By Annika Tomlin Jennifer Gage was visiting California during a summer trip when she was introduced to StretchLab. “I play tennis, and I suffered a shoulder injury playing (in California),” Gage says. “A girlfriend of mine had taken me to her Pilates class, and the Pilates instructor asked if anyone there had heard of the new StrechLab that just opened.” After the class, Gage immediately walked to the Stret ...

By Alison Bailin Batz In 1997, the Valley had a problem in its schools. “There was a severe nursing shortage, so much so that for many schools, having a full-time nurse was a luxury,” says Michael Pearson, director of marketing and engagement for what is today called Neighborhood Outreach Access to Health (NOAH). To help, a program called Neighborhood Outreach Action to Health (also NOAH) was developed thro ...

By Keith Jones Construction is nearly complete, and a mid-year opening is planned for Abrazo Cave Creek Hospital near the intersection of Carefree Highway and Cave Creek Road. Abrazo Cave Creek Hospital is a new type of neighborhood hospital, designed with an emphasis on convenience, patient safety, surgical and emergency services. “We are excited to expand Abrazo’s services in the North Valley by creating ...

By Marshall Trimble Irregularities at the polls on the frontier were common. Here are a few of my favorites: In 1870 in Yuma County, the local Native Americans were bribed to participate in the election by casting their votes. Clad in breechclouts and stovepipe hats, the latter, gifts from one of the candidates for services rendered, they would await their turn at the polls. When the clerk asked their names ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski   Life is funny, according to Cave Creek native Mark Grossman. The Cactus Shadows High School graduate rode dirt bikes and played sports until his mid-20s, when a modeling scout recruited him. Last year, things changed for Grossman. He was nominated for a Daytime Emmy for Outstanding Performance by a Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Adam Newman on “The Yo ...

Mike Bauer didn’t have any expectations when he signed up for the website 23AndMe, which provides personalized DNA insights. The D-backs in-game host, who is adopted, was wondering if any health problems ran in his biological family. “As much as I love my family, there are some things you want to know, like, ‘Genetically, am I predisposed to certain health issues?’” says Bauer, whose adoptive parents, Fred ...

By Abbie S. Fink It can be hard to imagine what it must be like to be a survivor of the Holocaust. A dark time in U.S. history, 6 million Jews were murdered during the Holocaust, which took place between 1933 and 1945. Historians estimate that there were 1.5 million children among the 6 million who perished.  But for the Phoenix Holocaust Association (PHA), which is located in Scottsdale, the Holocaust is m ...

by Sarah Donahue Karin Johnson always longed to create a place for women to connect, interact and grow with each other. “Who knew that it was going to be the firing range,” she says with a laugh. Karin is the gun range safety officer, operations manager and wife of Oz Johnson, founder of Desert Hills-based Johnson Group Tactical gun range, which has offered firearms training classes for around five months a ...

Conor Garland acknowledges he has been an underdog most of his hockey career. The 25-year-old Boston native was the fifth-round draft pick in 2015. Afterward, he kept his head down and quietly worked his way up through the Arizona Coyotes’ system. The result? He has the most goals and points of any Coyotes fifth-round pick. Since his NHL debut in 2018 with the ‘yotes, he has registered the most goals on the ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Dana Mule traveled the world with New Kids on the Block providing security for singer Jonathan Knight. Screaming girls, autograph hounds and concerts filled his days. When he met his wife, he quit traveling. So, he, in time, opened a restaurant — Hula’s Modern Tiki. “The only thing more insane with more hours than the restaurant business is the event business,” Mule says with a ...

By Sarah Haber At 10 years old, Larry Shore sat in the kitchen and watched eagerly as his mother prepared dinner. The kitchen was a beautiful mess with flour dusting the countertops, spoons scattered and an assortment of vegetables laying across the cutting board. By the stove, the dough was laid out ready to be kneaded. “Larry, why don’t you pretend this dough is a bully and help me make dinner,” his mothe ...

By Claire Spinner Although some may not be able to see their significant other in person, there are plenty of ways to share the love of Valentine’s Day. During a year as unique as this one, nothing says appreciation like a thoughtful, interesting gift. To spark some seasonal joy, here are a few Valentine’s Day gifts sure to dazzle. Well Told Homeware and gift shore Well Told wants to help couples cement the ...

By Connor Dziawura The business world is changing in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, and Cave Creek website design and digital marketing agency BPetersonDesign is recommending business owners adapt to the times with a new strategy for 2021. Husband-and-wife team Ben and Janae Peterson, the company’s president and vice president, respectively, have observed the growing shift toward online marketing, purch ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Cole Randall and Jason Swenton of Sonoran Desert Olive Oil Co. are getting creative with their balsamic vinegars by encouraging local restaurants and bars to use their products. “There are different things you can do with balsamics,” Randall says. “With cocktails and mocktails, it can be cool. Now, a lot of mixologists are using balsamic vinegars in their drinks.” He offers pea ...

By Sarah Donahue Kim Prince always believed marijuana didn’t deserve the bad reputation it held in society. She saw the potential of working in an industry that was in its infancy. Prince combined her love for business with her love for the healing properties of the widely misunderstood plant, directing the focus of her public relations company, Proven Media, into the world of marijuana in 2014. Now that Pr ...