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Karen Fann is Poised to Lead the State Senate  

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For more than 25 years, Yavapai County resident Karen Fann has been in the public eye. 

That visibility will continue. Fann was elected to another term as a state senator for District 1, which covers more than 8,000 square miles of Yavapai County and portions of Maricopa County. She beat out opponent Jo Craycroft, 54,952 to 23079 votes. 

 

To add to her victory, Fann was selected by her peers to serve as president of the Arizona Senate in the coming year. That powerful role allows her to control legislation introduced and the selection of committee chairs. 

Fann is well prepared for her influential role. A lifelong Republican, she had been a powerful member of the Arizona House of Representatives, where she was first elected in 2011 and served until she became a senator in 2016.  

Fann told the Quad Cities Business News, “My primary legislative obligation will be to represent not only the people who elected me, but also the greater population of Arizona. We’ve some major issues to be faced at the Capitol. We can’t let partisan politics get in the way of what is best for Arizona.” 

She cites three big concerns ahead. 

One is the prolonged drought and potential water shortages. She says water policy must be revisited and revised to reflect realities of domestic, commercial, industrial and agricultural growth and expansion in Arizona.  

Another is identifying sources and improving sustainable funding for state-supported public education from preschool through the university level. She believes education must become a major priority and the diversion of funds designated for education must be eliminated. 

And, she says, school safety and public safety must be given more attention with students, school personnel, law enforcement and first responders receiving conspicuous support at all levels of government.  

“We’ve got to stop letting politics get in the way of working together and cooperating to create good policy, not partisanship,” she said. “We’ve also got to move forward to assure that rural Arizona is not bypassed in critical legislative action. There’s no reason rural communities can’t cooperate and make sure they are represented respectfully in the legislature.” 

Fann is firm about sticking to her principles in her role at the Senate. “I have two rules I will follow. First, I will respect everyone. Second, I will never blindside someone. I will be honest, ethical and forthright – and I will listen, not ignore.”  

When parents Jim and Sylvia Fann arrived in Prescott in 1958 to raise their four children, the Fanns became prominent in Prescott. Jim Fann is gone, but Sylvia remains in Prescott. Karen’s brother, Mike, is owner and CEO of Fann Contracting. Sister, Sarah Fann Bird, earned a graduate degree, lives in Peoria with her husband and works for a national telemedicine firm.  Her other sister, Gail Fann Thomas, has a doctorate degree, and lives in Monterey, California with her husband. All family members routinely convene in Prescott and contribute in one way or another to their hometown. 

For a short period, the Fann family lived in El Cajon, Calif. While there, Karen completed high school, where she was a musician, athlete and student council member. She also was president of Y-Teens.   

When her family returned to Prescott, she moved to Hawaii as an airline executive. She returned to the mainland to become operations manager for Scenic Airlines in Las Vegas, but soon decided she wanted to return to Prescott. She gained experience as a legal assistant for Yavapai County.  

With just $500, she launched her own business in 1984, Arizona Highway Safety Specialists. In the 34 years since, it has grown into Arizona’s largest installer of roadway guardrails and signage. 

Fann has been married to Jim McKown for 11 years. “Jim and I had met at the Palace Saloon in Prescott and really got along. But when we decided to get married, we went to Hawaii. My immediate family also decided to go to Hawaii for a big family Christmas vacation. It was then Jim and I surprised them by getting married in Kona. What a great time.”  

Among her public contributions:   

  • 1992-95Prescott City Council and Mayor Pro Tem; also Northern Arizona Council of Governments; 
  • 2002-2009Town of Chino Valley Council and Mayor;  
  • 2011-2016Arizona House of Representatives, District 1, where she served on major legislative committees. 

Fann’s dedication to her responsibilities is legendary. In 1992, she broke her pelvis in five places while in Telluride, Colorado, and was hospitalized in Montrose until she was transported to Yavapai Regional Medical Center. Just days later, she attended a Prescott City Council meeting on crutches. 

She has received more than 35 awards while a state legislator, including Legislator of the Year, Leader in Public Policy of the Year, Woman of the Year, Best Elected Republican Representative and Senator of the Year.  

 

What the best advice you ever received? 

“Brad Newman, longtime executive director for Yavapai Exceptional Industries, looked me straight in the eye when I first ran for office. He said, ‘Always be true to yourself.’  I’ve always tried to follow it.” 

Where’s your favorite place to vacation? 

“No doubt about that – Kona, Hawaii, where Jim and I got married. And great golf.” 

What’s your favorite form of entertainment? 

“Reading a good book – like some of John Grisham’s – or watching a good movie. I just enjoy escaping to another world.” 

When’s your best time of day? 

“Anytime I am with friends. They are what really count.” 

What character trait do you admire the most? 

“Honesty. I can have differences and disagreements with people, but I hate being lied to. Just tell me the truth.” QCBN 

 By Ray Newton, QCBN 

Photo captions: 

Arizona District 1 Senator Karen Fann was re-elected to the Arizona legislature by a more than two-to-one margin in the Nov. 5 election. Fann has been named president of the Arizona Senate for the coming year.   

Courtesy photo 

 

 

 

Healer Practicing Eastern Medicine to Treat Pain, Chronic Illnesses

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The pain got so severe in his lower back and leg that Les Fullerton was considering back surgery. A friend suggested he first see Jean Painter of Harmony Integrative Medicine in Prescott.

Fullerton is glad he did.

After about 12 visits for acupuncture with Painter, he is 100 percent free of back pain.

“I had met with a spine surgeon, and was looking into spinal surgery. That option is no longer in the picture. I don’t have back pain anymore,” Fullerton said.

