AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS, JUNE 15, 2022 by Times Media Group

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Study: Thousands of PHX PD calls should go to civilians PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

hoenix officials hope to implement “within a matter of months” the recommendations of an Arizona State University study for handing off thousands of calls for police service to civilian employees. After analyzing 200 different types of calls from examining the two million calls for service to Phoenix Police in 2021, the ASU study group recommended that civilians – or citizens

TU working to get special ed kids in Unified Sports

who made the calls – handle them rather than bother officers. Of those two million calls, it said, at least 200,000 could have been handled by someone other than a uniformed officer or self-reported by the person involved. Those calls include: minor accidents with no injuries, “civilian matter stand by” where an officer is called to be on hand for things like exchanges of a child between two people sharing custody, welfare checks, noise and parking complaints, burglar alarms, abandoned vehicles in neighborhoods and prop-

erty found by someone. The recommendations – which department officials told the committee they would work to implement within months rather than years – come at a time when Phoenix Police Department ranks are alarmingly depleted. Through early retirements and resignations – either for a different career or a higher paying job with another law enforcement agency – the number of available first-responder of-

see POLICE page 22

Animals’ best friend

BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

nified Sports programs at local high schools have taken off in recent years – most notably in Mesa, spearheaded by Westwood High School Athletic Director Brady Pond. Pond helped build the program at Westwood, which eventually got the district involved, including former Desert Vista Athletic Director and current Mesa Public Schools Athletic Director Tommy Eubanks. Together, they added Unified programs at other Mesa schools which gave more opportunities to students in special education programs to showcase their athletic ability. Showcase events took place at local Mesa schools. Student athletes had the op-

see UNIFIED page 18

At age 12, Chloe Close of Ahwatukee has already become quite the organizer of drives to help the region’s animal shelters. Last Saturday, she brought her latest haul of everything from dog and cat food to collars and leashes to traveler cages to Gordie’s Goodies Pet Food and Supply store at 15425 S. 48th St., Ahwatukee, for distribution to shelters. It’s not the first time – or the last – that she’ll be doing that, as you can read on page 28. (David Minton/AFN Staff Photographer

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

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

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Cecilia Chan. 480-898-5613, cchan@timespublications.com Ahwatukee Foothills News is distributed by AZ Integrated Media, a circulation service company owned by Times Media Group. The public is permitted one copy per reader. For further information regarding the circulation of this publication or others in the Times Media Group family of publications, please contact AZ Integrated Media at circ@ azintegratedmedia.com or 480-898-5641. For circulation services please contact Aaron Kolodny at aaron@ azintegatedmedia.com.

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Wine-beer bash on Friday supports long tradition AFN NEWS STAFF

ntold thousands of motorists who have driven down Chandler Boulevard between 24th Street and Desert Foothills Parkway every December for more than two decades may not realize that the festive lights along the median aren’t dropped off by Santa’s elves. They are the legacy of a small group of residents who decided the area could benefit from a little holiday cheer every year and so they formed the Festival of Lights Committee and began soliciting donations to help defray the more than $100,000 it costs annually to pay for the lights’ set up, take-down and, of course, the juice that makes them glow. It hasn’t just been the generosity of individual residents and businesses that has maintained this tradition all these years: the Foothills and Club West homeowners associations also have paid for the bulk of that cost, with the former kicking in $50,000 annually and Club West donating $25,000. On Friday, Ahwatukee residents will have a chance to help support the lights, which are now the responsibility of the Foothills HOA, and have a good time doing it. The Festival of Lights Committee’s Wine and Beer Festival will be held 6:30-10:30 p.m. June 17 at Foothills Golf Club, 2201 E. Clubhouse Drive, Ahwatukee. Tickets are $50 and can be obtained at folaz.org. In addition, the committee also could use some volunteers and the website has information on how to sign up. The admission price will entitle guests to wine and beer tickets, live music and a commemorative wine glass. There will be casino-style games with a chance to enter a “split the pot challenge” and a raffle. There also will be a raffle – tickets are extra at the event – with several larger prizes replacing the dozens of items that used to be auctioned off. Instead of restaurants being on hand doling out samples of their fare, guests can help patronize some local eateries at “Food Truck Row” outside the clubhouse. The trucks will represent co-sponsors WCKD Brewery – which has donated five craft beers and will be selling its famous burgers as sliders – as well as The Chicken Coop, Butcher’s Choice, Eis Café, El Pastorcito Taqueria, EggsQuisite Sweets and Salsa Bites. The main stage entertainment will be provided by Identity Crisis. For a suggested donation of $10, guests also will get admission to the Special Tasting Room, where they will learn directly from a winemaker and WCKD’s

see LIGHTS page 10

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

New speed limits due for various Ahwatukee streets AFN NEWS STAFF

hoenix City Council today was poised to impose permanent speed limits, mostly 30 to 40 m.p.h., on hundreds of city streets – including more than two dozen stretches of roadway in Ahwatukee. A City Manager’s Office memo to council for its June 15 meeting, said lowering the speed limit on most of these streets was necessary. “It is hereby determined upon the basis of an engineering and traffic investigation that the speed limit permitted by state law on the following streets or intersections is greater or less than is reasonable under existing conditions,” the memo states, “and it is hereby declared that the maximum speed limits shall be as hereinafter set forth on those streets, parts of streets or intersections herein designated at the times specified when signs are erected giving notice thereof.” For most of the Ahwatukee streets for which new maximum speeds are being set, the limit will be 24/7, according to the memo. The city traffic engineer can declare a maximum speed limit to be effective at all times, the memo said, although that offices has the power to adjust speed limits for different times of the day or different vehicles, as well as for special events and work zones. Signs will be posted on the affected streets. Here are the Ahwatukee streets affected by the measure, which is expected to receive approval.

30 miles per hour at all times • • • • •

Knox Road from Warpaint Drive to 36th Street Lakewood Parkway West 3300 East to 3600 East to 17000 South to 15800 South Lakewood Parkway East 3600 East to 3800 East to 17000 South to 15800 South Warpaint Drive from Knox Road to Coconino Street 44th Street from Frye Road to

• • • •

• •

•

Chandler Boulevard 44th Street Ray Road to WarnerElliot Loop 48th Street from Pecos Park to Frye Road 50th Street from Frye Road to Chandler Boulevard 51st Street from Elliot Road to Piedmont Road 51st Street from Elliot Road to Piedmont Road Chandler Boulevard from Shaughnessey Road to 19th Avenue Chandler Boulevard (Westbound) 19th Avenue to 15th Avenue Chandler Boulevard Pecos Road to Shaughnessey Road

35 Miles per hour at all times • • •

• • •

Desert Foothills Parkway from Chandler Boulevard to 5th Avenue Frye Road from 3rd Street to Desert Foothills Parkway Liberty Lane from 17th Avenue to Central Avenue Liberty Lane from Desert Foothills Parkway to 13th Way 17th Avenue from Pecos Road to Chandler Boulevard 32nd Street from Chandler Boulevard to Pecos Road

40 miles per hour at all times •

Chandler Boulevard from Marketplace Way to 34th Street • Desert Foothills Parkway from Pecos Road to Chandler Boulevard • Elliot Road from 46th Street to 51st Street • 48th Street from Chandler Boulevard to Piedmont Road In addition, all roads within Pecos Park and South Mountain Park will have a permanent speed limit of 25 m.p.h Meanwhile, the same memo advised City Council that sound walls are being erected along I-10 between Guadalupe and Elliot roads as part of the I-10 Broadway Curve Project and that crews also have been drilling a foundation for a new bridge next to the ramp connecting westbound I-10 and westbound US 60. 

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t’s billed by the Department of Transportation as a way to improve safety. But the head of the Arizona Trucking Association says the move to restrict all trucks to just the right lane of Interstate 10 between Casa Grande and Phoenix is nothing short of stupid. And Anthony Bradley scoffed at the claim by ADOT that it had “coordinated’’ the plan with his organization. The idea, according to ADOT spokesman Garin Groff, stems from accidents along the 20-mile stretch that has yet to be widened to three lanes in each direction. More to the point, the agency says heavy vehicles were involved in about 20% of crashes in that corridor and 15% of rearend and sideswipe accidents. And when there are accidents, the freeway can end up being closed to everyone. “This is an attempt to try to reduce the number of heavy truck-related incident in the area,’’ Groff said. Bradley, however, said that’s making a presumption that the truckers were at fault. “We let them know that a lot of those accidents were probably the fault of the speeding cars that are traveling recklessly throughout that corridor,’’ he said. “Moving all the trucks to the right-hand lane doesn’t solve that problem.’’ And there’s a more practical concern. It means that the slowest vehicle in the right lane sets the pace for everyone behind. So a truck following someone tow-

ing a motor home at 45 miles an hour -where the speed limit is set at 75 -- has no choice but to play follow the leader for the entire 20-mile stretch. And heavy truck traffic of everyone behind is slowed to the same crawl. This isn’t a short-term issue. Signs already are going up informing truckers of the restrictions which, in turn, will empower Department of Public Safety officers to ticket errant drivers under a section of law that makes it illegal to disobey traffic signs. ADOT says the signs will remain up until additional lanes are added in each direction. And even with lawmakers approving a $400 million infusion this year to speed up the work, the target for completion is sometime in 2026. In a news release, ADOT said it has worked to “coordinate’’ the plan with the Arizona Trucking Association. But Bradley said that’s overstating the input his organization got in the decision. “‘Coordinate’ is probably the wrong term,’’ he said. “They informed us of their decision,’’ he said. “We informed them of, frankly, the stupidity of the decision.’’ Bradley also said that ADOT rejected ideas that would minimize the impact on truck traffic -- and deal with the backups that could result. “We had asked that, if they were going to do it, that they create some space

see TRUCKERS page 8

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TRUCKERS from page 6

for us to have passing ability,’’ he said, short breaks in that 20-mile stretch where a truck could legally get around a slow-moving vehicle. Bradley said his organization also suggested reducing the trucks-in-right-lane-only stretch to something less than 20 miles. “They listened to us and obviously are doing what they believe they need to do,’’ he said, chiding the agency for its decision. “It’s a typical ‘affect 20% and the other 80% are free to do what they want,’” Bradley said. Beyond that, Bradley said he foresees other complicating factors in the ADOT decision that he believes actually could make the traffic and safety situation even worse. “You’re going to have passenger vehicles in the left-hand lane holding up people,’’ he said, as the trucks occupy the right lane. “People are going to get frustrated,’’ Bradley continued. “They’re going to have no place to go and they’re going to continue to cause accidents.’’ Groff said ADOT “will be monitoring the situation if there are unintended consequences.’’ “And we’ll make adjustments if needed,’’

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he said. Gov. Doug Ducey has signed legislation allocation $400 million to widen an approximately 25 mile stretch of Interstate 10 between Queen Creek Road on the edge of Chandler to State Route 287 outside of Casa Grande to three lanes in each direction. That matches what already exists on either side of the segment. ADOT is now seeking a $300 million federal grant for the project. ADOT spokesman Doug Nick said the $400 million won’t complete the job. But he said that commitment will qualify Arizona to apply for a share of the $ 5 billion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act that is set aside for highway improvement projects, which would provide the $300 million. Nick said the agency already has $260 million set aside to get the work started, bringing the entire project cost to about $1 billion. That start, which could begin as early as 2023, will be on the pair of quarter-mile two-lane bridges over the Gila River. From there, he said, construction will start in 2024 to the north and south until the entire stretch is upgraded to three lanes. Anticipated completion is set for 2026. 

