Embracing AI
Cochise College Leads the AI Revolution
By Robert Cohn
Love it or hate it, artificial intelligence (AI) has swept into American workplaces and daily life with breathtaking speed. In response, Cochise College began offering noncredit AI courses through its Center for Lifelong Learning in late 2025. The program gives students, educators, and community members a practical entry into the technology shaping tomorrow.
“It’s beyond curiosity now,” says instructor George Self, who teaches Introduction to AI and AI for Small Business Success. “It’s here, and it’s moving incredibly fast — especially in medicine. When I demonstrate basic functions, students are stunned by how simple and powerful it is. I’m blown away every day."
Community demand drove the program. A college survey revealed that AI training topped local residents’ wish list.
“Everything has a little bit of AI in it now,” explains Public Information Officer Sharinna Cook-General. “We want people to understand this tool because it’s opened an entirely new world."
Many start the program viewing AI as mysterious or threatening. Self quickly changes that perception. He shows how ChatGPT can brainstorm ideas or generate a detailed mini-feasibility business plan in 30 seconds — a task that once took weeks.
“They’re excited to discover its exponential potential,” he says.
Faculty development leader Dr. Wendy Ashby reinforces responsible use. Backed by a $20,000 grant from Sulphur Springs Valley Electric Cooperative, she runs workshops that equip educators to teach AI literacy, ethics, and critical thinking.
“AI won’t replace educators,” Ashby notes. “It makes critical thinking more important than ever.”
Self, who has taught computer information science since 1999, puts the rapid evolution in perspective: “What we learn next week may already be outdated. AI is going to keep delivering breakthroughs — and we need to be ready to work with it.”
Dr. Wendy Ashby conducts online artificial intelligence workshops for educators at Cochise College
Setting the Gold Standard for Customer Service
By R.J. Cohn
Sometimes when you’re good, you're just plain good.
But when it comes to customer service, Sierra Vista Culver’s “just plain good” is not just good.
It’s off–the-charts good.
That’s a big reason why the family-friendly restaurant on State Route 92, known for its Butter Burgers and frozen custard, has won scores of national awards – including placing in the top five of the Culver’s Crew Challenge eight times since it opened in 2015.
It’s also why owners Kevin and Sandy Adams and the crew of 87 employees have built one of the most loyal, repeat customer bases in all of Cochise County, one that puts Culver’s in a league of its own, along with a parking lot that’s rarely empty.
That’s why Currents is recognizing the entire Culver’s team for setting the gold standard when it comes to customer service in an era when the American Customer Service Satisfaction Index says the level of customer service satisfaction has suffered the largest decline in 30 years.
From frontline order takers to cleaning crews, Culver’s employees consistently bring top-shelf service with smiles and sincere friendliness from 10:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. seven days a week.
“We know we have a high standard to maintain, and that’s what drives us toward excellence,” said general manager/part-owner Riley Adams. “We never let go of that focus. It’s how I was trained and how our crew feels about what they do here. Our customers are our priority, and we try to treat them like family every time they walk through the door.”
By company standards, Culver’s has been a model franchise, repeatedly in the national Crew Challenge picture year after year and has stamped a lasting impression on the community. It has been involved with agencies throughout the city, sponsoring programs and events from the Sierra Vista Police Department, the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office, local schools and youth organizations.
“We’re fortunate to have such a great crew who come each day with positive attitudes and want to go that extra mile for our customers,” said Adams. “When you have a team that truly cares about the people they serve, it doesn’t get much better than that.”
That’s part of the reason the Adams’ distributes financial winnings among its crew whenever Culver wins a piece of the company’s franchise competition.
“Do we have high expectations here?” Sandy Adams told me several years ago after winning the prestigious GW Culver Award for the second time as the top franchise of more than 900 Culver’s stores. “We sure do, and our crew goes out and meets them every day. They’re a huge part of our success. They work with us, not for us. We take care of them, and they take care of us. It’s like one big family that pulls together all the time.”
Nominations for great customer service providers welcome at epetermann@ssvec.com.
Narrowgate Sport Horses: Heather McKay, the Horse Fixer
Heather McKay, owner/operator seated between Tish and Meg
The Horse Fixer of Cochise County Who Can’t Stay Off A Horse
By R.J. Cohn
Growing up on a 600-acre horse ranch in Riverside, Calif., it was impossible to keep Heather McKay, a renowned horse trainer, from not just falling in love with horses but also figuring out what made them tick.
"By the time I was seven, it was impossible to keep me off a horse," said McKay. "I knew there was nothing else I ever wanted to do."
Now 50, the California cowgirl – who grew up on the back of a horse mastering team-penning, polo, and vaulting, while winning enough ribbons to fill 10 tack rooms – is still in the saddle. But now she’s making her living as one of the most sought-after horse trainers in Cochise County, operating Narrowgate Sport Horse equine center for the last 11 years.
