85085 Magazine - June 2020

JUNE 2020

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Goldwater grad Kailee Morgue explores genres in 'Bedroom'

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Who Wants Free Books?

The Deer Valley Unified School District invites your child to join the Big Kid Book Club! Let us help your child cultivate a love for reading – and get ready for kindergarten. We will periodically send your child a free book in the mail along with helpful advice for parents of 3-5 year olds.

All children ages 3-5, who are not yet attending kindergarten, are eligible to join the Big Kid Book Club.

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JUNE 2020 | 85085

3

JUNE 2020 | Volume 7 | Issue 6

Publisher Steve T. Strickbine steve@timespublications.com

features

14

Vice President Michael Hiatt mhiatt@timespublications.com

Fortunate Soul

85085’s Kailee Morgue explores genres on ‘Bedroom’

Executive Editor Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Assistant Editor Connor Dziawura cdziawura@timespublications.com

16 fresh 6 7 8 9

Take Two

Trixter’s Mark Gus Scott turns hit into ‘power country’ song

24 Feeling the Chill

Uncle Joey’s brings the ice to the North Valley

Winding Path

The future is questionable, but DVUSD is ready

home What is the future of our future?

27 Celebrating Fathers 28 Extraordinary Rides

Production Manager Courtney Oldham

Handmade crafts are always appreciated by dad

The company takes to Facebook to entertain fans

Organized Play

Mercedes-Benz CLA250 is an excellent driving experience

Pool toys don’t need to wreck the backyard aesthetic

10 Real Estate Report

Buyers are ‘cautiously’ searching for homes

29 What’s Cooking? with Jan D’Atri Big Daddy Burger

30 Backyard Party

New sports bar is where neighbors get their ‘grubb’ on

travel

32 Sips-n-Snow

12 Uniquely Arizona

Winslow’s Meteor Crater impresses the world

features Bree Garcia rises to the top of the podium in year one

business

Two sisters open food truck in shadow of tragedy

better Tune in to men’s hearing loss

35 Java Talk

Is coffee really that bad for me?

36 Survival of the Fittest

20 ‘A Big Month for Us’

Anthem’s SWEAT helps members thrive through pandemic

Vendvana celebrates its year anniversary

22 Selling Confidence

38 Brainteasers

Dark Horse Training wants to train the world in self-defense

King crossword and sudoku puzzles

On the cover: Kailee Morgue Photo courtesy: Republic Records

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85085 | JUNE 2020

85085 Magazine sets high standards to ensure forestry is practiced in an environmentally responsible, socially beneficial and economically viable manner. This issue was printed on recycled fibers containing 10% post consumer waste, and with inks containing a blend of soy base. Our printer is a certified member of the Forestry Stewardship Council, the Sustainable Forestry Initiative, and additionally meets or exceeds all federal Resource Conservation Recovery Act standards

34 Ask the Expert

18 Grappling Girl

85085magazine.com

Circulation

food

11 Some Thoughts on Father’s Day The paternal holiday needs a little respect

Staff Photographer Pablo Robles

Marketing Director/ Social Media Manager Eric Twohey eric@85085magazine.com

July event gives teens the ‘prom experience’

Starlight Community Theater

Contributors Pastor David Bowen, Dr. Kelly P. Conroy, Jan D’Atri, Griffin Fabits, Dr. Curtis Finch, Jadyn Fisher, Shannon Fisher, C.A. Haire, Dr. Brian Hester, Heather Maxwell, Claire Natale, Shelley Sakala, Annika Tomlin, Judge Gerald A. Williams

Advertising sales@85085magazine.com (623) 299-4965

26 Family

Filling a Void

Graphic Designer Shannon Mead

facebook.com/85085magazine

@85085mag | #local85085

85085 Magazine is published 12 times a year for full saturation distribution in Sonoran Foothills, Norterra, Fireside, Deer Valley Airpark, Dynamite Mountain Ranch, Carefree Crossing, Valley Vista, and Amber Hills. You can also pick up 85085 Magazine at many businesses including specialty shops, salons, spas, auto dealerships, libraries, children’s and women’s specialty shops, boutiques, restaurants, health clubs, hotels, medical offices, and many rack locations. Statements, opinions, and points of view express written consent by the writers and advertisers and are their own, and do not necessarily represent those of the publishers, editors, or 85085 Magazine staff. Although 85085 Magazine has made every effort to authenticate all claims and guarantee offers by advertisers in the magazine, we cannot assume liability for any products or services advertised herein. No part of 85085 Magazine can be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the express written consent of the publisher. Publisher reserves the right to accept or reject any editorial or advertising matter at any time.

Postmaster: Please return all undeliverable copies to AIM, 1236 W. Southern Avenue, Ste 105, Tempe, AZ 85282.

Yearly subscriptions available; twelve issues mailed directly to your mailbox for $19.95 per year (within the U.S.). All rights reserved. ®2020 Affluent Publishing, LLC. Printed in the USA.

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CURT'S CORNER

Winding Path The future is questionable, but DVUSD is ready

By Dr. Curtis Finch Deer Valley Unified School District Superintendent

N

ow that the school year is finished, there are many people to thank who helped make the Deer Valley Unified School District “home learning” so successful.

There is no crystal ball to tell us if the next school year will start normal, entirely virtual or as a hybrid. If the COVID-19 numbers continue to improve, testing increases and the economy goes back to normal, there is a possibility DVUSD will open school in August as planned. We do not know where the winding path is leading next, but rest assured we are prepared.

There are three groups to be thankful for the wildly successful transition from brick-and-mortar to fully online—the DVUSD community pre-COVID, the current DVUSD staff and community, and the future learners.

After talking to many superintendents and leaders throughout the state, DVUSD was one of the most successful districts in bringing services to our community.

From lunches to learning, DVUSD teams properly followed CDC guidelines and performed excellent services and quality virtual instruction.

There are several reasons why past decisions supported our path of success. First, a decade-long commitment to technology integration began with the community supporting our bonds and overrides. Be-

cause of this commitment, DVUSD had the right number of servers, routers and connectivity points for staff and students.

Second, solid student management and instructional systems in place turned out to be priceless. Teachers and district staff before—and directly following—the closure participated in hundreds of hours of training, leading to exceptional instruction in a tough environment.

Third, the commitment to providing a one-to-one computer secondary learning environment allowed more than 10,000 computers to be in the hands of students before COVID-19 and another 4,000 easily disseminated after the closure.

Lastly, the culture, organization, structure, and commitment to personal learning communities were instrumental in binding the DVUSD staff together socially and

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85085 | JUNE 2020

B A P T I S T

C H U R C H

emotionally. This three-month adventure reminded us that human connectivity is just as important as learning, and the very reason public schools even exist.

The DVUSD staff responded beautifully to the crisis as it unfolded each day on national news. The district office designed the learning structure and rolled out a simple, but calculated, learning plan for effective instruction and connectivity. The governing board, administration and staff executed the plan with extreme grace, patience and creativity. Parents, students and the community worked with each DVUSD staff member to meet the needs of every student.

Payroll, meal distribution, printing services, human resources, support staff and multiple virtual committees continued to adjust to each turn in the path.

Because we do not know exactly where this path leads, it will be imperative to continue to rely on each other. Collaboration helped us be successful before—and during—COVID-19, so let us keep on this path for starting the next school year. The governor, legislators, community leaders and DVUSD staff working together will be the only way to proceed for the betterment of students. As John Maxwell says, “Teamwork makes the dream work!”

Dr. Curtis Finch is the DVUSD superintendent and can be reached at superintendent@dvusd.org.

SCHOOLS

Filling a Void

July event gives teens the ‘prom experience’

By Jadyn Fisher

A

mid the chaos of the past couple months, with the final weeks of school, graduations and proms having to be canceled, a lot of students—especially seniors—are missing out on a big part of the high school experience.

To make the situation better, the Chandler High School student body president stepped up and, with the help of a student advisory board, they created the AZ Prom Experience, a two-day prom set for Friday, July 17, and Saturday, July 18, at an undisclosed location.

All proceeds will be donated to students and families who have been affected by COVID-19.

Any Arizona student aged 16 to 18 is invited to the event, as well as seniors who are 19 and attended the 2019-20 school year. Early bird tickets start at $70 and include a $20 food credit. The event, sponsored

by Nick’s Menswear, features Satyr, a local DJ company.

“The event is sure to excite every student who saw their proms slip away this year,” says Austin Morrow, student advisory board president.

“This is prom meets house party meets live music. We’ll kick things off with a pre-prom tailgate filled with local vendors from all across the state making sure you have the most amazing food for an amazing night.”

For the main event, Morrow says, “We’ll have multiple stages occupied by local artists and national talents alike bringing you amazing live music. The stages will also include incredible DJs making sure everyone will be dancing all night long.”

The night will end with fireworks.

“We wanted to make sure no student missed out on their chance to create memories that last a lifetime,” Morrow says. “We saw an opportunity to give back to so many people across this great state by creating an event that is sure to generate the most incredible memories for students to create. Prom is such an important chapter in all of our lives, and we want to make sure we get to have that.”

This event really shows the spirit of giving back during this stressful time and is sure to be a big hit among students statewide. For more information about The AZ Prom experience, visit azpromexperience. com or follow its Instagram @azpromexperience.

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ARTS

Starlight continues to shine The company takes to Facebook to entertain fans

By Annika Tomlin

T

hrough all of COVID-19’s drama, theater patrons can still get their fix, thanks to Starlight Community The-

ater.

“We’re mainly operating via Facebook,” says Dan Ashlock, Starlight Community Theater’s artistic director.

“We are doing what we call a ‘Starlight Fan Video,’ where we ask our members to send in videos of them singing Broadway songs and we post one every day.”

Members chosen songs from musicals like “Into the Woods,” “Grease” and “Seussical.”

