SanTan Sun News - 11.7.2021 by Times Media Group

November 7, 2021 | www.santansun.com

Relentlessly local coverage of Southern Chandler

An edition of the East Valley Tribune

Chandler bond election cruises to apparent victory BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

With unofficial results showing widespread public approval, the City of Chandler is poised to start issuing $272 million in bonds to pay for infrastructure projects. With final results not expect to be made official until this week, all five bond questions on the Nov. 2 ballot

appeared to have been approved with two-thirds majorities. City Clerk Dana DeLong said the all-mail election went very well. “There were no problems,” he said. DeLong said ballots went out to 172,000 registered voters and less than a fifth cast their ballots: Turnout was at 18.6 percent, according to the latest unofficial results. DeLong was hopeful turnout would

match the 23 percent seen in a special election in March 2020 after all the votes are counted. Here were the early vote totals for each of the questions. Question 1, $73 million for parks and recreation. Voters were backing a plan to build and improve the city’s parks by a 69 to 31 percent margin. Question 2, $25 million for public safety, fire. This had the most support

in early voting, earning 77 percent approval. Question 3, $55 million for public safety, police. The proposal to build and remodel existing stations appeared to pass by a 70-to-30 percent margin. Question 4, $85 million for roads and transit. This question earned the second highest percentage of early votes, being supported by 74 percent. See

ELECTION on page 19

Chandler veteran: Don’t just say thanks, do something BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

You probably won’t see Chandler resident Seth Haahr wearing a hat or T-shirt this Veterans Day that shouts he served as a scout in the Army. “I don’t like putting myself out there as a veteran,” said Haarh, who spent a year in Afghanistan. “I’m not, ‘Hey, look at me, I’m wearing a veteran T-shirt or something like that.’ … That’s not my identity, so I don’t care about that recognition.” Not wearing anything that identi-

fies him as a veteran helps avoid those moments when people try to show their appreciation. “I think there is a lot of lip service that goes into it, were people say, ‘oh, thank you for your service,’ but they don’t actually know what that means,” Haahr said. “That’s one of the reasons why I actually hate it when people say, ‘thank you for your service,’ because most of the time it’s just an empty gesture. But, I’m still thankful for it at the same time.” Haahr suggested instead of thanking

Fire chief addresses concerns over Chandler Airport safety BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Two more people are expressing concerns about the safety of Chandler Municipal Airport – an air traffic controller and a retired Chandler Fire Department captain. Chandler Fire Chief Tom Dwiggins said his department takes the concerns they’ve raised seriously, but contends that those concerns either do not match the facts or have been addressed. “The response time right now to get crash-fire-rescue to an incident at the airport is 12 minutes,” said Brad Finch, an air traffic controller at the airport. Dwiggins disputes that. He says the response time to the airport is 5:57. The citywide response time is 5:59. What’s more, he said, to maintain its top certification by the Center for Public Safety Excellence, Chandler Fire must have to list their response time with a 90 percent guarantee, meaning that 90 percent of the time they will make it in that time or less. Dwiggins also said his department is one of the few to be certified by both the Center for Public Safety Excellence and get the top score by the Insurance Services Office. The biggest concern expressed by the air traffic controller and the former fire captain involves the inability

of Chandler Fire vehicles to gain quick access to the airport during an emergency. “Our response times to house fires, apartments, is always great,” said Tim Klug, a retired captain in the Chandler Fire Department. “But on the airport environment, it’s a little different. … It takes considerably more time to get from the gate to wherever the incident may be. When gates don’t work, it makes it even more difficult.” Klug and Finch said that in two recent incidents, airport gates failed to open for fire crews. Fire vehicles emit a signal that the gates are supposed to pick up and open automatically when the fire engines get close. Dwiggins says it’s the same system the Fire Department uses at any gated community in the city. But firefighters have a backup in case it doesn’t work. “Sometimes there are issues,” Dwiggins said. “Along with the emitter system, there is a key system, where we put the key in, we turn it, and it opens the gate.” On July 10, a Beechcraft Bonanza airplane skidded off the runway at Chandler Airport and caught fire. Finch said that in that case, the gates failed to open and firefighters had to put the blaze out from outside the perimeter fence. See

AIRPORT SAFETY on page 6

a vet with words, do something. “If you do genuinely care and are truly appreciative you can say, ‘Hey, I hope you don’t think it’s empty words, but I appreciate your service,’ but what’s more important is actually doing something about that,” he said. “Words carry a lot of weight, but action means

Chandler veteran Seth Haahr says thanking veterans on Veterans Day often seems devoid of meaning and suggests people should show their gratitude by doing something to help some of them. (David Minton)

more than words. “So, if it’s volunteering at a veteran homeless shelter or donating to organizations like the military or the Purple Heart, or DAV [Disabled American Veterans], anything like that. That carries more weight than someone saying, ‘thank you for your service.’” Haahr jokes about how he ended up volunteering. “I didn’t stand a chance is kind of the running joke with the family,” Haahr said. See

VETERAN on page 13

Domination

As the 2021 high school football season barrels to the playoffs, Chandler schools not only dominate the state scene but ﬁgure prominent nationally. For the story, see page 28 (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

F E AT U R E STO R I E S Major COVID finding in Chandler. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .COMMUNITY . . . . . .Page 3 Hamilton teacher gets national honor . . . . . . . . . . .COMMUNITY . . . . Page 20 Chandler chef targets seniors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Business. . . . . . . Page 26 Tarwater kids connect with astronauts .. . . . . . . . . .NEIGHBORS. . . . . . Page 33

More Community . . . 1-25 Business . . . . . 26-29 Sports . . . . . . . 30-31 Neighbors . . . .33-35 Arts . . . . . . . . . 36-39 Faith . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Directory . . . . 41-42

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

Study finds Chandler man gave pets COVID-19 An edition of the East Valley Tribune

SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

For News Tips, Editorial Articles, Opinion or Classiﬁeds, email is preferred.

Scientists say a Chandler resident is the world's first genetically documented case of COVID-19 transmission from a human to an animal. The Translational Genomics Research Institute (TGen), an affiliate of City of Hope, last week announced that it has published its findings from an ongoing study in the journal “One Health.” While there are five pilot studies nationwide examining COVID in animals, the TGen study is the only one to include genomic sequencing of the virus from both pet and human samples. “This level of testing resulted from TGen’s overall efforts to monitor the virus and its potentially more-dangerous variants by sequencing as many positive human samples of the virus as possible,” TGen senior science writer Steve Yozwiak said. Hayley Yaglom, a TGen epidemiologist at the institute’s infectious-disease lab in Flagstaff and lead author of the study, said the Chandler case is “the first example we had from the project that demonstrated the likelihood of virus transmission from a pet owner to animals in the household.” “This is a great example of using genomics to gain intelligence about pathogens,” said David Engelthaler, Ph.D., director of TGen’s Pathogen and Microbiome Division, the branch of TGen studying infectious diseases. “This study shows that we can not only use genomics to help track COVID variants across the globe, but we can also use this technology to track exact transmissions, and in this case transmission from pet owners to pets.” Patient confidentiality prevents TGen from saying much about man at the center of the study’s discovery, except to say that the “pet parent” infected his dog and cat. “The pet parent was not yet vaccinated, took little precaution to protect his cat and dog and entertained guests who were not vaccinated. The owner recovered from COVID, and both his pets were asymptomatic,” Yozwiak said. The animals were confined to an apartment and “had little-to-no opportunity to be exposed to the virus and so it was highly unlikely that the pets infected their owner,” he added. “Plus, in each case examined in the study, it was the pet parent who exhibited COVID first,” Yozwiak said. “Worldwide, there is no documented case of COVID transmission from a pet to its pet parent.” Researchers were unable to tell if the dog or cat were infected first, or if one infected the other, “though that is a possibility,” he added. The Chandler dog and cat “were buddies who had close contact with each other,” researchers said. TGen’s infectious-disease laboratory is located in Flagstaff, and is its base for all its anti-COVID research. In this study, Yaglom and a veterinarian from the Arizona Department of Health Services visited the homes in Coconino and Maricopa counties of pet owners who have tested positive for

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Total Circulation 27,250+ Driveways Fifty square mile coverage area from Price/101 to Greenfield and from Frye to Hunt Highway. SanTan Sun News is distributed by AZ Integrated Media, a circulation service company owned by Times Media Group. The public is permitted one copy per reader. For further information regarding the circulation of this publication or others in the Times Media Group family of publications, and for subscription information, please contact AZ Integrated Media at circ@azintegratedmedia.com or 480-898-5641. For circulation services please contact Aaron Kolodny at aaron@azintegatedmedia.com.

TGen epidemiologist Hayley Yaglom, giving one of her own dogs a hug, led the landmark study on COVID-19 transmission by a Chandler man to his pet dog and cat. (Courtesy of TGen)

the virus in the past two weeks and test their pets for COVID. Arizona researchers tested 39 dogs and 22 cats in 24 households and found 14 positive cases of COVID in pets among six households. TGen’s COVID animal study is conducted under a grant from the Arizona

is a great example “ofThisusing genomics to gain intelligence about pathogens. ”

– David Engelthaler

Department of Health Services. Funds come from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in coordination with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. The Chandler man and his pets “all were infected with the identical strain of coronavirus: B.1.575, an early and unremarkable version” of the COVID-cuasing virus, Yozwiak said. “Fewer than 25 documented cases exist of Arizonans infected with this strain, according to information drawn from the COVID variant tracking dashboard that TGen maintains for the CDC and ADHS,” Yozwiak added. To date, more than 46,000 positive samples of Arizonans with COVID have been genetically sequenced, he said. Researchers deduced that the virus spread from the pet parent to either the dog or cat, or both. Yaglom said the findings reinforced the need for pet owners to protect their pets by getting vaccinated. If they do get COVID, they should wear masks when they are around their pets. “As difficult as it might be for many pet owners, they should avoid cuddling, kissing, allowing pets to lick their faces, or sleeping with them,” Yozwiak added. Owners don’t have to completely isolate from their pets, Yaglom said, but they should minimize contact “as best

they can” while they exhibit COVID symptoms. The study will continue through the rest of 2021 and might go into 2022 if researchers obtain additional funding, which would allow them to continue education and outreach efforts, bolstering active surveillance of the virus. Dog and cat owners who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past two weeks are eligible to participate in the study. The tests are free. Owners must be at least 18, provide consent and fill out a questionnaire. The pet must be vaccinated against rabies, mainly housed indoors, and tolerant of the handling and restraint necessary for routine veterinary care. A veterinarian is present when samples are taken. No animals are harmed in the course of this study. Pet owners must wear masks during sample collection, and project staff will wear masks and gloves. Spanish-speaking staff will be available, as needed. Pet owners will be notified of test results within 3-4 weeks. For pets that test positive, owners may be asked to enable collection of additional samples. Positive tests will be reported to the Arizona State Veterinarian and ADHS. For more information about testing pet dogs or cats for COVID, or to participate in the study, emailcovidpetprojectaz@tgen.org. TGen, an affiliate of City of Hope, is a nonprofit organization dedicated to conducting groundbreaking research with life-changing results. The City of Hope is a world-renowned independent research and treatment center for cancer, diabetes and other life-threatening diseases. Both institutes to complement each other in research and patient care, with City of Hope providing a clinical setting to advance scientific discoveries made by TGen. TGen is focused on helping patients with neurological disorders, cancer, diabetes and infectious diseases through cutting-edge translational research. TGen physicians and scientists work to unravel the genetic components of both common and complex rare diseases in adults and children.

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

CUSD may see its first elementary IB school soon But it won’t happen overnight. Kinghorn said it usually takes three or more years to get certified as an IB program. Teachers need to be trained in the IB methods and then officials will conduct school visits to make sure they are implemented.

BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Andersen Elementary School is looking to change its trajectory in a big way. The school is starting down a path that it hopes will end by it being the first elementary school in Chandler certified as an International Baccalaureate program. There are currently only five IB programs at Arizona elementary schools, with another two already in the process of getting certified. That process can take years to complete. “We are starting now with increasing our level of rigor, increasing engagement and inquiry,” said Kristin Kinghorn, the school’s principal. “We’ll start writing our plans next year so it will be more that IB thematic base.” The International Baccalaureate program has five offices around the world. About 5,400 schools have been certified as IB programs around the world. The only one certified in the Chandler Unified School District is Chandler High School. The program’s philosophy is to make the students responsible for their own education. The goal is to get them to become self-learners. Teachers often act as guides, but are also supposed to step aside at times and let the students direct what they want to learn. It also does so with an international focus that strives to make students better and more caring people. “We believe that by going down this

ordinator; world language exploration; an annual candidacy fee; and costs for the verification visits. Kinghorn said in a staff survey the move toward becoming a certified IB program was supported by nearly 91 percent.

We are starting now with increasing our level of “ rigor, increasing engagement and inquiry, we’ll start writing our plans next year so it will be more that IB thematic base. ”

– Kristin Kinghorn

Kristin Kinghorn road, we’ll be able to increase the rigor being taught in the classroom,” Kinghorn told the CUSD Governing Board last month. Andersen is currently seeing a decline in attendance and was given a letter grade of C in 2019, the most recent year available. Kinghorn said that because they are located on the border of two other districts, Kyrene and Tempe Elementary, an IB program could lead to an increase in attendance by parents who are looking for a more rigorous education for their children.

Just starting down the path may turn around the school’s attendance woes. It had 537 students in the 20182019 school year. That dropped to 520 the following year, and then to 486 last year. This year it’s down to 475. The district is projecting an overall decline in attendance based on the number of babies being born. Becoming an IB program will bring additional costs. Kinghorn and interim Superintendent Frank Narducci said they believe they can cover those costs with existing funds. However, he warned there would need to be adjustments in the future to make it sustainable. They would be used for professional development for teachers; application fee; hiring a primary years program co-

The next steps for the school is to hold parent information meetings, the first taking place on Nov. 18. There will be additional meetings Dec. 2 and Jan. 6. Then it plans to file the application to begin the certification process by the end of January. Board member Jason Olive asked that if this program is certified, it leaves an obvious hole between Andersen elementary and Chandler High for the middle school years. Narducci said that Chandler High would work on creating a bridge program to help the students during those middle school years. “We believe that we have an obligation to our students and our families to raise that bar of excellence at Andersen,” Kinghorn said.

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AIRPORT SAFETY from page 1

“There were four people involved, and they would have been burned to death" except two men came to the rescue,," Finch said. “With complete disregard for their own lives, they went down and pulled four people from that aircraft,” he said. Assistant City Manager Steven Turner, who is the acting airport manager, said sometimes extreme heat can make the Opticom sensor that picks up emitter signals inoperable. Turner said that prior to the July 10 event, crews checked the Opticom devices once a month. Since then, they check the devices weekly. In any case, Dwiggins said, the key system still worked so it did not delay a response. Dwiggins said firefighters put out the blaze outside of the fence because that’s where the plane had stopepd skidding off the runway. He showed a photo of the plane to support his case. Finch said a week before the Bonanza incident in early July, the gates failed again. “A King Air aircraft that came in flying a patient, and there was an ambulance that was waiting for him, and the ambulance couldn’t get through the gates because the gates were broken,” Finch said. “The chains had fallen off the gates.” He said that happens often. Pilot Marvin Wessel has been advocating for better fire security at the airport for years. In May 2020, he was testing his aircraft when a fire started in the brakes. Most of his plane was destroyed before firefighters were able to respond and put it out. He said it took firefighters 16 minutes to reach his plane after they were called by the tower. Wessel has filed a claim against the city seeking compensation for the loss of his plane. City officials were unable to discuss his case because it is currently under litigation. Klug was one of the firefighters who responded to that fire, and said they

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

were unable to get into the airport because the gates were inoperable. He said he did not know Wessel before that day. “The gate wouldn’t open,” Klug said. “I was first to the west side, and I couldn’t make access. There was another unit on the … south side, and that gate wouldn’t work either. By the time we actually got on the scene, to Marv Wessel’s airplane, there was really nothing we could do about it.” Klug is also a pilot and flies out of Chandler Municipal Airport and said he

at the airport in the past three years. The other major issue both Klug and Finch pointed to as a concern is training. Klug has raised another issue about fire safety and the airport. “Training needs to be addressed, there has been no training on the airport environment,” said Klug, who retired from the Chandler Fire Department in May. “Right before I was hired, we did a training. All we did was take a lap around the outside of the airport to see where all the gates were. That was

There were four people involved, and they “ would have been burned to death except two men came to the rescue, with complete disregard for their own lives, they went down and pulled four people from that aircraft.

