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Exploring Digital Storage Options

2012-05-12T16:24:14Z

The advent of smartphones, iPads and assorted types of tablet computers has dramatically altered how we communicate and store information. Today, many of us have more than one path to the internet. Storing personal information, files, videos, images and work related content requires consideration, particularly when syncing files and sharing data is involved. As devices have acquired greater processing power in increasingly smaller packages, the quantity and size of files have grown.
Along with the need for storage solutions, having the ability to synchronize information and ultimately share it with others is just as important. We’re not only obtaining information these days, we’re also accessing it from different platforms and devices. The needs of larger files and greater content means storage solutions are no longer an afterthought—they’re important concerns.
As a general rule, most smart phones have fairly large storage capacities. However, they are not infinite. Add a few video files, images and data, and suddenly 10 gigs of storage seems small. At one time it was common to see smart phones with expansion slots to add storage capacity via micro SD cards. If a handset’s onboard capacity was small, it was easy to add 15 to 20 gigs to create more room. Increasingly more and more devices like tablets and smartphones are doing away with that option in favor of onboard storage only.
Should limited storage become a problem, there are some free–as well as cost effective–ways to make accessing data easier.
If you are an Android Phone user, you may have noticed that the Google Docs application has been replaced by a new service, Google Drive (drive.google.com). Six years in development, this project has finally come to fruition. As to be expected of Google software, this new application has a clean minimal appearance. To make accessing data on your desktop easier, there is a client for that, as well as an updated app for Android users. If you are not part of the Google ecosystem, you are not out of luck. Mac users can use the program, and there are plans for iPad and iPhone support in the works. Free storage is at 5 GB, and you can upgrade to 25 GB of storage for $ 2.50 per month. There are other options, but storage tops out at 1 Terabyte for $49.99 per month.
Microsoft is best known for their Office suite and ubiquitous operating system. They have also been at work moving towards more comprehensive online content and software as a service. Recently they revamped their Sky Drive (login.live.com) online storage and file sharing solution. The “New Sky Drive” features a much more user-friendly experience for the desktop. The new application is a dramatic and much-needed move away from the older, more convoluted Mesh program that previously synced files to desktop computers.
Naturally, Microsoft Office files, their operating systems and the Windows phone are supported. IPhone and iPad apps are available. Android users are not offered these options, but there are work-arounds. The Android market contains alternatives that can compensate. For existing users of Hotmail, and for a limited time, you can obtain a whopping 25 GB of storage for free. For new users, the cap on free storage is 7 GB. For just $10 a year you can raise it to 20 GB, $25 for 50 GB and the maximum is $50 annually for 100 GB of data. This is probably the most cost-effective solution available.
If your needs demand access from several devices, Sugar Sync (www.sugarsync.com) comes highly rated. Supporting Symbian, Kindle Fire, Blackberry, iPad, iPhone, Macs, Windows, Android and Windows Mobile app, this platform has perhaps the widest range of program support, including a beta for Linux. A big bonus includes 5 GB free, and unlimited bonus space if you make referrals. The only downside is that there is no “drag-and-drop” support for the desktop client. Some have experienced issues with functionality when dealing with multiple desktops. The largest size is 100 GB of data at $14.99 per month or $ 149.99 per year. Their most popular account size is 60 GB for $9.99 a month or $99.99 annually.
Adobe’s Photoshop is the de-facto standard in professional digital image manipulation. With nearly every company moving applications and access to online models, Adobe has accomplished that goal with their own Photoshop centered site HYPERLINK “http://www.photoshop.com” www.photoshop.com. It features storage space for images, basic image editing and sharing capacity, the site offers 2 GB of storage gratis. More space is available for $49.99 a year, which allows you 20 GB of space.
While the Android version lacks a file manager to access other image files on your mobile, Adobe Photoshop Express provides a highly rudimentary version of the behemoth Photoshop. The Android app provides access to the online photo storage section of the website to Android phones. With Apple having so much dominance in the arena of imaging, there is an iOs version. Adobe has also introduced other apps for mobile computing recently.
No discussion of storage would be complete without mentioning Drop Box (HYPERLINK “http://www.dropbox.com”www.dropbox.com). Two salient features differentiate this storage solution from pack. Ease of use is one and that is works well in Windows, Mac, Linux, iOs, Android and Blackberry. A free version offers 2 GB of storage—which is becoming something of a norm – and there are paid versions, the highest 100 GB for $ 19.99 a month. There is a referral program that can net you extra space free.
With new programs and solutions arriving daily, this is not a comprehensive look at everything out there in the market. But this does show that there are free, as well as paid, ways to store information that you can access on a variety of platforms that make file sharing and storage less stressful.

