The Foothills Focus 03-29-2023

Grim reality hangs over city budget talk

Anthem residents will have their chance on Thursday, April 6, to weigh in on Phoenix’s spending plan for the coming fiscal year that focuses millions on soaring homelessness and a still-working

plan to raise salaries of most city employees. To comment on the budget in person, residents can appear at 8:30 a.m. at the Cholla Library, 10050 N. Metro Parkway East. If they can’t make it, they can file comments at phoenix.gov/budget/contact-us or email budget.research@phoenix.gov. More information on the spending plan for the fis-

cal year beginning July 1 is at phoenix.gov/ budget/hearings.

The 2023-24 General Fund trial budget for Phoenix a precursor to a proposed budget that will be presented to City Council May 2 with an eye on final approval a few weeks

see BUDGET page 4

Anthem teen donates hair for third time

An Anthem teen has grown his hair to help others who may not be so fortunate.

Brodie Southgate, a 13-year-old student at Ridgeline Academy High School, has thrice donated his hair to Children With Hair Loss, an organization that provides free human hair replacements to children and young adults with medically related hair loss.

For his third donation, Brodie had 14 inches cut off at Meraki Hair Studio by Candice in Phoenix last week.

“It’s an inspiration to see someone that wants to go to those lengths to do something for somebody else who’s less

see HAIR page 7

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BUDGET

from page 1

later totals $2.02 billion and includes a surplus of $134 million.

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Out of that $2.02 billion, the city administration is projecting just under $1.9 billion in actual expenditures an increase of $109 million, or 6.1%, over current spending.

“It calls for spending 85% of the surplus or $114 million on raises for city employees so we can provide the highest level of service ensuring that the City’s most valuable assets are paid competitively and that positions can be filled with the best talent available,” City Manager Jeff Barton told the council in his budget message.

The surplus also would cover $14 million for public safety and criminal justice expenditures, including training for the personnel that will be assigned to the new west Ahwatukee fire station that officials hope to open in two years.

That $14 million also would cover the addition of overnight parks patrols and increases in community arts funding

though $7.4 million of that money would be spent on “continuity of services for vulnerable populations,” mostly unsheltered people.

The remaining $5 million in surplus funds would be parked in a rainy-day fund that Barton hopes to build with additional allocations over the following four years to cover emergencies and other unexpected costs.

The spending plan calls for no increases in taxes or fees, although the separate city Water Services spending plan does include rate hikes and a revised system for assessing residential and commercial water use.

Claiming that 17% of existing city jobs remain vacant, Barton said the city needs to spend most of its surplus on increased employee compensation in order to make Phoenix more competitive with other municipalities in the job market.

Of that $114 million, however, $20 million would be set aside for raises in the 2024-25 fiscal year.

The specifics about those raises for

the coming fiscal year remain cloudy because the city is still working on a job class and compensation study that is likely to be given council sometime in June.

But while council members generally appeared in favor of giving city employees more money, their initial reaction during a hearing on March 21 focused mainly on the city’s growing number of tent cities, especially in Central Phoenix.

Those encampments were the subject of a hair-raising front — page report in the March 19 edition of the New York Times that fired up Valley talk shows throughout last week.

Using central Phoenix to illustrate the problem, the Times reported “cities across the West had been transformer” by “an epidemic” of “a housing crisis, a mental health crisis and an opioid epidemic.”

And it said all of that “landed on the doorsteps of small businesses already reaching a breaking point because of the

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pandemic.”

Council members were clearly rattled during the March 21 hearing by the Times account of the stark reality of the spread of tent cities in Phoenix.

That account said that within about a half block of one downtown business last year, the charred remains of a fetus were found in a dumpster and the city recorded 1,097 medical emergency calls, 573 fights, 185 fires, 140 thefts, 125 armed robberies, 13 rapes and four homicides.

Additionally, 16 people were found dead because of suicides, heat and hypothermia and drug overdoses, the Times said.

“The situation is not improving,” Councilman Tom Waring told administration officials who had presented the trial budget at the hearing last week.

“I know we’re spending a lot of resources and I am not blaming anybody,” he continued. “But, you know, we’re making the national news.”

Referring to the Times piece, Waring said he assumed the Times noticed the encampment during coverage of the Super Bowl.

“It’s not a pretty picture,” he said. “It’s not sustainable and can’t go on. Whatever we’re doing is costing us a fortune.”

“It’s just hitting people front and center. It’s a terrible look for the city,” said Waring, adding, “I’m not discounting the situation folks are in but we’re not doing them any favors by letting this go on.

“And to the extent that we’re not going to let it go on, I really think more proactive action is necessary. …I just know that what we’re doing right now doesn’t seem to be having any kind of impact at all.”

Barton responded by saying that “there is no antidote, there is no immediate fix” to “the cycle of homelessness and all the ills that go along with it.”

“You’ve got to help folks get back to where they can redeem themselves and they believe in themselves,” Barton said. “And sometimes that’s a substance abuse issue. Sometimes it’s mental

health. Sometimes it’s simply housing and jobs.

“But we do have models that we’ve been able to demonstrate that if we have the resources in place for these folks to rehabilitate themselves, then there is an opportunity to salvage them.”

He also called Phoenix’s Washington Street shelter “a prime example of what it is we’re trying to emulate across the entire city as it pertains to our homeless services.”

