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AZGF Offering Fishing Clinics

South Mountain District News — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:32:50 +0000

Phoenix Parks, AZ Game and Fish Offer Free Fishing Clinics at Papago Park
The Phoenix Parks and Recreation and Arizona Game and Fish departments are teaming up to offer a free fishing clinic at HYPERLINK “http://www.phoenix.gov/parks/trails/locations/papago/index.html” Papago Park from 7 to 10 a.m. on Feb. 26.
The free clinic is designed to introduce novices and kids to fishing, so all equipment will be provided and instructors will be on hand to offer advice and assistance. Neither registration nor fishing licenses are required to participate; anglers can just join staff at the event at the park’s HYPERLINK “http://www.phoenix.gov/parks/trails/locations/papago/ramada/index.html” Ramada 11.
Papago is one of six Phoenix parks with lakes that are part of Game and Fish’s Urban Fishing Program, which stocks the lakes. The Papago Park lagoons will be stocked with trout the week prior to the fishing clinic, giving anglers a good chance at landing a fish.
The clinic is geared toward kids but all ages are welcome, and no registration is necessary. Six City of Phoenix parks, including Papago, have lakes that are stocked regularly as part of the state’s Urban Fishing program. The other parks are Cesar Chavez, Desert West, Encanto, Steele Indian School and Cortez.
Details on fishing at Phoenix parks are located in the Parks section of the department website at HYPERLINK “http://www.phoenix.gov/parks/index.html” phoenix.gov/parks. Information on Papago Park is located in the HYPERLINK “http://www.phoenix.gov/parks/trails/index.html” Trails and Preserves section of the department website.

Heart and Vascular Disease: Are you at Risk?

South Mountain District News — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 17:25:04 +0000

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), cardiovascular disease, also called heart and vascular disease, is the leading cause of death in the United States. In addition, The American Heart Association estimates that more than 81 million Americans have at least one type of cardiovascular disease. That’s nearly one out of every three people.

Fortunately, there are ways to assess your risk and protect yourself from many heart and vascular diseases. Robert Candipan, M.D., Ph.D., a board-certified interventional cardiologist on the medical staff at St. Luke’s Medical Center, explains the causes of cardiovascular disease, screening options to assess your risk and lifestyle modifications to lower your risk.

Q: What is cardiovascular disease?

A: Cardiovascular disease is a class of diseases affecting the heart and blood vessel system. Most of these diseases are related to a process called atherosclerosis. Atherosclerosis is a condition that develops when plaque builds up on the walls of the arteries. The plaque buildup narrows the arteries, making it more difficult for blood to flow normally. This can cause blood clots to form, which, in turn, can block the flow of blood. Heart attacks or strokes can occur when plaque or clots restrict the blood supply.

Q: Who is at risk for developing cardiovascular disease?

A: Truly everyone is at risk for developing heart disease, but several factors can increase your risks. Risk factors include:
Alcohol consumption.
Age, 50 years and older.
Family history of cardiovascular disease.
High cholesterol.
Hypertension.
Obesity.
Physical inactivity.
Tobacco use.
Unhealthy diet.

Q: What can you do to lower your risk?

A: Simple lifestyle modifications, like exercising regularly or eating a healthier diet, can reduce most risk factors of heart disease. If you smoke, it’s important to quit. Also, speak with a physician if you suffer from hypertension or high cholesterol to determine how to best control those conditions. Simple diet changes, like reducing saturated and trans fats, can significantly reduce dangerous plaque buildup in your arteries. Also, know your numbers. Get your blood pressure and cholesterol checked regularly to prevent situations before they occur.

Q: What screenings are available?

A: In addition to regular checkups with a physician, a TripleView screening package can assess your risk for several heart and vascular diseases. With TripleView, you receive three screenings in one package:
Ankle brachial index to detect peripheral artery disease (PAD).
Carotid ultrasound to find carotid artery disease.
Abdominal ultrasound to detect abdominal aortic aneurysms.
These highly accurate tests are painless, noninvasive and take less then one hour to perform.

Smokers and individuals who have personal or family history of heart disease, diabetes, high cholesterol or hypertension are encouraged to get screened. However, TripleView screenings are available to everyone interested in determining what risk factors they may have for heart and vascular disease. The TripleView screening package is specially priced at $99 and does not require a doctor’s order. To learn more or to schedule a TripleView screening, call 1-877-351-WELL (9355).

