SanTan Sun News - 1.30.2022 by Times Media Group

January 30, 2022 | www.santansun.com

Relentlessly local coverage of Southern Chandler

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

Family seeks $19M from city over police chase crash

BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Four members of a local television news reporter’s family last July were on their way to get some ice cream when a man in an RV fleeing police ran a red light and crashed into one of their cars. That family has now filed a claim for $19 million against the City of Chandler, claiming gross negligence by police officers. The claim alleges that Andy Ramirez Jr. and his wife Norma Ramirez suffered major injuries to multiple parts of his body, including muscles, tendons, ligaments, bones and spinal joints. Andy Ramirez, an Emmy Award-winning journalist with ABC15, was re-

The fleeing RV collided with six vehicles after running a second of two signals on July 24, injuring six people. (Courtesy of ABC15)

ported to have spent two weeks in a medically-induced coma as he fought for his life. A claim is a precursor to a lawsuit and often leads to one if the defendant does not settle. The City of Chandler has a policy of not talking about current litigation. The claim also contends that Ramirezes’ two daughters, Liana and Mia, witnessed the accident as they were driving behind their parents and that they are receiving ongoing medical care and treatment for the emotional injuries they sustained watching the RV t-bone their parents’ car. The Ramirez family says it will agree See

WRECK on page 6

Laptops start going to grateful Chandler High students BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Chandler High School students were excited to be handed a new laptop computer last Wednesday as the school district was joined by Intel Corp. and Dell in beginning another step toward bridging its digital divide. “We finally get better access to the

Internet because the other computers are slow,” said sophomore Ryland Douglas. All Chandler High students are getting a laptop courtesy of a pilot program by Chandler Unified School District, Intel and Dell. The school district bought the laptops while the tech giants are contributing $1.6 million in See

LAPTOP on page 5

Cancer survivor Julia Mitchell was surprised with a new Volkswagen Beetle for her 16th birthday during a birthday parade in her honor in front of her Chandler home Jan. 20. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

Chandler cancer victim, 16, gets a big surprise BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Julia Mitchell, a then 15-year-old south Chandler resident, looks into the camera without and hair on her head. She seems fearless, looking into the camera. However, right before her big announcement her eyes look away. “I have a bone cancer, which is called

Ewing sarcoma,” she says in her first YouTube video documenting her journey in fighting cancer. “I have a tumor, a 6-inch tumor, in my right hip.” Her first video has been watched more than 20,000 times. And some of those viewers were likely among those who came out on See

CANCER on page 5

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Chandler Unified School District education technology coach Sophany Tibke hands Chandler High sophomore Abigail Hernandez her laptop while Ryland Douglas. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

02-28-22

NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

Fireworks create headache for city officials BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Chandler officials say they can do little about the large number of fireworks complaints they receive because a state law overrides any action they may want to take. Chandler Police Chief Sean Duggan told the City Council on Jan. 13 his department received 126 calls for service related to fireworks on New Year’s Eve, though officers issued only 16 warnings. Duggan said part of the problem is that it was a Friday, one of the department’s busiest days normally, in addition to being a holiday. Officers fielded a total 507 calls from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. that night and often had to prioritize some of them before sending out an officer on a fireworks complaint. People complain for a variety of reasons, from the noise terrorizing pets to veterans who suffer from PTSD. Councilman Matt Orlando requested the presentation after getting a number of complaints from residents. He said officers sometimes arrived hours after a complaint had been made and found nothing when they arrived. No citations were given out on New Year’s Eve for fireworks violations. “That’s really no different than any other city, certainly in the East Valley,” Duggan said. He said he asked officers in the South Mountain precinct of

Phoenix, Mesa, Gilbert and Scottsdale. He said all reported an exceptionally high call volume that night and none of them issued any citations for firework violations. “This is a very challenging issue for every city across the state, … and a lot of that stems from the fact this is a state-regulated issue,” City Manager Josh Wright said. “Cities are, in fact, prohibited from doing a lot of the things that we that we used to be able to do around this issue.” Under state law, businesses can sell fireworks and people can set them off only between three windows of time each year for Cinco de Mayo, Fourth of July and Christmas/New Year.

The dates for sales and firing them are different. They can be sold from April 25 through May 6; May 20 through July 6 and Dec. 10 through Jan. 3. They can be set off from May 4-6; June 24-July 6; and Dec. 24 through Jan. 3. Most fireworks set off outside of those dates are illegal. Some small fireworks are allowed to be sold and set off at any time of year. Also under state law, no aerial consumer fireworks are allowed. So, outside of official permitted displays, any fireworks that explode in the air are illegal. And according to city officials, they are not sold in Chandler. Duggan said most of the illegal fireworks set off in the city were bought in

another state or in Mexico. Fire Chief Tom Dwiggins said his department inspects all businesses that sell fireworks in the city and that outside of one bad actor years ago, they all carry only legal fireworks. “We over the years have developed a very good working relationship with all the vendors,” Dwiggins said. “It is a good working relationship, because it is extremely confusing. I can line up 10 of them up right now, and you wouldn’t know what was legal and what wasn’t.” Dwiggins said he is confident that none of the fireworks being set off into the air are coming from the vendors they have approved. “These illegal fireworks are readily available,” Duggan said. “You can get them from other states, you can get them from Mexico, the fireworks are everywhere. They are prolific in our community.” Mayor Kevin Hartke said he hopes to work with local state legislators to address the issue. He said he’d like to look at narrowing the window where fireworks are allowed or perhaps putting in a curfew so they couldn’t be shot off in the early morning hours when most people are sleeping. “This is an item that we’re picking up as legal cities and towns and have it as an issue that we’re going to be hoping to work with our legislators, if indeed we can find some traction there,” Hartke said.

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Chandler Fire Chief Tom Dwiggins, second from left, reported for duty one day last week to fill in for one of many firefighters who called off sick as he and Chandler Unified Superintendent Frank Narducci cope with virus-driven staff shortages. (Courtesy of Chief Tom Dwiggins)

Fire chief, schools boss step up amid staff shortages BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

On the morning of Jan. 17, Chandler Fire Chief Tom Dwiggins got a phone call from his staff: They had a shift they couldn’t fill because of the latest COVID-19 outbreak. So, for the first time in 12 years, he grabbed his gear and headed out to work a shift on the truck. “Like the rest of the world, and certainly in the United States, since Christmas Eve … we’ve had over 45 firefighters come up positive,” Dwiggins said. Cases are up across the country. There were 73 City of Chandler employees who were out of the office on Wednesday because they tested positive. Those who could were working from home. Dwiggins rides out with crews once a year when he does his station visits, but this was different. He tweeted about his first truck shift in a dozen years, but said the story shouldn’t be about him. “That shift is not about me,” Dwiggins said. “It’s about the professionalism of our firefighters. That’s really what this is about. I just wanted to give them a break, because they have been amazing.” He said he saw firsthand the COVID protocols people like him have put in place and how they are working in the real world. For nearing two years the pandemic has challenged first-responders. They are exposed to the coronavirus daily, and because they are considered essential health care workers, they face strict quarantine requirements if they test positive. The chief said many firefighters have had COVID at least once, and some have had it twice. They also risk taking the virus home to their families and must look after them while taking on extra shifts, or staying late to cover for other sick firefighters. “That’s what keeps me up at night,” Dwiggins said. “How do we keep them healthy? Keep their morale up? Through it all they have maintained their profes-

sionalism and have not missed a beat.” That’s why Dwiggins said everyone in the organization may be called on to work an extra shift, including him. A similar problem happened earlier this month in Chandler Unified School District, where there has been a shortage of substitute teachers. Superintendent Frank Narducci and his top executives all showed up for the first day of the new term, ready to fill in if needed. “We stopped in at our high-risk schools to see if there was any help needed,” Narducci told the Governing Board Jan. 12. The district used social media to appeal to parents, putting out a call for parents to apply for sub positions and increasing the daily pay from $115 to $145. It worked. “I want to thank our community, because they have turned in over 10 applications to ESI [Educational Services Inc.], who works with the hiring of our substitute teachers,” Narducci said. “When we were at 43, Dr. [Wendy] Nance was told by ESI, that that was the most applications they ever got for one school district. When we hit 100, they said, ‘What are you guys doing out there?’” Nance, the assistant superintendent in charge of human resources, said the shortage was severe, but that CUSD still had it better than other districts in the area. “Since we came back from winter break we’re probably averaging about 10 percent,” Nance said. That means about 500 to 550 teachers out. The high came on Jan. 10 with about 600 out. Nance says they typically are able to fill about 92 percent of that with substitute teachers. However, with the current spread of COVID-19 that number dropped to the low 80s. “But we were still higher than our neighbors,” Nance said. “We just divide and conquer: if there’s any school that was hit particularly hard, our departments are willing to go in and assist them.” Katie Nash, who is president of the Chandler Education Association, said part of the problem is some substitute

teachers don’t feel safe stepping into a classroom during a pandemic. “We have a number of substitutes who don’t want to come in because the case counts are too high,” she said. “What are we going to do when we have so many staff out?” The people who recently filled out an application to substitute teach will have to submit their fingerprints and go through a background check before they can start working. It’s not that easy, of course, to fill in for a firefighter who calls in sick. Dwiggins recently told City Council that he expects the current wave caused by the omicron variant to peak soon, and then decline fast. “Now, what you’re seeing is what they’re calling an ice pick,” Dwiggins said. “And that is a humongous raise, with that said, it also means that it’s going to come down very quickly.” He said the countries that saw the Omicron variant first are already seeing the number of cases drop. He said the variant does not appear to be as severe as others, and that most vaccinated people are not being hospitalized. He said they call a rise in the number of cases and a fall in the number of deaths “decoupling,” and if that should happen, it would be a sign the end of the pandemic is near. Dwiggins did give some hope for everyone who is tired of living through a pandemic. “The chief medical officer of Banner talked yesterday on the news and said 2022 we’re going to hit an endemic, where we go from this response, reactionary mode to how do we live with it moving forward.” Dwiggins said until the health crisis is over, he expects his firefighters will continue to shine. “The selflessness of our firefighters to ensure that the City of Chandler has the highest level of experience has been something,” he said. “They have answered the bell every single time, and it’s been tough.”

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

Left: Julia’s mother, Wendy Mitchell, explained that the community and Van’s Chevrolet bought her the Volkswagen Beetle for her 16th birthday. (David Minton/Staff Photographer) Right: Julia Mitchell checks out her surprise present on her 16th birthday during a birthday parade outside her Chandler home. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

CANCER

from page 1

Jan. 20 to help the high school sophomore celebrate her 16th birthday. Julia’s family planned a drive-by parade in front of their house. They set up a big easy chair for Julia to sit in and made sure she had a blanket to stay warm. Julia attended Basha High School last year, but switched to Chandler Online Academy after being diagnosed in August. She has since taken a break from her studies to focus on her health. Hundreds of cars drove past, with many of their drivers shouting happy birthday. The parade included Chandler Fire and Police vehicles, a Lamborghini, classic Mustangs, Corvettes and even the more common Hyundais and Hondas seen every day on the road. The line was long and just kept com-

ing. One family member guessed there had to be more than 400 vehicles. “We are so thankful for everybody’s support, and prayers and encouragement to get through this,” mom Wendy Mitchell said. “I don’t think people can do this on their own. It’s too much.” The idea was suggested in a Facebook group called Julia’s Journey. That’s where many of the people learned of it. One car stood out from the rest – a light blue Volkswagen Beatle. What made it special is that it was the car the community bought it for Julia as a birthday present. “I was not expecting that at all,” Julia said. “I thought there’d be, like, 10, 20 cars driving by and saying ‘happy birthday.’ Sandra Row donated $5,000 toward the new car. Others in the community chipped in an additional $1,800, Wendy

said. Van’s Chevrolet then contributed the rest so Julia had her own car. Julia doesn’t have her license yet, so she can’t drive it for a while. She plans to get her license once she can walk again after recovering from hip surgery. In her videos, she’s honest about the process she is going through. She talks of her anxiety attacks, having to cut her hair, the bags under her eyes and the crying she’s done. Julia starts off her second video warning viewers if they don’t like to hearing about vomit, they should stop watching. She describes undergoing six rounds of chemo as part of her treatment before she had surgery last month. She said she started doing the videos to raise awareness among people her age, saying that she had never heard of chemo before she was diagnosed.

LAPTOP

from page 1

tech and program support. “Students are the big winners with this partnership,” said CUSD Superintendent Frank Narducci. “Learning doesn’t stop when final bell rings at the end of the day. Providing laptops and connectivity will go a long way to help us bridge the digital divide.” Students couldn’t agree more. Fellow sophomore Abigail Hernandez said those new laptops will get a workout. “Like, every day,” she said when asked how often she will use her computer. “I like to check my papers off online, so it will just make everything easier.” Josh Newman, Intel’s vice president of mobile innovation, said Intel has been trying to improve the access students have to computers for decades. “We kind of weren’t having the resonance that we needed to have in terms of changing learning outcomes,” Newman said. “So two years ago we kind of switched our focus … from access to learning outcomes.” School officials said it became obvious during the early days of the pandemic –when students were learning from home – that access to the Internet varied. Even families that had a good WiFi signal had trouble with mom and dad working from home and their brothers and sisters also trying to log in to do their school work.

Chandler High students gathered last Wednesday to get their laptops that Chandler Unified is providing through a program that includes tech support contributed by Dell and Intel. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

And some students just did not have any access to the Internet. As part of this pilot program, a limited number of laptops are equipped with LTE to give the student access even if there is no WiFi signal. The district planned to hand out 200 of them and have another 100 in reserve when officials find a need. In all, school officials are handing our more than 3,600 laptops to their students and teachers. Each laptop is etched with the school district’s logo. Parents can pay $25 to protect themselves if the computer is damaged while assigned to the student. Nearly 400 of the laptops have more processing power. Those were given to students who do more work with videos, photos or graphics. “I’m really excited to just have the

one-to-one program, for every student to be on the same page.” said senior Malasia Hardy. “So there’s no, like, ‘Oh well, I can’t afford a laptop, but they can, so I’m struggling with my work more than this person.’” The CUSD Governing Board voted in October to spend $2.95 million to purchase the laptops. Intel’s Newman said he’s already heard from other districts and state officials wondering how soon they can expand the program so more students can take advantage of it. He said they are in phase one of the pilot program now with the handing out of the machines. Newman said they expect phase two to start this summer, which will be Intel and Dell defining the software and services they can add to

Julia said she had a hard time dealing with the diagnosis over the summer. “I was in disbelief for a very long time,” she said. “It’s still kind of hard to cope with.” She said she’s heard from many other young people who are going through the same experience and that motivates her. Julia says in one video that if she can help just one person better understand what they’re about to go through, it would be worth it. “I feel like not many people know about this – or not enough, at least,” Julia said. “I’m really proud of her,” mom Wendy said. “I know she’s strong. She started doing the videos to raise awareness, it really blows my mind. I’m so thankful to be her mom.”

the laptops before they are handing out again in the fall. “At that point we hope … to create a blueprint that we can take to other districts and other states and say this is how we can change and transform education.” One Chandler High teacher says this program should help. “Literally, a world of difference, a world of difference,” said physics teacher Chaylee Chan. “We have so many students who have so much drive for their education, and know that education is going to be their biggest tool to the life they want to have and to create generational change within their families, but they don’t have access to this technology on their own.” Dean of Students Renee Clancy said the students will help take care of the laptops. They’ve created a room called “The Hub” in the school’s library. The plan is for it to develop a certified class where students will be able to address many of the tech issues their peers may encounter. Chan said she believes they will learn a lot during this pilot program. “The biggest lesson learned, I think, is going to be what do we need to supply beyond the devices,” Chan said. “The devices is a big hurdle to get over. … But it’s really only step one in a very long process.” She said a major step in that process is making sure all the staff know how to take advantage of the new laptops to enhance their lesson plans.

