Ahwatukee Foothills News 04/19/2023

Wednesday, April 19, 2023

www.ahwatukee.com

Kyrene gets sobering look at enrollment

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

Eight of Kyrene School District’s nine elementary schools in Ahwatukee and all three middle schools here saw an enrollment loss among the number of children who live within their attendance areas.

But that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re not attending a Kyrene school, demographer

Rick Brammer of Applied Economics told the Governing Board last week.

It means their parents chose a school farther from home for a variety of reasons, such as the availability of special programs.

“It used to be that everybody had this sense of community,” Brammer said, noting that now “you’ve got in one neighborhood, kids go into six or seven different schools.”

That part of Brammer’s presentation may

have been one of the brighter revelations of a demographic report on enrollment trends that some board members conceded was unsettling.

“Total enrollment has fallen steadily” in Kyrene in the last 20 years, Brammer’s report said, adding it reflects a decline of nearly 8,000 in-district students – “5,000 of which was due

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

As freshmen in Desert Vista High School, childhood friends Brendan Moore and Tyler Zitzka shared a dream.

The Ahwatukee teens wanted to start their own clothing line.

They came up with a transfer-on vinyl logo that they’d laboriously heat-press onto blank T-shirts for hours on end in their fledgling efforts to create a brand all their own.

“We didn’t know what we were doing,” Tyler confessed, pointing to the first shirt they made that hangs on the wall of a spare bedroom of his home.

Though “we still love the old shirts and hold them close to our hearts,” Tyler said that hanging shirt also reminds them of how far they have in a relatively short period of time.

They’ve been guided by the principle encapsulated in their company’s name – STRVE, an Brendan

STRVE page 17

Moore, left, and Tyler Zitzka, both Desert Vista seniors and Ahwatukee residents, started a clothing company out of their home that promotes a guiding principle in their lives: strive and push yourself to be the very best. (David Minton/AFN Staff Photographer) see

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While the per-student amount set by the Legislature has risen in the last three fiscal years, this chart shows how Kyrene’s declining enrollment adversely affects the total amount of the dollars it gets from that primary funding source and what it expects in the coming school year. There are other pools of state funding that support public education but the source based on “average daily membership” is the largest. And while ADM is not the same as student population, this key component of the formula that per-pupil funding is based on is directly impacted by the number of students in a school district. (Kyrene School District)

Birthrates are trending downward in both the county and in Arizona, reflecting a nationwide trend. (Kyrene School District)

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BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

He’s not ready for Hollywood – yet – but Desert Vista High School senior Collin Bridge is taking a firm step toward Tinseltown with his slot among 14 finalists for the Arizona International Film Festival’s Indie Youths Short Film category.

And viewers will barely be able to get halfway through their popcorn watching Collin’s entry, titled “Irr-Elephant,” when it rolls out at noon April 29 in The Screening Room on Congress Street in Tucson.

It’s only four minutes long.

That’s not unusual for the entries, as one lasts only two minutes and the longest 12.

Collin’s flick is not his first rodeo.

“I have been making films since I was in elementary school, but this is one of my newest films and one that I am very proud of,” he said.

It’s about “a socially awkward goofball seeks acceptance through his one-of-akind puns, leading him to even trying using them to find love,” according to the official festival description.

He explained, “The main character in the short uses puns in hopes to connect with others. So the pun ‘Irr-Elephant’ is not just a quirky one liner used in the film but also symbolizes how the character feels irrelevant.”

Given its running length, there was no need for a cast of thousands.

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“The cast is fairly small, starring Nick Bockian playing the character of Jeremy,” Collin said. “His love interest Sami is played by Olivia Sheng.”

It was in pre-production for about two weeks, he said, “where most of the time was spent re-writing and receiving consulting from my friends and teachers. “

“The total filming was finished in just two days,” he added, “and we spent a week editing and grabbing pickups.”

And Collin advises people not to be fooled by the running time.

“I think a lot of audiences forget how long and powerful just one minute of film can be,” he said. “A shorter amount of time also makes you really prioritize what is

important to the story and not.

“Therefore, the four-minute limit on the film really makes the audience attach themselves because every second is so important in following this boy’s story.”

At 18, the Ahwatukee resident, who plans to major in film production, Collin has already acquired a wealth of experience on stage, in film – and in reaching out to the community to help less fortunate people.

AFN’s archives show his fundraising endeavors as a Kyrene Kid – joined by his older sister Annika and a friend – garnered hundreds of dollars for victims of various natural disasters in the U.S. and abroad.

As for acting, he’s long been a staple in the cast of the Ahwatukee Children’s Theatre’s Christmas musical, “A Christmas Carol,” starting out at age 5 as Tiny Tim and over time portraying other characters. (ACT has now rebranded as AZ ACT.)

As a third-grader, he appeared in a 2013 entry in the Cannes International Film Festival’s short-film category.

As the Tucson film fest, Collin doesn’t stand to get any cash if he wins or even a swag bag just by being selected for entry.

But that’s not why he’s in it.

“Just being able to see my film on the giant screen is enough to go to any film festival.” he said.

Besides, he added, film festivals “are more about the industry connections you make and are a way to have your work be shown and noticed.”

After collecting his diploma in May, Collin is bound for film school in – where else? – Los Angeles.

Besides furthering his education, he said he wants to jump-start his career, especially because the industry is rich with job opportunities right now.

He’s got other plans as well in the time between Desert Vista and LA, as he is currently working on a feature-length film and a few shorts that he hopes to train a camera on this summer.

Then, he said, “once high school and college are over, I plan to continue to create and publish my films, growing as a filmmaker, with each film being better than the last.

“I hope to constantly push myself, make connections, collaborate with other artists, and eventually, I want to hit a spot where I am able to make it as a full time feature film director.”

He doesn’t know yet whether he wants

to go the fiction route or produce documentaries, though one might divine a hint from the fact that his favorite director is Oscar winning director/ actor/comedian Taika Waititi.

“He inspires creativity and originality while still holding a great sense of awkward humor and affection, all of which I take inspiration from,” Collin said.

But in the long run, Collin’s upcoming film festival entry was inspired by his own passion and inner drive that movies generate for him.

“My contest entry was definitely most inspired from the fact that I will never give up the chance to meet new filmmakers and see my picture on the silver screen,” he said.

“Just being able to make so many new friends who I have the opportunity of working and collaborating with is extremely valuable to me. Plus, I love watching as the audience takes in my films.”

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Information on the film festival: filmfestivalarizona.com. 

Collin Bridge began cutting his acting chops at age 5 by portraying Tiny Tim in the Ahwatukee Children’s Theatre’s annual Christmas production, “A Christmas Caro;.” (AFN file photo)

Desert Vista High Senior Collin Bridge is a finalist in the Indie Youth Short Films category of the Arizona International Film Festival. (Special to AFN)

Horizon students giving back

Local teachers in running for Tempe Diablos awards

AFN NEWS STAFF

Anumber of teachers from Kyrene and Tempe Union campuses in Ahwatukee are in the running for Excellence in Education awards from the Tempe Diablos.

At the May 9 event in the showroom of Gila River Wild Horse Pass, the nonprofit will continue a tradition of over 30 years of honoring educators and students.

The black-tie awards banquet draws district personnel, business owners and community leaders. Information/tickets are at tempediablos.org/excellence-ineducation-2023.

Here is a list of nominees:

Teacher of the Year

Tempe Union: Max Pincus and Adrian “Jack” Vermer, Mountain Pointe; and Candice Reeve, Tempe High.

Kyrene: Arlie DuPlessis, Pueblko Middle; Jason Rethamn, Brisas; and Mike Smith, Altadena Middle.

Class Act

Tempe Union: Maureen Hart Horan, Desert Vista; Kenya Villela, Tempe High School.

Kyrene: Gisela Briscoe, Sierra; Jim Theobald, Altadena.

Inspiration

Tempe Union: Katie Chance, Corona del Sol; Daniel Hockenbraugh, Tempe High.

Kyrene: Tasia Geotas, Aprende; Sierra Place, Aprende.

Rising Star

Tempe Union: Elizabeth Matuszewski, Marcos de Niza; Carmen Robles, Tempe High.

Kyrene: Tasia Geotas and Sierra Place, both Aprende.

High Impact

Tempe Union: Alex Bezkorovainy, Desert Vista; Charlie Molina, McClintock.

Kyrene: Taylor Murphy, Manitas; Jennifer Rivas, Norte.

Lifetime

Tempe Union: Cheryl Jannuzzi, Corona; Erin Kahn, McClintock.

Kyrene: Marianne Lescher, Kyrene Traditional Academy; Richard Moffet, Norte. Leadership

Tempe Union: Janell Batt and Erik Lutz, both Mcclintock.

Kyrene: Kinora Hernandez, Manitas; Kyle Ross, Kyrene Digital Academy. 

Seven students at Horizon Honors High School in Ahwatukee were honored fby the Kiwanis Club of Ahwatukee for dedicating hundreds of hours of community service last school year through the Key Club. They are, from left: Senior Bryce Tucker of Tempe, the Key Club co-president; Senior Daniel Grosjean, 17, of Ahwatukee, club secretary; Junior Antonio Arellano, 17 of Chandler, club webmaster; Junior Marisa Blasko, 17 of Ahwatukee, co-president; Sophomore Gianna Blasko, 16 of Ahwatukee, class representative; and Freshman Madelyn Longstreet, 14, Lillian Wolfe, Sophomore, Ahwatukee, age 16 - 150+ hours & Key Club Member (Special to AFN)

Gallego addresses a variety of issues in her annual speech

JACK WU Cronkite News

Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego stressed the importance of addressing homelessness, climate change and infrastructure in her annual State of the City address April 12.

Her annual address was scheduled to be followed on April 17 with the swearing in of Ahwatukee’s new representative on the City Council, District 6 Councilman Kevin Robinson.

Robinson’s swearing-in ceremony, joined by one other new council member and two others who are beginning new terms after their re-election last November, occurred past AFN’s print deadline and a full report will appear in the April 26 edition.

Gallego touched on numerous topics in her address last week.

“As the city continues to confront this challenge head-on, I am renewing my call to our partners – from other municipali-

ties across the Valley to state and county agencies: The only way we can solve a problem that affects us all is by working together,” Gallego said.

In her remarks at the Sheraton Phoenix Downtown, she outlined the tactics Phoenix is using to combat the homelessness crisis, including working with nonprofit partners to manage more than 5,000 affordable housing units.

Two weeks ago, the YMCA unveiled a new homeless youth drop-in and residential program to young adults in need of food and other services.

In addition to homelessness, Gallego highlighted another ever-growing problem: climate change.

She called attention to Phoenix’s multiple projects to fight the heat, including installing 100 miles of cool pavement and planting trees to shade public walkways.

At least 378 people died of heat-associ-

see MAYOR page 7

Ahwatukee Family Festival spotlights local businesses

AFN NEWS STAFF

The Ahwatukee Swim, Tennis & Event Center and Ahwatukee Board of Management is holding a special festival Saturday, April 22, as well as a food drive this Friday and Saturday.

The Ahwatukee Family Festival, 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday at the center, 4700 E. Warner Road near 48th Street, features a host of local vendors from the community as well as live music, refreshments, raffles and bounce houses.

Non-perishable food and other items that will be earmarked for the Generation Church food pantry in Ahwatukee are being collected 9 a.m.-4 p.m. and the center.

Needed items beyond food include pet food, baby wipes, feminine hygiene

MAYOR from page 6

ated causes in 2022, according to the Maricopa County Public Health Department, with deaths occurring almost a month earlier than 2021.

Gallego urged federal action to help fight extreme heat in Arizona.

“That’s why I’m calling on FEMA to revise their declared-disasters list to include extreme heat. Resources from pop-up shelters to additional outreach to our vulnerable residents could help us successfully navigate unforgiving summers.”

Shading public paths and cooling down pavement were two small pieces of broader infrastructure improvements across

and personal care products as well as cash.

There will also be 11 food vendors, 16 home service companies, 12 other businesses and over a dozen health and wellness clinics.

This is the center’s inaugural Ahwatukee Has A Heart Festival and is sponsored by Your Solar Connection. Admission and parking are free.

“From tasty treats to your household needs, you can learn about all the businesses that make our community amazing,” events director Susan Rast said.

Beer and wine also will be available for purchase.

Proceeds from our raffle benefit the 100 Club.

Attendees are invited to bring a chair and blanket for the free entertainment.

Information: 480-893-3431. 

Phoenix. Gallego attributed many of the improvements to Phoenix’s infrastructure to the federal Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, which is funding new additions to the light rail and improvements to water recycling. Projects like these will help the push for clean energy in Arizona, Gallego said.

“We will continue to bring new ideas to the table to be good partners, and together we can co-create new solutions.”

Along with these topics, Gallego also committed to better health care for Phoenix residents “so that people can access world class medicine and services close to home.” Mayo Clinic and Barrow Neurological Institute are both developing research facilities in Phoenix.

‘Cottage foods’ bill triggers wide-ranging debate

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Those tamales sold on street corners and in front of grocery stores prepared in Arizona home kitchens may soon become legal.

Ditto menudo, posole, pupusas and anything else now readily available.

