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Chandler may pay off cop-fire pension debt BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor
NEWS............................. 16 Chandler business owner probes car safety data.
COMMUNITY............. 28 Chandler Unified dives into e-sports competition.
D
awn Lang, Chandler’s deputy city manager and chief financial officer, had just dropped what she clearly thought was a large number on the city council. Leading the discussion during the council’s second budget workshop, Lang indeed gave them a big number. Staff was suggesting the Council make a one-time payment of $70 million toward its Public
C Chandler thespians dig ‘Secret Garden.’ KIDS CAMP......................................25 COMMUNITY................................ 28 BUSINESS........................................ 33 SPORTS............................................ 36 GETOUT.......................................... 38 CLASSIFIEDS.................................... 41
Safety Personnel Retirement System debt. “I don’t see any jaws dropping,” Lang said. In fact, council members seemed to think the number was too small. “Is it a better value for us to add more to the $70 million — if we have it, that’s the first question — and just get this paid off much sooner?” Vice Mayor Matt Orlando asked.
see PENSION page 8
If Chandler opted to pay down its entire police and fire pension liability, it would then only be responsible for an estimated $2 million a year to keep the fund current. (City of Chandler)
Actor saves the day for his Chandler alma mater BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor
GETOUT....................... 38
Sunday, April 2, 2023
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asey Likes should be well past any stage fright at this point of his career. However, a sudden return earlier this month to the stage that launched his career made him a little nervous. “I might have had a moment with a trash can,” he said. “I had to relieve myself of my nerves.” That’s an unexpected reaction from the star of “Almost Famous” during its first Broadway run and the man who was just announced to be cast as Marty McFly in the
Broadway debut of “Back to the Future, the Musical.” Also the man who portrays KISS bassist Gene Simmons in “Spinning Gold,” a new movie currently in theaters. But Casey’s return to the Chandler Center for the Arts stage to perform in the Chandler High play was unscheduled. He had attended the Chandler High production of “Anastasia” on March 3. His mother, Stephanie Likes, is theater director at the school, where he graduated in 2020.
see ACTOR page 6
Casey Likes, a 2020 Chandler High School alumnus and star of the Broadway version of “Almost Famous,” works with his younger siste Claire, a Chandler High freshman, as he conducts a workshop at his former school, . (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | APRIL 2, 2023
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CITY NEWS
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | APRIL 2, 2023
City’s DEI director undaunted by diversity attacks BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor and HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services
The Chandler Arizonan is published twice a month and distributed free of charge to homes and in singlecopy locations throughout Chandler. To find out where you can pick up a free copy of The Chandler Arizonan, please visit www.ChandlerNews.com.
I
f you look at some of the headlines around the nation it becomes clear there is a new target in the nation’s culture wars: DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion). “DEI policies promote homogenity, inequality and exclusion,” – Dallas Morning News. “(Florida) Gov. DeSantis hosts roundtable exposing the DEI scam in high education.” – Florida Governor’s website. There’s also an effort in Arizona to go after DEI. Saying he was doing what the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. would have wanted, a Queen Creek senator got Republican colleagues last week to vote to outlaw diversity, equity and inclusion programs in state and local governments and the university system. SB 1694, crafted by Sen. Jake Hoffman, bans the use of government money for any such program. It also forbids a public agency from requiring workers to engage in those programs, allowing those employees to sue. But Hoffman told colleagues that he’s not against the ideas. What he opposes, he said, is what these programs include, ideas Hoffman argued actually work against the concepts of inclusion and equality. “That’s a problem,’’ he said. “The bill says we don’t want public entities influencing the composition of their workforce based on race,’’ Hoffman said. He then quoted a line from King about children living “in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.’’ “This bill seeks to do what MLK Jr. advocated for,’’ he said. But Sen. Juan Mendez, D-Tempe, said proponents fail to understand that not everyone is coming from the same starting point and born with the same advantages. “For those of us who did not win the cultural lottery, much of one’s life outcome can still be predicted by the biases towards race, class, ability and identity,’’
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Main Number 480-898-6500 Advertising 480-898-6559 Circulation Service 480-898-5641 Chandler Arizonan 1900 W. Broadway Road, Tempe, AZ 85282 Publisher Steve T. Strickbine Vice President Michael Hiatt
ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT The city in partnership with Fortis Femina sponsors Chandler Contigo, a festival showcasing Chandler’s diverse Hispanic community. (File photo) he said. “Diversity, equity and inclusion programs are only set out to help us understand and prepare our citizens for what it means to live in a diverse and inclusive society,’’ he said. As approved, SB 1694 has a laundry list of what would be off limits. For example, programs could not describe or expose systems, relations of power, privilege or subordination on the basis of race, sex, color, gender, ethnicity, gender identity or sexual orientation. Nor could they describe methods to dismantle or oppose those systems. Also off limits would be advancing any theories ranging from unconscious or implicit bias and systemic oppression to inclusive language and neopronouns. Also outlawed would be concepts of “anti-racism.’’ Hoffman describes that as the idea that “the only answer to past racial discrimination is present discrimination.’’ All of that, he said, goes to what he said is the goal of SB 1694 to treat people as equals. The party-line vote late Monday now sends the measure to the Republican-controlled House. Even if both chambers approve it, proponents would have to convince Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs to sign it. So, it’s prospects for becoming law this year are not good, given her veto earlier this month of a bill that would have banned teaching Critical Race Theory.
Niki Tapia, the DEI program manager for the City of Chandler, said despite the new national and state focus on such programs, things are going well in Chandler. Her office has evolved from mostly sponsoring cultural festivals to focusing more on making city government a more welcoming place to work. “Most people in Chandler that we work with want to learn about their neighbors, they want to work together,” said Tapia, who declined to talk about the state bill that would ban DEI programming. “(The) first 20 years of my career ..., it was about focusing on the external community and our cultural organizations and how they want to celebrate diversity. It was only me, or me and half of my position and half of another and a limited budget. So that was really what we did. Now, after 2020, we have leadership and this world is different.” Tapia said the world changed in 2020 with the murder of George Floyd and the rise the Black Lives Matter movement. “I feel like since 2020, honestly, I feel like we’ve taken a huge turn,” Tapia said. “And I’m really excited, because we are wanting to communicate with our employees, we were wanting to hear from them. “Not that we weren’t before, but now I have resources to actually try and address some of those concerns. And I
see DIVERSITY page 5
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NEWS DEPARTMENT Executive Editor Paul Maryniak | 480-898-5631 pmaryniak@timeslocalmedia.com Reporter Ken Sain | 480-898-6825 ksain@timeslocalmedia.com Photographer David Minton | dminton@timeslocalmedia.com Production/Design Supervisor Courtney Oldham | production@timeslocalmedia.com Graphic Designer Tonya Mildenberg | tmildenberg@timeslocalmedia.com Circulation Director Aaron Kolodny | timeslocalmedia.com Chandler Arizonan is distributed by AZ Integrated Media, a circulation company owned and operated by Times Media Group. The public is limited to one copy per reader. For circulation services, please contact Aaron Kolodny at aaron@timeslocalmedia.com.
To Start or Stop delivery of the paper, please visit https://timespublications.com/phoenix/ or call 480-898-7901 To receive your free online subscription, please visit: https://www.chandlernews.com/digital_editions/ The content of any advertisements are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. The Chandler Arizonan assumes no responsibility for the claims of any advertisement.© 2023 Strickbine Publishing, Inc.
CITY NEWS
APRIL 2, 2023 | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN
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Drones might deliver medicine to Chandler center BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor
C
handler is building on its “City of Innovation” motto by serving as the testing ground for a pilot program that will see a drone fly medical supplies from a local pharmaceutical company to a senior living center. “I think that’s why we think this is a good step, to really crawl before we walk when it comes to drone flights in the community,” said Ryan Kaup, the city’s economic development specialist. The agreement is part of the Maricopa Association of Government’s (MAG) Emerging Technologies Pilot Program. Omnicare, a pharmaceutical distributor located on Galveston Street east of 56th Street, west Chandler, will use a drone, also called an Un-Crewed Aircraft system, to carry supplies a little more than a mile to Sunrise of Chandler, an assisted living facility on Chandler Boulevard, just east of Kyrene Road. The drone’s’ actual route has not be
DIVERSITY from page 4 didn’t have them before.” The city’s demographics are changing. It is becoming more diverse, and there are still many city employees who strongly disagreed, or disagreed, with these statements from a city survey of its workforce: “The city recognizes staff diversity and values it; the city encourages different viewpoints to share; and the city provides opportunities for people of all backgrounds.” That was one of the results of an outside assessment done on the city’s DEI program last year. Tapia said, “If you look at the 2020 census numbers, Chandler is ... 58% white versus 42-to-45% (non-white. The numbers show our community is diverse and so we need to listen to all the members of our community.” DEI program supporters say such efforts try to even the playing field for traditionally marginalized communities while at the same time making sure peo-
determined because the operator is awaiting approval from the Federal Aviation Administration. Most of the space between the two companies is occupied by businesses and there are very few residential areas in that space. “Drone delivery is steadily increasing across the country as both the technology matures and rules and regulations from the FAA establish a clear framework for operations,” wrote Chris Mitton, a director of business development at AirSpaceLink, the company that will operate the drones. “This pilot project will be unique to the Phoenix metro area as it looks to test the efficacy of medical deliveries to reduce traffic congestion and increase the timeliness of deliveries to provide more responsive health care for Arizona patients.” Chandler City Council was scheduled
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see DRONES page 23 ple don’t feel threatened. “That is a very, very difficult challenge,” Tapia said. “And I always mentioned to people, ‘Yes, I’m diversity, equity and inclusion, but I am for government and the 50% that might be heavily in support, are just as important much as the 50% who are not. So we really do try and think of everyone, as we’re establishing these programs.” Despite the increase in negative DEI headlines nationally, Tapia said that she hasn’t heard any of that discussion in Chandler. “Weirdly enough, that doesn’t happen to me often because everybody loves connecting,” she said. “I think it’s just about how it’s framed.” “If you frame it, ‘oh, we’re going after or, we want to go after,’ we’re not about that,” Tapia added. “We’re about creating a place of inclusivity in our city. And a place that people want to live, want to play, want to work. Luckily, I’m surrounded by people who want to do that, and so it makes my job a lot easier.”
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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | APRIL 2, 2023
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“The amazing Spencer Rich, who was playing this role called Vlad, was limping around a little bit of the first act,” Casey explained. “And my mom leaned over because she was sitting right behind me and she said, ‘Spencer, just hurt his leg.’” “I had just gotten a text from the stage manager,” Stephanie Likes recalled. The two had often talked whimsically about what it would take to get Casey back on the stage at Chandler High. But it never happened. Stephanie said she went backstage at intermission to check on Spencer and became worried when she saw him with his leg up. “This kid never goes down for anything,” she said. Added Casey: “He was in extreme pain. I just put the phone up to my ear and started listening to the music because I’ve seen this before.” So that’s how Broadway star Casey Likes ended up playing Vlad in the second act of his former high school’s production of “Anastasia.” He said he had never seen the play before. Stephanie said he did attend a few rehearsals, but that Casey didn’t know the lines or the blocking. So that generated the case of nerves that required Casey’s visit with a trash can. Casey first gained national notice for his performance of Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables.” He was nominated for the 2019 Jimmys, which recognizes the best high school musical theater performances in the nation. He reached the finals of the Jimmys and was cast for the lead role in “Almost Famous” soon after. That play opened in the fall, but it did not fare well with audiences and ended up closing in January. “There’s no feeling quite like walking through Times Square and seeing yourself on a billboard,” Casey said. “That’s all of the dreams that I wanted to accomplish. I got to do that with that show, I got to do my Broadway debut, I got to work with heroes of mine. I got to be the lead role, which is something I never expected to ever be in a Broadway show.” Casey admitted to being sad when the show closed, but he couldn’t stay depressed for long. He said he found out about a week af-
Casey Likes, conducting a workshop at Chandler High, watches students perform. (David Minton/ Staff Photographer)
ter “Almost Famous” closed that he was cast as Marty McFly in the Broadway debut of “Back to the Future.” The musical version of that hit film has been a top play in London’s West End. It was nominated for seven Laurence Olivier awards, including best new musical, which it won. Casey will be sharing the stage with Roger Bart, who originated the stage role of Emmett “Doc” Brown. Casey said he will leave for New York in May to begin rehearsals and the play is scheduled for its soft opening at the end of June. Casey went to London to see the show. “The thing I compare it to is ‘Wicked,’ because it’s got really good music, and it’s got a lot of heart,” Casey said. “But the reason that ‘Wicked’ continues to keep pulling people back in is because there’s just nothing comparable to it. There’s nothing that has a girl flying at the end of Act One,” he continued. “I think what’s really working on Broadway right now are shows that give people a reason to get out of their house and say, ‘You can’t see this anywhere else.’ And I truly do believe Back to the Future is one of those things.” While he’s back in Chandler, he helped his mom out by doing a workshop at his old school. Casey listened as young actresses performed, offering tips and suggestions on how to improve their performances. He has a lifetime of experience to offer. Though the nation may not have heard of him before the Jimmys, he’s been performing pretty much all his life. Stephanie, who also performed on Broadway as part of the ‘Les Miserables’ cast, said her agency pleaded with her to
bring 2-year-old Casey in for some modeling because they needed boys. She did, but Casey wasn’t quite ready for the limelight. He refused to leave his mother. They tried again more than a year later and a star was born. “He booked his first commercial and that audition, he just … an entire room is watching me do something. “After that, I think the bug bit him. I think I knew from an early age. I mean, one of the commercials (Casey) shot a little bit later, they were like, ‘you need to get this kid to L.A. tomorrow.’” Stephanie said she talked it over with her mom, and decided they wanted Casey to have a “normal kid life.” So he didn’t leave for Los Angeles, but did get an agent and started doing theater and work from their Chandler home. “I love coming back to Arizona,” Casey said. “I love New York for the opportunities it provides. But Arizona is always home to me.”