”

thinks the best solution is to put a fire station at the airport that would also serve the surrounding neighborhoods. Right now, there are four Chandler fire stations and one Gilbert station within four miles of the airport’s tower. The closest is little more than two miles away. Wessel said Chandler is the only general aviation airport out of the top 40 its size that does not have a fire station within a mile of it. Dwiggins said right now his biggest priority is in the northern half of the city. Fire Station 2 has only two units and it is handling about 4,000-to-4,500 calls per year. Most city fire stations get around 2,500 calls a year. Dwiggins said he hopes to fix that problem with the bond issue currently before voters. If Question 2 passes on Nov. 2, he said, the city will have the money to expand the current station so it can house an additional two units to deal with the high number of incidents in that area. By comparison, Dwiggins and Turner said there have been only 57 incidents

– Brad Finch

the extent of our airport training.” Dwiggins said train firefighters from the four stations closest to the airport are trained and that he is considering a joint training exercise with firefighters from the Gilbert station that's closest to the airport. “We assigned every supervisor, and every person who is not a supervisor but can potentially move up into a supervisor position, to … review our standard operating guidelines on airport response. Then they had to go to physically go to the airport, but we had a battalion chief meet them and literally … look at all the gates, talk about the access points, talk about the runway, go over all the maps, and just talk about overall response. “We sent every truck in the city through that training.” City officials said the training took place in April and another round in July. Finch had cited a lack of training at the airport in his remarks Oct. 14 to City Council. “I was really surprised to hear when he said that because it just wasn’t true,” Dwiggins said.

Krug said the chief suspended him for a day because he voiced concerns about airport safety and that the suspension was one of the factors that led him to retire. “I went to a users group meeting, for the airport, as an airport user, while simultaneously being employed as a firefighter,” Klug said. “I gave an opinion that I was asked for. I gave it, and I got suspended for 24 hours." “They are going to say there was a gag order for me as a firefighter being on Marv Wessel’s incident because he put in a notice of claim. However, there wasn’t. “There was an email that came out that requested a preservation of electronic documentation. But there was no email or anything that stated, ‘This pilot is suing the city or put in a notice of claim for the value of aircraft. Please do not discuss this with anybody.’ “I went to that meeting and I suggested a fire station, and I made it perfectly clear that I was not in any way representing the Fire Department. I was representing myself as a frequent user of that airport.” Dwiggins said he could not discuss the situation because it is a personnel issue. Krug stressed that the concerns he has raised about fire safety at the airport should not reflect poorly on the Chandler’s firefighters. “I think the men and women of the Chandler Fire Department, the line people, the ones that actually respond to the emergencies, put their lives at risk, and wade through sickness and disease every day they come to work, they are the best,” Krug said. “I spent the past 23 years, and I think the men and women are … No. 1, without question.” And Dwiggins said he is not ruling out pushing for a station at the airport. “It’s absolutely worth thinking about,” he said. “We’re going to look at the probability of incidents, we’re going to look the impact that it’s going to have on the entire system, we’re going to look at the consequences it has to the citizens. It’s an equation that applies values and it tells us exactly where we need to be putting resources.”

Chandler sign company offers grants to nonprofits SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Mr. Rogers probably never heard of Signarama Chandler when he said: “All of us, at some time or other, need help. Whether we’re giving or receiving help, each one of us has something valuable to bring to this world. That’s one of the things that connects us as neighbors – in our own way, each one of us is a giver and a receiver.” But Signarama, 3144 N Colorado St., knows who Mr. Rogers is and is taking his advice to heart with its annual Signs of Hope program. The program for 2022 has been launched and details are at signarama.com/locations/az-chandler/ about/philanthropy. Grants are provided to local non-profit and charitable organizations to use in their facilities as well as their events and fundraisers. They can use the grants for signage for facilities,

Allison Kast-Eichenberg banners for events or fundraisers or building, monument, directional or

wayfinding signs. This year’s recipients are AFS Arizona, Aid to Women Center, American Diabetes Association, Arizona Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired Chandler International Film Festival, Child Crisis Arizona, Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation - Southwest Chapter, East Valley Veterans Parade, Exchange Club of Chandler - Wreaths Across America, Exchange Club of Chandler - Field of Hope. Applications for the 2022 round of winners must be submitted by Dec. 17. To obtain an application: 480-821-1100 or email allisonke@sarchandler.com. Signarama owner Allison Kast-Eichenberg has given $350,000 in grants since the program began in 2011. “Our Signs of Hope program is one of my favorite things,” Kast-Eichenberg said. “Every year I am inspired and grateful for the amazing people and organizations we have the privilege to partner with

through our grant program.” A member of Parents of Addicted Loved Ones said Signarama’s program “is important to use” and praised the business’ encouragement. Jodi Stoken of Child Crisis Arizona, told Kast-Eichenberg, “We appreciate all you have done and we love the work you do!” Kast-Eichenberg said she believes Signarama has “have something valuable to offer this world and (we) are committed to finding a way to share it.” Signarama Chandler is a locally owned and operated company specializing in commercial signs and graphics. Signage “is incredibly important and a part of our daily lives,” she said, adding that while an ideal customer for Signarama Chandler is a locally owned business with a storefront signage also can be important for nonprofit and charitable organizations.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

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Chandler woman races to benefit cancer fight BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Chandler resident Karen Vickers went to Indiana in 2010 seeking answers. She had just been told she has a very rare and aggressive form of cancer and she had maybe three years to live. She found the answers that she credits, in part, for keeping her alive 11 years later, but they didn’t come the way she thought they would. This weekend she plans to run in the New York City Marathon for the third time as part of the American Cancer Society’s DetermiNation program. It will be her seventh overall marathon. “It felt like the ground was being pulled out from underneath me,” Vickers said of her diagnosis of a malignant phyllodes tumor. “My daughter was only 12 at the time. … she was just finishing up middle school.” The American Cancer Society explains DetermiNation as an “event endurance program, spanning a variety of sports including cycling, running, hiking, yoga, and more. The collective efforts of the dedicated athletes who use their fortitude to help raise funds to take down cancer are nothing short of amazing.” Vickers said she didn’t know if she would live to see her daughter graduate high school. She did, and so much more. She also saw her son graduate and now has welcomed a grandchild to the family. She has been cancer free since the 2010 surgery that removed a portion of her lung. “The nurses from United Healthcare

cancel the trip — go for surgery.’ She doctors doing?’” Vickers said. “I said I had surgery, I’m good. They said, no, you didn’t get to go.” A few years later Vickers and her need to travel to a big cancer center and daughter flew to Washington, DC to run see doctors, and blah, blah, blah.” the Marine Corps Marathon. Despite So she and her husband traveled to both getting injured during that event, Indiana, hoping to find a way to extend they completed it. that poor prognosis. “I had sprained my ankle, and she had “For me it wasn’t a good experience,” twisted her knee,” Vickers said. “When the Vickers said. “They didn’t really have Marines are cheering for you, and telling any answers for me other than move you to keep going, you just keep going.” there and start some really aggressive Vickers says she’s not a fast marachemo. I felt I was cancer free.” thon runner. She does a combination of She and her husband went back to their hotel and saw a video on TV, spon- running and walking. Missing part of her lung definitely impacts her endurance. taneous healing by Dr. Andrew Wiel. There are no DetermiNation running “I just pulled out my notebook,” Vickers events in Arizona, something Vickers said. “We went there with a lot of hope, trying to find answers. And we came home said she hopes changes. She plans to and felt that wasn’t the right option for us. run in the Lost Dutchman Marathon in February that starts in Gold Canyon. I chose not to have any chemo.” Instead, she watches what she eats. Your generous contribution However, she worries because they have a time limit and she’s not sure she Vickers eliminated diet sodas and pretoday will bring thein joy can finish in six and a half hours. packaged foods and added regularof ex- the ercise. Goodbye Lean Cuisine, hello kale.by But Vickers says she feels this is part season to a suffering soul of her purpose in life. “We made a lifestyle shift at that providing a itdelicious meal “It kind of helped change my focus from point because was a matter of life or being a cancer patient and getting stuck in death,” she said. complete with: that. It’s been very good for me.” Running marathons has helped ease some of the guilt she felt when diagnosed. Her daughter had earned a trip to Turkey Washington, DC because of a project she Chandler resident Karen Vickers plans to run potatoes did in middle school.Mashed The whole family If you would like to donate to the in the famed New York City Marathon as was going to go for the National History & gravy American Cancer Society in Kare part of the American Cancer Society’s Deter- Day celebration, but then her doctor Vickers name, visit runsignup.com/ miNation program. (Special to SanTan Sun News) All the traditional called and said she needed surgery. Race/Donate/NY/NewYork/Deter“I told the doctor I’ll have surgery trimmings kept calling me and they said, ‘You have miNationRunstheWorld and search when I get back from that trip, he blessings and feed hungry I want to shareand my a very rare aggressive disease, you have for her name. Pie & coffee said, ‘No, you can’t community. wait. You have to a very poor prognosis, what are your people in our

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

Chandler Chamber session aims at lack of bias ban BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Ten Arizona cities have adopted a LGBTQ non-discrimination ordinance and Chandler is the largest city in the state that has not done so. The Chandler Chamber of Commerce held a roundtable last week to push for one. “It’s important because it’s good business, and it’s the right thing to do,” said Jane Poston, who chairs the Chamber board. “And I think our community – and our business community - is behind this. Many of our businesses already have these kinds of policies.” Chandler City Council earlier this month commissioned a study to look at the issue. Activists at the Chamber’s session Oct. 26 expressed hope the city is following a familiar path that other municipalities followed before they ended up passing a non-discrimination ordinance. To get one, they will need four Council votes. It appears they only have two, with OD Harris and Matt Orlando expressing support. The rest of Council preferred passing a non-binding resolution. “They need to understand that discrimination in any form is bad and we want to be a fully welcoming city,” said Rick Heumann, a former vice mayor who is taking over as the Chamber’s board chairman in 2022. “We have other cities that have passed this and we haven’t. I’ve heard comments like ‘everybody loves everybody in Chandler, well,

what is the issue?’” He said the job ahead for proponents is to educate the mayor and council members. Stating one council member was concerned about religion, Heumann pointed out there is a religious exemption in the ordinance that other cities have passed. He heard another say they had concerns about criminal action and he responded there is only the possibility of civil fines, not criminal charges. Another, he said, talked about quotas.

treat all our employees the same.” Tim Bourcet, the vice president of government and community affairs with the Greater Phoenix Economic Council, said businesses took a lead on this issue because they want the best talent. “I know if I’m a business owner, and I have employees with me, I want them to feel safe, I want them to feel secure,” he said. “I want them to know that where they work they can be happy, and plentiful, and part of the team. “Because of that, they want to be

I know if I’m a business owner, and I have “ employees with me, I want them to feel safe, I want them to feel secure. ”

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Heumann said the ordinance would have no hiring or other quotas. Angela Hughey, co-founder and president of ONE Community, has been lobbying cities around the state to pass an ordinance. She said so far no one has been fined because of the non-discrimination ordinances. “I’m going to give credit to the business community,” said Neil Giuliano, the former Tempe mayor and current president and CEO of Greater Phoenix Leadership. “Because for decades, nothing was happening, and then the business community started adopting policies for their employees that said, we’re going to

located, exist and operate in communities where that is not a factor.” The Glendale Chamber of Commerce played a key role in getting a non-discrimination ordinance passed in that West Valley city. Robert Heidt, the president and CEO of the group, said it took some convincing. “From one of the folks in our student leadership, they said, ‘Glendale Chamber, Robert you’re out of your lane,’” he said. “And I respectfully said, ‘We put our blinker on and we merged over.’” He called the non-discrimination ordinance a business issue and something chambers of commerce should be

working on. Hughey said LGBTQ members and their allies represent about a trillion dollars in economic buying power. “We vote with our wallet,” she said. “We want to live in places that are inclusive, we want to visit places that are inclusive.” She said she has not been to Chandler in a very long time. “I’m having a heck of a time taking my wife hiking in Mesa, Arizona now,” she said. “I’m having a really good time going out to eat in Scottsdale, Arizona now. And I spend a lot of time in Glendale, Arizona now. “When you multiply that by our friends and family, this is a missed opportunity to really have an authentic connection with LGBTQ and allied Arizonans and people who travel throughout this big, bold, beautiful state.” Tucson was the first Arizona city to pass a LGBTQ non-discrimination ordinance in 1999. It was followed by Phoenix, Tempe, Flagstaff, Sedona, Winslow, Mesa, Scottsdale, Glendale and Tolleson. Most of the ordinances are for all businesses no matter how small. However, Mesa exempted businesses with fewer than five employees. Glendale and Tolleson followed the Mesa version. “It’s never easy anywhere,” Giuliano said. “You are dealing with a lot of what our culture has taught people to believe for a very long time, at least people in my generation. You have to break that down.”

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

East Valley Veterans Parade celebrates art in wartime SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

After its pandemic-driven “parade in reverse” last year, the annual East Valley Veterans Parade will return this week with boots on the ground, marching music in the air and spectators lining the streets. And this year the parade theme celebrates the impact of art and artists during wartime. The parade will begin at 11 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 11, in regular format at Center Street and University Drive, Mesa, then proceed south on Center, turning west onto 1st Street and continuing to Robson. Art can inform and inspire. It can capture complicated emotions and record history from a unique viewpoint. These roles of art and artists take on added emphasis in times of war. Portrait artists have captured the faces of historic military leaders for posterity. Sculptors have created compelling monuments to important wartime turning points and history. From armed services recruitment posters to advertisements for war bonds, wartime art and artists throughout our history have created works that rallied our home front and boosted troop morale. The image of “Kilroy was Here” became synonymous with service, dedication and commitment of U.S. Armed Forces throughout WWII and the Kore-

“Nose art” on airplanes often carried menacing warnings to the enemy.

(Special to SanTanSun News)

an War. Kilroy seemed to appear first at every combat, training or occupation operation and was the last to leave. Messages like “Uncle Sam Wants You” or “Buy War Bonds” also appeared on some iconic art that many are familiar with. Posters during World War II were designed to instill a positive outlook, a sense of patriotism and

confidence. They linked the war in trenches with the war at home and were used to encourage all Americans to help with the war effort. WWII also saw the rise of “nose art” that united and encouraged members of the Air Force. Who hasn’t seen the iconic Mem-

phis Belle on the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress? Nose art is probably the first connection the leaps to mind. While frequently employing the image of women, nose art often consisted of ominous messages to our enemies. In the midst of the difficulties of war, soldiers have found creative ways to express their feelings and deal with boredom, build comradery, identify/ brag about home or unit and display patriotism. Using whatever materials they found on-hand, they created trench art and have turned ordinary T-wall concrete barriers into works of art and expression. T-walls became the palette of the modern war artist. Coming into prominence during the conflicts in the Middle East, these concrete barriers are used for a variety of purposes. From small walls at traffic control points to giant retaining walls to protect against deadly threats like IEDs, T-walls are an everyday sight. Their stark gray appearance is in invitation to the murals that inevitably followed. Trench art is a term used to describe objects made from the debris and by-products of modern warfare. Often trench art was made to pass the time in a “hurry up and wait” environment. Even Kilroy, the ‘meme before See

PARADE on page 11

Aviation foundation again part of parade

SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

brightly as they climb into the pilot’s or gunner’s position,” said lifelong AAHF member Bob Warner. “We watch veterans approach our aircraft, some with love, some with

trepidation, some with the familiarity of an old friend,” Warner said. “The Huey helicopter was the icon of the Vietnam War. Its name, shape and distinctive sound are forever etched

into the minds of those who served in Vietnam. We do this to preserve those memories and to do all we can to ensure that their legacy is not forgotten.”

