SanTan Sun News - 10.10.2021 by Times Media Group

October 10, 2021 | www.santansun.com

Relentlessly local coverage of Southern Chandler

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

Chandler aims to grow municipal airport business and that’s never been the plan for Chandler.” Wright said the airport will remain focused on business and executive travel only. To help it with that mission, the city is currently

BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

City officials want to make one thing very clear: Don’t expect to see American or United planes landing at Chandler Airport. “When we think of airports, we think of Sky Harbor, we think of Phoenix-Mesa Gateway. We don’t think of small regional or general-aviation airports,” City Manager Joshua Wright said. “They’re not designed to be a passenger airport

The city’s master plan for the Chandler Airport shows the location of existing facilities.

reviewing applications to manage the airport – the third busiest of its kind in the Valley. Deer Valley and Mesa’s Falcon Field rank ahead of it. Wright said the need for the position became apparent after City Council reviewed its plan for the airport and the surrounding airpark last summer. “It comes from the Council’s … renewed commitment to growing the airport and the airpark area,” Wright See

(City of Chandler)

AIRPORT on page 6

Court ruling’s impact on municipal-business deals feared BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

It’s not unusual for cities to offer businesses sweetheart deals – or incentives – to get them to move or set up their companies inside their borders. In exchange, the cities get jobs, economic activity and an increase of tax dollars. But the rules for doing that in Arizona changed earlier this year. “I can tell you throughout the United

States, this is the most restrictive laws on use of economic development incentives,” said Kelly Schwab, Chandler’s city attorney. “Arizona is no longer on an even playing field with the rest of the country.” The gift clause is part of the Arizona Constitution. It states, in part: “Neither the state, nor any county, city, town, municipality, or other subdivision of the state shall ever give or loan its credit in the aid of, or make any donation or grant, by

subsidy or otherwise, to any individual, association, or corporation.” For decades cities have been able to offer incentives as long as they passed a two-part test. The first was there had to be a public benefit. That’s usually easy to meet. The second test, however, is that due consideration of the benefits must be made. Earlier this year the Arizona Supreme Court changed the landscape by striking down a deal between Peoria and a

private university. That city had offered incentives of $2.6 million to Huntington University to encourage it to put a digital media arts campus in Peoria. The court found there was a public benefit, but said there was not adequate consideration. The Goldwater Institute, a conservative think tank, brought the suit and praised the ruling as a “victory against corporate welfare.” See

GIFT on page 4

Chandler Support Court Lucky volunteer aims to help, not punish BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Chandler Police Lt. Brian Dunn was talking about the city’s new Support Court at September’s Coffee with a Cop event. Another officer leaned in with a quick reaction: “Game changer.” There are a lot off hopes this new court will be just that. Scheduled to start next month, it could tackle a number of problems – including homelessness, crime, drug abuse, and lowering the number of cases that current courts are managing. So, what exactly is a Support Court? “It’s both a carrot, to get folks who are fairly service-resistant … to get into services,” said Riann Balch, the city’s community resources manager. “On a normal day they’re not going to engage in these services, but in lieu of jail, maybe [they] are a little bit more motivated.” The stick is possible jail time, a criminal record and all the difficulties that brings for the rest of one’s life. The carrot is a chance to address issues and rebuild their life. The hope is that most people picked up for petty crimes will choose the latter. Balch said the key to making the

Support Court work is the city’s Navigator program. They do outreach with the mostly homeless population and try to steer them to resources that will help them turn their lives around. Ashley Halterman said they know how to approach them, because more than half of them have been in those shoes – including her. “We’ve all done jail time, we’ve all had our, fun, I guess you would say,” Halterman said. “If somebody were to come to me and say they hadn’t been there … I’m less likely to engage in services. I don’t care about all the letters behind your name. … I want to know that you have a bachelor’s in street science.” Halterman said that experience makes the Navigators the perfect people to help. The city has had a mental health court for years, but to qualify for that, a defendant must have been diagnosed with a mental health condition, Balch said. However, Arizona law does not allow defendants who have a drug abuse issue to get diagnosed because it’s impossible to know which came first. Halterman said she would estimate See

SUPPORT on page 12

Perry High senior Moira MacCatherin is one of the lucky students when it comes to community service. That's because volunteer opportunities have shrunk, leaving teens in the lurch. Read about her and the problem on page 8. (Pablo Robles)

F E AT U R E STO R I E S Chandler teen gets Times Square salute . . . . . . . . .NEWS . . . . . . . . . .Page 3 Intel water plan enables $20 billion expansion . . .BUSINESS . . . . Page 27 ACP renames stadium for principal . . . . . . . . . . . . . .SPORTS. . . . . . . . Page 31 Western exhibit coming to Chandler Museum . . .ARTS . . . . . . . . . Page 38

Health & Wellness ...................... Center Section

More Community . . . 1-22 Business . . . . . 27-30 Sports . . . . . . . 31-33 Neighbors . . . .35-37 Arts . . . . . . . . . 38-42 Faith . . . . . . . . . . . 43 Directory . . . 44-45 Eat . . . . . . . . . . . . . 46

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Times Square display salutes Chandler teen BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Many high school students across the country dream of seeing their photo flash above New York City’s Times Square someday. For Casteel High senior Samantha Derivan, it’s just another thing to cross off her to do list. She has already crossed off a lot on that list, including being captain of the cheer squad as well as an athlete, a model, ballerina and dance teacher. So when her photo flashed on a Times Square billboard on Sept. 18, it was a nice moment. Samantha aid her modeling agency sent her an email letting her know she was one of the people selected. “I was crying because I was so happy,” she said. The display was of 500 people with Down syndrome that New York City and the National Down Syndrome Society do annually on the morning of their Buddy Walk. Samantha’s mother, Therese Derivan, submitted a photo of her daughter to the society that had been taken by a local professional photographer. Therese said she figured it had to be a great photo because most people chosen are younger. Samantha said she was happy to be

Samantha Derivan, seen here with her mother, Therese Derivan of Chandler, was thrilled to see her photo flash across a Times Square billboard last month. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

chosen as a role model. October is Down Syndrome Awareness month. “I just want people to feel, like in the future, that whatever they want to do

in life … you can be the person who you are meant to be, instead of being something that you’re not. You don’t have to be perfect. Do your best, don’t give up, and don’t forget, you can do this.”

Samantha plans to keep modeling after graduation, among other things. She also wants to pursue singing, dancing and acting. Her caretaker of four years said this career path was not unexpected. “I was not surprised because Sam has always been stylish, and loved the camera,” said Ella Wood, who works with Samantha in dealing with various challenges. “She doesn’t mind being in front of a crowd.” Next up for the busy senior is ballet. She is scheduled to be part of Ballet Arizona’s Nutcracker performance. Samantha’s career dreams are not a surprise to her mother. “We were riding in an elevator once, and suddenly she struck a runway model pose just before the doors open, because there might be somebody on the other side,” Therese said. “That’s when we knew she was probably going to be a model. “She knows what the camera is, and loves being in front of it.” Therese said they wanted to be in Times Square for the display, but because of COVID concerns they had to watch it online. “It was sad not being there but still exciting to see it anyway. You can see Sam’s reaction on her Instagram page and she was so happy.”

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GIFT

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from page 1

“Illegal subsidies like this discourage businesses from shouldering risks and instead encourage them to look to bureaucrats, who can dip into taxpayers’ wallets,” the institute said. “Peoria chose to dole out $2.6 million to its hand-picked favorites – an amount that could have funded more than half of the cost of the city’s police criminal investigations unit for an entire year,” it continued, adding that the ruling sent “a powerful reminder to government officials across the state that they can’t spend taxpayers’ hardearned money on sweetheart deals for select private businesses, but can only purchase goods and services that truly benefit the public.” The high court ruled that going forward, only direct benefits can be counted as consideration. “Other cities outside of Arizona have all kinds of incentives they can offer,” said Nancy Davidson, who is general counsel for the Arizona League of Cities and Towns. “We are extremely limited.” That ruling came down on Feb. 8. So far, at least one economic development leader says it has not had a major impact. “The ruling has had no impact on companies selecting Greater Phoenix for expansion or relocation, and there has never been more interest from

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

firms currently evaluating the region for investment,” said Chris Camacho, president/CEO of the Greater Phoenix Economic Council. “In Fiscal Year 2021, 45 companies expanded or relocated to the region representing nearly 10,000 jobs for our residents and $13 billion in capital investment. Our current active business pipeline consists of 270 companies representing a potential 16,000 jobs and more than $50 billion in capital expenditures.” Another economic development leader says the ruling has thrown uncertainty into their jobs. “The Supreme Court ruling was somewhat vague,” said Carrie Kelly, executive director of the Arizona Association for Economic Development. “It left open questions about incentives for each municipality to determine,” she said. “Since the ruling came down, some municipal economic development departments have stopped structuring incentive agreements, while some continue to move forward.” She said her organization “continues to monitor the impact, and as of yet, we haven’t seen a significant impact on development in our state.” Schwab says the biggest issue now for cities is trying to determine what the court means by “direct benefits.” In the past, increasing tax revenue for municipalities would be seen as an

indirect benefit. The state Supreme Court ruled that going forward, indirect benefits are “valueless” under the gift clause. Schwab said it was those indirect benefits that most cities, towns and counties relied on in making previous deals for economic development. “The days of the less-defined benefits are gone in Arizona,” Schwab said. “We’re going to have to have that third-party evaluation of the impact. We have to have a net-positive return on investment.” The other key part of the ruling gives courts the power to determine if the benefits received were equal to the expenditures a city is offering. In the past, judges gave municipalities the benefit of the doubt in determining that on their own. Schwab said as long as there are direct benefits that can be measured, cities like Chandler will be able to offer incentives to companies considering setting up shop inside city limits. Davidson said Arizona still has other attributes attractive to businesses, including its weather. Still, it increases the challenge when a company is looking at multiple states as a possible landing spot. “They don’t have many tools already,” she said. “If you want to bring a hotel to an area that has no hotels, your options are pretty limited.”

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City arts panel OKs new police and fire projects BY MIA ANDREA Contributor

The Chandler Arts Commission last month approved the budgets for public art projects at police headquarters and the city’s largest fire station. Approval of the $70,000 for a project at Fire State No. 2 on Alma School Road south of Warner Road and $21,000 for the police headquarters project clears the way for the commission to call for artists’ proposals next month. The fire station project will be a memorial to fallen firefighters, according to Caroline Hudson-Naef, Chandler’s visual arts assistant, and Peter Bugg, the city’s visual arts coordinator. Bugg had noted that the commission had discussed a rough budget for the projects at a previous meeting but that it was now time to approve a final spending plan for the two projects. “It was a matter of finalizing the budget,” Bugg said. Bugg said his role during commission meetings is to serve as, “the liaison between the city and the arts commission,” which includes preparing minutes and addressing questions from past meetings. One commission member asked Bugg about the possibility of expanding the Fire Department’s memorial in the future. “They hope that they don’t have to memorialize anyone else, but it is possible with the dangers of the job,”

Bugg said. Members of the public also asked about the next steps of action that will be taken to begin the art projects. “Once we approve the funding, then we’ll approve an open call (for artists) at the next meeting and it will go out,” he said. “Then the arts commission, with approval from police and fire, will choose artists for those projects.” “The budget is inspired by the projects,” said Hudson-Naef. She encouraged Chandler residents to keep updated on the progress of these art projects by attending the commission’s monthly meetings and engaging with the agenda beforehand. “We love it when the people of the public can join, and that’s a good opportunity for them to provide feedback,” she said. “I don’t think a lot of residents realize that’s something that’s available to them.” She also recommends that citizens follow the newsletter and social media posts from the Vision Gallery. The Vision Gallery is managed by the Chandler Cultural Foundation and, according to Hudson-Naef, plays a significant role in making sure the arts commission’s public projects are successful. “I’m really happy that Chandler values the arts, and I really enjoy getting to work with artists and finding new ways to beautify the city,” Bugg said.

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from page 1

said. “I think we’ve realized in the last few years it’s one of the last frontiers in terms of the growth of Chandler.” He said it is time for a higher level of leadership and management. The person hired will be responsible for the daily operations at the airport, as well as assisting with the development projects inside the airport’s fences. The city makes clear in its posting that it is looking for someone with economic development experience. Wright said most of the airpark outside the fences has already been developed. A presentation to Council in August said only 470 acres remain to be developed in the more-than-3,000-acre airpark. “It’s actually further along than most people would think,” Wright said. “But we also need to make sure than that we’re very careful and very strategic about those last few pieces, to make sure they are exactly the right use and they fully complement the existing business sector there.” Chandler Economic Development Director Micah Miranda said the city is pursuing businesses that meet fit within its strategic plan. Those include aerospace, high tech, software, and health care businesses, among others. “If they don’t align with the strategic plan, we’re very protective of that space,” he said. “We will work with them to find an alternative space that might work better.” Miranda and Wright said a key part of the new manager’s job will be working with new businesses inside the airport fences. “We actually provided, I think for the first time, compared to the previous airport master plans, a little more detail about the types of businesses that could locate within the airport fence line,” Wright said. He said the city has a request for proposals out right now for a possible business next to the airport’s terminal. Changes to the city’s master plan for the airpark are expected to be before Council for approval this week. Wright, who was acting airport manager before he became acting city manager, said building relationships will be a key part of the job. “There’s a lot of different stakeholders at the airport,” Wright said. “You have your hobbyist pilot, that is just doing for recreational purposes, and who just loves flying, and we welcome those people at Chandler Airport; there’s businesses that are physically located, that is their livelihood, on the airport, that are leasing land from the city, that’s an important stakeholder; you have people who fly for a living, charter aircraft or other services that

According to the airport master plan, there are basically four kinds of operations at the facility: Air carrier, with aircraft greater than 60 seats and/or a maximum payload capacity of 18,000 pounds; air taxi, commuter and for-hire general aviation aircraft; military planes and helicopters; and all other aviation activity from small ultralights to large business jets. This chart shows the history of operations at the airport, which reached their peak 2006. “From 2007 through 2011, opera tions declined 39.1 percent likely due to the effects of the national economic recession during that period,” the master plan says. “Activity at CHD has picked up since 2011. Data for last year were not available. (City of Chandler)

are here a lot, that you want to build relationships with. “And of course, certainly not least of that, is the community around the area, all the businesses outside in the airpark area, there’s some great neighborhoods there, you want to build those relation-

ships.” Chris Andres is the airport planning administrator. His primary focus has been securing both federal and state grants that supply most of the funding needed to run and improve the airport. Wright said Andres has a background

in economic development and will be a key player in advocating for the airport with the businesses inside the airpark. The new manager, once hired, will focus on daily operations and working with the businesses inside the airport’s fences.

Chandler Airport crash under investigation SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

An investigation is underway into the deadly crash Oct. 1 at Chandler Municipal Airport. Two people were killed in the morning mid-air collision.

“Airport staff say it’s been at least longer than 25 years since we’ve had a fatality at the airport,” said Matthew Burdick, the city’s communications and public affairs director. The National Transportation and Safe-

ty Board expects to release a preliminary report on the crash within a few weeks. What is known so far is that a small plane and helicopter collided. Both aircraft were used to train students. The two occupants of the helicop-

ter died. The plane was able to land on the airport’s runway, but ended up off the runway by the time it came to a full stop. The helicopter crashed off the airport grounds at a site that is planned to be a park in the future.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

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Places to volunteer wanted by high school students BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

There are some obvious aspects of the high school experience that students have missed out on during the pandemic – proms, hanging out with friends at school, even sitting in the same classrooms with their teachers. But there have been some less obvious aspects as well. “We are hearing from principals that students still are having a hard time going in, and being able to volunteer in spaces, because COVID is still in existence,” said Dr. Jennifer Fletcher, Chandler Unified School District’s executive director of accountability, assessment and research. For many high school students, community service is a vital part of their learning experience. It’s also a key part of any college application. But that’s not all it is. “It comes back tenfold,” said Kirstin Gregg, a counselor at Perry High School. “They get that first-hand experience in a field that they may want to pursue. For some, it confirms this is what they’re passionate about. For others, they learn this is not what they want to be doing.” One Perry High student who had a hard time volunteering because of the pandemic is senior Moira MacCatherin. She plans on being a nurse and wanted to volunteer to work at a hospital,

Moira had been working with HonorHealth as a member of its Medical Explorers club throughout high school. That gave her an edge when a volunteering opportunity came up. Last December, she helped staff a drivethrough lane for people who were eligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19. “The vaccine was honestly one of the most fun times I’ve had volunteering or not in my whole life,” she said. “It was absolutely incredible. The cars, the people in them, were crying because they were so excited to receive this vaccine. “I know a lot of times volunteering you don’t Last December, Perry High senior Moira MacCatherin feel that community, like helped staff a drive-through lane for people who were just because you’re voluneligible to get vaccinated against COVID-19. teering doesn’t mean you (Special to SanTan Sun News) feel community support but at the vaccine clinic just when all hospitals were trying to you absolutely did.” keep people away to keep their staffs It was that experience, plus her work healthy. with the Medical Explorers, that helped “At first it was really difficult, because her land another volunteer job, this everything was shut down,” Moira said. time in the neonatal intensive care unit “For my own family’s safety, I didn’t at Shea Medical in Scottsdale. know how much I wanted to be out.” “It was being on that nursing unit

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that really inspired me to apply to become a nurse,” the Chandler resident said. Moira said she’s been accepted into the nursing program at Arizona State University. Perry High counsel Gregg said she’s one of the lucky ones to have found a volunteer job during the pandemic. Others who have been looking have not. “It’s really unfortunate and disappointing for them, but none of us have had to live through a pandemic, at least in my lifetime,” Gregg said. “It’s definitely taken a toll.” Gregg said community service opportunities teach students responsibility and accountability. Those jobs help them mature, in addition to giving them some valuable experience in a field they are passionate about. “There’s infinite value in it, both for the businesses and the students,” Gregg said. She said the highly-motivated students are pursuing opportunities in medical, engineering, and cybersecurity. CUSD does not make community service a requirement for graduation. Both Gregg and Moira agreed with that policy, but they would strongly encourage it. “When you make something a requirement, you might get people not doing it for the right reason, or not putting forth their best effort,” Moira said. “People can volunteer without it being required, that’s part of the beauty of it. You don’t have to be required to benefit your community.”

