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Apricus Health to open new surgery center

BY PEORIA TIMES STAFF

A Valley health care company has set its sights on the West Valley.

Apricus Health, a physician-led and -founded health system based in Scottsdale, is building new surgery centers in Avondale and Surprise.

“With so many people moving to the West Valley, there’s a large and growing need for high-quality health care services across the board,” said Dr. Kishlay Anand, president of Apricus Health.

According to WESTMARC data, the West Valley is projected to grow at twice the national rate over the next five years. By 2030, the area will be home to 2.1 million residents by 2030 — up from 1.7 million.

The surgery centers are slated to open in mid2022. Each is equipped to serve 5,000 patients annually.

Apricus Health Surgery Center of Avondale will be located on the first floor of the newly constructed Akos Medical Campus on 107th Avenue and McDowell Road. The 10,320-square-foot center will offer three operating rooms, two procedure rooms and 16 patient care bays.

Up the road in Surprise at Bell and El Mirage roads is the Apricus Health Surgery Center of Surprise, a joint venture with Peak Heart & Vascular. The 11,196-square-foot center will include three operating rooms and 13 patient care bays, along with a cardiac catheterization laboratory for the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular conditions.

“These facilities will be staffed by highly experienced clinicians and outfitted with top-of-the-line surgical equipment, well-appointed patient rooms and

Apricus Health, a physician-led and-founded health system based in Scottsdale, is building new surgery centers in Avondale and Surprise. The centers are expected to open in mid-2022. (Submitted photo) SEE APRICUS PAGE 15

Mochilero Kitchen receives Peoria mayor’s award

BY PEORIA TIMES STAFF

Mayor Cathy Carlat named Mochilero Kitchen the Mayor’s Restaurant of the Month for January.

Located in the bustling shopping plaza at the southwest corner of 67th Avenue and Happy Valley Road, Mochilero Kitchen is a chef-driven and award-winning restaurant owned by Peoria residents and siblings Jorge Cota and Meliza Miranda.

Mochilero, which translates to backpacker in English, was inspired by a backpacking trip Cota took spanning 23 states in Mesoamerica. Through Cota’s travels, he experienced the warm culture, authenticity and cooking techniques of each town, which is reflected in Mochilero Kitchen.

“We wanted to bring back the hospitality we experienced,” Cota said. “Even if the home or restaurant we visited wasn’t fancy, it was about bringing everyone together, and that’s what we want to focus on here.”

Cota and Miranda did not let the onset of a global pandemic dampen their vision or their spirits. They opened their doors in April 2020.

“We had a goal to open up, we had a commitment to ourselves, to the community and to the staff,” Cota said. “In looking at the news we realized we needed to change our plans to take out only, which kept us going until we were able to safely open our dining room.”

Each meal is prepared from scratch using only the highest-grade ingredients, including prime meats and poultry and farm-harvested produce. While guests may find traditional Mexican dishes, such as tacos and enchiladas, each plate provides a taste of one of the many states visited.

Their popular Mochilero mole plate is inspired by a stop in the Oaxaca and includes more than 45 ingredients. Creative options such as the veggie enchilada stack, roasted mushroom taco, red snapper zarandeado, Sonoran

Mayor Cathy Carlat is joined by Mochilero Kitchen co-owner Jorge Cota, Cota’s mother Norma Lopez, and members of the Mochilero Kitchen team. (Photo courtesy of the city of Peoria)

common areas, and a patient navigation team to simplify the process from beginning to end,” Anand said.

All told, the surgery centers represent an investment of $11.7 million and more than 100 new jobs in the area. Both centers will be Medicare certified and fully accredited by the joint commission.

Local residents may already be familiar with Apricus Health, as the organization serves the West Valley at 10 clinics in Avondale, Peoria, Surprise and Sun City West. Beyond surgical care, the health system offers a wide range of other services, from primary and urgent care to specialty care and imaging.

According to Anand, this is just the tip of the iceberg, as Apricus Health has big plans for growth in 2022 and beyond.

