Here for Tempe — Yesterday, Today, and in the New Year.
As the calendar turns, we’re grateful for another year ser ving the community we call home. At The Sorenson Law Firm, we’re more than attorneys we’re parents, neighbors, and active supporters of our local Tempe Community.
If 2026 brings unexpected challenges — from an injur y accident to a business conflict you don’t have to face them alone. Our family-owned team is here to protect your rights and help you move for ward with confidence.
Wishing you a safe and successful New Year.
Personal Injur y & Wrongful Death
Arbitrations, Mediations, and ADR
Business & Commercial Litigation
Wine Spectator has
Wine Spectator was first published in 1976. And in their 49 year history, not one senior community had been recognized for their dedication to wine – until last year, when Mirabella at ASU was thrilled to be the first.
Now we did it again!
And the best pairing to great wine? Great food, of course. Which is why we offer exceptional dining. We invite you to come see what luxury senior living on the ASU campus is all about. Schedule your visit today.
Where Love Shows Up
February has a way of reminding us that love isn’t just something we feel. It’s something we show up for. In our Love Local Issue, we’re celebrating the people and businesses who pour heart, purpose, and intention into our community every single day. It’s the kind of love found in shared spaces, trusted relationships, and the steady commitment to doing meaningful work that leaves a lasting impact. It’s about choosing connection, even in the smallest moments, and showing up with care.
In these pages, you’ll find that love poured into every corner of our community. It’s felt in the warm, welcoming energy of Hundred Mile Brewing Co., where strangers become regulars and conversations linger long after the last pour. It’s reflected in the steady guidance and integrity of Sorenson Law Firm, where trust is built through advocacy and showing up when it matters most. And it lives powerfully in the heart-led work of Suzy Foundation, where compassion becomes action and support reaches far beyond a single moment.
This issue is a celebration of what it truly means to love local, an ongoing commitment to the people, passion, and community we invest in together.
We believe in a world where people understand their bodies better, know how to take care of themselves, feel empowered by their self-care choices, pursue activities they enjoy without limitations imposed by fear or pain, and strive for lives that demonstrate who they truly are inside and out.
Dr. Mona Zade and Dr. Annette Hobi
Now Open In Tempe
Adult and Pediatric ENT Care
Hearing Testing/Treatment
Earaches/Ear Infections | Dizziness
Tinnitus/Ear Ringing | Nasal Surgery
Sinusitis | Allergies | Nose Bleeds
Congestion | Sore Throat | Cough
Dr. Tracey Knott DO, FAOCO
Tianna Gomes PA- C
city scene
WHERE
NEIGHBORS CAN SEE AND BE SEEN
1: Stephanie Coleman and team toast to Clothes Mentor’s 7th anniversary in the community. 2: City officials and volunteers gather at the Salvation Army for a For Our City–Tempe breakfast. 3: Steve James (left), managing director of Summit Financial Solutions, and team celebrate the holidays with clients. 4: Carol Royse and team host a holiday pie and dinner celebration for clients over Thanksgiving. 5: Giving back is a family tradition for Eric and Vikki Middlebrook with Derek Middlebrook, Kaitlyn Middlebrook and Josh Collom. 6: David Chandler and Julian Ochoa celebrate the grand opening of Chandy’s Candies at Casa Paloma. 7: Chick-fil-A franchise owner, Brandon Barrett, and team cut the ribbon for the 3rd Tempe location.
Love at first bite
Enjoy Heart Shaped Trays this Valentine’s Day. Available for a limited time. While supplies last.
“What is done with love, is done well.”
Suzy Foundation All Ability 5k
Join Suzy Foundation for its 5th Annual All Abilities 5K on February 15, 2026, at 9am at Kiwanis Park. Walk, roll, run, or cheer—this inclusive event welcomes all abilities. More than a race, it’s a movement supporting individuals with special needs by funding essential equipment insurance doesn’t cover. Visit: https://suzyfoundation.org/ events to register.
by Jett Arredondo
Want to be featured?
Photography
BREWING CONNECTION,
ONE POUR AT A TIME
ARTICLE BY JETT ARREDONDO | PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED
The Story of Hundred Mile Brewing Co.
