The Chandler Arizonan September 4, 2022 by Times Media Group

In Arizona and across the country, Just Serve is inviting non-profits, government, individuals, families, co-workers, congrega see INTERFAITH

The wheels of the federal bureaucracy might seem to have rolled slowly, but Kyrene School District officials appear to have been taking measures to address nine boys’ disturbing anti-Semitic persecution of a girl at Altadeña Middle School in 2018-2019 even before last week’s announcement of an agreement between the dis trict and the U.S. Department of Education related to her five-month ordeal.Nevertheless, the district’s efforts in the initial stages of the eighth grader’s torment were insufficient and the boys’ harassment impact ed the youngster brutally, according to the department’s Aug. 23 an nouncement closing its two-year investigation of the case.

Joe Houlik lifts his 7-year-old daughter Kenslye so she can make a dunk in the Children’s Cancer Network’s “Let’s Move Center” in Chandler, where kids battling the disease are encouraged to get physically active as part of the nonprofit’s new initiative. You can read about it on page 23. (David Minton/Arizonan Staff Photographer)

page 18

Upsy-daisy

The drive is among a number of activi ties organized under the umbrella of two groups, JustService and 9/11 Day, to encour age a day of service during the week lead ing up to Sept. 11 to honor those who were killed, injured or responded to the attacks.

Kyrene, feds address Jewish girl’s ordeal

From Uptown to Downtown, covering Chandler like the sun. September 4, 2022An edition of the East Valley Tribune FREE | chandlernews.com CHANDLER STRIP MALL REBUILDS / P. 16 NEWS 40 miles of higher speed internet coming. InternetProvidersTypes FiOS Cable DSL Satellite Source:Providersadvertisedspeeds,rates KenSain/SanTanSunNews Averagespeeds: 250-2,000Mbps Cost: $65-$150permonth Averagespeeds: 25-500Mbps Cost: $50-$100permonth Averagespeeds: 25-140Mbps Cost: $50-$70permonth Averagespeeds: 10-25Mbps Cost: $45permonth COMMUNITY 33 Chandler psychologist takes on suicide prevention.. COMMUNITY 33 BUSINESS 36 SPORTS 38 CLASSIFIEDS ................................ 40 LAST DAYS TO VOTE! GILBERTSUNNEWS.COMTHEMESATRIBUNE.COMCHANDLERNEWS.COM IT’S TIME TO VOTE BY JOSH ORTEGA Arizonan Staff Writerw Bloodshed united the nation as it mourned the victims of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks in New York City and Pennsylvania and on the Pentagon. On Sept. 9, leaders of the Interfaith 9/11 Memorial Blood Drive hope to unite people again.The blood drive will bring together the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Phoenix, the East Valley Jewish Community Center, and the Chandler West Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It will run noon-6 p.m. Sept. 9 at 1950 West Galveston St., Chandler. Those interested in donating must make an appointment at redcrossblood.org and use sponsor code: 9/11memorial.Since2015,the interfaith group has held the drive as a unifying tool for the commu nity despite doctrinal differences. “We're all trying to help humanity in some way,” said Robin Finlinson of the Chandler Stake of the Chruch of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints. “And saving lives literally by do nating blood is a great way to do that.”

“This day of service is also intended to in vite people to unify and rekindle the extraor dinary spirit of togetherness and compas sion that arose in the immediate aftermath of the 9/11 tragedy,” said Jennfier Wheeler a spokeswoman for the church.

The investigation ended with an agreement that federal authori ties will monitor. That agreement requires the district to cover the cost of the vic see KYRENE page 6

United by faith, tears and blood

BY PAUL MARYNIAK Arizonan Executive Editor

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Another thing that upset the students was a report in this newspaper that quoted Brenda Vargas, CUSD director of counseling and social services, as saying that putting a spotlight on teen suicides may increase similar thoughts in other students.

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T he study session Chandler Unified School District conducted recently on mental health and the nation wide increase in teen suicides did not lessen the criticism it continues to face.

One of the things that upset Higgins was that district officials wanted them to immediately follow up on an email they had sent and were unhappy it was taking longer than 24 hours. She said when the group first formed, it took the district more than a week to respond to their emails.

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022 3CITY NEWS

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer

“How will they improve their literacy of mental health if it's not something they have to study? So I am here begging for patience and for understanding, be cause this is a matter of lives.”

“The myth that talking about suicide will cause suicide has been debunked by nearly every leading psychiatric organi zation, including the National Institute of Mental Health,” said Emma Robert son, an eighth-grader at SanTan Junior High. “How we discuss suicide matters, though.”Butdistrict spokeswoman Stephanie Ingersoll said Vargas was not dismissing all conversation about teen suicides.

“When it comes to suicide and youth mental health, CUSD follows best prac tices outlined in a toolkit by Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Ad ministration through the U.S. Depart ment of Health & Human Services,” In gersoll said. That guideline does include an es say exploring as a myth the contention that talking about suicide triggers an increase in the number of people who consider it. It also warns educators that talking about suicide methods can create imag es that are upsetting and it may increase the risk of imitative behavior by vulner ableTheyouth.guideline also urges care when dealing with memorials to people who have killed “Spontaneousthemselves.memorials (such as col lections of objects and notes) should not be encouraged and should be respect fully removed within a very short time. A memorial can be an upsetting reminder of a suicide and/or romanticize the de ceased in a way that increases risk for suicide imitation or contagion. “Large memorial assemblies should not be convened as the emotions gener

A CUSD official said they felt that quote was taken out of context and needed fur ther clarification.

The CUSD Governing Board again heard criticisms at its Aug. 24 meeting during public comments over how dis trict officials are handling mental health.

“I found many inconsistencies in that report,” Burt said. “I think you all are try ing to reinvent the wheel with people who didn't sign up to address mental healthStudentsissues.”also criticized the district presentation.“Thisawareness about mental health is a facade and we need to do better,” said Kailani Higgins, a sophomore at Arizona College Prep High School. “The teachers who use repetition as a method to help us retain information are not expected to use these same tactics when it comes to learning about mental health?

“I came to the last board meeting where the ideas of implementing some mental health strategies were presented and I was left shaking my head,” said Teresa Burt, a licensed psychologist in Chandler who said she is treating 27 CUSD students.

To Start or Stop delivery of the paper, please visitChandlerhttps://timespublications.com/phoenix/orcall480-898-7901Arizonan 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 receive your free online subscription, please visit: https://www.chandlernews.com/digital_editions/

4 THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022CITY NEWS

• A student action board formed at all high schools and middle schools so they can let campus as well as district officials know what challenges students are fac •ing.All teachers and staff get mental health first aid training.

• A student-led town hall before Sept. 15 that the district promotes so students can talk about the issue with their peers. “We are going through a mental health crisis here... Students need these re sources to survive, not only to survive, but also to perform well,” Basha High sophomore Sofia Borczon said. “How many more kids have to die before you give us what we need?”

The original plan was for eight new classrooms, but Chandler Unified offi cials said they spoke to school leaders and made changes.

Tom Dunn, CUSD executive director of support services, said it’s important to actually listen to the people who are going to be impacted and make sure they are getting what they need. In this case, Principal Manjula Reddy said they needed improved space for their arts and engineering programs that current classrooms cannot ac commodate.Sooneof the proposed new class rooms was sacrificed to build three larger rooms. Two of the new class rooms will be dedicated to engineer ing and a third to art, with some stor age space in between.

ACP Middle has students in 6th through 8th grades and has been using three portable buildings for additional space. The location was the site of Erie Elementary School until that closed in 2013 and then became the temporary home for Arizona College Prep High School.Thehigh school specializes in added rigor for advanced students and has consistently been ranked among the best in Arizona and the nation since it opened in 2007.

CUSD maps $3.8M ACP Middle School expansion

Earlier this month the Governing Board heard details of a space utili zation committee, which will begin to look at how best to use the space at eight elementary schools when the en rollment begins to drop.

MENTAL BREAK from page 3 GOT NEWS? Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@TimesLocalMedia.com

The Chandler Arizonan is published every Sunday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout Chandler. To find out where you can pick up a free copy of The Chandler Arizonan, please visit www.ChandlerNews.com.

ated at such a gathering can be difficult toBurt,control.”the licensed psychologist, said she and another psychologist organized an event to address teen mental health last year called “Breakthrough” which was held at Compass Christian Church in February.Shesaid they approached the district seeking support, specifically with get ting the information about the event out to as many students as possible. At first, CUSD officials seemed inter ested and said they would be involved, Burt said. In fact, a preview of the event is featured in a district in-house publica tion.

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BY KEN SAIN

Managing Editor C handler Unified School District is in a unique position at this point. It is still growing, but knows those days are coming to an end and is moving ahead with plans to figure out how to prepare for fewer students.Arizona College Prep Middle School is one of its campuses that is still grow ing and the Governing Board approved spending nearly $3.8 million on Aug. 24 to build seven new classrooms for ACP Middle School. That school has 747 students en rolled this year and a waiting list of more who want to attend. District offi cials project its enrollment could reach over 900 next year.

The contract for constructing the new addition was awarded to Con cord General Contracting for a guaran teed maximum price of $3,776,700. It passedDunnunanimously.saidwhenyou include the cost of moving a portable building, and get ting it wired with all the lines it needs and include bathrooms, a portable building can cost hundreds of thou sands of dollars.

Arizonan

Board member Jason Olive said that a portable building could cost as much as a regular building and after 20 years, it would be falling apart. He said by spending a little more to invest in a brick-and-mortar structure means in 20 years, the district would still have a good building that can be used.

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The growth at ACP Middle contrasts with CUSD’s future. Its enrollment is expected to drop in the coming years because fewer young families can af ford to live in the District’s boundaries.

“They said that they would send out emails and encourage teachers and stu dents to attend and even give extra cred it for attending,” Burt told the Governing Board.“Then CUSD disappeared,” she con tinued. “You don't want to partner with the community like you say you want to because you were presented with the opportunity. You turned your back and walked away in silence. You did noth ing that was promised. You didn't return phone calls. You didn't return emails.” Ingersoll was asked to respond to the criticism but has not returned the email seeking comment. Three students from the Arizona Stu dents for Mental Health group addressed the board, reminding it that they have been asking for three things since June. Those requests include:

Last year a new building opened for the high school students, leaving the location at Erie and Alma School avail able for just the middle school stu dents. District officials said during the Aug. 24 meeting they never considered just adding more portable buildings, say ing they aren’t that much cheaper.

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Not long afterward, the girl became ‘overwhelmed with schoolwork’ and was not ‘understanding’ the course ma terial.Anapparent honor student, she was failing and two teachers independently wrote the complainant, “expressing concern about the student’s lack of timely submission of assignments and her difficulty ‘handling the independent nature of [her] assignments and learn ing,’” the DOE said. While the victim ultimately trans ferred to another school, the damage she sustained followed her into the 2019-20 school year in the other school district.Shehad to drop an honors course and enroll in a remedial class and “for the remainder of her time in [redacted con tent], the student was unable to over come the academic deficits she experi enced.”She“continued to suffer adverse ef fects, in part, from the [redacted con tent] stemming from the harassment,” the department said.