Robert Candipan, M.D., Ph.D., is a board-certified interventional cardiologist on the medical staff at St. Luke’s Medical Center and in practice with Phoenix Heart Center, a Physician Group of Arizona, Inc., practice. For more information about St. Luke’s or Dr. Candipan, call 1-877-351-WELL (9355).

This information is provided by St. Luke’s Medical Center as general information only and is not intended to replace the advice of a physician.

Wedge and Bottle: Wine, Cheese and More

Kurt von Behrmann — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 16:55:25 +0000

A great idea doesn’t have to be new. When accessibility and adaptability meet, something old can be something fresh. For the owners of one Ahwatukee business, providing accessibility to an existing concept has become a venture that is being well received by those in the area and perhaps beyond.
“Since we married, we talked about doing a business together, eventually,” said Krista Daily, recalling how she and husband Troy went from their respective professions, she an interior designer and he involved in the hospitality industry, striking out on their own by opening Wedge and Bottle, a wine and cheese specialty store last May.
They soon realized the importance of learning and doing it quickly. As they navigated the various details of running their own concern, they were frequently asked if this was their first venture. Thankfully, others operating similar operations, inside the Valley and outside, were willing to assist. Being in a location where such support is easily found, this no doubt made the learning curve less steep.
In selecting a location, Ahwatukee had several advantages. “We are here more often than home,” jokingly said Krista Daily. Having a short commute was one plus. Another was the proximity of complimentary establishments. In the same mall that houses Trader Joe’s and Pomegranate Café, the positives of being here made sense.
The concept of a cheese and wine shop, where you can consume wine and nosh cheese and other items onsite, is an old one. But that doesn’t mean it is without merit. As wide and varied as eating establishments are, when you consider locating one that offers these things in a pleasant environment, the options narrow to just a few choices.
Certainly you can pick up cheese at your local super market, but try to find obscure cheeses, wines, meats and the like, and then add the “quality” element, and one would be surprised just how rare such places are that offer an experience provided by Wedge and Bottle.
“We try to carry local when we can,” said Krista. It becomes apparent when you look at the offerings. Making trips to a local farmer’s market, and making sure that the animals used in the creation of products are treated humanely, there is a real attention to detail that makes shopping here more than purchasing items; it makes it an experience.
An intimate space, Wedge and Bottle occupies a narrow slice inside the mall that houses it. That doesn’t mean it’s cramped. No doubt having a design background, the couple has molded a difficult space into a surprisingly roomy, comfortable place to be. Instead of piling items on top of other items, there is a clean, but not sterile, look that makes everything there gain the advantages of being in an upscale environment, but minus the cold haughtiness of being in a pretentious one. This is genuinely an ideal location to people watch and sip a glass of wine while sampling a new cheese.
As to prices, a three-cheese platter for $12, and a charcuterie platter that features sopressata salami and speck americano ham, there are some great choices here that simply are not available at other venues. For those seeking custom plates, or serving large parties, those options are available.
In addition to providing a place to dine and a wide selection of meats and cheeses, the wine list includes local wines, and nearly everything to compliment a meat and cheese dining experience. They also offer a wide assortment of beers as well as cooking implements.
For those unfamiliar with the territory of wine and cheese, and even for those with developed tastes, Wedge and Bottle offers wine tastings and classes. Scheduled for February 11th, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., they will host an introduction to French wine with a Bordeaux blending class. Guests will be given the opportunity to mix their own blend of wine. Cost is $45 per person, making it an excellent way to absorb new information and learn hands on this process.
Joanna Eland, of Quench Wines (www.quenchaz.com), will be conducting a wine tasting February 15th from 5 to 7 p.m. The cost of admission is $5 to taste four different wines and will be applied to the purchase of a bottle of wine.
While this is an old idea, the Daily’s vision is one that provides a relaxed atmosphere, workshops, presentations and the like that augment the experiencing of exploring assorted flavors of wine and cheese. As Krista observed that the Valley is full of “tucked away places that no one knows about.” However, with the great response from patrons, and the need for places like Wedge and Bottle, it is doubtful that this very special place will be unknown by a wider audience for long.

Details
4025 East Chandler Blvd, Suite 44
Phoenix, AZ 85048
Phone: 480-704-1255
Web: www.wedgebottle.com
Hours: Closed Monday
Sunday 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Saturday and Friday
11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Tuesday through Thursday
11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Charter Schools Providing Options

Christine Bailey — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 04:23:31 +0000

Editor’s Note: This the first in a two part series on charter schools in the South Mountain/Laveen Areas. Part two will run in the March 2012 issue.

