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Winter has Arrived at Arizona Snowbowl

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The ski area is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., weather permitting.

On the western slope of Mount Humphreys, Arizona’s highest point and most recognizable geologic feature on the San Francisco Peaks, the Arizona Snowbowl team – along with skiers and snowboarders from around the state and beyond – have embraced the start of another winter season at Snowbowl. 

Arizona Snowbowl opened the 2023/2024 winter season on Friday morning, Nov. 17, with celebratory cheers on the Grand Canyon Express Chairlift and the Little Spruce Conveyor, offering access to four intermediate trails and one beginner trail. 

“Snowmaking is in full swing around the mountain and our team is making as much snow as possible when temperatures allow,” said Marketing Coordinator Angelina Grubb. “Guests are encouraged to stay in the know regarding open terrain using our Snow Report at Snowbowl.ski.”

The ski area is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., weather permitting. Grubb says winter lift tickets are on sale, starting as low as $19 when purchased online and in advance, with limited quantities available. 

In addition, new skis and snowboards are available for rent daily at Hart Prairie Lodge. “Our gear includes brand-new Elan skis and an updated fleet of demo ski and snowboard equipment,” said Grubb.

Lessons are offered for all ski levels starting at age 3, including the free Snow Experience Lesson for first-time beginners, ages 13+, Ski Wee Lessons for ages 4 to 6 and Mountain Kids Lessons for ages 7 to 12. Private lessons are also available for ages 3+ and a six-week Snowburners Lesson program is designed for children ages 4 to 12. 

“Snowbowl is known for offering the best and biggest beginner terrain in the Southwest, making it the perfect place to learn a new winter sport or enhance current skills,” said Grubb. “Season Passes are available online at Snowbowl.ski and allow guests to enjoy straight-to-lift access, on-mountain service discounts, discounted tickets for friends and family, and more.”

Snowbowl also offers all children ages 12 and younger free skiing at the ski area and 10 other mountains with the Power Kids Pass. “This allows children to enjoy unlimited skiing and riding at Snowbowl, Purgatory, Brian Head, Nordic Valley, Hesperus, Pajarito, Sipapu, Sandia Peak, Willamette Pass, Lee Canyon and Valle Nevado,” said Grubb, “plus unlimited bike uplifts at Spider Mountain Bike Park.”

The Power Kids Pass is available online and does not require any additional purchase. 

For nearby lodging, Basecamp at Snowbowl provides 26 newly renovated, non-smoking cabins, suites, and hotel rooms, plus a full restaurant and bar. This winter, guests can take advantage of the Ski Free with Basecamp special and receive two lift tickets with each night booked. Season pass holders who do not need lift tickets will receive a $15 resort credit to use at any Arizona Snowbowl outlet for each night booked during the 2023/2024 season. Some restrictions apply. 

Also being offered are Passholder Early Load Days. “This is an exclusive pass holder event that will allow skiers and snowboarders to enjoy early access to the mountain on the Grand Canyon Express Chairlift several times throughout the season,” said Grubb. QCBN

Information about Passholder Early Load Days can be found on the events page at Snowbowl.ski. For all mountain updates, guests are encouraged to visit the Snow Report at Snowbowl.ski and X, formerly known as Twitter: @AZSBUpdates.

Courtesy Photo: Arizona Snowbowl staff and winter sports enthusiasts welcomed the opening of winter ski season Friday, Nov. 17. 

Ranching Descendants Doing the Heavy Lifting to Preserve History

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Vibrant Building Solutions saving old homes, keeping material out of landfills.

The same characteristics that pioneered the West, like rugged determination, a strong work ethic and a can-do attitude, are easy to spot in Arizona ranching family descendants Garrett Denny and Vince Fornara. Denny is a fifth generation Prescottonian, whose family raised cattle at the Fort Rock Ranch in Seligman from the late 1800s to the early 1900s. Fornara is a third generation Arizonan, whose relatives owned dairy farms in the Verde Valley. Today, the men are business partners, making their own mark in Arizona history with their Prescott-based company, Vibrant Building Solutions, which moves entire houses.