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City mapping new garbage, recycling collection days AFN NEWS STAFF

hoenix’s rapid growth likely will change your garbage and recyclables and greens collection days by October. In recent testimony before the Phoenix City Council Community and Cultural Investment Subcommittee, Assistant Public Works Director Felipe Moreno said the city-wide re-route will affect 80% of the city’s 413,000 households that rely on its services. Quarterly bulk trash and hazardous materials pickup days will not change. With about 270 equipment operators working in the four general collection areas the city is broken into, Moreno says his crews face an increasingly challenging task because Phoenix has add 27,000 customers in the past 10 years. “Why reroute? Honestly, it really comes down to growth and increased customer demand,” Moreno said, noting the last time the city overhauled its collection routes was in 2009 and “since that time we’ve had 13 years of customer growth.” “Basically with all of that,” he continued, “we need to reroute the city to optimize

Garbage collection in Phoenix is divided into four general areas and city Public Works Department officials said it’s a complicated task to rearrange routes and collection days. (City of Phoenix)

our routes and to increase our ability to service the increased demand. The benefits that we’re looking to achieve here is redistributed workloads. “So we really want to make sure that we’re creating flexibility and how we assign our routes in our daily work to be able to manage the day and bring our driv-

ers in at a reasonable time.” Moreno said he also wants to “reduce miles through operational efficiencies – reducing miles to the transfer station and around the neighborhoods” because “it’s always a goal to just optimize those routes.” Moreno said his department’s customer

service “continues to be at a high level.” “With our residents, a lot of times you hear they set their watch to the time the driver comes to their house,” he boasted. “So we want to continue to make sure that we can be reliable and dependable in providing that service – and then ensuring staffing and equipment resources match the service demand.” Moreno said the reroute will not only absorb the growth in customers but also address anticipated new growth over the next two years. “So this allows us to be more nimble and absorb the growth that we see coming through our continued houses that are that are growing in the north and southwest,” he said. The city won’t spring the new collection days on households, however. Deputy Public Works Director Lorizelda Stoeller said the fact that 80% of the department’s customers will “have a new day that their truck will be running down their street collecting, it’ll be important

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LIGHTS from page 3

brewmaster and taste local wines from Arizona Stronghold winery and local craft beers from Wicked Brews and Spirits. There also will be the popular wine pull and for $20 for sparkling or white wine and $25 for red wine, the committee says, “you are guaranteed to receive a wine of at least that retail value with a chance at brands like Caymus, Far Niente, and Veuve Cliquot.” What FOL Committee President Raphael Isaac promises also will be there is the same frivolity and relaxed atmosphere that have made this adults-only event one of Ahwatukee’s most popular for more than a decade. The party had been called off the last two years because of the pandemic, and organizers are hoping its return will bring out Ahwatukee residents who not only appreciate the lights display on Chandler

GARBAGE from page 9

for us to ensure that we’re engaging our community and making sure they understand their new day of service.” She said messaging in both English and Spanish “will provide individual notifications for residents with special collections.” Special Collections are those residents that have multiple days of collections. “We have about 10,000 customers that do have different days of collections,” she said, noting that one day might be dedicated to garbage collections and another to recyclables. She said for those households, “we will reach out personally to those customers knock on their doors through our field specialists. They’ll do dedicated walk-andtalks for those customers.” “We also are planning to provide multiple modes of communication, such as leaving door hangers, social media posts, newslet-

Boulevard but who are looking for a good time at a reasonable price in these inflation-riddled times. Along with the two HOAs, hundreds of residents and businesses also gave donations last year to keep the Christmas display lit throughout December. Proceeds from the Beer and Wine Festival will go to the two HOAs and the new Lights Camera Discover Studio opening in Ahwatukee. Wine and Beer Party sponsors also include Rockas Painter Team, Bell Bank Mortgage, United Brokers Group, Scout & Cellar, Arizona Stronghold, San Tan Ford, Locality Real Estate, Realtor Stephanie Coffman, South Mountain Films,. Cell Phone Repair by Assurant, Misgif, Canopy Mortgage, ISH Salon, Foothills Golf Club, Realtor Dawn Matesi, The Christie Ellis Real Estate Team, AFN and all the food truck vendors. 

ter updates, city service bills, updates, and our website updates,” Stoeller said. Stoeller said the department is currently remapping the routes citywide and hopes to present a final plan to City Council when it returns in August from its summer recess. “Then Sept. 5, we will do mass mailing to those 80% customers,” she continued. “It will be probably a postcard of some nature that will advertise this as your new day of service starting the week of Oct. 3.” “We do understand that there will be some transition,” she added. “Some customers may not have received the notice and they weren’t home when we knocked on their doors. We do anticipate that we’ll have to offer courtesy collections. We’re ready to do that for up to two three months, if needed, to ensure that our customers understand their new day of collection. 

GOT NEWS? Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@ TimesLocalMedia.com

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

TU, Tempe El follow Kyrene in adopting new calendar AFN NEWS STAFF

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hwatukee households where children are attending Kyrene as well as Tempe Union or Tempe Elementary schools can now depend on all three school districts having roughly the same calendar beginning with the 2023-24 school year. The Tempe Elementary Governing Board unanimously adopted the so-called 2-2-2 calendar last week – a week after the Tempe Union board unanimously approved it on June 1. The Kyrene Governing Board last month adopted the same calendar, which already is in effect at most East Valley school districts, including Gilbert and Chandler. Only Mesa Public Schools now has a different one in the region. The calendar gives students two week breaks in the fall, winter and spring – and an earlier return to school in mid-July after summer break. That return is roughly a week earlier than students in Kyrene and Tempe Union are returning next month. A committee comprising seven members from each of the three districts spent nearly a year developing the new calendar. A survey of households and staff conducted early in the process in all three districts – which drew a total 8,035 unique respondents – “captured the multiple ways our families and staff are intermingled” among the three districts, according to Kyrene administrator Lisa Gibson. For example, a Tempe Elementary employee might have kids attending Tempe Union and/or Kyrene schools, so that could create households scheduling difficulties when the districts all have their own calendars. Kyrene respondents split nearly evenly on the two options – 46% for 2-2-2 and 45% with the current calendar – while 11% had no preferences. Tempe Union had almost the same split, with 46% favoring 2-2-2 and 42% the current calendar. But when isolating responses from families and staff, the survey showed a clear difference of opinion. Families across all three districts favored the current calendar 46% to 43%

with the remainder having no preference. Kyrene families also showed a slight preference for the current calendar over the 2-2-2 model 47%-42% while 45% of Tempe Union families favored the current set-up as opposed to 43% favoring what was finally adopted. Employees alone across all three districts showed a greater preference for the 2-2-2 model, with 57% while only 30% favored the current calendar. The results were similar when breaking down employee groups among each district. “Data only tells part of the story,” Gibson said, stating, “One of the big parts and components of our committee work and our partnership was to talk through the benefits of examining another calendar model. “Some of the points here that you see are mitigating the negative effects of a long summer break on student achievement, providing increased opportunities throughout the school year, instead of focusing solely on summer for interventions and personalized instruction to have a positive impact on student achievement.” “It would provide an increase in time for professional development opportunities, as well as increase in opportunities for tri district collaboration,” she said. “It also allows community resources and programs to be aligned with the three districts.” At the Tempe Union board meeting, Superintendent Dr. Kevin Mendivil said, “I’m thankful and happy that we’re working on something as a tri-district partnership since we share many of the families and I know speaking with our teachers and our employees, this is something they’ve been wanting. “I’ve been here 11 years now they’ve been wanting to explore and you know, I think this is a great opportunity where three of our districts have come together with this information and we will keep our eyes open and be aware of every aspect of the implementation of this calendar proposal.” Board member Berdetta Hodge added, “I’m also happy that we’re going to be in line with our feeder districts. That’s very important, especially for families who

see CALENDAR page 20

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

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Santan Freeway widening to begin in 2024 BY CECILIA CHAN AFN Staff Writer

lans are in the works to begin widening an 8-mile stretch of Santan Freeway through Gilbert and Chandler beginning in early 2024 that will increase traffic capacity and help reduce congestion through 2040. The public has until June 22 to give their input on the Arizona Department of Transportation project, which includes new sound walls and wider exit ramps. “Loop 202 is a vital transportation corridor for the southeast communities of the City of Chandler and the Town of Gilbert,” said Kirstin Huston, ADOT senior project manager at a virtual meeting June 8. “It also provides connection to and from Loop 101.” The meeting included a question-and answer-session with viewers about the project. Huston said the widening of the Santan Freeway from the 101 to Val Vista Drive is needed due to the fact that Maricopa County is one of the fastest growing regions in the country. “Growing traffic demand has caused Loop 202 to become increasingly congested during the morning and evening peak,” she said. If the situation is not addressed, “traffic is expected to have a failing level of service by 2030,” according to Huston. The project calls for adding two general purpose lanes in each direction on the 202 from Loop 101 to Gilbert Road and one general purpose land in each direction from Gilbert Road to Val Vista Drive. Currently, there are three general purpose lanes and a HOV or High-Occupancy

This map shows the segment of the Santan Freeway that ADOT plans to begin widening in 2024. (ADOT) Vehicle lane in each direction. Additionally, exit ramps in the project area will increase to two lanes from one, overhead bridges will be widen and eastbound Arizona Avenue on-ramp and bridge will be reconstructed, according to Huston. New sound walls will be built at three locations to mitigate against the traffic noise. Along the north side of Loop 202 east of McQueen Road there will be a 12-foottall wall, approximately 2,347 feet long; along the south side of Loop 202 east of McQueen Road, there will be a 14-foot-tall wall, approximately 1,985 feet long and along the south side of Loop 202, west of Val Vista Drive, the wall will be 12 feet high and about 2,000 feet long. Huston said the locations are based on a noise analysis conducted in 2019 and updated earlier this year and on ADOT and federal regulations. Existing sound walls will remain in place, she added. And, there are no plans to extend the

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current sound walls, according to Diana Dunn, an environmental planner and project manager at AZTEC Engineering Group. She noted that the 2019 study looked at what the noise level would be on that portion of the freeway, 20 years out. To minimize impacts to drivers during construction, restrictions and closures on the 202 will primary occur during overnight hours and on weekends and not on major holidays or during large community events, according to Huston. Ramps will need to be closed for reconstruction, although no two consecutive ramps will be closed, she said. A number of meeting participants asked questions about things such as what material will be used on the roadway to help dampen the noise. “I know that everybody would probably like to know tonight what the surface treatment will be,” said Randy Everett, ADOT Senior Division administrator. “And ADOT and Maricopa Association of Anytime. Governments are looking at all options

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for surface treatment and that’s not only on this project, but that’s throughout the entire Valley. “So we don’t have an answer for what surface treatment will be on this project. We will, before it goes to construction but we do not have that answer at this time.” Some viewers asked why other ramps that have traffic backup during commute times aren’t being widened as well. “The traffic analysis has shown that this area from 101 to Val Vista has the biggest need,” Huston explained. Currently the project is in the final design phase, which is anticipated to be completed late this year, according to Huston. “Construction is expected to start in early 2024, and take two to two and a half years to complete, which places completion of the project in late 2026 to mid2027,” she said. Andrew Moreno, AZTEC project manager, said portions of the improved roadway will open when feasible instead of waiting until full completion of the project. The project is part of MAG’s Regional Transportation Plan and will be funded in part by Proposition 400, a dedicated sales tax approved by Maricopa County voters in 2004. 

