Dr. Darren Wethers discusses the importance of health
Cities pay millions toward $11.8B pension debt
BY PAUL MARYNIAK Foothills Focus Staff Writer
espite an $11.8 billion unfunded liability owed by more than 300 Arizona municipalities, counties and state agencies, the system that provides pensions for nearly 60,000 retired first responders, corrections officers and qualifying elected officials is seeing some encouraging trends.
Shaped in part by the unexpected surge in revenue many of those government entities have seen for nearly a year, those trends aren’t just good news for the retirees who receive pensions from the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System.
They’re also good news for taxpayers.
One trend involves the largely unflagging
Mike Townsend, administrator of the Arizona Public Safety Personnel Retirement System, praised the dozens of municipalities, counties and state agencies that have made extra payments on their unfunded pension liability. Phoenix taxpayers are paying additional penalties on an unfunded police and fire pension liability of $3.2 billion.
(Special to Foothills Focus)
Zack Withers new headmaster at Anthem Prep
BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Foothills Focus Executive Editor
Zack Withers has made the rounds of the GreatHearts Academy network.
In 10 years, he has served as assistant headmaster, teacher and academic dean at the GreatHearts Glendale Preparatory Academy. Now, he is looking for-
ward to his first full year as headmaster of GreatHearts Anthem Preparatory Academy.
“The love and passion for liberal arts and our mission has kept me here,” he said. “The previous headmaster had, and I will continue, that commitment to the mission and vision of GreatHearts.”
GreatHearts Anthem Preparatory Acad-
emy has nearly 450 students in grades six to 12 and is a tuition-free nonprofit public charter school.
A Glendale native, Withers began his GreatHearts career as a middle school history teacher in 2011 at Anthem Prep. He made the move to Glendale Prep in 2014
see HEADMASTER page 5
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health of the stock market that — combined with some astute investment decisions by PSPRS — produced an unaudited return of close to 25% on investments for the agency’s pension funds.
Though the final percentage won’t be known for several months pending the outcome of a routine annual audit, that one-year return is the biggest the PSPRS has seen in more than 30 years.
The other trend not only puts the pension fund on more solid footing but also spares taxpayers millions of dollars in fees on the unfunded liability owed by municipalities, counties and some state agencies.
Over the past fiscal year, many of those employers have paid a total $1.58 billion in additional contributions to PSPRS to whittle down some of their unfunded liability.
For taxpayers, that means savings in penalties for the unfunded liability totaling more than $1.7 million.
Employers either devoted some of their budget surplus from the 2020-21 fiscal year to pay down their pension debt or borrowed money at interest rates that are less than half and even
a third of the 7.3% rate PSPRS assesses annually on their unfunded pension liability.
That $1.58 billion in extra payments is on top of the $1 billion employers were required to pay on accruing pension benefits and the interest on their pension debt.
Required contributions to cover the unfunded liabilities account for roughly twothirds of total required employer contributions each year.
“The additional contributions help secure pension stability for employers’ retirees and members while saving taxpayers money by eliminating or reducing unfunded pension debt that will escalate employer costs each year if left unaddressed,” PSPRS spokesman Christian Palmer said.
His boss, PSPRS Administrator Mike Townsend, was even more ebullient.
“This milestone is the result of an all-out effort to help employers understand and realize the true cost of public safety pension benefits and the taxpayer savings that can be achieved by paying off unfunded pension obligations,” Townsend said.
“Although the large amount of additional contributions is great, the other impressive fact is the total number of employers that are
taking action. Employers across the state are chopping down a mountain of pension debt.”
One thing Townsend didn’t mention is the role he personally played in the employers’ big paydown effort.
Sources said he personally appeared before more than 40 county boards of supervisors and city and town councils to urge them to take advantage of historically low interest rates to pay down their pension debt.
Many of those bodies heeded Townsend’s encouragement, with Gov. Doug Ducey taking the biggest step by adding $500 million each to the unfunded liability owed on pensions for corrections officers and retired state troopers.
The current unfunded liability for retired adult and juvenile corrections officers combined is $1.12 billion while the unfunded liability for Department of Public Safety employees totals $898 million.
The city of Phoenix plunked down an extra $26 million on the unfunded liabilities for police and fire pensions totaling nearly $3.4 billion. That city’s total fire and police pension debt exceeds $5.4 billion.
At a city council meeting last month, Phoenix City Manager Ed Zuercher said he may seek permission in the fall for a bond issue to pay down another $1 billion of that pension debt, essentially borrowing money at an interest rate far lower than the penalty assessed by PSPRS.
Zuercher’s plan also takes 1.2% of the $5.6 million in expected new revenue from recreational marijuana sales taxes and an extra $39.7 million from the general fund for a total payment of close to $300 million on the city’s pension debt.
Mayor Kate Gallego voted against the bond issue part of the payment plan, claiming PSPRS had made “unnecessarily risky investments” in the past.
And several other council members, including Vice Mayor Carlos Garcia, expressed reluctance to keep using marijuana tax revenue after this year, suggesting they might want to use the money to fund other city services.
But a memo from Zuercher and Chief Financial Officer Denise Olson to council underscores the importance of paying down that pension debt.
