The Foothills Focus Anthem 02-22-2023

Andrew McMahon

Gates is for development, without sacrifice

BY JAMES LOTT Foothills Focus Contributing Writer

District 3 Maricopa County Supervisor

Bill Gates said during a Feb. 10 town hall meeting that he’s committed to developing the area without sacrificing the residents’ peaceful lifestyles.

Gates spoke by Zoom during the meeting co-hosted by Friends of Daisy Mountain Trails and the Anthem Community Council.

Elected to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors in 2016, Gates previously served

on the Phoenix City Council. He told constituents that supervisors last year passed a balanced budget and implemented the largest property tax decrease in recent history in a bid to spare county residents from the effects of high inflation.

“That was really a focus with us with that inflation, both giving people some property tax relief, also being able to give raises to our employees so that frankly we could compete with all the other employers out there but at the same time continuing to provide great service to our constituents,” Gates said.

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors lowered the primary property tax rate to 1.25% (or $125 on a $100,000 home) as part of the FY 2023 budget passed in 2022.

The meeting was free of political controversy that has dogged Gates since last November’s election, which election deniers claimed was fraudulent. Courts have rejected the claims filed by defeated candidates Kari Lake, Abe Hamadeh and Mark Finchem. Daisy Mountain Trails vice president, Vivian

see GATES page 4

Dentist expands free services to first responders

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

Volunteering is at Dr. Cameron Kastl’s core.

At the helm of North Valley Family Dentistry in Anthem, Kastl donated his time to shelters until the COVID-19 pandemic changed everything.

Kastl took matters into his own hands, welcoming veterans into his practice for free treatments for the last two years.

Now, he wants to do more. Kastl is hoping to treat first responders at no expense on Friday, April 21.

“It’s my way of scratching the itch of volsee DENTIST page 4

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

North Valley Family Dentistry Dr. Cameron Kastl, right, prides himself in offering premier dental services in a family-like setting catered to each of his patients. (Cameron Kastl/Submitted)

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GATES from page 1

Decker said District 3 residents look forward to the meetings.

“I know that when residents were having problems… You were actually right there, you were boots on the ground, as they said,” Decker said. “So, I know that you do care and you do come out, so I’m looking forward to the meetings starting up again at the firehouse.”

Gates explained that the board of supervisors looks to the Arizona State Legislature to give it the authority to do certain things. Gates said he has visited the Legislature to discuss issues such as elections and animal control concerns.

“The other issue that is going to be big out there from the County’s perspective is the continuation of Prop 400,” Gates said.

DENTIST from page 1

unteering,” Kastl said. “As of right now, I reached out to Daisy Mountain Fire and gave them the information. The hard part is people think there’s an ulterior motive.”

There’s no catch. Those interested in Kastl’s services must call ahead to schedule an exam before April 14, and then the free treatments will be scheduled for April 21.

North Valley Family Dentistry adopts an “artisan approach” in a “boutique-like setting.” The practice features individualized treatments and services, including proactive maintenance cosmetic dentistry, clear aligners and implants, while incorporating state-of-the-art technology.

Proposition 400 helps fund roads and transportation in Maricopa County. Gates said the board of supervisors is watching that issue closely so it can see if Maricopa County citizens want to renew it.

After providing county updates, Gates answered questions sent in through email and the Zoom chat.

Decker of Desert Hills asked if the unincorporated area is growing in a way that supports the Daisy Mountain/New River Area Plan. Gates reiterated that he wants to see the growth of the area without impacting the way of life in the areas of District 3.

The Daisy Mountain/New River Area Plan was updated in 2019 and is a set of guidelines for citizens, Maricopa County Planning and Development staff, the Planning and Zoning Commission, and

the Board of Supervisors about growth and development in those areas.

“Growth occurs, but the growth needs to occur in a way that’s consistent with the nature of the community,” Gates said. “I don’t want it to look like Downtown Phoenix… And I have yet to meet anyone out there who does.”

Gates explained that there is limited development in District 3, compared to the West Valley. He added he would not approve projects that are inconsistent with the Daisy Mountain/New River Area Plan.

Gates’ comments on limiting development in District 3 were largely well received by residents who said they want to maintain the tranquil and semi-rural character of their neighborhoods.

District 3 resident Sandy Luedke said, “I appreciate your stance and voice on protecting our lifestyle in Desert Hills.”

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Born and raised in Phoenix, Kastl is the son of Joe and Ann Kastl, who were affiliated with Ray Cammack Shows, the largest carnival company in the country, he explained. The dentist recalled juggling football practice and helping his parents at various carnivals dating back to when he was 8 years old.

“I started handing out stuffed animals until football,” he said.

Kastl went on to play football at ASU, serving as the team’s long snapper for

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two seasons, and majored in kinesiology with a minor in business. It was around this time he toyed with the idea of pursuing dental school, he explained.

A self-described “family man,” Kastl said he desired to enter a field that allowed him to help others while also maintaining a healthy work-life balance.

“The more research I did, and the more avenues of dentistry I shadowed — as cliché as it sounds — I knew I always wanted to be in healthcare so I could help people,” Kastl said. “But dentists have more control over their schedules.

“Family is big for me, and I’d like to have a bit more say of when I can

spend time with my family. And, I do enjoy working with my hands and that comes from working with the carnival. So, the more I looked into it (dentistry), the more I liked it.”

Kastl earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree at the University of Washington. Eager to continue to advance his skillset in general dentistry, he was later accepted to an Advanced Education in General Dentistry (AEGD) residency program at the Arizona School of Dentistry and Oral Health.

During this time, Kastl honed in on hands-on experience in complex dental procedures, including the placement and restoration of dental implants, molar endodontics, esthetic and cosmetic dentistry, full mouth rehabilitation cases and socket preservation techniques.

Now, the decorated dentist aims to tap into his expertise through his practice while treating patients “as if they were part of his own family.”

“Nobody likes to come to the dentist,” Kastl said. “So, I thought, maybe if I can use more personality on my end

to comfort people, it will help out and change it for them.”

