The Foothills Focus - Zone 1 - 05.05.2021

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

TheFoothillsFocus.com

INSIDE

This Week

BUSINESS .........16

The Eddy goes old school with pinball machines

FEATURES ........19

Abrstract painter Carol McDonald harnesses creativity

YOUTH .............24

Anthem Area Edition

PAGE

22

Wednesday, May 5, 2021

Bilateral amputee to ride bike across United States

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

A

rmy veteran Steve Martin lost his legs as a result of injuries he sustained from a roadside bomb in Afghanistan.

The Valley resident was a contractor at the time and didn’t qualify for VA benefits.

He handles it in the best way — he shrugs it off.

“I have a great life,” he said. “It’s weird to think that getting wounded creates opportunities. If I didn’t get hurt, I’d just be working.

It’s kind of a weird blessing. It created opportunities I wouldn’t have had.”

Beginning in mid-May, the 51-year-old bilateral-below-the-knee amputee, who refuses to allow physical limitations to stop him from achieving his goals, will start pedaling a

��� AMPUTEE ���� 4

As a bilateral amputee, Army veteran Steve Martin has run 60 half-marathons, 18 full marathons, hiked the Grand Canyon and climbed Mount Kilmanjaro. (Photo by Pablo Robles)

Despite injury, Sandra Day O’Connor softball star continues to make impact

Proposed boat, RV facility to be multifamily development

OPINION ......................8

BY FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF

BUSINESS ................. 16 FEATURES ................ 19 YOUTH ...................... 24 CLASSIFIEDS ............ 25 Zone I

A

fter local opposition blocked a boat and RV storage facility from coming into the neighborhood, another company is stepping in with plans to convert the vacant property off I-17 and Dynamite Road into a multi-

family development.

DHIC – Black Canyon LLC, an Arlington, Texas-based division of DR Horton, purchased the vacant 10.480-acre property from Fortress RV Storage LLC for $3.775 million.

Totaling 456,508 square feet at 28201 N. Black Canyon Highway, Fortress RV

Storage LLC decided to sell the property after being unable to get zoning approval.

“These redevelopment projects can become long, drawn-out processes, especially when rezoning and entitlements are involved,” explained Neil Sherman,

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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 Associate Publisher: Eric Twohey | 480-898-5634 | erict@thefoothillsfocus.com ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Display Advertising: 623-465-5808 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: Lori Dionisio | 480-898-6309 | ldionisio@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

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 5, 2021

AMPUTEE ���� ���� 1

standard bike with his prosthetic feet and follow the blind Paralympic cyclist Shawn Cheshire on a 4,000-mile journey.

Martin said the ride will be one part fun, one part painful. The ride will start in Florence, Oregon, on May 17 and end in Virginia Beach, Virginia, on July 8.

“It’s going to hurt my butt,” he said with a laugh. “It’s a lot of time to sit on a little seat.”

Martin is planning to ride an average of 84 miles per day, with 113 miles scheduled as the longest ride in any single day.

He and Cheshire will also veer off the trail to stop at schools for the blind in four states, as well as at police stations and fire departments. Another stop is at the Ottobock facility in Louisville, Kentucky. The company makes prosthetics, orthoses and exoskeletons. Martin said he wants to share his motivation with others who are facing similar limitations in body or mind.

Originally, Cheshire and Martin were going to ride a tandem bike, but the Paralympics committee nixed that idea.

When Cheshire, who lives in Florida, stopped competing in 2019, she brought up the trek again.

“We started talking about how fun it would be for two fake legs and a blind girl to ride across the United States,” he said with a laugh. “The story writes itself.”

They’re riding their own bikes for 4,000 miles. The two and an accompanying rider will wear Bluetooth headsets to guide Cheshire.

“We’re in her ear,” he said. “We’ll tell her, we’re coming to a hill. Get your gears ready, or there’s a sharp turn coming, or we’re riding in town, don’t run into a parked car. It’s going to be a challenge or 4,000 miles of bad jokes.”

Following in family’s footsteps Martin, who attended Horizon High School, Martin joined the Army at the end of 1990, and spent six years there.

“I hated college,” Martin said. “I’m the middle of five boys. My brother, who’s the next oldest in age, said we should go in the Army. I went down and enlisted.

“He changed his mind. My dad did three tours of Vietnam. My grandpa was

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Our reader poll is designed to let YOU tell us about your favorite people, places, shops, restaurants and things to do in Anthem, Carefree, Cave Creek and North Phoenix PEOPLE | PLACES | SHOPS | RESTAURANTS | THINGS TO DO

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in World War II. It wasn’t really anything I was thinking about though.”

After the Army, he was with the Arizona Guard until 1999. He returned to the Middle East as a contractor and in 2008 in Afghanistan he was catastrophically injured.

“I went back over with the State Department and I was assigned to an Army unit as a civilian adviser,” he said.

“I was out doing a mission and the Humvee was blown up. When you think about it, I trained with the guys. I ate with the guys. The only different was where the pay came from. When you look from the outside in, you couldn’t tell the difference. We were all doing the same job.”

The stinger was, because he was a contractor, he couldn’t receive VA benefits for his injuries — even though he’s a veteran.

“There aren’t a lot of wounded civilians. That’s not something people are used to hearing. People get it confused.

I was in combat and the bomb didn’t care that I was a civilian. Two of us in the Humvee lost both legs but all four of us survived.”

Martin tried to save his legs for about a year and a half, but he was content with entering HonorHealth Osborn Medical Center for the surgery to remove them.

“Before, I was told I would never walk again, and have a life of pain, medication and limited mobility,” he said. “I had no chance of doing things I wanted to do. I walked into Osborn and three days later rolled out as a double amputee.

“It wasn’t a hard decision. I knew what I had, and I was willing to take the chance.

I was told about phantom pain. That quality of life is horrid. It’s a little rough on the brain. It makes things hard. I took a chance and it’s worked out well. I have a great life.”

As a bilateral amputee, Martin has run 60 half-marathons and 18 full marathons. He has also hiked the Grand Canyon and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. Professionally, he was the first and only double amputee to serve as a state trooper in Arizona.

“I plan to get every mile and every minute out of my body,” Martin said. “I want to be active. I want to run my life. I want to show the world that losing my legs may have altered my path, but it did not stop me.”

