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Shooting Star
Anthem teen headed to skeet shooting world championships
Publisher Steve T. Strickbine steve@timespublications.com
Vice President Michael Hiatt mhiatt@timespublications.com
Executive Editor Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
Graphic Designer Tonya Mildenberg
Contributors
Lorraine Bosse-Smith, Pastor David Bowen, Dr. Kelly Collins, Shannon Fisher, C.A. Haire, Jordan Houston, Laura Latzko, Tanner Laziure, Heather Maxwell, Katherine Reeves, Ron Sanzone, Octavio Serrano, Alison Stanton, Tara Storjohann, Emma Suttell, Judge Gerald A. Williams
Marketing Director/ Social Media Manager Eric Twohey eric@85086magazine.com
Production Manager Courtney Oldham
Circulation
On the cover: Zyler Thomas. Photo by Pablo Robles.
New Friends of the Library
Volunteers keep North Valley Regional on its feet
By Ron Sanzone
An under-the-radar organization that works to enhance the lives of the local community hides in plain sight in Anthem.
The New Friends of the Library is an allvolunteer organization that supports programming for the North Valley Regional Library at 40410 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway, Anthem. Commonly referred to as the Friends of the Library, it acts as the library’s fundraising arm. And it does so with near anonymity among the library’s serving areas of Anthem, New River, Desert Hills and Tramonto.
“Even people who go into the library a lot of the time probably don’t realize what we do and how we support the library,” says Friends of the Library President Sally Howland.
The North Valley Regional Library is part of the Maricopa County Library District, which provides funding for its basic operations. Beyond that is where the Friends of the Library steps in.
“The library has a budget from the county, but it’s limited,” says Elizabeth Dowell, Friends of the Library’s secretary.
“And for all the extra programs that children and adults have at the library, we basically pay for them. A lot of people don’t realize that. Those programs are not paid for by the county.”
Among the programs that rely on the Friends of the Library are a summer reading program, a chess tournament, book clubs, science programs for children and a genealogy research group. Speakers, room rentals, supplies and water and snacks are all funded by the Friends of the Library. Beyond programming, the group has paid for tables for the librarians’ work areas and a machine to clean DVDs, thus extending their lives and saving the library money. Its bylaws prohibit it from buying books for the library.
Friends of the Library raises funds primarily through its four quarterly sales in February, May, August and December at the library. They feature books, audiobooks, DVDs and CDs. The majority items for sale are donations from the public. The rest are materials the library removes from its circulation. The next one is Friday, August 16, and Saturday, August 17.
Besides the quarterly sales, a year-round display at the front of the library near the book return offers patrons a chance to buy used books for $1. Books at the quarterly sales cost between 50 cents and $2.
“All the money stays right here in our library,” Dowell says.
Dowell has seen the book sales’ benefits. She is a founding member of the Friends of the Library, which formed in April 2005, shortly after the library opened. She is the only founder who is still a paid member.
For $10 a year, paid members of the Friends of the Library can vote on how raised funds are allocated. The 20 remaining paid members are all women in or near retirement. This has not always been the case. Any adult — no matter the age or gender — from the library’s serving areas can become a paid member. There is no limit on how many community members can be paid members. Not long ago, the number of paid members shrunk to dangerously low levels.
“About two years ago we were losing members and we had at that time decided that if we could not get new members we were going to disband,” Howland says.
“The word got around the community and when people realized the library might be losing a lot of its funding a lot of people got invoved with us.”
In addition to paid members, there are about 20 to 25 volunteers, who help sort donations throughout the year, and set up and work the quarterly sales.
“Without volunteers, none of our charities in this county would work,” Dowell points out.
Paid members, volunteers and interested community members can attend any of the Friends of the Library’s monthly meetings. The one-hour meetings are held at the library at 6:30 p.m. the third Wednesday of each month.
To learn more about the Friends of the Library or for information on how to donate cash or materials for the sales, visit the organization’s Facebook page, facebook.com/AnthemNFL/, attend a meeting or pick up a brochure near the books for sale display in the front of the library.
HIGH SCHOOL
Eager to Serve
Rising senior Justice Banken represents BCHS at prestigious Boys State
By Emma Suttell
Whether he is leading a group in Arizona Hills’ youth ministry, working at Calvin Klein, or serving his peers as librarian of National Honor Society, senior Justice Banken is dedicating himself to serving others.
When an opportunity arose earlier this year to attend Arizona Boys State, Banken’s guidance counselor encouraged him to take a step outside of his comfort zone and apply. Luckily for Banken, he turned out to be a perfect fit for the program and was invited to join several hundred other rising Arizona seniors at Northern Arizona University. For the first week of June, the campus was teeming with high school students eager to learn the ropes of politics through several hands-on experiences.
Established in 1937 as one of the United States’ original leadership camps, Arizona Boys State is a prestigious statewide conference hosted for students who have recently completed their junior year of high school. As referenced by the American Legion Arizona Boys State website, the program “teaches the civic aspects of citizenship in the United States, the mechanical aspects of how our government functions, and encourages participation in those government structures.”
Upon arrival, Banken’s experience was not exactly how he predicted it would be. Faced by a sea of unfamiliar faces, Banken wistfully hoped he could rely on two other boys he knew were attending. The two familiar boys were not placed in his “city,” which was the 26-person team he would be working with
throughout the week. Fortunately, within hours, Banken realized that he was not alone. Surrounded by other rising seniors passionate about politics, Banken had the opportunity to connect with others who were also dedicated to learning in-depth about political protocols and technicalities. Each summer, the program also aids students in solidifying career goals and encourages personal as well as professional progression. For Banken, the program assured him that by desiring to pursue the political path, he was on the right track. “By the time it was over I would have given anything just to stay one more day. I highly recommend it to any rising seniors next year.”
Now back at home, Banken says he enjoys Anthem’s sense of community, which parallels the attitude that many boys carry
with them to Boys State. By experiencing a week alongside those who are just as passionate about politics and their communities, Banken says much like his peers, Anthem is “exceptionally talented at rallying behind one another.” Outside of the political scene, Banken continues to serve others and rally around common causes that he is passionate about. The current librarian of Boulder Creek’s National Honors Society assists in member attendance and organizing events at which students can volunteer. His leadership continues through the weekend, and on Sundays, he volunteers to lead a group of second to fifth-graders as a member of Arizona Hills’ youth ministry team. “I have served in middle school ministry as well, but my students have now graduated onto high school,” he says. “Watching those kids succeed brings me more joy than I can express.”
Although Banken is not yet old enough to run for office, he is looking forward to building a firm educational foundation prior to seeing his name on the ballot. For many, August marks college application season, and luckily for Banken, he has it all planned. Aiming to major in political science at Princeton University, he is looking forward to making a first-hand difference. “There are so many injustices plaguing not only our nation but the world and I don’t want to sit around and wait for other people to fix it: I want to do it myself.”
- Emma Suttell is a senior at Boulder Creek. You can find more of her work at andthenemma.com.
Justice Banken hopes to major in political science at Princeton University. (Photo courtesy Justice Banken)
Getting Nailed
The consequences of contracting without a license
By Judge Gerald A. Williams
Performing work that requires a contractor’s license, when you don’t have one, is not just a bad idea — it is also a crime.
Almost any business that builds, alters, repairs, adds to or subtracts from any building, highway, road or excavation, must have a contractor’s license. There are separate licenses for commercial and for residential work. There are also specialty residential contracting licenses that cover work such as swimming pool service and repair, carpentry, floor covering, air conditioning and refrigeration and roofing.
Contracting without a license is a class one misdemeanor, which is the most serious type of misdemeanor under Arizona law. Most misdemeanors do not have a mandatory minimum punishment; but this one does. The mandatory fine, for the first offense, is $1,000. A.R.S. § 32-1164(B). There are economic consequences in addition to the fine.
Victims of unlicensed contractors are entitled to restitution if they suffered an economic loss. This is often measured by a reimbursement of the amount paid with an offset for any benefit received for the work performed. However, the damages can exceed the con-
addition to the $1,000 fine, the unlicensed contractor was ordered to pay up to $15,609 in restitution to the victim. There are also some collateral consequences.
The Registrar of Contractor’s office will not issue a contractor’s license to someone convicted of contracting without a license for a year. A.R.S. § 32-1122(D). Contracting without a license impacts civil lawsuits as well.
Contractors must have a license before they can bring a lawsuit for nonpayment of a debt from a contract. A.R.S. § 32-1153. Some unethical homeowners are aware of this prerequisite and refuse to pay for work performed because they know any lawsuit for collection will be dismissed. This seems like a harsh result.
Arizona appellate courts have held that if someone is performing the type of work that requires them to be a licensed contractor, and they are not, then they lack the capacity to enter into a valid contract. If there is no contract, then there is also no payment for services performed. The public policy behind this law is so the public will be protected from contractors who lack the requisite skill and ability to perform the required work.
The Handyman Exception
There are several exceptions to the requirement to have a contractor’s license. For example, government employees do not need one to do their government job. But perhaps the most common one is known as the Handyman Exemption.
Almost anyone who does repair work for less than $1,000.00 has the potential to be excused under the Handyman Exemption. A.R.S. § 321121(A)(4). However, you cannot split a $1,800.00 job into two $900.00 jobs and lawfully claim that you do not need a contractor’s license due to the Handyman Exemption.
both contractors and consumers is available on the Arizona Registrar of Contractors web page at https://roc.az.gov/
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.
