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2010 Competition

Award of Excellence Winner

_____________________________________________________________________

On the award certificate for this project were:

Ed Sharpe   Reporter/Photographer       Bette Sharpe - Reporter/Wheelman

Fundraiser Benefits Sun Valley Animal Shelter

By Bette Sharpe Glendale Daily Planet

Sun Valley Animal Shelter 7150 NB. 110 Avenue

Glendale, Arizona 85307

These are tough times for everyone, even our pets.  Sun Valley receives between 20 to 30 telephone calls a day for help with animals. 

 Saturday, May 15 the shelter held a fundraiser offering microchipping for $25, a car wash (by donation), and hot dogs for a $1.00.  You could even purchase a gift for your pet.  The money spent going to a very good cause.

Photo by Bette Sharpe Glendale Daily Planet

Photo by Bette Sharpe Glendale Daily Planet Lynn England at the fundraiser's gift table has volunteered for 6 years and said, "my life is not complete without coming out" {to the shelter}.

The fundraiser was to raise money for much needed medical supplies for the new wing.  The shelter is a no kill shelter and is also known as a happy shelter because animals are not in cages.  Hopeful pet owners are welcome to visit the facility.  It is also very clean.  Thirteen staff members insure that the animals are well taken care of.  Cats are housed in the cat building and dogs in theirs. 

Sun Valley Animal Shelter opened in 1995 and in January 2010 opened the new medical wing.  "This new building will provide expanded surgical and medical facilities, plus quarantine and isolation rooms, and multi-purpose areas for pet introductions, public outreach programs, and volunteer orientations, among others."  But supplies are needed, so the work is not finished yet.

Potential pet parents are interviewed first, prior to adoption to be sure the pet and new family, will be healthy and safe with each other. 

Currently, pets can be microcipped for $25.00.  The process just takes a second.  By doing so, the owner can prove ownership of the pet.  If the pet, is lost and then found, it can be scanned.  The microchip will show the owner's information thus getting the cat or dog home faster. 

Baby & New Mom Wellness Expo!
Hosted by Healthy Baby Happy Earth
Glendale Civic Center
Saturday June 26th, 2010
 Photos and data arrangement By Bette and Ed Sharpe Glendale Daily Planet

Families Attend Baby & Mom Wellness 
Expo - June 26 at Glendale Civic Center

Healthy Baby Happy Earth, an eco-aware baby & new mom boutique located in historic Catlin Court in downtown Glendale hosted a Baby & Mom Wellness Expo that will be held on Saturday, June 26th from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Glendale Civic Center located at 5750 W. Glenn Drive. The FREE event offers new parents or soon-to-be parents an opportunity to attend various sessions to hear about their options in planning for their birth experience, breastfeeding, body mechanics for new parents, infant massage, safe baby-carrying, cloth diapering, swaddling, infant & toddler water safety, dietary information before and after the birth of a baby, safe selection of childcare, childproofing the home, music in parenting are a few of the topics slated for the one day event. 

Representatives from: Banner Health, Phoenix Children’s Hospital, St. Joseph’s Hospital, Abrazzo Health as well as Oakeson Physical Therapy, Desert West Obstetrics & Gynecology, Hubbard Swim School, New Directions Institute, Wells Fargo Bank, Grayhawk Family Practice and Bashas as well as many local vendors offering a wealth of resources for children and their parents, were an integral part of the event. Thanks to the support from corporate partners like theBump.com, an online resource for today’s parents, Baby Banz, manufacturer of infant and children’s’ sunglasses and swimwear and Medela, Inc., the leader in breastfeeding support products, this event was provided free of charge to all participants.

The first 200 registrants for the event received a special goodie bags filled with gifts and information regarding the safest products and services available for them and their babies. In addition, the general public visited the exhibitors’ hall throughout the day and register for more than $5000 in door prizes compliments of the manufacturers & Healthy Baby Happy Earth including: an organic crib mattress from Naturepedic valued at $299, a Radian XTSL Car seat from Sunshine Kids valued at $299, a Freestyle Per-sonal Breastpump from Medela valued at $379 and much, much more!

Also as a part of the event, the Glendale Fire Department provided information about car seat safety inspection and water safety tips for anyone attending the event.

A family book fair by Imagine Nation Books was also a part of the event to support early reading with a portion of the proceeds benefiting the Glendale Public Libraries. 

Since admission and parking were FREE of charge to participants, attendees are invited to contribute to a supply drive for Maggie’s Place and Stepping Stones Charities that both work to assist homeless and abused women & children in AZ!

