Jacobson named ‘Journalist of Year’

North Central resident Jan Jacobson was presented the “Journalist of the Year” award at the Hollywood FAME Awards in Hollywood Whisky A Go Go on Nov. 28 in California. Jacobson, who has authored “Cafe Chat” for North Central News for over two years, is an internationally published photojournalist and book author, broadcaster and producer.

She currently serves as Public Service Director of Sandusky Radio’s five Phoenix based radio stations and hosts Valley Focus, a weekly public affairs show. Jacobson is a frequent contributor to many area publications including Arizona Home and Design Magazine, the Phoenix Business Journal and The Arizona Republic. She also writes for Me Magazine and national publications, including TV Quarterly. Jacobson currently is developing several television and Internet programs for future national distribution.

Jacobson is a past president and national trustee of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, Rocky Mountain Southwest Chapter, and a past recipient of the Television Academy’s highest award, the Governors Emmy Award.

Osuna is mayor’s Chief of Staff

As he prepares for his second term as mayor, Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon announced that Phoenix Deputy City Manager Ruth Osuna will serve as his Chief of Staff.

Before joining the City Manager’s office last May, Osuna served as program director for Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) in Phoenix, an organization dedicated to helping nonprofit community development corporations transform distressed neighborhoods into healthy communities of choice and opportunity. Before that, she held high-level positions in local government and in the housing and banking industries.

Currently, Ed Zuercher and Deb Gullett are serving as Chiefs of Staff. Both are completing their third year of service with the mayor.

Historically, a series of Phoenix deputy city managers and department heads have committed to one-year stints as Chief of Staff to various mayors. While many ended up extending their stay by a year or two, they all returned to the City Manager’s office.  

Zuercher will return to the City Manager’s Office, while Gullett plans to teach and head up her own consulting firm.

In addition to the Osuna announcement, Gordon also announced the promotion of two current staffers. Deputy Chief of Staff Bill Scheel will become Senior Deputy Chief of Staff, while Senior Assistant to the Mayor Marchelle Franklin will become Deputy Chief of Staff.

Trahan wins award at Cajun cook-off

The Second Annual Great Cajun Cook-Off named four amateur cooks—including Stephanie Trahan of North Central Phoenix—as “Best in the West” winners and raised over $8,000 for charity on Nov.4 after a three-hour cook-off.

The Great Cajun Cook-Off is a cooking contest to determine the best gumbo and jambalaya recipes within two divisions: amateurs and restaurants. Contestants brought their gumbo and/or jambalaya to the event site already prepared, ready to serve. Winners were selected based on popular vote.

Over 250 people were in attendance and helped to select Trahan’s entry as “Second Best Gumbo In The West” in the Amateur Division. A total of 15 amateur cooks competed.

The event, sponsored by the Phoenix Chapter of the Louisiana State University Alumni Association (LSUAA), was held at the Lath House Pavilion on Heritage Square in Downtown Phoenix.

Hernandez makes top 5 finalists

North Central resident David Hernandez made it to the top five finalists of the FOX 10  “Arizona Idol” competition, held in August. Hernandez was one of hundreds of singers who auditioned at the Dodge Theater on Aug. 7 for the chance to move one step closer to winning a guaranteed audition for the producers of “American Idol” and a 2007 Ford Edge from Sanderson Ford.

As a top-10 finalist, Hernandez had the opportunity to perform on “FOX 10 Arizona Morning.” For this round, the finalists performed a 30-second song of their choice. Hernandez performed on Aug. 14.

When he made it into the final five round, Hernandez performed a 60-second song by Paul Simon on “FOX 10 Arizona Morning” on Aug. 21. The winner was announced live on Aug. 24

Youth competes in skating competition

North Central youth Kayla Chihanik competed in the National Roller Skating Competition July 24-Aug. 5 in Omaha, Neb. (submitted photo).

Chihanik placed second in Elementary B Team Dance with her partner, Zachary Hamilton, 11, of Tucson. This event is for skaters 12 and under.

Chihanik and her fellow skaters next competed at the National Roller Skating Competition July 24-Aug. 5 in Omaha, Neb., where she and Hamilton placed fourth in the Elementary B Team Dance division.

Chihanik has been skating since she was 3 years old. “I thought it would be fun ... and I was right,” she said. This was her first trip to nationals; friends and family were able to watch her compete via Web cast. Chihanik will continue competing in 2008 and hopes to make it back to nationals in solo dance.

Residents join ABIL board

Arizona Bridge to Independent Living (ABIL), Arizona’s largest center for independent living serving people with disabilities, has elected its board of directors. Serving this term are North Central residents Lynn C. Houston, president; F. Lee Jacquette, vice president; and Randall M. Howe, secretary. Also elected to the board was Steven Tait of Mesa, treasurer; Tait works in the North Central area.

Arizona Bridge to Independent Living offers and promotes programs designed to empower people with disabilities to take personal responsibility so that they may achieve or continue independent lifestyles within the community. The independent living philosophy states that people with disabilities should have the same civil rights, options, and control over choices in their own lives as do people without disabilities. For more information, visit www.abil.org.

