Spring 2012

SPRING 2012 

DEPARTMENTS 

Association News 

School News 

Our Resources 

Our Community 

Culture & Arts 

District News 

Dining Guide 

Association & community News l School News l Culture & Arts l Our Resources l New Openings l Dining & Entertainment

2 

Desert Ridge Lifestyles Spring 2012

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CONTENTS 

DEPARTMENTS 

10 Association & 

community News 

21 School News 

22 Culture & Arts 

FEATURES 

8 

COVER STORY 

New beginnings 

10 

Cashman park 

Picnic in the Park report and upgrade 

plans for the future. 

24 Our Resources 

25 new openings 

26 dining & Entertainment 

12 

2011 Black Mountain Precinct 

and Neighborhood stats 

Measuring the variety of crime types. 

19 

Habitat for humanity 

Discover how to help those who 

are in need of a place to call home. 

Desert Ridge Lifestyles magazine is the official 

community magazine of Desert Ridge, brought 

to you by the Desert Ridge Community 

Association. It is designed to keep you informed 

about what’s happening in your community, 

from clubs, activities and community programs 

to school information, special events and more. 

Reproduction in whole or in part of any text, 

photographs or illustrations without written 

permission from the publisher is prohibited by 

law. Trademarks, logos and content provided 

by advertisers, sponsors and partners are 

owned by their respective companies and all 

rights are reserved by them. The views, statements 

and claims of advertisers or other DRL 

contributors do not necessarily represent those 

of the publisher, Desert Ridge Community 

Association. 

Printed in the USA. ©2011 

Desert Ridge Lifestyles Magazine. 

All rights reserved. Please recycle. 

Proudly Managed by Rossmar & Graham 

Community Association 

20860 N. Tatum Blvd., Suite 360 

Phoenix, AZ 85050 

Management Team 

480-551-4300 

desertridge@rossmar.com 

Management team and board of directors 

Management Team 

Terrance Smith 

Community 

General 

Manager 

Chris Jenness 

Residential 

Community 

Manager 

Valerie oliver 

Design Review 

Manager 

ALyssia Saxton 

Lifestyles 

Coordinator 

dusty watkins 

Compliance 

Coordinator 

COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS 

Carmello 

Musarra 

Compliance 

Coordinator 

PRESIDENT 

Doug Dickson 

Communication 

Committee 

vice 

PRESIDENT 

Reginald Younger, Jr. 

Design Review 

Committee 

Secretary 

Dan Oseran 

Nominating and 

Cashman Park 

Committee 

Treasurer 

Dan Francis 

Finance 

Committee 

director 

Kathy Crawford 

Communication 

and Cashman Park 

Committee 

Director 

Greg Abrams 

Cashman Park 

Committee 

4 


From the Board of directors 

From the President 

New & exciting changes 

We’re 

excited 

to bring you the 

summer edition 

of DRL. Our 

magazine and 

its on-line 

Doug Dickson 

version at www. 

desertridgelifestyles.com 

are important tools to help 

keep you informed about life in Desert 

Ridge. 

So, what is happening in Desert Ridge? 

We recently held our Annual Membership 

Meeting at the J.W. Marriott resort. 

This year’s guest speakers included Jim 

Waring, Phoenix City Councilman 

for District 2, and Ben Quayle, U.S. 

Congressman. All DRCA committees 

presented their reports and the voting 

was certified. There were five candidates 

for four seats and all incumbents were 

re-elected. 

Ken Olson has been promoted to the 

executive team of Rossmar & Graham 

and Terrance Smith is the new General 

Manager of our Association. Congratulations 

to Ken and we’re very excited to 

work with a seasoned professional like 

Terrance Smith. 

Last month, we held our first Picnic in 

the Park event introducing some of the 

improvements under consideration for 

Cashman Park. The event was tremendous 

success – so much so, that we’ve 

been asked by many members to make 

it an annual event. 

We’ve received a great deal of feedback, 

both positive and negative, about 

the “hard prune” in many areas with 

overgrown landscaping. This dramatic 

pruning was done to improve plant 

health, to deter crime and prepare the 

grounds for new decomposed granite. 

Over the summer months, we will be 

installing thousands of tons of new decomposed 

granite in Association owned 

areas. These improvements are part of a 

long range maintenance plan for Desert 

Ridge and are paid for with reserve 

money set aside for this purpose. A project 

of this scale can be disruptive and we 

ask for your patience as we complete the 

work as quickly as possible. 

We continue to ask for your input 

on the proposed improvements for 

Cashman Park. If you have not 

filled out a survey, please visit www. 

desertridgelifestyles.com and share 

your thoughts and opinions with us. 

Ask your friends and neighbors who 

live in Desert Ridge to do the same! 

In closing, I’d like to thank all of our 

DRCA Board Members, current and 

past, for their hard work and dedication 

to our community. I’d also like to thank 

every member of our Association that 

has engaged and become involved at 

every level. Together, as neighbors, 

we are building one of Phoenix’s most 

desirable communities. 

Doug Dickson 

President 

Desert Ridge Community Association 

Letter from the 

Communication 

Chair 


We hope 

you are 

enjoying your 

issues of Desert 

Ridge Lifestyles. 

Since 

our last issue, 

you will see 

that we have 

launched our 

website at www.desertridgelifestyles.com. 

There you will see the 

current issue of the magazine as well 

as other areas that you may access 

such as the discussion of the Cashman 

Park revitalization program. 

Ultimately, the magazine (in a few 

years) will only be distributed on the 

web. We are using this website as a 

tool to unite the community as well 

as to distribute the magazine online 

and allow for feedback and general 

comments for all of our residents. In 

fact, we have a survey on the website 

right now for the Cashman program 

that we encourage you to fill out and 

give us your feedback. 

Effective with the Holiday issue, 

we have gone from 24 pages to 28 

pages. This is good news as it allows 

us greater content for you to enjoy. 

Let us know how we may improve 

this magazine for your enjoyment. 

We are a wonderful community with 

lots to offer. With your help and 

involvement, we will be even better. 


Communication Chairperson 


Spring 2012 

Desert Ridge Lifestyles 

5

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Every Saturday (from Memorial Day to Labor Day), we’ll light up the night 

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Stay overnight and enjoy the fireworks and one of our five sparkling pools. 

Experience 200-foot waterslides, including our new after-dark Techno 

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Something for parents, something for kids, smiles for all ages. 

For reservations, contact us at 800-908-9460 or visit scottsdaleprincess.com. 

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Fourth of July Freedom Fest and Labor Day Dreamcation events. 

best 

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COVER STORY 

NewBeginings 

Spring is the time we all think of as new beginnings. Our plants are 

sprouting new little buds, the air is lovely and the drab colors of winter 

morph into the lovely pastels of springtime. 

And we, here at DRL, are also thinking of new beginnings. We have a 

new Board of Directors, a new Community General Manager of Rossmar 

& Graham, new staff members, new Cashman Park (see separate article), 

new community excellence award, new stores, and not to be outdone – 

a new garbage collection day! 

So, One at a Time Here We go... 

By Kathy Crawford 

Communications Committee, Desert Ridge Community Association 

Our New Board Of Directors 

Our new board was elected on April 19th and took office that day. They are: 

Dan Francis who is new to the board, Kathy Crawford, Dan Oseran and 

Greg Abrams who were re-elected as incumbent board members. These board 

members will join Doug Dickson, Reggie Younger, Jr., and Kim Caron to make 

up the 2012 Board of Directors for the Desert Ridge Community Association. 

The new board met on May 1 and 

voted for the following officers and 

committee chairperson positions: 

Doug Dickson, President 

Reggie Younger, Jr., Vice President 

Dan Oseran, Secretary 

Dan Francis, Treasurer 

Kathy Crawford, Director 

Greg Abrams, Director 

2012 DRCA 

Board of 

Directors 

Committee Chairpersons: 

Kathy Crawford, Communications 

Committee 

Reginald Younger, Jr., 

Design Review Committee 

Dan Francis, Finance Committee 

Greg Abrams, Cashman Park Committee 

Dan Oseran, Nominating Committee 

We all look forward to continued service to you, our community residents. 

DRCA staff at the annual meeting 

Our New Community 

General Manager 

We want to welcome Terrance 

Smith as our new Community 

General Manager. We are all 

excited to have Terrance with us as 

he is a multi-credentialed Manager 

and brings a wealth of knowledge 

and experience managing master 

planned communities to our community. 

Terrance will report to Ken 

Olson who has served us so well 

and is now at the main Rossmar & 

Graham office overseeing not just 

Desert Ridge but other communities 

in his new position as Senior 

Vice President. We will all miss 

Ken and we wish him the very best 

in his new role. 

Terrance Smith, left, with speaker 

Congressman Ben Quayle 

at the annual meeting 

8 


COVER STORY 

Photos provided by Tina Dickson 

Councilman Jim Waring speaking at the annual meeting while the board of directors looks on 

Our New Staff Additions 

In addition to Terrance, we have new members of 

the Rossmar & Graham staff at our Desert Ridge 

Community Association. They are Carmello 

Musarra joining Rossmar & Graham as our new 

Compliance Coordinator and Alyssia Saxton has 

moved up from her role as Compliance Coordinator 

into her new role of Lifestyles Coordinator, previously 

held by Mona Brown. Alyssia has already 

jumped into her new responsibilities assisting the 

Desert Ridge Management Team with coordinating 

our recent Annual Meeting– that went on flawlessly. 

