By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski The Emmy Awards, HBO and sports betting in Arizona have one thing in common. JB Smoove has a hand in them. Earlier this year, Smoove received his first career Emmy nomination for Best Actor in a Short Form Series for his performance as Chief Billy Bills in the “Mapleworth Murders.” The nomination was a long time coming for the acclaimed showman. “I got my start in the industry ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Trudy Hays says the Scottsdale Artists’ School found taking its virtual fundraiser online was “exciting and challenging.” Because patrons around the world had the chance to participate, the school is doing it again. The 28th annual Beaux Arts is set for November 10 to November 13. “Taking Beaux Arts to a virtual platform last year for the first time was both exciting and challe ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Hidden in the Hills is celebrating its silver anniversary the last two weekends of November with free, self-guided tours featuring 191 artists at 45 private studios in the Desert Foothills communities. Coordinated by the nonprofit Sonoran Arts League, the event is Friday, November 19, to Sunday, November 21, as well as Friday, November 26, to Sunday, November 28. Londoner enthr ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski The effervescent Amelia McLean comes bounding into North Italia in Gilbert. “Here I am!” she says enthusiastically. McLean has plenty of reasons to be excited. She’s headlining her first show of all-original music on Thursday, October 14, at the Rebel Lounge in Phoenix. The day prior, the “American Idol” alum is releasing an EP, “Light I Can Follow.” “I don’t know if there are ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Bruce Kirkwood studied accounting at the University of Southern Mississippi, but something else was tugging at his heartstrings. Music. “It was hard to pass up my passion,” Kirkwood says about pursuing a music career. “I knew I’d have a lot of regrets if I chose accounting.” A professional violinist, the North Phoenix resident is set to release his debut album, “Passion,” on No ...

By Jordan Houston Aromas of baked goods, visions of pitched tents and quiet sounds of community chatter will paint the scene at High Street on Sundays through the spring with the return of its annual farmers market. The Farmers Market on High Street, located off of Loop 101 at 56th Street, officially kicked off Sunday, October 3. It runs from 10 a.m. through 1:30 p.m. Roughly 100 vendors will decorate the N ...

By Jordan Houston North Scottsdale nonprofit is tapping into the empathetic nature of miniature horses for the greater good, offering therapy and reading services for older adults and young children. The Tender Little Hearts Mini Tales and Facilitated Equine Mini Therapy is an assisted equine therapy outreach program. Founded in March 2019 by Terry Holmes-Stecyk, the organization provides assisted therapy f ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Before returning to Scottsdale, the city they call home, Marissa Abdo and Morgan Renfro were team members of Dr. 90210 in Beverly Hills, one of the top 10 practices in the nation for Allergan and Galderma injectables. Working full time, Abdo, MS, RN, CANS, and Renfro, RN CANS, saw nearly 2,000 patients per year. According to Renfro, the average plastic surgeon will see around 5 ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski The Buzz Eatery & Treats is aptly named. Customers “buzz” in and out of the new addition to Kierland Commons. The concept serves as a “hive” where shoppers, residents, neighbors and visitors can enjoy everything from a cup of coffee in the morning to a glass of wine in the evening. Guests will also find craft beer on tap, wine, seasonal cocktails, and homemade “buzzy” popsi ...

By Greg Rubenstein Few vehicles inspire driving enthusiasts’ passion as the Supra. Toyota’s 2+2 sports car hadn’t been sold in the United States for more than 20 years, until it wondrously reappeared as a 2020 model. It was a true two-seater, sharing a platform with the BMW Z4 and powered by a 335-horsepower, turbocharged, 3.0-liter, straight-six engine. Fast forward one model year, and this fifth-generatio ...

By Marshall Trimble The other day I received a letter asking, “What really happened to Curly Bill? I’m hearing two different stories.” I replied, “That’s because there are two different stories.” During the months following the street fight in Tombstone, the cowboys, after the Spicer Hearings, cleared the Earps of murder and resorted to ambushing their enemies.  On the evening of December 28, 1881, Virgil E ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski As a child, Laura Brockel often visited her great aunt, who fell deaf after a case of the measles. She watched her struggle with amplification devices and doctors. “She found it difficult to find someone who was reputable and had the qualifications to handle someone with the profound hearing loss she had,” the North Scottsdale resident says. “She had had cords running up her dr ...

By Connor Dziawura The COVID-19 pandemic came at an unfortunate time for Avery Lane, a consignment store that specializes in items on the high end, from furniture, antiques and fine art to other home accessories. After seeing steady growth and expansion over the first several years in the Scottsdale Airpark, owner Darlene Richert signed for yet another expansion in December 2019, pushing the showroom past 3 ...

By Bridgette M. Redman Prestige Cleaners has been committed to doing the right thing by its customers, employees and community since 1964. It wasn’t about to let a thing like the pandemic change that. President and CEO Denise Testori says she’ll never forget when the news of the pandemic and the lockdowns hit. “It was St. Patty’s Day and there were a lot of rumors swirling around of what was going on,” Test ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Kaylavon Middleton is a proud, card-carrying Medicare member and, as a licensed Certified Medicare Insurance Planner, she enjoys helping others navigate the system.  “I’m there as a bridge when people get ready to retire,” Middleton says. She’s a retiree herself, well, sort of. She left BlueCross BlueShield after 16 years and knew how to tread the Medicare waters herself. Five ...