“Superintendent Laura Toenjes and the Kyrene Governing Board are dis mayed that any student would be made to feel unsafe or unwelcome on a Kyrene campus.”Toenjes also was quoted as stating, “As a person of Jewish faith, I was deeply af fected by this investigation. I will work very closely with our Board to ensure every student of every faith, every race, and every background feels safe, valued, and respected inside our schools.”

In announcing the close of the inves tigation, the school district last week noted that the Governing Board in May approved “the district’s first Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion policy so that ev ery student in Kyrene will have a sense of belonging, without bias or discrimi nation.”The announcement said, “Kyrene holds the safety of students, both their physical safety and their social-emo tional wellbeing, as the highest priority.

“Although the principal addressed staff in general terms by e-mail and much later in a meeting, staff with a need to know were ill-informed to mon itor the situation or identify ongoing ha rassment,” the department said.

While at Altadeña Middle School eighth graders were studying at home because of the pandemic lockdown in January 2021, Ho locaust survivor Leon Malmed spoke to them online from his Lake Tahoe home as part of the Anti-Defamation League’s program. (AFN file photo)

fied by the Office of Civil Rights in Sep tember 2019 and that federal investi gators interviewed the school staff in December 2019 and January 2020. The district heard nothing until April 2022 after that.

The Education Department said that “despite multiple occurrences of harass ing conduct,” Principal James Martin “failed to provide timely, specific, and clear communication to school staff re garding the harassment of the student.

Martin a year later was transferred to Centennial Middle School as principal, but Helm stressed the move was “en tirely unrelated” to the federal probe. She said he was not disciplined and “neither is that a recommendation” of the Education Department’s Office of Civil“TheRights.principal took multilayered ac tion to address the situation at the time, including student discipline, staff com munication, and collaboration with the Anti-Defamation League,” she said, add ing that Kyrene “is the proud home of multiple ADL No Place for Hate schools and, in 2020, had more No Place for Hate schools than any district in Arizona.” Helm said she had no idea why the in vestigation took so long to resolve, but noted that the Education Department’s findings include an apology “for the de lay in processing the complaint.”

She also noted that the district and Martin in March 2019 sent a letter to Al tadeña parents that it had “retained the services of a consulting firm to support and respond to hate and bias in schools through extensive professional develop ment that promotes cultural competen cy, equity and inclusion across youth, staff, and school and district leadership.

The boys were suspended and their parents informed, district spokeswom an Erin Helm said.

KYRENE from page 1

The district said that while it took ac tion during the 2018-19 school year “to address the complaint with both students and staff, and students in volved were held accountable for their in-school actions,” it was also making other plans to reinforce its commitment to preventing the kind of ordeal the girl suffered.Itsaid, “Kyrene will begin a compre hensive review of all District policies with an equity lens to ensure the Dis trict’s commitment to inclusion is con sistent throughout its practices.” 

tim’s tutoring and counseling for the academic and psychological damage the boys inflicted on her.

And it requires Kyrene to publicly state “the district does not tolerate acts of ha rassment, including acts of harassment based on a student’s actual or perceived race, color, or national origin national origin including shared ancestry or eth nic characteristics (e.g., anti-Semitism).” It also requires the district to train all employees annually in how to identify such acts and report them for further action and “provide an age-appropriate informational program” for all students about “its commitment to having a school environment free from discrimi nation, including anti-Semitic harass ment.”Students must also be taught about how to report racial and ethnic harass ment and about the consequences of violating the district’s policies. The DOE report details in chilling de tail the boys’ heartless conduct and the toll it took on the girl.

6 THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022CITY NEWS

“Additionally, with the investigation concluded and while the student was still attending school, the principal waited to address the student’s sched ule, which resulted” in the victim and her persecutors in the same class to gether for at least one day.

Her persecution was so relentless that the unidentified person – possibly the girl’s mother – who first reported the girl’s ordeal asked for a “safety plan” when the district initially offered to is sue a “no contact” order to the boys and counseling to their victim. The complainant was dissatisfied with the district’s response and pulled the girl out of school and had her study at home in 2019, the DOE said.

“Specifically, the student was subject ed to a hostile environment, as there were numerous incidents occurring over the course of approximately five months related to the student’s Jewish ancestry,” the department said. “Incidents included calling the student names, such as ‘dirty Jew,’ ‘stinky Jew,’ and ‘filthy Jew;’ making jokes about the Holocaust, speaking or pretending to speak in German, and marching/salut ing like Nazi soldiers, to and in the pres ence of the student; students making other disparaging statements about the student’s ancestry including references to concentration camps; and, sending to the student and others a video on social media wherein a student is carrying a rifle while pretending to speak German and intimating a Nazi soldier,” the de partment said. Though heavily redacted, the depart ment’s findings described the impact of the boys’ conduct.

“In that same spirit, the Altadeña staff and site council have begun discussing a plan to proactively educate our staff and students to protect the school against hate, bias and bigotry,” the letter said in part. Helm said the district was first noti

The girl’s tormentors reflected in creasing anti-Semitic conduct by stu dents nationwide, according to the ADL. It said that last year, it counted 2,717 such incidents in schools across the country “a 34 percent increase from the 2,026 incidents recorded in 2020 and … the highest number on record since ADL began tracking anti-Semitic incidents in 1979.” Those incidents last year in cluded 88 assaults that represented a 167% increase over the number that occurred in 2020; 1,776 incidents of harassment, a 43% increase over 2020; and 853 acts of vandalism.

The student apparently engaged in some kind of unspecified behavior that required some kind of action and even tually she apparently withdrew from school this year.

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A memorial that captures the hor ror that America witnessed 21 years ago will return to Tempe Beach Park this week. The 21st annual Tempe Healing Field tribute will be held Sept. 9-11 for what Chairman Nick Bastian said is an effort to not only memorialize victims of the Sept. 11, 2001 terror attacks but capture the unity that immediately followed. “Some of the emotion that I've seen and felt, you really can't describe it,” Bastian said. “We just want to make sure that people don't ever forget what hap pened that day.” In 2001, Bastian was living in Mesa and working as a residential Realtor when he woke up to a surreal moment onLikeTV. millions of Americans on that Tuesday morning, Bastian watched United Airlines Flight 175 crash into the South Tower of the World Trade Center in New York City. Bastian said that moment still lives with him to this day and why he wants to remind people what happened, not just on that day, but in the days follow ing, especially for those not born at the time – like his three teenage sons. “It really just felt like our country came together as Americans,” Bastian said. “And that's something that I'll certainly never forget and I hope other people don't.”For the past 20 years, Bastian said people from all over the world have at tended the Healing Fields memorial. The Tempe Exchange Club will plant one flag for each person that was killed that day – nearly 3,000, according to the National September 11 Memorial and Museum in New York City. “If you have a loved one that was lost that day, we can actually show you where that person's flag is,” Bastian said.

The event costs approximately $30,000 annually to put up and store the three-foot-by-five-foot US flags, Bastian said.In years past, the impressive feat be gins with hundreds of volunteers show ing up at 6 a.m. the first day of the event and within an hour-and-a-half, a sea of green grass becomes a sea of flags.

The Tempe Healing Field at Tempe Beach Park is a sobering reminder of the thousands of lives lost in the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. (Special to the Tribune)

8 THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022CITY NEWS BY JOSH ORTEGA Tribune Staff Writer

It might look like clockwork repeated year-after-year, but Bastian said the or ganization puts a lot of work into the massive“Thereundertaking.reallyisalot of moving parts and we put a lot of hours into it,” Bastian said.Fifteen years ago, Bastian said he started out as a volunteer putting up flags and eventually returned the next couple years.

On Saturday, Sept. 10, the event con tinues with the Tunnel to Towers Foun dation 5k Run/Walk at the Tempe Beach Park at 8 a.m. Visitors are welcome to visit through out the day and on Saturday, the event will end the day with a Freedom Concert from 6:30-9 p.m. The Healing Field Tribute will include a candlelight vigil at 7 p.m. Sunday. The public is welcome to join in reading the names towards the end of the ceremony.

GOT NEWS? Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@TimesLocalMedia.com

The event officially ends with a “Stand Down the Field” on Monday, Sept. 12, at 6 a.m., when volunteers are again need ed to help in taking down the flags. For more information, call Nick Bas tian at 602-803-6425 or visit Tempe HealingField.org

After a few years, Bastian joined The Tempe Exchange Club. He’s served as the event chairman for the past three years. This year’s event located at 80 W. Rio Salado Parkway in Tempe will begin on Friday, Sept. 9, at 6 a.m. with “Stand Up Flags” setup and volunteers are greatly welcomed.

Past events have shown flags fill the crescent-shaped grass field at the heart of the Tempe Beach Park. That area pri marily commemorates the victims in side the Twin Towers. Smaller areas around the large field commemorates victims inside the Pen tagon and inside the airliner that was crashed into a field in Pennsylvania.

Bastian said he’s served as the chair for the Healing Fields Committee for the past three years and it’s the largest event the Tempe Exchange Club puts on.

Healing Fields in Tempe honor the 9/11 deaths

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BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer T he Chandler Unified School Dis trict is the third largest in Ari zona and can boast about many successes. They usually lead the state in scholarship dollars earned, and Arizona College Prep is ranked second-best in the state for high schools with an enroll ment over 500 by US News. But it has some challenges too. In re cent months it has been criticized for not doing enough to improve the mental health of students. CUSD’s days of boom ing growth are coming to an end, and its enrollments are likely to drop in the coming years.

And Arizona remains one of the worst states for funding public education in the U.S. In the coming weeks the five candi dates for two seats on the governing board are scheduled to participate in fo rums, allowing voters some insight into who they are and what issues are impor tant to them. First up is Sept. 6, when the Chandler Education Association and the Valley Interfaith Project are hosting an online forum. Then the Chandler Chamber of Commerce is hosting an in-person forum on Sept. 13 at the CUSD office on Frye Road.“We’ve always partnered with Valley Interfaith Project,” said Katie Nash, pres ident of the Chandler Education Associa tion. “So we get that reputation, ‘we're

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022 www.fynesaudiology.com480-456-01762058SDobsonRd#9,Mesa,AZ85202

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“Well,” said the new hearing aid user as she drew a deep breath.” my hearing loss cost me three friendships that I know of, a strained relationship with my husband, two grandchildren who think I don’t understand them, boredom at church, and lost interest in attending get-togethers.” After a reflective pause, she added: “Sure I invested some money to get these hearing aids... but it doesn’t compare with what it cost before I got them.”

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Lara Bruner: “As an educator for 31 years, I hope they know, whether they agree with me on every issue or not, that my life has been dedicated to kids and, everything that I do I take very seriously. And I try to consider every aspect of ev ery decision that we make and hear from everyone.”