Phoenix College students get aid

Blanca Alonso, Sandra Garay and Timothy Mitchell of Phoenix College have been awarded $1,500 scholarships from USA Funds, the nation’s leading education-loan guarantor. The awards are part of more than $8.3 million in scholarships USA Funds has awarded to 5,623 low- to moderate-income students nationwide to help them pursue higher education.

To qualify for the scholarships, students must come from households with annual incomes of $35,000 or less. Full-time and half-time undergraduate students, as well as full-time graduate and professional students, are eligible for $1,500 scholarships. If a scholarship recipient maintains a grade point average of at least 2.5, the scholarship may be renewed annually until the student receives a degree or certificate, or 5the total amount awarded reaches $6,000, whichever comes first.

Residents lauded by their colleges

Several North Central residents who are attending colleges out of state recently earned honors and degrees from their respective schools, including:

• Amelia Baum, who was named to the Dean's List for the spring 2007 semester at Washington University in St. Louis.  Baum is a graduate of Xavier College Preparatory in Phoenix, and is enrolled in the university's College of Arts & Sciences. To qualify for the Dean's List in Arts & Sciences, students must earn a semester grade point average of 3.5 or above and be enrolled in at least 14 graded units.

    • Drew University student Lya Helen Gardner was named to the Dean’s List for the Spring 2007 semester. In order to qualify for the Dean's List, students must earn a grade point average of 3.4 or above. Founded in 1867, Drew is a selective, independent, coeducational university with a total enrollment of more than 2,300 students in its College of Liberal Arts, Caspersen School of Graduate Studies, and Theological School.

• Having completed spring 2007 classes with at least a 3.4 GPA, Geneva Laube was recently named to the Dean's List at Texas Christian University (TCU) in Fort Worth.

• Meredith Anne Mcclaren was named to the dean's list at the Savannah College of Art and Design in Savannah, Ga., for spring quarter 2007. Mcclaren is a sequential art major. Full-time undergraduate students who earn a grade point average of 3.5 or above for the quarter receive recognition on the dean's list.

• Serena Bjurlin was recently named to the College Academic Dean's List at Trinity International University in Deerfield, Ill. Bjurlin is among 212 Trinity students to receive this recognition for the university's spring 2007 academic semester. A Junior at Trinity in spring 2007, Serena's major is Business.

• Alison Widener, a student at Randolph College in Lynchburg, Va., was named to the College's Dean's List for the 2007 spring semester. Founded in 1891, Randolph College is a highly selective undergraduate liberal arts college of 715 women with a distinguished history of establishing global and intercultural connections. On July 1, 2007, Randolph-Macon Woman's College became Randolph College. The school will become coeducational in the fall.

• Daniel Noble of Loyola University–New Orleans made the Dean’s List for the spring 2007, a 3.5 grade point average or higher. Noble also received a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from the College of Business.

In addition, Jackie Parker received a Master of Pastoral Studies degree from the College of Social Sciences during the school’s 96th commencement ceremony on May 12 in the New Orleans Arena. Founded in 1912, Loyola University New Orleans is a Jesuit-Catholic institution with a total student enrollment of 4,724, including 800 law students.

• Tova Meyer received a B.A. in political science and psychology from Williams College at the college’s 218th Commencement exercises on June 3. Meyer, during college, participated in flute and piccolo in Berkshire Symphony; Symphonic Winds; conductor, Student Symphony; Percussion Ensemble; Williams College Jewish Association; political science department Student Liaison Committee. Honors and prizes include: Dean's List, Marver summer intern, Mead summer intern, George J. Mead Fund recipient, Jean Donati Student Employee award in music, William W. Kleinhandler prize for excellence in music, Richard Krouse prize in political science.

• Amy K. Lynch made the academic Dean's List for the fall 2007 semester at Azusa Pacific University. She is a graduate of Washington High School and is a Social Work major. Azusa Pacific is a comprehensive, Christian, evangelical university, committed to God First and known for excellence in higher education. Azusa Pacific’s main campus lies 26 miles northeast of Los Angeles.

• Cruz Perales received a bachelor of science in Culinary Arts from the College of Culinary Arts at the Denver Campus of Johnson & Wales University. Johnson & Wales is a private, nonprofit, accredited institution offering undergraduate and graduate degree programs in business, food service, education, hospitality and technology.

• David Lundmark has graduated from Pomona College with a bachelor of Arts in Philosophy. Wile a student at Pomona, Lundmark received the Harry J. Carroll Memorial Prize in Classic Greek, the W.T. Jones Prize in Philosophy, graduated Cum Laude, and Phi Betta Kappa. He is a graduate of North High School. Pomona College, founded in 1887, is one of the nation’s premier liberal arts colleges and is located in Claremont, Calif., just east of Los Angeles.

• Amy Lynn Mittelstaedt was named to the Dean’s List for the 2007 spring semester at Trinity University. The Dean’s List honors Trinity students who maintained a grade point average of 3.65 or better while enrolled in a minimum of 15 semester hours.