Life Coach in North Scottsdale, AZ

At noon on a recent Sunday, in the height of the brunch rush, SugarJam The Southern Kitchen was packed. At the restaurant, tucked into an industrial strip mall in north Scottsdale, customers waited for tables while others danced and a DJ spun tunes.

Tables brimmed with plates of catfish and grits and French toast sandwiches packed with scrambled eggs and country ham. A line snaked outside the restaurant and into the adjoining market, where one can find scented candles, SugarJam T-shirts, and artwork depicting bottles of tequila and gin near a neon sign that reads, "Brunch 'N Vibes."

A two-hour wait at the popular Southern restaurant off Hayden Road south of Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard has become customary for the weekend, says owner and chef Dana Dumas. She hates turning hungry customers away from her business, which originally opened about a mile away as SugarJam Bake Shop & Bistro in 2014.

As the business grew, Dumas realized it was time for a bigger space, 5,300 square feet to be exact, which she found at the current restaurant which debuted in January 2021.

”Luckily, I already had loyal customers who followed me down the street to my new location. So I took the plunge on a bigger space, but I counted on that business and it ended up working out really well,” Dumas says.

Old and new customers come to enjoy Southern comfort food like Creole Shrimp N’ Southern Grits topped with seasoned crab and buttermilk fried chicken tenders served with flapjacks.

On a recent trip, the grits were rich and buttery, topped with spicy pan-seared shrimp, sauteed red bell peppers and onions, and fried crab croquettes. Two eggs, any style, come on the side.

The buttermilk fried chicken comes with French toast, waffles, or the server-recommended pancakes. Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, the fried chicken was salty, spicy, and adorned with a barbecue glaze. It paired perfectly with slow-scrambled eggs, three semi-sweet pancakes topped with powdered sugar, and a side of maple syrup. Get a bit of all three on your fork for the perfect bite of sweet, salty, buttery, fluffy goodness.

An SJ Cherry Pie was the ideal way to end the soulful meal. The personal pie was at once sweet and tart with a golden brown crust, and could easily be shared with a friend.

Dumas recently added frozen treats made by Doc's Artisan Ice Creams to her offerings, served from an ice cream trailer parked outside. Ice cream flavors include peach cobbler and bourbon pecan, infused with SugarJam's house-made pies. Sassy Cones makes artisan waffle cones to hold the ice cream, with flavors including original, red velvet, peanut butter, and chocolate.

Though Dumas didn't attend culinary school, she grew up eating and cooking with her father, who taught her to notice distinct flavors at the Manhattan eateries they frequented.

“My dad took me to nice restaurants as a kid and I remember people being surprised that I was so well-behaved," Dumas says. "But that’s how I was brought up, to eat quality food in nice restaurants among adults. My parents didn’t raise me on chicken nuggets and pasta."

She later worked in corporate retail and hospitality but kept her passion for food alive, baking cookies for friends and family gatherings to overwhelmingly positive feedback. In 2011, she started selling cookies at the Downtown Phoenix Farmers Market. People responded well and Dumas decided to open her bakeshop a few years later, catering and serving baked goods and brunch to voracious customers.

When business shifted during the pandemic, Dumas sustained the restaurant through takeout. She recalls selling out of Friday specials, when people wanted to enjoy a nice meal with their families at home.

Now, the restaurant is back in full swing, she says. A weekend visit means a rowdy crowd, dancing and singing along to pop and rhythm and blues. The dining room is packed full of patrons enjoying their brunch while the DJ sets the lively and celebratory tone. Some tables are occupied by families with small children and others feature friends sipping on mimosas and margaritas.

But weekdays provide a calmer atmosphere where the focus is on the Southern brunch food that made SugarJam so popular, with cherry and bourbon pecan pies to boot. Songs from Ray Charles play in the background.

“I definitely encourage older guests and those looking for a quieter experience to come in during the week, but if you really want a good time with the music, energy, and of course, the food, make a reservation in advance and come by on the weekend,” Dumas says.

Mimosas keep the party going during weekend brunch, from the Pamplemousse Dream with Deep Eddy Ruby Red Grapefruit Vodka to the Southern Sunrise Mosa with tequila, orange juice, and grenadine. Specialty cocktails include a Strawberry Jalapeño Margarita with a Tajín rim and a Smokin' Raspberry & Blue Lemonade with blueberry moonshine and a sprig of smoked rosemary.