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Kastl balanced his time volunteering with the Neighborhood Christian Clinic and BrighterWay Dental Institute, providing dental care to homeless veterans. He also worked with the Arizona Mission of Mercy to offer dental care to those in need, as well as served on mission trips to Jamaica and St. Lucia through the nonprofit organization Great Shape Inc.

Kastl attributes his philanthropic nature to his mother.

“A lot of it stemmed from — not necessarily from the dental realm, if you will — my mom is really generous and the most giving person I know,” he said. “So, that was instilled in both my sister and I.”

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Council says to prepare for water rate hike

BY PAUL MARYNIAK Foothills Focus Staff

The Phoenix Water Services Department can show that its water and sewer rates are among the most affordable in the nation with several incentives that can help households cut their monthly bills.

Nonetheless, city council members on Feb. 15 told Water Services Director Troy Hayes to map an extensive public information blitz to explain to homeowners why their water and sewer bills will likely each be going up again in October by 6.5% and increase every year after that for at least the next five years.

Members of council’s transportation, infrastructure and planning subcommittee stressed that such a campaign is especially critical this year because rate increases may not be the only factor affecting water bills.

To encourage conservation, the city also proposes to change the rate structure by lowering the number of monthly water usage units covered by the flat rate, called a “water allowance,” and increasing the number of units billed for actual usage.

The city also is considering including in monthly water bills an opt-out program for insurance that would cover homeowners’ cost of repairs up to $8,500 per break in their water and sewer lines between the water meter and home. Repairing those breaks is a homeowner’s responsibility.

The insurance programs currently cost homeowners who sign up for them $7.95 a month for water line coverage and $9.95 a month for sewer line coverage.

An official for the insurer told council earlier this month that by including all single-family homes in the plan and billing them with their water bill, the cost would be $2.50 to $3 a month. Homeowners would be able to opt out of the coverage and avoid the fee.

Councilwoman Betty Guardado pressed for a more intensive and extensive public information campaign than Hayes had outlined and wants it done before council votes on the rate restructure and increase. Council must approve the rate increases at least 60 days before they would take effect, likely in October.

“I think it’s very important we have dialogue with all our neighbors,” she said.

“It’s been a little confusing for all of us sit-

ting up here that we’ve all got in briefings. I can only imagine what this is going to be like for our residents.

“Because if we really look at this, we’re looking to raise water rates, we’re looking to reduce the water allocation… We really have to go out there and really explain that to folks. And then we’re also talking about raising waste water rates.

“So I think it’s important that we explain each component of this and why it’s important. I don’t think people are opposed to this. I just think that constituents don’t like it when we don’t explain things to them before we actually take an actual vote.”

Hayes had noted that department staffers would be at neighborhood budget meetings in April and that they would appear before all village planning committees in April and May, although Guardado said some of those panels rarely meet and often many don’t attract that much general public interest.

But Hayes is prepared to make the department’s case for the rate increases, coming armed with a slew of charts to show how Phoenix compared favorably with most large and even some small cities on the household cost of water.

He also detailed the crippling impact inflation has exerted on the cost of materials vital to water purification and the city’s water delivery infrastructure.

Hayes warned bypassing a rate increase “adds pressure to the fund balances, future rate increases or the capital program.”

Noting that “over the past 30 years, our customers have embraced conservation initiatives,” he said the changes in the rate structure and the increased rate “strike the balance between water conservation and affordability.”

He also said, “It is worth noting that many of the customers will be able to mitigate the impacts to the allowance change on their bill without investing in expensive appliances.”

He said homeowners can follow recommended outside water schedules posted on the city’s website and “fix all of the leaks in their homes.”

“They would reduce their water use by nearly four units a month or double the maximum proposed changes in the allowance levels.”

He said guides to fix leaks and recommended irrigation schedules are available in

several different methods, including texts.

Hayes said too many households are “over-watering their landscaping.”

In addition, the city is planning to roll out additional incentives to households for conserving water, and therefore lowering their use and monthly cost.

Those incentives will include an enhanced toilet replacement program that provides a $75 credit and a $75 credit for installing a water-saving irrigation system.

Hayes also said the city works with ASU to provide free xeriscaping ideas to households that want to replace or reduce grass and other greenery.

“The department will then offer a home audit where we will come out and identify areas where water can be conserved,” he said, adding that elderly customers and those households that complete an audit would then be eligible for a $150 irrigation controller rebate.

Identifying leaks and installing an irrigation controller through the audit, he said, would reduce enough water usage to compensate many households for the higher rates.

The bottom line, Hayes added, is “that Phoenix’s water services are affordable, inflationary impacts are drastically affecting both the operating and capital budgets as seen throughout our industry in the water and the wastewater capital program.”

Guardado noted one other area of concern: unpaid and delinquent water bills. She said the latest city report indicated some 6,000 households owed at least $4 million.

“I just think we just have to deal with that debt and figure out a plan with those residents and see how we can be helpful, what type of plans we can put them in so they can also pay down their debt,” she said, adding:

“I don’t think this is something any of us are saying that this is not overdue. We understand that. But at the same time, it just has to be a very comprehensive plan, very robust.”

“This is something that’s very delicate because we already have folks that are having a hard time paying their water bill so we just need to figure out how is it that we can be helpful with that. And with the summer months among us, it’s only gonna get worse.”

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The parties are over, but the memories remain

Arizona knows how to throw a party. While our eyes were temporarily diverted from unidentified flying balloons, visitors flocked here from all over the country and seemed to have one big spend-fest. Like an estimated $1 billion in revenue!

The Valley of the Sun hosted Super Bowl LVII, helping us all to brush up on Roman numerals. The weather was warm, the skies were blue, the crowds were noisy but tame and the Big Game was very exciting football. We witnessed greatness that day.

The WM Phoenix Open was a bit more of a wild ride when it comes to fans. What madness ensued this year? Well, one (drunken) man sprinted out to the 16th tee and performed a pole-dance on the flag stick only wearing a Speedo in front of 20,000 shocked spectators.

