SanTan Sun News - 9.26.2021 by Times Media Group

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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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

COMMUNITY NEWS

3 HOAs happy but wary about SRP-Intel powerline project BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

A lawyer representing three South Chandler HOAs presented a petition to City Council Monday with the signatures of 897 residents concerned about Salt River Project’s plan to install lines to power Intel’s expansion. Attorney Meghan Grabel thanked the Council, SRP and Intel for agreeing to work with the residents and let them know they’ll be watching as the process moves forward. SRP is planning to install powerlines from the Schader substation to Intel’s Ocotillo campus. The planned route initially had overhead lines going down the railroad tracks to Chandler Heights Road. It was the only section planned to be above-ground. Grabel said the Reserve at Fulton Ranch HOA contacted her weeks ago because they felt it was unfair that the only portion of the project above ground was next to their neighborhood. Since then, two other HOAs, Pinelake Estates and Southshore Village, also retained Grabel to represent them. The three HOAs represent about 1,500 residents. She welcomed the news Intel has agreed to pay to put that portion of the line underground. “We were delighted by the announcement, just a little over a week ago, that Intel had agreed to pay to bury the post-powerline from Chandler Heights, to the Schrader substation, including the segments near my clients’

for the portion that will go through residential neighborhoods. However, the city expects to be reimbursed through SRP grants it negotiated in exchange for granting some easements. Intel is paying for the line to remain underground on its campus. The company needs a lot more power for its planned $20 billion expansion that will bring thousands of jobs to the area. Intel plans to hire an additional 3,000 workers. The expansion will also This map shows the path of the powerline project Intel needs to supported its expansion at its Ocotillo create 3,000 concampus. (Courtesy of SRP) struction jobs. Some of the new jobs being created SRP has said it costs 10 times as homes,” Grabel said. are high-paying engineers and techmuch to bury lines as it does to string Linda Qian, the communications nicians. Intel currently employs more them overhead. A company represenand media relations director for Intel tative said they can’t just pass that cost than 11,000 people in the state. Arizona, said the company is in discusThe company said its expansion will sions with SRP and the City of Chandler on to all of their customers because it lead to another 15,000 jobs in support only affects a small group. and has agreed to pay the extra cost of industries. To make that happen, SRP To put lines underground requires a putting those lines underground along must upgrade its power lines from 69 to partner to pay the extra cost. the railroad track. 230 kilovolts. The City of Chandler is that partner The cost is not cheap.

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TIKTOK

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

from page 1

ing students to cause damage to our schools and schools across the nation,” Fourlis posted last week. “Please know that consequences for stealing or destroying school property are severe, and can include expulsion and police involvement. “Please discuss with your child the severe consequences of participating in this challenge.” In Chandler, Casteel High School Principal Jayson Phillips told parents and guardians the trend has damaged the campus. “If a Casteel student is caught destroying or stealing school property from our campus, there will be school suspension, full restitution, and a police report,” Phillips warned. Hamilton High Principal Michael De La Torre wrote a similar warning to parents last week, reminding them “damaging school property is a felony.” Stating “we are sorry and disappointed it has come to this,” Desert Vista officials said the vandalism “has neces-

sitated our limiting of bathrooms that are open at certain times, particularly boys' bathrooms. “We have reduced the number of open bathrooms,” Desert Visa’s announcement continued, adding it was “still providing an adequate number of bathrooms for students to use and assigned security to monitor bathrooms regularly that are open.” It too reminded families that “if a Desert Vista student is caught destroying or stealing school property from our campus, we will take full documentary actions to include restitution and law enforcement involvement.” As a result of the restrictions, long lines of students waiting to use bathrooms have been reported. Moreover, at a time when districts are encouraging students to be more attentive to hygiene to combat COVID-19, numerous parents have posted that their children complain there is no soap in school bathrooms because the dispensers have been taken. “Bathrooms are closed at Akimel as well,” wrote the parent of a child in

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COVID protest

Parents opposed to mask, vaccine and social distancing mandates in schools turned out at Dignity Health Chandler Regional Medical Center two weeks ago to register their feelings. Chandler Unified has an optional-mask policy and a state ban on mandates is scedhuled to take effect Wednesday, Sept. 29. (Pablo Robles)

Kyrene Akimel A-al Middle School. “My daughter said kids are going to start bringing their own soap. Who steals soap during a pandemic?” Kyrene spokeswoman Erin Helm did not mention Akimel, but said the K-8 Kyrene Traditional Academy has been hit, along with the grades 6-8 Altadeña and Pueblo middle schools, adding that officials were “temporarily limiting bathroom use at Altadeña.” Gilbert Public Schools spokeswoman Dawn Astestenis said, “There have been some issues related to this TikTok challenge at a few of our secondary schools. Earlier this week our schools reached out to our parents and families with communications regarding this.” But she declined to elaborate. Scottsdale Unified spokeswoman Susan Norman confirmed schools there also were confronted by vandalism but did not offer specifics. Virtually no East Valley district had any cost estimates on the damage or, like Gilbert and Mesa, did not respond to questions about it. Nor has the vandalism been brought to the attention of governing boards in public meetings over the past month. Beyond Arizona, some reports say vandals are stealing anything from microscopes to “principal only” parking signs and even buttons to open the disabled toilet. One TikTok user posted a video on the social media site showing an assistant principal parking sign he stole. “First month of school and I already hit this absolutely despicable lick” he posted alongside the video of the sign. The video has over 20,000 views and a range of comments congratulating the teenager – and a whopping 9.7 million views, according to The Sun newspaper’s American edition. Atlanta CBS 46 reported that a student in one Fulton County, Georgia school tried to rip a urinal from the wall. ByteDance, the China-based company that owns that owns TikTok, did not respond to the Arizonan’s request for an interview. But CBS 46 said the TikTok spokesperson said, “We expect our community to stay safe and create responsibly, and we do not allow content that promotes or enables criminal activities. We are removing this content and redirecting hashtags and search results to our community guidelines to discourage such behavior.” Those guidelines detail a range of forbidden criminal and abusive behaviors but do not specifically identify stealing and vandalism among them. TikTok in the past has removed and forbidden posts that involve so-called teen challenges that have resulted in serious injury. Most recently, it banned the socalled “crate challenge” where kids were encouraged to stack milk crates into a pyramid formation and then try to climb them from one side to the other without falling. But challengers often fell, some incurring broken limbs. One parent who posted to a Facebook thread about the vandalism, however, offered perhaps a more effective antidote to the crime wave. She said she won’t let her son add TikTok to his phone.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

World War II veterans James Campbell, left, and Frank Forte were thrilled to get a flight in a WWII-era biplane two weeks ago, thanks to Dream Flight's Operation September Freedom. (Courtesy of Dream Flight)

FLYING VETS

from page 1

said. “But then they hang you up, before you get out (of high school), to join the inactive reserves. They’ll only call you after they’ve called the reserves and everything else. We shouldn’t have believed that.” Forte’s service started as the war was ending. He said most of his time was spent helping train others to face the

new threat coming from Russia. When he wasn’t playing a Russian in training drills, he was playing a French horn in the Marine band. The two men say they fell veterans are treated well in this country. And not just in special events like veterans getting a special flight. “You get to go to school, you get to have help on a mortgage, that paid off,” Forte said. “We were treated with hugs and kisses.”

Atria Chandler Villas Engage Life Director Alyssa Ethington says she’s been applying for the program for seven years and this was the first year their veterans were selected. Campbell credits the military with helping his career as a purchasing agent at Arizona State University. He also ran a restaurant with his wife. Forte said he was briefly a firefighter, but ended up working in information systems for most of his career.

Both men signed the tail of the plane, joining the names of the other veterans who took the flight. Forte gives the Marines credit for his later success in life. “I became a man,” he said. “They taught me how to be confident in myself. The Marine Corp tears you down and then builds you back, the way they wanted. You find out, it’s the best way to go.”

$2.2B poured into county for homeless help BY BALIN OVERSTOLZ-MCNAIR Cronkite News

Since the pandemic’s beginning in March 2020, Maricopa County has received more than $2.2 billion in federal relief funds to help the Maricopa Association of Governments and other organizations combat homelessness and stabilize the housing market for vulnerable populations. Some of those funds will go to creating specialized homeless shelters and more temporary housing, with the help of nonprofit organizations around metro Phoenix. Maricopa is the fastest growing county in the country, and its homeless populations also are growing, according to the 2020 Point-in-Time Count. “The influx of federal money has allowed us to think outside the box, thinking of ways we can serve people in different areas,” said Nicky Stevens, regional homelessness program manager for the Maricopa Association of Governments, known as MAG. “We have been working alongside with municipalities on hotels, temporary shelters.” The MAG Continuum of Care Committee, which organizes regional initiatives to end homelessness, now is focused on a housing-first approach to the problem. Its goal is to get those experiencing homelessness off the streets as soon as possible. The committee also is working with landlords and nonprofits, including Homeward Bound and United Methodist

Outreach Ministries, known as UMOM, to put people in homes and reduce the unsheltered homeless population. More than 3,700 people are unsheltered, representing slightly over half the total homeless population in the Phoenix area, according to the 2020 Point-in-Time Count. MAG considers anyone living on the streets or “other places not meant for human habitation” to be unsheltered. The annual headcount was not conducted in 2021 because of the pandemic and concerns about working with vulnerable populations. A significant contributor to homelessness in the Valley is the lack of affordable housing, which Stevens called the committee’s biggest challenge. Low wages also are a problem. “One of the assumptions about homeless people is that they don’t work, and that’s just not true,” Stevens said. “They don’t make enough to afford any of the apartment communities currently in the region.” According to rentcafe.com, which tracks rental properties, the average two-bedroom apartment in Phoenix rents for $1,408 a month, which is up 21 percent over the previous year. With uncertainty and legal battles surrounding the expiration of the national eviction moratorium, renters in metro Phoenix will be under even more pressure. In 2019, Samantha Bedford was struggling to find a rent price point that worked for her and her three children.

She eventually moved into an apartment, but the experience proved difficult. Nine months after moving in, Bedford was injured in a car accident, which she said prevented her from working her normal number of hours. The property manager was unwilling to make arrangements, Bedford said, and even after she offered to move out by the end of the month, she received an eviction notice despite already being in bankruptcy. A judge would not sign the eviction order because Bedford was in bankruptcy but ordered her and her three young children to move out by 5 p.m. that day. “We were homeless,” Bedford recalled. “My mother, thankfully, was here and my kids were allowed to stay with her. But, of course, I couldn’t – because of her apartment complex and where she lived.” Bedford slept in her car outside the apartment complex and spent the mornings with her kids – ages 2, 3 and 7 – in her mother’s apartment, preparing them for the day. Even before she was injured, Bedford had difficulties keeping up with rent and additional fees. She said the experience was so stressful that she simply couldn’t have stayed there any longer. For Bedford, who already was living in affordable housing, there were no other options. But she didn’t give up and eventually found the nonprofit Homeward Bound. “You have to use your voice, whether someone is going to listen or not,” Bedford said. “If you can’t get through

to one, keep pushing ’cause somebody is going to hear you. So it doesn’t matter how many rejections I got from different apartment complexes, when I came here I got the yes.” Homeward Bound provides apartment-style housing for families experiencing homelessness or financial need. Case workers teach residents about budgeting and communication and strive to improve the lives of residents. It’s one of several nonprofit organizations that work with Maricopa County to collect data on and house those experiencing homelessness. Homeward Bound has 76 housing units, which are dwarfed by the more than 3,000 reported unsheltered homeless in the Valley – a number that experts say is likely underreported. Homeward Bound represents one way where the city is trying to combat homelessness: Work with local organizations to better create a regional system that can help house and support the growing homeless population. Bedford, who regularly attends classes with case managers, said she has a better understanding of how to budget money and communicate with her kids. She’s also focusing on going back to school. “I’ve never had to feel like I’m alone,” she said. “I’ve never had to feel like I don’t have support. I’ve never had to feel like there’s something I need that I can’t find a resource for. The staff here has been – I can’t thank them enough.”

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BOND

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

from page 1

bonds for these projects. Backers of the bond authorization say it will not increase property taxes. They can do that because the city has had 14 years to pay off previous bonds so the tax rate will remain the same. In addition to the request for $33.5 million for facilities, the city is asking voters to authorize selling bonds for these four areas: • Nearly $73 million to purchase land for new parks and recreation facilities and improving existing parks and facilities. • More than $25 million to construct, improve and renovate stations and other fire-related facilities. Some money would also go to purchasing fire and other public safety vehicles. •M ore than $55 million to build the city’s own crime lab, remodel police stations and purchase large emergency-response vehicles •T he biggest request, $85.8 million, would cover improving existing roads and landscaping, adding bike lanes, installing underground utility lines and upgrading traffic signal systems. The city will probably not be picking up the entire bill for improving the Chandler Center for the Arts, which is coowned by the city and Chandler Unified. Michelle MacLennan, the center’s general manager, considers it kind of remarkable how well the building is holding up, considering the use it gets. “The use of this facility, and all facilities, has just grown exponentially,” she said. “Generally, there’s six or seven events in here a day. The use for the school district has grown, just like the district has grown. It’s always in use.” MacLennan said talks between the city and school district are underway on how to pay for the needed projects. No firm commitments have been made, but she said the district has paid for about half of the costs of past improvements. Mayor Kevin Hartke and Council appointed a large group of 49 citizens to seven different committees to make recommendations for the bond election. Nina Mullins was asked to chair the facilities committee. “They were looking for someone with a little infrastructure experience,” said Mullins, who has that experience as part of her job at Salt River Project.

Above is a city chart showing the breakdown of the bond authorizations sought with each of the five proposals after the citizen committees winnowed out some other considerations. At left, Chandler Center for the Arts General Manager Michelle MacLennan and Mike

Hollingsworth, the city’s facilities and fleet manager, said the bonds are important (Special to SanTan Sun News)

“The staff did a phenomenal job. They hired a consultant and made it very easy for us to see where the needs were.” Boyd said he was part of three bond authorization proposals during his 16 years on Council and he’s never seen so many citizens involved in the process before. “They did a great job,” Boyd said.

“We ended up with a master list in five categories, I think some 60-some projects, and it took seven months to do. From a citizen’s standpoint, I don’t think we could have done a better job from getting input.” Boyd says he expects all five bond proposals to pass because the city has a

proven history of managing its finances well. He said the only bond election he has been part of that was close involved the airport. He said the citizens committees this time decided to leave the airport alone to allow time for more industrial projects to be built near it. Chandler voters have never considered authorizing bonds for facilities before. “I think it’s long overdue,” Hollingsworth said. “I know there are other cities in the area that have done ballot facilities for bond here recently, and Chandler is overdue. We’ve got aging facilities, aging infrastructure … it’s the sheer numbers that’s working not for us, but against us.”

Voters also asked to continue CUSD override BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

The Chandler Unified School District is asking residents to once again authorize it to exceed state funding levels by 15 percent. It is something voters have done for three decades. Michelle Mowery, a principal in the Washington Elementary School District, says it gives Chandler schools an edge. “Because Chandler has had this override in place for so long, they are able to offer contracts earlier,” she said. In addition to offering earlier, she argued they are able to offer new teachers more money. Mowery leads the political action

committee that is supporting the override for the school district. She said there are plenty of reasons to continue authorizing the override. She and her husband live in Chandler and have two daughters who attend school here. “Because this is a continuation, it’s not going to change taxes in anyway,” she said. “The district can give more money for teacher’s salaries, support positions, keep class sizes smaller, make it more manageable. “I don’t think a lot of people realize we have to have someone manning the gates at every school, checking IDs to make sure it’s only parents coming in. That costs money. The override helps

keep salaries competitive.” No one wrote an argument against authorizing the override in the voter guide. Ballots will be mailed out to voters on Oct.6. Property owners in Chandler currently pay $1.18 per $100 of assessed valuation for the previously authorized override. If this year’s proposal passes, it is expected to remain the same rate. CUSD has about 45,000 students and is the second largest school district in Arizona. The U.S. Census Bureau ranks Arizona 49th in the nation in per pupil funding, averaging $11,170 per student in 2020. The national average in 2018 was $14,530. CUSD spent $10,664 per student in 2020. The district says more than 61

percent of that goes directly to education costs. The rest goes to school officers, utilities, insurance and liability, district administration and other. The other category, which is second largest at nearly 24 percent, includes teacher training, student assessment, librarians, counselors, speech therapists, nurses, security, custodians, maintenance and transportation. Mowery says the voters passing the override for so long brings a lot of stability to the district. “We have 44 new teachers in my district because of a high turnover,” she said. “That’s not something that Chandler has to worry about.”