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For information about the widening project, go to azdot.gov/L202-L101-toValVista. To comment: • Email Cludington@AZDOT.GOV • Call Carolynn Ludington, Community Relations Project manager at 480-594-6206 • Send mail to ADOT Communications, 1655 W. Jackson St., MD 126F, Phoenix, AZ 85007

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GOP lawmakers favor more for border than schools BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

ov. Doug Ducey and Republican legislative leaders are trying to line up the votes for a $15.1billion spending plan that includes more money for border security than for new unrestricted operating funds for public schools. And at the same time, they want to cut $1.3 billion in taxes in the next three years. The $544 million in that border security plan includes $355 million for a statefunded fence. That wasn’t a priority of the governor in January when he announced his own spending plan. In fact, he earmarked only $50 million for “physical barriers.’’ But the idea has proven much more popular among GOP lawmakers, with the Senate actually voting along party lines this year to put $700 million to “administer and manage the construction of a new border fence.’’ Republicans in the House were more reserved, approving just $150 million. House Majority Leader Ben Toma, RPeoria, said the budget plan does not necessarily require all this be spent on physical barriers. He said it also would permit a “virtual’’ fence, monitored with technology. But Senate President Karen Fann, RPrescott, said doing something remains a priority. And she said an actual wall or fence makes sense, especially along 17 miles of what the federal government planned to build during the Trump administration but were abandoned after Biden took office. “Most of those materials are still laying around and were already paid for by the federal government,’’ she said. And Fann said that border security is among the top issues in Arizona, and for good reason. “There are young ladies getting raped by these coyotes,’’ she said. “We have unaccompanied children coming across,’’ Fann continued. “The atrocities are absolutely horrendous. And that has got to stop.’’ The border barrier is only part of that $544 million security plan. It also includes everything from additional dollars to help local sheriffs to financial assistance for prosecutors.

Phoenix Republican Sen. Paul Boyer remains a stumbling block to Senate Republicans’ border-over-schools spending plan for the fiscal year beginning July 1. He says the plan woefully fails to support public education. (Tribune file photo)

But those priorities are not shared by everyone. The biggest hurdle for Republicans remains Sen. Paul Boyer, R-Glendale. He points out the state has a surplus of more than $5 billion. And while some of that is being spent to pay off the debts of state retirement systems, Boyer said there should be more than enough left for what he thinks should be the top priority: public education. It starts, he said, with the fact that voters approved Proposition 208 in 2020 to tax the wealthiest Arizonans to provide about $900 million more a year in school operating funds. While the Supreme Court ruled the form of the levy to be illegal, Boyer said the state has more than enough to fund that out of existing revenues. In fact, even with adding $425 million to the state’s “rainy day’’ fund and cutting property taxes by $350 million a year, the state would still have a $1 billion surplus at the end of three years. There are some additional education dollars in the GOP proposal, like $49 million to increase basic aid to schools by 2.5%. But Boyer said there’s less there than meets the eye. He pointed out that the plan actually re-

see BUDGET page 17

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

BUDGET from page 16

duces the money schools now get for things like higher salaries for experienced teachers. The result, said Boyer, is some districts will end up with little, if any, new dollars. “It’s a shell game,’’ he said. What it also is, said Boyer, is bad policy. “At a time when Arizona needs teachers desperately to stay, especially experienced ones, you’re getting rid of that state program,’’ he said. But gubernatorial press aide C.J. Karamargin said Ducey supports the idea of killing what is known as the teacher experience index. “More affluent schools typically have longer-tenured teachers versus lowerincome schools that have higher teacher turnover,’’ he said. “So we see this issue as a matter of equity.’’ But Chuck Essigs, lobbyist for the Association of School Business Officials, said it will hurt rural districts who use the funds

to keep experienced teachers. There is another $100 million in additional dollars for students with special needs. But here, too, Boyer said, the plan fails to fund programs for students in poverty. And there are other dollars for K-12 education in the plan, like $60 million in relatively unrestricted “additional assistance.’’ Only thing is, that is being divided up evenly between traditional public schools and charter schools that are privately run, often for profit, even though there are far more students in traditional schools. Essigs said that translates out to $30 for each public school student - and $130 for each student in a charter school. Another $200 million in new education funds is earmarked only for school construction and repair, with none of it available for teacher salaries, a sore point among some who cite reports that show Arizona has among the lowest-paid teachers in the nation. And while there is $50 million being

GOT NEWS?

added for school safety, the dollars are restricted and can be used to hire only police officers. Aides to the governor defended the restriction, noting that state schools chief Kathy Hoffman gave certain federal pandemic relief dollars to schools, but with the limitation to use the cash solely for counselors. They said there are schools who want actual officers in place for protection. Fann said if GOP leadership can’t line up the votes of all the Republicans -–it takes all of them as they have only a one-vote edge in the House and Senate – then she will have to look to Democrats. There are things in the spending plan that appear to have bipartisan support, like $334 million as a down payment on a $1 proposal to obtain new water supplies, possibly through desalination projects. The state also is increasing its funding for various programs for foster care and other social programs. 

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

portunity to compete in track, basketball and some in flag football. It’s also grown in other East Valley communities such as Chandler and Gilbert. Now, the Tempe Union High School District is mulling its options to start a Unified program at its six high schools. At the May 4 Governing Board meeting, Tempe Union Superintendent Dr. Kevin Mendivil said, “We look to find ways in which we can benefit students by having a Unified Sports program or the Special Olympics.” Mendivil’s comment gave local athletic directors hope. Together with district Athletic Director Dave Huffine, they’ve started preliminary talks about what a Unified program would look like. Huffine said in a text message the program is still in development but that there has been support behind it, especially from the Special Olympics. “It will be something that we will spend some time on this summer but there has been a lot of enthusiasm and support behind it,” Huffine said. “We have some upcoming meetings with Jeff Wooten of Special Olympics and I should know

veloping a unified program to give great activities and engaged opportunities to more of our student population.” Aaron Frana, the athletic director at Mountain Pointe, has had conversations with Principal Tomika Banks and other school a d m i n i s t ra to r s about what a Unified Sports program would look like at his school. He takes pride in being proactive Tempe Union High School District Superintendent Dr. Kevin Mendivil with his sports opened the door for a Unified Sports program to be implemented at programs, adding the district’s six high schools. Meetings have already begun between opportunities for district Athletic Director Dave Huffine and those from each school. his student popu(Tempe Union board meeting) lation. Last year, he added a girls’ flag football team – anmore once those take place as (Special other emerging sport. Now, he aims to Olympics) is a big support of Unified proestablish a Unified Sports program that grams in schools. he hopes to kick off in the fall. “All six high schools are looking at de-

It won’t reach the level of other districts yet. He said it will likely start in one of the school’s existing P.E. classes that cater to special education students. But he hopes it will grow from there. “I get goosebumps just thinking about it,” Frana said. “I love being proactive and being ahead of the game a little bit. Every kid deserves the opportunity to compete in something and we want to give those opportunities to them.” Tempe Union athletic directors, including Frana, Desert Vista’s David Klecka and Brian Fleming from Corona del Sol, met weeks ago to discuss what a program would look like at each school. “I’m a former special education teacher and I think any time you can include all students in any activity, I think the whole school benefits from that,” Klecka said. “It brings excitement. I think Unified Sports is something we are missing. Desert Vista is behind it 100 percent.” These conversations have stemmed from an April board meeting. Jody Hernandez, the mother of a McClintock incoming junior special needs student, brought up the idea during the meeting’s

see UNIFIED page 20

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11-97862 07/21

11-97862 07/21 11-97862 07/21 11-97862 07/21 11-97862 07/21

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

UNIFIED from page 18

time for public comment. She expressed her son’s interest in playing sports after he spent time as the scorekeeper for the junior varsity basketball team and was able to play in one of the team’s games. While an inspirational moment, she said her son, George, has inquired about playing in another game. But with no Special Olympics or Unified program, she is unable to give her son an answer. “I’ve advocated for this since December, other families since 2016,” Hernandez said at the April 6 meeting. “When I asked for progress from Special Olympics, they say ask the district. When I ask athletics, they say it’s doable but special ed is in charge. Special Ed has shared no

new updates since the last meeting in February. So, what is the holdup?” Hernandez went on to suggest starting the program small, much like Westwood did when Pond took over in 2020. Pond told AFN in February the growth at Westwood was slow. In his first year as athletic director, he hosted the Unified state badminton qualifiers despite his school not yet having a team. To drive interest, he invited all special needs classrooms to watch. In his second year, he established a physical education class for Unified athletes. It allowed them to practice during school hours so transportation didn’t become an issue. It was at that time Westwood also created a badminton, basketball and track team. As interest grew, so did West-

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wood’s need for coaches. It was the same growing pain Red Mountain went through seven years ago when its first Unified P.E. class was established. It took Red Mountain years to get to the level it is now, competing for Unified championships through Special Olympics and the Arizona Interscholastic Association. It will likely take some time for Tempe Union as well. But athletic directors are motivated to get it done and put coaches in place. “We have a teacher who wants to do it,” Frana said. “Her name is Christine Dagel, she is our girls’ soccer coach who will be on campus next year and she has a background in Unified Sports and Special Olympics. We are going to get those pieces in place and move forward to try to make it happen.” 

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The Unified Sports conversation stemmed from an April meeting when McClintock parent Jody Hernandez approached the board about establishing a program for her special needs son and others who wish to compete in athletics. (Tempe Union board meeting)

CALENDAR from page 12

need the high school students for babysitting or just to make sure that they’re all in line when they have vacations or whatever. “ Tempe Union parent Michaela White called the change “not in the best interest of our students, teachers or parents” and noted the committee that planned the change did not include any students or parents. She also said “there is no evidence” that students by and large suffer a “summer slide” in which they lose good study habits and some of the material they learned the previous school year because of a long summer break. “For most of the students, their parents come from a generation where school had

a three month summer vacation and these families are very intelligent people who have gone on to graduate from college and be very prosperous,” White argued. “So suggesting that the longer students are on summer vacation they lose information is not valid. “In fact, there’s contradictory evidence that shows the shorter that summer is, some students are less likely to succeed or have to struggle more to be successful…. Students need adequate time to regroup and get prepared for the next school year. We have already shortened the summer from 12 weeks to 10 weeks. And now the calendar has shortened their summer to seven weeks, which is not adequate time to regroup and get prepared for the next school year and be successful in the next school year.” 

