Santan Sun News - 02.28.2021 by Times Media Group

February 28, 2021 | www.santansun.com

Relentlessly local coverage of Southern Chandler

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

No consensus on next CUSD superintendent’s qualities BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

A recent survey shows leaders of the Chandler Unified School District don’t have much consensus on the type of leader they’d want to see succeed outgoing Superintendent Camille Casteel. The district’s Governing Board and 50 senior administrators appear to have varying opinions on the qualities they’d like to see in the interim superintendent that will be appointed next month to replace Casteel. Most responses given to a 10-ques-

tion survey ended being split, indicating a wide divide in opinion on the types of experience and skills CUSD’s next chief executive should have. “That shows you it’s pretty spread out in terms of what you’re looking for,” said Steve Highlen of the Arizona School Boards Association. “There’s no real consistency there.” Highlen, the association’s senior policy consultant, has been recruited by CUSD to help coordinate the district’s superintendent search and thinks the district has some work to do to ensure the school board picks a candidate that

satisfies everyone’s preferences. The board’s five members did not unanimously agree on any of the 10 questions either, he said, and many responses were split down the middle. Board members came close to consensus on a question regarding academics: four thought the next superintendent should “possess a keen mission to raise student achievement for all students.” In addition to divisions among board members, Highlen highlighted the differing expectations between the board and Chandler’s administrative staff. “Some things the board picked, the

administrators didn’t pick,” he noted. “Some things the administrators picked, the board didn’t pick.” When asked about leadership skills, about half of the survey’s respondents prioritized a superintendent who had experience motivating staff and boosting morale while the other half favored other attributes. Highlen said it will be vital for CUSD to unify its expectations before the board starts interviewing superintendent applicants or the district risks See

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Intel worker exposed to toxic gas wins $1.2M BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

Saul and Lupe Solis, in their Chandler home, are two of the thousands of Arizonans who have received both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. ( Kiersten Moss/Cronkite News)

Senior citizens cautiously optimistic with vaccine BY LEO TOCHTERMAN Cronkite News

Chandler resident Lupe Solis’ prayers were answered when she received her second dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Now the 77-year-old is being cautious and patient, waiting to worship in person again at St. Timothy Catholic Church in Mesa. “Prayer takes up a big part of our life,” Solis said. “We cannot participate in church activities. I will not feel safe now.” Some churches have resumed in-person worship in Arizona, but Solis is still playing it safe after receiving both doses of the Pfizer vaccine. Like so many of the nearly 1.3 million

Arizonans 65 or older, Solis has adjusted to the safety precautions that have upended life since the onset of the pandemic. With COVID-19 ravaging Arizona’s senior community, many long to return to normal activities but remain apprehensive. More than 11,500 Arizonans 65 or older have died from COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic, with a majority of those deaths in Maricopa County, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Now, in accordance with phase 1B of vaccine rollout, the state has been doing what it can to get vaccinations to the older population as quickly as posSee

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A federal judge has awarded $1 million in damages to a former Intel contract worker who was exposed to toxic gas on the company’s Chandler campus in 2016. Ahmad Alsadi, 29, claimed he sustained damage to his respiratory system after inhaling toxic fumes of hydrogen sulfide while one of Intel’s buildings was being evacuated for a gas leak. Alsadi later sued Intel, Chandler’s largest employer, for negligence and accused the technology company of failing to protect workers from harmful chemicals. After a six-day bench trial earlier this month, U.S. District Court Judge David Campbell awarded $921,188 to Alsadi and another $250,000 to the plaintiff ’s wife. Campbell concluded there was evidence to suggest Intel had been advised to install gas monitors and exhaust systems before the 2016 incident, yet the company failed to do so. “Because Intel did neither in the face of multiple instances of (hydrogen sul-

fide) off-gassing and its knowledge that H2S is extremely hazardous for workers, the court finds that Intel breached its duty with respect to operation of the (wastewater) system,” Campbell wrote in his ruling. Linda Qian, an Intel spokesperson, said the company was “disappointed” by the judge’s ruling and said Intel acted properly during the events described in Alsadi’s lawsuit. “Intel has a well-known safety culture and the safety and well-being of our workforce is our top priority,” Qian said. “We have well-documented processes and safety measures we expect all workers to follow.” Aaron Dawson, the plaintiff ’s attorney, said he and his client were pleased the judge understood how Intel’s lack of action contributed to Alsadi’s injuries. “We were really happy and (Campbell’s) opinion seemed to be a strong rebuke to their conduct,” Dawson said. Although the plaintiffs sought a higher award from the court, Dawson said Alsadi appreciates how the judge’s

F E AT U R E STO R I E S Casteel High sophomore mourned . . . . . . . . . . . . . . COMMUNITY . . . . . Page 2 State Forty Eight expanding in Chandler . . . . . . . . . BUSINESS . . . . . . . Page 40 Hamilton student protecting teachers. . . . . . . . . . . NEIGHBORS . . . . . . Page 49 Ocotillo arts and crafts show coming. . . . . . . . . . . . ARTS . . . . . . . . . . Page 54 Z'Tejas in Chandler is chef-driven . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . EAT . . . . . . . . . . . Page 62

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Casteel High mourns teen accident victim SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Casteel High School students and a Gilbert community are mourning the death last week of a sophomore who sustained severe injuries in a car accident as she headed to school Feb. 16. Ava Mericle, 15, of Gilbert, was removed from life support Feb. 23. Ava was a passenger in a car her brother was driving to school around 7 a.m. Feb. 16 when their sedan was struck by a van at Riggs and Higley roads, near a Gilbert fire station. The Gilbert teenager was rushed to the hospital and underwent eight hours of brain surgery but never regained consciousness. Her brother, 18, and a 22-year-old passenger in the other vehicle were treated for non-life-threatening injuries. Gilbert Police said impairment was not a factor and the accident is under investigation. Casteel High administrators said they are working with Ava’s family to coordinate a memorial service. Chandler educator and suicide prevention specialist Katie McPherson of Chandler also was helping to organize a poster parade last Friday at the school “to welcome staff and students as they arrive with positive messages…to help lift this student community.” Casteel High officials also provided onsite counseling for grief-stricken

Ava Mericle students and sent a letter to parents advising them to look out for signs of depression. “We know that many in our community have been keeping the Mericle family in their thoughts and prayers over the last week, and many are grieving,” the letter stated.The school further advised parents to respect their child’s grief process and to not dwell on the news of Ava’s death. “One of the most helpful things you

can do for your child is simply to listen to him or her,” administrators recommended. Some Casteel students began honoring Mericle by wearing pink ribbons to school. Jacob Hoewing, Ava’s boyfriend, started a gofundme.com account the day after the accident to help the family pay the teen’s medical bills. Within the week, it raised $22,000, exceeding a $20,000 goal. He described Ava as a straight-A student who had a bright future ahead of her. “She looks out for everyone and makes sure everyone is happy and content,” Jacob said. “With that being said, Ava (was) one of the best people in this world and only wanted the best.” Kendra Llewellyn, another friend, described Ava as “truly the most beautiful soul i have ever met” and a smile that could light up every room. Calling Ava was one of the “sweetest, most hard-working girl” she ever knew, Kendra recalled how Ava often helped classmates do better on their assignments. In a tribute on Instagram written directly to Ava, Kendra also wrote, “walking into sports med and seeing your empty seat makes my heart shatter.” “Ava was the best person I’ve ever met,” she wrote on social media. “Being friends with Ava these past few years have been a blessing.”

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INTEL

from page 1

verdict vindicates the trauma he experienced. “He was seriously, permanently injured through no fault of his own and someone was held accountable for it,” the attorney added. Alsadi had been employed as a technician for Jones Lang LaSelle, which had been contracted by Intel to provide maintenance services to the company’s Chandler facilities. On Feb. 28, 2016, the plaintiff claims there was a failure within Intel’s industrial wastewater system that resulted in the emissions of toxic fumes. The system apparently failed to detect an excess amount of Thio-Red, a liquid precipitant, being added to the wastewater tanks for several hours, which incidentally resulted in the creation and release of hydrogen sulfide. “Intel did not design the system to stop automatically if Thio-Red levels got too high or H2S off-gassing occurred,” Judge Campbell ruled. The building where Alsadi was working was evacuated and the plaintiff recalled detecting a foul smell of rotten eggs. His eyes then started to water and Alsadi felt his throat tingling. He and a couple other employees were later taken to a medical facility for treatment. Exposure to hydrogen sulfide can cause a wide variety of health symptoms, according to the Occupational

no fixed monitoring system for hydrogen sulfide in the building where the gas leak occurred at the time of the 2016 incident. “We had no protections,” one witness testified. “They told us basically to trust our nose.” Treating workers like canaries in a coal mine was an “improper” policy with little “common sense,” the judge wrote. Dawson said the lack of a sufficient monitoring system was In his lawsuit, contract worker Ahmad Alsadi said a gas leak in 2016 on Intel's sprawling south Chandler an important element campus injured his respiratory system. (File photo) to prove Intel acted negligently since the hydrogen sulfide levels in one of its Safety and Health Administration, but company allegedly knew it had a history buildings. individuals who inhale large concentraof off-gassing incidents. According to deposition testimony, tions of the gas can suffer from chronic “Intel shockingly didn’t have any sort headaches, cardiovascular problems, or Intel’s industrial hygienist discovered of systems in place to protect people hydrogen levels were well above the memory loss. against that,” Dawson said. “Intel didn’t company’s thresholds and recommendAlsadi claims he had no significant put in a monitor to alert people to get ed a different type of exhaust system health problems before the 2016 out.” be installed in order to capture some of incident and believes his respiratory As a result of his exposure, Alsathe emissions. airways were permanently damaged by “The administrative order was issued di was unable to return to work and inhaling the toxic fumes. claims to still suffer from breathing prior to the 2016 incident, but the Before going to trial, the plaintiff exhaust systems were not installed until problems and a hypersensitivity to dust made the case Intel was negligent by after this incident,” court records state. and odors. highlighting the company’s possible Alsadi went into working in real Campbell further took issue with knowledge of emission problems its estate and later obtained a bachelor’s Intel workers having to depend on their wastewater system had in the past. degree at Northern Arizona University. own noses to detect the presence of Court records show Intel allegedly It’s not yet known whether Intel may toxic gas in their work environment. knew eight months before the 2016 According to court records, Intel had try to appeal Judge Campbell’s ruling. evacuation that it had an excess of

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

from page 1

sible. Seniors make up more than half of the 1,027,816 people in the state who have received at least the first dose. Pharmaceutical makers Moderna and Pfizer have said their vaccines are effective in fighting off the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 in people displaying symptomatic illness, but it remains unclear how effective the vaccines are in curbing the asymptomatic spread of the virus, the Associated Press reported. Solis and other seniors who have received both doses of the Pfizer vaccine are considered to have lowered the risk of catching the symptomatic version of the disease by up to 95 percent, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That level of immunity doesn’t kick in until one to two weeks after the second dose is administered. Solis hasn’t been able to see either of her sisters or their families in El Paso, Texas, in more than a year, and she hasn’t felt safe traveling during the pandemic given her age. She is hopeful that they can meet after a safe amount of time has passed from vaccinations. “After waiting for a month, we’re probably going to plan on seeing each other somewhere,” Solis said. “We still are going to be very leery and wary, you know, of starting anything new because so far we’ve all been able to stay healthy.” For now, Solis has had to keep touch with them through a weekly family prayer over Zoom, which allows them

Lupe Solis, left, and her sisters hope that once they all receive the COVID-19 vaccine, they’ll be able to get together again for the first time in a year. (Courtesy of Lupe Solis)

to stay “together in spirit” and keep in touch. States have differing quarantine protocols for individuals traveling across state lines, with some states enforcing mandatory quarantines for travelers. Travel rules can be found on the CDC’s website. Dr. Josh LaBaer, executive director and professor of the ASU Biodesign Institute, said vaccinated individuals, even seniors, should be able to safely interact with each other once the vaccine takes full effect. “People who are vaccinated can interact with each other in the way that they did in the past, without masks,

you know, pretty much, close quarters,” LaBaer said at a news conference Wednesday. “They’ve been deprived of social interaction for many, many months and I think that’s not healthy for anybody. They ought to be able to get back and interact again.” Dan Martinez, is another recently vaccinated Arizona senior with hopes to reunite with family in the coming months. Martinez, who received his first dose of the vaccine on Jan. 23 at State Farm Stadium, is already making plans to visit family after his vaccine kicks in and infection rates drop.

“We’ve written down things we want to do in terms of traveling to see family,” Martinez said. “We are going to try to get that done once we get our second shot and things calm down nationally. We want to see case numbers drop, hospitalizations drop, death numbers drop, because we don’t want to take too much of a chance.” Part of the 75-year-old’s caution stems from a recent bout that his daughter living in Washington, D.C., had with COVID-19. She and her husband contracted the coronavirus in January, a few weeks after visiting Arizona for the holidays. “She got very sick. She had temperatures of 104, chills and was very weak,” Martinez said. “She was having pain in her stomach when she moved around. She was lying down in bed. And so she had a rough go of it and she’s only 44 years old.” Martinez is taking proper precautions but hopes he gets to be with loved ones soon. “And so we’re hopeful that being vaccinated will get everybody some protection,” he said. “So we can make a few trips and hug a few people and kind of reminisce about the last year or so.” Gov. Doug Ducey and state health officials say they are doing what they can to make such reunions possible. The state has prioritized people 65 or older for vaccination, to varying degrees of success in their rollout. One of the first Arizona seniors to receive the COVID-19 vaccine was Dr. See

SENIORS on page 8

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from page 1

drawing out the recruitment process. “To make a good decision, you need to know where you’re headed,” Highlen added. “Right now, it would be difficult to determine where you’re headed.” Casteel’s decision to retire at the end of this school year after a 50-year career in Chandler Unified has pushed the board into a position it hasn’t been in for a couple decades. CUSD has not had to appoint a superintendent since Casteel got the job in 1996, resulting in an impressively long tenure, considering many school districts end up hiring a new superintendent every few years. It’s not normal for districts to have a superintendent for 25 years, Highlen noted, which demonstrates how well Casteel has gotten along with the district’s various boards. Highlen has several years of experience helping districts in Sedona, Casa Grande, Tuba City, Prescott, and Fountain Hills find their next superintendent. He will be spending the next couple of weeks assisting Chandler’s school board crafting the types of questions they want to ask its superintendent applicants. The search is expected to take at least a year because CUSD decided to appoint an interim superintendent for the 2021-2022 school year before selecting a permanent candidate. The deadline for submitting interim applications has recently expired and the board is hoping to fill the position by the end of March. The interim would official-

Steve Highlen of the Arizona School Boards Association shows the Chandler Unified Governing Board what they will be studying to prepare for another meeting next Wednesday. (YouTube)

ly assume their responsibilities in July. Highlen said the work done now on setting a vision for CUSD will be helpful for when the time comes to pick a permanent superintendent later this year. “The things you learn from the interim search will carry over to the superintendent search,” he said. The interim’s appointment comes as CUSD is still recovering from a pandemic that has drastically impacted the district’s operations and divided the community. Student enrollment has fallen districtwide and the CUSD is facing a potent $21-million deficit in state funding. The Arizona Department of Education announced earlier this month that

CUSD is eligible to receive $13 million in extra funding to offset financial shortfalls caused by the pandemic. CUSD intends to spend the $13-million allotment on virus-mitigation costs it has incurred over the past year. The district estimates it had to spend more than $18.5 million on technology, protective gear and cleaning supplies in order to keep schools operating. Before ADE announced its allotments of relief funding, Chandler had been reimbursed for only about $3 million of its pandemic-related mitigation expenses. The district’s budget problems have been further complicated by the fact that Arizona has been funding virtual learning

CUSD Superintendent Camille Casteel is retiring in June after a 50-year career in Chandler Unified. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

at a lower rate than in-person learning. CUSD has previously said it stands to lose up to $12 million for the several weeks students spent learning virtually from home at the beginning of this school year. As CUSD continues to grapple with financial issues, Highlen said it will be critical in the next couple of weeks for the district’s leaders to focus on hashing out a singular vision among their varying opinions regarding the next superintendent. He compared the upcoming hiring process to being analogous to filling a large funnel with too much material. “At the top of the funnel you can pour a lot of things in, but very little comes out at the bottom and it comes out slowly,” Highlen said. “This will be a slow process.”

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Leonard Kirschner, who had completely adapted his lifestyle to the pandemic before getting the first dose of the vaccine on his 85th birthday Jan. 16. After being a jet-setter who has clocked more than 200,000 frequent flyer miles in a year, Kirschner, like many

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

other Arizona seniors, has adopted more of a subdued lifestyle. “I canceled trips to Portland, Seattle, Boston and two trips to Washington, D.C. So I haven’t been on an airplane in almost a year now,” Kirschner said. “It’s been since February of last year. I’ve had years where I’ve had 200,000 air miles traveled. That’s a real change in my lifestyle.” Kirschner, who received his mas-

ter’s in public health from Harvard in 1968, wasn’t surprised that a pandemic broke out, as he had lived through and studied multiple outbreaks. But he was surprised and encouraged to see the COVID-19 vaccines produced so rapidly. “I was not convinced a year ago that we would have vaccines by the end of 2020 because I know how difficult it is to develop the vaccines,” he said. “I’m very optimistic. If you look at the

history of epidemics, plagues, and pandemics around the world, they run their course, and then they disappear.” Kirschner was excited to receive a dose for his birthday, maybe the most practical gift possible considering the circumstances of the last year. “I figured I would try to get a shot on my 85th birthday, which would be Governor Ducey’s birthday present to me,” he said.

Jobless pay benefit could be upped in Arizona BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Arizonans who find themselves out of work through no fault of their own could get their first increase in benefits in 17 years. Members of the Senate Appropriations Committee voted 9-1 last week to set the maximum benefit to $320 a week as early as this summer. The current cap of $240 was set in 2004 and is the second lowest in the country; only Mississippi pays less. And then, if the employer-financed trust fund that pays for benefits gets back into healthy territory, the maximum automatically would go to $400 a week. Individuals would be able to earn up to $160 a week without losing benefits, whether while looking for a new full-time gig or remaining on a part-time status with a current employer. Now, anything over $30 disqualifies the employee.

To finance all that, employers would pay more in the taxes that finance the benefits. What makes all that significant is that SB 1411 is being pushed by Senate President Karen Fann, R-Prescott. Prior perennial efforts to increase the benefits by Democrats have met with GOP resistance. Fann said she worked with business interests to get the necessary buy-in. The result is that no one from the business community has come out in opposition. Current law allows state benefit to continue for up to 26 weeks, not counting special federal programs. SB 1411 would drop that to 20 weeks when the state’s jobless rate is less than 6 percent. Still, there are objections. Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, R-Scottsdale, the lone dissent on the measure, said she’s concerned that there isn’t enough in the law to ensure that people collecting benefits are actually out searching for a new job.

There already are requirements in law, including a mandate to make contacts with potential employers at least four days a week. And after four weeks of benefits, people generally have to take any job that pays them at least 20 percent more than they’re collecting. But that work search requirement has been suspended during the pandemic by the executive order Gov. Doug Ducey signed last year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “So we’re just going to pay people to be unemployed?’’ Ugenti-Rita asked. And there’s another potential hurdle. Ducey has consistently opposed any benefit increase, saying there are plenty of jobs for people to find “at any time’’ and he sees no need to adjust that $240 figure. Fann said she has informed the governor’s office about the details of her measure. The only thing that gubernatorial press aide C.J. Karamargin would say is that Ducey is “reviewing

the measure.’’ Much of the resistance until now has come from business interests because those payments are financed by a tax that employers pay on the first $7,000 of each worker’s salary. Fann proposes to finance the higher benefits in SB 1411 by increasing the base on which the tax is paid, which she said has not been altered since 1986, to $8,000 next year and $9,000 in 2023. SB 1411 goes to the full Senate after a required review by the Rules Committee of its constitutionality. Fann isn’t the only Republican interested in adjusting jobless benefits. Rep. David Cook, R-Globe, is sponsoring HB 2805 which would raise the cap to $300 a week. That measure, like what Fann is proposing, also would allow people to earn up to $160 a week without losing benefits. His bill cleared a House panel and awaits action by the full chamber.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Chandler getting $8M to help struggling renters BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

Chandler expects to receive about $8 million in federal funds to help local residents avoid losing their homes during the pandemic. AZCEND, a local nonprofit, will be contracting with the city to distribute the money to help residents who are delinquent in their rent. The money only applies to renters and can’t be used by homeowners delinquent in their mortgage payments. AZCEND has already helped more than 1,800 Chandler households avoid eviction during the pandemic and has a backlog of about 600 applications for rental assistance. Leah Powell, the city’s neighborhood services director, said Chandler would need at least $2.5 million to satisfy the backlog of rental assistance requests and that that figure likely will get larger in the coming months. The money can help qualifying low-income applicants to get up to 12 months of their rent paid. If a resident was already nine months behind on their rent, Powell explained, then the new funds can cover that debt plus an additional three months. Chandler is expected to eventually allocate $14 million in local, state, and federal dollars to services that help residents stay off the streets. Many tenants will eventually not be

The moratorium’s extension is still worrisome for the city because it allows some residents to put off asking for rental assistance, Powell said, so Chandler doesn’t know exactly how many people may need help paying rent. “Every time the moratorium is extended, we know that somewhere out there there’s most likely a backlog of people who have not been paying their rent and we may not have heard from (them) yet,” she said. There has been a serious lack of education among tenants and landlords regarding the eviction moratorium, Powell added, and officials have had to explain that the morCity administrator Leah Powell explained the need atorium doesn’t let residents for continuing assistance to struggling Chandler renters at a City Council meeting last week. off the hook for back rent. (YouTube) “We have had people that thought you could just stop payprotected by an eviction moratorium ing rent and mortgages,” she said. that has been in effect throughout the As of this month, about 500 resipandemic. The federal moratorium on dents have sought housing assistance evictions has been extended to the end and Powell’s department was able to of March. refer about 420 of them to another Chandler had originally planned to agency for financial help. give about $4 million to AZCEND and Powell said the $8 million will also the Salvation Army for their rental ashelp people who are behind in their sistance programs back when it wasn’t utility payments. clear if the moratorium would be Chandler has seen a substantial increase extended past December. in the number of residents and businesses

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who have stopped paying their water or wastewater bills over the last year. The city currently has about 2,600 delinquent accounts and a utilities debt that has escalated to about $1.5 million during the pandemic. Nonprofits have been prioritizing their funding for rental assistance, Powell said, so the new federal funds could help more delinquent utility accounts avoid a shut-off. “There has been very little money available for water assistance,” she said. “Most of the money that’s been allocated has been used for rental assistance.” The city expects to continue supporting other housing services that have proved to be beneficial to some residents this past year. It is allocating $125,000 to renew its participation in a program that temporarily houses homeless individuals in hotel rooms. In the middle of the pandemic, Chandler committed some funding for a regional service across the East Valley that rehoused residents who were at risk of homelessness. Powell said the program has placed 108 individuals in hotel rooms over the past year. Of that number, 47 transitioned to permanent housing. “This hotel program has been more successful than any shelter program we have seen to date,” Powell said. The city is planning to allocate $340,000 to Save the Family for the nonprofit’s rehousing services in Chandler.

