38 OCTOBER 2025 By Sherry Sklar The most loyal patron of Sunny’s Lounge has been known to call the bar, in its past and present incarnations, her favorite haunt for decades. You may even have unknowingly sidled up beside her, sensing an ephemeral presence as you ordered your whiskey neat. “Loretta,” as she is known to management and her team members, is the building’s playful resident ghost, occasionally popping the till or toppling glasses filled with drinking straws to make herself known. Sunny’s, which opened in 2022, was once Shady’s, a neighborhood dive that held a special place in Arcadia’s bar culture for almost two decades. Revamped by the hospitality group at Barter & Shake, Sunny’s is now a place to meet up and enjoy a cocktail in a casual, low-key environment. The team’s cocktail expertise and hospitality speak volumes. Sunny’s most famous, soft-spoken customer joins the conversation when the mood strikes – through whispers, gliding objects, and that personal magnetism only the attuned can feel. When Shady’s outgoing staff warned that the premises came with a special resident, the new management was curious to dig deeper. They discovered that the building was once part of an affordable housing community built to accommodate World War II veterans. Going a step further, they hired a psychic team to investigate paranormal energy, who reported four spectral entities. However, it was “Loretta” who soon became the bar’s mischievous brand ambassador. “Because the ghost didn’t seem angry, only lonely, we named her Loretta,” EVP Mat Snapp said. The creative team imagined her as a military wife left behind. To make her feel acknowledged and welcome, Mat asked staff to address her with respect and kindness. “We made sure everyone said, ‘Good morning, Loretta,’ and ‘Good night, Loretta,’ when we came and went,” Mat added with a laugh. Loretta is a ghostly dame who appreciates good manners. “If you don’t say it, sometimes she will pop the cash register, sometimes she will hide the eight ball in the middle of the pool table – and it is always the eight ball!” Mat said. In honor of Loretta’s contributions, Sunny’s is introducing a tiki mug in her likeness to usher in the spooky season. Set to debut in October, the ghost-shaped mug sports a few tattoos and fishnets, proving she’s a paragon of style – even beyond the veil. Loretta’s mug coincides with a slate of spooky specials in collaboration with Black Lagoon for an October takeover. This pop-up bar, known for its immersive atmosphere and imaginative cocktails, runs through Halloween. Sunny’s Lounge retains the spirit of a neighborhood bar, but adds elevated hospitality, craft cocktails, and an industry- facing environment summed up in its tagline, “Drink more, say less.” The entire team collaborates to create and name imaginative offerings, like Working Class Hero and Malevolent James (that one is in partnership with Bad Jimmy’s, a popular burger spot). The cocktail’s signature bourbon is smashburger-infused. Mat and his team – those behind immersive concepts such as Platform 18, Grey Hen Rx, and UnderTow – identified a void in the scene they wanted to fill. Sunny’s, in addition to its loyal patrons, welcomes after-hours staff from the Wrigley Mansion, Hillstone, Capital Grille, and other nearby restaurants. The bar stays open late enough for chefs, servers, and mixologists to relax with a thoughtfully crafted cocktail – and say as little or as much as desired. “If you work at a restaurant, you’ve been talking continuously for six straight hours,” Mat said. “When you enter the bar, you don’t have to say too much. We’ll take care of you.” A sense of community and camaraderie make Sunny’s Lounge a place to gather with old friends or meet new ones. “We’ll continue to create new, fun cocktails and experiences if everyone keeps coming in smiling and laughing with each other,” Mat said. Barely perceptible, Loretta nods in agreement and whispers her approval from the corner of the room. bartershake.com/sunnys-lounge At this Arcadia haunt, a ghostly presence awaits you Sunny’s Lounge is partnering with The Black Lagoon pop-up to bring witchy specials to the bar during October. PHOTO GRACE STUFKOSKY By Mallory Gleich Over a decade ago, Four Peaks co-founder Jim Scussel overheard a group of teachers discussing the lack of supplies provided for students by the school where they worked. According to a 2025 survey conducted by adoptaclassroom.org, out-of-pocket spending for supplies has increased 49 percent in the past ten years, and 97 percent reported that the budget was not enough to cover each student in their classroom. Scussel also learned that teachers across the nation spend their own money to make sure their students have the learning tools they need. He knew he had to help. In 2011, Four Peaks rallied customers, staff and family members to donate supplies for teachers to pick up at the brewery. The initiative became known as Four Peaks for Teachers. “Teachers pour their hearts into their work, and too often, their own money. Four Peaks for Teachers is our way of giving back – one supply kit, one grant, and yes, one pint at a time. We’re proud to support the educators who are shaping our future,” Four Peaks President Jeremy Bolivan said. The initiative invites Arizonans to nominate outstanding educators for a cash grant through the “Thank a Teacher” program. Winners receive $1,000 and one grand prize winner receives a $3,000 grant, to support their work in whatever way they need the most. The money for the grants comes from a portion of every Four Peaks Kilt Lifter pint, bottle and can sold. One of this year’s $1K winners was art teacher Emily Joy, who works at Pat Tillman Middle School in Phoenix. “At first, I was in complete denial and honestly didn’t think it was real. When the Four Peaks team confirmed it, I couldn’t have been more grateful. I had no idea so many people from my school had nominated me, so it was a total surprise,” Joy said. Joy has been at Pat Tillman for five years and said that one of the most rewarding