If that wasn’t enough of a spectacle, the guy raced through the tunnel to the 17th tee and proceeded to prance around the fairway. Finally, the race was on, and he was captured by security after he took a dive into a pond. Yes, this was one tournament that fans will not forget. Of course, the golfing was fantastic.

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Arizona just welcomed about 1 million tourists. Evidently one of the pregame Super Bowl ads run by the NFL, showed the Grand Canyon as a backdrop to State Farm Stadium, confusing many visitors. The Grand Canyon National Park had to issue a statement that “Super Bowl LVII is not being

played at the Grand Canyon.” Then the park further clarified that you cannot drive from the stadium in Glendale to the South Rim in 20 minutes. Joking perhaps?

We watched history at Super Bowl LVII. For the first time, before kickoff, the U.S. Navy jet flyover was piloted by a team of women.

The four planes flew in formation, commemorating 50 years since women were allowed to become U.S. Navy pilots. A beautiful sight.

The Super Bowl had controversial referee calls, heartwarming and comical commercials, and a glitzy half-time show. Yet, it seems that the real halftime show was in our kitchens, because Americans had a whole lot of wings, pizza and beer to devour. Hey, the game spanned almost four hours, and during that time Americans had eaten over a billion chicken wings!

Perhaps one of the most poignant see BLUHM page 12

Homeland Security’s border policies not so secure

BY J.D. HAYWORTH Foothills Focus Columnist

Before Tinseltown’s glitterati descended on the Valley of the Sun for Super Bowl 57, an inhabitant of “Hollywood for the cosmetically challenged” preceded them. One of Washington, D.C.’s “celebrated public servants” stood before a multitude of microphones and cameras five days before the big game.

And talk about an acting job!

To hear Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas hold forth, you would have thought that a motion picture portrayal akin to Pat O’Brien as Knute Rockne — or a performance recalling that old made-for-TV movie with Ernest Borgnine as Vince Lombardi — was in production.

What has made Joe Biden’s selection of Mayorkas unbearable for many residents of this border state is his unflagging effort to erase the international boundary that supposedly exists along our southern state line.

It even led Arizona’s 5th District congressman, U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, to file articles of impeachment against him six days prior to his latest visit.

“Every day Secretary Mayorkas remains in office America becomes less safe,” Biggs said.

Perhaps to prove that our nation is the “land of second chances” — not to mention third, fourth and fifth opportunities for chronically criminal border crossers — Mayorkas played the part of “Mr. Enforcement” when he addressed the press.

Of the efforts to secure Glendale’s State Farm Stadium, Mayorkas said, “We screen everything that comes into this stadium… Not just the people, but the food, the concessions… We screen everything!”

The media passed along this headline: “Homeland Security Secretary Mayorkas says there is no credible threat against Super Bowl in Arizona.”

Of course, the same cannot be written about the border — if we can still truly call it a border.

It seems the worldview of Sec. Mayorkas and others of his ilk was reflected in the graffiti scrawled across a wall meant for messages instead of security: “Borders are scars upon the Earth!”

Nope.

Borders are reasonable and rational lines of geopolitical demarcation between and among nation-states for their mutual security and sovereignty.

As President Reagan put it, “A nation that cannot control its borders is not a nation.”

Sadly, that basic truth is willfully ignored by Mayorkas.

How else to explain his failure to recognize that if the same screening in place at State Farm Stadium for the Super Bowl — as well as the military and law enforcement personnel needed to conduct it — were likewise present along our southern border, it would likely result in a similar outcome: no credible threat.

Instead, Mayorkas is similar to a muttering motivational speaker — insisting to himself and the rest of us — that this crisis is a “threatening opportunity.”

We need to take Mayorkas literally. That’s why that when he testifies on Cap -

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Raquel Welch was a modest kind of sexy

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Foothills Focus Columnist

The news caught my eye late on a mid-February morning: Actress Raquel Welch had died at the age of 82. If you are an adult of a certain age and especially a male you surely can close your eyes and conjure visions of Raquel, who was to Hollywood sex symbols what John Adams was to presidents second in line.

In Welch’s case, behind only Marilyn Monroe when it came to earning headlines not for her acting talent, but for the way she looked. This isn’t to say Welch was untalented she won a Golden Globe for her role in “The Three Musketeers” but more to give credit to her beauty, which was otherworldly.

In 1998, when Playboy magazine made a list of the 100 sexiest female stars of the 20th century, Welch placed third, behind Monroe and Jayne Mansfield and ahead of Greta Garbo.

Me, I think Raquel got robbed by the judges. Not merely because I had a teenage crush on her, but also because Welch accomplished something precious few sex symbols have ever done: She went her entire movie career, from her first role as a call girl in 1964’s “A House Is Not A Home,” to her last movie, 2017’s “How To Be A Latin Lover,” without ever once appearing nude in a movie.

“I’ve definitely used my body and sex appeal to advantage in my work, but always within limits,” Welch once said. “I reserve some things for my private life, and they are not for sale.”

By contrast, Welch embodied a sense of mystery and a sense of decorum that died many, many years before she did.

Now? Selling and sending nudes has become little more than a hobby for the masses. We are urged to be thankful for this newfound liberation, but somehow Raquel Welch managed to strike a balance between feminine power think of her in that famous deerskin bikini from the poster for “One Million Years B.C.” and feminine modesty.

Even when Welch finally appeared in Playboy in 1979, she stripped down only as far as a red bikini. My father kept that issue hidden on the top shelf of his closet, a hiding spot I will confess to visiting on many occasions.

Speaking of fathers, Welch said her dad was another reason she never appeared

“I am my father’s daughter and that’s just not the way you behave,” she said. “You don’t do that if you are a certain kind of a woman and that’s the kind of

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woman I was raised to be.”

As legend would have it, Playboy publisher Hugh Hefner summoned Welch to his mansion after the photo shoot to complain.

