Ahwatukee Foothills News 05/31/2023

Phoenix eyes 2% primary property tax hike

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

Congratulations to the

The City of Phoenix administration is proposing a 2% increase in the primary property tax rate.

In a report to City Council late last week, the administration said the proposed increase would generate an additional $4.1 million in revenue and raise the annual tax paid on a home valued at $100,000 to $128.51 – up $2.53.

“The proposed increase is exclusive of increased primary property taxes received from new construction,” the city said in its official “Truth in Taxation Notice. "

“The increase is also exclusive of any changes that may occur from property tax levies for voter approved bonded indebtedness or budget and tax overrides.”

A public hearing on the proposed tax increase is scheduled for 2:30 p.m. June 14 at Council Chambers, 200 W. Jefferson St., with

a vote by Council on the new tax rate slated for 10 a.m. July 3.

The surprise announcement comes at a time when Ahwatukee homeowners also face a likely increase in water rates, which requires separate action by the council.

Council on June 28 will be voting on a 26% increase in water rates and a 20% hike in waste water rates that will take effect in three sepa-

Unrelenting heartbreak for an Ahwatukee mom

BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

Apicture of Jeremiah Aviles framed with signatures and messages from teammates, friends and family is always in sight for his mother, Olga Lopez.

It hangs in her room in her Ahwatukee home alongside other pictures of her 18-yearold son, who was shot and killed in the early morning hours of Sunday, May 7, in East Mesa.

At times, the picture of Jeremiah in his Red Mountain football uniform will go along with her.

On May 22, she brought it to Kneaders Bakery in Ahwatukee, joined by Jeremiah’s older brother, Jamie Diaz, a former football player at Arizona State who lives with her, as did Jeremiah.

Lopez and Diaz were finally breaking their silence about Jeremiah’s death.

As she spoke, the heartbroken mother fought

see MOTHER page 10

Last week brought more unrelenting heartbreak for Ahwatukee resident Olga Lopez and her son, Jamie Diaz, the mother and brother of 18-year-old Red Mountain High School football player Jeremiah Aviles, who was shot and killed May 7 by a teammate . Jeremiah would have graduated last Thursday and Lopez attended the ceremony with a poster with her slain son’s photo. i Lopez and Jamie hold a framed picture of Jeremiah with signatures and messages from friends written the night of a vigil held shortly after his slaying. (David Minton/AFN Staff Writer)

The Ahwatukee Foothills News is published every Wednesday and distributed free of charge to homes and in single-copy locations throughout Ahwatukee Foothills.

Times Media Group:

1900 W. Broadway Road, Tempe, Arizona, 85282

Main number: 480-898-6500

Advertising: 480-898-5624

Circulation service: 480-898-5641

PUBLISHER

Steve T. Strickbine VICE PRESIDENT

Michael Hiatt

ADVERTISING STAFF

National Advertising Director

Zac Reynolds 480-898-5603 zac@ahwatukee.com

Advertising Sales Representatives:

Laura Meehan, 480-898-7904, | lmeehan@ahwatukee.com

Katie Mueller, 480-898-7909 kmueller@TimesLocalMedia.com

Classifieds/Inside Sales:

TJ Higgins, 480-898-5902 tjhiggins@TimesLocalMedia.com

Steve Insalaco, 480-898-5635 sinsalaco@TimesLocalMedia.com

NEWS STAFF

Executive Editor:

Paul Maryniak, 480-898-5647 pmaryniak@ahwatukee..com

GetOut Editor: Alex Gallagher | 843-696-6442 | agallagher@TimesLocalMedia.com

Sports Editor:

Zach Alvira 480-898-5630 | zalvira@TimesLocalMedia.com

Production Manager: Courtney Oldham | 480-898-5617 production@TimesLocalMedia.com

Designer: Ruth Carlton | rcarlton@TimesLocalMedia.com

Photographer:

David Minton | dminton@TimesLocalMedia.com

Reporters:

Cecilia Chan. 480-898-5613 | cchan@@TimesLocalMedia.com

Circulation Director:

Aaron Kolodny 480-898-5641 | aaron@TimesLocalMedia.com

WRITE A LETTER

To submit a letter, please include your full name.

Our policy is not to run anonymous letters. Please keep the length to 300 words. Letters will

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

As expected, the Kyrene Governing Board last week approved two all-mail ballot measures for a November vote on a $161 million bond and an $8.5 million annual override for a fund covering smaller capital expenditures.

The 4-0 vote – Margaret Wright was absent – means Ahwatukee voters will have an all-mail ballot with six yes/no questions: four related to Phoenix’s $500 million bond request and two related to Kyrene’s request for bond approval and the override for the so-called District Additional Assistance, or DAA fund.

Kyrene is entering the final two years of the bond issue and DAA override voters approved in November 2017 and putting the issue before voters this year – when there are no big-ticket races like there will be next year – enables supporters to get voters to focus more attention on the reasons the school district needs the money.

If approved, both measures would last seven years, meaning the district would have seven years to borrow up to $161 for the bond and up to $8.5 million annually for DAA spending.

People now have until Aug. 11 to write statements for or against either measure for inclusion in the voter information pamphlet that will go out before early voting begins in October. Those statements must be sent to the Maricopa County Superintendent of Schools.

Should voters turn down either district request – a rarity in Kyrene’s 20-year history of budget-related elections – the district can choose to put it again on the ballot next year.

Chief Financial Officer Chris Herrmann and various Kyrene administrators on May 23 amplified on information and themes they had presented to the board in connection with the bond and override at a meeting earlier this month.

The capital override is primarily used for technology-related spending – everything from software licenses to hardware – but it also is used to buy textbooks and

Hi Everyone,

other curriculum aids as well as things like furniture.

example, but the manufacturer couldn’t deliver and so they were rolled over to the current year.

Just a friendly reminder that if your toilet water supply has a thin white plastic nut, you should consider changing it to a steel braided, steel-tipped supply line. We have been seeing these plastic ones crack at the fitting and they can do a large amount of flood damage to your house, especially if you’re not home when it happens. If you are unsure if yours should be changed, please give us a call. Thank you!

When it comes to technology, “we try to make sure that our large-dollar items do not overlap year to year to year so that we’re not replacing, for example, our entire infrastructure at one time,” explained Damian Nichols, Kyrene’s executive director of information technology and emergency management.

The bond funds major capital projects, everything from new roofs – one school’s roofing project cost $4 million alone – to bus purchases.

Matt

Herrmann previously noted that Kyrene’s bus fleet is about halfway through its 15-year life cycle and district will need to buy new vehicles 2030.

And the reason the district is looking now at bus purchases is that supply chain disruptions have thwarted timely acquisition of new vehicles.

In the 2021-22 school year, the district had expected to receive three buses, for

Other capital projects include weatherization, parking lot repavement and musical instruments and athletic equipment.

But one of the big items the district has prioritized is enhanced security at all schools – a process that began over seven years ago and continues to get attention amid the rising tide of violent acts on school campuses nationwide.

One of the reasons the district seeks voter help to have enough money for many of these capital expenditures is that Kyrene doesn’t receive much in the way of state help. Herrmann noted that the state School Facilities Oversight Board has given Kyrene only $1 million over the last six years for infrastructure work.

Four Arizona school districts sued the state for insufficiently funding that board and that litigation has languished in the courts since 2009 because of pre-trial maneuvering.

Phoenix nonprofit aids police in helping crime victims

BY ABIGAIL SCOTT Cronkite News

Not every 911 call ends in an arrest, and many times police officers find themselves wanting to help crime victims and others in need without official resources to do so.

That’s where Angels on Patrol comes in.

The Phoenix nonprofit currently serves 13 law enforcement agencies across Arizona, helping police officers with crisis prevention.

“We step in and fill the gap when officers want to go above and beyond to help people in the community,” said Deborah Taylor, a board member of Angels on Patrol, which provides credit cards and other financial resources to first responders in situations where the law alone cannot help.

Domestic violence victims are among those who benefit.

Angels on Patrol has provided funds for a hotel for the night, a meal or even a train ticket for those who need immediate help getting to a safer location.

“Sometimes they want transportation to get back home to maybe a different state where they are safe and they have family,” Taylor explained.

“We had a victim whose boyfriend had set her on fire in a domestic incident,” said Taylor, who has been a Phoenix police officer since 2000.

“She spent months in burn-unit rehab as she was recovering, and the detective who was assigned to her case was following up with her. We learned that her glasses had been broken, and she had been using glasses that were just not functioning for her very well.”

Taylor said Angels on Patrol was able to step in and buy the victim a new pair of glasses with the correct prescription.

“This case just resonated with me, because I wear glasses, and I can’t imagine if I didn’t have them for months or if they weren’t working right,” Taylor said.

Before Angels on Patrol, many officers wouldn’t have been able to support citizens after their legal responsibilities were complete, or they would have had to reach into their own pockets to help those in need.

The organization was started in 2009 after Phoenix Police Lt. Jacqui MacConnell re-

sponded to a call for “one of the most horrific abuse cases she had ever experienced in her career as a police officer,” according to the Angels on Patrol website.

“In about 2000, I went on an incident as a sergeant, and we received a call from some boys who were in cages,” MacConnell said, speaking at a September 2022 Phoenix City Council meeting.

“Oftentimes, as an officer, you receive a call, and you think, ‘That is not what it will be like when I get there.’ Well, in this case it was.”

“Through that, and many more incidents I came across, I had the desire like many officers, to help these individuals that we come across during the course of our duties, to assist them further past that initial crisis,” said MacConnell, who works for the Spokane Police Department but remains on the Angels on Patrol board of directors.

“I wanted to provide something that would provide an immediate response, not in a week and not in a day,” MacConnell added. “We help when an officer submits a request to us which is an easy process and it was designed with no red tape, an easy process that takes five to seven minutes.”

Only on-duty police officers can fill out an online request form. Forms take only minutes to fill in and are processed around the clock.

If necessary, action can be taken without the form being fully approved so that officers have funds they need to provide emergency assistance to a victim.

So far, the nonprofit estimates it has helped more than 19,000 people in the community. And the aid that Angels on Patrol provides does not always look the same.

“We’re serving people in crisis, and crisis can look like many different things,” Demitria Griggs, board president of Angels on Patrol, said in an interview.

Angels on Patrol relies on grant funding and also hosts fundraising activities throughout the year, including a Dec. 8, 2023, golf tournament at Dobson Ranch in Mesa, where anyone can participate.

“You can get out there and golf, you can sponsor and you can donate,” Griggs said, adding the nonprofit would love to grow and extend its reach. “We have not expanded to other states, but that is a part of our plan for the future.” 

rate stages over the next three years.

The city would impose a 6.5% increase in both the water and wastewater rates in October that would be followed by another 6.5% hike next March. Then, in March 2025, the water use rate would jump another 13% while the sewer rate would go up another 7%.

Water Department officials said the October increases will equal another $2 a month for water use and an extra $1.60 for waste water for residential customers.

By the time the third increase takes effect in March 2025, the average homeowners’ monthly bill for water and waste water will have risen $16.68 from what it is today, the department says.

Council on June 14 also is scheduled to give final approval to a $1.9 billion general operating budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1 along with $2.6 billion in capital spending funded by various revenue streams.

General spending in the budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year is up $109 million, or 6.1%, over the current budget.

The spending plan for the coming fiscal

year includes a $134 million surplus and 85% of that is being set aside for raises for city workers – which the administration contends is necessary for Phoenix to compete with other cities for workers.

Today, May 31, City Council will adopt the ballot language for the all-mail election for the $500 million general obligation bond – Phoenix’s first in 16 years –that will finance a variety of new facilities.

City Council on May 3 approved the bond election and the ballot language will spell out in broad terms what expenditures the city wants to borrow money for.

The ballot will ask voters to vote yea or nay on four specific questions that seek approval to borrow:

“Up to $214,000,000 general obligation bonds for fire, police, roadway and pedestrian infrastructure projects; up to $108,615,000 general obligation bonds for library, parks and historic preservation projects; up to $114,385,000 general obligation bonds for workforce and job creation, education, economic development, environment, sustainability, arts, and culture projects; and up to $63,000,000

TAX from page

general obligation bonds for affordable housing and senior center projects.

A citizens commission earlier this year recommended that of the $214 million, a total $132.5 million would pay for four new fire stations and one new police station and renovations for a second police station and city’s evidence warehouse while $81.5 million would go to street and storm drain replacement citywide with nearly a third reserved for flood and drain mitigation in Laveen and an area around Dobbins and Baseline roads.

The $63 million for housing would include $33.2 million for “affordable housing property preservation” and another $21.3 million for housing development in the Edison-Eastlake community, according to previous city reports.

The rest of the bond money would cover a broad range of projects, including $21.6

million for a Latino Cultural Center, $14 million for a new Valley Youth Theater venue, $44.6 million for neighborhoods and city services with more than two thirds of that going to three new libraries, and $10 million for making city facilities more handicap-accessible and $5 million for historical preservation program.

Also covered by the bond measure are $38 million for economic development and education, all going to three projects, $14 million in energy and water efficiency upgrades at city facilities, $7.7 million for “heat resiliency,” $3 million for brownfields redevelopment of city land and $1.3 million for electric vehicle charging stations.

It also would pay for $385,339 in “cultural facilities critical equipment replacements” citywide and improvements or expansion at the Children’s Museum, Phoenix Center for the Arts Theater, Phoenix Theatre Company and Arizona Jewish Historical Society. 

Hobbs kills red-light camera, photo radar ban

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Arizona motorists are going to have to keep an eye out for those photo radar cameras for at least the foreseeable future.

Ditto red-light cameras.

And that’s true even if their home communities don’t use the technology, as a number of Arizona cities and towns through which they may travel still do.

Gov. Katie Hobbs on Friday quashed the latest attempt by state lawmakers to snuff out the technology that allows communities to use cameras to catch those who are ignoring posted speed limits or who proceed into intersections even after the light turns red.

The governor said the evidence she has seen convinces her that the technology makes Arizona roads safer.

“Research indicates that photo radar cameras demonstrate effectiveness in changing driver behavior and decreasing fatal accidents, especially in vulnerable areas like school zones,’’ she wrote in her veto message.

Hobbs said she also believes that automating enforcement of traffic laws frees up police officers for higher priority needs.

“This bill’s ban of photo radar would eliminate an important tool for law enforcement that allows for a more efficient allocation of limited police resources,’’ she said.

The legislation was advanced by Sen. Wendy Rogers who called it “an intrusion on our privacy.’’

“It’s insidious,’’ said the Flagstaff Republican.

Rep. Joseph Chaplik, R-Scottsdale, had his own objections about having traffic laws effectively enforced by the private companies with whom communities contract.

That enables the cities and towns to generate dollars without the costs of hiring more police.

“Not only does the system corrupt and rot law enforcement, it further corrupts our elections and our entire political process,’’ he said.

That’s based on the fact that 10% of every dollar generated in photo enforcement fines goes into the Citizens Clean

Elections fund. And that provides campaign cash for statewide and legislative candidates who agree not to take private and special interest money.

But what Chaplik did not say is the same is true for citations issued by police officers: 10% of those fines, too, fund the public financing system

Approval of SB 1234 came over the objections of some public safety experts.

The biggest was from Freeman Carney, chief of the Paradise Valley Police Department which claims to have been the first in the nation to use the technology. He said his town’s experience proves the speed cameras that are deployed along the major roads work.

Carney told lawmakers that in 1986, before the cameras were installed, the town had more than 400 accidents.

When the cameras went in, he said, the number of crashes was cut by 40%. And there were just 148 in 2021 despite increased traffic and things that didn’t exist when photo radar was introduced like drivers distracted by cell phones.

More to the point, Carney said, his residents want it because it makes their main streets, used largely by those passing through, safer.

“Photo enforcement is not something a town does to their residents but for their residents,’’ he said in testifying against the measure.

Proponents of the ban, however, were not convinced.

Sen. Justine Wadsack, R-Tucson, quoted a line by Ben Franklin where he said, “Those who wold give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.’’

“At what point do we stop this?’’ she asked Carney, noting the cameras record not just the speed of the vehicle but also the license plate and the face of the driver. And, by definition, it notes where the motorist was at a particular time and date.

“Should we start putting cameras in front of people’s homes, too, to make sure that they’re safe?’’ Wadsack asked.

“I do not think we need to put cameras in front of people’s homes,’’ the police chief responded.

Rob

602-430-3917

Mike

2BR / 2 BA / 1,340 SQFT

Patio home on the green belt, 2022 bathroom updates. 2021 HVAC, garage opener, water heater and more.

Listed For $339,900

5 BR / 3 BA / 2,736 SQ FT

Spacious former UDC model home with South Mountain views. Private backyard with large pool.

Listed for $625,000

5 BR / 3.5 BA / 5,079 SQFT

Impressive custom with mountain views. Abundant amenities including professional sport court in private backyard.

Listed for $1,325,000

3 BR / 2 BA / 1,361 SQFT

Updated single level. New interior/ exterior paint, carpeting plus granite counters in kitchen and baths.

Listed for $450,000

5 BR / 3 BA / 3,394 SQFT

Complete remodel. New roof, two AC units, flooring, kitchen, baths, plumbing and more.

Listed for $799,000

5 BR / 4.5 BA / 4,391 SQFT

Superb single level with detached casita. Shutters, travertine and laminate flooring. New roof in 2022.