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The state has stepped in to keep Chandler-Gilbert Community College as a COIVD-19 vaccination site after the Maricopa County Department of Public Health tried to shut it down. Gov. Doug Ducey and the Arizona Department of Health Services said making the campus a state is “avoiding the closure of a successful mass vaccination site and further expanding the state’s nationally recognized model for speeding up vaccine administration.” The vaccination site at Chandler-Gilbert Community College will begin operating as a state-run location on Wednesday, March 3. “We’re committed to making the COVID-19 vaccine accessible to all Arizonans. Keeping this successful vaccination site open and operating is an important step,” said Ducey. “Arizona has called on the federal government to provide our state with more vaccine doses. As more supply becomes available, we’ll be ready to administer the vaccine and protect Arizonans.” The county planned to end vaccinations at the school even though it is one of the busiest distribution sites. Dignity Health currently manages the site in collaboration with the county and it will be replaced in partnership with the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military Affairs, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Arizona and the Marico-

Dr. Cara Christ. “Arizona has proven that the state’s nationally recognized model for these vaccination sites is scalable and transferable to other locations. By combining state resources with the support of partners, we can continue getting more doses into the arms of Arizonans.” ADHS opened the 24/7 State Farm Stadium site Jan. 11 and opened the site at Arizona State University’s Phoenix Municipal Stadium on Feb. 1. On Feb. 18, ADHS and the University of Arizona marked the conversion of a vaccination site in central Tucson into the first state site serving southern Arizona. Planning is also underway for state-operated sites in westMaricopa County health officials were going to close the vaccination distribution point at Chandler ern and northern Arizona. Gilbert Community College but state officials took it over, calling it wildly successful. (Special to Information about all the SanTan Sun News) vaccination sites across Arizona can be found at azhealth. pa County Community College District. vide second doses to individuals who gov/findvaccine. Those without comreceived their first at the site. At full capacity, the Chandler Gibert puter access or needing extra help Appointments for first and second Community College site will have a registering can call 1-844-542-8201 to be doses will open for registration at 9 a.m. similar capacity to State Farm Stadium connected with an operator who can Monday, March 1. at 12,000 vaccines per day and can be assist. “A region with well more than half operated 24/7, state officials said. People can use the patient portal of our state’s population will now have Due to the limited amount of vacat podvaccine.azdhs.gov to make an three state-run vaccination sites that cine allocated to the state, the site will appointment for someone else in a position Arizona to vaccinate large initially operate from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. prioritized group, such as someone 65 numbers rapidly as vaccine supplies It will continue to provide the Pfizer and older. expand,” said state health Director vaccine and will be available to pro-

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

City projecting revenue growth for next budget BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

After the pandemic limited the city’s spending capacity last year, Chandler is projecting a more positive financial outlook for the coming fiscal year with a potential revenue increase. New data released by city officials show Chandler is experiencing a gradual revenue bump that will total $5.5 million in the fiscal year beginning July 1. The city projects $268 million in revenue for its next budget year expects a small surplus left over after accounting for expenditures. Dawn Lang, the city’s management services director, said Chandler has many good reasons to feel confident about the future going into the budget planning process for next year. Revenue generated from retail sales was nearly 15 percent higher in December than the previous year, Lang said, suggesting the pandemic’s grip on the local economy has begun to loosen. Monthly tax revenue was on an upward trajectory during the last few months of 2020 and revenue has grown by about 5 percent throughout the current fiscal year. But there’s still some uncertainty about how Arizona will recover from the pandemic in the coming months and Chandler’s outlook could change with the arrival of new data from the

As the number of building permits issued by Chandler has increased in the past year, so too have total fees collected, helping the city maintain a positive revenue forecast for the coming fiscal year. (City of Chandler)

Arizona Department of Revenue. “It is an interesting time because of COVID,” Lang added. “We usually have very predictable trends as we have moved through the years. But all of a sudden we have this very strange activity going on at different revenue levels.” Some sectors of the local economy have not fared as well as others throughout the pandemic. According to public records, taxes collected from Chandler’s hotel industry shrunk by 36 percent in November compared to the previous year. Revenue generated by entertainment venues shrunk by 42 percent and taxes collected from restaurants fell by 6 percent.

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Chandler intends to continue its conservative approach to its budget planning process, Lang said, since a shakeup in national politics could result in new policies that might affect the city’s reserves. “It’s difficult to be too aggressive in our future growth based on potential tax cuts that could impact our revenue streams,” she said. One economic indicator Chandler is measuring to assess the strength of its future revenues is the number of building permits issued monthly. The city ended 2020 with about 350 more permits processed than the previous year and the value of these permits was relatively high compared to 2019.

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Despite the strong development activity, revenue from construction contracting began to decrease toward the end of 2020. Chandler saw its monthly revenue in this tax category decline by 0.5 percent in November. Chandler attributes this slight downturn to the recent completion of big construction projects like the Intel expansion, downtown redevelopment and various multi-family housing complexes. When the pandemic began nearly a year ago, the city reacted by planning for a $20-million budget reduction and cut its spending by not filling job vacancies and delaying capital projects. The city has begun hiring open positions again and is actively recruiting to fill more than 70 jobs. Chandler is currently reviewing requests from its various departments to spend $6 million in new ongoing costs to create 22 job positions for the next fiscal year. Matt Dunbar, the city’s budget manager, said Chandler’s current budget is sitting in a comfortable position with spending levels on par to previous years. But the city has to remain cautious for the immediate future, he added, and try to prepare for any unexpected revenue pitfalls. “There are still concerns out there See

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as far as what the economy is going to do,” Dunbar said. Ten years ago, Chandler’s finances were structured in a way where the city overcommitted too much of its tax revenue to fund ongoing expenses.

This structure resulted in the city having to make drastic cuts after the economy suddenly collapsed during the Great Recession in 2009. Since then, the city has restructured its budget to allow for more funds to be spent on one-time expenses for items that won’t need an ongoing source of revenue to maintain. The 2021-2022 budget is projected to

break down in 82 percent for ongoing expenses and 18 percent for one-time expenditures. The city’s current budget breaks down to 85 percent for ongoing and 15 percent for one-time expenses. Lang said having more one-time funding means the city has less money to spend on salaries, yet overcommitting too much of the city’s budget to ongoing expenditures is not the most

sustainable model. “It’s one of those balancing acts,” she added. “We certainly don’t want to set it so low that we prevent the city from moving forward.” The city plans to start holding outreach events next month to get public feedback on its budget prospects for next year.

Man gets 18 years for killing Air Force vet SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

A man will spend 18 years in prison for killing a 76-year-old military veteran during a carjacking incident outside a Chandler gas station. Jordan Sullivan, 22, pleading guilty to the second-degree murder of Wesley Cook, a retired Air Force sergeant who died last April 19. Cook was discovered lying on the ground outside a Circle K near Arizona Avenue and Riggs Road shortly after midnight on April 9. He told Chandler police officers he had been assaulted while filling up his gas tank and the attacker had taken off in his vehicle. Chandler Police later spotted Cook’s vehicle driving down the road by Sullivan and attempted to stop him, then chased him onto the Gila River Indian

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Community reservation until Sullivan crashed the vehicle and rolled several times. The fugitive fled on foot but a police dog chased Sullivan and subdued him. He later told Chandler Police he stole Cook’s car to see his family and didn’t intend to hurt the elderly man, court documents show. Cook was a retired aviation industry employee who had worked at Boeing in Mesa in its helicopter division. The prosecution advocated for a lengthy prison sentence, stating Cook likely suffered during the days leading up to his death. Emily Spangenberg-Cook, the victim’s widow, said she barely got to spend any time with her husband before he died due to the hospital’s COVID-19 restrictions.

“I never got to see Wes again while he was conscious,” she wrote in a statement to the court. “I was not allowed in the hospital until the last hours before they moved him to hospice.” She said her husband had served more than 20 years in the Air Force and spent two tours in Vietnam during the war. Cook’s car was the first he ever bought brand new. It was totaled after the accident and couldn’t be repaired by his family. “Now I will never get to sit in the car in order to feel closer to Wesley,” his widow added. “It too is gone forever.” Superior Court Judge Annielaurie Van Wie ordered Sullivan to pay $3,800 in restitution to Cook’s family for the victim’s funeral expenses.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Retaliation threatens voucher extension bill BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Republican senators gave the goahead for what could be a huge expansion in the use of tax dollars to send children to private and parochial schools – but it may not be the last word. On a 16-14 party-line vote, lawmakers advanced SB 1452 that Sen. Paul Boyer, R-Glendale, said will give new educational opportunities to students living in poverty. He said it is designed to ensure these children are not effectively trapped in neighborhood public schools that do not meet their needs. It even allows parents to use their voucher dollars to finance transportation to get their youngsters to schools that are not nearby, including options like taxis and rideshare services. And Sen. Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, said there is a particular need in the wake of COVID-19, which has resulted in the closure of many public schools. He said that has sent many parents looking for private schools that do have in-person instruction. What SB 1452 does, Petersen said, is make that a more realistic option for families who cannot otherwise afford it. But the legislation took a detour Feb. 16. In what appears to be a bit of political payback, Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, R-Scottsdale, who a day earlier had voted for the measure, persuaded 19 of her colleagues to support her motion to reconsider SB 1452. That included not only all 14 Democrats who have opposed the bill all along but six Republicans, including herself, who voted for the plan. Her action came immediately after the Senate, on a tie vote, killed her proposal to make it easier to remove people from the “permanent early voting list.’’ Boyer voted with the Democrats to kill her SB 1069.

Michelle Ugenti

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Ugenti-Rita did not respond to a request by Capitol Media Services for an explanation of her action. But Sen. Kelly Townsend, R-Mesa, said it was abundantly clear in her mind what was occurring: retaliation. “Sometimes I feel like I have returned back to high school,’’ she said. “I came here to vote on the merit of the bills,’’ Townsend continued. “And I’m horrified by what I saw this afternoon.’’ The vote does not necessarily mean that Boyer’s plan to make a majority of Arizona public school students eligible for vouchers of state tax dollars to attend private or parochial schools is dead. But it means it won’t move forward to the House until the dispute is settled. Giving the bill another look is in line with what Democrats like Sen. Rebecca Rios of Phoenix want. “We’re going to do this under the guise of helping poor children and children of color,’’ she said. Sen. Kirsten Engel, D-Tucson, said there are ways to “game’’ the system of vouchers, formally known as “empow-

erment scholarship accounts.’’ She pointed out that eligibility extends to any student attending schools, which have enough poor students to classify them as eligible for federal Title I funds. The income of any given child is irrelevant. That potentially makes more than 700,000 students eligible for the vouchers out of the 1.1 million youngsters in public schools. Engel pointed out that Boyer’s bill says that a student need be in a Title I school for just 30 days to qualify. And given Arizona’s open-enrollment policies, she said, a parent of means who wants a voucher could put a child into a Title I school for a month, meet the requirement, and then be eligible for those state dollars to send the youngster to a private or parochial school. The debate on the bill, which now goes to the House, took on racial overtones. “This 100 percent furthers de facto, if not de jure, segregation,” said Sen. Martin Quezada. That drew an angry reaction from

Sen. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, who pointed out that civil rights leader H.K. Matthews supports the bill and the whole concept of vouchers. “If the system is failing a low-income child, you are not allowed to fund your system off the back of that child and cry ‘racism’ if the child has an opportunity to leave,’’ he quoted Matthews. “School choice is an extension of the civil rights movement because it gives parents, especially low-income and minority parents, the rights and resources to choose any school their child needs.’’ Boyer put a finer point on it. “A family choosing for themselves to be in any school that works best for their child?’’ he said. “That’s not segregation. That’s freedom.’’ Rios, however, said the vouchers of about $6,400 are not enough to help those truly in need as it does not cover the full cost of tuition at a private or parochial school. The result, she said is that only the families who can afford the difference will be able to take advantage of this. Sen. Tony Navarrette, D-Phoenix, said state lawmakers, in declining to add needed dollars, had created “a manufactured crisis’’ in public schools to then use as an excuse to say that students need vouchers to go elsewhere. If the party-line stance in favor of expansion holds, the measure should clear the House where Republicans have a 31-29 edge. And Gov. Doug Ducey has signed other voucher bills that have reached his desk. But the last time GOP lawmakers sought to expand eligibility foes gathered enough signatures on petitions to send the issue directly to votes. And they overrode the legislative decision by a 2-1 margin. There also has been some discussion about a legal challenge should the measure become law.

Arizona gets middling scores on electric car efforts BY HALEIGH KOCHANSKI Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – Arizona got middling scores in two new national reports on states’ efforts to boost the number of electric vehicles on the road, which advocates say is proof that the state has a long way to go. Arizona finished 24th and 25th, respectively, in the reports by the group Plug In America and by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. The reports measured state policies covering a range of factors that make it easier for drivers to buy and use an electric vehicle. California ranked first in both reports, which cited that state’s policies to help people buy electric vehicles and support them during ownership, that enable infrastructure like charging stations, and support educational outreach. California received a 91 out of 100 points in the ACEEE report, to Arizona’s 21.5 points. But only six states got more

The availability of charging stations is just one of the challenges to widespread adoption of electric vehicles. The car’s supporters in Arizona say much progress has been made in recent years, but that much more work needs to be done. ( Hakan Dahlstrom/Creative Commons)

than 50 points. “I was surprised that Arizona even made it into the top 25 given what all the other states are doing out there,” said Katherine Stainken, policy director at Plug in America. “There is a huge difference between those in the top 10 … and those that are beyond that.” Arizona was nicked by the ACEEE in several areas. The report said the state does not offer sufficient incentives to buy electric vehicles, does not have programs to help drivers in low-income communities get them and lacks an overall emissions reduction goals. The state earned points for providing “off-peak” rates for EV charging and for not having annual electric vehicle fees – a protection state lawmakers are trying to take away. A Senate committee gave preliminary approval earlier this month to an omnibus tax bill that includes a new $110 tax on electric vehicles to offset See

ELECTRIC on page 18

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Lawmakers picking apart Ducey gaming bid BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

State lawmakers are starting to pick apart the gaming deal that Gov. Doug Ducey wants them to rubber stamp. At a hearing Feb. 18, members of the Senate Commerce grilled Anni Foster, the governor’s counsel, about the measure that would for the first time ever legalize the ability of Arizonans to bet on the outcome of sporting events as well as some of the individual things that could happen during a game. The same measure also would authorize wagering on “fantasy sports’’ leagues while social organizations like veterans clubs could run multi-gameper-hour keno. SB 1797 cleared the committee on a 6-3 vote. But even some of the lawmakers who agreed to advance the measure were less than pleased with what they are learning and suggested they might end up in opposition. Among the issues: Giving sports teams, some of whose owners are Ducey political supporters, the exclusive right to take bets on sporting events and not allowing others to bid for that right; Opposition from the Arizona Board of Regents to allowing bets on college sporting events; Demands from bar owners that they

get a small piece of the action and be allowed, like social organizations, to also have keno games. And then there’s the secrecy by the governor on the details of a parallel deal he is cutting with tribes to expand their own casino operations. That includes the fact that the pact will allow new tribal casinos in the Phoenix area, including at least one not on current reservation lands. The governor’s office won’t disclose the locations, saying that is covered by an agreement with the tribes to keep that information secret. Unless the questions are answered to the satisfaction of a majority of lawmakers, the whole deal blows up. That’s because the current gaming compacts give tribes veto power over any new form of off-reservation gaming. And they won’t consent unless they get what they want, including new games. Conversely, if lawmakers don’t ultimately approve what’s in SB 1797 for expanded off-reservation gaming, the tribes won’t get any right to expand what they do. While the measure cleared the Senate Commerce Committee earlier this week, it still has a long way to go, including review by the Appropriations Committee and then the full Senate and House. That most immediately goes to the fact that Ducey won’t make public exactly what he has promised the tribes,

including where new casinos might end up in the Phoenix area. Sen. Tyler Pace, R-Mesa, said that’s not acceptable and wants to see what Ducey has promised before deciding whether to approve the legislation. While Pace opposes expanded gaming of any kind, the hesitation from other lawmakers is less about the concept of gaming than the details of who gets what. It starts with the legislation saying there will be up to 10 franchises entitled to take off-reservation wagers on sporting events. These are promised in law exclusively to owners of baseball, basketball, football, hockey, golf, soccer and motorsports franchises. Sen. Michelle Ugenti-Rita, R-Scottsdale, wanted to know why not open up that privilege to anyone who might be willing to bid more for that right. “I’m failing to understand the necessity of the sports team,” she said. And then there’s the fact that the 10 teams will be taking bets on their own games. “It reeks of a conflict of interest,’’ said Ugenti-Rita. “It doesn’t look good from my opinion.’’ Pace was more pointed in his concern about the arrangement. “So I’m playing the game but I’m also the house for the bet?’’ he asked Foster.

“I would say that’s sort of correct,’’ she conceded. But Foster insisted that the teams have the experience as well as the financial wherewithal to set up and run what she claims is a low-margin business. Pace said he sees no reason why the state Department of Gaming, which already regulates tribal casinos and would have oversight of off-reservation gambling, could not screen other applicants. The opposition from the Board of Regents presents a new wrinkle. Lobbyist Brittney Kaufmann told lawmakers wagering on outcome of games played by student athletes at the state’s three universities is unacceptable “This bill would add additional pressure of the citizens of Arizona wagering on their performance in competition,” she said, adding that “could increase costs and liability on the schools.’’ While the universities want less, the bar owners want more. “Our establishments look for an opportunity to compete as well,” said Don Isaacson who lobbies for bars and restaurants that have liquor licenses. He pointed out that the only thing they have now is the ability to sell lottery “scratch’’ tickets. And Isaacson warned that if they don’t get keno now, that pretty much locks them out for the next two decades, the length of the deal Ducey is pushing.

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Ducey says Republican Party in great shape BY HALEIGH KOCHANSKI Cronkite News

Arizona Republicans lost the last two U.S. Senate races. Four statewide offices are held by Democrats. Democrats are as close as they’ve been in five decades to taking control of the state House. The Arizona Republican Party is officially at war with the state’s chief executive. And while Donald Trump is back in Florida after his defeat, he continues to seek a place on the national political stage. But as far as Gov. Doug Ducey is concerned, the GOP is in great shape. And he’s counting on a Biden presidency to turn around the party’s fortunes in 2022 and beyond. “I believe that the Republican Party has a lot of things to be hopeful about,’’ Ducey said in an interview with Capitol Media Services. “There’s a lot of signs of optimism.’’ On a national level, he said, Republicans did pick up some seats in the U.S. House. “And the majority is well within sight,’’ Ducey said, glossing over the lost seats in the Senate that, with a 50-50 split, gave Democrats the majority with Vice President Kamala Harris having the deciding vote. Ducey, however, chooses to focus on the victories. “How about we reflect on the last governor’s race?’’ he asks. It is true that Ducey, seeking a second term in 2018, picked up 56 percent of the vote against David Garcia, who was by all accounts a weak candidate with a campaign beset by missteps. But that was also the year Republicans

ELECTRIC

from page 14

the loss of gasoline taxes that are used to maintain the state’s highways. “We think that’s ridiculous,” said Jim Stack, president of the Phoenix Electric Auto Association. “That’s more than the tax a normal gas car pays in gas tax for a year. “We don’t mind paying our fair share and some extra fee to help pay for roads because we know that’s important but, you know, don’t scare people away before they even have a chance to buy an electric vehicle,” he said. The bill would impose a flat fee of $110 per year on electric vehicles and

Gov. Doug Ducey is upbeat about the strength of Arizona's Republican Party as it prepares for state elections next year that include his replacement. (File photo)

faltered in their bid to hang onto the offices of secretary of state and state schools chief. And Democrats picked up a second seat on the five-member Arizona Corporation Commission. “In ‘14, for all Republicans, there was a wind at our back called Barack Obama,’’ he said. “He brought the party together and we had more Republicans in office, both at state legislatures, majority in the (U.S.) House of Representatives, majority in the Senate. Same at the gubernatorial level.’’ “I worked very hard to not have a Democrat in the White House in 2020,’’ Ducey said. “It’s a reality.’’ What also is a reality, he said, is that, in general, off-cycle elections tend to favor the party in the minority. “If they can properly press it, they can maximize it,’’ Ducey said. “And that would be my expectation of the Republican Party across the country.’’

But the party is in an unusual situation, with huge schisms between what might be called the Trump wing of the party and the more business-oriented Republicans that include Ducey. “There’s one Republican Party,’’ the governor insisted. “It’s supposed to be a broad coalition.’’ Still, he conceded that some things are amiss. “A majority party should be in the business of adding people, not purging them,’’ he said. The official party structure has been censuring its own members who are not considered properly loyal. That include Ducey himself who incurred the wrath of the precinct committee workers over his decision to certify the election results declaring that Biden had won Arizona’s 11 electoral votes. “That’s an action of zero consequence,’’ the governor declared.

