The Breeze - January 2019

More than 20 tons of snow provided fun times for Mesa families at CycloMesa WinterFest.

Red Mountain grad returns home with ‘Hello, Dolly!’

By Laura Latzko

e musical Hello, Dolly! continues to endear audiences more than 60 years after its original debut because of its farcical storyline, memorable music and relatable yet off beat characters.

Led by Betty Buckley and aided by East Mesa native Connor Wince, the national tour of Hello, Dolly! is keeping the musical alive. It comes to ASU Gammage from Tuesday, January 8, to Sunday, January 13.

Hello, Dolly! follows widowed socialite Dolly Gallagher Levi (Buckley), who is enlisted to play matchmaker for cantankerous “half-a-millionaire” Horace Vandergelder but ultimately has a more

Dolly...continued on page 6

Mesa firefighter set to prove he’s a ‘Titan’ on new NBC show

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

East Mesa resident Steven Hoppe survived a tumultuous child birth, a serious motorcycle crash and cancer. To inspire others, he is appearing on NBC’s e Titan Games, which debuts on ursday, January 3.

“Curveballs are thrown at you in life,” said Hoppe, a Mesa fi refighter. “I’m a survivor. I have four kids—twin girls who were 10 months old at the time—and my wife was still going through the process of all that when I was diagnosed with cancer.

“It made me stronger.”

In e Titan Games, competitors push their bodies to the limit by battling oppo-

Titan continued on page 8

Mailed to homes in Red Mountain Ranch, Mesa Desert Heights, Alta Mesa, Apache Wells and surrounding North Mesa.

Publisher Steve T. Strickbine

Vice President Michael Hiatt

Executive Editor Niki D’Andrea

Managing Editor Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

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Administration Courtney Oldham

Contributors

Casey Blake, Heather Copfer, Jan D’Atri, Kimberly Hosey, Laura Latzko, Shannon Maki, Octavio Serrano

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community spotlight

By Octavio Serrano

Organ donor starts farmers market at MCC

Ryan Alarie had to change his eating habits after donating a kidney. Wanting to help others who wish to eat healthy, he started Ra Seasonings in 2015.

“I donated one of my kidneys to a family member so I kind of had to change my diet; what I eat and how I eat,” said Alarie of Tempe.

While running his business, Alarie said he became interested in farmers markets and their health benefits.

“Going up to the farmers markets with

IF YOU GO

What: Red Mountain Farmers

When: 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturdays Where: Mesa Community College, 2307 N. Power Road, Mesa Info: 480-334-7000, redmountainfarmersmarket.com

my company, I just felt I wanted to share that with East Mesa, which doesn’t have one,” Alarie said.

e Red Mountain Farmers Market is open from October to May in the parking lot of Mesa Community College Red Mountain. e farmers market works with 40 to 50 vendors, including Tea and Lace Boutique, Juice Plus, Bite Me Healthy Bakery and Mom Corp Apparel. Food trucks have snacks available for purchase with participants like Chinoz Grill and ree Dogs Eatery. Also involved are artisans like Pako Lazo and Natural Creations Jewelry.

Alarie works with vendors who are relatively new to the industry and can’t get into other markets. He only allows one vendor of each type.

“Most farmers markets have two or three of the same types of vendors,” Ala-

rie said, “We try to do one of each, so we don’t intrude on other vendors trying to make their living.”

e farmers market partners with the Red Mountain Mesa Community College as they both strive to benefit students.

Cheryl Hardt, the college’s administrative assistant to the vice provost, said the farmers market brings awareness to

the campus.

“It’s been here 17 years and we still get individuals who say, ‘We didn’t even know you were here,’” Hardt said. Proceeds from the market are set aside to create a scholarship fund for MCC Red Mountain students.

“ e goal is to have $10,000 per year and scholarships,” Hardt said.

Charles Hilton, a vendor with the Red Mountain Farmers Market, said he likes the diversity of the market and its affordability.

“I think it is going to be very popular for the people in the East Valley and Las Sendas,” Hilton said. Alarie wants to continue to bring unique vendors to the East Valley.

“It’s dear to my heart to promote healthier lifestyles,” Alarie said.

devious plot in mind to land herself a husband. She is also enlisted to help artist Ambrose Kemper, who is in love with Horace’s niece Ermengarde, and is joined in her hijinks by hotel clerks Cornelius Hackl and Barnaby Tucker. Created by Jerry Herman and Michael Stewart, Hello, Dolly! debuted on Broadway in 1964 and was revived in 2017, subsequently winning four Tony Awards, including Best Revival of a Musical.

e national tour also stars Lewis Stadlen, as Horace Vandergelder; Garett Hawe, as Ambrose Kemper; Morgan Kirner, as Ermengarde; Nic Rouleau, as Cornelius Hackl and Jess LeProtto, as Barnaby Tucker.

An ensemble member, Wince graduated from Red Mountain High School in Northeast Mesa and earned a journalism degree from ASU. While growing up in Arizona, the actor performed with the East Valley Children’s eatre, Prather Entertainment Group and Hale Centre eatre.

Hello, Dolly! is the actor’s second national tour. He has also been in the ensemble cast for the national tour of e Little Mermaid. When he steps on the Gammage stage, it’ll be his Arizona stop with a national tour. He expects to see a lot of familiar faces.

“My mom has invited just about everyone I know in Arizona. It’s really exciting to be able to go home and perform my show there,” Wince said.

Wince added the show’s positive message speaks to him.

“ e show is all about the joy in the world.”

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He says the production doesn’t rely on technical elements or special effects. Instead, it focuses on the quirky storyline and characters, as well as big production numbers.

“It’s defi nitely very traditional Broadway style, with a lot of ballet in the show,” Wince said. “It’s really based in what musical theater was, and I think that’s something we’re all proud of.”

He said the show’s humor still stands up.

during the competition scene. In one of Wince’s favorite scenes, Dolly shows Cornelius and Barnaby how to dance.

“It turns into a huge dance number with all of the ensemble. It really is just a moment that is all about the joy of dancing,” Wince added.

Wince became involved in theater and started taking vocal lessons at a young age but didn’t start dance classes until age 17. rough middle school, he did gymnastics, training that has served him well as an actor.

“I think that helped me in knowing my body, controlling it. In 90 percent of my shows I’ve done as an adult, I’ve tumbled,” Wince said.

“I think it’s probably much more comedic than people would expect from it,” Wince said. “People are usually hysterically laughing by the end of it.”

Growing up, he was the only performer in his family and would often put on shows for his family.

Hello, Dolly! has challenged the actor because it is such a dance-heavy show, especially for ensemble members.

“I have quite a few embarrassing home videos of me putting on some dance performances,” Wince said.

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“ ere were dance moves I had to really practice during rehearsal to get them right,” he said. “I think that’s one of the prideful things about the show is we really worked hard to get it where it is.”

In the production, the ensemble members play a variety of characters, including townspeople and waiters. Wince says when playing each character, he tries to have a specific focus.

“When I’m playing a waiter, it’s really just about pride,” Wince explained. “We’re very astute and put together as opposed to when I’m a polka competition dancer. I’m usually a little bit more wacky.”

e show leans toward ballet, but the dancers showcase their polka skills

On a more serious note, Wince performed in the Hale Centre eatre’s Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, which led him on his path as a performer.

“ at was the first time that I realized my strengths as a dancer and began to realize how much I really enjoyed doing that. I’ve always loved being in the ensemble. I think it’s such an impactful and powerful job,” Wince says.

IF YOU GO

What: Hello, Dolly! National Tour

When: Various times Tuesday, January 8, to Sunday, January 13

Where: ASU Gammage, 1200 S. Forest Avenue, Tempe Cost: Tickets start at $35 Info: 480-965-3434, asugammage.com

Mesa firefighter

Steven Hoppe played football for ASU, but suffered a career-ending leg injury.

(Photo courtesy NBC)

nents in head-to-head challenges, designed by Dwayne Johnson, otherwise known as e Rock.

“ ey definitely asked a lot of personal questions. ey tried to make me think about things I’ve done in life, like key events and significant things.”

Winners advance to the ultimate challenge of Mount Olympus, the consummate athletic test of speed, strength, agility and endurance. In each episode, the male and female competitors who conquer Mount Olympus will become a titan. In the end, the titans return to battle each other. One woman and one man will be crowned titan champions.

His key events are significant. His mother suffered complications during childbirth at Tucson Medical Center, leaving Hoppe ill.