New Garbage Collection 

The City of Phoenix has wisely determined that we could 

have one day for garbage collection rather than two days. 

Effective July 9, residents will only need to remember to 

place their trash and recycling containers out for collection on the same day. 

According to the City of Phoenix, benefits of same day service: 

Our New Stores 

The following new 

stores are opening in 

the Desert Ridge area: 

Pebbles Swimwear, 

Sports Authority, 

Smashburger, Crazy 8, 

Café Zupas, Charming 

Charlie, Mellow 

Mushroom, Skinny 

Italian, Sushi Station, 

and Subway. 

• Convenience: Customers only need 

to remember to wheel their trash 

and recycling containers to the 

curb on one day, instead of two. 

• Cost savings: Phoenix will save $1.3 

million annually or $6.5 million 

over five years. 

• Efficiencies: Although there still 

will be separate trucks collecting 

trash and recycling, daily collection 

routes will be reduced from 166 to 

154, resulting in the elimination of 

12 trucks and 12 employees. 

• Neighborhood aesthetics: By having 

containers out on only one day 

a week, neighborhoods will look 

cleaner and sidewalks and streets 

will be less cluttered. 

• Benefit to customers/additional 

savings: Besides the added convenience, 

we have implemented 

efficiencies to keep your solid waste 

fee stabilized over the three past 

years with no solid waste fee increase. 

It is continued innovations that will 

minimize the need for future solid 

waste fee increases. 

• Reinforce recycling to help our 

environment: With both green 

and blue containers being serviced 

on the same day, customers will be 

reminded to also recycle on a consistent 

basis. 

Tuesday appears to be the day the collection 

will take place in Desert Ridge 

but please double check your address 

on the City of Phoenix site at http:// 

phoenix.gov/publicworks/garbage/ 

trashschedule/collectionschedule/ 

index.html 

New Community 

Excellence Award 

At the Annual Meeting, we presented 

our first and new Community Excellence 

Award to two very deserving 

people. 

Jim Davis aka “Mr. Desert Ridge” has 

lived here for 15 years. Jim started 

as a volunteer for the DRCA Design 

Review Committee and has served 

as the Community Manager for the 

Master Association for 10 years. During 

the formative years of the DRCA, Jim 

worked with the Master Developer, 

builders, the City of Phoenix, and 

the State Land Department. Jim is 

currently the Manager for the Desert 

Ridge Core Association and has been 

instrumental in building Desert Ridge 

into the community it is today. Jim has 

served the community countless hours 

over the years and continues to be an 

invaluable mentor and source of history 

and information for the DRCA. 

Doug Dickson, left, presenting Jim Davis 

with the Community Excellence Award 

Nick Meris has lived in Desert Ridge 

for 15 years and was instrumental in 

the development of the Desert Ridge 

Homeowner’s Network. He has also 

served as President of his sub-association, 

Glen Eagle, and a Director on 

the DRCA Board. Since 1999 Nick 

has volunteered at the Mayo Clinic 

Hospital in his continued service to 

his community. 



9

ASSocIATIoN & coMMuNITy NEwS 

Cashman Park 

Picnic in the Park & Upgrade Plans 

In the last issue of Desert Ridge Lifestyles Magazine, we told you about the exploration of Cashman Park upgrades 

and the “Picnic in the Park,” a general celebration for the community and also a public display of the initial Cashman 

Park design plans. 

Photos provided by Tina Dickson 

by Dan oseran 

Cashman Park Committee 


With over 500 residents attending 

a picnic that included a barbeque 

lunch, multiple bounce-houses and 

other fun activities, the “Picnic in the 

Park” was a great success! Attendees 

took their turns on train rides, traveled 

through a safari bounce house, and 

those not faint of heart slid down a 

two story infl atable slide. We could 

not have had such a wonderful day 

without the support of our numerous 

Vestar Boys & Girls Club volunteers, 

our supporting vendors including JJ’s 

Delicatessen and AZ Bounce Pro, and 

the Rossmar & Graham management 

company staff. 

The event was such a success that we’ve 

received feedback to make it an annual 

community park event in the spring. 

We would love to host a picnic annually 

and think that bringing the community 

together will add to our Desert Ridge 

lifestyle. To better our lifestyle, the 

Desert Ridge Board of Directors also is 

looking at ways to improve the community 

through proper investment of 

our excess reserve funds. The Cashman 

Park upgrade is one of these potential 

investments into our community. 

To briefl y recap the Cashman Park project, 

Cashman is a 10 acre neighborhood 

park within Desert Ridge that is owned 

and operated by the City of Phoenix. 

Cashman is not within a formal subassociation 

area and depends 100% on 

City of Phoenix taxpayer money for 

its upkeep. The City has not had the 

funds available to make many upgrades 

to the Park system, and Cashman Park 

hasn’t had a true upgrade in 16 years. 

Your Board has researched 

the possibility of enhancing 

the Park through the 

City of Phoenix’s “Adopta-Park” 

program. This 

large project is a cutting 

edge public/private 

partnership; a project 

of this size and breadth 

will set an example for 

other partnerships between the City of 

Phoenix and Community Associations. 

The Board and specially formed Exploratory 

Committee worked to get input 

from various constituencies within 

the community to design a park that 

has features for multiple groups and 

interests. The “Picnic in the Park” was 

another way to solicit input from the 

community. Preliminary park designs 

have upgraded ramadas, a multipurpose 

amphitheater, new playground structures, 

exercise stations, a walking trail 

and a splash pad. In addition, practical 

features such as more xeriscaping, 

landscaping to control water runoff and 

additional parking make this a responsible 

park design for the community. 

The Board believes that an upgrade to 

Cashman Park will increase the value 

of homes in Desert Ridge and will improve 

the Desert Ridge lifestyle with an 

10 



To better our lifestyle, the Desert Ridge Board of Directors also is looking at ways to improve the community through 

proper investment of our excess reserve funds. The Cashman Park upgrade is one of these potential investments into 

our community. 

The Amphitheater, which may 

be used for concerts in the park, 

movies, and also serves as a water 

retention basin, has support ments at the ends of the spectrum 

ele- 

and is currently polling at 2.94 

out of 5, which is slightly below 

favorable, but not at a statistically 

signifi cant level. 

amazing amenity. Although 

fi nancing for the initial upgrades 

will come from excess 

community reserve funds 

already on hand, and will 

not increase your Master 

Association dues, the 

projected fi gure to bring the 

park all of the amenities 

sought is a minimum of few hundred 

thousand dollars and could go up to 

a million dollars. Annual operating 

costs are also not expected to increase 

dues, but that will partially depend on 

continued construction in Desert Ridge 

and the fi nal maintenance agreement 

we’re able to work out with the City of 

Phoenix. Therefore, with an investment 

of this size, we want to make 

sure that we upgrade the park with the 

voice of the vast majority of residents 

in mind. 

In this initial development phase, 

abundant community input is critical. 

We have created a survey that contains 

the general design upgrade plans, 

and want your input. You can access 

the survey and FAQs on the web at 

http://www.desertridgelifestyles.com/ 

community/2012/03/cashman-parkupgrade-project-2 

and either mail the 

survey back or bring it to the Desert 

Ridge Community Association Offi 

ce on Tatum. You can also pick up 

a survey right from the Community 

Association Offi ce. We have had over 

100 survey responses but 

would like a few hundred 

more in the next month 

so that we can resume our 

conversations with the 

City. Below are the results 

we have regarding a few 

of the more high profi le 

projects. The survey has a 

scale of 1 to 5 with 1 being 

not worthwhile and 5 being 

very worthwhile. 

Splash Pad 

The Splash Pad, which has design 

ideas for children of all ages in the 

community, has polarizing support, 

with most people being at the extreme 

ends of the spectrum. As of April 

20th, the average score is currently 

a 3.12 out of 5, which shows a 

slight trend in favor of the pad. 

Amphitheater 

upgraded Playground 

Equipment 

There appears to be a tremendous 

amount of support for upgraded playground 

equipment with the majority 

of people feeling strongly in favor of 

the equipment and an average score 

of 4.22 out of 5. 

Please let us know your thoughts; we’re 

looking for feedback, and want you involved 

in this community commitment. 

Always feel free to contact the Board 

through our Community Association 

office at 480-551-4553, or at desertridge@ 

rossmar.com. With your support, next 

year our annual “Picnic in the Park” may 

even be able to showcase the first elements 

of a park upgrade! 