His aides told council members the city opened 592 new shelter beds last year, with 200 of them at the Washington Street shelter, where a total 800 people were served “and 70% have exited to a positive exit destination.”

Waring remained unconvinced as did other council members who said more money needs to be spent on the problem.

Councilwoman Laura Pastor said she and her colleagues frequently get calls from citizens about homeless people camping at intersections and on overpasses.

“We get so many calls that Phoenix is not equipped to handle what we’re facing,” Pastor said, asking administration if the city can increase the money it’s spending on services to homeless people.

But Waring suggested some other action is needed, although he did not elaborate on specifically what the city should do.

“There is not one citizen in the City of Phoenix who is going to say things are better than two years ago,” he said. “We spent hundreds of millions of dollars and not one will say, ‘Aha. Success!’ No way.”

He suggested judges have “hamstrung our police department” and said city officials need to consider “whatever we need to do within the confines of the law.”

And he warned the administration to avoid projecting much success for its huge expenditure on aid to homeless people, stating, “It’s not your fault. …I would be very cautious to try and put out any statistic that makes it sound like it’s better when there isn’t one person who is gonna go, ‘Yeah, I’ve noticed it’s definitely better.’”

fortunate,” said Ben Southgate, Brodie’s father.

“We’re over the moon about it. We’re glad to see him do something that he enjoys to do, and he doesn’t follow the route of somebody else. He just sort of says, ‘I’d like to grow my hair and give it to kids that don’t have hair or have lost their hair,’ and I think that’s what kind of inspires him.”

Brodie was around 5 when he first donated his hair, and grew it out to donate it a second time when he was going into fourth grade.

“My friend was doing it and I thought it would be a fun experience to try it for the first time, and now I’m on my third,” Brodie said.

At the beginning of his experience growing out his hair, Ben explained that his son was given “a bit of a hard time.” Other kids poked fun at him and he received a few comments in restrooms.

Brodie’s response, however, was like “water off a duck’s back.”

“He knows he’s doing a good thing

for somebody else, so I think that’s what keeps him going,” Ben said.

The Ridgeline Academy student hasn’t received as much criticism from others over the past few years. At this point, he is known for growing and donating his hair — he was even featured on “Good Morning America” for his hair journey in 2019.

“Obviously, it was a lot better this round for him,” Ben said. “So he’ll probably do it again, knowing Brodie, once he’s had a short hair stint for a little bit.”

Although the chances are small, Ben said that Brodie would love to one day meet someone who received his hair donation.

“I think that would make his heart skip a few beats.”

Rare alliance passes controversial city wage law

Arare alliance between one of Phoenix City Council’s most conservative members and its more liberal wing threw the administration’s spending plans into chaos last week as it voted 5-4 to require contractors on many city projects to pay workers at a rate equal to the region’s prevailing wage for their jobs.

Just weeks before he leaves office the morning of April 17 because of term limits, Councilman Sal DiCiccio joined another outgoing member, Carlos Garcia, as well as Vice Mayor Yassamin Ansari and members Betty Guardardo and Laura Pastor in approving an ordinance requiring contractors on certain projects worth over $250,000 to pay the federally determined prevailing wage, overtime and other benefits for the Phoenix Metro region.

The ordinance covers “alterations, improvements, repair, maintenance or demolition on any city-owned or leased building on any city-owned land, including any building subject to a GPLET lease development agreement executed by the city after Dec. 31, 2023 or pursuant to a contract in excess of $250,000.”

A GPLET, or Government Property Lease Excise Tax, is a complex redevelopment tool that lowers a proj -

ect’s operating costs by replacing the property tax with a lower excise tax.

Council’s vote on March 22 came during a special and hastily called meeting that was marked by tension tension as opponents, including Mayor Kate Gallego and District 1 Councilwoman Ann O’Brien, voted against the measure and representatives of contractor associations vowed to fight it.

And it came despite warnings by City Manager Jeffrey Barton that paying a prevailing wage would jack up the estimates on scores of big-ticket projects and cost the city close to $100 million in unexpected expense.

The unanticipated costs triggered by the ordinance would mean “a $60-million hit to the operating budget” alone for the coming fiscal year, Barton said.

He said it also will add $33 million in costs to the city’s five-year, $8.3 billion capital improvement program, and a inflict a still-unknown impact on the projects in the $500 million General Obligation bond the city hopes to put before voters in November for approval.

The stakes for the workers and companies affected by the prevailing wage ordinance were starkly laid out by some speakers at the meeting.

Speaking against the measure, Arizona Builders Alliance President Tom Dunn said the ordinance violated a state law prohibiting munic-

ipalities from imposing a prevailing wage requirement on their projects.

Among the 325 companies belonging to the alliance, he said, the measure “disproportionately damages the smaller mom and pop shops that don’t have the ability to staff and compete with the larger groups.

“Another concern we have is the process of this item being placed 24 hours ago” on an agenda for a special meeting despite its “significant issues,” Dunn added, arguing:

“This is something that we should all discuss as stakeholders with respect to how prevailing wage affects the affordability of housing.”