WRECK

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

from page 1

to settle the claim for $12 million for Andy; $6 million for Norma; and $500,000 each for Mia and Liana. Police received a call last July 24 saying someone in a motorhome was trespassing at a vacant downtown rental home. The homeowner told police she feared it might be drug-related. The man inside the RV was later identified as Arnold Serrano and police would learn later the RV was stolen. As they tried to get his attention to talk with them, additional officers arrived and blocked off the back of the house and turned on spotlights. Serrano then retracted the extended awnings and other portions of the motorhome, started the engine and crashed through a gate, forcing officers to take cover. A police lieutenant officer fired several shots, striking the 32-year-old Serrano once. “The unidentified driver proceeded down the sidewalk thereby striking a parked pick-up truck and entered the street and struck a parked tow truck before he was able to completely get into a traffic lane and exit the neighborhood,” the claim states. The pursuit began, with officers reporting it reached speeds approaching 100 miles per hour. Serrano allegedly ran two red lights

Left: Arnold Serrano, shown here in a mug shot that was paperclipped to a file, faces trial on more than a dozen charges stemming from the motorhome chase in Chandler. He was hit by one of several bullets fired at the fleeing motorhokme by a Chandler officer. Right: Award-winnomg Chanler 15 TV news reporter Andy Ramirez has filed a claim against te City of Chandler for $19 million. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

with police chasing him. After the second signal, collided with the Ramirezes’ car and others at the intersection of Dobson and Frye, according to the claim. Six cars were involved and about six people were injured, three seriously, the claim states. The claim alleges that police “aggressively attempted to pursue the motorhome at reported speeds approaching one hundred (100) miles per hour, despite posing a threat to public safety

and despite the fact that Chandler PD had no information suggesting the unidentified driver posed any immediate threat or harm to public safety,” which “led directly to the erratic, panicked, aggressive driving that caused the otherwise avoidable injuries.” The claim also contends that the city is responsible because an officer’s action was the source or cause of the suspect’s reckless and hazardous driving. It also says officers failed to utilize reasonable care and conduct when

trying to take Serrano into custody. “The injuries and damages suffered by Claimants, as well as their related medical expenses, were caused in whole or in part by the actions and/or omissions of the City of Chandler and/ or CPD and their agents, employees and assigns involved in the motor vehicle pursuit that led to the motor vehicle collision between Claimants and Arnold Se1rnno on July 24, 2021,” the claim states, contending that the pursuit was unjustified. It says officers decided to engage in a high-speed pursuit without having any information that would form a reasonable belief that he posed an immediate threat to the public. And it says the behavior of Chandler police officers that night was a direct violation of department procedures and responsible for the crash that injured the Ramirez family. The claim also alleges police used excessive force by shooting at the suspect and that the city’s failure to properly train the officers ultimately is to blame for the crash. Maricopa County attorneys filed 18 counts of charges against Serrano, ranging from aggravated assault involving a deadly weapon to narcotic drug possession and use. No Chandler police officers were injured in the encounter. Serrano’s case is scheduled to go to trial in Superior Court April 7.

EV rep leads charge to curb racism teaching BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

A House panel voted 6-4 Tuesday along party lines on a Mesa legislator’s bill that would make teaching about racism illegal if it is done in certain ways. Rep. Michelle Udall, R-Mesa, said her proposal is not an effort to block students from being told about the history of racism in this country, whether it be slavery or how Native Americans were forced from their homes. “It simply means that judging others by their race, ethnicity or sex is unacceptable,’’ she told members of the House Education Committee which she chairs. “It will not be tolerated in our schools in any way, shape or form, even if it is introduced to combat racism,’’ Udall continued. “We cannot combat racism with more racism.’’ Udall cited some real-world examples of what she is trying to prevent, like a seventh grade English class in Chandler reading an essay entitled “Black Men in Public Places.’’ That dealt with a 6-foot 2-inch Black man walking at night in a military style jacket with his hands in his pockets. “A woman out walking was frightened and sought to put distance between them,’’ Udall said. “The essay fully attributes her fear to his skin color rather than considering a woman walking alone at night might be afraid of anyone of that size.’’ But the wording of the measure drew questions about exactly what teachers could and could not say about the lega-

cy of racism and what could result in the loss of their teaching certificates. As crafted, HB 2112 would make it illegal for schools to teach that one race, ethnic group or sex is “inherently morally or intellectually superior to another race, ethic group or sex.’’ Also illegal would be teaching that someone, by virtue of the race, ethnicity or sex is “inherently racist, sexist or oppressive, whether consciously or unconsciously.’’ And it would ban any instruction that someone’s individual moral character is determined by that person’s race, ethnicity or sex. But the potentially more problematic language goes to whether teaching about the history of racism in this country would cross a line that forbids teaching that individuals, based on race, ethnicity or sex, should “feel discomfort, guilt, anguish or any other form of psychological distress because of that race, ethnicity or sex.’’ And there is similar language saying that students cannot be taught that, based on race, ethnicity or sex, bear responsibility for actions committed by others from the same group. Teachers who violate the law could have their teaching certificate suspended or revoked. And school districts would face $5,000 fines for each violation. Rep. Jennifer Pawlik, D-Chandler, a primary school teacher, said she worries what will happen if a history lesson happens to make a student uncomfortable. “That wasn’t my intent,’’ she said. “But if somebody has a feeling like, ‘Oh my goodness, I didn’t know it happens,’

it makes a first grader sad, will the teacher lose their teaching credentials, will the school be fined?’’ Udall, however, said it comes down to intent. “If you read it closely, it says that a teacher should not be teaching that an individual should feel discomfort, feel anguish or other form of psychological distress because of the individual’s race, ethnicity or sex,’’ she said. More to the point, Udall said, teachers should teach that students are responsible for their own actions, “not for what happened in history.’’ Rep. Reginald Bolding, D-Laveen, said it isn’t that simple. For example, he said, there might be a discussion of the Fair Housing Act, the 1968 federal law designed to prevent discrimination in the ability of people to be able to buy and rent homes and apartments, something that can be taught as a matter of history. But Bolding said lessons go beyond those bare facts. “A student might ask, ‘Why?’ or ‘How?’ ‘’ he said. “And that’s when you start to have deeper discussion of why did you need a Fair Housing Act of 1968.’’ Ditto, Bolding said, of what happens when children seek to know about the treatment of Native Americans. “ Udall, however, insisted that nothing in her measure would interfere with that. “You can’t say, for example, that Blacks weren’t allowed housing and say, ‘All white people are this or that.’ ‘’ Udall continued. “It is the difference between talking about the actions ver-

sus talking about them as a whole race.’’ Rep. Judy Schwiebert, D-Phoenix, said the lines are not as clear as Udall and her legislation make them out to be. Consider, she said, the story of Ruby Bridges who was the first African-American child to desegregate an all-white elementary school in Louisiana in 1960 “The book depicts a lot of white people screaming and yelling at her and being mean to her,’’ Schwiebert said. “A whole group of people want to say that shouldn’t be taught in classrooms.’’ But Rep. John Fillmore, R-Apache Junction said there’s a larger issue that is being lost while lawmakers debate exactly how certain history can be taught. “We’ve lost all semblance of intellect and reality when we’re teaching our kids about social issues and things of that nature and not the things that are going to make them a value to the state of Arizona and the workforce,’’ he said. In fact, Fillmore said he doesn’t think the bill goes far enough. He said that there should be mandatory penalties against teachers who violate the law, not some punishment left up to the state Board of Education. And Fillmore sniffed at the $5,000 fines for school districts “is not even a nickel, it’s a penny in comparison to their budgets.’’ And he even took a bit of a slap at Udall, who is running for state school superintendent. “This is nothing more than a get-elected bill under someone’s name for any office that they might be running,’’ Fillmore said. “And it really doesn’t accomplish anything.’’

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

State reaping big bucks in taxes from pot sales BY SARA EDWARDS Cronkite News

Walking into a marijuana dispensary today, it’s hard to tell that it’s only been a year since the use of recreational marijuana was legalized in Arizona. Dispensaries that already were selling medical marijuana, which began in 2012, had to scramble to transition their stores to sell to both recreational and medical customers. Sol Flower, which has five dispensaries in metro Phoenix, was prepared for the grand shift, according to Allie Marconi, senior director of marketing for parent company Copperstate Farms. “We were prepared from the get-go and were one of the first few dispensaries to start seeing recreational shoppers,” Marconi said. “We spent the majority of last January preparing a lot of our assets and marketing communications to accommodate this shift.” The Arizona Department of Revenue reported that more than $196 million was collected in taxes from combined marijuana sales in 2021 – not including final December figures – with 22% of that total coming from recreational adult use. The department also estimated $528 million in taxable recreational sales. In addition to feeding dollars to the state, the cannabis industry employs 25,000 people and is growing quickly, according to the Arizona Dispensaries Association. Matt Pinchera, president of the Arizona cannabis company Hana, said the

Deontay Ware, left, and Jai Washington prepare to open for the day at Sunday Goods in Tempe. Ware and Washington are "budtenders" who help customers place orders. (Hope O’Brien/Cronkite News)

company’s two dispensaries have seen many customers new to marijuana over the past year. He noticed that recreational customers gravitate to products that are more discreet and convenient, such as edibles or vape cartridges, than marijuana flower buds. According to the Arizona Marijuana Tax Handbook, medical marijuana patients are required to pay a 5.6% sales tax, whereas recreational users pay that 5.6% sales tax and an additional 16% excise tax. The excise tax revenue is shared by community colleges, public safety, public health programs and infrastructure.

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John Haugh, the CEO of Sunday Goods, which has multiple dispensaries in the Phoenix area, has noticed that medical marijuana customers spend more money than recreational users, which tracks with the statewide trend. The Department of Revenue estimated medical sales totaled more than $700 million in 2021, compared to more than $500 million in recreational sales. About 300,000 Arizonans hold medical marijuana cards, according to the Marijuana Policy Project. Sam Richard, executive director of the Arizona Dispensaries Association, said state officials overall are permissive

and flexible when it comes to regulations on marijuana, acting more as a partner in compliance rather than an enforcement agency. “That subtle mind shift is really helping in a moment where we’re all kind of figuring everything out together,” Richard said, adding that although cannabis remains illegal at the federal level, several protections are in place to protect licensed operators working in a regulated ecosystem. The association focuses on advancing legislation and regulation of the marijuana industry to protect and expose people to marijuana, or as Richard puts it, “introduce people to the Grand Cannabis State.” But the group wants to see more trust and support from policymakers. “The public trusts us to a large extent,” Richard said. “We have 25,000 employees that are actively working in the cannabis space right now in Arizona, and one of the fastest-growing industries.” Haugh said Sunday Goods wants to make the marijuana buying process less scary for new and returning customers. For example, the recently opened Tempe location includes a drive-thru window. In-store, customers can ask trained staff members about specific strains and other concerns, and browse product packaging. “We’ve really tried in our dispensaries to make you feel comfortable walking in and asking questions,” Haugh said. “And we want you to walk out with a smile and with confidence that you’re going to have the shopping experience you’re looking for.”

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

State of the City

Mayor Kevin Hartke and the Chandler City Council invite you to a free community concert and the annual State of the City Address. Join us as we celebrate Chandler Changemakers, budding youth artists and the success of our innovative City. Come enjoy complimentary food and beverages from local Chandler businesses prior to the Mayor’s address.

Thursday, Feb. 17 Chandler Center for the Arts | 250 N. Arizona Ave. Doors open: 5:30 p.m. | Mayoral address: 6:30 p.m.

Concert featuring chandleraz.gov/stateofthecity *RSVPs not required, but appreciated.

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NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

AROUND CHANDLER Mayor's State of City address to include concert, art contest

Mayor Kevin Hartke will deliver his annual State of the City in an event starting at 5:30 p.m. Feb. 17, at the Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave. After Hartke’s address, a free concert from 7-7:45 p.m. will feature multi-instrumentalist, singer & composer Quetzal Guerrero, also known as QVLN (Q-Violin). Attendees will enjoy a sampling of local food and beverages from Chan-dler restaurants prior to the speech. The address will kick off the Mayor’s Chandler Changemakers initiative that aims to highlight Chandler young people who are making a difference in their community. Nominations can be sent to isabella.neal@chandleraz.gov. A new component to the State of the City is a youth art contest, which local students can enter to win a $500 scholarship. The theme is “What does Chandler look like through your eyes?” and there will be three winners per age group (ages 6-9, ages 10-13, and ages 1418). First place winners will receive $500, second place winners will receive $250, and third place winners will receive $100. To enter, students must live in Chandler and be between 6-18. Participants also must have a parent/legal guardian who is over 18 to provide parental consent to enter the contest. Entries must be submitted online at chan-dleraz.gov/ThroughYourEyes, or dropped off with the front desk receptionist at Chandler City Hall, 175 S. Arizona Ave.,

from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday. The deadline to enter is 5 p.m. Feb. 4. Entries will be judged based upon the following criteria: creativity and orig-inality; quality and execution; adherence to the Theme; and overall impression. Complete criteria guidelines and accepted art formats are available online at chan-dleraz.gov/ThroughYourEyes. The public will vote on the entries during an online voting period between Feb. 8-15 at chandleraz.gov/ThroughYourEyes). All submitted entries will be on display in the lobby of the CCA, and the nine winners will be announced during the event. For questions regarding the art contest, contact Isabella Neal at 480782-2242 or isabella.neal@chandleraz.gov. The speech will be available on demand at chandleraz.gov/StateoftheCity shortly afterwards. The event is free and open to the public. RSVPs are preferred, but not required. Attendees may RSVP online at chandleraz.gov/StateoftheCity.

Chandler Sports Hall of Fame clates induction ceremony

At 11 a.m. Feb. 19 at Hamilton High School Auditorium, the accomplishments of seven athletes, coaches, and athletic administrators will be celebrated at the Chandler Sports Hall of Fame induction ceremony and luncheon. Inductees include: Dr. Camille Casteel, former Chandler Unified School District superintendent, tennis coach Phil Gonzales, basketball coach Greg Haagsma, football players Cole

Luke and N’Keal Harry, basketball player Markus Howard, and softball player Sierra Rodriguez. Tickets are $15. Lunch to follow. Tickets: eventbrite.com/e/chandler-sports-hallof-fame-induction-ceremony-and-luncheon-tickets-250307154437

Sun Lakes Republicans offering speakers, candidates Feb. 9

The Sun Lakes Republican Club will feature “Empowering Women and Protecting Life” with guest speakers Center for Arizona Policy President Cathi Herrod and Ashley Trussell of Arizona Life Coalition, at its monthly meeting at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 9 p.m. in the Navajo Room of the Sun Lakes Country Club, 25601 S. Sun Lakes Blvd. The public is invited to hear them as well as state Sen. J.D. Mesnard recent oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. Mesnard also will give us his perspective on the protection of “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness” and balancing the dual concerns of liberty and safety. Also on hand will be Arizona Secretary of State candidate Senator Michelle Ugenti-Rita and Arizona Corporation Commission candidates Nick Myers and Kevin Thompson. Information: slgop.org or contact Mike Tennant, 262-880-4620.