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moments came after the Big Game, when Eagles quarterback, Jalen Hurts, was being interviewed about his loss. In the midst of his shattered dream,

LEIBOWITZ from Page 10

As Welch recalled the meeting: “I said, ‘What’s the problem Hugh?’ and he said, ‘Well there’s no t–s and there’s no a–’. I said, ‘Isn’t that the deal we made?’ He said, ‘Yes, but it’s boring.’”

It seems quaint now, the notion that modesty ever existed and that it was once

he politely fielded questions from the media. Part of his emotional comment was, “Everyone experiences different pain and agonies in life. You decide if you want to learn from it and want it to be a teachable moment. I know that I

possible to be sexy in fact the sexiest woman on Earth and to keep certain assets and certain images to yourself.

Somehow, Raquel Welch managed to shock without being shocking, to be sexy without being lewd. In 2023, the age of the Kardashians and Pornhub, that seems like a trick we may never glimpse again.

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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.

do. My only direction is to rise.”

And just like that, we were given an inspirational message from a quarterback, a historical thrill from Navy pilots, a geography tutorial from the Grand Canyon Park and one entertain-

HAYWORTH from Page 9

itol Hill, he repeatedly says, “Things are going according to plan.”

And it’s also the reason he discounts the obvious threats to embrace “opportunity.”

Nothing matters more to Mayorkas than a mass amnesty that would make millions of illegal aliens into instant American citizens.

Biggs points out that the Secretary’s “policies have incentivized more than five million illegal aliens to show up at our southern border — an all-time figure.”

But as gratifying as the impeachment of Mayorkas would be, the sad fact is that the Democrat-controlled Senate would not vote to convict and remove

ing week of golf. Oh Arizona, the party is over. The memories remain.

Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local Realtor. Have a comment or a story? Contact Judy at judy@judybluhm.com or at. arouondthebluhmintown.com.

him from office.

That’s why the best course for the House would be to pull on the purse strings and reduce funding to both the Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service.

If the operating budgets of both those entities were reduced by 25% each and reallocated for genuine border enforcement during the appropriations process, it would prompt positive results.

Of course, “enforcing that enforcement” would have to come through aggressive and constant oversight.

Otherwise, Mayorkas would seek mere cosmetic changes to maintain the ugly truth of a wide-open border that imperils the security of every law-abiding American.

And it’s not a game.

NV real estate market expected to level off

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

Speculation abounds about what the North Valley housing market will look like in 2023.

When it comes to North Phoenix, North Scottsdale, Cave Creek and Carefree, the real estate landscape is drastically different from what was experienced during the pandemic-fueled market when home prices skyrocketed, competition was fierce between buyers and demand was sparse.

“The housing market is finally starting to balance, which is a good thing for buyers and sellers alike,” said Trevor Halpern, chief executive officer of Halpern Residential at North&Co.

“I definitely don’t have a crystal ball, but I’ve followed market trends closely over the years and have a good idea of what people can expect this year.”

First, interest rates will continue to drop, creating more competition. At the end of 2022, the average 30-year fixed-rate mortgage was 6.31%. Because rates hit historic lows during the pandemic and subsequently shot up, buyers were hesitant to jump into the market at the end of last year.

“Here’s a mortgage rate reality check though,” Halpern said. “In 1977, rates hovered around 16%. In 1985 they were about 12% and in 2000, we saw mortgage rates of 8%. Realistically, today’s mortgage rates are much more reasonable than what we’ve seen in the past and they will continue to fall.”

In fact, the interest rate for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage is expected to drop to 5.25% by the end of the year, according to a forecast by the financial services website Bankrate. That’s 1.49 percentage points lower than the current rate, and nearly two percentage points lower than 2022’s peak rate of 7.12%.

“As those rates drop, more buyers will enter the market, creating more competition and increasing housing prices, giving buyers less bargaining leverage than they have in today’s market,” Halpern said. “I also expect buyers to continue asking for concessions in the first quarter, until that competition heats up, at which point those will go away. Buyers are going to benefit greatly from a seller’s willingness to negotiate during the first part of this year.”

Next, sellers will start pricing according to the market as more inventory becomes available. Home price growth in North Valley has decreased significantly from double-digit rates in 2022. Data suggests that sellers are adjusting

because of their awareness of the shifting real estate market and increased competition. In fact, one in five sellers have lowered their asking price, and sellers are more likely to finish major modifications before offering their homes.

“We typically see increased inventory on the market at the beginning of the year,” Halpern said. “In December 2021, there were almost 40% fewer houses advertised than in January 2022, and in 2023, we can expect similar trends.”

Investment properties are likely to be included in the new inventory as investors will start to re-enter the market

once they see prices steadily appreciate. The best combinations for maximizing profit include growing rental demand and high rental prices, if investors can find appropriate financing options. When it comes to this arena in North Valley though, it is a different story.

“Due to the abundance of short-term rental homes in North Phoenix, North Scottsdale, Carefree and Cave Creek, the Airbnb market in those areas will take some time to recover,” Halpern said.

Another trend the North Valley will experience is new multi-family rental construction. The supply chain issues of the past few years are expected to be resolved to stimulate more development in the region at a faster rate. Multi-family permits are rising, and the number of multi-family units beginning construction each month is steadily rising as well, reaching 8% higher than pre-pandemic levels in October 2019.

“One example is a New York-based

company that’s investing about $250 million to build luxury rentals in the Valley,” Halpern said. “They plan to build 735 units near Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co’s plant in North Phoenix.”

On the flipside, luxury housing will continue to be in demand, particularly those in affluent Phoenix suburbs. Resort-style residences perched above cliffs that offer panoramic views near upscale golf courses, boutiques, and popular tourist destinations should anticipate top dollar sales. This, as remote work continues to become the norm and snowbirds who regularly migrate to the area are staying longer.

“Something else I anticipate this year is the fall of iBuyers because the business model just doesn’t work,” Halpern said. “iBuyers have substantially reduced their purchases and I think this will be a welcome change for client buyers as well. People are realizing that you need skilled representation in this market in order to get the best deal.”