NEWS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 5, 2021

DEVELOPMENT ���� ���� 1

CCIM, managing director of Sperry Commercial-Insignia CRE, who represented Fortress in the sale.

Sherman, whose co-listing agent was Ian Turner, noted that the buyer’s strength and determination to acquire this property beat out a dozen or more other potential developers. Michael Lieb of Cherokee Devel-

5

opment represented buyer Michael Trueman of DR Horton.

“However, working with such highly experienced and knowledgeable professionals, like the buyer and his broker, really kept any problems to a minimum and helped to ensure a smooth closing,” Sherman said.

Due to rezoning and entitlement issues, the sale was in escrow for around a year.

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NEWS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 5, 2021

Rep. Debbie Lesko writing for change

BY FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF

Lesko requests answers on USPS Rep. Debbie Lesko sent a letter to U.S. Postal Service Postmaster General Louis DeJoy to request a briefing on the validity of reports regarding the United States Postal Inspection Service’s Internet Covert Operations Program (iCOP) and alleged tracking of the social media accounts of American citizens.

“There have been reports that the USPS has been running a covert operations program that monitors Americans’ social media accounts,” Lesko said.

“I am requesting a briefing from the USPS to find out whether these reports are true, the scope of the iCOP program, and whether USPS has been sharing American citizens’ data with other government agencies. We must get to the bottom of these allegations regarding USPS’s invasion of Americans’ privacy.”

Lesko leads letter on energy security to Granholm Rep. Debbie Lesko led a letter to Department of Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm requesting that the department prioritize critical minerals programs in its FY 2022 budget request to ensure the nation’s energy security. Lesko was joined by House Energy and Commerce Committee Ranking Member Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA-05) and other committee members.

“Securing our domestic supply of critical minerals and materials is essential for our energy independence and national security,” Lesko said. “We must address our growing reliance on foreign nations, including adversaries like China, for materials used in our energy and transportation infrastructure. My colleagues and I urge the Biden Administration to prioritize fund-

ing the newly authorized programs that strengthen these domestic supply chains to protect our energy and national security.”

Lesko was joined by Reps. Kelly Armstrong (R-ND-AL), Larry Bucshon (R-IN-08), Michael Burgess (R-TX-26), John Curtis (R-UT-03), Jeff Duncan (R-SC-03), Neal Dunn (R-FL-02), Morgan Griffith (R-VA09), Brett Guthrie (R-KY-02), Richard Hudson (R-NC-08), Bill Johnson (R-OH-06), John Joyce (R-PA13), Robert Latta (R-OH-05), David McKinley (R-WV-01), Markwayne Mullin (R-OK-02), Gary Palmer (RAl-06), Greg Pence (R-IN-06), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R-WA-05) and Tim Walberg (R-MI-07) in sending this letter.

Lesko leads charge to stop cross-border tunneling activity.

Rep. Debbie Lesko led a bipartisan

letter to Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas requesting that the department prioritize securing our southwest border against subterranean threats. Lesko was joined in sending the letter by Reps. Henry Cuellar (DTX-28) and August Pfluger (R-TX11).

“Foreign criminal organizations use cross-border tunnels to smuggle drugs across our border,” Lesko said.

“Thanks to new detection technologies, U.S. Border Patrol agents have been successful in their efforts to detect and disrupt these tunnels. I am asking the Biden Administration to support the Cross-Border Tunnel Threat program and Border Patrol’s surveillance technologies to stop cartels from using these tunnels to bring illegal narcotics across our southwest border.”

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OPINION

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 5, 2021

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AROUND THE BLUHMIN’ TOWN

Let’s raise a toast to Tax Day

BY JUDY BLUHM Foothills Focus Columnist

I

t’s that time of year again. The tax man cometh. And the IRS extended the deadline so we could procrastinate a bit longer.

And for many Americans, the pain and suffering begin.

The deadline for filing your taxes is looming, causing many folks to become upset (if you owe) or happy if a refund is coming.

The poor (no pun intended) folks who owe money are usually the ones who file at the last minute or request an extension. but why prolong the inevitable?

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THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 5, 2021

We must finally solve the broadband gap

BY SUPERVISOR BILL GATES Maricopa County Board of Supervisors District 3

F

riends, welcome to the first of what I hope are many monthly columns I’ll have the fortune of writing for the Foothills Focus. I am honored to have the opportunity to communicate and share my thoughts with you, my constituents, through yet another medium. If you’re reading this, it is most likely that you reside in Maricopa County District 3, and I am privileged to be your county supervisor.

I want to start off by sharing with you an amazing initiative I have the pleasure of spearheading with Dominic Papa at the Arizona Commerce Authority and Lev Gonick at Arizona State University.

It’s called “Lighting Up the Future – The Desert Goes Digital,” and its goal is to finally solve the broadband gap, a gap I know exists for many in the unincorporated areas of District 3.

Tech adoption, smart government and broadband expansion have always been priorities of mine. During my chairmanship in 2019, we had a goal to provide as many county services through digital means as possible and to use new technology to more efficiently run county government.

What I didn’t know at the time was that only a few months into 2020, our ability to go digital would be tested to the max.

Most of you reading this know that gaps exist in both the rural and urban broadband landscape, and we have tried for years to address the issue. Then COVID-19 hit and access to the internet became more essential than ever before, and those gaps

became roadblocks to participating in the workforce and classroom. We saw individuals and communities get left out and left behind because they simply could not connect to reliable internet service or, once connected, lacked the digital literacy skills necessary to participate effectively in the new digital economy or remote classroom.

With workplaces and classrooms increasing their virtual footprints post-COVID-19, it is more important than ever before to address the gaps in access to broadband and digital literacy training. Our economic future depends on it.

Fortunately, we have a path forward.

Thanks to the leadership of Papa and Gonick, we have been able to create a coalition of community leaders, elected officials and private sector partners who want to see this problem addressed for generations to come. We have a once in a decade opportunity to apply for and win federal funding to address our broadband needs. It is uber important we do so with one voice and one plan — both rural and urban, cities and towns, state and counties.

As we trek forward, I hope to have the opportunity to share in our successes along the way. My goal is to help District 3, Maricopa County and all of Arizona successfully secure funding to finally address an issue that has persisted for far too long. I’ve called on other elected officials, community leaders and private sector partners to sign on to the vision document we’ve created. Now is the time to come together and ensure that Arizona doesn’t have a single student or worker without access to reliable broadband and that our economic future is ready for the digital age.