In the West Valley, plans call for a new microhospital in Avondale and, in July, the opening of the Apricus Health Sun City Imaging Center. Located a few miles from the company’s new surgery center in Surprise, the imaging center will provide complementary services at a nearby location.

“Our model is centered on providing integrated, value-based care that puts patients at the center of the health care experience — right where they belong,” Anand said. “In a booming metropolis like greater Phoenix, this means building new sites of service to make it easier for people to access the care they need and deserve.” PT

Apricus Health Surgery Center of Avondale will be located on the first floor of the new Akos Medical Campus on 107th Avenue and McDowell Road. The Surprise location, a joint venture with Peak Heart & Vascular, will sit at Bell and El Mirage roads. (Submitted photo) hot dog and steak picadillo take guests on a culinary adventure. A savory weekend brunch menu, lunch plates, and premium handcrafted cocktails and spirits are also offered.

Beyond the menu, diners will experience Central American culture through the warm and comfortable décor and award-winning interior design. A large map of Central America is prominently displayed, with each tabletop stamped with different geographic regions. An eye-catching mural, hand-painted by the talented local artist Daniel Campa, portrays actors from the Golden Age of Mexican cinema. PT

Mochilero Kitchen 6791 W. Happy Valley Road, Suite 100, Peoria 623-440-5588, mochilerokitchen.com

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Globetrotters ready for Valley antics

BY JOSHUA WEISBLY Peoria Times Staff Writer

Harlem Globetrotters guard Saul “Flip” White Jr. feels fortunate.

This March, he and the rest of his team will bring their high-flying antics to four spots in Arizona as the team continues its Spread Game Tour.

“To see the smiles on the kids’ faces and also the parents’ faces, that’s always been, and still to this day, my favorite part,” White says.

The Globetrotters’ stops are 7 p.m. Thursday, March 3, at Tucson Arena; 7 p.m. Friday, March 4, at Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott; 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at the Footprint Center in Phoenix; and 2 p.m. Sunday, March 6, at Gila River Arena.

The appearances will bring fans new experiences from a dunk contest and funny characters during the four-quarter game. Fans can meet the Globetrotters afterward.

White comes from a family where basketball was always a part of life. He was introduced to the game at the age of 4, and one of his fondest basketball memories was his father holding him up to the hoop to dunk the basketball. White’s grandparents took him to Globetrotters games.

“I love entertaining people and putting smiles on their faces,” White says in his bio. “Being a Globetrotter means everything to me.”

White is known on the court for his acrobatics and athleticism.

Before becoming a Globetrotter, White played basketball at Moraine Valley Community College in Illinois, where he averaged 11 rebounds and 18 points per game. After college, White played in the International Basketball League before becoming a Globetrotter.

“It was a surreal moment at first,” White says. “When I got to training camp and saw everybody in a training camp, I’m like, ‘Oh, man, I’m really here.’”

Potential Globetrotters should remember there’s a difference between the team and the NBA.

“It’s different,” White says. “It helped me with basketball, but I had to learn the entertainment side and the tricks side once I became a Globetrotter.”

During his decade with the Globetrotters, White’s role has evolved.

“I’m 10 years in. I’m more of a team

SEE GLOBETROTTERS PAGE 17

Coyotes’ Liam O’Brien sees ‘something special’

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Peoria Times Executive Editor

Liam O’Brien is an enforcer on the Arizona Coyotes, ready for fights and racking up 94 penalty infraction minutes.

He just laughs when asked about it.

“I think I’m a very competitive person,” the 27-year-old center said. “I just love to compete. I just love the feeling of playing. It’s a blast, and there’s adrenaline to it. It’s fun — between the guys in the room, the friends you make, people you get to meet, cities you get to travel to and the biggame moments.”

A Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, native, O’Brien had a dream of playing hockey since he was 3 years old — and didn’t give it up.

There wasn’t an NHL dream in his hometown, so instead he admired the players of the Halifax Mooseheads, a Canadian major junior ice hockey club in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. itals and Colorado Avalanche before signing with the Coyotes on July 28, 2021.