GOT NEWS? Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5631 or pmaryniak@ timeslocalmedia.com
CITY NEWS
APRIL 2, 2023 | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN
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CITY NEWS
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | APRIL 2, 2023
City finance staff says the big budget boost Chandler has been getting from the six million workers on the Intel expansion project will soon be fading away as the project is likely to end at the end of this year. (City of Chandler)
PENSION from page 1 Lang’s answer was a definitive yes. There are two types of dollars in the city’s budget. There is ongoing, which are the funds needed every year to keep things running and there is a stable income to support. Then there are the one-time funds, which the city sees with the peaks and valleys of the local economy. The city would use one-time funds, which it has plenty of right now, to pay down its PSPRS debt. By doing so, it would free up the money that it’s been using to pay that off for ongoing expenses. Which means the city could expand services and give raises to staff. Entering this fiscal year, Chandler owed $136.5 million toward its PSPRS debt. The city started the year with a one-time payment of $50 million in July, knocking the debt down to around $86.5 million. Lang had proposed a $70 million payment this year, and then $10 million next year. She hoped that would essentially pay off the debt, leaving the city with only the approximate $2 million a year it needs to pay to keep the pension fund for police and firefigthters current. Before it became flush with cash, mostly thanks to the Intel expansion, the city was making annual payments of about $10 million. Lang said they don’t know the exact number required to pay off the debt be-
cause the PSPRS modeler hasn’t calculated that with the $50 million payment from July. There was a reason why council members may be in a hurry to pay off that debt. Just before she dropped the $70 million figure on them, she painted a potentially troublesome forecast of the city’s finances in the next five years if Council doesn’t make adjustments now to avoid that. The city currently has a lot of extra cash because there are 6,000 workers helping to expand Intel’s Ocotillo campus. Those workers are staying in Chandler hotels, eating at Chandler restaurants, and shopping at Chandler stores. The city is collecting a lot of extra sales tax dollars because of that. However, the construction at Intel is scheduled to wrap up around the end of this year. Those workers will leave the city and move on to the next project. That is why the dollars they generate are considered one-time income. Lang pointed out that most of the city’s expenses are in salaries. The city’s current total annual budget is $1.353 billion. “If you just look at the ongoing portion of our budget, 75% of our expenditures is personnel, because we are a service organization,” Lang said. City staffers are eligible for raises. Some of those raises, for public safety employees, are mandated because
see PENSION page 9
APRIL 2, 2023 | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN
PENSION from page 8 of agreements with the three unions that Chandler must be among the top three-paying cities in the Valley. Lang told the Council that means, based on what they’re hearing from other Valley cities, public safety employees could be getting a double-digit percentage raise this year. And, if the city raises the pay of all city workers by 3% annually, including public safety, every year after this one, expenses will overtake the city’s income in fiscal year 2025-26. And by FY 2027-28, the gap between expenses and income will have increased to $10 million a year. That is why Council seemed to embrace the idea of using the one-time dollars it has now to pay off its PSPRS debt, so the extra money freed up by that could be used for ongoing expenses. “That would be amazing,” Councilman Mark Stewart said. “If you think about it, there’s so many places that we can get that funding, which then turns into ongoing dollars.” Stewart suggested dipping into the contingency fund, or holding off on filling vacant positions for a year if needed to have the money to pay off the debt this year. “This is a great use for those dollars that will help us realize that ongoing savings sooner,” Lang said. Many municipalities in Arizona have taken advantage of unanticipated revenue increases to pay down their police
and fire pension debt. As of last summer, that debt totaled $8.84 billion. Add county and state corrections officers’ retirement plans and the plan for judges and elected officials, that number was $10.9 billion. The City of Phoenix accounts for about a third of that staggering liability, owing $3.4 billion to the Public Safety Personnel Retirement System, records show. Because that debt is a legal obligation, former City Manager Ed Zuercher told Phoenix City Council several years ago, the city would have to cut services and lay off employees if it ever reached a point where it claimed it could not pay down that debt. Zuercher outlined those consequences for his City Council in June 2021 as he sought permission to borrow $1 billion at a fixed-interest rate to pay down part of the city’s total $5.4 billion pension debt – which includes other plans besides the $3.4 billion PSPRS debt and a separate plan for other city employees. He said the pension fund liabilities and costs already had “placed significant budgetary constraints on the City’s ability to provide employee wage and non-pension benefit increases, public services and infrastructure maintenance.” And he noted that “while currently manageable, this pressure will continue into the foreseeable future.” Council never brought Zuercher’s request to the table for a vote.
GOT Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5631 NEWS? or pmaryniak@timeslocalmedia.com
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CITY NEWS
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | APRIL 2, 2023
City might aid nonprofits to help inflation-stressed residents BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor
T
he Chandler City Council at its second budget workshop on March 20 discussed a number of options to help residents who are struggling financially because of inflation. The one that seemed to gain traction is to give some money to nonprofits and programs that will help those in need with their utility bills and with prescription drugs. However, no final decision was made in the four-hour session. Council will not adopt a budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year until June. “If we’re wanting to provide instant relief to our residents for inflation, the only one that kind of popped up is the A-OK program,” Councilman Angel Encinas said. A-OK, which stands for acts of kindness, is a city program that asks residents to donate $5 or less when paying
their monthly utility bill to a fund to help those in need pay their utility bills, and other programs. Last year the city donated more than $29,000 to the program, which is run through the nonprofit AZCEND’s Community Action Program. Since its inception, Chandler residents have donated more than three-quarters of a million dollars to A-OK. Still, it’s not enough to meet current needs. “I don’t know what it is, we market it all the time, but we just don’t get the amount of money we used to through the utility bills and donations,” said Dawn Lang, Chandler’s deputy city manager and chief financial officer. “A-OK, we never have enough money to help folks with their utilities.” Lang presented the Council with some options for inflation relief. They were: • Increase funding to nonprofits, such as A-OK. • Reduce the primary property tax rate.
• Lower the city sales tax and cut services • Or shift the city sales tax from one category to another • Support the ideas in the State Legislature, such as a renter’s tax credit. Councilman Mark Stewart made it clear that he wants to suspend the city’s 1.5% tax on groceries, arguing the city has too much money in its reserves and it is time to give some of it back. Gov. Katie Hobbs last week vetoed a bill pushed by Republican legislators to eliminate the rent and food levies. Earlier in the discussion, a majority of the Council favored keeping the primary property tax rate the same, ending seven consecutive years of cuts. Mayor Kevin Hartke said he found that decision, which he did not support, confusing considering Council seems willing to spend more money elsewhere. “We didn’t want to give up $300,000, $390,000 in this one area, because we
can’t afford it,” Hartke said. “That would go to everybody. And now we’re asking the same question, what’s different? Lang told Council that they traditionally have given $1.1 million to nonprofits, but bumped that up the past two fiscal years to $1.5 million using some of the COVID relief funds they’ve received to help deal with the pandemic. Vice Mayor Matt Orlando suggested they settle on an amount they could add. “Whatever we do, has to be immediate impact,” Orlando said. “I don’t want to put some money, hypothetically $1 million, I don’t know what the number is, and by the time we let out these contracts and they go through the process, it’s seven months down the road.” In the end, Council directed staff to present them options that would help folks with their utilities and prescription drugs and bring them to a future budget meeting.
Chandler adding teeth to short-term rental registrations BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor
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handler is trying once again to regulate the short-term rentals in the city and the Arizona Legislature gave municipalities last year more authority with the blessing of the two major players, VRBO and Airbnb. Anyone who rents out a property will need to get a license. It could cost them up to $250. Councilmember Mark Stewart was the only member to vote against the ordinance changes, calling the potential $250 fee a tax. “I’ll be voting no on that. City Clerk, only because of the added tax, the $250,” Stewart said. “If that changes later, I’ll amend my vote.” The state permits cities to charge a fee up to $250 to cover the added administrative cost of regulating the short-term rental businesses. Failure to get a license could result in a $1,000 per month fine. The city said they plan to aggressively check both Airbnb and VRBO to make sure all Chandler operators are licensed. The city has not settled on the price of
a license. That will be decided at a future Council meeting. The state has tried to provide guidance on the short-term rental industry twice before and neither time has been a success. The main problem is that there was no mechanism to force property owners to register. “That’s been a challenge with our current system, and was part of the motivation for the updated statute,” said Ryan Peters, the city’s government relations and policy manager. “With the licensing program, it’s illegal to operate without a license.” The city uses a third party to generate a list of all the known properties that are available to rent inside Chandler, and then cross-checks it with those who are registered. The city has been sending those operators letters asking them to get registered. However, there was no consequence for not doing so. Now, there will be consequences, including fines. “Hopefully it will bring more compliance with that code,” Peters said. Operators whose license is suspended
because of three or more violations will be able to reapply for a new license after 12 months. There are some other changes in the new ordinance. An emergency point of contact must be available for police within 60 minutes if there is an issue at a rental property. The operator must give written notification to all neighbors surrounding the property. The changes go into effect on Aug. 1 and the city plans to embark on an education campaign before that date. Short-term rental properties have been a cause for increase calls to the police. Peters said most of the complaints are parking violations, liquor violations and noise complaints. The city had 299 shortterm rental properties registered voluntarily in 2022. Chandler Police had 131 calls for service at only 46 of those registered properties, Peters said. Legislators first tried to do something about the short-term rental industry in 2016, when they prohibited cities from regulating vacation rentals based on
classification, use or occupancy. But that led to a lot of complaints and legislators realized they needed to do more. In 2019 they passed a law that allowed cities to get the contact information of owners, but Peters said that voluntary system didn’t work. So last year they decided to require licenses. Peters said it was a compromise worked out with both of the major players, Airbnb and VRBO. Mayor Kevin Hartke asked if he had to registered if he just wanted to go on vacation and rent out his home for a week during a Super Bowl or other major event. Peters told him, yes. “Mayor, if you’re going to list a home for rent on Airbnb or VRBO, you are required to demonstrate a license, as well as a tax license with the Department of Revenue.”
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Contact Paul Maryniak 480-898-5631 pmaryniak@timeslocalmedia.com
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Bill expands HOA flag rules a bit, not all the way BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services
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tate lawmakers have decided that some flags matter more than other flags. On a party-line vote March 23, the House agreed to allow residents who live in communities governed by homeowners’ associations to fly the Betsy Ross flag, regardless of existing rules. That’s the flag that existed at the time of the American Revolution, with 13 stars in a circle along with the still-existing 13 stripes. That flag gets added to an ever-growing list of permissible flags at HOAs that now includes everything from the current U.S. flag, the state flag, a flag remembering prisoners of war, and even the Gadsden flag, the one with the coiled rattlesnake which reads “don’t tread on me.’’ But the 31-29 vote occurred only GOP lawmakers rejected a bid by Rep. Athena Salman, D-Tempe, to conclude that homeowners – even those in HOAs – have a First Amendment right to fly whatever banner they want. Lawmakers have been fighting for years about a balance between the powers of HOAs to control what occurs within their boundaries versus the rights of individual homeowners. In prior years, for example, the Legislature has voted to permit residents to put political signs on their lawns even if rules prohibit such displays. Lawmakers also said associations can’t keep kids from playing in the privately owned streets and homeowners even can place signs in the middle of those streets warning motorists that there may be children present. And then there’s the issue of what flags can be raised. It started out with permission to fly the American flag. Since then there have been a series of additions. So HOA residents can fly the state flag, the flag of any Arizona Indian nation, the Gadsden flag, flags representing first responders, flags of any branch of the military, the POW/MIA flag and, most recently, a blue star flag representing that the family has someone in the military service, and a gold star flag representing someone who had died while serving.
To that, SB 1049 would add the Betsy Ross flag. At a hearing earlier this year, Sen. John Kavanagh, R-Fountain Hills, told colleagues the legislation is designed to deal with HOAs who have placed unreasonable restrictions on which version of American flags residents can display despite existing laws that he said allow the flying of all versions of the American flag, current or historical. Last week, Salman said that’s all well and good but that it just doesn’t go far enough. So Salman proposed what she called her “all flags matter’’ amendment. “If we’re going to preempt homeowners’ associations, and we’re going to start allowing for flags, it is not our job to decide what flags the government favors, what speech the government says is OK, and what speech or flags we don’t,’’ she said. Rep. Alexander Kolodin, R-Scottsdale, said she’s not wrong. “I don’t think the Legislature should be in the business of choosing what flags homeowners’ associations are going to display,’’ he said. He was not alone. In fact, Kavanagh actually sponsored SB 1034, a separate measure that would have done exactly what Salman was proposing. Only thing is, Kavanagh could not convince Sen. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, who chairs the Senate Government Committee, to give that bill a hearing. So he decided to go with the scaled-back version dealing with the Betsy Ross bill, a form of legislation that Hoffman was willing to hear. On Thursday, Salman told colleagues that determination by Hoffman should not keep them from considering and approving the more liberal version. But that was shot down at Kavanagh’s request. Kavanagh told Capitol Media Services he feared that the Senate would not have concurred with the changes and his entire bill would die. So he told House GOP colleagues to vote against it to keep the rest of SB 1049 alive. Still, Kavanagh said, that doesn’t preclude a similar attempt – but just not this year. “I don’t think HOAs get to override the First Amendment,’’ he said.
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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | APRIL 2, 2023
6 CUSD educators earn National Board Certification BY SAMANTHA INCORVAIA Arizonan Guest Writer
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ix teachers in Chandler Unified School District earned or renewed their National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification, joining over 2,800 teachers nationwide for the 2022-2023 school year. CUSD has 33 National Board Certified Teachers. Newly certified are Megan Poet, a Haley Elementary teacher, and Kerri Williams, a teacher at Carlson Elementary. Re-certified teachers are Sara Wyffels, Chandler High; Sarah Ravel, IRC; Rebecca Coplan, Ryan Elementary; and Erica Davis, Basha High. The NBPTS mission is to establish quality benchmarks for the teaching profession and certify that teachers meet those high standards. After a rigorous application process, certified teachers have access to financial incentives, state recognition, leadership opportunities and support networks. “National Board Certification sets a standard of excellence for the teaching profession, similar to how other professional careers have boards that they
Among the Chandler Unified teachers who received national certification are Kerri Williams of Carlson Elementary, left, and Erica Davis of Basha High. (CUSD) study for and take to show expertise” explained Davis. She said the certification process is design “to help elevate the profession, but it also helps teachers reach their potential by engaging them in deep reflection of their practice.