“When I was born, I was not supposed to live past three days,” he said. “Because of it, I lost my high-pitch hearing and I had some learning disabilities as a kid. I was held back in the second grade.”

hind what I’m doing. I enjoy competing and what e Rock stands for. He’s inspirational himself and he seems to be pretty genuine in what his aspirations are and what he’s trying to do.”

Hoppe didn’t have a chance to interact with Johnson too often, as the show kept the athletes separated from the former WWE Superstar.

“He did come into the tent once and gave a little speech about how excited he was that we were there,” Hoppe said. “We were all hand chosen and chosen for this event for specific reasons. I had a brief 15 to 20 seconds as I was walking off the stage. Overall, the interaction between the athletes and him was very minimal.”

mercial.

Hoppe, 38, found out about the competition from a Super Bowl com-

“I went online and read about what

tion. I also fi lled out two to three pages

“I went online and read about what he was looking to do,” he said. I applied and had to do a video application. I also fi lled out two to three pages of questions. It took about two weeks. ey wanted pretty in-depth details on my life story.

After high school in San Jose, California, Hoppe returned to Arizona to play football for ASU but suffered a careerending, nonsports-related leg injury. He parlayed his football knowledge into a special teams coaching job with Dennis Green in the United Football League. In 2016, while in the emergency room after a motorcycle crash, doctors uncovered cancer.

“My mom survived cancer twice. She was told she was going to die twice,” he added. “A lot of things have happened. I’ve had a lot of ups and downs in life. ere are a lot of people I can help with my story. at’s the whole purpose be-

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Hoppe couldn’t reveal how he fared in the tough competition, but he did say it was a “phenomenal experience.”

“It was definitely something I’ve never been a part of,” he said. “It was exciting to see how the fi lm industry worked, the back part of it. I enjoyed meeting people who have similar mindsets on the competition side of things. It was an unbelievable life experience. e attitudes were defi nitely contagious.”

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Your local dental expert weekly column

For years we have depended on dentures and bridges to replace missing teeth. And for those of you that have dentures you understand how di cult it is to speak, eat, and even smile with dentures. Implants can x this. On this page I hope to help make implants easier to understand and what we can do with them. In the past, for one or two missing teeth you would get a bridge, which involves the grinding away of good tooth structure. Implants can x this. is illustration demonstrates the di erence between a bridge and implant. A dental implant is a titanium screw that is placed in your mouth that holds a crown or a denture in place. is has changed the lives of many of our patients at Mea Dental. We no longer have to rely on adhesives or suction to hold dentures. We no longer have to grind good teeth down to stubs to replace a tooth. e process involves minimal discomfort and downtime. Most patients have no discomfort during or a er the procedure.

ere are three parts to the implant: the titanium implant screw that is placed, the abutment, which holds the crown onto the implant and then the crown. On the side there is another illustration that shows how closely the implant replicates our real teeth and the three parts of the implant.

At Mesa Dental we know how frustrating dentures can be. Generally we can get the upper dentures somewhat comfortable with the suction of the pallet. For some dentures, upper and lowers, can just be very uncomfortable. Dr. Chase Davis can place implants and a denture that stays in. We o er many options for implant-retained dentures including: hybrid dentures, all on 4 dentures, and locator-supported dentures. All have di erent costs, pros and cons. Come in for a complimentary exam to evaluate your case and have Dr. Davis answer you questions.

Another reason implants are a great option for tooth replacement is it holds the bone in the jaw. As you remove teeth the supporting bone is lost. is has 2 major consequences. 1. You lose supporting bone for teeth surrounding the tooth that was lost. is can cause sensitivity issues, loose teeth and esthetic concerns. 2. It makes our cheeks ‘sink in’ and make us age more as you can see in the picture below. Implants have revolutionized the way we replace teeth. Implants help retain the bone and bone loss is minimal was the implant is placed and stable. If you are thinking about implants please call us today.

Mesa couple open Arizona’s only veteran-owned art gallery

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

Mountain Bridge residents Susan Paige and her husband, Lt. Col. Barry Rosenblatt, are spreading their message that art boosts veterans’ morale by hosting exhibits at Paige Artists Studio/Gallery/ Gifts in Downtown Mesa’s OneOhOne collective.

ey said they believe it’s only veteranowned art gallery in the Valley. From 2 to 8 p.m. Saturday, February 2, the couple/ contemporary artists will host an opening reception for their two-person art exhibit. Paige has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in art from Northern Illinois University and is a venue director for the Mesa Art League. Rosenblatt was in the military for 20 years and began painting four years ago, thanks to the Mesa Art League’s free veterans art program sponsored by e Arizona Art Alliance.

“My husband and I are exhibiting all our work throughout the building,” Paige said. “It’ll be a pretty big show highlighting the things he does and the work I do.”

Paige has an extensive past with the Arizona art scene. In the early 1980s, she owned the only avant-garde art gallery in Downtown Phoenix. She hosted emerging artists that Scottsdale galleries wouldn’t entertain because they weren’t well known.

pressionist kinds of things. I urged him to pursue it.”

Paige, 64, said her gallery’s location is perfect, as she believes Downtown Mesa will become the Valley’s cultural center.

“It’s going in that direction, with e Nile and all the venues with entertainment,” Paige said. “ ere are so many open mic nights. Susan Woodruff, who created the Second Friday Night Out, owns our building.

“Downtown Mesa has a great energy for creative people. I just wanted to be a part of it. I wanted to give my husband the opportunity to have goals and have something to do.”

Besides being a veteran, Rosenblatt, 69, is a hemorrhagic stroke survivor of eight years. He offers free classes on how to thrive after a stroke.

“I did performance art, too,” she added. “I was the first gallery to do performance art and mixed media. It was a lot of fun. I’ve been doing art and been involved in the art world here and in Dallas and Chicago. en I got into the healing arts and was a massage therapist.”

Rosenblatt was a dentist and engineer in the military. He learned art and the creative process helps with post-traumatic stress disorder. Paige said her husband doesn’t suffer from PTSD, but he saw those who did. For him, it relieves the boredom of retirement.

“He took his fi rst art class with the Tempe Artists Guild,” she said. “He goes to one in Apache Junction, too. He started painting and he’s really talented. He focuses on impressionist contemporary, as well as military satire and political statements.

“I work with handmade papers, abstract art with an Asian flair, and im-

“He’s doing great,” she said. “He doesn’t act like he’s had a stroke. I feel we’re inspiring people.

“Guests see we have a working studio. We’re painting. We also have a gift shop because I create jewelry and we have art images on products. Kids come in and I ask them if they’re artists. It’s fun. ere are diverse people who hangout downtown and we love that.”

IF YOU GO

Historic experimental aircraft coming to Falcon Field

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

e Liberty Ford Tri-Motor 5-AT-B is making its Falcon Field debut in late January, thanks to the Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 50.

e aircraft will arrive at Falcon Field on Monday, January 21. Rides and visits will be available to the public 2 to 5 p.m. ursday, January 24, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday, January 25, to Sunday, January 27. e rides are 15 minutes and cost between $50 and $70. A secure flight-reservation system and complete information are available through EAA’s Tri-Motor tour website at flytheford.org or by calling 1-877-952-5395.

e visit is sponsored by EAA corporate in Wisconsin, the local EAA Chapter 228 and Warbird Squadron at Falcon Field. Admission is free, but there is a charge to ride in the aircraft.

EAA Chapter 228 President Trent Heidtke said the event’s goal is twofold: to expose kids to aviation and to raise funds for the organization’s programs.

“It is, in a lot of senses, exposing peo-

ple to aviation, but at the root of it is fundraising,” he said. “ e rides pay for the gas for the airplane and pay for additional programs for kids throughout the year. We have an aviation camp that goes on throughout the year.

“However, if we don’t start training for the left seat of a commercial plane, that’s going to be a problem down the line.”

Heidtke describes an experimental aircraft as one built by an individual or group for the sole purpose of flying it themselves.

“ e FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) has a very heavy hand in making sure the airplane is built or manufactured to a specific criterial before it’s signed off to take to the skies.”

e 1928 Ford Tri-Motor, nicknamed the “Tin Goose,” underwent a 12-year restoration beginning in the 1970s. Philip Buckalew is an EAA Chapter 228 member and the Ford Tri-Motor marketing chairman. He said the aircraft tours in multiple cities each year and is serial No. 8.