On that note, Realtors will also be dropping off in droves. The country has more than 1.4 million licensed agents and 800,000 of them did not sell a single

home in 2022.

“Let that sink in for a minute,” Halpern said. “This is probably a direct consequence of the tumultuous housing market we experienced during the pandemic when the calls were rolling in and bidding wars were common. Last year shaped up to be a completely different landscape and this year will be even tougher for agents to create success for themselves and their clients as the market balances.”

While 2022 may be remembered as a year of housing volatility, 2023 is more likely to be remembered as the year when the market finally returns to “normal.”

That normalcy should be a welcome feeling for consumers and agents alike as everyone has been through the wringer for the past few years when it comes to residential real estate. Although “normal” may be how it is described, Halpern cautions that, “There is no such thing as a ‘normal’ real estate sale or purchase. They are all big deals to those involved and they all have their pitfalls and major decision points. Just because the market may ‘normalize’ it doesn’t mean that consumers or agents should lower their guards.”

Anthem hosting job fair on Feb. 25

across a variety of industries.

Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce, in conjunction with Anthem Community Council, is hosting the Anthem Job Fair from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 25, at the Anthem Civic Building north parking lot.

This fair will let job seekers meet employers, learn about the opportunities in Anthem and apply on-site. Job openings in the area range from part-time and seasonal to full-time

“With the growth that is coming to Anthem, it is important that our businesses continue to thrive within that growth. That means as they grow, they need employees and that is why we are hosting this job fair,” said Tamara Clark, Anthem Area Chamber of Commerce executive director.

Job seekers are encouraged to register online at anthemareachamber. org to have their information shared with all the employers at the job fair. Job-seeker entry to the fair is free.

“A vibrant, local economy is im-

portant to our high quality of life,” said John Safin, communications director, Anthem Community Council.

“Anthem residents enjoy local shopping, dining and services. This job fair will certainly benefit everyone.”

For employers, the event provides a cost-effective and convenient way to connect with job seekers looking for a new position or a way to advance their career. Employer registration is $75 (special pricing for Anthem Area Chamber members is available).

For more information, call 623-3229127.

Trevor Halpern is chief executive officer of Halpern Residential at North&Co. (Trevor Halpern/Submitted)

Pinning the ‘tale’ on the donkey

Pastor Ed Delph

There is an occurrence in the ancient Scriptures that has a life lesson for all of us if we are open. Let me introduce this life coach and her claim to fame story. Warning: This life coach is not pretty, is silent most of the time, and comes across as stubborn and dumb, but when she speaks, angels listen.

Her story is in Numbers, Chapter 22 in the Bible. There was an Old Testament prophet by the name of Balaam. He was on a misguided, money-driven mission to curse someone God did not want to be cursed.

As he was riding along, his donkey suddenly stopped on the road. No matter how hard Balaam tried to get the donkey to move, the donkey would not budge. Then the donkey pinned Balaam’s foot against a fence, sending Balaam into a frenzy. Balaam started beating the donkey in a fit of anger.

Then the donkey cried out, “Why are you beating me? Haven’t I served you faithfully all these years?” Next, an angel sent by God appeared to Balaam,

“You fool, quit beating her. Even she could see I was standing here. Your donkey just saved your life. If you had tried to carry out your misguided mission, I would have killed you and let the donkey live.”

The Bible occurrence I conveyed to you above may sound wild to you. A donkey who becomes a life coach, a big angel sent by God, and a prophet who is more pathetic than prophetic. But never be surprised by what God can do. This time God chooses to speak through a donkey. God, being merciful, was merciful to the unmerciful prophet who didn’t deserve any mercy. God broke almost every rule in the creation to warn His prophet. Balaam tried to pin the “tale” on the donkey, but the angel pinned the “tale” onto Balaam.

There is a lesson here. When the donkey you are riding on, who has only your best interest in mind, suddenly refuses to move, don’t kick it. Instead, slow down, and don’t let anger or other fallen emotions guide you. Instead, look for the angel standing on the road. There’s a reason the loyal, devoted donkey is not acting the way it usually does. That donkey could be trying to save your life. My mother used to say to my father, who

hated taking medicine, “A nagging wife may save your life.”

Of course, she didn’t usually want to nag, but when she did, it was for a good reason — to keep my dad alive.

There is a Scripture in the New Testament that says, “With gentleness correct those who oppose themselves….” That’s what that brown, shaggy, consistent, reliable, sure-footed, big-eared (donkeys have big ears for hearing what we don’t hear) life coach did. The donkey was “bray-ve.” She had more “donkey” sense than the prophet of God, trying to stop Balaam from avoiding the consequences of opposing himself.

Let’s explore the concept of “with gentleness correct those who oppose themselves….” Think of a boxer in the ring in a fight. Suddenly, not only is his adversary boxing him, but the boxer is also boxing himself. We have all done that, haven’t we? Many times, in this life, we are our own worst enemies. Those life coaches who love us enough to try to warn us are all but ignored. Why? Because we want to do everything our way.

I’ve learned a thing or two about this in my ministry. As a pastor, I usually see others’ issues and consequences. I was known as “Pastor Love.” I loved people, and they knew it. But sometimes, I could see an angel in the way of where they wanted to go. When “Pastor Love” warns you, you should probably listen. Why? Because it’s generally not in my nature to say no. Haven’t I been a faithful pastor all these years? Whoops, I leaked!

There’s a bit of Balaam in us, wanting our way come hell or high water. We think circumstances are slowing us up, friends are not supporting us, our spouse is stopping us, the banker should have said yes to that loan, God is against us, or the pastor doesn’t understand us.

But, many times, it’s a God-appointed donkey just trying to save our life when we have been trying to do our life alone. Here’s some wisdom: Be teachable, not offended. Don’t curse the life coach sent to you by the life coach trying to put you in a position to succeed. Just think, you might be meeting God in a braying donkey or a friend or coach sounding like one.