Listed for $1,225,000

Willis Ranch – Chandler

Call For Pricing

Beautifully remodeled single level home on nearly a 1/4 acre corner lot with a north facing backyard! Willis Ranch Community Park immediately to the west! Open kitchen family room floor plan! Kitchen boasts new white Shaker cabinetry with 36’’ uppers and crown molding; large center island, quartz counter tops, eat-in kitchen /casual dining nook, newer stainless stew appliances. Split master floor plan! Master suite has a walk in closet, separate walk in shower and jetted tub with tile surrounds. Three bedrooms plus office. One of the secondary bedrooms is en suite. Bonus living area in the secondary bedroom wing. Perfect for teens or guests and also makes a great mother in law suite! New light fixtures, ceiling fans and interior door hardware throughout. New vanities, sinks, faucets, fixtures and mirrors in the bathrooms. New interior paint. New carpet. Cozy gas fireplace in the family room! Exit the family room to the resort style backyard! Covered patio, sparkling pebble tec pool with water feature and large grass area! New sod in back. Landscape refresh front and back! New faux wood blinds throughout. New exterior lights on front.

Orchidhouse – Downtown Tempe

Listed for $ 529,000

Calling all urbanites with a toolbelt or investors looking to remodel one of the most desirable 6th floor corner units in Orchidhouse with incredible city lights and mountain views! Northeast exposure! This scenario does not come up often! 1,574 sf with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms Two car garage parking. Walking distance to Mill Ave dining, shopping, light rail and all the entertainment Downtown Tempe has to offer! Close to Spring Training, Downtown Phoenix and Old Town Scottsdale! Some appliances and vanities on premises. If you’re looking for an amazing location and exposure but also want to make it ‘’your own’’ - - - this is the perfect opportunity!

Sun River

Listed for $420,000

1,447 sf single level home on the Gilbert/Chandler border. This beautiful 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home has an open floor plan. Granite counters, stainless steel appliances, center island, tiled back splash, large pantry and eat-in dining nook in the kitchen. Hardwood plank tile flooring throughout with carpet only in the bedrooms. Bathrooms are upgraded with granite vanity tops and tile surrounds

Foothills

Listed for $815,000

Remodeled

appliances, 36’’ farmhouse sink and

2’ x 4’ porcelain tile flooring througout and engineered hardwood in the bedrooms and office (2021.) No carpet in the home! 8’ custom doorways throughout with solid frame doors. Recessed LED lighting throughout home! 2021 interior paint and 7 ¼” baseboards. 2022 trendy ceiling fans and 2022 silhouette window blinds. The 2021 remodel of the bathrooms includes new faucets, vanities, sinks, Toto toilets, mirrors, lights, and tile surrounds in showers. Enormous, expanded walk-in shower in the master suite! 2020 Nuvo whole-house water purification system. 2021 Milgard windows and doors throughout. 2021 sprinkler systems front and back. Sparkling pebble tec pool!

MOTHER from page 1

back tears, often wiping them gently on the frame over her son’s face while looking into his eyes. Smudges on the glass of the picture frame suggested that this has been a regular occurrence.

“We don’t even know what life looks like without him,” Lopez said.

According to Mesa police, Jeremiah was shot and killed at the home of 18-year-old Peter (PJ) Clabron III, who was arrested May 11.

Clabron III, a former teammate of Jeremiah at Red Mountain, faces a charge of manslaughter and two firearms violations.

Initial statements by Clabron and the other witness pointed blame at another individual not in the room at the time.

In the days following the shooting, that witness admitted lying. A few days later, Clabron confessed, according to police.

In the initial search of the home after the 911 call, multiple weapons were found, according to Mesa Det. Brandi George.

“I was asked what justice looks like for us,” Lopez said. “And I respond, very boldly, that everyone that was in that home is held accountable. Everyone. If you impede on an investigation and send people on a goose chase, there should be repercussions.

“This is a gun-carrying state. There are laws put in place to make sure this recklessness doesn’t happen.”

Search warrants issued by Mesa Police during the investigation showed Clabron on video pointing the gun multiple times at Jeremiah.

Clabron on at least one prior occasion shot the gun from the bed of a pickup truck while driving in the neighborhood, according to witnesses and text messages and videos found on the suspect’s phone as a result of the search warrants.

On the night of Jeremiah’s death, according to the affidavit of probable cause, Clabron was handling the gun in his bed-

Jeremiah Jeremiah lived in Ahwatukee but attended Red Mountain High School in East Mesa, where students and staff alike loved him for his gentle heart. (Special to AFN)

room when it went off, hitting Jeremiah. It then went off a second time before he tossed it to the floor.

The witness in the room said Clabron III had a “surprised” look on his face when the gun fired.

Lopez said she was at church when she got a call from a blocked number later Sunday morning. She didn’t answer, but later received a text message from Mesa Police while at lunch.

“I went outside and called the number and as soon as I heard his voice I said, ‘Just tell me he’s OK,’” Lopez said. “He said, ‘Ma’am, I can’t say that.’ I remember shouting. I wasn’t trying to hear anything he said. I couldn’t breathe.”

Lopez said she didn’t want Diaz to find out about his brother’s killing over the phone and asked him to come home.

But before he could arrive, players from Red Mountain’s football team had told him about what had happened.

His eyes swelled up with tears as he recounted the moment he was told his brother was no longer alive.

“I didn’t want to believe it,” Diaz said. “They called me, and I didn’t know how to respond. It was the worst thing I ever heard in my life. I got home and see all the cars and was like, ‘This is real?’

“I didn’t want to believe it. I knew my life would never be the same.”

Jeremiah was a beam of light to everyone he came into contact with.

A vigil on May 10 showed how much he meant to his peers and the community.

Over 50 students were present, all holding candles. Lopez led the vigil while coaches and teammates spoke about the impact Jeremiah made on their lives.

He moved from California before his junior season to live with his brother. His mother, who raised him alongside Diaz as a single parent, soon joined him.

He immediately meshed with the Red Mountain football team and the rest of the student body.

Teachers never complained. Students fell in love with his infectious spirit. One girl approached Lopez after the vigil and

said Jeremiah, whom she didn’t know personally, recognized she was in a dangerous situation and he helped her overcome it.

The Twitter account for the Red Mountain football team posted a heartfelt message in honor of Jeremiah the day after his slaying.

“Our hearts are with the Aviles family this day and always,” it said. “We mourn the loss of Jeremiah’s beautiful spirit and honor his life in the days ahead.”

Pictures of Jeremiah were included in the post. They included him posing in his football uniform as well as with family and teammates as an honorary captain in Red Mountain’s last home game this past fall.

Stories illustrating Jeremiah’s character were shared at a vigil May 10 at Red Mountain Park, just across the street from the school.

He was remembered as selfless, caring and a true team player who never batted an eye at direction from coaches.

As a junior, he was given the opportunity to score a touchdown from the 1-yard line at running back. But Red Mountain coach Kyle Enders said he switched back to fullback and was the lead blocker so his friend could score instead.

Enders said the selfless acts like that and

others that Aviles performed daily made him a natural to be selected as honorary captain.

He said when he made the announcement at a team dinner, the players erupted into cheers. He and the coaching staff knew they had made the right decision.

“He represented what we stand for at Red Mountain football,” Enders said. “He was a selfless player, a selfless kid. Nothing was about him. He was always about the big picture, what’s best for the group, best for the team.

“He got along with everybody. There’s not one bad thing somebody could say about him.”

Dave Lawson, another Red Mountain coach who attended the vigil, said his has a son was also a friend of Aviles and had been with him hours before the shooting.

He said he initially showed up to support the victim’s mother but that through her powerful words, she ended up supporting them.

Lawson also recalled seeing Aviles daily at school. He said hello to everyone, bringing a bright light and infectious energy to the hallways, the coach recalled.

“He was genuinely a good kid,” Lawson said. “He never gave any teachers any

grief, never gave players any grief, never gave peers any grief. He was genuinely a good kid. Kindhearted.”

Ja’Kobi Lane, a standout wide receiver for Red Mountain, wept while speaking at the vigil, calling him his “best friend.”

“I could’ve been the President of the United States or a homeless man and he would’ve treated me the same,” Lane said.

“That’s who my boys are,” Lopez said last week at Kneaders. “His character, he’s always been this way.”

A service was held for Jeremiah in California. His friends from several different high schools, wearing shirts in his honor, all attended.

They were his family. And by default, so was the Red Mountain football team.

Jeremiah brought them together through video games. Two groups of kids from different states together with one common interest.

That’s how special of a person he was, according to his brother and mom.

Lopez and Diaz attended the bail hearing for Clabron III over a week ago. The first court date was rescheduled to last Friday.

The two were there, just like they were for Jeremiah his whole life. Lopez said she will continue to wear his No. 24 jersey –and his framed picture with her to court.

Lopez and Diaz, up to this point, have chosen to grieve in silence. Now, they want answers. They are still awaiting a victim’s advocate from Mesa Police. They are still waiting for a phone call from the prosecutor.

They won’t allow Jeremiah to be just another case because he wasn’t just another person.

Lopez still enters Jeremiah’s room at times, looking at his large senior banner hanging on the wall. She would enter periodically when he was gaming with friends, and whether he had headphones on or not, she would always be greeted the same.

Now, while he is no longer there physically, she believes he still greets her every time she walks in and looks at the banner.

“What’s up mom?” Lopez recalled. “What’s up son.” 

Scores of classmates and school staff as well as family friends attended a candlelight vigil that Olga Lopez, center, held for her slain son on May 10. (David Minton/AFN Staff Photographer)

EV leaders welcome Coyotes – without incentives

BY SCOTT SHUMAKER

AFN Staff Writer

In the wake of the crushing May 16 voter rejection of the Arizona Coyotes’ deal with Tempe, other East Valley communities are bubbling up in discussions about the hockey team’s future home.

On May 16, Tempe voters’ rejected a plan for a hockey arena and entertainment district on 46 acres of city-owned land that was once a landfill near the Salt River and Priest Drive.

As speculation began about where the team might try to land, Coyotes President/ CEO Xavier Gutierrez would only say the team has started “re-engaging with local officials and sites” and is “committed to Arizona.”

The team fanned those conjectures about a home in a different East Valley community when it created an online poll asking whether the Coyotes should move to Scottsdale, Mesa, Chandler or Gilbert.

Scottsdale was far and away the top choice among the 100,000 votes cast, followed by Mesa.

But few, if any, East Valley communities have spoken with the Coyotes as of last week.

Chandler and Gilbert officials said they have not been contacted by the Coyotes. A spokesperson for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community said the tribe is not talking with the Coyotes.

Mesa declined to confirm reports the Coyotes had reached out to city staff about the closed Fiesta Mall site in West Mesa.

Mesa Mayor John Giles said he has not spoken to anybody from the team, but thought his city – and specifically the Fiesta mall site – is worth consideration.

John Lewis, the former Gilbert mayor and President/CEO of the PHX East Valley Partnership noted that the Coyotes are members of his organization, which represents a broad swatch of business, nonprofit and and government leaders in the region.

“We are anxious to help them in any way possible,” Lewis said. “Our regional advocacy role is to work with our local city/ town leaders to support them as they take the lead in discussions with the Coyotes.”

Lewis said that while Gutierrez in March gave a full presentation of the Tempe proposal to his board, “We have

not had specific discussions with the Coyotes since the announcement of the election results.”

But while some East Valley communities are open to receiving a proposal from the Coyotes, they were cool to the idea of government incentives and public-private partnerships.

Skepticism of tax incentives could be significant for the Coyotes’ future plans, as opponents of the Tempe arena successfully targeted the tax breaks that were part of the doomed deal.

The hockey team will have some time to prepare another proposal, as it will play its next season at Arizona State University’s Mullet Center, where it played this season following Glendale’s termination of its arena lease with the team.

Lewis said, “We are in full support of the Coyotes finding a home in the East Valley and Arizona. We felt like they provided a proposal to Tempe voters in ‘good faith’ to offer a long-term win-win proposition.”

But he added, “We are not currently involved in direct discussions with the Coyotes or East Valley city and town leaders, but we will continue to advocate for the Coyotes finding a new location in the East Valley.”

Mesa

Some Mesa leaders expressed interest in the city hosting a Coyotes arena, and Mayor John Giles thinks there are multiple sites in Mesa that could be suitable for a project.

But like other leaders, he said a deal would need to involve private land because the city doesn’t own any parcels that would be appropriate for a project.

Councilman Scott Somers said a Coyotes arena “could really be something special in Mesa,” but added, “I’m not interested in throwing a lot of tax money at this thing.”

Added Councilwoman Jenn Duff: “I’m not fond of financial incentives” for an arena.

In the wake of the Tempe vote, there were reports that the Coyotes reached out to city staff about the possibility of an arena complex on the site of the shuttered Fiesta Mall.

Neither the city, the Coyotes nor the two current Fiesta Mall owners would comment on whether there have been communications about using the mall for an arena.

At 80 acres, the Fiesta Mall site is twice the size of the Tempe parcel where the

Coyotes pitched the arena-anchored entertainment district.

Fiesta Mall sits near the Loop 101 and U.S. 60, providing an easier drive for East Valley fans than the Coyote’s previous arena in Glendale.

In March, the owner of one half of the mall submitted a plan to the city to level the old mall and construct a new mixeduse development with retail, offices and up to 4,000 residential units.

Its potential as an arena site is probably boosted by the city’s desire to see it redeveloped after watching the mall languish for years following declining foot traffic in the face of competition and online sales, and eventually closure in 2018.

A splashy project like a professional sports arena might help change the narrative for the Southern Avenue corridor, and a site Giles calls a “strategic piece of property.”

“We’re open to discussing what the city could do to assist in redeveloping Fiesta Mall,” including a Government Property Lease Excise Tax, or GPLET, a way for cities to reduce the property tax burden for commercial projects, Giles said.

Tempe voters nixed this arena-entertainment district proposal pitched by the city and the Arizona Coyotes. (Cronkite News)

COYOTES

from

Vice Mayor Francisco Heredia, whose district includes Fiesta Mall, declined to comment.

There are two hurdles for the mall to overcome if it were to see an arena proposal.

For one, Fiesta Mall still has two owners. There were rumors earlier this year that Carvana founder Ernie Garcia was about to buy out the other Fiesta Mall owner Jerry Tokoph, but there has not been a sale, and a purchase option agreement between Garcia and Tokoph expired in March.

Also, Mesa’s city charter requires that Mesa voters sign off on city support for “any amphitheater, sports complex, cultural or entertainment facility, arena, stadium, convention facility, or multipurpose facility” in excess of $1,500,000 in value.

For a large project, that’s a low threshold, so if the Coyotes request a GPLET, it could set up another Tempe-style ballot fight with all its costs and potential heartbreak.

Giles said he’s not sure how a referendum of Mesa voters would fare, but he believes the city isn’t likely to “get involved” enough to trigger a vote.

East Valley tribal communities

Hockey fans have speculated that the Coyotes might look to the tribal communities in the Phoenix metro area to strike a deal on an arena.

The Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community is centrally located between Scottsdale and Mesa, and is currently home to Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, the spring training venue for the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies.

Bernice Cota-Gann, director of community relations for the community, said the tribe is not exploring an arena.

“We are always open to new ideas that can expand development that will enhance the quality of life for our members, community and the state, but at this time, there are no conversations about sports facility development within the Salt River PimaMaricopa Indian Community,” she said.

The Gila River Indian Community, south of Chandler, did not respond to an inquiry about whether the community had been contacted by the hockey team.

GRIC held the naming rights to Glendale’s venue when the hockey team resided there and lost out to Phoenix in a bid

to be the permanent home for the Phoenix Rising FC soccer team.

Chandler

Chandler said in a statement it was not pursuing an arena and has not been contacted by the team.

If the team wished to build in Chandler, the city said, “it would be up to private development to assemble the privately owned parcels necessary to accommodate a sports and entertainment venue of this magnitude.”

“Chandler is 93% built out,” it continued, “and the majority of the remaining unbuilt parcels are dedicated for employment uses.

“Our focus continues to be on attracting and retaining high quality development and employment uses that generate high paying jobs among target industries, including technology, business and health care sectors.”

Mayor Kevin Hartke said the team would be welcome in Chandler, but “we would say ‘you’re welcome to come to Chandler as a private entity.’ We’re not interested in doing a public-private partnership.”

Hartke said Chandler has two sites that might be perfect for the team.

The first is a 50-acre plot of undeveloped land on Arizona Avenue, just north of the Loop 202 San Tan Freeway.

That area had been approved by Council for a multi-use development that included retail, housing, a hotel and office space a few months ago.

However, construction has not started and Hartke said he didn’t know if they were having trouble with financing or second thoughts about going through with the project.

That area, which is the southwest corner of Arizona Avenue and Pecos Road, is about a mile from the heart of downtown Chandler.

The other site is smaller, but has better freeway access. The VanTrust property, which is east of Price Road and south of Chandler Boulevard is about 20 acres. It is, however, close to two freeways, Loops 101 and 202.

There’s an existing business to the south (JX Nippon Mining & Metals), but Hartke said if you consider that entire area north of Boston to Chandler Blvd., it’s about 40 acres.

WARNING!

PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND CHRONIC PAIN TREATMENTS NOT WORKING!!

Mesa, AZ - When it comes to chronic pain and/ or neuropathy, the most common doctor-prescribed treatment is drugs like Gabapentin, Lyrica, Cymbalta, and Neurontin. The problem with anti-depressants or anti-seizure medications like these is that they offer purely symptomatic relief, as opposed to targeting and treating the root of the problem. Worse, these drugs often trigger an onset of uncomfortable, painful, and sometimes harmful side effects.

