Autonomous Vehicles provide those who can’t drive with a sense of agency. But are the potential impacts on public health and security purely positive?
Mitchell Miller The Arizona Coyotes cut ties with Miller, the team’s fourth-round 2020 NHL draft pick, after an Arizona Republic exposé revealed disturbing abuse of a disabled high school classmate. “I was young, immature and feel terrible about my actions,” Miller said in a December 2020 statement. Dr. Cleavon Gilman Distressed by rising COVID-19 cases, the Yuma ER physician went viral when he Tweeted there were “no more ICU beds in the state of Arizona”...
Debbie Johnson, director of the Arizona Office of Tourism, oversees the marketing for the state of Arizona – bringing in visitors to boost the local economy and ensuring that everyone gets the most out of everything Arizona has to offer. Her job looks a little different nowadays. Residents and tourists are spending a lot more time outside, which is why the office of tourism partnered with Colorado-based company Leave No Trace to develop a campaign...
The Arizona Craft Brewers Guild, an advocacy group that aims to promote and protect the craft beer industry in the Grand Canyon State, is struggling to survive amid the coronavirus pandemic. The guild had to cancel the majority of its signature craft beer events such as Arizona Strong Beer Festival and Arizona Beer Week, which account for nearly 85 percent of its annual revenue. In an effort to continue operating, the guild came up with...
FOUND:RE Hotel’s onsite restaurant, MATCH, recently rebranded itself from an upscale sit-down experience to a fast-casual counter service affair with a market and a more accessible cocktail program. Another exciting endeavor – the hotel and restaurant’s new Passport Series, which is designed to transport guests to different destinations around the globe without leaving the FOUND:RE grounds. The monthly event kicks off on Saturday, December 12, which will take guests on a trip to Germany. The...
Roosevelt Row recently welcomed a one-of-a-kind boutique curated for and by Arizonans. The unique, upscale shop purveys products from established brands and indie designers from around the world. This curated collection of clothing, furniture, accessories, home décor and skincare can’t be found anywhere else in the Valley, according to co-owner Wade Parkins. The business originated in Tucson in a 500-square-foot storefront, but Parkins and his husband/business partner Jason Shelby quickly noticed that patrons were making...
This June, Arizona’s first Big Air Trampoline Park bounced into Chandler and brought with it a bevy of attractions for kids and adults. The Chandler franchise is a family affair, owned and operated by several generations of the Esparza family, which includes husband and wife, Luis Esparza and his wife Suhaireirene R. Suady Barake, who are both sports medicine and infectious disease physicians. “Our entire family takes the health and wellness of our team members...
Tristen Vance The Northern Arizona University football player drew national media attention when he starred in a presidential campaign ad for Joe Biden in October. Outspoken in his support of the Black Lives Matter movement, the linebacker will soon launch a podcast called The Social. He hopes to discuss social justice and amplify marginalized voices. Toshikazu Tsukii Retired Raytheon engineer Tsukii first garnered publicity years ago for constructing a house out of discarded airplane parts. Now,...
Like many businesses, salons and spas had to temporarily close when the pandemic hit. But unlike bars and restaurants, they couldn’t provide takeout services. However, Remedy Salon & Spa owners Suzanne Theune and Michelle Keoghan thought outside the box, creating custom at-home color kits for their clients while the salon’s doors were closed. “If you were an existing client of the salon and we had your formula, you could call and get your base color...
Nicole Fonovich, owner of Phoenix-based mobile holistic healing company Nicole Anne Yoga, has always been committed to providing comfort and connection to her clients. It turns out that “bringing the zen to you” – as her tagline suggests – without a brick-and-mortar studio has come in handy as people opt to spend more time at home. Fonovich has been offering virtual yoga classes and sound healing and meditation services since 2017 and says that a...
Most chefs’ first love is food. For Scottsdale personal chef William Turner, it’s people. “Food is how I express that love to people,” he says. Originally from South Carolina, Turner was introduced to the culinary industry when he was 14. “It’s a hot bed for good food and hospitality,” he says of his southern roots. “I was peeling shrimp and cutting fish and that was my first introduction into the actual restaurant business.” From there,...
Jennifer Walsh lives by the mantra “Don’t be afraid to be yourself.” The Gilbert designer believes in this sentiment so much that it is also the mission statement for her clothing and jewelry brand, Emerge. “I grew up being really quiet and shy,” she says. “I was pretty insecure and didn’t feel like I fit in anywhere.” Though she says she was never savvy when it came to school, sports or socializing, she was always...
When Phoenix-based clothing designer Chris Benford was growing up, he would draw on his friends’ clothes and skateboards. “Designing has always been a part of my life,” he says. “It’s just something I’ve always wanted to do.” Now, Benford has his own clothing brand, Fly Forever High For Now, which he says embodies a way of life. “’Fly Forever’ means to hold yourself to a standard of looking your best every day. Presentation is the...
Growly Delivers is a new locally owned delivery service that operates like the milkman business model, but instead of delivering bottles of dairy, delivery drivers drop off craft beverages, from growlers of beer to bottles of kombucha. Growly Delivers launched with Valley-based brewery PHX Beer Co., which has locations in Phoenix and Scottsdale, to provide subscribers with fresh brew every week. It will soon add other craft beverage artisans to its roster. The process is...