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

Corporation Commission examining Chandler gas blast BY JENNA SAUTER Contributor

The Arizona Corporation Commission met with Southwest Gas representatives two weeks ago to resolve three recent gas-related incidents – including one in Chandler – and discuss how to prevent more from happening. A plastic pipe that caused an explosion in Chandler, a gas leak that evacuated a Scottsdale neighborhood and tampered pipes on a Phoenix bridge all raise questions for safer protocols in central Arizona’s piping infrastructure, commission members said. “We cannot allow Arizonans to be afraid of the pipe beneath their feet,” Commissioner Sandra Kennedy said. “I see no greater calling as a commissioner than to protect Arizonans from incidents such as what occurred in Chandler on Aug. 26, 2021.” The Chandler explosion happened around 9:30 a.m. at Platinum Printing, a family-owned printing shop for almost 15 years, in a strip mall at Rural and Ray roads. The owners and brothers, Andrew, and Dillon Ryan were among the four critically injured with burns ranging from 16-30 percent of their bodies. All were treated at the Arizona Burn Center and are expected to make a full recovery. The Corporation Commission heard Southwest Gas representatives explain why the blast occurred.

The Aug. 26 gas explosion ripped through Platinum Printing at Ray and Rural roads in Chandler, critically injuring four me. (file photo)

“A crack in the 1 inch- DriscoPipe or “m8000,” resulted in a gas leak that was caused by degradation over time due to elevated temperatures that we see here in Maricopa County,” said Luis Frisby, the utility’s vice president for Central Arizona. “There was an error in the construction records and the pipe was misidentified as another pipe, m8100, which led to false measures to take place.” The m8000 pipe was purchased by Southwest Gas between 1980 and 1999

and was specifically installed in the Platinum Printing’s building in 1999. In the Scottsdale case, more than 20 homes were evacuated Sept. 9 after an underground gas leak was reported. According to Southwest Gas, the DriscoPipe or “m8000,” was the pipe identified in the Scottsdale leak. Southwest Gas President/CEO John Hester told commissioners that prompt actions are being taken to implement new protocols so that “situations that we’ve had in Chandler and Scottsdale

never happen again.” “It will include extensive leak inspections, including mobile and walking leak patrols of pipe installations and similar types installed in 1999 to 2001,” Hester said Diane Brown, executive director of the Arizona Public Interest Research Group Education Fund, was one of the three public callers in the meeting who expressed concerns over future gas leaks and emphasized the need to hold utilities accountable. “While Southwest Gas and other gas companies can come before you today or in the future and try to provide justification for each leak, the fact of the matter remains that the commission needs to remember that anywhere there is gas, there is a possibility for leaks,” Brown said. “It is clear to us that the commission needs to hold Southwest Gas and other companies accountable for maintaining and operating their equipment and discourage investment in newer advancement in gas infrastructure,” said Brown. Southwest Gas promised a documented outline for more enhanced protocols to be established, to reexamine all potentially hazardous pipes owned by the company and collaborate with other gas companies and entities that may use m8000 pipes. There was no indication of any fines anticipated, and the commission is considering another workshop with Southwest Gas and other gas companies to discuss further action.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

Arizona hospitals reaped $1.5 billion profit last year BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Arizona hospitals overall saw huge increases in their profits during last year. New figures from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System show total profits topped $1.5 billion – 33 percent above 2019 and far above anything reported in the past decade. It also found nearly 75 percent of hospitals with a positive operating margin. While there have been higher figures in the past, that is still up 4.5 percentage points from the prior year. The average profitability was $13.9 million. That average was far greater than what Dignity Health Chandler Regional Medical Center saw, according to the data. While it reported a $47 million profit for 2020, that total was only $700,000 over its 2019 profit. And the new Banner Ocotillo Medical Center was among the few hospitals that reported a loss for 2020, with $800,000 below its break-even point, the data indicates. Because it just opened last year, there is no comparison available with. 2019. There are vast differences even among hospitals under the same management. Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, for example, posted a net operating profit of more than $153 million on total revenues in excess of $802 million for a net operating margin of 19.1 percent. And Banner Thunderbird has a $96.7 million profit with a net operating profit of 16 percent. But Banner University Medical Center in Tucson actually posted a nearly $5.5 million loss on revenues of more than $866 million. Still, the hospital is in a far better financial condition that 2019, when it lost almost $55 million. All this comes against the backdrop of COVID. During 2020, Gov. Doug Ducey imposed a ban on elective surgeries, at least in part to ensure that there was an adequate supply of personal protective equipment. That drew some criticism from the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association, which said members were hemorrhaging money because they lost the more financially lucrative business like knee and hip replacements. And then there was the cost of all that personal protective equipment. Marjorie Baldwin, a professor of economics at the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, said there is another side to all this. It starts, she said, with the change in the mix of patients. “Typically, hospitals treat a majority of older patients on Medicare,’’ said Baldwin, a health economist. By contrast, COVID provided a larger mix of younger patients that might otherwise not be in a hospital. The private insurance these patients often have pays more than Medicare. Moreover, hospitals are not racking up the same losses for “uncompensated care,’’ bills not paid by people without either government or private insurance and who lack the financial resources to

Here’s a look at some Phoenix area hospitals’ profits or losses in 2020 Hospital Abrazo Heart Abrazo Mesa Abrazo Scottsdale Arizona Orthopedic Surgical & Specialty Arizona Spine & Joint Aurora Behavioral Health System Banner Baywood Banner Behavioral Health Banner Desert Banner Gateway Banner Heart Banner Ironwood Banner Ocotillo Banner Rehabilitation Phoenix Chandler Regional CORE Institute Specialty Dignity East Valley Rehabilitation Dignity General Mesa HealthSouth East Valley Rehabilitation HealthSouth Scottsdale Rehabilitation HonorHealth Rehabilitation HonorHealth Osborn HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Honor Health Scottsdale Thompson Peak Mayo Clinic Mercy Gilbert Mountain Vista Oasis Behavioral Health Oasis Phoenix Children’s Select Specialty Phoenix Select Specialty Phoenix Downtown St. Joseph’s Medical Center St. Luke’s Behavioral Tempe St. Luke’s Valleywise (aka Maricopa Medical) pay their bills. That’s because the federal government agreed to pick up the cost for treating COVID for anyone without insurance. “That’s a huge effect on profits,’’

Profit (Loss) in millions $12.3 $0.5 $10.1 $2.7 $8.0 $2.7 $29.2 $1.4 $153.2 $96.7 $41.2 $15.6 -$8.0 ($3.0) $47.0 $9.0 $7.9 ($19.1) $3.8 ($0.3) $4.1 $16.5 $47.3 $13 $105.5 $25.1 $2.1 $8.7 $3.7 $196.4 $4.1 $0.6 $21.8 $0.5 $5.3 ($129.2)

Change from 2019 in millions $4.6 $2.1 $4.5 $0.2 ($0.06) $0.3 $4.1 $0.9 $15.6 $29.4 $5.1 $4.8 (no report) (no report) 0.7 ($2.8) $0.5 $1.1 ($2.3) ($3.1) $2.5 ($14.1) $17 ($0.2) ($56.3) ($2.5) $15.9 ($0.2) ($1.0) $135.8 $0.4 ($1.0) $32.7 ($3.7) $9.1 ($52.0)

Baldwin said. On top of that there were various federal subsidies to hospitals to help deal with the costs incurred of treating COVID patients. But potentially the biggest thing has

Dignity Health Chandler Regional Medical Center reported a $47 million profit in 2020, but that was only $700,000 over its profit the previous year and well below the statewide average profitability for hospitals. ( file photo)

to do with medical billing and something called “diagnosis-related groups,’’ or DRGs. That system, already in use by Medicare, pays hospitals based on the DRG. That is designed to both standardize payments and encourage cost containment as a hospital knows it will be getting a specific set amount to treat a specific ailment. But Baldwin said if a patient was diagnosed with COVID, there is a surcharge that hospitals are allowed to impose. That surcharge is built on the assumption that COVID patients will require a certain level of care. “But some COVID patients might not require ICU care or the intense care that the subsidy was designed to cover,’’ she said. “And so hospitals could make a profit on those patients.’’ Baldwin said a patient who actually tests positive for COVID actually might be admitted to the hospital for some other reason “but the hospital could still put that they have the COVID diagnosis and get the reimbursement.’’ “And there’s strong incentives for hospitals to do that,’’ she added. Baldwin said large urban hospitals already were in a better position to deal with COVID. That is reflected in those numbers for Banner Health, the largest hospital system in the state, and, specifically, in their larger facilities. A spokeswoman for Banner said staffers were still reviewing the numbers and declined comment on the report.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

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from page 1

about 70 percent of the homeless people she deals with have mental health issues. Often, people experiencing homelessness are arrested for small crimes, such as shoplifting food or hygiene products. Balch said the Navigators act as personal assistants, helping their clients navigate all the support systems available. They can help them get off of drugs, get diagnosed and care for any mental health issues and possibly get housing. “The courts are really scary for people suffering through mental health or substance abuse, or something like that,” Halterman said. “Every time I even stepped on the property of a court building, I thought I was going to jail.” Balch said Support Court may look like other courtrooms, but it will be a different experience for defendants.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

Instead of being adversaries, the prosecution and defense lawyers will work together to try and get the defendant the help they need. If the defendant chooses to avoid jail, they must complete the program. If they do, they hold a graduation ceremony and there’s no criminal record. If they fail to complete the program, then they can still be tried for their crime and could face jail time. Balch said someone has to want to turn their life around, and Support Court. And if it takes a choice of do it or go to jail, then the city is fine with that. But while the city is ready to offer all the support it can, it’s still up to the defendant to do the hard work to change their future. And if this works, it could lower the number of homeless, crimes, and court cases in Chandler. That would be a game changer. “The reason this works is the Navigators,” Balch said.

Navigator Ashley Halterman and Chandler Community Resources Manager Riann Balch are excited about the possibilities of Support Court. (Pablo Robles)

Support court model has been working in Mesa SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Mesa’s Community Court has a judge, a defense attorney and a prosecutor, but their roles have little to do with determining guilt or innocence and everything to do with saving lives. Like the model coming to Chandler next month, Mesa’s Community Court also uses navigators’– representatives of social service agencies such as Community Bridges and Lutheran Indian Ministries – to help defendants connect with the services they need to improve their lives. Defendants arrive in custody at times, though many are out on their own recognizance, working on sentences that focus on personal improvement – such as attending alcohol or drug counseling and finding a place to live. For some, such as Corrinne Thumb, Benito Anaya and Dustin Klimek, the Mesa Municipal Court program amounts to a court of last resort – possibly their last opportunity to break free from the addiction that has derailed their lives, left them homeless and established an inexorable pattern of repeated arrests. The arrests – sometimes individuals are arrested as many as 100 or even 200 times – are mostly for crimes of desperation, misdemeanors such as trespassing or shoplifting that are committed by people with nothing to eat and nowhere to go. The goal of Community Court is to interrupt that cycle of addiction, homelessness and arrest, giving the most desperate of defendants an opportunity to regain their self-esteem and to live productive lives. Mesa Mayor John Giles hailed the program as an example of Mesa being “a compassionate city.” Giles said hundreds of case have been diverted from a conventional court since the social-services oriented court was launched in July 2019. Defendants are motivated to succeed because they don’t want the long sentences they would face as repeat offenders in a conventional courtroom. They also know their health is deterio-

rating from the hard lives they are living and that their destructive behavior eventually will kill them. “The focus, truly, is to help you,’’ Judge John Tatz told the packed courtroom during a recent session of the Community Court. “The better thing for everyone is to help you turn your life around, so that you will not be picking up these types of charges.’’ Other staffers in the Community Court process chimed in while introducing themselves to the defendants, driving home a consistent message. They are trying to reach people who have been written off for years. “We have a lot of successes here and we hope you are one of our successes as well,’’ defense attorney Eileen Sullivan said. Ashley Halterman, a navigator with Community Bridges, added a more personal note. Halterman explained how she was addicted to drugs and alcohol for 11 years and how she was homeless for 4 ½ years. During the court session, she and the other navigators would meet with individual defendants, match them up with services and check on their progress. “My life is a complete 180 from what it was. I’m here to help you down the same path,’’ Halterman said. Kevin Maulson of Lutheran Indian Ministries has worked with the court and the Native American Fatherhood Association to help 37 Native Americans from a variety of tribes to get off the street. Maulson lined up a series of six group homes, where the previously homeless defendants can stay from 60 to 120 days. They are required to attend substance abuse counseling and they act like a family, even going to church together. “They created a model that we tweak a little for the Native American people,’’ Maulson said. “You have to instill hope and self-worth. They have to have self-worth in order to see the value in what they do.’’ “I think it starts in early childhood. It’s the trauma of the family, something

in their past that caused them to take this path,’’ Maulson said. Maulson follows the curriculum developed by Albert Pooley, founder and president of the Native American Fatherhood and Family Association, a Mesa-based nonprofit that contracts with 400 tribes throughout the nation and Canada. Pooley said the program combines such concepts as developing pride, selfworth and gratitude, along with an appreciation of Native American heritage. He said a sense of purpose gives people direction and discipline and that life is about problem-solving. “A lot of these people have been told they are worthless, that they are good for nothing,’’ he said. “You can change, you can improve, you can make progress, you can flourish.’’ Community Court helps repeat offenders of all ethnicities to break a cycle of arrests, convictions and incarceration, said Paul Thomas, Mesa Municipal Court administrator. Traditionally, these defendants have ended up in jail repeatedly. Because they were still alcohol or drug addicts, or saddled with some sort of mental illness, they would re-offend after their release from incarceration and end up in the same predicament, he said. “These cases accumulate against you. The justice system becomes a barrier to your success,’’ Thomas said, with defendants often missing a court date and ending up with an arrest warrant for failure to appear for a hearing. Thomas said it’s easy to give up on defendants with such a chronic arrest history, but simply recycling them through the legal system doesn’t accomplish anything. He considers it his moral obligation to help even the most chronic offenders improve themselves. “Just because a criminal complaint has been filed doesn’t make it a criminal matter,’’ Thomas said. “It’s a social problem.’’ But he said the threat of flunking out of community court by re-offending or not showing up in court can be used to motivate defendants to help

themselves. “It’s the voice of authority. It’s the same authority that used to impose fines or jail time, many times over,’’ Thomas said. After two prison sentences and a life full of alcohol-related arrests and domestic violence, Corrine Thumb understands the stakes of her participation in Community Court include survival. Thumb said she could not face the prospect of more incarceration as she found herself surrounded by Gilbert police vehicles. “I relapsed,’’ Thumb said, referring to the vicious cycle of substance abuse that has sidetracked her life for years. “I didn’t want to go to prison so bad,” she recalled. “I had six Gilbert cop cars surrounding me. I stabbed myself in the chest.’’ Thumb’s battles with alcohol and subsequent incarceration tell a sad story of a life unraveled in Maricopa County Superior Court records. Her latest prison sentence occurred when she left a treatment program, got intoxicated and kicked a Mesa police officer. She also hit a Mesa fire paramedic after getting drunk. Although Thumb still faces a long list of non-violent misdemeanor charges, she has hope for a better future for the first time in a long time. “This is my last hope, for me and my family,’’ said Thumb, who is going through the community court program along with her husband, Kevin Jodie, who was involved in domestic violence incidents with Thumb while both were intoxicated, according to court records. “This is our first holiday sober together,’’ Thumb said, including her husband and her daughter. “That’s a miracle in itself.’’ Because of Thumb’s progress, Tatz gave her and Jodie a 45-day continuance so that they could continue their alcohol counseling. He also advised them to start planning for a more permanent place to live. Although the Community Court is unusually patient with defendants, Tatz See

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

from page 12

reminds those who have not complied with the program that even he has his limits. He gives them a two-week continuance, telling them to follow his orders or risk a jail sentence in a conventional court.