The only way to effectively treat chronic pain and/or peripheral neuropathy is by targeting the source, which is the result of nerve damage owing to inadequate blood flow to the nerves in the hands and feet. This often causes weakness and numbness.

As displayed in figure 1 above, the nerves are surrounded by diseased, withered blood vessels. A lack of sufficient nutrients means the nerves cannot survive, and thus, slowly die. This leads to those painful and frustrating consequences we were talking about earlier, like weakness, numbness, tingling, balance issues, and perhaps even a burning sensation.

The drugs your doctor might prescribe will temporarily conceal the problems, putting a “BandAid” over a situation that will only continue to deteriorate without further action.

Thankfully, Mesa is the birthplace of a brand new facility that sheds light on this pressing problem of peripheral neuropathy and chronic pain. The company is trailblazing the medical industry by replacing outdated drugs and symptomatic reprieves with an advanced machine that targets the root of the problem at hand.

Effective neuropathy treatment relies on the following three factors:

1. Finding the underlying cause

2. Determining the extent of the nerve damage

(above 95% nerve loss is rarely treatable)

3. The amount of treatment required for the patient’s unique condition

Aspen Medical in Mesa, AZ uses a state-ofthe-art electric cell signaling systems worth $100,000.00. This ground-breaking treatment is engineered to achieve the following, accompanied by advanced diagnostics and a basic skin biopsy to accurately analyze results:

1. Increases blood flow

2. Stimulates and strengthens small fiber nerves

3. Improves brain-based pain

The treatment works by delivering energy to the affected area(s) at varying wavelengths, from low- to middle-frequency signals, while also using Amplitude Modulated (AM) and Frequency Modulated (FM) signaling.

It’s completely painless!

THE GREAT NEWS IS THAT THIS TREATMENT IS COVERED BY MEDICARE, MEDICAID, AND MOST INSURANCES!!

Depending on your coverage, your peripheral neuropathy treatment could cost almost nothing – or be absolutely free.

The number of treatments required varies from patient to patient, and can only be determined following an in-depth neurological and vascular examination. As long as you have less them 95% nerve damage, there is hope!

Aspen Medical begins by analyzing the extent of the nerve damage – a complimentary service for your friends and family. Each exam comprises a detailed sensory evaluation, extensive peripheral vascular testing, and comprehensive analysis of neuropathy findings.

Aspen Medical will be offering this free chronic pain and neuropathy severity evaluation will be available until June 30th, 2023. Call (480) 2743157 to make an appointment.

Due to our very busy office schedule, we are limiting this offer to the first 10 callers. YOU DO NOT HAVE TO SUFFER ANOTHER MINUTE, CALL (480) 274-3157...NOW!!

We are extremely busy, so we are unavailable, please leave a voice message and we will get back to you as soon as possible.

COYOTES from page 14

101 from the Chandler Fashion Center. “It could work, but I think there are others ...,” Hartke said. “They got a lot of groundwork to cover.”

Gilbert

The Town said it has not been contacted by the Coyotes, and like Chandler, said the team would need to find private land.

“We do not currently own land that would be able to accommodate an arenatype facility,” it said. “They would need to look for private property opportunities in Gilbert if it were to be considered.”

“If we had the land it would be interesting,” Town Council member Chuck Bongiovanni said. “There’s no land available right now.”

RADAR from page 9

Others expressed different concerns.

Rep. Rachel Jones, R-Tucson, called the system “a huge violation of the Fourth Amendment’’ which protects against illegal search and seizure.

“Every single car that passes by these cameras, there is a photo take of their license plate,’’ she said.

“That information is then sent to a foreign company, foreign-owned company, which should make all of us nervous,’’ Jones said. Redflex Traffic Systems, one of the most widely used, is based in Australia.

Arizona used to have more widespread use of the technology.

When Democrat Janet Napolitano was governor she signed a contract with Redflex to place 100 fixed and mobile speed cameras along state roads. Napolitano used estimated new revenues to close a state budget gap.

In 2010, after she became governor, Republican Jan Brewer killed the contract.

Three years later Brewer signed legisla-

Scottsdale

Though overwhelmingly favored in the Coyotes fan poll, Scottsdale appears to be a no-go.

“The city has not been contacted by the Coyotes regarding anything in Scottsdale,” Kelly Corsette, a Scottsdale spokesman, said.

Mayor David Ortega said he loves having the Coyotes skating in Scottsdale – as an unofficial partner at the modest Scottsdale Ice Den rink, which is hardly NHL-sized.

Most City Council members were lukewarm at best to the idea in interviews and doubted there would be much taxpayer support for offering any help to the team.

Staff Writers Ken Sain, Tom Scanlan and Cecilia Chan contributed to this report. 

tion that restricted the ability of cities to set up speed and red-light cameras on state roads. And that was further cemented in 2016 when her successor, Republican Doug Ducey, inked his approval to legislation that removed existing cameras on those state roads.

One of the biggest effects was to force the town of Star Valley to remove its array of cameras along State Route 260, a major route for Arizonans making their way into vacation spots along the Mogollon Rim.

The cameras initially generated nearly $1 million in tickets annually for the town of about 3,000.

Local communities also have acted on their own.

In 2015 voters in Tucson effectively killed photo enforcement with approval of a change to the city code that made inadmissible any evidence gathered from automatic red light or speed cameras.

But various forms of photo enforcement remain elsewhere, not only in Paradise Valley but also Phoenix, Scottsdale, Chandler, Mesa and El Mirage.

At Spencer 4 Hire Roofing we believe it is essential to give back to our community and support those who support us. So, this 4th of July we have decided the best way to celebrate our country’s freedom is by supporting those who have afforded us those freedoms. We are giving away ONE FREE ROOF ($13k Value) to a deserving veteran!

Have someone in mind? We are looking for someone who inspires and is deserving. The giveaway is limited to homes in the following zip codes; 85044, 85045, and 85048. The nominee must be the owner of the home. Scan the QR code or visit the link below to make your nomination!

https://www.spencer4hireroofing.com/support-a-veteran-giveaway-nomination-center

The ‘accident’ that became a Valley murder case

BY CECILIA CHAN AFN Staff Writer

No one outside of Mark Eric Ponsati knows what exactly happened the night he beat his wife to death in their Gilbert home. As far as the State of Arizona is concerned, the truth died with Sherri Posanti.

But Mark Posanti man will spend the next two decades in state prison for her murder, which he staged as a slip and fall in the master bathroom.

Ponsati, 42, received the maximum sentence after a jury in March convicted him in the second-degree murder of 33-year-old wife on Sept. 7, 2017. With credit for time served, his release date is Sept. 7, 2042.

His sentencing on May 19 ended a case that Gilbert police quickly unraveled after examining the couple’s Val Vista Lakes home. But what will never end is the pain of Sherri’s murder on her two children and her mother.

“I think about her every day, multiple times a day,” said Susan Klausch, Sherri’s mother. “I think about the kids and how could he do this to the mother of his kids and his wife. It’s unbelievable.”

Klausch flew from Wisconsin to attend the sentencing and read a victim impact statement. “Losing Sherri has changed my life forever,” Klausch told the judge. “The pain of living without Sherri is unbearable. How can there be any solace in his conviction for any of us?”

Klausch said she will never hear her firstborn’s laughter or see her smile.

She described her daughter as a warm and happy-go-lucky person whose childhood nickname “Sher Bear,” stuck with her throughout her life. Klausch called Sherri her “ray of sunshine” who always looked at the bright side of things.

Sherri’s life

Sherri Mae Springhuth was born in Wisconsin and raised in a tight-knit family in Johnson Creek – current population 3,574.  She was working at a nonprofit group home, which served people with intellectual and developmental disabilities when she met Ponsati on an online dating site in September 2008.

Ponsati, who had finished serving in the U.S Air Force, was in his last semester studying law at the University of Wiscon-

sin-Madison.

They married in June 2010, a month before Ponsati was to start his commission as an U.S. Army judge advocate. Their daughter, Maddie, was born the following year and son, Max, five years later.

Sherri and the kids followed Ponsati as he moved from job to job both in the military and private sector, living in Hawaii, Alabama and Connecticut.

The family arrived in Arizona in July 2016 after Ponsati found work as an inhouse attorney with a helicopter manufacturer in Mesa.

The young family first stayed with Sherri’s Aunt Eva and Uncle Joe Springhuth in Val Vista Lakes and later found a home to rent less than a mile away on Jamaica Way.

By all accounts – those of her family members, friends and her own Facebook page, Sherri was a devoted mother to Maddie and Max.

She also was passionate about animals and became an accomplished author, penning a children’s book, “Wilbert’s Blue Whale Tale,” which teaches children about endangered species. She dedicated the book to Maddie and Max.

In June 2017, she submitted her second children’s book about a rhino to a publisher.

Sherri soon became the family’s breadwinner, working for a cardiology provider after Ponsati was fired six months into his new job.

Four days before her death, Sherri posted on her Facebook page, “We’ve been in Arizona for a year now, so guess what time it is… time for another cross country move… never a dull moment.”

Ponsati had a job offer in Kentucky and the family was packing up for the move.

The call for help

The 911 call came into Gilbert dispatch at 9:58 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 7, 2017.

“Oh my God, oh my God,” Ponsati said on the recording. “I just found my wife. I think she’s dead.”

At first Ponsati said he didn’t know what had happened and that his wife was not breathing. Then he told the dispatcher that Sherri “slipped and fell” and hit her head.

“There’s children in the house,” he said. “I believe she’s dead. She’s in the bathroom and there’s water and soap everywhere and blood. Oh my God, Oh my God, my children, my children.”

The dispatcher instructed Ponsati to perform CPR, which he refused to do.

“She’s purple,” he said. “I know what death looks like. I’m an Afghanistan veteran. She’s gone.”

He told the dispatcher not to have the fire truck blare its horn coming to the house as he didn’t want his kids traumatized.

The first responder who arrived was Officer Kyle Peterson, now a sergeant. He had to push his way into the bathroom because Sherri’s legs had blocked the door. He immediately noticed the entire floor was slippery.

He checked for Sherri’s pulse and didn’t find one or a heartbeat. He did 20 chest compressions before EMTs took over.

Sherri was rushed to Banner Gateway and after 20 minutes of continued resuscitative attempts, including intubation, she was pronounced dead at 10:50 p.m.

The investigation

That night Ponsati agreed to go down to the Police Department for an interview and the house was searched. Sherri’s aunt and uncle arrived at 11:17 p.m. and collected Maddie and Max, who were then 6 years old and 18 months, respectively. They are believed to have been sleeping through the ordeal.

Initially, police considered it a death investigation and Ponsati was not a suspect.

According to police, Ponsati claimed there was no history of marital problems or any recent arguments with his wife.

However, in the days following Sherri’s death, police received calls from numerous family members and a close friend that “detailed a very tumultuous marriage that included a lengthy separation and al-

legations of infidelity by Ponsati,” police reports state.

Family members told police that Ponsati had threatened to kill Sherri if she tried to leave him.

After collecting more evidence, it turned into a homicide investigation and Ponsati was arrested a week later on Sept. 14 on a second-degree murder charge. Bail was set at $1 million.

After numerous continuances and other delays Ponsati’s trial began Jan. 23.

The detective

Det. Michael Bishop testified at the trial that when he arrived at the home around 11:30 p.m. Sept. 7, several things in the bathroom struck him as odd.

“When I looked in there and I saw the blood on the tile outcropping from the bathtub, that is when I personally said this is not right,” said Bishop, who retired in June 2022.

“If someone slips and falls and hits their head on an object as they fall,” he testified, “you wouldn’t expect to see blood on an object because something, some force has to be used to break the skin to cause the bleeding.

“So if you slip and fall and hit your head on an object and then go down to the floor, the blood’s going to be on the floor, not on the object.”

The blood stain on the 2-foot-high marble outcropping indicated to Bishop that Sherri’s head “remained in contact with the item for a period of time.”

Another red flag was how little soap was left in the gallon bottle of blue bubble bath found uncapped lying on its side.

The level of soap remaining in the bottle was well below the spout, which would have been impossible if it had tipped over accidentally, according to the detective.

According to Bishop, Ponsati “attempted to destroy evidence” by washing the clothes he and his wife each wore “in the time leading up to the injury.”

Bishop also noticed other things in the house: a mattress on the living room floor that showed only one side was disturbed. The bed in the master bedroom also showed signs of a single person sleeping on it – an indication that the two adults in the home were sleeping in separate places.

Mark Ponsati claimed his wife died in a fall at their Gilbert home. Police proved otherwise. (Special to AFN)

At the trial, he was asked to comment on Ponsati’s demeanor that night.

Bishop commented that people react differently to trauma, so he tries not to put too much weight on crying, emotions and how people act.

But with Ponsati, Bishop said, “He would put a tissue to his eyes as soon as he would lose any composure,” Bishop said.

“I never saw tears. I remember not recalling a lot of tears. Other officers noticed his behavior as odd – the fact that he had very emotional outbursts and then quick recovery and talking normally.”

Ponsati takes the stand

At trial Ponsati clung to his original assertion that Sherri’s death was an accident.

He said he tried to have a “romantic night” with his wife the night she died and that the two were in “flirtatious moods.” He also told police that the couple was planning to have a third child.

He ran a tub of water with bubble bath and played Despacito on his cell phone, which he set on the vanity.

After the two got in the tub, Ponsati said he eventually became sleepy as he had taken a sleeping pill after dinner. He claimed he was addicted to sleeping pills – taking up to six a day and Lorazepam for anxiety.

“When I left the bathtub, I kissed Sherri and she said something like ‘I’ll be there soon.’ That was the last time I saw her. I went to bed and fell asleep.”

He said he woke up at 9:52 p.m. to find Sherri not in bed. Seeing the light under the bathroom door, he went over and tried to open it but it was blocked.

“I opened the door slowly and finally I do see it is her on the floor,” Ponsati testified. “She looked like she toppled from the ledge onto the bathtub and slid down.”

He said Sherri’s right shoulder and head were pushed up against the tub and that her eyes were opened.

“I feel my blood pressure falling and the blood run out of my face,” he said. “I feel my blood turn to ice. I almost faint. I cannot believe it.”

Ponsati said he called his wife’s name and as he approached her, he noticed water on the slippery floor.

“I stepped over her to get away from the spill,” he said. “Her body is separating the bathroom into slippery and non-slippery.”

He claimed he tried to follow his CPR training and put his head to her chest to

see if Sherri was breathing or if there was a heartbeat.

“My training kind of stopped at a crossroad,” he said. “There is a contradiction, which is I need to do CPR. She needs to be flat on the floor and her head straight. But my training also said if there’s a spine injury, you don’t move a person.”

He said he was in over his head in rendering medical help and looked for his phone to call 911. He said he went to the bedroom, where it normally was but couldn’t find it.

He said he “freaked out and was bewildered” and it didn’t cross his mind to run over to a neighbor’s home to use the phone.

“I thought I was alone,” he said. “I went back into the bathroom and now have to prioritize – oxygen to the brain trumps injury to the spine.”

He said he was concerned with Sherri’s head dropping from the tub onto the tile floor so he positioned a wooden plaque under her head to shorten the fall as he moved her body.

He said he prepared to give Sherri mouth-to-mouth and positioned a “plastic tray, kind of Tupperware thing” under her neck to tilt her head backwards.

“What hit me most was the smell – made me feel faint. … The smell was bad and I could not do mouth-to-mouth because of the blood there.

“I’ve never been around blood much. I’m not Rambo or nothing. In the Army I was a paper-pusher, a desk jockey. I don’t hunt. I’m not used to blood.”

Ponsati said he instead did chest compressions while “thinking this is not how you learned CPR. You have to do CPR.”

He said he thought of using a turkey baster to suck the blood out.

He said he rummaged through the downstairs kitchen drawer and couldn’t find the baster and began to panic. But he did see a spatula and “somehow I thought I could use it to shovel the blood out of her mouth.”

He said entering the bathroom he rushed toward Sherri and the spots there that were originally dry were now slippery and he fell and had the “wind knocked out of me.”

“I was kind of stunned, my left side hurt,” he testified. “My elbow felt like electricity going through it.

“I see her nose and I don’t understand what I am seeing at first. The nose was fine but now there was a horrible gash across it. It took a second to realize I caused that gash when I fell on top of her. I broke my fall with that handle...the handle of the

spatula caused the horrible gash.”

He said he didn’t tell 911 or cops that he had fallen on his wife, fracturing her nose due to his “botched rescue.”

When dispatch asked him to do CPR, Ponsati said to himself, “Hell no. I’m not going near Sherri anymore. I feel like a bull in a china shop. I needed to protect her from me now but I can’t say that to 911. So, what comes across is that I am giving up on her.”

Sherri’s death explained

According to the county Medical Examiner, Sherri had “multiple blunt force injuries,” including abrasions to the back of the head, neck and upper back, rib and skull fractures and the nose injury. The report added that “a strangulation/asphyxia component additionally contributing to death cannot be excluded.”

Her death was ruled a homicide.

Bishop, who attended the Sept. 12 autopsy, noted that the bruising to Sherri’s spine and brain were “consistent with violent shaking.”

The trial

The defense argued that Sherri’s medical history of cardiac arrhythmia could have caused her to faint and fall and that she could have fallen more than once.