FORUM

12 THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022CITY NEWS tune up your smile with the doc that rocks! Vote us BEST DENTIST great DENTISTry. that ,s how we 480.899.4477roll.chandler,az BESTOF 2021 Vote for US! VOTE NOW! 2022 Chandler Gilbert Mesa BESTOF 2022 the big bad union,’ but we're partnering with a nonpartisan group so that it levels the playing field for everyone.” The five candidates are incumbent Lara Bruner and challengers Marilou Es tes, Charlotte Golla, Kurt Rohrs, and Patti Serrano. Current Board Member Lindsay Love decided not to seek reelection. The Arizonan asked all five candidates what they hope voters will know about them after the forums. Here are their re sponses:

Marilou Estes: “I care deeply about public education, the teaching profes sion, and the importance of the right of all parents to be a participant in the de sign of a quality public education. I am committed to the steadfast belief that all children have the right to a quality pub lic education. That said, I want voters to know that I believe partisanship to be a polarizing element in the design of a quality public education and as a board member my decisions will not be unduly guided by the loudest voices.”

Charlotte Golla: “The one thing I hope they take away is that I care. I care about your kids, and I care about our District. I'm a mom to four kids in our district. I've given countless volunteer hours to the District trying to continue those vol unteer hours. Now that my youngest is in kindergarten, I had the choice to go back into the workforce, or to give service and I thought, I think we need a mom of kids in school, you know, and I have the time to serve. …It's time to be that parental voice for the young kids. My kids are kin dergarten through eighth grade.”

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Patti S errano: “I hope not just voters, but all CUSD residents, learn that I am here to represent all of us to the best of my ability, and that I will continue to lis ten and learn in order to bring the best representation we can for all of us: our students, educators, staff and communi ty at large. I truly believe in moving our district forward together in collective while prioritizing and uplifting our stu dent’s voices first. As an invested CUSD mom, CUSD alum and CUSD-rooted com munity member, this is very personal to me.  from 10 CEA/Valley Interfaith Project When: 6:30 p.m., Sept. 6 Where: Zoom online meeting Register: chandlerea.org Chamber of Commerce When: 4 p.m., Sept. 13 Where: CUSD District headquarters, 1525 W. Frye Road Register: chandlerchamber.com

Kurt Rohrs: “First of all, this is a good district and I want to take it to great. I mean, I think all our pieces are here. We can do more, we can do a lot. And par ticularly for students that are struggling. But there are so many innovations in education right now. I mean, we could really take this into a District that is rec ognized as a leader on the national level.”

Theeffects.only way to effectively treat chronic pain and/or peripheral neuropathy is by targeting the source, which is the result of nerve damage owing to inadequate blood flow to the nerves in the hands and feet. This often causes weakness, numbness,balance problems. A lack of nutrients causes the nerves degenerate – an insidious

Mesa, AZ – When it comes to chronic pain and/ or neuropathy, the most common doctor-prescribed treatment is drugs like Gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Neurontin. The problem with antidepressants or anti-seizure medications like these is that they offer purely symptomatic relief, as opposed to targeting and treating the root of the problem. Worse, these drugs often trigger an onset of uncomfortable, painful, and sometimes harmful side

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Effective neuropathy treatment relies on the following three factors: 1. Finding the underlying cause 2. Determining the extent of the nerve damage (above 95% nerve loss is rarely treatable) 3. The amount of treatment required for the patient’s unique condition

Mesa is the birthplace of a brandnew facility that sheds new light on this pressing problem of peripheral neuropathy and chronic pain. The company is trailblazing the medical industry by replacing outdated drugs and symptomatic reprieves with an advanced machine that targets the root of the problem at hand.

THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT THIS TREATMENT IS COVERED BY MEDICARE, MEDICAID, AND INSURANCES!!MOST Depending on your coverage, your peripheral neuropathy treatment could cost almost nothing – or be absolutely free. The number of treatments required varies from patient to patient, and can only be determined following an in-depth neurological and vascular examination. As long as you have less than 95% nerve damage, there is hope! Aspen Medical begins by analyzing the extent of the nerve damage –a complimentary service for your friends and family. Each exam comprises a detailed sensory evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, and comprehensive analysis of neuropathy findings. Aspen Medical will be offering this free chronic pain and neuropathy severity evaluation will be available until October 31st, 2022 Call (480) 274 3157 to make an appointment. Due to our very busy office schedule, we are limiting this offer to the first 10 c allers. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER ANOTHER MINUTE, CALL (480) 274 3157… WNOW!!eare extremely busy, so we are unavailable, please leave a voice message and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Aspen Medical 4540 E. Baseline Rd., Suite 119 Mesa, AZ, 85206 *(480) 274-3157* 480-274-3157 4540 E Baseline Rd., Suite 119 Mesa Az 85206

Aspen Medical in Mesa, AZ uses a state-of-the-art electric cell signaling systems worth $100,000.00. Th is ground-breaking treatment is engineered to achieve the following, accompanied by advanced diagnostics and a basic skin biopsy to accurately analyze results: 1. Increases blood flow 2. Stimulates and strengthens small fiber nerves 3. Improves brain-based pain The treatment works by delivering energy to the affected area(s) at varying wavelengths, from low- to middle-frequency signals, while also using Amplitude Modulated (AM) and Frequency Modulated (FM) signaling It’s completely painless!

As displayed in figure 1 above, the nerves are surrounded by diseased, withered blood vessels. A lack of sufficient nutrients means the nerves cannot survive, and thus, slowly die. This leads to those painful and frustrating consequences we were talking about earlier, like weakness, numbness, tingling, balance issues, and perhaps even a burning sensation. The drugs your doctor might prescribe will temporarily conceal the problems, putting a “Band-Aid” over a situation that will only continue to deteriorate without further Thankfully,action.

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The other six companies often lease the lines Cox and Century Link have put down. Those companies are Alluvian, Crown Cas tle, MCI (Verizon’s company), TCA (AT&T’s company), and Zayo. Salt River Project is the eighth. They installed some lines for their own use, but sometimes lease it to others, Aust said. Rogers said Wyyerd was started in Colo rado in 2017 and bought out a West Valley company, Zona Communications, in 2019. Rogers said the company isn’t trying to compete with the others. “We’re not a competitor; we’re an alter native,” Rogers said. “We’re not coming in see FIOS page 23

Averagespeeds: 25-140Mbps Cost: $50-$70permonth

Dennis Aust, Chandler’s telecom munications and public utility ser vice manager, said two things that seemed to contradict one another.

That means the eight companies offer ing fiber optic internet service to Chan dler residents have spent a lot of money to build the infrastructure to put fiber optic boxes in most neighborhoods. It will take a lot more money to get a line to every home in those neighborhoods. Fiber optics is an alternative to cable, DSL or satellite for internet service. It tends to be more reliable, offers faster speeds and costs more.

40 miles of higher-speed internet wiring coming soon to Chandler

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer

First, about 90% of the city’s residents live in an area that is wired for fiber optic service. Then, he said that only about 20% are eligible for that service.

“We want to do deep-dive research, find out where is there no fiber now,” said Jen nifer Rogers, the director of expansion for Wyyerd. “We’ll look at the areas that have the biggest broadband constraints. We start there. But, one of the most important steps is we ask residents. We have a survey that goes out that helps us pinpoint where we should build.” A copy of the survey is on the company’s website, wyyerd.com. Rogers said resi dents can also call, or email Wyyerd. Wyyerd Fiber is joining a crowded field offering fiber optic service to Chandler res idents. Cox Communications and Century Link Communications are the major play ers, Aust said. “The two incumbents don’t always over lap; you have one or the other,” he said. “They tend to work around each other.”

This chart shows the differences in speed among the most common types of internet service providers in Chandler. (Ken Sain/Staff Writer)

Chandler City Council took action on Aug. 18 to improve the fiber optic options for residents, approving an agreement with Wyyerd Fiber to install 40 miles of fiber optic lines in the city. Where they will put those lines is still be ing decided.

Averagespeeds: 250-2,000Mbps Cost: $65-$150permonth

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Averagespeeds: 25-500Mbps Cost: $50-$100permonth

“The 90% is fiber-to-node,” Aust said. “Only 15-to-20% have fiber-to-home.”

Averagespeeds: 10-25Mbps Cost: $45permonth

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“It’s a very physically demanding indus try,” said Thomas, pointing out printers need to move heavy loads of paper to load them on the press. “This has really changed theirThelives.”lawyer said that his clients have to be careful of the sun because they are now much more susceptible to skin cancers. As burn victims, their skin has less elasticity, making it harder to move around.

“All things considered, they’re doing the best that they can with the limitations that

Andrew and Dillon, who owned the shop, can never work as printers again, he said.

see RECOVERY page 24

16 THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022CITY NEWS BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer

“They’re all still receiving various de grees of therapy,” Ryan said. “They will never be able to reconstruct the Platinum Printing business again.” The three men and their families filed a lawsuit on April 14 against more than a dozen companies because of the explo sion and the impact it has had on their lives. Thomas Ryan said the two sides are scheduled to meet in November in hopes of reaching a settlement.

Top: The explosion destroyed a print shop and damaged other buildings, including part of Chandler’s Sunset Library. (File photo) Bottom: Crews are rebuilding the portion of a west Chandler strip mall that was severely damaged in a gas explosion a little more than a year ago. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

Recovery still underway from Chandler strip mall explosion

Ayear after a gas explosion shook west Chandler, there are signs that life is moving on. But for some, the blast at the Platinum Printing shop in Sun set Plaza was a life-altering event. “When you look at pictures of the blast, it’s amazing that anyone walked away from that,” said Thomas Ryan, a lawyer repre senting three of the four victims of the Aug. 26, 202, explosion. The Sunset Library reopened after being shut down for months to repair damage to its western wall and ceiling. Sunset Plaza’s owner has demolished the wreckage and started rebuilding that wing of the shop ping center. And the four victims are still dealing with the injuries they suffered that day.“The good news is they’re out of the burn trauma unit,” Ryan said of his three clients, brothers Andrew and Dillon Ryan and their friend Parker Milldebrandt. The lawyer said they spent between 10 days and a month in that unit.

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022 17

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In working with American Red Cross, the community has helped donate about 120,000 pints of blood across the country.

“We need to have these events to culti vate the understanding that, although we may seem divided, we have a lot more in common,” Salman said.

“I wasn't offended by those who did, but I felt like I just couldn't because I knew what happened,” Finlinson said. After retiring in 2005, Finlinson said she has dedicated her life to being a mom to her two teenagers, volunteering fulltime and some writing and photography on the Finlinsonside. said she knows people of Muslim faith who seek to actively help people and these blood drives help drive their reputation in a positive light.

Finlinson held back tears as she re called experiencing such “a sacred place” that held so much death and destruction and said she couldn’t bear herself to even take a photo.

Imam Ahmad Salman, who recently moved here from Puerto Rico, said the drive offers a great opportunity to show these faiths have more in common than different.

While attending a former roommate’s wedding in Washington, D.C., in Decem ber 2001, Finlinson said she drove up to New York City and witnessed the destruc tion at the site of the World Trade Center firsthand.

Finlinson said she was a teacher in Mesa in 2001 and remembers, like many others, waking up that Tuesday morning and watching the events unfold live on TV.