Elementary School Prepping for College

2012-05-12T16:16:24Z

While most eighth grade students are busy wondering what high school will be like, but the eighth graders at Cheatham Elementary School in the Laveen Elementary School District are taking it a bit further. They are actually focusing on college.
Cheatham Elementary implemented a College and Career Initiative this year with all eighth graders. The students took part in a four-step program starting off with class- and grade-level assemblies where staff members presented college and career information. Teachers highlighted their own alma maters and had some fun playing up the various college rivalries. Students began discussions on what it takes to be a successful high school student and how this plan will assist them in being prepared for and accepted into college. The eighth graders also took the ACT EXLORE assessment, an educational and career planning program that measures achievement in English, math, reading, and science. The assessment matches student aptitude and interests to future career opportunities. As an early indicator of college readiness, EXPORE gives teachers the means to structure high school planning and career exploration for the students, as well as establishing a trajectory projection of student performance on the first ACT test they will take in the 11th grade.
Students researched the classes required for the credential or degree needed for the profession they were thinking about. It didn’t take long for the eighth graders to realize that doing their best academically, developing good study habits, and being active in clubs and the community, would all help put them on the way to a successful future.
As a culmination to the year-long College and Career Initiative, 120 eighth grade students attended a “College Day” at Arizona State University (ASU) to get a true college experience. Current ASU students gave the Cheatham eighth graders and their parents a tour of the campus, and dorms. ASU faculty presented sessions on the registration process and researching resources for funding their education. The students also got the opportunity to enjoy lunch with thousands of college students at ASU’s Multi-Cultural Union.
“The trip to ASU was inspiring. It was a great opportunity to see a college campus for the first time. I learned a lot about college, and it has made me want to go even more,” said one student.

Four Year Degree at SMCC

2012-05-12T16:04:26Z

South Mountain Community College (SMCC) and Northern Arizona University (NAU) are teaming up to offer a four-year baccalaureate degree in Business Administration on the SMCC campus.
NAU recommends students complete an ABUS (Associate in Business) degree from SMCC or any accredited community college. Students pursuing other Associate Degrees should contact NAU Program Coordinator Frank Piña, at 602.776.4688 or HYPERLINK “https://webmail.west.cox.net/do/mail/message/mailto?to=frank.pina%40nau.edu” \t “_blank” frank.pina@nau.edu, to discuss additional options.
“We’re excited to be working with Northern Arizona University to provide this new program right here on the South Mountain campus,” said SMCC President Dr. Shari Olson. “It provides a seamless transition for our students, as we help them progress toward their next degree.”
The program will begin in the Fall 2012 semester.
South Mountain Community College is located at 7050 S. 24th Street in Phoenix, Arizona, just north of Baseline Road.
South Mountain Community College is one of the ten Maricopa Community Colleges.
For additional information about the college and its programs, please visit http://southmountaincc.edu.

Transitioning to Summer

2012-05-12T15:59:58Z

As we progress through the year of maintaining our landscape it’s time to focus on transitioning from spring into summer. Whether you spend the summer in the Valley or leave, details that are taken care of now will yield big results in the look and enjoyment of your dream landscape.

While the official first day of summer isn’t until mid next month, May typically marks a seasonal transition from spring to summer for gardeners in our area. As temperatures near 100 degrees, spring flowers fade in the heat, winter vegetables and rye grass die off, Bermuda grass springs out of dormancy and certain fungi and other pests become more active and prevalen–it’s time to get into summer gardening.