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NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

Beloved Xavier tennis coach dies after fall BY ZACH ALVIRA Sports Editor

oach Laurie Martin was a tennis icon in Arizona. For 17 years, she led the Xavier College Preparatory girls’ tennis team, winning five state titles and received numerous accolades for her devotion to the sport and school near downtown Phoenix. She was beloved by everyone in the community, which made news of her sudden passing difficult to process. Coach Martin died June 6 from injuries sustained in a fall at her family’s cabin in Show Low, according to Xavier Athletic Director Sister Lynn Winsor. She suffered a traumatic brain injury and was transported via helicopter to the Chandler Regional Medical Center, where she succumbed. She was 58. “Any coach that has been at Xavier as long as Laurie has, you don’t just meet the tennis team, you meet the school,” Winsor said. “Not too long ago when she was named Coach of the Year – she’s won

COACH LAURIE MARTIN

many of them – we always introduced her at the pep rallies, and it wasn’t too long ago she was introduced in front of the entire school and received a plaque. The kids know her. They know who she is.” Coach Martin became a staple in the tennis community during her tenure at Xavier. Along with coaching the Gators, she

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also served as United States Tennis Association National High School Committee Chair, Arizona Tennis Coaches Association president, USTA Strategic Plan Task Force Member and served on the Arizona Interscholastic Association Tennis Advisory Committee. Last year, Coach Martin was named the Pro of the Year by the United States Professional Tennis Association’s Southwest division. In 2015, she was named the Tennis Industry Magazine National High School Coach of the Year and National High School Coaches Association Girl’s Coach of the Year. Along with the five state titles, she compiled a record of 271-16 during her time at Xavier and was state runner-up six times. She also led the Gators to 13 section and region titles. In 2009, she established Xavier’s tennis program as a no-cut sport, which gave opportunities to the 70-90 student-athletes that came out to play each year as freshmen. “Her goal was socialization with the girls,” Winsor said. “Have them make friends with each other, get to know each BEFORE

other, and teach them tennis. The tennis was the instrument to get them all together. But what she did, she made them become friends. “Tennis is a lifetime sport and she really pushed that. She had 90 kids out there and it was the most organized, wonderful program. The kids were so happy to be a part of it.” Winsor sent an announcement about Coach Martin’s passing to the entire Xavier community – alumni included. A page was set up on the online platform Kudos and messages from alumni from around the country were posted honoring Coach Martin. Coach Martin is survived by her husband, Stan; daughters Amanda, Courtney and Natalie’ and son Tanner. All her children graduated from Xavier and Brophy. Winsor said funeral arrangements are still pending. “This is a huge loss not only for Xavier, not only for the tennis community but for everyone,” Winsor said. “People are hurting because they know what a wonderful person she was. This is a hard day.” 

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

POLICE from page 1

ficers has fallen below the minimum number that officials believe is necessary to adequately cover the city, according to testimony and memos. While there has been a small uptick in the number of police academy recruits in recent weeks, Executive Assistant Police Chief Michael Kurtenbach told a City Council subcommittee last week that as of June 6, “we were down to 977 available first-responder officers.” With 1,096 officers considered “the minimum staffing,” he said, that meant the department had 1,064 officers on patrol and only 14 officers-in-training who were expected shortly to join their ranks. “Priority One median response times have gone up to 7 minutes and 21 seconds. That’s a metric that is emotional,” Kurtenbach said. Last October he said it was 6 minutes, 49 seconds and that was 22 seconds greater than 2020. Data from the department show that in the first five months of this year, 120 officers have either retired of resigned while 275 did so all of last year. City Council has approved funding for 3,125 sworn positions – lower than the 3,388 sworn positions the department had filled at its peak in 2008. As of the end of April, filled sworn positions in Phoenix PD totaled 2,703. Last fall, a department memo said monthly detective caseloads involving assaults, burglary, domestic violence and adult sex crimes are twice to 10 times the number recommended for best practices. The average caseload per officer for burglary investigations is the highest – 169 cases instead of the recommended 15 cases – while the average monthly caseload for domestic violence investigations is 66 cases per officer instead of the recommended 15. The department since then has not updated City Council on where those caseloads stand. Kurtenbach said the department has adjusted shifts and deployment – such as assigning more officers in the city’s four busiest precincts and creating schedules where more officers are on duty during the busiest times of the day and week. He also was mildly optimistic about the number of recruits who have entered the academy in recent months. Data show that the first two batches of academy recruits this year totaled 15 while the second

ASU Professor Dr. Michael Scott, a former police officer, led a team from the university that examined some two million calls for service made to Phoenix Police last year and determined more than 200,000 did not require a uniformed officer’s involvement. (YouTube) two batches totaled 30. In 2020, the four batches of recruits totaled 160 while last year that total was 78. Kurtenbach and other city officials who appeared before Councilwoman Anne O’Brien’s Public Safety and Justice Subcommittee last week said adoption of the ASU recommendations would reduce the number of less serious calls that siphon the number of officers available to handle often life-or-death emergencies. The study was performed by Dr. Michael Scott, a clinical professor in ASU’s School of Criminology and Criminal Justice; Professor David Swindell, a member of its School of Public Affairs and director of the Center for Urban Innovation; Dr. Heather Ross of ASU’s School of Nursing and Health Innovation; and nine students. Scott, a former police officer, said the

study’s guiding principle has been: “Police officers’ time should be prioritized for performing tasks that they are uniquely authorized, trained and equipped to perform, referring as much as possible, those tasks that can be performed safely and competently by other entities.” “There are some calls that police officers would clearly prefer be handled by someone else,” he told the subcommittee. “But it’s also true that there are some calls that some citizens also would prefer be handled by someone other than police.” Besides analyzing the two million calls for service made last year, Scott’s group also took one day – March 4, 2020 – to determine how many calls involve mental health issues. He said the group discovered that in reality, there were eight times as many situations involving a mental health problem than reflected in police records because they had been miscoded when the call came in. The eight call types identified as calls that can be handled by someone other than a police officer involve matters that do not require a cop’s authority of expertise, Scott said. For example, nuisance calls can be handled by neighborhood services workers while others, like fender-benders, can either be handled by a civilian Police Department employee City Councilwoman Anne O’Brien heads the council sub- or simple self-reported by committee that heard the results of the ASU study. (YouTube) the people involved.

“What’s critically important here is to ensure that when there is a genuine emergency requiring police, that the resources are available to get officers there right away,” Scott said. “Every minute of the police officers performing one task represents the lost opportunity for that officer to be doing something else – something else that might be more valuable. “And one of the most problematic opportunity costs is when patrol officers lack the time to perform proactive tasks that could actually prevent crime and disorder because all their time is consumed with reactive tasks responding to crime and disorder.” Some of the eight call types may require some additional analysis on the spot when the call is initally taken, he said. That’s particularly true of those involving a mental health issue. Scott said that while most mental health calls are better handled by a trained civilian, most of those calls require proper screening “to determine whether or not there is a danger involved in the call,” Scott said. On the other hand, noise complaints are not an officer’s job, Scott said. The department fielded 17,000 noise complaints last year and Scott said, “There’s a whole science of noise abatement, specialized technology. “Alternatively, these could also be handled by police assistance, community service,” he continued. “We also encourage the city continue to make use of civil cost recovery that’s used for loud party complaints and perhaps apply that to some other intrusion alarms.” Police handled more than 36,000 alarm calls a year and Scott said officers should be sent to investigate “only when verified as being suspicious.” Another 3,500 calls came from people who found what appeared to have been stolen or lost merchandise. Those items, Scott said, could simply be taken by the caller to a police station. As for the 12,000 abandoned vehicle complaints, tow truck companies with city contracts could handle those while 10,000 complaints about parking violations could be handled by civilian employees. “The core lesson that’s been learned from these studies over the years is that it is critical that police provide the community realistic service expectations and

see POLICE page 23

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

POLICE from page 22

then meet those expectations rather than provide them with unrealistic expectations,” Scott said. “Often even if citizens initially expect that a uniformed police officer will appear at their front door or five minutes after they call, they often are glad to wait a bit longer to receive the service,” he explained adding that while an officer in some situations “might be needed to take some immediate action,” it could then be “handed off entirely to another entity that has the right expertise.” While council members appeared generally in favor of the recommendations and wanted to know what city codes or policies had to be changed to implement them, Councilman Tom Waring worried about noise calls involving rowdy behavior at short-term rentals – a significant neighborhood problem in many Valley cities. Phoenix handled 344 such calls in 2019 – the latest year for which the department had statistics – and the average fine was $100. “If people are renting out a house for $1,000 a night, that $100 fine doesn’t do

anything,” Waring said. “It doesn’t help the residents. I think people don’t always react to the officers at these parties the way you might expect. “I can’t even imagine how it’s gonna be if it’s somebody who’s, you know, an assistant or something as word spreads about that. So I am concerned that that issue might actually get more prevalent than it already is. But I understand also it’s not violent crime…But that’s something that I would hope we would consider that this has got to be something that’s rising.” While Kurtenbach told City Councilman Tom Waring expressed concern about the subcommittee it will rising noise complaints and how offenders might respond take several months to sort to non-uniformed city workers sent to investigate them. through the recommenda- (YouTube) tions to determine which But Waring said that since the implecan be implemented immediately and which ones might require council action, mentation of some recommendations will he also said Scott’s group still has more require additional city employees in other work to do – particularly when it came to departments, “the sooner we can get out hiring notices, the better.”  involving mental health issues.