“But the main focus is on success for the students, and the positive impact of becoming board certified on the methods of teaching has been proven to improve student outcomes,” added Davis, AP Literature and AP Seminar teacher. Davis has taught at Basha High for 18
years, her entire teaching career. She first became an NBCT in December 2018. She renewed her certificate in December 2022, joining the additional three teachers who renewed their certifications this school year, and her commitment to NBPTS didn’t stop at certification. She became a candidate support provider for CUSD teachers who wanted to pursue an NBCT. “After certifying, I wanted to help others achieve, because I had a great support system that gave me feedback during my process. I am also just a ‘doer,’” she said. “I like working in a capacity that feels meaningful and fulfilling. Helping teachers through the stressful process feels like giving back to a profession I love. “Nothing is more satisfying than learning that someone else has achieved,” Davis continued. “Celebrating these accomplishments allows others to see the good in our profession and schools. I have been helping for these five years since I finished my application.” This year the district added to the support through Abby Druck and the professional development team.
see BOARD page 15
Teacher pay raise bill includes new duties BY BOB CHRISTIE Capitol Media Services
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rizona House Republicans last week gave preliminary approval to $10,000 per year raises for public school teachers over the objections of Democrats who say the plan is a fake effort they know GOP lawmakers can’t fund in the long term. But proponents of the measure by Rep. Matt Gress, R-Phoenix, said the pay boost will go a long way toward erasing low teacher pay that has helped lead to a statewide teacher shortage. Rep. Teresa Martinez, R-Casa Grande, noted that a high school in her district is so short of teachers that a biology class has 77 students due to problems finding enough classroom instructors. “I think it is incumbent upon this Legislature to do all they can to support
teachers to make sure that teachers are paid what they deserve, paid for a good job that they are doing,’’ Martinez said. The measure is designed to bring Arizona teacher pay up to the mid-point of the national average and erase Arizona’s standing as among the states with the lowest pay in the nation. Low teacher pay has been cited as a major reason for growing teacher vacancies in public K-12 schools. But it’s not that simple. The price tag by 2025 is estimated to hit yearly $700 million. Only thing is, there’s nothing in HB 2800 to require the state to continue the funding beyond that. Yet, the legislation prohibits schools from reducing a teacher’s base salary in future years if the state dollars do not develop, a move that would leave local
taxpayers holding the financial bag. And even if the dollars are there, HB 2800 does not address the fact that Arizona has a voter-approved constitutional spending limit on education. Adopted in 1980, it adjusts for inflation and student growth. But the costs of education have grown so much that the state had bumped up against that cap repeatedly. And if the cap is in place, schools won’t be able to spend the money they get. Lawmakers for the past two years agreed to one-year waivers of the cap to deal with prior increases in education funding. Democrats, however, say that’s hardly an assurance and proposed an amendment, defeated by Republicans, to put the question of repealing the cap on the
2024 ballot. And then there’s the fact that Gress, at the last minute, tacked on some new provisions. The bill now includes a new reporting provision contained in another measure that has failed to advance. And it incorporates a new rule in another measure requiring schools to post on their websites every lesson plan and all learning materials teachers will use. Both are designed to get support from conservative Republicans. “That was putting together votes for the underlying bill,’’ Gress said. “Our goal was to assemble policy priorities for members.’’ But Gress also agreed to eliminate a requirement in his initial proposal that
see TEACHER page 15
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APRIL 2, 2023 | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN
TEACHER from page 14 had excluded teachers who have small classes, such as special education instructors, from the pay boost. That was needed to gain support from both sides. House Democrats said the lesson plan posting requirement will unnecessarily boost teachers’ already-heavy workload, burden districts with new mandates on their computer staff and potentially violate copyright laws on textbooks. “This unnecessary requirement will add more to Arizona teachers’ already heavy workload and may even push more educators out of the classroom,’’ Rep. Laura Terech, D-Phoenix, who has worked as a teacher, said during debate on the measure. “It suggests the Legislature doesn’t trust us to do our work, when in fact there are already multiple ways in which teachers work with parents through email newsletters, phone calls, parent teacher conferences and curriculum nights.’’ Gress said in an interview he joins with Democrats in seeking a change to the school spending limit.
And he said he was actually heartened to see the contents of that failed Democratic floor amendment because it lays the groundwork for an eventual compromise that would both boost teacher pay by using a dedicated fund and increase transparency. “What I thought was very encouraging with the (Democratic) amendment is that they agreed with the concept that the state should direct the money to the teachers and to other classroom personnel,’’ Gress said. The measure now requires a formal vote by the full House before heading to the Senate for action. And because of the anticipated $700 million annual cost to give teachers a 20% pay raise by 2025, it is intimately entangled with state budget negotiations, which are just now turning serious between majority Republican lawmakers and Democratic Gov. Katie Hobbs. Hobbs has signaled with a series of vetoes and comments in the past two months that she is looking for comprehensive budget negotiations rather than piecemeal legislation that addresses individual topics.
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BOARD from page 14 She said both CUSD Superintendent Frank Narducci and the district Human Resources staff showed “they value the work we put in, and our expertise in the classrooms and in leading in our district.” Davis said being an NBCT opened doors for her as a teacher leader, especially being named an Ambassador of Excellence for the Arizona Educational Foundation in 2018. It also allowed her to work on the Teachers Solution Team through the Arizona K-12 Center at Northern Arizona University to lead the annual Teacher Leadership Institute each June, something Davis enthusiastically refers to as “a teacher summer camp.” The experience has given her a statewide network of colleagues who are passionate about teaching, too. New NBCT Kerri Williams, Carlson Elementary School’s media specialist, has been teaching for 22 years, 20 as a librarian. She decided to pursue the National Board Certification to gain more insight into her craft, specifically how to im-
prove her lessons for a bigger impact on student achievement. She is the first librarian in Chandler Unified’s history to certify with a Library Media Certificate, and she is one of five in the state that currently holds the certificate. “The NBCT process is challenging. I have three Master’s degrees and becoming a National Board Certified Teacher was definitely the hardest thing I have done during my professional library career,” Williams said. “I’m excited to see what leadership opportunities will become available now that I am an NBCT teacher. I would love to mentor other teachers, especially librarians, on how to navigate the NBCT process so they can certify as well,” Williams said. The application process consists of four components that include a video of them teaching and a self-reflection essay. They also must submit a computer-based assessment in their certificate area and show how they analyze student strengths and weaknesses and then design and teach lessons to increase student growth.
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Chandler business owner probes vehicle safety numbers game BY PAUL MARYNIAK Arizonan Executive Editor
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ou probably won’t find Dr. Norma Faris Hubele’s book in popular bestseller lists or turned into a Netflix movie. But if you drive a car or truck and cherish your safety and that of your passengers, “Backseat Driver: The Role in Great Car Safety Debates” may be a lot more valuable than “Bridgerton.” The book is all about data – partly about the evolution of federal agencies’ use of it to assess vehicles’ safety and order a recall or redesign if necessary and partly about how manufacturers use the same numbers to fight them. An Arizona State University statistics professor emerita as well as co-owner and vice president for quality control in a Chandler company called Refrac System, which her husband Norman founded after leaving corporate life, Faris Hubele is no stranger to that math. The first director strategic initiatives at ASU’s Fulton School of Engineering and now professor emerita, she has steeped herself in data related to car safety and risks for over three decades. She used that knowledge to create a rating system of vehicles on a free website, theautoprofessor.com. And she has testified as an expert witness in over 120 accident lawsuits. “With car safety, it’s the value we place on every human life that counts,” she writes. “But all too often that value has been eclipsed by greed and bureaucracy.” Her book may take on new urgency these days amid a stunning rise in traffic injuries and deaths. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration projects 31,785 people died in traffic crashes in the first nine months of last year – a 0.2% decrease from the total fatalities in January-September 2021. But it also reported that the 2021 total deaths marked a 10.5% increase from 2020 and hit a 16-year high. The Arizona Department of Transportation’s 2021 accident review – the most recent published – said 1,180 people died and 51,633 were injured in 121,345 accidents. That was a 22.45% increase over 2020. The 2021 numbers equaled 3.23 traffic deaths and 141 injuries a day
Dr. Norma Fairs Hubele, a Chandler businesswoman and professor emerita in statistics at Arizona State University, said greed and bureaucracy all too often diminish the value of motor vehicle drivers and passengers. (PBS) in 2021, said ADOT – which called that year the deadliest for Arizona motorists in 14 years. ADOT also said the economic loss from collisions in 2021 totaled over $20 billion. While the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration blames distracted driving as the major contributor to that staggering loss of life, limb and money, “Backseat Driver” looks at an equally significant but little-discussed factor in many traffic deaths and injuries. It delves into the pitched battles that car manufacturers, safety advocates and lawmakers waged for decades over the way cars and trucks are designed. Faris Hubele examines those controversies and shows how all sides use the same numbers to argue about recalls, gender inequality in testing and design, the growing gap in vehicle size and, lately, the emergence of driver-assistance systems.
‘Data and social progress’
In an age when electric and self-driving vehicles are gaining more attention and market share, Faris Hubele hopes the book will generate a more informed discussion of how safe such cars and trucks really are. But she admits her book may not be
for everyone. “The target audience is really an educated, inquisitive person – people who like to read and are kind of curious about how we got to where we are,” she told AFN. She likens her book to the way “Moneyball” looked how the 2002 Oakland Athletics up-ended professional baseball’s traditional value system for building a team or the way “The Big Short” examined some of the root causes of the housing bubble that triggered the Great Recession. “This is a book about data and social progress,” she writes, noting that in the first half of the 20th century, traffic tragedies weren’t even on a national radar. Airplane safety was. It wasn’t until 1951 when a military study found that crashes injured more personnel – and caused longer hospitalizations – than the Korean War that some national attention started to be focused on motor vehicle accidents. At the same time, an Indiana State Police official began collecting car crash data, leading to a program at Cornell University that started motor vehicle accident injury research. Such research quickly became a major federal endeavor. In her introduction, Faris Hubele writes, “You don’t need a college-level course in statistics to read this book. You only need a curious mind and appreciation for debating vital issues facing our society.” She said consumers looking to purchase a vehicle need only harken to the discussion – and sometimes heated debates – that came with the COVID-19 pandemic. “When we were in the middle of COVID,” she noted, “there was a lot of discussion about data and whether or not certain preventive measures were effective. Those kinds of conversations are exactly what happens every time they
propose a change the way they build cars. “It’s those kinds of conversations that are always in the forefront. And I’m hoping that when somebody reads this book, they hear the news, they start to understand the context of what they’re listening to – and some of the changes the industry willingly goes along with, but the majority of changes, they fight tooth and nail.”
Carrots and sticks
Faris Hubele said vehicle manufacturers often base their decisions to add a safety feature within a carrot-and-stick environment. The stick is when the federal government mandates a change while the carrot is a high rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. “The carrot is when the Insurance Institute starts espousing the virtues of a particular car,” she said, adding manufacturers “voluntarily put in a safety measure that’s going to prevent injuries or save lives.” When the federal government orders a redesign of some kind, however, the reaction is markedly different. That’s when the war of numbers heats up as both sides turn to the same datasets to make their case. Faris Hubele became a statistics expert-turned-consumer-advocate over 30 years ago when a consulting firm asked for her help in sorting out some crash data. “Because I was teaching statistics to engineers, it kind of made sense that I knew the practical applications of data analysis, and I understood the engineering implications of that,” she explained. Over time, she became an expert witness in trials involving injuries or deaths, testifying, justifying and always dissecting the statistics that are being used to typically defend against an injury.”
see SAFETY page 17
APRIL 2, 2023 | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN
SAFETY from page 16 One of her most celebrated cases involved a former Phoenix Police officer, Jason Schectertle, who was severely burned in March 2001 when his patrol car was rammed from behind by a taxi. He was behind the wheel of a Ford Crown Victoria, the core of police department fleets across the country. In the 1990s and early part of this century, at least several dozen officers across the country died – including a Chandler police officer – after their Crown Vics collided with other motor vehicles. Countless others were severely burned. Eventually, Ford stopped manufacturing the vehicles after studies showed the location of its gas tank was the culprit in most of those horrific accidents. Faris Hubele said the genesis of her new book came after she heard that American Statistics Association and CRC Press had decided to do a statistics and society. Hers is now among 12 books in that series.
New challenges ahead
She said the hardest part in writing her book “was finding the voice because I have an academic background and I wanted to bring it to a level where people will enjoy reading it.” So over the two years she wrote her book, she found actual stories of tragic accidents and layered in professional illustrations to make all the data more impactful for readers. She hopes the book also leads people to theautoprofessor.com before they buy their next vehicle. “The data that’s used throughout my book is the same data that lies behind” the grades her website gives to scores of cars and trucks, she said. Lately, Faris Hubele is turning her attention to autonomous and electric vehicles. “Everything about autonomous vehicles is about the data,” she notes. She fears the algorithms that command those vehicles’ movements don’t necessarily accommodate a variety of purely human factors. She harkened back to the fatal accident a few years ago in Tempe when an autonomous vehicle fatally struck a pedestrian at night. She theorizes the car’s algorithms may not have been able to react properly to a dark figure with a back-
pack crossing near its path. She cites Tesla’s difficulty in recognizing flashing lights on an emergency vehicle as a similar issue and wonders “if they’re going to be able to implement these autonomous vehicles in chaotic environments.” Likewise, electric vehicles concern for Faris Hubele, who notes “they’re going to pose bigger risks to people in intersections because they’re going to come off the starting line a lot faster than your internal combustion engine. “I think we’re going to see a rise in pedestrian and cyclist fatalities and intersection fatalities,” she said.. She believes EV manufacturers “are selling the cars without saying, ‘We need to teach you how to drive again’ because drivers are going to be coming off the starting line much faster.” Likewise, the propensity of lithium batteries – used extensively in electric vehicles – to blow up and cause stubborn fires suggests a need for more federal scrutiny and regulation, she said. Such fires she said, “may not show up in fatality statistics because some of those fires are happening in parking lots and homes. Those kinds of statistics don’t end up in federal databases.” Faris Hubele believes a reimagined approach is needed for collecting data on lithium battery fires because of “the safety of those batteries and the risks associated with different temperature ranges on those batteries.” And then there’s the element of human behavior, especially where autonomous vehicles and other “smart vehicles” are concerned. While they are pitched to appeal to convenience, Hubele wonders if some brakes may need to be applied. As she said recently in an interview on PBS in response to a question about smart cars and the help they offer drivers: “It comes down to how much help do people need. What we see is that if we make it too complacent – and that comes down to the Human Factors argument about car safety – if we make them too smart, people start video gaming, watching movies, reading their books. “And so, you have to reach a balance between getting the driver to stay attentive, and having the car help them in those emergency situations.” The book is available at amazon.com.