Over the past decade and a half, numerous charter schools have cropped up all over the South Mountain area. Four such schools include EAGLE College Prep Harmony Elementary School EAGLE College Prep Elementary School and its recently opened EAGLE College Prep Harmony Elementary School, and Sabis International. These schools may vary widely in their educational philosophies and methodologies, but they are united in their quest to provide the parents and children of South Phoenix with quality choices.

Arizona Agribusiness Equine Center High Schools
In its 14th year, AAEC, a public-funded charter high school, now has five campuses across the Valley; each school partners with a local community college with the Maricopa Community College system in order to give their students a jump-start at earning a college degree.

“Thirty percent of our high school graduates graduate with their associate’s degrees before they graduate with their high school degrees,” said EAGLE College Prep Harmony Elementary School assistant superintendent for Administrative Services at AAEC.

According to Conley, 75-80% of these students earn their bachelor’s degrees within two years of their high school graduation. Better yet, AAEC saves the average family approximately $38,000 in college tuition fees because the first two years of college credit hours are paid for by the high school.

Seventy-five percent of AAEC students come from area elementary schools and according to Conley, by the time they take their AIMS tests the second semester of their sophomore years, 89-95% of their students pass reading and writing the first time.

Conley attributes this to the school’s principal, Linda LaFontain, and her experienced and highly-educated teachers – 85% of whom have their master’s or doctorate degrees and more than five years of teaching experience.

As an agricultural charter school, AAEC does have a working farm with six horses, equine training, vet services and quite a bit of hands-on work for its students. However, graduates have gone into journalism, medicine, forensics, biosciences, biotechnology as well as veterinary medicine.

This past spring, AAEC’s graduating seniors earned $125,000 in scholarships. For more information about AAEC’s South Mountain campus, located at 20th Street & Baseline, visit online at HYPERLINK “http://aaechighschools.com/” http://aaechighschools.com/ or call 602-323-9890.
EAGLE College Prep Harmony Elementary School

Sabis International
Across the country, and even the globe, Sabis International is a private school, but in the South Mountain District of Phoenix, it’s a charter school, and tuition is free to all students. While tuition is free, the ride is not; students are expected to wear uniforms, follow the rules and meet rigorous academic expectations.

“Sabis is a college prep school,” said Kathleen Ferris, Community Outreach and Student Recruitment Coordinator for Sabis, “we give children who normally wouldn’t go to college a foundation from kindergarten through 8th grade.”

“Most of our kids,” Ferris said, “test a grade-level above.”

Students who graduate from Sabis attend local high schools, and many end up in honors and college-level courses.

According to Ferris, tutoring and testing are essential to the school’s success; by measuring the progress of each student and class and understanding their strengths and weaknesses, Sabis teachers can provide additional support immediately to those in need.
In addition to academic success, Sabis also provides students an opportunity to play sports with winning teams, including a track team that placed 2nd at state and basketball team that won the championship.

For more information about Sabis International, located at 19th Street and Roeser, visit online at HYPERLINK “http://www.sis-sabis.net” www.sis-sabis.net or call 602-305-8865.

EAGLE College Prep & EAGLE College Prep Harmony Elementary Schools
Almost five years ago, EAGLE College Prep Elementary School broke ground at 24th and South Mountain Avenues. Today, it’s highly-performing A-rated school, and in November 2011 was named by the Arizona Charter Schools Association as one of three finalists for the Best School of the Year award. EAGLE College Prep was also named best school of the year for diversity by PHOENIX Magazine in 2010.

“This success is a testimony to our team and the ability to accomplish our mission,” said Dr. Paul Kremer, Arizona Regional Executive Director for both EAGLE College Prep and EAGLE College Prep Harmony Elementary Schools.

As a college prep K-6 school (grades 7th and 8th will be added in 2012-2013 and 2013-2014 respectively), students are exposed early to the idea of attending college. To support this philosophy, EAGLE College Prep creates fun, but purposeful ways for students to embrace the promise of college: on Fridays students can wear college or university gear; classroom’s sponsor a favorite college and team by decorating with school colors, celebrating team successes and connecting with alumni groups; and students take field trips to Arizona-based colleges and universities, such as Arizona State University, University of Arizona and Grand Canyon University.
The school’s mission focuses on what it considers two essential areas: 1) academic greatness and 2) character development, and illustrates the high expectations EAGLE has of its students.

“One thing that makes us unique,” said Kremer is that we are strict out of care, concern and love for our students.”

