(Lyn's note: Please feel free to send us any pictures you'd like included.  If your photos are for sale, let us know and we will put them under that category.  We have a special section for that purpose.  If anyone would like to buy a print of any of Herbert's photos, all profits will be donated to one of the local non-profit organizations.)  Here's the link to this week's Pictures of the Week.  Enjoy!

http://carefreeazbusinesses.com/pictures-of-the-week--62215.html

 

 

 

The 2016 Carefree Desert Garden calendars will be available this fall at Carefree Town Hall, 8 Sundial Circle, Carefree. If you like to take pictures, visit the Gardens.  Our entry period for the Gardens photo contest is January.  Your picture could be in the 2017 calendar!

 

 

Desert Foothills Chronicle link:

http://www.desertfoothillschronicle.org/

City Sun Times link:

http://news.citysuntimes.com/

 

 

 

 

Thanks so very much to the overwhelming numbers who sent their support and good wishes via continuous emails and phone calls, and to those who participated in the search for our girl, Angel, before we realized she was staying put.  She came directly home, and never left our property once there.  She is, amazingly, unscathed after her 3 day/2 night adventure in the desert.  Not even stickers!  She had the little pond beside the driveway for water and also used it to cool off.  She hunkered down in the desert vegetation during the heat of the day, and stayed right outside the upper fence in the yard once the shade hit there, hanging out with the rest of her pack. I'm willing to bet they brought her home from Carefree Hwy and Cave Creek Rd.  I think she howled for direction, and they sang her home.  The first time she was spotted, she was heading south, so she didn't know it on her own. They are amazing creatures. 

 

She was scared and wouldn't let me get past her muzzle to reach her collar.  I think she thought she was in trouble for jumping out of the car window, which she apparently inadvertently put down, and it startled her.  We had to borrow a large trap.  Poor Herbert had to haul it up through the desert, schlep up with food and water a couple of times, bring her out when we saw the door spring, and then schlep the trap back out again.  He feels like a bus ran over his body.  But dad was the hero du jour!  She spent less than 5 minutes in the trap.  We were sure she would go in far enough to spring it the second time he put the food in, further towards the back, and we were watching.  He put his hiking boots back on, and got back up there with a leash ASAP.  She was very happy to see him, and to come back into the house and yard at that point.

 

Again, thanks.  We can't begin to express our appreciation for the outpouring of concern and help.  The people in our community ROCK!

 

Lyn & Herbert

 

 

 

As a new business owner in Carefree and a Carefree resident for 14 plus years with grandchildren and young family members I SUPPORT A SPLASH PAD 100%!!!!

 

I love our town, but, unfortunately all these years I have been taking our grandchildren and all my family members who come to visit to other splash pads such as in Scottsdale, Desert Ridge, Mesa, and other areas. Which ALWAYS ends up with kids getting hungry, grabbing lunch and then some vacation shopping for our adult vacationers in the area we are in or around. 

 

The Town of Carefree so desperately needs to start focusing and attracting our younger demographic of people, especially when it comes to town economic development. The younger demographic are the people out visiting, shopping, eating and playing unlike the older demographic who are home snug as a bug by 3:00 PM if not earlier.

 

Having a splash pad will absolutely bring more people into our beautiful town. Which will generate additional sales tax revenue, as well as attracting developers and new businesses who will see...The Town Carefree is "HERE" and we "WELCOME and WANT EVERYONE"...the young...the middle aged...and the older demographic to come to know..."Carefree is the BEST little town" in Arizona

 

Thank you,

 

Michelle L. Miller,

8956 E. Lazywood Pl.

Carefree

& Easy Street Galleria 

Carefree Business Owner

   

 

 

 

Smart move - As a consultant Steven Betts can move VERTICALLY - I like that expression. I also don't think he'll give away the store.

Joe DeVito

 

 

 

(Lyn's note:The following are responses we received to Mayor Peterson's clarification about the bike lanes project.)

 

 

Les, thanks for clearing that up. Where can I get more information, drawings, etc. on the bike lane project?

Greg Moorhead

 

(Lyn's note: Greg, Mayor Peterson sent this to me to publish in Carefree Truth.  You can give Town Hall a call at 488-3686 and ask for Stacey.  She can answer in-depth questions for you.  We did a Carefree Truth issue on it that you may have missed reading. http://carefreetruth.com/Carefree_Truth/CFT_395.html

The video below, which is also included in the above link, contains all the slides and the full presentation, Council discussion, and public comments. 

https://vimeo.com/user18676056/review/127329804/280057a124 )

Thanks, Lyn, I forgot that the note came through you. I am very hopeful for this bike lane project.

Greg

 

 

Right On!

Sara Vannucci

  

Thanks for the in-depth clarification.

Warm Regards,

Jackie McDermott

 

 

I keep telling you:  You can't fix stupid.

Ann S.

 

 

Lyn,

You do an excellent job of getting the word out… thank you!

Food for thought from gossip I have heard from residents plus my own input.

