Michael Fennelly

Piano

and

Megan Weston

Soprano

Two extraordinary and versatile talents

Both have appeared in Carnegie Hall and played to audiences throughout the world.

Enjoy this evening of lush romantic music

Tuesday, September 9, 2008 at 7 pm

Tickets:

Adults $15  -  Museum Members $13  -  Teens $7  -  Kids $5

Tickets can be purchased at the Museum store

by phone 623-972-0635 with a credit card

or at the door

Michael Fennelly

 Following his sold-out recital debut in Carnegie's Weill Hall, pianist Michael Fennelly has toured the world with an array of dynamic programs. Last year, he released his debut solo recording, The Legend of Faust, on One Soul Records and is currently preparing the follow up CD, The Legend of Faust, Part Two, with legendary producer Max Wilcox of RCA.

The native Californian made his first concerto appearance at age ten, and subsequently performed with many orchestras throughout California, including the Orange County Philharmonic, Palo Alto Chamber Orchestra, Santa Clara Symphony and the South Coast Symphony Orchestra. While still in high school, he was flown to New York as a last-minute replacement for a soloist with the New York Virtuosi Orchestra, and later performed Brahms' First Piano Concerto in Germany.

More recently, he recorded new concerti with the Manhattan Symphony, and performed the Bach concerti with the Barge Festival. His recitals have been broadcast on WQXR (New York City), NDR Radio (Germany), and KSTA (Palo Alto). On film, he appeared as the young Harry Truman (who initially trained to become a concert pianist!) for PBS' American Experience. Michael Fennelly is a Distinguished Guest Artist for Olympia Cruises, a member of the German ensemble Hudson Shad, and a performer for the Aristotle Onassis Foundation, the Metropolitan Opera, and Allied Tours.

He was the United States winner of the Horowitz Competition, and a prize-winner of the Young Artist Peninsula Music Festival, the Young Keyboard Artist Association, and the Artist International Competition. He has performed in Moscow Conservatory's International Chopin Symposium, New York's Schoenberg Music Festival, and Italy's Wilhelm Kempff Beethoven Seminar, and in master classes under John O'Connor, Richard Goode, and Abbey Simon.

Michael Fennelly was taught from age five by his mother, a successful piano teacher, and his father, an avid amateur musician; he continued his studies with Trula Whelan and Earl Voorhies in California. He was a pupil of Dr. Nelita True at the Eastman School of Music, where he was awarded the prestigious Performer's Certificate, and was then accepted into the studio of Byron Janis at the Manhattan School of Music, where lie received the school's special prize for chamber music and completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree with a dissertation on Metric Structure.

In New York City, Dr. Fennelly's current position as a staff pianist for The Juilliard School has led to innumerable recitals with every instrument and voice type. This year, he embarks upon two tours of the Midwest from Minnesota to Montana, performs across Germany and Belgium, and appears in recital in New York, Georgia, California, and Maine.

 Megan Weston

 Megan Weston received superlative reviews for her portrayal of Lisa in La sonnambula with the Orchestra of St. Luke's conducted by Will Crutchfield at the Caramoor International Music Festival. This past season, Ms. Weston triumphed as Norina in Don Pasquale with Lyric Opera San Diego, and sang Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915 and Copland's Poems of Emily Dickinson with the San Diego Chamber Orchestra conducted by Jung-Ho Pak. She recently debuted with the Cape Cod Symphony, and sang Messiah solos with the Choir of Hendon St. Mary, London, England under the baton of Richard Morrison. Her upcoming engagements include Jenny Lind in the US premiere of Chopin and the Nightingale with the Sembrich Festival in Lake George, NY, and concerts with the Bar Harbor Festival, ME, Cape Cod Symphony, MA, Motyl Chamber Ensemble, and New Music New York.

Hailed as "excellent" (Opera News) and "magnificent" (KPBS), Megan Weston first gained national attention in her San Diego Opera debut as the underprivileged mill-girl, Lightfoot McClendon, in the world premiere co-production of Carlisle Floyd's Cold Sassy Tree. Her performances have included Amore in L'incoronazione di Poppea and Despina in Cosi fan tutte with Utah Opera, Olympia in Les contes d'Hoffmann and Lapak in The Cunning Little Vixen with Tulsa Opera, Carmina Burana with the San Diego Symphony, Viennese operetta arias with New Haven Symphony Orchestra, Mozart's Coronation Mass at Carnegie Hall, and many leading roles with Lyric Opera San Diego, including Blondchen in Die Entfuhrung aus dem Serail, Lucy Lockit in Britten's The Beggar's Opera, and Cunegonde in Candide.