Flowers & Vegetables
Some of the first plants to become visibly stressed by the heat are in your flower and vegetable garden. So, have no mercy and tear out the old annuals and spring/winter veggies and plant summer-loving flowers and vegetables. Choose from flowers like Angelonia, Celosia, Coreopsis, Cosmos, Dahlberg Daisies, Lisianthus, Nierembergia, “Fantasy” and “Wave” Petunia, Salvia, Vinca, Zinnia and more. Vegetables such as corn, zucchini, watermelon, peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, okra and herbs will all thrive in the summer heat. Helpful hint: toward July, shade tomatoes and they’ll produce longer.

Bermuda lawns
While rye grass is dying back, Bermuda lawns are transitioning out of dormancy. If you haven’t already, start mowing your rye grass shorter by a quarter-inch per week until the grass is about one inch tall. The Bermuda will get more sun to strengthen its growth. Rejuvenate the lawn with an application of soil acidifier and a balanced, slow-release fertilizer like 21-7-14.

Watering frequencies
In general watering will need to be increased. Shrubs will need water twice per week and trees once per week.

Queen palms
Queen Palms (Arecastrum romanz) are prone to suffer from the effects of soil alkalinity and fungal diseases that are brought into the heart of the palm on birds’ feet from other infected palms. Telltale signs of infection or soil problems are fronds dying back with a brownish appearance, yellowing or spindly, accordion-like folds on new fronds. Prevent soil-related distress by acidifying and adding micronutrients such as iron and manganese. Soil Acidifier will provide acidification as well as iron and manganese. Fungal problems are easily treated with a product called “Bordeaux” that treats the heart of the palm. Stand on a ladder next to the palm and pour the drench into the heart of the fronds at the top of the tree.

Blooming Trees & Shrubs
Many homeowners want to know what plants bloom when and what microclimates they are suited for to help them choose material for their planter beds. If a plant does not have enough light, it will affect the blooming. Be aware that some of these plants may also bloom at another time of year as well. For example, a rose bush will bloom in spring and fall. Some shrubs that bloom in May and June include: Arizona Yellow Bells, Autumn Sage Red, Cape Honeysuckle, Crown of Thorns, Fern-leaf Lavender, Hibiscus, Oleander, Orange Jubilee, Petite Pink Oleander, Pomegranate, and Spanish Lavender. Some trees that bloom in May and June include: Leather-leaf Acacia, Willow Acacia, Shoestring Acacia, Palo Blanco, Orchid Tree, Blue Palo Verde, Hybrid Palo Verde, Foothills Palo Verde, Palo Brea, Desert Willow, Jacaranda, Feather Bush, Desert Museum, Texas Ebony, Texas Honey Mesquite, Chilean Mesquite, Velvet Mesquite, Yellow Oleander and Vitex (Chaste Tree).

Weed & Insect Control
The heat also brings pests like weeds and insects. If you treated areas with a pre-emergent mix in the spring, you probably have a fairly weed-free garden. Weeds that have already sprouted can be treated with a variety of products depending upon your needs. If the weeds are in a lawn, use ‘Weed & Feed’ fertilizer with herbicides that will knock them out and feed your lawn too. In gravel areas, treat weeds with Round Up or Compleet. If grass is a problem in your flowerbeds, spray ‘Grass Getter’ onto the offending grass to work wonders without harming your flowers. There are truly amazing choices available now for weed control.

Insect control is just as easy– given the right treatment. Neem Oil is a fantastic organic, non-toxic choice for insect control in your garden. It works well on a broad range of insects, mites and funguses. And, if you want to be your own in-home pest control agent, there are a number of products like Home Pest by Bayer or Diatomaceous Earth for in-home use to control crickets, roaches, spiders, and scorpions. Special control of spiders and their webs can be had by using Dr. T’s Cobweb Eliminator.

Pruning
Pruning can be done this time of year for well-established shrubs. This is mostly a shaping type of pruning—nothing severe! You can tip the desert trees in summer but no heavy pruning.

