter-time comfort food. e half-pound lean ground-beef burger, charbroiled and smothered in spicy chili on a toasted brioche bun, was like a little taste of the Midwest. Packed with meat, kidney beans, onions and tomato goodness, the chili was great on the burger and would also be delicious in a big bowl served with crackers.
e fish and chips ($10) were crunchy and flavorful and served with creamy yet tangy tartar sauce and a very generous side of well-seasoned fries.
e 12-inch Pigskin Pizza ($14.99) is a house favorite. With pepperoni, ham, sausage, bacon, mushrooms and onions, this was exactly what a hungry sports fan devours while cheering for that favorite team.
For dessert, the Hot Cookie with Ice Cream ($5.99) was a warm, gooey
e Pigskin Pizza is a house favorite to enjoy while watching one of the 11 flatscreen televisions.
chocolate-chip cookie, topped with a huge snowball of vanilla ice cream. It was more than enough for two to share. BT’z serves breakfast on the weekends, has daily specials and reverse happy hour and karaoke on Saturday nights at 8:30.
BT’z Pizza Grill Sports Bar 2015 N. Power Road, Suite 106, Mesa
We know all children learn differently , so we offer options that help them discover and build on their potential and passions , including:
• Preschool through adult education
• Homeschool enrichment classes
• Franklin Traditional Schools
• Spanish immersion program
• Montessori schools
• International Baccalaureate
• Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) programs
• Online learning options
Mesa Public Schools—the best place to learn.
What’s Cooking?
By Jan D’Atri
Let them eat bacon in 2017!
January, in my opinion, is anything but the month for a “New Year, New You.” It’s bowl games and Super Bowl parties. No way you’re going to count calories.
I say wait until after February so you can get through Valentine’s Day without being on a diet. I also say, in 2017, “Let them eat bacon!”
at pretty much gives me all of the justification I need for this month’s recipes!
(Ok, there’s a cherry tomato in there somewhere, so I’ve sort of redeemed myself, haven’t I?)
ese bacon, pesto and tomato bites are as delicious as they get, and a great appetizer for any bowl game, cocktail or pool party. e Beer Candied Bacon needs no introduction except to say that it’s absolutely addicting.
Happy 2017! We’ll talk diets … later.
Bacon, Pesto and Tomato Bites
Ingredients
1 lb. bacon
1 loaf Texas toast white bread (thick cut)
1 stick of butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 (approx 8 oz.) round or wedge of smoked Gouda or Gruyere cheese
1 (approx. 8 oz.) container storebought pesto
½ cup or more mayonnaise
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes, sliced in half
3-4 tablespoons salad vinaigrette
Salt and pepper to taste
Directions
Cook bacon crisp, drain fat and cut into 1-to-2-inch pieces.
With a 2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out rounds of white bread.
Place rounds on baking sheet. Melt butter and combine with 2 tablespoons olive oil.
Brush butter-oil combination over bread rounds. Bake at 375 degrees until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven to cool. Slice cheese in thin, 1-inch squares and set aside.
In a small bowl, drain pesto over sieve to remove excess oil. Remove oil and reserve for tomatoes. Mix together mayonnaise and pesto and place in squeeze bottle or pastry bag with small hole or tip.
In another bowl, add tomato halves, reserved oil from pesto, vinaigrette and salt and pepper to taste.
Assemble bites. On each round of toast, squeeze a large dot of pesto. Top with slice of cheese, piece of bacon and top with one-half of tomato slice that has been soaking in vinaigrette. Serve immediately.
Beer-Candied Bacon
Ingredients
1 lb. bacon, thick-cut
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup dark beer (I used Stockyard Oatmeal Stout)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
Pinch of coarse salt
Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a bowl, combine brown sugar, beer and cayenne, whisking to form syrup. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Place a wire cooling rack or oven rack on top. Arrange bacon on the rack. Cook for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and brush one side of the bacon with the beer syrup. Turn bacon over and brush the other side with syrup. Sprinkle one side of bacon strips with a few grains of coarse salt. Return to oven and cook for 15 minutes. Repeat process until bacon is browned and syrup is used up. Don’t burn the bacon. Cool to allow bacon to harden.
TO A SMART GARAGE
business spotlight
By Alison Stanton
Family Tree Estate Planning strives to take the stress out of all money matters
As owner of Family Tree Estate Planning, Jason Wootten understands that his company focuses on subjects that can make many people uncomfortable.
“We talk about money and dying, which tend to be two unpopular topics for people,” Wootten said. is knowledge has inspired Wootten and his team to take these difficult subjects and make them as easy as possible for their clients to understand.