“There will be legal challenges coming, I’m sure, if not from the Attorney General, from the private side of the businesses,” Dunn warned, echoing Joshua Moore, executive director of the Arizona chapter of the American Subcontractors Association, who later told the council:

“Our primary concern remains emerging is minority contractors … And they’re the ones that stand to be hurt the most by this effort to impose this prevailing wage limit competition on public projects. It imposes administrative burdens on smaller companies that may not have the bandwidth to comply, but are otherwise qualified to perform these projects.

“So you got legitimate, stable, safe, skilled contractors that are going to shut out the process that’s going to drive up the price of public projects. And that’s not good for the taxpayer. And it’s not good for small business people who are looking for opportunities to do so in a challenging environment where they’re facing a recession already.”

Equally passionate were supporters of the measure who addressed council.

Speaking on behalf of the Arizona Building and Construction Trades Council, Luke Douglas said: “I can hardly go to here from my

house without driving by construction or noticing the Phoenix Skyline rise ever higher above the desert that we all call home. …Will this council support and provide for the workers who are building that skyline? Prevailing wages policy has already been federal law for nearly a century.

“It requires contractors and government projects to pay their workers no less than the wage that prevails for their trade in their geographic location. It’s intended to prevent contractors from racing to the bottom on wages than bringing workers in from out of town winning contracts on a low bid and leaving a community behind with depressed wages that we’ll see little benefit from projects construction.

“This ordinance would take the prevailing wage system that the U.S. Department of Labor already uses on federal government projects and apply it to City of Phoenix projects wages within their geographical boundaries.”

Douglas argued, “The issue here is that prevailing wage is simply a system of different minimum wages that are specified by trade. Prevailing wage incentivizes contractors to hire local, pay a livable wage, and keep the economic benefits of the project inside the community.

“It creates opportunities that encourage young people to pursue apprenticeships and skilled trades if they determine that a four-year degree might not be for them. For thousands of Arizona families, construction is their path to the middle class.”

After the speeches, council members entered the fray.

Guardado moved to end public comment, stating, “This is a great step forward to give the non-union workers a fair and responsible wage when they work on city projects. I am thankful and will not pursue this any further with the general public.”

Garcia, who lost his bid for reelection earlier this month in South Phoenix and has been the council’s most liberal member, rejected the builders’ contentions and Barton’s estimates of the ordinance’s impact on the city budget.

“There is no proof for data that shows that this will raise the costs,” Garcia told Barton. “I don’t appreciate that assumption or numbers. You are very smart person Jeff, I really appreciate you but I don’t think there’s anything that’s based on any reality out there that those increases are going to happen.

porters.

Indeed, earlier that day he was part of the majority vote that quashed a measure advanced by Garcia, Guardado, Pastor and Ansari that would have spared residents in three Phoenix mobile home parks from losing their residences because developers plan to toss them out and replace the communities with newer homes.

DiCiccio said the ordinance “strictly targets those projects that receive corporate giveaways.”

job because they live a cushy life and they’re the ones in charge of running their country.”

might be some legal issues with how this was drafted and with the format.”

The mayor condemned the ordinance the the way it was handled by supporters.

“I will not be supporting this,” Gallego said. “I think this is a terrible way to do public policy. I first saw this yesterday when a special meeting was called and the first time I saw these very, very significant changes was just now.

“So I’m proud to support this. And even if that was the case, then I would be really extremely disappointed that we underpay folks that work with the city that much.”

He assailed big business, corporations and banks are waging “a war on the working class” and that the development agreements affected by the prevailing wage measure represents a counterattack that helps workers.

“They’re literally targeting the working class in our country,” DiCiccio said.

He said both major parties have been pushing this war on the middle class “and until we start turning the tide in this country, we’re going to have a problem. So I’m fully supportive of what Ms. Guardado is pushing here. I believe it’s good for the city of Phoenix. And to be very clear, it is not moving this (a prevailing wage requirement) into the private sector.”

Gallego was having none of it.

RIGOR, RELEVANCE & RELATIONSHIPS

One of the most passionate arguments in favor of the measure came from DiCiccio, who often is at odds with Garcia and its three other sup -

“What we’re seeing right now, there is a real problem in our country and it’s systemic,” he added. “It’s built into these individuals that don’t have to worry about getting a

And neither was City Attorney Julie Kreigh, who reminded council members that last October when the prevailing wage measure was first advanced but then withdrawn, council created an eight-rule rule that enabled her office to review all proposed ordinances before they came up for a vote.

“That has not been done in this case,” Kreigh said. “And I wanted to just put on the record that there

“We should have a transparent process. We’ll do better if we get more feedback. Two of my colleagues have said that we did a much more extensive process with extensive community involvement for our water rate hearings. To me that same logic applies here.

“This could have very significant financial implications,” Gallego added. “And I do want to remind our colleagues we do use GPLET for affordable housing projects and to get more affordable housing in existing market rate projects.”

The racket of spring comes tapping

Spring has evidently arrived. Yep, it’s March Madness, like in basketball and busted brackets. Except most of my madness is coming from a pesky cardinal who is constantly rapping on my house windows. The red birds are territorial, so whenever they see their reflection in a window, they try to peck it to death.

So far, I have printed out a big, terrifying picture of a hawk and taped it to his favorite window (doesn’t work). We have hung

long foil strips on strings (a joke). I have rapped back and closed blinds (doesn’t matter). I am trying to outsmart a bird! And it’s not working!

