The Chandler Arizonan 09-20-2020 by Times Media Group

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September 20, 2020

Familiar but different setting greets Chandler students BY KEVIN REAGAN Arizonan Staff Writer

driana Robertson stood in front of a class of kindergarteners, ready to point to a chart of the alphabet. The Conley Elementary School teacher gestured toward one letter and waited for her students to shout out the answer she’s looking for. “A – Apple,” the kindergarteners yelled in unison before moving on. It was the type of scene that routinely gets played out in Conley and other Chandler Unified classrooms during any normal school year – except this school year has been far

see SCHOOLS page 16

Kindergarten students at Conley Elementary and other Chandler schools returned to classrooms last week, but their experience has been dramatically altered safety protocols such as socially-distanced desks. (Pablo Robles/Arizonan Staff)

BUSINESS.......................18

Chandler residents prefer trails over buildings

BUSINESS...................... 23

Chandler woman's colon cancer scare.

Chandler company offers relaxation on wheels.

NEWS........................................ 3 COMMUNITY........................ 18 BUSINESS...............................23 OPINION............................... 26 SPORTS...................................28 CLASSIFIEDS.......................... 31

BY KEVIN REAGAN Arizonan Staff Writer

majority of Chandler residents say walking, hiking and biking are their most favorite recreational activities and believe the city should invest in improving its existing trail system. According to citywide surveys conducted over the last year, 43 percent of Chandler residents said walking and biking trails are their most cherished recreational amenity -the most popular response among a variety of options that included splash pads, playgrounds and neighborhood parks. And respondents are much more willing to spend tax dollars on preserving trails rather

than building new amenities; 31 percent of residents were willing to fund improvements to Chandler’s trails system and only 6 percent were willing to pay for new sports facilities. Michael Svetz, a member of the Pros Consulting firm, said he expected Chandler residents to favor trails and pathways over other amenities because most Americans get their exercise by simply walking. “This is not surprising because trails across the entire country is always the most important thing,” the consultant said. Svetz and his team have spent the last few months gathering public input and collecting data that the city will eventually use to update Chandler’s parks master plan, a document that outlines the city’s recreational ob-

jectives and strategies. Phase one of the plan update recently concluded and Svetz’s team has begun sharing some of the preliminary results of their findings. The survey’s data show Chandler residents appear to have less attachment to amenities tied to specific sports or recreational activities. Less than 5 percent of respondents selected tennis, volleyball or pickleball courts as favorite amenities. Only 2 percent of respondents picked Little League or softball fields as their most important facility – a data point some city leaders found hard to believe. “Club soccer, club softball are huge out here,” said Councilman Matt Orlando. “If you

see PARKS page 7

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

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Shutdowns, education dominate LD18 debate BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

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he pandemic-driven shutdowns and education funding largely dominated what could be the only debate this election season has for the men and women who want to represent northern Chandler in the Legislature the next two years. The Arizona Clean Elections Commission debate – held virtually last month – drew all six candidates for the Senate and two House seats in Legislative District 18 but only about 90 audience members. However, voters can still catch the nearly two-hour debate at youtube.com/ watch?v=M4M0_HohXm4&t=884s. The Senate race is an all-Ahwatukee battle in LD18, which also includes parts of Chandler, Tempe and Mesa, with Republican Realtor Suzanne Sharer challenging Sen. Sean Bowie. The race for the two House seats is more geographically diverse with Republicans Bob Robson of Ahwatukee and Dan Hawker of Tempe trying to unseat Democratic Reps. Mitzi Epstein, also Tempe, and Jennifer Jermaine of Chandler. In their introductions, the candidates for the most part staked out their positions as the incumbents also took some bows for their work in the last two years. “My first Clean Elections debate was four years ago and in that debate, I said if I was elected, I would primarily focus on two things: one being help restore education funding for our K-12 schools and two, to help bring some bipartisanship back to the State Capital. Four years later, that’s exactly what I’ve done and I have the record to prove it,” Bowie said. His opponent noted she has lived in the district 28 years and decided to run for office because “I love Arizona and love this country.” “I want to be a voice to help shape Arizona’s future. I want to bring common sense and less partisan policies to the office,” Sharer said, adding she wants to “eliminate excessive government interference in our lives” and more legislative restraint. She later accused Bowie of contributing to socialism. Epstein touted her corporate and smallbusiness background and her advocacy for education funding and the environment, stating, “Now, especially during this pandemic, we need clean air. COVID at-

tacks the lungs and today is the 11th day in a row that we’ve had pollution alerts for Maricopa County.” Hawker, a retired federal government computer programmer who won a spot on the ballot with a write-in campaign, said he wants to appeal to “those who understand the real danger of today’s Democratic Party, which Democrat-controlled cities have manifested in their violent chaos.” “Combine these failures with their family-decimating social engineering – which these two House candidates have demonstrated with bills they sponsored of infanticide and forcing gender fantasy legally enforced in birth certificates, death certificates and driver’s licenses,” Hawker said. He later took a swing at his party’s governor, attacking “the inconsistent and tyrannical extremism” of his executive orders. Jermaine touted her work in fighting violence against Native American women and her bipartisanship, stating, “I have a track record of reaching across the aisle to solve problems and get results for our community.” Robson, a former legislator, said he is running “because I believe we’re not being truly represented the right way.” “I want to be part of the solutions to really complex problems that face our state,” he said. “Talking about things are nice. “Getting up and bellowing about stuff is nice, but substantive work is important.” The first of several pandemic-related questions dealt with one of the most controversial – reopening K-12 campuses – while the second dealt with business shutdowns and whether the Legislature should reign in the powers of the governor to act unilaterally. Jermaine, Bowie and Robson favored leaving the decision in the hands of local school boards and while Epstein agreed, she also said the state should have given school boards better benchmarks for weighing reopening. While saying she believes “in things being handled locally,” Sharer stated, “We were told there would be options, an option to reopen and have in-person classrooms and we haven’t been afforded that option. I’ve heard from a lot of parents and a lot of teachers and they’re really disappointed that that has not been put out there….There should be guidelines and timelines set forth to make that happen.” Saying he had “mixed feelings on the question,” Hawker bemoaned the fact that “no one can get the Legislature called back to

discuss the issue. They don’t seem to want to go back to deal with this unique problem. I think there are a lot of ways in which the limits of the various authorities throughout the state need to be much better defined.” Saying, “I don’t think there’s a need to have the schools closed at this time” and that a majority of parents want their children in classrooms, Hawker added that school boards should have the option to decide whether to close if there is a local outbreak of the virus. Jermaine said that as a mother, she empathized with parents during the long closure of campuses and said she has worked with companies and the City of Chandler to provide internet access for families that have been economically challenged by remote learning. The debate sharpened over the question of whether the governor has been arbitrary in deciding what businesses could reopen – a question that led to an equally robust debate on the Legislature’s absence in pandemic policy making. In one of several tussles he had with her during the debate, Robson challenged Epstein’s assertion that the Legislature’s budget cuts over the year had cut out pandemic planning and that such a plan would have created guidelines businesses could follow to stay open or reopen. “I’ve looked up everybody’s voting record,” Robson told Epstein. “I haven’t seen the bill you sponsored that had to do with pandemic planning – or anybody’s for that matter in the Legislature. “Nobody anticipated this event would occur and it’s really disingenuous to turn around and say if we had better pandemic planning,” he continued. “You didn’t sponsor anything and neither did any of your teammates and neither did anyone in the Legislature sponsor a pandemic planning bill.” Epstein countered, “Maybe nobody in Mr. Robson’s circle was able to see this coming but lots of people in the scientific community saw this coming. If we leave just enough money in our budgets to have long-term planners, then maybe we can have these long-term planners in our agencies.” “I did not sponsor a plan for that because I’m depending on our agencies to do that,” she added, prompting Robson to counter, “You can’t blame everybody on the Republican side for everything that’s wrong.” “I’m not trying to say you were wrong

see DEBATE page 6

CITY NEWS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

Chandler teacher finalist for Teacher of the Year BY KEVIN REAGAN Arizonan Staff Writer

Chandler High School teacher has been named one of five finalists for the Arizona Education Foundation’s “Teacher of the Year” award. Sara Wyffels, a Spanish teacher for 13 years, is in the running to get one of the state’s top education honors that results in a $15,000 prize and a free trip to the White House. Wyffels will find out on Oct. 23 whether she will be picked as Arizona’s best teacher of 2021 from a group that also includes educators from Glendale, Tucson, Flagstaff and Sahuarita. The five finalists, dubbed by the foundation as “Ambassadors of Excellence,” will spend the next year engaging in professional development and delivering presentations across the state on their experiences as educators. The foundation picks 10 semi-finalists each year from a list of nominations submitted by school districts across the state. Judges choose the finalists after

Chandler High Spanish teacher Sara Wyffels is one of five finalists for the coveted Arizona Teacher of the Year 2020 title. (Special to the Arizonan)

interviewing all 10 candidates and reviewing a videotaped lesson the teachers prepare in their classroom. Wyffels said she’s beyond excited to be named a finalist from a competitive

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group of nominees and is excited to start her work as one of the foundation’s newest ambassadors. “I am grateful for all of the opportunities that I have had to grow as an educator and I am looking forward to being an advocate in this capacity,” she said. Chandler Unified administrators have been quick to praise Wyffels’s recent accomplishment and have wished her luck on earning the foundation’s top prize. Superintendent Camille Casteel called Wyffels a “delightful” instructor and board member David Evans applauded her “amazing” ability to connect with students. Evans said his own son continues to applaud and commend Wyffels’s skills in the classroom, despite having graduated from Chandler High several years ago. Wyffels credited the district for helping her become a better teacher over the years and for creating a working environment that’s allowed her to explore her curiosities. “CUSD has supported my professional growth for the past 13 years and has given me a family of extraordinary colleagues with whom I have the joy to col-

laborate,” she added. Wyffels became interested in studying Spanish after taking a language course in high school and knew quickly she had found her calling as a teacher. She earned a bachelor’s degree from Western Washington University and taught at schools in Oregon before relocating to Arizona in 2008. Wyffels has become a notable leader in the district’s initiatives to introduce practices that establish a more equitable and inclusive learning environment for students. A few years ago, CUSD began releasing data that illustrated significant achievement gaps between students of different races, ethnicities and economic backgrounds. In response, Chandler Unified has begun devoting more resources to close these education gaps and training teachers on how to make all their students feel included in the classroom. Wyffels said she believes all students should have equitable access to education and strives to encourage them to push

see TEACHER page 6

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TEACHER from page 4

themselves beyond their comfort zones. “I use my class as a tool for equity,” she said in 2019. “I empower the marginalized by expecting more of them.” Wyffels recently represented CUSD on

DEBATE from page 3

for not sponsoring a bill,” he added. “I’m saying nobody sponsored a bill. Nobody anticipated this occurring. And the Legislature closed down pretty quickly. Everybody put their mask on and got out the door and went campaigning and there was a lot of stuff that was left there that should have been taken care of.” That led to a debate over the absence of a special legislative session to address pandemic-relate issues. All three Democrats said they repeatedly asked Gov. Doug Ducey to call a special session for the limited purpose of dealing with such issues and also assailed what Bowie called a “haphazard” approach by Ducey in his guidance for businesses. Hawker said the pandemic was “very unique and nothing anybody did was

a statewide committee of teachers that advised the Arizona Department of Education on how schools should reopen during the pandemic. The committee was focused on ensuring state authorities considered the extra workload teachers would have to take

going to please everybody.” He assailed Democrats who “always want to centralize the government, grow the bureaucracy and try to solve every problem with a government edict” and said people varied in their fear of COVID-19 and therefore should be allowed to decide for themselves what is safe for them to do, whether it involved going to a gym or church. Sharer laid the blame on the Legislature, noting the economic devastation caused by shutdowns. “It was arbitrary and the House and the Senate should have done something more.” Epstein countered that she and the other LD18 legislators had been helping people with getting federal pandemic relief loans and dealing with other practical problems arising from the shutdown while preparing bills in case the Legislature was called back. “You said you were working from

on by shifting their curriculum over to a virtual-friendly format, Wyffels said. “There’s a concern of possibly teachers getting overloaded with a combination of virtual learning and in-person learning,” Wyffels said earlier this year. “I think that could burn a lot of people out.”

home. What did that accomplish?” Sharer asked. “It should have been done at the legislative level. You handed full control to the governor and then people criticized him for it.” When it came to education funding, the hot topic involved the upcoming initiative that would impose a special tax surcharge on people making $250,000 annually or couples whose joint income is over $500,000. The tax applies only to the amount of money earned above those amounts. Sharer said the tax would kill small businesses since many owners file as individuals rather than businesses when they pay taxes and that “what we do not need is another attack on people making money and providing jobs.” Epstein said it would apply to net income after operating expenses such as employee salaries were deducted. Bowie noted that Arizona had one of the

The foundation’s honor isn’t the first Wyffels has received in recent years for her teaching capabilities. In 2015, she was named “Teacher of the Year” by the Arizona International Baccalaureate Schools organization. lowest income tax rates in the nation and with the Legislature’s history of budget cuts for education, K-12 schools were suffering. He also noted the tax would impact “a very small percentage” of Arizonans and he, like his Democratic colleagues, said he would vote for the initiative. Robson on several measures, including legalization of marijuana, refused to say how he would vote because “I have never in my entire career in politics told people how to vote.” Hawker assailed school boards, stating, “They never seem to get enough money and yet the education quality seems to keep going down where you got half the people that come out of these schools can’t pass the state test…Every year it’s harder and harder to find kids that are ready to go out into the workforce or into college because they just haven’t learned what they were supposed to learn.”

