EMDR Therapy in Fountain Hills, AZ

The Fountain Hills Town Council, during an August meeting, passed ordinances prohibiting urban camping and standing in streets and medians.

The council is now exploring ways the town can partner with an organization to provide shelter beds so they can enforce the camping ban, but no partner group has been identified yet.

Three ordinances were proposed at the Aug. 22 meeting to address concerns raised in a June meeting about the unsheltered population in the region. A proposed ordinance prohibiting panhandling, which was nearly identical to an ordinance passed in Glendale last fall, failed.

Fountain Hills joins several cities in Central Arizona that prohibit urban camping, including Tempe and Phoenix, but the number of people experiencing homelessness in the town is drastically lower than in those cities.

Two unhoused people were counted in Fountain Hills in January during the Maricopa Association of Governments' annual point-in-time count. In the August meeting, council members said the number was more like four or five.

Law blocks standing in roadways and medians

An ordinance that passed 4-3 prohibits “standing or stopping in the roadway, medians, or areas adjacent to roadways where the speed limit is 35 mph or greater.” Emergency and maintenance workers are exempt from the rule.

Councilmember Peggy McMahon said it was disingenuous for the council to say the ordinance is only about safety since it was originally proposed in relation to people experiencing homelessness.

“I think this is indirectly targetting panhandlers,” McMahon said in the August meeting. “I think we have to be very very careful about that because they are a vulnerable, protected class.”

Phoenix has similar ordinances preventing someone from standing in medians and streets.

Tempe has an ordinance prohibiting people from lying or sleeping in streets or on sidewalks.

Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, has previously pushed legislation targeting panhandling. The most recent attempt was a bill proposed in January that aimed to prohibit people from asking for money from drivers stopped at red lights.

Urban camping ordinance not being enforced — yet

An ordinance that passed 5-2 will prohibit people from sleeping and camping in public roads. However, because of a decision from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, urban camping cannot be criminalized if there is no available shelter for people experiencing homelessness.

Mayor Ginny Dickey said the town is looking for an organization to partner with to provide shelter space — one hasn't been selected yet. Until an agreement is finalized, the ordinance will not be enforced.

Helen Rummel covers housing insecurity and homelessness for The Arizona Republic. Reach her at hrummel@gannett.com.

Coverage of housing insecurity on azcentral.com and in The Arizona Republic is supported by a grant from the Arizona Community Foundation.

Ballet Arizona’s annual Ballet Under the Stars performances, presented by the Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation, will return Sept. 28 to Fountain Hills and Sept. 30 to Phoenix. Free and open to the public, Ballet Under the Stars is the perfect show for the entire family and a great way to introduce ballet to young people for the first time.

The Fountain Hills performance on Sept. 28 will be at Fountain Park, 12925 N. Saguaro Blvd. The Phoenix performance on Sept. 30 will be at Steele Indian School Park, 300 E. Indian School Rd. Performances are also planned in Glendale on Sept. 23 and Goodyear on Sept. 29.

All performances begin at 7 p.m.

These performances promise an evening of fun suitable for all ages, as guests bring chairs, blankets and picnics to experience the beauty of dance in outdoor parks across the county. The evening features a fully-staged live performance by the professional company dancers of Ballet Arizona, including Juan Gabriel’s “Se Me Olvidó Otra Vez” and George Balanchine’s The Four Temperaments.

Ballet Under the Stars invites Arizonans to experience dance in their community in a unique outdoor setting complete with a professional stage, lighting and costumes. Indulge in local food trucks with space for picnicking and for aspiring young dancers to move along with the performance.

“We are thrilled to kick off our 38th season with Ballet Under the Stars,” said artistic director Ib Andersen. “This beloved annual tradition helps us give back to the Arizona community with a unique outdoor experience allowing friends and families to be immersed in the world of ballet.”

Ballet Under the Stars also showcases world premiere performances choreographed by local school students through the Class Act program. Each year, Ballet Arizona’s professional dancers provide a three-week dance training class for students in four different elementary schools across the Valley.

