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Serving the communities of Anthem, Desert Hills, Norterra, Sonoran Foothills, Stetson Valley, Tramonto, New River, Desert Ridge and North Phoenix

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INSIDE

This Week

NEWS ................. 5

Forecasting 2022 real estate trends in the foothills

FEATURES ........ 16 Nicole Rowe is named the first Miss Anthem

YOUTH ............. 23 Curtis Finch shares the state of Deer Valley school district

OPINION ......................9 FEATURES ................ 16 YOUTH ...................... 23 CLASSIFIEDS ............ 25 Zone I

Anthem Area Edition

PAGE

Wednesday, January 19, 2022

Purses for a Purpose helps local families BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Wrier

he Anthem Giving Circle is hosting its 12th annual Purses for a Purpose at the Anthem Country Club’s Ironwood Ballroom on Tuesday, Feb. 1, to raise funds for families in need. Tickets are $50 and include admittance to a silent and live auction of 150 new or lightly used designer purses, a raf�le ticket for a Burberry purse valued at $1,000, heavy hors d’oeuvres and a free drink. According to Diane Steenman, chair of the Anthem Giving Circle, the purses for auction range in price from $50 to $500, with brand names including Valentina, Tory Burch, Kate Spade and Michael Kors. Dubbed the “Double Deuce” Purses for a Purpose for 2022, this year’s event has a Western theme, and participants are wel-

This Burberry purse will be raffled and the winner can keep it or take it to Nordstrom for a $1,000 store credit. (Photos by David Minton) come to dress in their Western attire. Steenman said Purses for a Purpose was started by a small group of women looking for a fun way to help the community, and

�� PURSES �� 4

Jill Hieb, left, and Diane Steenman are co-chairs of Purses for a Purpose, which is Tuesday, Feb. 1, at Ironwood Country Club.

Anthem chamber searching for new executive director

BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer

he Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce is again searching for a new and experienced executive director to lead its board of directors after Kim Baker resigned from the position over the holidays. “Kim Baker, our executive director, has

encountered some personal challenges and had to make the difficult decision to resign her role as well,” the board said in a public statement. “While we are disappointed that she will not be able to lead the chamber into 2022, we wish Kim well as she tackles her new family dynamics.” Baker started as the new executive director in September. No other details

were provided about her resignation. Heather Maxwell, the former executive director, will now step in as interim executive director until the position can be permanently filled. “Kim gave her resignation just days before my last day on staff, so I agreed to stay on until they could hire and train

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NEWS

An edition of the East Valley Tribune The Foothills Focus is published every Wednesday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout the North Valley. To find out where you can pick up a copy of The Foothills Focus, please visit www.thefoothillsfocus.com CONTACT INFORMATION Main number: 623-465-5808 | Fax: 623-465-1363 Circulation: 480-898-5641 Publisher: Steve T. Strickbine Vice President: Michael Hiatt ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Display Advertising: 480-348-0343 Classifieds/Inside Sales: Elaine Cota | 480-898-7926 | ecota@timespublications.com TJ Higgins | 480-898-5902 | tjhiggins@timespublications.com Steve Insalaco | 480-898-5635 | sinsalaco@timespublications.com Advertising Office Manager: Tricia Simpson | 480-898-5624 | tsimpson@timespublications.com Director of National Advertising Zac Reynolds | 480-898-5603 | zac@thefoothillsfocus.com NEWS DEPARTMENT Executive Editor: Christina Fuoco-Karasinski | 480-898-5631 christina@timespublications.com Design: Nathalie Proulx | nproulx@timespublications.com Production Coordinator: Courtney Oldham | 480-898-5617 production@timespublications.com Circulation Director: Aaron Kolodny | 480-898-5641 | customercare@evtrib.com

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THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JANUARY 19, 2022

PURSES �� 1

has since grown exponentially. “The Anthem Giving Circle was founded in 2007 by several women here in the Anthem community who wanted to do something to give back to the community and also to create some new friendships,” she explained. “In 2010, they decided one of the ways to raise more funds than their yearly donations was to have Purses for a Purpose. It actually started in a little restaurant that’s no longer here with about 25 people. Now we have over 225 people generally that come to this and it’s at the Ironwood Ballroom.” Steenman said it’s a great way to give back to the community and have a fun evening at the same time. Some women don’t just stop at attending the event, though. Steenman said all the purses, with the exception of the raffle purse, were donated by neighbors, friends and other community members. “We only take gently — we call them ‘gently loved’ — and brand-new purses, and more and more we’re finding people who bought purses and just never

DIRECTOR �� 1

a new executive director,” Maxwell said, adding that she originally left the position because she moved across the country. “I’m in Missouri. I’ve been working in the role of executive director remotely since June, traveling in when needed. So, essentially, that’s part of what I’ve been doing for six months, so I’ll just continue to do it.” The chamber of commerce executive director is the leader of the board of directors and is essentially the face of the organization. He or she is responsible for providing and overseeing services; managing the chamber office, nonprofit work and corporate reporting; and implementing the mission of the organization. Maxwell said the executive director position is rewarding and a good way to be able to make a local impact while maintaining a healthy work and family life balance.