Olsson’s Adam Larsen earns engineering certification

at Olsson’s Chandler location, recently passed the standardized required exams and earned his professional engineer certification. To earn professional engineer certification, an individual must complete four years of professional experience under a licensed mentor and pass an exam. Larsen is a member of Olsson’s Arizona Water and Transportation team and specializes in bridge design and helps with structural and roadway projects, both designing and using computer-aided design. He earned a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Arizona State University. Olsson is a nationally recognized engineering firm offering design and consulting services in planning and design, engineering, field services, environmental and technology.

City slates hearings for utility, recycling rate hikes

The City of Chandler is considering increases for a slew of utility and other services, including water, wastewater, reclaimed water, and solid waste utilities, as well as policy changes for the Recycling Solid Waste Collection Center, bulk collection and for solid waste customers who receive alley collection service instead of curbside service. Public meetings have been scheduled to gather input in the Council Chambers, 88 E. Chicago St., at the See

Adam Larson, an associate engineer

AROUND on page 16

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

Chickens may come home to roost in Chandler BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

It appears chickens will be coming to roost at Chandler single-family homes this year. During a study session Jan. 13, Chandler City Council took its first look at the issue and most members indicated they would support changing ordinances to allow up to five chickens at a residential home. Only Councilmember Matt Orlando showed hesitation, saying he wanted to look at more data to ensure it would not become a problem for neighbors. “I’m neither for or against this,” Orlando said. “I don’t want to create a problem. There are bad actors out there, too. We see it in our code enforcement all the time, we see it in our police force all the time. So how do we protect those neighbors that have a bad actor living next door? That’s all I’m suggesting.” Under current law, chickens are allowed on lots with at least 33,000 square feet. If the Council changes the ordinance, most of Chandler would still not be able to house chickens in their backyards because 71.5% of the city is covered by homeowners associations and most of them have rules against it. So, any change would mostly impact residents who do not belong to a HOA. Chandler and Avondale are among the few Valley cities that do not allow backyard chickens. Gilbert, Queen Creek, Mesa, Tempe, Scottsdale, Phoenix and Maricopa County all allow at

Shannon Ellingson stands next to her empty chicken coop with her son Zane and daughter Afton. (David Minton/ Staff Photographer)

least five chickens on single-family lots. Councilmember OD Harris said he saw little difference between owning chickens and owning dogs or cats. “I agree with Councilmember Harris, chickens are pets,” said Councilman Mark Stewart. “They’re not as smelly as dogs. I mean, dogs are pretty bad, especially with neighbors who don’t pick up their backyards. And you can have 90 of them if you wanted. So, let’s choose the side of freedom on this one.” Based on the direction from Council, city staff will begin work on proposing changes to city ordinances. The earliest the change could be adopted would be

this summer. Here’s what they are looking to do: • Allow chickens on all single-family lots (HOAs could still ban them). • Allow a maximum of five hens, no roosters. • Chickens must be contained by enclosure; no trespassing upon other properties or street. • Any chicken coop exceeding 120 square feet, or nine feet in height would require a building code. • Any coop connected to utilities (water or electricity) would require a permit. • Change any violations from a misdemeanor to civil citation.

• Repeal requirement of written consent by neighbors living within 200 feet of the animals. Staff suggested allowing police to respond to noise complaints about loud chickens. However, the councilmembers were against the idea. They made it clear they wanted code enforcement to handle any issues and let the police focus on stopping crime. City staff plans to research and propose actual changes to ordinances as the next step. It will post them for public comment in newspapers and on the city’s website this spring. Once that step is complete, it would go to the planning and zoning this summer. If it advances from there, Council could take it up soon after. News of City Council’s change of heart was greeted by Shannon Ellingson, who with her husband spent about $3,000 building a chicken coop and then buying eight hens. City inspectors saw her chickens and told her she’d have to get rid of them, which she did. The couple’s initial investment came in the very early days of the pandemic as many people panicked and there were runs at the grocery store, making basic goods like toilet paper impossible to find. Grocery stores responded by limiting how many of some high-demand items people could buy. One of those was a limit of a dozen eggs per customer. That’s when she and her husband deSee

CHICKENS on page 16

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CHICKENS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

from page 14

cided to get their own egg supply, figuring that if they built a coop in their backyard and filled it with a half dozen chickens, then they wouldn’t have to worry about eggs being rationed at grocery stores. So, they built a coop and bought eight chickens that ended up producing about five to six eggs a day. Her husband supplied the labor. Everything worked out perfectly. Ellingson got a notice in the mail telling her chickens are not allowed in residential areas in the city. “Chandler has what they call a permissive code and because under our zoning it doesn’t specifically say that you can have poultry or farm animals or anything because we’re not in an agricultural zone … if it doesn’t specifically say you can, then you can’t,” she said.

AROUND

from page 12

tomorrow, Jan. 31 at 5:30 p.m., for home and apartment customers, Feb. 3 at 5:30 p.m. for residential alley customers and Feb. 8 at 5:30 p.m. for non-residential customers. Comments also can be filed at chandleraz.gov/ProposedUtilityRates, where additional information has been posted.

Chandler Railway Museum plans special Railway Day event

Train lovers, history buffs and people of all ages are invited to climb aboard

Shannon Ellingson and her husband spent $3,000 to build the coop and buy chickens, only to be told by a city inspector that keeping chickens in the backyard was not allowed. (David Minton/Arizonan Staff Photographer)

and explore the glory days of local and long-distance travel on America’s railways during Arizona Railway Day in Chandler 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Feb. 26 at the Arizona Railway Museum, 330 E. Ryan Road. The free public event is hosted each year by volunteers of the museum, located in the southwest corner of Chandler’s Tumbleweed Park. Arizona Railway Day will include displays of artifacts and memorabilia, tours of vintage railcars and a large sale of railroad books, magazines, and timetables. Food and beverages will be available for purchase. The museum’s diesel locomotive will

be open, affording visitors the opportunity to blow the horn and Chandler’s historic #2562 steam locomotive also will be on display. Information: azry-museum.org or call 480-821-1108.

Chinese New Year celebration at Hamilton High next Saturday

To celebrate the Chinese New Year (the Year of the Tiger), the Arizona Art Academy presents the 2022 Chinese New Year Show (Spring Festival Gala) at 7 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 5, at Hamilton High School Auditorium, 3700 S. Arizona Ave. Arizona Art Academy has produced and hosted the Chinese New Year Show

Ellingson said it’s not a cost-saving move because it costs about the same to feed and house the chickens as it did to buy eggs at the store. Ellingson said she sold her eight chickens and her coop is empty. Her neighbors continued to support her owning chickens, she said. They would even help corral them when one would escape the back yard, which happened a couple of times before they clipped their wings. After attending the Jan. 13 meeting, Ellingson said, “I was encouraged by the support that was there, but half of the council is still undecided.” She thought the limit of five hens seemed fair. “I can understand that, even though personally I think we can manage more than that. We could use more, but if it simplifies things, and helps get it passed, then that’s fine.” for last 10 years and it’s been dubbed the grandest celebration of Chinese New Year in Arizona. It will feature a fashion show, concert, opera and dance performances. Tinne Xie, with the Arizona Art Academy, said, “All the frontline workers would be our honored guests and admission for them is free." General admission tickets are $15 and VIP tickets are available for $20. Tickets may be purchased online: chandleraz. gov/diversity-events/chinese-new-yearshow-our-heroes. The event is sponsored by the city Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Division.demy@gmail.com. SCAN FOR

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

Panel defeats partisan school board races bill BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

State senators on Tuesday quashed legislation designed to ensure that parents and others can protest outside school board meetings without fear of arrest. SB 1010 was killed on a 4-4 vote as Sen. Tyler Pace, R-Mesa, sided with the three Democrats on the Senate Education Committee who were opposed to the measure. But what apparently killed the legislation was not so much the questions about protest rights but a bid by its sponsor, Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, R-Scottsdale, to also convert all future school board races to partisan affairs. She said that is designed to address a problem with the current system. “I’m not sure that parents know exactly what these school board members believe, what they think,’’ she said. And Ugenti-Rita said candidates having an “R,” “D” or whatever behind their names will make a difference. “Having to identify yourself with your party helps communicate to a potential voter where you stand,’’ she said. “And that voter can ask questions.’’ Pace, who has on occasion balked at toeing the party line, said that is based on the faulty assumption that those who are registered Republican, as he is,

will all vote the same. Tuesday’s vote, however, may not be the end of the issue of protecting protest rights. Sen. Christine Marsh, D-Phoenix, said she recognizes that parents and others have been abused by school boards who want to keep protesters far away. “I, too, have been relegated to street corners,’’ she said. And Marsh indicated that she would support a resurrected version of the measure – one without changing how school board elections are conducted. Ugenti-Rita wants an exemption from state laws that make it a crime to interfere with operation of an educational institution if people are engaged in “peaceful protesting after school hours.’’ It also spells out that those who want to protest do not have to first obtain a permit or any other permission from the local school board. The vote by the Senate Education Committee comes amid heightened tensions both in Arizona and nationally as school boards debate controversial issues ranging from masking and remote learning to teaching of what some refer to as “critical race theory.’’ That has at times resulted in protests by parents unhappy with the decisions being made by board members. Ugenti-Rita said there have been situations where school boards call police

to have protesters removed from the campus. A Phoenix man was arrested last summer after becoming unruly during a Chandler Unified Governing Board meeting. “So we were not allowed to protest on the property,’’ she told colleagues. And that, Ugenti-Rita said, undermines the reason for turning out in the first place. “The whole point is that they see you, we make some eye contact, they read the sign that I made with my daughter, which is why my whole kitchen is full of glitter,’’ she said. “I want you to know that I’m there, I want you to see me, I want you to see the numbers.’’ And the issue, said Ugenti-Rita, is not academic. “I’ve experienced it,’’ she said. “They call the cops,’’ Ugenti-Rita continued. And the whole ability of school boards to kick protesters off of property “gets weaponized and gets used as a tool.’’ Other lawmakers said it’s not that simple, what with issues of liability to the district if something happens on school property. Marsh suggested that one option would be to require those who want to protest on campus to get a permit and get insurance, just like anyone else who wants to have an event on school property. But Ugenti-Rita said protests

often happen on short notice, such as after parents see a particular item on a school board agenda and then reach out to others to express their opposition. “The whole point of spontaneous protest is it’s spontaneous,’’ said Sen. Paul Boyer, R-Glendale. Marsh, for her part, remained unconvinced. And at least part of that is based on what is considered “peaceful’’ and automatically allowed. As crafted, SB 1010 says a protest is peaceful if it does “not pose an obvious threat to persons,’’ does not damage property, and does not interfere with or disrupt activities on school property where a school board or other meeting is taking place. “Who defines ‘peaceful’?’’ Marsh asked. Ugenti-Rita conceded that there is no good hard-and-fast line. “You kind of know it when you see it,’’ she responded. The real heartburn for some lawmakers was over partisan elections. “ ‘Partisanship’ shouldn’t be a dirty word,’’ Ugenti-Rita said. But Sen. T.J. Shope, R-Phoenix, pointed to the 12 years he served on the Coolidge school board. He said had elections been partisan affairs it is unlikely that the community, with its Democratic edge, would ever have supported him.

Lawmakers would allow first responder flags in HOAs

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Calling it a matter of free expression, a House panel voted last week to give residents of homeowner associations and condos the right to fly flags supporting first responders. But don’t even think about hoisting a “gay pride’’ flag – or any other flag that could be considered a matter of personal beliefs. That right would not be guaranteed under HB 2010. The measure approved by the Committee on Government and Elections expands on existing statutes about how far homeowner associations can go in restricting what can occur within their communities.

Current law bars restrictions against the U.S. and state flags. Also permitted are flags of any branch of the military, the white-on-black flag for POW and MIA, and the flag of any Arizona Indian nation. And in 2011 the Republican-controlled legislature added the Gadsden flag, That’s the black-on-yellow flag with a picture of a rattlesnake and the logo “Don’t Tread on Me.’’ Backers said it recognizes that this was one of the earliest flags used by colonists in the rebellion against the British. That came over the objection of others who pointed out it had become the symbol of the Tea Party movement which opposed excessive taxation and government intervention in the private sector but supported stronger immigra-

tion controls. “Any expression of support for these first responders – who put their life on the line every day, for all of us – we should have the right to, in fact, honor them in any way we want,’’ Dennis Legere representing the Arizona Homeowner Coalition, told lawmakers in support of HB 2010. But Legere, who said about 3.5 million Arizonans live in communities with HOAs and the restrictions they impose, said that, as far as he is concerned, the proposal by Rep. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, may not go far enough. “Fundamentally, my position on all of these issues is that (ITALICS) any (ROMAN) flag is an expression of free speech,’’ he said. “And HOAs and

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condominiums should not ever have the right to restrict or infringe on your fundamental right to free speech.’’ Legere said the only time restrictions would be appropriate is if a banner contained profanity, promoted discrimination or is offensive. He told lawmakers he had never heard of a problem specifically related to a resident being denied the right to fly the flag of first responders. Kavanagh’s measure is restricted to honoring law enforcement, fire departments and paramedics. And he said it is crafted in a way to keep the flags from being political, even to the point of restricting the words that can be on the banners, the symbols allowed and even the colors used.

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The amount of treatment needed to allow the nerves to fully recover varies from person to person and can only be determined after a detailed neurological and vascular evaluation. As long as you have not sustained at least 95% nerve damage there is hope! Aspen Medical will do a chronic pain and neuropathy severity examination to determine the extent of the nerve damage as a public service to you and/or your family and friends. This neuropathy/pain severity examination will consist of a detailed sensory evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, and a detailed analysis of the findings of your neuropathy.

1) Increase blood flow 2) Stimulate and increase small fiber nerves

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As you can see in Figure 2, as the blood vessels that surround the nerves become diseased they shrivel up which causes the nerves to not get the nutrients to continue to survive. When these nerves begin to “die” they cause you to have balance problems, pain, numbness, tingling, burning, and many additional symptoms. The main problem is that your doctor has told you to just live with the problem or try the drugs which you don’t like taking because they make you feel uncomfortable. There is now a facility right here in Mesa that offers you hope without taking those endless drugs with serious side effects. (See the special neuropathy severity examination at the end of this article)

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Aspen Medical will be offering this chronic pain and neuropathy severity examination from now until February 28, 2022. Call 480-274-3157 to make an appointment to determine if your chronic pain and peripheral neuropathy can be successfully treated. Due to our very busy office schedule, we are limiting this FREE consultation offer to the first 15 callers. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER ANOTHER MINUTE, CALL Call 480-274-3157 … NOW! We are extremely busy and if your call goes to our voicemail, please leave a message and we will get back to you asap.