parts of being an art educator is watching the impact that art has on her students. “I love watching students who start with little or no art experience develop into confident, skilled artists with a unique style of their own,” she said. “Over the past couple of years, more than 20 of my students have become published artists, winning art contests around the world. To me, that’s really the power of art education (especially in middle school)!” Part of the grant will be used to replace worn-out art supplies and tools so Joy and her students have the resources they need to continue creating masterpieces. She will also fund a special art project this spring, where advanced art eighth graders raise 50 live butterflies (through every stage of the life cycle) to inspire their own contemporary sculptures. “This is something I couldn’t do without extra support. A portion will also help me cover personal expenses...Four Peaks’ generosity is changing lives while giving teachers resources, acknowledgement, and encouragement, and I’m so absolutely honored to be part of that story.” fourpeaksforteachers.org Valley educator celebrates Four Peaks contest win Pat Tillman Middle School educator Emily Joy with Four Peaks President Jeremy Bolivan. PHOTO: TROY HONAKER

39 OCTOBER 2025 By Rachael Bouley High school swim and dive teams are diving headfirst into what promises to be an exciting and competitive season. Let’s take a look at what’s ahead for our swimmers and divers this fall.  The Titans are eager to build on last year’s success, when the boys placed eighth and the girls placed 13th overall at State. The Division 2 swim team has six meets leading into the Paul Thornburgh Scottsdale School District Championship, an approved qualifier hosted by Desert Mountain. There are two divers competing this season, junior Kingston Williams in boys and sophomore Eva Bowling in girls. After graduating a lot of seniors over several years, the 2025 dive team is smaller, but they are working together to increase meet scores from last year and make it back to the State stage. “Both divers went to State last year, so this year we are improving upon the dives they currently have, and are adding new dives for their lists to be more competitive at the invitationals, districts, and hopefully at State,” Coach Brittney Blystone said. Dive opened the season against Shadow Mountain, followed by a dual meet against Horizon. Next up was an invitational at Brophy and upcoming meets against Thunderbird and Greenway High.  Brophy Swim and Dive enters 2025 as the defending AIA Division I State champion and looks strong again, with two athletes on the Republic’s preseason list of the top 15 swimmers. Senior Mark Heffern, ranked No. 4, is the returning State champion in the 200 individual medley and has set his sights on the State record in that event. “It is going to be extremely hard,” Heffern said. “You just have to put in the work. If you don’t believe in yourself, you can’t do anything.” Junior Patrick Dunn, ranked No. 8, returns as the State champion in the 500 freestyle. The team is led by coach Pat O’Neill, who is back at Brophy after coaching at Red Mountain since 2018. O’Neill previously led the Broncos to 12 State titles from 2006 to 2018. Brophy made a statement at the Brophy/ Xavier Invitational, winning by 257 points with a total of 488. The Broncos won both the 200 medley and 400 free relays, placed in the top five 15 times, and had standout performances from Heffern, Dunn, James Wood, Nolan Guidry, and Thomas McCauley.  Last year, the Falcons made a splash in the AIA Division 3 Championships, with the girls finishing ninth and the boys placing 26th overall. This season, they may have a smaller team size due to practice schedule changes, but they aren’t letting that slow them down. “I have 11 students on the team, and our biggest strength is our drive to succeed and do better,” Coach Sara Thomas said. “Most of our swimmers have placed at State in previous years, and a lot of them also swim for club teams, so they’ve been swimming for five plus years.” Veritas will be competing against Phoenix Country Day School, Valley Christian, Yuma Catholic, Eastmark High School, Desert Ridge High School, Tempe Prep, and Scottsdale Prep in dual/multi-team meets. They have invitational meets most Saturdays, swimming against other schools in Division 3. To prepare, they practice four days a week, and some of the swimmers who are also on club teams swim even more. Each hour and a half practice focuses on a different core aspect of swimming, including individual medleys, distance/endurance swimming, sprints, medley relays, and dive starts. “Before meets, swimmers practice the specific events they are swimming, but also remain light to avoid any injuries or being overworked the day before a meet,” Thomas said. “My ultimate goals this year are for the students to have fun and walk away from the season feeling proud of their growth in and out of the pool.”  The Division 1 Gators have 35 swimmers and nine divers taking part this season, which will culminate in the State meet on November 7-8. They won their first meet against Corona del Sol, 101-70, and as the season continues, their main opponents will be AZ College Prep, Desert Vista, and Chaparral. “Practice is a lot of fun, and a lot of work,” Coach Glen Coy said. “We usually prepare for a meet with a team lunch at XCP and then a team cheer right before the meet starts.” The Gators were excited for the 36th annual Brophy/Xavier Swimming and Diving Invitational – it’s one of four approved qualifiers as they look to repeat last year’s success at State. At the event, Xavier claimed first place in the Women's Team division. “We are undefeated going back to last season and are the defending Division 1 State Champs,” Coach Coy said. “We will be really strong in the breaststroke and freestyle this year.” Arcadia’s aquatic athletes are back in the pool Arcadia High School swim and dive teams. Brophy senior Mark Heffern. COURTESY OF BROPHY PREP COURTESY OF ARCADIA HIGH SCHOOL