Fullerton is not the only one who has had excellent results from Painter. There is a book in her office packed with hundreds of thank you letters from grateful patients. They say she is a whiz at relieving headaches, back pain, digestive issues and general aches and pains.

“She has been my acupuncturist for about 10 years,” said Martha Beckham, a patient who had a ringing in her ears. Her doctor at the Mayo Clinic told her if the acupuncturist was helping, to go back to her. “That is when I knew it was something – when the medical profession thinks it is good. You want to avoid drugs.”

“The veteran’s administration sends me their pain patients, their neuropathy patients, the wounded warriors,” said Painter. “We can give them their lives back. We are 90 percent successful; plus, studies show that acupuncture can cut back or eliminate their opiates and neurological medications.”

Painter says she is grateful to her mother for the life she has now, spending her days helping others find relief from pain of all kinds through acupuncture, herbs, specialized diets and exercise.

“My mother had suffered from COPD for the better part of 25 years. She didn’t die from her disease, she died from the medicines she had been taking over that time. She suffered horribly,” Painter said. “I thought there must be another set of tools out there to deal with the treatment of chronic illnesses.”

Painter looked into both Chinese and mainstream medicine. She liked the idea of Eastern medicine because it is a comprehensive healthcare system that is 3,000 years old. She made the decision to return to school at age 44. She was accepted at the prestigious Yo San University in Santa Monica after taking required prerequisite pre-med classes, which she describes as “brutal.”

After graduating, she opened her own practice in Los Angeles.

“In the 1980s, there was lovely weather, traffic was manageable and people largely were friendly,” she said. “By 2000, that was not the case. Summers were hotter, traffic was unbearable and people were not as friendly as they had been 20 years earlier. There was a lot of competition.”

Before moving to Prescott in 2004, she sent out letters to local healthcare providers introducing herself, telling them about her education and letting them know she was moving to the area.

“I got a positive reaction,” she said. “I worked for Wayne Bennett [a Prescott chiropractor] for a year and then moved into my own space in 2004. There were not too many of us at the time. There was a great need. I was fortunate enough to have an extensive education, and that helped me. I also had a good marketing sense and background.”

She chose Prescott because she had always wanted to live in the forest.

“It is wonderful. The community is very kind and very welcoming. Everyone’s Home Town. It feels like people are happy to be here.”

The daughter of a physician, Painter was born and raised in Indianapolis. She started out in journalism at Indiana University, but in the late 1960s and early 1970s, she struggled to find a news job.

Discouraged, she went into property management for 25 years. However, her mother’s illness was the impetus for a career change.

“I specialize in chronic illnesses, like digestive and neurological. I do acupuncture for back pain or achy knees and elbows.”

She also uses herbs and specialized diets. Painter is certified as a diplomat in oriental medicine, Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture. She is also licensed by the state of Arizona to practice.

“She is wonderful, very professional. Her technique is just great,” said Valeska Brown, a long-time patient. “She is one-of-a-kind in this community.”

Painter has had great success in treating digestive illnesses such as irritable bowel syndrome and can knock out headaches and back pain.

“Within a few days, we can stop the severe diarrhea and the pain and cramping,” she said.

“My husband is 97 and has had severe arthritis,” said Norma Love. “Since he has been going to her, he has not needed the medication he had been taking.” QCBN

By Patty McCormac, QCBN

For more about Painter and her business, call 928-776-4895 or visit harmonyintegrativemedicine.com.

Inspired by Space, Sports, Science

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Step into Kevin Schindler’s office and you get a sample of what he loves and where he has been. There is the shark tooth from Florida, the hubcap from one of the tires in Lowell Observatory’s historic Clark Telescope dome and the bucket of baseballs collected from spring training.

The sign above the door says “Stadium Entrance,” so it should be no surprise when guests find themselves engaged in a conversation while tossing a baseball that has been in the hands of major leaguers. Famous guests to the “Stadium” who have found themselves in the position to catch Schindler’s tosses are Arizona balladeer and state historian Marshall Trimble, astronaut John Grunsfeld and author Andy Chaikin, who wrote the bible of manned moon missions, “A Man on the Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts.”

Among the walls of books that surround Schindler are five of his own, authored in the last three years. They speak of Lowell Observatory’s past and present science achievements such as the discovery of Pluto and ongoing outer solar system exploration, and Flagstaff scientists’ involvement in the 1969 moon landing effort.

Not surprisingly, these books reflect what motivates and inspires him. Schindler is driven by a passion to learn about and share the stories of great people who pursued their dreams and left their marks on history, and a love for “old things.” As Lowell’s historian, he is also a trivia machine. Did you know the average meteor entering Earth’s atmosphere is traveling a thousand times faster than former Diamondbacks pitcher Randy Johnson can throw a ball?

Schindler’s passion for baseball goes back to his Little League days in Ohio. “Baseball is one of my earliest hobbies. I liked playing center field because you’re in the middle of all the action and you’re always running in one direction or the other.”

Given that description, you could say Schindler is still playing center field, in life. When NASA’s flying observatory, SOFIA, took flight in 2015, Schindler was on board with other science educators to expand scientific literacy. When the New Horizons spacecraft reached Pluto in 2015, Schindler was celebrating in Maryland with the who’s who of the space exploration industry. When his beloved Cleveland Indians clinched the American League pennant in 2016, Schindler was there in the press box capturing the excitement for readers to enjoy. And, when the solar eclipse began casting its chilling shadow across the United States last August, Schindler was in Madras, Oregon, wearing his NASA-approved solar eclipse glasses, marveling at the phenomenon and explaining to anyone interested what exactly was happening in the path of totality.