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

Area burn survivors take on Africa mountain

“I went out to the garage to light a cigacare by the first responders and rette and there was a natural gas leak in medical heroes the street that I didn’t know about,” he ret’s been a painful two-year journey of 47 who saved their called. “I lit the cigarette and it ignited a surgeries, setbacks and rehab for burn fireball in the garage. lives. survivor Jason Nelson, who lives in “I just knew there was an explosion. It A video about Mesa. their ordeal can pretty much put me in shock. I remember Last Sunday, he took another journey – be viewed at standing outside screaming in pain.” hiking 19,341 feet up to the top of Africa’s A neighbor heard the explosion and youtube.com/ tallest mountain. watch?v=apd_ called 911. “For me personally it’s just a challenge Nelson suffered second- and thirdwTSVmpU. to come from almost dying to standing The other sur- degree burns to 80 percent of his body on top of Mount Kilimanjaro with a group vivors doing the – from his face to his waist and from his of survivors,” said Nelson, 45, who now climb are Isia knees to his ankles. lives in Mesa. “It’s hard to resist that.” Cook, 11, a Peo“Pretty much, the upper body caught the Joining Nelson are seven other burn ria gymnast who brunt of the explosion,” he said. survivors all treated at Arizona Burn Censuffered burns He was put in a medically induced coma, ter at Valleywise Health. The trip is meant over 46 percent awakening at the end of May in the ICU. to raise awareness of what burn survivors of her body from Nelson was discharged during the first can accomplish and also to raise money a propane tank week of July for inpatient rehab but ended for the burn facility. accident. She up with MRSA, a deadly superbug bacteria. Among them are a Mesa couple who will be hiking “So, I had to get readmitted to Valleymiraculously survived a crash that obliter- After 47 surgeries for injuries he sustained in an explosion at his then- with her moth- wise,” he said. “It (MRSA) killed my graphs, home in Gilbert, Jason Nelson, now living in Mesa, is climbing Africa’s er, Aly; Isabella it ate my graphs.” ated their private plane. Stephanie Neilson in 2004 as a young highest peak with seven other burn victims form Maricopa County. McCune, 12, of Surgeons had gotten the skin graphs mother became one of the first “mommy (Courtesy of Jason Nelson) Phoenix who from Nelson’s back, butt, any place that bloggers” when she started an online Christian, were flying their small plane suffered severe burns when a fire pit ex- was not damaged by the flames. journal about motherhood, traveling when it crashed and exploded on impact ploded in the family’s front yard; Phoenix “I had to lean to walk again and feed mywith children and creating a family home. in the Arizona desert. Over the next four Fire Capt. Susie Fawcett, burned in 1998 self,” Nelson said. “I was almost 40 at the Over the next four years, thousands of months, their lives and future were in the while fighting a structure fire; and Hailey time and my parents moved from Minnefollowers shared in the couple’s joy as hands of medical experts at the Arizona Boyce, who at 17 suffered severe burns in sota to Arizona to take care of me. their family grew. a vaping accident. “So, it’s been a journey.” Burn Center at Valleywise Health. On Aug. 16, 2008, she and her husband, Nelson’s near-death mishap happened By late 2016, Nelson completed his last Stephanie’s New York Times best-selling memoir, “Heaven on Sunday, Feb. 9, 2014, while he was doing Is Here: An In- remodeling work on his house in Gilbert. see JASON page 25 credible Story of Hope, Triumph, and Everyday Joy” honors many of her heroes in the Arizona Burn Center. The couple has been featured on NBC’s Today Show, ABC News, The Oprah Winfrey Network and many more – and followed by supporters around the country and world. The Nielsons Among the burn survivors making the trek are Christian and Stephanie share their gratiNielsen of Mesa, who miraculously survived a crash that obliterated tude for the Jason Nelson, in the black ski cap, joins the rest of the burn survivors comprising Team Courtheir private plane. (YouTube) compassionate age Rising in a trek in Arizona. (Courtesy of Jason Nelson) BY CECILIA CHAN AFN Staff Writer

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

Ahwatukee nonprofit proves hope for those with autism BY SAMANTHA MORRIS AFN Staff Writer

hen Lori Cairn’s son J.R. was 2 years old, in 1996, the medical establishment’s understanding of autism outcomes was limited, prompting doctors to make pessimistic predictions about the quality of life those on the autism spectrum could expect. One doctor “told me to go home and make sure he liked his room because he was going to go in and never come out,” said Cairns in the 2013 documentary, “Autism: A Family’s Journey. She said he would probably be in an institution by the time he was 17.” So Cairns navigated her own way to help her son and other children, flying out a therapist to her Oregon home to learn applied behavioral analysis (ABA), a specialized therapy tailored to one’s behavioral needs. The new therapy that the Cairn’s sought out for their son was successful, and today, J.R. is living independently and has a job

JASON from page 24

surgery, which totaled 47 in all, and married his girlfriend, whom he was dating before his accident. For the most part, he has full function of his limbs aside from some scar contractures and some fused fingers that don’t bend anymore, Nelson said. “I tell people it probably took me five years to get back to the person I was before the accident mentally and physically,” he said, adding that he has learned compassion for other people because of his experience. Also going on the trip are medical professionals from the burn center and supporters. They flew to Africa on June 13 and will spend seven days covering 38 miles. Although the trek can be strenuous at times, climbing Kilimanjaro requires no technical skills or equipment, such as rope, harness, crampons or ice axe. The team is expected to reach the final summit Uhuru Peak on day six or June 22. Valleywise Health Foundation, the nonprofit charity for the hospital, is sponsoring the trip. Each burn survivor has a

working in pest control. In 1997, her home-based ABA sessions and community outreach turned into what is now the HOPE Group, an Ahwatukee autism agency celebrating its 25-year anniversary this July. The HOPE Group has two sides. The clinical side offers ABA and behavioral consulting while the state services side provides habilitation and respite in addition to collaborating with Arizona businesses to find the right employment fit for their clients. The HOPE Group is funded through contracts with the Arizona Department of Economic Security, the Division of Developmental Disabilities, which leaves them subject to fluctuations in funding. “I would say that our number one obstacle over the years has been the up and down funding that we’ve had to deal with,” Cairns said. “We would love to pay our people as much as they are worth, but that just doesn’t happen with what we get reimbursed through the state.” Despite these challenges, being state

funded has been beneficial in making treatment more accessible, as it has recently allowed clients to get trained and hired by HOPE to serve their loved ones from home. Lori’s daughter Shelby Durfee, the director of state services at HOPE, has committed herself to the employment side of the business, which she helped open in 2020. Durfee aims to create a “one stop shop” for high school students with autism to create their own job path before they graduate. She also aims to become a statewide leader in providing these services. A common characteristic among people with autism is a high fixation on a particular topic, this is something that HOPE wants clients to embrace, encouraging kids to find employment in areas that meet their passions. “You know, I think for a lot of situations, we try to make people fit into society, or people with autism fit into society, but we also kind of need to understand and meet them where they’re at as well.” Durfee said.

Denise Burns has been there for it all. She’s seen the growth of the HOPE group from the ground up, when she sought out ABA for her now 20-year-old son Alex. Alex loves golf and through HOPE has found employment at a golf course in Tempe. Burns is grateful for the support her family has felt throughout the years especially considering all of the uncertainty that existed when her son was first diagnosed. “They basically told us there wasn’t much we could do. Just take home our son and make him happy, and as parents we were appalled by that,” Burns said. Today Alex is a star employee among attendees at the golf course. Burns hears from people all the time about how much of an impression her son has made, and this warms her heart. “I just couldn’t ever in my wildest dreams, when he was a young guy, imagine that he could have this job that he loves so much and that he’s so good at,” Burns said. Information: hopegroupaz.com. “Autism: A Family’s Journey” is on amazon prime. 

fundraising page to raise money for the burn center. Nelson said he’d like to see more mental health programs at the hospital with the money raised. “There’s nothing about a burn that’s not traumatic,” he said. “Everything about a burn, from how it occurs to how to care for a burn is very traumatic.” Nelson said when he was asked two years ago if he was interested in the trek, he jumped at the opportunity. “I didn’t have to think about it,” said Nelson, who when asked shares his journey with other burn survivors at the hospital. “The goal for me is to give back to someone who gave me so much. “I don’t think I would be the per- These are the remains of the Nielsens’ plane after it crashed. (YouTube) son today if I’d not gone through Valleywise. My outcome would have been a since his accident. tures and some have inhalation damage to lot different.” He has always been physically fit, a self- the lungs.” Nelson and the other survivors began described cross-fit junkie who had just But COVID came and threw a wrench training almost every other week by competed in a Spartan race with obstacles into their plans, delaying the hike for two hiking around the state at places such the day before the explosion. years, until now and Nelson said he’s raras South Mountain, Piestewa Peak and “We wanted to make sure we were all ing to go. Humphreys Peak, the highest pinnacle healthy enough to do this,” Nelson said. “It’s about overcoming the odds,” he in Arizona at 12,633 feet. Nelson also “Burn survivors have different issues, said. “A burn injury isn’t the end of somehas hiked the Grand Canyon three times some have skin tightness, scar contrac- one’s life.” 

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

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Studio 111 prepares a blockbuster Disney musical BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA AFN Contributor

isney Channel’s “The Descendants” – complete with their danceable, sing-along hit songs – will be presented on stage by an enthusiastic and talented group of young actors, singers and dancers on June 25 courtesy of Studio 111 Theater Company, a division of Awatukee’s Dance Studio 111. It’s Dance Studio 111’s first summer musical since being shut down by the pandemic for two years. “Our last full staged production was ‘Frozen’ in 2019, and we’re so happy to finally be back,” enthused Kimberly Lewis, the show’s producer and founder of Dance Studio 111, 4910 E. Chandler Blvd. Tickets for the 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. performances at the Madison Center for the Arts, 5601 N. 16th St., Phoenix, are currently available at DanceStudio111.com under the Theater section. “Disney’s Descendants: The Musical” features the characters in the films. Seth Davis, a student at Mountain View High School, travels from Mesa every day

Reheasing for Studio 111’s presentation of “The Descendants” last were were, from left, Maddy Mindeman, Lauren Wiscombe, Lexi Valenzuela, Vivian Amern and Paige. (David Minton/

AFN Staff Photographer)

for his role as Jay, one of four teen troublemakers, the children of some of Disney’s greatest villains. They leave the Isle of the Lost to enter Auradon Prep in the United States of Auradon. Jay is the son of Jafar, the villain in Dis-

ney’s 1992 movie “Aladdin.” Jafar is played by Brennan Wiscombe, a freshman at Brophy College Preparatory. This is Seth’s first leading role, and indeed his first onstage appearance. “I think playing this role takes a lot of fo-

the boutique, it went back to her encounters with Janice. The homeless woman she met outside the Chick-Fil-A where Shante would bring her breakfast and the items that Janice would ask for. Every time Shante met with Janice, she would always compliment Shante on how she dressed and presented herself. Unfortunately, in her circumstances Janice could not afford to have such clothing for herself. In the same fashion of Janice’s Women’s Center, Shante has made up this boutique as a representation of overcoming – just as it says in the name “vaincre,” which means “to overcome” in French. That is what Shante hopes Janice and the victims she supports will do: that they will overcome the circumstances given to

them and the trauma they have had to endure because of those circumstances. As part of one of Janice’s Women’s Center’s programs, victims have the option to shop for free and feel like “Pretty Woman” for the day. After having met Janice, Shante finds it important to help in making these victims feels special. Since Janice’s Women’s Center does not have its own shelter to place victims, Janice Vaincre Boutique acts as a safe place for victims to go to and be open to sharing their stories in. The community itself that has put a helping hand in the opening and staying open of the boutique will come out and share

