Horseshoe Chamber Blog

Across the United States, many homeowners are investing in one of the biggest advances in roof technology: solar panels. Installing solar panels on your roof not only reduces reliance on traditional utilities, but can also increase your home's value. After all, a new roof even without solar technology can yield a return on investment of up to 75%, and solar panels are just as effective. However, thanks to a recent increase in solar rates, one of the largest rooftop solar installers in Arizona says it is relocating at least 85 of its 900 Arizona workers out of state, and more may follow. On Wednesday, April 29, the CEO of SolarCity, Lyndon Rive, announced that the solar rate fees approved by the Salt River Project in February are too restrictive, hampering the potential for nearly all of t...

Arizona researchers and small business owners are leading the way in mobile app development, especially when it comes to health and wellness apps. The Daily Wildcat reports that several Arizona organizations have been developing, releasing, and experimenting with mobile apps designed to address health issues. See Me Smoke-Free, for example, is an app created by a professor at the University of Arizona (UA) designed to help women quite smoking and improve their overall health. The app allows users to set up goals, listen to soothing music, and read about tobacco and its effects on the body -- all of which is designed to help the user gradually quit smoking. "It's primarily aimed at getting women to feel good about themselves and to live a healthier lifestyle," said associate professor Jud...

Most small businesses invest in predictable industries that are certain provide a tangible return on investment (ROI) in the form of increased sales or resource savings; whether businesses choose to invest in marketing (35%), sales (28%), or technology (22%), it's easy to see why these are the top three sectors for investing. But the developing company McDowell Enterprises, which is behind Arizona's new Green Valley Hospital, is trying out a new type of ROI for foreign investors: Green Cards. According to the Arizona Daily Star, Green Valley Hospital began participating in the federal EB-5 immigration program after the recession caused a strain on the hospital's finances. Under the program, foreign investors can apply for Green Cards for themselves and their immediate family if (1) they ...

Arizona's Maricopa County Jail received a visit recently from Baywatch actress, model, and animal rights activist Pamela Anderson, at the request of Sheriff Joe Arpaio, to promote meat-free menus for the prisoners. According to U.S. News and World Report, Arpaio took meat off the jail's menu back in September 2013 as one of his strategies to cut down on the taxpayer money that the jail uses. The Phoenix Business Journal has stated that Arpaio has also begun to work with PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) to begin serving vegan meals in the county's jails, in an attempt to increase the nutrition of inmates' diets as well. His new connection with PETA is how Arpaio got in touch with Anderson, who has become an avid PETA spokeswoman in recent years. Photos from the April 15 ev...

While mixed martial arts has long been a controversial topic in Arizona, as in other states, it is becoming increasingly popular for good reason: studies show that 18.1 million Americans participated in karate or some other form of martial art at least once in the past year. Now, a top-ranked athlete based in the Grand Canyon may be scheduled to compete in a heavily-publicized tournament, which could draw more attention to martial arts in the area and help promote local businesses as well. UFC president Dana White recently confirmed that the TUF 21 Finale will take place on July 12 at a Miami-area venue that has yet to be selected. The event, which is broadcast on FOX Sports 1, will feature the tournament final UFC's long-running reality series, TUF 21. Unlike past incarnations, the 10th ...

A development proposed for an area near Benson, AZ faces two major hurdles before gaining approval -- if it ever does. A similar development was in the works just before the real estate market crash in the mid-2000s. What's more, there's a growing controversy surrounding the risk that the development could dry up parts of the San Pedro River. El Dorado Holdings, Inc., which is based in Phoenix, has proposed a "mixed development" along Arizona's Route 90. According to the Arizona Daily Star, the development would be 12,324 acres and be comprised of 28,000 homes. Though Benson officials seem to be in favor of the development -- because it has the potential to bring jobs and revenue to the area -- the development is opposed by some environmentalists. The concern is that pumping water for so...

A new study from the U.S. Census Bureau has found that Arizonans divorce more frequently than the national average -- especially those who are living in the northwestern part of the state. The report says that 24.8% of all men throughout the entire United States have been married at least twice; for women, the amount is slightly less at 24.4%. In Western cultures like the U.S., these figures aren't entirely uncommon, as at least 90% of people in these parts of the world have been married at least once by the age of 50. Arizona, however, is above the national average: 28% of men and 28.3% of women have been married two times or more. But Mohave County in northwest Arizona has some of the highest figures in the country and topped the nation for highest divorce figures out of all metropoli...

The city of Tempe is considering a new regulation that is intended to protect children against the harmful effects of secondhand smoke, and according to AZFamily.com, the new law could go into effect within a matter of weeks. Under the new legislation, it would be illegal for adults to smoke while driving a vehicle with children in the backseat. AZ Central notes that this law would consider the offense to be a secondary traffic violation, rather than a primary violation. In other words, police officers wouldn't be able to pull over drivers simply for smoking while operating a motor vehicle; but if the driver is pulled over for another traffic violation, the officer can give out a traffic citation if the driver also has a cigarette lit and has a child in the backseat. Tempe Councilman Dav...

Even in a relatively healthy year, anywhere between 5% and 20% of all Americans are likely to come down with the flu -- and after the severity of the 2014-2015 influenza virus, more people are starting to look for preventative ways to ensure better health. In a new study conducted by the University of Arizona (UA), researchers are hoping to prove that staying healthy might be as simple as becoming a dog owner. As explained by Kim Kelly, an anthropology doctoral student at UA and one of the primary researchers in the study, humans have "co-evolved with dogs over the millenia," and although there had been little research conducted about why humans have chosen to keep dogs as pets, there's no denying that these fluffy companions simply make life more enjoyable. But the reasons behind the heal...

For years, entrepreneurs and customers alike have tolerated noisy, obstructive construction, understanding that such public projects will likely improve their business and shopping experiences in the future. But what about the toll this construction takes on businesses while work is ongoing? Several companies in Safford, AZ have noted that their city's decision to redesign its Main Street is beginning to take a toll, making some wonder if the ends will justify the means. Most of Safford's Main Street businesses say that their primary concerns are the road closures and limited parking: for example, John Fitzgerald of Carpet, Tile and More told the Eastern Arizona Courier News that the frequent road closures and loss of parking near the store had caused his business to decrease at least a...