The Foothills Focus is Arizona 's fastest growing weekly newspaper. We are your source for community news in Anthem, Black Canyon City, Carefree, Cave Creek, Desert Hills, New River, North Phoenix, and North Scottsdale.

State educators skeptical of Ducey’s teacher pay proposal, long-term funding, walkout still looming CAVE CREEK – Arizona educator’s voices were finally heard by Governor Doug Ducey who announced a plan to give teachers a 20 percent raise by 2020 after more than 1,100 schools statewide mobilized walk-in demonstrations as part of the Red for Ed movement. Tipirneni gains momentum in last week of CD8 special elections, outraises Lesko PHOENIX – The special election for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District takes place on April 24, which will determine if GOP nominee Debbie Lesko, or Democratic political newcomer, Hiral Tipirneni, will take former Rep. Trent Franks’ seat, who resigned amidst sexual harassment allegations in December. Rusty’s Angels senior dog sanctuary wins ‘Do Good, Do Beautiful’ national grant contest NEW RIVER – Local resident, Emilee Spear, was awarded a $15,000 grant from Alba Botanica’s “Do Good, Do Beautiful” national campaign, which recognizes women who have founded non-profit organizations with stated missions in environmental sustainability, animal rights and female empowerment. Spring sprung: NOAA sees warmer, drier spring in Arizona, Southwest COLLEGE PARK, Md. – It’s spring, which usually means a change in the weather. But long-range forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are saying that folks in Arizona may not see much change this year. Desert Wind Harley earns Visionary Award from local motorcycle safety group PEORIA – The Arizona Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Foundation (AMSAF), a non-profit foundation focused on reducing rider and motorcycle crashes in Arizona has awarded Desert Wind Harley the first-ever AMSAF Visionary Award. AZGF propose rule changes tackling drones, smart guns, trail cameras PHOENIX —The Arizona Game and Fish Commission is proposing amendments to the rules that manage the taking and handling of wildlife within public state lands and parks after the Five-Year Review Report was recently released and prepared for the Governor’s Regulatory Review Council. North Phoenix home burglarized twice in two days, dog found dead in pool PHOENIX – Police are seeking information about a suspect that burglarized a home twice in two days in North Phoenix near Union Hills Drive and 13th Avenue. MCSO launches ‘Call if you can, text if you can’t’ 9-1-1 texting program PHOENIX – The Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office launched a new program last week that allows residents in the county area to text 9-1-1 emergency services if you are unable to call while involved in a dangerous situation. Volunteers needed for Earth Day New River trail clean-up PEORIA – The community is invited to assist in the removal of trash and debris along New River and its trail system from 7 to 10 a.m., Saturday, April 21. This cleanup is one of the City of Peoria’s Party for the Planet activities in April celebrating Earth Day. They Give Us Hope Local artist Kathy E. Walker can absolutely relate to the power of the horse in her life and in the lives of her clients. Born in Ohio, her family moved to Phoenix when she was six. Volunteers needed in April to spotlight endangered black-footed ferrets SELIGMAN — The Arizona Game and Fish Department is seeking volunteers to assist with spotlighting efforts to help document the population of endangered black-footed ferrets in Aubrey Valley and on the Double O Ranch near Seligman. YCSO: Seeks identity of a child’s skeletal remains, in cold case ‘little miss nobody case’ CONGRESS - The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO) is seeking the public’s help in determining the identify of a little girl whose skeletal remains were found on July 31, 1960, in a sand wash off Alamo Road outside of Congress, Ariz, which is about a mile from Highway 93. Fatal motorcycle accident on Carefree Highway PHOENIX – On April 11 around 1:30 in the morning a motorcyclist was pronounced dead at the scene after he collided with a raised median, entered into the oncoming traffic lane and then was struck by a vehicle near 15th Avenue and the Carefree Highway, according to Phoenix Police.

Business Spotlight: Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy
PHOENIX – Do you love to laugh? Do you love good food and drinks? Looking to escape reality for a few hours?  Then look no further than Rick Bronson’s House of Comedy located east of the Desert Ridge Marketplace.

Around the Bluhmin’ Town
I took a short trip. It was like taking a time capsule (Southwest Airlines) to a faraway land (Ohio), a place of my youth (family home) where nothing much changes and a million memories will greet me. 

Boulder Creek volleyball team continues to aim high
ANTHEM – Boulder Creek High School’s varsity women’s volleyball team was beat by Mountain Pointe High School on Sept. 13 after a defeating 3-0 loss.

Movie Review — “A Quiet Place”
If you live in or near the city, go outside and listen to the world. There is constantly some kind of noise humming about in the atmosphere. When you venture into nature or far outside of the city limits, the quiet can be comforting. However, it can be somewhat unnerving and lonesome.

Movie Review — “Ready Player One”
In the corner of my 10-year-old bedroom was an autographed picture of Freddy Krueger, a metal cast Voltron, and an overused Nintendo that could only be started when the right combination of maneuvers was conducted.

The Phoenix Film Festival Returns
The 2018 Phoenix Film Festival is just a week away. Arizona’s largest film festival has expanded to 11 days, boasting over 300 movie screenings with parties, educational panels, industry mingling, and more opportunities to find your new favorite movie.

Movie Review — “Tomb Raider”
Lara Croft has been running through jungles, caves, and ancient ruins, solving all manner of puzzles and problems since 1996 when the character made her first appearance for avid gamers. More than twenty years later and Lara Croft is making her third appearance on the silver screen, this time replacing Angelina Jolie with Alicia Vikander in the second franchise film simply called “Tomb Raider.”

Movie Review — “Red Sparrow”
At this point in the career of Jennifer Lawrence it’s pretty easy to imagine her playing almost any kind of character no matter how preposterous it might look like on paper. Body morphing blue mutant, home shopping network tycoon, talented archer in a dangerous game; it all seems possible for the Oscar winning actress.

Movie Review — “Black Panther”
There are more than a few moments in director Ryan Coogler’s superhero feature “Black Panther” where real trials and injustices of the past converge with the fictional lives of the characters living in this superhero universe.

Movie Review — “Fifty Shades Freed”
At the end of “Fifty Shades Darker,” the sequel to the 2015  hit “Fifty Shades of Grey,” Anastasia Steele was being proposed to by Christian Grey. The couple, dealing with the kind of relationship complications that would spell doom for any new romance, haven’t grown much since their first meeting. 

 

Historic Oscar snubs: Five movies that should have been nominated”
The 2018 Oscar nominations were announced this week; as with most years usually the favorites make the cut, but there are always some surprises. This is the Super Bowl for the film industry, and fans arduously pick who they think should win the big prize for best film, actor or director.

Movie Review — “Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”
A magical board game called Jumanji wreaked havoc on two kids in the 1990s, unleashing a jungle of wild animals, dangerous challenges, and a long-lost man who had been trapped in the game for decades.

Movie Review — “Star Wars: The Last Jedi”
The battle between good and evil continues in the newest “Star Wars” film. Forty years ago, the franchise, which shows no sign of slowing down under Disney’s guidance, created a science fiction opera that pitted a rebellious young boy with astounding hidden skills against an evil empire lead by a masked villain that would become one of cinema’s most iconic characters.