used them and decided it’s just not the right purse for them,” she said. “We have some members in our community who actually give beautiful, brand-new, high-end designer purses.” This year’s big raffle purse is a vintage-style Burberry poppy red bucket bag with a leather strap and the iconic equestrian knight logo that comes with a matching Burberry vintage card holder. Both are made in Italy. The winner also receives a $50 Nordstrom gift card. In case the winner just wants to support a good cause and is not a big purse fan, it will also come with the tags and receipt to be returned for the $1,000 value. Steenman said this year, the organization is aiming to raise $25,000 net and have well over 200 people in attendance. Purses for a Purpose is the Anthem Giving Circle’s single fundraiser, and the funds go directly back to the community. “We give 85% of our money to families in need in our community — Anthem, Desert Hills, New River and, this year for the first time, Black Canyon City. The funds allow them to get

things they’re desperate for. It could be rent, a car breakdown, gas, electricity or water.” She said the Anthem Giving Circle also provides $500 a year to 10 elementary and middle schools for children who need clothes or shoes, a yearly stipend to both the Foothills Food Bank and St. Rose’s pantry, and a yearly bra drive for women in need. Tickets to Purses for a Purpose must be purchased online by Monday, Jan. 24. Raffle tickets are five for $20 and 15 for $50 and can be bought separate from an event ticket. If unable to attend or not in need of a new purse, Steenman said anyone can donate online and added that the organization is always looking for new members as well.

The job is a full-time position that requires computer and technical skills as well as experience in office management, customer service, program management, community outreach and public speaking. Experience with the chamber of commerce or nonprofit management is preferred. “Essentially, we’re looking for candidates that have a personality that our members can really identify with, have an operations background to take the chamber to the next level and continue to grow that, because it’s a new chamber of commerce, relatively speaking. We’re still putting together a lot of those building blocks, and we’re really looking for a candidate that has a strong operations background,” Maxwell said. This year is the chamber’s 20th anniversary, and it is relying on new and old leadership to move forward. In addition to Maxwell

staying, former member services director Kristine Abrams Petersman will return to the chamber as interim member and visitor services director to support members and the board during the transition. The board also just elected a new president, Matt Word, who will help select the new executive director. “Our board is working diligently. We’ve received a couple of applications, so they’re hoping to have someone in place to begin training quickly,” Maxwell said. “We just had a morning meeting this morning and it was really well attended. Outside of the internal staffing stuff that’s going on, our members shouldn’t experience any disruptions with their member services at all.” If interested in applying for the executive director position, visit anthemareachamber.org/job-board for more information or contact the board at info@anthemareachamber.org.

Purses for a Purpose

WHEN: 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1 WHERE: Ironwood Ballroom at the Anthem Country Club, 41551 N. Anthem Hills Drive COST: $50 INFO: anthemgivingcircle.com

NEWS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JANUARY 19, 2022

Forecasting real estate in the foothills for 2022 BY WAYNE GRAHAM Head of Real Estate Homie Arizona

ast year was monumental in real estate — low inventory, a lot of competition among sellers and skyrocketing real estate values. Buyers and sellers want to know what will happen in 2022, and they likely won’t be surprised to hear that many of these trends will continue. The North Phoenix neighborhoods continue to grow and develop retail, restaurant and recreational offerings. Residents are benefiting from the shopping, dining and family-focused resources making moving here desirable. The lot sizes and available acreage in the foothills areas are larger than Central Phoenix and Scottsdale, giving buyers more for their dollar. Schools in these areas are also rated higher on the spectrum. Unlike other areas in the Valley, the competition to buy a home in the north-

ern communities has not been as aggressive as some other areas in the Valley. Homes in Anthem, on average, stayed on the market for 29 days last year. In Carefree, 78 was the average number of days on the market and 33 in Cave Creek. The median sale price in these three areas in 2021 were: $550,000, $1.3 million and $825,500, respectively, for Anthem, Carefree and Cave Creek, above the average home price for Phoenix atlarge, which was $476,000. These sale prices are a 26% year-overyear increase. Clearly a reflection of the housing market and value of real estate. Phoenix at-large, continues to be an attractive new location for people to relocate. Outlets suggest that Phoenix is the No. 2 city to move to in the country continuing the unprecedented sellers market. As a result, there will be a ripple effect on some of the outlining communities. As more people expand their searches, prices are expected to continue to rise in

Wayne Graham of Homie says, unlike other areas in the Valley, the competition to buy a home in the northern communities has not been as aggressive as some other areas in the Valley. (Photo courtesy of Homie) North Phoenix and North Scottsdale but at a slower pace than in 2021. And while

builders are attempting to “catch up,” inventory is expected to remain low into this new year, impacting sale prices. However, while it continues to be a sellers’ market that does not mean buyers should sit back and wait it out because home prices in the Phoenix metro area are still very affordable, and the dedicated buyer will prevail. Working with an informed agent/ brokerage team who can guide a buyer through this unique market is a must. Another reason for buyers to purchase now is that interest rates are still historically low. And they just dropped again for both 20- and 30-year fixed rates. If you are interested in selling or buying a home, like dating, finding the right agent match is important. There are many great programs, services and options now available for buyers and sellers — it may take some research but do it and you will find the right fit and possibly be surprised at how simple and successful the process can be.

NEWS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JANUARY 19, 2022

Youth for Troops receives DAR recognition BY FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF

he Ocotillo Chapter of the Arizona State Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) has presented a 2021 Community Service Award to Youth for Troops for its outstanding contributions to the Anthem and North Phoenix communities. “We are so proud to have Youth for Troops in our community,” Ocotillo Chapter Regent Gloria Clark said. “Our chapter has been involved with Youth for Troops in their care packages for deployed troops as well as making plastic mats for homeless veterans. We encourage everyone of all ages to participate in Youth for Troop activities.” The DAR Community Service Award is presented to an individual or organization contributing to the community in an outstanding manner through voluntary heroic, civic, benevolent service, or by organizing or participating in community activities. “We recently assembled our 7,000th care package,” said Tonya Piatt, president of Youth for Troops. “Our 2022 goals are quite large, so we encourage community members of all ages to join us at our monthly packaging event and follow us on social media for additional ways to support our organization.” The National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a women’s service organization whose members can trace their lineage to an individual who contributed to securing American independence during the