July 1- July 18 (Closed July 4)
Boulder Creek High School
40404 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway, Anthem, AZ
Mon. - Thurs. 6:30 AM – 3:30 PM
Park Meadows Elementary 20012 N. 35th Ave. Glendale, AZ
Mon. - Thurs. 7:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Extended night registration on July 11 until 7 PM at Park Meadows Elementary School
Register for grades 9-12 at each DVUSD high school throughout the summer
EVENTS July 2019
Compiled by Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
Mondays
Golden Go Getters Game Day
Bring snacks to share during game day, which features hand and foot, mahjong, manipulation and bridge.
Noon to 4 p.m. Civic Building, 3701 W. Anthem Way, Anthem. onlineatanthem.com. Free admission.
3 Independence Day Celebration
Celebrate the 20th annual Anthem Independence Day celebration. The fun-filled event also includes a fireworks display at 9:30 p.m., rides, activities and festival food. Water slides, rides and inflatables are fee-based. Purchase an “all-you-can-ride/bounce bracelet” for $20.
6 to 10 p.m. Community Park, 41703 N. Gavilan
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Vintage cars are just part of the fun the first Saturday of each month. Free coffee and biscuits and gravy are served this morning. Area residents are welcome to sell their goods at Cars Café and Flea Market as well.
8 a.m. My Crossroads Christian Fellowship, 42425 N. New River Road, Phoenix. 623-4659461, myccf.church. Free admission.
8 to 12
Musical Theatre of Anthem Auditions Auditions for “Magic Tree House” and “Pirates Past Noon Kids” is July 8 to July 12 for kids ages 6 to 11. Auditions, dance call and callbacks are July 8. This production runs in the summer show format, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, July 3, to Friday, July 12. Performances are Friday, July 12, and Saturday, July 13. Various times, see above. 42201 N. 41st Drive, Suite B100, Anthem. 623-336-6001, musicaltheatreofanthem.org. Call for cost.
11
Anthem Preparatory Academy
Attention Anthem Prep Parents and Students now is the time to get all of your required school books in one trip. All day Thursday July 11 through Sunday July 14 not only can you do your school shopping but a percentage of your purchase will be given back to the school. And that’s all of your purchase not just the school books. So join us and be true to your school.
10 a.m. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 2501 W. Happy Valley Road, Suite 20, Phoenix. 623-780-3300, stores.barnesandnoble.com/ store/2211. Free admission.
12
Representatives Town Hall
Darcy Kober, director of Maricopa County Environmental Services, will speak during the meeting.
9 to 11 a.m. Anthem Civic Building, 3701 W. Anthem Way, Anthem. nrdhca.org. Free admission.
13
Bea Sharif Author Signing
Saturday July 13 at 1 p.m., join author Bea Sharif as she signs copies of her new book Two Girls,Two Dogs and a Campervan. This is a true life inspired tale of two friends and their dogs who travel through Yosemite, Napa Valley and Big Sur. An inspiring tale that unlocks the mind, the heart and the soul.
1 p.m. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 2501 W. Happy Valley Road, Suite 20, Phoenix. 623-780-3300, stores.barnesandnoble.com/ store/2211. Free admission.
26
Ice Cream Bowl Party
Kids can visit As You Wish and make an ice cream bowl. Paint the perfect bowl and when they’re finished, guests can enjoy a real ice cream treat. 6:30 to 8 p.m. As You Wish Pottery, 2510 W. Happy Valley Road, Suite 1249, Phoenix. 623587-7700, reddevelopment.com. $25.
27
Phoenix Television
Saturday July 27 1 p.m., join authors John Craft and Lisa Honebrink as they sign their new book “Phoenix Television.” Our city has a wonderful broadcast history. And all of it is told in the newest edition of the bestselling Images of America series.
1 p.m. Barnes & Noble Booksellers, 2501 W. Happy Valley Road, Suite 20, Phoenix. 623-780-3300, stores.barnesandnoble.com/ store/2211. Free admission.
Moving On
Anthem theater alumna lands resident actress role in South Carolina
By Laura Latzko
Musical Theatre of Anthem alumna Julia Kelly-Davis has a passion for performing. Her talents are taking her to South Carolina, where she will serve as a resident actor for Charleston Stage for 10 months.
During that time, she and six other resident actors will perform in the company’s shows and mentor young people interested in theater.
The Boulder Creek High School graduate has already been cast in the role of Rusty in “Footloose” and will audition for parts in shows such as “Nevermore-The Imaginary Life and Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe;” “Elf the Musical;” “Our Town, Bright Star;” “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” and “Noises Off.”
The company’s season starts in August, but Kelly-Davis will arrive over a month earlier for auditions and rehearsals.
She became acquainted with the company during an audition with multiple theater companies.
“We had just vibed really well and had a good connection. We just ended up both wanting to work with each other,” says Kelly-Davis, who graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in musical theater from ASU.
Kelly-Davis hopes to gain more experience in South Carolina and eventually move to New York to continue to pursue a career in acting.
During her time in South Carolina, she will be in nine shows.
“It’s going to be really fast-paced. We’ll be overlapping as far as rehearsing and performing in the shows,” Kelly-Davis says.
Kelly-Davis has lived in Arizona her whole life but has some experience with doing theater out of state. One summer while at ASU, she worked with a theater company in Utah for four months.
The actress started with the Musical Theatre of Anthem (MTA) in seventh grade and stayed with the company through high school. She first became interested in performing while doing choir in elementary school.
Her 14- and 18-year-old sisters have followed in her path, performing with MTA since they were children.
“They love it just as much. We’ve all made life-long friends and lifelong memories at MTA,” Kelly-Davis says.
Since she was younger, her parents — James Davis and Karen Kelly-Davis — have been among her biggest supporters, driving her
to rehearsals and sitting in the front row on opening night for her and her sisters’ shows.
“I’m really grateful that I have a really great family and great supportive parents. There’s never been a moment where they’ve doubted me,” Kelly-Davis says.
Through MTA, Davis had vocal, dance and acting training. Jackie Hammond, producing artistic director for the MTA, was one of her biggest mentors.
“She helped me so much to grow as a person and as a performer,” Kelly-Davis says.
Kelly-Davis credits much of her development as an actress to MTA.
“When I started doing theater, I didn’t have the confidence and the skill sets I have now as a 22-year-old professional. As a little 12-yearold girl, I just remember wanting to do theater so bad, and MTA was a place that gave everyone a chance,” says Kelly-Davis, whose dancing has seen the most improvement.
While with MTA, she played roles such as Cosette in “Les Miserables,” Cinderella in “Into the Woods,” Jellylorum and Griddlebone in “Cats” and Narrator in “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.”
She has won a number of National Youth Arts Awards over the years, including Artist of the Year in 2015.
Her first leading role with MTA was as Carrie White in “Carrie the Musical.” She says the role was pivotal in her decision to pursue theater as a career.
“It just gave me the confidence to feel like I could perform for the rest of my life,” KellyDavis says.
David Nelson as Fred Graham/Petruchio and Julia Kelly-Davis as Lilli Vanessi/Katharine with cast in the ASU Music Theatre and Opera production of “Kiss Me Kate.” (Photo by Tim Trumble)
Julia Kelly-Davis as Carrie White in Musical Theatre of Anthem’s production of “Carrie.” (Photo courtesy of Musical Theatre of Anthem)
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COMMUNITY
My Girl Scout Journey
I served my community and now my country
By Tanner Laziure
I have been a Girl Scout for 13 years and am now a lifetime member. I recently completed my Gold Award, the highest honor a Girl Scout can receive, and it gave me the opportunity to address a problem in my community and create a sustainable solution.
I decided to pursue the Gold Award because I knew that it would challenge me to think beyond my circle, allow me to set goals and because I wanted the opportunity to build awareness around an issue that means something to me.
My project was designed to bring awareness to the struggles that female veterans endure after their service ends. The timing was perfect, as I had just enlisted in the U.S. Navy. Inspired by pride for my country and the goal to reach out to my community, my project impacted a newly developed apartment complex for veterans with low income and their families, focusing to serve female veterans; Valor on Eighth in Tempe. Through donations and the money I earned selling Girl Scout cookies, I was able to create a space for teens and young adults living in the building to relax, read and get creative. More than 1,000 books, 400 movies, dozens of games, various art supplies and hand-made decor were donated to bring this room to life. I was also able to add a seating space for the veterans to use in a game room upstairs. Through multiple news articles and media posts, my project reached more than 30,000 people. My hope for the impact of my project is for the continuous use and enjoyment of the room, as well as to bring attention to some of the issues female veterans face.
My Gold Award project, however, was only a short period of time that I spent as a Girl Scout. In fact, it was years of building skills and trying new things that led me to this meaningful project. Though I earned my fair share of patches and enjoyed selling plenty of cookies, there’s more to Girl Scouting than camping in the forest and wearing a vest. The truth about Girl Scouts? There’s not a single organization
quite like it. I started my Girl Scout career in first grade, with a troop of around 12 girls, some I am still friends with today. Through my journey I have been able to learn skills that I don’t think I would have elsewhere, including life skills, identifying problems, maintain healthy relationships and all people and entrepreneurship skills from the Girl Scout cookie program.
I grew up going to Girl Scout Summer Camp and even took a job there as the outdoor skills instructor after graduating high school. As I became a young teen, I learned more about working with my community and started volunteering with others at my Girl Scout council and neighborhood levels, providing classes to others and teaching them how to explore with their Girl Scout troops.
With opportunities provided to me through Girl Scouts, I also received my certifications in outdoor cooking and wilderness first aid, and even became an archery instructor. I was able to connect with the girls and women around me and be a part of a sisterhood filled with strong
mentors, support and positivity, which helped me in my most challenging moments growing up.