The Army Aviation Heritage Foundation will be showing off a restored gunship as part of the East Valley Veterans Day Parade. The foundation was formed in 1997, with the Southwest Chapter beginning in 2014. Its goal is to educate people about the role of Army aviation, especially during the Vietnam War. In the process, they are able to help veterans as they continue to struggle to adjust to civilian life. AAHF also impacts young people directly through a partnership with the East Valley Institute of Technology. The group will display its completely restored 1966 UH-1M helicopter gunship in this year’s parade. This combat veteran served three tours in Vietnam in several units, amassing a total of 2,419 combat flight hours. It was shot down five times, each time repaired and returned to combat duties. AAHF volunteers spent several thousand hours restoring the aircraft to its original condition. It is mounted on a specially designed trailer, making possible its participation in the parade. “We do this out of love. Love for our country, love of these marvelous flying machines, love of our fellow veterans and love of the inquiring minds The Army Aviation Heritage Foundation Southwest Chapter will be presenting a restored helicopter gunship during the parade. of our youngsters whose eyes shine so (Special to SanTan Sun News)

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

PARADE

from page 10

memes’, is a form of graffiti art. He popped up in many places, in many variations, and still does today. Whether from professional artists or amateurs, including school children, art continues to play an important role in our ability to express our deepest emotions during turbulent times. As part of the East Valley Veterans Parade, art also provides a way to profoundly share our pride and gratitude for the service of the men and women of our armed services – veterans, active

military and their families. But perhaps a most meaningful connection of art and war is the therapeutic value of art to our warriors. It can help us deal with strong emotions, increase self-awareness and self-worth and decrease stress and anxiety. As our veterans deal with post-service challenges, art can play a key role in helping the healing process. So – art and war – how does this connect for you? Join the 2021 East Valley Veterans Day Parade and show everyone your art. For more parade information, visit www.evvp.org.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

Falcon Field plans 80th anniversary events SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Eighty years ago with the world at war, Mesa opened its arms to young men from Britain and forged a bond that continues today and Falcon Field Airport is again welcoming friends from across the Atlantic for its 80th anniversary commemorative events this month. “In 1941, the United States was not in the war yet, but Britain was embroiled in a war. Learning how to fly in a wartorn environment, especially in Europe with the weather the way it is, was difficult and inefficient. The U.S. had an agreement with Britain for training and support, so that meant that places like Falcon Field were built to train Royal Air Force cadets,” said Mike Doyle, pilot and member of the Wings of Flight Foundation. On Sept. 14, 1941, the No. 4 British Flying Training School opened on an empty expanse of desert on the undeveloped northern edge of Mesa, one of six pilot training bases created in America to train Allied pilots. The Wings of Flight Foundation pilot group is reuniting school members by researching and inviting them and their families to Mesa for the milestone anniversary. They have located 20 living pilots, 33 widows and over 95 families and will host some of them for a week of activities in November that includes

Wraps around buildings at Falcon Field commemorate the heroic pilots who trained there during WWII. (File photo)

Veterans Day. The reunion will culminate in a dinner gala on Nov. 13 in an original 1941 hangar surrounded by vintage military aircraft, including some used in Falcon Field training between 1941-1945. “When we moved into the historic hangar, we were gifted a box of memorabilia by Mesa Vice Mayor Jenn Duff. She is a descendant of a British Royal Air Force navigation instructor who trained cadets at Falcon Field,” said WOFF member and reunion organizer Jocelyn Condon.

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“The box included documents from the 50th celebration back in 1991. That hatched the idea to have an 80th anniversary celebration and to try to find as many pilots/descendants as possible to tell their stories before they pass on and it’s too late.” British cadet descendant Kathryn Masters and RAF pilot descendant John Barber of Tempe researched and contacted pilots and their descendants. They also included U.S. citizens who supported the training mission at Falcon Field as aircraft mechanics, air traffic controllers, and administrative staff with the help of Carolyn Wischler McDaniel, daughter of Joe Wischler who was the Chief Mechanic at Falcon Field from 1941-1945. ““I think it’s important for future generations to know how Mesa participated in World War II and what the ‘greatest generation’ gave up for our freedom,” said Anne Beeby, whose father Ken Beeby received RAF pilot training at Falcon Field. “My father fell in love with Arizona, returned after the war and became a proud U.S. citizen. Falcon Field played a treasured role in his life.” Events and activities related to Falcon Field Airport’s history and 80th Anniversary: • Wings of Flight Foundation has created an archive in partnership with the Imperial War Museum in Duxford, England for the pictures and stories about the No. 4 British Flying Training School: americanairmuseum.com/ unit/4175 . • Documentary film producer Kelly Sallaway of Rushbrook Media is filming a series about each of the six British training flying schools. A preview of

her film will be shown at the gala. • Wings of Flight Foundation has been working with local museum curator Steve Hoza to develop an educational display for the historic hangar at Falcon Field. • Daryl F. Mallett, author of the Falcon Field book in the Images of America book series by Arcadia Publishing, has created a Facebook page where descendants of Royal Air Force pilot cadets can connect: facebook.com/ FalconField/ • Members of the Commemorative Air Force Museum at Falcon Field Airport will provide a fly-over during the East Valley Veterans Parade. • The Mesa Chamber of Commerce will host Aviation Fascination at Heliponents, 4930 E. Falcon Dr. at Falcon Field Airport, 5-7:30 p.m. Nov. 12. The free public event will feature a display about Falcon Field history, information booths by aviation businesses and organizations, static aircraft displays, raffle prize drawings, music and food tastings by local restaurants. • The Royal Air Force Cadet Memorial scheduled at 10:45 a.m. Nov. 14 will honor the 23 pilots of the No. 4 British Flying Training School who lost their lives while training from 1941-1945 at Mesa›s Falcon Field. This free public service has been held for more than 30 years at the Mesa Cemetery. The event will also feature remarks by Mesa and British officials, music and a wreath laying at the grave sites. See

FALCON on page 15

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

VETERAN

from page 1

Both of his parents served, as did both grandfathers and quite a few uncles and step-brothers. He said he was still working his high school job and trying to get up for a 6 a.m. English 101 class every morning when he decided to volunteer. “Do the military, do my part as far as serving the country, get benefits and everything else too to try and set myself up, and give myself a chance to mature before I tried that school thing full time.” He entered service in 2008 and two years later he was in Afghanistan, hunting for explosive devices near Kandahar. “I joke with the people that I was there with that it looks like that area between Florence and Coolidge, just a little bit less refined,” he said. Haahr said they had good engagement with the local population and that led to tips that helped them find improvised explosive devices. Other teams were not as lucky, finding the devices as Haahr calls, “the hard way.” He said he also engaged the enemy in the mountains. Haahr said the way the Afghanistan war ended was not a surprise to those who served there. “Mad, disappointed, hurt, all those adjectives,” Haahr said of his feelings at how the war ended. “The senior leadership might have gotten that intel that, ‘Hey, the Afghan National Army will be able to sustain,

but anyone who spent 10 minutes on the ground could have told you otherwise. It ultimately needed to happen, but the manner in which it happened was the disappointment.” Haahr doesn’t blame one political party or president. He said all of them could have done better. Since leaving service Haahr was busy trying to help one of his Afghan translators flee the country before the Taliban could get to him. Since he left service Haahr dedicated himself to helping one of his interpreters and his family come to the U.S. “They bled, cared more about our mission, than any of the politicians there,” he said. The interpreter, his wife and daughter boarded a flight last month and made it to the U.S. “He’s the lucky one and he still had a really bad time of it,” Haahr said. “And he’s still just grateful for everything. I talk to him all the time.” Once he left the Army, Haahr enrolled at Arizona State, but he saw a need to help other veterans like him. He started a club to help veterans returning from Afghanistan transition to college life. He earned his degree in applied biological sciences. He now works for USAA. While he probably won’t be seen wearing a veterans cap or T-shirt, there is one thing that gives away his service. “That’s the only reason why I have a veterans’ plate on my truck, because if you’re speeding …” he said.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

Holocaust survivor is parade Grand Marshal Capt. Alexander White, a concentration camp survivor who lost his entire family to the Nazis, is the 2021 East Valley Veterans Parade Grand Marshal. Born in 1923, in Krosno, Poland, near the Ukraine/Slovakian borders, White as a teenager lived through the liquidation of the Krosno Ghetto, then spent a year in the Luftwaffe Labor Camp and six months in the concentration camp at Krakow-Plassow. In October 1944, his name appeared on a list of workers assigned to German industrialist Oskar Schindler, who was relocating his factory from Poland to the Sudetenland to avoid advancing Soviet armies. White surmises that he ended up on Schindler’s list because his profession was listed as a glazier and painter. His specialty in glazing made him a rare commodity. Upon arrival at Schindler’s factory, he was assigned to a small area of the factory to work as a glazier. White survived the last months of the Holocaust at Schindler’s camp in Bruennlitz, Sudetenland, and was liberated on the last day of the war in Europe, May 8, 1945, from the camp – as shown in the movie “Schindler’s List.” After liberation, he made his way to Germany where, in 1950 as a refugee, he earned a medical degree from the University of Munich. Soon thereafter,

Calif., he boarded a ship for Cuba shortly after the Cuban Missile Crisis. Later, he set sail to the Mediterranean and finally to Vietnam, where he received his discharge. The VA provided the funds for Sam to complete an accounting degree at Franklin University. He is now retired and resides with his wife in Tempe.

as a voluntary faculty member of Cook County Hospital. He retired to Scottsdale in the late 1990s, where he has become active in veteran affairs, becoming a member of the Arizona Veterans Hall of Fame. At age 98, he said he remembers his military years with fondness – especially the camaraderie – and often wished he had never left the service. He is joined in the parade by the following service marshals:

SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Capt. Alexander White he immigrated to the United States. In 1953, he married Inez Libby, a Chicagoan, and joined the U.S. Army. He received a commission as a first lieutenant and completed his medical field service training at Ft. Sam Houston in Texas. From 1953-1955, he served as a medical officer at USA Hospital at Fort Leonard Wood in Missouri. He was honorably discharged as a captain in the United States Army Reserves in 1955. Alex moved his wife and two children – soon to be three – to Chicago, where from 1956-58 he was a full-time faculty member of the Chicago Medical School. He practiced medicine in a private practice in the area for close to 50 years while continuing to teach there as an associate professor as well

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• Navy – Oakley J Ray Ensign Oakley J Ray was born in Gilbert in 1920 and is 101 years old. He served in the Navy 1943-46. He was the payroll officer aboard the USS Estes, the ship upon which he witnessed the raising of the U.S. flag over Hiroshima. After WWII, Ray returned to Mesa, where he and his wife Janet Anderson raised 10 children. He received degrees in both accounting and law from Arizona universities. The Oakleys have 88 grandchildren, 330 great grandchildren, and six great, great grandchildren.

• Army – Barry Rosenblatt Lt. Col. Barry Rosenblatt began his military career in the United States Army in 1972. He served in the medical corps where he performed advanced trauma surgery as a dentist, helicopter medical evacuation, and trained others in setting up mash units. Seven years ago, Barry took painting, welding and photography classes through the Mesa Art League Arizona Art Alliance Program and the Boeing Funded Mesa Art Center Veterans Art Program. These days his art can be viewed at a gallery he shares with his wife Susan Paige on Main Street in Mesa.

• Air Force – Bob Jeffrey Col. Robert “Bob” Jeffrey was a top fighter pilot in the U.S. Air Force and flew critical missions in Vietnam. On Dec. 20, 1965, his F-4 Phantom took a direct hit from anti-aircraft fire and he was forced to eject in enemy territory. He endured 2,611 days in captivity at

• Marine Corps – Sam Ingram Cpl. Sam Ingram enlisted in the Marines in 1961 in Los Angeles, making him a “Hollywood” Marine, and he’s proud of it. As a member of the 1st Marine Division in Camp Pendleton,

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

CUSD, ADL denounce anti-Semitic remarks BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

The Arizona chapter of the Anti-Defamation League is calling for the Chandler Unified School District to act after a woman made an anti-Semitic comment during the Oct. 27 meeting. “We call upon CUSD to publicly demonstrate — in the strongest possible way — your commitment to fighting antisemitism and all forms of hate,” wrote Marc Krell, the associate regional director of ADL Arizona. “ADL strongly condemns the use of anti-Semitic tropes and stereotypes to promote antivaccine and anti-CRT views. This hateful rhetoric is dangerous and offensive and has no place in our schools,” he said. During the time reserved for public comment, Melanie Rettler went on a rant about the COVID-19 vaccines and pharmaceutical companies. She ended the rant with an anti-Semitic reference. Her remarks did not draw any immediate applause. However, as she collected her belongings and started to leave, Rettler said, “Oh, if you want to call me a hater, go ahead,” several people clapped. After calling up the next speaker, Board President Barb Mozdzen made a comment. “I would also like to remind people that there are some things that we as — your comments really need to be related to what the school board can do some-

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• The Commemorative Air Force Museum will host its popular themed event A Night in the 40s Big Band Dance 5-10 p.m. Dec. 4 in the museum, 2017 N. Greenfield Road. Many guests

“All Chandler Unified School District students, staff, and community members deserve to feel safe, respected and valued. “The district reaffirms its commitment to use its influence as a public educational institution to teach students the value of an inclusive community

The district reaffirms its commitment to use its “ influence as a public educational institution to teach students the value of an inclusive community and give them the tools to engage in our increasingly diverse society. Chandler Unified School District denounces hate speech at all levels.

”

“The CUSD Governing Board and Administration condemns the hate speech that occurred during Wednesday night’s citizens comments segment of the October 27, 2021 Governing Board meeting,” he wrote. “An individual from the greater community made anti-Semitic remarks while addressing the governing board during the Citizens Comments portion of the meeting. The statement is inconsistent with the Vision, Mission and Core Values of the Chandler Unified School District. We strongly denounce the anti-Semitic statement made.

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the infamous Hanoi Hilton. He commanded numerous aircraft both in his military and civilian careers. His military decorations include: Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with V device and one Bronze

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thing about. And this was not something that we can do something about. Please, please have your comments with something that is within our jurisdiction.” The district issued a statement the following day over the incident signed by interim Superintendent Frank Narducci.

• Coast Guard – Jason Roberts Chief Petty Officer Jason Roberts served with the 82nd Airborne Division of the U.S. Army before transitioning to the Florida National Guard,

wear period uniforms and costumes, and swing dance lessons are included. Specialty food trucks will offer food and beverages for sale. Tickets are available at azcaf.org/event/night-at-the-40s-dance. Falcon Field was originally to be called Thunderbird Field III by its developers Jack Connelly and Leland Hayward, whose

and give them the tools to engage in our increasingly diverse society. Chandler Unified School District denounces hate speech at all levels.” Rettler identified herself as a veterinarian during her comments, which were focused on what she called the dangers of the COVID-19 vaccine and Critical Race Theory. She is among a group of parents who have been regular attendees at the meetings and have focused on criticizing CRT, even though it is not taught in Chandler Unified. The district also released a statement from the East Valley Jewish Com-

law enforcement, and eventually enlisting with the U.S. Coast Guard. He was one of the initial first responders on scene after the destruction of southern Louisiana during Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. He is credited with saving the lives of more than 75 people during these round-the-clock

stockholders were some of Hayward’s Hollywood friends, Jimmy Stewart, Cary Grant, Henry Fonda, and Ginger Rogers. They had intended to launch a regional passenger air service, but like so many other plans of the era, the war changed that. England was under almost constant attack by Luftwaffe

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munity Center. “We are also deeply disturbed by comments made at [Wednesday’s] CUSD board session,” wrote Rabbi Michael Beyo, the He’s CEO of the East Valley Jewish Community Center for Holocaust Education. “The East Valley JCC applauds the Chandler Unified School District (CUSD) Governing Board and Administration and Interim Superintendent, Mr. Franklin Narducci, for leading by example and speaking out against the hatred of all people,” Beyo wrote, adding: “During the public comment period, a resident of the East Valley espoused anti-Semitic tropes. These comments are dangerous and untrue. “While the East Valley JCC does not issue statements for individual comments from the public, in this case we must speak out. Comments like these are ignorant and hurtful and we are grateful for community partners such as the CUSD who take a strong stand against anti-Semitism.” Scores of people commented on various social media sites denouncing the comments. Some also critized the way Mozdzen handled the matter. Many were upset that neither she nor any other board member condemned the remark. However, state law forbids board members from responding to public comments made during the comment portion of a meeting.

operations. Roberts earned degrees from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and Arizona State University. He retired from active military service in 2018 after a combined 27-year career and continues to serve his community in ministry with Rock Point Church.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

