With diverse indoor sports and fitness opportunities ranging from pickleball to basketball and golf to ping-pong, Espire Sports Multi-Sport Complex has opened at the Prescott Gateway Mall in the more than 100,000-square-foot space previously occupied by Sears. CEO and founder Jim Thomas, his brother, Randy Thomas, General Manager Rita Kavanaugh and Membership Director Peg Travers recently led a media tour. “I conceived of this concept four years ago when I realized that pickleball was soon … [Read more...] about Espire Sports Offering Indoor Complex
Workforce Development Solutions for Yavapai County
Arizona Town Hall recently partnered with the Yavapai County Workforce Development Board to convene and facilitate a discussion with employers and workforce development professionals about labor market challenges within the county and beyond. A significant portion of the discussion revolved around data that outlines worldwide demographic trends such as the approaching “sansdemic,” which means “without people.” The sudden mass exodus of Baby Boomers (workforce past). Whereas pre-pandemic, two … [Read more...] about Workforce Development Solutions for Yavapai County
The Future is Here in Smart Home Automation
For those of us who remember growing up with the cartoon “The Jetsons” and envying all their cool home products, smart home automation makes this futuristic vision of an ultra-convenient home a reality. A smart home automation system will monitor and control home features like alarm systems, lighting, heating and cooling, home theaters, multi-room audio and appliances. Today, connecting all the technology in your home is not only possible but simple. Even for folks who aren’t very tech savvy, … [Read more...] about The Future is Here in Smart Home Automation
New Chef Helps Barley Hound Survive Pandemic
I had the opportunity to create a totally new and different culinary experience for diners and I think we’ve done it. But it was challenging.” That’s how Tony Burris described accepting the role of executive chef at The Barley Hound last October. The newly remodeled restaurant, located at 234 South Cortez, is in an eye-catching Victorian-style home with roots dating back to the early 1900s. Burris said owner Skyler Reeves recently had spent a “substantial amount of money” remodeling both … [Read more...] about New Chef Helps Barley Hound Survive Pandemic
Army Veteran Creating Jobs for Those Who Served
Grant Quezada has created what is known locally as the Founding Fathers Collective (FFC). After four tours of duty in Afghanistan and two in Iraq, he said when he returned to Prescott with his wife, Veronica, and two small sons and a daughter, he wanted to create a business environment to benefit his fellow veterans while simultaneously creating a unique signature experience for the community. When he opened the John Hancock Barbershop in fall 2014, he began what has become an award-winning … [Read more...] about Army Veteran Creating Jobs for Those Who Served
Brenda Clouston Serves Up Southern Hospitality at Colt Grill
Grandmothers are famous for touching our lives in significant ways and sometimes even helping us chart a path to our dreams. For Colt Grill BBQ & Spirits owner Brenda Clouston, her Grandma Helen was the fuel that fired Clouston’s four smokehouse restaurants. With locations in Cottonwood, Prescott, Prescott Valley and Sedona, Clouston is quick to credit her grandmother. “Grandma Helen was a ranch woman who cooked huge meals for our family, always had a beautiful garden and cared for us … [Read more...] about Brenda Clouston Serves Up Southern Hospitality at Colt Grill
Last of the Large Flagstaff Loggers Retires
When forest restoration giant Wally Covington drives by the Ribelin Logging Co. sort yard on East Huntington in Flagstaff and sees the equipment up for sale, it makes him sad. “They are very good operators in the forest and had a huge impact on the community.” With decades of experience, millions of dollars invested in logging equipment and a deep love for the forest, Ribelin Logging Co. President Ken Ribelin says the family-owned and operated business – a thriving logging company that at one … [Read more...] about Last of the Large Flagstaff Loggers Retires
Coming Soon: Yoga Stretches and Puppy Cuddles
A nationwide trend in classes for personal health presents puppy yoga classes that offer a win-win combination of yoga exercise and pure puppy cuddles, all in a stress-free environment. Using animals such as bunnies and goats to interact with practitioners during yoga is not new, but inviting puppies into yoga class is a particularly innovative and fun idea, causing many laughs when puppies are coupled with the well-known “downward dog” pose in yoga. The first puppy yoga classes in the … [Read more...] about Coming Soon: Yoga Stretches and Puppy Cuddles
Leave a Legacy through Leadership
We have all heard the phrase “Take a leap of faith,” but what does that really mean in the big scheme of life? Does it mean that we take careless risks, or lead our lives blindly into the unknown because we have faith in the “Leap?” No, it does not! I have applied the meaning of what “leaping” means to me in the acronym L.E.A.P. In my world, L.E.A.P. means to Lead with an Enhanced Acceleration to reach your Peak Performance. You might have caught a glimpse of the cover of the famous book, … [Read more...] about Leave a Legacy through Leadership
Making a Great Commotion
Miss Anna Durkee made history when, acting on a tip, she purchased gold mining property near Oatman in 1914. Two years later, the Wichita Daily Eagle reported that it was for “an insignificant sum.” The headline read, “Tip Gave Her a Fortune.” Miss Anna, who had become one of the world’s foremost women mine owners, was not flattered by the attention. In fact, she seemed annoyed. “I can’t see why a woman cannot run a gold mine just as well as a man,” she told the reporter. “If a man were … [Read more...] about Making a Great Commotion