Organizers of the Interfaith 9/11Memorial Blood Drive include, from left, Shahzad Amjad, president of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Phoenix, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Chandler West Stake President Dan Shkapich, East Valley JCC CEO Rabbi Michael Beyo and Imam Ahmad Salman of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community of Phoenix. (David Minton/Srizonan Staff Photographer) see INTERFAITH page 21

Rabbi Michael Beyo, CEO of the East Valley Jewish Community Center, has lived in Arizona since 2015 and has been a rabbi for nearly 30 years. Beyo said this partnership with the LDS church, as well as other nonprofit and faith-based organizations, has taken place long before he arrived in Arizona and its part of the interfaith work they do regularly.Beyosaid he lived in Israel in Septem ber 2001 and remembers receiving a call from his father about the initial reports of a small plane crashing into the Twin Tow ers.Eventually, like many that day, he watched the second plane hit the second tower on TV and it personally shook him

Salman said although there’s a sign of hope all these years later, we still see “impatience and violence” that we must eradicate, and events such as this blood drive promulgate his community’s motto “love for all, hatred for none.”

amplified when people get together, be cause more people are helped when we do things together,” Finlinson said.

The same passage, he said, also states that if someone saves a life, it’s as if he’s saved all of humanity.

INTERFAITH from page 1

After 9/11, Salman said the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community was the first Muslim community ever to launch a Muslims For Life campaign.

“We welcome this opportunity to work together for a great cause, to raise aware ness, and at the same time save lives, re gardless of color and creed,” Salman said. Salman was born in Pakistan but at tended high school in Canada and said he remembers watching the terror attacks unfold on TV.

Salman said that although the events of 9/11 were committed in the name of Is lam, the true teachings of the religion and the Quran emphasize that if someone kills a person to cause disorder in the land, it’s as if he’s killed all of humanity.

“It doesn't matter what faith group or if they are people of faith if they're will ing to give up their blood to help save that person in a time of need,” Finlinson said.

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How EV residents can honor 9/11 victims

TRIBUNE NEWS STAFF Here are some of the opportunities to participate in a service project this week in honor of those who died in the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist at tacks. Most of the events are on Sept. 10, the National 9/11 Day of Service.

What: Queen Creek Chamber of Com merce description food drive through Sept. 12. Most needed items include cere als, oatmeal, peanut butter, soups, chili, stews, beans, canned fruits and vegeta bles, canned or dried milk, canned tuna or chicken, canned tomato products, rice and pasta. You can make a tax-deductible cash contribution using the QR code.

Information: Drop donations off at the Chamber office, 22246 S. Ellsworth Road or the Town Municipal Services and Rec Annex or call the Chamber of Commerce at (480) 888-1709.

What: Vitalant Arizona Blood Drive 8 a.m.-noon at Church of Jesus Christ of Lat ter-Day Saints Building, 1720 S. Ironwood Drive, Apache Junction. Call 877-2584825 to make an appointment and men tion Peralta Trail Stake or visit donors. vitalant.org and use code: P1X66. Information: Betty Thomas 772-2496610, bluewatern2@yahoo.com.

What: Mesa Public Library Make Cards for First Responders project, 5-7 p.m. Sept. 6 at the library, 64 E. 1st St., Mesa. Cards made at home can be dropped off through Sept. 7 at the first floor ser vice desk. Interested in delivering cards? Email a note with your interest and sub mit your cross streets.

What: House of Refuge grounds beautifi cation, 8-11 a.m., Sept. 10 at 6858 E. Ur sula Ave., Mesa. Information: Corrine Parsons 480-6988673 or corrine@houseofrefuge.org.

Information: Pat Nelson 559-280-2148 bcjustserve@gmail.com.

What: Gilbert Public Schools beautifica tions of grounds, 7 a.m.-noon, Sept. 10 at the following schools: Sonoma Ranch Elementary, 601 N. Key Biscayne Drive; Gilbert High, 1101 E. Elliot Road; Burk Elementary, 545 N. Burk St.; Patterson El ementary, 1211 E. Guadalupe Road; Mes quite Elementary, 1000 E. Mesquite St., Gilbert, AZ. Information: Lori Schuermann (480) 497-9343, lori.schuermann@gil bertschools.net.

What: The Church of Jesus Christ of Lat ter-Day Saints - Boulder Creek Stake Sept. 10 with flag ceremony at 8 a.m., followed by a food drive, craft kits assembly and two bounce houses for kids through 9:30 a.m. at Mariposa Park, 2345 South Hawes Road, Mesa.

What: Help the Resurrection Street Min istry clean up the lot behind its S.T.U.F.F. store at 1135 E. Main St. Mesa, which helps food banks. The ministry wants to put up individual huts for unsheltered people and to serve food twice a day. Event runs Sept. 10, 6-11 a.m.

Information: Valerie Young-Grimm, 405386-7799, valerieg1@gmail.com.

What: United Food Bank food bag as sembly, 9-11 a.m. Sept. 12, 358 E. Javalina Drive, Mesa. Closed-toed shoes required.

Information: Andrea Fisher (480) 3984470 Email: akfisher@unitedfoodbank. org. What: Usery Mountain Trail Mainte nance, 7-11 a.m. Sept. 8 at 3939 N. Usery Road, Mesa. Bring your own gloves, prop er clothing for outdoor work, closed-toed hiking shoes and water/snacks. Information: Jared Angstead, 602-5069541 or Bill Klewer, 602-506-9512, bill. klewer@maricopa.gov. What: Canyon State Academy varsity football team assistance. It means a lot to the athletes when volunteers sponsor the team by bringing snacks/treats/drinks

Information: Janice Dell 480- 644-4638, Janice.Dell@MesaAZ.gov.

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What: LDS Chandler South Stake Women of Light Interfaith Service Event 9 a.m.noon, Sun Valley Community Church's Gilbert campus, 5545 S. Lindsay Road, Gilbert. Women 8 and older from all faiths can join Sun Valley Community Church in Gilbert and the Chandler South Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Information: Lori Neff, 480-332-3258, justserve.css@gmail.com.

INTERFAITH from page 18

Chandler West Stake President Dan Shkapich has led the stake for nearly three years and said it’s a thrill to con tinue this partnership with the other two faith“It'sgroups.agreat blessing for us to come to gether in different faiths to have a com bined focus to help one another,” Shkapi chOnsaid.Sept. 11, 2001, Shkapich said he re members exercising in the fitness center of the hotel his family stayed at in Little ton, Colorado, because their home had to go undergo some work. Shkapich said watching the news that morning he recognized the “very somber” time that our worlds had changed. “Since that time, it's just been heart warming, inspiring and uplifting to see how, not just America, but how the world responds to terrorists,” Shkapich said. Through the years, America has changed but Shkapich said when we en dure challenges in our personal lives, and the country as a whole, hard times and difficult moments unite us. “We have to come together to be able to heal, and to persevere and ultimately to get stronger going forward,” Shkapi ch said. “So in an interesting way, these kinds of events really make us stronger, and unite us more than ever before.”

What: Mesa Fire and Medical Depart ment Fall Prevention Grab Bars Instal lation Day, 8:30 a.m.-noon, Sept. 22 at N. Center St., Mesa. Information: Brent Strickland, 480-6443388, brenton.strickland@mesaaz.gov.

“I think that everybody felt that this is an attack against democracy, against peace, against peace-loving people,” Beyo said.Beyo said he has a “strong belief” that most Americans want to keep the unity and hold values that won’t allow extrem ist of any kind to tear us apart, and events like this remain a positive sign that we can work together despite our differences. “I think that the message is a tool to be able to look past our differences, and to focus on what unites us,” Beyo said.



Beyo became a U.S. citizen about four years ago but said back then, it didn’t matter what nationality you identified with, especially considering that people from all walks of life died that day.

Along with donating blood when so much of it was lost on 9/11, Shkapich said he enjoys coming together with other faiths to continue this tradition. “When we have a common goal of lov ing one another, serving one another, helping one another. It unites us even though we may have different beliefs in religion,” Shkapich said. 

What: LDS Mesa Alma Stake clothing drive at St. Matthew United Methodist Church, 2540 W. Baseline Road, Mesa, to fill a 20-foot Deseret Industries Container, 7-11 a.m. Sept. 10. Drive-thru donation drop off of gently-used clothing to sup port Paz de Cristo, Native American Fa thers & Families Association, and others in need. Information: Chandra Hansen, 480-3297350, chandra.hansen@gmail.com; Marni Fuhriman, 480-580-4807, marni411@ gmail.com.

to his core, considering he stood inside the towers exactly one week before that day.“If I would have been there just a week later or the terrorist who would have de cided to do this a week earlier, I'm might not be here,” Beyo said.

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Steve and Patti Luttrell and their daughter Jenny started the Children’s Cancer Network after their son and brother Jeff battled leukemia since he was 5. He continued to deal with cancer until he was 25, but is now free from the disease.During his journey Jenny decided to do a fashion show, auction and luncheon for families undergoing bone marrow transplants. As they were preparing for the show, a young girl in the next room to her brother’s died. Her family did not have the gas money to get home.

“Even though the fiber is in, it’s an older technology,” she said. “What we’re bring ing in is the latest and greatest. We’ll be able to offer up to 2 gigs of up and down speed.”That’s 2 gigabytes of both download and upload speed. That’s a huge improvement over the marketplace standard of 100 megabytes for download and 20 mega bytes for uploads. Rogers said that’s just a start. She said the lines they plan to build in Chandler should be able to handle up to 10 giga bytes up and down without needing to be replaced, when the technology reaches that“Mostpoint.people don’t need that kind of speed now, but we’re looking to the future and people are only going to rely on the in ternet more,” she said.

hildren who are battling cancer spend a lot of time in bed, proba bly too much. The National Cancer Institute has started encouraging those young cancer patients to get out of their beds and to move. One Chandler nonprofit is ready to help make that happen. The Children’s Cancer Network (CCN) has converted its warehouse into a Let’s Move Center, where kids battling the disease can play basketball, air hockey, foosball, or do dance and yoga. And the benefits are obvious. “Getting them to move and so, [helps build] stronger bones, stronger muscles, better flexibility, better immune system, and they sleep better,” said Patti Lut trell, co-founder and executive director ofNotCCN.to mention, they’re having a lot of fun.“That’s the main one,”said CCN pro gram specialist Ben Gokee said. He’s a program specialist with CCN. “We real ized that our goal is to improve physi cal, mental, and social health. It's crazy how you can hit all three. It's something we've learned. We didn't even know we could do that.”

Children’s Cancer Network helps sup ports families who are dealing with childhood cancer. The Fiesta Bowl gave CCN a $50,000 grant to build the Let’s Move“TheCenter.most common cancer [for chil dren is] leukemia,” Patti Luttrell said. “Three years of treatment, it's a long time to be not feeling good, curled up sleeping in bed, playing video games, just really not moving at all. Nothing good comes from that for any of us, let alone if you're battling cancer. So the National Cancer Institute started to say, ‘Look, we got to really focus on physical activity.’” Luttrell rented five large storage con tainers that were in the parking lot of their building at Chandler Boulevard and Kyrene Road. CCN did a soft launch of the Let’s Move Center in May and have been fine-tuning it ever since.