Schindler’s lifelong fascination with science began as a child. “I collected my first fossil when I was seven. I was picking blackberries in the woods behind my house about 20 miles from Cleveland when I found this cool rock full of what I later found out were brachiopods that lived 320 million years ago. Then I picked up another rock that fit together with the first.”

He was also inspired by his earth science teacher at Buckeye High in Medina, Ohio. “He was the best teacher I ever had.” Schindler applied to his mentor’s alma mater, Marietta College, where he studied geology and specialized in paleontology.

He began his career in the paleontology department at the Florida Museum of Natural History in the late 1980s. A decade later, he moved to Flagstaff and began working at Lowell Observatory, where he has been for 23 years.

Just as his early years of collecting baseball cards and hunting for fossils have morphed into a lifelong passion for sports and science, Schindler loves how things tie together. “My favorite players are the ones who my parents saw, like the legendary Bob Feller, who pitched for the Indians his enitre career. He was a great pitcher, but volunteered to fight in World War II because he felt it was more important to be an American and defend his country than play baseball. There was also Ted Williams, who went off to fight in World War II and the Korean War. He could have hit more home runs, but it didn’t matter. He did what he believed was right for our country. That’s something I really respect.

Schindler offers another bit of trivia. “Ted Williams, this baseball god, was John Glenn’s wingman in Korea.”

And how about this, says Schindler: “Cleveland Indians pitcher Gaylord Perry was notorious for throwing a spit ball. His manager was asked if Perry could hit. He responded, ‘There will be a man on the moon before he’ll hit a home run.’ On July 20, 1969, Perry hit a home run, the same day Neil Armstrong walked on the moon.”

Today, Schindler is spearheading a public awareness campaign about Flagstaff’s involvement in the Apollo missions and giving talks about Pluto with the release of his book, Pluto and Lowell Observatory, co-authored by astronomer Will Grundy. “I love to share information and cool stories.”

He also loves to share the baseballs he collects during spring training in the Valley. “I love to give them to kids.” In addition, he leaves them on windshields as souvenirs for fans.

“There are two things I think about a lot these days as I get older that I’d like to impress upon my grandchildren: live positive lives in terms of how you interact with people and your overall outlook; and, leave yourself open to opportunity.”

Schindler’s influence on his five-year-old granddaughter is now mirrored in one of her favorite sayings, “We love nice people!”

What character qualities do you most value?

“Integrity, the passion to follow your dreams, patriotism, and the desire to make the world around us a better place.

    “Theodore Roosevelt said, ‘It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.’”

Where do you love to travel?

“When I was younger, I never imagined going to a foreign country, because the USA has so much great stuff. As an adult, I love traveling around the world. If there’s an excuse to go somewhere, I’ll go there! I also enjoy being at our cabin, north of Mancos, Colorado. It’s about 45 minutes away from Internet service and surrounded by snow in the winter, so it’s a great place to go to recharge the batteries with family and work on writing projects.”

What’s your favorite food?

“There’s a place in Florida called Sonny’s that has the best barbecue ribs. Every year, we plan a trip to Florida and I always make it a point to go to Sonny’s. In fact, I’ve even ordered the sauce online. I’m sure the nostalgia of my years there combined with the memory of the food is what makes it such a treat.”

If you had a million dollars to give away, where would it go?

“I would want to give it to places that are meaningful to me: Lowell Observatory, the Museum of Northern Arizona, Marietta College, the Florida Museum of Natural History and Buckeye High School, to start with.”

What’s one of your favorite moments?

“I’ve been fortunate to meet some legendary people — astronauts, athletes, politicians — but these occasions are always more meaningful when they happen with family. I’ve especially enjoyed meeting several astronauts with my wife, Gretchen. When we met Neil Armstrong, she asked for a kiss so she could tell her grandkids that she was kissed by a man who walked on the moon. So, when we met Jim Lovell (Apollo 13 pilot) at a reception, she also asked for a kiss. Later at the punchbowl, she bragged about it to a friend. The comment caught the ear of other women nearby, especially one who looked up and said quite matter-of-factly, ‘Honey, I do that every day.’ It was Jim’s wife.” FBN

By Bonnie Stevens, FBN

Kevin Schindler will be giving his talk, “Arizona Goes to the Moon,” at the Sedona Public Library on Monday, Oct. 8, and at Red Rock State Park on Sunday, Nov. 4.

Singer Toni Tennille Wants More Musically, for Herself and Prescott 

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Grammy-award winning singer-songwriter and classical keyboardist Toni Tennille could probably live anywhere she wants. She has lived throughout the United States, in cities big and small, from coast to coast, in the scenic Sierra Nevadas and in lush, semi-tropical and sun-kissed Florida.

But, Prescott is where she chooses to call home.

She has done that twice, in fact, once in 2007 and again in 2017.

The chart-topping vocalist with a contralto vocal range that spans two and a half octaves says it clearly in an exclusive interview with Quad Citie Business News. “I fell in love with Prescott the first time I was here – the climate, the environment, the various social and cultural activities – but most of all, the people. The locals are genuine, friendly and, most of all, much like family to me. Prescott is a special place. After I moved to Florida in 2015, where I worked with my niece, Caroline St. Clair, to write my memoir, I decided last August to return to Prescott. It is my home, and I live right where I want to be, just a few minutes from the center of town and the lovely Courthouse Square.”

When Cathryn Antoinette “Toni” Tennille came to Prescott the first time, it didn’t take long for her to become involved with several local musical organizations. Those included performing groups at Yavapai College Performing Arts Center and the Prescott POPS Symphony Orchestra, directed at that time by her friend and now retired founder Paul Manz. Manz now lives in North Carolina, but the POPS continues.

