Arizona Republic from Phoenix, Arizona • Page 256

People Places The Arizona Republic SATURDAY, NOVEMHKR 30, 2002 3 Hayes award to honor Native American reporter American youth to grow up to become leaders and good citizens," said Titla, UNITY chairwoman and a product of the group from her teen years on the reservation. "Not everyone will become a leader, but they can contribute to the community without holding a leadership position." Titla started her career as a newsroom receptionist for Channel 3 after earning her journalism degree from the University of Oklahoma and a master's degree in mass communications from Arizona State University. She was the first in her family to graduate from college. Her parents instilled in her the idea that education was the key to success. Her four siblings received college degrees, and her parents went back to school to earn theirs after they had children.

After reporting for six years at Tucson's KVOA news sta tion, she moved to the Valley to report for 12 News in 1993. Since then, the Phoenix community has warmly welcomed the diversity she brings to the newsroom. Her trademark long, black hair makes her stand out from other TV news-women with their modern hairstyles. Titla's active role in the Valley's Indian community brings her face-to-face with many youths. "I tell kids I wouldn't be where I am without education," she said.

"I'm waiting for someone to work their way up through the ranks to someday take my place. I can't do this forever. I've been doing it for 15 years." Reach the reporter at kristina.davisarizonarepublic.com or (602) 444-6848. Honorable Warrior Award Sunday in Scottsdale. It is for her service and commitment to Native American youth throughout Mary Kim Titla the state and nation.

For Titla, who now lives in Chandler, life exists in two different worlds. One is her Native American community, while another is the Valley's urban community where she works as a general assignment reporter for Channel 12 (KPNX). "I still go back home and participate in ceremonies and events, but I feel part of the urban community, as well," said Titla, who is married and the mother of three. "It's still two distinct worlds, but I'm able to Mary Kim Titla 12 News general assignment reporter since 1993. About her long, traditional hairstyle: Even though she's never been officially asked to cut her hair, it was implied when she was a reporter in Tucson, and she left soon afterward.

"I think a lot of people would be angry with me if I cut my hair. People recognize me because of my hair. It's part of my identity." A local celebrity: "Native American people are very proud to see a Native American on TV news. There's a celebrity status that comes with that. I'm the first and only in Arizona, and there is only a handful in go back and forth easily.

It's a good balance for me. It feels like one world." Sunday's Pro Players Classic golf fund-raiser at Marriott's Camelback Inn Resort in Scottsdale will raise money country. I've been put on a pedestal that I never really asked to be on. Along with that comes a lot of responsibility to be a good role model. I try to do that and think I've done a good job." On the Ira Hayes award: "At first I refused.

I said, 'I'm not worthy, I don't feel like I've done But I humbly accept it. My parents are excited, and the family of Ira Hayes will be there to present it to me." About Ira Hayes: The Salt River PimaMaricopa Indian was one of the Marines featured in the image of World War II soldiers raising the American flag at Iwo Jima. for United National Indian Tribal Youth or UNITY, a nonprofit organization that encourages young people to realize their leadership capabilities and self-worth. "It encourages Native 1 I if if. 1 'J- Jli 7.

7 1 1 1 js kept racer with Max Papis, Mauro Baldi and Fredy Lienhard), we won at Homestead too. Then we decided we could be very competitive in Grand Am. So we found another co-sponsor to help with the budget and we stayed with it." Good decision. Theys, however, won't return in 2003 to defend the series title. Because of rule changes governing the design of the sleek SRP I race cars, the Doran-Lista team that Theys drives for has opted to leave the circuit for the ALMS.

"We could stay and still run our Dallara-Judd car, but we would have to make too many changes to it to be able to run it with the new rules," Theys said. "It would be too costly. In the ALMS, we can pretty much run the same car." If Theys had found a permanent home in the Championship Auto Racing Teams circuit, a series that prompted him to leave Europe for the United States in the mid-1980s, it's unlikely he would have become such a winner in sports car circles. Theys never did quite latch on with a top Indy team, and by the early 1990s, he was gone in pursuit of greener pastures in sports cars. "It's my only regret in rac Sports cars By Mark Armijo Scottsdale Republic SCOTTSDALE A strange thing happened to Didier Theys on his way to an Indy car career.