By Gary and Sharon Petterson

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Evidence of Stabilizing Market

2012-05-12T15:55:10Z

Agents in the real estate business have known for months that the market in the Valley has undergone a fundamental change. Among the comments I am now hearing are: “All of my listings are pending or sold”, “I can’t find a home for my buyers”, “My buyers are getting out bid out on every home they make an offer on” and “I am getting multiple offers on my listings.” Buyers who are actively looking in this market are well aware of this and know that the market is much different than it was just six months ago. In general, the public in not fully aware of what is really going on the real estate market at this point in time. When I explain the current state of the market to potential sellers, they frequently ask me: “Why am I not reading or hearing more about this in the news?” You soon will. On April 25, 2012, an article in the the Phoenix Business Journal reported:
“Phoenix home values are expected to experience the largest national gains in 2012.” … the report for the first quarter of 2012 predicted Phoenix home appreciation rising 6.5 percent between March 2012 and March 2013, the largest growth among the thirty major metros included in the report.”
Agents and buyers have known this for the past half-year or longer, depending which sub-market they are involved in. Buyers are making offers above list price and not getting seller’s to accept, even when their offers are above the list price. Cash is still king and cash buyers are securing properties from sellers because when a buyer is getting a loan, an appraisal is required. The appraisals have been coming in lower than the prices buyers and sellers have agreed on thus forcing sellers to either lower their price to the appraised price or causing the transaction to cancel. Since appraisals continue to come in at lower-than-expected levels in many cases, sellers are likely to be more attracted to accept offers that do not require an appraisal – those from cash buyers. Our current market has a very large share of investors and retirees who are cash buyers — almost 50 percent of the sales in the current Phoenix market are all-cash transactions.
We are starting to experience some of the same conditions we did during the run-up of appreciation rates several years ago. Among these conditions are: bidding wars for resale homes, drawings for new homes, buyers paying a price that is above current market value, appraisal contingencies being waived, buyers having to show proof that they have cash reserves to make up for any difference between the contract price and the appraised price and buyers “settling” for a home that is not ideal so that they can at least buy something.
The current inventory of available homes is low. The homes in good condition and priced right are receiving multiple offers. New construction is starting back up but these new homes are being absorbed very quickly due to the pent-up demand of a segment of buyers who only buy new construction and have had nothing to choose from for the past several years. Cash buyers are waiving appraisals and buyers getting loans are having to prove they have enough cash on hand to make up for any deficiency if the appraisal comes in lower than the price agreed upon by the buyers and sellers. Buyers no longer have the luxury of making low offers. If a buyer wants to get a home in the current market, they must be willing to write an offer as soon as the home comes on the market and give it their best shot up front.
Jeff Lucas, of locally based Lucas Group, reports on trends in the local real estate market. He says that the active number of listings on the market as of February 2012 are 17,596 compared to 35,500 last year at the same time– a decline of 50 percent. Seventy-seven percent of these current active listings are traditional or normal sales compared to 50 percent just a year ago. Short sales comprise 2,355 or 13.4 percent of the current market compared to 29 percent last year. The bank-owned properties (foreclosures) now total 1,622 or 9.5 percent of the market compared to 19 percent last year. In summary, it is significant to note that distressed properties (short sales and foreclosures) comprised 23 percent of the current market compared to 51 percent last year.
The Phoenix Business Journal article of April 25, 2012 quoted Stan Humphries (chief economist of a national online real estate tracking firm) saying, ”Clearly what’s happening in Phoenix is that demand is outstripping supply. Phoenix is seeing a lot of investor demand, a lot of second home and retiree buyers and a fair bit of international buyers.” He also stated that Phoenix is probably the best example of a hard- hit market that is showing signs of recovery. What real estate agents have known for months is finally being reported on in the mainstream media – that Phoenix market has undergone a fundamental shift, it has stabilizing and is now moving in a positive direction.

