The Foothills Focus - Zone 2 - 05.12.2021

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ECRWSS Carrier Route PreSorted Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 371 Cave Creek, AZ

Camila Frederico PAGE

Kuma’s Great Adventures

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TheFoothillsFocus.com

INSIDE

This Week

Cave Creek - Carefree Area Edition

BUSINESS ....... 14

FEATURES ........17

Shane Travis comes to Janey’s for the first time

YOUTH ............23

Arizona Language Preparatory hosts first Mandarin spelling bee

OPINION ......................8 BUSINESS ................. 12 FEATURES ................ 17 YOUTH ...................... 23 CLASSIFIEDS ............ 25 2

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Wednesday, May 12, 2021

Residents to vote on Cave Creek General Plan

BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer

Tramonto mom uses crafts to ease her pain

Zone

PAGE

Serving the communities of Cave Creek and Carefree

C

ave Creek voters will cast their ballot for or against the 2021 general plan in a mail-only election on Tuesday, May 18.

The Cave Creek Town Council voted in November 2020 to approve the plan, and, per Arizona law, it’s going to voters.

A “yes” vote will approve the Cave Creek 2021 general plan as adopted by the mayor and council.

A “no” vote will keep the current, 2005 general plan in effect until a new statutory compliant general plan is presented and approved by Cave Creek voters.

The current general plan was last updated in 2005. Council members approved new plans in 2016 and 2018, but they

were not ratified by voters.

The general plan guides the community’s future growth and development. It must be updated and adopted by voters every 10 years. The proposed plan covers topics like land use and growth, transportation systems, water resources, environmental planning, open space and cost of

�ee VOTE page 4

Oxygen treatment proves helpful to veterans

BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer

R

esearch from the Department of Defense Medical Surveillance System reported 16,189 cases of traumatic brain injury in veterans just in 2020.

About 375,000 veterans were diagnosed with a traumatic brain injury from 2000 to 2017.

The CDC defines a traumatic brain injury (TBI) as a disruption in the normal function of the brain that can be caused by a bump, blow, or jolt to the head, or penetrating head injury. For many soldiers, these types of incidents are just part of the job. However, when the tour is finished, the soldiers and injuries return home.

Former Cave Creek resident Rickey Man-

�ee OXYGEN page 5

Lori Klauber, general manager of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy, shows the oxygen chamber where patients receive treatment. (Photo by Pablo Robles)

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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 Photographer: Pablo Robles | probles@timespublications.com Design: Nathalie Proulx | nproulx@timespublications.com Production Coordinator: Courtney Oldham | 480-898-5617 production@timespublications.com Circulation Director: Aaron Kolodny | 480-898-5641 | customercare@evtrib.com Proud member of :

The Foothills Focus is distributed by AZ Integrated Media, a circulation service company owned by Times Media Group. The public is permitted one copy per reader. For further information regarding the circulation of this publication or others in the Times Media Group family of publications, please contact AZ Integrated Media at circ@azintegratedmedia.com or 480-898-5641. For circulation services please contact Aaron Kolodny at aaron@azintegratedmedia.com

The content of any advertisements are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. The Foothills Focus assumes no responsibility for the claims of any advertisement. © 2020 Strickbine Publishing, Inc.

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 12, 2021

VOTE from page 1

development.

In essence, the plan is a guide and checklist for how to best develop and preserve the town looking forward.

These developments play a role for every resident and Town Clerk Jane Fuller encouraged citizens to study up and hit the polls.

“I urge you to carefully read the proposals and sample ballot contained within this pamphlet and the effect a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ vote will have, so that you will be prepared to fully exercise your right to vote Tuesday, May 18, 2021,” Fuller wrote in an address to Cave Creek voters.

As part of the community outreach process, residents were asked to participate in an online survey from Oct. 16, 2019, to April 30, 2020. Of the 563 answers, 485 respondents said they live in Cave Creek for its rural character, while 450 said the location is close to natural open space.

For the question, “How can we improve your quality of life,” there were

a variety of answers, according to the Cave Creek General Plan website, including: “Stop the high-density housing. Including subdivisions with single family homes crammed up against each other; but especially these condo and apartment complexes. This is going to drive up the heavy traffic, increase accidents, and keep people from leaving their houses; and it also destroys the natural beauty of the desert.”

“Keep your word to the residents. Stop allowing commercial interest to supersede what already exists by changing zoning and allowing exceptions.”

“Limit the development of commercial properties on Carefree Highway.

Increase setbacks and open space requirements and decrease height restrictions. Provide more open space in town for community gathering and use. Purchase lot next to The Grotto and rezone for open space, create town park.”

“Protect our ruralness and keep the desert views and character.”

“Clean up the clutter in the town

core. Residents should have top priority over businesses.”

“No special permits for bike week.”

“Quit allowing commercial development along Carefree Highway.”

“Enforce dark sky rules.”

“Require town employees to work five days a week.”

Voters won’t exactly be “hitting the polls,” for this election, though. This is an all-mail ballot election, where all registered voters in Cave Creek should have received a ballot at their home address.

Cave Creek Town Manager Carrie Dyrek, during the last town council meeting, encouraged residents to vote and said ballots will be counted accurately.

“If you did not receive a ballot, for any reason, perhaps you registered right at the cutoff, you can request a ballot for Maricopa County elections or you can come into the replacement ballot location at town hall that will be open May 10,” Dyrek said.

“So, anyone who has a ballot, if they started voting and they messed up, they can bring the ballot in you get three ballots, three chances to vote. So, if you didn’t get a ballot, you can come and get a replacement ballot and vote.

If you messed up your ballot, you can turn that in so that it won’t be counted and then get another ballot.”

To request a replacement ballot, voters can go online or to the town hall anytime from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. May 10 to May 13.

Ballots must be sent in either by mail or put in a drop box by 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 18. The town hall will have a drop box and will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.

To read about the town’s plan, visit https://www.cavecreekgp.com/

To Advertise 480.898.5606

erict@timespublications.com

NEWS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 12, 2021

OXYGEN from page 1

grove served two tours in Iraq, from 2005 to 2009. Mangrove said he was regularly around explosions and came home with PTSD and TBI. “I was actually [home] doing martial arts and got hit, and that re-injured the concussion that stemmed way back when I was a veteran,” Mangrove said.

“When I got injured again, I said, ‘OK, I need help.’ I saw hyperbaric oxygen therapy, which does wonders for that type of thing. I started to research it, but it was way too expensive for me. There’s no way I could pay that amount of money.”

That’s when Healing Arizona Veterans stepped in.

Healing Arizona Veterans is a nonprofit that uses donations to provide hyperbaric oxygen therapy for free to veterans. The cost for this treatment varies based on location. It can be up to $25,000 for one session, and veterans with more serious conditions will need dozens of treatments.

Since its establishment in 2017, Healing Arizona Veterans has raised more than $960,000 that helped fully treat seven veterans from the Army, seven from the Marines, three from the Navy, five from the Air Force and one military police officer. Nineteen of these served in the Middle East.

Mangrove said the Middle East is where he started having mental and physical “issues.” He said he thinks the military is trying to lower the numbers of TBIs by using more technology, but sometimes there’s nothing that can prevent it.

“They’re trying to keep it down to a minimum, but you’re never going to keep

it [from happening,]” Mangrove said. “If you’re 5 or 10 feet away from an explosion, it doesn’t matter what you have on.

That’s going to shake your whole body and you can see shockwaves even a mile away. It just comes with the job.”

Adjusting to “normal” life can be hard enough, especially when dealing with a brain injury on top of that.

According to Lori Klauber, general manager of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy in Cave Creek, those who suffer from TBI can experience headaches, nausea, vomiting, balance problems, dizziness, trouble falling asleep, fatigue, light sensitivity, noise sensitivity, irritability and more than 13 other symptoms that can disrupt daily life.

Klauber explained what hyperbaric oxygen therapy is and how it can help.