The memo cited the urgency to “avoid a huge burden” down the road that would require “significantly decreasing services or an
where he served as the assistant headmaster for three years. Withers earned his Bachelor of Arts in religious studies and applied ethics from ASU and a graduate certificate in classical Christian studies from New St. Andrew’s College.
“It is a joy to know Zack Withers will be returning to Anthem at this time, leading Anthem Prep,” said Erik Twist, GreatHearts Arizona president. “He is a true professional and a great fit for the Anthem community where virtuous endeavor is so visible, and the pursuit of the good, the true and the beautiful can be seen in matters great and small.”
Withers is looking for the Aug. 11 start of school to counteract the troubling pandemic-plagued previous year.
“We were put through the ringer the last school year,” he said. “Everyone in education was. It’s been the toughest year of my 10 years. People who have been in education for a long time would say that.”
School culture was the biggest “casualty” in education, he said. To keep COVID-19 from spreading, students couldn’t attend sporting events or other extracurricular activities.
“We couldn’t do a lot of those extra things that add to the school life,” he said. “I want to bring that school culture back in full force. I think just because everyone was nervous and scared last year and stressed, some of the rules or things that usually are important became less important.”
Withers wants to revive what the
The new GreatHearts Anthem Preparatory Academy headmaster, Zack Withers, said he
GreatHearts will move the students from the current Anthem Prep Academy to its new location on 10 acres of land on the northeast corner of Gavilan Peak Parkway and Arroyo Norte Drive. The new Anthem site is approximately 2 miles from the school’s current location. The campus will be open in time for the 2022-23 school year.
“I want us to have a strong student body, faculty and school culture,” he said. “We want to make sure we have
a really solid school culture that won’t be taken up too much by the transition.”
Withers is pleased he was hired for the headmaster job.
“I love our network, but for me, that’s a little abstract,” he said. “For me, it’s about the people I work with and the students and families we serve Glendale had a great student body. Anthem Prep has the same things — great colleagues and great families.”
school possessed pre-COVID-19. Earlier this year, GreatHearts announced a new site for an upsized and newly built permanent home for Anthem Preparatory Academy.
The new two-story design will include a large gym, football/soccer field, lab rooms, special education rooms and library to serve students in grades kindergarten to 12. The ground-up build will be bigger at approximately 82,000 square feet. Upon completion,
AZ TITLE & REGISTRATIONS
2021 Safety Message Contest winners
BY FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF
Aplay on words from a Tom Cochrane song and a safety message written by a Phoenix-area law enforcement officer are the winners in the 2021 ADOT Safety Message Contest.
More than 6,000 people voted for the safety message they wanted to see on the overhead message boards. The top two safety messages were displayed on
overhead message boards July 29 and July 30.
The winning messages were: “Miss your exit? It’s Okay. We made more ahead,” and “Life is a highway, I wanna ride it with a seatbelt on.”
“It’s encouraging to know that thousands of people also care about safety and voted to see these messages on signs across the state,” said ADOT Director John Halikowski.
“With states across the country post-
ing safety messages, it only gets more difficult to create a one-of-a-kind message. This year’s messages are unique and sure to make an impact on drivers.”
A Phoenix-area law enforcement officer submitted the “Miss your exit” message. The “Life is a Highway” message was sent in without the author’s name or contact information, but a note was included saying it was derived from Tom Cochrane’s 1991 song, “Life is a Highway.” While both entrants remain
anonymous, their words were still spotlighted on overhead message boards. The Safety Message Contest launched five years ago and has received more than 18,000 entries. The contest is one way ADOT works to improve driver behavior by promoting safety through the use of creative messaging. More than 90% of vehicle crashes are caused by driver decisions, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
A Phoenix-area law enforcement o cer submitted the “Miss your exit” message. (Photo courtesy of ADOT)
The “Life is a Highway” message is based on Tom Cochrane’s 1991 song of the same name. (Photo courtesy of ADOT)
Barro’s, Pepsi raise $40K for childhood cancer
BY FOOTHILLS FOCUS STAFF
Barro’s Pizza and Pepsi partnered to help Arizona families affected by pediatric cancer.
Last month, Barro’s Pizza and Pepsi donated proceeds from the sale of all lunch specials from all Barro’s Pizza locations in the Valley. For the sixth consecutive year, they reached their goal of donating $40,000 to Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children (ACFC), a local nonprofit whose mission is to help Arizona families with the high costs and challenging logistics while caring for their children during cancer treatment.
“We love being able to help organizations like Arizona Cancer Foundation for Children,” said Ken Barro, co-owner of Barro’s Pizza. “A big thank-you goes out to our customers who helped us reach our goal of $40,000 once again. We are so grateful that our customers continue to support our efforts to help others in our community.”
With this year’s contribution, Barro’s Pizza has now raised more than $180,000 for
ACFC. The gift goes directly to providing financial assistance to families for living expenses, travel expenses for treatment, treatment and prescriptions and funeral expenses for a minimum of 80 families. This year, Barro’s Pizza and Pepsi’s support will help
PENSION from page 4
increase in taxes.”
“This taxpayer burden must be balanced with being fiscally responsible and committed in providing pensions to retirees,” the memo said.
And because pension debt is a priority expenditure for any governmental employer, the unfunded liability’s costs “have placed significant budgetary constraints on the City’s ability to provide employee wage and non-pension benefit increases, public services and infrastructure maintenance,” the memo noted.