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NEWS

CITY OF CHANDLER INSIDER

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

City of Chandler’s strategic plan guides priorities in 2022 BY THE CITY OF CHANDLER

At the beginning of a new year, many of us create a list of intentions or resolutions to set the course for the next 12 months. That’s also true at the City of Chandler. Team Chandler has hit the ground running with new projects and campaigns that all fit into the overall strategic plan and areas of focus that have been established by the City Council. In November 2021, Chandler voters overwhelming voted in favor of all five questions in the bond election. This year residents will see the first project funded by the bond election: the rebuilding of Fire Station #2 on Alma School Road. And, that’s just the beginning. From road improvements to arts programming to new technology, here is a preview of what you can expect in the coming months. • E xpect updates and increased access at the Chandler Public Library. Repairs from the damage at Sunset Branch in West Chandler are entering the final stages. This popular neighborhood library branch is expected to re-open early in 2022. And, in the coming months, look for a new option for outdoor programming at Sunset. The Hamilton Branch is undergoing a redesign to create an improved public space for programs. The Chandler Public Library will also soon launch a new website and mobile app that will be more user friendly and provide

Tumbleweed Rec Center will be getting a resurfaced playground and other enhancements in the coming year. (City of Chandler)

Strategic Plan to support both business growth and long-term economic development in Chandler. Recent announcements that will come to fruition in 2022 include a new factory in Chandler for EMD Electronics, two industrial projects in the Airpark Area (Chandler Connection and Chandler Crossroads), and the lease of a new manufacturing facility for Stryker, one of the world’s leading medical technology companies. • I n 2022, Visit Chandler will unveil an immersive experience to its tourism website, VisitChandler.com via

Supporting local businesses like the Stillery in downtown Chandler is important in maintaining the city’s vibrancy. (City of Chanlder)

a greater connection between the library and other City programs. •O ne of Chandler’s most enviable assets is the number of parks. There are more than 60 throughout the City. Look for updates to your favorite parks this year. This includes resurfacing of the playground in Tumbleweed Recreation Center, a remodel of the tennis center locker room and continued improvements to athletic fields. Also look for new adaptive sports such as wheelchair tennis and volleyball, a new veterans event and the Imagination Playground. •T he community can expect more positive news as the City staff works to execute the Economic Development

360-degree virtual tour and photos to promote travel to our community. • L ast year, through a recommendation from the Chandler Human Relations Commission, the City kicked off a Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) assessment for input into Chandler’s future DEI programming. This will help provide a roadmap for future functions of the City’s DEI Division, both within the community and internally for employees. The results from this assessment will be analyzed this year, followed by action items based on the feedback received. •C handler Fire Department and Maricopa Ambulance have initiated a new agreement that will provide one

additional ambulance to the City plus three backup ambulances for surge capacity. The ambulances, staffed with a Maricopa Ambulance EMT and a Chandler Fire Department Paramedic, will help reduce response times for those residents who need medical transportation to any area hospital. In addition, the design concepts for the rebuild of Fire Station 2 began in 2021 and construction is scheduled to begin by summer 2022. The new station will be larger in size, allowing more vehicles and firefighters to be stationed in north Chandler to help better serve residents. • Chandler Police Department will continue to leverage technology to help officers police smarter and more effectively. The public can expect to see police employees embedded throughout the community, working alongside our residents as we work together to keep our community safe. • The Management Services Department will finalize the 2022-23 budget in the coming months, while providing the opportunity for public comment. There will also be a Cost of Service Study with public outreach prior to the implementation of new water, wastewater, reclaimed and solid waste fees. • There will be an election in August 2022. Voters will vote yes or no on Home Rule and also select candidates for three City Council seats and the Mayor. As for Home Rule, a “yes” vote would give the City’s elected officials the authority to determine the City’s annual spending limit based upon revenues. A “no” vote would require the City to stay strictly within the State Expenditure Limitation Program. Look for more information about this election, including candidate forums, as we head into the summer. • Within the Neighborhood Resources Department, the Community Development Division will continue to provide housing stability services through an additional $10 million of Emergency Rental Assistance funds. The Neighborhood Preservation Division will launch a series of classes, focused on traditional neighborhoods, with a

variety of topics designed to encourage engagement. The Housing and Redevelopment Division prides itself on excellent customer service and its commitment to providing low-income housing for the City of Chandler. Within the year, there will be new construction of 167 units of affordable housing at the Trails End site along McQueen Road. Another main goal will be to graduate families from the Family Self Sufficiency program, which is designed to assist current Public Housing and Section 8 participants in achieving economic independence and self-sufficiency through education and job training. • Keeping with the Community of Innovation theme for Chandler, Development Services will initiate the City of Chandler Outside Plan fiber optic network enhancements to improve network reliability and resiliency. There will also be continued evaluation and implementation of appropriate new technologies that improve safety, efficiency and/or reliability of the City’s transportation system. • Art, from public works to performances and exhibitions, are always appreciated by Chandler residents and visitors alike. Chandler Museum will debut a new signature exhibit, “Picturing Home: Dust Bowl Migrants in Chandler.” There will also be a return of the popular “Trivia Night at the Museum” and in-person family and early childhood programs. • Chandler Center for the Arts and the Vision Gallery will continue to expand free and low-cost engagement opportunities for residents. With the return to national touring, the CCA will take advantage of the market opportunities to book artist and entertainment that have local, regional, and national appeal. • There is always something happening in Downtown Chandler and 2022 will bring even more energy, new businesses and additional residences. Multiple multi-family developments are currently under construction or will break ground this year. City See

INSIDER on page 21

NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

INSIDER

from page 20

staff will also complete a Downtown Chandler Pedestrian and Wayfinding Plan, helping visitors navigate the area more easily. Be on the lookout for new public art projects, restaurants and nightlife options, and placemaking enhancements including outdoor furniture, new decorative pots and enhanced lighting.

• The Public Works and Utilities Department will have a continued focus on remediation of aging infrastructure in utility areas and streets. In South Chandler, the Chandler Heights Road widening project will begin construction this year and the Cooper Road improvements will be completed. Find a list of all the City’s social handles on chandleraz.gov/SocialMedia, including the main City pages: @cityofchan-

dler. Topics on social media include fun-filled special events, recreation classes, water conservation tips, updates on City services and feelgood stories that showcase the many people who live and work in our City, and much more. Also, subscribe to the City’s YouTube channel to find content produced by our award-winning video team and previously recorded public meetings. The City of Chandler

website, chandleraz.gov, is also an excellent resource for anyone or lives or works in the City. Check out the News Center for the latest updates. As always, thank you for continuing to support Chandler restaurants, retailers, nonprofits and small businesses. When you “choose Chandler,” your dollars will funnel directly to our community, supporting local jobs and generating tax revenue.

Mesa aims to become totally wired BY GARY NELSON Correspondent

Mesa has unveiled an ambitious plan to bring fiber-optic technology to every address in the city, potentially challenging Chandler’s claim to being one of the nation’s most technologically advanced cities. “We’ve decided that the best way to get the Internet everywhere is through fiber,” Ian Linssen, an assistant to the city manager, told the City Council on Jan. 13. The technology, though more than 50 years old, is still rather amazing: A strand of glass or clear plastic about the size of a human hair, covered in a plastic case, carries data in the form of – and at the speed of – light. Hundreds of fibers can be bundled together for various users. Deploying fiber across the city “gives us a huge amount of new benefits for the foreseeable future,” Linssen said. “Fiber future-proofs Mesa.” His point: Fiber is flexible enough to handle whatever new technologies may emerge in coming decades. The benefits include attracting tech-dependent businesses, more efficient government operations, and greater opportunities for residents to access the Internet, Linssen said. With fiber in every street, there would be no worries about some neighborhoods lacking access to an Internet provider. Further, having fiber available to every home would enable smaller internet service providers to compete with major companies, driving prices down for consumers. Running cable to every address in Mesa would be no piece of cake. The still-growing city has some 264,000 homes and businesses and 2,470 street miles spread across almost 140 square miles. The project would take years, at an untold cost. Because of the scale and expense, the city can’t tackle the project on its own, Linssen said. A public-private partnership now looks like the best bet. Mayor John Giles said other cities, such as Chattanooga, Tennessee, have installed citywide fiber, but they have borne the entire initial expense with public money. “There are other models out there like Chattanooga,” he said, “but it’s this model where the city invests a billion dollars. That is, I think, scary for all of us.” Tennessee public power utility EPB last year reported that new independent research revealed $2.69 billion in community benefits during the first 10 years since it built the country’s first

Gig-speed community-wide network in Chattanooga and used it to establish what EPB said is the nation’s most advanced smart grid power distribution system. Linssen said the best solution for Mesa appears to be what is called open-access fiber. “What that is,” he explained. “is fiber everywhere that allows multiple tenants, multiple service providers to be on that network at the same time. So you don’t just have one internet service provider, you could have unlimited, frankly.” One way to limit the cost would be “micro-trenching,” which produces a hole about 2 inches wide and a foot deep, rather than the large holes required for other forms of infrastructure. “It’s been done in other cities,” City Manager Chris Brady said. “There’s been mixed results. But you look at the cost differential and the time to deliver, it’s significant. It’s materially different.”

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That will help, he said, because when a city looks at a project like this “you get into numbers that start with B’s.” Brady said Mesa won’t let any private cable providers start digging until they demonstrate they have the money to finish. In response to a question from Councilman Kevin Thompson, Brady said Mesa does not intend for its fiber network to become another cityowned utility requiring a large staff and maintenance operations. “We’re willing to let the private sector take that risk on,” Brady said. Mesa already is laying some groundwork, literally, for citywide fiber. City Engineer Beth Huning told the Council that fiber conduit is now a part of every street construction project, but the city hasn’t actually put fiber there. That has worked to the advantage of internet service providers, who are encouraged to use those conduits, and

it prevents them from having to rip up streets to lay their own infrastructure, Huning said. The city gets some return on the investment in the form of leasing fees. Now the city is looking for potential partners for the citywide project. “We need to get the word out, everywhere, that Mesa is interested in this,” Linssen said. A consultant is helping the city craft a nationwide search for qualified providers, and Mesa hopes to have some prospects by early spring. The idea met with favorable council response. “Absolutely, I think this is the way we’ve got to go,” said Councilman David Luna. “Mesa really is on the cutting edge of this,” Giles said. “We talk about what other models can we look to and steal these ideas from other communities. I think we’re the ones that are going to be speaking at the National League of Cities conferences about how we did this.”

NEWS

Multicultural Fest

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

Hundreds of people joined the City of Chandler in its annual Multicultural Festival earlier this month downtown. Among them was 1) Kyle Dunn of Hot Bamboo, who grabbed a tray of steamed buns that look like cartoon characters and 2) 5-year-old Croix Howard and Kelly Howard, who watched Faheem Arshad write their names in Arabic script calligraphy. 3) Brian Webb of Phoenix Lechon Roasters fanned coals while roasting a whole pig and 4) members of the Chandler City Council did their best to keep up while trying some moves with Kriti Bollywood Dance members on stage. 5) The Kriti Bollywood Dance performed as 6) Megan Adney and Sadie Captain wrote their names in other languages on butterfly-shaped paper and 7) hungry guests filled the food vendor area at AJ Chandler Park in Chandler, Arizona Photos by David Minton/Staff Photographer

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

Special Supplement to The SanTan Sun News

HEALTH Winter 2022

WELLNESS

Your Local Guide to Better Living

Volunteering can make you happier, healthier BY JENNIFER GUSTAFSON Guest Writer

We all know that volunteering is a great way to give back to your community. But did you know that volunteering can also protect your mental and physical health? Here’s how: Volunteering can counteract effects of stress. Nothing relieves stress better than developing connections with others. When volunteering, you have the opportunity to interact with and

impact others in a positive, meaningful way, which can benefit all involved. Volunteering promotes happiness. Researchers have discovered that people receive incredible personal fulfillment by helping others. Because humans are social beings by nature, the more we give, the happier we feel. Volunteering provides a sense of purpose. Volunteering can help take your mind off of your worries, keep you mentally stimulated, and offer lots of fun. It’s also a great way find new meaning in your life.

This is applicable to all, but can be especially helpful to empty nesters and retirees. Volunteering helps you stay physically healthy. Studies have shown that volunteers tend to walk more, have reduced risk of heart disease, are less likely to develop high blood pressure, and have better thinking skills. At Neighbors Who Care, our volunteers get great satisfaction from lending a helping hand to homebound seniors in our community who may not have anyone else to help them. Serving the Sun

Lakes/S. Chandler area, volunteers provide such non-medical services as transportation to appointments, shopping/ errands, dinner delivery, minor repairs, respite care, and even friendly visiting. There is no minimum time requirement to volunteer with NWC. You can volunteer as little or as often as you like, and you choose the services that you want to provide. To learn more about volunteering with Neighbors Who Care, contact us at (480) 895-7133 or visit our website at neighborswhocare.com/volunteer.

Clarendale of Chandler sets course for total health BY CLARENDALE OF CHANDLER

Seniors move to retirement communities for lots of different reasons. At Clarendale of Chandler, residents love the way the community helps them set a course for total health and wellness. In fact, Clarendale offers a program uniquely designed to help residents maintain a healthy lifestyle and navigate any medical challenges that lie ahead. “We’re clear-eyed about our focus. From our dedicated management to the residents and staff who live and

work here, it’s not just a one-time new year’s resolution but a tenet of daily living. We’re committed to ensuring overall physical, psychological and social well-being,” says Executive Director Ryan Duve. With Health & Wellness Navigation, Clarendale’s trained wellness Navigation team helps residents anticipate health needs and address them – from day-today nutrition, fitness and life-enriching activities to preparation and follow-up for hospital care if needed. It provides peace of mind for residents and their

families. “Even in the best of times, helping seniors stay involved can be tricky,” says Duve. “But at Clarendale of Chandler, we believe maintaining connections with others and participating in favorite pastimes is critical. So we make it easy.” Clarendale understands quality of life is multi-dimensional, so the focus is on all eight dimensions of wellness: emotional, intellectual, physical, social, environmental, spiritual, vocational and health wellness. Residents have access to a full cal-

endar of activities and events to keep minds and bodies active. From arts, crafts and exercise classes to lectures, movies and happy hours, Clarendale of Chandler finds creative ways to keep everyone safely engaged and connected. To learn more about Clarendale of Chandler, interested seniors and their families may schedule a virtual visit by calling 480-571-2407. The community offers independent living, assisted living and memory care under one roof. Information: ClarendaleOfChandler.com.

NuSpine has the client in mind with quality care SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

About 10% of the US population utilizes chiropractic care. NuSpine was founded in 2013 in Lincoln, Nebraska with a goal of providing care to the other 90%. Local surveying, paired with commonly known facts from national surveys, showed that many people shied away from chiropractic because most chiropractors don’t deliver their services the way patients want it; pa-

tients want their care to be affordable, convenient, friendly, and quality. Affordable. In today’s healthcare industry, not everyone has the luxury of a $10 co-pay and a low deductible. In order to thrive in the chiropractic space, NuSpine knew it needed to be affordable and transparent and they do just that with a robust Initial Visit of $29 which includes an exam, treatment, and hydrotherapy massage. Convenient. Many people’s most valuable asset is their time. By offering

highly accessible extended hours and a user friendly-payment and check-in process, NuSpine makes the experience as convenient as possible, all while not needing to make an appointment. By respecting patients’ time with an experience that lasts about 15 minutes without sacrificing quality, NuSpine is able to deliver chiropractic to the masses. Friendly staff. From the doctor to the assistants, creating relationships with patients is important so that NuSpine can cater to each individual personally –

not a one-size-fits-all mentality. Quality experience. NuSpine promises a clinic feel and a treatment experience that people will want to have again and again. “Regardless of how affordable, convenient and friendly the clinic is, if it’s not impressive they won’t refer their family and friends,” a company release To experience the NuSpine difference: 480-247-6777 or nuspinechiropractic.com/arizona/ocotillo/ to sign up for a $29 initial visit.