$44 on hybrids, on the theory that those cars are using state roads but not paying the 18-cents-a-gallon gas tax other drivers pay to maintain the state’s roads. A fiscal note with the bill estimates that there are currently 34,898 electric vehicles in the state and about 114,400 hybrids, which would bring in just over $9 million in new revenue a year. Arizona joined seven other Western states in 2017 agreeing to promote EV acceptance and awareness by addressing “range anxiety” – the fear that an electric car will run out of juice before it reaches the next charging station. It also said it would look for ways

to improve charging infrastructure and encourage manufacturers to market electric vehicles, among other efforts. But advocates say Arizona has not lived up to the agreement. “The more that we can build out that charging infrastructure along the highways and have more in metro areas, the greater people feel more comfortable with purchasing electric cars,” said Stainken. “You can drive anywhere in the state and see gas stations so we need to make sure that the charging stations are just as visible.” Stack said improvements in the charging infrastructure are still needed – but that the situation is probably not

Still, the party’s “cancel culture’’ remains, with some making declarations about who is pure enough to be considered a true Republican. The flip side of that is some GOP registrants have decided to reregister as independents or even Democrats. “Right now, there is a discussion around purity and these tests that are going on,’’ Ducey said “And I’m hopeful we can get past it and get focused on ideas, an agenda, and actually moving good thoughts forward.’’ For the moment, though, it is Kelli Ward, chair of the state party, that is its public face. And she’s the one who keeps getting the publicity, locally and nationally. “Only because you keep talking about her,’’ the governor responded. He suggested that too much attention is being paid not just to her but also to whoever chairs the party. “Party chairmen used to have an outsize role,’’ he said. “They would make decisions in smoke-filled rooms on who the candidate was and who could participate in the primary and whole the winner would be,’’ Ducey continued. “None of that exists anymore.’’ Now, he said, the best thing the person running the party can do is raise money, register Republicans and win races. And the governor did not hide his feelings about how Ward is doing “By any measurement, the current party chairman has failed at all three,’’ he said. And what of Trump and how he might affect the future of the GOP? “Well, he’s an outsize force in American politics,’’ Ducey said, saying he’s not just a former president but also the leading voice in the party. See

DUCEY on page 19

as bad as some car-buyers fear. “People don’t realize how much charging has been enhanced,” he said. “Once people see these and understand how they work, it’s like, ‘Wow, you don’t have to worry about range anxiety.’” Stainken said that the state should come up with a good strategy to encourage people to look at investing in electric vehicles. “I think that Arizona is going to miss out on the good economic benefits that will wreak from the transportation electrification sector,” said Stainken. “I just encourage the state to really… with all there is to gain, come up with a good strategy moving us forward.”

Chandler firm raffling its services for a year SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

A Chandler start-up marketing company is marking its first year anniversary with a contest that will get a business its services. NeverNot Social, a start-up Valley marketing agency, is offering a year’s worth of social media management to a small business. The prize – worth an estimated

$10,000 – includes five posts a week across two social media channels and a quarterly photoshoot provided by NeverNot Social. NeverNot Social is a digital marketing agency with a specialty in social media management and videography. The agency is the brainchild of Christian Weninger, whose goal is to bridge a gap between businesses and the community.

Throughout the year, its team of Gen-Z experts have grown 30 businesses affordably and effectively. “We understand that local businesses have been deeply affected from the COVID-19 pandemic, which is why we would like to give a small business the chance to have expert level marketing for free,” he said. “We work hard on our clients’ behalf to ensure they are

reaching their marketing goals and consistently seeing results. To enter the contest, businesses can go to nevertnotsocial.com/giveaway no later than March 8. The winner of the giveaway will be chosen by random draw on March 9 and will be notified by email. Information: christian@qndpllc. com or 602-769-8588.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

County renews child abduction response teams BY BROCK BLASDELL Contributor

The Maricopa County Board of Supervisors has unanimously renewed a multi-agency intergovernmental agreement that allows the sheriff’s department to participate in Arizona’s collaboration of Child Abduction Response Teams. Deputies will join Phoenix, Apache Junction, Chandler, Gilbert, Maricopa, Mesa, Paradise Valley and Scottsdale in providing specialized investigators and non-financial support for cases involving abducted children. Page Gonzales, Supervisor Steve Chucri’s chief of staff said the agreement will “build teams to rescue children and then investigate and prosecute cases.” “It is important that governments help each other through police agencies, especially during a case of child ab-

DUCEY

from page 18

“He did receive nearly 75 million votes,’’ Ducey continued. “So the idea of having a large majority expanding party is something he can be incredibly helpful to.’’ Ducey also said that the success of Democrats in the last election cycles should not be a surprise. “Arizona always has been an independent state,’’ he said. “People that talk about us as such a deep ruby red

duction – when quick work can reduce harm,” Gonzales said. The formation of child abduction response teams has been a movement across the nation for law enforcement agencies. Multidisciplinary teams of investigators, prosecutors, attorneys, social workers and medical and mental health professionals receive special training to respond to missing or abducted children cases. “I think of it as a force of good,“ said Sgt. Nicholas Lien, the CART supervisor at the Mesa Police Department. “It frees up investigators to actually focus on the abduction... They can focus on the investigation and the CART team can focus on all of the checks that need to happen to hopefully come to a successful resolution.” While CART members don’t serve as the primary investigators for cases that are out of their jurisdiction, they assist

with the getting results. Lien detailed how around six months earlier, he had assisted on a CART case for Maricopa County that involved the abduction of a special-needs child. After mobilizing to support the case, the team found the child. “I’ve been on deployment where we’ve uncovered kids and those are always wins,” said Lien. Child abduction and sex trafficking can be interrelated, said Kathleen Winn, executive director of Project 25, a nonprofit whose mission is to end sexual exploitation by 2025. It runs the Valley Against Sex Trafficking program. She said “7 to 10 percent of abductions are related to trafficking.” “Primarily when you have a child abduction, it’s usually involving another family member,” Win said. “Either an estranged spouse or someone who has

an interest in taking the child from the other parent.” According to Winn, informed citizens communicating with their local police agencies help prevent both abductions and child sex trafficking. Being aware of odd child-adult pairings, visible bruising, children who seem suspiciously scared and sad, or children forced into silence in public places could all be red flags requiring the average person speak out to their local police, she said. “Law enforcement, especially now, cannot be everywhere at every moment to solve every problem,” Winn said. While Winn currently works to mobilize citizens to aid the recovery of trafficked children, CART teams across Arizona continue to provide the backbone of a quick response in case of child abduction.

Republican state forget the names of Janet Napolitano and Bruce Babbitt and Dennis DeConcini.’’ But that doesn’t tell the whole story. DeConcini got elected to the U.S. Senate in 1976 after a brutal primary fight between Republican Congressmen Sam Steiger and John Conlan left the survivor politically hobbled. Babbitt never intended to run for governor but hoped to take on Barry Goldwater for Senate in 1980. But the departure of Raul Castro for an ambassadorship to Argentina and

the 1978 death of Wes Bolin who had been secretary of state left Babbitt, as attorney general, the next in line of succession. And as he famously said, “You play the hand that’s dealt you.’’ Napolitano, also a former attorney general, squeaked in over Republican Matt Salmon by just 12,000 votes. But as Salmon would later acknowledge he was unable to pick up the support of many evangelical congregations because he was a member of the Church of Latter-day Saints. Mark Kelly has to run again in 2022

for the final two years of the term that originally belonged to John McCain. With Ducey having forsworn any interest in the seat, that could set the stage for a primary fight between current congressman Andy Biggs who is firmly in the Trump camp and Ducey ally former House Speaker Kirk Adams or someone in the same political camp. “Let’s let politics stand down for awhile,’’ he said. “We just sworn in our new senator. And let’s focus on why we’re here, which is actually to govern and make policy.’’

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Kids will get grades, but schools won’t BY HALEIGH KOCHANSKI Cronkite News

The Arizona Department of Education wants to make sure parents understand their kids will be getting letter grades this year – and to drive home the point, the department sent the message last week in capital letters. Actions taken by the governor and Legislature two weeks ago apply to schools but “NOT individual student grade (ex. ‘A in Chemistry’ or ‘C+ in English’) – those are under the purview of local control,” the department said in a statement. The statement followed Gov. Doug Ducey’s signing of a bill that declared state schools will not get grades reflecting their students’ performance on the AzMerit standardized tests this year, because of the ongoing pandemic. An accompanying executive order and statement from Gov. Doug Ducey said the law allowed “some flexibility around the state’s A-F letter grade system.” Some parents apparently read that to mean the change applied to the letter grades their kids receive – not their kids’ schools. Phoenix resident Lori Worachek, who has two daughters in the school system, said her initial reaction was that the executive order was unfair to kids. “It wasn’t the right way to approach it because it’s not fair to the kids that have been working hard,” she said. But that was never the intention of

the bill, said Rep. Michelle Udall, R-Mesa, the lead sponsor of HB 2402. “Letter grades for schools are used by the state, by parents and by communities to hold schools accountable for teaching students,” Udall said. “School letter grades include measures of student achievement on the statewide assessment, student

no good unless the board of education uses the data to compare learning progress during the pandemic year to other years, Ducey’s letter said. “Students have been kept out of school for far too long, and I have serious concerns about the learning loss that has occurred this past year,” he said in the letter to Arizona Secre-

have been kept out of school for far “tooStudents long, and I have serious concerns about the learning loss that has occurred this past year, getting kids caught up and on track needs to be a top focus of ours.

”

– Gov. Doug Ducey

growth, attendance, college and careers readiness indicators, metrics of various subgroups, etc.,” her statement said. Suspending letter grades for students would cause serious issues with college admissions and preparation for future courses, Udall said. In a letter accompanying his approval of the bill, Ducey said the law calls for students to continue to be evaluated, “while also recognizing this year is unique and provides some flexibility around the state’s A-F letter grade system.” But those student assessments are

tary of State Katie Hobbs. “Getting kids caught up and on track needs to be a top focus of ours.” Toward that end, Ducey signed an executive order directing the state board to use the AzMerit data – which he called a “critically valuable tool to gauge the educational attainment of Arizona students” – to prepare a report by Nov. 1 on academic progress in the past year and to present “evidence-based strategies to mitigate the impact of learning loss.” The state Department of Education

said it is ready to work with the Arizona State Board of Education “to analyze data around the learning that occurred during the pandemic and strategies to address the opportunity gap to help schools meet all students’ academic needs.” Sergio Chavez, the president of the Arizona Parent Teacher Association, has no doubt that there has been a “learning loss” over the past year, as students and teachers have tried to figure out remote learning. Chavez noted the problems students might face when the teacher has recorded a lesson and an assignment, for example, but the student has questions and no opportunity to ask the teacher face-to-face. “It’s not like you can say, ‘Wait! Did you mean this? Or is this what you’re trying to say?’” Chavez said. “You don’t have that.” Chavez hopes for strategies to get schoolkids caught up. “I’m hopeful that it does turn into something that can help and that it can help catch the children who are behind and it actually becomes what it says it’s going to be,” he said. After getting a clearer picture of the law and the executive order, Worachek called it “a good thing.” “I think that’s a brilliant idea because it would be nice to get a perspective on the impact that the pandemic and virtual learning has had on the learning and the kids’ ability to be successful or not in the school year,” she said.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Chandler wraps up Black History Month in style BY THE CITY OF CHANDLER

As February comes to a close, we wrap up a historic Black History Month for the City of Chandler. In January, for the first time in the city’s history, two Black council members – OD Harris and Christine Ellis – were sworn in to serve on City Council concurrently.. Ellis is also the first Black woman to serve on Council. “Being the first Black woman on the City Council shows me just how much Chandler is growing and changing as a City,” Ellis said. “We are making great strides in our progress in developing our City into a place where all feel represented and welcomed.” With these historic events top-ofmind, this year’s Black History Month celebration offered numerous opportunities to celebrate citywide, with a heavy focus on providing socially distanced or virtually accessible arts and culture events for residents. The Chandler Museum used the month to attract visitors to its current year-long exhibit on Zora Folley, Chandler’s first professional athlete and the renowned boxer who fought Muhammed Ali for the Heavyweight Championship of the World on March 22, 1967. Although he lost the fight that day, Folley’s success was widely celebrated throughout Chandler over the course of his career. In 1967, the two men in this fight stood at opposite poles of Black American society. Muhammad Ali, formerly known as Cassius Clay, was outspoken and often seen as a rebel. He supported Malcolm X and was an active member of the Nation of Islam. The group was both racially and religiously controversial at the time, and it was viewed negatively by many. Opposite was Folley, an Army veteran, quiet family man and hardworking fighter who was polite and well respected in the boxing community. As a Catholic with eight children, Folley

“Bigger than Boxing: Zora Folley and the 1967 Heavyweight Title” is currently open at the Chandler Museum.

appealed to the morally traditional side of American culture. The historical implications of the fight can be seen today, more than 50 years later. The exhibit showcases the life and legacy of the fighter, who eventually retired from boxing and later became Chandler’s first Black councilmember. “Chandler Museum has collected Folley-related photographs and memorabilia for years. We’ve spent a lot of time researching his life and career for this exhibition, which tells a more complete story of Folley’s life,” said Museum Administrator Jody Crago. “We are honored that the Folley family shared their stories and memories, as well as objects from their dad’s career, to bring the exhibition alive.” Events at the Museum and Chandler Public Library – including a virtual speaker series featuring Dr. Matthew Whittaker, professor of history and

Zora Folley’s children and family visited the “Bigger than Boxing” exhibit at the Chandler Museum. The family members provided interviews and assisted in the creation of the exhibit. (City of Chandler)

founding director of the Center for the Study of Race and Democracy at Arizona State University – used the exhibit as a foundation for further discussions about the role of Black athletes and political activism in Arizona and around the country. Folley’s story from the Vietnam war era offers parallels to the ongoing struggle facing Black athletes in the 21st century as the fight for social justice continues to rage in the public eye. The museum and library partnered again in February to begin preparations for a project aimed at collecting oral histories from dozens of new and longtime Black residents in Chandler. The project, which is funded by a state-administered Library Services and Technology Act grant, will utilize professional recording equipment available at the Downtown Chandler Library to record Chandler residents’ stories of family, business, life and legacy in the city. The oral histories will be added to the Museum’s collection and will be used for future exhibits showcasing the history of Chandler’s Black community. The audio files will be uploaded to the Museum’s Chandlerpedia website, as well as transcribed and made searchable for the public. “The story of Chandler’s Black community is under-documented and is not well represented in our collection,” said Chandler Museum Curator of Collections Nate Meyers. “This grant is an opportunity to work with the library to fill a need and start documenting that history in a much more serious way.” The project is slated to begin collecting histories this spring. The Chandler Center for the Arts turned their attention to the classroom this month, offering teachers and homeschoolers a virtual field trip opportunity to enrich the experiences of online learners. “Jabari Dreams of Freedom” by Nambi E. Kelley is a musical play that tells

the story of Jabari, a young Black boy from the South Side of Chicago. Using history, rap, freedom songs, and humor, the play explores themes of income inequality, police brutality and Civil Rights history for students in grades three through six. Interested educators can continue to access the play virtually through the Chandler Center for the Arts website, chandlercenter. org, until March 7. Every February, we are reminded of the importance of remembering the Black history that is present in our local community. However, plenty of opportunities exist to continue learning after the month ends. Chandler Museum Bigger Than Boxing: Zora Folley and the 1967 Heavyweight Title will be on display at the Chandler Museum through August 2021. Optional takehome kits for “date night in a box” are available at the Chandler Museum Store after visiting the exhibit. These boxes offer couples an opportunity to dive deeper into themes of race, sport and protest with activities designed to spark meaningful connection between partners. Chandler Public Library The Chandler Public Library offers evergreen book lists featuring Black authors available for checkout within the collection. Visit your local branch to get recommendations for books and resources available at the Library to further your personal study of Black history. Chandler Center for the Arts The CCA Anywhere Series, presented by the Chandler Center for the Arts, is a free, online performance series viewable for free at home. Access the performances for free at chandlercenter.org, including performances by Black artists from a range of genres. Curated playlists featuring Black artists who have performed at the CCA are also available on the Center’s social media pages.

CITY OF CHANDLER INSIDER

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Important dates in Chandler Black History BY THE CITY OF CHANDLER

The City’s Black history began more than 100 years ago when the first Black resident arrived in Chandler. Since then, Black history has become an integral part of Chandler’s history. The following timeline highlights some of the major events of Black history in the City of Chandler. 1920. NJ Harris, Chandler’s first Black resident, arrives in the town. Harris was an entrepreneur, landowner and Renaissance man. Throughout his life, Harris worked as a business owner, chef, photographer, silversmith, fisherman, hunter and furniture maker. 1929. The Winn School, an elementary school serving Black and Hispanic students, opens on Saragosa and Delaware streets in Chandler. The original building still stands and is currently home to Chandler’s Boys and Girls Club. 1932. Entrepreneur NJ Harris opens his famous BBQ restaurant, housed in a reclaimed water tower, on Saragosa Street in the Southside neighborhood. The restaurant was one of the first Black owned businesses in Chandler. 1937. Mt. Olive Baptist Church organizes in Chandler. Today, the church operates on Colorado Street in Chandler. 1949. Robert and Artie Mae Turner become the first Black students to attend the all-white Chandler High School after it integrated, five years before the landmark Brown vs. Board of Education Supreme Court case. Sept. 22, 1953. Zora Folley has his first fight as a professional boxer. Zora Folley was Chandler’s first professional athlete and first Black professional athlete. 1964. The city establishes the Chandler Human Relations Commission to address racial tensions in Chandler. March 22, 1967. Zora Folley fights Muhammad Ali for the Heavyweight Championship of the World. April 4, 1968. Emma Arbuckle organizes a peaceful march through Chandler’s Southside as residents mourned the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr.

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Coy Payne April 27, 1972. Zora Folley is sworn in as Chandler’s first Black City Councilmember. 1976. The City of Chandler builds and dedicates Folley Park in the memory of Zora Folley. Jan. 19, 1982. Coy Payne becomes Chandler’s first elected Black City Councilmember (Folley had been appointed). Jan. 23, 1990. Coy Payne is elected the first Black Mayor of Chandler. It was also a first in Arizona history. March 8, 1990. Coy Payne is sworn in as the first Black Mayor of Chandler and in Arizona history. Jan. 20, 1999. Chandler hosts its first “A Celebration of Unity” to commemorate Martin Luther King., Jr/Civil Rights Day. 2000. Terrell Suggs graduates from Hamilton High School. Suggs went on to an All-Pro National Football League career. 2007. Cameron Jordan graduates from Chandler High School. Jordan went on to an All-Pro National Football League Career. Sept. 12, 2002. City of Chandler renames Elgin Street Park as NJ Harris Park in honor of Black entrepreneur NJ Harris. Jan. 14, 2021. Christine Ellis is sworn in as Chandler’s first Black City Councilwoman. OD Harris was sworn in concurrently, marking the first time two Black councilmembers served on the Chandler City Council at the same time.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Mesnard bill creates end-run around education tax BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Chandler Sen. J.D. Mesnard is proposing an end-run around the new income tax surcharge for wealthy earners that would allow some business owners to avoid paying it. SB 1783 would create an entirely new alternate tax category for small businesses, generally those organized in a way so their income passes through to the owners. That means the owners compute what they owe the state on their personal income tax forms after deducting all business expenses. What makes that significant is that Proposition 208 imposes a 3.5 percent surcharge on adjusted personal income of more than $250,000 for individuals and $500,000 for married couples filing jointly. That is on top of the current 4.5 percent rate that applies for income above those figures. Mesnard’s bill would give business owners the option of paying a 4.5 percent tax on their adjusted business income. The surcharge in Proposition 208 would not apply because this new tax category did not exist at the time voters approved the measure. So, business owners could compute their tax liability using both the existing formula or the new one and then choose the one that costs them less.

During his reelection campaign last year, Mesnard expressed concern about the surcharge’s impact on businesses during the Clean Elections Commission debate. He told Capitol Media Services that creating this new category makes sense because will allow lawmakers to craft special tax provisions targeted at helping small businesses. He acknowledged, though, that a prime reason was to help business owners escape paying that new voter-approved surcharge. Mesnard said that’s justified. “We heard time and time again this will not or is not meant to impact small businesses,’’ he said. “And so, what this is doing is ensuring that’s the case.’’ But David Lujan, who helped organize the Prop 208 fight, said the initiative does not target small business. Lujan pointed out that what’s subject to the tax is not the gross proceeds of any business. It’s what’s left after an owner pays all expenses, from employee salaries to equipment purchases. It’s also what remains after any other deductions, like money a business owner puts into a 401(k) retirement account. What that leaves, he said, is the net income the owner’s pockets. And Prop 208 kicks in only on any net earnings above $500,000 for a married couple. Lujan also pointed out that SB 1783,

which awaits a vote of the full Senate, doesn’t just set a new optional tax category for small business. It also creates this same 4.5 percent tax rate for income from estates and trusts. Attorney Roopali Desai who represents the Invest in Ed committee that put Prop 208 on the ballot, acknowledged that lawmakers have the power to alter the state tax code and create new categories. “The question is whether the Legislature is able to pass legislation that directly or indirectly changes the voter-protected law that was put in place through Prop 208,’’ she said. The Voter Protection Act bars lawmakers from repealing or making changes in anything approved at the ballot. The only exception is for amendments that “further the purpose’’ of the original law, and then only with a threefourths vote. Desai said courts have concluded that legislation runs afoul of the Voter Protection Act even if it doesn’t directly repeal the measure approved at the ballot. “You can do something more surreptitious and more malicious by going to make other changes elsewhere (in the statutes) that would have the same effect, which is to undermine the ultimate will of the voters,’’ she said. What isn’t known is how much would

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be lost from the anticipated income for education if lawmakers approve the measure. Estimates of what the initiative, as originally crafted, would raise have ranged from $827 million to $940 million a year. So far, legislative budget analysts have not produced a fiscal impact statement of SB 1783, which was approved earlier this month by the Senate Finance Committee on a party-line vote. Lujan said SB 1783 is likely to affect a “significant portion’’ of the anticipated revenues. Half of whatever is raised is earmarked for schools to hire teachers and classroom support personnel, a category that also includes librarians, nurses, counselors and coaches. Those dollars also could be used for raises. Another 25 percent would be for support services personnel. That covers classroom aides, service personnel, food service and transportation. There’s 12 percent for grants for career and technical education program and 10 percent for mentoring and retaining new teachers in the classroom. The last 3 percent is for the Arizona Teachers Academy which provides tuition grants for people pursuing careers in education. No date has been set for Senate debate on the measure.