Ollie the Trolley  traveled the streets of downtown Glendale, offering registered guests of the event an air-conditioned ride to: Bitzee Mama’s Restaurant, Coffee & Tea Express, Haus Murphy’s Restaurant, Kimberly Ann’s Tea Room, Papa Ed’s Ice Cream Parlor, La Piazza al Forno, ZANG Asian Bistro who made the trolley rides available through their generous support with Healthy Baby Happy Earth. 

Adam Scanniello  and Sierra Nicole Scanniello pause and share a moment gazing at a book at  the first Baby and New Mom Wellness Expo held at the Glendale Civic center and sponsored by Healthy Baby Happy Earth 7149 N. 57th Drive located in Downtown Glendale AZ.   This event was FREE to the New & Expectant Mothers and their Partners! - Grandparents-to-Be & other support were welcome also! - Photo by Bette Sharpe Glendale Daily Planet.

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This was   the first Baby and New Mom Wellness Expo held at the Glendale Civic center and sponsored by Healthy Baby Happy Earth 7149 N. 57th Drive located in Downtown Glendale AZ.  - This event was FREE to the New & Expectant Mothers and their Partners! - Grandparents-to-Be & other support were welcome also! Photo by Bette Sharpe Glendale Daily Planet

More on Healthy Baby Happy Earth  located in beautiful, downtown Glendale, in the Catlin Court Historic District. We are fortunate to be in a 70 year-old, restored brick house, that allows for us to offer a privacy room for moms to nurse or change their little ones.

7149 N. 57th Drive
Glendale, AZ 85301
(623) 847-0590

Authors @ The Teague - Women Who Kill 

(Left to right: Zoë Sharp, Juliet Blackwell, Sophie Littlefield, and Jeanne Matthews. Photo: copyright Ed Sharpe, CouryGraph Productions)


What a treat to host the program "Women Who Kill" for Authors @ The Teague. It was a celebration with friends. I welcomed back Zoë Sharp, who did the very first authors program at the Velma Teague Library three years ago. She kicked off the series that became Authors @ The Teague. Juliet Blackwell is the author of the recent book, A Cast-Off Coven. Under the name Hailey Lind, she writes the Art Lover's Mystery series with her sister. Sophie Littlefield's first book, A Bad Day for Sorry has been nominated for all kinds of awards, and it won the RTBookReviews Reviewers' Choice Award. Her latest book is A Bad Day for Pretty. Jeanne Matthews is the author of a debut traditional mystery, in the style of Agatha Christie. Bones of Contention, though, is set in the Top End of Australia. After that short introduction, I turned the program over to Juliet Blackwell.

It was flattering when Juliet told the audience I was a treasure in the world of mysteries. She said I'm a reviewer and reader, and it's wonderful to have librarians who love books, and spread that love of books.

She went on to say the authors were all in town for the Poisoned Pen Conference, and you could find the entire program on the bookstore's website, www.poisonedpen.com.

Then, Juliet said, the program was called "Women Who Kill," so how many people have your protagonists killed? Or how many have you killed off? Is killing ever justified?

Jeanne Matthews' protagonist is southern, from Georgia, in her debut, Bones of Contention. She does know how to shoot. Dinah is a wannabe anthropologist. She's diverted by the planned euthanasia in Australia of a man she regarded as a father. Her life falls apart all at one time. She finds out her boyfriend is unfaithful; she loses her job, and her uncle is planning an assisted suicide.

Jeanne asked if we'd heard, "The past is a dance. It isn't ever past." That's the story of Dinah's life, childhood, and the myths of family. The book involves Dreamtime, the Aboriginal beliefs that they can communicate with their ancestors. Dinah as to deal with secrets of her family, and then she's confronted with murder. Family members are all suspects.

Bones of Contention is set in the Northern Territory. That area makes up 20% of Australia's land, but only has 1% of the population. There's colorful slang, with the language, Strine. The characters are colorful. And, of course there's the Aboriginal language. Matthews said she was only in Australia for six weeks, but she read a lot, and did a great deal of research. So, the final answer? Her heroine would kill if she had to, but she'd shoot to wound first.

