Ahwatukee Foothills News - Jan. 18, 2017 by Times Media Group

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS Wednesday, January 18, 2017

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Developer loses bid for reimbursement FOOTHILLS NEWS of $1.2-million drainage system

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Mountain Pointe High School sophomore Daleeyah Mitchel 15, was engrossed in her painting during the school’s 24th annual student art show last week. The show featured completed works by students as well as demonstrations throughout the day and early evening. For more photos, see p. 22.

Appellate court rejects Gila bid to stop freeway work during appeal BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

pponents of the South Mountain Freeway last week lost their last chance to halt construction while they try to permanently stop the $1.77 billion project. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit turned down the temporary injunction request filed by the Gila River Indian Community and rejected its claim that it deserved separate consideration from

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the Ahwatukee-based Protect Arizona’s Resources and Children. Meanwhile, there were developments on two other fronts connected to the freeway as crews began stepping up work along the Pecos Road segment and the Ahwatukee Foothills Village Planning Committee prepared to get an update on the project next Monday. The last time the committee got an update, in late August, a group of Gila Community

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tarkly different stories surround a failed effort by the developer of a new Ahwatukee complex to get city taxpayers to pick up a majority of the tab for a storm-water drainage system. Investment Property Associates wanted city taxpayers to pay for at least two-thirds of the cost of a $1.2 million storm-water drainage system at its new Ahwatukee senior independent- and assisted-living complex. The developer’s lawyer believes city staffers misled his client into paying for the project, which is expected to end periodic flooding during heavy rains at the intersection of 50th Street and Chandler Boulevard. Phoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio said at a hearing that he also believes the developer was misled and went so far as to say City Manager Ed Zuercher lied—an allegation Zuercher firmly denied. Insisting that they misled no one, city staffers say the company opted for a system that was nearly three times more expensive than what was needed so that it could develop more of the site. The complex is the new 137-unit Generations at Ahwatukee, scheduled to open later this year. The conflicting stories emerged in documents and at a lengthy hearing Jan. 10 before City Council, which ultimately voted 7-1 to deny IPA its request for a See

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS UKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS TUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS The Ahwatukee Foothills News is published every AHWATUKEE NEWS Wednesday and distributed free FOOTHILLS of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout Ahwatukee Foothills. UKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

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Mountain Pointe High junior John Marshall and senior Vlada Markov are teaming up with chess club sponsor Rick Carter to revive interest in the game among students.

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Students reviving chess club at Mountain Pointe

Karen Mays, 480-898-7909, kmays@ahwatukee.com Laura Meehan, 480-898-7904, lmeehan@ahwatukee.com Elaine Cota, 480-898-7926, ecota@ahwatukee.com Circulation Director:

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ountain Pointe High School chemistry teacher Rick Carter is surprised and delighted by what he’s seen with the chess club this year. As the club sponsor, he has had to sit out interscholastic tournaments the last couple years. But that’s not because of video games or social media. “Getting students to commit to weekends has been difficult,” he said. But not this year. Thanks to the recruitment efforts of club president Vlada Markov, the club has attracted enough committed students that it is fully back in the game. Recently the Mountain Pointe Chess Club took first place as a school in the Bishops Bash Tournament, with junior John Marshall winning first place among individual players. That was an impressive accomplishment for Marshall, who has been playing chess for only about a year. John said that although he also likes video games, he likes chess because “It’s not one of those games that’s repetitive.” “You have to have a good understanding,” he said. “With video games, you’re moving only one piece. There are so many different variations of moves in chess, probably billions of ways to play the game. It’s a game that develops my thought processes.” Vlada, a senior, is credited by Carter with being a kind of evangelist for chess and the club—small wonder since she has been playing since she was 5 years old. “Chess gives me a chance to concentrate. I like to >> See

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

Ahwatukee schools so far dodging growing teacher shortage BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

mid a worsening teacher shortage in Arizona, Ahwatukee’s schools are apparently faring better—for

now. The Arizona School Personnel Administrators Association earlier this month released a survey that found of 8,343 teacher positions that needed to be filled in 159 public and charter schools in the state, 2,165 remained vacant at the end of 2016 and as many as 2,221 were filled by people who did not meet standard requirements. And the reality likely is even worse, since the survey was answered by only a fraction of Arizona’s 2,267 K-12 public schools and more than 500 charters. “Sadly, the teacher shortage in Arizona continues to worsen,” the association said, calling on state leaders “to make an immediate, collective effort to ensure that the recruitment and retention of effective teachers is an urgent priority for years to come.” In his annual speeches at the Capitol and before East Valley chambers of commerce last week, Gov. Doug Ducey acknowledged the shortage and proposed some long-term solutions to solve the problem. He also proposed changing teacher certification requirements, noting that under the current system, former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor would be ineligible to teach in an Arizona public school despite her lengthy academic and legal accomplishments. At the same time, the Arizona Center for Teacher Preparation, this month was denied the ability to continue offering its alternative path to certification in

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Arizona by the state Department of Education in its most recent annual review. “The state is now requiring alternative paths to teaching certification to meet standards that most traditional colleges do not and cannot achieve,” the center said in a release. For now, Kyrene and Tempe Union school districts have avoided a teacher shortage, spokespersons for both districts said. Similarly, Horizon Honors schools reported no problem. “We currently do not have any teacher openings,” said Melissa Hartley of Horizon Honors, who said all 55 elementary and 38 secondary school positions are filled by regular teachers, not long-term substitutes. “In the last few years, we have not had much difficulty filling open positions, but we are lucky to not have much turnover either,” Hartley said. Tempe Union spokesperson Jill Hanks reported, “Fortunately, Tempe Union has not experienced the teacher defections or shortages that other districts have faced. “We can attribute some of that

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to having Arizona State University and its strong teachers college in our backyard, coupled with a strong and long partnership with the university, and also to the quality of the programs and environment in our A-rated district,” Hanks said. “We also offer competitive salaries and benefits. “ Hanks said all districts historically have trouble finding teachers in special education, math and science “and we do compete in those areas.” Even so, there are only three open teaching positions among all six of the district’s high schools in Tempe and Ahwatukee, she added. Kyrene School District mounts a proactive effort annually to blunt any serious teacher shortage, spokesperson Nancy Dudenhoefer said, by holding job fairs “to promote our innovative, teacher-friendly environment.” “Each year, long time educators retire and teachers move out of state,” Dudenhoefer said. Teacher shortages became an issue in the Kyrene school board elections last year as most candidates expressed

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JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Not much new money for teacher salary increases in governor’s proposed budget BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

ov. Doug Ducey is offering the average Arizona teacher a $900 a year raise — by 2022. The governor last week unveiled his plan to put $114 million in new funds into K-12 education for the coming fiscal year. That is on top of $76 million that schools will get automatically due to both increases in enrollment as well as inflation. But the governor’s big promise during his State of the State speech earlier this week of “recognizing and rewarding the work of our teachers’’ would produce just $13.6 million this coming year. The National Education Association puts the average teacher salary in Arizona at $45,477 a year, among the lowest in the nation. With 60,000 teachers in the state, that first-year funding comes out to just $225 per teacher. Joe Thomas, president of the Arizona Education Association, said he

appreciates the governor putting more than $100 million in new cash into public schools. But he said the amount Ducey has earmarked for teacher salaries won’t achieve the governor’s goal of recruiting and retaining teachers. “I don’t know that a dollar a day is going to be the difference between someone staying and someone leaving,’’ he said. And Sen. Steve Farley, D-Tucson, pointed out that about $89 million of what the governor is calling “new spending” actually is coming from shifting gasoline taxes and vehicle registration fees from the account that otherwise would fund road construction and repair. Gubernatorial press aide Daniel Scarpinato said the teacher salary plan is the best his boss can do given the state’s revenue situation. “We don’t think we can ever do enough to reward our teachers,’’ he said. “And so >> See

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we’re doing what we can this year with available dollars. Thomas, however, said the claim of limited dollars is self-inflicted, citing a series of tax breaks approved during the recession. The result is that corporate income tax collections, which were $571 million last year, will be less than half that much by 2020. House Speaker J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, defended those tax cuts, saying they “help grow the economy.’’ But after accounting for one-time expenditures, Ducey’s $9.78 billion budget for the new fiscal year is just a 1.8 percent increase. That’s less than what would be normal spending growth just to keep pace with inflation and population growth. The governor also is proposing a small tax cut, about $2.8 million, by indexing the amount of the standard deduction on Arizona’s personal income tax form. There is some new money for universities, but nowhere near the $99 million Ducey cut in his first term. Instead, there is a one-time $15 million no-strings-attached appropriation that the schools can use for priorities. That’s being divided up based on student enrollment, with slightly more than half going to Arizona State University, $3.2 million to Northern Arizona University and nearly $4.2 million for the University of Arizona. The governor also proposes to let the universities keep about $37 million they generate in sales taxes from commercial enterprises on campus. That would provide enough cash flow to borrow $1

billion for 30 years to fund maintenance that has been put off as well as new research and development projects. Gubernatorial staffers said that’s new money for universities, freeing up what they would otherwise spend on borrowing. But it also comes at a $7 million loss in sales taxes to cities where the universities are located. In defending the teacher-pay plan, Scarpinato said Ducey’s long-term goal is to increase teacher salaries by 2 percent over five years. While that is less than inflation, Scarpinato said school districts are free to use other funds to supplement teacher pay. He also said the budget has other education funding including: • $10 million for schools in the poorest neighborhoods for full-day kindergarten or other programs designed to help ensure students are ready to read by third grade; • a $1,000 bonus for new teachers who agree to go to work at schools in some poor areas of the state; • adding $250,000 to a current $170,000 account to forgive college loans for those who agree to teach math, science and special education; • $38 million in bonuses for schools whose students, on average, score in the top 10 percent statewide in the AzMERIT test, with high-poverty schools getting a $400-per-student bump and $225 for schools with more affluent students; • $5 million to expand broadband Internet access into rural schools; • $20 million for schools who have signed contracts with teachers for the coming school year but enrollment is less than forecast.

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from page 3

see how my opponent thinks and I like variety,” said the sometimes-video-game player who is planning to attend Arizona State University’s Barrett Honors College this fall for an ultimate career as a veterinarian. Carter said the tournament may be a turning point for the club. “This is a huge stepping stone for us, to get the kids to play competitively,” he said. “I credit good leadership from the students themselves.” A Mountain Pointe teacher for 18 years and chess club sponsor for four, Carter also coaches varsity tennis and badminton. He said he plays chess “a little bit” because “it’s very relaxing.” “Chess kind of slows my day down,” he said, adding the students he works with “are way better than me.”

Ahwatukee students make fall dean’s lists

Several colleges and universities across the country have named Ahwatukee students to their respective dean’s lists for the fall semester. Lauren Witherspoon earned the honor at American International College in Massachusetts. Nicholas P. Farina made the dean’s list at South Dakota State University. Kyle J. Pitman, son of Ronda and James Pitman, earned the same honor at Hamilton College in Clinton, New York, where he a senior majoring in economics and mathematics. He is a graduate of Desert Vista High School. Augustana University in South Dakota cited Joshua Hedeby for his academic achievements last semester while Matthew Redaja, made at Maryville College in Tennessee.

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

from page 1

protesters showed up and performed a tribal dance while others held signs condemning the project. The freeway will cut through three ridges of South Mountain, which Native Americans consider a sacred site. The committee meets at 6 p.m. Monday at the Pecos Park Community Center, 17010 S. 48th St., Ahwatukee. The presentation will be made by Connect 202 Partners, the publicprivate partnership that is building the 22-mile link between West Phoenix and the Chandler Interchange on the I-10. It is designed to divert I-10 traffic around the often-congested stretch near Downtown Phoenix. The committee also will discuss changes that city planning officials want to make regarding parking standards for bar and restaurant outdoor recreation areas and regulations governing group facilities. Ahwatukee residents near the freeway path and Pecos Road motorists will start seeing more construction activity by next week. Last Friday, crews permanently closed the Pecos Road entrance to the parkand-ride lot at Pecos and 40th Street. The 40th Street entrance will remain open. Crews on Tuesday began preparation work for relocating Salt River Project utilities along Pecos Road. Even more work will start next week as heavy equipment rolls onto Pecos Road for widening the busy artery. To keep traffic moving along Pecos while the actual freeway is being built, the Arizona Department of Transportation is widening the eastbound lanes to create a new four-lane thoroughfare that will allow two-way traffic to continue on four lanes.

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(Pamela Manwaring/Special to AFN)

Crews on Monday began preparing for utility relocation to make way for the South Mountain Freeway segment in Ahwatukee by digging around Liberty Lane and 15th Street. Even more heavy equipment will be rolling into the area next week.

The goal is to complete that project by March, when actual freeway construction is scheduled to begin. The widening project will force the closure of shoulders and bike lanes along the entire length of Pecos Road and will result in the relocation of street lights and the installation of temporary traffic signals, ADOT said. All that activity will come at a price for motorists, as ADOT said Pecos Road traffic may be reduced to one lane in each direction at times. Additionally, the speed limit on the interim four-lane road will be reduced to 40 mph for the duration of freeway construction. ADOT also said motorists can expect Pecos Road to be closed periodically, particularly on weekends. The last chance for stopping all this

the Ninth Circuit could rule on both groups’ appeal of U.S. District Judge See

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work during the appeal was the Gila Community’s injunction request, which was filed independently of PARC’s motion for a temporary stoppage until

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Diane Humetewa’s ruling last July. In that ruling, Humetewa rejected assertions by PARC and the Gila Community that ADOT and the Federal Highway Administration deliberately used faulty data to justify the freeway’s construction. They also asserted that the government was trying to get around environmental regulations aimed at protecting the health of residents on the reservation and in Ahwatukee near the freeway path. PARC attorney Howard Shanker, an Ahwatukee resident, said half the estimated 125,000 to 140,000 vehicles that are expected to use the freeway would be trucks. He said the health of residents as well as thousands of children attending 17 nearby schools would be endangered. “Many studies have now shown that people who live, work, or attend school near major roads have an increased incidence and severity of health problems that may be related to air pollution from roadway traffic,” he added, stating that “near-roadway traffic emissions may not only trigger and exacerbate asthma symptoms, but also contribute to the development of asthma in children. “As such, the construction of a new eight-lane freeway with diesel truck volumes of up to 17,000 per day in an area with a large population of children constitutes a need to analyze, disclose and mitigate impacts to children.” But attorneys for the highway agencies contended they “reasonably considered the potential impacts of the project on children’s health, including air quality and noise impacts.” “The agencies specifically considered and addressed the potential air quality impacts of the project, including the potential for impacts on children, in its National Environmental Protection Act analysis and its conformity analysis under the Clean Air Act,” they added. The Gila Community also said the two highway agencies ignored regulations that protected sacred sites and those of cultural value. Both ADOT and the FHWA denied those assertions. In separate requests for an injunction during the appeal, PARC and the Gila Community resurrected some of those same arguments, but also told the appellate court that allowing work to continue during its consideration of their appeal would cause the damage that their court fight is trying to prevent.

480-706-7234 S

(Special to AFN)

Linda “Paloma” Allen, a member of the Akimel O’otham tribe on the Gila River Indian Community, nearly broke into tears last August as she told the Ahwatukee Village Planning Committee how cutting through South Mountain would impact her family.

The panel rejected PARC’s request without comment last month. In a separate request, the Gila Community said its appeal had unique urgency because crews already had destroyed 20 sacred burial sites—an allegation that ADOT and the FHWA denied. Attorney Jeffrey Molinar, representing the Gila community, said further “construction also would disrupt trails, shrines, and other artifacts on or near the mountain” and said ADOT and the FHWA “inappropriately dismiss the Community’s concern over the continuing disturbance of ancestral graves.” ADOT and the FHWA told the panel that because the appeal could take as long as a year, taxpayers would bear the cost. They said the project—already the most expensive highway project in state history—would cost an additional $68 million and possibly even more. Molinar countered that the agencies were “blaming the Community for costs that they could have avoided if they had properly accounted for the risk of an appeal.” In its brief order, the appellate court last week directed both PARC and the Gila Community to consolidate their cases. It also set today as the deadline for the opening appeal brief to be filed by PARC and the Gila Community and Feb. 17 as the deadline for the government to respond. No date for a hearing has been scheduled.

D OL

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Stunning mountain views from hillside lot. 4 br, 2.5 ba with 2,801 sq. ft. Spacious open floor plan with downstairs office and Plantation shutters. New appliances including refrigerator, dishwasher, range/oven, washer, dryer and water heater. Private backyard on preserve with gated pool. Walking distance to shopping, hiking and park.

Impeccable T.W. Lewis home with 5 br, 3 ba and 3,076 sq. ft. Spacious eat-in kitchen features black granite countertops and black appliances. One bedroom and full bath down with master suite and three secondary bedrooms upstairs. Resort-style backyard replete with amazing built-in kitchen, fire pit with seating, salt water pool and above ground spa.

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Recently updated on golf course lot. 5 br plus media room, 3 ba with 3,829 sq. ft. Open kitchen with granite countertops and custom island with gas cooktop. Inviting stone-accented wet bar and fireplace in family room. New carpet, interior and exterior paint. Resort-style backyard features Pebble Tec pool and spa with waterfall, built-in BBQ and lush landscaping.

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Amazing sunset and mountain views from updated single level. 4 br, 3 ba with 3,056 sq. ft. Spacious eat-in kitchen with granite countertops and stainless steel appliances. Zebrawood plank tile and wood flooring. Resort-style backyard with retractable door, multiple fire pits with seating, diving pool with waterfall, built-in BBQ with bar, in-ground trampoline and tropical landscaping.

Inviting single level with circular drive, courtyard and side entry garage. 4 br, 2.5 ba with 2,955 sq. ft. Kitchen features granite countertops, pullout cabinetry, wine cooler and bar sink. Private backyard with lush tropical landscaping and custom play pool with sheer descent and spa.

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

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2,169 sf, 4 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom home with three car garage and sparkling pool! Open kitchen-family room floor plan. Kitchen and bathrooms upgraded in 2016 with granite counters, upgraded sinks/faucets and new toilets. Large backyard with grass area and mature landscape. 2016 AC, 2015 variable speed pool pump! 2016 garage door and garage opener, 2016 sprinklers and drip lines, and 2015 water heater. Interior and exterior painted in 2016. Carpet in only two secondary bedrooms (new!) 20" porcelain tile in family room, formal living/dining rooms and laminate wood flooring on stair case, upper level traffic area, master suite and largest secondary bedroom.

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Arizona still a prime market for utility-scale solar projects

produced by the Solar Foundation. It’s a factor that Vasari Energy considered when deciding to move to Gila Bend, month after it announced plans said Vasari Executive Vice President Sam to develop a new solar power Lipman. plant in Gila Bend, Vasari Energy “We also have to look at what we was back late last year to double down give back to the community with on its Arizona investment, expanding these projects. Obviously being a solar the plant’s capacity to power more than company, we look at things a little 7,000 homes. differently,” he said. For California-based Vasari Energy, it Besides the environmental benefits, was a smart business the solar industry move to bolster the “can provide company’s planned some high-paying solar portfolio. But construction jobs experts said it was and good revenue just more evidence to an area that is that Arizona is an relatively remote.” ideal state for utilityOnce online, scale solar projects, the planned (Photo by Gavin Maxwell/Cronkite News) a status they expect Vasari plant will continue as Sempra U.S. Gas & Power has contracted with could produce Navy and the Department of Energy to the infrastructure the 140 megawatts provide power to military bases in California needed for solar from a solar facility in Tonopah. of electricity for plants becomes more homes across affordable. the state from Gila Bend, a town that “Arizona is a terrific place,” said Sean encourages energy companies to build Gallagher, the Solar Energy Industries solar plants through special zoning rules. Association’s vice president of state It would not be the largest solar energy affairs. “It’s got a lot of sun, a lot of clear producer in the state, but by solardays. There’s been a lot of installations production standards the Vasari plant on utility-scale projects. Which really would be relatively large, according to contribute a lot to the numbers.” the Arizona Corporation Commission. Arizona currently ranks second in total Solar-panel plants typically produce installed solar capacity after California, between one and 50 megawatts of power. the nation’s undisputed leader, despite By comparison, Arizona’s fossil-fuel rising challenges from new competitors power plants are capable of producing across the South, such as North Carolina between 200 and 2,000 megawatts. and Texas. The Palo Verde Nuclear Generating More than 100 solar facilities are Station can produce 3,937 megawatts of operating or under construction in the electricity, a commission spokeswoman state, according to SEIA data. said. These projects could have a large But in addition to its environmental effect on the Arizona economy, said and economic impacts, solar power Auriane Koster, a solar expert with the boasts another benefit: When energy Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of consumption is at its highest, so is its Sustainability. power source, the sun. The development of the solar industry “It really helps in that solar is a peakin the state has the potential to attract power fuel, so the highest, most costly and keep a skilled workforce, she said. part of energy (consumption) is during “A private investor coming in and the daytime, the utility has to go out and doing a large solar plant is going to buy power,” Lipman said. “If they have increase the economy in the state. That a ready source of daytime peak power it brings in more money in the state. It gives them more reliability.” provides jobs,” she said. The more sunlight the panels collect Nearly 7,000 people in Arizona were during those hours, the more energy employed in a range of solar industry the plant can provide to utilities when jobs in 2015, according to a jobs census customers need it the most. BY ADAM DEROSE Cronkite News

JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

from page 1

development agreement to cover the cost of the drainage system. The complex is similar to one that a related company, IPA Retirement Community Specialists, opened in Agritopia in Gilbert nearly three years ago. It will include 97 independent- and assisted-living residences with onebedroom, one-bedroom with den, and two-bedroom floor plans. The complex will also incorporate 40 studios and one-bedroom models housed within an innovative, secure setting for memory care residents. Generations at Ahwatukee also plans a pool, sky deck and a cafe where seniors can congregate with friends as well as a spa, fitness center and a theater. IPA also owns the 402-unit Liv Fiftieth apartments on an adjacent 38.8-acre site. IPA attorney Ed Bull had argued the city should underwrite the project’s cost because runoff from South Mountain settles and makes the intersection barely passable after a heavy rain. “IPA is the one property that is trapped under the plug at the bottom of a manmade bathtub that stores water from

(Larry Mangino/AFN staff photographer)

The 137-unit Generations complex at 50th Street and Chandler Boulevard in Ahwatukee will provide for both independent and assisted-living seniors.

1,670 acres,” he told the council. Bull and several IPA hydrologists said their drainage project filled a missing link between a channel ADOT built some years ago on the Generations site and a culvert built by ADOT and the city beneath an I-10 freeway ramp. He recalled meetings back in April 2015 in DiCiccio’s office, where Bull said he raised the issue of a development agreement after city officials told him Phoenix could not afford to build the project.