With only 11 dissenting votes – including Ahwatukee LD12 Reps. Stacey Travers and Patty Contreras – the state House approved legislation April 20 to expand state laws that allow the sale of “cottage foods’’ to the general public. With the Senate already having given its blessing, HB 2509 now goes to Gov. Katie Hobbs.

Arizona law generally gives the state Department of Health Services oversight of foods and drinks sold at the retail level. That includes minimum standards for kitchens and equipment as well as regulations for for producing, processing, labeling, storing, handling, serving and transporting the products.

Lawmakers approved an exemption in 2010 for home kitchens if these products are not potentially hazardous and do not require time or temperature controls. What strictly speaking remained illegal is the sale of home-prepared items that have to be cooked and kept warm.

That would change if Hobbs signs the measure. And that, said Rep. Travis Grantham, is long overdue.

The Gilbert Republican said his legislation simply recognizes the facts on the ground: Thee items are widely offered for sale. What would change is that the cooks who prepare them and the family members that sell them would no longer be subject to fines.

Not everyone thinks it is a good idea.

During debate last Thursday, Contreras, told colleagues of her experience as a food service manager for more than 15 years, including at one point managing five commercial kitchens preparing more than 2,000 meals a day for home-bound seniors and others. She rattled off a litany of the kinds of diseases that people can get if food is not cooked at the proper temperature for the necessary period of time.

For example, she said campylobachter causes an estimated 1.5 million illnesses

in the United States every year. Symptoms range from diarrhea and nausea to stomach cramps.

And then there’s E. coli which can have similar effects.

Grantham, for his part, isn’t worried.

“But I personally have never been made ill or had food poisoning from something I’ve bought from cottage food,’’ Grantham said. “I have been made ill at a restaurant, ironically.’’

But the debate went far beyond questions of food safety and instead to economic development and even to issues of culture.

Rep. Consuelo Hernandez, D-Tucson, said it was hypocritical of lawmakers who, like her, represent largely Latino districts to oppose legalizing the widespread practice.

And her sister, Rep. Alma Hernandez, D-Tucson, questioned how many people who won’t support the legislation actually have purchased tamales or similar items themselves from street vendors.

“I find it extremely troubling that we are saying that this is going to kill Arizonans because someone is making food from their home and selling it,’’ Alma Hernandez said. And she said a lot of those people are single mothers living in her district.

The problem, she said, is that it remains illegal and those who get reported are subject to fines.

“I find it extremely troubling that someone who is trying to make a living, again, an honest living selling tamales or selling menudo on the weekends, which, believe me, there are many of us sitting here who have constituents that are doing that just to try to make their bills,’’ Alma Hernandez said.

But Rep. Judy Scheiebert, D-Phoenix, said the issue goes beyond safety. She cited a constituent who runs an Indian restaurant near her house.

“He had been doing a pretty good business,’’ she said.

“But since the pandemic he has really been undercut by people who have been preparing food at home, advertising it on the internet, on social media or on WhatsApp and have been serving the food in their backyards and also just accepting

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School gun bills head to Hobbs, possible vetoes

BY BOB CHRISTIE AND HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Republican lawmakers sent two measures dealing with guns and students to Gov. Katie Hobbs on April 11 – likely courting one veto, if not two.

The House voted along party lines to allow a parent who has a state-issued permit to carry a concealed weapon to bring it on to a school campus where he or she has children enrolled. SB 1331 already had been approved by the Senate.

Separately, the Senate approved HB 2332 which would require public and charter schools to provide students in grades 6 through 12 with “age appropriate’’ training in firearms safety.

That legislation, however, does not involve any actual instruction on how to operate weapons or hunting education. Instead, it is being promoted at teaching “simple, easy-to-remember stops so individuals who receive the training know what to do if they ever come across a firearm.’’

It already has been approved by the House.

Senate supporters of the measure, sponsored by Rep. Selina Bliss, R-Prescott, argued that education the best way to cut down accidental shootings by children who stumble across a firearms.

Republican Sen. John Kavanagh of Scottsdale criticized opponents, saying they were implying it involved hands-on training – which it does not.

FOOD from page 9

cash payments,’’ Schweibert said. “So he asked, ‘Why would I as a restaurant owner follow the rules when other people don’t have to follow those rules?’ ‘’ She said if the state is going to allow home kitchens there should be some cap on the amount of business they can do.

Grantham, however, said the opposition from restaurants is “they just don’t want the competition.’’

“This is about training kids what to do when they stumble upon a firearm which may be loaded, so they don’t pick it up so they don’t discharge it accidentally,’’ Kavanagh said.

Sen. Christine Marsh, D-Phoenix, called the legislation “yet another unfunded mandate that takes time that could be invested in academics.’’

And Sen. Anna Hernandez, D-Phoenix, said lawmakers would be better focused on preventing gun violence in the first place rather than “culture wars’’ issues.

“We have the opportunity to introduce legislation that will actually keep our children safe, like red flag laws or safe storage laws or universal background checks,’’ Hernandez said.

The proposal to allow guns onto school campuses – something now prohibited under state law – has proven more controversial. And, given the record of the governor who already has racked up 43 vetoes this session, it could meet the same fate.

Current law requires anyone coming onto a campus, even into a parking lot, to first unload any weapons.

Shamp said that makes felons of parents who forget they had a weapon on them. And she argued that having to unload and reload a gun actually is more dangerous, as that is when accidents occur.

But Rep. Keith Seaman, R-Casa Grande, said all his experience as an educator convinces him the legislation is a bad idea.

Seaman said his job was to keep everyone on campus safe.

see GUNS page 14

tronomy.

“I like tamales and I vote aye,’’ said Rep. Tim Dunn, R-Yuma.

Grantham said even if Hobbs signs the measure there still would be limits.

“For example, a cottage food producer cannot run a restaurant out of their home,’’ he said.

And then there were those for whom the issue was more a question of personal gas-

Grantham said that existing prohibitions about having alcohol or cannabis in homeprepared goods are being strengthened. He also said if the food is being sold online it must be specifically disclosed that the items were prepared in a home kitchen. 

East Valley chief rips use of cops as repo men

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

State lawmakers are moving to get police out of the business of being repossession workers for auto dealers and title loan companies.

Legislation given preliminary approval last week by the Senate would repeal laws that make it a crime to fail to return a motor vehicle after having skipped payments.

It still would be illegal. But HB 2484 would make it a civil matter, no different than failing to make payments on that new TV or washing machine.

“It criminalizes a civil issue,’’ said Gilbert Police Chief Michael Soelberg. “It endangers our officers. And I believe it is a danger to the public as well.’’

Bobbi Sparrow, executive director of the Arizona Automobile Dealers Association, said motor vehicles are different because they can be driven off and hidden.

But Justin Thornton, executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police, said it’s not that simple.

He said that the current law allows

dealers and lenders to file reports of stolen vehicles. And that, Thornton said, goes into the same statewide and national database that police use when inputting a license plate into an inquiry.

And what that means, he said, is a “felony stop.’’

Thornton told the story of patrolling in the City of Maricopa, running license plates and looking for stolen vehicles as well as possible drugs. One of the plates he ran showed the vehicle was stolen.

“I made a felony stop – which is a traffic stop where we stay back by our cars, we pull our weapons, and we start giving them commands to get out of the vehicle,’’ he told the Senate Judiciary Committee last month.

With the help of other officers, he pulled a father, a mother and three kids out of the vehicle “that really didn’t know why they were being pulled out at gunpoint,’’ Thornton said.

“That’s not something I’m proud of in my career,’’ he said. “I don’t think that family should have gone through that for

a civil issue.’’

And then, Thornton said, is the fact that felony stops can lead to danger for both the officers and the people being pulled over, Sparrow argued that this isn’t just about a missed payment.

She said the law does not kick in until there have been no payments for at least three months. And even after that, Sparrow said, the lender needs to send a certified letter to the borrower.

But Joe Clure, executive director of the Arizona Police Association, said that’s still no reason to get the police involved.

“What business wouldn’t want to have the police acting as their personal collecting agency and have a nationwide repo company at taxpayer expenses?’’ Clure continued. “Who wouldn’t want that luxury?’’

He said nothing stops auto dealers, title loan companies and others from going out and retrieving the vehicle.

“They can hire repo men,’’ Clure said.

“They can put a GPS on it,’’ he said. “Police have no business doing this.’’

He cited a case where someone bought a vehicle for $14,700 and made payments of $1,225 a month for eight months, totaling $9,800.

“He owns more of the car than the (lending) company does at that point,’’ Clure said. But it was still reported as a “stolen’’ vehicle.

Clure also said his experience is that the lenders don’t prosecute even though they have reported a crime.

“Once they get the car back, they’re done,’’ he said.

Clure also said that title lenders in particular may not want courts looking into the loans they make because if a court finds the terms “unconscionable’’ the contract is void. And he argued that a loan with an effective annual interest rate of 198% might fit that definition.

Dave Warkentin, director of the Arizona Independent Automobile Dealers Association, warned lawmakers that taking away the tool of being able to use police see THEFT page 14

THEFTfrom page 13

to recover what his association calls stolen vehicles may have repercussions.

He said if the legal remedy they now have disappears it will make all lenders make different deals, like increasing the down payment for everyone or charging higher interest rates for everyone below a certain credit rating.

“Is that better for the low-credit consumer?’’ Warkentin asked. “No, it’s not.’’

And he had his own take about the family that Thornton said he pulled over.

“They were getting pulled over because they defrauded a secured creditor

and hid the vehicle for four months from getting repossessed,’’ he said.

“They knew this was not their vehicle,’’ Warkentin said. “They didn’t have a right to that vehicle. They were driving it for free. And they were hiding it from the secured creditor.’’

Car and Driver reports that Ford has filed a patent for technology that could aid in repossession of vehicles.

According to the report, it would allow for a dealer or lender to start remotely disabling various vehicle functions like the power windows. And ultimately it could allow autonomous vehicles to drive themselves away and back to the dealership. 

“As a principal, I need to know who is carrying a weapon,’’ Seaman said. “As an educator, I know that guns do not belong in school under any circumstances. There are too many chances for misfirings or angry shots.’’

But Rep. Alexander Kolodin, R-Scottsdale, said his vote in support of the measure came down to a simple four words: “shall not be infringed,” quoting from the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

Federal law requires school campuses to be gun-free zones.

But that law has a number of exceptions, including for people licensed by the state. And supporters say that the CCW permit fits that definition.

Hobbs already has vetoed several gun-related measures, including one which would have stripped the ability of communities to regulate gun shows and another which would have denied public contracts to banks that refuse to do business with gun dealers and manufacturers. 

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Phoenix brainstorms expanded drinking water access

BY GRACE MACK Cronkite News

The Phoenix Office of Innovation gave residents a problem to solve: Come up with creative ideas for providing chilled drinking water in public places like parks and bus stops.

The team with the best solution would win a cash prize.

Five teams answered the call. And on April 6, after six hours of collaboration, 27 participants were split up into teams of five or six to devise a plan. The teams then presented their ideas to a panel of judges.

Team 3 won the challenge. and each member each took home $700. Team members said every Phoenix resident should have access to chilled drinking water within five minutes of their local bus stop.

The winning idea was a fountain made with a polycarbonate shell, the same material used to make bulletproof glass, instead of metal so it would not absorb heat and would be resistant to vandalism. Water would be cooled using ther-

moelectric plates.

A shade structure with an active cooling roof would shade people from the hot Phoenix sun. Art installations would adorn the outside of the structure.

Judges liked the $4,500 projected price of each unit, which would be all locally produced. City officials could monitor data about how much water was being used.

Chief Innovation Officer Michael Hammett said his office wanted to engage the community and reward people for their ideas.

“That is bringing together the innovation community, and coming to the community with a problem the city is facing and asking these innovators to come up with solutions,” he said. “In this case, it’s expanding access to drinking water in public places – drinking water that’s chilled.”

Norman Rodriguez, Team 3’s captain and president of Elevate, an Arizona company that provides training for people looking for entry-level technology jobs, said Phoenix’s water fountains “rarely work, they’re very difficult to find

and they’re certainly never cooled.”

Team member Jordan Fourcher is the CEO of Cryo-X, which created a vinyl sticker that it claims will cool any outdoor surface. Its flagship product is a phone case that it said gets colder in the sun without using electricity.

Fourcher said the cooling roof proposed in their idea is possible because of his company’s radioactive cooling technology.

Among the ideas from other teams were: A water refill station in the shape of a tree with misters at the top to cool users; Water dispenser units in pre-existing buildings with awareness campaigns; an app that contains the locations of water dispensers and reviews water quality;

cording to Hammett. But the winning idea will be considered, and portions of ideas may be used.

The event was in partnership with the Phoenix Office of Innovation and V enture Cafeé, a global company that sets up weekly meetings in cities to bring startup founders, researchers, investors and entrepreneurs together to brainstorm ideas.

The Phoenix Office of Innovation partners with residents, city departments as well as local and national organizations to create solutions to the city’s challenges.

“To solve an important challenge, Phoenix is tapping into one of our greatest resources — our creative and enterprising residents,” Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego said, adding that expanded access to drinking water “is essential to keeping our residents comfortable

off-spelling of “strive.”

As they prepare to graduate next month with perfect grades and enter Arizona State University’s Barrett, The Honor College, Brendan and Tyler are seeing their brand starting to take off.

Which is not entirely surprising for two guys who have strived to succeed since they were classmates at Kyrene Akimel A-al Middle School.

Armed with knowledge they largely acquired on their own, they trademarked their logo.

They had no outside help when they registered their company last fall with the state Corporation Commission.

Using only the money they earn on their own – largely through sales but also from Christmas gifts and Brendan’s parttime job – they forged relationships with two local businesses to move their endeavor along.

Print Smart owner Scott Thomas helps them with bulk purchases of blank T-shirts on which his company screen prints the boys’ company name and logo.

Beautiful Creations, owned and oper-

ated by another Desert Vista student, Brianna Lopez, makes stickers of their logo that they include with every item they sell. Their business sells tank tops in black and battle gray, T-shirts in four different colors, beanies and shaker bottles

through their own marketing.

Now, Brendan and Tyler are mapping the expansion of their line as soon as they settle into a dorm quad this summer that they’ll share with two friends.

They plan to major in marketing, intent

on never working for someone and making their way in the world as independent businessmen.

All of what the two teens have done pretty much mirrors what they’re selling besides products: a vision of a community bound by the motto “Strive to Conquer.”

That vision is resonating with classmates, friends and even strangers across the country who have come across their website, strveclothing.com.

“Join the movement of those determined to conquer their fears and become the strongest versions of themselves,” their website urges, stating that with their motto “as our battle cry, we’ll come together to strive and conquer. Embrace the darkness, embrace the strength.”

The idea for their venture was forged during freshman year, when they both played football at Desert Vista and eventually discovered their true passion –weightlifting.

“We started lifting weights and got way more passionate about that than football,” Brendan recalled. “Then we started moving kind of towards the idea of a whole

see STRVE page 18

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The two teens’ developed a logo for their brand, STRVE, incorporating the Greek letter “sigma” with a trident to convey an idea of humility and strength. (David Minton/AFN Staff Photographer)

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new community and that’s where we are getting into.”

Though born of a commitment to the gym that sometimes sees them at EõS Fitness as early as 4 a.m. when necessary, striving in the minds of Brendan and Tyler applies to just about anything that’s worth doing at all.

“We wanted to make an impact in the community like others have done for us,” Tyler explained.

“We would go home after school, after gym and watch as many videos and do as much research as we could find on how to apply for a trademark and LLC, how to market and create a clothing brand.”

Initially, Brendan recalled, “a lot of it was fear and confusion.”

“But when we actually took the time to sit down and figure it out, it came to us pretty quickly,” he said. “We realized in doing these new ventures that things can be kind of scary.”

It was scariest when they just sat back and thought about all that had to be done.

So instead of thinking, they just started doing.

With their website they just launched April 1, for example, “we sat down for eight hours and figured it all out pretty much on our own,” Brendan said. “We got our domain name and we got the whole website set up.

“It’s way more satisfying than just having someone do it for you.”

It’s also been way more successful than they expected initially.

Their Instagram account started off slow with only a couple hundred views but within a few weeks exploded into 300,000 views that garnered 900 followers in less than a week.

Brendan and Tyler are quick to acknowledge the mentoring they’ve received.

They credit the guidance at school from marketing teacher Duane Farnsworth, who taught them the four “Ps” of a successful business – “product, price, promotion and placement.”

That guidance inspired them to take a slow but thoughtful approach to each product they’ve rolled out.

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STRVE from page 18

shirts repeatedly to make sure the logo and brand name didn’t fade. “We tested these many times before we sold them,” Tyler said.

They also include care instructions with each item of apparel they sell.

Brendan and Tyler also credit the leadership and weightlifting coach Doug Christofis has provided them.

And the boys value the counsel they receive from their mothers – Meredith Porter and Heidi Moore.

Their logo combines the Greek letter for “sigma” and a trident, often depicted in renderings of Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea.

and the trident is for strength,” Tyler explained.

Added Brendan: “Our logo represents the strength and prosperity in the strong and humble leader. We’re trying to just build a community that’s surrounded by people who want to uplift others and make not only themselves but the community around them better.”

They not only strive to conquer the marketplace but also time management.

Along with school work, they both have girlfriends and, of course, gym –where sessions often last two hours, multiple days a week.

Tyler plays lacrosse and is active in Desert Vista’s DECA Club. He will be traveling this week to Orlando, Florida, to compete in the entrepreneurship category of the

DECA International Career Development Conference.

Brendan holds down a part-time job.

Still, Brendan added, “we find time almost every week to meet outside of school and talk about what we need to get done and our life goals.”

And that attitude has also inspired others. Said Tyler’s mom, Meredith Porter: “I cannot tell you how proud I am of these guys. I mean, it really gets me choked up. They have just really strived to be the best that they can be and they really live by their mantra every day. And it’s been really a pleasure to kind of watch them go through this process and learn from the ground up how to make something work rather than having somebody else do it for them.”

Brendan’s mom, Heidi Moore, a professional marketing expert, also has been a big help, Porter said.

But in the long run, STRVE is succeeding because of the effort Brendan and Tyler put into it, she added.

“What they’re promoting is a lifestyle, it’s a way to think and a way to live,” she said. “And they really do live by it. You don’t see too many kids this age team up and really have such a great motivation together and give up their weekends and their evenings. They’ve been here at midnight putting shirts together. …It’s something you don’t see with many kids, so it’s really been special and great to watch them. it’s been great to watch them and I think it’s going to be really fun to watch them in the future.” 

LEFT: Beanies are part of the two teens’ clothing line, which also includes shirts and shaker cups. They are planning to expand their line to include hoodies and other apparel. RIGHT: The first T-shirt that Brendan and Tyler made hangs in Tyler’s bedroom, a reminder of how far they’ve come in three years. (David Minton/AFN Staff Photographer)

“The ‘sigma’ represents a humble leader

Attendance Patterns

Over the last three years, the number of students who attend a Kyrene school in its attendance area has declined at 17 of 19 elementary campuses – including eight of the nine in Ahwatukee. The very bottom line of this chart shows the percentage of students from that school’s attendance area actually enrolled in that school. (Applied Economics)

KYRENE from page 1

to a shrinking school-age population.”

The district’s student population is about 14,000 with just under 11,100 kids who live in the district.

The total enrollment is far from the 18,000 who were in Kyrene schools when the century began, although out-of-district children attending Kyrene schools has softened the impact of the loss of indistrict students.

With an overall population dominated by a significant number of older households with no school-age children, some

forces impacting enrollment are largely out of Kyrene’s control, Brammer’s study found.

Soaring housing prices and mortgage interest rates are persuading older homeowners with no children to stay put.

At the same time, most young families with kids consider a home in Ahwatukee and parts of Chandler and Tempe out of reach – even with both parents working, Brammer said.

“You’ve gone through a real period of changeover and the population has gotten

see KYRENE page 21

Most Kyrene schools saw an enrollment decline in the number of students who live in their attendance areas over the last three years. (Applied Economics)

older,” Brammer told the board.

“And the turnover rates – how fast houses change hands – have declined so much that we’re not getting the benefit of neighborhood regeneration.

“Everybody’s been getting older and as our prices get higher and interest rates get higher, it makes it even harder for people to be mobile in and out of these houses. It’s really kind of stymied what might have been a turnaround in our school age population.”

“It’s really quite dramatic,” Brammer said. “And it’s affecting enrollment in every school district that is not able to sell entry-level housing or have cheap rentals.”

Mother Nature also plays a role, as birth rates in Arizona “plummeted by nearly 19% during the Great Recession,” he said.

Although the number of births statewide increased slightly from 77,000 in 2021 to 78,198 last year, he said, the birth rate still declined.

The number of families living outside the district who send their kids to a Kyrene school has softened the impact of all those forces driving the enrollment decline, Brammer said.

Between 2002-03 and the current school year, in-district enrollment has fallen by 6,630 – including a drop of 1,766 students in the last five years.

But Brammer said out-of-district enrollment is waning “and it is likely to continue to do so as the total school-age population of the surrounding area declines.”

The 2015-16 school year saw the most out-of-district students – 4,035 – while that number in the current school year is 3,048. Students from outside district boundaries now account for 21.6% of total enrollment.

Among Kyrene’s Ahwatukee campuses, enrollment at Estrella and Lagos comprises the smallest percentages of students living in their attendance areas. Nearly half attend a school farther from home.

Although Colina enrolls 63% of kids in its attendance area, that is a 27.5% decline from what it was three years ago, Brammer found.

Among the three middle schools in Ah-

watukee, Altadena’s enrollment counts the highest percentage of kids living in its

attendance area. Its 91% rate is far higher than Akimel’s 79% and Centennnial’s 59%.

But all three middle schools have seen a decline in the number of students who live within their attendance area boundaries. Centennial’s 19.2% decline was the highest while Altadena had the lowest drop with 12.1%

Brammer cautioned that while the district could lose another 2,000 students over the next five years, “a smaller loss is possible.”

And while charter schools and the expansion of Empowerment Scholarship Accounts, or vouchers, both have siphoned some students away from the district, Brammer said their impact has not been as significant as COVID-19.

That’s because as a result of work-athome and campus closures, more parents’ saw benefits of online and home schooling.

Brammer said Kyrene’s student population had stabilized prior to the onset of the pandemic, but has not bounced back from losses incurred during the pandemic.

That impact could be felt for years, he said, “as smaller classes advance through upper grades.”

While children in poorer areas “didn’t go to school at all” after the pandemic subsided, Brammer told the board, Kyrene’s enrollment hasn’t bounced back because “in your area, I think it’s homeschooling.”

All the factors prompted board Vice President Michelle Fahy to observe, “We live in a very different era.”

“COVID happened and many of our families have jobs that allow them to work at home, which allowed them to be able to homeschool their kids because they have that flexibility.

“Having an affluent population also allows parents to drive kids wherever they want their kids to go,” she said, adding that with current home prices, “how could we possibly expect many young families to come into our community?”

“We don’t want to lose our kids but we’re really not losing them to the charters and the privates,” Fahy continued. “We are losing them to alternative choice….I think it does also point out to a new reality for us that we’re going to have to get creative about.” 

While the overall population within Kyrene boundaries has steadily increased in the last 10 years, new single-family home construction has slowed and households are getting smaller because more apartments than houses are being built. (Applied Economics)

Kyrene, like other school districts, faces competition from public charter and private schools, with at least a dozen within its boundaries. However, the data suggests that charters and private schools are not the main reason why parents don’t send their kids to a Kyrene school, but rather they find homeschooling and online more attractive options. (Applied Economics)

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Families volunteer to help Y OPAS help local seniors

BY KAIA CANFIELD AFN Guest Writer

YOPAS, the Outreach Programs for Ahwatukee Seniors that is part of the YMCA, is a free service for local seniors who need a little help to remain in their homes.

Volunteers drive seniors to medical appointments, offer friendly visits, phone calls, shopping, and social activities.

The YMCA is about families and oftentimes volunteering is a family affair.

For several years, Leslie and Steve Diephuis, and Leslie’s mother, Judy Campbell, have actively volunteered for Y OPAS. Ron and Linda Thornton have been Y OPAS volunteers for over 20 years.

Judy Campbell’s mother instilled in her the spirit of volunteering to help others.

While living in Asia, ultra-organized Judy volunteered at schools, churches and food pantries while busy working and raising four children.

Judy, who is retired, has found her former career as a CPA helpful when working on budget issues and other office needs for Y OPAS. She is frequently on the phone

Ahwatukee teen collecting water bottles for the poor

ADesert Vista High junior and Ahwatukee resident is collecting new and gently used reusable water bottles for the second consecutive year to help people living on the street withstand the brutal summer heat.

The campaign fulfills a promise made by Elia Woods on her website, therecyclingproject.org, after her campaign last year garnered 678 water bottles that were donated to nonprofits to help people with little to no easy access to water in the Valley.

“In the future,” she wrote, “we hope to expand out of the Phoenix valley and give people easier access to water all over the U.S.

The next step in that campaign is happening now: She expanded collection boxes to 30 sites across the Valley, including all Spooner Physical Therapy Clinics.

Elia said that this year, she hopes to double the number of last year’s haul – which itself was more than three times her goal of 200 bottles.

Last year she personally delivered the bottles she collected to the three agencies she worked with.

She is partnering this year with the St. Vincent de Paul and Arizona State University’s Project Humanities, an organization that her neighbor, ASU Foundation Professor of English Dr. Neal Lester founded. Project Humanities volunteers every

see BOTTLES page 25

with seniors and loves interacting with them, many of whom are lonely and just want to hear a friendly voice.

She also enjoys meeting with seniors face to face at the social events and learning more about their life experiences. Judy’s background is also useful as sometimes the elderly may ask for help simplifying minor financial issues, how to get rid of scammers and other tips on how to make their lives less complicated.

Leslie Diephuis had not previously interacted with seniors in her volunteer activities until she and her husband Steve decided they wanted to help the elderly after seeing what Steve’s mother was experiencing trying to live independently.