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

How does Chandler couple’s garden grow? A lot BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Gardens run by talented gardeners grow. Just ask Cameron and Jeannine McChesney of Chandler, who started a 2’x2’ garden in the backyard of a rental home in 2014. Now, they have their own home with a 4-acre farm and a family hobby that evolved into a career. “It’s been an interesting transition from, say, growing two tomato plants in our backyard, to growing 20 tomato plants in [a friend’s] backyard, to then growing 200 tomato plants,” Cameron said. The McChesnys now own Greenhouse Gardens at 13103 E. Chandler Heights Road in Chandler and are reopening their popular farmer’s market on Saturday, Oct. 2. They and another family sell produce from their farms from 9 a.m. until noon every Saturday through July. “It has actually grown, I hate to say it, organically as we have produced more food we have attracted more customers,” Cameron said. The McChesneys gave up their day jobs in marketing and advertising and bought the Greenhouse Gardens farm at in 2016. They spent most of the first year getting ready to open, clearing the land of some animal stables to create more space to plant seeds. Now, the farm is so popular it takes two family farms to meet demand. The McChesneys partnered with

Cameron and Jeannine McChesney of Chandler no longer are amateur gardeners but full-fledged farmers who are resuming their market next Saturday. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)

Lauren and Frank Infurna, who own and operate the 2.5-acre La Campagna Homestead to sell their produce. That relationship began when Lauren asked them if she could sell some extra eggplants from her farm at their market. They agreed. The next week, she had some extra peppers and sold them there. “Over the course of about six months, we started to see that there was a natural partnership that was forming,” Cameron said. “We made it more formal.”

Both farms use natural techniques and do not use chemical pesticides or fertilizers. In addition to offering fresh produce, the McChesneys also offer tours of their farm and host farm-to-table dinners in their historic barn, which was built by Lyle Riggs in 1950. Greenhouse Gardens is on the site

of the original Riggs Family Homestead that was started in 1948. It has become more than just a market. “I thought we were just going to grow some vegetables, toss them out at people and things would be great,” Jeannine said. “But there’s a huge amount of community that has started to grow around the market. The people want to come and talk.” That includes the tours, the dinners in the barn and handing out recipes. The McChesneys both had parents who loved gardening, so they thought starting that original 2’x2’ garden was only natural. After they moved to Chandler, they wanted a bigger garden and convinced some friends to let them create a garden in their backyard. That’s when they started selling some of their produce at the Power Ranch Farmer’s Market. It wasn’t until they bought their current farm that they decided to make a living from something they both enjoyed doing. “That’s the best sales tool we have,” Jeannine said. “I say, ‘Would you like to take a tour?’ They say they’d love to take a tour. … By the end, ‘This is amazing, I can’t believe you do this.’” “And then they eat our carrots, and they go, ‘Oh, I’ve never had a carrot like this.’”

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

City breaks down what's at stake in its bond election CITY OF CHANDLER

Starting as early as Oct. 6, qualified registered voters in Chandler will receive a ballot by mail to vote in the Nov. 2 Special Bond Election. The election will give Chandler voters the opportunity to authorize the City to issue general obligation bonds in the principal amount of $272,685,000 over time to help fund the City’s Capital Improvement Plan. You’re probably wondering what’s a bond election and why you should care. Let’s break it down. As a City, we must build and maintain several types of facilities as well as infrastructure like streets and parks, which can be expensive. Since there’s only so much money, selling bonds is a way to pay for public infrastructure now when it’s needed. Bonds are really just a loan that is repaid for over time with property taxes. A bond election is when the City asks its residents for approval to borrow money to fund these community needs, giving taxpayers the ability to decide what they are willing to pay for with property taxes. To view a list of proposed community needs detailed in the Capital Improvement Plan approved by the Chandler Mayor and City Council, residents can visit chandleraz.gov/budget. This approval to sell bonds is like a credit limit, which can be used over many years. As bonds are paid off, new bonds can be sold, resulting in no change to property tax rates. Let’s make sure you understand this key

ments needed to accommodate Chandler’s recent and future growth. This Special Bond Election, Chandler voters will have a total of five questions on the November ballot. They are: Park and Recreation Improvements/Community Services Bonds in the amount of $72,985,000; Public Safety/Fire Bonds in The bond proposals would fund an array of projects, including public safety and recreation/parks the amount of $25,160,000; services and facilities. Public Safety/Police (City of Chandler) Bonds in the amount of $55,190,000; message — your property tax rates will were built that you might frequent Public Works/Street and Transit often, including the Chandler Museum, not increase. Improvements Bonds in the amount of Tumbleweed Recreation Center, TumThe last time the City of Chandler $85,780,000; bleweed Park development, the Paseo held a bond election was back in 2007, Municipal Facilities Bonds in the Trail System, Paseo Vista Recreational when voters approved $451.44 million amount of $33,570,000. in bond authorization. In those 13 years, Area and various neighborhood and Publicity pamphlets will be mailed to multiple projects have been completed. community parks throughout the City. each household with a registered voter From a public safety standpoint, two Each of these amenities enhance the and it provides additional insight on how quality of life for our community. fire stations were built, one expanded the funds can be used. As mentioned And then there’s multiple infrastrucand another rebuilt to serve thouearlier, residents can visit chandleraz.gov/ ture projects including South Arizona sands of residents. In addition, the Fire budget to view a list of recommended Avenue Corridor improvements, southAdministration Building near City Hall projects these bonds could fund. east arterial streets widened, several was built, the Fire Training Center was We encourage Chandler residents to intersection improvements and street expanded, the Police Records Managebe informed voters and to also return replacements and maintenance as well ment System was implemented and their ballots to ensure they are received as much needed water/wastewater facil- prior to Tuesday, Nov. 2. If you’re not a new state-of-the-art Public Safety ity improvements and sewer collection Training Facility was built and is now registered to vote — there’s still time as system upgrades and replacements. used by both police and fire departthe deadline is Oct. 4. There is still some bond authorizaments. The facility also hosts multiple For additional information on the tion remaining from past elections in regional training opportunities. upcoming November election, including certain categories, however, it’s not As part of parks and cultural develinformation on how to register to vote, opment, several facilities and amenities enough to pay for additional improvevisit chandleraz.gov/BondElection.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

Developer Michael Pollack said the abandoned Fry's market, left, on the northeastg corner of Warner and Alma School roads should be leveled for some kind of housing. Across Warner from that site, the GReat Hearts Academy, right, now sits where another grocery store once existed. (Pablo Robles/Staff)

City examining new uses for old retail sites BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Michael Pollack owns a large number of retail centers in the city, many of which bear his name. He has some ideas on what the city needs to do with the Alma School and Warner roads intersection – specifically, the former Fry’s grocery store on the northeast corner. “There’s only one answer,” Pollack said last week. “There’s nobody stupid enough to put a grocery store next to Walmart. That part of the center needs to come down.”

Fry’s took over that location when Kroger bought Smith’s in 2004 even though it has a successful location only a mile away at Alma School and Elliot roads. At one time the Alma-Warner road intersection had a third supermarket, Smitty’s, across Warner from the Frys and Walmart. “We need more shoppers, not more shops,” Pollack said. Chandler is moving in that direction, says Micah Miranda, the city’s economic development director. “The 101 dramatically shifted transportation in Chandler,” Miranda said, pointing out retailers want to be on major routes. Before the Price Road Loop 101 opened

in Chandler, that meant roads like Arizona Avenue or Chandler Boulevard. “Retailers need eyeballs, and the eyeballs are on the transportation corridors,” Miranda said. Now, retailers are moving next to the Loop 101, forcing the city to figure out what to do with the buildings left behind. Officials have started looking for alternatives to retail. One example of this philosophy was turning that old Smitty’s grocery store into the Great Hearts Academy. Then there is the multi-family housing complex on a lot next to Home Depot on Chandler Boulevard that once

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housed a Krispy Kreme. Another example is the new Mox Boarding House scheduled to open in January at Alma School and Knox roads. It was previously home to the Iguana Macks and Social Box restaurants. Mox is a Seattle restaurant concept that offers food and drink along with board games for use inside or purchase. Ryan Kaup, a city economic development specialist, said that just south of the new Mox Boarding House, the former Dos Gringos restaurant is being converted into a medical center.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

Flawed gas pipes may have caused strip mall blast BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

An error in construction records may be one of the causes of an explosion at a Chandler strip mall at Ray and Rural roads that injured four men last month. Southwest Gas Corporate Communications Manager Sean Corbett said the full investigation into the cause of the Aug. 26 blast inside the Platinum Printing business is still underway. However, he released the results from their initial investigation. The focus is on type of natural gas pipe called Driscopipe 8000 that was installed in 1999 and had prematurely degraded. The investigation claims Southwest Gas was aware this pipe had a low risk of degradation, but was susceptible to leaks under specific conditions. Those conditions included higher temperatures often found in Chandler and prolonged periods of inactivity. Because of that, Southwest Gas began replacing those pipes with a multi-year plan after a Department of Transportation advisory in 2012. However, according to the Southwest Gas report, there was no record that pipe was used near the building where the explosion took place. Their report said if there had been, then the pipe would have been replaced. They are continuing to investigate how the reporting error happened. Chandler Police and officials from Arizona’s office of Alcohol, Tobacco and

The explosion at a printing business in a strip mall at Ray and Rural roads in Chandler is suspected to have been caused by a flawed gas pipe that generated a leak. (file photo)

Firearms both released statements at the end of August saying they believed the blast was an accident and there was no sign of criminal activity. “First and foremost, we continue to keep in our thoughts those injured and affected by the incident in Chandler and are hopeful for their successful recoveries,” Corbett wrote. Brothers Andrew and Dillon Ryan, their friend and employee Parker Milldebrandt, and Glenn Jordan all suffered severe burns in the morning explosion.

The Ryans and Milldebrandt were inside Platinum Printing at the time of the explosion. Jordan worked at an eye glass repair shop a few stores away. According to updates on their GoFundMe pages, Andrew Ryan was released from the hospital last week and is recovering at home. Dillon Ryan has been transferred to an acute care rehab facility. Milldebrandt’s daughter Rilee was born Sept. 7 and he remains in the hospital as of Tuesday. The organizer

of the Glenn Jordan fundraiser has not provided an update in the past week. The report also said the natural gas was odorized to both state and federal-mandated levels and that there had been no odor complaints received for the past year. Southwest Gas’s report says they’ve updated their remediation plan to include extensive leak inspections of all pipe types installed about the same time as the one inside the Platinum Printing space.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

‘Half-Cent Tax III’ to fund East Valley roads BY TOM SCANLON Staff Writer

Asked what part of the Valley he lives in, John Bullen answered, “central.” Smart move. Bullen, transportation economic and finance program manager for the Maricopa Association of Governments, probably would hear cries of “favoritism!” from the East Valley if he lived on the west side, or vice versa. Splitting it down the middle is probably a wise choice for a key player in how billions of dollars or transportation improvements will be spent. MAG decides where the asphalt gets poured, but not without “vigorous input.” On Sept. 14, Bullen gave a presentation to the PHX East Valley Partnership on some key information. On Nov. 2, 2004, Maricopa County voters passed Proposition 400, authorizing a 20-year continuation of the half-cent sales tax for transportation projects in Maricopa County. Though some were added in later years, most of those projects were outlined in the MAG Regional Transportation Plan. And, though Prop 400 doesn’t expire for another three-plus years, MAG is eager to line up what can be called “Half-Cent Tax III.” Bullen told the Partnership CritiSee

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The MAG Regional Transportation Plan map shows projects voters will be asked to approve via the next half-cent sales tax. (Special to STSN)

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

Valley traffic is back – but so is its bad air BY SHANE PURCELL Cronkite News

Traffic has returned to metro Phoenix in a big way, causing delays in morning and afternoon commutes and increasing carbon emissions in an area that has long-standing problems with air quality. During more than a year of working from home, taking online classes and holding events virtually, the lack of traffic made driving a relative breeze, particularly during traditional rush hours. Valley drivers in 2020 spent the least amount of time in traffic since 1982. But the period of leisurely commuting – and cleaner air – is over. According to Wang Zhang, transportation data program manager for Maricopa Association of Governments, traffic is back to pre-pandemic numbers. In mid-April 2020, he said, traffic in Maricopa County was 61 percent of normal. By March 2021, traffic in the county was “fully back to 100 percent,” Zhang

said, but he pointed to a silver lining: Congestion hasn’t returned to Valley roads. “In that measurement, actually we are not back to pre-COVID conditions yet,” he said. “At the end of August, the latest was at about 55 percent of the congestion level.” Zhang credits changed travel patterns and the completion of more road projects for the lower congestion. But with vehicles returning to the road, tailpipe emissions are on the rise. In 2020, carbon emissions in the U.S. dropped by 650 million tons – a 12.9 percent decrease from 2019, according to Nature.com. But the relief was short-lived as people returned to work, school and traveling. Tailpipe emissions are one of the largest contributors to air pollution in large cities, and Phoenix ranks fifth in the nation for unhealthy ozone days, according to the American Lung Association’s State of the Air 2021 report. Matt Pace, a meteorologist for the

Arizona Department of Environmental Quality, said air quality in Phoenix has continued to improve since the Clean Air Act Amendments in 1990. But challenges remain with improving air quality conditions in the Valley, which includes Phoenix, the fastest-growing big city in the county, and one that was built to accommodate cars. The ADEQ monitors ground level ozone to report air quality conditions. Ground level ozone, or “bad ozone,” is created by volatile chemicals and particles in the air reacting with prolonged hours of sunlight, creating unhealthy conditions. People with lung conditions, such as asthma, are at highest risk, although high ozone levels can cause airway inflammation and chest pain even in healthy adults. In Arizona, vehicle emissions did decrease during the pandemic, but not for long. Nancy Selover, who was the state climatologist at the time, told Cronkite News in April 2020 that the drop in emissions temporarily contributed to

the reduction of the “brown cloud” that typically hovers over Phoenix, especially in winter. Pace said the short period of reduced emissions did not signify measurable improvements in air quality because last year was marked by anomalous weather conditions, including smoke from wildfires raging across the Southwest. Pace made multiple recommendations on how individuals can reduce their own emissions: “telework if you can, carpool as much as possible, take public transportation.” “Anything that you can do to reduce carbon emissions is a good thing.” Sometimes good comes from bad. The pandemic presented challenges that introduced new ways to get things done, such as learning and working from home instead of a school or office building. “People always think that doing small things won’t make a difference,” Pace said. “Well, we always say, if everyone does that small thing, it adds up to a big difference.”

Local dealers miss out on $1.3M in city vehicle purchases BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

The City of Chandler plans to spend about $1.36 million to replace vehicles, but where it’s spending those tax dollars didn’t sit well with Councilman Matt Orlando. The replacement vehicles will be purchased at two dealerships in Phoenix,

one in Peoria and another in Gilbert. “We just can’t seem to get our local Chandler vendors to bid on some of these things when we’d keep those sales tax dollars in Chandler,” Councilmember Matt Orlando said during the Sept. 20 study session. Dawn Lang, assistant city manager and chief financial officer, said the city

contacts dealerships in Chandler when it needs to upgrade the city’s fleet, but most local ones don’t have the inventory needed to deal with a large contract. “Unfortunately, especially as of recent, the chip shortage has really limited inventories, especially for our local vendors,” Lang said. “They typically turn us down. It’s just kind of the

nature I think of the specialty vehicles that we purchase that they don’t have that inventory.” The global semiconductor shortage – which, ironically, Intel in Chandler is trying to address with its $20 billion expansion – is squeezing the supply of microchips See

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

COUNCIL

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used to manufacture many motor vehicles. Within the last few weeks, General Motors, Volkswagen, Daimler and Ford all said their production likely will be slowed for months by the chip shortage, which they blamed on the move toward electric vehicles. However, they also said other parts shortages are beginning to emerge. General Motors said it would pause production at most of its factories for anywhere from a week to several weeks during the next month or so. “There is very little on dealer lots to actually sell,” Sam Abuelsamid, an analyst at Guidehouse Insights, told Consumer Reports recently. “If you anticipate needing a new car in the next six months, it’s probably best not to wait. Go ahead and

place a factory order now.” The city plans to purchase 40 vehicles. Some of those were scheduled to be bought last year, but that was put off because of the uncertainty over the pandemic. Orlando asked Mike Hollingsworth, the city’s facilities and fleet manager, if he is considering buying some electric vehicles. Hollingsworth said they are hoping to buy some electric vehicles but he wants to first make sure there is the infrastructure to support them. Hollingworth said they’ve identified 31 charging station locations so far. In other action last week, a number of council members expressed concern over a Planned Area Development request from the Planning and Zoning Commission for a large industrial project near Chandler Airport.