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The agreement would have reimbursed IPA by freeing it from paying construction and rental taxes totaling more than $800,000. Other city documents say IPA wanted $1.2 million. Bull said the drainage system was essentially a regional benefit since it resolved the decades-long problem of flooding during storms. “We always perceived to be a public safety public health issue,” Bull said. “The goal has always been to seek fairness to share the cost of this regional

project.” He added that he did not learn until five days before the council hearing that there was no deal. DiCiccio backed Bull, telling city staffers he never had heard them turn down IPA’s request during any meeting or in subsequent emails related to the matter. Both he and Bull noted when they asked about how to put the drainage project out to bid so it could qualify for a development agreement, city staffers explained how to do it and the Street Transportation Department handled the actual bid process. “You guys have led me down the path,” an angry DiCiccio told Zuercher and his staff at the hearing. “I would never have supported this if this wasn’t a regional issue. We’ve had meetings on this since 2015 and not one time did you come to me and say, ‘Sal we’re not going to do this.’ “You had every opportunity from day one to kill this idea. City staff cannot set the City Council up like that,” he added. “You’ve thrown everybody under the bus, and you should have stopped this.” Councilwoman Thelda Williams, who cast the sole vote against denying IPA See

LOST BID on page 13

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from page 12

a reimbursement, also chastised city staffers. “They led him down the path to lead him to believe he was going to be reimbursed,” Williams said of Bull. “This is very upsetting to me.” City staffers at the hearing and in public documents painted a different picture of their dealings with IPA. During the hearing, they repeatedly told council that they had never hinted of even the possibility of reimbursement or a development agreement. They said development agreements are always reviewed by staff and then brought to City Council for a vote before a project begins. Bull had said that IPA had to install the drainage system before it could begin developing Generations at Ahwatukee. City staffers said that they had told IPA and Bull as far back as last April that the developer was responsible for paying for the project and that there was no such thing as a “regional project” entitled to city funding. “Although it is expected to be a fantastic project serving a market demand in the Ahwatukee area, it does not result in significant ongoing city revenue or savings,” said Deputy City Manager Mario Paniagua. He ticked off the few reasons why the city enters development agreements on some projects—and wouldn’t with this. “It does not create a significant number of jobs,” he said. “It was not negotiated or approved prior to construction.” Zuercher, his boss, was even more blunt. He noted that developers of properties near Generations had to pay for stormwater drainage systems and that to give IPA a deal would open the gates to hundreds of similar requests for city funds. “We have a city code that requires people to address water issues,” he said. “The city does not do these things…. The precedent of doing this after the fact is worrisome. We have properties all over the city that deal with storm water. “At the time the staff fully understood what the project was and the staff said it would never recommend it for funding,” Zuercher added. Mayor Greg Stanton sided with city staffers’ description of the drainage issue, stating it was not a matter of whether it was “regional” or a “local” problem to confront. What mattered, he said, was city policy. Added Paniagua: “We’re dealing with

a regional drainage issue because we’re talking about a watershed that covers more than one property. Staff has acknowledged that. But staff has never agreed it’s a regional responsibility. “It’s a regional drainage issue but it’s not a regional responsibility,” he continued. “It’s the responsibility of the property owners to convey that water through their property even if it originates off site.” Left out of the discussion before council was the report prepared by the city manager’s office for council. It said IPA could have opted for a cheaper solution. “Several nearby developments have addressed storm water flow without city funding,” the report stated. “The developer chose a drainage solution that maximized developable land on their property, at a cost of $1.175 million. The minimum drainage solution is estimated by staff to cost approximately $400,000, but would have meant less of the property would be available to develop.” The report also reiterated what staffers told council at the hearing. “Before construction on the drainage project began,” it said, “IPA approached city staff to request city funding of the project, and staff explained the city would not fund the project. The developer later asked about the possibility of a development agreement using construction and rental sales tax generated by the development at the site. “Staff provided information and answered questions, but did not agree to recommend a development agreement for this project.” The report went on to note that when it developed the Liv Fiftieth apartments in 2013, IPA got approval for a temporary drainage easement over the Generations site and began developing that site in 2014 by installing an underground “piping culvert.” “IPA could have met the drainage requirements with a less extensive and less costly open channel structure,” the report said, later noting: “IPA’s use of underground culverts allowed more of the (Generations) site to be developed with parking over the pipes.” The report went on to say, “Developments bear the cost of channelizing any storm water flows that historically crossed their site …. “This has been the approach with all recent developments in the area, with developers providing various types of channels, pipes and culverts to direct flows across their sites.”

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

ALS breakthrough gives patients new hope Sufferer knows discovery may elude him BY RALPH ZUBIATE AFN Managing Editor

hen the Barrow Neurological Institute said in December that it had found new genetic clues to Lou Gehrig’s disease, also called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, it said the discovery would “pave the way for the development of new drug targets and therapies.” For Doug Clough, it’s likely too late to help. Clough, 54, of Gilbert, has had ALS for 2½ years now. He knows that any new discoveries won’t help him. “It probably won’t benefit me,” Clough said. “If I don’t get killed in an accident, I will die from ALS before any of the data could be used for me. “But I don’t care. I want it to benefit the ALS community as a whole. I know it will help give people diagnosed in the future some hope. “For me, my hope is not here, but in Christ and Heaven.” ALS is a disease that robs people of control of their bodies. Slowly, patients lose the ability to walk, write, eat, talk and then breathe. The groundbreaking discovery involved IBM Watson, a famous, cutting-edge artificial intelligence program. It gave Barrow scientists new data that has unlocked some mysteries of the brain. “We are very excited about this discovery,” says Robert Bowser, director of the Gregory W. Fulton ALS Research Center at Barrow Neurological Institute and one of the nation’s leading ALS researchers. “ALS is one of the most complicated diseases to unravel. We hope that the use of IBM Watson for Drug Discovery will allow us to identify new and more effective treatments for ALS.” But the breakthrough may not start benefiting patients for some time. Drug treatments may take 10 to 15 years and $2 billion to bring to market.

Coping with changes

Clough is aware of his future, and wants to make his life count while he’s still here. He hosts a softball game to raise more money for research and has participated in an ALS walk in Scottsdale.

In the meantime, he spends his days at home, limited by his strength and energy. That’s a difficult consequence for him. A full day for him is meeting somebody for breakfast or lunch, using a special van to make his trips. He’s usually done for the day after that. Like it does most people, the ALS diagnosis caught the Cloghs by surprise. After an unsuccessful pro baseball career—“I was drafted really low”—back issues started to slow him down. Since 2001, he has had five back surgeries. Then, a leg issue started to concern him. He went to a neurologist to find an answer. After needle electrodes were placed in his neck and leg, the doctor had a quick verdict—ALS. Clough and his wife, Karen, went out to the car after the diagnosis and prayed. “The first few days were tough,” he said. He found out some difficult facts about his disease. For example, life expectancy is 3-5 years after diagnosis. One issue the couple had to deal with was their living situation. They had to decide whether they would find an ALSfriendly house or rebuild the house they were in. “It was a wave of emotions,” Karen said, “asking me to pick out a house I’m going to become a widow in.” They decided to stay in their current house. That means modifying the bathroom, widening doorways and more changes. “At one point, we’ll turn the living room or the kitchen into a bedroom and move in a hospital bed,” Karen said. “No, this is not what I signed up for. But it’s in sickness and in health.” Doug said he understands Karen’s view. “I think it is harder on the caregiving spouse or family member than on the patient,” he said. “Their role continues to change, and they see their loved one literally waste away and their dreams for the future for with it also. “Then, once the patient dies, they are exhausted and have no money.” Karen said, “It’s not only a disease, it’s the death of dreams.” Support groups and family and friends help the Cloughs get through the rough times.

(Larry Mangino/AFN Staff Photographer)

Doug Clough’s walker gives him some mobility around the house, but the maximum distance he goes is the few feet from his bedroom to the bathroom to his living room.

Doug said ALS patients that get involved with support groups live longer by three to 18 months. He said they also have a better attitude. Donations also help. Doug gets around on a $45,000 wheelchair that a friend at his church donated. He and Karen also lean heavily into their Christian faith. “We have a God who can do anything,” Doug said. “I don’t know how people face this without faith. My faith allows me to know I’m going to be healed from this after I die. “I don’t know even if I’d be alive today without faith.”

Watson’s discovery

The IBM breakthrough came after only a few months. Barrow began working with IBM in 2015 to explore unidentified genes and proteins that may be linked to ALS using Watson for Drug Discovery, a cloud-based computing tool. Within months, Watson for Drug Discovery rank ordered all of the nearly 1,500 genes within the human genome and predicted which genes might be associated with ALS. The Barrow team then examined Watson’s top predictions and found that eight of the top 10 genes proved to be linked to the disease.

More significantly, the study found five unexpected genes associated with ALS. Without IBM Watson for Drug Discovery, researchers predict the breakthrough would have taken years rather than only a few months. Doug hopes that Barrow’s discovery will create another wave of fundraising for ALS, much as the Ice Bucket Challenge in 2014 ended up raising $120 million. Some of the money was invested in research projects. Millions also were given to look at naturopathic medicines. Doug doesn’t let his own failing abilities keep him from making a difference. He volunteers one day a week with an ALS group. “I’m a Class A label sticker and a Class B-minus letter folder,” he said. Doug reflects on his diagnosis without regret. “I would not trade the last 2½ years for the previous 52 for anything,” Doug said. “My relationship with God is stronger, with Karen, the kids and my friends.” “Not that we haven’t had times where we cry and hold each other,” Karen confessed. “We say, ‘This stinks.’ Then, we regroup.” – Contact Ralph Zubiate at 480-898-6825 or rzubiate@timespublications.com.

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JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

Two Ahwatukee residents now head Kyrene schools governing board the youngest member of the board. An Ahwatukee resident for nearly 20 wo Ahwatukee residents, one of years, she is a graduate of Desert Vista whom is a local rock star of sorts, High School and has a bachelor’s degree have been elected the leaders of from Arizona State University. the Kyrene School District’s governing She served in the U.S. Navy Reserves board. and is employed by Nationstar Mortgage. John King was elected president Myrick is the only member of the fivelast week while Kristin Middleton was member board with children currently elected vice president. attending Kyrene schools while Fahy is The elections came during the board’s a longtime educator who works for the reorganization meeting, during which Tempe Union High School District. newcomers Michael Myrick and Both longtime Tempe residents also have Michelle Fahy, both of Tempe, were been involved in numerous community sworn in. volunteer activities. King is the bass player Myrick keyed on for Uncorked the Band, teacher retention, which has earned a competition for students steady following during and improving outcomes its frequent appearances for special education at Va Bene restaurant in during his campaign. Ahwatukee and other “I believe that as a area nightclubs and parent with students casinos. currently in the district, King, who started I have a unique insight his second term on the to the challenges facing board, is also a longtime education,” he told (Special to AFN) community volunteer AFN. “My diverse and belongs to the Festival Kristin Middleton is the new business background Kyrene board vice president. of Lights Committee and and commitment to the Ahwatukee Chamber of Commerce’s financial accountability will provide an Young Entrepreneurs Academy experienced professional.” Foundation. “I have fresh ideas and I understand Asked during the campaign last year the challenges administered in special what accomplishments he was proudest ed services because I have had personal of in his first term on the board, he cited experience and understand areas where the “strategic focus” he brought to the Kyrene can improve,” he also said, board as it contends with falling student adding: population and heightened competition “I have dealt personally over the last for students from nearby school districts 9 years with the Kyrene District while and charter schools. one of my children has been faced Middleton is in her first term and is with specific learning challenges. I AFN News Staff

Thanks!

(Special to AFN)

John King of Ahwatukee, the new president of the Kyrene School District governing board, presented Sierra Elementary student Emily Hruschka, also Ahwatukee, with a citation. Instead of birthday presents, the 9-year-old girl told guests at her party to bring a donation for the Kyrene Foundation Resource Center for needy kids.

have a vested interest and my personal experiences give me insight and firsthand knowledge. Fahy stressed the contributions she can make with her background and experience. “I will bring teaching experience in Kyrene classrooms to complex decisionmaking,” she told AFN, adding: “My current position in Tempe Union High Schools, as the instructional

technology coordinator, allows me to encourage and create continuity between learning in Kyrene and our students’ high school experience.” While she also campaigned on the need to bolster teacher retention in the district, she also said she wanted to “provide up-to-date quality curriculum resources that utilize research-based, effective teaching strategies to address the Arizona academic standards.”

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JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Suspect linked to robbery ring here AFN News Staff

man arrested at the Quality Inn in Ahwatukee has been linked to at least three armed robberies in Ahwatukee and may be part of a gang suspected in as many as 60 hold-ups across the Valley. Michael Goldborough, 24, whose address was not given by Phoenix Police, was arrested Jan. 11 following a stakeout that police initially thought the suspect had eluded. Police first showed up with an outstanding warrant for Goldborough around 11:30 p.m. Jan. 10 at the Quality Inn at 5121 E. La Puenta Ave. Phoenix Police Sgt. Mercedes Fortune said police believed he was in a particular room but when they checked, he wasn’t there. City Councilman Sal DiCiccio said police found an unattended baby in the room. Police staked out the motel and arrested the suspect without incident when he returned around 9 a.m. Jan. 11. During the investigation, officers found probable cause to arrest him on seven counts of armed robbery and also

an outstanding arrest warrant for an unrelated robbery. He also was arrested on charges of threatened use of a weapon, a probation violation and assault. The arrest was one of eight staged by police last week following a month-long investigation into a ring of robbers. The eight men are suspected of carrying out more than 60 robberies that “crossed over city borders into Scottsdale, Mesa, Tolleson and Buckeye,” officers said in a Facebook post. “They as a group were not committing robberies together,” Fortune said. The suspects were targeting individuals and businesses. “Detectives diligently worked all these cases and with the help of patrol officers, specialty details and partners in other Valley cities, all these suspects were arrested,” police said. The other suspects ranged in age from 19 to 55. “These types of investigations illustrate the importance of cooperation and sharing information with other agencies,” according to police, who said, “It took a lot of hard and dedicated work to put an end to this string of robberies.”

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JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Ahwatukee residents can chart their legislators’ activities on new site HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

hwatukee residents who want to watch their three state legislators or their colleagues now have a website to keep track of new bills, amendments and even roll-call votes. People even can watch hearings and actually “testify’’ for or against measures from the comfort of their home at the main legislative page, azleg.gov. On the main page is a calendar of events. But the real detail starts under the “bills’’ menu. Here, the new bills are listed by number, in batches of 50, divided between House and Senate bills. Clicking on the specific bill presents several options, including an overview, the status of where it is in the process, and a “documents” button where you can see the introduced version and, as the session goes on, added amendments and changes. There’s also a section called “RTS Current Bill Positions.’’ That’s a list of who signed in for or against the measure, a feature that does not usually get filled until a bill is scheduled for a hearing. Not sure of the bill number? Enter a keyword in the search. For example, if you were to put in the word “flag’’ it would pop out SB 1009, which would make the theft of an American flag a felony. You can view the measure in PDF or HTML format and can also seek more information. Also on that main page are links to the agendas of upcoming standing committees to see what hearings are coming up and what bills are on that day’s agenda. On the main legislative page is a pulldown menu for legislative information, with the first option being “request to

speak.” Clicking on that will result in a page asking the viewer to sign in. That leads to a menu on the left side to create a new request to speak, see what a person already signed in for and against, and search for upcoming agendas on that issue. You will need to know the bill number or, at the very least, the name of the committee where it is scheduled to be heard. But here’s the thing: You can register in support or opposed to a specific bill. And you can even explain why. There is no requirement to actually come to the Capitol to testify. In any case, your name and position is shared with the legislators on the committee and becomes part of the record. Those with strong feelings might consider that personal testimony, where lawmakers can ask questions, is generally much more effective. It’s helpful to contact lawmakers ahead of any vote, whether in person, by mail or phone. Very often by the time the committee actually meets, most legislators already have made up their minds. You also can actually watch committee meetings and floor actions as they unfold. The link is under the House button on the main page, then click on “live proceedings.’’ You will need to know in which room the hearing is taking place, information that can come from the agenda. Legislators are likely to be far more responsive to inquiries and messages that come from their own constituents. Representing the 18th Legislative District, which includes Ahwatukee, are newcomer Democrats Sen. Sean Bowie and Rep. Mitzi Epstein and secondterm Republican Rep. Jill Norgaard. The session began last week.

Share Your Thoughts Send your letters on local issues to pmaryniak@ahwatukee.com

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

City to probe complaints of service delays in afternoon RAPID bus service AFN NEWS STAFF

he Phoenix Public Transit Department will look into complaints that the I-10 East Rapid bus serving Ahwatukee has been chronically unreliable during the afternoon rush hour. “We will work with our service provider and plan to make some observations for locations from which the RAPID routes are operated to monitor the I-10 East route and work ways to improve it, not just in the p.m. outbound routes, but as a whole,” said department spokesman Lars Jacoby. He was reacting to questions raised in two emails received by the AFN about service on the route. “At least one day out of three, we have a bus that either doesn’t show up or comes 10 minutes or more late,” said one patron. “This route is the only one with the issue as several other rapids come and go while we all wait.” The patron went on to complain, “We all have called, over and over, but nothing ever changes. In fact, nobody even returns our calls. So many of us are so fed up that we’re going to start writing to try to get this fixed. They tell us that it’s ‘traffic,’ but that makes no sense. The buses are late no matter what the traffic is like.” Another email said the afternoon outbound buses “regularly arrive late or, just as often, do not show up at all. At least twice a week, we have a missing bus so two routes worth of people are forced to crowd into a single bus with a dozen or more people standing.” “This has been going on for months and the riders are at the point of revolt,” the complaint stated. “Many of us have kids sitting in after-school care.”

(Special to AFN)

Older Valley Metro RAPID buses like this are scheduled to be gradually replaced, starting this spring.

Jacoby said, “We constantly work with our service providers on issues brought up by our riders to ensure they have safe and reliable transit options,” and that the complaints could have been more helpful. “A sweeping complaint of ‘this always happens’ does not help us track down and improve the issue,” he said. “We need details from the rider at that time to ensure we can investigate and correct the issue as quickly as possible.” He said that any rider with a complaint should “definitely continue to contact Valley Metro Customer Service with the date, time and if possible, bus number, because customer service not only tracks the issue, but also sends them directly to the contractor to investigate.”

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“Providing as much information as possible is key, as it helps to determine any trends that might arise,” he added, stressing causes of problems are “always noted in the log to ensure accountability.” Jacoby also noted that “when traffic along I-10 experiences an impact— either when buses are traveling eastbound to the Pecos PNR, or westbound to downtown—there are very few arterial roads that can be used as alternatives to get to a destination.” “General traffic issues do cause delays on routes,” he added. “Buses are subject to traffic delays as are any other vehicles.” He also stressed that other buses will be deployed so that a “particular traffic snag won’t disrupt service for too many consecutive scheduled routes.”

The last complaint in the log for outbound RAPID I-10 East was recorded in mid-December, according to Jacoby. “Those complaints were investigated and it appears that on that particular day the bus had mechanical issues and only that particular trip was missed. The I-10 East Rapid runs at 10-minute frequency for most of its schedule, so if an instance such as this occurs, passengers don’t have long to wait until the next trip. “Mechanical issues do occur from time-to-time, “ Jacoby said. Mechanical problems should decrease in the near future as the city brings in new RAPID buses. Only two have been delivered so far, but the city expects nearly two dozen within the next six months or so.

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NEWS

JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

DiCiccio says council approved $16.7 million in ‘unnecessary’ spending in one meeting

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hoenix City Councilman Sal DiCiccio last week chided his colleagues for approving more than $16.7 million in “unnecessary” expenditures in just one meeting. DiCiccio said the vote on Jan. 4 came a day after city officials told the council that despite an uptick in tax revenue, Phoenix is facing a structural budget deficit that could affect the level of public safety protection in the city. “Our deficit problems will continue until we make public safety our priority and cut spending in non-essential areas,” DiCiccio said, stating that the budget forecast “did not come as a surprise to me” and that it “shows our deficit continuing to grow out of control.” In a report to City Council, the city manager’s office said, “The increasing public safety pension costs will add significant pressure to the general fund budget going forward.” “Additionally, these increases also are expected to impact the number of sworn police officers and firefighters that can be sustained with existing resources,” the report stated, adding: “The accelerated hiring in police and fire are also placing a significant burden on both department’s aging vehicle fleet. Funding will be needed to replace aging patrol cars and fire apparatus over the next few fiscal years.” Although he voted against them, the expenditures approved by the council majority included $3,668, 554 to Downtown Phoenix, Inc., which describes itself as a publicprivate partnership that “promotes the continued revitalization of downtown through economic development, events, marketing, clean and safe services, and community engagement.” DiCiccio said the partnership “already taxes private businesses against their will to spend money on the Downtown area.” Council also approved spending $12.2 million to change four bus routes. DiCiccio said other unnecessary spending included: • $750,000 for membership in

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Sal DiCiccio for a second consecutive week criticized city spending, this time aiming at “unnecessary” expenditures.

Arizona State University’s Institute of Sustainability. • $16,000 for membership in the National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials. • $60,000 to Laborers’ International Union of North America Local 777 to cover “training materials, uniforms, promotional outreach materials, instructional materials such as schools and workshops” for City of Phoenix Apprenticeship Programs, according to city records. • $108,000 to Ballard Spahr LLP for lobbying “services for the issue areas of criminal justice and public safety, under the guidance of the Office of Government Relations,” according to city records. DiCiccio knocked that tab as being “on top of the hundreds of thousands of dollars they already spent on lobbyists at the last council meeting for state legislative representation and consulting.” “Just during a single city council meeting, we could have cut $16 million of unnecessary spending,” DiCiccio said in a message to constituents. “But instead, we continued to add to the structural deficit problems we face. “As long as we continue to spend in this manner, we will continue to see your taxpayer monies wasted. And city officials will continue to have their hand out, telling you they need to increase your taxes because they are short on revenues. They’re not. They just have a spending problem.”

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Mountain Pointe High artists display their work

Calista Gonzales shoots a group photo of her photography classmates during the student art show. Steve Adams, Mountain Pointe High's Visual Arts Department chairman, oversaw the art show.

Mountain Pointe High School sophomore Ethan Briant 16, displayed his drawing skills.

The 24th annual Winter Art Fair at Mountain Pointe High School offered students and adults a chance to see some of the young artists in action. Mountain Pointe High School seniors Justin Lupoe, left, and Zach Minster, both 17, conducted pottery-making demonstrations.