Megan Weston won both the Lee Schaenen Foundation Awards and Joyce Dutka Arts Foundation Competition in 2006, and has received top awards from the Gerda Lissner Foundation Awards, Metropolitan Opera Western Regional Auditions, and the Loren L. Zachary Competition among others. She has collaborated with many important American composers include Carlisle Floyd, Myron Fink, Henry Mollicone, and Richard Wargo, and regularly gives lectures and readings of new works for the Juilliard School.

Reviews

In concert with Cape Cod Symphony Orchestra

"But the jewel in the crown was Megan Weston, whose vivid presence and radiant, seemingly effortlessly produced coloratura voice lent wings to the artfully designed and skillfully executed production... Glamorously gowned in bright red satin, the attractive young soprano was as charming to behold as to listen to and is my choice for the best ever Christmas pops soloist."

            Anna Crebo, Cape Cod Times - December, 2007

As Lisa in La sonnambula - Caramoor International Music Festival

"... a delightful surprise, making the scorned innkeeper Lisa a touching, tenderly comic figure, and displaying a gorgeous, light lyric soprano."

            Eric Myers, Opera - January, 2006

"(Sumi Jo) was joined by a strong cast.. .Megan Weston was persuasive as the innkeeper, Lisa."

            Jeremy Eichler, The New York Times - July, 2005

"Megan Weston displayed remarkable virtuosity and charm as Lisa." - Martin Bernheimer, Financial Times - July, 2005

As Norina in Don Pasquale - Lyric Opera San Diego

"...it is her acrobatic coloratura and impeccable technique stealing the show; her piercing sound and wicked characterization bring her triumphantly through each aspect of her role."

            Grace Leslie, San Diego Union- Tribune - November, 2006

As Olympia in Les contes d'Hoffmann - Tulsa Opera

".. .handled the coloratura fireworks of "Les oiseaux dans la charmille" with thrilling ease, giving a performance that was the perfect mix of vocal control, physicality and humor. It came close to stopping the show Saturday evening."

            James Watts, Tulsa World - April, 2004

West Valley Art Museum 17420 North Avenue of the Arts - Surprise, AZ 85374

Call 623-972-0635 or visit  www.wvam.org

LANDMARK WESTERN MOVIE AND DISCUSSION AT THE ARIZONA HISTORICAL SOCIETY MUSEUM AT PAPAGO PARK 
“Every Tree Has Roots…And Shoots”

             The Arizona Historical Society Museum at Papago Park presents The Magnificent Seven along with discussion by noted film experts at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, July  20, at the Museum, 1300 North College Avenue, Tempe, Arizona. In this program, called “Every Tree Has Roots…And Shoots,” visitors can watch the movie and then hear how it fits in cinematic history—the movies that influenced it, and how it changed movie-making in Hollywood. The program is free with museum admission.

In this landmark film, seven men, each an expert in his own way, protect a Mexican farming village from a small army of bandits. Stars include Yul Brynner, Steve McQueen, Charles Bronson, and Eli Wallach. The film is full of action, where showdowns and shootouts combine with introspection and tragic heroism. After The Magnificent Seven, with its ensemble cast, Westerns changed forever, and it became an inspiration for many other films.

After viewing the film and having some light refreshments, the public can join a panel of film experts to discuss the movie. There will be short clips from movies that were inspiration for — and inspired by — The Magnificent Seven. Clips from films such as Akira Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai, Robert Aldrich’s The Dirty Dozen, and others, will be springboards for lively discussion among the panel and with the audience.

The panel moderator is Fred Linch. Mr. Linch has lectured on films and organized film festivals throughout Arizona and as far away as Bangkok and Vladivostok. He is a lecturer on cinema with Arizona State University’s Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and co-creator of “The Film Forecast.” Fred will draw on film clips and his deep knowledge of movies to keep the audience engaged.

Fred is joined by The Arizona Republic writer Richard Nilsen, as well as film critic Francie Noyes. Richard Nilsen has been an art and film critic with the Republic for many years. His interests span the whole spectrum of the Phoenix cultural scene. Francie Noyes has been a movie writer and film aficionado for more than twenty years.  She was the film critic for City Life magazine, and at the Scottsdale Progress.  Francie is a discussion leader for the Foothills Film Society and is a facilitator at the Scottsdale International Film Festival.

The Arizona Historical Society Museum at Papago Park is the principal museum in the Phoenix metropolitan area covering the changes that have made Arizona what it is today. Concentrating on Arizona in the 20th and 21st centuries, the museum is filled with stories—stories about World War II and its effects in Arizona, stories about the rise of desert cities, and stories about Arizona popular culture. The museum makes stories come alive through hands-on and multimedia displays, children’s activities, and a variety of educational programs.

The Museum is located in Papago Park at 1300 North College Avenue, just north of Curry Road between Mill Avenue and Scottsdale Road, north of the Loop 202. At the intersection of Curry and College, you will see a ball field and our large parking lot. The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 4:00 p.m.. Admission is $5.00 for adults; $4.00 for seniors and students; children under 12 are free. Parking is free. For further information, please contact the Museum at 480-929-0292.