When City Prosecutor John Belatti said a defendant had successfully completed the program and recommended dismissal of charges, applause would ring through the courtroom, a violation of typical courtroom etiquette. At one court session, prosecutor Paul Hawkins explained how defendant Dustin

Klimek had been homeless for six months, but now has a job as a house painter and shares an apartment in Chandler. “He’s a great example of what can happen when people buy in,’’ Hawkins said. Tatz not only dismissed all charges against Klimek; He also suspended $1,000 worth of fines.

Klimek said afterward that he loves his job as a painter and finds it therapeutic. He said his outlook on life is much better. “I have felt hopeless for a long time. It was my drug addiction,’’ Klimek said, adding that it was no fun to sleep in his car when he had nowhere else to go. “This is a miracle.’’

Abused as a kid, he rides to give hope BY TOM SCANLON Staff Writer

Tim Markison is a hyper-paced, quick-minded sort who races through life and normally shoots off replies without hesitation. But, when asked if he considers himself to be lucky, there’s a long pause and a gear shift. It’s complicated. When you’re the victim of child abuse, life stops becoming a simple puzzle and becomes a convoluted, three-dimensional maze – inexplicable and unescapable. Even years later when they become adults in what appear to be “settled” lives, victims of child abuse can experience severe emotional, mental and even physical problems. According to one study, “Mental health problems associated with past histories of child abuse and neglect include personality disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, dissociative disorders, depression, anxiety disorders and psychosis... Depression is one of the most commonly occurring consequences of past abuse or neglect.” Check, check, check, check, Markison said, when the above was read to him. “Many of those things you listed, I suffered from,” the 59-year-old Mesa father of two said. “Much, much less today than I did in the past. I feel fortunate I was able to get the help I needed.” Though he feels blessed to have resources required to get help and an exceptionally supportive wife, he remains hesitant to call himself lucky. “I also did a lot of hard work to get to the place I’m at. You make your own luck,” Markison said. “Yes, I am fortunate with the abusive childhood I endured and the psychological damage it did to me, I’m very fortunate to have

Tim Markison, a successful businessman who is a patent attorney and founder of a golf shoe company, started a cross-country bike ride to raise awareness about child abuse. After starting his journey in San Diego two weeks ago, he was in Mesa Monday, stopping at the Athalonz headquarters. (Special to the SanTan Sun News)

the life I have now. “I’ve been married 41 years, have two kids and a grandbaby...All that happened because of a lot of hard work on my part, and my family and support.” For the likes of Markison, getting to and maintaining mental and emotional stability is a journey down a long, twisting road, filled with blind curves and arduous, uphill stretches. It’s not unlike bike riding across the country – which is what Markison started last week. Though his 3,000-mile journey certainly is metaphorical, Markison intends it as a direct statement: Stop abuse and begin healing. As he puts it, the purpose of the ride is to increase awareness of child abuse prevention and to promote healing for those who were victims.

Markison is a patent attorney...and an inventor. He is founder, CEO and primary inventor of Athalonz, which makes “golf shoes that are disrupting the golf industry due to its patented technology.” Last Monday he was at 2716 N Ogden #101, near McDowell and Greenfield roads in central Mesa – which doesn’t sound like a big deal, as that’s the company headquarters. But it’s how he’s planning to get there: By bike. And not from his home a few miles away in east Mesa. He’s biking from San Diego. “I’m sitting with my team now, mapping out the route for tomorrow,” Markison said from Southern California the night before beginning the epic journey.

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He will be accompanied by an RV, with Markison and his support team, mixing hotel stays and camping along the way, with an anticipated end date of Nov. 7 in Jacksonville, Florida. Along the way, with support from the Interwoven Circles Foundation, Markison hopes to raise $1 million for nonprofits that focus on child abuse prevention and/or healing the wounds of child abuse. Mayor John Giles, also an avid biker, will greet Markison at the Athalonz headquarters in Mesa at 11 a.m. Asked if he thinks the long bike ride will itself be helpful, Markison said, “I think so. Part of talking about what happened to me is therapeutic. The more I can talk to people...and the more people we can get talking about child abuse, the more good it will do. Most abusers were victims of childhood abuse. Markison has been living in Mesa, where he launched Athalonz, since 2011. He grew up in Chicago, where he said he was victimized repeatedly as a child. As he describes his abuse online (interwovencircles.com/tims-story), “I was raped from age 5 through age 13 by both a family member and a school administrator. I was also beaten. I was choked. I was locked in a freezer. I was consistently berated. I was told I was worthless. And that was on a ‘good day.’ “My defense mechanisms were to disassociate and to forget. While an incident was occurring, I disassociated and, as soon as it ended, I blocked it out. I forgot the incident along with most of my childhood.” Markison told the Tribune he “didn’t even remember what happened to me until my late 20s. Most of my childhood, memories of my childhood are See

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

Assistance League plans fashion show fundraiser SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

An organization of volunteers that helped thousands of East Valley schoolchildren this year despite the pandemic is gearing up to celebrate this achievement at a fashion show and luncheon. The Assistance League of East Valley has scheduled its Friends and Fashion luncheon at noon Oct. 24 at the Holiday Inn in Chandler, 1200 W. Ocotillo Road. League members will model clothing from Judy Wear Boutique and hold a silent auction for an array of items, many of which make ideal holiday gifts. Judy Wear Boutique, 950 E. Riggs Road, Chandler, boast ladies wear that is “fun and functional.” The nonprofit hopes others from the community will join its members to learn more about the organization and consider joining their efforts as it marks its 25th anniversary. “Looking back at all we’ve been through this year, and all the wonderful things we’ve still been able to accomplish, we want this to be a fun, casual event with a spirit of celebration,” said Marsha Calhoun of Chandler, the chairperson for the event. “We support so many different areas, and have so many diverse projects we’re passionate about, that there’s something for everyone in this group,” Calhoun said. The Assistance League provided clothing and supplies for over 9,000 elementary school children this year in Chandler,

Mesa, Gilbert, Queen Creek and Tempe. Members also supplied 575 homeless teens in Gilbert and Chandler with clothing, shoes, hygiene items, food, bus passes and academic support. Volunteers delivered over 5,000 assault survivor kits to local agencies, and currently are providing regular social events for two adult daycare centers. They awarded 13 college scholarships this year. “With the help of a county grant, the group was able to achieve all this despite having to close their thrift shop for part of the year and limit its hours of operation,” a spokeswoman noted. The nonprofit says on its website that it “assesses the unmet needs of the community and addresses these needs through its programs, which are evaluated annually and adjusted when necessary.” Its philanthropic programs are funded by events such as the luncheon as well as by individual, corporate and foundation donations. The Assistance League Thrift Shop, at 2326 N. Alma School Rd. in Chandler, is now open Wednesday-Saturday 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. The silent auction will include jewelry; golf, and goat yoga packages; tickets for the Phoenix Suns and a Gammage theater production; and certificates for specialty floral items and DJ services. Tickets are $50 and are available at the Thrift Shop or at assistanceleague.org/ east-valley/friends-and-fashion-luncheon.

Marsha Calhoun, left, who chairs the Assistance League of East Valley’s upcoming fashion show and luncheon, and Mary Louise Lansbarkis will be among League members modeling clothing. (Special to the SanTan Sun News)

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

High court to consider masks in November BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

The Arizona Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments about whether the ban on mask mandates at public schools was legally enacted. In a brief order, the court set a hearing for Nov. 2 on the bid by Attorney General Mark Brnovich to overturn a Sept. 27 ruling by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Katherine Cooper that the provision in a new state law blocking schools from making these decisions was approved in an unconstitutional manner. The high court’s ruling had no immediate impact on Chandler Unified, which not only was on break for two weeks but also did not follow other districts, such as Kyrene and Tempe Union, in imposing a mask mandate after Cooper’s ruling. Several other large East Valley school districts also shrugged off Cooper’s decision, including Gilbert and Mesa. Nonetheless, Cooper’s decision was hailed by state Superintendent Kathy Hoffman, who cited several new studies that were released by the Centers for Disease Control after the opinion was issued. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention “recommends universal indoor masking by students, staff members, faculty, and visitors in kindergarten through grade 12. According to a CDC press release last week, three separate studies “found that school districts without a universal masking policy in place were more likely to have COVID-19 outbreaks. Nationwide, counties without masking requirements saw the number of pediatric COVID-19 cases increase nearly twice as quickly during this same period.” And, the CDC noted, “One report from Arizona revealed that schools in two of the state’s most populous counties (Maricopa and Pima) were 3.5 times more likely to have COVID-19 outbreaks if they did not have a mask requirement at the start of school compared with schools that required universal masking on day one.” The latest county health department data shows a high level of transmission of the virus within Chandler Unified’s boundaries. Cases per 100,000 rose from 222 to 251 while positive new test results rose from 104 percent to 11.8 percent. Cooper voided the mask mandate ban and a host of other measures that the Republican majority in the Legislature tacked onto the state budget bill without hearings in the waning days of the session. The voided measures range from re-

A spokesman for Gov. Doug Ducey called the judge’s ruling overturning the mask mandate ban “judicial overreach.” (file photo)

quirements for anti-fraud measures for ballots to banning proof of vaccination to attend universities or community colleges, and limits on teaching what lawmakers have incorrectly referred to as “critical race theory.’’ Cooper did not find that any of these provisions, by themselves, is illegal. What is, she said, was piling them into just four separate so-called “budget reconciliation’’ bills, each with what she said are broad, generic titles that fail to inform voters of the changes they enact. The Legislature filed an emergency repeal with the state Supreme Court on Sept. 28 but lost its bid for a stay on Cooper’s ruling. Cooper also said she would issue additional orders if lawmakers attempted to get around her opinion. If upheld by the Supreme Court, Cooper’s ruling could forever change how legislation is enacted, overstepped her authority. The expedited briefing schedule and the Nov. 2 hearing is a setback for attorney Roopali Desai, who represents the education groups and their allies that first sued and got Cooper to rule in their favor. She had wanted more time to prepare her arguments for the justices, as whatever they rule will set new legal precedents and could change forever how legislation is adopted.

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A normal court schedule would give her 30 days to respond to the state’s arguments. Instead, the justices told Brnovich to file his arguments by Tuesday, giving Desai a week after that to respond. And others who want to weigh in have to submit their briefs by Oct. 15. The justices also made it clear they don’t want to be buried in legal arguments. They limited each side’s opening legal briefs to no more than 5,000 words, about a third of what attorneys normally are allowed to file. In some ways, the decision to expedite was expected. Hanging in the balance is the future of the practice of lawmakers to put various apparently unrelated changes in state law into a package of what they call “budget reconciliation bills.’’ Desai charged – and Cooper agreed – that the practice at the very least violates a constitutional requirement that the title of a measure reflect what is in it so as to inform not just lawmakers but the public. The judge noted, for example, that a bill titled as dealing with budget reconciliation for K-12 education also included a restriction on how schools can teach about race and gender, authorized lawsuits against public employees for conduct related to public schools, as well as making it illegal for school boards to require students and staff to wear masks while on campus. “What do these measures have to do with the budget?’’ Cooper asked. The judge also voided all or part of three other measures for similar reasons. Assistant Attorney General Michael Catlett, arguing for Brnovich, contends that it is up to lawmakers to decide what is relevant to a bill. And he said that courts are powerless to tell a

separate branch of government how to operate. Cooper, however, said she is not telling lawmakers what to approve but instead determining if they acted in accord with the Arizona Constitution. “Whether the legislature complied with the requirements of (the Constitution) and whether a provision is reasonably related to ‘budget reconciliation’ are questions property before the court,’’ she wrote. The reconciliation bills have often been used for “logrolling,’’ putting unpopular changes in law into a single package that forces legislators who want another provision to have to support because of the take-it-or-leave-it nature. That is precisely what happened earlier this year after lawmakers refused to approve a bill that proponents said prohibits the teaching of “critical race theory.’’ For example, it would bar teaching that someone is inherently biased due to those their ethnicity, race or sex, or that an individual should feel discomfort, guilt or psychological stress because of any of the same factors. But it became part of the larger K-12 budget reconciliation bill, a measure that, aside from the ban on mask mandates, also included changes in state aid formula for schools that many legislators support. If the Supreme Court upholds Cooper’s ruling, that practice would have to come to a halt. It isn’t just the Republican lawmakers who control the House and Senate who want the high court to void the decision. Her ruling also drew fire from Gov. Doug Ducey, who supported the changes like the ban on school mask mandates, who called Cooper a “rogue judge.’’

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

Feds demand Ducey drop mask mandate threat BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

A key federal official is telling Gov. Doug Ducey he cannot use COVID grant dollars to penalize schools that impose mask mandates. And if Ducey doesn’t fix the problem he is threatening to take back the money. In a letter to the governor Tuesday, Deputy Treasury Secretary Adewale Adeyemo said the cash, Arizona’s share of a $350 billion program in state and local relief dollars, were designed to finance “evidence-based efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19.’’ Instead, Adeyemo said, Ducey is distributing the money only to schools that do not require students and staff to wear face coverings during classroom hours and while on campus. And the governor also is using the cash to give out $7,000 vouchers to parents who want to pull their kids out of schools with mask mandates and instead send them to private and parochial schools without such a requirement. Only thing is, Adeyemo said, is the purpose of the money is to “mitigate the fiscal effects stemming from the COVID-19 public health emergency.’’ And that, he said, includes supporting efforts to actually stop the spread of the virus. What Ducey has done, the treasury official said, is actually discourage

schools from following protocols that are designed to contain the virus. And that, he said, is ``not a permissible use’’ of the federal cash. The potential loss of at least $11 million and possible as much as $40 million figured heavily into the Chandler Unified Governing Board’s 3-2 vote last month against imposing a mask mandate. Gubernatorial press aide C.J. Karamargin said the governor and his aides are reviewing the letter and will respond. But he said that, as far as Ducey is concerned, he has done nothing wrong. Still, he acknowledged that how his boss is dividing up the cash comes down to the governor’s personal support of “school choice’’ and vouchers that existed long before there was a COVID outbreak. “The way we are using it aligns with the governor’s long-stated goal of giving parents the opportunity to choose what’s best,’’ Karamargin said. And he brushed aside questions about the fact that the federal dollars were designed to help prevent the spread of the virus, not to provide dollars for private and parochial schools. “We believe the use of the funds is appropriate,’’ Karamargin said. The governor’s press aide also took a slap at what he said has been the Biden administration’s “focus on mandates.’’ “Here in Arizona we trust families to make decisions around what’s best for

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their children,’’ he said. And Karamargin said that, given the challenges of the past school year, that focus should be on giving families the resources they need to get their kids caught up educationally. But Ducey put only a minimal link between the new voucher program, formally known as “empowerment scholarship accounts,’’ and financial need. Eligibility is limited to households at or below 350 percent of the federal poverty level, the equivalent of $92,750 a year for a family of four. And Karamargin had no immediate response to how withholding federal aid from schools with mask mandates actually helps education or families. Much of the battle is over $163 million Arizona got through the American Rescue Plan to boost per-pupil funding. Ducey announced in early August, however, that those dollars will be available only to district and charter schools “following all state laws’’ as of Aug. 27. And the governor contends that schools that are requiring students and staff to wear masks are not in compliance. Karamargin, however, has said it is within Ducey’s discretion how to distribute the federal dollars. And he said the same is true over the $10 million program to provide those $7,000 vouchers to parents to send their children to private or parochial schools. In that case, the governor said the

money, which also can be used for online tutoring and child care, is to help families “facing financial and educational barriers due to overbearing school mandates.’’ Adeyemo, said the state cannot impose conditions on receipt of these dollars to acting in ways “that would undermine efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19 or discourage compliance with evidence-based solutions for stopping the spread.’’ He also reminded Ducey that the state, prior to receiving nearly $2.1 billion, provided a certification that it would use all the dollars it received in compliance with the federal law and any regulations issued by the Department of the Treasury. And those limit use of the dollars to responding to the public health emergency and its negative economic impacts. All that, Adeyemo said, limits Ducey’s discretion. He has now given the governor 30 days to respond explaining how the state will “remediate the issues identified’’ with the two programs, the one tying aid to schools on not having a mask mandate and the other providing vouchers so parents can get their kids out of schools that require masks. “Failure to respond or remediate may result in administrative or other action,’’ Adeyemo said, including the federal government demanding its money back.