Tennille performed several songs during the last POPS concert Aug. 29. She received several standing ovations. POPS Musical Director Joe Place said of her during intermission, “She is one of the most wonderful, gracious and supremely talented persons I’ve ever met.”

What many do not know about Tennille is that when she moved here the first time, she and her dog, Smoky, volunteered as a therapy team at Yavapai Regional Medical Center and other sites. “I just loved seeing people’s faces light up when Smoky would snuggle up to them and wag. It was as good for me as it was them. I confess: I just love pets.”

Tennille no longer has Smoky, but she has two Australian Shepherds, Bebop and Lula.

She also has become an ambassador for the newly-formed AZ Philharmonic Orchestra. “When I lived in Reno, we had a top philharmonic orchestra of professional musicians. You could hand them a score and they would play it almost perfectly the first time through. I want to see the same thing in Prescott and in Central Arizona. This community deserves a professional level orchestra that will attract major performers and raise the musical profile of the region.” (See story about AZ Philharmonic Orchestra on p. 37.)

Five Decades of Performing

Tennille, who began singing in the late 1950s, plans to continue performing. She has returned to studying classical vocal music with Darrell Rowader, director of the Master Chorale at Yavapai College. She explained, “As a child in Montgomery, Alabama, I was trained as a classical pianist. My father had been a singer with Bob Crosby’s Bob-Cats. My mother hosted a local TV show. I attended Auburn University, where I continued my study of classical music. But when I moved to California, I moved more into popular music, jazz, rock and romantic ballads. That’s how I met Daryl. In 1969, when I was composing the music for a Broadway musical called “Mother Earth,” I hired Daryl to be the pianist. In 1973, we formed ‘The Captain and Tennille.’”

“The Captain and Tennille” soon became a top-performing musical success in the 1970s and 80s. They sold six million selling singles and several gold and platinum albums. Their most popular record, “Love Will Keep Us Together,” won the 1975 Grammy Award for Best Record of the Year.

In 1980, Toni had her own syndicated talk show, “The Toni Tennille Show.”

Her success continued. In 1998-1999, she performed the lead role in the national tour of the musical play “Victor Victoria.”

She and then-husband Daryl later moved to Reno, where they lived until 2007. They moved from Reno to Prescott, where they built a showcase home just north of the city limits in Williamson Valley. They lived in that subdivision until they divorced in 2014. Toni moved to Florida in 2015.

But now she is back in Prescott. “And this is where I want to be,” she said with a smile.

What is your favorite kind of music?

“My favorite kind of music — pop, ballads, jazz, rock — I love them all. But I really want to take on the challenge of some traditional classical music, which is why I am studying at Yavapai College. I really hope through getting some training in classical music that I can find notes and ranges in my voice that I haven’t used for years. I really want to expand my vocal horizons — find notes I never knew I had.”

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

“The best advice I ever received probably came from my dear friend Eydie Gorme. We were talking one day. I said, ‘I wish I could sing the same kind of music as Sarah Vaughan or Ella Fitzgerald.’ Edie looked at me and said, ‘There’s only one Sara and one Ella. You just sing and BE YOURSELF.’”

What would you want your next fortune cookie to say?

“Live long, prosper and have a healthy life.”

What is the one thing you cannot live without?

“The one thing I would not go on a vacation without is my own pillow.”

What is your hope for Prescott?

“I am hopeful that Prescott and the area can become a musical and cultural leader in Arizona. We have so much dedicated talent in our greater community. We need to share it with everyone.” QCBN

By Ray Newton, QCBN

Her book, “Toni Tennille:  A Memoir,” is available at Amazon.

Executive Chef Jose Martinez Cooking Up Culinary Delights 

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Before dedicating himself to the culinary arts, Executive Chef Jose Martinez thought about leaving his native Puerto Rico to set up a business devoted to distributing one of the simplest but irreplaceable foodstuffs. “This business had nothing to do with cooking,” Martinez said, sitting in a booth at Che Ah Chi, one of the foodservice entities he now helps oversee at Sedona’s Enchantment Resort.  

“I wanted to sell ice on a small island because anytime I went there to camp, I could never find ice.” However, his plan ran aground due to a justified parental veto. “My dad said, ‘You’re not gonna do that. I just got the keys to a restaurant and signed the lease,’” Martinez recounted. “I said, ‘Okay, let’s go!’ I was 19. It was a small place, very tiny, but I’ll tell you, the minute we started cranking food out of the kitchen, I just fell in love with it. And the rest is history.” 

Born into a family that included restaurateurs, “Chef Jose” points to his mother’s baking as an initial engine for his gastronomical passion. “From early on, I was on a pastry adventure.” While attending culinary school in Puerto Rico, he was recruited by a culinary school in Florida and was stateside three months later.  

“The idea was to go to the United States and come back, [but] I never left. This is the best nation in the world.” Though his career path has crisscrossed the country – with top gigs at luxury resorts such as The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, The Roosevelt New Orleans, and Phoenix’s Arizona Biltmore – Martinez connected most with the Grand Canyon State. “I never felt as good as when I was here. To me, this is like I’m home,” he said. “Obviously, it’s a different town, smaller than Phoenix, but the scenery makes up for all of that. I’ve adjusted well.”  

After last year’s “IrMaria” devastation, which included landfall by both hurricanes near his hometown of Fajardo on the east end of Puerto Rico, the father of three asked his family to join him in his adopted hometown until living conditions returned to normal. “But living there is all they know, even though it’s not what it should be at this point. But they find a way to make it happen. All is well. They’re doing okay, but they’re stubborn!” 