Recently, the men were called upon to work with members of another long-time Arizona ranching family to save a home built around 1920. Helene Babbitt, with her husband, the late Jim Babbitt, owned a historic two-bedroom, one-bath bungalow in downtown Flagstaff. She loved the location, but wanted to build a new home for herself that wouldn’t require a lot of maintenance. She contacted the Townsite Community Land Trust, a nonprofit organization that preserves historic homes and makes them available through its affordable housing program.

Townsite CLT Executive Director Duffie Westheimer was thrilled with the donation, marking the nonprofit’s sixth historic home. She found a lot for the house nearby, but moving the house would require more support. That’s when she called Vibrant Building Solutions.

“That house was built very well,” said Denny. “It has a very strong structure.”

A Historic Move

After months of preparing and securing the house, Denny, Fornara and team members Anthony Collum and Sean Timlick began the slow and precarious journey of moving it, starting at 6 p.m., Wednesday, June 28.

“The size of the house wasn’t very big, but the route was very challenging because of how tight the homes and trees were,” said Denny. “The logistics were a bit challenging. At times we had only six or seven inches of space on either side of the house.”

“The movers were just incredible. These people are so talented,” said Helene Babbitt, who watched with nostalgia as Vibrant Building Solutions carefully drove the century-old home off her lot. “The house was stalled for about an hour when they had to move the wheels underneath by hand in order to change the direction of the rig. They did that twice. They were never worried. It was an incredible feat.”

The historic bungalow was delivered safely to West Birch St., only about a mile away from its original location; however, the move took nearly 10 hours.

Honoring an Old House

Through the years, the home had four owners. Members of three of the families came out to witness the move and share memories made in the old house. Among the small gathering were three generations of Babbitts: Helene, her son Charles, along with his wife, Traleigh, and their four daughters, Britania, 7, Isla, 8, Kalista, 14, and Stella, 17, who was born in the house.

“This meant so much to my grandma [Helene],” said Stella Babbitt, who will be attending Arizona State University this fall, working toward her goal of becoming a high school history teacher. “I’m really close to her and I wanted to support her and watch it go. Every time we had family gatherings at their house across the street someone would say, ‘Stella was born in that house!’ Seeing it go felt so unnatural but it’s really good that it will be preserved.”

The home was built by Will and Ann Marlar. “Will was a pharmacist, an undertaker and a state senator,” said Westheimer. “He had a funeral parlor, a dance hall and built an auto garage. He built 20 homes in Flagstaff.”

Around 1924, the Marlars sold the house to Frank and Louise Wolf. Their grandchildren, Martha Wolf Jacobson and her brother, Tom, had fond memories of visits there. The two came out for the move and stayed through the night until it was set down in its new neighborhood at nearly 4 a.m., June 29.

“It was really emotional for me,” said Martha. “My brother and I would spend two weeks every summer there for 15 years while we were growing up. I almost cried when the house was being taken off the lot. I know my grandmother just loved being in Flagstaff.”

In 1974, the home was sold to Eleanor Raudebaugh. “I’ll be honest. When I first saw it being lifted up, it was really, really emotional for me. I have so many wonderful childhood memories spending time there with my grandmother. I lived with her in the summers as she got older.” said Terry Gochanour, Eleanor’s granddaughter.

Gochanour and her mother, Mary Lou Raudebaugh Morrow, happened to drive by the house when it was being prepared for relocation. “It was incredibly heart-warming to learn that it was going to be preserved and brought to the neighborhood where my mother grew up,” said Gochanour. “To see that it’s going to be around forever made my heart very, very happy.”

The house was purchased by the Babbitts in 1995.

Currently, the house is sitting a little higher than the other houses around it. “When the foundation is built, it will look like it’s always been there,” said Westheimer, noting that Marlar built at least one other house on West Birch.