Golfers Can Tee Up When Sun Goes Down

2012-05-12T15:52:45Z

The Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department is offering golfers a unique way to escape the daytime heat this spring and summer with night golf at the city’s Palo Verde 9-hole course.
The “Night Flight Golf” course will be lined with glow lights and players will receive a glow necklace and glow ball. Each foursome will receive a flashlight to wave up the next foursome. For safety reasons no golf carts will be used – golfers will walk or pull a cart.
Night golf costs $100/foursome. Each event will be run in a tournament format as a four-person scramble and include fun prizes and a goodie bag for each player. Pre-registration is required by calling 602-249-9930 or by visiting the Palo Verde Golf Course. The “2012 Night Flight Golf” schedule is:
Palo Verde Golf Course, 6215 N. 15th Ave., 602-249-9930

Saturday June 2 7:00 p.m.
Saturday July 7 7:00 p.m.
Friday Aug. 3 7:00 p.m.
Saturday Sept. 1 6:30 p.m.
Saturday Oct. 27 6:00 p.m. – Haunted Halloween Night Golf
Golfer can get additional information or book private night golf tournaments online at phoenix.gov/golf or by calling 602-249-9930.

Rest Well My Friend

2012-05-12T15:50:39Z

On April 22 I left the Southside to attend the 100th Arizona Town Hall in Tucson Arizona. This was the 50th anniversary of the Arizona Town Hall. The event had a historic feel to it, this being Arizona’s centennial year.
From their website (www.aztownhall.org): “Arizona Town Hall is a private, nonprofit civic organization created in 1962 to establish, through research and discussion, an ever-increasing body of Arizona citizens accustomed to the processes of searching analysis and well-informed on the many facets of the state’s economic, cultural and social life.”
From about 2000 recommendations to the Arizona Town Hall Board about 150 attendees are invited. This is a very diverse group: age, as young as 18 and as old as Methuselah; lots of folks with lots of letters after their name; the many different races and nationalities that make up Arizona were there; folks with very divergent political points of view and skills were represented; legislatures, a mayor, some council people; of course, work back grounds were varied. The one thing all of us had in common, other than having applied to, or been noticed by the Arizona Town Hall Board, was that we were all (or had been) very active in our communities.
In the Town Hall process you are put on a panel with about 30 unlike-minded people and then, like grapes in a press, consensus is squeezed from you. There is a panel chair (moderator) and a recorder. The panel is asked questions and after some, or much, discussion the recorder writes down what we all agree to–or at least do not strenuously object to. This is no place for the faint of heart or the bully. In the evenings, the recorders from all the groups gather together and they beat each other up until there is some consensus between the groups.
On the last day, you meet with your panel for the last time, you hash over the draft of what was done on Monday (which you received Tuesday afternoon) and the draft of both Monday and Tuesday, which you received a little after midnight on Wednesday morning. Your group is now in high gear. This is your last chance to add or subtract anything as a group. You are now preparing for the plenary session. This time, instead of making your case to 30 folks with whom you now can work with quite well, you must now face about 150 people, read your change or addition, say if you are speaking for your panel or for yourself and answer any questions that may come your way.
At the plenary session you begin to understand that this group is smarter than the smartest individual in the group: the magic of the Arizona Town Hall.
The topic for this Town Hall was civic engagement.
When I returned home on Wednesday, I was greeted with the sad news that my friend Joe Banks had passed. He was an amazing asset to this community. Not an easy man to describe, but a man dedicated to his family, his neighborhood, his community and his country. I will leave it for others to list all of his contributions. But, after spending four days with some of the smartest and most dedicated folks in Arizona, I can aptly describe this man as one of the most civilly engaged men I have ever met or who I am ever likely to meet. He always said I was a little slow but had potential. He will be missed.
Here is the definition of civic engagement from the final report:
“Civic engagement describes how an individual participates in the community in order to improve conditions for others and help shape the community’s future. Civic engagement
takes many forms, from individual volunteerism to organizational involvement to electoral
participation. It includes efforts to directly address an issue, work with others in a community
to solve a problem, or interact with institutions of representative democracy. Civic
engagement encompasses a range of activities, such as helping neighbors or working in a
homeless shelter, serving on a neighborhood association or school board, writing a letter to an
elected official, or voting. An underlying principal of civic engagement is that all individuals
should have the ability and opportunity to participate in these various types of civic acts.
Civic engagement is so important to the health of local communities and all of Arizona that
the participants at the 97th Arizona Town Hall concluded that one of Arizona’s top priorities
must be to promote civic engagement among its residents.”
This and more is the definition of Joe Bank’s relationship to this community. Rest well, my friend.