“Additionally, she had some type of bone challenge,” defense attorney Thomas Henager said. “She had normal thinness to her occipital skull bone ….behind the eye so that a fall or a fall on top of her potentially could cause a more fatal situation than it could be for somebody who doesn’t have this issue.”

“If this man murdered his wife, why in the world would he tell 911 that he wasn’t going to do CPR?” he said. “Why would he tell 911 anything other than, ‘I attempted to do it or I’m attempting to do it?’”

Henager also disputed the prosecutor’s argument that Sherri’s neck injury could have been caused by strangulation, saying “she would have had bright red eyes, some bleeding in the eyes.”

He reminded the jury that the ME determined the broken ribs were caused by CPR efforts.

Testimony painted Ponsati as quick to anger. Witnesse said he broke Sherri’s things although he claimed he never hit anyone other than a bully when he was 15.

Prosecutor Joshua Clark told the jury that Sherri wanted out of the marriage but wanted to wait until the children were older. Sherri had previously left her husband

twice and went home to Wisconsin. She even consulted with a divorce attorney.

Ponsati also “wanted out of that marriage and he didn’t want a divorce and if she was off the playing board, he could move on with his life,” Clark said.

“This was not a fall,” he said. “This was an attack. Sherri Ponsati did not die by accident.”

He said that while Sherri was on medication for a heart condition, she did not have a history of fainting or falling “yet somehow she fell so many times in this bathroom that it killed her.”

“The defense’s experts were all about possibility, not about probability and all of them even admitted that an assault by another person is more likely, more frequent than a fall,” Clark said.

“And none of them could point to evidence that is recorded by the Gilbert Police Department that supports any theory of multiple falls.

“Two people went into that bathroom, one came out alive and the other was carried out with too many injuries to be explained by an accident.”

More about Ponsati’s character became public later during the victim impact statements.

Stacy Wolf, a close friend and former roommate of Sherri’s, claimed Ponsati had a “violent temper with Sherri, their children, and pets.”

“On several occasions, Sherri would have to apologize for his behavior,” Wolf said. “Sherri shared with me often of Mark’s sexual deviations and the pain that it caused her in their marriage.

“He hired prostitutes and made her engage in sexual behavior with which she did not feel comfortable and (he) was obsessed with pornography,” Wolf added.

“She shared that for hours on end, Mark would lock himself in their bathroom to watch porn. She was concerned that he had a problem with child pornography as well. He often covered her head with pillows during times of intimacy to avoid having to look at her.”

Wolf also claimed that “Sherri had countless miscarriages between her two children.”

“I believe that this was a result of domestic violence,” she wrote. “I begged Sherri not to marry this man for fear of what became reality.”

The children

Maddie, 12, and Max, 7, were basically

orphaned on Sept. 7, 2017. The children initially lived with the Springhuths, who are in their 60s, for nearly six months until Joe Springhuth’s cancer returned. He died a couple of years later.

Eva Springhuth in her victim impact statement described the effect the ensuing trauma had on the children, especially Maddie. She said she wanted to tread carefully in telling Maddie what had happened to her mother and it was agreed that the little girl would go to school as planned, giving her a normal life for a little bit while the family and Ponsati had time to grieve.

That, however, didn’t happen.

Ponsati went to the guestroom where Maddie was sleeping and “in less than a minute, she jumped out of bed, came running to Uncle Joe and screamed, ‘My mom’s dead’” Springhuth said.

“In that moment her life was forever changed. What loving parent would not allow their child to be a normal little girl for one day more, two days more, before destroying her world?”

Although Ponsati claimed he told Maddie that her mother couldn’t be with her

anymore and disclosed nothing about the circumstances surrounding her death, Springhuth said that was not so.

Shortly after sending Maddie off to the school, she said she received a call from the guidance counselor saying that the little girl “knew a whole lot more about how her mother died and was acting it out in vivid detail in front of teachers and other kids her age.”

Maddie would say that her dad heard a loud boom and went looking for her mom and found her in the bathroom.

“‘She fell and hit her head on a pointy thing,’ Maddie would say and then pretend to slip and fall. ‘Her brains and blood were everywhere,’” Springhuth recounted to the judge.

And when she confronted Ponsati about it, he replied, “‘Well, she asked and I wasn’t going to lie to my daughter,’” Springhuth said.

She said Maddie for the next two months would act out virtually the same scene for anyone and everyone, friends and strangers alike, over and over.

“Eric had complete and utter disregard for Maddie’s emotional trauma and the immeasurable pain and suffering, which he intentionally inflicted on her,” she wrote. “Eric spared Maddie nothing.”

Sandy Robinson, Sherri’s first cousin, said Max was diagnosed with autism shortly after he and Maddie went to live with extended family members in Wisconsin.

“Max requires extensive 24/7 supervision and care, special learning support, therapies and accommodations,” Robinson told the judge. “It is likely Max will never have the capacity to live on his own and may be with his adoptive parents for life.”

Maddie is actively under the care of therapists, counselors and more to help her work through the trauma. She is living in a Montana boarding school that specializes in behavioral disorders.

“More than five years later, Maddie is still struggling in many ways,” Robinson said.

Dozens of family members and friends wrote of the impact of Sherri’s death to them.

“The day Sherri was murdered, my life changed,” wrote Danielle Lucio, a close friend of Sherri’s for almost two decades. “It will never ever be the same.”

Lucio, who also testified at the trial, said she withdrew from life and sank into depression.

“She was the one I called the night before she was murdered,” Lucio said. “I still cannot erase her number from my phone. There is no one to fill that void.”

A mother’s grief

Klausch not only has to live with the loss of her daughter but also Ponsati’s betrayal.

“In the beginning of their marriage, I

was very close to him,” she said. “We had a great relationship.”

She said it wasn’t until the third or fourth year into the marriage that the relationship started deteriorating.

“When Max was born I went out to see Max and I wasn’t out there not even 24 hours and she said she wanted to come home with me and lived with us for about three to four months,” Klausch said. “And so I said, ‘sure.’”

She said Sherri confided that her husband was cheating.

“She would find pictures of prostitutes on Eric’s phone,” Klausch said. “So there was infidelity going on in the relationship.”

She said the family begged Sherri not to return to Ponsatti

“The last time she stayed with us, he told her if she didn’t come back he would kill the whole family,” she said. “So she felt she had to go back.

She said she asked her daughter a million times if there was physical violence in the marriage but was told no.

“Sherri was not that forthcoming with everything,” Klausch said. “I don’t really think she was truthful with a lot of stuff. Her friends shared with me things she told them that I never knew about.

“She didn’t want us to worry about stuff. She wanted people to be happy. That is the kind of attitude that she had.”

She said as a nurse, she was skeptical when she learned from Ponsati that Sherri died from a slip and fall.

“He kept saying over and over to me again, ‘I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry,’” she recalled. “And he was doing his fake crying.

“It was so far out there. I thought they would find him guilty. He’s a very sick, sick man.” 

Sherri Ponsati was 33 when she died by her husband Mark’s hand. (Special to AFN)

The Ponsatis’ daughter Maddie, now 12, is in a Montana boarding school that specializes in behavioral disorders and their son Max, now 7, requires extensive 24/7 supervision and care, special learning support, therapies and accommodations because he is severely autistic. (Special to AFN)

-

READY

Kyrene Kindergarten provides a strong foundation for lifelong learning and offers free, full-day kindergarten with a challenging and comprehensive curriculum. From world languages (Spanish and Mandarin) to computer science immersion, Kyrene schools offer a wide variety of programs, so families can find their perfect fit. Kyrene’s commitment to excellence ensures your child will receive the individualized attention needed to excel. Get ready for the future — Enroll today!

Hobbs: Crackdown on water use is unlikely

BY OLE BRAATELIEN Cronkite News

While a Colorado River conservation plan has yet to be approved by the federal government, Gov. Katie Hobbs made two things clear last week: Arizona will lead the way in the tristate agreement and Arizonans need not worry about a water-use crackdown.

The governor’s news conference came days after the plan was announced Monday. The agreement between the lower basin states of Arizona, California and Nevada seeks to conserve 3 million acre-feet of Colorado River water by 2026.

“Whether you are a new parent worried about the future of your child, a business owner concerned about the sustainability of our economy, or a student who just wants the government to take climate change seriously, Arizona is taking action,” Hobbs said. “I look forward to Arizona leading the way in continuing to build an Arizona for everyone.”

Colorado River basin states have long been planning for water restrictions, and

the Biden administration had given the lower basin states a May 31 deadline before the federal government would take action.

Tom Buschatzke, the Arizona Department of Water Resources director, said Hobbs meant it literally when she said Arizona would lead the way.

Of the 3 million acre feet in question, Arizona is expected to do the majority of the conserving.

“The numbers are not yet completely defined because, as was discussed, all of this is being done through voluntary agreements,” Buschatzke said at the conference. “But we’re probably on target for somewhere close to 1.8 million acre feet or so coming out of Arizona.”

That’s between 50% and 60% of the water conservation, which is the “bulk of the heavy lifting,” he said.

California, however, will conserve roughly half as much.

“I don’t have the numbers for Nevada and Mexico off the top of my head, but obviously a substantial portion of the water is coming out of those entities as well,” he said.

After Hobbs’ tweeted about the plan on May 22, some users expressed frustration about the disparity between Arizona and California’s conservation efforts.

For instance, one user asked why Arizona was “giving” its water to California, citing another tweet that said California was dumping excess water into the ocean. The reason? There was no place to store it.

The water conservation plan means some Arizona cities and towns will have to conserve more than others.

Buschatzke said the city of Phoenix could need to conserve 150,000 acre-feet of water, while Tucson could face about 110,000 acre feet and Glendale could need to conserve 21,000 acre feet over the next three years.

But Hobbs said the plan wouldn’t significantly change life for most Arizonans.

“No Arizonan is going to be forced to cut their water use. I think that’s the bottom line,” Hobbs said.

Buschatzke agreed.

“Somebody sitting in their home or business, they’re not going to get a phone call from a city and say, ‘You’ve got to cut

back.’ That is not part of this deal,” he said. “You might see calls from some of these cities to maybe start reducing some of their outdoor water use, for example.”

Gila River Indian Community Gov. Stephen Roe Lewis, who also attended the news conference, voiced approval of the plan.

Lewis said the Gila River Indian Community also is doing its part to conserve water: “We see ourselves modeling good behavior in the time of this historic drought.”

Part of this conservation plan involves compensation from the federal government.

Buschatzke said the federal government, under the Inflation Reduction Act, would financially compensate for 2.5 million acre-feet of water conserved.

“It was a very important part of the discussions with the federal government about how much was going to be compensated under the Inflation Reduction Act and how much would come forward from the states without that federal money,” Buschatzke said.

Phoenix wins appeal of census count accuracy

AFN NEWS STAFF

Phoenix has successfully challenged the accuracy of the 2020 Census, which likely means an undetermined amount of extra federal money based on population will be coming its way.

Mayor Kate Gallego initiated the appeal that indicated over 3,500 people in 192 group homes were missed because the count was taken in the height of the pandemic.

“Counting every person matters, and I am incredibly thankful to the Census Bureau for offering this avenue to address omissions in the 2020 Census,” Gallego said.

“This successful outcome will not only mean that we will be able to receive our fair share in federal funding for the remainder of the decade, but also set us up for success for the 2030 Census. As the fastest-growing big city in the country, that will be critical to our future.”

Gallego said the city will send the updated group quarters population to the

Census Bureau’s Population Estimates Program for inclusion in the baseline data used to produce upcoming annual population estimates.

Even without that data, recent Census counts show that Phoenix and the Valley area continue to grow faster than any other place in the country.

But the Census Bureau acknowledged it undercounted group facilities like nursing homes throughout Phoenix.

In May of last year, the bureau created a mechanism for all municipalities to review population counts in group quarters.

Phoenix worked with Bloomberg Associates to find that approximately 192 Group Quarter facilities were not counted in the 2020 Census Group Quarters Operation, with a total corresponding population of approximately 3,550 residents.

This successful adjustment to the count will benefit Phoenix for the next eight years with additional money for a slew of programs that abse allocations on population.

Those programs include Medicaid,

Head Start, nutritional assistance, public safety grants, and federal housing initiatives.

“Estimates done reveal that for every individual counted, the city could earn thousands of dollars, thereby amounting to millions of dollars per year in federal funding for Phoenix,” Gallego said.

Figures released two weeks ago by the Census Bureau put Queen Creek and Maricopa among the top 15 nationwide for population increases between July 1, 2021, and a year later.

The federal agency, in crafting its rankings, only ranks what it considers “large cities.’’ And that means those with 50,000 or more residents.

But a deeper dive finds that Coolidge, fueled by new factories and economic development, outpaces both of those cities with a one-year population change that equals 11.9%.

The new report also finds that about one out of four Arizona communities actually lost population. And the biggest loser was

Douglas which, according to Census Bureau statistics, shed 4.6% of its residents, dropping the city below 16,000 – essentially back to where it was at the turn of the century.

Much of what is in the new national report is no surprise. The fastest growing communities tend to be on the edge of existing cities.

Phoenix and East Valley cities grew by about only 1% in the 2021-22 time period, according to the data. 

Open up to an entirely new way to look at luxury. Milgard Moving Glass Wall Systems are an innovative solution that blurs the line between inside and out of the question. Aspirational yet realistic, this sliding wall seamlessly transitions between dreams and reality. Create a vibrant mural of the outdoors on your wall.

Open up to an entirely new way to look at luxury. Milgard Moving Glass Wall Systems are an innovative solution that blurs the line between inside and out of the question. Aspirational yet realistic, this sliding wall seamlessly transitions between dreams and reality. Create a vibrant mural of the outdoors on your wall. Large

Congratulations to the

Desert Vista

Mountain Pointe

Horizon Honors BASIS Ahwatukee

3 Ahwatukee students earned P.E.O. honors

AFN NEWS STAFF

Philanthropic Educational Organization (P.E.O.) International has awarded competitive STAR Scholarships to three Ahwatukee students – to Makayla Carroll, Paige Greenfield and Katie Ritchie.

Makayla and Paige graduated last week from Mountain Pointe High School and Katie earned her diploma at the same time from Desert Vista.

“All three young women are outstanding members of their high school and greater communities and are part of the 1,000 women across the United States and Canada who received the 2023 STAR Scholarship,” a P.E.O. spokeswoman said.

Makayla plans to attend Howard University and double major in psychology and human physiology, working on a pre-med track. She ranked in the top 5% of her class and has been involved in sports and student organizations, performed community service and completed several internships during her time at Mountain Pointe.

Paige plans to attend Purdue University and major in electrical engineering and computer science. She was the valedictorian of her graduating class and earned an associates of science from Rio Salado College.

She has been involved in sports and robotics club, performed community ser-

vice and has performed with Ahwatukee Children’s Theatre. Paige also earned an Outdoor Emergency Care certification.

Katie plans to attend Arizona State University, Barrett The Honors College and major in public service and public policy. She ranked in the top 5% of her class and she has been involved in student coun-

cil and other student organizations, performed community service and completed internships as well.

P.E.O. has been celebrating women helping women for more than 150 years. Since its inception in 1869, the non-

see STARS page 27

KATIE RITCHIE

MAKAYLA CARROLL

PAIGE GREENFIELD

Desert Vista HIGH SCHOOL

- Military academy appointees - Benjamin Sklodow, Air Force.

- Air Force ROTC scholarship: Chase Parnell.

- National Merit semifinalists - Dani Khatib, Emma McCain, Lola Money, Angela Wang, Nathan Xie.

Top 5%: Sara Allen, Zoe Amtsfield, Rheana Andaya, Sebastian Arana, Amelia Bennett, Clara Buddecke, Sydney Burlingame-Grissom, Chelsea Condon, Kylie Ernst, Abigail Gellman, Halle Gove, Sarah Kim, Tucker Kirkes, Anabella Klein, Gabrielle LeBlanc, Nicole Lipari, Andy Lu, Peyton martin, Rebecca Moore, Don Nguyen, Ruesha Paria, Chase Parnell, Kristine Porter, Andrew Postik, Katherine, Rayter, Katie Ritchie, Kaylyn Rogers, Benjamin Sklodowski, Emma Skousen, Dalton Stanley, Lena Stratton, Logan Tinsley, Leah Travis, Kyle Van Sickle, Angela Wang, Benjamin Woolaver, Leila Wrschka and

CO-VALEDICTORIANS:

Chelsea Condon

Parents: Kevin Condon and Joanna Hamilton. University/major: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, biomedical engineering.

Career plan: Biomedical engineering in a lab.

Awards: Peer Tutor of the Year in 2019, AP Scholar with Distinction in 2022, won fourth place at HOSA State for creative problem solving in 2022, won third place at HOSA State for creative problem solving in 2023.

Extracurriculars on campus: Spanish Club president, Peer Tutoring Organization social media coordinator, Rho Kappa Honor Society, National English Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Honor Society, National Science Honor Society, Cross Country, Math Club, South Asian Heritage Association.

Extracurriculars off campus: Works at Trader Joe’s.

profit organization has helped more than 122,000 women pursue educational goals by providing nearly $415 million in grants, scholarships, awards and loans. The sisterhood also owns and sup-

ports Cottey College in Nevada, Missouri. Through membership, the P.E.O. Sisterhood has brought together more than half a million women in the United States and Canada who are passionate about helping women advance through education while supporting and motivating them.

Nathan Xie.