Juliet mentioned that Sophie's protagonist has killed. Sophie Littlefield's character, Stella Hardesty, is a fifty-year-old rural housewife. She suffered from years of abuse from her husband. She finally killed with with a wrench, but it was an accident. After that, she thought she should offer to kill other abusive men. But, the publishing world wasn't really ready for a woman to kill, at least not a woman who isn't glamorous. She's a housewife. So, once the editors were done with her, she "retains, restrains, and retrains men." Sophie laughed and said she just thought of that phrase. Her books have been called bondage cozies. Stella is overweight, medium height, not beautiful. Sophie said she learned SO much about restraints online. A Bad Day for Sorry is her second book. Sophie is not an advocate for violence or vigilantism. Although she knew she was speaking in a state where residents can carry. Juliet mentioned that Sophie's latest book is written up in People this week.

Juliet didn't have to ask Zoë if her character kills. Sharp's Charlie Fox does kill, but not on a regular basis. But, it's her business, since she works as a bodyguard. She does use deadly force. And, Zoë corrected Jeanne, saying you don't shoot to wound. You aim for the central body mass, and fire until the person goes down.

She did say, however, that she may have to pretend that she is Australian. She was heading to New Orleans next, and she understands the British are not very popular there right now. So, she's changing her name to "Sheila," and going to talk about the barbie.

(Photo: copyright Ed Sharpe, CouryGraph Productions)

Charlie Fox discovers her ability to kill early on. The first book in the Charlie Fox series has finally been released in the U.S. Killer Instinct is published by a small press, Busted Flush. This is the start of Charlie's story, where she discovers her inner strength. Charlie's backstory is that she was a victim. This is the turning point, and she's no longer a victim. She's now a woman who kills.

Zoë said women who kill seem different than many of the male protagonists. Robert B. Parker's Spenser can shoot someone, and then go out and have a drink with Susan. But, it's not that easy for Charlie. She responds to threats, but she's not happy to live with herself afterward. Sharp's eighth book has just been released in the U.K., and she's delivered the next one to the publisher. She's put Charlie through the wringer.

Juliet asked if Zoë was tempted to rewrite the first book when it was released in the U.S. She answered that she's never quite finished with a book, so she was tempted to redo it. But, it's as if a snapshot was taken when the book was published. She could go back and photoshop it, but it was right for Charlie's life then. Sharp said she hopes she continues to progress with her craft. When asked which book is her favorite, it's always the next one.

As Juliet started to move on, Zoë reminded her that she was a participating author on the panel. She said as Juliet Blackwell she wrote Second Spirits. The second book in that series, A Cast-Off Coven, is just out. Juliet's character is a natural born witch. She has paranormal abilities, and was run out of her west Texas hometown at an early age. She lands in San Francisco in Haight-Ashbury, a good place to fit in as a witch.

Blackwell told us she takes witchcraft seriously. She does lots of research about it all over the world. Witchcraft and the healing arts often overlap. And, women are often the healers in a community, and tend to be the first accused of witchcraft.

Now, if you had powers, would you be tempted to use them? Blackwell's series character, Lily Ivory, doesn't hesitate to use hexes and charms. But, she's going to have Lily confront those issues. How far should she take her powers?

Now, in Sophie's book, Stella has no memory of killing her husband. Often, people don't, because they were too traumatized. Compare that to Charlie Fox, who was trained to kill in the military. Juliet said she learned to shoot when she was ten, and her father gave her a gun. He was a military man, and that's how she bonds with her father. Now, he likes to help her, and tell her what kind of gun her character would use. At the same time, her father taught her, if you use a gun in self-defense, you must be ready to kill. So, Juliet said she took killing seriously, even at ten.

Juliet wanted to discuss something a little different, so she asked everyone the same question. What's your character's drink of choice. Jeanne said Dinah drank dirty martinis. According to Sophie, everyone knows Stella drinks Johnny Walker Black. She buys it at Costco, and keeps her "soldiers" in a cabinet.

She said when she first went to a conference, everyone told her crime writers needed to drink scotch. So, she learned to drink scotch. And, fortunately, since she and Juliet ususually go to conferences together, she has a friend who drinks it, too.

Zoë said she's a teetotaler. But, she still stays in the bar with the other authors until 3 or 4 in the morning. Charlie does drink, whatever's at hand. But, she doesn't drink much, because of her job.

Sharp went on to say that guns are no longer allowed in Britain, in the U.K. You're no longer allowed to shoot. She herself was a competitive shooter. Even so, at the beginning of June, a man in Cumbria, where Zoë lives, took a shotgun, and killed twelve people. He was the thirteenth. He also injured another thirteen. The other tragic aspect was, in the U.K., the police are not routinely armed. So, they were following him, but they couldn't stop him.