Easter Sunday was Chef Jose’s second day on the job at the Enchantment and he found the brunch “incredible” because of its quality and variety of offerings (approximately 100 items). He has been busy orchestrating meals for summer visitors and team-building with the food and beverage staff. “I love food, but you can’t get to the point of good food and you won’t be able to put your best foot forward until you build a team where you’ve earned their trust and they’ll do everything they can for you,” said Martinez. “Building a team is the most gratifying time in a resort, in a work environment.” 

What’s your favorite dish to prepare? To eat? 

“I like a lot of things, as you might expect. I like the fancy stuff, the foie gras and all of this. But to be completely honest with you, the dish that really hits the spot for me is nachos! If you break it down and think about the perfect dish, you need great flavor, a contrast of textures – crispy, soft – and I think that nachos encompass all of that. It’s not fancy, it’s not something you see in a Michelin three-star restaurant, but whenever I need something that’s going to hit the spot and get me going, it’s the dish for me. To prepare, I would say I enjoy Hispanic cuisine in general because of the bold flavors and creating that perfect dish. One of the greatest dishes that I like to prepare is from back home. It’s a plantain mash with shrimp creole and pork rinds [or mofongo with shrimp creole]. Oh my! That dish to me is enjoyable to prepare and eat.” 

Is there any place you would love to visit? 

“I’ve never been to Europe, so I would like to visit one day. France, Italy and Spain, those three. The cuisine there is something that I admire and I would like to see the real thing.” 

Who do you admire the most in the culinary world? 

“I admire [famed chef and restaurateur] Thomas Keller. I really do, just because of what he’s been able to do. He’s an inspiration for me when it comes to food and wine.” 

What do you do to relax? 

“Golf! Aside from family time, golf. I do three things in life: I’m either working, with my family or golfing. I haven’t yet gotten out on the course here but I’ve heard that Seven Canyons is an amazing golf course so I’m looking forward to that. So, that’s essentially my triangle, the balance of my life. Golf started for me in Florida. A friend kept inviting me to play and I thought it was a sport for boring people. The first time I played, I left the course and spent about a thousand bucks on golf clubs and gear because I was hooked!”  

When was the last you laughed really hard? 

“I was laughing hard the other day at something my kids said. I can’t remember what it was exactly but I was laughing!” QCBN 

 

By Tom Vitron, QCBN 

Photo by Tom Vitron 

Ducey Touts Growing Economy, Prosperity In Quad Cities

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More than 100 people from throughout the Quad Cities heard Governor Doug Ducey say how pleased he is the Arizona economy has turned upward these past few months.

Ducey spoke during a morning breakfast program June 22 at Touchmark at the Ranch, a retirement resort in Prescott.

Introduced by Sanford Cohen, immediate past chair of the Prescott Chamber of Commerce, Ducey praised area business, city and town leaders for their aggressive and persistent effort to support existing businesses and woo new companies to Yavapai County.

He noted in particular Prescott Mayor Greg Mengarelli and Prescott Valley Mayor Harvey Skoog, saying they consistently were advocates for positive business and economic growth.

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey and District 1 Sen. Karen Fan, Prescott, interacted during Ducey’s breakfast presentation about the Arizona economy.   (Photo by Ray Newton)

“Arizona really suffered during the Great Recession years of 2007 and 2008,” he said. “Businesses had to struggle to survive. At one time, the state was $1 billion in the red. But the past few years have seen a turn-around.”

His staff distributed a flyer that summarized economic advances in Arizona, including the greater Prescott area. Among those were:

  • 160,000 new private sector jobs created
  • 200,000 new residents in Arizona, and that growth is accelerating; Arizona is one of the fastest growing states in the nation.
  • A falling unemployment rate – down by 2.2 percent.
  • More than 300 companies have relocated to Arizona.
  • Several new companies have selected Yavapai County as their home base, such as Vinyl Visions, RESAWear, Superior Industries and Signs Plus.

The first-term governor, who is running for re-election, said the Arizona Legislature focused upon finding essential support for education at all levels. “We put $2.7 billion into K-12 education. Districts across the state will reward all their employees with raises.”

Ducey applauded in particular two District 1 legislators, Rep. Noel Campbell and Sen. Karen Fann, both from Prescott. “These two legislators worked not only for what was good within their home districts, but also for the entire state.”

Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey was emphatic in praising communities such as those in the Quad Cities for their aggressive action in supporting existing businesses and attracting new ones.  (Photo by Ray Newton)

Ducey noted several major challenges ahead, including intensifying efforts to save and protect Arizona’s water rights and sustainability; and, finding continuing support for all levels of education, including identifying ways to keep students safe in all campus environments.

He also discussed the opioid epidemic. “In just these past few months, we’ve seen more than 4,000 overdoses and 800 deaths as a consequence of opioid and drug abuse.” He praised the legislature for passing the Arizona Opioid Epidemic Act, saying it was a major step in combatting the problem. A special session will focus specifically on the issue.

The crowd applauded when Ducey commented that Glendale will once again be the site for an NFL Super Bowl in 2022. “We know that thousands of people come to Arizona and travel the state both before and after the game. We all benefit economically from the money spent and the glowing visibility the state gains from such a popular event.”

But perhaps the biggest applause came when the governor was commenting about the influx of new residents. “As you know – and you are really affected by it here – a lot of people are relocating from California. I welcome them,” he paused, “…as long as they are not Dodgers fans.” QCBN

By Ray Newton, QCBN

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

‘Every Kid Deserves to be Loved’ 

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I stepped through the metal detector and was slipping my brown leather belt back through belt loops when I heard a lilting voice behind me. 