Through Girl Scouting, I explored the world around me and found myself in the process. I learned about what it meant to serve your community and my passion for it. After earning my Gold Award, I attended boot camp in August 2018 and graduated in October, entering the military at a higher rank — a benefit of earning a Gold Award. I am going to school in Virginia for the Navy. When I return to Arizona, I plan on attending ASU and earning a degree studying geosciences, while continuing my reservist job in the military. My goal is to eventually join the police force and serve my community and country further.
Though I never know for sure where life will take me next, I know that I will forever be a Girl Scout.
- Tanner Laizure is an 85086 teen and enlisted in the U.S. Navy. She has been a Girl Scout member for 13 years and has earned her Gold Award.
Tanner Laizure earned her Gold Award before leaving for the U.S. Navy. (Photos courtesy Tanner Laizure)
Children First
New River Kiwanis Club wants to help kids in need
By Ron Sanzone
Kiwanis International is an organization that most people know of, but they are far less aware of its mission or deeds. Even when a branch is located in their own backyard.
“Kiwanis International is about helping children worldwide,” says Ed Taylor, president of the New River branch of Kiwanis.
Kiwanis International has raised hundreds of millions of dollars to fight and eliminate maladies that strike children in poor nations especially hard. Its efforts have helped to virtually eliminate iodine deficiency in underdeveloped countries and to eliminate maternal and neonatal tetanus in 21 nations.
On a local scale, New River Kiwanis has been working to improve the lives of area youth, as well as serving the community at large, since its founding in 1987. It has a particular focus on schoolchildren.
New River Kiwanis directs much of its energy toward improving the lives of students at New River and Black Canyon City schools. Among its outreach efforts is to help to raise students’ grades and presents awards to those to do so. Beyond that, it is working to ensure that none of those students have to go to school or anywhere else without proper clothing.
“A lot of kids up there don’t even have shoes to wear to school,” Taylor says.
Last year, the organization received 40 pairs of donated shoes and reorganized a nurse’s storage facility at New River school so that they would be readily available to distribute. The goal this year is to solicit donations to double or even triple the number of shoes for children in need.
The emphasis on children’s needs does not mean that there is an enormous age gap between Kiwanis members and those they serve.
“Probably the biggest misconception (about
Kiwanis) is that it’s some sort of old guys club,” Taylor says. “It’s not. It’s for all family members. “
In addition to volunteers who help New River Kiwanis, there are 33 members. Anyone 16 years of age or older can join any Kiwanis branch, regardless of where they reside.
“We have members in their 20s and 30s all the way up to 80 plus,” says Taylor. “The oldest current member is 93.”
New River branch members reside in New River, Anthem, Tramonto, Desert Hills and Cave Creek. Members pay a $65 fee their first year and $125 each year thereafter to cover insurance and a publication that goes to Kiwanis International.
While all Kiwanis branches help local youth, the New River branch may be the only one in the southwest region, or perhaps even the nation, to provide its community with an equine center, according to Taylor.
Located within the 80-acre New River Kiwanis Community Park, the Larkyn Memorial Arena is lighted, open to the public, and features a main arena and a practice arena for equestrians of all stripes. It is named in honor of Larkyn Dwyer, a young horse lover whose parents and grandparents in New River raised funds to build it in her memory after she perished during the crash of TWA flight 800 in the 1990s
From saddle clubs to ropers to mounted shooters, the arena is available on a first come, first served basis. “If you can ride a horse and do something on it, they’ve used the park at one time or another,” Taylor sayts.
In addition to the equine center, the park offers a clubhouse, playground, and a covered ramada area for public gatherings. Owned by Maricopa County but managed and main-
tained by New River Kiwanis, the park is home to the New River Senior Center and a church which holds services in the clubhouse on Sundays.
“We are the only public park in the North Valley, north of the 101, open to the public on a regular basis,” Taylor says. “All the parks in Anthem are dedicated to Anthem residents.”
Within the next two to three years, the park will be enhanced by a 1.25-mile trail system with ramadas that is being funded by a grant. Once the Native American archaeological sites within the park are identified and protected, local Eagle Scouts will begin building the trail, which will be named “The Eagle Trail” in recognition of their contribution.
The park hosts an annual Lobsterfest fundraiser in May and another fundraiser, an Oktoberfest, is being contemplated for later this year. Aside from a few scholarship funds that come from the national level, all funding for New River Kiwanis’ activities is provided by local donations through the group’s website, fundraisers, and donations asked from users of the clubhouse and equine center. All monies raised locally stay local.
Anyone interested in learning more about New River Kiwanis can attend one of its meetings held in the park’s clubhouse at 7 p.m. the second Thursday of every month. Information, as well as an events calendar and a Paypal link for donations, can also be found at newriverkiwanis.org.
Aiming High
When Buzz and Jenn Thomas of Anthem introduced their 10-year-old son, Zyler, to skeet shooting, they were ready for the comments.
But it’s changed the family’s life.
“I know there’s a stigma about guns, but skeet shooting programs show the whole other side,” Jenn says. “It’s an Olympic sport and one day Zyler hopes to make it to the Olympics. Many people don’t know that because it’s not broadly talked about.”
At the end of July, Zyler, now 14, and his family will head to Fort Bragg for the Junior World Skeet Championships, a world series that ends with the winner receiving a monetary prize.
“It’s the largest draw for world competitors,” Buzz says. “This is our first time there and we’re tip-toeing through it. It’s overwhelming.”
Buzz introduced Zyler to skeet shooting
after he saw a flier at a store. A New River native, Buzz is familiar with skeet shooting as he headed with his father and grandfather to shoot birds as a youngster.
Zyler admits the first time he strapped on a Baretta was hard.
“The first practice was the first time I had ever shot a gun before,” says Zyler, who regularly visits Ben Avery Shooting Facility. “It was, well, interesting. I almost fell over. I just kept on practicing, practicing, practicing.
“We used to go out during the summer before nationals in the morning when it was nice outside and go back outside toward night.”
Even Jenn was a little concerned.
“At one point, he turned around and had that look in his eyes,” she shares. “He asked his coach if he could go to the bathroom. He said, ‘Mom, it hurts so bad.’ I said, ‘OK buddy, daddy told you it was going to hurt. You have
Anthem teen headed to Junior World Skeet Championships
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
to decide if this is what you want to do or not.’ He came out and he hasn’t stopped since. He’s unstoppable. He lives and breathes skeet shooting.”
A recent Anthem Elementary School graduate, Zyler shoots as part of the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation. He competes against kids his age as well as snowbirds, and is coached by Tom Bailey, who lives in Montana during the summer.
“They take him under their wing, help him position a gun, etc.,” Jenn says. “It’s great to go out there and someone’s willing to help him out. We met a ton of nice people.
“They’re excellent families. They teach good moral values out there. They’re learning how to work together and how to work with adults. He’s teaching how to be a happy loser and a happy winner. He shakes their hand and is grateful.”
Skeet shooter Zyler Thomas of Anthem has won numerous local, state and regional championships. (Photo by Pablo Robles)
Zyler, who has won a number of state, regional and national championships, manages to balance skeet shooting and school. At Anthem Elementary School, he didn’t start school until 8:45 a.m. so he would take off early for Ben Avery and be there by 7 a.m. He also headed there after school with his Barretta 682 competition gun, with 12-gauge, 20-gauge, 28-gauge and 410-gauge tubes.
“It’s the same gun with different tubes,” Jenn says. “We put tubes in the barrels to make the different gauges.”
The season runs from the early fall through spring, with March and April the busiest months. Buzz says it’s an expensive hobby. During the height of the competition season, shooting costs more than their mortgage. But they’re willing to do this for Zyler.
“He is so motivated,” Jenn says. “He’s very focused on his goals and what he wants to get done.
Unlike her husband, Jenn didn’t grow up around guns. She and the other mothers went to Ben Avery to learn why skeet shooting is so appealing.
“I never shot a shotgun before,” she explains. “We went through the beginning program at Ben Avery. I made it through my commitment.
“I don’t love it as much as they do, but I have a better understanding of what they go through. It’s not as easy as you think. It is about timing and it’s a mental game.”
Overall, she’s pleased with her son’s competition spirit.
“It’s a very positive thing. The kids out there and the families out there are just amazing. You want your kids to be raised with them and be friends with them. We have the greatest group of kids out there.”
LIFE INSURANCE
Hidden
Nate and Rochelle Decker spotlight local artists at their shops
By Laura Latzko
Neighbors on Innovative Drive, The Bloc Project arts studio and the Hair.n.Dipity hair salon are hidden gems in Anthem.
Inside the two spaces, visitors will find intricate angel wing designs, life casts of hands and other body parts and innovative photographs by local maker Nate Decker. His wife, Rochelle, owns the salon.
Every second Friday, art aficionados can check out the two spaces and get a look at Nate’s latest projects. The event also spotlights local artists from Anthem and surrounding areas. On July 12, the Bloc Project will host Kirby Plessas, a pour painter who will demonstrate her process.
“It is a way to open the windows and let everyone see what we are working on and show other artists’ work,” says Nate, whose studio is
usually closed to the public.
Second Fridays started in May, attracting between 60 and 70 people.
They’re ‘kooky’
Second Fridays gives visitors a chance to see the Salt Spa, an area inside Hair.n.Dipity offering massage, aesthetic and Himalayan salt cave services. The salon has a number of other touches, including restored salon chairs from Rochelle’s mother, who also operated a hair salon. A small boutique sells clothing and accessories.