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022 23CITY NEWS BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer C

The mom had tried, she called businesses saying, ‘Can we come in before you open? Or after you close? Or can I come in and hyper clean one lane? And they said no.” Then she asked if they could do some thing in the Let’s Move Center, just her family. Luttrell said yes. “My kids beg to come,” said Ashley Houlik, mother of 7-year-old cancer pa tient Kenslye. “I mean, beg to come. They love to play, get their energy out for one, and also to connect with people who have been in similar journeys.” Ashley and her husband, Joe, said one benefit of the Let’s Move Center is how much it has helped their daughter’s five siblings.“Kenslye has had so much support in her cancer journey,” Ashley said. “I think her siblings are the ones that have strug gled the most. And it's amazing that the Cancer Network allows them to have those opportunities to connect with oth er kids.” But there are benefits for the patient as“Beingwell. able to move has been the big gest struggle for her,” Ashley said. “When she was admitted she was in isolation for, gosh, almost two months. She didn’t move at all. And then she was so sick with cancer that she didn't want to. So it’s been really fun to let her be herself.”

Nonprofit gives child cancer victims a place to move

 FIOS from page 14

Gathered for a break at the Children’s Cancer Network in Chandler, from left: Kenslye Houlik (7), Joe Houlik, Everly Houlik (5), Kambryee Houlik (9), Kelannie Houlik (7), Ashley Houlik, Bentley Houlik (11), Ben Gokee and Brayleigh Houlik (10). (David Minton/Staff Photographer) to take anybody out.” Rogers said the lines Wyyerd will be put ting down in Chandler are better than the existing ones.

One need the new playroom has helped fill involves patients with immune issues who need some place to have fun. Now they have somewhere they can go. “We had received a call from a mom, who has a 6-year-old and a 12-year-old and it was the 12-year-old’s birthday and he was in cancer treatment. The 6-year-old wanted desperately to take him to play video games together. It just wasn't possible.

Wyyerd’s plan to join the Chandler mar ket has already had a positive impact for consumers.“We’reseeing that already,” Aust said. “Cox just upgraded their speeds to up to 150 megs, free of charge.” With a new competitor getting ready to offer service, it’s unclear if the others will speed up plans to get those fiber optic lines from the nodes to homes a little sooner.

Information: 602-717-9139, Children scancernetwork.org 

24 THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022CITY NEWS BY ZACH ALVIRA Tribune Sports Editor T he Arizona Interscholastic Associ ation Executive Board voted Aug. 31 to reduce the penalty against the Hamilton football program for a re cruiting violation from probation to a warning for its athletic department. The vote was unanimous among board members. Jennifer Burks, the athletic di rector at Perry High School, recused her self from the vote. With the change, Hamilton’s football program is now eligible for the postsea son.“The executive board felt the school and the school district had taken further corrective action that warranted the re moval from the probationary status with the football program and placing the ath letic program on warning,” board Presi dent Dr. Jim Dean said. “The AIA’s bylaws are related to schools and school violations,” he said. “We never want to be in a situation where we are punishing students and punishing student-athletes. And so, we appreciate the reflection that was done by the Chandler school district, appreci ate Superintendent Frank Narducci and his direct involvement in their reflection and further corrective action as they moveHamiltonforward.”head coach Mike Zdebski, Athletic Director Brett Palmer and Chan dler Unified School District Athletic Director Shawn Rustad presented ad ditional corrective action to the board during its appeal hearing. Dean and AIA Executive Director David Hines said they could not go into detail about the additional corrective action as it was closed to the public. However, the board felt it warranted reconsideration, which led to the entire athletic program being given a warning and the probation on the football pro gram rescinded. “I can’t discuss personnel issues,” Hines said. “The letter of correction they submitted this time was more extensive than the first time. The board, after re viewing that and asking questions, came to the decision they did. “The warning placed on the athletic program … makes sure we do the things we are supposed to do. Yet, the kids are not being punished for the actions of a coach.”Hamilton was placed on probation during the Executive Board’s first meet ing of the school year on Aug. 15. The decision stemmed from direct messages sent from then-defensive coor dinator Tim Dougherty to a player at Ce sar Chavez High School following a sum mer 7-on-7 and big man competition. Hamilton self-reported the violation to the AIA, which included suspending Dougherty for the first three games of the season. In addition, Hamilton and Chandler Unified School District admin istration held training courses for all fall sports coaches on AIA bylaw 15.12, which is the recruitment rule. Despite the corrective action, the Ham ilton football program was on probation, creating a widespread outcry for more action by Doughertyparents.retained Marcus “Rocky” Finefrock as his attorney to fight against action taken against him, including the suspension.Dougherty remained with the Hamil ton program up until Aug. 24, when a let ter from CUSD to parents announced de fensive line coach Parker Barrett would take over duties normally performed by a defensive coordinator. CUSD officials declined comment. Finefrock, however, said Dougherty was placed on paid administrative leave and would not coach. He remains at the school as a teacher. “There will be no postseason suspen sion,” Finefrock wrote in the email on Aug. 24. “Due to public sentiment, CUSD, in their infinite wisdom, will be offering the AIA a sacrificial lamb - arguably the #1 defensive coordinator in Arizona in turn for a shot at the playoffs.” Eric O’Connor, the lawyer retained by parents in the Hamilton program, said in an email on Aug. 28 a letter was sent to CUSD officials asking for more action in hopes of saving players from having to miss the postseason. While the contents of the letter remain undisclosed, O’Connor said in a state ment, “The parents fought hard.” “It appeared as if Hamilton and the dis trict were conducting a thorough investi gation before taking the further correc tive action,” it said. “Once they confirmed the evidence they needed in order to act, they took immediate action. I believe the coaches retaining of zealous legal counsel slowed things down a bit as the school had to be diligent with the Coach's due process rights to avoid a lawsuit from the coach."

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The fourth victim was Glenn Jordan, who worked in an eyeglass repair shop near the printers. A message to the sponsor of his GoFundMe page asking how he was doing was not returned. Nick Dedona, a senior association with Phoenix Commercial Associates, said they began clearing debris at the site in Febru ary. He works for the company that is leas ing space at Sunset Plaza. Construction is currently underway while Dedona looks for new tenants.

“We do not want to put students and student-athletes in a position where they’re punished for the actions of adults and adult behavior,” Dean said. “That be ing said, the AIA bylaws are very specific on how schools are handled. We are hap py to see a different outcome today than we had a couple of weeks ago.” 

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He said they are creating vanilla shells, as opposed to gray shells. In construction, that means instead of a complete blank slate that a new tenant can do whatever they want with, it will have some basic functions, such as bathrooms, built in. That should lower the start-up cost for a new business.Thedebris sat untouched for months af ter the blast. Dedona said that was because they had to wait until the investigation was complete, and then the insurance company did its own investigation.

1 time • weekly bi-weekly • monthly Ask about Windows & Sanitization Services they have,” Thomas said. “They are blessed to have their spouses to help them get through this.”

“It’s about 10,100 square feet of space available,” Dedona said. “The gas line has been completely replaced. It was shut off for months after the blast.”

 RECOVERY from

The board’s decision to reverse course was met with praise on social media. Many felt the players shouldn’t have been punished for the actions of a coach in the first place. However, Dean said it is the board’s job to uphold the AIA by laws and with that, attempt to limit the impact on kids as much as possible.

An investigation found a leak from a Driscopipe 8000 was to blame for the ex plosion. That pipe has had other problems, and has been scheduled to be replaced. However, Southwest Gas officials reported an accounting error kept it from being re placed in this case because it was misiden tified. Thomas Ryan said he’s hopeful they’ll be able to reach a settlement with the 13 companies they are suing when they meet in“TheNovember.other side has admitted that it was the natural gas that caused the explosion,” he said. “I remain hopeful that we can come to an accommodation and get this done.” page 16

AIA rescinds Hamilton football’s probation

see PERFORMANCE page 26

The pandemic continues to impact student performance and proficien cy in basic subjects in Tempe Union high schools, including the two in Ahwatu kee, and district officials say they may need a three-year recovery plan.

“Sometimes this keeps me up at night,” Hilgers said. “So really, this school year, we have to focus on learning. We have to do this.”The performance data came from ACT tests administered in 2021-22 to students who are now seniors.

The ACT test is a curriculum-based edu cation and career planning tool for students that assesses their mastery of college-read iness standards. Superintendent Dr. Kevin Mendivil noted, “Student performance means the creditgathering trajectory needs of our students so we can graduate our students on time because that’s one of the biggest responsi bilities that we have.”

Pandemic still crushes TU student performance

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The results – which mirror performance results from the same test in most other Arizona school districts – also showed dis parities in the overall scores between Des ert Vista and Mountain Pointe high schools, the district’s two largest campuses.

COVID-19 and safety protocols have been especially harsh on the academic perfor mance of students who are either Native American, Hispanic, African American, Eng lish learners or have disabilities. Moreover, dropout rates have increased at all six Tempe Union high schools to vary ing degrees in the last two school years while graduation rates slipped slightly but still remain above the statewide average of 75%.That data, mainly results from the Ameri can College Test administered to last school year’s juniors, were presented to the Tempe Union Governing Board last week, causing some members alarm and frustration.

This chart shows proficiency levels in Math at Tempe Union’s six high schools. Overall, only Desert Vista and Corona del Sol had more students proficient than non-proficient in Math in last school year’s American College Test, which is administered to juniors. (Tempe Union)

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022 25CITY NEWS

“Minority kids are suffering hard,” Hodge said. “So what are we going to do outside of that box to find other ways that may be working for other areas and other states?

“I’m emotional because how bad it looks to me right now,” she continued. “So I just want to know what can we do to look out side that box because apparently whatever we’re doing is just not working for that (group of) kids and it’s breaking my heart.”

Kimberly Hilgers, assistant superinten dent for teaching and learning, agreed, stat ing she looked at what every other school district in Arizona is doing, as well as those in higher-performing states.

We’ve got to go beyond just Arizona and find out what we can do because minority kids are suffering.”

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• Failure to achieve basic proficiency in English and Math was exceptionally high – more than 75% – among Native Ameri cans and almost as high among Hispanic students.Otherdata showed:

This chart breaks down proficiency levels among last year’s junior classes at Tempe Union high schools in English Language Arts, according to ACT test results. As with Math, only Co rona and Desert Vista had more students who were proficient than non-proficient. (Tempe Union) The data showed:

• In English Language Arts, 48% of stu dents district-wide were proficient or high ly proficient compared to 52% who were no more than minimally proficient. At the two Ahwatukee high schools, those results broke down to 67.4% proficient or highly proficient and 32.7% minimally or partial ly proficient at Desert Vista. At Mountain Pointe, 37.8% were proficient or highly proficient compared to 62.2% who failed to show proficiency in English.

• As with statewide averages, Tempe Union’s dropout rate district-wide was higher in each of the last two school years than in the previous three, though still low er than the state average. Hilgers said that number, however, also includes an increase in the “mobility rate” among students state wide, meaning they simply could have gone to another district to finish their high school education. However, she said, “Student mo bility represents a disruption in learning.”

• Desert Vista showed a slight increase in the dropout rate in 2021-22 – but lower than all other Tempe Union schools except Corona del Sol – while Mountain Pointe’s dropout rate in the last school year was nearly double that in 2020-21.