“The whole science behind it, in a nutshell, is you’re breathing 100% medical-grade oxygen under pressure. When you’re breathing oxygen, the receptor sites on your red blood cells will only uptake so much oxygen,” Klauber said.

“So, what happens is, pressure dissolves the oxygen into the plasma, cerebral spinal fluid and all the clear liquids in the body. If it comes in contact with all the cells, it’s going to make them all function at a higher level. You’re just flooding the body with oxygen. It’s like your car, the cells in your body don’t care where they get the oxygen, just so long as you get the oxygen, just like your car doesn’t care if you go to Shell or Mobil.”

Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is used for a plethora of medical issues, but most insurance companies or Medicaid cover the treatment for brain injuries.

Sa’ad J. Allawi, Healing Arizona Veter-

Rickey Mangrove uses hyperbaric oxygen therapy to treat his TBI after serving two tours in Iraq. (Pho-

to courtesy of Healing Arizona Veterans)

ans’ chief strategy and operations officer, said the VA contributes “none, zero, nada” for the treatment because it is not approved for brain injuries.

Allawi said the success rate of hyperbaric oxygen therapy speaks for itself.

“We’ve treated 23 veterans fully with our own money, and the two facilities, one in Cave Creek and one in Phoenix, have treated over 100 veterans in the last 20 or 22 years, and they’ve had incredible success on all of them,” Allawi said.

Mangrove had 60 sessions and testified his own success with the treatment.

“I would feel better, but it only lasts for a little bit. Then in the next session, I’d

The future is coming fast — and you have the power to shape it.

5

feel better again,” Mangrove said.

“Well, over a period of time, I kept feeling good. I felt a hell of a lot better, actually. It’s an amazing program because there’s no way I could afford it without them. There’s no way I could have done it. To be able to use that facility and heal myself is wonderful. And right now, I feel really good. I feel great about it and I haven’t ever really looked back” Healing Arizona Veterans only cares about helping veterans. The staff have military backgrounds, whether they’re veterans themselves or they come from a military family. No one takes a salary for working with the organization.

About 95% of everything the organization receives goes to the veterans, with the remaining money used to maintain its website and market. Allawi said some veterans organizations only give about 15% of their donations, but that’s not what Healing Arizona Veterans is about.

“They do a lot of good work,” Klauber added of Healing Arizona Veterans.

“They do a lot for the veterans. They’re easy to work with and they really care about the veterans.”

Healing AZ Veterans recently received its largest donation from the Phoenix estate of a retired senior military officer. The family wishes to remain anonymous. The donation will be enough to fully treat 25 to 75 veterans, depending on the severity of their conditions.

However, Allawi said they are receiving an increasing number of requests.

He is worried the donations won’t allow for the number of treatments they need.

To donate, volunteer or for more information, visit healingarizonaveterans.org. @OurMomentumPlan

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NEWS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 12, 2021

Carefree council OKs tentative $11.9M budget

BY ALLISON BROWN Foothills Focus Staff Writer

I

n the second of four public town meetings, the Carefree Town Council unanimously approved the tentative budget of $11.9 million for the 2021/2022 fiscal year, an overall increase of 6.5% from the previous year.

Even at $11.9 million, the budget is conservative, comparatively speaking, said Town Administrator Gary Neiss. It’s three times less than the Cave Creek budget.

Carefree completely reconstructed its budget and the way it is presented. Neiss said it’s hard for residents to look at a $11.9 million budget and understand it.

“In order for the residents and community interests to better understand how the public money is spent, the town is introducing a new formatted budget this fiscal year called program-based budgeting,” Mayor Les Peterson wrote in a public address.

“Program-based budgeting is a method of budgeting expenditures to meet programmatic objectives of the organization rather than budgeting on a nondescriptive line-item basis. This approach provides a rational basis and explanation behind the numbers.”

Neiss said anyone could look at spreadsheets and see the numbers, but not the reasoning behind it. In this new budget format, residents can see where the money is going and why.

“The narrative is meant to articulate to the citizens, if they desire to get more informed about the town structure and

what each department provides and services, so that they can better understand the numbers behind that provision of service,” Neiss said.

So, what does the narrative say?

Where is the money going?

Most budget items in the general fund had little change. Others had a profound change.

Fire funds increased by 33%, code enforcement funds increased by 51% and funds for public works increased by 22%. There was also a 3.45% decrease in funds for law enforcement and a 38% decrease in legal funds.

Funds for emergency services remained relatively the same, as the town

is still under contract with Rural Metro.

However, the contract is set to expire this summer, and Neiss said they are keeping a close eye on Cave Creek’s process of starting its own fire protection program and joining the automatic aid system.

Neiss said the town remains “mindful about regional response,” but it has no plans to deviate from its contract with Rural Metro at this time.

Neiss said for this fiscal year, the town is focusing on improving its infrastructure. The town will spend $5 million on improvements to pedestrian crosswalks, street maintenance and town signage.

Neiss compared the town to a home.

Sometimes you have to put money into it

to keep it going efficiently.

“Like anybody’s home, as it ages, they have to pay to reinvest in it,” Neiss said.

“So, we’re reinvesting in our house. As our infrastructure ages, we need to start managing that and keeping in front of it so that we don’t have additional deterioration to our assets. The focus of the budget is reinvestment in our infrastructure.”

The 2021/2022 fiscal year starts June 1. The town will have a public hearing June 1 to address questions or concerns from town members about the budget before it is formally accepted. The entire budget proposal can be found on Carefree’s website: carefree.org/430/Budget-Workshops

BY FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF WRITER

use the reading program Accelerated Reader to track their independent reading progress. Students who read more than 1 million words become members of the Millionaire Club and receive a certificate and a millionaire T-shirt.

also received a $7,000 scholarship. Guinn is a cashier at Fry’s Food Store.

Emily O’Neil: O’Neil was accepted to University of Puget Sound and received the Alumni Scholarship.

Chris Fletcher: Fletcher was accepted to Barrett, The Honors College at ASU studying language and culture at W.P. Carey School of Business and received the Provost Scholarship.

Jaiden Young: Young was accepted to University of San Diego, Pepperdine University, Chapman University, University of Southern California, University of Denver, UCI, UCSB, UCSD, among others. Young will attend the

News Briefs

Cave Creek Unified School District shared news about students and teachers.

Lone Mountain Elementary School Excellence Award Winners Lone Mountain Elementary School celebrated its Excellence Award winners at the April 12 governing board meeting. Congratulations to Paola Angulo (student); Karla Chamberlin (reading teacher) and Allison Masog (PTO president)

Horseshoe Trails millionaires Congratulations to Horseshoe Trails Elementary School millionaires. Students

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Quick notes Ella Schott: Schott has verbally committed to playing basketball at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University-Prescott Campus next fall. She will be on a full tuition scholarship, which will be about 50% academic and 50% athletic.

Mia Guinn: Guinn was accepted to Grand Canyon University and will study for her Bachelor of Science in nursing. She

�ee NEWS page 7

NEWS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 12, 2021

Scottsdale, Cave Creek men killed in plane crash

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single-plane crash near Winslow last month claimed the lives of two locals — Scottsdale resident and former race car driver Bill Whittington and Cave Creek’s Stephen Kirkby.

According to the FAA, a twin-engine Swearingen SA226-T crashed 10 miles north of Winslow in Navajo County on April 23 with two people on board.

The Navajo County Sheriff’s Office later identified the deceased as 71-year-old Bill Whittington and 48-year-old Stephen Kirkby. The plane was registered to Global Air LLC of Scottsdale.

The sheriff’s office said it received multiple calls about a plane crash at around 3:20 p.m. on April 23 near a remote stretch of State Route 87 northeast of Winslow.

Whittington and Kirkby’s bodies were found near the plane when responders arrived on scene.

Whittington’s friend Randy Lanier told Autoweek that Whittington was giving a plane ride to a friend who was diagnosed with terminal cancer and had lost his pilot’s license.