Spread across 12 ½ acres off of Moson Road, Narrowgate is both a heaven and a haven for horses and their riders trying to fine-tune their abilities – from trail rides to national competitions and events. For many, it’s also about pulling the reins in on their horses’ temperament and behavioral health.
"People who want to be on the same page as their horse come here," said McKay. "Some come for behavior issues like bucking, biting, and not listening, others need a refresher course for an upcoming competition. They call me and say, ‘Can you fix this?’"
And like a specialized mechanic, McKay – who still competes on a national level – puts in the work and has earned the reputation of the horse fixer of Cochise County.
Her wonderland of a boarding and training facility for horses of all breeds, along with her skill in different disciplines, blends into the nurturing environment McKay has created to bring results. The entire property – which McKay designed – is essentially a training center featuring two round pens, an exercise area, enclosed jump rings, a dressage arena, a cross-country area, and a series of trails throughout. She built 14 pipe corral boarding stalls – 12-feet-by-48-feet – with a tack shed between each one. But her most prized area is the turnout pasture, where for 12 hours a day horses roam.
"This is where they get to be horses again," said McKay. "The turnouts are like playgrounds where they can hang out when they're not in school."
As tidy as it is, Narrowgate is more than just a premier boarding facility. McKay understands that other equine centers may board horses and might even offer some training.
"Most barns cater to one riding discipline. We're different in that we are home to horses and riders from a variety of disciplines... and we cross-train. So, you'll often see even our high-level English show horses chasing cows or playing around at a gymkhana, or out on a trail ride. We have well-adjusted horses. And a lot of fun!" she said.
Former co-worker Michelle Hunter has watched McKay develop Narrowgate into a pre-eminent facility and can’t speak highly enough about her as a horse trainer.
"Heather McKay offers a variety of disciplines and horsemanship skills not otherwise found in Cochise County," said Hunter. "She is a phenomenal rider in both English and Western and has competed at a national level in dressage on horses she has trained for clients from the ground up. Regardless of weather conditions, horses are all fed, watered, stalls cleaned, then groomed from mane to tail at each feeding. Horses all have a chance for exercise daily and get all the TLC you would hope for as a member of your family. Her work ethic and attitude while she goes above and beyond on a daily basis are inspiring."
Despite a seemingly never-ending work schedule, McKay still competes six times a year at both national and local competitions. In March, she and her team of eventers went head-to-head in a 3-day event in Tucson for dressage, jumping, and cross-country.
"For me, the most fun in all of this is getting into a horse’s head, figuring out how he’s wired," she said. "When I’m out riding, I realize how blessed I am that this is what I’m doing for a living. There's just nothing better."
To get in the saddle with Heather McKay at Narrowgate, call 859-230-5542 or visit www.narrowgatesporthorses.com
An Upbeat Twist to Screen Printing
By Michelle Hunter
If you enjoy supporting local shops, with reasonable prices, really cool people, guaranteed work, clear communication, quality products, and smooth process every time- then you have got to check out Ink Thugs.
Owner and operator of Ink Thugs, Amy Moss, has quite the operation inside the store front located at 1939 Frontage Rd. Suite G, in Sierra Vista near Doc's Watering Hole. When you step through the doors, you will be greeted with smiles, upbeat music, and an impressive display of the various machines and apparent stages that go into the process of creating custom, one of a kind screen print shirts.
After experiencing the struggle of shopping for original shirt designs, not to mention t-shirt quality and fit, Amy took it upon herself to find a solution. After the investment of time, money, technique, and heaps of learning, Amy and her team have now mastered the challenge and are ready to share their talent with you. July will mark two years the business has been thriving in the current store location, and three years since launching.
In that time, the business, skills, services and range of customers have grown well above initial expectations. Earning the “Best of Sierra Vista” in 5 categories in 2025 is testament to that! While taking a tour through the shop to understand what goes into the process, the materials involved, and the complexity of the phases, it easy to grasp why this trade is truly a skilled art. Patience and “trust the process” definitely have a part here.
Ink Thugs offers a variety of screen-printing processes and techniques, sure to accommodate your design needs. Ink Thugs is equipped to take on small orders or in bulk, with a fast turnaround time and guaranteed work- with a business model like that it is sure to keep thriving in the heart of Sierra Vista.
Walk in and check it out for yourself Monday- Friday from 9 am - 4 pm, or head on over to their Facebook page to see all the creative fun they are having at Ink Thugs.
1939 Frontage Rd, Suite G
Sierra Vista, AZ
(520) 593-6069
Amy Moss, owner and operator of Ink Thugs