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

Site ranks Chandler 23rd safest city in the U.S. SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Chandler is the 23rd safest city in the country but not the safest in Arizona, according to a survey of 182 American cities conducted by the financial website wallethub.com. That statewide honor belongs to Gilbert, which also ranked 12th nationally in the survey. Wallethub based its findings on an analysis of “44 key indicators” that ranged from COVID-19 deaths in the week of Sept. 26 per capita to assaults per capita to the unemployment rate and road quality. If you’re wondering if the survey was simply reflecting the work of police, you’re wrong. “People can feel unsafe in other ways, too,” wallethub noted. “Aside from the types of hazards that can cause bodily injury or other physical harm, taking out an unaffordable second mortgage, forgoing health insurance or even visiting unsecured websites are also ways people run into danger. One of the biggest worries for many people is the availability of affordable healthcare. In fact, half of all U.S. adults are worried a major health event could lead to bankruptcy. “No one can avoid all danger, however, and we take on a certain level of risk based on where we choose to live. Some cities are simply better at protecting their residents from harm.” Indeed, when wallethub looked at “home and community safety,” Gilbert fell to 32 – the highest in Arizona – while Chandler slid to 52nd place. Data included in that category in-

BIKERIDE

from page 14

gone...When my oldest daughter turned 5, I started having – it wasn’t quite memories, it was feelings.” While he was in law school, one panic attack after another hit him, with flashbacks and a feeling of utter worthlessness: “I was miserable. I was depressed...I sought counseling and memories started to come back a little bit.” He chokes up a bit, recalling a night 30 years ago when “I woke up from a flashback dream in terror. I could not close my eyes. Every time I closed my eyes I thought I was going to get choked and killed. Literally for four

cluded a slew of crimes per capita, but also included factors like COVID deaths and vaccinated people, sheltered people experiencing homelessness, fatal drug overdoses, traffic deaths and even the “perception of safety” that was based on what people have told the numbeo.com website over the past three years. On the other hand, Chandler is ranked the safest of any Arizona city when it comes to natural disasters, scoring eighth nationally as well. In that category, Gilbert fell to 14th nationally and was only third among Arizona cities, with Tempe sandwiched between the town and Chandler. And when it came to feeling financially safe, Scottsdale took the brass ring among municipalities in Arizona even though its national ranking was only 30. When it came to financial safety, Chandler ranked second in the state with a national ranking of 37. Gilbert pulled third place in the state and 43rd nationally. Financial safety also included a number of factors that wallethub took into account, such as debt-to-income ratio, uninsured drivers, poverty rate, job security and a number of others. In all, data from more than two dozen sources were pulled for wallethub’s analysis. They ranged from the FBI and U.S. Census to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and even the New York Times. To gain some perspective on the numbers, wallethub talked to four experts: David McEntire, professor, Emergency Services Department

at Utah Valley University; Katharine Kravetz of the School of Education at American University; Brian Bossak of the faculty at the College of Charleston and assistant law professor Christopher L. Atkinson of the University of West Florida. The website’s question on safety from crime, however, dealt only with how police departments can improve trust in the community and the importance of diversity in a community’s police force. Asked what people can do to increase their financial safety, Kravetz said, “I believe in teaching financial literacy from a very young age, provided in a way that is relevant to the people receiving it. “For example, financial literacy programs for new homeowners have shown success in keeping people in their homes. It does seem, however, that the financial sector is willing to tolerate and even encourage a lot of risks that may make teaching financial literacy insufficient.” Bossak amplified on that by stating, “We need a wholesale rethink of the topical structure within the overall educational system in this country. Although I am strongly in favor of requiring financial literacy or personal finance courses in college, I recognize that college is not a choice for everyone and in some cases, not even a desire. “I think financial literacy education needs to be embedded in the educational system, in a formal sense, beginning with elementary education.” The full survey is at wallethub.com/ edu/safest-cities-in-America.

weeks I couldn’t sleep.” Markison checked into a mental health hospital, where “more memories came back, things became clear...It was pretty horrific. It wasn’t just at home or at school. I was raped at home and school. “The two places you’re supposed to be most safe were the two most dangerous places for me.” Asked if he ever confronted his attackers, Markison said, “I did confront my parents. I was hospitalized three times in my late 20s and early 30s because of how severe the depression came.” During one stay, encouraged by a therapist, he called his parents and told them his horrific memories. “They said, ‘Oh that’s preposterous.’”

Shortly after that brief call, his parents called his therapist. “The only question my parents asked my therapist was, am I going to kill them?” Markison said, his disgust apparent. He said his recovery would have been eased “if they would have just taken ownership: ‘Yes, we did that, we were sick.’” Now that he has the courage to publicly speak about his experiences, Markison said he is amazed by how many people are approaching him, saying, “I can’t believe I’m talking about this, but this is what happened to me.” As he writes: “Until a few years ago, I had no intentions of sharing my story. “After 20 years without a flashback, I started having them again. These flash-

How they ranked Here is how Arizona municipalities ranked in the survey, with the number reflecting their place among the 182 municipalities that were studied. Only nine Arizona municipalities are included in the survey. Safest overall Gilbert 12 Chandler 23 Scottsdale 24 Peoria 32 Mesa 35 Tempe 38 Glendale 66 Phoenix 109 Tucson 161 Home/community safety Gilbert 32 Scottsdale 50 Chandler 52 Mesa 56 Peoria 58 Tempe 70 Glendale 95 Phoenix 131 Tucson 167 Financial safety Scottsdale 30 Chandler 37 Gilbert 43 Tempe 47 Mesa 67 Peoria 68 Phoenix 89 Glendale 98 Tucson 127 backs shifted something in me. I had to break the silence. I have to share my story, to be a vocal advocate for child abuse prevention, and to be a vocal advocate for victims to heal their wounds and create a positive self-image.” One of the most important messages he wants to share with his fellow victims is that it’s possible, after years of self-loathing, to come to peace with yourself. “I like the person I see in the mirror,” he writes. “This is a biggie for me because I used to hate looking at myself.” To donate or for more information, visit interwovencircles.com. The Arizona Child Abuse Hotline is 1-888-SOSCHILD (1-888-767-2445)

According to the Mayo Clinic, “Some children overcome the physical and psychological effects of child abuse, particularly those with strong social support and resiliency skills who can adapt and cope with bad experiences. For many others, however, child abuse may result in physical, behavioral, emotional or mental health issues — even years later.” Examples include:

Physical issues

• Premature death • Physical disabilities • Learning disabilities • Substance abuse • Health problems, such as heart disease, immune disorders, chronic lung disease and cancer

Behavioral issues

• Delinquent or violent behavior • Abuse of others • Withdrawal • Suicide attempts or self-injury • High-risk sexual behaviors or teen pregnancy • Problems in school or not finishing high school • Limited social and relationship skills • Problems with work or staying employed

Emotional issues

• Low self-esteem • Difficulty establishing or maintaining relationships • Challenges with intimacy and trust • An unhealthy view of parenthood • Inability to cope with stress and frustrations • An acceptance that violence is • a normal part of relationships

Mental health disorders

• Eating disorders • Personality disorders • Behavior disorders • Depression • Anxiety disorders • Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) • Sleep disturbances • Attachment disorders

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

Despite food stamp increase, challenges remain BY GENESIS SANDOVAL Cronkite News

More than 900,000 Arizona food stamp recipients saw an increase in their monthly benefits starting Friday, but activists say much more needs to be done to fight food insecurity in the state. The increase in Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program benefits is the result of officials recalculating the Thrifty Food Plan, a federal estimate of how much a family needs to afford a basic, healthy diet. But SNAP recipients will not see the full 21 percent increase in the Thrifty Food Plan benefits in their pocketbooks, because it comes at the same time that a 15 percent pandemic-related boost in benefits is scheduled to end. The bottom line is that average recipient will see between $12 and $16 extra per month, for now, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture estimates. Even that could disappear when states start cutting off the “emergency allotment,” another program aimed at helping people with food purchases during the pandemic. The final benefit will be more than recipients had been getting before, but less than they were receiving at the height of the pandemic. “This increase is extremely meaningful and it’s making up for lost time and lost opportunities, but it won’t get

SNAP households where they need to be,” said Ellen Vollinger, legal director of the Food Research and Action Center. “There’s other things going on that, when the 15 percent increase goes away, it will be very problematic.” In Arizona, Jessie Gruner, director of community innovations for Pinnacle Prevention, welcomed the increase in SNAP benefits as long overdue, but said “we have to learn how to communicate to the community why they’re seeing a decrease in benefits,” given the backand-forth in benefits. “If we’re just comparing it to pre-pandemic, it is a significant increase, but ultimately families that are participating in SNAP are experiencing a loss,” said Gruner, whose organization describes itself as a Arizona nonprofit “dedicated to growing healthy families and communities.” The Thrifty Food Plan uses a “market basket” approach to determine the types of foods and their cost to “support a healthy diet through nutritious meals and snacks at home” on a limited budget. The amount, which is used to set SNAP benefits, is adjusted monthly to reflect inflation but this is the first time since 2006 – and only the third time in the program’s 46-year history – that the baseline amount has been recalculated. “The Thrifty Food Plan is presuming that even on a low-cost package,

it’s still enough money to have a basic diet,” Vollinger said. “But unfortunately over the decades, that market basket hasn’t been reflecting reality.” Vollinger said the latest change is “the first reevaluation of the plan that takes a fresh look at everything. It’s making up for decades where things were held steady and not keeping up with the times.” According to the USDA, the average monthly SNAP benefit before the pandemic was $121 per person. The changes to the Thrifty Food Plan would boost that to $169 per person after all the pandemic assistance ends – a sizeable increase, but well below the $251 per person monthly average projected for October, while some pandemic aid is still in place. The USDA estimates that the new plan will result in a $19.7 billion increase in SNAP payments nationally in fiscal 2022, which starts Friday. Arizona benefits are expected to rise $388 million next year, to a total of $1.8 billion. While those numbers sound impressive, advocates say they don’t go far when stretched over 365 days and spread among the 917,398 people who were getting SNAP benefits in Arizona in June, the latest month for which figures are available. “We have a rising cost of living, a housing crisis in Arizona, we see families have to make decisions about medica-

tions over food,” Gruner said. “In juxtaposition with those things, it’s not going to be enough. It’s still going to be tough for families to live with this increase.” The USDA released a study in June that found that 61 percent of SNAP participants reported the biggest barrier to a healthy diet was the affordability of healthy food. That challenge will only grow, advocates say, once the other part of the pandemic assistance, the emergency allotment, goes away. “It’s a welcome step in the right direction, but it will not be enough to meet all of the challenges we see,” Gruner said of the Thrifty Food Plan boost. “This is a small piece, and it likely won’t have a huge, significant impact.” Vollinger said one solution would be for the USDA to abandon the Thrifty Food Plan – the lowest-cost of four plans the department evaluates – and using the next-highest plan, the LowCost Food Plan, as the benchmark. “We’ve been calling for this for years. There’s no reason for policymakers not to do it, and they should do it,” she said. Vollinger said that it is “already hard for SNAP-benefits families” to get by, and she wonders if many will even notice the change. “At the end of the day all that matters is how much is on their EBT card, and how far that amount will stretch,” she said.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

Around Chandler Look Dine-In Cinemas opening this week

Movies will once again be shown in the old Flix building at the corner of Arizona Avenue and Chandler Boulevard. Look Dine-In Cinemas plans to open to the public Thursday evening. As part of its opening, they are offering some specials. The first showing of each day is only $5. It’s the same price for any showing on Tuesdays. And for the first four weeks they are offering a 25 percent discount on all food and non-alcoholic beverages. For a listing of showtimes, visit www. lookcinemas.com.

Residents encouraged to take city budget survey

City officials are encouraging Chandler residents to tell them how their tax dollars should be spent. As it prepares to dig into planning their 2022-23 spending plan, the city has launched its annual budget survey that encourages residents to provide their thoughts about the community and its future. City staff asks that residents answer at least the first seven general questions of the survey, which should take about two minutes. The remaining questions allow provide specific feedback on any or all targeted topics. These topics are based on the six City Council strategic goals and five focus areas, which include: being the most connected city (transportation, mobility, technology); economic vitality (land use preservation, airpark development, repurpose and revitalize retail centers); being a leader in trust and transparency (communication/citizen engagement); innovation and technology (technology infrastructure, smart sustainable solutions, partnerships, pilot programs) and

maintaining fiscal sustainability (financial services, cost of services). The budget survey results assist in the formulation of the city’s financial plan. Paper copies are also available in either English or Spanish at various city facilities, including libraries, community centers and the lobby of City Hall. Paper copies also may be downloaded from the website. Completed paper surveys should be scanned and emailed to libby.stressman@chandleraz.gov or returned to City facilities in person or by mail sent to: City of Chandler Budget Division – Citizen Surveys Mail Stop 609 P.O. Box 4008, Chandler AZ 85244-4008. For more information, call 480-782-2254.

Chandler Library to open a space for makers

The Chandler Library plans to open a space this week dedicated to people who make things. The Makery will open between 4:30 and 7 p.m. Tuesday at the Downtown Library, 22 S. Delaware. The Makery is a spaced dedicated to turning ideas into reality. It has three rooms, one for programming, another called The Lab and the final one called The Studio. It’s geared for teens to explore their creativity and learn in a hands-on manner. Users will have access to audio and video content creation, crafts, textile design, digital photography and 3D printing. For information, call 480-782-2800.

City opens public housing list but deadline is Thursday Chandler Housing and Redevelopment Division has opened its public housing wait list for one week and tat period of time ends Thursday, Oct. 14 at noon. The wait list was last open in

June 2018. Chandler currently serves low-income families and the public housing wait list is being opened to ensure an adequate pool of applicants is available when open units occur. The City encourages all interested applicants to Preapplications must be filed by noon Thursday and the forms can be found at chandleraz.gov/applyforhousing; in person by picking them near the drop box on the door leading from the garage into the building at 226 S. Washington St., Chandler; by calling 480-782-3200 (*711 via Arizona Relay Service, TTY English 800-367-8939 or Español 800-8422088); fax 480-782-3220. Interested applicants will need to provide the following during the pre-application process: Information for all household members to include: first, middle, and last names; birth dates; and total gross annual income from all sources. Verification of household information will only be required during the eligibility process. Household income must not exceed: 1 person-$44,250, 2 persons-$50,600, 3 persons-$56,900, 4 persons-$63,200, 5 persons-$68,300, 6 persons-$73,350, 7 persons-$78,400, 8 persons-$83,450, 9 persons-$88,500, 10 persons-$93,550. For more information or assistance with the pre-application process, refer to the FAQ section on the website at chandleraz.gov/affordablehousing. (click on Public Notices to the left); call 480-782-3200 (*711 via Arizona Relay Service, TTY English 800-367-8939 or Español 800-842-2088); fax 480782-3220; or email chandler.housing@ chandleraz.gov.

Hooked on a Feeling set at Sonoran Sunset Concert

Hooked on a Feeling is the entertain-

ment for this month’s Sonoran Sunset Series. The band known for playing hits from the 1950s is scheduled to play starting at 6 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 21 at Veterans Oasis Park. The series takes place the third Thursday of every month through March.

Zombies' special tennis event Oct. 23 at Chandler center Even a zombie likes to stay fit. Play for Life Zombie Apocalypse is scheduled for 6 p.m. Oct. 23 at Chandler Tennis Center, 2250 S. McQueen Road. Zombie costumes must be movable and should not obstruct the safety of play.

Halloween Spooktacular takes place Oct. 29

Chandler’s Park and Recreation Department is offering a scary night out on Friday, Oct. 29 for its annual Halloween Spooktacular. Children are encouraged to dress in costume and come to A.J. Chandler Park starting at 5:30 for some trunk-or-treating and other fun. The park is located on Arizona Avenue between Boston and Buffalo.

Play golf tournament, help people with disabilities

Chandler’s annual golf tournament to benefit people with disabilities is set for next month. The Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities 25th annual Chandler Golf Challenge is Nov. 12 at Bear Creek Golf Club, 500 E. Riggs Road. Cost for a single golfer is $85, or $325 for a foursome. The event raises about $10,000 a year for Chandler Parks and Recreation’s efforts to support people with intellectual or developmental disabilities. To register, visit chandleraz.gov/golfchallenge.

Water damage forces Perry game relocation BY ZACH ALVIRA Sports Editor

Water damage from a leaky sprinkler box forced the Perry football program to scramble Friday, Oct. 1, as its home field was deemed to be an unplayable surface for the time being. Jennifer Burks, Perry’s athletic director, said in an email the faulty sprinkler box caused underground issues that were not visible to grounds crews and administrators. The leak was discovered Sept. 30, just a day after the freshman team hosted Hamilton on its field. Burks said during that game, the sprinkler system kept turning on throughout the game. “At that point we realized the problem and our district had been working tirelessly to get it fixed, Burks said. “Unfortunately, by the time we were

able to get the valve box repaired, the water had seeped throughout much of the field and put our impaction rating too low to safely play.”

injury, especially to the lower extremities such as ankles and knees. Burks said it wasn’t worth the risk to the football players, coaches, officials or

Unfortunately, by the time we were able to “ get the valve box repaired, the water had seeped throughout much of the field and put our impaction rating too low to safely play. ”

– Jennifer Burks

Impact ratings are often used to determine the quality of the field. If the field is too soft or the surface cannot handle the impact from cleats, it is given a lower rating. Often, fields with too low of ratings increase the risk for

members of the band and spirit line. So, she contacted Arizona College Prep, who just recently opened its home field on its new campus just a couple of miles away from Perry on Gilbert and Ocotillo roads. Thus, Perry’s home contest against

Hamilton became a neutral site game at ACP. Burks said she was thankful the fellow Chandler Unified school stepped up on short notice. “We are very thankful to everyone at Arizona College Prep for allowing us to host at their beautiful new facility and we are especially grateful to everyone at CUSD who made this change possible, including our facilities and maintenance crew, as well as our district athletic director, Shawn Rustad,” Burks said. As for Perry’s field, the fix was relatively simple. Burks, ahead of Perry’s next game against Chandler, was confident it would be ready not only for varsity action Friday, but the freshman game, too. “We are being told that the field should dry out in time to play our freshman and varsity games next week at home vs. Chandler,” she said.