Whoever thinks birds are not smart because they have “bird brains” should stop by my place. I have a percussion orchestra section in session during all daylight hours. Now it is a pair of cardinals who love to tap away. Studies claim that cardinals have a territory of approximately 17 miles, and these birds will do everything they can to chase away possible interlopers from their space. That means pecking at any bird (or

their reflection) until the intruder is gone. Silly bird, it’s you that you see! What about those little brains? Shouldn’t we worry about concussions? We also have plenty of woodpeckers who love to peck at drywall or the flashing around fireplaces. Scientists say that when a woodpecker rams into a hard surface with its beak, the 1200-1400 G-force of each peck can be 20 times greater than what would cause a concussion in humans. Ouch! Plus, woodpeckers can move their head at 15 miles per hour and 12,000 times a day!

Science is now using this information to

Remembering a ‘Prophet without Office’

Another Saint Patrick’s Day has come and gone, so pack up your garishly green sweater and put away your shamrock-shaped badge with “Kiss me, I’m Irish!”

Now, the legacy of another Patrick who emerged as a modern-day prophet of what America could become and circle the date Jan. 20 on your calendar.

It was on that last day of the workweek in the first month of this year that longtime “Newsmax Insider” Patrick J. Buchanan gave that website a scoop: his forthcoming syndicated column would be his last.

Of course, confining a description of Buchanan to a mere mention of his affiliation with a conservative news outlet is akin to restricting the resume’ of Thomas Jefferson to his status as the inventor of the dumbwaiter.

While history understandably devotes several volumes to the “Sage of Monticello,” it should also make room for much more than just a footnote on this most

“Un-Washington” of native Washingtonians and his three campaigns for the Presidency.

After all, Buchanan served as a White House advisor to the two GOP chief executives who were re-elected by historic margins — Richard Nixon, who carried 49 states in 1972, and Ronald Reagan, who won 49 states as well as DC, but lost Minnesota in 1984.

Now that he’s retired at 84, both friends

and foes find it difficult to believe that Pat will strictly observe his right to remain silent in the “Courtroom of Public Opinion.”

That’s because he punctuated his years advising presidents and running for the office himself as a celebrated and unapologetically conservative columnist and commentator.

And it’s the “unapologetic” part of that description that prompted so many jeers and so much static from today’s mislabeled “Liberals.” In fact, it was alleged that one wag from the “socialist authoritarian” camp could scarcely contain his glee, crowing that “The ‘Great Right Hope’ has left the debate!”

Don’t be so sure.

Even if he refuses all interviews and never writes another column, Buchanan’s voice endures.

You won’t have to track down old recordings of Pat’s days as the original conservative co-host of CNN’s “Crossfire,” nor his later time at MSNBC — where those letters have come to stand for “Makeup Stuff and Never Believe Conservatives.”

Instead, it is the simple power of his

prose and many of the ideas behind it.

The words used by Buchanan — in several of his aforementioned columns, his 13 books and on the campaign trail — are not only on the Right, most are absolutely right.

In 1992, he challenged incumbent President George H.W. Bush, and made an eloquent case against what today is called “equity.”

“If discrimination is wrong when practiced against black men and women, it is wrong when practiced against any man or woman. All quotas in federal agencies will be abolished — and the ideas of excellence and merit will be restored.”

From his 1996 campaign for the Republican nomination, where he scored early wins in Louisiana, Missouri and New Hampshire, Buchanan bemoaned Bush 41’s relaxed border security and increasingly incoherent approach to immigration. What he described over a quarter century ago sounds as if it’s ripped from today’s headlines:

Indicting Trump would inflame a tinderbox

With stories, there’s how you wish they’ll play out and how it goes. Nowhere is this truer than with the long, painful tale of President Donald Trump and the possibility of his arrest and trial.

A quote from another time comes to mind: From Gerald Ford, our 38th President, the Michigan Republican who inherited the office after the resignation of Richard Nixon. Watergate pushed the nation to an abyss. Ford’s inaugural speech was beamed live from the East Room in August 1974.

“My fellow Americans,” said the new President. “Our long national nightmare is over.”

The late Wolverines football lineman

never could have imagined where we are today.

How would I like the Trump story to go?

I’d like the Democrat District Attorney of Manhattan, Alvin Bragg, to use his prosecutorial discretion to punt on the case not because I believe Trump’s egomaniacal, absurd denials, but because prosecuting such a case will further inflame a country that’s already like dry kindling awaiting a match.

Is anyone above the law? No, not even a former POTUS.

But for all Trump’s lies and bloviation counterbalanced by some of the results of his presidency, which I appreciated I don’t relish the idea of old 45 in court for a trial focused on $130,000 his scummy lawyer wired to a porn star in 2016 so she wouldn’t discuss an adulterous sex romp from 2006.

Did the payment and its timing violate campaign finance law? Maybe.

Was the repayment hidden in Trump’s business records in some felonious manner, to be written off as legal expenses? Probably.

But in the end, Bragg’s case is too esoteric, a yawner, the political equivalent of getting Al Capone on tax evasion. Except Scarface didn’t have millions of followers on social media and hundreds of thousands of supporters ready to riot in the streets.

My Republican friends will call me out for being too hard on Trump; my Dem pals will say I’ve gone soft in the head and gut. Guilty as charged.

But our bitter partisan nightmare, with the 2024 election less than 600 days away, represents more than what would be at stake in a New York City courthouse.