The main concern was over a stipulation they would look to reduce tree density near the Paseo Trail. The project includes four buildings on about 26 acres on the northwest corner of Germann Road and Northrop Boulevard. The four buildings are nearly 400,000 total square feet. Councilman Terry Roe praised the project’s design, saying it would be a beautiful addition to the city. However, Orlando, Mark Stewart and OD Harris all expressed concern about the stipulation calling for fewer trees. Orlando said they won’t be cutting down any existing trees. The Planning and Zoning Commission is being careful in the number and type of trees being planted at new developments, because of concerns over how much water they will need. In this case, they recommended

going with fewer trees that are native to the region. Meanwhile, it appears Council plans to approve $250,000 in funding for the Northern Arizona Technology and Business Incubator for another year. Councilwoman Christine Ellis encouraged officials to make finding a building to host the incubator a priority, saying it was hurt last year because it did not have its own location. She said while Chandler never shut down, that’s not true for private businesses that have agreed to host the incubator, and that relying on them made it harder for startups to get their businesses off to strong starts. City Economic Development Director Micah Miranda said the city continues to focus on developing young tech businesses for the incubator program.

COVID-19 impacting city worker comp claims BY JUSTIN GILKEY Contributor

The COVID-19 pandemic is taking a toll on city workers in Chandler and the city Worker’s Compensation and Employer Liability Trust. During the trust board meeting earlier this month, an official from its claims management contractor said payouts have risen dramatically. Monica Kloskowski, vice president of CorVel Corp., said that 2021 “was the worst year that the City of Chandler has had in five years.” Kloskowski reported that 131 claims

for $2.5 million in worker’s compensation have been filed so far in 2021, with each claim averaging about $19,000. She said that of that total, $1.5 million involve COVID-related claims, which are up 60 percent over last year. Of the remaining claims, 40 percent involved workers with sprains and strains and 20 percent involve punctures and lacerations. The board also heard from city Safety Coordinator Becky Soter, discussed Chandler’s Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response Training program, which “is geared toward individuals who have the potential of coming in contact with hazardous materials or chemicals.”

Users will have to initially train for 40 hours and then continue training for eight hours a year. This program will cover laws and regulations as well as a deep look at the different kinds of hazardous materials and ways of dealing with them. Anthony Dominguez, also a city safety coordinator, discussed Emergency Action Plan and Respirator Fit Testing required by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration. The Emergency Action Plan is used primarily for evacuations during fires. “We do drills annually through all the facilities, with all employees across

the city,” he said. “We continue to maintain a base of employees called emergency action coordinators. These are employees who volunteer within their own divisions and departments to manage evacuations when an alarm may sound.” Dominguez said coordinators can also respond to emergencies involving blood-borne pathogens exposure, hearing conservation, respiratory protection and secondary programs for protective eyewear and footwear. Because COVID-19 made in-person training sessions difficult, city safety coordinators used an online training program, he added.

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Zombies make their way to equestrian center BY MALLORY GLEICH Contributor

Remember back when the pandemic first hit Arizona, and some were convinced that this catastrophic event could result in, well, zombies? Well, while that hasn’t happened, October is the perfect month to pretend that zombies are real and you can find them at the KOLI Equestrian Center, 6940 W. Broken Ear Road, Chandler. KOLI provides year-round horseback riding for anyone looking to enjoy beautiful views. But on weekends between Oct. 8 and Nov. 7, the scenery takes a turn for the worse as a zombie outbreak occurs at various times Fridays through Sundays. And because the point of finding zombies is to get rid of them, KOLI is holding “The Hunt: Arizona Zombie Assault.” Organizers of the hunt have provided the back story “There was a viral outbreak in 2019. A rare virus spread across the country. This virus has been reawakening dead people into zombies after their vaccine wore off. “This reaction was unknown to the masses and needs to be stopped. We need you to help us conduct a hunt of these infected zombies before they re-infect the population. Send these zombies back to the grave!” Guests board a military-style vehicle (also known as a zombie assault vehicle) and head to a double-decker trailer.

Zombies were hired several months in advance of the coming zombie hunt at KOLI Equestrian Center in Chandler. (Special to

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The first station is where they receive ammo, which comes in the form of paintballs. After a mission briefing, guests head out into the desert in search of the undead. Arizona Zombie Assault was once known as Zombie Warz and was the brainchild of Utah-based Wayne Park. Park had the idea for a zombie hunt back in 2015 and decided that the desert landscape of our state would be better suited than his home. He headed to Wild Horse Pass and eventually Maricopa Wells, where the hunt was open for three years until it shut down in 2018.

Zombie Assault General Manager TroyScott Farrar and owner Chuck Pablo said that the concept of the hunt is the same as Zombie Warz, with a few changes to fit the venue.

“It’s the perfect time of year for an event like this – and it doesn’t require a lot of physical activity,” Farrar said. “Piggie-backing on the pandemic makes for a great storyline that is intriguing guests to come out and hunt. Who doesn’t want a chance to shoot a zombie?” The creepy monsters are hired by the staff at KOLI a few months in advance. Their primary purpose, other than to avoid getting taken out, is to have fun. “Actors must fill out an application online, but one of the things we look for is a great zombie leg drag or grunt,” Farrar said. “Their looks and movements might be intimidating, but the zombies do not come within 20 feet of the trucks.” The mission lasts around 20 minutes and either individuals or groups can participate. Paintball experience isn’t necessary, but Farrar said shooting the zombies is more complicated than it looks because not only are they moving slowly, so is the zombie assault vehicle. Once the ride is over, guests will have a chance to take photos with zombies for proof that they survived the hunt. One important thing that Farrar and Pablo want guests to know is that they are not allowed to bring anything with them on the hunt. Tickets start at $25 and more information and ticket purchasing are at koliequestrian.com or thehuntaz.com.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

Exhibit celebrates Chandler city workers’ art BY SRIANTHI PERERA Contributor

City of Chandler employees Sue Van Horne, Andrea Cole and Kim Durning took advantage of pandemic stay-athome directives to develop their shared passion for creating art. Van Horne turned to her camera, Cole sat with her mosaic art and Durning worked on her puzzle mashups. At the city-run Vision Gallery in Downtown Chandler, a show gives them a platform to display the work. “Off the Clock: Artwork by City of Chandler Employees” features the art of 25 employees from 11 city departments and runs through Oct. 2. Other artists include Kareena Betancourt, Cynde Cerf and Melina Zuniga. “I’ve used photography as a way to document what is happening around me,” Van Horne said. “Whether it’s a family gathering or a statement about epilepsy, my photography tends to be about my personal journey.” Van Horne has a bachelor of fine arts from University of Arizona, where she studied photography and bookbinding. For entries in this show, the Chandler resident made recordings of the sky and clouds taken at different times of the day. “It wasn’t just a matter of stepping outside and taking a snapshot. I would carefully compose photographs of the

Susan Van Horne

Andrea Cole

sky that felt most interesting,” she said. Van Horne is an administrative librarian and runs the Sunset Branch Library in Chandler. “Sitting outside and looking at the sky has always been an enjoyable and easy way for me to relieve the stress of the day,” she said. “Because the sky and clouds have such a calming effect for me, I thought they would be a great subject for this project.” Gilbert resident Andrea Cole’s focuses on assembling various objects and her own pottery to create compelling and unusual wall art. She displays three of her themed pieces in the show – a timepiece, ocean treasures and fire-

works over Paris. For each, she selected a focal piece and assembled a whole with rock, glass, grout and paint. The clocktower comprises wristwatches with amethyst and pottery for shape. The roses in the Paris themed piece are made of clay and were fired in her ceramic oven at home. “All of them have a theme and tell a story,” Cole said of the 40 pieces she has created so far. Three were selected for this show, but 14 of Cole’s pieces are also on display at her workplace, the Basha Library, where she organizes the pre-school and kindergarten programs and the middle school STEAM Club.

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The rest of her art decorates her home. Kim Durning, a water operations compliance specialist at the city, experiments with different mediums. Her work in the show are called puzzle mashups. “I enjoy making puzzles on my lunch break,” she said. “If two or more puzzles are the same brand, product line, and are cut on the same dies and orientation, the pieces are frequently (but not always) interchangeable.” At first glance, her finished pieces look similar to puzzles, but on further inspection, there’s a surprise element woven into the picture. “The fun is swapping out parts of the puzzles to make new pictures, sometimes with very interesting or surprising results,” she said. Durning, who began creating art as a child, has a BA in studio art from Arizona State University. “I was lucky to have many talented and inspiring teachers, who encouraged my creativity and imagination,” she said. “Art is problem solving, creating something from nothing, seeing the world from assorted angles and perspectives, thinking of alternative methods for accomplishing various results.” A former Chandler resident who lives in Ahwatukee, Durning hasn’t shown her See

EXHIBIT on page 21

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EXHIBIT

from other employees, especially the ones I am acquainted with; it’s a glimpse from page 20 at another part of their personalities,” she said. work in a while. “I like that other people “Displaying things in a gallery does can share the fun I had making them,” put them in a different context. Watchshe said. ing and hearing people react to the What is her take on the show? exhibit was interesting and enjoyable.” Art brings out a person’s personality. For Van Horne, it’s the first time “It was exciting to see all the pieces she’s showing her work in the Valley. Previously, she has exhibited in Tucson and Fort Wayne and South Bend, Indiana. “I thought the City of Chandler has a bunch of very talented people working for it,” she said. “I felt honored to be among them.” Although photography is a hobby, “I do take it seriously,” she said. Cole’s clocktower mosaic is being used in promotional material because of the show’s title. “The fact that I can point to my name on the artist wall is so exciting,” she said. “It’s just a fun opportunity. Plus, I got some practice on submitting art into a show.” Vision Gallery is at 10 E. Chicago St., Chandler. Open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10 Susan Van Horne photographed the clouds at different a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. times of the day and month. (Courtesy Susan Van Horne) Visiongallery.org.

Salmon, Mesnard to address Sun Lakes Republicans SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Republican gubernatorial candidate Matt Salmon will speak at next months’ meeting of the Sun Lakes Republican Club. State Sen. J.D. Mesnard, whose district includes South Chandler and Sun Lakes, also is a featured speaker at the meeting, 6:30-8:30 p.m. Oct. 13 in the Navajo Room at Sun Lakes Country Club, 25601 S. Sun Lakes Blvd., Sun Lakes. The public is invited and encouraged to attend the sessions, whose mission is “Education for an Informed Electorate,” a club release states. “Our members are advised that our usual meeting day and room location have changed, and that seating is limited and will be available on a first come, first served basis,” a club spokesman also said. “Audience capacity is only 150 in this room, so please plan to arrive a bit earlier than usual to get a seat.” Salmon discuss his vision for a strong Arizona and his record of public service, which includes the Arizona Senate from 1991-1995 and the U.S. House of Representatives representing Arizona’s fifth congressional district from 1995-2001

and from 2013-2017. He has lived in Taiwan, speaks Mandarin, and while in Congress served on the Foreign Affairs Committee and the Education and The Workforce Committee. He also was a founding member of the House Freedom Caucus in 2015. Mesnard will discuss the state budget and “existing legislation to fund state and local education and protect voter security,” the club release said. “He will ‘set the record straight’ about the actual Arizona budget and election laws and exactly who has jurisdiction over our budgets and laws.” Two candidates for state representative in LD 17 also will be there: Julie Willoughby and Ron Hardin. Also, the club said its annual Cowboy Christmas Dinner Dance 5-9 p.m. Dec. 10 will have surprise guests. It will be held at Cottonwood Country Club’s San Tan Ballroom. Music and entertainment will be provided by Harry Mathews with a “Western Gunslinger Buffet” of BBQ chicken and beef ribs. Tickets will be available for $35 at the October meeting on a first come, first served basis. A cash bar will be available. Information: Chairman Mike Tennant, 480-802-0178.

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Asian Moon Festival next weekend at Tumbleweed Park

The city will hold its inaugural Asian Moon Festival on Oct. 2-3 at Tumbleweed Park on E. Germann Road. The festival is tied to one of the most important holidays in many Asian nations, the Mid-Autumn Festival. It dates back about three thousand years and is usually held during the first full moon of autumn. Lanterns are used to light the path to good fortune and people eat mooncakes, a favorite pastry. Chandler’s event is not just for people of Asian descent, however. One of the highlights of the first Asian Moon Festival will be some Lucha Libre wrestlers. Lucha libre has its roots in Mexico where masked men have been stars of that nation’s pro wrestling for about 100 years. The free event also will offer food trucks, other entertainment and local artists. It will run 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Information: moonfestivalaz@ gmail.com

CUSD students invited to attend virtual college fair

Chandler Unified School District students are being invited to attend a virtual Arizona college fair. Registration for the event begins Oct. 1. The fair is being hosted by Mesa Public Schools and is scheduled for 5 to 8 p.m., Oct. 25-26 on Zoom Video. There is no charge. Colleges will offer information about what’s needed to apply, ideas on paying for education, information on available scholarships, how to choose the right major and more.

Around Chandler

East Valley’s Devorah Hadassah slates activities for the fall

Devorah Hadassah is the East Valley chapter of Hadassah, the Women’s Zionist Organization of America. The volunteer organization’s mission is further a “passion for and commitment to the land, the people, and the future of Israel. Through education, advocacy, and youth development, and its support of medical care and research at Hadassah Medical Organization, Hadassah enhances the health and lives of people in Israel, the United States and worldwide.” Among upcoming activities is an online auction Oct. 18-Nov. 1 at biddingowl.com/DevorahHadassah. Payment by check only, made out to HADASSAH. Contact Susan by phone /text at 520705-3226 or email Susanesq1@gmail.com for information. The group’s general meeting will be at 7 p.m. Oct. 14 with the topic “Jews and the early Christians.” To register for the Zoom meeting: hadassah-org.zoom. us/meeting/register/tZArculoqTgoG9Cjfd1hyUmuZv-Or2J44E. Another Zoom meeting at 7 p.m. Nov. 17 will be held on the topic “Hannah’s War” by Jan Eliasberg. Register at hadassah-org.zoom.us/meeting/ register/tZUrfumgrz4iHdVwZ1B11ugG9MAPrKds6vv1. After registering, you will receive a Information: ruth.devorah.had@gmail.com or ann.hadassahmembership@gmail.com.

Chandler Fire slates training for residents to handle emergencies

The Chandler Fire Department is offering a free training course for Chan-

dler residents who want to learn how to take care of themselves and their family, neighborhood and community during an emergency or disaster. This Basic Community Emergency Response Team training course provides residents with hands-on and classroom instruction over Oct. 16 and Oct. 23 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Courses include fire safety, utility control, light search and rescue, basic medical care and more. The classes will be conducted at the Chandler Public Safety Training Center, 3550 S. Dobson Road. The training is free, but space is limited. Register at eventbrite.com/e/fall-01-21-cert-training-tickets-172142291227. Participants will learn about the types of hazards that might affect Chandler, and examine the roles and responsibilities of various organizations within the community, such as police and fire departments, other government agencies, public utilities and non-profits. Constructing family emergency kits for home and vehicles is a critical part of community preparedness as well. Chandler Fire Battalion Chief Suzy Vargo said, “Our goal is to give residents the tools, information and coping skills they need to care for themselves and their families for up to 72 hours following a natural or man-made disaster.” Information: 480-782-2120, ChandlerFire@chandleraz.gov.