Up until the end of the last century, unfunded pension liability for PSPRS didn’t exist.
Then came the housing market crash in 2008 and the subsequent economic collapse that not
keep up with the increasing demand for help directly related to additional challenges families are facing due to COVID-19.
“Each year we are amazed at Barro’s Pizza and Pepsi’s generosity,” said Chrisie Funari, president and founder of Arizona
only adversely impacted the stock market but also reduced government hiring to a crawl.
At the same time, more government employees were retiring, and with fewer new employees paying into the plan, the agency’s pension obligations were increasing.
As municipalities started putting more of their available revenue into more immediate public services, their pension debt steadily increased — fueled in part by the penalties assessed annually on that debt.
Voters in 2016 overwhelmingly approved Proposition 124, which reduced cost-of-living increases in the pensions for retired firefighters, police and elected officials.
Those cost-of-living adjustments were now tied to the regional Consumer Price In-
Cancer Foundation for Children. “Thanks to companies like Barro’s, we are able to help more than 800 families with children battling cancer in Arizona. We are so grateful for their continued support and passion for our mission.”
dex with an annual cap of 2%.
For nearly 20 years, an annual 4% compounded increase had been paid out to retirees, significantly cutting into the amount of money remaining to pay future retirement benefits.
But that prop had the strong support of public safety unions, which said the move would make the pension fund more secure.
A subsequent for two years later made the same changes in pensions for corrections and probation officers.
Not everyone favored the props.
The Arizona Tax Research Association and the Goldwater Institute contended the measures provided no short-term financial relief for taxpayers and that savings may occur only years down the road.
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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, Aug. 4
Ironwood: Cycle, 5:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Mixology, 7 a.m.
Persimmon: Fun & Fit, 8:15 a.m.
Ironwood: Cardio Circuit, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Vinyassa Flow, 9:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Functional Training, 10:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Tabata, 5:30 a.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 5
Ironwood: Total Body, 5:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Persimmon: Muscle Mix, 8:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Boxology, 9 a.m.
Ironwood: Stretch, 10:30 a.m.
PWR! Moves (fee-based), 1:15 p.m.
Ironwood: Boxing, 5:30 p.m.
Persimmon: Candlelight Yin, 6:30 p.m.
Trivia Night (include team name when registering), 7 p.m.
• Friday, Aug. 6
Persimmon: Kickology Strong, 7 a.m.
Ironwood: Cycle 7:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Fun & Fit, 8:15 a.m.
Ironwood: Cardio Circuit, 8:30 a.m
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Vinyassa Flow, 9:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Stability Ball, 10 a.m.
• Saturday, Aug. 7
Ironwood: Cycle, 7:30 am
Persimmon: Bootcamp, 8 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Zumba, 9 a.m.
Persimmon: Chair Yoga, 9 a.m.
• Monday, Aug. 9
Ironwood: Cycle, 5:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Kickology Strong, 7 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Cardio Circuit, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Vinyassa Flow, 9:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Functional Training, 10:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Barre, 5:30 p.m.
Persimmon: Zumba, 5:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Aug. 10
Ironwood: Total Body, 5:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Persimmon: Tabata, 8:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Boxology, 9 a.m.
Ironwood: Stretch, 10:30 a.m.
PWR! Moves (fee-based), 1:15
Ironwood: Boxing, 5:30 p.m.
Persimmon: Candlelight Yin, 6:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, Aug. 11
Ironwood: Cycle, 5:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Mixology, 7 a.m.
Persimmon: Fun & Fit, 8:15 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Cardio Circuit, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Vinyassa Flow, 9:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Functional Training, 10:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Tabata, 5:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 12
Ironwood: Total Body, 5:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Persimmon: Muscle Mix, 8:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Boxology, 9 a.m.
Ironwood: Stretch, 10:30 a.m.
PWR! Moves (fee-based), 1:15 p.m.
Ironwood: Boxing, 5:30 p.m.
Persimmon: Candlelight Yin, 6:30 p.m.
• Friday, Aug. 13
Persimmon: Kickology Strong, 7 a.m.
Ironwood: Cycle, 7:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Fun & Fit, 8:15 a.m.
Ironwood: Cardio Circuit, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Vinyassa Flow, 9:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Stability Ball, 10 a.m.
• Saturday, Aug. 14
Ironwood: Cycle, 7:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Bootcamp, 8 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Chair Yoga, 9 a.m.
Ironwood: Zumba, 9 a.m.
Beat the Heat: Par-3 and Pool Party, 4:30 p.m.
• Monday, Aug. 16
Ironwood: Cycle, 5:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Kickology Strong, 7 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Cardio Circuit, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Vinyassa Flow, 9:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Functional Training, 10:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Barre, 5:30 p.m.
Persimmon: Zumba, 5:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Aug. 17
Ironwood: Total Body, 5:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Tabata, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Ironwood: Boxology, 9 a.m.
Ironwood: Stretch, 10:30 a.m.
PWR! Moves (fee-based), 1:15 p.m.
ClubLife 101 Orientation, 5 p.m.
Ironwood: Boxing, 5:30 p.m.
Persimmon: Candlelight Yin, 6:30 p.m.
• Wednesday, Aug. 18
Ironwood: Cycle, 5:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Mixology, 7 a.m.