“We pride ourselves on taking the complicated subject of probate and breaking it down for people,” he said. Wootten, who opened Family Tree Estate Planning in 2007, said he wants to
make it stress-free for people who start the planning process.
“We come to our clients’ homes and offer a no-cost and no-obligation consultation,” he said.
e firm, while located in Scottsdale at 15849 N. 71st St., Suite 100, has a large Mesa client base, Wootten says.
“We go through the probate process and describe how it works, and then also discuss wills, living wills and how trusts work in Arizona, and then, we answer any questions they have about their specific situations.”
A large portion of the company’s approximately 1,500 clients have
relocated to Arizona and want to be sure their previous documents are current and correct.
“ is is not to say that a trust from Illinois or another state is not valid here, but we want to be sure everything is up to date for the state of Arizona,” Wootten said.
“One of our biggest competitive advantages is that when we work with clients we will make changes to their documents for no added fee. We know that things can be fluid and can change over time, so as life evolves, we want to be there for our clients.”
While Wootten is always happy to work with younger clients, in their 30s and 40s, who are being proactive about their estate planning, he said the majority of his clients fall into the 55-to80 demographic.
Despite the sometimes uncomfortable nature of his company’s services, Wootten said he encourages people of all ages to come in and consult with him and his team.
“ ese topics really are very important,” he said.
He adds, “One of my favorite expressions is that ‘if you love what you
Jason Wootten, owner of Family Tree Estate Planning, says that he and his team of planning consultants strive to make the complicated subjects of estate planning and probate as easy as possible for their clients to understand.
are doing, you will never work a day in your life.’ I really like my work and enjoy the way every day is different and every situation is different.”
For more information, call 602-7958000 or visit familytreeplanning.com.
Flancer’s freshens its breakfast offerings
After 16 years, Flancer’s Mesa and Gilbert restaurants are offering a freshened breakfast menu.
“In order to keep with our truly homemade traditions, we are proud to offer some exciting items you may not be able to find anywhere close,” said Jeff Flancer, owner and founder of the restaurants. “We are taking the road less traveled.”
Flancer’s breakfast hours are 8 a.m.-11 a.m., Friday-Sunday.
Among the new offerings is a breakfast burrito on a homemade tortilla, topped with New Mexican red or green chile sauce. Flancer lived in New Mexico in the 1990s and had a café in Santa Fe for nine years.
Among the things that Flancer misses most is New Mexican red and green chile sauce.
“We are buying our chile from Hatch, New Mexico,” Flancer said. “Our red chile is special ordered for our use. I am so pleased we are able to get this quality product from the
land of some of the best chiles on earth.”
Flancer’s also has introduced a twist on eggs benedict. e English muffin gives way to Flancer’s homemade, freshly baked biscuit, topped with eggs and smothered with New Mexican red or green chile sauce.
Flancer’s also has a chorizo-hash breakfast with eggs, potatoes and biscuit, as well as avocado toast, with eggs, tomato and cheese on homemade baguette bread.
In addition, the homemade hash browns are steam cooked and seasoned, and then sautéed on the grill top to a crispy golden brown.
For those in a hurry, Flancer’s now serves an egg-and-cheese biscuit and handheld breakfast burrito for the Friday-morning commute.
Flancer says he wants his restaurants’ breakfasts to be great and fast.
“We are working hard to get our average ticket time in six to eight
minutes, some in less time, but most breakfasts taking less than 10 minutes,” he said. “I am working hard with my chef and cooks to really produce a great product in a short time frame.”
Flancer’s
1902 North Higley Road, Mesa; 610 North Gilbert Road, Gilbert Mesa: 480-396-0077; Gilbert: 480-926-9077 flancers.com
Chorizo Hash.
Eggs Unbenny.
Avacado toast with sausage.
Longbow Marketplace Phase 1 to be anchored by Sprouts
3 restaurants also part of initial plan
By Roland Murphy
Phase 1 of the long-awaited Longbow Marketplace project, at the southwestern corner of Recker Road and Loop 202/Red Mountain Freeway, will be anchored by a 30,000-squarefoot Sprouts Farmers Market.
ree restaurants and three retail shops are to round out first-phase development of the 64,000-squarefoot project on 9.1 acres, being built by Kitchell Development.
e entire planned shopping center sits on 49 acres.
is will be the first major retail development under the Longbow master plan. Mesa approved the initial commercial site in 2002 with an amendment in 2008.
e site’s basic infrastructure has already been constructed.
e Phase 1 eclectic contemporary design focuses on creating a pedestrian-friendly retail environment. Materials combine sand-blasted concrete block, steel beams and metal roofing with desert-
colored stucco and heavy timber.