“We’ll have other planes on display,” Buckalew said. “We’ll round up similar vintage aircraft for static displays, and there are a couple others in another organization that we may be able to bring out. We’ll have similar vintage antique cars on static display, also.”

e Falcon Warbirds promotes aviation through the event as well, said Santiago Montez, the organization’s vice president.

“We’re interested in educating the general public and kids in aviation,” Montez said. “We try to encourage them to pursue an aviation career if there’s interest.”

Usery Park programs cover the eclipse, dogs

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

Usery Mountain Regional Park is offering a host of programs this January, ranging from a movie in the park to a 3-mile, one-hour brisk-pace hike. e park is located at 3939 N. Usery Pass Road, Mesa. For more information, call 480-984-0032 or visit maricopacountyparks.net. e charge is $7 per vehicle.

Here are January’s highlighted events.

Three-Mile Thursday, 8 a.m.

January 3

Join the group for this fun, 3-mile, one-hour brisk-pace hike through the scenic desert. Bring water and closedtoe shoes.

Wag ‘n’ Walk Dog Adoption Hike, 9 a.m. Saturday, January 5

Maricopa County’s Animal Care and Control and Parks and Recreation departments have united to bring this program to the facility. Patrons can “test drive” potential canine hiking companions to see how they behave on a leash and get along with other dogs. Owned, friendly, leashed dogs who are at least 6 months old and current on their vaccinations are welcome to join this 1-mile trek on the Merkle Trail.

Movie Night in the Park with Spy in the Wild, 7 p.m.

Saturday, January 5

In the nature center, come see the movie about lifelike robotic animals with built-in eye cameras that give viewers a close-up peek into the social lives of wild animals.

Lunar Eclipse Full Moon Hike, 7:30 p.m. Sunday, January 20

ere’s a lunar eclipse this night, and the park is hosting a 2-mile desert hike to witness part of this eclipse. Afterward, guests will enjoy the toasty flames of a campfi re and a free marshmallow roast. Bring a flashlight, water and closed-toe shoes.

All About Hummingbirds,

noon Thursday, January 24

Learn about hummingbirds during a one-hour presentation by former biology teacher Jim Taylor and his wife, Judy. Guests can bring their lunch.

Cool Cactus Walk, 2 p.m.

Saturday, January 26

Discover amazing facts about these plants when guests join the park ranger for a scenic stroll along the quarter-mile Desert Hawk Trail. Bring water and closed-toe shoes.

e Rawhide Roundup in Mesa was meant to bring the community together by entertaining Arizonans and winter visitors, while raising money for local projects.

By Shannon Maki, Mesa Historical Society

Rawhide Roundup: A celebration of the Old West

Founded in March 1947, the Mesa Jayceessponsored Rawhide Roundup celebrated the Old West and constructed a replica frontier town in the Civic Center annually. ere were many activities throughout the three-day event, such as dancing, gun fights, comedy shows, saloons, restaurants and a beardgrowing competition. Newspaper articles show the event was popular in the 1960s and early 1960s. The proceeds were used for high school football banquets and high school band tours. In 1954, the Mesa Jaycees raised money for an auditorium and administration building for the previously longvacant Pioneer Park.

raised for the previously long-

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around the neighborhood

Photos by Kimberly Carrillo

CycloMesa WinterFest

The Mesa Transportation Department’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Program made good on its promise of snow in the desert with CycloMesa WinterFest in Alta Mesa on December 15. The party in the park worked to increase helmet safety awareness for winter snow sports and biking. After kids played in 20 tons of snow, they were invited to ride a mechanical snowboard, learn proper helmet-fitting techniques, play in bounce houses and take a bike ride.

1. More than 20 tons of snow provided fun times for Mesa families. 2. Ciara Fowler, 9, tries her best to stay on the mechanical snowboard. 3. Norberto Ballesteros tries to keep his balance on the mechanical snowboard. 4. Landyn Adams, 4, checks out the city of Mesa’s equipment. 5. Essie Bower, 9, paints over fake graffiti. 6. Logan Fara, 9, goes for a spin in the city of Mesa’s equipment. 7. Cameron Fowler, 5, balances on the snowboard. 8. Yaromir Abreu, 8, tries his hand at the mechanical snowboard. 9. The bounce houses were a big hit.

Family time

Museum of Natural History going stronger than ever

Story and Photos by Kimberly Hosey

It’s been a while since my son and I visited the Arizona Museum of Natural History, and as we followed the dino footprints into the building at 53 N. Macdonald, Mesa, I hoped that the museum’s charms would hold up— since our last visit, and as a parent of a now-teen.

I needn’t have worried. e museum has updated some of its exhibits, added more interactive displays, and continued to grow, all while keeping its charm (and our favorite displays). It charmed and engaged my kid—even if he’s not a little kid anymore—and it kept me fascinated, too.

One of the most dramatic changes we noticed is there is a dinosaur breaking out of the museum. e life-size sculpture, unveiled this spring, appears to be breaking out of the upper levels of the museum. Visitors are encouraged to take selfies with her, with the tag #FreetheDinosaur.

e predatory dinosaur is an Acrocanthosaurus, a local (discovered in western North America), and serves as an exciting fi rst glimpse of what awaits inside, but also an accurate one: e

the mountain all the way up to a bighorn sheep at the top). Once pressed, a spotlight illuminates the creature, while the sign provides further information on the animal. (My son pointed out it shouldn’t say “spotlight a dinosaur” as some, like Pteranodon or the mammalian Glyptotherium, aren’t dinosaurs. I think we can forgive the move in the name of brevity, just like I’m sure they’d forgive his pedantry, as it comes with a big helping of enthusiasm.)

Guests of all ages roamed the 80,000-square-foot museum, from older couples to large families to school groups. ere’s plenty to interest just about anyone, and the museum’s attractions for the littlest guests have also been expanded. ere are puzzles, games, “Please touch” exhibits, live demonstrations, a tree slide, and more throughout the museum.

e Exploration Station is geared specifically for your youngest explorers. Featuring more puzzles, hands-on activities, and games, the section also sometimes hosts craft activities and parties. Kids can even hop on the back of a erizinosaurus for a picture.

museum balances striking and fun displays with information, education, and ties to the natural wonders of Arizona and the lands surrounding our state. Inside, we started by blasting off into space, or at least by perusing several displays centering on it. e Tucson Meteorite, on permanent display in the Origins Hall, has fascinated my son for years, since he barely tall enough to look through the hole in the cast of the immense iron meteorite that was discovered before 1850. Now he’s taller than me and towers above it, but he still

stopped to examine the huge meteorite. He still doesn’t quite measure up to Quetzalcoatlus northropi, one of the largest flying animals, with a wing span of up to 10 meters and a skull that topped 2 meters, but he stood beneath it. Introduced in a special exhibit Rulers of the Prehistoric Skies, Quetzalcoatlus has been integrated into Dino Hall, where it’s joined by several of its pterosaur relatives and many dinosaur skeletons. (Any dinosaur-obsessed kid will tell you pterosaurs are flying reptiles, but not dinosaurs.)

Of course no visit to the museum would be complete without spending some time at Dinosaur Mountain, a three-story display of animatronic dinosaurs, which features a cascading waterfall that periodically surges into a flash flood. e mountain features an interactive legend that invites guests to press a button beside each animal (arranged in evolutionary order, with the oldest animals on the lower levels of

e museum, like my teen, continues to grow and keep me interested. e skill with which the museum’s exhibits are arranged has only gotten better, and we loved it before. From Dino Hall to exhibits on Mesoamerican culture, from astronomy to Spanish conquistadors, from panning for gold to getting “locked up” in a jail cell from Arizona’s territorial days, the museum is designed for maximum impact, education, and engagement.

e museum is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, and 1 to 5 p.m. Sunday. e museum is closed Sunday. Plan ahead by calling to check for any special events, demonstrations, availability of areas that need staff like the Exploration Station, and promotions. Admission is $12 for adults, $7 for children ages 3 to 12, $8 for students 13 and older with ID, and $10 for seniors 65 and older. Children 2 and younger are free.

IF YOU GO

What: Arizona Museum of Natural History Where: 53 N. Macdonald, Mesa Info: 480-644-2230, arizonamuseumofnaturalhistory.org

Poston offering popular guitar classes

By Sara Anderson

Poston Junior High School’s Lindsay Barnes Clove teaches four orchestra classes at Poston Junior High, but she knew there were students who loved music but weren’t being served by the orchestra, band or choir programs. So, she decided to investigate the possibility of teaching a guitar class to reach some of those students.

e school district responded favorably, providing the school with 30 guitars allowing students to enroll in the class for the 2018-2019 school year. Open to seventh and eighth graders, the class fi lled up immediately for Fall and Winter semesters.