WELLS FARGO’S SCOTT ASHER JOINS JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT, TEMPE CHAMBER BOARDS
Scott Asher, district manager for Wells Fargo Regional Banking in Tempe, has joined the board of Junior Achievement and the Tempe Chamber of Commerce. Asher also will serve as treasurer of the Tempe Chamber.

Asher manages 11 Wells Fargo Community Banking stores in Tempe, Mesa and Southeast Phoenix, with $778 million in deposits and 210-plus team members. 

In Arizona, Wells Fargo has 14,000 team members and 260 stores.  Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified financial services company with $595 billion in assets, providing banking, insurance, investments, mortgage and consumer finance through almost 6,000 stores and the internet (wellsfargo.com) across North America and internationally. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. is the only bank in the U.S., and one of only two banks worldwide, to have the highest possible credit rating from both Moody's Investors Service, “Aaa,” and Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, “AAA.”

WELLS FARGO FOOD DRIVE PROMOTES HUNGER AWARENESS Wells Fargo Stagecoach to Appear at Tempe Food Drive Site
Wells Fargo is collecting food from July 1 to 15 to benefit local food banks.  To promote the collection drive, the Wells Fargo stagecoach will make an               appearance at the company’s Tempe Auto Finance Center.  Radio MIX 96.9 will broadcast live from the celebration.Stagecoach appearance Wednesday, July 9, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.   Radio station KMXP MIX 96.9 live broadcast 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wells Fargo Auto Finance Center, 711 W. Broadway, Tempe Wells Fargo team members will be on hand to accept donations.
BACKGROUND:  Daily headlines tell the tale:  The poor economy, the price of gas, the price of food – everyone is being stretched to the limit, and food banks are no different.  The most vulnerable in our community are at the greatest risk when times are toughest. Demand for services is at record levels and donations continue to trail behind the demand. Food shelves need to be re-stocked just to meet daily requests.  From July 1 to 15, Wells Fargo is teaming up with local community food banks across Arizona to help re-fill those shelves.  Food collection bins have been placed in the 260-plus Wells Fargo Community Banking stores throughout the state. 

Facts about hunger in Arizona · One in 7 Arizona adults, 1 in 12 seniors and 1 in 5 children live in poverty.· Of those receiving emergency food in Arizona, 41% are children and seniors; 13% of the families had children under age five; 15% of the families reported their children skipped meals because there was not enough money for food.

In the Valley and nearby cities, Wells Fargo store teams will collect food for:

• · St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance

• · United Food Bank

• · Desert Mission Food Bank

• · St. Anthony’s St. Vincent de Paul (Casa Grande/Maricopa)

• · Wickenburg Food Pantry

SCOTTSDALE ARTISTS’ SCHOOL WEEKEND WORKSHOPS at PHOENIX ART MUSEUM
Scottsdale Artists’ School is continuing its series of weekend workshops at Phoenix Art Museum this summer.

June 21-22, 2008
Introduction to Sculpture-Bas Relief
Jerry Cox
$170 for Museum Members
$200 for non-members

Enter the wonderful world of clay sculpture! In this beginning level class, students will learn how to create a simple bas relief sculpture. A bas relief sculpture is one in which the subject (figure, landscape or still life) projects slightly from the background. There are special techniques for creating a three-dimensional sculpture on a two dimensional surface, and the instructor will show you how to do it. The class will also tour Phoenix Art Museum and look at several bas reliefs in its collection.

July 19-20, 2008
Beginning Drawing
Larry Charles
$150 for Museum Members
$180 for non-members

Learn how to transfer what you see onto paper! Even if you’ve never tried to draw before, this class will help you have success from the very beginning. Students will get a chance to explore various drawing techniques and different methods for getting a realistic image. There will be instructor demonstrations and hands on practice.

August 30-31, 2008
Introduction to Oil Painting
Carrie Curran
$170 for Museum Members
$200 for non-members

Learn the basics of working with oil paints! You’ll get to experiment with mixing colors, painting on a canvas board, and creating a simple still life painting. Students will learn the process of creating an oil painting, from composition and blocking in shapes, to using colors, values, and brushwork to make an image have excitement and depth. If you have always wanted to try oil painting, this fun introduction is a great way to get started!

  In each workshop, instructors will select several museum masterpieces as reference and inspiration for specific workshop topics. After viewing and learning about the artworks, students will return to the studio for hands on experience with the same principles and techniques employed by the masters. No experience is required for any workshop. Materials for each workshop are included with tuition, but all students should bring a sketchpad and pencil. Sessions meet from 10am-4pm each day unless otherwise noted. To register for any of these workshops,

call Scottsdale Artists’ School at 480-990-1422 or go online to ScottsdaleArtSchool.org . Classes are listed under Semester 2008 Local Offsites.