Photographs by Larry Mangino/AFN staff photographer

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JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Mountain Pointe High grad seeking people who lost a parent when they were young BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

ichelle Shreeve will never forget the loss that struck her to her core when she was 9

years old. Now, nearly a quarter century after the 2003 Mountain Pointe High School graduate lost her mother, Shreeve is on a mission to write a book that will help other youngsters deal with the death of a parent. “There was only one book I could find to try and help me navigate what I was supposed to do next,” said Shreeve, a San Francisco native who moved to Ahwatukee in 1998, five years after her mother passed away. “The book was about motherless daughters, but it was not a book for a 9-year-old to try and comprehend,” she recalled. “I had to figure out a lot on my own, and by doing so came a lot of mistakes along the way. I am thankful that I didn’t make any serious or costly ones, but I definitely know what my weaknesses are now as a person. As I grew up, I kept looking for books that spoke to parentless teens, but even to this day there really isn’t one that speaks to teens in their voice.” It has not been as easy a task as she anticipated. She is searching for two kinds of people to provide the authenticity of enough real-life experiences that will bring comfort and guidance to the youngsters she wants to help. But so far, she has had trouble finding either adults who recall how they dealt with losing a parent at an early age or teens who can articulate how they are coping with such a loss. The freelance writer may be familiar to some readers of the Ahwatukee Foothills

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News. For several years, she wrote an Looking back, I felt like I was 9 going advice column, called “Ask Mikey,” that on 30, trying to navigate life without was directed at teenagers. her. She was a gentle soul, very kind and With a bachelor’s degree in psychology sweet. She had a beautiful smile, and and two master’s degrees, in English everyone loved her. Twenty-four years and creative writing, Shreeve sees the later, and people are still talking about book as natural progression from those her, remembering her laugh, and still advice columns, though this time she miss her.” wants to focus specifically on helping “I miss her so much and life has never youngsters deal been the same since with the devastation she passed away,” that a parent’s death she added. usually inflicts. She recalled “I started out meeting classmates wanting to be a in middle and high psychologist, but school who had then realized I could experienced the help so many more same loss. people through the While she power of writing,” found consolation she said. “That’s in reading and when I dove right playing basketball into writing, and as a youngster, haven’t looked back she said, “I also ever since.” found consolation She talks about through helping her mom as if the others—offering (Special to AFN) loss didn’t occur all advice, mentoring Ahwatukee native Michelle Shreeve is hoping that long ago. teens. I volunteered connect with people who lost a parent “We were best to a lot throughout when they were young for a book she is writfriends. She would ing to help youngsters who are dealing with high school and take me to the such loss now. even lettered scholastic book fairs in community and let me read to my heart’s content,” service. she recalled. “By helping others with what they “On Friday nights, we had a girl’s were struggling with, or mentoring a tradition where we would watch T.G.I.F. teen who lost their way, it helped not together and then paint our nails. Now, only take my mind off of my situation, I can’t even begin to attempt to paint my but I felt better knowing I was helping nails without making them look like a them get through theirs. I especially 2-year-old painted them.” helped children and teens who lost a “My mother was extremely sick, and parent.” She recalls one young girl who had was a fighter,” Shreeve said. “ When she died, we all didn’t see it coming despite lost her mom and found little support the fact that she was sick. The day that for her grief at home. “She struggled with everything for she died was also the day that I grew up.

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years, but miraculously managed to stay on a good path, just making characterjudgment mistakes of people she came into contact with,” Shreeve explained. “She was so nice that people would often take advantage of her. This little girl is now an adult, and she fought hard to stay on a positive path to become the successful young woman she is today. She is my hero for how strong she is.” Several years ago, she came upon a book series aimed at helping teens cope with major issues in life and noticed none of the volumes dealt with the death of a parent. She wrote to the editor, who liked her idea, and she has a tentative contract to write the book. “In the book, I have been including voices of teens and young adults who have lost one or both of their parents at a young age. They have been brave enough to come forward and either share their story or offer advice to teens who have just recently become parentless,” she said. But Shreeve needs at least a dozen more subjects and has encountered an unexpected reluctance among many she’s talked to. “I think deep down inside, parentless children everywhere want to help, but depending on what stage of grief they are experiencing, it might not be the right time for them to get to the point where they can share their story,” she said, adding: “Sharing your story is hard. We all have a story, but it is hard to share that side of ourselves sometimes—the side when we experienced something that changed us forever. Yet, what people don’t realize, is that sometimes having the courage to share your story, for the

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

Authors group honors Ahwatukee woman’s novel BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

hwatukee author Vy Armour has won an award for her debut novel. The Readers’ Favorite Organization has given a Gold Award in its Young Adult/Coming of Age category to “I’ll Always Be With You,” which Armour published in June 2015. “The book has also become somewhat of a favorite in the Ahwatukee area for book club discussions,” said Armour, who called the award an inspiration for her to continue to write. “Meeting other successful authors from all over the world at the award ceremony was also very inspirational,” added Armour, who picked up her award recently in Miami. Readers’ Favorite is owned and operated by authors who have come together to provide their fellow authors with resources to help them succeed. Armour apparently didn’t need much inspiration to continue writing. She is in the final stages of editing a “cozy mystery” titled “The Mahjonng

Murder” and is also writing a new novel. “I plan to write a sequel to ‘I’ll Always Be With You,’ but those plot ideas are still roaming around in my head,” she said. She also recently collaborated on a children’s book, “Granddad, Golf and Me,” about a little boy and his grandfather’s love for golf, with illustrator Dawn Hughes, also an Ahwatukee resident. And she has had a story published in the December edition of “Chicken Soup for the Soul, Curvy and Confident.” The award also has given her a sense of validation for her work, Armour said. “I started the novel back in 1999 as a young adult novel, wrote the first draft and sadly put it away as I was not successful in getting an agent at that time,” she recalled. “I picked it up again in 2014 and added two adult main characters so it would have a greater audience. “My original idea was to tell a story with a ‘pay it forward’ theme, and it did retain some of that original idea.

See

(Special to AFN)

Ahwatukee novelist Vy Armour picked up an award for her first novel and is hoping to write a sequel.

AUTHOR on page 25

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The irony is that once it was an adult novel, it won two awards in the young adult category.” “I’ll Always Be With You” is a contemporary tale with a flashback to the 1960s. It tells the story of how three generations of a family deal with a tragedy. A retired teacher who once owned a bookstore in Ahwatukee called Pages, Armour said she has been writing off and on since she was 10 years old. Inspired by winning a summer library competition, she said, “I try to write every day, even if it is for a short period or just one thought or scene I want to capture that perhaps came to me in the middle of the night.” “I don’t have a word limit but I do have a special desk in my house where I do nothing else on it. No distractions around me and once I sit down there, I find it easier to pick up where I left off. Sometimes I read what I wrote the day before to get back in the groove,”

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JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

English Language Arts materials up for review in Kyrene District Parents have until March 21 to review English Language Arts educational resources for grades K through 5 in Kyrene School District. Teachers and the community can review all the materials under consideration for adoption by the governing board for the 2017-18 school year and beyond. The materials under review are Amplify’s “Core Knowledge Language Arts,” Benchmark Education’s “Benchmark Advance” and McGraw-Hill’s “Wonders,” the district said in a released. Hard copies are on display at the district office, 8700 S. Kyrene Road, Tempe. A schedule will be released soon regarding materials available for

AUTHOR

from page 24

she said. Armour firmly believes in the old adage about never being too old to pursue a dream. She said in a newspaper interview several years ago that her greatest joy so far has been being able to share her writing with friends and family. “The biggest reward I have received is a connection with friends and acquaintances I have made through the years,” she said. “Thanks to social media and my personal efforts to contact everyone I ever knew, they are reading

PARENT

from page 23

sake of helping others, can also heal your insides as well.” Shreeve wants her book to remind teens “that they don’t have to feel like they are going through their loss alone.” “This book is a tool teens can use all throughout middle school, high school, college, and even when they become young adults and venture off out into the world. It is also an opportunity for parentless teens to come forward, share their experience/offer advice to other parentless teens for helpful coping

review at school sites. Materials can be reviewed at the district office from 7:30 a.m.3:30 p.m. Monday-Friday and no appointment is necessary. The district said people should plan to spend approximately 3060 minutes to review materials and provide comments. After March 21, “all staff and community comments will be compiled and reviewed by the resource review committee,” composed of teachers from each of the 25 Kyrene schools and representing all K-8 grade levels. The committee will make a recommendation to the governing board in the spring. the book and responding. “It’s like the feeling you have at Christmas when you get newsletters from friends you haven’t seen in years,” she continued, adding: “Everyone has a unique story that only they can tell, and everyone has something that should be shared with the world—so they should be heard. I have seven grandkids and I wanted to leave something for them, too, so that if they saw that I could do something like this in my 70s, they might be inspired and not wait so long to follow their own dreams.” Armour’s book can be purchased in all formats at amazon.com mechanisms,” she said. Shreeve is running out of time to round up more subjects because a deadline is fast approaching. “I am trying to write the book that didn’t exist when I needed it the most as a 9-year-old girl,” she said. “I want this book to help future generations of parentless children not feel like I did and like my peers did when we lost our parent and tried to find something or someone that could help us move forward.” People who think they can help her should email writtenbymikey@gmail. com.

Do you have Community News? Updates? Write pmaryniak@ahwatukee.com or call 480-898-5647.

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

Walk for peace (Special to AFN)

Students at Kyrene de las Lomas Elementary School in Ahwatukee held a school-wide peace march Friday to mark the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. They carried posters they made to mark the occasion, as Braylon Edwards, below, demonstrates by holding his above his head. In the lower right, students carrying a banner are, from left: Max Giesinger, Aubriana Quezada, Nathan Barraza-Leal, Rachel Salzwedel and Jason Grayson. They are all in Theresa Shinabarger’s kindergarten class.

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JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

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Hope Ryberg, flanked by children Gabe, left, and Obie, hope to raise enough money to buy a special-needs van.

Couple grows family with special-needs, adopted kids

BY ADRIANA BECERRA AFN Contributing Writer

family of 15 is hoping the community rallies around their need for a van. Nathan and Lori Ryberg are foster parents with 13 children: six biological and seven adopted. All seven adopted, and one biological child, have special needs. The children’s special needs range from Down Syndrome, cerebral palsy and spina bifida to being born with methamphetamine addictions. They have needed various knee, back, orthopedic and heart surgeries. Together, Nathan said the kids have needed “50 plus” surgeries. Still, Nathan said he and his wife are not scared away by all of the medical needs. “We think the medical part is, not easy, but is forthcoming to us,” said Nathan, “That would scare most people off but it’s identifiable.” Lori said that no child coming from foster care is going to be “easy.” “They are no typical kids in the system … our kids just have medical issues,” said Lori. Nathan said that some things are easier for his family, like getting his kids to eat their vegetables, mostly because some of his kids eat from feeding tubes. “Some things are easy and some things are harder,” said Nathan.

The Rybergs didn’t always plan on having such a large family. “It wasn’t the future we had envisioned,” said Lori. Lori and Nathan met on the first day of college, and have now been married 33 years. Both graduated with a degree in social work, with Nathan specializing in medical social work and Lori in adoption. The two opened their house up as a foster home. “We love doing foster care. We love working with them, we love getting kids back to their birth parents,” Lori said. “That is our goal. We like working with birth parents and figure out how to take care of their kids and how to parent.” Sometimes that is not always feasible, though. That’s what happened 22 years ago, when Nathan and Lori adopted their first child. Since then, Nathan and Lori have adopted six more, five through foster care and two from direct adoptions. Their oldest child is 29 and youngest is 2. Recently, Nathan has noticed transportation is harder for his family. There are too many of them to fit in one car, so they either have to take two cars or make multiple trips. Nathan is also finding it harder to lift his children who are in wheelchairs. Nathan’s coworkers decided to start a GoFundMe campaign in hopes of getting See

RYBERGS on page 33

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

THURSDAY, JAN. 19

TUESDAY, FEB. 7

Learn how to make your own soap. Includes a live demonstration with an emphasis on lye safety. DETAIL>> 6-7:30 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333.E. Chandler Blvd. No registration required. 16+ only. Free.

“Crafting the Perfect Author Bio and Media Kit” is a writing workshop on crafting an engaging author bio and media kit that funnel readers to your work. Led by the creator of thewritersaurus.com. DETAIL>> 6-7:45 p.m., Ironwood Public Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee. Free. No registration required.

Class teaches soap making

TUESDAY, JAN. 24

Jeff Scanlan: Think Inside the Bottle

Learn strategies to reach your goals, use your creativity to solve problems, and utilize tools immediately to improve your life with “America’s Sports Magician,” Jeff Scanlan. DETAIL>> 6:30-7:30 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd. Register in the calendar section at phxlib.org. Free.

SATURDAY, FEB. 4

Tukee Sisters holding expo

The Tukee Sisters in Business, a network of local businesses owned by women, will hold its second expo for families. It will include a fashion show to promote “kindness for the kind campaign,” guest speakers, 60 vendors, food trucks, raffle prizes and live entertainment. DETAIL>> 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Four Points Sheraton South Mountain, 10831 S. 51st St., Ahwatukee. For more information or to secure space early: tukeesistersinbusiness@gmail.com, 602-516-8077, or m.facebook.com/TukeeSistersInBusinessFanPage.

Black history to be focus

Celebrate Black History Month with members of the Mountain Pointe High School Black Student Union as they present a discussion on Black History topics. DETAIL>> 2-3:30 p.m., Ironwood Public Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee. Free, open to all ages. No registration required.

Author bios to be discussed

SATURDAY, FEB. 11

‘Tooth-rific Storytime’ set

Fun stories and songs help kids learn what to expect when books and brushing become part of the bedtime routine. Followed by a raffle, crafts, and FREE kids’ dental screenings provided by Dignity Health. DETAIL>> 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee. Free. Space is limited and tickets are available at 10 a.m.

SATURDAY, FEB. 18

Learn nail string art

Come make a gorgeous wall ornament using string and nails. All supplies will be provided, though if you have your own preferred tools, you’re welcome to bring them. DETAIL>> 2-4 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee Free, adults only. Register in the calendar section at phxlib.org.

TUESDAY, FEB. 21

Writing group to meet

The writing critique group meets the third Tuesday of every month. Writers of all genres and experience levels are invited to bring five pages of double-spaced writing to read out loud for feedback. Extra copies are optional, but helpful. DETAIL>> 6-7:45 p.m., Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd.,

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SATURDAY, FEB. 25

Transportation Day scheduled

God’s Garden Preschool at Horizon Presbyterian Church will hold its annual Transportation Day, featuring more than 40 vehicles of all descriptions, from garbage and fire trucks to go-karts. Live entertainment, carnival games and other activitie. DETAIL>>9 a.m.-1 p.m., 1401 E. Liberty Lane, Ahwatukee. Information/vendor registration: Michelle Rhodes at 480-460-0081, directorgodsgarden@horizonchurch.com or godsgarden.com.

‘Seuss-tastical’ fest slated

Come enjoy Dr. Seuss-themed early literacy and STEAM activities for the whole family at the Seuss-tasical Family Festival.. DETAIL>> 10 a.m.-1 p.m., Ironwood Public Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee. All ages; no registration required. Free.

ONGOING

Congregation plans Israel trip

Congregation NefeshSoul is planning a tour of Israel June 10-20, 2017. Explore historical sites along with the beauty and rich culture of Israel. DETAIL>> Rabbi Susan Schanerman at rabbi@nefeshsoul.org.

leads group is open to chamber members. DETAIL>> Noon, Native Grill and Wings, 5030 E. Ray Road, Ahwatukee. Devida Lewis, 480-753-7676.

Group aids MS sufferers

This group addresses the informational, emotional and social support needs of the MS community. People with MS, care partners and spouses are welcome. The group mobilizes people and resources to drive research for a cure and to address the challenges people affected by MS. DETAIL>>10 a.m.-noon, third Monday of each month, Dignity Health Urgent Care Ahwatukee, conference room, 4545 E. Chandler Blvd. Free. Information: Lynn Grant at lgrant3567@ yahoo.com or 480-414-7172.

TUESDAYS

Toastmasters sharpen skills

Improve your speaking skills and meet interesting people at Ahwatukee Toastmasters meetings DETAIL>>6:45-8 a.m at the Dignity Health Community Room, 4545 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee.

Power Partners available

SUNDAYS

The Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce networking and leads group is open to chamber members. DETAIL>> 8-9 a.m., Four Points by Sheraton, 10831 S. 51st St., Ahwatukee. Dorothy Abril, 480-753-7676.

A makerspace for children to design, experiment, and invent as they explore hands-on STEAM activities through self-guided tinkering. DETAIL>> 1-4 p.m. every Sunday, Ironwood Library 4333 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee. Ages 6-11. Free; No registration.

WEDNESDAYS

MONDAYS

Watercolor classes that teach both bold and beautiful as well as soft and subtle approaches to the art are available twice a week for beginners and intermediate students who are at least 15 years old. Step-by-step instruction and personal help are provided.

‘TinkerTime’ open for kids

Chamber offers networking

Watercolor classes available

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JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

COMMUNITY

The Community Is Speaking By Signing Their Consent Forms “Yes, we signed the consent form. My wife and I have lived in Ahwatukee for approximately 30 years and we have studied the plans and proposed CC&R amendments as distributed by The True Life Companies. The language restricts them to no more than 300 homes and, along with the farm, school, proposed drainage and transportation improvements we believe the project would represent a very nice community amenity that will improve local property values, contribute to the City’s tax base and help local businesses, especially those located at or near 48th Street and Warner. While it was great to have the Ahwatukee Lakes golf course in our community for decades and as an avid golfer I miss playing the course, the economics of a local, executive 18-hole golf course are no longer viable and the development plans put forth by True Life represent what we think is the best overall option available and we recommend our fellow residents give it their highest consideration and support.” – Grant and Victoria Hamill

“We live on what used to be the Lakes golf course, but we know the reality is we will never have a golf course again. We are sick of seeing the property waste away when we could use it to develop something special that works for our community. Our greatest investment is our home, and we know Ahwatukee Farms will increase our property values. This is our only option when it comes to creating an asset here in Ahwatukee; we know it is time to sign the consent form because we live here. We ask all of our neighbors to come together and support Ahwatukee Farms by signing the consent form.” – Dave and Tammie Kissman

“Our family loves living in Ahwatukee but we are ready for something new, bold and exciting. Ahwatukee Farms is exactly what our community needs to revitalize the area and increase our property values. We’ve listened to both sides of this debate and the truth is that we can trust The True Life Companies because of the specifics they have provided for every aspect of their plan. Past plans and other ideas are simply not realistic and keep the community from moving ahead. Ahwatukee Farms is our best chance to be a part of special, and that’s why we proudly signed our consent form.” – Steve and Kim Horn

Take Action and Sign Your Consent Form Today! This is an opportunity to increase your property values. Make a lasting positive and exciting impact that will benefit you and the entire Ahwatukee Foothills community. Join your neighbors as we near our signature goal and make Ahwatukee Farms a reality. 1. Send signed consent forms to P.O. Box 50129, Phoenix, AZ 85076 2. Request a consent form on AhwatukeeFarms.com by clicking on the right hand corner button 3. Call 602-726-5311 to receive a personally delivered consent form

For more information about the vision, please visit www.AhwatukeeFarms.com

COMMUNITY

RYBERGS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

from page 28

DETAIL>> 2:30-5 Wednesdays and 10 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Saturdays at Hobby Lobby, 46th Street and Ray Road, Ahwatukee. Cost: $25 per class, $80 for four classes. Registration required: jlokits@yahoo.com or 480-471-8505.

Montessori holds open house

Ahwatukee Foothills Montessori holds an open house weekly. It includes a short talk about Montessori education, followed by a tour of its campus. DETAIL>> 4 p.m. Wednesdays, 3221 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee. Information: 480-759-3810

Grief support is free

Hospice of the Valley offers a free ongoing grief support group for adults and is open to any adult who has experienced a loss through death. No registration required. DETAIL>> 6-7 p.m. first and third Wednesdays, Pecos Community Center, 17010 S. 48th St. 602-636-5390 or HOV.org. An informal, relaxed social organization of about 90 women living in the Ahwatukee Foothills/Club West area. A way to escape once a month to have fun and meet with other ladies in the area. Guest speaker or entertainment featured. DETAIL>> 7 p.m. second Wednesday of the month, Foothills Golf Club, 2201 E. Clubhouse Drive. Contact jstowe2@cox.net or FoothillsWomensClub.org.

Parents can ‘drop in’

Parents are invited to join a drop-in group to ask questions, share ideas or just listen to what’s going on with today’s teenagers. DETAIL>> 5:30-7 p.m. second Wednesday of each month. Maricopa Cooperative Extension, 4341 E. Broadway Road, Phoenix. Free. RSVP at 602-827-8200, ext. 348, or rcarter@cals.arizona.edu.

Get with Democrats

DETAIL>> Free and open to the public 7:30-9 a.m. the third Wednesday of the month at Biscuits Restaurant, 4623 E. Elliot Road. RSVP: marie9@q.com or 480-592-0052.

Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce has a networking and leads group is open to chamber members. DETAIL>>>11:30 a.m.–12:30 p.m., Radisson Hotel, 7475 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler. Devida Lewis, 480-753-7676.

The Kiwanis Club of Ahwatukee meets every Thursday and

This group focuses on creating powerful relationships with fellow members, resulting in meaningful referrals. Learn how to create connections and get the most out of networking events. DETAIL>> 8-9 a.m., Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce, 4435 E. Chandler Blvd., Suite 140. Information: Shannon Kinsman, 480-753-7676. Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce networking and leads group offers business owners as chance to get involved and network. Open to chamber members and nonmembers. DETAIL>> 8 a.m. Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce, 4435 E. Chandler Blvd., Suite 140. Shannon Kinsman, 480-753-7676.

Mothers of Preschoolers gather

Free child care for ages 0 to 5. DETAIL>> 9 a.m. second and fourth Thursday, Foothills Baptist Church, 15450 S. 21st St. Call Kim at 480-759-2118, ext. 218.

FRIDAYS

Toastmasters teach skills

This chamber-exclusive Chapter of the International Toastmasters club boasts professional development skills. Become the speaker and leader you want to be with Ahwatukee Chamber Toastmasters Club. DETAIL>> 8-9 a.m., First American Title Conference Room, 4435 E. Chandler Blvd., #100, Ahwatukee. Devida Lewis, 480-753-7676.

Local Alzheimer’s support group meets

The Legislative District 18 Democrats have changed their monthly meeting to their new campaign office at 1867 E. Baseline Road, Tempe. DETAIL>> 6:30 p.m. social time, 7-8:30 p.m. meeting time on the second Monday of each month. Information: ld18demsinfo@gmail. com. Free and open to the public.

Kiwanis Club hosts speakers

Learn about 3-D Networkx

SATURDAYS

LD 18 Dems meet in Tempe

THURSDAYS

Bosom Buddies slates meetings

Ahwatukee/Chandler nonprofit breast cancer support group. DETAIL>> 10 a.m. to noon, second Saturday of the month. Morrison Boardroom next to Chandler Regional Medical Center, 1875 W. Frye Road, Chandler. Contact Patti Lynch at 480-893-8900 or tomklynch@msn.com or Cele Ludig at 480-330-4301. — Email calendar items to pmaryniak@ahwatukees.com — Check us out and like the Ahwatukee Foothills News on Facebook and AhwatukeeFN on Twitter.