Spring 2012 Desert Ridge Lifestyles 11

association & community news 

2011 Black Mountain Precinct Statistical Recap 

By Officer Tim Mitten 

Community Action Officer 

Black Mountain Precinct 

Phoenix Police Department 

As a law enforcement agency, the 

Phoenix Police Department keeps 

track of many statistics. In the past few 

years many of you have heard of the different 

ways we track statistics and what 

we do with the information. We have 

statistics covering a variety of different 

topics, such as calls for service, types of 

calls, number of officers, etc. The main 

statistics though that most people want 

to know about is the variety of crime 

types. There are also various ways to 

count crimes, whether it is by fiscal years, 

(City of Phoenix Fiscal Years are counted 

from July 1 to June 30), calendar years, 

and crime rates per 1000 citizens. 

The Phoenix Police Department reports 

our official statistics according to the 

Uniform Reporting Criteria (UCR) which 

Black Mountain Precinct Violent Crimes 

2008 2009 2010 2011 

21 22 Total 21 22 Total 21 22 Total 21 22 Total 

Homicide 4 3 7 4 2 6 0 1 1 3 4 7 

Rape 18 17 35 11 15 26 14 13 27 18 18 36 

Robbery 96 73 169 83 93 176 80 84 164 75 70 145 

Agg. Assault 162 138 300 132 139 271 113 110 223 121 97 218 

TOTAL 280 231 511 230 249 479 207 208 415 217 189 406 

Black Mountain Precinct Property Crimes 

2008 2009 2010 2011 


Burglary 838 1215 2053 714 836 1550 635 773 1408 731 1087 1818 

Theft / 

Larceny 

2355 2814 5169 1899 2228 4127 1766 1911 3677 1665 2105 3770 

Stolen 

Vehicle 

808 619 1427 515 410 925 374 335 709 306 264 570 

Arson 14 25 39 8 19 27 10 11 21 5 16 21 

TOTAL 4015 4673 8688 3136 3493 6629 2785 3030 5815 2707 3472 6179 

Black Mountain Precinct Part 2 Crimes 

2008 2009 2010 2011 


Drug 

Offenses 131 164 295 192 186 378 215 188 403 290 235 525 

Prostitution 12 11 23 14 34 48 3 17 20 9 6 15 

TOTAL 143 175 318 206 220 426 218 205 423 299 241 540 

are not equivalent to Arizona Revised 

Statutes (ARS) statistics or another other 

types. Under the hierarchy rule of UCR, 

only the most severe offense of an incident 

is counted, so if there is a Homicide 

after a Burglary, only the Homicide is 

counted. There are 4 Part One Violent 

Crimes that are counted and they are 

Homicide, Forcible Rape, Robbery and 

Aggravated Assault (counted individually 

by victim). There are 4 Part One 

Property Crimes that are counted and 

they are Stolen Vehicles, Arson, Theft, 

and Burglary (which includes residential, 

commercial and burglary from vehicles). 

There are part Two crimes that we count, 

but for this report I selected crimes that 

directly impact our neighborhoods quality 

of life and they are Drug Offenses and 

Prostitution. 

For this report I used the last 4 years 

from 2008 to 2011 as a comparison. It 

is important to know that the Black 

Mountain Precinct opened in August 

continued on page 26 

This report is based on Uniform Crime Reporting 

(UCR) criteria which are not equivalent to Arizona 

Revised Statutes (ARS) statistics and therefore 

this data cannot be directly compared to ARS 

reports. Under the hierarchy rule of UCR, only the 

most severe offense of an incident is counted. Part 

One property crimes include motor vehicle theft, 

burglary, arson, and theft/larceny. Part One violent 

crimes include criminal homicide, forcible rape, 

robbery, and aggravated assault. Aggravated assaults 

are counted by victim. Only select Part II crimes 

(drug and prostitution related offenses) are included 

in this report; additional Part II offenses are not 

included. Numbers may differ from other published 

reports due to case updates/reclassifications and/or 

to differences associated with unfounded incidents. 

UCR data excludes unfounded cases if the incident 

and the unfound occurred in the same month. However, 

if the incident and the unfound occurred in different 

months, then the removal of the unfounded 

cases will not be reflected in the data. Any reports 

with missing or incorrect information would not be 

properly depicted in this report. Any listed crimes 

that do not appear in this report had a count of 0 for 

the time period indicated. Grid, beat, and precinct 

boundaries changed effective August 23, 2010. Information 

in this report is based on these boundaries 

regardless of when the incident occurred. 

12 



2011 Neighborhood Statistical Information 

Officer Tim Mitten 





I 

am asked many times 

about statistics for 

neighborhoods. Some 

of you may have read 

a recent article I wrote 

about the 2011 Black 

Mountain Precincts Statistics. 

These numbers for your specific 

neighborhood are part of those numbers. 

I have included that explanation 

about these statistics in this article as 

well so that if this is the first time you 

have seen these types of numbers you 

can be educated about how we count 

them. The Phoenix Police Department 

is in the process of revising its online 

crime stats for the public to view and 

as soon as that is launched I will let 

everyone know. 

The Phoenix Police Department 

reports our official statistics according 

to the Uniform Reporting Criteria 

(UCR) which are not equivalent 

to Arizona Revised Statutes (ARS) 

statistics or another other types. Under 

the hierarchy rule of UCR, only the 

most severe offense of an incident 

Pinnacle Peak Rd. to Loop 101 Freeway and 36th St. to 56th St. 

Does not include Desert Ridge Mall area. 

Type of Crime 2008 2009 2010 2011 

Homicide 0 0 0 0 

Sexual Assault 0 1 0 0 

Robbery 2 1 5 2 

Aggravated Assault 2 8 4 3 

Violent Crime Total 4 10 9 5 

Burglary 122 94 68 105 

Theft 192 133 117 108 

Auto Theft 21 13 3 9 

Arson 0 0 0 2 

Property Crime Total 335 240 188 224 

Total Crimes 339 250 197 229 

This report is based on Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) criteria which are not equivalent to Arizona 

Revised Statutes (ARS) statistics and therefore this data cannot be directly compared to ARS reports. Under 

the hierarchy rule of UCR, only the most severe offense of an incident is counted. Part One property crimes 

include motor vehicle theft, burglary, arson, and theft/larceny. Part One violent crimes include criminal homicide, 

forcible rape, robbery, and aggravated assault. Aggravated assaults are counted by victim. Numbers may 

differ from other published reports due to case updates/reclassifications and/or to differences associated with 

unfounded incidents. UCR data excludes unfounded cases if the incident and the 

unfounded occurred in the same month. However, if the incident and the unfound occurred in different 

months, then the removal of the unfounded cases will not be reflected in the data. Any reports with missing 

or incorrect information would not be properly depicted in this report. Any listed crimes that do not appear in 

this report had a count of 0 for the time period indicated. New precinct, squad, beat and grid boundaries were 

implemented on August 23, 2010, and data in this report reflects the new grid boundaries as if they existed for 

the entire time period. 

is counted, so if there is a Homicide 

after a Burglary, only the Homicide is 

counted. There are 4 Part One Violent 

Crimes that are counted and they are 

Homicide, Forcible Rape, Robbery and 

Aggravated Assault (counted individually 

by victim). There are 4 Part One 

Property Crimes that are counted and 

they are Stolen Vehicles, Arson, Theft, 

and Burglary (which includes residential, 

commercial and burglary from 

vehicles). 

If anybody has any questions about 

these statistics or on any other matter, 

please contact me at 602-495-5238 or 

at tim.mitten@phoenix.gov. Thank you 

for your support in partnering with the 

Phoenix Police Department to improve 

the safety and quality of life in your 

neighborhood. 



operation 

HEROIN 

By Kathy Crawford 

Communications Committee 


The officers of our Black Mountain Precinct are dedicated 

to providing great service to us acting to prevent, 

suppress and solve crimes. One of the ways they are doing 

this is to educated the community and provide community 

collaboration and partnerships regarding crime suppression 

efforts. The goal is to create a comprehensive program using 

their resources, partners and the community to reduce heroin 

use and burglaries within the northern part of the valley. 

There has been an alarming increase in the number of young 

adults using heroin. It is increasing because it is cheaper 

than cocaine, oxycotin and methamphetamine. Sadly, 

people quickly get addicted to heroin and serious abuse can 

lead to death. 

A steering committee is being established comprised of 

concerned citizens living in the community. Two of your 

board members are on the this committee. This committee 

will be made aware of the current trends regarding heroin 

abuse, how this leads to burglaries and victimizing many in 

the community and the downward spiral of the quality of 

life of those addicted and their families. The committee will 

meet monthly and the goal is to keep the police department 

grounded and focused, making sure the concerns and needs 

of the community are met. 

There are three phases to this project. 

Phase one is prevention and education and will be led by 

Sgt. Jamie Rothschild. Phase two is intervention which is 

also led by Sgt. Rothschild and Phase three is intelligence 

and investigations which will be led by both Sgt. Mike Gurry 

and Sgt. Greg Dykstra. 

There are many partners in this operation including police 

departments in other parts of the Valley as well as external 

partnerships such as MCSO and Partnership for a Drug Free 

America to name a few. 

We commend the Police Department for spearheading this 

operation and will keep our Desert Ridge Community up to 

date as the program evolves. 