”I just want everybody to come in, eat some home-cooked food, and have a good time,” Dumas says. “Grab an art print from the market or a scoop of ice cream after your meal. We have something for everybody.”

Desert community north of Scottsdale faces cut off by water supplier in three months. County Board rejected the only solution on the table. There's no Plan B.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — In just three months, hundreds of homeowners in an upscale desert community north of Scottsdale will lose their water supplier.

On Wednesday, the Maricopa County Board rejected a last-ditch solution that would have allowed residents of Rio Verde Foothills Community (RVFC) to tax themselves to pay for water.

In the wake of that board vote, no one could say where a large number of Rio Verde residents will get their water on Jan. 1.

"It seems unbelievable, to be honest," said Meredith DeAngelis, who's lived in the community with her family for 11 years.

"We need to just keep making phone calls and keep pushing people to say how are they going to help our community.

"We cannot go dry."

The City of Scottsdale warned residents months ago that it would stop delivering water next year. Scottsdale was worried about its own water supply as Arizona absorbs deeper cuts next year to its Colorado River allocation

Supervisor Thomas Galvin, whose county district includes Rio Verde Foothills, said Scottsdale officials might reverse their decision on water hauling, knowing residents are working on a longer-term solution.

"I'm not going to speak on behalf of the City of Scottsdale," he said, "but I am confident that common sense is going to prevail."

When told of Galvin's remarks, a spokeswoman for the Scottsdale Water Department responded: "Scottsdale has not talked to the county regarding this topic. Our position has not changed.*

RVFC is an unincorporated area that doesn't have its own municipal water supply. Many residents never thought much of it.

They either got their water from working wells or hauled in from Scottsdale.

Many homeowners now say they weren't aware when they bought their property that their water supply might be at risk.

Two factions have torn the Foothills in half since the cutoff was announced by Scottsdale last November.

They've been divided by what they see as the best way forward.

One side wanted to form the resident-led taxing district, with the powers to obtain water from other sources. The other side wanted to continue the tradition of hauling water with another utility company.

After months of waiting, residents on Wednesday got to hear the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors vote to side with the pro-utility residents against forming the district.

The vote might clear the way for EPCOR to be the primary water hauling service for the community, pending approval from the Arizona Corporation Commission.

But the utility said the earliest it could begin hauling water to the community was more than two years away.

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Galvin led the charge to dismiss the motion to form a Designated Water Improvement District (DWID).

A DWID lets an area's water users take shared responsibility for managing said area's water through a board of locally elected members. The district then has the power to enter into water deals and put funding into water infrastructure construction.

Galvin gave numerous reasons as to why he believed a DWID wasn't the right move for the community. The reasons included:

"A new governmental entity would be disruptive to the rural, independent lifestyle and spirit of the community," Galvin said during the meeting. "In contrast, a private water utility corporation can address these water needs and has greater support from the community."

The ACC was looking at two utility companies for candidates to deliver water to the community's residents: EPCOR and Global Water Response.

EPCOR may sound familiar to residents of the north Valley. The utility company stepped in to provide water to the New River and Desert Hills communities when Phoenix announced its cut-off to water hauling services in 2018.

EPCOR reported back to the Corporation Commission last Friday, laying out the challenges of providing water to Rio Verde Foothills: It could take more than two years to complete once the project was approved, inflation could drive up the cost, and residents would pay a lot more for water than they're paying now.

Read the entire EPCOR statement here:

ORIGINAL E000020810 2355 West Pinnacle Peak Road,Suite 300 Phoenix, AZ 85027 USA epeor.com August 26,2022 VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL ONLY Elijah O. Abinah Ulities Division Director Atizona Corporation Commission 1200 W. Washington Street Phoenix, AZ 85007 eabinah@azce.gov RE: ARIZONA CORPORATION COMMISSION INVESTIGATION INTO ALTERNATIVE WATER SERVICE FOR RIO VERDE FOOTHILLS COMMUNITY. (DOCKET NO. W-00000A-22-0194) write in response to your August 12, 2022 letter regarding the provision ofstandpipe water to the Rio Verde Foothills Community (RVEC). In yourletter, you posed several questions. Below are EPCOR's responses. EPCOR appreciates the opportunity to participate in this discussion and looks forward to helping identify a solution for the residents of the RVFC that the Commission deems appropriate. 1. Is your company interested in providing standpipe water services to the RVEC? EPCOR is willing to provide standpipe services to the RVEC, but has questions about how that Service mightbeprovided, including timing, cost, and the location of a potential standpipe. A primary driver behind EPCOR’swillingness 0 provide servicei thatthe individuals living in the RVEC are in an untenable: situation. They will soon lack water and, as a result, may no longer be able to live in their homes. EPCOR has the means and expertise to provide standpipe water and prevent what might otherwise beavery difficult or even tragic outcome for the individuals involved. Because ofits concerns, however, EPCOR believes that all options should be seriously evaluated, includinga domestic water improvement district (DWID). But if, after due consideration, it is lear that EPCOR is the viable option, EPCOR is willing to provide service with the Commission's guidance and approval. 2. Ifso, what steps would your company need to take in order to provide standpipe water services (0 the RVEC (e.g., acquiring water rights, investing in new infrastructure, etc.)? “To provide standpipe services to the RVEC, EPCOR would need to () acquire land on which to place the sandpipe; (i) obtain adequate water rights to provide the service; i) drill a new well from which to pump the water needed to physically supply the standpipe; and, (iv) build any other infrastructure needed to ensure an operational standpipe. It shouldbe noted that under the current circumstances, including supply chain constrains, anticipated delays in obtaining permits, and that EPCOR does not have a sie for the project (much less commenced actual design of the standpipe on that sie) puting the siandpipe in service would take at least 24 months from the date the Commission approved a standpipe tariff. ACC- Docket Control - Received 82612022 4:04 PM ACC Docket Control -Docketed §26:2022 4:15 PM

The other utility, Global Water Response, said it wouldn't haul water to the community.

Read the entire Global Water Response statement here:

ORIGINAL Ew August 26, 2022 By email and eDocket Director Elijah O. Abinah Utilities Division Arizona Corporation Commission 1200 West Washington Avenue Phoenix, Arizona 85007 Re: Docket No. W-00000A-22-0194 Dear Director Abinah: “This letter responds to your letter of August 12, 2022 to Global Water—Santa Cruz Water Company, Inc. (“GW-Santa Cruz"). This letter provides background relevant to the questions, and then answers the questions you posed, with the question in italics and the answer in plain text. Background The Rio Verde Foothills area is facinga water issue. A numberof homes in the area lack water, and historically purchased water from water hauling companies, who in tum purchased from the Cityof Scottsdale. The City of Scottsdale has stated that these purchases will no longer be permitted by the end of the year. GW-Santa Cruz is located in Pinal County and is not involved in this situation. However, our smaller affiliate, Global Water—Belmont Water Company, Inc. (GW-Belmont), Norther Scottsdale Division! is located in this area. Global Water Resources acquired the Northern Scottsdale Division as part of the West Maricopa Combine acquisition in 2006. The system is quite small, with approximately 90 customers. Ths, the capacityofthis system is limited. Nevertheless, we have attempted to provide some limited access to water hauling companies. We were approached by a water hauling company secking access in mid-2017, with operations starting in February 2018 pursuant to written contract with the utility. A second water hauling company later entered into a similar contract. The water hauling companies are charged in accordance with thetarifffor the North Scottsdale Division and all revenue is recorded as at the utility level. No additional contracts have been entered into du to capacity limits with this small system. The former Global Water—Northern Scotsdale Water Company 7a Water Ultyof NorthernScottsdale,was recent merged into GW-Belmont inconnectionwith the consolidation approved inth recent Global Waer at case: (Docket Nos. 200214 etal) lootWateResources, In. -CorporteHesdartes phone: as03007775 21410Nth 19 vere,Sue 30,Poe AZ $5037 fe amas preoueseen ACC- Docket Control -Received 8262022 10:29 AM ACCDocketControl -Docketed 8/26/2022 10:46 AM

The RVFC would have also had a potentially long, difficult road with the DWID.