Unique boutique marks one-year anniversary BY ANISSA GURROLA AFN Guest Writer

anice Vaincre Boutique was officially opened and operating on June 19, 2021, in Ahwatukee. This boutique was open to be the “little sister” of Janice’s Women’s Center, where the true mission lies. Janice’s Women’s Center has a mission of supporting victims of domestic violence and of those that become homeless when fleeing a domestic violence situation. In the excitement of celebrating the one year opening of Janice Vaincre Boutique, Shante Saulsberry takes a moment of reflection. When asked why she came to opening

see JANICE page 28

cus; playing Jay you really have to nail the acting,” said Davis. “I don’t have long hair like the character in the movie and I could have worn a wig but I chose not to because I thought I could change the look. I will be mean, rough and definitely ‘Rotten to the Core’ though not as crazy as he is, and there’ll still be a Tourney (cq) team.” Getting Davis to the musical’s five rehearsals a week is a task for single mother Simone Davis of Mesa, but one she willingly undertook. “Seth is my oldest child of five and I want him to be able to live up to his full potential, so if that means driving him 27 miles one way to practice everyday, then that is what I”m going to do,” said his mother, Simone Davis. “We came into this thinking we didn’t have a chance because he didn’t have any experience. Yet, as a single mom, I believe in my children’s futures. No matter the distance or cost. We were excited when he got the role of Jay.” Another newcomer to the Studio 111 Theater troupe is Evan Sanchez who owns the role of Ben, son of Belle - played by Drue

see DESCENDANTS page 30

SHANTE SAULSBERRY

COMMUNITY

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

Ahwatukee youngster, 12, helps shelters, their animals AFN NEWS STAFF

t age 10, Chloe Close of Ahwatukee already was developing a generous streak. Moved by the plight of animals in shelters and those facilities’ difficulties in meeting the needs of their charges, she started collecting food and supplies like collars, leashes and anything else the shelters and their animals could use, aided by her friend Kari. Flash forward two years and the now12-year-old Altadena Middle School student’s charitable muscles just keep getting stronger, as evidenced last Saturday when she brought her latest haul of the bounty she reaps from generous friends and neighbors to Gordy’s Goodies Pet Food and Supplies at 15425 S. 48th St. – which also does it share of supporting shelters. It was her ninth and most successful drive so far. “It was too much to count but to give you an idea about what we have this time: the whole back of our car was full of stuff,” Chloe waxed said with enthusiasm. Added her mother, Brandi Close: “We have a Suburban and put the third row of seats down. It was loaded to the top, completely full. We had bags in the other row – more than we have ever collected.” In between major drives, Chloe drops off stuff that people donate because they recognize her from her mother’s posts about her drives on the Facebook pages for Ahwatukee411 and Ahwatukee Friends.

JANICE from page 27

their stories as well. Shante will reference the boutique as “the little shop that could” since it offers such a welcoming environment to its visitors. “A true highlight of the boutique itself is getting the celebrities involved as these individuals wanted to give back to the cause behind the nonprofit in supporting women, children, and pets through domestic violence,” she said. Celebrities donate their clothing items and such to the boutique and the boutique then prices those items for sale at an affordable price to the community. When you are shopping

“I ask my mom to make a post on Facebook and people drop stuff off at our house,” Chloe explained. Her mother added, “We post on my personal page too, but the majority of donations come from the local community.” “We take our donations to Gordys because they work with six rescues,” mom added. “They distribute the donations Chloe gives them to all of those six rescues. They have adoptions weekly so Chloe gets to play with the animals when she drops off donations. And now she volunteers there.” Chloe advises, “People can help by sharing the posts and spreading the word so we can collect more and more stuff.” Her mother asks people to keep Chloe in mind if they ever have anything to donate. “She’ll take donations any time, even if she isn’t doing a donation drive,” she said. “She loves doing this.” Chloe said that with inflation in particular – to say nothing of two years of pandemic-related disruptions – animals and shelters need all the help they can get. As the owner of three dogs, Chloe is particularly sensitive to those needs. “A lot of shelters don’t have enough money to get the supplies they need for all the animals and some people have a lot of stuff their pets don’t use or used to use so why not give it to the animals at the shelters?” Chloe reasons. “And I love animals and like to help them. “ And no doubt, the animals love Chloe too. 

at Janice Vaincre Boutique, you are shopping for a cause. Shante has found that people have blouses, pants, and enough jewelry but once they know the purpose behind the boutique and the efforts it supports they will make some kind of purchase or contribution that will go back to a victim of domestic violence. From 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, June 18, Janice Vaincre Boutique, 4302 E. Ray Road, Ste 107, Ahwatukee, will celebrate its one-year anniversary. The hope is to raise $2,500 that day or before to bring in the celebration with a bang. Go out and support this boutique and this center that share the

Chloe, Brandi, Tanner and Danny Close take a breather after unloading pet supplies at Gordy’s Goodies Pet and Food Supply Store in Ahwatukee last Saturday. (David Minton/AFN

Staff Photographer)

James Condon and Leilani Mondragon of Gordy’s Goodies helped Chloe unload her collection of pet food and supplies at Gordy’s Goodies last Saturday. (David Minton/AFN Staff Photographer)

mission of helping the victims of domestic violence and homelessness. If you find that you are unable to attend the event, you can make a donation at janiceswomenscenter.com. Janice’s Women’s Center does not take community donations but welcomes you to donate your items to their supporting organizations: Sojourner Center, UMOM, House of Refuge, or A New Leaf 

Ahwatukee resident Shante Saulsberry uses proceeds from sales at Janice Vaincre Boutique in Ahwatukee to help unsheltered women and those victimized by domestic violence. (Instagram)

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

DESCENDANTS from page 27

Haro who enters Grand Canyon University this fall, and the Beast played by Phillip Hansen of Seton Catholic High school who is king of Auradon, and who proclaims four teens can leave the villain’s island prison to enter Auradon Prep. Sanchez, 16, enters his senior year at Seton Catholic Preparatory where he has performed on stage throughout his high school years - except during COVID. This is his first time with Studio 111. “As for Ben, I like that my character is intelligent, protective - as I am of my baby sister Maddie, and loyal, as I am to my girlfriend,Drue, who plays my Mother, Belle, in this musical,” he smiled. “Ben is confident which I believe is a great trait of mine, and he doesn’t settle which is another trait I believe to be a good quality. My character is brave and is not afraid of change. I feel I am a similar person to Ben in real life,” he said. “I don’t run around singing and dancing, but maybe I should try it !” Stella Parsons, 14, plays Mal, the daughter of Maleficent - the protagonist of Disney’s ‘Sleeping Beauty’, and later the title character in two films. An actor and singer since age four, Parsons - who lives in North Scottsdale, will be a freshman at Notre Dame Prep. She has done more than 10 productions valley-wide. An alumni of Broadway Artists Alliance in NYC where she studied musical theater including acting, singing and dance, this is her first production with Studio 111 Theater Company. “I’m so honored to be cast as Mal in Descendants. It has been lots of fun! I most enjoy the wonderful cast and friendships I’m making with these super talented actors,” she said. “There are intricate dances that are challenging but fun to learn! I also love the musical score, all the songs are super catchy and it’s a fun experience to rock out on stage. Plus, who doesn’t love Purple Hair ?” Maleficent is played by Briarley Crandall, 18, a sophomore at Eastern Arizona College who said this is her first big role. “I’m super excited to be playing Maleficent in this production and I hope I can do her character justice. I’m especially excited to embrace the sassy, evil personality of Maleficent.” “I love my cast members! They are all super talented! I love watching them get into their characters and giving them a unique feel, and I am so honored to be in

Eli Hernandez, left, and Tyree McSwain do some high-stepping during rehearsals. (David Minton/FN Staff Photographer)

this production with them.” The high-energy songs and teen focus of Disney’s Descendants: The Musical appeals to the 45 members of the cast. Altadena Middle seventh grader Sierra Ricks’ role as Evie has been fun for the Studio 111 Theater Company veteran who has been in dance classes at Dance Studio 111 since she was six. “I really like Evie’s character because even though she is a villain she has a very kind and loving personality. I love all of the songs she sings, especially ‘Chillin’ Like a Villain’. My favorite part of the play is the finale, ‘Break This Down’ because it involves the whole cast, and is super fun to

sing and dance to,” said Ricks, who is a Altadena varsity cheerleader, and is in their choir. “I love performing, and I hope to be a singer someday.” The villain teen role of Carlos, the son of Cruella, is played by Eli Hernandez, a seventh grader at Altadena Middle School. Hernandez, 12, is no stranger to the Studio 111 Theater Company having appeared in three prior summer musicals Little Mermaid, Shrek, and Frozen. He said he was delighted to win the role. “Carlos is my favorite character in the movies, but I want to give my own spin to the character, not just copy the movie. Carlos has a lot of funny moments. He tries

Eli Hernandez, left, and Tyree McSwain do some high-stepping during rehearsals. (David Minton/FN Staff Photographer)

to act so tough but in reality, he’s not as tough as he seems.” Performing onstage at the 940-seat Madison Center for the Arts auditorium is exciting for the actor. “It’s going to feel different performing on a bigger stage but I’m excited to see the show come together in a new space, ‘’ he said. While the cast members are excited about performing on the cavernous and state-of the art stage of Madison Center for the Arts, this musical’s producer and owner of Dance Studio, 111 Theater Company admittedly has trepidations about filling the 904 seats. “We really want to get people to come to this show. We got hit really bad with Covid having to shut down our theater company for the past two years, so we’re starting all over trying to rebuild,” said Lewis, who has owned and operated Dance Studio 111 for 29 years. “We’re praying people come to support our theater company and see these talented children who have worked so hard; they need and deserve a big audience!” Lewis said even though the licensed ‘Disney’s Descendants: The Musical’ offers only 22 characters, she was able to increase the number of the cast so that she could accommodate more actors and dancers who showed up at the audition. “We wanted as many children as possible to be involved in this fun show,” she said. “And can you believe we put this entire show together in three weeks? Our cast met the first three weeks of June every Monday to Friday from 2:30-6:30 p.m, so yes, these are very dedicated children and teens.” Lewis lauds the adult and teen crew members including DVHS incoming sophomore Maddy Mindeman (cq) who is Dance Captain for the high-energy production. Jenefer Miller is the Director of this year’s musical with Rachal (cq) Bautista (cq) serving as Musical Director. Lewis’ daughter Avery Lewis is choreographer, and Audrey Williams is Assistant Director. Besides producing. Kimberly Lewis coordinates costumes, accessories while overseeing make-up and props. TICKETS are the two shows, at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m., are available by clicking on Theater on the DanceStudio111.com website, or at TheMadison.org. Madison Center for the Arts is located at 5601 N. 16th Street, Phoenix. Free parking is available in the newly completed 375-covered stall parking structure located directly south of the facility by the Madison Promenade. 

REAL ESTATE

Real Estate Guide Ahwatukee apartment complex sells at $69.7M

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

he rental market both locally and nationally is cooling a bit – but analysts said last week there might not be much reason to celebrate on either front. Apartmentlist.com, a nationwide rental listing firm, said trends in apartment vacancies and rent indicate that more empty apartments are entering the market and rent increases are slowing, but that likely won’t remain the case long-term. And looking at the Phoenix Metro area, the Cromford Report said that even the

limited rental data available on the Arizona Regional Multi Listing Service show that “though the median lease price has increased over the 12 months, far more listings are leasing below the asking price and far more listings are appearing on the ARMLS database. “Landlords do not bother to list their properties on the MLS if they expect them to lease up very quickly and easily,” the Cromford Report said. “So the fact that we are seeing a 40% increase in new rental listings compared with 2021 shows us

see RENT page RE3

SOLD

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See Page 6

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See Page 6

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Majestic Southwest contemporary estate on elevated 1.24-acre hillside lot with stunning mountain and city light views. 5 br, 4.5 ba with 4,924 sq. ft. Resort-style backyard with slate patio, built-in Viking grill, pool, spa, koi pond and ultimate privacy.