From left are Renee Hoffa, vice president, Youth for Troops; Hannah Piatt, Leo Hoffa, Taylor Piatt and Walter Hoffa of the Youth for Troops youth advisory board; Sadie Zeller, a Youth for Troops volunteer; and Tonya Piatt, president, Youth for Troops. (Submitted photos) Revolutionary War. Today’s DAR is dynamic and diverse, with over 185,000 members in 3,000 chapters in the United States and abroad. DAR chapters participate in projects to promote historic preservation, education, and patriotism. If you are interested in learning more about DAR membership, visit dar.org. Youth for Troops’ mission is to inspire patriotism in fellow youth and across generations by volunteering on behalf

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Gloria Clark, Ocotillo Chapter Regent, presents the Community Service Award to Youth for Troops. of military and veterans through community service, advocacy and education. The leadership team of Youth for Troops consists of six youth comprising a Youth Advisory Board, a traditional board to

provide adult oversight, and a panel of adult advisors. If you are interested in learning more about Youth for Troops, visit youthfortroops.org.

NEWS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JANUARY 19, 2022

Anthem’s father-daughter dance returns BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer

he Anthem Community Center is once again hosting its father-daughter dance. The theme of the Friday, Feb. 4, dance is “Under the Stars,” for which three of the community center rooms will be transformed into a magical, moon-lit dance floor with balloons, streamers and stars. The event is from 6 to 8 p.m., and registration is open. Tickets are sold per father, and there is no extra charge for bringing more than one daughter. Tickets are $25 for Anthem residents and $32.50 for nonresidents. “It’s going to be a really sweet event. It’s always so cute to see dads and daughters all dressed up,” said Alyssa Tarpley, communication specialist for Anthem. “There will be lots of dancing throughout the evening. A photo booth, ice cream

and snacks will be provided. It’s just a fun event right before Valentine’s Day.” The father-daughter dance has become an Anthem tradition over the past few years. After having to cancel last year’s dance due to COVID-19, residents are excited for its return. Even more so, for parents who had to quarantine or school their kids from home for a time, the dance is just a fun way to get out of the house.

The dance is a chance for fathers to pamper their kids, and daughters to don their best dresses. Kid-friendly music will be played for dads and daughters to dance to all night long — or until the event shuts down at 8 p.m. Tarpley said the event caps at 100 people, so it’s best to get tickets soon. “It is a pretty popular event and, as it gets closer, our spots tend to fill up,” she said. “I would encourage people to regis-

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Father Daughter Dance

WHEN: 5 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1 WHERE: Anthem Community Center, 41130 N. Freedom Way, Anthem COST: $25 per father for Anthem residents; $32.50 per father for nonresidents INFO: http://bit.ly/ACC-father-daughter-dance

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OPINION

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JANUARY 19, 2022

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AROUND THE BLUHMIN’ TOWN

Betty White would have been 100 this week BY JUDY BLUHM Foothills Focus Columnist

h Betty, how we miss you. That mischievous laugh, perfect comedic timing, beautiful smile and funny zingers are just a few of the reasons why the whole world is in mourning. These days, it seems people disagree on just about everything, but the entire country is in total agreement that Betty White was a national treasure. She belonged to my parent’s generation, yet my 20-year-old grandson wrote a moving tribute to her on his Facebook page. She touched the lives of millions for an astounding seven decades! To say she was an icon is probably underestimating the impact she had on our lives. Today, celebrities seem to “reinvent” themselves every few years. Many keep changing their looks, dress, style and direction. In a chaotic world, Betty White was the real deal. A woman who never really altered how she looked or acted and seemed to know that aging was simply a fact of life and a gift from God. If Betty had plastic surgery, we didn’t know about it. Her political views were held privately. She was a trailblazer. She said she never had children because “she didn’t want kids.” This might not be a big deal today, but in the 1940s and 1950s this was against the grain. She never complained or explained — just did things her way. Betty White had a huge television presence and has said that she felt “privileged” that she was invited into the living rooms of Americans on a

weekly basis. She found the love of her life in Allen Ludden and, when he died in 1981, never remarried. They had 18 “blissful” years together. She also showed the world that the “show can go on” after loss. Keep living. When Betty White was in her 60s, she played the part of dim and funny Rose in the television hit “Golden Girls.” I wish the writers of “And Just Like That,” the rather awkward sequel to “Sex in the City,” could have taken a few pages out of the “Golden Girls” scripts. Women can be beautiful and have fun in “older years”

without all the angst and wokeness of trying to be hip. The message from Betty White seemed to be “life can be good at any age.” Get on with it! Most Americans have an idea that they want to retire by the age of 65. OK, great. Betty White was starring in the sitcom “Hot in Cleveland” when she was in her 90s! Again, she seemed to be messaging that if you can and want to work, why stop? Betty showed that you can be relevant at any age. Do what you love! In a world obsessed with glamor, youth and celebrity, Betty White re-

mains one “star” who shines bright. She was a pioneering animal rights activist devoted to saving endangered species and improving conditions at the Los Angeles Zoo. She

see BLUHM page 14

OPINION

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JANUARY 19, 2022

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ASU kerfuffle escalates into foolishness, unreality BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Foothills Focus Columnist