        1.       Hopefully this time the City will regularly inspect the Bike Lane work as it is done by the contractors to ensure high quality results to reflect on the our upscale area compared to the Cave Creek Road resurfacing between Tom Darlington and Pima Rd. That work was very poorly done as it is rough, uneven, and bare areas showing when compared to the smooth Cave Creek Road resurfacing done in Cave Creek… like night and day.

2.       I also noticed when the questionable splash pool work was being done that under the Sun Dial were three real big black pool motors. That much capacity is a total waste for the very shallow pools and water fall. Much more efficient motors could be used like Pentair’s Variable Speed model that may still get an APS rebate and save in operating costs.

3.       I doubt very much if the improved splash pool and Bike Lanes will bring any additional revenue to the downtown area. The bikers target Pima Road and then East on Stage Coach Pass or Cave Creek Road and back sometimes going through Rolling Hills !!. I very seldom see bikers pedaling on Scottsdale Road or Tom Darlington or West on Cave Creek from Pima or see many in Cave Creek. There must be some reasons for them doing this… maybe to go to the Lake, like the hills and see no reason to go down town.

The snow birds are gone and they are usually buy more than local area people so most likely the people bringing their young kids in the summer to splash won’t be buying from the stores. I also see more stores have closed. When I have talked to people at events in the town center, most of them are from Scottsdale. Thought the City was waiting on more comprehensive marketing study before undertaking projects. Unfortunately, times have changed and doubt if anybody knows what’s best for bringing in more tax revenue for the City and income for the downtown businesses and their employees.  Comparison is like the businesses around Harold’s draw lots of customers, although if you go east or west of that small area the business get very little customers in comparison. Even during major events, it surprises me how little customer traffic the other stores get and it’s seldom the customers from the bars.  Just seems there is hidden opportunity to understand and I doubt the marketing people have done a study of customers… they have to mingle with them and ask questions about what they expect, their needs and desires versus asking residents of Carefree at the town center.

Wishing you the best.

Bob Brenner

(Lyn's note: 1. Cave Creek's section looks better because their part of the street was in such dire disrepair that they had to have it taken down to the base and completely redone.  Carefree's part was just a resurfacing job.  That's why Cave Creek's stretch was much shorter.  The dollars had a ceiling, and what they needed was very expensive.  If you ride on the section of Cave Ctreek Rd. that was not done, you can see how really bad that is, and the part they had done was worse.  You can touch base with Glenn Miller for all the details.  All of it was done to MAG specs in both towns.

 

2. I checked with Gary Neiss.  The Town always uses variable speed motors when replacing anything.  They are doing exactly what you suggest, and only one variable speed motor will be used to run the equipment for the pools around the sundial.  Perhaps what you saw there were motors being used by Eco Blu Pool, the contractor, to remove what had to be taken up to do the repairs. 

 

3. We do see bikes on Cave Creek Rd. on the weekends.  We live on that side of the mountain.  And I think more bikes would go on those streets if they had bike lanes.  They are taking their lives in their hands now.  I sure wouldn't want to be riding a bike under those conditions. 

 

There is more going on in the Carefree Desert Garden than just repairing the reflecting pool and the leaks in the pools around it.  They are readying the Garden to be very active for the coming season.  A splash pad and 2 fireplaces with seating were approved at the meeting last Tuesday.  There will be kiosks in the Garden.  I talked to Joe Hills.  My Sweet Blessings Bakery (total yum!!!) has already applied for a kiosk there.  Marty and Victor are getting ready to solicit restaurants in the 11 Sundial Circle bank building.  I had BJ Hernandez up to talk to them about a satellite of Havana Cafe.  She is putting pencil to paper to see if she can afford to do a build out.  She loved the location.  A splash pad will be a big draw too.  The Carefree/Cave Creek Mothers' Club is chomping at the bit for it to open.  There are around 140 mothers in that group.  They want to come to Carefree with their kids.  They will shop and eat.  My friend Marie said the same.  She can't wait to bring her granddaughters.  As Marie put it, "Girls!  Shopping and eating!"  The bathrooms in the Garden can be used to change the kids into dry clothes.

 

4. The Baker Study, which is the marketing and downtown Master Plan generator to which you referred, is finished.  The Baker people included the entire "larger trade area", which extends all the way to the 101.  Everything being done was recommended by them, including a splash pad (pg. 41), contrary to what John Traynor said.

 

Stores everywhere come and go.  This is true of Old Town Scottsdale and the various strip malls too, as you pointed out.  The "Barmuda Triangle" and Walmart are the biggest revenue sources for Cave Creek.  While that's great for Cave Creek, it's not really "Carefree".  While you are correct in saying that nobody knows what will work, making the downtown a pleasant experience for visitors can't hurt and very well could work.  Carefree is doing what it can on property it owns.  Jim Van Allen keeps tlaking about doing improvements in places that are private property.  He has been told numerous times, for years, that the commercial lot lines in the downtown core go all the way to the street, and that the Town doesn't control private property.  The Basha's Center and the Lowe's Center are also private property.  His take on the bike lane project, despite the fact that he and John Traynor sat down with the Town Planning Director, Stacey, and had it explained to them at great length, was so far off base as to be ludicrous, yet they put these odd "opinions" out as if they were facts, and unfortunately some people see nothing else, so believe them.)