Seventh grader Rebecca Christensen, who already played piano and percussion, always wanted to learn to play guitar. She signed up immediately.

Raeanna Reitzel, another seventh grader in the class, played violin before, but said she connected better with the guitar. Previous formal music training is not necessary to take the class.

e Fall semester class fi nished the semester with a concert on December 6.

Twenty-eight student performers played seven songs, ranging from the classical masterpiece “Ode to Joy” by Beethoven to Bruno Mars’ “Count on Me.” ree

student soloists played pieces they chose. One of them, Jaren Pomales, performed his own free composition, while Mikyla Parham and James Delano performed popular pieces they learned on their own.

e district develops the curriculum, which includes note reading on the staff, basic music theory, rhythms, strumming patterns, fi nger picking, tuning the instrument, reading chord diagrams and playing simple music in a variety of styles. Clove added an introduction to tablature or tabs because many rock, folk and country music guitar players read it.

Beyond the specifics of the curriculum, Clove’s goal is to teach the students the skills to start playing and the tools to be able to continue on their own. She said she also believes the class, and music training in general, gives students “an opportunity to meet challenges and experience growth over a period of time.” She said in our culture of instant gratification, playing an instrument “gives young people a sense of what they can accomplish if they put in consistent effort. Many students grow in confidence as they discover they can do much more than they ever imagined.” Students interested in enrolling in beginning guitar at Poston in the 20192020 school year will fi nd it listed as MU29 in the catalog.

Program teaches kids to relax while public speaking

By Casey Blake, Mesa Arts Center

Can you remember the fi rst time you had to speak up? e fi rst time you had to fi nd your voice to express something important? With a fast-paced heartrate, sweaty palms and shaky legs?

For many of us, that feeling never goes away. For whatever reason, opportunities to practice expressing ourselves as young people are few and far between, and often we become adults who still experience that nervous energy when we don’t understand something, when we must work through a problem or when we have to say how we really feel.

Project Lit at Mesa Arts Center is providing middle and high school students with these opportunities – to practice writing, expressing, speaking, sharing and collaborating. e program is igniting literacy through the arts to promote and activate social and emotional learning with young and emerging adults.

Since 2014, more than 35,000 middle and high school students have been reached through spoken word, hip-hop and drama programs. rough these

out-of-school time offerings, students gain confidence and practice skills that will serve them for a lifetime.

“If you can break it down on a microphone, you can break it down in a board room,” said Tomas Stanton, teaching artist, poet and engagement manager. And through Project Lit, these students do just that. ey practice articulating complex ideas, collaborate with others and learn about differences. All of these skills help prepare our students for their future lives and careers.

To support this program, community members Bill Passey and Maria Silva, with support from the Elliott and Nesbitt families, issued a challenge. ey have pledged to make a cumulative gift to the program of up to $35,000, if Mesa Arts Center can match that contribution. Interested in supporting this program and the students who are working hard to share their stories? Or in bringing this program to your school? Learn more at measartscenter.com/matchingchallenge.

top 10 family events

Disney On Ice: Dare to Dream

Celebrate what made your favorite Disney heroines rise above the rest: their ability to dream. With dazzling costumes, ice mastery and your favorite songs, the stories of Moana, Anna, Elsa, Rapunzel, Belle and Cinderella come to life. Mickey and pals narrate this full-scale production.

When: Various times Thursday, January 17, to Sunday, January 20

Where: Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson Street, Phoenix

Cost: Tickets start at $15 Info: 602-379-7800, talkingstickresortarena.com

Downtown Mesa Festival of the Arts

Bring the family to the festival that showcases the works of emerging artists. Photographs, woodworking and metal crafts pieces are showcased with more than 50 vendors, live music and food, too.

When: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays January 5 and January 19

Where: Downtown Mesa, 1 N. Macdonald

Cost: Free Info: info@dtmesafest.com, dtmesafest.com

Leap into Science

Kids ages 3 to 10 can enjoy the afternoon with a hands-on workshop from the Franklin Institute Science Museum. Explore science through activities and books and get ready to learn and have fun.

When: 11 a.m. to noon Saturday, January 26

Where: Mesa Public Library, 64 E. First Street

Cost: Free Info: 480-644-3100, mesalibrary. org

Young Makers Night at HeatSync Labs

Passionate kids turn their ideas into reality. This event is dedicated to discovery learning and creation.

When: 7 to 10 p.m. Friday, January 4

Where: HeatSync Labs, 108 W. Main Street, Mesa

Cost: Free

Info: 602-492-5227, heatsynclabs. org

Toddler Picassos

This afternoon of hands-on art activities helps toddlers learn to recognize shapes and colors. This experience-based program encourages confidence, socialization and creativity.

When: 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Monday, January 28

Where: Red Mountain Library, 635 N. Power Road, Mesa

Cost: Free Info: 480-644-3100, mesalibrary. org

Merry Main Street

Venture through Jack Frost’s Food Truck Forest or take a ride on the Polar Express. This downtown festival is full of holiday festivities for the family. On Friday, enjoy a free visit with Santa around the Christmas tree.

When: Various times until Friday, January 4

Where: Downtown Mesa, North Center Street and West Main Street

Cost: Free, $10 for one hour of skate time and skates Info: merrymainst@mesaaz.gov, merrymainst.com

Coding Around

Kids ages 6 to 8 can learn the fundamentals of coding using logic games and exercises. They will build cognitive skills that will be a strong foundation for learning how to code—and they don’t have to be a computer whiz.

When: 2 to 2:45 p.m. Wednesday, January 16

Where: Red Mountain Library, 635 N. Power Road, Mesa

Cost: Free Info: 480-644-3100, mesalibrary. org

Family Jammie Storytime

Families can don their cozy pajamas and bring a cuddle buddy for a night of books, songs and rhymes.

When: 6:30 to 7 p.m. Monday, January 7

Where: Mesa Public Library, 64 E. First Street, Mesa

Cost: Free Info: 480-644-3100, mesalibrary. org

Vertuccio’s Christmas FarmLights Celebration

This first Vertuccio Farms Christmas Farm-Lights Celebration showcases more than 2 million lights stretched out over 10 acres. Enjoy a cup of hot cocoa and a stroll around the farm. There will be a skating rink, a 50-foot Christmas tree and other activities.

When: Various times until Friday, January 11

Where: Vertuccio Farms, 4011 S. Power Road, Mesa Cost: $15-$20 Info: 480-882-1482, vertucciofarms.com

Night of the Three Kings / Noche De Reyes Magos

Celebrate the Latino holiday Noche De Reyes Magos with live mariachi music and Mexican food. Celebrate the day when the Three Wise Men followed the star to Bethlehem and arrived bearing their treasured gifts of gold and myrrh for the Baby Jesus. Enjoy activities included with ZooLights admission.

When: 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Sunday, January 6

Where: The Phoenix Zoo, 455 N. Galvin Parkway, Phoenix

Cost: $10.95-$19.95 Info: 602-286-3800, phoenixzoo. org

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

JJ Madisons focuses on scratch cooking in Mesa

JJ Madisons has a wall of televisions, attracting North Dakota State University and Midwestern football team fans. But owner David Moore stressed JJ Madisons is more than a sports bar.

“One of the difficult things to communicate and market is we look like a sports bar because we have a lot of televisions, but we’re really a casual dining restaurant,” said Moore, whose restaurant is at Power Road and University Drive in Northeast Mesa. “ is isn’t pub grub. We make almost everything from scratch.

“We have mussels, pork schnitzel and cod fry on the menu. We try to communicate we’re serious. We really do cook.”

JJ Madisons specializes in Broaster Chicken, a 60-plus-year-old company that uses a special blend of ingredients

and a cooking method to make it juicy.

“We’re very famous for Broaster Chicken,” he said. “It started in the Midwest. It’s basically chicken marinated for a day and then cooked in a pressure cooker fryer. French fries, when they’re cooked in oil, cook from the outside in.

“With a pressure cooker, it cooks from the inside out. at’s why food in a pressure cooker stays so moist and you get a super moist, tender piece of chicken. It doesn’t retain the oil and it’s almost the same calorie count as rotisserie chicken.”

e six-page menu also has the likes of shepherd’s pie, crispy frog legs, 20 angus burgers, bacon-wrapped bison meatloaf, osso bucco and breakfast.