CUSD was concerned about override prospects BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Voters have consistently backed the Chandler Unified School District exceeding state limits in spending by 15 percent for more than 30 years. Last time it was on the ballot, it passed with 60 percent support. So, no reason to sweat this year’s vote, right? “We were very worried,” CUSD spokesperson Terry Locke said. It appears they didn’t need to worry so much. The yes votes lead by a 56-to44 percent majority in early unofficial results posted late Wednesday. Final unofficial results were expected until the end of the week. Although voters have consistently backed the Chandler Unified overrides in every election since 1988, were district officials had plenty to worry about with this one. “The board has had to make some really difficult decisions, one right after the other,” Locke said. “People are upset for a variety of reasons.” Locke pointed to votes over masks in school, quarantining students and regular comments about Critical Race Theory, which is not taught in CUSD. At a meeting in August, money was on the mind of board members

when the issue of re-imposing a mask requirement came up for discussion after Gov. Doug Ducey threatened to withhold some pandemic relief funds from districts that had a mandatory mask policy. That discussion occurred before the Biden administration challenged Ducey over his threats. At the meeting, Chief Financial Officer Lana Berry said CUSD faced an immediate loss of about $11 million and ultimately another $40 million in the dispute if Ducey made good on his threat. So the board voted 3-2 to keep masks optional. Nonetheless, mask mandates still were raised on social media by some as a reason to oppose the override. Ditto for the nonexistent CRT instruction. Some parents who are regular speakers at the meetings formed an opposition group to the override, but got a late start. Those controversies plus a worry about demographics trending in the wrong direction and a lower-than-expected turnout raised the concern of district officials, Locke said. Turnout was just about 21 percent in early totals. Locke said most of the people voting are 65 and older, many who no longer

have children in schools. They tend to be less supportive of overrides than younger couples who have children in school. Locke said he was also concerned about the amount of misinformation out there. He said he saw a number of untrue statements circulating in his neighborhood. But despite those challenges, voters appear to have backed the override, which amounts to an extra $41 million in the CUSD’s maintenance and operations budget. If voters had rejected it, then tough choices would have been needed to be made. “We’d have one more year,” Locke said of the previous authorization to exceed state spending limits. “Next year, we would have had to go through the same override process, while simultaneously making cuts. “We’d have to cut $14 million. You can’t make those kinds of cuts without it cutting deep. Laying off a clerk isn’t going to get it done. That’s one of the reasons why school districts ask for the override a year early.” Voters authorize districts to exceed the state limit by up to 15 percent for seven years. However, that amount phases out in the final two years so it’s

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not such a sharp reduction. That’s why districts tend to ask for the override every five years. On behalf of Chandler Unified, Locke thanked voters who passed the override. Property owners in Chandler currently pay $1.18 per $100 of assessed valuation for the previously authorized override. And that rate is not expected to change with the new override, although rising home values could increase the amount of taxes homeowners pay anyway. CUSD has about 45,000 students and is the second largest school district in Arizona. The U.S. Census Bureau ranks Arizona 49th in the nation in per pupil funding, averaging $11,170 per student in 2020. The national average in 2018 was $14,530. CUSD spent $10,664 per student in 2020. The district says more than 61 percent of that goes directly to education costs. The rest goes to school officers, utilities, insurance and liability, district administration and other. The other category, which is second largest at nearly 24 percent, includes teacher training, student assessment, librarians, counselors, speech therapists, nurses, security, custodians, maintenance and transportation.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

Busy Chandler woman not too busy for fostering BY KATY SPRINGER Contributor

“Power mom” means different things to different people. For some, she’s a make-believe superhero who can juggle all household duties without breaking a sweat. For others, a “power mom” is a fantastical creature who succeeds in a high-demand job while also raising well-mannered, well-nurtured children. “Real” moms are wise enough to know that motherhood is often messy, difficult and overwhelming – and the real “power” comes in providing a loving, safe and stable home for their children. Lisa Hall is exactly that sort of power mom. Single mother to 12-year-old Liam, the Chandler resident also serves as national director for the Alzheimer’s Association. It’s a full load, but Hall believed she could do more. Last summer, she fulfilled an important goal and became a licensed foster care provider. It was something she had long dreamed of, but the pandemic provided the impetus to make that dream a reality. “Anyone who knows me knows that I’m never too busy to pursue the things I really care about,” said Hall. “It might seem like too much from the outside looking in, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Indeed, Hall said she has always had a place in her heart for children in need. “I have always loved kids, and as I’ve grown older, I’ve looked for opportunities to help where I can,” she said. When she decided she wanted to open her home to foster care, she asked Liam what he thought. He was an only child who was used to having his mom all to himself, but he warmed to the idea immediately. Hall started the process of becoming licensed soon after. “Every single day, Liam asked me,

Left: Lisa Hall and her son Liam host foster children in their Chandler home. (Courtesy of Lisa Hall) Right: Mike Faust, director of the Arizona Department of Child Safety, encourages people to consider fostering one of the thousands of neglected children in the state. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

the little girl to go home to her mom. “I still think about her all the time,” said Hall. “Our last day together, we got up early, made pancakes, watched the movie ‘Brave’ and just enjoyed our time with her. She was so happy to be going home to her mom, but also sad to be leaving us.” Hall and Liam had mixed emotions, too. “We loved her and knew we would miss her, but we were also so excited for her and her mom to get a fresh start. You just want what’s best for these children.” Since that time, Hall has provided a loving and stable home for several other children, including a 4-year-old boy who stayed for six months. “It was tough in the beginning, but it was such a joy to watch his growth and

Many people in our community have wondered “about foster care. They want to make a difference, but they’re not sure they’re a good fit or don’t not know where to start. ”

– Mike Faust

‘how much longer?’” she said. “He was nipping at my heels to get started!” Hall completed her licensure on Nov. 2, 2020. Three days later, she began fostering a 6-year-old girl. She and Liam loved her immediately and provided the best home they could, but Hall makes it clear she was fighting for the girl’s mom, too. “We loved having her in our home, but at the same time, we were pulling for her mom to do the work that was needed in order to get her daughter back,” said Lisa. Three months later, the day came for

see his little personality come through,” she said. “We got him enrolled in preschool and experienced many firsts with him. We knew we would miss him like crazy once he left our home, but we made it a point to enjoy every moment.” During that time, Hall sold her home and bought a new one to be closer to family – as if she didn’t have enough to do. “The home buying and selling was a bit stressful, but what can I say? I’m a Gemini,” she laughed. “The best part is that my family is close and they

absolutely love being involved. It’s more people to love these beautiful kids.” Today, Hall is fostering a 3-month old baby. He was placed in her home when he was 6 days old. And though she also works full time, she’s working from home so that she can spend ample time with the baby. “I worked from home for three months when Liam was born, and I wanted to do the same thing for this little guy,” she said. But when people comment about Hall’s efforts on behalf of foster children, she is quick to point that she and Liam are the ones who are benefiting most. “Liam came up to me the other day and said, ‘I love our family,’” said Hall. “He is such a wonderful big brother to the little ones who come and stay for a time in our home. I am so grateful for these experiences and for his willingness to love and serve others.” Hall doesn’t rule out the possibility of adoption, though she says that has never been her primary goal. “I am here to provide a respite and a safe space for these kids until their parents are able to take care of them,” she said. “My goal is to foster families.” Indeed, she has always prioritized communication with parents to ensure they continue to feel a part of their kids’ lives – and also to make it clear she’s on their team. “I send photos and updates and make sure these parents know I’m going to do my best for their children.” For now, she will continue providing a loving home for the infant who is in her care. “As a foster parent, it’s a strange phenomenon to love these children with your whole heart, but also to want them to reunify with their parents,” she said. “I’m sitting in this space right now with this little boy. I would absolutely

adopt him, but I also want his mom to be successful in getting him back.” Calls to Arizona Department of Child Safety’s abuse and neglect hotline have spiked 25 percent in the last six months. At present, there are 13,790 youth in Arizona’s foster care system – but there are only 3,292 licensed foster homes. It’s also the lowest number of licensed homes in DCS’ history. “We are working urgently to recruit more foster care providers to bring safety and stability for Arizona’s most vulnerable children,” said AZ DCS Director Mike Faust. “Many people in our community have wondered about foster care. They want to make a difference, but they’re not sure they’re a good fit or don’t not know where to start.” Adults ages 21 to 70+ can become licensed to provide foster care. Many young professionals, empty nesters and everyone in between have homes to share and love to give. Kids enter foster care through no fault of their own. They are placed in care because their biological parents or legal guardians are unable to care for them safely. The purpose of a foster home is to provide a loving place for children to learn and grow while their parents do the work that’s needed to create a safe home environment. “All children need a safe place to learn from their mistakes and gain new skills to use in their future,” said Faust. “They need someone to ask about their school day, wish them a happy birthday and check up on their homework.” For children who are unable to reunite with their parents, DCS works to connect them with loving, adoptive families. For more information about foster care, calling 877-543-7633 or visit AZDCS.gov/foster.

COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

ELECTION

from page 1

Question 5, $33 million for facilities. This is the first time Chandler has asked voters to approve selling bonds to maintain their existing buildings. Many are getting to the point they need some work, such as new HVAC units. This received the least support, but still passed by a 66 to 34 percent margin. Among The first project planned is the remodeling of Fire Station 2 at Warner and Alma School. That is considered a priority because that are has the most calls, about 4,500 a year. The station will be expanded to house an additional two units to deal with the higher number of calls. Design has already started for that project and construction is expected to begin by the end of June.

Next in line is improvements at the Police Administration Building. Dawn Lang, the city’s chief financial officer, said members of the citizens review committees who worked on the bond issues helped decide which projects need to be done first. “Public safety is important, but so are our streets,” Lang said. “It’s balancing all those areas.” One member from each of the different bond committee sat on the finance committee. Their recommendations helped the steering committee decide on a timeline for the projects approved by the voters. All of the projects the voters approved will now go into the master 10-year capital improvement plan. The $30 million crime lab for the Police Department won’t be started right away. Design for it is planned for year five, and

construction won’t begin until year six. However, things could change. “We have an opportunity on an annual basis to adjust those priorities,” Lang said. Noting that the city promises residents that their property taxes would not go up as a result of the bond issue, Lang said the city just reaffirmed its AAA bond rating with the three main issuing agencies and expects an attractive interest rate as a result. Lang said she appreciated voters approving a facilities bond for the first time. “We need to maintain what we have and it’s a really cool thing that the voters see the value of maintaining what we have,” she said. With this election complete, the City Clerk’s office is now conducting a mock election to test mobile voting. DeLong said they began marketing the vote only two days after the election ended.

City Council approved this pilot program to test letting Chandler residents vote from their phones, tablets or desktop computers. This program promises the election will be secure through the use of blockchain technology. Residents who sign up to be part of the test will be asked seven questions, DeLong said. In addition to the five bond questions they just voted on, there will be two additional questions. “If the city were to use blockchain voting in the future, would you be likely to vote from your phone or tablet?” DeLong said. She said the other question lets users vote for up to three choices, which mirrors what they would do in a Council election. In that question voters are asked to rank their preferred manner of voting. Blockchain is the same technology used to keep cryptocurrencies such as bitcoin safe.

State high court voids improperly passed ‘laws’ BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

When the Arizona Supreme Court slapped down how lawmakers approve “budget reconciliation’’ bills last week, it quashed more than the ban on schools requiring masks of faculty and students. Its three-sentence order removed a similar prohibition against cities and counties imposing mask mandates on those in public and charter schools. Also gone is the threat of school teachers being sued by the attorney general on claims that they used public

resources, ranging from email or work time, to “organize, plan or execute any activity that impedes or prevents a public school from operating for any period of time.’’ That was aimed at efforts to get teachers to stay home during COVID outbreaks at districts that don’t mandate face coverings. Universities are not precluded from requiring those on campus to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or get tested regularly, as lawmakers had voted. And workers at private firms whose employers require them to be inoculated are not entitled to a religious exemption

simply because they say so. But there’s so much more that went up in a legal puff of smoke, from how elections are run to what happens when the next governor declares a state of emergency. And it’s all because the court declared that lawmakers – and Gov. Doug Ducey who signed the bills – played fast and loose with the Arizona Constitution. The justices, without comment, upheld a lower court ruling that four separate reconciliation bills violated constitutional requirements that they have a title that adequately informs lawmakers

and the public of exactly what changes in statute were being proposed. That resulted in a dozen or so challenged provisions being voided. But the justices also found that one of the bills – labeled simply “relating to state budget procedures’’ – was so chock full of unrelated items that it also ran afoul of another constitutional requirement that all measures be limited to a single subject and related matters. For example, there were several See

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COMMUNITY NEWS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

Hamilton teacher wins prestigious national award BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Hamilton High School teacher Scott Reed says you generally see the same faces in most advance placement classes. One source of pride for him is that’s not the case in his AP psychology class. “About a third of my students, it’s their only AP class they take,” Reed said. “They’re challenging themselves to hang with the ‘honors’ kids. And I think that’s a huge help to them.” Reed was named the high school winner for the 2021 Mary Margaret Moffett Teaching Excellence award. The award is one of six awarded nationally by the Society for the Teaching of Psychology. It wasn’t so long ago that psychology wasn’t taught in high schools. Now, it’s all Reed teaches. And, Hamilton has hired a second full-time AP psychology teacher. “People don’t realize like a million students take high school psychology throughout the United States,” Reed said. When he first started teaching AP psychology 24 years ago Reed said he had one class. Now, there are ten. What draws them? First, one topic they learn about is developing your memory, something every student can appreciate. They also research different personality types, which is a topic that is usually popular with students. They enjoy taking personality tests that reveals something of their own nature. They also study cognitive biases. “Students definitely learn about themselves,” Reed said. “They’ll do this project called 50 slips, where they ask

About a third of my “students, it’s their only

AP class they take. They’re challenging themselves to hang with the ‘honors’ kids. And I think that’s a huge help to them.

”

– Scott Reed

Hamilton High School psychology teacher Scott Reed won the 2021 Mary Margaret Moffett Teaching Excellence award. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

50 different people to write a word down about their personality, and they’ll compare it to the [personality tests].” Despite the popularity of psychology at Hamilton, Reed says it’s still not taught everywhere. He said he doesn’t have the exact numbers, but suspects it’s getting close to being taught at a

majority of the nation’s high schools. Despite the popularity, Reed says he still has to dispel some misconceptions when a new year begins. “They think it’s going to be all about like disorders, and they also think it’s about reading people’s minds,” Reed said. “Another misconception is they don’t understand it’s a science. And we

need to treat it as a science. “One of the things we do the first few weeks is get rid of a lot of the common misconceptions – 10 percent of our brain; left brain right brain.” Reed said he always had the backing of both the school and the district in getting AP psychology started at Hamilton. However, he hears from other teachers around the country that is not always the case. He said one teacher told him they had 100 students sign up, but the school was only willing to give them two classes. “There’s no way in hell they’d do that to AP history, or AP language,” Reed said. He said he knows he has the support of his administration. Especially because of the results. Last year more than 100 Hamilton students passed the advance placement test. Reed said no other school had more than 40. “When we go take the AP test, some of my students who take five or six AP tests, say it’s a totally different crowd on AP psychology day.”

A Q&A with Hamilton teacher Scott Reed The American Psychological Association asked Hamilton teacher Scott Reed about teaching. What do you hope students take away from your class? I do love the term “psychological literacy.” I hope students will see the world differently and understand themselves and others with a broader understanding that psychology can bring. For many of our students this might be their only exposure to psychology in a classroom, and I hope they leave wanting to know more about the science of psychology. What is your favorite topic or lesson to teach? I love teaching “research methods” as I can see students throughout the year critique research from a variety of fields including psychology. The students today are bombarded with information from so many sources, and it is a critical skill for everyone to learn to properly critique what they are seeing. I also really enjoy

“personality” and see a lot of students become comfortable with who they are as a person through learning about this topic. What is the most memorable moment in your teaching career? My most memorable moment was finding out I was elected to the TOPSS Committee, first as a member-atlarge and then as the chair. The APA members and their committees are so supportive of high school psychology. The TOPSS website and lesson plans were so important in my development as a psychology teacher; it was wonderful to be part of some of the accomplishments of this Committee. Thanks to TOPSS I was able to attend the 2017 National Summit on High School Psychology Education, two APA conferences, and the APA/ Clark University Workshop for High School Teachers twice, and meet so many other psychologists and psychology teachers.

What do you enjoy most about teaching? I taught 6th grade, and then middle school math, and then high school math as I was building the psychology program at Hamilton High. I really loved teaching in general, but the students love psychology. My students have done a number of service projects for the National Alliance on Mental Illness and participated in many of the NAMI walks. Many of my students’ passions go beyond the classroom. What advice would you give to newer teachers of psychology? When I started teaching psychology almost 25 years ago there were not a lot of materials that were easy to obtain. Now I feel there is so much out there that it is overwhelming. Every single one of us has a different situation as most new psychology teachers have to teach other subjects and are often the only psychology teacher at the school. It is a good

thing to look to see what others are doing but be careful of making social comparison to other teachers. What advice would you give to veteran teachers of psychology? Be an advocate for our subject! Psychology should not take a “back seat” to other subjects. I hear too many stories of this from teachers I have met over the years. Also do your best to try to network with the newer teachers in the area. I also somewhat jokingly tell psychology teachers to not let out the secret that we have the best teaching job on campus. What does it mean to you to receive the Moffett award? Seeing the names of past recipients is so humbling. One of the nice things about teaching psychology is that the community is strong. I am so grateful to have been able to meet and learn from so many of the prior winners of this award.