14 



Neighborhood 

P a t r o l S u c c e s s 

Our 





As many of you know, we had some 

robberies in our neighborhoods that 

brought the Board to the conclusion that 

we should add some off duty patrol to our 

neighborhoods. Right after the December 

2011 inception of our patrol, we had 

another robbery attempt that was foiled 

by this patrol. 

We interviewed the neighbor who was 

robbed: 

Q: Where were you when the 

robbery took place? 

A: I was near Mayo Clinic for a 

medical appointment and was having 

lunch with a friend waiting for my appointment. 

My phone rang and it was 

my daughter in law asking “ have the 

police contacted you? Your house has 

been broken into.” I don’t know how 

they found my son and daughter in law. 

She said they want you to come home 

to check the jewelry they stole. 

Q: How did the robber get into 

your house? 

A: He tried my gate and it wasn’t 

locked. That was my error. He broke my 

side window and came into the house. 

The police waited until he came out so 

they could catch him with the stolen 

property. 

Q: What did he take? 

A: He only took the gold jewelry. 

Q: How did the police find out about it? 

A: The truck he was driving was parked 

on the next street and the neighbor 

recognized it and called the police. I am 

very thankful that my neighbor did that 

and that the police were on duty in the 

area. The police found out that the robber 

was going door to door asking about 

his lost dog. He came back to my house 

and entered the backyard. He went to 

the bedroom, found my jewelry. As he 

left the house, the police apprehended 

him and he tried to make a run for it but 

there was a scuffle and they caught him. 

Coffee Club Schedule 

Tuesdays at 9 a.m. 

June 12 & August 14 

DRCA Office, 20860 N. Tatum Blvd., Suite 360 

Please look for your Coffee Club email reminder. 

Q: How do you feel now about the 

extra patrol that we have put into our 

Desert Ridge Neighborhoods? 

A: I am very thankful that the board 

instituted the off duty police officer 

program. I doubt the robber would have 

been caught without the extra patrol. 

Q: Anything you would like to add? 

A: I greatly appreciate the police 

officers and all they do to protect us and 

our property. 

NEW DATES 

UPCOMING BOARD 

MEETINGS 

Board Meetings are held 

on the 4th Wednesday of 

each month at CityNorth 

n 

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 

Wednesday, June 27, 2012 

Wednesday, July 25, 2012 

n 

All Open Session Board Meetings 

6:00 p.m. 

Executive session will follow. 

CityCenter of CityNorth 

5350 East High Street, Suite 109 




uNDERSTANDING 

Design Review 

by Terrance Smith 

Community General Manager 


The Desert Ridge Community Association Design 

Review Committee (Desert Ridge DRC) is tasked 

with the responsibilities of ensuring uniformity, compatibility, 

consistency, harmony, and maintaining the 

intended aesthetics appeal and/or designs throughout the 

entire community. 

The Desert Ridge DRC 

submission and approval 

process is applicable to 

all unit/lot owners and 

sub-associations within 

Desert Ridge, wishing to 

install or make exterior 

architectural, landscape, 

and structural changes to 

their unit/lot. 

For homeowners living within a sub-association neighborhood 

that has an architectural review committee (ARC), 

the submission process will ordinarily begin with your subassociation 

ARC. If your submission is approved by the 

sub-association ARC you will be advised in your approval 

decision letter as to whether you will need to also obtain a 

2nd tier approval from the Desert Ridge DRC before you 

can commence with your improvements. 

For those homeowners that do not live within a subassociation 

that has an ARC, the submission process will 

start with the Desert Ridge DRC. Please contact the 

Desert Ridge Community Association, Valerie Oliver, 

at 480-551-4559 or via email at voliver@rossmar.com 

should you have any questions or need assistance with 

your DRC submission request. 

It is our goal to assist you throughout the process to 

ensure your submission request is reviewed in accordance 

with the Governing Documents of both the respective 

sub-association ARC (if applicable) and master association 

DRC. 

“Mom, 

Do I Really 

Have to Wear 

a Mouth 

guard?” 

by Dr. Nolan E. cordon 

Getting our children to wear a mouth guard during physical 

activities can be challenging to a parent. Most often, 

we think of mouth guards for “contact” sports such as football, 

boxing or hockey. However, there is incidental contact in 

many other activities such as biking, baseball, softball, basketball, 

skateboarding and soccer that also can lead to trauma to 

your teeth, jaw joints, tongue and lips. One of the most severe 

dental trauma cases I have personally seen occurred in a scooter 

accident. Unfortunately, dental injuries can be painful, permanent 

and costly to repair. The good news is that many mouth 

injuries can be avoided by proper use of a mouth guard. The 

American Dental Association has estimated that mouth guards 

prevent approximately 200,000 injuries in high school and 

collegiate sports alone. 

When considering types of mouth guards, remember that unless 

the mouth guard is comfortable and well fitted, it is much 

less likely to be worn. Different types of mouth guards include 

“boil and bite” mouth guards that are available at most sporting 

goods stores and custom mouth guards that can be fabricated 

by your family dentist. I recommend talking with your family 

dentist to discuss the type of mouth guard that will work best in 

your situation. 

Dr. Nolan E. Cordon is a specialist in Orthodontics for children, teens and adults 

and has been providing care for patients in the Desert Ridge area since 1999. 

16 



ASSOCIATION 

Desert Ridge Community 

Association................................... 480.551.4300 

After Hours Emergency............... 602.336.2700 

PUBLIC SERVICES 

Phoenix Water Department 

M-F 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m..................... 602.262.6251 

Weekends, Holidays, after 5 p.m..602.261.8000 


Non-Emergency Crime Stop....... 602.262.6151 

Phoenix Public Works 

Trash/Recycling............................ 602.262.7251 

Parks Forestry Department 

Downed Trees in Right of Way... 602.262.9440 

Malfunctioning Traffic Signals.. 602.262.6021 

Streets/Street Sweeping.............. 602.262.6441 

Southwest Gas 

Customer Service......................... 602.861.1999 

APS 

24 hour line .................................. 602.371.7171 

(Includes Street Light Outtage) 

Cox Communications................. 623.594.1000 

Qwest Communications............. 800.244.1111 

Green Pools.................................. 602.506.6616 

Maricopa County 

it’s so cool in here, 

you’ll be blown away 

“MIM is my favorite 

museum in the world. 

Everyone needs to 

see it.” 

—Tony Bennett 

Visit MIM where you’ll hear, see, and feel the creative spirit 

of people from around the world playing their instruments. 

MIM. The most extraordinary 

museum you’ll ever hear. ® 

MUSICAL INSTRUMENT MUSEUM 

theMIM.org | 480.478.6000 | Open Daily 

Corner of Tatum & Mayo Blvds., just south of Loop 101 

Advertise Your business in the Desert Ridge Lifestyles Magazine. 

To reserve your placement in the next issue, call 480-551-4553. 

SCHOOLS 

Wildfire Elementary.................... 602.449.4300 

Principal, Dr. Troy Bales 

tbales@pvschools.net 

Desert Trails Elementary........... 602.449.4100 

Principal, Mrs. Kristin Lee 

klee@pbschools.net 

Explorer Middle School.............. 602.449.4200 

Principal, Mrs. Marianne Bursi 

mbursi@pvschools.net 

Pinnacle High School................. 602.449.4000 

Principal, Mr. Jason Reynolds 

jreynolds@pvschools.net 

Attendance Line 

602.449.4001 

Health Center 

602.449.4003 



Events at Desert Ridge Marketplace 

District Stage performance times are from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. 

Barnes & Noble Area performance times are from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. 

MAY 2012 

Fri. 18 

Sat. 19 

Sat. 19 

The Pursuaders 

(Original Alternative Band) District Stage 

Leah and Stephanie 

(Acoustic Easy Listening Duo) AMC Fountain Area 

Peppermint James 

(Original and Top 40 Alternative Band) District Stage 

Scott & John of Hello Swindon 

(Guitar and Percussion Duo) AMC Fountain Area 

be FASHIONABLY inspired Fashion Show 

5pm at the District Stage- Be the first to see the 

new summer lines from some of your favorite 

Desert Ridge Marketplace retailers! The first 

300 people who attend will receive a FREE goodie 

bag and everyone will have the chance to win 

awesome prizes! www.shopdesertridge/fashion 

Thur. 24 Shred-a-Thon 

7am-Noon (or until trucks are at capacity) in the 

parking lot south of Albertsons near Wolfey’s 

Neighborhood Grill. Bring any unneeded personal/ 

financial documents you wish to have safely shredded. 

Shred up to 5 boxes (or bags) of documents for FREE! 