This is an inflection point, an American

BLUHM from Page 11

I was thinking just the opposite — that perhaps we should fashion tiny helmets for our feathered friends who seem determined to crack their skulls!

Like Edgar Alan Poe’s words, “While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping. As of someone gently rapping at my chamber door.” Well, this is no tapping at my chamber door, it is at windows in my house! And let’s not forget the rearview mirror on the driver’s side of my Subaru. It must be garaged immediately because the cardinal flutters up and down, back and forth, repeatedly chasing his reflection as his image fights back fiercely.

I am thinking (hoping) that eventually the combatants will lose interest and real-

LEIBOWITZ from Page 12

moment beyond Vietnam, Watergate, Clinton/Lewinsky, 9/11.

Trump in handcuffs would delight progressives, but mark my words you’re not going to like the way this turns out. Bragg’s prosecution is the right’s persecution. It will breathe new oxygen into the fires burning in MAGA land, to results that will make America worse off than when we started this sordid tale.

In my fantasy one I know is certifiably insane – Trump takes the out provided by a prosecutorial pass and passes himself on 2024.

Or, better still, he gets politically euthanized in the primaries by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis or Nikki Haley or any sane Republican capable of looking at Kari Lake

ize they have won the battle with their intruders and just go back to building a nest. So far, they are completely obsessed with their own reflections.

My neighbor suggests wrapping their “favorite” windows with black plastic (depressing). My friend says to just ignore the pesky birds and soon they will stop. Well, it has been two weeks, but I will remain hopeful that they will just fly away.

Yes, my pain-in-the-glass cardinals are beautiful, funny to watch, annoying to listen to, but are also the epitome of persistence. Still, it is late March, so I’ll be watching NCAA men’s basketball. Because a bracket is better than a racket. No madness required.

Judy Bluhm is a writer and a local Realtor. Contact her at judy@judybluhm.com or at aroundthebluhmintown.com.

and saying what’s obvious to the rest of us: “Vice President? I wouldn’t buy you a movie ticket, much less put you on a ticket for the White House.”

I know. Crazy talk. This is a time for seriousness, not fantasies. Like that speech Ford gave almost 60 summers ago, quoting leaders whose faces are on Mount Rushmore.

“Thomas Jefferson said the people are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty. And down the years, Abraham Lincoln renewed this American article of faith, asking, ‘Is there any better way or equal hope in the world?’”

Let’s hope the people have stronger spines and hearts than our leaders, and we find a way to get beyond the headlines yet to come in the case of the State of New York vs. President Donald Trump.

ical philosophy, eventually adopting its cornerstone as his own.

“We need a sea wall to stop the tidal wave of illegal immigration and narcotics sweeping over our southern border. We need a ‘time out’ on legal immigration — to assimilate and Americanize the millions who have come in recent decades.”

Ironically, Donald Trump briefly battled Buchanan for the Reform Party nomination in 2000. Though the billionaire businessman quickly withdrew, it appears he became an “apprentice” to Pat’s polit-

In fact, the Trump of today sounds like the Buchanan of three decades ago, who wrote, “Our resolve is to put America First, to make America First again, and to keep America First… We must begin to look out for the forgotten Americans right here in the United States.”

Pat Buchanan will not be forgotten, nor will many of his ideas gather dust. Instead, Americans will come to regard him as a “Prophet without Office.”

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Valley Homewatch earns accreditation

Valley Homewatch & Residential Services has earned accreditation from the National Home Watch Association for the second year.

The NHWA was formed in 2009 to establish and maintain the highest industry standards for home watch and absentee homeowner services throughout the United States and Canada.

Home watch is a visual inspection of a home or property, looking for obvious issues, which means that it is a service that “keeps an eye on things” at your vacation or primary home while you are not in residence. All principals of NHWA Accredited Member companies are background-checked, insured and bonded.

Owner Ben Southgate is originally from what he calls the “real” Deep South; he was born and raised in Mel-

bourne, Australia. His first trip to the United States was in early 2000, beginning on the East Coast, helping to manage and operate a summer sleepaway camp. Southgate worked with the camp for the better part of 15 years.

After a few years traveling the world and working summer camp, Southgate moved to Phoenix in 2007. He became a U.S. citizen in 2012 and has two children.

Since moving to the Valley, he has owned and operated a lighting test facility, completed handyman jobs, and renovated and flipped homes and restaurants. His home watch services started as something on the side and have grown into something more sustainable.

Valley Homewatch & Residential Services serves Anthem, Carefree, Cave Creek, Phoenix, Glendale and Peoria.

Info: 623-335-6610, ben@handyhomewatch.com, handyhomewatch. com

Palms up or palms down?

You may remember the story of Palm Sunday. At the height of His ministry, Jesus came into Jerusalem days before He would go to the cross. He rides into the city on the colt of a donkey as a Servant King, contrary to the day’s culture. Multitudes of people spread out their clothes and tree branches on the road for Jesus as He enters the city.

You might be asking, “What is all the hubbub about? Why the celebration? Why the palm tree branches and the gold carpet treatment?” Well, the people knew Scripture was being fulfilled right before their eyes. How did they know? It had been written in the scriptures years before in Zechariah 9:9. “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

This event was foretold hundreds of years before it happened, but this day the foretold has become “forthtold.” A prophecy is being fulfilled right before their eyes. The next has become the now, and these people are watching it happen.