Rochelle’s hair salon opened five years ago, and Nate started working out of his studio in January of this year. Nate says he and his wife work well together because of their creative natures.
“My wife and I are a little kooky. She is definitely my inspiration. She puts up with my craziness,” Nate says.
The couple has three children, a 7-year-old and two 10-year-olds. Their kids, who spend a lot of time at the salon and studio, have taken an interest in art forms such as sculpture and stop-motion animation.
“I want them to get immersed in it and be a part of it,” Nate says.
He moved to Arizona in 2008, and worked full-time as a photographer, taking sports, newborn and wedding photos. A thirdgeneration artist who does photography, life casting and woodworking, Nate created the art for Hair.n.Dipity. Now, he divides his time between wood, life cast and photography projects.
To find a place for Nate’s art, they turned the building next door into a studio space when he needed somewhere to work. From the start, he wanted the Bloc Project to be more than just his personal studio. Nate hopes to create an environment where artists can collaborate and learn from each other, as well as offer opportunities for other artists. Second Fridays is inspired by Phoenix’s First Fridays.
The Bloc Project arts studio and Hair.n.Dipity hair salon showcase the work of local artist Nate Decker. (Photos by Laura Latzko)
“Although I own the place, I definitely like to bring in other people and bring people together,” Nate says.
Nate’s interests go way back. He developed his photography hobby after shooting with a 1920s Nikon camera. Nate was inspired to do woodwork, thanks to his grandfather, whom he watched making wood furnishings and custom-built homes while living in California.
His passion for angel wings started about five years ago when Rochelle asked him to make a set for her salon. He fashioned the wings out of a log he found in the desert.
“We were turning it into a gallery. People loved it. They would say, ‘Every time we come in, we see something new,’” Nate says.
During the initial angel wings project, Nate rediscovered his love of working with wood.
“I’m amazed by how things are made. I think about how I can take it apart. I look at something, and I built it in my head,” Nate says.
Out of all of the materials he works with, he enjoys wood the most.
“The smell of the wood is my favorite,” he says. “It’s dusty, but you just blow yourself off and keep going.”
Nate often incorporates wood collected at salvage yards into his work.
“We find things, repurpose them and give
life back to them,” Nate says.
Ever-changing space
His workspace in the back of the studio is filled with life cast hands in various stages
of development, his collection of tools and projects in progress. The studio showcases various finished designs, including life cast hands holding guitars.
Gems continued on pg. 22
Artist Nate Decker is an eclectic artist who does photography, woodworking and life casting. He often incorporates angel wing designs into his work. His workspace is filled with projects in different stages of development.
The studio space is ever-changing, depending on Nate’s project at the moment. On a recent Sunday, he had hanging lights and a vintage salon chair set up for a photo shoot. Over the summer, Nate will work on a commissioned monument for the Arizona Silent Service Memorial.
Nate is often at his studio late at night. The space is more than a mile away from residences, so he can run his chainsaw and other tools in the middle of the night.
“No one wants to hang out with the guy out with the chainsaw at 3 o’clock in the morning,” Nate jokes.
Nate always tries to get creative with his work and experiment with new processes. Many of the photographs adorning his studio walls show models covered in paint. He likes to work with different materials and elements for his photographs, including paint flour and fire.
Second Friday
When: 6 to 9 p.m. Friday, July 12
Where: Bloc Project, 4111 W. Innovative Drive, Suite 114, Anthem
Cost: Free admission
“It keeps everything for me interesting and fresh,” Nate says.
Bull rider Kerry Jones supports his sport despite a life-changing injury
By Jordan Houston
Mesa resident Kerry Jones suffered from a traumatic rodeo accident when he was 18 that left him paralyzed from the chest down — but that didn’t stop him from pursuing his passions in the ring.
Now 55, Jones fills his time by judging bull riding competitions from his wheelchair at venues across the Valley, including Hitching Post Saloon, Buffalo Chip Saloon and Roadrunner Restaurant and Saloon.
He also offers tips and advice to young riders on how to better improve their form.
A veteran cowboy, Jones is a living example of conquering adversity.
“If there’s something that you want to do, no matter what it is, find a way to do it,” Jones says. “Find people that can help you do it. If you need help, ask somebody to help and find a way to make it happen.”
Jones was born in Wichita, Kansas, and moved to Arizona when he was 6.
He started experimenting with rodeos three years later, practicing on steers and calves.
The 55-year-old said he quickly fell in love with the sport.
“There’s an adrenaline involved when you’re sitting down to ride something that is around 2,000 pounds,” he says. “You get that adrenaline pump from either the danger or the competition aspect. For me, it was just the challenge of, ‘Can I be better than this animal and the other guys I’m competing against?’”
Jones traveled across the state, accompanied by his father and four siblings, competing against Arizona’s finest.
Although rodeos can be physically and mentally taxing, Jones says, he came out successful due to his dad’s unconditional
support.
“You’ve got to be in pretty good physical shape, it’s probably the toughest sport out there because you don’t have the shoulder pads you do in football,” he says. “When you know you’ve got somebody behind you that is there to help you and point out some mistakes — it’s a huge boost through how you perform.”
down the side of the road.”
While the cowboy said he never felt “depressed,” he struggled with overcoming the frustration of gaining his independence back. But his family’s support helped him push through.
“Having to relearn how to get dressed and feed yourself, for somebody that was as independent as I was before I broke my neck, was frustrating,” he says. “I had a lot of support from my family and friends and they would kind of test me because they knew I could do it and they believed in me.”
He adds, as a result, his injury has made him a more understanding and patient person.
But that all changed on March 7, 1982.
When Jones was a senior in high school, he was gearing up for a Scottsdale rodeo in which he would be riding a bucking horse bareback.
A seasoned rider, Jones says nothing prepared him for what was to come.
Following the accident, the Kansas native says he hadn’t really considered getting back into the rodeo scene until 1990, when a friend and former world champion bull rider asked him to help out at his rodeo school.
Soon after, Jones started judging smaller bull riding competitions on a volunteer basis, occasionally offering tips and support to riders when he got a chance.
Jones was bucked off the horse, tangling his legs with the horse’s legs—driving his body straight into the ground head-first.
The teen broke C6 in his neck, dislocated C7 and pinched his spinal cord.
“I was awake and conscious the whole time, I remember it all,” he says. “It was one of those life events that you don’t forget.”
The road to recovery was long and hard, Jones says, but he never gave up hope.
At the initial time of his injury, he weighed around 170 pounds. Within a month and a half, he lost 40 pounds due to muscle atrophy.
Jones, who was doing physical therapy at the Good Samaritan hospital, said he was determined to get back in shape.
“There were a lot of things I enjoyed doing that I wanted to be able to do again and I knew if I didn’t get in better shape then I wouldn’t be able to do those things,” he says. “Once I got home, it was a matter of getting in a wheelchair and getting miles in. At one point, I was probably pushing 5 miles a day
Now almost 20 years later, he spends his time traveling around the valley for competitions in which he gets paid.
During a bull riding competition, two judges can award a total of 50 points each, Jones explains.
The quality of the ride is determined by the rowdiness of the bull and how well the rider matches the animal’s moves with countermoves.
Each rider can only use one hand and needs to stay on for a total of 8 seconds.
“The rider needs to show he can be in complete control of that animal during the eight seconds,” Jones says. “So, sitting in a good, upright position and not hanging off to the side.”
Reflecting on his injury, Jones — who now has a wife and six kids — says he hopes anyone who is in a similar position will never give up hope.
Kerry Jones, 55, fills his time by judging bull riding competitions from his wheelchair at venues across the Valley, including Hitching Post Saloon, Buffalo Chip
and Roadrunner Restaurant and
Saloon
Saloon. (Submitted photo)
Merrill Gardens couple marry after meeting in church
By Octavio Serrano
Pete Lee sat next to Mary Jo Waters at church and asked to hold her hand. Six months later, they said “I do.”
The residents of Anthem’s Merrill Gardens, Pete, 92, and Mary Jo Lee, 85, celebrated their friendship and companionship when they married in late May. The couple became close after that first day in church.
“He explained that he had always held his wife’s hand at church for 65 years and he wondered if it would be okay if he held my hand,” Mary Jo says. “So ever after we sat in church together and held hands.”
Mary Jo and Pete had previous loving marriages—45 years and 65 years, respectively—when they learned what it’s like to be devoted to someone. Both of their spouses passed away.
When asked what she learned about marriage, Mary Jo says, “You got to give and take. It’s not a one-way street and nobody can have their own way all the time.” Pete says that,
for a marriage to be fruitful, people must “live and love.”
They enjoy life with each other and separately. Pete likes to play bingo and other social activities, while Mary Jo enjoys staying inside with a nice book.
Mary Jo was impressed by Pete’s gentle nature toward people with disabilities.
“I very much appreciated the way he treats handicapped people because I have a handicapped son,” says Mary Jo, who has three children. “When I saw Pete loving and taking care of the handicap people here, I knew it was a good man.”
Mary Jo says. “I just really enjoy spending time with him.”
When he was one, Mary Jo’s son suffered from red measles, which spiked a fever that left permanent brain damage. Mary Jo says, at the time there wasn’t social assistance, so she worked fulltime so he could get the attention he needed.
Being with a man who cares for and respects people with disabilities is a dream come true for Mary Jo.
“He’ll talk to them when everybody else avoids them and he’s patient with them. He doesn’t get impatient with handicap people and that’s a beautiful thing,” Mary Jo says.
Marriage is an incredible commitment, Mary Jo says. After meeting him in church, she knew she wanted to be with him.