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CITY NEWS
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | APRIL 2, 2023
Lawmaker still fights to curb zoning powers BY BOB CHRISTIE Capitol Media Services
A Phoenix lawmaker is attempting to salvage at least part of his controversial plan to override local zoning rules in the name of affordable housing after it was overwhelmingly rejected because of opposition from cities and towns. The move comes after a bipartisan vote in the Senate two weeks ago quashed the plan by Republican Sen. Steve Kaiser to require cities to allow everything from higher density housing and taller multi-family complexes to eliminating requirements for off-street parking. City lobbyists said these were decisions best left to locally elected city councils. Also helping to doom the measure was the lack of any guarantee that the radical revamp of state laws giving municipalities the right to control zoning would actually lead to more affordable homes or apartments. Kaiser said in an interview that some of the wide-ranging measure’s provisions are clearly dead, including one that said builders had the absolute right to convert existing commercial, mixed-use or multi-family property to much-taller and larger apartment units, and another that would allow developers to cram as many as six homes onto one lot. “Obviously by-right was not helpful, so that’s that won’t be coming back,’’ Kaiser told Capitol Media Services. “And the small lots, people don’t like that.’’ The small lots were the part of the plan designed to kick-start the building of “starter homes,’’ entry-level homes affordable enough for first-time homebuyers. Other parts of the measure, he said, will be revived. That includes requiring municipalities to allow backyard casitas as long as they are not used as short-term rentals, allowing construction of duplexes and tri-plexes, and allowing manufactured housing to be used. Kaiser said they probably have enough support to make it through the Legislature. And limiting design reviews and allowing boarding houses also will likely be revived, he said. The plan was supported by developers and some housing advocates, and won
Phoenix Republican Sen. Steve Kaiser hasn’t given up on securing passage of parts of his bill curbing municipalities’ zoning authority. (Special to the Arizonan)
the backing of some Democrats in the Senate. “I think there are necessary tools in this bill that need to be implemented in order to really address the housing crisis that we are facing,’’ said Sen. Anna Hernandez, D-Phoenix. “And I think it will give us opportunities to build more diverse housing, more innovative and tailored to what some of our working families need or what some of our youth needs or some of our seniors.’’ Other Democrats opposed the plan, including Sen. Priya Sundareshan, who said her city, Tucson, already has made a lot of progress on issues addressed in the measure, including allowing backyard housing units. “And the problem that we see is that this pre-emptive approach might actually undo some of the efforts made there by overriding the regulations made to date and override potentially other initiatives that they have been taking in order to address the housing crisis,’’ Sundareshan said. Sen. John Kavanagh called Kaiser’s plan all-around bad. The Scottsdale Republican called local zoning “a sacred thing,’’ and noted that people made decisions on where
to make the biggest investment of their lives based on things like big lots – and the assurance that a developer can’t buy a vacant nearby property and cram it with six tiny homes. “Trust me friends, I am no stranger to pre-empting cities and towns,’’ said Kavanagh. “But I do draw a line at kneecapping,’’ he said during the vote on SB1117, which failed 20-9. “And this bill kneecaps local control. And local control is basically what our constituents want.’’ Kaiser’s plan is premised on the contention that local zoning rules and “NIMBY-ism,” the not-in-my-backyard opposition from existing residents to new development, is a key reason Arizona has a major housing shortage. But Nick Ponder, a lobbyist working with the League of Arizona Cities and Towns, called that a flawed argument at best. He said cities do not control who buys and holds land, or when they decide to build on their properties. And he noted that there is a backlog of about 23,000 apartments waiting to be built in Maricopa County, some with permits and approvals dating back to 2018. “There’s parts of the process we control, there’s others that we don’t, but what we can control we want to improve upon,’’ Ponder said. “But the way that SB 1117 does it just is a no-go for our municipal residents.’’ And he said local opposition is not the only reason some developments are denied. Ponder also noted that cities have been hamstrung in addressing the housing shortage by laws backed by the state apartment association, builders and conservative groups like the Goldwater Institute, groups now pushing for the changes in Kaiser’s bill. He said builders pushed legislation barring cities from collecting impact fees for things like the costs of extending water and sewer lines and paving streets, so new homes now are essentially subsidized by cities and towns. For their part, apartment owners got lawmakers to bar cities from requiring 10% of new units be affordable. And Goldwater pushed a law mandating un-
regulated short-term rentals, which has led to conversions that limit available long-term housing and helped drive the current housing shortage. “So we’re being attacked left and right on things that we try and do to make things affordable,’’ Ponder said. “And now the same entities who have attacked us left and right and taken away the tools are the ones who are saying now they have the solution to the problem.’’ Kaiser said has no love for the League of Arizona Cities and Towns and their lobbyists. The Phoenix lawmaker led a study committee over the fall and winter after a much more aggressive bill he sponsored failed last year. He said he crafted the current bill based on conclusions that cited over-regulation as a major hindrance to developing new housing. “They’ve been terrible to work with this whole time,’’ Kaiser said. He complained the League is offering its own amendment, one they didn’t have the courtesy of informing him about after his bill failed. “So this is how they operate,’’ Kaiser said. “You know, they lie and then they also do subversive (expletive) like this where they just try and work around you. So I have zero respect for the League and how they operate.’’ Ponder said the League indeed is crafting its own bill that would address some of the major issue while giving cities the right to choose which parts to implement. Although still being crafted, it would require cities to take steps such as allowing auxiliary housing units if they were in backyards and not three or four stories tall, as he said Kaiser’s bill would allow. They also would allow for fewer regulations on off-street parking for some developments near public transit and approve higher density housing and incentives if affordable housing is included. Other parts of the proposal would require cities to choose from a list of optional items like allowing single-room occupancies or duplexes or triplexes. “The thing that I think is most important here is cities want to be part of the solution,’’ Ponder said.
CITY NEWS
APRIL 2, 2023 | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN
19
Around Chandler 2 Chandler students place near top of state spelling bee
Two Chandler Unified School District students placed in the top four at the Arizona Spelling Bee March 17 in Phoenix. Basha Accelerated Middle School student Opal Mishra was the runner-up. She and the winner — Karen Opoku-Appoh of Marana Middle School — will go to Washington, DC to represent the state at the national spelling bee in May. Regina Rascon from Bogle Junior High,finished in fourth place. There were 27 students in the final round. About 500,000 students in Arizona started the competition. The Scripps National Spelling Bee takes place in Maryland starting in late May. The finals are scheduled for June 1.
female victim, then broke into another apartment and demanded the occupants’ vehicle. He then fled in the vehicle, a 2017 silver Ford Mustang convertible with a black top and Washington state plates. Burgener has family ties in Mesa. The victim was taken to the hospital and has non-life-threatening injuries. Anyone who sees the suspect or the vehicle is urged to call 911.
Chandler moves Family Easter Celebration downtown this Friday
The City of Chandler is moving its Family Easter Celebration to A.J. Chandler Park in Downtown. It is scheduled for 5:30-8:30 p.m. April 7 and there is no admission charge. Children can hunt for eggs filled with candy and prizes on the 24 Karrot Trail. Any child who finds the Golden Karrot gets a special prize. The trail will be open until the eggs run out. There also will be carnival games, a prize wheel, inflatable attractions and photos with the Easter bunny. Visit chandleraz.gov/easter for more information.
friends@stretchauthority.com.
Seminar shows businesses how to bid for government work
The City of Chandler’s Economic Development Division and Management Services Department are partnering with the Arizona Department of Administration to host a free workshop for small and mid-size businesses interested in learning about the city/state procurement processes. The lunch and learn workshop will take place April 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Cambria Phoenix-Chandler Fashion Center Hotel, 3165 W. Frye Road, Chandler. “Small and mid-size businesses play such an important role in our community,” said Councilmember OD Harris. “Providing them with the knowledge and resources to compete for government contracts is one way to show our support and help them succeed.” The workshop will include a series of presentations with a focus on doing
Stretch Authority offer free stretching to golfers at event ALAN BURGENER
Shooting leads to temporary lockdown in Chandler
Chandler Police briefly locked down an area near Ray and Dobson roads after a domestic violence shooting on March 27. The suspect was captured the next day. Police say Alan Burgener, 40, had previous criminal complaints filed against him. On March 27, he allegedly shot a
Golfers can help enhance your game and prevent injuries with Stretch Authority’s experts at the Chandler Compadres’ 2023 Golf Tournament at Whirlwind Golf Course on April 7 with a free 10-minute stretching for all golfers from 7-10 a.m. prior to the shotgun start. “Our team of experts will be there to help you warm up, increase your flexibility, and improve your performance on the course,” the clinic said in a release.. Groups interested in having Stretch Authority for an event can email
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business in the City of Chandler, the importance and benefits of registering your business, and expert tips to help your business prepare for and win local/state government contracts. The workshop is free but registration is required. Register at bit.ly/3LCfXuC.
City offers its HOA Academy
The City of Chandler is offering its Homeowners Association Academy for any residents interested in serving on an HOA board, or just in how their homeowner association operates. Sessions are scheduled from 5 to 6:30 p.m., on Wednesdays from April 5 through April 19. They will take place at the Chandler Museum, 300 S. Chandler Village Drive. The first session on April 5 is on how to deal with difficult homeowners; the second on April 13 is a HOA bootcamp, learning the basics. The final session on April 19 is a virtual Q&A. All sessions are
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CITY NEWS
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | APRIL 2, 2023
Arizona officials paint grim outlook for fire season BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services
T
hat bumper crop of flowers and grasses from all that rain are going to turn from beautiful to deadly this coming wildfire season. “The perception is it’s been really wet and the risk isn’t as high,’’ said Gov. Katie Hobbs last week during the state’s annual briefing about conditions in the state’s grasslands and forest. “But all of that green is going to become fuel,’’ she said. “We need folks to be extra aware and extra cautious.’’ State Forester Thomas Torres said while much of the focus this year is in southern Arizona, it would be wrong to believe that other areas of the state are not at risk. “Think the areas around Prescott, Payson, that part of the world,’’ he said. The situation, according to the Department of Forestry and Fire Management, varies around the state. It starts with what the agency believes will be a “potential for large-scale incidents” in Southern and Southeast Arizona as temperatures rise and the abun-
AROUND from page 19 free. Register at HOAacademy.
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City asks residents for input on protected bike lanes
The City of Chandler is asking residents to give their feedback on possible protected bike lanes. Those are lanes with some sort of divider between them and city streets. To give your opinions, visit chandleraz.gov/ProtectedBikeLanes. The survey will be available through April 30.
Help residents get a fresh start
The City of Chandler’s Community Development & Resources Division is asking for household goods to help people who have recently moved into housing. The city helps people find housing and then tries to give them a good start by
State officials broke down the 2023 fire season in Arizona according to three distinct geographical sections. (State of Arizona) dance of fine fuel and grasses dries up. In Central Arizona, fire activity is expected to pick up by the end of April to early May “due to fuel loading, including overgrowth of grasses and brush.’’ Northern Arizona, the beneficiary of copious snowmelt and denser fuel types should have a more delayed start to fire
season. But the agency still believes that fire conditions could exist as early as late May. John Truett, the state fire manager, said there are still vacancies in his agency despite despite promises last year to increase funding. And that complicates efforts to fight blazes as they occur.
providing move-in kits with household goods. They need items such as shampoo, body wash, deodorant, queen-size bed sheets, pillows, toilet paper, paper towels, air mattresses, towels, and paper plates. Donations should be neutral colors. To help, visit www.chandleraz.gov/ MoveInKits.
Working America exhibit opens at museum
Kyrene Foundation raising funds on the golf course
The Kyrene Foundation is holding a golf tournament to raise funds to support the Kyrene School District. Last year, the group raised $25,000. This year, the goal is $30,000. The 12th annual Golf Classic is scheduled for Friday, May 5 at Whirlwind Golf Club at Wild Horse Pass. The group is looking for sponsors. For more information, visit kyrenefoundation.org/event/golf23.
The photographer exhibit “Working America” is now on display at the Chandler Museum through May 21. Artist Sam Comes presents immigrants and first-generation Americans working in skilled trades in a way to highlight the American experience. The museum is located at 300 S. Chandler Village Drive and open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sundays 1 to 5 p.m. Admission is free.
Chamber accepting Community Awards nominations
The Chandler Chamber of Commerce is accepting nominations for its annual Community Awards through April 7. This will be the 36th year the Chandler Chamber has recognized top businesses, educators, and public servants. The winners will be announced at a ceremony on June 1. For information on how to submit nominations, email info@chandler-
“We’ve heard the message,’’ responded Hobbs. And she said she is currently in budget talks with the Legislature. But there was no specific commitment for more funds. The problem goes beyond state employees. Truett said his agency relies heavily on local firefighters. “They’re really short staffed,’’ he said. That was backed by Scott Freitag, chief of the Central Arizona Fire and Medical Authority. Last year, he said, his department had the resources to respond to just half of the requests by the state for aid in fighting wildland and brush fires. And that, Freitag said, was in a year with relatively few major fires. Moreover, he said the funding situation hasn’t changed. Yet at the same time, Freitag said, the Legislature is considering measures that would further restrict the ability of these districts to raise the money they need in property taxes. “If we’re not funded, we can’t respond,’’ he said.
see FIRE page 21 chamber.com.
Semicolon Society to host ommunity mental health event
Chandler nonprofit Semicolon Society, which provides free community mental health education and events, with a focus on suicide prevention, is kicking off its Community Hope Project series, and every event will include a community discussion related to mental health as well as an experiential activity to build community and family connection. The first event is scheduled from 5-7 p.m. April 28 at the Chandler Community Center courtyard, 125 E. Commonwealth Ave. There will be a discussion about mental health needs and resources in the community, and participants will be painting rocks with messages of hope for the community. The event is free and family friendly. For registration and information, visit semicolonsociety.org/events
CITY NEWS
APRIL 2, 2023 | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN
FIRE from page 20 That lack of ability to get local help, said Torres, has a ripple effect. “If the in-state resources can’t respond, then they try to bring resources in from other states to respond,’’ he said. And that results in a lag in getting staff and equipment on the ground. Consider, Torres said, the Telegraph Fire near Superior that eventually burned more than 180,000 acres before being fully contained a month later. “So, they called for resources from out of state,’’ he said, delaying the ability to effectively fight the fire early. Torres said most fires are caused by humans – and that creates its own hazards. “People want to be in the woods,’’ he said. “Especially when it’s very hot down here in the Valley.’’ But the state may not be prepared for that. “The locations of our buildings and our infrastructure, that is typically not natural,’’ he said. “And so we have development and people living and recreating in places where fire is natural.’’ And that, Torres said, creates “multiple challenges.’’ There are other issues. One, which is transitory, is the monsoon. Truett said the National Weather Service has told him that the seasonal rains will be anywhere from normal to below normal. Add to that the possibility that the monsoons and the moisture they bring to help end the fire season may not come until late July. And then there’s the longer-term trend
of climate change. “It’s certainly exacerbating the drought,’’ Hobbs said. “We all know that,’’ she continued. “And I think science tells us that humans do have a role in climate change.’’ Doug Ducey, during his first year in office in 2015, said he believes climate change is real and that “what I am skeptical about is what human activity has to do with it.” But Hobbs, while professing her belief in the link between human activity and the climate, sidestepped questions of whether she’s willing to use her position to actually push for changes that would decrease greenhouse gas emissions. “We’re prepared to do a lot,’’ she said. “But I’m not prepared to discuss it at this time.’’ There are things the state could do. California, for example, has imposed its own limits on vehicle emissions that are tougher than those required by federal laws. And the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has said transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gases, exceeding electricity generation and industrial sources. Her predecessor was not interested in pursuing such changes. Ducey, in a 2019 interview with Capitol Media Services, rejected the idea that Arizona should adopt California-style limits on vehicles emissions that are tougher than those required by federal laws. “I think you can have a growing economy and an improving environment,’’ Ducey said at the time. “That’s what we’re having in Arizona versus what California’s having, which is a mass exodus.’’