Fynes Audiology’s experienced pros address hearing issues SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Fynes Audiology LLC, a locally owned and operated audiology practice in Mesa, specializes in hearing evaluations, hearing protection and hearing aids. Audiologists Cassandra Fynes, AuD, CCC-A, and Roger Knighton, M.N.S, CCC-A, each have over 20 years of experience at Fynes, located at 2058 S. Dobson Road. Fynes said it works with multiple manufacturer’s hearing aids “so that we can find what is best for your hearing needs

and lifestyle” since hearing aids are not a one-size-fits-all device. “There are many factors that go into deciding what will work best for each individual,” the company noted. “Along with Audiologists Cassandra Fynes and Roger Knighton each bring more than two decades of experience in their field. (Courtesy of Fynes Audiology)

hearing aids we do work with many types of hearing protection. So, if hunting, shooting, loud music or heavy equipment noises are part of your everyday life, we can help find the right kind of protection to preserve your hearing as long as possible.” Because many people today also suffer from tinnitus, or ringing in the ears, Fynes’ full evaluation can help in determining possible options of treatment to help manage the unwanted sounds. Information: fynesaudiology.com.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

Breakthrough procedure addresses enlarged prostate BY REISHA ZANG Guest Writer

Fifty percent of all men over the age of 60 and as many as 90% in their 70s have some symptoms of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) commonly referred to as an enlarged prostate. Symptoms include difficulty urinating, a feeling of urgency, and getting up frequently at night to go to the bathroom. Fatigue and frustration set in when these symptoms progress. “These symptoms shouldn’t be ignored or written off as just part of getting older as it might not be something you have to learn to live with,” said Dr. Joel Rainwater, chief medical officer of Comprehensive Integrated Care, which

Dr. Joel Rainwater

has offices in Mesa, Tempe, Phoenix and Gilbert. “And while in many cases it’s BPH, the same symptoms can be an indication of more serious conditions, like prostate cancer, that’s why it’s important to be seen by a doctor.” One way to measure the impact of BPH is to take the International Prostate Symptom Score (I-PSS) which is used to help measure the severity of lower urinary tract symptoms. First-line therapy starts with medication. Unfortunately, not all men find relief from this alone. At that point, surgery may be recommended. However, traditional surgery comes with a list of side effects and complications. One breakthrough for treating BPH is Prostate Artery Embolism. “Embo-

lization reduces the blood ﬂow in a targeted area, which causes the target, in this case the prostate, to shrink,” Rainwater said.” It has been used for years to treat other conditions and has made a significant impact on treating this condition.” PAE is a minimally invasive procedure and one of its big benefits is that it is not known to create complications like impotence or incontinence comparable to conventional surgery. It’s done in an office setting and patients go home the same day. PAE can reduce the prostate up to 40%. Rainwater encourages men living with this condition to reach out and asks questions about all treatment available to them. Information: ciccenters.com

Kelly Jorn Cook’s dentistry has 3 decades of service SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Dr. Kelly Jorn Cook, D.D.S., offers a wide range of dentistry services to suit almost any dental need. Located at 3800 W. Ray Road, Chandler, his practice includes the most recent dental technologies to make a patient’s visit safe, convenient, painless and positive. “We offer full-service dentistry, including dental implants, Invisalign, and cosmetic restorations,” Cook said. “The entire team strives to provide the highest quality personalized dental care for

Dr. Kelly Jorn Cook

patients of all ages in a stress-free, fun environment. Our unique approach to dentistry is in the office atmosphere.” While providing “the highest quality of dentistry,” he said he creates an environment of more fun and less fear. Cook balances “being the doc that rocks and with keeping it simple” and is continually upgrading his ability and knowledge through continuing dental education and encourages and supports his staff to do the same. “What you see with the doc is what you get: great dentistry and a really

good time,” he said. When not practicing dentistry, he is golfing with his wife or hanging out with their 12 dogs. “The health and well-being of our patients and team members continues to be our top priority,” Cook added. “We practice all COVID-19 safety protocols and are seeing patients by appointment only. Many of these safeguards have always been a part of our practice, but we have taken additional precautions to ensure your protection for your appointment.” Information: kellyjorncook.com

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HEALTH & WELLNESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

Apex NetWork offers pain relief safely SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

ApexNetwork Physical Therapy aims to provide relief from the aches and pains that keep people from enjoying life. Their therapists are experts in the field. “We listen, understand and develop customized treatment plans based on combined goals you set with us,” the clinic says. “From your first appointment until your last treatment, we remain focused on your health and ensure your progress one visit at a time.” The San Tan Valley clinic is located at

37591 N. Gantzel Road, Suite 101. With over 90 locations across the country and 14 clinics in Arizona, the Apex NetWork’s San Tan Valley clinic boasts a local managing partner who is certified in orthopedic manual therapy, certified in dry needling and invested in the community. Physical therapy can help people get back to everyday living safely and quickly and the Apex NetWork aims to help patients on their healing journey. As they say, “Start living life without pain and come heal with us.” Information: apexnetworkpt.com

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

Housing market situation gets ‘desperate’ for buyers BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

The word du jour for the Valley’s housing market is “desperate,” according to a leading analyst of the Phoenix Metro region. “This market desperately needs more homes to buy,” the Cromford Report said last week, adding that “without a significant increase in the number of homes for sale, any hope of halting the brisk rate of price increases is likely to be crushed.” And brisk it is, according to the Cromford Report’s rating of home prices in the Valley’s 17 major cities that is based on a variety of factors to create an index in which the higher the number above 100, the more the market is tilted in sellers’ favor. In 11 of those 17 cities, Cromford’s market index was above 400 with Fountain Hills leading the way at 703. Chandler was at 426. Even more startling, according to the most recent Cromford Market Index, eight cities saw their market position increase by more than 20 percent in a month. Those cities included Tempe, Goodyear, Surprise, Phoenix, Gilbert, Avondale, Queen Creek and Scottsdale. Stating “the momentum in favor of sellers is growing,” the report noted “some increase in the number of homes available to rent.” But those are houses that big investors took off the market and converted into rental. Additionally, it said, many

This home on E. Oakwood Hills Drive, Sun Lakes, recently sold for $3.95 million. The eight-bedroom, nine-bath home, built in 2000, has 9,748 square feet and a stunning array of amenities that include a 1,1000-bottle wine cellar with an adjacent dining room, a 12hoot walk-in refrigerator, theater room, mother-in-law quarters, game and a sitting room with a 250-gallon salt water fish tank overlooking a lake. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

brand-new homes are being purchased to either convert into a rental or to immediately flip for a profit.” Simply put, it added, “demand is not the controlling factor.” “The market is showing almost no sign of turning in favor of buyers,” the report said. “The bad supply situation is getting worse. Or at least worse from a buyer’s perspective.” “In January we should be seeing a lot of new listings piling up ready for the surge of buyers arriving after the Super Bowl is done,” it continued. “But we are not getting more supply, it is already

going lower than at the start of the year. “This is quite a shock, but not exactly unprecedented. It happened in January 2021, but that was a precursor to a spring of absolute madness and frenzy. This is telling us that the bull market in housing has a lot of legs in it yet.” The Cromford Report only a year ago expressed concern about housing inventory and cited several examples of how the situation has worsened: Paradise Valley plummeted to “an all-time low of just 93 single-family homes for sale,” almost half the number available in January 2021. “Scottsdale is down to 344 sin-

gle-family homes for sale. There were 569 this time last year,” it continued. “Mesa is down to 314 single-family homes for sale There were 483 as recently as Oct. 3. Phoenix is down to 777 single-family homes for sale. There were 1,095 just one month ago.” It’s not a matter of huge demand, either, although the Cromford Report said it was high. “What is unusual about the current housing market is the chronic and extreme shortage of supply,” it said. “When buying a house, it feels like ‘high demand’ because there are far too many buyers for every house. The fact is this is due to there being so few houses available to buy. The number of buyers is only somewhat above average.” There are some bright spots – in Pinal County, it noted, adding, that there, “supply is still very low, but not as low as in Maricopa County.” Prices also are reflecting the tightening supply, according to the Cromford Report, which noted that the average sales price per foot in December was $267.31 – a 26.4% increase over the $211.44 per square foot in December 2020. The median sales price of a house in the Valley was $425,000 in December – a 28% increase of the December 2020 median price of $332,000. “The downward trend in supply that started in late October accelerated throughout December, taking us to the lowest number of active listings at year end that we have ever recorded,” it added.

Rising mortgage rates add to buyers’ woes SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Buying a home just became a lot more expensive – and it’s expected to only get worse in the coming months. Mortgage interest rates surged to their highest point since March 2020 – the earliest days of the coronavirus pandemic – indicating that the heady era of locking in rates in the 2% range on a traditional home loan appears to be definitively over. “That’s a triple whammy hitting potential homebuyers,” said Len Kiefer, deputy chief economist at Freddie Mac. “People are looking at higher prices, there’s slim pickings in inventory and now we have higher mortgage rates.” Plus, many buyers are already grappling with rising rents, soaring inflation, and bidding wars pushing record-high home prices up even further. And it’s just the start of what real estate experts believe will be additional rate increases at a time when the housing shortage is expected to keep home prices high. While rates haven’t even risen a full percentage point, from a low of 2.65%

in early January 2021, the impact that higher rates can have on homebuyers quickly adds up. The difference of just 0.8% will tack an extra $130 a month onto the mortgage payment of a median-priced home of $375,000. (This assumes the buyers put 20% down and took out a 30-year loan.) Will home prices fall in response to higher mortgage rates? Most experts believe that won’t happen because there are still hordes of buyers competing for homes during a severe housing shortage. Unless an influx of homes hits the market, prices will remain high and rising. Instead, the pace of price growth could slow down, argue some real estate experts. George Ratiu, manager of economic research at Realtor.com, believes prices will continue to rise, but in the low single digits instead of the 15% annual rise seen last spring. “With higher rates, there will be fewer buyers who can qualify for a mortgage this year,” said Ratiu. “This is going to slow down demand and

take pressure off fast-rising prices. The buying and selling process will begin to look more normal. We can expect to see less competition and more price reductions.” One of the biggest culprits behind the rise of mortgage rates is inflation, which hit 7% last month – its fastest rise since 1982. “If inflation continues to grow at the current pace, rates will move up even faster in the following months,” said Nadia Evangelou, a senior economist and the director of forecasting at the National Association of Realtors. However, the Federal Reserve is taking steps to curb inflation, which could keep rates at least somewhat in check. The other reasons rates are up are more complicated. Lenders need money to make new loans. So. to free up capital, they’ll often bundle up the loans they’ve made together and sell these mortgage-backed securities on the secondary market to investors. They’re viewed as safer investments that won’t generate the big profits investors can reap in the stock market.

When the economy is shaky, investors often move money out of the riskier stock market and into bonds, driving up prices. Since mortgage rates generally move in the opposite direction of bond prices, “when investors sell bonds, rates rise,” said Ratiu. Lately, investors have been more bullish on the economy, so chasing higher returns they’re pulling money out of bonds and putting it back into the stock market. In addition, the Federal Reserve is winding down its purchases of mortgage bonds. The result: Bond prices are falling and mortgage rates are rising. Rates are expected to keep increasing as inflation sticks around and the Fed won’t be helping to prop up the mortgage bond market. While this is unwelcome news for buyers, real estate experts urge buyers to remember that, in historical terms, rates are still low. They hovered in the mid-4% range in 2018 and bounced around in the 5% and 6% range in the aughts, starting the millennium with rates over 8%. In the early 1980s, rates hit about 18%. Realtor.com provided this report.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

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Left: Andrea Canales is the programmer for Majestic Neighborhood Cinema Grills, which has venues in Chandler, Gilbert and Tempe. Right: The lobby of Majestic’s Chandler venue creates a welcoming atymospherfe for patrons. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

Chandler cinema programmer aims for the unique BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

The owners of Majestic Neighborhood Cinema Grill are mapping a strategy aimed at meeting the challenges movie theaters face today. In addition to the impact of the pan-

demic and government-ordered shutdowns during the last two years, movie theaters also have to worry about competition from streaming – especially as some studios are now releasing films for streaming at the same time they go up on the big screen. Majestic Neighborhood Cinema Grill

hired Andrea Canales to bring innovative programming to its venues in Chandler, Gilbert and Tempe. “You have to stand out, you have to be unique,” Canales said. “We pride ourselves on offering a really fun, unique experience for people. We want to make great memories happen at our

locations. We find that the easiest way to do that is to play up to nostalgia, things that people really enjoy doing.” Canales, who assumed her new role earlier this month, has been doing programming for a number of independent See

MAJESTIC on page 29

Zoning attorneys regale audience with project tales BY CECILIA CHAN Staff Writer

Seven years after it was chased out of Gilbert neighborhoods – twice – Springstone finally opened Gilbert’s first mental-health hospital in 2020. Under the guidance of land-use and zoning attorney Adam Baugh, the 72-bed Copper Springs East went from being the brunt of public outcry to becoming a welcomed addition to the community. Baugh formed a coalition, getting police and fire officials lined up behind the project and medical professionals who spoke of the need for such a facility in town, as teenage suicides were ramping up. The Planning Commission in December 2017 unanimously approved the conditional use permit for the facility. “The way my community is formed, the way it grows, is not by accident,” said Baugh, who has lived in Gilbert since 2003. “It’s interesting and it’s deliberate and for the greater good. We as a town benefited with having that hospital here dealing with anxiety and mental-health issues.” For Baugh, every shopping center, master-planned community and mixeduse development has a tale to tell and he and Withey Morris law partner Jason Morris are sharing them on a podcast

Adam Baugh and Jason Morris, attorneys and partners in Whithey Morris, have created an engaging series of podcasts on developments they have helped usher in. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

called “Dirt to Development.” Baugh came up with the concept after years of regaling others with behind-thescene anecdotes of projects in the state. “I thought to myself, I think people don’t really appreciate what happens and goes into putting it together,” Baugh said. “You see a hospital or

a shopping center and don’t realize everything that goes into it. That is the story we tell, not the project at the end of the day but all the ingredients that went into getting it approved.” The duo launched the podcast in October, releasing every two weeks a digital audio file produced in their Phoenix office and featuring a develop-

er or an industry expert. Founding partner Morris said they also will talk about how this industry works and the types of projects they are seeing in the fastest growing county in the country. “We not only have the stories we’ve told but the stories yet to be told,” the Phoenix resident said. Topics covered so far include what it took to navigate The Yard to fruition at 7th Street in Phoenix “We did the first in Central Phoenix,” Baugh said. “There were all kinds of issues…but it became a tremendous success with a dozen Yard concepts across Arizona and now nationwide. People don’t know and appreciate all that. We went in to pull the first one off.” There’s a Yard location in Gilbert’s Heritage District as well. Other topics will include how to work with neighbors, how to balance the role of politics in a case, strategies for land-use cases and tips and insights on how to achieve successful entitlements. In one of the podcasts, Baugh and Morris educate the public about the importance of zoning and what could go wrong if there are no no zoning laws – such as in Houston, where Zone d’Erotica, an adult novelty store set up shop next to a Dillard’s for a number of See

ZONING ATTORNEYS on page 29

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

ZONING ATTORNEYS from page 28

years until it was replaced by an eatery in 2019. The Texas city has no zoning process but relies on private agreements or CC&Rs, according to Jim Stockwell of Clyde Capital, a commercial real estate investment and development company. “If you own property, you can restrict the types of uses,” Stockwell said in the podcast. “But in general, the city council isn’t going to have an objection if you want a strip club next to your daycare center.” Listeners will not only get insight on how a particular development came to be but the politics and the players involved and the strategy used. “People only see what’s reported in the paper, they don’t understand the anatomy of how it gets to that point,” Baugh said. “They don’t appreciate the politics of a situation or the cranky neighbor next door or the difficult seller or environmental issues. “We show them what it means to take a cornfield to a master community or infill to adaptive reuse. There’s so much insight and value to help clients, viewers and the community can appreciate what it takes to build a community in Arizona.” Some Gilbert projects that will be featured in upcoming segments include Agritopia/Epicenter, the Heritage District and how Withey Morris landed American Furniture Warehouse in Gilbert, along with other tough entitlement sites.

