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From Uptown to Downtown, covering Chandler like the sun.
An edition of the East Valley Tribune
INSIDE
This Week
NEWS ................................ 2 Few days left to help poor families in Kyrene.
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November 28, 2021
Death penalty sought in Chandler officer’s slaying BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer
T
he Maricopa County Attorney’s office plans to pursue the death penalty against the man accused of killing a Chandler police officer. Jonathon Altland of Tolleson faces 32 charges for the events that took place on April 29 that resulted in the death of 50-year-old Chandler Police Officer Christopher Farrar and severe injuries for Gilbert Police Officer Rico Aranda. County officials are citing prior convictions as one of the aggravating factors for seeking
the death penalty – including vehicle theft and fleeing police. Another aggravating factor is the victim was a peace officer and the suspect either knew, or should have known, he was one performing his official duties. Jonathon Altland Prosecutors say the 25-year-old Altland led police on a chase that started in Eloy and ended at a Chandler car dealership the
night of April 29. In addition to the charge of first-degree murder, he faces 20 counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful flight from law enforcement, endangerment, two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, first-degree burglary and four counts of disorderly conduct. According to court records, Pinal County sheriff’s deputies attempted to stop Altland for speeding near Eloy in the spring. They soon learned the yellow truck he was driving had been reported stolen.
see ALTLAND page 10
COMMUNITY .......... 25
Chandler readies a merrier Christmas celebration
GET OUT .................... 36
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Chandler man's dad a real Freedom Fighter.
FuelFest roaring into Wild Horse.
NEWS .......................................... 2 REAL ESTATE ........................... 22 COMMUNITY ........................ 25 BUSINESS ................................28 OPINION ................................. 32 SPORTS ....................................33 GET OUT ..................................36 CLASSIFIEDS ...........................38
BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer
ore than 1,900 people watched Chandler kick off the holiday season last year – but only online because the pandemic forced folks to stay home. This year, Chandler is ready to welcome citizens back in person with its traditional Tumbleweed Tree Lighting and Parade of Lights is scheduled for Saturday, Dec. 4. While last year’s event was only online, “it was better than we hoped,” said Hermilinda Llamas, the city’s special events coordinator. “We were able to get a lot of participation from city departments.
We were still able to provide something of high quality to the families, to give them some sort of holiday cheer.” The city produced a show of about 40 minutes that aired on Facebook Live and public access TV for a virtual holiday celebration. Now, with vaccinations available and many people getting booster shots, the city is ready to gather again. “Making sure that we get back into the swing of the flow of what we have been doing for all those years,” Llamas said. “When you take a break it’s like everybody
Chandler’s Tumbleweed Christmas Tree is supported by an intri-
see CHRISTMAS page 6 cate wire framework. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
Kyrene Foundation heads to wire for Wonderland BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA Contributor
F
or the second year, COVID-19 is changing the face of holiday giving to families in need within the Kyrene School District. And yet, thanks to the creativity and safety protocol practices begun last year by the Kyrene Foundation, up to 1,000 children and their families will enjoy brighter holidays this year. In years past, the Foundation, partnering with the Kyrene School District, hosted an extravagant in-person Winter Wonderland celebration. Last year’s COVID-19 shutdown required a rethinking of the event that in years prior had been held in the gailydecorated executive boardroom at the district office. In those days, impossibly only two years ago, invited parents of families in need personally selected gifts for their children from piles of new toys, clothing and more. District employees feted the parents with refreshments and live music as appointed elves gift wrapped the presents. This year, as was the case in 2020, toys and other tangible gift donations are not being accepted. Instead, according to Kyrene Foundation President Shirley Coomer, the online monetary fundraising event and gift card drive has a goal of $45,000 that will be used to provide gifts and food to 1,000 children and their families. She said last year’s pandemic Winter Wonderland garnered great community and local business support allowing 927 children and their families to celebrate the Holidays that might have otherwise been bleak. Yet, those donating this year need to be aware of an earlier-than-usual deadline for giving. Six-year Foundation Board member Rick Richardson – co-chair of this year’s event along with former board members Jeff Peters and Greg Stanton – acknowledged that the Dec. 1 deadline for monetary donations and gift cards is much earlier. He voiced trepidation that it could affect fundraising for the event as only
The Chandler Arizonan is published every Sunday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout Chandler. To find out where you can pick up a free copy of The Chandler Arizonan, please visit www.ChandlerNews.com.
CONTACT INFORMATION Main number 480-898-6500 | Advertising 480-898-5624 Circulation service 480-898-5641 Chandler Arizonan 1620 W. Fountainhead Parkway, Suite 219 Tempe, AZ 85282 Publisher Steve T. Strickbine Vice President Michael Hiatt
Prior to the pandemic, the Kyrene Foundation staged a memorable afternoon for needy local children and families with a joyous celebration at district headquarters. (file photo) $10,000 in cash donations, not counting any gift cards, were on the books as of last week. “December 1st is definitely early and I feel may hinder us reaching our goal we typically would not end the drive until December 8th,” Richardson said. “But we had some time conflicts with the district and it is necessary that they are at the event.” In contrast, last year’s Winter Wonderland donation drive continued through Dec. 10. Monetary donations can be made through KyreneFoundation.org website. Gift cards for Target and Walmart in denominations of $25, $50 and $100 can be dropped off at two local businesses: Keller Williams Realty, Sonoran Living located at 15905 S. 46th St. at Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee, and R Squared Graphic and Web Design, 8400 S. Kyrene Road, suite 124, Tempe. Another fundraiser to help Kyrene families in need is this Friday’s Second Annual Tukee Trot 5K and 1-mile Kid’s Quail Run held at Desert Vista High School beginning at 8:30 a.m.. Proceeds from the USATF-sanctioned run benefit the Kyrene Foundation and Kyrene Family Resource Center. As it was organized last year, needy families in the Kyrene School District will drive through to pick up their gift cards and a food box from Midwest Food Bank at an undisclosed location and
date. Kyrene School District has 19 elementary schools and six middle schools, and according to Erin Schroeder, Kyrene Family Resource Center program manager, every school has children living in poverty, who are homeless or on the verge of homelessness. “We currently have at least 150 students who do not have stable housing,” she said. To find out more about the work of the Kyrene Foundation or to donate money to this year’s Winter Wonderland, see KyreneFoundation.org. Make an online donation today or drop off a Walmart or Target gift card in denominations of $25, $50 and $100 now through Dec. 1, 2021. ■
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8400 S. Kyrene Rd. Suite 124; Tempe, AZ 85284 Now through December 1st, 9:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. M – F The Kyrene Schools Community Foundation (Tax ID# 86-0607130) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving and providing resources to children and families in the Kyrene community.
ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Display Advertising 480-898-6309 Classifieds/Inside Sales Elaine Cota | 480-898-7926 | ecota@chandlernews.com TJ Higgins | 480-898-5902 | tjhiggins@chandlernews.com Advertising Office Manager Lori Dionisio | 480-898-6309 | ldionisio@chandlernews.com Director of National Advertising Zac Reynolds | 480-898-5603 | zac@chandlernews.com
NEWS DEPARTMENT Executive Editor Paul Maryniak | 480-898-5647 | pmaryniak@chandlernews.com Reporter Ken Sain | 480-898-6825 | ksain@timespublications.com Photographer David Minton | dmonton@timespublications.com Design Jay Banbury | jbanbury@chandlernews.com Production Coordinator Courtney Oldham | 480-898-5617 production@chandlernews.com Circulation Director Aaron Kolodny | 480-898-5641 | customercare@chandlernews.com The Chandler Arizonan 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.
The content of any advertisements are the sole responsibility of the advertiser. The Chandler Arizonan assumes no responsibility for the claims of any advertisement. © 2021 Strickbine Publishing, Inc.
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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
CHRISTMAS from page 1
kind of gets those crickets and the cobwebs and everything. “We’re just excited to be able to get back out there with the community and having them come out and enjoy what they loved so much before everything kind of took a halt.” The centerpiece of the celebration is the same as it has been since 1957 – a 50-foot Christmas tree made of 2,000 tumbleweeds, 25 gallons of paint, 65 pounds of glitter and 1,200 lights. The tree is believed to be the only one of its kind in the nation. The Parade of Lights in the past has brought thousands of people to downtown, beginning earlier in the day. Many will eat at local restaurants before the parade starts and stick around after the parade is over. There will be some changes long-time residents who have been to previous tree lightings and parades will notice. Llamas said there won’t be any hands-on displays. “Those crafts will still be there, they’re just going to be able to just take them home and do them at home with their families,” Llamas said. “We just want to make sure we’re being as cautious and healthy for the community as we can.” There are also fewer entries in this year’s parade that begins at 6:45 p.m. Normally, the city gets between 55 and 65 entries. This year there are 41. Lla-
Guillemo Valenzuela and Victor Mejia stuff extra tumbleweeds in the gaps as they assemble the 2021 Tumbleweed Tree. (David Minton/Staff Photographer) mas said a number of regular groups that normally participate in the parade were not yet comfortable with being part of a large public gathering. The route remains the same as in past years, starting at Frye Road and traveling north on Arizona Avenue until they reach Erie Street. People usually begin lining up around 4:30 and there will be entertainment. “We have those folks who annually will make sure they’re in the same spot every year so they get what they consider their best view,” Llamas said. “Really, there’s
no bad spot along the parade route.” The tree lighting takes place at 8 p.m. Llamas said there will be plenty happening, from food options to music, to selfie stations where you can take photos with interesting characters. Santa Claus is expected to be there as well. “There’s just a lot,” she said. “You know you can spend a good few hours down here with us and probably still not see everything. Which is great, because that means you can come back another day, another night and get to see it all over again.” The Tumbleweed Christmas Tree will
be lit every night at dusk through Jan. 2. Llamas said each year crews hold their breath waiting to see if they can find enough tumbleweeds to maintain the 64-year tradition. As more of the Valley is developed each year, there’s less desert to create the tumbleweeds they need. She said all the rain this summer helped the tumbleweeds grow so they were able to find enough this year. She estimated it takes about 1,000 tumbleweeds to stack to a height of about 30 feet. Llamas said having a holiday tree that is a bit different works for Chandler. “That’s what’s so special about it,” she said. “When you talk about what do you do for your community, it really is that focal point. It’s that sense of pride, it’s that sense of uniqueness. Nobody else in the southeast Valley has it, nor the state, or anywhere else. It’s kind of neat.”
Tumbleweed Tree Lighting and Parade of Lights When: Saturday, Dec. 4 Where: AJ Chandler Park Schedule: Parade starts at 6:45 p.m. from Frye Road and goes north to Erie on Arizona Avenue. Tree lighting takes place at 8 p.m.
Chandler dedicates stunning memorial to veterans BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer
V
ietnam War veteran Julia Roberts of Chandler didn’t see it at first. She wasn’t the only one among the hundreds who turned out Nov. 11 for the debut of the city’s Field of Honor Veterans Memorial and couldn’t see that the light boxes on the field actually formed the image of the American flag. The dedication occurred in late afternoon, and daylight tended to obscure the visual impact of the light boxes. “It’s really going to grab you at night,” said Ed McCoy, the project supervisor for the crew that built the memorial at Veterans Oasis Park. If you could see the light boxes from
Most of the light boxes are about 3 feet tall, but 21 of them are “buried” about 2 feet so only a foot is above the ground. They represent a 21-gun salute for those who paid the ultimate price. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
above, you would likely see the design right away: In the upper left corner there are 50 very tall light boxes. The rest of the field is filled with seven rows of short light boxes. When lit up at night, it is easier to see the U.S. flag was the inspiration for the design. And it’s not the only flag incorporated into the design. The Arizona flag is the inspiration for the plaza area, where there is a giant star where people can overlook the field and alternating rays built into the concrete. Mayor Kevin Hartke and all the members of the City Council were there for the dedication, which began with two Blackhawk helicopters flying overhead. Hartke explained how the design
see VETERANS page 8
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
VETERANS from page 6
touched upon the themes chosen for this memorial: Freedom, Recognition, Reflection, Sacrifice, Memories and Family. “I think this is great,” said Roberts, who served as a clerk at the Norfolk Naval Station in Virginia. “I’ve gone past here a couple of times, checking progress, looks nice.” Community Services Planning Manager Mickey Ohland said the light boxes will be lit up each night from dusk until 10:30 p.m. While the city has purchased 21 different LED displays for those boxes, most nights they’ll just be lit up in white. Ohland said they will save the others for special occasions. The seals of all six branches of the military are displayed on the walls facing the rows of light boxes. Most of the light boxes are about 3 feet tall, but 21 of them are “buried” about 2 feet so only a foot is above the ground. They represent a 21-gun salute for those who paid the ultimate price. There’s a path around the memorial with 13 displays honoring Chandler’s contributions to U.S. military history. Ohland says there is room for more in the future. Ohland said Chandler Museum officials chose who would be hon-
City officials on Veterans Day dedicated the new Field of Honor Veterans Memorial at Veterans Oasis Park – a visually stunning creation inspired by both the American and Arizona flags. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
ored along that path. The individuals honored are Sgt. Zora Folley, Lt. Arthur E. Price, Capt. Lorraine Ball-Schwarzwald, Sgt. Eulogio “Lefty” Soto, GM2 Carlos Lapaglia and Cpl. Ira Hayes. Folley earned five service stars and a Purple Heart fighting in the Korean War. After the war he became a boxer who once fought Muhammad Ali.
Price was a lawyer who fought in World War I. He became one of the city’s founders when he returned. Ball-Schwarzwald was a Chandler High graduate who spent two years in active duty at the end of the Vietnam War. Soto enlisted during World War II after his sophomore year at Chandler High. He later served as part of the oc-
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cupation force in Japan. LaPaglia served on the USS Indianapolis during World War II and survived that ship’s sinking and floating for days in shark-infested waters. Hayes was from the Gila River Indian Community and is one of the Marines photographed in the famous shot of a U.S. flag being raised over Iwo Jima. There are other displays paying tribute to Chandler’s role in Williams Air Force Base history, the city’s previous war memorials and the Sabre Dog jet that has been part of the city’s landscape for 60 years. Overlooking the entire field is that Sabre Dog jet, which has been moved to this memorial from its previous home at Delaware Street and Chandler Boulevard. “Amazing, this is amazing,” said Dasmond Richards, a Phoenix resident who served in the Marines. “I came here today to check out the park, we didn’t realize today was the … grand opening of the memorial service part. To be here, right now, especially today, is good stuff, it’s amazing.” Darius Thweatt-Richards, a Gilbert resident who served in the Air Force said he loves the memorial as is. “I wouldn’t change anything,” he said. “It’s something they did for the veterans.”
