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 ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Kathleen Sabol comes to the door of her parents’ Carefree Ranch home in North Scottsdale. The glamorous blonde is wearing subtle-yet-glistening jewelry — pieces she made herself. Sabol founded Mila + Stevie, a modern bohemian glam jewelry line she handcrafts herself. She mixes natural gemstones and metals to create dainty to statement pieces. The company is named after her fluf ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski After Ralph Marchetta graduated high school, he worked his way through ASU at Veterans Coliseum. He served as a parking attendant, a merchandise vendor and janitor. His life changed in 1992 when he was offered the chance to move with the Phoenix Suns to Downtown Phoenix. Thanks to that opportunity, he has witnessed the evolution of America West Arena to what is now known as Pho ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski BUYAZRE founder Asher Cohen has done his research on North Valley ZIP codes, and he sees homes selling briskly. “When it comes to the North Valley, we’re seeing listings move very quickly,” Cohen says. “Homes for sale in this area stay on the market for an average of just 72 days before selling. Also, home prices are up more than $219,000, compared to December of 2019.” The hou ...

By Carol Boles Far from ordinary” or “one-pump town” are perhaps the best ways to describe the town of Crown King, located 1 1/2 hours north of Phoenix. This mountaintop community was established in 1888 as a bustling mining town with famous mines such as the Tiger, Gladiator, Grey Eagle and Silver Prince. While the gold fever slowly broke, the town has survived. Crown King is now a popular year-round desti ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Susan Morrow Potje has a motto for this year’s Celebration of Fine Art: Celebrate art 6 feet apart. “I think it’s a good, happy place for people to come to,” says Potje, who helms the event with her husband, Jake. The 31st annual festival runs 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. through Sunday, March 28, with strict rules in place. Masks are required, and patrons who are ill must stay home. Potj ...

By Connor Dziawura When it came to the timing of last year’s Greater Phoenix Jewish Film Festival — considered the longest-running film festival in the Valley — organizers were lucky. The event, which drew nearly 13,000 visitors to Scottsdale, Tempe and Peoria theaters across two weeks, came just before the COVID-19 pandemic hit, forcing many businesses to temporarily halt operations and future events to ca ...