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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | APRIL 2, 2023
Cops want ID law for pedestrians, cyclists BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services
R
iding a bicycle and run into the side of a moving vehicle? It turns out state law doesn’t require you to tell police who you are. Ditto scooter operators and jaywalkers who violate state traffic laws. And now Tucson police officers want state lawmakers to close that loophole to allow them to demand identification of those people, a move that would allow them to start issuing citations. The request comes despite concerns by several lawmakers about not just protecting the Fifth Amendment rights people have against self-incrimination but the possibility that more interactions between police and citizens at traffic stops will lead to situations escalating – especially with racial minorities. Jobe Dickinson, representing the Tucson Police Officers Association, told the House Judiciary Committee last week that in 2022 there were 99 fatal collisions in Tucson. Of that, 49 were pedestrians and six were bicyclists. State traffic laws apply not only to those driving motor vehicles but also anyone operating anything else on a street, as well as to pedestrians.
Only thing is, the ability of police to cite errant “non-operators’’ – anyone other than the driver of a vehicle – is hampered by the fact that courts have overturned statutes that allow police to demand their names. “If that person just remains silent, we cannot ask them their identity,’’ Dickinson said. “There’s no way to write them a citation, anything, to enforce the current (traffic) laws.’’ Joe Clure of the Arizona Police Association echoed the concern. “”All they got to do is sit there and look at us and we can do nothing,’’ Clure said. “And the pedestrian accident fatalities will continue to rise in the city.’’ SB 1088 would spell out that police have the power to demand the person’s name, address and date of birth if they have “reasonable cause’’ to believe a traffic law was violated. Dickinson said he’s not saying they have to produce identification. “But we do believe they need to give their true identity,’’ he said. Dickinson sought to assure lawmakers that the measure isn’t designed to allow police to start questioning the occupants of vehicles. “If the car is speeding and I stop the car
for speeding, I am contacting the driver,’’ he said. “They are the ones I have reasonable suspicion. The passenger had nothing to do with that traffic violation.’’ But it’s not that simple. “If they were not wearing their seat belt, they are committing a traffic violation because you are required to wear your seat belt in the front seat,’’ he said. “So, yes, I would be able to ask them.’’ All that drew alarm from Rep. Analise Ortiz, D-Phoenix. “Our state has a sordid history of racial profiling that we didn’t even talk about,’’ she said. “And where does that happen? At these traffic stops,’’ Ortiz continued. “And it disproportionately impacts my community and Back and brown Arizonans.’’ All that, she said, could cause “escalations in traffic stops’’ to where what was a simple incident spins out of control when people are told they have to talk to an officer when they currently do not. Rep. Alexander Kolodin, R-Scottsdale, said what concerns him is that those who this law would enable police to seek identification from might not understand that there is a limit to what they have to say. Kolodin, an attorney, said he knows he
needs to provide only his name, address and date of birth. But he said he fears that those without legal training might believe they need to say more. And in doing so, Kolodin said, they would effectively be waiving their Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. What he wants included in the legislation when it goes to the full House is some requirement that police affirmatively inform the person that the name, DOB and address is all they are required to provide – and that they need not say anything more. And Kolodin, who voted for the bill in committee, said he won’t support it on the House floor without such language. The whole fact that there had to be a public discussion – one that is preserved on the legislative web site in video form – about what is and isn’t now required concerned McClure. “Some smart YouTuber’s going to pull this video and educate even more people – which is OK – that currently the law is you don’t have to talk to police,’’ he said. Even if the measure gains approval of the full House, it still needs to go to the Senate which has never seen this version of the measure.
Bill would protect privacy from drones BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services
S
tate lawmakers are moving to make sure people don’t get too nosy with their new drones. On a party-line vote last week, members of the House Commerce Committee approved legislation that would make it a felony to intentionally photograph, record or otherwise observe someone else in a private place where that person has a “reasonable expectation of privacy.” But there was no agreement on exactly when someone crosses that line. And that, said foes, makes SB 1277 unclear exactly what would and would not land you in prison. And it’s not just an amateur drone pilot who could get into trouble.
A lobbyist for NBC Universal worried that his client could run afoul of the law if it videotaped homes incidental to regular news and sports reporting. And even an insurance industry lobbyist expressed concerns that efforts by his client to use drones to assess damage to homes after a disaster could result in criminal charges. But the real debate came down to where people have that “expectation of privacy.’’ Sen. Anthony Kern, R-Glendale, told colleagues that a lot of it is in the eye of the person who is the one being viewed or videotaped. On one extreme, he said, would be someone flying a drone into someone’s yard to the point where it could peer
through the window into a bedroom. That, said Kern, is where someone would expect privacy. Not so much, he said, if there is a drone taking pictures of him in his back yard. “If a drone flies over my property and I’m sitting out there maybe in my boxers or otherwise and they take a picture, that’s my bad,’’ Kern said. “That’s not to me a reasonable expectation.’’ But how high off the ground does that drone need to be to avoid triggering this new law? Not very, as Kerr explained to committee members. “You have a six-foot high fence, somebody peers over it, which I’ve had happen a few times, they’re not breaking the law,’’ he said. So, a drone operating outside the
property line at just above the top of the fence would be no different. “But a drone going into your property and photographing where you should have a reasonable expectation of privacy in your home, photographing into your bedroom, your living room, your kitchen, that, to me, would define a reasonable expectation of privacy.’’ But Kern later told Capitol Media Services that the question of how high off the ground something could depend on the situation. For example, he said, someone living in a multi-story building would believe that a drone operating at 30 feet off the ground would be intruding on privacy.
see PRIVACY page 23
APRIL 2, 2023 | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN
DRONES from page 5 to vote on the agreement at its March 23 meeting, after the deadline for this edition. Vice Mayor Matt Orlando was the only one of the seven members to express some reservations during the March 20 study session. “I guess my general question is a concern about traffic,” Orlando said. “An accident, everybody stops to look at it. And now we have this propeller-driven [drone] at 400 feet, which is visible.” “ This is a potential disruption of traffic as people see this in the sky,” Orlando added, “and don’t slow down and do something ridiculous.” Mitton replied, “Most of these crafts are flying at an altitude that is fairly significant between the 250 and 400 feet and the drum will be very small, the noise profile will be very minimal. “Distraction level will be minor,” he continued. “What we’ve seen in other demonstrations we’ve done in the past, people in the parking lot next door to the demonstration didn’t even notice the drone flying around. So we don’t anticipate any specific issues on that.” The agreement calls for drones to fly no more than seven days in a two-week period. There can only be four to six flights per day and each flight would last no longer than five minutes. The privately-owned Stellar Airpark is not far away, located on Chandler Boulevard just west of McClintock Road.
PRIVACY from page 22 Then there’s the question of loitering. Kern said he would presume that a drone idling above his house and yard and taking pictures is far different than one simply flying over, though he is not sure even that would be a violation. And there’s another technological factor. Kern pointed out that it isn’t necessary for a drone, which can fly up to 400 feet according to Federal Aviation Administration rules, to actually be within close proximity to someone’s property or window to see what they are doing. That depends on the optics and resolution of the camera. In fact, he noted that there are spy sat-
The operator said in its MAG agreement there is no conflict with that air field. AirSpaceLink started in 2018 in Detroit and is doing similar projects across the country. So far, it has secured a number of medical supply agreements that are similar to this pilot program. “I’s not to say that we wouldn’t support like a food package delivery or like, or agricultural inspections or anything like that,” Alice Griffith, another director of business development at AirSpaceLink.” The medical ones are a little more complex and a little more involved in the planning and the regulation operation in general, so we tend to lean into those because it’s quite a bit of interesting work.” Mitton said he and his colleagues are not sure when the drone flights will start if Council approves the agreement. They still need FAA approval before any flight can begin. Kaup, the city’s economic development specialist, said there will be cameras on the drones to aid in piloting them. However, none of the cameras will be able to record. He said city staff hopes the initial flight will take place this summer if AirSpaceLink can secure all the approvals needed. “There’s a sustainability story here,” Councilman Mark Stewart said, “that I think just fits within our brand, as a community of innovation, finding ways to expedite service to our elderly in our homes … with medicine.”
ellites that can actually read a license plate from space. Kern said he is sure of one thing: It doesn’t matter who is operating the drone. “Whether it be government or Realtors or an insurance company, if there’s intent there of photographing your property without your permission, I think that they need to get that permission,’’ he said. The measure, which already has been approved by the Senate, now goes to the full House.
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Summer Kids Camp Preview Area children’s theater rebrands, sets camp dates ARIZONAN NEWS STAFF
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ith a new name and new mission of becoming a community theater that will focus on serving all ages and broadening its platform beyond Ahwatukee, the former Ahwatukee Children’s Theater is now AZ ACT and it is scheduling “our first full camp experience.” Theater classes will be offered 9 a.m.1 p.m. for kindergarten through 12th grades. The first session will be held June
The Ahwatukee Children’s Theater has rebranded itself as a community theater called AZ ACT and is reaching out to Chandler and other communities to broaden its appeal and mission. One of its popular traditions is the annual presentation of “A Christmas Story” in December. (File photo)
12-16 and June 19- 23. There also is an opportunity for youngsters to participate in AZ ACT’s 2023 summer main stage production of “The SpongeBob Musical Youth Edition,” which the group said is “full of lively characters and music by multiple artists.” Shows will be presented June 30 and July 1 at Kroc Center for the Arts and
see THEATER page 26
Come PLAY with us Arizona Community Theatrical Company
Theatre Summer Camps
Theatrical-based summer camp full of acting, singing, dancing and performing 9 am-1 pm Grades K-5th & 6th-12th June 12th-16th June 19th-23rd
Registration begins March 24th 2023 Summer Production
Auditions May 15th & 16th Must register to receive audition time
azact.org H 602-805-1422 actregister@yahoo.com 11011 S. 48th Street Suite B-101 Phoenix, AZ, 85044
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Summer Kids Camp Preview
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | APRIL 2, 2023
THEATER from page 25 auditions will be held May 15 and 16 by appointment. Full rehearsal information is available at azact. org and registration for summer classes is underway at azact.org The theater, with a subtitle of Arizona Community Theatrical Company, said in a release, “We will be focusing more on ‘community’ – both the community inside our walls with more programming for all ages, as well as the community we serve. “ACT was built on a strong foundation that allows us to continue what we have been doing for over 20 years, yet still evolve.” It describes its goal as bringing “a variety of people together into one community through the joy of performing. “It is a place where educational programs become performances and challenges are overcome through connection.” Executive Director of AZ ACT is Melissa Snow, who studied dance, music, and theatre from some of the top artists and educators in the business and danced competitively as well as with the Ballet Repertoire Theatre. At 16, she became a parade performer for the Disney Company, playing roles in street shows, stage shows, commercials, and television specials
with Disney. “Melissa has used those skills and passion that Disney ignited to teach dance at multiple studios not only here in Arizona but as part of a dance convention that traveled the country,” AZ ACT says on its website. Snow joined the Ahwatukee Children’s Theater in 2005 as a choreographer and has directed and choreographed numerous stage shows as well as its award-winning show choirs. She is assisted by a group of talented and experienced actors and dancers. Bailey Isenberg, a 15-year veteran AZ ACT, has directed numerous shows and taught dozens of young people. Among the AZ ACT alumni now teaching others are Megan Snow, Anna Cederdahl, Katie Bring, Kendall Snow, Taylor Day, Jacob Anderson, Shannon Reagan, Morgan Brigham and Abby Van Vianen. Board members include Ahwatukee resident Liz O’Neill, co-owner with her husband Tim of AZ Property Inspections, and a longtime volunteer in a number of business and community organizations. Also on the board is Mike McDaniel, president of Modern Workplace for DXC Technology and also a longtime community volunteer. Ahwatukee Children’s Theater was founded in 2000 by Michelle Rubino, who several years ago relocated to Kentucky but has still kept a hand in AZ ACT.