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Cancer screenings plummet during pandemic BY MELISSA ESTRADA Cronkite News

Cancer screenings in the U.S. have plunged since the start of the pandemic almost a year ago, prompting health advocates to increase calls for the public to stop postponing these potentially life-saving procedures. More than one-third of adults have failed to receive recommended cancer screenings during the pandemic, according to “Cancer Won’t Wait and Neither Should You,” a bulletin published by the American Cancer Society and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network. Fear of getting COVID-19 at screening centers and job losses that have affected insurance coverage are among the factors driving this dangerous trend. “The pandemic has really given cancer the advantage, and the balance of risk has shifted significantly,” said Jeff Fehlis, executive vice president of the American Cancer Society’s south region. “Patients are continuing to wait on those preventative screenings, or even to have symptoms evaluated, because of fear of going to the doctor or the clinic.” The statistics around these missed tests are stunning. One study, published in April by the IQVIA Institute for Human Data Science, found the number of mammograms, colonoscopies and pap smears declined by 87 percent, 90 percent and 83 percent, respectively, compared with February 2020, a month before the pandemic was declared. Using modeling, the report estimated that more than 80,000 cancer diagnoses could be missed or delayed because of pandemic-related disruptions. Another report, published in July by the Epic Health Research Network, found that more than 400,000 breast, colon and cervical exams were missed from March to June of 2020. During the early months of the pandemic, some states and health care facilities put cancer screenings on hold to try to limit the spread of COVID-19. But even after screenings resumed, the concern of contracting the disease kept people away. “Early detection is a key to beating and fighting cancer,” Fehlis said. “With these delays, you’ve given the cancer a chance to advance and make it more difficult to treat.” Dr. Nayan Patel, a gastroenterologist and hepatologist with Arizona Digestive Health in Scottsdale, performs endoscopies, colonoscopies and other procedures to help detect cancer early. He’s seen firsthand how the pandemic has affected his patient load. “There are a lot of patients who are kind of wary of coming to those sort of environments (hospitals and surgical centers) because of fear of contracting COVID,” he said. Aside from worry about contracting the disease, a lack of health insurance because of pandemic-related job losses

or other barriers to care also are affecting screening numbers, experts said. Black and Hispanic adults are more likely than whites to have had trouble paying for medical care, bills or their rent or mortgage during the pandemic and are more likely to have been unemployed during the pandemic, according to the Pew Research Center. Lack of transportation and language services create more barriers to preventative screenings for people of color, who face higher mortality rates from several different types of cancer. Black patients, for example, are more likely to be diagnosed at later stages than white patients for breast, colorectal and cervical cancers, partly due to lower screening rates and timely follow-up of abnormal results, experts note. “Minority populations have a higher incident rate and a higher death rate with cancer,” Fehlis said. “And a lot of that is attributed to access to care.” To combat these missed screenings, doctors and advocacy organizations are getting the word out about the danger of delayed or missed appointments. On Jan. 28, officials with dozens of cancer treatment and research centers wrote a public letter that says, in part: “Together, we have an opportunity to help reverse the course and reduce the negative impact the pandemic has on people with cancer. As national leaders in cancer care, we call on all people, community leaders, and other health care professionals to act now.” At M.D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, one of the largest such centers in the world, safety measures have been put in place to protect patients during in-person treatments, said Dr. Therese Bevers, medical director of Anderson’s Cancer Prevention Center. They include temperature checks, new medical grade masks for patients to wear during appointments and screening questions about recent travel, COVID-19 exposure and symptoms. “We have been trying to get the message out through multiple media mechanisms of the importance of getting cancer screening – and that it’s safe,” she said. With the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines, cancer experts hope screening numbers will return to normal, but they note that patients don’t need to wait until they’re fully vaccinated to make appointments. “A number of people are deciding to delay preventive services such as cancer screenings until they get vaccinated,” Bevers said. “However, realize that a 40 or 50 year old woman who needs annual mammograms – unless she has some underlying condition that would put her at risk – she is not going to probably be eligible for a vaccine until April or maybe even the summer. “Cancer doesn’t stop even during a global pandemic. And while cancer screenings may not be top of mind or you’ve been putting it off … it is important to make it a priority.”

COMMUNITY NEWS

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

A little bit of Chandler soars into outer space SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Employees at Northrup Grumman’s Chandler facility have another reason to be proud after a rocket they built delivered a big payload to the International Space Station last week. The Antares 230+ rocket zoomed into space from the Virginia Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport carrying a Cygnus spacecraft, also built by Northrup Grumman but at another facility. The Antares launched on Feb. 20 and successfully reached the space station two days later. “Northrop Grumman has been a leader in the space industry for over 60 years,” said Kristi Davidson, a spokeswoman for the corporation. “We designed and developed the Antares launch vehicle and the Cygnus spacecraft specifically for NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services Missions. This was our 15th resupply mission for the international space station.” Northrop Grumman names each Cygnus spacecraft in honor of individuals who have made substantial contributions to the United States’ commercial space program and human space flight. This latest commemorated Katherine Johnson, a NASA mathematician and Black woman who not only broke through barriers of gender and race, but delivered calculations critical to the success of numerous human spaceflight missions. Johnson performed the trajectory analysis for Alan Shepard’s May 1961 Freedom 7 mission, the country’s first human spaceflight. She also co-authored a paper on orbital spaceflight and landing, becoming the first woman in the Flight Research Division to receive credit as an author of a research paper. Johnson is most well-known for her work behind John Glenn’s orbital mission around the Earth 59 years ago this month. Glenn specifically requested that Johnson run the same numbers by hand to check and verify the computer’s work, saying “if she says they’re good, then I’m ready to go.” Along with Cygnus, the Antares also launched 30 ThinSats, small satellites developed by university and grade-level STEM students, into a low earth orbit. Antares is a two-stage launch vehicle with a launch capability for delivering payloads weighing up to 8,000 kg into low-earth orbit. The Northrop Grumman Cygnus resupply spacecraft carried approximately 8,000 pounds of science investigations and cargo. About three hours after launch, the spacecraft’s solar arrays successfully deployed to collect sunlight to power Cygnus on its journey to the space station. The resupply flight will support dozens of new and existing investigations.

t? o G ws Ne

Northrup Grumman employees in Chandler made the Antares 230+ rocket that delivered a big payload to the International Space Station last week. (Courtesy Northrup Grumman)

Included in the scientific investigations Cygnus delivered to the space station is one using worms to learn about muscle loss that astronauts can experience in microgravity. Scientists have a new device for measuring the muscle strength of tiny worms and the results of this experiment “may provide a better understanding of the links between gene expression and muscle strength, support the development of countermeasures to help maintain crew member health and support new therapies to combat the effects of age-related muscle loss on earth,” Northrup Grumman said in a release. The European Space Agency Dreams experiment will take a closer look at a technology demonstration of the DryEEG Headband in microgravity, while monitors astronaut sleep quality during a long mission. Raw data will be available to scientists for their analysis while the crew also can input direct feedback on their sleep with a tablet application. The Environmental Control and Life Support System provides clean air and water to the space station crew. The system will get an upgrade thanks to the Exploration ECLSS: Brine Processor System. Researchers aboard the space station will try to recover additional water from the Urine Processor Assembly

using a membrane distillation process. Crews on long missions require about 98 percent water recovery and brine processing technology is expect achieve this goal and “close the gap for the urine waste stream of the space station.” The Cygnus also carried materials for testing the manufacturing of artificial retinas in microgravity. Millions of people on Earth suffer from retinal degenerative diseases. Artificial retinas or retinal implants may provide a way to restore meaningful vision for them. In 2018, startup LambdaVision sent its first experiment to the space station to determine if the process used to create artificial retinal implants by forming a thin film one layer at a time may work better in microgravity. LambdaVision’s second experiment evaluates a manufacturing system using a light-activated protein that replaces the function of damaged cells in the eye. This information could help LambdaVision uncover whether microgravity could optimize production of these retinas and assist people back on Earth. The International Space Station serves as a testing ground for technologies Grumman Northrup plans to use on future missions to the moon. Another of the hundreds of research projects aboard the space station involves improved high-performance

computing for additional space exploration. “Currently, computing capabilities in space are reduced compared to capabilities on the ground because they prioritize reliability over performance, creating challenges when transmitting data to and from space,” the company said. A Spaceborne computer study ran a high-performance commercial offthe-shelf computer system in space, successfully performing more than 1 trillion calculations per second for 207 days without requiring reset. The new Spaceborne Computer-2 explores how commercial off-the-shelf computer systems can advance space exploration by reliably processing data significantly faster in space, speeding scientists’ time to data access and analysis from months to minutes. Grumman Northrup noted that the space station research projects in the areas of biology and biotechnology, physical sciences and earth and space science “will help keep astronauts healthy during long-duration space travel and demonstrate technologies for future human and robotic exploration missions.” The Cygnus spacecraft will remain at the space station until May before it disposes of several thousand pounds of trash through its destructive re-entry into earth’s atmosphere.

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

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Mesnard wins victory in expanding county board BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Chandler Sen. J.D. Mesnard has won a victory in his effort to expand the number of Maricopa County supervisors from five to nine beginning in 2024. On a 15-13 margin the Senate on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to SB 1498, which expands adds four seats to the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors and boosts the size of the Pima County board from five to seven. The move came over the objection of several Democrat lawmakers who said the board members in the two affected counties are opposed. Sen. Victoria Steele of Tucson said the issue for the supervisors in her county is, at least in part, cost. They figure the cost of operating an office, including salaries and equipment, is about $500,000. So, two new supervisors will increase public spending by $1 million, what she called an “unfunded mandate.’’ Sen. Lela Alston, D-Phoenix, said there were similar objections from the Maricopa supervisors. But Mesnard said the two counties have grown so large that individual supervisors can no longer adequately represent their constituents. He said the situation is particularly

They would be very “efficient having single persons governing everything, but we all know that’s not a good principle.

’’

– JD Mesnard

JD Mesnard pronounced in Maricopa County where each of the five supervisors represents close to 900,000 residents. Adding four more board members would cut that to about 635,000 per district. It’s not quite as severe in Pima County where a supervisory district now consists of about 200,000 residents. Going to seven would cut that to about 150,000. Still, Mesnard defended extending

his legislation to Pima County. He said it’s a “similar principle though obviously not as extreme.’’ The idea of linking the number of supervisors to population is not new. Arizona law already says that once a county hits 175,000 the size of the board has to go from three to five. Mesnard’s bill simply adds two new thresholds. At a million, the minimum becomes seven. And at three million, that requires nine. “There comes a point in time when trying to represent a very large number of people is difficult,’’ Mesnard said. In fact, he said, at 900,000 the size of Maricopa County districts is larger than any of the state’s congressional districts.

Steele does not dispute that number. But she said that most county residents actually live within the incorporated limits of a city. In Pima County, the most recent estimates show just 35 percent of the population is in an unincorporated area. It’s even more pronounced in Maricopa County where just 7 percent of residents don’t live within a city. And Steele said that means they are more likely to call a council member with a problem than a supervisor. Mesnard said that may be true. But he said it doesn’t make them any less important. “They’re still elected officials who have a constituency,’’ he said. “I am a believer in the idea that the smaller the constituency that you represent, the more tailored, the more focused, the better representation you get.’’ Mesnard said that it is “absolutely true’’ that a government can be more efficient when there are fewer people in charge. But he said that doesn’t tell the whole story. “They would be very efficient having single persons governing everything,’’ Mesnard said. “But we all know that’s not a good principle.’’ The measure still needs a final rollcall vote in the Senate before going to the House.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

House OKs 4-year community college degrees BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Arizona’s community colleges may have the best chance ever of finally being able to offer four-year degrees to their students. With only three dissenting votes, the state House voted last week to permit community colleges to offer baccalaureate degrees to students. The measure now goes to the Senate. If passed, the move would cap years of efforts by advocates to find alternatives to what some consider expensive and inconvenient four-year degree programs at the state’s three universities. This year, possibly recognizing the increased sentiment of lawmakers for a more affordable alternative, the university system agreed not to oppose HB 2523. But they did demand – and the colleges agreed – to some concessions. The measure requires studies to determine if the colleges can hire the necessary faculty and sustain the fouryear programs. There also has to be a determination that the degrees offered will meet needed fields and whether they would “unnecessarily duplicate’’ programs offered elsewhere. And there’s no authority for new property taxes. There’s an extra hurdle in HB 2523 for the colleges in Pima and Maricopa counties. They could initially offer only

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a limited number of four-year degrees, defined as no more than 10 percent of total degrees offered for the first four years and 15 percent for years five and beyond. Potentially more significant, tuition for courses in the junior and senior years cannot exceed 15 percent of what they charge for any other program. Still, that would be a major cost break. Typical tuition at state universities runs north of $9,000 a year and up to more than $12,000. At Maricopa Community Colleges there is a flat rate of $1,020 per semes-

ter, putting the cap at slightly more than $3,000 annually. It is likely to take two years or more to do the studies, hire the staff and get the offerings accredited. Rep. Michelle Udall, R-Mesa, who chairs the House Education Committee, said the Board of Regents’ decision to not oppose the bill was a major development. “We have a great need for more four-year degrees in our state,’’ she said. Beyond that, Udall said is the opportunity for students to get a four-year degree in their home communities. “Often when students move to get an education they don’t return,’’ she said. “So

we lose a lot of those students to other states or other communities instead of saying in their home community.’’ Linda Thor, a member of the governing board of the Maricopa colleges, said this can serve urban students as well. “This legislation supports students who would not transfer (to a university) but will enroll if they have an option at their local community college that is convenient and affordable and leads to a good-paying job,’’ she told members of the Education Committee. Thor also said that the colleges could help fill needs created by shortages of people with four-year degrees, including teaching and health care. Brittney Kaufmann, lobbyist for the regents, said they now want a requirement for the community college systems in Pima, Maricopa and Coconino to have to work directly with university presidents if before they offer four-year degrees. She did not detail what that means and whether the university officials would have some veto power. But Kelsey Lundy, lobbyist for the Maricopa colleges, said she interprets this as a “first right of refusal’’ by the universities to offer programs that the colleges are considering. She told lawmakers, though, that is conditional on “affordability,’’ meaning that the universities would have to provide those four-year degrees at the same cost as the community colleges would charge.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Housing crunch stretching the Valley’s boundaries BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

The inventory of homes for sale in the Valley has reached the lowest levels in modern history, real estate experts say. That means that while the few homes on the market are drawing multiple offers – sometimes scores of them for one house – anxious buyers may soon have to cast their search far from the center of the Phoenix Metro. During Land Advisors Organization’s annual assessment of the state of the Phoenix real estate scene, two experts said they see no end to the home buying frenzy or the spiraling upward trend in prices. Rick Palacios Jr., director of research for John Burns Real Estate Consulting, and Land Advisors CEO Greg Vogel, indicated homebuyers may have to look as far away as Casa Grande, the Lake Pleasant area and Florence. The Cromford Report, which also closely watches housing trends in the Valley, earlier this month observed, “The supply situation is the worst we have ever recorded.” “It is difficult to describe the state of the housing market in Greater Phoenix these days,” it said. “Just quoting the raw facts makes many people feel you are exaggerating wildly. There are those who seem to believe it cannot really be true when so many people are struggling with their daily lives, battling the worst pandemic we have seen for many decades.” “Variations in demand are almost insignificant,” it continued. “This is because the supply of re-sale homes is so poor it crashes below all-time record lows almost every week.” Cromford said the ratio between homes under contract and those for sale is so out of whack that “we have never before had to invent a description” for it. It noted that as of Feb. 1 and compared to a year ago, listings were down 67 percent, the median sales price had jumped nearly 17 percent and the average price per square foot climbed over 19 percent. That will be good news for those who do own a home. Cromford said, “The annual appreciation rate has already surpassed 19 percent and could easily reach 30 percent by the time we are well into the second quarter.” “New homebuilders are trying as hard as they can to create more supply, but there are many physical, financial and legal limits to how quickly they can do this,” Cromford said. “These additional homes are sure to be priced well above the current level.” Palacios said “the ridiculously strong” housing market in the Valley is evidenced by the fact that home sales in 2020 were 80 percent higher than the norm for the years 2014-2019. He advised homebuilders that sales were so strong that “it is going to be tough to get your growth this year” and said any overall sales growth, primarily for new homes, will not occur until the

The chart on the top essentially is a history of housaing market growth in the Valley while the one on the bottom shows the big hot spots for development over the next few years, shaded in red. (Land Advisors Organization)

second half of 2021. Palacios said that prices and demand not only will be driven by a seemingly no early end to “crazy cheap money” in the form of low mortgage rates but also by the unrelenting influx of out-of-state residents and the growing trend toward working at home.

that we were experiencing for several years into a panic that’s leading to rapid appreciation.” “Even when we look at the 500,000-$2-million price range, we’ve gone from 283 days down by 90 to 26 days,” he said of the time houses stay on the market before coming under

“

New homebuilders are trying as hard as they can to create more supply, but there are many physical, financial and legal limits to how quickly they can do this, these additional homes are sure to be priced well above the current level.

”

– The Cromford Report “I’ve talked a lot about work from home,” he said. “It is triggering a massive catalyst for housing demand. …So, affordability will get stretched beyond what you think is the norm.” Vogel said it’s not just home sales that have entered a new territory but land sales as well, saying he sees the market going “from a chronic shortage

contract. “We have outsized appreciation,” Vogel said. “I think this is too much. We are going to have a real hard time adding enough supply to curtail this but this can get quickly unaffordable.” Vogel noted that the number of building permits soared last year in the West Valley and Pinal County, large-

ly because available land in the East Valley has all but vanished except for huge tracts of State Trust Land in far east Mesa. He noted that the current inventory of finished lots in the Phoenix Metro market totals about 13,000 after 28,700 building permits were issued in 2020. “It’s a little bit frightening related to the supply that is being burned off,” he said. “The builders bought 21,000 lots this past year. Some of those are larger supplies that will last several years, but there’s clearly a deep shortage and the shortage is not only looming but growing.” He said builders and developers “have to buy land differently than they did in the years prior, where they were able to buy morsels or be able to digest 60 lots and have an option on another 60. “They need to buy big platforms and we’re seeing that occur very often at this point. It is not unusual for a builder to come in and buy 300 to 600 units. That was not occurring even just pre-COVID,” Vogel said.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Acquisitions make Landsea state’s top homebuilder vidualized white glove service.” “We went from zero Landsea Homes has found a home in to a thousand plus in Arizona. just two years,” said Landsea Homes has established its Greg Balen, the Arizona division office at Scottsdale Airpark and Division president. “It’s by the end of this year, the company been organic growth. is expected to deliver 1,000 homes in We initially set up a Arizona – including in south Chandler’s team here to look for a Sonora Crossing community. project but that quickly The company recently released the evolved into realizing final homes in Sonora Crossing, where the value of having an it began selling them early last year on even greater presence 11.52 acres. in this market. Priced in the mid-$300,000’s, the three “Over the last two floor plans range from approximately years, we’ve acquired two 1,722 square feet to 2,225 square feet. home-building companies, Sonora Crossing homes are equipped Pinnacle West Homes and with Landsea Homes’ High Performance Garrett Walker Homes.” Home features, including smart home Landsea Homes also automation technology utilized by recently announced Apple HomeKit. plans to become a The smart home automation public company in the features include an Apple TV media fourth quarter of 2020, manager device, wireless network and will be Nasdaq-listinternet throughout the home, entry ed under the new door locks, thermostat control, garage ticker symbols “LSEA,” door opener control, light dimmer Greg Balen, left, is Landsea Homes’ Arizona division presi“LSEAW” and “LSEAU,” switches, doorbell camera pre-wire and dent, and Todd Cordon is its vice president of sales. (Special respectively. “high-touch customer service with indi- to SanTan Sun News) Founded in 2013, Landsea Homes is a Newport Beach, California-based homebuilder of high-perThe Cays in Downtown Ocotillo formance homes and sustainable master-planned communities in major U.S. markets such as southern and northern California, Arizona, Boston and New York. In Arizona, Landsea offers single-family, detached homes – one and two story – in Buckeye, Chandler, El Mirage, Glendale, Goodyear, Peoria, Phoenix, Queen Creek, Surprise and Tolleson. “Our team in Arizona consists of high-quality people with market exJames Bond Living at its Best!!! pertise who understand the value of Model-like Top Floor Penthouse! providing best in class homes and unmatched, outstanding customer service Corner/End Unit throughout the valley,” he said. “Our strategic focus continues to be Henry Wang creating communities in highly desirSee Page 34

BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Staff Writer

able markets across the United States, and Arizona fits that criteria. “We really believe in this market. It’s a great place to live. With a robust local economy and continued job growth, the area is attracting new residents, and providing opportunities for current homeowners to expand to accommodate their growing families.” Balen said Landsea Homes is appealing to first-time buyers, in particular the Garrett Walker Collection, which offers affordable new homes in convenient locations with the quality of a trusted and established homebuilder. “We’re able to offer high-quality homes at attainable price points,” he said. “It’s very compelling for someone who’s currently renting to buy a home. “We do a lot of research to understand our customers, and exactly what works well for them. That is very important as we can devote resources to things they want, as opposed to things we think they should want. “Our homebuyers have their included options and then they can choose upgraded carpet, countertops, and personalize the home to suit their needs.” Earlier this year, Landsea Homes launched its Performance Collection, which offers High Performance Home features in select communities in Arizona and California. The features consist of three core pillars including home automation, sustainability and energy savings, which gives homebuyers connected living at their fingertips, providing ease, security and privacy. “Sustainability is a defining characteristic for Landsea Homes and the company’s deep respect for the shared environment of the communities created are reflected in every Landsea High Performance Home,” Balen said. “We take great pride in delivering responsibly designed homes with the highest standards in sustainable building technology so that every detail creSee

LANDSEA on page 31

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REAL ESTATE

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Here are 5 tips for first-time homebuyers BY WAYNE GRAHAM Guest Writer

With Arizona being one of the hottest real estate markets in America, homebuying here requires even more diligent planning and real estate market insight. These tips for first-time homebuyers will help you navigate the process. • Know your finances. Make a thorough analysis of your finances and credit history. A lender will evaluate your situation and determine what you can afford in terms of a mortgage. The lender typically gauges your ability to pay based in part on your credit history, whether you have a steady income and your cash assets. A good credit score is key in landing a lower interest rate. Getting pre-approved for a loan can help you narrow down your house hunting and strengthen your bargaining position.