Scottsdale Artists’ School is a nonprofit school of traditional fine art founded

in 1983. One of the world’s premier art institutions, the school holds more than 200 adult classes and workshops each year along with Youth Academy workshops in the spring, summer, fall and winter. Learn more at ScottsdaleArtSchool.org , now featuring on-line enrollment.

 Scottsdale Artists’ School is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization.

Sunshine Acres Children’s Home to Participate in O.F.F. To School Field Day Shopping Spree July 29th
 Approximately 75 children from Sunshine Acres Children’s Home will get the chance to “shop ‘til they drop” for school supplies on July 29, 2008 at The Wal-Mart Super Center, located at 4505 East McKellips Road in Mesa, compliments of The Ortiz Family Foundation.  

The Ortiz Family Foundation, founded by Major League Baseball Player and former Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher, Russ Ortiz, and his family, will host the O.F.F. to School Field Day to encourage excitement for the new 2008-2009 school year. All of the children currently living at Sunshine Acres will receive $150 each from the Foundation to help make certain they get the necessary back to school supplies and clothing. Additionally, Wal-Mart Super Center will donate $2,000, increasing each child’s spending amount to $175, and provide breakfast for all event participants.  

"Sunshine Acres is all about service. They provide a loving home for children separated from their parents,” says Russ Ortiz. “The Ortiz Family Foundation is proud to support Sunshine Acres. Our hope is that others will join in to acknowledge their service to children who need to know love," Ortiz continues.

 Pictures from last year’s event are available upon request courtesy of Fresh Look Images Photography. The Ortiz Family Foundation encourages the community to help support next year’s O.F.F to School Field Day through monetary donations. For every sponsorship contribution of $150, a student in need will be provided the opportunity to participate in the day of back to school shopping. For more information about how to contribute to the 2009-2010 O.F.F. to School Field Day, please visit www.ortizfamilyfoundation.com.

 About Sunshine Acres Children’s Home: Sunshine Acres Children’s Home is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to provide a loving, wholesome, Christian home for children who are separated from their parents, and to help them in  establishing long-term relationships with stable parental figures. They serve boys and girls of all ages with minimum placements of one year continuing as long as needed and appropriate - even through college.

 About The Ortiz Family Foundation: The Ortiz Family Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that is dedicated to supporting places and people that do amazing work on a daily basis to help the community. The foundation is based on the Christian principles of faith and family first. It is the goal of the foundation to spotlight non-profits in the community by raising awareness among the public about the philanthropic needs in the places they live, work and play. It is their hope that by bringing notice to worthy non-profits more people will volunteer their time, donate needed items and get involved in any way possible.

News from The Snowmass Wellness Experience August 16-17
The Snowmass Wellness Experience (Aug. 15-17), which was written up last year in the New York Times, celebrates the art of well-being and healthy living. Encompassing all the elements of a balanced lifestyle, this weekend celebration addresses nutrition, fitness, and healthy living topics with best-selling authors and speakers, enriching workshops, cooking demonstrations, al fresco yoga and fitness classes, nature walks and more.

 The 2008 event concentrates on personal and local sustainability and how to produce vibrant foods that nurture body, mind, spirit, and community. All classes, workshops, and events will revolve around this theme.

Nationally renowned organic farmer Eliot Coleman and horticulturist Barbara Damrosch of the Four Season Farm ( www.fourseasonfarm.com     ) - Learn how to develop a healthy and sustainable lifestyle and increase your awareness as a consumer of organic products.

Swami Beyondananda of Wake Up Laughing Productions (political satire and healing laughter from this political guru and uncommontator) will perform a comedy show paired with an organic food tasting on Friday night. ( http://www.wakeuplaughing.com/  )

Mariana Bozesan of Diet for a New Life is the first integral approach to weight loss, emotional health, and consciousness leadership based not on dieting but rather on how the foods we eat can affect our well being. Her book is endorsed by John Robbins, Deepak Chopra, John Gray and many others. ( http://www.sageera.com   ) She's also doing an Interactive Workshop with chef Ricki Mckenna to create favorite healthy foods for people and families "on the go."

Jerome Osentowski, founder and director of the Central Rocky Mountain Permaculture Institute in Basalt, CO. He is co-founder of EcoSystems Design, a consulting and design service company specializing in environmentally friendly agriculture, edible landscaping, and building. ( www.ecosystems-design.com    )

Organic cooking demonstrations, organic farming and consumer education:

• An organic spirits tasting with Peak Spirits ( www.peakspirits.com    ), a distillery that makes premium spirits from the finest organic orchard fruit in the world, grown regionally in the North Fork Gunnison Valley of western Colorado. This is the first distillery in the U.S. focused on making premium products from locally grown/sourced organic produce.