The culminating highlight of their work is delivered as a performance as part of Ballet Under the Stars. This educational program is provided to students' tuition free and is generously funded by Joan Benjamin and Laurence Cherkis.

Ballet Under the Stars would not be possible without community sponsors including The Diane & Bruce Halle Foundation, City of Phoenix Office of Arts + Culture, Town of Fountain Hills, City of Glendale, Stoker Ostler, APS, Grand Canyon University, Estrella, Sticker Mule and Desert Diamond Casino.

To learn more information about this year’s Ballet Under the Stars performances, visit balletaz.org.

Posted Wednesday, August 23, 2023 1:48 am

Step inside the ice cream shop along Avenue of the Fountains and one is greeted by bright pastel colors, marble pink archways and a menu of Korean- and Japanese-inspired treats. As the newest ice cream shop to enter Fountain Hills, Snowee has quickly garnered a loyal following with its soft serve ice cream, shaved snow and Taiyaki, a waffle-style, fish-shaped pastry with flavors in red bean, custard, strawberry cheesecake and cinnamon, brown sugar and mozzarella cheese.

Inside, a neon sign reads, “Ice Cream Solves Everything.” Curated to perfection with a delightful menu of sweet treats, Snowee Owner John Hosoo Park wanted to bring something fun and refreshing to Fountain Hills. And while ice cream doesn’t solve quite everything, it does satisfy Park’s sweet tooth.

“A lot of my ideas and goals start from what I like to do or eat,” Park said, a former sushi chef and current owner of Oka Sushi, Snowee’s next-door neighbor. “That’s one of the reasons why I wanted to be a sushi chef, because I love sushi.”

Korean roots

Park is enthralled with the idea of being good at one thing at a time. Born and raised in Korea, he said many restaurants there focus on perfecting and serving a single signature dish.

“They have to really dissect it and be good at one thing because it’s very competitive,” Park said.

For Snowee, Park pulls from his memories as a boy in Korea enjoying Bingsu, a milk-based Korean shaved-ice dessert with sweet toppings like fresh fruit, syrup or red beans. As the owner of Snowee, Park wanted to recreate that same fresh taste in Fountain Hills.

“I want Snowee to be like Oka’s little sister,” Park said. “It doesn’t have to bring in a whole bunch of revenue, but as long as it’s something fun, people are going to cheer for it.”

For the ice cream shop’s interior, Park said he got the idea from a picture of a macaroon. He added the neon lights after he and his wife watched the hit TV series “Stranger Things.”

Fountain Hills resident, Cindy Strazis, visited Snowee with her son on Friday, Sept. 18, for some soft serve ice cream. A volunteer at Fearless Kitty Rescue, Strazis was all smiles as she enjoyed her ice cream on a muggy August day.

“It’s like being a kid again,” Strazis said.

It’s been nearly a decade since Park became a restaurant owner in Fountain Hills, adding that his very first customer still comes in to eat at his restaurant to this day.

“It’s a very rare experience. We don’t have the most population here, but I think when it comes to loyalty in general, I’m very thankful to be where I’m at,” Park said. “Our goal is to offer more at our standards and at our quality.”

Snowee is open from 12 noon to nine p.m., Monday through Saturday, with Sunday hours coming later this year. Snowee is located next to Oka Sushi at 16725 E. Avenue of the Fountains, Suite C105.

Residents are invited to join their friends and neighbors in a “Celebration of Community” at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30, at Fountain Park.

“What we hope will become a tradition of gathering in the spirit of friendship and unity, there will be a rally at the amphitheater in Fountain Park,” Mayor Ginny Dickey said. “You can engage with community leaders by attending this positive, welcoming rally … featuring fun musical favorites and guest speakers who will, at this first rally, address the importance of public education in our fair town.”

