Life Coach in Florence, AZ

On the heels of a federal takedown of a fraudulent nursing diploma schemeopens in a new tab or window -- dubbed Operation Nightingaleopens in a new tab or window after Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing -- questions remain as to just how sprawling the fallout may be.

More than two dozen individuals have been charged for their alleged participation in the scheme to sell fake diplomas and transcripts from accredited Florida-based nursing schools to those seeking licenses and jobs as registered nurses (RNs) and licensed practical/vocational nurses (LPN/VNs), according to the Department of Justice (DOJ)opens in a new tab or window.

These fraudulent documents allowed purchasers to sit for the national nursing board exam, and if they passed it, to obtain licenses and jobs in various states, the DOJ said. Overall, the scheme involved the distribution of more than 7,600 fake diplomas issued by a trio of since-shuttered schools: Siena College and Sacred Heart International Institute, both in Broward County, and Palm Beach School of Nursing in Palm Beach County.

State nursing boards across the country have begun taking action against those who received fake credentials, as well as those who were seeking fake documents, who may have been involved in the scheme.

For example, the Texas Board of Nursing announced that it has filed formal charges against 23 nursesopens in a new tab or window who allegedly fraudulently obtained credentials. However, the board noted that the charges are not a final disciplinary action, and that a nurse is permitted to work while charges are pending.

Meanwhile, the New York State Education Department issued an interim update stating that hundreds of licensees and more than 2,000 applicantsopens in a new tab or window graduated from the involved schools. The individuals who graduated from the programs and received a license to practice nursing have been contacted.

"Since the education submitted is not acceptable, the department requested the individual to either 1) return the license parchment or 2) have a qualified nursing program submit verification of acceptable education. Applications from individuals who applied with education from one of the schools ... but who have not been licensed, will be contacted in the coming weeks. Those applications will be held until the applicant demonstrates that they have met the requirements for acceptable education, examination, and moral character," the update said.

The department also noted that it is "actively pursuing additional information from the federal authorities and will take appropriate action regarding the licensure or application status of any individual who is confirmed to have been approved to sit for the examination or obtained their license based on false and misleading information."

The update further advised employers that if they have an employee who is believed to have been issued fraudulent credentials, they should consult their legal counsel and human resources director for guidance, and potentially speak with the employee directly.

The Arizona State Board of Nursing also issued a statement, noting that it has identified 10 individualsopens in a new tab or window with current licenses who may be involved in the scheme.

"If credentials are fraudulent, the board has the ability to revoke or deny licensure, after providing due process to the individual involved," the statement said.

The board further explained that individuals identified by the investigation as possibly having illegitimate credentials have been flagged in the National Council of State Boards of Nursing nationwide data system. "This means that all state boards of nursing, including Arizona's, can monitor the individuals until their case is resolved. Once a disciplinary action has been taken by one state board of nursing related to diploma fraud, all of the other state boards of nursing will have access to that information in order to prevent additional fraud."

According to WSB-TV in Georgiaopens in a new tab or window, while the state has 22 practicing nurses who have been identified as allegedly fraudulently obtaining their licenses, the nurses are maintaining their innocence, raising the question of whether there may be others who plan to take the same stance.

"While we have not received reports from our members about this issue, all leaders in nursing education must take reports of alleged fraud seriously," said Beverly Malone, PhD, RN, president and CEO of the National League for Nursing, which represents nurse faculty and nursing education programs, in a statement provided to MedPage Today. "Prospective nursing students should do their research to make sure they are applying to a legitimate nursing school or program, including members of the National League for Nursing. Many schools and programs have achieved accreditation, such as with the NLN Commission for Nursing Education Accreditation ... which demonstrates that they meet high quality standards. The National League for Nursing encourages all nursing schools and programs to pursue accreditation to ensure they are recognized as reputable, quality programs."

A new oral history series that shares the lives of detained immigrants is now officially open and available for the public. The University of Arizona has partnered with immigration reform nonprofits Salavision and the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights project to document these stories.

In an effort to battle stereotypes and reclaim narratives, the DETAINED archive documents the hardships, realities and real-time life experiences of asylum seekers in Arizona.

The series works to include stories specifically from those who stayed in for-profit detention centers in Florence and Eloy. Interviews range from stories like that of Afshin, who traveled to 11 countries before seeking asylum in the U.S. to Rodolfo, who turned himself into the U.S. Customs and Border Protection after leaving Mexico due to threats against his life.