“Are you Ray Newton?
I turned. A blonde-haired woman extended her hand. “I’m Marvy McNeese. Welcome to my school.”  

She is the principal of Yavapai County Detention School, an extension of the first Education Service Agency in Arizona to become fully accredited through AdvancED.  

McNeese led me through a series of electronically controlled doors and security camera monitored corridors into the classroom areas near her office in the Yavapai County Juvenile Detention Center. The facility, barely half-a-year old, is on the east side of Prescott Lakes Parkway. Beyond the school, it also contains facilities for Juvenile Probation, Juvenile Court Judge Chambers, Clerk of the Court-Juvenile Detention; ASTEP (substance abuse program) and other county offices.  

As we passed through several security checkpoints, McNeese was greeted by staff and students. Virtually all cried out, “Hi, Marvy. How are ‘ya?” 

She laughed. “My name is slang for ‘marvelous.’ I was the first born in 1968 to my family in Long Beach. My dad said he decided if they had a girl, he wanted to name her ‘Marvy.’ He said he used to listen to a radio DJ, who always said, ‘My wife is just Marvy – just Marvy Sue.’ So there you have it – I’m Marvy S.” 

She led me into her office, immediately adjacent to bright, attractively decorated and fully-equipped classrooms. On the walls were bold inspirational messages such as this: 

 

I am a Kid At Hope. I am talented, smart and capable of success. I have dreams for the future, and I will climb to reach those goals and dreams everyday. All children are capable of success. No exceptions. 

 

McNeese explained the Kids at Hope concept. “This is a pledge created by Rick Miller, the Phoenix founder of Kids at Hope. As a youth development practitioner, he wanted to counteract the old ‘youth at risk’ term. It is positive, rather than negative. We endorse it totally. We need to discard labels that are negative. Instead, let’s create a positive culture based on a belief system that all children can achieve. What’s more, every kid deserves to be loved.” 

McNeese, the immediate past board president of Arizona Correctional Educators, said the Kids at Hope philosophy was initiated a little over 10 years ago by Miller. “It has become so popular, it has been adopted in school districts throughout Arizona.  

“In our school, we have a staff of four – myself included – who serve 240 kids a year, 240 days a year, from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Many of these are broken kids who have committed offenses for which they must be held accountable.” She smiled, then emphasized, “But being detained does not define who they are, nor does it seal their fate. I – we – believe that if every kid has at least one adult in their life who cares, who encourages them to manage themselves and look to the future, there is hope in every child.”  

Students at the school can range in age from eight to one day before their 18th birthday.  

McNeese earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Northern Arizona University. She also has Arizona K-12 Principal and Superintendent Certifications.  

Her immediate boss is Tim Carter, Yavapai County Superintendent of Schools. “Marvy is completely dedicated to her students,” he said. “She is committed to getting them on the right track and keeping them there. She wants them to have the skills they will need for success in the future. Her students know she really cares about them as people. That makes all the difference.”  

Director of Juvenile Court Services Scott Mabery, an official with the Arizona Superior Court, also works closely with McNeese. “The school that Marvy administers and teaches in is considered a model program throughout Arizona and internationally.”  

Mabery also said the reputation of the juvenile detention-probation program is such that in 2015, governmental officials from Northern Territory, Australia, picked this program to model for working with troubled youth. 

“Marvy’s school is the most innovative and creative in Arizona – a model for everyone,” Mabery said. 

 

What’s the best advice you’ve ever received – and from whom? 

“I don’t remember who told me this, but I accepted it. It was, ‘Take my advice. I won’t be using it.’ I think that’s hilarious, for it says don’t take yourself too seriously – and I remember that daily.” 

If you could vacation anywhere in the world, where would it be? 

“Give me a beach and a scuba tank, and I’m a happy girl. I don’t get either as much as I’d like.” 

What’s your favorite holiday tradition? 

Our Christmas Box. Every year, my mom writes about family accomplishments, funny things that were said or happened. On Christmas Eve, we sit around the table and take turns reading about things in the past year. It makes each of us feel special. We are a quirky bunch.  

What’s your favorite kind of music?  

“Rock and Roll and disco. Without a doubt. I get to go to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame this month. I cannot wait.” 

What makes you laugh out loud – and heartily? 

“The sound of a baby laughing.” QCBN 

By Ray Newton, QCBN 

 

Photo by Ray Newton 

Honoring a Champion for Children, Homeless 

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Diane Iverson is known as someone who has made a difference in the lives of hundreds. More than 130 people joined in a recent celebration, which included three standing ovations, to honor her nearly two decades of service with the Coalition for Compassion and Justice. Iverson was a founding member of the CCJ and later became a full-time staff member, retiring as the director of special projects.  

Prescott Valley Chamber of Commerce President Marnie Uhl emceed the “Diane Iverson Legacy Celebration Brunch,” hosted by community philanthropists Jim and Linda Lee on March 24 at the Prescott United Methodist Church (PUMC).  

Uhl introduced representatives from diverse community organizations who praised Iverson for her kind, thoughtful, humble nature demonstrated by a lifetime of serving those in need.  

CCJ Executive Director Jessi Hans said Iverson was willing, no matter what time of day or year, to do whatever she could whenever she could if it would give relief to others. 

Regina Younger, a former CCJ board member, called her a dreamer. “She has always wanted things that would make a difference for the poor and needy.” 

Iverson’s husband, Doug, shared stories about how they would spend days and nights sleeping in the basement of the then Open Door shelter in the PUMC basement. They often work together on community support projects.  