“Absolutely my favorite part is seeing how many people are being touched by fan videos,” Ashlock says. “Seeing the comments from the people that are enjoying videos and really just seeing how much fun people are having by watching the videos.”

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85085 | JUNE 2020

Ashlock says if the company runs out of videos to post he will contribute a song or two of his own.

“I’ve considered doing something from ‘Camelot’ or something from ‘Hairspray,’ which are two completely different shows,” Ashlock says.

While Facebook videos help to keep the theater members engaged, there are several others who can’t wait to hit the stage again.

“Our show ‘Radium Girl’ that was in production when we closed has been having online rehearsals,” Ashlock says. “Once we’re able to reopen we’re hoping that we’ll get that show up and running within the next couple of weeks.”

“Charlotte’s Web” was also in mid-production when the closures happened. Ashlock and his team keep in contact with the child cast members to rehearse online.

“With them Zooming for school, by the time they get done with that and then come to

Zoom for Starlight, they’re kind of scattered,” Ashlock says. “I think they want the social interaction more than they want to practice the script, so we’re just letting that be as it is.”

A third production, “Rock of Ages,” was pushed back because of the closure and will be rescheduled.

“Right before the closure, we cast ‘Rock of Ages,’” Ashlock says. “We’ve had distribution of music and scripts during the closure.

“Our plan once we fully open is to have these three shows go on. We may have to make adjustments for the season that is supposed to start in August.”

Starlight’s board of directors has been meeting regularly to discuss when the theater will reopen and how the company will proceed with rescheduling.

“Because we operate with an audience, when we reopen it will come down to whether or not people will come see live theater and support us,” Ashlock says.

In the meantime, the company just finished its first completely digital production during the last week of May called “The Virtual Family” by Jeremy Johnson.

“The play is a series of skits that show family members, pets and appliances in this day and age of quarantine, and it’s an all-ages script,” Ashlock says.

In the play, the “Virtuals” are part Griswalds, part Jetsons, with a slew of technological advances that are meant to make life easier and bring the family together. However, the family becomes more disconnected. The 11-person cast shows people that maybe technological advances aren’t all they’re cracked up to be.

Ashlock and the rest of the Starlight crew hope to reopen when the time is right—and safe.

“Because we are an arts organization that relies on ticket sales, it’s really important to say that we have a lot of donors who have come forward and have been giving us money to keep going,” Ashlock says. “We are thankful for them.”

For up-to-date information about the status of Starlight Community Theater and to see more fan singing videos or the production of “The Virtual Family,” visit its Facebook page.

C LO S E TO H O M E

Organized Play

Pool toys don’t need to wreck the backyard aesthetic

By Shelley Sakala

I

f you give a kid a pool, he’ll want pool toys.

And if he gets pool toys, you’ll need a place to store them.

It doesn’t feel like summer until you break out the rafts, noodles, beach balls, goggles and dive sticks. Pool toys are great.

It’s the storage that’s a problem.

It seems like the default storage Stay Organized method is to pile everything up PVC pipe and joint fittings from any home imon the pool deck until the next provement store lets you create a relatively swim session. Aside from wreckcheap and easy framework for organizing ing your backyard aesthetic, a rafts and pool noodles. stack of wet rafts and inflatable pizza slices makes a perfect hidframe and ing spot for critters and creatures seeking nylon mesh sides and floor, almost resembling shade and moisture in the Arizona heat. a giant playpen. It doesn’t hide your pool toys, But with a little investment in pool storage, but it keeps them all in one place. And the mesh you can easily corral every last beach ball, panels allow toys to air dry and resist mildew. floatie and kickboard. The key is finding a Budget priced at $75 on Amazon. storage solution that checks all your boxes, The caddy including your preferences for capacity, organization, weather protection, and proximity Big, floppy rafts and oversized pool noodles to your pool. There’s no right answer—only tuck nicely in a poolside float caddy. While the right answer for your situation. A small these don’t offer much protection from sun household with just a couple of rafts has dif- and wind, they do keep your toys nicely orgaferent needs than the family of six with every nized and easy to reach. The Crossley Palm pool toy ever made. So, with this in mind, here Harbor Wicker Float Caddy is available at are five different storage solutions for pool toys. Home Depot for $198. It features a steel frame and UV-resistant wicker construction.

Treasure chest The life expectancy of pool toys left outside is rarely more than one season. If the sun doesn’t bake them, the next monsoon will carry them away to the neighbor’s house. A large, hinged outdoor chest secures everything in one place while offering protection from the elements. Prices range up to $600 or more, depending on size and materials.

Tough, UV-protected versions are made of durable, weatherproof resin (similar to the material used to make Igloo ice chests). Higher-end version are built from wicker, cedar or acacia. The Novel 90-Gallon Resin Desk Box is available on wayfair.com for about $70.

The big basket

If you favor function over form, consider the Rolling Pool Storage Bin. It features a PVC

an interior shelf for stacking and organizing.

Made of double-wall resin to keep contents safe from the sun, wind and rain. $265 at Lowe’s.

The locker

The deck box

One of the more elegant storage solutions you’ll find is the Goplus Outdoor Storage Shed. Over 5 feet tall, with adjustable shelves.

It’s a large and functional wood furniture piece resembling something used to store the pool towels at a swanky resort. $280 on Amazon.

If you’re not ready drop more than $70 on a toy bin, there are plenty of DIY ideas on Pinterest that even a minimally handy person could master. You get the same storage result at a fraction of the cost. And you can invest the money you save in more pool toys!

The Suncast 195 Gallon Java Deck Box has tons of storage space, plus three-door access and

Shelley Sakala is a local Realtor with The Sakala Group, and an 85085 resident.

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HOMES

Real Estate Report Buyers are ‘cautiously’ searching for homes

By Shelley Sakala

O

ne of the residual effects of the COVID-19 health crisis has been a pause in the real estate market—not an uptick or a downturn, but a pause. Homeowners and home buyers are unsure of what exactly to do. On the one hand, there is uncertainty in the job market. On the other hand, historically low interest rates are creating excellent buying opportunities.

At the first sign of economic trouble, homeowners tend to refer to the real estate bubble of 2008 as a guide. Even though that was more than a decade ago, many people are just now climbing back into the positive column with their home values. A big difference, however, between the 2008 economic downturn and the one we’re in now is that the current economic challenges are not driven by real estate. There may be a net effect on the housing market—but unlike 12 years ago, real estate did not cause this problem. Here are five things that happened during the mortgage crisis that are not happening now: 1. Banks are not doing the same risky and irresponsible loans. Back in 2008 there were 3.1 million foreclosures in the United States. Banks are not eager to return to the business of home ownership.

2. The growth in 2020 home values has been slow and steady—not propped up by new investors flooding the marketplace and driving up the demand.

3. Despite current economic challenges, home prices aren’t dropping.

Average price per square foot in Phoenix in February was $185, up from $184 the previous year. While it’s certainly worth keeping an eye on home prices as we navigate the COVID-19 crisis, average home values are presently holding.

4. The federal government’s decision to launch economic stimulus and recovery programs relatively early in this health crisis has helped homeowners stay current on mortgages. Back in 2008, the recovery programs came far too late for many people. The economic damage was already done.

5. Recovery legislation in 2008 was specifically designed to assist the homeowner. The current recovery legislation is designed to keep Americans working and includes major assistance for small-business owners.

We’ve spoken with other Realtors to see what they’re experiencing in the market. Local Realtor Andy Benoit with HomeSmart shared an interesting observation: “I currently have a listing in 85085 that has experienced a drop in the amount of showings. That same listing, however, continues to rank high in viewings across all the real estate search engine sites, which tells me that buyers, while still interested, are keeping their fingers on the pulse of the market.”

But are buyers nervous?

“I think ‘cautious’ is a better word,” Benoit says. “Before social distancing, they were running to find a new house—and now they are on a slow walk.”

Shelley Sakala is a local Realtor with The Sakala Group, and an 85085 resident.

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85085 | JUNE 2020

PERSPECTIVE

Thoughts on Father’s Day The paternal holiday needs a little respect

By Judge Gerald A. Williams North Valley Justice Court

F

ather’s Day often seems to lack the sentimental appeal that often accompanies Mother’s Day. Ironically, Father’s Day originated in part because the daughter of a single father thought only honoring mothers was inappropriate.

Sonora Dodd, whose mother died during childbirth, was listening to a church on Mother’s Day. She concluded that her father should receive similar recognition, and because his birthday was in June, she selected a day in June to honor fathers. Her idea slowly caught on.

In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge issued a proclamation for a day to promote the bond between fathers and their children and “to impress upon fathers the full measure of their obligations,” which sounds more like a phrase from a court order than the basis for a holiday.

Father’s Day was not a national holiday until 1966. That year, President Lyndon Johnson declared that the third Sunday in June would be designated as Father’s Day. President Richard Nixon made this designation permanent in 1972.

The importance of fathers has not always been recognized. In family law, there was a concept known as the tender years doctrine.

It was based on a belief that women going through a divorce should automatically be given custody of any children younger than 4 years old because women possess a natural ability to nurture that men lack. In 1873, the British Parliament extended this presumption until children turned 16.

Until the late 1960s, the tender years doctrine was the child custody standard throughout the United States. Thankfully, every state has replaced it with a gender-neutral best interests of the child standard, where there is no automatic presumption for either the mother or the father.

A father is more than merely a second adult who happens to be around children. Men and women are different and parent differently.

Children benefit when they have both. While many children of single parents have tremen-

dous success, if you were lucky enough to grow up in a two-parent home, be thankful.

Whatever your situation, if you had a father figure in your life, be thankful.

Judge Gerald A. Williams is the Justice of the Peace for the North Valley Justice Court. The court’s jurisdiction includes Anthem and Desert Hills.