Juliet couldn't think of a time when her witch drank. Sophie reminded her she must have had champagne because there were some champagne brunches. Juliet said Lily probably drank tequila. Now, there's a question. What affect does alcohol have on a witch? Juliet couldn't know because it hasn't happened yet. Sharp suggested slurred spells. Blackwell countered with, they're all helping her write her fourth book in the series.

Blackwell said on screen, tough women seem to be portrayed as men with breasts. So, how are they all exploring themes of murder, death, and self-defense, with women?

In Killer Instinct, the first Charlie Fox book, she's teaching self-defense to women. Sharp said, if you have to do it, you've failed. The trick is not to put yourself in that position. It's been shown that more people will respond if a woman shouts "Fire" than if she shouts "Rape."

Zoë went on to tell the story from Bouchercon, a mystery convention. Meg Chittenden is a very petite woman who looks like a wonderful granny. She and Meg were going to do a workshop on self-defense, "You Can't Run in High Heels." So, they practiced at the end of one room ahead of time. And, there Zoë was, with her hands around Meg's throat, and no one paid attention.

When questioned, Sharp said avoidance should be the first lesson to everyone, even men. Young men, 17-21, are more likely to die violently than any other group in the U.K. Zoë had an excellent instructor who taught karate, pressure points, and knife work. She said she'd get home at the end of a session, and have the bruises from pressure point practice. Self-defense is a last resort. You learn to use an opponent's size and weight against them. You use leverage. She practiced her her husband, Andy, who is 6'3". She knows how to dislocate a shoulder, but you don't want to do that.

With a laugh, Sophie said she certainly didn't try everything that Stella does. Stella actually doesn't have an attitude of violence. She's a community nurturer, a defender of the weak. She thinks that comes from her own role since she's been a mother for seventeen years. But, when her baby was born, she discovered she was a rage vehicle. She'd do anything to protect him. So, she sees Stella protecting people who can't protect themselves. The longer people are abused, the more opportunity they have to become a victim. It's a failure of the system. There are wonderful people, police and others, working to prevent violence, but the system is at fault. If someone threatened your sister, or mom, could you take someone out?

Jeanne admitted she committed a no-no and gave Dinah a relationship with a policeman. But, she ended it on page one. Dinah had heard of violence, and knows about it. But, she had few occasions when violence was appropriate until she went to Australia. She tries to sneak out of it. How can she avoid violence? She uses her brain. That doesn't always work, but she does survive.

Juliet mentioned cozy mysteries such as Agatha Christie wrote. If there are cats and knitting, chances are it's a cozy mystery. People who read cozies say they're not as violent as other mysteries. But, Juliet said she's always found them more twisted. There they sit with a cat and knitting, and deal with a dead body. It makes more sense for a bodyguard to deal with a dead body.

Matthews said she needed to give her protagonist enough gumption. Dinah isn't risk adverse. She just doesn't anticipate violence. She tries to solve the mystery, but tries to avoid violence. When asked, she said firearms are very restricted in Australia.

One of the audience members said Juliet mentioned acknowledgements at one time. What do you acknowledge people for? Blackwell answered that many people were very generous with their time. She met with a homicide detective for two hours over coffee, then she followed up with him. He did that because he wanted people to get it right. Sophie went on to say many people are acknowledged because of help in a field where they're specialists. People like to talk about their passions.

Juliet used the example of Cameron House in San Francisco. The next book in her Art Lover's series, Arsenic and Old Paint, comes out in September. It includes some of the history of Cameron House in Chinatown. It's a mission that is also a community center. Donaldina Cameron, who worked there, rescued Chinese girls who had been smuggled into the country, and sold as property in the "yellow slave trade." There were tunnels in the basement where she hid the girls. The staff at Cameron House gave Juliet a tour, showed her the tunnels. They were generous with their time. She acknowledges the staff at Cameron House because she wants people to know it's a real place, and an active community center.

Zoë Sharp mentioned Doug Lyle, who she acknowledged. He is a cardiologist and mystery writer. He answers all the strange questions and forensic questions that mystery writers ask. In one book, Charlie is shot. She's injured for 3/4 of the book, and that alters the way she deals with things. As part of her research, she talked to Doug as to how that injury would affect Charlie.

Zoë went on to say you do research, then throw away 90% of it, and use just snippets, nuggets. Readers are on a magic carpet ride, and anything that is wrong, anything that bumps them off is a wrong mistake. It spoils the book.

Juliet said in personal acknowledgements, you can thank all of your family. She once forgot her parents in a personal note.