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ot quite 60 years ago, the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and delivered the greatest speech in America’s history. This was 1963, a summer of hideous segregation and police brutality. A quarter million people marched for freedom that day in Washington and King lifted them to the heavens. He spoke of the Emancipation Proclamation, “narrow jail cells” and “great trials and tribulations.” Towards the end, King – whose birthday was Jan. 15th and whose federal holiday was on Monday – spoke of dreams. “I have a dream,” said King, “that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’” The Reverend next touched on the deep South, the sweltering hatred of Mississippi and Alabama – bigoted places King dreamed would one day become lands of equality. “I have a dream,” he said, “that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” Which brings us to Arizona State University and the fight over its Multicultural Center. It’s a fitting subject to discuss again, given the nearly 10 minute video released last week by the two students at the conflict’s center, Sarra Tekola and Mastaani Qureshi, leaders of ASU’s Multicultural Solidarity Coalition. Their latest video represents Qureshi and Tekola’s response to ASU, which in November found the two women had violated the school’s code of conduct by “interfering with University activities” – by verbally attacking two white male students who were studying in the Multicultural Center. The consequence? A warning and a requirement that Qureshi and Tekola “pre-

pare a reflection commenting on how (they) might approach such a situation in the future to facilitate a civil dialogue.” If video of the Sept. 23rd altercation was by turns uncomfortable and outrageous, and viral enough to attract millions of Twitter views, Qureshi and Tekola’s latest video “reflection” is high comedy. “On Sept. 23rd, hateful and racist symbology invaded our Multicultural Center on ASU’s Tempe campus and (made) the center unsafe for BIPOC students who were trying to study,” Quereshi details. “The two white men, both students, displayed a Police Lives Matter sticker, a Brass (sic) Pro hat, a Chick-fil-A cup and an anti-Biden t-shirt.” Then it’s Tekola’s turn. “The boys made the space uncomfortable with their non-verbal aggressive gestures toward the Black women. The students called for help from ASU but no one came for more than 30 minutes. So we were forced to confront these men by ourselves.” And now? “Dear White People, aka ASU. You openly discriminated against us on Nov. 16th when you handed down your decision from your racially biased investigation. We’re being persecuted for defending our Multicultural Center from racism and sexism. “ There’s more, of course, more blather, more buzzwords, more allegations of persecution and violence. It took MLK 15

see LEIBOWITZ page 14

OPINION

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JANUARY 19, 2022

Something’s rotten in D.C. with Lockheed plan BY J.D. HAYWORTH Foothills Focus Columnist

ormer Rep. Jennifer Dunn (R-Washington) passed away almost 15 years ago, yet the wisdom of one of her witticisms endures. When she would greet constituents from Washington’s 8th District who made the trip to the “other Washington,” she would invariably say, “Welcome to the District of Columbia…the nation’s only ‘Work-free Drug Zone!’” It isn’t that denizens of the Federal Capital District are lazy, it’s just that so many of them are hooked on a self-generated substance that gives them a false sense of authority. Long distance runners get a high from endorphins; lobbyists, commentators, and journalists get a similar rush from “informed speculation.” No wonder the chatter in that echo

chamber is referred to as “Buzz.” And, for the better part of a year, the buzz around Washington has concerned defense giant Lockheed Martin’s planned acquisition of Aerojet Rocketdyne in a $4.5 billion merger. This isn’t your typical big business power play because it concerns the defense sector, the consequences of this proposed deal, with its higher costs and diminished innovation, will impact our national security. And because it is happening in Washington, the battle for hearts, minds, and federal dollars has taken on features of a political campaign. The strategy of the pro-merger faction? Simple. Emphasize the “Lock” in Lockheed Martin, and imply the inevitability of the outcome. In December, with Christmas fast approaching, one financial website became a “Not-So-Secret-Santa” for the pro-merger forces.

year! th 5 3 r u o in Now

A Dec. 16 article was remarkable for its simplistic attribution. Rather than utilizing the term “unnamed sources,” the website settled on a simple “someone.” This “someone” who reportedly opposed the merger had apparently shared the belief that it would not be blocked by antitrust regulators. The result? A rise of almost 5% in the value of Aerojet Rocketdyne stock. Yes, Virginia…and K Street…and Wall Street, there is a Santa Claus! He conveniently arrived a couple of weeks early in December of 2021, and instead of answering to the name “St. Nick,” he reportedly preferred the generic “someone.” None of this has occurred in a vacuum. Despite press accounts predicting that the merger will come to pass, significant objections and procedural hurdles remain. And now in the New Year, some of the specu-

lation spurred by the intoxication and illusion of inevitability has given way to an early 2022 hangover for pro-merger advocates. The emerging hesitancy was foreshadowed in the “Dog Days” of last August, without the anonymity of

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Congress’ penalties on businesses threaten Arizona’s economy BY LORI KLEIN Foothills Focus Guest Writer

rizona businesses have been struggling over the past nearly two years now — having to contend with a global pandemic that wreaked havoc on everything from consumer demand to global supply chains to the strength of our entire economy. Now, just as many local businesses are finally starting to find their footing, some lawmakers in Washington, D.C. want to pull the rug out from under them again. As a former state representative who served on several workforce

and commerce committees, I know how harmful legislation can damage small business. This time, D.C. politicians are attempting to take bits and pieces of a failed piece of legislation called the Protecting the Right to Organize (PRO) Act and slip them into a must-pass budget reconciliation bill. If the PRO Act wasn’t a good enough bill to attract any bipartisan support in the Senate — let alone the support of all Democratic senators — then lawmakers should go back to the drawing board, not try to pass harmful, anti-business policies in this backdoor approach. The PRO Act would have devastat-

How to get a letter published E-mail: christina@timespublications.com

The Foothills Focus welcomes letters that express readers’ opinion on current topics. Letters must include the writer’s full name, address (including city) and telephone number. The Foothills Focus will print the writer’s name and city of residence only. Letters without the requisite identifying information will not be published. Letters are published in the order received, and they are subject to editing. The Foothills Focus will not publish consumer complaints, form letters, clippings from other publications or poetry. Letters’ authors, not the Foothills Focus, are responsible for the “facts” presented in letters.