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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.

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OPINION

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 5, 2021

Good luck, danger lovers, dodging the vaccine

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Foothills Focus Columnist

F

or the past 14 months, my logic about the COVID-19 pandemic has been a lot like my rationale for turning down any and all offers to go skydiving.

Whenever possible, I avoid optional danger.

That means I don’t jump out of perfectly good airplanes, especially for kicks. And when it comes to risking a potentially lethal virus, I’ve done my best to avoid danger.

You know the drill: Stand six feet away from folks whenever possible. Wash your hands like a surgeon with a raging case of obsessive-compulsive disorder.

Wear a mask to the grocery store, pharmacy, restaurants and anywhere else the law requires.

Was I certain all the above would keep me healthy? No. But smart people I trust — like doctors and other -ologists —

said not doing so would risk a serious downside, like, you know, death.

As an added bonus, the things I was asked to do weren’t that tough. I hate going shopping or sitting in meetings, so avoiding them felt a lot like not skydiving.

The easiest sacrifice to make is the sacrifice you were going to make anyway.

Getting a COVID-19 shot was also easy. The whole process took maybe two hours. When the state opened up vaccines to my age group, I registered online.

Then, in early March and again three weeks later, I ventured across the Valley to the State Farm Stadium vaccine site.

The first shot left me with a sore arm for a couple days. The second shot did the same.

Again, it came down to trust. Trained medical professionals said the vaccine was safe. Out of curiosity, I dug up some studies. The research indicated the risk of serious side effects was low.

For the peace of mind being vaccinat-

ed would provide, it seemed like a safe play, a small price to pay for avoiding a virus that has killed more than 17,000 Arizonans and infected 870,000 people statewide.

That’s why I’m surprised to find myself in the minority as April comes to an end.

To date, in a state of 7.3 million people, about 40% have gotten at least one vaccination. Only about 30% of us — 2.2 million Arizonans — have been fully vaccinated.

According to the state, demand for first doses of the vaccines has been falling lately, so now they’re allowing folks to just pop in whenever, even without an appointment.

“We know sometimes making an appointment for a later time is not as easy as … driving by and thinking, ‘I want to get a vaccine, I’m going to stop by.’ We can accommodate that now,” Dr. Cara Christ, Director of the Arizona Department of Health Services, told KTAR. Christ is one of those folks in whom

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I have some basic trust. She has a master’s degree in microbiology with an emphasis in molecular virology and public health. And she earned her medical degree from the University of Arizona College of Medicine.

Would I take her recommendations on how to invest my life savings? No. But on getting this vaccine, she’s the expert — and her recommendation squares with the rest of the global medical community.

That’s good enough for me. But apparently not for most Arizonans.

You all must be the risk-takers who keep skydiving companies in business.

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OPINION

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 5, 2021

Maybe it wasn’t Biden’s night, after all

BY JD HAYWORTH Foothills Focus Columnist

I

t was supposed to be Joe Biden’s night.

Sure, it came in a House Chamber that seemed empty when compared with the joint addresses of his predecessors, but that’s the price he and his party willingly paid by politicizing a pandemic.

Never mind that the success the President claimed against COVID-19 was negated by the extreme social distancing that scattered his sparse audience, and the masks that they were forced to wear.

Those in attendance — all vaccinated — were following the edicts of Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who prefers political science to sound science.

And yet, there was President Biden squinting directly into the television camera, invoking the irritated tone of a senior citizen who discovers kids playing on his lawn, and shouting, “Go Get

Vaccinated, America!”

Of course, there is no vaccination for “presidential fever” and it’s obvious that the strain of the fever that has gripped Biden for most of his political life is especially virulent.

In 1988, Joe’s first run for the White House was pink slipped for plagiarism.

Biden “borrowed” most of the comments that British Labour Party Leader Neil Kinnock used on the stump as his own. When American TV Networks ran “split screen” comparisons of the two politicians, Biden decided it was time to “split” from his campaign.

In his first joint address 33 years later, President Biden seemed to follow a similar course, but the words Joe echoed were not from a far-removed foreign leader; instead it seemed that the 46th president was channeling the 45th.

Returning to a theme that Donald Trump championed and acted upon, incurring the wrath of “Big Pharma,”

Biden set aside the derision he employed during last year’s campaign and embraced the same stance.

“Let’s lower prescription drug costs… we pay the highest prescription drug prices in the world right here in America — nearly three times as much as other countries. We can change that,” said the president, using language seemingly unchanged from that of his immediate predecessor.

To pretend the Biden policy prescription for prescription drugs is new or novel requires a form of “indulgent amnesia.”

Fortunately for the president, most media elites are willing participants in accepting “the world according to Joe.” The American people, on the other hand, present a much greater challenge to the president and the partisan press agents who share his political sensibilities. While John and Jane Q. Public may have encountered “information overload” in these first 100 days of the Biden

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Administration, they also are acutely aware of what is not being reported.

Americans are increasingly skeptical of why there are fences and troops around the Capitol and White House but not on our Southern Border; they are troubled by the Pentagon’s introduction of ideological evaluations for our fighting forces and the specter of discharge for those who don’t share the political preferences of the commander-in-chief; but most of all, they simply don’t trust the mathematics or the methods of the Left.

If the “First 100 Days” come attached with a bill totaling $6 trillion, how can we accept the president’s promise that taxes will only increase for those who make in excess of $400,000 annually?

That’s right, we can’t.

No wonder Joe delivered most of his speech in whispered admonitions, trying to sound as if those whispers conveyed some deeper grandfatherly wisdom.

A little over an hour after President Biden began his speech, it mercifully ended. Words he intended as soaring were delivered with a snarl.

Perhaps Joe realized it just wasn’t his night after all.

BLUHM from Page 8

American should enjoy! Yet, the IRS claims that some folks get so worked up about paying taxes that they write mean things on the checks. Instead of making the check payable to “United States Treasury” do not get creative and write “United States Thieves,” because an audit might be in your future!

Tax season. Some folks laugh and others cry. Many are pushed over the edge of the ledger when it comes to paying taxes. From fiction to fantasy, it is one heck of a ride. If you are an accountant, plan on a vacation. If you are getting a refund, spend it quietly and do not brag. Perhaps we should make a toast to Tax Day. It is almost here, so gleefully plan how to spend your refund or have a stiff drink and write the check. Better luck next year.

Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local Realtor.

Have a story or a comment? Email Judy at judy@judybluhm.com.

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 5, 2021

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THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 5, 2021

Anthem Activities Anthem Golf & Country Club schedule

BY FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF

Due to the limited availability, Anthem Golf & Country Club is asking members to not register for back-to-back classes, so everyone has a chance to register.

No-shows are charged $10.

Classes are held at Persimmon or Ironwood, 2708 W. Anthem Club Drive or 41551 N. Anthem Hills Drive, respectively.

For more information, call 623-7426200 for Persimmon Clubhouse or 623465-3020 for Ironwood Clubhouse.

Wednesday, May 5 Ironwood: Cycle, 5:30 a.m., 7:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon: Mixology, 7 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon Arbor Trellis: Cardio/ Strength Circuit, 8 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Zoom: Stretch, 8:30 a.m.

Ironwood: Fun & Fit, 8:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Vinyassa Flow, 9:45 a.m.

Ironwood: Functional Training, 10:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Cinco de Mayo Build Your Own “Taco Fiesta” Kit To Go, 4 p.m.

Zoom: PT Core, 4 p.m.

Ironwood Event Lawn: Cinco De Mayo Event, 5 p.m.

Ironwood: Tabata, 5:30 p.m. (indoors, masks required) Thursday, May 6 Zoom: Barre Fusion, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon Arbor Trellis: Muscle Mix, 8:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.

PWR! Moves, fee-based, 1:15 p.m.

Trivia Night (indoors, masks required; include team name when registering), 7 p.m.

Friday, May 7 Zoom: PT Life, 8:30 a.m.

Saturday, May 8

Ironwood: Cycle, 7:30 a.m.

Ironwood: Wellness Open House, 8 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon: Bootcamp, 8 a.m.

Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.

Ironwood: Zumba, 9 a.m.

Persimmon: Chair Yoga, 9 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Monday, May 10 Ironwood: Cycle, 5:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon: Kickology Strong, 7 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Ironwood: Cycle, 7:30 a.m.

Zoom: Fun & Fit, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon Arbor Trellis: Cardio/ Strength Circuit, 8:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Vinyassa Flow, 9:45 a.m.

Ironwood: Functional Training, 10:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Ironwood: Barre, 5:30 p.m.

Persimmon: Zumba, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, May 11 Ironwood: Total Body, 5:30 a.m.

Zoom: Mat Pilates, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Tabata, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.

Ironwood: Boxology, 9 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Clublife 101 Orientation, 10 a.m.

Stretch, 10:30 a.m.

PWR! Moves, fee-based, 1:15 p.m.

Ironwood: Boxing, 5:30 p.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon: Water Fitness, 5:30 p.m.

Persimmon: Candlelight Yin, 6:30 p.m. (indoors, masks required) Wednesday, May 12 Ironwood, Cycle: 5:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon: Mixology, 7 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Ironwood: Cycle, 7:30 a.m.

Persimmon Arbor Trellis: Cardio/ Strength Circuit, 8 a.m.

Zoom: Stretch, 8:30 a.m.

Ironwood: Fun & Fit, 8:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Vinyassa Flow, 9:45 a.m.

Ironwood: Functional Training, 10:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Ironwood: Tabata, 5:30 p.m. (indoor masks required) ZD Winery Wine Dinner, 5:30 p.m.

Thursday, May 13 Zoom: Barre Fusion, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon Arbor Trellis: Muscle Mix, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Water Fitness, 9:30 a.m.

PWR! Moves, Fee-Based 1:15 p.m. (indoors, masks required) Friday, May 14 Zoom: PT Life, 8:30 a.m.

Saturday, May 15 Ironwood: Cycle, 7:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Bootcamp, 8 a.m.

Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.

Ironwood: Zumba, 9 a.m.

Persimmon: Chair Yoga, 9 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Summer Kickoff Pool Party, 11 a.m.

Monday, May 17 Ironwood: Cycle, 5:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon: Kickology Strong, 7 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Ironwood: Cycle, 7:30 a.m.

Persimmon Arbor Trellis: Cardio/ Strength Circuit, 8:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Zoom: Fun & Fit, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Vinyassa Flow, 9:45 a.m.

Irownood: Functional Training, 10:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Ironwood: Barre, 5:30 Persimmon: Zumba, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, May 18 Ironwood: Total Body, 5:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Tabata, 8:30 a.m.

Zoom: Mat Pilates, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Water fitness, 8:30 a.m.

Ironwood: Boxology, 9 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Stretch, 10:30 a.m.

PWR! Moves, Fee-Based, 1:15 p.m. (indoors, masks required) Clublife 101 Orientation, 5 p.m.

Ironwood: Boxing, 5:30 p.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon: Water Fitness, 5:30 p.m.

Persimmon: Candlelight Yin, 6:30 p.m. (indoors, masks required)

Wednesday, May 19 Ironwood: Cycle, 5:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon: Mixology, 7 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Ironwood: Cycle, 7:30 a.m.

Persimmon Arbor Trellis: Cardio/ Strength Circuit, 8 a.m.

Zoom: Stretch, 8:30 a.m.

Ironwood: Fun & Fit, 8:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Vinyassa Flow, 9:45 a.m.

Ironwood: Functional Training, 10:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Zoom: PT Core, 4 p.m.

Ironwood: Tabata: 5:30 p.m. (indoors, masks required) Thursday, May 20 Zoom: Barre Fusion, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon Arbor Trellis: Muscle Mix, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.

PWR! Moves, Fee-based, 1:15 p.m. (indoors, masks required) Friday, May 21 Zoom: PT Life, 8:30 a.m.

Saturday, May 22 Ironwood: Cycle, 7:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Bootcamp, 8 a.m.

Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.

Ironwood: Zumba, 9 a.m.

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 5, 2021

Anthem Activities

Persimmon: Chair Yoga, 9 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Monday, May 24 Ironwood: Cycle, 5:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon: Kickology Strong, 7 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon Arbor Trellis: Cardio/ Strength Circuit, 7:30 a.m.

Zoom: Fun & Fit, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Vinyassa Flow, 9:45 a.m.