MAJESTIC

from page 28

movie houses in the state for years. “We are very excited to welcome Andrea to our Majestic family,” said Craig Paschich, Majestic’s CEO. “She has deep ties to the Valley’s film community, ranging from her academic relationships to connections with everyday cinephiles, and she truly respects and can accommodate the varied interests of our cinema guests.” All three theaters feature food and drinks delivered to your seat from their grill and bar. The first major event she is planning for Majestic’s three theaters is a Valentine’s Day special with showings of “The Wedding Singer” and “Scott Pilgrim vs. the World.” She said the food will be tied to the movie to enhance the overall experience. One option also will be a “Gal-entine’s Day” screening of “Magic Mike” for single women and their friends.

t? o G ws Ne

“I did American Furniture Warehouse, which at the time was the biggest deal in town,” said Baugh, who will talk about “how it came to be and how the Town moved heaven and earth to attract a tremendous economic

na are all closely related.” The duo also will share insight of where the Arizona market is going, which Baugh declined to do ahead of that podcast. Baugh, who is an experienced prob-

as there’s an interest in the community, “weSowilllongcontinue to record, I think it’s going to help local residents know they have a part in the process, they have a role to play and if anything, they would know they can help inﬂuence what is happening in their community.

”

– Adam Baugh

generator.” Baugh also will share some of the craziness that surrounded a project such as with the mixed-used Epicenter. “The neighbors came out and opposed me and a lady mocked me for wearing a suit,” he said. “I was getting design approval and she didn’t like it and got upset that a ‘bunch of suits were in here doing a high-priced project.’” And at one neighborhood meeting, an angry resident wanted to physically fight with Baugh over a proposed project. “Just the politics behind a zoning case is interesting,” Baugh said, “where the votes line up and the intersection of zoning, land use and politics in Arizo-

are very excited “toWe welcome Andrea to

our Majestic family, she has deep ties to the Valley’s ﬁlm community, ranging from her academic relationships to connections with everyday cinephiles, and she truly respects and can accommodate the varied interests of our cinema guests.

”

– Craig Paschich

Canales said she still needs to get a handle on what type of programming

Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@timespublications.com

lem-solver with a talent for removing obstacles that impeded development, originally planned to practice immigration law. But he realized that wasn’t his career path after a year-long volunteer stint at Eloy Detention Center. He ended up in his current field after stumbling on it. He said what best prepared him for the job was working as a summer salesman years ago knocking on doors, trying to persuade random strangers to buy pest-control services. Today, he uses that skill to help landowners and developers succeed by finding ways to say yes when cities say no. Although the subject matter on the surface can appear dry, Baugh and Mor-

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ris weave humorous banter into their storytelling. Baugh said the podcast allows the public to view him and Morris in a different light other than appearing at the podium in front of a city council, stiff and matter of fact. Baugh said he’s had a few learning curves with the new endeavor. “I’m not a professional podcaster, there’s lot of operational things,” he said. “It’s a different format. You can’t show someone something, you got to describe it. I also learned I got to be more thoughtful in what I say,” making it entertaining yet not offensive. Feedback from listeners so far has been positive. “Everybody loves it,” Baugh said. “In Arizona land use impacts us all whether it’s you being a neighbor next to a project or a resident in town benefiting from a new shopping center.” Baugh said the plan is to keep on producing the podcast as they have a wealth of material to draw from– their law firm handles cases statewide. “So long as there’s an interest in the community, we will continue to record,” he said. “I think it’s going to help local residents know they have a part in the process, they have a role to play and if anything, they would know they can help influence what is happening in their community.” Listen in To listen to the podcast “Dirt to Development,” go to witheymorris.com/ dirttodevelopment.

will play well in Chandler and Gilbert. She said they rely on the people who work at each location for some ideas, but also get a lot of ideas from patrons themselves through Majestic’s social media platforms. “It’s really listening to people on what they want,” Canales said. “Watching trends and patterns, and being a really keen observer of society and culture.” Since she’s only been on the job a few weeks, she said she doesn’t quite know what those audiences are looking for. “In Chandler and Gilbert, we’re doing a little experimenting to find out what is going to be the next consistent series for these locations,” she said. “We know there are movie lovers out here, we just We Offer Federal Travel Identifications

have to find out what they want to see.” Majestic to a degree has the Tempe audience figured out. One popular program Majestic has at its Tempe venue is a themed scary movie night. On Feb. 2, they’re planning a night of original sequels because the date is 2-2-22. So Majestic will show the second film in a series such as “Friday the 13th” or “Halloween.” Canales said if Majestic continues to focus on giving people something unique, the owners won’t have to worry about competition. “People aren’t always looking for convenience,” she said. “They want to make memories, they want to have great experiences. We firmly believe you’ll never be able to replace that.”

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Dinosaur store offers fossils, activities for kids BY MELODY BIRKETT Contributor

Walk into Christian Kaleta’s Mesa store, and you’ll be greeted by a sight you won’t find anywhere else in the retail world: Stan the Tyrannosaurus Rex, aka T. Rex, a $20,000 dinosaur skull replica. “That’s our most popular attraction,” said Kaleta, who owns Tyrannostorus at 1816 W. Baseline Road, adding a skull that big takes about four-to-six months to produce. “When you find a dinosaur or a cast, it’s a piece of art,” Kaleta said. “Whoever made that cast, owns the rights to that cast.” T. Rex is one of many imitation and real skulls of hippopotamuses, giraffes, warthogs, polar bears, grazing animals from Africa, alligators and other creatures that range in price from $99 to as much as $2,000. “I struggled with getting some of these (skulls) because we’re not a museum or university,” explained Kaleta. “I was told ‘no’ on some – that it’s not for the retail world but for education. Well, this is educational.” Skulls aren’t the only things for sale at Tyrannosaurus. “We have a full collection of dinosaur replicas such claws, teeth, thumb spikes, triceratops horn, raptor claws - all kinds of stuff kids go wild for as well as the full toy section with different species of dinosaur and prehistoric reptiles and mammals,” said manager Bryan Troglia. The store even carries a big basket of coprolite, also known as dinosaur poo. “Very fun for the kids,” Troglia said. “You can buy as much poo as you like.” “We also have different pieces of animals like their teeth and tusk,” said Troglia. “We have real warthog tusks, real alligator teeth and alligator tooth jewelry.” The most popular activity is the sluice, according to Kaleta. Kids can dig for fossils and sift for treasure with purchased bags of sand. They pour the sand into the sifting trays, excavate it and then pull out

Tyrannostorus manager Bryan Troglia, left, and owner Christian Kaleta, flank Stan the T. Tex, a replica of a tyrannosaurus skull.

(Melody Birkett/SanTan Sun News Contributor)

stones and gems. There are nine varieties of dirt for purchase ranging from $4.99 to $40. Some bags have gems and minerals. Other bags have arrowheads, seashells and fossils and even real emeralds. “You can grab a $10 bag and the kids can come to play for a half-hour to an hour and learn,” said Kaleta, calling it an economical way to learn for families with several children. “I have a 12-year-old son and we’re always looking for something different to do,” Kaleta said. “During the summer, we went to a fossil safari in Wyoming. We had so much fun. We brainstormed on the way back home.” That’s what gave Kaleta the idea for the store. He wanted kids here to have a similar experience. “I’ve always had an interest in dino-

Skulls and parts of various prehistoric and other animals abound in Tyrannostorus in Mesa. (Melody Birkett/SanTan Sun News Contributor)

saur bones and fossils,” Kaleta added. “And, of course, my 12-year-old son has a major interest in this kind of stuff.” Kaleta also owns the Predators Reptile Center in the same shopping center. Since his background is in exotic animals, he thought opening a store Tyrannostorus would be a great fit. “We have a lot of educational stuff,” said Kaleta. “One of the biggest things with my son is everywhere we go, he loves museums and likes touching everything. That’s what kids do – they touch. “I wanted to build a place for him to not get yelled at. We encourage kids to come in to play and touch even the expensive stuff. That’s fine. I want them to get close and personal with T. Rex to bring that imagination together.” Another area of the store features some extinct mammals from the Ice Age and many of the relics were found in Arizona, including remnants of cave bears, dire wolves, the American lion and saber-tooth cat. The store also carries fossils such as ammonites, trilobites and shark teeth. A shark tooth runs around $19.99. Some are still in the stone they were excavated from and retail for about $49.99. “The interesting thing about sharks is they don’t have skeletons; they’re all cartilage,” explained Troglia. “The only thing you find is their teeth.” The store’s sea life section contains shark jaws, corals, seashells, barnacles, replicas of a big 16-foot great white shark as well as its teeth. You can buy just a tooth or the whole jaw. “We also have a wide variety of fossil plates that have been excavated out of quarries up in Wyoming, South Dakota,” said Troglia. “Shrimp, little fish like mackerel-sized fish, little squid, all kinds of cool stuff.”

Another section has model kits and authentic Arizona candies. “It’s the kind of stuff you remember getting at your elementary school field trips. We have all of that along with a Geo table and gem bag.” And there’s a wide selection of gemstones and precious metals such as bismuth, amethyst, citrine, agates and quartz. “But probably one of our most popular specimen collections are our shadow box insects,” said Troglia. “They literally fly off the shelves but they’re also done by local artists which makes them unique to our store.” Shadow boxes start at $79.99 and go up to about $250. The butterfly palettes are done by a separate artist and range from $400-$500. “It’s fun not just for kids but for the entire family,” added Troglia. “When you come into our store, you always leave with something whether it’s something you purchase in the store or just a new piece of knowledge about natural history.” Kaleta notices that parents are just as excited as their kids when entering the store. “It’s interesting to watch because the kids start to do the activities such as the sluice or the digging but then the parents make their way in,” said Kaleta. “And it’s interesting to watch the parents and kids interact,” he added. “Everything these days is electronic and hands-off. Kids are playing video games and parents are working. This is a chance to come in, get together and learn together and that’s a lot of fun to watch.” Store hours are weekdays from 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information: tyrannostorus.com, 480-597-4467

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Channing Chasten returning home to play for Phoenix Rising BY ZACH ALVIRA Sports Editor

When Channing Chasten was in high school, he wrote down the goals he wanted to accomplish on a piece of paper. He hung them above his bed with the caption, “my why,” so he would wake up every morning and be reminded of what he wanted to accomplish. It was at that time he set out to achieve them through hard work and dedication. Some of the goals were common for kids his age. But there were two that stood out amongst the rest: Attend Ohio State University and become a professional soccer player. Now at 21 years old, Channing crossed both of those off his list. “It’s so surreal,” Channing said. “It’s something I’ve always dreamed of. To make it a reality now, it’s really exciting. Now all the hard work starts. But it’s crazy to say out loud. “I always knew I had the ability, and I knew it would take hard work to come about. But I never knew it would come this early.” Channing signed a multi-year contract with the Phoenix Rising FC on Tuesday, Jan. 11 – Arizona’s local professional team that plays in the United Soccer League. A junior at Ohio State, Channing made 40 appearances at Ohio State in his three seasons as a forward.

Left: Channing Chasten cemented his legacy at Hamilton as he made his high school debut as a freshman on the varsity team that captured the state title over Gilbert in 2016. As a senior, he was named captain and scored 17 goals for the Huskies who finished as the 6A runners up. (Arizonan File Photo) Right: Hamilton alum Channing Chasten, who spent the last three season playing for Ohio State’s soccer team, signed his first professional contract on Tuesday, Jan. 7 to return home and play for Arizona’s Phoenix Rising FC. (Courtesy Phoenix Rising FC)

release. “He gives us versatility and has a great ability to learn quickly from our experienced players. He should push for a starting position.” Channing began to cement his soccer legacy while playing for the Huskies. As a freshman, he made the varsity roster and was a part of the team that captured Hamilton’s most recent state soccer title over Gilbert High School in 2016. As a senior in the 2018-19 season, he

put on that kit, be in that environment “andJustcalltomyself a part of the team, it’s amazing,

I haven’t even played yet and I’m getting (direct messages) from little kids who go to the games and people who sit on the south end with the Bandidos. They’re already supporting me, which is pretty amazing.

”

– Channing Chasten

He scored one goal for the Buckeyes but opened the eyes of Rising coaches during a training session last summer before the start of the 2021-22 school year. Channing remained in contact with the Rising and following the end of his most recent season with the Buckeyes, the Rising offered him a deal. Rising coach Rick Schantz said in a press release shortly after Channing’s signing that he believes the Hamilton product has a bright future in soccer. “He is very athletic and can play right wing or right back,” Schantz said in the

finished with 17 goals on a Hamilton team that went 20-4 and fell to powerhouse Brophy in the 6A title game. At the time, he was already committed to attend and play soccer at Ohio State where he received a partial athletic and full academic scholarships. He admitted the adjustment to soccer at the Division I level was difficult. He played in 16 games his first season and recorded one assist. As a sophomore, he only appeared in eight games. He considered transferring at one point but decided to ride out his junior season with the Buckeyes.

Have an interesting sports story? Contact Zach Alvira at zalvira@timespublications.com and follow him on Twitter @ZachAlvira.

That’s when he flourished. He started in 15 of the 16 games he played and was named to the Wolstein Classic All-Tournament Team. He recorded a goal against Creighton and had three total assists. Channing was also named an Ohio State Scholar Athlete this year and to the Academic All-Big Ten the last two seasons. Overall, it was a rewarding experience. “Our success has been up and down on the field, but it’s been good,” Channing said. “I’ve enjoyed my time here, but I’m excited for the future.” Channing said that while he has signed a professional contract, he plans to remain enrolled at Ohio State online to finish his degree in strategic communications. A high GPA student at Hamilton, he had hoped to do the same while playing for the Buckeyes. His parents, Clark and Ella, had always taught him the importance of obtaining a degree. Clark did it from Michigan State and Ella from Ohio State. Channing’s sister currently attends Michigan State, following in the footsteps of their father. To see him accomplish his dream of playing professionally while still maintaining the drive to finish school is welcoming for Clark and Ella. They said they couldn’t be prouder of the man their son has become. “He’s just such a dedicated young man,” Clark said. “He’s always had this drive even when he was 5 or 6 years old when he always thought he could beat me in a race. His goal was to beat me, and he finally did it in seventh grade and I said, ‘you finally knocked that off your list, son.’ “It was always a big deal for him and

I’m just very proud he was able to accomplish what he set out to do.” Clark and Ella always enjoyed being able to watch Channing play in person when he was younger in club and at Hamilton. They made it out to Ohio for some of his games but watched most from their home on the Big Ten Network. Ella said screaming at the television set wasn’t the same when Channing was unable to hear her. And while she may still not be heard over the supporters’ section at the Rising’s stadium in Chandler, they will still be able to make the short drive to watch him play in person again. That will make his professional debut for his hometown team that much more special. “We’re thrilled and excited to actually be at the games and attend,” Ella said. “We know this is just the start of his career so, there’s no telling where he will go next. We are just excited he gets to start here in Phoenix.” Channing will officially begin his professional career when Rising players report for training this month. Currently, he is still in awe of the events that have transpired that led him to signing his first-ever contract. But he thinks when he first steps on the pitch – especially in front of thousands of Rising fans – that is when it will really hit him. “Just to put on that kit, be in that environment and call myself a part of the team, it’s amazing,” Channing said. “I haven’t even played yet and I’m getting (direct messages) from little kids who go to the games and people who sit on the south end with the Bandidos. They’re already supporting me, which is pretty amazing.”