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Fudge doesn’t care if people like chocolate. She just wants someone to like her. One of the latest additions at the Friends for Life Shelter, Fudge is a 6-year-old, 10-pound dog that didn’t want to be photographed, said shelter spokeswoman Jannell Cosgriff. “Shelter volunteers explained that lots of people would see her and maybe want to adopt her if she’d just let the photographer get one photo. Her face says it all. She wants not to have to deal with this ‘finding a home’ stuff but be in one already,” Cosgriff said. Cosgriff said when not in front of the camera, Fudge “is full of charm.” “She loves belly rubs, most other dogs and assisting volunteers in the shelter’s office,” said Cosgriff, adding that volunteers don’t know if she likes cats. Fudge is spayed, microchipped, licensed and vaccinated. Her adoption fee is $150. Information: 480-497-8296, FFLdogs @azfriends.org or azfriends.org.

Meanwhile, Jenny Bernot of Arizona Rescue is asking people to consider adopting Max, a year-old cat with a black smoke coat and golden eyes. “Max is extremely active and loves to play,” she said, adding that he “likes to expend his energy by chasing balls or toy mice across the room, running after all types of wand toys, and darting in and out of cat tunnels. “He finds the allure of the laser light’s red dot irresistible and can’t help but urge the mouse round-and-round in the mouse track wheel toy,” she said, noting he likes to play with other cats.

Caregivers for Alzheimer’s patients can find support monthly. DETAIL>> 10-11:30 a.m. Ahwatukee Alzheimer’s Support Group meets the first Saturday of the month at Mountain View Lutheran Church, 11002 S. 48th St.

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Fudge and Max seek loving families to take them home

welcomes newcomers. Speakers lined up over the next few weeks include: Feb. 9, Caroline Lautt-Owens, Arizona Supreme Court, Dependent Children Services; Feb. 16, Brad Jarret, personal trainer; and Feb. 23, Jim Wilkerson, Habitat For Humanity. The club also is making plans for its annual Easter Parade and Spring Fling and always needs volunteers. DETAIL>> 7:30 a.m. Biscuits Restaurant, 4623 E. Elliot Road, Ahwatukee. Information: mike.maloney2003@gmail.com.

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He also is “an affectionate guy” and “loves attention and doesn’t mind when you pick him up and hold him close” and “is a big fan of mealtime> “Hard to believe this little guy was a stray, fending for himself on the streets,” Bernot said. “Thankfully that’s all behind him now and he’s looking forward to finding a family who will love him and that he can love right back.” Information: azrescue.org.

COMMUNITY

JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

AROUND AHWATUKEE

With blood supply low in Valley, drives set in Ahwatukee

With more blood transfusions required in January than during any other month of the year and over 500 donors of all blood types required every day for patients in 64 Arizona hospitals, four blood drives have been scheduled in Ahwatukee. Blood Services said Type O is in greatest demand. Less than a one day supply of O-negative and O-positive remain on the United Blood Services’ shelves following the holiday season. To make an appointment: 1-877827-4376) or BloodHero.com (enter your city or ZIP code). Drives will be held Thursday, 8:30 a.m.12:30 p.m. at Telgian, 10230 S. 50th Place; and 9 a.m.-1 p.m. at Kyrene Monte Vista Elementary School, 15221 S. Ray Road. Drives also will be held 8:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Sunday at Mountain View Lutheran Church, 11002 S. 48th St. and 8 a.m.-noon Jan. 29 at St. Benedict Catholic Church, 16223 S. 48th St.

House leader Mesnard to address Ahwatukee GOP women

State House Speaker JD Mesnard, R-Chandler, will be one of the speakers at the meeting of the Ahwatukee Republican

Women at 6:30 p.m. Jan. 25 at Mountain View Lutheran Church, 11002 S. 48th St., Ahwatukee. The group has changed both its monthly meeting day and site. Also scheduled to speak is Colby Bledsoe, campaign manager for Freedomworks for America.

Swim center offers Red Cross lifeguard training program

The Ahwatukee Community Swim and Tennis Center, 4700 E. Warner Road, is offering an American Red Cross lifeguard training course 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Jan. 28-29 and Feb. 4-5. Cost is $170. Participants must be 15 years old by the last class day, be able to swim 300 yards continuously in a prescribed manner, tread water for two minutes, surface dive to a depth of 7 to 10 feet while performing an exercise that will be given to them. To register: 480-893-3431.

Senior athletes encouraged to register for state games now

Athletes 50 years and older are encouraged to sign up now for the Arizona Senior Games, which kick off the weekend of Feb. 18.

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Ahwatukee Melting Pot's charity menu raises more than $7,500

The Melting Pot Restaurant in Ahwatukee last year raised $7,517 for nonprofit organizations through its special charity menu. That amount contributed to the total $23,000 raised by all four Melting Pot restaurants in Arizona, three of which are in the Valley. A portion of the proceeds from every $39.95 meal went into the fund. The charity menu included of Melting Pot favorites, including cheese fondue and an endless

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Tukee Sisters in Business plan second expo at Sheraton

Tukee Sisters in Business, a network of local businesses owned by women, will hold its second expo 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Feb. 4 at the Four Points Sheraton South Mountain, 10831 S. 51st St., Ahwatukee. It will include a fashion show to promote “kindness for the kind campaign,” guest speakers, 60 vendors, food trucks, raffle prizes and live entertainment. Scholl’s Helping Hands for the Homeless will be collecting donations and donors will receive a gift bag as long as supplies last. It is being developed as a free family event, and Spiderman and Disney princesses will b e on hand for the kids. For more information or to secure space early: tukeesistersinbusiness@gmail.com, 602-516-8077, or m.facebook.com/ TukeeSistersInBusinessFanPage.

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

from page 31

Blvd., Ahwatukee, has booked “Moana” on Feb. 3 as part of an event where kids can learn the hula and paint an Hawaiian sunset and has scheduled “Sleeping Beauty” on Feb. 10 to help kids paint pink sparkle hearts before dancing and singing. Both events are 5-7 p.m.; each costs $35 per child. Kids older than 6 can be dropped off while parents can stay with their child no matter what their age. Both events include pizza and bottled water. The studio also is holding a murder mystery dinner catered by Buca di Beppo Restaurant at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 4. Tickets are $58. To reserve for any of these three events: 480-247-6689 or beanartistaz.com/ registration-form. Studio owner Sandra Marshall is holding a signing for her new book, “One Hot Night at the Veggie Bar,” 6-7 p.m. this Friday.

Best school nurse contest seeks nominations in Ahwatukee

Children’s Advil, Children’s Robitussin and Children’s Dimetapp have launched a nationwide contest to find “America’s Greatest School Nurse.”

Nominations are being accepted nationwide now through Feb. 23 for everyone. Once a finalist is chosen from each state, there will be a round of voting through mid-April. Information: AmericasGreatestSchoolNurse.com.

It has scheduled a Super Citrus Saturday on Jan. 28. from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. for residents to drop off their fruit for a taxdeductible donation. The nearest drop-off location to Ahwatukee is at the food bank’s main location, 2831 N. 31st Ave., Phoenix.

Inspire Kids Montessori center slates open house Friday

Inspire Kids Montessori, 4025 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee, will hold an open house 9-11 a.m. Friday. Visitors can learn about its early education programs for ages 3-6 years as well as a curriculum that introduces them to reading, writing, math, science and social skills— including manners and practical life skills. Other programs are available for toddlers. Discounts will be provided to parents who register their child during the event. Information: inspirekidsmontessori.com or 480-659-9402.

St. Mary’s Food Bank seeks excess citrus for the needy

St. Mary’s Food Bank Alliance is hoping Ahwatukee residents will share oranges, grapefruit and other excess citrus from their trees with needy individuals and families especially now that Arizona’s quarantine has been extended statewide.

God’s Garden seeks help and vendors for Transportation Day

God’s Garden Preschool at Horizon Presbyterian Church, 1401 E. Liberty Lane, Ahwatukee, isn’t wasting any time ramping up for its popular Transportation Day 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Feb. 25. Thousands of kids and their parents descend on the school’s parking lot, where more than 40 vehicles, ranging from go-karts to firetrucks, are on display for them to explore. Over the years, it has grown to include activities for kids of all ages, including live entertainment, inflatable bouncers and carnival games, raffle baskets, and boutique and food vendors. There is no price for admission, but a portion of all the funds collected support the school’s students and education program. More than 4,000 people attended last year. The school is currently signing up vendors and looking for sponsors as well as donations

Free-roaming cat stirs fears for birds in Ahwatukee neighborhood RYBERGS AFN NEWS STAFF

ileen Holloway has for weeks been watching a well-kept cat circling around her backyard near the South Mountain Preserve in Ahwatukee, nailing smaller birds and running away from larger ones. It reminds her of a dual danger involving cats whose owners allow them the run of any Ahwatukee neighborhood. Both those felines and the birds they prey on are exposed to injury and, more likely, death, she fears. “That hawk sitting on the wall and watching your cat isn’t doing that because it think’s the cat’s pretty,” Holloway said. Moreover, she cites a recent report by the American Bird Conservancy that says when it comes to cats and birds, “The combination can be disastrous.” “Although domestic cats can make wonderful pets, they threaten birds and other wildlife and disrupt ecosystems,” the conservancy says, calling predatory actions by domestic cats comprise “the number-one direct, human-caused threat to birds in the United States and Canada.” “In the United States alone, outdoor cats kill approximately 2.4 billion birds

Milenio Elementary School is still collecting shoes until Jan. 30

The Milenio Elementary PTO is collecting new and gently worn used shoes to raise money for student classrooms and learning materials. The shoes are sold to “micro-enterprise" vendors, small businesses in developing nations that are typically owned by individuals or families. The drive extends through Jan. 30. Shoes can be dropped off at the front office, 4630 E. Frye Road, Ahwatukee.

Do you have Community News? Updates? Write pmaryniak@ ahwatukee.com or call 480-898-5647.

BONNY HOLLAND

as stalking grounds and on several occasions, it has walked around with a bird carcass between its teeth. “As this land behind us is preserve, we can’t really control the environment but this is obviously a very well cared for, rather large beautiful cat who seriously isn’t doing this for food,” Holloway said. The cat is at risk as well. “We had a huge Cooper’s Hawk hunting off of our back fence into the preserve,” she recalled. “We have had neighbors who have lost cats and this time of year, we also have a lot of Great Horned Owls which consider cat ‘bacon.’ It is reckless for a responsible pet owner to allow their cat outside in this area. “And don’t get me started on all the coyotes which we see and hear almost every day in the back,” she added. “The cat is not going to survive.” Although she considers the feline “lethal to our wildlife” that abounds around her home, Holloway said, “I don’t blame the cat at all .. it is doing what cats do.” “I doubt the owner is even considering that their beautiful boy is out slaughtering birds in his neighborhood,” she added. “I just wish people would be more responsible pet owners.”

enough donations for the family to buy a small shuttle bus with a wheelchair lift. The site is at tinyurl.com/RybergFamily. Currently, the campaign is at more than $50,000 of its $75,000 goal. At first, he didn’t want to create the campaign. But now Nathan is heartened to see how the community has supported his family, which might spark others to adopt or take part in foster care. “That’s a great community thing,” said Nathan, “The community rallies together and that could encourage more people to do this.” Nathan and Lori have decided to keep their doors open for now. “We have a huge gap between my 2and 12-year-old. We’re still parenting. We’re not going to stop,” said Lori. Nathan and Lori don’t see their children as harder to parent than “typical” kids. Lori said she knows plenty of families who struggle with their own issues, so they don’t see their family as out of the ordinary. “We know tons of families who have more kids than us,” said Nathan, “In our world, it seems normal.”

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every year. Although this number may seem unbelievable, it represents the combined impact of tens of millions of outdoor cats. Each outdoor cat plays a part,” the report states. Neither the conservancy nor Holloway are cat-haters. Holloway has three of her own “and they have been trained not to go outside.” “We have cultivated a ‘fear of outside’ in them so they don’t make any efforts to escape,” she added. The conservancy blames cats for the extinction of entire species of birds. “When a cat plays with a feather toy or laser, it is practicing predatory behaviors,” it says. “When these behaviors continue outdoors, the results are deadly for birds and other wildlife. “Unfortunately, the mere presence of cats outdoors is enough to cause significant impacts to birds. Because cats are recognizable predators, their presence near nesting birds has been shown to reduce the health of chicks and decrease nest success,” the conservancy adds. Holloway said that with nesting season almost here, the cats pose an even greater danger to the local bird population. She said the cat has used her backyard

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Opinion

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

@AhwatukeeFN |

@AhwatukeeFN

www.ahwatukee.com

Husband-and-wife lawyers aren’t just a ﬁrm, but a team for the community BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

f you have been reading this column for a while, you know that I continually marvel at the community spirit in Ahwatukee, and the people who embody it. On Saturday, I met two more. You may have heard of Mark and Alexis Breyer on the radio or seen them on a billboard or two. They advertise themselves as the husband-and-wife law firm. But those ads barely scratch the surface of who they are, what they do and where they’ve been. They met in the early ‘90s at the University of Syracuse Law School, located in the middle of New York State in a region usually encased in snow and ice for nearly half the year. They were accustomed to that, I guess, since he’s from Michigan and she’s from Boston. After getting their law degrees and falling in love, they wanted to find a place to live where terms like “black ice” and “blizzard” were as alien as a palm tree in Buffalo. They looked at Seattle, Atlanta and Phoenix—but not just any part of Phoenix. They zeroed in on Ahwatukee. They liked its compactness and were drawn to its homey feel. They noted its completeness and how everything was easily within reach. So, in 1996, they moved here, and they got married the following year. Over the past two decades, they have built a practice with four or five satellites in the Valley, and where they’ve both earned numerous awards for their work in civil law, primarily personal injury and wrongful death cases. Mark is a member of a million-dollar club made up of lawyers who have won settlements or jury verdicts in seven figures. They’ve also built an equally impressive family—four boys and four girls, to be exact. Their kids are all enrolled in, or have graduated from, Kyrene and Tempe Union schools. That fact alone would earn kudos A+

(Special to AFN)

Alexis and Mark Breyer are marking two decades for their marriage, their law ﬁrm and their residence in Ahwatukee.

from Kyrene governing board member Bernadette Coggins, who joked at a meeting not long ago that parents should have more babies to shore up the district’s downward student population trend. The Breyers’ appreciation of the education their children have received and are receiving has made them big supporters of Ahwatukee's public schools. For four years now, they have selected a teacher of the month from nominations sent to their website (breyerlaw.com), awarding the winner $250, a pizza party and some other prizes. On Saturday, they hosted a party at their offices on Ray Road near Ranch Circle North. The theme was a first for them. It was a casino night where guests could wager play money on blackjack, craps and roulette, enjoy some food and beverages, get free tickets for a raﬄe offering pretty decent prizes, and leave with a goody bag filled with thoughtful little gifts. Alexis said only about a third of the approximately 100 guests were current or former clients. The rest were friends, neighbors and people they’ve met in the community. The clients I met were exceptionally grateful. One recounted how he had been

seriously injured when a car driven by an uninsured motorist turned in his path while he was riding his motorcycle. Injuries to his right leg have necessitated eight surgeries to date, and the reconstruction work isn’t done. He endured two frustrating years working with two lawyers who each eventually gave up the case, apparently because they couldn’t see a way to make a quick buck. After that, they didn’t even have the decency to return his calls. Then he read about the Breyers’ role in advocating for helmets and legislation to promote motorcyclists’ safety, so he decided to give them a call. Alexis offered to simply write a letter to his insurance company, which was balking at taking any action for him. Two days later, he got a phone call with an offer. Others at the party related similar stories about the help they received from the Breyers. And, while Saturday’s party theme might have been a first, the event wasn’t an isolated one. The Breyers throw a carnival in their Foothills neighborhood every year. They host three dinners a year for friends and clients. They keep a freezer full of ice cream treats in their lobby so people who

wander in will feel at home. They throw a benefit luncheon annually for veterans. And Mark coaches two flag football teams. They make a point of patronizing Ahwatukee restaurants when they have a date night. Indeed, Alexis told me, “We just love it here. When we go out, everything is so close by, we don’t see any reason to wander outside of Ahwatukee.” And, despite their large family, the Breyers both continue to practice law full time. Before and after work, each drives an SUV, furnishing taxi duty as they drop off and pick up their kids at school. During the party, they weren’t the kind of hosts who flitted from one guest to the next for a few meaningless hellos. Most of the time, they stayed in one spot and engaged in extended conversations with attendees, many who had waited for a turn to talk with their hosts. As for the Breyers, they visibly enjoyed everyone who visited with them. I understood why when Alexis told me, “Most of these people live in Ahwatukee.” And, of course, those guests enjoyed the time talking with their hosts. It was obvious why. The Breyers love the community, where they have worked, played and paid it forward for 20 years.

OPINION

JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

House bill promotes ‘the danger of the single narrative”

same. We are not. About this rather naïve perspective of refusing to see the value of “difference,” poet Nayyirah Waheed warns: “Never trust anyone who says they do not see color. This means to them, you are invisible.” Yes, the ideas in such courses are subversive in countering and resisting “master narratives” that omit, deny, limit and misrepresent. The courses themselves, however, cannot promote or advocate anything beyond expanding a student’s imagination and vicarious experiences. And yes, these courses constitute alternative narratives that do indeed address social injustices in our American history at the same time they teach us about our humanity.

BY NEAL LESTER AFN Guest Writer

so wish that those in the position to introduce Arizona State House bills like 2120 now under consideration and the 2010 Bill 2281 that threatened the teaching of ethnic studies would present hard data or real evidence that these courses or programs “promote an uprising against the US government.” Have these bill authors actually taken a course or attended an event that deals with identity politics? Have they read any authors on the syllabi in such a course, syllabi that move beyond the traditional and rather exclusive American “canons”? Instead of offering real evidence, the authors of these bills offer profoundly baseless pronouncements that studying racial, gender, sexual, religious and cultural “difference” in a classroom makes folks feel bad and fails to “treat pupils as individuals.” Having taught, published, lectured, and delivered workshops on American literature, culture and identity issues in Arizona, across the country and internationally for some 30 years, I know well that these authors’ assumptions could not be further from the truth. Courses and culture-specific activities denigrated in this proposed bill critically explore and engage issues related to racial, gender, religious, regional, and national identities and promote respect, compassion, empathy, self-reflection, kindness, forgiveness and integrity— what the multiple award-winning Project Humanities initiative at Arizona State University calls Humanity 101—a declaration of seven principles that define our individual and our shared humanity. What I have witnessed and documented these many years as a teacher, scholar and citizen doing this kind of necessary

(Special to AFN)

Tempe, Arizona USA. ASU Humanities professor Neal Lester.

“culture work” is the fact that those attending these activities more often than not leave with a sense of discovery that opens their minds and hearts to a world different than their own. What I have witnessed is the power of critical study that reveals our human vulnerabilities at the same time it unveils our human strengths. And these courses are not targeted at certain audiences as the bill further wrongly portends. No class ‘targets’ students In fact, as a professor of color at three predominantly white schools over 30 years, I have never had a class that was anything but mostly white. And no class that I know of as a teacher and administrator for some 10 years targets one group of students at the exclusion of others. Furthermore, my African-American literature courses are about literature— themes, patterns of imagery, symbols,

theory, language patterns, words, storytelling techniques, narrators and points of view, individual and group experiences within the larger context of American experience, as well as multiple often neglected American histories. My courses and those others listed in the proposed HB 2120 that deal with religion, sexuality, gender and race build community and help individuals better understand themselves, our world, and our place in this world. These courses center on the marginalized and make visible the absent, making clear that there must never be a single master narrative controlling what and how we think and act in the world. To suggest that “pupils as individuals” are not aged, raced, gendered, classed, abled and the like is naïve and disingenuous. This is the perspective of those who allege “they don’t see color” and by extension “difference”—that we are the

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Privilege walks’ defended Novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie warns us of “the dangers of a single story” (2009): “Create a single story, show a people as one thing, as only one thing, over and over again, and that is what they become.” She adds: “Power is the ability not just to tell the story of another person, but to make it the definitive story of that person. The Palestinian poet Mourid Barghouti writes that if you want to dispossess a people, the simplest way to do it is to tell their story and to start with ‘secondly.’ “Start the story with the arrows of the Native Americans, and not with the arrival of the British, and you have an entirely different story. Start the story with the failure of the African state, and not with the colonial creation of the African state, and you have an entirely different story.” This is the goal of these courses, activities, programs and events under

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OPINION

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

from page 36

attack because they acknowledge and celebrate our human differences and are rendered from the perspective of those who have historically been silenced, absent, or marginalized. These differences in perspective and experience do not divide; they enhance by bringing individuals, cultures, generations, religions and races together in greater understanding of ourselves and each other. The author of the HB 2120, in an interview, cited the very common and provocative “privilege walk” activity as an example of making people feel bad about their privilege. Examined critically, the “privilege walk” demonstrates that we are all with and without privilege simultaneously in the same way that we all harbor unconscious biases no matter what we think we value. The “privilege walk” is not about how much individuals have done in their own success; in fact, the “privilege walk” does just the opposite. The movement of participants back and forth in response to certain statements they are asked to answer for themselves is a very powerful visual demonstration that there are always others behind us when we think we are the only ones behind and others ahead of us when we think we are in the lead. This exercise is poignant and eyeopening, especially to those who insist that whatever successes they have, they accomplished alone and for those who insist that everyone can raise themselves

up by their own bootstraps. Such a proclamation embodies the very focus of the exercise, viewing the world through a limited personal lens that faultily assumes that everyone has boots, that everyone has boots with straps, that everyone has arms and hands, that everyone has legs and feet and that everyone has the mental and intellectual capacity to understand what this metaphor means. This is the self-reflection and the empathy that more often than not emerge from this rather simple “privilege walk” exercise. It does not target anyone negatively but reminds us that no one is an island existing in this world alone and without help and assistance from someone. Bill reflects fear of education What is threating about a lesson that leads to an awareness of social injustice? Herein lies the fear of education and educating that prompts this House bill and others like it, a fear akin to that of American slave owners who worked tirelessly to keep their slaves illiterate, unable to read and write. These Americans, who owned people as property, knew that reading and writing would no longer contain slaves’ imaginations and awareness of the worlds around them. They then had access to possibility, not to mention the real chance literally and figuratively to write their own passes. American labor leader Cesar Chavez was absolutely right when he explained this threat, past and present: “Once social change begins, it cannot be reversed. You

cannot un-educate the person who has learned to read. You cannot humiliate the person who feels pride. You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid.” When our Declaration of Independence authors declared on July 4, 1776, that “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness,” this proclamation did not include women and people of color. This is an American fact; there’s nothing particularly subversive here. However, African-American author and Nobel Laureate Toni Morrison, in her 2011 Rutgers University commencement address, shows how this simple declaration was not so simple at all for everyone in America: “I have often wished that Jefferson had not used that phrase, ‘the pursuit of happiness,’ as the third right—although I understand in the first draft was ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of property.’ “Of course, I would have been one of those properties one had the right to pursue, so I suppose happiness is an ethical improvement over a life devoted to the acquisition of land; acquisition of resources; acquisition of slaves. Still, I would rather he had written ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of meaningfulness or integrity or truth.’” These courses under assault in HB 2120 and 2281 revise, challenge and supplement the “master narratives” in search of individual and communal “meaningfulness… integrity…[and] truth.”

