Open Sun-Wed 11am-9pm; Thurs- Sat 11am-10pm. • Dine in • Patio Ser vice • Happy Hour Specials • Pickup Orders • Delivery Orders within a 5-mile radius Try our full catering ser vice: 602-300-7133 Safety guidelines are being followed. Thanks for your support! OPEN NEW YEARS | 602-956-0178 | 4144 E. Indian School Rd. HAPPY NEW YEAR ARCADIA! FROM THE TEEPEE FAMILY 4 JANUARY 2021 EDITOR’S NOTE Is it just me, or does 2021 almost feel like a dice game? We’re all collectively holding the die in our hands, whispering, “Come on, give us a good one, give us a good one.” With 2020 (or what I like to call “the train wreck”) finally in the past, we can focus our energy on rebuilding what was lost and rejoicing over what we have. With all the ups and downs we dealt with last year, one thing remains true: the love and community that Arcadia continues to offer. January’s edition is chock full of “love,” from the grow boxes at Echo Canyon (page 16) to the well wishes of retirement from coaching for Arcadia High’s swim and dive coach, Erica McClurg. McClurg built successful teams out of the students – even winning the Arizona Interscholastic Association’s Swim Team of the Century award back in 2000. She plans to continue teaching at Arcadia High and hopefully hone her gardening skills in her newfound free time. Veritas also shared one of their recent fundraising efforts that had quite the interesting end game – the teacher who won got the opportunity to kiss…wait for it…a pig! Dr. Daniel Atwood was the winner and told us that before leaning in for a smooch, Abraham the pig squealed loudly; something a lot of us are probably not used to. We’re also unveiling a fun throwback feature; check out page 11 to see what our cover looked like back in 2011. You might even recognize some of the kids. Here’s to you, Arcadia; we wish you the very best in the new year and thank you for reading Arcadia News . – Mallory Gleich UPCOMING THEMES: No one has better coverage in the areas of Arcadia, Biltmore and the Camelback Corridor. Promote your business to 48,000 loyal Arcadia News readers. For more: 602-840-6379 or email roni@arcadianews.com . FEBRUARY Arcadia History MARCH Spring APRIL Outdoors MAY Women Appreciation “Today is the first page of a 365-page book. Write a good one.” — Brad Paisley Coach Erica McClurg (left) with former Assistant Coach Becky Martens. PHOTO COURTESY OF ERICA MCCLURG I hope that I’ve made swimming a positive and fun experience for all those students I’ve coached and, in the process, created special memories for them. By Jennifer Marshall Erica McClurg, the coach of Arcadia High’s swim and dive team for the past 25 years, is retiring after this year’s season. McClurg is an Arizona native and was born and raised in the Arcadia neighborhood. She is also an Arcadia High alum. She swam and ran track while in high school and graduated from the University of Arizona with a degree in exercise and sports science. After college, McClurg took a job with Macaroni Grill, where she remained for several years. “At Macaroni Grill, I ended up being a trainer, which meant I traveled around the country and opened up new restaurants,” McClurg said. “While this was my first introduction to teaching, I didn’t give the idea of teaching any consideration or thought at that time.” Her restaurant career had taken her to Colorado, and after tiring of the cold winters, she moved back to Arizona and returned to work at the Macaroni Grill in Scottsdale. That first spring back in Arizona, McClurg’s old track coach at Arcadia High asked if she wanted to come back and help out the athletic department. When she expressed an interest, he offered her an assistant coaching position. “I immediately fell in love with coaching,” McClurg said, “and I reasoned that if I was going to coach, then I should go back to school and earn my teaching degree, which I did at ASU.” McClurg earned her certification in physical education and science and began her academic career at Arcadia as a P.E. teacher. Eventually she earned a chemistry certification, which allowed her to teach AP and honors chemistry. After coaching track that first spring, she was asked to coach the swim and dive team. “That was the autumn of 1996,” McClurg said, “and now, 25 years later, this seemed a great time to retire from coaching. I’ve had a great career, and I’ve loved every moment of it.” During her tenure, she won Coach of the Year multiple times, led her team to several state championships, and, in 2000, Arcadia High was named swim team of the century by the Arizona Interscholastic Association, given they had won the most championships. McClurg will continue to teach chemistry, as she has three more years until full retirement. She also plans to focus more time on the National Honor Society, which she sponsors with another teacher. And in her free time, she hopes to plant a garden. She’s helping to hire a new swim and dive coach to ensure the team she has built is maintained. “Our swim and dive group is such a family team,” McClurg said. “When there have been multiple swimmers at different ages in a particular family, I’ve often been involved with those parents and kids for up to ten years. I hope that I’ve made swimming a positive and fun experience for all those students I’ve coached and, in the process, created special memories for them.” After 25 years, McClurg hanging up coaching whistle