East Valley Children’s Theatre presents ‘Clumsy Princess’

And original play titled The Clumsy Princess is being presented by the renowned East Valley Children’s Theatre 7 p.m. Thursdays and Fridays, 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays

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through Oct. 3 at the Mesa Arts Center/Nesbitt Elliott Playhouse, 1 E. Main St., Mesa. This is the kickoff to the theater’s 25th season Winner of EVCT’s 2020 Aspiring Playwrights Contest, The Clumsy Princess is the story of Prince Stephan’s quest to find a picture-perfect princess. Unfortunately, Stephan’s plans for marriage quickly deteriorate when he meets Princess Tilly, a clumsy young woman who accidentally knocks him out of a window. Stranded in his own kingdom for the first time, Stephan learns of a terrible beast plaguing his people. The ultimate prince would defeat any such beast, so Stephan embarks on a quest with Tilly and his court jester, Felicity, to set things right. But the beast isn’t exactly what Stephan expected. Season tickets for all four shows in the anniversary season can be purchased for only $50 at evct.org/ store/2012-2022-season-tickets.html.

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Learn how to talk to your kids about marijuana. This publication was made possible by SAMSHA Grant number 6B08TI083044-01. The views expressed in these materials do not necessarily reflect the official policies or contractual requirements of the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS) or the Department of Health and Human Services; nor does mention of trade names, commercial practices, or organizations imply endorsement by the U.S. Government. 24051 AHCCCS_Newsprint_SlowBrain_4-9x4-9.indd 1

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The City of Chandler will hold a Special Bond Election on Nov. 2, 2021

La Ciudad de Chandler llevará a cabo una Elección Especial de Bonos el 2 de noviembre de 2021

A bond election is an opportunity for taxpayers to decide what community improvements or enhancements they are willing to pay for through property taxes.

Una elección de bonos es una oportunidad para que los contribuyentes de impuestos decidan qué mejoramientos o realces comunitarios están dispuestos a pagar a través de los impuestos sobre la propiedad.

Will your property tax rates increase? No.

¿Aumentarán sus tasas de impuestos sobre la propiedad? No.

• Park improvements • Fire facilities and equipment • Police facilities and equipment • Improvements to bike paths and streets • Renovate community facilities

• Mejoramientos a parques • Instalaciones y equipo de bomberos • Instalaciones y equipo de la policía • Mejoramientos de senderos ciclistas y calles • Renovación de instalaciones comunitarias

Learn more about what this bond election means for you and our City at the web address below.

Aprenda más sobre lo que esta elección de bonos significa para usted y nuestra Ciudad en el sitio web a continuación.

chandleraz.gov/BondElection

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

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cal Infrastructure and Transportation Committee – led by Jack Sellers, Kevin Olson and Bill Garfield – that the latest version of the Regional Transportation Plan is “near and dear to MAG’s heart.” On June 22, MAG’s Transportation Policy Committee recommended approval of the draft investment plan, which the MAG Regional Council approved two days later. Sellers, chairman of the Maricopa County Board of Supervisors, is vice chair of the MAG transportation committee, which also includes Mesa Mayor John Giles, Chandler Mayor Kevin Hartke (chair of the committee) and Tempe Mayor Corey Woods. In an email to the Tribune, Giles said, “The extension of Prop 400 is essential for Mesa’s continued economic development and quality of life. Nothing has transformed our city over the last few decades more than the regional infrastructure investments in our freeway system, light rail, city streets and bus network.” Of the new 25-year plan MAG approved, Giles said, “I’m pleased with the outcome of this process and that it includes improvements to the Loop 202 and State Route 24; an extension of the new Rio Salado streetcar to the Asian and Fiesta District; extensive expansion of bus routes in central and eastern Mesa; and further funding to expand and maintain local streets.” At the East Valley Partnership meeting, Bullen noted Proposition 300, the original half-cent sales tax passed by voters in 1985, funded the Loop 202. Its successor, Prop 400, put up money for the light rail, the beginning of State Route 24 and “arterial improvements” in the East Valley. The next transportation proposition (a number has yet to be assigned) will also ask voters for a half-cent sales tax, though Bullen said a 1 cent tax was considered. The biggest difference: MAG and company will be asking voters for a 25year plan this time. In the “can’t please everyone” department: “32 member agencies (were) trying to figure out what priorities are important across the Valley,” Bullen said. He noted chunks of the East Valley, including Tempe, Chandler and most of Mesa, “are largely built out. They’re in a position of trying to optimize moving people....compared to Queen Creek and

RETAIL

from page 11

“We started looking ahead to the future, what can we do?” Miranda said. “We’re working proactively to take large, big-box retail off the market and repurpose it. We’ve seen some success.” Miranda said that replacing the former Fry’s store at Alma School and Warner continues to be a priority, but that its location in the same center as a Walmart limits options. That’s why Pollack says the best idea is to turn the space into housing, providing more consumers for the businesses around that intersection, which includes his. “We need more housing, quality density, that’s the key,” he said. “It’s all about reinvention instead of boarded-up buildings.” The city’s vacancy rate for retail

east Mesa, they’re still growing, it’s very different.” The next half-cent tax is expected to generate $36.7 billion over 25 years... A big chunk of money, but not nearly enough to fund what leaders across the Valley seek. Bullen said wish list items total $90 billion —more than three times the available revenue.” He listed a few highlights of what did make the MAG transportation plan: SR 30, an I-10 alternative planned to run through Avondale, Buckeye and Goodyear. I-17 reconstruction. A “full build” of SR 24. A bus lane of Arizona Avenue, from Chandler to Mesa (where it becomes Country Club Drive). Expansion of a streetcar that now serves Tempe, “ultimately going out to the Fiesta Mall,” which is closed. Widening/HOV lanes on the Loop 202/SanTan Freeway. Bullen said Arizona Legislature must first green-light the plan before it goes to voters in November 2022. While acknowledging Prop 400 doesn’t expire until 2025, he stressed, “three years is needed to start work on some of those projects, get them queued up.” In an interview, Bullen, who has been with MAG since 2012, said “that map is intended to demonstrate the big capital projects. I think the freeway system in the East Valley is pretty well finished and matured.” Though the splashy, big-price tag projects are on the west side, Bullen noted the East Valley has plenty of transportation improvements in the works. “Where you see investment in the East Valley is bus transit and arterial (roads),” he said. “The plan needed to be balanced throughout the region. Investment is balanced on the west side vs. Phoenix vs. the east side. With this plan we’ve achieved that balance,” Bullen insisted. And, he noted, the plan is hardly set in stone. “Things evolve, as economic development shifts, certainly there will be updates,” Bullen said. The public comment period for the Regional Transportation Plan continues through Oct. 13. To comment, or for more information, visit ourmomentumplan.com or azmag.gov. businesses remains near historic lows. It’s currently at 6.5 percent. The fiveyear average rate is 7.4 percent. That’s despite the economic damage caused by the pandemic. “I will give the government credit for helping small businesses,” Pollack said. “I have more than a thousand tenants, and about 70 percent of them are small businesses.” He said the stimulus money the government handed out in loans and grants helped keep many businesses afloat until shoppers felt safe leaving their homes. Miranda said this is a smart direction for the city. “As we approach buildout, we want to ensure every area of the city remains safe, beautiful and economically viable,” he said. “Those are exactly the new uses that we’re really pushing, that make a lot of sense.”

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

Left: This 3,879-square-foot house on S. Oregon Court in Sun Lakes recently sold for $1.12 million. Built in 2007, the two-story home has ﬁve bedrooms and three baths and boasts of a number of features including a loft with a balcony, swimming pool and gourmet kitchen. The sale price was about $50,000 over the listing price. Right: This home on S. Welch Place in Chandler’s Arden Park neighborhood recently sold for $1 million. The 4,765-square-foot, two-story home was built in 2002 and has ﬁve bedrooms and three baths. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

Valley analyst sees ‘precarious’ times for home buyers, sellers BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

Driven by iBuyers and investors that are gobbling up substantial numbers of houses, Valley home buyers and sellers may be entering a disquieting and even “precarious” period while renters are facing a continuing rise in rents, judging by the latest observations by a leading analyst of the Phoenix Metro market. The Cromford Report outlined a series of trends from August sales and listings that likely won’t bring many smiles to anyone but landlords. “Many surprising changes have occurred in the market over the past month,” Cromford said as it reported that the average sale price per square foot soared by 27.9 percent between August 2019 and last month, up from $194.97 to $249.31. That’s pushed up the monthly median sales price in the same time period by 23.4 percent, from $325 to $401,000. Several developments in August caught the Cromford Report’s eye, particularly a decline in new listings that appears to have been driven by a spending spree by large investors and iBuyers. “Ordinary home buyers are losing some of their motivation, thanks to pric-

es that are vastly higher than last year,” Cromford said. “Despite low interest rates, affordability has slipped below the normal range for Greater Phoenix.” The report stated, “If it were not for the activity of investors and iBuyers – and particularly the latter – the market would have cooled during August. This

Ordinary home buyers are losing some of “ their motivation, thanks to prices that are vastly higher than last year, despite low interest rates, affordability has slipped below the normal range for Greater Phoenix.

”

– The Cromford Report

would have been following the trend established since April. “However, iBuyers have purchased so many homes over the last month that they are significantly distorting the market dynamics. These homes are mostly going to be re-marketed shortly, so they will almost certainly increase supply over the coming weeks.” However, it also predicted, “Prices

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have been pretty flat for the past 3 months, but are likely to rise once more during the fourth quarter.” Cromford noted, “iBuyers have made offers well in excess of the pricing that we saw from them” in the first half of 2021. He said it is unclear how iBuyers will price their homes once they return

them to the market because “normal buyers no longer have the appetite” they showed through June 2021. “Achieving sale prices well over cost could prove quite tricky” for the iBuyers, it suggested. Cromford noted that iBuyers purchased about 2,850 homes over the last three months, which “represents almost 9 percent of resale purchases.” The iBuyer and investor buying spree has sharply impacted the availability of resale homes, it said. “We can see that the iBuyers (particularly Opendoor and Zillow) have increased their inventory massively,” the Cromford Report said. “If iBuyers had not done this, we estimate that supply would al-ready be higher by some 1,800 listings…We conclude that pricing would also be weaker without their intervention. This begs the question: what happens if they stop buying on this massive scale?” “Investors, too, can decide to stop their buying spree at a moment’s notice. The market is therefore more precarious than if demand were primarily growing through owner-occupiers.” Investors dominated the Valley housing market in August, the Cromford report as “demand has shifted away from owner-occupiers of primary residences towards landlords, investors, fix-and-flips and second homes.”

It cited data showing: Sales of homes intended to be primary residences are down 14 percent; Sales of homes intended to be rented are up 97 percent; Sales of home intended to be secondary residences are up 98 percent. The news is a lot happier for investors that rent out – and not so hot for their tenants, judging by the Cromford Report’s findings. “Investors intending to rent out their properties are a different matter and the rapid rise in rents over the past year has justified them splashing out,” it said. “Indeed, far more homes are going from iBuyers straight to the rental operators than we saw prior to July 2021. This takes homes off the re-sale market for a long time and reduces supply.” It also noted “large scale investors with deep pockets are crowding out smaller investors.” “We have seen larger buying sprees from investors before, notably between 2011 and 2013,” it continued. “However we have never seen iBuyers so determined to increase their top line.” The average rental price per square foot has increased from $1 per square foot to $1.36 in the past two years, Cromford said. “That is a 36 percent increase in just two years and must be a budget problem for tens of thousands of tenants,” it said, noting rents increased by 28 percent in the previous 18-year period. “The cost of renting has escalated over a very short period,” Cromford said. “The housing bubble of 2004-2008 saw little to no rise in rents and in fact the low point was 64 cents in February 2005, just as the for-sale market was reaching its highest frenzy. This time is very different, showing that the rapid appreciation in home values is due to real shortage of housing rather than speculative activity based on easy money.” However, Cromford also noted that all housing costs are soaring in the Valley. “Although the cost of renting has jumped 36 percent over two years, the average home price per square foot has increased by far more – from $169.26 to $262.21, a jump of 55 percent,” it said.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

Hyper-local info on homes requires an expert BY SARA GOLDEN Guest Writer

With the advent of commercial flights to outer space, what we have viewed as rapid travel will change exponentially. The term need for speed will take on new meaning. Our definition of normal will be recalibrated. This is in essence what is happening to our housing market. Our previous definition of hot market has gain warp factor speed. Enough about space adventures. The #1 question we are asked is should I

wait to buy a home until prices drop. The term “buyers’ market” seems like a more comfortable place to purchase. While contrary to popular wisdom, purchasing in a sellers’ market is the correct answer. Purchasing while homes are continuing to increase in value means your new asset will be worth more the day after you close. Purchasing in a buyers’ market of course means the opposite, your home is worth less. We continue to be in a wildly healthy sellers’ marketplace. As I like to say, ignore the man behind the curtain, or the national news about housing. We must always focus on hyper-local information. Chandler and the East Valley have

been in a robust sellers’ market. Average values have increase in since 2011 roughly 64 percent while in the past 12 months values have increase 30 percent, according to the Cromford Report. Chandler owners have a huge opportunity to capitalize on the growth both short and long term. So that begs the next question: Do I stay in my home and renovate? Do I sell and make the move that I have always wanted to do? A personal decision. We expect another 20 percent increase in values overall in the next 12 months. While a broad statement, it is important to have an analysis of your specific neighborhood.

Some areas will have had a very rapid increase in value on the front end, or at the beginning of the market boom, but may slow considerably due to factors that cap value. A few examples are floor plan obsolescence, surroundings such as powerlines, major roads or commercial areas in close proximity. Hyper-local information takes a trusted advisor to find and disseminate. While we all love the Zestimate, it misses the boat on the details. Realtor Sara Golden is part of Long Realty Luxury Platinum Premier and Jay Jasper Associates. Reacher her at sara@jayjasper.us, 480-625-7829 or saragolden.longrealty.com.

Out-of-whack home market could last years SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

There’s never been a housing market quite like this before. Today’s real estate agents are pulling double duty as therapists, consoling heartbroken homebuyers. First-time homebuyers around the country are being outbid by investors willing to pay more than $100,000 over asking price. Wealthy buyers are offering all cash for second homes, sending prices ever higher and pushing the dream of homeownership out of reach for many folks. Meanwhile home sellers are enjoying the benefits of life in the fast lane: the ultimate seller’s market. Can all this last? Is this really going to become the new normal? Well, no. In this pandemic-fueled era, it’s easy to forget that the extremes of today’s real estate market – like, say, having to put in an offer well over asking price and agreeing to waive all contingencies, before an open house is even over – are simply not normal. That’s why the data team at Realtor. com wanted to look at what a typical, classically healthy housing market looks like, back when homes sold for a few percentage points less than what the sellers were asking. While the market has begun to cool off just a little, it’s still a highly challenging time to be looking to buy given the severe housing shortage. “The pandemic certainly made things significantly worse, but the lack of inventory has been a long-standing challenge in the housing market,” said Ali Wolf, chief economist at building consultancy Zonda. While home price growth has slowed, percentage increases are rising at elevated levels In a perfect real estate world, home prices would need to rise at the same pace as people’s wages in order for regular folks to become homeowners. Yet over the past decade, Americans’ average wages have increased by about 2-3 percent a year, according to the U.S. Labor Department. Home prices have risen at a rate of about 7% each year over the same time. By the end of the year, Realtor.com economists project home price growth

may calm down a bit – but not enough to have buyers cheering. “Slower growth isn’t going to quickly make homebuying affordable for those who have been priced out recently,” said Nancy Vanden Houten, the lead economist at Oxford Economics, a forecasting company. “It’s hard to imagine a precipitous drop like we saw 10, 12 years ago.” National median home prices have ballooned from about $260,000 in 2016 to more than $380,000 today, according to Realtor.com listing data. That’s a huge difference for the average homebuyer, and rising prices are hurting many buyers’ bottom lines. With fewer homes available and high demand for those that remained, many sellers began seeing multiple offers that, in turn, drove up prices. That’s great for sellers, but buyers needed to find ways to stand out, and that often means by offering more money, creating rapid price growth over the past year or so. And of course, many sellers are also buyers themselves, on the prowl for their next properties. People who want to sell their homes can’t find a home to move into – a vicious circle where people want to move, but can’t because of the lack of inventory. “Home prices have grown notably this year, and that’s making homes less affordable,” said Danielle Hale, Realtor. com chief economist. At some point, prices won’t be able to continue rising by so much, because there won’t be enough buyers who can afford to become homeowners. “It’s not a problem yet because mortgage rates have been so low, but we’re approaching a point where lack of affordability could cause home price growth to slow,” adds Hale. “That’s especially true if mortgage rates also start to rise.” Overall, mortgage rates have been steadily dropping since the 1980s, when the Federal Reserve hiked interest rates to combat inflation. They hit a now-remarkable high of 18.63 percent in the week ending Oct. 4, 1981, according to Freddie Mac data. Most economists expect rates to start moving higher over the next 10 years. That could keep prices in check as