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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
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App, partnerships help Kyrene address district poverty ARIZONAN NEWS STAFF
P
artnerships with local businesses and an app are helping Kyrene school officials care for some of their most vulnerable students. “Local businesses and community partners are the backbone of the donations and support we receive at the Family Resource Center,” Erin Schroeder told the Kyrene Governing Board during a presentation at its Nov. 9 meeting. “We would not be able to function without their ongoing assistance – from Pepperidge Farms delivering loaves of bread each week to Costco donating 250 new backpacks, Native Health providing over 400 vaccines for Kyrene staff, students and families to churches organizing Undie Sunday drives along with food, school supplies and monetary donations. “Local groups and individuals have donated thousands of pounds of food, clothing, and hygiene items,” added Schroeder, who oversees the district’s federal programs and community outreach. To illustrate “just a small cross-section of the incredible support given by our com-
munity,” Schroeder gave several examples of the partnerships that have helped. Nonprofits include Women4Women in Tempe, which donates 50 bags of hygiene supplies for women a month. Tempe Community Action Agency delivers 30 food boxes a month and St. Mary’s Food Bank sends 99 food bags a week while the Homeless Engagement Lift Partnership provides a daily snack and an encouraging note to 115 students experiencing homelessness. Other nonprofits include the Ahwatukee Family YMCA, FIGG Garden, Native Health, Ahwatukee Mamas, We Serve Tempe, Pathway to Work, 4H Maricopa County, Assistance League of the East Valley and the Kiwanis Club. Churches that work with the district include Mountain Park, Mission del Sol Presbyterian, Esperanza Lutheran, Desert Cross Lutheran, Sun Valley Community and Desert Foothills Methodist. Then there are scores of PTOs, scouting troops, HOAs, Kyrene student councils and high school groups. Businesses that help include Safeway, Pepperidge Farm, Staples, Village Dental,
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Costco, Liv Generations, Kolache Café, Hillman Group, West USA Realty, Old Republic Title, Keller Williams and Southwest Foodservice Excellence. Schroeder said, The Kyrene Foundation also hopes to raise $45,000 for over 700 kids and their families in need within the Kyrene community,” she continued. And the need exists. “We have students experiencing homelessness in every one of our schools,” Schroeder said. “We have students living in poverty in every Kyrene school.” Board President Kevin Walsh concurred, noting, “I know some folks who are not as familiar with our community may not appreciate the depth of the needs that are in all of our schools…There are students and families who are benefiting from these outreach programs.” Schroeder also noted another way that residents can help: downloading the app Purposity, which is available to anyone living in the district regardless of whether their kids attend Kyrene schools. Purposity matches specific immediate needs for kids or their families with local
donors who signed up at purposity.com to meet them. People who sign up provide their cell number and then are texted by the district through Purposity once a week about particular needs of Kyrene kids that cost up to $250 and are purchased through Amazon. The item is shipped directly to the Kyrene’s district headquarters, where a staffer gets the item to the student. District social workers and teachers generally identify those needs, although the identities of the recipients are never disclosed. Board member Michelle Fahy said, “I have that and have used it several times on my phone and I love it. It gives me a little reminder. You can set your own goals – how many needs you want to provide. And it’ll just pop up on my phone and say, ‘Hey, you haven’t done a need this month and …it’s so easy – like Amazon, click, done.” Last year, Purposity filled 553 specific needs – such as shoes for students who literally had none – with a total value of $12,000, Schroeder said. To sign up: enter your mobile number and zip code at purposity.com. ■
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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
Chandler man’s light show delights and helps ARIZONAN NEWS STAFF
A
s a broadcast engineer, Chandler homeowner James Chalifoux likes tinkering with electrical stuff. And as someone who likes to give back to his neighbors and community, he has constructed huge Christmas light and sound displays around his home since 2006 with thousands of lights, vintage blow-mold figures and synchronized music. He dubs his display “Fouxlights.” “I usually start right after Halloween,” Chalifoux said. “I am always out front, tinkering and adding new stuff.” He said he spends about 100 hours each season setting up the display and noted that because of his job, “running wires and programming circuits comes second nature to me.” Five years ago, Chalifoux got another idea for merging his two passions: He asked people who came by to enjoy his display to bring a nonperishable food item and leave it in the box he puts in his driveway. He then donates the collected items
Chandler resident James Chalifoux has his Christmas display all ready and is hoping onlookers will bring nonperishable food items with them. (Arizonan file photo) to AZCEND Chandler, a nonprofit that provides a variety of services to needy families with the mission of “alleviating
Wilson-Goodman Law Group, PLLC
poverty in our community.” Last year, he said, “I doubled my food drive collection last year– 225 pounds
ALTLAND from 1
worth.” He’s aiming to double it again this year. One thing that helped last year was the publicity he received in the Chandler Arizonan, he said. “I actually started to cry Sunday morning when I found the box filled with donations. It was a Christmas Miracle,” he said. “I know this year even more families are struggling so I’m hoping for a second Christmas miracle.” Chalifoux is a big supporter of Chandler AZCEND, which helps people move from crisis to stability to prosperity with services including food boxes, senior nutrition and activities, rent and utility assistance, homeless services, case management and family programming. So if you want to enjoy a Christmas light show and help an organization that does a lot for the community, head over to 1075 W. Mulberry Drive, near the intersection of Willis and Alma School roads and night from 5:30–11 p.m. Donations are accepted until New Year’s Day.
Altland was headed north on State Route 87 toward Chandler. He beTHANK YOU MESA, GILBERT & CHANDLER gan to pull over, but then allegedly fired at the depFOR VOTING US BEST LAW FIRM AND uties before fleeing. He drove at speeds exceedPLACE TO WORK IN THIS YEAR’S ing 100 miles per hour BEST OF THE BEST! and at one point crashed through a gate at Chandler Municipal Airport, driving onto the runway. BESTOF BESTOF Police continued to Officer Rico Aranda Officer Christopher Farrar pursue him as he drove the wrong way on surface Farrar was an 18-year veteran of the streets. He finally left the vehicle after Chandler Police Department. He had Best Law Firm Best Law Firm Best Law Firm Best Customer Service crashing it into the northern embank- three children and a grandchild. Best Place to Work ment of the Loop 202 west of Val Vista. Queen Creek Office Police say six people were injured that Gilbert Office Queen CreekMoOffice He fled on foot inside the SanTan 22035 S. Ellsworth Rd night because of Altland’s actions. torplex in Gilbert, where say he 1760 E. Pecos Rd Ste. 22035police S. Ellsworth Rd Altland’s trial is tentatively scheduled Queen Creek, AZ www.wgandf-law.com stole a car. He used it to crash through to start next Oct. 10 but capital cases can 315 Gilbert, AZ 85295 Queen Creek, AZ www.wgandf-law.com 85142 Phone: a closed bay door. Police claim he then go on for years in Maricopa County bePhone: (480)503-9217 85142 Phone: (480)686-9400 Fax: drove Office toward a group of officers in what fore ever reaching a jury. ffice Queen Creek Fax: (480)503-9219 Fax: It took more than nine years, for examthey describeRd as an (480)686-9400 intentional act. (480)686-9452 ecos Rd Ste. 22035 S. Ellsworth The officers fired(480)686-9452 as he approached. ple, before a jury got a chance to convict rt, AZ 85295 Queen Creek, www.wgandf-law.com That’s AZ when the car Altland was driving the man who shot Gilbert Police Lt. Eric 80)503-9217 85142 Phone: struck Farrar and several others. Shuhandler to death in 2010.
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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
5K applied to Chandler for housing assistance BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer
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ast month Chandler opened up its waiting list for public housing for the first time in three years and nearly 5,000 people applied for the 303 available homes in the two weeks it was open. “I was actually expecting a little bit more, to be honest,” said Amy Jacobson, the city’s housing and redevelopment manager. The city will put 2,000 of the 4,975 people who applied on a wait list. A lottery determined who was put on that list and who did not make it. Before 2018 Chandler kept its wait list open, but closed it for the first time when the total people on it hit 2,000. It took the city three years to work through that list enough that they felt they could open it up again. There are two types of public housing programs in Chandler, which the city runs on behalf of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Chandler owns 303 properties that it rents out. Anyone who qualifies can live there and they pay
only 30 percent of their income while the federal government pays the rest. The second is the Housing Choice Voucher program. The city can award 486 vouchers to residents who qualify. Again, they pay 30 percent of their income for rent and the federal government picks up the difference. That can be at any rental unit in the city where the landlord is willing to accept the voucher. Chandler has five rental facilities scattered throughout the city. Four of them are multi-family housing and the fifth is dedicated for seniors. They also have 103 single family homes. “We do get vacancies and turnover on a monthly basis,” Jacobson said. “There’s a family self-sufficiency program that we have for both of our programs in which we try to provide financial support, home-buying assistance type of counseling, education, anything that the family needs to become more self-sufficient so they can graduate out of housing assistance.” She said one of the things they learned from opening up the wait list is that their
one- and two-bedroom units are more in demand than their four- and five-bedroom units. Each family in public housing is assigned a case manager, Jacobson said. She added that landlords who accept vouchers get certain benefits. One of them is the Landlord Incentive Program, which gives a one-time bonus of $1,000 to new landlords willing to accept the voucher. Current landlords who accept public housing vouchers will also get a $1,000 bonus when they renew. “It’s guaranteed rent, we pay on the first of the month,” Jacobson said. “There’s stability with our families, we do unit inspections.” Still, the hot real estate market of the past year makes it harder to find housing struggling families can afford. “In this type of tight market, where they can go and rent to the next person and increase it by $200, and unfortunately sometimes our families can’t afford that,” Jacobson said. “That’s a hard spot for a lot of families who have to choose between pay-
ing for rent, or paying for transportation, food and medical expenses and all that.” To qualify for public housing a family must be below 80 percent of area median income. The city says its median income for 2020 was $54,370. As part of the service, the city offers an after-school program for about 300 children in public housing. “We have a very robust public housing youth program,” Jacobson said. “We have our own computer lab at one of our own sites. We really try to engage our youth, as best we can, and keep them active.” Jacobson said it is likely it will be another three years before they’ll be able to reopen the wait list for public housing. That’s not great news for the nearly 3,000 people who applied for assistance but did not get selected for the wait list. “Unfortunately, it’s just a random lottery,” Jacobson said. “That’s the most fair way, in terms of, it’s not date, time, stamp, first come, first serve. We feel the random lottery of the pool of applicants is the best way.”
Thank you Chandler voters and the Citizen Bond Exploratory Committee for your support of the bonds!
Parks and Recreation Improvements
Public Safety/ Fire Bonds
Public Safety/ Police Bonds
Public Works/ Streets
Municipal Facilities
$72,985,000 $25,160,000 $55,190,000 $85,780,000 $33,570,000
For more information about upcoming bond projects, visit chandleraz.gov/BondElection
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
Bipartisan bill pushes drones for inspections BY JULIO ELIAS Contributor
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bipartisan effort in Congress that includes Democratic U.S. Rep Greg Stanton and Republican Rep. Garrett Graves of Louisiana aims to spend $200 million on drones for infrastructure inspection and employee training. The proposed funding will be split into two parts in which $100 million will be issued as grants for state, local and tribal governments to use drones to visually inspect hard-to-reach infrastructure. The other $100 million will be used to train employees who will use the drones. As the former mayor of Phoenix, Stanton said he is well aware that smaller, more rural and tribal governments may not have the flexibility in their budgets to invest in this kind of technology. Along with the limited access to this technology, Stanton said engineers and other workers who will pilot the drones need to be properly trained in their use. Even though these grants are geared toward smaller, rural and tribal communities, places like Phoenix and Mesa would also be able to apply for the grants. Mesa Chief Inspector Trent Lamoreaux says the city has already implemented some drone technology in their inspections and that the use of drones can save time, money and workforce needed to complete inspections. “There’s a big siphon tube for the Central Arizona Project canal, when that’s dry, think of the fact that it’s a 96-inch pipe that goes in front of the Granite Reef Dam and under the river bottom and comes back up and it creates pounds of pressure,” said Lamoreaux. “That siphon continues to bring all that water all the way down and it goes over to
t? o G ws Ne
Green Valley, past Tucson. That’d be a great thing for a drone to fly through there.” Otherwise, Lamoreaux advises, in order for a crew to inspect the CAP pipe, a crew must go down into the manhole, bring machinery to pump the dry air out in order to create positive air flow, and potentially rent additional equipment needed for the job. There also is the need to consider the cost of emergency services needed in case something goes wrong. According to Stanton’s bill introduction press release, nearly half of America’s bridges are more than 50 years old, and other infrastructure is aging quickly. He said American workers must have safe, effective, and climate-friendly methods to inspect aging and decaying infrastructure and that traditional inspection methods are dependent on heavy machinery, creating situations that are dangerous, time consuming, expensive and bad for the environment. “Drone technology has the potential to save lives and help preserve essential infrastructure,” said Greg Pecoraro, president and CEO of the National Association of State Aviation Officials. “This will not only help states aviation agencies acquire drone technology to safely inspect critical infrastructure, but also bolster the workforce needed to manage it, and improve public safety.” As technology and automation keeps advancing, Lamoreaux says a city will always need “boots on the ground.” “Drones aren’t going to do compaction testing, finishes on concrete or rolling patterns for asphalt. Just like the internet, a drone is a tool and it’s a great tool for sight work and grading,” Lamoreaux said. Drones or not, technology keeps advancing, infrastructure is aging and ultimately, America’s debt ceiling continues to rise. ■
Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@timespublications.com
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CITY NEWS
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
CUSD to provide round-the-clock tutoring online BY KEN SAIN Staff Writer
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tarting in January, Chandler Unified School District students who need a tutor can schedule one 24 hours a day after the Governing Board approved a contract with on-demand tutoring service NetTutor. The service promises to have tutors available 24 hours a day who will be able to help students in any subject, from kin-
dergarten to the advance placement classes some high school seniors are taking. “Wow, that’s kind of amazing in and of itself,” said board President Barb Mozdzen. “When I think about all the different levels of classes and everything else the district offers, they really do need to have a wide variety of tutors available.” The district sent out a request for proposal for the service, and six different vendors applied. NetTutor and Skooli scored
the highest ranking from a committee put together to evaluate the different proposals. The District entered an agreement with Skooli with 23 other school districts as part of a program to get lower prices for buying in bulk. However, CUSD will use NetTutor, which scored the highest. The money for the tutoring will come from funds set aside by the Arizona Department of Education to help students overcome the challenges of learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Those funds are called Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief grants, or ESSER. The contract calls for the District to pay $26 for every student who logs in and connects with a tutor. The student can
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then use the service again and there will not be an additional charge. That puts the maximum price tag for this year at about $585,000 if every student takes advantage of the tutoring. The contract can be renewed every year through June 30, 2026. Service will start Jan. 3. “The tutors are provided by the vendor, at any time of the day, when students need the tutoring,” said Dr. Craig Gilbert, assistant superintendent for secondary education for the district. The additional service will not change the current tutoring taking place at CUSD schools. “We have two different types of tutoring,” said Dr. Jessica Edgar, who is director of elementary curriculum and instruction. “We have the in-person tutoring, or the extension of the school day, and then we have the online piece.” The tutoring taking place at schools are limited to students identified as needing extra help, Edgar said, while all students would be eligible for the online tutoring if they want it. Edgar said the district limits at-school tutoring because they want to respect their teachers, who have been working all day. She said this should also help other students who can’t get tutoring at school because they are involved in sports or afterschool clubs or have transportation issues. If a student does not have access to a computer the district will work with them so they can take advantage of the online tutoring. “Our schools also have technology on their campuses that if there is a need for a family for technology, they can actually check that out,” Gilbert said.
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
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CITY NEWS
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
BY PAUL MARYNIAK Arizonan Executive Editor
ing students, particularly Black and Latino students, to the well-documented school-to-prison pipeline in Arizona.” “If you support SROs in our schools,” Soberon said, “you are violating the charged with which you are entrusted. We do not need the stain on our conscience. So please do the right thing and keep our children safe. Get police out of our schools.” Cooper Fester, another Party for Socialism and Liberation member, said, “The role of the police in this society is the role of punishers. Since their inception, SROs have used excessive force on children. They’ve been known to arrest children for things like tardiness, grades and cursing – things I do every day.” But Mountain Pointe student Hudson Ellis disagreed, telling the board, “First of all, I want to say I’ve been tardy multiple times and have not been arrested. We need SROs in our schools. We need someone there to protect us. We need someone there to teach us.” And Tonya Drew noted the irony of the board having armed police officers outside its meeting room, stating that Barazza told her they are there “to keep everyone safe.” “Why not in our schools?” Drew asked. Two citizens, businessman Charles Siler and Daniel Lopez, opposed any revision of the board’s original resolution and giving police departments any role in formulating future safety plans. “I would love to see new ideas, new ways to address problems and mitigate the harm that’s done by an active armed police presence on campus,” Siler said. “That’s also why I’m opposed to the resolution reimagining school safety, as its presently written because it creates space for the police to participate in that process.” Lopez, a teacher, said there is a perception that “police officers kind of simultaneously are overpaid role models who just hang out and build relationships with kids and also viewed as action heroes who can stop a mass shooter at the drop of a pin. In reality, they do neither.” “Why are cops consistently held to such low or non-existent standards? Why are they exempt from the incredibly high standards our teachers and educational staff hold ourselves to? I ask you to reject this coddling of privilege overpaid, violent cops, instead stick to your promise of removing cops and schools as soon as reasonably possible.” ■
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TU walks back SRO abolition, opts for safety study
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he Tempe Union High School District Governing Board on Nov. 17 walked back its resolution to remove school resource officers from all campuses by the time the next school year began. Confronted by opposition from the district’s six high school principals, at least five former board members, the Tempe Police Department and numerous parents, students and others, the board decided to spend the next year studying the divisive issue that included something that had not been done prior to the board’s Oct. 13 vote: survey students, teachers, parents, and community members; study actual data; and examine current and model school safety plans. The goal of a committee undertaking that study will be to recommend model safety plans and policies as well as “explore grant funded options for any additional partnerships or positions that would add to the physical and psychological safety of our students.” The resolution charges the committee with “recommending various models of safety plans ranging from those that include the district’s current usage of SROs with modifications based on Ad Hoc Committee input to plans that do not include our current usage of SROs.: It also will be asked to revise “TUHSD safety policies/plans with strategies for enhancing student learning, safety, and well-being through additional social/ emotional supports, mental and behavioral health services, restorative practices, other wraparound supports to meet students’ developmental needs, and community-level accountability structures.” It also was disclosed during the meeting that the district is still trying to work out a plan for trained SROs at Desert Vista and Mountain Pointe high schools for the current year, and likely 2022-23, instead of using untrained officers who are assigned on a random basis in what Superintendent Dr. Kevin J. Mendivil last month called a “revolving door” approach. To arrive at the resolution, the board spent four grueling hours parsing words and phrases in a proposed resolution, even debating whether the panel that will study the issue should be called a “committee” or a task force.”