• An organic farmers market featuring Ute City Farms, Peach Valley CSA, Chef Dava Parr, and others.

• A festival shopping expo with healthy living and organic products.

• Organic Cooking Demonstrations: A Top Chef-style cook-off with Chef Dava, Ricki McKenna, and Lisa & Lynn Ruoff of Eco-Goddess Edibles

Unique events and workshops:

• Yoga and Chocolate and Yoga and Wine classes with David Romanelli - Turn your sense of vice into transformative virtue. Learn how to perfectly pair your favorite indulgences with your spiritual practices and enhance your spiritual experience.

• Yoga Workshops by the Shakti Foundation and renowned instructors Simon Park and Megan Disabatino - the Shakti Foundation will donate $2.50 from every yoga activities pass sold to local non-profits (TBA). Renowned yoga instructors take yoga to new heights with on-mountain, open-air workshops.

• Come early on Thursday for a free outdoor concert by Robben Ford, named one of the "100 greatest guitarists of the 20th century" by Musician magazine

Other featured events:

• Spa Pavilion: Complementary to event participants, the Aspen Club & Spa will be presenting an outdoor spa experience on Fanny Hill that includes therapists specializing in mini table/chair massage, facials, manicures/pedicures and an outdoor spa area showcasing product.

• Guided Nature Hikes and Walks with the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies

• Morning Meditation sessions on-mountain

Pilates classes presented by the Aspen Club & Spa staff

Lodging Packages:

• Just for the Girls: August 14-18, 2008 For the ultimate girlfriends' mountain getaway, Snowmass Village, Colorado, offers adventure, relaxation, and pure rejuvenation August 14-18, 2008. Timberline Condominium rates start as low as $52/person (double occupancy) for a deluxe studio within walking distance to all activities and includes free airport transfer and on-site yoga classes. Stay at the Timberline and additionally receive $15 off your weekend pass to the 5th annual Snowmass Wellness Experience (August 16-17). Finish off the vacation by signing up with the award-winning Snowmass Club for a special rate of two spa services for $185. To book, visit www.snowmassvillage.com  

• Massage in the Mountains Package Relax and rejuvenate in the mountains with this special Snowmass package. Stay at the Silvertree Hotel and choose a spa treatment ranging from a standard massage to a Jet Lag massage to reflexology or an 85-minute couple's massage. Rates start at $326/person based on a 2 night stay and a spa service per person per day. Package is per person based on double occupancy, not including tax. To book, visit www.snowmassvillage.com   

For the full festival schedule, ticket locations, prices, and lodging specials, visit www.snowmassvillage.com 

APS designated Arizona 74 as an alternative route through Peoria, however it's on Federal land which would require an environmental impact study at much greater expense.

Peoria and Buckeye have both made it clear they are ready to take the matter to court.
 

Brix Wine Spot Ribbon Cutting. Mayor Francia doing the honors
Business to Business Brix Wine Spot Opens in Stagecoach Village
What makes Carefree and Cave Creek so appealing to visitors? - Their shops and restaurants are original and unique. Brix have have created a WOW factor. When you walk in the door you can't but help say WOW. It's worth visiting and telling your friends about your experience.

 Merchants Look at Collaborative Marketing in Summer
Recently the Chamber, (Department of Commerce and Department of Tourism), presented a seminar to interested merchants from Carefree and Cave Creek. The topic was "how best to attract the summer visitors" that visit the Valley. A model used in Prescott was used to explain the benefits of the plan.

Two initiatives have resulted. Interested merchants will be looking at collaborative events, marketing and advertising, for this summer. Merchant meetings will be held with the Department of Commerce facilitating to initiate the program. Bill Bolin, Director of Rural Development ADOC addresses the Merchants.

(Publishers Note: Panorama Hills Monthly will work with any merchant/merchants on collaborative advertising both in our print and our on-line publications. Panorama Hills Monthly offers merchants the opportunity to reach visitors and residents from Carefree to Surprise, including the cities of Youngtown, Tramanto, Sun City, Sun City West, Peoria, N. Scottsdale, Glendale, Desert Hills and Anthem. Panorama Hills Monthly will do anything and everything that we can to help the merchants of Cave Creek and Carefree bring in business. But we need YOUR help to do this!)

Arizona Kidney Foundation Primed to Launch  “Know Your GFR” Campaign
 The Arizona Kidney Foundation is launching a series of 30- second TV spots designed to make Arizonans take charge of their kidney health and avoid the severe life impact of advanced kidney disease. The PSA’s are specifically targeted towards people with diabetes, hypertension, obesity and cardio disease, because those individuals are also higher at risk for chronic kidney disease. 

                According to Doctor Savas Petrides, a noted Phoenix Nephrologist, GFR or Glomerular Filtration Rate is one of the best indicators of kidney condition and it measures the propensity of Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD). “GFR offers everyone a way to check their kidneys with a simple blood test,” adds Dr. Petrides.