“You have to have a feeling before you can have an intention and I adore Pete,”
When the day finally came, Pete wore a light blazer with a striped tie and he could not have been more excited. After listening to the long delivery, the pastor made, he couldn’t help but impatiently ask him, “Can I kiss her now?”
Mary Jo and Pete rose slightly from chairs and kissed. Soon after, they were met by friends and family and had their first dance to Bing Crosby’s “Let Me Call You Sweetheart.”
Even at an advanced age, two people found commitment and meaning in marriage. This couple shows love and appreciation for each other with the heart of young people.
Pete adores Mary Jo for her accomplishments through her life and Mary Jo can’t get more than a few words out without saying something nice about Pete. Mary Jo, who worked for the Reformed Church in America, wrote 12 books and taught adult Christian education.
“The two major things that I admire and love about Pete is his sense of humor because he makes me life every turn of the switch,” Mary Jo says. “The second is his goodness to people that are less fortunate.”
Pete and Mary Jo Lee met in church roughly six months ago and married in May.
( Photo by Octavio Serrano)
Photos by: Lisa Hensley Photography
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FRONT COVER HOME
5BR
Dig This!
New River couple brings innovative planting concept to town
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
When Krystal Carman saw David Carman in Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport on November 6, 2005, she needed to meet him.
“It was a seat-yourself, Southwest Airlines flight,” recalls David, who was flying from Phoenix to Orange County. “She asked to sit next to me, and we talked the whole way and then the rest is history.”
Krystal hoped for romance, but she landed so much more. Now married with four children, the couple recently opened Plant Bar Arizona, a new venture in New River that gives guests the opportunity to select and plant their own arrangements with the help of a specialized “bartender.” Don’t worry about making a mess. The staff is there to clean the dirt from the bar as guests learn the tricks of the trade.
“It’s cute here,” Krystal says. “It’s fun and it’s an experience. We do make it a lot of fun, with loud music playing. You can bring your own food and drink, if you like.”
Open about three months, Plant Bar Arizona has been a seed waiting to be planted. The idea was born out of David’s frustra-
tion with big-box stores.
“There’s never anybody there to help you,” says David, a certified arborist who owns the landscape business, Gringos Landscaping. “You walk in, you don’t know plants anyway and they just weren’t very inviting either. When I was going to school and learning about plants, I thought it’d be
really neat to have a smaller space where we would educate guests.”
The couple moved from California to Anthem six years ago and found the property in the first week. They loved that the property, which previously held a Segway rental facility and an antique store, is on a hill overlooking Interstate 17, across from the Glossy Heifer restaurant. It was the culmination of a very long dream.
“It was not very inviting,” he says. “We chose to open quickly. We flipped the place in two weeks. We repaired the entire thing. We redid all the lighting. We teamed up with Jami Ray Vintage and that’s who did all the furniture.
“All of the materials here were salvaged. We went picking, basically. It was a quick two weeks and it was a lot of work”
Since Plant Bar Arizona’s opening, the Carmans have continued to upgrade and improve the grounds and building. They are aided by their children, Brad, 19; Jake, 13; Mischa, 11; and Kirra, 4.
Krystal and David Carman of Plant Bar Arizona strive to give everyone a green thumb. (Photos by Pablo Robles)
At Plant Bar Arizona, guests can choose a pot and a Succulent or plant to learn from the best how to transfer them.
“We’re fixing our patio now, though, so it’ll be shaded,” he says. “I’m always telling people things here are done right. It’s different and unique on purpose.”
David and Krystal, a graphic artist by trade, are passionate about plant education and providing assistance. The store has an assortment of plants, home décor and art for purchase, as well as seminars, entertainment and planting parties. Ladies Nights are sellouts.
“Ladies Nights are very popular,” she says. “They get the whole experience. It takes about an hour and they have a good time. Afterward, they shop, or they hang out. We have a lot of parties who just hang out on our patios because it’s so pretty. That was really an unexpected success.”
At Plant Bar Arizona, guests may order customized arrangements for their home, events or gifts, or rent for special occasions. For parties, the space can hold up to 150 people inside and on the intimate patio. Their vision board includes building a white barn for parties and special events.
Plant Bar Arizona hosts fieldtrips as well for “planting adventures.” Sometimes, David is joined by Precise Pest Solutions owner Dave Coleman, who brings rattlesnakes and scorpions. Kids get their hands dirty, painting terracotta pots, and transplanting plants after they learn about and mix their soil.
“I get to nerd out about plants,” David says with a laugh. “They all get to touch cactus — of course, one they can touch — and then they all plant together. They get a kick out of it.”
Children aren’t the only ones who learn, the Carmans stress they’re also there to educate everyone who stops by.
“When you go to big-box stores, most of the plants have generic labels and it applies to the entire United States,” Krystal says.
“It doesn’t apply to Arizona. We’ve had customers say, ‘Well, it said to do this and that on my label.’ Plants have to be treated differently here. We’ll tell you how to take care of it. You won’t have plants dying.”
Plant Bar Arizona
46135 N. Black Canyon Highway, New River
623-363-2882, plantbaraz.com
10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday to Friday
8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday
Plant Bar Arizona’s upcoming events
Girls Nights, for women 18 and older, 7 p.m. Tuesday, July 9, and Thursday, July 25, $29.95
Guys Night , for men 18 and older, 7 p.m. Thursday, July 11, $39.95
Plant Adventure, for kids 14 and younger, anytime 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, July 16, $10 per child
Fancy Date Night , for adults 18 and older, 6 p.m. Friday, July 26, $99 per couple, includes dinner and class Family Night , 6 p.m. Friday, August 2, free. Food and drinks will be available for purchase.
Succulents and cactus are popular items at Plant Bar Arizona in New River.
CHAMBER CORNER
It’s Serendipity
Sawana Grimmett opens The Salt Spa with the help of Hair.n.Dipity
By Heather Maxwell, Executive Director Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce
Sawana Grimmett was working out of a local dentist office when, through mutual acquaintances, she met Rochelle Decker, owner of Hair.n.Dipity salon.
Grimmett then saw her business, The Salt Spa, take off.
“In 2016, a treatment room at her hair salon became available and I made the decision to move my practice over,” Grimmett says.
“In March of 2017, two additional treatment rooms became available at Hair.n.Dipity, which allowed me to expand and open up a small day spa to include skin care services.”
In May 2018, Grimmett, 34, broke ground in the space next door to Hair.n.Dipity, allowing her to add a treatment room for the state-of-the-art, Himalayan Salt Cave.
“The cave was built by the incredibly talented Nathaniel Decker of The Bloc Project,” she says.
We spoke with Grimmett about her career and her time with the Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce.
How long have you been a chamber member?
Four years.
Why did you decide to open in the North Valley?
competitors can be your largest support and referral source if you foster those relationships properly.
My husband, two sons and myself have lived in Anthem since 2009. We opened our business up here not only for the proximity, but also for the deep community support that we see surrounding our local businesses.
What are some of the most challenging aspects of running your business?
I always joke that I’m a massage therapist at my core, not a business owner. The dayto-day business operations are what I find to be the biggest adjustment and learning curve. Luckily, I have made so many connections with so many amazing local business owners and can now outsource for the things I’m not as proficient at. On top of that, I have so many inspiring mentors in my corner who help teach me daily what it looks like to be a successful and humble business owner.
What differentiates your business from your competitors?
I see so much strength and diversity in all of my direct competitors in the area. I love that we all offer similar services, but also very different services at the same time. I have always said your
Do you participate in any local philanthropic efforts?
I serve on the board of directors of the Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce, am the program director and co-creator of the Anthem Area Leadership Academy, the current president of the Preferred Businesses of Anthem, serve on the board of directors of Caurus Academy, and am a member of the Anthem Rotary Club. Giving back and devoting my time, talents and treasures to my local community is something my parents embedded in me. It’s just who I am, and I cannot see myself ever letting that piece go, no matter how busy I may get. I try to always find balance in all that I do.
What does the future hold for your business?
I get asked this question a lot and honestly my answer is generally I do not know — and I am completely comfortable with that. I didn’t grow up wanting to be a massage therapist, it was something that organically happened. I never thought I would own my own spa, yet here I am. I like the idea of not setting any
The Salt Spa 4111 W. Innovative Drive, Suite 112, Phoenix 623-551-0161, saltspaaz.com facebook.com/saltspaaz IG: @saltspaaz
Sawana Grimmett of The Salt Spa. (Submitted photo)
specific rules or expectations on myself and my business, but instead letting it breathe and grow naturally and seeing what happens. What I can for sure say, is that I want to make a lasting impact and leave a legacy for my children for years to come.
What is one of your favorite memories as an AACC Member?
The annual gala is my favorite event of the year. I love dressing up and spending the night celebrating my peers and dancing the night away.
What is your biggest business pet peeve?
Bad customer service. None of us are perfect and we will always make mistakes, but how you handle those mistakes and take accountability for your actions is key.
What are you most proud of?
My family. I have the most supportive husband in the world and our sons will grow up seeing what all the aspects of being an entrepreneur truly are and what it means to support your spouse wholeheartedly.
What are the best words of wisdom you’ve received?
Never stop making time for you. I’m in the business of self-care and I believe with all my heart that it is the key to success and balance.
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CHAMBER CORNER
Designing Woman Anthem chamber intern stitching her way to the top
By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski
Abby Davis is one of those multihyphenate talents.
She’s an intern with the Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce. She is an ASU powerlifter and a fashion student. The incoming sophomore easily balances it, using powerlifting as her stress reliever.