Top 6-10%: Taylor Barth, Vera Brewer, Collin Bridge, Bailee Chrisofis, Karlee Dakin, John Dyjak, Arianna Fonte, Lila Fuller, Isaiah Hoffman, Emily Hummel, Wi-seon Hwang, Askari Jafferi Syed, Payton Kelly, Kayli Kronick, Justin Kwong, Clancy Larsen, Arianna Lazaritt, Mackenzie Miller, Lola Money, Daniel O’Reilly, Ivan Pan, Samantha Perek, Aashna Ramani, Gabrielle Sauls, Sabine Savage, Caleb Stanley, Gavin Vaughn and Karina Wirjadi.

Senior Student Council officers: Sara Allen, president; Max Worthen, vice president; Ameilia Bennett, communications director; Tristan Guerinot, secretary, James Koplin, spirit director.

Student Body officers: Rheana Andaya, president; Katie Ritchie, vice president; Sarah Juvera, spirit director.

Benjamin Woolaver

Parents: Chris and Allison Woolaver. University/intended career: University of Michigan, aerospace engineering

Extracurriculars on campus: National Honors Society, Science National Honors Society, Ro Kappa, co-captain for the Thunder Hockey. Extracurriculars off campus: Boys Team Charity and Arizona Wildcats Club Hockey.

In addition to the educational philanthropies, the P.E.O. Sisterhood provides a framework of support and community for all members.

What started with a bond of friendship among seven women in Mount Pleasant, Iowa, is now one of the oldest women’s or-

ganizations in North America with nearly 5,800 chapters.

To learn more about P.E.O., its educational philanthropies and women who have benefited from the programs, visit peointernational.org. 

STARS from page 26

A grand finale

Members of Desert Vista High School’s Class of 2023 closed one chapter in their lives as they prepared for a new one May 25. Prior to the ceremony, 1) Abigail Valerio, left, and Gianna Sparaco were all smiles, as were 2) Jeffery Rudolph, Theo Fella and Bradley Ash and 3) Aaliyah Ortiz and Jake Gustafson. 4) Leis were worn by some grads in this group, comprising Caden Saine, Hudson Fuller, Anthony Traux, Koen Felder, Tyreese Wigley, Oscar Kelly and Blito Zilos. 5) Korbyn Riecks Cather caught Stockton Ringenbach in joyous celebration. 6) Waiting to enter the field were Lucy Reich, Elysia Rego, Teagan Reginald and Addisyn Rees. 7) Rheana Andaya was among several students carrying flags.

3

PHOTOS

Mountain PointeHIGH SCHOOL

TOTAL GRADUATES: 456 TOTAL SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS: $8.5 MILLION COMMITTED TO COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY: 80%

CLASS PROFILE

Top 1%: Paige Greenfield, Eli Sells, Helen Nguyen, Levi Doller and Maryam Musleh.

Elise Christy, Rachel Kobes and Millie Greer.

TOP 5% OF CLASS

Chase Beyer, Kyle Young, Matthew, Luoma, Ellen Liu, Alexandra Doller, Karma Liburd, Ethan Simmons, Mckenzie Heflich, Duncan Sherman, Sadie Goldman, Subeen Park, Jesse Kaphing, Lucky Bea Soliven, Mahadevan Iyer, Mi-Ae Hope Nkulu, Hannah Weier, Galilea Lerma, Devyn Settle, Peter Fabrick, Griffin Hentz, Lauren Vu, Jessica Kavanagh and Bryce Kelly.

Top 2-5%: An Le, Genevieve Quezada, Ashley McCowin, Jaeuk Park, Kylie Stinson, Jennifer Nguyen, Raul Yanez, Andie Urbinato, Kendra Le, Emma Russell, Adrienne Roth, Jazmin Corbin, Natalie Matson, Ashley Damron, Trinidad Alvarez, Makayla Carroll, Riley Weathersbee and Kenadee Terry.

Student Body officers: Breyonah Owens, president; Ashia Ramos, vice president; Maisa Regalado, secretary; Adrienne Roth, treasurer; Nia’jah Harper Means, online marketing director; Ana’lecia Ponton-Calip, print marketing director; Ava Jack and Julia Salazar, spirit directors.

TOP 10% OF CLASS

Senior Class officers: Deanna Lemorin, president; Makayla Carroll, vice president; Rikay Johnson, secretary; Anastasia Sanchez, treasurer; Adriana Tillman-Starks, representative.

Yazmin Hilton, Mason Yeager, Madison Bratlie, Brynn Nichols, Alexander Tejeda, Anthony Moncher, Tamia McClain, Isaiah Milkey, Grace Watts, Jennifer Arciniegas, Savannah Gong, Cameron Vu, Drew Stanek, Brandon McGuckin, Maya Lantz, Sebastian, Vergara Matrecito, Mateo Cabanillas, Connor Moon, Zoey McFall, Kenny Le, Dominik Renteria, Alexi Gomez, Matthew Hollingsworth, Ava Motley and Jacob Diaz.

Top 6-10%: Kyra Deeney, Connor Murry, Kaley Damron, Malayka Diop, Tatum Kochanski, Reagan Quinn, Ashia Ramos, Isabella Ling, Zachery Samsel, Ramsay McNeill, Johnathon Osenkarski, Jackson Martinez, Savion Galvan, Sheryl Wu, Gabriel Biasca, Gabriel Kaiping, Desirae Gordon, Abigayle Hallows, Justin Pritchette,

VALEDICTORIAN:

Paige Greenfield

Parents: Delbert Greenfield and Jennifer Spear University: Purdue University-Lafayette.

Major: Electrical and computer engineering. Career plan: Medical research for electrical engineering Awards: Scudder Award, 4th year Senior Academics Award, Rio Salado associates degree, Tempe Dollars for Scholars, top 1%, and POE Star Scholarship.

On campus: Mu Alpha Theta, National English Honors Society, Rho Kappa, Robotics, Science Nationals Honors Society, Cross Country, Track, NHS

Off campus: Junior Ski Patrol

SALUTATORIAN: Eli Sells

Parent: Doug Sells

Commencement speech: “Looking to the future”

Major: Aerospace engineering with a emphasis in astronauts. (University not provided.)

Career plan: Private sector aerospace work.

Awards: Community Service, Senior Academics Award, Rio Salado program, Top 5%. On campus: Mu Alpha Theta, Rho Kappa, Science Nationals Honors Society, , National Honor Society president, Mountain biking Club, LHS, and Environmental Club. Commencement speech: “Collaborate spirit of the Class of 2023.”

2022-23 memorable for 4 in Thunder DECA

The now-gone 2022-23 school year was a memorable one for students in Desert Vista High School’s DECA Club.

Formerly called Distributive Education Clubs of America, the nonprofit career and technical student organization gives hundreds of thousands of students across the country real-life experience in a aspects of business with a mission of preparing “emerging leaders and entrepreneurs for careers in marketing, finance, hospital-

ity and management in high schools and colleges around the globe.”

DECA sponsors an annual conference and four Desert Vista club members attended it in April. They included Siena Matthews, Tyler Zitzka and Vaughn Watson, all of Ahwatukee; and Char Pardo of Chandler.

Char and Siena participated in the hospitality services team competition for decision making.

Tyler and Vaughn participated in the entrepreneurship team decision-making contest.

Siena is a rising senior planning on a ca-

reer in pre-med or nursing and wants to own her own practice.

Tyler, who graduated last week, and Brendan Moore, another newly minted Desert Vista alumnus, are on their way to Arizona State University’s Barrett, The Honors College and have had their own clothing business for several years.

Vaughn is a rising junior who is still deciding on a career. He will be attending Yale University’s entrepreneurship program, called “Foundation for Teaching of Economics.”

Char, co-president of the Desert Vista DECA Club, won a $1,000 award for her

performance in career development at the DECA conference in Florida in April.

She also is heading to Barrett, Th Honors College with the intention of majoring in biomedical science so she can become a veterinarian.

All four students placed in the top five spots among delegates to the DECA State Career and Development Conference.

Two other Desert Vista students who place fifth in Buying and Merchandising Team Decision Making but did not attend the national conference were rising juniors Amelia Smack and Maya Manasse. 

AFN NEWS STAFF

Flushed with Pride

As they prepared for the big walk toward their future, Mountain Pointe Class of ’23 members had some fun, like 1) Hayden Fogel, who shot a selfie with Elise Christy, Zachary Froberg, Shayla Simms, Savion Galvan and Justin Pritchette while 2) Savannah Amisone sat alone for a second in the busy gym to check her phone and 3) Alondra Morris tried to get a stray eyelash out of her eye using her iPhone camera and 4) Allesia Bassett and Melanie Rodriguez helped pin Hailey Jeske’s hat and 5) Isaiah Parker balanced a water bottle on Jaeuk Park’s mortarboard. 6) Ashley Damron and Kaley Damron waved to their friends and relatives in the stands. Overjoyed by their diploma in their hands were 7) Gizelle Castillo Gastelum and 8) Sabrina Anderson.

PHOTOS BY DAVID MINTON/AFN Staff Photographer

Horizon Honors HIGH SCHOOL

TOTAL GRADUATES: 99 TOTAL SCHOLARSHIP OFFERS: $2.8 MILLION

CLASS PROFILE

National Merit Scholars: 1 (Bryce Tucker) Post-graduation: 95% college bound, 3% trade school, 2% workforce. 35 graduates have been at Horizon Honors since kindergarten.

VALEDICTORIANS:

Rohan Bulusu

Parents: Bhaskar and Samata Bulusu.

College: Barrett, The Honors College at Arizona State University.

Major: Triple major in medicinal biochemistry, mathematics, and computer science. Career plans: Professorship in higher education.

Awards: Three-year member of the Arizona All-State Honor Band, three-year member of the Arizona North-Central Region Honor Band, Junior Fellow at the Arizona Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center, NMSC National Merit Finalist, two-time winner of the Model United Nations Best Policy Paper award, four-time recipient of the Model United Nations Best Delegate award (including two won at international conferences), recipient of a four-year Leadership Award from the Horizon Honors band program.

Extracurriculars: National Honors Society, vice president of the Horizon Honors Key Club, founder and president of the Linguistics Club, president of school’s Model United Nations organization, president of the Horizon Honors Band Council, president of the Horizon Honors chapter of the Red Cross, vice president and head of research for AI Research Club.

Off campus: Contributed significantly to several public domain audiobooks through LibriVox, volunteer tutor, and active researcher of artificial intelligence specializing in spiking neural networks. Worked with Dr. Heather Bimonte-Nelson at ASU on research into Alzheimer’s Disease and neurolinguistics. Published through the Horizon Honors Capstone Honors Symposium a 600-page treatise on a new branch of math he developed.

Commencement speech title: “For All the Things we Left Behind.”

Theme: “When you pass back through those doors back there, yes, take heart in your immense successes and accomplishments of these past years. But for all the things we left behind: remember them. Remember where we came from. Their loss was the cost of our success, more so even perhaps than any number of sleepless nights or unrelenting pressures or tear-stained farewells.”

Bryce Tucker

Parents: Bradley and Jennifer Tucker College: Purdue University - West Lafayette.

Major: Mechanical engineering. Career plan: Aerospace engineering.

Awards: National Merit Scholar, U.S. Presidential Scholarship Candidate, AP Scholar with Honor, Regional Honor Choir member, Key Club 100 & 150 Service Hour Award, Larry Pieratt Scholarship recipient.

Extracurriculars: Varsity Boys volleyball, Key Club co-president, Cantabile Honors Chorale, Choir Council treasurer.

Commencement speech title: “The Power of Small Choices.”

Theme: “As you all walk out those doors and into that Arizona heat, I want to remind you of something. And that is the power of small choices. I know that for many of us, myself included, the future is uncertain and unfamiliar. But I hope that all of us can find joy in that, find potential in that. Never forget to be present and live a life dictated by your own choices. Every now and then, take a second to stop the day-to-day routine and consider how you really want to spend your time. All relationships, fundamental habits, major skills, and entire lifestyles start with one small choice, and are built with more. So take that first step: pick up the instrument you’ve always wanted to learn to play, call that friend you haven’t talked to in a long time, take that random class you’re interested in. Choose to respond with kindness and confidence as you react to events in your life, and pick your battles carefully.”

SALUTATORIAN:

Andrew Smith

Parents: Janelle and Kirk Smith

College: ASU Barrett, The Honors College.

Major: Computer science Career: AI engineer

Awards: Second Team All Region Boys Volleyball player in 2023

Extracurriculars: Varsity boys volleyball, National Honor Society, co-founder of the AI Club, and co-founder of Unity Programmers Club.

Studio 111 prepares big, bold dance show

AFN NEWS STAFF

As a long-time dance instructor, Kimberly Lewis likes to give all her Ahwatukee studio’s students from across the Valley a chance to strut their stuff with a big musical production.

And they’ll be doing just that at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Saturday, June 10, at the Madison Center of the Arts, 5601 N. 16th St., Phoenix, with “A Night on the Town.”

Unlike Lewis’ scripted late summer production and her annual presentation of “The Nutcracker,” “A Night on the Town” is strictly about dance, choreography, bold costumes and vivid digitally produced backdrops – and a broad range of musical genres that will appeal to just about any generation, Lewis said.

“This is our spectacular, full-stage production with all of our dancers from the dance studio,” said Lewis, owner of Dance ,Studio 111. Lewis has been mounting the annual showpiece for her students for 29 years – long enough to see several generations

Ahwatukee executive raising money to help grieving children and adults

BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA AFN Contributor

Helping grieving children, teens, adults and families to better handle the resulting emotions and turmoil is the focus of Stepping Stones to Hope, a local nonprofit hosting support camps each summer.

Ahwatukee business owner and author Anthony S. Williams has been involved as a volunteer with the nonprofit for over 20 years.

His empathy and compassion are born from losses of his own, both as a teenager and an adult.

Williams became a volunteer in 2001, two years before Stepping Stones of Hope became a nonprofit.

He volunteered originally at the orga-

nization’s Camp Paz, then served as a board member for three years before becoming director of a camp dedicated to teens 13-8 in 2013.

This marks his 10th anniversary in the role.

Noting that the nonprofit hasn’t hosted a camp since 2019 due to COVID-19, Williams and other volunteers are excited for to hold their first in four years.

Currently, he is raising money to ensure Camp Reach will be funded for a few years into the future. His current mission is to raise $20,000.

Camp Paz is geared especially for children and Camp Reach is dedicated to teens. They cost approximately $6,500 to 7,500 annually to operate.

Williams has raised over $13,000; yet, after seeing how the pandemic and inflation have sapped donations, he’s set his sights

to fund for the future.

Williams, business partner Marc Ortega and their business, Mosaic Financial Associates, are offering a matching donations through June 19.

This year’s Camp Reach is June 23 - 25 and registration can be made online.

Williams, president of Mosaic Financial Associates, his fundraising goal this year was inspired after reading “Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies” by Jim Collins and Jerry I. Porras.

“I go BHIG,” he laughed, spelling out the acronym in the book for “Big Hairy Audacious Goals.”

“After exceeding the $10,000 goal, it only made sense to push to $20,000 and fund three years of Camp Reach. This being the

stepping out on the floor of her studio at 4910 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee.

“We have hundreds of students – I haven’t even counted them,” she said. “They’re as young as 2and all the way through high school age. And then we have our dancing dads that are going to be out there with their daughters again.”

“It’s just a musical dance for all ages,” she added. The range of genres is everything from jazz, pop, rock and roll songs – a mixture of everything. So it’s going to keep the audience very engaged. It’s really a fun show.”

Because her teachers lead a broad range of different dance classes – from ballroom to ballet, Latin fusion to hip hop including a hip hop number done to music from “Harry Potter movies) – every number features dancers in attire that reflects the

see STUDIO page 34

Dance Studio 111 junior dancers Scarlett Forde, AJ Kassinger, Ireland Sanders, Sadie Straessler, Addison Hisdahl, Ryann Suzuki and Adele Cretsinger rehearse for their “A Night on the Town.”(David Minton/Staff Photographer)

Ahwatukee resident Anthony Williams is the volunteer director of Stepping Stones of Hope’s Camp Reach and is offering a matching fund donation opportunity through his company, Mosaic Financial Associates, to raise funds for future camps for teens grieving the loss of a loved one. Williams, founding partner and president of the company, has volunteered with Stepping Stones of Hope since 2001. (Special to AFN)

STUDIO from page 33

number.

And, she gushed, “The lighting is spectacular, because the Madison Center for the Arts has a beautiful lighting director that has been working on all the different lighting for the past six months.

“It’s pretty spectacular,” she said, adding that the performers are from as far away as Casa Grande and Scottsdale as well as Mesa, Gilbert, Chandler, Queen Creek and, of course, Ahwatukee.

But it’s the generational aspect of the cast that is a testament to Lewis’ renown.

“I have mothers that grew up in my studio who now bring their children,” she said. “Dads that grew up doing our daddy-daughter dance are now grandfathers dancing with their granddaughters. It goes full circle.”

She said even some of her former Phoenix Suns Dancers will be performing.

Lewis who founded the Phoenix Suns Dancers when she moved to Ahwatukee in the 1990.

Some of the connections she made with the team remain as strong as ever. Carrie Anders is artistic director at Studio 111

and Lauren Beth Kassinger is a teacher.

Lewis also stressed that “A Night on the Town” is a family show, so parents don’t have to worry about risqué music or dance moves.

Lewis added that she has formed a partnership with the Madison Center for the Arts, which has won high praise for its acoustics and overall Tickets for “A Night on the Town”

Studio 111 senior dancer Jessica Walters is ready to entertain the audience June 10. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

are available at dancestudio111.com/ tickets.