Moving into their Destiny

As a teen in high school, Denny began moving houses with his dad, Gary, in the family business, G.R. Denny and Son Structure Relocators. When the Great Recession hit in 2008, work slowed down in Arizona but the two were needed in Galveston, Texas, to help lift houses that were flooded from Hurricane Ike. They returned to Prescott and new opportunities in 2012.

“Three houses near Prescott High School were going to be torn down,” said Denny. “We found a vacant lot across the street for sale and were able to save two of the houses. That got us started moving houses that were going to be torn down. We’d set them up and rent or sell them.”

When Gary decided to retire, he offered the equipment to Garrett. In 2014, Garrett joined forces with developer and family friend Vince Fornara to create Vibrant Building Solutions. “My father was definitely into the hard work aspect. He still loves that and my partner, Vince, is the same way.”

“I did all of that development above Willow Lake – Vista del Lago and Vista Verde – with another fellow,” said Fornara. “I ran out of property to sell.”

Fornara went to Prescott High School with Gary Denny. “When I met Garrett, he was young and energetic and I wasn’t ready to quit,” he said. “We do a lot of repurposing of old structures. We’ve moved in the vicinity of 30 structures, four of which were school buildings that we remodeled into homes. It was very satisfying to move the George Phippen cabin and porch slab that now rests next to the Phippen Museum.” Phippen was a sculptor and painter who worked in the cabin studio he built in Prescott.

Currently, the team is developing 16 apartment units near Fry’s grocery store in Prescott. Vibrant Building Solutions also provides dumpsters for contractors.

A Rewarding Move

“What’s most rewarding and also most challenging is moving houses,” said Denny. “You see a house sitting on the ground, you pick it up and move it to a different location, set it down and someone can move into it. The majority of the ones we’ve moved are still in use. It feels very good to save these houses and keep them out of the landfill.” QCBN

By Bonnie Stevens, QCBN

Photo by Kay Lyons: Vibrant Building Solutions owners Garrett Denny and Vince Fornara, with office manager Sarafina Fornara, are thrilled to be able to save old homes and structures and make them available for people to live in, while keeping construction materials out of city landfills. 

Arizona’s Hiring Woes May Be Here to Stay

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Experts offer tips for employers seeking workers.

As the national worker shortage is mirrored in Arizona, many employers are wondering how they can attract good people.

Charn McAllister, a management professor at Northern Arizona University’s Franke College of Business, says the pandemic delivered a one-two punch. “The losses suffered by most people reminded them of their own mortality and they had time on their hands to think about what mattered to them.”

McAllister sees more employees who want to work for organizations doing good in their communities and the world, a trend he says savvy leaders will integrate into their business practices to potentially aid in recruitment and retention.

Companies offering staffing help are especially busy this fall. In Arizona, employees of Express Employment Professionals talk to hundreds of would-be workers each week, looking for good candidates for the state’s prospering economy.

Daria Orozco, an owner of one of Arizona’s nine Express offices, says the high demand for employees comes at a time when people are taking themselves out of the workforce either temporarily or permanently.

“Employers need to listen to the call of what employees are wanting,” said Orozco. “For a lot of companies, that means reevaluating their compensation plans to attract new workers.”

The pandemic also has created additional remote work possibilities, a movement employers can embrace to become competitive, added Orozco.

Another primary piece of advice she offers is for businesses to increase the amount of training for employees. “There could be a candidate who has all the soft skills, but if the company doesn’t have a training program in place to help that person get the [additional] skills needed, the company is not hiring that candidate.”

Like Orozco, McAllister sees additional training options as pivotal, especially for people who have potential to succeed. “If those employees do excel, offer opportunities for them to grow as professionals, whether that be increased levels of responsibility or by earning external credentials,” said McAllister, who adds that companies committed to employees’ growth may be rewarded with greater loyalty.

Retaining employees is especially important in this competitive hiring environment.

“Organizations need to look at why employees are leaving, if they are leaving, and close that back door,” said Orozco. Offering leadership training to managers could be a key to keeping good people, she added.