Anthem Community Council activities schedule
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 Lindsey Combe at lcombe@anthemcouncil.com or call 623-879-3012.
Senior activities (50 and older)
• Golden Go-Getters; 1 to 3 p.m. Mondays
• Mexican Train Game; 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Fridays Free; Civic Building
Tuesdays/Thursdays through Aug. 31
• Tai Chi (Beginner); 8 to 9 a.m.
$67; Civic Building
• Glass Cheese Serving Plate, Aug. 31
18 years and older
$60
Come create a unique and beautiful piece of functional art. This class will demonstrate the unique properties of glass. Using glad squares of different thickness, you will see how glass fuses to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Cheese plate will measure approximately 10 by 10.
Friday, Aug. 13
• Parents’ Night Out; 6:30 to 10 p.m.
$18; Community Center
Saturdays in August
• Dodgeball (up to age 12 years); noon to 1:30 p.m.
$5 (drop in); Community Center
• Child & Babysitting Safety (CABS) Aug. 7, $70
• Babysitting course; CPR and first-aid skills
• Anthem Swim University
All levels
Check community center for dates $70 for four days a week
• Movies on the Lawn
All-ages family fun
Aug. 27; 7:30 p.m.
Free; Community Center
Come watch “Inside out” on the lawn and enjoy an Arizona summer night.
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 with a $10 drop-in fee (18 years and older).
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• Wednesday, Aug. 15
Persimmon: Fun & Fit, 8:15 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Cardio Circuit, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Vinyassa Flow, 9:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Functional Training, 10:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Tabata, 5:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 19
Ironwood: Total Body, 5:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Muscle Mix, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Ironwood: Boxology, 9 a.m.
Ironwood: Stretch, 10:30 a.m.
PWR! Moves (fee-based), 1:15 p.m.
Ironwood: Boxing, 5:30 p.m.
Persimmon: Candlelight Yin, 6:30 p.m.
• Friday, Aug. 20
Persimmon: Kickology Strong, 7 a.m.
Ironwood: Cycle, 7:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Fun & Fit, 8:15 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Cardio Circuit, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Vinyassa Flow, 9:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Stability Ball, 10 a.m.
• Saturday, Aug. 21
Ironwood: Cycle, 7:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Bootcamp, 8 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Chair Yoga, 9 a.m.
Ironwood: Zumba, 9 a.m.
• Monday, Aug. 23
Ironwood: Cycle, 5:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Kickology Strong, 7 a.m.
Ironwood: Cardio Circuit, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Vinyassa Flow, 9:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Functional Training, 10:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Barre, 5:30 p.m.
Persimmon: Zumba, 5:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Aug. 24
Ironwood: Total Body, 5:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Tabata, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Ironwood: Boxology, 9 a.m.
Ironwood: Stretch, 10:30 a.m.
PWR! Moves (fee-based), 1:15 p.m.
ClubLife Orientation, 5 p.m.
Ironwood: Boxing, 5:30 p.m.
Persimmon: Candlelight Yin, 6:30 p.m.
Ironwood: Cycle, 5:30 a.m. and 7:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Mixology, 7 a.m.
Persimmon: Fun & Fit, 8:15 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Cardio Circuit, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Vinyassa Flow, 9:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Functional Training, 10:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Tabata, 5:30 p.m.
• Thursday, Aug. 26
Ironwood: Total Body, 5:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Muscle Mix, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Ironwood: Boxology, 9 a.m.
Ironwood: Stretch, 10:30 a.m.
PWR! Moves (fee-based), 1:15 p.m.
Ironwood: Boxing, 5:30 p.m.
Persimmon: Candlelight Yin, 6:30 p.m.
• Friday, Aug. 27
Persimmon: Kickology Strong, 7 a.m.
Ironwood: Cycle, 7:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Fun & Fit, 8:15 a.m.
Ironwood: Cardio Circuit, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Vinyassa Flow, 9:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Stability Ball, 10 a.m.
• Saturday, Aug. 28
Ironwood: Cycle, 7:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Bootcamp, 8 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Chair Yoga, 9 a.m.
Ironwood: Zumba, 9 a.m.
• Monday, Aug. 30
Persimmon: Candlelight Yin, 6:30 p.m. ANTHEM from page 8
Ironwood: Cycle, 5:30 a.m. and 7:30 am.
Persimmon: Kickology Strong, 7 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Cardio Circuit, 8:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Functional Training, 10:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Barre, 5:30 p.m.
Persimmon: Zumba, 5:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, Aug. 31
Ironwood: Total Body, 5:30 a.m.
Persimmon: Water Fitness, 8:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.
Persimmon: Tabata, 8:30 a.m.
Ironwood: Boxology, 9 a.m.
Ironwood: Stretch, 10:30 a.m.
PWR! Moves (fee-based), 1:15 p.m.
ClubLife 101 Orientation, 5 p.m.
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Requiem for a problem solver
BY JD HAYWORTH Foothills Focus Columnist
Mike Enzi was never too big for his britches, nor too small for his shoes.
Instead, he was just the right fit for the people of Wyoming, whom he served in the United States Senate for nearly a quarter of a century.
Enzi, who died Monday, July 26 at age 77 from injuries sustained in a bicycle accident, was not your typical senator. He didn’t seek out celebrated columnists to offer the lofty comments of the self important, nor make himself “must-see TV” on the networks’ Sunday news interview shows.