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PARKS from page 1

look at the Arizona, California, New Mexico markets – softball’s huge.” Council was chastised by one local youth softball league earlier this year for not providing enough fields in Chandler that could accommodate their games and practices. The league began circulating a petition in the hopes of pushing city leaders to dedicate resources for safer, more accessible softball fields. Svetz said the initial data on softball fields doesn’t imply the city won’t need more fields in the future. The activities requiring specific athletic skills typically rank near the bottom of these surveys, he added, and Chandler seems to be no different than how other communities respond to these questionnaires. “Ninety percent of your community is not interested in playing on a baseball field or soccer field,” Svetz said about the Chandler data. Beyond Chandler’s survey results, Svetz said national trends indicate adult softball leagues have been declining for years – which has prompted many cities to rethink how they should build new athletic fields.

“It’s just something that has ebbed and flowed,” he said about softball trends. Overall results from the parks survey show Chandler’s residents are overwhelmingly satisfied with the city’s current inventory of recreational services. At least 88 percent of respondents reported visiting a local park within the last year, 49 reported using the city’s trails and 19 percent visited an athletic field. “That is a really good indication and statement on the safety of your community,” Svetz said. Fifty-four percent of respondents rated Chandler’s parks as being in “good” condition, 31 percent thought they were “excellent,” and 14 percent thought they were “fair.” The master plan update further assessed what types of services weren’t being met in specific sections of Chandler. Residents living in the western and southeastern regions felt their neighborhoods were in need of larger community parks. Chandler’s northern residents reported wanting to see more picnic areas, dog parks and splash pads. Communities in the city’s southeast region wanted Chandler to prioritize swim-

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Another 26,600 households are estimated to have an unmet need for walking and biking trails that was 50 percent or less. “It is exceptionally important to find out the needs of your community – both needs that are being met as well as unmet needs,” Svetz said. It will be necessary for the city to utilize its parks master plan as a roadmap moving forward, he added, as Chandler’s residential population continues to grow and demand for new services starts to climb. Chandler’s population is expected to rise from 278,300 to 336,800 residents by 2029. “If you’re going to maintain an existing level of service, you’re going to have to expand your park system across the board,” Svetz said. The city’s consultants will spend the next few months conducting financial evaluations and surveying Chandler facilities before they present a final update to the park master plan early next year. “There is a lot of other data that is yet to be had that will help to inform the ‘strategic-ness’ of the recommendations that come forward,” Svetz said.

ming and fishing programs. When asked how the city could improve its parks system, 71 percent of Chandler residents said they were very supportive of seeing money spent on repairing and maintaining existing parks – the survey’s most popular answer. Respondents also indicated a high degree of support for adding walking loops to existing parks or improving the city’s restroom facilities. There was notably less support for projects involving building new facilities or adding new amenities to existing parks. Forty-five percent of respondents were “not sure” whether they supported building a new skate park in Chandler and 14 percent opposed adding more dog parks. The master plan study estimated how many households across Chandler had a need for specific recreational services that were currently unmet. More than 29,000 households are believed to have needs for a community garden that are not being fully satisfied by the city’s current services. Nearly 25,000 households have an unmet need for “adventure areas” that could include obstacle or rope courses.

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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

‘Supernanny’ to feature Chandler parents BY KEVIN REAGAN Arizonan Staff Writer

A cameraman for the Lifetime reality show "Supernanny" follows Amy and Justin Sutherland as they take their four kids, all under 4, for a stroll. (Special to the Arizonan)

was starting to feel overwhelmed with the responsibilities of taking care of so many young children. Her husband had been working long hours and the family’s sleeping schedule had gone off track. There were nights when the children wouldn’t get to bed until 11 p.m., the mother recalled, because she and her husband would want to spend time together as a family. But the downside of that arrangement

left the whole family feeling irritable, drained and joyless. “We were all exhausted and frustrated,” Sutherland said. The family also was still recovering from a traumatic event in 2018 that resulted in their daughter, Rio, spending a week in the hospital for burn injuries. Amy had been bathing Rio in the kitchen sink when the child sneakily turned off the faucet’s “cold” handle, causing the water’s

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Chandler family will be sharing their struggles with raising four children under age 4 by participating in an upcoming episode of the long-running reality show “Supernanny.” Jo Frost, the show’s host and child-rearing expert, visited Amy and Justin Sutherland’s home in February to offer some parenting advice. The Sutherlands’ episode will be featured in the show’s season finale Sept. 22 and the family hopes viewers will pick up some useful parenting tips by tuning in. “I’m just super hopeful it’s relatable issues that other families are having and hopefully they can learn something from this because it was so helpful for us,” said Amy. The Sutherlands are long-time Chandler residents – having originally met as teenagers at Santan Junior High – and have four children: Jett, 4, Rio, 2, and 16-month-old twins Tex and Crosby. Amy said that before Frost’s visit she

temperature to suddenly get extremely hot. The child ended up sustaining burns on her belly and legs and had to be rushed to the hospital. She stopped breathing for a brief period of time and had to be resuscitated by doctors, her mom recalled. “It was a very scary thing,” the mother said. Rio quickly recovered but her mother was left feeling overprotective of all her children and hesitated to leave them under the watch of another person. When Frost came to observe the family’s dynamics, she noticed how Amy was reluctant to accept any help in caring for the children and advised the mother on how to relinquish her fears. Amy said she realized she had to eventually accept the reality that accidents happen and to not obsess over trying to prevent them. Perhaps the greatest advice Frost gave the couple involved time management. The nanny put together schedules to help the parents better prioritize the needs of their children and to get them used to a more stable sleeping pattern. Amy said she and her husband rarely had a moment alone together before Frost implemented these schedules since there would always be at least one kid sleeping with them in their bed. By putting the children on their own sleeping schedule, the parents discovered they could have their own time together. “The reduction of stress has been huge for us,” Amy said. The parents also learned how each of their children require different types of attention. They discovered their oldest son may need more praise than his siblings while their daughter may need more boundaries to tame her headstrong nature. Frost’s visit came at a time when the Sutherlands were about to spend much more time together self-isolating from their home. A few weeks after the camera crew left, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and families across Arizona were told to stay home. Amy said she was thankful to have already gotten Frost’s advice because it made her family’s quarantine more productive and harmonious. “If I had not had all these tips and tricks and tools -- it would have been a completely different experience,” she said. The “Supernanny” episode will air on the Lifetime network at 8 p.m. on Sept. 22.

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CITY NEWS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

Kyrene board candidates discuss issues T

he Chandler Arizonan sent questionnaires to the five candidates for Kyrene School District Governing Board, where three of

IVAN ALFARO What is biggest challenge confronting the district that must be addressed within the next two years and how would you propose addressing that challenge? I believe education funding is the biggest challenge confronting Kyrene. Because of the decrease in tax revenue (sales/income) Kyrene will face a shortage in funding based on proposed state budget cuts. State and district leaders should ensure that any cuts made to education do not fall disproportionately on our high-need student groups. I also believe that limited education dollars should only be invested in programs that improve student outcomes. If funding became a critical issue for the district, would you be more inclined to cut programs or raise taxes? MICHELLE FAHY Students in OR grads of Kyrene schools: My daughter attended Kyrene K-8, is now a student at ASU and I worked as a teacher and trainer in Kyrene for

19 years. Occupation: Teacher, Instructional Technology Coordinator, starting my 36th year in public education. Years in district: Lived in Kyrene for the last 21 years, employee in Kyrene for 19 years, parent in Kyrene for 9 years. Educational background: Undergraduate degree from University of Maryland in special education; Master’s degree from University of Maryland in curriculum and instruction with a specialty in Reading Instruction Community involvement: I am in my

WANDA KOLOMYJEC Students in OR grads of Kyrene schools? Not anymore. I had three attend and “graduate” from Kyrene. Occupation: ASU profes-

the five seats are up for election. This is the first half of their responses and the second and last part will be published Oct. 4.

If Arizona has to cut education funding, they should provide Kyrene with greater flexibility in how we spend our dollars. State and district leaders should ensure that any cuts made to education do not fall disproportionately on high-need student groups. Knowing what you know now, would you vote to extend Dr. Vesely’s contract beyond June 2021 or buy it out? Yes. Dr. Vesely has been a consistent leader since the start of her tenure. Dr. Vesely and her cabinet executed on a vision that created layered plans, with flexible options that met individual family circumstances, along with responsive contingencies addressing a variety of scenarios or changing guidelines the ADHS and the Governor’s Office established. Dr. Vesely and her cabinet also developed flexibility in planning for a safe return to school based on medical expertise and sci-

fourth year serving on the Kyrene School District Governing Board. What top three skills would you bring or do you bring to the board? I have a deep understanding of the inner workings of a school district. I am detailed oriented, I read and study all documents provided and I do my own research to further understand concepts, issues, and decisions. I come prepared for discussion. I ask detailed questions to understand and help the community understand Board related topics and decisions. Why should voters vote for you? I want to serve Kyrene to continue its strong history of quality schools which strengthen and add value to our community. I will focus on a data-driven approach to student achievement, the allocation of resources to hire and retain quality staff. I

sor and community organizer Years in district: 26 Educational background: BS biology, MA social justice and human rights, PhD justice studies Community involvement: Site Council

he deadline to register to vote is Oct. 5 and early voting for the Nov. 3 election begins Oct. 7. Information on registering: servicearizona.com.

ence, not on politics or popular opinion. What one area is the district not addressing adequately and what would you do about it? One area the district is not addressing adequately is the advancement of innovative learning environments within our districts. I believe the advancement in social practices of teaching and learning and the use of learning spaces and technologies is the most effective way to prepare our learners for a global economy. What is the one area the district is addressing in an exceptional manner and why do you think that? One area the district is addressing in an exceptional manner is the active, continuous improvement and progress of our five-year Strategic Plan. Two areas that stand out are the performance and outcomes of learners (high-performing

will listen to stakeholders, will do my own research and come prepared to ask questions and engage in quality discussions. Has the pandemic affected your view of a governing board’s role in general? If so, how? The pandemic has not changed my view of the role of the board but has truly emphasized the great importance and weight the Board serves in decision making. Assuming COVID-19 will be with us indefinitely, does Kyrene need to do something it isn’t doing now to ensure a quality experience for students over the next four years: 1) Where academics generally – and preparation for high school specifically – are concerned? Kyrene should invest in a robust learning management system, and further train teachers to build and utilize technology-rich

member (Kyrene and Tempe Union), Little League, Club Baseball, YMCA, business owner employing over 300 Arizonans in the last 26 years, Director of Social Circles of Justice Civil Dialogue Forum, Foster Care Review Board Member, volunteer for

Some candidates’ responses in print may be edited for length but their answers on line are running in their entirety.

students) and the flexibility and design approach addressing COVID-19 learning environments (responsive organization). Our current administration’s ability to not only be thought leaders but execute tactically and extend parental options in learning modalities (KOA, Flex, and Inperson) is to be commended. In what three areas has the current board not met your expectations and what would you do differently? One area the current board has not met my expectations is that of culture, mutual respect, and the honoring of divergent opinions. I believe the best way to succeed as a board is to practice collaboration and respect (please note, collaboration and respect don’t mean consensus). However, our school board must establish a model of collegiality and collaboration that builds confidence across the Kyrene community.

engaging strategies so that no matter the environment, Kyrene can provide quality educational experiences for all students. They should consider new strategies for providing differentiated instruction to meet the needs of all learners. They must be agile and flexible to be able to address change and needs as they arise. 2) Where students’ social-emotional wellness is concerned? Students have suffered emotionally through this pandemic. Providing additional programs for students to address their social emotional needs will be important during onsite closures and when students return to school buildings. The need for school counselors is greater than ever before. Possible grant or internship opportunities may help to bring more supports and services to our students.

Treasures for Teachers, community leadership. What top three skills would you bring or do you bring to the board? Two

see KYRENE page 11

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

11 CITY NEWS

KYRENE from page 10

our children to any school in the valley. We choose Kyrene because we believe public schools offer the best opportunity for children to learn. I will fight for continued great educational opportunities for all students in Kyrene. Has the pandemic affected your view of a governing board’s role in general? If so, how? The pandemic has shifted the priorities faced by board members. The health and safety of our students, teachers, administration, staff and community members will be paramount. The decisions must be science-based rather than

politically motivated. It has been awhile since I have dusted off my biology credentials, but they will come in handy during this challenging time. Assuming COVID-19 will be with us indefinitely, does Kyrene need to do something it isn’t doing now to ensure a quality experience for students over the next four years: 1) Where academics generally – and preparation for high school specifically – are concerned? I think the biggest piece of the academic challenge going forward will be the disparity in access

to functional internet services as well as computer hardware for students of less means. I know the district is working on this, but I think it will continue to be a significant challenge going forward. 2) Where students’ social-emotional wellness is concerned? The social emotional wellness aftermath is an emerging issue I don’t believe anyone truly has a grasp on. It will be incumbent on the district to provide mental health support for our students and staff to help ease the transition back to “normal” life, recognizing that our new normal may look quite different.