People are shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” The Psalmist foresaw this day coming hundreds of years earlier in Psalm 118: “This is the day which the Lord has made; Let us rejoice and be glad in it.” The atmosphere is electric. “This is the day” — an awakening, a quickening, an epiphany, a revival, a stirring that ripples through everyone’s space in the city.

The crowd’s shout of “Hosanna” was very significant. Today, many think the word Hosanna means praise. But the original Aramaic (or Hebrew) meaning meant something so much more than praise. The real meaning of Hosanna is a desperate cry from the people for help, deliverance, or salvation. It meant, “I beseech thee, save me now, or I perish.”

The Scripture says, “And when He entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred saying, “Who is this?” Two types of people observed Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. One group was the people who celebrated Jesus, and the other was the religious, academic and political elite disrespecting Jesus. One group was palms-up, and the other was palms-down.

The palms-up crowd, or people supporting Jesus, asked, “Who is… This?” with expectancy, joy and the revelation of Scripture fulfilled. The palms-down group trivialized

the event, asking, “Who… Is this?” In other words, who is messing up what we have raised up? God sent Jesus to mess things up in a positive, uplifting, elevating, ascending, resurrecting, eternal-life-giving way. You see, Jesus was raised up to mess things up for the better.

Where did Jesus go when He dismounted the colt? He went right to the temple, the church at that time. What did He do there? Jesus revealed four characteristics of God’s temple (or church) was created to be:

1. A Church of Purity. Jesus first cast out those robbers buying and selling, turning over the moneychangers’ tables and the seats of those selling doves for sacrificial offerings at exorbitant prices. Through the years, the temple had lost its purity and turned into a robbers’ den at the expense of worshippers and those needing help. This type of profiteering hurts everyone and presents a wrong picture of God. People associate God and money in a way that God hates. (Matthew 21:12)

2. A Church of Prayer. God’s church was designed to be a house of prayer for all nations. Still, it had deteriorated into a place of dysfunctional robbers using clever marketing techniques and temple leaders far from God. Their religion was a religion of rules and regulations. They were more concerned with external behavior than internal redemption and transformation. Jesus wanted them to be aware of the purpose and power of prayer. Prayer is the boiler room of the church. And, prayer was for all the nations, not just one select nation. (Matthew 21:13)

3. A Church of Power. The temple had lost its power. When Jesus evicted the robbers and money changers, it created room for the blind and the lame to enter the house of the Lord. Jesus healed them. In effect, Jesus pointed everyone toward caring for people, not using or abusing people. That’s what a real church does. A true church reaches the lost, disciples the found, and releases the

ready into the community to be salt and light. (Matthew 21:14)

4. A Church of Praise. The temple leaders had forgotten whom the people were to praise. Temple leaders were being lifted, not God. These leaders wanted to be praised as they had always been, but the children praised the real God. Jesus even quotes a verse written many years before to the leaders, saying that on this day, praise will be given to God out of the mouths of babes. (Matthew 21:16)

Why did Jesus come to earth? To make God known in people’s hearts through church services and transformed communities. God revealed Himself to people through Christ.

People, churches and communities: make “this is the day” your day today. And don’t let the money changers crowd you out of coming to a church of purity, prayer, power and praise. Raise your palms upward.

Ed Delph is a noted author of 10 books, as well as a pastor, teacher, former business owner and speaker. He has traveled extensively, having been to more than 100 countries. He is president of NationStrategy, a nonprofit organization involved in uplifting and transforming communities worldwide. For more information, see nationstrategy.com. He may be contacted at nationstrategy@cs.com.

KUMA’S GREAT ADVENTURES

Bartlett Lake and the drive to it are scenic

What a wild winter we have had here in Arizona. I have loved the cooler temperatures, but I have missed the sun. Hopefully spring brings us more sunshine. Regardless of the weather, a great place for a picnic is Bartlett Lake.

From North Phoenix, the drive is just over an hour one way. The address is 20808 E. Bartlett Dam Road, Tonto National Forest, Rio Verde. We took Carefree Highway East to Cave Creek Road north and turned right on Bartlett Dam Road, where we drove for about 13 miles until we came to the entrance for the lake.

We just missed the flowers. It was a chilly, cloudy day when we drove out. However, if you go now, you will see tons of wildflowers. The drive will be just as scenic as the destination itself. Take pictures!

The cost is $6 per vehicle and an additional $4 for boats. We sold ours some time ago, so we packed a lunch to enjoy the views from land. There are several day-use areas, but we prefer

Rattlesnake Cove. Don’t let the name scare you. We have never seen a snake.

It is located on the north side of the lake and boasts great views and sandy beaches.

Plenty of picnic tables with shade and human restrooms await you. They did a good job of layering the areas so more people could enjoy the views. There really isn’t a bad seat in the house. We had the place to ourselves, but with spring break and summer coming, be prepared for crowds.

Mom was glad she wore layers and something over her ears. The sun was warm, but the wind was cold. Soon enough, it will just be hot, so we try not to complain about it.

We enjoyed Mom’s homemade macaroni salad and some chips. Of course, I always get my special jerky. Yum! The lake was quiet and calm. We sat admiring the views and then decided to take a little walk.