While EAGLE College Prep has high expectations of its students both academically and personally, the school also provides ample support and opportunities for its students to hone their skills, with programs such as NEST, Nurturing Eagle Scholars Time. According to Kremer, each adult on campus has approximately 12 students they nurture year after year in NEST; helping these students to individually develop good character traits by rewarding positive behavior, helping them make good choices, and providing additional support outside of the classroom.
EAGLE College Prep has proven such a success that they have chosen to open a sister school – EAGLE College Prep Harmony Elementary School.

“Harmony is, in part, the response to a high demand for a school like ours in the community,” said Kremer.

Harmony mirrors the EAGLE College Prep model with a slight modification; it also focuses on the performing arts and offers its students piano, choral and a variety of movement (e.g. dance) classes. Harmony, like its sister school, is already at capacity and will be moving to a new campus shortly. Right now, the school serves K-2nd grades; each year it will add another grade level.

For more information on EAGLE College Prep Elementary School visit online at HYPERLINK “http://www.eagleprep.org” www.eagleprep.org or call 602.323.5400; to learn more about EAGLE College Prep Harmony Elementary School visit HYPERLINK “http://www.eagleharmony.org” www.eagleharmony.org or call 602-885-7333.

Adding Sunlight to City’s Planning Process

South Mountain District News — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 04:15:00 +0000

The weather in the Southside is fabulous. Time to find a restaurant with a patio, sit outside, listen to the birds, enjoy a daytime beverage (for me a Jack and Coke), have a sandwich or salad and watch all the folks from all over the Valley who have found us out, and are doing the same thing. For Southsiders this is middle spring. Some lawns are getting a little out of control, there is still time to get a garden going, and lots of folks are planting citrus and other trees. The roses I planted last year are looking fabulous, if you can move the weeds far enough apart to see them. Timing is everything, and timing is capable of overwhelming even in the best of intentions.
At this moment we have almost a perfect storm in city governmental leadership: a new mayor, a newly elected councilperson in District 7, a councilperson in District 8 who has managed to stay in that position long enough to be vice-mayor for a second time.
If you have been following my monthly meanderings you probably are aware that I have not always been kind to our elected city leadership. Now, here is a chance for all of us to start fresh.
First, let me suggest that these three leaders begin a systematic outreach to the community to find out what their constituents want and need. I am suggesting that the city base this community interaction effort at South Mountain Community College, which is one of our few remaining institutions that spans the entire Southside. The city could work with the college to form some kind of institute for civic engagement. The college’s current administration has already given indications that they are open to a broader role in civic engagement for the well being of the community.
Second, the city leadership should begin to organize the community in regards to the development of South Central and Broadway Road. This could be done in conjunction with–but not replaced by–current efforts to organize around proposed transportation corridors.
Third, these leaders should take a look at how the current developer-councilperson-planning process can be realigned. At this time it is too easy for a developer to schmooze a few committee members, ingratiate themselves to a council person, and pretty much convince a handful of folks what is good for the other 100,000 or so that will be impacted by what they are planning. It should be made very clear that the council person represents the district and planning committees represent that interest as well.
All meetings that an elected city official has with a developer or its representative should be a part of the public record. A summary of these meetings should be a part of the record as it moves forward through the planning process. Any committee person who meets privately with a developer should be required to provide a summary, as well, and they should be required to recuse themselves from voting on any item being presented by that developer. That includes chairpersons, as well. This may mean a few less free lunches for our councilpersons and committeepersons, but it will provide a cleaner process.
Finally, let’s take a look and training and term limits for all committeepersons involved in the planning process. Term limits should be enforced. We should look for committeepersons that have resumes that include some courses in planning or urban design. I am sure the community college could help us with that, as well. It wouldn’t hurt to see that requirement carried over to our elected officials also. We train our Justices of the Peace who are responsible for non-precedent legal decisions, but we let our elected officials team up with developers to give us structures and traffic jams that we have to live with for decades.
It is a warm and sunny time in the Southside. Let’s let some of that sunshine into our planning process.

Planning for Tomatoes

Gary Petterson — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 04:08:53 +0000

As I write this article with my windows open enjoying the warm weather, it reminds me that we can start planting now. We could have frost until the middle of March so you will have to protect tomatoes and peppers if you plant now. Of course the warmer weather also reminds me that we will be battling the weeds sprouting in grass, flower and vegetable beds and it will be imperative to get control of them before they have a chance to spread seed.