Jeanne Matthews said, although Bones of Contention is published by Poisoned Pen Press, Carl Lennertz at HarperCollins spent several months editing her book. He was her lucky charm. She also acknowledged her writing group, since she's been it for years.

Sharp said she still goes to a local writing group. To her, it's important that you read your book out loud. The voice attracts you to a book. When a reader starts a book, you know almost immediately if you like the author's voice. Reading it out loud helps.

A writer's community, of some sort, is important. Juliet said she and Sophie go out for chicken and waffles with another friend. They can talk about what doesn't work. Sophie's brother is also a writer. She said she gives all the hard questions to her brother and her friends. Her deadlines are now more demanding. She values the input of her fellow writers. They know her weaknesses and strengths.

Juliet brought up titles, and wanted to know who picked them. Jeanne's title, Bones of Contention, comes from the Aboriginal myth of pointing bones, plus the contention between the family members. So, it was a double entendre. Sophie came up with Juliet's next title. Blackwell's publisher likes a combination of vintage clothing and witchcraft in the title. Sophie came up with the idea in a bar. Juliet said she couldn't come up with a title.

Sophie submitted about forty titles for her first book. She had a hard time. Author Craig McDonald told her to go with the Bible and country songs. But, it was a painful title process. She submitted about forty titles, and they finally went for A Bad Day for Sorry.

Zoë asked if they ever had a title they wanted to use, and no story to go with it. She's always wanted to use the old Shakespearean stage direction, "Exit. Pursued by a bear." They did mention that titles aren't copyrighted.

I asked the authors what they were working on, or what their next book would be. Sophie has a YA paranormal series coming out. The first book is Banished, followed by Unforsaken. It's for readers thirteen and up. Then, she has a new series, a Post-Apocalyptic one, coming out under another name.

Jeanne Matthews' next book is called Bet Your Bones. It's set in Hawaii, and deals with Hawaiian myths.

Sharp has already delivered her next Charlie Fox book. The titles have caused problems. Her fourth book was called First Drop. The book starts on a roller coaster, and when you hit the first drop, there are no brakes, and you're stuck until the end of the ride. That symbolized the book. But, that was the first book published by the American publisher. They wanted that to stand as the first book in the U.S., and the next one to be called second something. So, it became Second Shot. That book was supposed to be called Fall Line. It takes place in New England. And, the fastest way downhill when skiing is the fall line. Then, there was Third Strike. She changed publishers. Her current book out in the U.K. is Fourth Day, about a cult. She's working on the next book.

Juliet's next book is due out Sept. 9th. It's under the name Hailey Lind. Arsenic and Old Paint is a book in the Art Lover's series, written with Juliet's sister. It's a continuing story, and she joked that she wouldn't know if it was good until Lesa reviewed it.

Then, Blackwell has a new series starting, the Haunted Home
Renovation series. Her character is a failed anthropologist who took over her father's construction company. It's two years later, and there are paranormal elements in the book. Juliet also said her own father is the father in the book. That book, called If Walls Could Talk, is due out December 5th. The third book in the witchcraft series is due out in June or July next year. It's called Hexes and Hemlines.

One audience member asked why authors use different pen names. Julie answered that Hailey Lind is a family name that she uses when she writes with her sister. But, she might have changed it anyways when she wrote the paranormal series because readers expect authors to write a particular type of book. There's a contract between authors and readers. Sometimes, a new publisher wants another name. Tim Myers, a cozy writer, was mentioned. He writes under a number of names. The publisher wanted female names.

Sophie thought about using a male name for her Post-Apocalyptic book, because most of the authors are male. However, this publisher has a number of female readers, so she's using a different name, but it's female.

Zoë might have picked a male name if she was doing it over. Thriller writers tend to be male. She once had a review that said the book was, "The best thriller written by a woman." She might have changed to a male name because there is a prejudice against women in thrillers.

The final question of the afternoon involved setting. Is it easier to choose a place you know, or more fun to pick an exotic setting. What's easier to write? Jeanne Matthews enjoyed learning while she wrote about Australia. She learned a euthanasia law passed in the 1990's in the Northern Territory was very contreversial. The Aborigines feared it, because they thought they would go to the doctor, and be euthanized. They had been experimented on in the past. Matthews was able to put her own spin on the setting, using an outsider, Dinah.

Zoë's Charlie Fox is a Brit looking at the U.S. through a Brit's eyes. She's an outsider. So, she's looking at things slightly off from how Americans see it. It's been said we're two people divided by a common language. But, Sharp said the best books are ones in which the setting becomes a character, and the story can only be in that place.