Written By Greg Brownell

Popular Park to be Renovated

2012-05-12T15:40:10Z

It has been a long time coming, but the new improved Hermoso Park should be finished by summer of next year or maybe even sooner. 
“It is one of our older parks. It’s time for an update,” said Chris Ewell, the project manager and a landscape architect for City of Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department.  
“The community has been asking for some improvements for years and so we have a few difference sources of money, about $4 million. We have been working with the community to prioritize their wants and we are moving forward,” he said. “One of the big things they wanted was a brand new recreation center. They have one, but it’s too small to serve their needs. The new one is 4,000 square feet. The primary uses are for youth. We have a large population of youth in the area. In the summer program, we have 125 kids each day,“ he said. 
The current community center, recreation center is more than 50 years old and quite small. 
The park is in South Phoenix at 20th Street and Southern Avenue. 
“It is a very diverse community. It has diverse income levels and a diverse mix of ethnicity, so the programs at the park must be diverse. It’s a wide range of people,” Ewell said. 
He said a major use of the park is picnicking. 
Everyone comes for holidays like Easter, Mother’s Day and the 4th of July, he said. “People come, and bring their own pop-up shade structures or they are under every tree. Every spot of grass is taken up,” he said.  
“There are mature trees and shade. That is one of the things we are enhancing. We are building some ramadas and a large group ramada. 
Both restrooms are being replaced. 
The new community center will have overhangs for shade and glass doors that slide into each other so it can be opened on pleasant days to bring the outdoors inside and provide a larger space. There will be restrooms, a warming kitchen, staff offices and a place for arts and crafts and the like. 
“During the school year we have after school programs that operate there, arts and crafts, separated by teens and preteens,” he said.  
It offers programs such as Teen Leadership and offers help with homework and tutoring, he said. 
In the summer it has an all-day recreation program for kids. It gives them a place to go. There is a variety of organized activities, pool, foosball, games, arts and crafts and in the summer, the swimming pool in the park is open. There is a food program for children,” he said. 
Youth regularly play organized sports like softball and soccer there and the fields will be updated, he said. 
“We have a skate plaza. Eight years ago city officials closed the tennis courts that were not being used and put in a skate plaza. If there is any money left over from this project, we will enhance or put in a new skate plaza, ” he said. 
The community hopes that someday to replace the pool, he said.  
Helping move the project along is District Eight Councilman Michael Johnson. 
“He has had his hand on it and had been key in making sure the funding is available,” Ewell said.  
He said another of spearheads is neighborhood activist Faye Gray who has been active in the planning. 
The estimated cost for all the improvements is $3.7 million. It will be funded through the City of Phoenix 2011-2016 Capitol Improvement Program, which is funded through Parks and Preserves Initiative revenue as well as 2006 Parks and Open Space bonds. 

Irrigating During Summer

2012-04-23T05:14:40Z

As we approach summer and the weather begins to warm, you need to be ready to increase the irrigation cycle on some irrigation zones around your house. This means completing a thorough check-up to detect any existing and potential problems before temperatures rise and timely watering becomes a crisis.

Inspect Emitters and Zones
First conduct an inspection of your drip irrigation system. In many cases, homes only have one drip valve for front and back yards, which makes it more difficult to manage your irrigation. Drip systems should ideally be zoned by micro-climates, i.e. sunny, shady, partly-sunny, etc. because the sunny side of the house will need more water than the shady side. So in cases where there are only one or two irrigation valves (zones) for the yard, I recommend that you add separate valves if you have a large yard, or if you have a small yard or perhaps if you just have to live with the situation, change the emitter size so the shady areas have smaller emitters and the sunny areas have larger emitters. Emitters regulate the volume of water and are installed on the spaghetti tubing that brings the water to the plant. Emitters vary on volume of water from half gallon per hour to over ten (10) gallons per hour. So there’s a wide range of water delivery capabilities with that quarter inch spaghetti line.