“You'll hear sharp critiques of the system and you'll hear people [say] thank goodness that they moved through the system, and they got asylum,” UA English professor Susan Briante said.

Briante helped conduct interviews, translations and the coordination of interpretive projects for DETAINED. She has been telling borderland stories for years, but says this project offers a different view into immigration.

“Even as someone who visits the U.S.-Mexico border, the conditions are constantly changing. No one also has a perspective into what detention is like,” she said. “It feels really important to be able to allow people who have been through that experience to share their stories and to share the stories as they want to tell them.”

Currently, 86% of detained immigrants do not have an attorney during immigration removal proceedings, according to the American Immigration Council. This series worked to better understand what happens behind closed doors both during these court hearings and in the centers. Salavision and the Florence Project worked to connect migrants they were assisting with the group to share these stories.

The idea grew from UA art professor David Taylor, who for decades documented life on the borderlands through visual art. His goal is to ensure that this is an unfiltered version of migrant truths.

“There's so few places where you can hear someone relay their story and not have it in some way edited or repackaged or dramatized. This is an opportunity to really just have the voices of the people who are at the center of this circumstance be the authors of their story.”

Francisco Cantú has also been working with migrants for years. Cantú conducted interviews with detainees for the project and says the importance for the series especially grew after visitations to detention centers stopped because of the pandemic. The only way they could keep contact was through phone calls.

Cantú recounted the experiences of those he interviewed and, for him, what was shared sounded more like a prison than a detention center. He says that the conditions and time spent in these centers are hidden from public view.

“To most of us, [the project title] feels like a little bit of a sinister euphemism… I think that [words like detention] sort of lessen our impression of what this place is, and the kind of time that people are being made to spend here. It helps us sort of soften our response to what's happening to these people.”

He hopes that this project serves as a platform to amplify the experiences of others in ways they were not heard before.

“These people have their own voices and they have their own stories. They’re the ones that we should be listening to when we want to find out about what’s happening to them.”

This series includes a dozen archived interviews, art and remembrances that have been collected by detainees. The DETAINED archive is available online for free.

Arizona State University sophomore Grace Rogers has lots of talent.

She is an actor, having served as president of the thespian society at her high school, Scottsdale Preparatory Academy. She sings, having performed “The National Anthem” at Arizona Diamondbacks and National Hockey League games and ASU events. And she is active in philanthropy and community service, having been inspired to volunteer in her community by her mother, who established a nonprofit called The Real Gift Foundation.

ASU sophomore Grace Rogers has been acting since she was a child. She is currently appearing in The Phoenix Theater Company's production of "An American in Paris." Photo courtesy Grace Rogers Download Full Image

Recently, the ASU Alumni Association Medallion Scholarship recipient — who is a music theater and vocal performance major and a student in Barrett, The Honors College at ASU — made her professional acting debut in The Phoenix Theater Company’s production of “An American in Paris,” which is running now until March 12.

“'An American in Paris' is my first professional show and it feels like such a mentorship opportunity,” Rogers said. “Everyone there has been on a professional tour and Broadway. ... It is so inspiring to be in a room with all of those people.”

Opening night for “An American in Paris” was Jan. 27. Rogers said her favorite part of the evening was the energy of both the audience and the cast.

“While the energy was amazing, we, as a cast and crew, were very precise and focused,” she said.

Emotion and connecting with audiences are her favorite parts of acting.

“It is really powerful to have your own emotions but to also share those emotions and affect other people’s lives while performing on stage,” she said. “I love to act because of the power that you have to make a real connection with the audience and other people."

Rogers had been acting long before high school productions and booking the The Phoenix Theater Company gig. She began acting in third grade, when she was about 7 or 8 years old. Later, she honed her acting chops as a featured singer and dancer in Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast,” presented by Dream City Theater, and as Dorothy in “Wizard of Oz,” Kim MacAfee in “Bye Bye Birdie” and Florence in “The Odd Couple” in Scottsdale Preparatory Academy theater productions.

“I have continued (to act) ever since and it felt more and more like that’s what I need to do with my life,” she said.

Barbara Streisand is one of Rogers’ biggest theater inspirations. “I grew up watching her movies and listening to her music,” she said. “It’s not just her voice; I love her style and how she is in her movies. She’s always had that same effect on the audience and drawing people into her art.”

Rogers said personal inspiration comes from her mom. “She always pushed me to be my best,” she said. “I was nervous to perform as a kid but she always told me to ‘shine like the star that you are.’”

Rogers decided to attend ASU because of family, familiarity and a first-class music program.