“I’m very inspired by the Food Network TV show Diners, Drive Ins and

Dives,” said Moore, who co-owns the restaurant with his wife, Janet, a retired teacher. “I’ve seen every episode and borrowed a lot of ideas from them. They’re always traveling throughout the United States.

“If you notice, the names of my dishes indicate the area they’re logically from. Like there’s a New Jersey calzone. e Hawkeye burger is from Iowa. We have so many Midwestern people here. We have pork schnitzel on the menu. If you’re not from Wisconsin, you may not have heard of it. We have a very diverse menu. We have so many regulars—people who eat here Monday to Friday—we need to have options. e loyal group of repeat customers is the nicest compliment you could ever get.”

Madisons

430 N. Power Road, Mesa 480-924-8778, jjmadisons.com

10 a.m. to midnight Sunday to Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday to Saturday

Artisan Market

e kitchen is led by Adam Stein, formerly of Las Sendas and Steak and Stone, and Don Grant, a veteran of Detroit restaurants.

“Chef Adam, we persuaded him to come here,” Moore said. “He’s very good. ey divide the duties. Don is more creative and decides on the new dishes and sauces. Adam is more on the side of kitchen management, but he’s a very good cook, too.”

Moore – the former Circle K chief operating officer, running 4,000 stores, 20,000 employees in 28 state – has been

in the restaurant business for 18 years. He owned Famous Sam’s, the predecessor to JJ Madisons, before his current establishment. JJ Madisons is partially named after Burt Reynolds’ character in e Cannonball Run

“When Famous Sam’s went away, I changed to my own thing,” said Moore, who is considering bringing back a pig roast. “ at’s when it became JJ Madisons eight years ago.

“I think, with my business background, I know I can never stay the same,” Moore said. “I constantly look for new products and new ways of doing things. I have to keep up with consumer trends and demands. I’m always looking forward.”

Feb 23 10-4pm

what’s cooking?

By Jan D’Atri

The Garden Churkey Burger

You’re looking for something yummy. You’re trying to eat lighter. You’re craving a burger. You’ve come to the right place.

How about a Churkey Burger! It’s a delicious combination of ground turkey and chicken (no, it’s not redundant – really!) with moistness and flavor added to the mixture from pesto, onion and crushed red pepper. en, once it’s grilled to perfection, top it with avocado, sliced tomato, onion, arugula and your favorite cheese. Your craving is about to be satisfied!

So why use both ground turkey and ground chicken? You could certainly use just one or the other – they’re pretty much equal in calories, fat and protein. But while turkey has a nice flavor, it tends to be a bit dry. Chicken, it seems, has a little more moisture, and it acts more like ground beef when mixed together with other ingredients for pat-

Garden Churkey

Burger

Ingredients:

- 1 lb. ground turkey

- 1 lb. ground chicken

- 4 heaping tablespoons pesto

- 1 red onion

- 4 tablespoons olive oil, divided

- 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper, or more to taste

- 1 teaspoon salt

- 1 teaspoon pepper

- Oil for cooking burgers

- 2 large tomatoes, sliced

- 1 avocado, sliced thin

- 2 cups arugula, spring mix or romaine leaves

- Mayonnaise, optional

- Slices of cheese, optional

- Hamburger buns or rolls

ties. Add the pesto for even more moisture, and the Churkey Burger becomes a hearty and satisfying alternative to the usual burger fare. Now here’s a tip for a delicious condiment for your Churkey Burger: If you have some leftover pesto, let it drain through a sieve to get most of the olive oil out. Place the pesto in a bowl, add a little mayonnaise and stir. It makes a wonderful slather on your bread and the perfect complement to the burger. Dive in and enjoy!

Directions:

Slice red onion into 1/4-inch rings. In a sauté pan with two tablespoons of olive oil, sauté onion rings until soft. Let the onions cool. Set aside half of the onion rings for burgers, and dice the remainder of the onion rings fine. In a bowl, combine turkey, chicken, pesto, cooled diced onions, red pepper, salt and pepper. Mix until well combined. Make burger patties (approximately eight). In a large skillet, heat remaining two tablespoons of olive oil. Cook patties until browned on both sides and patties are thoroughly done. To build the burger, slather a little mayonnaise on the bread if desired, then layer with a slice or two of cheese, churkey burger, avocado, tomatoes and sautéed onion rings. Top with arugula if desired.

After a day on the slopes, cross country skiing or ice fishing, come in out of the cold and warm up in our 24 hour Casino by playing one of our 800

By Mckayla Hull

Mesa-based pop-punk rockers Baseline know how to write a hit song.

Case in point: the single “Garden,” which has received more than 139,000 streams, a respectable number of a fledgling indie band. Lead singer and ASU sophomore Michael Schuster chalks it up to the hook “He gave you a rose, but I plant you a garden.”

“It has a hook and we added a key change, so it was written with a pretty classic money song structure,” he says.

Fans can hear the track when Baseline plays e Rebel Lounge in Phoenix on Friday, January 4.

“Garden” was three years in the making. e five-piece band formed in 2015 and has since been releasing EPs and touring. Its latest EP, For the Sake of Clarity, came out earlier this year.

e EP features songs such as “All in Vain” and “Deep Six.”

Up Hi (800-929-8744) 928-369-0299 (must be 21 or older with ID)

“We all have different music tastes and I think you can hear elements from multiple genres in these songs, even if it’s super subtle,” Schuster said. “We also like to write in dark rooms with a few candles lit because we believe it makes us more creative.

has been enjoyable and educational for Baseline, Schuster said.

“We’ve watched our friends’ groups spring up,” he said. “It’s really cool seeing people meet each other, become friends and then come to our shows together instead of coming alone.”

“As far as the lyrics go, it’s all about my state of mind. The goal was to confront my personal flaws or things I didn’t like about myself in the writing process and hopefully fi nd clarity. In some ways, I succeeded. In others, I did not.”

Baseline—

which also includes guitarist Gianni Jinks, guitarist/vocalist Michael Cully, drummer Gage Heiner and bassist Shawn Sass—released an EP because it’s much less expensive than a fulllength album, which can run in the tens of thousands. All of them live in Mesa, except Jinks, who resides in Ahwatukee.

“We will probably put out an LP when somebody else wants to pay for it,” Schuster joked. “We feel like we’re ready to put out an LP eventually, but it’s a big-time financial commitment.”

Being a part of the Valley music scene

Baseline’s musicians have learned from other bands on the scene.

“Each band does something really, really well,” Schuster said. “And so we’ve picked up a lot of tips and tricks just being friends with other bands and playing shows with them.

“We barely knew anything when we started. Being friends with other bands allowed us to learn how to do all of the behind-the-scenes things that don’t immediately come to mind. For example, printing merch, creating show fliers, touring smart and networking.”

Schuster says Baseline is constantly evolving. It was founded as Plead the Fifth, but they didn’t care for the moniker. Seeing the Baseline Road sign from a Taco Bell at Val Vista Drive piqued the men’s interest.

Since then, Baseline’s musicians have become adept at writing together. Like couples who finish their spouses’ sentences, the men can guess what each other is going to write about, in terms of format and song structure.

Baseline’s name has worked for them. ey are rapidly building their repertoire with tours and thousands of streams on Spotify. Schuster is excited to hear from fans out of town. Although hometown gigs are important, he puts the priority on gigs elsewhere.

“ e mystery of the tour is what I really like,” Schuster said. “I never know where I’m going to be by the end of the day.”

IF YOU GO

What: Fake a Home w/Baseline, Andy’s Room and Overstay

When: 8 p.m. Friday, January 4

Where: The Rebel Lounge, 2303 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix

Cost: $12-$14

Info: therebellounge.com

events calendar

East Valley Friends and Neighbors

Enjoy coffee and other refreshments while socializing with others from the East Valley. From there, partake in activities and social groups such as luncheons and book reviews. General meetings are held the first Wednesday of each month.

When: 9:30 a.m. Wednesday, January 2

Where: Grace United Methodist Church, 2024 E. University, Mesa Cost: $25 per year

Info: 480-828-5146, evfanaz.org

Fall Out to Lunch Concert Series

Bring your blankets and comfortable folding chairs to these relaxing afternoons of free concerts. Food and beverages will be available for purchase or you are welcome to pack your own goodies.