Accent elements include formed concrete and porcelain tile.
Shading is provided by roof overhangs, awnings and trellises, as well as sail elements on the Sprouts’ corner patio.
e landscape design uses fastgrowing, desert-appropriate trees, such as mesquite and palo verde, and incorporates colorful shrubs and flowering ground covers. e goal is to, provide an attractive, upscale look for the center all year and create a dynamic contextual place for patrons to gather.
Patio spaces also are provided at the three shops and combine with seating areas along the development’s walkways in hopes of establishing the center as a pedestrian-friendly regional center.
Walkways that are 5-to-6 feet wide connect all the buildings, parking areas and pedestrian amenities, and at least 50 percent of the walkway space will be shaded by landscaping or structures.
Banner Heart among 115 in U.S. to receive Top Hospital award from industry watchdog Leapfrog
Banner Heart Hospital in Mesa recently received a Top Hospital award from the Leapfrog Group, a national health-care quality and safety ratings organization.
e designation is based on the 2016 Leapfrog Hospital Survey, which looks at patient safety, surgical outcomes, maternity care, leadership and other patient-care performance measures.
Only 115 hospitals nationwide were named to the list.
“I’m grateful to our medical staff and employees for the excellent care they provide to our patients and the community,” said Julie Nunley, CEO of Banner Heart Hospital. “To earn this award for the quality care we provide to our patients every day is a true honor.
“Banner Heart is nationally recognized for cardiac care and service. We continue to focus on providing the best care and engaging our patients to take an active role in their treatment and overall health.”
Another Banner hospital was recognized as a Top Hospital by Leapfrog, making them the only hospitals in Arizona to receive the award. Page Hospital in Page made the organization’s 2016 Top Rural Hospitals list.
is is not the first time a Banner Health hospital has been recognized
by Leapfrog. In early November, eight Banner hospitals received the highest distinction, an “A” rating, for patient safety from the patient-safety watchdog organization.
Headquartered in Arizona, Banner Health is among the largest nonprofit health-care systems in the country. e system owns and operates 29 acutecare hospitals, Banner Health Network, Banner-University Medicine, Banner Medical Group, long-term care centers, outpatient-surgery centers and an array of other services, including Banner Urgent Care, family clinics, home care and hospice services, pharmacies and a nursing registry.
For more information, visit BannerHealth.com.
IRS assistance center in Mesa now giving service by appointment only
Taxpayers in need of service at the Mesa Internal Revenue Service Taxpayer Assistance Center now must call to schedule an appointment.
However, they first should see if their answer is available at IRS.gov. ey may be able to resolve their tax question by visiting the IRS website, eliminating the need to be seen at the Taxpayer Assistance Center.
e IRS has begun taking calls for appointments. Taxpayers requiring assistance should call the special toll-free number, 1-844-545-5640, to schedule an appointment at the Mesa IRS TAC, 1818 E. Southern Ave.
IRS representatives may help resolve the issue over the phone or schedule an appointment at IRS TAC if face-to-face
service is needed. In most cases, callers are able to resolve their tax issue without having to travel to a TAC, which can sometimes be a significant trip.
Taxpayers should always check IRS. gov for days and hours of service as well as services offered at the location they plan to visit.
e IRS moved to an appointment service at the Mesa office as part of an ongoing effort to eliminate lines and reduce frustration for taxpayers with more complex tax matters, who require in-person tax help.
Studies show that many taxpayers visit an IRS office to get a tax transcript, make a payment, resolve a notice or ask about their refund. Many of these issues can be resolved at IRS.gov.
Tax-question help
IRS.gov offers numerous online options for tax help that can save time and effort. Services include:
•Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers and Form W-7 (Tuesdays and ursdays only).
•Participating Taxpayer Assistance Center locations will review passports and other required documents for those who submit Form W-7, Application for IRS Individual Taxpayer Identification Number in person.
•Where’s My Refund?: Taxpayers can check their refund status and estimated delivery date.
•Free File: Free tax software offered through IRS partners to allow you to file
your taxes online.
•Get Transcript: Order a transcript online or have it mailed to the residence we have on file for you.
•Direct Pay: Make tax payments or estimated tax payments directly debited from a checking or savings account.
•Electronic Federal Tax Payment System: Individuals or businesses can make all types of federal tax payment.
•Online Payment Agreement: Eligible taxpayers can set up installment payments for taxes owed.
•Where’s My Amended Return?: Taxpayers can track the status of their amended return.
•Answers to tax-law questions: Direct links to helpful resources to answer many tax questions.
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