WeatherDuration & Frequency of WateringVegetables & FlowersVines & ShrubsShrubs & Trees
4’-5’Shrubs & Trees
5’-10’Trees 10’-20’+Container PlantsLawnsCoolTime
(Hours)1-2244510 min10 minDays per Week1-211112-41WarmTime
(Hours)2-3355820 min15 min.Days per Week2111171-2HotTime
(Hours)2-344-65-810-1430 min10-20 min.Days per Week2111173
Water Requirements
Plants are much like human beings, the hotter it gets the more water they need to stay healthy. The following watering guide shows how much each type of plant requires during the different seasons we experience here.

The goal is to get just enough water delivered to the plant for it to thrive. If the plants wilt, start to turn yellow or drop their leaves, check to see if you’re over-watering by sticking a screwdriver or trowel in the ground to see if the soil is wet or if there’s a swampy, sewer smell. The symptoms of over-watering are somewhat similar to under-watering–both cause wilt as the first symptom of a problem. Over-watering displaces the oxygen in the soil and sours the ground causing the roots to rot, leaves to wilt and eventually drop off. Under watering will cause wilting, leaf margin burn and dropping of leaves.

Time Clock
Next, inspect the time clock. Is it functioning correctly? Make sure the back-up battery is good so if you lose power you don’t lose your programming. And it’s a good idea to lock your clock for safety purposes.

Check Emitters and Apply Acidifier
Another important item on your irrigation check-up is to turn on your irrigation and visually inspect that each emitter is operational. After years of use they will salt up. You will see white deposits that plug up the emitter. Pull the faulty emitter off and soak in vinegar, CLR or some other solution that will dissolve hard water deposits. Rinse with water before installing back on the quarter inch tubing. Then apply soil acidifier around plants according to the directions on the package. Leave the water on for double or triple the normal time to do a “leaching cycle” of the soil and increase the depth of the water penetration. For example, if you normally irrigate for a half hour, leave the water on for an hour to leach the white salts away from the roots. Ideally, a leaching cycle should be run once or twice a year when there has not been a lot of rain. During that process look for areas of standing water that will indicate main line leaks.

Sprinkler Irrigation System
Also on the check-up is the sprinkler irrigation system. Observe whether they are popping up right. If not, check to make sure the riser doesn’t have a hole in it. Unscrew the heads and clean out the screens and rinse out any sand and dirt. Readjust the heads for optimal spray pattern. If the spray pattern doesn’t look good, check to see if the nozzles (the plastic insert that dictates the pattern) have worn out. If you are under-watering lawns, the grass will turn a bluish-gray or start severely wilting and dying. If the grass is being over watered, it will tend to rot in spots.

Shady-Area Plant Solutions
One problem that occurs frequently with small-lot homes is that we have areas of deep shade–in the wintertime particularly. Because the sun is lower on the horizon, the north side of the house won’t see direct sun for months. When you design a landscape or renovate, take this microclimate into consideration and select plants that tolerate large amounts of shade. Great plant choices for shady areas include: Pittosporum varieties, Indian Hawthorn, Jasmine varieties, Ligustrum, some Iris, Gardenia, Aloe Vera, some Ferns, Euonymus, creeping Ficus, Aspidistra, Japanese Boxwood and more. So the selection of upright mid-sized shrubs and groundcovers for shaded areas can add a lot of color in tough-to-plant areas. Note: don’t put arid region plants in shady areas. The arid region plants need full sun or they will struggle and die.