Let’s remember our dads Some fathers are better than others. All fathers make mistakes. But hopefully you had a father that you were always able to look up to, no matter how tall you grew.

Mark Twain apparently noted, “When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much he had learned in seven years.”

This year Father’s Day falls on June 21.

Remember it in any way you feel appropriate.

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NEW ADVENTURES

Meteor Crater

meteorcrater.com

Winslow’s Meteor Crater impresses the world

By Claire Natale

N

amed one of the Seven Wonders of the World 2020 by Conde Nast Traveler, Winslow’s Meteor Crater is awe inspiring.

As one of the world’s few meteorite impact sites, Meteor Crater is considered to be the best-preserved on the planet. At 550 feet deep and almost a mile wide, the crater was formed in about 10 seconds when the meteorite, traveling at 26,000 mph, crashed

into the earth. The force of impact was 150 times greater than the atomic bomb that destroyed Hiroshima and equal to 20 million tons of TNT. The impact occurred during the last ice age, at a time when the Arizona landscape was cooler and wetter. Winslow was then covered with a forest, where mammoths, mastodons and giant ground sloths grazed, and the force of the impact leveled the forest and wiped out life for miles.

Arizona’s dry climate has helped preserve this crater. Little of the rim’s crest has eroded unlike most craters on Earth that are often erased by geological processes.

Daniel M. Barringer, a mining engineer and businessman, would have benefited from knowing that the meteorite vaporized. In 1903, Barringer believed the site was created by a large nickel-iron metallic meteorite. He formed a company, the Standard Iron Company, and staked claim to the land. He received a land patent signed

by Theodore Roosevelt, allowing the company to research the crater.

Barringer found fragments of oxidized iron meteorite in the surrounding area, leading Barringer to believe there must be a large deposit of meteoric iron below the surface.

Barringer spent the next 27 years drilling, mining and searching for iron ore, but no significant deposit was found. He had grand plans for the iron, estimating that if the iron were found, the amount would be valued at more than $1 billion in 1903.

Unfortunately, he lost his fortune trying to do so.

As one of the world’s few meteorite impact sites, Meteor Crater is considered to be the best-preserved on the planet. (Photos courtesy Evolve Public Relations and Marketing)

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85085 | JUNE 2020

The Barringer family, along with long-time Arizona ranching and business families the Tremaines and Chilsons, now own the site.

It’s been transformed into one of Arizona’s most enduring family attractions.

NASA ties

The Meteor Crater also has deep ties to NASA and space exploration. In the 1960s, astronauts preparing for the first moon landing worked and explored the crater’s rugged terrain. The move helped them train for what they could expect in space, because the Meteor Crater is one of the few impact sites that is still exposed.

The several hundred thousand visitors who trek to the Meteor Crater each year will see an Apollo space capsule, which commemorates the 50-plus-year relationship with NASA. Daily guided rim tours provide a fun, educational and interactive experience. The observation decks are equipped with telescopes so visitors can study the crater’s rock walls see the breathtaking desert landscape from the air-conditioned Meteor Crater Visitors Center.

This world-class attraction also features a museum and discovery center housing interactive displays with information about meteorites, asteroids, impact cratering mechanics and the formation of Meteor Crater.

The whole family will enjoy “IMPACT: The Mystery of Meteor Crater,” which is shown in the 80-seat big-screen theater, and the new, immersive 4D movie experience “Collision!

Left, The new, immersive 4D movie experience “Collision! You Can Help Save Earth” allows viewers to race the meteorite’s impact to help save the planet.

You Can Help Save Earth.” The film allows viewers to race the meteorite’s impact to help save the planet.

The Gift & Mineral Shop has minerals, jewelry, gems, American Indian art, sciencebased kids’ games, toys, shirts, hats and mugs.

Hungry guests can fill their tank at the

Blasted Bistro, which features fresh sandwiches, salads and sweets.

An on-site RV park offers housing and one of the finest star and sky shows in the Southwest. Set up camp and take in the views within the majestic pines, playground and dog park. Amenities include a gas station and general store. Humphreys Peak in Flagstaff is on the near horizon in the Western sky. Also nearby is the Grand Canyon, Havasupai Falls, Route 66, Snowbowl and Petrified Forest.

The Meteor Crater is open daily from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Elevators and ADA accessibility are available.

The Gift & Mineral Shop has minerals, jewelry, gems, American Indian art, science-based kids’ games, toys, shirts, hats and mugs.

JUNE 2020 | 85085

13

Fortunate Soul 85085’s Kailee Morgue explores genres on ‘Bedroom’

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

K

ailee Morgue is finding the COVID-19 quarantine difficult.

In late April, however, she released new music, something she had been hiding away—the EP “Here in Your Bedroom” featuring the single “Knew You.” “I know there isn’t much to look forward to these days,” says Morgue, who grew up in 85085. “I was looking forward to a couple of shows, and I know they’re going to get canceled. Concerts probably aren’t even going to come back for, like, another year. So, it’s going to be a weird adjustment. But I’m looking forward to hearing what fans say about the new music.”

The collection is a study in genres for the Goldwater High School graduate, who’s signed to Republic Records.

“I was just diving into different genres and seeing what I could really do as an artist and testing myself,” says Morgue, who initially attended Boulder Creek High School.

“I wasn’t even sure if this stuff was going to come out. I just wanted to try. I was listen-

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85085 | JUNE 2020

Kailee Morgue

mits, she didn’t want to ing to a lot of stuff that kaileemorgue.com indulge in love songs. is popular, like Charli But when the relationXCX, and thinking ship came into focus, she needed to. She about how I could take what I was already needed that honesty. doing but make it a little more modern.”

“I’ve finally allowed myself to start writing Her diverse inspirations are rooted in her love songs and about relationships,” Morgue parents’ taste. Her father enjoys punk and says.

“I never indulged in this style before. alternative music, while her mom is a little more mellow.

I’d just gotten into a relationship where I “I was really inspired by Sublime and the was constantly writing about love and that Red Hot Chili Peppers,” she says. “I know early Sublime stuff is actually really punk.

Then we go into Gang of Four and Black Flag and even modern pop-punk stuff like Neck Deep.

“Then my mom had me listening to a bunch of random people, like the Dixie Chicks. With all of that, I can pull from a lot of different places.”

The EP’s name, “Here in Your Bedroom,” is an ode to her father’s taste in music. It’s a reference to the Goldfinger song of the same name.

She’s embracing her diversity and her love life on the new EP. “Knew You” is also a sign that she’s embracing her love life, which pairs her with musician Ricky Anthony, who performs under Ricky Himself. Initially, she ad-

dynamic. I was super playful but honest. I’m being really open.”

The pop genre is weeping with break-up songs. Morgue didn’t find it difficult to steer away from that.

“The negative emotions are always going to be easier to write about and it has its uses like a coping mechanism, and people can relate to that, too, rather than something where like songs are too happy,” Morgue says.

“Writing is a huge part of coping and just communicating something that feels hard to talk about. So, I think talking about happier things is great because you want to live in them more. Before, I was mainly writing about the fear of love and heartbreak, and those negative emotions feel easier to convey over something like that.”

Anthony and Morgue are quarantining in Santa Clarita, California.

“I actually just moved back to California the week that the quarantine started,” she says. “I’m living back over here. I just got a new apartment, and I’m kind of still in the process of furnishing it and getting all the décor. It’s been a really interesting process, because that’s not really a priority when you can’t even get groceries and stuff that often.”

Morgue had the option to live in LA, but she wanted a separation between work and home.

“I knew I would be doing music sessions in Central LA,” she adds. “I wanted to drive 20 minutes out of LA to get to a quieter area.

It feels like Phoenix, to be honest—just the energy. It’s slower paced and quiet.”

The quarantine has spawned yet another new single. “Scream,” by Anthony and Morgue, is a sure-fire hit ballad.

“He’s been making music for, like, five, six years now,” she says. “It’s one of the first songs we did together, like when we were just friends still. It’s been really cool watching the process happen.”

Morgue, 21, says it’s nice to be with someone who understands her occupation and her dreams.

“At first, I was worried about dating a serious musician, because I thought maybe it would be too much music,” she says. “I thought it was going to be too much because our job would be so present in our relationship.

“It’s really nice because I think there are just some people who just don’t understand that super-close connection you can have with music. I’ve definitely dated people who just didn’t get it. It’s really nice to have somebody who puts more of themselves in music than I do.”

JUNE 2020 | 85085

15

Take Two Trixter’s Mark Gus Scott turns hit into ‘power country’ song

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Photos by Pablo Robles

M

usic fans worldwide have heard songs by the ’80s hair metal band Trixter. The “One in a Million” act’s drummer, Mark Gus Scott, hopes those listeners migrate to his songs.

The 85085 resident recently re-recorded the 1991 Trixter hit “Give It to Me Good” as a “power country” song—with him on vocals—in honor its 30th anniversary.

“I just want people to hear it,” Scott says.

“Whenever I have something come out, I want fans to go to my website and check it out. The whole industry is upside down. If you want to buy it, I’m not going to stop you. God bless you. I just wanted to do this song so bad.

I hope people like it and then share it. That’s what I think this is really about.”

“Give It to Me Good” is important to Scott, as the song changed his life. It was a Top 50 hit on Billboard’s Top 100 singles chart, was No. 1 on MTV, and led to a five-month North American tour with the Scorpions.

“Not sharing it is a crime,” he says about the song. “I’m bringing it to new markets— ‘power country.’ It’s got a country twist and transcends generations. My son is sharing it with his friends and they’re going crazy.

“The idea that it’s carrying on and people are embracing it is great.”

Scott says he coined the term “power country” after attending several country shows and seeing a tie between that genre and metal.

“I’ve gone to several country show—Eric Church, Toby Keith, Brad Paisley,” he says.

“All these guys come out playing heavy metal.

The crowds are going crazy. There’s a connection between today’s country and heavy metal rock.