Ironwood: Functional Training, 10:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) “The Match” Part 2 Post Party, 3 p.m. (indoors, masks required) Ironwood: Barre 5:30 p.m.

Persimmon: Zumba, 5:30 p.m.

Tuesday, May 25 Ironwood: Total Body, 5:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Tabata, 8:30 a.m.

Zoom: Mat Pilates, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.

Ironwood: Boxology, 9 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Clublife 101 Orientation, 10 a.m.

Stretch 10:30 a.m.

PWR Moves! Fee-based, 1:15 p.m. (indoors, masks required) Ironwood: Boxing, 5:30 p.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon: Water Fitness, 5:30 p.m.

Persimmon: Candlelight Yin, 6:30 p.m. (indoors, masks required) Wednesday, May 26 Ironwood: Cycle, 5:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon: Mixology, 7 a.m. (indoors,

masks required) Ironwood: Cycle, 7:30 a.m.

Persimmon Arbor Trellis: Cardio/ Strength Circuit, 8 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Zoom: Stretch, 8:30 a.m.

Ironwood: Fun & Fit, 8:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Vinyassa Flow, 9:45 a.m.

Ironwood: Functional Training: 10:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Zoom: PT Core 4 p.m.

Drive-in Concert: Southwestern-Style Food Station. 5 p.m.

Ironwood: Tabata, 5:30 p.m. (indoors, masks required) Thursday, May 27 Zoom: Barre Fusion, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon Arbor Trellis: Muscle Mix, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.

PWR! Moves, Fee-based, 1:15 p.m. (indoors, masks required) Friday, May 28 Zoom: PT Life 8:30 a.m.

Saturday, May 29 Ironwood: Cycle, 7:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Bootcamp, 8 a.m.

Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.

Ironwood: Zumba, 9 a.m.

Persimmon: Chair Yoga, 9 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Memorial Day Weekend Pool Party 11 a.m.

Sunday, May 30 Memorial Day Weekend Pool Party 11 a.m.

Monday, May 31 Ironwood: Cycle, 5:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Persimmon: Kickology Strong 7 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Ironwood: Cycle 7:30 a.m.

Persimmon Arbor Trellis: Cardio/ Strength Circuit, 8 a.m. (indoors, masks required)

Zoom: Fun & Fit, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.

Persimmon: Vinyassa Flow, 9:45 a.m.

Ironwood: Functional Training, 10:30 a.m. (indoors, masks required) Ironwood: Barre, 5:30 p.m.

Persimmon: Zumba, 5:30 p.m.

Programs and activities are available at the Community Center and Civic Building for all ages! Learn more and register online at OnlineAtAnthem.com. Visit the “Residents” tab, then click on “Activity Registration.” Most programs and classes are available to nonresidents for an additional fee.

With questions, contact Dave at dfermoile@ anthemcouncil.com or call 623-879-3027.

Community Park 7 to 9 p.m. Free

15

Anthem Community Council activities schedule

Thursdays through May 20 Creative Combo Dance; 4:45 to 5:30 p.m. (2.5 to 5 years old.)

Kinder Combo Dance; 5:30 to 6:15 p.m.

(5 to 7 years) Jazz/Tumbling Dance; 6:15 to 7 p.m. (8 to 12 years) $59; Community Center

Senior Activities (50 years and older) Golden Go-Getters; Mondays, 1 to 3 p.m.

Mexican Train Game; Fridays, 12:30 to 4:30 p.m.

Free; Civic Building Tuesdays/Thursdays through May 27 Tai Chi (Beginner), 8 to 9 a.m. $67; Civic Building Kids Jujitsu, 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Adult Jujitsu, 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. $125; Community Center Saturdays May 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 Dodgeball (up to age 12 years), noon-1:30 p.m. $5 (drop in); Community Center

Music in May Fridays in May; May 7, 14, 21 and 28 Held every Friday night in May at the

Friday, May 7 Parents’ Night Out, 6:30 to 10 p.m. $18; Community Center

Wednesday, May 12 Everyday Card Making Class, 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. $27; Civic Building

Thursday, May 13 MindQuest, 6:30 to 8 p.m.

Free; Zoom (Visit bigideasforum.info)

Saturday, May 15 Parent-Teen Fitness Certification, 9:30 to 10:15 a.m.

For ages 12 to 13 years. (with an adult) $30; Community Center Summer Day camp 10 weeks May 24 to July 30 $175 a week; Community Center

Anthem Swim University All levels Check community center for dates Prices/days vary The indoor fitness floor, basketball gym, and rock wall are open. Fitness classes are held throughout the week, including yoga, Pilates, kickboxing/boxology, core, shallow and deep water (in the pool), and more. Personal training is available; contact the Community Center for details. Cardio Tennis is offered every Saturday morning; $10 dropin fee (18 years and older).

16

BUSINESS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 5, 2021

Business TheFoothillsFocus.com

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@TheFoothills.Focus

For more Business News visit thefoothillsfocus.com

/TheFoothillsFocus

The Eddy goes old school, bringing in fan-favorite pinball machines

BY TARA ALATORRE Foothills Focus Contributing Writer

T

he Eddy is stepping up to boost family-friendly entertainment gaming in the community. The Cave Creek food truck park and gallery recently added a small pinball arcade.

Eight premium pinball games were brought in by owners Edwin and Virginia Schenck, who also operate their Hibachibot food truck out of The Eddy and are residents of Cave Creek. It costs $1 to play all the pinball games, which include AC/ DC, Iron Maiden, “Jurassic Park,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” Big Buck Hunter, “Star Wars,” Deadpool and the Beatles Gold Edition.

The pinball machines available at The Eddy are AC/DC, Iron Maiden, “Jurassic Park,” “Pirates of the Caribbean,” Big Buck Hunter, “Star Wars,” Deadpool and the Beatles Gold Edition. (Photo courtesy of The Eddy)

“We are super excited about them,” Edwin said. “They are all really nice machines and all in working order and ready to play.”

The machines were sourced from the personal collection of resident and local enthusiast Kent Pontiero, who has over 100 machines. The idea, he explained, was to bring pinball to Cave Creek so adults and kids could enjoy an activity together.

“We really like Eddy and Virginia’s place here, and my wife and I go here every Saturday, and this just seemed like a fun thing to do,” Pontiero said.