“So, Bill wanted to give him an experience of flying again,” Lanier told Autoweek. “This is the kind of man Bill is. Bill was more than a teammate at the track. He is my brother.

He was a damn good man. A man who loved Christ and his family.”

According to flight tracking website FlightAware, the plane took off from Scottsdale Airport at 2:12 p.m.

The plane then appeared to circle around the Winslow-Lindbergh Regional Airport several times. It then veered east and performed two figure-eight patterns before the crash.

The FAA and NTSB are investigating the

incident and no further details are known about what caused the plane crash.

Earlier in his life, Whittington was an accomplished race car driver, winning the 1979 24 Hours of Le Mans alongside brother Don and German driver Klaus Ludwig, according to Autoweek.

Bill, Don and Dale Whittington were also the only trio of brothers to ever qualify for the Indianapolis 500.

In 1986, Bill Whittington was sentenced to 15 years in prison after he and Don pled guilty to conspiring to smuggle marijuana into the United States from Colombia, according to the New York Times.

The Whittingtons and Lanier were part of a group of drivers in the International Motor Sports Association convicted of participating in the drug smuggling ring, the Times reported.

Born in Riverside, California, Kirkby attended Chaparral High School and was employed in the electrical field. He is survived by his wife of 28 years, Danelle; his sons, Matthew and Austin; two grandchildren, Lily and Wyatt; brother, Doug; sister, Kimberly; and father Noel.

University of San Diego. She was named a USD Trustee Scholar, which comes with four-year tuition award of $84,000.

Morgan Van Kruiningen: Van Kruiningen will attend Grand Canyon University.

She will major in psychology with a minor in forensics psychology. She has also received scholarships.

NEWS from page 6

Scottsdale resident Bill Whittington and Cave Creek resident Stephen Kirkby died in a single-plane crash near Winslow on April 23 about an hour after their plane left Scottsdale Airport.

(Photo courtesy of Navajo County Sheriff’s Office)

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OPINION

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 12, 2021

Opinion TheFoothillsFocus.com

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@TheFoothills.Focus

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AROUND THE BLUHMIN’ TOWN

Shortages abound due to the COVID-19 pandemic

BY JUDY BLUHM Foothills Focus Columnist

Last year we had no toilet paper or hand sanitizer. This year we have no houses. Oh, and let’s not forget we are running out of chicken wings, lumber, microchips and chlorine for pools. This summer, “experts” are predicting we might have shortages of gasoline and bacon. It’s almost too much to comprehend. So the world might end up in a pretty darn perilous situation if we have a bacon shortage! If people were hoarding toilet paper last year, there

could be fist fights in the grocery store aisles when our beloved bacon becomes scarce! Limit the number of packs we can buy? I doubt that will work. It could be mayhem in the market.

Are we supposed to stock up? Not exactly sure how we do that if we are planning summer trips and there is no gasoline at the pumps. Evidently, one of the reasons for this potential “shortage” is that there are 50% fewer fuel tanker drivers this year than last year. Many had to find new work when we were all sitting at home. Now we are back to traveling, and the truck drivers are gone!

Come back! We need to go to the beach this summer and cannot drive there without gasoline.

Chicken wings are another story. The labor shortages and closures of poultry plants due to COVID-19 have caused many restaurants to have to either slash the wings from the menu or make them as expensive as gold nuggets. What are we to do? The pain is real for many folks in the food industry and lovers of these spicy, delectable chicken bites that are perfect for dipping. Americans consume 2.8 billion chicken wings a year! That would be an average of 18,000 wings in a person’s lifetime. Yikes, how will we cope if the shortage continues?

Want to rent a car? Plan wisely. They are out there, just not in great numbers.

Many car rental companies sold off their fleets during COVID-19 travel restrictions. Now folks going to Maui are renting U-Haul trucks to drive around the island because $200 a day is more cost effective than trying to snag a car rental at $700 a day. That’s right, go on vacation and rent a truck to see the island.

We cannot make this stuff up!

And lumber prices are through the roof (no pun intended). The increase in home prices due to the skyrocketing cost of lumber (up 236% since last year) means that you might be spending $40,000 more to build your house. I saw an ad on Facebook that showed two huge boards and several peel poles that a guy is willing to “trade” for a new red or yellow Corvette.

He went on to say, “No lowball offers — I know what I have.” Yes, it is our new reality, and we must learn to survive. And maybe go without.

My husband, Doug, says I worry too much. Good advice. Hmm, I do have 25 bottles of hand sanitizer and 70 rolls of toilet paper. If anyone wants to trade me for some bacon, drop me a line.

Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local realtor. Have a story or a comment? Email her at jusy@judybluhm.com.

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THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 12, 2021

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OPINION

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THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 12, 2021

For Arizona’s senators, ‘D.C.’ means ‘decide carefully’

BY JD HAYWORTH Foothills Focus Columnist

K

yrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly have boldly gone where few Arizonans from their party have gone before.

Their joint membership in the “World’s Most Exclusive Club” marks the first time since 1953 that the Grand Canyon State has been represented in the Senate by a pair of Democrats.

Sen. Sinema’s unconventional fashion choices began a buzz upon her arrival, but she followed a conventional political path to the Upper Chamber.

That’s not the case for her new Arizona colleague.

Like John Glenn and Jack Schmitt before him, Mark Kelly’s path to the Senate was “out of this world;” to stay there, history’s third astronaut-turned-senator must continue to defy political gravity.

It won’t be easy.

Elected last November to complete the un-

finished term of the late John McCain, Kelly must again face the voters in 2022. Unsurprisingly, Arizona Republicans have made the recovery of that Senate seat their top priority. Businessman Jim Lamon has already thrown his hat in the ring, and more GOP candidates are expected to announce soon.

Adding to Kelly’s challenge is the audacious overreach of his fellow Democrats in the House. Nancy Pelosi’s narrow majority has passed bills that would cost trillions, change election law to make vote-by-mail mandatory, and run counter to the Constitution.

Even though our founding document calls for the creation of a seat of government for the United States in Article I, Section 8, Clause 17; a “District not exceeding 10 miles square…” established by “Cession of particular states and the acceptance of Congress…” and that Maryland and Virginia ceded the land for the creation of Washington, D.C., which was founded in July 1790, last month House Democrats passed H.R. 51 — a bill for D.C. Statehood.

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All 216 votes in favor of the measure came from Democrats — underscoring the partisan power play. The legislation would change the name from District of Columbia to Douglass Commonwealth, and more significantly, add two dependable Democrat votes in the Senate.

But the two Arizona Democrat votes in the Senate are not certain to be cast in favor of D.C. statehood. Sens. Sinema and Kelly have not sponsored the bill, and based on the findings of a new poll, they would both be wise to vote against it, should it come to the Senate floor.

A survey of 400 likely Arizona voters was conducted late last month by McLaughlin & Associates for the U.S. Justice Foundation (USJF). It found that a majority of Arizona voters, 50%, oppose D.C. statehood; only 42% support it.

Full disclosure, this columnist chairs USJF’s Advisory Committee.

Moreover, 77% of the respondents were aware of the House passage of the bill by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and her narrow Dem-

ocrat majority, and the partisan implications of the legislation once signed into law.

When reviewing and discussing the effects that D.C. statehood would bring, the opposition of Arizona voters increased to almost 60%, a decisive majority.

Meantime, one senate Democrat has taken a decisive and public stance against statehood for Washington, D.C. Joe Manchin of West Virginia will oppose the legislation.

Recall that Sens. Manchin and Sinema worked together earlier this year to oppose removal of the filibuster from the Senate Rules. Will we see a similar alliance for denying D.C. statehood? And might that duo become a trio with the addition of Kelly?

If so, Mark Kelly could claim the mantle of John McCain, describing himself as a “principled pragmatist,” and making a midcourse correction common in spaceflight, and not unheard of in public office. If not, the third astronaut-turned-senator could see his political mission grounded early.