In talking about language, Juliet said one phrase Americans never use, but a British friend used to say to her, was, "I'll knock you up." Sharp's answer was that came from mill towns in England. No one had clocks, and a man would bring a stick and wake people up with it. In north England, they would "knock you up."

Juliet said Sophie's books are set in rural Missouri. And, the people talk in a special way. Blackwell tried to move her book to Oakland, where she lives. She loves it. But, her publisher said let's keep it in San Francisco. Zoë ended the program by saying it's hard to think of books as being set in the "mean streets of England," as they are in American cities, such as LA or Detroit.

It was a wonderful afternoon! Maybe the last picture will show what a good time we all had with "Women Who Kill."

(Photo: Copyright Andy Butler, ZACE Photographic, used with permission)

Glendale Video Production of Catlin Court Historic Homes Wins Award of Merit from The Accolade Competition For CouryGraph Productions.

Ed Sharpe -
 CouryGraph Productions

 

The CouryGraph Productions video "Catlin Court Historic Home Tour 2008",  has won a prestigious Award of Merit in the documentary program category from The 2010 Accolade Competition.  

Written, shot and edited by Ed and Bette Sharpe and  with the  narration of Ed Sharpe and homeowners Tim Quinn and Bud Zomok  "Catlin Court Historic Home Tour 2008"  was produced for the Catlin Court Historical Assn, and The Glendale Daily Planet / KKAT-IPTV  to raise awareness about the wonderful houses that exist in this bungalow district. 

'Catlin Court', which began in 1914, was one of the earliest, fashionable neighborhoods in the township of Glendale. Many of the former mayors, wealthy merchants, doctors, reverends, builders and educators lived in these homes. Through the work of Tim Quinn and Bud Zomok, and other proud homeowners, this neighborhood is quickly becoming a sought after address once again.

Bud and Marci Zomok's home  - Photo from Catlin Court Homeowners website.

 

The Accolade Competition is an international video award competition honoring those who demonstrate exceptional achievement in craft and creativity and recognizes those who produce "standout entertainment , documentary news or contribute to profound social change."

"The Accolade is not an easy award to win, entries are received from around the world," said Thomas Baker, Ph.D., who chairs The Accolade Competition. "The goal of 'The Accolade' is to help winners achieve the recognition they deserve." 

Film and television industry professionals judged "Catlin Court Historic Home Tour 2008" which competed against other videos from around the world.

(Accolade Award Trophy at left)

Sharpe states, "It is a big honor to know something I created won on an international competition level."  Sharpe also praised  Quinn's and Zomok's narration which  " brought life and depth to the  production" he continued" Having just a reporter on camera at a scene does not cut it.... you have to have  participation with other people that are involved in the story and allow them time to sincerely address the audience."

Historic building are not a new  thing for Bud Zomok as he is  the a past Chair of the Glendale Historic Preservation Commission and Secretary Treasurer of Historic Catlin Court Property Owners Association.

Bud Zomok  works as the Arizona Division Manager at Advantage Nurse Staffing  and is a downtown Glendale merchant when  he is not busy on his and Marci's Labor of love, their  house in Catlin Court.

Tim Quinn, who has an eye for the art and unique, is now retired from  the engineering department for the City of Glendale. Quinn was  involved in the  creative and artistic construction projects such as the  alley-scaping that  took place in Catlin Court and re  re-work and re-design of Murphy park in downtown Glendale.

Tim Quinn has been a significant and driving influence in the improvement of Catlin Court over the past few years. He moved to Catlin Court in 2002 and worked to restore his historic home gaining the admiration of neighbors and even national recognition through HGTV filming of his home.

In addition,  Zomok, Quinn and others aided in bringing the entire neighborhood together to accomplish projects ranging from clean-up drives to obtaining grants for restoration of properties.

 

 
Bud and Marci's House -   Frame pull from video                Tim Quinn  - Photo by Ed Sharpe 

Commenting on CouryGraph Productions award, Tim Quinn said, "Your video profile on the Home Tour has proved invaluable as a tool in the Catlin Court District's efforts to bring knowledge of our neighborhood to a broader segment of the public. I am appreciative of your skills in capturing the very essence of my home."