most buyers have a limit on how much they can spend each month on housing. In the short term, Freddie Mac projects rates will go back to 3 percent by the end of this year. Barring any economic disasters, Kiefer says, rates probably won’t start moving closer to 4 percent until 2023 or beyond. The lack of homes for sale is the main culprit behind the previously unthinkable high prices. Even though more homes have been listed in recent months, there are still about half as many homes for sale as there were at the start of 2020, according to Realtor.com. Normally, the number of homes available rises and falls with the seasons. In a typical market, sellers begin listing their homes in the early spring, and buyers wind down in the fall ahead of the back-to-school season. But last year, the number of homes on the market began a steady and steep drop. Even before the coronavirus upended the world, the nation already had an inventory problem. Homes were getting too old, battered by natural disasters and everyday wear and tear and being bought up by investors, many of them turned into rentals. And builders of new homes weren’t making up the difference. “Economist Vanden Houten said that even though more people are expected to list their homes over the next year, the market is so out of whack, that the total number of homes for sale will remain low. “We’ve had good gains in housing construction, but we’ve still accumulated a pretty big shortage,” Vanden Houten says. Homebuilders have ramped up construction of new homes but not enough to offset the deficit that already existed before COVID-19. Instead, homebuilding actually slowed in July, according to the latest U.S. Census data. Skyrocketing lumber and materials prices sent building costs soaring at the start of the pandemic. While prices have cooled since peaking in May, those savings aren’t yet being passed on to consumers. Land and labor shortages have also continued to drive up prices. Rising costs have started to put off buyers,

and that has caused homebuilders to hit a ceiling, at least temporarily. “Builders in some cases were throttling demand, or having a quota on sales to manage and maintain their production pipelines,” said Robert Dietz, chief economist of the National Association of Home Builders. That means even though people wanted the homes, builders couldn’t keep up with the demand without significantly upping their prices. After a massive plunge in construction during the Great Recession, homebuilders have yet to make up for the lost time as many of them went out of business after the bust and never returned. Dietz estimates the current housing deficit stands at about a million housing units. To get back to normal, he says, builders would need to put up about 1.4 million single-family homes a year. That “would require hundreds of thousands of additional construction workers,” Dietz said. Not only are buyers dealing with prices at all-time highs and insane competition, they also don’t have much time to make up their mind. In some cases, they don’t even have the opportunity to sleep on it before making what could be the biggest purchase of their lives. Depending on the season, the typical home usually spends between 55 and 80 days on listing sites, according to Realtor.com data. However, it was just 39 days in August. Homes are now selling in roughly two-thirds the time they sold last year, and less than half the time they did four years ago. “With homes turning over so quickly, you’re going to see fewer [active listings] because they’re just not sitting active for very long,” Hale predicted. To fix the problem, housing experts say there is really only one solution: time. “We have to realize that the market is a bit broken,” Zonda’s Wolf said. “Time will help get more inventory to the market. But [that] doesn’t mean a year. This means over the next three to five years we’re going to see things get back to normal.” Realtor.com provided this report.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

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Chandler woman makes dolls that ‘calm and smoothe’ BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

Ann Baum’s business didn’t start out as one. Close to 40 years ago, the South Chandler woman made some “comfort dolls” almost as a charitable hobby, but put then put it aside “for a good number of years” as life carried her along in other directions. She picked up making them a few years ago, and now thinks the dolls are even more popular because the anxiety created by the pandemic has made them particularly useful. To understand the impact of the dolls, Baum recalled the first one she made decades ago for a young family friend who had been born with fetal alcohol syndrome. He was a lonely young boy and few people wanted anything to do with him. So she traced his body to make one that matched his size, dressing it in some of his clothes. “He and that doll were inseparable,” Baum said. “That was his best friend. He would watch TV with it, go to bed with it wrapped around him.”

Ann Baum of South Chandler makes dolls that have become “a non-drug way to calm and soothe” children as well as adults. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)

In recent years, she redesigned the doll and the results have been “more wonderful responses.” “These dolls have gone to memory care facilities and the residents find

lots of fun and comforting interactions with them,” she said. “They’ve gone to autistic children, to veterans and children who needed some comfort after a traumatic incident in their life – really,

anyone who needs to have a tactile or comforting experience.” Baum took some to a memory care facility in Chandler not long ago, recalling, “I was amazed at the response” from the residents. “One lady said, ‘Oh there’s Addison,’ her 5-year-old granddaughter. One lady stood up and danced with it. One man, a dignified former executive with Alzheimer’s, put it in his lap and wouldn’t let it go. He just laid his head into it.” In some ways, Baum continues to be surprised by the reactions of people who come in contact with the dolls. “You wouldn’t think some cloth and some fiberfill would have that affect but it does.” Baum has improved on her design from the first one 40 years ago, but she still makes them without a pattern because “I can’t do patterns.” Between 18 and 24 inches tall, the dolls consist of “soft, tactile fabrics generously stuffed with hypoallergenic fiberfill to give softness and substance,” she explained. Weighing about five pounds, each doll is dressed in baby clothes, a diaper See

DOLLS on page 36

She mines resumes for A-list job candidates BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

Record millions of people are leaving their jobs across the country and around the world, some citing burnout and others searching for new opportunities or a change in career. Sarah Johns not only is one of those people – she’s looking for people who are looking to make the leap. And if they’re not looking, part of Johns’ job involves trying to lure them to her client’s workplace – especially if they’ve exhibited the kind of A-list talent any employer would like to have. Johns is a recruiter, who, with her husband Matt, owns the Chandler-Ahwatukee-Tempe franchise of Patrice & Associates, the largest hospitality and retail executive search firm in North America and, at 25 years, one of the oldest. While Matt continues in his job as an engineering manager, Sarah left hers and started their business in August. For 15 previous years, the mother of two had been in supply chain management – a job that she agrees hardly prepared her for her new gig. “It is a bit of a career switch,” said Johns, who underwent extensive training her for the world of recruitment. In many ways, she probably couldn’t have picked a better time – or a more promising career opportunity – judging by recent research on a phenomenon dubbed “The Great Resignation.” The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Sarah Johns reported that in June alone, the number of job leavers increased by 164,000 to 942,000 in June. Some are calling this period of the pandemic “The Great Resignation” as more and more workers leave their jobs to either pursue new careers or focus on more personal time. The job site Monster.com surveyed the landscape and found 95 percent of workers are thinking of quitting their jobs. Two-thirds felt there were job opportunities awaiting them and 92 percent were considering switching careers. Johns can sympathize with those respondents. “To be honest,” she explained, “I was looking for an opportunity that better

suited our family as a working mom. I wanted some more flexibility and control of my future and schedule and I was looking to find a career that helped me to help other people. I was feeling ready to make a change.” While it boasts of its record in the hospitality and retail industries, Johns’ company points to a broad array of clients looking for management-level people. Its website lists nationwide and local restaurants, hotels, retail and grocery chains, assisted living facilities, hospitals, airport concourse outlets, spas, catering and wedding venues, casinos, companies that hire sales and customer service representatives – to name a few. “We have a background in hospitality,” Johns said. “We are the largest hospitality recruiter in North America. However, we recruit for any industry. And we recruit management level and above both for hospitality and for other industries, because I see we do.” In her early months in her new work, Johns’ biggest challenges have been those of both small business owner and career changer. While she said “the biggest challenge so far has been a few things as a firsttime, small business owner – learning to manage the things that come up in a small business,” she concedes she also has had to master “learning the new field” and “learning how to apply my skills that I have to the recruiting work.” Then there was the challenge of “getting familiar with the hospitality industry

and getting up to speed with what is going on in the industry, how things are structured – that sort of thing.” But her training and innate abilities have helped her overcome those challenges. “It took some time to feel comfortable but we’re ready to go now,” Johns said. She was not terribly surprised when she discovered “some industries have a crying need for personnel.” “I was maybe a little surprised at how great the need was, but also understood it, given what’s happened in the last year and a half.” The hospitality industry, from restaurants of every size to hotels of every dimension, has been particularly ravaged by the pandemic. Many have found that surviving shutdowns was easy compared to finding talent and dedication in every position, from waiting tables to running the show. Johns said the restaurant industry has rebounded quickly “and we have many clients that are looking for anywhere from entry-level jobs to the management level positions.” “Given what’s happened in the last year and a half, I think that companies are having to pivot again. They’re having to work hard to get people back into the workforce and maybe look at their company culture and make sure that they’re offering a great place to work… They have to be competitive to get good A+ candidates.” See

RECRUIT on page 36

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DOLLS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

from page 34

and socks that the owner can put on and take off. No two are alike and they have no faces “so that each individual who interacts with the doll can apply their own interpretation.” However, she said she tries to put a hat or headband on their head. “I look for low tech options to enhance the quality of people’s lives,” Baum said. “Because these dolls give a sense of weight and are made with cozy, tactile fabrics, they are a perfect remedy for providing a sense of calm and constant friendship,” Baum said. “They provide a sense of ‘presence.’ Comfort dolls are always ready to be by one’s side, ready to be loved and to love. A comfort doll is not just a toy. It’s a gift of companionship and unconditional love.” “Honestly, when I’m done sewing

RECRUIT

from page 34

Johns also can tap into her company’s database of some 500,000 job seekers and notes that it also has a unique system that, unlike many job websites, pays close attention to clients’ needs. “We use multiple sources to do recruiting, but we really try to understand what it is they’re looking for first, what their need is and then we derive a plan to come up with the best opportunity to get them candidates quickly.” That includes culling through applications – or sizing up someone who already has a job and figuring out if there’s a way

The dolls have no faces so that whoever owns one can give them whatever identity they want. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)

one, I usually hug it,” Baum added. She said she has witnessed the dolls’ impact in so many ways – as nurture

therapy, a conversation starter and a calming presence that can lull someone to sleep. Or they create a distraction

to lure them to a client’s job vacancy. “A lot of times recruiters are just maybe pulling resumes and just turning resumes over to a client. We go beyond that,” she said. “We research resumes. We have our own database. We have a screening process that we go through to make sure that we’re getting the best candidate. We do our own interviewing and reference checking before we present a candidate to a client.” For job seekers, she said, “We also help coach candidates and help them with their resumes and help them pull out their accomplishments so that they are strong in their interviews.” And both employers and job seekers

“have a direct, dedicated account manager” so they are getting personalized service. Johns pointed out that her company already has an extensive national network that it can draw on to help find the right person for a client. Many times, it might simply involve finding someone willing and able to relocate to another part of the country. “We utilize the network that we’ve built up over the last few decades,” she said, adding that on her website, there’s a link for restless people to upload their resume and a letter on what they’re looking for. “I’m able to place candidates in jobs across the country,” Johns added. “Most of my client development will be here in

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Arizona, but we’re able to work with candidates in Arizona and in other places.” As she goes along headhunting and placing, Johns also is already discovering the sense of satisfaction she wanted in a new career – one where she is giving back and growing personally. “It’s really exciting to help people find jobs, help people find a career that helps improve their lives,” Johns said. “You’re also helping an employer in the community meet their needs. And so I feel like it’s a win win.” To reach Johns: sjohns@patriceandassociates.com or patriceandassociates.com/tempe-85044/ n

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from a particularly upsetting event or just provide “endless hours of hugs and smiles,” she said. In other words, Baum added, the dolls have become “a non-drug way to calm and soothe.” She can dress the dolls in the recipient’s favorite color. For example, one woman who wanted a doll for her mother, a memory care facility resident, “said her mom likes purple, so I put on a purple dress and she said it was perfect, that her mother took to it right away.” But she added, “I can’t custom-make them because I’m not a master craftsperson.” “By any means, they are not perfect,” she said. “But then, neither are we perfect.” To order a doll or find one that may already have been made, email: heartcomfortdolls@gmail.com.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

Fulton Homes marks 45 years of building SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Fulton Homes is marking its 45th anniversary. The Tempe company said in a release it prides itself on “quality single-family homes with high-grade amenities and plentiful greenspaces in communities across the Valley.” “Forty-five years of building residences in which families grow and raise children in is an amazing achievement,” said CEO Doug Fulton. “We are proud to share this success with our current and future homeowners. We look forward to many more years.” Fulton Homes was founded in 1975 by Ira Fulton after successfully buying and turning around a clothing business that was closed to bankruptcy. The company grew from building several homes a year to completing more than 1,200 single family units in 2020. “Quantity is not Fulton Homes’ motivating factor; the company’s overarching goal is to fulfill the needs

te has more than 1,000 lots near US 60 Fulton Vice President Norm Nichof the ever-changing American family as and the Loop 303 freeway in a burgeonolls added, “For a local homebuilder best as possible,” the company release ing part of the Northwest Valley. that operates in-market, we believe said. “It is important that homeowners In Goodyear, Fulton Homes closed we are in an extremely good position know they’re moving into a home that on land at Yuma Road and Estrella Parkto compete with national builders in is not only built with care, but with way surrounding the Goodyear Ballpark an active and healthy residential real unmatched quality.” Village that will eventually be home to Fulton Homes said its key to its busi- estate market. “The lots are in front of us, and once more than 790 homes. The project will ness has been a variety of charitable feature higher-density designs in a gatendeavors, including large donations to the trades and supply chain catches up to the demand – a challenge all builders ed setting. This project is not expected educational institutions, water safety to go into development for at least a face right now – we can start announcawareness campaigns, musical educayear. tional promotions and giveaways bene- ing sales and pre-sales.” Additionally, the company recently Its major Southeast Valley develfiting family pets and children literacy. secured a parcel totaling 187 acres at opment currently is Barney Farms in Recently, the Tempe-based homethe northwest corner of Perryville and Queen Creek, a master-planned combuilder announced details on more Indian School Roads in the West Valley. munity that will total more than 1,700 than 5,200 secured lots the company The recently approved master-planned homes on 550 acres, including 114 acres currently has in different stages of decommunity will have 675 homes. of open space anchored by a 22 acre velopment in the local market. Surprise will also feature a Fulton lake. “As a company, we know exactly Homes master-planned community of With established master-planned who we are and what we do best: Build 550 homes on 110 acres of land. communities underway and nearing single-family homes and large-scale “The approved projects remain in close-out, and newer projects in difmaster-planned communities featurthe early stages of raw land in predevelferent stages of development, Fulton ing the highest grade of amenities and opment, and the company will look to Homes expects to build approximately shared gathering spaces, all within our break ground on homes in the summer local market,” said Fulton. “Our pipeline 3,500 homes on secured lots in the of 2022,” the company said. is proof of that and our commitment to West Valley in the coming years. CLIPPER MAGAZINE Mail Week: 09/27/2021 MARTHA NEESE FOR VON HANSON S Information: fultonhomes.com. Currently in development, Escalanthe community.” Proof Release Area: 02763-09-21 Chandler-West/Gilber MEATS SPIRIT

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A Chandler business owner is one of the two winners of the Better Business Bureau’s 2021 Spark Award. Michael Wang, CEO of PeerSquared, Inc. was cited for what the BBB said is his “ethical character, transparent and open culture among their team and history of giving back to their communities.” His business received a $1,500 prize to further its growth and mission.

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“It’s truly an honor to be awarded the first-ever Spark Award,” Wang said. “As a startup, it’s motivating to know that our company culture and values are headed down the right path. “I look forward to continuing to improve myself and my team members as we work towards making a bigger impact in our community,” he added. PeerSquared is a peer-to-peer tutoring service that connects students to help each other succeed. The BBB Spark Award honors young entrepreneurs, age 35 and under, and new business owners who have been

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Basha’s Cole Martin joins suicide prevention effort BY ZACH ALVIRA Sports Editor

Basha junior defensive back Cole Martin is one of 15 Arizona high school football players who have pledged to raise awareness of teen suicide in Arizona. Martin, one of the top players in the country in the 2023 class, is starring in videos that carry messages of hope to teens struggling with depression, anxiety or suicidal thoughts. Often these teens feel like they have nobody to talk to. Martin and the 14 other players, in partnership with Teen Lifeline and the Grand Canyon State Gridiron Club, hope to show them that is not the case. “They help teens that are in need with suicide support,” Martin said. “It’s a great thing that I’m excited to help with. It’s something that, when they asked. I was more than willing to step up for. To be able to have my voice and have Basha High School be there to help support teens in need, it’s something I was excited to be a part of.” Martin joined Sandra Day O’Connor linebacker Brandon Craddock in a video posted earlier this month about teen suicide. They told them about Teen Lifeline and the availability of people they can turn to.