Unlike so many of his colleagues, he didn’t look in the mirror and see a future president.
His path to the “World’s Most Exclusive Club” was not paved by wealth, and certainly not by a famous last name.
Mike was an Eagle Scout, and he took the scout motto seriously: Be prepared.
That’s why his initial time in Washington came not as a senator but as a student. Enzi earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from George Washington University in 1966, 30 years before he was elected to the Senate. He followed that with an MBA from the University of Denver, where he concentrated on the study of retail marketing.
Then, it was back to Wyoming for Enzi, who put the marketing he had learned to good use by courting and winning the hand of the former Diana Buckley in 1969. That same year, the retail component of his education came to the fore, as he expanded the
small business started by his dad.
Mike and Diana opened NZ Shoes in the central Wyoming town of Gillette in July of ’69, one month after their marriage. They would eventually open additional locations in Sheridan and in Miles City, Montana.
For both the Enzi Family and the place they called home, one word described the 1970s: growth. Mike and Diana welcomed two daughters and a son, while Gillette doubled in population. The abundance of coal in the Powder River Basin fueled the transition of the town into a small city.
Mike’s transition into politics was
prompted by Sen. Alan Simpson, the man he would one day succeed in Washington. After hearing Enzi deliver a speech on community leadership at the Wyoming Jaycees Convention, Simpson told Mike he should lead by example and run for elective office.
“That town you live in, Gillette, needs a mayor,” Simpson said pointedly.
After discussing it with Diana, Mike mounted a mayoral campaign, winning the office in 1974 at age 29. He served two terms, and years later recounted in an interview that the inexperience of youth was actually
an asset.
“The advantage of young people is that they don’t know what can’t be done. They just go ahead and do it,” Enzi remembered.
After eight years as mayor, Mike took a break from public life to concentrate on family and business. He returned to politics in the late ’80s, representing Gillette and Campbell County first in the state House, then in the state Senate during the early ’90s.
Alan Simpson retired from the U.S. Senate in 1996; Enzi succeeded
see HAYWORTH page 14
The erosion of trust threatens all of us
BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ Foothills Focus Columnist
A1972 poll named television anchor Walter Cronkite “the most trusted man in America.” The designation stuck until Cronkite passed away in 2009, and was featured prominently in his many obituaries.
Given that Cronkite retired from CBS when I was 15, I can’t say he was my North Star. But of this much I’m certain: If Cronkite had the misfortune of being an anchorman in 2021, his trust scores would rank down there with congressmen, priests and used car salesmen. I can say this with certainty because nowadays no one trusts anyone.
Which is a damn shame.
When I was a kid, Dr. Goldberg was our family physician. He made house calls toting his enormous black valise, and he dispensed prescriptions and wisdom, neither of which we questioned.
If Dr. Goldberg said get a vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella, we got a shot. If he said give your son Naldecon four times a day for a cough, that’s what my mom did – because Goldberg was a doctor, he had parchment diplomas on the wall and we trusted him.
Now? Half of America could be bleeding out on the sidewalk and they’d insist on knowing who the paramedics voted for in 2020 before accepting life-saving medical treatment.
Get a COVID-19 vaccine because over a dozen scientific studies say they work? Ha! Wear a mask because the Delta variant is undoing our progress fighting the pandemic? What are you, some kind of sheep who listens to scientists?
Actually, I am a sheep like that, as are most Americans. Gallup does an annual poll of trust in American institutions. This year for the first time they asked respondents how much they trust science.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents –
64% – reported having “a great deal” or “quite a lot” of trust in science. Another 24% had some trust. Only 12% had “very little” trust or “none at all.”
Only two institutions were deemed more trustworthy than science: Small business at 70% and the military at 69%.
The big losers? Congress, with only 12% of those polled claiming significant trust in that clownish body. Meanwhile, TV news – sorry Uncle Walter – was trusted by 16% of respondents.
“Big Business” also had the trust of 16% of those polled.
Surprisingly, 51% of Americans say they have a great deal or quite a lot of trust in the police, even after the vicious onslaught directed at cops over the past few years. That’s down a dozen points in the last 15 years, but it’s still more trust than we have in the Presidency (38%), public schools (32%) and newspapers (21%).
This erosion of trust plays a role in dividing us and rendering communities
unable to solve problems large or small.
The city that doesn’t trust its leaders, schools and people of faith is a city that struggles to solve its problems and to prevent those problems from recurring.
The individual who doesn’t trust a doctor, schoolteacher, minister, anchorman, CEO or Senator is someone with few ways to calculate what’s true, what works, what’s dangerous and what should be avoided.
Back in the day, Walter Cronkite ended each nightly newscast with his signature line: “And that’s the way it is.”
Cronkite could say that, and it drew no laughter, because people trusted him.
Today? The way it is has little to do with actual facts and everything to do with who’s saying it, who’s listening and who else is saying the exact opposite.
Trust me when I tell you, a country that trusts no one is one that eventually loses everyone.