The Tempe Union Governing Board spent four hours Nov. 17 coming up with a new resolution that essentially backs away from an Oct. 13 decision to eliminate school resource officers from all six campuses by next August. (YouTube) Although the resolution contains no specific timeline for a decision, district spokeswoman Megan Sterling told AFN, “Yes, bottom line, it would be unlikely that there are changes regarding SROs until the 23/24 school year. And yes, SROs are likely to return to DV and MP soon.” Several board members during the session voiced frustration and even exasperation that has been rarely – if ever – heard during meetings the last five years. “If I’m a board member and I’m getting confused, I’m pretty sure other people are,” board member Berdetta Hodge said at one point. Hodge also argued that any data gathering must be limited to interactions between SROs and Tempe Union students rather than other districts, some of whom have cut the use of SROs. “We do need to make sure we understand that we’re looking at the Tempe Union community, not what’s happening outside the state…Phoenix Union or Mesa,” she said. “We have to think about what’s happening in our district.” The Oct. 13 resolution was approved in a 3-2 vote with Hodge and Andres Barraza voting against it because, they maintained, not enough study had been done. It was supported by its original proponent, board President Brian Garcia, as well as new members Armando Montero and Sarah James. The first terms of both Garcia and Barraza end December 2022 so they will have to run next year if they decide to seek a second term. At one point, James contended the board never got rid of SROs. “I don’t want our principals to think that we would ever throw them under the bus,” James said, “and the fact that we’ve heard tonight, ‘Oh, you all got rid of SROs.’ No, we didn’t.” Similarly, Garcia said the board was
trying to address “a level of misinformation” about the Oct. 13 resolution, though he did not elaborate. The Oct. 13 resolution specifically directed the administration to developer “a process to implement revised school safety plans without the current usage of SROs at each school by August 2022.” Prior to discussing the new resolution, the board heard from several parents, students and others. Speakers both criticized SROs and pleaded for their retention, reflecting the continuing divide in the community over the board’s actions – which originated in June 2020 during the height of nationwide protests against police brutality that spilled over into the propriety of having uniformed armed police officers on school campuses. Former board member Sandra Lowe said she was speaking on behalf of at least five other former board members when cast the decision to rid campuses of SROs as “quickly made without using relevant data and it lacked input from extremely knowledgeable invested stakeholders. “You have alienated and disrespected so many in our schools and your community, but most important, you took away a critical partner in the support of students,” Lowe said. But Terry Becker thanked the board “for committing to explore ways to provide school safety on our campuses that do not involve law enforcement.” Two men who identified themselves as representing the Party for Socialism and Liberation decried the presence of uniformed officers on campus. “Police never once helped me or made me feel safe as a kid here,” said Also Soberon, stating: “Police presence means condemn-
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
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CITY NEWS
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
Kyrene plans to drop mask mandate next quarter ARIZONAN NEWS STAFF
K
yrene School District last week gave students and their parents an early Christmas gift – kind of. The district announced that come the start of the third quarter in January, it is dropping its mask mandate and making face coverings optional. The “sort of” involves the fact that the relaxation of its controversial mandate is not guaranteed – primarily because COVID-19 comes with no guaranteed behavior. In other words, as Superintendent Laura Toenjes told parents, “Decisions regarding face coverings are subject to change, in response to any significant developments.” Moreover, she said in a letter, “I want to stress that face coverings will remain strongly encouraged when community spread is substantial or high.” Neverthless, for now the plan is that “beginning Jan. 3, when students return from winter break, face coverings will be optional indoors and no longer required
as part of Kyrene’s leveled mitigation plan,” Toenjes said. And while Tempe Union and Kyrene have moved pretty much in synch with each other when it comes to masks, the high school district has not decided whether to relax its mask requirement. “We are considering different options but I don’t have any final decision to share yet,” district spokeswoman Megan Sterling said last week. Part of the reason for Kyrene’s reversal involves vaccines. “The arrival of COVID-19 vaccinations for children ages 5 and older marks a significant milestone in the fight against this global pandemic,” Toenjes wrote parents. “Find a free vaccination location. Nearly all Kyrene students will have the chance to be fully vaccinated in the coming weeks, and that presents an opportunity to review Kyrene’s mitigation strategies.” “From the start of the pandemic, Kyrene has followed scientific data and evidence,” she said, later noting, “As always, our plans remain flexible enough that we can respond rapidly to the evolv-
ing circumstances of a global pandemic. “The Kyrene Emergency Management Team will be reviewing all current mitigation strategies in the context of the vaccination rollout for children under 12, and we expect to have further updates following winter break.” Kyrene and Tempe Union began the school year with an optional mask policy – largely because the Republican majority in the state Legislature included a ban on vaccine and mask mandates in the waning hours of the 2021 session, tacking the bans and other measures onto the state budget bill. But after a Maricopa County Superior Court judge ruled that the ban could not go into effect until Sept. 29, both districts re-imposed the bans that had been in effect pretty much all of the 2020-21 school year – whenever in-person learning was held, that is. Then, another Superior Court judge ruled what the Legislature did was not only improper but unconstitutional – a decision that the Arizona Supreme Court upheld earlier this month.
The illegality of the ban has not meant much to Gov. Doug Ducey who is withholding needed federal pandemic funds from all districts that imposed mask mandates. That could cost Kyrene $5.2 million and Tempe Union $2.8 million, though the Biden administration has demanded Ducey explain his action and has threatened to take away the entire $162 million that the governor was distributing to districts. Kyrene conducted a survey in September about its COVID mitigation strategy and found that 58 percent of parent respondents “strongly agree” that Kyrene should require masks on a school-byschool basis. Another 14 percent agreed for a total 72 percent in favor of a selective mask mandate. Nevertheless, the mandate has been a continuing source of controversy for both districts. Hardly a governing board meeting in either district this fall has occurred when parents on both sides of the issue did not appear to either praise or condemn the mandates. ■
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
From Uptown to Downtown, we cover Chandler like the sun
Realtors group sees more homes going on market ARIZONAN NEWS STAFF
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he official website of the National Association of Realtors foresees an increase in for-sale homes in the near – and, not surprisingly, other experts also see an increase in their price. Based on a nationwide survey of 1,200 homeowners, Realtor.com last week said, 26 percent of the respondents “plan to sell their home in the next 12 months.” “Younger generations seem to be more eager to sell as 34 percent of Gen Z homeowners and 49 percent of millennial homeowners plan to sell, while only 26 percent of Gen X homeowners, 11 percent of baby boomers and 8 percent of the Silent Generation plan to do the same,” it said, adding that younger homeowners in urban areas were especially inclined to put their houses up for sale. But buyers who might be salivating at the prospect of more choices also need to be prepared to pay higher prices. “Buyers should be ready for high asking prices,” said George Ratiu, manager of economic research for Realtor.com. “But an increase in new sellers could mean some relief from the inventory crunch.” The Cromford Report, which closely watches the Phoenix Metro market, offered an even blunter assessment, noting that “despite some observers speculating that a market top has taken place, the data emphatically suggests otherwise.” “The short-term outlook is for prices to move higher into record territory,” it later said. Sales of existing homes increased by 6.6 percent in October over October 2020, Cromford said, even though total home sales year-over-year were down 8.5 percent. But that was because new home sales plunged 22 percent from October 2020 to last month as a result of “the inability of the builders to complete home construction (shortage of components, sup-
increases, many properties just don’t feel like such a good deal anymore.” Forbes said buyers waiting on the sidelines should start getting their finances in order now lest they miss out on a good deal. It suggests would-be buyers work on their credit score now, noting people can get weekly credit reports from all three ratings agencies for free until April 20. “Keep in mind that as home prices rise, so does your down payment requirement. What was a 5 percent down payment on a house last year is much higher this year as home This 3,118-square-foot house on W. Coconino Drive in Chandler recently sold for $1.1 million. The prices continue to tick up, so four-bedroom, three-bath single-story house, built in 2007, boasts private guest quarters with a keep saving and explore downprivate entrance and a number of high-end amenities. (Special to the Arizonan) payment assistance options,” it said. ply chain delays, labor shortages), not be- spree, consumers also flocked to the real The Arizona Housing Fiestate market last year,” it said. “As de- nance Authority (Home Plus Procause of lack of demand,” Cromford said. Ratiu offered a cautious assessment of mand for houses picked up, interested gram helps qualified homebuyers get the prospects for a larger inventory, not- buyers have pulled out all the stops to down payment assistance via a deferred ing that that many sellers are also buyers. outbid the competition. no-interest second mortgage. The down “This caused all sorts of strange and payment assistance second mortgage is “Once they sell their properties, they have to compete for somewhere else to live,” he perhaps reckless behavior, including forgiven after three years, as long as the said. “That’s tough in this turbo-charged buyers forgoing contingencies in the homeowner lives in the home. If the bormarket, where there isn’t even much new sales contract meant to protect them rower sells or refinances the mortgage and their earnest money, which can within the first three years the down payconstruction for move-up buyers. “The main challenge many may have amount to thousands of dollars. Some ment assistance loan must be repaid. is finding a suitable replacement home, buyers were using their retirement savEligibility requirements include: the given the still very tight number of ings, while others were getting loans so borrower’s annual income qualification they could appear to be all-cash buyers.” is partly determined by your lender but homes for sale,” Ratiu said. But Forbes reported “this going-for- typically must not exceed $112,785; one Meanwhile, Fannie Mae recently said that median home prices would to rise broke approach could be declining,” borrower must complete a homebuyer 7.9 percent over the next and that mort- quoting a Colorado broker who sees education course before closing; a minigage rates will likely climb next year, buyers are realizing “that they might be mum credit score of 640 or better. with the average 30-year fixed rate ris- putting too much on the line and are takIt also suggests less experienced buying from 3.1 percent to 3.4 percent. ing the power position back once they ers find a housing counselor. The U.S. And Forbes Magazine said buyers are go under contract.” Department of Housing and Urban Debecoming more risk-averse. “I do not see the same level of desper- velopment has a directory of free, HUD“Similar to how the pandemic trig- ation and urgency we saw a few months approved housing counselors at apps. gered a sanitizer and toilet paper buying ago,” the broker said. “After large price hud.gov/offices/hsg/sfh/hcc/hcs.cfm.
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25 COMMUNITY
Ahwatukee man proud of freedom fighter role BY MIKE SAKAL Arizonan Contributor
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hen Andras Pongratz celebrated Thanksgiving at the Chandler home of his son, Joe Pongratz with 33 family members, he had many things to be thankful for. “I’m thankful for my family, first and foremost,” Pongratz, 82, of Ahwatukee, said. “I am thankful to be in America and I am thankful for my freedom and being able to go back to Hungary.” Pongratz recently returned from Budapest, where he spoke to thousands of people marking the 65th anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Revolution. Pongratz was one of seven siblings who helped lead the ‘56 revolt against the Russian Communists as anti-sentiment against the oppressive government boiled over on Oct. 23,1956. The massive
Ahwatukee resident Andras Pongratz and his entire family fought in the Hungarian Revolution in 1956 and is grateful for the freedoms he enjoys in America. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
protests escalated into nearly two weeks of fierce fighting in the streets of Budapest and some of Hungary’s larger cities. Even children threw Molotov cocktails down the turrets of Russian tanks, burning Red Army soldiers trapped inside. Pongratz was 17 when he recruited a welder to cut Joseph Stalin’s statue – a symbol of hatred – in Corvin Square, toppling it with a resounding thud. The ‘56 Hungarian Revolution caused a crack in Communism’s foundation, inspiring other Iron Curtain countries to throw off its yoke some 25 years later. At the time, young adults presented 16 demands at the Parliament Building and radio station. Above all, they demanded freedom. Communist police on the roof of the Parliament building started firing shots
see FREEDOMFIGHTER page 26
Pandemic impacted EV foster, adoption agency BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer
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t’s no surprise to anyone that COVID-19 has disrupted many industries and lives since it began spreading about two years ago. One area where its impact gets little attention is foster care. Barb Trella, director of development for Aid to Adoption for Special Kids (AASK), said it is not altogether surprising that the pandemic impacted the availability of foster parents. “Recruiting foster and adoptive families is difficult enough in the best of times,” Trella said. “It’s not what’s right for every family. Families really have to decide if this is what they want.” She said the pandemic made it much more difficult. “Parents were home, home-schooling their kids, and the idea of bringing more children into their family, the idea of
bringing kids in who might also bring this dreaded COVID into their family, I think was really scary to a lot of people last year.” AASK has three Arizona offices, including one in Chandler that serves the East Valley. Trella said when the pandemic first started, there was a significant decrease in the number of children entering the foster care system. She said that’s because with everyone at home and locked down, there were fewer eyes to catch possible abuse or neglect. Oftentimes, teachers or other staff see troubling indications when students are in class. That changed once the world starting Barb Trella of Aid to Adoption for Special Kids said that as the pandemic eases, the number of children entering foster care is increasing while the number of available foster parents is decreasing. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
getting back to normal. Trella said there’s been a 25 percent increase in the number of children entering the system. There are now more than 13,000 children in Arizona’s foster care system. “At the same time, there’s been a decrease in the number of prospective foster and adoptive families,” Trella said. “So we’ve got both numbers going in the wrong direction, quite honestly.” AASK started out as an organization that specializes in helping children with special needs, namely autism and Down syndrome. However, Trella said now they try and help all children. “Right around the holidays we typically see a surge,” said Harleigh Storm Castle one of the family specialists who works in the Chandler office. “We just don’t have enough families that are signing up.”
see ADOPTION page 27
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COMMUNITY
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
FREEDOMFIGHTER from page 25
into the crowd on Oct. 23, killing some of the protesters. The fight was on. The Hungarian slogan “Ruszkik haza!” – “Russians go home!” – grew louder than ever. In his most recent visit to Hungary, Pongratz spoke to 500 grammar school students in Dumafoldvar, outside Budapest, where his niece, Klari Cseke, is a schoolteacher and had arranged for his speech in the school’s auditorium. Pongratz also spoke to about 1,000 people on Corvin Square in Budapest, where Edmund Pongratz, one of his older brothers, had established headquarters for the Freedom Fighters at the height of the revolution. “It was a fantastic experience,” Pongratz said. “The students gave a wonderful presentation in the auditorium. They sang national songs about the country and freedom. They had me walk out onto the stage in the dark, and when they turned the lights on and I saw how the kids were looking at me in amazement, it was just an emotional experience. I was crying, I was amazed. “The kids listened to me speak and asked me questions.,” Pongratz added. “The younger generation is beginning to understand and appreciate what we did and why we did it back in 1956.” In Hungary, the Freedom Fighters are treated like World War II veterans are honored in the United States. They are considered part of Hungary’s Greatest Generation. The year following the Revolution, Time Magazine named the Hungarian Freedom Fighter its Man of the Year. “There’s not many of the Freedom Fighters around anymore, but the few who were there on Corvin Square for the 65th anniversary felt appreciated,” Pongratz said. “Sixty-five years is such a long time ago.” Except for pandemic-shut 2020, Pongratz has returned to Hungary every year since 1990 to participate in the commemoration ceremonies of the uprising. Prior to 1990, he was not allowed to enter Hungary because of his and his family’s role in the revolution. In addition to Andras, all of his siblings – Edmund, Ernest, Christopher, Gergely, Balint and Maria – all participated in the Hungarian Revolution. In 2004, Pongratz was knighted in
Hungary awarded Andras Pongratz the “Vitézi Rend” in 2004 for his role in the 1956 revolution. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
Andras Pongratz visits his native Hungary annually and last month spoke to thousands of students about his role in the 1956 revolution.
Hungary and received the Vitez Knight Award for his role in the uprising. Pongratz said it took a crowd more than two hours to pull down the Stalin statue. “We tried for two hours, and it wouldn’t budge,” Pongratz said. “It was so heavy. We tried to pull it down with cables, but the cables snapped. Knowing a little bit about cutting metal with a welding torch, I said that we needed some kind of metal cutter. A young man who was a student at a nearby welding school said he had his welder at the school. He ran and got it, and after he brought it back, I used it to cut off the leg of the statue - and it fell.” Pongratz’s older brother, Edmund, reassembled the cannon on Corvin Square so it again would fire. “My brother sent another teenager to the apartment building across the street,” Pongratz said. “He went up to the second floor and gave us a signal by waving a white handkerchief when a Russian tank was coming down Ferenc Boulevard and came within about 5 meters of the square. When the tank got close enough, we all pulled the firing line on the cannon and shot the tank. We took out about 12 tanks without damaging the building behind it.” Gergely Pongratz led the fighting, something which Andras said he was “in it” with his brothers “all the way through.” Pongratz’s only sister, Maria, delivered messages to those who were involved in the fighting. None of the Pongratzes were killed during the revolution.
