Stories
Stories

Getting a Pet Tortoise in Arizona
They’re not fluffy, they don’t play fetch, and they certainly don’t roll over. But there is such a thing as a lap tortoise. Each year the Arizona Game and Fish Department makes hundreds of captive desert tortoises available for adoption. These tortoises cannot...

Arizona Monsoons, Haboobs, and Microbursts
UNDERSTANDING THE SONORAN DESERT'S SUMMER WEATHER Arizona has unique weather patterns compared to the rest of the country, with terminology not used in other states. When it comes to summer weather, most year-round residents look forward to the monsoon storms...

Tender Little Hearts: Equine Therapy and Literacy Programs
What could be more precious than seeing a child read a book to a miniature horse or donkey dressed in fun outfits? It would have to be knowing that this simple activity could be a life-altering experience for the child. When Terry Holmes-Stecyk started Tender Little...

Falcons Soar into an Innovative New Year
If you start talking about the Fountain Hills Unified School District with Superintendent Dr. Cain Jagodzinski, you’ll quickly pick up on his passion for education and his love for the students. FHUSD has had some challenging years, but Dr. J, as he’s affectionately...

Fountain Hills Leadership Academy: Preparing Future Leaders for Our Community
The Fountain Hills Leadership Academy sprang to life quickly in mid-2016, but its impact and longevity are proving our community's need for this kind of program. THE BEGINNING In early 2016, the Vision Fountain Hills committee conducted a community survey. They wanted...

Desert Derby Fashion Show and Luncheon
Tickets are now available for one of the area’s social events of the year, as the Fountain Hills Women's Club(FHWC) excitedly looks ahead to its 2023 Annual Scholarship Fundraiser, the "Desert Derby" Luncheon & Fashion Show, to be held on Sunday, April 2, 2023, at...

For the Love of Libraries and Community: Fountain Hills Friends of the Library
"Bad libraries build collections, good libraries build services, great libraries build communities." ~R. David Lankes If you sit down with Barb Esposito to talk about the Fountain Hills Friends of the Library, she will repeatedly mention that they love to do things...

Introducing FH560: Fun and Creative Fountain Hills Shirts and Gifts
Melissa Rosenthal loves to travel and enjoy different food, cultures, and experiences a new place has to offer. Over the six years she’s lived in Fountain Hills, she continues to look at it through the eyes of a tourist. This mindset has filled her with creative ideas...

Leaders Among Fountain Hills’ Youth: Mayor’s Youth Council
Pythagoras said over 2,500 years ago, “The beginning of every government starts with the education of our youth.” And it’s been proven to be true ever since. Fountain Hills has an excellent program for our local high school students that engages them in community...

Grand Fall aka “Chocolate Falls” Road Trip
If you’ve ever wanted to experience the chocolate falls from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, you might want to take a spontaneous trip to Arizona’s painted desert. A rare natural occurrence only occurs a few times every year. A day trip to the Grand Falls, also...

Fountain Hills Automobile Club
If you are a fan of Arizona’s “Car Month” each January, you’ll want to check out the Fountain Hills Automobile Club. This dynamic group traces its roots back a remarkable thirty-five years. “Currently, we have about 90 members in our group,” said Tony Pistilli, who...

January is Car Month in the Valley!
The last week of January in particular is known as “Arizona Car Week” to enthusiasts and is going to be jam-packed with auctions across the Scottsdale area. Barrett-Jackson, 1/21- 29: This is the big one, “The World’s Greatest Collector Car Auction!” People from...

For the Love of Wildlife: Ranger Amy Burnett
Ranger Amy Burnett is well-known in Fountain Hills for giving us an up-close look at snakes, scorpions, and other fascinating desert wildlife. Whether you’re five or ninety-five, she opens a world of awe for these unique creatures. If you ask Ranger Amy if she’s...

An Asteroid Named “Fountain Hills”
Fountain Hills has been attracting people for its dark skies long before its designation as an International Dark Sky Community in 2018. One of those people was the late Dr. Charles W. Juels, who discovered over 400 minor planets and asteroids from his backyard. Juels...

Safety Checklist for Holiday Lights
Thomas Edison created the first Christmas light display in 1880 at his Menlo Park laboratory. Two years later, his friend and colleague Edward Johnson decorated the first Christmas tree with 80 blinking red, white and blue electric lights. He perched it on a revolving...

From the Shackles of Communism to Local Restaurateur: Merita Kraya
Merita Kraya showing the symbol of the double-headed eagle across her heart If you pay attention to details in restaurants, you may have noticed a red flag with a black double-headed eagle on the wall at Euro Pizza Café. It's the flag of Albania, the home...