Fundamentally grounded in psychologist Abraham Maslow’s top three human needs—“self-actualization, esteem and belonging”—these courses and activities help create a sense of belonging, legitimacy and human dignity for both individuals and communities. They show that everyone on the planet deserves basic civil and human rights, something our American history and experiences has not always granted that to all Americans. We cannot and should not accept an American history devoid of the contributions of women, of people of color, of LGBTQ individuals, of those in religious communities. This is our America, my friends. This truth liberates those absent from, dehumanized by, and ill-defined from that dangerous singe narrative. Our American history is a montage of histories and “herstories.” There is absolutely no evidence that knowing and respecting these different points of views and perspectives leads to anything destructive. In fact, these are the multiple narratives that make America what it is and how it is. Finally, to paraphrase an African proverb that speaks to this reality of perspectives, narratives and power, “Hunters cease to be heroes when lions tell their stories.” -Neal A. Lester, PhD -Neal Lester of Ahwatukee is Foundation Professor of English at Arizona State University and founding director of its Project Humanities.

LETTERS

Tired of ‘the dust bowl that we live with today’

I read your article, “3 HOA boards join fray over Ahwatukee Farms, open space,” which was published Jan. 11 regarding the Ahwatukee Farms proposal. Over the past 12 years, my husband and I have raised our children in Ahwatukee and my husband has been an Ahwatukee resident since 1985. Our children are now grown and our goal is to down-size and hopefully stay in the area. It’s been sad to witness the fight over the zoning of the golf course. The retirement community was promised a golf course, which is noted in the CC&R’s, and this promise has not been kept. I understand their anger.

Instead, these residents have been left with a dust bowl and years of litigation. Unfortunately, for these homeowners, their retirement includes living next to acreage full of dust. I read with interest the news about Fulton Homes’ efforts in trying to rezone the area to build homes, and the contention that has produced. I feel that winning on principle feels good and right and just, but for what? The reality is that no one, neither the company or the homeowners, have the wherewithal to operate a golf course— it’s a losing proposition and the Valley already has numerous golf courses. The article stated that the three homeowners associations are speaking for all 35,000 Ahwatukee residents...I

think not. I for one LOVE the idea of the proposal of the Ahwatukee Farms from The True Life Companies. The HOAs speak about the preservation of the current “quality lifestyle” of the residents and what I see is an eyesore. I agree with the HOAs, that we have a “close knit community, beautiful mountains, landscape streets, and access to trails and outdoor amenities.” I commend and support True Life in presenting and willing to offer to sit down and fine tune their Ahwatukee Farms proposal with the HOA. I love the idea of dedicated farm land, pathways, 280 homes, a private school and cafes. In my retirement years, I envision myself mingling with the young, enjoying the vegetable garden and bringing the school

and retirement community together. It would be a win-win environment. The notion of walking the neighborhood and interacting with the children and their parents will truly help us serve as the eyes and ears for our neighborhood and bring our community closer. It is my hope True Life will take the vote and see if the residents are just as tired as I am with the dust bowl that we live with today. Life is not always fair, but change is inevitable and difficult at times. I feel this is an exciting proposal and look forward to the HOA’s coming together for the benefit of all of us and embrace the Ahwatukee Farms proposal.

Share Your Thoughts: Send your letters on local issues to: pmaryniak@ahwatukee.com

-Sandra Kowal

OPINION

JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

DESIGN CENTER

Special to AFN)

This rendering shows the layout of Ahwatukee Farms on the defunct golf course site.

‘I didn’t sign the Ahwatukee Farms consent form reluctantly’ BY EDDY CORONA AFN Guest Writer

he recent unveiling of a $4-millionplus “plan” for homeowners to purchase the failing Club West Golf Course underscores exactly why I support the Ahwatukee Farms project planned for the site of what was once the long-defunct Ahwatukee Lakes Golf Course. In a sentence: It only makes sense to trade an expensive eyesore 100-percent destined to fail as a business for a thriving new community that preserves open space, increases recreation amenities and raises Ahwatukee property values and quality of life. As a veteran of private business, the Club West report was, to me, a true eye-opener. The panel of golf experts assembled by Save Club West determined that the association’s homeowners might need to kick in as much as $13,000-plus per family simply to buy the failing course from its current owner. That’s before finding a way to continue to operate the course—an expense estimated at about $1.7 million per year. That’s also before locating the additional $4 million in investment “needed over the next four years to elevate the course to a level where it would be a destination venue for golfers and even some non-golfers.” According to the Ahwatukee Foothills News story about the plan’s big reveal, one of the experts involved—Jim Bellows, who used to own the Club West course— said of the plan: “It is unlikely an outside buyer would be interested in Club West as a golf course because ‘most people that invest in golf courses are looking at a

pretty sizeable return given the risk.’” Given that the Club West course is still an operating golf course—and in better position financially and physically than the Lakes Course—this eight-figure estimate by experts and death sentence for private investors shows exactly why the Save The Lakes fantasies about returning the Lakes course to its 1990s glory is exactly that—a fantasy. Private investors are not stupid. There is no white knight coming to “save” a bankrupt business destined to fail, especially given that I count more than two dozen operating public golf courses located within a 30-minute ride of the 85044 zip code. What’s coming instead is more expensive litigation, even lower property values and more self-serving proclamations by a few residents and politicians. Personally, I didn’t sign the Ahwatukee Farms consent form reluctantly. I signed the form with a smile on my face, as a step forward toward a better future. If the choice we face is potentially spending millions to subsidize a failed private business destined to keep failing or investing nothing in return for 30 acres of preserved open space, rising home values, new hiking and biking trails, better traffic flow and a solution to the community’s drainage problems, well, I see that as a no-brainer. A few of our neighbors seem to talk constantly about saving other people’s failed businesses. You know what I want to save? Three things: Our community. Common sense. And our money. -Eddy Corona, an Ahwatukee resident since 1999, is the founder of Ahwatukee Moving Forward.

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Family-owned remodeling business celebrates new Ahwatukee showroom

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

hen many contractors and other home-related businesses went belly up with the housing market in 2008, Kevin and Holly Mitchell found opportunity and built a business. And from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, the Ahwatukee couple will celebrate the latest achievement of their company, Weeks and Mitchell Construction, when they hold an open house at their new showroom at 4810 E. Ray Road, Ahwatukee. The open house is especially aimed at people considering a remodeling of their kitchen, bathroom or even their entire home. The couple did more than move their company to the northeast corner of Ray Road and 48th Street from across the street, increasing their square footage from 868 to 1,340 square feet. They spent nearly five months remodeling the previous home of the defunct Bone-Appetit. They did a floor-to-ceiling, front-toback overhaul of the former dog biscuit bakery to create the first showroom/ design center of its kind in Ahwatukee, sporting full-size replicas of four kitchens and three bathrooms, 20 inlaid flooring samples and two walls displaying dozens of wall and floor tile samples as well as unique bathroom fixtures. “These are functional kitchens and bathrooms; people can test faucets to see how the water pours out,” said Dean Weeks, the couple’s partner in the business. To top it off, Weeks and the Mitchells, aided by in-house interior designer Jason Miller, have built the showroom around a large table where clients can sit and watch two television monitors display threedimensional virtual represent-ations of the rooms they want to remodel.

(Larry Mangino/AFN Staff Photographer)

Holly and Kevin Mitchell, owners of Weeks and Michell Construction in Ahwatukee, are excited about unveiling their new showroom.

That way, they don’t have to rely solely on their imagination and can see how cabinets or other room accessories would actually look in their home. The entire overhaul was part of the company’s idea of giving prospective customers “inspiration to help move from concept to design to project,” Holly Mitchell said. “We’ve found that a lot of people needed help with design,” Weeks added. “We wanted to keep them in-house. We know the industry and with a showroom, they could match up hardware and tile and see how it goes together. “Honestly, it’s comforting for customers because most of them don’t understand the ins and outs of remodeling,” he

added. “They feel comfortable that we don’t work out from the back of a truck. We actually pay to have design center.” The other advantage the company offers is a kind of one-stop shop for remodeling. While Weeks and Mitchell doesn’t sell fixtures or other products, it has direct lines to some of the top manufacturers of tile, cabinetry and fixtures. That way, customers can do all the selection in one spot and Weeks and Mitchell can handle all the ordering. Holly Mitchell said the partners didn’t want to move too far because “we love this location.” “It’s close to the newer homes to the south and the older homes to the north and not far from I-10” or the

communities toward the mountain,” she noted. Added her husband: “I did a lot of research. These three ZIP codes have held their value better than any other ZIP codes across the Valley for the most part. In the same token, the homes are all almost 30 years old. People around here still have some disposable income. They have the money to spend and it’s time to remodel. After I did my research and put together a business plan, this was a homerun for us.” Besides, it’s also close to their home in Ahwatukee, the same community where Kevin grew up. See

REMODELING on page 39

BUSINESS

JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Healthcare web-marketing company in Ahwatukee expanding AFN News Staff

hwatukee-based PT Clinic Marketing, an online marketing firm and wholly owned subsidiary of AZ Healthcare Marketing, is expanding. It is marketing globally affordable websites designed specifically for physical, speech and occupational therapy practices that conform to the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, a 1996 federal law that restricts access to individuals’ private medical information. “We’re excited to work with PT clinics on a larger scale. These providers are an essential part of healthcare for every community,” said founder-CEO Emma Kingston. A native of Ireland, Kingston earned her business degree in Dublin and has worked as a webmaster for Sun Microsystems and Elan Pharmaceuticals. She also managed online projects for small to large companies internationally. She settled here with her family in 2000 after living in London and Silicon Valley, and founded AZ Healthcare Marketing in 2015 “to address a

REMODELING

from page 38

And while they want people to come in and see both the products that are available and what Weeks and Mitchell

growing need for digital resources for the healthcare industry.” Last year, she started PT Clinic Marketing “to respond to the specific requirements of PT practices.” “PT Clinic Marketing is very different from other healthcare tech companies,” Kingston said. “We’re able to launch an integrated, fully-functional and secure website designed specifically for PT practices within two weeks—something unheard of in our industry.” “Our solutions assure practices that their website is not accessing or managing any sensitive health or other patient information,” she added. Kingston’s companies not only edit content provided by the client but will also write content. She also can provide photographic services if needed. Once the website is finished, it belongs to the client, who is free to keep it updated ot have another web agency take it over. “We do offer six months of free backups and software security updates with no strings attached,” she says on her website. “We do have some super monthly maintenance packages and great

digital marketing and article-writing options,” she added. Kingston boasts of her companies’ ability to make it “easy for our members to be confident that their digital marketing is working to help grow their practice and their website and social media is in safe hands with minimal involvement” by the client. “I have been involved in web design and coding (Special to AFN) since the early days,” Emma Kingston is expanding her Ahwatukee-based online states on her website. “I’d regularly find healthcare marketing to reach a global market. myself writing html one arm. for the fun of showing “I think it’s done me well,” she says. blink tags to my friends. This was back “It made me more resourceful in the in 1992-1994, when the internet was long run I think.” new, people were just learning the Information: ptclinicmarketing.com, words ‘modem,’ ‘world wide web’ and azhealthcaremarketing.com, 602-888‘email.’” 4450 or info@ptclinicmarketing.com. She also notes that she was born with

can do with them, “it all starts the formal process with a client begins in their home,” Holly said. There, photos are shot, measurements made and a thorough inspection undertaken of any below-the-surface

work that will be required. “Then we’ll prepare a customized estimate and have people come in and pick out the products they want,” Holly Mitchell said. The business evolved a few years after 2005, when Dean Weeks, stepdad Ben Weeks and Kevin Mitchell ran a “fixand-flip” company remodeled old homes in the Valley and re-sold them. When the housing boom went bust, they switched to a different business model, fixing forfeitures so banks could put them on the market.

And Weeks and Mitchell Construction was born, quickly becoming popular with banks for the quality and speed of their work. Kevin Mitchell said he learned early how important a design center is for a customer. “What could take 30 minutes to an hour in a design center was taking an entire weekend. Customers just didn’t want to fool with that,” Kevin Mitchell said. Information: WandMConstruction. com or 480-961-8995.

Talk to your neighbors, then talk to me.

(Larry Mangino/AFN Staff Photographer)

Designer Jason Miller of Weeks and Mitchell Construction walks customers through 3-D-displays of what their remodeling ideas would look like in real life.

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

Origami Owl building big businesses for its designers, too BY RACHEL EROH AFN Staff Writer

arina Goens had just gotten back from the trip of a lifetime to Paris and was awarded an aqua blue Jeep for selling jewelry. Goens has been a designer for Origami Owl, a direct-sales business that started in a Chandler home, for 18 months. This year Goens became the top designer, which won her the jeep and her dream trip. Goens is not new to the direct sales business. She was with another company for seven years before they closed their doors. “I was devastated,” Goens said. “It felt like I lost someone.” She had just earned a trip to Paris through that company before they announced they were closing. When she became involved in Origami Owl and they mentioned their Parliament trip to Paris, Goens believed it was a sign. “I felt like God was telling me ‘this is where you belong,’” Goens said. Origami Owl started as a small business in Bella Weems’ home when she was just 14 years old, now at the age of 20 there are 40,000 designers selling her jewelry throughout the states. Goens is a team leader, meaning she mentors other designers on the business and gives them the tools they need in order to succeed. Goens’ team has grown to 520 members. “I never thought my little $399 investment would create this empire,” Goens said. Best known for their Living Lockets and charms that tell a story, Origami Owl now has a partnership with

DreamWorks’ “Trolls,” the new Moodology collection, the new partnership with Willa Skin Care and the Live Sparkly Gifting Campaign. Even though Origami Owl has expanded beyond what Weems had ever expected, the company still maintains their original goal and message of being a force for good. “I feel like our mission has stuck with us since the beginning,” Weems said. The DreamWorks’ “Trolls” collection, which was released last month, has designer jewelry and charms for the movie. The Moodology collection features a (Special to the Tribune) selection of four 100 Origami Owl shows feature necklaces, bracelets and all sorts of charms. percent essential oils, each campaign. with their own purpose to her home with the hopes of earning “This campaign is for people who enough money to buy her dream car: a positively affect mood. The essential oils have creative names such as No Place really need more sparkle in their lives,” white Jeep. Now, it seems like the days like Ohm and Pep in My Step. The Weems said. when she would stress over making To Goens, the new partnerships and and delivering 15 orders was long ago. mood disk charm is used to absorb the products helps her build her customer Sometimes she misses the days when oils and is then placed inside a locket. Willa is a protective skin care line base because she has more to offer that the business was smaller, she said. for young girls and was created by a appeals to an even greater group. “I look back and get all sentimental “I think it will definitely open up new thinking about all the memories we’ve mother-daughter duo, Christy Prunier windows,” Goens said. and her daughter Willa Doss. made along the way,” Weems said. Taryn Gosch, the public relations The Live Sparkly campaign gives However, with all the growth that designers a chance to submit stories director at Origami Owl, said the new Origami Owl has made in just a couple about people who are going through partnership with DreamWorks helps years, Weems now has the ability to a difficult time. The campaign earns designers with credentials and gives reach more people and spread the funds from the sale of the Live Sparkly designers a different network to create message of her business. Stardust Crystals by Swarovski. Four connections in. “My goal in the beginning was the “Our focus is always about helping Jeep; now my goal is to be a force for stories will be voted on and the winner, who will be announced in December, the designers,” Gosch said. good and to positively impact people’s Weems began selling jewelry from lives,” Weems said. will receive the profits made from the

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JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Here are two income-producing investments retirees might consider BY JOSEPH ORTIZ AFN Guest Writer

s an investor, your main goals will change at different times in your

life. During your working years, you need to grow as many resources as possible for retirement. Once you retire, however, you will likely need to focus more on getting income from your investments. But what are your options? There’s no shortage of incomeproducing investments, of course. You might immediately think of bonds, which can provide regular interest payments and probable preservation of principal, provided the bonds are considered “investment grade.” Still, if interest rates are low when you retire, bonds might not provide you with as much income as you need. And just as importantly, the income you receive from most bonds won’t rise over time, leaving you susceptible to inflation and the loss of purchasing power.

Consequently, you may also need to explore other types of incomegenerating vehicles, including dividendpaying stocks and real estate investment trusts (REITs). Some stocks have not only paid, but also increased their dividends for many consecutive years. These stocks have historically provided the potential for rising income to help combat inflation and are typically well-run companies that strive to reward their investors. Nonetheless, you need to recognize that even these stocks are not obligated to pay you dividends, and they are free to lower or discontinue them at any time without notice. The second type of potential incomeproducing asset is a real estate investment trust. (REIT). Different types of REITs are available. For example, equity REITs invest in

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and own commercial properties, such as hotels and shopping centers, while mortgage REITs, as the name suggests, own and invest in property mortgages. Is one form of REIT better than another? There’s no simple answer. On the one hand, mortgage REITs are considered riskier than equity REITs. However, mortgage REITs often pay quite large dividends, although the payout can be inconsistent. Like all REITs, mortgage REITs must pay 90 percent of their taxable income to investors in the form of dividends. Due to this requirement, REITs generally need to raise capital to finance their growth plans, and this necessity can affect their share prices. Other factors, such as changing interest rates, will affect the value of mortgage and equity REITs differently.

Rising interest rates will likely cause the market value of the property mortgages inside mortgage REITs to fall. Equity REITs, which own buildings, might actually benefit if the Federal Reserve raises interest rates, as such a move would indicate a strong economy, more jobs and greater demand for office space. In the short term, though, even equity REITs can react negatively to an interest-rate increase. But over the long term, this movement can be offset by the benefits of earnings and dividend growth driven by a growing economy. Clearly, there’s much to think about when considering potential incomeproducing options such as bonds, dividend-paying stocks and REITs. Ultimately, you will need to weigh the merits and risks of these investments— including interest rate risk, credit risk and market risk—and determine which of them, or which combination of them, are most appropriate for your needs. -Ahwatukee Foothills Edward Jones Financial Advisor Joseph B. Ortiz, AAMS, CRPS, can be reached at 480-753-7664 or joseph.ortiz@ edwardjones.com.

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BUSINESS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

Main Street Ahwatukee Brought to you by the Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce

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BUSINESS HIGHLIGHTS

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Arizona’s Vision

15215 S. 48th St. #180, Ahwatukee. 480-706-EYES (3937) arizonasvision.com

Arizona’s Vision offers the finest comprehensive eye care in the entire state. We can accommodate your every need and exceed your expectations at every turn. Whether it’s a simple checkup, advanced corrective procedures, or just time for a new look, make an appointment with Arizona’s Vision.

Adams Disaster Restoration 2120 E. 6th St., Tempe. 480-418-0015 adamsdry.com.

Adams Disaster and Restoration has been protecting homes since 2004. We are the premiere choice for all of your water and fire restoration, mold remediation, and cleaning needs.

Generations at Ahwatukee

1022 S. 51st St., Suite 101, Ahwatukee. 480-485-3000. generationsahwatukee.com.

Opening mid-2017, Generations is an independent living, assisted living, memory care, respite care.

ProLink Protection 1910 S. Stapley Dr., #202, Mesa. 480-361-9277, prolinkprotection.com.

Prolink Protection offers homeowners the ability to secure their most valuable possessions through cutting edge home automation and innovative security systems. We employ a dynamic set of advertising coordinators that inform homeowners of their options, securing not only their homes, but also their families. In addition, Prolink specializes in secure automation for both homes and businesses, providing you with the option to remotely control your overall security, door locks, lights, thermostats and cameras.

Va Bene

4647 E. Chandler Blvd. Ahwatukee. 480-706-4070., vabeneaz.com.

Exceptional Italian dining in Phoenix. Perfect for all occasions, featuring a main dining room, private dining room, lounge, patios, and a large foursided pillar-less granite bar. A robust menu, creative dinner specials, and the Valleys best happy hour available daily.

(Special to AFN)

Ahwatukee Chamber members gather every Friday for Toastmasters at the First American Title conference room in Ahwatukee.

The Ahwatukee Foothills Cham,ber of Commerce held a Wake-Up Ahwatukee Morning Mixer at the new UFC Gym.

Governor had encouraging words for education, business owners BY LINDY LUTZ CASH AFN Guest Writer

ast week, Gov. Doug Ducey gave his State of the State address, sharing his goal of ensuring Arizona continues as a state with “boundless opportunity.” He further shared his belief that every child deserves a quality education that will lead them to that opportunity. Broadly, his key focus points were education, human services and helping business by reducing governmental red tape. When it comes to education, we in Ahwatukee can be very proud of the caliber of our schools, both public and private. The Kyrene and Tempe Union school districts continue to achieve high rankings and we are fortunate to have so many quality educators as role models and mentors for our children. One way the Ahwatukee Chamber Community Foundation’s leadershipis giving local students support through additional learning and mentoring opportunities is through our Young Entrepreneur’s Academy (YEA!). Currently, nearly two dozen local business people are involved as mentors,

instructors or other capacities to support this program. Expect More Arizona, an organization with a tagline “The movement for world-class education,” conducted a poll. One outcome Arizonans’ overwhelming support for more funding for K-12 education and for teachers’ compensation. This is included as part of the governor’s plans for education. Relative to Arizona’s economy, Gov. Ducey noted the best route to a better life for individuals and their families is a rewarding and good paying job. Therefore, he will continue to focus on job creation. In the past two years, more than 100,000 jobs in the private sector have been created in Arizona. He said “the he word is out: Arizona is open for business,” as major companies, such as Caterpillar, Orbital and Carlisle are making Arizona their home. Other companies are creating regional hubs and niched business units in our state. A new website, RedTape.AZ.gov, has been designed to seek input from decision-makers in job creation. The governor’s request calls for owners and operators of Arizona businesses, big and small, to help identify the red-tape and “job killing” regulations that get in the way of starting and running a business. Numerous members of the Ahwatukee Chamber can vouch for the

challenges they have faced in starting and operating businesses. It is a sea of regulations, requirements and licensing without a map to link them together, making it difficult to navigate and determine what is required. In addition, a great deal of time is needed to proceed through the steps that involve numerous unrelated entities and government functions, both at the city and state level. The Goldwater Institute has supported the idea of easing licensing requirements for businesses, as these processes can be a roadblock to starting new businesses. In his address, Gov. Ducey expressed a desire to eliminate 500 government regulations that would ease licensing requirements for business, as well as repeal outdates laws and reduce or consolidate the number of regulatory boards in Arizona. He noted that Arizona already has fewer regulations compared with California, and that companies such as Uber have decided to move here. We applaud these efforts to support businesses of all sizes. From our perspective, we can confidently say that the word is out: Ahwatukee is open for business! - Lindy Lutz Cash is president/CEO of the Ahwatukee Foothills Chamber of Commerce.