LANDSEA

from page 30

ates a healthy living environment and enhances the lives of our residents.” Balen adds that the insulation makes the homes more comfortable and less susceptible to the hostile environment in Arizona. For sustainability, the company has much lower waste factors

• Find a great agent. A real estate agent will be your partner in the homebuying process and should do the heavy lifting so you can make a sound decision. Your agent should have deep knowledge of the current housing market to navigate any challenges that may arise. You should also feel a solid connection with your agent and they should understand and respect your homebuying goals. Google and Facebook reviews can offer insight into an agent’s performance. • Understand your needs. Different areas of the valley will offer unique neighborhood characteristics, but you must consider what is most important to your lifestyle. You may have interest in particular school districts, childcare options or lifestyle. Those who value accessibility might enjoy being able to walk to a grocery store or restaurant from their home. These are things that can be narthan the industry average. “The job sites are safer because there’s less extra material lying around before it gets disposed of,” Balen said. “It’s smart. We’re always trying to do a better job that way.” All of Landsea’s High Performance Homes are supported by a partnership with leading technology company Apple and utilize the Apple HomeKit

rowed down with the help of your real estate agent. Consider what would enhance your well-being and remember to reevaluate your list as you gain a better sense of what is out there and what you want. • Evaluate mortgage types. The choice between a fixed-rate and an adjustable-rate mortgage often depends on how long you plan to live in the home. A rate that is fixed can make more sense if it is relatively low and you plan to stay put for decades since your monthly payment won’t change over the life of the loan. Adjustable-rate mortgages feature rates that can change periodically based on a market indicator and often carry lower rates and can make more sense for buyers who plan on a shorter stay in the house. • Consider total costs. What you end up paying when you buy a home will environment to operate all home automation features from one mobile application. The smart home automation features, installed and compatible with Apple HomeKit include an Apple TV media manager device, MeshNet wireless internet throughout the home, entry door locks, thermostat control, garage door opener control, light dimmer

be more than the down payment and the loan. There are likely to be closing costs, including loan origination fees, taxes, title search, commissions, and legal fees. Asking your agent is important to fully uncover what exactly you will have to pay for. Down the road, you will also have to pay for things such as maintenance, repairs, insurance and property taxes. Make sure to look at the big picture to decide whether you can afford the total costs of owning a home, not just the loan. Since buying a home can be the biggest financial decision of your life, preparing for the costs and the process is vital. Do your research, find a great agent and your future home can be in your hands before you know it. Wayne Graham is the head of real estate from Homie Arizona, a real estate technology company changing the way real estate is bought and sold. Information: homie.com. switches, doorbell camera pre-wire, and high-touch customer service with an individualized training session from an expert who ensures that all applications are working properly. “Today’s homebuyers seek a balanced life through technology, the ability to stay connected, and the option See

LANDSEA on page 33

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

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REAL ESTATE

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

LANDSEA

from page 31

to be in control all while maintaining a high level of privacy and security. Our High Performance Homes and the partnership with Apple provide the features and conveniences people have come to expect,” he adds. To further its sustainability mindset, Landsea Homes includes various features that contribute to healthy living, including appliances that reduce energy waste and tankless water heaters that generate hot water faster. Landsea Homes also offers the option to install the REME HALO air purifier in homes across Arizona, which mitigates indoor contaminants to keep residents safe and support healthy living. With each High Performance Home, the homebuyer is provided with enhanced roof insulation, wall insulation and floor insulation, more efficient mechanical systems, Energy Star-rated appliances and LED lighting. The costin-use features lower monthly bills and

encourage environmental awareness and stewardship. “On day one, a homebuyer can come in and live in a functioning smart home that they can augment with other products and tailor to their lifestyle,” Balen said. “Our tagline is ‘Live In Your Element’ and that’s what we want our customers to be able to do on a daily basis.” Landsea Homes plans to continue to grow and expand in Arizona, and retain their foothold as one of the largest homebuilders in the state. In September, the company acquired 476 finished single-family home sites at Sunrise Ranch in Surprise. “We’re aggressively seeking opportunity in Arizona and other markets,” Balen said. “Our focus is always on overall lifestyle and allowing our customers to live their best life in that market. “At the end of the day, we do a really good job of understanding our customers and creating opportunities for them to thrive in their homes—perhaps the most important purchase decision they make.” Info: landseahomes.com

Landsea Homes has several different models for its Sonora Crossing community in Chandler. (Courtesy Landsea Homes)

Appraisal costs almost always on the buyer SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

If you’re buying a home, one of the many things you must check off your list is hiring a professional to do a home appraisal to assess the property’s value. But what if you check it off your list and then, for whatever reason, the home sale falls through – who pays the appraisal fee then? A home appraisal is a professional assessment of how much a property is worth. Unless you’re paying for your home in cash, it’s non-negotiable. Most lenders require an appraisal before they’ll grant you a mortgage. Your home is their collateral, and if you can’t pay your mortgage, they want to make sure they can get back as much of their money as possible. An appraisal also helps protect you from buying an overpriced property. The appraiser will take an unbiased look at a home, the condition it’s in, any repairs it needs, and other factors, and will also likely compare it to other similar properties in the area before providing an estimate of what they think it’s worth.

An appraisal goes deeper than the comps your real estate agent likely gathered and presented to you when you were first considering the property but not as deep as a home inspection, which you’ll also want to have completed in most cases before the sale is final. If the appraised value is higher than

varies depending on where you live; but in general, you can expect to pay somewhere around $300 to $400 for one. In most cases, even though the appraisal is for the benefit of the lender and the appraiser is selected by the lender, the fee is paid by the buyer. It may be wrapped up into closing

buyer is usually required to pay the appraisal “feeTheupfront, and it is owed even if the lender does not move forward with a loan. ”

– Realtor Lee Dworshak

the cost of the home you want to purchase, you’re making an investment that’s paying off from the get-go. But if the appraised value is lower than the price of the house, then you have a variety of options – including negotiating with the seller, challenging the appraisal, and/or getting a second one. Or, of course, you could walk away from the deal completely. The cost of a professional appraisal

costs or you may have to pay it upfront. There are some cases, however, in which a seller will offer to pay the appraisal fee to make the deal more attractive. So, back to the original question: When a sale falls through, who’s on the line for the fee? In most cases, it’s still going to be the buyer. “The buyer is usually required to pay the appraisal fee upfront, and it is

owed even if the lender does not move forward with a loan,” said Realtor Lee Dworshak. “While the seller may have agreed to pay all closing costs, if the closing does not occur and the property is not conveyed, the seller is not required to pay your appraisal fee.” If a buyer doesn’t pay the appraisal fee upfront and instead rolls it into the rest of the closing costs, that doesn’t mean the buyer is off the hook if the deal falls through. “It has nothing to do with the seller; it is ordered by your lender and payment is due regardless of the outcome,” said broker Maria Jeantet. “It is typically paid by the buyer unless specifically negotiated ahead of time to be paid by the seller.” Having a home sale fall through is usually a bummer for both the seller and the buyer, and having to pay for an appraisal on a home you’re not going to buy adds a bit of insult to injury. Just know that while the appraisal fee can sting, it can save buyers from a much bigger financial wallop that comes with buying an overpriced home. Realtor.com provided this report.

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REAL ESTATE

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

First-time buyers are facing a ‘rude awakening’ SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Starry-eyed first-time home buyers are getting a rude awakening to the realities of today’s high-stakes home-buying market, Realtor.com reports. “The coronavirus pandemic supercharged the housing market, as buyers urgently seeking more space flooded the market, lured by low mortgage rates,” it said last week. “That’s on top of the usual dynamics of household expansion: Many millennials hit 30 and wanted homes that could accommodate a growing family,” it continued. “Amid a historic shortage of properties for sale, the result has been bidding wars and record-high prices. It’s enough to make a first-time buyer’s head spin.” Just under half of first-time buyers and more than a third of prospective buyers were either outbid on their dream home or discovered they couldn’t afford it, according to a recent realtor.com housing survey. Roughly a fifth of these buyers made five or more offers on different properties before having one accepted. “The market has been extremely competitive,” said realtor.com Senior Economist George Ratiu. “There is a critical shortage of homes for sale, which has caused multiple bids to become the norm across the country.” “For first-time buyers, especially, this environment means having your financing and budgeting together is

Amid a historic “ shortage of properties

for sale, the result has been bidding wars and record-high prices. It’s enough to make a firsttime buyer’s head spin.

”

– Realtor.com

paramount,” he added. But it’s not all bad news. About 47 percent of first-time buyers found their budgets were larger than they had thought, according to the survey. That’s largely due to mortgage rates, which averaged just 2.73 percent for a 30-year fixed-rate loan in the week ending Jan. 28, according to Freddie Mac. However, 21 percent of first-time buyers learned their money wouldn’t stretch as far as they had hoped. Even those in a better financial position still had to compromise on what they wanted in a home – and where it’s located. About a fifth were forced to look in cheaper neighborhoods. Another fifth had to spend more than they had originally planned, and nearly the same

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number had to forgo some of the home features on their wish lists. These included things like a garage, a big backyard, a finished basement and a pool. To save up for a down payment, many also had to make sacrifices. Half of recent first-time homeowners saved up in less than three years by setting aside a portion of their paycheck

each month, cutting out discretionary spending on the fun stuff, and depositing windfalls like tax refunds and bonuses in the bank. Just over half also turned to their family and friends for help. “First-time buyers tend to be younger. This generation has higher student debt than any prior generation,” said Ratiu. “Not surprisingly, family help with providing down payment assistance plays a big role in today’s market.”

Inventory moved opposite of where it needs to move BY HENRY WANG Guest Writer

Another month passed and housing inventory did not improve for buyers. It has moved in the opposite direction to the record low. As of Feb. 11, we had 4,606 listings available on the MLS and out of that, only 3,256 were single-family homes. Currently, we are estimating over 30,000 buyers on are the market to purchase their next home or investment property. There was a listing in Gilbert a few weekends ago; they received 43 offers in three days. One factors that contributes to this are historically low-interest rates, which increases buying power. My lender partners are also reporting very high amounts of refinancing going on with rates being at record lows. Supply and demand are the keys to a healthy real estate market, but there are around 80,000 to 100,000 people moving to the valley each year. And this trend is predicted to continue. It has been reported that around 900,000 people have moved to Arizona in the past 10 years. Therefore, demand is currently far exceeding supply. Did you know that there were

more homes listed for sale in 2020 vs. 2019? But the driving force behind home appreciation is the very high demand we are experiencing. COVID-19 has also accelerated this demand since about April 2020. More people staying home, which equals many wanting a bigger home, or a more affordable home in an outer town vs. more expensive downtown area. A contributing factor to this trend is that most office employees can now work from home. No more commuting to city centers. So, what is it going to take for our real estate market to change direction? I believe we will need to see a decrease in population, a big swing in mortgage rates increase to above 6 percent and residential building permits increasing at the rate of 6-7 percent a year for the next four years (currently at 1.5 percent). Any one of these items probably won’t change our market dramatically. But if any three or four of them happen, and stays that way for an extended period of time, it will turn our market around to buyer’s market again. Henry Wang is a Chandler Realtor. Reach him at realtorhenry.com.

REAL ESTATE

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Eviction ban no panacea for delinquent tenants al months. If a tenant qualifies under the federal eviction moratorium, the reason is that the tenant cannot afford to pay rent due to a loss or reduction in income. If a tenant cannot afford to pay rent, it is unlikely that same tenant can satisfy a large court judgment. Thus, if and when the federal eviction moratorium expires, not only will many tenants be forced to move, but landlords will be forced to reckon with the reality that they may never be made whole on the months no rent was paid. It is also important to note that the federal eviction moratorium does not protect all renters. The tenant must sign a declaration, which can be found on the CDC website. The declaration form provides that the tenant cannot afford rent, has sought governmental assistance, and is likely to be deemed homeless if evicted. Many landlords are still proceeding with eviction lawsuits, raising arguments about the truthfulness of the declaration signed by the tenant. In other cases, landlords are proceeding with eviction actions for cases that do not relate to non-payment of rent – i.e., the tenant damaged the property or engaged in criminal activity. Ben Gottlieb is a partner in MacQueen & Gottlieb, PLC, the state’s leading real estate law firm. Information: 602-533-2840.

BY BEN GOTTLIEB Guest Writer

The courageous investors who plunged into the deep end of the stock market swimming pool in March of 2020 have basked in delight and euphoria these past 10 months as their household net worth rose dramatically due to a rising stock market. This is also especially true for those affiliated or invested with companies like Zoom, Peloton, Big Tech, Netflix – to name just a few – that were uniquely positioned to benefit from the postCOVID-19 economy. Others are not so fortunate, however. The past 10 months have wrought significant and ongoing emotional and financial distress – waiting precariously for the next executive order or stimulus check to arrive just to get by and meet monthly expenses or avoid being dispossessed from the home in which they reside. Experts refer to this phenomenon as a “K-Shaped Recovery,” which has gripped the post-COVID-19 economy, significantly exacerbating economic disparity among different divisions, sectors, and demographics of the U.S. economy. This phenomenon is on full display in the real estate market, where thanks in part to record low interest rates many households are benefitting from

purchasing their first home, upgrading their home or refinancing their existing mortgage. Others are unemployed and are at risk of being removed from their home to eviction or foreclosure. The numbers are too large to ignore. Recent data produced by Zillow reveals that millions of renters in the U.S. are not employed and are at risk of losing their homes once the federal eviction moratorium expires. In the Phoenix metro area, numerous renters cannot afford rent even with stimulus checks and unemployment payments. This presents a unique problem both for the unemployed tenants as well as the landlords renting out the property. From the tenant perspective, if the

federal eviction moratorium expires at the end of March 2021 and is not extended – an unlikely scenario based on recent history – you can count on an avalanche of eviction lawyers lining up in lockstep on the courthouse steps on April 1. If the moratorium is not extended, these tenants won’t be honoring or celebrating April Fool’s Day. Instead, the joke will be on them as they will be focusing on finding replacement housing. On its face, the federal eviction moratorium appears to protect landlords who are not getting paid by tenants because the order does not relieve any obligation that a tenant owes under the lease. In reality, however, real estate experts are leery of a landlord’s ability to collect on a significant judgment against a tenant who has not paid rent in sever-

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Chandler’s State Forty Eight expanding SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

A Chandler clothing apparel company has expanded its line and its location. State Forty Eight, which started in the city nearly eight years ago, has launched screen printing and embroidery services. And it has taken over the suite next door to its retail location at 3245 N. Arizona Ave., near Elliot Road, to accommodate its expanding services and line. “The decision to expand our space and our services was simply the natural progression of where our business is headed,” said State Forty Eight co-founder and CEO, Michael Spangenberg. “The goal is to bring as much as we can in-house in order to improve productivity and expenses.” The expansion will add a total of 5,500-square-feet to the company’s facilities and includes more offices, a boardroom seating up to 12 people, a dedicated creative space for the design team and any photo or video production, and a warehouse dedicated to screen-printing and embroidery services. See

STATE on page 42

State Forty Eight in Chandler is expanding its space and its services under the direction of founders CEO Michael Spangenberg and brothers Stephen and Nicholas Polando. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

Billiards, bowling venue plans Chandler location BY ANNIKA TOMLIN Staff Writer

Mike Siniscalchi founded 810 Billiards and Bowling in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, in 2015. Soon, he’s bringing it to Chandler and Downtown Phoenix’s CityScape. “The CityScape developers, Red Development, which owns the property for our Chandler location, told us they had the former Lucky Strike place that was vacant,” Siniscalchi said. “They were internally discussing how to repurpose it or what to do with it. I spoke with them about taking that over as a corporate location and we decided to move forward with that.” The location in Chandler at 3455 W. Frye Road will be a franchise. Its construction has been derailed due to COVID-19 restrictions, scheduling and availability. But Siniscalchi hopes to have the Chandler and CityScape locations open in early April. If the Chandler location is anything like its CityScape counterpart, it could quickly become a big addition to Chandler’s entertainment scene. The CityScape location will have 10 lanes, four of which will be sectioned off for private parties. Those lanes will feature their own bar and lounge area, See

BOWLING on page 41

The Chandler location for 810 Billiards and Bowling may look a bit like its South Carolina venue, though the facility here is still under construction. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

BUSINESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

BOWLING

from page 40

an arcade, pool tables and a large dining and mixed-use area. CityScape will feature something unique to the chain—a mechanical bull because, he said, “why not?” “Lucky Strike had annexed about 10,000 square feet behind it and created Gypsy Bar, which had a nightclub, late-night bottle service, DJ kind of vibe,” Siniscalchi said. “We are coming in and converting it over to our concept, which is more of a sports bar and family friendly.” Core food menu items include made-from-scratch pizzas, burgers and wings along with specialty cocktails such as the Million Dollar Margarita; the 810 Octane made with Club Caribe pineapple rum, strawberry purée, orange juice, lemon lime soda, or the Trader Vic’s 151 float. “Our core menu will definitely be the same across the brand at any store,” Siniscalchi said. “We’re very focused on prepping things in house, while trying to stay affordable. “We also try to offer a restaurant-quality food and beverage experience, as opposed to what a lot of people might associate with a traditional bowling experience.” Siniscalchi hopes to bring in different menus to the Arizona locations. “After we get our legs under us this summer, we will start to incorporate

The South Carolina location for 810 Billiards and Bowling is furnished with elegant pool tables. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

seasonal menus that will be more specifically focused on the Phoenix area,” Siniscalchi said. After eight years in finance in Chicago and New York and recently engaged, Siniscalchi took his fiancée to Myrtle Beach to visit family. While there, they found a rundown bowling alley. They put in an offer and were quickly rejected. Three months later, while moving to Rochester, New York, they received a call saying the owner would accept their officer, if it was still on the table. “My wife and I had one of those pivotal roadmap life decisions to make,” he said. “We looked at each other and decided that we wanted to go for it.” They turned around and headed to

Myrtle Beach. “It was a traditional center,” he said. “It was 32 lanes. We immediately closed and gutted it. We did a wall-to-wall renovation, converting it to our vision of a mixed-use upscale entertainment.” Their first location opened in 2015, with a second following in central Myrtle Beach in a converted supermarket space. The third, in Conway, South Carolina, was built from the ground up. “When we originally opened our first store, we were called 710 as homage to the split,” Siniscalchi said. “I’m kind of a math dork, but I just felt like most bowling alleys are like ‘North Myrtle Beach Bowl’ or ‘Brooklyn Bowl.’ I wanted something that could

be scalable and could work in any market, not something that was going to be really Myrtle Beach or South Carolina specific or locale specific.” After a trademark mishap with a similarly named company, Siniscalchi was forced to change the name of his business. “We had been open a couple of years, so I wanted to kind of keep a lot of what we liked about our branding,” he said. “I was able to do that and just pivoted to 810, which amounts to 8-ball billiards and 10-pin bowling. It is kind of why that 810 Billiards and Bowling graphically tries to line up with the 8-ball in the eight and the bowling pin that’s the one in our logo.” The first and third locations have 12 bowling lanes, pool tables, arcade games and an upscale food and beverage dining area. “(Our second location) is over 40,000 square feet with 20 lanes, eight billiards tables, a 300-person dining room, two large arcade areas and an 18-hole indoor mini golf,” Siniscalchi said. “We also do have a stage and live music there a couple nights a week.” “We’re excited to be coming to the Phoenix market and, especially, to have our first franchise location open. We are really hoping for everything to be on the rebound by that point from the disaster of (2020). We’re excited to be a part of post-COVID as Phoenix returns to life.” Information: 810bowling.com.