Dance Studio 111 senior dancers, from left, Alyssa Moore, Kya King, Skylar Ockomon , Olivia Nielson, Almaze Lee and Jessica Walters stay in the swing of things rehearsing for “A Night on the Town.” (David Minton/Staff Photographer(David Minton/Staff Photographer)

2 Music Makers pianists win top state honors

Two young Ahwatukee musicians, Marysol Martinez and Andrea Leong, of Music Maker Workshops, received the top honors at the Arizona Study Program Competition this month.

This statewide piano competition is held annually by the Arizona State Music Teachers Association.

The Arizona Study Program started in 1958 to provide a consecutive and comprehensive plan of music study for piano, designed to motivate and encourage the student to strive for growth and excellence.

Both Marysol and Andrea study under Dr. Ying Kuo of Music Maker Workshops.

“First of all, this is an amazing experience and honorable recognition of Andrea’s musicianship,” said Andrea’s mother, Siew Chuan Goh.

“Dr. Kuo has prepared Andrea very well in practical and theory for the past one and a half years and with the test and studio’s help, we now have a measured view

case, Mosaic will match all donations up to $5,000 from now until June 19.”

He said working with the bereaved and often shell-shocked teenagers following a death in their family is inspiring as he watches them connect with each other.

Their name tags include not only t heir own name, but that of the loved one they lost.

“Anyone who attends camp has had someone who’s passed,” said Williams. “There are strong connections established between these teens.”

Williams leads teens in a wealth of physical and mental activities to help them face their loss.

Teenagers can attend any of Stepping Stones of Hope family camps with their parents and siblings. However, Camp Reach is the dedicated camp for teens. Other family camps they can attend with parents of siblings include Camp Paz, Camp Samantha and One Day at Camp.

of Andrea’s progress from a third party, which is awesome,” she continued.

Camps are held at Spirit in the Desert Retreat Center in Carefree, and at Whispering Hope Ranch in Payson.

As an author of five books Williams has plenty to keep him busy, but he says his involvement with Stepping Stones of Hope has enriched his life.

“Death is hard for everyone, and it is a blessing to have this platform,” said Williams, a nationally renown public speaker.

An Arizona State University alum and Ahwatukee resident since 1989, Williams recalled how he learned of the nonprofit.

“Twenty years ago, after repeatedly hearing, ‘if you are calling about Camp Paz, a retreat to remember, please leave a message’ when calling my client, Chip Finch’s voicemail, the question I asked Chip was ‘What is Camp Paz?’”

“Chip shared with me the details of the camp and the impact he was having with kids and families experiencing a grief loss. My thought at the time was I wanted to do more than write checks. I wanted to be involved directly,” he recalled.

“The overall experience from the beginning of preparation to achieve the superior

“Chip invited me to a camp, and the rest is history.”

Chip Charles Finch, Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine. After volunteering at a similar grieving camp for children in Ohio, Finch returned to Arizona to complete his residency and noted there was no such camp in the Valley.

In 1999 he began the nonprofit with one camp – Camp Paz for Kids/Adults, which evolved into Stepping Stones of Hope in 2003.

Stepping Stones now has dozens of programs and camps touching lives of children, teens, families and adults.

It is a move Finch has never regretted.

“Death is a difficult concept for children to grasp,” Finch said.

“Our weekend programs provide a safe place for these children to express themselves; through art, music, role-playing, and a lot of talking and laughing. Kids learn about death and dying and they learn how to begin to cope,” he said.

Finch explained grieving adults accom-

honors award motivated Andrea to become mature, confident and even reach new levels in her musicianship,” Goh added.

The Arizona Study Program is a 12year graded course of study developed by ASMTA to provide for the development of musical performance, theory and technique.

It is organized in terms of the 12 years of public school, with one level for each of the years a student would be enrolle. It requires continual work throughout the year and is evaluated each spring by a master adjudicator and a written theory test.

Music Maker Workshops is located on 3233 E. Chandler Blvd.,

Learn more at MMWaz.com. 

Music Maker Workshops

480-706-1224 l MMWaz.com

3233 E. Chandler Blvd. Suite #2

Ahwatukee

panying their children and teens are included in the program.

“At the same time, in a nearby location, adult family members are also learning to explore their grief through journaling, music, art, self-care, relaxation, and dialogue. They discover ways they can best support the children who share their loss.”

Stepping Stones of Hope designed a program for grieving adults, whether or not they have dependent children living with them. This camp is called Journeys, Pathways to Healing.

Like the other camps, this camp helps adults better understand and manage their grief following the death of a loved one. The next Journeys Camp is Aug. 19-20.

Stepping Stones of Hope is a volunteerdriven organization and interested persons are invited to apply online to help at weekend or day camp programs in various roles.

“I’m not sure I don’t get more out of this than the teens,” Williams said.

Information: SteppingStonesOfHope. org or 602-264-7520. 

MARYSOL MARTINEZ

ANDREA LEONG

CAMP from page 33

Armer Foundation slates casino night fundraiser Attendees can roll the dice to benefit local families whose children have chronic or life-altering diseases

On aturday, July 29, 2023, from 6-10 p.m., The Armer Foundation for Kids will host a casino night fundraiser 6-10 p.m. July 29, sponsored by Spencer 4 Hire Roofing, at Lights, Camera, Discover, 4825 E. Warner Road, Ahwatukee.

Along with poker, blackjack and craps, the event will also include a silent auction.

“This is a fundraiser for us to raise much needed funds for the families we support who have children with life-threatening illnesses – the treatments for which insurance does not always cover,” said foundation founder Jennifer Armer. “It’s a great opportunity to have a fun night out, while knowing that you are making a difference in the lives of so many families who are struggling to pay the bills that will save their children’s lives.”

Ticket ranges are: $500 for $5,500 in chips and five drink tickets; $200 for $2,000 in chips and four drink tickets; $100 for includes $750 in chips and three drink tickets; and $50 for $250 in chips and two drink tickets.

Purchase tickets at armerfoundation.org/casinonight.

Ahwatukee women’s group schedules June luncheon with focus on its many activities

Ahwatukee Foothills Friends and Neighbors will hold its June luncheon social at The Olive Garden, 1010 W. Elliot Road, Tempe, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. June 26.

Activity leaders will discuss upcoming events. Contact affanwomensgroup@gmail.com for more details and to register. The cost of the lunch is $20 and must be prepaid by June 17 to attend.

The group schedules a variety of activities throughout the

year, including team trivia, dining on the town, wine tasting, explore Arizona trips, book club, bridge and Mah Jongg.

Laughs galore in 2 Ahwatukee comedy shows

Ahwatukee residents who need a laugh don’t have far to travel as two comedy shows are in the offing.

HaHaTukee Comedy, a weekly comedy club that presents shows at Cactus Jack’s at 4747 E. Elliot Road, Ahwatukee, has has completed the first round of a 17-week Funniest Person in the Valley Comedy Competition sponsored by local comedian Anthony Solimini and Comedy School founder Tony Vicich at 7 p.m. every Tuesday.

The winners of 10 weekly rounds will not be facing off for the first stage of semifinals.

The grand prize winner will get $1,000 while second place will garner $300 and third place $250.

Along with cash prizes, bookings at the Tempe Center for the Arts, along with bookings at other comedy clubs, and out of state comedy clubs will be awarded.

Meanwhile, the Ahwatukee Comedy Club is returning at 7 p.m. June 3 at the Lights, Camera Discover auditorium at 4825 E. Warner Road, featuring comedians Arthur Bellkind, Keith Ellis, Bob Kubota and Danielle Williams. Tickets are $10 at the door or at lcdcomedy.eventbrite.com.

Tryouts slated this Saturday for 12U AAA Ahwatukee Devils baseball

The Ahwatukee Devils 12U AAA team will hold tryouts 8-11 a.m. Saturday, June 3, at Sun Ray Park’s northeast field. Registration and paperwork can be found at ahwatueedevils.com.

“We will be evaluating kids based on drills we have selected,” a club spokesman said. “We will ensure every kid is evaluated farly.

The competitive team practices twice a week starting in

LA CASA DE JUANA

DELIVERS A KNOCKOUT WITH ITS FRESH, AUTHENTIC AND MOUTHWATERING FOOD

September and plays two tournaments a month through spring. Monthly dues depends on the number of players.

For questions about this nonprofit: jpac4lyf@yahoo.com.

Kiwanis Club to host speaker from Boy Scouts

The Kiwanis Club of Ahwatukee has speakers at many of 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.

On June 8, the speaker is Emily Gesell, Boy Scouts of America representative.

Ironwood Library offers free activities for all

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.

Summer reading program

Adults, teens, children, and babies can earn points toward free books, food, Arizona State Park passes, Mercury basketball tickets, and more, just by reading. Log onto MaricopaCountyReads.org to register and record reading or literacy activities June 1-August 1.

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.

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.

Full STEAM Ahead

Children ages 6-12 explore hands-on creative ways to design, experiment, and invent 2-4 p.m. June 10, 17 and 24in

this drop-in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) program. No tickets required.

Around the World with Jungle Jill & Friends

Children ages 2-11 can experience close encounters with reptiles and birds, large and small, from around the world at one of two shows June 7: 2-2:45 p.m. or 4-4:45 p.m. No tickets required.

Dr. T-rex Science

Children ages 2-11 can discover multiple scientific phenomena in this hands-on educational entertainment environment on June 14 at either 2-3 p.m. or 4-5 p.m.

Trash Talk: Zero Waste 2050

With interactive games and a virtual tour of Phoenix recycling facility, children ages 2-11 and their families will enjoy learning how to “Recycle Right at Home” and make “Reduce and Reuse” part of daily life. June 21, 2-3 p.m. No tickets required

Temporary Henna body art

Teens ages 12-17 can learn about the history, styles, and application of henna with a live demonstration 3-5 p.m. June 22.

Diarra Music

Enjoy a West African n’goni and balafon performance in the native Bambara language 11:30 a.m.-12:15 p.m. July 8. No tickets required.

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, 5-5:45 p.m. On June 7 “The Last Thing He Told Me” by Laura Dave will be discussed and and on July 5, “Vanished Arizona” by Martha Summerhayes. No tickets required.

Sit and stitch

Join fellow stitchers to work on your current project on the first and third Saturday of each month, June 3 and 17, 3-4:45 p.m. Knitting, crocheting, cross-stitch, needlepoint… all are welcome. 

BESTOF 2022

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.

Proud Ensign

Don’t hesitate to stop by the Ahwatukee location 3941 E. Chandler Blvd. (S/W corner Chandler & 40th St) to make your next reservation call 480-626-9295 www.juanashouse.com

An Ahwatukee native who graduated from Desert Vista High in 2019 celebrated another commencement last week. Ensign Jack Page Brake just graduated from the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, with a bachelor’s degree in aeronautical engineering with merit. He is working on a master’s degree in space systems engineering after his selection for the Bowman Scholarship Program at the United States Postgraduate Naval Academy in Monterey, California. He plans to join the submarine warfare community for his service commitment. (Special to AFN)

‘Picklemall’ may spare empty malls, government

AFN NEWS STAFF

Acompany bankrolled by a billionaire is killing several birds with one stone called Picklemall.

Last week, the company announced it would be opening an indoor pickleball complex inside Arizona Mills mall in Tempe in July, calling the facility its American debut.

But what the Arizona Mills facility really is is a beachhead for a nationwide invasion.

The company’s release said it is “primed for rapid expansion to 50 nationwide locations in 24 months” and news accounts across the country show it wasn’t kidding.

It already had made great fanfare over the last few months with similar announcements in Arkansas, Minnestota, Texas and Oklahoma.

The modular indoor pickleball concept that will debut in Tempe is the company’s first completed facility.

The company is backed by Texas billionaire financier Steve Kuhn, a self-described pickleball fanatic.

His concept seems to solve several is-

sues, not all of them related directly to picklemall.

While it takes poor weather out of the popular game, it also fills vacant space in struggling indoor shopping malls.

And the concept may take some of the heat off local governments that are being pressured by fans of the sport to build

more outdoor pickleball courts.

The Arizona Mills location might be Picklemall’s first opening in America, but it is not the area’s first indoor pickleball facility.

That title was claimed last year by a Chandler businessman who opened Pickleball Kingdom in an abandoned strip

mall big box at Kyrene and Ray roads.

In Arizona Mills, Picklemall will comprise 104,000 square feet of space that had been anchored by At Home.

With 24 championship caliber courts, Picklemall “aims to dramatically reduce game wait times while quickly increasing the standard for championship-style pickleball courts, Picklemall CEO West Shaw said.

The move will help meet the demand for what Kuhn calls the “Benjamin Button of sports.” He dubbed the game with that title because while pickleball first became popular with older people, young players are now starting to flock to the sport.

Picklemall will be driven by technology to “improve efficiency of the player experience,” Shaw said. It will enable players to use an app “to make scheduling a pickleball game, recording performance and enhancing skills easy. “

“Players will use the Picklemall app to reserve their court, set a playtime and unlock the Picklemall experience,” the

see PICKLEBALL page 40

California firm buys Ahwatukee Mercado

NEWS STAFF

ACalifornia investment company has bought the Ahwatukee Mercado for just under $14 million.

Investment Concepts Inc., throughout subsidiary Ahwatukee Market LP, bought the Safeway-anchored strip mall from Westwood Financial Corp., according to Valley real estate tracker vizzda.com.

Located on the southwest corner of 48th Street and Elliot Road, the deal covers 56,873 square feet of retail space across four single-story buildings that includes the Safeway.

Built in 1986 on 5.61 acres, the Mercado ran into trouble during the Great Recession and was sold at an auction in 2011 for $6.9 million.

But since then, its fortunes have turned.

It was sold to Westwood in 2019 for $9 million, according to vizzda records.

The $13.98 million paid by Investment

Concepts breaks down to a square-foot price of $245, according to vizzda and that’s roughly on part with the per-square-

foot price of other retail center sales in the Valley market in recent months.

Investment Concepts, based in Orange, California, is a developer, property manager and owner of apartment complexes and retail centers in Southern California, Nevada, Oregon and Arizona.

It was founded in 1969 by a CPA in the savings and loan industry at a time when it held substantial foreclosed properties, according to the company website.

The company turned around what had been underperforming properties into profitable investments, building its portfolio to over 1.9 million square feet of commercial and multifamily developments.

That portfolio includes 29 strip malls, 83 apartment buildings, an office building and over 350 single-family houses. 

AFN

Arizona Mills in Tempe will host the American debut of a new concept for indoor pickleball that makes use of vacant shopping mall space. (Courtesy of Picklemall)

The Ahwatukee Mercado on the southwest corner of 48th Street and Elliot Road was built in 1986. (Special to AFN)

Business owners should know workmen’s comp

BY BOGDAN LAZA AFN Guest Writer

He reclined in his leather chair chewing a halfsmoked cigar as I looked over his Worker’s Compensation policy. Mr. Johnson had sacrificed and built his company with his blood, sweat, and tears. The mountain of his accomplishment had been chiseled into a throne with him seated securely at the top, or so he thought.

I knew this conversation would require finesse. “I’ve reviewed your worker’s compensation policy, and there are at least two big problems we should discuss.”

Mr. Johnson regarded me with skepticism. “Problems?” He leaned forward. “What problems? I’ve had this policy for years.”

I leaned against the corner of his mahogany desk. I wasn’t there to be his yes man. My job was to counsel him on what was best for him and his company.

“Workers’ compensation insurance is not just for your employees; it also encompasses your well-being. As the leader

PICKLEBALL from page 39

company said. Inside the court, gameplay will be recorded by a camera, giving players the ability to watch, analyze and learn from their game footage in real time.

“Our goal is to not only make pickleball accessible to more people, but to actually help them improve their game with the help of experts,” Shaw said. “We will have a few technological tricks up our sleeves to make that happen and we’re excited to unveil them to the public.”

“Picklemall will strictly focus on the reuse of existing indoor mall and strip mall properties, bringing new life into vacant spaces,” he added, noting it provides “convenience, climate control and consistent competition for amateur and professional pickleballers to take their game to the next level, no matter the season.”

Shaw zeroed in on Arizona as a prime location for Picklemall, contending hot temperatures “can drain the city’s energy in the summer,” adding Kuhn’s concept “presents an exciting opportunity for Picklemall to ignite joy and cultivate

of your company, you should include yourself in the coverage, as should your officers.”

His eyes narrowed as he set his cigar into a crystal ashtray. “Why would I do that? Worker’s Compensation insurance is expensive. I can legally exclude myself and my officers and I don’t make a habit of wasting money. My agent is supposed to help keep my costs down.”

“Just how much money did your agent Bob tell you he’s saving you by excluding yourself?” He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “I don’t know exactly, but it’s significant, and I’ve got great group health insurance. I don’t need double coverage.”

I knew the answer before I asked the question. “Based on your salary you’re saving your company about $500 per year by excluding yourself. If your group health policy excludes work related injuries, as most do, you’re putting yourself and your officers at risk of losing everything.

“If you or your officers are injured at work, you would be responsible for paying 100% of it out of pocket.”

I began to illustrate what his policy pro-

friendly competition in a safe, cool, and familiar environment.”

Pickleball is the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., experiencing 35% growth from August 2022 to March 2023, according to the Association of Pickleball Professionals.

With demand outpacing current pickleball infrastructure growth, players complain they are consistently displaced and experience long wait times for a limited number of courts.

vided.

“The Arizona State Statute, Title 23Chapter 6 worker’s compensation insurance policy is the most comprehensive combination of coverage ever manuscript. This mandatory fixed commodity contains five separate policies within the chapter. That’s why it’s so expensive.

The first part of the policy, ‘Schedule A’ provides a death benefit, a medical benefit with no copays, deductibles, or limits, and a disability policy which we call Indemnity because it indemnifies a portion of your salary while treating.

Additionally, if your treating physician cannot bring you back to 100% of your pre-accident state, an impairment benefit will be paid to you in the form of a lump sum check to offset a percentage of your disability.

The final part, ‘Schedule B’ provides you with a third liability policy, which protects you from third party lawsuits, should your company be deemed willfully negligent in an employee’s job-related accident.”

His face turned red as he realized his agent Bob neglected to tell him how little he saved by excluding himself, that his

Once popular at retirement communities and with 55+ demographics, today 72% of avid pickleball players are between the ages of 18 and 44, with an average age of 34.8.

“Every year, the demographics for the sport get younger and younger,” Kuhn said. “Pickleball has the opportunity to cross the barriers that divide us — age, race, class — to foster togetherness and spread joy to the communities in which Picklemall will reside. That starts with getting creative about location, and the future of pickleball is indoors.”

Picklemall’s facilities will be available for leagues, clinics, open play, tournaments and drop-in games.

The Picklemall Pro Shop, available inside each Picklemall location, will feature branded merchandise and professional pickleball equipment from premier facility partner JOOLA USA. The facility will also include options for equipment rental.

A former hedge fund manager who became a philanthropist, Kuhn owns an 86acre estate called Dreamland near Austin, Texas, that includes multiple mini-golf

health policy excluded work related injuries and that he had no true understanding of the level of coverage he excluded himself from.

Mr. Johnson had a second problem. He had several small premium indemnity claims on his experience modification worksheet.

I illustrated how we can diminish the punitive impact of those claims against his experience modification factor by 70% if we proactively manage medical claims and prevent them from escalating into indemnity claims.

And that’s where the story ends. Because the subsequent phone call he made to his agent Bob, and the string of obscenities to follow would be wholly inappropriate for this publication.

I’ve noticed an alarming number of business owners do not understand the basic structure of their worker’s compensation policy and how it works. But now you do, at least a little more. Don’t be like Johnson – and don’t hire a Bob.

Bogdan Laza is vice president of Brown & Brown, a Phoenix property and casual;ty broker. Reach him at Bogdan.Laza@bbrown.com. 

courses, a disc golf course, two stages, psychedelic art installations, a bar – and 16 pickleball courts, according to a profile published this year by Austin Monthly.

He also founded Major League Pickleball and has hosted several league tournaments with purses exceeded $5 million.

Austin Monthly noted that he has four of the world’s top professional pickleball players living at Dreamland and it’s not just because they needed a home.

“All of them are housed in modular tiny homes that Kuhn had trucked in as part of his plan to grow the sport and emphasize his goal of global unity,” author Bryan Parker wrote.

The pros not only attract other pros, he reported, but also “can teach lessons to beginners and casual players. In effect, their residence at Dreamland bolsters pickleball at both ends, sharpening toptier talent while enticing newcomers.

“It also serves as a conduit between those two worlds, putting fans in close proximity to budding stars—something

STEVE KUHN

Veteran decries barriers to vets’ business start-ups

BY SYDNEY CARRUTH AND LILLIE BOUDREAUX Cronkite News

WASHINGTON – An Arizona veteran who started a string of businesses after his military service ended told Congressional lawmakers last week that reducing barriers and streamlining federal loan applications are essential to helping other vets become business owners.

“While we appreciate the well-intentioned government programs such as the Small Business Administration and the Office of Veterans Business Development, it is disheartening to find that these programs often present barriers, red tape and bureaucratic hurdles when seeking assistance,” said Grant Quezada, owner of Founding Fathers Collective in Prescott.

Quezada’s comments to the House Small Business Committee hearing were echoed by other veterans on the panel as well as by most members of the committee, who asked how the SBA and other agencies can better serve vets looking to transition into the world of business.

But Rep. Eli Crane, R-Oro Valley, took a different approach, going down the line of witnesses and asking each if they were “impressed by the efficiency of the federal government.” Most said no, and one said it could be better.

Many of the veterans, like Quezada, said they worked months to get approved for government funding but ended up turning to private equity.

“The local regional bankers are not as adept at working within the construct of the SBA, so normally the help we had to find was being pushed down to Phoenix and some of the larger banks down there,”

unheard of in any other major league sport.”

And in forming Major League Pickleball, Kuhn also attracted high-level investors and team owners like NFL legends Drew Brees and Tom Brady.

Kuhn also is leading the charge to pressure the inclusion of pickleball as a credited event in the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.

said Quezada, a former Army Ranger.

After 10 months of searching for capital in Phoenix and Scottsdale and the help of a former military friend with financial sector experience, Quezada said he was finally able to secure $4.5 million in loan funding for the collective. He attributed his success to support from other veteran business owners.

Quezada said he did not use either of the SBA’s most popular loan programs, the 7A loan and the 504 loan, an experience shared by another veteran who was testifying.

“Our success is with private equity,” said Taylor Burks, a former Navy lieutenant commander who now serves as president of Rost Landscaping in Missouri.

“I think the SBA loan programs are a little bit of a mirage sometimes,” Burks added, “especially if you have something that can be a meaningful business idea, like Sgt. Quezada’s concept.”

All the business owners said the SBA veteran support program Boots to Business helped in their transition from service members to entrepreneurs.

But they all reported struggling to access the capital and credit needed to grow their small businesses.

“The person on the other side who might be trying to help, they just don’t understand the pitfalls of what we’re facing or the urgency,” Quezada said. “If veterans had the ability to tap into their G.I. bill and apply that to a business venture as they leave the military, I think that’s a phenomenal way to set them up for success.”

But Crane said he thinks the smallbusiness owners and Americans in general would best be served if the federal government stayed out of small business funding. 

Pickleball “needed someone with the means and vision to provide a spark,” Parker wrote. “And it just so happens that Kuhn was looking for a way to prove that uniting people around the world is a beneficial (and lucrative) idea. He likes to say that America needs pickleball. But it seems just as true that pickleball and Steve Kuhn needed each other.”

To keep up with picklemall’s progress in Tempe: Information: thepicklemall. com. 

• Done-for-YOU Listing Service. We remove impediments. You don’t have to lift a finger. We have the connections, the resources, and the “can do” attitude. Relax, knowing the details are being taken care of.

• You have more options. We can get you an off-market cash offer, sell your home on the MLS, or our NO ShowingVirutal Listing program. We will help you explore options to buy before you sell. The key here is there are many ways to sell now in a shifted market.

• Flexible Commissions. We believe that compensation and value should always be in direct alignment so that the homeowner always gets the most value. For that reason, we offer our highly-celebrated, flexible commission structure.

Market Update

a A t ems GREAT RESULTS! Anybody can promise you anything. The true test is in the results. As you can see on THIS MAP, I follow through with our promises and have hundreds of happy clients to prove it. How is your home worth in this market? Find out instantly.

New inventory has a month-over-month decrease of -8.2% while the year-over-year comparison decreased by -28.3%.

ARMLS is projecting a 2.12% month-over-month increase in the median sales price when May’s numbers are reported.

There are about 50 homes a day leaving the market. This is a huge opportunity for sellers.

Sue Bentley’s Closed Sales History

1190 E Missouri Ave #190 Phoenix, AZ 85014 TheBentleyCo.com

Promoting car safety by recall is a risky strategy

BY NORMA FARIS HUBELE AFN Guest Writer

If the tragic effect of our nation’s new approach to car safety has a face, it’s that of 27-year-old Anton Yelchin.

Seven years ago, the “Star Trek” actor died when his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee rolled backward in the steep driveway of his Los Angeles home. The vehicle pinned Yelchin against a brick fence, crushing him to death.

Yelchin evidently thought that he had placed the vehicle in park before stepping out of the driver’s seat. But the parking gear was not engaged. The accident occurred just weeks after Yelchin’s vehicle was recalled for a defective electronic gear shift. The solution was a software update, but his Jeep had not been fixed yet.

For years, car safety improved due to

two main strategies: the carrot or the stick. But by the time of Yelchin’s death, car owners had unknowingly entered a new era: safety by recall.

Traditional safety approaches

The federal government designed its 5-Star Safety Rating system as a way to reward carmakers for improving the crashworthiness of cars.

The idea was to put the carrot in the hands of the consumer. If a vehicle had more stars, then more consumers would buy the car, prompting the automaker to produce safer cars. It would be up to the carmakers to respond to these market forces.

On the other hand, government regulations are the stick. The carmakers must build over 40 safety regulations into their features.

You experience over 50 years of regulations when you get behind the driving wheel, adjust your seat, reach for your seatbelt, adjust your mirror, press your foot on the brake pedal, and turn the key

(or press the button) to start your motor.

These regulations essentially limit the driving experience to “best practices” to keep us safe.

These traditional strategies focus mainly on improving mechanical parts. But over the last decade, our cars have changed. Today, they look more like computers on wheels.

Recalls mount as cars computerize

Managing safety has also changed. Now, with the widespread and diverse technologies in cars, federal safety regulators are forced to rely more on recalls.

A vehicle recall occurs when either the manufacturer, regulators, or both determine that a defect exists. A defect involves an unreasonable risk of a crash occurring, or an unreasonable risk of death or injury in a crash.

The recall process requires collecting and analyzing data from consumers, manufacturers, and safety advocates. A recall occurs only after an in-depth risk assess-

ment is completed.

The volume of recalls show that our federal regulators have been very busy. In 2010, more than 23.4 million vehicles were recalled.

That’s about 1 recall per 11 registered vehicles. A decade later, that number was close to 34.4 million recalls or one recall per five registered vehicles. Today, more vehicles are being recalled and their defects are costing lives, injuries, and damages.

Before Yelchin’s accident, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US LLC had collected some 700 reports potentially-related to the defective gear shift. Those reports included 212 crashes, 308 claims of property damage, and 41 injuries. No fatalities had yet been attributed to the defect. More than 800,000 people’s Chryslers, Dodges, and Jeeps were affected by this recall.

It’s hard to investigate potential defects

see HUBELE

Let voters decide transportation future

BY DIANE E. AND JOHN W. LEWIS AFN Guest Writers

Let’s start with the good news: The transportation infrastructure in Maricopa County – roads, freeways, bridges and transit – has fueled our economic momentum over the past 40 years.

The transportation funding plan –known today as Proposition 400 (Prop. 400) – has been a powerful example of

collaboration, compromise and coalitionbuilding to deliver a robust, multi-modal network that provides freedom of mobility and economic opportunity.

This is not an easy thing to do. If we had to rank priorities to fund transportation projects across Maricopa County, each of our lists would be different.

The transportation choices of cities, towns and tribes in the region also differ from one another; yet mayors and other elected leaders from 32 cities, towns, counties, and tribes, representing more than four million voters worked together and unanimously agreed on a plan to extend this funding stream.

This compromise took more than four years of work, including over 500 meetings and feedback from more than 10,000 residents.

Over 100 businesses and organizations, from the PHX East Valley Partnership and

WESTMARC to AARP Arizona, American Lung Association, and Arizona Public Interest Research Group (Arizona PIRG), want the voters of Maricopa County to have the opportunity to vote on this plan.

Now, because Maricopa County is the only county in Arizona that needs legislative approval to call an election, it is up to the Legislature and governor to act. Here’s why they must act soon.

The extension of Prop. 400 is needed to continue the success of four decades by continuing major investments in defined freeway improvements, arterial improvements, and transit capital projects.

The extension of Prop. 400 establishes a public process to ensure the short term and long-term regional needs are addressed now and into the future. Such investments include safety improvements, intersection improvements, traffic signal coordination and roadway reconstruction.

Based on stakeholder feedback, the plan nearly doubles the amount the region invests in bus operations to expand the reach of bus service while also setting aside funding to test new and emerging transit markets.

Simply put: the Prop. 400 extension plan provides options and freedom to get around the Valley. Without it, our region will see an exponential increase in gridlock, pollution and lost economic opportunity.

In addition to transportation options, Prop. 400 is a critical economic driver.

Property values within 1/4 mile of light rail appreciated 316 percent between 2000 and 2019, compared to an average of 150 percent countywide.

Eighty percent of jobs in Maricopa County are within two miles of a light rail corridor or freeway. Extending Prop. 400

Proper attire should be the rule for high school students

I feel compelled to take the time to express my opinion after reading the Ahwatukee Foothills News article regarding Tempe Union High School District considering changes to the dress code for high school students. And that the Governing Board will be discussing this in the near future.

I would say from observation of students scurrying off to school or walking home with friends that there is a very wide interpretation of how young people dress.

Personally, I do not understand why our young people look at their school day as one where it does not matter how they are attired.

Yet, I see some of those very same students, hurriedly heading off to their part time jobs wearing what could be described as the uniform of the business. Whether it is one of the many fast food places in the community or even sit-down restaurants, there tends to be definite standards of

in newer vehicles because they entail possible failures in a company’s proprietary software or other faults deep in the electronic systems of the vehicle.

More than a decade ago, the National Research Council predicted this problem due to the shift from mechanical systems to electronic ones.

We are currently seeing this prediction come true. It will be harder and harder for regulators to identify such problems before they cause deaths and injuries. As the annual numbers sited about indicate, there is a lot at stake. No wonder the investigations and arguments between the regulators and carmakers are contentious.

As a nation, we need to devise a new way to build safety into our computers on wheels. Apparently, the carrot or stick sys-

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

dress for employees.

Why then can’t we assume that our high school students, teenagers, have a job every day to attend classes at their school?

One would not think of having the shortest of shorts and the barest of midriff at the place of employment.

Yet, that is what we see as students head off to classes. And pants so large that they have to walk with their hips stretched out to keep them from falling down, all the while displaying their underwear for all to see.

These are simple examples of what is seen within our classrooms today. No, it is not dignified. No, it does not add respect for one’s self. Nor does it provide safety. Have you ever seen one of those young men try to run with their pants almost to their knees!

I am not a proponent of school uniforms, lest one would think that is where this is headed. But on the other hand, it would be nice to have high school students (and younger) look at their educa-

tem from the horse and buggy days can’t keep up with the safety requirements of our modern carriages.

And the human cost of the current recall strategy, which is most like complaining after an unsound horse has left the barn, is too high. Drivers like Yelchin deserve better.

If you have a car problem and would like to notify the federal regulators, you can go onto the website:nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem#index.

Ahwatukee resident Norma Faris Hubele is professor emerita of Arizona State University and creator of TheAutoProfessor.com, a website that helps families make safer car choices. Her book, “Backseat Driver, The Role of Data in Great Car Safety Debates” was published in August by Routledge. 

tion as their job and put forth the effort to dress for the occasion.

That could be called modest, dignified, respectful or whatever one would like. But the respect for the job at hand is not to see what latest style can be displayed or who can wear the shortest shorts, or the riskiest outfit.

It would be such a breath of fresh air to see changes in the dress code that refers more to attending school as a job and for students to dress appropriately. Any employer will say the same thing. Standard of dress as outlined by the employer is what is required.

-Mary Frances Lewis

(Former Tempe Union High School Governing Board member for over 25 years)

Lift the debt ceiling without increasing poverty

Instead of passing legislation to authorize payment of American debts, House GOP leaders are holding lower income

means high-paying job opportunities in industries including finance, healthcare, construction, and our advanced manufacturing sector.

Extending Prop. 400 also means less congestion for a region that continues to lead the country in population growth. Less congestion means improved air quality with better health and lower costs, especially for those that suffer from asthma and other respiratory illnesses.

And Prop. 400 is the only dedicated funding source for ADA paratransit services for older adults and the disabled, providing transportation for individuals who may have no other options.

Getting unanimous agreement from policymakers and elected officials of different political parties on major infra-

families hostage, refusing to act unless they get deep cuts to SNAP, Medicaid, housing assistance, and core global poverty programs.

In addition, they refuse to enact any tax increases on the wealthiest individuals and corporations.

People struggling to make ends meet are not a problem to be solved, and these cuts, if approved, will force profound hardship upon millions of people still recovering from the COVID economic downturn and inflation-fueled increases to the costs of gasoline, food, utilities, and other necessities.

In addition, a debt default will likely trigger a deep recession, throwing millions of Americans out of work and creating even more economic chaos.

I strongly urge President Biden and congressional leaders to lift the debt ceiling immediately and to reject any budget cuts that will increase poverty and do great harm to many families.

-Barb Rodman

structure investments rarely happens these days.

If mayors and local elected leaders representing diverse communities and interests can come together to unanimously support an all-of-the-above transportation proposal, the Legislature shouldn’t stand in the way of giving voters the opportunity to vote.

Let’s get the extension of Prop. 400 to the ballot and allow Maricopa County voters to determine their own transportation future.

John W. Lewis, the former mayor of Gilbert, is the President/CEO of PHX East Valley Partnership, an entity focused on improving business and quality of life in the East Valley. Diane E. Brown is the executive director of the Arizona Public Interest Research Group (Arizona PIRG) and coordinates the Coalition for Transportation Choices. 

HUBELE from page 44

PROP from page 44

David Klecka thankful for time as DV’s athletic director

BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

The Tempe Union High School District made David Klecka who he is today.

It’s where he grew up, playing football at McClintock under Karl Kiefer. It’s where he landed his first job at a school, albeit a custodian at Mountain Pointe High School.