During another visit, we took the actual trail to hike around. It is 4.5 miles out and back and follows the shore of the lake most of the way. Today, we opted to head over toward the boat ramp to see what we could find.

The trail was muddy, and we quickly

learned the boat ramp on that north shore is closed for repairs. We didn’t get very far before turning around. We hadn’t come to hike, so we were fine with a short stretch for our legs.

We sure enjoy having Bartlett Lake relatively close. We hopped back in the car to head home as Mom still had some work to do. This was just a long lunch break. I got to eat yummy food and enjoy fresh air with views. A good time in my book.

Like I said, the drive will be spectacular now with wildflowers. Don’t miss them. Once the heat arrives, the flowers will wither and die. The desert is incredibly green and lush — soak it up while you can.

My mom, Lorraine BosséSmith, is kind enough to help me share my Great Adventures, big and small. My mom is a motivational speaker, corporate trainer, executive recruiter, business consultant, coach, fitness expert and author of nine published books. More importantly, she’s the best doggy

mom ever.

Enjoy my blog at https://bit.ly/ kuma0901, follow me on Facebook @ kumathedog or Instagram @kumaitothedog.

Library offers broad array of programs this April

The North Valley Regional Library offers free programs for people of all ages. Some of them are listed below; for a complete list of offerings visit mcldaz.org/northvalley.

North Valley Regional Library is located at 40410 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway, Anthem. It is open to the public from 2:45 to 8 p.m. Monday to Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. It is closed on Fridays.

Stories & Songs

3 p.m. Tuesdays

Bring children to the library to listen to books, songs and rhymes in a fun interactive program designed to share the joy of reading. Caregivers should be prepared to participate in the songs and rhymes. The more children see adults interested in books and rhymes, the more successful readers they become. Space is limited. Open to preschoolers; no registration required.

Daisy Bunny

10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 1

Daisy Bunny is coming to the library to read a story and perform magic. Crafts are part of the fun, too. No registration required, but supplies are limited. It’s open to preschoolers and toddlers.

Parkinson’s Support Group

10 a.m. Saturday, April 1

Join the group the first Saturday of each month to find answers and support for Parkinson’s disease. Each meeting hosts speakers who help shed light on the disease. No registration required.

Family Game Hour

3 p.m. Sunday, April 16

Bring the family to the library for an hour of gaming. Board games will be provided or guests can bring their own. No registration required.

Cricut Design Space Basics Series

6 p.m. Wednesdays, April 19, April 26 and May 3

Learn the basics of using Cricut Design Space in this three-week series open to teens and adults. Register at mcldaz.org/

northvalley, or call 602-652-3000.

Week 1: Learn to find and upload a simple card

Week 2: Learn to personalize a project by changing fonts and images

Week 3: Follow step-by-step directions to design a simple card

Each week builds on the lessons from the past week. Suited for teens and up.

Art Lab

4 p.m. Thursday, April 20

Ages 8 and older. Children will explore the different art techniques and make art to take home. Registration required at mcldaz.org/northvalley or call 602652-3000. Open to ages 8 to 13.

Sensory Playtime

9:30 a.m. Saturday, April 22

Drop by for sensory playtime. Explore a variety of sensory activities, plus free play, socialization and activities that will stimulate a child’s mind. For all ages, with a caregiver. Space is limited, although no registration is required. This event is co-sponsored by the New Friends of the North Valley Library.

Kawaii Craft Hour: Suncatchers

1 p.m. Sunday, April 23

Teens/tweens will do a fun craft that embraces the spirit of Japanese kawaii aesthetics. On this day, the group will paint suncatchers in the shape of adorable junk food. All participants will be able to take home at least two painted suncatchers. To register, visit mcldaz. org/northvalley or call 602-652-3000.

Grounds for Thought Book Discussion

2:45 p.m. Wednesday, April 26

Join the group for an afternoon of coffee, tea and discussion at the monthly book club for adults. Open to adults; no registration required.

DIY Picture Frame Decorating

1 p.m. Sunday, April 30

Teens/tweens can decorate two types of photo holders, and take an Instax photo of themselves with their friends. They can then decorate a standard photo frame and a block Polaroid-holder in this program. Register at mcldaz.org/ northvalley or call 602-652-3000.

Twin Peaks preparing to open Deer Valley store

After several delays, Twin Peaks Restaurant is scheduled to open its Deer Valley location on Monday, April 17.

The restaurant at 3063 W. Agua Fria Freeway, next to the Deer Valley Town Center, will serve only dinner from April 17 to April 21. From April 22 onward, it will operate as normal, opening at 11 a.m. for lunch.

This is its fifth location in Arizona, pushing Twin Peaks to 100 lodges in the United States and Mexico.

With more than 100 TVs, Twin Peaks also has 32 beers on tap, a patio with a firepit and a “Peak Easy” private room. The food menu is just as expansive with bites, burgers, sandwiches, flatbreads,

tacos, wings, salads and soups, lunch, hot dishes and sides.

“Everyone here has welcomed us in and treated us like family, so we’re excited to expand into more of the Phoenix area in Deer Valley,” said Twin Peaks CEO Joe Hummel. “Arizona may be growing, but the weather isn’t changing so with our scratch-made food, ice-cold beer and impeccable service from the Twin Peaks girls, you’ll be hard pressed to find a better place to watch a game or hang out with friends indoors.”