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THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 12, 2021

Hunting should be a two-way street

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Foothills Focus Columnist

E

very so often on Facebook or Instagram, I see that one of my friends has gone hunting, successfully killing this or that forest creature. There are smiles all around as the hunter strikes a pose beside a mule deer, turkey, or javelina. All involved — except the animal — seem inordinately proud of the conquest, which always leaves me feeling a bit curious.

As in, why such obvious pride? I mean, isn’t hunting sort of a one-sided competition, given that the predator typically has some sort of weapon, like a high-powered rifle, whereas the best a white-tailed deer can manage for weaponry is a set of antlers?

Then I remind myself what I have known for a long time: Some folks simply enjoy killing things a little bit more than the rest of us.

I was reminded again recently when the National Park Service and the Arizona Game and Fish Department offered 12 hunters the chance to cull bison from a herd of 500 that have roamed the North Rim of the Grand Canyon since the early 1900s. The bison apparently have been raising all kinds of hell up there, trampling ancient ruins, contaminating watering holes and leaving Budweiser cans and pork rinds bags everywhere.

Kidding about that last part. But I’m not kidding when I say that more than 45,000 hunters applied online during the 48 hours the agencies were taking digital hunting applications.

As Matt Mallery of Flagstaff told the Associated Press: “It needs to happen for management purposes. And if it’s going to be somebody, it may as well be me.”

Which is exactly the opposite of my own logic when it comes to killing animals: If it’s going to be somebody, it

doesn’t have to be me.

I have no moral objection to hunting. I ate a burger for dinner last night and I have no affinity for, say, javelina, which tend to destroy things I like, like golf courses and small dogs. I wasn’t traumatized by the murder of Bambi’s mommy as a kid. And I’m not afraid of guns, which I’ve fired on many occasions. It’s the beaming pride I don’t get – relishing taking an animal’s life.

Listen to James Vasko, one of those 45,000 applicants, explaining himself to the AP: “I just thought it would be a cool experience,” said the 27-year-old, who works in real estate and farms in Nebraska. “I’m an avid fisher, hunter.

Going to the Grand Canyon to hunt bison would be absolutely awesome.”

Would it really? Male bison weigh up to 2,000 pounds and can stand 6 feet tall. They have poor eyesight and run at speeds up to 35 mph. That makes these bulls slightly larger than my parents’ 1972 Volkswagen Beetle, a 50-horsepower behemoth that topped out at about 75 mph. While no one ever riddled that car with bullets, it wouldn’t have been a difficult shot, especially armed with a Browning BAR Mark II Safari rifle featuring the Ballistic Optimizing Shooting System and using belted magnum big game cartridges and a telescopic site.

My hunter friends love to refer to hunting as a sport. They cite rules like “fair chase,” which Game and Fish defines as the “ethical, sportsmanlike and lawful pursuit and taking of free-range wildlife in a manner that does not give a hunter or an angler improper or unfair advantage over such wildlife.”

Personally, I prefer not to sugarcoat things. Just be honest and admit it: You like killing things. You can try to even up the hunt all you want, but let’s be real: Shooting a 2,000-pound bison will be a sport as soon as the bison can fire back.

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BUSINESS

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Camila Frederico takes the reins at Civana

BY ALISON BAILIN BATZ Foothills Focus Contributing Writer

O

n her second go-around in Arizona, Camila Frederico is taking it in.

“As the new general manager of Civana Wellness Resort & Spa, doing so has been easy,” Frederico said. “It has certainly lived up to the hype from Travel + Leisure, Conde Nast Traveler and USA Today — and then some — so far.”

Frederico’s oversees the resort’s 22 acres, 144 rooms and suites and its 20,000-square-foot spa and wellness center. Frederico has trained for this position since before she could read, but

she didn’t know it yet.

Born and raised in São Paulo, Frederico competed in gymnastics at 4, going so far as to be named to the country’s national team at ages 13 and 15.

During this time, Frederico earned local celebrity status when she became the first Brazilian female to do a triple rotation on the floor exercise.

“I competed until age 17, when I finished high school and after about a dozen broken bones,” Frederico said. “I was ready for a new challenge, but I took the lessons learned about wellness and exercise with me the rest of my life.”

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entering college.

“My brother suggested I go into economics, and for some reason I did, but with a twist,” Frederico said. “In Brazil, one may work toward a master’s degree at the same time as a bachelor’s, so I did.”

Admittedly, she said she was falling asleep working toward a B.A. in economics from the University Mackenzie in São Paulo, Frederico also worked toward an M.A. in journalism from the University Casper-Libero, also in São Paulo, with the goal of being a movie critic.

“After graduating with both by 21, however, there were neither journalism nor economics jobs in my home country,” Frederico said. “As such, I accompanied my travel agent mother to a convention, where I learned about J-1 visas to work in the hospitality industry in the United States.”

Intrigued by travel, Frederico booked a one-way ticket for Orlando, packing just one bag.

“I laugh at that now,” Frederico said.

“The Camila of today would need 20 suitcases for shoes alone.”

Armed with that one suitcase and work ethic instilled by her family and years of gymnastics training, Frederico earned a job as the front desk clerk at the then-largest Marriott in the country.

She fell in love fast with the pace and people of the industry. Frederico worked her way up in the industry over the next few years before driving cross country to Phoenix to accept a role as a meeting and event coordinator at the then-Phoenix Ritz-Carlton in 2002.

“That iconic hotel became my home for the next decade,” said Frederico, who left the property as assistant director of meetings and events in 2012 to take on an even bigger role, director of food and beverage, at The Ritz-Carlton Half Moon Bay in California.

At Half Moon Bay, she successfully led a $40 million culinary operation.

�ee CIVANA Page 13

BUSINESS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 12, 2021

13

CIVANA from Page 12

“The first six months there were the toughest in my career, but doing something so far out of my comfort zone pushed me to learn, grow and accept new lessons in an industry I thought I knew pretty darned well,” Frederico said.

Her discipline was rewarded with a promotion to director of rooms at the resort and then the opportunity to join the W Hotel in a leadership role upon the Marriott’s purchase of it in 2017.

Life was moving along swimmingly for Frederico until 2020. As with the rest of the world, she was rocked by the global pandemic.

“It certainly was not the time to think about a job change, yet her I am,” Frederico said.

At first, she ignored a headhunter’s information about Civana and the idea of returning to Arizona.

However, on a whim, she Googled the resort, just to check it out.

“It was as if someone looked at my life, starting from my first floor routine at age 4, and built a resort with me in

After years in competitive gymnastics, Camila Frederico is jumping at the chance to take part in Civana’s wellness classes, like this one, each week. (Photo courtesy of Civana)

Camila Frederico is the new general manager of Civana. (Photo courtesy of Civana) mind,” Frederico said.

“It was love at first sight with everything Civana stands, for when it comes to wellness, health, relaxation, self-care

and fun. I had to come out and see it for myself in person.”

The visit solidified it: in spring 2021 Frederico moved back to Arizona to be the resort’s general manager.

“Being on property feels like home, but a home with aerial yoga, sunset sound healing and 25 spa treatment rooms,” she said.

She takes at least one wellness class per week on-site in addition to running

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THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 12, 2021

Tramonto mom uses crafts to ease her pain

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

M

egan Gladney and her now-5year-old daughter, Gemma, frequently created crafts together.

“She’s really smart,” Gladney said.

“She is literally the craft master. She can make anything.”

When the Tramonto resident was diagnosed with endometriosis, it became even more important. She founded Carefree Highway Market (@ CarefreeHighwayMKT on Etsy) to sell their personalized crayons, along with barrettes and garland. Holiday goodies are available, too.

“Right now, I sell to boutiques around the country,” Gladney said.

“We also have DIY paint kits. Boutiques are loving that right now. They can say it’s women made.”

Larger companies have asked to sell her items on their sites and in their boutiques, but Gladney doesn’t have the available support, nor would she like to.

