22 SEPTEMBER 2019 By Sam Lowe There are times when what initially appears to be an inconsiderate act turns out to be a gesture of kindness. One such circumstance occurred recently during a visit to Devils Tower, a spectacular landmark in the wilds of northern Wyoming. It was late afternoon so I wanted to get to the site before sundown but the driver in front of me had stopped, blocking the narrow road. Frustrated and impatient, I contained my irritation for a while but as the sun kept vanishing behind the scenery, I had no recourse except the natural one. I honked. It wasn’t a snarky honk, just a light tap on the horn. This produced an unexpected result when the driver in front of me stuck his arm out the window and pointed to a nearby field. And then I saw the reason for his delay – a mother deer and her fawn nonchalantly enjoying an evening nosh. As he moved on, I waved a weak apology, then also stopped to enjoy this unexpected bonus. After all, the monolith has been there for eons so it would probably still be there when I arrived, but this scene was a momentary classic. Eventually, I got to the tower and let me just say, it is awesome. It’s much better in person than it had appeared in the 1977 movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind . It’s one big hunk of stone sticking out of the ground, rising 1,267 feet above the surrounding grasslands and pine trees, and 5,112 feet above sea level. This makes it easy to see, even for us seniors wearing bifocals. Although they have been studying it since the early 1800s, geologists still don’t agree on how the tower was formed, except to conclude that it began as molten rock buried under the earth. How the magma got to the surface is still under discussion. Some say the structure was formed by a cataclysmic force that pushed it up through the surrounding rock layers. Others give a more simplistic explanation – the tower was formed by lava which cooled underground, then was exposed by erosion. And there are those who suggest that the tower is either the neck of an extinct volcano or a volcanic plug. Regardless of which theory holds the most probability, there’s unanimous agreement that Devils Tower is spectacular, well worth the trek across northern Wyoming’s flatlands. I used the lateness of the day as an excuse to forego the 1.3-mile trail that encircles the tower and tour a nearby prairie dog town. Instead, I just stood there and gawked at the giant pinnacle that probably was once the core of an ancient volcano, now exposed by countless years of erosion. President Teddy Roosevelt declared the Devils Tower (and the surrounding 1,347 acres) a national monument in 1906. Now it’s a destination for a multitude of sight-seers like myself, many of them fresh from viewing the enormous stone presidents and an Indian chief blasted out of solid rock at Mount Rushmore, some 60 miles to the east. On the Lowe Road to Devils Tower AHS alum Steven Spielberg used Devil’s Tower in his 1977 movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind . PHOTOS BY SAM LOWE Editor’s Note: Some readers may recognize the name Sam Lowe. One of Arizona’s most prolific writers, Sam started his career in North Dakota before heading to the sunshine and work at the Scottsdale Progress , Phoenix Gazette and Arizona Republic . He’s written 14 books, mostly about Arizona and New Mexico. We are excited to welcome him to Arcadia News . CATARACTS - PREMIUM IOL’S - LASIK - DIABETIC RETINOPATHY - GLAUCOMA OCULOPLASTICS & CORNEA - MACULAR DEGENERATION - ROUTINE EXAM 7245 East Osborn Rd., #4 Scottsdale, Arizona 85251 (Optical Shop Available) 300 East Osborn Rd., Suite 100 Phoenix, Arizona 85012 (Optical Shop Available) 4915 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 114 Gilbert, Arizona 85234 5620 W. Thunderbird Rd., #H-3 Glendale, Arizona 85306 13555 W. McDowell Rd., Suite 102 Goodyear, Arizona 85395 9746 N. 90th Place, Suite 101 Scottsdale, Arizona 85258 (Optical Shop Available) Arizona Eye SPECIALISTS WWW.ARIZONAEYES.NET CALL 480-994-5012, OPT 1 TO SCHEDULE.