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

‘COVID pill’ study launches in Mesa BY TOM SCANLON Staff Writer

Imagine taking a pill that – even if you’re not vaccinated and even if someone you share space with has COVID-19 – would protect you from the coronavirus. As one of 43 sites around the country in a clinical trial, a Mesa center is a key player in what many are dreaming about: The hypothetical “COVID pill.” Arizona Clinical Trials is looking for people who live with someone who has COVID-19 and want to be – potentially, at least – part of history. In a modest south-central Mesa office surrounded by insurance, weight loss and arthritis treatment providers, Dr. Anita Kohli meets potential volunteers to discuss a trial she hopes will be groundbreaking. “As an individual citizen, I’m rooting for it like you wouldn’t believe,” said the upbeat, energetic Kohli. “As a scientist, I am always cautious, just look at the data.” But when she sets her “just the facts” professional microscope aside, for the moment, she steps back to view a big picture that is almost staggering. “We hope for all of humanity this works,” she said. “We hope to develop a simpler drug that can be in every pharmacy in America. And the world.” Last year, Kohli and Arizona Clinical Trials took part in a crucial trial that found Regeneron to be an effective

have to use what “weWeknow works. Right

now, we do have a great (COVID treatment) option, people should utilize it more.

”

– Dr. Anita Kohli

Arizona Clinical Trials in Mesa is one of 43 national locations for a trial of a “COVID pill” that is being studied to prevent COVID-19. Dr. Anita Kohli meets potential volunteers to discuss a trial they hope will be groundbreaking. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

treatment for COVID-19. According to the New England Journal of Medicine, Regeneron’s “combination of the monoclonal antibodies casirivimab and imdevimab, has been shown to markedly reduce the risk of hospitalization or death among highrisk persons with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).” The Regeneron “cocktail,” according to the medical journal, “prevented symptomatic COVID-19 and asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 infection in previously uninfected household contacts of infected persons. Among the participants who became infected, REGEN-COV reduced the duration of symptomatic disease and the duration of a high viral load.” Though joyous over the positive clinical results that paved the way for FDA fast-tracking of Regeneron, Kohli See

COVIDPILL on page 22

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COVIDPILL

from page 21

and others have been frustrated over its limited use. Then-President Donald Trump, after being diagnosed with COVID and having his oxygen levels drop to dangerous levels, received the Regeneron “cocktail” that he credited for his stunning bounce-back to good health. Nine months later, according to a recent Washington Post story, “Monoclonal antibodies are free to patients and there have been almost no side effects…But Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, maker of the only authorized, free monoclonal antibodies, said it is reaching fewer than 30 percent of eligible patients, up from fewer than 5 percent a month ago.” As the Post article notes, Regeneron is administered via infusions at hospitals, urgent-care centers and some other medical facilities. That’s the problem, noted Kohli, a Delaware native who trained under Dr. Anthony Fauci – now the leading spokesman on COVID, as the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases before moving to Gilbert six years ago. “We’ve been running clinical trials for the treatment of COVID for around a year; we started July 1, 2020,” she said. After three phases of monoclonal antibodies testing, she was pleased to see Regeneron’s path to being widely available. While she said the effective-

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

ness of the drug is not challenged, “the biggest question is, ‘Is there a way to simplify treatment?’ Instead of intravenous therapy, if we could develop a pill.” Enter the new trial for molnupiravir, launched two weeks ago. Volunteers who live with someone with COVID will get doses of either the molnupiravir pill or a placebo, with results from both groups tabulated to see how effective molnupiravir is. The trial lasts 29 days, with the first five days of four pills taken every 12 hours, followed by a tracking period to report symptoms. The trial is only open to those who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19. “We have not enrolled anyone yet,” Kohli said Monday. While this trial excludes those who currently have COVID-19, Kohli noted Arizona Clinical Trials has several studies going on, including treatments for those with active COVID. “People are looking for options and solutions,” she said. “We hope to help the community.” “We have to use what we know works. Right now, we do have a great (COVID treatment) option, people should utilize it more.” Regeneron’s approval was, in a small way, assisted by the trials Kohli and company did in Mesa. The national effort behind that trial “shows how well we can push this field forward and really bring incredible, innovative and cutting edge (treatment) in a year.”

But, again, she is pained by the idea that the treatment is still relatively limited. “Some of these deaths are absolutely avoidable,” she said. Monoclonal antibody treatment is a narrow window: It works best when someone is sick with COVID, but not to the point where the patient is hospitalized with respiratory distress and other conditions caused by the disease. Regeneron, she said, “reduces hospitalization and death (from COVID). We need to be more aggressive about treating people before they get that sick. We have to give it to people early in their disease.”

“I did not get COVID. We take a lot of precautions to keep our staff safe,” the doctor added. “I commend my team all the time. They worked with COVID from the very beginning; they worked side by side with people with COVID.” For those who are not able to avoid COVID, Kohli said: “Call us early in your disease. We’re happy to talk through options.” Arizona Clinical Trials is also known as Arizona Liver Health, and provides free scanning for fatty liver disease (which 1 in 3 Americans have). For information, call 480-360-4000 or visit azclinicaltrials.com.

“Inclusion Criteria” to take part in the molnupiravir (“COVID pill”) study: • L ives in a household with an index case where the index case is a person with documented COVID-19 (laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection with symptoms case) and must have 1) a first positive SARS-CoV-2 test result from a sample collected within five days prior to randomization of the participant, and 2) at least one symptom attributable to COVID-19 (e.g., fever, difficulty breathing). • Does not have confirmed or suspected COVID-19. • Is willing and able to take oral medication. • Is male and willing to be abstinent from heterosexual intercourse or use acceptable contraception during the study and for more than four days after the last dose of study intervention • Is female and not pregnant/breastfeeding and at least one of the following applies during the study and for more than 4 days after: is not a woman of childbearing potential (WOCBP), is a WOCBP and uses highly effective contraception (low user dependency method OR a user dependent hormonal method in combination with a barrier method), or is a WOCBP who is abstinent from heterosexual intercourse.

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

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

Special Supplement to The SanTan Sun News

HEALTH

WELLNESS

Your Local Guide to Better Living

Fall 2021

Open dialogue critical for older adults BY THE VILLAGE AT OCOTILLO

Talking about the need for extra help can be a new experience for many older adults. Often people confuse additional support with giving up their independence. But today’s senior living communities are far different than you might think. The experts at The Village at Ocotillo recommend starting an open discussion about health and lifestyle preferences as well as future care needs. Here are a few suggestions that may help start meaningful conversations: Begin early. Perhaps the most important advice offered is to start the conversation early. It is never too soon to talk about wishes, preferences, and desires when it comes to lifestyle preferences, personal care and support. Waiting until the need for help has become urgent can lead to hurried deci-

sions and poor outcomes for everyone. Choose a comfortable time and place. Avoid having conversations in public places. Set a date, time and place for a conversation that is comfortable for everyone. It is important to discuss basic information about finances, powers of attorney, advanced directives, and other important information. It’s a dialogue. Use good communication skills. Ask open-ended questions that encourage conversation. Reflect on all lifestyle aspects. Show respect and approach the discussion as a partner. Answers. No one has all the answers, but by working together you can develop solutions. Consider different options and how they align with desired preferences and needs. If needed ask for help from family members, close friends, and senior living professionals. Information: TheVillageatOcotillo. com or 480-400-8687.

The Village at Ocotillo recommends open discussions with seniors on future needs. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

Neighbors Who Care slates conference on aging BY NEIGHBORS WHO CARE

Neighbors Who Care is in the business of helping seniors in the Sun Lakes corridor remain independent as they age. It also helps the community by providing resources and learning about aging. That’s why, when it became clear its former fall event had run its course, the we thought of seeking out the best minds and most experienced in the art

of aging well to help educate the scores of Southeast Valley baby boomers who were turning 65. Neighbors Who Care will hold its free Aging Made Easier Conference 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Nov. 13 with limited seating at Tumbleweed Recreation Center, 745 E. Germann Road, Chandler, senior services vendors can answer your questions and help you age with ease.

The conference is free but people must register at Eventbrite.com and search Aging Made Easier to register or call Neighbors Who Care at 480-895-7133 X170. A light breakfast and snacks will be offered and Chandler Councilwoman Christine Ellis is honorary chair. Speakers include Elaine Poker-Yount, Visiting Angels, whose topic is “10 Things Nobody Tells You When You

Age.” She will outline the critical eldercare practices to engage, provide crucial decision-making indicators and clarify common misconceptions. Brian Browne, Cognitive Care Management President and Cleveland Clinic research consultant, will speak on “Understanding and Preparing for the Dynamics of Aging.” Comedian Mark Cordes will perform.

Chandler senior club serves cognitively impaired BY MARK YOUNG Guest Writer

Hello neighbors! My name is Mark and I am the owner of BuSY DAY Senior Club. We are a social club specializing in serving those with cognitive impairment. Visit busydayseniorclub.com. For over 10 years I have been the owner of ComForCare Home Care (comforcare.com/arizona), which provides care in your home in a one-on-one setting.

t? o G ws Ne

Working with our clients I realized there are holes in are care system, especially for those with cognitive impairment. This led me open BuSY DAY Senior Club which is a cost-effective care solution with great social benefits to our club members. Our programs are design to promote cognitive, physical, and of course social stimulation. Club members will participate in our Gaitway program designed to

prevent falls and minimize injuries. Members will be part of Club with energy and engagement. Our goal is for our club members to go home happy and tired from the day’s stimulation. BuSY DAY Senior Club is available Monday-Friday 7 a.m.– 6 p.m. There is flexibility with hours and pricing. At this time, we are only a social club but are working to become a health center. So where did the name BuSY DAY

Senior Club, it looks different? It is a double entendre, first, Busy Day implies we are having a busy day having fun and being engaged; second BSY DAY is my parent’s initials and serves a tribute to Becky S and Dave A. Young. Schedule a tour at 480-827-2600 or come visit us at 208 W Chandler Heights Road, Suite #102 Chandler, corner of Chandler Heights and Arizona Avenue, behind CVS and Chase Bank.

Contact Paul C Contact Paul P l Maryniak Maryniak M y i k at at 480-898-5647 480 898 5647 or or pmaryniak@timespublications.com p pmaryniak@timespublications.com pmaryniak@timespublications y i k@ i p bli i com

HEALTH & WELLNESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

Quality Healthcare Begins with Us! PHOENICIAN MEDICAL CENTER Quality Healthcare Begins WALK INS with Us! WELCOME

Comprehensive Cancer Care In Your Neighborhood Ironwood Cancer & Research Centers is pleased to introduce

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Onyemaechi Okolo-Taku, MD Medical Oncology & Hematology

Katarzyna Trebska, MD Breast Surgeon

Now seeing patients in our Chandler & Gilbert Offices Our Comprehensive Cancer Centers offer Medical Oncology, Radiation, Breast Surgery, Gynecologic Oncology, Genetic Counseling, Integrative Oncology, Imaging services (PET and CAT scans) along with open enrollment for a wide variety of research studies all at one convenient location in your neighborhood. In addition, our services include social work, nutrition, mind and body health programs and support classes for patients and caregivers.

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Saturday, Nov. 13 8:30 am - 1 pm ®

at the Tumbleweed Recreation Center, Chandler, AZ

Reserve now. Limited seating! Register on Evenbrite or Call 480-895-7133, X170

Enjoy our Speakers and Senior Service Vendors

Christine Ellis Chandler Council, Honorary Chair

Elain Poker-Yount Successful Aging

Brian Browne Cognitive Care Management

Mark Cordes, Senior Humorist

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

NuSpine aims for affordable quality BY NUSPINE

About 10 percent of the US. population utilizes chiropractic care. NuSpine was founded in 2013 in Lincoln, Nebraska, with a goal of providing care to the other 90 percent. Local surveying, paired with commonly known facts from national surveys, showed that many people shied away from chiropractic because most chiropractors don’t deliver their services the way patients want it; patients want their care to be affordable, convenient, friendly, and quality. In today’s healthcare industry, not everyone has the luxury of a $10 co-pay and a low deductible. In order to thrive in the chiropractic space, NuSpine

A team. A family. An assist with everything that matters. That’s the Power of WE. Imagine life with a complete support system. It’s like an extended family working together and making things easier. Meals, prescriptions, appointments, personalized care, even a hobby or two, all taken care of— with smiles at every turn. Having it all, and an extra hand when you need it. That’s Assisted Living at The Village at Ocotillo.

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knew it needed to be affordable and transparent and they do just that with an initial visit of $29 which includes an exam, treatment and hydrotherapy massage. By offering highly accessible extended hours and a user-friendly payment and check-in process, NuSpine makes the experience as convenient as possible with no need for an appointment. By respecting patients’ time with an experience that lasts about 15 minutes without sacrificing quality, NuSpine is able to deliver chiropractic to the masses. From the doctor to the assistants, creating relationships with patients is important to NuSpine. Information: 480-247-6777 or nuspinechiropractic.com/arizona/ocotillo.

Simplify your dental shopping experience BY STATEPOINT

Whether you’re shopping in the dental aisle or scrolling online, it may be surprising to see just how many products there are to choose from. However, dentists have a simple tip to pick the right ones for you and your family – check for the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance. The 90th anniversary of the ADA Seal of Acceptance program is an excellent opportunity to learn more about its importance. Although initiated in 1931, dentists and consumers still recognize it as the gold standard for evaluating safety and efficacy of dental products. The ADA Seal is backed by science and every product carrying the Seal has been scientifically evaluated by independent dental experts to be safe and effective. To earn the Seal, companies are often asked to meet higher standards than what’s required by law. Products that don’t meet these tough guidelines don’t get the Seal, period.

What many people don’t know is that the Seal isn’t just found on toothpaste and toothbrushes. From water filters in the kitchen to mouthguards on the playing field, products that promote healthy smiles go beyond the bathroom sink. Check that all these items carry the Seal, as well as on any newer dental products you purchase, such as sugarless gum, mouth rinse, whitening products, denture products and interdental cleaners like floss, water flossers and floss picks. Today, more than 400 over-thecounter dental products carry the seal and these products can be used with assurance that they have demonstrated safety and efficacy according to ADA requirements. At MouthHealthy.org/Seal you will find downloadable shopping lists for adults and children, along with other essential dental tips and resources. Great dental habits can help promote healthy smiles. Seek out the Seal to be sure your routine includes dental products backed by science.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Unique water plant enabling Intel’s massive expansion BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Intel’s Sept. 24 groundbreaking ceremony for the $20 billion expansion of the Ocotillo campus in Chandler brought out all the top officials. Chandler’s mayor and most of the city council were there. So were Gov. Doug Ducey and U.S. Rep Greg Stanton’s staff. Intel CEO, Patrick Gelsinger was the star attraction. But it’s unlikely any of them would have been there until Intel overcame one key issue to doing business in the desert: Water. It takes a lot of water to run a manufacturing plant. In addition to the potable water needed for a workforce of several thousands, they also need a lot of water for their cooling towers. “This particular expansion, the additional [water] demand for its size was actually lower than other expansions,” said John Knudson, public works and utilities director for the city. “And the reason for that is because their recycling capability that they’re developing through the W.A.T.R.” W.A.T.R. (Wastewater and Treatment Recovery) is Intel’s water treatment and recycling facility and company officials say it’s truly groundbreaking. Knudson said without it, the expansion and all those thousands of jobs would likely not be coming to Chandler. This is the second such facility Intel has built in the U.S., the first being in Oregon. Intel has had a water treatment and recycling facility on the campus before. What makes W.A.T.R. different? “A typical industry like Intel will treat

Intel employees Steve Rossow, left, and Mara Howell inspect the company’s water recycling facility at its Ronler Acres campus in Hillsboro, Oregon. (Walden Kirsch/Intel Corporation)

their water to what they call industrial pre-treatment standards and then they send that water on to the municipality where it has further treatment, and then can be reused,” said Todd Brady, Intel’s director of public affairs and sustainability. “In this case, we’ve actually invested in a water reclaim system where we can treat that water to standards that we can directly reuse that water again at Intel.” So, city facilities are no longer need-

ed to treat a lot of water. “It’s literally millions of gallons of water a day that we can reuse back here at Intel.” Intel’s W.A.T.R. facility in Hillsboro, Oregon, surpassed one billion gallons of water treated less than a year after it became operational. Brady said the Chandler facility became operational earlier this year. The expanded facilities mean Intel can treat nine million gallons of water each day that it can then reuse.