 The challenge is that what you (or your doctor) don’t know can kill you. 1 in 9 American adults (26 million) have Chronic Kidney Disease – and of those, 90% don’t know they have it.

                 “I can’t think of a better way to commemorate our 45^th anniversary here in Arizona than to inspire high risk groups to speak with their doctors about kidney disease,” notes Jeffrey D. Neff, CEO of the Arizona Kidney Foundation. “The “Know Your GFR” campaign’s goal is to raise awareness to the fact that early detection is now available, and critical. By knowing your GFR, you can make a change in time to make a significant difference, allowing for a much higher quality of life.”

                                Neff sees the TV spots as an extension of his organization’s efforts to educate and help people. “Our goal with these powerful TV spots is to turn GFR into a household term,” adds Neff. “Our research shows that television is the best media available to affect consumer behavior and attitudes and it is hoped that through our efforts, people at risk will be encouraged to ask their doctors about their kidney health.”  

Arizona Kidney Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping kidney disease sufferers across the state overcome the medical, financial, and logistical challenges of chronic kidney disease. In 2008, the organization commemorates its 45^th anniversary of assisting Arizona patients and their families. For more information, call (602) 840-1644 or visit www.azkidney.org.

SCOTTSDALE CULTURAL COUNCIL ANNOUNCES COMMUNITY ARTS GRANT FUNDING

Scottsdale Cultural Council trustee Carol Fehring Irvin chaired the panel and commented, "We were very pleased with the diversity of applications and the quality of work that is being produced by Scottsdale organizations as well as Valley-wide organizations that present programs in Scottsdale.    Adults and youth who are residents and visitors will have great opportunities to participate in stellar programs in the coming year.  My only disappointment is that there were not adequate funds to support all the worthy projects that were submitted." Story Continues 

HELP- The Foothills Food Bank Needs Help!
 The Foothills Food Bank is in critical need of food and monetary donations. We are seeing more people. People that we have never seen before, coming in for the first time. It takes approximately 30 pounds of food to feed one individual. If that person went to the store to purchase the food we give them it would cost approximately $64.00.

 The food bank gives a three-day supply of food to a client on an emergency basis.  We also give financial assistance, but due to a lack of funds we have had to cut off financial assistance until further notice. Please do what you can, I will be happy to talk to you. Thanks,Pam DiPietro Executive Director  Foothills Food Bank • 480-488-1145 (work) • 602-284-3483 (cell)

SAVE ON YOUR KARTCHNER CAVERNS TRIP AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER
BOOK YOUR TICKETS ONLINE FOR SPECIAL PROMOTIONAL PRICES
Kartchner Caverns State Park cave tours will be discounted down to $12 for adults and $5 for children for August and September of 2008 as part of the summer internet promotion.  "This was a popular promotion last summer for residents so it's important that we can offer it again," said Assistant Director Jay Ream.  "These are traditionally slower times of the year for the park and with gas prices soaring this is a great opportunity for families to plan summer vacations in that part of the state," he said.

 "If you go online, you can book your tickets for dates starting August 1 through mid September.  Weekends are usually busy, so if you need to travel then you should go to the Internet and book right away.  Walk-up tickets and the phone-in reservations will still be offered at a seasonal discount, so those tickets will be $8.95 for children and $16.95 for adults.  There is no park use fee if you have cave tickets for the day, so you can combine a hike into the Whetstones, but camping is not discounted for this promotion."

 "You can make a weekend of your trip to Cochise County and camp and travel around the County to discover many fascinating spots such as Fort Bowie, Fort Huachuca, the Bisbee Mine, the Amerind Museum, Tombstone Allen Street activities and the Tombstone Courthouse State Historic Park. If you are trying to get out of the heat of the large cities, you actually gain elevation to about 4500 feet from the Phoenix and Tucson valley areas. The air is cooler there and the cave temperature is about 70 degrees," said Ream.

 Park visitors can tour the 23,000-square-foot Discovery Center and all the geology exhibits, sign up for the interpretive programs, and see the filmed documentary of the explorers explaining the importance of stewardship of natural resources. It is always best to guarantee your cave tours and book online for Kartchner Caverns so go to www.azstateparks.com for tickets. You can also call (520)586-2283 to reserve your tickets.

 Camping is offered on a first-come, first-serve basis and the picnic and group areas are available throughout the year. Group tours are always welcome for schools, businesses and families. Special accommodations can be made for commercial tour operators including the use of the outdoor amphitheater, ramada area, band stand, and lunches can be served through the "Bat Cafe."

 For information about Arizona State Parks call (602) 542-4174 (outside of the Phoenix metro area call toll-free 800-285-3703) or visit the website at www.azstateparks.com.