“I would love for those audiences to bridge the gap. That’s where I came up with ‘power country.’ It’s basically country with a kick in the (butt). When you come from New Jersey, you think country music is ‘down south’ and old people listen to it. In the Southwest, there’s a different flavor to it. It’s a little more aggressive.”

The demographic is younger, he says.

“They still have life,” Scott adds. “Country needs a kick in the butt, and I want to give it

16

85085 | JUNE 2020

to them.”

His musical ally, Lou Piccadaci, co-produced the song, which takes the listener on a musical journey from country six-string acoustic to a rockin’ powerhouse hoedown.

Piccadaci, who lives in Surprise, defines his value not only as an engineer but with his superior guitar performance throughout the track.

“For the past few years, I got away from rock ’n’ roll and made a lot of music that touched my heart,” Scott says. “But one thing is for sure, I miss rocking and noth-

Mark Gus Scott is streaming his new single, a “power country” rendition of Trixter’s “Give It to Me Good,” on his website.

(Photo by Pablo Robles)

ing is better than playing music that truly drives you and an audience to throw your hands in the air and dance.”

Scott adds that Piccadaci has more talent than that. He’s a stellar pizza maker.

“He has a pizza oven in his backyard, and I was totally locked in when I heard that,” Scott says with a laugh. “He bribed me with pizza. He has that East Coast mentality with the pizza.

He knows what he’s doing. It’s thin crust.”

Scott first dabbled with vocals on “With You,” which combines an ’80s-style power ballad piano riff, symphonic orchestration and powerful melodic hooks—a big surprise for one of rock’s most wellknown drummers.

“I’ve never sang before,” he says. “I’m not playing just drums. I play all the instruments on the cut, except guitar. I’m a horrible guitar player.

“I wanted it done right and I wanted what’s best for the song. That’s more important than me playing all the instruments. I’ve never felt so strongly about putting words down on paper. I was trying to be emotional. I always thought I sucked as a songwriter, but something clicked and I felt passionate about it.

This one’s right on target.”

Both songs are available through Apple iTunes, Amazon Music, Google Music and CD Baby. Autographed CDs can be purchased at MarkGusScott.com.

He previously released “Christmas Miracle,” a holiday album that included his version of “Ave Maria.” The video features Scott performing among iconic Washington, D.C., landmarks, like the World War II Memorial.

He frequently supports veterans by playing taps at cemeteries in New York City and the Valley to honor fallen heroes during Veterans Day and Memorial Day. “The Christmas album was a real-deal, adult contemporary Christmas record,” he says. “I thought I should be opening for Bing Crosby. The band was doing ancillary projects. Now I had a focus and I knocked it out of the park. I love the way it came out.

“I’ve done a lot of music, but this power country is sticking with me,” he says. “‘Give It to Me Good’ is the perfect song to show people what I’m really all about. I feel this is going to define the direction I’m going to go on. It’s kind of old gospel or bluegrass with a heavy metal kick to it. I’m bringing it somewhere it hasn’t gone before.”

The parade drum

Scott’s family knew he would be a musician when he was about 7, after his grandmother bought a “big parade drum.” At the same time, his mother gave him his first album, “Elvis’ Golden Hits.”

“I turned ‘Hound Dog’ on and I beat the living crap out of that parade drum,” he says with a laugh. “It made me feel wonderful. I broke the drumhead and I thought, ‘What am I going to do?’ So, I flipped it over and started pounding the other side.”

His first concert was Foreigner on its “Foreigner 4” tour in 1981 at age 13. Immediately, he knew his calling.

“When that bass drum busted the waves of the room, I said, ‘OK. I know exactly what I want to do in life.’”

As a sophomore in high school, Scott re-

ceived the NAJE Special Citation for Musical Excellence and was granted admission to the University of Hartford Hartt School of Music.

He attended three summers studying piano, drums, trumpet and a curriculum that included jazz, classical, chamber music, rock, music theory and composition.

He also put his knowledge to use as a musician/songwriter and toured high schools and colleges throughout the country as a guest lecturer, teaching and promoting music, DARE and his drum instructional video/ teaching method, “Rock Solid.”

With Trixter, Scott sold more than 3 million albums worldwide, had three No. 1 videos on MTV, four Top 20 adult-oriented rock hits and hit No. 26 on Billboard album charts.

Trixter toured extensively in the United States, Canada and Japan in support of its five major-label releases. They shared stages with Kiss, the Scorpions, Bret Michaels, Poison, Ted Nugent, Night Ranger, Cinderella, Twisted Sister, Dokken, Warrant, Great White and Firehouse.

Trixter is on hiatus, which is why this was the perfect time for Scott’s singles.

“Some people don’t make the band a priority any longer,” he said. “In any business with four guys, if you all don’t agree on what you’re going to do with the business, the business suffers.”

Perhaps Trixter’s most well-known tour was 1991’s “Blood, Sweat and Beers” with Warrant and Firehouse. Next year is the 30th anniversary, and Scott is hoping Trixter reunites for it.

“It was more successful than we ever thought it would be,” he says.

“Warrant had ‘Cherry Pie.’ We had three No. 1 videos on MTV. Firehouse’s ‘Love of a Lifetime’ was just about to break. We just packed them in. Why shouldn’t we celebrate the 30th anniversary? We’re all here. What the hell? Fans ask about it. To not celebrate that, that would be a crime.”

Moving to Arizona

Scott considers Arizona his home, after living throughout the United States in and out of suitcases on tour.

“I was going through a divorce and was very unhappy,” he says.

A friend asked him to consider moving to the Valley.

“My first day of exploration, I was sold before lunchtime,” Scott explains. “I literally went to breakfast, saw mountains, went over there and knew I was sold. I’ve been here four years and I can’t tell you how much I truly

embrace the area.

“I can get anywhere in 20 minutes. I’m outside the circle of the 101. It’s more rural. I’m not in the thick of the madness of Phoenix. I look outside every morning and I can breathe.

Everything comes alive. It’s quiet—until I make some fricking noise (with music).”

Scott has friends in the area, including rock drummer “Wild” Mick Brown, who played with Dokken and Ted Nugent. The two spend their weekends riding motorcycles around Cave Creek.

“There’s something very comfortable about doing that just about every weekend,” Scott said.

“We do it 52 weeks. It may sound repetitive, but there’s something comfortable about it.

We have a special gang of five members. We’re a tight-knit group. It’s a wonderful brotherhood, and the motorcycle riding here is the best in the country—there are no potholes.”

Scott and Trixter singer Pete Loran record music for video games and movies.

“The whole thing started when we were doing sound effects for a video game and I started getting punchy,” Scott says with a laugh. “I pulled out the trumpet from the back of my car and it sounded really good.”

First and foremost, Scott is excited for the world to hear his music.

“I’ve never felt so strongly about my music,” he says. “I hope fans enjoy it as well.”

Mark Gus Scott markgusscott.com

JUNE 2020 | 85085

17

Grappling Girl Bree Garcia rises to the top of the podium in year one

By Griffin Fabits

B

ree Garcia admits there’s lots she doesn’t know about wrestling.

Coming off her first season on the Barry Goldwater High School girls’ wrestling team, Garcia says there’s still a good deal of it that befuddles her—the moves, the technique, the rules.

She found, though—after 10 years of competing in Brazilian jiujitsu—wrestling was similar enough for Garcia to swiftly transition from sport to sport.

At the very least, what she does know has served her well thus far. This school year, the sophomore Garcia won a girls’ wrestling state championship, becoming the school’s fi rst female to do so.

“I don’t even have the words for it,” she says.

“It’s something I was very excited I was able to do, and I’m very proud of myself because of it.”

Garcia had never competed in wrestling and never really knew of it as an option before this year, when she learned her school was home to a girls’ team. The Arizona Interscholastic Association added girls’ wrestling to its roster of winter sports in 2018.

Garcia is one of six girls in the Barry Goldwater wrestling program.

In October, weeks before the season began,

she slowly started to familiarize herself with the sport.

And it wasn’t long before she became enamored with it.

“Immediately, I fell in love with it,” Garcia says.

Garcia saw rapid improvement. And rapid improvement parlayed into a greater love for wrestling. From October to December, she had made the Barry Goldwater girls’ team, learned moves and techniques on the fly, and started to string wins together. She took first place in a December tournament, headlining a list of already-established, prominent female wrestlers around the state.

“I had a grasp of what I was going to be seeing when I went to state,” she says. “And I won that tournament.”

As the season progressed and the postseason neared, there was increasing certainty that Garcia could win her 130-pound weight class in the Division I conference. She steamrolled through the early rounds, entering the final day feeling “the best I’d ever felt.”

“I had a lot of emotions going,” she says. “I had my whole team there to support me. I was excited, ready, optimistic about it.”

When she toppled a Canyon Del Oro wrestler in the championship round, Garcia became Barry Goldwater’s fi rst girls’ state

champion—in just the school’s second year of having a program and in Garcia’s rookie season of wrestling.

Of course, Garcia’s rise to the top of the podium rests largely on the shoulders of the coaching staff and the support of her teammates. Without them, she reasons, she’s assured she wouldn’t have enjoyed this much success in year one.

“I have a great team to be on, especially my coaches. We have a female coach, which has been extremely beneficial for our team.

“They’ve just been there in my corner this whole time and have helped me through everything. My team especially, my girl teammates, they’ve been there every practice and are also great wrestlers, too.”

The focus now pivots to next season and beyond, to the final two years of high school that could potentially see her wind up a threetime state champion.

With that comes a responsibility, she feels, to grow the Barry Goldwater girls’ program from within.

“I just hope more people see Barry Goldwater as having a great wrestling team, especially for girls. I hope more girls try out and fall in love with it like how I did.”

There’s no timetable for when Garcia will get back to the wrestling room next, due to restrictions from the coronavirus, but she sees the coming months as a terrific chance to learn and study wrestling.