Fri. 25 

Sat. 26 

Kenny Love and the Rockerfellers 

(Americana Swing Band) District Stage 

Mark Zubia 

(Indie Guitarist) AMC Fountain Area 

Raun Alosi Band 

(Original and Cover Blues Band) District Stage 

Tony Putrino (Accordionist Extraordinaire) 

AMC Fountain Area 

Fri. 1 

Sat. 2 

Fri. 8 

Sat. 9 

Fri. 15 

Jake Dean & The Granting 

(Original Alternative Band) 

Melanie & Van 

(Acoustic Adult Contemporary Duo) 


Ratio 

(Funk, Soul, Jazz and R&B Band) District Stage 

Scott & John of Hello Swindon 

(Guitar and Percussion Duo) AMC Fountain Area 

Zimis 

(Original Alternative and Top 40 Cover Band) 

District Stage 

Colton Avery 

(Indie Singer Songwriter) AMC Fountain Area 

Knee Deep Experience 

(Funk, Soul, R&B Band) District Stage 

Legendary Blues singer Hans Olson 

(Blues Singer/Songwriter) AMC Fountain Area 

Los Guys featuring Mark Zubia 

(Original Alternative Band) District Stage 

David & Amy of Peppermint James 

(Acoustic Duo) AMC Fountain Area 

JUNE 2012 

Sat. 16 Hello Swindon 

(High Energy Original Alternative Band) 


Tony Putrino (Accordionist Extraordinaire) 


Fri. 22 

Sat. 23 

Fri. 29 

Sat. 30 

Come Back Buddy 

(Buddy Holly Tribute, 50’s 60’s Cover Band) 


Lawrence Zubia (Indie Singer Songwriter Guitarist) 


Night Groove 

(Top 40 Cover Band) District Stage 

Adam & Andrea 

(Acoustic Contemporary Duo) AMC Fountain Area 

Think Horses 

(Original Alternative and Cover Band) District Stage 

Grady Sione 

(Easy Listening Keyboard Player) AMC Fountain Area 

Brazen Heads 

(Original Irish Celtic Band) District Stage 

Stephanie Light 

(Indie Singer Songwriter) AMC Fountain Area 

18 



ThE DEFINITIoN 

The word app is a noun, and it’s short for “application.” 

Application in this case refers to a software application — 

in other words, a software program. But an app is not just 

any old software program — it’s a special type of software 

program. An app typically refers to software used on a 

smartphone or mobile device such as the Android, iPhone, 

BlackBerry or iPad, as in “mobile app” or “iphone app.” 

So what’s your favorite? 

DRcA boARD FAVoRITES 

Pandora n Google n Amazon n Apple Store n Gmail 

Find Phone n Flashlight n Sound Cloud n MLB.com 

SF 49ers n WatchESPN n Zappos n iTunes 

Hotels.com n Rhapsody n Vybe n Winery Finder 

Wine Spectator VintageChart n Wine.com n Score Center 

Fidelity.com n Wells Fargo n iHeartRadio n Soundhound 

Sirius XM n TuneIn Radio n Jango Radio Mobile 

NPR Music n Flipboard n eBay n Starbucks 

Shazam n MLB.com At Bat n Red Laser 

PayPal n Disney Parks n Crazy Birds 

Nike+GPS n ARMLS n DocuSign 

Gas Buddy n Bump It n Evernote 

QuickOffice n Adobe Reader n Pages n Numbers 

Keynote n Printer Pro n Dropbox n SugarSync 

Box n ARMLS n Epicurious n Amazon 

DRcA STAFF FAVoRITES 

Words with Friends n eBay n HBO GO n Wordfeud 

Moviefone n Redbox n Facebook n Shazam n Starbucks 

Poker n Crackle n NFL network n Groupon 

Habitat 

for Humanity 

by Alyssia Saxton 

Lifestyles Coordinator 


In today’s economy, especially the Real Estate market, the 

average person wouldn’t think to build a new house due 

to the costs involved. So what about those who can’t even 

afford to buy a house? How do we help those who are in need 

of a place to call “Home?” 

There is one non-profit organization that can help! Habitat for 

Humanity of Central Arizona (HFHCAZ), a Christian-based 

organization that builds affordable homes in partnership with families 

in need since 1985. As an independent non-profit organization 

of Central Arizona and an affiliate of Habitat for Humanity 

International, their funding comes from local contributions and 

partnerships and bring together individuals and groups, faith communities, 

educational institutions, corporations, and the community 

to work and help eliminate sub-standard housing. The core 

of their mission is Home Sponsorship. Home Sponsorship can be 

done in many ways like individual donations whether it is cash 

gifts, property or even stock. It can also be done at a corporate 

level. It is also a great way to team build and have group volunteers 

make a difference together. Camp Habitat was created just 

for that where groups of volunteers can work together side-by-side 

with the homeowners. Thanks to the successful partnerships 

between volunteers, qualified families and donors, HFHCAZ 

has built, renovated and repaired over 825 homes in the metro 

Phoenix area. Their goal for 2012 is to build 100 homes. 

Ron McKee a homeowner of Desert Ridge and Board of Directors 

President of Belle Monte has contributed 3 years of service to HF- 

HCAZ. He serves as a “Team Leader” on the Saturday volunteer 

group and supervises, encourages, and motivates the volunteers. 

He is contributing to his 11th house and 3rd renovation. He and 

his wife both serve the HFHCAZ as volunteers in addition to running 

their own business. Ron became involved with HFHCAZ 

through his church. His least favorite duty when volunteering 

is painting but he enjoys every bit of volunteering and helping 

families. 

Their Corporate Office is in Peoria and their website is www. 

habitatcaz.org where you can learn more about Habitat for 

Humanity, where their current volunteer location is and how 

to sign-up as an individual volunteer or as a group. 



by offi cer Tim Mitten 

Community Action Offi cer 



I 

attend many community meetings and interact with numerous 

residents in the communities I serve and one of the 

more prevalent concerns brought to my attention, usually 

right after burglaries or thefts is traffic issues. As police officers 

we are responsible for a myriad of issues and problems in our 

communities but when it comes to improving the quality of 

life for our citizens, traffic matters! 

We all have a responsibility as drivers of motor vehicles 

to be watchful for other vehicles, pedestrians, bicyclists and any 

other obstacles or vehicles in or near the roadway. Children 

who may be walking or riding their bikes to school present 

many issues for drivers. Drivers should take extra precautions 

while driving in the morning and afternoons where schools 

are located and their surrounding neighborhoods. It is difficult 

Desert Ridge/North Phoenix 

30012 N. Cave Creek Rd., #102 

Cave Creek, AZ 85331 

(480) 563-8926 

CORDON 

ORTHODONTICS.COM 

Creating Smiles Since 1996 

Nolan E. Cordon, DMD, MS, PC 

Orthodontic Specialist for Children, Teens & Adults 

Invisalign, Braces and Clear Braces 

Complimentary Consultation 

0% Interest Payment Plans 

Most Dental Insurance Accepted 

Visit us on the Web: 

www.cordonorthodontics.com 

Anthem 

42201 N. 41st Dr., #160 

Anthem, AZ 85086 

(623) 465-5478 

to watch for children while you are driving if you are on your 

cell phone, or being distracted by other occupants in the car. 

Drivers also need to obey the speed limits, especially in school 

zones. School zone speed limits are a zero tolerance area for 

speed violations and anybody stopped for violating the speed 

in a school zone will be cited. Your vehicle must be going 15 

MPH as it enters the school zone at the first sign and stay at 

15 MPH until your entire vehicle passes the crosswalk in the 

school zone. 

Speeding and cut through traffic in residential neighborhoods is 

a widespread problem and is not more common in one area or 

another. To address this issue I attempt a two pronged approach 

of education and then enforcement, which can be a type of 

education. We try various educational methods such as newsletters, 

presentations and more to let people know that this has 

been brought to our attention and that we will address the issue 

by attempting to get drivers to slow down and stop by allowing 

them the opportunity to change their behavior. Vast majorities 

of the time, the ones speeding through the area are residents of 

that area and even some times the resident who contacts us and 

informs us of the problem is also caught speeding. 

As officers are out on patrol and driving to and from calls or 

doing other tasks, most drivers obey the traffic laws since they 

see a police car. It is when there is no marked police vehicle in 

sight is when most drivers will drive a little faster than normal, 

not stop at stop signs or maybe rush to make it through a light 

that is changing. We cannot be everywhere and it is everyone’s 

responsibility to drive safely at all times. I understand 

everyone is busy with work, school, kids, and the many other 

things that our lives entail but good driving is a habit that 

needs to be done at all times. The consequences can be very 

costly financially if you are issued a citation or are the cause of 

a wreck and also very costly emotionally if you injure or kill 

another person due to bad driving. 

If everyone takes a few moments to slow down and obey the 

traffic laws, we can avoid many accidents. So, please slow 

down, watch for children and be safe. If you have a speed 

complaint, the City of Phoenix Traffic Complaint hotline 

is 602-534-SPEED (7733). I can be reached at tim.mitten@ 

phoenix.gov or at 602-495-5238 if you have any questions or 

concerns about this or any other issues. 

20 


school news 

Popular Middle School Excels 

In Solving Traffic Challenges Too! 

By Marianne Bursi 

Principal 

Explorer Middle School 

Explorer Middle School’s Science, 

Technology, Engineering, and Math 

signature program attracts students 

from all corners of the valley creating 

new traffic challenges for this Arizona 

Excelling School, rated an “A” on the 

state’s new labeling system and a “10” 

on Greatschools.net. 