TRINÉ NELSON Students in OR grads of Kyrene schools? Yes, I have a 7th and 2nd grader who attend Kyrene schools. Occupation: Curriculum Manager Years in the district: I’ve been involved with the Kyrene School District since 2014 when my oldest child entered Kindergarten. In 2017 my family was fortunate enough to move into the district. Educational background: My bachelor’s degree from Utah State University is in human development and I hold a master’s degree in learning design and technologies from Arizona State University. Community involvement: I’ve had the privilege of serving for two years on the Superintendent Community Council. These experiences allowed me to see the strengths, the diversity and the specific needs in the Kyrene Community. I’ve also

had the opportunity to serve as a teacher appreciation chair and have been a regular school volunteer since 2014. What top three skills would you bring or do you bring to the board? I take a balanced approach to decision-making, looking at all of the information before me, and try to determine an appropriate solution. I am collaborative in nature and goal-oriented. Throughout my career, I’ve been able to demonstrate the ability to identify priorities, to successfully work with large groups who have diverse viewpoints, to work together to build consensus to achieve a common goal. Why should voters vote for you? As an engaged parent and community member, coupled with my experience as an education professional, I am positioned to serve Kyrene and to ensure all students receive a quality education. Through my varied experiences in Kyrene, I’ve been able to see the strengths, diversity, and the spe-

cific needs in the Kyrene Community. If elected, I will work to celebrate strengths and meet needs with respect, transparency, and efficiency. Has the pandemic affected your view of a governing board’s role in general? If so, how? The pandemic has strengthened my view of the importance of local governing boards. We’ve seen local leaders tasked with an unthinkable challenge that they are trying to navigate by examining the data and using that to balance the needs of students, teachers, and staff. Governing boards set the tone and priorities for a district. We are all seeing how those decisions impact our daily lives. Assuming COVID-19 will be with us indefinitely, does Kyrene need to do something it isn’t doing now to ensure a quality experience for students over the next four years: 1) Where academics generally – and preparation for high school specifi-

cally – are concerned? If components of digital learning are going to be our new normal, I would like to see greater professional development opportunities for staff around online learning. If the growth shown by staff from the spring to the beginning of this school year is an indicator, they are willing and eager to engage in this work and will be able to create increasingly dynamic digital learning environments. 2) Where students’ social-emotional wellness is concerned? Kyrene has taken proactive steps to address the social-emotional wellness of our students and I hope to see those efforts continue. COVID-19 has been a traumatic event for everyone. Whether it’s an economic impact in their home or social isolation from their peers, our children have had their worlds change dramatically. Having trusted teachers be responsive to that trauma will help to bolster our students.

decades of international business ownership has helped me develop skills (budgeting, teamwork, leadership) that would be advantageous to board work. My justice training should help me recognize and alleviate inequities in our schools. Finally, as a former public-school teacher and current professor at ASU, my education background will be advantageous in understanding the challenges faced by our schools. Why should voters vote for you? My husband and I have been lucky to own a successful business, and we could send

MARGARET WRIGHT Students in OR grads of Kyrene schools? One graduate of Kyrene that just started at Corona del Sol, a 6th grader at Kyrene Middle School and a 4th grader at Waggoner Elementary. Occupation: Adjunct professor of biology. Years in district: 9. Educational background: BS zoology and MS in evolutionary biology. Community involvement: PTO committee chair, PTO board member, PTO president, Maricopa County 4H Club leader. What top three skills would you bring to the board? Listening: I am an introvert; I will listen to every single

word you have to say and think about it. Studious: I read scholarly articles for fun. I will research all that I can about each issue and policy the board votes on. Analytical: I know how to analyze data, question conclusions and make research backed decisions. Why should voters vote for you? Any decision I make as a board member will have a direct effect on my own children. I place a high value on integrity and transparency. I believe education is life changing and essential for all children. I will govern responsibly and make collaboration a high priority. My only motivation for serving is to help our children and schools thrive. Has the pandemic affected your view of a governing board’s role in general? If so, how? The pandemic has empha-

sized the importance of governing board members as a non-partisan collective voice of the community. It is important that they are respectful and responsive to all stakeholders. The decision the board makes when hiring a superintendent can have far reaching consequences, as this position sets the tone for how the district adapts and plans around unexpected circumstances. Assuming COVID-19 will be with us indefinitely, does Kyrene need to do something it isn’t doing now to ensure a quality experience for students over the next four years: 1) Where academics generally – and preparation for high school specifically – are concerned? Over the next 4 years our in-person teachers and academic interventionists

will need extra support as we strive to get all Kyrene students academically proficient and ready to thrive in high school. Kyrene Digital Academy is a great option for families that want to remain in a digital environment. I support continued education for our digital teachers as well. 2) Where students’ social-emotional wellness is concerned? This pandemic will create challenges over the next four years that will likely increase adverse childhood experiences. I support having full-time counselors at all Kyrene schools. We need strong socialemotional wellness curriculum that will teach our children skills to care for their mental health. We also need to continue workshops for parents to have resources and information on these topics.

CITY NEWS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

As classrooms reopen, students’ mental health a big concern BY JIM WALSH Arizonan Staff Writer

s children and teens begin returning to Chandler classrooms, teachers and administrators aren’t just focused on addressing “learning loss” among many students during months of online instruction. They also are focusing on the impact of campus closures and pandemic-related stress on students’ mental and emotional well-being. While they are addressing academics as well as numerous new protocols aimed at reducing the spread of COVID-19, schools also have developed plans to address the fallout from months of uncertainty, isolation and stress. Experts say that fallout has triggered wide range of mental health issues, including depression, anxiety, drug overdoses and suicide ideation and attempts. Suicide is already the leading cause of death among children 11-14 years old, Gov. Doug Ducey noted two weeks ago. Katey McPherson, an East Valley educa-

“I’m excited for my own children to get back to school, but it will probably take 90 to 120 days for them to settle in,’’ said McPherson, a former assistant principal at a Gilbert junior high school. “We all want to think home is a safe place, but for many children, it’s not.’’ Schools also are making progress on dealing with mental health issues among students. Gov. Doug Ducey recently called attention to the state's efforts to The state Department of Educurb suicides among Arizonans of all ages. (Capitol Media Services) cation has developed competencies that teachers and administrators are learning in order to tion consultant and suicide prevention adrecognize and help troubled youngsters. vocate, estimates that there have been at Some districts hired more counselors least six suicides of students between the and social workers after the Ducey adages of 12 and 18 that have occurred since ministration set aside $20 million for adcampuses were closed in mid-March. ditional grants to pay for them, although She said the East Valley could lose a the demand far exceeded available dollars. child to suicide every six to eight weeks. Two new state laws also are taking effect But, she added, “The awareness has at the same time campuses are reopening. grown and people are talking about menTeachers, administrators and other school tal health. We have made great strides.” employees who regularly come in contact

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with students in grades 6-12 must receive mandatory training in recognizing and responding to the warning signs of suicide. That law is dubbed the Mitch Warnock Act, named in honor of a Tempe teen who was lost to suicide in 2016. Also taking effect is Jake’s Law, which expands the availability of behavioral health assistance for children in school and will eventually lead to the creation of a panel that will investigate the root causes of teen suicides. Denise Denslow of Gilbert – who started the JEM Foundation with her husband Ben and spearheaded a grassroots movement to get Lake’s Law passed after her teenage son’s death by suicide – said the $8 million Behavioral Health Services Fund will help students get emotional help at school more readily. She said the investigative panel has been delayed and it will take a year to implement new regulations that require insurance companies to cover mental health needs the same they cover physi-

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cal health treatment. Still, the pandemic has had a far-reach impact on children and teens. “They’re really struggling,’’ Denslow said. “It’s the social isolation, the uncertainty and the fear.’’ Teen Lifeline reported a 46 percent increase in calls and texts during June and July from stressed teens. Teens contemplating suicide or feel the need for help can call the hotline 24/7 for supportive services. Mesa-based Community Bridges, which provides services to address addiction and behavioral health issues, also experienced an increase in referrals for East Valley youngsters and teens. “I would say that across the board, behavioral health is pretty busy,’’ said Natalia Chimbo Andrade, director of community education and outreach for Community Bridges. “We have seen an increase in referrals for suicidal ideation, anxiety and depression,’’ she said. “What is going on with the pandemic is a contributing factor in depression and anxiety in teenagers.’’ A child psychiatrist also said she has seen an unusual increase in suicide attempts. “We’ve definitely seen more suicide at-

13 CITY NEWS

tempts than generally what I have seen imparted by their parents. “They are tryduring my career,’’ said Dr. Adeola Ade- ing to figure out who they are.’’ layo, of Banner Behavioral Health HospiDuring the pandemic, Adelayo said tal in Scottsdale, a specialist in child and she noticed that stressed-out parents adolescent psychiatry. trying to cope with a job loss, financial “It pushes them over,’’ she said as teens stresses or sickness and death within struggle with social isolation and other a family, unwittingly influence the chilinterruptions in the normal school year. dren’s emotional and mental state. “The ones who are prone to abusing Often a child’s mental state would imsubstances, we have seen more overdos- prove after therapy sessions involving es,’’ Adelayo said. the child and a parent, she said. While Adelayo believes that going back Nikki Koontz, clinical director of Teen to school may generally improve the Lifeline, said teens have been struggling mental state of many children and teens, with social isolation caused by the panshe said the benefits must be weighed demic but they also are concerned about against the risks of contracting the virus. becoming carriers for COVID and infect“I’m definitely hopeful,’’ she said. “Kids ing their families if they return to school. “Going back to school is politicized. are going back to normalcy. It sends the Many kids feel their opinion doesn’t matmessage that things are getting better.’’ The return to classrooms “gives some ter,’’ Koontz said. “They are struggling kind of structure. Every human being needs with there being no control over anything.’’ structure, especially kids,’’ Adelayo said. She said the pandemic has created an She said teens in particular need space opportunity for parents to have the sort to grow up and develop their identity. “That’s where get their is they pleased to socializaintroduceof deep conversations that can lead to tion from, being out of the home, being stronger emotional connections. At the same time, the pandemic has able to make friends,’’ Adelayo said. “They need some space to figure out also given rise to more family conflicts. The usual warnings about the dangers their own morals, their own values,’’ or whether they continue on the same path of social media have been pushed aside

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a bit during COVID, Koontz said. “The lack of connection with their peers can make them feel very lonely,’’ she said. Even though teens have spent more time with their families, “there still can be a sense of loneliness. They don’t feel people understand.’’ “I can’t imagine how things would be without technology. That’s how we are all staying connected,’’ Koontz said. “One of the biggest protective factors is a sense of connection.’’ A return to school may help many teens emotionally, Koontz said, because “a lot of their social and emotional growth comes from their associations with friends and peers.’’ Koontz said Teen Lifeline has been helping school districts prepare for the return of their students, running training sessions on digital platforms throughout the summer for employees to spot the warning signs of teen suicide, with as many as 25-30 employees attending. Adelayo said it only stands to reason that more emotional problems among children will be spotted when they return to school. “Anytime you have more oversight, you will be able to see better. You have more people keeping an eye on you,’’ she said. “Your parents may be working two or three jobs.’’

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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

EVIT reported 5 COVID cases in first 3 weeks of school ARIZONAN NEWS STAFF

ive cases of COVID-19 were reported by the East Valley Institute of Technology in the first three weeks of the school year, but since then none have cropped up at either of its Mesa locations. EVIT spokeswoman CeCe Todd told the Arizonan that while the cases were reported to the Maricopa County Department of Public Health as well as on its website, the school is not divulging to the general public whether they involved students or faculty because of privacy rules. The district for the same reason also is not publicly disclosing the schools or communities that the infected individuals come from. EVIT serves high school juniors and seniors from 11 East Valley school districts – including Chandler Unified – as well as students from charter and private schools and households that home-school their teens.