By Oct., 29, 1956, the Freedom Fighters had won and Premier Imre Nagy announced that the country had its new government in place. The Russians pulled out of the country. Hungary was ecstatic. Some 8,000 political prisoners were released. Hungary appealed to the United Nations for neutrality following the uprising but received no support. Andy Bogdanyi, a retired tailor who lives in Ohio and escaped Hungary in the wake of the revolution, said, “We had asked for freedom of religion. We had asked for freedom of the press. We asked for individual freedom and for the Russians to leave, but that was all just a dream.” Indeed, Hungary’s victory was shortlived. When the world stood by and watched, the Russians realized no other countries were going to intervene on Hungary’s behalf. During the early morning hours of Nov. 4, Russia’s military thundered back into Budapest, fortified with more tanks, weapons and soldiers. “They surrounded strategic points around Budapest and retaliated with everything they had,” Pongratz said. “They started shooting everything.” On Nov. 10, the Russians had quashed the uprising. The ‘56 revolution claimed the lives of 2,500 Hungarians and 722 Red Army soldiers. Hungarian Premier Imre Nagy was apprehended and was assassinated in 1958 by the Communists for treason.
(Courtesy of Andras Pongratz)
In its aftermath, 200,000 Hungarians left the country, often traveling for days on foot to make it across to whatever country would take them. Andras and his brother, Balint, left the country with two of their friends. After a three-day trek on foot, Andras and his group made it to the Austrian border. “It took us three days and three nights to reach the border,” Pongratz said. “We didn’t want to take any chances on the roads, so we took the fields.” Of those who left Hungary, 5,000 were permitted to emigrate to the United States. They had to be sponsored by relatives or friends, and mostly were processed through Camp Kilmer, New Jersey. The refugees were on their own as the government did not shoulder any of the expense for their emigration to the United States. After coming to the U.S., Andras first settled in Pennsylvania close to where his mother, Anna, lived, but later lived in New York City, where he worked mowing the lawn of a cemetery. Andras later lived in Boston, where he owned a dry cleaner and laundro-mat, and worked at a wholesale car business. After the Blizzard of 1978 in Boston, Pongratz and his family moved to Arizona for warmer weather. He and his wife, Carolyn, have five children – Andrew, Therese, Edmund, Joseph and Stephen – and 20 grandchildren. Pongratz said he never regretted leaving his homeland.
see FREEDOMFIGHTER page 27
COMMUNITY
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
FREEDOMFIGHTER from page 26
“We just could not live under Communism anymore,” he said. “The worst thing about Communism is the lack of individual freedom, and how the government uses its people to make money.” He recalled one time in the early 1950s, when the secret police came to his family’s home at 3 a.m. and took away his brother, Ernest. “We didn’t know where he was for six months,” Pongratz said. “Then, we found out he was in jail. They charged him
ADOPTION from page 25
She said a lot of foster parents chose not to renew when the pandemic began for a variety of reasons. That has left them with fewer foster parents at a time when they are getting more children into the system. Trella and Storm Castle estimated about half of the 13,000 foster children in Arizona are looking for foster or adoptive parents. Storm Castle said anyone can be a foster parent. She said she works with single moms, single dads, couples, fami-
with “attempting to leave the country.” Attempting to leave the country? There was no truth to that. We were far from the border.” Pongratz also said that the Communists gave their family a plot of land to farm so they could grow corn and produce eggs from poultry. “My father, Dr. Simon Pongratz, was sick and bedridden,” Pongratz said. “He couldn’t do the work the government wanted him to do, so a judge came to his bedside to charge him. But, they realized he was sick and couldn’t do the
lies with children, and families that have never had children. “There’s not one specific kind of family that we look for,” Storm Castle said. “I have all of those that I just said. There’s not one family structure that we look for either, we encourage all of them.” For those who want to help but cannot for whatever reason be a full-time parent, Trella said they have a mentoring program. Adults sign up to be a mentor to a foster kid who lives in a group home, meeting with them once or twice a month. So what’s in it for the children?
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work, so they didn’t charge him with anything. My father died in his country under those circumstances in 1956.” After arriving in the U.S. early on, members of the Pongratz family spoke to schools, universities and organizations about the evils of Communism. Gergely Pongratz later moved back to Budapest and founded the 1956 Hungarian Revolution Museum. He died of a heart attack on the grounds of the museum in 2005, a year before the 50th anniversary of the ‘56 Revolution. Pongratz fears for the future of this
“They are getting a meaningful relationship,” Trella said. “They are having another adult in their life who cares about them. … Sometimes for these older kids, they are getting close to turning 18 and they don’t necessarily want to be adopted. Having a relationship with a caring mentor is extremely valuable.” Trella said the state offers a dollar-todollar tax credit for donations to foster care agencies up to $500 for individuals and $1,000 for couples. “If people can’t personally make that difference to the children in the foster
27
country, citing forces that are “putting the United States in shambles and pushing us closer to socialism – globalism, anyway,” Pongratz said. “The mess our country is in right now is beyond words. I won’t even watch the news on television anymore. People in Hungary and abroad feel sorry for the United States because of what is happening here.” But he also said he is grateful to live in America. “I’m proud to live in the United States,” Pongratz said. “I am thankful to be in a place where I and my family can be free.” ■
care system, they can still do things that help,” Trella said. ■
How you can help
• Qualify to be a foster or adoptive parent • Be a mentor. They meet with a child who lives in a group home twice a month. • Donate. AASK accepts donations to help cover costs. Visit aask-az.org.
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BUSINESS
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
Mother-daughter team open Chandler brokerage BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer
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ew considered starting their own business in October 2020 as the nation reeled from a third wave of COVID-19 infections, businesses were going bankrupt and 7.4 million Americans were unemployed – way above the pre-pandemic rate. Seems like a strange time to set up your own shop, but that’s exactly what the mother and daughter team of Laurie and Chelsea McDonnell did. The women opened their own real estate brokerage in Chandler called Locality Real Estate. “There are some hurdles with it, right, but the real estate market was very strong, and continues to be strong,” Laurie said. “A little hiccup when COVID first happened, where people, you know, a little craziness, with cancellations and a little uncertainty with what the market was going to do. But we were in the
Mother-daughter team Laurie and Chelsea McDonnell started their own real estate brokerage in Chandler, called Locality, during the height of the pandemic. (Ken Sains/Arizona Staff)
real estate market for a long time and we were very confident in our abilities.” Not only did they survive the pandemic, they thrived during it. A year after they opened, they have hired 33 agents with another hire expected soon. “We’re not recruiting, we are organically growing based on attracting people to what we’re doing,” Laurie said. “They’re calling us, which is awesome.” Laurie and Chelsea said they look for agents who share their vision for a real estate company. “We wanted to build a brokerage of agents that were community focused,” Laurie said. “That are in the trenches, full-time real estate agents. Like minded, and have a sense of paying it forward in the community. And having fun while we’re doing it.” Chelsea said their agents support giving back to the communities where they
see REALTORS page 30
EV tutoring chief dedicated to kids’ development ARIZONAN NEWS STAFF
T
here’s a reason that Kimberly Selchan gravitated to the Tutor Doctor franchise, serving mainly Gilbert and Chandler, after working in the corporate sector for many years. “I came from a corporate environment where I had mentors and was a mentor to others,” she explained. “I consider our service to be mentorship, far more than just subject tutoring or homework support. The mission statement I use for my region is: Helping today’s youth become tomorrow’s successful adults.” Selchan not only is good at her job – she’s been good for Tutor Doctor, which gave her their Marketing Innovation Award for finding new ways to grow her business year-over-year. The company explained, “In the past year, Kimberly has leveraged social me-
dia, virtual networking platforms and local small business partnerships in organic ways to grow her business, and she has committed to sharing the strategies used with fellow Tutor Doctor franchisees to help facilitate similar results.” She achieved a 30-percent increase in the number of organic referral and lead sources year over year by developing with other local small and large businesses in the community whose focus is on children and family. For example, she joined the board of a larger foster services agency and is now the preferred partner of its careerdevelopment program to helps teens Kimberly Selchan owns the local Tutor Doctor franchise and prefers to mentor students to reach their full potential and not just pass a course.
(Special to SanTan Sun News)
graduate high school and obtain their GED or associates degree. She also developed relationships that helped her service gain preferred-sponsor status at two elementary schools and a recommendation as a tutoring service at three high schools. Selchan also formed a parent and educators group on Facebook and leveraged other social media sites to respond to local families seeking tutoring services without paid ads. Tutor Doctor is a one-on-one private tutoring service but Selchan said her staff goes beyond helping clients master a subject. “Our tutors incorporate studying and planning techniques, accountability and self-advocacy which will all help their students become successful adults,” she said.
see TUTORING page 30
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
29 BUSINESS
Chandler aesthetics salon expanded despite pandemic BY KEN SAIN Arizonan Staff Writer
T
he pandemic wreaked havoc on most businesses. Some had to shut down, many had to lay off workers. Government grants and loans kept the economy from an even bigger collapse. But one Chandler business did more than survive the pandemic: it expanded. “I feel aesthetics is something that was booming during the pandemic,” said Marichu Evans, owner of SkinLab Laser, Aethestics & Wellness in Chandler. Evans opened up her first medical spa in 2019, but she said they quickly outgrew the space because it only had three rooms. That’s when she opened the SkinLab location about a year ago. That’s quite a change from her previous life. Evans grew up in the Philippines and after starting down a pre-med path to becoming a doctor, switched and earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering there. She moved to the U.S. in
Marichu Evans, who owns SkinLab Laser, Aesthetics & Wellness in Chandler, said the pandemic increased the number of people seeking her salon’s services. (David Minton/Staff) 2004 and attended Arizona State University to get her master’s in materials engineering.
She worked at Intel for 13 years before deciding to start her own business. “Only when I had my twins that I
Guide to Chandler Parks With more than 60 parks in Chandler, a variety of park programs to participate in and the option to rent fields and pavilions for life celebrations, residents and visitors have plenty of options to get out and enjoy the outdoors. Visit the Guide to Chandler Parks at chandleraz.gov/ParkGuide to discover all the things parks have to offer.
needed to have more work-life balance,” Evans said. “Starting a new business, like my husband would tell me, ‘did you achieve your work-life balance?’” Evans said now that her business is going strong, she’s starting to. “I found my passion here at SkinLab,” she said. Evans said the key to her success is giving her clients an enjoyable experience and delivering results. Part of that, she said, is setting realistic expectations up front, and then over-delivering on the results. Some of the services they provide include coolsculpting, laser hair reduction, and botox injections. When a customer first comes in Evans says her staff takes a high-definition photo of their face, exposing every wrinkle and checking out how big the pores are. She said it’s a good baseline for them to start their work and will help show their results after treatments. Then they do a consultation with the
see SALON page 30
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REALTORS ���� page 28
work. For example, Locality supports other local businesses, the schools and nonprofits. “Whatever we can do on a local level, that’s where are hearts are,” Laurie said. “It’s been neat to see that come together,” Chelsea said. They encourage their agents to donate a portion of every escrow they do to the Arizona Housing Fund, which is working
TUTORING ���� page 28
So, her tutors work with students to “identify their interests and develop their strengths to become successful in a variety of settings.” “Creating individualized programs for students in my community and witnessing their goal achievement is one of the most rewarding parts of the business,” said Selchan. “If I’m able to increase the number of tutors, students and families
SALON ���� page 29
clients to decide on a treatment plan. She said this field has always been an interest for her, even when she was
to end homelessness in the state. Laurie and Chelsea say they are matching those donations through the end of this year. This is not the first time the motherdaughter team has worked together – which motivated them to do it again. “I think it was inevitable that it was going to happen,” Chelsea said. “It’s just kind of our thing.” In addition to working together a few years ago at another brokerage, they had
who grow and develop from our personalized academic mentorship and support, I’m going to do it, and that means looking to new innovations, tools and partnerships for inspiration.” And the pandemic did not disrupt her commitment to delivering one-on-one mentoring in person. “A big misconception of the pandemic is that tutoring shifted to virtual, but it did not,” Selchan said. “We have less than 15% of our students receiving online tu-
year! th 5 3 r u o in w No
working as an engineer. Evans said one of the keys she learned from her days working for corporate giants is to invest in training her staff. She said that dedication might be one of the reasons
also worked together a family-own restaurant. “We’re very much alike, but … she has her strengths and I have mine,” Laurie said. “She’s the operations, marketing side of things, and I’m more the compliance, out in the field [person].” A major reason the McDonnells have built a successful business during a pandemic is because the real estate market has been red hot in Arizona. They said
toring. The demand is very high for inhome, face-to-face relationships.” Selchan, who holds a degree in microbiology and is an Ohio transplant, had been a senior vice president in the financial services industry before she made the jump to Tutor Doctor. She has about 70 tutors – and is always on the lookout for qualified additions – who provide support on any Pre-K to undergraduate course as well as test preparation,. Career planning, home-
they expect the market to slow a bit, but still remain hot. “I think the market is going to stabilize here soon, and I think we’re going to see appreciations, just not at the level we’ve been seeing,” Laurie said. “We’re not going to see 40 percent appreciation or some crazy numbers like we’ve seen, but 10 to 15 percent is all right too.” Information: 133 W. Frye Road, Chandler, 602-758-6007 schooling and even professional development such as public speaking. “I like to focus our services on middle school to early college,” she added. Her region includes Ahwatukee and the entire East Valley and people who want to sign as mentors need at least some college with a 3.0 average and some mentoring experience. Potential clients or tutors can reach her at tutordoctor.com/chandler-gilbert or call 480-530-8029.
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they did so well during the pandemic. “Having the best talent in the industry has benefited us,” Evans said. “I make sure that every month I bring in a trainer … making sure that we perfect our craft.”
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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
31 BUSINESS
Gilbert massage therapist’s business booms BY KATY SPRINGER Arizonan Contributor
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aryann Tidwell does not shy away from hard work – or a challenge. The Gilbert mother and business owner decided to become a massage therapist, juggling her full-time job and 2-year-old son during the day and attending massage school at night. “It was a long year, and I didn’t get much sleep, but I felt so strongly that I was doing exactly what I was meant to do,” said Tidwell. “Massage therapy is so much more than a career for me – it’s a calling.” During her 50-week training, Tidwell’s instructors advised against opening her own business – at least not until she had a few years’ experience under the belt. “The more they discouraged me, the more motivated I became,” she said. “I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but nothing worthwhile is ever easy.” Tidwell also spent the year polishing her networking skills. And when she completed her program, she doubled down, going to naturopaths’ offices, medical clinics and even local markets to set up her chair and provide no-cost massages to passersby. “At that point, it was about giving people a feel for what I could do,” she said. Her hard work paid off. Six months after graduating from massage school in 2007, she circled back with the relationships she had made – including a contact who worked for a large corporation in Phoenix. That relationship led to her hire as the onsite massage therapist for the firm’s employees. But she continued to build her personal clientele and opened her own business: Nurtured Touch Bodywork. She also focused on expanding her knowledge and skillset. Shortly after receiving her massage therapy license, she jumped right back into student mode to earn certifications in prenatal, postpartum and infant massage. “I have been in such discomfort this entire pregnancy,” said Lea Villagran, a prenatal client of Tidwell’s. “I have been to other massage therapists and it didn’t help at all, but Maryann was able to relieve so much and had great advice and knowledge for prevention and reducing
Gilbert mom Maryann Tidwell has worked hard to build up her massage business, Nurtured Touch Bodywork. (Special to the Arizonan) a majority of the discomfort going forward. She knows what she is doing.” When the recession pummeled companies nationwide in 2008, Tidwell’s business remained strong – despite the fact she did no advertising and had no online presence. “I feel so incredibly lucky that my fledging business survived and thrived during such a difficult time,” she said. “I do believe the networking paid off, and as I began to see more and more clients, my business grew with referrals. As a small business owner, word of mouth truly is everything to me.” But COVID-19 presented a whole new set of challenges. When the massage industry was shut down in spring 2020, she was forced to close her studio. It was four months before she started treating her regular clients again.