She’s an Arizona native with an affinity for ASU. Both her mother and sister were Sun Devils.

“Plus, ASU has a really great music program, and after interviewing with the teachers, I really liked their processes,” Rogers said.

She joined Barrett Honors College for similar reasons: family and admiration for Barrett’s program. “My sister was a Barrett student,” she said. “I went to an all-honors school growing up since third grade and I always pushed myself and really enjoyed being in a community where everyone feels the same.”

“My favorite part about being a Barrett student is being surrounded not only by students but also teachers pushing to be their best,” Rogers said. “I also enjoy that Barrett is a smaller community within a large community at ASU.”

Rogers has this piece of advice for her fellow Barrett students: “Trust yourself and trust the timing of everything. When something doesn’t work out, another door opens.”

Tickets to see "An American in Paris" are available here.

Story by Barrett Honors College student Alex Marie Solomon

The design of Pinal County Attorney’s Offices in Florence, Arizona, uses a “breathable” facade system, mounted off the building, composed of ribbed metal panels, mimicking the fins of the Arizona native saguaro cactus. Although the metal panels absorb heat, the projected format of the facade gives ample air circulation and heat dissipation. Photos courtesy DLR Group ©Winquist

Pinal County Attorney’s Office in Florence, Arizona, uses biomimicry to create a building which replicates the native saguaro cactus and its natural response to surviving the intense desert heat.

The resulting design uses a “breathable” facade system, mounted off the building, composed of ribbed metal panels, mimicking the fins of the cactus. Although the metal panels absorb heat, the projected format of the facade gives ample air circulation and heat dissipation. At the same time, the office brings in copious amounts of natural light to enhance occupant wellbeing and health.

The team at the integrated design firm DLR Group researched the plant’s ability to protect itself from intense heat with its natural composition of self-shading vertical fins. The fins redistribute the heat, so no part of the cactus receives direct sunlight for more than 15 to 20 minutes at a time, cancelling out the possibility of sunburn.

The nature-inspired design interpreted the plant’s shifting shadows into the rigid metal fins, endowed with pops of color for aesthetic enjoyment of drivers crossing by. The system of panels works in a similar fashion as a cactus’s fins, as it allows the sunlight to fall in varying areas—letting heat redistribute for longer periods, until natural air convention can cool the ribs. Wherever windows were needed, the metal wall panel system carries angled windows projected out from it, and they serve as self-shading elements.

The glazing in the project has heat-reflecting capabilities, resulting in solar control, and a low-e coating with light management ability to balance visible light transmittance and glare reduction. The high-performance glass helped bring down mechanical system costs, causing long-term reduction in energy costs.

The team at the firm measured the results of relying on exterior shading. The result indicated, on a hot summer day in June, the conference room on the south side of the building saw a 22 percent decrease in solar gain during the busiest and hottest hours of the day, while the west side training room saw a 14 percent decrease. The team’s preliminary model also suggested a decrease of 39 percent in energy savings, compared to Zero Tool’s energy use intensity (EUI) median of 100 kJ/m²/year (kBtu/sf/year) for existing buildings of this type in the region.

Another factor which resulted in space and cost savings for the building were the design team’s creation of 90 percent complete design documents during the design phase. This allowed the building’s footprint to be brought down to the minimum. The mechanical system equipment, for instance, typically takes up 6 to 8 percent of a building’s total square meters (square foot), but in this project, savings of 204 m² (2,200 sf) could be availed by bringing the mechanical space down to 4 percent. Another reduction in cost resulted from compressing the floor-to-floor height to 4.4 m (14.5 ft), cutting down on facade size and costs by 18 percent.

This weekend brings the fourth of nine weekends of revelry in the unique medieval theme park called the Arizona Renaissance Festival, where the entertainment never stops! Come and explore the 50-acre village of Fairhaven filled with old world revelry; a most charming respite from modern times. Cheer on your favorite armored knight at the jousting tournament three times a day. Explore the marketplace with over 200 storybook shops, studios and galleries filled with unique arts and crafts. Enjoy fantastic food and drink.

Many foolish pleasures mix with artisan treasures as you shop, eat, and revel with a cast of nearly 2,000 colorfully costumed characters. Kids love the interactive games and people-powered rides like Da Vinci’s Flying Machine, The Slider Joust, Piccolo Pony—a rocking horse bigger than an elephant! The Dragon Climbing Tower, Castle Siege, the Maze, and the Archery Range. Try the Axe Wall! All this and more make for a fun and exciting all day adventure. There is something for EVERYONE in our shire.