“We can’t separate the number of students from staff because we would risk violating the confidentiality of the staff at the East Campus, where the number of employees is much smaller. That’s why when we set up the page, we combined the staff and student numbers. We can’t say which districts the students come from because we would risk violating the confidentiality of students from our smaller districts, such as Fountain Hills and Cave Creek,” Todd said. EVIT opened for full five-day in-class opening when its school year began Aug. 17. Todd said that to her knowledge, none of the cases – all at the Main Street campus– ended in hospitalization. She said county and EVIT health aides do followup interviews with the individuals. Todd said the county EVIT reports all cases to Maricopa County Public Health, which follows up with feeder schools on potential exposures. “Our EVIT health aides also interview

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infected students and staff for contact tracing purposes,” Todd said. Students or staff who are diagnosed with COVID-19 but have no symptoms are required to stay at home for 10 days from the date of their first positive COVID-19 test. Those who are diagnosed with COVID-19 and have at least one symptom must stay at home for 10 days since their first symptoms developed and after having no fever for at least 24 hours without use of fever-reducing medication. Before those students can return to school, their parents must contact the campus health aide to get their OK, Todd said. The cases did not require temporary suspension of any EVIT classes, according to Todd. She said EVIT has contracted with a janitorial services provider for cleaning and disinfecting services. “When there is a COVID-19 exposure on campus, the janitorial service dis-

infects all exposed areas, cleans the affected area with appropriate chemicals, disinfects the area again and removes disinfectant residue,” she said. “They use EPA-recommended chemicals in a Protexus Electrostatic sprayer. That’s in addition to the regular cleaning and disinfecting of the campus that’s going on throughout the day.” Medical experts say that it is not surprising that once schools open for inclass learning that some COVID-19 infections will occur. “It’s not a question of if, but when outbreaks will occur,” said Dr. Leana Wen, an emergency physician and the former health commissioner of Baltimore, in an interview last week with the New York Times. It also quoted Dr. Benjamin Linas, an associate professor of medicine and epidemiology at Boston University, who said, “We have to be realistic. If we are opening schools, there will be some COVID.”

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Arizona ranks low on vaccine scale, including COVID BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

wo new reports suggest that Arizonans will be among the least likely to get immunized against COVID-19 once a vaccine becomes available. A new poll being released Tuesday by OH Predictive Insights finds just 38% of Arizonans said they would get the shots if it were offered to them. An identical number said they would refuse, even if offered for free. That compares with national surveys showing about half of Americans saying they would get the vaccine, with about 20 percent refusing. Separately, the financial advice website WalletHub finds only nine states where the rate of people getting vaccinated for existing diseases already is lower than here. And among children and teens, the vaccination rate is even lower than that, with Arizona fifth from the bottom. And with the record showing Arizonans tend to be more distrustful of inocula-

tions in general, that suggests the refusal rate here for a COVID-19 vaccine would be higher than most of the rest of the country. All this comes as new data shows that the coronavirus may once again be on the upswing in Arizona. New numbers show the state’s R-naught figure at 1.05. That number represents the effective reproduction rate of the virus, meaning how many secondary infections are likely to occur from a single infection in a given area. Values over 1.0 means more cases are likely; numbers below 1.0 show a declining spread. That 1.05 is the highest since June 18, right before Gov. Doug Ducey conceded he had made a mistake in allowing certain businesses to reopen and ordered many of them shut. Since then, however, the state now is allowing more businesses to operate, albeit under certain restrictions, even as that R-number slides back up. On Monday, gubernatorial press aide Patrick Ptak sought to downplay the increase. “The model is sensitive to days with high reports of cases or low lab numbers,

Who would take a shot

Are Arizonans willing to take a coronavirus vaccine right now? Group Democrat Republican Independent 18-54-years old 55+

Yes 38% 41% 35% 38% 43%

which may not provide the full picture when comparing to all data,’’ he said. Ducey touted the importance of the Rnumbers in late July, bragging when they hit 0.81. The rate has been on an upswing ever since then. And there are now 32 states with lower R-numbers. Ptak pointed to other “encouraging signs’’ like a decreasing percentage of tests for the virus that come back positive and a low hospitalization rate of people with COVID-like symptoms. Still,

No 42% 38% 35% 38% 35%

Unsure 20% 21% 30% 28% 22%

he conceded that the data show the virus is still circulating. All that then goes to the question of whether Arizonans facing the risk of infection will roll up their sleeves for a COVID vaccine. The WalletHub findings in particular underline what has become a political issue in Arizona. It looked at what is known as the “combined 7 vaccine series’’ which in-

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CITY NEWS

SCHOOLS from page 1

from normal. The COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed every aspect of public education and schools like Conley have had to make several adjustments to protect teachers and students from the virus. Robertson’s class of 20 kindergartners can’t just recite the alphabet the same as their predecessors did in years past; they must now repeat their ABCs while wearing a face mask and standing several feet apart from each other. This particular day in Robertson’s class was Sept. 15, nearly six weeks after the Chandler Unified School District’s school year officially began – and only the second day her kindergartners have been inside her classroom. The CUSD Governing Board started the year with online learning for all students, and on Sept. 2 voted 3-2 to begin a “rolling return” to classrooms, starting with K-2 students last week, grades 3-5 this week and junior high and high schools reopening Oct. 13. The board’s decision gave Conley’s staff less than two weeks to be ready to teach hundreds of students after classrooms sat

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

empty for nearly six months. Principal Lisa Shore said the quick turnaround didn’t intimidate Conley’s teachers because they had already started reopening preparations several months prior to the board’s decision. “We’ve been doing this since June,” Shore said. “We’ve known our plan. We were just waiting for the board to say, ‘Go for it.’” The entire campus has been plastered with numbers on sidewalks, desks and cafeteria tables to guide students on where to sit or stand at any given time. Each student is assigned a number within their respective class that they use to know where to stand in line while walking across campus or where they must sit at lunch time. Shore said this numbering system is necessary so the school can quickly track a student’s whereabouts and who they’re coming into close contact with throughout the school day. “So that if somebody did have a COVID-19 positive test -- we know who they’re around at all times,” the principal said. The ability to perform contact tracing quickly is one way that CUSD and virtually all other school districts have planned for in case a student or staff member tests

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A separated bed for a child exhibiting COVID-like symptoms has been set up at Conley Elementary. (Pablo Robles/Arizonan Staff Photographer)

positive for COVID-19. By quickly identifying people an infected individual has been in contact with, officials can try to contain virus spread. Aside from using numbers for identification purposes, Conley Elementary must regularly keep count of how many students are congregating in the same space throughout the campus. Bathrooms can only accommodate a couple of students at one time -- meaning students may have to line up outside and wait for a classmate to exit before entering. Every student has a badge used to hang outside the bathroom door to signify how many students are using the restroom at any given time. The playground has been divided into four quadrants and students can only play within the space their class is assigned on any given day. Class sizes must also be monitored to

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ensure not too many students are stuffed into one classroom. Shore only has so many teachers she can use on campus because the district still needs several instructors for the Chandler Online Academy. Conley currently has five teachers working in the online school, the principal said, and that is subject to change as the school year continues to progress. After the second quarter starts on Oct. 13, Conley is expecting to welcome back an additional 45 students who elected to continue learning online for the rest of the first quarter. Another 100 students may not return until January. For every student returning to campus, administrators have to examine how their presence impacts classroom ratios. Most of Conley’s classrooms can safely

see SCHOOLS page 17

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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

17 CITY NEWS

Students at Conley Elementary are assigned numbers that they can then match to a desk. In the center photo, Conley Principal Lisa Shore welcomes children on their second day back in classrooms while at right, children hang on to a rope to maintain social distance while walking to their campus playground. (Pablo Robles/Arizonan Staff Photographer)

SCHOOLS from page 16

tem that could keep the classroom numbers under 20 for most of the school day. Shore said they had the staffing to create a separate classroom where a handful of fourth graders can rotate in and out for science and history lessons. Conley has further initiated new protocols intended to prevent students from coming into contact with unsanitized surfaces and objects. The school’s water fountains have been blocked off with yellow tape, soccer balls and kickballs are sanitized after every recess and checking out library materials has been temporarily restricted. Every classroom has a hand sanitizer

station at its entrance and students are discouraged from sharing pencils or papers with each other. The nurse’s office has been strategically arranged to isolate students with COVID-19 symptoms from students suffering from a minor scratch or bruise. Despite all the changes implemented across Conley’s campus, Shore said the first day of inperson learning on Sept. 14 went on smoothly and ended with very few hiccups. The students seemed eager to be back among their peers, she said, and needed little enticing to get to their classroom. “We didn’t have to pull one kid out of a car,” Shore joked.

The principal said she’s relieved to finally have students back at school and hopes it’s the start of a return to some sense of normalcy for the elementary school. Virtual learning could not replace the face-to-face interaction with a teacher, Shore said, so the students are benefiting from being back in the classroom. Teachers may have to take some time in the coming weeks to go back and review curriculum that may not have been learned adequately in the virtual setting, Shore added, stating that issue can be easily addressed. “Nobody’s stressed out about that because we’re just excited to have (the students) back,” the principal said.

VACCINE from page 15

other beliefs. Last year, Rep. Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix, pushed several measures that public health advocates said could have resulted in fewer children being inoculated, including one that would have eliminated a requirement that parents sign a state-prepared exemption form acknowledging the risk to their youngsters for refusing to inoculate, including serious injury and death. Barto called the form government coercion. Another would have mandated that parents be given extensive information about the risks of vaccines. And a third would have required parents be told they have the option of having their children tested first, ahead of any vaccinations, to see if they already have immu-

nity. All the bills faltered after Ducey said he would veto them. “The governor is pro-vaccination,’’ Ptak said Monday. “He encourages all parents to vaccinate their kids.’’ He had no comment about the current low vaccination rates. As to a COVID vaccine, Ptak said the governor wants to be “ready and prepared’’ when one becomes available. But Rep. Kelly Townsend, R-Mesa, said Monday concerns remain, especially now that Ducey has declared a public health emergency. One provision of that law allows the governor to mandate vaccinations to those who “may reasonably be expected to be exposed’’ to certain highly contagious and highly fatal dis-

eases. Townsend said she doesn’t expect Ducey to exercise that power, but her bigger concern is on the commercial level. She pointed out that businesses already refuse service to patrons who are not wearing masks. Townsend fears that would extend to those who have not been inoculated. And if it seems like that would be impossible for business owners to enforce, she pointed to research being done at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology which would not only deliver vaccines but plant fluorescent “quantum dots’’ beneath the skin which emit nearinfrared light that can be detected by a specially equipped smartphone to show who has been inoculated.

accommodate about 20 students and any number exceeding that limit could result in desks not having enough room to be safely spaced apart. Shore said if class sizes get too large, the school would have to decide whether it must abandon social-distancing guidelines and push desks closer together to allow for more pupils. “Either we have to go back to normal or I need more teachers,” the principal said. The school’s fourth grade classes have up to 27 enrolled students, which prompted administrators to create a rotation sys-

cludes protection for a host of diseases including diphtheria, whooping cough, tetanus, polio, measles, mumps, rubella, hepatitis B, pneumonia, chickenpox and a certain strain of flu. It found 66.5 percent of those age 19 to 35 months were vaccinated, putting Arizona fifth from the bottom. Part of that likely relates to state laws on what vaccines are required before a child can attend schools. All states have medical exemptions. And most have religious exemptions. But Arizona is among only 15 states, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures, that allows parents to opt out strictly for personal, moral or

COMMUNITY

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

Chandler’s Mrs. America fights colon cancer BY PAUL MARYNIAK Executive Editor

he news of “Black Panther” star Chadwick Bozeman’s death last month stunned Jennifer Ruddle. “I thought it was a hoax,” recalled the Chandler woman, the 2020 Mrs. Arizona who also made the top 12 for the national title. “He was a superhero. He always seemed so strong and healthy.” Then, Ruddle added: “But so did I.” It was the cause of Chadwick’s death at age 43 that unnerved her. Chadwick died of colon cancer – a disease that Ruddle, 44, has been fighting for three years. “His story is similar to mine,” Ruddle said. “Mr. Bozeman was diagnosed the year before me, at stage III. I was diagnosed at stage IV. And he was four months younger than me. So, his odds of beating this disease were better than mine.” According to the National Institutes of Health, colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths – even though it is 90 percent preventable.

Chandler resident Jennifer Ruddle, Mrs. Arizona 2020, was shaken by the death of actor Chadwick Bozeman, seen here in “Black Panther.” (Special to the Arizonan)

Researchers said people often are embarrassed to seek a screening, contributing to higher rates of the cancer. In Ruddle’s case, embarrassment didn’t occur until after she had been diagnosed.

see RUDDLE page 20

Philadelphia museum honors Basha High student BY KEVIN REAGAN Staff Writer

Basha High School student has been named a finalist by the National Liberty Museum for an award recognizing teenagers who make positive changes in their communities. Nikita Bharati, 16, was honored on Sept. 12 in a virtual ceremony with the museum’s “Young Hero” award in recognition of her volunteer work in trying to improve science education for young girls. She is one of 14 honorees from across the country to be given the award this

Nikita Bharati

year and the only from Arizona to be named a finalist. “Winning this award means numerous things to me,” Nikita said, “it’s a recognition that is humbling and a reminder to continue to seek the call to action in my community.” The award champions young leaders who value liberty, civic engagement, conflict resolution, and promoting diversity. Nikita was singled out for her work with Girl STEMpowerment, a nonprofit that she founded a couple years ago to provide free science programs to young girls.