ed Arizona businesses — expanding unions’ ability to engage in secondary boycotts against businesses that have nothing to do with a labor dispute, saddling business owners with massive new costs and liabilities, and chipping away at the rights of workers and employers alike. The penalties that lawmakers are taking straight out of the PRO Act and trying to enact through the budget reconciliation bill would be just as harmful. These penalties range from $50,000 to $100,000 and would be levied against local businesses found to be violating federal labor law. However, that includes even the smallest of infractions for something as minor as hanging a flyer or informational poster in the wrong area. Let’s be honest — this has nothing to do with labor or working conditions and everything to do with giving unions and Big Labor bosses the upper hand over local Arizona busi-

nesses that are working hard to rebuild our economy. The one thing we know for sure is that Arizona’s economic future will be a lot less secure and uncertain if Congress includes these kinds of policies in the budget reconciliation bill. We need to be promoting business growth and economic development — not threatening it. Local businesses and small-business owners across the state were grateful that Sens. Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly were among just a few Democratic holdouts that did not cosponsor the PRO Act. Hopefully our senators will continue to stand with small businesses instead of outof-state unions. Lori Klein is a former Arizona state senator from Arizona District 6. Klein served from 2011-13 and was a member of the Economic Development and Jobs Creation Committee. Klein resides in Anthem.

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minutes to decimate 200 years of slavery and oppression; it takes Quereshi and Tekola 10 minutes to decry a bumper sticker, a hat, a soda cup and a T-shirt. King was jailed for his beliefs, then murdered by an assassin’s bullet. Qureshi and Tekola fling around accusations meant to make Michael Crow sound

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JANUARY 19, 2022

like the second coming of the racist thug, Gov. George Wallace. If MLK’s dream remains unfulfilled on what would have been his 93rd birthday, let’s be clear about why. It’s not white racists alone who are the cause of our sickness. It’s anyone of any race foolish enough to confuse a bumper sticker and a soda cup with Bull Connor and his vicious police dogs.

BLUHM �� page 9

we might each consider donating to animal shelters or adopting a pet. Happy birthday, Betty White. Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local realtor. Have a story or a comment? Email Judy at judy@judybluhm.com.

HAYWORTH �� page 11

spending; they cannot dole out more dollars for the rising costs this merger would inevitably bring. For Americans befuddled by the lack of bipartisanship in recent years, the leadership of both parties and on both ends of Pennsylvania Avenue now have a genuine opportunity to provide a rare moment of agreement. Saying “No” to this merger would say “Yes” to the American People. It would run counter to the polarization brought on by the pandemic, and defy “conventional wisdom.” But if this acquisition is approved, it would reaffirm the shopworn saying of the cynics: “Washington is 12 square miles, surrounded by reality.”

supported local shelters and animal welfare endeavors throughout her life. To celebrate what would have been her 100th birthday this week,

“someone,” and anti-merger forces have given it prominent mention. Correspondence between Sen. Elizabeth Warren and FTC Chief Lina Khan provided the rationale. In her letter, Sen. Warren suggested heightened scrutiny of the proposed merger; Khan responded that antitrust enforcers should take action to block such deals. If Lockheed Martin were to acquire Aerojet Rocketdyne, it would create a duopoly in the missile defense business—Lockheed Martin and Northrup Grumman would own America’s only manufacturers of solid rocket motors. Taxpayers must already pay for $770 billion in defense

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Nicole Rowe makes history as the first Miss Anthem BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer

icole Rowe, named as the first Miss Anthem in December, is grateful for the chance to represent where she grew up and to use her title to do good in the community. “I’m very excited about it. Everyone’s been amazing in Anthem so far and beyond supportive of the journey that I’m on,” Rowe said. “It feels surreal sometimes because I did grow up there and then left for a little bit and have now come back, and I’m super excited to be representing Anthem.” This is the first time there has been

a Miss Anthem in the Miss America organization. Previously, the area was grouped in with North Phoenix. Cait Dempsey, executive director of the Miss Valley of the Sun Scholarship Organization, said the decision to add the Anthem and Cave Creek titles came from seeing how close-knit the communities were and wanting to offer more girls the chance to compete. “The addition of the Miss Anthem and Miss Cave Creek titles was to spread more awareness about our program across the Valley and provide more opportunities for our titleholders to serve the great com-

Nicole Rowe is the first Miss Anthem in history, adding a fourth title to her collection. (Photo by Rachel Kurtenbach)

munities of Anthem and Cave Creek,” Dempsey said. “We are so thrilled to have these titles and look forward to building relationships with local businesses and community members.” Rowe graduated from Boulder Creek High School in 2015 and went on to study marketing at Grand Canyon University. She said she started competing at 18 after a chance encounter led her to the Miss America

organization. “My mom and I ran into a random booth at Fashion Square,” she said. “The director invited me over and told me some more about the organization and how it’s based on scholarship, service, success and sisterhood. At Grand Canyon University, we didn’t have a Greek life, so getting involved in Miss America competitions

see MISS ANTHEM page 17

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MISS ANTHEM From page 16

was the closest thing I could find to being part of a sorority and making good friends in the community.” Rowe went on to become Miss Phoenix in 2016, Miss Chandler in 2017 and Miss Gilbert in 2018. Her talent is musical theater. However, she said the competition was different then and put a lot more focus on looks. Rowe said she didn’t feel like she could give it her all with the way the competition was structured at that time and stopped competing when she graduated college. She then went on a mission trip serving 11 countries in 11 months. Rowe said her experience abroad changed the way she looked at service. She returned to Arizona in 2019, just before the pandemic hit, and saw how the Miss America competition had changed to include a social impact statement and had gotten rid of the swimsuit competition. Seeing these positive changes, she decided to compete again.