The problem facing employers trying to recruit talent is not going away, Orozco predicts. “Employees want more from their jobs than they did before the pandemic, and employers who are listening are the ones who will continue to grow during this time.”

Ironically, Orozco’s company, Express Employment Professionals, is looking to expand in Prescott and Flagstaff, dependent on qualified, would-be franchisees.

Citing a robust economy, Baby Boomer retirements, and Arizona’s unprecedented business growth, Orozco sees her company and other staffing agencies continuing to thrive in the long term. QCBN

By Theresa Bierer, QCBN

SCORE Helping Businesses Succeed for Decades

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Lifelong learning both for our volunteers and clients is an ongoing process at SCORE.

I moved to Prescott in 2018 after 41 years in the commercial audiovisual industry in Southern California. We opened and ran a successful manufacturers’ rep company for 33 of those years, serving a five-state region. I had several terrific mentors, but I wish I had known of SCORE in those days. I like to say, “I could have had a V8.” SCORE is a non-profit, volunteer-staffed, free business mentoring service.

SCORE is America’s premier source of free, confidential small business advice, and was founded in 1964 as a non-profit resource partner of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA). Because SCORE receives government funding, and thanks to our more than 10,000 dedicated volunteers, we are able to deliver most of our offerings at no cost.

During and after the pandemic, SCORE personnel were the go-to people for education on loans, grants and stimulus funds. We continue to fill that role, and our parent organization, the SBA, feeds us inquiries at a high rate.

SCORE volunteers go through a training curriculum before working with our staff of Certified Mentors. We are trained to listen and suspend judgement on clients and their ideas until we fully “get” what they’re saying. Although SCORE mentors do not actually perform physical tasks for the client startup companies, we lead, guide and recommend. Most SCORE mentors assign homework for their clients – including creating a business plan or doing a SWOT analysis (Strengths/Weaknesses/Opportunities/Threat).

The SCORE mentor/client journey can take as long as the client needs. Rome wasn’t built in a day, nor were Prescott, Prescott Valley, Cottonwood, Sedona, Flagstaff or Kingman. Some clients see their SCORE mentor for years every month; others take a few meetings then go on their way.

The pandemic and video conferencing created an opportunity for SCORE. Called One SCORE, now clients can take on a volunteer to suit their needs anywhere in the country. One may shop for a mentor based on their specific experiences and backgrounds at score.org.

With all its years in existence, SCORE has volumes of work in the form of documents, articles, videos, podcasts and workshops on everything from finance to legal, sales, marketing, social media, search engine optimization and much more. Did I say it’s all free? Actually, some workshops do have a nominal fee.

Our Northern Arizona chapter, voted 2020 Most Improved Chapter in our District and 2020 Platinum Chapter, is managed by a six-person Leadership Team, comprised of myself as chair; Dick Milon, past chair and workshop leader; Terry Fearn, incoming chair and client intake director; Bud Heitman, marketing director; Joe Jenkins, finance manager and treasurer; and Mark Bagnall, volunteer input coordinator.

SCORE mentors are a diverse group of professionals who typically have held key positions in corporations or military, or have owned and run businesses themselves. Regardless of our experiences, we relish the chance to serve and to share our working knowledge with clients.

Lifelong learning both for our volunteers and clients is an ongoing process at SCORE. Our volunteers are educated in the latest methods of mentoring by the top thought-leaders. Clients are similarly exposed to a wide variety of subjects, such as Grow With Google – a roadmap for success within that search engine. All learning programs have proven success standards.

By using the methodology of co-mentoring, we are able to employ the knowledge and skills of two SCORE mentors. This has proven to be a very valuable tool for our mentors – two heads are better than one.

A new council has recently been created within our chapter, the Hispanic Business Owners Council (HBOC), which was co-created by our Chapter Leadership Team and Alianza News owner Rosanna Feyerabend. The purpose of HBOC is to foster improved startup practices in the growing Hispanic business community.