Just eight years ago, Explorer’s enrollment 

was approximately 500 students 

and was considered a traditional middle 

school in the valley. Today, this cuttingedge 

technology school has attracted 

over 400 students on Open Enrollment 

for the 2012-2013 school year, approximately 

50% of the school’s total enrollment 

of 800 students. Open enrolled 

families are responsible for transporting 

their students to and from school each 

day, which creates a tremendous amount 

of traffic in the school parking lots and 

adjacent streets and neighborhoods. 

The Saguaro Blossom neighborhood, 

which is located directly north of the 

school, has been impacted the most 

by the swelling traffic challenges at 

Explorer. Understandably, the residents 

of Saguaro Blossom expressed their 

safety concerns to the school about the 

high volume of traffic coming in and 

out of the neighborhood each day, and 

proposed a variety of suggestions for the 

school district to consider. 

Following a series of meetings with 

representatives from Explorer, the 

Paradise Valley Unified School District, 

Saguaro Blossom neighborhood, 

Desert Ridge Community Association, 

City of Phoenix, Phoenix Police Department, 

and ADM Group architects, a 

comprehensive plan was developed by 

district architects and approved by the 

committee. 

The plan increases the parking available 

for parent drop-off and pick-up at the 

school. New signs posted by the City 

of Phoenix will restrict any cars from 

parking, stopping, or standing along the 

streets in the Saguaro Blossom neighborhood 

during the peak start and end 

times of the school day. The comprehensive 

plan includes moving the bus 

loading zone from the west side of the 

school to the south parking lot, which 

was the original bus loading zone when 

the school was built in 1997. The extensive 

driveway area west of the school 

will be transformed over the summer by 

the school district’s facilities department 

into a two-lane drop-off pick-up zone, 

similar to the system designed efficiently 

at airports. The north parking lot will 

continue to be used as an additional 

area for student drop-off and pick-up. 

The Paradise Valley Unified School 

District is funding the improvements to 

the school campus and Explorer’s school 

administration and staff fully support 

the plan and are both optimistic and 

confident that the improvements will 

completely eliminate the need to use 

the Saguaro Blossom neighborhood as 

a drop-off and pick-up location. 

The school will be providing extensive 

communication to incoming seventh 

and eighth graders and their parents 

about the new comprehensive plans 

to relieve traffic congestion during the 

peak drop-off and pick-up times at the 

school, and to make parents aware that 

the Saguaro Blossom neighborhood is 

no longer to be used for student drop-off 

and pick-up. 

A new beginning to the school year 

will require everyone to get on board 

with the new parking changes. Change 

calls for positive attitudes and patience 

that support the cooperative partnership 

formed between Explorer Middle 

School and the residents of the Saguaro 

Blossom community. New parking 

habits and fresh attitudes will replace 

old patterns of behavior and together we 

can all join Explorer MS in excelling in 

one more area of accomplishment. 


artistic expressions over time. This April 2012 to mee 

families keep alive their culture and month from Octo 

Pottery explores how Hopi pottery Come on the thir 

ingha. Elegance from Earth: Hopi ing a new show, In 

ingha and sons Arlo and Michael Nam- 

The Heard Museu 

of three Hopi men: father Dan Nam- 

Contest. 

2012, showcases the generational art World Champion 

and Sculpture, opening February 25, sporting events, th 

and art. Namingha Family Paintings one of Indian Cou 

feature more traditional Indian artists success. And of co 

Two exhibits opening in spring 2012 building upon mo 

on display through September 3, 2012. est Indian market 

opens November 19, 2011, and will be Indian Fair & Ma 

home the companion book. Bolo Ties artists, while the H 

enjoy seeing the collection and bringing a chance to indulg 

Specialized marke 

lar culture and Western Americana will 

and students of both popu- 

tivals, and this sea 

in popularity, 

Heard is also 

elry genre. The bolo tie is growing again The 

about this d 

mainstay of the American Indian jew- 

learn 

oth 

tive to the traditional tie has become a in tears, while 

tour th 

as the bola tie, the distinctive alterna- 

Many who 

Artistry. Also Contemporary and Indian the “kill to known 

Vintage 

Ties: Bolo American Native board 

faraway into 

the 

tie, from bolo removed the neckwear, exhibit the in 

offi when Arizona’s about more learn Also, child 

cial Indian 

Heard. be to sure exhibit. 

exhib 

much-discussed This a 

enteri is perience, Arizona the for time is and Centennial, 

The Days: School ence in just 2012, 11, February opens 

Rememb 

exhibits, Experi- 

Apache The Geronimo: Beyond 

popu most Heard’s around grown has that mythology him. 

sculpture 

woman 

and man the explore will that hibit the 

c tribal traditional 

groundbreaking a of subject the ex- 

new 

artists and textiles 

the imo, be will leader, Apache famed 

every 

featuring its 

Geron- 

icon. American an on spotlight 

several miss Don’t 

and Cultures Native the turn will Art 

Ma opens exhibit of Museum Heard the season, This 

culTuRE & ARTS 

2012 ThEATER coNcERT SchEDulE 

Purchase tickets online at www.theMIM.org, in person at MIM, or by calling the MIM Ticket offi ce at 480.478.6000. 

For the most updated event information, please visit our website at www.theMIM.org. 

Musical Instrument Museum Music Theater, 4725 E. Mayo blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85050 

Programming subject to change 

Season 

Highlights 

geoff Tate unplugged 

Sunday, June 3 

7 p.m. 

Tickets: $27-35 

Geoff Tate, lead singer of the band 

Queensrÿche, is touring with a handful 

of acoustic solo shows, performing renditions 

of songs from his solo album along 

with some of his favorite Queensrÿche 

songs. 

Ramsey Lewis 

Thursday, June 14 

7 p.m. 

Thursday, June 14 

9 p.m. 

Tickets: $30-50 

Jazz musician Ramsey Lewis is well 

known for his gospel-infl ected style, 

which melds well with his classical 

training. From piano studies as a preschooler 

to gigging around his native 

Chicago in his teens and then leading 

his fi rst trio, Lewis focused signifi cantly 

on jazz, yet it never replaced his affi n- 

ity for classical and gospel music. 

father’s Day 

Sunday, June 17th 

10 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Tickets: Free with museum admission 

Activities to include live indoor performances 

from father/son or father/ 

daughter music duos, live painting by 

local artist Such Styles and his son 

Champ, and specials on beer in The 

Café at MIM and Coffee Shop. 

Céu 

Tuesday, June 19 

7 p.m. 

Tickets: $35-$45 

The latest in a great tradition of 

Brazilian singer-songwriters, CéU 

combines Afro-beat, soul, and 

electro-jazz with a voice of 

unforgettable beauty. 

Country Music Day 

Saturday, June 30th 

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Tickets: Free with museum admission 

Activities to include live indoor country 

music performances, spotlights on 

country musicians and their exhibits in 

MIM, an educational talk, and themed 

food and beverages available for purchase 

in The Café at MIM and Coffee 

Shop. 

22 


culture & arts 

Desert Ridge 

Home to Arizona 

School of Dance 

“Little Stars” class performing Polka. 

By Katya Hughes 

Owner/Instructor 

Arizona School of Dance 

Have you ever watched ABC’s “Dancing 

with the Stars,” and admired 

the great costumes, exciting music, and 

beautiful dancers? With the growing U.S. 

popularity of Ballroom dance, boys and 

girls can now experience the joy of this 

up-and-coming genre. 

Born in Russia, I started dancing at the 

age of 5. Dance was my life – rehearsals, 

competitions, costumes, and soon the 

opportunity to teach my own students. 

My mother started a dance school 

simply so that I would have a place to 

dance, and now it is one of the most successful 

dance studios in Russia with over 

250 students. I moved to the US on 

an academic scholarship and launched 

a very successful career at one of the 

largest corporate aerospace companies. 

The discipline, leadership and continuous 

strive for improvement I acquired 

during my dance years have helped me 

tremendously in every aspect of life. 

After my daughter was born, I returned 

to what I was meant to do - share my 

love for dance and passion for teaching 

with the residents of Arizona and their 

kids. 

Dance and Kids 

It is rewarding to watch my students, 3 

to 9 year old boys and girls, make their 

first steps in dance, exploring the world 

of music, movement, creativity and 

self-expression. It is an exciting journey, 

which challenges their physical, 

emotional and social skills. Great for 

exercise and a wonderful way to spend 

hot summer days, dance prepares kids 

for any type of future activities by building 

focus, drive and self-confidence. 

Ballroom Dance 

There are two official programs of Ballroom 

Dance: Standard (Waltz, Tango, 

Viennese Waltz, Foxtrot and Quickstep) 

and Latin (Samba, Cha-Cha-Cha, 

Rumba, Paso Doble and Jive). To get 

children prepared for these or any 

other dance styles, the initial goal is to 

develop their sense of rhythm, coordination, 

and ability to follow instructions 

through fun, simple and engaging Kid 

Dances. You can find pictures of the 

classes for children as well as professional 

dancers at www.azschoolofdance.com. 