“Fashion is the one thing that’s been so consistent in my life,” the 19-year-old Anthem resident says. “When I was super little, 5 or 6, I cut up my own clothes and stapled them to my dolls.
“Once I got to high school, I just expanded my horizons with sewing. I took part in a couple camps before that, but outside of it I am self-taught.”
While she attended Boulder Creek High School, Davis designed her friends’ homecoming dresses. She still creates her own wardrobe.
Davis’ designs are showcased on the second floor of Scottsdale Fashion Square in an ASU Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts-sponsored display through late August.
“It is so exciting,” Davis says. “They only
chose five freshmen and I was one of them out of 300 kids.”
Davis chose fashion as her major for one reason: “You really only live once.”
“I didn’t want to go through my entire life wishing I had trusted my gut,” Davis adds. “I’m so confident in my abilities. I will find success through this field.”
She’s well on her way. After graduating in 2022, Davis plans to travel to New York to earn her master’s degree. However, first, she’ll study abroad in France and in either the Czech Republic or Italy.
“The school in Prague is so prestigious,” Davis says. “My parents took a trip there when I was a senior in high school. They met a lady in a fabric shop and bought the fabric I used for my prom dress. She was so ecstatic to hear of someone so young at a level people don’t get to until they’re in their 30s.
“She was so impressed by someone so young that she offered me an internship at her fabric store. She has high-end fabrics like Dolce & Gabbana.”
Davis, who
wasn’t on the trip, calls the gift of fabric “the most incredible present” from her parents.
“They are so supportive,” she says. “I would have not been able to do anything without their support. They bought my first sewing machine, recognized my talent and encouraged me to go for it.”
She started her label, Abigail Elizabeth Design, at age 16, and ordered business cards and tags, while her parents handled the legalities. Recently, she launched her website, abigailelizabethdesign.com.
To hone her business skills, Davis is interning this summer at the Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce. She loves the atmosphere and is impressed with the staff’s willingness to answer her questions.
“I absolutely love it,” she says. “I wanted to expand my experience in the fashion industry. Granted, the chamber has nothing to do with fashion, but it helps with business sense. It’s local. It was super convenient and a great
To relieve her stress, Abby Davis joined the ASU powerlifting team and took second place at a January tournament.
Abby Davis is interning with the Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce to hone her business skills. (Photos courtesy Abby Davis)
Building a Dream
Dignified Home Loans opens Anthem location
By Alison Stanton
Deborah Hartwick was inspired to choose a career in the mortgage industry for two key reasons — she loves numbers and she’s a people person.
“I like walking my clients through the challenges each borrower can go through on the journey to homeownership,” Hartwick says.
With 30 years’ experience in the mortgage lending industry, Hartwick is the sales manager of Dignified Home Loans LLC in Anthem. her resume includes owning a mortgage company; and working in real estate for five years.
The Anthem location, which joins the family of Dignified Home Loans offices in California and Nevada, celebrated its grand opening on June 20 with a ribbon-cutting ceremony.
Dignified Home Loans offers a number of products and home loans, Hartwick says, including the ability to fully underwrite buyers’ loans prior to them finding their new home.
“This enables buyers to have a quick close, and the seller to be confident in the buyer’s ability to complete the transaction in a short escrow period,” she says.
“In this competitive market, an underwritten loan has more value than a prequalification letter.”
Dignified Home Loans offers FHA loans for borrowers who have financial challenges, parents who are co-signing for their children and those who want a low down payment.
Davis continued from pg. 32
opportunity.”
Davis has lived in Arizona since the eighth grade, when she moved here from Utah with her family. At Boulder Creek, she continued her softball career and used weight training as a strengthening exercise. As an ASU freshman, she joined the powerlifting team. In January, she participated in her first meet
“We also offer VA loans where the fees are waived for the veteran and jumbo loans,” Hartwick says.
“Not all of my clients want or qualify for a 30-year conventional fixed-rate loan. With my past years of underwriting loans, I am able to help the self-employed borrower and, in many cases, where other loan officers or lending institutions will just decline the loan when they don’t understand all of the moving parts.”
In addition to helping her clients achieve their dream of home ownership, Hartwick says she enjoys working with investors.
Starting in September, Hartwick will host an investor financing seminar the second Wednesday of every month at the Anthem Chamber of Commerce, which is in the same complex as Dignified Home Loans.
During the seminars, Hartwick will provide information that will help investors refinance and advise first-time investors on how to be financially prepared before they start looking for properties.
Hartwick says she is looking forward to being part of the Anthem business community and helping to support veterans.
“I enjoy the daily interaction with such a wide variety of buyers and clients, in addition to the networking and meeting new people through the Chamber of Commerce, Realtor events and community events,” she says.
To reserve a spot in an upcoming seminar, email Hartwick directly at deborah.hartwick@dignifiedhomeloans.com.
Dignified Home Loans LLC
3715 W. Anthem Way, Anthem 480-310-1240, dignifiedhomeloans. mymortgage-online.com/ DeborahHartwick.html
and took second. At the end of August, she’ll stay in the Valley for the USA Powerlifting Southwest Regional Championships.
“I’m going in expecting to break records,” she says. “Powerlifting is so much fun. It’s something to do to keep me fit and busy. It’s a good stress reliever, too.”
ASU was a logical decision after it began
offering a fashion degree a few years ago. She also chose to stay in-state because of tuition and to avoid “financial ruin before I’m making any real money.”
“It’s perfect timing, with the fashion degree program starting a couple years ago,” she says. “The professors are making my dreams come true.”
Deborah Hartwick will host investor financing seminars beginning in September. (Photo courtesy Deborah Hartwick)
Festive Fun
Puff paint, rockets and filter crafts will make July 4th colorful
By Shannon Fisher
July is here and the 4th is a great time to make festive crafts.
Homemade puff paint is easy and fun. We started with 1/2 cup of flour and mixed in 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of salt and just kept stirring in water until it was the consistency of pancake batter.
We divided our mix into two parts and then scooped in to two Ziploc bags. If you wanted to make more colors, just double the recipe.
We then added a few drops of food coloring and with the bag sealed tight, squished the mixture until completely mixed. Keep adding food coloring until you have the color you want. You can now cut a small
hole in one corner of the bag to use to pipe your de sign. We used the two colors to make de signs on a white paper plate.
After, we put in the microwave for 30 seconds. It fluffed up and came out dry and solid. After it cooled the design was hard to the touch. This was a great way to create art with homemade puff paint with little mess.
Another cute way to decorate for this month is with toilet paper roll rockets. We took paper and covered the rolls. We had coffee filters, paper, glue, tape, stickers and striped paper straws that everyone could chose from to create their designs. They came out so cute and original. They can be used around the lawn or table for decorations or gifts ready to blast off.
many coffee fil ters, like we do, this filter craft is perfect and so easy. We used old Bingo dobbers; you can use markers as well. We dobbed the bottom of the coffee filters. Make sure it is on a plastic table cloth or plate so it does not stain your table area. Next, drip water on the design and watch it blend. You can make a garland with these or a paper flower. You can be as creative as you want!
Hope you have another great summer month of creating festive crafts!
Shannon Fisher is a local wife, mom of two girls and owner of Shannon Fisher Photography. She taught high school and elementary art before opening her photography business.
FAMILY
DIY Staycation
Summertime activities strengthen family ties
By Pastor David Bowen, Standing Stones Community Church, Standing Stones Christian Academy
St. Francis of Assisi once said, “A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.” These are words of wisdom spoken 800 years ago. He also said “All the darkness in the world cannot extinguish the light of a single candle.”
What was he trying to say? Instead of seeking to be understood what if we sought to understand? Instead of seeking to be loved, what if we sought to love? For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned. So, in response to the point of being a single sunbeam or a single candle, who are the people in your world that light up your life?
As we enjoy another summer season, this is the time of year when schedules are more flexible. Kids are absent from the classroom and parents are not starting and ending each day driving through traffic to get the kids to school activities. This means we have more time to spend together. This can be a blessing or a burden. You have the ability to choose,
please choose wisely.
For some time now, do-it-yourself type shows have been extremely popular. So, what if families combine the two? How can we shine some new light that is fun, and affordable? Summertime means starting up the grill and eating outdoors. One fun DIY summer task is letting the kids cook dinner. To allow them to take more ownership, take in a local farmers market, let them pick out some of the fruits and vegetables and organize the family meal. It may not sound like much, but kids will love this. They have the freedom to choose and the opportunity to be the cook. If the effort fails, pizza can be delivered in 30 minutes.
Plan some easy and fun adventures. Miniature golf is an affordable evening out. For the real DIY family, create your own course in your own backyard and driveway. Another fun DIY evening is creating your own drivein movies. When I first tried this with our family my kids had never heard of a drive-in
movie. They asked why would anyone want to watch a movie in their car? I can't say I had a good answer, but the idea of having popcorn and watching a movie in our backyard was a hit.
Camping is always a fun summer activity, but for the DIY, we create our own camping experience. Sleeping bags and blankets laid out on the trampoline in the backyard is a home run for sleep overs. If rain is in the forecast, building huge indoor tents out of bed sheets, cardboard boxes and pillows is way more fun than any stay at the local Hilton or Motel 6.
Before you know it, it’ll be time for the back-to-school shopping. The farthest kids can stay away from that joyful experience, the more fun every DIY summer escape project will be. Embrace the opportunity and create the memory while you can. Summer only lasts so long. Remember, “A single sunbeam is enough to drive away many shadows.” Go be a light and enjoy the season of summer.