“Intel is taking extraordinary steps to return nearly all the water it uses during construction of these plants,” Ducey said during the groundbreaking. “This is essential for Arizona’s water future, and it lays out a blueprint for conservation strategies for future construction projects.” Dominic Greensmith is overseeing construction of the two new fabs for Intel’s expansion. With construction now See

INTEL on page 29

Investors making bigger impact on housing market BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

The Phoenix Metro area continues to lead the nation in year-over-year home price increases, according to a national tracker of housing and other economic data. Meanwhile, the Valley’s leading analyst of the Phoenix Metro housing market last week provided data indicating the larger role investors are playing in the region, reporting that “demand is increasingly dictated by investors and iBuyers rather than traditional buyers – the owner-occupiers that make up the heart of the housing market.” The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20City Home Price Index looked at data for July and said Phoenix led the pack with a 32.4 percent year-over-year increase in home prices in July, with San Diego (27.8 percent) and Seattle (25.5 percent) coming in second and third, respectively. Overall, the National Composite Index marked its 14th consecutive month

of accelerating prices with a record 19.7 percent, the report said. That’s had an impact on mortgage rates, which the Mortgage Bankers Association of America said “rose across all loan types” in response. “With home-price appreciation continuing to run hot, increasing more than 19 percent annually in July, applications for larger loan amounts continue to outpace lower-balance loans,” said Joel Kan, an association economist. Meanwhile, Cromford Report, which follows housing trends in Maricopa and Pinal counties, said that Phoenix led the nation with the largest percentage the increase in home prices from August to September. The 3.32 percent August-September increase in Phoenix easily beat those in the next two cities – Tampa (2.94 percent) and Las Vegas (2.77 percent). Cromford also reported that the Chandler submakret last month tipped in favor of sellers, though it ranked well behind the top five sellers markets –

Fountain Hills, Avondale, Cave Creek, Scottsdale and Glendale, respectively. Cromford also shed additional light on the role investors are playing in the regional housing market. Looking exclusively at iBuyer sales, Cromford reported that purchases by institutions or large companies in the region comprised 26 percent of sales so far this year as opposed to only 10-11 percent in each of the past three years. And this year, iBuyer sales by companies and institutions have steadily risen the first three quarters, going from 19 percent of all iBuyer sales in the first quarter to 27 percent in the second and trending upward again to 31 percent in the third quarter. Noting that “iBuyers selling homes to investors is not a new thing” and that “it has been happening for many years,” Cromford said: “However, just as investors are buying more homes in general, they are also buying more homes from iBuyers. iBuyers have been recruiting specialized staff to focus on serving

their investor customers.” But it also said, “Demand is improving but a lot of this is coming from investors and iBuyers so could die away quickly. “Demand from ordinary home-buyers is subdued, no matter what the media might be telling you,” it added. “If the iBuyers stop their spending spree then demand could fall quickly.” Cromford also noted that “demand is looking strong and continues to head higher,” it noted “a large part of that demand is coming from investors and iBuyers rather than traditional home buyers.” It also reported that new homebuyers may also find rough going. “Developers are finding it tough to increase supply, with major problems in the supply chains for building materials and ongoing labor shortages,” it said. “We are not expecting a huge up-tick in supply from new homes in the near term.” Bottom line, Cromford said: “We remain in a market heavily tilted in the seller’s favor.”

BUSINESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

Amish furniture store holds belated grand opening SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

A store that lets customers design their own Amish home furniture is holding a month-long belated grand opening of its Chandler store. Although Steiner’s Amish Furniture opened its 11,000-square-foot design center and showroom on the northeast corner of Chandler Heights and South Alma School roads on March 1, 2020, the pandemic got in the way. The business was founded in 2000 in an Ohio farmhouse by Brent and Stephanie Steiner after his parents told him they could not find handmade hardwood furniture in Arizona. So the Steiners moved to Arizona and opened their first furniture store in Sun City. Now they’ve become the leading store for Amish transitional, mission, Shaker, modern, and mid-century modern furniture. The store features an unusual process. At both locations, customers can design their own unique furniture with the wood samples and kiosks. Designers on staff will help customers customize any product and they design a piece to fit their unique needs, desires, and tastes, then they can choose from variant wood, hardware, size and stain options. There are hundreds of styles and over 50 specialty finishes to choose from.

Brent and Stephanie Steiner founded their furniture store 20 years ago. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

The building process takes anywhere from eight to 20 weeks. “We try not to rush or bother our craftsmen, because this can take time away from work,” the Steiners say on their website. All furniture orders are hand-stained and finished at Phoenix Finishing, an Amish finishing shop in Ohio and an affiliate of Steiner’s. Many pieces can be built by varying builders and each builder may choose to stain their furniture with different techniques. These varying techniques can cause the furniture to have a different look and feel, even if a customer chooses the same stain color for each

Banking Perks You Deserve

piece. Having a central stain shop helps keep each piece coming out looking and feeling the same. Stains are is sprayed onto it with a PSI gun, which allows for thorough and

uniform absorption into the wood and prevents white spots on the surface in the event of dings and dents. After staining, the piece is wiped down and the process is repeated with finish. After the finishing process is over, the piece sits for several days to allow the piece to cure. For people wanting to personalize a gift or home décor, Steiner’s offers engravement options through P.Graham Dunn. There is a laser center where you can personalize hundreds of gift items and watch the engraving on the spot. “We have also upgraded our website where you can design and visualize your furniture with wood, stain and sizes on the website and request a quotation for customization,” the company said in a release. During October, Steiners is giving customers a chance to spin its “Wheel of Discounts” and win either up to 15 percent off their purchase, Steiner’s gift cards, Heirloom Cleaning Supplies or P. Graham Dunn custom engraved items. Information: safaz.net

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

INTEL

85° C Bakery & Café is bringing its world famous operation to Chandler early next year. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

Global café-bakery picks Chandler for 1st state foray SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

A café-bakery chain with more than 1,000 locations worldwide has picked Chandler for its first foray into Arizona. After eyeing the market for the past year, 85° C Bakery & Café has selected the growing Chandler Ranch at 1920 W. Chandler Bolvd. Near Dobson Road with the help of NewQuest Properties. A NewQuest spokesperson said the café signed a long-term lease for 3,555 sf in Chandler Ranch “after witnessing first-hand the strong attendance at 99 Ranch Market’s recent grand opening.” “85° C Bakery & Café knows the type of redevelopment we’re doing. The 99 Ranch opening was a shining example of the high demand in the Chandler market,” said Naoyuki Kondo, an associate with NewQuest Properties’ Asia-Pacific Retail team. The sweet shop will open in spring 2022. Another NewQuest tenant in Texas, Somisomi Soft Serve & Taiyaki, also has jumped on board at Chandler Ranch. It will open in early 2022, backfilling 1,470 square feet previously occupied by Tao Healing. NewQuest’s Asia-Pacific Retail team is focused on assembling a destination mix of Asian, Mexican, Mediterranean and American restaurants and eclectic shopping experiences. Other businesses opening by year’s end include Kura Revolving Sushi Bar, Uncle Lee’s Kitchen, Meet Fresh and Ramen Hood. “These are new-to-market brands, in many cases, that are well-known to people who’ve relocated or are visiting from California and Texas,” Kondo said. Heather Nguyen, development partner of the specialized group, is partnering with Kondo on Chandler Ranch’s leasing. They have been targeting new-to-market internationally recognized brands for the 117,565-square-foot redevelopment. “Chandler Ranch, like our centers in Dallas and Houston, lets consumers explore and experience the best of the best of international cuisines,” Nguyen said. “In the near future, we’re hoping

boasts “theChandler largest Asian

population in Arizona, making it a natural fit demographically for Houston-based NewQuest’s innovative development/ redevelopment concept.

”

– Heather Nguyen

we’ll have leases in hand with several new-to-Arizona retailers as well.” “Chandler boasts the largest Asian population in Arizona, making it a natural fit demographically for Houston-based NewQuest’s innovative development/redevelopment concept,” she added. 85° C Bakery & Café opened its first store in the U.S. in 2008 in Irvine, Calif. Today, it has 67 shops in five states. According to the cafe’s website, founder Cheng-Hsueh Wu visited a cafe in a five-star hotel and “realized that the prices were set way too high for people to enjoy on a whim.” He decided to open “a cafe that provides premium coffee, bread, and cake at affordable prices” and his business has been featured in numerous major TV shows and magazines. “The name 85ºC comes from the idea that the perfect brewing temperature for espresso coffee is 85º Celsius,” it adds. “Each cup of coffee is individually brewed with Guatemalan coffee beans for a smooth, rich taste. … Each store features an in-shop bakery with over 50 varieties of pastries baked fresh hourly. Our gourmet cakes are uniquely crafted by our award-winning master chefs.”

from page 27

underway, he said they expect production of semiconductors to start in 2024. “It’s a tight deadline, but we’ve done this a number of times,” Greensmith said. He said he plans to hire between 3,000-5,000 construction workers. Greensmith said they should be able to make the deadline despite a nationwide slowdown in construction because of a lack of supplies and workers. “We planned for that,” he said. Chandler’s Knudson said the city and Intel have been talking for years to try and overcome problems as the company’s facility grew, and finding a solution for its water needs was one of the biggest issues they faced. “As opposed to paying us to go out and find more water, which often is unavailable, they chose the correct path, which was to recycle water and return it back to the facility, reducing their overall need.” Intel’s Brady said it is just one step the company is taking to deal with water. Others include encouraging farmers to switch from flood to drip irrigation, repairing old irrigation systems and urging farmers to switch to plants that require less water. “We’re investing outside the company to help others use less water and put more water back into things like the Colorado River and other watersheds,” Brady said. Building and operating a fab plant is a complicated process and Intel laid out some of the steps involved in this graphic. (Courtesy of Intel)

BUSINESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

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Most of the financial advice world focuses on accumulating assets and rates of return. Very little time is spent on the effect of stock market crashes on one’s retirement assets – or how to maximize your income from whatever retirement assets you have saved. Ever since the 2008 stock market crash and financial panic, returns from traditional retirement assets have been terribly low. In May 2021, the three largest retail banks in Arizona paid anywhere from 0.02 percent to 0.05 percent on a CD. On Sept. 7, the yield was only 1.33 percent on a 10-year US Treasury Bond and 1.94 percent on a 30year US Treasury Bond. The average dividend yield for S&P 500 companies for the last 21 years was only 2.02 percent. In conclusion, one can save $1 million and only receive $200 to $20,000 of annual income. If you can double your Social Security income or increase cash flow from your retirement assets by three to five times, you will be much happier and live longer, according to various sources of research. Case Study #1: I looked at a composite of a nurse, nurse practitioner, and pharmacist who work for the Phoenix VA. If they waited until age 70 to take

their Social Security, they would receive $40,000 a year instead of $20,000 a year if they took SS at age 62. Here’s the million-dollar question: Is it easier to wait eight years until age 70 to take SS or to save an extra $1 million times 2 percent return to receive the same extra $20,000 a year of income? Case Study #2: A nurse, age 62, deposited $250,000 in a private pension fund and will receive $25,000/year of income starting at age 70, guaranteed for every year she lives. This is a 10 percent rate of cash flow vs. as little as $50 of annual bank interest or $5,000 of annual stock dividends. Note that stock dividends are not guaranteed as they can be cut or eliminated if the company has financial trouble. Also, you must take the risk of owning the stock in order to receive a stock dividend. Case Study #3: A couple, age 83, attended a seminar 10 years ago in Surprise and met me in my office. They only had $80,000 of financial assets, but both were retired public school teachers from New Jersey. They had large state pensions plus Social Security income. For the last 30 years, they had taken at least two or three expensive cruises each year. They were not worried about having only $80,000 of financial assets because there were big monthly pension and SS checks arriving each month.

This allowed them to spend all their income without worries. Question: who is happier? This couple with lots of guaranteed lifetime income; OR a couple who have saved $800,000, but are afraid to spend it because they never know whether there will be a stock market crash, major medical expense, or some other expensive emergency? A recent study concluded that “Retirees who had $500,000 or more right before retirement had spent down a median of only 11.5 percent of that money 20 years later or by the time they died.” “A man who ‘hopes he runs out of money’ before he dies explains why you may not need as much cash to retire as you think” by Liz Knueven in May 5, 2021, businessinsider.com. Free live seminar and lunch: 10:45 a.m. Saturday Oct. 9 at The Old Spaghetti Factory, 3155 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler. The topic is “Double Your Social Security & Other Retirement Income and Pay Less Tax!” Free lunch is 1-2 p.m. To RSVP for the seminar or a free consultation: 480-706-0177 or harold_wong@hotmail.com. His website is drharoldwong.com. Dr. Harold Wong earned his Ph.D. in economics at University of California/ Berkeley and has appeared on over 400 TV/radio programs.

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ACP swim rebuilding family after COVID season BY KATHRYN FIELD Contributing Writer

After a year of socially distanced high school athletics, many teams look forward to simply returning to normal competition. For the Arizona College Prep swim team, this season is about becoming a family again. Usually a very close group, the ACP swim team lost most of their team building activities during the 2020 season. COVID protocols kept the team socially distanced during travel to meets and limited team building opportunities. “Last year, the culture was there but I feel like we were all kind of distanced with COVID,” said senior Kate Shimkus. After a year with limited team building, swimmers look forward to working back toward the family feeling the team had before the pandemic. Seniors who have experienced the team under normal conditions are leading the charge to make everyone feel welcome. “We obviously had team bonding last year but it was not as close as it was

From left: Kate White, Kate Shimkus and Olivia Ramos are three of Arizona College Prep’s swimmer who are helping rebuild a family atmosphere on the team after that was interrupted by the pandemic.

this year, so it’s really cool that as seniors we get to take that on and mentor the freshmen,” said senior Kate White. For this year’s seniors, this season is as much about making current members feel welcome as it is about instilling the values in members to continue to include everyone in the years to come. They hope to leave a legacy of inclusion that will continue long after they graduate. Senior Olivia Ramos wants the underclassmen to know that there is an expectation to include everyone on the team and make them feel welcome. Ramos, Shimkus and White remember what it was like to be an underclassman on the team and how much See

(Courtesy Kristine Nelson)

SWIM on page 32

CUSD renames stadium for Hamilton’s first principal BY ZACH ALVIRA Sports Editor

Arizona College Prep’s football stadium, which brings a new level of energy to Gilbert Road in Chandler on Friday nights, now officially has a name. Previously called “Knight Stadium” when it made its debut in late August, the host site for all of Arizona College Prep home football and, eventually, soccer games will now be renamed in honor of Dr. Fred DePrez, who founded ACP as “Hamilton Prep” in 2007. The resolution was brought to the Chandler Unified School District Governing Board Sept. 22 and passed unanimously. “I really want to thank you so much,” DePrez said. “This is really a tremendous recognition, and it was completely unexpected. "In fact, (former CUSD Superintendent) Camille (Casteel) called me about this 6 months ago and I thought, ‘I have been retired 6 years, how could I still be in trouble?’ It just caught me completely off guard.” DePrez was the first principal at Hamilton High School, which quickly grew both in terms of enrollment and in the success of its athletic programs. In 2006, he sought new ways to provide education opportunities for Hamilton students and families outside of the large classroom settings the main high school was providing. So, he created Hamilton Prep, a high school within a high school. It officially opened to seventh and eighth grade students in 2007, using rented space from Chandler Christian Church, (now

Above: ACP head football coach Myron Blueford being able to refer to his team’s home stadium by an actual name further solidifies it as their own after using other schools’ fields for years. (Pablo Robles/Arizonan Staff) Right: Hamilton’s first-ever principal Dr. Fred DePrez was honored Sept. 22 by the Chandler Unified School District Governing Board by renaming Arizona College Prep’s football stadium after him. (Courtesy CUSD)

Compass Church) just down the street from the main Hamilton campus. The demand by families to attend Hamilton Prep grew exponentially. In 2010, Erie Elementary School was repurposed and remodeled to house Hamilton Prep, which then became known as Arizona College Prep – Erie. Students and staffed officially moved in two years later in 2012. The name and location change also allowed ACP to open its doors to more students. On top of seventh and eighth graders, high school freshman up to seniors were then able to enroll. The school had 359 students when it

opened in 2012. But has since exploded to nearly 1,300 on its new high school campus. “It’s been a tremendous thing for the community,” DePrez said of the school. “My grandson went there for a couple of years, so my own family has benefitted from this.” Arizona College Prep has received numerous academic honors since its inception. It was named an Arizona Educational Foundation A+ School of Excellence, a U.S. News & World Report Best High School, the top public high school in the greater Phoenix area by Niche

and was awarded the 2019 National Blue-Ribbon by the U.S. Department of Education. Students have received millions of dollars in academic scholarships. Some have received individual See

STADIUM on page 32

SPORTS & RECREATION

SWIM

from page 31

they appreciated the upperclassmen including them, and they want to return that favor to the current underclassmen. “At the end of the year when we leave the team, I want them to know that they can always come and talk to us if they need anything,” said White. Coach Kristine Nelson has watched Ramos, Shimkus and White grow as team members since their freshman year. Nelson credits them with always embodying the core values of the team.