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REAL ESTATE

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

Valley home market today differs from 2008 BY GEOFF GREEN AFN Guest Writer

he residential real estate market has certainly experienced a shift in the last few months. Interest rates have increased, the quantity of offers is decreasing and houses are sitting on the market for longer. Without a doubt, the buying mania that grew to oversized proportions in the last 6 months is over, does that mean we are facing another crash like 2008? For some insight to the answer to that question, let’s compare 2008 with today’s market. So why is the market slowing down and what can be expected in the next 3 to 6 months? Demand Reduction: Recent interest rate increases are

starting to have a marked effect on the demand side. Consider that for every 1% loan interest rate increase reduces a borrower’s buying power by 10%. Interest rates have increased approximately 2% since January. This means that if a borrower qualified for a $500,000 loan in January, that same person would qualify for a $400,000 loan today. The only two options for that buyer – or new buyers entering the market today – are either a smaller house or wait a while. It appears that many buyers are electing to wait and see what happens. Supply Increases: At the end of May there were 11,726 active listings in the Greater Phoenix ARMLS system. This number is 40% greater than the end of April, and 64% greater than the end

of March. Yes, looking at those numbers it’s easy to sound the alarm, they are great for media “shock” effect! However, let’s put these numbers into context. A balanced market in the area is approximately 25,000 to 30,000 residential listings that usually creates around 3 months in days on market. Using this historical balanced market number means that the current quantity of home available to purchase are only 39% to 47% of the quantity that is considered a balanced market and nowhere close to a sellers market. The market appears to be still far away from the “fire sale” conditions that predominated in 2008. What to Expect? The unanswered question is will this pullback accelerate or find a level

of stability before major price damage is done? By the numbers, Greater Phoenix remains firmly in a sellers market although the speed of price increases driven by aggressive buyers has certainly slowed or stopped in many areas. It’s reasonable to expect a plateauing of prices combined with a pullback or decrease in pricing, especially as interest rate increases start to affect newer buyers. Different neighborhoods, price ranges, and zip codes appear to be affected to differing degrees. If you have an interest in the how the market shift is affecting your immediate area or the price of your home, contact geoffgreen@kw.com. Geoff Green is a successful realtor with Keller Williams Realty Sonoran Living. Information: 602 790 2927. 

Ahwatukee mortgage expert cautions against panic BY JANELLE MOLONY AFN Contributor

shley Mason, a mortgage loan originator with Home USA Mortgage, says it’s time homebuyers hear from a local professional on what’s happening in the market. The Ahwatukee mother of two contends there is too much misinformation circulating online about recessions that is not immediately applicable to the PhoenixMetro market. Mason cautions potential buyers against using generic, “bad” news shared online to

make very specific, local decisions. “I want those in the market to hear directly from an insider on what the good news is,” she said. “Talking to a loan officer [or originator] is the best way to go” when trying to check the pulse of the market, she said, adding that a local expert can “give you information that makes sense for your credit, your down payment, and other financial situations you may have” within the correct context of local market trends. Mason offers three considerations for homebuyers to dispel several now-common fears causing many to hesitate, or

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wait altogether, on their purchase. First, Mason addresses a pending recession with, “Don’t feel scared to buy.” Millennials, especially, are worried and hesitating to purchase homes because of what they’ve witnessed in the 2008 market crash. “I get asked weekly, sometimes daily: Do you think the market is going to crash?” No one wants to end up upside-down in a large loan, however, said Mason, who has worked in the mortgage industry since 2014. “The market indicators from the Great Recession are very different than market indicators now. Some indicate a recession, but not necessarily a [concurrent] housing crash,” she added. Some of the key differences she has noted include more conservative lending guidelines and better credit profiles for applicants, overall. Prior “loose lending” practices placed buyers into high-risk mortgage contracts that could not be realistically sustained. Most buyers are now sticking to safer 30-year, fixed interest rate mortgages, compared to the initially attractive, but riskier adjustable rate mortgages (ARM). Trends such as these, “will avoid a

As one of few women working in her field, Ashley Mason especially enjoys working with and educating other women and female clients. (Special to AFN) crash,” Mason feels. Next, Mason claims home values and buyer competition are relatively stable now. “The dust from COVID-related market influences is starting to settle,” she reported.

see MASON page RE4

REAL ESTATE

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

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Buyers get no relief from tumbling sellers’ position BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

alley homeowners who are hoping to sell their house appear to be heading for rocky water, according to several reports last week. The Cromford Report, a leading analyst of housing market trends in the Maricopa and Pinal counties, said one of the biggest factors threatening to dethrone sellers from the catbird seat they‘ve enjoyed in negotiations for several years is a mix of rising supply and falling demand. “Demand continues to fall in most areas but the dominant effect is now the rise in supply, with new listings arriving at a pace that is well above average,” it said, predicting that Buckeye, Queen Creek and Maricopa already are close to a balanced market, where bidding wars have evaporated and sellers no longer can call all the shots. Nevertheless, the news also doesn’t offer much hope for buyers looking for “moderate” prices. Indeed, the meaning of “moderate” may not be at a new normal

RENT from page re1

that landlords are less confident than they were a year ago.” Nevertheless, sales of apartment complexes are continuing at a major pace – often at prices that are more than double what they sold for only a few years ago. The latest case in point occurred last week in Ahwatukee, where the 192-unit Pacific Bay Club Apartments complex at 51st Street and Elliot Road sold for $69.7 million – nearly twice the $35.7 million that seller Pacific Bay Housing Partners LLC paid for it just two years ago, according to data compiled by the Valley real estate tracker vizzda.com. Vizzda reported that Chicago-based Nuveen Real Estate, through a subsidiary named CIX Pacific Bay Club LLC, bought the complex with a $33.7 million down payment and an unspecific amount of debt from Bank of America. The complex, built in 1988, comprises 10 two-story buildings on 6.8 acres with a mix of one- and two-bedroom apartments. The sale price represented a per-unit price of $363,020, according to vizzda. The Cromford Report said that in May 2021, nearly three-quarters of the 1,473 leases that closed hit the asking rent price

in the Valley and elsewhere in the country. “The upper end of the market is slowing, but to a lesser degree than the midrange between $400,000 and $1 million,” the Cromford Report said. “Supply below $400,000 remains very low and that segment of the market remains strong. Cromford said that data from May sales drawn from County recorder records show closed sales dropped 11% from where they were in May 2021 regardless of whether the deals involved new or used houses. Even so, the overall median sales price in the Phoenix Metro area last month was $490,000 – up 24.8% from May 2021 with the new home median at $500,490 (up 27.8% over May 2021) and the median for resales at $486,000 (up 23.7% from May 2021), The Cromford Report said. Those Valley price figures far exceed the national median sales price of $428,700 in the first quarter of 2022, although that nationwide number is up 30% from $329,000 in the first quarter of 2020. Mortgage rates jumped from 2.75% in the fall for a 30-year fixed to over 5.25%.

An even more staggering blow to those in search of affordable homes, according to the real estate brokerage Redfin is that 8.2% of homes – about six million houses – are valued at $1 million or higher – double what those figures were two years ago. Realtor.com said “Pandemic-era prices, as they currently stand, may be here to stay. “It is entirely possible that prices level out and just don’t change very much for the next few years,” Greg McBride, chief financial analyst at personal-finance site Bankrate.com, told Realtor.com. “This would benefit first-time buyers by allowing their incomes to ‘catch-up’ to the cost of homeownership somewhat, but this would unfold over a two- to four-year period, not the next two to four months.” McBride cautioned would-be buyers who hope for a significant price correction: “Sellers have been putting homes on the market and asking for moonshot prices. In a neighborhood where homes were selling for $600,000 one year ago, a seller may now be asking $800,000. Sure, they may need to cut the price a bit and

The Pacific Bay Club Apartments complex at 51st Street and Elliot Road in Ahwatukee sold last week for $69.7 million – nearly twice the $35.7 million the sellers paid for it only two years ago, according to data compiled by Valley real estate tracker vizzda.com. (Facebook) while 18.3% were below. By contrast, last month saw just over half of the 1,954 closed leases settle with the asking price and 41.6% fall below it. Still, the median closed lease price last month was $2,200 – higher than the $1,900 median a year ago. “The rental listings on ARMLS are not a balanced cross-section of the rental market,” the Cromford Report cautioned. “They tend to be skewed towards higher-end properties and single-family homes rather than relatively affordable apartments.”

“Rental prices have not changed a lot in the last five months and the median lease price seems to have hit a stable patch around $2,200,” it said, adding that the 2,385 vacancies reported on June 5 was up 26% from Jan. 1 and 79% form Sept. 1. Those trends are similar to what apartmentlist.com reported. “In Phoenix, for example, rents have increased by just 2 percent over the past six months, during which time the city’s vacancy index has gradually eased back to 5 percent, close to where it was before

eventually sell for say, $725,000, but that is still much higher than the $600,000 it would’ve sold for one year ago.” Meanwhile, both the Cromford Report and MarketWatch.com kept a wary eye on the overall economy and how that might impact the housing market. MarketWatch said the U.S. housing sector might be heading for the biggest slowdown in a decade, citing Len Kiefer, deputy chief economist for Freddie Mac. “The U.S. housing market is at the beginning stages of the most significant contraction in activity since 2006,” he said, adding: “I don’t think that home sales are going to grind to a complete halt. They’ll just slow. People will still be able to sell homes, but it may take you just a little bit longer than what it’s been.’ He also was quoted as saying, “It hasn’t shown up in many data series yet, but mortgage applications are pointing to a large decline over summer,” and that mortgage applications already have tumbled

see MARKET page re4

the onset of the pandemic,” Apartmentlist. com said last week. “After experiencing significant disruption over the past two years, the rental market has begun to gradually stabilize,” it continued. “The markets that saw large spikes in vacancies in the early pandemic have since seen renters return. Meanwhile, demand has started to level off in the nation’s hottest markets. That said, the availability of vacant units nationally remains notably constrained compared to the pre-pandemic norm. “Even if our national vacancy index continues its gradual easing, it won’t surpass 6 percent until well into next year on its current trajectory.” Apartment list also said that the rapid cooling of the housing market may have an adverse impact on rental units’ supply and, consequently, rates. “There are factors at play which could present headwinds to that easing,” it said. “Although we’re now at the start of the busy season for the rental market, when the bulk of moving activity normally takes place, rapidly rising rents may incentivize many renters to stay put and renew existing leases rather than looking for new ones.

see RENT page RE5

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

MASON from page re2

Though the housing market is always shifting, “Phoenix inventory is on the rise,” she said, adding that this means sellers will need to be less aggressive with their asking prices because buyers have more options. “At the beginning of the year, the Phoenix-Metro area hovered around 5,000 available houses,” Mason said. “Right now, we are hovering around 10 to 12,000.” These numbers could be reflecting the seasonal sales typical for summer, but in general, Mason said buyers can expect to see sky-high asking prices curbed. 4082 sqft 5 bedrooms, 4 baths