I know what you are thinking. You are thinking I’ve been watching reruns of “Hee Haw” too much!

Ed Delph is a noted author of 10 books, as well as a pastor, teacher, former business owner and speaker. He 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. He may be contacted at nationstrategy@cs.com.

Foothills Focus Columnist

ProMusica hosting its fifth champagne salon

BY

ProMusica Arizona’s fifth annual Musical Champagne Salon will bring together music lovers while helping the nonprofit celebrate its 20th anniversary.

The semi-formal event starts at 6 p.m. Saturday, March 11, in a private home in Anthem Country Club. Guests will be able to mingle with ProMusica Arizona’s musicians and enjoy performances by soloists and small ensembles.

An array of heavy hors d’oeuvres and dessert choices will be paired with champagne, wine and other beverages. A silent auction will further the fundraising efforts.

A limited number of tickets available are obtainable for $100 at pmaz. org/tickets or 623-326-5172. The location will be announced only to ticket holders to the Musical Champagne Salon, sponsored by Tetsell Team with Realty Executives.

Since its founding in 2003, ProMusica Arizona has brought live music to the North Phoenix area. With 100 multigenerational singers and instrumentalists, the group has performed

more than 285 times for over 139,000 people.

ProMusica Arizona is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit supported by the Arizona Commission on the Arts, which receives support from the state of Arizona and the National Endowment for the Arts.

ProMusica Arizona Musical Champagne Salon

WHEN: 6 p.m. Saturday, March 11

WHERE: Private home in Anthem COST: $100 INFO: 623-326-5172, pmaz.org/tickets

FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF

Violinist Alexis Ranno performs at the Musical Champagne Salon. This year, it’s set for Saturday, March 11. (ProMusica Arizona/Submitted)

A variety of heavy hors d’oeuvres and desserts will be served at the Musical Champagne Salon. (ProMusica Arizona/Submitted)

Ex-pitcher brings hard-driving rock to Innings

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

Former D-backs pitcher Bronson Arroyo missed the sounds of Spring Training: the crack of the bat, the ball meeting the mitt. It’s easy to feel sentimental about the spring — especially when COVID-19 took away those opportunities.

“After 22 years in baseball, it’s easy to get nostalgic about February and March for me,” Arroyo said.

He’s returning to Arizona and Florida for Spring Training this year to perform as part of Innings Festival. It comes to Tempe Beach Park & Arts Park Saturday, Feb. 25, and Sunday, Feb. 26, and Raymond James Stadium Grounds in Tampa on Saturday, March 18, and Sunday, March 19.

Performers include Green Day, Weezer, the Black Crowes, the Offspring, the Pretty Reckless, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, the Glorious Sons, Heartless Bastards and Annie DiRusso on Saturday and Eddie Vedder, Marcus Mumford, the Revivalists, Mt. Joy, the Head and the Heart, Umphrey’s

McGee, Magic City Hippies, Paris Jackson and Hazel English on Sunday.

Baseball players making appearances are Ryan Dempster, Jake Peavy, Randy Johnson, Dontrelle Willis, Grady Sizemore, Kevin Mitchell, Bret Boone, Vinny Castilla,

Matt Williams, Edgar Martinez and Mike Cameron.

“It’s going to be great to get out there and play some music,” Arroyo said. “I did the one in Tampa, and I played just a couple songs with (former players/musicians) Jake Peavy and Bernie Williams.

“I was also there as a baseball player, signing autographs, teaching pitching.”

When he was playing baseball, he couldn’t attend Innings Festival, as the days are brutal.

“A lot of time, Spring Training days beat you up miserably,” he said with a laugh. “They’re early days. You get to the park at 7 a.m. or 8 a.m. You’re so used to getting to the park at 2 or 3 in the afternoon. It throws your body out of whack a little bit. You’re just starting to get in shape. They’re really running you hard as a pitcher. Those first three weeks of Spring Training are exhausting.”

Arroyo played for the D-backs in the 2014 season after signing a two-year, $23.5 million contract.

On June 16, Arroyo was placed on the dis-

abled list for the first time in his career, after leaving a start early against the Dodgers with an elbow injury. Three weeks later, he had Tommy John surgery to repair a torn UCL, forcing him out for the remainder of the 2014 season. In 14 starts of the 2014 year, he went 7-4 with a 4.08 ERA.

“When I think about the D-backs days, I think about my arm hurting the whole time,” he said. “I only had seven wins before the All-Star Break in 2014. I always felt like it was an uphill grind. I felt like I always had to prove myself. It was a rough season for me.

“They were the friendliest organization to fans and players. The guys who worked in the clubhouse — (strength coach) Nate Shaw and (director of sports medicine) Ken Crenshaw — were great. I was frustrated. It was the first time I was hurt.”

For the last two decades, Arroyo has regularly performed around the country, usually playing sets of cover songs to raise funds for philanthropic causes. Now, after his retire-

Andrew McMahon reunites with Weezer, Green Day

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

When Andrew McMahon was a teen in California, he adored Green Day and Weezer. He showed his love of them by playing in a tribute to both acts called Tweezer.

“We played three shows,” McMahon said with a laugh. “We were pretty good, as far as cafeteria lunch performers go.”

Fast forward to 2004 and he met his heroes. His former band, Something Corporate, opened for Weezer on its Australian tour.

“That was life changing, getting back into that sphere,” he said.

Now, he’ll reunite with Weezer and Green Day when Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness joins the bands to play Innings Festival’s first day on Saturday, Feb. 25.

“It really hit me,” he said about the sched-

ule. “It makes me nostalgic.”

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness is gearing up to release its fourth album, “Tilt at the Wind No More,” on March 31. He expects to preview a few songs from the record at Innings.

“My goal, at least by Innings, is to learn the song ‘Lying on the Hood of Your Car,’” he said.

“We have (the first single) ‘Stars’ in the mix. Until the record comes out, we’re going to lean on the tunes that are out.”