The community's most popular idea currently looks at the DWID buying a piece of land with water, potentially in the Harquehala Valley dozens of miles away. They'd then have to figure out how to get that water to Central Arizona Project (CAP) canals by forming some kind of agreement.

If everything goes swimmingly, the water would enter the CAP and make its way to Rio Verde Foothills via pipeline. It would all cost a lot of money, but residents pushing for the DWID said it was the only choice they had.

The DWID process is in no way immediate. There was no telling how long it would have taken before the new water supply would have been accessible.

Water levels are dwindling across the Southwest as the megadrought continues. Here's how Arizona and local communities are being affected.

You worked hard this week and deserve to play even harder this weekend. Over the next 72 hours or so, you can attend a hometown performance by one-time Arizona resident David Spade, get an eyeful of art at Third Friday, learn how to make zines, or meet famed voice actors.

For more things to do in the Valley from Friday, September 16, to Sunday, September 18, visit Phoenix New Times’ online calendar.

Third Friday

One of the main appeals of the Third Friday art walk in downtown Phoenix is the lack of crowds. Sure, there are groups of local culture vultures about during the monthly event, but nowhere near the hordes attending First Fridays. In other words, you can check out local works at the galleries of Roosevelt Row and Grand Avenue without having others jostling you or staring daggers your way. One of the highlights of this month’s event on Friday, September 16, includes Belarus-born painter Lola Panco’s exhibition “Internal Forces” at Modified/Arts, 407 East Roosevelt Street. Over at Five15Arts, 1301 Grand Avenue, printmaker and designer Harold Lohner will present his solo show “Prints of Men.” Hours for both galleries are from 6 to 9 p.m. Admission is free. Benjamin Leatherman

David Spade

Years before he spent six seasons in the cast of Saturday Night Live, tag-teamed with the late Chris Farley in Tommy Boy and Black Sheep, or starred in sitcoms like Just Shoot Me, actor and comedian David Spade was an Arizona State University student working the local stand-up scene in the mid-to-late 1980s. So whenever the Emmy and Golden Globe nominee returns to his old stomping grounds for a hometown gig, it feels like a big deal. He’s scheduled to bring his Catch Me Inside tour to Celebrity Theatre, 440 North 32nd Street, on Friday, September 16. We’re guessing Spade will slip in multiple references (or digs) about the Valley between his usual sarcasm-laden bits and quips during the performance. The show starts at 8 p.m. Tickets are $40 to $50 via the Celebrity Theatre’s website. Benjamin Leatherman

Junk in the Trunk Vintage Market

Around since 2011, Junk in the Trunk is for the professional flea market shopper, or at least the ambitious ones. One of the biggest flea markets you'll find in Phoenix happens a couple of times a year, but it makes a big impact. The market attracts thousands to WestWorld of Scottsdale, 16601 North Pima Road in Scottsdale, and brings together vendors carrying everything from decor and trinkets to surprisingly expensive empty alcohol bottles. You'll also find food trucks and caterers on-site, so come hungry. It's worth noting that parking costs change with each event. Junk in the Trunk's latest Scottsdale Market event is from Friday, September 16, to Sunday, September 18. Advance tickets are $50 for Friday night from 4 to 9 p.m.; $25 for Saturday's early bird session from 8 to 10 a.m.; $8 for Saturday’s general session from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.; and $8 for Sunday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Phoenix New Times Writers

Keith Silverstein and Phil LaMarr Signing

If you’ve been watching cartoons or anime since the '90s, you’ve heard the vocal talents of Keith Silverstein and Phil LaMarr. Both are esteemed voice actors who have played hundreds of roles during their respective careers. Silverstein is a well-known name in anime, having been featured in the Americanized versions of Monster, Bleach, Attack on Titan, Sailor Moon Crystal, and One-Punch Man, just to name a few. LaMarr is best known for voicing Hermes Conrad from Futurama and the titular protagonist of Samurai Jack, but has more than 250 credits on his resume, including roles in Invader Zim, Hey Arnold!, Kim Possible, and BoJack Horseman. Both actors are scheduled for a signing appearance from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, September 17, at the Arrowhead Mall location of Toy Temple, 7700 West Arrowhead Towne Center, Suite 2238, in Glendale. It’s free to attend the event, but people are asked to sign up for designated time slots. Silverstein and LaMarr will also charge various prices for autographs or pictures. Click here for more information. Benjamin Leatherman

Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day

Writer and illustrator Maira Kalman once described visiting a museum as “a search for beauty, truth, and meaning in our lives.” And on Saturday, September 17, metro Phoenix residents can engage in such high-minded hunts during this year’s Smithsonian Magazine Museum Day. A handful of local museums will offer free admission to the general public, including the Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum, 2017 North Greenfield Road in Mesa, and Western Spirit: Scottsdale's Museum of the West, 3830 North Marshall Way. You can spend the day strolling through a particular spot while soaking up history, culture, and some of the aforementioned concepts on the cheap. Operating hours vary. Free tickets and a list of participating museums are available on Smithsonian Magazine’s website. Benjamin Leatherman

Cult Classics: The Evil Dead

Long before he helmed a trilogy of Spider-Man films or brought Xena to life on television, director Sam Raimi created The Evil Dead, the low-budget horror film that’s widely considered to be a masterpiece. Rife with gore, mayhem, and Raimi’s particularly kooky visual style, the 1981 flick starring a young Bruce Campbell involves a group of college students staying at a cabin deep in the Tennessee woods and running afoul of supernatural forces. More gruesome and less comedic than its two sequels (particularly the ultra-quotable Army of Darkness), The Evil Dead became a favorite of movie geeks and horror fans after its release and helped spawn the careers of Raimi and Campbell. Local repertory film series Cult Classics will feature the flick on Saturday, September 17, at Landmark Theatres Scottsdale Quarter, 15257 North Scottsdale Road, Suite 230. The 9 p.m. showing is sold out but tickets are still available for the 9:30 p.m. screening. General admission is $15 and various VIP packages (which include perks like commemorative shirts and art prints) are $25 to $200. Benjamin Leatherman

Phx Zine Fest

If you missed out on the first weekend of this year’s Phx Zine Fest, which featured virtual workshops and panels, the good news is the second half of the annual event will take place on Saturday, September 17, and Sunday, September 18, at The Nile Theater, 105 West Main Street in Mesa, and include in-person activities. As with previous editions of the fest, which is put on by the Valley’s Wasted Ink Zine Distro, it will offer advice and tips on how to make your own DIY publications from dozens of local zine creators, artists, punks, indie publishers, and others. Hours are from noon to 5 p.m. each day. More details can be found here. Admission is free. Benjamin Leatherman

Photo By Samantha Chow/Cronkite News: A Western Diamondback rattlesnake “tastes” the air at the Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary in north Scottsdale on Aug. 29.

By Olivia Dow/Cronkite News

SCOTTSDALE – This summer’s monsoon has been active across Arizona, bringing violent winds, torrential rain, and flash floods.

Also, rattlesnakes and toads.

The Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary keeps records of rattlesnake calls they receive throughout the year. August is particularly busy, venom manager Cale Morris said.

“We get about 300 rattlesnake calls a year to relocate them from the Phoenix area,” Morris said. “But then the biggest spike is in August … that’s when we get the most rattlesnake calls.

“Also, we get lots of calls about toads.”

Toads and rattlesnakes are active now because monsoons determine when they reproduce. Rattlesnakes all give birth in August, Morris said, and the rains tell toads to emerge to breed after months underground.

Morris, who’s in charge of handling venomous animals at the sanctuary, started work there 18 years ago, relocating rattlers. Now he deals with more than 200 venomous snakes from all over the world at the sanctuary in north Scottsdale.

“I really do love venomous things. They’re very misunderstood animals,” he said. “People are afraid of them a lot, you know, for good reason. But the more you learn about something like that, the safer you’ll be.”

In Arizona, there are 13 species of rattlesnakes; the western diamondback is the most commonly spotted in the Valley.

The western diamondback on average bears 12 live snakelets a year. Contrary to popular belief, immature rattlers are not more venomous than adults, he said.

“Babies act just like adults, (but) because they have a smaller head and smaller venom yield they’re not as dangerous,” Morris said. “It’s the big ones that can do the more serious bites.”