• Graduation rates across all Tempe Union campuses dropped to varying degrees. Dis trict-wide, Tempe Union’s 85% graduation rate this year, while higher than the state’s 75% graduation rate, was the lowest the district has seen in three years.

• Desert Vista’s graduation rate dipped from 95% in 2020-21 to 94% this year but was still the highest in Tempe Union, along with Corona. Mountain Pointe’s gradua tion rate fell below 90% for the first time in three years to 87%.

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• Across the district, 18.7% of students are highly proficient and 22.6% proficient in math while 31.8% were minimally pro ficient. At Desert Vista, 62.3% were either proficient or highly proficient in math while only 31% were proficient or highly profi cient at Mountain Pointe compared to 69% who were partially or minimally proficient.

“The pandemic has impacted growth, it’s impacted proficiency as well as enrollment and mobility across the state of Arizona,” Hilgers told the board. “It’s written that the effect of the pan demic on learning is similar to that of a sus tained headwind,” she continued. “And that is because it’s slowing the rate at which kids progress, but it’s also because it’s a slower rate. It’s also limiting the progress that kids can ultimately make in school.”

“We’ve tried to meet these educational needs for our student,” Hilgers added. “We have illness, loss and economic hardship that the pandemic is inflicting, in addition 25

PERFORMANCE from page

• District-wide, proficiency levels were abysmal among almost all minority groups. Close to 90% of all English learners are not proficient in math or English and even high er percentages of students with disabilities failed to show proficiency in those subjects.

see PERFORMANCE page 27

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Graduation rates dipped in last school year from 2020-21, but were still higher at all six Tempe Union high schools than the state average. (Tempe Union)

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Dropout rates in the last two school years soared at four Tempe Union high schools, and were slightly higher in the last two year at Corona and Desert Vista. (Tempe Union)

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The Helios Foundation study found that “students in the early grades were experi encing larger academic impacts than those in the older grades,” she said. “The student achievement in both ELA and Math has been impacted but the impact on Math has been greater. “

Hilgers also noted that similar findings across the state were disclosed by the He lios Education Foundation, an education think tank in Arizona and Florida.

PERFORMANCE

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Hilgers said the district will use the data “to really fully understand the impact of the pandemic on students, teachers, families and schools and we want to use this infor mation to guide our decision making.” She also said, “What we would like to do is create a multi- year recovery plan to respond to the disruptive learning that oc curred over the last two years.” But board President Brian Garcia re mained frustrated after Hilgers’ presen tation, noting “throwing money does not mean it’s going to get better and stating: “This is not just for us. It’s a state and na tional trend. But I’m quite frankly sick and tired of all of our students not getting to where they need to be prepared.” But Hilgers said she believed that “a laser-like focus on student achievement” like the one she and other district officials used a few years ago to bring up student performance at McClintock High can work district-wide.“Notevery teacher liked it. Not every student liked it. But we did it,” she said of McClintock. “And we enlisted the support of students. We’ve got to get back. We’ve got to reset. We’ve got to get back to what we did or we’re going to continue down this road for years. And that impacts our com munity.”  from page 26

Martinson had claimed he found him in the bathtub, though he never said the boy had drowned.

Thousands of pages of court records bear witness to a vigorous fight by Mar tinson’s various lawyers to limit or ex clude the testimony of numerous inves tigators and medical professionals who have been involved in the case at one time or another, mostly around the time of his arrest.

Joshua had been the focus of a bitter custody battle between Martinson and his ex-wife that was so bitter that she went to court with the help of Scottsdalebased Arizona Voice for Crime Victims to bar him from visiting the youngster’s grave. A judge instead limited the times he could go to the cemetery.

28 THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022CITY NEWS BY PAUL MARYNIAK Arizonan Executive Editor O

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The battle largely involved the cause of Joshua’s death and what Martinson told police.Defense lawyers have been waging a fight over what the toxicologist and the medical examiner could be allowed to testify to – or even if they should be al lowed on the witness stand at all.

Dr. John Hu, who performed the au topsy, ruled the death a homicide and that it was caused by acute carisoprodol toxicity.While a detective said the bathtub was dry, defense lawyers pointed out that photos taken the night of the boy’s dis covery showed the bathroom rug was sopping wet The judge noted that Hu had said “a conclusion of drowning was not support ed by the carisoprodol levels present.” The drug is also known by the brand name Soma, and witnesses testified an empty bottle of Soma with a child-proof cap was on the top shelf of a medicine cabinet.Under cross examination, Hu conceded his findings could be consistent with other causes and that tests were never conducted to rule out some of them. Defense lawyers also tried to prevent or limit Hu’s testimony about a small abrasion inside the boy’s lip, which he intimated could have been caused by an

n the morning of Aug. 16, Jeffrey R. Martinson became a free man. His ankle bracelet was removed and he could legally turn his back forever on the 2004 death of his 5-year-old son, Joshua Eberle Martinson, in a bunk bed in his Martinson’s Ahwatukee home. The boy normally lived with his mom in Chandler. Convicted of first-degree murder in 2011, freed two years later when Mari copa County Judge Sandy Duncan tossed out the case, then arrested again in 2016 when the Arizona Court of Appeals over turned Duncan’s ruling, Martinson was convicted by a jury June 29 of the two least serious charges after a trial that lasted more than three months. His 18-year court battle cost taxpayers at least $5.4 million in fees to court-ap pointed lawyers. For his conviction on two felony counts of negligent homicide and child abuse, he was ordered to pay $44 in various fees, including $9 to the Victim Rights/ Compensation Fund, and serve two-anda-half years in prison. Credited against that prison term were the 4,207 days – about 11-and-ahalf years – he stayed behind bars until he was granted bail in October 2020. For four years he was free while former County Attorney Bill Montgomery, now an Arizona Supreme Court justice, fought to have Duncan’s action overturned on appeal.Thelong criminal case against Mar tinson began on Sunday, Aug. 29. 2004, when he had missed an appointment to return the youngster to his mother un der terms of a custody arrangement. Police arrived at his home to retrieve the boy and instead found Joshua’s life less body in one bedroom and a semiconscious Martinson in another with a garbage bag over his head and cuts on hisAfterwrist.a four-hour grilling by Phoenix detectives, he was charged with inten tionally killing the youngster, who had just turned 5 five weeks earlier.

effort to force the drug into his mouth.

Under cross examination at Martinson’s trial, Hu also testified it could have been caused by an attempt to resuscitate him. The judge also rejected efforts to block all testimony about marks on the boy’s neck, saying they could legitimately be viewed as showing “that the child was ‘manipulated’ by the defendant as op posed to remaining in a stationary posi tion in the bedroom.”

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022 29CITY NEWS

Throughout the years, the words ‘long and tortuous litigation” were used sev eral times by lawyers and judges in Mar tinson’s case. Some of that litigation produced stun ning revelations along the way.

While a grief counselor-psychologist called by the defense said that during his interrogation, Martinson “could have been experiencing disassociation,” the prosecution successfully fought to limit her testimony and prevent her from tell ing the jury he was grieving.

Testimony introduced in his trial this spring showed that Martinson during his interrogation was asked about the Sun day of Joshua’s death and he replied, “I don’t remember Sunday at all.”

In a post-trial memo to the court, Dep uty County Attorney Joseph Hinrichsen said Martinson “should have done every thing possible to ensure the victim grew up, got an education, was successful in moving forward past school to the work ing world and lived a fulfilling life.

Another juror testified he felt pres sured to find Martinson guilty of the most serious kind of child abuse – which would have led to a death penalty hear ing.Two years after Duncan’s ruling was reversed on appeal in 2016, the defense swung into high gear to prevent the case from coming to trial a second time.

Jeffrey R. Martinson is shown during his 2011 trial on charges he killed his son Joshua Eberle Martinson, by giving him an overdose of a muscle relaxer in Martinson’s Ahwatukee home in 2004. Joshua’s photo was taken a day or two before he died. (file photo) see MARTINSON page 30

Duncan threw out Martinson’s original conviction after it was shown that a ju ror hid facts that could have disqualified her. She then bullied her way into being elected the panel’s foreperson. Other jurors testified that during de liberations, the same juror repeatedly bullied them, denigrated the defendant and defense lawyers, and even rewrote a question one juror wanted the judge to answer.

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“Why should he be allowed to walk free and not be fully punished when (his ex-wife), my daughter and I, plus all fam ily and friends of Josh have suffered for years for this heinous crime.”

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30 THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022CITY NEWS

An 18-year-old woman wrote how Joshua was her friend when she was growing up with him and how the Mar tinson case “has shaped my view on our criminal justice system and the corrup tion that exists in the world today.”

public dis

In one of their final acts on behalf of their client, Martinson’s lawyers asked that all those letters and a lengthy presentence report be sealed, claiming they contained “precluded, unproven and belous allegations against Mr. Martinson that are not appropriate for closure.”Thejudge denied the request

“Josh’s murder impacted me more than I have ever shared before, both then, as a child, and now, as an adult 18 years later. The lingering question is ‘why?’ It is a question that remains without an an swer. The defendant made a choice that night that hurt so many people. It took away my friend, a boy who had a future.”

Joshua’s teacher wrote about the dif ference she saw between his father and mother during separate consultations. “The contrast between what the par ents were interested in regarding Josh were quite alarming,” she wrote. “Mom’s interests were developmental, gains, re lationships, behavior and support and what she could do at home to support Josh’s learning experience. “Dad’s conferences had a different feel. He was quite concerned about the lies he was sure Josh and mom might be saying about him. He would justify Josh’s behav ior, blame mom and often talked down to me about my job.” Still another woman wrote how Josh ua’s mother holds a birthday celebration for Joshua at a Diamondbacks game and annually wishes the youngster Happy Easter and Merry Christmas on social media.“She still remembers everything about Josh, though years have passed,” she wrote. “She remembers what he liked, his favorite colors and unfortunately ev erything about the last time she saw him. It is so unfair that she lives with those memories.”

“He should have been through the mo ments of happiness and joy and comfort ed him when times were tough. That’s part and parcel of what a father is. But that was certainly not what this case has showed, despite the defense’s many at tempts to paint the defendant as the most loving parent the victim could ever have. The defendant through his actions caused the death of the victim. Even neg ligently, that is not the action of a loving parentPrior.” to his sentencing, six friends of Joshua’s mother wrote the court, urg ing a harsh sentence that the judge by law could not impose because the time Martinson had been behind bars already exceeded the maximum penalty carried by the charges he was convicted on. One recalled in detail the little boy who died.“Josh was the sweetest little boy a per son could ever meet…His smiled was in fectious and his laughter contagious. He also had a love for Jesus that was instilled in him through his mom,” one woman wrote, recalling how her then-7-year-old daughter was devastated by the death of a boy she frequently played with.”

