dit. Earnest volunteers allegedly audited the ballots as they were placed on spinning lazy Susans, looking for irregularities in- cluding whether traces of bamboo might be present in the ballots, in case fake bal- lots were smuggled in from Asia. As of press time, the results of the count still haven’t been released. But experts point out that for the audit to continue for so long without actual proof of fraud, com- bined with efforts by Republicans in other states to undermine the 2020 election, could destroy trust in elections. As disin- formation spreads and voters can’t agree on basic facts, some fret that American de- mocracy is in decline. When it all falls apart, you can thank Arizona. EEEEE Fox News Arizona was one of the most important states in the 2020 presidential election, with its 11 electoral college votes hanging in the balance. Trump was counting on an- other Electoral College victory and needed most of his key states — including Arizona — to come through for him. Then came an election call that no one, least of all Presi- dent Trump, had expected. Arizona was going Biden. For Biden supporters, espe- cially those in Arizona, this was a magical and unexpected event. Even faithful Dem- ocrats found it slightly unbelievable, given that hundreds of thousands of votes re- mained to be counted. But in the end, Fox News was right. So, naturally, it fired its po- litical editor, Chris Stirewalt, who correctly projected Arizona’s win. McKinley Club 734 West Polk Street 602-908-7640 themckinleyclub.com Celine and Kevin Rille put the “co” in co- working — their space is comfortable, col- legial, and most of all, it’s about community. These two didn’t just buy a building, throw up walls, and start collect- ing rent. Instead, they treat this club like family — and that’s what it feels like in all the best ways. The word is out, too; the Rilles recently expanded to the building next door. From the rosé on tap, jars of snacks, and regular happy hours (during non-pandemic times) to the gorgeous work and community spaces, weekly yoga, and convivial atmosphere, this is the place to see, be seen, and co-work. EEEEE Sarah Ventre and Ash Sanders Short Creek, a community of current and former members of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, is only about a six-hour drive from Phoenix, but philosophically, it may as well be on another planet. So we’re grateful to Utah journalist Ash Sanders and Arizona’s own Sarah Ventre for giving us an inside look at that remote, insular world through their 10-part podcast, Unfinished: Short Creek, from Witness Docs and Critical Fre- quency. The pair spent years reporting on the community before debuting the series in fall 2020. Through unbiased reporting of their own and the voices of dozens of members of the community, Sanders and Ventre teach listeners about a part of Ari- zona culture that is often sensationalized but rarely understood. It’s no wonder that it gained national acclaim, including mak- ing The Atlantic and The New Yorker’s lists of best podcasts of 2020. EEEEE Peter Corbett twitter.com/petercorbett1 40 Peter Corbett has a travel website, ontheroadarizona.com, that’s worth checking out. But because we’re addicted to social media, we usually encounter the former Arizona newspaperman on Twitter, where Corbett regularly posts highlights from his adventures exploring the small towns, historic sites, and extravagant scen- BEST OF PHOENIX 2021 | WWW.BESTOFPHOENIX2021.C0M | SEPTEMBER 30, 2021 B E S T C S O-WC PA ORKING E me g al o p olit an lif e B E S Unfinished: Shor T P ODC A S T t Cr B E S T E L EC TI O N C A LL eek B E S T TWIT T ER