Written by Gary Petterson

16th St. Buzz: Bees Knees and the Hive

2012-04-23T05:10:41Z

Creativity is ultimately about transformation. Transforming raw materials into things greater than the sum of their parts is not confined to art. It is an essential ingredient in any urban revitalization program. This may explain, at least in part, the renaissance that is slowly and carefully turning 16th Street in downtown Phoenix into a cultural district, one with a distinctive identity.
With the popular Barrio Café attracting crowds, an art gallery next door and assorted specialty shops establishing themselves along 16th Street, Steve Helffrich and Julia Furnier chose to make this section of the city home to their business, the Hive and the Bees Knees.
Part architectural studio–Helffrich is a practicing architect in the Valley for 20 years– part boutique with assorted clothing items for men and women and part art gallery, the space is very much a multipurpose facility. “You can’t stick with one thing,” said Julie Furnier. Diversity, as it turns out, is key to a space that blurs the boundaries between retail store, studio, event facility, community resource and art gallery.
In a city where fine art-only spaces have struggled to survive, those that opt to multi task are the ones with the best chances of longevity. The “ Hive” is the gallery space, and the Bees Knees the vintage resale boutique, the concept of a one stop cultural center with a community minded slant is a reality. Space is even available for rent for private functions, and there is the option for free gathering space for select non-profits, providing a community based component to the proceedings.
If diversification is key to any venue’s survival, flexibility has to be another important ingredient to success. This is where plans, desire, opportunity and practicality converge. Fortunately for 16th street, this particular building and location proved to be a conduit for the future that Furnier and Helffrich envisioned.
While the original idea was to be on Roosevelt Street or Grand Avenue, two areas that are still popular art enclaves, the logistics ruled them out as locations for the couple. What 16th Street offered was accessible and affordable space–and plenty of it. Add in a unique building that did not demand extensive renovations to become a space suitable to what they were seeking to accomplish, the right combination came together.
Armed with some retail experience, Furnier retired from the education field before opening the shop in January, 2011. It is the first venture of this kind for Furnier and Helffrich.
“It is a beautiful building in a different location,” said Furnier.
It is a building as distinctive as the neighborhood in which it is located. With its stone corner, sleek roof line that actuates the horizontal, the entire structure is complimented by a colorful mural. The mix of modernist architecture and urban mural art brings together two highly unlikely elements that manage to co-exist nicely. The same can be said for what takes place inside the building.
An unexpected open cout yard is inside, giving the entire space a real European feel, but also a uniquely Phoenician one. It also makes for a relaxing space to view art. Currently on exhibition in the Hive, father and son Ken van Brott and Robert van Brott present two-dimensional art that uses nature as its thematic subject in the appropriately titles “Flora and Fauna, Father and Son” exhibition.
In April, the Hive is presenting a photography show curated by Montye Fuse, who has shown at the Artist’s Studio at the Farm in South Mountain. His work deals with contemporary cultural and political issues that reflect the difficulties of living in the present times. The reception for the show is scheduled for April 20th from 7 to 10 p.m.
Maintaining an active calendar of events, they also offer a Belly Dancing Workshop scheduled for April 28th from 9 to 11 p.m. Cinema is also a part of what can be found here as well. Every second Thursday, films are shown and sponsored by the Phoenix Film Festival.
Valley art is filled with surprises and one arresting exhibition displaying the drawings and wall-scale mural of James Karabin is noteworthy for the level of creativity. Using the most basic of drawing materials in the most direct way possible, he has fashioned some stunning small-scale work that is arresting in its simplicity. What makes his efforts even more intriguing is that they are all abstract, produced by an artist who is only in the eighth grade. What is equally interesting is that there is a place for this work to be seen and appreciated. He also managed to sell a number of his creations.
As cliché as it may sound, something is definitely a-buzz here with adventuresome risk taking. Independent entrepreneurs and creative professionals are finding expression and sanctuary in sections of the city in need of renewal. It’s a renaissance that is slowly and carefully carving a space for itself in Phoenix is creating its own cultural identity.

The Bees Knees & The Hive
2222 N 16th St Phoenix, AZ 85006
Hours: Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Open Late for First Fridays and Third Fridays and other times for special events
602-254-1641