The closest pinball machine arcade is over an hour away from Cave Creek, ac-

See PINBALL Page 18

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BUSINESS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 5, 2021

Red Hawk bringing luxury garage suites to North Phoenix

BY SARA EDWARDS Foothills Focus Contributing Writer

A

new car and RV suite-style garage space is coming to North Phoenix.

Charles Eckert Jr., the owner of Red Hawk Garage Suites and managing director of Red Hawk Development, said many people who buy an RV or old car with the intention to refurbish and fix it up don’t have the space to properly store it.

That’s where Red Hawk Garage Suites comes in.

The garage investment has enough space to store cars, trucks or RVs, along with repair equipment and tools.

“People who have high-end cars, boats, motorcycles, trailers, haulers, ATVs, offroad vehicles and particularly RVs need to have someplace to put this stuff,” Eckert said. “Red Hawk Garage Suites offer

a solution to that so that all of this stuff at your house and in your garage has a place to be stored in.”

Located at the southeast corner of 15th Avenue and Happy Valley Road, the privately owned facility will have 46 garages with fully insulated walls, a 14-by14-foot powered garage door, and 24/7 camera-monitored security and access.

Rather than renting a space and paying a monthly fee, the garage suites are sold to customers, who can then customize them as they see fit.

Red Hawk will also feature an 800-square-foot members clubhouse with bathrooms, TVs, on-site internet, a full wet bar and outdoor patio.

With less reliance on planes and public transportation in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, travelers were en-

See RED HAWK Page 18

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BUSINESS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 5, 2021

RED HAWK from Page 17

couraged to drive and take road trips — some even taking up van and RV lifestyles, Eckert said. But after a road trip, many RVers are left without a proper place to store their vehicles safely. Even if the owners have an RV garage, he said it’s usually just a tall awning that doesn’t protect the RV from heat or other weather elements.

Eckert wants Red Hawk garages to appeal to those RVers, who don’t have a place to properly store and protect their RVs while not on the road.

“There are homeowners associations that won’t let you park an RV at your house or have an RV garage,” he said.

“We offer a solution so all this stuff — instead of being at your house — all the stuff that’s in your garage and your RV, if you have one, can be stored in the Red Hawk Garage Suites.”

Eckert, who has been a contractor in the Deer Valley area for 20 years, picked this area because he sees an especially present RV market.

“The competition is really focused

Red Hawk Garage Suites will be a 48,000-squarefoot facility with five buildings of garage suites and spaces. in the Scottsdale area, and the cost to construct in Scottsdale is sky high right now,” Eckert said. “I know the Deer Valley market very well, and I wanted to go someplace where people could really use one of these suites, and North Phoenix had the best demographics for it.”

The 48,000-square-foot facility is still under construction.

Nick Veldman, owner of Venn Construction, has already been involved with the collector car industry, such as sponsoring high-end car production magazine Highline Autos, which publishes every first Saturday of the month.

suites and is nearly sold out.

The second phase will add 27 garage suites, while the third phase will increase the facility’s size by yet another 30 suites.

Eckert said the remaining spaces are in high demand, so he expects to possibly sell out by the time the facilities are fully operational.

Ideally, he plans for the These privately owned garage spaces are fully customizable to fit individual car storage needs. (Photos courtesy of Red Hawk first phase to open by this Development) fall.

“Red Hawk Garage Suites Veldman and Eckert met through is as much of a lifestyle as it is a storage mutual connections. Afterward, Venn unit,” Eckert said. “These garage suites signed on to the project. are perfect solutions for car collectors “This town has a lot of really great and RVers, and your imagination is the houses and not a lot of really great ga- only limit to what you can do inside the rages,” Veldman said. “We’re very excit- garage.” ed to be a part of this project, and at that location, we think this product is really PINBALL from Page 16 going to take off.”

Eckert said the plan is for Red Hawk to open its garage suites in three phases, cording to Pontiero, who said the game based off of the three areas of the facility. can fill a niche, adding some new family The first phase, building A, has 19 entertainment to the downtown area.

“Pinball is so immersive and physical, and each game is actually telling a story,” Pontiero said. “Every game has an objective, and it’s this little world.”

The games are so new there’s no telling which will become the most popular in the long run; however, Pontiero called Big Buck Hunter a unique machine. Based off the arcade game, a deer runs across it.

Other machines predicted to be fan favorites are the Beatles Gold Edition, which plays a whole selection of songs, and, of course, “Star Wars.”

However, the Schencks plan on keeping the games fresh by swapping them out with other machines periodically.

Guests can become a local pinball wizard from 5 to 9 p.m. on Food Truck Saturdays, which, according to the Schencks, have been “rocking” lately. The Eddy hosts food trucks every Saturday, including Hibachibot and a variety of other popular food vendors.

The Eddy is open Wednesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Saturdays from noon to 9 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 3 p.m. Find more information about The Eddy on Facebook or Instagram @TheEddyinCaveCreek.

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Think in terms of energy: Abstract painter harnesses creativity

BY SHEA STANFIELD Foothills Focus Contributing Writer

N

ikola Tesla once said, “If you want to find the secrets of the universe, think in terms of energy, frequency and vibration.”

Fellow New Yorker and artist Carol McDonald has harnessed the secrets of energy, frequency and vibration in brilliant color, variable shape and expansive form on canvas.

An abstract painter, McDonald favors the acrylic medium because it provides her the most flexibility for what she wants to accomplish.

Inspired by new age music and light jazz, McDonald said, “I’m an observer

Carol McDonald

first and foremost. It’s all about the possibilities. I embrace fun, spontaneity and painting from ‘the zone.’

Any artist reading this will know where that is.”

McDonald grew up in Thornwood, New York, about 30 miles north of New York City.

“I’ve been an ‘art appreciator’ all my life and took miscellaneous art classes over the years,” she said.

McDonald moved to the West Coast when she was 22, living as far north as Port Angeles, Washington, and as far south as San Diego, California.

Describing her career as “left-brain in business administration,” she had little time to pursue her own creative

10

talents between work and raising a family. But that changed when she married her husband, Mike, in the late ’90s, as one of the many things they shared in common was a love of art.

The couple became avid collectors during their travels over the years, one of their first major abstract art purchases being a painting by David Stephens in Carmel, California.