Food at the festival includes the ever-famous gigantic turkey legs, bread bowls, the new Transylvania Chimney Cakes, gelato, pretzels, steak-on-a-stake, sausage-on-a-Stick, skewered chicken, Michelangelo’s pizza, fresh Roasted Corn), portabella mushroom sandwich, bratwurst with sauerkraut, Italian gelato and sorbetto, falafel, gyros, tabouli salad, dolmades, fish or chicken and chips, and of course…chocolate!

The Renaissance Chocolate Shop has three locations in the Village of Fairhaven, and their offering of a special blend of triple chocolate is only available at the Arizona Renaissance Festival. Stop by and visit with the friendly Hawkers and Chocolatiers and have a taste of this delicious chocolate. Offerings at the chocolate shop include a variety of fruits dipped in chocolate, frozen cheesecake and bananas dipped in chocolate, and English Toffee.

Pleasure Feast

Food, frivolity and five courses of delicious food and beverage is the exclusive limited attendance special event held within the Arizona Renaissance Festival’s Feast Hall, all served with a side order of audacious pirate “Argh’s.” Surprise entertainments will keep you jumping with laughter and cheer. Pleasure Feast Seating is limited with only two feast events a day: at 12:00pm and at 2:30pm. The $100.00 per person feast ticket includes $34 admission to the Festival stages and events, the one and a half hour five-course Pleasure Feast dinner and show, plus a souvenir limited edition toasting goblet to take home. There will be fearsome pirates with treasure chests of laughs to entertain you on this adventure along with upbeat music and laughter for ALL at the loudest and most exclusive affair in the Festival Village of Fairhaven. Menu and reservation link can be found online.

Time Travelers

February 25 and 26 is Time Travelers Weekend! Head over to see the visiting Exhibitors: Fairhaven Bad Wolf Tardis, the Arizona Ghostbusters, the 501st Stormtroopers, and the Arizona Autobots.

Who is your favorite Time Traveler? Enter the Time Traveler Contest! Dress as your best version of a time traveler. Entrants will be judged on costume, spunk and time traveling accessories. So bring a communicator, flux capacitor, sonic screwdriver, or other time traveling necessities and tell us how YOU time travelled to the Faire! Time Travelers Contest will take place at 1:30 pm on Sunday at the Royal Pavilion.

Guest Authors

Both days, there will be two Guest Authors at Ann Chamberlin’s Book Shop. Science fiction writer Robert Vardeman (sometimes called Vardebob) started by writing for science fiction fanzines. Vardeman was nominated for the 1972 Hugo Award for Best Fan Writer. His latest book is The Crown Joule (The third book in the Engineering Infinity series). Besides authoring over 100 books, Vardeman’s work includes the novelization of Sony Playstation videogame God of War 1 (co-authored with Matthew Stover) and God of War 2. Michael Stackpole started his career as a role-playing and computer game designer before turning to writing. Stackpole is the New York Times bestselling author of over 55 novels, including I, Jedi and Rogue Squadron. With his bestselling Star Wars novels, he proved himself to be one of Spectra's fastest-growing mass market authors.

Tickets and Directions

Get your discount tickets at Bashas’ and Food City Stores $33 for adults, $21 for kids (ages 5 – 12), children 4 and under are always FREE. Tickets purchased at the Festival Box Office are $1 more. Discount tickets for seniors (60 and older) and military are $32, only available at the Festival box office. Parking is FREE courtesy of Bashas’ and Food City Stores.

The Festival is located just east of Phoenix on US Hwy 60, past the Gold Canyon Golf Resort. From Tucson, the Festival is west of Florence Junction on US Hwy 60. Call 520-463-2600 or visit https://arizona.renfestinfo.com for directions.

The Arizona Renaissance Festival is sponsored by Bashas, Food City, Budweiser, Delta, Pepsi, and Guinness.

Quick Info:

WHAT: 35th Annual Arizona Renaissance Festival & Artisan Marketplace

WHERE: Festival site is located east of Apache Junction on U.S. Highway 60, just past Gold Canyon Golf Resort (12601 East US Hwy 60, 85118)

WHEN: Saturdays, Sundays, and Presidents’ Day Monday, from February 4 through April 2. The Festival runs from 10AM until 6PM, rain or shine.

TICKETS: You can always save with discount tickets purchased at Bashas’ and Food City Stores Statewide or online at https://arizona.renfestinfo.com. Discount tickets are: