Ahwatukee Foothills News 03/15/2023

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Lakes course owner must pay $2M penalty, judge rules

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

ASuperior Court judge ordered the owner of the Ahwatukee Lakes Golf Course to pay a $2 million sanction for failing to meet another judge’s deadline for completing its restoration.

In an order filed Monday, Judge Melissa Iyer Julian ruled that ALCR failed to follow Judge Theodore Campagnolo’s December 2020 directions for completing the 18-hole course

and opening it fully by September 2022.

That deadline was extended by a month to allow newly planted grass to take better root and golfers have been using the course since then.

But Attorney Tim Barnes contended that ALCR had failed to address numerous problems on the site – including an adequate replacement for the clubhouse that was destroyed in a never-solved 2016 arson.

Barnes represents Lakes homeowners Linda Swain and Eileen Breslin, who have waged a legal battle since 2014 with ALCR and a related

Free roofs putting a tiny Ahwatukee HOA on a ledge

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

It was a no-brainer for a homebuyer nearly half a century ago in a littleknown area of Phoenix called Ahwatukee.

Back then, a small enclave of homes off 48th Street had been organized into a homeowners association with the not very appealing name of RT-2 but a very appealing feature built right into its covenants, conditions, and restrictions.

Buy a home in the area of Potomac Street, Ahwatukee Drive, a stretch of 48th Street, or Half Moon and Chippewa

drives between Warner and Elliot roads and you won’t ever worry about painting the exterior or replacing the roof, the CC&Rs guaranteed, because the HOA has your back.

But modern reality has just about crushed that guarantee, creating a nightmare that threatens the owners of the 124 single-family homes in RT-2 as well as the HOA board.

And soon – possibly this Saturday – the owners must make a choice:

Agree to a hefty spike of at least 20% in their dues or vote to change the CC&Rs and take

see HOA page 18

predecessor over company-principal Wilson Gee’s closure of the course in 2013.

Getting relief from the new order could be difficult for ALCR.

While ALCR can file a special action with the Arizona Court of Appeals seeking a review of Iyer Julian’s order, the higher court does not have to accept it as it would a conventional appeal.

ALCR must also pay Barnes’ fees, but the

Politics and chili

Mayor Kate Gallego and City Council District 6 candidate Kevin Robinson parachuted into the Ahwatukee Swim, Tennis and Event Center’s 18th annual Chili Cook-off Sunday and sampled some green chili by Alyssa and Brandon Whiteley. Gallego turned her first visit to the cook-off into some last-minute stumping for her endorsed council candidate to fill the seat being vacated by Councilman Sal DiCiccio, who is termed out. While the results of Tuesday’s council election were past AFN’s print deadline, the latest numbers can be found on Ahwatukee.com. (David Minton/AFN Staff Photographer)

Ahwatukee woman leads group for sober-living and “sober-curious”

Ahwatukee man gives back for his new kidney.

The search for Desert Vista’s next head football coach is over.

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Ditching the green beer, but not the fun

BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA AFN Contributor

Learning to live life without alcohol creates a better, not a lessened, life. That is the basic premise behind Dry in the Desert, an organization founded by Ahwatukee long-time resident Ellie St. Aubin, who invites sober-living and sober-curious people to her third gathering on Saturday, March 18, at the Fred Astaire Dance Studios at Alma School Road and Warner Avenue in Chandler.

“Welcome to the Booze-Free Party” is Dry in the Desert’s motto and one St. Aubin, 29, passionately proclaims.

Fittingly, the party comes a day after a celebration often marked by excessive amounts of green beer.

But sober doesn’t mean solemn, the youthful nonprofit’s founder and creative director said.

Rather, it is a social time for friends to focus on fun.

“When I started sharing my sober journey publicly, I got a lot of feedback from friends who were sober-curious. They connected so much with what I shared that I thought there must be a middleground for people who want to drink less but aren’t seeking total abstinence or recovery groups,” she said.

“I wanted to create a space for anyone – sober, drinkers, and in between – to socialize in the same headspace without the ever-looming pressure of booze that riddles most of the fun events we attend around the country.”

Since last November, Dry in the Desert has held smaller gatherings in Ahwatukee.

The March 18 event, held at a commercial venue as opposed to a private home, is the first of what St. Aubin hopes will be larger quarterly get-togethers.

She passionately believes there is a market for the no-alcohol gatherings.

She points to the increasing popularity of Dry January Challenge, now joined by Dry February and Dry March, as evidence of people of all ages desiring to ditch booze for health and/or mental reasons –even if only for a month.

(Another national challenge, Damp March, has now emerged for those who wish to cut back, yet not totally eliminate alcohol.)

Ahwatukee resident Alaina Gervais attended prior Dry in the Desert activities and now encourages others to join in the fun.

“Ellie’s initiative, Dry in the Desert, established a welcoming and essential space that provided both comfort and entertainment,” said Gervais, 33.

“At the first event, we enjoyed relaxed socializing with non-alcoholic beverage options, including typical kick-back games like beer pong, sans beer.”

“Her second gathering shifted the focus to mental wellness, emphasizing the importance of internal mindset and controlled breathing,” Gervais continued. “I left the event with clarity and a renewed sense of purpose for the upcoming year.

“Ellie’s approach challenges the notion that fun must be associated with alcohol, highlighting the need for meaningful connections and experiences without it.”

Socialization is a key to the no-alcohol Dry in the Desert events, says the founder. “I’m personally fully sober, and in my recovery process the social and community aspect of it really kept me going and then

started to expand to outside of just recovery meetings and topics,” said St. Aubin.

“I was forming real friendships and I thought, ‘It would be amazing to hang out with all these people and not have it be affiliated around a particular recovery program or surrounded by recovery talk itself.’

“There’s a time and place for it, just as I think there is a time and place for pure fun, socializing, and other hobbies,” she continued.

“Plus, there are so many non-alcoholic beverage alternatives now, that it is really fun to explore them all and still have something sophisticated and delicious to sip on, other than just soda water.”

Although non-alcoholic beer has been around for decades, the beverage industry nationally and internationally has greatly expanded its non-alcoholic offerings.

Industry figures confirm low or no-alcohol beverage sales skyrocketed during and after COVID, mostly fueled by younger consumers.

With that trend in mind, St Aubin sees a real possibility for Dry in the Desert gaining new friends.

“I have a lot of ambitions for Dry in the Desert and the first of my top three is combating binge-drinking and the ‘you

DRY from page 5

deserve it culture,’” she said.

“The way drinking alcohol is romanticized, celebrated and encouraged in today’s world is dangerous,” she contintued.

“Another ambition is offering people healthier coping mechanisms and hobbies other than drinking booze,” she said.

Her third ambition for Dry in the Desert involves rethinking social scenes without alcohol consumption.

“I would like to see non-alcoholic beverages having the same presence as alcohol in food-and-beverage and social settings,” said St. Aubin.

“Non-drinkers or people opting out for whatever reason can still enjoy having an adult beverage, socializing, and creating community. Non-alcoholic beverages actually elevate the quality of all those things.”

Legacy brands like Heinekin, Stella and

even Freixenet are offering no-alcohol alternatives.

Joining them is a rash of newer labels like Sir James 101, which provides no-alcohol cocktails, helping non-alcohol options to gain ground.

“There are non-alcoholic alternatives for nearly everything, not just beer and wine. We have about 15 non-alcoholic drinks on our menu,” she said.

“With Dry in the Desert, I want to show we can go and have fun without all the pressure,” said St. Aubin. “At our events, we have socializing, we have music, we have games. We have fun.

The Saturday, March 18 event by Dry in the Desert begins at 7:30 p.m. at the Fred Astaire Dance Studios Chandler (cq), 2390 N. Alma School Road, Suite 125.

Information on Dry in the Desert socials can be found on their Instagram page @dryinthedesert or email DryintheDesert@gmail.com .

judge gave him 20 days to file further paperwork.

The judge’s ruling follows by less than two months a day-long hearing in which Barnes presented evidence of the different problems on the course that ALCR had failed to address.

She quoted Campagnolo’s original order, which said:

“Completion means completion. Not substantial completion. Not partial completion. Completion means that the golf course is open for golfing on all 18 holes and that any amenities mentioned in the Declarations, such as a pro shop, pathways, etc. are ready for usage by golfers.”

“Declarations” refers to the land use regulations governing the 105-acre course.

Iyer Julian’s order said, “Although the golf course is now playable, plaintiffs identified several issues with other aspects of the course, which they contend violate their reasonable expectations as the benefitted owners.”

Those concerns meant, she added, ALCR failed to meet the extended deadline for completing the course.

The judge cited:

Paths and bridges

The judge noted that Barnes had submitted photos showing “several areas of the bridges and cart paths show cracked concrete and graffiti that had not been cleaned or repaired as of the date of the (Jan. 23, 2023) hearing.”

She said that “aside from being unsightly,” the court-appointed special master overseeing the course’s restoration, Mark Woodward, had testified “these areas presented safety hazards to those walking the course.”

The judge found, “The existence of the unsightly and unsafe cart paths and bridges defaced with graffiti is inconsistent with the benefitted owners’ reasonable expectations.”

Bathrooms

“These bathroom remain in a state of disrepair and are not functional,” Iyer Julian wrote, citing photos showing “dirty floors, broken sinks and smashed toilets.”

She noted that Terry Duggan, vice president of an ALCR-related company, said one bathroom couldn’t be finished because ALCR couldn’t get city permits quickly enough and that the company was not making efforts to replace another bathroom that had been demolished.

The judge said that while Woodward had testified the use of porta-potties as substitutes “is not unusual,” permanent bathrooms are “part of what the benefitted (home)owners reasonably expected: and that “unsightly, unsafe and unusable facilities that currently exist are inconsistent with those expectations.”

She also said the porta-potties “alter the picturesque landscape of the course, which the owners have a right to enjoy.”

Debris, sand and weeds

The judge said photos showed “a significant overgrowth of weeds along with concrete and sand debris littered throughout areas in the rough of the golf course and parking lot” and that some weeds and

trees had even grown through the surface of the lakes.

She said the special master “acknowledged that these areas had to be treated” and that they had been neglected “for a lengthy period.”

She also noted that Duggan admitted “areas of the rough remain unsightly and wholly inconsistent with the lush greens and trees that previously existed before the course fell into a state of disrepair and neglected maintenance.”

Iyer Julian also cited a large pile of sand and gravel remained in the parking lot to refill “hazards: and that there were “no plans to store the sand in a less visible

Mark

SERVING AHWATUKEE, MOUNTAIN PARK RANCH, LAKEWOOD, THE FOOTHILLS AND

AREAS

This August 2022 aerial shot shows the Ahwatukee Lakes Golf Course before its restoration was completed. (Tom Sanfilippo/Inside Out Aerial)

values

attention and long-term relationships with all of our patients. We can’t wait to meet you!

LAKES from page 7

area.”

The judge said Barnes’ clients “are not entitled to sanctions merely because every tree and patch of grass has not been replanted or because every lake or reservoir has not been filled” and cited Campagnolo’s acknowledgement that some changes might be necessary that altered the original landscape of the Lakes.

But she added that “the ugly overgrowth of weeds and debris currently existing in the rough does not reflect” a suitable substitution.

Clubhouse/pro shop

The final area the judge took issue with involves ALCR’s use of a 10’x32’ modular building replacing the destroyed 5,000-square-foot clubhouse.

She noted that a witness testified that the modular building in January 2023 had no electricity and was only furnished with “a card table and a porta-potty.”

Iyer Julian cited testimony by Duggan, who said ALCR planned to build a permanent clubhouse but that “it had not taken any steps to plan its reconstruction.”

Hence, the judge ruled, “’a temporary clubhouse’ is inconsistent with the benefitted owners’ reasonable expectations and in no way (is) comparable to what existed in 2013.”

Noting that Campagnolo “made his order very clear,” Iyer Julian said she “cannot find ALCR completed the golf course, even within the extended October 2022 deadline.”

“A significant portion of the golf course’s landscape remains overgrown with weeds and portions are still covered with cracked concrete, graffiti and debris,” she wrote.

“The bathrooms are an unsightly, unusable hazard and the ‘temporary clubhouse’ is a fraction of the size of the previous clubhouse,” she continued. “It does not offer the same amenities and until recently did not even have electricity. This does not demonstrate compliance with

the final deadline as set by (Campagnolo’s order). ‘Completion’ as defined in that order has not been achieved.”

The judge rejected the homeowners’ complaint about the reduction of the course’s turf, declaring it “constitutes a reasonable modification to its design with the laudable purpose of water conservation.”

Yet, she added, “the redesign must at least provide a comparable alternative view for homeowners and not one that is littered with weeds and debris. In its current state, the surrounding areas of the green cannot be described as a well-manicured ‘desert landscape.’”

She also disputed ALCR’s contention that some problems cited during the hearing were corrected, calling that “insufficient to avoid the final sanction…because the bulk of the concerns identified by the benefitted homeowners remain.”

She also stated, “The. delayed attempt to comply with those aspects of the Sanction Order demonstrates why the coercive sanctions were entered in the first place.

“This history of this case and prior findings entered herein show that ALCR has been reluctant to fulfill its obligation under the judgment unless and until sanctions are imposed.”

Ironically, Ahwatukee Lakes homeowners have posted other complaints on social media in recent weeks about the course.

Some have complained about a green scum on the lakes while others have cited eroding banks near Lakeside Boulevard and 41st Place.

“Also, there are millions of gnats in the summer covering pool surface like a blanket and windows and screens,” a homeowner posted. “I cannot go in my yard without hundreds of these insects filling my ears, eyes, face and entering my house no matter how fast I go in and out. …. These gnats clog my pool filters requiring constant changing of same. If Gee put chemicals in the lake as prior owner did we wouldn’t have this problem. It is new.”

Legislature targets Phoenix home rule charter

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

State senators voted last week to ask voters to wipe out the ability of cities to have their own charters only after its sponsor vowed to narrow it to affect only Tucson and Phoenix and, pretty soon, Mesa.

As approved, SCR 1023 would repeal a provision of the Arizona Constitution that dates to territorial days that permits city voters to establish home rule. That enables them to make their own rules on matters of local concerns like how the local government is set up and how and when to run elections.

But Republicans Ken Bennett and T.J. Shope said they were supporting it because Sen. Justine Wadsack, R-Tucson, promised to have it altered when it goes to the House so it would affect only communities larger than 500,000. Both said they would not have voted for the measure if it undermined the charters that now exist in Prescott and Casa Grande in their home legislative districts.

That logic angered Senate Minority Leader Mitzi Epstein.

“What I’m hearing so far is, ‘Well, as long as it doesn’t happen to my city then I’ll let this bad idea happen to somebody else’s city,’” said Epstein, a Democrat whose own home city, Tempe, has a charter and would get to keep it if Wadsack later narrows the scope.

“That’s flabbergasting,’’ she said. “It seems disrespectful to our democratic republic. It seems disrespectful to the idea that everybody deserves a voice.’’

Shope acknowledged that his affirmative vote for SCR 1023 was based on Wadsack’s vow the bill would be amended so it didn’t affect any communities of fewer than 500,000 people – meaning none of his legislative district.

“I’ve done it before,’’ Shope said, calling smaller and larger cities “different animals.’’

“To compare Tucson or Phoenix to a Casa Grande or a Florence or what-haveyou that I represent, they’re not even in the same stratosphere,’’ he said. “There does have to be some wiggle room in

state law to recognize that they’re not the same.’’

Bennett also told Capitol Media Services he’s “not really comfortable’’ with the idea of removing the right to have a charter from all cities. That, he said, is why he voted against the measure two weeks ago when it first came up.

But all that changed with Wadsack’s commitment to add limiting language.

“I’ve been promised by the sponsor that that will be added in the House,’’ Bennett said in casting the deciding 16th vote in the 30-member Senate.

Even with that, however, Bennett said he’s still ill at ease with the whole concept.

“I’m still struggling with doing to three of the 19 charter cities what I’m protecting the other 16 from,’’ he said.

Tuesday’s vote is not the last word – not only because SCR 1023 needs House approval and, presumably the amendment that Wadsack promised would be added.

That’s because it seeks to amend the state Constitution. And that can be done only if voters in 2024 ratify the change

she is pushing.

The measure actually is one of two being pushed by Wadsack, a first-term lawmaker, who has repeatedly said she is unhappy with one particular power that her home community has exercised by virtue of its charter status: how it conducts elections.

State law requires that city councils be chosen either through at-large elections, where everyone in the community gets to vote for all candidates, or through a district system with council members chosen by voters living in that part of the city.

Tucson has a hybrid, with candidates nominated in each of the six districts but having to stand for election on a citywide basis. That guarantees at least one council members from each district.

But what it also has meant more often than not is that Republicans nominated from their own home districts cannot survive a city-wide election.

Eliminating Tucson’s charter status would eliminate its ability to keep the current election system. 

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Bill allows parents with guns on school grounds

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Republican House lawmakers voted March 8 to let certain parents bring their loaded guns onto school campuses despite the fact they themselves are protected by rules and a metal detector that keep their armed constituents out.

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Existing laws now prohibit loaded firearms on public school, college and university campuses. SB 1331 would create an exemption saying that doesn’t apply to parents or guardians of children who attend that school provided they have a state-issued permit to carry a concealed weapon.

The measure, which already has been approved by the Senate, now goes to the full House.

Spokespersons for both Kyrene and Tempe Union school districts declined comment, saying officials would wait until they reviewed the bill – and see if it passes the Legislature and Gov. Katie Hobbs.

But Kyrene Board member Wanda Kolomyjec, stressing that she was speaking for herself and not the board, was frustrated by the lawmakers’ action.

“The fact that we are even asking this question demonstrates the ridiculous nature of rhetoric that characterizes our national discourse,” Kolomyjec said.

“I believe, in my heart of hearts, most Americans share similar values. However, we are being highjacked by the extremists,” she added. “I, for one, am exhausted by it. And I don’t believe I am alone.”

Sen. Janae Shamp, R-Surprise, said the existing restriction on armed parents makes no sense.

“How many criminals pay attention to a law?’’ she asked, contending her bill would extend this right only to “people who have taken the training and who are looking to protect.’’

That didn’t convince Anne Thompson

with Moms Demand Action which lobbies for stronger gun laws.

She told lawmakers, “Allowing guns in schools is an extreme measure that will endanger children, young people, teachers, staff and visitors.’’

Thompson pointed out there are places where guns are not allowed, whether because of federal or state laws. These include polling places on Election Day, secure areas of airports and detention facilities.

And to that list, add the Arizona House where visitors are required to go through metal detectors and must either leave their weapons in their vehicles or check them with security.

“Why would we not give our children the same security?’’ she asked.

Rep. Alexander Kolodin, R-Scottsdale, acknowledged the point.

“I agree, it does make us look slightly hypocritical when we’re running bills like this,’’ he said.

In fact, Kolodin said he would support removing the metal detectors “just as the Senate has so that citizens could exercise the constitutional right to keep and bear arms in their House.’’

That’s not exactly true: While there are no metal detectors at the Senate, visitors

Rep. Alexander Kolodin, R-Scottsdale, supports legislation allowing parents with carry permits to come armed to schools. (Capitol Media Services)

are not allowed to bring in their weapons there either.

But Rep. Quang Nguyen, R-Prescott Valley, who chairs the Judiciary Committee, said that doesn’t mean there are no guns at the Capitol, even beyond security officers.

“I’ve been a CCW holder for probably close to the last 20 years,’’ he said.

A similar exception to laws banning weapons in public buildings exists for lawmakers in the Senate.

Michael Infanzon, lobbyist for the Arizona Citizens Defense League, told lawmakers there’s no reason to believe that permitting CCW permit holders to bring the guns onto campus would lead to more students being shot and killed in school shootings. Instead, Infanzon cited instances where he said armed individuals helped stop mass shootings.

But Rep. Lupe Contreras, D-Avondale, said simply having a CCW permit, with its four-hour training requirement, hardly prepares people to deal with emergency situations.

He noted testimony on other gun bills by police officers who have talked about the issues they face when being called to

an active shooter situation. Contreras said that these are adrenaline-filled situations where they are trying to get people out while focused on finding the person with the gun.

“With all the chaos going on, they can’t depict who the perpetrator is and who is not because they’re going in there to try to save our children and save the people that are in whatever environment,’’ he said.

But Kolodin, in supporting the legislation, said it doesn’t go far enough. The way he sees it, carrying a concealed weapon is a “constitutional right’’ and there should be no requirement to get a permit to do so.

That actually already is the case.

Arizona adults who have not been convicted of felonies always have been allowed to carry sidearms openly. The right to have a concealed firearm was added in 1994, though that required getting a stateissued permit.

In 2010, however, Gov. Jan Brewer signed legislation allowing any adult to carry a concealed gun.

But some people still want – and the state still issues – permits, though the requirements have been eased over the years. CCW permit holders still have special privileges, such as the ability to bring

their weapons into bars and, if this bill becomes law, onto school campuses if they are parents or guardians.

The Department of Public Safety reports there are currently 452,024 active permits in Arizona.

What applies to lawmakers and guns at the Capitol is a bit fuzzier.

In 2007, Karen Johnson, then a senator from Mesa, told Capitol Media Services that she was bringing her .22 caliber eightshot revolver into the Senate building despite state laws prohibiting weapons in public buildings.

Tucsonan Tim Bee, who was Senate president at the time, acknowledged that lawmakers have been coming to work armed for a number of years, at least since the 1994 law allowed people to carry concealed weapons. But Bee acknowledged it was sort of a “don’t-ask,

tell’’ policy.

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

State senators gave preliminary approval March 9 to a measure directing the Department of Education to come up with a list of books that are banned in public schools.

And it wouldn’t just include lewd or sexual materials.

SB 1700 would require the agency, which is currently headed by Republican Tom Horne, to also include on that list materials that “promote gender fluidity or gender pronouns.’’

The measure includes similar language on what local school boards and libraries must remove from their own shelves.

“Parents want to make sure that their children who are innocent, who are impressionable, get to have and hold onto that innocence that they have,’’ Sen. Justice Wadsack, R-Tucson, said during a hearing on her measure.

Wadsack’s idea of preserving that in-

nocence has no age limit, at least as far as children in public or charter schools.

“Children should not be thinking of these things when they’re in K through 12,’’ she told colleagues. “There’s plenty of time for this when they get to college and when they’re outside the purview of their parents.’’

Sen. Christine Marsh, R-Phoenix, who is a teacher, said there is content that is “too graphic for the classroom.’’

“But there’s also no room in the classroom or in libraries for banning books simply because it upsets one group of people at the expense of so many others,’’ she said.

Marsh said what is likely to be banned are the books that reflect experiences of those not in the mainstream, including gay children and victims of sexual abuse.

She said it’s important that these books be available not only to ensure these children see themselves in literature but also that others develop empathy for them.

Of particular concern to some was that language on excising materials about

gender fluidity and pronouns.

Erica Keppler, an activist in the LGBTQ community, told lawmakers the language in the bill about “promoting’’ either makes no sense.

“Gender fluidity is a naturally occurring phenomenon that some people experience,’’ she said, no different than being left-handed or having curly hair and something that cannot be “promoted.’’

“It’s ridiculous and demeaning to include ‘gender fluidity’ in the same sentence as ‘pedophilia,’” she said.

Elijah Watson, representing himself, said he feared the parameters for the Department of Education to decide what’s not allowed in schools is so broad that it would lead to banning “To Kill a Mockingbird,’’ “The Great Gatsby,’’ “Of Mice and Men’’ and “The Color Purple.’’

But Lisa Fink of the Protect Arizona Children Coalition said her group is more concerned with books she said have shown up in the libraries of the Kyrene and Deer Valley school districts

like “It’s Perfectly Normal.’’

Designed for children age 10 and up, it addresses sexual health and contains sections on puberty, pregnancy and sexual orientation. And there also are fullcolor pictures of naked people.

Anastasia Tsatsakis, who lost her bid in November to be on the Vail Unified School District Governing Board, complained about “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian.’’

That’s about a child from the Spokane Indian Reservation who decides to go to a nearly all-white public high school away from the reservation.

That objection caught the attention of Sen. Sally Ann Gonzales, D-Tucson. “I read this book with my grandchildren,’’ she said. “It’s a wonderful book.’’

Tsatsakis said she objected to references to masturbation and rape. She said excerpts were read during a school board meeting.

“I appreciate that was your choice to see BOOKS page 14

BOOKS

read it with them,’’ she told Gonzales. “It should be a parental choice in a personal environment, not in a school district.’’

Chris Kotterman, lobbyist for the Arizona School Boards Association, said existing law already bars public schools from referring students to or using any sexually explicit materials.

That law does have exceptions if they have “serious educational value for minors’’ or possess “serious literary, artistic, political or scientific value.’’

Even then, however, schools have to get prior written consent from parents for each book or article. And students who don’t get consent have to be provided with an alternative assignment.

Then there’s that issue of having the state Department of Education review and unilaterally decide which books are acceptable and which are not.

“This is an unprecedented state control of curriculum, the likes of which we haven’t seen before in Arizona,’’ Kotterman said.

And then there’s the political side of it.

“Just this past year, the agency was headed by a Democrat,’’ he reminded

lawmakers, referring to Kathy Hoffman, who lost her bid for reelection in November to Republican Tom Horne.

“It will undoubtedly change hands again,’’ Kotterman said. “That list will be subject to curation by people who work for that individual.’’

Marsh had her own take on the idea of what would happen once the Department of Education posts a list on its website of what is considered inappropriate.

“That’s what kids are going to read,’’ she said.

Wadsack said her measure is not an attack on the LGBTQ community.

Virtual tour of Anne Frank’s house a Holocaust teaching tool

BY SHIRA TANZER Cronkite News

The Arizona Jewish Historical Society is opening a new interactive activity as part of its exhibit “Stories of Survival: An Immersive Journey Through the Holocaust.”

It utilizes virtual reality to guide visitors through the Netherlands home of Anne Frank, the young girl whose life is memorialized in the diary she kept from age 13 until she was killed by the Nazis at age 16.

By seeing the home and secret annex where Frank’s family hid from the Nazis for more than two years, guests and students are able to get an up close and personal view of what it was like to live in hiding during the Holocaust.

As part of the exhibit preview, the Jewish Historical Society hosted a talk in February with guest speaker Andrew Schot, a Holocaust survivor who now lives in Tucson.

Schot lived across the street from the Frank family before World War II broke out, even walking to school with Anne

and her sister, Margot.

When the Germans invaded the Netherlands in 1940 and the Franks went into

Hi Everyone,

Just a friendly reminder that if your toilet water supply has a thin white plastic nut, you should consider changing it to a steel braided, steel-tipped

hiding, Schot remembered seeing Miep Gies, the friend who essentially kept the Franks alive while they were in hiding, walking to and from the house.

Schot said bringing the history of the Holocaust into today’s era through technology will give people, especially students just learning about the Holocaust, a better understanding of the events.

“The use of technology makes it so much easier. It would take three or four hours to lecture about what they do here in minutes,” Schot said.

Through the use of new methods of teaching, educators are finding it easier to connect to a generation of students that have grown up with the internet.

The new virtual reality exhibit places them into another time and gives them a virtual firsthand experience of the events they are viewing.

nearly 6 million Jewish people killed. Her diary is written from her point of view, and the Jewish Historical Society’s exhibit allows visitors to catch a glimpse of the war through her eyes.

“When I stand in front of a bunch of kids, eighth or ninth graders, and I tell them I went to school with Anne Frank, I’ve got their attention,” Schot said. “It’s the experience of someone their own age, not some old person.”

Holocaust education in Arizona has been gaining more attention over the past few years, with an Arizona law signed in 2021 that requires public schools to teach students about the Holocaust and other genocides at least twice between seventh and 12th grades.

Lawrence Bell, executive director of the Arizona Jewish Historical Society, said history has a way of repeating itself.

The only way to prevent future genocide, he said, is to teach the next generation about the Holocaust and how it happened so they can make sure it never happens again.

“A big part of why we’re doing this is to educate young people, especially who probably don’t have a lot of prior knowledge about the Second World War or the Holocaust – to take this new generation of people and make them aware of what happened,” Bell said, noting multiple schools come through the museum each week.

The museum’s “Stories of Survival” exhibit features testimonies from four Arizona Holocaust survivors through media such as an interactive hologram –and virtual reality.

The exhibit runs through the end of the year.

— Matt

Anne Frank is used as an example in classrooms across the world to educate young students about the Holocaust and what Jewish people went through during World War II.

Frank has been a symbol for a younger generation to learn about the Holocaust as research shows significant gaps in knowledge about the Holocaust and the

There has been one other virtual reality tour offered through the Jewish Historical Society in the past, which featured a concentration camp, but the Anne Frank house tour is the first interactive virtual exhibit, where visitors can open doors and choose where in the house to go.

The virtual reality exhibit opens to the public Monday, and is a free experience included with the museum’s $5 admission fee. Students, military and museum members get in free.

Information:annefrank.org/en. 

Holocaust survivor Andrew Schot, right, spoke at a recent Arizona Jewish Historical Society event, with Anthony Fusco Jr., who is the society’s education coordinator. (Shira Tanzer/Cronkite News)

Hobbs vetoes ban on ‘critical race theory’

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Arizona won’t be banning what has been called “critical race theory’’ in public schools.

In a brief message, Gov. Katie Hobbs on March 9 vetoed legislation that its sponsor says would preclude schools from teaching what its prime sponsor called “pushing a destructive and racist ideology’’ in our schools. That is based on the assessment of Sen. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, that some students are being taught that America as a whole is a racist country.

But Hobbs, in her 16th veto since the session began in January, said this is a fake political issue.

“It is time to stop utilizing students and teachers in culture wars based on fearmongering and unfounded accusations,’’ she wrote. “Bills like SB 1305 only serve to divide and antagonize.’’

Hobbs sidestepped questions about exactly what in the measure she found objectionable, even when asked about the specific provisions.

“I just fundamentally disagree that this bill addresses a real problem that we’re facing in our schools,’’ she said during a briefing later with reporters.

The governor also said that if students are getting lessons and exercises that divide them up into groups to understand certain experiences, like privileged and not, she is sure there is a good reason for that.

“They’re using curriculum to teach a lesson,’’ Hobbs said.

“I’m not going to question what they’re doing,’’ she continued. “I’m sorry that parents were offended by that.’’

And the governor made it clear that if lawmakers send her similar measures that deal with what she believes are fake education issues they will meet a similar fate.

“I urge the Legislature to work with me on the real issues affecting Arizona schools: underfunded classrooms, a growing educator retention crisis, and school buildings in need of repair and replacement,’’ she said.

Mesnard told Capitol Media Services the governor is off base.

“I don’t think it’s a made-up issue,’’ he

said, saying parents are “very concerned with some of the assignments their kids are coming home with.’’

Mesnard said it’s not like approving a bill on critical race theory, which actually has been debated for a year, takes away focus from other issues.

“We can multitask,’’ he said.

Strictly speaking, SB 1305 does not contain the words “critical race theory’’ despite the fact that is how Mesnard and many Republicans refer to it. Instead, it contains a laundry list of concepts that he – and the other Republicans in the House and Senate – said should not be taught in public schools.

These include:

• Judging an individual on the basis of the individual’s race or ethnicity;

• Teaching that one race or ethnic group is inherently morally or intellectually superior to another;

• Discussing that an individual, by virtue of race or ethnicity, is inherently races or oppressive, whether consciously or otherwise;

• Saying an any individual bars responsibility or blame for actions committed by those of the same race or ethnic group.

Much of the objections surrounded the fact that the measure allowed teachers who are found to have run afoul of the provisions would be subject to discipline “as the State Board of Education deems appropriate.’’ And school districts are subject to $5,000-a-day fines.

All that, foes said, could result in teachers avoiding controversial subjects and refusing to answer questions from students on issues of race and ethnicity.

Mesnard said that’s not true.

He noted SB 1305 specifically lists slavery, the removal of Native Americans from their lands, the Holocaust and the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II as permissible subjects.

But he said the legislation never said that was “a full, encompassing list’’ of what could be taught, noting it would have allowed teachers and invited guest to discuss “historical movements, ideologies or in-

see RACE page 19

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on the cost of replacing their own roofs.

And if they reject both options, they risk seeing their HOA slide into bankruptcy, which could prompt the state Land Department to step in and take over its affairs.

The homeowners’ Hobson’s Choice has kept HOA board member Tom Hemmingway awake at night.

“We have one of the few HOAs left in the world that’s responsible for doing roofs – which is unheard of today,” the self-employed architect said.

The guarantee was incorporated into CC&Rs crafted by Presley Development Co., which for all intents and purposes founded Ahwatukee.

“It was a marketing tool geared toward retirees: ‘We’re going to take care of the whole painting of your house and your roofs. You just pay your dues and we’ll take care of that for you,’” Hemmingway explained.

“Well, it’s 40 years down the road and now there really isn’t enough money in those reserves to commit to doing that repair work,” he said. “So, it’s kind of problematic.”

The vast majority of homeowners in RT-2 live on fixed incomes and actually pay three sets of dues that add up to $3,995 a year.

Besides the RT-2 dues of $250 a month, there also is a tab they pay to two other homeowners associations of which their community is part of: the mammoth Ahwatukee Board of Management, which has some 5,200 houses within its sprawling boundary, and the Ahwatukee Recreation Center.

The houses are topped by one of two kinds of roofs, mansard or sloped. And while they are all tile, the membrane beneath the tile wears out over time – at most 20 years, Hemmingway estimates.

The mansard roofs’ membranes were replaced in 2015 and to cover that project, the previous HOA board took out a $560,000 loan.

“It took a year to consummate that loan,” said Hemmingway, who ran for election to the board a few years later.

“It was in the minutes of every meeting,” he said, adding the old board’s attorney had advised that as a financial entity, the HOA had a legal right to borrow money to meet their obligation to replace the roofs – as long as it could repay

the money.

“Now one of the homeowners did ask, ‘Well, if, God forbid, what if you can’t make a loan payment?’” he recalled reading in past board minutes.

“You know the answer? The answer is the bank’s gonna come after all the homeowners because that’s the collateral. So they took out the loan.”

The old board had sought three bids for the previous roof replacement project and the $560,000 cost was the cheapest.

With repaying that loan at roughly $5,000 a month, the HOA also sees its annual budget of about $350,000 stretched in other ways.

It is responsible for painting the homes’ exteriors and does that in five cycles with 25 or so homes repainted in each cycle.

“We’ve painted 50 of the 124 homes,” he said. “And that’s where our reserve money is going. But while we’re using that money every year to take care of painting, there’s not enough money for other things that aren’t in our operating budget. There’s no money for roofs– or the next paint cycle for that matter.”

The board has now extended the paint cycle from five years to 10 years, he said.

RT-2 pays for watering the homeowners’ front lawns. Indeed, it spent $90,000 over the last two years to upgrade the community’s irrigation system because the City of Phoenix has been making noise about going after homeowners associations that waste water.

The board also faces the need to re-

advised by a third-party consultant that studied its reserves and future needs that right now the HOA is facing a $90,000 deficit “for what we need to move forward” on projects like the next repainting cycle alone.

So while the state allows any HOA board to raise its dues by a maximum 10% in any given year without a homeowners’ vote, RT-2 owners face even higher payments.

“Some years, it’s been 2%, 3%. Last year it was 10%,” he explained. “And now with the deficits we’re facing, it’s going to be 10% ad infinitum.”

Actually, he added, their reserve advisor has told the board “we need a 20% increase today.”

That would be considered a special assessment and that could be followed by a 20% increase in their annual dues in the following year – and likely every year for the foreseeable future.

place parts the concrete wall that separates some homeowners’ properties from the ARC golf course. The wall is wearing down because of a combination of the course’s watering and sun exposure, but the owner has refused to discuss sharing the wall repair costs, Hemmingway said.

RT-2 also pays for landscaping properties’ front yards.

“The board has been generous in the past” with that, Hemmingway said.

“If someone requested a tree replacement, or a plant replacement, typically we’ve done it. Now our property management company said we shouldn’t be doing that. That’s a capital expense, that tree belongs to the homeowner.

“And that’s something that we never never thought about,” he continued. “The latest property managers said, ‘oh by the way, those are capital expenditures – that tree, that bush, sidewalk belongs to the homeowner. If a tree dies, we’re sorry your tree died but you have to replace it.’

“Well the board hasn’t taken that attitude in the past,” Hemmingway explained, “because the homeowner says, ‘Well, the tree died because you didn’t give it enough water.’ We’re there to help the homeowners so historically we’ve gone in, cut the tree down and replaced it.”

That policy already has changed, he added, “because there’s not enough money” – which has led to some angry homeowners grumbling, “Why me? Why am I getting screwed?”

Hemmingway said the board has been

“So that’s a wake-up call to the community,” he said. “We need $80,000 in the bank as soon as we can get it in the bank and that translates into a 20% dues increase that the board is prepared to bring to a vote.”

“Now that takes a special meeting. It takes a vote to do so we’ve got to convince people that’s the right thing to do.”

There is, of course, the other option, he added: Take free roofs out of the CC&Rs, a legally binding document on any HOA and the people who live in it.

Hemmingway said the board posed the choice in a survey of homeowners last year that “literally put everything out there – the roofs, your landscaping, your front lawn.”

Basically the survey asked: “Would you be willing to take these areas to help defray future costs and possibly dialing dues back?”

Of the 61 responses to the survey, he said, “almost every item was a dead tie, so there was no inclination toward any of this.”

Some homeowners have asked the board what they can expect in return if they take on some or all of these expenses now guaranteed in the CC&Rs. Theywant to know what the HOA will save them in dues, for example.

“Well, we don’t know,” Hemmingway said.

“Because we’ve got to pay off the loan. We still have these other expenses. We

The Ahwatukee tiny HOA called RT-2, a sub-association of the mammoth Ahwatukee Board of Management, has free roof replacement built into its CC&Rs. (David Minton/AFN Staff Photographer)

HOA from page 18 RACE from page 17

can pretty much assure you that the fees aren’t going to go up astronomically every year, but we can’t tell how much we can dial those dues back.

“That doesn’t sit well with a lot of people,” he continued. “They say, ‘I need to know numbers. I need to know exactly what you’re telling me because we have fixed incomes.’”

To some degree, Hemmingway is surprised that no homeowners appear to be thinking about the fact that everyone pays the same cost for replacing a roof that may be a different size from their own.

“It’s individualism versus community,” he explained, noting that some roofs are much larger than others and “we might be at the juncture where it’s time for individuals to take on individual responsibilities.”

Hemmingway said homeowners could decide now to resolve the matter because “it’s not a crisis yet.”

But he fears not enough of them will do it, waiting for “the gun to their head” –when water starts coming through their roofs. 

stances of racial hatred or discrimination.’’

But Mesnard said some things are “abhorrent and shouldn’t be taught,’’ like telling kids they are responsible for acts done by those of their own race. And that, he said, makes the legislation necessary.

“This is an issue that, if you don’t nip it in the bud now, you are going to see more and more,’’ Mesnard said. He said he “wanted to stop it before it becomes a bigger problem.’’

He also brushed aside claims that teachers will steer clear of controversial subjects out of fear they will be disciplined.

Mesnard said his own experiences as a political science teacher at Mesa Community College and Arizona State University convince him there are ways to teach about the history of racism without running afoul of the provisions of SB 1305 and the specific list of what the measure would have prohibited.

And even if there were a complaint that some lesson went over the line, Mesnard said there is a “multi-layered’’ procedure that has to be completed.

“The idea that someone’s going to pun-

ished for an incidental accidental, I didn’t realize that would fall into this category is impossible,’’ he said.

All this is based on claims by some Republicans that majority students are being taught to hate their own race or made to feel guilty about things those of their own race have done in the past.

Critical race theory, however, actually is an academic concept usually taught and discussed at the college level, looking at issues of how racism occurs and how current attitudes are based on historical practices.

But Mesnard called CRT “a radical, leftist world view that evaluates people solely on the color of their skin and essentially defines everyone as either ‘privileged’ or ‘marginalized’ based on race or ethnicity,’’ what he called “harmful propaganda ... turning Americans against each other and instilling divisiveness among our youth.’’

The veto comes as Republican Tom Horne, the newly elected state school superintendent, launched what he called the “Empower Hotline’’ he said is designed to allow parents and others to report “inappropriate public school les-

sons that detract from teaching academic standards.’’

Horne made it clear this is aimed at stopping critical race theory, rejecting statements that it is not taught in public schools.

“The evidence is to the contrary,’’ he said in a prepared statement Thursday.

“I have a list of 250 Arizona teachers who signed a shocking statement promoted by the national teachers’ union, that if critical race theory were banned, they would defy the law,’’ Horne continued. “They would not have signed if they were not already teaching it.’’

Hobbs has her own view of the hotline.

“These are attempts to fearmonger, to create a era of harassment and, frankly, put a chilling effect on what teachers say in the classroom and drive a wedge between them and their students and families that they’re there to serve,’’ she said.

“Quite frankly, I think the superintendent is out of touch with what is really going on in our classrooms.’’

And Hobbs said if parents have questions about what their students are being taught they should go speak to the teachers and local school board members 

Freight train safety on forefront in East Valley

BY JOSH ORTEGA AFN Staff Writer

The train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, that caused a dangerous hazardous material spill has raised concerns across the country about rail infrastructure and the response to these environmental emergencies.

While no similar emergency has occurred in the Valley, a task force of first responders with regular training and continuing education is ready to confront one as state agencies monitoring the rail system, officials say.

State jurisdiction over public rail and highway crossings falls to the Arizona Corporation Commission’s Office of Railroad Safety.

It investigates accidents/incidents and complaints, including train derailments, train/auto collisions, any railroad incident involving a release of hazardous material, and train-to-train collisions.

A commission spokesman said the safety division “is always monitoring rail within the state” through annual inspections of more than 3,000 miles of track and unannounced “worker protection” drop-ins.

Before he served on Mesa City Council for District 6, Scott Somers spent 27 years with the Phoenix Fire Department and remembers some of the incidents involving trains and HAZMAT situations in the Valley – including the train derailment and subsequent fire on the bridge over Tempe Town Lake in July 2020.

He called the Tempe wreck “the largest risk” to the community, primarily because it was a flammable chemical leak and was close to the city’s downtown.

“From a Valley perspective, we are extremely well prepared to handle any type of hazardous materials leak, whether it’s by rail or industry or on the road – and I’ve had far more over-the-road incidents,” Somers said.

Union Pacific Railroad runs the Sunset Route, a 760-mile corridor between Los Angeles and El Paso, Texas, with 691 miles between Yuma and San Simon.

Although Tucson is Union Pacific’s principal terminal in Arizona, it also maintains rail lines and facilities in the Phoenix area, as businesses and industries grow or relocate to the area.

Running across the Valley from Queen

Creek to Buckeye and crisscrossing the East Valley, Union Pacific Railroad carries goods to and from the Valley – everything from metallic minerals, sulfur, lumber and building materials, and grains such as wheat and flour.

From 2017 to 2021, the company saw a 13% increase in rail cars originated in Arizona, briefly dipping in 2019 but quickly rebounding by 2021, according to a press release, and during that same time period, the company spent $301 million on Arizona tracks, structures and facilities.

Robynn Tysver, spokeswoman for Union Pacific Railroad, said the company has a heap of technology to monitor its rail cars and tracks including GPS, specialized sensors and, in some areas, Positive Train Control.

That advanced system is designed to automatically stop a train before certain incidents occur, such as train-to-train collisions and derailments caused by excessive speed or movement through misaligned track switches.

“This commitment to providing a safe and efficient network allows Union Pacific to be a valuable resource in attracting new business and industry,” Tysver said.

Launched in 2014, the AskRail app is a collaborative effort among the emergency response community and all North American Class I railroads that provides more than 25,000 first responders from across the country with immediate access to accurate, timely data about what types of hazardous materials a railcar carries so they can make an informed decision

Pacific holds annual drills to ensure the efficacy of their emergency response plans remain effective and are followed by all employees, along with working with community emergency response teams to implement and share best practices and jointly educate our team members.

From Feb. 27 to March 3, Special Ops Captain Mike Thomas attended one of those annual trainings at the Gilbert Public Safety Training Center. It included both classroom education and hands-on training on some of training equipment provided by Union Pacific.

about how to respond to a rail emergency.

The app uses a simple railcar ID search to see whether a railcar on a train is carrying hazardous materials.

From there a user can view the contents of the entire train and emergency contact information for all Class I railroads, Amtrak, and available short lines.

For security reasons, only qualified emergency responders with rail emergency training sponsored by one of the Class I freight railroads or at the Security and Emergency Response Training Center in Colorado, can download and use the restricted features in the AskRail app.

In addition, railroads can offer the app to known emergency responders along their routes.

Tysver said they’re required by federal law to transport chemicals and other hazardous commodities that Americans use daily, including fertilizer, ethanol, crude oil and chlorine.

“Union Pacific shares the same goals as our customers and the communities we serve – to deliver every tank car safely,” Tysver said. “It is important to remember that 99.9 % of all hazardous material shipments by rail reach their destination safely.”

“Our HAZMAT teams perform about 5,000 tank car inspections annually, auditing everything from tank car fittings and car markings to safety appliances,” Tysver said. “They also work alongside our contractors, our customers, and government regulators to inspect, report and remedy findings.”

Like other railroad companies, Union

On March 6, another training block started at Papago Park with the National Guard hazmat unit, that includes education and training on natural gas leaks, radiation emergencies and chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear incidents.

“One of the biggest things for me, and my position as a program manager for HAZMAT is having those collaborative relationships and stuff with Union Pacific,” Thomas said.

If an incident occurs and Thomas arrives first on scene, he said he can quickly call a Union Pacific program manager to update the Mesa Fire and Medical and provide information it needs to address the emergency.

“But he’ll already probably know of the problem because that engineer is going to go ahead and throw a mayday …and indicate that he’s got a problem,” Thomas said.

Whether it’s the regional preparedness training with multiple agencies across the Valley, or a large-scale incident review of past incidents, such as the Tempe Town Lake derailment, Thomas said the department continuously leverages those collaborative relationships to have the best outcome for when responding to incidents.

“Because it’s not just going to be the Mesa Fire Department showing up for a railcar incident, you know, or white powder call or a natural gas leak,” Thomas said. “It’s a combined effort, regionally.”

For more information...

You can visit: Union Pacific Railroad

www.up.com

www.azcc.gov/safety/railroad

Witnesses described the 2020 derailment over Tempe Town Lake as a “scene from hell.” (File photo)

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Local man using woodcraft to thank St. Joe’s Hospital

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

Robert Dentz got a new lease on life in January 2022 and now he wants to help those responsible for that.

The long-time Ahwatukee resident, 71, received a new kidney through the efforts of the St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center.

The doctors did not remove the old kidneys, which had become so dysfunctional that they were posing a potential threat to his life. Instead, they placed the donated kidney under his stomach, near his gall bladder.

“So I got three,” he said. “If the old ones are working at all, they are still there to function a little bit.”

The new kidney has restored his oncelost vigor.

Up until his operation, he had to undergo dialysis four times a week, assisted by his wife Joanna, an RN.

He qualified for a kidney transplant but the waiting for a suitable donor lasted months.

Then, one day he received a call that a

donor had been found.

After what he thought was a successful operation, he awoke in amazement that he felt no pain only to have his hopes dashed when he found out why. “They said they couldn’t use it. It had kidney stones.”

Depressed, Dentz began waiting again but this time it didn’t last long.

Three days later they called and said they found one and that’s the one I’ve got now,” Dentz said.

The retired construction worker and New Jersey native said the kidney has restored his once-lost vitality and now he wants to show his gratitude to St. Joe’s. He has returned to his hobby of making small wooden household items, like bowls and planters, and decorative pieces that he is selling with all the profits going to the hospital’s transplant department.

He’s been working with wood for decades, using only poplar and pine.

Ahwatukee teen named Scout of the Year

AFN NEWS STAFF

An Ahwatukee Girl Scout is one of four teens selected by the Grand Canyon Council for its first annual Scouts of the Year Class.

Lola Money, 17, the daughter of Praveen and Marni Money, was cited as one of the four “outstanding Scouts who have made a distinct impact in our community through leadership, citizenship, Scout spirit, heroism or community service.”

The council is an independent nonprofit chartered by the Boy Scouts of America in Arizona.

Lola will represent the organization throughout the year and be involved in council events and executive board meetings.

The Desert Vista High senior joined Troop 3014 in 2019 and was selected by

the council “for her strong leadership skills and involvement in her troop as senior patrol leader.

She is currently working on her Eagle Scout project aimed at restoring Papago Park by pruning existing plants, removing invasive species, as well as planting more native plants in the aquatic areas.

Her goal is to increase the biodiversity within the park, to improve the area for wildlife, and people who visit Papago Park to enjoy its natural beauty.

Scouting runs in her family.

Her 16-year-old sister Ginger, a Desert Vista junior, joined the Esperanza Lutheran Church-based troop with her and their dad is an Eagle Scout.

“He has always shared his passion for the outdoors with our family,” Lola said, adding that when the Boy Scouts of America opened its ranks to girls, “it was a nobrainer” for her and Ginger to join.

She was hoping to wind up her project last weekend and said she picked Papago

Park out of a desire to run a project “that would benefit natural resources and our larger community.”

“By clearing invasive plants and restoring native plants, the natural biodiversity will flourish in that aream” Lola predicted. “Visitors of Papago Park will benefit from and appreciate what the Sonoran Desert has to offer. There is no other place on Earth like the Sonoran Desert.”

Lola partnered with the City of Phoenix Park and Recreation Department to choose a project “that would make a significant and positive impact on our shared resources.”

She enlisted donations from a variety of large and small businesses and recruited about 20 volunteers to help her.

Among the requirements of an Eagle

Robert Dentz of Ahwatukee is grateful for a new kidney he received from an anonymous donor in January 2022 and now is selling his hand-made wooden decorative pieces and household items with all the profits earmarked for St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center. (David Minton/AFN Staff Photographer)

Ahwatukee Girl Scout Lola Money was one of four Scouts of the Year announced last week by the Grand Canyon Chapter, a nonprofit aligned with the Boy Scouts of America. (YouTube)

Though he learned construction at an early age under the tutelage of his father, an engineer, he said he picked up woodworking on his own and over time discovered he was pretty good at making things.

“All my relatives have something I’ve made,” he said. “I gave them out as Christmas gifts and stuff like that.”

“But then I figure the way I’m feeling now, I’m grateful. I’m able to work and golf and do the things I used to do and until I can’t, I want to give back as much as possible.”

Dentz has made a number of items and said he would consider custom orders –but only small items, as in no credenzas or dressers.

“I do love old furniture and fix it up,” he

SCOUT from page 22

project is a demonstration of their leadership skills by organizing volunteers.

Lola’s group of volunteers helped remove invasive species, replenish native trees and plant a dozen trees “that will provide shade for smaller native plants and habitat for small animals.”

added, recalling how he restored a broken table that was nearly a hundred years old.

But, sorry, no chess sets.

He said someone once asked him to make one and he gave up after the first piece.

Dentz said the hospital coordinator he is working with told him “no one has ever done this before.”

He also is approaching a time when hospital tradition has an organ recipient write to the donor’s family, providing his contact information in case they want to get in touch with him.

Dentz to go live with his website this week: bobswoodworking.com.

People who want to reach him also can email: Hamma30@gmail.com. 

The project and her overall involvement will help her as she gets older, Lola believes.

“Scouting has taught me to try new things, even if I am uncertain whether I will like it, because more often than not I come away with amazing experiences and memories,” she said.

She is planning to attend college or a university after graduating in May but is

still awaiting word on her applications. She plans to major in math and “see where it takes me.”

Lola said young people should consider Scouting and girls especially should look into it.

“I think that many girls don’t realize that doing hard things outdoors can be very rewarding,” said Lola, who also is involved

with the Desert Vista Thunder Theatre Company, co-captain of the school Improv team and has played classical piano for 14 years.

Lola has no regrets about Scouting, explaining “Not only do I get to see and experience beautiful parts of Arizona that you can only see on foot, but in the process I am growing more confident and capable.”

Robert Dentz uses poplar and pine to make the items he will now be selling to benefit St. Joseph’s. (David Minton/AFN Staff Photographer)

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Ahwatukee resident Lloyd Melton, owner of the Original Biscuits Restaurant, was all smiles on March 10 when he lobbed his second hole-in-one at the Ahwatukee Lakes Golf Course. Melton used a 9 Iron to catapault the ball into Hole #14. (Special to AFN)

AROUND AHWATUKEE

Mountain Pointe Dance Academy slates carwash fundraiser

The Mountain Pointe Dance Academy will hold a carwash fundraiser 8-11 a.m. March 25 in the parking lot on the west side of the school.

Donations are encouraged to help the nonprofit.

Ahwatukee Republican Women to host Pinal County sheriff, wife

The Ahwatukee Republican Women’s Club will host a special presentation by Pinal County Sheriff Mark Lamb and his wife Janel during its general meeting at 6:30 p.m. March 28 at Foothills Club West Community Center 16414 S 14th Ave., Ahwatukee. Ahwatukee Republican Women meet on the

fourth Tuesday of each month unless noted. Keep up to date and find more information at: ahwatukeerepblicanwomen.com or email ARWomen@ aol.com.

Cub Scout Activity Day slated at Mountain View Lutheran Church

The Grand Canyon Council Gila River District will host a Cub Scout Activity Day 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. March 25 at Mountain View Lutheran Church, 11002 S. 48th St.

The Cub Scout Activity day is both a fun day for Scouts from across the Valley but it is also an event

Real Estate Guide

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

The year isn’t even three months old yet, and the most recent data from a leading analyst indicates the Phoenix Metro housing market is echoing national experts who see some trends that suggest 2023 will be a wild year in residential real estate.

While mortgage rates are rising and the threat of higher interest rates looms large amid the Biden administration’s inability to curb inflation, people are still buying homes and the demand continues to out-

pace supply.

“You might expect demand to be very weak because mortgage rates have jumped back over 7% again,” the Cromford Report said earlier this month. “However, buyers are not capitulating and the growth of listings under contract is much healthier than we expected under these circumstances.”

It added, “The balance between supply and demand has shifted significantly over the past three months and there is now upward pressure on pricing once more.”

Some experts predict tough going for sellers and buyers

Welcome to the spring housing market, 2023. Buckle up for one unlike any you’ve encountered before.

After a high-stakes, boom-and-bust cycle that played out over the past year, buyers and sellers alike are now waiting to see if America’s real estate market awakens from its deep slumber and starts galloping again into the prime selling season.

Will sellers plant those familiar “For Sale” signs in their yards again in large numbers, and will buyers snatch up their properties despite a crushing lack of affordability? The answers could reverberate through the market for years to come.

The market had been on life support the past few months as high prices and rising mortgage interest rates had sidelined many would-be buyers.

Sellers had little incentive to list when multiple-offer bidding wars gave way to

And for people who are predicting a Great Recession-style collapse of the housing market, the Cromford Report almost scornfully said:

“The current pricing trend may contradict the claims by various amateur pundits and their daft YouTube channels, but there is almost no data that supports the theory that prices are going to collapse from this point.”

Citing a wealth of data from February sales, the Cromford Report noted, “The 16.6% growth in listings under contract since the beginning of February, and the 31% increase in the monthly sales rate, are surprisingly strong.”

necessary decreases in asking prices – especially when the next home they bought would have a higher mortgage rate. New listings dropped and the number of home sales cratered.

Buyers were frustrated, sellers felt trapped.

But then mortgage rates dipped to the low 6% range and buyers jumped back in. Now, new listings are dwindling and rates are back up again, hitting 7.1% on March 4 before falling back down just below 7% the next day for 30-year fixed-rate loans, according to Mortgage News Daily.

That’s threatening what had been a promising prequel to the typically busy spring real estate market.

“The spring is likely to mark a turning point,” said Robert Dietz, chief economist of the National Association of Home Builders. “You’re at the low, but you can start to see better days ahead.”

How far ahead those better days are remains to be seen. Real estate experts an-

It said year-over-year data from the Arizona Regional Multiple Listing Service show total active listings more than doubled in February over February 2022 with 17,937 versus 8,305 last year.

The roller coaster becomes evident in other data for the last two months: Under-contract listings by March 1 totaled 9,109 versus 12,050 March 1, 2022. While that’s down 24%, the March 1, 2023, total also was up 16.6% from 7,810 in January, Cromford reported

And while monthly sales of 5,693 last month were 29% below the 7,993 the same month last year, they were 31% above the 4,357 in January.

see MARKET page RE5

ticipate it will be slower than the wild frenzy the market experienced at the height of COVID-19 and in the more traditional, pre-pandemic years.

“This is going to be a really bumpy road into the spring market,” said Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist of the Bright MLS, adding that “the availability of homes for sale is going to be the main constraint.”

The number of homes for sale was up 67.8% year over year in February, according to Realtor.com. But buyers shouldn’t get too excited. Most of these homes have been sitting on the market for what might seem like an eternity, unable to attract buyers because they’re fixer-uppers, dated, overpriced, remotely located, or utterly lacking curb appeal.

Meanwhile, adorable, move-in ready homes in popular neighborhoods continue to sell briskly, often for over the asking price.

“Desirable areas, good school districts, and good quality homes are still going to

sell well and [still] face bidding wars,” says Ali Wolf, chief economist at the building consultancy Zonda. “But that’s not going to be the norm.”

So what will the norm in the housing market look like?

Buyers can expect a shortage of wellpriced, turnkey homes and plenty of competition for the few that go up for sale.

Mortgage rates are anticipated to bounce around in the mid-6% to 7% range. And while home prices won’t shoot up again, even if they dip a little in certain markets, they are expected to remain well above pre-pandemic levels. That makes it even more expensive for buyers to buy.

Purchasing a home is now about 50% more expensive than it was a year ago for those who rely on a mortgage. (The calculation assumes buyers put 20% down on a home with the median list price in February compared with the same month a year

see

This four-bedroom, 2-1/2-bath house on East Dakota Drive, Ahwatukee, recently sold for $850,000. Built in 1984, the home has three floors and occupies a half-acre corner lot in Equestrian Estates. It boasted a master suite with a large balcony facing mountain views and numerous landscape upgrades. (Special to AFN)

This 3,573-square-foot house on East Dry Creek Road in Ahwatukee recently sold for $975,000. The two-floor, five-bedroom, 3-1/2-bath home, built in 1989, boasted a semi-custom contemporary remodeling and included a three-sided wood-burning fireplace, an extensive kitchen re-do and other new amenities. (Special to AFN)

BY JACINDA PALOMO Cronkite News

The Phoenix City Council overwhelmingly approved a measure preventing landlords and property owners from discriminating against renters or buyers who rely on public assistance for income.

The council voted 8-1 March 8 for the “source of income” ordinance, which is similar to a Tucson law that state Attorney General Kris Mayes on the same day determined to be valid.

FORECAST from page RE2

ago. It also uses the most recent mortgage rates from Freddie Mac compared with a year earlier for 30-year fixed-rate loans.)

“The spring season, which is critical for the rest of the year, will be subpar,” says Realtor.com Senior Economist George Ratiu. “Mortgage rates will continue to define the housing market.”

Many starry-eyed buyers entering the housing market won’t become new homeowners this spring. There simply aren’t enough homes for sale.

In addition, many sellers are locked into mortgages with 3%, or lower, rates. If they trade up or down into new properties, many will need to get mortgages with higher rates, which will cost them dearly each month.

Builders aren’t rushing in to save the day. Instead of ramping up construction to fill that need, builders are largely pulling back. Higher interest rates have made it more expensive to put up more homes and have decimated the number of potential buyers who can afford new construction.

Councilman Sal DiCiccio cast the only vote against the ordinance. DiCiccio said he gave the Phoenix Realtors Association his word that he would not support the ordinance if it went beyond renters to include home buyers.

Courtney Gilstrap LeVinus, president/ CEO of the Arizona Multihousing Association, condemned Mayes’ decision. She said under the Tucson law, “families who have invested in real estate are losing control of their own property. That’s unfair and, more importantly, it’s illegal. We will continue to work protect

That means they’re expected to put up even fewer new homes this year, which will worsen the nation’s housing shortage.

Realtor.com looked at household formation, housing starts, and home sales, and found that given how many households were formed between 2012 and 2022, the U.S. is short of 6.5 million singlefamily homes.

But that gap diminishes somewhat if households opted to live in multi-family construction, which has boomed. Including multi-family homes, the gap in housing units in the U.S. falls to 2.3 million homes.

Yet most of those multi-family units won’t necessarily provide a path to homeownership, said Hannah Jones, an economic analyst at Realtor.com.

“While that brings greater supply to the market, most of it will be used for rentals and won’t address ongoing affordability challenges in the for-sale space,” Jones said. Buyers are reluctantly realizing that 2% and 3% mortgage rates are a thing of the past, and some are forging ahead anyway. Many expect rates will eventually drop a percentage point or two – and they’ll be ready to refinance their loans once they do.

their property rights.

“To be clear, our opposition has nothing to do with the source of the income but rather the strings attached. The illegal Tucson and Phoenix ordinances require rental owners to contract with the government to accept Section 8 vouchers, a federal HUD program that has been a voluntary program since its inception.”

She added that “10,000 rental owners leave the HUD Section 8 program annually due to bureaucratic red tape, late payments and onerous requirements. This compelled government program is

“A lot of people deep down want to own a home,” said Wolf.

Some economists believe mortgage rates will begin falling in the second half of the year once the Federal Reserve has inflation under control.

But last week the U.S. Federal Reserve dealt homebuyers another crushing blow.

Jerome Powell, chair of the Federal Reserve, told Congress March 7 that more aggressive interest rates might be needed to cool inflation.

While mortgage interest rates are separate from the Fed’s short-term rates, they often follow the same trajectory. Those higher rates have hit homebuyers where it hurts: their budgets.

Realtor.com Chief Economist Danielle Hale predicted, “It’s going to be a more challenging spring than some people were expecting.”

Less than two months ago, there was speculation rates would fall below 6%. Buyers had returned to the market, and bidding wars had heated up again. But the higher rates could threaten the rebound.

The big question on the minds of buyers and sellers is which direction home prices

wrong for the housing industry and for Arizona.”

Vice Mayor Yassamin Ansari said the ordinance is needed after many people spoke in favor of the bill at the March 1 council meeting.

“We need to be doing everything in our power to ensure that our residents have access to adequate housing, and that they are actually able to utilize the programs that are intended to to help them, like Section 8, disability and oth-

see BAN page RE5

will go next.

Ratiu believes home prices will flatten out or dip a little to make up for the higher mortgage rates. And that should bring in more buyers in the summer and fall.

“The fact that a large share of buyers simply cannot afford mortgage payments on homes at the current price means that home prices have to adjust,” he said.

Others believe the housing shortage will keep prices high and they could begin to tick back up again. The only consensus among real estate experts is that whether home prices will rise or fall will vary considerably from market to market.

Markets that boomed during the pandemic, such as Phoenix, might be more vulnerable to steeper corrections.

However, even if prices do come down a little, most of those savings will be erased by higher mortgage rates. And that assumes buyers are able to find homes for sale that meet their needs as the housing shortage drags on.

As Mark Zandi, chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, said, “It’s going to be a tough market for both buyers and sellers.”

Realtor.com provided this report. 

Mike Mendoza

Thinking of selling? Consider these points

BY BONNY HOLLAND AFN Guest Writer

Overall, selling a home in the spring housing market can be a lucrative venture, but it’s important to be prepared and work with a real estate professional to ensure that you get the best price for your home.

Houses priced right are still selling

Going into the real estate market this spring, expect a competitive market. While inventory has risen compared to

last year, there is still high demand for homes, and the spring housing market is typically competitive.

Be prepared to price your home realistically and consider offering incentives to attract potential buyers.

In today’s market, sellers who price their home well, and market effectively, should have no trouble attracting buyers.

Buyers are still out there

For some buyers, higher mortgage rates may make buying a home unaffordable, especially if they are already stretching their budget to afford a home.

In these cases, buyers may need to wait

for home prices to fall or save up for a larger down payment before entering the market.

For other buyers, higher mortgage rates may be a hurdle, but not necessarily a deal-breaker.

These buyers may have more flexibility in their budget and may be willing to adjust their expectations in terms of the price or size of the home they are looking to purchase.

Additionally, some buyers who have been sitting on the sidelines for months may be eager to get back into the market, even if it means paying slightly higher mortgage rates.

Ultimately, the impact of rising mortgage rates on the housing market will depend on a variety of factors, including the level of demand for homes, the overall health of the economy, and the willingness of buyers to adjust their expectations in the face of higher rates.

Real estate professionals can provide valuable insight into local market conditions and help buyers navigate the changing landscape of the housing market.

Ahwatukee Realtor Bonny Holland is with Leading Luxury Experts. Contact her at 602-369-1085 or Bonny@LeadingLuxuryExperts.com. 

ers,” Ansari said.

The “Source of Income Discrimination Prohibition” ordinance will protect residents who use Section 8 housing vouchers, unemployment and veteran’s benefits, Social Security disability insurance, and more.

“This ordinance will make it much tougher for residents to be denied a home for receiving government assistance and ensures Phoenix will stay at the forefront of housing justice,” said Anahi Torres, field organizing director for the Unemployed Workers United, which had been pushing for the ordinance.

Arizona’s then-Attorney General Mark Brnovich said the Tucson ordinance violated state law, which allowed large cities and towns to enact fair housing laws, but they had to be approved before Jan. 1, 1995. Mayes reversed that decision last

week.

The Tucson ordinance had been on hold, but Mayor Kate Gallego, Ansari and six other council members asked Mayes to allow Tucson’s ordinance to proceed.

“Not only is the Ordinance within the City’s authority, but it also addresses a problem all too common in housing discrimination,” Gallego and council members wrote to Mayes in a Jan. 27 letter.

“The practice of considering a source of income is often utilized to discriminate against renters who would use housing vouchers, as well as other sources of income such as Social Security disability, and foster family credits.”

The Realtors group opposes the ordinance because some of the sources of income included in the ordinance would not be accepted as income to qualify for a loan under Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and Federal Housing Administration program requirements.

Source of income in the ordinance is

defined as “any lawful source of income or support that provides funds to or on behalf of a renter or buyer of housing and is verifiable as to amount, regularity, receipt, and length of time received or to be received,” according to the formal draft. The penalty for violating the ordinance is a minimum of $300 and a maximum of $2,500, which increases after the first violation.

Michelle Ashton, an Arizona resident who works with older adults looking for housing, spoke in favor of the ordinance before the vote at City Hall.

“We need you to vote yes on this ordinance. It’s far long overdue,” Ashton said. “There are no options left available for the clients that I work with, and many, many other residents here in the Phoenix area.

“The rent is too high,” Ashton continued. “How is somebody supposed to afford two-and-a-half times the rent on a Social Security income?”

Likewise, the monthly average square foot sales price of $271.14 was 4.7% lower in February than the $284.56 in February 2022. But it was slightly above the January 2023 average of $267.83.

And the monthly median sales price of $413,000 in February, while 7.2% lower than February 2022’s average of $445,000, nudged up above the January 2023 average of $410,000.

Although the market remains unhealthy from a sales volume perspective, it is warming up from a supply-versus-demand point of view, the Cromford Report stated. “The supply of active listings has been trending lower for several months, although this is not true of the luxury sector, and particularly Paradise Valley.”

It added, “Pricing remains weaker than a year ago, when we were still in a boom

see MARKET page RE7

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period with exceptionally low supply. But the trend is now pointing higher, not lower.”

A major factor that prevents the possibility of a housing market crash, it noted, is supply: It’s not even close to normal either in the Valley or most parts of the country.

“For this to happen we would need to have a wave of new supply creating problems for sellers,” the Cromford Report said. “While this is always a remote possibility, there is very little foreclosure activity and low levels of mortgage delinquency. So where is this flood of homes for sale supposed to come from?

“The builders have cut back drastically on new home permits, so we are more likely to see a shortage of homes for sale than a glut. And rising mortgage rate discourage homeowners with mortgages from selling because that would mean the loss of their cheap loan and the acquisition of a much more expensive one.”

The report also said that among the Valley’s 17 submarkets, “looking especially strong are Gilbert, Chandler, Peoria, Phoenix and Glendale.”

Noting that “Scottsdale looks better for sellers too,” however, it also said, “Tempe is surprisingly weaker compared with all its Southeast Valley neighbors.”

The Cromford Report indirectly conceded that some trends in the Valley’s housing market run contrary to normal expectations.

“The improvement in the market is going to surprise many people, given the increase in the typical mortgage interest rate over the past month,” it said.

“The majority of people seem to assume that the rise in mortgage rates over the past five weeks will have caused home buyers to reconsider and delay their purchases,” it also said. “While there may be some, or even many who have done just that, reports from new home sales offices suggest that orders have stayed remarkably strong.

“Sales incentives are not being raised and I fear that the result will be another shortage of homes to buy within a few months,” it said, adding:

“The reason I have this fear is that new home construction permits have been extremely few in number and trending lower. Indeed January’s permit count for single-family dwellings in Maricopa and

Pinal numbered just 1,102, following the even more dismal count of 997 in December. These numbers are down from the 3,000 level during most of the second half of 2020, all of 2021 and the first half of 2022.

“Yet new home closings are currently down only 5% year over year in Maricopa county and order books are filling up.

“It is obvious from these trends that homebuilders are not starting enough homes to replace the ones that are going under contract. We all know how that story is likely to end.”

The Cromford Report also saw a trend in the Valley that reflects national trends cited by other experts: “New homes have been gaining market share over re-sales but this will come to a grinding halt if new homes supply runs short.”