SUMMER ETIQUETTE CAMP FOR KIDS AND TEENS AGES 6-18
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Would you like your child to get a few helpful and fun-filled lessons in manners and proper etiquette this summer? Certified etiquette instructor, SueAnn Brown, owner of It’s All About Etiquette, will offer four-day summer etiquette camps for three different age groups. There will be a camp for ages 6 to 8, ages 9 to 12 and teens 13-18. The children meet for four days, two hours a day, from 10 a.m. to noon and the teen workshop will meet two days, for three hours each day, from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. Students will learn proper dining skills, how to set a table, proper introductions, how to write thank-you notes, proper eye contact, shaking hands, digital etiquette, and many more valuable life lessons. Your child will be amazed at how much FUN learning about manners and proper etiquette can be! The classes are held at the Assumption Greek Orthodox Church 8202 E Cactus Rd. Scottsdale. Advanced registration is required. Space is limited. For more information or to register your call (480) 510-6346 or visit www.itsallaboutetiquette.com
Summer Kids Camp Preview
APRIL 2, 2023 | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN
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SUMMER MUSIC CAMP
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480.706.1224 | REGISTER AT MMWAZ.COM
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Chandler Unified students dive into e-sports BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor
T
his is the first year that e-sports are recognized as an official activity by the Arizona Interscholastic Association. Basha High School coach Reilly Sehl says he hopes this debut changes perspectives: e-sports may center around video games, but the competition is fierce and the rewards are great. “College e-sports was over a billion-dollar industry, including scholarships,” Sehl said, noting that the best professional e-sports players earn millions of dollars. The inaugural AIA e-sports season is underway with the playoffs set to begin in mid-April. Sehl said that 105 Arizona schools are fielding teams this year and the Bears are in playoff contention for all three games that the AIA has recognized for this year’s championships. The three games are League of Legends, Super Smash and Rocket League. All six Chandler Unified high schools
Jayden Tang, background, and Marek Talaga prepare for an e-sports match at Basha High School. This is the first year the Arizona Interscholastic Association has recognized e-sports. (Ken Sain/Managing Editor) have teams, though Basha is one of the few with players for all three games, Sehl said. “Video games are not something that
people usually brag about,” said sophomore Jigo Mahinay, who plays Super Smash. “But when you take it to a competitive level, I love that e-sports can let
people see how good you are at something.” Sehl said he was an athlete growing up and coached football. He said coaches treat e-sports the same as they do other sports. “We analyze film, just like we did in football,” Sehl said. “We scout opponents, we come with up with strategies.” There are some differences. The district does not have the space inside the school’s cybersecurity building to have people attend their competitions, so organizers improvised. All of their matches are available to stream online. That will change for the first state championships, where competitors and fans will all be in the same building. Basha has had an e-sports team for years. Many of the players on the e-sports team are part of the school’s award-winning cybersecurity program, Sehl said. The season started the last week of January but is considered a spring sport
see E-SPORTS page 29
Hamilton Debate Club makes ‘sweet 16’ in contest BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor
T
here was a time in this country when two people would debate the great issues of the day and through the strength of their arguments, sway minds. That is rare in today’s world filled with talking points and closed minds. Not so for the Hamilton High School Debate Club. It has reached the Sweet 16 of the International Public Policy Forum Global Debate Challenge. They will learn at the end of this month if they will advance to the quarterfinals, which would mean a trip to New York City to compete against the other seven winning teams. There were 220 teams from 22 nations
that started the tournament, including two teams from Hamilton. They each had to make arguments either for or against this statement: “NATO is an effective model for international cooperation.” “Actually, I have,” Arnav Nigam, a junior on the team, replied when team members were asked if they’ve ever changed their mind during a debate.
see DEBATE page 32 Members of the Hamilton High Debate Club include, from left, Kevin Chen, teacher Dawn Berkshire, Jenny Dong, Marie Chen, Kiyan Naraghi, Emma Xi, Gowri Biju and Arnav Nigam. They are in the Sweet 16 round of a global debate competition. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
APRIL 2, 2023 | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN
E-SPORTS from page 28 and will end with the state championships that conclude April 29 or May 6. Sehl said League of Legends is probably the most popular game in the world, with more people watching streaming of that game play than watched the Super Bowl. Rocket League is described as soccer with one change. Instead of players chasing the ball, cars chase the ball. Super Smash is a typical fighting game. The goal in the first year is to change
perspectives and build a strong foundation for the sport to grow, Sehl said. “A lot of my students, some play traditional sports, but there’s a lot that don’t. So, trying to bring in that kind of sport mentality in terms of practices, in terms of those who create routines. We’re building the culture.” He said as students learn about the sport, they want to join. So his team is growing. He said they are also upgrading their equipment, including getting new furniture. He said he may have to limit that growth because they are running out of equipment. “I have new students coming in every day,” Sehl said. “And the more equipment we have, the more dedicated room we have, it’s only going to continue to grow. We’re actually almost running out of resources now.” From the back, Dylan Cappella, Mason O’leary, and Brayden Horn get ready to rumble in an e-sports match at Basha High School.
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University women’s group advances equity BY MARY KENNEY Arizonan Guest Writer
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omen make a difference in their own lives and for others by participating in the Association of American University Women. AAUW is a diverse group that encourages participation by those who wish to advance equity for women and girls through advocacy, philanthropy and research. It supports education and legislation impacting girls and women. Recent monthly programs of the AAUW Southeast Valley Branch included presentations by Arizona Science Center’s “Girls in STEM” Coordinator Kimberly Duvall; Donna Martinez Lopez with “Women Rising,”an organization at Chandler-Gilbert Community College; and Lindsay Atwood and Sue Van Horne from the Chandler Library System discussing the issue of banned books from a librarian’s viewpoint. AAUW Southeast Valley Branch, serving Chandler, Gilbert and Sun Lakes, meets in Sun Lakes from October through April to
present its monthly programs like those described above. It also hosts fundraising events during the year to support scholarships to Chandler-Gilbert Community College. AAUW is a national organization open to all graduates holding an associate or equivalent, baccalaureate, or higher degree from a qualified educational institution. There are more than 170,000 members across 1,000 local branches. The Southeast Valley Branch of AAUW was chartered in 1989. Are you ready to make a difference, meet other accomplished women and have fun together? Join us to be a part of change in the making! For more information, email us at AAUW.SEV.AZ@gmail.com. Preparing gift baskets and gift cards that were raffled off at AAUW Southeast Valley Branch’s recent annual scholarship fundraiser were, from left, Penny Rings, Sharon Gale, Mary Humecke, Helen Semple and Beth Zdeblick. (Mary Kenny/Contributor)
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Basha High students help collect school supplies BY SARAH AUFFRET Arizonan Contributor
A group of Basha High School students have been writing letters to elderly residents in nursing homes during the Covid-19 pandemic. This month they expanded their concern to elementary school students, collecting school supplies for children in Title 1 schools. They joined forces with Assistance League of East Valley, a Chandler organization that provides new school clothing for children whose parents are struggling financially. The Basha High School “Stationery Drive” collected more than 400 notebooks, pens and pencils, markers, cases and other supplies for Assistance League to distribute. “Growing up, my problems were deciding which color notebooks I would buy and which ones I would use for
each class, instead of wondering where my supplies would come from,” said Renee Gu, Basha junior. “Realizing that many students in our local community do not face the same reality is extremely jarring.” Gu is president of the Letters for Rose Club at Basha High, part of an international effort to alleviate loneliness in elderly people during the pandemic by delivering letters and pieces of art. Since 2022, the club has successfully delivered more than 400 personalized letters to local shut-ins and nursing home residents. “We are so grateful for the support of these young people,” said Marsha Calhoun, president-elect of Assistance League of East Valley. “We are all volunteers, and we served over 7,300 school age children and homeless teens last
see BASHA page 31
COMMUNITY
APRIL 2, 2023 | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN
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Gathering school supplies for children are, from left, Sanjana Tripuraneni, Loren Dipnarian, Angela Lee and Renee Gu. All are juniors at Basha High School. (Sarah Auffret/Contributor)
BASHA from page 30 year who will be very happy to receive these supplies.” An annual fundraiser for Assistance
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“I originally came in with a very strong-minded thought that NATO is an extremely effective model. And then I read a variety of arguments and research ... I actually started to see the other side and see how strong of an argument there is for the opposition and how like NATO may be an ineffective model as well.” Teams compete head-to-head in the tournament and are assigned a position. So, one round they must argue why NATO is effective. And the next round they may have to argue why it isn’t. Tournament judges read the original essay from each school and selected 64 of the best arguments. Then they set up a tournament bracket. Hamilton defeated Groton School from Massachusetts in the first round and Bergen County Academies in the second round. The team is currently competing with Potomac Oak from Rockville, Maryland, to get a trip to New York City for the Elite Eight round. The winner will be announced on March 30. The seven members of the team are comprised of four sophomores and three juniors. They are Arnav, Kiyan Naraghi, Emma Xi, Marie Chen, Jenny Dong, Kevin Chen and Gowri Biju. Being able to switch positions and still make strong arguments is something they say they’ve trained for. “I think this is something that we all definitely experienced before,” Emma said. “Knowing how to refute points, and argue our own is something that we’ve all experienced in different kind of clubs and activities. So being able to transfer that to kind of written debate in this kind of IPPF format was really good for us.” It takes an open mind to argue a posi-
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tion that you may not personally believe in, they note. “I think it’s just having an open mind and saying that, really every argument has two sides to it,” Marie said. “And we should be able to look at both sides and understand the perspectives of both sides and respond to the other side.” If they survive this round and go to New York, the format changes. Instead of written debates, they will have to present their arguments orally. That prospect doesn’t worry this debate team. “In debate, we just do oral debate, so we’re more used to the oral format,” Marie said. Kevin said he prefers the written debate, because they have more time to consider their responses. Gowri said he joined the debate team because he thought it would help him with public speaking. “I originally joined debate as a way to get rid of my stage fright, and be more comfortable speaking around people,” he said. “But I think the club has done so much more for me. It’s exposed me to different modes of thinking and like-minded people who support my beliefs and also challenge me to become a better person.” Teacher Dawn Berkshire says the young debaters have impressed her. “I am so impressed at how well informed with current events and things that are going on, not just in the United States, but in the world,” she said. “They argue, they research, they speak about it competently and it makes me I think every student should be in speech and debate to learn the skills, the competence to speak in front of others, the confidence to share their thoughts and ideas. And I just think they’re fantastic.”
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ng 2022 off and runniMAMMOTH PROJECT AT Chandler Election for r; 5 ARIZONA / P. 2 Mayor Hartke has challenge
of the East Valley Tribune
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among
vie for 3 City Council seats
BY PAUL MARYNIAK Arizonan Executive Editor
and it’s kicked off in Ahwatukee ampaign 2022 has of�icially battles in going to be a doozy. past, there are primary With the �iling deadline number for the District 12 – the new and both parties in Legislative parts of Tempe, Mesa all of Ahwatukee and district that covers of this year’s redistricting. Chandler as a result
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CHANDLER ACTOR GOING PLACES / P. 24 From Uptown to Downtown,
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101 freeways on the Santan and Loop ddressing bottlenecks the transportabus routes are among and adding two rapid for county of�icials. tion priorities in Chandler planning program the transportation said every Audra Koester Thomas, Association of Governments, number of manager for the Maricopa expanding the important, but that the Loop 101 and project on its list is Loop 202 Freeway between lanes on the Santan
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I-10 as the most important. planned. One would go up Arizona are a Two rapid-bus routes Chandler to Mesa and heart of downtown Scottsdale Fashion Avenue through the and the other between light rail transit center
��� TRANSIT ���� 6
NEWS ........................... 20 and Kate,home market cooling Bently, back, Chandler Nesvik comforts her dogs than other cities. Chandler Chandler resident Jeanine 11 dogs mysteriously stolen from her slower the last week in a Mesa park, who were not among the dogs were found late home. Though four of (Ken Sain/Chandler Arizonan) the story, see page 10 . seven remain missing. For
Local food banks see BY KEN SAIN
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the sun.
and what’s more, it for us as a community, want.” as of January, when seven-member council is something our businessesbegin his sixth will seats. Orlando in January the winners take their come up and tell capturing 27% of the “I had a couple of people me, so I know term on Council after for with 21% and Enthat’s why they voted vote, followed by Poston the push for a me Darla Gonzalez factor,” Poston said. t’s unknown how much that it’s a contributing cinas with 20%. Candidates 14%. Hartke ordinance to protect the NDO, and most peo18% and Shifa Farhana non-discrimination “We did hear about and positive got community played margin. Chandler’s LGBTQ+ ple were very understanding won by a 77-to-23% but the outcome our Chandler voters it.” “I feel honored that in last week’s election, Hartke will adopt that about considered an NDO, me with another term,” The last time Council likely assures that Chandler and have trusted future. best run city in Arizovote, with Orlando ordinance in the near said. “Chandler is the the it failed on a 5-to-2 election it. the won backing recognition, and a great The candidates who Councilman OD Harris na, I got great name City Council seats the current council Poston suggested �ive-way race for three n ordi- track record.” results – incumbent by her victory. a non-discriminatio Poston was buoyed according to unof�icial see Poston would adopt can Jane of enormous opponents months newcomers “It’s been nine Matt Orlando and nance since the �ive said. “I felt like I did have all shown strong and Angel Encinas – where things are heading. be the best re- amounts of work,” she would so no matter what hap“I would think that support for such measure. in everything I could, Hartke won a secsaid. “There is value And while Mayor Kevin sult possible,” she together margin over challenger 6 the Council move forward ond term by a huge ��� ELECTION ���� to a non-discrim- having It’s a positive move Ruth Jones, his opposition minority on the in the right direction. a in him ination law will put
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un- of the East Valley is of�icially An edition for the 2022 city election The campaign season for the Aug. 2 derway in Chandler. signatures to qualify The deadline for submitting and two candidates for mayor and April 4 primary election was have quali�ied, though seats appeared to BY KEN SAIN �ive for three Council Editor Arizonan Managing
eAND top A doggone shamYOUR FAVORITES! Freeway bottlenecks ��� LEGISLATURE
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in the best of rganizers say that even in need is a chaltimes, feeding those the best of times. lenge. And these are not food banks say deChandler’s leading are down. mand is up, and donations de�initely increased,” “Yeah, things have who is the operations said Mike Dippre, Crossing Food Bank. director at Matthew’s were once a month Cross“We just went to, we to send out at Matthews creates boxes of food service before COVID. Anderson organizes and week service during Volunteer Carol Chandler. (David Minton/Arizonan Staff Photographer) “We went to once a Bank in out more food this switched back to twice ing Food weeks, we’ve given COVID, and we just a day. And the number to try and control our about 110 families a month on July 1 just we’re handing out.” ��� HUNGER PAGE 8 is going up. quantities of food that doing it every two with that restriction, “And believe it or not, Dippre said even out groceries to they are averaging handing
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Chandler’s 4th trampoline center boasts unique offerings BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor
Sky Zone is the fourth indoor trampoline center to open in Chandler. Sales Manager Lindsay Waseta said the newest entertainment center has something its competitors - Big Air, KTR and Gravity Extreme Zone – do not. “I think we vary from the other companies because we cater to all ages,” Waseta said. “We still have the (Ninja) Warrior course, we have the foam pits, we have a slide that nobody has in Chandler, and of course we have the air court that nobody has in Chandler.” Front and center is the air court, a combination basketball-soccer court that is one large trampoline. For folks who have never been able to dunk a basketball, it’s possible here. Sky Zone plans on hosting tournaments for basketball, ultimate dodge ball and soccer. The Ninja Warrior course is for people who want to challenge themselves to run a course similar to the ones they’ve seen on the TV show. The giant slide near the entrance to the facility ends by sending riders high into the air before they fall into a giant foam pit.
Aerial Silks hang over the pit of foam blocks in the Foam Zone at the new Sky Zone indoor trampoline park in the Santan Gateway North shopping center. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
There’s also a zip line for those who yearn to fly and giant swings that hang above a huge foam pit, allowing anyone to swing high, and fall without fear. There’s a king of the hill area where knights can hone their jousting skills and an area reserved for very young children (five and younger) so they can play in a foam pit without worries of getting run over by bigger kids.
Sky Zone held its official grand opening on March 11. Waseta said they’ve been getting ready for opening for more than a year. Because it is located next to Walmart off Arizona Avenue and Pecos Road, she said they’ve had a lot of interest. “People were stopping every day to look in, and they’ll say, ‘When you open?’” Waseta said.