When: 12:30 to 1:30 p.m. Recurring on Thursdays

Where: Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main Street, Mesa

Cost: Free Info: 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com

Improv Comedy Show

This fast-paced comedy show is similar to “Whose Line is it Anyway.”

As part of this interactive show, audiences are encouraged to shout suggestions, choose games and decide which team of comedians is the funniest.

When: 7:30 to 9 p.m. Recurring Fridays and Saturdays

Where: National Comedy Theatre, 214 W. Main Street, Mesa Cost: $12-$14

Info: 602-374-5638, nctphoenix. com

Malt Shop Oldies Dinner Show

Enjoy dinner and The Rhythm Cats performing rock ‘n’ roll from the ’50s and ’60s.

When: 5:30 p.m. Friday, January 4, Friday, January 11, Wednesday, January 16, Saturday, January 19, Tuesday, January 22, Thursday, January 24, Sunday, January 27, Wednesday, January 30

Where: Silver Star Theater, 5247 E. Brown Road, Mesa Cost: $39

Info: 480-288-0300, silverstartheater.com

Variety Show Spectacular

Tickets include buffet dinner and music from rock ‘n’ roll to Broadway and comedy.

When: 5:30 p.m. Sunday, January 6, Saturday, January 12, Thursday, January 17, Wednesday, January 23, Saturday, January 26, Wednesday, January 30

Where: Silver Star Theater, 5247 E. Brown Road, Mesa Cost: $39 Info: 480-288-0300, silverstartheater.com

Country Dinner Show

Calling all country fans! This classic country show spans over six decades of country hits. Artists include: Willie Nelson, Johnny Cash, George Strait and Brooks & Dunn.

When: 5:30 p.m. Thursday, January 10, Tuesday, January 15, and Friday, January 25, Friday, January 25

Where: The Silver Star Theater, 5247 E. Brown Road, Mesa Cost: $39 Info: 480-288-0300, silverstartheater.com

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike

Mesa Encore Theatre presents a humorous view inside adult family dynamics with Chekhov characters and themes. The comedy revolves around three middle-aged, single siblings, their housekeeper, and a handsome hunk named Spike who likes to run around in his underwear.

When: 2:30 and 7:30 p.m. January 11 to January 27

Where: Mesa Arts Center’s Farnsworth Studio, 1 E. Main Street, Mesa

Cost: $25-$28

Info: 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com

Kelly’s Kawasaki Supercross Bash

Kelly’s Kawasaki will be hosting its annual Supercross Bash with personal appearances by Monster Energy riders Eli Tomac and Joey Savatgy along with Monster Pro Circuit Riders and Kelly’s Kawasaki Rider Deven Raper.

When: 5 to 7 p.m. Friday, January 11

Where: Kelly’s Kawasaki, 817 S. Country Club Drive, Mesa

Cost: Free

Info: 480-969-9610, kellyskawasaki.com

’70s Rock ‘n’ Roll Dinner Show

The grand buffet is followed by a Rhythm Cats performance of Billboard chart hits from 1965 to 1979.

When: 5:30 p.m. Sunday, January 13, Saturday, January 26, Tuesday, January 29

Where: The Silver Star Theater, 5247 E. Brown Road, Mesa

Cost: $39

Info: 480-288-0300, silverstartheater.com

Vegas Jubilee

Enjoy dinner and relive the classic glitz and glamour of old-school Las Vegas with Patrick Mahoney and the Rhythm Cats.

When: 5:30 p.m. Friday, January 18

Where: The Silver Star Theater, 5247 E. Brown Road, Mesa

Cost: $39

Info: 480-288-0300, silverstartheater.com

Spark! After Dark

Every third Saturday of the month come enjoy live music, art and yummy food. There will be an LED dance floor, tasty adult drinks and light-based carnival games by Phoenix Light Lab.

When: 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday, January 19

Where: Downtown Mesa, 1 E. Main Street, Mesa

Cost: Free Info: 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com

Legends of Country Music Dinner Show

Dinner is followed by hits and back stories from country legends like Johnny Cash, Marty Robbins, Willie Nelson, George Jones, Conway Twitty and Patsy Cline.

When: 5:30 p.m. Sunday, January 20

Where: The Silver Star Theater, 5247 E. Brown Road, Mesa

Cost: $39

Info: 480-288-0300, silverstartheater.com

John Denver Tribute Show Dinner

“Cowboy” Brad Fitch specializes in the music of John Denver.

When: 5:30 p.m. Sunday, January 13

Where: The Silver Star Theater, 5247 E. Brown Road, Mesa

Cost: $39

Info: 480-288-0300, silverstartheater.com

Vintage Record Show

Uncle Aldo’s Attic hosts a vintage record show at his former location. When: 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, January 19

Where: Uncle Aldo’s Attic, 6016 E. McKellips Road, Mesa

Cost: Free Info: 480-218-1415, unclealdosattic. com

National Geographic Live: A Wild Life

Bertie Gregory captures what it means to coexist peacefully alongside creatures of the natural world. Interactions range from wolves on Vancouver’s western beaches and filming leopards in the streets of Mumbai.

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, January 23

Where: Mesa Arts Center’s Ikeda Theater, 1 E. Main Street, Mesa

Cost: $27-$41 Info: 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com

The Fab Four

Experience renditions of classic Beatles songs like “Hey Jude” and “Here Comes the Sun.” The Fab Four delivers uncanny, note-for-note performances with an incredible stage show and costume changes. When: 8 p.m. Friday, January 25

Where: Mesa Arts Center’s Ikeda Theater, 1 E. Main Street, Mesa Cost: $29.50-$59.50 Info: 480-644-6500, mesaartscenter.com

Lovin’ Life Expo

Arizona’s longest-running expos for the after-50 market, these events draw vendors and attendees from around the state. Exhibitor categories include tour and travel, retirement living, health care, financial matters, leisure and education. When: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, January 30

Where: Mesa Convention Center’s Building C, 263 N. Center Street, Mesa

Cost: Free admission Info: lovinlife.com

Things Have Changed

By Laura Latzko

In the mid ’90s, Joan Osborne showcased her vocal talents with the hit song “One of Us.” e artist continues to make music but focuses on that of Bob Dylan these days.

She will perform a Bob Dylan-focused show at the Mesa Arts Center on Tuesday, February 5, to promote her album e Songs of Bob Dylan. During the tour, Osborne will sing the songs as part of a trio, but fans may hear her hits during the encore.

Osborne’s recording love of Dylan goes back to her 1995 album, Relish, for which she covered the bard’s “Man in e Long Black Coat.” However, she doesn’t remember the fi rst Dylan song she ever heard. She thinks it was at the height of his popularity.

“We didn’t personally own any of Dylan’s records at our home, but it wasn’t like you could escape it if you

were listening to the radio,” she says.

“I’m sure I heard some of the songs he had on the radio when I was a little child. I was raised Catholic, so maybe some of the nuns did ‘Blowin’ in the Wind’ in guitar Mass. It’s really impossible to say because he’s such a part of American musical culture, American political culture and just American life.”

She chose Dylan partially because of his extensive repertoire.

“He has this incredibly deep catalog of songs,” she says. “ ere are literally hundreds of great songs. You can take any of his songs, and another artist would have been satisfied to just write that in their entire career, and he had hundreds of these songs.”

For Songs of Bob Dylan, she chose songs from throughout his career. Her approach was slightly different,

depending on the song’s arrangement and meaning, as well her vocal style.

“We wanted to give listeners a new way into these songs, a way to discover something different, some angle on the song that hadn’t been exploited before,” Osborne says.

Osborne considers Dylan’s songs highly expressive.

“Dylan himself is not known as a soulful singer, and yet the words are so full of soul, so full of meaning, particularly the love songs. All of it is very passionate,” she says. “I guess I’m known as a bluesy kind of singer or a soulful sort of singer, so it gave me a lot to work with.”

Osborne wanted to add to the songs while maintaining the qualities that made them special. “Highway 61 Revisited,” for example, was altered to have more of a Middle Eastern sound.

“We ended up giving it this compulsive rhythm, which for me gave a lot of energy to the song,” Osborne says. “It takes off in a breakneck way. I’m spitting the lyrics out. It gives them a lot of ferocity. I feel like that’s an interesting reading of the song that audiences tend to respond to.”

Osborne says fans are also touched by songs such as “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go” and “Buckets of Rain.”

“For me, so many of the songs are drenched in this kind of tenderness. I think that people are a little surprised by that,” Osborne says.