STADIUM

from page 31

honors and scholarships from Flinn, one of the most prestigious in the United States, as well as National Merit and Coca-Cola. The school’s athletic programs, despite their young age compared to other schools in the district, have also produced high-level talent. Just last year

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

“They’re the glue that holds the team together,” said Nelson. With the move to a new campus, Nelson has a very young team. The returning swimmers are integral to instilling the values of the team in the new swimmers. Ramos, Shimkus and White have taken on the role of mentoring the young swimmers in hopes that the family aspect of the team remains long after they graduate. “The discipline they have to rise to a higher level with integrity and ethics, leading by modeling, even when some-

body faster than you is coming along, they still do that,” said Nelson. As a coach, Nelson has watched Ramos, Shimkus and White grow not only as swimmers, but as people as well. She has seen them grow into young women who can understand the decisions she makes as a coach and help the rest of the team to understand those decisions. Nelson was brought to tears at the thought of the 2021 season being their last season on the team. At the end of the day, the seniors are less concerned about results and

more concerned about making every team member feel welcome and included. Shimkus wants every team member to feel as included and appreciated as she has in her four years on the team. “I want to leave a legacy of making it so the minute you join the team, you know that you’ve joined a family and that everyone on the team wants the best for you,” she said. Kathryn Field is a sports journalism student at Arizona State University covering Arizona College Preparatory athletics.

ACP saw more than five Division I football players come out of its program that has only been around since 2018. ACP head coach Myron Blueford said the renaming of the stadium, in some ways, solidifies it as their own. In newsletters sent every week to parents of players on his team, he would often refer to opposing team’s stadiums by their name – most commonly after former coaches or administrators at the

school or district. But when highlighting a home game, he could only write “at ACP.” “It will be cool moving forward to be able to refer to our stadium and it actually having a name,” Blueford said. “That aspect of it is really cool because it sort of solidifies the fact that we now have our own stadium.” DePrez was nearly overcome with emotion at the board meeting when the resolution was read and approved

by the governing board. Many of those involved at the district level were just getting their start in education when he was principal at Hamilton. So, to be recognized by those he helped mold, including Arizona College Prep as a whole, was an honor he will forever cherish. “It’s great to be part of this and be recognized this way,” DePrez said. “I thank you very much.”

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

At The Village, we care. About your health, your well-being, your fitness, your goals – and about our community, too. Our employees and members work together to give back to charities and causes throughout the Valley. We also do small things that make a big impact. Like donating our old towels and tennis balls to local animal rescues and hosting annual water, sock and shoe drives for people in need. We’re committed to being a big part of your community. And we invite you to join ours.

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Sports trading cards’ popularity soars with pandemic BY NICK ZELLER-SINGH Cronkite News

When the global COVID-19 pandemic forced many people to remain at home, millions of dollars began ﬂowing into the sports trading card industry as fans looked for creative ways to pass time. Between May and early June of 2020, more than 40 cards sold on eBay for at least $50,000, according to an ESPN.com report, From mid-May to July that year, the number rose to 96, and more than 35 percent of the cards sold for $90,000 or more, including a LeBron James autographed rookie card selling for $5.2 million in April. Some of these high-priced cards are coming to the desert as young stars emerge. An unexpected Phoenix Suns run to the NBA Finals led by Devin Booker and Chris Paul, and a quick 3-0 start to the season by quarterback Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals have fueled the demand for cards featuring local stars. Murray’s Panini Prizm’s rookie card has ﬂuctuated from $30-$200 on eBay and $1,500 on Check Out My Cards. His star teammates, DeAndre Hopkins and JJ Watt, have seen their Panini cards soar to $400 on the same sites. In the eBay market, 2015-16 Panini National Treasure basketball cards are the most actively traded cards. Although several of these cards have sold for over $4,000, Booker’s card is still affordable, yet rising steadily.

Michael Bushnick, right, and his father, Korey, are among those who sell the cards of Arizona star players at local shows. (Nick Zeller-Singh/Cronkite News)

Booker’s 2015 Panini National Treasure rookie card can range from $200 to over $2,000 on eBay, depending on how many cards have been produced. On Check Out My Cards, Booker’s card ranges from $50-$4,000. Paul bounces around $200-$300 on eBay but up to $2,500 on Check Out My Cards. Although Deandre Ayton is not in the spotlight as much as the Suns’ backcourt, his card has jumped up to $4,000 on Check Out My Cards. As prices are rising on Arizona ath-

letes, the excitement has returned to sports collectors in the desert. “It’s a thrill because it’s like fantasy football and fantasy baseball,” sports card collector Michael Bushnick said. “It gets things more exciting because if a player does well and you have that card, you say, ‘Wow, what is this card going for?’ It’s literally like gambling. You have to take your chances.” Since the thrill of sports cards has returned in Arizona, local card show dealers have seen the market grow.

“Arizona is a decently big state and there are usually shows every Saturday,” said Matthew Plouffe, owner of The Hit Hunters, an online store. “When the hometown teams are doing well, it does help the sports card market in Arizona because people tend to collect their hometown teams.” Bushnick and his father, Korey, agree. “The Arizona sports scene is coming up really big right now,” Michael said. “Arizona sports has always been troubling, but they are starting to be on the rise.” Although the young stars on the rise lead to a larger market, it can also lead to more questions for dealers. Like any investment, the value of trading cards can move up or down quickly. Timing is everything for collectors and dealers. “It’s hard to sell them because you have the big question: ‘Do I keep it to see if they do better because their card value will go up?’” Michael said. “But, at the same time, if they are doing amazing right now, their card value is at their peak. But will it start tanking?” That is one of the toughest questions to answer within the sports card market. However, if Arizona teams continue to push for titles, sports collectors like Plouffe and the Bushnicks believe the market for cards featuring hometown heroes will only continue to grow. “If there was not any interest, this would not be happening,” Plouffe said. “Arizona has a really good interest. Arizona has the potential to be on top of the card-tier list. It’s just a matter of time.”

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Chandler man transforms childhood fear of Halloween

BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Mason Petersen said Halloween terrified him as a child. It wasn’t just the ghost stories and haunted mansions. Petersen is autistic and the flashing lights and loud noises led to some sensory overload. Now, he’s the one dishing out the scares. Petersen has built a display themed Ghoulish Graveyard and Cursed Catacombs for this Halloween at his West Chandler home. “It’s fun just to share it with the neighbors and the people in the area,” Petersen said. His display, at 6321 W. Post Road, will be set up through the month for Halloween. People can see all the displays and the nearly half dozen animatronics 6-9 p.m. Fridays-Sundays. It’s free but Petersen is seeking donations for Arizona Autism United. Petersen is accepting donations from visitors with the money going to Arizona Autism United. He said he’s been setting up a Halloween display every year since his family moved to Chandler in 2009. Their display got a big boost a de-

COVID wasn’t even “a year old yet, … there

was probably some fear around it, like most people weren’t comfortable, but like now the comfort is coming back. So we’re hoping to get more foot traffic this year.

”

– Mason Petersen

Mason Petersen use to be afraid of Halloween as a kid but now he is has set up his own holiday display in front of his home to benefit Arizona Autism United. (Special to SanStan Sun News)

cade later. Petersen said a woman named Kerry was driving past their house in 2019 and saw his display October. “A lady came by, and donated her husband’s stuff that he had before he passed because he was also passionate for Halloween,” Petersen said. “I was See

HAUNTED on page 37

100+ Women help Boost a Foster Family BY LEANN LANDBERG AND SUSAN BARLOW Guest Writers

In the unfortunate event that a child must be separated from their biological parents, placement with relatives, or kinship care, provides permanency for children and helps them maintain family connections. Placement can come with little notice and can place a heavy financial burden on the foster family. A Gilbert based nonprofit, Boost a Foster Family, helps foster children to be placed in a kinship home in a timelier manner, avoiding lengthy stays in shelters and group homes. Boost a Foster Family helps prospective foster families fulfill their state requirements and be granted licenses quicker, thus allowing them to begin receiving much needed resources only available to licensed caregivers. Boost a Foster Family receives referrals from the Arizona Department of Child Safety and Arizona foster care licensing agencies. Once a referral is accepted, it swiftly supplies the required items, or coordinates the services, to ensure the home meets safety standards mandated by the state. Foster families must meet all safety standards for their home before a child will be placed in the house. These standards include pool fences, child proof locks, smoke detectors, fire extinguish-

Attending the check presentation to Boost A Foster Family were, from left: Crissy Haidos, Michelle Noe (founder of Boost a Foster Family), Kat Lepper, Jenny Cook, Jonathan Olson, Donna Olson, Susan Barlow and Alice Burba. (Courtesy of 100+ Women Who Care)

ers, etc. The cost to make appropriate modifications to their homes can be prohibitive in proceeding with the placement. In addition, the organization provides support to get required medical services and CPR training. Since incorporating in June 2016, Boost a Foster Family has seen incredible growth. By 2020, it had served over

1,000 families and 3,000 children. The pandemic has brought additional concerns about the stability of foster care placements. Families already managing the stressors of the foster care system are also managing the stressors of the pandemic. In addition, as schools have reopened, the overall number of children being placed in foster care has been

increasing, creating a need for increased services. In September, 100+ Women Who Care Valley of the Sun presented Boost a Foster Family with a donation of $10,000 on behalf of their East Valley members. Michelle Noe, founder of Boost a See

WOMEN on page 37

NEIGHBORS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

Sun Lakes Rotary mourns loss of Harold Wochholtz BY DR. HONORA NORTON Guest Writer

The Rotary Club of Sun Lakes is mourning the passing of Harold (Hal) Wochholtz, a member for 19 years after he moved to Sun Lakes from Mesa. Hal, 90, passed away Sept. 19. He was predeceased by his beloved wife of 67 years Phyllis Wochholz and leaves his son Hetz Wochholtz and his wife Sandra of Portsmouth, New Hampshire, daughter Julie (Michael) Pollard of Farmington, Connecticut, five grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Growing up in Michigan, Hal graduated in 1949 from Albion High School having had great success playing football, basketball, and baseball. While at Purdue trying to make the football team, the Korean War broke out in the summer of 1950. He enlisted in the Navy, where he got into electronics, setting up his pursuit of an electrical engineering degree at Michigan State University. He received highest honors upon graduation with BS and MS degrees in electrical engineering. Hal had a rewarding 56-year professional career with major corporations involved in the fields of aerospace, rocket development, computers, electronic technology. He also was a professor at the University of New Hampshire.

Hal Wochholtz He broke stereotypes by excelling as a computer design engineer for General Electric Company – sharing an Engineer of the Year award in the missile and space division. While vice president at McDonnell Douglas Electronics Co.’s Electronics and Flight Controls Division, Hal provided development support of the Apache helicopter. He retired from the Valley’s Boeing Corporation. Hal first joined Rotary in the Boeing Employee Club and after retirement, he and his wife Phyllis moved to Sun Lakes and joined RCSL. The RCSL was

the sponsor to charter the first Employee Rotary Club approved by Rotary International. It was during his Navy service that Hal began his fight with polio. At first devastated by disease and then strengthened by determination, Hal’s positive attitude gave him remarkable perseverance for combating lifelong challenges. Hal, in his twenties as a new father, read Dr. Spock’s baby book. While reading one portion to his daughter in which the symptoms of infantile paralysis were discussed, Hal said, “My gosh, I have all of those symptoms.” Hal went to a doctor at the local naval hospital who dismissed it as being a ‘stiff neck,’ and sent him home. It got worse, so he returned again, and they concluded, “Yes, you do have polio.” They checked him in for the beginning of life-long battle for him and his wife, Phyllis, his strongest teammate, and ultimate caregiver. He has battled all of the usual ailments, aches, and pains of polio, and suffered from post polio syndrome. He was able to avoid the iron lung, but used crutches, canes, and an electric-powered wheel chair, for all of those physically challenging years. He had his left leg amputated above the knee due to polio-caused poor circulation. Hal became known in the Valley for his work as the “PolioPlus Poster Guy,” a title he had given himself in honor of

those children in the 1930’s/40’s who served as President Roosevelt’s poster children. Hal’s substantial efforts working to eradicate polio through becoming a leading force of Rotary’s End Polio Now drive are well known throughout the Valley and the worldwide Rotarian community. As committee chair, Hal raised sizeable funds in the Sun Lakes club’s PolioPlus program and Rotary International’s Global Polio Eradication Initiative to effectively respond to the stop polio outbreaks. Hal served as the RI District 5510 PolioPlus Lead, making presentations at Rotary International conferences, most of the Rotary Clubs in the Valley and to principals, teachers, student councils and schools in the East Valley. Those activities resulted in Hal being designated 2010 Rotarian of the Year for RI District 5510. Hal brought the CHOICES program to the Sun Lakes Rotary Club, which has touched several thousand students attending Chandler, Gilbert, and Mesa High Schools. CHOICES is a teaching program presented by RCSL for every ninth grader in the Chandler Unified School District. The program helps students make good decisions regarding their education. Hal was a proud supporter of both the Rotary International Foundation See

ROTARY on page 37

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ROTARY

from page 36

and the Sun Lakes Rotary Foundation 2000. With the RI Foundation, Hal was a Multiple Paul Harris, a Major Donor and member of the Arch C. Klumph Society. Named after the sixth president of Rotary, the Arch Klumph Society recognizes The Rotary Foundation’s highest tier of donors — those who have contributed $250,000 or more during their lifetime. With the

WOMEN

from page 35

Foster Family said, “Right now, we are partnering with a few other foster care charities in a campaign called All For One. Typically, we only help kinship families with the foster care process. This donation will help us widen our

HAUNTED

from page 35

pretty shocked by the kind gesture.” The donation quadrupled the size of his display overnight. Petersen said the key to getting over his fear of Halloween as a child came after some family members took him to a haunted house. “That kind of took away the fear,”

Sun Lakes Foundation 2000, Hal was a Legacy Guard Level 4 Major Donor and helped to start RCSL’s Endowment Fund for Education. Hal and his wife Phyllis established an endowment to provide the Michigan State University Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities with a source of funding to market MSU as a university with an exceptional and sustained record of success in meeting the needs of persons with disabilities. Hal, a 1958 graduate of the College of Engineering

and RCPD 2007 Outstanding Alumnus, identified MSU’s accessible facilities as instrumental to the attainment of his engineering degrees and to his success as an engineer and aerospace leader. The Wochholtz family’s generosity helps youth connect with vibrant futures via a quality MSU education. Hal was a friend to many through his support of the Arizona Humane Society. Never one to be idle, his volunteer efforts supporting church and community endeavors followed him through-

out his years. The family would like to thank the staff at Wentworth Senior Living for their care and compassion shown to Hal. In lieu of flowers, please join Hal in his fight to eradicate polio by making a donation to Rotary’s End Polio site at endpolio.org. Memoriam Contributors: Rotarians: Gary Whiting, Lucinda General, Jon Lyons, Dwight Grotewold (deceased); MSU Alumni Magazine and Wochholtz Family

lane for three months and help community (non-biological) foster families across Arizona as well.” 100+ Women Who Care Valley of the Sun is a group of like-minded, passionate women who want to connect to one another and to their communities. The ladies are leveraging their resources so their small quarterly gifts of

$100 per member add up to a significant donation to a local charity. Since the chapter’s inception in 2015, close to $775,000 has been given to local charities. This group of women has learned that giving back is better together. To learn more about 100+ Women Who Care Valley of the Sun, or to register for their upcoming giving

circle on Oct. 28, visit 100wwcvalleyofthesun.org. To learn more about Boost a Foster Family, visit boostafosterfamily.org. This charity is a Qualifying Foster Care Charitable Organization under the Arizona Tax Credit program. Please consider supporting them when you are making your year-end donations.

Petersen said, adding that what also helped was he started working at Spirit Halloween, working directly with skeletons, witches and tombstones. “Working with all the scary stuff took away the fear,” he said. Petersen says it usually takes him twoto-three weeks to set up the display. He said most young children enjoy it and he’s never seen one freak out by it.