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022 31 PHX EAST VALLEY PARTNERSHIP APS STATESPERSONS’ LUNCHEON Keynote Speaker Ron Brownstein: All About the Midterms: A Look at Arizona’s Political Landscape 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 14 Doubletree by Hilton Phoenix-Mesa • (1011 W. Holmes, Mesa) Register today. Tables of 8: $1,000/Individual Tickets: $125 480.532.0641 or jhubbard@phxeastvalley.com A Zoom option may be available. PRESENTED BY: The Midterms are approaching and Arizona is a state to watch. At this event, you’ll get unfiltered and nonpartisan insights on the state of politics in Arizona from Ron Brownstein, senior editor of The Atlantic, contributing editor for National Journal and a senior political analyst for CNN. Part journalist, part historian, and all shrewd political observer, Brownstein will de liver sharp analysis on politics, policy, the electorate, media and the range of issues informed by his strong sense of American political and national history. Following the keynote address, you’ll hear from candidates in key races share their plans for building on Arizona’s economic momentum while addressing our communities’ most pressing issues.

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Dr. Paula McCall started the Semicolon Society in June to address the growing teen mental health crisis the nation is facing. It became an official nonprofit in early August. The Arizona Department of Health reported that 219 people24 and younger took their lives in 2019, the most recent data posted.

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer

She noted data indicating a consid erable drop in suicides was recorded in the early days of the COVID-19 pan demic.“That’s an interesting thing to consid er because there’s lots of pieces there,” she said. “There wasn’t the stress of inperson school, but there was the stress of online school and trying to figure that out. If you think about it from a family system perspective, you had families that were in general, not across the board, but there were many families that ended up much closer, proxim ity wise with each other, being around each other, just connecting in a physical sense more often.

McCall wants CUSD and other school districts to work more with local non profits, saying they cannot address the problem alone. She said some of the nonprofits have expertise that can help, say in addressing suicides by LGBTQ+ students, or African American males, which are both higher than other seg ments.Theone thing she said parents and school districts need to do is to talk about suicides. “I think there’s still a fear there… that if we talk about it too much it spreads too much,” she said. “And we have to keep it contained on this campus. But the thing is that our kids talk. When I talked to my own son, he’s 15. I asked him about … ‘what do you think about this idea that if I talk to you about suicide, you know, that you’re gonna think about attempting suicide?’

The Department of Health said there were 1,540 suicides in Arizona in 2019, and nearly 46,000 Americans killed themselves in 2020 according to the Centers for Disease Control and Preven tion.“Istarted working in the school dis tricts on things like suicide, risk assess ments and prevention,” said McCall, a li censed psychologist. “And then I shifted that as I moved into my private practice, I started shifting into wanting to reach out to the community. I live in Chandler, my practice is in Chandler, my kids go to school in Chandler, so Chandler is my home.”McCall said the rise in teen suicides began in 2007, but the reasons behind it are not easy to pinpoint. Certainly the rise of social media plays a role, but she points out most young people have lived with social media all their lives, and they don’t know a world without it.

Information: semicolonsociety.org

Chandler psychologist Dr. Paula McCall is the founder of The Semicolon Society, a nonprofit to help offer mental health education and suicide prevention, (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

“So a lot of experience of parents and kids being around each other more and not in a rushed way. It was ‘we’re home, we can’t really can’t go anywhere. We’re here.’”Alot of what the Semicolon Society is doing is parental education, helping moms and dads know the signs of sui cidal thoughts. McCall said in her ideal world, children are growing up learning about suicides, LGBTQ+, sex and other issues that are uncomfortable for some parents.“Thething is, as parents, we don’t have to go into these conversations and give a narrative and give a research pa per and give you all the answers to all the world,” McCall said. “We can say, ‘Hey, I realized that some one died by suicide in your school this week, and I wanted to talk to you about that. And, I want to know if you’ve ever had thoughts about suicide, and I want to know your feelings about what’s go ing on.’ We need to listen to our kids.”

Psychologist’s nonprofit addresses teen suicide

He’s like, ‘I already know about suicide, like it’s out there. You’re talking about it, don’t give yourself that much credit.’”

A period represents the end of a sentence, a paragraph or perhaps a book. A semicolon, however, means there is more to come. It has be come a symbol for suicide awareness.

Teen suicide has become a top issue in the city and region after three Chandler Unified School District students ended their lives in a 12-day span last May. An other CUSD student took her life about two weeks into this school year.



Younger Americans are getting semi colon tattoos if they know someone who has considered suicide and for whatev er reason is moving forward. They have not reached their end yet.

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022 33COMMUNITY

Bever runs The Arizona Breastfeed ing Center, a clinical lactation practice of International Board Certified Lacta tion Consultants that serve families for infant feeding support as well as train future lactation consultants.

Seamans attended a fourth trimester conference that provided her with a life line.“The conference completely changed the way I feel about motherhood. Of course, it didn’t fix all of my new-mom struggles, but it helped me to realize that I wasn’t the only one who found the fourth-trimester stage extremely diffi cult,” she said. “Not only did I learn what the fourth trimester even was, but I also learned that there were resources out there to help during this time,” she added. She vowed to do better with her next baby, and she did. “I found myself a little angry and pas sionate about the way Americans view the fourth trimester period. When I found myself pregnant with my second baby, I referenced the resources and connected with the community that I was introduced to at the 4th Trimester conference,” she said. Her goal was to utilize any and all re sources to help ease the weight of the fourth trimester so she could heal, rest, bond and focus on her baby. “I connected with the lactation spe cialists who again noticed that my sec ond baby had a tongue tie as well. I hired a postpartum doula, had postpartum cranial sacral therapy for myself and my baby, a postpartum massage, and nour ished myself with the foods and drinks that I learned help a postpartum body,” sheHsaid.ersecond son was a preemie. “I also utilized services that I learned about to help me track his milestones. I met with someone on a monthly basis who moni tored my son’s growth,” she added.

“The families I work with at the Ari zona Breastfeeding Center were and continue to be my inspiration and moti vation as we work towards changing the culture of parenting so no one has to do it alone, and all families are embraced by their communities in their transition to parenting,” Bever said.

34 THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022COMMUNITY

Traditionally, OBGYN is focused on physical healing, Bever said.

“During this time, infants require 24/7 care, including feeding every few hours, and near constant holding,” Bever said. “This first three months is also the time that the new parent is healing from pregnancy and birth, learning how to be a 24/7 caregiver, how to feed baby, and dealing with the financial and relation ship implications of now being a parent.” For most parents, the fourth trimester lasts much longer than three months, Bever said, and at 4th Trimester Ari zona, the focus is on the parent’s men tal, emotional and physical health in the first five years after a baby is born.

BY SRIANTHI PERERA Arizonan Contributor S oon after the birth of her first son, Chandler mom Jennie Bever found herself struggling in the day-today.She suffered from mastitis, a painful infection of the breast tissue, her em ployer expected her to work while she took six weeks of short-term disability and she became sleep-deprived.

4th Trimester Arizona operates with five staffers and a host of volunteers, especially during events. It’s funded by grants, sponsorships and individual do nations. A tech-support person and a full-time coordinator are on its wish-list.

“We have experienced a lot of growth in the past two years, and our biggest challenge is having the funding and re sources to meet the needs of parents and those who support them,” Bever said.

Now the mother of three sons, ages 16, 10 and 7, she runs 4th Trimester Ari zona, a nonprofit organization created to bring awareness to this phase of life, to create community for new mothers and to change the culture of new parent hood.Bever holds a doctorate in biology from the University of California at San Diego and is also a lactation specialist. She owns the Arizona Breastfeeding Center in Tempe, which she established inThe2010.fourth trimester comprises the first three months after a baby is born.

“My body changed, my focus changed, all my relationships changed overnight after having a baby, and there really was no system set up to support me beyond my partner and my mom,” said Bever.

Jennie Bever runs 4th Trimester AZ, a nonprofit that helps mothers cope after birthing a baby. (Courtesy of Jennie Bever)

“However, there are many more prob lems new mothers face, including post partum mood and anxiety disorders, that are not adequately addressed in the postpartum period. “More than 50 percent of maternal deaths happen after a baby is born,” she added.Created on the theme that “it takes a village to raise a child,” 4th Trimes ter Arizona offers monthly villages, or meetings, specialized for each area of the Valley and in Tucson. The East Val ley Village meets from 10-11:30 a.m. the third Thursday of the month on Zoom and Facebook Live; the topic for Septem ber is “Postpartum Hacks: Infant Feed ing Challenges.”

The Central Village meets 10-11:30 a.m. in person on the second Wednesday of the month at the i.d.e.a. Museum, 150 W. Pepper Place, Mesa.

Bever found first hand that very little is focused on postpartum care for new mothers.Sodid Gilbert mom Jillian Seamans, who felt like she was sent off home from the hospital with nothing but some pa perwork, Vicodin and a baby. “As a new mom, I was surprised at how little support and guidance I received from my doctors and at the hospital after having a baby,” she said. “I had an emergency c-section, so not only was I recovering from the most intense and invasive surgery of my life, but I was also trying to figure out breastfeeding and how to take care of a baby.”

Chandler mom’s nonprofit helps new mothers

The organization also offers annual conferences. A free online summit called the 4th Trimester Ecosystem Summit for those who support parents is planned for Sept. Conferences27-28.are attended by 200 to 400 people each year, and the villages serve about 60 new parents each month, while hundreds watch the videos that are posted on social media.

Details: 4thtrimesteraz.org 

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022 35 Services offered • Beyond Primary Care • Same Day Visits • Seamless integrated services • Maternal Care • OB/GYN • Onsite Lab & ultrasound 480-307-3477 655 S. Dobson Road, Suite 201, Chandler, AZ sunlifehealth.org Now in our 38th year! ARIZONA’S LONGEST-RUNNING EXPO IS HERE! Healthcare | Retirement Living | Financial Leisure | Home Repair | Education Casinos | Tour & Travel and More... (480) 898-6500 • (480) www.seniorexpos.com959-1566 Lots of PrizesandEveryINCLUDINGGiveawaysa$100CASHDRAWINGHour! Entertainment by MS. SENIOR ARIZONA FREE PARKING! FREE ENTRY! Wednesday, November 2nd 8am - 12pm Mesa Convention Center 201 N. Center Street, Mesa, AZ 85201 Title Sponsor Entertainment Sponsor Bag Sponsor

Zia Records is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. at 1302 S. Gilbert Road, Mesa. and 3201 S. Mill Avenue, Tempe Informa tion: Ziarecords.com 

In addition to offering deals on mer chandise all weekend long, Zia Records will also accept direct donations for the Arizona Humane Society and Papenhau sen teased that fans could also have the opportunity to get their hands on a new exclusive vinyl as early as Saturday. She also teased that two exclusive vi nyl records will be announced for preorders that week.

No matter which day customers choose to visit, Papenhausen is most excited to see smiles on customers’ faces and rel ishes another opportunity to give back to Zia’s loyal customers.