“The worst part was that I couldn’t help my chronic pain clients,” she said. “I worked hard to stay connected with clients during that time, providing them with tips and suggestions to keep up on their self-care and keep their bodies healthy. The response was overwhelming and affirming.” She also used that time to prepare a new office at Crossroads Towne Center at Gilbert and Germann roads on the border of Chandler and Gilbert. Her schedule filled up immediately when she opened her new location in summer 2020. Then, Tidwell took a major step forward as a businesswoman and hired her first employee, massage therapist Sidney Campbell, who attended massage school with her. “Sydney is so passionate,” Tidwell said. “She is so skilled in helping people feel better, both physically and mentally. She
also has a lot of extra training in a variety of modalities, so she can treat clients with a huge spectrum of needs.” The two of them had more clients than they could handle, so Tidwell hired another therapist, Clara Brown, in August. She added a second massage studio, also located at Crossroads Towne Center. “Clara is passionate about her work, especially in the areas of PTSD, pediatric, oncology, lymphatic and relaxation,” Tidwell said. “Her clients absolutely love her.” “I am beyond blessed with amazing clients who not only partner with me in their wellness and entrust me with their bodywork, but refer me to their family and friends, too,” she said. “I just feel so lucky.” For her clients, it’s less about luck and more about Tidwell’s skill. “She was such a good listener and so genuinely interested in making me feel better,” said Scott Springer. “In addition to giving me the best massage ever, she was very knowledgeable about the body. It was clear she really cared.” Tidwell has completed hundreds of hours in additional training, including medically focused bodywork like ACE MediCupping and lymphatic massage. In recent years, she has seen a steady uptick in referrals for lymphatic massage – especially from healthcare providers. “The lymphatic system is the most under-talked-about and under-prioritized system of the entire body, but that is starting to change,” she said. “This specialized massage is gaining a lot of interest among medical providers. For example, plastic surgeons now recommend lymphatic massage pre- and postsurgery to help the body bounce back.” Her son, Austin, is a high school senior who is taking flying lessons and aspires to be an airline pilot. Twelve-year-old Lexi loves musical theater and spends all of her spare time on stage. Tidwell and her husband, Justin, juggle working parenthood together and also seek out opportunities to spend time as a couple. “My family is my world,” she said. “They are the reason I wanted to own my own business in the first place. The flexibility it provides means everything to me as a wife and a mother.” Information: massagebook.com/NurturedTouchBodywork and on Instagram @nurturedtouch.
OPINION
Opinion 32
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
Chandler Cultural Foundation excited for the future BY DAVID WOODRUFF Guest Writer
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fter more than 18 months of meeting virtually, the members of the board of directors for the Chandler Cultural Foundation were able to meet for the first time in person on Sept, 24 for a retreat. As the chair of this dynamic board of diverse community leaders, it is my honor to work with all of them to provide the oversight and guidance for the programming presented at Chandler Center for the Arts.
As we talked throughout the day, it was re-energizing to connect with my fellow volunteers and the CCA staff. We reviewed the highlights of how the center continued to deliver the arts to the community even while its doors were closed: no-cost online visual and performing arts programs that reached more than 7,000 young people, the free CCA Anywhere series of performances that were experienced by families and individuals at nearly 40,000 households, 37 outdoor performances at the CCA and Chandler Museum, and incredible partnerships with local artists and arts organizations. I don’t think we imagined what kind
of impact we could make when we were first quarantined in March 2020 and staff had to act quickly to manage cancelled shows and educational programs. With a new year ahead of us, the board of directors for the Chandler Cultural Foundation has a renewed dedication in its purpose to serve the City we all call home. We felt a new excitement in all that is possible for the CCA and our roles in making that possibility a reality. As a result, we created five new workgroups with the purpose of exploring new initiatives, giving space for fresh perspectives, and creating action items that can be implemented over the next year. As community leaders who have a
fiduciary responsibility to the amazing work done at the CCA, we recommitted to our roles as advocates and ambassadors for the arts. Don’t be surprised if you are out in the community and you meet one of the 15 members of our board members, enthusiastically talking about Chandler Center for the Arts, its programs, its $8 million impact on the local economy, and the power the arts can have on all of our residents. I can’t wait to give you an update in a year. In the meantime, stay up-to-date on all we have going on at chandlercenter.org. David Woodruff, chairs the Chandler Cultural Foundation Board of Directors.
Big Pharma distracts Arizonans from real medical scares BY BLYTHE KAUHN Guest Writer
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ensions continue to rise as Congress approaches a vote on the budget reconciliation bill, and Medicare negotiation hangs in the balance. This provision would allow Medicare to do exactly what the name implies, negotiate with drug companies to lower the prices of prescription drugs, to the benefit of patients right here in Arizona and across the country. Because right now, pharmaceutical companies dictate the price of drugs in the U.S., and have forced Americans to pay far more for medicine than most wealthy countries. So it is no surprise that the industry will fight against Medicare negotiation tooth and nail. As a part of the fight, Big Pharma is running an ad campaign designed to scare constituents with falsehoods that Medicare negotiation will lead to decreased access to the drugs Arizonans need to live.
The ads, deemed “Mediscare,” falsely claim that Medicare negotiation will decrease patient access to prescription drugs and cut Medicare benefits. In reality, Medicare negotiation would increase access to prescription drugs by removing the burden of high prices, resulting in better health care outcomes for patients like me. Unlike Big Pharma’s false narrative, I faced a real nightmare after I experienced a life-threatening medical scare that sent me to the hospital at age seven. Doctors eventually diagnosed me with Type 1 diabetes, a disease I will live with for the rest of my life, and which requires me to take insulin to survive. As if a chronic illness isn’t hard enough, imagine the constant state of concern I experience as I have watched the price of my insulin vials rise from $20 in 1996 to over $350 in 2021, and I use two vials of insulin a month. That’s simply unaffordable for me. Every time I make a big life decision, it is informed by the need to afford my
insulin. My husband had to take a job he was far less excited about in order to get medical insurance that would help cover the price of my insulin. Without that job or insurance, we could never afford the price of my medication. And if I drop a vial, I face the $350 price tag, forcing me to choose between food, rent, or my own health. My story, and thousands of similar cases across the country, are exactly why Medicare negotiation needs to be included in the reconciliation process. High prescription drug prices literally mean life or death for some Arizonans individuals. The U.S. prescription drug market is the largest in the world, yet somehow we continue paying the highest price for the same medications other countries obtain for much cheaper. A 2018 study of data found that insulin prices are eight times higher in the U.S. compared to 33 other countries. And pharmaceutical companies are using their profits from the high price
of drugs to push back against legislation that will lower drug prices and help patients - like Medicare negotiation. They are currently using some of their vast sums of wealth to send large boxes labeled, “Medical Shipment. Please Open Immediately.” to seniors and unaffiliated voters in Arizona. Inside these boxes, Arizonans find misleading literature and empty pill bottles attempting to scare us into urging Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly to cave and strip Medicare negotiation from the reconciliation bill. Arizonans like myself need relief, and through the reconciliation process, Senators Kyrsten Sinema and Mark Kelly have the best opportunity in over a decade to pass Medicare negotiation into law. I hope the Senators will listen to the patients in Arizona who are suffering and ignore pharma’s scare tactics to include Medicare negotiation legislation in the reconciliation package. Blythe Kauhn is a patient advocate and resident of Chandler.
Sports
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
SPORTS 33
The Chandler Bears youth football team is preparing to head to Florida once again to take on a national field in hopes of being crowned the champion. (Courtesy Kacey Allen)
Chandler Bears preparing for national title run in Florida BY JAKE HEDEBY Arizonan Staff Writer
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he Chandler Bears are a force to be reckoned with in the American Youth Football league in Arizona. This group of 12-year-olds know each other very well, but they are also very familiar with winning. A core group of them have played football together since they were 6 years old and have been crowned state champions five years in a row. Following a year off because of the pandemic, the Bears are right back where they started. The Division One AYF team won the 2021 state championship and is headed to Florida for the national tournament. They have already been named national champions once there, back in 2018. They now look to come out on top again. Coach Kacey Allen shared that he has been with the team since it started and coaching this age is all about the basics and playing together. That’s what makes this team successful.
The team already has some accolades. But that’s not because there are only two or three players dominating their opponent. This team has been competitive for a reason and they worked hard to be one of the best in Arizona year in and year out. “Our main philosophy is to teach team football, selfless football,” Allen said. “I think that is really what has helped keep the attrition low.” This becomes pivotal when looking at the longevity success the Bears have shown. And although high school is less than a few years away for these middle schoolers, the focus is on this team, what they can accomplish and what each kid takes away from his years playing youth football. When asked about the future for these players, he kept it honest. “We think about it, but we don’t have a plan yet,” Allen said. “We’re still open to whatever we feel is going to be best for the boys.” Parents are not lacking involvement with the Bears, as they are a big part of what makes the team run: from each par-
ent taking their kid to practice to those who volunteer to help on game days. Not only are they there for support and guidance, but these parents are also why these young athletes have the opportunity to travel out of state and play football against tough competition. Everything takes money, and they have to fundraise throughout each season to prepare for the travel expenses. “That’s always the challenge every year is to raise funds,” Allen said. “It’s a collective effort from all the parents to do multiple fundraisers.” The team raises money by selling tickets to Suns games and raffles. Other funds come from donations on the team website. Every dollar is used to take the team to Florida in December. The logistics of getting the whole team to the other side of the country shows it isn’t just an ordinary game or tournament for the Bears. They travel together as a team and rent vans in order to get from the airport to the houses they stay in. One year, the
team stayed in a house with 10 different rooms. All of the travel and living they do as a unit really adds to the camaraderie between not only the players, but their family members too. “A lot of these people would have never met if it wasn’t for our team, and now they are like family,” Allen said. The trip is more than worth the cost, as it is an experience that will be a fond memory for years to come. Traveling and competition bring these families together that will make lifelong bonds, and to these parents, there is no price tag that would deter them. With everything that this team has done and will do, they almost feel like more than a youth football team. It speaks volumes as far as what athletics can do for kids and the environment it can create. “I say it every year, at the beginning of the season we have expectations,” Allen said. “By the time we get to the end of the season, we tend to exceed those expectations.”
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SPORTS
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
Female kicker overcomes paralyzing injury BY DYLAN WILHELM Cronkite News
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n late January, Krysten Muir was alone in a hospital room, unable to move. In 2015, Muir made Arizona history by becoming the first female to score in an AIA state championship football game when she booted a pair of extra points for Tempe’s Marcos de Niza against Saguaro High in the 2015 4A championship game. She was Marcos de Niza’s kicker in 2015 and 2016 and made five of her 10 field goal attempts and 98 of 112 PATs. Before she began kicking in high school, Muir played soccer and volleyball. She also rode horses competitively and as a kid often would hang out at football practices at Marcos de Niza, where her father Jeremy was an assistant coach. She eventually beat out two other kickers to earn her spot at Marcos. After graduating from Marcos de Niza in 2017, she played soccer and took classes at Gateway Community College with plans to become a personal trainer. She was on the move. Then her life was literally flipped upside down. In late January, Muir was a passenger in a car traveling south from Payson in weather that she describes as “pretty gloomy.” The driver lost control and the car rolled over. Muir suffered a spinal injury and lower body paralysis in the crash. Her L1 vertebrae had burst, and her L2 vertebrae was fractured. She was paralyzed from the waist down. Chad Dunn, Muir’s physical therapist and founder of Move Human Performance Center in Chandler, said patients describe the sensation of such an injury as “somebody pulling the electrical cord out.”
important as the physical, as reflected in his motto: “Mind Over Virtually Everything.” Once out of the hospital, the recovery process continued. Krysten had to relearn how to do everything from the waist down, including how to walk and how to dress herself. “At first it really was mind blowing because I was like, ‘Wow, I’m literally telling my leg to move forward and it is not moving forward,’” she said. Dunn and Muir continued to work together to rebuild her strength and help her relearn muscle movements. “He’s believed in her since day one,” Kathy Muir said. “They have a really good relationship, and I think he will be in her life forever.” Dunn’s focus on both physical and mental strength resonated with As the varsity kicker at Marcos De Niza High in Tempe, Krysten Muir was the first female player to score in an Arizona Muir, and her mental State championship football game. Her father Jeremy is an toughness continues to impress Dunn. assistant at Marcos de Niza. (Courtesy of Krysten Muir) “She’s such a competitor,” he said. “She’s such a tough Jeremy Muir and Krysten’s mom, girl that she’ll come back to the best of this Kathy, were terrified. injury.” “Nobody wants to hear those words Anderson continued to move, pushthat your child was never going to walk ing forward with support from Dunn again,” Kathy Muir said. and others from all over the community, After surgery, Muir said doctors placed including from her former high school, her odds of walking again at 50/50. Marcos de Niza. While she was in the hospital, Dunn “The community support has been reached out to her to help with her men- amazing – there’s not a better word for tal state. According to Dunn, the mental it,” Jeremy Muir said. side of the recovery process is just as His daughter, however, was used to
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Contact Zach Alvira at zalvira@timespublications.com and follow him on Twitter @ZachAlvira.
doing squats and leg presses, stacking multiple plates on the bar. Now, she had to relearn the motions with little to no extra weight on the bar. After about three months, she was able to walk again with assistance. She was determined to beat those 50/50 odds, and while her parents were afraid to “bank on it” happening, there never was a doubt in her mind. “I already knew I was going to walk,” Muir said. “It was like, ‘Okay, thank you for that suggestion, but I am going to. I just have a lot of work to do.’” In September, the Arizona Cardinals partnered with the Desert Financial Foundation to create the Arizona Breaking Barriers Student Athlete Scholarship in her honor to recognize “determined, resilient and impactful student athletes.” Muir will select one of the 10 recipients. “I think that’s a fantastic legacy,” her father said of the scholarship. “And if that is how her name goes down and how she’s remembered at the end of the day … then that’s all you can hope for as a father.” Now the kicking coach at Marcos de Niza, Muir is part of the same Padres coaching staff that her father has been a part of for years. For her, it is a way to continue sharing her passion for kicking. “I can help with my knowledge to the next (kicker) and just motivate them and push them as far as they can,” she said. Not only do her players feed off of her energy, but they also feed off of what she has been through and how she continues to overcome obstacles. Her future plans include writing a book and working as a motivational speaker. She is close to earning her personal-training certification. “I feel like I have a good amount of options for me,” she said. “They’re kind of just like all up in the air, but I definitely want to give them all a try.”
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
35
Made Here: How Manufacturing is Shaping Arizona’s Future PHX East Valley Thought Leader Forum 3:30-6 p.m. Dec. 9 Hilton Phoenix-Chandler, 2929 W. Frye Road, Chandler More than 1,600 manufacturing companies – from startups to global leaders – are shaping Arizona’s future. Hear about the growth and investment of manufacturing in our region and state, and the value proposition for relocating and expanding manufacturing firms. Then, help honor three of our region’s biggest champions – Steve Chucri, Jack Sellers and Okland Construction – with the PHX East Valley Partnership’s Legacy Awards. Tickets: $800 for a package of 8 or $125 each To register, contact Jessica Hubbard at 480-532-0641 or jhubbard@phxeastvalley.com. The event also will be livestreamed for those who prefer to attend virtually.
Presented by:
Presenting sponsor
Supporting sponsor
Media sponsor
PHX East Valley Partnership is a 501(c)(6) nonpartisan coalition of civic, business, education and political leaders dedicated to the economic development and promotion of the East Valley of Greater Phoenix. The Partnership advocates for economic development, education, transportation and infrastructure, health care and other important areas. For more information, visit www.phxeastvalley.com.
36
GET OUT
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
FuelFest celebrates cars, revs up the Valley BY CHRISTINA FUOCO-KARASINSKI GetOut Editor
C
ody Walker and Tyrese Gibson were catching up at Red Lobster when the conversation turned to Cody’s late brother, Paul, of “The Fast and the Furious” franchise. “First, I was so offended that he had never been to Red Lobster,” Gibson said with a laugh. “Cody said, ‘I don’t know what to order, dude. What are the hits here?’” After a little ribbing, Cody told Gibson about he and Chris Lee’s plan to host festivals surrounding all-things cars called FuelFest. Gibson said count me in. After a pandemic-dictated halt to the
Cody Walker is using some of the proceeds for Reach Out WorldWide, a nonprofit founded by his late brother. (Special to GetOut)
2020 event, FuelFest is coming to Wild Horse Pass Motorsports in Chandler on Dec. 4. They want it to succeed so much that Gibson said he feels vulnerable. “I’ve only said this to a chosen few,” Gibson said. “Cody and I are very vulnerable when it comes to this whole thing about FuelFest. We were talking about Paul and to have this idea and to put this idea out there, we don’t want it to fail. We want this to be successful. We want people to know about this. “We want to get the word out so people can show up. We want them to hit the road and come out to a really legendary day that you won’t forget.”
see FUELFEST page 37
Chandler dance studio presenting ‘Season to Shine’ ARIZONAN NEWS STAFF
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ance Connection 2, a Chandler dance studio serving the East Valley for 35 years, is collaborating with HopeKids Arizona, a local nonprofit that supports families with children with life-threatening illnesses, on its Season to Shine program. DC2 hosted its Movin’ and Groovin’ dance workshop for the HopeKids families. “This is an opportunity for these kids to forget about the illnesses they are battling and discover and express themselves through the sport of dance,” spokeswoman Shannon Moyette said, adding that “DC2’s highly experienced staff and company dancers” worked “closely with each child teaching them a variety of dance techniques and above all make life-long memories.” The dance workshop was a stepping stone to prepare the foundation’s young performance hopefuls and their families for DC2’s A Season to Shine holiday showcase at 3 p.m. Dec. 11.