“I realized how much I missed it,” Rowe said. “I felt like I was in a more mature, responsible place in order to fulfill the role of a title holder, and I felt like I had a lot to offer, especially with the experience and perspective I had from my mission trip.” Now 25 years old, Rowe’s platform is Charity the Responsible Way, an organization that aims to make good, sustainable change in the community. She said during her time abroad, she learned that sometimes good intentions can lead to a negative change, which is why this organization focuses on listening to the needs and wants of people. For her social impact statement, Rowe said she is working on an online resource that connects volunteers to organizations making good, sustainable changes. She didn’t just stop at what’s required for the competition, though. Rowe also volunteers to help nonprofit organizations like the Foothills Food Bank, Trevor’s Vision, Anthem Pets and 1Mission and is planning to do more.

When she’s not volunteering, Rowe works as a creative strategist at Envida Social and said the Miss America organization played a big part in her career choice. “I actually got into marketing when I started competing, because I loved the Miss America brand and what it represented,” she explained. “I wanted to be able to create successful brands for other companies as well. It’s really cool to see how my job and the new job I have as Miss Anthem work hand in hand together.” As Miss Anthem, Rowe will go on to compete in Miss Arizona in June, with the hopes of continuing on to

compete for the title of Miss America. She admitted that between work, volunteering and preparing for the next competition, her schedule is a little intense. Rowe said she has weekly voice lessons, occasional interview coaching sessions, and tries to be out at community events as much as possible. Rowe said she hopes to encourage others in the Anthem area to join the organization, now that there is a specific title for that area, and said she is always available to help if someone is interested. For more information, go to facebook.com/MissAnthemAZ.

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Unleashing your confidence capacity CHURCH COMMUNITY CONNECTION

Pastor Ed Delph Foothills Focus Columnist

uthor John Maxwell tells a story of a man who stopped to watch a Little League baseball game. He asked one of the youngsters the score. “We’re behind eighteen to nothing” was the answer. “Well,” said the man, “I must say you don’t look discouraged.” “Discouraged?” the boy asked. “Why should we be discouraged? We haven’t come to bat yet.” People who overcome are confident like that boy. No, things don’t always end happily, but people who overcome have the confidence and competence to hang in there until something good happens again. Confident people are unique. They look at things differently, think differently and act differently. They are contagious. You want to be around them. Today, let’s explore three ways or options in which we can live our lives. The first option is timidity. Timidity means lacking courage or self-confidence. It also means fear. The second option is confidence. Confidence means boldness, trust, reliance on someone or something, or a state of trust or intimacy. The third option is arrogance. Arrogance means offensively exaggerating one’s importance. “Arrogance isn’t thinking too much of yourselves but thinking too little of others.” Arrogance is condescension building itself up by tearing others down. Today, there is a confidence crisis brewing all over the world. Yet, God designed us to live in confidence. In fact, God put confidence in all of us, not timidity or arrogance. How do I know that? For the Bible tells me so

— “…and such confidence we have through Christ toward God.” But having confidence and using confidence are two different things. Let’s explore confidence. Please don’t have confidence in confidence. Confidence is a means to an end, not the end. The object of our trust, confidence or boldness is paramount. Confidence gets your motor running so you can head out on the highway. Confidence is fear that has said its prayers. Confidence starts the job; competence finishes the job. Confidence is primary to all the other qualities in us. Without confidence, those other qualities will never surface. You can be humble and confident simultaneously; true confidence always is. Generally, those who confuse confidence with arrogance live from a timidity viewpoint. And, generally, those who confuse confidence with timidity live from an arrogant perspective. Arrogance is not lifting the gas pedal when you should. Timidity is not stepping on the gas pedal when you should. Confidence

see DELPH page 19

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DELPH From Page 18

is the assurance that you are stopping and starting when you should. Let’s look at five uplifting outcomes of living in confidence and especially confidence in God. First, confidence is “soul oxygen.” Confidence positions you to rise above your current circumstances. You gain strength, courage and confidence from every experience in which you stop to look fear in the face. You say to yourself, “I lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.” You do the thing you think you cannot do. Second, confidence helps you to see the big picture. The Apostle Paul knew this reality when facing a trial orchestrated by Nero, the crazy of the crazies’ Roman emperor. Paul was concerned about what would happen to the church in Philippi if Nero killed him. Then Paul’s confidence kicked in. He wrote this statement to the church: “For I am confident of this very thing, that He who

began a good work in you will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus.” That’s big-picture thinking initiated and authored by confidence in God. Third, confidence transports you beyond the natural realm of inactive and reactive to the supernatural realm of the proactive. Samuel Johnson says, “Self-confidence is the first great requisite to a great undertaking.” Whether it’s Daniel in a lion’s den, Joseph in a pit, Nehemiah rebuilding a city in shambles, Abraham not knowing where he was going, Elijah chased by angry Jezebel, Abigail in a terrible marriage, John on a deserted island, Paul and Silas in jail, the disciples on a wild boat ride, or Jesus on a cross, the confidence that released their God-given competence, accomplished the improbable. Fourth, confidence leads you to a happier, more fulfilled life. Hint from Albert Einstein: “Stay away from negative people. They have a problem for every solution.” Experts say those who expect to succeed then

sell 37% more insurance than those who don’t. If you are conflicted with timidity or arrogance, you will be less efficient and effective than confident. Fifth, confidence inspires others to live a happy, more fulfilled life. Confidence is contagious. Billy Graham says, “When a brave man (or woman) takes a stand, the spines of others are stiffened.” After you enter the confident way of living, you will be like a virus that infects others with confidence. How can you unchain your confidence capacity? Understand this. Sheldon Kopp says, “All significant battles are waged within the self.” John Newman says, “Fear not that your life will come to an end, but that it will never have a beginning.” For most people, it’s not what they are that holds them back but what they think they’re not. Have you dug yourself into a hole of arrogance or timidity? Molly Ivins enlightens us. “The first rule of holes: When you’re in one, stop digging.”