He became a sports car racing star instead. Theys, a Belgium native now living in Scottsdale, twice has won the Rolex 24 at Day-tona, a 24-hour endurance race held at Daytona International Speedway, and recently added the Grand American Road Racing Association SportsRacing Prototype I championship to a resume already overloaded with gold-medal performances. Theys, 46, won four races this season, including the first two stops in a 10-race series, and further enhanced his reputation as one of the sport's top endurance drivers. "Winning the title was kind of a surprise to us because we went into the season planning to do only a few races," said Theys, who lived part-time in Paradise Valley for eight years before moving to Scottsdale in 1995. "We were going to do some (American Le Mans Series) races and some Grand Am races, but not enough in either one of them to run for the championship.

"But after we won Daytona (Theys split co-driving duties Titla cited for work with Indian kids By Kristina Davis The Arizona Republic When 12 News reporter Mary Kim Titla made her first TV appearance 15 years ago on a Tucson television channel, she never realized the impact it would have. "When I went home, someone said to me: 'When I saw you on TV, it got to me as he pointed to his heart." It was the first time he and other Apaches on the San Carlos Reservation had seen a Native American do TV news, explained Titla, who was born and reared on the reservation. Titla will be the first recipient honored with the Ira Hayes Gregory Casale, owner and chef to enjoy the tastes of food from Chefs love Gregory's offers world of taste in Scottsdale bistro By Hilccn Bailey Special for The Republic Gregory Casale earned his stripes at the Culinary Institute of America and moved to Arizona in 1991. Formerly affiliated with the Scottsdale Princess, he opened Gregory's World Bistro with his wife, Kim, in January 1997. Casale grew up in Chappa-qua, N.Y., to adventurous Italian parents who made sure their children explored international culture, even taking them out of school to travel in France, Italy, Switzerland and Israel.

His parents also took Greg and his siblings into the city where they ate at "both fine dining restaurants and little IJFJi I sit Jr fMudlljV! from Indy ing," said Theys, who also speaks fluent French and Italian. "I came to the United States to drive Indy cars because I knew I was never going to be able to drive Formula One cars in Europe. You needed to bring a lot of money with you to have a chance at driving in (F-l), and I just couldn't find that kind of money in my country (Belgium)." So Theys departed Europe for the United States in 1985 and almost immediately found the grass greener, finishing No. 8 in the Super Vee championship, a series considered a steppingstone to Indy cars. A year later, Theys won the driving title, winning five races and seven pole positions.

In 1987, Theys made the first three of 47 career CART starts. Theys drove for several car owners, including Scottsdale neighbor Vince Granatelli, who until bowing out of the series a decade ago also fielded teams for such drivers as two-time Indianapolis 500 champion Arie Luyen-dyk and Roberto Guerrero. Theys, however, was unable to find a full-time home with a top-level team, and by 1994 he had thrown in the Indy car towel. PAY MORE Mike RynearsonThe Arizona Republic of Gregory's World Bistro in Scottsdale, learned in childhood around the globe. of food learned early TUere's No listing at azfcentral.com It's easy to a new your Arizona auto registration on the Internet.

Just go to autos.aztentral.com and click on "KZAZ Tags." Our 24-hour, hassle-free service even allows you to order a duplicate Arizona driver's license. Don't drive to the MV'I) instead, log on to azccntral.com. Outdoor Furniture See more at patiofurnitureforoutdoors.com first cooking? Scrambled eggs, but my innovation was a can of stewed tomatoes on top. In fact, I have two framed pictures on my coffee table at home: one of me in my whites, graduating from the culinary institute, and one of me in my pajamas at age 6, standing on a chair, making scrambled eggs. What are the top sellers at your place? Red grouper with black Thai rice, and beef tenderloin marinated in Japanese beer.

What food can't you live without? Onions. And good, fresh pasta. We make our own ettuc-cine and gnocchi. What would you be if you weren't a chef? My wife and all my best friends are sommeliers, so I'd probably do that. I'm very interested in wine.

I'd have to be doing something creative, definitely not a desk job. CHEF PROFILE hole-in-the-wall places," he said. Casale graduated from Syracuse University with a degree in communications and became a stockbroker in 1986. "But I was a terrible salesperson." His love of food took over, leading him to enter the famous academy, which was "only a county away, right in my back yard." How would you characterize your restaurant's cuisine? Contemporary international cuisine with flavors from around the world. Asian, Indian, French, Americana, Southern We take ethnic cuisine and update it for an American palette, using fresh, local produce from Victory Farms, Blue Sky, Windmill Farms and Duncan Family Farms.

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