Kuma’s Great Adventures
The family goes camping at Mingus Mountain
Told by Kuma and written by Lorraine Bossé-Smith
Man, the heat is on! It is that time of year when temps rise, and my family and I head to the hills to cool off. Mom and dad got the camper trailer all ready and loaded up the car. We were going back to Mingus Mountain. Last time, we had a leak in the trailer. No hold up this time, and we hit the road with ease.
We headed north on I-17 and took the exit toward Prescott (89A. Mingus Mountain is actually between the Prescott Valley and Jerome). We turned on Forest Road 104 and followed this dirt road for about 2.5 miles. At the fourway stop, we turned right into the campground. No electricity yet! Apparently, lightening hit the main box a couple of years ago, and they haven’t repaired it. The fee is $10 to $14 per site, per night depending upon which one you pick. The maximum vehicle length is 22 to 40 feet. Unlike the Potato Patch campground across the way, this one does not have a host. The human restrooms are clean, though, and you have great cell connection. I don’t much care for those devices and feel humans spend too much time with their faces in them. That’s just my opinion. I much rather be smelling stuff, and sniff I did!
As my parents set up camp (they are getting quite good and quick at it), I checked our site out. Hey, this was the same one we used last time! Cool. The pine trees provide nice shade, and we had pretty good privacy. Mom took me for a quick walk around, and I got to meet our neighbors. Two humans and two dogs. We meeted and greeted; sniffed and swirled. When we got back, my mom gave me a surprise: a steak bone. Holy smokes! In 15 minutes flat, I ate the entire bone. Have I mentioned that I’m an excellent bone crusher? It’s a special skill, what can I say. Anyway, we enjoyed the afternoon with cool temperatures in the 70s. My mom calls it nature’s air conditioning. I love it because I don’t pant so much.
Sometime before dinner, we took a hike. Lots of trails spin off the dirt road behind the
campground. At the fork, we went to the right. All trails eventually end at the overlook. I got excited because I smelled water. It took longer for my folks to know it was there because they had to see it. Me, I followed my nose to a steer pond, at least that is what my dad called it. In I went for a swim! It’s probably good I’m current on all my shots and vaccines. It was a little murky, but I’m not picky. Any swimming hole is a good one!
We made our way around the loop and back to the overlook where you can see Cottonwood and Sedona. I remember the big tree that lives there. Unfortunately, humans carved a heart and their names in it. Seriously people? This is not good for the tree. Shame on you. Please leave nature as you found it. We took pictures and hung out. My folks brought books to read, and I took a little nap. The sun was warm but the breeze cool. Just perfect.
As the sunlight got dimmer, we went back to our camper. My folks cooked up some dinner, and we waited for the stars. What a show they put on for us. Because Mingus Mountain is almost 8,000 feet tall, we had an unobstructed view. We saw some constellations we haven’t seen before. Mom and dad pointed out Leo and the Dog. That one was a stretch, but I went along with them.
I’d like to say I overcame my fear of the
camper, but I haven’t. Since I got stung by a bee in it, I have been apprehensive about sleeping in there. I have a memory like an elephant, so I’m told. Instead of fighting with me, my folks let me sleep in my kennel. I feel much safer in it. We’ll try again next time.
We were all in the dark as the battery died on the camper. It’s brand new and shouldn’t have any issues. By morning, my dad figured it out. A wire was loose, and that caused the battery to drain. It would charge back up on our way home, which went smoothly. Within two hours, we were home and hanging out by the pool because it was hot again. I count down the moments until we head to the hills again. Stay cool my friends.
Kumaito (Kuma for short) is a multi-tan Shiba Inu, the oldest and purest from Japan. I personally was born in the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, moved to Friendswood, Texas, and now call Phoenix home. I enjoy running or hiking almost every day with my mom, chasing rabbits out of my neighborhood, playing with toys, pestering my brother Edmond, eating and napping.
Lorraine Bossé-Smith is the founder of the FIT Leader Formula. She shares Kuma’s adventures. She is a motivational speaker, corporate trainer, business consultant, executive coach, behavioral-wellness expert, and author of eight published books.
Kuma with great views of Sedona. (Photo courtesy Lorraine Bossé-Smith)
BRAINTEASERS
DINING
Taste of Thai
Peter Song fills a niche in Anthem with traditional dishes
By Ron Sanzone
Twelve years ago, Peter Song saw an opportunity and seized it. While the North Valley did not suffer from a lack of dining options for popular Asian cuisines such as Chinese and Japanese, he was struck by something else.
“At that time, the area from Deer Valley to Black Canyon City, didn’t have any Thai restaurants,” Song says.
He remedied that by opening his own restaurant, Dara Thai Cafe, in Anthem.
Song says he chose Anthem because it was the largest Valley community north of Loop 101 along I-17 corridor. Since Dara Thai opened its doors in 2007, he has been not only the restaurant’s owner, but also a chef in the kitchen.
Before opening Dara Thai, which translates into English as Thai Stars, Song owned a restaurant in his native Thailand. Before that, he grew up watching his mother cook for his family. That childhood experience piqued his interest in cooking.
“You know, when you see your parents do something when you’re young and you say, ‘I can do that?'” he says. “It came to my heart, my mom is doing it, why can’t I do it?”
Dara Thai offers diners an extensive menu of over 100 Thai dishes, including soups, salads, curries, seafood, noodle and rice dishes, and vegetarian options.
Prices range from $7.50 to $9 for lunch and $10 to $14 for dinner.
which helps the restaurant get through the lean summer months.
Song says while Thai restaurants by and large feature similar menu items, there are variations in taste, particularly in sauces. Authenticity separates Dara Thai from the rest.
Song uses family recipes to create many of his sauces fresh in house, such as some of the curries, and the Pad Thai and sweet and sour sauces. In addition, many of Dara Thai’s ingredients, such as its rice noodles and several of its curries, are imported directly from Thailand.
Running a restaurant can be challenging, particularly when the weather heats up in Arizona. Song says Dara Thai loses money from June through September. The number of customers drops 50% because of the heat and the number of vacationers. The other eight months of the year are profitable,
Another of Song’s challenges is the number of exotic-sounding dishes it serves, such as Tom Ka Gai (hot and sour soup made with chicken, Thai herbs, lemongrass, lime and fresh, sliced mushrooms), Pad Khing Sod (chicken, beef or tofu sautéed with fresh ginger, onion, bell peppers, carrots and mushrooms) and Goong Tod Rang Prik (red currym onions bamboo shoots, mushrooms, bell peppers and carrots, and topped with crispy shrimp).
“I think if you ask 10 people, only two or three know about Thai food,” Song says. Those who learn about it, love it, he adds.
Passing up the plethora of local taco shops, pizza joints and sandwich shops to try something as different as Thai food can add spice to your palate and your life, Song believes.
“You should try something new,” he says. “Life’s boring if you don’t try something new.”
Chicken pad Thai. (Submitted photos)
Crab wontons
WHAT'S COOKING
Sole Meunière
By Jan D’Atri
I was searching for a great recipe for you that’s simple, takes very little time and cooks so quickly it will hardly heat your kitchen during the summer months.
I found my catch of the day thanks to celebrity chef and cookbook author Ina Garten, my favorite Barefoot Contessa.
This simple skillet dish is called Sole Meunière (pronounced “mahnyear”).
But don’t let the name scare you. Meunière is really a fancy word for fish sautéed in butter and sprinkled with lemon juice and chopped parsley. That’s pretty much it! Once you grate and squeeze the lemons, the entire process only takes about 5 minutes, and it goes right from the skillet to the table. Not only have I never “Meunière” something but I’ve never had Dover Sole, so this week I experiences two “firsts” in the kitchen.
Is Sole Meunière destined to be one of my go-to dishes? I could answer that by telling you how many times I’ve made it since discovering it, but let’s just say a lot.
Sole Meunière is the perfect catch for dinner any night of the week.
Sole Meunière (2 servings)
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 4 fresh sole, 3 to 4 ounces each
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 6 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (3 lemons)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley, divided
Directions:
Combine the flour, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper in a large, shallow plate. Pat the fish fillets dry with paper towels and sprinkle one side with salt. Heat 3 tablespoons of butter in a
large sauté pan (10- to 12-inch pan) over medium heat until butter just begins to brown. Dredge 2 fillets in the seasoned flour on both sides and place them in the hot butter. Lower the heat to mediumlow and cook for 2 minutes. Turn carefully with a spatula and cook for 2 minutes on the other side. While the second side cooks, add 1/2 teaspoon of lemon zest and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice to the pan. Sprinkle with the parsley, salt, and pepper. Keep fillets warm in a 200-degree oven and make the second batch using the remainder of the sole, butter, lemon, parsley salt and pepper. When all fillets are cooked, serve immediately.
Watch my how-to video here: jandatri.com/recipe/sole-meuniere
Quit Bugging Me!
How to prevent and treat bites and stings
By Katherine Reeves, Pharm. D and Tara Storjohann, Pharm D., BCGP, FASCP
Summer is here! This means hot weather, days at the pool and, unfortunately, more of those annoying (and painful!) bug bites and stings. Often, these can be treated with over-the-counter medications. However, in other cases, it may be more appropriate to seek medical attention. So, do you know what to do if you, your child or a friend is stung? Keep reading to find out!
Mosquito bites
because this is the time mosquitos are most active.
Systemic allergic reactions to mosquito bites are possible, although uncommon. Hives, shortness of breath, fever or necrotic skin at the bite site are symptoms of a systemic allergic reaction. In the case that any of these occur, emergency medical help should be contacted immediately.
