Sonoran News / Business News

Business to Business | April 22 – 28, 2009

Local mortgage banker and parent of a Cave Creek Unified School District student, Nino Pascale, of Fairway Independent Mortgage, is donating $200 to CCUSD on behalf of clients that either refinance their home or finance the purchase of a home with him. Pascale has provided mortgages to the local community for over 20 years and has relationships with a variety of lenders. According to Pascale, “Interest rates are historically low and new government programs are available that may allow homeowners the ability to refinance when they could not before. I see this as an opportunity to help yourself, and help the community, too.” Contact Nino for a complimentary analysis at [email protected] or 480-496-2880.

Southface Energy Solar Electric, in Carefree, would like you to spring into Solar with a FREE energy conservation consultation and FREE wireless display with each system purchased. All brought to you by your local solar guys at Southface. Call 480-206-0652 or 480-220-8817 for more information.

BIG BRONCO, 6602 E. Cave Creek Rd., Cave Creek, 480-575-7025 is celebrating it’s 9th Anniversary Sale with a Kick-off Party Friday, May 1 from 5 to 8 p.m. There will also be Give-Aways with purchases of $100 or more while supplies last, and a portion of sales from the weekend will be donated to Arizona Equine Rescue Organization & Luv Shack, dedicated to rehabilitating and adopting out horses. The party will feature Arizona’s Singing Cowboy, Gary Sprague and his side-kick Dusty. They will be performing on the property as guests partake of the wine, suds and grub offered. For the sale, there will be 20% OFF All Furniture and up to 50% OFF selected Items with Specials throughout the store.

Saguaro Grille is holding a “Magnificent Mother” essay contest in honor of Mothers Day. Simply submit up to 200 words telling us what makes your mother magnificent in your eyes. Entries may be e-mailed to Kathy King at [email protected] or dropped off at Saguaro Grille, 99 Easy Street, Los Portales Mall, in the Carefree Town Center by April 30. The winner will receive a $25 Saguaro Grille gift certificate.

The Heard Museum Shop is having a Spring into Savings Sale April 24 – 26 at all three museum locations. Indulge in authentic American Indian artwork – almost everything from Kachina dolls and jewelry to baskets and textiles will be on sale! Heard Museum members save 20%, non-members save 10%. Hours vary by location. To learn more please call 602-252-8944.

Turf Paradise, on 19th Ave. just south of Bell Rd. in Phoenix, is the next best thing to being there for the Kentucky Derby, Saturday, May 2. The first 1,500 paid admissions, ($5 grandstand) receive a commemorative 135th Kentucky Derby Glass. Join in the fun with Kentucky Derby Hat Contests – with $100, $75 and $50 prizes for each category of best Traditional, Racing and Most Outrageous. Gates open at 7:30 a.m., with 9 LIVE races and 6 Churchill Downs’ Stakes including the Kentucky Derby. Call 602-942-1101 for more information.

Join the Cinco de Mayo celebration at Los Mesquites Taqueria Mexican Grill May 1 – 5. See ad this issue for details. Don’t forget breakfast Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to noon. 37645 N. Cave Creek Rd. Call 480-488-0489 for reservations.

Awesome Blossoms is having a fantastic moving sale with everything in the store at 40-60% OFF! Stop in early for the best selection of unique dried and silk botanicals as well as fine accessories, candles, art work and more to redo your special home décor. Located at 7291 E. Adobe Dr. (1 block east of Scottsdale Rd., 3/4 mile south of Pinnacle Peak) See ad this issue for details or call 480-419-6543.

Help Blowfish celebrate their One Year Anniversary with drink specials on the patio from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily! Don’t forget to call for Teppan Table reservations! See their ad in this issue for details or visit www.azblowfish.com for full menu and hours.

Free Natural Health Lecture Series sponsored by the Health and Wellness Council Saturday April 25 – 28. See their ad in this issue for topics, times and locations. Register at 480-772-6337 or email [email protected] For more info: www.longevityaz.com

Play Troon North Golf Club and receive a free putter on check-in! See their ad in this issue for details, call 480-585-7700, or visit www.TroonNorthGolf.com.

Bryan’s Barbeque is open! See their ad in this issue for hours and check out the menu at www.bryansbbq.com or call 480-575-7155. Located at 6130 E. Cave Creek Rd. in Las Tiendas Shopping Plaza.

Gypsy Trader is holding a giant Stock Reduction Sale with 50% off beads, crystals & jewelry through the end of May. See ad this issue for details or call 602-971-4445. Located at 20811 N. Cave Creek Rd., one block north of the 101.

The Sonoran News Marketplace has more information and links on these and other advertisers.

Phony letter from Publishers Clearing House lands in mailboxes across the country, warns Better Business Bureau

PHOENIX – Better Business Bureau (BBB) is warning the public to beware of letters supposedly from Publishers Clearing House which claim that they have won a grand prize drawing of $1 million. Despite how official the letters might look, the recipient is the target of a widespread scam that is seeing a sudden resurgence across the country.

“Perhaps, not surprisingly, the increased prevalence of this scam comes on the heels of the actual Publishers Clearing House awarding a New Jersey woman $5,000 a week for the rest of her life,” said Matthew Fehling, BBB President/CEO. “Scammers often steal their hooks from the headlines and operate in the wake of newsworthy events, such as Publishers Clearing House giving out a prize, because they know it’ll be on top of people’s minds.”
How does the scam operate? Victims receive a letter supposedly from Publishers Clearing House claiming they have won $1 million as the second place winner of a drawing sponsored by Reader’s Digest Magazine. The letter is accompanied by a check for as much as $5,900 with instructions to call the Publishers Clearing House representative listed in the letter. Over the phone, the victims are told that, in order to receive their prize, they must cash the check and then wire approximately $4,000 to Publishers Clearing House and then the rest of the winnings will be sent to them. The check, however, is fraudulent and any money wired to the scammers cannot be recovered.

Since early March, reports of the Publishers Clearing House scam have come in from 20 states including Arizona, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin. Not only are letters popping up in mailboxes, but some people report receiving phone calls from scammers pretending to be with Publishers Clearing House as well.

While this scam predominantly takes advantage of individuals, business owners also need to be aware that their company’s name could potentially be used by fraudsters to pull off this con. The fraudulent checks sent to the supposed prize winners with the letter are copies of checks from legitimate businesses which have been stolen by the scammers. Businesses located in Alabama, California, Kansas and West Virginia have discovered that their checks—which included their name, address and even account number—were reproduced as part of the scam.

Victims of this scam are encouraged to contact BBB at 602-624-1721 or 928-772-3410 in Northern Arizona as well as the Arizona Attorney General’s office.

About BBB
Serving Central, Northern & Western Arizona, BBB is an unbiased organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. Businesses that earn BBB accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization’s high standards of ethical business behavior. Incorporated locally in 1938, today your BBB serves communities in Central, Northern and Western Arizona, supported by over 10,000 BBB Accredited Businesses. BBB provides objective advice, free business BBB Reliability Reports™ and charity BBB Wise Giving Reports™ and educational information on topics affecting marketplace trust.