“We’re growing at the speed I want to right now,” she said.

To promote her business, Gladney spent the quarantine posting on a plethora of social media sites. The result?

Customers came “in droves.”

“It became this fun thing,” said Gladney, whose 71-year-old mother gets involved as well. “It was something fun for kids because everyone was so, so bored.”

Carefree Highway Market was born, thanks to Gemma, in some ways. Glad-

ney and her husband, Christopher, named their daughter after an Italian saint. It was hard to find personalized items, so Gladney took matters into her own hand.

“Children’s names I’m a faker, so I try to be really are unique now,” she open about it and tell everysaid. “You can’t find one I sell to about it. It’s not them on a keychain. something that should be igMy items are personnored.” alized and so special.”

After an infertility battle, Gladney hails from Gladney gave birth to her Milwaukee and Chrisdaughter. In some ways, she topher from Scottswas prepared for birth. dale. Gladney’s skills Megan Gladney created Carefree Highway Market to sell personalized crayons, “I would show up at work— barrettes, garland and other holiday goodies while battling endometriosis. run deep, as her in sales, which is male-driven (Photo by Pablo Robles) grandmother worked a lot of the times—and they for Minnesota Fabrics would look at me like, ‘Oh, she’s longer than anyone else in the United get my surgery. I’m glad I had it done. I not feeling well again,’” she said.

States. hope that’s my last surgery for that, spe“The pain was so bad last night that I “She was sharp as a whip,” Gladney cifically.” felt like I gave birth to six children last said. “She was valedictorian of her class, Endometriosis is painful and occurs night. My husband wanted to call 911, but she would cut all the fabrics and when tissue similar to the tissue that but you can’t call 911 for this.” know all the measurements in her head. normally lines the inside of a woman’s Gladney was on bed rest immediately She would sew anything for you, any de- uterus — the endometrium — grows after Gemma’s birth. She wanted to resign you wanted.” outside the uterus. Endometriosis turn to work but wasn’t confident she On her site is a list of her products, so- most commonly involves ovaries, fal- could do so. Carefree Highway Market cial media—and a link to the Endometri- lopian tubes and the tissue lining your has kept her occupied. osis Association. pelvis.

“I’m glad it’s taking off,” she said. “It’s a “Since I was a teenager, I’ve had pain,” Gladney explained she was embar- great work environment.” she said. “I was ignored by every single rassed by the endometriosis, so only a doctor I went to, even though my mom few close friends knew about the pain.

Carefree Highway Market https://bit.ly/3nPs8GI had surgery and probably had it.

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Shane Travis comes to Janey’s for the first time

BY ALEX GALLAGHER Foothills Focus Staff Writer

P

op-rock artist Shane Travis is bringing his acoustic set to Janey’s Coffee Co. & Bodega at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 12, and he cannot wait to play this show.

“I am honestly ecstatic beyond belief,” Travis said. “I had just started getting some bookings in late 2019 for my full band and right when things were getting into full swing was when the pandemic hit.”

An Avondale resident and Tucson native, Travis is looking forward to once again create connections with

fans.

“I feel like when I’m playing at a live venue — especially something intimate like Janey’s where I’m by myself playing acoustically — I just hope that my brand speaks to the audiences and makes a connection with them.”

Growing up in the West Valley, Travis called playing in Cave Creek an escape from the heat and culture of his hometown.

“I’m from the westside of Phoenix originally and going out to Cave Creek is almost a mini-escape every time we would take a trip out there,” he said.

“I love that part of town. The temperature is always a little cooler and

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the people are really nice out there.

I’m definitely looking forward to getting out to a different part of town to play.”

Travis heard about Janey’s through a mutual friend who enjoyed playing the venue. He was immediately interested in playing there.

“I’m always on the scope to find some new and interesting venues to be able to play at,” Travis said.

Hitting the stage at a new venue isn’t the only adjustment he has to make. Acoustic sets take some time to perfect, too.

“The hardest thing about playing acoustic is making sure my vocal per-

formance is on par,” Travis said.

“With my band, we play some blues rock and some heavier rock that my vocals can sometimes be hidden within the mix, but when I’m playing acoustic, I have to try to be as accurate as possible so that the vocals really shine.”

Influenced by John Mayer and Eric Clapton, Travis’ music will complement the ambiance of Janey’s. The setlist will include new songs.

“I know up there, it’s kind of a mixed crowd between country and classic rock.” Travis said. “I’m looking

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TRAVIS from page 17

forward to bringing out some newer tunes of mine because I’ve had a few friends and fans tell me that my last couple of songs have sounded like the Eagles meets Eric Clapton.”

Two of those songs are “Off My Mind” and “If You’re Not in My Life.”

Lyrically, the songs are inspired by Travis’ relationship battles during the pandemic. He hopes fans can connect with his lyrics.

“During the pandemic, it was an interesting time to try to work through a relationship with someone,” Travis said.

“I was pretty inspired by the idea of having to move on from a relationship and move on from someone from your life that was pretty dear to you for a while.”

Though this is his first show at Janey’s, Travis is ready to hit the stage.

“We played a show on the 30th at The Monastery in Mesa, which went really well. People were really receptive to the original music,” Travis said.

Travis’ set at Janey’s Coffee Co. and Bodega Wednesday, May 12, will include new songs with a new sound. (Photo courtesy of Shane Travis)

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“I am purely ecstatic to be able to play this show,” Travis said.

Although a lot of artists digitally market their music, Travis prefers to push his music by playing live.

“I can advertise all day long for people to stream my music or like my stuff on social media, but I feel like getting in front of an audience is the best way of trying to connect with them and to become the best artist that you can,” Travis said.

Overall, Travis is looking forward to tread new waters at Janey’s.

Shane Travis

WHEN: 7:30 to 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 12 WHERE: Janey’s Coffee Co. & Bodega, 6602 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek COST: Call for charge INFO: 480-575-6885, cavecreekazmusic.com

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19 ••

Mogollon brings the ‘universal language’ to the stage

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

D

uane Moore said he feels he hasn’t worked a day in his life.

Moore loves everything about the music business — and has since he co-founded Mogollon in 1979.

“I love it so much,” Moore said. “I enjoy the people and the music. I love music. I really haven’t done anything else.

There’s work involved just like anything else.”

Named after Moore’s residence at the Mogollon Rim, the band is a high-energy four piece that plays rock and, specifically, old country.

“I don’t like the stuff that’s out,” Moore said. “We play from Waylon to Willie to Hank Williams to Johnny Cash to Lynyrd Skynyrd to Pink Floyd. We play all the good classic rock.

“I play fiddle on stage, too. That works out well for a lot of cool Alabama songs.”

Music is “huge” for Moore, who is joined in the band by guitarist Guy Koplitz of Chandler; bassist/producer Bryan Kuban of Scottsdale; and drummer Jon Kinsey of Mesa. If Moore feels depressed, everything lifts when he picks up his guitar, strums a few chords and writes a song.

“It comes full circle,” he said. “It’s the universal language.”

That language is shared at gigs like those in Anthem on May 14, Murphy Park in Glendale on May 21, and We-KoPa Casino on June 18 and July 16.

“Sharing is an amazing thing,” Moore said. “I don’t use an iPad for the lyrics.

If I need to look at the lyrics when I’m on stage, I don’t want to sing it. I don’t believe I’m getting the points across.

“The mechanics should be secondary so I can feel what I’m singing. I think people feel that more than they understand that. We’re in the business of selling emotions. It’s a very emotionally driven industry and that’s what we do.

It’s cool when people come up and say, ‘I just had the time of my life’ or ‘My wife and I have been married x number of years. We met at your concert.”

When the audience is involved, Moore

Mogollon is, from left, Bryan Kuban, Jon Kinsey, Duane Moore and Guy Koplitz. (Photo courtesy of Mogollon) said, it creates an energy, the synergy that’s “pretty powerful.”

“It’s not performer-audience,” he said.