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

Medical experts worry about cancer screening declines BY SAMANTHA MORRIS Contributor

The pandemic has kept an alarming number of Americans from getting their cancer screenings. A study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association estimated 9.4 million screenings for breast, colorectal and prostate cancer were missed last year due to COVID-19. Norman Sharpless, the director of the National Cancer Institute, estimates that pandemic delays in cancer care will lead to a total of 10,000 excess deaths in breast and colorectal cancers over the next 10 years. This has prompted local oncologists to encourage people to reschedule screenings they may have put off during the pandemic. Dr. Rogerio Lilenbaum, a senior physician executive at Banner MD Anderson Cancer Center in Gilbert, stressed the importance of early detection, even when someone isn’t experiencing any symptoms. “The whole point of screening is to detect cancer early. If you don’t have the screening test, and you only present to the health care facility when you have symptoms or you have findings, by definition you are no longer at an early

stage,” Lilenbaum explained. “The treatments are more difficult and the outcomes are not the same,” said Lilenbaum Danielle Duchini is a breast surgical oncologist at HonorHealth Del Lago Primary Care in Peoria. She has seen first-hand the effects of people skipping their mammograms. “We are seeing an uptick in the number of cancer cases,’’ explained Duchini. “People that would have gotten it in 2020, didn’t get caught in 2020, so now they’re getting caught in 2021.” Duchini recognizes that fear was a major factor in the public’s hesitancy to make appointments and wants people to understand that COVID-19 exposure is very limited because breast center facilities are kept separate from COVID patients. “Please don’t be afraid. As a breast surgical oncologist, I am more afraid of people not getting their screening mammograms, than I am of them catching COVID at a breast center,” said Duchini. Many patients told her that they had faithfully obtained mammograms every year but that when the pandemic began, they were fearful of being around medical people. “Not all medical people take care of

COVID patients,” explained Duchini. Duchini recommends that women get screened every year starting at 40 years old, contrary to the U.S. Preventive Services Task Forces’ recommendation that women get mammograms every other year starting at 50. Dr. Maurie Markman, the President of Medicine and Science at the Cancer Treatment Centers for America explained that a leading challenge right now is keeping up people’s sense of urgency to get screened. People’s routines have been disrupted and getting that routine back is really important, said Markman. Markman acknowledges that Americans have a lot on their minds, and for many, screenings may fall low on their list of priorities. Lilenbaum agrees and reassures the safety of Banner’s facilities, including all the usual protocols, such mask wearing, social distancing, and vaccination requirements for employees. He noted all Banner Health employees were required to be vaccinated by Nov. 1. “You should not delay this anymore, even though we’re not completely out of the pandemic, don’t wait until sometime in 2022 because it’s not in your best interest,” said Lilenbaum.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

Around Chandler Chandler father-son duo offering free dental services today

Chandler dentists Dr. Robert Silverman and his son Dr. Jeremy Silverman are marking a 35-year-old family tradition today, Nov. 7, with free dental exams, fillings and extractions between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. at the younger Silverman’s new practice, Peace of Mind Dental, 936 W. Chandler Blvd., Ste. 2, Chandler. Robert Silverman, a retired dentist who had practiced in Pennsylvania, started the tradition in honor of his late son Jason, Jeremy’s brother. Jason Robert said he has observed “Jay Day” every since because he “learned the importance of community support during Jason’s short life.” No appointment is necessary for the services.

Woofstock returning this month to Tumbleweed Park

When you want to really spoil your dog, or just meet other dog owners who are as crazy about their pets as you, there’s no better place to bring Fido than the City of Chandler’s Woofstock Nov. 20, which is returning a year after the pandemic forced its cancellation. From 9 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. dog owners and dog lovers should head to Tumbleweed Park with well-manned leashed pooches for hiking adventures or pet

spa. Pet Adoptions will be available through the Maricopa County Animal Care & Control and Arizona Humane Society and low-cost vaccinations can be purchased through Dignity Veterinary Hospital. Canine sporting demonstrations at various times throughout the day will be presented by Arizona Supercharged Flyball Team, Brittany Rescue, Chandler Police K9 unit and Dog Training Elite. There also will be pet caricature drawings and portraits available, “pet psychic readings” by Terrie Wallace and a “Puparazzi Photo Contest.” All food and drinks are pay-as-yougo. There are no ATMs on site; some vendors may accept credit cards. A full schedule of activities is at chandleraz. gov/explore/special-events/woofstock.

Chandler now accepting applications for CIVIC program

Mayor Hartke and the Chandler City Council are taking applications for CIVIC, an interactive, 12-session program providing Chandler residents with a behind-the-scenes look at city services. The free program will again launch in January 2022 and is the latest offering by the City to help residents connect with their government. During each session, participants will meet with city leaders, tour facilities, participate in interactive sessions and learn how to stay engaged with their local government and in their community.

Applications must be filed by Dec. 3. For details: chandleraz.gov/civic.

Sun Lakes Republican Club will be hosting border talk

The Sun Lakes Republican Club will feature “Controlling our National Borders” with guest speakers Attorney General Mark Brnovich and National Border Patrol Council Vice President Art Del Cueto at its monthly meeting 6:30-8:30 p.m. Nov. 10 in the Navajo Room at Sun Lakes Country Club, 25601 S. Sun Lakes Blvd. The public is invited, though seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. The club also reminds people to save the date of its Cowboy Christmas Dinner Dance on Friday, Dec. 10, 2021, from 5-9 P.M. in Cottonwood Country Club’s San Tan Ballroom. Music and entertainment will be provided by Harry Mathews with a “Western Gunslinger Buffet” of BBQ Chicken and Beef Ribs. Tickets will be available for $35 at the November meeting on a first come, first served basis. For more information, contact Chairman Mike Tennant, 480-802-0178.

Play golf, help people with disabilities in Chandler

Chandler’s annual golf tournament to benefit people with disabilities is set for this week. 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.

Crayola offers shopping spree for 3 lucky kids in Chandler

Through Friday, Nov, 12, children can enter a random drawing for a chance to participate in Crayola’s “64 Seconds of Color” Shopping Spree at Crayola Experience location at the Chandler Fashion Center. The event is named after the company’s box of 64 crayons. Three lucky kids chosen at random will be able to dash through the Crayola Store with a uniformed Chandler police officer to collect as much product as they can. Each child will be able to keep what they collected at the end of the race. Crayola Experience will then duplicate the collected items and donate them to Arizona Helping Hands for this holiday season. Arizona Helping Hands is a nonprofit that helps raise money to support foster families. Entry forms for the “64 Seconds of Color” shopping spree are available See

AROUND on page 24

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

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provisions on elections, like allowing the state Game and Fish Department to register voters and mandating that there be specific kinds of paper and fraud countermeasures on future ballots. Yet the same measure, SB 1819, also sought to preclude the kind of ongoing emergency declaration that Ducey declared in March 2020 and still exists. Also stuffed into SB 1819 was a task force to study “unreported in-kind contributions,’’ setting aside $500,000 based on questions raised by some GOP lawmakers who wanted to see if social media platforms were influencing elections. There also was a “major events fund’’ to help underwrite the costs of the 2023 Super Bowl and other sports events and even a provision removing the legal definition of what constitutes a “newspaper,’’ a maneuver that could allow free publications to accept and run legal ads. Among the not-to-be laws was what some legislators referred to as a ban on teaching “critical race theory.’’ That phrase was not in the legislation. And, in fact, what is critical race theory actually goes to the issue of whether there is inherent racism that effectively is baked into society and continues to have an effect. But that didn’t stop proponents from seeking to declare it illegal to bar teaching that an individual, by virtue of race, ethnicity or sex, bears responsibility for actions committed by others of the same race, ethnicity or sex, or from teaching that any individual should feel “discomfort, guity, anguish or other

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

form of psychological distress because of their race, ethnicity or sex.’’ •B ut there’s so much more that in the bills that the Supreme Court voided: • P recluding the state or local governments from establishing a COVID-19 “vaccine passport’’ or requiring any business to obtain proof of vaccination status of patrons; - Exempting the Department of Public Safety from certain oversight requirements when it purchases body cameras for officers; • S tripping the secretary of state of the ability to defend election laws -- but only through 2022, the time that Democrat Katie Hobbs leaves office; •M oving oversight of the State Museum from the secretary of state to the legislative council; •A llowing a condominium to be terminated only if all the owners agree; • S etting up an “election integrity fund’’ to finance election security, cybersecurity measures and any post-election hand counts; • P rohibiting the Arizona Lottery from advertising at a professional sporting event; • P ermitting the auditor general, an arm of the legislature, to review the process used to maintain early voter lists -- but only in Maricopa County; • P etitioning the federal Election Assistance Commission to allow the state to require proof of citizenship on registration forms that allow people to vote only in federal elections; • R eimbursing liabilities of the Department of Forestry and Fire Management in excess of $250,000; • Setting up a special committee to review the audit of the 2020 election.

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at the Crayola Store, located next to Crayola Experience Chandler. The store is open to the public without admission to Crayola Experience. No purchase is necessary to enter. The shopping spree is an annual tradition and will be held Nov. 23.

Chandler Museum offers exhibits, gift ideas for the holidays

Chandler Museum has a couple fob ix exhibits and also has some gift ideas for holiday shoppers. “Bigger than Boxing: Zora Folley and the 1967 Heavyweight Title” looks at the 1967 Heavyweight Championship fight between Muhammad Ali and Chandler fighter Zora Folley. “Greatest Photographs of the American West” offers selections from the National Geographic Archive. Each image captures a different aspect of the West including interactions among the people, visitors, and wildlife, as well as landscapes with endless skies, boundless plains, and dramatic mountains. Docent tours are Sundays at 1:30 p.m. and 3 p.m. and people can register at eventbrite.com/e/docent-tour-tickets-169158306047. Foer gift ideas, check out the “Museum in a Box” offerings, including one that enables participants to explore

architecture with a Frank Lloyd Wright themed activity box. New is the Museum in a Box with supplies for four Southwest-themed holiday activities and a book. Families will learn about The Legend of the Poinsettia, and then follow instructions to make bright flowers out of felt. Other projects include: working together to design luminarias, arranging mini-cotton-boll wreaths, and assembling a tree inspired by Chandler’s Tumbleweed Tree.

Get tickets for annual Chuck Wagon Cook-Off this week

The annual Chandler Chuck Wagon Cook-off will be held 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13, at the Tumbleweed Ranch at Tumbleweed Park, 2250 S. McQueen Road, Chandler. Experience a rare, up-close look at Western history during this family-friendly culinary event. Authentic 1880s chuck wagon teams from around the West use historic cooking methods to create the best five-course meals fit for the trail. Eat onsite at socially distanced tables or take the meal to go. Three different mealtimes are offered and tickets can be purchased at pardnersoftumbleweedranch.org. The event is sponsored by the Pardners of Tumbleweed Ranch and the Chandler Museum.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Chef service serves healthy meals to seniors BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Sun Lakes resident Peter Landman said it was becoming an unhealthy routine. Because of health problems, he and his wife, Susan, were too tired to do a lot of shopping and cooking – so, their dinners were beginning to look the same. “We weren’t eating well,” Landman said. “We’d get around to dinner time and hadn’t thought of anything, or prepared. She’d end up with grilled cheese or peanut butter and jelly sandwich every night. I would do pretty much the same, have maybe cold cuts, or peanut butter and jelly. “We were getting out of really wanting to make the effort.” Landman said he began to think about moving into an assisted care facility, something neither of them really wanted to do. That’s when a friend told them about Chef for Seniors. The service has a chef come to your home to prepare a week’s worth of meals in your kitchen. The chef does all the shopping and cooking, and even cleans up after. Peter Landman said it is just what

Chef Robb Nicklin prepares a sizzling dish at the home of Peter and Sue Landman in Sun Lakes. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

they needed. Chef Robb Nicklin comes every two weeks and make 14 meals, or enough for seven days for the two of them. That gives them the freedom to go out for a meal if they’re feeling up to it, or to make themselves something when the mood strikes. And they still

get a week’s worth of meals ready to heat and serve. Landman says he likes the idea of the chef cooking in their home. “I like that idea because I see what’s going into the food,” he said. “And I feel more comfortable that way.” Nicklin says he’s enjoying the job,

which he has been doing since 2017. He lost his job as an instructor at the Art Institute of Phoenix. He was 60 at the time and was looking for a job, but not getting many offers. He saw Chef for Seniors in a Facebook post and it intrigued him. He had been an executive chef at OakWood Country Club in Sun Lakes when it first opened. He knew he liked to cook, and he loved working with seniors, so he bought a franchise for most of the Southeast Valley. “The absolute bliss of it, isn’t really there anymore,” Nicklin said of his love for cooking. “It’s something that I’ve been doing my whole life. I’m very good at it, I’m very efficient at it.” Nicklin started operating his franchise in January 2020, and just as he started getting some regular clients, the pandemic hit. Nicklin said he shut it down soon after because of concerns for his wife, who has a medical condition that could put her more at risk to COVID-19. As he restarts his business, Nicklin says his clients have many reasons for hiring him. See

CHEF on page 28

Marking a year, Chandler foundation head looks to future BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

The charitable foundation for Chandler-based apparel company State Forty Eight is still trying to figure out where it can do the most good. “This first year, you know, we kind of went out there with a lot of intentions around the programs that we wanted to launch,” said Alyssa Moore, the new executive director of the State Forty Eight Foundation. “This first year has really been about … having conversations with our different business partners, talking to our supporters and really seeing, you know, what it is they need out in the community.” The foundation launched in December of last year. After having those conversations, it just staged its first event in September – a seven-week entrepreneur speaker program. “It was our first program we’ve ever done, it was really exciting,” Moore said. “We had over 200 people in attendance.” She said they secured more than $12,500 in grants and they plan to give that money away to entrepreneurs to help them start their businesses. They are currently accepting applications for that grant money. The top grant will be for $2,000. Others will be $1,500, $1,000 and $500.

Left: Alyssa Moore is the new executive director of the State Forty Eight Foundation. Right: State Forty Eight CEO and co-founder Michael Spangenberg said that by forming a foundation, the Chandler apparel company can expand its efforts to give back to the community. (Special to SanTan Sun News)

“It was a lot of work to get this thing off the ground,” Moore said. “Really trying to build up that curriculum, figure

out who made sense for which part of the curriculum, and then finding those individuals.”

One of their next events is to help the Phoenix Rising break a food-packing record set by the Arizona Cardinals. The United Food Bank is helping. The three organizations hope to find 200 volunteers to pack emergency food bags from 5 to 7 p.m., Nov. 17 at the Rising’s stadium. The United Food Bank provides 75,000 meals daily and an emergency food bag can feed a family of four for up to a week. Moore said there’s a reason they chose entrepreneurship as their first program. “If you’re going to be developing out specific programming within your organization, it’s something you should be an expert at,” Moore said. “We’re not experts at youth mentorship, we’re not experts at feeding the hungry. That’s why we create See

STATE48 on page 29

BUSINESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

Luxury pet supply sales help Chandler woman heal BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

Chandler resident Stéphanie Rabinowitz said it didn’t take long for her life to change directions. “It only takes one second to change your whole life around,” she said. “I was perfectly fine before that. I’m definitely not what I used to be.” Raninowitz walked outside of her home in Washington state and tripped and fell in 2014. The city was constructing the 520 bridge near Seattle and she said workers failed to level the road after having dug it up for a trench. “It basically wiped my life out for four years,” said Rabinowitz, who trained for triathlons before the fall. “I fell on my face, I ended up using a cane for two years. I had to go to rehab to learn to walk again.” That even delayed her web-based business, Le Pet Luxe, dedicated to pet supplies. She has since moved to Chandler and says the business she started in 2012 is finally taking off. “We’re definitely growing, we’re getting more orders, which is great,” Rabinowitz said. The website offers a variety of products, from clothing and food to bowls and beds. Rabinowitz said what she specializes in is customer service. She said many customers are surprised when an actual person returns their call. Rabinowitz said she offers quality luxury goods at reasonable prices.

sits inside a parked car for 15 minutes with a thermometer to show how hot they can get. Another video discusses how fireworks are behind two of the biggest days of the year where many pets run away and get lost. A timelier tip is keep your black cats inside for the rest of this month. Some children will get rough with black cats the closer it gets Halloween. I’m just trying to give a lot of education, and [support] rights for the animals,” Rabinowitz said. She said her business was able to survive the pandemic because she was already operating out of her Chandler home. That, and people will still take care of their pets, even during an economic downturn. “These are their babies, Chandler resident Stéphanie Rabinowitz suffered a serious fall when she lived in Washington and has you’re still going to take found that her luxury pet supply business helps her focus on recovering. (David Minton/Staff Photographer) care of your babies, feed them, give them treats,” she Rabinowitz said the hottest selling She said that kind of customer care said. “I was working from home before has led to great reviews and good word- item on her website this month dog the pandemic, so I don’t mind it.” costumes. Some are buying them for of-mouth buzz that has helped build Rabinowitz says she’s still recovering Oktoberfest, others are buying them her business. from that one second that changed When one customer called asking for for Halloween. her life. She still suffers from PTSD, but She said it’s important to her that a wheelchair for her dog, Rabinowitz focusing on her business has helped her the website do more than sell goods. said she immediately started researchrecover. She also posts safety videos. In one, she ing options. Information: lepetluxe.com

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

from page 26

“I have clients who are trying desperately to stay in their homes, they don’t want to go to an assisted living facility, especially after the last year,” Nicklin said. “I’ve also got some clients who are younger workers, and they have noticed they are starting to eat more and more fast food, and not feeling so good about it.” Nicklin said his service is much more affordable than eating fast food or eating out and gives those busy young people a healthier option. “We are not just dropping food off,” Nicklin said. “Chefs for Seniors works in the homes of people who need help or are tired of cooking. Knowing that we are helping our clients continue to enjoy their freedom and independence is the most fulfilling part of our work. It’s about good food and good company.” Landman said he was impressed with the options, showing a print out with four pages of meal ideas. Nicklin said that list is just the beginning. He offers the list to give people

Peter Landman, left, talks about menus with Chef Robb Nicklin. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

ideas, but he’s open to cooking other meals that aren’t on the menu. “If you can name it, I can make it,” he said. Landman said he’s happy with the service. He said they tried one of those

services where you order fresh meals online and have them shipped to your house. He said he didn’t enjoy the meals. That’s not the case with Chef for Seniors, and he says he plans to remain

one of their customers. With 95 percent of seniors reporting that they want to remain in their homes as they age and the senior population in the US expected to increase 30 percent between 2020-2030, the demand is growing for services like Chefs For Seniors that enable the elderly to remain independent. Long-time restaurant owner Barrett Allman and his his son Nathan Allman started the original location of Chefs For Seniors in 2013. In addition to the Chandler/Sun Lakes area, the company also has franchise locations in 60 other markets. “We are excited to begin offering the service in Chandler and believe this will help us reach even more seniors needing help with meals and wanting companionship,” Barrett Allman said. “Over the last six years we’ve proven this service fills a need for our clients and provides great opportunities for chefs.” Information: chefsforseniors.com/ chandler-sun-lakes.