Sky Zone has four party rooms for birthday events and other special occasions. Each reservation comes with a host who will lead the group with fun activities and serve the food. They serve some basic foods, including pizza, pretzels, and nachos. An all-day pass is $29. They also sell a 90-minute pass for $24 and a 120-minute pass for $27. Sky Zone offers memberships. An annual pass costs $279 and a monthly pass is just under $28 per month. Waseta said word has been getting out about the opening, with more than 200 people in the building for the grand opening. She said they are hopeful a lot of children and teens will be stopping by during their spring break from schools. “Our air court is the most popular,” Waseta said. “So many kids come for that every single night. All of our members, mostly boys, are running basketball and soccer games nearly every single night.”
Sky Zone
1095 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler 480-771-1717 skyzone.com
GCU offers accelerated nursing program in Chandler BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Managing Editor
G
rand Canyon University is the third major educational institution in the state to offer a program in Chandler. GCU plans to offer its Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing (ASBN) program in September at One Corporate Center, which is just west of McClintock Drive on Chandler Boulevard. Grand Canyon joins Arizona State and the University of Arizona with programs in Chandler. It will be the first East Valley program for the West Phoenix university. “The nursing shortage has been around forever, it’s not a new theme or a new issue,” said Dr. Lisa Smith, Dean of GCU’s College of Nursing and
Health Care Professions. “But obviously, the pandemic really exposed it even more and really widened that need to be even greater.” Grand Canyon has responded to calls for more trained nurses by starting six ASBN programs. The first two were in Sun City and Tucson in 2020. Then, they opened similar programs near Salt Lake City in Utah and near Las Vegas in Nevada. In the fall, the college plans to add two more, in
see NURSING page 35 Paytin Barrow and Ray Windsor flank a mannequin used for study in the Lopes Center for Nursing Simulation. Grand Canyon University will soon be expanding its nursing program to Chandler. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | APRIL 2, 2023
How to retire happy, even with inflation BY DR. HAROLD WONG Arizonan Guest Writer
I
nflation in 2022 hit 40year highs, so how can you retire well, even if we have continued inflation and a recession in the next
few years? Case study: I met Joe, 63, and Judy, 65, in June, 2019 at a seminar I gave at the Ahwatukee Event Center. They had $850,000 of financial assets and 90% of it was in the stock market. They planned to retire when Joe reached 70. They were concerned about stock market risk and wondered how much they would be able to spend when retired. Their #1 priority was “never run out of money” and their #2 priority was “investments that don’t lose.” The conventional wisdom in the field of financial planning is that when retired, you need 25-35% less income than when working. I asked them to dream big and write down their bucket list items (every-
thing you’ve dreamed about your entire life). I explained that there are the phases of retirement: the Go-Go Years; the Slow-Go Years; and the No-Go Years. Most Americans don’t have more than two-three weeks of vacation each year. So, you may have a good income, but not enough time off to spend it on bucket list items. Why should you spend your whole lives working and not be able to afford your bucket list items? In the Go-Go Years, you have just retired and have unlimited time. The question is whether you will have enough money to afford to accomplish your list. You may be spending more during your Go-Go Years than when you were working. The solutions: Most take Social Security at age 62 and only 3-5% wait until age 70, when they could receive up to double their retirement benefit at age 62. Joe enjoys his job and will wait until age 70 to take SS. If Judy waits until she is full retirement
age, she can take either her SS based on her earnings history or half of Joe’s. Their total future SS when Joe retires will be $63,768. They then take 90% of their financial assets out of the stock market and buy two private pensions that are worth $44,254 of total income when Joe reaches age 70. They also buy some solar equipment that will generate a safe $11,900 of annual income each year for 10 years. Using solar tax credits and deductions, they reduce the tax burden of a big Roth IRA Conversion so that half of their private pension income will be tax-free. As a result, total income at age 70 will be $119,922, almost $70,000 more than what they are currently spending and almost $45,000 more than the $75,000 they want to spend each year in retirement. These were the numbers in 2019. Now, with several years of increases to their SS, they will have at least $125,000 of annual income. They don’t have to worry about the high inflation the last two years
of forecasted inflation for the next two years. They have so much more income than they thought possible. Free seminar and lunch: March 22, 10 a.m. at Hyatt Place, 3535 W. Chandler Blvd. Chandler. Topic is “Beat Inflation by Saving Taxes and Increasing Income!” The seminar starts at 10 a.m., followed by a free catered lunch. Free Tour/Workshop: Solar Reefer (Refrigeration) Factory, 9 a.m.-noon April 29. Topic is “How solar reefers can reduce taxes to $0 and earn a steady 10-14%!” Lots of tasty refreshments served. Location is at Advanced Energy Machines: 4245 E. Norcroft St., Mesa, ¼ mile SW of McDowell & Greenfield Roads. To RSVP for the seminars or schedule a free consultation, contact Dr. Harold Wong at 480-706-0177 or harold_wong@ hotmail.com. His website isdrharoldwong. com. Dr. Wong earned his Ph.D. in economics at University of California/Berkeley and has appeared on over 400 TV/radio programs.
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NURSING from page 33 Chandler and West Phoenix. The West Phoenix location will be near Grand Canyon’s campus, next to I-17 and 27th Avenue. The 16-month program is for college graduates and the only difference from the one offered on GCU’s main campus is that it offers no summer breaks. Once the 16 months of instruction is over, students must pass the National Council Licensure Examination before they can be a nurse. However, those who pass usually have jobs waiting for them, Smith said. “I wouldn’t say it was a last-minute thing, but once I started doing it, I really found out I loved it,” said Paytin Barrow, a GCU nursing student. Barrow said she didn’t know what her career would be when she started college, but figured it out soon enough to get the prerequisites out of the way so she would qualify for nursing school. Another GCU nursing student, Ray Winsor, said she always knew what she wanted to do because her mother is a nurse.
“I’ve always wanted to go into the medical field, I wasn’t exactly sure what I wanted to do. So I figured nursing was a great first start. And if I wanted to further my education from there,” Winsor said. One of the things they said makes the Grand Canyon nursing program stand out is its simulation lab. They have part of their building made to look like any medical center or hospital in the country. It has a central nursing station, and then rooms with patients needing care. There are cameras and microphones everywhere. Instructors say they usually have most of the class in a debriefing room, watching as students go about their routine. They are able to show both what students got right, and what they need to work on. Barrow said that helps people know if nursing is for them or not. “Nursing in general, it’s a tough career field, so definitely those experiences help a lot to help you decide whether you really like nursing or not.” Smith said the growth in the East Valley helped GCU determine it needed a program out there. Smith said they hope
to enroll 75 students into the program, which is similar in size to the four existing programs they are running now. “We realize that there’s growth happening, on both sides of the Valley,” she said. “And there’s a huge shortage of nurses, not only nationwide, but obviously here as well. It just makes sense to have multiple locations where students can access the sites without fighting a lot of traffic. And so hopefully, this makes it more convenient for them.”
GOT NEWS? Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5631 or pmaryniak@ timeslocalmedia.com
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SPORTS
Sports 36
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | APRIL 2, 2023
Roch Cholowsky embracing finals games with Hamilton BY ZACH ALVIRA Arizonan Sports Editor
R
och Cholowsky was ready to finally be the guy on the gridiron for Hamilton’s varsity football team. He waited patiently his first three years of high school, learning behind the likes of Nick Arvay and Nicco Marchiol at the quarterback position. He was poised as a senior to replicate the same success he had on the baseball field for the Huskies, where he started first base as a freshman before now becoming the star shortstop. He started off 3-1 as the starter for Hamilton on the football field, the lone loss to national power Bishop Gorman. He was starting to come into his own at the position. But then, he felt a pop. “It was a freak accident. One of the
linebackers came up and put his hands on me,” Cholowsky said. “It was tall grass and my ankle got caught and it led to my knee leaning the wrong way. “I wouldn’t change anything even with the injury. Those first four games were the most fun I’ve had playing any organized sports in a long time.” Cholowsky didn’t fear the worst had happened with his knee. He felt it was still relatively stable. The last thing he thought about was the baseball season and how it may be impacted. He said his parents, however, were slightly concerned. Cholowsky was told by many to consider walking away from football for his senior year because of what the future holds for him in baseball. He’s been
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committed to UCLA since his sophomore year and signed with the Bruins in November. He’s quickly become an intriguing prospect for this summer’s MLB Draft. Yet, he couldn’t walk away from football. Cholowsky was diagnosed with a torn meniscus that sidelined him for the remainder of the regular season. He felt if he had gotten the surgery to clean out his knee earlier, he would have been able to return. He did a “test run” of sorts with the knee ahead of the Open Division quarterfinal against Saguaro, as he dressed out and warmed up with Cholowsky is labeled as one of the best defensive prospects his receivers. Many be- for this year’s MLB Draft. A signee to UCLA, he doesn’t know what the future holds yet, whether he ends up in Westlieved he was officially wood or in the big leagues. But either way, he’ll be living out back. But when Hamil- his dream. (Dave Minton/Arizonan Staff) ton emerged again from the locker room, he was back in street make it that much better. clothes. The Huskies went on to fall to But he remains focused for now on Saguaro, ending their season. Hamilton. “If we would’ve won that first playoff “There’s nothing more fun than showgame I would’ve been back,” Cholowsky ing up every day and hanging out with said. “It was just bad timing. I wish we the guys I’ve grown up with and love so would’ve gone in a little earlier. We just much,” Cholowsky said. “Having that kinda thought I had twisted something team last year and winning that state and that it would get better, but it never championship was probably the best did. feeling I’ve ever had in sports. Getting to “But I rehabbed great, went to a great work with them every day is something place and they took care of me.” I cherish.” Cholowsky was fully healthy soon afHamilton coach Mike Woods knew ter. He no longer wears a brace and is Cholowsky would be special the moback to his old self — a lengthy shortstop ment he saw him as a freshman. Even with some of the best defensive mechan- then he composed himself in a way most ics in this year’s draft that also has power freshmen weren’t capable of. at the plate. He was mature for his age both menThat’s what makes him a potential tally and physically. He had many of the first-round draft pick this June. It’s a same tangibles he does now, albeit as a dream of his to make it to the big leagues see CHOLOWSKY page 37 and the chance to do it so soon would
SPORTS
APRIL 2, 2023 | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN
CHOLOWSKY from page 36 senior they’re at a much higher level. It was an easy decision for Woods to toss Cholowsky into the fire as a starter on one of the best programs in the history of Arizona high school baseball. He proved early on there was no moment too big for him. “He was skilled, a very skilled player,” Woods said. “You could tell he was very confident. That’s how he’s been able to handle all the hype this year. He’s been handling it very well.” Woods was all for Cholowsky playing football as a senior. He knew how much it meant to him. When he injured his knee, Woods wasn’t thinking about the potential impact on his lineup in spring. He was concerned first and foremost and said he felt bad for Cholowsky. He knew how much being the starting quarterback meant to him. Woods was pleased to learn the injury was relatively minor. He knew Cholowsky would be back to himself when it mattered. That means having his leadership presence in the clubhouse, a quality
$
he’s had for years but is not relied on even more along with other key seniors Josh Tiedemann, Cooper Brass, Logan Krei and others. “Football has helped make him who he is today. He’s a little tougher-nosed kids than some of the other baseball star kids,” Woods said. “I think he recognizes what he does and says has a big impact. He’s been great. He’s been a good role model.” Hamilton is 13-3 through its first 16 games. That includes games against national opponents at the Boras Classic. The Huskies recently moved into the No. 1 spot in the 6A rankings, overtaking Mountain Ridge. As the defending champs, the Huskies know they constantly play with a target on their backs. They know they’ll get the best from everyone. That motivates players like Cholowsky, who is taking in every pitch, every hit and every practice with his team before
37
Hamilton senior Roch Cholowsky was looking forward to having his moment as a senior as the starting quarterback in football and continue to cement his legacy with baseball. But a knee injury in the fall derailed his football season. He’s now cherishing his time left with the Husky baseball program as they chase another title.
the season and his high school career comes to an end in just over a month. There are times where he believes he took his high school career for granted. He didn’t expect it to fly by as fast as it did. So, he’s going to cherish it and do whatever he can to go out a two-time state champion. “It’s going to be up here in about
59
50-something days. I’ll be walking in a cap and gown hopefully with another ring,” Cholowsky said. “Those four years went by so fast. I can’t imagine what’s coming next.”
For more SPORTS news, visit ChandlerNews.com
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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | APRIL 2, 2023
Chandler thespians shine in ‘Secret Garden’ BY KATY SPRINGER GetOut Contributor
P
laces! Productions’ next show is no garden variety musical. The Mesa-based community theater company will present “The Secret Garden,” a musical reimagining of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s beloved children’s novel. The show will be on stage April 6-8 at East Valley High School and April 13-16 at the Mesa Arts Center. Two casts will bring the mystical, magical garden to life: a youth troupe comprising performers ages 8-18 as well as a community cast featuring kids and adults of all ages. Set in the early 1900’s, the musical tells the story of a young girl, Mary Lennox, who is left orphaned by a cholera epidemic in colonial India. She is sent to live with her reclusive uncle, Archibald Craven, and his sickly son, Colin, at a secluded – and haunted – country manor in Yorkshire.
The Chandler actors in “The Secret Garden” are, from left, Hoyt Mitchell, Abby Gordon, Maria Stallings and Olivia Haller. (David Minton/Staff Photographer) “I play Martha in the community cast,” said Chandler’s Abby Gordon, 21, an engineering student at Arizona State University. “She is the maid in the Craven house who befriends and cares for Mary.