Quinn Continued, "On behalf of myself and the entire Catlin Court Community thanks for the coverage of the 2008 Home Tour; you’ve skillfully captured what makes the area special to us and presented it in a manner that allows the public at large to understand what embodies “Catlin Court” ………….. Thanks again for your time and talent"

 

 

Bud Zomok commented "Ed's done it again... Turned a quiet time into something special!"	Ed Sharpe and  Tom Quinn Photo by Bette Sharpe

 

Ed Sharpe   states, "Our office is in the commercial section of Catlin Court Historic District and seeing the residents taking such active steps to revitalize this area is heart-warming!"  Sharpe continued, "I have seen many of these houses go from Hovel to restored Paradises... it makes ones heart happy to see life  brought back to these noble structures."

Ed Sharpe -   Photo by Bette Sharpe

This is the third award this production has received . Previous awards were a Platinum AVA Fim award in 2009 and  a DV award in 2009 as well.

 

www.smecc.org/media/Historic-Home-Tour-3-256kbps.wmv

 Watch The Video! Click The Link Above!

3MBPS - WMV File - Large - Please Right Click and "SAVE AS"

 

   

Frame Pull of Bud and Marci's Kitchen         Photo by Ed Sharpe  Frogs  From House #2

 

 

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About Emmy(R) Award Winning:
  CouryGraph Productions / Glendale Daily Planet / KKAT-IPTV in Glendale, AZ

 Glendale Daily Planet, the parent organization of KKAT-IPTV was started in 2004 as the first community video journalism news site in Glendale and perhaps all of Arizona... Serving The Metro West Side of the Valley of the Sun, Glendale Daily Planet has witnessed, participated in and recorded the further rejuvenation of the downtown core, the meteoric rise of the 'Glendale Sports Empire' and the restoration of historic sections of the town.

One aspect Sharpe is most proud of is the ability to have a continuous 24/7 stream of archived footage in the player but yet, when a special event arises, have the ability to go live interrupting the pre-programmed content to cover the event. With the advent of higher speed EVDO radio cards and compact portable satellite terminals the options are limitless.

 

Sharpe is a 5 time Emmy nominee with  one Emmy(r) Award win.  In addition to many other awards, he and his collaborators at the Glendale Daily Planet  hold the Glendale Neighborhood partnership SPARK award.

He is a member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS), Society of Broadcast Engineers (SBE), Investigative Reporters and Editors (IRE), Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), National Press Photographers Association (NPPA), Southwest Museum of Engineering, Communications and Computation (SMECC), Arizona Press Club,  and other associations.

The work of Ed Sharpe from CouryGraph Productions and other participative community journalists and engineering staff may be viewed, 24-hours a day, seven days a week at http://www.glendaledailyplanet.com/ .

Interested in having your work seen by the world? Contact the Glendale Daily Planet / KKAT-IPTV to schedule airing! Use the email link on the site.

 

Back To School Safety Tips

 

Thousands of students throughout the state travel back and forth to school every day. Whether they’re walking, biking, skateboarding or riding the bus, here are some safety tips from the Glendale Police Department to help keep them safe:

 

For Students - When walking, biking, or skateboarding to and from school:

 

·         Have a primary and safe secondary route to and from school.

·         The route should always be in view of others in the neighborhood.

·         Walk or ride in groups.

·         Wear reflective or bright colored clothing to increase your visibility.

·         Have the appropriate bicycle or skateboard safety equipment; reflectors and lights (front and rear), helmets, knee and elbow pads.

·         Pay attention to your surroundings; look both ways before crossing streets.

·         Walk your bike across intersections.

·         If a stranger, on foot or in a vehicle, approaches you, don’t stop or talk to them. Go as fast and safely as you can to a safe place and tell an adult.

For Students - When riding school buses:

 

·        While at the bus stop be patient and well behaved while waiting for the bus, and remain on the sidewalk.

·        When the bus arrives remain in a straight single file line.

·        Before entering or exiting the bus wait for the signal from the bus driver.

·        Most importantly LISTEN and follow instructions from the bus driver.

For Drivers - When driving in school zones:

 

·        Be vigilant / observant, especially in school zones, near bus stops and while backing out of driveways.

·        Use all mirrors and visible angles when traveling through a school zone.

·        Obey traffic lights and street signs (take extra time at intersections near schools to make sure they are clear).

·        Avoid distractions like texting, phone conversations or loud music

·         ALWAYS be prepared to stop.

And always, always be aware of you surrounding and stay away from strangers.

Historic Downtown Glendale Annual Back-to-School 
Supply Drive Continues Until August 20!