He recorded “Tilt at the Wind No More” with producer Tommy English, who has also turned the knobs for McMahon’s 2017 effort “Zombies on Broadway.” He said while he was recording, he pined for that moment of freedom and youth.

“I’m so proud of it,” he said about “Lying on the Hood of Your Car.”

“When you do this for as long as I have, you’re always on the hunt for something

that feels like magic, something to hang your hat on. That song is really special.”

McMahon wrote the first verse in 2019 and loved it, but struggled with the storyline.

“It has this sort of nefarious, scary setup for a story, possibly,” he said. “When I came back to it last January/February, suddenly this is a song about me and my friends and my early romantic relationships, and how we were driving around after curfew. It’s all centered around the freedom of our cars. Through that lens, I connected the dots and finished the song.”

The songs were written in various sessions. “Stars” was started before the pandemic. He finished “New Friends,” but once the pandemic hit and the world locked down, he switched gears and penned the book “Three Pianos: A Memoir.”

By writing “Three Pianos,” he cleared his head of trauma — his father’s struggle with

addiction and his public battle with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL) in 2005 at the age of 23.

“I was clearing the deck of a lot of trauma and history that I hadn’t quite confronted,” he said. “It set me up for the writing sessions that followed this album and started the process of me getting back in the studio.

“I’ll be turning 40 when the record comes out. I will have been on the road for more than half of my life. I wanted the songs to reflect that, to reflect the places I had been through, an aspiration to be free of past trauma and to be looking forward to the future and what could be.”

Over the last two decades, McMahon has experienced musical rebirth many times and has consistently arrived on the other side stronger.

The East Coast-born, SoCal-based artist

Bronson Arroyo joins a plethora of performers coming to the Valley for the Innings Festival held Saturday, Feb. 25 and Sunday, Feb. 26. (Bronson Arroyo/Submitted)

Cowboy shooters come together for tourney

BY COLE JANUSZEWSKI Foothills Focus Staff Writer

Hundreds of shooters will converge on Ben Avery Shooting Facility from Monday, Feb. 27, to Sunday, March 5, for the 42nd annual End of Trail: SASS World Championship of Cowboy Action and Wild Bunch Action Shooting.

Expected to bring in 900 competitors from around the world, the event is hosted by the Arizona Territorial Company of Rough Riders.

Leo “Rattlesnake Slim” Horton, the Arizona Territorial Company of Rough Riders and End of Trail president and deputy range master, said there are two kinds of shooting.

“The cowboy action shooting (uses) firearms that are representative of the end of the 1800s — single-action pistols, lever-action rifles and double-barreled shotguns,” Horton said.

“The other type of shooting we call Wild Bunch, which is representative of the turn of the century into the early part of the 1900s. They use a Colt model 1911 semi-automatic pistol and the same lever-action rifle. However, they use pump-action shotguns.”

The shooters will compete in 52 categories, which are broken up by age, the gun type and how people dress.

“The amount that you want to or don’t want to dress up is up to you,” Horton said. “At a minimum, everybody has to wear a long sleeve shirt and long pants. You can’t wear tennis shoes or a baseball cap or anything that is modern — but it can be simple. A long-sleeve shirt and a pair of Levi’s and a cowboy hat will get you in the door and out there competing.”

He also said every shooter must “choose an alias that is unique to you. Only one person can have an alias and our group, SASS, keeps track of that. They don’t allow doubling up on the alias.”

Horton said he got his alias through his wife and noted that he tries to keep his costume simple.

“My wife named me as most do,” he said. “She named me ‘Rattlesnake Slim’ because

when we hike out in the desert, I find the rattlesnakes or they always seem to find me on the trail and I’m kind of ‘Slim’ in her eyes. For dress, I definitely tend more toward the classic look. Classic pants with a pair of suspenders and a vest and a long-sleeve shirt and just an old beat-up felt cowboy hat just like you would see a cowboy roaming around in the Old West.”

Heather “Half-a-Hand Henri” Dunbar is an accomplished shooter who enjoys participating in Cowboy Action and Wild Bunch Action Shooting. She also came up with her name through personal experience.

“Half-A-Hand comes from cutting off my pinky and almost a second finger when my husband and I were converting an old barn into a house,” Dunbar said.

“The Henri part came from one of my husband’s long lifelong friends who had been somewhat of a ladies’ man. He didn’t dare tell his wife that he was going goose

Leo “Rattlesnake Slim” Horton is the Arizona Territorial Company of Rough Riders and End of Trail president and deputy range master. (Leo Horton/Submitted)

MCMAHON From Page 18

first co-founded the pop-punk outfit Something Corporate in 1998, serving as the group’s singer, pianist and songwriter and leading the band to major chart success in the early 2000s.

Soon after, McMahon resurfaced with the more personal solo project Jack’s Mannequin, finding success through three studio albums. In 2014, McMahon released his debut album under his own name and new moniker, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, featuring the breakout top 5 alternative radio singles “Cecilia and the Satellite” and “Fire Escape.”

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness — McMahon (lead vocals, piano), Bobby Anderson (guitar), Jay McMillan (drums), Mikey Wagner (bass) and Zac Clark (keys) — has since released the hook-packed albums “Zombies on Broadway” (2017) and “Upside Down Flowers” (2018), amassing over 275 million total streams to date, performing at such marquee festivals as Lollapalooza.

McMahon has also sold nearly 2.5 million albums across all of his musical projects, received an Emmy nomination for his work

ROCK

From Page 18

ment from baseball, Arroyo shares his own music with the world for the first time.

He and his band, The ’04, will release the album “Some Might Say” on Feb. 17.

“Some Might Say” features 10 original songs filled with hard-driving guitars, powerful choruses and vivid, observational lyrics penned and sung by Arroyo.

“The theme throughout the album is my optimism for life,” Arroyo said. “I’ve always been about being present and enjoying the moment. The glass is always half full — that’s the thread that ties all the songs together.”

Though he doesn’t appear on the album, Arroyo credits his friend Vedder with playing an important role in the record’s creation.