I am excited that the home of Arizona 

School of Dance is Desert Ridge – a 

growing, family-friendly community, 

where I live and teach. 



23

OUR RESOURCES 

Brave New World of TV 

By John Rondthaler 

As many readers may already know, 

technology companies have been 

looking into the TV business, including 

Phoenix-based Intel, the Wall 

Street Journal reported. But this is not 

a new venture for Intel; in fact, Intel 

has been investigating the TV business 

since 2008. According to the Wall 

Street Journal’s sources, Intel would sell 

a Web-connected set-top box capable 

of streaming TV and video-on-demand 

programming. Consumers would still 

need to have their own Internet service 

however. 

As far as what may be driving the interest, 

research shows that American consumers 

have been watching less TV for 

some time now (New York Times). Less 

TV perhaps, but that doesn’t mean the 

consumer isn’t watching TV content; it 

just means he or she is watching it over 

the Internet, on his or her computer. 

The recent shift in consumer behavior 

has opened up huge doors for the 

technology industry. For example, 

Google-owed You Tube is reported to 

be investing another $100m in the new 

venture and will be adding 25 hours of 

fresh programming a day, as reported 

by MediaWeek. 

But the first Google TV products 

bombed with consumers, hindered by 

immature devices and a lack of compelling 

content. It remains to be seen 

whether Intel or any other company 

will succeed in launching a virtual 

cable operation. Current cable, satellite 

and telecommunications companies 

already pay nearly $38 billion per year 

to license TV channels. Any upstart 

would certainly have to pay higher 

costs because lesser operators often 

have to pay more per subscriber. 

So why is Intel interested in the TV 

consumer business and how does it 

benefit the consumer. I’ll address the 

latter first and then tell you why (I 

believe) Intel has a special interest 

on the set-top box business. 

Top five potential benefits to 

consumers of a virtual cable provider: 

1. More competition means lower 

prices to the consumer. 

2. TV à la carte – only the programming 

you want. 

3. Access to bigger and better Internetonly 

content. (Not that the consumer 

doesn’t have that today, but 

the quality will be much better due 

to standards-based set-top boxes.) 

4. Individualized advertising based on 

your social media preferences – that 

means you receive specific offers to 

the goods and services you use. 

5. Ease of use – For instance, accessibility 

features added for blind users, 

such that scrolling menus would 

talk aloud. We are talking TV on 

steroids (TV 2.0). 

As far as why Intel is interested in the 

consumer set-top box business – that’s 

simple: The death of the consumer PC. 

PC sales are down and future sales are 

expected decline. Intel is now looking 

forward; it wants to move the PC into 

the set-top box, where it belongs. 

John Rondthaler has managed some of the most widely recognized networks in 

America, and is a consultant to small and medium size business (SMB) and 

other industry professionals. He can be reached at jcr@itcloudlink.com or you 

can view his Facebook page, www.facebook.com/itcloudlink. 

24 


New openings 

Desert Ridge Marketplace Announces 

an Impressive List of New Tenants 

“We are happy to announce we have half a dozen new retailers opening their doors between now and this 

summer” said Denise Hart, vice president of marketing for Vestar. “We are thrilled to have so many 

exciting new tenants to add to Desert Ridge’s great mix of entertainment, dining and shopping options.” 

Pebbles Swimwear 

Now Open in the 

District near Slices 

http://pebblesswimwear.com/ 

480-686-8960 

SMashburger 

Now Open in the Food Court 

within the District next 

to Rubio’s 

http://www.smashburger.com 

Café Zupas 

Opening this summer. Located 

in the District across from 

Island’s Fine Burgers & Drinks 

http://www.zupas.com 

Pebbles Swimwear offers fashionable 

designer swimwear to fit every “body”. 

Brand name swimwear for women, girls, 

children and men. Cover-ups, shoes, 

hats and accessories for women. 

Sports Authority 

Now Open, located 

between Office Max and DSW 

http://www.sportsauthority.com 

(888) 566-5487 

Smashburger is the nation’s fastest 

growing “better burger restaurant”. 

Smashburger’s burgers are smashed 

fresh, served delicious along with tasty 

chicken sandwiches, grilled and split 

hot dogs, fresh salads and a variety 

of irresistible sides. 

Crazy 8 

Now Open located in the 

District next to American Eagle 

http://www.crazy8.com 

(480) 563-1690 

Café Zupas specializes in gourmet 

soups, salads, and sandwiches using 

fresh and exotic ingredients in 

a fast-casual setting. 

Charming Charlie 

Opening this Summer. 

Located in the District 

next to Dave & Busters 

http://www.charmingcharlie.com/ 

Sports Authority is a one-stop resource 

where customers can easily find the 

sporting apparel and equipment they 

need. Stores feature top name brands 

including Nike, Under Armour, 

Adidas, The North Face, 

TaylorMade and many more. 

Crazy 8 is the newest addition to the 

Gymboree Corporation’s family of 

brands. Crazy 8 offers fashionable outfits 

at a great value for girls 

and boys sizes 0 to 14. 

Through a unique blend of fun, style, 

color and affordability, Charming Charlie 

helps shoppers pull together their 

look through the key finishing touchesearrings, 

necklaces, bracelets, 

handbags, scarves, belts...in a 

fun boutique environment. 



25

RESTAuRANT REVIEw 

SuShI STATIoN 

20910 N. Tatum blvd., Suite 150 


(480) 513-8699 l www.sushistation88.com 

hOuRS: Sunday-Thursday: 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. 

Friday & Saturday: 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. 

DINE IN oR TAkE ouT. 

MoRE FuN ThAN yuM! 

3 out of 5 stars 

As die hard sushi aficionados, this was a 

tough review for the Critics. To us, “fresh 

sushi” means eating it in the dive boat 

after its traveled 50 feet to the surface. 

However, we were a bit intrigued by the 

restaurant’s popular Japanese “Kaiten 

Sushi” concept, where food is served on 

conveyor belts that circle throughout the 

restaurant. We had thoroughly enjoyed 

this ready to eat concept at the Sushi 

Boat restaurant in the heart of China 

Town in San Francisco. 

Diners simply pick from the belts as 

food passes and are charged based upon 

the color of the plates. White = $1.50, 

Blue = $2.00, Purple = $3.00, Yellow = 

$4.00 and Black = $5.00. The majority 

of entrees were in the $1.50 - $3.00, but 

occasionally a higher priced item would 

appear. Prices are extremely reasonable 

and the sushi is commensurate with the 

price. 

Don’t see what you like? Afraid it’s been 

revolving a little too long? Just order what 

you’d like directly from the sushi chef. If 

you or someone in your party cannot eat 

raw fish, they have various dishes of fully 

cooked rolls, dumplings, salads, fruit, hand 

battered tempura and desserts. 

Service was excellent and all of the staff 

were very friendly. We tried a variety 

of appetizers, sushi, rolls and hand rolls. 

While everything tasted good, nothing 

was great. We kept looking for that one 

item that would knock our reader’s socks 

off, but it never came across the belt. 

Overall, we preferred the special rolls 

and can recommend the following: 

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT 

DELICIOUS 

RESTAURANTS 

IN THE 

DESERT 

RIDGE AREA 

Dragon Roll - Snow crab and avocado 

topped with eel sauce 

Tiger Roll - Snow crab and avocado 

topped with broiled shrimp 

Rainbow Roll - Snow crab and avocado 

topped with salmon, tuna and white 

tuna 

Tatum Roll - Crawfish, crabstick and 

avocado topped with snow crab and 

spicy sauce 

Las vegas Roll- Eel, crabstick, masago 

and cream cheese, deep fried and topped 

with eel sauce 

Desert Roll - Eel and avocado topped 

with spicy tuna, eel sauce and spicy 

mayonnaise sauce 

Sushi Station is a great restaurant for 

those who are budget conscious or new 

to sushi; however, “foodies” or serious 

aficionados will be more amused by the 

fun than impressed with the cuisine. 

2011 black Mountain Precinct Statistical Recap 

continued from page 12 

of 2010 so the information is based on 

the current precinct boundaries regardless 

of when the incidents occurred. So 

if a crime reported for 2008 was in the 

Desert Horizon Precinct and the new 

boundary includes that crime in Black 

Mountain Precinct, it is counted in the 

Black Mountain Precinct. I also have 

the statistics separated by the two squad 

areas in our precinct. There is a map 

of the Black Mountain Precinct so you 

can see the squad and precinct areas. 

As a whole, the City of Phoenix has 

been experiencing an all time low in 

crime rates. Both violent and property 

crime rates have been going down for 

the last decade. This is reflected in the 

crime counts in each precinct throughout 

the city. The City of Phoenix Police 

Department is currently working on 

a revamped web based public access 

crime statistics reporting system. This 

will allow anybody to go on our website 

and search crime stats by various types 

of areas. This is in progress and hopefully 

will be done very soon. I will let 

everyone know when this occurs so you 

may be able to get statistics yourselves. 

I believe you as a citizen have the right 

to be informed as to what is occurring 

in the city as it pertains to crime statistics. 