“The audience is part of us. It’s cool when you reach at pinnacle. It’s just crazy cool, getting out into the audience with my fiddle and running around. We just like to have fun with them. They love it.”

Music has helped Moore through tough times. His brother and sister passed away at 31 and 43, respectively, of complications of neurofibromatosis, a rare, inherited disorder that results in benign tumors of the nerves and other parts of the body.

“I hope to retire from music one day and move back to my roots,” he said.

“My best friends—my brother and sister—are interred there.

“They died pretty young, but everybody has a sad story. I’m a mountain boy. I moved down here because it was a good, central location.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has been productive for Moore. He took the time to reinvent himself and retool his approach to the music side of music.

“I’m doing extremely well by myself,” he said. “I’ve never played so many single gigs. Not everybody was out of work.

Our industry was beat up. Restaurants,

musicians and bands were beat up bad.

“Anytime I get on stage, I thank my audience profusely. Over the years, I’ve been playing a lot of great places all over the world. I’ve taken my music to exotic places. All those years prior to COVID, I took music for granted. You don’t know what you have until it’s taken away from you. Now I drink every moment like water. I absorb it. I tell the Mogollon

WHEN: 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 14 WHERE: Community Park Amphitheater, 41703 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway, Anthem COST: Free INFO: onlineatanthem.com WHEN: 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, May 21 WHERE: Murphy Park, Downtown Glendale COST: Free INFO: visitglendale.com/events WHEN: 9 p.m. Friday, June 18, and Friday, July 16 WHERE: We-Ko-Pa Casino Resort’s WKP Sports and Entertainment, 10438 WeKoPa Way, Fort McDowell COST: Free INFO: wekopacasinoresort.com or mogollonband.com

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FEATURES

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 12, 2021

KUMA’S GREAT ADVENTURES

Arrowhead Vista Trail at Thunderbird Park TOLD BY KUMA AND WRITTEN BY LORRAINE BOSSÉ-SMITH Foothills Focus Contributing Writer

W

e are always up for adventure suggestions.

My mom’s tennis friend told her about his favorite hiking location, so off to Thunderbird Conservation Park we went. The easiest way to get there is to head west on Pinnacle Peak Road off I-17 and continue to 55th Avenue where you will find a dirt parking lot on your left.

Note: There is no restroom at this trailhead. The main parking lot has one, and it is just 1/4 mile down the road at 59th Avenue: 22800 N. 59th Avenue, Glendale.

Right away we weren’t impressed because of the crowds. We are nature seekers, not city folks, and this trail

is full of city people. Lots of folks were listening to music without ear buds, and many others were talking on their cellphones. This is not a place to go to be with nature.

From the dirt parking lot, we went to the right on Coach Whip, which is a flat connector trail. The signage is poor, and there isn’t a good map that outlines the distances.

We continued straight to join the Arrowhead Vista trail, which is a difficult and extremely rocky trail. It is so heavily used that the rocks are slick from being worn down.

Besides a steady stream of people, the traffic noise is awful. You hear the road and freeway the entire time. My mom’s friend needs to get out more.

Anyway, we were here and ready for

see KUMA page 22

Kuma and his mom, Lorraine Bossé-Smith on a hike. (Photo courtesy of Bossé-Smith)

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FEATURES

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21 ••

Carving the stories: Gourd artist Penny Deshur turning heads

BY SHEA STANFIELD Foothills Focus Contributing Writer

B

riahnna Brown once wrote in the Smithsonian Magazine, “The art of gourd carving has been practiced in Peru for more than 4,000 years, with artisans using gourds, or mates burilados, to tell both communal and personal stories.”

But the art of gourd carving didn’t come into public consciousness in North America until the 1930s in North Carolina. Once Ginger Summit published a series of gourd crafting books in 1939, the art began to take off.

In Scottsdale, a few very talented and imaginative gourd artists are turning heads.

One of them is Penny Deshur.

Born and raised in Rochester, New York, she credits her mother with her creative DNA. “My mother influenced my creativity,” Deshur explained. “She was a very talented woman, artistically and musically. She played the piano, violin, and sang. She also could knit, paint, sculpt and was a master gardener.”

After graduating from Monroe High School, Deshur took off for the Midwest to attend the University of Wisconsin Madison. At the time, she was focused on completing her Bachelor of Arts in elementary education and a Master of Arts in remedial reading. During her junior year, she met her now-husband, got married after graduation, and ended up settling in Milwaukee, her hus-

band’s hometown.

Deshur claims to have no formal art education except attending workshops over the years. She learned to knit, crochet, hook rugs, build miniature rooms, construct mosaic work, quill paint, sketch, weave fabrics, quilt and decorate cakes, which has brought her to the grand finale, her eclectic and beautifully crafted gourds.

During this time, she taught first grade and remedial reading and cultivated an interest in genealogy. She has authored a number of books on her family’s history as a result of her research.

Thirteen years ago, after visiting friends and relatives in Arizona, Deshur and her husband decided to “bite the bullet” and purchase a small home in the Desert Mountain area.

“I am surrounded by a group of creative friends and live in a community surrounded by artists. There is inspiration everywhere,” Deshur states. “That piece of cactus, a found feather, an interesting seed pod, even a trip through the hardware store is full of inspiration and ideas for me.

“Every gourd is a one-of-a-kind piece of sculpture,” she continued. “I experiment with new techniques for carving and wood burning, as well as find new ways to create texture, use various paints and incorporate other forms of art.”

Deshur sums it up with a quote she recently found that captures how she feels about her art and others who enjoy her creations:

Shea Stanfield won first prize, best in the novice wood burning division and the American Gourd Society Artistic Award at a festival last year for her owl piece. (Photo by Pablo Robles)

“When you buy something from an artist, you are buying more than an object. You’re buying hundreds of hours of errors and experimentation. You’re buying years of frustration and moments of pure joy. You’re not buying just one thing; you are buying a piece of a heart, a piece of a soul … a small piece of someone else’s life.”

Deshur is a member of the Sonoran Arts

League and exhibits in the league’s gallery at Stagecoach Village in Cave Creek. She also exhibits with the Wuertz Gourd Festival in Casa Grande. Her owl piece won first prize, best in the novice wood burning division, and the American Gourd Society Artistic Award at the festival last year. To contact Deshur for information on her art or to purchase a piece, go to pennydeshur@me.com.

••

22

FEATURES

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 12, 2021

Arizona Gunfighters turning Frontier Town into ‘a day in the Wild West’

BY ALEX GALLAGHER Foothills Focus Staff Writer

B

ob and Dale Charnes have been performing historical reenactments of the Wild West for over 60 years, nearly 30 of which have been spent in Arizona.

Now, their Arizona Gunfighters are gearing up for two performances of “A Day in the Wild West” at Cave Creek’s Frontier Town, one at noon and the other at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 15.

“We recreate actual events from the history of the Old West as close as possible to the way that they really happened,” explained Bob, the leader of Arizona Gunfighters.

“Most of what we do is what actually happened,” he said. “Other than stuff that could be dangerous, we keep it as close to what happened as physically possible.” Arizona Gunfighters performances consist of three acts featuring some of the biggest names in the histo-

ry of the Wild West — such as Wild Bill Hicock, the marshal of Abilene, Kansas, who accidentally shot and killed his own deputy.

Of course, no Wild West show would be complete without an appearance by the notorious Doc Holliday. An act will cover the time Holliday won half interest in a card game in a saloon in Las Vegas, New Mexico. While running the saloon, Holliday got into a gunfight with a man named Mike Gordon over one of the women there.

Lastly, the Gunfighters will feature Wyatt Earp’s battle in Tombstone, near the O.K. Corral, which Bob noted did not actually happen at the O.K. Corral, contrary to popular belief.

What makes this segment even more special is that the role of Earp will be played by his great-grandnephew, also named Wyatt Earp.