Here’s your takeaway. Are you confident that God is worthy of your trust? Are you confident God can be trusted to act on behalf of your good in all areas of your life? The truth is we need to trust in something or someone. Trusting God starts with confidence, not arrogance or timidity. Got confidence? The way is yours, take it. Ed Delph is a noted author of 10 books, as well as a pastor, teacher, former business owner and speaker. Ed has traveled extensively, having been to more than 100 countries. He is president of NationStrategy, a nonprofit organization involved in uplifting and transforming communities worldwide. For more information, see nationstrategy.com. Ed may be contacted at nationstrategy@cs.com.

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | JANUARY 19, 2022

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Laughs come naturally to Pat Finn BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

s a kid growing up in the Chicago area, Pat Finn was introduced to Toyotas. His mom drove a Camry and his family loyally supported the brand. So, it was fate that Finn landed the role as the overenthusiastic Pat in the car company’s commercials. “On the first audition for the spot, I thought, ‘This commercial is so fun. It’s like a mini sitcom about this likeable, bumbling dad who loves Toyotas,” he recalled from his LA-area home. “It’s a mini snippet of his day or life. LaneTerralever, the ad agency, comes up with the concepts and they do a great job. I always say one of my favorite days of the year is when they send the scripts.” Recently, he filmed a commercial with his real-life daughter, who, in the commercial, drives a Toyota off to college. While she’s in the driveway, he and his wife, played by Kristen O’Meara, tear up. “He’s obviously emotional and my wife is questioning whether I’m upset about her leaving or the Toyota leaving,” he said with a laugh. “You kind of don’t know. That’s what makes them fun.” Finn will screen his documentary, “Pat TV: The First 15 Years,” during the Chandler International Film Festival, which is set for Tuesday, Jan. 18, to Sunday, Jan. 23. The event venues include Harkins Chandler Fashion 20, Hilton Garden Inn Chandler Downtown, Chandler Center for the Arts parking lot, Ginger Money Gastropub and La Ristra New Mexican Kitchen. Directed by Jordan Brady, “Pat TV: The First 15 Years” screens from 6:10 to 6:45 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22, at LOOK Dine-In Cinemas, 1 W. Chan-

dler Boulevard, Chandler. “Jordan Brady is an amazing director. He directs a lot of the Toyota spots, which is an amazing accomplishment,” Finn said. “We shoot three or four commercials in one day. A commercial generally can take anywhere from one to five days to shoot. The fact that we can film nine commercials in three days is pretty remarkable. The 35-minute documentary is a behindthe-scenes look at what makes it work from his end. It’s a cool little behind the curtain look at some of the really fun stuff we’ve been able to put out.”

Meeting Chris Farley Finn is one of six kids who grew up in a three-bedroom house. He enjoyed dinners with his family as they shared stories. He gravitated toward comedy. After all, “nobody dislikes comedy.” “My mom and I watched ‘The Carol Burnett Show’ and ‘The Odd Couple,’” he said. “I really liked the idea of sitcoms. Growing up in Chicago, nobody said they wanted to be an actor. They wanted to be firefighters or in sales.” Things changed when he attended Marquette University. “I met my wife, Donna, my freshman year when I was 18,” he said. “I also met one of my best friends, Chris Farley. The two of us were inseparable. We listened to comedy albums by Steve Martin and National Lampoon.” Farley’s goal was to star on “Saturday Night Live” and Finn knew he would thrive there. The two prepared for their comedy career at the Chicago improv troupe The Second City. “I used to go there and almost

see PAT FINN page 22

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PAT FINN From page 21

study it,” he said. “Why did that laugh work? Why did that song work? Why did they do this scene? I was like a baseball player rewatching a game. A career in comedy didn’t become a reality until I was picked up by The Second City and then the main stage.” Finn said Farley’s personality mirrored his performance on “Saturday Night Live’s” “Chris Farley Show.” In one episode, he legendarily interviews Paul McCartney and calls himself an idiot after awkwardly starting the interview. “We were at The Second City, taking classes and Dan Ackroyd walks in through the back doors,” he recalled. “I said, ‘There’s Dan Ackroyd. That’s so cool.’ I told Chris we should go talk to him. Chris said he wasn’t sure what to say. “Literally, Chris walks over to him, mentions ‘The Blues Brothers’ and said, ‘That’s awesome.’ There was literally no conversation. He just babbled about ‘The Blues Brothers.’