Songs like “Masters of War” speak to listeners because of today’s political climate.

“Because it’s one of the most powerfully political songs that Dylan has ever

written and because we’re living in a time where people are very engaged in politics, that tends to really set people off,” she says. “We get a big response from that.”

e shows emphasize the music, with beautiful spare arrangements.

“I think it really puts the focus on the songs and the singing,” she says. “You don’t have a whole lot of bells and whistles and other things to fi ll up space, so it’s really about the power of these songs and the human voice.”

IF YOU GO

What: Joan Osborne Sings the Songs of Bob Dylan

When: 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 5

Where: Mesa Arts Center’s Piper Repertory Theater, 1 E. Main Street, Mesa

Cost: $35-$45

Info: 480.644.6500, mesaartscenter.com

By Sherry Jackson

Pyramid Technologies steps up to the challenge

When employees of Mesa-based Pyramid Technologies heard of the inaugural Arizona Walking Challenge facilitated by Terryberry, they thought it would be a fun and interesting competition to join.

Terryberry, an employee recognition company, designed the Arizona Walking Challenge to spur greater attention to wellness in the workplace. Participating organizations ranged from banks and construction companies to insurance agencies and nonprofits such as Make-aWish America and the city of Sierra Vista.

irty-four companies from across the state participated in the challenge.

Pyramid Technologies, a manufacturer of bill validators and thermal printers for payment applications, was awarded the Top Company Stepper award with an average of 73,803 steps per person, per week. Eight of Pyramid’s 30 employees participated in the challenge.

“We heard about the challenge through another participant and it seemed like a fun, interesting competition to be involved in,” said Adam Eberling, Pyramid Technologies controller. “ ere’s obviously health benefits and it was the friendly spirit of competition amongst co-workers.”

e business-to-business competition was a six-week challenge held October 1 through November 11. e 34 companies stepped up with nearly 500 million steps with participants walking an average of 41,491 steps each week.

As an incentive, Pyramid offered its top stepper a gift card halfway through the challenge and then another at the end of the competition. Terryberry sent out email updates and published results weekly so participants could see where they stood in the challenge.

Pyramid’s employees walked during lunch, after work and to pick kids up from school, said Kerrie Nollette, Pyramid’s director of engineering. Nollette’s team even had one-on-one meetings while walking to get their steps in. An avid fit bit user, Nollette said she also saw her friends outside of work encourage her and help step up to the challenge.

Each Pyramid employee was challenged to do at least 10,000 steps per day. “We had a couple of employees who were great overachievers,” Nollette joked. One employee, Andrew Collins, averaged 109,000 steps each week. e most surprising thing that came out of the challenge? “It was probably Andy’s competitiveness,” Eberling said. “ e number of steps he was able to do. I didn’t think he had that in him.”

Pyramid employees are already looking forward to taking part in the challenge again next year and have been brainstorming ideas to increase involvement and participation in their company. “We all really enjoyed it,” Eberling said. “It’s a good sense of community and a good sense of camaraderie around the office.”

Uncle Aldo’s Attic banking on vinyl records’ comeback

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski

Desi Scarpone is the ultimate record collector. With more than 50,000 records in his home, Scarpone understands the joy of vinyl.

“ ere’s a tactile sense to having something tangible in your hand,” Scarpone said. “If it’s on the computer, you can’t hold it or see it as well. On a CD, it’s all tiny.”

Scarpone is banking on the vinyl revival with the opening of his Northeast Mesa store Uncle Aldo’s Attic at McKellips and Recker roads. ere, he focuses on vintage vinyl from the 1950s to the 1980s. He also has a hearty collection

of eight-track cartridges, cassette tapes, Star Wars action figures, vintage videogames and vinyl accessories.

Inside his showcase, he has a VHS of Let It Be, and bumper stickers from the Detroit radio station WRIF. Scarpone buys music as well.

“Everyone loves it here,” he said. “I just need more people to fi nd out about it.”

Scarpone was born in Arizona but relocated to California to study fi lm at UCLA. He spent 30 years in the fi lm industry, working as a production supervisor at Universal Studios and a post-

The First & Foremost Pageant to Honor the “Age of Elegance”

p.m.

production supervisor for Disney. His credits include Murder, She Wrote; Providence; the Tinker Bell series and Planes.

“I was in a division of Disney that closed down and I, and many others, were laid off,” he said. “I wanted to make movies here. You don’t have to be in California. e first thing I did was start a Kickstarter campaign that didn’t fare well. I was looking for money sources and that’s when I opened the store.”

e bins of vinyl are fi lled with his doubles as well as those owned by collectors who rent space.

“A lot of stuff does walk in, so that’s nice,” said Scarpone, who is planning record shows, too. “I can keep getting new stuff to refresh my collection.

“ e base of the store is mine, just from my collections, doubles and triples. In California, there were swap meets every weekend. I spent 40 years buying records.”

Patrons who come in the shop, which is named after Scarpone’s late Uncle Aldo, are invited to try out music on his turntables.

“I want them to be happy and satisfied with their purchase,” he said.

He’s willing to offer advice about records and could talk endlessly about vinyl. Scarpone said 45s are “super popular,” but 78s have the best fidelity as the faster a record goes, the better it sounds.

“When they start slowing it down to make money and add songs, it gets worse and worse,” he said. “ ey even have 16-speed, which is spoken word. ey don’t care about fidelity.”

Scarpone can attest for the popularity of the movie Bohemian Rhapsody, as Queen music is selling out the door. Music from the 1980s sells well, as he cassettes by acts like INXS and Aerosmith are novelties to kids. He has rare material like “World Destruction,” a col-

laboration between John Lydon, Afrika Bambaataa and producer/bassist Bill Laswell.

A Nintendo NES sits just inside the door, along with an Atari system and Frogger. Contra—a video game series produced by Konami comprised primarily of shoot-‘em-up games—is picking up.

“I can’t keep Atari in the store,” he added. “You wouldn’t believe, though, how many young kids love games like Duck Hunt. ey like it and it only works on a CRT television. You can’t use them on a flat screen. I’m really surprised people are into that.”

He is having a vintage record show at 9 a.m. Saturday, January 19, at his former location, 6024 E. McKellips Road, Mesa. ose who are interested in selling can call him at 480-218-1415.

Scarpone chalked his store up to one thing. “I just can’t throw stuff away,” Scarpone said with a laugh. “ at’s my problem.”

Uncle Aldo’s Attic 6016 E. McKellips Road, Mesa 480-218-1415 unclealdosattic.com

business briefcase

By Connor Dziawura

Hello, readers, and happy New Year! It is my pleasure to introduce to you Business Briefcase.

But what is Business Briefcase? Well, the column essentially offers a roundup of business news. From business openings to closings, relocations, renovations, special services, chamber of commerce-produced events, we have it all here at Business Briefcase and Nearby News Mesa

So let’s start of 2019 on the right foot, shall we? As we ease into the New Year and our resolutions to boot, I’ll start off a bit lightly with several new openings that occurred near the end of last year. Here’s the news!

First, the long-awaited In-N-Out at Longbow Marketplace is open. e shopping center, which also includes spots like Sprouts Farmers Market, MOD Pizza and a Verizon Wireless store, is at the southwest corner of Recker Road and the Loop 202. Wow, my craving of a double-double is grow-

ing with each word I type. Hopefully the addition of a new Northeast Mesa location to the popular West Coast burger chain’s repertoire will ease up on some of those pesky drive-thru lines, though that’s not to say they’re unwarranted. At this point the popular West Coast burger chain needs no introduction –there are other Mesa locations at 1342 S. Alma School Road, 1650 S. Stapley Drive and 1859 S. Signal Butte Road – so I’ll leave you with the new one’s address. If you’re in the area, feel free to stop by the In-N-Out at 3156 N. Recker Road for a burger, animal fries, Neapolitan shake or whatever your heart desires. For more information, visit in-n-out.com.

Keeping on the subject of food, Jersey Mike’s Subs is opening new locations faster than you can blink. e popular sandwich franchise opened one at 1003 N. Dobson Road, Suite 102, at the end of November. Another location opened just weeks earlier at 1155 S. Power Road, Suite 107. A third new one is at 1139

S. Dobson Road, Unit 102, near the northeast corner of Dobson Road and Southern Avenue. In fact, the Mesa Chamber of Commerce recently held a ribbon-cutting ceremony with the South Dobson Road location.

ere’s so much to get from Jersey Mike’s, as readers are likely already familiar, from hot subs to cold ones, or even signature wraps and items for the kiddos. As far as when you can stop by, well, these locations are open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily. For more information or to fi nd others in the city, visit jerseymikes.com.