Hundred Mile Brewing Co. has quickly become a Tempe favorite, known for craft beer, connection, and community that owner Sue Rigler has built into every detail. For Sue, creating a brewery was never about opening another spot to grab a drink; it was about building a feeling.
“I’ve always believed that people naturally crave connection, and genuine hospitality feels harder to find these days,” she says. “I didn’t want to create just another brewery. I wanted a true ‘third space,’ a place where people feel comfortable, welcomed, and eager to return.” Tempe’s spirit of togetherness made it the perfect home for that vision. It matched her desire to create something warm, rooted, lasting.
That commitment to community fuels Hundred Mile’s “love local” philosophy, a value woven through everything from its partnerships to the beer itself. As a 100% woman-owned business with strong ties to Tempe as an ASU alum, Sue brings a blend of small-town warmth and city energy to her work. “Even though I’m originally from Iowa, I bring that ‘Iowa-nice,’ small-town mentality right into a big city,” she says. “We learn your name, we listen to your story, and we want Hundred Mile to feel like a place you can bring your whole family, kids, parents, and grandparents alike.”
The menu is infused with Tempe personality, featuring beers named after local landmarks such as Tempe Snap, Cell Phone Lot, and “A” Mountain. Even the beloved Mayor Woods Potato Chips pay tribute to Mayor Corey Woods, who loves them. For Sue, “love local” isn’t just a slogan; it means showing up for people in real, meaningful ways and cultivating a space where everyone feels they belong.
That heart-forward approach helped earn her recognition as Business Woman of the Year, an honor she describes as both humbling and motivating. “It reminded me that leadership is about being an example, pursuing your dreams and pushing forward even when things feel overwhelming.” she says. The growth that followed shaped her even more. Winning challenged her to rise to a higher standard, confront fears, and embrace the responsibility of building something meaningful for her community. “Leadership is an ongoing evolution,” Sue says. “That experience inspired me to lead, serve, and uplift others with greater intention.”
The journey has also included challenges. When Hundred Mile opened in December 2022, the weight of what she had built, especially with no prior brewery experience, brought fear and overwhelm she had never felt before. The demanding schedule and steep learning curve took a toll on her mental health. “I had to reach out for real support to find my grounding again,” she explains. Working with a therapist and leadership coach Bethany Graver of Alimental Business, Sue built a strong management team aligned with her core values. “They buy into my values and amplify my vision,” she says. “That was transformative.” Through this process, she learned to turn fear into faith and now leads with greater clarity, confidence, and peace.
Hundred Mile Brewing Co. is focused on deepening its community impact. A new offsite lunch catering program will bring their food and craft beer directly to workplaces and venues around Tempe. Their Soulful Sunday program, led by Shannon Winters of Changing Lives Counseling, will continue to expand its reach. Sue hopes to grow partnerships that activate Tempe Town Lake, creating memorable experiences around one of the city’s signature spaces.
For Sue and Hundred Mile Brewing Co., the future remains rooted in community, purpose, and possibility.
Hydrate. Heal. Thrive.
Empowering
NEOS MED SPA
TEMPE COUPLE’S LAW FIRM HAS HELPED LOCAL COMMUNITY FOR OVER TWO DECADES
SERVICE BEYOND THE COURTROOM
For over 20 years, Johnny and Paula Sorenson have been serving the Tempe community through their business, The Sorenson Law Firm, LLC, located near Elliot Road and Hardy Drive.
The family-owned and minority-owned business specializes in civil work primarily in the areas of serious personal injury, wrongful death, insurance claims, as well as business and commercial litigation.
“We represent a lot of individuals and families in the community, when they've been wronged, especially in the arena of personal injury and wrongful death,” says Johnny. “We help them with all aspects of the accident including resolving property damage, dealing with hospitals and doctors, and building their case so they get maximum compensation for their losses.”
ARTICLE BY TIANNA MORIMOTO | PHOTOGRAPHY BY GREG ZEHE
When it comes to business and commercial litigation, The Sorenson Law Firm, LLC focuses on helping their clients understand and resolve a dispute with another person or company. “We help our clients identify the legal and factual issues that are in dispute. We also help our clients frame and focus their evidence and arguments, communicate that to the other side, and hopefully resolve the dispute that way. Some of it is counseling our clients and giving them straight talk, which is something we're proud of,” says Johnny.