In 2015 Leslie volunteered as a driver for Y OPAS and then became an employee. When the office was closed due to the pandemic, she helped to convert paper processes to digital forms.

see Y OPAS page 25

Steve and Leslie Diephuis along with Leslie’s mother, Judy Campbell, are among the volunteers who help Y OPAS maintain its free services to Ahwatukee senior citizens. (Courtesy Y OPAS)

AFN NEWS STAFF

Elia Woods, a Desert Vista junior who lives in Ahwatukee, has launched her second annual drive to collect new and gentle used reusable water bottles for distribution to people who live on the street. (David Minton/AFN Staff Photographer)

Shred-A-Thon helps ARC club bring troops some joy

It takes the Village to help the troops.

That’s what the Support the Troops Club at the Ahwatukee Recreation Center hopes people remember this Saturday, April 22, when it holds its semiannual Shred-A-Thon.

The Shred-A-Thon – 9-11 a.m. in the parking lot at the Ahwatukee Recreation Center, 5001 E. Cheyenne Drive, Ahwatukee – supports the shipment of boxes of goodies to 150 troops overseas.

Those packages mean a lot, as U.S. Navy Lt. Commander Brenda Way wrote the nonprofit from Camp Lemonnier in Africa several years ago:

“Thank you so much for my Christmas package. It means so much that strangers would take the time to show such love and care for service members. We have such an amazing country that I am very proud to serve.”

The club is one of more than 30 organizations based at the ARC, which is marking its 50th anniversary this year.

Besides helping men and women serving

the nation abroad, the Shred-A-Thon gives Ahwatukee residents a chance to safely dispose of old but important documents cluttering their home and garage.

Documents are shredded on site in the shredding truck as they are dropped off.

The charge for a banker box size of documents to be shredded is $5. Documents can be brought in other containers, since a banker’s box is only the size used to determine the charge.

All proceeds help fund the club’s twicea-year project to send 150 care packages to our troops stationed overseas.

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Volunteers from the Ahwatukee Recreation Center have already purchased gift items to fill the packages and count on proceeds from the Shred-A-Thon to help pay for the shipping costs.

They will be getting together shortly after the Shred-A-Thon to pack the care packages assembly line style.

Each box includes lots of individually wrapped snacks and treats, plus other useful things such as moist wipes and t-shirts. Fun items like decks of cards, paperback books and frisbees are added.

Sometimes there will be items which

BESTOF 2022

have been specifically requested – bed sheets, and laundry detergent pods were two such requests, according to spokesman Ed Doney.

Since everyone involved is a volunteer, and ARC provides the facilities without charge, everything raised for the project goes directly into sending the care packages.

The shredder truck is not donated and must be paid from the shredding fee.

“With 300 packages being sent annually and a shipping cost of more than $20 per package, the need for fundraising is significant,” Doney added.

Anyone wishing to make additional donations to the project, can send a check to ARC Support the Troops, 5001 E, Cheyenne Drive, Phoenix, AZ 85044.

Donations are not tax deductible because although the group is nonprofit, it is not a 501(c)(3) charity.

A flag will again mark the entrance to the ARC and volunteers in red from Support the Troops will greet each driver, making it unnecessary to get out of their car. 

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.

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Volunteers involved in collecting document s for shredding at a Support Our Troops Shred-AThon last year gathered for a group photo after the event. (Ed Doney/Special to AFN)

Analyst:

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

Did the Super Bowl take the bloom off the short-term rental rose?

Valley housing market analyst the Cromford Report thinks it might.

It suggested last week owners of such properties may find new opportunity for making more money from the unrelenting housing shortage in the Phoenix metro area.

The Cromford Report said that while short-term rental landlords were looking forward to cashing in big time on out-ofstate traffic to the big game, they scored no

touchdown.

“Many owners were disappointed with their receipts from the Super Bowl,” the Cromford Report said. “We seem to have an excess of short-term rental supply which means owners are having to compete with each other on price for short-term tenants.

“As we head into the low season for holiday rentals, we may see some get sold off. More likely they will be converted to longterm rentals, where the rental prices are much lower but the percentage occupancy is likely to be much higher.

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RENTAL from page RE1

“Demand for long-term rentals is generally more reliable and consistent.”

Occupancy rates for short-term rentals in the Valley were in the mid-60% range in March and a bit lower than that during February Super Bowl time, according to AIRDNA.com.

That site measures activity among the world’s three most popular rental platforms, including Airbnb.

If short-term rental landlords in the Valley aren’t discouraged by occupancy rates, their out-of-state customers might be if they see a new study by Forbes Advisor.

Forbes ranked Phoenix and Scottsdale second and third in the nation, respectively, for charging customers the highest fees.

Those fees – which are over and above the daily rent a vacationer thinks they’re spending for a short-term rental – account for an ad-

ditional 47% in daily costs for a Phoenix rental and 45% in Scottsdale, Forbes reported.

“Many travelers feel this fee frustration,” Forbes said, adding that travelers this summer faced an average 36% in fees atop their daily room or house rate.

“So, for a hypothetical $180-a-night beach house, 36% in added fees would push the one-day total to nearly $245. Stretch that out over five days and you’re looking at a bill topping $1,200.”

Forbes based its analysis on a study of 32,000 listings in the 100 most popular Airbnb destination spots.

In Phoenix, it said, the average nightly rate of $202 might look good – until a renter sees an extra 20% cleaning fee, 16% service fee and 10% added for taxes.

Scottsdale was almost as bad. Forbes said vacationers pay an average $253 a night –and then shell out an extra 18% for cleaning, the 16% service fee and 11% more for taxes.

By way of a comparison, Sedona travelers pay an extra 39% in fees and taxes. But daily rental rates are an average $320, according to the report.

While the high fees might discourage some people from scheduling a few days or a week in Phoenix or Scottsdale, they might reconsider when they consider some other top destinations in the Forbes study.

It listed average daily base-rental prices that dwarfed the cost in Scottsdale and Phoenix even after fees are added.

For example, the top three most expensive out of 100 locales were Nantucket, Maine, with a daily average rent of $1,280; Mantauk, New York, $1,1029; and Telluride, Colorado, $825.

Other pricey destinations included: Key West, Florida, $640; Santa Cruz, California, $489; Jackson Hole, Wyoming, $540; Lake Tahoe, California, $501; and Aspen, Colorado, $652.

Over the 100 markets in the Forbes study, 18 showed an average daily rent at least $500. But when fees were folded in, 33 markets cost travelers at least $500 a day and four zoomed over $1,000 per day.

Forbes noted that Airbnb “now prioritizes the total cost rather than just the nightly rate” so that users won’t suffer sticker-shock when they get their bill.

Airbnb insists its offerings are still bargains.

“When compared to a hotel, Airbnb often provides more space and more amenities: Travelers can get an Airbnb with two bedrooms and two bathrooms for approxi-

mately the price of one hotel room at a major chain,” company spokeswoman Cristina Calzadilla told Forbes Adviser.

Dustin Abney, CEO of Portoro, which manages vacation rentals, said Airbnb gives renters “a better understanding of how fees are tied to operating expenses.

“Most guests are charged fees when they book a stay, but they don’t know what those fees are actually going toward. Most guests also assume that property managers or hosts are trying to price-gouge them, when this usually is not the case,” Abney said.

“In reality, there are many hidden costs that go into running a short-term rental and these costs fall on property managers to pay.”

Forbes also noted that travelers might still be shocked and confused.

“Customers may be frustrated by the fact that cleaning fees don’t always align with the length of stay,” it said. “Some even end up paying a cleaning fee that’s higher than their nightly rate for a short visit.”

Marcus Radar, founder/CEO of Hostaway, a platform for short-term rental managers, insisted that most travelers won’t be turned off by extra fees whether they’re hidden or not.

“Most vacation rental trips are booked for unique properties in unique locations where there are few hotels and by groups looking for amenities that hotels seldom offer,” he told Forbes.

“I’ve yet to stay in a hotel offering me a private backyard, a private pool and hot tub, a fire pit and a fully equipped kitchen with an outdoor barbecue.” 

Two Ahwatukee home sales this month were among the top sellers in the community in transactions well above $1 million each. LEFT: The 4,083-square-foot home on S. 5th Street in Foothills Club West’s Whistling Rock neighborhood sold for $1.3 million. The four-bedroom, 3 ½-bath house, built in 2000, boasted spectacular views with floor-to-ceiling windows, two fireplaces and numerous amenities. RIGHT: This five-bedroom, five-bath house on E. Suncrest Court sold for $1.4 million. Built in 1998, the nearly 5,100-square-foot home has 12-foot ceilings, wood floors, two fireplaces, an updated kitchen with high-end appliances and a large patio with fireplace, pool and spa. (Special to AFN)

Home & Garden Show offers variety of homeowner tips

Valley homeowners looking to spruce up their digs can get a wealth of ideas May 5-7 at WestWorld of Scottsdale when the Maricopa County Home & Garden Show takes place.

Billed as “the largest home show in the Southwest,” it will feature David Bromstad from HGTV’s My Lottery Dream Home.

It also will feature the latest trends in indoor and outdoor décor and ideas from a variety of local small businesses, artisans, and home improvement companies throughout the Valley.

“We’re excited for David Bromstad to share his crazy journey and expertise in home design on Saturday and Sunday,” said Katie Jones, show manager.

“Additionally, this spring show will also feature numerous home DIY inspirations and a variety of free make-and-take crafting classes all while shopping and support-

ing small local businesses and artisans.”

Bromstad will have live presentations at 1 p.m. May 6 and 7 with design tips from decades of experience.

Master gardeners will teach attendees how to save up to 60% of their water for

gardens, providing instruction in lowfired, clay ceramic vessels, an alternative watering method. They will also have seminars on pollinators, composting, and succulents.

Artisans will show how they transform

mud into unusual decorative pieces with daily live pottery wheel demonstrations and there will be free sessions on candle making, clay molding, and basic woodworking techniques.

The show also is returning its modern tiny home display will offer lessons on transforming transparent glass surfaces into privacy glass.

Free landscaping consultations are being provided and attendees are encouraged to bring photos and measurements of their backyard.

General admission is $10 for adults and $3 for children 3-12. People over 60 can pay only $2 if they show up between 10 a.m. and noon on opening day. And there are no age restrictions for a $2 admission 2-5 p.m. May 5.

In addition to admission, there is a $10 cash fee for parking.

Information: 602-485-1691 or MChomeshows.com. 

Home prices in region continue trending upward

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

Avariety of indicators last week suggested that despite the most favorable 30-year mortgage interest rates in two months, homebuyers in the Phoenix Metro region face steep challenges that could get even more challenging in the months ahead.

“Times are getting tougher for buyers,” said the Cromford Report, the leading analyst of the regional housing market.

It noted, “Buyers have less to choose from and although they are few in number they are now competing for a dwindling stock of homes for sale.”

Home prices are climbing, it said, adding that neither sellers nor buyers are finding much to cheer about in the market.

Sellers are tending to be discouraged by low demand while buyers are just as dis-

couraged by rising prices.

Still, after several months in the second half of last year that suggested sellers had lost their dominance, data show they have regained a strong position that stands to strengthen as a result of a persistently low inventory of homes for sale.

That inventory is bad and could get worse as far as new homes are cncerned, according to new data from the National Association of Home Builders.

It reported on April 14 that February showed a steep year-over-year decline in single-family-home building permits.

“All the states and the District of Columbia reported declines in single-family permits ranging from 3.8% in New Mexico to 72.8% in Montana,” it said.

Arizona showed a 56.8% decline in single-family building permits between February 2022 and February 2023, the association reported, adding that in the same

time period, permits for multifamily complexes rose 13.3%.

Among the top 10 metropolitan areas in the Unived States, the NAHB said, Phoenix Metro had the sharpest decline in singlefamily permits at 60% but only the fifth biggest increase in multifamily permits –18% compared to whopping increases like 113% in Miami and 83% in Atlanta.

The Cromford Report said that in Maricopa and Pinal counties combined, “We have well below two months of supply, consistent with a seller’s market and less than half the 3.8 months we saw at the end of last November.”

That statistic alone prompted it to advise Realtors:

“If you have clients who think prices are going to fall further, ask them to explain where the new supply is going to come from that would cause that to happen. Prices are unlikely to fall unless supply

rises to more than three months.”

“Foreclosures remain very scarce and single-family home builders have dropped their production plans sharply, driven by an abundance of caution,” it continued.

“With prices for new homes holding up well, they will probably regret that caution over the next several months.”

Assessing the strength of 17 sub-markets in the two-county region, the Cromford Report ranked Chandler the strongest with Phoenix taking fourth place and Glendale and Fountain Hills sandwiched between them in second and third place, respectively.

It added that for sellers, “improvement is accelerating slightly” but noted that’s because “we have fewer people wanting to sell a home.”

“There are more people who want to buy than sell – that indicates prices will rise.” 

Homeowners can get a wealth of ideas from the Maricopa County Home & Garden Show May 5-7 at WestWorld of Scottsdale. (Special to AFN)

If you’re a first-time home buyer—and you spot the property that has everything you’ve ever dreamed of and more—it can be tempting to put pedal to the metal and close the deal as quickly as possible.

No home is perfect beneath the surface, and few know this better than your real estate agent. That means it’s time to sit down with your agent and pepper them with questions about the property you’re hoping to make your own.

Certain questions seem rather obvious: Should you offer full price? How soon can you close? However, there are many other questions you may not think to ask an agent at this pivotal juncture in becoming a homeowner – but should.

Here are six questions to ask your agent to flush out what they’re truly thinking. These

can help you figure out whether this piece of real estate is really right for you, and what your next steps should be.

Would you buy this house? This question may be the ultimate litmus test of whether you should continue with a home-buying experience. Ask your agent point-blank whether they’d buy the home for themselves.

If your agent has any reservations about this hypothetical, that’s a waving red flag.

If you get the sense your agent isn’t as enthusiastic about the home as you are, ask why. It could be because of the neighborhood, the home itself, or something to do with the seller.

What is the sales history of this house? Before making an offer on real estate, ask your agent for the property’s sales history. Ask for information on the last time the home sold and any sales before that.

Follow-up questions worth asking: Was it

previously an expired listing? Was the home ever leased? Was it ever a bank-owned property or another type of distressed home?

These factors could suggest that it has been a struggle to sell the property – which could mean you could snap up this home at a bargain price.

What contingencies are worth getting? When buyers and sellers get cold feet about the purchase or sale of a home, they sometimes think they can just back out.

But when a seller accepts a buyer’s offer, both parties sign a legal and binding contract that requires the buyer and seller to execute the transaction.

How binding that contract is depends on the details. Some contracts have contingencies built in that enable the buyer or seller to walk away from the deal without penalty.

Contingencies are often included for a buyer getting approved for a mortgage, a

home inspection, and an appraisal.

But note that having too many contingencies tends to turn off sellers, so make sure to strike the right balance by asking your agent for guidance as you negotiate.

For instance, you might be fine waiving a home inspection contingency if the home is newly constructed. With an older home that might need extensive repairs, an inspection nearly essential.

Are there upcoming condo or homeowners association assessments?

HOA financial documents outline important information, such as reserve funds and CC&Rs (covenants, conditions, and restrictions).

These docs and disclosures can be hundreds of pages long. They can overwhelm buyers, who may forget to check if there are any upcoming assessments.

At age 10, Eastmark’s progress is stunning

BY SCOTT SHUMAKER AFN Staff Writer

Ten years ago, crowds came out to tour seven model homes and celebrate the grand opening of a massive master-planned community with a utopian vision for a community southeast Mesa on 3,200 acres formerly owned by General Motors to test vehicles.

Ten years later, crowds of Eastmark residents last month gathered at the park to celebrate its anniversary.

From seven model homes, Eastmark has grown to 7,000 houses, 20,000 people and 26 million square feet of non-residential buildings, including 10-12 million square feet of industrial space for the likes of Apple and Meta.

Many of those involved in planning the community say they are astonished by the

speed the community has developed and the degree to which the lofty ambitions for the master-planned community have been realized.

“I’m really impressed it all worked,” said Trevor Barger, CEO of Espiritu Loci, the design firm that created Eastmark’s master plan.

According to Eric Tune, senior vice president of Eastmark managing partner Brookfield Residential, the community is about 90% built out.

The last 600 available residential lots have been sold to guest builders for retail home buyers, he said.

Many of Eastmark’s planners thought it would be years before the community reached this point. They attribute its meteoric rise in part to a surging housing market and an innovative approach to zoning tried by Mesa that developers say made it easier to adapt the final plan to changing market

conditions.

Barger is pleased to see the community has a life of its own,

Three schools serve Eastmark, and the local high school, part of Queen Creek Unified School District, won the state championship in football last year. A Mesa Public Library is in the works.

Mesa Councilman Scott Somers, an Eastmark resident, said he believes people who live there are happy with the community.

“I think there’s a lot of pride,” Somers said.

Tune, an early Eastmark homeowner, said residents are more likely to know their neighbors than in other communities he’s lived in.

“Before I even actually moved into my home, I knew eight people that were moving into the street that I was going to be living on,” he said. “That was a testament to the efforts that our Community Life team

put forth in getting residents connected to each other through things like new resident patio parties.”

“It’s such a well-connected group of people, considering we have nearly 20,000 residents today,” Tune added.

Barger said the Eastmark’s layout is designed to promote connections.

“We wanted to make a ‘living room’ for each of the neighborhoods,” Barger said. “If you notice, when you drive in … you always get to the park first and then off to the houses, and the reason for that was, you would see everybody gathering, and you’re reminded each day of the community you live in.”

Barger said his team traveled the country, looking at turn-of-century neighborhoods for inspiration, and also took Irvine, Califor-

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Bonny Holland

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EASTMARK from page RE5

nia, and its relationship with John Wayne Airport as a model since Eastmark is near Phoenix Mesa Gateway Airport.

Barger feels the plan has succeeded when he sees how many people bike in the neighborhoods and use the Great Park.

The Great Park, like the neighborhood pocket parks, was intended to serve as a gathering space for the community with an amphitheater as a focal point.

Somers said that other communities in the Valley look to Eastmark as a model.

He spoke recently to a West Valley mayor who toured Eastmark because a developer wants to replicate the community on a smaller scale on that side of the Valley.

Grady Gammage Jr. served as attorney for GM when it was divesting its real estate holdings in Mesa, and he traces the high quality of Eastmark’s development standards and innovative zoning to the tension between automaker and the city when the company was looking to sell.

“The General Plan of the City of Mesa at that point had the entire Proving Grounds shown as industrial with no residential,” he said. “There was a concern that allowing residential too near the airport would constrain the ability of the airport to grow.”

Gammage said Mesa’s plan at the time was “wildly out of proportion to the natural ratio between residential uses and industrial and commercial use.”

For GM, the site was far less valuable as pure industrial land, which he estimated it would have taken 100 years to build out.

GM mounted a campaign to convince the

STRATEGIES from page RE4

Since they will affect your monthly housing expenses and must be paid in addition to your mortgage, you’ll want to know whether they could go up anytime soon and an agent is adept at navigating these documents to pinpoint the answer to your questions.

What’s happening in this neighborhood?

Good real estate agents hear everything about what’s happening in the communities where they do business, so it’s important for buyers to ask lots of questions.

Although federal fair housing laws prohibit real estate agents from commenting on the demographics of a neighborhood, an agent can still give you advice on whether you’re making a solid investment, based on local housing market trends and eco-

city that Eastmark could coexist with the Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport, and moreover, mixing in residential rather than having pure industrial would lead to higherquality development.

“I think this turned out to be true,” Gammage said.

Once the city opened up to the idea of a mixed-use development, City Manager Chris Brady said Mesa avoided a “cookiecutter kind of development.”

“We wanted to have a very much higherquality development that would be something unique as far as the amenities, the streetscape, the green spaces, the lighting, just everything that you see as your public space,” he said.

As a result of this back and forth, Gammage said the city struck a bargain with the developer in which they would build Eastmark to high design standards. In exchange, the city would give the developer flexibility to alter land uses and densities as Eastmark developed.

Gammage said quality-for-flexibility has become a common trade between municipalities and developers in Arizona, but at the time it was relatively novel.

One disappointment for the city has been that commercial and retail development has lagged behind Eastmark’s residential and employment buildout.

Brady’s not sure if there’s anything the city could have done at the outset to speed up retail development, saying it comes down to attracting developers to invest in those places.

But on balance, he said, Eastmark has been a boon to the city.

nomic factors that affect home values.

Are the neighborhood’s home prices rising or falling? Are there new amenities like parks, shopping, public transportation being built in the area? Also, try to determine a seller’s reasons for selling.

Can you recommend a home inspector, handyman, and real estate attorney in the area? Local expertise matters not only with the real estate agent you hire, but also with the other professionals you could meet as you negotiate this real estate deal.

If you need recommendations for a home inspector, handyman, real estate attorney, or anyone else on your home-buying journey, your agent can answer your questions and make recommendations to boost the odds that it will be smooth sailing from here on in.

Realtor.com provided this report. 

602-430-3917

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family room w/canterra fireplace, kitchen incs :slab granite,alder cabinets,s/s wolf appliances,gas cooktop,miele dishwasher,copper sinks,island, & subzero, most amazing custom stonework ever seen in ahwatukee consisting of marble,canterra,travertine, & granite, large master ste w/sitting area & 2 separate full baths, his/her alder & cedar lined closets, guest suite-2nd master w/ensuite bath & courtyard, extremely private backyard w/covered patio, pebbletec pool w/waterfalls, firepots, firepit, grassy play area, & fully equipped outdoor kitchen, fruit trees inc: apple, orange, lemon, & lime, this dream estate has it all!

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ON A

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Through this effort, Y OPAS remained open.

Her background as a volunteer and an employee gives Leslie a unique perspective to understand many seniors’ needs and how to coordinate volunteers to best meet those needs.

The beauty of volunteering with Y OPAS is the flexibility and ability to choose from a list of activities people are most comfortable doing. And they can selecting the time that fits their own schedule.

There are many ways to volunteer with Y OPAS besides driving, such as calling to make connections with the elderly who are at home and have few visitors. Drivers are always needed, but also a friendly visit or phone call is appreciated by seniors who may not have contact with another person for days.

Steve grew up with the volunteer spirit watching his mother volunteer frequently. After retiring, Steve wanted to give back to the community by becoming a volunteer driver for Y OPAS.

His motivation for joining Y OPAS was his mother. He thought she could have used a service like this in her later years.

Steve provides transportation for seniors to doctor appointments and grocery shopping. Enjoying the interaction, he appreciates hearing their stories while waiting with them at appointments. An expert photographer, he often shares his travel photographs with them.

Steve says it is easy to learn something new from the variety of experiences and

other Saturday morning gather at the Human Services Campus in downtown Phoenix to provide clothing and hygiene products to unsheltered people.

The Project Humanities’ Service Saturday volunteers don’t just hand out those items willy nilly. Each volunteer escorts one person through neatly stacked items so they can select them as if they were shopping. That way, volunteers not only establish a personal connection with the people they are helping but also give them some dignity.

Elia felt that both organizations aligned

life stories he hears.

Y OPAS has an interactive online scheduling tool that makes it easy for Steve to view two weeks out for volunteer opportunities that fit into his busy schedule.

His advice is that even if you can only volunteer once a month or make one phone call, take the first step. Once you do, it is addictive and you will realize that what you do can make a difference in one person’s life, he said.

Linda and Ron Thornton were two of the first volunteers to sign up with Y OPAS about 20 years ago and attended the first

with her mission.

She has volunteered at Paz de Christo, which serves daily meals to those in need. She and her mother, Sarah Woods, are active members of the National Charity League, a mother-daughter organization that embraces community service and leadership development.

Volunteering at Paz de Christo’s soup kitchen inspired her bottle campaign.

“One evening, while serving, I noticed only a few guests had either a Circle K cup, a crinkled plastic water bottle, or most had nothing at all to store water,” Elia explained. “They kept coming back to use small coffee Styrofoam cups for drink refills.

goes for a fast walk, runs errands, reads, or does cross stitching while visiting with others in the lobby.

From the time she first volunteered in grade school, Linda remembers her mother’s words, “You get more out of volunteering than you put in.”

Linda’s lifelong volunteering example greatly influenced Ron. After retiring, he was able to expand his volunteering with Y OPAS as well as other organizations and has developed close relationships with the seniors that he drives frequently to doctors and shopping.

The seniors have enriched his life in many ways. Most days, when in town, the couple are out helping others and they enjoy the convenience of picking their own volunteer schedule with Y OPAS.

Linda noted that parking is not a problem because most clients have a handicap placard. Seniors must be able to get in and out of a car without help.

training class. They both had witnessed seniors in their own families that could have used help and realized this program was something needed in Ahwatukee.

Linda’s skills as a CPA and also a school teacher were useful when helping to set up the new Y OPAS organization. Linda knew seniors needed a way to socialize as well as obtain rides to doctor appointments and food shopping.

Linda now volunteers to drive for Y OPAS a few times a week, often to appointments that require a longer time commitment. While waiting for seniors, she often

“My mother and I approached Paz de Christo and asked if they would be interested in doing a drive,” she continued. “They were excited for us to put together a drive on their behalf. Their location serves close to 200 guests and were looking for that amount.”

Elia also has worked with St. Vincent DePaul to create a donation page to enable people to donate money for the purchase of reusable water bottles. That site is: stvincentdepaul.net/give/campaigns/therecyclingproject-reusable-water-bottle-drive.

An aspiring environmental engineering major, Elia said her “is to help cut down on the environmental impact of

Linda is an avid gardener and involved in many activities but still manages to volunteer frequently with Y OPAS.

She notes that that there are many ways they can help seniors by volunteering with Y OPAS.

Driving, friendly phone calls, home visits, dominoes, lunches, social events, teaching arts and crafts, or just being there for someone to talk to.

To learn more about how to be a client or a volunteer with Y OPAS please contact valleyymca.org/opas or call 602212-6088.

keeping our neighbors in need hydrated this summer.”

The drive will go on only through April 30.

Ahwatukee locations of drop boxes and their websites are: Spooner PT, spoonerpt. com/pick-your-state; Chris’ Water & Ice; chriswaternice.com; Mountainside Martial Arts, mountainsidemartialarts.com; Awaken Chiropractic, awakenchiropractic.org; Music Makers Workshop, mmwaz. com; TLC Pediatrics, tlcpedsaz.com.

Other East Valley sites are: Chandler/ Gilbert YMCA, valleyymca.org/aboutyour-y/locations; Tempe YMCA, valleyymca.org/about-your-y/locations. 

Despite busy lives, Linda and Ron Thornton volunteer as much as they canto help Y OPAS serve Ahwatukee seniors. (Courtesy Y OPAS)

BOTTLES from page 23

Altadeña annual water walk raises $2K for Sudan

BY NICOLE ASHTON AFN Guest Writer

Seventh-grade students at Kyrene Altadeña Middle School on April 6 walked to help make a difference for families in South Sudan.

The fundraiser, now in its seventh year, will help provide clean water for impoverished communities.

“Altadeña’s staff builds leadership through empathy,” said seventh-grade English Language Arts teacher Christine Badgley.

“Our annual water walk is a great example of our LEAD principles, to lead by example in our community, which encourages our students to become global citizens through giving.”

During an English Language Arts class period, students each carried two gallons of water on a walk around the Altadeña track, raising money with each lap walked.

In addition to fundraising, students were recreating the experience of a character in the book, “A Long Walk to Water.”

ers in South Sudan. That right there is the most rewarding thing.”

Each year, seventh-grade ELA teachers aim to raise at least $1,000 for the Water for South Sudan organization. The students exceeded their goal again this year and raised more than $2,000.

The funds help to build wells for Sudanese villages, where women and children walk an average of 3.7 miles per trip to collect water, which is often contaminated.

According to Water for South Sudan, only one out of 10 people there have access to basic sanitation. Since the fundraiser began, Altadeña Middle Schoolers have raised more than $13,000 and partially sponsor a well in South Sudan. 

The book tells the story of a young Sudanese girl who walks barefoot every day for hours to collect water.

“I love seeing the students participate

and really get into it,” shared seventhgrade ELA teacher Tara Camarano. “I hear them say sometimes that they have a new appreciation for what life is like for oth-

Students at Kyrene Altadeña Middle School walked around the school’s track while carrying multiple gallons of water on April 6 to raise money for Water for South Sudan. (Kyrene School District)

AROUND AHWATUKEE

Tickets still available for FOL Beer and Wine Festival this Friday

There still is time to buy tickets to the Festival of Lights Wine and Beer Festival 6-10 p.m. Friday, April 21, at the Foothills Golf Club, 2201 E. Clubhouse Drive, which organizers will offer more reasons than ever to come and support the annual community holiday lights display.

New food options, expanded gaming tables and live entertainment are among the new additions. The 50/50 raffle and other raffles for some luxurious prizes as well as an expanded wine pull also are on tap. And weather permitting, Arizona Events Group owner Tim Matykiewicz of Ahwatukee will be offering people a chance to go up 30 feet in a tethered hot air balloon.

Tickets are $100 per person and $180 per couple at folaz.org.

Ahwatukee Republican Committee holding annual food drive April 29

The Ahwatukee Republican Precinct Committee is hosting its second annual food drive to benefit the St. Mary’s Food Bank.

The drive, 8-11 a.m. April 29, will be held at Pima Canyon Church, 9807 N. 48th St., Ahwatukee.

Non-perishable foods are requested.

For further information, contact Judy Taylor, 480 242 6995 or judytaylor44@cox.net.

Horizon Honors slates blood drive at end of month on its campus

Horizon Honors High School Key Club will host a blood drive on Saturday, April 29 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the school’s Community Room, 16233 S. 48th St., Ahwatukee.

Advance appointments are encouraged, but walk-ins are accepted. Sign up at bit.ly/hhblooddrive.

Ahwatukee Kiwanis Club lists speakers for coming weekly meetings

The Kiwanis Club of Ahwatukee has a series of speakers lined up at its weekly meetings at the Original Biscuits Restaurant on the southwest corner of Elliot Road and 48th Street in Ahwatukee.

The public is invited to attend. The meetings start around 7 a.m. and usually don’t last more than an hour.

Soeakers include: AFN Editor Paul Maryniak, tomorrow, April 20; Mary Adams of Mountain View Lutheran Church, April 27; and Juan Te Dailey of Dsquared Homes for the Homeless on May 11.

Christian Yoga founder slates retreat at new center near Show Low

Elena Porter, who brought Christian yoga to Ahwatukee through her service at Mountain Park Church, has launched a new effort with her husband Cliff to bring people some peace of mind.

They’ve formed a nonprofit called the Porter Mountain Retreat Center on their 40-acre ranch in the White Mountains of Vernon, 20 minutes outside Show Low.

Now, they are planning to hold their inaugural Refresh Your Soul Retreat April 28-30, which a range of activities Elena said are focused on “caring for the Soul with yoga, meditation, music, hiking, journaling, inspirational speakers, give-back activity and more.”

The retreat this month costs $225 and covers room and all meals. Registration is required at PorterMountainRetreatCenter.com. Carpooling may be available.

Garden tour here will benefit the work of the Armer Foundation for Kids

Ahwatukee Friends Family and Neighbors Art and Garden Club will sponsor a driving garden tour to benefit the Armer Foundation for Kids 10 a.m.-2 p.m. tomorrow, April 20.

The cost is $15 cash at 2625 E Brookwood Court, payable between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. that day There are five gardens to view between 10. a.m. and 2 p.m. and directions will be given for each location to purchasers, who will receive wrist bands. There will also be baked goods available for a donation. The event is open to anyone.

Time growing short to apply for Ahwatukee Republican Women scholarship

Ahwatukee Republican Women is again offering their annual scholarship to Ahwatukee high school seniors. The Marjorie Miner Scholarship, established in 2011, is awarded to Ahwatukee residents graduating from any area high school this year. This scholarship honors the longtime Republican activist who has been a member of ARW since it was founded in 2005.

Scholarship applicants should include two letters of recommendation from other than a family member and a 250-500-word double-spaced essay incorporating their involvement in volunteer service, extracurricular activities, clubs, and educational goals.

Visit ahawatukeerepublicanwomen.com for full details and to download the application.

The deadline to apply is April 30. Questions can be emailed to ARWomen@aol.com

Kyrene Foundation seeks sponsors and players for fundraiser-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.

Ahwatukee clinic offering a free ‘Pranic Healing’ session this month

Coach Matt’s Empowerment and Wellness Clinic at 4221 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee, is offering a free Pranic Healing session 10 a.m.-2 p.m. the last Saturday of every month. This month it will be held on April 29.

Pranic Healing is a modernized version of an ancient healing art “that uses prana or life force to remove old or stagnant energy within the body to accelerate healing,” a clinic spokeswoman said.

“We have done our best to prepare a safe healing clinic environment for those interested in experiencing the power of Pranic Healing,” she added.

People should arrive 10 minutes prior to fill out paperwork.

Owner/practitioner Matthew Olschner has been coaching and mentoring youth, families and teams in Ahwatukee for five years and recently added breathwork and other healing modalities to his work. He can be reached at Coach@coachmattaz.com or 480-261-9168. Information: coachmattaz.com.

Ironwood Library offers free activities for all ages in April

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 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 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.

Full STEAM Ahead

Children ages 6-12 explore hands-on creative ways to design, experiment, and invent Saturdays, 2-3 2-4 p.m., in this drop-in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) program. No tickets required.

Summer teen volunteer opportunity

Teens ages 13-17 can volunteer for the annual Summer Reading Program, which offers a chance to learn

customer service skills, inspire children to read, and work with other teens. Look for information about availability, training, and volunteer requirements, as well as the online application and parent consent form, at phoenixpubliclibrary.org/teens.

Positions can fill quickly, so apply early for the best chance of selection until all positions are filled.

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 to share their thoughts about each month’s selection the first Wednesday of each month, 5:00-5:45 p.m. On May 3, Turtles All the Way Down by John Green will be discussed. No tickets required. 

Dogtopia aims to create solid canine citizens

BY GERI KOEPPEL AFN Contributor

Lisa and Paul Walton of Ahwatukee Foothills had been taking their Labrador retriever, Ollie, to Dogtopia daycare and boarding in Chandler.

So when the owners opened a franchise at S. 48th Street and E. Elliot Road in March, they were thrilled.

“I’m a teacher,” Lisa Walton said. “This is like bringing a kid to preschool.”

Dogtopia provides more than simply a place for pups to sit around, she said: They’re engaged in enrichment activities, such as playing and learning.

“They’re also making sure they’re safe,” Lisa Walton noted. “They’re redirecting behaviors just like in school.”

Susan Perlman and her husband, Michael, of Gilbert, opened the south Chandler Dogtopia in August 2019 and will open a third franchise in north Gilbert at the end of April.

Dogtopia is not just a convenience for owners, Perlman said: It aims to create better canine citizens.

really thrive in socializing with other dogs. They’re better on lead, at the vet, at the groomer, you can take them to dog-friendly patios.”

One way Dogtopia helps dogs be their best is by requiring people to enroll them in a weekly plan so they’re in the facility regularly.

Prices vary and are listed on the website, but grand opening prices start at $40 per week for one day; unlimited packages including daycare and overnight boarding are available as well.

“What we’re trying to accomplish with that is a consistent routine of daycare where the dog is comfortable and familiar with their surroundings so they have an opportunity to get their exercise, their socialization, in a healthy and safe environment,” Perlman noted, adding, “They get 30,000 steps in daycare.”

No drop-ins are allowed because it’s stressful for the pet.

see

Perlman says. “Dogs

“It’s not about you, it’s about what’s best for the dog,” Susan

Physical therapy clinic celebrates grand opening

BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA AFN Contributor

The second East Valley location of Orthopedic Sports Therapy will officially launch Friday, April 21, with a grand opening celebration.

Located at 4302 East Ray Road, OST Ahwatukee (OSTA) joins a sister location in Tempe.

Seeing patients at the Ahwatukee facility began mid-February, yet this grand opening is the community’s opportunity to meet the physical therapists, view the facility with its large gym and private treatment rooms and learn of about OSTA’s plethora of services.

The event, open to the public 4-6 p.m. includes food, drink, door prizes and more.

Heading OST Ahwatukee is Pam Neuharth, Doctor of Physical Therapy, board-

certified orthopedic clinical specialist and fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy. She is also the sole owner of both locations.

Ahwatukee resident Ryan Denny is OST Ahwatukee’s primary physical therapist. He earned his doctorate of physical therapy from Baylor University, and is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist.

He is currently working with the Mountain Pointe High School boys’ basketball team, instructing them in injury preven-

see THERAPY page 31

grand opening Friday. (David Minton/AFN Staff Photographer)

The Ahwatukee Dogtopia is the second location opened by Susan Perlman and her husband, Michael, of Gilbert. They opened the south Chandler Dogtopia in August 2019 and will open a third franchise in north Gilbert at the end of April. (AFN file photo)

Pam Neuharth and Ryan Denny of the new Orthopedic Sports Therapy in Ahwatukee are ready for their

DOGTOPIA from page 30

“It can lead to them harming themselves, harming others, becoming ill,” Perlman said. “They can get stress colitis, which is no fun. They can stop eating; they can stop drinking. It’s not a good situation.”

All dogs are first given a “meet and greet” to see how it does with humans that aren’t familiar.

“We need to make sure they’re comfortable with strangers touching their ears, their paws, their tail,” Perlman explained.

Also, she said, “We’re going to introduce them to dogs of different energy levels one at a time before introducing them into the playroom. We like to see what they tolerate in their personal space and what their play style is. And that will give us a sense of how they’ll do in the playroom.”

If they think the dog will do well with others, the coach doing the evaluation will escort them into the playroom and stay with them while they’re getting acclimated, Perlman added.

“They’re dogs they’ve vetted and made sure they’re a good fit,” Lisa Walton commented. “That familiarity and comfort is important for us. And for [Ollie].”

Dogtopia allows drop-off as early as 5 a.m. and pick-up until 10 p.m. Dogs are engaged from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, with rest time from noon to 2 p.m. so they don’t get overstimulated and so the staff can clean.

“Because of our training standards and cleaning protocols, it’s a highly safe and clean environment for them,” Perlman said.

All coaches are trained in dog behavior, body language and stress signals, and health checks are done on all dogs daily.

THERAPY from page 30

tion and performance training.

May marks Neuharth’s quarter century as a physical therapist.

A 1998 graduate of the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, she moved to the Valley he following year.

Opening the 2,500-square-foot OST Ahwatukee facility in February was a natural move for Neuharth – who is also a committed athlete, competing nationally and internationally with the Rio Salado Rowing Club.

“Ahwatukee is a family, and that’s one thing I like to promote,” she said. “At OST, we are a family, too – our staff and our patients. I have espoused this value over the years, so opening in a community that

Boarding and the pet spa are available to enrolled dogs only. All boarders are kenneled for the night without collars or harnesses, and the lights are dimmed and music is left on.

The facilities have motion sensor cameras and remotely monitored thermostats.

Also, as Walton noted, “The fact that I can turn on a webcam and look at [Ollie] anytime – I love that.”

Owners reserve their daycare, boarding and spa visits via an app, and it can be used to let Dogtopia know when they’re arriving to drop off or pick up their pup.

They can pack a lunch for their pets if they have a specific diet, but no toys are al-

has a strong sense of family was a natural choice.”

“Since opening in Ahwatukee, this has been confirmed over and over, with the warm welcome we’ve received, and the wonderful patients we have started working with,” Neuharth added.

Upon opening their doors on Feb. 13, OST Ahwatukee had patients ready to begin their journey toward better health.

Their first customer came for help with his tennis elbow and the same day, Tribhawan (TK) Ram came to Ryan Denny for help with his plantar fasciitis.

“I was Ryan’s first patient at Ahwatukee,” said Ram, who started working with this physical therapist in OST Tempe last December.

“As part of the diagnosis process, Ryan

Dogtopia’s south Chandler facility has sponsored three service dogs through K9s for Warriors and has raised money for the foundation to fund efforts in literacy and autism.

They also hire coaches with autism.

Though the Perlmans both have and love dogs, they have no specific background in the pet business. Perlman described herself as a “corporate refugee” from healthcare marketing and said her husband partnered with his mother in a business selling uniforms and scrubs and also has worked in fundraising for schools.

They researched various franchise opportunities for about six months and kept returning to Dogtopia for a few key reasons, she said. It offers support to franchisees from identifying ideal locations to construction and marketing to ongoing help. Also, they liked what the company stands for.

lowed. “There’s always one dog that wants every toy,” Perlman stated.

The Ahwatukee Dogtopia has four large, open playrooms with a total capacity of 188 dogs, while south Chandler has three rooms and a capacity of 120. North Gilbert will have three playrooms with a capacity of 129.

Another aspect of Dogtopia is its philanthropic arm, the Dogtopia Foundation, which raises money and awareness for three causes: Training service dogs for veterans with invisible disabilities, post-traumatic stress disorder and mental health needs; partnering with youth literacy programs; and employing adults with autism.

explained to me how plantar fascia is connected to other parts of my body. Ram explained. “This has driven a holistic treatment approach that covers all connected parts, not just the plantar fascia.

“Ryan is well attuned to my goal of getting back to hiking on all kinds of trails, rocky ones included.”

For Ram, hiking is a passion. Modestly referring to himself as “an active hiker”, he confirms he hiked 767 miles in 2021, and 702 in 2022. He looks forward to continuing to hike through his physical therapies, perhaps even eclipsing 2021’s mileage.

“The therapy treatments and exercises are helping to correct my condition and building my confidence toward that goal. I am back hiking and working toward my goal of being on various types of trails.”

“Their mission really is to have dogs positively change the world,” Perlman said, “and they lean into tech and they lean into wellness and they want to raise the standard of this particular industry—the daycare industry for dogs.” 

Dogtopia

Where: 4747 E. Elliot Road (in the Ahwatukee Mercado plaza near Safeway)

Hours: 5 a.m.-10 p.m. daily, with daycare activities from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. and overnight boarding available for enrolled dogs.

Contact: 480-741-1532; dogtopia. com/ahwatukee-elliotrd

Orthopedic Sports Therapy isn’t just for athletes.

It is a go-to clinic for anyone who needs attention to the normal bodily wear and tear busy people can often sustain.

“Physical therapy is the best treatment option because it is a natural approach to healthcare, without the use of drugs or invasive procedures,” explained Neuharth.

“We complement the body’s inherent ability to heal using proven techniques – such as manual therapy, movement retraining and education – to address the root of the problem, remove pain and restore full vitality and function.”

Upon entering the chartreuse-clad Ahwatukee OST gym, it becomes obvious this

see THERAPY page 33

Lisa and Paul Walton of Ahwatukee Foothills take their Labrador retriever, Ollie, to Dogtopia so he can be around other dogs and get enrichment. (Geri Koeppel/AFN Contributor)

Drone-delivered food coming to Mesa

BY JOSH ORTEGA AFNStaff Writer

Drone delivery of meals will begin soon in Mesa after a new startup sewed up $4 million in seed funding.

Flyby Robotics, a California drone automation and delivery company, announced it raised the money to build endto-end automation for drone delivery.

Founder/CEO Jason Lu said he created the company to unlock the labor-saving potential of unmanned aerial vehicle technology for every merchant.

“You don’t have to be a multibilliondollar corporation or a global military superpower to reap the economic benefits of autonomous drones,” Lu said.

“Our AI-powered autonomous systems allow any merchant to dramatically reduce the cost of delivery to their customers.”

With the launch of the live pilot program, customers will be able to place an order for a $3 fee on the Flyby app and expect delivery times averaging under 4 minutes.

While all drones are monitored by FAAcertified commercial pilots and come equipped with federally compliant parachutes, customers who place orders are asked to maintain a safe distance from the devices.

They also will be asked to watch their

surroundings, communicate with visual markers to their pilot and not hang up until the order is delivered, according to the app.

The first group of participating food retailers in Mesa includes smoothies from Nekter Juice Bar, salads from MAD Greens and sushi from Tokyo Joe’s.

Flyby has already developed a package deployment system that gently winches products down from a hovering drone to customers’ doorsteps.

It also is designed to keep food items’ quality during flight and delivery so that it boasts it can deliver fragile products like smoothies without spilling a drop.

Flyby’s newest F-11A UAV offers a maximum flight time of 45 minutes, a maximum flight speed of 34 miles per hour, and a maximum payload capacity of 20 pounds, according to the company’s website.

Dr. Diana Bowman, associate dean and professor at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law and co-director for The Center for Smart Cities and Regions at Arizona State University, said she’s delighted to partner with innovative companies such as Flyby.

Bowman said the launch in the East Valley could bring a “paradigm shift in food delivery services” that enables consumers to more easily connect with local restau-

see DRONE page 33

THERAPY from page 31

is a place promoting a feel-good vibe.

This is exactly what Neuharth has in mind.

“We want to work in a positive, encouraging environment, so we share that with our patients,” she said.

“I love bright colors - especially chartreuse, nature, and playful art. So, this is what we bring to work. It has to be fun! Long ago, I put ‘fun’ in my list of top work environment priorities. So, it feels good just to be at OST – as a staff or a patient!”

Neuharth reiterated that the motto of Orthopedic Sports Therapy is “Get healthy. Stay healthy. Live life.”

“I love being part of the process a person goes through getting back to health and fully living life,” she said, stressing: “Best. Job. Ever”

A long-time athlete, Neuharth specializes in athletic orthopedic injuries, using a

DRONEfrom page 32

rants and receive fresh food faster

“Flyby’s entrance into the Mesa market further enhances the Greater Phoenix region’s vision to be the smartest and most connected region not only in the United States but across the world,” she said.

Nekter Juice Bar co-founder/CEO Steve Schulze said this new endeavor continues the company’s tradition of working with “future-looking” companies like Flyby.

“Nekter Juice Bar has always pushed forward to the forefront of technology to improve the guest experience, starting with

Correction

combination of hands-on and movement techniques with her patients.

She and her staff of licensed physical therapists provide a wide range of treatments including pre-surgical physical therapy and post-surgery rehabilitation, help with dizziness, headaches and TMJ, and a raft of physical pains as listed on their website.

“We are so thrilled to invite the community in to visit Orthopedic Sports Therapy Ahwatukee and meet our physical therapists, and to see the many possibilities available to them to live life to the fullest,” said Neuharth. 

OST Ahwatukee

4302 East Ray Road, Ahwatukee OrthopedicSportsTherapy.com 480-597-4241.

our best-in-class app with more than 1.3 million loyalty members and user-friendly online ordering capabilities,” Schulze said.

Flyby’s drones operate without any human intervention throughout the delivery process but allow a remote pilot to manually override automatic commands when necessary.

“We saw in the Flyby team the tenacity and technical rigor to execute on a gamechanging idea,” says Adrian Fenty, founding managing partner at MaC Venture Capital.

“We’re excited to watch drone delivery transform retail over the next five years.”

Dr. Harold Wong’s free seminar and lunch on the topic “How to beat inflation by saving taxes and increasing income” will be held at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 22, at Hyatt Place, 3535 W. Chandler Blvd. Chandler. The wrong date was listed in his column earlier this month. Information/RSVP: 480-706-0177 or Harold_Wong@hotmail.com.

Live amongst friends. Reserve your new home today!

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Desert Vista girls basketball gains national exposure

BY ALEX SUTTON AND ASHLEY MADRIGAL Cronkite News

Most state championship winners spend the weeks following their victory celebrating a hard-fought season. That, however, was not the case for the Desert Vista High School Thunder girls basketball team, which spent last weekend in Washington D.C. competing against the best teams in the country.

Toward the close of their 2022-2023 season, coach Dave Williams received word that his team would join the State Champions Invitational Tournament. Paid for and sponsored by ESPN, the 18th-ranked team in the nation traveled together, along with family members.

“I expect to be at this level all the time because of our work habits and because of our commitment to quality,” Williams said. “For me, it verifies that hard work pays off and team and family commitment

and patience and character pays off.”

There was a positive aura in the Desert Vista gym earlier this month during prac-

tices leading up to the tournament. While players remained competitive and dialed into their drills, there was constant chatter

among players and coaches.

The state championship trophy, won in March, proudly sat by the front entrance of the gym as a daily reminder to every player of the opportunity to add to their school’s trophy case. Entering the season, they had high expectations after a 2022 season that resulted in a division semifinals loss, but took off this season following the additions of freshman standout Jerzy Robinson, the top-ranked player in the class of 2026, and junior transfer Shay Ijiwoye.

The Thunder finished with a 28-3 record, and a 14-0 home record, while winning 28 games by double-digits before capping off the impressive postseason with a 63-37 victory over Millenium to earn the state title.

Last weekend’s tournament was a high honor and brought plenty of excitement after its inaugural event last year. All six featured teams were state champions and

see GIRLS page 36

Jayden Davis setting records, leading charge for MP track

BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

Jayden Davis wasn’t aware of the time when he entered the last 100 meters of the 400-meter sprint on Saturday, April 4 at the Arcadia Invitational in California.

All he was focused on was the narrowing gap between him and the two runners in front of him. He knew at that point he was going to post a fast time and even when he crossed the finish line, it took him a moment to realize what he had just accomplished.

Davis, whose main goal entering high school – first at Casteel and now at Mountain Pointe – was to set a new state record for the 400, had done it. He edged the previous time of 46.47, set by Desert Vista’s Spencer Chase in 2009, with a time of 46.45.

Finally, Davis’ name was in the record books. “I didn’t even know at first that it was

a state record,” Davis said. “After I cooled down, coach (Brian Whitacre) came yell-

ing that I broke the state record. It was something that didn’t register for a couple of minutes.”

The state-record sprint by Davis was his most impressive showing in what has been a strong season for the senior.

He ran the 400 in 47.26 seconds back in February at the Thunder Invitational. It was his first race of the season. He entered the Chandler Rotary in March with one of the fastest times in the country and set a new personal best at 47.04 seconds, winning in the Elite division.

His coaches knew he was on pace to break the record. They weren’t sure when it would come but knew he had the means to do it. So, when it finally happened at Arcadia, every Mountain Pointe coach, athlete and fan celebrated Davis’ accomplishment.

“The team knew how much he sacrific-

see DAVIS page 36

The Desert Vista girls basketball team helped put Arizona high school basketball on the national map as they made a run to the semifinal round of the State Champions Invitational Tournament in Washington D.C. (Courtesy Desert Vista High School)

Mountain Pointe senior Jayden Davis put his name atop the state record books on April 4 when he broke the 400-meter state record with a time of 46.45 seconds. (Dave Minton/AFN Staff)

ranked in the top 25 nationally.

Williams was ecstatic the girls earned this lifelong memory.

“Whatever the situation is going to be, it’s because of them,” Williams said. “They did all this hard work and committed to it.”

The single-elimination tournament was described by junior Eanae Dagons as their own March Madness, which ended earlier in the week with LSU and UConn taking home the men’s and women’s national championships.

“I never would have thought that we would go to D.C. and go play basketball at Georgetown University … I think it’s good for all of us to come back and say we had these memories,” Dagons said.

The Thunder kicked off the quarterfinals with a 67-59 victory over No. 5-ranked Morris Catholic. They were dominant throughout the contest, led by Jerzy Robsinson’s 20 points and Shay Ijiwoye’s 19.

In the semifinals, however, Desert Vista fell to Lone Peak, 68-60 after a near rally in the fourth quarter. In a game that featured a very competitive first half, a 23-9 third-quarter run by Lone Peak became too much to overcome, despite a 17-2 run near the three-minute mark in the fourth quarter. They were able to pull within eight, but ultimately couldn’t complete

the comeback.

It was a disappointing outcome, but the future couldn’t be brighter for a Thunder team returning most of its roster next season. Led by Robinson, the program has the chance to become a powerhouse in the state in the coming seasons.

An invite to compete in Washington D.C. is a tribute to their current success and only the start. But above all else, Wil-

liams is excited for the opportunity for his team to make this trip a core memory.

The tournament itself is important, but no matter the result they have this incredible experience to remember with their closest friends forever. Coach Williams is searching for accolades, but above all else, a memorable experience for his team.