Zia Records plays on with 2nd annual sale

Mary Papenhausen of Zia Records with a rack of exclusives as she prepares for Zia Dayz next weekend. (David Minton/Arizonan Staff Photographer)

36 THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022BUSINESS

BY ALEX GALLAGHER Arizonan Staff Writer B ack by popular demand, Zia Re cords has brought back its Zia DayZ sales for a second consecu tive year. From Friday, Sept. 9, through Sept. 11, Zia’s eight stores in the Valley, Las Vegas and Tucson will host deals ranging from 20% off of almost everything in-store and online, goodie bag giveaways, triple Zia Rewards Points, limited edition Zia merchandise and exclusive vinyl releas es.“There's a holiday for everything, it seems,” said Zia Records spokeswoman Mary Papenhausen. “We wanted to cel ebrate our staff and our amazing cus tomers. So, it was the day to stop and recognize them and say, thank you for everything they have done and for sup porting us over the last 42 years.” As costs continue to rise across the country on everyday goods like gasoline and groceries, Papenhausen believes that customers will be elated by this oneday-only“Thingsdiscount.arevery expensive, so to be able to give a give back to our customers and kind of give them a break for a day and having people save money is impor tant to us,” Papenhausen said. Customers will have an opportunity to score some sweet Zia swag as Zia opened up a bracket on its social media platforms for customers to vote on their favorite shirts. After seven rounds of voting, fans de cided on a tee from 2005 that features a design of a devil draped in a black cloak with an old-school logo printed below that will be re-printed and sold at all lo cations.Customers who purchase the tee will get more than they bargained for as Zia will give customers a free Zia super pack, which includes a tote bag, temporary tattoos and a sticker sheet that features sticker versions of the shirts that were nominated in the contest. In addition to the re-printed t-shirt, the first 100 customers to purchase at each Zia Records location will receive a Zia Goodie Bag which could include a $50 gift card among other prizes. After the shelves are depleted by offer ing 20% off store-wide on Friday and of fering unique giveaways on Saturday, Zia is rounding out the weekend by offering customers triple points on all purchases and trade-ins which can eventually be redeemed for half off on items.

“I just really love how good it makes people feel and I just love the feeling that everybody's excited,” she said. “To be able to be a business for 42 years and celebrate the people who made it hap pen, it’s always fun to be around people and get engaged.

Left: Jennifer Ness shows off her three rescue dogs, Coda, Bixby and Minnie. (Courtesy of Jennifer Ness) Right: Chandler resident Jennifer Ness started a Furry Land Mobile Pet Grooming franchise in Arizona recently. (Special to The Chandler Arizonan)

BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writerw T here were times when she was at tending college that Chandler resi dent Jennifer Ness was swamped. She said she’d look at students who came from well-off families and felt a little envious.

Ness said convenience is only one reason to consider using a mobile dog groomer.Shesaid the industry began to grow rapidly during the pandemic when peo ple were social distancing. “Let’s say your dog is … nervous, or a little bit hyper or has a little aggression issues,” Ness said. “It’s a lot better for the animal.”Shesaid the dog is more comfortable because they are near their home, and they don’t get put in cages while waiting for a groomer to work on them.

Ness said she’s been promised three vans by mid-September and seven by the end of this year. She said many of their bookings come after a van does a grooming in a neigh borhood. Not only do they see the van, but they talk to the neighbors who use the service. The reviews have been posi tive.Mobile grooming is convenient, and Furry Land charges from $80 to $160, depending on the size of the pet.

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022 37BUSINESS

“I was like, ‘Gosh, I’m working my butt off. I’m working 40 hours a week, I’m taking day and night classes and I just can’t get ahead,’” Ness recalled. She didn’t let that stop her, and today she is running two businesses. She just opened a Furry Land Mobile Dog Grooming business in the Valley said that so far, it’s going well. “I am booked right now until mid-Sep tember,” she said. “I’m slammed, but I will say but in a very good way.” Ness’s other company is a construction consulting business that accepts con tracts around the nation. With the work ethic she learned during those tough days in college, she decided to add her second business, Furry Land and secured the franchise rights for all of Arizona.“Iwant to own all of Arizona because with this business, you have to scale,” Ness said. “In order to be successful, you can’t just have like one or two vans…I don’t see why one day I won’t have 20 vans, maybe even more than that.” Ness moved to Chandler three years ago.She didn’t plan on buying there but the house she liked happened to be in Chan dler.Now, she said she can’t imagine leaving the city, saying she likes the mix of rural and is operating only one van as of now in Arizona, one of the reasons they are so booked.

They also don’t have a lot of other dogs around or people working. Ness claims it’s a calmer environment. She said she also makes sure her groomers treat ev ery dog with care. “My intention is I really do it for the animals, which some people are like, ‘Oh, it sounds a little cheesy,’ but it’s really not,” Ness said. “If you’re not doing it for the animals, then you have no purpose at all.”Does Ness still resent those kids in col lege who didn’t have to work as hard as she did while running two companies? No, she’s moved on. She said a light bulb went off for her after she earned a scholarship while she was studying for a master’s degree. She was going to work hard and own her own“I’mbusiness.justasbusy now, but it’s much dif ferent, busy,” said Ness, who owns three rescue dogs. “[It was the] best decision I ever made, I was able to not only impact my life, but impact other lives and that gave me a lot of gratification.”



Furrysuburbia.Land

Chandler dog groomer slammed ‘in a good way’

Furry Land Mobile Dog Grooming Phone: Website:877-726-3345furryland.us/phoenix

It was billed as one of the biggest games of the season for high school football across the country. Hamilton, a local powerhouse was wel coming in national power Bishop Gorman out of Las Vegas to Jerry Loper Field in the second week of the 2021 season. The game lived up to expectations in the first quarter with Hamilton striking first and Bishop Gorman answering.

Hamilton, led by head coach Mike Zdebski, senior defensive end Chandler Davis, senior quarterback Roch Cholowsky and senior wide receiver Tre Spivey, are preparing for a trip to Bishop Gorman in what will be a rematch of last year’s epic come-from-behind win for the Huskies on national TV.. (David Minton/Arizonan Staff Photographer)

38 THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 4, 2022 Sports SPORTS

Hamilton is no stranger to talent this season,Spiveyeither.isone of the top wideouts in the state who recently committed to the Uni versity of Arizona. Davis is one of the top defensive linemen in the state and has been a varsity player since his freshman year.Rachana Man and Genesis Smith make up a talented secondary, while Taye Brown and Alex McLaughlin lead the line backers.Then there’s Roch Cholowsky, the UCLA baseball commit that waited in the wings for three seasons to lead the Ham ilton offense at the quarterback position. Cholowsky might very well hear his name called in next summer’s MLB Draft, but his main focus now is to deliver a champi onship to Hamilton. His quest for that began Friday against Centennial and will continue in Las Ve gas against Bishop Gorman as well as the several highly rated teams on the Husky schedule this season. But he’s up for the challenge.“Itmeans everything,” Cholowsky said. “I’ve gone through the program and wait ed my turn. Now that it’s finally my turn I’m super stoked. I’m just excited to go out there Friday and lead my team.”

Hamilton preparing for marquee matchup with Bishop Gorman

The next three quarters — and most of the fourth — however were a different story as the Gaels built to a 24-7 lead with under two minutes to play. Then, one of the greatest comebacks in the history of high school football took place.

Quarterback Nicco Marchiol, who is now at West Virginia, led his team down the field and connected with current Michi gan State tight end Michael Masunas for a two-yard touchdown. At this point, some of the student sec tion on Hamilton’s side was stopping in the parking lot to witness what was tak ing place. The Huskies recovered another onside kick. Three plays later, Marchiol connected with Nick Switzer for a 22-yard touch down. Head coach Mike Zdebski had a choice to make: Play for the tie or the win. Marchiol then dove into the end zone to put Hamilton up by a point with eight sec onds to Chaosplay.ensued when the clock hit zero and the Huskies’ miraculous 18-point comeback was complete. Bishop Gorman was the sixth-ranked team in the coun try when it fell to Hamilton, at the time ranked No. 26. The win elevated the Hus kies to No. 18 in the MaxPreps rankings and set the stage for what is expected to be a heated rematch that will take place Friday in Las Vegas. “It’s a great environment, great stadi um, great tradition,” Hamilton coach Mike Zdebski said of Bishop Gorman. “That’s where we want to be and what we want to continue with our out-of-state games. We want to be in this type of game and put our kids on this platform to receive that nationalHamilton’sexposure.”game against Bishop Gor man will be yet another installment in the program’s desire to become a national power. It will also be yet another test for a senior class that believes they have the ability to make something special happen this season now that they are eligible for theThispostseason.groupwent undefeated as fresh men before most were elevated to the var sity roster as sophomores, when the Hus kies fell on a missed field goal to Chandler in the Open Division championship game. They were a part of the epic comeback against Bishop Gorman a year ago and understand the magnitude of the match up this season. The Gaels return several starters from last year’s team and added some pieces as well, including former Basha safety Jeremiah Vessel. Zachariah Branch is a five-star athlete that can make plays all over the field. Bishop Gorman also has several other highly touted recruits with multiple Pow er Five offers across the entire program. But that didn’t faze the Huskies in 2021 and it doesn’t now. Bishop Gorman is coming off a close loss to Mater Dei, the No. 3 ranked team in the country, two weeks ago and a trip to take on Hawaii power St. Louis this past Friday. Even with those matchups, the Huskies expect to see the best version of this year’s Bishop Gorman team. Which means they have to be at their best, too. “We talk the talk, we’ve got to walk the walk,” Hamilton senior defensive end Chandler Davis said. “It starts with the front seven. We’ve been preparing for this. We know our pass rushing ability, we know our run-stopping ability. At the end of the day, we have to get the job done.”

BY ZACH ALVIRA Arizonan Sports Editor

Friday’s game against Bishop Gorman is Roch Cholowsky’s chance to show off his talent on a national stage. A UCLA baseball commit, he waited three years to take over the Husky offense. Now he has his chance. (David Minton/Arizonan Staff Photographer)

Hamilton’s game against Bishop Gor man will take place on Friday at 7 p.m. in Las Vegas. The Huskies become the latest team to travel out of state for big-time games early in the season. Last week, Basha and Chandler went to California. Perry played in Las Vegas. Casteel will also travel to California this week to face Upland. It’s an opportunity for Arizona to flex its muscle against other states with high level high school football programs. 

“It was one of the most surreal mo ments I had ever been involved with,” Hamilton senior wideout Tre Spivey said. “It was a movie experience. It was insane. Seeing everyone put in all that effort. No body gave up, we were still in it.” Hamilton kicked a field goal to pull it self within two scores of the Gaels. Then, the Huskies recovered an onside kick.

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SUPERIOR COURT OF ARIZONA IN MARICOPA COUNTY - NOTICE OF INITIAL HEARING ON PETI TION FOR TERMINATION OF PARENT-CHILD RELA TIONSHIP. Case JS518885. In the Matter of Opie Baker , Name of Minor Child. Notice is hereby given that the Peti tioner Kathleen Robles has filed a Petition for Termination of Parent-Child Relationship with the Juvenile Department o f the Superior Court in Maricopa County regarding th e a bove-named child or children and: Christopher Baker , name of parent or parents whose rights are to be determined, as well as any other known parties' names. An initial hear ing has been set to consider the petition: Date: October 27, 2022. Time: 9:15am. Before Commissioner Bodow At the Maricopa County Superior Court (Juvenile Department) loc ated at: [X] Southeast Facility, 1810 S. Lewis St., Mesa, A Z 85210. Published: East Valley Tribune, Aug. 21, 28, Sept 4, 11, 2022 / 48548

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