SELLING YOUR HOME? Ask me about my comprehensive online and print marketing program that exposes your home to the largest pool of qualified buyers. 2020 TAVAN SCHOOL DISTRICT SALES RESULTS (1/01/2020-11/30/2020) Active Homes - 37 Homes Homes Sold - 218 Homes Average Sale Price - $756,000 Average Sold $ Per SF - $317 Average Days On Market - 60 days There is currently 2 months of home inventory. (based on 2019 sales results) 2020 home sales have increased 10% this year. (based on 2019 sales results) 2020 home prices have increased 14%. (based on 2019 sales results) 2020 $ Per Square Foot prices have increased 13%. (based on 2019 sales results) 2020 Homes are taking 34% less time to sell. (based on 2019 sales results) 2019 TAVAN SCHOOL DISTRICT SALES RESULTS Homes Sold - 221 Homes Average Sale Price - $651,000 Average Sold $ Per SF - $276 Average Days On Market - 91 days Arcadia Real Estate Stats 2020 HOPI SCHOOL DISTRICT SALES RESULTS (1/01/2020-11/30/2020) Active Homes - 110 homes Homes Sold - 321 homes Average Sale Price - $1,699,000 Average Sold $ Per SF - $432 Average Days On Market - 102 days There is currently 4 months of home inventory. (based on 2019 sales results) 2020 home sales have increased 10% this year. (based on 2019 sales results) 2020 home prices have increased 20%. (based on 2019 sales results) 2020 $ Per Square Foot prices have increased 14%. (based on 2019 sales results) 2020 homes are taking 13% less time to sell. (based on 2019 sales results) 2019 HOPI SCHOOL DISTRICT SALES RESULTS Homes Sold - 312 homes Average Sale Price - $1,362,000 Average Sold $ Per SF - $371 Average Days On Market - 117 days Free MLS Access: visit TommyAtkinson.com Walt Danley Realty Cell 602-625-6020 tommyatkinson.com Walt Danley Realty Cell 602-625-6020 tommyatkinson.com Walt Danley Realty Cell 602-625-6020 tommyatkinson.com 5 JANUARY 2021 By Melissa Hirschl A combination of old-fashioned fun and a silly idea produced giggles, laughter and a sense of togetherness at Archway Veritas’s Kiss the Pig event this past November. Part of the annual Fall Festivitas, the event showcased a brave teacher who puckered up to a small pig named Abraham, courtesy of student votes. Students and staff were able to enjoy the show through Zoom. Even though the main festival was scratched this year, some events were able to happen, and determined parent volunteers ensured that the Kiss the Pig event was one of them. “With 2020, it’s great for everyone to be involved with something that gives them a sense of normalcy,” Lauren Morstad, president of Archway Veritas Parent Student Organization, said. “It’s exciting that parents and kids could still be part of this fun event, but the safety of the community was of utmost importance.” Parent volunteer Kelli Grove provided the school with a COVID-19 safety proposal, and with the help of Walking M Farms out of Mesa (who let Abraham come out and play), the event was transformed from a possibility to a reality. “The virus may have canceled many special events on campus this year,” she said, “but with a little creativity, coupled with safety procedures and a supportive school community, we made it happen. I knew we had to give the kids a little something special to look forward to, something that would lift their spirits and support our teachers and staff as well.” The Kiss the Pig event also doubled as a fundraiser for the school. Kids could donate their loose change and vote for the teacher they wanted to smooch the swine. According to Morstad, this year’s signature event raised $2,700 for the AVPSO budget, which assists with school-wide events and programs that benefit and support the teachers and administration. This year’s “kisser” was music teacher Dr. Daniel Atwood, who won out against Dean of Students Moira Hyde and fourth-grade teacher Trevor Guyette. Reflecting on the fun of being a candidate and winner, Atwood said, “It feels good to join the pantheon of esteemed teachers and colleagues who have given the winning smooch. I tried my best to spread ‘propaganda’ against my opponents with slogans like ‘A vote for Hyde is one in which we can take pride.’ But the students enthusiastically ignored it and voted for me instead.” Atwood said his advice for anyone who might have to kiss a pig in the future is that the pig may squeal very loudly in your face – so be prepared! Parent volunteers added some creative flair to the event by wearing whimsical pig costumes before class started on the days leading up to the event. “It’s fun to see teachers compete for votes and the whole school get excited about the contest,” said fourth-grade student Abigail Neal. “It’s even better when we get to help promote and dance with our dancing pigs out front.” This little piggy stole the show at Archway Veritas Dr. Daniel Atwood and Dr. Mary Frances Jeffries with Abraham the pig. PHOTO: JENNIFER CHIANG It’s fun to see teachers compete for votes and the whole school get excited about the contest. It’s even better when we get to help promote and dance with our dancing pigs out front.