“At the moment new builds are a dominant force in the market, but they will only remain so if we see permits climb much higher in the next few months.”

The Cromford Report also disputed some national news media, specifically the Wall Street Journal, which reported that the housing market is stalling.

“There is a widely held belief that rising interest rates always mean falling demand,” the Cromford Report said. “This is sometimes true but surprisingly often untrue. Housing affordability gets worse when interest rates rise, but if the buyers’ perception is that it may get even worse in the future, this brings on a fear of missing out and a desire to buy right now before rates rise further.

“This appears to be what we are seeing, particularly in the new home market. It also follows that what buyers want is a house they can buy quickly, while their rate is locked.”

Overall, the Cromford Report predicted, the Fed will not be happy with the continuing rise in home prices.

“This may result in interest rates moving higher again,” it said. “This may suppress demand, but it may also make buyers think current rates are better than future rates, justifying a purchase decision now rather than later. That could be a wise move if prices and rates both rise.”

All of this spells oddly good news for sellers, the Cromford Report said, observing:

“The volume may be low, but the market is operating with great efficiency and it is getting easier to sell a home, not harder.” 

Rob

Ahwatukee’s

MendozaTeam.com

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Mike

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Mike Foley

480-216-7878

mikefoley.homes@gmail.com

Ahwatukee Custom Estates

$1,750,000

Foothills $499,000

Amazing Remodeled Custom Estate with mountain views located at the end of a cul-de-sac.Over 8000sqft of pure luxury finishes.6

Bedroom,5.5 Baths.Custom Kitchen.Elevator.Executive Office.Basement Media Room.Dance Studio.Huge Backyard with Pool, Jacuzzi, Turf, BBQ, Sportcourt.This Spectacular Estate has it all!!! SOLD!

One of the most amazing lots available in ahwatukee!! Located in foothills mountain ranch estates!! Over 5 acre hillside lot with stunning mountain views from every direction*build your dream custom estate or build multiple homes on this sight*zoned r3*the possibilities are endless on this rare opportunity*there is not another piece of land in ahwatukee that offers this many buildable acres*no hoa*located at the end of a cul-de-sac*be the king of the hill with views all the way to four peaks*plans available and other custom home options available from a well know ahwatukee custom home builder*do not miss this amazing hillside lot in an amazing location!!!!

Martinez

480-751-8866

teammartinez11@gmail.com

Copper Creek

Gorgeous newer build with a spectacular back yard for your family! TLC abounds with many upgraded features: Hi-end plantation shutters, newer appliances, new paint, stunning cabinets and completely re-landscaped front and back. Enjoy those family great times in the highly upgraded north-facing back yard. Custom Sunburst shutters, dual pane windows and newer AC. Large Master suite with Beautiful Bay Window & Walk-in closet provide plenty of room for your bedroom set & sitting area. Nice views of the South Mountain Preserve.

Link Paffenbarger

602-989-7221

linkpaff@gmail.com

that is open to anyone interested in learning about Cub Scouting. Boys and girls who are in grades K-5, and their families are invited.

At the event will be the opportunity to build a rain gutter regatta boat out of recycled materials and race it; construct a stomp rocket and launch it by stomping on a two-liter bottle; multiple craft projects for everyone to enjoy.

For the Scouts at the event, the District Pinewood Derby is a featured attraction. Information: ahwatukeescouting@gmail.com.

Kyrene Foundation seeks sponsors and players for golf tourney

The Kyrene Foundation has put out the call for players and sponsors for its 12th annual Golf Classic May 5 at the Whirlwind Golf Club at Wild Horse Pass.

“In 2022, we raised over $25,000 for the Kyrene Foundation, which supports our initiatives in the Kyrene School District,” the foundation said, noting the public’s help is essential to that kind of success.

This year, the foundation has set a fundraising goal of $30,000, with all proceeds going to its work in helping struggling families living in the school district’s boundaries.

Sponsorships include title, contributing, hole and contest. Players can purchase tickets for foursomes, singles and classic and lunch-only tickets also are available.

Information: kyrenefoundation.org/event/golf23

Legion Post 64 slates social mixer for veterans at Ahwatukee Rec Center

American Legion Post 64, the only formal military veterans organization based in Ahwatukee, is holding a free veterans social mixer that’s open to the public 5-6:30 p.m. April 5 at the Ahwatukee Recreation Center, 5001 E. Cheyenne Drive.

Light food, iced tea and water will be served at the free event and music and the card game Spades are also on the agenda.

Information: Brenda, 303-301-4429

Southwest Valley Realtors are holding a drive for Boys & Girls Clubs

The West & Southeast Realtors of the Valley has launched a “WeSERV With Sole” drive to help get shoes for poor children and provide information to anyone on housing.

Through March 31, people can drop off new children-sized shoes, socks and gift cards at 1733 E. Northrup Blvd., Chandler, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday to Friday. Donations also can be made by calling 480477-5882.

The group also is sponsoring a free event offering information for renters and homeowners on things like budget assistance, maintenance and other topics 3-6 p.m. March 23 at 11820 N. 81st Ave., Peoria. Information: James O’Driscol at 630-945-5311.

Commemorative pavers offered at Ahwatukee Blue Star Memorial

An engraved commemorative paver placed at the Ahwatukee Blue Star Memorial can honor a friend or family member who served, or is currently serving, in the U.S. Armed Forces and orders are being accepted until April 15 for pavers to be placed in time for Memorial Day.

Pavers cost $60 with the military logo of your choice, or $50 without military logo. Pick up order forms at the Ahwatukee Board of Management office, 4700 E Warner Rd, or download at ahwatukeehoa.com/blue-star-memorial.html.

Leave completed forms and payment at the ABM office or mail to the address on the form by APRIL 15. For more information, contact mltiede@hotmail. com.

The Blue Star Memorial, a joint project of the Desert Pointe Garden Club and the Ahwatukee Board of Management, is located on the north side of Warner Road just west of 48th Street. Parking is available in the ABM parking lot.

Kyrene School District honored for financial reporting in 2021-22

Kyrene School District has again been awarded the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Association of School Business Officials International for high-quality Annual Comprehensive Financial Reports.

“This award and Kyrene’s track record of earning it year after year for the past three decades is a testament to our commitment to transparency,” said Kyrene Chief Financial Officer Chris Herrmann. “Our goal is to build trust and community engagement through clear financial reporting.”

Kyrene received the ASBO Certificate of Excellence for the 2021-22 fiscal year.

The Kyrene Business Services team is led by Herrmann and Business Services Director Brian Lockery.

New Ahwatukee church invites people to its Sunday service

Calvary Ahwatukee Church invites people to its Sunday service at 9::30 a.m. in the Horizon Honors Schools auditorium, 16233 S/ 48th Street, Ahwatukee. For information: ccahwatukee.com or 480-7066063.

Tempe Legion post to host annual Sentimental Dreams dance

Tempe American Legion Post 2 will hold its 28th annual Sentimental Dreams Dance to benefit the Legion’s Boys And Girls State event.

The dance runs 7-10 p.m. March 25 at the Legion Post, 2125 S. Industrial Park Ave., Tempe.

Proceeds will help Post 2 send five Tempe Union students to a statewide convention in which teens learn about Arizona government and citizenship.

see AROUND page 26

LA CASA DE JUANA DELIVERS A

KNOCKOUT WITH ITS FRESH, AUTHENTIC AND MOUTHWATERING FOOD

If you thought you have been to a Mexican restaurant lately you probably need to reconsider and visit La Casa De Juana in Ahwatukee. The fare is authentic Mexican, and when we say authentic we mean it, unlike many of the restaurant chains that call themselves Mexican. Upon entering you’ll be dazzled by the colorful décor, the tables and chairs are beautiful, Mexican painted murals, colorful banners hanging from the ceiling and the gracious service with warm orange and yellow tones echoing throughout the restaurant will make this your favorite Mexican restaurant. With great lunch and dinner specials, we have Happy Hour Monday - Sunday from 2 - 6 PM with $5 House Margaritas, $4 Beers, $5.95 Cheese Quesadilla, $8.95 Chunky Guacamole and $9.95 Juana’s Nachos. Live music every Thursday night in our Ahwatukee location and every Friday at our Tempe location. In conclusion The flavorful salsa, the delicious margaritas, the extraordinary and well-priced food will definitely keep you coming back.

Don’t hesitate to stop by the Ahwatukee location

3941 E. Chandler Blvd. (S/W corner Chandler & 40th St) to make your next reservation call 480-626-9295

www.juanashouse.com

The dance features the 18-piece Swing Memories Big Band Orchestra, which plays music from the 30s and 40s. Tickets are $15 in advance or at the door. Information: 480-967-2968.

Deadline nears for entering Kiwanis Ahwatukee Easter Parade

It’s time for schools, groups, businesses and even families to start thinking about their entries in the 47th annual Kiwanis Ahwatukee Easter Parade and Spring Fling April 8.

The club is planning the parade, which starts at Warner Road and 48th Street and heads north to Elliot Road. Entries are being accepted until March 30, and organizations can “put their heads together and organize their entries,” said Mike Schmitt, Parade Boss for the 31st consecutive year.

Spectators are welcome to bring lawn chairs or spread blankets and enjoy the parade. Public address stations will be located at Ahwatukee Country Club and at the corners of Ahwatukee Drive, Kiowa Street and Pawnee Street.

Kiwanis Club President Carrie Chipman also reminds people that the club will need volunteers for the Spring Fling fundraiser that immediately follows the parade, which starts at 10 a.m.

After the parade, all are invited to the Spring Fling at Ahwatukee Community Center Park, 48th Street

and Warner Road. Enjoy entertainment by local groups, vendor and craft booths, Easter Egg Hunt, carnival rides, games, food, beverages, and games until 4 p.m.

Parade entry forms have been mailed to over 300 local businesses, groups and previous parade entries. But those who haven’t received one can call 480-7590007 or e-mail msch0007@aol.com.

For more Spring Fling information call 602-4026267 or email andi@wttaz.com . Forms are available at ahwatukeekiwanis.org.

Ironwood Library offers free activities for all ages throughout the month

Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee, presents a variety of programs for children, teens and adults. Unless otherwise noted, free tickets are required and available 30 minutes before programs’ start times at the library’s information desk.

For more information: phoenixpubliclibrary.org.

Babytimes

Babies ages birth to 23 months, accompanied by a favorite adult, will enjoy songs, rhymes, books, and interactive fun Tuesdays, 10:30-11:10 a.m. Space is limited to 12 families.

Toddlertimes

Toddlers ages 24-36 months, accompanied by a favorite adult, will enjoy songs, rhymes, books, and interactive fun Thursdays, 10:30-11:10 a.m. Space is limited to 12 families.

Family Storytime at Pecos Park

Children birth to age five and their favorite grownups play, read, sing, and dance in a fun, active program that builds reading skills.

Every Friday (except for March 31), 9:30-10 a.m., outdoors at Pecos Park, 17010 S. 48th St. No tickets required. Supported by a grant from First Things First.

Kindergarten Bootcamp

Children entering kindergarten in Fall 2023 and their caregivers can join this interactive series! It meets once a week for seven weeks and gives families a taste of kindergarten.

Parents/caregivers and children learn together the social, academic, and classroom skills needed for school success. Receive free tools and activities each week leading up to Bootcamp graduation. March 22-May 3, 10:30-11:30 a.m. Registration is required at phoenixpubliclibrary.org.

Sit, Stay, Read!

Young readers & listeners can sign up for reading time with a registered therapy dog/handler team. Read with Elsa 4-5 p.m. every Tuesday.

Family storytime at Pecos Park

Children birth to age five and their favorite grownups play, read, sing, and dance in a fun, active program that builds reading skills. Every Friday, 9:30-10 a.m., outdoors at Pecos Park, 17010 S. 48th St. No tickets required. Supported by a grant from First Things First.

Sit, Stay, Read!

Young readers & listeners can sign up for reading

time with a registered therapy dog/handler team. Read with Elsa every Tuesday, 4-5 p.m. Read with Raven every Thursday, 4-5 p.m.

Backyard gardening

Using Master Gardener techniques, learn the basics of gardening, watering, reading a Valley planting calendar, and about additional desert landscaping resources.

Presented by the local community & sustainability nonprofit organization Keep Phoenix Beautiful. March 25 25, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. No tickets required.

Next Chapter Book Club

This inclusive community-based book club is designed for people ages 12+ with intellectual and developmental disabilities who have a desire to make friends, explore their community, and read (regardless of current reading ability). This weekly gathering is free and occurs every Wednesday, 3:30-4:30 p.m. Registration is required and available in the library or online in the Calendar section of the library’s website.

Book Club

Adult readers 18+ can meet up with fellow adventuresome bibliophiles the first Wednesday of each month, 5-5:45 p.m. No tickets required. On April 5 the featured book is “The Measure” by Nikki Erlick. 

Builder’s EV center addresses big need

BY KEN SAIN Tribune Staff Writer

There’s been a severe labor shortage that has caused delays to building projects around the nation and St. Louis-based McCarthy Building Companies is doing something about it with its first Innovation and Craft Workforce Center in West Chandler.

The $10 million investment is meant to help train future workers, bringing more electricians, carpenters, plumbers and others into the workforce.

“We noticed the same deficiency in craft workers and the gap between what the overall need is in the local market, and the supply of workers,” said Eric Fields, the vice president of operations for the company. “

“So we wanted to create a space that we could attract that talent that might not be interested in the construction industry, have a space to be able to train them, to give them the skills they need to pursue a career in construction.”

The new training center is partnering with East Valley Institute of Technology to expose young people to possible careers in the construction field.

Fields said ideally these new workers will be hired by McCarthy, but that if they decide to go to a different company, so be it.

“It’s not a selfish thing, we want to just generate momentum for the industry,” Fields said. “We have a lot of peer companies that we work with, and we want them to be just as successful as we are.

“But there’s a shortage of 4,000 workers – not all of those need to go to McCarthy.”

Fields says many of their new trainees respond to job listings. They will take someone who has no experience and pay them $19 an hour to start.