Name: Jim Hunt Company: United Brokers GroupJim Hunt Address: 106 S Kyrene Road, Suite 2, Chandler Phone: 480-221-2883. Email: jim@huntazhomes.com. Website: huntazhomes.com. What type of business services or products do you provide? I offer residential real estate services for home buyers and sellers all over the Phoenix Metro Area. From Happy Valley to Lavene, San Tan Valley and Maricopa, I’m happy to travel anywhere to help a client, though Ahwatukee is the heart of my territory. What are some exciting things happening in your business? The real estate market is hot right now. Homes are increasing in value and interest rates are looking great. It’s a perfect time to buy or sell a home, plus the new building market is booming. What is your background and how did you come to be in this business? I’ve spent my life in the service industry. Starting my own company at 21 years old, I’ve been self-employed and client driven for over 30 years. While working in the insurance industry, I became interested in real estate and began working closely with partners in that field. Eventually, my passion for working directly with clients and providing direct service led me to launch into real estate full time. What are your special interests? People, community, service! I’m an avid volunteer and fundraiser for local organizations and causes; I love taking care of people and creating connections. My passion for creating unique and personal experiences shows in my work with clients, but also carries through to my hobbies in music, sports, and traveling with my family.

EVENTS For more info on these and other upcoming events, visit ahwatukeechamber.com.

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Know Your Chamber Breakfast Mountain Park Senior Living 4475 E. Knox Road, Ahwatukee. 8-9 a.m. Jan. 26. Free.

Power Partners Leads Group Native New Yorker, 5030 E. Ray Rd #5, Ahwatukee. Noon-1 p.m. Mondays. Free.

Power Partners Networking Group Four Points by Sheraton 10831 S. 51st St., Ahwatukee. 8-9 a.m. Tuesdays. Free

Power Partners Networking Group Radisson Hotel 7475 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler. 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Wednesdays. Free.

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First American Title Conference Room 4435 E. Chandler Blvd. #100, Ahwatukee. 8-9 a.m. Fridays. Visit for free.

JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Faith

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@AhwatukeeFN

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SPIRITUAL SIDE

Shift your view from the mountain to the Mountain Maker. BY DIANE MARKINS AFN Guest Writer

“A

ll men make mistakes, but only wise men learn from their mistakes.” Winston Churchill Making mistakes and facing challenges is not optional in life. We face them, big and small, on a regular basis. If you see people who appear to float through life unscathed, look closer. Some people have a way of always looking fresh and cool, nothing ruffles them. More faith? Possibly. More blessings? Maybe. Better ability to suck it up and not let it show? Likely. The challenges I’ve encountered in my

life have varied from fighting for my kids (sometimes fighting with my kids), a rough patch in my marriage, a time in my youth of near-poverty, loss of loved ones and a few hurtful moments with close friends. I find that the most difficult to recover from are those I’ve caused. And to be honest, I tend to usually point a finger at myself first, even when it may not be rightly deserved. Moving on to the next “thing” in life can feel impossible when we are mired down with a challenge like the death of a loved one or an important relationship in crisis. I know some people who are standing in front of those giant stone walls and trying desperately to find a way forward

right now. The courage and energy it takes to just keep going (and even breathing) is staggering. One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever gotten was from Pastor Michael Tucker (21stCenturyMinistries.org) years ago. He told me that I was making a particular challenge into the focal point of my existence; a “mountain” of which I was relating a timeline of my life…the way things were “before” and “after” this incident. Instead of the experiences of my life being on a straight line, there was this giant hump that stood out in bleak contrast. He told me to “Level the Mountain.” Stop making this one awful thing into such a defining point in my

life and my future. It takes time and deliberate action to survive some of the challenges in our lives. Keep moving forward if you are faced with a challenge right now. God will help you find a way around, over or through that fortress wall in front of you. In time, you will be on the other side, then you can focus on leveling it into just another one of the challenges you’ve overcome. Shift your view from the mountain to the Mountain Mover and your forward progress won’t be such an uphill climb. -Diane Markins of Ahwatukee is an inspirational speaker and author, helping people transform to a joy-filled life. dianemarkins.com

Horizon Presbyterian gets interim pastor as it marks 25 years AFN Guest Writer

orizon Presbyterian Church has a transitional pastor. The Rev. Joe Surin will lead the church, which has not had a pastor since June, until a permanent one can is selected. He will work with Horizon’s Session (the governing body for the church), board of deacons and various ministry and mission teams, including God’s Garden Preschool and Child Development Center. A Midwesterner originally from the Chicago area, “Joe brings a unique blend of experiences and gifts to Horizon,” according to a release. He was ordained 17 years ago and has served churches as pastor-head of staff, executive pastor and a variety of specific roles. Most recently, he has directed family ministries for The Spring, a sister church in the new ECO Denomination. The ECO, or Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians, was established in 2012 by former congregations and members of the Presbyterian Church

who were unhappy over the latter’s decision to allow gay and lesbian pastors. As a Presbyterian church, it adheres to Reformed theology and Presbyterian governance. Surin received his Doctor of Ministry degree from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in Massachusetts in 2008. According to the release, he describes himself this way: “God has given me the gift of administration and a vision to build upon the work Christ began.” “Joe believes in making Children’s Ministry the best time of a child’s week, doing this in the most safe and healthy environment imaginable,” the release said. Horizon is marking its 25th anniversary this year and the release said Surin’s “traits and experiences will be valuable, and Joe will be a blessing to us.” Surin and his wife, who is finance director for a church near their home, live in Tempe with their two sons, both of whom are Tempe Preparatory Academy students. Surin is preaching and leading worship at 9 a.m. on Sundays.

(Special to AFN)

The Rev. Joe Surin of Tempe is the new transitional pastor of Horizon Presbyterian Church in Ahwatukee.

FAITH

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

FAITH CALENDAR

SUNDAY, JAN. 29

SUNDAYS

A seminar on preventing human trafficking will look at how this crime can victimize children and adults of all ages even in Chandler. The Chandler Police Department and Streetlight USA, a charitable group that helps victims deal with their trauma, will make presentations. DETAILS>> 5 p.m., Epiphany Lutheran Church, 800 W. Ray Road, Chandler. Free. Information: pam@ epiphanychandler.org.

Valor Christian Center in Gilbert offers “great praise and worship and great messages for today’s living,” according to Pastor Thor Strandholt, associate pastor. “Our mission is evangelize, healing and discipleship through the word of God.” DETAILS>>10 a.m. Sundays and 7 p.m. Thursdays. 3015 E. Warner Road. Information: valorcc.com.

HUMAN TRAFFICKING SEMINAR

SUN-SAT, JAN. 29-FEB. 4 LOVE WEEK

Generation Church will be holding its annual Love Week. Each day will include events to honor and love people in Mesa and the surrounding areas. Some of the events will include appreciation lunches for local teachers, police officers and firefighters, cleaning local parks, hosting a blood drive, and concerts at nearby nursing homes. DETAILS>> Information: 480-986-3149.

FRIDAY, FEB. 3 POSIPALOOZA! CONCERT

Posi (pah-zee) music comes in literally every style from folk to rap. It’s a new genre that is messagebased and meant to empower, unite and transform your life. This concert will feature Posi artists Freebo, Harold Payne and Richard Mekdeci. DETAILS>> 7 p.m., 2700 E. Southern Ave., Mesa. Tickets are $20, at unityofmesa.org or at empowerma. com/PosiPaloozaTicket.

VALOR CHRISTIAN OUTLINES MISSION

HORIZON SEEKS YOUNG PEOPLE

High school and middle school students meet to worship and do life together. DETAILS>> 5 p.m. at Horizon Presbyterian Church, 1401 E. Liberty Lane. 480-460-1480 or email joel@ horizonchurch.com.

KIDS CAN LEARN JEWISH LIFE

Children can learn and experience Jewish life. Chabad Hebrew School focuses on Jewish heritage, culture and holidays. DETAILS>> 9:30 a.m. to noon, for children ages 5-13 at Pollack Chabad Center for Jewish Life, 875 N. McClintock Drive, Chandler. 480-855-4333, info@ chabadcenter.com, or chabadcenter.com.

RABBINIC LIT COURSE OFFERED

Ongoing morning study of two classics of rabbinic literature by medieval philosopher Moses Maimonides (the “Rambam”). At 10 a.m., Prof. Norbert Samuelson, Grossman chair of Jewish Philosophy at ASU and TBS member, teaches “Maimonides’ Guide of the Perplexed: What Jews Ought to Believe.” At 11:15 a.m., TBS member Isaac Levy teaches “Maimonides’ Mishneh Torah: How Jews Ought to Behave.” Readings in both Hebrew and English. DETAILS>> Community Room of the administration building at Temple Beth Sholom of the East Valley, 3400 N. Dobson Road, Chandler. 480-897-3636.

UNITY OFFERS A PATH

Unity of Mesa says its Sunday service offers “a positive path for spiritual living” through “transformational lessons, empowering music and various spiritual practices with an open-minded and welcoming community.” DETAILS>>9 and 10:45 a.m. 2700 E. Southern Ave., Mesa. Nursery available for infants through kindergarten at service times. Youth ministry classes are open in the Education Annex at 10:45 a.m. Information: 480-892- 2700, unityofmesa.org, lori@ unityofmesa.org.

ALL ARE WELCOME

All on a peaceful spiritual path are welcome and honored in this inclusive, loving, thriving Unity Community. Join us for Interfaith CommUNITY Spiritual Center’s Sunday Celebration Service DETAILS>> 10:30 a.m. Toddlers and children meet during our service. Interfaith CommUNITY Spiritual Center, 952 E. Baseline, Suite 102, Mesa. Information: info@interfaith-community.org.

MONDAYS

JOIN CHRIST-CENTERED YOGA

This Flow 1-2 class (intermediate) is free and open to the community. DETAILS>> 6-7 p.m., Mountain Park Community Church, 2408 E. Pecos Road. Greg Battle at 480-7596200 or gbattle@moutainpark.org.

CLASS TARGETS THE GRIEVING

Classes for those grieving over death or divorce. DETAILS>> 6:30 p.m., Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, 739 W. Erie St., Chandler. 480-963-4127.

STRUGGLING FIND SUPPORT

Support group for those struggling with how to deal with a loss in life. DETAILS>>> 7 p.m., 1825 S. Alma School Road, Room C201, Chandler. Pastor Larry Daily, 480-963-3997, ext. 141, larrydaily@chandlercc.org or chandlercc.org.

TUESDAYS GRIEFSHARE

Mountain Park Community Church is offering an ongoing GriefShare programs to help people deal with the pain of losing a loved one. DETAILS>> 6:30-8 p.m., 2408 E. Pecos Road, Ahwatukee.To register: mountainpark.org and click on Launch. Information: Alex at 480-759-6200

FINDING HEALING FOR PAIN

HOPE, an acronym for “Help Overcome Painful Experiences,” offers support for men and women who seek God’s grace and healing. DETAILS>>> 6:30 to 8 p.m. Mountain Park Community Church, 2408 E. Pecos Road. mountainpark.org.

SENIORS ENJOY ‘TERRIFIC TUESDAYS’

The program is free and includes bagels and coffee and a different speaker or theme each week. Registration not needed. DETAILS>>10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m., Barness Family East Valley Jewish Community Center, 908 N. Alma School Road, Chandler. evjcc.org or 480-897-0588.

WEDNESDAYS

CELEBRATE RECOVERY MEETS

Celebrate Recovery says it “brings your relationship with the Lord closer to your heart as it heals your hurts, habits and hang-ups.” Participants can discuss issues ranging from feeling left out to addictions. “Nothing is too small or too large.” DETAILS>> 6:20 p.m. at Mountain View Lutheran Church, 11002 S. 48th St., Ahwatukee. mvlutheran.org/ celebraterecovery or email cr@alphamvlc.com.

WOMEN’S BIBLE STUDY OFFERED

Living Word Ahwatukee women’s Bible study and fellowship that offers “a short, low-key time of praise and worship in music and message.” It’s also an opportunity to meet other Christian women in Ahwatukee. DETAILS>>10-11:30 a.m., Living Word Ahwatukee, 14647 W. 50th St., Suite 165, Ahwatukee. Free child care.

GET A ‘SPIRITUAL SHOWER’

A release calls this “a 15-minute energetic tune up each week” and says the Twin Hearts Meditation “is like taking a spiritual shower: when your aura is clean, you experience a higher level of awareness. You see through things more clearly and good luck increases.” DETAILS>> 7-9 p.m. at Unity of Tempe, 1222 E. Baseline Road, Suite 103, Tempe. 480-792-1800 or unityoftempe.com.

‘A COURSE IN MIRACLES’

Longtime “A Course in Miracles” student and teacher Rev. Julianne Lewis leads this interactive time of discussion and sharing. This group is appropriate for ACIM beginners as well as experienced ACIM students— and everyone in between. DETAILS>>1-2:15 p.m. Interfaith CommUNITY Spiritual Center, 952 E. Baseline, Suite 102, Mesa. $10 love donation. Information: revj4u@gmail.com.

THURSDAYS

BETH MOORE BIBLE STUDY

St. Peter Lutheran Church will be presenting Beth Moore’s study “Jesus the One and Only” for 11 weeks. DETAILS>> 10:00 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. 1844 East Dana Avenue, Mesa. The workbook that accompanies the study can be purchased at Lifeway Christian Store. Submit your releases to pmaryniak@ahwatukee.com

JANAURY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Sports

@AhwatukeeFN |

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Gearing up

Postseason picture fuzzy as season nears end BY JASON P. SKODA AFN Prep Sports Director

he final few weeks of the winter sports season have little let-up as basketball and soccer teams jockey for position for the postseason. There are as many as three games a week from here on out in a season that began on Halloween. Here is a glance at each of the local teams, including where they stand in power rankings and who is leading the way for each team.

BOYS BASKETBALL

points, 5.3 rebounds, 2.4 assists), Noah Baumann (10.9 points, 3.0 assists, 19 3 pointers), Duane Miller (4.3 points, 3.4 assists), Outlook: The Thunder were expected to one of the top teams in 6A and have a new coach in Gino Crump. They are playing good defense and it has led to a quick-strike offense and a lot of easy buckets. (Special to AFN)

(Special to AFN)

Mountain Pointe High School’s Malik Salahuddin, left, and the Pride have work to do in order to get a higher seed, while Desert Vista High’s Wesley Harris, right, and the Thunder are in line for a top-eight seed.

Desert Vista High (132 overall, 4-0 region) Ranking: No. 3 in 6A (through Saturday) Games remaining: Hamilton, at Mountain Pointe, at Gilbert, Highland, Desert Ridge, at Corona del Sol. Leaders: Wesley Harries (17.0 points, 5.8 rebounds), Caleb Simmons (11.4

The Desert Vista High School varsity girls soccer team is one of the top teams in the 6A Conference and will have a good shot at defending its state title.

Mountain Pointe High (10-8 overall, 1-3 region) Ranking: No. 14 in 6A Games remaining: at Cesar Chavez, Desert Vista, at Highland, at Desert Ridge, Corona del Sol, at

Outlook: The Pride started out strong, but have trouble closing out games. If Mountain Pointe can put together a full game, it can hang with the top teams in the conference. Horizon Honors (19-3 overall, 4-2 region) Ranking: No. 10 in 2A Conference Games remaining: Phoenix Country Day, Tempe Prep, Chandler Prep, at Phoenix Country Day. Leaders: Conor Firth (17.0 points), Kevin Kim (17.0 points), Jared Gates (12.0 points, 12.0 rebounds)

Gilbert. Leaders: Malik Salahuddin (12.6 points, 3.1 assists), Logan Matulis (10.3 points, 2.3 assists), Khlid Price (9.7 points, 25 3-pointers), Sherman Dedrick (5.0 points, 5.3 rebounds)

Outlook: The Eagles have done well overall, and have a good have a chance to finish second in the Metro East with two games against Phoenix Country Day in the final few week.

GIRLS BASKETBALL

Desert Vista High (11-9 overall, 2-3 region) Ranking: No. 10 in 6A Conference Games remaining: at Hamilton, Mountain Pointe, Gilbert, at Highland, See

STATE on page 47

New girls softball club aims to fill void in Ahwatukee

hree Ahwatukee men have organized a nontraditional softball club for Ahwatukee girls after the Ahwatukee Little League dropped the program for 2017. Brian Graves, a parent and a spokesman

for the new Ahwatukee Lobos Softball Club, said girls ages 7-14 can come out and not worry about being cut. “We will focus on developing the basic skills and fundamentals while teaching leadership and sportsmanship,” said Graves, who with Andre Castaneda and Tony Martinez were girls softball coaches

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in the Ahwatukee Little League the last three years. The other club leader is Derek Zappa, athletic director at Pardes Jewish Day School. The Lobos have two registration opportunities coming up. From 10 a.m.-noon Saturday at Desert Vista High School, 16440 S. 32nd St., • • • •

600+ online classes $86/credit* Transferable credits Classes start Mondays

Ahwatukee, the school’s softball coaches and players will conduct a clinic for girls ages 7-14. Cost is $25 per child. Girls also can register and get fitted for a uniform 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Jan. 28 at Summit School, 4515 E. Muirwood See

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480-384-9938

SOFTBALL on page 47 IA_AD_TribVarExtra-Online_0716

AFN SPORTS STAFF

SPORTS

Closing the gap

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANAURY 18, 2017

Tough tournament enhances wrestlers’ experience BY JASON P. SKODA AFN Prep Sports Director

nly three came home with hardware, but that doesn’t mean the other Ahwatukee high school athletes didn’t return from the toughest wrestling tournament in Arizona with something for their efforts. The Desert Vista and Mountain Pointe wrestling teams ventured to Tucson over the weekend for the 51st annual Flowing Wells Invitational. It is considered the top tournament in Arizona and for good season. The parade of champions that stepped up on the podium, which the top six in each weight class had earned through the 41-team bracket, were some of the best in the state. “We always come here knowing we are going to get better no matter what the results are,” said Desert Vista coach David Gonzales, who guided the team to an eighth-place finish. “We take the information we learned over the last few weeks from here and the Cheesehead (in Wisconsin) and apply it in the room.” Desert Vista’s Chad Porter won his second 195-pound title, while

Thunder sophomore heavyweight Brett Johnson and Mountain Pointe senior 160-pounder Jacob Rasmussen finished third. “This is always a great tournament,” said Porter, who topped Thunderbird state runner-up Eric Mickelson 11-6 in the finals to improve to 30-2. “Winning it twice means a lot. He wrestled me tough and I had to win it in the third period.” The Thunder’s Jordan Martinez finished one match away from place at 120, while Tariq Hornbuckle won his first two matches, but was disqualified when he hurt his opponent with a slam after the wrestler couldn’t continue. Brendan Gill won three matches by pin after losing in the first round, but couldn’t get past Corona’s Diego Fill at 170, while Justice Smith (132) made the quarterfinals before losing two straight. Johnson continued to impress after missing a good portion of last year with a broken hand. “He’s come a long way since his first match of the year,” Gonzales said. “He steps on the mat with a lot more confidence. He’s still young, and light, but he keeps getting better. Hopefully

(Jason Skoda/AFN Staff)

Desert Vista High’s Chad Porter tops an opponent to win his second Flowing Wells Invitational title.

next year he will be on top of the podium.” The Pride hasn’t been to Flowing Wells in many years and their first year back ended with the team finishing in 28th place with Rasmussen earning most of the points. Rasmussen had three pins to start the tournament before being pinned by twotime state champion Brandon Konecny of Corona del Sol in the semifinals. He righted himself to win two close matches in the consolation semifinals (3-0 over Desert View’s Gabriel Lopez) and for third place (4-3 over Vinny Vega of Silver City, New Mexico). “Other than Rasmussen, who absolutely belongs in a tournament like this, the rest of our team gained a lot

both on and off the mat,” Pride first-year coach Greg Dayoob said. The 13 other Pride wrestlers combined to win seven matches (two by 113-pounder Jacob Riley and 152-pounder Cody Norby) the rest of the weekend, but you don’t have to get your hand raised to get better. “I felt like as a team we gained much needed experience,” Dayoob said. “For our team it was the first time at a tournament of this caliber. Now they know what it’s about, what it looks like.” Throw in the fact that a mostly young team had a chance to spend some time together in a hotel with their new coaches and it became that much more of a developmental weekend for Mountain Pointe.

National report card for kids’ fitness shows disturbing trends BY CHUCK CORBIN AFN Guest Writer

ach year, health, medical, educational and government Chuck Corbin organizations prepare a joint report card concerning the physical activity levels of American children. The report is designed to determine if our kids meet national physical activity guidelines: That youth ages 6-19 should: perform 60 minutes or more of mostly vigorous or moderate physical activity daily or at least three days a week; perform muscle fitness (that also builds bones) activity on at least three days a week; and participate in age-appropriate and a variety of enjoyable activities, with encouragement from family. (health. gov/paguidelines/guidelines). The 2016 U.S. Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Youth was released in December. Here are the

grades.

Overall physical activity for children and youth, Grade, D-. Only 21.6 per-

cent of youth ages 6-19 meet the national guideline of 60-minutes of activity per day on at least five days each week. Children 6-11 (42.5 percent) are much more likely to meet the than those 1215 (7.5 percent) and those 16-19 (5.1 percent). Sedentary behaviors of youth, D-. Youth spend too much time sitting, often viewing a screen. The American Academy of Pediatrics suggests limiting screen time to two hours per day or less. Children 6-11 (47 percent) meet the under-two-hour limit more often than those 12-15 (39 percent) and those 1619 (31 percent). Active transportation, F. Most American youth do not walk or ride a bike to school (about 13 percent for ages 5-14). Organized sport participation, C-.