Left: Teen Lifeline Clinical Director Nikki Kontz became involved with the organization 27 years ago as a sophomore at Xavier Prep after one of her close friends died by suicide. Since then, she’s made a career out of making sure teens know they aren’t alone in their fight with mental illness. Right: Basha junior Cole Martin is one of 15 Arizona high school football players involved in an initiative with Teen Lifeline creating public service announcements for teens struggling with their mental health. (Pablo Robles/Progress Staff)

More public service announcements will continue to through the end of September. They are primarily posted on social media, where Teen Lifeline Clinical Director Nikki Kontz says they

are the most effective. “People have reached out on the hotline after seeing the videos on social media,” Kontz said. “Sometimes all it takes is the right person at the right

time to be listening to that video on Insta(gram).” Kontz has been involved with Teen Lifeline for 27 years. She began volunteering with the group when she was 16 years old as a sophomore at Xavier Prep after losing a close friend to suicide. She continued working with the group through college while she obtained her degree. Since then, she has made a career out of helping teens. “I immediately fell in love,” Kontz said. “As a teenager, it’s hard to know or feel like you’re making an impact and that your voice is also recognized as important. Teen Lifeline was that for me. I felt like with every phone call I could make a difference in someone’s life.” Teen Lifeline provides an anonymous phone and text line for teens struggling with their mental health. Just in 2020 alone, the organizations received 23,341 calls and 11,497 text messages from teens struggling with mental health. Kontz said the pandemic, which forced teens to be isolated and take online classes, played a major role. Of those calls, Teen Lifeline says 23 percent were from teens 13 or younger. Thirty-seven percent were from those ages 13-15, and 31 percent from teens See

SUICIDE on page 39

Hamilton golf seeks third consecutive title under Kanner BY DREW SCHOTT Contributing Writer

2020 was a statement season for the Boys Varsity team at Hamilton High School, as the Huskies won their eighth state title and third national championship. Since its opening in 1998, Hamilton has grown into one of Arizona’s best high school golf programs. Its alumni can be found on college golf rosters, as well as on professional tours across the world. A constant of the Huskies’ success: coach Steve Kanner. At the helm of Hamilton’s program for 21 of its 24 seasons, Kanner grew the program into a destination for local players and those who recently moved to the Grand Canyon State. From 2005 to 2009, Kanner led his squad to five straight state championships. Heading into this season, raising another trophy is the goal. “We have some hopes to do it again this year for the third year in a row, but it’s not gonna be easy,” Kanner said. “There are some really good teams out there that will give us a good challenge for sure.” The Huskies already can infer who their main contenders will be when the postseason arrives. Brophy College Preparatory has won the first two tour-

Left to right: Vincent Cervanyes, Wyatt Chapman, Kush Shah, Nick Lippe, Mahanth Chirravuri and Anawin Pikulthong, all part of Hamilton’s golf team, recently competed in and placed first at the Bart Granger Memorial, a premier high school event in Texas that pinned them up against some of the best programs in the country. (Courtesy Steve Kanner)

naments of the season, something that Kanner said separates them from other teams in the state, including his own. Yet there is a lot of time between now and the state tournament in November. Hamilton, attending in-state events as well as the Bart Granger Memorial Tournament in Fort Worth, Tex-

as, fields a talented roster. The group is led by senior Mahanth Chirravuri and junior Anawin Pikulthong, who Kanner called a “one-two punch.” Chirravuri, committed to the University of Southern California, finished with the best score (-10) in the Arizona Interscholastic Association Division I

Boys State Championship last fall, while Pikulthong finished third at -3. He is committed to Arizona State. Meanwhile, Kanner said senior Nick Lippe and sophomore Vincent Cervantes are two players who have improved recently and will be contributors to Hamilton’s quest for more hardware. Additionally, junior Wyatt Chapman, who transferred from Casteel High School in Queen Creek, has been practicing with the team and going through qualifiers. Chapman, whose performance has been separating him from teammates, is a good fit in the starting lineup, according to Kanner. The Bart Granger Memorial was his first tournament with the Huskies. “I think this program can achieve a four-peat,” Chirravuri said. “We’ve already got two, aiming for one this year. And then I think next year, we should be in good hands as well. I think a four-peat would be the biggest thing we could accomplish as a team.” That goal is realistic for a coach like Kanner, because he has done it before in the mid-to-late 2000s. However, Kanner’s biggest emphasis, according to Pikulthong: staying “cool” on the course. Chirravuri added that his coach See

GOLF on page 39

SPORTS & RECREATION

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

SUICIDE

from page 38

ages 16-18. “I’ve known a couple of people, my friends, who have struggled,” Martin said. “It’s people that I’ve been close to, people I’ve known. It means more to me than just helping anybody else out. It’s a change I want to help start. I’m just happy to hopefully be able to help.” Just in the last year, the Arizona high school athletics community has felt the unfortunate effects of mental health struggles from some athletes. Last spring, Perry sophomore Zyon Anderson died by suicide. He had strug-

GOLF

from page 38

helped golfers develop a strong mental skill set during his time at Hamilton. Having mentored players such as Andrew Yun — a former Stanford golfer who won the 2021 Rolling Green Championship — and helped golfers to 27 collegiate programs including USC, ASU, the University of California, Los Angeles, Brigham Young University and Harvard University, Kanner’s resume is one of the strongest in the state, if not the country. In 2020, he was named the National Boys Coach of the Year from the National Federation of State High School Associations. “Here we are 24 years later,” Kanner

gled with his mental health leading up to his death, and repeatedly received help from his mother, Nailah Hendrickson. “This has been emotionally, financially, and mentally devastating,” Hendrickson said last April. “This caught us by surprise and it’s not something we had planned for.” The Desert Vista High School community was shaken by the Aug. 31 death of senior Owen Weldy. He died by suicide, according to the Maricopa County Coroner’s Office. A day ealier, a Red Mountain High School girl died by suicide. In all, 50 East Valley teens have died by suicide in the last four years.

Owen's online obituary said he was an accomplished violinist and ran cross country and track for the Thunder. In their first race after his death, the cross country team wore special ribbons in his honor. Kontz hopes with the help of football players like Martin, teens will realize they are not alone. “Sometimes it’s that one kid who sees a player and thinks, ‘Wow, this kid who has no problems and is living the dream through high school and they’re sending me this message. Maybe I can do one more day,’” Kontz said. “I think that’s so empowering and so powerful. That’s why we started this

partnership. These players realize they have a role. Wearing that uniform, people see them in that uniform and look at them differently. “These players want to use that and make people realize they aren’t alone.” Teens who are struggling are encouraged to contact Teen Lifeline (602) 248TEEN (8336) or (800) 248-TEEN. They can also text with a teen peer counselor at (602) 248-8336 between noon and 9 p.m. on weekdays and 3 p.m. until 9 p.m. on weekends. The Teen Lifeline hotline is staffed by teen peer counselors from 3 p.m. until 9 p.m. daily with trained, professional counselors available at all other times.

said. “We have eight state championships in (a) pretty short timeframe and (are) hoping to keep building on that. We have some really good young players and there seems to be a good competitive push amongst the players to get better and better.” One of the early tests for the Huskies was the Bart Granger Memorial. Pikulthong said it is the team’s only outof-state contest this season. “We play in different conditions, different weather, different atmosphere,” Chirravuri said. “(The tournament) is 50-something schools. It gives us a huge advantage going into states that we’ve competed at the biggest level.” The Huskies won the event, finishing with scores of 279, 271 and 285 for a to-

tal of 835, seven more than the second place team (Houston Memorial.) Facing 52 schools, Kanner said the team was -18 after the first two rounds and held a ten-shot lead on Friday. Some of the top performances included Chirravuri shooting a 65 in the third round, Pikulthong earning a 66 and 67 on the first 36 holes and Chapman firing a 67 in the second round. Conducting its practices at Lone Tree Golf Club in Chander, the Huskies are preparing for the second half of its season ahead of the state tournament at the Omni Tucson National Golf Course. With the early success of Brophy and contenders like Red Mountain High School, there is urgency on their quest towards another championship.

Kanner said that he is looking to solidify Hamilton’s starting five golfers soon. In addition to winning a third state title since 2019, another record is at stake for the Huskies. The team has qualified for the state title for the last 22 years, a streak that Hamilton looks to continue. As Kanner’s squad chases another successful campaign, his players are ready to ﬂourish on the fairways and the greens. While doing so, they will look to express one of their coach’s key tenets: character. “It’s really us being good kids and (having) good character on and off the golf course,” Pikulthong said. “Just respecting the course, respecting the people and just being good people.”

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Hold big tech accountable for stifling small developers BY REP. JEFF WENGINER Guest Writer

What comes to mind when you think about tech hubs around the country? For many, it’s probably California’s Silicon Valley or an open-concept office space in a New York high-rise. But did you know that tech hubs are popping up around the country in the least likely of places? Nebraska has the Silicon Prairie, Colorado is home to Silicon Mountain, and our great state of Arizona plays host to Silicon Desert. Silicon Desert is home to small to medium-sized tech start-ups and Fortune 100 companies alike. As a small-business owner, I know how critical it is to provide companies with the tools they need to survive and

grow. That’s why I was proud to vote in favor of Arizona House Bill 2005, which would have provided alternative payment methods on Android and iOS for developers and consumers, introducing competition and lower prices where none exist today. What you probably didn’t know is that every time you buy a digital product or spend money in a video game, Apple and Google are taking a 30 percent transaction tax, stifling competition, hurting innovation, and artificially raising prices on consumers. Today, this issue has reached the steps of the U.S. Congress. In August, the Open App Markets Act was introduced in the U.S. Senate, and a companion bill was later introduced in the U.S. House. This bipartisan, bicameral legislation would promote a fair app ecosystem

and allow developers to innovate while providing choices to consumers. While the legislation overreaches in some areas, the guiding principles of introducing competition, reducing consumer costs, and anticompetitive behavior from Apple and Google are critical. Many developers face harmful restrictions and protocols at the hands of large tech companies, like the 30 percent transaction fee on purchases made through in-app payments as well as unfair self-preferencing methods. These harmful tactics diminish innovators’ ability to bring products to market and reach a broad consumer audience. Furthermore, these behaviors limit choices for consumers in the app marketplace. The Open App Markets Act is a step in the right direction to hold large tech corporations accountable for practices that stifle competition for developers

in the U.S. and worldwide. We must halt anti-competitive tactics and level the playing field by allowing consumers and developers to decide how they pay for their product, ban self-preferencing schemes, and break down the barriers preventing developers from directly communicating with their consumers. As a small business owner and chairman of the Arizona House Commerce Committee, I want to see our state’s tech innovators and developers grow and prosper. I urge the entire Arizona Congressional delegation to support the provisions that encourage competition, marketplace fairness, and innovation, while reducing customer costs. Arizona’s Silicon Desert is counting on you. Rep. Jeff Weninger represents LD17, which includes south Chandler and Sun Lakes.

Business should prepare now for vaccine mandate BY ANDREA MARCONI Guest Writer

President Biden tasked the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration to prepare an emergency rule requiring employers with at least 100 workers to require employees to get vaccinated or produce weekly negative test results. Businesses will also be required to give workers paid time off to get vaccinated and to recover from any side effects. This requirement will impact more than 80 million workers – nearly twothirds of the private sector workforce. Businesses presently have more questions than answers while everyone awaits the final OSHA rule. Common questions include: Are remote workers covered? Who pays for testing? Can employers require employees pay for testing? How should employers handle requests for exemptions on medical or religious grounds? Can employers require workers to use PTO for

vaccination and recovery time? Which vaccines or tests will be acceptable? How do employers prove compliance? How will the penalties of up to $14,000 per violation be applied? What if a worker refuses to get vaccinated or tested? One of the biggest questions is whether or not the emergency rule will survive anticipated legal challenges. Although it is clear that the federal government has the authority to require vaccinations for federal workers and contractors, when it comes to federal requirements applied at the state level and to private sector businesses, the law is unsettled. OSHA was created by Congress in 1970 to establish and enforce workplace safety rules protecting workers from dangerous hazards. It usually takes a long time for OSHA to develop and publish rules according to its lengthy process, including time for public comment. But OSHA does have power to issue Emergency Temporary Standards (“ETS”) to expedite the process when it is acting to protect

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workers from a “grave danger.” The ETS process is seldom-used, which means there is little precedent in this area. Many legal commentators argue the President is on firm legal footing acting under direct authority from Congress by the law creating OSHA to protect workers from hazardous conditions. Here, the “hazard” is defined as the unvaccinated worker. Opponents claim this is an overreach and outside of OSHA’s authority. Congress intended OSHA to regulate workplace conditions, not infectious disease. Some also argue that a “grave danger” does not exist on a national level because the current spike in COVID cases is regional. Other opponents take a broader view and argue states usually have the authority to regulate the health and safety of their citizens. The rule is effective when published in the Federal Register. For states like Arizona with OSHA-approved state plans, they will have up to 30 days to adopt

the federal rule or implement equivalent measures. The OSHA ETS lasts for six months, after which it needs to be replaced by a permanent measure. The ETS is expected in the next two to eight weeks. Impacted employers should communicate with employees now that this rule is coming and more details will be provided. Employers can also encourage employee vaccinations begin now to ease compliance later. Employers should also start preparing systems and procedures to use when the rule is adopted such as (i) determining and collecting proof of employee vaccination status, (ii) handling accommodation requests, (iii) determining whether they will mandate vaccines or also allow weekly tests, and (iv) a plan for tracking test results. Employers who have questions should consult legal and human resources experts. Attorney Andrea Marconi is vice chair of business litigation at Fennemore. Her areas of practice include business litigation, banking law, health care, and real estate.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

PAD: The Silent Killer PHOENIX – “PAD is often called the silent killer because you may have it and not even know,” says Dr. Joel Rainwater, chief medical officer of Comprehensive Integrated Care (CiC). The reason it’s sometimes missed is because people dismiss the symptoms of this dangerous disease as ‘just a sign of getting older’. But it’s not. “It’s not normal to have difficulty walking to your mailbox, it’s not normal to have constant leg pain or cramping,” says Rainwater, “That’s not normal aging, it could be a sign of PAD.” Peripheral artery disease (PAD) restricts blow flow to the legs and feet. It’s often confused with neuropathy as the symptoms are very similar and include difficulty walking without taking a break, burning, tingling, numbness, or pain. “When I see a patient, who has been told they have neuropathy and they’ve been maximized on medication that’s not working, I know there may be some-

PAD is caused by the buildup of fatty material inside the arteries, limiting blood flow.

thing else causing it and one of the notorious offenders in that scenario is PAD,” says Rainwater. PAD is caused by the buildup of fatty material inside the arteries. This build-up occurs gradually and hardens into plaque inside the artery restricting blood flow. Without an adequate blood supply, the body can’t get the oxygen and nutrients it needs to maintain healthy legs and feet. “This is something we can fix,” explains Rainwater. “There is treat-

ment and it’s excellent.” Patients are able to get back to their everyday lifestyle with almost no downtime, no stitches and no hospital stay. Medicare as well as most insurances cover treatment. “I’m here to tell patients there are options, all they have to do is ask. They might have to ask a different doctor, but they don’t have to live with the idea that they’re going to suffer for the rest of their life,” says Rainwater. His best advice, “Go look for answers.”

PAD IS OFTEN MISDIAGNOSED. WERE YOU? Y/N

Do you have difficulty walking without taking a break? Do you experience pain, numbness, or cramping in your feet or legs? Is you neuropathy treatment not making symptoms go away?

The symptoms of Neuropathy are very similar to those of PAD. It’s a circulation disorder which can be easily treated in our office without the need for general anesthesia. If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions, call our office today to see how our doctors can help.