Plant Vegetables
If you haven’t started preparing your soil, now is the time so you can plant this month. You can continue sowing vegetable seed for Beans, Beets, Chinese Cabbage, Carrot, Chives, Collards, Endive, Herbs, Kale, Kohl Rabi, Leek, Head Lettuce, Leaf Lettuce, Mustard, Parsley, Parsnip, Peas, Pepper, Radish, Rutabaga, Spinach, Swiss Chard, Tomato, and Turnip. Sweet Corn, Okra, melons and cucumbers can be planted after frost. A vegetable planting guide is available at HYPERLINK “http://www.gardenpro.net” www.gardenpro.net, just click on Knowledge Base and look for “Greens from the Garden.” Also, follow the planting depth suggestions on the seed packets.

Tomatoes
Tomatoes are quite a popular choice and there is a huge selection of tomato types and varieties The main types of tomatoes are:

Beefsteak Tomatoes: Beefsteaks are the very biggest tomatoes. Their pulp cavity has the “marbled” appearance of a steak and they hold together well when sliced. Also their large size makes them the ideal for sandwiches. Because of their high fruit wall-to-pulp ratio, they also cook down well for sauces. There is a lot of variation between varieties, whether they are firm or very soft when ripe, and in the size and softness of the central core. Flavor, as always, can vary according to the ratio of sugars to acids.

Salad Tomatoes: The abundant seed pulp makes them a slow reducer if they are being used for sauces. But their smaller size makes them ideal for cutting in half or in quarters to have with a salad.
 Cherry Tomatoes: Tiny tomatoes for putting whole in salads and for snacking. These tomatoes vary from pea-sized up to where they tip over into small salads. They are usually very prolific, and some have been bred for high sugars as a snacking “fruit.” They are very colorful as a whole tomato in a salad and their size makes them ideally suited to this purpose.

Paste, Pasta and Drying Tomatoes: These have almost no seeds so they dry or boil down to paste more quickly than all others. Roma is the most widely known variety of this type.

Heirloom: This is an old variety that has been maintained either because it has appealing attributes like extra-large size, unusual coloring, special connoisseur qualities, or because of family sentimental reasons. Because heirloom tomatoes haven’t been “worked on” by plant breeders, they don’t usually have much disease resistance. Many diseases can be essentially prevented or delayed by mulching the soil surface to prevent disease spores in the soil splashing up and infecting the young plants. Mulching plus fungicidal sprays (if you choose) mean that heirlooms can usually be grown successfully in all but the very hot humid areas notorious for tomato disease.

Herbs
Also, this month try sowing herbs like Basil, Chives, Cilantro/Coriander, Dill, Lavender, Oregano, Parsley, Peppermint, Rosemary, Sage, Spearmint, Sweet Marjoram, and Thyme. Herbs are an amazing culinary addition to your garden and, I think, also lovely plants. Establish annual and biennial herbs by planting seeds directly into the soil. For early harvest, you can start your seeds indoors and transplant the seedlings into the garden as soon as the weather is frost-free. Just think, a few fresh Italian herbs and tomato plants and you can make your very own pasta sauce. Herbs are great additions to salads and sandwiches too.

Weeding
Weeding is the gardener’s chore. Unfortunately, there’s no magic treatment for taking care of those pesky weeds. We need to be quick with prevention and control of weeds that are coming up from the wonderful rains we have enjoyed. The old adage about an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure is especially true when it comes to controlling weeds. The appropriate use of pre-emergent herbicides can save you a lot of grief, money and labor later on. After all, the best way to control weeds is to not let them germinate and grow to begin with.
Pre-emergents are products that prevent seed germination. We recommend them for areas where you don’t want seeds to germinate like grass, annual flower beds, granite areas, and around shrubs and trees. There are several types of pre-emergents available to homeowners in liquid and granular forms. For those of you concerned about using chemicals for weed control, Concern is a corn gluten-based product and non-toxic. Be aware that after using a pre-emergent, seeds of desirable plants can’t be planted for six months.
For weeds growing now, try to deal with them as soon as possible – don’t let them go to seed. There are a wide variety of products to address the situation: Remuda, Com-Pleet, and ProSedge (formerly known as Sedgehammer). The last, ProSedge, requires the use of a spreader sticker, like Herbicide Helper, but this is the most effective substance for eradicating Nut Sedge. Remuda kills both weeds and grasses. Spurge power kills weeds in residential turf. Always follow the directions and precautionary statements on the labels of all products. Of course there’s always the good old-fashioned garden hula hoe, standard hoe and shovel for getting rid of weeds if you have a small area or don’t mind the hard labor. My wife, Sharon, swears by the weeder tool if weeds come up in small areas or very near plants. It has a small tip to get below the roots. Although some weeds like nut sedge and unwanted Bermuda grass can’t be eradicated by simply pulling it out; the only effective control is an herbicide.
You will soon have wiped out the weeds, prepared the soil and planted the seeds. Now maintain a good watering schedule and watch your beautiful garden take shape. Happy planting.