Speaking of the chamber of commerce, looking into it led me to another interesting spot worth your attention. So for this month, I’ll leave you with this. My Dental Dentistry and Education, which is located at 6059 E. University Drive, is open. is ribbon-cutting event is from 3 to 4 p.m. Tuesday, February 19, though the ribbon will be cut at 3:15 p.m. My Dental Dentistry and

Education is a full-service dental assisting school, but it also doubles as a dentistry office that provides students with access to real patients. For more information on the practice and school – which has another location at 1959 S. Val Vista Drive, Suite 118 – visit mydentalschool.com or facebook.com/ mydentalassisting.

Chamber events such as these are free to attend for members and nonmembers alike, with no reservation required. For more information on the chamber of commerce and its events, visit mesachamber.org or contact its director of membership sales, Susan Tychman, at stychman@mesachamber.org. at’s all the briefs for this month. anks for reading.

Have an item for Business Briefcase?

Email Connor Dziawura at cdziawura@timespublications.com

Mesa business aids the quest for college financial aid

By Deb Samson

In navigating the labyrinth of college tuition-aid programs, most parents need to do a little homework themselves, according to a former Arizona high school assistant principal turned college-planning expert.

Shawn Coats opened her Class 101 Mesa/Gilbert college planning franchise, at 2929 N. Power Road, Suite 101 in Mesa, in 2017, and advises students in one-on-one customized planning sessions.

She has been astounded by the number of parents and their children who seem to be in the dark when it comes to fi nding assistance options or completing the federal aid packages.

“Often, federal financial aid forms are fi lled out incorrectly or families think their students are ineligible because of their income level,” Coats said. “Free Application for Federal Student Aid program (FAFSA) data shows that as

many as 90 percent of applicants fi ll out these forms incorrectly, and it’s no surprise because the forms can be more difficult to complete than fi ling tax forms.”

FAFSA season is underway and there are movements in Arizona to get more prospective college students to complete the forms, according to Herminia Rincon of Arizona State University.

Students who complete a FAFSA are more likely to enroll and attend college, she said, yet Arizona ranks 48th in the nation for FAFSA completion.

In an analysis conducted last year, the class of 2017 left $2.3 billion in financial aid on the table as a result of not completing the FAFSA.

“ e college admissions process has changed significantly over the last 25 years,” Coats said. “All too often, parents don’t realize what they don’t know about the college tuition assistance pro-

cess until it is too late, which can end up costing them a lot more money.”

To ensure that students are maximizing their opportunity to go to college, Arizona State University has joined community partners for the Arizona FAF$A Challenge – an initiative to increase the FAFSA completion rate to 50 percent.

FAFSA is a free application that students can complete to apply for federal student aid – including federal grants, work-study and loans – and providing students with opportunities to fi nance their education. It can also be used to determine if a student qualifies for institutional aid and/or scholarships.

Coats stresses that successful college planning is best started during high school freshman year. College and career planners can assist students in navigating their high school years to ensure that critical components that garner increased opportunities, scholarships and college acceptance are realized.

FAFSA is just the tip of the iceberg for finding potential funds, Coats said, noting that there are a host of scholarships available from other sources if only parents knew where to fi nd them.

Many of these scholarships don’t have enough applicants each year to give away all of money that has been allotted.

Typically, students and their parents believe that scholarships are only for academic or athletic excellence, but not always. Many scholarships are available based on students’ skills and interests. Students must think about their strengths and things they love, then search for scholarships that are targeted for them.

Coats also offers career assessments to help students identify their interests and potential majors, and then guides them in identifying potential scholarships that may be available to them.

Students have the best chance of securing scholarships and funding at the local and state levels. ere are special scholarship programs offered by trade associations, religious groups and private foundations in many fields.

Coats sees several common mistakes that parents and students often make

when filling out FAFSA and other financial-aid documents: Entering the wrong social security number; neglecting to sign the electronic FAFSA form; listing assets that are not relevant to a FAFSA application, like equity in a home and retirement accounts; misunderstanding FAFSA eligibility.

Many parents believe that they make too much money to qualify for help. is often is not the case.

“ e typical high school counselor is too overwhelmed to give adequate one-on-one time to students, typically spending less than one hour with them,” Coats said.

In Arizona, the student-to-counselor ratio is the highest in the nation, 903 students to every 1 counselor. Additionally, school counselors’ availability is limited by this colossal ratio.

While Coats’ Class 101 espouses strong partnerships with school counselors and encourages students to visit with their counselors, students and families can benefit from access to experienced college planning experts 24/7 to accommodate busy lives.

Class 101 Mesa/Gilbert offers one-onone counseling to students after school, in the evenings and on Saturdays and Sundays.

Class 101 students typically apply to six to eight schools and, on average, receive more than $200,000 in scholarships and aid, much more than the average student, who receives about $20,000. Last year, Class 101 Mesa/ Gilbert’s graduating senior students received scholarship offers from $24,000 to $542,762.

As a parent and former school administrator, Coats has seen fi rsthand the overwhelming need for organized college preparation services.

“I have lived it, and I believe in empowering students and their parents by providing them with the right knowledge about all of the ins and out of the process,” she said.

Coats can be reached at 480-428-0101 or scoats@class101.com. Get more information on her program at www. Class101.com/MesaGilbert.

Information on FAFSA: fafsa.ed.gov

EMPLOYMENT/ CAREERS

Advertising Sales

Representative

Full-Time Position

Times Media Group, an Arizona-grown, locally owned print and digital media company, is seeking an experienced Multi-media Advertising Sales Representative. This is an excellent opportunity for a highly motivated and experienced sales professional who is willing to offer solutions to drive company revenue.

Compensation : Competitive Base Pay Plus Com missions

Benefits: 401(k), Dental, Life, Medical, Vision

Responsibilities:

• Present and sell company products and services to new and existing customers

• Prospect and contact potential clients

• Reach agreed-upon sales targets by the deadline

• Set follow-up appointments to keep customers aware of latest developments

• Create sales material to present to customers

Qualifications:

• Previous experience in pri nt and digital sales

• Familiarity with CRM platforms

• Ability to build rapport with clients

• Strong negotiation skills

• Deadline and detail-oriented

Compensation:

• Competitive Base Pay

+ Commission

• Health, Dental & Vision Benefits

• 401(k)

• Mileage Reimbursement

• Paid Vacations and Holidays

Please send resume to suzanne@ timespublications.com

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ALSO, COME MEET OUR BARBER - GEORGE! Mary Ann's Hair Parlor 3049 E McKellips Rd , Ste 3 Mesa, AZ 85213 480-641-0334

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CLEANING SERVICES

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All trades done by hands-on General Contractor. Friendly, artistic, intelligent, honest and affordable. 40 years' experience. Call Ron Wolfgang Office 480-820-8515

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PET SERVICES

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Please call Kelly Roberts at 480-229-7596 to schedule your complimentary initial meeting or visit www yourpamperedpetsaz com

POOL SERVICES

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ROOFING

Phillips Roofing Family Owned & Operated Residential & Commercial Free Estimates Valleywide Service Where Quality Matters

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PROFESSIONAL TUTORING Individualized, at-home instruction for grades K-12. Multiple subjects including Math, Reading and Writing. Preparation for college entrance tests. Assistance for home-schooling, behavioral, organizational and special education concerns. Call Philip N Swanson, Ph D 480-677-9459

WINDOWS/ CLEANING

DIRTY WINDOWS?

Call Fish Window Cleaning @ 480-962-4688 and you will have the cleanest windows and screens on the block. Below is the list of services we offer:

Windows-Interior & Exterior Screens-Sunscreens/Regular Tracks, Ceiling Fans, Light Fixtures Power Washing Your driveways, sidewalks & patios Follow us on InstaGram @FISH_WCEASTVALLEYAZ

Low prices. Serving the East Valley for over 10 years! Prompt, courteous service $16/hr using your supplies or $18/hr w/our cleaning supplies Call 480-354-7928 or 480-206-9998

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MESA HOME

MAINTENANCE & REPAIR

Plumbing, electric, irrigation, garage doors, water heaters, tile and drywall repairs, carpentry, handyman lists and other services. All work guaranteed. Sean Sornberger 480-699-7990