(602) 954-0777 ciccenters.com DR. JOEL RAINWATER / DR. MICHAEL SWITZER / DR. HASSAN MAKKI / DR. KERRY ZANG DR. SHAH ASKARI / DR. DAN SCHULMAN / DR. KIM LEACH / DR. BARRY KAPLAN / DR. JEFF WEISS

Local Physician Talks About Veins If you notice a feeling of heaviness in your legs; fatigue or aching in your leg muscles; swelling, skin discoloration, soreness; wounds that don’t heal; or leg cramps at night, you may have Chronic Venous Insufficiency (CVI). A common symptom of CVI is varicose veins. “These symptoms can have an impact on your quality of life,” says Dr. Jeffrey Braxton, Director of Venous Intervention at CiC Vein. “I want people to know they shouldn’t have to limit doing what they enjoy.” CVI develops when excessive pressure builds up in your leg veins and the veins are unable to bring the blood back to the heart. “Vein disease is surprisingly common, but the good news is, it’s manageable,” says Braxton, who is board certified in venous and lymphatic medicine. Innovative techniques involve closing or sealing the diseased vein. You are awake and alert during the procedure, with minimal discomfort, and are able to walk out after. The vein shuts down and disappears after treatment. “Your body has plenty of veins so there’s no cause for concern when unhealthy veins are treated,” explains Braxton. Your body reroutes the blood to healthier veins. “Don’t dismiss the symptoms of CVI, pay attention to the subtle signs,” says Braxton. “The sooner you’re seen, the better your chances are for reducing or avoiding serious complications.”

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

All aflutter

Chandler’s annual Butterfly and Dragonfly Bash at Veterans Oasis Park brought out children by the score on Sept. 18. They included 1 )Ava Skovgaard, 6, who watched a volunteer feed scorpions and then saw 2) Abigail Schrauth, 16, do the same; while crafts were on the mind of 3) Julian Chhoa, 5. 4) Cecillia Jaime-Sosa, 2, was fascinated with a damselfly on Pam Lee’s finger as 5) Juliette Lange, 5, worked on her art. 6) Elly Bustamante, 6, left, and Constantine Bustamante, 3, got a kick out of the special photo board while 7) Camryn Keegan, 2, worked on making a butterfly. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)

NEIGHBORS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

ICAN has big hopes for fundraiser gala SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

One year after COVID-19 brought down the curtain on big fall fundraisers, Chandler-based ICAN: Positive Programs for Youth is planning its dreamBIG fundraiser for Nov. 19. With a theme this year titled “Come Together,” dreamBIG “is an extension of what is done every day at ICAN – working to make dreams come true youth in the East Valley,” the a spokeswoman said. The goal of dreamBIG is raising enough funding to ensure ICAN’s programs remain free to the community The evening includes a cocktail reception with an open bar followed by a formal dinner and event program. Guests will have the opportunity to bid on unique live auction experiences and

will have the chance to support ICAN youth with a one-time gift. As part of the festivities, ICAN will be announcing the 2021 Henry Salinas Society Heroes Award winners and will recognize this year’s Chris E. Hoeye Award nominees. The Henry Salinas Society comprises individuals, businesses, and foundations that share ICAN’s vision that all Chandler youth have access to quality programs that promote their academic and personal success. The award is named after Chris Hoeye, who grew the Big Two Toyota dealership into one of the region’s largest auto dealers. dreamBIG is presented by Big Two Toyota of Chandler. Other sponsors include Fiesta Bowl Charities, Edward Jones, SRP, Caroline

Hoeye, Kovach Enclosure Systems, Intel, BOK Financial, Traction Point, PEM Real Estate Group, AlphaGraphics, PRO EM, MFRG ICON, Arizona Bank and Trust, The Amy Jones Group-Keller Williams Integrity First Realty, Off-Five LLC, Commit Agency, Alliant Private Client, Gallagher & Kennedy, Bourdo Family Foundation, Watermark Wealth, Globe Life Liberty National Division, Cetera Investors, and PNC Bank. ICAN’s year-long mission partners are the Chandler Compadres and Chris & Caroline Hoeye. The event will starty at 6 p.m. Nov. 19 at Omni Scottsdale Resort & Spa at Montelucia, 4949 E. Lincoln Drive, Scottsdale. Tickets are $250 for individuals or just $450 for couples. Tickets can be purchased at icanaz.org/dreambig or by

contacting Katie Stringham at 480-8747579 for more information. ICAN is a free youth center in the East Valley celebrating 30 years offering programs for youth, teens, families and the community. Its nationally-recognized prevention programming teaches disadvantaged youth real-life skills including goal setting, positive decision making and how to avoid the risky behaviors that are prevalent in the community ICAN serves. It boasts of evidence-supported programming that equips youth to achieve personal and academic success. ICAN was twice named “Outstanding Afterschool Program” by the Arizona Center for After School Excellence. Information: 480-821-4207 or visit icanaz.org.

Chandler marks National Hispanic Heritage month SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

The city Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Division has launched Chandler Contigo – a month-long program of family and educational events and activities celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month. Here is a schedule of the events that will be held throughout the city. On Saturday, Oct. 2, the 22nd Annual Chandler Mariachi and Folklorico Festival, presented by the Chandler Center for the Arts in partnership with

C.A.L.L.E. de Arizona and Maestra Vanessa Ramirez, will be at Chandler Center for the Arts, 250 N. Arizona Ave., featuring the music of Mariachi Tesoro de Tucson, Herencia Mexicana Arizona, and ranchera and mariachi soloist Sandra Guevara, along with folklorico dancers from Ballet Folklorico Quetzalli-AZ. Buy tickets: chandlercenter.org/events/ cca-calle-de-arizona-present-22nd-annual-mariachi-folklorico-festival. Chandler Contigo also will host a variety of events at Chandler Museum,

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVORITES!

located at 300 S. Chandler Village Drive. Admission is free. Those events include: 10 a.m. Oct. 4. Chandler Contigo Pre-School Storytime 2-4 p.m. Oct. 6. Chandler Contigo Art Day will feature an art exhibit with photos from local Latino families and communities. Artist Miguel Gadoy will give a presentation on his cultural inspiration and art form. 4 p.m. Oct. 7. Chandler Contigo Adventures of Sophia and Pepe will feature award-winning author Albert Quihuis as he hosts a reading from his storybook series, “The Adventures of Sophia and Pepe,” as well as a talk about heritage and the impact of cultural stories. 6-7 p.m. Oct. 7. Chandler Contigo: Treasure Map to Your Life and Legacy will feature Quihuis as he hosts an interactive presentation of his newly published Legacy Journal. Attendees will be able to follow the author while he shows them how to chart their own

heritage and continue their heritages legacy (time is pending). 7 p.m. Oct. 8. Families are invited to Chandler Contigo Family Movie Night featuring “Coco,” a free viewing of a classic story about how a family is at the forefront of Latino culture (time is pending). 1 p.m. Oct. 9. Chandler Contigo Salsa Dancing Demo will feature a salsa dancing performance from local dance group, as well as craft/maker stations related to family and heritage. 3-7 p.m. Oct. 9. Chandler Contigo: Community Resource Fair at Compass Christian Church, The Grid, 824 W. Germann Road. Chandler Contigo, in partnership with Compass Church, will host a community resource fair for residents of all backgrounds to come out and enjoy entertainment, family-friendly activities and get connected to a wide variety of resources and services. Information: chandleraz.gov/DiversityEvents or Cisco Luzania at 480-7824367.

Gramps a champ

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Jim Garfias is his 9-year-old granddaughter Ava Peterson's hero, as she demonstrated Sept. 11 during a Grandparents Day celebration Sept. 11 at the Chandler Senior Center. (Pablo Robles/Arizonan Staff)

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Chandler, other EV thespians present ‘Junie B’ SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Twelve-year-old Savannah Springer doesn’t get in trouble very often. The Mesa seventh grader is pretty good at following the rules, from helping around the house to completing her homework on time. Now, she is one of two performers playing the title role of Junie B. in the Arizona premier of “Junie B.’s Essential Survival Guide to School” and trying on a different personality for size. The new musical, produced by Limelight Performing Arts in Gilbert, is based on the bestselling books by Barbara Park and shares the saga of the wisecracking Junie B. – a self-appointed expert on all things first grade – who is determined to write the ultimate guide to school. The production features a cast of 16 young performers from across the East Valley. “Junie B. is constantly making jokes and getting in trouble,” said Springer. “It is so much fun to play a trouble-maker in this show and do things I would never try to get away with in real life.” The show uses high-energy music and comedic dialogue to take audiences through a series of stresses and mishaps as precocious Junie confronts

The ‘Junie B’ cast includes, from left: Shea Fuery, Janelle Frazier), McKenna Henry, Gabriel Ritchie and Edward Oster. Jaelyn Harden, Owen Aspinall, Ava Chiappetta, and Piper Perea. (Pablo Robles)

the challenges of first grade – and gets in a lot of trouble along the way. “One of my favorite lessons of the show is that Junie B. learns how to control her anger when things aren’t going her way,” said director Rio Chavez of Mesa. “She faces her anger head on by learning to control El Toro Fabuloso, the bull who lives in her stomach, and learns to turn her frustrations into successful solutions,” he said. Young audiences will see a version

of themselves in the over-the-top, slapstick characters of Junie B. and her friends. And people of all ages will appreciate the show’s lessons: that everyone makes mistakes, why it’s important to own up and how nobody is ever done learning. Kaylee Forth, 12, of Chandler, said, “My character, May, is the teacher’s pet. She’s bossy and annoying. Everyone has a May in their life.” In real life, she is nothing like her

character, so she’s putting extra effort into perfecting the role. “I have been working hard to practice my dances, lines and vocal parts,” she said. Chavez noted, “Our goal with this production is to teach the children of our community that it’s okay to make mistakes. Even ‘when things go wrong,’ with a little effort, ‘you can make things right.’” “It’s a great opportunity for kids to see that we are always learning and growing – even when it’s an uncomfortable and challenging process,” added Emma England of Gilbert, the show’s choreographer and Limelight’s artistic director. For England, it’s also a chance to show off the sizable talent in “Junie B.’s” small cast. “It’s always such a surprise for audiences when young performers put on a very strong show,” she said. “The kids in this cast really hold their own and bring so much talent to the stage. I think people will be blown away by what the ‘Junie B.’ cast has created.” Added Chavez, “We have a wonderful group of actors who are as dedicated as they are talented. These kids See

LIMELIGHT on page 49

Chandler author’s 2nd novel right out of headlines SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Chandler author Howard Gershkowitz’s second novel departs from science fiction and focuses instead on fraud and corporate greed. A couple years ago, Gershkowitz, a Chandler resident for 19 years who has been in the financial services industry for 35 years, published the “The Operator” – a novel set in Prescott that involves time travel, the economy and romance. This time, his new book, “Not on My Watch,” is a thriller inspired by some news stories he read. It involves a nurse who, with her broker/boyfriend, must stop the merger of the only locally owned, independent hospital with a ruthless conglomerate out of Boston intent on turning it into a Medicare mill. “This book was inspired by an article about a hospital back east that was indicted for Medicare fraud to the tune of $100 million.” Gershkowitz explained. “I thought that was outrageous, especially because of the business I’m in where corporate greed often takes center stage.” He recalled how he had interviewed a hospital chain administrator while doing research for the novel “and was assured nothing of the kind could happen there because of their checks and balances.” Four weeks later, Gershkowitz read that one of that administrator’s hos-

Chandler resident Howard Gershkowitz has published his second novel and has three more underway that he hopes to put in readers hands in the next 18 months. (Courtesy of Howard Gershkowitz)

pitals in the southeast was similarly indicted on Medicare fraud totaling well over $100 million. “They were recommending unnecessary procedures to seniors specifically because they were easy to perform, relatively benign and carried the highest reimbursement rates in the Medicare universe,” said Gershkowitz, calling it

“sickening to hear about.” “Watch” was actually written before “The Operator” while Gershkowitz was attending a creative writing class at Scottsdale Community College. “It was initially a short story,” he explained “but it motivated me to continue expanding it till it was a fulllength novel.”

He recalled writing the bulk of it in longhand as he sipped coffee in the Starbucks inside the Barnes & Noble book store, where the novel begins. After failing to get any nibblers from publishers, he put that manuscript aside and started work on “The OperaSee

AUTHOR on page 49

ARTS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

Chandler artists part of Prescott studio tour SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Chandler artists Laurie Fagan and Nicole McCaigue are encouraging people to enjoy fall colors and their work at the 14th annual Prescott Area Artist Studio Tour Oct. 1-3. The two artists, who will be showing their work at McGaigue’s Prescott studio – number 51 on the tour – are excited about being part of the prestigious event. The 2021 Studio Tour features 74 artists in 49 private studios plus an additional 28 artists at three art centers. See

PRESCOTT on page 49

Chandler artists Laurie Fagen, left, and Nicole McCaigue hope locals will motor up to Prescott to see their work. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

City launches annual Expression Competition SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

The City of Chandler is holding its annual Creative Expression Competition. Students living in or attending a school in Chandler may vie for awards in writing and visual arts. One entry per student will be accepted in both the writing and visual arts categories.

Entries can be submitted starting Oct. 1 and no later than 5 p.m. Oct. 30. Now in its 26th year, the contest has had thousands of local students participate. This year’s theme is “Connected Through Diversity” and encourages works that find “commonalities and connections in our diverse community.” Guidelines and judging criteria are at

chandleraz.gov/CreativeExpression. Students may submit their writing or visual entry online or to mail or drop off entries to the City of Chandler, Attn: Rori Minor, 175 S. Arizona Ave., Chandler, AZ 85225. There are three grade categories for contestants: K-4, 5-8 and 9-12. Winners will be notified in late November. All winning entries also will re-

ceive a certificate and be featured on the City’s website at chandleraz.gov/CreativeExpression. The first-place winners and their schools will be recognized during a City Council meeting in February 2021. For additional questions on the 2022 Creative Expression Competition, call 480-782-4329 or email chandler.diversity@chandleraz.gov.

September is Library Card Sign-up Month Your Chandler Public Library card provides you with access to thousands of items that can be checked out at any of Chandler’s Public Libraries. Use your library card to access physical books, eBooks, eAudiobooks, graphic novels, newspapers, magazines, online information resources, LinkedIn Library, films, and downloadable music. The amount of information and entertainment available at your fingertips is virtually limitless and available at no charge with a Chandler Public Library card. Library cards are free for residents of Maricopa County, and for non-residents who work or go to school in the city of Chandler, with an additional ID that verifies the workplace or school.

chandlerlibrary.org

ARTS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

LET’S TALK ABOUT YOUR MEDICARE OPTIONS. Get answers to your important questions.

Chandler Museum slates programs, exhibitions SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

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*Plan-approved locations and restrictions may apply by plan. Under 60-mile one-way trips. All Cigna products and services are provided exclusively by or through operating subsidiaries of Cigna Corporation, including Cigna Health and Life Insurance Company, Cigna HealthCare of South Carolina, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of North Carolina, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Georgia, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of Arizona, Inc., Cigna HealthCare of St. Louis, Inc., HealthSpring Life & Health Insurance Company, Inc., HealthSpring of Florida, Inc., Bravo Health Mid-Atlantic, Inc., and Bravo Health Pennsylvania, Inc. The Cigna name, logos, and other Cigna marks are owned by Cigna Intellectual Property, Inc. Cigna complies with applicable Federal civil rights laws and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age disability or sex. Cigna cumple con las leyes federales de derechos civiles aplicables y no dicrimina por motivos de raza, color, nacionalidad, edad, discapacidad o sexo. English: ATTENTION: If you speak English, language assistance services, free of charge are available to you. Call 1-888-284-0268 (TTY 711). Spanish: ATENCIÓN: Si habla español, tiene a su disposición servicios gratuitos de asistencia lingüística. Llame al 1-888-284-0268 (TTY 711). Chinese: 注意: 如果您使用繁體中文, 您可以免費獲得語言援助服務. 請致電 1-888-284-0268 (TTY 711). Cigna is contracted with Medicare for PDP plans, HMO and PPO plans in select states, and with select State Medicaid programs. Enrollment in Cigna depends on contract renewal. © 2021 Cigna Y0036_21_92127_M 936621 b

Chandler Museum, 300 S. Chandler Village Drive, Chandler is offering a variety of free programs. The museum is open 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and 1-5 p.m. Sunday. It is closed Mondays. Information: 480-7822717 or chandlermuseum.org.Exhibits Bigger than Boxing: Zora Folley and the 1967 Heavyweight Title, Through Feb. 13. On March 22, 1967, at Madison Square Garden, New York City, two men face off in the ring for the Heavyweight Championship of the World – Muhammad Ali and the challenger from Chandler, Zora Folley. “Bigger than Boxing” features the stories of these two boxers, the circumstances that weighed heavy on each man, and the fight that was a turning point in both of their careers. Black and white in black and white: Images of dignity, hope, and diversity in America. Through Oct. 17. At the turn of the 20th century, many African Americans across the country embraced the “New Negro Movement,” which set the stage for the Harlem Renaissance. No one better captured the essence of this time of advancement than African American photographer John Johnson. This exhibition includes thirty-one large-scale black and white photographs captured by Johnson from 1910 to 1925. September 11, 2001: The Day That Changed the World. Through Oct. 10. This educational exhibition recounts the terror attacks through the personal stories of those who witnessed and survived them. Told across 14 posters, this exhibition includes archival photographs and images of artifacts from the 9/11 Memorial Museum’s permanent collection. Adult Programming History Bites: Noon-12:30 Oct. 5 Photography Technology Series, Part 1: Glass plate negatives. Dry glass plate negatives started a photography revolution in the 1870s. Previously, photographers were tied to studios or troublesome portable darkrooms. With this new technology, they could capture images in any location, carefully pack the exposed glass plates, and develop them later. Learn how this technology works and why the images it creates are so prized.