Aviation company opening center in Chandler SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

A national aviation company has announced a new training facility for Scottsdale Airpark with a satellite at Chandler Airport that will provide various services. Cirrus Aircraft said it will open a

Cirrus Aircraft Innovation Center at Chandler Airport to provide avionics, electrical and software engineering services. “Cirrus Aircraft conducted a nationwide search to identify the most ideal locations for its newest facilities, ultimately landing in Arizona and Texas

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due to their proximity to Cirrus Aircraft customers and skilled talent pools,” the school said in a release. The Chandler facility, and the McKinney, Texas, center will support the product development team responsible for advancing new technologies and designs for innovative products. “The Chandler and McKinney Innovation Centers add significant capabilities and further extend our capacity to fuel our ambitious product innovation plans,” said Pat Waddick, president of innovation and operations at Cirrus Aircraft. “Additionally, our expansion efforts not only attract new talent to Cirrus Aircraft in great locations, but generate jobs and economic growth within the local markets.” The Scottsdale facility will provide customers with a personalized flight training and full-service aircraft management. “The expansion of Cirrus Flight Training in Arizona continues our mission of providing world-class training through both our company-owned facilities and partner network around the world,” said Cirrus CEO Zean Nielsen.

“We are excited to begin offering this premium flight training service in Scottsdale that builds on our Cirrus Services initiative to redefine personal aviation through a world-class customer service experience.” Cirrus Aircraft is a leader in personal aviation and the maker of the SR Series piston aircraft and the Vision JetM, the world’s first single-engine personal jet and recipient of the Robert J. Collier Trophy for a significant achievement in aeronautics. Founded in 1984, the company also made the first FAA-certified whole-airframe parachute safety system included as standard equipment on an aircraft. To date, worldwide flight time on Cirrus aircraft has passed 13 million hours and “212 people have returned home safely to their families as a result of the inclusion” of that parachute system as a standard feature on all its aircraft. The company is recruiting employees at cirrusaircraft.com/careers. For information on training programs: flighttraining@cirrusaircraft.com.

BUSINESS

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

Inﬂation’s history in U.S. is not very pretty BY DR. HAROLD WONG Guest Writer

Here are some recent headlines and key facts from recent articles: “Here’s why your food prices keep going up” by Laura Reiley and Alyssa Flowers in the Washington Post: “Compared to August, 2019, the Consumer Price Index for meat, poultry, fish and eggs has gone up 15.7 percent.” “Social Security cost-of-living increase will boost benefits 5.9 percent in 2022 as inflation spikes” by Paul Davidson in USA Today. “This is the biggest annual increase since 1982.” “A key measure of inflation surged to a new 30-year high” by Anneken Tappe, CNN Business. “The price index tracking consumer spending – the PCE price index – was up 4.3 percent over the 12 months ending in August. That was a faster pace than July’s 4.2 percent. Inflation continued to run at the fastest pace since January 1991.” There are two consumer items that really hit home for the average American household: the price of bacon and the price of gasoline. When I stop at

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from page 26

partnerships. That’s what we did on the State Forty Eight side.” She said that’s the plan they want to

Fry’s grocery store, the price of one pound of bacon is $7 vs. $5 one year ago. When one looks at gasprices.aaa. com/?state=AZ website, the average price (of all blends) was $3.467 on Oct. 26 vs. $2.250 a year ago. For premium gas, it’s $3.986 per gallon on Oct. 26 vs. $2.789 a year ago. A historical lesson if inflation continues to accelerate: In October 1973, Arab nations attacked Israel on Yom Kippur. They formed OPEC (Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries) and used an oil embargo as an economic weapon for the first time. Within, six months, oil had gone up from $3 per barrel to $12 per barrel and caused inflation the rest of the 1970’s. The 1979 Oil Crisis was the “second oil shock.” Because oil is used heavily to grow, transport, and dry food, the price of food increased substantially. The price of soy beans quadrupled to over $13 a bushel. The US experienced the worst of all worlds: “stagflation” – which is stagnating economic growth coupled with inflation. There was a three-year period where Social Security cost-of-living

annual increases totaled 35.40 percent, consisting of: 9.9 percent increase in 1979; 14.3 percent in 1980; and 11.2 percent in 1981. Federal Reserve Bank Chairman Paul Volcker raised interest rates to the highest level in US history: federal funds rate of 20 percent; prime borrowing rate of 21.5 percent; and a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage on a house was 18 percent. It led to a serious recession with: unemployment over 10 percent; the entire savings & loan industry going out of business; and hundreds of banks going bankrupt. There were cities in Texas where it took 10 years before housing values recovered to their previous levels. Why did Volcker do this? The inflation of the 1970’s, started by the OPEC oil embargo of 1973, led to seriously high inflation that eroded the value of savings and normal families struggled to buy necessities. Volcker saw this as a cancer on America. In normal cancer, the cure (surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation) can be worse than the disease. The high interest rates did eventually stop inflation, but at

the cost of millions of Americans suffering during a huge recession. Once inflation was wrung out of the economy, it did lead to an economic boom enjoyed by future presidents such as Bill Clinton, and both Bush Presidents. If inflation becomes hyper-inflation, history has darker lessons. Hyper-inflation destroys the middle-class, which is the glue that keeps all countries stable.. The hyper-inflation of the 1930s led to the collapse of the German economy (a precursor to World War 2) and the Communist Revolution in China. A future article will talk about how one protects one’s financial future if inflation lasts for years. Free Information on tax savings, retirement planning, and solar business investments can be found at drharoldwong.com or solarbusinessinvestments. com. To schedule your free consultation, contact Dr. Harold Wong at 480-7060177 or harold_wong@hotmail.com. Dr. Harold Wong earned his Ph.D. in economics at University of California/ Berkeley and has appeared on over 400 TV/radio programs.

follow going forward: Using the same blueprint they used to build State Forty Eight to build their foundation. “On the entrepreneurship piece, that’s what we know,” Moore said. “That’s our bread and butter. We’re

connected to so many local businesses, which means most of them are startups themselves.” And their foundation is hoping to help the next set of business leaders get their start. State Forty Eight was started in 2013 by three local entrepreneurs as a casual clothing company that is inspired by Arizona. “We’re so much more than just selling T-shirts and hats,” said State Forty Eight co-founder and CEO, Michael Spangenberg. “The foundation will prove that we stand by what we say and that we really want to make a difference in the community.” State Forty Eight was founded in 2013 by local entrepreneurs Spangenberg and brothers Stephen and Nicholas Polando to show their appreciation for Arizona. The brand “represents a lifestyle, a sense of community and is an expression of pride,” and “is about redefining

the status-quo and inspiring others to rise up and stand for something they believe in,” according to State Forty Eight’s website. Last year, State Forty Eight established the State Forty Eight Foundation with a mission “to enrich and strengthen Arizona through thoughtful partnerships, inspired community action, and investment in the changemakers of tomorrow,” it said. The nonprofit contributes to the wellbeing of Arizonans by organizing fundraising and events for community causes, conducting workshops and providing mentorship to educate and inspire Arizona youth. It also offers start-ups entrepreneurial education and access to resources by partnering with incubator organizations, Spangenberg said. “It’s very rewarding to help people follow their passion and make a difference in the community,” Spangenberg said.

Harrah’s names Chandler woman marketing chief SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino – part of Caesars Entertainment and the state’s only tribal casino with an international management partner – has named Chandler resident Samantha Gulick director of marketing. In her new role, Gulick will oversee all marketing efforts including advertising, public relations and outreach strategies that drive traffic and build brand awareness for the casino and its food and beverage outlets. Gulick has been with Caesars Entertainment for more than seven years. Prior to joining Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino as its database marketing & advertising manager, she worked as the marketing campaign manager for Harrah’s & Horseshoe Council Bluffs in Council Bluffs, Iowa and Harrah’s North Kansas City Hotel and Casino in Missouri, where she was responsible for all outbound digital and direct mail marketing campaigns. “Samantha has proven to be a very knowledgeable and capable leader,” said Michael Kintner, senior vice president and general manager. “Her accomplishments speak to her abilities as an innovative and impactful leader

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Under new direction Casteel swim builds new culture BY EMERIL GORDON Contributing writer

With Covid behind them and a new coach on deck, Casteel swim sets its sights on developing a culture that extends to its school community and beyond. Like many programs last year, Casteel was hit with major changes due to COVID-19. The team practiced in multiple small groups instead of the whole team together, each athlete was required to scan into practice with a QR code and complete a survey about whether he or she had any COVID-19 symptoms and of course limited attendance at meets. The most drastic change of them all was virtual swim meets. Virtual swim meets entailed each team swimming against itself, taking down each event’s time, and sending the times to the district. Once the times were sent to the district, it (the district) would put them up against the times of the team Casteel was competing against to come up with the point totals and which team won the meet. “(Meets) was the only time we actually got to do anything together with the whole team,’’ junior and team co-captain Aubrey Cook said. Because the team was never together outside of meets last season it was difficult for them to get to know each

Casteel’s swim program, under new direction, is building a new culture with a foundation of comradery among the team. (Arianna Grainey/Casteel Athletics)

other outside of those who were in the same practice group together. Coming into the current season, rebuilding a solid team dynamic was one of the team’s top priorities as seeing a covid season takeaway one of the best parts of being a part of a team put things in perspective for the athletes. “Now that the normalcy is back, we (the team) really wanted to take advantage of it,’’ Cook said. “So, this season, the team has really taken time to get to

know each other.’’ Cook’s fellow co- captain senior Presley Glenn noted that building this team dynamic for her as a co-captain began at try-outs. “I introduced myself to everyone that I could while at try-outs,’’ she said. ‘’Especially the freshmen because it is important to help make them feel welcome since they did not really know anyone yet.’’ The underclassmen are having a huge

impact not only in the pool but outside of the pool for the team as well. In past years, Glenn said that she attempted to take on the role of recruiting students to join the swim team because of how much she loved being a part of the team but had little success with those attempts. Cook believes that despite Glenn’s unsuccessful attempts to recruit for the team, the attitude and energy of the underclassmen on the team this year will yield even greater interest and participation rates than Glenn had attempted to achieve in the past. “They are super outgoing and enthusiastic about the sport and many of them participate in competitive swimming at the club level outside of the high school season,’’ Cook said. “I think their enthusiasm paired with their involvement will bring a greater level of pride and participation to the team.’’ Going into her final season with the team next year, Cook would like to help the team achieve an interest level comparable to that of what football and soccer has at Casteel. “Everyone is always talking about going to certain football and soccer games and filling up the student section,’’ she said. “I would love to hear students talking about coming to meets and inviSee

CASTEEL on page 31

3 Chandler schools leading the way in state’s playoff rankings BY ZACH ALVIRA Sports Editor

Over the course of the last six years conversations surrounding high school football in the state have shifted from “who will be the favorite to win the title?” to “who can knock off Chandler?” The answer to that question, at least the last two seasons, has been the Wolves’ rival just down the street, Hamilton. Any time the two teams meet, regardless of record, it brings out the best in both program’s Division I athletes. It’s one of the top rivalries in the state and has been recognized around the country as of last year when ESPN’s cameras flocked to Austin Field to take in the Battle of Arizona Avenue. It’s no question two of the largest schools in the district have been the best in the state the past two seasons. And it’s likely they will meet again this season for the coveted Open Division state championship. But Hamilton and Chandler are no longer alone as the top dogs from that part of the East Valley making headlines in the Open Division rankings. Basha, a program littered with young talent, is here to stay. “I’m really excited with where we are at and what we have in our program. We have a lot of really good young football players in this program,” Basha

Chandler High School’s football program is no longer the only dominant program in the district with its rival, Hamilton, and Basha knocking on the door as one of the top seeds alongside the Wolves in the Open Division. (Corey Cross/Contributor)

coach Chris McDonald said. “It’s nice to be in the conversation. We have been in that conversation since the beginning of the year, but we’ve got to finish. We have to actually do it. We haven’t completed the job.” Basha’s win over a previously undefeated Highland team on Oct. 22 allowed the then-8-0 Bears to jump from No. 5 in the elite eight rankings to No. 2, just behind top-dog Chandler and one spot above Hamilton. It also allowed the Bears to crack MaxPreps’ national top-100 rankings for the first time this season. The latest rankings, released Tuesday,

Nov. 2, put the Bears at No. 3 in the state behind Chandler and Hamilton. That ranking will likely continue an upward trend should the Bears take care of business, as they’re expected to, against a tough Mountain View team before their bye week to end the regular season. A perfect 10-0 record is in reach for the Bears. It would be the first time since the MaxPreps era began in 2004 the Bears finish the regular season unscathed. It would also likely set up them, Chandler and Hamilton as the top three seeds in the Open Division. Which means at least two of the three would

be set up for a collision course in the semifinals. Several Hamilton players took to social media after the Oct. 26 rankings revealed Basha had leap-frogged the Huskies after their bye week. Some weren’t happy. Some shared a laugh through emojis. All of them vowed the rankings would take care of themselves. While Hamilton’s main rival is and will always be Chandler, a mini one of sorts has been brewing since the summer, when two top athletes made the move to Basha after a locker room See

CHANDLER on page 31

SPORTS & RECREATION

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

CASTEEL

from page 30

tationals to support the swim team.’’ Head swim coach Leonard Hass believes this is a fully attainable goal for the sport at Casteel. “We just need to continue to show what we are capable of. We are a formidable force in high school swimming,’’ Hass said. “And of course, we have to get the word out (about the meets) too.’’ During Hass’s first year as coach of this team he has focused on two things with the team: building a family and building each athlete’s character. He said he treats each kid the way he wants them to treat each other and hopes that the relationships they develop extend beyond swimming. Glenn said that is indeed what happened in her case. “I met many of my best friends during my high school career on this team,’’ she said. “Being a part of this group has truly been special and I am

CHANDLER

Casteel junior co-captain Aubrey Cook said COVID-19 took a toll on the team as they were unable to have “normal” meets and were separated from one another in groups. She said this season has been much different and the atmosphere overall has improved. (Arianna Grainey/Casteel Athletics)

from page 30

incident involving an assistant coach. Cole Martin, one of the top junior defensive backs in the country, and junior Deshaun Buchanan, a two-way running back and linebacker with Division I offers, donned the green and gold this season for Basha. The two added even more talent to a roster littered with major Division I prospects. Both teams feel they have what it takes to take down the other. Both feel they have the best chances to take down Chandler, which has won five straight state titles at the highest level. Hamilton, though, has the first opportunity on Nov. 12 when the two meet for the regular-season finale, a game that will likely feature two top-15 ranked teams in the country should neither lose. Currently, Hamilton is No. 15. Chandler is No. 10 in the nation. “It’s great when you have schools that close in proximity playing at a high level,” Chandler coach Rick Garretson said. “Coach Z has done a great job over there at Hamilton and Coach McDonald has done an unbelievable job over at Basha where he’s taken that program over the last couple of years from where he started from. It’s good

Hamilton’s rise to a national power for yet another time took place two years ago in head coach Mike Zdebski’s second season. This year, ahead of its annual contest against Chandler at the end of the season, the Huskies are No. 15 in the nation, ﬁve spots behind the Wolves. (Andy Silvas/Contributor)

for Arizona football, it’s good for the Chandler community, it’s good for everybody.” Chandler prides itself on being Chandler.. The players, several of whom will be playing Saturdays for Power Five schools, stay focused. They all know what it feels like to win championships. And they all want that feeling to continue.