READER’S VIEWPOINTS
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
We need strong leaders
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Why can’t our state representatives be straight with us? As a resident of LD1, I want representatives that are forthright straight shooters. Whether you support the audit or think it’s a waste of time and taxpayer money, our politicians should be straight with us. In recently uncovered text messages between the Board of Supervisors’ Clint Hickman and Senate President Karen Fann, Fann expressed hopes that Hickman’s testimony to a Senate committee would help “calm the waters” of partisan politics revolving around the recent election. Secretly, she already had subpoenas prepared ready to serve the county Board of Supervisors.
Additional text messages exchanged between Hickman and Fann show she was saying one thing in private and another to the public. To quote board Supervisor Jack Sellers, “The Karen Fann I know and have known for a number of years is not the Karen Fann I see in
HAYWORTH
from page 11
him. Mike’s closest race came in the GOP primary, where he edged future colleague John Barrasso by less than three percentage points; the general election was a comparative breeze, as Enzi won with 54% of the votes cast.
The people of Wyoming liked Mike, as they returned him to the Senate in three subsequent elections with more than 70% of the vote.
What made Mike Enzi so effective?
As a legislator, it was the “80-20 Rule.” He discovered that about 20% of issues were so partisan that no legislative remedy could be found. But that left 80% of the issues that could be addressed and eventually remedied.
A problem solver at heart, Sen. Enzi
Most recently, President Fann has had no comment on the Senate liaison being barred from the audit location. Ken Bennett, the liaison she appointed, has questioned procedures for yet another recount and the lack of transparency. Sen. Fann had no comment on Bennett’s fears that the counting figures are being force-balanced. This is her audit and her liaison appointment. How will she spin this?
Strong leaders don’t try to play both sides of the fence to ingratiate themselves and don’t dodge responsibility for their decisions. We voters need strong leaders who represent our values and interests. We need leaders we can trust. Karen Fann has been a disappointment to me and our community during this time when the spotlight is on our state. We needed a strong leader during these partisan times to rise above the rhetoric and lead with integrity, and she has failed.
was at first surprised, then gratified by the casework he and his staff performed for constituents.
He put it this way in an interview earlier this year: “I went to legislate, and then I found out that probably our most important work is casework, where people are having a problem with the federal government. Often it can be solved, because there’s not a lot of common sense in the federal government.”
The good Lord blessed Mike Enzi with common sense in uncommon quantities.
Wyoming was blessed to have a shoe salesman-turned-senator.
Rest in peace, Mike.
J.D. Hayworth worked as a sportscaster at Channel 10, Phoenix from 1987 until 1994 and represented Arizona in Congress from 1995-2007.
Ruth Lambert Anthem
Educating autistic children as a new school year begins
BY O. ROBIN SWEET Gateway Academy Executive Director and CEO
Going back to work or back to school takes a bit of adjustment after months of COVID-19-related isolation. In addition to exchanging sweatpants for business attire, many of us are re-learning a few social skills that may have atrophied after months of staring at a screen.
So, imagine the readjustment process for young people with autism, individuals who struggle to attain the socialization skills most people take for granted.
I co-founded Phoenix’s Gateway Academy with Dr. Thomas Bloom to serve students (sixth through 12th grades) who are academically capable and diagnosed with a Level 1 autism spectrum disorder.
To protect the health and safety of our students last year, we quickly made the transition to remote learning when schools were compelled to close because of COVID-19.
When our students left the classroom, I knew the hard work would begin once
the health crisis subsided. Indeed, the lost ground in terms of social skills can be tragic, but it’s not permanent. What was lost can be retaught.
Our school has twin missions, giving students the academic skills to achieve their collegiate and career goals and giving them the social skills to lead fulfilling and complete lives. The latter can only be accomplished through in-person learning.
We are not the only school making this readjustment. I am sure mainstream learners and their families are re-learning a few lessons when it comes to social interaction.
For most autistic students, the process is exponentially more challenging. Autistic children need in-person social interaction to keep those social-emotional skills in the forefront of their minds.
Arizona is indeed fortunate to have the Empowerment Scholarship Account (ESA) program, which gives parents the opportunity to send students to our school, and those like it, tuition free. Under normal circumstances, this gives parents an effective
and exciting option. Post-COVID-19, it can be a lifeline for families of autistic children. As classes resume across Arizona, this is a challenging time for all teachers. I like to think it is a most welcomed challenge. There is no higher calling than educating young minds, whether that involves learning long division or learning to form long term relationships with peers.
I tell our parents that autism is an explanation and does not define their children. High-functioning autism should not deter their children from having full, successful and productive lives. Likewise, the prolonged isolation following COVID-19 need not be an obstacle to getting students back on track and comfortable with in-person learning.
It’s an exciting time to be a teacher. It’s especially exciting when you’re teaching exceptional students such as ours. The COVID-19 crisis brought our mission into focus, and I believe Gateway, as well as most Arizona schools, learned some valuable lessons and is better off for it. We’d better be.
The lives of so many are depending on it. Gateway Academy was established in 2005, and offers a private education for students from sixth through 12th grades with a diagnosis of a Level 1 autism spectrum disorder. The school operates a year-round program from July to May of each year, and enrollments are accepted throughout the year. Info: 480-998-1071, rsweet@gatewayacademy.us
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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.
Anthem Community Center introduces jazz/tap combo class
BY ALLISON BROWN
Foothills Focus Staff Writer
Registration is open through Sept. 9 for the Anthem Community Center’s new jazz/tap combo class, the first of its kind for the venue.