The first step is to teach them the safety habits they need for their jobs. That hap-

pens in the new training center with the Safe Start classes.

Then, they can expect to work with experienced workers in whatever field they are

learning for a few years.

“That’s kind of individual based, but we follow a typical four-year apprenticeship program,” Fields said.

“If you’re coming to us as a green individual with no experience, usually it’s about four years to get through to get all the knowledge you can before we’d send you out on their own. But, some people develop faster than others.”

He said they are flexible, so if someone starts out as a plumber, but soon learns they don’t like that, they can switch to something else.

“We can help foster that transition into the different trades that they might be more passionate about,” Fields said.

“I’m big on wanting to put people in roles that they’re passionate about, because we usually get better results. And so helping folks find that right career path is definitely something we’re trying to do.”

EVIT students were at the center the first week of March. Fields said they had the class work with the integrated design and delivery team, led by architects, working on a virtual 3D model.

“Then our self perform teams take that model, and break it up into their individual things, you can generate fabrication sheets, those fabrication sheets are then manufactured in our prefab facilities,” Fields said.

“So those students were learning that and then taking one of the fabrication sheets and generating a hands-on activity related to a built-in wall roughed in for a plumbing fixture.”

McCarthy is spending a lot of money to attract and train new workers.

“I think you’ll start to see some of these pop up around the country in other McCarthy regions, and probably see other industry partners generating facilities like this to help with that overall demand,” Fields said.

“It’s not just McCarthy that has the need. Definitely want to attract the best talent, then train them and retain them.”

Ethan Covington measures a pipe fitting in a training jig at McCarthy Building Companies’ new Innovation and Craft Workforce Center. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

The Solar Operations and Management Center is part of McCarthy Building Companies’ new Innovation and Craft Workforce Center. (David Minton/Tribune Staff Photographer)

Chandler comedy club merges with another

BY KEN SAIN AFN Staff Writer

Snow White is setting up shop in Downtown Chandler.

The comedy club ImprovMANIA is undergoing major changes, including adopting a Snow White theme.

The intimate club on Arizona Avenue has moved to a bigger space more than a block north on East Boston Street. It now has two stages, one outdoors, and has changed its name to Mic Drop MANIA.

The name change reflects a merger of two comedy clubs.

David and Colleen Specht owned and performed at ImprovMANIA. For the new space, they wanted to bring in business partners, Casey Currier and Hillary Hutson, who own the Mic Drop Comedy Club in San Diego – which has an Alice in Wonderland theme.

David said that when he and Colleen started ImprovMANIA in 2014, there was little for folks to do in Chandler.

“There was just no entertainment in

Chandler at all,” David said. “So we wanted to do improv in Chandler. We did that over there for about eight and a half years.”

He said they are leasing the space on Arizona Avenue and that he and his wife decided to make the move because the space on Boston Street was available to purchase. So, they put in a bid and bought it.

Then they realized they needed to make changes.

“We just realized the space needed to be open all the time,” David said. “And we’re only two people and we perform at every show.”

That’s when he reached out to Currier, who they knew through mutual friends and who had started out working security at Tempe Improv.

In addition to improv shows, the club plans to bring in top comics from around the nation to perform.

“So if you have not heard of who is on stage, you are going to hear about them soon because they are on the rise,” Currier said. “And they’re the best comedians in the country.”

Next month actor and comedian Jamie Kennedy is scheduled to perform at Mic Drop MANIA.

The new club will serve a limited menu (it only has seven items, in keeping with the theme). Currier said unlike a lot of comedy clubs, there is no drink or food minimum.

“If you buy a ticket, you can come here and enjoy it,” Currier said. “We’re not going to force you to spend any more money. We want you to have a fun experience and order at will.”

One of the uses for the outdoor stage will be an open mic night every Saturday at 10 p.m so that any local comedians who want to test their material and gain experience can do so.

Those coming to watch might be surprised at the quality of local comedians, Currier said.

“Outside of L.A. and New York, Arizona, and Phoenix is one of the best comedy scenes in the country,” Currier said. “So outside of the four or five major clubs in the market, there are little clubs and open

mics every night of the week.

“And I think for those that don’t know, Arizona is an absolute hotbed of comedy. The local scene is tremendous.”

The outdoor area in back can also be rented out for local parties and groups. In addition to the shows, David said that they have improv and stand-up classes for those interested in getting into the business.

David and Colleen said that so far, the all the changes are working.

“There are a lot of events in downtown Chandler that, organically, bring foot traffic. There was the Cajun festival last weekend, there’s the Beer and Barbecue Festival, Fourth of July has moved back down here. There’s a weekly farmers market.

“There’s the Corvette show, the wedding walk, there’s all kinds of organic foot traffic that we’re now a part of. And I think we fit in perfectly.” 

Mic Drop Mania

51 E. Boston St., Chandler

480-564-1844 | micdropmania.com

Considering the challenges to financial security

BY JOSEPH ORTIZ AFN Guest Writer

To achieve your financial security, and that of your family, you will need to create a comprehensive strategy. But for this strategy to succeed, you’ll need to guard it from various challenges – and that means you’ll need to build in different layers of protection.

What are these challenges – and what types of protection can be used to defend against them? Consider the following:

Protecting your ability to reach your goals.

To achieve your long-term goals, such as a comfortable retirement, you’ll need to build adequate financial resources.

And that means you’ll need to create an investment portfolio that’s suitable for your objectives, risk tolerance and time horizon. And you’ll need to keep your long-term goals in mind when adjusting

your portfolio during times of volatility.

Protecting your family’s future if you’re not around.

Hopefully, you will live a long life and always be around to support your family. But the future is not ours to see – and if something were to happen to you, how would your family cope?

Their chances could be much better if you have adequate life insurance. Proper coverage could help pay off your mortgage, pay for your children’s higher education and allow your family to continue its lifestyle.

Protecting your income should you become temporarily disabled.

If you were to become ill or temporarily disabled and could not work for a while, the disruption in your income could jeopardize your family’s living situation, or, at the least, lead to an inability to pay bills in a timely fashion.

To protect against this threat, you may

want to consider adding disability insurance. Your employer may offer a shortterm disability policy as an employee benefit, but it may be insufficient, either in duration or in amount of coverage, so you might want to look at a private policy.

Protecting your long-term investments from short-term needs.

Life is full of unexpected expenses – a major car repair, a new furnace, a large bill from the dentist, and so on. If you did not have the money available to deal with these costs, you might be forced to dip into your long-term investments, such as your IRA or 401(k).

Taking money from these accounts earlier than you intended could incur taxes and penalties, and, even more importantly, could reduce the amount of money you have available for retirement.

To help protect these investments from short-term needs for cash, try to build an emergency fund containing three to six

months’ worth of living expenses, with the money kept in cash or a liquid account.

Protecting your financial independence.

You would probably do all you could to avoid ever becoming a burden to your grown children – which is why it’s so important to maintain your financial independence throughout your life.

One potential threat to this independence is the need for some type of longterm care, such as an extended nursing home stay, which can be extremely expensive.

A financial professional can suggest protection strategies to help you prepared for these types of costs.

It can be challenging to keep your financial strategy intact – so do whatever it takes to protect it.

Joseph Ortiz is a financial planner for Edward Jones. Reach him at 480-753-7664 or joseph.ortiz@edwardjones.com. 

Help the Ahwatukee YMCA support the community

BY KAIA CANFIELD AFN Guest Writer

The YMCA and Y OPAS (Outreach Programs for Ahwatukee Seniors) are sponsoring the annual campaign to raise $190,000 to promote health and wellness in the Ahwatukee Foothills community for families and individuals.

The Y provides fitness programs for all ages as well as after school programs for everyone, regardless of socioeconomic status.

Y OPAS helps seniors maintain safe, independent living by having volunteers provide transportation to doctors, dentists, grocery shopping, and reduce depression through social gatherings.

Y OPAS is a free service for seniors 65 years and older who live in the Ahwatukee Foothills area and need help with rides

Connie Brown has been a Y OPAS client for seven years. She says that she would not be able to remain inde pendent in her own home without Y OPAS help with doctor and dentist visits.

Feeling the need to help others, for years she was an active volunteer while living in Gilbert, AZ and later in Japan.

Having mobility issues now, Connie is so thankful for the Y OPAS volunteers who provide transportation, as well as the social programs and lunches that have enriched her life.

She and other seniors have enjoyed

monthly shopping trips to Walmart, Frys, etc. using the YMCA mini bus. At the Y OPAS social events she has become friends with other seniors who stay in contact with each other. An outgoing, friendly person, Connie helps others alleviate the loneliness, depression and boredom often experienced by seniors isolated at home. Connie says the Y OPAS staff and volunteers are friendly, timely, welcoming and provide a fun, social experience for seniors with limited options.

If you are looking for a rewarding experience of giving back to the Ahwatukee

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Disappointed in new representative Travers’ vote New Representative Stacy Travers voted no on a bill (HB2589) that grants military personnel reciprocity and certification to be an emergency medical care technician if they have received comparable EMCT training while in the military.

An EMCT means an individual certified by the Department of Health Services (DHS) as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT), an advanced emergency EMT, an EMT I-99, or a paramedic. No person or group had opposed this bill on the request to speak system at the

capitol. Ms. Travers is a veteran and voted on a party line, saying that military training is not equivalent to the Department of Health Services training.

Very disappointed that this representative does not support her military personnel and does not appear to be an independent thinker.

-Loraine Pellegrino

An expert isn’t always expert, as we have learned elsewhere

Alex Murdough. a disgraced South Carolina attorney was found guilty of murdering his wife and child even though the de-

fenses expert witness testified he couldn’t have done it.

The expert stated that Murdaugh was 6’4” and the shooter couldn’t have been more than 5”4” according to the trajectory of the bullets.

I beg to disagree. I had a 30. 06 rifle with a scope and did a lot of hunting with my husband. It would be very easy for a man 6”4” to hold both a rifle and shotgun at his side muzzles pointing downward [saying I am going hunting]; bring them up to waist level at his side lift the shotgun shooting his son in the chest and then shooting his wife with the rifle or vice versa; allowing

Foothills community with flexibility that fits into your busy schedule, consider joining the Y OPAS group of volunteers.

As Connie has stated, smiles and new friendships will warm your heart as our local seniors will genuinely appreciate you volunteering your valuable time to help them remain safely in their homes as long as possible.

If you or someone you know in the area needs help, please call 602-212-6088.

Volunteers are also needed and appreciated by our seniors. For more information: valleyymca.org/opa.

During March, please consider donating to the MCA in person at 1030 E. Liberty Lane, Phoenix, or donate online at valleyYMCA.org/donateahwatukee, or pick up a pledge card at the YMCA and mail to YMCA Annual Support Campaign P.O. Box 1670, Phoenix, AZ 85001. 

the trajectory to appear from a 5’4”person.

And he definitely had motive, considering he was aware that the powers-that-be were onto him for embezzlement. And for keeping the settlement from his housekeeper’s fatal fall in his home that should have gone to her family.

His wife most likely was seeking divorce advice (her son was probably standing at her side, figuratively and literally). So, he had hit an end point with nowhere to go but feeling he was so clever he could create a scenario that others would buy into. Life in prison is too good for this man!

Jane Emery

Connie Brown is one of many seniors helped by Y OPAS. (Special to AFN)

DV hires Scooter Molander as next head football coach

BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

Molander becomes the third new head coach in as many years since Dan Hinds stepped down from the position following the 2020 season.

“Coach Molander is the perfect fit for Desert Vista,” said Desert Vista Principal Stacy White. “We have a long legacy of excellence but also a program that is looking to build a new reputation for themselves. I am confident that coach Molander will bring his own history of excellence to help our team move forward successfully and navigate those waters.”

Molander said he was intrigued by the Desert Vista job because of the school’s history in both athletics and academics. Not only has it won numerous state titles across multiple sports, but it also routinely ranks high in academics.

Beyond that, Molander sees coaching at Desert Vista as a way to return close to home. He grew up near McClintock and attended Corona del Sol. He would routinely run hills nearby Desert Vista for workouts.

“I grew up over there,” Molander said. “I had a lot of friends in that area and used to run the hills for training. I’ve admired everything they’ve done there for many years. High academic school, excellent athletics across the board.”

Molander’s track record speaks for itself.

He led the Brophy Prep program for 13 years and led the Broncos to the postseason 12 times. His team made five state semifinals appearances and won two championships at the highest level of play in Arizona.

He stepped down from Brophy following the 2017 season when the Broncos

went 1-9. But he was back on a sideline two seasons later in 2019 to build the Eastmark program.

It didn’t take long for Eastmark to become a power under his watch.

The Firebirds made the postseason in their second year at the varsity level and first full season in 2021. They lost to River Valley in the opening round of the 3A playoffs. But this past season saw yet another powerhouse be born in the East Valley.

Led by Molander’s son, Mack, at quarterback, Eastmark went 13-1 and dominated its way to the 3A state championship.

The Firebirds lone loss was on a lastsecond field goal to Thatcher early in the season. That was avenged in the form of a 42-21 victory in the 3A final on Desert Vista’s field, where Molander will now coach full time.

“I don’t just apply for jobs,” Molander said. “They need to be the right ones. I’m

super excited to get to work.”

Taking over Desert Vista will be a challenge, though. It’s a program that has now had more head coaches in the last three years than its history before that.

When Hinds stepped down after the 2020 season, former Horizon coach Ty Wisdom was hired to take over. In his

see MOLANDER page 36

Scooter Molander, who led Brophy’s football program for several years and most recently won a 3A title with Eastmark, has been hired to take over the Desert Vista High School football program. (Dave Minton/AFN Staff)

MOLANDER from page 35

first year, he led the Thunder to the playoffs and hosted a first-round matchup against Casteel.

However, following the season, he and Desert Vista agreed to mutually part ways. That opened the door for former Sierra Linda coach Nate Gill to take over. But after one season, Gill stepped away to focus on his mental health and moved back to his home state of Texas.

Now, it’s Molander’s time. He takes over a program that features one of the best quarterback-wide receiver duos in Braxton Thomas and Roan Martinez. The two connected 37 times last season for 761 yards and 10 touchdowns. It also features Rylon Dillard-Allen at safety on the defensive side, one of the top players at his position in the state.

