By Kamala Kirk Since 2011, the Bentley Scottsdale Polo Championships has been the United States’ premier polo event, attracting thousands of people from around the world, including top polo players, sponsors and celebrities. This year’s event will return on November 7 under a new name, The Stella Artois Polo Classic: Presented by Ketel One, accompanied by socially distanced safety measures and a focus on he ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Sunny Parker isn’t one to cancel appointments. But when brush fires are approaching Cave Creek and the town’s mayor, Ernie Bunch, comes calling, there’s no time to waste. Parker founded Arizona Foothills 911, a 9,000-member Facebook page dedicated to neighbors helping neighbors in emergency situations. The target audience is Cave Creek, Carefree, Desert Hills, Rio Verde and Nor ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski MSNBC anchor Lindsey Reiser says all journalists possess an inherent “curiosity.” Some call it being nosey—she contends it’s an insatiable thirst for knowledge. “It’s nice to be able to turn that into a career,” says the Scottsdale native. “I have a distinct memory of the Twin Towers coming down and running to my parents and letting them know this is happening. To this day, I s ...

By Alison Bailin Batz Now more than ever, it’s critical that we have strong leaders who can make informed decisions. “Just as critical is providing resources to help support the leaders of tomorrow, despite the current health crisis,” says Tamara Woodbury, Girl Scouts–Arizona Cactus-Pine Council CEO. “In an effort to engage and inspire the many local girls and young women learning from home or doing a hybri ...

By Annelise Krafft North Valley resident Raymond Damm comes from a selfless family, with service deep in his roots—especially military service. “My grandfather served 37 years in the United States Marine Corps, my father served 30 years and both of my uncles served 20 years,” Damm says. “Because of this, I moved a lot and lived in about a dozen states throughout my childhood, almost exclusively on military ...

By Connor Dziawura With the onset of the coronavirus pandemic earlier this year, the film industry was quick to adapt. Theaters found themselves shuttered, while some renowned events canceled this year’s festivities. Still, some festivals made the jump to a virtual format, allowing films to be seen from the comfort and safety of viewers’ own homes. Now half a year later, the 20th Scottsdale International Fi ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski For as long as Paula Pruett can remember, her son, Stefan Pruett, was obsessed with two things—basketball and music. His heart condition pushed him out of basketball, so his mother persuaded him to pursue music. The Carefree musician was just about to turn music on its head as The Guidance when he was found unresponsive in his Downtown LA apartment at age 35 in June. He died of ...

By Jacqueline Robledo Amelia Joyce moved to the Valley five years ago in hopes of turning her musical passion into a career. Twenty-four years ago, Joyce was born in Jackson, Michigan, with five siblings, all of whom would perform together. She took piano lessons throughout middle school and high school. “Growing up in a small town, there weren’t a lot of opportunities for me to stay and try and develop my ...

By Annika Tomlin Founded by Olympic medalist Bryan Clay and Joe Culver, Eat the Frog Fitness was born from decades of elite, science-based athletic training and expert knowledge of the fitness industry. The company’s name is inspired by Mark Twain’s quote, “Eat a live frog first thing every morning and nothing worse will happen to you the rest of the day.” This 24-hour-accessible facility opened a new locat ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Susan Clark is all about education. When her Clark Bodywork Therapies clients visit her, she shares her treatments on an oversized muscle chart on her wall. “I show them where muscles connect and why I worked the areas,” Clark says. “A lot of people who have low back pain have super tight psoas and illiacus muscles, which are in the pelvic region. They’re amazed at how their lo ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Pizzicata owner Federico Venturini considers his guests and employees family at his Carefree Italian restaurant. Guests impart stories of visits to Italy, from which Venturini hails. In turn, Venturini shares authentic dishes like Pinsa Romana, pizza (starting at $10) with 48% less sugar, 85% less fat and no cholesterol. “We’re the first to make Pinsa Romana in Arizona,” Ventur ...

By Christina Fuoco-Karasinski Look around the airy and bright interior of Bryan’s Black Mountain Barbecue, and the wood walls are covered with awards from the eatery’s 11 years in Cave Creek. Owner/chef Bryan Dooley chalks it up to good food and the staff’s caring nature. “We’ve made a conscious effort in the beginning to make sure that we take people’s names,” Dooley says. “Guests are not just a number. We ...

By Annika Tomlin "Shop Local” means something special to Tucson-based Creations Boutique. Olivia Verma Smith’s family features its Angie Brand throughout the store, the latest of which opened at Desert Ridge Marketplace. Dubbed the “boutique in the desert,” Creations is peppered with locally made candles, artists and creators. “Many things that are developed by local makers, like our main candles, are produ ...

By Connor Dziawura Larry Foppe commonly heard in Carefree that a laidback gathering place was missing—the key word now being “was.” So, he took his local cigar shop, moved it and rebranded it as Sticks Golf & Cigar Lounge. Located off Cave Creek Road and Tom Darlington Drive, the new venue is like Topgolf mixed with a cigar lounge, but with a country club feel. “The one thing I commonly hear from the lo ...

By Kamala Kirk For almost 40 years, Dr. Georgine Ray has helped improve the quality of people’s lives by diagnosing and treating various hearing disorders. From young children to the elderly, she works with people who are struggling with issues such as hearing loss and tinnitus, offering an advanced level of expertise, quality care and support to her patients. “I see patients of all ages because hearing los ...