The balance of power shifted to the Chandler area long ago, and nobody should be surprised if it remains for years to come. Chandler’s freshman and junior varsity teams are undefeated. Hamilton’s freshman and junior varsity have had success this season. Basha’s varsity roster is filled with sophomores and juniors at nearly every starting position.

glad I made the decision to do so.’’ Adding something more to who his athletes are other than simply swimmers is also important to Hass. “Swimming is one of the best sports to build character,’’ Hass said of a reason why he hopes more students get involved at Casteel. Cook concurred with Hass, saying she credits swimming and her co-captain role this year with improving her confidence. She said she can be a little reserved but being given the position pushed her to step up, take charge and be more vocal. Glenn said she will carry with her the fun times and memories she has had while a part of this team while Cook is looking forward to helping build and cement the legacy of Casteel swim going into her senior year. Hass is excited to see the team evolve and said at the end of the day he wants the team to stick by each other’s side, have no regrets and lift each other up as they climb to greater heights. Outside of the Open Division, at least this season, Perry has been in contention for state titles. Casteel won the 3A title in 2017 and has since moved up to the 6A Conference where it will contend this season for the championship. Arizona College Prep, a 3A team, won its first-ever region title in 2020. The future continues to look bright for the Chandler district in football and several other sports with Chandler, Hamilton and Basha leading the way on the gridiron. Along with the usual suspects of Saguaro, Chaparral, Liberty, Highland and others sprinkled in, these three programs will be top contenders for state titles for the foreseeable future. And this year will be the first look at what the rivalry between the three Chandler schools could become. “We are extremely proud of all our sports here in CUSD. Football gets the optics, and we are fortunate to have a multitude of successes there,” Chandler Unified School District Athletic Director Shawn Rustad said. “It’s attributed to our school’s leadership, our coaches who work relentlessly and our awesome families and student athletes. As far as the Open is concerned what could be is exciting but right now each program is taking it game by game.”

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Tarwater kids connect with astronauts

BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer

For more than a minute Tarwater Elementary School students were calling the International Space Station and all they got back in return was static. Organizers said this is normal – and expected. They only had a brief window to make their call. They had to wait until the ISS appeared above the horizon before the radio signal would reach them. “November-Alpha-One-Sierra-Sierra, November-Alpha-One-Sierra-Sierra, this is Whiskey-Seven-Mike-Radio-Foxtrot, Whiskey-Seven-Mike-Radio-Foxtrot, calling for a scheduled school contact, do you copy? Over.” Only static came back. They repeated that process about a half dozen times before a faint reply could be heard. They asked if the ISS was ready for questions. When they said yes, the students cheered. So many things could have gone wrong that would have disappointed the students. But nothing went wrong and 10 students were able to quiz Astronaut Shane Kimbrough about his current six-month stay in space. Principal Diane Hale said the first challenge to making that call last Wednesday was COVID-19. The school was approved

contact. When I first heard them come back it was a sigh of relief.” The ISS travels at 17,500 miles per hour, so the window for talking to an astronaut onboard was only about 10 minutes before it would be below the horizon and the radio signal lost. The 10 students chosen represent grades kindergarten through sixth grade. Still, Hale said all students had a chance to participate. “The questions come from a bank from our whole school,” Hale said. “We’ve been collecting them for several months, then we had a committee that chose the favorites.” Wednesday’s presentaHam operator Jim Davies helps hold the microphone as Tarwater Elementary School first grader Clark tion was quite the proBennett uses amateur radio to ask a question of NASA astronaut Shane Kimbrough on the International duction. Chandler Unified Space Station. (David Minton/Arizonan Staff Photographer) School District plans to post the video to its YouTube page. operators who helped connect the to be one of a handful to get to speak In addition to the questions and anschool to the ISS. He said it was not an to the ISS last year but had to cancel swers with Kimbrough, the show includeasy process. because campuses were shut down. ed several videos and a performance by “At the last second, one of our wires They reapplied for this year and the school’s choir. was loose and we weren’t able to transwere one of only seven U.S. schools The choir sang “ISS Is Somebody mit,” Davies said. “The smallest thing approved to contact the space station. Jim Davies was one of the HAM radio could go wrong and we don’t make the See on page 34

TARWATER

Jewish War Vets auction offers big prizes SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

A free three-day getaway at Cabo San Lucas, a private suite at Churchill Downs, $500 worth of hypnosis weightloss sessions and a $500 Walmart gift card are among the prizes people can win while simultaneously helping homeless veterans. Those and other goodies will be auctioned online through Nov. 10 by Jewish War Veterans Copper State Post 619. To sign up, go to bid123.io/JWV or phone 888-577-4011 The post’s “A Hand Up 4 Vets” auction features several dozen prizes that have been assembled by a committee that has worked for months to secure more than 60 donations from generous area businesses and others. “We wanted to create a fundraiser that would be COVID-safe for all of our retired members, the majority of whom are not as young as I am,” joked 90-year-old Auction Committee Chair and Senior Vice Commander Owen Fabert. “We decided an online auction would be a perfect way for our community to help homeless veterans for now.” “We are thrilled about the quality and uniqueness of our auction items,” he added. “The participating organizations have really stepped up and given us a range of exciting special experienc-

This collage represents some of the goodies up for bid in the auction. (Courtesy of JWV Post 619)

es and items.” Proceeds will go to nonprofits such as Veterans First, which prevents homelessness and stabilizes the lives of women veterans; MANA House, which offers transitional living for homeless veterans; AZ Veterans Stand Down Alliance, which offers resources for thousands of homeless and at-risk vets

at annual events; and US Vets-Phoenix, which serves more than 1,200 homeless veterans annually. Auction Committee member Nancy Stutman noted that two of every five people experiencing homelessness live in places unfit for human habitation. “Homeless veterans require an array of services to get them back on their

feet as productive, contributing citizens,” she said. “While there are service providers, they are underfunded and need support.” Among the major gifts are three trips for two: classroom training and a chance to drive a NASCAR Monster EnSee

AUCTION on page 34

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TARWATER

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

from page 33

Singing” – written by Canadian Astronaut Chris Hadfield while he was living on the station. He had some help from the Canadian pop band Barenaked Ladies in writing the song. As the choir sang, students came out of several nearby classrooms to listen. Hale said everyone on campus has

AUCTION

from page 33

ergy car on a professional track; a private Jockey Club Suite at the famed Kentucky thoroughbred racetrack Churchill Downs; and a two-night hotel stay and the other a three-day, four-night stay in an oceanfront hotel suite in Cabo San Lucas. The trips do not include airfare. Another high-dollar item is an 18inch gold diamond-and-emerald neck-

been looking forward to this event for months. One of the videos played before contact was made had two children who are HAM radio operators explaining how they would be talking to the ISS. There had to be line of sight, so a cloudy day could have ruined the whole event. There were clear skies on Wednesday. They needed a big antenna and then had to know the course the

space station would take. A computer had to keep the antenna pointed at the station the entire time. The students had to constantly adjust for the Doppler effect. They needed equipment to boost the signal. And of course, the entire process had to be cleared with NASA. HAM radio operator Lionel Mongin made the event possible. His daughters and son attend Tarwater and he approached the school, letting them

know about the program. Davies said they practiced making this contact for more than a month in order to avoid any problems. If something went wrong, then there would be 10 very disappointed children looking at them, Mongin said. “It was a lot of pressure on us,” he said. Luckily, the space station answered the call.

lace that Fabert has donated. For more adventurous folks, the auction is offering a desert flight for five in a WW2 C-45 Expeditor or a 30-minute open-cockpit flight in a WWII biplane. Among the dinner packages is a night-s stay at Wild Horse Pass with a $250 gift certificate for Shula’s Steakhouse Restaurant. The auction also includes an assortment of sports and entertainment memorabilia –including a framed LA Lakers “Showtime” jersey signed by

Magic Johnson, three golfing experiences and a speed rep helmet signed by Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray – as well as personal care sessions such as four virtual hypnosis sessions with the Ellman Hypnosis Institute and a facial skin treatment package from Dr. David Hecht. On the home front, Joyful Downsizing has donated two three-hour organizing sessions for people’s homes or garages. And there are tickets to the Arizona Theater, Greater Phoenix Jewish Film

Festival, the Chihuly/Las Noches de las Luminarias and others. Jewish War Veterans Copper State Post 619 is an all-volunteer organization and part of a national nonprofit created in 1896 by American Civil War veterans. People also can look for the auction link at Facebook.com/copperstatepost619. For more information, or for questions: 480-629-5100 or jwv4vets@gmail. com.

Chandler woman to help Duet expand its mission SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Chandler resident Cathy Gaudio recently joined Duet: Partners in Health and Aging as an outreach manager. Gaudio will be responsible for volunteer recruiting as well as raising awareness in the community about Duet’s mission to mission to promote health and well-being through vitally needed services to homebound adults, family caregivers, faith communities, and grandfamilies. “I joined the Duet team to serve the

Cathy Gaudio

community in a meaningful way and look forward to broadening my skills in engaging marginalized communities and recruiting a diverse base of volunteers,” Gaudio said. Gaudio has several years of

nonprofit experience and was at Global Pathways Institute/ASU and Experience Matters prior to her new assignment. While at GPI, she managed career development programs in the community and collaborated with partners in business, education, government, and philanthropy to ensure delivery of service to students. She was also previously the Talent Engagement Manager at Experience Matters. There, she managed a base of over 1,200 volunteers through community outreach, professional develop-

ment, and execution of talent engagement programs. She also managed a large portfolio of Experience Matters member organizations and developed strategies for addressing high-priority needs and making recommendations among the suite of Experience Matters services to satisfy those needs. Gaudio completed an Encore Fellowship position with the City of Phoenix, launching and managing a national literacy tutoring program targeting low-income schools.

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Ocotillo Golf Club to host marijuana group’s tourney

SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

The Marijuana Industry Trade Association expects a “Who’s Who” of local and national cannabis executives for a charity golf tournament at the Ocotillo Golf Club Dec. 3. Player check-in for foursomes begins at 8 a.m., followed by a Bloody Mary and breakfast bar, morning networking and a shotgun start at 10:15 a.m. Golfers will also can expect a catered lunch served on the course, an afternoon

industry mixer, an awards ceremony, drinks, and dinner buffet. Organizers hope to raise $25,000 for Arizona Helping Hands aiding in bringing hope to local children in foster care. Admission to the tournament is $250 per person. Golfers will also receive a $75 golf shop credit, a VIP swag bag, a sleeve of golf balls, a divot tool, a golf towel and flask, $50 worth of MITA-AZ swag, plus two drink tickets to be used on the course. Players will have opportunities to win cash and prizes throughout the day for

various contents including hole-in-one, long drive, and closest to the pin. To register, visit mita-az.org or call 602-790-8876. “Networking is vital in our fast-emerging industry. We are honored to gather some of the most well-known names in cannabis while also donating to local children in foster care,” said MITA-AZ tournament organizer David Fowler. “Our tournament is designed to be a great time on the course for everyone from the seasoned dispensary executive to the owner or employee of a new

cannabis business startup. The Marijuana Industry Trade Association bills itself as “the voice of the Arizona cannabis industry with a mission to help Arizona’s businesses stay informed, network and thrive.” It says it “works directly with members and policy makers to ensure a fair, tightly regulated, and successful cannabis economy” and represents stakeholders “who are committed to building a strong and sustainable future for legitimate medical marijuana and adult use consumption.

Sun Lakes Rotary gives dictionaries to 3rd graders

BY DR. HONORA NORTON Guest Writer

It is time for Rotary Club of Sun Lakes Dictionary Project. Despite the internet, dictionary use is still a needed skill. Dictionaries are important in the digital age because they help children understand the meanings of words, learn the English language and spell words correctly, follow instructions and carry on conversations. The more words a child knows, the better the child will be able to understand and connect with other people. Since 2003, each school year, RCSL promotes literacy and forges connections with young people through the Club’s Dictionary Project. The Dictionary Project, a nonprofit organization founded in 1995, has the

Rotarians Dave and Joan Anciaux and Chuck and Sandi Hawkins celebrate the completion of the preparation of the dictionaries for delivery to 35+ CUSD schools. ( Jon Lyons/ Special to SanTan Sunz)

goal to assist all students to become good writers, active readers and creative thinkers by providing students a gift of their own personal dictionary.

CALL FOR CANDIDATES | SRP Elections Set for April 5 Nomination papers and petitions for candidates seeking the positions of President or Vice President or positions on the Boards or Councils of the Salt River Valley Water Users’ Association (the “Association”) and the Salt River Project Agricultural Improvement and Power District (the “District”), collectively SRP, are available by request from the SRP Corporate Secretary. Email election@srpnet.com or call the SRP Elections Information Line at (602) 236-3048. Nomination papers and petitions may be filed beginning Jan. 5, 2022 and must be completed and filed with the SRP Corporate Secretary no later than 5 p.m. on Feb. 4, 2022. The SRP elections are slated for April 5 and will fill 22 positions of the Association, which manages the water operations of SRP, and 24 positions of the District, which oversees the electric operations of SRP. Applications for early voting ballots will be accepted beginning Jan. 2, 2022. Prior to that date, applications to be placed on the Permanent Early Voter List can be submitted and be in effect for the April 5 elections. Early voting ballots will be mailed beginning March 9. Qualified candidates must own qualified land or have been appointed to vote qualified land held in a qualifying trust that is within the respective boundaries of the Association or District and in the voting area they wish to represent as of Dec. 26, 2021; reside within the respective boundaries of the Association or District; and be a qualified, registered Arizona voter.

The dictionary is filled with more than just terms and definitions. It often represents the first personal book these children are given and contains mini encyclopedia filled with maps; sections on world geography, civics, math conversion tables, science, the water cycle, planets, the constitution, bill of rights, presidents, largest word and even has illustrations for sign language and braille. Annually, RCSL provides the purchasing, preparation and delivery of “A Student’s Dictionary” with book mark to 3,000+ all the third-grade students in Chandler Unified School District, approved private schools, Native American communities and Title 9 Schools. To date the RCSL has distributed over 54,000 dictionaries. As part of the preparation, over twenty RCSL, members of the Chandler Horizon’s Club,

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ASSOCIATION: President; Vice President; one position on the Board of Governors in each of voting districts 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10; and three positions on the Council in each of voting districts 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10. All Association positions have four-year terms.

DISTRICT: President; Vice President; one position on the Board of Directors in each of voting divisions 2, 4,

6, 8 and 10; two at-large Board of Director positions, voting divisions 12 and 14; and three positions on the Council in each of voting divisions 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10. All District positions have four-year terms. The two at-large Board of Director positions are elected on a one landowner, one vote basis. All other positions are elected on a one-vote-per-acre voting system. For example, an owner of five acres of land has five votes; an owner of one-half acre has half a vote (0.50). Voters in the District election must be qualified, registered Arizona voters. The last day to register to vote is March 7, 2022.