23 SEPTEMBER 2019 NEWS BRIEFS B:FAST CEREAL BAR A new breakfast (or lunch, or dinner) spot has opened at the Biltmore Fashion Park on 24th St. and Camelback. Opened in early July, B:Fast Cereal Bar is all about breakfast cereal, with more than 20 options available. Take a seat at the bar and grab a bowl of your favorite morning treat or try out one of the specialty combos. The menu also offers sandwiches, shakes and floats. For more visit B:Fast on Facebook or Instagram. PET CLUB GONE The Pet Club on the southwest corner of 36th St. and Indian School Road officially closed its doors in August. NEW PRICE Providing Arcadia with professional & personalized service for 25 years. Anna McDowell-Isaacson Owner/Agent 602-526-1213 AnnaMcDowellRealEstate@gmail.com www.AnnaMcDowell.com ABR, CRS, GRI Providing Arcadia with professional & personalized service for 25 years. Anna McDowell-Isaacson AnnaMcDowellRealEstate@gmail.com Providing Arcadia with professional & personalized service for 25 years. Anna McDowell-Isaacson AnnaMcDowellRealEstate@gmail.com Charming and freshly renovated large home on lush .45 acre cul-de-sac lot with wonderful Camelback Mountain views. Huge open great room with cook’s kitchen surrounded by French doors opening to charming patios, yard and pool. Romantic new master suite and split bedroom floor plan, terrific 2nd floor family room with wrap-around views. This is a fun one-of-a-kind home for living and entertaining. Move-in ready, this may be the one you’ve been waiting for! 4521 E. CALLE DEL MEDIO, PHOENIX $2,095,000 • 5 BEDS, 5 1/2 BATHS, 4750 s.f. By Robin Sewell I was working from home when suddenly I felt this odd tingling sensation down my legs. I stood up to stretch and walk thinking my legs were just falling asleep, but when I got to the other room, I had to stop and brace myself on my desk because I was feeling strange and lightheaded. I also felt heaviness on my chest and it was difficult to take a deep breath. Even my voice sounded faint. Normally, I would have ignored this feeling, brushed it off hoping it would just go away, but because of the many discussions and conversations I have had with the women on my Heart Ball Committee, I thought twice. Women don’t have typical heart attack symptoms. Women ignore the signs because they don’t believe it’s happening to them. Women wait too long and then it’s too late. So instead of doing nothing, I asked someone to drive me to the E.R. I went through a battery of tests and scans which all came out negative, but the doctors reinforced that I did the right thing by coming in. I also followed up with my internist and a cardiologist and even though I have no history of heart disease and my risk factors are very low, I still asked for all the routine tests. I’ve learned from working with the American Heart Association that the statistics are frightening…and I didn’t want to be one of them. According to the AHA, one woman every minute dies from heart disease in the U.S. The good news is that 80 percent of heart attacks and strokes can be prevented, which is why this year’s Phoenix Heart Ball Chairwoman Kristine Thompson’s mission is all about prevention and education. “Knowing your numbers is the first step in preventing heart disease. It surprises me when I talk to people and they don’t know their blood pressure or cholesterol levels. These are critical factors in determining one’s health and risk of heart disease or stroke,” said Thompson, as blood pressure itself is known as a silent killer. This is a personal passion for Thompson as heart disease has touched her family. “My grandfather was one of the first people in the Valley to undergo a triple bypass surgery and grandmother passed away from a stroke after having many ‘little incidents’ as she liked to call them,” Thompson remembers. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the Phoenix Heart Ball, a fundraising arm for the American Heart Association. Senator Barry Goldwater’s wife Peggy chaired the first ball that has since raised more than $35 million to help fight heart disease in our community. That legacy is one Thompson intends to honor and continue. “With this being our 60th year,” she said, “I have been given an opportunity to take Peggy Goldwater’s vision and create this magical year of memories and gratitude.” Much of that gratitude is directed at her mom, Sandy, who was the 45th chair of the Heart Ball and who Kristine picked as this year’s Heart Ball Sweetheart. “It is such a privilege to follow in her footsteps,” Thompson said. These are footsteps she hopes will lead to giant leaps in eradicating heart disease. This begins with everyone being their own health advocates, listening to our bodies and not ignoring the symptoms or making excuses for what we are feeling. By “knowing your numbers” and maintaining a healthy lifestyle, we can all accomplish Thompson’s mission, which is to ultimately “live our best lives.” Phoenix Heart Ball celebrates 60th anniversary ROBIN’S ADVENTURES Kristine Thompson, her sister and this year’s Heart Ball Sweetheart (Thompson’s mother), want to make this year’s ball about the education and prevention of heart disease.