SCORE is always seeking volunteers. The gratification of serving others and the community by shooting the arrow forward in success is why we’re here. To be part of SCORE, either as a client or as a volunteer, go to score.org and click on “Find a Mentor” or “Become a Volunteer.” Or, email me directly at logan.enright@scorevolunteer.org. QCBN

By Logan Enright

Logan Enright is the chapter chair and certified mentor for SCORE Northern Arizona.

Restaurants Feeling Relief

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Area establishments credit SBA funds and loyal customers for easing the economic impact of the pandemic.

Business is improving at restaurants in Prescott, Flagstaff and Sedona as we emerge from the pandemic, which has hit restaurants especially hard.

In early May, Arizona Congressman Tom O’Halleran announced that the Small Business Administration’s $28.6 billion Restaurant Revitalization Fund had begun accepting applications. Many restaurants in Central and Northern Arizona have either already received or applied for these funds.

Priority for the first 21 days was given to restaurants owned by women, veterans or groups that are socially or economically disadvantaged. Rep. O’Halleran issued a statement acknowledging that independent restaurants are important to their communities, but many are at risk of closing their doors because of the pandemic.

Restaurant owners can find information and apply to the Restaurant Revitalization program at sba.gov/funding-programs/loans/covid-19-relief-options/restaurant-revitalization-fund.

Lisa Dahl, CEO and chef at Dahl Restaurant Group, said it has been a challenging time for her five Sedona restaurants. “Because our core group is strong, we put our heads together to strategize each and every move. The large picture is complex and involves everything from forecasting, supply chain issues and seeking a qualified workforce,” she said.

The Dahl Restaurant Group operates Dahl & Di Luca Ristorante Italiano, Mariposa Latin Inspired Grill, Pisa Lisa, Butterfly Burger and Cucina Rustica Tuscan Grill. Dahl said she’s never experienced anything like this, where one day they would be open and the next day they would be closed.

“After 25 years in the restaurant business, I have to say it is very different. The new normal is being hyper-focused on the health of our employees and guests,” she said. “The past workflow of preparing to welcome guests has changed. The emotions for everyone run deep. And we see guests crack and employees need a day off more than usual. Everyone has changed as a result of COVID. Normal is redefining itself before our eyes.”

The Dahl Restaurant Group was able to obtain funds from the SBA for restaurant revitalization. During the pandemic, Dahl said, they had to spend more money on signage, sanitation stations and supplies like masks and gloves. “In a few instances, we’ve added additional guest relations [services] so we can communicate effectively and help set guest expectations,” she said.

Her goals throughout the pandemic included keeping employees safe, well advised and realistic about expectations through changing circumstances. “Our guests during each stage were complimentary. And most appreciated our preventative measures which we took to safeguard their health and ours,” she said.

The new normal that is likely to continue may include smaller numbers of guests. “I’ve always been vigilant about quality control, consistency and cleanliness. Our staff has focused on these standards and I am very proud of them. We always had a strong culinary presence, but it has been a challenge with a reduced workforce. We will continue to improve through this process. Part of our early strategy was to build back stronger and be more efficient with better training,” she said.

Kelly Hanseth, owner of Lumberyard Tap Room and Grille, said it was a struggle during the pandemic because the establishment had to pivot every six months. “We’re almost getting back to normal. Social distancing and expanding our patio has really helped,” she said. “But we’re not at 100%. We have no bar seating and our country dancing is not back up to speed yet.”

Lumberyard Tap Room and Grille did not apply for the most recent round of SBA funds, as Hanseth says they are not needed at this time. Although, she says the Lumberyard had to spend more during the pandemic because of the need for plexiglass partitions, masks and gloves. Small pivots have large impacts. For example, she says it costs more to buy ketchup packets rather than ketchup bottles.

In the last year, the Lumberyard saw a lot of new customers as the regulars kept coming. The restaurant offered take-out through much of the pandemic. With the restaurant back to full service, customers were lining up again outside on a recent Saturday, waiting to get in. “We’re really happy with how patient our customers have been,” she said. “We still wear masks, gloves and practice social distancing.”

