Arizona
Marvin Harrison Jr. reunites with OSU teammate Paris Johnson Jr.
On Thursday, the Arizona Cardinals selected Marvin Harrison Jr. with the No. 4 overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft — a move that experts and fans alike have predicted for several months.
However, one Cardinal in particular has seen this coming for an entire year.
“Right when I got drafted, I literally went to Marvin and I was like ‘dude, you know you’re a Cardinal, right?’” Cardinals offensive tackle, and former Ohio State teammate of Harrison, Paris Johnson Jr. told Arizona Sports’ Cardinals Corner in March.
“He said he wanted to be a Cardinal,” Johnson reflected.
Johnson and Harrison played two seasons together in Columbus, helping the Buckeyes go 11-2 in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons.
After hearing his name called at the draft on Thursday, Harrison reminisced on the conversation he had with Johnson just a year ago.
“I just really loved the Cardinals,” Harrison told Arizona Sports. “Watching them growing up … Larry Fitzgerald being one of the best receivers in the league for a long period of time … The Cardinals always caught my eye.”
Harrison is excited to have the chance to suit up with Johnson once again.
“It’s crazy how it’s all come full circle,” he said.
Back in March, Johnson reflected on his time at Ohio State and how he was always surrounded with NFL-caliber receivers. For example, Jets’ Garrett Wilson, Saints’ Chris Olave, and Seahawks’ Jaxon Smith-Njigba are some recent Buckeye receivers to thrive at the next level.
However, Johnson had some high praise for the Cardinal’s newest rookie.
“I truly think he’s the best receiver that I’ve seen at Ohio State with my own two eyes,” Johnson said. From his point of view as a teammate, it’s the time that Harrison puts in outside of practice that make him one-of-a-kind.
“It’s the work you don’t see,” Johnson said. “He works and he works. That’s why I respect him so much.”
What will Harrison’s impact look like in Arizona? To Johnson, it’s pretty simple.
“I think he’s going to be the one X receiver,” Johnson said. “Just throw it up, he’s down there somewhere. That’s his impact.”
Now that the Ohio State duo is reunited in Arizona, Johnson and Harrison will put in the work throughout the offseason so they can take the field together in August.
Even Johnson’s mom, Monica Daniels, is excited for the former Buckeyes’ reunion.
Congratulations to you, @MarvHarrisonJr , and your family! It’ll be like old times. See you all in the Desert 🏜️. Buckeyes ➡️ Cardinals Great Day to be a Cardinal! #GoBucks #BirdGang @ParisJohnsonJr @Mike_CoachD pic.twitter.com/Bm1nYjn3FK
— Monica Daniels 💕💚 (@MonicaCLDaniels) April 26, 2024
Don’t miss these 5 metro Phoenix hidden gem restaurants
From Ethiopian cuisine to mesquite-grilled chicken, check out these five restaurants in metro Phoenix that have flown under the radar for too long.
A former candidate for Gilbert mayor has opened the first Arizona location of a Founding Fathers-themed ice cream shop in Chandler.
Brooker’s Founding Flavors Ice Cream is a Utah-based ice cream shop centered around the early history of the United States. Female employees scoop cones in bonnets and dresses; male employees wear tricorn hats and coats. The ice cream flavors have names like Martha Washington’s Colonial Cotton Candy and Alexander Hamilton’s Not Throwing Away My Scoop.
On a trip to Utah in 2019, Arizonan Shane Krauser went to a Brooker’s and was blown away.
“I walked out of that, called my wife Janelle and I said, ‘We will own one of these,’” Krauser said.
The couple had no previous restaurant experience, but decided to open up the chain’s first location outside of Utah, choosing a storefront near the intersection of Chandler Boulevard and Dobson Road. The store opened on June 6.
Krauser loves how the shop creates conversation among customers about American history.
“I love history. I love the Founding Fathers. I love the ideals of America,” Krauser said. “It’s an amazing concept.”
Opening Founding Flavors isn’t political, it’s a ‘labor of love’
Krauser is a retired lawyer turned motivational speaker who addresses topics including “freedom, the proper role of government and the parameters of the U.S. and state constitutions,” according to his website.
In 2024, Krauser ran for Gilbert mayor, but withdrew his candidacy amid scrutiny over involvement with a past investment fraud scheme and his son’s appearance in a video with the Gilbert Goons, The Arizona Republic reported.
Although the shop plans to host events celebrating the 250th anniversary of the U.S., such as one for Constitution Day in September, Krauser said he does not see the ice cream store as related to his political career.
“The mayoral run was something to be involved in politically. This is more of a labor of love,” Krauser said. “This is not political in nature at all. It’s an ice cream shop with an American theme.”
Details: 2560 W. Chandler Blvd. #3, Chandler. brookersicecream.com, 480-881-6100.
Reach the reporter at reia.li@gannett.com. Follow @reia_reports on Instagram.
Arizona CEO accused of stealing millions
Jeffrey Gottfurcht, the now-former CEO of Mesa startupo Cyber Dive, is accused of stealing at least $1.5 million from the company to buy gifts for his girlfriend. FOX 10’s Brian Webb has more.
PHOENIX – An Arizona chief executive officer is facing major legal trouble after being accused of embezzling money from his company.
What we know:
Cyber Dive is an Arizona startup that sells child-safety smartphones, designed so parents can monitor their children’s online activity. The company is run out of a business complex in Mesa, but the startup is barely hanging on after the CEO allegedly took off with the money to spend on his girlfriend.
Jeffrey Gottfurcht is facing federal embezzlement charges. He stands accused of lying and doctoring documents to trick investors before running off with at least $1.5 million.
On the company Facebook page, Gottfurcht claimed to be the first rheumatoid arthritis sufferer to scale Mount Everest.
Local perspective:
Red flags first popped up at the company on Feb. 13, with strange occurrences coming into the office.
Derek Jackson, who co-founded Cyber Dive, recalled the moment the discrepancies came to light.
“They mentioned to me something about getting routing documentation for funds from an acquisition deal,” Jackson recounted. “They said ‘where are those documents?’ He said he was gonna send him at 3 p.m. today, and my response was what deal are you talking about?”
Dig deeper:
Court documents show Gottfurcht used the money to buy his escort girlfriend a Lamborghini, a four-bedroom house in Miami, and a diamond ring. The girlfriend has posted videos on TikTok, but her identity is hidden because she has not been charged with a crime.
When asked to confirm if Gottfurcht purchased the car, the diamond ring, and the house, Jackson responded, “Yes. So it gets deep. Yes, it gets very deep.”
“It’s a huge gut punch,” Jackson said regarding the impact on the startup. “I think it’s been challenging to stay motivated to keep the company going because when this happened, Jeff drained the account to zero.”
At the Cyber Dive headquarters, half the workforce was let go. Jackson is now serving as the interim chief executive officer, looking for new investors to keep the lights on while coming to grips with the loss of a partner and friend.
Jackson stated that the total amount of money taken is closer to $4 million.
“I was in the army. I was an intelligence officer. I was targeting people in ISIS. I don’t even hate terrorists as much as I hate Jeff right now,” Jackson said.
The other side:
No one answered the door at the Paradise Valley home Gottfurcht shares with his wife and three children. Court paperwork shows that his wife is seeking a divorce, and helped turn her husband in to the authorities.
What’s next:
Gottfurcht was previously arrested in Scottsdale in May over allegations of domestic violence. He remains behind bars on a $250,000 bond.
The Source: Information in this report was gathered from Derek Jackson, and from court documents.
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