FREE SUBSCRIPTION
Opioid crisis grants PAGE
8
TheFoothillsFocus.com
INSIDE
This Week
Serving the communities of Anthem, Desert Hills, Norterra, Sonoran Foothills, Stetson Valley, Tramonto, New River, Desert Ridge and North Phoenix
Anthem Area Edition
Wednesday, October 19, 2022
Restaurant owner, Marine supports Anthem The Foothills Focus, in partnership with the An them Veterans Memorial, wi ll honor a local veteran each mo nth. This is the story of Ryan Ladiser.
BUSINESS.......... 16
Robert Clarfield combines real estate and flying
BUSINESS.......... 18
L’Entrata wine bar celebrating 1st anniversary
FEATURES......... 20
Artist Ray Villafane explores new characters
OPINION.......................9 BUSBNIESS................ 16 FEATURES................. 19 YOUTH....................... 23 CLASSIFIEDS............. 26 Zone I
BY ELIZABETH TURNER Anthem Veterans Memorial
R
yan Ladiser enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps after graduating high school in Seattle. “My dad is an Army veteran who served in Vietnam,” Ladiser said. “My grandfather is a Marine who served
see MARINE page 4
Ryan Ladiser will serve breakfast sandwiches from Tennessee Grill before the Anthem Veterans Day ceremony. (Ryan Ladiser/Submitted)
Christmas program hits its 20th anniversary
BY KAILA MELLOS Foothills Focus Staff Writer
T
he Foothills Food Bank and Resource Center are gathering donors and donations for its annual Adopt-A-Family Christmas program. The donor program is now in high demand. “We are all aware of the rising food
and gas prices, but our neighbors are especially feeling the financial strain,” said Leigh Zydonik, Foothills Food Bank executive director. “The food bank has experienced a 51% increase in visits over the same period in 2021.” The Adopt-A-Family program gave back to 1,185 individuals and approximately 450 families in 2021. With that
51% increase in demand, they are now looking to serve around 600 individual families this year. “The Adopt-A-Family is a gift-giving program,” Zydonik said. “We have families, and our seniors as well, that we have two different parties for. One party is at the Holland Center,
see ANNIVERSARY page 6
The latest breaking news and top local stories in the Peoria!
www.foothillsfocus.com