Although this rally addresses education, future rallies will focus on other issues and programs in Fountain Hills, all with the emphasis on working together to achieve greater good for the community.

“As a Golden Rule community, Fountain Hills can maintain its reputation as one of the premier Arizona destinations to invest in, reside and visit,” Dickey said.

After the rally attendees are invited to enjoy Saturday evening at a local establishment to experience a sense of place and belonging.

Businessman and former Town Council member Mike Scharnow will serve as the master of ceremonies for the evening and he will introduce speakers including Tom Lindsey (educator), Val Stasik (parent, community volunteer, non-profit organizer and longtime resident), Mike Pameditis (business owner, former student and parent), Susan Dempster (realtor and long-time resident), Jay Schlum (former mayor, realtor, student and parent), Tammy Bell (business owner, Chamber staff and parent), Al Lorenz ( parent, family school staff, bond committee chair), Scott Sommer (Chamber board, Rotary, parent, bond committee), Betsy LaVoie (Chamber CEO, business, parent, longtime resident).

“We wholeheartedly support the positive Rally for Fountain Hills, as it aligns perfectly with the Fountain Hills Chamber of Commerce’s mission to foster a thriving and vibrant community,” LaVoie said. “Chambers of Commerce play a crucial role in advocating for public policies that enhance the economic and social well-being of our town, and this rally exemplifies our commitment to that mission.

“We’re proud to have endorsed the school bond for the greater good of the town, recognizing the importance of quality education in building a strong community. By coming together in unity and positivity, we can strengthen our community and ensure a brighter future for Fountain Hills.”

Ballet Under the Stars brings dance to a unique outdoor venue. (Times file photo)

Posted Wednesday, August 16, 2023 3:02 am

Ballet Arizona’s annual Ballet Under the Stars performances, presented by the Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation, will return Sept. 23-30 at four Valley locations. Free and open to the public, a press release announcing this year’s schedule said Ballet Under the Stars is the perfect show for the entire family and a great way to introduce ballet to young people for the first time.

“These performances promise an evening of fun suitable for all ages, as guests bring chairs, blankets and picnics to experience the beauty of dance in outdoor parks across the county,” the release said. “The evening features a fully-staged live performance by the professional company dancers of Ballet Arizona, including Juan Gabriel’s ‘Se Me Olvidó Otra Vez’ and George Balanchine’s ‘The Four Temperaments.’”

Ballet Under the Stars invites Arizonans to experience dance in their community in a setting complete with a professional stage, lighting and costumes. Indulge in local food trucks with space for picnicking and for aspiring young dancers to move along with the performance.

“We are thrilled to kick off our 38th season with Ballet Under the Stars,” Artistic Director Ib Andersen said. “This beloved annual tradition helps us give back to the Arizona community with a unique outdoor experience allowing friends and families to be immersed in the world of ballet.”

Ballet Under the Stars also showcases world premiere performances choreographed by local school students through the Class Act program. Each year, Ballet Arizona’s professional dancers provide a three-week dance training class for students in four different elementary schools across the Valley. The highlight of their work is delivered as a performance as part of Ballet Under the Stars. This educational program is provided to students’ tuition free and is generously funded by Joan Benjamin and Laurence Cherkis.

The performance schedule begins Saturday, Sept. 23, at Sahuaro Ranch Historic Park in Glendale; Thursday, Sept. 28, at Fountain Park in Fountain Hills; Friday, Sept. 29, at Estrella Lakeside Amphitheater in Goodyear and Saturday, Sept. 30, at Steele Indian School Park in Phoenix. All performances begin at 7 p.m.

Ballet Under the Stars would not be possible without community sponsors including The Diane and Bruce Halle Foundation, City of Phoenix Office of Arts and Culture, Town of Fountain Hills, City of Glendale, Stoker Ostler, APS, Grand Canyon University, Estrella, Sticker Mule and Desert Diamond Casino.

To learn more about this year’s Ballet Under the Stars performances, visit balletaz.org.