Johnny, a Montana native, graduated near the top of his class from Arizona State University’s law school. He then clerked for the Arizona Court of Appeals and worked as an attorney at a large downtown Phoenix firm.
Paula was born in Phoenix and met Johnny while working in the Supreme Court. They soon got married and moved to Tempe, where they raised their four children.
On July 23, 2005, the couple opened the doors of The Sorenson Law Firm, LLC, where Tempe families and businesses could seek legal help, and their firm could make a meaningful impact locally. “We really identify with our team and our clients and try to help them the best we can,” says Johnny.
“Pretty much all of our team members are people we’ve met along the way. If they were teenagers, they babysat for us while in high school, and then worked with us at the firm while attending college,” says Paula. “That was the big thing for me in opening the law firm—helping people, supporting our employees as they finished their degrees if that was their path, or simply creating a really nice place where they wanted to come to work every day.”
“Starting our own little office was really an opportunity where we could not only live comfortably, but do good for the community,” says Johnny.
The couple makes the perfect team in and out of the courtroom. Johnny works as an attorney, while Paula, a paralegal, also conducts private investigations work for the firm, including finding key witnesses for important cases. Despite the long hours their work demands, spending time with family has remained a priority to the Sorensons.
The Tempe location of their office meant Johnny would be closer to home and family, attend more of his kids’ events, and give them a place where they could spend time together.
“It was a way that we could still meet the demands of this profession and still be really connected to our family,” says Johnny. One of their kids has even followed in Johnny’s footsteps and is currently attending law school at Arizona State University, while another plans to do the same.
Diversity is a core value at The Sorenson Law Firm, LLC, which is something that comes from Johnny’s experience as a first-generation American. Johnny says his mother, who is Korean and never learned to read or write English, gave him a different perspective.
CONTINUED >
“People with diverse backgrounds and perspectives—whether it's race, gender, origin, or lived experience—more accurately reflect the community around us. That’s something that we value and are proud of,” says Johnny. The Sorenson Law Firm, LLC is also a certified minority supplier enterprise. Johnny and Paula believe that embracing different ideas and welcoming diverse backgrounds is essential to their success, their community, and their profession.
Along with helping companies and people with their legal issues, Johnny and Paula also support their community by sponsoring local schools’ sports teams, making donations to teachers and classrooms, and taking pizza from the restaurant their daughter works at to the local police and fire departments.
In 2006, Paula started East Valley Attorney Services (EVAS) to help reduce costs for The Sorenson Law Firm, LLC’s clients. Paula would make deliveries and pick-ups at various law firms, medical offices, courts, and businesses. She would handle large copy and scan projects and photograph accident scenes. Paula has largely stopped EVAS to focus on her paralegal and investigative work in the office.
Johnny occasionally serves as a judge pro tempore for the Maricopa County Superior Court, where he handles short trials and serves as a neutral settlement conference judge. He also works as a neutral mediator or arbitrator when hired by other law firms to help with dispute resolutions and private mediations. Johnny is also an active member of the Arizona Asian American Bar Association and the Arizona Association for Justice.
“STARTING OUR OWN LITTLE OFFICE WAS REALLY AN OPPORTUNITY WHERE WE COULD NOT ONLY LIVE COMFORTABLY, BUT DO GOOD FOR THE COMMUNITY.”
Now entering Johnny’s 30th year of legal practice, and their 21st year of business, The Sorenson Law Firm, LLC has grown to a team of 14 experienced legal professionals working together on hundreds of cases per year and continues to serve the Tempe community.
“You really get the same quality of work that you would if you were hiring a big national law firm, but with the benefits of being in a small law firm environment,” says Johnny.
MDVIP Wellness Program
Expert comprehensive screenings, tests and a custom wellness plan designed for you.
Better Health Outcomes
Members have better control of chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol and hypertension.Dr. Heavens has extensive training in hormone replacement therapy for women and men, he is also a certified menopause provider by the Menopause Society of North America.
Available After Hours
The doctor is available by phone, after-hours and on weekends.