 A  "Phoenix  Point  of  Pride", the  Desert  Botanical  Garden  is  one  of  only  a  few  botanical  gardens accredited  by  the  American  Association  of  Museums. It  is  a  privately  funded, non profit  organization  and  depends  on  revenues  from  admissions  and  gift  shop  sales, as  well  as  contributions  from  individuals  and  businesses  to  fund  its  programs  of  environmental  education, plant  conservation  and  research. 

Grand Opening of the Newest Trader Joe’s in the Northeast Valley
by Janice Greene
The newest addition was added to Trader Joe’s family on Wednesday, June 18th, at 8:00 AM.  The ribbon cutting ceremony welcomed Trader Joe’s at Tatum and Shea Blvd., in Paradise Valley.  Along with the West Coast Regional Mgr., Mark Torrezmarc, the Captain (Store Mgr.), Joe Gallego and the Phoenix Suns Gorilla, the store had quite a crowd on this warm summer morning.  Trader Joe’s signature bags were given out free along with taste testing at the Captain’s Table and throughout the store by crew members (staff).

 I found Trader Joe’s to be well laid out, easily navigated, with large aisles (see fully stocked wine aisle), and the wonderfully themed artwork murals of Camelback Mountain and the Paradise Valley area on the colorful yellow walls.  Each labeled product featured, are hand crafted from Trader Joe’s local artists.  Each crewmember, wears brightly colored Hawaiian shirts and greet you with smiles and are happy to serve you. What a great way to start your shopping experience. You won’t be disappointed on your gastronomical trip to this store. Check it out.  They are located at 4726 E. Shea Blvd., Paradise Valley, or visit a store near you at www.traderjoes.com .  Story Continues

Mahaffey exhibit at Museum of Northern AZ
 Renowned Grand Canyon Painter Merrill Mahaffey Is Honored at the Museum of Northern Arizona with a 50-Year Retrospective Show and Gala Weekend Opening Weekend to include Gala Dinner and Brunch at the Museum of Northern Arizona

 A Gala Weekend is scheduled for June 21st and 22nd in conjunction with the opening of the new exhibit Merrill Mahaffey: Interior Landscapes of the West, A Fifty-Year Retrospective. Meet the artist and dine alongside the Rio de Flag at two featured events at the Museum of Northern Arizona.

 MNA’s 2nd Annual Summer Fundraising Gala Dinner, Live Auction, and Exhibit is Saturday June 21. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Tickets can be purchased for $250 per person and underwriting opportunities are available. Seating is limited and reservations are required. Some of the Mahaffey paintings on exhibit will be for sale.

 An Artist Reception and Brunch for Museum Members on Sunday, June 22 at 10 a.m. includes a silent auction and exhibit sales. Tickets are $45 per person and can be purchased in advance along with memberships. Underwriting opportunities are available. Story Continues

The Real Story on Arizona-American Water's Fire Flow Improvement Project
Provided by the Sun City Taxpayers Association

 What is Arizona-American Water Trying to Do?

• Arizona-American Water (AZ-AM) is a water utility and therefore regulated by the Arizona Corporation Commission (ACC). The Sun City Water District serves all the residents of Sun City and Youngtown. It also provides water service to some residents of Peoria, Surprise and other unincorporated areas of Maricopa County.

•  AZ-AM has an application pending at the ACC to approve a 29.53 percent rate increase for sun City Water District customers (29.01 percent increase in residential rates) and pre-approval of Fire Flow Improvements and a surcharge mechanism for immediate cost recovery for those improvements. AZ-AM has estimated the cost of the project at $5.1 million (up from a $3.1 million estimate in 2005).

•  Evidence has already been presented at hearings that justifies an overall increase in water rates for all customers in the Sun City Water District.

•  AZ-AM's present rate design is based on minimum monthly charges that increase by pipe diameter to the meter. AZ-AM's application would keep this rate design and increase monthly usage charges and commodity charges across all customer classes. While all residential customer classes would be impacted by the combination of an overall rate increase and any incremental surcharges, the biggest impact would be felt by residents in condominiums.

•  AZ-AM is currently in financial difficulty. By its own admission, AZ-AM is the least performing of American Water's subsidiaries. The Sun City Water District has some of the lowest water rates in the State of Arizona because it does not have a water treatment plant and has the ability to pump, treat and deliver water to its customers without any additional costs. Also, the Sun City Water District is virtually built out and has little to no potential for growth in its water operations which linnets the company's ability to increase its profits.

 What is the Fire Flow Improvement project?

• Under a previous ACC docket, Youngtown made the ACC aware of problems in its water system that affected fire flow. The ACC called for a Task Force. AZ-AM complied and a Task Force was convened to investigate the problem. The results of the task force were submitted to the ACC along with a cost proposal in 2005.

• The recommendations of the Task Force included replacing pipe in Sun City, Youngtown and parts of Peoria and adding a number of fire hydrants.