Again, she says, there’s so much left to learn.

“I hope I can learn some really cool moves and I can expand on what I’ve been doing.

There’s a lot I don’t know. It’s my first year.

I’ve been relying on some great techniques, but I know there’s a lot more out there for me to do.”

Bree Garcia’s wrestling career began in October, and her first season ended with her on top of the podium as a Division I state champion. Garcia is Barry Goldwater High School’s first girls’ wrestling champion. (Photo courtesy Bree Garcia)

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S P OT L I G H T Info: vendvana.com

‘A Big Month for Us’ Vendvana celebrates its year anniversary

By Heather Maxwell Executive Director Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce

M

ary Ellen Twohey used bartering as a tool for her business and had an epiphany. She wanted to build a community that changes lives through modernizing a proven concept.

A year ago this month, she founded Vendvana, which provides a trade exchange marketplace and collaborative community to members with access to new customers, stronger cash flow and increased buying power.

“June is a big month for us, as we are celebrating our launch a year ago,” Twohey says. “We are thrilled to be a part of this community and help others build better business through bartering.”

Why did you decide to open your business in the North Valley?

I have lived in the North Valley for 11plus years and this is where I love to call home. The North Valley is very welcoming to local businesses, which creates a great opportunity to build our Vendvana community with other like-minded members

The Anthem Area Leadership Academy works on a legacy project. (Photos courtesy Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce)

who help one another and make this the best place to live.

Do you own/operate any other businesses?

If so, what? And, how do those endeavors complement this business?

Yes, I am also the founder of Uncorked Media Group, which is an attention agency focused on achieving results for clients through helping them creatively reach their

customers through the right marketing messaging. Vendvana is essentially an additional marketing arm for our members.

We showcase their products and services to our captive community to facilitate trading and bring them new customers to fi ll unbooked appointments and buy extra inventory.

What are some of the most challenging aspects of running your business?

The concept of bartering may sound old school to some business owners, and we are educating them on how our bartering system can impact their bottom line by conserving cash, bringing in new customers and more business while eliminating their extra capacity. We encourage our members to search Vendvana for an item or service first and use their barter credit before paying cash.

What differentiates your business from your competitors?

Vendvana is a hand-selected community of like-minded professionals that is like a Vendvana’s team is, from left, Michelle Ruggiero, director of client services; Mary Ellen Twohey, founder; and Kathleen Blair, director of sales.

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RIGOR, RELEVANCE, AND RELATIONSHIPS

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The Anthem Area Leadership Academy participants visited the Arizona State Capitol and had lunch with the Karen Fann, president of the Senate.

big family. We have weekly Masterminds where we share barter tips, member successes and other tricks of the trade (pun intended) to help our members grow and succeed. We have created a collaborative environment where we invest our resources back into our members to help them build relationships, because we all want to do business with people we know and trust.

Do you participate in any local philanthropic efforts? If so, what and why? What does the future hold for your business?

Yes, we are members of Pledge 1% to give 1% of our time to local nonprofits and community organizations. Over the past year, we have volunteered at Local First Arizona events, chamber of commerce events and various art festivals. Giving back through volunteering allows us to further connect with the community we love to call home and inspire others.

What’s one of your favorite memories/ experiences as an Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce member?

I am in the Anthem Area Leadership Academy and super excited about the legacy project we are working on. Through video, we are giving a voice to the local business community and showcasing their stories during the COVID-19 situation. Stay tuned for the grand debut at the end of this year!

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21

TRAINING

Selling Confidence Dark Horse Training wants to train the world in self-defense

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Photos by Pablo Robles

C

hris Sebestyen is passionate about the safety of others.

Through Dark Horse Training 6, he ensures clients are confident about their gun-handling abilities.

“When I say ‘safety,’ I don’t mean your house or car,” says Sebestyen, an Anthem resident. “It’s more of a confidence you have in your ability to remain safe. I like to teach that part of it.

“Once I’m done training someone with a firearm, they have a different look in their eyes. There’s a confidence and they know they can defend themselves and their family.”

Dark Horse Training offers classes for every level of self-defense, including pistol, rifle, long-range, designated marksman, shotgun and suppressed weapons. Sebestyen also offer courses on gun basics, such as cleaning, assembly and disassembly, and how to build your first automatic rifle.

“I mainly work out of my house,” Sebestyen says. “I sell and build firearms and transfer firearms. I do a lot of gun transfers, too. My primary location is at Ben Avery, where my classes are on one of their main three ranges that’s private.”

His classes range from $120 to $250, de-

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pending if they’re beginning or advanced.

Sebestyen offers discounts for first responders, military, law enforcement, nurses, teachers and real estate agents.

“I have rifle-building classes once a month,” Sebestyen says. “We’ll shoot it and I’ll give you a discount on the first class. I really just want people to have that comfort. It’s an uneasy feeling if you don’t know what you’re doing—especially during the pandemic.

People who were first-time buyers, they didn’t know what they wanted. They just knew they needed a firearm.”

Sebestyen will prep buildings for gun ownership, too, to make sure the weapon is out of the sight of children, and how to access it if someone did enter the home.”

Record holder Sebestyen’s father had a number of firearms when he was growing up and frequently took his son shooting. He joined the Boy Scouts at a “very early age” and has the title of youngest Eagle Scout in California. It was there that he was exposed to firearm safety and archery.

“In the ’90s, I was living in San Diego,” he explains. “There was no war going on. I lived between Camp Pendleton Marine Base and San Diego Naval Base. A lot of my friends were higher-end special warfare operators.

They took me under their wings because I wasn’t military, and they trained with me. It bumped my skillset up.”

One person with whom he trained was former U.S. Army Ranger and CIA security contractor Kris Paronto, who is known for his heroic actions during the 2012 terrorist attack on the U.S. ambassador to Libya, Chris Stephens.

“Kris Paronto is a friend of one of my friends here in town, who is an Army Ranger,” he adds.

“It’s a small world when you start to pick those pieces apart. I was fortunate to spend time with those guys and pick their brains.”

Sebestyen’s students are generally between mid-20s to mid-40s—many of them are females.

“The funny part of it is, the females will outshoot the males in my classes,” he says.

“The hit percentage is 85% and most guys are 75%, which I find pretty funny. The guys get a little riled, especially when their wives are taking the classes.

“Women just have an inherent calmness about them that guys do not possess. Women possess an inherent calmness with a firearm.”

Gun sales, he says, increased during the pandemic. He normally sells 10 to 15 guns a month.

“During the pandemic, I was selling or transferring over 200 a month,” he says.

“When fear is introduced into the public, the first thought is to protect themselves and their families and to protect where they live and the things they gathered, like food and water, for example.

“We, as Americans, have an inherent nature to buy a fi rearm. Th is country was formed fighting for freedoms from the British with firearms. We’ve learned guns are the best line of defense. Even though Hollywood glamorizes it, I teach in my class all the time to not hide behind your car door when someone’s shooting at you.”

Self-defense classes Dark Horse Training 6 offers a variety of self-defense training classes, too, such as close-quarters defense, weapons defense with edged and nonedged weapons, pistols and rifles. Since March, when COVID-19 swept the world, Sebestyen has seen an uptick in people signing up for martial arts classes.

“People are signing up left and right,” he says. “Being able to defend themselves from an attacker is key.”

Sebestyen trains with Omur Cor at Infinite Brazilian Jiujitsu and Mixed Martial

Arts in Anthem, and with Daniel Madrid at Legion MMA in Deer Valley Business Park in Phoenix.

“I started training jiujitsu three years ago,” Sebestyen says. “I found jiujitsu and MMA enhance your ability to defend yourself. Everybody has that darkness in their brain. They keep that at bay, but I could harness that if the need would arise. Krav maga is another great martial art.”

He works with Florida’s Force IMI, which uses advanced methods and skills derived from the Israeli military and Homeland Security experience.

“I’ve traveled to a lot of places and seen the different walks of life,” Sebestyen says. “We’re so fortunate to live in a country that is truly free, where we don’t have to worry as much about defending ourselves on a daily basis like in South America, the Middle East or Europe.

You see that the lack of empathy for regular life isn’t there and people would take your life without thinking twice. It’s scary to me that we would treat another human that way.

“I heard a podcast with Dakota Meyer,

Dark Horse Training 6 623-696-3899 darkhorsetraining6.com

the youngest Medal of Honor recipient. The story he told (about the Middle East) was heart-wrenching. These people have no care for what they do to you, yet they found other fighters who lived in the country who were kindhearted and wanted to fight against terrorism. How can that dichotomy exist in one country? That brutality and evil is unheard of. I want to make sure I’ve trained enough people to defend ourselves.”

In the meantime, gun owners should always refresh their skills to maintain that innate confidence.

“I want you to leave the class with it,” he says. “If you haven’t gained that, come back to a second class. If someone hadn’t shot a gun in 10 years and had to defend their life, their trigger discipline wouldn’t be good. If people don’t actively train, they are at a disadvantage.

I don’t sell firearms training. That confidence is what will win in a fight.”

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S P OT L I G H T

Feeling the Chill Uncle Joey’s brings the ice to the North Valley

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

T

he most fun Joey Hunsader had was as a child, driving his car around Janesville, Wisconsin, delivering pizzas.

After a stint with the military and a desk job with USAA, the North Phoenix resident decided he needed to have more moments like those.

Uncle Joey’s Ice and Bites food truck made its debut in mid-May, selling Italian ice and dairy-free ice cream.

“The dairy-free ice cream is coconut based,” Hunsader says. “It tastes just like regular ice cream. I’ve given it to some customers, and they said, ‘This has no dairy in it?’ and they double take the menu. It’s vegan, too.

“It’s a big hit right now with everything that’s going on. It’s like comfort food.”