Better Doctor-
Relationship 97% of MDVIP members are satisfied with their relationship (vs 58% in traditional PCP)
THE SUZY FOUNDATION
HOPE, INCLUSION, COMMUNITY
ARTICLE BY JETT ARREDONDO PHOTOGRAPHY PROVIDED
The Suzy Foundation was created out of love for one extraordinary girl and a deep desire to make a difference for families like hers. Founded by Jaime Arredondo and inspired by her daughter, Suzy, the foundation provides adaptive equipment and essential resources for individuals with special needs. When Suzy was young, Jaime quickly realized how many families struggle to access the equipment their loved ones truly need, tools that make everyday life safer, more comfortable, and more independent. With insurance often failing to cover these vital items, families are left to shoulder overwhelming costs. That gap inspired Jaime to create the Suzy Foundation: a place where families can find hope, connection, and meaningful support.
“At its core, our mission is simple but powerful,” says founder Jaime Arredondo. “It’s about providing access to life-changing equipment while building a community where every individual, regardless of ability, is valued and included.”
One moment that beautifully reflects the heart of the foundation took place during one of its annual community events. A young girl received a specialized walker that allowed her to take her first independent steps. After months of trying and struggling to afford the equipment, her parents watched in awe as their daughter moved freely for the first time. Surrounded by cheering friends, family, and community members, the moment was a powerful reminder that the foundation’s work goes far beyond equipment. It restores hope, dignity, and joy.
As 2026 unfolds, several initiatives are taking shape, beginning with the All Ability 5k—an inclusive community event welcoming participants of all ages and abilities. More than a run or walk, it’s a celebration of connection, empowerment, and the belief that everyone deserves the opportunity to participate.
Later in the year, the Tempe Adaptive Adventure Day brings individuals with special needs and their families together for a day of fun, accessible outdoor activities. From adaptive sports to interactive games, the event creates space for connection, confidence, and shared experiences. Together, these initiatives reflect the heart of the Suzy Foundation: building community, celebrating abilities, and creating moments of lasting joy.
Local residents and businesses play a vital role in making the foundation’s work possible. Whether through volunteering, sponsoring events, donating
equipment, or spreading awareness, every act of support helps reach more families in need. “We encourage everyone to get involved, attend a fundraiser, join a community event, or partner with us to make an even greater impact,” says Jaime.
“Love Local” is more than a phrase for the Suzy Foundation. It’s a guiding principle shaping everything they do. “It means loving and lifting the community we live in,” says Jaime. The foundation has grown through the generosity and compassion of local families, businesses, and volunteers. “Every fundraiser, sponsorship, and community event reminds me that people genuinely want to help others when they’re given the opportunity,” she adds. “That local support not only sustains our mission, it reinforces the belief that kindness and inclusion begin right at home.”
The Suzy Foundation is more than an organization. It’s a community of love, built by people who believe everyone deserves a chance to live life to the fullest. Together, they are creating a world where compassion, inclusion, and hope are not just ideals, but realities.
Photography by: JDesigns
Photography by: JDesigns
MIRROR WORK FOR SELF-LOVE AND ACCEPTANCE
Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, who’s the fairest of them all? Everyone knows this line from Snow White. The Queen wanted to be the fairest. When she wasn’t, she poisoned beautiful Snow White. Most of us do not believe ourselves to be the fairest, but quite the opposite.
As February is widely known as the month of love, let’s focus on self-love. Often people, especially parents, tend to give a lot to their partners and their children and less to themselves. Sometimes it is challenging for us to silence the inner critic that speaks harshly to ourselves in a way we would never speak to a loved friend or family member. This is where mirror work can help.
Many people have a complicated relationship with the mirror. We don’t always like to look at our reflections. We may find it confronting. Taylor Swift even sings about it in her song Anti-hero: “I’ll stare directly at the sun but never in the mirror.” Why is it so difficult for some of us to gaze with love–or affection–into the mirror?
ARTICLE BY LEA GRIMALDI
Mirror work, a term coined by transformational teacher and selflove expert Louise Hay, founder of Hay House Publishing, and the author of You Can Heal Your Life and Mirror Work: 21 Days to Heal Your Life, is the practice of looking at yourself in the mirror and saying nice things to yourself. You can start with something simple. “I like myself. I am doing the best I can today.” Or even, “Hey sweetie! You look great!” One of my favorites is, “I love, accept, and forgive myself fully and completely.” Mirror work combines well with affirmations, which are positive phrases said in the present tense as if they are already true. The practice of saying affirmations combined with mirror work can increase the benefits of both practices.