“That painting hangs in our living room to this day, and it continues to be a major source of inspiration to my creative efforts today,” McDonald said.

see ABSTRACT page 20

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ABSTRACT ���� page 19

In 2004, the couple moved to Chandler to accept a job opportunity and join family living in the area. With McDonald approaching retirement, her husband suggested she start thinking about her next steps.

“That Christmas, he bought me an easel, several canvases and a training video by one of my favorite local artists, Bruce Marion,” she recalled.

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 5, 2021

That was all it took to ignite the fire for her creative passions once again.

This time, she was the artist.

It wasn’t long before McDonald joined the Sonoran Arts League (SAL) to take advantage of the workshops, art talks, and companionship of fellow artists. An added benefit was the opportunity to exhibit throughout the year in SAL’s exhibits and shows throughout Carefree, Cave Creek and the Scottsdale area.

This past year, however, COVID-19 has been a challenge.

“I’ve relied on social media to show my work,” McDonald said.

“As people express interest, I have invited them to my home studio by appointment. I also go to clients’ homes with several paintings that I think might appeal to them.

“Response to my art is very emotional,” she continued. “I’m always touched when one of my paintings speaks to someone on the visceral level. I’m inspired by the way the energy of my work inspires others.”

McDonald said she is grateful that her husband got her started on her creative journey, and she is also thank“Spark of Energy” (Photo courtesy of Carol McDonald) ful for the classes and workshops that grew McDonald is now a full-time artist her knowledge and techniques, the with a home studio that occupies the instructors who shared their talent family room, because it has the best and knowledge and other artists who light of the entire house. encouraged her and gave her tips.

In addition to her involvement with “I don’t believe we’re ever ‘done’ SAL, she also exhibits at the South- when it comes to creative expreswest Institute of Healing Arts, as part sion,” she said. of the Art with a Heart program, as View selections of McDonald’s work well as with the Transcendent Living at Carol McDonald Fine Art on FaceCenter in Tempe. She is a member of book, her website at carolmcdonaldthe Ocotillo Artists Group, which pro- fineart.com or Instagram at @carmotes the arts as a community-build- olmcdaz, or call her at 480-285-9308 ing activity. for an appointment.

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‘Amazing’ eateries featured at restaurant week

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

C

arefree Restaurant Week didn’t happen last spring. In the fall, it was limited to curbside pickup. English Rose Tearoom owner Jo Gemmill said the event is returning in full to thank those who patronized the restaurant during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We’re doing it as a thank you to all of those customers who supported the restaurants during the last year,” Gemmill said.

The Spring Restaurant Week will be held from May 10 to May 15 at eateries around downtown. It’s an opportunity for participants to showcase their menus for discounted prices at lunch or dinner.

The prices, which do not cover alcohol, are $18 for lunch’s two courses, and $35 or $45 for three-course dinners.

“Everybody does something a little different,” she said. “We’re all independent, family-run businesses. We all share the

Jo Gemmill of the English Rose Tearoom chairs (Photo courtesy of Joe Gemmill)

agony and the ecstasy. We’re all being a buser and server and all the other jobs.

We have to wear a lot of hats.

“There are 12 actively taking part. They take part in whatever way they can. I can’t do the dinner menu, so I offer some-

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There aren’t really definite rules of what they have to do. They just have to offer something at a discounted price. If the menu doesn’t apply, they can adapt it accordingly.”

Since the Carefree Restaurant Week. vaccines have become commonplace, guests have returned to restaurants in full force, Gemmill said.

“It’s a bit like a dam that’s burst with all these customers who didn’t come in the last year because they were nervous,” she said. “All of them have their vaccines and they’re far more confident. They’re charging in all at once. It’s really overwhelming at times. It’ll sort itself out. It’s a mass exodus out of the house and into the restaurants.”

Gemmill said she and the 11 other participating restaurants noticed patrons, because they were so desperate to come out, make a big occasion of the meal.

“People are ordering above what they normally do,” Gemmill said.

Carefree Restaurant Week was founded as a response to Arizona Week Restaurant and to stress the importance of family-run eateries.

“You have to pay to participate in Arizona Restaurant Week, which can be expensive for small businesses,” Gemmill said.

“It’s a nice thing to do to collective market ourselves as a destination point.

“We’re encouraging people to come up north. A lot of businesses here don’t have a big marketing budget, so we collectively market ourselves. It’s better for everybody.”

Gemmill volunteered to chair the event four years ago.

“This is a nice event,” she said. “Instead of being fearful of a new restaurant that came into town and seeing it as competition, the owners are much more embracing, “We’re a small community and the restaurants are the reason people come to the Carefree area. It’s important that we stick together.”

Among the new restaurants is Athens on Easy Street, a new Greek restaurant.

Gemmill said a “really lovely Greek family” owns it. Then there’s Keeler’s Steakhouse, which moved in a few years ago, with its it’s “amazing” rooftop patio.

“They have lots of options,” she said about Keeler’s. “Venues Café in Carefree has just expanded their patio onto the street. It has a very European feel about it now.”

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Despite injury, Sandra Day O’Connor softball star continues to make impact

BY DYLAN WILHELM Cronkite News

W

hen Jocelyn Erickson suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament and damaged meniscus cartilage in her knee while playing basketball in January, there was reason to wonder about the athletic future of the Oklahoma softball commit.

However, the two-sport star at Sandra Day O’Connor High School in Phoenix has used the setback as an opportunity, learning more about what it takes to be a true teammate and leader while working to overcome the devastating injury.

After the 2020 high school softball season was cut short due to COVID-19, Erick-

son was excited to get back to playing the sports she loves, softball and basketball.

“She doesn’t even need basketball,” said Sandra Day O’Connor girls basketball coach Danny Soliman. “She’s just a winner and she loves to compete. Softball is like their business and passion, but this (basketball) is their joy, and they get to challenge themselves.

“I think for softball it came easy to her, but on the court, she had to learn and grow.”

Softball at the collegiate level has always appeared to be a given for Erickson, a high school junior who committed to Oklahoma as an eighth grader. But even with her college status secured, Erickson still chose to play basketball at the high school level.

Her excitement to return to competition

after the pandemic didn’t last long. Erickson suffered the knee injury in just the second game of the basketball season.

As she tried to cross over a defender, Erickson’s knee gave out. The diagnosis: a torn ACL and meniscus. Not only was her basketball season over, but her softball season had ended before it even began.