She is so funny and she’s just such a lovable character. She’s probably my favorite role I have played to date.” “I am pretty proud that my Yorkshire accent has come along as well as it has,”
said Gordon, who, along with other cast members, worked with a dialect coach to perfect her accent. Ben is another member of the household and is played by Hoyte Mitchell of Chandler. “My favorite part of the rehearsal process is seeing the development of the young people and the courage of the older performers to be on stage,” he said. “Some of my favorite rehearsals have been working on accents and music with the actors cast as Ben, the gardener at the manor,” said Allison Houston, director of “The Secret Garden” and founding artistic director of Places! “In our youth cast, he’s played by a high schooler while the actor who plays Ben in the adult cast is retired. It’s been amazing to see them bounce ideas off one another to make the character even stronger.” “As director, I always begin my process by going back to the source material,” said
see GARDEN page 40
Valley’s only Easter parade to roll out 47th time BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA GetOut Contributor
F
or the 47th year, the Kiwanis Ahwatukee Easter Parade is bringing together a host of colorful floats, marching bands, Scout troops, and the official Easter Bunny to entertain spectators from across the Valley. As the only Easter Parade in the Metro Phoenix area, the homegrown parade has expanded to include entries and spectators from outside the Village of Ahwatukee including the second-year appearance for the Gilbert Days Rodeo Teen Queens and the always- entertaining El Zaribah Shriners in miniature vehicles. On Saturday, April 8, the Kiwanis Ahwatukee Easter Parade steps off at 10 a.m. from Warner Road, heading north along 48th Street to Elliot Road. Following the
parade, the club’s Spring Fling and Craft Fair fills the nearby Ahwatukee Community Center Park, located at 48th and Warner Road. This is a rain-or-shine event day. Of 46 parades (the COVID-interrupted 2020 and 2021 maintained the parade tradition using decorated members’ cars) only 2009 had rain, though skies cleared by starting time. Mike Schmitt, holding the title of Parade Boss for the 31st year, said the response from the 330 invitations he sent out beginning in January, has “worked very successfully.” As part of his duties, Schmitt continues to set the order of the 50-70 entries, and, using the descriptions from the various
see PARADE page 40
Among scores of floats in the Ahwatukee Kiwanis Club Easter Parade is one with a giant Easter bunny. (File photo)
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GARDEN from page 38 Allison Houston, director of “The Secret Garden” and founding artistic director of Places! “The novel is very different from the musical, especially the concept of ‘The Dreamers.’ They are crucial in the storytelling of the musical, and we’ve incorporated them into several additional moments as Mary remembers her past and finds purpose and belonging in this new chapter of her life that the musical portrays.” Olivia Haller, 14, plays the role of Major Holmes, who died in the cholera epidemic and now guides Mary as one of the Dreamers. “This show experiments with ghosts and flashbacks, which is something new compared to any other shows,” said Olivia. “It’s really good. We get it right.” Something else the cast gets right? The soaring musical numbers. “This is one of the most beautiful scores I’ve ever heard,” said Houston. “I think it’s impossible not to be moved by the music.” “It’s a beautiful, powerful story of forgiveness, renewal and finding beauty in the wake of tragedy,” said Houston. For the past eight weeks, the cast members have been working hard to perfect their characters. “My favorite part of the rehearsal process for a musical is always right after we finish all of the blocking and are finally able to run the show top to bottom,” said Gordon. “It is always a little rocky at first, but once we are able to put the full show together and start fine-tuning the different characters, it’s just what takes the show from good to incredible.” And while they’re honing their craft,
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | APRIL 2, 2023
they’re also building friendships. Said Mitchell, “I was in another play, ‘The Crucible,’ with this group and loved every minute of it. When they asked me to join them again for this show, I welcomed the opportunity.” Added Olivia, “The shows are always fun. New shows with Places! always bring new opportunities and new friends.” “The cast is made up of both actors with long resumes and several making their stage debuts. Each actor is bringing something so special to this production,” added Houston “I’m beyond proud of all of the actors who have worked so far out of their comfort zones. I think audiences will be astonished by this performance.” “The Secret Garden” features a script and lyrics by Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winner Marsha Norman. The score was composed by Grammy winner and Tony nominee Lucy Simon. Tickets for the April 6-8 run of “The Secret Garden” at East Valley High School are $15. Tickets for the April 13-16 performances at the Mesa Arts Center are $17. Matinee and evening performances are available. Discounts are offered for teachers, seniors, veterans, first responders and students. Group discounts are also available.
If you go
The Secret Garden Presented by Places! Productions
April 6-8: East Valley High School, 7420 E. Main St., Mesa April 13-16: Mesa Arts Center, 1 E. Main St., Mesa Tickets: placesproductionsaz.com
PARADE from page 38 participants, writes the script read from the announcer’s stand. “It takes 14 hours just to write the script,” he said. Among the early entries were various dance groups, boys and girl Scout troops, and one of the longest-running participants, Mountain View Lutheran Church, which includes its Ahwatukee Preschool kids riding decorated bikes and wagons and handing out candy. A new addition this year is Ahwatukee family operated Spencer 4 Hire Roofing, which stepped up early to claim the Grand Sponsor slot. “We’re trying to be more active in our community, more involved, and make sure we give back where we can,” said owner Nathan Spencer. “ One perk for the Grand Sponsor is hosting the only adult Easter Bunny costume allowed in the parade. Immediately following the nearly milelong parade is another family-focused tradition: the annual Spring Fling and Craft Fair. Kiwanis member Holly Dutton said there is an abundance of activities, food and fun set for the 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Spring Fling and Craft Fair. “The Spring Fling is a long-standing Ahwatukee family favorite, going since 2004. The club is proud of our long-time involvement with this event, and the way it brings so much fun to our local families and kids,” said Dutton. “We have volunteers this year who’ve said they grew up going to the Easter parade and Spring Fling and have great childhood memories of it, and now they’re volunteering to help out.” She said there are more food options
this year, including local restaurants and new food trucks. “This year we are adding more food choices including food trucks like Green Chile Love and Sweet Magnolia Smokehouse, and local favorites like Yoasis and Smallcakes. “I’m especially excited about getting the chance to showcase a wide variety of local businesses and some really gorgeous jewelry and craft items,” she said. Although adults and parents will find plenty to entertain them, Dutton said the focus remains on giving the younger visitors a good time. “True to the Kiwanis mission- it’s all about the kids so we’ve got bounce houses, an Easter egg hunt, face painting, two different interactive STEM activity booths, animal friends and more,” she said. Hosting the largest and oldest community event is a Herculean task for the 35-member Kiwanis Club of Ahwatukee. Founded in 1982, the Kiwanis Club engages in charitable projects year-round, including Foster Teens Thanksgiving, Foster Kids Christmas, Back to School Shopping Spree for economically disadvantaged school-age children, Community Baby Shower and more in addition to the volunteer-intensive Easter Parade and Spring Fling. For more information on the April 8th Easter Parade and Spring Fling, see AhwatukeeEasterParade.com Both volunteers and sponsors are still being accepted.
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“No Job Too Small Man!”
Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor
Over 28 Years Experience • ROC #246019 Bonded/Insured
GARAGE/DOORS H A N DY M A N G A R AG E DOO R S E RV I C E Broken Springs Replaced • Nights / Weekends
4 8 0 -2 5 1 - 8 61 0
East Valley Ahwatukee
Bonded • Insured
GLASS/MIRROR GLASS, MIRRORS, SHOWER DOORS Family Owned with 50 years' EXPERIENCE. Shower and tub enclosures, Framed, Frameless or Custom Doors, We also install insulated glass, mirrored closet doors, window glass, mirrors, patio doors, glass table protectors. If it’s glass, we can help you. QUALITY SERVICE at Competitive Prices. FREE Estimates WESLEY'S GLASS & MIRROR Call 480-306-5113 • wesleysglass.com • SERVICING THE ENTIRE VALLEY
HAULING/BULK TRASH
DUMPING DAVE JUNK REMOVAL I Haul it All Big & Small!
www.professionalhomerepairservice.com ROC-326923 ROC-326924 • Licensed-Bonded-Insured
2014
HOME IMPROVEMENT
General Contracting, Inc. Licensed • Bonded • Insured • ROC118198
One Call, We Do It All! 602-339-4766
• Old Paint & Chems. • Yard Waste
All Remodeling, Additions, Kitchen, Bath, Patio Covers, Garage, Sheds, Windows, Doors, Drywall & Roofing Repairs, Painting, All Plumbing, Electrical, Concrete, Block, Stucco, Stack Stone, All Flooring, Wood, Tile, Carpet, Welding, Gates, Fences, All Repairs.
Free Estimates with Pride & Prompt Service!
• Old Tires
Dave Ellsworth 480-360-JUNK (5865) I’m a 6th grade Mesa teacher working my 2nd job.
Your Ad can go ONLINE ANY Day! Call to place your ad online! Classifieds 480-898-6550
LANDSCAPE/MAINTENANCE
S E R V I C E
L L C
Prepare for Spring Season!
LANDSCAPING, TREES & MAINTENANCE
Tree Trimming • Tree Removal Stump Grinding • Artificial Grass Storm Damage • Bushes/Shrubs Yard Clean-up Commercial and Residential PMB 435 • 2733 N. Power Rd. • Suite 102 • Mesa dennis@allprotrees.com
480-354-5802 PAINTING
Interior/Exterior Painting 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE
Roofing Maintenance Specialist - Shingle & Tile Roofs Elastomeric Roof Coatings
Free Estimates • Senior Discounts
IRRIGATION
480-338-4011
CUTTING EDGE Landscapes LLC Specializing In: • Sprinkler/Irrigation Repair & Replacement • Custom Landscapes • Lighting • Pavers • Artificial Turf • Concrete • Block • Trees/Plants • Rock & More
Call Now!
480-654-5600 AZIrrigation.com
HOME IMPROVEMENT & PAINTING
We Are State Licensed and Reliable!
IRRIGATION
• Concrete Slab • Remodeling Debris
www.irsaz.com
ROC# 256752
Owner Does All Work, All Honey-Do Lists
RECYCLE • REMOVAL • DEMOLITIONS • Furniture • Appliances • Mattresses • Televisions • Garage Clean-Out • Construction Debris
480.721.4146
T R E E
Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs! Painting • Flooring • Electrical Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Decks • Tile • More!
602.670.7038
CALL US TODAY!
ALL Pro
*Not A Licensed Contractor
Call Bruce at 2012, 2013, • Switches/Outlets 2014 Ahwatukee References/ Insured/ /Not a Licensed Contractor Ahwatukee Resident References Insured Call BruceResident/ at • Home Remodel Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ a Licensed Contractor Not a Not Licensed Contractor
Specializing in Controllers, Valves, Sprinklers, Landscape Lighting, P.V.C. & Poly Drip Systems
Insured/Bonded Free Estimates
Ahwatukee Resident, References Available, Insured
Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 602.670.7038
- Ahw Resident Since 1987 -
• Leaky Roof Repairs • Tile Repairs • Painting • Flat Roof Coating • Wood Repair • Doors & Windows
✔ Gate Restoration ✔ Plumbing Repairs ✔ Ceiling Fan Install ✔ All Odds & Ends ✔ & MUCH MORE!
✔ Carpentry “No Job Too ✔ Decks “No Job Small Too Man!” ✔ Tile • Panel Changes Small Man!” and Repairs ✔ Kitchens rk Since 1999 ✔ Bathrooms • Installation of Affordable, Quality Wo 2010, 2011 9 rk Since 199 And2010, More! 2012, 2013, Ceiling Fans Affordable, Quality Wo 2011
HONESTY • INTEGRITY • QUALITY
Licensed • Bonded • Insured
HOME IMPROVEMENT
THE HANDYMAN THAT HANDLES SMALL JOBS THAT OTHERS DECLINE
Block Fence * Gates
Lowest Prices * 30 Yrs Exp Serving Entire Valley
Roger Kretz
MALDONADO HOME REPAIR SERVICES
480-531-9654 Licensed & Insured
Irrigation Repair Services Inc.
HOME SERVICES
HANDYMAN
IRRIGATION
HOME IMPROVEMENT
ROC 281671 • Bonded-Insured
ROC# 309706
CLASSIFIEDS
APRIL 2, 2023 | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN
PLUMBING
PLUMBING
Cobra Plumbing LLC
Drain Cleaning Experts, water heaters, disposals, water & sewer lines repaired/replaced. Rapid Response! If water runs through it we do it!
602-663-8432
PLUMBING
FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED
Full Service Plumbing No Job Too Small!
H Drain & Sewer Cleaning H Water Heaters H Faucets H Fixtures H Electronic Leak Locating H Slab Leaks
FREE Service Calls + FREE Estimates Water Heaters Installed - $999 Unclog Drains - $49
10% OFF
All Water Purification Systems Voted #1 Plumber 3 Years In A Row OVER 1,000 5-STAR REVIEWS
H Repiping H Sewer Video & Locating H Backflow Testing & Repair H Sprinkler Systems & Repairs H Water Treatment Sales & Service
480-895-9838
PLUMBERS CHARGE TOO MUCH!
SPECIAL! $500 OFF COMPLETE REMODEL! 25 Years Experience • Dependable & Reliable
Call Juan at
10% Discount for Ahwatukee Residents 100% NO Leak Guarantee Re-Roof & Roofing Repairs Tile, Shingles & Flat Roof
MonsoonRoofingInc.com Licensed – Bonded – Insured – ROC187561
POOL SERVICE/REPAIR
REMODELING
ROOFING
$100 Off
1 MONTH FREE POOL SERVICE
new equipment w/installation
Now thru March 2023. Pumps, Filters, Heaters, Salt Systems, Automation, Handrails. Call for details.
NEW CLIENTS ONLY Call for details.
• Weekly Service • Equipment Repair/Replacement • Equipment Maintenance • Handrails • Green Pool Clean Up • Drain/Acid Wash
BESTOF
2022
Best Pool Service
480-694-1158 Licensed, Bonded & Insured ROC 337086
FREE WEEKLY SERVICE ESTIMATES
Since 2006
Family Owned and Operated | Residential & Commercial | 44 Years in Valley
ALL TYPES OF ROOFING • Wood Shingle • Wood Shake • Asphalt Shingle • Hot Asphalt • Tile (all types) • Modified Bittumen • Coating • Metal Decra
Call Phillips Roofing for Honesty, Quality, Fair Pricing and Warranties Like No Other.
We go er the
T !
- Cabinet refacing - New cabinets - Kitchens and Bathrooms - Quartz countertops - Full panel groutless showers
Free Estimates!
now offering financing
No subcontractors!
Family owned • Over 25 years of experience
Tiles, shingles, flat, repairs & new work Free Estimates • Ahwatukee Resident Over 30 yrs. Experience
www.orangecactusremodeling.com
602-885-8834
ROC 323356 • Licensed • Bonded • Insured
480-706-1453
Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099
ROOFING Arizona Contractor Licensed
✔ Labor & Material
showing, Pool Light out? I CAN HELP!
480-699-2754 • info@monsoonroofinginc.com
Not a licensed contractor.
ROOFING
✔ 2 to 25 Year Warranties
PPebbleOcracking, O L Plaster R Epeeling, P ARebar IR
480-720-3840
Bonded/Insured • ROC #223709
✔ No Job to Big or to Small
Juan Hernandez
Pavers • Concrete • Water Features • Sprinkler Repair
✔ Free Estimates ✔ Senior Discounts! RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL ROC #204797
480-405-7099
ROOFING
POOL SERVICE/REPAIR
CURE ALL PLUMBING
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We Service the Entire Valley
Over 30 Years of Experience
Family Operated by 3 Generations of Roofers! Premier Tile, Shingle & Foam Roofer! BESTOF
2022
Area and Beyond
FREE ESTIMATES
623-873-1626
Licensed/Bonded/Insured ROC223367 CR 42
480-446-7663 Financing Available • Credit Cards OK www.spencer4hireroofing.com ROC#244850 | Insured | Bonded
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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | APRIL 2, 2023