“My mom is super proud,” he said. “They were able to make it to the game there in New York City. It’s nice that they can come out and watch me live out my dream. For them, that’s all they could have ever asked for. They dedicated a lot of time, bringing me to the rink.

“They did so much for me. All their sacrifices, all the hard work, it all paid off.”

O’Brien — who calls the Coyotes a close-knit, great group of guys — trains during the off season, which is his typical summer routine. He spends most of his summers in Carlsbad, California, and he and his fiancée, Adéla Zahrajová from the Czech Republic, enjoy traveling. Their passport includes stamps from Thailand, Italy, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Greece and “all of Europe.”

Arizona Coyotes center Liam O’Brien, above, during a recent game, enjoys traveling with his fiancée, Adéla Zahrajová. (Photo courtesy of Getty Images)

Fans can upgrade their tickets to have fun opportunities and experiences with the Harlem Globetrotters when they make multiple appearances in Arizona. (Photos courtesy of the Harlem Globetrotters) Saul “Flip” White Jr. has been with the Globetrotters for over a decade, providing fans with impressive showings of his high-flying dunking ability.

GLOBETROTTERS FROM PAGE 16 player. Now, I’m straight utility,” says White, a former “American Ninja Warrior” contestant.

“I ask, ‘What do you need me to do? This is what you need me to do?’ I’m going to fill in, and I’m going to do what I do best.”

Basketball has one of the richest histories in sports. The team strives to stick to its original goals, while reaching newer generations.

“We’re still bringing those high-flying dunks, those amazing trick shots, those antics, but we want the new generation to know that it’s OK to have fun while we entertain, have fun while you play basketball and love what you do,” White said. “You’re a basketball player, love it.”

History of the Globetrotters

The team was founded in 1926 by Abe Saperstein and won its first World Basketball Championship in 1940. From there, the Globetrotters embarked on its first international tour in 1950 and has since traveled to all 50 states 123 countries or territories.

The Globetrotters helped popularize the basics of basketball, such as the slam dunk and fast break, as well as the point guard and forward positions.

O’BRIEN FROM PAGE 16

On his wish list are Mauritius in East Africa, Madagascar and Peru.

“Traveling is something that we try to do as much as we can,” O’Brien said. “For hockey, I travel a lot within the United States and Canada. I think it’s important to see other parts of the world and other cultures and whatnot. That’s something we’ve taken the time to do over the last five to six years.

“I feel like we’ve been to a few other spots, too. I just really enjoy seeing the way other people live. I don’t think there’s anything cooler than that. You learn so much.”

He called Italy “amazing,” a place where the food is “ridiculous,” whether it’s a larger restaurant or a hole in the wall. “It’s the best food I’ve ever had.”

O’Brien hopes that the Coyotes’ rebuild will continue to improve.

“They’re building a culture — a strong culture — to win as many games as possible,” O’Brien said.

“We’ve really come together in the last little while, winning games against good hockey team. We’re coming together, and I think it’s the beginning of something special.” PT

Those who are unfamiliar with the legendary group may recognize some of the names that have donned the team’s jerseys — Wilt Chamberlain, Meadowlark Lemon, Fred “Curly” Neal and “Sweet” Lou Dunbar.

Thirteen of its players have been inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The team joined in 2002.

PT

IF YOU GO...

WHAT: The Harlem Globetrotters WHEN: 7 p.m. Thursday, March 3 WHERE: Tucson Arena, 260 S. Church Avenue, Tucson COST: Tickets start at $20 INFO: ticketmaster.com

WHEN: 7 p.m. Friday, March 4 WHERE: Findlay Toyota Center, 3201 N. Main Street, Prescott COST: Tickets start at $31.50 INFO: 928-772-1819, ticketmaster.com WHEN: 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday, March 5 WHERE: Footprint Center, 201 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix COST: Tickets start at $20 INFO: 602-379-2000, footprintcenter.com

WHEN: 2 p.m. Sunday, March 6 WHERE: Gila River Arena, 9400 W. Maryland Avenue, Glendale COST: Tickets start at $20 INFO: gilariverarena.com