Hunsader chose coconut-based dairy treats because of the ease of making and keeping the product.

“It’s a little better for your gut, too,” he says.

“I noticed that when I ate dairy and went out in the sun, my gut felt like it was curdling.”

Italian ice was a no-brainer. He and his family drove from Janesville to the heart of Chicago to get Midwest-style Italian ice.

New York Italian ice is watery, he says, while

Philadelphia’s is more like shaved ice with a rough texture.

“When I was a child, my Uncle Mike brought this to my attention,” Hunsader says. “I thought I’d bring Chicago-style Italian ice to Phoenix. There’s nothing here like Chicagostyle Italian ice. It’s smooth and it’s nothing like shaved ice.

“When mine hits your tongue, you’ll think this is different. It doesn’t taste like shaved ice. That’s why I wanted to bring it here. When people say, ‘I’ve never had that before,’ it makes me happy.”

Moving to Arizona was a dream for Hunsader. When he was a child, his family flew to Phoenix and then drove to Tucson to visit his grandparents.

“That’s where the seed was planted in my head,” he adds. “When I was 18 and out of

Uncle Joey’s Ice and Bites has smallbatch Italian ice and homemade dairyfree ice cream, starting at $3 and $4, respectively. (Photos by Nicole M. Pavey)

high school, I packed up and drove my car down here—just me and MapQuest.”

Hunsader landed his first job in pipeline construction and later joined the Marine Corps. He lived in Okinawa for three years and saw combat in Afghanistan for four years.

When he returned to Phoenix, he served as an USAA customer service representative.

“That’s what got me into this role,” Hunsader says. “It really wasn’t for me. I’m glad I did it to get the experience, though. I quit my job in February, right before this coronavirus stuff started. It was a blessing in disguise.”

After coming up with the idea for the food truck, he needed the vehicle. He bought an enclosed trailer from Deer Valley Trailer and “started knocking it out.” For two weeks, Hunsader, his father and uncle build “a little house on a trailer”—the HVAC, plumbing and windows.

“My dad is ready to do it again,” he says with a laugh. “He says we can get one done in half the time now.”

Hunsader says he can serve any flavor imaginable for his Italian ice, ranging from pina colada and mango to tropical punch.

Joey Hunsader served time in the Marine Corps before opening Uncle Joey’s Ice and Bites

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“Uncle” Joey Hunsader says one of his favorite flavors at his food truck is tropical punch Italian ice.

There’s no holding back with his dairy-free ice cream.

“Everybody’s favorite is salted caramel dairy-free ice cream,” Hunsader says. “I really don’t have any set flavors. I want to try a lot and see what people like and do crazy stuff. I want to do polls online with 10 different flavors and see what people like. Once I get the following, I’ll start to do that stuff on social media.”

Hosting tastings has lived up to Hunsader’s expectations. He announces his locations via social media.

“This doesn’t feel like a job,” he says. “That’s why I wanted to get into this line of work again. I just want to have fun. I’m done working and I want to have fun with life.”

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JUNE 2020 | 85085

25

F A M I LY

What is the future of our future?

By Pastor David Bowen Standing Stones Community Church Standing Stones Christian Academy

T

he Summer Olympics have been postponed for a year. The “Happiest Place on Earth,” Disneyland, has been closed since March 14. Recently the New York Times reported Disney, and its 14 theme parks with an annual attendance of 157 million, does not know when or how it is going to reopen. Disney’s eight studios, which last year controlled 40% of the domestic box office, is also dark and at a standstill. Many primetime television series had to end their season several episodes early.

Professional sports have no clear plan to begin playing, and when they do resume playing games again, will it be in empty stadiums? For the first time in over a 2,000year period, churches were closed for Easter, forced to go to online-only services.

Kids—well, really parents—were forced to make an abrupt switch to homeschool.

School graduations, birthday parties and even weddings were forced to be canceled or rescheduled. So, when life does get back to “normal,” what will “normal” look like?

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Families will have to continue to adjust.

Before anyone had even heard the term coronavirus, statistics were projecting a future increase in multigenerational families, largely due to the high cost of living in major metropolitan areas. With many parks and playgrounds closed, families have been forced to learn how to play around or close to home. Despite facing uncertain circumstances, I have found it encouraging that many adults are expressing how grateful they are to have this family time together.

Families are watching movies together and parents are working from home—and working a little less. Board games are being dusted off and family connections are being renewed and strengthened.

The hardest aspect of our new “normal” has been for those who are ill, especially those who had to be hospitalized, because visitors are no longer allowed to sit and add comfort to one’s bedside. In these cases, I have seen friends and neighbors step up and bring meals to concerned family members. I have heard people expressing how they are praying for one another. In this time of isolation, people seem to be coming together. With our lifestyles being

forced to slow down, some positive, good things have come out of this shelter-athome experience.

As restaurants and stores begin to reopen and as people begin to go back to a regular work schedule, and in the fall when kids go back to school, what will our future look like? Will we go back to the fast-paced, toomuch-on-our-plates way of life or will we carry some of the habits and routines we have been forced to adopt into our normal day-to-day? I hope we do. Are we more isolated when we are free to do as we please or when we are forced to stay at home? I would argue that we are far more isolated from neighbors and family when we have a “normal” setting. If this virus has done anything for our culture, I think it has made people more optimistic. I am hearing far more people make comments like “we’ll get through this” and “everything is going to be OK.” This is a welcome change from the common pessimistic, complaining attitude and behavior that snuck into our hearts and life. Maybe we should schedule a time each year to shelter at home and enjoy quality time with our loved ones. Just a thought.

Stay safe!

CRAFTS

Celebrating Fathers Handmade crafts are always appreciated by dad

By Shannon Fisher

F

ather’s Day is coming up on June 21.

Here are crafts you can create to celebrate dad.

A handmade card is always a hit with dad.

Start with colored paper and fold it in half.

Next, cut out a sun shape and glue it down.

You can draw a face with a pen or marker.

Next, use uncooked noodles to add sun rays.

You can glue these with regular glue or a glue gun. Add what you want to say on the card.

We put, “You are My Sunshine Dad!” You can add a message inside, and you have a card ready to give on Father’s Day. Another easy way to package a small gift for dad is using an empty toilet paper roll.

You can add a small gift inside or even just write a note. After your gift is inside, fold in both sides of the roll by pressing the circle in and pinching the edges. If you want, you can color or paint the outside of the roll, but we just left ours plain. To finish it off, use ribbon or paper to decorate the box. Hope dad enjoys his special wrapped gift!

Most dads would love a gift of service. You can give dad a helping hand by first tracing your hand on a colored sheet of paper. Stack a couple more papers and place the drawn

hand on top. Carefully cut around the hand you drew while cutting through the stack of papers. This is an easy way to cut out multiple hands at once. Now, add the acts of service you want to do for dad on the hands. Use a ribbon or little metal ring like we had to clamp the hands all together. You can add a tag or make a note for dad to add to his helpinghand gift.

I hope you all have an amazing day celebrating someone special in June. Happy Father’s Day to all the dads!

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JUNE 2020 | 85085

27

WHEELS

Extraordinary Rides Mercedes-Benz CLA250 is an excellent driving experience

By C.A. Haire

M

any years ago, German luxury car makers only wanted to sell expensive cars. They were not too happy entering the lower-price market, and the cars’ poor performance in that segment showed.

This situation has changed.

Today, if a customer’s first-time experience with a brand is not pleasant, they will shop somewhere else. With competition being fierce, manufacturer can’t afford that. This brings us to the Mercedes CLA250, a small “Baby Benz” that offers the quality and per-

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formance buyers want—at the low starting price of $36,000.

Naturally, there are the usual options adding to the profit margin. How can we live without those larger 18-inch wheels, blindspot assist, SiriusXM radio, heated seats, interior lighting, wireless charging, navigation and larger info screen? The fact the total tab to be a Mercedes owner here is only $42,000 will probably be the main selling point.

So, do we get a “real” Mercedes for this money? The answer is yes. The little, 2.0-liter turbo engine is only rated at 221 horsepow-

The Mercedes-Benz CLA250 Sedan has a 2.0-liter turbo engine that is only rated at 221 horsepower but is powerful enough once underway. (Photo by C.A. Haire)

er but is powerful enough once underway, helped by a slick seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Fuel economy is claimed to be 24/35 mpg. At 75 mph cruising, this car obtained 34, which is close enough. The computer offers four drive modes: comfort, eco, sport and individual. The gauge cluster also has four settings: classic, sport, progressive and understated.

We took this CLA on many back-country areas with tight twisty roads. The performance did not disappoint. Th is engine is strong, smooth and quiet. The cornering ability is excellent, as is its stability at high speed. The brakes have great feel and stop this vehicle in a hurry. The body structure is very solid, with no rattles, even on the roughest pavement. This steering doesn’t have the best feel, but turn ratio is quick enough. This car likes to be driven hard, if that is your goal.

Our only complaint is the infotainment and computer controls, which, being typical Mercedes, are not easy to figure out. Reading the owner’s book is pointless, as it is even more confusing. The best way to handle this is to sit in the cabin for a few hours, then press every switch and button about a hundred times! After a few days of practice, everything was up and running. Then we had a German car that offers the excellent Mercedes driving experience at a reasonable price.

RECIPE

What’s Cooking? with Jan D’Atri

Big Daddy Burger

I

t’s backyard and burger season. So, this year for Father’s Day, how about making pop a big daddy burger.

I have some tips and tricks that make the burger better than ever and a special four-ingredient sauce that could rival any of your favorite fast-food burger stops.

We always like to think dad wants to grill something on his birthday. So, beat him to it, fire up the grill—or an indoor grill pan—and let him dive into deliciousness!

The first tip is to buy ground beef that has a little fat because fat equals flavor. An 80/20 blend is great; that’s 80% lean beef to 20% fat.