• The ACC is charged with the responsibility to set utility rates. As an operator of a water utility, AZ-AM must meet the ACC requirements that potable water be delivered at 20 psi.

• The ACC has no authority over fire flow and does not require water utilities to meet a requirement for 1500 gallons per minute fire flow. No other comparable Arizona-regulated water utility has ever oversized its system beyond ACC standards.

• AZ-AM wants pre-approval from the ACC for the Fire Flow Improvement project so that it would be paid for up front by the ratepayers utilizing a surcharge mechanism. The proposed surcharge mechanism is not a generally accepted method of cost recovery at the ACC. AZ-AM is asking for a special treatment of cost recovery for Fire Flow Improvements.

• AZ-AM admits that the proposed Fire Flow improvements are discretionary improvements and in pre-filed testimony has stated that it will not go forward without pre-approval of the project and the surcharge mechanism by the ACC. The Residential Utility Consumers' Office (RUCO) believes fire flow modifications are discretionary and is not in favor of AZ-AM obtaining approval for a surcharge to fund the cost of over sizing its system.

•  The Recreation Centers of Sun City, the Sun City Taxpayers Association, the Sun City Homeowners Association and the Sun City Condominium Owners Association also do not favor approval for a surcharge mechanism to pay for the Fire Flow improvements.

How Does Youngtown fit in?

• • The need for adequate fire flow and fire hydrants has been a problem for Youngtown for the last 50 years. Youngtown did not undertake the improvements when it owned and operated its own water system neither did AZ-AM nor its predecessor Citizens' Utilities move forward with any improvements when it acquired the Youngtown system in the 1990s.

•  • The City of Youngtown is in favor of the fire flow project and surcharge since they have a serious public safety problem.

•  • Sun City will end up paying 87 percent of the cost while Youngtown only 9.2 percent of the cost. Sun City residents should not have to pay for Youngtown's problems.

•  • If approved and the Fire Flow improvements are completed, all Sun City Water District customers will pay an increased rate for water use in perpetuity because the system has been improved. 

Call to action  If you are upset by this attempt by AZ-AM Water and Youngtown to pass off expensing its problems onto Sun City residents, here are the members of ACC to inform. They need to know what you really think. At this time they have been told that 51 percent of Sun City agrees with this funding for the Fire Flow situation. We need to let them know that is not the case.

 Who can I contact? Write, call or e-mail our Corporation Commissioners today and tell them what you think.Write to the Commissioners at: Commissioners Wing, 1200 W. Washington, Second Floor, Phoenix, Arizona.Call or e-mail our Commissioners at: Chairman Mike Gleason: (602) 542-3682, Gleason-web@azcc.gov, Commissioner Kristin K. Mayes: (602) 542-4143, Mayes-web@azcc.gov, Commissioner William Mundell: (602) 542-3935, Mundell-web@azcc.gov, Commissioner Scott Hatch-Miller: (602) 542-3625, Hatch-web@azcc.gov, Commissioner Gary Pierce: (602) 542-3933, Pierce-web@azcc.gov.

 This information was provided by the Sun City Taxpayers Association, located at 12630 N. 103rd Ave., suite 144, Sun City, Arizona 85351, 623-933-7530 Fax: 623-933-0394 www.suncitytaxpayers.org .

PUBLIC WELCOME TO ATTEND!

A Motivational Sales Training Workshop will be held on
7/29/2008 at 7:00 AM for
Carefree Corridor Business Group.

 Story Continues 

Geoglyphs in Desert Hills

 By LeeAnn Sharpe
Pete Norris is a man on a mission. His mission is to document and save ancient geoglyphs in the desert along Carefree Highway that are in the path of future development.

 Geoglyphs are drawings made by ancient peoples on the ground, in this case using various size and types of rocks to form a pattern and tell a story.   

 Norris is an expert at crytanalysis, or the art of breaking codes. He believes that the geoglyphs he found in north Phoenix depict a known astronomical event some 4,000 years ago. The pattern and number of rocks clearly describe, to the trained eye, where the event happened and for how long. It tells of a meteor event, the number of meteor showers and the direction they crossed the ancient skies. The event is known to astronomers and has been recorded elsewhere in history on pottery and wall art and is documented to have occurred in 3,200B.C. "The sequences and the counts line up with this meteor event," he said.

 The only question is whether these geoglyphs are as ancient as the event itself or a retelling of the story by more recent inhabitants of the area.  Story Continues with Pictures

Letter from the President at MS Corner
Hello to one and all, for this letter is not only for the readers of MS Corner, but also for our entire group.

 As I was reading through a monthly publication of some sort, I came upon some weight loss ideas for those of us who have put on too much weight over the summer, or simply because we’re just too weak to say no to eating unhealthy foods. Story Continues