But while she hasn’t been able to suit up and take the field, Erickson has remained active with each team, taking on coaching and leadership roles.

“I think it just shows the kid she is, the character she (has),” Soliman said.

Sandra Day O’Connor softball coach Melissa Hobson called Erickson a “fireball” and said the rest of the Eagles have rallied around her.

“Her being around, we still get to feel her leadership,” Hobson said. “We still get to feel her presence and her intensity in a game, so that’s a huge help.”

Erickson, a catcher, said she sometimes calls pitches from the dugout and will take charge in team huddles.

“I just try to help the team in any way I can,” Erickson said.

Not only is Erickson making an impact on her high school teammates, she is helping coach younger girls at softball camps and has discovered she might have a knack for it.

“I didn’t really think I’d like it, but I really like seeing how girls develop, and I think

see SOFTBALL page 25

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SOFTBALL ���� page 24

I will definitely be coaching in the future,” Erickson said.

For Erickson, the youngest of five children, sports have always played a significant role. Each of her four older siblings played sports, so competition was a natural part of her childhood.

Her brother played baseball, football and basketball and went on to play baseball at Brigham Young. Two of her older sisters are currently playing softball at BYU. All four of her siblings also attended Sandra Day O’Connor.

“It’ll be a sad day when the last Erickson graduates,” Hobson said.

While dual-sport athletes like Erickson are not uncommon in high school, few excel at the level that she has in two sports.

Soliman can only recall one other athlete who excelled at that level for the Eagles: Grace Lyons, who is now a junior on Oklahoma’s softball team. Like Erickson, Lyons played basketball and softball for the Eagles.

After catching the attention of college recruiters at an early age, Erickson is following the path to Norman, Oklahoma that Lyons paved years before. Erickson committed to the Sooners’ softball program as an eight-grade prodigy, choosing OU over offers from multiple Pac-12 schools.

She is currently on the road to recovery from the knee injury and hoping to make a quick return to competition.

She is aiming to hit and run by the end of April and wants to be back at full strength by the end of June, a six-month recovery timeline.

“Obviously I don’t want to come back too early and risk tearing it (again), but I am definitely on the right track,” Erickson said.

By the time she takes the high school softball field again as a senior in 2022, it will have been almost two full seasons since she has been able to suit up and get behind the plate in high school competition.

And as Erickson continues her rehab, she is keeping a positive mindset, ready for her next challenge.

“It’s going to be a rough road, but I think it is going to be a good experience,” she said.

“And when I look back at this experience, I am going to be thankful for it.”

For more stories from Cronkite News, visit cronkitenews.azpbs.org.

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Backhoe • Hammer Hoe • Grade Tractor 1,000 Gallon Water Wagon • Dump Trailer Septic Install & Repair (Lic. #276732) Tree Brush and Cactus Removal Road/Driveway Repair & Maintenance Utility Trenching & Plumbing Construction Cleanup Material Screening

INSTALL & REPAIR ROC #312593

FREE ESTIMATES • 623-465-2546

PREMIER LANDSCAPING & GARDENING

• Custom Design • Water Feature • Container/Pot Gardens • Fireplaces & BBQs • Patio & Walls • Irrigation Specialists • Tree Trim/Removal • Bi-weekly/Monthly

Licensed, Bonded & Insured • ROC #166390

Your Septic System Experts

Complete Septic Systems • Conventional & Alternative and Repairs

Engineered Pads • Site Prep • Grading • Hard Digs Utilities • Trucking/Hauling • Driveways (Gravel, Dirt and Rock)

Mobile

602.319.1089

Miscellaneous

Licensed • Bonded • Insured COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL

For Sale

J&B Furniture CONSIGNMENT

WE SELL NEW and GENTLY USED FURNITURE & HOME DECOR Sprinkler Repair Landscaping & More!

• Affordable Same Day Service • Dependable • Guaranteed • 12 Years Experience

No Job Too Big or Small

602-330-6965

Residential & Commercial

PHILLIPS ROOFING LLC Member of ABM

Licensed • Bonded • Insured ROC 223367

Valleywide

CR 42 DUAL

623-873-1626 All employees verified Free estimates on all roofs 36 Years experience in AZ Licensed contractor since 2006

BEST PRICES ON MATTRESS SETS Tuesday – Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday & Monday Closed

480-898-6465

Welding

Electric • Acetylene • Heliarc Equipment • Fireplace Screens Repair • Blacksmithing Portable Equipment • Gates Fencing • Wrought Iron Work Home Accessories • Small Repairs & More!

480-488-3677

CaveCreekWelding.com

Roofing

Almeida Roofing Inc. All Types of Roofing

602-743-3175 Free Estimates & Inspections • Tile • Shingles Foam • Coatings • Modified Bitumen • New Roof Repairs • Reroofs

www.almeidaroofing.com

42407 N. Vision Way – Anthem, AZ

Licensed • Bonded • Insured • ROC #215758

623.551.4135 Your Ad can go ONLINE ANY Day! Call to place your ad online!

Classifieds 480-898-6465

For a Quote email: class@times publications.com

Add a Background Color to Your Ad! Classifieds 480-898-6465

Roofing

KIB EXCAVATING

Licensed, Bonded, Insured ROC# 286896 Desert Hills Sunscreens LLC

If someone Needs a Job, They Look Every Day!

Cave Creek Welding, Inc.

480.599.1942 Landscape/Maintenance

HIRING?

Windows All Your Window Covering Needs & Security Doors.

Tint, Sunscreens, Patio Shades, Plantation Shutters, Wood Blinds.

Check our web site for products & ref's.

Family Own/Op 623-465-0373

SEPTIC SYSTEMS ◆ COMMERCIAL & RESIDENTIAL CONVENTIONAL, ALTERNATIVE SEWER, STORM DRAIN & RETENTION SITE DEVELOPMENT ◆ UTILITIES

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phillipsroofingaz.com phillipsroofing@cox.net

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THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 5, 2021

Recent Storms and COVID have Substantially Impacted Supply Chain

= 2020

2021

Inventory is Scarce Now and when the Heat hits, Quilted won’t be an Option

Replace your A/C while you have Time for only $ 79/month* *On approved credit only, please call for details.

Call or Text to Schedule an Appointment

AIR

CONDITIONING

•

ELECTRICAL

•

PLUMBING

•

WATER

TREATMENT