Diane Winchester Balaban Diane Winchester Balaban, noted professional artist and long-time resident of SaddleBrooke, passed away peacefully in her sleep on April 14, 2024, at the age of 91. Diane was the eldest of five children. She and her four younger brothers were raised on the Winchester family ranch in Morgan, Utah. As a young…
Category: June 2024
June 2024, Features
A.I.: The Quest for Perfection—It’s Hard to Match Up!
Mary Jo Bellner Swartzberg I picked up a “beauty” magazine the other day. You know, the kind that shows how all females should dress, wear their makeup, and style their hair. One of the ads showed the flawless face of a beautiful, young woman with her eyes closed, basking in a “glow” for a product…
June 2024, Features
French Railroad System Angels Save Our Vacation
Keith Schiller Incredible but true … losing my backpack on a train in France gave rise to the most joyous events and memories over the course of a spectacular month-long European vacation. The heroes of this saga were French railroad workers, some of whom I met and others unknown. Their integrity, professionalism, empathy, and humanity…
June 2024, Features
A Family Tribute for Father’s Day
Tracy McGeorge How do you know you have wonderful parents and a cool family? When you retire and you can live anywhere you wish, you choose to move where they are, even if it is over 1,000 miles away. It seems that the family is closer than ever, both geographically and affectionately. We were always…
June 2024, Front Page
The SaddleBrooke Hiking Club and Its Labor of Love
Mary Jo Bellner Swartzberg The Hiking Club’s main mission is to offer hikes in Arizona to its 600 members; however, most people do not know that the SaddleBrooke Hiking Club also takes responsibility for maintaining Catalina Hills Drive. This long and winding road, which leads to The Preserve, is the road off of SaddleBrooke Boulevard.…
June 2024, Front Page
History Hike Atop Mount Lemmon
Ruth Caldwell It was a beautiful, sunny day in mid-May on the top of Mount Lemmon! A SaddleBrooke Hiking Club (SBHC) group was looking forward to club guide Marc Humphrey’s wonderful hike along the Meadow Trail and the Mount Lemmon Trail, then the descent to the Aspen Draw Trail. All told, this would be a…
June 2024, Front Page
Pinal County Recognizes Cyclemasters’ Efforts
Cindy Holm For 15 years, Cyclemasters have been picking up trash along SaddleBrooke Blvd. On April 20, 21 Cyclemasters volunteered their time to rid the road of garbage once again. During this event, Pinal County acknowledged these years of service by hosting a Subway lunch and awarding T-shirts to the volunteers. In addition, a 15-year…
June 2024, Generals
Senior Villiage at SaddleBrooke – June 2024
When to Stop Driving: Senior Village Offers a Safe Alternative As we age, our ability to drive safely can diminish due to declining vision, slowed reaction times, and other age-related changes. Recognizing when it’s time to stop driving can be a challenging decision, but it’s a crucial one for your safety and the safety of…
June 2024, Generals
Unit Happenings – June 2024
Snakes, Bobcats, Coyotes, Packrats—Oh My! Candace Brockey and Claudia Amaral On a very warm Tuesday afternoon, 50 homeowners in Unit 3N joined in a happy hour to enjoy adult beverages, appetizers, and friendship. After a brief business meeting, the group was introduced to our guest speakers Jim Cloer and Tom Dowell. Both are members of…
June 2024, Generals
Oracle Schools Foundation – June 2024
Celebrating Our Success! Ann Vernon Members of the Oracle Schools Foundation Spring Fling Gala planning committee met at the home of Ann and Nile Vernon to celebrate a successful event that raised over $65,000 to help support kindergarten prep and related educational programs in the Mountain Vista School District in Oracle. This has been our…