Jordyn Berry laughs and Olivia and Gwen Ferguson dance with each other as children from HopeKids learn to dance with instructors from Dance Connection 2. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)
A Season to Shine is full of holiday classics performed by the studios’ dancers that Moyette said creates “a memorable family event for all ages.” HopeKids Executive Director Andrea Lewis said, “Our goal is to provide hope for our children and their families and this program supports that mission. “Collaborating with DC2 over the years has been such a rewarding experience for our children who are fighting cancer and other life-threatening medical conditions by allowing them to shine, make new friendships and most importantly provide hope.” DC2 dancers will also perform two other shows at 7 p.m. Dec. 10 and Dec. 11 at the Queen Creek Performing Arts Center, 22149 E. Ocotillo Road, Queen Creek. Tickets go on sale for the Friday and Saturday shows Nov. 23 at qcpac.com. A portion of proceeds from all three performances will be donated directly to HopeKids Arizona. “It has been a tough time for many, so
see DANCE STUDIO page 37
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
GET OUT 37
FUELFEST from page 36
Now in its third year nationwide, FuelFest blends the enthusiast’s passion for the automotive world with celebrities, live music, food, drinks and art. The show features more than 600 top custom, exotic, rare and exclusive cars and trucks. There are car and drift exhibitions, and drag racing. FuelFest will feature a live-action drift course that runs the entire length of the venue. Spectators can catch race cars drifting all day at FuelFest. The event will showcase precision driving skills in the FuelFest Drift Pit. A portion of the event proceeds benefit Reach Out WorldWide, the nonprofit founded by Paul and continued by Cody, who is 15 years younger than his brother. The organization was founded in 2010 by the late actor/producer after a massive earthquake devastated Haiti and Walker was inspired to organize a relief team that responded to the disaster. ROWW’s mission is to fill the gap between the availability of skilled resources in post-disaster situations. ROWW completed four deployments in 2020 and continues to operate where needed. To date, FuelFest has raised more than $100,000 for the charity, Cody said. “It’s a massive car festival, as we say,” said Cody, who recently moved to the Valley. “But it’s not just a car show. People are going to experience the whole shebang—drag racing, American muscle cars, exotic cars, European cars, crazy off-road vehicles. There’s something for everyone at the show. “They can see the sights, smell the fuel, the burning rubber and just have a good time. The weather is going to be amazing, especially in December in the Valley.” Arizona is important to Gibson as well as the singer-songwriter recorded the album “Black Rose” in a vacation rental in Paradise Valley. While he was here, he met one of his idols, Muhammad Ali, after receiving the “craziest text in the world.” “My life changed forever in Arizona,” said Gibson, whose album hit No. 1. “I
DANCE STUDIO from page 36
being able to make this program happen with HopeKids Arizona and share it with the community is truly a bright spot this holiday season,” said MaryAnna Gooch, owner of DC2.
Cody Walker is flattered that Tyrese Gibson is joining him in FuelFest. (Special to GetOut) definitely have a different level of appreciation.” Cody was flattered when Tyrese agreed to be part of FuelFest. “Obviously, Tyrese and my brother go way back — all the way back to ‘2 Fast 2 Furious,’” he said. “We’ve all had a passion for cars and our careers are surrounded by cars. I’m heavily influenced by my brother and the whole car culture. It’s what I live and breathe every day. “I knew Tyrese and I could put on something really special and unique for car fans and ‘The Fast and the Furious’ fans to come and experience with us together. It’s such a home run in so many ways to be able to do what you love and give back at the same time.” Gibson echoed Cody’s sentiment. “My thing has always been taking the culture and the energy and the fanbase
“Seeing all our dancers share their passion and love of dance with these children both in the studio and on stage is an inspiration and an experience that I hope will stay with them beyond the dance floor.”
of ‘The Fast and the Furious,’ which has had this worldwide cult following for 20 years, and turning it into an event. “Paul Walker — everyone loves him. I miss him every day. He’s my brother, but Cody’s real brother. I want to take all of this energy and allow the fans to experience something that feels like ‘The Fast and the Furious’ without it being a movie premiere. Cody came up with this idea and it was a no brainer to be involved. Your background doesn’t matter — your religious or sexual preference. Cars and car culture is a universal language.” Gibson explains the festive is “escapism” at its finest. After all, everyone wants to be in or own a nice car with “nice smelling leather,” and brightly colored with cool rims. “We all know guys will go broke and literally have no gas money, but they will
DC2 offers a variety of recreational classes to performance and competitive dance teams and anyone “interested in discovering and expressing themselves through the sport of dance.” Information: danceconnection2.com.
be more committed to rims and tires and souping up their engines,” Gibson said with a laugh. “They want to compete and win and beat everyone in their neighborhoods. Every man has a hotrod covered up in their garage. They may be married for 40 years and have 10 grandkids. But they take the car cover off and start that engine and they’re rejuvenated.”
FuelFest
WHEN: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 4 WHERE: Wild Horse Pass Motorsports Park, 20000 S. Maricopa Road, Chandler COST: $15 to $300 INFO: fuelfest.com
HopeKids provides ongoing events, activities, and a powerful, unique support community for families with critically ill children. Founded in 2001, it now serves nearly 1,500 families in Arizona. Information: hopekids.org.
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CLASSIFIEDS
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Deloitte Consulting LLP seeks a Consulting,Solution Specialist in Gilbert, AZ and various unanticipated Deloitte office locations and client sites nationally to perform software development and implementation services to address manufacturing, financial, human resources, customer relationship management, supply chain, and other business needs, utilizing SAP products. 15% Travel required nationally. Telecommuting permitted. To apply visit apply.deloitte.com. Enter XBAL22FC1121GIL3717 in “Search jobs” field. EOE, including disability/veterans.
NOW HIRING
“Memories cut in Stone” • MONUMENTS • GRANITE & BRONZE • CEMETERY LETTERING • CUSTOM DESIGNS
480-969-0788
Merch
Meetings/Events
Wanted to Buy
SUN VALLEY PARK BRUNCH 1st Sat. - Pancakes 3rd Sat. - Biscuits & Gravy / French Toast Both Include Ham, Sausage & Eggs 11101 E University Dr University Between Signal Butte/Meridian
Diabetic Test Strips by the box, unused. Any type or brand. Will pay top dollar. Call Pat 480-323-8846
ments andise
CHRISTMAS BAZAAR SUN VALLEY PARK Saturday November 17 8:00AM - 4:00PM All Hand-Crafted & Unique Items. 50+ Booths 11101 E University Dr University Between Signal Butte/Meridian
Peter Piper Pizza
Apply at: 7607 E. McDowell Road Scottsdale, Az. 85257 (480) 947-9901 Located between Hayden Road and Scottsdale Road on the southwest corner of Miller Road.
Miscellaneous for Sale FOR SALE Stonecreek Entertainment Center. Huge center area for huge TV, with lighted art/curio displays on both sides. New over $4k. Exclnt. condition. $2,250 OBO. 480-821-7993.
Real Estate
For Sale Condos/ Townhomes
Location: McDowell and Miller Road We are now hiring Full Time / Part Time, Team Members for Day, Evenings and Night positions.
EVERLASTING MONUMENT Co.
Announce
Auto - All Makes For Sale 2014 Ford Fiesta 4-door 98,000 miles. No accidents. $6,500 OBO 480-821-7993.
TOWNHOUSE FSBO 24 E. Redondo Dr. Tempe Open House Sun 10-2 2000 sf. 3br 2.5ba. (480) 231-1516
Garage Sales/Bazaars Superstition Sunrise RV Resort (an active adult community) located at 702 So Meridian Road in Apache Junction will hold their twice-yearly patio sales on Saturday, December 4 from 8amNoon. Pick up a resort map at the gate house to see where individual sales will be held.
75 W. Baseline Rd. Ste. A-8 Gilbert, AZ 85233
Sell Your Stuff!
www.everlastingmonumentco.com
Call Classifieds Today! 480.898.6465
info@everlastingmonument.phxcoxmail.com
Make your choice Everlasting
CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
Air Conditioning/Heating
Manufactured Homes
THE LINKS ESTATES Why Rent The Lot When
Family Owned & Operated
Three Phase Mechanical
480-671-0833
YOU CAN OWN THE LAND And Own Your New Home
www.3phasemech.com Sales, Service & Installation
NO TRIP CHARGE • NOT COMMISSION BASED
FROM THE UPPER 200’s
ASK US HOW YOUR $150k-180k CASH INVESTMENT AND OUR SENIOR LOAN PROGRAM ENABLES QUALIFIED 62+ SENIORS MAKING THE LINKS THEIR PRIMARY RESIDENCE HAVE NO MORTGAGE PAYMENT & NO LOT RENT AS LONG AS YOU LIVE IN HOME.
ROC# 247803 Bonded • Insured
ACCREDITED BUSINESS
HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING
Gawthorp & Associates
602-402-2213
www.linksestates.net
Garage/Doors
Appliance Repair Now
GARAGE DOOR SERVICE
If It’s Broken, We Can Fix It! • Same Day Service • On-Site Repairs • Servicing All Major Brands • Quality Guaranteed
480-659-1400 Licensed & Insured
REG. $99.
Includes a 16-Points Inspection. LIMITED TIME ONLY. RESIDENTIAL ONLY
*CALL FOR DETAILS
70 SERVICE FEE ON BROKEN UNITS
$
$70 fee on broken units waived if repair is made by my company
480-650-7087
M-F 8 TO 5 • SAT/SUN ON CALL • 24/7 EMERGENCY SERVICE Licensed, Bonded, Insured • ROC# 315986
QUALITY, VALUE and a GREAT PRICE!
Lifetime Warranty on Workmanship New 3-Ton 14 SEER AC Systems Only $4,995 INSTALLED! New Trane Air Conditioners NO INTEREST FINANCING - 60 MONTHS!
Over 1,000 Five-Star Google Reviews ★★★★★
FREE INDOOR REME HALO® IN-DUCT AIR PURIFIER*
Electrical Services HONESTY • INTEGRITY • QUALITY
• Reduces common allergens from pollen, mold dander & dust • Eliminates pet, cooking and musty odors • Reduces airborne and surface bacteria & viruses, such as MRSA, e-coli, and Norwalk 99+%,
*With a qualified ac system purchase
YOUR HOMETOWN AIR CONDITIONING SPECIALIST FREE Service Call With Repair FREE Second Opinion ★ FREE Estimate
• Serving Arizona Since 2005 •
SINCE 1982 ROC #C39-312643
Over 28 Years Experience • ROC #246019 Bonded/Insured
We offer Big Savings and Great Financing!
Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs! Painting • Flooring • Electrical Handyman Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Decks • Tile • More!
Some restrictions apply. See website for additional information. Special rebates and financing offers are valid on qualifying equipment and pre-approved credit. Offers expire 12/31/2021.
Your Ad can go ONLINE ANY Day! Call to place your ad online!! Classifieds 480-898-6465 Air Duct Cleaning
Air Duct Cleaning & Dryer Vents BY JOHN
★ 30+ Years HVAC Experience
Bonded/Insured • ROC #289252
(480) 912-0881 – Licensed & Insured
• Panel Changes and Repairs • Installation of Ceiling Fans • Switches/Outlets • Home Remodel
ALL RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL ELECTRICAL Call Jim Endres 480.282.7932
480-725-7303 www.BrewersAC.com
★ Disinfected & Sanitized With Every Job
480-405-7588
GLASS, MIRRORS, SHOWER DOORS
Family Owned with 50 years' EXPERIENCE. Shower and tub enclosures, Framed, Frameless or Custom Doors, We also install insulated glass, mirrored closet doors, window glass, mirrors, patio doors, glass table protectors. If it’s glass, we can help you. QUALITY SERVICE at Competitive Prices. FREE Estimates
A + Rating
49 MAINTENANCE*
Glass/Mirror
WESLEY'S GLASS & MIRROR Call 480-306-5113 wesleysglass.com SERVICING THE ENTIRE VALLEY
69
$
Broken Springs Replaced
Not a licensed contractor
We Also Buy, Sell & Trade Used Appliances Working or Not
2021
$
Installation and Maintenance of New Units Air Duct Cleaning and Dryer Vent Cleaning
East Valley/ Ahwatukee
Nights/Weekends Bonded/Insured 480-251-8610
BESTOF
FALL TUNE-UP SPECIAL!
SOS MECHANICAL
Appliance Repairs
Carpet Cleaning
4046 N Green St. • San Tan Valley, AZ 85140
Air Conditioning/Heating
39 CLASSIFIEDS
Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs! Marks the Spot for ALL•Your Handyman Needs! ✔ Painting Painting Flooring • Electrical “No Job Too ✔Small Flooring Painting • Flooring • Electrical Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Man!” Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry ✔ Electrical Decks • Tile • More! Quality Work Since 1999 Decks •Affo Tile • More! rdable, ✔ Plumbing 2010, 2011 2012, 2013, 2014 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 ✔ Drywall Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor “No Job ✔ Carpentry Too Small Marks the Spot for“No Job Too Concrete & Masonry ALL Your Handyman Needs! ✔ Decks Painting • Flooring • Electrical Small Man!” “No Job Too Man!” ✔ Tile Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry
Small Man!” Decks • Tile • More! ✔ Kitchens ✔ Bathrooms 2010, 2011 2012, “No 2013, Job Too Afford And More! 2010, 2011 Small Man!” 2014 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 2012, 2013, 2014 Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ NotResident a Licensed Contractor 1999 Since Ahwatukee / References Work ty Quali Affordable, 2010, 2011 2012, 2013, Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor Insured / Not aCall Licensed Contractor 2014 Bruce at 602.670.7038 rk Since 1999 Affordable, Quality Wo 1999 ceBSMALLMAN@Q.COM able, Quality Work Sin
Block Fence * Call Gates Bruce at 602.670.7038
Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 602-789-6929 Roc #057163
Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor
Lowest Prices * 30 Yrs Exp Serving Entire Valley
YOU’LL LIKE US - THE BEST!
40
CLASSIFIEDS
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
Home Improvement HOME REMODELING REPAIRS & CUSTOM INTERIOR PAINTING
Juan Hernandez
Move a wall; turn a door into a window. From small jobs and repairs to room additions, I do it all. Precision interior painting, carpentry, drywall, tile, windows, doors, skylights, electrical, fans, plumbing and more. All trades done by hands-on General Contractor. Friendly, artistic, intelligent, honest and affordable. 40 years’ experience. Call Ron Wolfgang. Please text or leave message Cell 602-628-9653 —Wolfgang Construction Inc. Licensed & Bonded ROC 124934
• Electrical Repair • Plumbing Repair • Dry rot and termite damage repair
GENERAL CONTRACTOR / HANDYMAN SERVICES SERVING THE ENTIRE VALLEY
520.508.1420
www.husbands2go.com
Licensed, Bonded & Insured • ROC#317949
SPRINKLER
TREE
Drip/Install/Repair & Tune ups!
TRIMMING
Not a licensed contractor
25 Years exp (480) 720-3840
25 years exp. Call Now (480) 720-3840
Interior/Exterior Painting 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE Dunn Edwards Quality Paint Small Stucco/Drywall Repairs
Irrigation
• Sprinkler/Drip Repairs • New Installs Poly/PVC • Same Day Service
480.654.5600 azirrigation.com Cutting Edge LLC • ROC 281671
Licensed • Bonded • Insured
Specializing in Controllers, Valves, Sprinklers, Landscape Lighting, P.V.C. & Poly Drip Systems
CALL US TODAY!
480.721.4146
• Concrete Slab
www.irsaz.com
• Remodeling Debris
ROC# 256752
Licensed • Bonded • Insured • ROC118198
One Call, We Do It All! 602-339-4766 Owner Does All Work, All Honey-Do Lists All Remodeling, Additions, Kitchen, Bath, Patio Covers, Garage, Sheds, Windows, Doors, Drywall & Roofing Repairs, Painting, All Plumbing, Electrical, Concrete, Block, Stucco, Stack Stone, All Flooring, Wood, Tile, Carpet, Welding, Gates, Fences, All Repairs.
Free Estimates with Pride & Prompt Service!
SEWER CABLE COMPREHENSIVE, FULL-SERVICE PLUMBING COMPANY
BOOK ONLINE! STATE48DRAINS.COM 20+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED ROC 3297740
PLUMBERS CHARGE TOO MUCH!
(602) 502-1655
FREE Service Calls + FREE Estimates Water Heaters Installed - $999 Unclog Drains - $49
East Valley PAINTERS
10% OFF
All Water Purification Systems Voted #1 Plumber 3 Years In A Row OVER 1,000 5-STAR REVIEWS
Voted #1 Paint Interior & Exterior • Drywall Repair Light Carpentry • Power Washing • Textures Matched Popcorn Removal • Pool Deck Coatings Garage Floor Coatings • Color Consulting
10% OFF
Bonded/Insured • ROC #223709
480-405-7099
We Beat Competitors Prices & Quality
MORE CLASSIFIED ADS ONLINE! www.ChandlerNews.com
ALL Pro
Free Estimates! Home of the 10-Year Warranty!