For more information regarding eligibility, job duties, qualifications, election facts and answers to frequently asked questions, potential candidates can visit SRP’s website at srp.net/elections or call the SRP Elections Information Line at (602) 236-3048 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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friends and families recently held a sticker party and readied 3,078 dictionaries for delivery to CUSD schools. Teachers were grateful. “Please know that you have touched the lives of our students in a very meaningful way,” said one while another noted, “The gift of knowledge is the most precious gift of all.” The happiness and wonder on the kids’ faces is the gift we Rotarians receive. To quote some students from their thank you notes: “The longest word is really cool.” “That was nice of you to spend your money on the dictionaries for us!” “I will always think of the Rotary Club giving all third graders such a useful gift.” “You’re the best people ever. Keep doing what you do best.” For more information: sunlakesrotary. com

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Left: Show chair Peter Eobbi demonstrates expertise in displaying the art at Gallery 4, not just on the walls but on screens. Right: The Gilbert Visual Art League’s fall member show is at HD South until Nov. 20. (Courtesy of Peter R. Eobbi)

Gilbert museum showcases artists from the region BY SRIANTHI PERERA Contributor

Professional artist Mary Opat has four oil paintings on a desert theme at Gilbert Visual Art League’s fall member show and sale. She depicts the Arizona desert at twilight and colorful splashes of its flora by day. A total 115 works by 30 member artists are on display until Nov. 20 in the Gallery 4 within HD SOUTH, Home of the Gilbert Historical Museum, and through Feb. 1 online at gval.org. The show is not juried. Opat has a college degree in art education and commercial art, but she continues to learn and benefit from the league’s programs and connectivity. “I just really enjoy the camaraderie and the educational value and so forth, but everyone just really lifts each other up and supports each other,” the San Tan Valley resident said. “It’s a great group.” During the pandemic, the GVAL had a spurt in membership and is at 65 this year. It is the largest recorded by the nonprofit, founded in 2003. Besides the East Valley, members come from Queen Creek, Phoenix, Fountain Hills, Apache

Junction, San Tan Valley and Sedona. Newer members are also younger and not limited to retirees, thereby bringing in a mix of ages, skill levels and experiences. “Our growth is the result of a team effort,” said Donna Finter, who, together with Deepika Haldankar, is active on social media on behalf of the league, and posts frequently on Facebook and Instagram. Also, during the pandemic, monthly demonstrations were first presented through Zoom. Initially, attendance was sparse, then it picked up. Now that they are available in a hybrid format, online and in person, attendance is even better. Those out of town or who need to be quarantined may also attend this way. The hybrid format is successful due to the technology work of Dani Kahn and John Priddy, Finter said. Jane Bradley creates a monthly newsletter, Art Vine, that reaches more than 400 people and organizations. The website, gval.org, is up to date and attractive due to Opat’s skills and efforts. “We hope to gain artists from more locations as we continue to offer virtual professional art development and grow

our online presence,” Finter said. Opat, who volunteered as the website coordinator, redesigned and updated GVAL’s website on a new theme recently. The site wasn’t getting much traction because updates were not regular and the newsletters would reach members sometimes about three months late. She watched online videos and taught herself the techniques of rebuilding a website. “I find it really challenging and it sparks my creativity in a different way from making art. I’m really enjoying it; I like learning,” she said. Born in a small town in Iowa, Opat received encouragement for her artistic bent during school years. When her father purchased a set of paints and roll of canvas for her, a whole new world opened, she said. At the University of Central Missouri, she had a good professor and mentor in the fine arts program – the dean of the School of Arts. “Although abstract painting was becoming popular, he insisted that his students study the masters and spend many hours drawing from life,” she said. “I’ll always be grateful for his solid

instruction and the high quality of work that he demanded.” He offered her a job in the graphic arts department. Although circumstances took her elsewhere, his faith in her as an artist bolstered her confidence and gave her hope that a successful art career was possible. Opat’s artistic aspirations were placed on hold when she married, raised six children and worked in the corporate world, but the dream of an art career never left her. Years later, a few successful public murals and commissioned oil paintings gave her the courage to take her art to the next level. The move from the Midwest to Arizona seemed the perfect time to make the dream a reality. In Gilbert, Opat has created three public art murals. She won a commission to create a 6x12 feet mural for the new Fry’s Food Store at the corner of Williams Field and Recker roads. It was painted on three aluminum panels in her garage and then assembled in the store. In bright colors, she depicted icons See

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Chandler author Laurie Fagen to discuss novels SANTAN SUN NEWS STAFF

Empowering women by writing strong female characters in her novels is the theme of Chandler author-artist Laurie Fagen’s talk with the Scottsdale Society of Women Writers at 6 p.m. Thurs., Nov. 17 on a Zoom call. “From screenwriting to plays and now to novels, all of my main characters have been independent women,” the journalist-turned-novelist explains. “In my current series, it’s a young radio reporter, Lisa Powers, who is undaunted and fearless.” Fagen recently launched her third

book, “Bleeder,” in the Behind the Mic Mysteries. The crime fiction novel os about a Chandler radio reporter who covers the crime beat, helps police solve cold cases, and because she’s in a gritty crime world by day, writes campy murder mystery podcasts by night. Fagen will talk about her books at the November meeting, where all women writers and authors are welcome to attend. The organization, founded by author Patricia L. Brooks, is a “support mechanism for our members in their writing while offering a sacred place

critical to our members sharing experiences, triumphs, and struggles as writers in an environment where members can grow professionally and camaraderie is paramount to our success.” Dues are $50 annually. Fagen had a three-decade journalism and video production career that included KTAR News Radio in Phoenix; KWWL-TV, an NBC affiliate television station in Waterloo, IA; The Phoenix Channel, the City of Phoenix government access cable television channel; as owner of Word Painting and writer, producer and director for corporate video; and as owner and publisher of

SanTan Sun News, with her late husband, Geoff Hancock. She also is an artist who designs and creates original textile wall art and polymer and metal clay jewelry. For additional information and how to purchase Fagen’s book and other published works, visit ReadLaurieFagen. com, her Amazon author page at amazon.com/author/lauriefagen, Facebook and at www.ShortOnTimeBooks.com. For a Zoom link to the meeting, RSVP to Brooks at patricia@ plbrooks.com or text 480-250-5556. For details about SSWW: facebook.com/ SSSWWriters.

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

GVAL

from page 36 of Gilbert’s past and present, such as the railway that was constructed in 1902; the Gilbert Elementary School, which now houses HD South; the water tower, built in 1927 and first used to aid in firefighting; modern buildings at Heritage District; and native plants. She also designed and painted mu-

rals for Gilbert Leadership classes XXI and XXII on the American Legion Post #39 building wall and on a shuffleboard court at Page Commons, respectively. “I’m blessed to have the freedom to paint whenever the mood strikes,” she said. For her efforts, Opat has received first place in the league’s juried fine art show four times, among a long list of

other awards. Oils, charcoal and acrylic are her preferred mediums, with occasional pastels and watercolors. Although the subject matter of her work is varied, they usually contain bright color and contrasts. “It’s difficult to choose one style and it varies depending on my mood,” she said. “I’m always looking for subjects that

resonate with me and I’m drawn to painting people, above all else. Capturing the nuances of an individual’s expression and exploring cultural diversity fascinates me,” she added. To see more of Mary Opat’s art, visit maryopat.com. For details of the Gilbert Visual Art League’s fall show, visit hdsouth.org or gval.org.

Cache of historic Native American photos displayed in rare exhibit BY ALEX GALLAGHER Staff Writer

The works of one of the most influential and controversial American photographers are now on display at Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West. Two years of planning went into the exhibit of prolific photographer Edward S. Curtis’s works, which are from exhibition co-curator, collector and trustee Tim Peterson, who began collecting the works of Curtis over a decade ago. “Edward S. Curtis is considered one of the foremost American photographers and a controversial photographer in America based on his photographs of Native American people, which we discuss throughout our exhibit,” said Dr. Tricia Loscher, the assistant director of collections, exhibitions and research and co-curator of the exhibit at Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West. Peterson grew up with a love of the

Edward Curtis’ influential and controversial photos of Native Americans of the West in the early 1900s that are now on display at Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West. (Ashleigh Carpenter/Progress Contributing Photographer)

outdoors, Western American history and collecting things. When he put those things together, he began looking for things dealing with the American west. The Boston resident started collecting items that had ties to the famous explorers Lewis and Clark and later stumbled on Curtis’ work. Peterson was drawn to those photographs, explaining, “One of the things that I’ve always been intrigued by is people that will commit and dedicate their lives to a project.” Curtis lived between 1868 and 1952 but his career in photography only lasted a fraction of his life. At an early age, he went with his family to Washington state and began working in a lumber yard. During his 20’s, Curtis sustained a back injury and decided it was time to work a job that wasn’t as physically demanding. Because he had long loved See

NATIVE AMERICAN on page 38

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THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

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photography, he decided to open his own photography studio. Unfortunately, the studio closed. Unscathed by the business’ failure, Curtis became intrigued by the native people who called Puget Sound, Washington, home. He began photographing them and quickly found his calling. In 1900, Curtis decided to begin photographing Native Americans of the American west and did so until around 1930. Curtis was most inspired by a now debunked belief called the “myth of the vanishing Indian” that was among white cultures and that reinforced their false belief that American Indians and their traditions were disappearing forever. Throughout his career, Curtis visited seven regions of the American West and had early support from big names like President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt and J.P. Morgan.

Above: The exhibit includes a number of artifacts, including an example of one of the cameras used by Curtis. Right: Dr. Tricia Loscher, the museum’s assistant director for collections, exhibitions and research and co-curator of the Curtis Exhibition spent two years preparing the show. (Ashleigh Carpenter/Contributing Photographer)

Curtis’ works were distributed through a series of 20 volumes titled “The North

Curtis published 20 volumes of photos and the exhibit contains some from each volume. (Ashleigh Carpenter/Progress Contributing Photographer)

American Indian,” which the now-defunct New York Herald “the most ambitious enterprise in publishing since the production of the King James Bible.” The exhibition at Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West features photos from each volume. “When Curtis was taking photos, photography was a new medium of art and he was breaking new ground in terms of the photography he was taking and the mediums he was creating,” said Loscher. In addition to the photos, the museum walls are lined with quotes referencing Curtis’ work and words that came directly from the photographer. One of the most striking quotes on the walls is one that came from Curtis’ friend, mentor, and lifelong supporter George Bird Grinnell. The quote reads “The results which Curtis gets with his camera stir one as one is stirred by a great painting, and when we are thus moved by a picture, and share the thought and feeling that the artist had when he made the picture, we may recognize it as a work of art.” There are also unique artifacts throughout the exhibition, including a copy of the type of camera Curtis used, cultural items and symbols. There is even a phonograph bearing a description and QR code that guests can scan and hear a song recorded by Curtis’ team.

Another striking piece in the exhibition is a timeline that details Curtis’ life and events from Native American history. “I really see this collection as being a study center for the next year and a half and my hope is that it will generate dialogue with the community and indigenous people,” said Loscher. While Loscher hopes the exhibit will spur conversations of the history of Native Americans in the American West, she also hopes for discussions about Curtis’ photos as well. “It’s my hope that once we get more programming going again, we can have some conversations and panel discussions where we bring indigenous people here to talk about what is seen in these photos,” said Loscher. As for Peterson, he hopes that guests will take notice of the unique variations of the photographs on display. “I hope people will notice some images in four to six different mediums. We did that because we wanted people to appreciate the diversity of the work,” he said. “I hope when people look at it, they don’t scoff at it being the same image but admire that Curtis worked with platinum, silver and turned something flat into something that had a three-dimensional look to it.”

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Button collections on display at HD SOUTH BY SRIANTHI PERERA Contributor

Buttons become valuable collector’s items when they are attached to history or a family story. And that history and those stories are on display as the Arizona State Button Society presents a collection of antique/vintage buttons at HD South, Home of the Gilbert Historical Museum, through Nov. 19. The exhibit features a variety, such as Victorian jewel fabric and military buttons. Members will trade or sell antique buttons in the museum courtyard from 1-3 p.m. Nov. 6. “They are mini works of art, in some cases they have been passed down and treasured by other family members,” said Michele Fox, society president, of Chandler. “There are many fascinating stories about buttons and button history, there are always new things to learn about because they were made from so many different materials and used on all clothing items before there were zippers and Velcro,” she added. The state society has five active button collecting umbrella clubs. Total membership currently numbers around 60. Dues are $10 per year for adults and $2 for youth and members receive a thrice-yearly newsletter with articles, photos, project topics and historical research. Often, people inherit collections

Through Nov. 19, the Arizona State Button Society is exhibiting two showcases of vintage buttons belonging to members. Button trays include military, Western and Victorian themes. (Courtesy of HD South)

from family members or stumble on the hobby. Vicky Mayhall, president of the East Valley’s Saguaro Club, was an antiques dealer who stumbled on the hobby. “I would sell to stand-alone shops once in a while…and I became friends with a woman who one day asked me to look for buttons and I thought she was crazy,” said Mayhall. “I started finding them, and the more I handled them, the more I realized how connected they were to so many things.”

“I found myself keeping certain beautiful types for myself and I found out through a book that there were button collectors and that they competed with these buttons and they categorized buttons so I became a National Button Society member and learned about my buttons and found the Arizona State Button Society,” she said. Fox inherited her collection from her mother in Indiana, who, in turn, inherited the collection from her mother. The buttons are from the 1920s and 30s, and the collection numbers about 6,000. Her button buying is dictated by upcoming competitions. A large part of the hobby is preparing and presenting trays at competitions. For 2022, she’s working on seven competition trays, including one themed on copper buttons. Each tray holds 25 buttons; hence she’s looking for several more. “Even if you take a couple of types of buttons and decide that they are your favorites and you want to collect them, there are so many things to learn about different materials, eras, times and who made them,” she said. “Material and history interact together.” Mayhall has a “mind-boggling” number of buttons. “Because I had a background in antiques, I just fell in love with the idea of a miniature type of antique and, I thought, this will be small and won’t take up much room,” she said. “They’re everywhere and it’s easy to amass a

lot of them if you find someone’s old button box from their great-grandmother. Then, all of a sudden, you have hundreds and hundreds of buttons in a small container. It can start to take over, depending on how many you have.” After the industrial revolution, buttons stopped being made by hand and were made by machine. Mayhall has buttons made in the 1400s through to ones sold at a sewing store in the East Valley. It’s also hard to value a collection because buttons are subjective, collectors said. A good button costs $20, and the average antique button is priced between $20 to $100. “There are some that are rare that are always going to be big money, but it’s like anything – everything is only worth what someone is willing to pay and if someone wants something bad enough they may pay a lot or overpay for a button,” Mayhall said. The Saguaro Club meets monthly in Mesa and is seeking more members. “We would hope for others that are interested and would like to find out what the fascination with buttons is,” Mayhall said. “Everyone’s always invited to come and sit in on a meeting and bring what they have…and we’ll tell them about them.” Details: hdsouth.org. Arizona State Button Society is on Facebook at facebook.com/ArizonaStateButtonSociety. Write to the group at arizonastatebuttonsoc@gmail.com.”

THE SUNDAY SANTAN SUN NEWS | NOVEMBER 7, 2021

For more community news visit SanTanSun.com

Let November be a month of giving thanks RABBI IRWIN WIENER Columnist

November is a marvelous month because of a magnificent American holiday called Thanksgiving. It is called Thanksgiving because it reminds us of all that we have to be thankful for. We get up each morning and are amazed at all that is in front of us. For example: How many of us wonder how a bird can fly but we can’t? Sometimes we can’t see the trees for the forest, as the saying goes, which really means that there are so many experiences we take for granted that we don’t really stop to look, or touch, or smell the wonders we witness daily. We are prone to look for miracles and yet they are right in front of us: The

t? o G ws Ne

birth of a child, the grandeur of space, the warmth of a smile, the tenderness of a caress – these are all miracles of life, and yet we let them pass us by as though they were commonplace and expected. So, yes we have so much to be grateful for. We should be appreciative of the fact that we live in a country that enables us to appreciate the miracles of life and encourages the goodness that is found in the human spirit. We need to remember that living in this great country affords us opportunities that are the envy of the world such as the ability to explore our imagination for creative purposes. Americans are the most generous people on the face of the Earth. Our Judeo-Christian heritage encourages benevolence and compassion. Sometimes we lose sight of our responsibilities but then we are reminded

with a holiday called Thanksgiving. It is not only a reminder of the things we are grateful for but also to whom we owe this gratitude. I would urge everyone to display additional gratefulness to the men and women who defend our liberties and put their lives at risk for the sake of our heritage which was given to us by visionaries who saw the value in life and liberty as has been ordained for all people. Our history as a nation is replete with stories of valor and fortitude. Blood has been shed, not only here, but also on foreign soil because we know that liberty and freedom know no boundaries. Fences and walls may be built, but all they do is concentrate the effort into a small area waiting to destroy the very fabric of our society. Our men and women in uniform are the reason we are here today, to vote, to

express ourselves, to redress our grievances, and, yes, to make the necessary changes that will ensure the continuation of all that was accomplished through the sacrifice of fortune and life. Let us clasp our hands in prayer in the hopes that Almighty God will continue to bless our efforts and answer the prayers of all who cry out for salvation and redemption. Yes, Thanksgiving is a wonderful time indeed. Perhaps we should not waste it on unimportant things but rather concentrate on the positive aspects of all that God offers: The wonderfulness of life, the magic of each day, and the ability to reach another season together and, above all, the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform as we also celebrate Veteran’s Day in their honor. Rabbi Irwin Wiener D.D. is spiritual leader of the Sun Lakes Jewish Congregation.

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