Community-Minded Vera Eyeing Council Seat

Patty McCormac — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 03:54:38 +0000

David Vera spent 33 years with the Phoenix Fire Department first as a fire fighter, retiring as a deputy chief. 
“We don’t get invited to weddings and christenings, we do get invited to the knife and gun club on weekends,” he said joking about the life of a firefighter, paramedic.“We really do meet people at the most critical times and you provide the best service you know how to give,” he said. “My life has been about service to the community regardless of a person’s purchasing power, I’ve never done any wallet biopsies or checked to see if they belong to the right club. If they need help, I was there to help them.” 
Now Vera is seriously considering running for Phoenix City Council, District 8, in 2013 when Michael Johnson terms out. 
“I am exploring the possibility to see what is possible. There are things to look into like resources and support. There is still time,” he said. 
He said he believes he would be a good city councilman because of his history of public service. 
“My worth, my value is through helping other folks in the community. That has great value to me,” he said. 
And he has already had a taste about how things work at the city level. 
During his career with the fire department he served as a district commander in the South Mountain District that was about 120 square miles containing about 130,000 people, serving as an assistant to Mayor Skip Rimsza. 
“That whetted my appetite,” he said. 
Among his duties were developing budgets and programs and helping determine where to place new fire stations in accordance with the growth of the city and buying land for them. 
“You get a chance to speak before city council subcommittees. You get a chance to see how they operate and make their decisions based on the information provided by city staff or fire department staff,” he said. 
He said he enjoyed meeting with the public giving them opportunity to voice their opinions and ideas about having a fire station in their neighborhood addressing issues from the noise of the sirens to having a commercial building in their neighborhoods. 
“Working with them to make something happen in their community was pretty exciting,” he said.  
Vera has deep roots in the community. He has lived in the South Mountain Area since 1958 when he was 9 years old. 
He went to Phoenix schools, his elementary education in the Roosevelt School District. He played football at St. Mary’s High School. 
“The year after I graduated they won the state championship for three years. They did very well,” he said. 
He went to ASU and earned his bachelors degree in political science and then on the NAU for his masters in Education. 
One of seven children, one of his brothers was born a Phoenix native, the rest were born in Missouri. His father was an auto mechanic and his mother worked in the office of tourism. 
“Education was highly stressed and being of service to others was the other part of the mantra they gave us,” he said. “My mother is still with us at 85 years old, still teaching piano.  
“I have a wonderful wife of 37 years, Frances, a fifth generation Arizona native,” he said. 
The couple has four children. The oldest is 36 and a graduate of Harvard. He is a developer in Phoenix. His next son, 33, is a Dartmouth graduate is now is waiting to hear from Harvard Law. Their 26-year-old daughter is a hairdresser in Phoenix and the youngest is married and working for TSA. They have a 14-year-old grandson. 
He said that Phoenix, just like just about every other city in the nation, took a lot of direct hits during the economic recession. 
“We have gone through some tough economic times and a lot of services have been taken away or deleted,” he said. “I think we need to get back some things. Library hours were cut, recreation was taken away. We need to make sure our kids and our seniors are taken care of while making sure our infrastructure is good.”

Economically, he said things are starting to look up. “Tax revenue is a little better. We are looking a little better,” he said. 
Right at the moment, he is retired, but he rides his bicycle every morning for about 15 miles. He enjoys listening to all types of music. 
He remains on the board of Valle Del Sol, a 40-year-old non-profit concentrating on behavioral health issues.

He was past chairman of the organization. 
Vera is active in another non-profit that buys homes and fixes them up for seniors who can live in them for discounted rent. In the past five years since it began, it has refurbished 11 homes for low-income seniors. 
On the personal side, he and Frances are undergoing a complete renovation on their home. 
“That’s been an experience,” he said. “We are expanding our home, adding a few amenities like a craft room for my wife. We are empty nesters and we had been trying to decide, do we stay here? Do we move? We decided we loved the community. It his home.“ 

Strategies for Buying in the Current Market

Carlie Back — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 03:48:59 +0000

