Boulder Creek senior offers advice to future freshmen By Emma Suttell Last May, I walked into State Farm Stadium to sing with my choir for the Class of 2019’s graduation ceremony. I had done it before, as it is a tradition to sing the alma mater for graduation each year, however, this year felt different. Knowing that I would be walking across the stage wearing a cap and gown in less than 365 days was surre ...

African villages gain access to clean water thanks to North Phoenix nonprofit By Laura Latzko In the Phoenix area, water is such an important resource as temperatures climb in the summer. In many places throughout the world, especially in East Africa, people don’t have access to clean water and have to walk miles to collect it. The North Phoenix faith-based nonprofit Water 4 Kids International helps village ...

The vitamin’s deficiency can cause myriad problems By Dr. Kelly Collins, Owner of Premier Wellness & Aglow Med Spa B12 deficiency isn’t a rare or mysterious disease. It’s written about in almost every medical textbook. B12 deficiency is far more common than most health care practitioners and the general public realize.  Data from a Tufts University study suggests that 40% of people between the ages of 2 ...

Peter Song fills a niche in Anthem with traditional dishes By Ron Sanzone Twelve years ago, Peter Song saw an opportunity and seized it. While the North Valley did not suffer from a lack of dining options for popular Asian cuisines such as Chinese and Japanese, he was struck by something else. “At that time, the area from Deer Valley to Black Canyon City, didn’t have any Thai restaurants,” Song says.   He r ...

Volunteers keep North Valley Regional on its feet By Ron Sanzone An under-the-radar organization that works to enhance the lives of the local community hides in plain sight in Anthem. The New Friends of the Library is an all-volunteer organization that supports programming for the North Valley Regional Library at 40410 N. Gavilan Peak Parkway, Anthem. Commonly referred to as the Friends of the Library, it a ...

By Jan D’Atri I was searching for a great recipe for you that’s simple, takes very little time and cooks so quickly it will hardly heat your kitchen during the summer months. I found my catch of the day thanks to celebrity chef and cookbook author Ina Garten, my favorite Barefoot Contessa. This simple skillet dish is called Sole Meunière (pronounced “mah-nyear”). But don’t let the name scare you. Meunière i ...

How to prevent and treat bites and stings By Katherine Reeves, Pharm. D and Tara Storjohann, Pharm D., BCGP, FASCP Summer is here! This means hot weather, days at the pool and, unfortunately, more of those annoying (and painful!) bug bites and stings. Often, these can be treated with over-the-counter medications. However, in other cases, it may be more appropriate to seek medical attention. So, do you know ...

I served my community and now my country  By Tanner Laziure I have been a Girl Scout for 13 years and am now a lifetime member. I recently completed my Gold Award, the highest honor a Girl Scout can receive, and it gave me the opportunity to address a problem in my community and create a sustainable solution.  I decided to pursue the Gold Award because I knew that it would challenge me to think beyond my ci ...

Bull rider Kerry Jones supports his sport despite a life-changing injury By Jordan Houston Mesa resident Kerry Jones suffered from a traumatic rodeo accident when he was 18 that left him paralyzed from the chest down — but that didn’t stop him from pursuing his passions in the ring.   Now 55, Jones fills his time by judging bull riding competitions from his wheelchair at venues across the Valley, including ...

Merrill Gardens couple marry after meeting in church By Octavio Serrano Pete Lee sat next to Mary Jo Waters at church and asked to hold her hand. Six months later, they said “I do.” The residents of Anthem’s Merrill Gardens, Pete, 92, and Mary Jo Lee, 85, celebrated their friendship and companionship when they married in late May. The couple became close after that first day in church. “He explained that he ...