For members only, the class will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursdays from Sept. 2 through Sept. 30 in the community center’s group fitness room.
Instructor Deena Roming, who was once a professional dancer herself, has been teaching forms of dance ranging from tap to ballet to tumbling for 25 years. An instruc-
tor at the community center for two years, she is looking forward to the class.
“This will be the first adult combo class on schedule. I’m excited for the prospects of having some fabulous adults let loose and have fun dancing,” Roming said. “The class will incorporate a jazz warmup to get the blood flowing, burn some calories and increase flexibility and stamina. Then, we will change into our tap shoes and ‘cut a rug.’”
Beginners will learn the basics, while intermediate dancers will be challenged with additional moves. Age shouldn’t be a setback either,
with this class open for ages 18 to 99. While Roming has never taught someone in their 90s, she has had students in their late 70s, so she said it’s never too late to learn.
The syllabus will be developed based on skill level and the interest of participants, but there are a few basic moves that students can count on being taught.
“There will be general stretches and warmup in jazz, along with some across the floor jazz combinations that incorporate chassés, chainés, battements, pas de bourrées and pirouettes. Tap moves will include all the basics, like shuffles, flaps, paradiddles, irishes, maxifords, broadways, etc. and we will add variations and sounds to each as we build a tap vocabulary,” Roming explained.
Besides enjoying those chassés and shuffles, dancing is a great form of exercise and offers a way to burn calories. Roming, also a certified fitness instructor, said that while the mind is focused on learning the movements, the body is fully engaged, making for a fun and effective workout.
For those who can’t make it, the community center offers dozens of
other classes for all age groups, fitness levels and schedules.
“Here at the Anthem Community Center, we are always trying to offer new and exciting programs for the residents. Our most popular programs are the summer camp, swim team, swim lessons and youth sports program — especially youth soccer,” said Scott Newell, director of programs and aquatics at the Anthem Community Center.
“For fall and winter 2021, we are bringing back some programs that had been successful in the past, like youth music and art classes. We are also trying new programs for adults and teens, like inner tube water polo, intro to paddle boarding and our adult sports programming and tournaments.”
With health screenings, timing is everything
BY DR. DARREN WETHERS Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona Vice President of Clinical Operations
Our world is slowly returning to normal as more Arizonans become vaccinated and restrictions start to lift. Now it is time to catch up on critical health screenings and preventive health visits that have been suspended or delayed due to the pandemic.
A recent study by JAMA Network Open revealed that more than 40% of people in the United States have put off medical care. Health insurance organizations, such as Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona, have seen an estimated 12% decline in preventive medicine visits since the start of the pandemic.
Despite the opportunities provided through virtual care and telehealth, 1 in 3 members missed a preventive care visit, and more than a quarter missed an out-
patient general medical appointment. You have heard this 100 times before, and it still stands true — early detection is the best prevention. Delaying a screening, or going without one, can cause significant challenges since many conditions can be more difficult to treat as they advance. Treatments become more complicated, hospital stays become more common and the chance of life-altering complications skyrockets.
With all the things we have on our daily to-do lists, there is no doubt that our health should be at the top.
Timing is everything, so be sure to prioritize the following important health visits and screenings for you and your loved ones, especially if you have been putting them off due to the pandemic:
Annual checkups
Adults should schedule an annual physical with their primary care provider to evaluate their overall health and
identify or monitor any chronic health conditions, including high blood pressure, high cholesterol and diabetes. Your doctor can even look for mental health red flags.
Vaccinations
For children and adults, updated vaccinations are critical. The CDC states that protection from some childhood vaccines can wear off over time. Adults may also be at risk for vaccine-preventable disease due to their age, job, lifestyle, travel or health conditions. The COVID-19 vaccine is encouraged for those 12 and older, as it is an important tool to keep everyone healthy and safe as school starts back up this fall.
Cancer screenings
Talk to your doctor about important routine cancer screenings during your
see HEALTH page 20
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Dr. Darren Wethers is vice president of clinical operations for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona.
Celebrity chef gives stamp of approval to Anthem restaurant
BY JORDAN HOUSTON Foothills Focus Staff Writer
American restaurateur Guy Fieri has made a name for himself as one of the world’s most recognizable culinary icons.
The celebrity chef and Emmy Award-winning TV host has taken the food television industry by storm, uncovering some of the country’s finest and most underrated dining experiences – including in Anthem.
In 2008, Fieri visited Tortas Chano, a family-owned Mexican restaurant, during an episode of his Food Network show, “Diners, Drive Ins & Dives.” The restaurant, known as Roberto’s Authentic Mexican Food at the time, received raving reviews from the Food Network star for its pork and pineapple tacos al pastor and chimichanga burritos. Fieri later featured the taco recipe into his book “Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives: The Funky Finds in Flavortown,” according to Food Network.
“We were at-first nervous, but very proud he recognized us,” Tortas Chano co-owner
Roger Amaya said. “We’re not the big corporate guys, we’re just a small mom-and-poptype operation.”
Over a decade later, Tortas Chano is continuing to thrive more than ever.
The restaurant, originally located in a Shell gas station during the show, is owned and operated by Amaya, his ex-wife Maria Estrada, their two children and other family
members.