In his mind, he has an opportunity to replicate the success former coaches Jim Rattay and Hinds had for many years.

“We were able to do it at Brophy when it had never been done before and we were able to do it at Eastmark from the ground up,” Molander said. “When you’re a competitive person, you like

challenges. The next challenge is a rebuild and awaken a sleeping giant.” Molander said the decision to leave Eastmark wasn’t easy. But the departure of Mack to Augustana University played a role.

He knows the struggles the Desert Vista program has gone through due to coaching changes. Multiple players have or expressed interest in departing the program. But with a coach of Molander’s caliber in place, it could change the narrative of the program and have players reconsider.

That starts with building a relationship with Molander and the families, something he plans to do immediately when he meets with them for the first time Thursday night.

His hire is expected to be approved by the Tempe Union High School Governing Board on March 29.

“Getting to know them, them getting to know me,” Molander said. “It’s about getting to know people. It’s a meet and greet where there’s no real agenda items, we have to get through other than beginning to understand people and for them to get to know me.” 

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Bird supplier for Ostrich Fest has weathered hard times

BY KEN SAIN GetOut Staff

The Chandler Chamber Ostrich Festival March 16-19 will be the second straight one to feature Black Neck Ostriches.

How they got to Chandler is an interesting story filled with hot air and heartache.

“Old man Chandler (Dr. A.J. Chandler, the founder of the city) has always fascinated me,” said Rooster Cogburn, the man supplying 12 ostriches for this year’s festival.

Dr. Chandler became an ostrich farmer, raising the birds to supply feathers for women’s hats. He was like many Americans throughout history to think they could get rich with ostriches, Cogburn said.

Another one of those Americans is Rooster Cogburn, who now runs an ostrich ranch and petting zoo off oInterstate-10 just north of Tucson.

However, the ostrich business has not been easy for Cogburn.

First, he tried to raise wild ostriches

Bell Bank Park hosting EV circus family’s show

BY SUMMER AGUIRRE GetOut Staff

Circus Americana believes that the Big Top is its living room – and each person who steps into its tent becomes a part of its family.

Presented by the Chandler-based Taylor Family, the all-human extravaganza creates the nostalgia of a vintage circus while presenting a contemporary twist. From death-defying acrobatic feats to innovative acts, to comedic flair, Circus Americana invites guests of all ages to encounter an enchanting blend of illusion and spectacle.

Circus Americana has slated for performances every Thursday to Sunday from Thursday, March 16, to Sunday, April 2, at

Bell Bank Park in Mesa.

“I think people love having experiences, and we think this is just an absolutely wonderful experience – coming to the circus is an experience,” said the Taylor family patriarch, Martin, who is a fire artist, juggler and stilt walker. “People can come to enjoy the thrill, the excitement, the love, the tenderness of the show itself with their family, and they’ll bring home memories

see CIRCUS page 39

Circus Americana, founded by the Chandler-based Taylor Family looks to recapture the magic and nostalgia of a family circus with three weeks of performances at Bell Bank Park in Mesa. (Special to the Tribune)

and soon learned that would not work. Then, he purchased some Black Neck Ostriches in South Africa. That breed is

ideal for ostrich farming, he said, but that nation has limited who can have them.

Cogburn claims he’s the only rancher in the U.S. with that breed.

He would sell the feathers and skin. A good pair of ostrich-skin boots sells for about $1,200, he said.

Just when his ostrich business was taking off, closing in on a deal to supply hatching eggs to Brazil, disaster struck.

Two hot air balloons crashed on his ranch on Feb. 3, 2002, spooking his birds and triggering a deadly stampede.

“I had 1,600 birds hit the fence at 35 miles an hour,” Cogburn said. “Lost hundreds of birds. The ones that didn’t die were crippled – or skinned up like you can’t believe.”

Cogburn spent years trying to get the balloonists to pay for his losses. He was unsuccessful.

“I lost confidence in our system,” he

A dozen Black Necked Ostriches will be the honored guests at the Chandler Chamber Ostrich Festival March 16-19. (Special to the Tribune)

OSTRICH from page 38

said, admitting he was angry and frustrated. “American Way of life and everything. When you talk about somebody who is sad and ruined, that was me.”

A number of people showed up wanting to tell the story, but Cogburn said he was so angry and fed up he chased them all away.

But one young man, a University of Arizona student, kept coming back. Jonathan VanBallenberg made a documentary about the incident titled, “The Ostrich Testimonies” that was released in 2008. It won a number of awards.

Eventually, Cogburn was able to pick up the pieces and rebuild his ranch. He turned it into a tourist attraction for folks driving between Phoenix and Tucson.

“From there we have slowly built this thing up one deal at a time to now we’re recognized as one of the top 10 roadside attractions in America,” Cogburn said.

When it came to supplying ostriches for Chandler, Cogburn said he didn’t have the time. Then someone showed

CIRCUS from page 38

for a lifetime.”

Launched as The Taylor Family Circus in the early 2000s, Circus Americana consists of Martin and his wife, Barbara, and their seven children. The kids range from schoolage to adults and all perform in the show.

The Taylors are joined by over a dozen other individuals who accompany them as performers on stage and manage concessions and merchandise.

Martin said their production is geared toward families, adding that it will appeal to those who like a “fun, loving, wholesome, apple-pie type of show.”

Kicking off with a mesmerizing stage illusion and magic show segment, the numbers range from vampires contorting in impossible positions, to an exciting aerial fire-eating performance.

Elia Taylor, the family’s eldest daughter and a choreographer, acrobat and contortionist, performs a skillful pointe ballet routine on the tightrope. She is one of the

up, trying to lease his ostriches for Chandler. Cogburn said he didn’t know or trust this stranger, so he didn’t want to hand his birds over for them to look after.

He talked directly to the city, telling them to hire a former ranch worker of his that he trusted, and that as long as they paid him, they wouldn’t have to pay him for the use of his ostriches.

His former employee does all the work, including transporting the birds and caring for them. They started this arrangement last year.

This year, Cogburn is planning to make some money off the Ostrich Festival. He said they will be selling ostrich eggs at the Ostrich Festival. The shell is a popular item in their gift store. And, he said, one ostrich egg is equal to about 24 hen eggs.

The Chandler Chamber of Commerce is putting on the 33rd annual Ostrich Festival at Tumbleweed Park.

Unlike last year, when the Chandler Chamber of Commerce scheduled the festival over two weekends as a way of recovering from its cancelation during the pandemic in both 2021 and 2020,

few individuals in the world who has mastered this art.

“We also usually have one of my cousins, he is a strongman, one of the most amazing in the world. We’re so honored that he’ll be doing this show with us,” Elia said. “He does bending metal and is a fabulous whip artist – he puts out candles with a single whip, it is pretty amazing. I hold my breath when he does his act.”

Guests can hop into the circus ring for a meet-and-greet and photo opportunity with the strongman, pirates, mermaid, music box dolls and the rest of the cast.

“Circus is such an amazing art form, there’s so many different facets of it. And when you’re given the opportunity to practice circus, you want to be able to do a little bit of everything,” Elia said. “

What sets Circus Americana apart from other productions is its intimacy and the opportunity for its performers to connect with audience members.

“When you’re in our circus tent, because every seat is only like 5 to 10 feet

the festival will stretch across a four-day weekend.

Promising multiple attractions for families and people of all ages, the festival also is an important economic driver for Chandler. Chamber President/CEO Terri Kimble said.

Kimble said the festival usually draws between 80,000 and 100,000 peop General admission tickets start at $30 for adults, $20 for children, children four and under will be admitted to the festival free of charge. Limited VIP tickets are available starting at $150 and pricing for family packs will be available for purchase at a later date.

Many of the folks who visit the Ostrich Festival come from outside of Chandler.

“This year, we did an inside-the-fence kind of economic impact for the local community,” Kimble said. “And we estimated that the economic impact was about $9.4 million for the local economy, from hotel nights to restaurants to just everything that it takes to put on the festival – which is pretty significant.”

Cogburn said there is hope for a bright-

away, everyone is so close that you could reach out and touch them, so you can see them,” Elia said.

They love interacting with their audiences and value each individual person.

With the circus’ personable setting, the cast has witnessed little girls in awe at the acrobats and wanting to go up high in the air just like them; little boys thrilled to shake the strongman’s hand and be lifted by him; and excited grandmothers who want to go on stage and hang out with the clowns.

“As a performer, you get to see that wonder and enjoyment on every one of those faces,” Elia said. “It’s very rewarding, it’s why we love what we do. It’s pretty beautiful.”

“We believe that as circus performers and as children of God, that we are supposed to take care of people,” Elia said. “The moment you’re in our circus, you’re family, and we’re here to take care of you because we love you already.”

While they’ve spent more time on the

er future, and his ostriches just might be the reason why. He said he’s been contacted by a Japanese scientist who believes he can build human health antibodies from ostrich eggs. They’ve done some preliminary studies the results have been fascinating, Cogburn said. So he’s working on a deal to supply ostrich eggs to the scientist. It’s another potential international deal, so Cogburn would prefer hot air balloons stay far away from his ranch. 

If you go

What: Ostrich Festival

When: times vary, March 16-19

Where: Tumbleweed Park 2250 S McQueen Road, Chandler.

Tickets: General admission tickets start at $30 for adults, $20 for children, children 4 and under are free and rides cost extra. Tickets and other information at ostrichfestival.com.

Info: roostercognurn.com

road in recent years, the Taylors love to perform in their home state in Arizona.

“We’re just thrilled to be able to do what we love to do and to share that, and we’re excited that Bell Bank Park is giving us that opportunity,” Martin said.

“It’s an absolutely stunning and beautiful facility, and it’s going to be an absolutely wonderful experience for anybody who comes out – they will enjoy the show and the park.” 

If You Go...

What: Circus Americana

Where: Bell Bank Park, 6321 S. Ellsworth Road, Mesa

When: Various times Thursday through Sunday from March 16 to April 2

Cost: $25 general admission (bleachers), $45 VIP (seats)

Info: circusamericana.com

ACROSS

1 Release money

5 Officer

8 Wife of Zeus

12 “Born Free” lioness

13 Billboards

14 Elliptical

15 Region of northern Italy

17 Breathing (Abbr.)

18 Start a round

19 Aviary noises

21 Irish actor Stephen

22 Visibility hindrance

23 Arced tennis shot

26 Like some humor

28 Avoids work

31 Gumbo or bisque, e.g.

33 Work unit

35 Minn. neighbor

36 Writer Lessing

38 Pouch

40 “Rah!”

41 Metric measure

43 -- Alamos

45 Big lizard

47 Of the lower back

51 Gasp for air

52 Show hosted by Alex Trebek

54 Shoppe description

55 “Alley --”

56 Faction

57 Calendar squares

58 ICU workers

59 Pianist Myra

DOWN

1 Karate level

2 Skin soother

3 “Woe --!”

4 Hard work

5 Commuter’s cash-on-hand

6 Quirky

7 Intimidate, with “out”

8 Where earth meets sky

9 Battery brand

10 Grate

11 Swiss peaks

16 Not many

20 Actor Holbrook

23 “Acid”

24 Tic-tac-toe win

25 French red wine

27 Decade parts (Abbr.)

King Crossword

29 Air safety org.

30 Firmament

32 Pittsburgh team

34 Runs like a horse

37 -- Salvador

39 Brilliant stroke

42 College study

44 Big hit

45 Apple product

46 Big bash

48 Party cheese

49 Tosses in

50 Deli loaves

53 Long time

Sudoku

This week we’ll be celebrating Ireland’s patron saint by the wearing of the green, the drinking of the green beer – and in this case, the eating of the green!

I wonder if St. Patrick would love this incredible spinach dip which is, in itself, a celebration of flavors! This recipe, with its ring of bread rolls around the edges and a yummy dip in the middle is made easy by buying frozen dinner rolls rather than making the bread from scratch.

Your guests will feel lucky with this Irish treat

Once baked, the bread easily pulls part to be dipped and dunked into a delectable blend of spinach, cheeses and spices.

No Irish luck needed here. Just a straight -forward recipe that will most certainly get your St. Patty’s Day Irish on.

Ingredients:

• Bread Dough:

• Rhodes Bake N Serve Frozen Dinner Rolls (12 pack)

• For the dip:

• 6 cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach

• 1/2 sweet yellow onion, chopped fine

• 1 tablespoon olive oil

• 2-3 tablespoons melted butter

• 4 oz. cream cheese (1/2 brick) softened

• 1/2 cup sour cream

Directions:

Coat an 8-inch cast-iron or oven safe skillet generously with butter. Find a bowl that is about 5 inches across the top.

Spray the outside with cooking spray and place it, top side down, in the center of the skillet. (You can also make a 5 inch in diameter ring with aluminum foil. Spray with cooking spray.)

Place frozen dough balls around the edge of the skillet creating a ring of bread rolls.

Brush dough balls with melted butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 20-30 minutes.

Make dip:

In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Sauté onion until golden brown. Add fresh spinach and cook for about 4 minutes or until wilted. Remove spinach to a medium large bowl and let cool, about 15 minutes. When cooled, add cream cheese, sour cream,

• 1/4 cup mayonnaise

• 1 clove garlic, minced

• 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha or hot sauce

• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese plus 2 tablespoons

• 1/2 cup mozzarella, shredded plus 2 tablespoons

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1 teaspoon pepper

mayonnaise, garlic, hot sauce, 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, 1/2 cup mozzarella, salt and pepper.

Mix until well combined. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.

Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees. Carefully remove bowl from center of skillet. (Bowl can be removed easier by sliding a knife or thin spatula under the bowl.) Spoon the dip mixture into the space where the bowl was, spooning right up to the edge of the dough.

Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle remainder of parmesan and mozzarella over the top of the spinach mixture and the bread rolls. Return to oven and cook for 10 more minutes or until dip mixture bubbles and rolls are golden brown.

Remove from oven. Serve hot or warm. To serve, pull apart dough pieces and dip or dunk into spinach mixture, or use a spoon mixture over pieces of bread. 

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