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Inaugural StoryWalks combine reading and nature

BY ALISON STANTON Peoria Times Contributing Writer

Families can experience children’s books in a fun and interactive way at Pioneer and Paloma community parks in Peoria on Saturday, Oct. 9.

Heather Sorden, library operations coordinator at Sunrise Mountain Library in Peoria, said the city will launch two free StoryWalk events that day.

At 9 a.m., “I Am Peace” by Susan Verde will be the focus of the StoryWalk at Pioneer Community Park, 8755 N. 83rd Avenue. At 10:30 a.m., the book “From Head to Toe” by Eric Carle will be featured at the StoryWalk at Paloma Community Park, 29799 N. Lake Pleasant Parkway.

“StoryWalk is an innovative way for children to read and play outdoors at the same time,” Sorden said.

Laminated pages from each children’s book will be attached to wooden stakes or metal stands and installed along an outdoor path.

“As individuals stroll down the trail, they are directed to the next page in the story and to do a related activity.”

The city will host ribbon-cutting ceremonies at both parks, and Mayor Cathy Carlat will share remarks before librarians lead attendees through the StoryWalks.

StoryWalks were developed in 2007 by Anne Ferguson from Montpelier, Vermont, in collaboration with the Kellogg-Hubbard Library, and have now been installed in 50 states and 13 countries, Sorden said.

“We were fortunate to receive a grant from the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, a division of the secretary of state, with federal funds from the Institute of Museum and Library Services to create the StoryWalk in Peoria,” Sorden said.

Peoria Public Library is always looking for new and innovative ways to provide library resources and promote literacy in the community.

“Families will experience the library in an unconventional setting that combines the pleasures of reading with the beauty of nature and playing together outdoors.”

The stories will be changed once per quarter at each location, Sorden said, with a special story and a program presented at Pioneer Park in March celebrating the Monarch Butterfly migration and in September at Paloma Park feting native trees.

Sorden said she is looking forward to the launch of StoryWalks in Peoria and providing families with an enjoyable and educational activity that also promotes physical activity and the library.

“During my research for writing the grant, I visited the StoryWalks at some of our sister libraries in the Valley. It was thrilling to watch children with their families and friends reading the stories and performing the activities as they walked between signs,” she said.

“I’m very excited to be able to bring this unique experience to the children of Peoria.

For more information, visit https:// bit.ly/StoryPeoria.

David Nail reinspired to perform after quarantine

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Peoria Times Executive Editor

Arizona is a “magical place” to country star David Nail. The Grand Canyon State is where his grandparents lived, he said.

“It was one of those places you’ve never been to, but you had family there,” Nail said. “They were super important because they were so far away. It seemed like a made-up fantasy land.”

Nail is visiting the fantasy land by the lake — Lake Pleasant — for the Peoria Country Fest on Saturday, Oct. 9. His latest single, “St. Louis,” will surely be on the set list.

“I always tell people, first and foremost, we pride ourselves on playing great songs and playing them very, very well,” Nail said about the show. “I’ve never been one of those artists who jump on the speakers, does flips and hangs on light poles.

“If I started doing that, it would be totally scripted. It’s never been my thing. I felt like I need to, hopefully, have songs — and I feel I do — have great songs and recreate them as best as possible.”

Nail said it’s his job to keep the integrity of the song and bring new energy or play the tunes a “tad different” so listeners can latch onto them and set them apart from the album.

Singing country songs was the Missouri native’s dream since he was in high school. He made this life-altering decision when he was in his late teens.

“I don’t know what in the world I was thinking,” he said. “I was so ridiculously naïve to think, ‘I’ll move to Nashville and be a singer.’”

He was not prepared for what goes

Somos Peoria In celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Somos Peoria took over Old Town Peoria at 83rd and Grand avenues on Sept. 25. The multicultural festival included performances by Tower of Power and Tierra as well as a variety of local entertainment. Attendees sampled local and traditional foods, engaged in arts and crafts, and enjoyed music by mariachis.