But most importantly, it’s the district that gave him a chance to coach and realize his true calling in life: mentoring kids.

But after several years total spent in the district and the last three as the athletic director at Desert Vista, he felt it was time for a change. He looked no further than Mesa High School, which has a resurgent athletics program and several new facilities. Just like he did for Thunder athletes, his aim now is to make a difference in the lives of Jackrabbits.

“My time at Desert Vista, as it comes to an end, is getting very emotional,” Klecka said.

“I’m on the edge of tears thinking about that place. Then I switch out polos and I

drive here, and it turns into excitement.”

Klecka rose up the ranks in Tempe

Union. When he graduated college, he was hired by Harold Slemmer to become a special education teacher at Mountain Pointe and to coach football.

It was his dream, but a year later began pursuing his masters and eventually was offered the assistant principal position at Tempe High School. He was only 26 at the time, and quickly realized wasn’t quite ready for a position of that caliber.

“I met with Superintendent Jim Buchanan and said I made a mistake,” Klecka said. “He’s a very good friend of mine but he said, ‘If you quit now don’t ever apply for a job as an administrator in this district.’”

He returned to Mountain Pointe before leaving education in 2001 to work for Jostens, one of the main providers for championship and class rings to high schools across the state. He eventually worked his way into insurance, but the itch to coach and teach came back.

see KLECKA page 49

Arizona Pacemakers break long-standing records

BY FLASH SANTORO

Special to the AFN

The Arizona Pacemakers, an Ahwatukee-based running club, has a tradition of molding youth and young adults into stars on the track.

The Pacemakers help develop athletes who are already doing well in their own right at road racing, track and marathons, further to become the best they can be in every distance, within the parameters of the time they have to dedicate to it.

At a recent competition in Mesa, the Pacemakers put on a show while competing at the USA Track & Field Arizona State Championship. This is a two-day event featuring athletes ranging from 5-100 years old, competing within their age groups.

Two individuals stood out in this competition, both over the age of 60. They proved age is just a number, and their efforts to even bested some of those who are

(Courtesy Flash Santoro)

of high school age.

They are two of the top Masters runners in the country, in their respective

age groups.

On Saturday, May 20, Sylvia Quick broke a record that has stood since 2000, running the 1500 6:18.17, nearly 9 seconds faster than the previous record of 6:27.79. Not to be satisfied with just one performance, Quick came back out Sunday to improve on her own Women’s 60-64 State record of 3:03.5, besting it by .01 seconds.

Normand Guillemette, 66, took on the longest distance event held at the meet — the 5000 meters, which equates to 12.5 times around the track.

Guillemette had his sights set on taking down the state record of 21:39, which hasn’t been beaten since 1997. Guillemette ran like clockwork that day, and absolutely dominated, running 19:45, an unheard of improvement on a record — nearly 2 minutes.

His performance will rank him No. 2 in the country, identical to his 3000m ranking from the Hayward Classic in Eugene,

Ore., and his No. 1 ranking in the 10k so far

Desert Vista Athletic Director David Klecka is thankful for his time with the Thunder. It gave him life, and an opportunity to grow as an administrator as he now takes on the same position at Mesa High School. (Dave Minton/AFN Staff)

Normand Guillemette took on the 5000-meter run, the longest race in the championships. He ran the event in 19 minutes, 45 seconds, beating the previous record in the Men 65-69 age group by 2 minutes. (Courtesy Flash Santoro)

Sylvia Quick lived up to her name at the USA Track & Field Arizona State Championship May 20 in Mesa as she set a new state record in the 1500 for the Women 60-64 age group.

Dyslexic students says sports relieves frustration

BY REMY MASTEY Cronkite News

Asher Turgesen knows the challenges of dyslexia.

A senior linebacker and running back at New Way Academy, a secular school in Phoenix for students with learning differences, he recalled, “I hated reading, I hated words. I would just see a word and just know I couldn’t read it and couldn’t put energy into it.”

Like many with dyslexia, when Turgesen gravitated toward sports, he discovered happiness he could not find in the classroom.

The struggles Turgesen faced reflect the reality countless dyslexic children encounter every day at school.

Some with dyslexia, a language-based disability that impairs reading ability due to struggles with speech sounds and the correlation of letters and words, are unaware of their learning differences.

“I would always think, ‘What is wrong with me? Why aren’t I like all these other kids?’” Turgesen said. “It’s so easy for

KLECKA from page 48

Klecka was offered a position on the Perry football staff. He spent his lunch break coaching the Pumas at practice before going back to his full-time job to finish the day.

He stayed on with the Pumas as he became a special education teacher at Desert Vista. His goal was to eventually move to Perry full time, but he was handed the reigns to the Desert Vista freshman football program and an opportunity to become dean of students.

He took it and also became head track coach. Three years later was named athletic director.

“I was in heaven,” Klecka said. “I’ve coached male sports, I’ve coached female sports. To be able to help guide all of those coaches, that’s where I belong.”

Giving up on coaching wasn’t an easy decision. Klecka was in the mix to become the varsity head coach before he removed his name from consideration to become athletic director.

Under his direction, the Thunder thrived. They won and Open Division championship in girls’ basketball, four

them and I want to be like them.”

An estimated one out of 10 people, approximately 780 million, are dyslexic.

For Turgesen and Nathan Vandyke, a

state titles and 12 region championships. There was coaching turnover due to retirements or simply parting ways.

Klecka said his goal was to always do what was best for Desert Vista and the athletes.

“I take a beating on some of the hires, but I stand behind every hire that I made,” Klecka said. “My number one priority is the health and safety and socioemotional well-being of the kids.”

Eubanks, who left Desert Vista to become the district athletic director for Mesa Public Schools, informed Klecka of the opening at Mesa High around winter break.

Klecka was hesitant at first, not knowing if it would be a good fit or if he wanted to leave Desert Vista. He and his wife Jen took a drive from their Ahwatukee home to the Mesa campus one Sunday in January. They drove around, saw the new buildings and even took a short walk to look at it in depth.

He recalls looking at Jen and telling her it felt like home. He put in for the position and was hired.

“All roads lead to Mesa. Everyone was guiding me to put in for this job and interview for it,” Klecka said. “I knew I wanted this job. It’s a good spot to be in.”

happy,” Vandyke said. Added Turgesen, “I started playing tackle football when I was in eighth grade and I loved it. In a way I felt like I belonged. I transitioned from that reading is difficult kind of thing to I can read the field. I could understand it and it was easy to pick up.”

Sports is not only an escape for dyslexic athletes but it can help them outside the athletic arena.

Research by Barbara Senatore of Italy’s University of Salerno revealed that rhythmic gymnastics, for example, can improve concentration, self-confidence and learning difficulties.

The sports world is filled with dyslexic athletes who have excelled at high levels, including NBA Hall of Fame guard Magic Johnson, Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow and Olympic shot putter Michelle Carter.

sophomore catcher on the baseball team at New Way Academy, playing sports is an escape from the academic world.

“The second that I step onto the field I’m

Sitting in the brand-new administration building at Mesa High, Klecka became emotional when reliving some of the memories he made at Desert Vista.

He knew he would be a mess at graduation last Thursday, where he was forced to say goodbye to the 2023 senior class for the last time. He grew a bond with all of the coaches at the school, even those recently hired who he didn’t play a major part in because of his announced departure.

But most importantly, he will miss the students. The same boys and girls he would say hi to in the halls or Desert Vista’s practice courts and fields are the ones who made him love his job. He also loved the Ahwatukee community, which showed support for him since he first stepped on campus as freshman football coach.

His love for Desert Vista will never waver.

“I want the community, the school, my coaches, students, all of them to know Desert Vista … I needed Desert Vista more than Desert Vista needed me,” Klecka said. “I knew my calling was to work with kids and when I got hired at Desert Vista five years ago, I needed that.

“What they gave me in five years gave me life. 

According Alison M. Bacon, an associate professor of psychology at England’s University of Plymouth, those with dyslexia often have a strong ability to analyze

RECORDS from page 48

this season.

Season bests, personal records and more amazing efforts from the rest of the Masters team (age 30+) included:

• Scott Nelson – Men 50-54 – State Champion 1500m

• Mark Huber – Men 60-64 – State Champion 1500m

• Lydia Christesen – Women 60-64 –State Champion 100m, 200m

• Shayna Weir – Women 35-39 – State Champion 3000m, 800m

• Tracy Campagnano – Women 40-44 – State Champion 800m 

New Way Academy is a Phoenix school catering to children with learning differences. Many compete in athletics and thrive. (Nikash Nash/Cronkite News)

“I think what really helps dyslexic children is they think outside of the box.

structions.

and visualize things, which are key proponents in playing sports.

“Many dyslexics have certain skills that are really good for team sports,” said Lisa Siegel, emeritus professor in the Department of Educational and Counseling Psychology and Special Education at the University of British Columbia.

“They kind of come at things from a different angle. They are able to critically think and can do things that your traditional brain or mind wouldn’t do.”

People with dyslexia often don’t want others to know about their learning differences. It’s one thing to be singled out in the classroom because of dyslexia. It’s another to have to carry that into athletics.

“One of them is three-dimensional visual spatial skills. That means that you can see things from different perspectives. So when you’re part of a team sport, you have to be aware of where your team members are and where the other team is, and where they are, the direction they’re moving, and all that.”

The ability to read words does not define intelligence. Many people with dyslexia have a knack for processing information in deep and creative ways that translate to athletic agility and aptitude.

“Sometimes when you struggle in school, you’re overcompensated with other skills,” said Michael Walker, Head of School at New Way Academy and its football coachl.

Similar to in the classroom, memorization is key while playing a sport and where roadblocks come in for people with dyslexia. Dyslexia affects short term memory, according to the British Dyslexia association.

Between a team’s plays, a sport’s concepts and the core fundamentals of playing any sport, memorization is required for success – and that’s not always easy for athletes dealing with dyslexia.

“One issue with coaches is they ask you a question and they are always looking for an instant answer,” said Sean Vandyke, Nathan’s father. “For a kid with dyslexia, that’s like the hardest thing for them. … That’s the worst thing you can do for them.”

It’s a coach’s duty to understand the needs of the athlete, who simply needs longer to fully understand specific in-

“My coaches don’t know what I have,” Nathan said. “They think I’m normal. That’s why I don’t tell them because I feel that they will treat me differently. Sometimes I will just mess up more than other people do, and they will just not know why.”

Altough living with dyslexia is not easy, people like Turgesen have not only learned to live with it but have fully embraced it.

“I definitely think me having dyslexia has made me more resilient to hardships and stuff like that,” Turgesen said. “It makes me competitive. Now I’m almost glad I have it. … I think maybe if you don’t go through those hard things, you won’t get better.

“And so that’s why dyslexia, even though it was really hard at first, it changed me for the better.” 

SCC Film School ranked in top 20 by Variety

BY ALEX GALLAGHER AFN Arts Editor

When prospective filmmakers graduate from high school and begin eyeing colleges, many have their sights set on big-name schools like Columbia College, the University of Southern California and UCLA.

But Scottsdale Community College is giving those four-year universities a run for their tuition.

It touts the latest film equipment houses in the state that includes equipment like the J.L. Fisher Dolly — which the school is annually certified to hold – alumni including comedians David Spade and Bill Hader and a curriculum that makes students begin shooting movies as soon as they set foot on campus.

So it was more of a pat on the back than a surprising honor when Bill True, chair of SCC’s Scottsdale School of Film+Theatre, learned that the school was among the top 20 film schools in the nation named by Variety.

“I think it's a new-found honor because we haven't done anything…different this year,” True said.

The school gives students hands-on ex-

perience on how to shoot a film.

“Our approach is that we get students making movies immediately,” True said. “Students in our introduction to filmmaking class are already shooting stuff right away.

“They start with the cameras on their phones but by the end of the semester, they're using our first level DSLR and our beginner-level BlackMagic cameras to actually begin to shoot things,” he said. “And in their second semester, they are everybody's required to shoot on a 16-millimeter film.”

Once students have gotten their feet wet with beginner-level equipment, they get access to the largest equipment house in the state with over $2.5 million of gear.

They are also exposed to special effects and editing software they might not touch at other institutions until their last semesters.

“We have everything from shooting it to editing it to doing special effects. We can do the whole kit and caboodle here,” True said.

In addition to giving students top-ofthe-line equipment to work with, the school provides experienced industry professionals to instruct its classes like True, a

working screenwriter, and horror film producer and director Patrick Roddy.

“We're working professionals ourselves so we rigorously teach and support the craft and we're teaching people how to be in the industry,” True said. “We're teaching them not just general professionalism, but we're teaching them what the filmmaking life is from the inside.”

Since the school doubles as a theater school and a film school, it also utilizes sets built by the stage production team to create lavish sets on campus.

“A lot of film schools may have space but the fact that we are the film and theater is another experience that students might not get elsewhere,” Roddy said. “The ability to come into a space like this and actually build a set is something that would experience in Los Angeles.”

Because of this, True has seen the school’s alumni land jobs on film sets all across Hollywood.

“You can go on any film set or TV set in Hollywood right now and find a Scottsdale School of Film+ Theater person working on it,” True said.

Though the school has much to brag

about, it still carries the misnomers associated with being a community college.

However, True sees that as an advantage for students.

“The nice thing that we're seeing in the educational sphere right now is that community colleges are finally getting the respect that they deserve,” True said.

“People are recognizing that it's good to go to a place that focuses on an occupation and we never forget that we are dedicated to getting kids jobs and that we're a proud occupational program.”

True also says he notices any misconceptions about community colleges exit the stage once students set foot on Scottsdale Community College’s campus.

“They realize they found a hidden gem and they realized that they’ve hit the lottery because they're paying community college prices, but they're getting an education that they didn't expect that we're going to get,” True said. 

Info: scottsdalecc.edu/degrees-certificates/film

Producer/director Patrick Roddy, left, and and Bill True, chair of the Scottsdale Community College School of Film+Theatre, have helped elevate the program into the top ranks of American film schools. (David Minton/AFN Staff Photographer)

Students in Scottsdale Community College’s School of Film+Theatre might start off their studies of filmmaking with lectures in the classroom but they are quickly deployed into actual hands-on learning experiences. (SCC)

1

5 911 responders

9 ER workers

12 Zero, in tennis

13 Scurry

14 Actor Kilmer

15 Wharton Sch. offering

17 506, in old Rome

18 Charon’s river

19 Speedy

21 Devil’s domain

24 Toppled

25 Writer Quindlen

26 Circus gymnasts

30 Call -- day

31 Kathy of “Misery”

32 Pro vote

33 “No worries ...”

35 GI dining hall

36 Cries of discovery

37

38

40 Stable diet

42 Napkin’s place

43 Coll. entrance considerations

48 Oahu or Maui (Abbr.)

49 Military group

50 “A Doll’s House” heroine

51 That lady

52

31 Endures

34 Common title start

35 Brick workers

37 And so on (Abbr.)

38 Yale students

39 Cilium

40 Elevator name

41

1

2 Short ‘do

3 Actress Longoria

4 It

6 “Das

Carvana, LLC seeks a Senior Analyst, Finance in Tempe, AZ to determine how to set customer interest rates, down payment requirements and key financing terms. Telecommuting permitted. Apply @ https://www.jobpostingtoday.com/ #19744.

GENERAL EMPLOYMENT

Carvana, LLC seeks Manager, Customer Care Strategy & Analytics in Tempe, AZ to translate data into consumable, actionable narratives. Telecommuting permitted. Apply @ www.jobpostingtoday.com #51729.

GENERAL EMPLOYMENT

Clarivate Analytics (US) LLC seeks a Senior Manager, Product Management Content in Chandler, AZ. Hire, mentor, & lead prod. managers & solutions analysts while partnering w/ cross functional teams to formulate prod. strategy & execute on prod. roadmap. 100% telecommuting permitted from within the U.S. Applicants may apply https://www.jobpostingtoday.com/ Ref #78101

GENERAL EMPLOYMENT

COMPUTER SYSTEMS ANALYSTS:

Phoenix, AZ & various unanticipated locations throughout the U.S.: Anlyz, dsgn, dvlp, & dply web apps using .Net, ASP.Net, MVC, JavaScript, SQL Server, HTML, CSS, Bootstrap, & AJAX. Implmnt front end dsgn, back end coding & db admnstrtn. Prpre archtctrl dsgn to prvnt dgrdtn of prfmnce while adding new features. Mnge, mntn & config app servers. Test & debug prototype dsgns. Bachelor’ in Sci, Tech, or Engg (any) w/5 yrs of exp in job offer or rltd occup is req’d. Mail resume: ASB Infotech, LLC. 21640 N. 19th Ave., Ste C-10, Phoenix, AZ 85027.

GENERAL EMPLOYMENT

Sr. Consultant, Valuation at Equity Methods in Scottsdale, AZ. Individually set goals and lead projects from inception to completion; competencies in financial modeling, critical data analysis, & quantitative fin. Reqd: Bach in Acct, Finance, or related & 5 yrs exp (or, Masters & 3 yrs exp) as Valuation Analyst, Fin Analyst, or similar; cog ability & bkgrd chk. Apply at equitymethods.com

FOR SALE: 2011 Corvette, C6, LS3. 53k miles, $32k, two owners both adults, cyber gray metallic (silver), 430 hp, 6.2L, automatic. Six CD changer. Sirius XM. Like new no fading. CARFAX. New OEM windshield. OEM shop manual. Corvette hat. 480-694-8524.