Collections Coordinator Nate Meyers will feature glass plate negatives from the Chandler Museum artifact collection. Our Stories : 10:30 a.m. Oct. 23 Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs): More than 1,000 women served as WASPs during WWII, freeing male pilots for overseas duty. WASPs served on 122 bases in 31 states, including Arizona in Chandler and Kingman. Their primary task was ferrying combat aircraft from factories to embarkation points--totaling over sixty million miles between 1942 and 1944. They also towed targets for artillery and gunnery training, piloted top-secret missions and served as administrative and engineering test pilots. These women pilots flew every type of plane in the air arsenal. Thirty-eight WASP died in service. However, the Air Force did not acknowledge their contribution until 1979. Natalie J. Stewart-Smith, MA, MEd, Army veteran, WASP historian and educator, presents this talk to coordinate with the final phase of the Field of Honor Veterans’ Memorial, to be dedicated at Chandler’s Veterans Oasis Park on Nov. 11. Museum in a Box Dive into culture, history, and art at home with a themed activity box. Each Chandler Museum in a Box includes instructions and supplies for three-five activities. Available in the Museum Store. Build It! Frank Lloyd Wright in Chandler Explore architecture with a Frank Lloyd Wright themed activity box. Design a city, test your building skills with edible construction supplies, and review shapes hidden within authentic Wright drawings. This Chandler Museum in a Box contains all needed supplies for three activities, stories about Wright’s time in Chandler, and the book Who Was Frank Lloyd Wright from the popular Who Was? series. $18, Ages 7-10, includes enough supplies for two users Docent Tours Sundays at 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. Free 45-minute tours led by volunteer docents will give you insights into the architectural and artistic components of the museum campus as well as details about Chandler’s history. Tour groups limited to eight participants. For larger groups, call 480-782-2879. Register for events at Eventbrite.com and search “Chandler Museum.”

ARTS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

LIMELIGHT

from page 46

bring vibrance and life to their characters while showing a level of professionalism that is well beyond their years.” For 11-year-old Janelle Frazier of Chandler, “Junie B.” is a chance to get back to what she loves. “Being able to be back in theater has made me realize how much I missed it,” Janelle said. “I am so thankful for all the people who have helped me come so far doing what I love.” Among the skills they’re learning are iconic dance moves from the 1990s. “We wanted to stay true to the time period of the books,” said England. “That means learning the Roger Rabbit and Hammer Time. The kids are absolutely crushing it! Everything in this

AUTHOR

from page 46

tor” – which continues to sell well. Then he turned back to “Not on My Watch” and had a harrowing discovery: “It wasn’t very well written. It was my first attempt and it showed.” Gershkowitz applied the lessons he learned in editing and writing “The Operator” and now believes “Watch” is even better than it. It’s also been thoroughly researched and Gershkowitz said he made sure that even the streets, buildings and other landmarks in his book exist and were accurately spelled and portrayed. “Coordinating dates, locations, time changes between the two coasts, and

show features styling from the 90s, including lots of bright colors in the set and costumes.” And there are bonuses for England, too, as she watches Savannah and the other perofmrer playing Junie B, Anna Scales of Scottsdale, perform. “I love the way Savannah and Anna work together,” she said. “I’ve never seen two kids who are so supportive of one another.” Six weeks since the cast list was posted, Limelight is ready to open the show. “Junie B.’s Essential Survival Guide to School” runs from Sept. 24-Oct. 2 at the Studio 3 Artspace Theatre, 511 W. Guadalupe Road in Gilbert. Tickets are $15 and can be purchased at limelight.ticketleap.com. Limelight is also producing a “Page to Stage” storytime version for young children ages 2-7 and their parents.

Still, Gershkowitz is busy on his third novel, about assisted suicide, that also was inspired by something he had read. “I have two other manuscripts in the works, ‘License to Steal’ and ‘The Painter,’” he said. “The characters are all different, as are the plotlines and underlying issues.” His hope is to have all three novels completed in the next 18 months. Though he has been in the financial planning business for three decade, Gershkowitz said, “Writing is what I hope to be my next career.” “I’ve always journaled,” he said. “I’ve always written poetry. I always wanted to be a writer, but I knew I had to earn a living. My son works with me. He’s also my best friend. He and I talk about

such uncertainty everywhere, even “afterTherethewas vaccines arrived on scene, that it was difficult to concentrate on writing. ”

–Howard Gershkowitz

making sure there was consistency from page one through the final lines required constantly re-reading and adjusting things,” he said. As for the subject itself, besides reading, he also relied on a retired Arizona State University professor, Sharon Lohr, who has published several books on crime data and studied Medicare fraud. Yet, anyone who might think the pandemic and its shutdowns and workat-home orders comprised a boon to Gershkowitz’s muse would be mistaken. Indeed, he’s found the pandemic a huge distraction. “There was such uncertainty everywhere, even after the vaccines arrived on scene, that it was difficult to concentrate on writing,” he said, admitting it was “ironic that I had more free time during the shut-down, yet the motivation to write seemed to evade me. “Coupled with a divisive election that generated an unfortunate national sense of animosity, it was just a difficult time to focus,” he added.

everything. On my 55th birthday I said, ‘If I don’t start writing soon, I may never get it done.’” He said his son, Robert Gershkowitz, a financial planner, recommended writing classes. The determined Howard has taken classes at community colleges and Arizona State University’s Virginia G. Piper Center for Creative Writing, as well as in workshops around the country. “People told me I have a natural talent for it,” he said. “Coming up with ideas for stories and poetry and even novels isn’t a problem. You need to be able to work on characterization and the plot.” Gershkowitz is planning a couple book signings – 6:30 p.m. Nov. 2 at Tempe Library, 11 a.m. Nov. 6 at Desert Foothills Library and Nov 13, I will be in Prescott at the Elks Lodge for the PAAHC Thumb Butte Book Festival. “The Operator” has five-star ratings on Amazon.com and on Goodreads.com. Both “Not on My Watch” and “The Operator” are available at Amazon.com.

ARTS

PRESCOTT

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

from page 49

McCaigue paints mostly figurative art, with subjects in nature and usually with a bird. “The images are dreamy, almost surreal, with patterns and vivid colors,” McCaigue explained. “I find peace while creating and viewing my art.” She adds on her website, “Color brings me joy and the happiness I feel when creating goes into my paintings. It is a two-way therapy that fuels the

The images are “ dreamy, almost surreal,

with patterns and vivid colors,” McCaigue explained. “I ﬁnd peace while creating and viewing my art.

”

–Nicole McCaigue

emotions and excites the senses. I create paintings that take me on a journey through transparent layers and dreamy shapes. My art transports me to another place; it sets me free to dream.” Fagen, a fiber artist and jewelry designer who also is a crime novelist, creates textile wall art as well as polymer

“Houdini,” left, is a painting by Nicole McCaigue while Laurie Fagen made “Angelina,” an ink drawing on fabric and machine quilted. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

clay jewelry and sculptural items. “I love to design and create fiber art quilt wall-hangings from my original photos, transferred to fabric,” said Fagen, adding: “My wearable art includes necklaces, earrings and rings, and I enjoy working with people to create a highly personalized design specifically for them.”

Get your student back on track.

Registration now open for Summer School and the 2021-22 School Year.

Fagen also is preparing for a November release of her third novel in her series build around a fictitious radio reporter in Chandler. The new novel is titled “Bleeder.” Hours for the studio tour are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day and raffle prizes will be given at the McCaigue Studio, and many other studios also are holding raffles.

The tour is free and self-guided. For more information on Fagen and McCaigue, visit McCaigue.Art and FagenDesigns.com. For additional details about the 53 locations on the Prescott Studio Tour, speciﬁc locations and maps, visit prescottstudiotour.com.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | SEPTEMBER 26, 2021

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Redemption helps us solve life’s many dilemmas BY RABBI IRWIN WIENER Guest Writer

Life is filled with many dilemmas. Our lives have been turned upside down by a once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. We have witnessed the loss of lives and the upheaval of families as their loved ones disappear in the devastation of this nightmare. The numbers of those who succumbed to this disease are displayed by the minute and the numbers climb and we sit back wondering when it will end. Then a miracle occurs. A vaccination, several vaccinations have been discovered that will alleviate the pain and bring some semblance of balance back to our lives. Things may never be the same, but we are certainly able to see a light that brings hope and salvation. However, we are now faced with the prospect of seeing those capable of receiving this miracle drug refuse it for various reasons. Among the excuses offered relate to fear and misinformation. There have been side-affects that have caused some to require additional assistance. The numbers although small are enough to cause angst resulting in a

delay in the herd-immunity needed to eradicate this scourge. We have heard all the excuses and we have learned a great deal about scare tactics designed to make the fear even more dreadful. Perhaps we have learned nothing from the past. When we needed a cure for polio or smallpox, or many of the diseases that existed in past generations, we extended ourselves and followed the guidelines offered so that these various causes of death and destruction were eliminated to enhance our ability to continue with life. There is so much more that can be said but perhaps we have heard it all and still we resist the opportunity to end this blight on our future. Time surely will determine whether we have the will to understand that our obligation is to survive so that tomorrow will bring new adventures in our desire to find fulfillment. Then there is the devastation of life and property that has occurred in Florida. We have yet to understand how a building that has stood for forty years suddenly disintegrates before our very eyes. We are at a loss to understand one minute of peace and calm and then another that includes loss of life unimagined, leaving us to wonder about tomorrow and

the day after, and the day after that. As one who has been trained to teach compassion and understanding, to offer consolation and hope, I am at a loss to understand the tragedies that seem to have no rhyme or reason. We are trained to interpret so that Scripture has significance in our lives. We quote passages of sacred texts to help people make sense of their lives. We attempt to teach, to guide, to counsel, to encourage, to assist in reaching God in whatever way possible. And yet, in the final analysis there are times, such as we are witnessing today, as well as for the last year and a half, that sometimes there are no words, no suggestions, no gleanings through Scripture, that will suffice to make sense of things that make no sense. The questions are endless. The answers too few. Faith seems to be shattered. Hope seems to fade. Perhaps the answers may be extraordinarily easy. We are concerned about survival, and survival depends on our willingness to confront the issues facing us. Determination and perseverance are needed to ensure that our lives will have meaning. History is replete with episodes of annihilation because of hate, bigotry, and disease. History has also taught us

that when faced with difficulties we do not hide but rather face them head on. Here we are at similar crossroads. We know that there are remedies to our difficulties. We know that we are responsible to ourselves and others to do what is necessary to survive. We know that there is a cure for our ailments and a reasonable approach to safeguard our lives so that we can face the future cheerfully. The Bible teaches us in many ways the purpose and need for redemption. Through it all there is one defining offering – redemption means deliverance. What we need and what we should strive for is the deliverance from the destructive influences that surround us. Those who refuse to accept the help offered to eradicate COVID-19 are rejecting redemption. Those who refuse to accept things that happen and look for new meaning in their lives even through terrible experiences are rejecting redemption. We need to mourn, we need to express sorrow, but we also need to offer comfort and solace so that life can continue understanding the experiences and using those experience to move forward and LIVE. Rabbi Irwin Wiener is spiritual leader of the Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation.

I wish I got this advice when I was young BY PASTOR MARVIN ARNPRIESTER Contributor

A friend shared with me a statement by author Kurt Vonnegut which speaks to me. I wish I had been given this advice when I was young. I am going to share it with my grandchildren. Kurt Vonnegut: “When I was 15, I

spent a month working on an archaeological dig. I was talking to one of the archaeologists one day during our lunch break and he asked those kinds of ‘getting to know you’ questions you ask young people: ‘Do you play sports? What’s your favorite subject?’ And I told him, ‘no I don’t play any sports. I do theater, I’m in choir, I play the violin and piano, and I used to take art classes.’ “And he went ‘WOW. That’s amazing!’ And I said, ‘Oh no, but I’m not any good

at ANY of them.’ He said something then that I will never forget and which absolutely blew my mind because no one had ever said anything like it to me before: “I don’t think being good at things is the point of doing them. I think you’ve got all these wonderful experiences with different skills, and that all teach you things and makes you an interesting person, no matter how well you do them.” That honestly changed my life.

Because I went from a failure, someone who hadn’t been talented enough at anything to excel, to someone who did things because I enjoyed them. I had been raised in such an achievement-oriented environment, so inundated with the myth of talent, that I thought it was only worth doing things if you could “win” at them. Rev. Marvin Arnpriester is senior pastor at Sun Lakes United Methodist Church.

Sun Lakes United Methodist slates programs BY GEORGE SMOOT AND DENNY STEEL Guest Writers

Sun Lakes United Methodist Church will offer several interesting and informative fall classes and as well as return Tuesday Nights Together next month. Classes will be held in the Education Building at 9248 E. Riggs Road. To register: 480-895-8766. All classes begin at 10 a.m. Bible Jeopardy Mondays beginning Oct. 11. Explore a wide variety of questions about the Bible in a fun, non-embarrassing way. (Six weeks; bring your Bible) Alpha Tuesdays beginning Oct. 5. Seven-week introduction to Christianity originally designed for non-believers, but is also an excellent review for lifelong Christians.

What is the Bible? Wednesdays beginning Oct. 13. The class will be a broad overview of the Bible, its books, organization, approach to reading, and archaeological support. (Six weeks with study book) Study of Philippians Thursdays beginning Oct. 14. Rev. Marvin Arnpriester leads a six-week study of Paul’s letter to the church in Philippi, which was founded in turbulent times. (Six weeks; bring your Bible) Meanwhile, Tuesday Nights Together will resume at 5 p.m. Oct. 5. Topics vary from light and entertaining, to more serious and informing. Everyone is welcome, admission is free, and reservations are not required. Oct. 5: Listen to an evening of beautiful music in the sanctuary. Led by choir director Mary Sievert, the eve-

ning promises to be entertaining and inspirational. Oct. 12: The development of the hydrogen bomb will be discussed by Dick Vogel, a former staff scientist at Los Alamos, New Mexico. He shares how a poor kid from Chicago with a learning disability became part of the hydrogen bomb project. Oct. 19: Learn the strategies and

insights to improving memory at any age. Bev Tarpley will discuss several authors who know how to keep people “brain-healthy.” Oct. 26: Paul and Claire Smith will discuss how they quit their jobs, sold their “stuff,” had a boat built, moved aboard it, and became full-time cruisers on the Atlantic Ocean – even though they had never sailed before.

Chandler United Methodist Church Making and Deploying Disciples for over 100 Years.

Open hearts. Open minds. Open doors.

SUNDAY WORSHIP SERVICES NOW IN-PERSON AT 8 AM & 9:30 AM Reservations are required and are available on our website or by calling the church office. If you are more comfortable in your car, we will be broadcasting morning worship on 1680AM for both services from the church parking lot.

480-963-3360 | www.chandlermethodist.org | 450 E. Chandler Heights Rd.

SanTan Sun News - 9.26.2021

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