One of the organization’s goals is to encourage girls to complete community projects that utilize technology to innovatively solve a societal problem. Nikita said the group’s latest project taught girls how they can use technology to grow food more sustainably and with fewer resources. The nonprofit’s mission is to not only make girls feel more empowered and confident, she added, but demonstrate how math and science can be relevant to their daily lives. Nikita founded Girl STEMpowerment after she noticed some blatant gender

see NIKITA page 21

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

19 COMMUNITY

Birthday wishes Bright Beginnings School Kindergarten teacher Kaitlyn Weston gives hugs to Ava Jannsen and Matteo Menninger as part of a unique way she developed with teaching assistant Elizabeth Merritt (not pictured) to celebrate their students’ birthdays at the Chandler school. Weston and Merritt buy Crumbl cookies and deliver them, along with birthday crowns, to their students at home on their birthdays, leaving the surprises at their doorsteps. If the kids’ parents are comfortable, the teachers will wear masks and visit with the children for a few minutes in person. Weston, who completed her student teaching last year at Bright Beginnings School and was thrilled to begin full-time there this year, said she knows how important kindergarteners’ birthdays are to them and wanted to find a way to celebrate the occasion beyond having the class sing “Happy Birthday” on a video call. “Taking the celebration to their homes is a simple way of letting them know we care about them and are thinking about them on their special days,” Weston said. (Special to the Arizonan)

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THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

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RUDDLE from page 18

“I also didn’t share my diagnosis publicly for the first two years,” she recalled. “I was scared and embarrassed. And I didn’t want people to look at me differently.” News of Bozeman’s death prompted her to remark, “You can’t help but think ‘Why him?’ or ‘If he couldn’t beat it, how can I?’” It also provoked some frustration. “That’s the scary thing about this disease –it affects everyone differently,” she said. “Treatment that works for one person doesn’t always work for someone else. You can’t compare your journey to anyone else’s. There’s definitely more work to do in education, awareness and research.” And that’s precisely why Ruddle partially uses her Mrs. America cache as a member of the Colorectal Cancer Alliance, the nation’s leading nonprofit dedicated to colorectal cancer. “We empower a nation of allies who work with us to provide genuine support for patients and families, caregivers, and survivors; to raise awareness of preventive measures; and inspire efforts to fund critical research,” she said. She feels “united in our fierce deter-

mination to dramatically impact the way society sees this devastating disease” and said the alliance wants “to end colorectal cancer in our lifetime.” A native of New York, Ruddle lived in Phoenix for 30 years before moving last year to Chandler with her husband, Brian, of 17 years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in arts and performance from the University of Arizona. While she works with the alliance to defeat colon cancer, her personal battle against the disease is not over. She is still not in remission and recently underwent 10 days of radiation to her lungs, where the cancer metastasized. “I’ll have a CT scan later this month and am hoping to be in remission at that time,” she said. Ruddle’s work with the alliance has her on the Never Too Young Advisory Board, which is “committed to learning more and providing support for those under 50 currently in their fight.” And despite her own battle, she remains optimistic, stating, “Together, we are defying and redefining the odds. We are changing the face of this disease.”

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NIKITA from page 18

inequities in her high school science classes. In a class of nearly 30 students, she recalled being one of only a handful of girls. The imbalance needed to change, Nikita said, and it could only change by working at the local level and teaching younger girls they’re smart enough to study math and science. Since its founding, her nonprofit and its various chapters claim to have educated more than 15,000 girls through its various outreach programs. The museum’s award is not the first time Nikita has been publicly recognized for her contributions to the Chandler community. Last year, she was one of four Chandler residents to be nominated for the city’s prestigious People’s Choice Award, an

annual honor that allows residents to vote for one nominee who has made a lasting impact on Chandler. Aside from her work involving science education, the city acknowledged Nikita’s membership in the Mayor’s Youth Commission and activism to protect the environment. Nikita aspires to pursue a career in environmental science and help make policy changes to protect the Earth’s climate. She is a member of Basha High’s sustainability club and organizes protests put on by the Arizona Youth Climate Strike. “It’s going to be my generation that’s gonna really make the change and really make people start holding their politicians accountable for issues like these,” Nikita said last year shortly after her nomination for the city’s award.

21 COMMUNITY

The Liberty Museum, which is based in Philadelphia, has been honoring civicallyengaged teens for the last 20 years and specifically celebrates youths who inspire a sense of liberty in their communities. Nikita said she considers liberty to involve using one’s talents and skills as an agent for the change they want to see in the world. “I have been a champion for liberty through offering open arms to others around me, a role model to other individuals inside and outside of my community service work, and simply through always working to empower others in every situation imaginable,” she said. The museum’s other finalists included teenagers who completed community projects that involved helping underprivileged children, creating face masks

for nurses and doctors, raising money for blind children and baking desserts for firefighters. “We are proud to honor these young people for using their time, their talents and the needed resources to give selflessly to others, the very attributes of heroism that are ingrained in our museum’s mission,” said Gwen Borowsky, the museum’s chief executive officer. In addition to having their stories displayed in the museum’s exhibits, the 14 finalists are given a commemorative certificate and one will be surprised with a $2,000 scholarship. “These young heroes deserve recognition for the many purposeful and thoughtful things they do to make their schools and their communities a better place,” Borowsky added.

discharged into the environment. One of the program’s goals was to study how human activity contributes to the spread of COVID-19 and how the pandemic can be observed from a global

quarantined at home for months. “I really enjoyed being able to talk and interact with other high schoolers across the country,” he added, “so I really enjoyed getting to know them all and

Chandler High senior studies virus with NASA ARIZONAN NEWS STAFF

Chandler High School senior spent his summer working with NASA scientists to study the initial impacts of COVID-19 on the global environment. Aryan Mathur of Chandler completed a prestigious internship at the University of Texas’s Center for Space Research. In a program sponsored by NASA, Aryan and a handful of other students were mentored by professionals who are at the forefront of space science research. Aryan said he sought the internship for an opportunity to discover how NASA scientists analyze the impact of human activity on the environment. “I wanted to get a glimpse into how companies and organizations tackle bigworld issues and problems like climate change and the other global environmental issues we are facing,” he said. Aryan attended lectures by NASA professionals and got the chance to hear former astronaut Gregory Chamitoff, who has gone on two space expeditions, share his experiences of living on the International Space Station for six months. He said Chamitoff “really inspired us to follow our passions and set our minds to what we want to achieve. That was a truly unforgettable experience.” Aryan said his internship focused specifically on the COVID-19 pandemic --

I wanted to get a glimpse into how companies and “organizations tackle big-world issues and problems like climate change and the other global environmental issues we are facing.

”

– Aryan Mathur

Aryan Mathur which had already been ravaging across the United States by the time the program started. He also researched how NASA could use its expertise in space science to make the environment safer from the contagious virus. Interns observed how NASA could utilize its satellites to track nitrogen levels in the Earth’s atmosphere and research whether the global pandemic was impacting the amount of emissions being

perspective. “We learned about how certain NASA satellites collected data on air quality, thermal radiation, and UV radiation in our atmosphere,” he said. The interns also learned how NASA is revising its safety protocols to protect personnel from COVID-19 and investigated how the media was spreading information about the virus. Aside from the pandemic, Aryan still got some time to explore some other space-related topics involving missions to Mars and collecting asteroids. Aryan said the internship was a rewarding experience on many levels. In addition to networking with NASA professionals, Aryan most enjoyed getting a brief reprieve from the isolating pandemic that had been keeping him

learning more about their experiences.” Aryan already has some prior experience using technology to solve problems not involving space or pandemics. Last year, the teenager was recognized during the Arizona Science and Engineering Fair for designing a low-cost laundry machine that utilized robotic technology to fold clothes. “I love artificial intelligence and robotics and plan on studying that in college,” he said. “One day I hope to start a tech company as I have many ideas for tech products that I want to see in the market that could help make our lives easier.” After graduating from Chandler High next May, Aryan plans to earn a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Arizona State University or the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

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23 BUSINESS

Chandler couple offer relaxation on wheels ARIZONAN NEWS STAFF

f one man’s misfortune is another man’s opportunity, the pandemic has been a gold mine for Shannon Stevens and Penny Briney. The Chandler couple last year launched an online furniture store, myfurniturefreak.com, and have seen an uptick in business as more people spend more time at home and prefer doing even furniture shopping on the internet instead of entering stores. Now, Stevens has launched a second business that benefits from increased awareness to maintain social distance and the need to relieve the tension that the pandemic and its accompanying woes may be causing for people. For people who hanker for a massage but don’t want to be touched, he’s invented ChairlaxedTM, a mobile service built around the highest end luxury Infinity massage chairs.

Penny Briney and husband Shannon Stevens of Chandler have launched a mobile unit with four high-end Infinity massage chairs that provide a relaxing diversion for parties and other gatherings. (File photo)

Stevens bought a trailer, decorated it, equipped it with four of Infinity’s highest-end massage chairs and a 50-

inch Smart TV that broadcasts soothing nature sounds and travels to parties or corporate gatherings.

Forget those coin-operated massage chairs in malls. “These are totally different,” Stevens said. “These four chairs give you a full body massage in less than half the time because every part of your body is being touched,” he explained. “Plus, built-in airbags provide a soothing feeling as well.” “Many people don’t like to be touched,” he added. “Two of my chairs also provide a glute massage. There’s no awkward conversation like you may have with a human masseuse. Plus, you get a full body massage in less than half the time as it’s like having 10 hands on you at any given time.” Stevens is targeting both workplaces and homes. “The service is ideal for workplace wellness in that the chairs are provided for between one and six hours outside

see CHAIR page 24

COVID-19 no match for Backyard Taco’s continued growth

ARIZONAN NEWS STAFF

ven COVID-19 can’t beat a good taco. At least that seems to explain how Backyard Taco has been able to continue its rapid expansion through the East Valley, with its fourth location ready to open in Chandler this week and a groundbreaking expected soon for another in Queen Creek. The new location at 2400 S. Gilbert Rd., between Germann and Queen Creek, is the first Backyard Taco in Chandler. It joins two in Mesa and another in Gilbert. “This Chandler store has been planned well over a year now and before COVID came along,” said Dr. Tyler Robison, who owns Backyard Taco along with Ruben and Marisela Alvarez and Steve Beck. “Even with COVID, we always have

Three of the four Backyard Taco owners include, from left, Dr. Tyler Robison, Marisela Alvarez and Steve Beck. Not pictured is Marisela's husband Ruben. (Pablo Robles/Arizonan Staff Photographer)

thought this would be a transient thing since regardless, people always seem to want high quality, inexpensive and delicious tacos,” Robison said. Besides, in some ways the pandemic has spurred their business. “We have realized is that due to COVID, most travel plans have been curtailed, leaving many more people here for the long hot summer than usual,” Robison said. “Those same people are tired of being cooped up at home I think and going out to eat is a way to break up the monotony and enjoy life a bit.” “The last few months we have been blessed immensely as our business has actually surprisingly been up an average of about 25 percent over last year,” he added, relieved they were able to make a come-

see TACOS page 24

BUSINESS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

Chandler-based Chairlaxed is a mobile unit equipped with four of Infinity’s most expensive massage chairs and a TV with soothing nature sounds that owner Shannon Stevens provides for group gatherings. (Special to the Chandler Arizonan)

CHAIR from page 23

of a workplace in a climate-controlled coach that pulls up to the office,” he said. “Big companies have their own gyms,” he said. “So, employees can go there and avail themselves of those facilities. However, small and mid-sized companies typically don’t offer that. ChairlaxedTM is an added perk for those businesses to promote employee wellness and demonstrate appreciation for their staff.” He also makes ChairlaxedTM available for weekend social events, such as ladies’ luncheons, bridal showers, bachelorette parties and even block parties. People are free to BYOB at their own private residence. Food is also OK. He also offers Pandora or people can bring out a portable speaker and play what-

TACOS from page 23

back from a sharp plummet in customers during the initial weeks of the pandemic. That can-do attitude toward a pandemic pretty much defines Backyard Taco’s genesis and growth. None of the owners have a pedigree in the industry. Ruben was a concrete worker and painter, Beck a commercial real estate agent and developer and Robison is an orthodontist. “But we have all worked together, used the skills we each possessed and have been blessed to make this little venture a pretty exciting success,” Robison boasted. It also helped that before they opened their first brick-and-mortar restaurant in December 2012 on University Drive

ever music they wish. Stevens got the idea after buying one of the chairs for him and his wife, who coaches principals in Mesa Public Schools. “I used to visit my chiropractor every month, but since I started getting massages in ChairlaxedTM, the pain has completely gone away,” he said. Then he decided to sell Infinity chairs through his Furniture Freak business. “I carry the full lineup of Infinity. Many are much lower priced with less features,” he said, noting the ones he uses in his mobile business are top of the line, retailing for $7,000. People also can buy the two highestend models that he uses in his mobile business. One retails for $179 a month for 24 months and the other goes for

$263 a month for two years. It was during a “deep sleep” that Stevens got the idea for the mobile service. “My friends and I did the customization of the trailer ourselves,” he said. “The plan going forward is to offer licensing agreements nationwide.” Even though the mobile service is less than three months old, he’s already seen a big demand. “It’s been a big hit. Some comments I hear are ‘It’s like a game truck for adults'; ‘This is way better than the massage chairs at the mall'; and ‘When people start going back to work more, I’m going to have you out for an employeeappreciation day.’” Clients who want the mobile service can make all the arrangements online at Chairlaxed.com.