In preparation for its grand opening, Twin Peaks hired 130 team members for various positions including bartenders, hosts, managers and back of house positions.

Info: twinpeaksrestaurant.com

Foundation opens Martin Scholarship application period

Anthem Way Foundation invites all eligible high school students to apply for one of two $1,000 scholarships. The scholarships are named for Jim Martin, chief engineer of the Anthem Veterans Memorial, for his mathematical and engineering talents and his dedication to the community. The Jim Martin STEM Scholarship provides two $1,000 annual scholarships to two Anthem residents and graduating high school students who have excelled

in mathematics and exemplified service to the community. The Anthem Way Foundation and two donors provide the scholarships.

The scholarship criteria and application are available at onlineatanthem. com. The deadline for submitting a completed application is Friday, April 21. Submit the application and all required attachments by mail or in-person to Anthem Community Council, Attn: STEM Scholarship Committee, 3701 W. Anthem Way, Suite 201, Anthem, AZ 85086.

DVUSD is striving for another award

The Deer Valley Unified School District has been ranked by Forbes the last four years as one of the Best Midsize Public School District Employers in Arizona.

Last year, the district received the No. 1 public school employer in the nation designation and earned the No. 4 ranking this year.

The district still holds on to the No. 1 top midsize public school district employer title in Arizona. Midsize employers are businesses and institutions that employ between 500 and 5,000 staff. With a massive organization built around 34,000 students, 40 school buildings, two virtual programs, 367 square miles, and almost

4,000 employees, what does this ranking mean? What are the ingredients to establish a positive working environment?

Public school education is a unique business. Although the district’s budget may be in the hundreds of millions of dollars, 85% of that budget is allocated to personnel; the rest of the state and national dollars are allocated toward such things as supplies, technology, facility maintenance, equipment, student programs, transportation and professional development.

Many of the state and national dollars have specific allocations and cannot be moved around to meet other needs. In a “normal” business, moving resources around is common practice. Most businesses don’t have five locally elected politicians giving

direction to the company; public school districts have five community members elected by their constituents.

DVUSD is vastly different from charter and private schools. DVUSD has heavy oversight, transparency, and accountability to taxpayers. Read a full report on charter schools here: dvusd.org/charterschoolreport.

The most important ingredient in DVUSD’s recipe for success is people. In the “Good to Great” book series, author Jim Collins talks of placing the “right people in the right seat of the bus.” Great people, positioned in the right spot, will increase the potential success of any organization.

The second ingredient is a solid community and staff-driven, strategic plan. (Read about the new DVUSD plan here: dvusd.org/strategicplan.) Without a comprehensive, data-driven road map, organizations struggle.

The third ingredient is found in the books, “Primed to Perform” by Doshi and McGregor, and “Drive” by Daniel Pink, where purpose shines as the glue in your organization. If employees understand the “why” of their job, the work will have more meaning and connection. Purpose is imperative!

If you have great people, a solid plan and an aligned purpose, awards for your efforts will arrive. In the last

five years, DVUSD has increased its number of A+ School of Excellence campuses to 27, became one of 11 Professional Learning Community model districts in the nation, and 92% of the district’s 40 schools continue to be A or B rated.

Also, the district averages 40 to 50 career and technical education, fine arts, and athletic state or national champion titles a year. See an extraordinary list of accomplishments at dvusd.org/extraordinary.

With our continued community’s support, we will be aiming for Forbes III, the Best Public School Employer in the nation, for the third time, in 2024!

Dr. Curtis Finch can be reached at superintendent@dvusd.org

4 Deer Valley schools given A+ grades

The Arizona Educational Foundation has given an A+ School of Excellence Award to four local schools.

Those Deer Valley Unified School District facilities are Deer Valley High School, Legend Springs Elementary School, Sandra Day O’Connor High School and Sierra Verde STEAM Academy.

Supported by the Fiesta Bowl Charities, the AEF A+ School of Excellence Award recognition began in 1983 as a way of identifying, celebrating and recognizing educational excellence in schools throughout Arizona.

In addition to showcasing exceptional public schools, the A+ Award application process provides school teams with an outstanding comprehensive frame-

work that serves as a basis for school self-assessment and planning.

The A+ School of Excellence award is the highest state-level award given to a public school and is often a stepping-stone for schools seeking National Blue Ribbon status. The A+ Award is a powerful energizer for increasing public confidence in recognized schools, often resulting in greater parent and community involvement and even serves as an economic driver for some communities.

“The A+ School of Excellence Award is significant as it sends a message throughout communities that the local neighborhood public school down the street is an exceptional choice, brim ming with opportunities for students to learn and grow, and for faculty and staff to thrive,” said Kim Graham, AEF exec utive director.

“AEF was established to shine a spotlight on the great work of public schools and the hardworking educators and employees who devote themselves to serving students and families.

The A+ School of Excellence Award is our way of honoring that incredible dedication.”

Supporting education through both

tifying strong success in teaching and learning strategies, student achievement, leadership and community integration. Public schools in Arizona can apply for the AEF A+ School of Excellence Award by submitting a written application, which is then reviewed by a panel of A+ principals, teachers and district leaders. If accepted, schools participate in the final step of the selection, which is a multi-day site visit led by a team of A+ Award judges.

The AEF A+ School of Excellence® award is valid for four years, and schools must reply to continue their A+ status.

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