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

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New Chandler therapy center is a one-stop shop for kids BY DANA TRUMBULL Staff Writer

Ahwatukee resident Jonathan Elovitz says both parents and kids will benefit from his consolidation of services for developmentally delayed children under one roof. Although the business is still primarily focused on in-home healthcare, Therapy Matters has moved to 670 N. Arizona Ave. in Chandler, where parents of developmentally delayed children can find fully integrated clinical services under one roof. Therapy Matters offers occupational therapy, applied behavior analysis, speech, feeding and physical therapies that are custom-tailored to each individual child’s needs. The child is continuously monitored, working one on one with a direct-care worker through programs design to support ongoing performance and growth. “To have one company that [families] can go to, and all of those clinicians can be working collaboratively as a team makes all the difference in the world,” explained Elovitz. “It’s much less of a burden on the parent, and it’s much more effective for the child.” Elovitz plans to add a doctor to the staff in the near future as well “and

To have one company “that [families] can go

to, and all of those clinicians can be working collaboratively as a team makes all the difference in the world, It’s much less of a burden on the parent, and it’s much more effective for the child.

”

– Jonathan Elovitz

Kelly Bridgeforth is the clinical director of applied behavior analysis at Therapy Matters Inc., where the staff is trained to use play-based therapy. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

then we’ll truly have the full integrative health model, where we’re the onestop shop.” Established in 2005, Therapy Matters is the brainchild of Jonathan’s late wife, Kylee – a dedicated occupational therapist whose vision and passion was to

provide services to children with special needs in rural communities, where services often are not easily available for developmentally delayed children. After his wife passed away suddenly in 2012 at age 36, he recalled, “I had a hard time focusing on anything.”

“My other job is very technical, and I couldn’t work,” the systems engineer explained. “I couldn’t sit for 30 minutes and watch a television show. I didn’t want to be asleep, because I knew that, there’s that split second right when you wake up that you forget everything, but then everything comes rushing back. See

THERAPY on page 34

Dirt project could win $10K for Hamilton High BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Dirt can help address the world’s climate change problem. And that message could earn Hamilton High School $100,000 in technical equipment. Brian Sears’ environmental system science class has already been awarded $6,500 worth of new tech gear for submitting the best project in Arizona in Samsung’s Solve For Tomorrow contest, which is for STEM classes from sixth grade through high school. Now, the class advances with 99 other finalists to compete for the national title. “One of the things I’ve been telling these guys, I joke around about it, but it’s really true, is that out of college I said, ‘I want to save the world.’” Sears said. He thinks his idea to improve the quality of dirt through composting, can do just that. “We saw a common theme that was taking place,” Sears said. “Which was, we’re cutting down trees at an alarming rate, which isn’t bringing in more carbon, which is ultimately leaving the carbon to blanket our atmosphere, which doesn’t allow the U.V. [ultraviolet] rays to escape, which is ultimately causing the climate change.” Plants, like trees, rely on carbon to grow. The more trees there are, the more carbon they take out of the at-

Hamilton High School teacher Brian Sears talks to his Environmental Systems Science class at Hamilton High Schoo. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

mosphere. Not just trees, but all plants. And for plants to thrive, they need good quality dirt. And that’s where the Hamilton High project starts. It is looking at composting, the process of taking food scraps and letting them decay in dirt to give them the nutrients they need for life to grow. “Composting will increase crop yield, not only that, but the soil itself takes in more carbon,” Sears said. “We started

talking about it more and more and more, and we’re like, this just makes sense.” Sears teaches five environmental systems science classes a week. The class counts as a lab for students. Their experiment is to take food scraps from the school’s culinary arts classes and see what types of scraps are best for good dirt. They will determine that by growing radishes. They may put carrot skins in one plot, and potato skins in

another. Then when they harvest the radishes, they’ll see which plot produced the biggest yields. Sears said if everyone had a compost pile, it would go a long way to improving the quality of dirt in Arizona, and help address climate change. He pointed to Vermont, which mandates every citizen compost under its universal recycling law. If they don’t want, or can’t have, a compost pile in their yards, then they collect the scraps in a bag and drop them off at a collection center. While the idea has taken Hamilton High this far, winning the national contest will be up its students. They didn’t even know about the contest until this week. “It was a pretty big shock to me this morning, I thought he was, like, messing around with us,” said senior Kaleigh Sloan. “He didn’t even like mention to us that he was entering us in the competition,” junior Isabel Trautwein said. “I didn’t even know there was such a competition.” The next phase of the competition for the 100 finalists is students must produce their own public service announcements explaining their idea and trying to convince others to believe in their idea. See

STEM on page 35

NEIGHBORS

THERAPY

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

from page 33

And then it was living everything all over again. And I had my son to take care of. The last thing I was thinking about was Therapy Matters.” But over a year, Elovitz met other therapists who had known Kylee or had heard her story. They rallied around Elovitz to help keep the company going, fulfilling the existing contracts. “The more I learned about the industry, the more I worked with these people, and the more I talked to the moms and the dads of these kids, the more I just became enamored,” he said. Elovitz, who had no idea what an occupational therapist was before he met Kylee, found that her legacy had become his calling. “’Live in the moment and be the miracle.’ That’s our saying,” he said. “It’s a little bit corny, but that’s really what Kylee was all about. The fact that, through the ongoing efforts of her company, she can still do that 1,000fold every single week, even though she’s no longer here, is just very meaningful for me.”

Over the last two years, business has surged, driving Therapy Matters to more than double their clientele. Part of the sudden growth was an outcome of the pandemic. As a single dad who now had two companies to run, Elovitz had already implemented an efficient technology infrastructure at Therapy Matters to facilitate communication. When COVID hit, the company was able to shift services overnight to teletherapy, while other home health providers had to shut down for months while they built their telecommunications capabilities. The business now serves approximately 750 clients in the home health sector, with additional services provided in remaining school contracts and the clinic. The employee roster grew from 45 to a current high of 115. With the opening of the clinic, Therapy Matters has added applied behavior analysis therapy to their business card. Kelly Bridgeforth, executive director of Clinical ABA explained that traditional applied behavior analysis involves a lot of table time and rote memory, but at Therapy Matters, the staff is trained

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to use play-based therapy instead. Technicians and therapists strive to harness the teachable moments within the child’s shifting interests to make learning as natural as possible. “If that kid is interested in those Legos, we’re going to figure out 20 different ways to teach with the Legos in that 10-minute window while they’re still interested.” Using those activities, the therapists have specific goals that they are taking data on, and they are looking for specific responses. With repetition and persistence, the child learns to perform the tasks independently. “We don’t want this to be an aversive place to them,” Bridgeforth said. “We want them to think of this as ‘a place I go and play with my friend who’s my therapist.’” With intensive early intervention – 20-40 hours per week under age7 – outcomes can be very good, she said. Not every child will grow to be independent, but others can go on to college and need just minimal support. The most important thing to ensure that every child can live their best life, said Bridgeforth, is to get every service you possibly can as early as you can. “We really want to focus on that early intervention timeframe as an alternative to preschool” she explained. “That doesn’t really work for a lot of the kids with autism. If you send your kid straight into preschool with autism, a lot of times what happens is they’re in a six to one ratio; they don’t know how to set for circle time; they don’t know

how to follow directions; and they have no language. It becomes a babysitting service. “We’re an alternative to that. We get all of those barriers gone. We teach them to sit through circle time; we teach them to attend to a task, put their items away, go get them… We teach all of those skills so that when we hand them to the schools, they’re successful.” Luckily, she said, Arizona is one of the best states to support the developmentally disabled with services. The Division of Developmental Disabilities provides everyone who qualifies with speech, OT, music therapy, and more. ABA services are available for any age, any diagnosis, through AHCCCS. “So, we can also help kids with Down syndrome who are having behavioral problems,” stated Bridgeforth. “We can help severe mental illness. We are now in group homes. We’re working with kids that have cerebral palsy, and severe self-injury. “It’s just opened up services with ABA to reduce aggressive behavior or self-injurious behaviors – all of those things that make their group home life a lot easier, keep them out of residential facilities, or help their families so that they can stay at home. It’s amazing that Arizona has done this.” Therapy Matters is a member of DDD, AHCCCS, AHSA, and ArizOTA. Information: therapymatters.org or call 602-790-8923.

At The Village, we care. About your health, your well-being, your fitness, your goals – and about our community, too. Our employees and members work together to give back to charities and causes throughout the Valley. We also do small things that make a big impact. Like donating our old towels and tennis balls to local animal rescues and hosting annual water, sock and shoe drives for people in need. We’re committed to being a big part of your community. And we invite you to join ours.

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NEIGHBORS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

36th Annual

C I HO ME R O T S I H TOUR

Hamilton High School junior Isabel Trautwein, left, and senior Kaleigh Sloan helped set up the compost area where science students and culinary arts students turn leftover food into healthy usable soil at Hamilton High Schoo. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

STEM

from page 33

Trautwein and Sloan said they know the pressure is on the students. “Luckily, we do have some practice from past assignments, so hopefully we’ll do pretty well,” Trautwein said. “And be able to get our point across.” Earlier this year Sears assigned the students to do a public service announcement on acid rain. Now, they will use that experience to produce four different videos that explain how

composting can help address climate change and why people should do it. Sears said the deadline to get the videos ready is in early March and the finalists will be announced in the middle of the month. “I think we have a really good chance at winning our category,” Sears said. “We are so focused on climate change and sustainability, and our project could influence how if Chandler, or Gilbert, or Tempe has more of a composting program in the future. That’s what I’d really like to see come out of this.”

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

EV female mountain bikers group rolling on BY MELODY BIRKETT Contributor

A few years ago, Tiana Riccardi and Robin Lamb saw a need for a mountain biker group for girls and women only. The Mesa women already belonged to Hawesaholics, a group with more than 3,000 male and female mountain bikers of all ages and experience levels that Shawn Stenmark started in the name of Hawes Mountain, a popular haunt. So it was only logical to Riccardi and Lamb to start a spin-off group, Hawesaholics Babes Ride On so that girls and women would feel more comfortable in what has been a male-dominated activity. “I started riding 2 1/2 years ago and that’s when I met Tiana who was looking for other women to ride with more frequently,” said Lamb. “We went on a ride with four girls,” added Lamb. “Afterwards, Tiana said, ‘We should start a Facebook messenger group’ on the Hawesaholics Facebook page, people would post rides such as, ‘I’m going to ride at this trail, at this pace, on this day. Let us know if anyone wants to come.’” “We had 50-100 members right away,” Lamb said, adding that HBRO now has almost 500 members. “It’s not meant to take away from Hawesaholics. They do a ton of stuff every year such as group rides, rides for beginners, kids and families.” Like the larger group, HBRO started posting events with the first one being a ladies’ night. “It was so much fun,” explained Lamb. “And it was crazy. Crazy in the

Among the leaders of Hawesaholics Babes Ride On are, from left, co-founder Robin Lamb, beginners’ class instructor Gina Dwyer and co-founder Tiana Ricciardi, all of Mesa. (Special to STSN)

guys and enjoy doing that but it’s also fun to have girl time and girl camaraderie that comes through the group.” Because most of the “Babes” live in the East Valley, Hawes Mountain and the Hawes Trail System were immediate

What’s unique about the sport is you can do “ what suits your personality and your interests. For

instance, some people like long miles and crosscountry riding which is going to be a little more flat and flowy riding. You’re not necessarily doing a ton of massive elevation gain. That’s also typically going to be more smooth flowing trails so there are fewer rocks and obstacles.

”

sense that beginners showed up along with other girls who were total rock stars. People who can throw 50-foot jumps off of things that are fast and aggressive – really talented riders who’ve been doing it for a lot longer. All of them were having a good time and super excited to be there.” “That’s what ended up being so fun about our group is that we’ve seen people come out of the woodwork and be excited to make new girlfriends they can ride with. They still ride with the

t? o G ws Ne

– Robin Lamb

biking grounds “Most of us in the East Valley ride a fair amount of Hawes, a fair amount of Usery, depending on what kind of trails we like,” said Lamb. But over time, they have widened the scope of their jaunts. “South Mountain or SoMo and Gold Canyon are other frequent places we ride,” Lamb said. “There are a lot of people who like Browns Ranch and McDowell Mountain in Scottsdale. A

lot of us like to ride in Sedona, Prescott and the Mongolian Rim in the Payson area…Last spring, we did a big campout overnight trip to Sedona. There are lots of people who’ve gone to parks around the country.” Good physical shape is not a requirement for mountain biking. “I know a ton of people who’ve felt overweight or like they wanted to do something fitness-oriented that was more exciting than sitting on a treadmill at a gym and that was also outdoors,” said Lamb. “Mountain biking fit that niche for them and they just progress.” While being comfortable riding a bike helps, she added, “There are a lot of trails you can start off with that are mild and you can progress from there.” “What’s unique about the sport is you can do what suits your personality and your interests. For instance, some people like long miles and cross-country riding which is going to be a little more flat and flowy riding. You’re not necessarily doing a ton of massive elevation gain. That’s also typically going to be more smooth flowing trails so there are fewer rocks and obstacles.” Lamb said some riders don’t like the long rides or those with steep inclines, noting that Browns Ranch Trail in Scottsdale as well as Usery Regional Mountain Park or some of the areas at McDowell Mountain are fairly mild trails. As for time commitment, short

loops take up to one hour while some mountain bikers go on camping trips so they can ride hundreds of miles over several days. The beginners’ class offers “a super slow pace, between 3-5 miles,” explained Lamb. “We give them an opportunity to get on the trail with other people. And that’s also nice because if something goes wrong with your bike or if you run into a cactus, you have people there to help support you and to work through it.” Gina Dwyer, a mountain biker for more than five years, leads the beginners’ class and said it has grown over the past year. Basically, I take them out once a week on Fridays, September through April, when the weather permits in the mornings,” she said. “We do about an hour ride.” Dwyer also teaches trail etiquette, bike positioning, when to brake, and when to climb. “It’s good to ride with another person for safety reasons,” Dwyer explained. “You can go out on your own. I’ve done that before. But it’s so much better when you have somebody - especially when you’re new — in case something happens like a tire pops or you fall over or you get lost. You’ve got somebody with you. Being a new rider, it’s always good to get in a group.” Hawesaholics Babes Ride On also gives back to the community through various service projects. “There’s a lot of local businesses we try to support,” Lamb said. “We do short, fun track races that are just kind of kick-in-the-pants fun. It’s a way for people to interact and have fun and get out and do something healthy at the same time.” “We do little events like toy drives for Christmas,” added Dwyer. “We do trick or trunk. If somebody is sick or hurt in the group, we do meal trains. It’s so much more than just riding. We have girls’ night out. … It’s just a really fun group.” There are also professional events “There are also events professionals do,” said Dwyer. “For example, women can go to a bike shop and learn how to change a tire or learn about their brakes or just their bike in general. We’re just not girls riding, breaking down. We’re fixing our own bikes.” In addition, the group does trail work for the Hawes Alliance. “We work on the mountain bike trails, build them, take care of them including trash pickup,” Dwyer said. Beginners should be aware of one thing: top-of-the-line mountain bikes can be very expensive at $10,000$12,000. Lamb said a decent starter costs between $3,000-$4,000. To connect with the group, go to HAWESAHOLICS Babes Ride On through Facebook or Instagram.