More than half of youth participate in

an organized sport. More boys (62 percent) participate than girls (53 percent). Organized sport participation decreases in the teen years. However, the number of youth participating in high school sports has increased regularly over the past 30 years. Fewer participate in lifetime sports, such as tennis, golf, and swimming. Family and peers, inconclusive. We know that children exposed to other active people are likelier to be active than those who are not. The percentage of parents who encourage activity among high school youth is about 30 percent in grade 9 and less than 20 percent by grade 12. Less than 10 percent of parents indicate that they regularly participate in physical activity with their children. School, D+. About 40 percent of elementary school kids (varies by grade) have required physical education, while only about 30 percent of middle school and 13 percent of high school students

have required PE. Community, B-. Kids who can play outdoors safely are more active than those who can’t. A large majority of youth (85 percent) have a park or playground in their neighborhood. There is work to be done if our youth are to be active and fit. There is much that we can do as individuals, parents, and as community members to improve. We can encourage activity for our kids, we can be active role models ourselves, we can be active with our kids, and we can participate in efforts to make our community more friendly to physical activity. More information: physicalactivityplan. org/reportcard/2016FINAL_USReportCard. pdf. -Ahwatukee resident Chuck Corbin is a professor emeritus at Arizona State University and the author of numerous award winning fitness, health, and wellness textbooks.

SPORTS

JANAURY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

STATE

from page 45

at Perry, Corona del Sol. Leaders: Madison Golla (18.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists, 52 3pointers) Tyria Heath (8.9 points, 6.3 rebounds), Haley Nguyen (6.1 points, 16 3-pointers ), Sydney Grindler (5.8 points, 6.3 rebounds) Outlook: If the Thunder can get a consistent second and third option to help out Madison Golla, Desert Vista could make decent run in the postseason. Mountain Pointe High (16-6 overall, 3-1 region) Ranking: No. 11 in 6A Games remaining: at Boulder Creek, at Desert Vista, Highland, Desert Ridge, at Corona del Sol, Gilbert. Leaders: Jenise Strover (14.8 points, 7.7 rebounds) Bailey Osmer (13.7 points, 4.2 points. 1.9 assists), Eve Kulovitz (7.0 points, 4.9 rebounds, 25 3-pointers), Outlook: The Pride have surpassed last year’s win total and don’t want to stop there. A nice run to close out the year could push Mountain Pointe to No. 2 in the Central Region and top eight in the final power rankings. Horizon Honors (12-6 overall, 5-1 region) Ranking: No. 11 in 2A Conference Games remaining: Phoenix Country Day, Tempe Prep, Chandler Prep, at Valley Lutheran, at Phoenix Country Day Leaders: Kenzie Knippers (11.5 points, 7.5 rebounds), Pilar Rivera (11.3 points, 3.4 assists, 29 3-pointers), Krista Santacruz (5.9 points, 5.3 rebounds). Outlook: A weak strength of schedule has the Eagles outside of the top eight in the power rankings. If they keep winning, Horizon Honors should squeeze into in there and earn a firstround home game.

BOYS SOCCER

Desert Vista (4-7-3 overall, 0-1-1 region) Ranking: No. 25 in 6A Conference Games remaining: at Desert Ridge, Corona del Sol. Leaders: Max Wennes, Jacob Fisher, John Johnson, Greg Samuels Outlook: The Thunder probably need to win out in order to qualify for the playin tournament (seeds nine through 24). Mountain Pointe (6-4-2 overall, 0-1-1 region) Ranking: No. 21 in 6A Conference

Games remaining: at Corona del Sol, Valley Vista, at Gilbert. Leaders: Chris Boyle, Matt Logan, Trinidad Cordova, Alex Boyd, Ben Abercrombie, Zach Jakpor Outlook: One more win should qualify the Pride for the play-in tournament. Horizon Honors (7-0-1 overall, 3-0 region) Ranking: No. 2 in 3A Conference Games remaining: at Arete Prep, at Santa Cruz, at Benjamin Franklin. Leaders: Stats not available. Outlook: Three straight road games to close out the regular season should not keep the Eagles from earning a top four seed

GIRLS SOCCER

Desert Vista (15-2 overall, 2-0 region) Ranking: No. 5 in 6A Conference Games remaining: Desert Ridge, Campo Verde, at Xavier, at Corona del Sol Leaders: Carolyn Bych (11 goals, three assists), Pagie Maling (10 goals, 7 assists), Elizabeth Vasey (5 goals, 6 assists), Corey Zaremba (4 goals, 6 assists), Jessica Hale (5 goals, 5 assists), Amanda Green 0.2 goals against), Kamrie Gunderson (0.0 goals against) Outlook: The defending state champions are positioning for another long run in the postseason. Bracketing is going to be huge. Where the five or six teams that are true contenders fall will determine the Thunder’s chances of hoisting the trophy again. Mountain Pointe (6-7-2 overall, 0-2 region) Ranking: No. 15 in 6A Conference Games remaining: Corona del Sol, at Valley Vista, Gilbert. Leaders: Ali Turk (12 goals, 6 assists), Raquel Hagar (5 goals, 4 assists), Chynna Simmons (4 goals, 3 assists), Ali Robinson (1.7 goals against) Outlook: The Pride beat the teams they should have but have had trouble competing against the top teams (they’ve lost a combined 20-0 against Perry and DV twice), so it is hard to foresee a deep run. Horizon Honors (1-6 overall, 1-2 region) Ranking: No. 40 in 3A Conference Games remaining: Arete Prep, North Pointe Prep, Santa Cruz Valley, at Benjamin Franklin Leaders: Stats not available. Outlook: Clearly the Eagles are outside of the playoff picture.

SOFTBALL

from page 45

Drive, Ahwatukee. Registration for the season is $130. The club plans to be active throughout the year—even out of the playing season. It is planning free open practices, specialty clinics, team building outings and trips to high school and college softball games. Ahwatukee Little League President Dave Bittner said none of the seven leagues that comprise the district offer softball “because established programs in Tempe and Chandler are so entrenched that they attract the vast majority of softballers in our area.” The Ahwatukee Little League “tried to offer a softball division last year,” Bittner added. “But so few girls enrolled that we had to send them over to the non-Little League program in Tempe. Just last month, we hosted a winter break camp, but only 20 softballers attended. “By comparison, there would need to be about 100 softballers for Little League to conduct a season. We simply haven’t been able to attract anywhere near that number. So, we now point softballers directly to those other programs in Tempe and Chandler,” Bittner said.

Plus! Shopping

★

Dining

★

Graves said, “We all live in Ahwatukee and wanted to provide this opportunity for the community.” He said the club already has applied to the IRS for nonprofit status. He added that they named the club Lobos because of the link between fastpitch softball and the Mexican Wolf. “Fast-pitch softball has been trying to grow and reintroduce itself in Ahwatukee for years now,” Graves said. “For the past few decades Arizona has been trying to reintroduce the Mexican Wolf back into the state. We thought it was great tie in.” Graves said club membership will include uniforms, coaching on pitching and catching and participation in the Tempe Ladyhawks League. On its website, ahwatukeesoftball. com, the club notes it “understands the importance of playing sports and the impact it has on girls lives. “We want to provide an outlet where the girls can feel safe, learn from their mistakes, learn to love playing a sport and understand what it means to be a part of a team,” it adds. “Our organization believes the success of our program is not dependent upon how many games we will have won, but how many girls leave the program with a positive outlook on life and wanting to help others.”

Drinking

★

Golf

★

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SPORTS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANAURY 18, 2017

Football participation in Arizona high schools on the rise despite concussion concerns BY BEN HALVERSON Cronkite News

n many parts of the country, high schools are shutting down football programs because of falling participation numbers. Growing concern about concussions is believed to be one reason for the drop, according to Bob Gardner, executive director of the National Federation of State High School Associations. However, dropping participation numbers are not a problem for most high schools in Arizona. The number of high school football players is actually on the rise in the state and has gone up consistently over the last eight years. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, participation in Arizona high school football programs has increased by 10 percent since 2008. By contrast, participation nationally has dropped 2.4 percent over the same timeframe. Gardner believes concussion concerns might be playing a role in whether parents allow their kids to play football. “I think there could be some

correlation,” Gardner said, adding that has seen participation jump during his Although football participation is concussion concerns might be impacting first year on the job. on the rise in most areas, Blue Ridge youth-level participation more than High School in Pinetop-Lakeside, high schools right now. But fewer a traditional football powerhouse youth players eventually means with 13 state championships since fewer high school players. 1987, dropped its junior varsity However, with new schools and freshman programs during opening throughout the state, the 2016 season because of low Arizona is seeing a boom in football participation. But Harold Slemmer, participation. executive director of the Arizona Ryan Ridenour, athletic director Interscholastic Association, does not at Casteel High School in Queen believe that Blue Ridge’s numbers Creek, said that when the school dropped because of concussion opened two years ago, the demand concerns. School officials did not for football was immediate. respond to multiple requests for “Football is kind of the ringleader comment about the reasons for in sports and athletics,” Ridenour dropping the programs. said. “I think it’s one of those things “We haven’t seen any indication where you kind of have to have it. that there’s less interest in football,” The numbers were coming in pretty (Cheryl Haselhorst/AFN Contributing Photographer) Slemmer said. “Maybe slightly good. Right now, in our program Mountain Pointe High’s starting quarterback Noah Grover in some areas, but nothing that’s we’re over 100 kids (playing fortunately avoid a concussion but unfortunately suffered a football). And we only have, I broken leg that kept him out for several games late in the season. making us concerned whether or not it would slowly phase out, by believe, right around 900 students at the freshman, sophomore level. So we’ve “In looking at last year’s numbers any means.” Instead, Slemmer suspects that a got about a ninth of our population and previous year’s numbers, we have playing football.” tremendous growth,” Dille said. “This is drop in population in the community Aaron Dille, athletic director at North our first season fielding a freshman, JV See CONCUSSIONS on page 49 Canyon High School in Phoenix, also and varsity team.”

SPORTS

JANAURY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

CONCUSSIONS

from page 48

of Pinetop-Lakeside is responsible for the drop in football participation. And restrictions on how much players can cross over from freshman and junior varsity teams to the varsity creates a shortage of players. “What we’ve done through the bylaws is limited the amount of time freshmen and sophomores can play in any given week,” Slemmer said. “So, they can’t play in a JV game and then play in a varsity game the whole game. So unless you have enough kids out to really field those teams, you’re going to have a difficult time making it through the year. “Those rural communities change. (Blue Ridge) is a good example. (It) is in the Lakeside area and their population is down. Rural areas kind of come and go as far as population and the number of kids that they have.” Arizona high schools and the AIA are taking steps to allay fears about concussions and buoy participation, including launching a new AIA insurance program that pays for treatment if an athlete suffers a concussion while participating in a high school sport. Rudy Apodaca, vice president of operations at Dignity Health Mercy Gilbert Medical Center, works with

doctors and other staff to oversee concussion treatment and protocol in two of Arizona’s largest school districts. “We collaborate with our physician partners who oversee and supervise our Certified Dignity Health Athletic Trainers we provide to the Gilbert and Chandler Unified school districts,” Apodaca said. “They are experts in sports medicine care (and) concussion detection and treatment, along with our physicians.” Apodaca also works with a team of doctors and athletic trainers to oversee concussion treatment and protocol in all Arizona high schools. “Our team works closely with neurologists in our community who are brain specialists,” he said. The goal is to provide a level of care to high school athletes that college athletes could expect, Apodaca said. Continued growth in Arizona high school football will depend on educating student-athletes and parents about concussions, according to Dille, the North Canyon athletic director. “I think they need to do a good job to maintain it by assuring parents that there are safety protocols in place, educating the kids on how to play (football) properly, to their best safety,” he said, adding that staff members also must be trained to take management of concussions seriously.

Karate Klips Master blocking techniques to avoid injury BY RICK SAVAGIAN AFN Guest Writer

hile the best defense is a solid offense, Rick Savagian one can frequently apply one’s offense only by first countering an opponent in such an effective way that at the end of blocking, one is in good position for an attack. In addition, skilled blocking tends to weaken, distract and discourage the opponent. In karate if one’s defense is not skillful, one is in real danger of being injured. After a perfect block, always create a perfect attack. Master a rational combination of blows. Although karate’s art is in disabling one’s opponent with one blow, what does one do if a blow is blocked well.

One must attune one’s mind and body so that if one fails an attack, the next attack must follow immediately. A perfect attack must consist of a variety of combinations of blows, which develop naturally and smoothly without one ever being aware of position or balance. Acquire a variety of body shifts. Most beginners move only forward and backward. It is most essential and difficult for one to move only right and left. Withdrawing backwards offers little chance for counter-attacking. Sideward shifting puts one in a much stronger position to counter with strength and speed. Of utmost importance is a strong desire and spirit to win. -Rick Savagian owns Mountainside Martial Arts Center in Ahwatukee. Reach him at 480759-4540

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Bowling rolling to more popularity in Ahwatukee region BY COLLEEN SPARKS Tribune Contributing Writer

hwatukee has none of them, but residents don’t have far to travel to become part of a sport that swept the country decades ago and is making a comeback, striking a chord with an even wider audience. Local bowling centers are on a roll when it comes to attracting players of all ages and abilities. They are no longer called “lanes,” but “centers.” And those in Chandler, Mesa, Tempe and Gilbert offer happy hours, as well as “laser” or glow-in-the-dark bowling pins, popular music videos flashing above lanes and specialized leagues. That mix is attracting people who enjoy mixing some relatively inexpensive entertainment with friendly competition, exercise and a chance to unwind over drinks. Some bowling centers even offer miniature golf, arcade games, laser tag, restaurants, bars, catered parties and movie theaters to lure families and singles. Others

focus more on league play. “People are starting to see it’s fun to come in,” said Tenna Coppola, general manager of AMF McRay Plaza Lanes in Chandler. “I’ve seen a lot of first dates come in here. “Parents hang out with kids,” Coppola added. “It’s not just for old guys smoking and drinking.” Bowling has the most participants of any sport in the United States, according to the Bowling Proprietors’ Association of America, Inc. It claims more than 67-million people a year bowl in this country. AMF McRay Plaza Lanes, on West Ray Road just east of McClintock Drive in Chandler, offers lots of specials such as $2 Tuesdays, where games are $2 from 8 to 11 p.m. Shoe rentals are also $2 per person, Pabst Blue Ribbon beers are $2 each and pizza costs $2 per slice. Regular prices at AMF McRay are $4.69 per person per game and $4.50 per person for shoe rentals. Bowlers can also get a deal on Sunday from 6 p.m. until closing time, paying $2.50 per game. Laser lights cast a neon glow on the pins and music videos play on Friday and Saturday nights at the Chandler bowling venue. Coppola said many young parents bowl there without their kids for date nights. Jenny Lynn Legree of Tempe enjoyed coming to AMF McRay Plaza for a recent work party. “I love to bowl,” Legree said. “It’s just something different, different than the bars. It’s always good competition, and then there’s a little beer.” For those who want to bowl every week, AMF McRay Plaza has several leagues with members from their late 20s into their 60s. Some of AMF McRay Plaza’s leagues include Ramblin’ Gamblers, which travels

to Laughlin, Nevada, to gamble and watch Groups of up to six people can get a bowling tournaments. Gr8 Times Bowling family special for $39.99 up until 8 p.m. Club caters to beginners and three leagues on Mondays with 90 minutes of bowling, are reserved for senior citizens. shoe rentals, two eleven-inch pizzas and Mesa East Bowl on Broadway Road just unlimited soft drinks. east of Ellsworth FatCats targets Road also is hopping bowlers ages 18 to 30 with league bowlers. during its Thunder About 500 bowlers Alley nights, when hit the 32 lanes hit music and music every day, according videos are played. to general manager On Sunday Erika Schwarze. through Thursdays “From November from 9 p.m. to to March we have midnight, bowling is a full house all day $8 a person for an long,” Schwarze said. unlimited number People in their 20s of games and shoe to senior citizens rentals. It’s $12 per participate in the person for two hours Mesa East night of bowling and shoes leagues. Families from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. and many teenagers Friday and Saturdays. bowl for fun. Specials on beer Mesa East Bowl and food are also also has laser offered on Thunder bowling with the Alley nights. (Colleen Sparks/AFN Contributing Writer) g l ow - i n - t h e - d a r k Short said bowling Ron Valerio bowls during a work party at AMF pins called Rock and McRay Plaza Lanes in Chandler. is getting popular Bowl from 10 p.m. to again after a decline 1 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. It costs $12 per in participation over the last decade. person for unlimited bowling during those “Back in the 60s and 70s, bowling was times, with shoes included. The center has really popular,” he said. “More and more happy hour from 1 to 6 p.m. every day with people are being introduced to bowling well drinks and draft beers for $2.50 each. (now) because of all the options in all To learn more, visit mesaeastbowl.com. the different places where they can do In Gilbert, FatCats Entertainment Center bowling,” he said. “The league bowling is a “casual bowling center,” that doesn’t industry might grow again>’ offer leagues, general manager Bob Short Mesa Metropolitan United States Bowling said. Congress (USBC) Association manager Located on East Baseline Road just west Leslie Marsh said the number of leagues of North Greenfield Road, FatCats provides in the East Valley had been decreasing in the glow-in-the-dark, laser bowling pins recent years, but now it’s “holding steady.” on 20 lanes all the time and offers many Marsh said the number of youth in bowling specials. leagues has been increasing. FatCats also has six luxury movie theaters, The Mesa USBC organization has 12 a nine-hole, glow-in-the-dark miniature member bowling centers in Tempe, golf course, an arcade with popular video Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert and Payson. games and a full bar and restaurant. “Anybody can bowl,” she said. “It doesn’t On a recent day, FatCats attracted about matter age, if there’s any disabilities.” 600 people. Short said people often wait Joshua Bell, adapted recreation one to two hours to hit the bowling lanes See on page 52 Friday and Saturday nights.

BOWLING

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JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Elvis and the Fab Four highlight weekend offerings Disney on Ice skates in

BY JUSTIN FERRIS GETOUT EDITOR

Bomber Boys exhibit opens

Get a previously unseen glimpse of the life of our bomber crews in World War II Corsica and Italy. This new traveling exhibit features candid photos, diary entries and other historical artifacts. DETAILS>> 10 a.m.-4 p.m., SundayTuesday. Arizona Commemorative Air Force Museum, 2017 N. Greenfield Road, Mesa. Cost: Museum admission ($15 adults, $12 seniors, $5 kids 5-12). 480-351-6032. azcaf.org.

‘Wonderettes’ debuts

Journey back to 1958 and follow four girls as they attend the Springfield High School prom in “The Marvelous Wonderettes.” Learn about their lives through more than 30 hit ’50s and ’60s songs, including “Lollipop,” “Dream Lover” and “Lipstick on Your Collar.” DETAILS>> Mondays and Tuesdays through April 18. Hale Centre Theatre, 50 W. Page Ave., Gilbert. Tickets: $18-$30. 480497-1181. haletheatrearizona.com.

Twain story becomes musical

From a story by acclaimed humorist Mark Twain comes a musical about an artist who decides to make his paintings more valuable by faking his own death. That’s just the start of the hilarity, which includes the artist posing as his own sister. DETAILS>> Wednesday to Saturdays, through Feb. 11. Hale Centre Theatre, 50 W. Page Ave., Gilbert. Tickets: $18-$43. 480-497-1181. haletheatrearizona. com.

Join your favorite characters from “Frozen,” “Cars,” “Toy Story” and “The Little Mermaid” as they skate through classic stories and new adventures. Kids under 14 can dress in costume. DETAILS>> Times vary, Thursday-Sunday. Talking Stick Resort Arena, 201 E. Jefferson St., Phoenix. Tickets: $11.25-$85. 602-3797800. talkingstickresortarena.com.

‘The Fab Four’ returns

The Fab Four are the next best thing to a live Beatles concert. These eerily accurate performers play the Beatles’ biggest hits through the decades. Costumes change to match the song eras, and “Ed Sullivan” hosts the entire show. DETAILS>> 8 p.m., Friday. Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa. Tickets: $29.50$54.50. 480-644-6560. mesaartscenter.com.

Health Fest 2017 slated

Get your fitness goals off to a good start at this family-friendly festival that offers vendors, fun activities, demonstrations and more that can help you stay fit in 2017. DETAILS>> 10 a.m.-2 p.m., Saturday. Daley Park, 1625 S. College Ave., Tempe. Cost: Free. facebook.com/events/368165586908333.

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‘The Cat in the Hat’ appearing

Dr. Seuss’ mischievous chapeau-sporting feline comes calling courtesy of Childsplay. Kids—it is suitable for ages 3 and up—will love his antics, along with the fish and Thing One and Thing Two. DETAILS>> Weekends, SaturdayFeb. 19. Tempe Center for the Arts, 700 W. Rio Salado Pkwy., Tempe. Tickets: $12-$26. 480-921-5700. childsplayaz.org.

Chandler hosting Elvis

Hear classics from the performer who changed the face of popular music: Elvis Presley. Four Broadway singers and a 12-piece orchestra re-imagine Elvis’ hits, including “Heartbreak Hotel,” “Love Me Tender” and “Hound Dog.” DETAILS>> 3 p.m., Sunday. Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., Chandler. Tickets: $46-$58. 480-782-2680. chandlercenter.org.

Movies coming this weekend “XXX: RETURN OF XANDER CAGE” (PG-13) – Vin Diesel returns to his original action role and cranks it up to 11 in this fast-paced,

explosion-packed shoot-em-up. Also stars Donnie Yen, Deepika Padukone and Kris Wu. “SPLIT” (PG-13) – In this newest offering from M. Night Shyamalan, a man with 24 personalities kidnaps three girls and they have to make friends with the right personalities to survive. Starring Anya Taylor-Joy, James McAvoy, Haley Lu Richardson and Kim Director. “THE FOUNDER” (PG-13) – The dramatized biography of Ray Kroc, the salesman who turned McDonald’s into a world-dominating restaurant chain. Starring Michael Keaton, Nick Offerman, John Carroll Lynch and Linda Cardellini. “THE RESURRECTION OF GAVIN STONE” (PG) – A former child star doing community service at a church pretends to be a Christian to get the role of Jesus in a play and gets a lot more than he bargained for. Starring Brett Dalton, Anjelah JohnsonReyes, Shawn Michaels and Neil Flynn. – Justin Ferris, Phoenix.org Get more ideas for fun things to do in the East Valley - and beyond - at Phoenix.org.

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

Maricopa film festival featuring 56 movies of all kinds BOWLING GETOUT STAFF

he finalists have been chosen for the inaugural Copa Shorts Film Fest being held at UltraStar MultiTainment Center at Ak-Chin Circle in Maricopa during Presidents Weekend. Organizers have selected 56 films and will offer special showcases for juried student and Native American film blocks. Four screenplays will be honored for the table reads,

with local actors reading the short scripts. Finalists are from Arizona as well as several states and Canada, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Australia and China. Comedies, dramas, sci-fi, documentaries, animation, and foreign films are part of the event Feb. 17-19. Seven two-hour film blocks including question-and-answer sessions, a table read screenplay, and a Best of the Fest compilation are included. Many of the finalists are comedies, which received some of the highest ratings from the Arizona State University Film School reviewers and local judges. Award-winning film composer Brent M. Davids will offer tips for filmmakers on “Film Scoring for Film Makers” in a complimentary workshop Feb. 18 at Elements Event Center. “Film scoring, a much neglected art, can make or break a film’s ability to reach an audience and make the film a success,” organizer Shelley Gillespie said. “This workshop is a condensed version of his acclaimed three-hour workshop. Davids has composed for TV, movies, radio, and audiences around the world.