Her compassion for children and those in need may well have been the direct result of her own troubled childhood growing up in California. She ran away from home at age 15. Her sister had polio and the family had little money, living on a small cotton, alfalfa and dairy farm. She said leaving was her way of coping with the hardships. She knew she wanted to write and draw, so while in high school, she wrote stories and collaborated with others in illustrating books. She says she was inspired to write and draw by high school teacher Robert Trainer, who followed her career and encouraged her for more than 20 years.  

Iverson was married at 18, had two daughters, and later divorced. “After my divorce, I considered myself a bird with a broken spirit and broken wing. But when I worked on my first book, I received physical and financial assistance that helped me heal.”  

 

When she met her second husband, Doug, a teacher, the two made a lifelong commitment to serve others.  

For the last 19 years, Iverson has been dedicated to programs that make a positive difference in people’s lives. “She especially helped the homeless and children,” said CCJ President Mary Bauer. 

Iverson is also the recipient of the 2016 Albert Lovejoy Social Justice Award.  “It’s only right that we try to help those who are less fortunate find food, clothing and shelter,” said the Fresno, California native, who has lived in Prescott for 22 years. Her daughters and seven grandchildren live in California.   

An accomplished author and illustrator of more than 20 books, her next major effort is to convert her historical fiction novel, Hannah’s Heart, into a play. She has given herself a deadline of December and says proceeds from the play will be dedicated to local charities.  

Iverson also has a love for the outdoors and a passion for birding. “It is a focused way of observing details of nature. Birding is a way to slow down the pace of life. It is spiritually refreshing.” 

Since her teen years, she has been guided by principles defined in the Bible, particularly Micah 6:8: Act justly, love mercy, and walk humbly.  

Prescott developer Jim Lee calls her “a living saint.”  

 

What’s your favorite holiday tradition? 

“Singing Christmas carols. It’s the heart-swelling highlight of Christmas season for me. I especially love ‘I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day.’” 

If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would you go? 

“I’d love to take my family to Britain for a hiking vacation along old Roman highways. My family history traces back to England, and I’d love exploring John Wesley historic sites.” Wesley was an 18th century theologian who, with his brother, founded Methodism.  

 

What character trait do you most admire in colleagues? 

“Compassion. Gentleness, patience, kindness and forgiveness – all these grow out of compassion.” 

What makes you laugh out loud? 

“Children make me laugh. They haven’t been tamed yet and say the funniest things without trying. I remember speaking to some elementary students about being in nature and the wilderness. One of them asked me, ‘Where do you go to the bathroom in the woods?’  I just love kids and their honesty.” 

What’s your favorite time of day? 

“I am much more creative in evenings. The world is quiet.  Still, if I am in search of birds, mornings are the best.” QCBN 

 By Ray Newton, QCBN 

Photo captions:  

Diane Iverson continues to help at the Little Tree House at the Prescott United Methodist Church, where children can play while their parents are receiving aid in social services such as finding employment and getting food for the family. Iverson has always cared for children like June Heppe, whose mom is the new CCJ Director Ali Heppe.  

Photo by Kay Lyons 

  

 

 

 

 

 

Helping Prescott Airport Reach Higher Levels

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Robin Sobotta has been chosen to serve as director of Prescott Municipal Airport. On loan from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, she will serve until the fall of 2019, when she is expected to return from this sabbatical to the school.

“Prescott is such a lovely community and lovely airport,” Sobotta said.

During this time, she hopes to help complete an airport master plan, oversee economic development, determine how to increase air service and take part in the day-to-day operation of the airport.

“Prescott is growing fast. We need to see where the airport has room to grow. It is one of the busiest in the nation. It has three runways and a lot of infrastructure,” she said.

Sobotta says many communities depend on the airport because it is within a 60-minute drive from their homes. The next step for growth, in her view, is to lengthen one of the runways to accommodate larger aircraft, not large commercial aircraft, but smaller regional aircraft.

She said there is strong political and community support for airport improvements.

Sobotta, the founding chair and professor of the ERAU School of Business, has 17 years of experience in airport and aviation experience, including administration, operations and public relations at three commercial and two general aviation airports. She is an accredited airport executive and is considered an expert on not only airports, but unmanned aircraft systems and is a principle investigator on several projects including bioterrorism, defense, explosive and biohazard detection systems.

Sobotta formerly served as a business technical consultant to NASA at the Armstrong Flight Research Center, and she has served on several transportation research board panels.

Sobotta has a doctorate degree in public administration from Arizona State University and an MBA in Aviation from ERAU.

“I love serving the community,” she said. “I just love what I do. To me, the fact I get to work in aviation and academia – I have the best of both worlds. Airports are my passion and I get to bring the next generation on board.”

She believes one of the best ways to become an excellent teacher is to stay connected with the industry and bring back to the classroom current experience about how things are done.

It was not until 1983 that she knew what she wanted to do with her life. “I did an internship at Muskegon County Airport [in Michigan]. I went in as a public information intern. When I left, I had become enamored with the industry.”

Joe Lex worked directly for her for 10 years, but has known her longer than that. He graduated from Embry-Riddle in 1996 and now works for United Airlines. “In any walk of life, there are personal or professional people you admire for their work ethic and dogged pursuit and who want the best for other people. She epitomizes that.”

Lex serves on the industry advisory board. He says one of the major concerns is faculty burnout. “She is always there for the students. It is really rare to be that dialed in and engaged with the students with an open-door policy. She leads by example. She is indefatigable.”

Kathleen Sommer has known Sobotta for 33 years and considers her a good friend. “We worked together for several years and we’ve kept in contact. Our careers went into different places. Robin went into academia and I went to Maricopa County. We served together on the transportation board and the National Academy of Sciences on airport projects.”