Pool Service / Repair
Prepare for Winter Season!
www.eastvalleypainters.com
Insured/Bonded Free Estimates
General Contracting, Inc.
480-477-8842
— Call Jason —
Landscape/Maintenance
• Yard Waste
HYDROJETTING
Interior & Exterior Residential/Commercial Free Estimates Drywall Repairs Senior Discounts References Available
NTY 5-YEAR WARRA
• Old Paint & Chems.
Call Classifieds 480-898-6465
ROC#309706
PAINTING
Irrigation Repair Services Inc.
Home Improvement
81% of our readers, read the Classifieds!
We Are State Licensed and Reliable!
Hauling
• Old Tires
HOME FOR RENT? Place it here!
Free Estimates • Senior Discounts
Ask me about FREE water testing!
• Furniture • Appliances • Mattresses • Televisions • Garage Clean-Out • Construction Debris
HOME IMPROVEMENT & PAINTING
Drain Cleaning Experts, water heaters, disposals, water & sewer lines repaired/replaced & remodels. Rapid Response. If water runs through it we do it! 602-663-8432
480-338-4011
LLC
All Estimates are Free • Call:
Plumbing
Juan Hernandez
Handyman
• Drywall Repair • Bathroom Remodeling • Home Renovations
Painting
Landscape/Maintenance
T R E E
S E R V I C E
L L C
LANDSCAPING, TREES & MAINTENANCE
Tree Trimming • Tree Removal Stump Grinding Storm Damage • Bushes/Shrubs Yard Clean-up Commercial and Residential PMB 435 • 2733 N. Power Rd. • Suite 102 • Mesa dennis@allprotrees.com
480-354-5802
480-688-4770
Family Owned & Operated Bonded/Insured • ROC#153131
Now Accepting all major credit cards
MISSED THE DEADLINE? Call us to place your ad online!
480-898-6465
Juan Hernandez
Pavers • Concrete • Water Features • Sprinkler Repair
PPebbleOcracking, O L Plaster R Epeeling, P ARebar IR showing, Pool Light out? I CAN HELP!
FALL SPECIAL! $500 OFF COMPLETE REMODEL! 25 Years Experience • Dependable & Reliable
Call Juan at
480-720-3840 Not a licensed contractor.
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
41 CLASSIFIEDS
Roofing
Roofing
Roofing
Public Notices
PHILLIPS
480-699-2754 • info@monsoonroofinginc.com
10% Discount for Ahwatukee Residents 100% NO Leak Guarantee Re-Roof & Roofing Repairs Tile, Shingles & Flat Roof
ROOFING LLC COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL
Family Owned and Operated 43 Years Experience in Arizona
MonsoonRoofingInc.com Licensed – Bonded – Insured – ROC187561
The City of Ketchikan (Alaska) is advertising for a professional search firm to provide recruitment services for our City/General Manager. Proposals can be submitted at www.ktn-ak.us/bids Proposals must be received by 4:00pm on December 8, 2021.
623-873-1626
Serving All Types Clean, Prompt, Friendly and Professional Service of Roofing: • • • •
FREE ESTIMATES
Tiles & Shingles sunlandroofingllc@gmail.com Installation Repair Re-Roofing
602-471-2346
Window Cleaning
Free Estimates Monday through Saturday Licensed 2006 ROC 223367 Bonded Insured
Tiles, shingles, flat, repairs & new work Free Estimates • Ahwatukee Resident Over 30 yrs. Experience
480-706-1453
Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099
PhillipsRoofing.org PhillipsRoofing@cox.net
Add a Background Color to Your Ad! Classifieds 480-898-6465
Professional service since 1995
130 - One Story 170 - Two Story
$ Bonded & Insured
$
Includes in & out up to 30 Panes
SUN SCREENS CLEANED $3 EACH
480-584-1643
Attention to detail and tidy in your home.
Roofing
aOver 30 Years of Experience
aFamily Operated by 3 Generations of Roofers! Premier Tile, Shingle & Foam Roofer!
Spencer 4 HIRE ROOFING Valley Wide Service
480-446-7663 FREE Estimates • Credit Cards OK www.spencer4hireroofing.com ROC#244850 | Insured | Bonded
SHARE WITH THE WORLD! Place a Birth, Anniversary, Wedding Announcement, In Memoriam, Obituary or any life event in this paper today! Call us for details.
class@timespublications.com or call 480-898-6465
IN THE SUPERIOR COURT OF THE STATE OF ARIZONA IN AND FOR PINAL COUNTY Case No: DO2021-01436 NOTICE OF HEARING ON PETITION TO ESTABLISH PATERNITY, LEGAL DECISION-MAKING, PARENTING TIME AND CHILD SUPPORT (Honorable Patrick Gard) n Re the Matter of: CORY SCHINDEHETTE, Petitioner, and MELISSA VARGAS, Respondent. TO: MELISSA VARGAS, Respondent/Mother in the above referenced matter. A Petition to Establish Paternity, Legal Decision-Making, Parenting Time,and Child Support and a Motion for Temporary Orders Re: Legal Decision-Making, Parenting Time and Child Support has been filed by Petitioner, CORY SCHINDEHETTE; NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN: The Court has set a telephonic hearing on the Petition to Establish Paternity, Legal Decision-Making, Parenting Time, and Child Support on the 14th day of December, 2021 at 10:00 o’clock a.m., at the Pinal County Superior Court, located at 971 Jason Lopez Circle, Building A, Florence, Arizona 85132, before the Honorable Honorable Patrick K. Gard. The Honorable Patrick K. Gard’s division can be reached at (520) 866-5405 and HYPERLINK "mailto:nbrokaw@courts.az.gov" nbrokaw@courts.az.gov. The hearing shall be set for 15 minutes, and the Court will not hear or take evidence at this hearing. FAILURE TO APPEAR TELEPHONICALLY AT THE HEARING MAY RESULT IN THE COURT ISSUING A CIVIL ARREST WARRANT, OR WHERE APPLICABLE, A CHILD SUPPORT ARREST WARRANT, FOR YOUR ARREST. IF YOU ARE ARRESTED, YOU MAY BE HELD IN JAIL FOR NO MORE THAN 24 HOURS BEFORE A HEARING IS HELD. Counsel and/or parties shall provide the Court’s Judicial Assistance, Natalie (520-866-5405 & HYPERLINK "mailto:nbrokaw@courts.az.gov" nbrokaw@courts.az.gov) with a telephone number, not less than two and not more than five judicial days prior to the hearing; the Court shall initiate the call as near the scheduled time as the Court’s calendar permits. Requests for reasonable accommodation for persons with disabilities must be made to the office of the Judge or Commissioner scheduled to hear this case five days before your scheduled court date. If you are receiving this Notice by publication, you may obtain a copy of the Petition by submitting a written request to: Renee King, 7702 E. Doubletree ranch road, Suite 300, Scottsdale, Arizona 85258. RESPECTFULLY SUBMITTED this 27th day of October, 2021. GUYMON LAW /s/ Renee King Renee L. (Cook) King, Esq. Attorney for Petitioner. Published: East Valley Tribune, Nov 14, 21, 28, Dec 5, 2021 / 42723
THE BUSINESS THAT CONSIDERS ITSELF IMMUNE TO THE NECESSITY FOR
ADVERTISING
SOONER OR LATER FINDS ITSELF IMMUNE TO BUSINESS. - Derby Brown
42
CLASSIFIEDS
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
Public Notices NOTICE TO CREDITORS In the Matter of the Estate of Laura Mae Griffin, Deceased or The Roy J. Griffin and Laura M. Griffin Living Trust, Deceased NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the undersigned has been appointed as the Personal Representative of this estate. All persons having claims against the estate are required to present their claims within four (4) months after the date of the first publication of this Notice or the claims will be forever barred. Claims must be presented by delivering or mailing a written statement of the claim to undersigned Personal Representative at 94-176 Anania Drive #271, Mililani, Hawaii. 96789. DATED this 10 day of NOVEMBER, 2021 /s/ Robert E. Griffin, trustee. Published: East Vallkey Tribune, Nov. 14, 21, 28, 2021 / 42776
Add a Background Color to Your Ad! Classifieds 480-898-6465
Public Notices
OUT WITH THE OLD, CHIP RETURN RETURN YOUR TABLE GAMES CASINO CHIPS AT HARRAH’S AK-CHIN BEFORE THEY EXPIRE! If you have Table Games Casino chips received before July 7, 2021, please redeem them at the Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino cashier cage no later than March 31, 2022 for a full refund. Disclaimer: Any discontinued Table Games chips not returned by March 31, 2022 will be void and hold no cash value. Redemption must take place at the Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino cashier cage in person. Harrah’s Ak-Chin Casino is not responsible for any unreturned Table Games chips.
CITY OF MESA PUBLIC NOTICE The Mesa City Council will hold a public hearing concerning the following ordinances at the December 8, 2021 City Council meeting beginning at 5:45 p.m. in the Mesa City Council Chambers, 57 East First Street. 1. ZON21-00566 (District 5) Within the 6400 block of East McDowell Road (north side) and within the 2800 block of North Ramada (west side). Located west of Power Road on the north side of McDowell Road (4.1± acres). Rezone from Office Commercial (OC) to Single Residence 9 with a Planned Area Development Overlay (RS-9-PAD). This request will allow for the development of a single residence subdivision. Grant Taylor, applicant; DeMichele Family, LLC, owner. 2. ZON21-00892 (District 6) Within the 4400 to 4700 blocks of South Power Road (east side) and within the 6800 to 7000 blocks of East Warner Road (south side). Located at the southeast corner of Power Road and Warner Road (40± acres). Modification of the Planned Area Development Overlay (PAD) and Site Plan Modification. This request will allow for commercial development. Sean Lake, Pew & Lake, PLC, applicant; Power 40, LLC, owner. 3. ZON21-00540 (District 6) Within the 10500 to 10800 blocks of East Elliot Road (north side) and within the 3500 block of South Signal Butte Road (west side). Located on the northwest corner of Signal Butte Road and Elliot Road (25.7± acres). Rezone from Agriculture (AG) to Light Industrial (LI) with a Planned Area Development (PAD) Overlay, Site Plan Review, and Special Use Permit. This request will allow for a commercial and industrial development. Adam Baugh, Withey Morris, PLC, applicant; Whane of Mesa, LP, owner. 4. ANX21-00799 (District 6) Annexing property located within the 4200 to 4400 blocks of South Sossaman Road (west side). Located west of Sossaman Road and north of the Warner Road alignment (101.1± acres). Initiated by the applicant, Sean Lake on behalf of Pew & Lake PLC, The Dale C. Morrison Trust, owner. 5. ZON21-00798 (District 6) Within the 4200 to 4400 blocks of South Sossaman Road (west side). Located west of Sossaman Road and north of the Warner Road alignment (101.1± acres). Rezone from Agriculture (AG) to Light Industrial with a Planned Area Development overlay (LI-PAD) and Site Plan Review. This request will allow for an industrial development. Sean Lake on behalf of Pew & Lake PLC, applicant; The Dale C. Morrison Trust, owner. 6. Amending Title 5 of the Mesa City Code (Business Regulations), Chapter 4 entitled “Mobile Food Vendors” to exempt mobile food vendors who are operating at special events from licensing requirements on a limited basis, and to modify requirements for the location of mobile food vendor operations, including distance requirements and related exemptions for operation in or near areas zoned for residential use. (Citywide) DATED at Mesa, Arizona, this 28th day of November 2021. DEE ANN MICKELSEN, City Clerk Published in the East Valley Tribune Nov 28, 2021 / 43038
NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE PAINTED MOUNTAIN GOLF VILLAS 32997.0018 (HERNANDEZ & TRANSFER FOR YOU LLC ONLY) The following legally described property will be sold pursuant to the power of sale under that certain Amended Notice of Delinquency of Assessments recorded under Instrument Number 20210032990, records of Maricopa County, Arizona. The owner(s) (see Exhibit “A”) have breached and defaulted under the Declaration of Dedication, Interval Ownership Plan, and Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions and Easements and Bylaws of the Association by failing to pay the amounts as specified herein. NOTICE! IF YOU BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFENSE TO THE TRUSTEE SALE OR IF YOU HAVE AN OBJECTION TO THE TRUSTEE SALE YOU MUST FILE AN ACTION AND OBTAIN A COURT ORDER PURSUANT TO RULE 65, ARIZONA RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE, STOPPING THE SALE NO LATER THAN 5:00 PM MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME OF THE LAST BUSINESS DAY BEFORE THE SCHEDULED DATE OF THE SALE, OR YOU MAY HAVE WAIVED ANY DEFENSES OR OBJECTIONS TO THE SALE. UNLESS YOU OBTAIN A COURT ORDER, THE SALE WILL BE FINAL AND WILL OCCUR at public auction to the highest bidder in Suite 700, at 8585 East Hartford Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85255, in Maricopa County, Arizona, at 1 p.m. on Friday, January 28, 2022: Painted Mountain Golf Villas Interval Interest consisting of: (i) an undivided (SEE EXHIBIT “A”) for Annual, (SEE EXHIBIT “A”) for Biennial Even Years, (SEE EXHIBIT “A”) for Biennial Odd Years fee interest in Unit No(s)/ Interval No(s)/Assigned Year (SEE EXHIBIT “A”)/(SEE EXHIBIT “A”)/(SEE EXHIBIT “A”) PAINTED MOUNTAIN GOLF VILLAS CONDOMINIUM, according to the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions, and Easements for Painted Mountain Golf Villas Condominium recorded in instrument no. 97-0704664, and plat recorded in Book 451 of Maps, Page 11, records of Maricopa County, Arizona, by which an Owner is entitled to occupy a Unit for one (1) Interval on an annual or biennial (whichever is indicated above) and recurring basis, the exact Interval to be established every year (or, for biennial, every other year) by reservation, all as defined and governed by the Declaration of Dedication, Interval Ownership Plan, and Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions and Easements for Painted Mountain Golf Villas, dated September 18, 1997, and recorded October 8, 1997, in instrument no. 97-0704665, records of Maricopa County, Arizona, as amended (collectively, the “Declaration”); and (ii) the non-exclusive right to use and enjoy the Common Area, and to use and enjoy the Common Furnishings contained in such Unit, during such Owner’s Use Period, as provided in the Declaration. For convenience in inventory control, conveyancing, and titling, an Interval Interest is granted in a specific Unit; however, this interest does NOT carry with it the right to use that specific Unit. Property address: 6302 E. McKellips Road, Mesa, AZ, 85215. Tax parcel number: 201008093. Name and address of owner(s): (See Exhibit “A”) Delinquent Assessments: (See Exhibit “A”). Trustee: Sharon A. Urias, 8585 East Hartford Drive, Suite 700, Scottsdale, AZ, 85255, Phone no. (480) 306-5458. Manner of trustee qualification:
Member, State Bar of Arizona Name of trustee’s regulator: State Bar of Arizona. This is a non-judicial foreclosure proceeding to permit Painted Mountain Golf Villas Vacation Ownership Association, An Arizona Nonprofit Corporation, to pursue its in rem remedies under Arizona law. EXHIBIT “A” - NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE Owner(s) Address Undiv Int ICN Unit Assigned Yr Yrs Due Delinquent Assessments RUTH M HERNANDEZ 1740 SW 18 St Miami, FL 33145, 1/104, 28E, 139, Biennial, 2018-2020, $759.00; TRANSFER FOR YOU, LLC & JOSH UNGARO, AGENT 402 B #112 W. Mt. Vernon Rd Nixa, MO 65714, 1/52, 40A, 225, Annual, 20182020, $3,326.45; NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE PAINTED MOUNTAIN GOLF VILLAS 32997.0039 (RILEY JR.) The following legally described property will be sold pursuant to the power of sale under that certain Notice of Delinquency of Assessments recorded under Instrument Number 20210916756, records of Maricopa County, Arizona. The owner(s) (see Exhibit “A”) have breached and defaulted under the Declaration of Dedication, Interval Ownership Plan, and Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions and Easements and Bylaws of the Association by failing to pay the amounts as specified herein. NOTICE! IF YOU BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFENSE TO THE TRUSTEE SALE OR IF YOU HAVE AN OBJECTION TO THE TRUSTEE SALE YOU MUST FILE AN ACTION AND OBTAIN A COURT ORDER PURSUANT TO RULE 65, ARIZONA RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE, STOPPING THE SALE NO LATER THAN 5:00 PM MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME OF THE LAST BUSINESS DAY BEFORE THE SCHEDULED DATE OF THE SALE, OR YOU MAY HAVE WAIVED ANY DEFENSES OR OBJECTIONS TO THE SALE. UNLESS YOU OBTAIN A COURT ORDER, THE SALE WILL BE FINAL AND WILL OCCUR at public auction to the highest bidder in Suite 700, at 8585 East Hartford Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85255, in Maricopa County, Arizona, at 1 p.m. on Friday, January 28, 2022: Painted Mountain Golf Villas Interval Interest consisting of: (i) an undivided (SEE EXHIBIT “A”) for Annual, (SEE EXHIBIT “A”) for Biennial Even Years, (SEE EXHIBIT “A”) for Biennial Odd Years fee interest in Unit No(s)/ Interval No(s)/Assigned Year (SEE EXHIBIT “A”)/(SEE EXHIBIT “A”)/(SEE EXHIBIT “A”) PAINTED MOUNTAIN GOLF VILLAS CONDOMINIUM, according to the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions, and Easements for Painted Mountain Golf Villas Condominium recorded in instrument no. 97-0704664, and plat recorded in Book 451 of Maps, Page 11, records of Maricopa County, Arizona, by which an Owner is entitled to occupy a Unit for one (1) Interval on an annual or biennial (whichever is indicated above) and recurring basis, the exact Interval to be established every year (or, for biennial, every other year) by reservation, all as defined and governed by the Declaration of Dedication, Interval Ownership Plan, and Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions and Easements for Painted Mountain Golf Villas, dated September 18, 1997, and recorded October 8, 1997,
in instr County “Decla use and enjoy t Unit, d in the control Interes interest specific Road, 100809 Exhibit “A”). T Drive, (480) Membe regulat foreclo Golf V Arizon remedi EXHIB Owner Yrs Du WILLI Crappi Annual JR & P NY 114 $885.9 State H & 1/52 2018-2 STEPH Dr Peo 2019-2 STEPH Peoria, 2021, $ State H 1/104, FLOYD Lincoln 2021, $ CONW 1/52, 4 JOHN AKA A Laguna 2019-2 & MIC Gerald dated O Worth, & 226 DELOR IN 463 $3,351
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43 CLASSIFIEDS
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
Public Notices in instrument no. 97-0704665, records of Maricopa County, Arizona, as amended (collectively, the “Declaration”); and (ii) the non-exclusive right to use and enjoy the Common Area, and to use and enjoy the Common Furnishings contained in such Unit, during such Owner’s Use Period, as provided in the Declaration. For convenience in inventory control, conveyancing, and titling, an Interval Interest is granted in a specific Unit; however, this interest does NOT carry with it the right to use that specific Unit. Property address: 6302 E. McKellips Road, Mesa, AZ, 85215. Tax parcel number: 201008093. Name and address of owner(s): (See Exhibit “A”) Delinquent Assessments: (See Exhibit “A”). Trustee: Sharon A. Urias, 8585 East Hartford Drive, Suite 700, Scottsdale, AZ, 85255, Phone no. (480) 306-5458. Manner of trustee qualification: Member, State Bar of Arizona Name of trustee’s regulator: State Bar of Arizona. This is a non-judicial foreclosure proceeding to permit Painted Mountain Golf Villas Vacation Ownership Association, An Arizona Nonprofit Corporation, to pursue its in rem remedies under Arizona law. EXHIBIT “A” – NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE Owner(s) Address Undiv Int ICN Unit Assigned Yr Yrs Due Delinquent Assessments WILLIAM G RILEY JR. & JEAN M RILEY 2001 Crappie Cv Bellevue, NE 68123, 1/52, 20A, 122M, Annual, 2019-2021, $1,165.57; ARTHUR FLUDD JR & PAULA E FLUDD 13017 148th St Jamaica, NY 11436, 1/104, 49E, 132M, Biennial, 2019-2021, $885.91; TIMESHARE TRADE INS, LLC 10923 State Highway 176 Walnut Shade, MO 65771, 1/52 & 1/52, 33A & 2A, 121 & 237P, Annual & Annual, 2018-2020, $4,454.02; GREGORY A MOSER & STEPHANIE A MOSER 9341 W Via Montoya Dr Peoria, AZ 85383, 1/52, 40A, 127, Annual, 2019-2021, $3,351.88; GREGORY A MOSER & STEPHANIE A MOSER 9341 W Via Montoya Dr Peoria, AZ 85383, 1/52, 41A, 127, Annual, 20192021, $3,351.88; TIMESHARE TRADE INS 10923 State Highway 176 Ste E Walnut Shade, MO 65771, 1/104, 7E, 123M, Biennial, 2019-2021, $885.91; FLOYD H COX & H. AGNES COX 720 N 56th St Lincoln, NE 68504, 1/52, 48A, 125, Annual, 20192021, $3,351.88; HARRY E CONWAY & CAROL D CONWAY 1513 N Westgate St Wichita, KS 67212, 1/52, 49A, 235, Annual, 2019-2021, $3,351.88; JOHN E. MICHAEL & ALAYNE MICHAEL AKA Alayne Michael Todd 25231 Spindlewood Laguna Niguel, CA 92677, 1/52, 11A, 136, Annual, 2019-2021, $3,351.88; GERALD W NIMERICK & MICHELE A NIMERICK, Co-Trustees of the Gerald and Michele Nimerick Management Trust dated October 19, 2004 1600 Texas St Apt 421 Fort Worth, TX 76102, 1/52 & 1/52, 32A & 33A, 226 & 226, Annual & Annual, 2019-2021, $6,628.19; DELORES A HAUER 402 N True St Griffith, IN 46319, 1/52, 34A, 235, Annual, 2019-2021, $3,351.88; NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE PAINTED MOUNTAIN GOLF VILLAS VACATION OWNERSHIP ASSOCIATION 32997.0040 (COMMERCE SYSTEMS, LLC) The following legally described property will be sold pursuant to the power of sale under that certain Notice of Delinquency of Assessments recorded
under Instrument Number 20210916757, records of Maricopa County, Arizona. The owner(s) (see Exhibit “A”) have breached and defaulted under the Declaration of Dedication, Interval Ownership Plan, and Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions and Easements and Bylaws of the Association by failing to pay the amounts as specified herein. NOTICE! IF YOU BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFENSE TO THE TRUSTEE SALE OR IF YOU HAVE AN OBJECTION TO THE TRUSTEE SALE YOU MUST FILE AN ACTION AND OBTAIN A COURT ORDER PURSUANT TO RULE 65, ARIZONA RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE, STOPPING THE SALE NO LATER THAN 5:00 PM MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME OF THE LAST BUSINESS DAY BEFORE THE SCHEDULED DATE OF THE SALE, OR YOU MAY HAVE WAIVED ANY DEFENSES OR OBJECTIONS TO THE SALE. UNLESS YOU OBTAIN A COURT ORDER, THE SALE WILL BE FINAL AND WILL OCCUR at public auction to the highest bidder in Suite 700, at 8585 East Hartford Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85255, in Maricopa County, Arizona, at 1 p.m. on Friday, January 28, 2022: Painted Mountain Golf Villas Interval Interest consisting of: (i) an undivided (SEE EXHIBIT “A”) for Annual, (SEE EXHIBIT “A”) for Biennial Even Years, (SEE EXHIBIT “A”) for Biennial Odd Years fee interest in Unit No(s)/ Interval No(s)/Assigned Year (SEE EXHIBIT “A”)/(SEE EXHIBIT “A”)/(SEE EXHIBIT “A”) PAINTED MOUNTAIN GOLF VILLAS CONDOMINIUM, according to the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions, and Easements for Painted Mountain Golf Villas Condominium recorded in instrument no. 97-0704664, and plat recorded in Book 451 of Maps, Page 11, records of Maricopa County, Arizona, by which an Owner is entitled to occupy a Unit for one (1) Interval on an annual or biennial (whichever is indicated above) and recurring basis, the exact Interval to be established every year (or, for biennial, every other year) by reservation, all as defined and governed by the Declaration of Dedication, Interval Ownership Plan, and Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions and Easements for Painted Mountain Golf Villas, dated September 18, 1997, and recorded October 8, 1997, in instrument no. 97-0704665, records of Maricopa County, Arizona, as amended (collectively, the “Declaration”); and (ii) the non-exclusive right to use and enjoy the Common Area, and to use and enjoy the Common Furnishings contained in such Unit, during such Owner’s Use Period, as provided in the Declaration. For convenience in inventory control, conveyancing, and titling, an Interval Interest is granted in a specific Unit; however, this interest does NOT carry with it the right to use that specific Unit. Property address: 6302 E. McKellips Road, Mesa, AZ, 85215. Tax parcel number: 201008093. Name and address of owner(s): (See Exhibit “A”) Delinquent Assessments: (See Exhibit “A”). Trustee: Sharon A. Urias, 8585 East Hartford Drive, Suite 700, Scottsdale, AZ, 85255, Phone no. (480) 306-5458. Manner of trustee qualification: Member, State Bar of Arizona Name of trustee’s regulator: State Bar of Arizona. This is a non-judicial foreclosure proceeding to permit Painted Mountain Golf Villas Vacation Ownership Association, An Arizona Nonprofit Corporation, to pursue its in rem remedies under Arizona law. EXHIBIT “A” – NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE Owner(s) Address Undiv Int ICN Unit Assigned Yr
Yrs Due Delinquent Assessments TOTAL COMMERCE SYSTEMS, LLC AN ARIZONA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY 989 S Main St Ste A435 Cottonwood, AZ 86326, 1/52, 11A, 231, Annual, 2019-2021, $3,351.88; PHYLLIS DENISE JEFFERSON 8 Mcchurch Ct Apt E Randallstown, MD 21133, 1/52, 37A, 226, Annual, 2019-2021, $3,351.88; TOTAL COMMERCE SYSTEMS, LLC AN ARIZONA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY 989 S Main St Ste A435 Cottonwood, AZ 86326, 1/52, 41A, 129, Annual, 2019-2021, $3,351.88; JASON C TRAFTON & BRENDA TRAFTON 15827 Pine Cone Ln Tomball, TX 77377, 1/104, 46E, 122M, Biennial, 2019-2021, $885.91; JAB PROPERTIES INVESTMENT, LLC A TENNESSEE LIMITED LIABLITY COMPANY 4544 3rd Ave S Saint Petersburg, FL 33711, 1/52, 12A, 229, Annual, 2019-2021, $3,351.88; KASSI HARRIS 3000 Green Mountain Dr Ste 420 Branson, MO 65616, 1/52, 16A, 124M, Annual, 2019-2021, $2,620.95; KIPP JOHANNSEN PO Box 7293 Seminole, FL 33775, 1/52, 13A, 224M, Annual, 2019-2021, $2,620.95; TOTAL COMMERCE SYSTEMS, LLC AN ARIZONA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY 989 S Main St Ate A435 Cottonwood, AZ 86326, 1/52, 20A, 228, Annual, 2019-2021, $3,351.88; MARINA BAY AND MIDLER SERVICES, LLC, A LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY 28 Shannon Circle Mascotte, FL 34753, 1/52, 29A, 125, Annual, 2019-2021, $3,351.88; ALEXANDRU COLEV PO Box 692468 Orlando, FL 32869, 1/52, 6A, 230, Annual, 2019-2021, $3,351.88; JACE ELLIS BINGHAM 6 Anne St Canton, NC 28716, 1/52, 18A, 117, Annual, 2019-2021, $3,351.88; JERRY WAYNE THOMPSON 124 Mill Creek Cir Lot 7 Jesup, GA 31545, 1/52, 8A, 133, Annual, 20192021, $3,351.88; NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE PAINTED MOUNTAIN GOLF VILLAS 32997.0041 (GROUPWISE) The following legally described property will be sold pursuant to the power of sale under that certain Notice of Delinquency of Assessments recorded under Instrument Number 20210916758, records of Maricopa County, Arizona. The owner(s) (see Exhibit “A”) have breached and defaulted under the Declaration of Dedication, Interval Ownership Plan, and Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions and Easements and Bylaws of the Association by failing to pay the amounts as specified herein. NOTICE! IF YOU BELIEVE THERE IS A DEFENSE TO THE TRUSTEE SALE OR IF YOU HAVE AN OBJECTION TO THE TRUSTEE SALE YOU MUST FILE AN ACTION AND OBTAIN A COURT ORDER PURSUANT TO RULE 65, ARIZONA RULES OF CIVIL PROCEDURE, STOPPING THE SALE NO LATER THAN 5:00 PM MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME OF THE LAST BUSINESS DAY BEFORE THE SCHEDULED DATE OF THE SALE, OR YOU MAY HAVE WAIVED ANY DEFENSES OR OBJECTIONS TO THE SALE. UNLESS YOU OBTAIN A COURT ORDER, THE SALE WILL BE FINAL AND WILL OCCUR at public auction to the highest bidder in Suite 700, at 8585 East Hartford Drive, Scottsdale, AZ 85255, in Maricopa County, Arizona, at 1 p.m. on Friday, January 28, 2022: Painted Mountain Golf
Villas Interval Interest consisting of: (i) an undivided (SEE EXHIBIT “A”) for Annual, (SEE EXHIBIT “A”) for Biennial Even Years, (SEE EXHIBIT “A”) for Biennial Odd Years fee interest in Unit No(s)/ Interval No(s)/Assigned Year (SEE EXHIBIT “A”)/(SEE EXHIBIT “A”)/(SEE EXHIBIT “A”) PAINTED MOUNTAIN GOLF VILLAS CONDOMINIUM, according to the Declaration of Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions, and Easements for Painted Mountain Golf Villas Condominium recorded in instrument no. 97-0704664, and plat recorded in Book 451 of Maps, Page 11, records of Maricopa County, Arizona, by which an Owner is entitled to occupy a Unit for one (1) Interval on an annual or biennial (whichever is indicated above) and recurring basis, the exact Interval to be established every year (or, for biennial, every other year) by reservation, all as defined and governed by the Declaration of Dedication, Interval Ownership Plan, and Covenants, Conditions, Restrictions and Easements for Painted Mountain Golf Villas, dated September 18, 1997, and recorded October 8, 1997, in instrument no. 97-0704665, records of Maricopa County, Arizona, as amended (collectively, the “Declaration”); and (ii) the non-exclusive right to use and enjoy the Common Area, and to use and enjoy the Common Furnishings contained in such Unit, during such Owner’s Use Period, as provided in the Declaration. For convenience in inventory control, conveyancing, and titling, an Interval Interest is granted in a specific Unit; however, this interest does NOT carry with it the right to use that specific Unit. Property address: 6302 E. McKellips Road, Mesa, AZ, 85215. Tax parcel number: 201008093. Name and address of owner(s): (See Exhibit “A”) Delinquent Assessments: (See Exhibit “A”). Trustee: Sharon A. Urias, 8585 East Hartford Drive, Suite 700, Scottsdale, AZ, 85255, Phone no. (480) 306-5458. Manner of trustee qualification: Member, State Bar of Arizona Name of trustee’s regulator: State Bar of Arizona. This is a non-judicial foreclosure proceeding to permit Painted Mountain Golf Villas Vacation Ownership Association, An Arizona Nonprofit Corporation, to pursue its in rem remedies under Arizona law. EXHIBIT “A” – NOTICE OF TRUSTEE’S SALE Owner(s) Address Undiv Int ICN Unit Assigned Yr Yrs Due Delinquent Assessments JOHN W MCMULLEN 2811 Citrus Lake Dr Unit J101 Naples, FL 34109, 1/104, 45O, 137, Biennial, 2019-2021, $2,035.36; LIZDENNI LIBEL GIL SANTO Casa #195 Los Limones Nagua, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, 1/52, 33A, 229, Annual, 2019-2021, $3,351.88; JAMES ANDERSON & CAROL ANDERSON 207 N 9th Ave P.O. Box 26 Winneconne, WI 54986, 1/52, 40A, 236, Annual, 2019-2021, $3,351.88; DAVID SKINNER, LLC A NEVADA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY C/O Holiday Equity 3605 Airport Way S Seattle, WA 98134, 1/52, 34A, 232, Annual, 2019-2021, $3,351.88; MICHAEL C MAXWELL 401 N Brookhurst St Ste 116 Anaheim, CA 92801, 1/52, 17A, 122M, Annual, 2019-2021, $2,620.95; WENDY JOSEFINA GIL SANTOS Edeficio Luz Maria 1 Apt # 7 Calle Duverge #124, Capacito San Francisco De Macoris, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, 1/52, 33A, 127, Annual, 2019-2021, $3,351.88; Published: East Valley Tribune Nov. 14, 21, 28, Dec. 5, 2021 / 42205
44
THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | NOVEMBER 28, 2021
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TERRY LENTS
© Copyright 2021 Blandford Homes, LLC. No offer to sell or lease may be made prior to issuance of Final Arizona Subdivision Public Report. Offer, terms, and availability subject to change without prior notice. Renderings are artist’s conceptions and remain subject to modification without notice.