Backyard Taco's Stapley Drive eatery is one of two in Mesa. There's also a Gilbert location and this week a Chandler eatery will be opening. (Pablo Robles/Arizonan Staff Photographer)

Stevens said he arrives 15 to 30 minutes ahead of time to cool down the interior of the trailer. “Customers come out, get in the chairs and I do a quick tutorial about picking the correct massage for their needs and how much pressure to apply,” he said. Then he turns on the soothing TV program and lets the chairs do the rest. The service starts at $195 an hour – good for four hour-long massages, eight 30-minute sessions or 16 15-minute sessions. Through Sept. 30, his grand opening prices are two hours for $295, three for $395 and six hours for $595. He also is offering a $45 coupon on the website for a first booking. Information: relax@Chairlaxed.com or 480-329-4131. in Mesa, he added, the four owners “had already established a cult-like following for several years in the Alvarezes’ backyard in west Mesa.” Mazatlan, Mexico, natives Ruben and Maricela had started making tacos in their backyard seven years before the first eatery was opened. Word spread to the point that sometimes there was a mile-long line of taco enthusiasts waiting to get into their backyard. Even after they went brick-and-mortar, Backyard Taco owners were still learning. “When we started out, honestly our biggest concern was how do we deal with all these people flooding our

see TACOS page 25

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

25 BUSINESS

Shutdown ruins Chandler woman’s spa dream BY LEE SHAPPELL Arizonan Contributor

ssentials Day Spa was just hitting its stride. After nearly three years in Ahwatukee, it had built a loyal clientele of those looking to relax in a unique and restorative environment for a couple of hours and enjoy a specialized, targeted massage or a facial – a more personable experience than at a franchise spa. Owner Tatyanna Brenner of Chandler was especially encouraged by the spa’s brisk business in January and February of this year. “We were on a pretty good track for this year,” Brenner said. “Our first two months were great. We were on track for a really good year.” And then? “And then, it just tanked completely.” Essentials was forced to close from March 17 to June 1 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Before closure, Brenner had six employees. When Essentials reopened, three chose not to return. It was just as well. Additional time was required between appointments for cleaning and sterilization, fewer appointments could be scheduled for each therapist. Brenner also quickly discovered that the public just wasn’t ready to return to one-on-one activities in close quarters. Last month, Brenner went out of business. She was forced to permanently close her spa, which had been her labor of love. “It was really mostly economics,” Brenner. “When we came back, I just

Essentials Day Spa in Ahwatukee had six employees who provided massages and other services, including skin care. But owner Tatyanna Brenner had to sell all her equipment after experiencing economic woes as a result of the shutdown of non-essential businesses, including spas, between March and May. (Lee Shappell/Contributor)

Tatyanna Brenner of Chandler saw her lifelong dream of opening a spa fall to pieces after the business shutdown earlier this year. (Lee Shappell/Contributor)

wasn’t able to make it happen to where we were generating the income to keep going. “I did get the PPP (Pandemic Protection Program) Loan but it ran out super fast. It helped out a little bit but it wasn’t enough for us to sustain and keep going.” As a young Black female, Brenner, 29, who lives in Chandler, took pride in founding and operating a successful business. Ahwatukee has been good to her, she said. Six years ago, she had opened a small massage studio in Ahwatukee, AZ Massage Essentials. She was the sole employee. After three years, “I just decided I wanted to do something bigger and have

ested in buying her spa, but no formal offer was tendered. The space is now empty. She sold everything, down to the barn-style doors on the massage rooms. “There were random grants here and there but those are very hard to get. I didn’t get any of those,” she said. “And, I did get denied for the SBA (Small Business Association) Loan. Those were really the only other options.” She is taking a break now, working on projects around the house. She and her three young children live with her boyfriend, who is working. “So, we’re OK for now,” she said. “I’ve been doing massage for 11 years and I’ve never done anything else in my adult life. I went to massage school right after high school. In my early 20s, I went back to school and got my bachelor’s degree in psychology at Arizona State, so I might be able to use that. “Hopefully we’ll be talking about something else in a couple of months when the pandemic eases.”

and homemade salsas. “Everything is our restaurant is made fresh daily in house and nothing is frozen,” he said. The food also is affordable: the tacos are all under $3 and the most expensive items are $9.60. The owners are excited about their new Chandler location, calling that city a natural

for their expansion because “Chandler is a vibrant, thriving and growing community.” The new location, like two of the other three will have a drive-thru, which Robison also credits as a saving feature when in-house dining was not allowed for two months earlier this year. Backyard Taco is located at 1420 S. Higley Road, Gilbert and at 1633 S. Stapley Drive and 1524 E. University Drive in Mesa. The Chandler store opens tomorrow, Sept. 21. Information: backyardtaco.com.

facial treatments. Brenner also sold an array of takehome products, including essential oils, cleansers, exfoliants, moisturizers, serums, skin-care kits and toners. Brenner said that the strip center’s landlord, Elite Property Investments, was slow to offer relief. “Once they were willing to work with us, there was only so much they could do because they have bills, too, and they really were trying,” Brenner said. “So, I understand that side, as well. All around, it just wasn’t enough to keep going.” Brenner said there was a party inter-

TACOS from page 24

stores,” Robison recalled. “We were quite ill prepared for the crushing crowds and learned so much from our first two stores.” “I think our success can be summed up …with the line about offering high quality, inexpensive and delicious authentic Mexican food,” said Robison, who with his partners talk about achieving “Mexellence” in their menu of street tacos with mesquite-grilled meats and vegetables

employees.” At Essentials Day Spa, she offered more than massages. Clients could get customized spa services including skin care. The estheticians specialized in acne and anti-aging

Backyard Taco has built a big following that started in two of the owners' backyard years ago. (Pablo Robles/Staff Photographer)

OPINION

Opinion

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

Please Mr. President, stand up for patients BY HEATHER SANDSTROM Guest Writer

he entire world has turned its attention to the biopharmaceutical industry. With COVID-19 spreading through Arizona and beyond, we’re all hoping for a vaccine breakthrough to save lives and enable us to get back to normal. That’s why President Donald Trump’s “most favored nation” executive order undermining pharmaceutical research is so troubling. Why, at this critical juncture, would he sign and implement a price control system that would strangle companies’ programs aimed at discovering new treatments and cures for all types of disease? Why would he suddenly impose an International Pricing Index? I’m originally from Canada, and I know a thing or two about price controls because Canada has socialized medicine where the government decides everything. What

many Americans don’t realize is the impact of such top-down mandates on patients’ access to advanced treatments. Because of price controls, only about half of newer cancer therapies are available today in Canada, for example. Patients here in America’s free market system, on the other hand, can use nearly all of them, a full 96 percent. This is why I’m extremely disappointed the President chose to move forward with his plan to match medication prices to those set by bureaucrats in Canada, France, Japan and other countries. Our patients will suffer the same limits on biopharmaceutical choice as patients abroad do. Do you really want foreign nations to essentially decide whether you or a loved one may obtain a life-saving treatment? I don’t. In fact, I might not be here today if I had faced restrictions on the medications my doctors could use to treat the tumor they found in my brain. The day I was diag-

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nosed was the scariest I’ve ever endured. I thought I was looking at the end. But instead, I survived because of access to new, innovative treatments. Throughout the process, I relied on various prescription medications to keep my body strong and to ease my pain. This fight left me extraordinarily grateful for the years of effort and investment required to find, test, and bring to market any new medicine. I know firsthand the difference even modest improvements in safer pain medications or better chemotherapies can make. So, when I hear that an International Pricing Index would force three out of four pharmaceutical companies to reduce or eliminate current and future R&D projects, I worry. What if development of the more than 1,100 cancer therapies currently in progress were to halt? What if research on medications targeting other devastating diseases, from Alzheimer’s to MS, were to slow? How many lives would be irremedi-

ably harmed or cut short, and how many families would be deeply affected by struggle and loss that could have been avoided? These days, we are all too familiar with having a dangerous illness hanging over our heads. But for many people with serious conditions, the threat and life impacts of disease were already there, then exacerbated by this pandemic. Every patient deserves an all-out, nevergive-up effort to create the therapies they need. They are worthy of the same level of investment the nation is currently making to defeat COVID-19. We cannot let ill-conceived price controls stand in the way of curing their disease. But first, we need President Trump’s attention. He must revoke this executive order that establishes an International Pricing Index. We need to stand up for patients. Heather Sandstrom is the president pf Arizona Republican Women.

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SPORTS

Sports

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

Valley Christian unveils state-of-art weight room BY ZACH ALVIRA Sports Editor

alley Christian High School has long had one of the best athletic programs in the state, especially in the small-school conferences. But despite the school’s success, Valley Christian lacked adequate facilities to take each sport team to the next level – that is, until now. Opened in late July, Valley Christian’s remodeled weight room with state-ofthe-art equipment has already begun to shift the culture surrounding both athletics and the rest of the school. “Athletically, we felt our school wasn’t up to par with other schools strength wise,” said Troy Hanzal, Valley Christian’s head athletic trainer. “We needed to increase the strength across the athletic department. But it’s also open, to students and teachers. We really tried to make this a whole school thing, but it really focuses on increasing the strength activity for our entire athletic program.” Hanzal became deeply involved with the project from the original inception of the idea last school year. By December, the funds were secured from a donor to begin the project. Originally intended to be completed in May, the weight room was delayed due to the coronavirus pandemic. Hanzal took on most of the demolition process himself with help from athletes and head football coach Jake Petersen. Once gutted, a new floor equipped with 25 yards of artificial turf customized with the school logo and custom equipment from American Barbell in Las Vegas, Nevada was installed in the room. “There’s just so much we can do in this room,” Petersen said from a football standpoint. “The motivation they have when they come in here, it’s just different. And that’s something that had started to change with our culture even the last couple of years when Kirk (Sundberg) was here.

called TeamBuildr, which allows them to login to an application on their smart devices and track and create their own workouts. The data is fed to monitors set up around the room, allowing coaches and teachers to keep track of exercises. Hanzal and Petersen agreed it also creates a little added competition between athletes. The school is still in the process of adding custom logos to each rack, as well as a large monitor on the north wall that will show all-time lifting records. It will also present the opportunity to put on sports during workouts or to watch game film. The project cost the school north of $200,000. Originally, the estimated total was set to skyrocket above the $400,000 mark. However, due to labor Valley Christian’s new weight room features custom built equipment that can be used by the athletic programs, students and from Hanzal and others, as well teachers on a daily basis. (Zach Alvira) as cutting costs elsewhere, the final mark was brought down to “It’s only been a month they’ve been on racks connecting each station. In the within budget. able to work in here so we haven’t seen center of the room, an all-in-one station Part of the labor Hanzal has done since a lot of progress yet, but I know we will with cable rows and other light exercises the room was finished by American Bardefinitely see it over the next few years.” is set to be utilized by trainers for physi- bell includes honoring athletes of the A glass garage door entrance opens cal therapy as an athlete recovers from past. Large banners were hung on the to a large space equipped with several injury. eastern wall of the room, with all of the Valley Christian even went as far as to region championship plaques from every power racks that include TRX bands. Benches that fold away for easy storage purchase lighter weights for a section in sport on the western side. can be used in each rack for a variety of the room dedicated to beginners. The Both Petersen and Hanzal said the exercises, including decline, incline and area is typically used for weightlifting weight room has created a stir in the Valstandard bench press. Squats can be classes. ley Christian community, both for alumni “We had the kids up at the front of- and current students. They both believe completed inside the rack, while deadlifts can be performed outside directly fice trying to switch into weight train- it will not only benefit the athletic proing classes just to come in here,” Hanzal grams but also promote a healthy lifestyle on the soft, durable flooring. Each rack also has the ability to add at- said. “It’s awesome because we can have among its general student population. tachments. Landmines are equipped at a section dedicated to athletics, one to “Every time kids come in here, their each one already, and Hanzal said they more advanced weightlifters and then eyes just get wide and they can’t help are in the process of adding more, such another for beginners. but smile,” Petersen said. “There’s a new “Everyone can take advantage of this motivation to get in here and workout. as a dip attachment and others. Bumper plates, kettle bells, dumbbell room.” We are excited to see how much this will The classes and athletic programs have benefit our athletic programs and all of sets and specialized medicine balls that can be used either on the floor or walls sit the ability to utilize a special software our students and staff.”