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STATE

BUSINESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

from page 40

State Forty Eight announced its screen printing and embroidery services late last year and a spokeswoman said, “They have been working with clients who are interested in creating their own merchandise without the standard State Forty Eight branding that the collaboration T-shirts the company is known for, typically call for.” The options range from T-shirts and hats to masks, outerwear, tote bags and more. “SFE screen printing and embroidery is a local solution for individuals and businesses looking for a unique way to: market a cause or an event, commemorate an occasion, create new team uniforms or even as gifts for employees or team members,” the spokeswoman said. “All that interested parties need to do is provide the project details and then SFE will take care of the rest.” Spangenberg said State Forty Eight’s long-term goal is to become “a onestop shop for Arizona’s merchandising needs from manufacturing, design and branding to retail and fulfillment.” “State Forty Eight has been an incredible partner not only for the City of Chandler, but for organizations across the state,” said Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke. “This expansion will allow their impact to be even greater, and I am thrilled that Chandler will continue to be part of their story.” The spokeswoman said the expansion will enhance the “customer expe-

State Forty Eight has acquired space next door to its Arizona Avenue location so it can provide a better shopping experience in the retail part of its operation. (File photo)

rience at the Chandler retail location” as its new adjacent headquarters is finished. “Customers can look forward to more retail space and a dedicated fulfillment area, giving customers access to more products,” she said. State Forty Eight was founded by Spangenberg and Stephen and Nicholas Polando, who utilitzed their brand to show their appreciation of Arizona. It boasts of being more than an apparel company and of representing “a lifestyle, a sense of community and is an expression of pride” for sports fans

and outdoor lovers. Spangenberg and his partners were honored in 2019 with the Spirit of Enterprise Award by the Economic Club of Phoenix, part of the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, that is given annually to a business that exemplifies excellence and ethics in entrepreneurship. During an award luncheon, Spangenberg talked about how he and the Polando brothers grew their business from a side hustle to a brand that sells $4 million in clothing and hats a year. Spangenberg always loved clothing

and was huge fan of all the Arizona sports teams. “My favorite thing was back-toschool shopping,” he said. “It drove me nuts that I never saw anything that represented Arizona in a positive way.” He always wanted to have his own clothing line, even as he was working in the hotel industry. “I was probably writing down names in a book for two years, but no clothing line ever made sense,” he said. It was 2012 and he was roommates with Stephen Polando, a childhood friend. “Stephen was brushing his teeth and he came out and he said, ‘State Forty Eight.’ It was an ‘aha’ moment,” Spangenberg said. Nicholas Polando, a self-taught graphic designer, then came up with some logo ideas. “He proposed three and two were bad,” Spangenberg said. So the three became equal business partners, gathered together $1,500 to trademark their logo and launched State Forty Eight in 2013 — all while keeping their full-time day jobs. “The first two years, we didn’t earn a dollar,” he said. “We were selling T-shirts at launch parties on Mill Avenue and at First Friday when First Friday wasn’t even cool.” They built their own website and ran their own social media. They scoured Craigslist for a thermal heat press and when they collected enough profits, they would make a new batch of See

STATE on page 43

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

STATE

from page 42

T-shirts. “I’m not the most handy guy and I made shirts backwards and upside down,” he said. “We were hustling.” A turning point came in 2016 when they scraped together $1,500 to join the Phoenix Fashion Week’s emerging designer boot camp. “The thing that stood out from that was learning how to sustain the business,” he said. “It wasn’t just a glamor runway show.” They started networking and found a connection to Bruce Arians, then the coach of the Arizona Cardinals. That led to the now-famous State Forty Eight T-shirt that featured Arians’ likeness with his trademark flat-top cap and game-day headset. Sales of the shirt benefited the Arians Family Foundation, which fights child abuse. “We couldn’t keep the shirts in stock and we raised a ton of money for the foundation,” Spangenberg said. “And it was an example of how we were laying the foundation to be doing more than just selling T-shirts and hats.” That success led to partnerships with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Phoenix Mercury and the Phoenix Suns, as well as fundraising collaborations with other organizations including Phoenix Children’s Hospital, the Arizona Humane Society and the W. P. Carey School of Business. But as the company grew, there were challenges too.

you’re young, there’s a lot of pride involved and you have to put that aside.” The three were able to pour all the revenues back into the company before finally leaving their day jobs to become full-time State Forty Eight employees, which the two brothers did before Spangenberg. “I wanted to be there full time and that’s where those communication barriers came into play. I would try to catch up after work and they’d be tired of me texting at midnight,” he said. “The sexy thing to do is to go for it but that’s not the real world. It’s OK to have a side hustle until it’s a full-time hustle. It allowed us to grow.” The company now has 15 employees, with seven full time. And they’re still learning how to run a business State Forty Eight created this model to show an example of efficiently. one kind of embroidery it can offer. (SanTan Sun News) “It’s hard to have those honest conversa“We have three equal business parttions but now we have ners and that’s a huge blessing because weekly meetings on Tuesdays that we you see different perspectives, but I’d don’t miss,” said Spangenberg, who still be lying if I didn’t say we had disagreepersonally runs the State Forty Eight ments,” Spangenberg said. “And when

social media accounts. “When you don’t have meetings, things build up and then you talk over text and that’s how things get misperceived. It seems simple but it’s been a huge help.” The collaborations have doubled State Forty Eight’s online revenue and now the company sells other branded merchandise, including stickers, glassware, bags and socks. It recently launched a co-branded credit card and set up two retail locations, in Gilbert and at the Churchill in downtown Phoenix. In the future, Spangenberg would like to see a State Forty Eight license plate and maybe a sports travel group. “Twenty years from now, everyone at the Diamondbacks games will be a Diamondbacks fan and be proud of where they’re from,” he said. “And we want to be the face of Arizona.” State Forty Eight is about “inspiring others to rise up and stand for something they believe in,” he told his audience. Last year it also established the State Forty Eight Foundation with the goal of organizing fundraising and volunteer events for community causes, offering mentorship and workshops for young people which teaching them practical skills and offering start-ups entrepreneurial education and access to resources by partnering with incubator organizations. Information: statefortyeight.com

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

East Valley company finds reward in risks BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

Telgian Holdings, Inc., is all about risk – anticipating it, assessing it, then preventing or at least reducing it. From the relatively humble beginnings of a fire code development and fire-testing company started in San Diego by retired firefighter and Fire Marshall Bill Tomes in 1985, Telgian has grown from its initial location in Chandler into a safety Goliath headquartered near the I-10 and Elliot Road in Ahwatukee with earnings over $75 million. Its 350 employees – roughly half in Arizona and the rest spread across 31 other states – provide services that protect some 50,000 schools, hotels, big stores, government buildings and other facilities across the U.S. Many of the employees live in the East Valley, including Chandler, where the company first set up shop in Arizona. Those workers conduct 150,000 inspections annually, design sprinkler and other prevention systems, interpret building and fire codes, evaluate and analyze potential risks to facilities and provide fire safety, training and security services such as consulting on responding to active-shooter or other unlawful entry. In other words, Telgian’s history pretty much reflects the Old English origins of the name it adopted in 2007: “spread out and grow.” “’Telgian’ talks about who we are as a company,” said CEO James Tomes, the founder’s son. “Every service is a response to a customer’s request and we branched out and grew and added services to meet the customers’ needs.” The grandson of a Detroit firefighter, Tomes has been a party to that growth ever since he joined his father in 1988 as an account executive when “we had five employees,” though a few years he became chief financial officer. Telgian relocated in 2001 to Arizona, first settling in Chandler and then moving to Tempe before landing in Ahwatukee in 2015, drawn to its present site’s proximity to the freeway and a workforce dominated by residents of Phoenix and East Valley communities.

James W. Tomes

William J. Tomes

Russell B. Leavitt

Its Ahwatukee headquarters is home to the holding company and one of its two operating companies, Telgian Fire Safety; Its other operating company, Telgian Engineering and Consulting, is based in Atlanta. Though Telgian “grew up with retail,” serving a wide variety of big-box and other stores, Tomes said, “Now we do everything – we do schools, heavy industry, power plants, airports. Right now, we do everything.” Purely a service company, Telgian Fire Safety inspects, tests and manages the repairs to an array of fire protection equipment such as sprinklers, alarms and other prevention system components. “We’re not trying to push a certain product on our client because we’re ‘manufacturing agnostic,’” Tomes explained, adding that the Atlanta operation does “all the high-level engineering and consulting and designing of all those systems.” And it is pretty high-level stuff. “It’s designing retinal scanners, controlled access into facilities,” Tomes said. “It’s also camera design – those types of things. So, one, you’re trying to control people that are coming into the billing with normal course of business with internal scanner-controlled access into facilities. So, we’re trying to control people that are coming into the building during the normal course of business with internal scanners, fingerprint or facial recognition technology.”

Second, the company designs camera-fence systems and other “types of things that prevent unintended intrusion of the building.” Telgian also helps companies and other institutions prepare for the possibility that someone might get past all that technology. Its cadre of “security professionals, corporate security, former law enforcement” train clients in how to deal with intruders, particularly armed ones. “Basically, what we specialize in is mitigating physical risk to people and facilities – fire security, terrorism, natural disasters – all those types of things. We don’t do cyber. We don’t do political risk. We don’t manage hazardous materials. It’s mostly directed towards physical risk to both the occupants of the building and infrastructure.” Clients come to Telgian out of a desire for economic as well as physical survival, along with a desire to be compliant with any safety regulations, particularly fire codes. “There’s an increased awareness of risk management” especially among corporations, Tomes explained, though he said the U.S., western European countries and Japan have had a particularly long tradition in risk prevention. “Nobody wants their brand associated with a mass-casualty or catastrophic event,” he said. “I remember educating a CEO of a company in Mexico City.

Mexico City does not require fixed fire protection and (the client was) building a million-square-foot distribution center and a giant industrial park.” He said he explained the possible risks if the client relied solely on the fact that Mexico City has a fire department. “I don’t really care as long as everyone’s safe, okay? Because we care about human life – that’s our thing. I was explaining to educate because we never try and scare people into making the right decision. I never come to a client and say ‘you should do this because it’s the code.’ We don’t operate that way.” So, as he walked the client through the potential dangers of not having a sprinkler system and other safety equipment installed, Tomes said he asked, “Do you want your brand associated with a fire that 17 million people in the valley of Mexico City are going to see?” The client replied, “no” and then ordered a full sprinkler system throughout the industrial park whether tenants wanted it or not. Staying nimble in the world of risk protection means Telgian also in the last 20 years has developed services to meet the new and burgeoning threats of the 21st – like active shooters. But the company also keeps a focus on the risks that natural disasters pose. He noted how some global countries might centralize the manufacturing of a critical part or piece of their business in one plant. “When you’re dealing with this intricate network of global supply chains, you’ve got to remember you’ve got to keep that plant functioning – whether you’re worried about a tidal wave, or an earthquake, fire, civil unrest, somebody doing damage of that plant. So, companies think in terms of protecting their assets. ..But they also think about protecting their associates and ultimately their brand and market position. But, Tomes added, despite the array of risks it tries to protect clients from, “our core services are in the area of fire-protection services. That was our initial offering when my father started the company.” What about, then, wildfires as they become increasingly frequent and more menacing to suburban and urban communities and facilities? Tomes suggested that trying to pro-

Telgian’s headquarters includes a large area where products are tested and where the company also can train clients in their use. (Courtesy Telgian Holdings)

See

TELGIAN on page 45

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

TELGIAN

from page 44

tect neighborhoods or businesses or even equipment like power lines from that threat is doable, but costly. Calling the wildfire threat “an emerging area,” he noted that in some areas, particularly California, “you have communities built off all these canyonlands and stuff like that with dense fuel nearby. So, one of their strategies is to mitigate once a fire starts and it comes into it. But there’s also kind of an emerging technology around protecting major sources of ignition.” Such protection involves technology that is so expensive “you really have to have state or federal funding,” he said,

though he allows that HOAs comprising expensive seven-figure homes may one day consider investing in that kind of tech. Moreover, he continued, the cost not only would involve the equipment and its installation but its maintenance as well. Hence, an HOA of high-dollar homes have to raise dues or a high-income community might have to raise taxes to pay that heavy cost. But while studying such threats, Telgian keeps its eye on the bally that Tomes’ father got rolling. “What we do on a core basis is we deal with companies and their infrastructure,” Tomes said, citing examples like “a company (that) has one plant that produces ball bearings for all its facilities or maybe they need to invest in a life-safety system to protect their employees.”

Besides, there are other dangers Telgian helps clients address. “Think of a pharmaceutical storage facility,” Tomes said. “It could be a small building but have billions of dollars in inventory there. So not only do you worry about a fire happening there. What if an earthquake happens? Maybe there’s no danger to your facility but what if you lose power for an extended period of time? Do you have back-up power generation? “It’s those types of things we look at. We look at clients even in the construction of a new facility. Where do you place that facility? You look at places to make sure that building is out of the floodplain or not near an active earthquake fault.” Tomes isn’t all about dangers and

preventing them, though. Given that the Ahwatukee building has a large classroom as well as large lab space where devices are tested and customers are trained in their use, he’s late been considering ways that Telgian can give back to the community by partnering with schools As a member of the Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce, Tomes is exploring partnerships with both high schools and higher education institutions to train interested students in job skills. “We’ve got an outstanding lab here,” he said. “And we are looking at ways to use that lab to give back to the community. We’re working through that in both a classroom setting and kind of hands-on settings.” Information: telgian.com.

Mayor announces new Honeywell project BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

Honeywell International is planning to sign a long-term lease for a West Chandler manufacturing facility that will produce protective facemasks for healthcare workers. Mayor Kevin Hartke announced the company’s new project during his annual State of the City speech earlier this month as he listed Chandler’s economic development achievements from the past year. More than 900,000 square-feet of Honeywell’s new factory was built over the last year, the mayor said, calling the facility another example of the city’s continued success at attracting big projects. “Honeywell could choose anywhere in the world to locate their manufacturing operations but we’re very proud they chose Chandler,” Hartke said. The North Carolina-based company is expected to occupy a 150,000 squarefoot facility and employ hundreds of people to manufacture N-95 respirator masks. “The manufacturing operation will provide a significant job infusion to Chandler,” the mayor added. Honeywell has had an active presence in Arizona for decades and at one time employed more than 16,000 people across the state. The company is primarily known for its major government contracts to manufacture aircraft engines at its facility near Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. During the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Honeywell announced it would use its facilities in Arizona to help the private sector satisfy a growing demand for masks by dedicating its resources to producing protective equipment. Hartke did not elaborate on when Honeywell’s new Chandler facility might open. The mayor’s announcement notably correlates with a promise Hartke made during last year’s State of the City address regarding the West Chandler neighborhood. Hartke had vowed to launch a marketing effort to re-brand the West Chandler area, which is already home to more than

600 businesses and attempt to attract some new projects to the region. “This re-brand will provide a unique identity to the area and for increasing the number of developments and businesses that are expanding there,” Hartke said last year. The mayor’s State of the City speech struck a hopeful tone after a tumultuous year that was marked by a global health crisis, public protests, and disputed elections. The economic turmoil resulted in the closure of more than 200 local businesses throughout Chandler, public records show. Yet the city still saw nearly 600 new business entities register in Chandler by the end of 2020. Hartke highlighted the millions of dollars in COVID-19 relief that’s been handed out by the city to struggling businesses and the local nonprofits that have stepped up to meet a growing need for help from the community. “Our businesses had to make tough decisions and sacrifices this year,” the mayor said, “and I thank them for their strength and leadership.” Despite the challenges of 2020, Hartke emphasized the positive achievements made in Chandler’s private sector last year and insisted that the city has brighter days ahead to look forward to. More than 2,500 new jobs will be created in Chandler over the next three years, the mayor said, and there’s 750,000 square-feet in new development currently under construction. The pandemic didn’t stop Chandler from planning for the future either, Hartke added, and city leaders will continue to fight for the needs of its residents. “2021 will be our year to recover together,” Hartke said. “We will continue to work for our community with regional and state leaders to ensure Chandler’s state-shared revenues are invested in Chandler.” The mayor’s announcement came in the same month that – Viavi Solutions Inc. announced that its Optical Security and Performance Products segment will establish a new manufacturing facility in Chandler. VIAVI also plans to transition its headquarters to the new facility, which

is anticipated to house at least 100 employees by 2022. In preparation for this move, the company has already relocated its corporate headquarters to a temporary office in Scottsdale. The company’s San Jose office will continue to operate as a functional center of excellence and sales office. VIAVI is a global leader in network test, monitoring and assurance solutions for communications service providers, enterprises, network equipment manufacturers, government and avionics. The company is also a leader in light management solutions for 3D sensing, anti-counterfeiting, consumer

electronics, industrial, automotive and defense applications. VIAVI generated $1.14 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2020 and has more than 3,600 employees in 50 locations around the world. “As a global company, the right locations have been critical to our business success, and we have always contributed to the communities where we operate,” said Oleg Khaykin, president and chief executive officer of VIAVI. “We are excited to establish a major new hub in Chandler, Arizona and expand our involvement in the state’s optics ecosystem.”

We Need Your Help!

The Consolidated Appropriations Act 2021 extends and modifies tax deductions for Charitable Giving We find ourselves in uncharted waters while the demand for our services continues to grow. In the midst of this pandemic, Chandler/Gilbert ARC continues to work diligently to maintain safe programs for the vulnerable people we support resulting in service modifications to our group homes and program sights in order to keep fulfilling our mission. We need your help. The recent CARES (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security) Act allows taxpayers to take a charitable deduction of $300, even if they do not itemize. And the more recently Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 extends and modifies the $300 charitable deduction for nonitemizers for 2021 and increases the maximum amount that may be deducted to $600 for married couples filing jointly. *Contributions also qualify for a dollar-for-dollar tax credit on your AZ Tax Return. The maximum credit is $400 for a single head of the household or $800 for married taxpayers. Chandler/Gilbert Arc has been serving people with intellectual and developmental disabilities in the East Valley since 1975, providing community living, employment, and day treatment & training opportunities daily. We are so grateful for your generosity, which touches-and changes-so many lives.

Please donate today: www.cgarc.org Chandler/Gilbert Arc 3250 N San Marcos Place Chandler, AZ 85225-7789

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Chandler/Gilbert Arc is an IRS Section 501(c)(3) nonproﬁt 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

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Chandler native Taylor Mouser building Iowa State pipeline BY ZACH ALVIRA Sports Editor

The pipeline between Arizona and Iowa State University continues to be built year after year in the form of national football recruits. Four years ago, it was Perry quarterback Brock Purdy who chose the Cyclones over the likes of Alabama and Arizona State. He was joined by Deer Valley offensive tackle Joey Ramos and later by his former teammate, Perry wide receiver D’Shayne James and Desert Ridge long snapper Koby Hathcock. The four were part of Iowa State’s best season in program history in 2020-21, which culminated with a second-place finish in the Big 12 Conference and Fiesta Bowl win in Glendale. The buzz in Ames surrounding the football team, especially with Purdy at quarterback, has opened the floodgates for other Arizona recruits to target Iowa State as a potential landing spot. And that can be directly attributed to Chandler-native and Iowa State tight ends coach Taylor Mouser. “Growing up in Arizona, I remember going to some of those Fiesta Bowl games. That was the premier game to me,” Mouser said. “To be able to come back to Arizona and win the Fiesta Bowl in front of my friends and family and to bring a BCS trophy to Iowa State, it’s amazing.” Mouser grew up in the East Valley

Iowa State tight ends coach and Chandler-native Taylor Mouser has been instrumental in the Cyclones’ recruitment of Arizona athletes, as the roster next season will have six players from the state, five of which from the East Valley. (Courtesy Iowa State University

Athletics)

and played football for Basha High School. He later went on to play for Adams State, a Division II school in Colorado. He dreamed of an opportunity to become a coach at the college ranks and was able to become a graduate

assistant wide receiver coach at Toledo under then-coach Matt Campbell. Mouser followed Campbell to Iowa State in 2015 where he became the offensive quality control coach and just recently, the tight ends coach. From early on at Iowa State, Campbell and

the rest of the staff relied on him for recruiting insight, especially as it related to Arizona. “I think I’m certainly a point of reference for some guys,” Mouser said. See

MOUSER on page 47

Cody Williams making strides in Perry basketball BY ZACH ALVIRA Sports Editor

Cody Williams’ improvement both physically and mentally from his freshman to sophomore years has become one of the leading factors for the success Perry High School boys basketball team has had this season. At 6-foot-6, the Wing still handles the ball as well as any point guard and can shoot from virtually anywhere on the floor. His improvement, thanks to his offseason work in club basketball and private trainer Paul Suber, has allowed him to become one of the top recruits in the 2023 class. But more than that, he’s become one of Perry’s go-to players in late-game situations. “I love Cody,” Perry basketball coach Sam Duane Jr. said. “Cody earned his stripes last year as a freshman and now he is really starting to come into his own. His best basketball is ahead for him.” Trailing Mountain Pointe by six points late in the fourth quarter on Feb. 16, Williams took over. He willed his team back from the deficit and managed to help the Pumas secure a two-point advantage with just

Perry sophomore Cody Williams has turned into one of the Pumas’ go-to players in late game situations and he has climbed the rankings as one of the top players in the 2023 class. (Zac BonDurant/Contributor)

seconds remaining. A strong defensive play by Perry on the Pride’s ensuing possession led to a turnover. Williams’ ability to help lead his team back from a deficit and secure a win came while battling a back injury that occurred in the first quarter. As a result, he did not start the second half of the game. He managed to fight through the stiffness and pain to finish the game. “I knew I had to tough it out. I just want to win,” Williams said. “My teammates spaced the floor. We got into our five-out and when someone was cutting the defense had to pay attention, which opened driving lanes. We were all a big part of that come back.” Williams’ love for basketball isn’t uncom-

mon in his family. His older brother, Jalen, graduated from Perry in 2019 and went on to play for Santa Clara – which offered the younger Williams a scholarship as well. While different players, Duane Jr. sees some similarities between the two brothers. Mostly, it’s their ability to be coached and willingness to improve on a consistent basis. That was made apparent after sports were shut down last spring due to the coronavirus pandemic. Williams, 6-foot2 at the time, went to work. He trained wherever he could with Suber before taking a break in the summer. When he returned, he was 6-foot-6. But with his growth came extra work. “I had to improve my ballhandling,” Williams said. “Even if you grow an inch, you kind of lose that touch. I had to keep up with that and I was able to extend my range. I’m a great shooter now. Those are the things I’ve improved on a lot.” Williams’ play this season has caught the eyes of Division I basketball schools. Along with Santa Clara, Murray State and UC-Santra Barbara have also extended scholarship offers to the sophomore. See

WILLIAMS on page 47

SPORTS & RECREATION

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Cactus League tickets going like wildfire BY REGINA BURGESS Cronkite News

Going, going, almost gone! Tickets are selling out fast at the Valley’s Cactus League stadiums, where 15 major league teams are based during spring training. With attendance limited this year because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, seats are scarce. At least four Cactus League teams already are sold out for the spring, including the Arizona Diamondbacks, who sold out their games within 24 hours of tickets going on sale. “The fact that it sold out as fast as it

MOUSER

es, or for those accompanying them. Seven teams still have single-game tickets available, including the Texas Rangers, Oakland Athletics, Cleveland Indians, Chicago White Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Kansas City Royals and Cincinnati Reds. The Seattle Mariners put single-game tickets but – as with most teams – there will be fewer than 2,000 tickets available for each game and fans will be grouped in assigned pods for social-distancing purposes. According to the San Francisco Giants’ website, the City of Scottsdale will allow 750-1000 fans to attend each game at Scottsdale Stadium. Season

ticket members will have first priority in purchasing tickets, and seats will be sold in pods to allow for social distancing, according to the website. Fans will still have to adhere to health and safety protocols when attending Cactus League games. Masks will be required except when eating or drinking, and seating will be in pods of two, four, and six seats. Spring training was cut short in 2020 when the pandemic struck, and MLB’s 30 teams played a shortened regular season and playoffs without fans. Now, at least for the lucky few who can find tickets, live baseball is back.

are in Arizona. There was an instant connection. “Everyone wants to play for someone they feel like they can connect with and I think that was a big factor into my decision to play for him.” It’s that same connection that led to

Chandler running back Eli Sanders’ signing with Iowa State earlier this month. Originally committed to Boise State, Sanders chose the Cyclones over the Broncos, Iowa and San Diego State. While not the direct point of contact, Mouse — as he has with the rest — helped put Sanders on the Cyclones’ radar. Mouser attributes some of Iowa State’s success in Arizona with his ability to connect on a personal level. Being from the area, it’s not uncommon for him to ask the player’s favorite menu item at local taco shop Los Favoritos. He asks about Chandler Fashion Center and other shopping establishments he frequently visited himself when he was their age. He builds a connection with the players that goes well beyond the X’s and O’s of the game. Though his ability to do that isn’t surprising to most. Even in high school he never shied away from conversation. “He was a kid you enjoyed talking to and could carry out a conversation with him as a coach,” said Collin Bottrill, who coached Mouser at Basha and is now on Chandler’s varsity football staff. “He’s been instrumental in putting Iowa State off the map and that’s what I told him when he was promoted to tight ends coach. He was a big part of getting Eli Sanders to commit to Iowa State. “Now with his connections, he’s opening up that pipeline from Arizona to Iowa State.” Before the pandemic, home visits were an essential aspect of recruiting. It allows coaches to get a feel for who a player is off the field, while also

persuading parents their respective program is a good fit for their son. Just as he did with Purdy, Mouser aimed to make a good impression with Koby Hathcock in 2019. Though, familiarity with his father, Jeremy, helped. “Taylor is the one who got the ball rolling in Arizona,” Jeremy Hathcock said. “Mouse played with one of my former players in college, so when we went to Iowa on Koby’s official visit we hung out with him. “He’s one of the most chill guys I’ve ever met, and he just knows how to connect with kids.” Mouser’s impact in Arizona and especially the East Valley is far from over. Just in the last two weeks he and the Iowa State staff have extended scholarship offers to other players, including Desert Ridge defensive end Lance Holtzclaw and a pair of from his Alma mater, Basha quarterback Demond Williams III and linebacker Wyatt Milkovich. The pipeline, while in good standing, is still far from finished. Mouser aims to continue building Iowa State’s roster with local recruits sprinkled in. And with Iowa State projected to only improve next season with six Arizona natives on the roster, there’s no telling how big the pipeline could grow. “I think coach Mouser has done a great job of finding guys in Arizona and with that connection, I feel like it is putting Iowa State on the map,” Sawitzke said. “I feel like the Iowa State-Arizona pipeline can be huge. “I can’t wait to compete and grow as a player and as an athlete. I can’t wait to get out there and start working.

motivating, but I’m just kind of playing basketball and focusing on winning a state championship right now.” At 10-1 heading into its matchup against Red Mountain on Tuesday, Feb. 23, Perry is in contention for the top overall seed in the upcoming 6A tournament. The Pumas were ranked second

overall in the last rankings released by the Arizona Interscholastic Association but made a case for the No. 1 spot with a loss by previously unbeaten Sunnyslope and wins against Mountain Pointe, Queen Creek and top-five Basha the week prior. Perry is playing with a renewed sense of confidence as it is led by Williams,

7-foot junior Dylan Anderson and senior point guard Christian Tucker. Overall, the momentum they carry into each week continues to build. “Nobody is second guessing themselves anymore,” Williams said. “We go out and play great and then do it again the next night. Really, it’s boosted our confidence and our energy.”

did – that fires me up,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. “We’ve been looking forward to this day as much as them.” Arizona fans will have to rely on third-party ticket sites like StubHub or search for tickets at other stadiums when the Diamondbacks are playing away from Salt River Fields. The Colorado Rockies, who share Salt River Fields with the Diamondbacks, are also sold out. The Los Angeles Dodgers sold out their tickets in less than two hours. The Chicago Cubs were nearly sold out as of Monday, with only a few left for accessible seats – for fans needing wheelchairs or other mobility devic-

from page 46

“Now going into our sixth year, I’ve been able to get Campbell out there a few times with Brock, D’Shayne, Koby, Joey, he’s got a good feeling now for what football is like there in Arizona. “Arizona isn’t in the elementary phase of recruiting anymore. I no longer have to convince these guys to watch film on players from there.” When the Cyclones searched for a quarterback to be part of their 2018 signing class, Mouser put Purdy on their radar. An undersized and under recruited quarterback at the time, Mouser, Campbell and other coaches visited Purdy at his East Valley home ahead of the February signing period. The coaches didn’t make it past Purdy’s driveway after the meeting before Alabama called with an offer. Nonetheless, Purdy signed with Iowa State, kickstarting what has since led to five others playing their college careers in Ames with two more on the way as part of the 2021 class. Among the 2021 class is Mountain Pointe tight end Kevin Sawitzke. He had direct contact with Mouser, who was elevated to Iowa State’s tight ends coach. Sawitzke was forced to meet his future coach virtually due to the pandemic, but he felt a connection right away. “The first phone call we had we talked about Arizona and the way life is compared to Iowa,” Sawitzke said. “It felt good talking to someone who knows where I’m from and how things

WILLIAMS

from page 46

While obtaining scholarship offers is a milestone in itself, Williams remains focused on the season at hand. “I’m not really thinking about it right now,” he said. “I’m grateful and its

Chandler running back Eli Sanders is among the six Arizona players who will be on Iowa State’s football roster next season, joining the likes of Brock Purdy and D’Shayne James from Perry. (Pablo

Robles/Staff)

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

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Chandler student’s UV boxes combatting COVID-19 for teachers every Hamilton employee has one. “I’m hoping we will be able to raise funds to create more boxes,” he added. Kristopher first came up with the idea for his boxes last summer while he was quarantining at home with his family. His father, a doctor, had been working long hours and Kristopher wanted to find a way to help protect him as he continued treating patients during the health crisis. He did some research and learned how certain types of ultraviolet lights can be used to disinfect surfaces free of the coronavirus. The light’s radiation breaks down the virus’ outer protein coating and can ultimately lead to the deactivation of the contagion, according to the U.S Food and Drug Administration. Kristopher bought a handful of mini ultraviolet lights and got to work building a prototype the size of a shoebox with some cheap materials he bought around town. In order to protect consumers from radiation, Kristopher folded up a car sunshade and used it to shield the ultraviolet rays from emanating out of

BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

A Hamilton High School student is hoping to equip all the teachers at his school with a homemade device designed to sanitize objects of harmful pathogens. Sophomore Kristopher Luo says he wants all 250 of Hamilton’s employees to feel extra safe during the lingering pandemic by giving them a way to regularly disinfect their personal items. Last month, the 16-year-old distributed 90 devices he created himself that wipes contagious germs off of small objects through ultraviolet radiation. Phones, car keys, headphones, and masks all fit snugly inside Kristopher’s little sanitation boxes and can be cleaned in less than a few minutes. Notes of gratitude have quickly poured in from Hamilton’s staff and Kristopher is now on a mission to find a way to make a couple hundred more boxes. “I’m just grateful to be able to help out and give back to the community,” he said. “I know this pandemic has been really hard on everyone.” The teenager is trying to collect $3,000 for the manufacturing of enough sanitation boxes to make sure

Hamilton High sophomore has launched a drive to equip teachers with this device he designed that disinfects personal items.

See

(Special to SanTan Sun News)

BOXES on page 50

Chandler woman not letting disabilities defeat her BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

Gabby Graves-Wake is determined to not let others underestimate her. The 27-year-old Chandler resident said she’s found herself in situations where it feels like others have preconceived notions about her talents and abilities based on superficial appearances. Those judgments, she suggests, may be tied to the fact that she’s a woman of color, lives with physical disabilities – or is interested in a career field more commonly reserved for men. But Graves-Wake said she’s driven to defy society’s expectations and succeed in unfamiliar spaces. “If someone has doubts in me or if someone thinks I’m lesser because I’m a female or whatever,” she said, “I just let it fuel my fire and I try to prove them wrong.” After years of thriving in athletics and the military, Graves-Wake is currently channeling her energies into engineering classes at Chandler-Gilbert Community College and she’s on a mission to encourage more girls to follow in her footsteps. Many girls can feel intimidated sitting in a science class with 30 other guys, Graves-Wake said, and they need to know their presence in the STEM fields is validated. Girls often change their major or

Gabby Graves-Wake drop out of a class if they don’t feel accepted, she added, so they need to not be afraid of the hardship that comes

with breaking down barriers. Graves-Wake has had her fair share of hardships over the last few years. But even when she’s deep in a moment of despair, she somehow manages to find the motivation to keep moving forward and remain optimistic. “I have to believe the path I’m on right now,” she said, “I’m pretty excited for it.” Growing up around Chandler, Graves-Wake always knew she was destined for life in the sciences. She dreamed of being an astronaut from a young age and pursued activities that could get her closer to achieving her goal. She attended space camp, built models of the solar system, and researched the biographies of famous astronauts. As she was getting ready to graduate from Mountain Pointe High School in 2011, she decided that enlisting in the Marine Corps could help her get one step closer to outer space. “All the best astronauts seem to come from the military,” she noted. She wasn’t apprehensive about the

physical endurance needed to be in the military, since Graves-Wake had spent most of her childhood competing in taekwondo tournaments. Graves-Wake turned down a high-paying job teaching taekwondo in order to enlist in the Marines and expand her horizons. Heading to boot camp, she thought the world of the Marines would be an endless drudge of obstacle courses and combat exercises but she quickly discovered the world was a bit like living in a college fraternity house. There’s a lot of camaraderie and goofing around, she said, yet the women are still pushed to be ambitious. Graves-Wake said women in the Marines to strive to be stronger, smarter and more dexterous than their male counterparts. The Marines opened a world of opportunities for Graves-Wake as she trained to work as an intelligence analyst. She was taught to think critically, how to ask tough questions and trust her instincts. “I loved (the Marines) for all its ups and downs,” she said, “I would do it again in a heartbeat.” As she was nearing her three-year mark in the Marine Corps in 2014, Graves-Wake sustained a set of injuries that would prematurely impede her military career. See

GABBY on page 50

NEIGHBORS

BOXES

from page 49

his box. “It’s a little bit dangerous for human eyes and your skin,” he said. Using his prototype as a starting point, Kristopher constructed 30 boxes and handed them to local hospitals and law enforcement agencies. But he quickly discovered he wouldn’t be able to make many more boxes by himself and with his own materials, explaining, “That proved to be inefficient and it was kind of costly.” He started reaching out to manufacturers who might be willing to partner with him and mass-produce a large number of sanitation boxes. Most local manufacturers were shut

GABBY

from page 49

She was driving back to the Camp Lejeune base on her motorcycle when a distracted driver rear-ended her at an intersection. She sustained a traumatic brain injury and ended up losing much of her mobility. The recovery process proved to be difficult at first. Graves-Wake was depressed and didn’t have much interest in staying active or picking up any new hobbies. Her mentors pushed her to try playing an adaptive sport. She quickly got hooked and soon

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

down or unwilling to make the boxes at an affordable rate, Kristopher said, which forced the teenager to look overseas for a partner. He only had about $1,500 to spend through funds he had saved from a summer internship and his side business running a 3-D printer. Furthermore, Kristopher struggled to find a manufacturer inclined to let certain features be incorporated into his prototype. He hoped to let consumers aromatize their items by letting them drop some essential oils into the box during the sanitation process. “I wanted to alter it and be able to customize it as my own,” he said. He ended up finding a manufacturer through Alibaba, the Chinese tech company, and put in an order for 90 boxes. His shipment arrived in January and he

quickly began handing out boxes to local teachers. He gave one device to Superintendent Camille Casteel, who showcased the invention before the district’s Governing Board earlier this month to celebrate Kristopher’s innovativeness. The advisor of Hamilton High’s robotics team, to which Kristopher belongs, has also been utilizing one of the devices to routinely clean equipment and tools used to build the team’s projects. Kristopher said he is humbled by the appreciation expressed by Chandler’s teachers and he hopes to be able to provide sanitation boxes for teachers throughout the district. “I’m just amazed by the reaction,” he said. “That’s what motivated me to be able to provide for all of the teachers.” The sanitation box is not the first

engineering project Kristopher has initiated on his own. About three years ago, the student began developing a device that could alert parents if they’ve left their child inside a hot car. After reading several news stories about children suffering from heat stroke, he built a special car seat equipped with sensors that can detect when a child’s still in the seat and send a message to the parent’s phone. Kristopher said engineering seems like a career path he could see himself going down after graduation. But until that day comes, he’s content with coming up with inventions in his spare time. He is accepting donations for his sanitation boxes through a fundraiser he’s set up on GoFundMe.com. To help search that site by his full name, Kristopher Luo.

figured out how to cycle, row and run track without the use of her lower extremities. A few months later, GravedWake was competing alongside other wounded service members in Colorado at the Department of Defense’s Warrior Games. Graves-Wake was determined to return the following year and come home with some medals. She continued to train and slowly got better at her individual events by improving her mobility. Graves-Wake said she found herself chasing the thrill of competing as she did in taekwondo matches. By the time she got to Australia’s in-

ternational adaptive sports tournament in 2018, Graves-Wake was determined to come home with a gold medal. She ended with multiple gold medals and the confidence to go after her old childhood ambitions. “It was a full-circle moment,” she recalled. “It was what I needed on my journey to recovery.” Since the pandemic has temporarily shut down most athletic tournaments, Graves-Wake has spent more time on her academic interests. She connected with the Warrior Scholar Project, which helps veterans transition back into classrooms. Graves-Wake said she felt anxious at

first about enrolling in college courses since her brain injuries had affected some of her memory and cognitive skills. She also worried about how she might perform compared to a bunch of young men who were fresh out of high school. When she first started her computer coding and engineering courses, she said it was difficult to not notice how much faster her classmates got their work done. “I’m watching all these younger guys, who have coding experience from elementary school through high school, get done with an assignment in 10 minutes,” Graves-Wake said. See

GABBY on page 51

NEIGHBORS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Chandler school beneﬁts from trio’s laptop donation ARIZONAN NEWS STAFF

Bright Beginnings School students and teachers recently received 30 new Microsoft Surface Laptop Go computers from a trio of donors. The laptops and charging cart were donated to the school, at 400 N. Andersen Blvd, Chandler, by the Garth Brooks’ Teammates for Kids Foundation, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald’s First Down Fund and the Microsoft Store. The three organizations share a commitment to support educators and students and “a belief that effective use of technology in schools can transform teaching and learning,” Microsoft said in a recent blog. “Helping develop digital literacy in students is crucial to setting them up for success in school and beyond, and we are proud to be a part of this effort to level the playing field for all students,” the company added, praising

GABBY

from page 50

She was one of a couple females in her classes and the gender disparity at times was intimidating. Graves-Wake grew more anxious after

impact on BBS, our students and our teachers,” said Principal Amanda Patrie. “BBS has always prided itself on providing a unique, personalized learning experience. This infusion of new technology allows us to take our student experience to the next level. BBS and

ty for students, including greater access to research, videos and presentation tools,” said school spokeswoman Tonya Marks, noting that teachers will have a greater ability to personalize learning through online platforms and digital assignments.

“Consistent technology in the classroom allows for more differentiated learning experiences and improved collaboration for our students,” said fourth grade teacher Amy Bates. “We can continue to do what we are known for – teaching creativity, compassion, communication and collaboration – while ensuring our students are prepared to compete and thrive in an increasingly digital world,” Bates added. Fitzgerald told Microsoft he was inspired by the chance to help others and give well-deserving kids a better start, getting them one step closer to achieving their dreams. “It matches my priorities to partner up as teammates and try to level that playing field for these students by working with Microsoft and Garth Brooks’ foundation… to make sure that these students have even opportunity to succeed in school and in life,” he said. Bright Beginnings is a Pre-K-6 school. Information: bbschl.com.

she noticed her female classmates had suddenly stopped showing up to class. “The reason they dropped was they either changed majors or they weren’t finding success in the class,” she said. She consulted a friend, who encouraged her to stop caring about what the boys in her class may think about her.

Graves-Wake finished the semester with good grades and the perseverance to continue. “No matter where I look there’s always someone who’s telling me to keep moving forward,” she said. Now Graves-Wake hopes to pay it forward by inspiring other young wom-

en to consider classes they may have previously felt intimidated to try. Graves-Wake hopes to get a job at NASA and that her disabilities won’t interfere with her aspirations. “Maybe I can’t go to space because of my injuries,” she said, “but I can still have an impact on that world.”

the foundation and Fitzgerald’s organization for participating in its Digital Skills All-Star Program. “This donation will have a huge

our students are honored to be beneficiaries of this outstanding program.” The donated devices “open up a world of new connectivity and creativi-

“

It matches my priorities to partner up as teammates and try to level that playing ﬁeld for these students by working with Microsoft and Garth Brooks’ foundation… to make sure that these students have even opportunity to succeed in school and in life.

”

– Larry Fitzgerald

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Michelle Bales, a Hospice of the Valley social worker, works mainly with patients suffering dementia. (Courtesy Hospice of the Valley)

Hospice social workers bring joy to patients BY LIN SUE COONEY Guest Writer

Ron Haholy had given up on a motor scooter, since his insurance didn’t cover it. His Hospice of the Valley social worker Kim Boersema realized how sad that made him. The 70-year-old had endured a lot – he had lost his wife and was struggling with serious illnesses that severely affected his mobility and Kim knew a scooter would change his life. As soon as one was donated to one of our five White Dove Thrift Shoppes, she snatched it up. Hospice of the Valley picked up the tab and Kim surprised Ron with the gift of independence. Now, he takes his dog for walks (and rides), visits friends and does his own grocery shopping. “I felt like a new person!” he said. It’s only fitting that the theme of 2021’s Social Work Month in March, is “Social Workers Are Essential.” At Hospice of the Valley, about 100 medical social workers assist patients, families and caregivers with sensitive end-of-life conversations and advance care planning; link them to social and community resources they didn’t know even existed; and provide emotional support at a most challenging time. “Living with a chronic or terminal illness brings a multitude of changes and stressors,” said Cheri Rednour, a Hospice of the Valley clinical resource social worker. “We understand how illness impacts all facets of someone’s life and we focus on meeting all those needs — emotional, physical, relational, spiritual, cultural and practical.” When the pandemic hit Arizona early last year, social workers quickly adapted to provide telehealth support via phone, video or window visits to help family members see and hear their loved ones when health restrictions kept them apart. Social workers feel especially rewarded when they help fulfill their patients’ dreams. “There is a misperception that life pauses or stops when you come on hospice. It’s exactly the opposite. We

want to bring life into the home,” said Erin Butler, a clinical resource social worker. When Erin learned that 103-year-old Tressie Jenning’s one life regret was never riding on a train, she cooked up a solution for her bed-bound hospice patient: a virtual ride on the light rail. Valley Metro created a video from Tressie’s point of view, as if she were buying a ticket, looking out the window and greeting passengers on the train. Tressie, her daughter and caregiver watched the adventure on Erin’s laptop. “It was magical! Seeing Tressie smile was a gift to me,” Erin said. Ron Davis was on cloud nine after his social worker, Andrea Toczek, set up a longed-for helicopter ride out of Mesa’s Falcon Field Airport, with help from DreamCatchers and Canyon State Aero. “I’m not used to people doing stuff like this for me,” he gushed, bashfully. “Andrea is great, nothing is impossible for her. I was just amazed!” Both Kim and Michelle Bales were family caregivers whose firsthand experiences inspired them to become medical social workers. “I am now in a position to help others like me when the needs are overwhelming,” said Kim, a former teacher. “The experience is unique for each person, but the feeling of hope and support when a Hospice of the Valley care team came to my home was amazing. I think that feeling is universal to all of our patients.” Michelle specializes in dementia care. She enjoys showing family caregivers how to communicate with their loved ones — using favorite foods, mechanical dogs and cats, music therapy, baby dolls and stimulating tactile objects. “When a connection occurs, we have nonverbal patients speaking, sad patients smiling, and families thrilled to have a new positive way to interact and create memories!” Michelle said. “I feel so fortunate to help people live well with dementia.” Lin Sue Cooney is director of community engagement at Hospice of the Valley. Information: 602-530-6900 or hov.org.

NEIGHBORS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Donovan McNabb shares experiences with fellow QBs BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Staff Writer

Football legend Donovan McNabb wants to improve the lives of college and high school quarterbacks. Through the nonprofit QB Legacy, the Queen Creek resident prepares the athletes for life after football, the ups and downs of the game and how to handle adversity and success. “We want to build leaders and CEOs,” said McNabb, who serves as its president. “We want our quarterbacks to be in front of a board room and have control. That’s team meeting rooms and in the board room. But it is not always about football. We want them to be well prepared for what life throws at you.” To qualify for membership in QB Legacy, one must have played quarterback for a college program in the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I, II, or III, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) or the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA). McNabb played 13 years in the NFL and was the first NFL quarterback to throw for more than 30 touchdowns and fewer than 10 interceptions in a season. His parents prepared him for football and life afterward. His father, Sam, a retired electrical engineer, and his mother, Wilma, a registered nurse, have served as president of the Professional

Football Players Fathers Association and Professional Football Players Mothers Association, respectively. “My goal after football was to go right into TV,” said McNabb, who quarterbacked for Philadelphia, Minnesota and Washington. “I was well prepared to go from in front of the camera to behind the camera. That was second nature to me. “When you’re a 19-, 20- or 21-year-old kid, you have to handle the ins and outs of professionalism,” he said. “Luckily, I had people in my corner who I could relate to and talk to.” For McNabb, that was Sam. “My dad obviously worked hard,” McNabb said. “He never played professionally, he never played Division 1 sports. He always found find an answer for me. I could lean on him for advice or words of wisdom.” Quarterbacks, McNabb said, should never allow anyone from the outside to dictate a future path. “Be goal oriented and be determined,” McNabb said. “Understand the tough times are going to happen. The only thing that really matters is your happiness. That was something, for me, that I continue to cherish to this day. I understand there are, one, tough times; two, no one in the world is perfect; three, continue to work hard and grind hard to get the results you want; and four, make sure you’re happy.” His mom, Wilma, however, is the joker in the family, he said.