The younger Earp has played the role of his great-granduncle for almost 30 years. He met Bob and Dale at a presen-

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tation on the famous older Earp a few years prior to the forming of Arizona Gunfighters.

Though Earp may be the biggest name on the bill, Bob and Dale ensure that their performers are able to give attendees the best functioning performance possible.

“We try to have at least three people who know every part,” Bob said. “We don’t perform the type of show where if we haven’t rehearsed it we can’t have people just step in and do it. If one person messes up, it takes a bit to get things back on track.”

While entertainment is paramount, Bob also has a much larger goal.

“Part of what we are doing is we are trying to preserve the interest in that period in our history,” he said.

KUMA from page 20

the task at hand. We plugged away at the 1.5-mile uphill slog.

We saw just a few wildflowers, and as we climbed up, we did have views in every direction. To reach the top, you need to take a left onto the Arrowhead Vista Trail, which takes you to the flag.

Note: This trail is extremely hot and exposed. There are no trees and hardly even a cactus. It is very barren. Be sure to hike when temperatures are cooler and bring plenty of water.

We enjoyed looking over at Arrowhead Lake. Apparently, mom and dad looked at a house there before we moved to Phoenix. They said they didn’t have Kuma-friendly yards. My folks always have my back.

We hung out for a while then went to the left to take the trail back down the other side. This side wasn’t quite as rocky and connected back to Coach Whip. The park has some shade structures with picnic tables, but without a human restroom, what’s the point? We pressed on to the car. BTW, mom’s ankle did great!

This trail is an ankle sprain waiting

He describes his shows as being truly for all ages, with kids as young as six or seven or guests who are far older attending. One time, he recalled, there was even a guest nearing their 100th birthday.

In addition to the two upcoming performances, Bob hopes to add one more show before Father’s Day this year. But as it stands, May 15 will serve as the last show of the season at Frontier Town.

“We hope that people enjoy the performance,” Charnes says. “This is almost a history lesson put into real people.”

“A Day in the Wild West”

WHEN: Noon and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 15 WHERE: Frontier Town, 6245 E. Cave Creek Road, Cave Creek INFO: arizonagunfighters.com

to happen, so be careful.

All in all, I think we went just over 2.5 miles. Thunderbird Park does have a variety of trails from mild to wild, but they all have the traffic noise and tons of people. We are spoiled by the beautiful Sonoran Desert by us and prefer the peace and quiet. That being said, Thunderbird Park beats a poke in the eye. It is something for those who live right there. We decided they can keep it, thank you very much.

My mom, Lorraine Bossé-Smith, helps me share my great adventures, big and small. My mom is a motivational speaker, corporate trainer, executive recruiter, business consultant, coach, fitness expert, and author of nine published books. More importantly, she’s the best doggy mom ever.

Enjoy my blog at https://www. lorrainebosse-smith.com/category/ kuma/kumas-great-adventures/ and be sure to follow me on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ Kumathedog/ and Instagram: kumaitothedog Get outside! You never know what you’ll discover, and our paths just might cross. Happy tails!

YOUTH

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 12, 2021

Youth TheFoothillsFocus.com

23

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

/TheFoothillsFocus

Mandarin spelling bee a first for youngsters

BY ALEX GALLAGHER Foothills Focus Staff Writer

C

ontestants across three schools will compete in Arizona Language Preparatory’s first Mandarin spelling bee on May 17.

Students from Arizona Language Preparatory will compete against children from Gavilan Peak School in Anthem and Glendale’s Desert Sage Elementary in front of six judges via Zoom.

“I’m nervous because we’ll be competing with three other schools,” said Vienna Chuang, a Gavilan Peak School fourth grader.

Chuang will have strong competition as she, along with many of the other contestants, have been learning Mandarin since they were as young as kindergarteners.

“I started speaking Mandarin when I was in kindergarten, but my brother first started teaching me when I was still in preschool,” said Emily Martin, a Gavilan Peak School sixth grader.

Others were taught at an even younger age.

“I went to a preschool that taught Chinese,” said Ender Cotty, a fifthgrade student at the Arizona Language Preparatory. Cotty lives in Cave Creek.

However, it was at the school he has called home for the past six years where Cotty has found a love for the language.

“At this school, I have found that I can connect to more people this way and I can talk to people I never could have prior and learn their culture,” Cotty said.

Other contestants have found ways to take their language skills outside of

the classroom.

“My parents wanted me to learn Chinese so we could travel a lot and go to places where they speak it,” said Cora Goates-Glau, a fourth grader at Arizona Language Preparatory.

Cotty said he feels the same way.

“I canYOUTH now go to Chinese restaurants, order food and hold a conversation with the staff there,” Cotty said.

Students have displayed their skills to high-ranking officials.

“I’ve been able to speak in front of the government on Chinese TV,” said Stanley Rosinski, a sixth grader at Arizona Language Preparatory. “One time when I was in China, I was able to join a card game with some people and speak full Chinese.”

Like many other contestants, Rosinski has been learning Mandarin to prepare for future endeavors.

“Mainly, I’m learning Chinese because it will pay for college,” Rosinski said. “It’ll give me a better job and I’ll be able to travel a lot to China.”

Others are learning the language because they like a good challenge.

“I wanted to learn Mandarin because I knew it would be hard and I like facing challenges,” said Alex Luedke, a Desert Sage Elementary School sixth grader.

Students will display their linguistic talents at the Mandarin spelling bee.

They’ve been spending the past few weeks learning new words and honing their character writing.

“I’m mainly memorizing the strokes of each character and also working very hard on the words that I’m struggling with,” Cotty said.

The kids have been adding up to five words per day to their vocabulary list.

“I’m always practicing the hardest

words,” said Kiki Gerity, an Arizona Language Preparatory sixth grader.

Preparation doesn’t stop there.

“I’ve been preparing by going online, finding the list of words and writing down the characters,” said Sophie Peterson, a Desert Sage Elementary School fourth grader.

Reputation is a good way to build memory, but nerves still plague contestants.

“As I go into the spelling bee, I feel a little nervous because I never know how it’s going to turn out or what it’s going to be like,” Martin said. “While we are practicing in class and doing

little quizzes, it’s not the same as on the day of the competition.”

Partnering with fellow contestants has helped, too.

“What Kiki and I will do is he’ll say a word and I’ll write it on a board and then we’ll put an X on the words I got wrong and spend 5 minutes reviewing it,” Rosinski said.

Partnering has been effective, but instruction is the key.

“Our Mandarin teacher used this story that tells us about the character that means cold and has a story

see MADARIN page 24

••

••

24

YOUTH

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 12, 2021

MADARIN from page 23

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that’s easy to remember and helps us remember it,” said Krista Faulk, a Gavilan Peak School fourth grader.

The story was sung in unison by Faulk and Chuang, and goes, “You’re in a house with a front porch, a bench and a bush. Then inside, there’s a TV and a couch with your family sitting on it watching you.”

Gavilan Peak School sixth grader Emma Beall said her teacher taught her class 10 words a day.

“I will practice writing them a lot so that I can get comfortable writing them in the classroom,” Beall said.

“We also get time to practice with a partner.”

Although they’re nervous, the kids are excited.

“It would mean a lot to me to represent my school and my family,” GoatesGlau said. “I have a little cousin who has cancer right now and I think it would mean a lot to my family.”

Genevieve-Hope Curtis spent time in Dongguan, China, and is thrilled to

refresh her Mandarin.

“I’m excited to get to review some of those words again,” said Curtis, a Gavilan Peak School fourth grader.

There’s only one winner, but the children are competing for more than just themselves.

“I would feel proud and hope that I could grow the school and more people could learn Chinese, I would also feel proud that I would bring the school honor,” Cotty said.

Luedke added, “It would mean a lot to me because this is the first-evYOU er Mandarin TO BEspelling bee and we have all worked so hard and if all that hard work paid off that would mean a lot.”

Martin said she agreed. However, she struggled at first with Mandarin but wants to show off her progress.