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

SPORTS 29

AIA adjusts metric, clears way for football to begin BY ZACH ALVIRA Sports Editor

fter months of speculation, worry, optimism and most importantly, stress surrounding the Arizona high school football season, it seems all systems are a go. The Arizona Interscholastic Association Executive Governing Board, in conjunction with its Sports Medicine Advisory Committee, adjusted a key COVID-19 benchmark the association is using to determine when safe for competition to begin. Previously, SMAC recommended cases in each county drop to 10 per 100,000 people, a near impossible number to achieve, before games could take place as scheduled on Sept. 30. After the latest revisions however, the target number is now 75 cases per 100,000 people. Maricopa County has hovered around 50 cases per 100,000 the last two weeks, along with other counties. “There were several things in play that led to the change,” AIA Executive Director David Hines said. “We fortunately had other states that went before us, that was very helpful. They have mitigation strategies in place similar to what we have. We needed to see how that was going. “The board also wants to make sure our modifications are adhered to. That was very important with our sports medicine people to limit exposure as much as possible.” The initial benchmarks were adopted by the AIA Executive Board as a recommendation from SMAC on Sept. 3. It was at that same time the board approved the existing fall sports timeline. On Sept. 4, Hines sent an email to school administrators and coaches explaining the benchmarks SMAC was using to determine whether it is safe for games. The 10 per 100,000 cases metric was identified as the one that would present the biggest challenge. The other benchmarks, which include the percentage of hospitalizations for COVID-19 and the percentage of positive tests, had already been met by most counties. Hines explained the document is “living,” meaning is could be updated with approval from the board. That was made clear Thursday. “We’ve been given an opportunity to compete in football,” Hines said. “But it

The Arizona Interscholastic Association and its Sports Medicine Advisory Committee approved new guidelines that relax benchmark requirements and give the all clear for high school football games to begin Sept. 30. (Pablo Robles/Tribune Staff)

could get shut down if people don’t follow the procedures if cases go up and people don’t follow protocol. If that happens, schools, districts and health departments could come in and say, ‘no more.’” The metric caused an uproar in the Arizona high school football community. A parent group led by Brad and Brooke Schweigert, Max and Carine Werner and Bryan and Elena Bernardo, sent a letter to board members on Sept. 9, demanding for the guidelines to be changed. Along with the metric, the group also called for revisions to the “close contact” guideline put in place by SMAC, which requires an athlete who has been exposed to someone that tests positive for the virus to be away from team activities for 21 days. All six parents signed the letter, noting it also had support from the “Parents in support of 2020 football in Arizona” Facebook group, which has more than 1,300 members. “We would expect our parents to support our kids,” Hines said. “As a former parent, yes, you are very passionate about your own child. But we have to look at the

entire picture and we have an entire state that is all over the board. “We are going to use the medical people, our administrators and our experts to do what is best for all of the kids.” The updated guidelines pave the way for the AIA to allow games to begin Sept. 30. Ultimately, however, it remains up to districts. Most East Valley districts have given teams a green light to begin contact, but with some modifications. Tempe Union High School District still requires the use of face masks for all athletes under helmets. Restrictions lighten up farther east. In Scottsdale, schools have still been barred from contact despite being able to put on pads. In other parts of the Valley, some districts have yet to allow teams on school grounds to practice at all. Tolleson Union High School District and Phoenix Union High School District teams haven’t had an official practice since June. Both districts, however, plan to begin competition later in October. Hines said he hopes the updated metrics help school districts find a clear path

to allow athletes to play this fall. “We know some districts have been able to do more than others,” Hines said. “To be honest, that happens when we aren’t in the middle of a pandemic. Knowing we have some scrimmages next week, we wanted to help teams have the ability to get some hitting in before they had a scrimmage.” Several scrimmages between teams have already been scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 23, Thursday, Sept. 24 and Friday, Sept. 25. It’ll be the first live action for most teams since the end of the season last December. Starting Wednesday, Sept. 30, the lights above stadiums will once again burn bright. Hines said it will be a welcoming site after a tense summer. “I think any of us that have any interest at all in high school athletics knows how important it is for our kids,” Hines said. “I’m excited for the kids, the coaches and the schools, I just have to caution us. “We have to keep our nose to the ground to do the things that are required so we can continue.”

SPORTS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

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31 CLASSIFIEDS

Obituaries Joanne Catherine Jesse

Obituaries Neria Hockaday Kohl Ryder June 27, 1927 – August 7, 2020

Neria was born in New York City to Gerald Samuel Kohl and Neria Irving Hockaday Kohl on June 27, 1927. Neria’s parents met at Columbia University. Mother from the South and father from the North; Neria was their only child. Childhood included Friday night trips to the lights of Broadway, learning to drive in then-undeveloped Flushing Meadows when age 12 and seeing big bands in Manhattan in the 1940s. Every year they visited her beloved grandmother, “Mama” Kohl of Centralia, Illinois and cousins Margery, Bill, Gordon, and Jean whom she loved. Neria grew up in Jackson Heights, NY and went to Garden Country Day School where she graduated as Valedictorian and earned a graduation trip to Texas from her aunt Ela Hockaday, founder of The Hockaday School in Dallas. Neria attended Wellesley College and majored in mathematics. Cousin Gordon introduced her to James Ryder of the Sigma Chi fraternity at MIT and they married on July 2, 1949. For income while Jim was at law school and although married women were scarcely hired, Neria became a “computer” for physicists at MIT before the age of semiconductors, performing calculations by slide-rule. Her inherited passion for math lives on in her descendants as did her love for Wellesley influencing her daughter and granddaughter to attend. Moving from Cambridge to Jackson Heights and then to New Jersey they soon had five children. Neria often said these were the happiest years in Chatham. Mothering included taking children and friends on overnight trips to Gettysburg, Williamsburg, and Chincoteague Island, or day trips including to the 1964 World’s Fair in New York where we had to run to see all the exhibits. She divided time for each child, be it Cub Scouts, Girl Scouts, or swim team.

But some times were for her such as having her teenage son drive to NYC while husband was out of town to see the ballet with Reggie Jackson. Neria loved a party and hosted many dinners. After little finger holes showed up in a party dessert, she thereafter made a second one just for the children. After her marriage ended Neria moved to Tempe in 1976 and stayed for 40 years. She was a real estate broker in her new life practicing into her 80s and thereafter took up an earlier pastime, knitting - using her mathematical ability in truly creative stitch patterns, colors and styles. Neria was a lifelong Unitarian, active in the Valley UU Congregation of Chandler, volunteering every week. She had many fast friends there of all ages and in 2007 the congregation specially recognized her service. Neria traveled until very late in life as her children had children, being there for the first grandchild’s birth, and many of the next 10, and flying far and wide to Singapore at 82, New Zealand several times including at 87, and weddings in France at 86, all the way to her final trip to Ohio at 90 after which her health kept her away but not her spirit. Neria is survived by her 5 children - Neria Douglass and husband Paul of Auburn ME, Duncan Ryder of Washington DC, Kristin Altieri and husband Phil of Mason OH, Evan Ryder and wife Rosanna Paterson of Onaero, New Zealand, and Malcolm Ryder of Tucson AZ; by 11 grandchildren - Ryan Douglass and fiancée Anna Abajyan, Nathan Douglass and wife Anne Constance, Neria Lauren Douglass and husband Alvaro Garcia, Camilla Ryder, Evan Spanogians and wife Kaitlin Jacobi, David Spanogians and wife Alex, Hali Spanogians and husband Steven Owens, Duncan James Ryder, Eamon Ryder, Colin Ryder and Madeline Ryder; and by 7 great-grandchildren Augustin, Zélie and Maximilien Douglass, Ryder Garcia, Kora, Otto and Esme Spanogians. Funeralalternatives.net has a guestbook for Neria. When the Pandemic is under control, the family will have a memorial service in Centralia, IL.

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Loving sister, aunt, wife, friend and colleague, Joanne Catherine Jesse, of 71 years, from Apache Junction, AZ, passed away August 13, 2020 in Bismarck, ND, while visiting. Joanne was born to the late Jake and Mary Fries of Mott, ND. After graduation from Mott Lincoln High School, Joanne attended nursing school in Dickinson, ND. Joanne moved to Bismarck, ND, which was her home for many years. She pursued her RN and BSNR, married Terri Jesse and started her Mary Kay career. Joanne’s career in nursing was mostly spent in Bismarck, ND, where she became Head of the Pediatrics Unit, she was also a teacher of nursing just to name a few of the positions she held. Joanne was highly respected by her colleagues. Joanne moved to Arizona where she continued in nursing at the Banner Hospice House. Joanne’s success in Mary Kay was rewarded with 14 pink cars and she led her unit to the circle of achievement eight times, and became the number one director in North Dakota. Many numerous friendships were forged over those years. While living in Arizona Joanne married her late High School sweetheart Bill M. Griffin. Several nicknames and phrases said by the many people who knew and loved her were: “Florence Nightingale”, “Angel of Mercy and Angel here on Earth. Joanne is survived by her younger sister, Carol Dixon, Jan Bishop (Rance), Doug Fries (Ruth) and Tom Fries (Luann), sisters-in-law, Sandi Fries and Annette Fries; step-daughters, Tammy Griffin and Jennifer Markvich (Richard), stepson, Ricky Griffin (Lindsay) and numerous nieces and nephews, grandnieces and nephews, step nieces and nephews and step grand nieces and nephews whom she loved dearly, cousins, and aunts and uncles. Joanne’s husband Bill Griffin; her younger brother, Jerry Fries and Rod Fries, stepson, Casey Griffin (Cheryl) have predeceased her. Joanne is dearly missed by her loved ones. Due to Covid-19, services will be scheduled at a later date. At that time her ashes will be laid to rest with her late husband Bill M. Griffin at the North Dakota Veterans Cemetery in Mandan, ND. Condolences may be sent through our website at www.evansonjensenfuneralhome.com.

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Lessons/ Tutoring

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ments andise WANTED: In-home tutoring Corel Draw 18 w/ epilog laser. EV. Call/Text (480) 435-8855 Squirt42@msn.com

Religion Healing Ministry Sufi Tradition If interested send letter of inquiry care of Master Warren Muen 4340 E. Indian School Rd, Ste 21-126, Phoenix, AZ 85018.

Cash 4 Diabetic Strips! Best Prices in Town. Sealed and Unexpired. 480-652-1317 Diabetic Test Strips by the box, unused. Any type or brand. Will pay top dollar. Call Pat 480-323-8846

Sell Your Stuff! Call Classifieds Today!

480.898.6465

CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM

Automotive Auto - All Makes WE BUY CARS & TRUCKS. WE PAY TOP $$ FOR YOUR VEHICLE RUNNING OR NOT. I CAN COME TO YOU. CALL John at Horizon Auto Sales 480-812-9500 for more info. Horizon Auto Sales since 1999 horizonautoaz@gmail.com horizonautosalesaz.net

Business Opportunities Finance/Financial What Should I Do with My Old 401(k)? Get free PDF guide that reveals the 5 options you have.

Call Dennis 480.278-3598 or request at zaderaka.com

Employment Employment General

IMMEDIATE OPENINGS

Growing Cleaning Company Currently Hiring Janitorial Workers to Work in the Southern and Dobson Area. Start Immediately Day / Night Shift and Full / Part Time Available. Apply at www.pro-serv.com/careers and call 602-867-8889

CLASSIFIEDS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

The Chandler Arizonan

1620 W. Fountainhead Parkway #219 • Tempe, AZ 85282 480.898.6465 class@timespublications.com

Deadlines

Classiﬁeds: Thursday 11am for Sunday Life Events: Thursday 10am for Sunday

The Place “To Find” Everything You Need | ChandlerNews.com

Manufactured Homes

2020 Villa by Schult 14X44 with attached AZ room 14X16, 2B/2B, TOTAL 800 SF, Central A/C 3T, Stackable W/D Hookups, Concrete Drive/Patio, Custom Awning and Skirting, Landscaped, 18 Cu Ft Fridge, Electric Range, Space Saver Microwave, Base Cabinet Roll-Out Shelves, Lazy Susan in Corner OH Cabinet, too many extras to mention. Price Includes 1 Year Free Rent! For Sale $79,999 Call Sandy 480-228-7786

Classifieds 480-898-6465

Manufactured Homes

Service Directory

Air Conditioning/Heating

Appliance Repairs

BRAND NEW NEVER LIVED IN 2 BED / 2 BATH HOMES $58,900 Financing Available

Air Conditioning/Heating

QUALITY, VALUE and a GREAT PRICE!

Appliance Repair Now

55+ Mobile Home Park in Great Chandler Loc. Call Kim 480-233-2035

Family Owned & Operated

Three Phase Mechanical

480-671-0833

Real Estate

www.3phasemech.com

For Rent

Sales, Service & Installation NO TRIP CHARGE • NOT COMMISSION BASED

Apartments ACCREDITED BUSINESS

APACHE TRAIL & IRONWOOD Secluded Cute Studio, A/C $650/Month Bad Credit ok No Deposit. Water/Trash Inc. (602) 339-1555 ALMA SCH & MAIN Income verified UTILITIES INCLUDED Bad Credit OK. No Deposit Close to Lightrail $700 (602) 339-1555

Manufactured Homes

THE LINKS ESTATES Why Rent The Lot When

YOU CAN OWN THE LAND And Own Your New Home

Lifetime Warranty on Workmanship Summer AC Tune Up - $99 New 3-Ton AC Units - now $3,995 New Trane Air Conditioners NO INTEREST FINANCING - 60 MONTHS!