It is important to know the current state of the real estate market when you are buying or selling a property. Buyers and sellers that were looking to buy or sell only six months ago will experience quite a different environment today as the market has shifted dramatically. There are several important factors to consider when making the decision to purchase a home: 1) know the number of homes available for sale or the “supply;” 2) know the current demand for homes in the market, i.e., many homes are under contract compared to the total number of homes on the market – the higher the percentage, the greater the demand; and 3) the “comparables” – how much are similar homes in the same area selling for in the current market.
Today, the inventory of homes on the market is declining while the demand continues to grow. Good homes that are priced right are selling quickly for full price or even more. Sellers are receiving multiple offers and buyers are often bidding the price of the home above the asking price. Buyers that are not educated on current market conditions sometimes think the market is still one that favors the buyer, thus are writing low offers and asking the sellers to contribute towards their closing costs. The sellers are the ones in control of the inventory of homes that large pools of buyers (many of whom are investors) desperately want. Sellers are now calling the shots and to be a successful buyer in today’s market you must be prepared to take the following steps.
Move quickly
The best homes are selling quickly. Once they are listed an on the Multiple Listing Service (MLS), they get distributed to several websites and are visible to the large pool of buyers that are waiting to find the perfect home. When a new property is listed on the MSL in today’s market, the traffic generated is great due to the low supply of good properties and the large demand of buyers, including many out-of-state investors. Be prepared to write an offer immediately, it is not a market to sleep on it. As one Realtor friend of mine says, “if you sleep on it, you will not sleep in it.”
Be pre-qualified
Talk to a lender and get pre-qualified. Have the lender fill out a pre-qualification form indicating the amount of a loan you can qualify for and sign it at the bottom. Include a copy of a bank statement showing you have the necessary funds to close escrow or pay cash, if making a cash offer. In this market a seller will not even look at your offer without this.
Make a strong offer and consider an escalation clause
When writing an offer, start with your highest and best offer, this is not the time to try to see if you can get a lower price or ask for the seller to pay for closing costs and/or down payment assistance. The quicker you get a home in escrow, the less chance you have of competing bids. Write a clean and strong offer. Consider writing an escalation clause if there are multiple offers. An escalation clause is when a buyer offers to beat the highest offer received by the seller by a specified amount. For example, a buyer is willing to pay $1,000 over the highest and best offer received. The buyer’s offer would need to include an escalation clause stating the $1,000 maximum cap above the highest and best offer received by the seller.
Follow instructions
Especially in the situation where the house is a short sale or bank-owned, follow the instructions of the listing agent. Sign all additional documents and addendums and use the title company that the bank or listing agent request. Be prepared to be pre-qualified and possible use the lender that is requested by the bank or the listing agent. If the instructions are not followed, the offer will most likely go nowhere.
Write back-up offers
I hear may agents say that showing homes that are under contract is a waste of time. In our current market, there are many homes that are bank-owned and short sales. The bank-owned properties are sold in “as-is” condition and, in many cases, the buyer cancels their offer after the inspection period. For short sales, the process tends to be quite long so there are numerous instances when the original buyer is no longer interested after the bank comes back with an approval three, four or five months later. Appraisers are coming in very conservative and it is common in our current market for appraisals to come in lower that the bank-approved price. When this happens, the buyer has the option to cancel or re-submit the lower price to the bank to see if the bank will accept an offer at the appraised lower value. In these cases, it will add another 30-60 days to the process and increase the odds that the buyer may not be interested in waiting an additional 30-60 days on top of the time that they have already spent waiting to move into the home.
When we recently took a number of buyers out to look at homes, we found 10 great short-sale listings that were under contract awaiting bank approval. While making appointments to show these 10 homes, with the intention of writing back-up offers, three of them became available. This is a great strategy and not a waste of time.
Do not worry about paying too much
A purchase that is being financed will require an appraisal to assure the lending institution that the property is worth at least the agreed upon price in the contract. In this shifting market, appraisals are coming in at the low end. When assigning value on a home, appraisers are tending to use nearby homes that have sold for the least amount as comparables, which means that many appraisals are coming in lower than the price a buyer and seller agree to. This is especially true when a property has been bid up with competitive offers.
The appraisal will protect a buyer from paying too much for a property. If the appraisal comes in lower than the contract price, three things can happen: 1) the buyer and seller can cancel the contract; 2) the seller can drop the price from the market value to the appraiser’s value and the buyer would then have to come up with the cash to make up the difference between the market value and the appraiser’s value; or 3) the buyer and seller can negotiate to meet somewhere in the middle to make the sale happen. If a buyer is making a cash offer to purchase, they may write in an offer contingent on the appraisal coming in for at least the contract price or a price acceptable to the buyer.
In summary, it is a great time to be a seller. If your home shows well and is priced right, it will sell fast. If a buyer is prepared to be strategic in their approach, they can enjoy the benefits of owning a home or investment property. Never before have interest rates been so low. The market has yet to respond to the low supply and high demand with a price increase so now is the time for buyers to get serious and secure a property at today’s low prices and historically low interest rates.