The objective of mirror work is to help people silence their inner critic and believe the positive words they are telling themselves while looking at themselves in the mirror.
Mirror work can help with self-esteem issues and can achieve results such as changing a negative body image to a more positive one. Hay developed the practice to increase self-compassion and self-love as part of the daily activities detailed in her 1984 book You Can Heal Your Life. Although it can be confronting and challenging, it is important to practice mirror work regularly to reap the benefits. Set a daily goal of saying affirmations while looking at your reflection in the mirror and seeing how it makes you feel. Start with two minutes a day and work up to five.
As a yoga teacher, I have included mirror work in my classes with clients. Often the first experience with the exercise is somewhat uncomfortable, but with practice, it becomes more natural. When resistance comes up, ask yourself what you are feeling, allow the emotion to be present, and then release it. It may be rooted in a past experience and just needs to be acknowledged and felt before you can let it go.
HERE ARE SOME SIMPLE GUIDELINES FOR HOW TO CREATE A MIRROR WORK PRACTICE:
• Make sure you will be alone and uninterrupted so you can let your guard down and allow emotions to surface
• Try to do it for a set amount of time, such as five minutes every day
• Allow yourself to feel and process whatever emotions show up
• Keep a journal to record your feelings, reactions, and experiences
• Start with less confronting or difficult phrases, and as you become comfortable increase the intensity
Mirror work can be used in tandem with inner-child work because many of the negative limiting beliefs that play in our minds are the result of something we were told as a child that is not true about us or our life. If something negative comes up during mirror work, we can challenge it and write about the feelings in the journal, thus freeing us from that limiting belief.
Inner child work is an approach to recognizing and healing childhood trauma. We all experience traumas as children which affect the way we experience the world. As adults, we can reconnect with the child we once were, in order to heal. Mirror work is one way to help facilitate that process, in addition to talk therapy, meditation exercises, and setting healthy boundaries.
Here are some ideas for affirmations to use with your mirror work. I am strong. I am capable. I can do this. I believe in myself. I know my worth. I can do hard things. My life is abundant. I am happy and healthy in mind, body, and spirit. I believe in myself. I am kind and compassionate. I deserve love and abundance. I am doing my best. I am smart. I am brave. I am powerful.
In the words of Hay, “Doing mirror work is one of the most loving gifts you can give yourself.”
I AM STRONG. I AM CAPABLE. I CAN DO THIS. I BELIEVE IN MYSELF. I KNOW MY WORTH. I CAN DO HARD THINGS. MY LIFE IS ABUNDANT. I AM HAPPY AND HEALTHY IN MIND, BODY, AND SPIRIT. I BELIEVE IN MYSELF. I AM KIND AND COMPASSIONATE. I DESERVE LOVE AND ABUNDANCE. I AM DOING MY BEST. I AM SMART. I AM BRAVE. I AM POWERFUL. I AM STRONG.
DIS COVER THE VALAIS REGION OF SWITZERLAND, WHERE ALPINE TRAILS, THERMAL SPRINGS, AND LOCAL TRADITIONS CREATE RESTORATIVE TRAVEL.
AN ALPINE ESCAPE
In Switzerland’s Valais region, wellness and adventure are always part of the same itinerary. Morning could bring a high-alpine hike, afternoon a soak in mineral-rich springs, and evening a table set with traditional cuisine, always including delicious wine and cheese. For travelers, the best part will be finding the perfect balance between exploring the outdoors and relaxing with wellness-infused activities in the heart of the Swiss Alps.
A CAR-FREE ALPINE ADVENTURE IN ALETSCH ARENA
An easy train ride from Zurich lands visitors in the Aletsch Arena, a high-alpine region on the south side of the Bernese Alps, home to three villages: Riederalp, Bettmeralp, and Fiescheralp. Known for its ski slopes in winter and hiking in summer, the area is entirely car-free, making walking and local buses the main modes of transportation through its quaint chalet-lined streets.
One of the main attractions of the ski-in/ski-out area is the Aletsch Glacier, the longest glacier in the Alps. A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the 12-mile glacier is visible from several vantage points, shaping every experience in the area.