“If we were able to win it right off the bat it would be pretty special,” she said.

Beall added, “It would definitely build up my confidence and help me learn new words to use when I speak as well.”

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YOUTH

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 12, 2021

STUDENT CHRONICLES Know a student doing something remarkable?

Tell us about it! Email christina@timespublications.com.

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor

C

ave Creek’s Mikaela Morris was recently initiated into the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest and most selective all-discipline collegiate honor society. Morris was initiated at Clarkson University.

Morris is among approximately 30,000 students, faculty, professional staff and alumni to be initiated into Phi Kappa Phi each year. Membership is by invitation only and requires nomination and approval by a chapter. Only the top 10% of seniors and 7.5% of juniors are eligible for membership. Graduate students in the top 10% of the number of candidates for graduate degrees may also qualify, as do faculty, professional staff and alumni who have achieved scholarly distinction.

Phi Kappa Phi was founded in 1897 under the leadership of undergraduate student Marcus L. Urann, who had a desire to create a different kind of honor society: one that recognized excellence in all academic disciplines.

Today, the society has chapters on more than 325 campuses in the United States and the Philippines. Its mission is “to recognize and promote academic excellence in all fields of higher education and to engage the

community of scholars in service to others.”

Since its founding, more than 1.5 million members have been initiated into Phi Kappa Phi. Some of the organization’s notable members include former President Jimmy Carter, NASA astronaut Wendy Lawrence, novelist John Grisham and YouTube co-founder Chad Hurley. Each year, Phi Kappa Phi awards more than $1 million to outstanding students and members through graduate and dissertation fellowships, undergraduate study abroad grants, funding for post-baccalaureate development, and grants for local, national and international literacy initiatives. For more information about Phi Kappa Phi, visit phikappaphi.org.

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The Foothills Focus

Online at www.TheFoothillsFocus.com

Announcements

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CLASSIFIEDS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 12, 2021

To place an ad: 480-898-6465 class@timespublications.com Employment General Auto Engine Machinist

American Engines Only. Experience Required. References Needed. Full Time or Part Time.

Email Resume to:

acct.phxengine @gmail.com

Commerical/Industrial/Retail Affordable Anthem Executive Office Suite for Lease in Gateway Office Park. Incl: Internet, util, alarmed.

623-696-8670

thefoothillsfocus.com

EVERCOOL, LLC

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Email Your Job Post to: class@times publications.com

or Call 480

898-6465

Your Local A/C & Heating Specialist

HEATING • COOLING • REPAIRS RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL Serving Anthem, New River, Desert Hills, Carefree, North Phoenix, Cave Creek & Black Canyon City

623-414-2544

Owner: Cayce Sahr | Office Mgr: Dawn Kelley

evercool06@gmail.com ROC#327221

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FREEATES M ESTI

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DONALDSON DRYWALL Cave creek Resident Since 1984 • Water Damage • TV Niche Changes • Texture Match • Repairs/Remodels • New construction

FREE ESTIMATES 480-861-1375

10% Discount for Veterans!

CALL CLASSIFIEDS

Drywall

Carpet Cleaning

Air Conditioning/Heating

People are looking in the Classifieds Every day!

Deadline: Wednesday at 5pm for the following Wednesday

Family Owned & Operated

Cleaning Services

Electrical Services

We'll Get Your Phone to Ring!

We Accept:

Employment General

Licensed Bonded Insured ROC #289594

Carpet, Tile-Grout, & Air Duct Cleaning

For AllYour Electric Needs

Commercial & Residential

Licensed - Bonded - Insured • Over 20 Years Experience

Housecleaning

Senior Discounts

FREE ESTIMATES

www.pnponecarecleaning.com

Call Today/Clean Today

602.550.7732

FREE ESTIMATES

480-502-6871 or 623-869-6019

ReliantElectricAZ.com ROC#146796

Licensed/Bonded/Insured

The legendary Rock Springs Café is

Concrete & Masonry

NOW HIRING FOR ALL POSITIONS*!

Lead Host and Assistant to the Manager Lead Pastry Baker Bussers - $15 – 20 per hour with tips Servers - $25 – 30 per hour with tips (average) Line Cooks – Flexible Hours

H errera’s M asonry LLC

*Signing CASH BONUS at the end of 30 days employment

Submit resumes to: info@rockspringscafe.com

J&B Furniture CONSIGNMENT

WE SELL NEW and GENTLY USED FURNITURE & HOME DECOR

Block Walls • Stucco Repairs • BBQ • Fireplace Concrete • Ret-Walls • Flower Beds • Iron Gates Licensed & Bonded ROC #154346

Free Estimates

Rock Springs Café is located just 15 minutes north of Anthem – Exit 242.

Furniture / Refinishing / Upholstery

Office: 480-575-7245 • Armando: 602-763-3696

BEST PRICES ON MATTRESS SETS Tuesday – Saturday 10am - 5pm Sunday & Monday Closed 42407 N. Vision Way – Anthem, AZ

623.551.4135

Meetings/Events?

Get Free notices in the Classifieds!

Submit to ecota@timespublications.com

CLASSIFIEDS

THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 12, 2021

Glass/Mirror

Landscape/Maintenance

• Custom Glass • Shower Doors & Enclosures • Window Glass Replacement • Custom Mirrors • Glass Table Tops & Shelves Come and visit our custom glass showroom behind the Dairy Queen in Cave Creek.

480-235-6101

www.aboveandbeyondglass.com ROC 233846 & ROC 236899

Sprinkler Repair Landscaping & More!

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

No Job Too Big or Small

Residential & Commercial

Landscape Design/Installation HAWKEYE LANDSCAPING INC 85085 local company.

Doing business for over 22 years. ROC CR-21138105, ROCB-3284133.

Providing all your custom design and installation needs.

623-582-1122 HawkeyeCustom Landscaping.com

HOME FOR RENT? Place it here!

Outdoor Improvements

81% of our readers, read the Classifieds!

Call Classifieds 480-898-6465 CLASSIFIEDS

480-898-6465

Landscape/Maintenance

602-330-6965

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480.599.7388 Welding

Insurance Discount up to 30% with Drive Safe & Save !* ™

Justin Simons, Agent 3655 W Anthem Way, Anthem, AZ 85086

623-551-3700

justin.simons.j663@statefarm.com I’m inviting you to make our roads safer and get rewarded for doing so. Are you in?

Contact me today to get started.

KIB EXCAVATING 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

*Some customers could see a discount up to 50%. Discount names, percentages, availability and eligibility may vary by state and coverage selected. Enrollment, terms and conditions apply.

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company, State Farm Indemnity Company, Bloomington, IL State Farm County Mutual Insurance Company of Texas, Richardson, TX

602.319.1089

Licensed • Bonded • Insured COMMERCIAL/RESIDENTIAL

FREE ESTIMATES • 623-465-2546

Irrigation

PREMIER LANDSCAPING & GARDENING

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

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

Licensed, Bonded & Insured • ROC #166390

DUKES EXCAVATING

Cave Creek Welding, Inc.

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

MORE CLASSIFIED ADS ONLINE! www.TheFoothillsFocus.com

PHILLIPS ROOFING LLC

Roofing

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

Almeida Roofing Inc. All Types of Roofing

602-743-3175

ROC#215280

Irrigation

& Landscape est. 2002 ~ Anthem, Arizona

Install • Repair • Replace

623-203-7717

Free Estimates & Inspections • Tile • Shingles Foam • Coatings • Modified Bitumen • New Roof Repairs • Reroofs

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

www.almeidaroofing.com Licensed • Bonded • Insured • ROC #215758

ROC KA 302118 General Contractor JIM DUKES

623.606.8411

515 E. Carefree Hwy, #44, Phoenix, AZ 85085 dukesexcavatinginc@gmail.com

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

phillipsroofingaz.com phillipsroofing@cox.net

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THE FOOTHILLS FOCUS | THEFOOTHILLSFOCUS.COM | MAY 12, 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

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