September 26, 2021 | www.santansun.com
Relentlessly local coverage of Southern Chandler
An edition of the East Valley Tribune
City seeks voter OK for an array of projects BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer
The City of Chandler for the first time is asking voters to authorize bonds to improve its facilities. With ballots set to go out around Oct. 6 for the all-mail election, some may wonder: why ask for about $33.5 million to upgrade facilities now? “It happens because, believe it or not, we are now an older city,” said former Mayor Boyd Dunn, who chaired
the group of citizen committees that made recommendations on projects to be funded by selling bonds. “When I moved to Chandler in the 1980s there were 35,000 people,” Dunn said. “A lot of the things that we do have now are 20 years or older. We can always build new, but we want to maintain what exists so we don’t have to go back and rebuilt it.” The money raised from selling bonds for municipal facilities will be used to construct, improve, renovate, replace
and remodel buildings across the city. High on the list is the Chandler Center for the Arts, which is still using the same HVAC system that was installed when the building opened in 1989. Other buildings on the list include recreation centers, libraries and senior centers. Many of the items planned are not sexy, most residents may not see a difference. But any homeowner will tell you they are important; They include HVAC, roofing, plumbing, electrical
systems, generators and technology. “All these systems are at the end of their useful life,” said Mike Hollingsworth, the city’s facilities and fleet manager. “It’s kind of a common theme throughout the whole city, in that we have aging facilities with building systems at the end of their useful life.” As is the case with the other four city bond proposals, no one wrote a statement for the voter guide opposing See
BOND on page 8
Chandler school vandalism fueled by social media stealing school property, then posting photos or videos of the items. The trend has been loosely called “The Bathroom Challenge” or the “Devious Licks Challenge.” “Lick” is slang for stealing. And though it started when teens began ripping paper and soap dispensers, toilet seats and even faucets from school bathrooms and showing off online, the trend has broadened to
BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor
Chandler Unified and other East Valley school districts are struggling with a rash of vandalism fueled by a challenge to teenagers on the social media platform TikTok. Lured by the desire to score “likes” from their peers around the world, middle and high school students are
include other school property – even fire alarm devices, according to some parents’ reports on various social media platforms. The vandals’ incentive is to see how many likes they can garner. Some news organizations across the country and around the world are reporting some images have drawn thousands of likes and millions of views. The vandalism has provoked warn-
ings of dire repercussions and pleas to parents and students from high school principals in Gilbert Public Schools, Chandler Unified and Tempe Union High School districts and Mesa Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Andi Fourlis. “We are aware of a challenge on the social media app TikTok that is promptSee
TIKTOK on page 4
2 Chandler WWII vets Slithery sight get flight of their lives BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer
It took some convincing for Chandler veteran Frank Forte to agree to be part of Operation September Freedom. He is 93, after all. Not so for 95-year-old James Campbell, who was eager for the experience. “That plan was immaculate,” Forte said. “When you got on it, you knew it was safe. It wasn’t just some balsa wood.” The two Atria Chandler Villas residents each took a half-hour flight aboard a restored World War II-era Boeing Stearman biplane on Sept. 15. They each got a turn with a pilot as the only passengers as they flew over southern Chandler. The trips were part of Dream Flight’s Operation September Freedom, which aimed to give 1,000 World War II vets a
special flight during September. “It was fantastic,” Campbell said. “It was a once-in-a-lifetime you’re going to do something like that,” Forte said. “I never thought I’d fly in a biplane.” Campbell served as a 2nd Class Signalman in the U.S. Navy during the war. He was on board the USS Tucson, right next to the USS Missouri, when Japan signed the papers that ended the war. “I didn’t stay … in Tokyo after I saw the signing of the peace treaty,” Campbell said. “More or less they wanted me to sign over for another four years. I said no.” Forte joked that his great idea for dodging the draft back then was to sign up to be a Marine. “They promised you four years of college for two years of service,” Forte See
FLYING VETS on page 6
Cohen Stalzer, 3, looked with fascination ot a snake at Veterans Oasis Park during the city's annual Dragonfly and Butterfly Bash last weekend. For a look at other sights from the event, see page 43. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)
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City workers' art on display. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .NEWS . . . . . . . . Page 20
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S. Chandler woman makes comfort dolls . . . . . . . .BUSINESS . . . . Page 34
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Chandler author pens new thriller.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .ARTS. . . . . . . . . . Page 46
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Chandler eatery steeped in history . . . . . . . . . . . . . .EAT. . . . . . . . . . . Page 54
More Community . . . 1-25 Clip-It . . . . . . . 26-27 Real Estate . . . 30-33 Business . . . . . 34-37 Sports . . . . . . . 38-39 Opinion . . . . . . . . .41 Neighbors . . . 43-44 Arts . . . . . . . . . 46-50 Faith . . . . . . . . . . . .51 Directory . . . . 52-53 Eat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 54