Sobotta served on several commissions for the governor of Arizona. One focused on the non-traditional employment for women. “She has also been a good ally and good confidant,” said Sommer. “She has done so much and remains in contact with her former students and personal associates throughout the aerospace industry and different airports.”

Sobotta is married to Tom Roush, a telecommunications engineer. They have two grown children.

 

What do you do for fun?

“My husband and I play golf. We like to hike and I just love jigsaw puzzles, spending time with my grandchildren and seeing things through their perspective.”

 

Who do you admire and why?

“I have a strong relationship with my mom and I admire her and the women in my industry who broke the glass ceiling.”

 

As a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up?

“When I was in high school, I played on the golf team. At the time, I thought I would be a professional golfer. The traveling of golf and going to college was too much.”

 

Where do you like to travel?

“My husband and I like to cruise. We have had 11 cruises.”

 

When was the last time you were star struck?

“It was kind of incredible working at NASA.” QCBN

By Patty McCormac, QCBN

 

 

Prescott Valley’s Longest Serving Mayor Looking Toward Retirement

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When 13-year-old Ashlyn asked her grandfather what a mayor does, Harvey Skoog gave his answer serious thought. At the time, Skoog was midway through his third term as mayor of the Town of Prescott Valley.

“Even though I had been mayor for several years, I decided I needed to be able to explain clearly to an inexperienced teenager what a mayor does. In doing that, it made me clarify for myself what the role involved,” Skoog explained.

Skoog, now 79-years-old, said, “The primary concern is to serve the best interests of the community in all decisions. Being mayor is an office that must serve the public.”

A resident of Arizona since 1974 and Prescott Valley since 1982, Skoog is emphatic in his view. “A mayor only holds the office; he does not own it. It is a multifaceted office – formal, informal and ceremonial. Many duties have no written descriptions. But foremost, is the obligation to draw upon the talents of council members, staff, commissions and volunteers to serve the best interests of the community. Concerns of citizens must be respected and appreciated.”

The Minnesota native has announced he will retire at the end of his fifth term in December.

 

Years of Professional Experience

Always well-dressed, Skoog, a farm kid from a small rural Minnesota community, attended a one-room schoolhouse. Later, he attended the University of Minnesota and Minnesota School of Business and earned credentials in financial management and bookkeeping-accounting. He began his management career with a major Minnesota food company but took advantage of a career opportunity to work with an international firm, National Cash Register, for several years.

But warmer weather in Arizona appealed to him. In 1974, he took the job of assistant to the comptroller for the Associated Grocers chain in Phoenix. In 1977, Skoog decided to become his own boss, so he moved to Prescott Valley.

“At that time, PV had only a population of 3,000 and it hadn’t yet incorporated. I was lucky and became a tax and business accountant-consultant. I founded and then sold three different practices,” he said.

Prescott Valley incorporated in 1978 and has experienced explosive growth to the point it is now the largest community in Yavapai County, with a population approaching 46,000.

“Growth isn’t stopping,” Skoog said. “We’re building about 42 houses a month – and they are affordable.”

Skoog says he became involved in civic government in the early 1990s and hasn’t stopped since, despite health issues. “I had cancer in 1999, but it’s gone now. I also had bypass surgery. I have a pacemaker. And most people don’t know it, but I’ve had seven heart attacks.”

Two people who have worked closely with Skoog for many years, Larry Tarkowski, PV town manager, and Lea Duke, PV executive assistant, agree that Skoog always has a positive outlook.

“Harvey has the distinction of having been a councilmember and mayor for the majority of the 40 years our town has existed. That gave him enormous opportunity to have positive impact on its direction. All of us who work with him are grateful he has served as an example for all the employees,” said Tarkowski.

Tarkowski complimented Skoog for his “…light touch on the tiller of public policy while at the same time he ensured transparency and a strong customer service ethic for all aspects of town government. Respect, trust and a sense of care for employees and citizens are hallmarks of Harvey’s tenure.”

Duke echoes Tarkowski. She has worked directly with Skoog for 13 years. “He loves this community. He dedicates himself to making it a positive, beautiful place for families to make a home. He keeps his office open so that citizens can come and share their concerns. They often tell me when they leave that they are impressed by what a gentleman Mayor Skoog is.”

Duke especially cited Skoog’s efforts to know personally each of the more than 230 town employees. “He appreciates what each employee contributes. He consciously reviews what each employee in each department has done, and he knows almost everyone by first name.”

Duke smiles when acknowledging Skoog’s pending retirement. “We’re going to miss him, but he and Edna truly do want to spend more time with their kids and grandkids. He deserves that opportunity.”

 

Where will the road take you in retirement?

“We’ll probably sleep a bit later and have more personal time. We’ve no big plans for travel other than perhaps visiting our children and grandchildren, who are spread all over the country. We have talked about a cruise.”

What’s the best advice you ever received?

“I can’t remember who told me this, but it was years ago – and it stuck. I was told to hire the best people I could identify, tell them what was expected and then to get out of the way and let them do their jobs. Don’t micromanage.”

 

What characteristic do you most admire in colleagues and associates?

“Ambition, honesty and integrity – all very important. And being approachable, not distant.”

 

What’s your favorite entertainment?

“We like walking and hiking. We enjoy good company, good friends. We don’t have a TV, and I’ve never, ever seen a movie.”

 

Where do you and Edna like to dine?

“We really enjoy going to local restaurants for breakfast, where we have a traditional bacon and eggs meal. And honest, we enjoy In-N-Out Burgers – a lot.” QCBN

By Ray Newton, QCBN

 

 

Prescott Valley Mayor Harvey Skoog reviews official town business virtually every day of the working week.

Photo by Ray Newton