ECRWSS Carrier Route PreSorted Standard U.S. POSTAGE PAID Permit No. 371 Cave Creek, AZ
Elevate Coffee Co.
Anthem Cars and Coffee
PAGE 26
Serving the communities of Anthem, Black Canyon City, Carefree, Cave Creek, Desert Hills, New River, North Phoenix, Tramonto and Peoria
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TheFoothillsFocus.com
This Week
BY SARAH DONAHUE Foothills Focus Staff Writer
W
ithout a doubt, the Anthem Veterans Day Ceremony is a major point of pride in the community where thousands usually gather at the memorial to pay their respects to those who served our country. All of the same recognition will happen this year, except it will be celebrated virtually to comply with the governor’s COVID-19 executive order banning groups of more than 50.
NEWS..........................9
Beloved tour guide Johnny Ringo battling cancer
I-17 Happy Valley Road Interchange Traffic Movements FR ON
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EASTBOUND VEHICLE TRAFFIC
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RD SHOPS AT NORTERRA
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HAPPY VALLEY RD DIVERGING DIAMOND INTERCHANGE
NEWS ..............12
Diverging diamond interchange opens at I-17, Happy Valley
FEATURES .......30
Scottsdale polo event returns with safety measures
OPINION.................... 17 BUSINESS.................. 25 FEATURES................. 30 YOUTH....................... 40 CLASSIFIEDS............. 42 Zone
Wednesday, October 14, 2020
Anthem’s Veterans Day ceremony goes virtual
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see VETERANS page 4
Anthem’s Veterans Day Ceremony is going virtual to keep people safe during the era of COVID-19. Tune in to the virtual ceremony on Anthem Community Council’s YouTube channel or Facebook page at 10 a.m. Wednesday, November 11. (Photo courtesy Anthem Community Council)
Cave Creek council votes to amend specific area plan BY SARAH DONAHUE Foothills Focus Staff Writer
T
o maximize sales tax revenues to pay for Cave Creek’s expenses, the Carefree Highway Specific Area Plan (SAP) was amended to allow more access points for potential businesses in the future. It’s unknown what businesses will open on these parcels of land. In a passionate meeting that lasted more than four hours, the Town Council voted 4-3 to approve this amendment, which adds three new traffic access points to the future
commercial area, one on 48th Street, one on 49th Street as well as one in between. The request for amendment was made by developer Stewart Jean, who wanted to allow increased access to the site. Jean also developed the nearby Sprouts Farmers Market across the highway. Some Cave Creek residents, many of whom live in the surrounding neighborhood, Estado de Cholla, were not keen on the changes due to concerns about traffic and commotion from the potential commercial area. Over the summer, there were multiple neighborhood meetings held by citizens to
discuss the matter. A change.org petition called “Save the S.A.P/Protect the creek/Don’t Phoenix Cave Creek!!!” was made around three months ago to protest the amendment. It garnered around 900 signatures. “The S.A.P. was developed as a means to protect the town and homeowners from high-density commercial development and intense vehicular traffic on Carefree Highway, 48th and 49th streets,” the petition reads. “The S.A.P. is a promise built on good
see CAVE CREEK page 10