In the near future I will also be 

reporting these statistics to the various 

neighborhood associations throughout 

the precinct, breaking the statistics 

down even more. If anyone has any 

questions regarding these statistics or 

any other matter, please feel free to 

contact me at tim.mitten@phoenix.gov 

or at 602-495-5238. Thank you for your 

continued support of safety and your 

involvement in improving the quality 

of life in your neighborhoods. 

26 


DINING & ENTERTAINMENT 

DINING GuIDE 

DeSeRt RiDGe mARKetplACe 

bJ’S RESTAuRANT AND bREWHOuSE .....480.538.0555 

Serving Chicago-style pizza with generously portioned 

salads, sandwiches, soups, entrées & desserts. 

CAfé zuPAS ................................... (COMINg SOON) 

Café Zupas specializes in gourmet soups, salads and 

sandwiches using fresh and exotic ingredients in a 

fast-casual setting. The menu offers ten homemade 

soups, twelve exotic salads, seven Panini’s, and five 

Gourmet Sandwiches. In addition, the Café Zupas 

Drink Bar offers sixteen different types of soda, 

Crystal Light, and Italian Soda flavorings. 

CALIfORNIA PIzzA KITCHEN .................480.473.3336 

Authentic California-style cuisine! Try one of their 

hearth-baked pizzas such as The Original BBQ 

Chicken, Thai Chicken, and Jamaican Jerk Chicken, 

cooked in an open kitchen or indulge in distinctive 

pastas, salads, soups, appetizers and desserts. You can 

order online and curbside pickup is available. 

COLD STONE CREAMERY ......................480.585.7952 

From unique ice cream creations to smoothies, 

cakes and shakes – nobody serves up the ultimate 

indulgence like Cold Stone. It starts with using the 

highest quality ingredients and ends with our signature 

process for preparing your custom creation on a 

frozen granite stone. 

DAvE AND buSTER’S .............................. 480.538.8956 

The ultimate group entertainment destination 

with the best games, food, drinks, billiards, 

bowling, music, & video all under one roof! 

EINSTEIN bROS. bAgELS ........................ 480.585.3920 

Einstein Bros. is your Neighborhood Café with 

fresh-baked bagels, Darn Good Coffee® & Espresso, 

made-to-order sandwiches, and fresh salads. 

IN-N-OuT buRgER ................................. 480.563.9021 

Quality you can taste - classic made burgers, 

hand-diced french fries & creamy shakes. 

ISLANDS fINE buRgERS & DRINKS ........ 480.513.7231 

Gourmet burgers, Island fries, chicken sandwiches & 

fresh salads served in a casual, tropical atmosphere. 

THE KEg STEAKHOuSE & bAR................480.419.7772 

When it comes to steak, The Keg serves only the finest 

cuts. They are aged for tenderness and a very special 

blend of seasonings is added to lend unique flavor 

while still allowing the natural properties of the high 

quality. This ensures that a tender, succulent, flavorful 

steak is guaranteed off the grill every time. 

MACARONI gRILL .................................480.538.8755 

More than 35 Italian specialties prepared in an 

exhibition kitchen. Recipes are made with the finest 

ingredients such as imported artisan pastas, vineripened 

tomatoes, colorful vegetables, extra virgin 

olive oil, fresh lemons, select seafood, grilled meats 

and fresh, fragrant Italian herbs. Life is delicious. 

MIMI’S CAfé..........................................480.419.5006 

Classic, made-from-scratch American dishes served 

in a friendly, French New Orleans-atmosphere. 

PANDA EXPRESS ....................................480.502.8399 

High-quality Chinese food at a very reasonable price. 

PARADISE bAKERY & CAfé ....................480.538.8406 

Freshly-baked cookies & muffins, soups & made-toorder 

gourmet sandwiches. 

PORT Of SubS/SMOOTHIE KINg...........480.502.7962 

Made-to-order subs & refreshing smoothies. 

ROCK bOTTOM bREWERY .....................480.513.9125 

A casual dining experience featuring handcrafted 

beers brewed on premise & an innovative menu. 

Good Friends, Great Food, Great Beer. 

ROCKY MOuNTAIN CHOCOLATE 

fACTORY ...............................................480.342.9993 

Hand-dipped chocolates & assorted candies. 

Packaged coffees, cocoas & more. 

RubIO’S fRESH MEXICAN gRILL ...........480.473.9225 

Rubio’s food is a combination of our south of the 

border roots and the influence of California’s coastal 

waters, farm-fresh ingredients and friendly people. 

SANDbAR ..............................................480.585.5900 

Known for its spicy Mexican menu and array 

of tropical drinks and ice cold cervezas. 

SAN fELIPES CANTINA ........................... 480.515.bEER 

Coastal Mexican food with an attitude served up 

alongside a nightlife atmosphere that provides customers 

a “Local Spring Break” with every visit. 

SLICES ................................................... 480.513.1861 

Choose from a selection of pizzas already prepared 

with a crispy crust and any number of topping 

combinations, at affordable prices. 

SMASHbuRgER .....................................480.664.6210 

Where smash. sizzle. savor means a dedication to 

creating the best-tasting “cooked-to-order” burger. 

They start with 100% Angus Beef, smashed, seared 

and seasoned on the grill, placed on a butter-toasted 

artisan bun and topped with the highest-quality 

cheeses, freshest produce and condiments. 

STARbuCKS COffEE ..............................480.502.4761 

High quality roasted whole bean coffees & fresh, 

rich, Italian-style espresso beverages. 

SWEET TOMATOES .................................480.473.3233 

Offering an all you care to eat dining experience 

featuring fresh cut produce, specially prepared salads, 

hearty made from scratch soups, original recipe hot 

pasta dishes and more. 

T.g.I. fRIDAY’S .......................................480.538.1945 

Home of American favorites like loaded potato 

skins, buffalo wings, burgers, salads & more. 

WOLfLEY’S ............................................480.515.2424 

Wolfley’s Neighborhood Grill is a place you can 

count on for quality food, value pricing and personalized 

service. 

YARD HOuSE .........................................480.563.9273 

Yard House is an upscale-casual eatery known for 

great food, classic rock music and 130 tap handles 

of domestic, imported and craft beer. 

CityCeNteR OF CityNORth 

bLuE MARTINI LOuNgE .......................... 480.638.bLuE 

bluemartinilounge.com 

Upscale, casual martini lounge featuring 25 superior 

martinis, tapas and live entertainment nightly. 

KONA gRILL ................ 480.289.5707 | konagrill.com 

Casual elegance and an eclectic menu of dishes 

ranging from pasta and pizza to sushi. 

MELLO MuSHROOM ................. mellomushroom.com 

Mellow Mushroom is much more than pizza and beer. 

It provides an experience filled with colorful art, 

eclectic music and an extensive menu with food that 

comforts the soul. 

MOJO YOguRT ...... 480.585.0339 | mojoyogurt.com 

Unites hip and frozen yogurt culture with an unpretentious, 

left-coast style of the self-serve variety. 

OCEAN PRIME ......480.347.1313 | ocean-prime.com 

A Cameron Mitchell Restaurant featuring prime 

seafood, hand-crafted cocktails, world-class wines 

and live music every night. 

SKINNY ITALIAN ............................. (COMINg SOON) 

Featuring traditional Italian cuisine with a healthy twist. 

weSt OF tAtum 

HuMbLE PIE ...........................................480.502.2121 

Featuring a medley of starters, salads, pastas, 

sandwiches, and pizzas with fresh ingredients 

and a crust to crave. 

PITA JuNgLE ............ 480-473-2321 | pitajungle.com 

An eclectic blend of fresh ingredients, creative 

energy, and good times. Take your family or meet 

your friends and discover the art of eating healthy. 

STARbuCKS COffEE .............................. 480.342-8231 

High quality roasted whole bean coffees & fresh, 

rich, Italian-style espresso beverages. 

SubWAY ................................................ 480-513-6978 

Whatever you’re in the mood for, SUBWAY has a 

wide variety of subs, salads, and sides to choose from 

and every one of their Subs is made fresh in front of 

you, exactly the way you want it! 

SuSHI STATION ....480-513-8699 | sushistation88.com 

The popular “Kaiten Sushi” (Revolving) Japanese 

concept is now available. You will enjoy quality sushi 

and fresh ingredients from all over the world. Fun for 

the family and available for special events. 

Tryst Café ...................480-585-7978 | trystcafe.com 

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner featuring organic, natural 

and locally grown products; extensive gluten free 

menu and full bar all in a friendly, urban environment. 

Dine in or carry out. 

Yogurtology ................................... (COMINg SOON) 

ThE MIM 

THE MIM CAfé & COffEE SHOP 

The Musical Instrument Museum Cafe & Coffee 

Shop is open to non-museum patrons. Hours: Cafe, 

11-2; Coffee Shop, Normal Museum Hours. 


20860 N. Tatum Blvd., Ste. 360 

Phoenix, Arizona 85050 

Presort Std 

U.S. Postage 

PAID 

Permit No. 1735 

Phoenix, AZ 

ECRWSS 

Postal Customer 

www.desertridgelifestyles.com 

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Spring 2012

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