Desert Dreams
A passionate coalition races to preserve Carefree’s final 48 acres of pristine Sonoran Desert — complete with 155-year-old military trail — before developers strike.
Hee-Haw Healing
French equestrian Sophie Rainer’s nonprofit, The Donkeys of the Heart, harnesses the unique power of donkeys to transform the lives of children with cognitive and emotional challenges in Cave Creek.
Concerts of Connection
Writer Joseph J. AirdoPhotography by Norman Seeff [dropcap]L[/dropcap]ike most of us, LeAnn Rimes spent more time at home over the past year and a half than she ever has in her entire life. The singer, songwriter, actress and author describes the feeling that she experienced during her first concert since the start of the COVID-19…
Musical Marathon Man
Writer Joseph J. AirdoPhotography Courtesy of Lee Perreira and Musical Instrument Museum [dropcap]S[/dropcap]inger-songwriter Lee Perreira believes that the most significant turning point in his entire life occurred when he began incorporating benevolence into each and every thing that he does. “We may think to ourselves, ‘What can I do to make a difference?’” Perreira says….
Eight Shades of Gray
Writer Susan Kern-FleischerPhotography Courtesy of Sonoran Arts League [dropcap]T[/dropcap]hey are eight artists with very different styles and strong opinions about what defines fine art. So, getting together to work on a collaborative project seemed like a crazy idea at first. But with the silver anniversary of the Hidden in the Hills Artist Studio Tour approaching,…
Imaginatively Insidious
Writer Joseph J. AirdoPhotography by Michele Celentano [dropcap]E[/dropcap]arlier in her life, Sierra Litman used to turn her garage into a haunted house for Halloween. She invited neighbors to walk through the small space but, feeling cramped and therefore limited, she aspired to create something spooky on a much grander scale. She gets the opportunity to…
Elevating Education
Writer Joseph J. AirdoPhotography Courtesy of Rotary Club of Anthem and Sarah Varney [dropcap]W[dropcap]hen Edward Varney moved to Arizona in November 2010, one of the first things that he did was join the Rotary Club of Anthem. Having been a member of one of the worldwide nonprofit organization’s chapters in New Hampshire two years prior,…
Never Forgotten
Writer Joseph J. AirdoPhotography by Nate Decker [dropcap]T[/dropcap]his Sept. 11 marks the 20th anniversary of one of the most horrific events in United States’ history. “Many of us swore an oath on that day we would never forget what was done to our nation; but more importantly, we would never forget those who gave their…
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Purse
Writer Joseph J. AirdoPhotography Courtesy of Patricia Brusha [dropcap]F[/dropcap]or the past two years, Patricia Brusha has been honoring the memory of her late daughter, Courtney Michaels, by championing her vision to express compassion for and uplift the many men and women who are taking the daunting-yet-crucial steps to overcome addiction and alcoholism. What began as…