Promoting authentic Mexican cuisine, Tortas Chano currently sits at 9510 N. Daisy Mountain Drive in Anthem. It is open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., according to its website.
Featuring traditional Mexican meals, the menu offers dishes such as carne asada, al pastor pork, spicy green sauce and menudo,
which is a traditional soup with tripe, onion, garlic, guajillo peppers and hominy.
Local vendors deliver fresh ingredients to the family-owned restaurant each morning before opening, Amaya said.
“Nothing is frozen, we prep everything here by scratch,” he shared. “We don’t even have a freezer. We don’t make a whole bunch of food and let it sit all day. It is fresh to order.”
“It is the whole family that works here and knows the recipes,” he continued. “There is no book to use or guide.”
Homemade salsa is also available for purchase by the jar, including mild, habanero, salsa verde and scorpion.
The key to success, and earning Fieri’s stamp of approval, lies within the menu’s longstanding history, Amaya explained.
The menu, a direct adaption from recipes used by Estrada’s parents at their restaurant in Chihuahua, Mexico, has not changed since the restaurant’s inception in the late ’90s,
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Roger Amaya, Martin Hernandez and Maria Estrada at Tortas Chano in Anthem. (Photo by Pablo Robles)
Amaya said.
“One thing I’ve learned is that you want that customer to keep coming back,” Amaya stated. “He’s going to try a green burrito, and then he’s going to keep wanting that same green burrito – so, don’t discourage him.”
Behind Tortas Chano’s mushrooming success lies a humble beginning.
Born and raised in Phoenix, Amaya said he developed a hard work ethic at an early age, often shining shoes on the streets as a kid to help his family financially.
Although he later went on to become an accountant, Amaya recalled always having a passion for cooking.
In Mexico, Estrada shared her future husband’s affinity for cooking. As a young girl, she spent time helping her family run their restaurant.
Amaya and Estrada met in 1990 in Phoenix and later married – but it was only a matter of time before they decided to take their culinary talents to the next level.
After toying with the idea of opening a restaurant, Amaya jumped on the opportunity in 1996 when he noticed an empty
space inside of an Anthem Shell gas station.
“We lived down the street, and then I saw an empty gap,” he recalled. “I got kicked down at first because we weren’t corporate.”
But, after the couple invited the gas station owner over for dinner to sample their food, the rest was history.
As the gas station operation continued to skyrocket, Amaya and Estrada moved the restaurant in 2009 to its current location.
Despite divorcing prior to the move, the pair has committed to continuing to flourish as business partners – as well as preserving their creation’s authenticity.
“I always learned, ‘A little location, a lot of
circulation,’” Amaya said of their business model.
He added that the family has turned down multiple offers from investors to expand.
Anthem members are now rallying behind Amaya and his family to show how much they appreciate Tortas Chano as a staple within the community.
Earlier this year, Amaya underwent a surgery to amputate his left leg, followed by his right leg in July, due to an infection. Throughout his recovery, Amaya said he has received so much support from the community, ranging from heartfelt messages from customers to a recent visit from Anthem Fire Department.
“That’s love in Anthem,” he said. “I had a lot of people come to house during COVID to drop off books.”
“We’re very grateful that Anthem accepted what we do here,” he added.
Amaya said that he and his family hope to relocate to a larger location in Anthem in the near future to provide space for more salsa production and shipping capabilities.
“If you give people your food, they’ll give you their heart back,” he said.
To learn more about Tortas Chano, or place an order online, visit.tortaschano.com.
HEALTH
���� page 17
next preventative health visit. A physician can schedule routine breast, colon, cervical or prostate cancer screenings based on your age and family history. Regular screenings help with early detection, which can increase the chances of finding an effective treatment plan.
Arizona’s 300-plus days of sometimes very intense sunshine should drive residents of all ages to get screened for skin cancer, which can often go undetected. Usually appearing as a new spot or morphing the appearance of an existing mole, melanoma is the most dangerous type of skin cancer and can spread to other parts of the body.
In instances where COVID-19 continues to be a safety concern for some people, talking with a primary care provider can help to reduce fears and uncover alternative options for certain screenings. At the end of the day, if you have missed a screening, the most important step you can take is to reach out to your doctor and schedule a visit to get back on track.
Tacos al pastor (Photo by Pablo Robles)
Obituaries
Karen Lee Mounce
87 of Anthem, Arizona, passed away on Friday, July 2, 2021, with her family by her side. She was born to the late Carl & Karen Pauline Nelson, February 27, 1934, in Los Angeles, CA.
Karen graduated with her bachelors at UCLA. She was married to Howard Wendell Mounce (deceased) in June 1957. She is survived by her sons and their spouses, Stephen and Paula Mounce, Erich and Marla Mounce, and her daughter Katrina Kunz. Her sister Marlene Toon, brother Johnny Nelson., and by a host of grandchildren and great grandchildren.
Karen leaves nothing but beautiful memories of her friends, her church, and her family. Her most talked about trip was fishing in Alaska, golf tournaments, and the many gin and poker nights. In her later years her passion was her church in Anthem, Palmcroft. Join us at her celebration of life on Saturday, August 28, 2021 at 3:00 PM at Palmcroft Church, Anthem, 3715 W Anthem Way, Anthem, AZ 85086. In lieu of flowers please make donations to the church that gave her such joy and pride in the last several years.