Register at Eventbrite: VIP Passes, available now on CopaShortsFilmFest.org, are the only way to be admitted to the VIP-Only Party on Feb. 17 at Elements Event Center. Guests will be able to mingle with the filmmakers, screenwriters, press and dignitaries. Internationally award-winning Native American/ Celtic musician Arvel Bird is the featured performer. VIP passes also provide access to all of the film blocks, the table reads, special access to the Star Class lounge and both opening and closing parties. At the Awards/Wrap Party Feb. 19, Gila River’s Smokestack Lightning Blues Band will perform at Elements Event Center. Awards and prize presentations from Hollywood sponsors will be announced, including Best Screenplay and the “Best of the Fest” Grand Prize Winner. A buffet dinner will be included for VIPS, those who purchase a Sunday one-day pass, or special awards ceremony pass. Gillespie said people who can’t attend the festiva you can still make a taxdeductible donation to Copa Shorts Film Fest.

from page 50

coordinator for the City of Tempe, agreed. Tempe runs a Buddy Bowling Unified League combining people with and without disabilities. People with any type of physical, development or intellectual disability get help and guidance from “partners,” while they bowl at AMF Tempe Village Lanes on South Rural Road. “Bowling is a fun sport to do for all skill levels,” Bell said. “The sport is so easy to adapt to anyone’s skill level. It’s a sport that still constantly challenges you.” About 100 bowlers participated in Buddy Bowling last season, and that’s an increase of about 30 to 40-percent over the last several years. The league has a season from January to May and one from July to November. Bowlers must be at least eight years old.

More information

Buddy Bowling Unified League: tempe. gov/adaptedrecreation, 480-858-2469 or josh_bell@tempe.gov. FatCats: gilbert.fatcatsfun.com. AMF McRay Plaza: amf.com/location/ amf-mcray-plaza-lanes.

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JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

King Crossword ACROSS 1 Aid 5 Verse 9 Wander about 12 Neighborhood 13 Fairy tale baddie 14 -- de Janeiro 15 Coup in bridge or baseball 17 Moreover 18 Release 19 Patchwork horse 21 Mad 24 Roe provider 25 Golfer McIlroy 26 Haughty, strutting sort 30 Ms. Gardner 31 Bluefin and albacore 32 Oft-chanted initials 33 Round Table member 35 Smile 36 Transaction 37 Skin-covered craft 38 Stimulant 40 One who’s gonna get it? 42 Address for 33-Across 43 Extensive treat for sightseers 48 Tackle the slopes 49 “-- Lang Syne” 50 Ticklish Muppet 51 Tyrannosaurus -52 Witnesses 53 Peruse

31 Anti-riot chemical 34 Bee follower 35 Type of snake 37 Tease 38 Cold War abbr. 39 Toll road

40 Revolutionary War hero Nathan 41 Tackles’ teammates 44 Regret 45 Bullring bravo 46 Actress Thurman 47 Scepter

Sudoku

DOWN 1 Crone 2 Blunder 3 Meadow 4 Saute 5 Sit for a snapshot 6 Leer at 7 Historic time 8 Tennessee city 9 Courtroom group 10 “-- That a Shame” 11 Old fogy 16 Parched 20 Author Fleming 21 Fast-shrinking sea 22 PBS science show 23 International auto race 24 Expectorated 26 Tug 27 Yoko of music 28 21-Down’s continent 29 Tug PUZZLES ANSWERS on page 54

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Illusionists create magic on Gammage stage KENNETH LAFAVE AFN Staff Writer

t age 10, Kevin James knew what he aspired to be. “A magician came to our school and did a show, and I instantly knew that’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my life,” says the magician known as “The Inventor” in the Broadway magic show, “The Illusionists.” “That never changed. In college, I had friends who were 20 years and old and still didn’t know what they wanted to do. I did,” James recalls. At the ASU Gammage Theater now through Sunday, “The Illusionists” features seven major magicians, each with a different specialty and persona. The cast could be dubbed “The Avengers” of magic, with James called “The Inventor.” “The director said, ‘Imagine you’re a magic superhero. What would your superpower be?’ And because I create all my own illusions, ‘The Inventor’ came to mind.” James was hooked on magic at a young age, not because of the tricks involved, but because of the emotions of wonder and surprise that surround a magic show.

IF YOU GO

What: “The Illusionists” Where: ASU Gammage, 1200 S. Forest Ave., Tempe. When: Times vary, through Sunday. Cost: $20-$125 Info: 480-965-3434, asugammage.com.

“That’s the biggest and best-kept secret in magic: That the secrets don’t really matter so much as the story and emotion and having some connection with the audience, resonating with them,” James says. James grew up in Jonesville, Michigan, a small town that lacked a magic shop. Fortunately, a nearby town was home to a yearly magic festival, and it was there that he learned the basics of his future trade. James made lifelong friends at the festival, including Jeff Hobson, who is also in “The Illusionists.” Creating a magic act is not that different from creating a song or a story. “I have notebooks full of notions. Sometimes a wonderful piece of music moves you, or a plot line. And then you start looking for an effect to go with it,” he says. Matching the effect to the inspiration can take months—even years. “You write it down even if you don’t have a way to do it right then. You let it sizzle in your brain, and then one day, you see how it might work. It’s sort of like a puzzle, where you work it from the end to the start. Along the way, you’re careful to bring out the pluses and hide the minuses.” One of James’ most popular illusions is the sawing in half of a man. Some have figured out how the sawing happens, but no one can figure out how he puts the two back together. “Magicians have to hide their technique,” James says. “A singer who hits a high note is showing off how well she can do that. But a magician has to keep everything looking easy and natural. Otherwise it’s just juggling.”

ANSWERS TO PUZZLES AND SUDOKU from page 53

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

(Special to AFN)

Illusionist Jeff Paper is aptly named since his tricks all involve the product that bears his last name.

Magic appeals to millions of people, even though everyone knows it’s just, well… an illusion. Why is that? “People get caught up in the visuals and the humor and the story. They laugh and enjoy themselves too much to worry about how it all works.” James’ favorite magician is Penn from Penn and Teller, whose creations, he says,

“are absolute brilliance.” The magician’s biggest frustration so far in which career is sharing his name with a certain comedian. Has he thought of changing his name? “You know, I’ve been using this name for a long time before the other Kevin James got famous. I think I’m gonna keep it.”

JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

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Life Events Classifieds 56

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

Awatukee Foothills News / East Valley Tribune

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ELMS, Harriet R.

Harriet R. Elms, 78, passed away peacefully Tuesday December 13, 2016 in her home. She was born to Gertrude and Charles Slosberg on July 27, 1938 in Boston, MA. Harriet graduated from Massachusetts General Hospital as a Registered Nurse in 1959. She enjoyed a very long and full career and retired in 2010.

Harriet is survived by her sons Christopher and David (Staci) Elms, daughter Melissa (Mack) McKay, granddaughter Elizabeth Martinez, grandsons Benjamin and Noah Elms, sisters Roz Bishop, Roberta Spicer, Fran Mayer, and Janet Pryce, and several nieces and nephews. Private cremation was held at Affordable Burial and Cremation in Prescott Valley, AZ. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association in Harriet’s name. “Do not mourn my death, celebrate my life.” Please Sign the Guestbook at ahwatukee.com

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KYRENE is now hiring School BUS DRIVERS FT 30 hrs/wk. Benefits offered. Paid training and CDL testing onsite. Flexible work schedule with split shifts. Starting Salary $14.49 - $18.00 For additional info go to www.kyrene.org/hr

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PT - EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY Looking for an experienced legal secretary for 3/4 time position with a boutique law firm in the East Valley. Mastery of Word (including ability to generate a Table of Authorities and manipulate page numbering) is a must. Ability to manage a two-lawyer calendar, and handle monthly client billing is also needed. General litigation experience would be a benefit, as would a background in adoption and juvenile law. Candidate must be detail orie nted and computer literate. We need a responsible and personable individual who is a selfstarter, reliable, with a positive attitude and a proven track record of being a true team player.

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For Rent Homes For Rent Mountain Park Ranch 16006 S. 29th St 3 bdr 2.5 bath 2.5 car garage New paint in/out $1345/mo Contact Dick Stiteler 480-620-9505

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Meetings/Events Aegis Hospice Grief/Loss Support Group We meet 6 pm on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of each month. Legacy Funeral Home: 1722 N. Banning St. Mesa, Refreshments provided. Contact: Rick Wesley 480-219-4790 rick@ aegishospice.com

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480-893-8091 Ahwatukee Resident • Dependable & Honest

ROC#126694

Bonded/Insured

480.335.4180

Gift Certificates Available

Not a licensed contractor.

FREE

ESTIMATES!

25 +YEARS

IN BUSINESS

Residential/Commercial National Assoc. of the Remodeling Industry Member Lic | Bonded | Insured | References ROC# 113643, 113642

(480)497-5222

ChampionBuiltContracting.com

CLASSIFIEDS

JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Landscape Maintenance

Juan Hernandez

Foothills Touch Landscapes LLC Lawn care/Maint. Starting as Low as $25. Install/Design

Juan Hernandez

SPRINKLER

Drip/Install/Repair Not a licensed contrator

24 years exp. Call Now (480) 720-3840

Classifieds 480-898-6465

Not a licensed contractor

Ahw. Res. 30 yrs Exp Free Estimates. Call Pat (480) 343-0562

AFFORDABLE Landscape Maintenance 24 Years exp (480) 720-3840

MISSED THE DEADLINE? Place your ad online! Call 480-898-6564

Landscape Maintenance

Complete Lawn Service & Weed Control

Arizona Specialty Landscape

$60/Month! • One Month Free Service • Licensed, Bonded Insured for your protection. • Call or Text for a Free Quote

kjelandscape.com • ROC#281191

480-586-8445

New & Re-Do Design and Installation

Affordable | Paver Specialists Drip & Sprinkler Repair BBQ’s & Outdoor Fireplaces Lighting

Free Estimates 7 Days a Week! ROC# 186443 • BONDED

480.844.9765

Irrigation Repair Services

Inc.

Licensed • Bonded • Insured Technician

Specializing in Controllers, Valves, Sprinklers, Landscape Lighting, P.V.C. & Poly Drip Systems

Call Lance White

480.721.4146 www.irsaz.com

ROC# 256752

Drip Systems Installed, Valves/Timer Repairs

ROC 304267 • Licenced & Bonded

WINTERIZE YOUR DRIP SYSTEM! Take steps now to prevent winter damage! I ONLY use commercial parts that will last a long time. TWO year warranty (instead of normal 1 year) I will check your system, drips, valves, etc. and advise you how to keep your plants healthy and system working all winter.

FREE ESTIMATES! CALL 24 HOURS 20 Yrs Exp. I Do All My Own Work! Call Mark

480.295.2279 Not a licensed contractor.

Specials Lawn Mowing Starts At $20 Full Service Starts At $70 15 + Yrs Exp! All English Speaking Crew

SONORAN LAWN

480-745-5230 We Only Service Ahwatukee, So We Are Always Close By To Meet Unexpected Needs

CLASSIFIEDS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

Landscape Maintenance

• Tree Trimming & Removal • Gravel Spread • General Yard Work • Weed Removal • Sprinkler Drip & Timer Repair • Insured • Free Estimates • All Work Guaranteed

Not a licensed contractor

CLEAN-UP & TREE SERVICE

Meetings/Events

Smart Recovery Meeting Wed’s 7:00 8:30 p.m. 6400 W. Del Rio Chandler Montessori School next to Unitarian Church room 5. All issues drugs, alcohol, gambling, online addictions, & medications. 480-532-2460

Crops of Luv

"My dream is that one day we will be able to give every "wish" child a scrapbook to remind them that dreams do come true." Jody, co-founder, Ahwatukee based nonprofit

Come Join us: Help make embellishments, organize or assist with events, scrapbook, donate your time, money or space.

Landscape Maintenance

A-Z Tauveli Prof LANDSCAPING LLC Tree/Palm Tree Trimming • Sprinkler Systems Desertscape • Gardening • Concrete Work Block Wall • Real & Imitation • Flagstone

602-471-3490 or 480-962-5149

Meetings/Events

ACTION CONTRACTING INC. Specializing in Remodeling & Repairng

WE DO IT ALL! SINCE 1978

• Drywall & Stucco Repairs • Windows • Doors • Cabinets • Block Fences • Wrought Iron gates • Remodeling • Additions • Plumbing • Patios • Painting • Bathrooms • Kitchens • Tenant Improvements

EAST VALLEY

WEST VALLEY

602-377-3860

480-833-7353

LIC/BONDED/INSURED Res/Comm’l ROC#218802

aaaActionContractingInc.com 10% off for Any NEW Customer! Exp 1/31/17

Come be apart of something Awesome!

Painting

Cropsofluv.com

We will give you totally new landscaping or revamp your current landscaping!

FREE ESTIMATES

Landscape Maintenance

480.634.7763

cropsofluv@cox.net

GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS & GAMANON for meeting information 602-266-97846

AMERICAN LEGION AHWATUKEE Post #64 We Meet Every 3rd Wed at 3pm at the Ahwatukee Retirement Center At 5001 E Cheyenne Dr, Phoenix, Az. 85044. Contact ED MANGAN Cmdr 602-501-0128

• BBQs and Fire Pits • Lighting (low voltage) • Irrgation Systems and Repairs • One-Time Clean-up • Maintenance

480-539-2597 cyclandscaping.com ROC: CR21-232290

Meetings/Events TOPS (Take Off Pounds Sensibly) is a weight loss organization that is over 60 years old. We meet at Ahwatukee Rec Center on Cheyenne between S. 48th St. and S. 51st St. on Wed. eve's from 67:30 p.m. For more information: Terri at 480-893-6742.

RPL Decorators

HOME IMPROVEMENT • Pavers and Travertine • Retaining Walls • Synthetic Turf and SOD • Plants and Trees • Ramadas and Patio Covers

PROFESSIONAL PAINTING Interior, Exterior House Painting. Stucco Patching. Gate/Front Door Refinishing. Quality work/Materials Free Estimate Ignacio 480-961-5093 602-571-9015 ROC #189850 Bond/Ins'd

Painting

Landscape Maintenance

ROC#276019 • LICENSED BONDED INSURED

PARENTS OF ADDICTED LOVED ONES Are you affected by someone who is dealing with an addiction? If so, know that you are not alone and that the PAL (Parents of Addicted Loved Ones) group can help. The group is available to provide education and support to anyone 18 years or older who is dealing with a friend or family member with an addiction. See our local meeting list at palgroup.org

Painting

Interior/Exterior Painting 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE

We Are State Licensed and Reliable!

Free Estimates • Senior Discounts ROC#243600

East Valley PAINTERS Voted #1 Paint Interior & Exterior • Drywall Repair Light Carpentry • Power Washing • Textures Matched Popcorn Removal • Pool Deck Coatings Garage Floor Coatings • Color Consulting

10% OFF

We Beat Competitors Prices & Quality Free Estimates• 3 Year Warranty

480-688-4770

www.eastvalleypainters.com Family Owned & Operated Bonded/Insured • ROC#153131

Mobile 602-369-5017 Bob480-917-3617 ROC #115384/Bonded

Dunn Edwards Quality Paint Small Stucco/Drywall Repairs

480-338-4011

• Painting • Wallpapering & Removal • Color Consultations • Finish Painting • Handyman Services 4th Generation Painter 30 Years Skilled Experience Always Neat & Dependable Expert Workmanship Guaranteed References Available

Now Accepting all majior credit cards

CLASSIFIEDS

JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Meetings/Events

Plumbing

Meetings/Events

Place YOUR Business HERE! in the Service Directory

Pool Service / Repair

$25 OFF

Filter Cleaning! Call for our 3 Month Special! Starting at $120/month

Monthly Service & Repairs Available

Classifieds: 480-898-6465

Plumbing

602-546-POOL 7 6 6 5

www.barefootpoolman.com See our Before’s and After’s on Facebook

Plumbing & Rooter Service

Licensed, Bonded & Insured ROC# 272001

Meetings/Events Start the new year with a membership in AFSA (Ahwatukee Foothills Senior Association). Enjoy the special lunches and the entertainment at the monthly meetings. Thursday, January 5 is the next meeting held at Sheraton Four Points Hotel located at 51st St. and Elliot Rd. in Phoenix. Doors open at 11am and lunch is at noon. Cost is $15. Membership open to all Seniors 55+. Deadline for reservations is Saturday, December 31. For further information, please call Sue McCann at (480) 4699388

$64* Drain Cleaning *Some conditions apply. Call for details.

Plumbing

$39 Off* Any Service *Call for Details. For a Limited Time.

100% Guarantee on Our Work

From Water Heaters to Toilets, Slab Leaks to Clogs!

24/7 Emergency Service FAST 60 Minute Service Available

Estimates Available

480.405.3020 Bonded | Insured | Lic’d ROC 257806

Add a Background Color to Your Ad! Classifieds 480-898-6465

PLUMBING $35.00 Off Any Service Call Today!

A+ RATED

We Repair or Install ROC # 272721

AHWATUKEE’S #1 PLUMBER Licensed • Bonded • Insured (480)

704.5422

Christian Business Networking, Chandler BiMonthly Chapter 7:30 a.m. second and fourth Tuesdays of the month Offers members the opportunity to share ideas, contacts and business referrals. Chandler Christian Church, Room B202 1825 S. Alma School Rd., Chandler Info: Maia, 480-4250624, christianbusinessnetworking.com In-Ahwatukee Toastmasters Club meets from 6:45-8am every Tuesday at Dignity Health Urgent Care Ahwatukee - Community Room (1st floor), 4545 E. Chandler Blvd., Phoenix, AZ 85048. Guests welcome anytime! http://4873.toast mastersclubs.org/

CLASSIFIEDS Pool Service / Repair

AE &Sons Pool Plaster Company

All Complete Pool Renovations Pebble • White Plaster Tile • Deck • Pump & Filters

FREE Estimates • BEST Prices 602-252-2125 Ofc. • 602-505-8066 Cell Se Habla Espanõl

Lic’d, Bonded • ROC #235771 • ROC #235770

JuanPavers Hernandez • Concrete Water Features • Sprinkler Repair

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

Rooﬁng

Rooﬁng ROOFING CONTRACTOR with 32 years exp Specializing in all types repairs, re-roofs, coating & walking decks. Quality service & response our first priority. All work guaranteed. ROC# 100401-L42 ROC# 132572-C42

Over 30 yrs. Experience

480-706-1453

Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099

Sun/Shade Screens

FAMILY OWNED AND OPERATED SINCE 1984

"Mobile Screening" Your Re-Screening Specialist.

Bug Screens - Sun Screens

I CAN HELP!

Patio Doors New Screens Available We Come To You! (480) 980-3321

23 Years Experience • Dependable & Reliable

Tiles, shingles, flat, repairs & new work Free Estimates • Ahwatukee Resident

Call Carl 480-895-3425 or 602-432-9183

P O O L R E PA I R

Pebble cracking, Plaster peeling, Rebar showing, Pool Light out?

ROOFING

Call Juan at

480-720-3840 Not a licensed contractor.

MISSED THE DEADLINE? Call us to place your ad online!

480-898-6564

Rooﬁng

New Construction, Complete Re-Roof, Repairs, Tile, Asphalt Shingle, Foam and more!

Window Cleaning

WWW.PAYNESONS.COM

John's Window Cleaning 1-story $125 / 2-story $145 -inside and out up to 30 panes (add'l panes $2) Screens cleaned $2.50 per pane. Power Washing and Re-Screening available Same day Service (480) 201-6471

480.988.9250 SEE OUR REVIEWS ON:

TRI CERTIFIED INSTALLER LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED ROC: 194202

Rooﬁng

ARE YOUR HOME AND FAMILY PROTECTED?

Ahw Resident • Owner Operated Maintenance & Repair Professional and Superior Service We maintain, repair and service all types of pools, equipment, filters, cleaning systems, fresh water and salt water systems

Call me, Howard:

480.231.9651

AZPoolExpert.com BBB Member Not a licensed contractor.

Tile Roof Specialist

Phoenix’s Premier Tile and Foam Roofer. Spencer 4 HIRE ROOFING

10% OFF Valley Wide Service

With This Ad

Free Estimates • Credit Cards OK Check out some of our jobs and reviews!

Family Owned/ Operated

Quality Leak Repairs & Re-Roofs

Honest Free Estimates References DENNIS PORTER

480-460-7602 or 602-710-2263 RANDY HALFHILL

602-910-1485

480-446-7663 (ROOF)

www.spencer4hireroofing.com ROC #244850 | INSURED | BONDED

ROC: 138549B

Lic#ROC 152111 Bonded

JANUARY 18, 2017 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

CLASSIFIEDS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JANUARY 18, 2017

AIR CONDITIONING & HEATING

Happy New Year from all of us! r te -up in e W un T

UP TO

3,950

REBATES

0% APR

OR FOR 48 OR 60 MO.*

WINTER TUNE-UP

LIMITED TIME OFFER!

FREE 10-Year Parts and Labor

Limited Warranty*

*On Selected Systems ($1,295 Value - No Charge)

REG. $99.

Up to $800 in Utility Rebates*

WITH THE PURCHASE OF A NEW A/C SYSTEM INSTALLATION

Includes a 16-Point Inspection plus a condenser coil rinse if accessible ($5.00 Fuel and Trip Fee Applies) RESIDENTIAL ONLY

480-893-8335

www.BrewersAC.com

A+ Rating

SINCE 1982

ROC #C39-080322-00

Up to a $2,850 Brewerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dealer Rebate, up to $800 Utility Rebate, up to $300 Federal Tax Credit. The Wells Fargo Home Projects credit card is issued by Wells Fargo Financial National Bank, an Equal Housing Lender. Special terms for 60 MONTHS apply to qualifying purchases charged with approved credit. The special terms APR will continue to apply until all qualifying purchases are paid in full. The monthly payment for this purchase will be the amount that will pay for the purchase in full in equal payments during the promotional (special terms) period. The APR for Purchases will apply to certain fees such as a late payment fee or if you use the card for other transactions. For new accounts, the APR for Purchases is 28.99%. If you are charged interest in any billing cycle, the minimum interest charge will be $1.00. This information is accurate as of 10/01/2016 and is subject to change. For current information, call us at 1-800-431-5921. Offer expires 1/31/2017.

FREE

Service Call Second Opinion (WITH REPAIR)