Contact Paul C Contact Paul P l Maryniak Maryniak M y i k at at 480-898-5647 480 898 5647 or or pmaryniak@timespublications.com p pmaryniak@timespublications.com pmaryniak@timespublications y i k@ i p bli i com

NEIGHBORS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

Chandler fundraiser joins Rosie’s House staff passion Darcy brings for the things she cares about “is soTheinfectious. She has an innate ability to communicate that passion, creating and inspiring advocates and building support to strengthen the cause. ”

SANTAN SUN NEWS

A Chandler woman described as one of Arizona’s leading fundraising professionals has joined the staff of the nonprofit Rosie’s House as its director of development and communications. Darcy Hill, who holds a degree in theater directing from Columbia College Chicago in Theatre and has a lifelong passion for music and performance, brings her expertise to Rosie’s House to expand its work to provide music education for underserved students. Rosie’s House is recognized as one of the largest free after-school music programs in the United States. Prior to joining Rosie’s House, Hill, served as development manager for the Desert Botanical Garden, overseeing their capital campaign which raised over $18 million to fund new trails, projects and significant investment for their endowment fund. An avid hiker, she has managed the development teams at several conservation organizations, including the Grand Canyon Conservancy and the Sonoran Institute “The passion Darcy brings for the things she cares about is so infectious. She has an innate ability to communicate that passion, creating and inspiring advocates and building support to strengthen the cause. We are so thrilled to have her join our team,” said Rosie’s House CEO Becky Bell Ballard. Hill has served on the Association of Fundraising Professionals Greater

– Becky Bell Ballard

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

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Fortune of old Silver Coins issued by the U.S. Gov’t sealed away in the only State Restricted Bank Rolls known to exist are actually being handed over to Arizona residents STATE RESTRICTION: Only residents of AZ get the $19 state minimum - non state residents must pay $57 per coin ARIZONA - “We’re bracing for the flood of calls,” said Laura Lynne, U.S. Coin and Currency Director for the National Mint and Treasury. That’s because the next 2 days the last remaining State of Arizona Restricted Silver Bank Rolls loaded with rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued Silver Kennedy Presidential Half Dollars are actually being handed over to Arizona residents who call the National Toll-Free Hotlines listed in today’s newspaper publication. And here’s the best part. If you are a resident of the state of Arizona you cover only the $19 per coin state minimum set by the National Mint and Treasury, that’s twenty ■ FLYING OUT THE DOOR: Calls are pouring in from state residents who are trying to get their hands on the last State rarely seen Silver clad Kennedy Presidential Restricted Silver Bank Rolls known to exist sealed away in the secured packages pictured above before the deadline ends. Half Dollars worth up to 60 times their face That’s because residents who beat the 2-day deadline printed in today’s publication by calling 1-800-233-5658 Ext. JFR1585 (Continued on next page)

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For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Wage War aims to give a break from stress BY ALEX GALLAGHER GetOut Staff

Music has always been an escape for Wage War guitarist/vocalist Cody Quistad. Even when Quistad is not on stage, he said he blasts music – no matter the setting. “I think that music does things that words can’t and I personally connect with it a lot,” he said. Because of this, Quistad admits he connects deeply with his own music as it is primarily based on his or his bandmates’ experiences. “Every song that we’ve put out as a band has been about something that has happened to me or a member of the band,” he said. “As twisted and dark as it sounds, the more twisted and messed up things get the faster our content comes.” That was the case with the band’s latest album “Manic,” which was released in October. “Our music is very mental-health driven,” he said. “I try to write therapeutic lyrics for myself, but I know there are a lot of people who have connected with our music. Especially

said. “After the last couple of years, I want to create a safe space for people to escape reality. “There are a lot of issues covered on the record and it’s important for me that people come to a Wage War show and feel that as a release or a place where they can forget about whatever is going on in their life.” Quistad is proud of all of his songs, but one in particular, is his favorite. “My personal favorite is the title track, ‘Manic,’ because it is a live song with Wage War says its music is very “mental-health driven.” several moments for crowd participation and contains a (Special to GetOut) nice groove,” he said. While Quistad is excited with ‘Manic’ and how it walks through the hardships of the last couple of years to exhibit Wage War’s newer music, older tunes like “Who I Am,” “Stitch” like losing loved ones, learning how to and “The River” offer Quistad different be alone or dealing with anxiety and opportunities. depression.” “A lot of times, the songs that go Because of this, Quistad has changed off are the songs that we’ve played so his motives for performances. much that we go into autopilot while “For a while, I wanted to create a playing them,” he said. “Those songs show for people to have fun at,” he

are really fun to play and give me the chance to look out into the crowd instead of at the neck of my guitar the whole song.” During the song, he pulls out his in-ear monitor just to hear the crowd sing. It’s in these moments that Quistad realizes the gravity Wage War’s lyrics hold with its fans. “When the audience interacts with us, I know it’s a good show,” Quistad said. “We have never been about the mosh pits and people beating each other up. I love seeing people put their hands in the air, jump up and down and sing the words.”

Falling In Reverse with Wage War, Hawthorne Heights and Jeris Johnson WHEN: 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1 WHERE: The Van Buren, 401 W. Van Buren St. Phoenix COST: Tickets start at $39.50; ages 13 and older INFO: thevanburenphx.com

Chandler artist creates radiation mask art custom-mesh masks were then embellished by area artists. “There is a Wonder Woman mask, a Harvest Warrior mask and masks which honor the path of healing,” explained CSCAZ’s Expressive Arts Coordinator Joy Kockerbeck. “Each mask honors an individual’s great effort to heal their body and every mask also honors the challenges faced by all cancer patients.” Fagen embellished a mask used by a man with skin cancer caused by the sun

SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Chandler artist Laurie Fagen will have a piece of art included in “From Darkness to Light,” an exhibit of cancer treatment radiation masks transformed into artistic sculptures that will be exhibited through Feb. 18 at Walter Art Gallery, 6425 E. Thomas Road, Scottsdale. The display is organized by the Cancer Support Community of Arizona, a local nonprofit that provides free services to cancer patients, their families and caregivers. After being molded to faces of cancer patients for use during radiation treatment of the head and neck, the 15

Chandler artist Laurie Fagen created this piece for an exhibit of cancer treatment radiation masks. She titled it “Intense Arizona Sun.” (Special to GetOut)

to create “Intense Arizona Sun” using fabric, polymer clay and charms. “I was honored to be invited to take part in this project,” Fagen said. “It was a humbling experience, and made me more dedicated to using sunscreen for myself.” CSCAZ services include support groups, social activities, mind/body therapies, nutritional counseling, and educational seminars among others. Photos of the masks and information about the artists and patients who inspired them can be found at buff. ly/2LMM7XV. For details about CSCAZ, cscaz.org and for more about Walter Art Gallery, go to walter-art.com.

2 exhibits ending this month at Chandler Museum SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Chandler Museum, 300 S. Chandler Village Drive, Chandler is offering a variety of free programs this month. The museum is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. It is closed Mondays. Information: 480-782-2717 or chandlermuseum.org. Exhibits

Bigger than Boxing: Zora Folley and the 1967 Heavyweight Title, through Feb. 13, 2022

On March 22, 1967, at Madison Square Garden, New York City, two men face off in the ring for the Heavyweight Championship of the World – Muhammad Ali and the challenger from Chandler, Zora Folley.

Greatest Photographs of the American West Through Feb. 27

Drawn from the significant holdings of the National Geographic Archive, “Greatest Photographs of the American West” chronicles the history and

grandeur of the people and places that define the American West. It offers a broad understanding of a region that has long captivated photographers. Each image captures a different aspect of the West including interactions among the people, visitors, and wildlife, as well as landscapes with endless skies, boundless plains, and dramatic mountains. Greatest Photographs of the American West is organized by the National Geographic Society.

Public Objects: Artwork from the city’s permanent collection Feb. 8-March 27

Since the public art ordinance was established in 1983, the City of Chandler has steadily collected or commissioned artwork from local, regional, and national artists. This exhibition aims to highlight the gallery pieces the City of Chandler has acquired through the years. From paintings and photography to ceramSee

MUSEUM on page 42

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | JANUARY 30, 2022

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ics and quilts, the city’s collection is as diverse as its population.

PROGRAMS History Bites, noon-12:30 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 1

How many people know there was a Madison Square Garden right here in Arizona? It was built in 1929 as the region’s largest indoor arena. Countless local boxers and wrestlers got their big breaks at Phoenix Madison Square Garden, and Chandler’s own heavyweight contender Zora Folley was one of its star attractions. Imagine yourself ringside as historian Vincent Murray traces the 50-year arc of this legendary locale. Guarantee your seat by registering: eventbrite.com/e/history-bites-phoenix-madison-square-garden-equalityin-the-ring-tickets-200369238787

“Fight Like Folley,” 5:30-6:30 p.m. Feb. 10

This one-hour class offers a mini tour of Bigger than Boxing: Zora Folley and the 1967 Heavyweight Title, and a boxing class led by Title Boxing Club Ahwatukee. Register to guarantee your spot! https://www.eventbrite.com/e/ fight-like-folley-boxing-class-tickets-227933955597

YOUTH PROGRAMS

Play Day, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Feb. 19 Play away the day with action figures and toys of the past. Each month fea-

tures a different set of games and toys.

C-Town Suitcase Club, 10:30-11:15 a.m. Feb. 2, 16

Using water play, come experiment with various tools from the past and present as we get dig in with kitchen and garden tools. These 45-minute programs are led by educators who compare everyday items, then and now. Geared toward ages 3-5.

Art Tots, 10:30-11:15 a.m., Feb. 9, 23 Explore the different ways that art can make us feel and create a heartfelt art piece. Educators lead this age-appropriate introduction to different art styles and concepts. Geared toward ages 3-5.

Museum in a Box

Dive into culture, history, and art at home with a themed activity box. Each Chandler Museum in a Box includes instructions and supplies for three-five activities. Museum in a Box is available for sale in the Museum Store.

Family Edition

Build It! Frank Lloyd Wright in Chandler Explore architecture with a Frank Lloyd Wright themed activity box. Design a city, test your building skills with edible construction supplies, and review shapes hidden within authentic Wright drawings. This Chandler Museum in a Box contains all needed supplies for three activities, stories about Wright’s time in Chandler, and the book Who Was Frank Lloyd Wright from the popu-

lar Who Was? series. $18, Great for ages 7-10, includes enough supplies for two users

Date Night Edition

Sweat and Spar: Boxing Fun for Two Ready for a date night that packs a punch? Don’t worry about your fitness level, grab your partner and step in the ring. Round 1: Duke it out with your partner in a series of jump rope challenges. Round 2: Find out who can talk the talk. Round 3: Weigh in on issues that matter with conversation cards centered on the exhibition Bigger than Boxing: Zora Folley and the 1967 Heavyweight Title. Round 4: This box also includes movie suggestions, drink recipes, and a sweet treat. $24, Designed for adults

Quality Healthcare Begins with Us! PHOENICIAN MEDICAL CENTER Quality Healthcare Begins WALK INS with Us! WELCOME PHOENICIAN MEDICAL CENTER

Chandler Gilbert Arc has been serving individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the East Valley since 1975, providing community living, community based employment and day services and training. We help people with varying support needs to achieve their fullest potential while improving their quality of life.

FREE VITALS WALK INS CHECK WELCOME FREE VITALS CHECK

Join us in welcoming our newest doctor.

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We are excited to welcome our new provider to Phoenician Medical. Michael L. Smith, MD

When you make a donation to Chandler Gilbert Arc, it will come back to you, dollar for dollar on your Arizona State Taxes. Up to $800/family and $400/individual. www.cgarc.org/donation

Chandler Gilbert Arc 3250 N. San Marcos Pl, Chandler, AZ 85225 (480) 892-9422 Chandler Gilbert Arc is an IRS Section 501 (c)(3) non profit corporation, and is a Qualifying Charitable Tax Organization registered with the Arizona Department of Revenue. Our QCO code is 20245. Contact the Arizona DOR at (602) 255-3381, or visit www.revenue.state.az.us for more information

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Our responsibilities rest on what we were created for BY RABBI IRWIN WIENER Columnist

Numerous times we hear from different people that their concept of right and wrong can be found in their understanding of spirituality. It is used frequently to describe a partnership with God that requires confrontation, not acceptance. We are required, even obligated, to question God because to do so enables us to understand the meaning of life. All of us, at one time or another struggle with the notion of God and are determined to comprehend the true essence of our relationship. This is the formula for building character by assuming responsibility. So, what is it that we question? Primarily, I would suggest that we are concerned with the existence of evil. There has always been evil. There will always be evil. This is the eternal quest: To understand why there is evil and the part it plays in the elaborate road map called creation. We are also romantics, always thinking that good will be ultimately victorious over evil. The psalmist and the prophets talk about a time when all will be right with the world, and yet we still grapple with the notion of evil vs. good. Perhaps we spend too much time on why, and not enough time on what.

By this I mean that while we sometimes may feel righteous indignation, we cannot fully determine our role until we understand that we must try to be the best we are capable of and that a partnership with God requires us to be a community of people concerned with survival. And our survival requires a relationship with each other. And unfortunately, it also contains the presence of good, bad and the in-between. The what also contains the understanding that we must take responsibility for our actions. Adam, when confronted by God about eating from the Tree of Knowledge, against God’s wishes, argues that he is blameless, He explains how he was enticed, not realizing that “choice” was the one aspect of his actions Not taking responsibility is contrary to the concept of respect for life. Not speaking out when we witness injustice is contrary to this understanding of the regard for life. We are responsible to and for each other and we need to be concerned about all that is around us because we cannot exist alone. If we are to true partners with God then we are obligated to act as a true partner, not as passive accepting and fate filled participants. We are witnessing at this very moment the results of being passive in our relationship with each other. The indiscriminate murders taking place in our communities; The mayhem realized when we decide to

intimidate and introduce fear; the systemic racism that has polarized our society; the wanton destruction of our cities; the total denial of responsibility of our decay; the disregard for our religious obligations as determined by Scripture. This is the calling of mankind: To be guardians, promoters, and messengers. We were, albeit for a brief moment, in the forefront of helping people live with dignity. We spoke out when we witnessed injustice for all minorities – people of color or immigrants or various religious persuasions. We seem to have lost our way in the maze of hate-filled rhetoric and persecution. We somehow forgot that we are capable of being productive and caring without fear of life and limb. We seem to have lost our ability to partner with

God in ensuring peace and tranquility. We have a duty to follow the dictates of our conscience in participating in the saving of all lives by beginning with the saving of one. We have a moral responsibility to resist selfishness. We have an obligation to ensure that life will continue through grace. And we were created in the divine image in which God accomplished one part of the equation of the partnership. Our effort should be the completion of that partnership: The survival of humanity and the survival of our planet. This truly is what we were created for. Our character is built on the foundation of our responsibilities. Rabbi Irwin Wiener D.D. is spiritual leader of the Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation.

Love always wins BY REV. MARVIN ARNPRIESTER Guest Writer

Ran across a statement by Mahatma Gandhi which seemed appropriate to remember and think about in all the tragic events, tensions, wars of the present and questions regarding the future.

“When I despair, I remember that all though history the way of truth and love has always won. There have always been tyrants, and murderers, and for a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall. Think of it--always.” A good reminder. Rev. Marvin Arnpriester is the senior minister at Sun Lakes United Methodist Church.

What’s next Serving Arizonans in all forms of learning at all stages of life Ambition, curiosity, creativity and passion don’t fit in any one box. No matter who you are or how you learn, ASU is here to help you and your family. Our learning options are growing every day. Visit ASU for You to travel the world through virtual field trips, access research learning tools through the library; conduct experiments with K–college science labs; and enhance your professional skills with badge and certificate programs.

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