Also, you can cook nice, crispy bacon and chop it up into bacon bits.

Then, dice a sweet yellow onion; sauté it in a little of the bacon fat; and when the bacon and onion are cooled, add it to the ground beef. It adds flavor and moisture.

The only other ingredients you need for a tasty burger are salt, pepper and maybe some garlic powder.

Now, you may have heard of the ice method of cooking a burger to keep it moist. It actually works! Form your beef patty, make a shallow indentation with your fingers in the middle of the burger and place an ice cube in

the divot. (The ice cube should only be about an inch in diameter.) Place the patty on the grill, and as the burger heats up, the ice cube will melt into the ground beef. The divot helps keep the burger flat and the ice adds

moisture. Don’t keep flipping the burger.

Once on each side should do it.

Then there’s the sauce. It’s a simple, fouringredient sauce that’ll make this big daddy burger a Father’s Day favorite!

Big Daddy Burger (serves four) Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 pounds ground beef (makes four 6-ounce patties) - 6 slices bacon, cooked crisp and chopped fine, reserve fat - 1 sweet yellow onion, chopped fine and sautéed in 2-3 tablespoons bacon fat - 1 teaspoon salt - 1 teaspoon pepper - 1 teaspoon garlic powder - Ice cubes - Fixings: sliced cheese, sliced avocado, sliced tomatoes, lettuce

Directions:

In a bowl, combine ground beef, bacon bits, cooled sautéed onion, salt, pepper and garlic powder. Gently mix to combine. Form four 6-ounce patties. Press the center of each burger down with your fingers. Add one (1-inch) cube of ice to each patty.

Grease a grill pan or grill. Cook burgers on medium high for 3-4 minutes on each side. Only turn once. For cheeseburger, add cheese after you’ve flipped the burgers.

Toast the bun on the grill or in the hot grill pan.

Slather the special sauce over bun.

Add fixings and burger. Enjoy!

For the Special Sauce: (for 4 burgers) Ingredients: - 4 tablespoons mayonnaise - 4 tablespoons softened butter - 1/4 cup hot sauce (like Frank’s) - 1/3 cup brown sugar

Directions:

Mix together all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy.

Check out my how-to video here: jandatri.com/recipe/big-daddy-burger-2 JUNE 2020 | 85085

29

RESTAURANT

New sports bar is where neighbors get their ‘grubb’ on

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

R

egina Holmes believes everything happens for a reason.

When she and her husband, J.J., had the chance to rebrand the couple’s Native Grill and Wings stores, they ran with it.

“Life happens for a reason,” she says. “We had some opportunities, and it made sense for us to go off. We were able to rebrand, and it was great. We are now J.J.’s Grubb Shack.”

On May 20, their Happy Valley location opened, followed by Goodyear on May 29 and Avondale in early June.

“We’re rebranding with a new menu and a different look and feel,” Regina says. “We’re really excited about it. The concept originates from having family and friends at a backyard barbecue. My husband and I, one thing we love to do is entertain friends. He comes from a family where he’s the youngest of eight. I have a close-knit family.

“It’s customary for us to have friends and family over on the weekend.”

The menu is broken up into sections. Sticking with the party theme are the “Backyard Burgers”—bacon butt burger, the “Hair of the

“Shack Pies”—or pizzas—come in 10, 14 and 18 inches. (Photos courtesy Regina Holmes)

Dog” and the Grubb Shack original ($11.99 to $13.99).

The “Shanty Dogs” are backyard dog with tomatoes, onion, cheese and bacon; the “Atomic Dog” with jalapenos, cheddar and

onions; the Dirty Dog with chili, cheese and onions; and The Mutt, where the customer chooses his/her own toppings. They start at $6.99.

For “Samiches,” J.J.’s has a Grubb Clubb ($10.39); Po’ Shacks (shrimp/fish for $10.99); Grilled Cheezie ($5.99); Piggly Wiggly ($9.99); and the Saucy Bird with buffalo chicken ($11.99).

“The Water Hole” has a Noodler Nugget Plate and Some Shrimps Plate for $10.99 Of course, there’s barbecue, under the “Finger Lick’n Good” menu. For $12.99, guests can have a rib tip basket.

“From the Coop” features wings—chicken and waffles, salt and vinegar, lemon pepper, Buffalo, hot, honey hot, honey barbecue, barbecue hot, Shoutin’ John and Halleluiah Hot. Appetizers (“Pre-Grubbin’”), salads (“Wild Greens”) and pizzas (“Shack Pies”) are available as well.

For dessert, the “Sugga Shack” has Fudgy Tasty "Noodler" and "Some Shrimps" baskets appease the seafood lovers. Each offer deep-fried catfish or butterflied shrimp.

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Gooey Brownie, bourbon pecan pie and Mama’s Cookie.

“Our menu is going to be focused on bar and grill, fun foods,” she says. “People can come and socialize and enjoy themselves.

Kids will be running around having a good time. At some point, we hope we can get back to that.”

The couple’s first restaurant is attached to their small liquor store, where they offer catfish platters and burgers.

“When we moved out here (from Colorado) we purchased a liquor store, and we had that for a number of years,” she says. “We added a restaurant onto it. We wanted to offer something that brought a backyard feel.

“This has a very similar feel and the same name. These are sports bars and grills, though, with plenty of televisions. One of the things my husband said is, ‘I cannot have a bar and grill without sports.’ He’s a sports enthusiast.

“He played sports at University of Colorado Boulder for a little bit. He had a lot of friends play professionally. All things sports is his passion.”

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the staff had the restaurant sanitized, she adds, and doesn’t take anything for granted. She posted on social media that they’re strictly ad-

hering to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidance on social distancing.

“We’re longing for the days when we could all hug each other by the bar,” she says. “We’re not there yet. For our curbside takeout, all of our runners wore gloves and masks—same when you dine with us. We’ll have hand sanitizer available. All of our kitchen staff will adhere to the appropriate guidelines.”

Regina admits it’s a little difficult to open restaurants during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It was hard, but we have a solid business plan that we feel good about,” she says. “The reality is this is what we do now. It wasn’t any harder than feeling if we walked away we were going to be a failure. No one wants that.

We rebranded, rebuilt and we recognize it’s not going to be where it was in February. But we’re ready the minute the doors open. We’re prepared for the long haul.”

J.J.’s Grubb Shack

2501 W. Happy Valley Road, Suite 12, Phoenix 623-440-9888 10220 W. McDowell Road, Suite 160, Avondale 623-907-8181 15375 W. McDowell Road, Goodyear 623-536-7121, jjsgrubbshack.com

Regina and J.J. Holmes turned their Native Grill and Wings locations into J.J.’s Grubb Shack.

A TABLE FOR TWO?

Phind it JUNE 2020 | 85085

31

DINING

Two sisters open food truck in shadow of tragedy

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

J

eremie and Heidi Higgins dreamed of owning a food truck and making people happy with their treats.

When he died nearly two years ago at 35, Higgins decided to open one in his honor.

Sips-n-Snow is a collaboration between the Fireside at Norterra resident and her sister, Hannah Fallon.

“We came up with the idea in January, and our first day was May 16,” Higgins says. “I was actually widowed a year and half ago, while I was five months pregnant. I quit everything in June 2019 and relocated from Utah.”

Higgins and Fallon moved in together and combined two of their loves—flavored soda and Hawaiian shaved ice. They paid cash for their truck.

“In Utah, flavored soda is a really big thing,” Higgins says. “We have 20-plus flavors, a wide variety. The popular ones are mango, strawberry, raspberry and lime. Kids love blue raspberry in sprite.”

Recently, the sisters offered Sips-n-Snow treats for free to Fireside at Norterra residents to work out bugs and get to know their neighbors.

Sips-n-Snow

On social media, search @sipsnsnow

Heidi Higgins, left, and her sister, Hannah Fallon, opened Sips-n-Snow in May. Also pictured are Tyson Jeremie Higgins, 1, and Connor Higgins, 5. Tyson Jeremie is named after his late father. (Photo by Pablo Robles)

Higgins and Fallon will travel between the North Valley and Goodyear, where their brother, Dallas Paul, lives. They’re hoping to bring Sips-n-Snow to birthday parties and businesses.

“We’re going to post on social media where we’re going to be for that day,” Higgins says.

“We’re going to different businesses right now, fi nding out who’s supportive of our trailer being parked on their property.”

Kids are important to Higgins. She formerly worked for a youth facility in Utah, and Jeremie was a journeyman lineman for the city of St. George, Utah, before dying from a heart attack. The couple worked opposite schedules, so their two boys didn’t have to go to day care. A warehouse employee, Fallon just graduated high school and relocated from Washington state. Higgins has since given birth to a third boy.

“Our hopes are to take this one step at a time,” Higgins says. “We want to spread the name and get the word out there. Ultimately, our goal is to be successful.

“We always want to support the community, who has been super supportive.

We don’t know anybody. Hannah and I are both pretty new, and we’re starting from scratch.”

A popular flavor at Sips-n-Snow is strawberry, as shown here with Connor Higgins, 5. (Photo by Pablo Robles)

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H E A LT H

Ask the Expert Tune in to men’s hearing loss

By Dr. Kelly P. Conroy Doctor of Audiology, Mayo Clinic

M

en are often accused of being poor listeners, especially by their spouses. In truth, they may have poor hearing.

While 23% of adults have some form of hearing loss, the majority—60%—are men.

Higher-pitched sounds, including softer women’s and children’s voices, are often the first to go.

Men and their loud lifestyles

Men’s lifestyles and occupations explain their higher rates of hearing loss. From farming to military service, construction work to manufacturing plants, more men work in noisy environments or use loud tools.

Men’s recreational activities can be loud,

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too. Think of the noise levels generated by woodworking, metalworking, hunting, motorcycling, leaf blowers and other power tools.