Spider bites
Perhaps one of the most common insect bites during the summer months are mosquito bites. The best way to deal with these pesky insects is to prevent them from biting in the first place. Avoiding mosquito bites is also key at preventing mosquito-borne diseases such as the Zika, West Nile and Chikun
Insect repellents are also helpful when it comes to preventing these bites. It is important to confirm that the repellent you choose to use has at least one of the following ingredients: DEET, icaridin or oil of lemon eucalyptus. Make sure to apply the repellent outdoors and away from food. If you are also wearing sunscreen, apply the repellent first, about 20 minutes prior to sunscreen application.
Despite our best efforts, mosquitoes sometimes seem to persevere. Fortunately, most of the time these bites are simply uncomfortable, and you will want a treatment option to help subside the annoying urge to itch. Treatment options may include calamine lotion or over-the-counter hydrocortisone cream, a cool compress and/ or an oral antihistamine, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl).
Most spider bites are harmless. Cleaning the bite wound with soap and water and applying a topical over-the counter antibiotic, like bacitracin/neomycin/polymyxin B ointment (Neosporin) is usually sufficient treatment. Applying a cool compress to the bite, and elevating the site itself, may help to reduce swelling and inflammation. If the wound is especially painful, an overthe-counter pain reliever such as ibuprofen (Advil), naproxen (Aleve) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) may be beneficial. Patients who believe to have been bitten by a brown recluse spider or black widow spider should seek emergency medical care immediately due to the possibility of life-threatening
It may be difficult to determine if the culprit was a spider or a mosquito because the wound they leave behind often looks very similar. Mosquito and spider bites usually manifest as small red, mounds. However, mosquito bites have one tiny puncture mark at the center, whereas spider bites have two puncture marks due to their fangs. Another way to determine who the perpetrator was is to evaluate symptoms. Mosquito bites are usually itchier in general, where spider bites are typically more painful and associated with more swelling.
Tick bites
When it comes to tick bites, the main treatment is to remove the tick promptly. To do this, use clean, finetipped tweezers to grasp the tick as close to your skin as possible. Gently pull out the tick, using a steady, upward motion. The goal is to remove the entire tick, without leaving the mouth parts (yuck!). Upon removing, if the mouth parts are still left in the skin, remove with clean tweezers. If this isn’t possible, simply allow the skin to heal. Wash your hands and bite site itself with rubbing alcohol or warm, soapy water.
Bee stings
Bee stings are often painful and may cause a minor or moderate reaction. In the case of a sting, the stinger should be removed immediately with
clean tweezers or forceps. The area should be washed with warm, soapy water and a cool compress should be applied to help with inflammation. Over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen, naproxen or acetaminophen may be used for pain relief. Calamine lotion or over the counter hydrocortisone cream may also help with irritation and pain and can be used in conjunction with an oral pain reliever. Scratching the area should be avoided to prevent further swelling or irritation.
When to seek help:
Any insect bite or sting has the potential to elicit a systemic allergic reaction. Signs that someone may be experiencing a severe allergic reaction include hives, swelling of skin away from the area that was stung, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, lightheadedness or dizziness. In these cases, call 9-1-1 immediately.
What now?
Most bug bites or stings are self-limiting and over-the-counter treatments are usually
sufficient for symptomatic relief. However, it is important to recognize when to seek medical attention in order to protect yourself and loved ones. Your friendly neighborhood pharmacist is always there as well to help as well answer any questions you have. So, enjoy that popsicle with your kids at the pool, because hopefully now you are more prepared to handle any bug bite or sting that comes your way!
Katherine Reeves, Pharm.D. Reeves is a firstyear community pharmacy resident for Fry’s Pharmacy and Midwestern University. She graduated with her Doctor of Pharmacy in May 2018 from the University of Kentucky College of Pharmacy in Lexington, Kentucky. In her spare time, Reeves loves to watch Kentucky basketball and cheer on the Wildcats. She also loves going on morning hikes, exploring her new desert home, and spending time with her cat, Remy.
Tara Storjohann, Pharm.D, BCGP, FASCP. Storjohann has resided in Anthem since 2002 and is a pharmacist and an associate professor in the College of Pharmacy at Midwestern University in Glendale. She enjoys spending time in the Arizona great outdoors hiking and snow skiing. She is a health advocate and is passionate about helping others achieve their wellness goals.
The Skinny on B12 Injections
The vitamin’s deficiency can cause myriad problems
By Dr. Kelly Collins, Owner of Premier Wellness & Aglow Med Spa
B12 deficiency isn’t a rare or mysterious disease. It’s written about in almost every medical textbook. B12 deficiency is far more common than most health care practitioners and the general public realize.
Data from a Tufts University study suggests that 40% of people between the ages of 26 and 83 have plasma B12 levels in the low normal range — a range at which many experience neurological symptoms.
B12 deficiency has been estimated to affect about 40% of people older than age 60. Because of those statistics, it is entirely possible that at least some of the symptoms we attribute to “normal” aging—such as memory loss, cognitive decline, and decreased mobility — are at least in part caused by a B12 deficiency.
B12 deficiency is underdiagnosed in the United States for two reasons. First, most physicians do not routinely test B12 levels. Second, the low end of the laboratory reference range is too low. Because of this, often times people exhibit signs of deficiency even if their lab results show them to be “within normal range.”
This is why most studies underestimate true levels of deficiency. Many deficient people have so-called “normal” levels of B12.
Low levels of B12 are associated with a variety of psychological and behavioral symptoms including signs of Alzheimer’s, dementia, multiple sclerosis and mental illness.
Common B12 deficiency signs and symptoms include:
• Tingling or numbness in the hands and feet
• Brain fog, confusion and memory problems
• Depression
• Premature aging
• Cognitive decline
• Anemia
• Weakness
• Fatigue
• Constipation
Who is at Risk?
In general, the following groups are at greatest risk for a deficiency:
• Vegetarians and vegans
• People aged 60 or older
• People who regularly use PPIs or acidsuppressing drugs
• People on diabetes drugs like metformin
• People with digestive disorders such as Crohn’s disease, ulcerative colitis, celiac or irritable bowel syndrome.
People who are deficient in Vitamin B12 are often prescribed B12 injections. This method of delivery is very effective in quickly reversing or preventing deficiencies because it allows for 100% absorption of the B12 to occur.
Vitamin B12 injections are also popular for
reasons other than B12 deficiencies. In fact, lots of people make them apart of their lifestyle and wellness routines.
Benefits of B12 injections include:
• Increase in energy levels
• Decrease in feelings of fatigue
• Increase in metabolism
• Elevation in mood, decrease in feelings of depression
• Anxiety and stress support
• Increased concentration
• Immune system boosting
• Support weight loss and metabolism of fat
• Help decrease or slow down loss of hair
If you suspect you have a deficiency, the first step is to get tested. You will need an accurate baseline for your health care provider to work from.
If you are B12 deficient, the next step is to identify the mechanism causing the deficiency. You’ll probably need help from a medical practitioner for this part. Once the mechanism is identified, the appropriate form (injection, oral, sublingual or nasal) of supplementation, the dose and the length of treatment can be selected.
If you are a healthy adult and think you could benefit from any of the benefits of B12 injection, try weekly or bi-weekly shots for one month and if you see positive results, continue with the injections on a schedule that is recommended by your health care provider. So, next time you or someone you know is “having a senior moment,” remember: It might not be “just normal aging.” It could actually be a sign of a B12 deficiency.
Dr. Kelly C. Collins is the owner and medical director of Premier Wellness Center in Anthem.
EXTRAORDINARY RIDES
Lexus RC-F V-8 Coupe
By C.A. Haire
There are plenty of two-door sport coupes on the market, but very few are powered by a V-8 engine. Lexus has one it would be glad to sell you, called the RC-F. Under the hood is a potent, modern 5.0-liter V-8, cranking out 467 horsepower, and 389 pound/feet of torque. It’s hooked to an 8-speed direct-shift automatic transmission. Gears can be selected manually from paddle shifters on the steering wheel. Claimed 0-60 mph time is 4.4 seconds. To stop this hot rod, large 15-inch six-piston brakes are on the front, with 13.5 rotor four pistons on the rear.
The price of admission is high at $64,000, but climbs even more with an option list. How about $600 for the bright yellow paint, $3,500 for stereo/navigation pack, and $5,500 for a
carbon rear wing? Add alloy wheels, LED headlights, leather trim, orange painted brakes, and a luxury package, the tab came to a tidy $81,495.
This car is a blast to drive. Yes, it will smoke the tires, and we did get the 0-60 time of 4.4 seconds. The cornering ability on tight mountain roads was outstanding. The ride is a bit firm, but it needs to be to handle all that power to the tires. The exhaust pipes send out a drone that can be heard by everyone down the road. This includes the traffic police, so be careful.
There are a few disadvantages here that must be mentioned. First, the trunk is small, with only 10 cubic feet of space, so don’t plan on bringing much gear. There is no room for a
spare tire either, so not a good idea to get a flat. The tire repair kit supplied isn’t much help. Also, the infotainment system is not operated by a control stick as on other Lexus cars, but a touch pad. It’s awkward to use, especially when moving. But the idea here is to have fun driving, and we get that with the RC-F. For those who like the car, but don’t need all this power, the RC line is also offered with a milder 311 horsepower V-6, or a smaller 2.0-liter 241 horsepower starting at $40,000. Take your pick.
This car is a ‘blast’ to drive
The Lexus RC-F V-8 Coupe is also offered with a milder 311 horsepower V-6. (Photos by C.A. Haire)
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