“The main thing I want them to understand is someone liked you enough to

send you to a national tournament and respected you enough as a program to bring you out to Washington D.C.,” Williams said. “If you commit yourself and care about what you’re doing, good things can happen.

“There’s no way in the world I’m going to be upset with this team … and now we’re on ESPN and we’re playing the best teams in the country. We balled.”

es every practice. He’s nearly passing out after almost every workout,” said Mountain Pointe boys’ track coach Brian Whitacre, who also came over from Casteel. “It was really exciting for the whole program. It’s always been a goal of his to progressively be the best.”

Davis transferred to Mountain Pointe two years ago and immediately fit in the mold of this year’s senior class that has elevated the track program. He followed his mother, Trevaia Williams-Davis, who is now on staff with the Pride. She was an elite track star at UNLV while his father, Terrill, was the same at Baylor.

Track runs in the family. Davis’ older brother, Isaac, competes for the University of Arizona. Each member of the family cemented their own legacy on the track.

Davis gets to do it for the Pride, and he took a step toward that with the state record.

“This was something I wanted to do since I was a freshman,” Davis said. “Being able to do that, I was overjoyed. I’m still overjoyed but now I can drop my time even lower.”

COVID-19 diminished track participation numbers at Mountain Pointe. But it didn’t take long for them to bounce back.

Last year, the Pride had several state placers, including Davis winning the 400 and anchoring the 4x400 relay team to a fourth-place finish. Davis, along with senior Jhaylin Palmer, returned this year to the relay squad. They added seniors Matty Braun and Izaac Patterson to the fold — all football players as well — to now have one of the fastest times in the state and a new school record time.

As it stands, Mountain Pointe’s 4x400 relay team’s best time this season is 3:18.45, about 2 seconds behind state leader Desert Vista. The 4x100 relay team, which also includes Davis and swaps sophomores Chase Shumate or

Seth Henry for Braun, is a tenth of a second behind the Thunder.

Davis said running alongside the group in the relays is a special opportunity.

“The relays are just fun for me,” he said. “I love running with the guys, training with them. That’s why I love doing it, to do something special with the guys.”

Davis’ success on the track didn’t come without sacrifice.

He played football through his junior season, starting at Casteel and continuing at Mountain Pointe. His 6-foot-6 frame made him a viable threat on the outside, and quickly became a favorite for jump balls in the red zone.

But as opportunities began to present themselves in track and nagging injuries in football remained at the forefront of his mind, he walked away.

“I had sleepless nights over that decision,” Davis said. “The football team was my family, but I had to think about my future and what I wanted to do.”

Davis signed with Arizona State to continue his track career. It’s there he will also train alongside Justin Robinson, who currently holds the ASU 400 indoor record.

He knows that will help make him even better on the track, especially as he enters into the point of his career where competing for a spot in the Olympics has become a possibility.

But first, he plans to finish his high school career strong.

Davis and his teammates will compete in one final meet before the Division II championship on May 5-6 and state championship on May 12-13.

The Tempe All-City Meet began Tuesday and will finish Thursday with the 4x400, where Mountain Pointe and Desert Vista are favored and will likely put on a show with some of the state’s best times being recorded.

DAVIS from page 35

GIRLS from page 35

LEFT: Desert Vista freshman guard Jerzy Robinson is the top-ranked player in the 2026 class. RIGHT: Desert Vista girls basketball coach David Williams set the bar high for the program, ranked 18th in the nation, and expects his players to maintain an elite level of play. (Photo by Dylan Nichols/Cronkite News)

DAVIS from page 36

The Pride’s ability to compete against a program of Desert Vista’s caliber in those events, along with many others, shows how far the program has come in two years. Davis said he is honored to have been a part of rebuilding it into a championship contender and hopes the legacy he and his teammates leave is one that will be carried on for the foreseeable future.

“I wanted to come here and make this a championship team,” Davis said. “I knew it would help me become state champion, break the state record. Being able to do that was special. I hope they’re able to continue it even after I’m gone.”

Have an interesting sports story?

Contact Zach Alvira at zalvira@ timeslocalmedia.com and follow him on Twitter @ZachAlvira.

FROM LEFT: Seth Henry, Jhaylin Palmer, Chase Shumate, Jayden Davis, Izaac Patterson and Matty Braun have all helped elevate the Pride track and field program. They all compete in either the 4x400 or 4x100 relays, along with individual events. (Dave Minton/AFN Staff)

MCC Rose Garden marks 25th anniversary

BY JOSH ORTEGA AFN Staff Writer

Since 1997, the Rose Garden at Mesa Community College represents just a part of MCC’s 140-acre accredited arboretum – the first in Arizona to earn accreditation.

While MCC is the only community college in Arizona to be named a Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation, the garden is a crown jewel for the main campus at Dobson Road and Southern Avenue.

As the garden marks its 25th anniversary, thriving partnerships between the college and rose societies – as well as with community volunteers – have created a stunning welcome to the campus and an invitation to “Come. Enjoy. Thrive.”

One of the largest public rose gardens in the desert southwest, the garden is more than a conservatory.

It is a living lab for kindergarteners through college students studying biology, botany, and horticulture – as well as the artists who come in search of inspiration from nature.

Whether its “snowbird” travelers enjoying the greenery of the garden during Spring Training or Boy Scout troops planting trees to earn their Eagle Scout badge, it beckons visitors year-round with over 9,000 plants from over 300 rose varieties

It has also brought global acclaim to the City of Mesa and MCC with rankings among the “Best Things to Do in Mesa” by sites such as TripAdvisor, Vacation Ideas magazine, Yelp and the Japanese travel site Trip 101.

Arizona produces more than 75 percent of the country’s rose bushes because its climate allows them to bloom for nearly eight out of 12 months.

In 2000, the Rose Garden at MCC was approved by the All-America Rose Selections organization to become one of 26 test gardens, becoming one of the top three AARS Test Gardens in the nation.

Besides recognizing the volunteers who cultivate the garden with weeks-long

pruning sessions, a ceremony also paid tribute to its architect, LeRoy Brady.

The father of two can’t decide his favorite of the garden’s four sections.

“That’s like asking what’s your favorite kid,” Brady said. “

Since age 5, Brady has loved roses and horticulture in general.

He grew up in Durango, Colorado, but spent time at his grandmother’s home in nearby Red Mesa, where he acquired his green thumb by taking cacti near the highway and transplanting them closer to the house.

“My grandmother made the comment once that I ignored people and spent my time with the plants,” Brady said.

Brady graduated in 1966 with a bachelor’s of fine arts in landscape architecture and environmental planning from Utah State University, and proceeded to spend eight years with the Idaho Transportation Department before the first phone call that would change his life.

The Arizona Department of Transportation noticed his work and asked if he would be interested in applying for a position.

“I came down for an interview, within a

few hours they offered the job,” Brady said.

Since 1974, Brady has worked as chief landscape architect for ADOT, supervising the landscape architecture and design and aesthetics along the state highway system, including revegetation after construction.

In 1996, Brady received another life-altering phone call – this time from Milt Lee, a colleague from Mesa United Way who told him about wanting to enhance MCC’s image because a report had found “nothing unique about the campus.”

“It was like cracker boxes surrounded by asphalt,” Brady recalled. “And they needed to do something that called attention to it.”

Briefly considering a quad area the college used for graduation, Brady settled on the current space along Southern Avenue and volunteered a sketch of the design that immediately earned the support of thenMCC President Dr. Larry Christiansen.

The first roses were planted in Section 2 in February 1997.

The concrete terrace, seat wall, sidewalk along the parking and screen wall were constructed a month later by Joe E. Woods Construction, which helped show what the garden was becoming and helped with

raising funds to complete the garden section by section.

Brady said the curvilinear shape of the garden invites people to stroll all four sections that straddle the Rose Garden Way to the college’s main entrance.

Completed in 2005, sections three and four feature the Veterans Rose Garden that honors past, present and future members of the five branches of the U.S. military.

With over 60 varieties of plants given patriotic and military-themed names –such as “About Face,” “America,” “Fourth of July,” “Peace,” “Purple Heart,” “Stars and Stripe,” and “Veterans Honor” –nearly 2,000 roses encircle the flags of the United States, Arizona, POW, and the five service branches.

Rose beds with plantings completed in 2011 include two heart-shaped beds for love, two rose beds side by side for friendship, a large five petaled flower bed for beauty, and two circular beds with contrasting roses planted to create the peace symbol.

The design has also inspired a natural backdrop for photo shoots to commemorate special moments, something Brady has witnessed countless times over the years.

“Lots of people married, lots of people with graduation pictures, and on weekends, this place is just a lot of people all over,” Brady said.

Throughout his life, Brady, who has the title of Master Rosarian, has served on various city boards, as well as those of the Arizona Native Plant Society and the Mesa-East Valley Rose Society.

Today, visitors can still find Brady every third Saturday of the month working in the garden with the “dead headers” – a group of 150 volunteers who prune the plants.

That involvement highlights Brady’s vision for what he wanted the garden to become: a unifying force within the community.

“You always hope that it’ll take hold and become part of the community,” Brady said. “But the really important thing about the garden is the bringing together of people.” 

MCC’s Rose Garden has won accolades from around the world. (David Minton/AFN Photographer)

ACROSS

1 Burden

5 “Terrif!”

8 Confront

12 Guesser’s words

13 Rushmore face

14 Big-screen format

15 Banner

16 Actuality

18 Prepare for printing

20 Staffers

21 Small batteries

22 “Today” rival, briefly

23 Bizarre

26 “The West Wing” actor

30 Altar constellation

31 Group of whales

32 Pledge

33 Was behind schedule

36 “Thank Me Later” rapper

38 -- tear (raging)

39 Sticky stuff

40 Cockeyed

43 Worldly

47 Stop signal

49 Small iPod

50 Story

51 Calendar abbr.

52 Flintstones’ pet

53 Scratched (out)

54 Earth (Pref.)

55 RBI, for one

DOWN

1 Barn storage area

2 Paris airport

3 Now, on a memo

4 Ersatz bookmark

5 Taxi costs

6 Help a crook

7 Arthur of “Maude”

8 Re offspring

9 During

10 Sidewalk eatery

11 Former mates

17 Mary’s follower

19 Melancholy

22 Deity

23 Series of battles

24 Historic period

25 007 creator Fleming

26 Caviar base

27 Lab eggs

28 Stir-fry pan

29 Lamb’s dam

King Crossword

31 School support org.

34 Did nothing

35 Con

36 Medico

37 Bout segments

39 Very beginning

40 Jocular Johnson

41 Ship wood

42 Between jobs

43 Actress Elisabeth

44 Cannes milk

45 “Downton Abbey” role

46 Cheer (for)

48 Joke

Sudoku

Here’s a “Cake Pop Quiz” for you:

What was created in America 125 years ago and is as popular today as it was then?

The answer is angel food cake. Its age, popularity and versatility make angel food cake a bona fide rescued recipe, but today I’m giving it a brand new twist.

With JAN D’ATRI GetOut Columnist

Angel Food French Toast is a heaven-sent dish

See, I found a way to make angel food cake even more heavenly!

That’s because I stumbled across a recipe for Angel Food French Toast, and now my new favorite pastime is making this treat and then stepping back and watching people roll their eyes in ecstasy. Angel food cake has a lot of fans; from folks who love that it’s fat-free and sometimes gluten-free, to people who enjoy its light, fluffy texture and taste.

I made a fantastic discovery when I decided to do a taste comparison of store-bought angel food cake to a boxed angel food cake. It wasn’t even close.

The boxed cake is so far superior in taste and it doesn’t get any easier than simply adding water to the mix. That’s right, nothing but water, you mix it for only a minute and a half and you don’t even grease the pan.

Ingredients:

• 1 Angel Food Cake, store bought or boxed cake

• 6 eggs, slightly beaten

• 1 ½ cups milk

• 2 tablespoons sugar

Directions:

Slice the angel food cake into 10 to 12, 1-inch thick wedges. In a shallow dish combine eggs, milk, sugar; and vanilla. Soak wedges in egg mixture for 1 minute per side.

In a nonstick skillet or on a nonstick griddle, melt butter over medium heat. Cook 4 wedges at

Now that I had my perfect angel food cake, I was ready to beat together a few eggs, milk and vanilla and turn the cake into French toast. Why did I think this would be a good idea? I wasn’t sure, but the picture was so inviting.

Then, when I made the first test run, I knew it was going to be one of my go-to favorites forever. Served with a little powdered sugar and syrup, it makes a fabulous breakfast. Or, you can arrange the Angel Food French Toast pieces on a platter with some fresh fruit and whipped cream or Cool Whip as a tasty dessert.

Want to watch eyes roll? Put this dish on your Sunday brunch men and I can pretty much guarantee it will be hit. When your family and guests ask where you got it, just tell them it was heaven-sent. 

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 2 tablespoon butter

• Whipped Cream or Cool Whip

• Maple Syrup, optional

• Fresh strawberries, raspberries or boysenberries

a time and cook on all sides until golden brown. Repeat the process. Serve in slices with berries. Top with whipped cream or Cool Whip. Drizzle with maple syrup if desired. Serve immediately. Watch my how-to video: jandatri.com/jansrecipe/one-minute-kitchen.

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