By Ed Sharpe Glendale Daily Planet

Lorraine Pino, Manager, Glendale CVB shows off some of the items the students need. Bring your contribution of backpacks, pencils, colored pencils, markers, erasers, paper, folders, binders, crayons and glue to the Glendale CVB!   -Photo by Ed Sharpe Glendale Daily Planet

The historic downtown business community in partnership with the Glendale Convention & Visitors Bureau is hosting the 2nd Annual Back-to-School Supply Drive. The 2009 event was a huge success with more than 12,000 items donated!

Remember - These items will benefit local elementary schools. These items include new backpacks, pencils, colored pencils, markers, erasers, paper, folders, binders, crayons and glue.

Lorraine Pino, Manager, Glendale CVB says: "We are thrilled to once again partner with the downtown businesses and the community to sponsor our annual back to school supply drive. This effort brings a vital service to local Glendale elementary schools providing much needed supplies directly to the students and classrooms." 

Bring your contributions to :
Glendale Convention & Visitors Bureau
5800 W. Glenn Drive, #140
Glendale, AZ 85301

On Tuesday, April 20 a brightly wrapped bus pulled up for “Special” service at Trevor G. Browne High School in Phoenix, AZ. The 10th annual Valley Metro bus wrap design contest garnered more than 125 entries and they were all narrowed down to one winner, high school Senior Juan Marzeleno. The two photos capture the artwork on the bus, which combines the rural and urban elements with a theme clearly evoking the book titled, The Wheels on the Bus Go Round.

Featured in the second photo are Valley Metro Board Chair, Councilmember Michael Johnson, Juan Marzeleno, Trevor G. Browne Principal Gabriel Trujillo, and Valley Metro RPTA Executive Director David Boggs.

Making the event possible were sponsors bluemedia and Cerreta Realty Group

THE CITY OF GLENDALE AND WESTGATE CITY CENTER

WELCOME DEVRY UNIVERSITY AS NEW PREMIER EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION

GLENDALE, Ariz.– University students will soon have a new opportunity in Glendale; DeVry University has chosen Glendale’s Westgate City Center as its fourth Arizona location, occupying  approximately 18,000 square feet, bringing dozens of new professional jobs to the city.

In a unique business strategy created among the city, DeVry and Westgate, the school will be located in office/retail space on the first and third floors of Westgate’s Building E, which is along Sunset Boulevard.  Instructional rooms will occupy approximately 16,000 square feet, with another 2,000 dedicated to office space.  They also anticipate strong demand, noting that the new location’s capacity can serve approximately 500 students.  DeVry University plans to begin classes at the new Glendale center later this summer.

 “DeVry University students and staff will bring an incredible synergy to our already solid foundation of retail, restaurant and event offerings, and we’re thrilled that they’ve chosen Westgate,” said Steve Ellman, Chairman/CEO The Ellman Companies, owner and developer of Westgate City Center.  “A university tenant furthers our goal of creating a true City Center, and we know that students and staff will absolutely love being part of our dynamic and energetic atmosphere, just steps from major sporting and concert events.”

This addition enhances Glendale’s standing as the West Valley leader in higher education opportunities.   At its new Glendale location, DeVry University will offer the school’s undergraduate degree programs through its colleges of Business & Management and Engineering & Information Sciences.  DeVry University offers market-driven curricula, blended on-site and online learning options, small class sizes and accelerated program scheduling.  DeVry University’s Keller Graduate School of Management will also offer a number of master degree programs in business and technology in Glendale.  DeVry University is accredited by The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association.

“DeVry University will round out Glendale's superb lineup of educational options and complements Thunderbird School of Global Management, Midwestern University, Glendale Community College and Arizona College of Allied Health, who already call Glendale home,” said Economic Development Director Brian Friedman.  “It’s important to the city that we continue to focus on enriching opportunities, such as DeVry University, and the power of bringing higher education to our community in order to provide our residents with the ability to diversify their job skills and remain competitive in today’s economy.”         

 “We are thrilled to bring quality career-focused education to the Glendale community,” said Jeff Blake, dean of the new Glendale center.  “DeVry University is committed to being a top choice for higher education in the career fields of the 21st century.  We look forward to serving area residents from our new West Valley location.”

As one of the largest degree-granting higher education systems in North America, DeVry University provides high-quality, career-oriented associate, bachelor’s and master’s degree programs in technology, science, business and the arts.  More than 80,000 students are enrolled at its more than 90 locations in 26 states and Canada, as well as through DeVry University’s online delivery.  DeVry University, a division of DeVry Inc. (NYSE: DV), is based in Downers Grove, Ill. 

For information, visit www.glendaleaz.com, www.westgatecitycenter.com and www.devry.edu.