Loud noises cause ear damage Hearing is key to well-being Chronic exposure to loud noises can take a permanent toll on our hearing, damaging the sensory and nerve cells in the inner ears. Personal audio devices are common culprits—especially ear buds that fit directly inside the ear canal.

Whatever audio device you use, limit the volume around half to three-fourths of highest setting and keep listening sessions to one hour or less.

Hearing loss isn’t just annoying or inconvenient—it can also be embarrassing—and that can cause people to stop participating in social activities. Social isolation can easily lead to depression or anxiety.

Hearing loss can also impair our ability to learn, perform well at work and hear important cues that help us safely navigate our surroundings.

Aging impacts our hearing, too. By the time people are in their 60s, many will notice a change in their hearing.

Other causes of hearing loss can include heredity, ear infections or injuries, and high fevers. Most people are surprised to learn that certain medications may also cause sudden hearing loss, particularly some medications used in the treatment of cancer, anti-inf lammatory drugs like NSAIDs, and certain medications to treat erectile dysfunction.

If you have sudden hearing loss— especially in one ear—or experience sudden vertigo or dizziness, see your family physician or ENT doctor promptly.

Watch for these signs and symptoms of hearing loss: • Muffled-sounding conversations and environmental sounds.

• Difficulty understanding words, especially in a crowd.

• Trouble hearing consonants.

• Needing to ask others to repeat themselves or speak up.

• Needing to increase radio or TV volume.

Although most hearing loss can’t be reversed, a hearing specialist or audiologist can help by recommending the right hearing solution for you. Many devices are nearly invisible, too.

Almost half of all hearing loss is preventable, so take steps to protect the hearing you have by limiting your exposure to excessive noise. When it can’t be avoided, use ear plugs, available at most drug stores, and remember to position the soft plugs deeply in the ear canal to be effective.

Hearing loss can take a toll on a man’s quality of life. It deserves your attention every day—and always!

Dr. Kelly P. Conroy is an audiologist at Mayo Clinic, Arizona. Conroy specializes in treating people with hearing loss and in rehabilitation through amplification devices.

Many causes of hearing loss

Signs and symptoms

B A C K T O H E A LT H

Java Talk

Is coffee really that bad for me?

By Dr. Brian Hester

T

wo stats that have nothing to do with each other but are equally surprising to me: On average, more than 10 people are killed per year by a vending machine and 63% of Americans drink at least one cup of coffee per day, according to a 2015 Gallup Poll.

While the former is just weird to think about, the latter is pretty eye opening. The same study that gave us that factoid tells us that while those 63% are drinking at least one cup per day, on average they’re drinking 2.7 cups daily! That’s a lotta beans! If we’re taking this much of something into our body, it’s definitely worth a look as to whether or not it’s doing us any good—or worse, causing any damage.

For years, we’ve been told that coffee stunts growth, causes ulcers, and causes addiction to caffeine. Study after study gave us hard facts to back that up, and doctors spouted them in just about any article you would find about the effects of coffee for the last 50 years. But that hasn’t stopped people from drinking it.

As it turns out, those studies don’t really hold up. They studied the health of coffee drinkers versus noncoffee drinkers, and those who didn’t partake in the cups of joe always seemed to come out on top. But most of the studies didn’t look at any other factors in the

lives of the participants. Smoking, activity level, overall health, family history—they never entered into the data. So, as you can imagine, those are pretty big things to ignore and didn’t give impartial results.

Benefits of coffee

Time Magazine did a really good piece on some of the reasons why it could actually be a good idea to jump on the coffee bandwagon.

So, let’s take a look at some of the possible benefits to drinking coffee: lower risk of developing type-2 diabetes due to the way coffee affects our hormones and metabolism.

Lower risk of heart disease and stroke: coffee keeps blood vessels flexible and healthy. Antioxidants in coffee can help fight and prevent cancer. Anti-inflammatory: not just needed when you sprain an ankle, but reducing your inflammation is something we talk a lot about around here and is hugely beneficial for your overall health.

So, while I’m not going to go into a full thesis on how the only thing you should ever drink is coffee because of its many, many health benefits, we can probably loosen the reins on the thought that coffee, in and of itself, can be the difference between an early death and living until you’re 134.

Drawbacks of coffee

It’s not, however, all rainbows and unicorns when it comes to drinking coffee. The caffeine in coffee (or anything else caffeinated) can

cause your heart to race, negatively affects your sleep pattern, and even causes spikes in blood pressure. Truthfully, if you look for it, you can fi nd a whole host of negative side effects that can seem pretty scary: bladder cancer, pancreatic cancer, esophageal cancer, basically cancer in general. But most of the research done linking these to coffee consumption has been debunked and is seen as very outdated.

Something to note: That fi rst list of side effects is consistently linked to people who drink more than six cups of coffee a day, every day. But, like anything, there is definitely such a thing as too much of a good thing.

Are oranges good for you? Yup! Lots of great vitamin C. Should you drink six cups of OJ every day for your entire life? No way! That would overload your system and give you one heck of a stomachache.

My final recommendations If you’re not a coffee drinker, I’m not sure the health benefits are so overwhelming that you should start the habit. If you’re already drinking coffee, pay attention to how it makes you feel. Does it make you jittery? Are you having trouble sleeping if you drink a cup after 5 p.m.? Then play around with it to see if you can cut back. Lastly, water, water, water, water. Coffee cannot be your source of hydration (because it will do the opposite), and you should still be drinking enough water daily that your urine is clear to lightly pale yellow.

And, for Heaven’s sake, don’t drink more than six cups of coffee in a day.

Back to Health

41930 N. Venture Drive, Suite 110, Anthem 623-551-6677, myanthemhealth.com JUNE 2020 | 85085

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FITNESS

Survthive al of Fittest Anthem’s SWEAT helps members thrive through pandemic

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

T

heresa Vogel says closing her SWEAT Individualized Fitness during the quarantine was challenging, but she had more on her mind than finances.

She wanted what’s best for her clients.

As the pandemic swept the world, Vogel kept her members moving at home.

“We were doing everything we could to

support our members during this crisis,” Vogel says. “Our goal was to help them maintain their fitness and health until our doors opened again.”

The staff, including trainer Dana Clark, stayed employed by filming online workouts and creating a proactive plan for how the gym would operate under new restrictions.

“Because we are a small gym, we are

SWEAT Individualized Fitness

3655 W. Anthem Way, Suite A129, Anthem 623-551-5753, sweatchallenge.com

uniquely positioned to quickly adjust to changing guidelines and directives,” Vogel says.

“Our reopening plan follows extensive CDC, federal, state and local guidelines for the cleaning and sanitizing of our facility.

Our plan also adheres to strict social distancing guidelines while still offering our members and exceptional workout.”

SWEAT’s plan was to clean and sanitize with CDC-approved materials, according to Stephanie Osha, marketing director.

“We also positioned the equipment on the gym f loor to meet the social distancing requirements,” Osha adds. “We also limited the class size in terms of the number of people here at any one time. The key point is, because of SWEAT’s size and the focus of the business, we’re uniquely positioned to quickly adjust to changing guidelines. We had our plan in place, so we were ready at a moment’s notice when the guidelines came down from state and local governments.”

Theresa Vogel and Stephanie Osha at Sweat Fitness in Anthem.

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85085 | JUNE 2020

SWEAT provides individual training to its members and in small-group settings, which allow trainers to be able to work with each member directly.

“We lead them through a workout and modify their exercises accordingly,” Vogel says.

“Our trainers support each of our members and where they’re at in current fitness levels and help to guide the members into reaching their full potential.”

Osha says slowly the members are returning to SWEAT and accepting feedback from them.

“The members are very appreciative for what we’re doing to make a safe workout environment,” Osha says. “We’ve been pleased that the plan we implemented has gone smoothly. The members are on board, and everyone is cognizant of the plan.”

For those who are uncomfortable returning to the gym, SWEAT is holding daily virtual classes that are accessible at home and creating a virtual library from which clients can select.

Meager beginnings

A former interior designer, Vogel was also in the beauty industry before acquiring SWEAT. “I loved working in those fields, whether it was helping a lady feel good about herself with a new beauty regime or pulling a room together,” she says.

Vogel took over as owner in 2018. She was always interested in fitness and health and had a strong desire to help others.

“It seemed to be a natural fit,” she says. “My goal with SWEAT is to help create a welcom-

ing environment and provide exceptional workouts to help members maintain a healthy lifestyle.”

Just as she was getting her footing, she was knocked down by COVID-19. However, she and her staff rallied and adjusted to the “new norm” as best they could.

“We’ve had a lot of great support,” she says. “We’ve had support through our members and through our staff. Anthem is a small community and a tight community.

I believe the small businesses support each other.”

SWEAT, which reopened May 15, started

a lifestyle challenge with Anthem resident and registered dietician Kristine Sinner with Scottsdale-based Sinnergy Wellness.

“We recognize everybody has a different journey,” Vogel says. “Our goal is to just help people achieve and maintain a healthy lifestyle by introducing Kristine. This will allow us to help our members develop a healthier eating plan as well as exercise.

We do this quarterly. We missed the last one because of the shutdown. The next one starts in July.”

SWEAT is also rolling out a youth performance-enhancement program on Monday, June 8, expanding its offerings to student athletes at various schools.

“We’ll see if teams would like to train together maybe to increase speed and agility, or if individuals would like to come to that sort of training,” Vogel says. “We’re helping every segment of our community.”

At SWEAT, unlimited small-group training is $149 month to month. Discounts are available to those who pay in full, and punch passes are another option.

“New members get the first week free to check us out,” Osha says. “If they want to extend that for the first month, it’s $99 for small-group training. These are our training options in place going forward. I think they’re going to love this workout.”

Kellen Popovich, a trainer at Sweat Fitness in Anthem, teaches a class.

JUNE 2020 | 85085

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