Pat Finn, the star of Toyota’s TV commercials, will make an appearance in Chandler on Saturday, Jan. 22. (Photo courtesy of LaneTerralever) Chris is like a golden retriever who can talk. And actually, Dan Ackroyd was very smitten by him.” Soon came Finn’s big break. As fate would have it, the show’s director was actor George Wendt’s wife, Bernadette Birkett. Wendt needed someone to play his brother in “The

George Wendt Show.” “She called her husband in LA and said, ‘I have a guy out here. He has curly hair, he’s stocky and used to work on a pop truck like you did. He grew up in Chicago and is a big Bears fan,’” he recalled. “I was flown out for a big inter-

view, and I ended up getting the job on ‘The George Wendt Show.’ It lasted about a year but George, Bernadette and I are still friends and he’s the godfather to my youngest son.” Finn also appeared in a couple episodes of “Friends” as Dr. Roger and “Seinfeld” as Joe Mayo. From there, he “lily padded” into work. He and Donna moved to the LA area to pursue his career further. “I always say, if you were to tell me as a college kid or high school kid I’d be living in LA, driving to the beach, surfing with my son, I’d think you were crazy. I don’t know how I fell into it. I feel so fortunate, and it fits. It feels right.” Screening of short ﬁlm “Pat TV: The First 15 Years” starring Pat Finn WHEN: 6:10 to 6:45 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 22 WHERE: LOOK Dine-In Cinemas Chandler, 1 W. Chandler Boulevard, Chandler COST: $10 INFO: eventbrite.com or chandlerﬁlmfestival.com

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Youth TheFoothillsFocus.com

For more Youth News visit thefoothillsfocus.com @TheFoothills.Focus

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DVUSD superintendent talks State of the District BY DR. CURTIS FINCH Deer Valley Uni�ied School District Superintendent

oesn’t Sunny DVUSD sound like a radio station call sign? I would not mind listening to a radio station with that name. Every year for the past 23 years as a public school superintendent, I have written a State of the District report card in January to inform the community, students and district staff members of the past year’s progress and what the forecast looks like for the next year. The idea probably came from listening to years of politicians giving their State of the State and State of the Nation addresses, usually causing me to react to the misinformation on the educational state of the public school district I worked at that year. It became clear to me that public school superintendents are responsible to supply the correct information to their own communities. The State of District 2022 is designed to inform the Deer Valley Unified School District (DVUSD) community of our path. The short version of the State of DVUSD message on the calendar year of 2021, in meteorological terms, mirrored the actual weather patterns we had in northern Maricopa County in 2021. DVUSD had many sunny days, but there were several storms scattered throughout, with some big downpours late in the calendar year. The community, parents, businesses, students and staff worked together to navigate all of these storms, but the forecast for 2022 is bright, really bright. If you would like to read the entire State of DVUSD 2022, the ad-

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dress is dvusd.org/stateofdistrict. If you do not have time to read the entire document, the following paragraphs are the “Cliff Notes” version. For those who are too young to know what Cliff Notes are, you can Google the answer or just take my word as a “short summary of an extensive document.” Just like school, reading the real book, paper or document is better than the Cliff Notes, but here is the general idea. DVUSD students and staff won a large share of awards again in 2021 and can be viewed at dvusd.org/ extraordinary. Deer Valley Unified School District also became a model Professional Learning Community (PLC) District, one of 11 large districts in the entire world. DVUSD worked with Gov. Doug Ducey to help fund the Friday PLC teacher collaboration days through Project Momentum. These two initiatives were the secret sauce to our continued academic excellence. Much of 2021 was focused on interventions for students, both academically and socially, as students came back to fulltime, in-person education in 2021.

Interventions continued to improve student academic, social, and emotional states and performance. The year 2022 is looking even brighter. The growth in our area will continue to accelerate and push DVUSD to continue to adapt to the needs of the community. The DVUSD staff and students have learned to adapt quite well the past two years, so we are looking forward to the next set of storms headed our way. We’ll be ready! Grab your sunglasses and start listening to Sunny DVUSD. The sounds of excellence are #extraordinary! Dr. Curtis Finch is the superinten-

dent of DVUSD and can be reached at superintendent@dvusd.org.

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To a Brighter 2022 As we welcome a New Year, please don’t hesitate to let us know if there is anything we can do to help, we are here for you!

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nanettemiller.com Fry’s Shopping Center: Fry’s Next toShopping Verizon Center: and Tru Burger Next to Verizon and Tru Burger

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CAVE CREEK ART MARKET

November 26-28 JANUARY 21-23

STUDENT CHRONICLES Know a student doing something remarkable? Tell us about it! Email christina@timespublications.com. BY FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF

outhern New Hampshire University released the names of the students on its fall 2021 president’s list. Full-time undergraduate students who have earned a minimum grade-point average of 3.70 and above are named to the president’s list. Full-time status is achieved by earning 12 credits; undergraduate day students must earn 12 credits in the fall or spring semester, and online students must earn 12 credits in either EW1 & EW2, EW3 & EW4, or EW5 & EW6. Local students on the list are Sarah Carney-Sutton of Anthem; Jeffrey Jones of Phoenix; Gerard Guarino of Anthem; Shaun Price of Cave Creek; Zachariah Younker of Phoenix; Daphne Chase of Phoenix; Robert Belcher of Phoenix; Mikayla Tenorio of Phoenix and Megan Walker of Carefree. Southern New Hampshire University is

a private, nonpro�it institution with an 89year history of educating traditional-aged students and working adults. Now serving more than 160,000 learners worldwide, SNHU offers approximately 200 accredited undergraduate, graduate and certificate programs, available online and on its 300acre campus in Manchester, New Hampshire. DeSales University medical studies student Faith Chadwick of Phoenix made the 2021 fall dean’s list. To qualify for dean’s list, students must have a minimum 3.50 GPA on no fewer than 12 credit hours. DeSales University, in Center Valley, Pennsylvania, is a private, coeducational, fouryear liberal arts Salesian, Catholic university, under the leadership of the Oblates of Saint Francis de Sales. Founded in 1965, the 550-acre suburban campus is 50 miles north of Philadelphia and about 90 miles southwest of New York City. A total enrollment of nearly 3,500 includes undergraduate day and evening stu-

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