Goods from the Garden at the Gateway Mall in Prescott offers catering services, take out, dine-in service and a Sunday brunch. Co-owner Debbie Maranville said they lost most of their catering events during the pandemic. “We’re not normal yet, but we’re regrowing,” she said.

Goods from the Garden has received SBA grants to help the business through the pandemic, which, like other restaurants, required more spending for supplies and additional labor to serve fewer customers because of social distancing rules.

“Amazing” is how she describes her customers during the pandemic. “Customers were very supportive. They would get weekly meals from us. Some used social media to get the word out.” QCBN

By Stan Bindell, QCBN

Sound Check

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Live entertainment venues test demand; some concerts have limited capacity.

Music and dancing has returned to the Quad Cities area and is starting to return to the Flagstaff area, with a lot more planned for May. The scheduling of more live music gives musicians, venue owners and customers hope for the future.

Prescott area venues never totally shut down the music during the pandemic, but solos or duos were playing instead of bands, and there was no dancing on the dance floor, per the safety protocols in place.

Sidekicks Lounge in Prescott Valley and Jersey Lilly on the square in Prescott are just two places where the owners are thrilled to be in the process of bringing music back to normal levels. Other entertainment venues, like the Highlands Center for Natural History, are also bringing back music.

The Northern Arizona Blues Alliance will host the first annual Greater Prescott Valley Blues Festival in the Prescott Valley Amphitheater from 1-9 p.m., Saturday, May 22. The lineup includes national acts such as Kat Riggs and Jimmy Carpenter, as well as local performers Ray DeSylvester, Leon J, Dr. Bob Sellani, Christian Berry, Paul Epoch, Tommy Dukes, Darryl Poras and Sir Harrison.

Mortimer Farms in Dewey has scheduled its Friday Night Barn Dance and dinner from May 7 to Oct. 30.

The Highlands Center for Natural History has scheduled its monthly concert series starting May 28, starting with Art Podell, one of the original musicians with the New Christie Minstrels. The Acoustic Eidolon duo will perform July 2. Prescott folk band Ponderosa Grove will perform July 24. Shakespeare in the Pines is scheduled during the middle two weeks in August and Acoustic Blues is on the calendar for Sept. 24.

Folk Sessions at the Highlands Center for Natural History has its ninth annual Americana Music Fest set for July 22, featuring “Southwestern Americana,” tales of Nancy Elliot, the Robby Robertson Trio and the Valley’s Hambone. Concert host Highlands Center Marketing and Communications Coordinator Tom Agostino said the pandemic impacted the center quite a bit. “We had to cancel our summer series last year,” he said.

This season, they will sell 70 tickets for each show, as compared to 120 for each show before the pandemic.

Laura Lee Morgan, who, with her husband, John, owns Sidekicks Saloon in Prescott Valley, said the community needs live music because people thrive on interaction. “It was depressing not having it,” she said. “It’s great having it back. That’s why we’re in the business.”

Jersey Lilly Saloon owner Josh Makrauer says that although the past year has been difficult, as the venue lost about 50% of its business, he is excited to be able to provide some fun music for the patrons.

Sidekicks has live bands every Saturday and karaoke on Friday and Sunday nights. The schedule for Saturdays in May has Parker Jenkins on May 8, Shake of Yesterday on May 15, Hit Squad on May 22 and Honey Girl on May 29.

Jersey Lilly has music almost every night. Sky performs every Tuesday, Little Larry every Thursday and there are jam sessions every Wednesday. Bands perform every weekend, with Hit Squad the first weekend in May, Combo Deluxe the second weekend in May, Little Larry and the Drive the third weekend in May, the Tone Kings the fourth weekend in May and Well Dressed Wolves the last weekend in May. Weekend shows are from 7-10 p.m.; weekday shows 8-10 p.m., and Sunday solos perform from 4-7 p.m. QCBN

By Stan Bindell, QCBN