WHERE TO STAY
ARTICLE BY GABI DE LA ROSA
Located in the heart of Bettmeralp, Hotel Panorama provides no-fuss accommodations steps away from the picturesque Chapel Maria Zum Schnee. The hotel’s restaurant offers delicious regional cuisine, including raclette paired with Swiss wine. A good bottle of Pinot Noir or Gamay is also easy to come by because the Valais region of Switzerland is one of the largest wine-producing areas in the country, with vineyards dotting the steep slopes of the Rhône Valley. In addition to wine and cheese, eating cholera, a covered vegetable pie invented in the region during the cholera epidemic, is a must.
Take in sweeping alpine views across Switzerland’s Valais region.
WHAT TO DO
Begin at Viewpoint Moosfluh, the closest and lowest vantage point of the Aletsch Glacier. From there, trailheads lead to Villa Cassel, once the home of a British financier and now a museum focused on history and conservation. The hike passes through a thousand-year-old forest with views of both the glacier and the Matterhorn.
Walk over Goms Bridge, a nearly 1,000-foot-long suspension bridge that connects two hiking areas over the Rhône River. For a final look at the majestic glacier, take the cable car to Viewpoint Eggishorn. At nearly 10,000 feet above sea level, it offers panoramic views of the Matterhorn, Mont Blanc, Jungfraujoch, or the “Top of Europe,” and the most comprehensive view of the Aletsch Glacier.
Goms Bridge over Rhone River.
HISTORY AND ALPS MEET IN MARTIGNY
A short train ride takes visitors to one of the largest cities in the Valais region of Switzerland. The city is a crossroads between Italy and France, with a history dating back to Roman times. Visitors can tour Roman ruins, including a well-preserved amphitheater, ancient settlements, and Roman baths.
WHERE TO STAY
Martigny Boutique Hotel is minutes from the train station and is one of the few establishments in the city employing people with disabilities. The light and bright hotel provides a comfortable base for exploring the city.
WHAT TO DO
Take the steepest funicular in the world, the Mont-Blanc Express, on a scenic ascent through the Alps. The funicular connects to a smaller train that leads to the Trient Valley on the French-Swiss border, where, at the top, a full day of activity begins. Hiking, biking, zip-lining, or traversing the Emosson Dam, which straddles France and Switzerland, are all options. The crystal clear blue waters of Emosson Lake are perfect for a picnic or a break between adventures.
Back in Martigny, Barryland, the only theme park in the world dedicated to St. Bernard dogs, offers a look at the history of the dog, bred by monks in the 17th century for alpine rescue work. The Barry Foundation, founded in 2005, continues to preserve the breed and educate visitors about it. Guests can watch the dogs train, play, and interact as they learn about their role in the region.
Roman influence remains visible across the city, including at Les Bains Publics at Hotel Borsari, where visitors can soak in cement wine barrels located in the hotel’s spa. The baths sit on the site of a former wine tank factory and offer a circuit of hot and cold pools in a historically inspired, wine-colored setting.
Funicular railway at Lake Emosson.
Dam at Lake Emosson near Chamonix, France and Finhaut, Switzerland.
Serving with Integrity for over 30 Years!
FEBRUARY 2026
A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
FEBRUARY 20TH-22ND
Innings Festival –Weekend
One
Tempe Beach Park | 80 W. Rio Salado Parkway
Experience the ultimate fusion of live music, baseball, and culinary favorites at Weekend One of Innings Festival in Tempe—a must-attend event for music lovers, food enthusiasts, and baseball fans alike. Visit: www.inningsfestival.com/innings for tickets.
FEBRUARY 21ST-MARCH 20TH
Spring Training is Back!
Tempe Diablo Stadium | 2200 W. Alameda Drive, Tempe Spring Training is back! Games kick off February 20 at Tempe Diablo Stadium, home of the Los Angeles Angels. From late February through March, Tempe is the perfect home base for experiencing all the fun and excitement that comes with spring training. Get tickets: mlb.com/angels/tickets/ spring-training
FEBRUARY 27TH-28TH
Extra Innings Festival at Tempe Beach Park –Weekend Two
Tempe Beach Park | 80 W. Rio Salado Parkway
The celebration continues as Innings Festival returns with a second weekend on February 27–28—bringing more live music, baseball vibes, and standout performances to Tempe. Visit: www. inningsfestival.com/innings for details and tickets.