PHOTOS BY PABLO ROBLES

1. Food vendors sell traditional Mexican food. 2. Dave Samora shines a Fleetwood 1996 lowrider. 3. A Fleetwood 1996 lowrider was a hot commodity during the event. 4. DJ Julio Carmelo plays old-school music for car show attendees. 5. Diana Orona enjoys rock climbing. 6. Jahlos and the Rebels entertain the crowd. 7. Trophies and other objects were on display next to lowrider cars. 8. Gabriel Laracuente, 11, and Albert Latacuente, 12, play musical chairs to win prizes. 9. Lowriders aren’t exclusively cars. They’re bikes, too.

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NAIL FROM PAGE 20 along with record contracts—interviews, lunches and dinners, and meeting fans.

“That was something I had a hard time adjusting to,” he said. “I’m a very shy person. It took me many years before I was comfortable in those types of settings. It’s a lot different now.

“Everybody knows everything about you because of social media. You’ve already exposed yourself to the world. There was no Twitter in the ancient times.”

The pandemic-dictated quarantine was up and down for Nail. His wife was pregnant with their third child, so he had plenty to focus on at home. He admitted he was naïve to think the break would only last two months. It was the vacation he didn’t ask for. However, it made him cherish his family and his job.

“Once reality set in, there were definitely some dark moments,” he said. “I think, so many times, artists and creative people love what we do so much and we’re so passionate about it, oftentimes we forget this is how we pay our bills.

“I had never really thought about, ‘Hey, I’m not going to be working, unable to make money. Once I had a grasp of that, it put things in perspective. There were moments where I was happy I was home with my family so I didn’t miss anything.”

Shows like the Peoria Country Fest feel good to Nail. There’s a camaraderie on stage that’s unmatched. The musicians, he said, subconsciously worry how long playing live is going to last.

“I’m grateful to be doing this again,” he said. “Everybody pours it out every night. Looking back, I felt we always tried hard with anything. Our shows have benefited from the energy level and quality of play. It was a good thing. One bright side is it inspired everybody to dig a little deeper. It gave us a little extra umph.”

Peoria Country Fest

WHEN: 2 to 10 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 9 WHERE: Pleasant Harbor at Lake Pleasant, 8708 W. Harbor Boulevard, Peoria COST: $25 adults; free for children 12 and younger. Parking $7 per vehicle INFO: pleasantharbor.com David Nail’s latest single, “St. Louis,” will be part of his set list at the Peoria Country Fest Saturday, Oct. 9. (Photo courtesy of David Nail)

SaveTheBrains.com

Learn how to talk to your kids about marijuana.

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ACROSS

ANSWERS PAGE 26

1 Sparkle 6 Word of denial 9 Early hrs. 12 -- Carta 13 Japanese sash 14 Like sashimi 15 Surrounded by 16 Italian city where Marconi was born 18 Mexican entree 20 Optimistic 21 Honey holder 23 Jurist Fortas 24 De Mille of dance 25 Nepal’s continent 27 Bakery lure 29 Italian port city 31 Italian city of canals 35 Soft leather 37 Pack cargo 38 Grinding tooth 41 Genetic letters 43 Storm center 44 Oil cartel 45 Pippa, to Kate Middleton 47 Italian city on the Adriatic 49 October birthstones 52 Crone 53 -- de deux 54 “-- Be” (The Beatles) 55 “Quiet!” 56 Illustrations 57 Yorkshire city

DOWN

1 “Today” rival, briefly 2 Felon’s flight 3 Self-indulgent “journey” 4 “-- Karenina” 5 Igneous rock source 6 More altruistic 7 Bassoon’s kin 8 Up to 9 Inert gas 10 Parson’s home 11 Convinces 17 Church keyboards 19 Humiliate 21 Painter Vermeer 22 Simile part 24 Soul, to Sartre 26 -- -Lorraine 28 Pizza cookers 30 Where Lux. is 32 State repeatedly 33 Coquettish 34 Ram’s mate 36 Most desert-like 38 Fluttery insects 39 Media mogul Winfrey 40 Janet of “Psycho” 42 Coral reef 45 Flag feature 46 Duel tool 48 Hot tub 50 Cover 51 Rds.

EVEN EXCHANGE

by Donna Pettman

Each numbered row contains two clues and two answers. The two answers differ from each other by only one letter, which has already been inserted. For example, if you exchange the A from MASTER for an I, you get MISTER. Do not change the order of the letters.