Monsoon rains also awaken toads, including the big Sonoran desert toad, from “their long hibernation,” Morris said. They emerge from underground to mate and lay their eggs in pools of water formed by runoff.

“They actually hear and feel the rain hitting the ground,” he said. “So they’ll be buried and when it hits really, really hard. That’s why we only see them during these first really big ones (storms).

“I go out in the desert a lot, and you’ll see them all over the roads. People see them just popping up out of their yards. I’ll find them in swimming pools.”

Morris said the Phoenix Herpetological Sanctuary receives calls from people wondering what to do with the toads. Toads “have no boundaries because they will bury themselves under the ground all year,” he noted.

Increased humidity, heavy rain, and thunderstorms develop frequently during monsoon season in Arizona, which starts in June and ends in September.

“Across the state of Arizona, monsoon 2022 has been very good. … But as with every monsoon, there’s always a few little spots that have kind of missed out on some of the better rainfall” said Mark O’Malley of the National Weather Service’s Phoenix office. That has helped with increasing the soil moisture in Arizona, he said, but “one wet monsoon does very little for the long term” drought.

If Arizona continues to heat up and dry out – as experts expect – there is a concern for toads and frogs’ ability over the long term to successfully breed, said Tom Jones of the Arizona Game & Fish Department. Twenty-four species of toads and frogs are found in Arizona.

With climate change, the average overnight temperature has increased. In Phoenix, for example, the average overnight temperature in the summer has risen 5.8 degrees since 1970, according to Climate Central, which is an independent group of scientists and communicators who share research about climate change.

“The breeding season is not the only thing to worry about,” Jones said, “because they spend most of their lives underground. If the ground dries out too much, then they won’t survive while they’re underground.”

After breeding, toads will feed before burrowing back into the damp ground.

“The soil is still a little bit moist, that gives them the opportunity to be out and feed before they go back underground for the next nine to 10 months,” Jones said.

Some species of toads in Arizona go from egg to tadpole to adult toad in just two weeks, Jones said – much faster than toad species found in other parts of the country.

“Whether you’re looking at those animals or you’re looking at flowers that are blooming or birds that are more abundant, whatever it is, enjoy the monsoon,” he said. “ It’s a unique part of the American Southwest that we get to see that pretty much the rest of the world doesn’t. It’s a time to go out and enjoy.”

In addition to the exhibition itself, there will be an opening reception from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 14.

Scottsdale Public Art will showcase artworks that celebrate the resilience and creativity of Arizona Latina artists in "Modern Latina: Cultura, Familia y Arte" from Oct. 11 through Dec. 31, 2022, at Scottsdale Civic Center Library.

Reflected through contemporary eyes, the artists of "Modern Latina" show the importance of these cultural and familial treasures through their creative works. This exhibition also demonstrates how making art is therapeutic and celebratory. The artworks featured reveal the Latina life experience, showing how the personal is also universal. "Modern Latina" asserts that the power and voice of women is long-lasting and far-reaching throughout time.

Wendy Raisanen, curator of collections and exhibitions for Scottsdale Public Art, is proud to show this group of Latina women artists.

"They are all at different stages of their artistic careers and all passionate artists who know the power of art to celebrate their lives and traditions," Raisanen said. "Their artworks express how their relationships with their family, friends and culture have been affected and reinforced because of the unusual times we are experiencing during these last couple years."

The identities of these artists are illuminated through their cultural and familial ties - all embodied in the celebration of traditions and ancestral legacies. Here, the term "family" may refer to those who have nurtured them, those they have loved or those who have already passed on.

Self-taught painter, printmaker and mixed media artist Emily Costello's art is strongly influenced by her grandmother.

"My grandmother always encouraged me to create, and of the stories she passed on to me, the stories that give meaning to the experiences that we all share - issues of humor, life, love, death, spirituality, dreams and memories - were the ones I gravitated towards the most," Costello said. "My pieces in the 'Modern Latina' exhibition represent memories of the past, present and future of my family's cultural heritage and identity."

In addition to the exhibition itself, there will be an opening reception from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Oct. 14 at the Civic Center Public Gallery inside Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 3839 N. Drinkwater Blvd., Scottsdale, Arizona 85251.

For more information about the exhibition, visit ScottsdalePublicArt.org/exhibitions.