“I played him the demos, some which were still really raw, and he went through every single song critiquing and adding little notes to my lyric sheets. Afterward, he was like, ‘Hey, man — you got something here.’”

The ’04 band features A-list musicians

on the NBC show “Smash.”

Additionally, in 2006, McMahon founded the Dear Jack Foundation after surviving ALL. The nonprofit charity provides programming that directly benefits adolescent and young adults diagnosed with cancer to improve quality of life and create positive health outcomes from treatment to survi-

including Jamie Arentzen (who also plays with Miley Cyrus, Butch Walker & American Hi-Fi), bassist Ed Valauskas (Juliana Hatfield, Gravel Pit), guitarist Clint Walsh (Dwarves, the Motels) and drummer Eric Gardner (Gnarls Barkley, Tom Morello). Legendary Cars keyboardist Greg Hawkes also makes an appearance on the track “Side FX.”

At Innings, Arroyo guarantees a good time.

“We’re playing the whole album and a couple of covers to fill a bit of time,” he said. “It’s a pretty rockin’, high-energy set. It’s full-on rock ’n’ roll. There’s nothing soft about it. Most of the songs are riff-driven. It’s a little loud and a lot of energy. That’s what rock ’n’ roll is all about.”

Innings Festival

WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 25, and Sunday, Feb. 26

WHERE: Tempe Beach Park and Arts Park, 80 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe

COST: Tickets start at $112 for one-day pass

INFO: inningsfestival.com/arizona

vorship for patients and their families. For more information or to donate, visit dearjackfoundation.org.

McMahon said there’s an existential bent to the music, a sense of trying to pass on some of his wisdom.

“The crazy, early stages of life can be kind of tricky and test your mettle,” he added.

TOURNEY From Page 19

hunting with Dan and Heather, so he said it was Dan and Henri. So, when I cut my finger off, I was sitting there plugged into the morphine and all of a sudden started laughing and said, ‘Well, it just has to be Half-A-Hand Henri.’”

Not only this, but Dunbar prefers a more minimalist style of dress while she competes.

“I always hated shoes,” she said. “So anytime I got home from someplace where I obviously had to wear shoes I’d go barefoot, so I shoot barefoot. Always barefoot in a skirt with a little blouse of some sort, holsters, shotgun belt and a hat. So, I’m just a little old hillbilly — a little old fat lady hillbilly running around.”

While Dunbar enjoys the competition, she said the main reason she competes is to meet people and feel like a kid again.

“I’ve traveled clear across this country shooting and hunting and I have met people that I never would have met before,” she said.

“When we’re out there competing, we’re like a bunch of kids playing cowboys and

He admitted he’s had a difficult few years. He learned to breathe and take the good when he could get it right.

“I understood that if I’m standing on two feet and I have a roof over my head and I’m feeding my family, I’m doing better than a lot of people,” he said.

“I appreciate that on the hard days. I had to find a way to celebrate the fact that I’m alive. I tried to write some of that into this music.”

Innings Festival

WHEN: Saturday, Feb. 25: Weezer, The Black Crowes, The Offspring, The Pretty Reckless, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, The Glorious Sons, Heartless Bastard and Annie DiRusso

Sunday, Feb. 26: Eddie Vedder, Marcus Mumford, The Revivalists, Mount Joy, The Head and the Heart, Umphrey’s McGee, Magic City Hippies, Paris Jackson and Hazel English WHERE: Tempe Beach Park & Arts Park, 80 W. Rio Salado Parkway, Tempe COST: Tickets start at $112 INFO: inningsfestival.com/arizona

Indians. You could care less what the person does in real life as there are people from all walks of life and all kinds of economic backgrounds from across the world. I mean, if you go out there and you haven’t laughed your butt off all day long even while you’re competing, you’re in it for the wrong reasons.”

In addition to the shooting competitions, Horton said there will also be an Old Western-themed tent city with 60 vendors and entertainers. Specifically, he said there will be half a dozen food vendors, firearms vendors, custom leather makers, retail clothing and “a very nice lady that sells homemade jams and jellies.”

End of Trail: SASS World Championship of Cowboy Action and Wild Bunch Action Shooting

WHEN: Various times Monday, Feb. 27, to Sunday, March 5

WHERE: Ben Avery Shooting Facility, 4044 W. Black Canyon Boulevard, Phoenix COST: Free but parking is $10 and donated to charity INFO: endoftrail.org

Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness will perform the first day of the Innings Festival, Saturday, February 25, featuring music from their previous albums and previewing songs from their upcoming album “ Tilt at the Wind No More.” (Lindsey Byrnes/Contributor)

Diamond Canyon hosting kindergarten preview

BY GREY GARTIN Foothills Focus Staff Writer

Diamond Canyon, a pre-K through 8 school under the Deer Valley Unified School District, is hosting kindergarten preview night from 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 1, to offer an overview of programs and curriculum

to future coyotes and parents.

An A++ school of excellence, recognized by the Arizona Department of Education, Diamond Canyon invites both in- and out-of-district families to the school to see classrooms and meet kindergarten teachers on preview night.

“We have an award-winning fine arts department, a Mandarin program and

we have a social-emotional program,” said Lorrey Gadberry of Diamond Canyon.

The social-emotional program, known as “All Things EQ,” is designed to improve the communicative skills of children through emotion management, empathy development and problem-solving — which, in turn, fosters positive school culture.

Gadberry said All Things EQ helps students to “show up positively to achieve academic success in school,” and that “we have a program that sets us apart from the other schools in the area.”

The preview night coincides with the spring book fair.

“Families can get a little taste of that and see what it’s all about,” she said. Students who attend the kindergarten preview night with registration complete or with their paperwork in hand will receive a free Diamond Canyon T-shirt before the beginning of the 20232024 school year.

Diamond Canyon Kindergarten Preview Night

When: 5 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 1

Where: Diamond Canyon, 40004 N. Liberty Bell Way, Anthem

Cost: Free Info: dvusd.org/kindergarten

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