Johnson Elected Vice Mayor

South Mountain District News — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:34:35 +0000

The Phoenix City Council has unanimously elected District 8 Councilman Michael Johnson as vice mayor. Vice Mayor Johnson will serve in this role until the end of the year. This is the second time he has served in this position.
“Once again I’m honored for this opportunity to serve as vice mayor of the city council. I would be honored to serve along Mayor Greg Stanton’s side and represent Phoenix in his absence,” said Vice Mayor Johnson.
Vice Mayor Johnson has been a member of the Phoenix City Council since 2002, and has two years remaining of his final four-year term. He currently is chairman of the City Council’s Downtown, Aviation and Economy Subcommittee and is a member of the Housing and Neighborhoods and Public Safety and Veterans subcommittees.
He also has served Phoenix residents in another capacity prior to his work on the Council. Vice Mayor Johnson is a 21-year veteran of the Phoenix Police Department, retiring in 1995 as a homicide investigator.
He has been active in the community for many years, having served on several boards and commissions including the National League of Cities, St. Luke’s Medical Center/Tempe St. Luke’s Hospital Board of Directors, African American Strategic Leadership Group, Regional Public Transportation Authority, Downtown Phoenix Partnership, Young Arts Arizona, Phoenix Symphony, Phoenix Urban League, among others.

Del Rio Redevelopment Options

Tom Trush — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 03:04:32 +0000

Thanks to four community workshops held last year, brownfields redevelopment options in the South Mountain/Del Rio Area are now clearer.

On Jan. 20, the City of Phoenix released The Del Rio Community Visioning Summary Report, which details preferred design alternatives for the three sites in Del Rio Area Brownfields Planning Project. The locations include 70 acres west of Central Avenue; 10 acres east of Central Avenue, near the Rio Salado Audubon Center; and the former Del Rio Landfill.

According to Rosanne Albright, brownfields project manager for the City of Phoenix, more than 140 community members were involved in creating concepts for the three sites.

“In order to come up with the alternatives that are going to be taken forward, we had folks vote on their preferred alternative,” she said.

For the 70 acres west of Central Avenue, the most popular option involved a commercial center with entertainment and restaurant venues, as well as education, medical and park facilities. A single vote behind the top choice was a transit-oriented development with space for medical, training and commercial centers, as well as a park.

The preferred preference for the 10 acres east of the Rio Salado Audubon Center was a museum or café/restaurant and communal garden.

Several options received considerable votes for the former Del Rio Landfill. A community center with a possible park, golf course and soccer field complex was the top choice. A retail, restaurant and entertainment center with sports fields also received significant support.

Future community meetings will help determine how many alternatives move forward to the planning stages.

“The whole goal with this next series of meetings is to further evaluate the designs and select those that the community feels are most appropriate and most feasible,” Albright added. “Then we can start to write the actual brownfields area plan.”

The next meeting is on Feb. 28 at 6 p.m. at the Rio Salado Audubon Center, 3131 S. Central Ave. Additional meetings will be held on March 27 and April 24 at the same location and time.

Besides the three sites already included in the Del Rio brownfields study, a consultant recently started inventory on other potential redevelopment opportunities in the area. Results will be shared during the February meeting, and the community will decide if additional sites get included in the area plan.

“Our goal is to get the final report completed by September,” Albright said. “So we’re looking at having a draft available to the public in late July or August.”

The Del Rio Community Visioning Summary Report is available at HYPERLINK “http://phoenix.gov/greenphoenix/land/brownfields/delrio/index.html” http://phoenix.gov/greenphoenix/land/brownfields/delrio/index.html.

About 80 percent of the land in the Del Rio Area is currently zoned for heavy industry. Also, more than 85 percent of residents are minorities, unemployment is nearly 12 percent, and about 37 percent of residents live below the poverty level.

A $175,000 grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is funding redevelopment planning in the Del Rio Area. Altogether, as part of its brownfields development program, the EPA is providing $4 million to assist 23 communities nationwide in developing plans for the reuse of brownfield properties. These are locations where the presence or potential presence of hazardous substances, pollutants or contaminants may complicate expansion, redevelopment or reuse efforts.