‘A’ RATED AC REPAIR FREE ESTIMATE SAME DAY SERVICE

ROC# 247803 Bonded • Insured

HEATING & AIR CONDITIONING

If It’s Broken, We Can Fix It! • Same Day Service • On-Site Repairs • Servicing All Major Brands • Quality Guaranteed

We Also Buy, Sell & Trade Used Appliances Working or Not

480-659-1400 Licensed & Insured Cleaning Services

Bonded/Insured • ROC #289252

480-405-7588

Homes For Sale

3br, 2ba, 1728sf 45+ Community $305,500 654 Leisure World, Mesa, 85206

ItsJustPlumbSmart.com RESIDENTIAL & SMALL BUSINESS CLEANING SPECIALISTS SINCE 2007 Weekly, biweekly, tri-weekly, or monthly; same talented crew each visit Flexible, customized services to meet individual needs of each client GREEN eco-friendly products used to clean and sanitize Move-in/move-out and seasonal deep cleans Small, family-owned company with GUARANTEED high quality services Always dependable, excellent references, bonded, and insured

FreeFree estimates estimatesat at 480-802-1992 480-802-1992 or or dennis@simplygrandcleaningaz.com reed@simplygrandcleaningaz.com

Concrete & Masonry

Block Fence * Gates

FROM THE UPPER 100’S

602-789-6929 Roc #057163

ASK US HOW YOUR $105,000 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.

Lowest Prices * 30 Yrs Exp Serving Entire Valley

Gawthorp & Associates Realty

YOU’LL LIKE US - THE BEST!

40667 N Wedge Dr • San Tan Valley, AZ 85140

602-402-2213

www.linksestates.net

33 CLASSIFIEDS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

Concrete & Masonry

DESERT ROCK

CONCRETE & MASONRY BLOCKWALL CONCRETE RETAINING WALL BLOCK FENCE PLANTER BBQ

FOUNDATION DRIVEWAY SIDEWALK PATIO

PAVER • CONCRETE REMOVAL • HARDSCAPE BONDED & INSURED • ROC#321648 SATISFACTION GUARANTEED! FREE ESTIMATES • 16 YEARS EXPERIENCE RESIDENTIAL CALL JOHN: 480.797.2985 COMMERCIAL

Doors OVER 25 YEARS EXPERIENCE SERVICING & INSTALLING GARAGE DOORS AND OPERATORS

OPEN 24/7

Home Improvement

Garage/Doors GARAGE DOOR SERVICE East Valley/ Ahwatukee

Broken Springs Replaced Nights/Weekends Bonded/Insured 480-251-8610

Not a licensed contractor

Handyman HANDYMAN 37 years experience. Drywall, framing, plumbing, painting, electrical, roofing and more. Stan, 602-434-6057 WE’RE ALWAYS HERE TO SERVE YOUR CLASSIFIED NEEDS

480.898.6465 • SERVING ALL OF METRO PHOENIX • HONEST AND REPUTABLE CUSTOMER SATISFACTION GUARANTEED

CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM

HOME REMODELING REPAIRS & CUSTOM INTERIOR PAINTING 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 Office 480-820-8515 Cell 602-628-9653 Wolfgang Construction Inc. Licensed & Bonded ROC 124934

Handyman

Landscape/Maintenance Superstition Landscape Maintenance

Junk Removal PLUS House Cleaning Call or Text Adrian

480•376•9803 or 480•925•1418

Honest & Reliable

Home Improvement

LLC

FREE Estimates

Irrigation Repair Services Inc. Licensed • Bonded • Insured Technician

ACTION CONTRACTING INC. WE DO IT ALL!

Bath & Kitchen Remodels • Car-Port to Garage Conversion Drywall & Stucco Repairs • Plumbing • Electrical • Can Lights Windows • Doors • Cabinets • Painting • Block Fences Wrought Iron Gates • Remodeling • Additions • Patios Tenant Improvements

East Valley

ANOZIRA DOOR SYSTEMS

480-833-7353 - Office 480-430-7737 - Cell A+

-S

C IN

LIC/BONDED/INSURED Res/Comm’l ROC#218802

Specializing in Controllers, Valves, Sprinklers, Landscape Lighting, P.V.C. & Poly Drip Systems

Call Lance White

480.721.4146 www.irsaz.com

ROC# 256752

Irrigation

aaaActionContractingInc.com

Drywall

JOSE DOMINGUEZ DRYWALL & PAINTING House Painting, Drywall, Intall Doors, Baseboards, Crown Molding Reliable, Dependable, Honest!

• Drywall Repair • Bathroom Remodeling • Home Renovations

• Electrical Repair • Plumbing Repair • Dry rot and termite damage repair

GENERAL CONTRACTOR / HANDYMAN SERVICES SERVING THE ENTIRE VALLEY

520.508.1420

All Estimates arethe Free Call: Marks Spot• for ALL Your Handyman Needs! Painting • Flooring • Electrical www.husbands2go.com Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Licensed, Bonded & Insured Decks • Tile••ROC#317949 More!

QUICK RESPONSE TO YOUR CALL!Marks the Spot for ALL Your Ask me about FREE Needs! water testing! Handyman

15 Years Experience • Free Estimates 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 Tile • More! josedominguez0224@gmail.com Decks •Affo rdable, ✔ Plumbing 2010, 2011 2012, 2013, Not a licensed contractor. 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 ALL Your Handyman Needs! ✔ Decks Painting • Flooring • Electrical Electrical Services Small Man!” “No Job Too Man!” ✔ Tile Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Small Man!” Decks • Tile • More! ✔ Kitchens 9 199 ce Sin rk Wo HONESTY • INTEGRITY • QUALITY Affordable, Quality ceBSMALLMAN@Q.COM ✔ Bathrooms 2010, 2011 9 199 Sin rk 2012, “No 2013, Job Too Affordable, Quality Wo And More! 2010, 2011 Small Man!” Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 2014 • Panel Changes

480.266.4589

Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 andResident/ Repairs References/ Insured/ NotResident a Licensed Contractor Ahwatukee / References Call Ahwatukee Bruce at 602.670.7038

2012, 2013, 2014

Since 1999 Affordable, Quality Work

Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ a Licensed Contractor • Installation of Insured/ Not Insured / Not aCall Licensed Contractor Bruce at 602.670.7038

• Serving Arizona Since 2005 •

Hauling

Ceiling Fans • Switches/Outlets • Home Remodel

ALL RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL ELECTRICAL Call Jim Endres 480.282.7932 Over 28 Years Experience • ROC #246019 Bonded/Insured

2010, 2011 2012, 2013, 2014

Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor

MISSED THE DEADLINE? Call us to place your ad online!

480-898-6564

General Contacting, Inc. Licensed • Bonded • Insured • ROC118198

One Call, We Do It All! 602-339-4766 Owner Does All Work, All Honey-Do Lists

Sprinkler & Drip Systems Repairs • Modifications • Installs

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!

Irrigation

• Sprinkler/Drip Repairs • New Installs Poly/PVC • Same Day Service

NTY

5-YEAR WARRA

480.654.5600 azirrigation.com Cutting Edge LLC • ROC 281671

• 20 Years Experience • 6 Year Warranty

480.345.1800 ROC 304267 • Licensed & Bonded

CLASSIFIEDS

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

Landscape/Maintenance

Painting

High Quality Results

Jose Dominguez Painting & Drywall SEE OUR AD IN DRYWALL! Quick Response to your Call! 15 Years Exp 480-266-4589

TRIM TREES ALL TYPES GRAVEL - PAVERS SPRINKLER SYSTEMS

Not a licensed contractor

Complete Clean Ups

Jose Martinez Not a licensed contractor.

602.515.2767 Insured/Bonded Free Estimates

ALL Pro

T R E E

S E R V I C E

L L C

Prepare for Monsoon Season! 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 Painting

East Valley PAINTERS

480-477-8842

SEWER CABLE COMPREHENSIVE, FULL-SERVICE PLUMBING COMPANY

HOME IMPROVEMENT & PAINTING Interior/Exterior Painting 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE Dunn Edwards Quality Paint Small Stucco/Drywall Repairs

We Are State Licensed and Reliable!

480-338-4011

BOOK ONLINE! STATE48DRAINS.COM 20+ YEARS OF EXPERIENCE FAMILY OWNED & OPERATED LICENSED, BONDED & INSURED ROC 3297740

ROC#309706

Plumbing

Affinity Plumbing LLC 480-487-5541 affinityplumber@gmail.com

www.affinityplumbingaz.com

Your Ahwatukee Plumber & East Valley Neighbor

10% OFF

We Beat Competitors Prices & Quality Free Estimates! Home of the 10-Year Warranty!

480-688-4770

www.eastvalleypainters.com Now Accepting all major credit cards

Over 30 yrs. Experience

480-706-1453

Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099

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.

Anything Plumbing Same Day Service Water Heaters

24/7

Inside & Out Leaks

Bonded

Toilets

Insured

Faucets

Estimates Availabler

$35 off

Tiles, shingles, flat, repairs & new work Free Estimates • Ahwatukee Resident

Pool Service / Repair

Free Estimates • Senior Discounts

Any Service

Paint Interior & Exterior • Drywall Repair Light Carpentry • Power Washing • Textures Matched Popcorn Removal • Pool Deck Coatings Garage Floor Coatings • Color Consulting

Bonded/Insured • ROC#153131

HYDROJETTING

Your leaks stop here! New Roofs, Repairs, Coatings, Flat Roof, Hot Mopping & Patching & Total Rubber Roof Systems

FREE ESTIMATES & MONSOON SPECIALS

SAME DAY SERVICE 30 Years Experience References Available

Disposals

Voted #1

Family Owned & Operated

Rooﬁng

Plumbing

Licensed Bonded Insured ROC 286561

ACCREDITED BUSINESS ®

Not a licensed contractor

PLUMBERS CHARGE TOO MUCH! Beat Any Price By 10% • Lifetime Warranty Water Heaters Installed - $799 Unclog Drains - $49 FREE RO UNIT w/Any WATER SOFTENER INSTALL NO INTEREST FINANCING - 60 Months!! ‘A’ RATED PLUMBING REPAIR Free Estimates • Same Day Service

Bonded/Insured • ROC #223709

480-405-7099 ItsJustPlumbSmart.com

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 Your Ad can go ONLINE ANY Day! Call to place your ad online!! Classifieds 480-898-6465

Senior & Military Discounts

480-280-0390

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

35 CLASSIFIEDS

NOW OPEN

HAPPY HOUR

Every Day 2pm-6pm and 10pm-CLOSE • $2 OFF ALL Draft Beer and Appetizers • $4 House Wine

• $2 Well Drinks • $4 Titos, Bacardi, Tanqueray, Herradura Silver, Jack Daniels

ALL DAY SPECIALS

MONDAY $10 Burgers TUESDAY $5 Dos XX Draft $4 Chips with Salsa and Guac $6 Nachos WEDNESDAY $10 Wraps

THURSDAY $8 Wings and Chicken Tenders FRIDAY $9 Fish & Chips and Fishy Wrap SATURDAY $10 Pizzas SUNDAY $10 Pastas

The location is formerly Majerle’s Sports Grill at Fashion Center in Chandler

3095 W Chandler Blvd Chandler AZ 85226 www.howlerssportsbar.com

480-899-7999

REGULAR HOURS DAILY 11AM - 12AM

THE CHANDLER ARIZONAN | WWW.CHANDLERNEWS.COM | SEPTEMBER 20, 2020

Arizona’s Resort-Style Home Builder MASTER PLANNED CELEBRATED COMMUNITIES BY BLANDFORD HOMES

Award-winning Arizona builder for 40 years. Blandford Homes specializes in building master planned environments with a variety of amenities and charm. Many offer resort-style amenities such as pickleball, event lawns, and lifestyle activities. You’ll find the perfect community to fit your lifestyle. A Canyon Preserve at Mountain Bridge NOW SELLING

Vintage Collection • From the low $400’s • 480-988-2400 A Mountain Bridge CLOSEOUT Acclaimed Resort-Style Master Planned Community in Northeast Mesa Vintage Collection • From the low $400’s • 480-988-2400 B Sanctuary at Las Sendas ONLY 1 HOME REMAINS Northeast Mesa resort-style master planned community. Vintage Collection • From the low $400’s • 480-988-2400

C Mulberry CLOSEOUT

“New Old-Home Neighborhood” Resort-Style in SE Mesa Americana Collection • From the $300’s • 480-895-2800 D Stratford in Gilbert PRESELLING PLANNED SUMMER 2020

A dramatic new gated community with two collections of homes • From the low $400’s

E Estates on McDowell – 35,000 Sq. Ft. Homesites 2 PRIME HOMESITES LEFT Luxury single-level estate homes with 3- to 6-car garages and optional RV garages and carriage houses • From the high $800’s • 480-750-3000

F Estates at Mandarin Grove NOW SELLING

I GERMANN

11 luxury single-level estate homes, in the Citrus Groves of Northeast Mesa, with 3- to 6-car garages and optional RV garages and carriage houses From the high $800’s • 480-750-3000

G Sienna Hills Scottsdale – 124th St & Shea CLOSEOUT

Luxury single-level estate homes • From the $900’s • 480-661-3811

H Palma Brisa – In Ahwatukee Foothills NOW SELLING I

A Dramatic New Gated Community • From the $400’s • 480-641-1800 Belmont at Somerset – Prime Gilbert Location PRESALES HAVE BEGUN

Luxury estate homes and timeless architecture • From the low $800’s • 480-895-6300

BlandfordHomes.com Not all photos shown are representative of all communities. Terms and conditions subject to change without notice.