There are lights and music, but Petersen said he created the display so that it would not be sensory overload for people on the spectrum. “It doesn’t matter if you’re autistic or not, I just think no one really deserves to have to deal with loud noises all the time.” The one thing he would like to see this Halloween is more people visiting his display. He said despite having the biggest

display he’s ever done last year, it did not draw a crowd because of the pandemic. “COVID wasn’t even a year old yet, … there was probably some fear around it, like most people weren’t comfortable,” Petersen said. “But like now the comfort is coming back. So we’re hoping to get more foot traffic this year.” Petersen said he’s happy with the display and eager to show it off.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

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Celebrated photo exhibit coming to Chandler Museum

SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Chandler Museum visitors will have a chance next month to see images taken by National Geographic photographers that capture the spirit and majesty of the American West. Featuring iconic and rare photographs, “Greatest Photographs of the American West,” opening Nov. 2, chronicles what a museum spokeswoman called “the epic history and grandeur of the region.” The earliest photographs of the American West were published in National Geographic magazine in 1889, setting the stage for the breathtaking images captured by such photographic masters as William Albert Allard, David Alan Harvey and Joel Sartore. In addition to these world-renowned photographers, images by early photographers such as Edward S. Curtis and William Henry Jackson also appear. The exhibition will run till Feb. 27. “The role of photography in creating and perpetuating beliefs and understandings about the West has been continuous and evolving,” writes James McNutt, former president and CEO of the National Museum of Wildlife Art of the United States. “Beginning with adventurous pioneers in the field and never ceasing to the present day, photography accumulated an enormous record of change beyond the 100th meridian,” he said. The images included in the exhibition derive from the National Geographic Book, “National Geographic Greatest Photographs of the American West: Capturing 125 Years of Majesty, Spirit and Adventure,” in which McNutt writes the foreword. “Greatest Photographs of the American West” is a visual journey through the history of America. “Each image captures a different aspect of the American West and its

and photography. Eric Proctor of the Arizona Game and Fish Department will explain how digital cameras offer a non-invasive way for scientists to study animals, monitor population trends, and even help prevent accidental encounters between wildlife and drivers. Registration is encouraged for both talks to guarantee a seat. The National Geographic Society is a leading nonprofit that invests in bold people and transformative ideas in the fields of exploration, scientific research, storytelling The National Geographic exhibit of “Greatest Photographs of the American West” will begin at Chandler and education. Museum Nov. 2. (Special to SanTan Sun News) The society aspires to create a comless skies, boundless plains and dramatic importance to our national identity,” munity of change, advancing key insights mountains. The exhibition explores the the museum representative said. about the planet and probing some of growth of the American West and where the most pressing scientific questions of its story may go in the future. our time, all while ensuring that the next In coordination with the exhibit, generation is armed with geographic Chandler Museum will host two History knowledge and global understanding. Bites Lunchtime Talks programs. The Its goal is “furthering exploration and first, on Nov. 2, is titled “Idea and Realieducating people around the world to ty: Defining the West through Imagery.” inspire solutions for the greater good.” That 30-minute talk will explore the Information: nationalgeographic.org. images of the West that enticed waves The Chandler Museum is the comof homesteaders, adventure travelmunity’s principal resource to explore ers, business barons and economic its people’s history, culture, and place. migrants. Learn how people drawn by The museum is located at 300 S. those images did not always find what Visitors will see portrayals of some Chandler Village Drive, and is open they were expecting. of the cowboys, Native Americans and Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and On Jan. 4, a second History Bites prolandscapes that define the vast area. Sunday, 1-5 p.m.; closed on Monday. gram, “Photography Technology Series, They’ll also be exposed to photographs Admission is free. Part 2: Conserving Wildlife with Digital displaying the interactions among the Information: chandlermuseum.org people of the West, visitors and wildlife. Cameras” will continue the series of or 480-782-2717. The awe-inspiring images include end- 2021-22 programs examining cameras

Each image captures a “different aspect of the American West and its importance to our national identity.

”

Pita Jungle jam session returns on somber note SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

It’s been more than a year, but the popular Pita Jungle Jazz Jam is returning Oct. 14 – but starting on a somewhat somber note. The first installment of the weekly Thursday event 6:30-9 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Pita Jungle at 1949 W. Ray Road, Chandler, will be a celebration of the life of guitarist Pete Gitlin, who passed away in May. For 20 years, he hosted the jam session at the Chandler Pita Jungle, welcoming to the stage hundreds of musicians who ranged from high school students making their first live performances to many of the Valley’s most accomplished jazz musicians. Live music by many Valley singers and musicians will be joining Ken Hales

on trumpet, Dave Ihlenfeld on piano, John Willis on bass and Cleve Huff on drums. The event will benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, Desert Region and donations will be accepted in Pete’s honor at the show. Donations can also be made online at give.lls.org. In addition, Pita Jungle will be donating 10 percent of the dining proceeds from that evening to the local non-profit chapter to help the fight against cancer. The Pita Jungle Jazz Jam, the Valley’s longest-running jam session, began in April 2000. This will be the first show in over a year and a half since the pandemic. Singers and musicians are invited to join on stage. The event is first come, first serve and open to all ages.

The late guitarist Pete Gitlin organized the Pita Jungle Jazz Jam. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

Schnepf Farm pumpkin/chili fest in ﬁull swing SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Twenty-four years ago, Carrie and Mark Schnepf had an idea of hosting a 3-hour pumpkin and chili party on their Queen Creek farm. Now, that part-of-a-day event “to get people ready for fall” has evolved into a five-week Pumpkin & Chili Party that runs every Thursday through Sunday throughout October. Carrie recalled that for that one evening long ago, “We served our famous chili dinner, hired a great band, had a petting zoo, train ride and marshmallow roasting.” All that is still offered – plus a lot more. The party includes some returning favorites such as the 4-acre pumpkin patch, 10-acre Celebrity Maze, 4-acre corn maze, zip lines, mini golf, amusement rides, scarecrow making, Hillbilly Bob’s pig races, unique shopping, train rides, hay rides, bonfires, marshmallow roasting, live music and more. In all, the $23.95 admission covers 30 attractions and rides – though pumpkins, chili dinners and the newly added haunted school bus called “The Wreckening” are extra. Added to a list of amusement rides that already includes a roller coaster, swings, carousel and Extreme Hyperloop is a Super Slide. For anyone with underlying conditions who want everyone around them to be masked, the Schnepfs are hold-

Among the activities offered during Schnepf Farm’s annual Pumpkin & Chili Party this month is a fun train ride. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

ing a special noon-8 p.m. opening on Wednesday, Oct. 13. “The farm will not mandate daily mask wearing, but will strongly urge everyone to social distance and be kind to those who do wear masks,” said Carrie. Added her husband, a fourth-generation farmer: “Our family farm is our

home, and we hope our guests will respect one another and just relax and enjoy each other and all that the farm has to offer.” Other safety measures the Schnepfs are following include sanitizing all rides daily and installing sanitizing stations for guests.

The farm also is limiting attendance and, like last year, is selling tickets only online. Carrie also said that just like many businesses, the farm has been hit by labor shortages. So, she advises “expect a few lines in some areas.” Purchase tickets at schnepffarms.com

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

Bob Ravenscroft’s new venue in Scottsdale will now house Lakeshore Music founder/ director Woody Wilson’s celebrated jazz series. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

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The dream of two Valley jazz supporters will open its doors this October. Bob and Gretchen Ravenscroft have built the new 30,000-square-foot performing arts venue bearing their name at 8445 E. Hartford Drive in the Scottsdale Perimeter Complex. The first resident company to perform there will be Lakeshore Music, who is moving from the Tempe Center for the Arts. The opening show, the Kenny Barron Trio, is sold out. Woody Wilson, Lakeshore’s founder and artistic director, says advance sales for the season are impressive. Out of the 1,800 available seats for the season, there are only about 500 remaining. “It’s a beautiful new building,” Wilson says. “It’s 200 seats, which is what we had at TCA and I’m excited about it.” Wilson says the Ravenscrofts have supported Lakeshore since he founded it in 2009, and through the pandemic. “So, when Bob said he was going to build a theater in Scottsdale and asked if we would come with him, I said, ‘fine,’” Wilson recalls. “We’ve been at TCA for a long time and saw the ups and downs of the building. I helped pass the arts tax, which supports the building now. My contact with Tempe still remains, but I’ve just changed buildings.” Wilson says the building is more high-tech than others. It is a recording and a listening facility with a sound system he calls second to none. “It incorporates the Constellations Sound System, which is a leading sound system of buildings and venues throughout the world,” Wilson says. “No expense has been spared for this room to be a video center and a broadcasting center. There is a sound studio back behind the venue itself. It’s got everything new. It is exciting in terms of the acoustic and the fidelity.” Ravenscroft director David Bauer agreed this venue is the couple’s dream. “They have had a desire to estab-

lish a venue that achieves the highest quality experience of music and artistic excellence,” Bauer says. “Ravenscroft embodies their heart and their passion for presenting arts and music at the highest level of excellence possible. At the core of who Bob and Gretchen are, is that they want music and arts to be presented in such a way that ultimately brings attention to God or draws people to the creative wonder that God places in artists and musicians.” Bob Ravenscroft is a longtime arts lover. The couple’s nonprofit foundation, Music Serving the Word, is committed to presenting arts in an enriching way. Bauer says the building helps the Ravenscrofts do that. “We inherit a series that is already well established, has a good track record and momentum and we’re able to host something is already ready-made,” Bauer says. “It just made sense for us to partner with Woody. (The series) will make a big splash in the community and benefit him with a spectacular venue to bring all of his patrons who have been following him for years.” Bauer says the venue allows for video and video mapping on the side and back walls. “What sets us apart from a lot of other venues is that this particular venue has been built with the highest level of commitment to architecture and design as it relates to acoustics,” Bauer added. “The technology that has been implemented and built into the space is unique. It creates an immersive experience for the audience.” In addition to the 200-seat concert hall, the venue houses Jazzbird, a lounge which, starting Fridays in October, will host music from popular and up-and-coming local musicians. They’ll serve light food and a selection of wine and local craft beers. “The Jazzbird is a hang space on Friday nights when we do our weekly thing,” Bauer says. “Once a month, we have another series called Jazz for the Soul. It is a casual, performance-driven See

LAKESHORE on page 42

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

Mirage to mirror Fleetwood Mac’s talents at Sun Lakes BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI Staff Writer

Michelle Tyler of the Fleetwood Mac tribute act Mirage has heard the words many long to hear: Stevie Nicks would like to meet you. Tyler, who was playing in the Nicks-only band Belladonna, was performing acoustically with her husband when a woman approached her back-up musicians backstage. She said her husband was Steve Real, Nicks’ vocal coach, and she was so impressed that she was hoping to get Tyler on the phone with the legendary singer. Unable to get to Tyler, she recorded Belladonna with her phone and sent it to Nicks. “They flew my husband and me up to Reno and we went backstage during a meet and greet,” Tyler recalled. “I said, ‘Hi Stevie. I’m Michelle Tyler. I think you heard me on a phone call?’ She put her hands on my shoulders and said, ‘We tried so hard to get that call through. It was great to hear somebody doing a good job with my music.’ She then leaned in and said, ‘I’ll tell you what. Anytime you want to take over, you just let me know. I’ve about had it.’” The two shared a laugh and that was the first of a handful of meetings. “She’s been very supportive, and her backup singers have said imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” she said. “That’s the only endorsement that Stevie would give anybody. They’re not

Mirage, a Fleetwood Mac tribute band, will be playing in Sun Lakes later this month. (Special to the Arizonan)

a band that goes around and does that. Saying I could take over at any time, that was a pretty good pat on the back.” Fans can see what Nicks admires when California-based Mirage plays a number of shows in the area, including

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LAKESHORE

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | OCTOBER 10, 2021

from page 40

space where you can come and enjoy some food and beverage, sit in a nice lounge environment and enjoy a beautiful stage with audio, video and lighting capabilities that will also serve to create an immersive bar experience. It is a full jazz show scene experience, kind of like a New York City jazz club.” Lakeshore’s opening reception is at the Jazzbird, which seats about 100 patrons.

MIRAGE

from page 41

still do a 90-minute show with a lot of costume changes. It’s a high-energy show. We like to get the audience involved. It’s good for all ages and families.” Before Mirage, Tyler helmed Belladonna that focused on Nicks’ solo career. After 15 years, Tyler and her musicians transitioned into Mirage. “I’ve been playing Stevie Nicks for almost 20 years,” she said. “In Belladonna, I was the only one dressing up and portraying a character. Belladonna is still on our books. It’s a big show. It’s an eight-piece band with backup singers and two guitar players. It’s hard to take

t? o G ws Ne

Wilson says their season almost didn’t happen. During the pandemic closure, Wilson’s wife, Carol, died from cancer complications. She will be honored during the first of nine piano-centric shows. Carol never missed a performance. “Every one of these shows has a great pianist in it,” Wilson says. Season tickets went on sale May 24. They are slightly pricier because it costs more to put the artists in hotels and feed them in Scottsdale.

“We want people to come and see this beautiful facility,” Wilson says. “It is remarkable that people actually have the wherewithal to build a building like this and take a risk on it,” Wilson says. “The Ravenscrofts have been an integral part of the jazz and music scene in Phoenix for many years. They are one of the leading philanthropists when it comes to jazz music in the United States. To have someone step up and build a building like this with their own private money is pretty remarkable on a national scale.”

Bauer agrees the building is going to be a major boon for jazz lovers. “If they are looking for something more than a concert with sound, but something that really brings you into the whole performance — this is going to be the place to get that,” Bauer says.

on the road. It’s more expensive. “But we focus on Mirage now.” Her husband, Bob Weitz, plays the role of John McVie and music director. His day gig is as a Warner Bros. engineer who won an Academy Award for designing equipment. They started their career playing the bar and nightclub circuit but evolved into tribute acts. “Becoming a famous rock start is like winning the lottery,” she said. “There are so many talented people out there on any given day, at any club in LA, there are singer-songwriter showcases and you can hear phenomenal people. You’re wondering why they play there for no money? “It’s luck, timing and talent in that

order. Talent is the last thing. Anyway, I was asking myself, ‘Am I going to be a rock star?’ Eventually, it became a career.” Tyler explained she does not ever tire of the music. She loves her job and the music. Plus, meeting Nicks is a bonus. “When you meet somebody — whether they’re a movie star or rock star — you have a certain perception. None of us really know these people. We only know what we see. “You hope they’re nice people. They’re warm. I’ve met strangers and a lot of people. She was actually warm and friendly and down to Earth. She made me feel like I was the one who

was the star. She sent me to make me calm.”

Ravenscroft Hall Scottsdale Perimeter Complex 8445 E. Hartford Drive, Scottsdale lakeshoremusic.org

If you go WHEN: 7 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 27 WHERE: IronOaks Country Club, 24218 S. Oakwood Boulevard, Sun Lakes COST: Visit website for ticket prices INFO: ironoaksaz.com

Contact Paul C Contact Paul P l Maryniak Maryniak M y i k at at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@timespublications.com p pmaryniak@timespublications.com pmaryniak@timespublications y i k@ i p bli i com 480 898 5647 or

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An open letter to the community about gratitude RABBI IRWIN WIENER Guest Writer

“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” (Psalm 107:1) Our communities, as have others around the world, experienced the most tragic event in our lives: The once-in-a-lifetime pandemic. A scourge that has affected everyone, both young and old, resulting in a feeling of hopelessness and despair. Many tragedies have occurred in our journey. Sometimes we dwell on them more than the accomplishments we have achieved. We forget the creativity and exploration that we share with all humanity. We dreamed and achieved unimaginable heights in reaching for a life of meaning. We also gained a better understanding of how God works, and how to realize that hardships can lead to fulfillment. Hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens have perished. Millions of people around the world have perished as well. We watched in horror as friends and fam-

ily disappeared from our circle and we wondered about our own mortality. Now, it seems this nightmare is reaching the stage of defeat with the availability of vaccines that will eventually protect us from further tragedies. Now, perhaps we should consider a time when we can all join together to offer thanks to God for our survival. It does not matter who we are or

acceptance that we MUST set aside our differences and join together in acknowledging the ONE who gave us the ability to declare: “This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24) Perhaps we should consider a day to express our appreciation to God for our survival. We can all gather in the ONE place

to the Lord, for He is good; “GiveHisthanks love endures forever. ”

– (Psalm 107:1)

where we came from. It does not matter if we appear different to each other. What does matter is that we are all children of God, and together we are surviving this nightmare. During this upheaval we have forgotten the one thing that we all have in common – Gratitude. True there are times when we have not felt so grateful, but truth be told, gratitude does not rest with a miraculous occurrence, but rather with the

where gratitude is best expressed – our houses of worship. The Prophet Isaiah declared: “My Temple will be called a house of prayer for the people of all nations.” Matthew declared: ”My house shall be called a house of prayer for all people.” One thought described by many understandings. Let us all consider gathering together with one voice as we offer prayers of thanksgiving and redemption that

brought us the opportunity to rejoice. Let us join in offering supplication to the ONE who brought us to this common understanding of collective gratitude. Together we can marvel at the beauty of life, the greatness of our fortitude in reaching this milestone. Together we can sit in amazement as we visit with friends in the familiar surroundings of our spiritual enlightenment. Together we will understand that the sacrifices of this past year enabled us to appreciate what we have and what is yet to be. Let us all venture together into the calm peace that is found in the one place that affords us the opportunity to speak without being heard, to accept without hesitation, to listen as our hearts express the true feelings of thankfulness. As we gather in prayer and listen to the liturgical renditions it will be a reminder of our ability to persevere and “Sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the Earth.” (Psalm 96:1) AMEN Rabbi Irwin Wiener D.D. is the spiritual leader of the Sun Lakes Jewish Community.

SanTan Sun News - 10.10.2021

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