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“She’s one of those sarcastic people who said what’s on her mind,” McNabb said. You learn to have tough skin with my mom. Her kids are very important to her, though. She taught all of her kids to overcome adversity and take constructive criticism.” McNabb shares his knowledge with the high school athletes he coaches, including his children – daughter Alexis, twins Sariah and Donovan Jr., and son Devin James. “It’s important for all of us, not just former athletes, to learn how to handle trials and tribulations,” he said. “A word here and there for any youth can really change their life. “We all have tough times in life. Not everybody shows it. You never know how some people may be feeling. If you can provide a word or two here or there, and a smile or two, that could change their lives.” McNabb moved to the Valley about 20 years ago. He began spending time here in 1999 after he was drafted by the Philadelphia Eagles. “I’ve been coming here ever since,” he said. “If it was a ‘bye’ week or during the off season, I’d visit the Valley. Four years in, I decided to purchase a home here. It was my getaway.” He works out in Discovery Park or at Payne Junior High School. McNabb also spends time coaching softball and girls basketball, the sports played by his daughters. His sons participate in a plethora of

activities, including ﬂag football, soccer, cross country, basketball and football. He stressed he wants his children to build an identity for themselves, through a strong work ethic, passion, determination and goal setting. Even though he’s on a strict diet, McNabb frequents restaurants around the Valley. He loves Italian, but, with his diet, he can’t have very much. “As far as restaurants are concerned, in the Valley I love Mastro’s, Dominick’s, Steak 44 and my whole family loves sushi,” he adds. “It’s a mis of everything.” When McNabb looks back, he can’t believe it’s been nine seasons since he retired. “When I look back on the relationships I built, some of the guys are still playing, like the Tom Bradys or the Drew Breeses and some of the other guys I competed against,” he said. “It’s an honor and one in which your kids see.” McNabb hopes to start a Phoenix QB Legacy franchise and train athletes in other positions. He also wants to be a part of a WNBA franchise. His niece, Kia Nurse, is a professional basketball player for the New York Liberty. Right now, however, he’s providing “excitement” for first responders by delivering pizzas to them and giving gift cards to families suffering through the COVID-19 pandemic. “I want to look back on it and realize I’ve done something to try to help put someone on a positive path,” he said.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Ocotillo artists prepare for spring show SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

With an eye to maintaining a safe environment, the Ocotillo Artists Group is planning its Spring Fine Arts and Fine Crafts Show. The show will be held under socially distanced white tents 10 a.m.-4 p.m. March 13 at 2547 W. Queen Creek Road in downtown Ocotillo, between Price and Dobson roads on the west end of the shopping center. The show is presented by the Ocotillo Artists Group, which is made up of quality artists and craftsmen who reside in or near Ocotillo. The members are dedicated to supporting each other with monthly meetings, programs, networking and art exhibits. Paintings, ceramics, jewelry, sculpture and more will be available from these artists. Besides socially distanced exhibits, hand sanitizer will be available. Admission is free and there is ample parking. Among the participating artists is ceramic artist Sandy Ashbaugh of Chandler, who has been working in clay for over 30 years. She uses a traditional hand building method of slab con-

Mark your calendar for the Ocotillo Artists Group’s Spring Fine Arts and Crafts Show March 13. Measures have been implemented to keep artists and attendees safe. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

struction and sgraffito, yet achieves a modern aesthetic. Among her best known pieces are her uniquely designed and handcrafted

sake set collection, as well as her lidded vessel series. The latter was published in Lark Craft’s “500 Raku,” juried into various

shows and purchased by public and private institutions. See

ARTSHOW on page 55

Persian New Year fest a bit different this year BY KRISTINE CANNON Staff Writer

For the past couple years, more than 5,000 people have swarmed the Scottsdale Waterfront over the course of seven hours in early March for one purpose: to celebrate the Persian New Year, or Nowruz. But this year, the founders of the Persian New Year Festival nonprofit made the difficult decision to replace the multifaceted festival with an interactive art exhibition that allows for social distancing and prevents crowding amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. “We are thrilled to be able to still celebrate the Persian New Year in a way that allows the public to remain safe and socially distanced during the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Persian New Year Festival Co-Founder Lawdan Shojaee. “The art installations are a beautiful way for our community to learn more about Persian culture and tradition while enjoying a safe and responsible experience.” This year’s free Persian New Year Festival takes place at the Marshall Way Bridge at the Scottsdale Waterfront on March 7 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Here, attendees will have the opportunity to view the largest “haftseen” art installation in Arizona’s history. An arrangement traditionally displayed during the celebration of Nowruz, a haftseen typically boasts seven symbolic items representing the beginning of spring. “The haftseen is a symbol of the Persian New Year, just like the Christmas

Helping to organize the annual Persian New Year Festival slated for March 7 are, from left, Poupak Tabakkoli, Mahsa Page and Nicky Hedayatzadeh. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)

tree is to Christmas,” explained Shideh Doerr, festival co-founder. Local artist Mahsa Page’s art installation will feature three different takes on the haftseen, with one installation featuring backdrops from a trio of other local artists. “I’m passionate about promoting social and cultural awareness, which is why the

haftseen art installations spoke to me,” said Page. “Growing up in Iran, I’m thrilled to be able to share more about the culture with our Arizona community.” According to Page, the haftseen art installation is a staggering 26-feet long and comprises three large tables. She spent a few days brainstorming

how to showcase the “diverse, lively, and effervescent” Persian culture to the community. “When the organizer approached me for collaboration on the concept idea for this year’s festival, my mind glided See

PERSIAN on page 56

ARTS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

ARTSHOW

from page 54

Ashbaugh draws inspiration from architectural and interior design elements, like those from the Bauhaus movement, Frank Lloyd Wright and Frank Gehry. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in fine arts from Florida Atlantic University. She also is passionate about art education and has been involved with local schools and communities, teaching art as well as coordinating art programs and shows since 2004. “My first exposure to the visual arts was in college,” she says on her website. “I trained in a variety of mediums but was immediately drawn to clay.” She also said her experience as a classically trained violinist “resonates throughout my work.” “It imparts a lyrical quality that speaks of beauty and harmony with classical proportions,” she explains. “For decades, I glazed my work in the Raku style by harnessing the power of gas fuel with fire and flames,” she said. “This originally was a Japanese method of firing, which has been adapted to make ceramic pieces artistically pleasing but not food safe.” “When I traded a busy community

Chandler artist Sandy Ashbaugh will have some of her work at the Ocotillo Artists Group’s spring show. She has won considerable praise for her unique sake sets. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

studio for the solitude of a private one, I also traded gas for electric power and reduction for oxidation. Light colored stoneware is still my clay of choice and

continue to use intense colors and contrast. I also embrace technology and am usually the one behind the camera.” For updates on the art show, go to

facebook.com/ocotilloartistsgroup and instagram.com/ocotilloartistsgroup or email ocotilloartistsgroup@ gmail.com.

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PERSIAN

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towards silent movies, pantomime, childhood memories and stories,” Page said. The Persian New Year Festival nonprofit, in partnership with the City of Scottsdale, chose Page due to her extensive, 20-year experience in the design, art and architectural history. Plus, she took part in last year’s festival, creating a high-end fashion show that featured other local Persian and Middle Eastern designers. “Her [art] represents the Persian culture so well, and it doesn’t matter if you’re a liberal, if you’re a fundamentalist, if you’re conservative, her artwork speaks to you and it’s beautiful. It’s moving, it’s fluid; it’s one of a kind, it really is,” Doerr said. The installation will move to the Scott-

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

sdale Quarter on March 8 and available for viewing the rest of the month. “The celebration of the Persian New Year [is] giving people hope to put the bad stuff behind us and focus on the good going forward and the beginning of the new year and new beginnings,” Doerr said. The nonprofit’s first expansion into the Quarter allows for increased exposure to shoppers who may have otherwise never attended or celebrated the Persian New Year Festival. “It allows us to reach out, touch more people ... and learn about our culture and what the Persian New Year is all about,” Doerr said. “These annual spring Persian Festivals helps our society interact with the local community to share the colorful customs of our friendly people and the love that we have for other cultures of

all ages, all helping to make our collective communities a better place,” Page added. Dating back thousands of years, the Nowruz is celebrated by millions of people worldwide, but it wasn’t until 2010 that the United Nations formally recognized it as an international holiday. Historically, the festival is a very interactive, lively one, filled with food, music, dance, theater, and art from vendors throughout the state. But this year, the nonprofit pivoted in an effort to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Art installation traffic will be directed to flow in a one-way direction, hand sanitizing stations will be present and masks will be required. “We didn’t want it to be something where people could walk through and sit and touch; we wanted it to be some-

thing that we can keep people moving along,” Doerr said. While the nonprofit is unable to donate proceeds to the Ivy Brain Tumor Center at the Barrow Neurological Institute due to lack of sponsors and vendors, it will still have a presence at the event. “We will showcase them through the festival and help promote them and raise awareness and have them be a part of the festival,” Doerr said.

If You Go

What: Persian New Year Festival When: March 7, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Where: 4420 N. Scottsdale Road Cost: Free Website: persiannewyearfestival.org

2 Chandler artists in restaurant’s new show SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Two Chandler artists are showing their work at Twist Bistro & Gallery in Scottsdale through early May. Painter and photographer Lauri Koo of The Springs in Chandler and Laurie Fagen of Fox Crossings, who is a fiber and polymer clay artist, have pieces in the “Spring is On the Way” themed art show at the Mediterranean-American restaurant and gallery. Koo’s “Peaceful Peacock” acrylic on gallery-wrapped canvas painting measuring 24”x36” is on display, as is her acrylic “Mystic Rose,” which is 12”x 12” in floater frame. Koo, also an accomplished nature photographer, also is exhibiting her “Star of the Show” photo, a 12”x12” gem printed on metal. Koo said she is deeply inspired by nature, and the healing ability it carries in her soul. “I enjoy getting lost in nature’s spirit and have a passion for sharing that beauty and how it captures my mood and expression,” she explained. “My art is my peace offering, the way I contribute a oneness and appreciation to Mother

Fagen has shown her jewelry and fiber work in galleries and shops including in Arizona, Washington, D.C., Illinois, Nevada, North Carolina and Iowa and welcomes commissions that are highly personalized in nature. Samples of Left: Chandler artist Laurie Fagen, left, works in fiber and polymer clay. Right: A piece by her fellow artist, Lauri her work can be Koo, also of Chandler. (Special to SanTan Sun News) found at Sibley’s West in downtown Chandler, She also is exhibiting a 6”x6” mixed Earth that is uplifting and enjoyable.” Sonoran Arts League Center for the media polymer clay, tile and charm Koo’s paintings have been part of Arts Gallery and FagenDesigns.com. several Sonoran Arts League shows, and piece titled “Under the Sea.” The exhibit runs through May 2 “I’ve been enjoying working on more her work can be seen at LauriKoo.com. at Twist Bistro & Gallery, located in sculptural pieces in polymer clay, and Fagen’s pieces in the show include The Summit Plaza, 32409 N. Scottsmy new piece has clay seaweed, fish a fiber art piece, “AZ Sunset & Florals,” and shells along with actual shells, sand dale Road, Scottsdale. Information: which is 26”x22” and includes commertwist-bistro.com or 480-912-1459. and coral and charms,” said Fagen. cial fabrics and silk flowers.

Neverlutionaires mix genres on self-titled album BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Staff Writer

As a Gemini, Christopher Harold Wells feels empathy for the situation of others. He takes those emotions and infuses them into his music under the name The Neverlutionaries. Released earlier this month, The Neverlutionaries’ self-titled LP shares Wells’ rock ‘n’ roll roots blended with his love of jazz, alternative and shoegaze. “I’m glad I have a way – especially during this COVID situation –to get something out, instead of sitting around and have everything bottled up,” said Wells, whose birthday is June 12. “I’m used to traveling and doing a session in New York, and then being in Atlanta and Nashville, North Carolina and then back to San Francisco.” Wells worked alongside No. 1 Bill-

board-debuting producer Jaimeson Durr at San Francisco’s Hyde Street Studios and enlisted a collection of session musician friends to help, like Kid Rock guitarist Kenny Olson, Chris McGrew, Ryan Hickey, Nick Baglio, Jonnie Axtell and Peter Keys of Lynyrd Skynyrd. “It was such an amazing process to record at Hyde Street,” he said. “Studio C was where the (Grateful) Dead would go. It was their little hideaway spot. Within the Hyde Street studio complex, Green Day, Tupac, when he was with Digital Underground, Kanye, Train, the Dead Kennedys and Santana recorded there. “Just to be in that kind of energy and then to have recorded this with my friends made it so much better.” Having originally made his name in North Carolina, Wells has been performing, recording and producing in San Francisco for the last few years. As well

as songwriter, Wells divides his time between San Francisco and Nashville. As a testament to Wells’ versatility and open-mindedness is a resume that includes playing in The All-Time Low Stars with Keys; working with a variety of artists ranging from Lauryn Hill to Bubba Sparxxx; and opening for bands like Metallica, Aquarium Rescue Unit and Def Leppard. “The longer you write, the more you dial yourself in and hopefully come into what your sound is to be,” said Wells, the son of former Philadelphia Eagles linebacker Harold Wells. “But with my sound, there are so many parts that make it up because I dig a lot of different kinds of music.” Those “kinds” include the church choirs of his youth, Rush, Tool, Kaskade, The Cure, The Mars Volta and Joy Division. He’s a big fan, however, of Prince and Jimmy Page. “The whole trick is to put your own

spin on musicians like Prince, who can do any genre and own it,” he said. “It didn’t seem like a forced thing.” As for acts like The Mars Volta and Joy Division, he said, “There’s something about big, distorted chords that move me really deeply. It’s at goosebump level to this day.” Wells has handled the COVID-19 as well as anybody, but he’s been prolific. However, the song “Everybody’s Sitting Around Losing Their Minds,” which sounds like a COVID-19 song, was written prior to the shutdowns. “I didn’t want to release that as one of the first singles,” he said. “It’s a rocker, but it would seem like I was taking advantage of an awkward situation. “I want to be respectful. People are going through a lot right now. It’s nothing that should be toyed with.” Information: theneverlutionaries.com

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | FEBRUARY 28, 2021

Tatum Lynn is ready to let down her hair BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Staff Writer

Tatum Lynn was writing songs as a student at Corona Del Sol, while her peers were planning to attend college. “I wanted to sing and keep writing songs,” she says. “I recorded the songs and put them on YouTube. Senior year is when everything clicked.” She figured correctly. Lynn is about to release her debut album, “Let Down Your Hair,” which features 14 songs, including the title track. It’s due out March 5. “I have a lot of stories to tell,” she says. “It’s not like other records, like Beyonce’s, who tells one story throughout. My goal for this record was to have a song for everyone. I’m really excited about that. It’s something I look for in other people’s albums. It’s not just all sad, not just all happy. It has a mix of everything.” Lynn contends she’s a lyrics person, admiring singer-songwriters like Julia Michaels and Selena Gomez. “The messages I write are really important to me,” Lynn says. “‘Let Down Your Hair’ is important to me. They were words that I was prompted to share. They’re powerful to me. I’m excited to get that out for other people to hear. “Some of my messages, I feel, are a little bit deeper than usual music that’s played on the radio.” From the time she was 10, Lynn has yearned to be a pop star. At age 19, that commitment paid off as “Later Baby XO” broke into the Billboard Top 40. The youngest of five children, Lynn honed her vocal skills by singing at her LDS church with her two older sisters and their mom. As a third-grader, Lynn made her debut as a singer-songwriter at her oldest sister’s wedding. “I always kept a journal, and would turn what I wrote into lyrics,” she says. “I wrote a song for my sister’s wedding, and it was the first time I felt confident enough in what I wrote to think it was worth sharing. I kept writing lyrics via my journal all throughout high school, and it really helped shape me as a lyricist.”

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help of A-list talent. For the album, Lynn wrote with Lauren Christy (Avril Lavigne, Dua Lipa, Kelly Clarkson), who was part of the award-winning Matrix writing trio; writer/producer John Fields (Pink, Demi Lovato, Jonas Brothers) and Joey Barba, who is featured on the tongue-in-cheek track “Can’t Live Without You.” Working with Fields, Lynn says, was inspirational. She enjoyed hearing the tales of his career working with Gomez, Demi Lovato and Pink. “It was a blessing to work with him,” she adds. “I feel I learned a lot from him. He’s a perfectionist, which I see in myself as well. It was really nice to have him there, just helping me make the songs perfect.” The album is filled with gems. “Let Down Your Hair” is a pop masterpiece, while “Closer” has the snarl of Pink. “Now U See Me Now U Don’t” has a retro edge. Lynn doesn’t want to just help people through her music. At CoTatum Lynn has been writing songs since she rona Del Sol, she founded Music as was in high school. (Special to SanTan Sun News) Therapy, a nonprofit dedicated to providing music therapy and instruments to kids in special education Lynn posted videos on YouTube, classrooms throughout Arizona. She although, she says, she didn’t have the has also devoted much time to suicide confidence to share her voice then. Now she loves posting on YouTube and prevention after the teen suicide rate went up by 25% in Arizona. She started getting people’s feedback. At Corona Del Sol, she began singing a school club focused on prevention, the national anthem at the school’s basketball games. She moved on to a bigger stage when someone from the Arizona Cardinals heard her and asked her to perform at a game. “I was pretty young when I did that,” says Lynn, who also attended Chandler’s Kyrene Aprende Middle School. “It was pretty nerve wracking. I would still be very nervous to do that today. It was so much fun, though. I remember one thing about it. I stood next to where the fire appears, near the inflatable tunnel. I could feel the heat. I thought I was going to be hit by the fire.”

and teamed up with a group called Teen Lifeline, a suicide prevention hotline. The track “With Me” is about a rash of suicides at Corona Del Sol. “I started Music as Therapy when I was 15,” she says. “We provide musical instruments and therapists to other nonprofits and schools that can’t afford to have music therapy and instruments. It’s been a blast. I’ve helped the kids I grew up with and became their best buddy.” She says between her nonprofit and her forthcoming album, she’s excited to continue her career. “I always say college will always be there,” she says. “I learned to trust my gut and to lean on family. I know the industry has its ups and downs. When I started, we didn’t know what we were doing. I just trusted my family and trusted our thoughts and what we wanted to do. It built a really good foundation for me. I just trust the process.”

Tatum Lynn

tatumlynn.com Music as Therapy musicastherapyusa.org Preorder album Let Down Your Hair by Tatum Lynn on Apple Music apple.co/2XskpSr

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Passover and Easter offer spiritual cleansing RABBI IRWIN WIENER, D.D. Guest Writer

A common thread – consisting of experiences of the past and those yet to be – connects part of the equation dealing with the ability to glean from life’s experiences the understanding of fulfillment and completion. This is the beginning of renewing that which we have so that it has more relevance. Each generation recreates its own version of repetition so that the meaning brings new excitement and application. We are now entering a period that illustrates this more clearly and distinctly. The first is Passover. It is an event in history that gives us the ultimate expression of how steadfastness and faith can lead to redemption. However, it also teaches us that liberation can only be achieved when we are willing to take that first leap of faith through our own ability to collaborate with God in restoring our dignity. Interpretations of Biblical writings teach that when Moses raises his hands to part the Sea, it was not until the first person took the first step into the water was the miracle actually achieved.

Faith in ourselves is a primary ingredient in fulfilling the mission of independence and release. It is not enough to sit back and expect God to be the messenger and doer in our final renewal, but rather the combination of the two completes the process. The Exodus reaches a thunderous climax at Mt. Sinai and it is there that we begin to understand the partnership. Moses makes one request of God. Through all that has been accomplished and yet to be realized, Moses wants to be able to see the God that brought about these wonders, from deliverance to revelation. Moses, above all has had the most intimate relationship with God that any human has experienced, still, to him, it was not enough. Moses wants more – to see, to touch, to feel. In the final analysis, God says that this is not possible and yet God offers an alternative. Moses can witness God passing him, feel his nearness. All of us can experience God’s nearness and the difference God makes in our lives. This alone is an achievement because it helps us realize that we can only attempt to reach for the unreachable, but we should never stop trying. The second is Easter. To me, it too is an event in history that gives us a clear insight

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into the ultimate expression of faith. Easter is a story of redemption and renewal as illustrated by the sacrifice of one individual in search of absolution for all. Who can comprehend, whether in writings or depictions, the agony of defeat culminating with the glory of fulfillment. As a non-Christian, but one who has learned from the followers of Jesus, through study and interfaith experiences, I can understand fully the desire for all people to receive the blessings and forgiveness of God. The sacrifice witnessed was one enshrined in love for humanity. We find this throughout history. This, however, was a different kind of sacrifice. It was

a sacrifice for the whole by the one. It was to be an example of unadulterated faith in the universality of God and the love God has for each of us, sinner as well as believer. My understanding of the lesson of Easter is connected with the deliverance of the people from bondage because in each instance the release from the shackles of despair and destruction resulted in the birth of a new understanding of our place in the universe. Both holidays deal with spiritual and physical cleansing of our bodies and souls. There is no finer way to fulfillment than this. Rabbi Irwin Wiener, D.D., is spiritual leader of the Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation.

How my couch became an avenue for hope BY LYNNE HARTKE Guest Writer

The first thing I did was turn the couch around. It seemed like a small decision at the time. When my husband Kevin and I were diagnosed with COVID-19, I pulled open the blinds on our front window and positioned the furniture, so we had a view of the neighborhood. The next day I hung up a hummingbird feeder. Two male hummingbirds raged a turf war over the feeder, their iridescent green throats glistening in the Arizona sun. A few days later, a family member purchased a sock filled with thistle seeds – an attractant for songbirds – which we strung from the tree near the window. A pair of house finches kept a wary eye on the neighborhood cat population as the birds flitted among the branches. While we monitored symptoms, we sat on the couch and chatted with friends on the other side of the closed window when they dropped off food. Homemade vegetable soup. Turkey stew. Tangy orange chicken and rice. We waved and smiled at delivery people who came with orders of pajama pants and flower bouquets. Surrounded by comfy pillows and blankets, we nestled into the couch for a few restorative naps. Obviously, we had chairs in other parts of the house, but we found ourselves returning again and again to the couch with a view of a world beyond our grasp. As days stretched into weeks and a fever lingered, I found myself on the couch in the darkness one predawn morning, remembering

the somber stories of others who had waged war against this nasty virus, some who had not survived. The walls of fear and isolation closed in, robbing my very breath as my heart pounded a suffocating tempo out my ribcage. Forget birds, smiles, waves, and deliveries. Why had I been foolish enough to turn the couch around to a full view of the darkness? In a panic, I opened the curtains a little wider in hopes of glimpsing a bit of light. I saw none. Then shall your light break forth like the dawn, and your healing shall spring up speedily; your righteousness shall go before you; the glory of the LORD shall be your rear guard. I whispered the words from Isaiah 58:8 ESV. I peered again into the night, hoping to catch the rhythm of dawn breaking forth. I waited. As a witness. I felt the prayers of those who had gone before, who had also waited for the morning. With eyes searching the east, the first golden light appeared above my neighbor’s frosted roofline. Yellow beams stretched across the horizon, melting the suffocation of gripping anxiety. My panic eased. I knew without any doubt I was not alone. I also knew the decision to turn the couch around to face the outside world was not so small after all. The couch became a tangible symbol of hope, that one day soon, we will all return to a life beyond the walls. Lynne Hartke is the author of Under a Desert Sky and the wife of pastor and Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke. She blogs at www.lynnehartke.com. She also reports that she and her husband are now fully recovered.