Additionally, “In order to have a balanced market, we need about 30,000 available homes.” Mason predicts that the tension between supply and demand will ensure home values, “continue to increase, even through a recession.” Finally, on rising interest rates, Mason said they “may be higher than those of two years ago, but historically, they are very low.” Since real estate is a long-term investment, “you may come into it this year around 5%, but that doesn’t last forever.” Due to the pricing spikes seen in the last

few years, climbing home values ensure, “buyers will still be gaining equity.” Loan rates will eventually decline again and Mason suggests pre-planning for an opportunity to refinance. Homeowners can watch for future offers that will reduce monthly payments by at least $200.00 or those that provide terms that can drop interest rates by 0.5% or more. There are usually upfront costs to re-fi, but even with those rolled back into the new loan, Mason said, “it saves homeowners huge amounts in the long run.” Mason has been an Ahwatukee resident for seven years and started her career in

RENT from page RE3

“At the same time, the recent spike in mortgage rates has created yet another barrier to a historically difficult for-sale market, potentially sidelining would-be homebuyers and keeping them in the rental market. Given these factors, it’s possible that the easing of our vacancy index could level off in the coming months.” In Mesa, five complexes and one condo community changed hands in the last three weeks in deals totaling $334 million. The biggest deal involved the $142-million sale of the 460-unit Indian Springs Apartments on South Stewart, near Southern Avenue and Alma School Road, by California-based Open Path Investments to Rise48 Equity of Phoenix, according to Valley real estate tracker vizzda.com. Built in 1985, the complex consists of 25 buildings, three pools and basketball/ tennis court, three laundromats and a club house on just under 10 acres. The sale equaled a per-square-foot price

mortgages as a loan processor, working behind-the-scenes. “I know how to streamline the process, educate them on the product, lay it out in a simple way, then get a loan from A to Z as quickly as possible.” Mason believes that asking questions and discussing concerns about making major financial decisions does not have to be an uncomfortable situation. She encourages Ahwatukee residents to reach out, even in the preemptive stages of home buying, adding “Informed pre-planning, even years in advance, is appropriate, and can be done with no sales pressure.” 

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W. Broadway Road for $92 million. Northmarq Phoenix said its investment sales team ’s investment sales and debt and equity teams represented the buyer. The sale price was more than three times greater than the $30 million that seller Benedict Canyon Equities paid for the 36-year-old complex in 2018, The gated complex comprises 18 twostory residential buildings, three pools and a clubhouse on 12.3 acres. Vizzda said the sale broke down to a per-unit cost of $319,444. Rise48 Equity plans to renovate the interiors of all the units at The Nolan, Northmarq said in a release. “Rise48 has purchased over 1,000 multifamily units in Arizona since the start of 2022, and over $1 billion in transactions since 2019,” said Brandon Harrington, a member of Northmarq’s debt and equity team. “They continue to seek out well-positioned communities with value-add opportunities through improvements to the individual units and the complex amenities.” 

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This home is on 1/3 acre lot in one of the best and most sought after locations in the Foothills at the base of South Mountain.

REAL ESTATE

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

“We are seeing a very steep drop in a short period. In this environment, selling a home is no longer like falling off a log. Showings will be fewer in number and offers far less easy to get than they were in March. Once buyers realize what is going on, expect them to start flexing their negotiating muscles. They might even ask for the seller to pay for a home warranty (shocking, I know).” 

SOLD

40% from their most recent peak in 2021. Purchases and refinance applications are in fact down to the lowest level in 22 years, Realtor.com said. Mortgage applications as a data point “gives you a sense of where the market might be headed,” Kiefer told MarketWatch, “because that’s the early stages of

in the Phoenix Metro market. “This leads me to conclude that the market is serious about this change of direction and the new trend is likely to continue for some considerable time,” it said. “There are two things that concern me about the sales decline in 2022,” it continued: “It is taking place in May, which in a healthy market should be one of the busiest months for closing.

PENDING

MARKET from page re3

when people are looking to buy a home. And if the volume of applications falls, that tends to indicate that in a month, month and a half, mortgage originations of home closings will also decline.” Kiefer expects home sales to henceforth “slow quite a bit over the summer.” Meanwhile, the Cromford Report called May sales data “worrisome” because of a 16% year-over-year decline in home sales

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REAL ESTATE

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

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Bonny Holland

602.369.1085 • www.LeadingLuxuryExperts.com

ORIGINAL OWNERS*AMAZING FLOORPLAN*FORMAL LIVING & DINING ROOM*FAMILY ROOM W/ FIREPLACE*GOURMET KITCHEN W/CUSTOM CABINETRY & PULLOUTS,SLAB GRANITE COUNTERS,ISLAND,MOSAICS,PENDANT LIGHTING, & BREAKFAST BAR*BONUS/MEDIA/GAMEROOM W/ROLLING SHUTTER*BEDROOM DOWN W/ FULL BATH*CUSTOM HARDWOOD STAIRS*LARGE MASTER SUITE W/VIEWS,HIS/HER CLOSETS & BONUS CLOSET*MASTER BATH W/WALK IN SHOWER & JACUZZI TUB*UPSTAIRS LOFT*UPGRADES INCLUDE: REMODELED BATHS,PLANTATION SHUTTERS,NEW CARPET,NEW TILE,NEW PAINT,NEW BASEBOARDS,NEW APPLIANCES,SURROUND SOUND, & MUCH MORE*LAUNDRY ROOM*3 CAR GARAGE /EPOXY & CABINETS*VERY PRIVATE TROPICAL PARADISE BACKYARD W/COVERED PATIO,NEW PEBBLESHEEN POOL,WATERFALL, NEW DECKING,GRASSY PLAY AREA & RV GATE*THIS IS A CLASSY HOME!!

Listed for $819,000

Geno Ross (602) 751-2121 www.GenoRoss.com

REAL ESTATE

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

7 considerations for renting a storage unit AFN NEWS SERVICES

any people keep storage units for months or even years. Maybe you’re between houses, staging your home to sell it, or downsizing and need to get an attic’s worth of possessions tucked away. Or maybe you’ve just accumulated too much stuff. Regardless of the reason, there are some smart strategies you should know before you decide to box your belongings and lock them away. Let’s look at seven important considerations. What size storage unit should I get? An 8-foot-by-8-foot-by-8-foot container will likely hold about one to two rooms worth of goods. There is a huge variation in the size of storage units you can rent. The first step in figuring out what size works for you is deciding what you need to store. Keep in mind you can stack items, similar to a giant Tetris puzzle. “An 8-foot-by-8-foot-by-8-foot container will likely hold about one to two rooms worth of goods,” says Peter Warhurst, CEO of Red Rover Moving & Storage. “And a

480-706-7234 ! LD O S

Circle G at Riggs Ranch ! LD O S

Regatta at Val Vista Lakes

16-by-8-by-8 container will hold approximately three to four rooms’ worth.” How much does a storage unit cost? The monthly cost for a storage unit is around $190 but can range from $100 to $300 depending on size and location. Timing can play a role in the price you get, too. “The [prime] self-storage season is typically from March 1 to Dec. 1, which leaves December, January, and February to get the best deals,” offers Alan Mruvka, founder of StorageBlue self-storage and E! Entertainment Television. Storage units almost always lease month to month with no minimum or maximum term. A note about when you vacate the unit: Give notice before your rent is due. Is a climate-controlled unit worth it? While they can be more expensive, a climate-controlled storage unit is money well spent if you want to keep your valuable items protected. “Climate-controlled units are not about the temperature as much as they are about the humidity,” says Mruvka. Humidity can lead to dampness, which can lead to bacteria and mildew growth, which can damage certain possessions.

Do I need insurance? Do you have homeowners or renters insurance? If so, great, because this will probably cover the items you put in storage. (You should also check your personal policy just to be sure.) If not, however, don’t assume you’ll be automatically covered by the storage facility should something happen to your stuff while it’s being stored. The reality is, you probably are not. Many offer additional coverage you can buy on site. Can I store anything I want? Just because you rent a storage unit doesn’t mean you have free rein with the space. Obviously, hazardous or illegal materials and flammable substances like gas are no-gos and don’t try to store food (for humans or pets, not even things like a jumbo, unopened bag of birdseed). How should I pack my stuff? Moving your gear into storage requires packing and wrapping. You may well end up with damage if you just shove things in willy-nilly. If you want to keep your stored stuff dry and intact, plastic tubs are where it’s at. “Use opaque plastic bins with lids, and try not to overpack bins, as it allows air to

circulate,” suggests McMenamin. “Everyone thinks they’ll be airtight and keep out moths, but everyone would be wrong,”‘ says McMenamin. “Ditto for cardboard boxes.” She suggests wrapping cashmere and carpets in acid- and ink-free paper before putting them in a lidded bin, and using cloth hanging bags for clothes, not plastic. For furniture, “we always recommend using moving blankets, to offer the best level of protection,” says Warhurst. What if all my stuff doesn’t fit? Think you’ll take your stuff to storage and just throw away what doesn’t fit or what you decide you don’t want? Think again. You will be hard-pressed to find a trash can anywhere on the premises. Ever. “Self-storage facilities don’t provide dumpsters and never let you dump your trash or items that you want to throw away,” says Mruvka. “If you think about it, it would be a free-for-all, and many dumpsters would be needed.” “Furthermore, any trash left on the premises may result in a fee,” says Little. This is why you need to declutter before you bring anything to a storage facility .

Ahwatukee’s #1 Team for Over 30 Years 7BR / 4.5 BA / 8,873 SQFT Estate living with refined tranquility in exquisite setting. Meticulous stonework adorns entire exterior of home.

! W E N

3BR / 2.5 BA / 1,661 SQFT Nicely updated on spacious cul-de-sac lot. 2017 HVAC and 2022 water heater.

4BR / 4.5 BA / 3,040 SQFT Rare opportunity for waterfront living in Gilbert. Updated custom with breathtaking lake views.

Listed for $1,375,000

Mike Mendoza MendozaTeam.com

! LD O S

5 BR / 5 BA / 6,455 SQFT Stunning panoramic views from privately gated luxury retreat with casita on elevated preserve lot.

Listed For $525,000

Listed for $1,790,000

Sanctuary

Mountain Park Ranch ! LD O S

5 BR / 4.5 BA / 4,820 SQFT Custom home in the heart of Ahwatukee with ensuite bathrooms and 2021 exterior paint.

! LD O S

Listed for $1,950,000

5 BR / 4.5 BA / 4,405 SQFT Superb mountain views from single-level custom with 2022 interior paint and 2019 HVAC.

Listed for $1,450,000

Listed for $1,395,000

Ahwatukee Custom Estates

re7

Summerhill Estates

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

re8

Ahwatukee Custom Estates

$1,375,000

SOLD!

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

Calabrea

Ahwatukee Custom Estates

SOLD!

$1,339,000

$1,750,000

Pristine & Classy Gated Estate On A Premium 2/3 Acre Hillside Lot, Private Cul-De-Sac, 6 Bedrooms, 4.5 Baths, 5200 Sqft Of Pure Luxury Finishes, Stunning Views In Every Direction, Iron Door, Butted Glass Windows In Entry & Kitchen, Custom Window Treatments, Decorator Paint, Dome Ceiling Foyer & Groin Vaulted Ceilings In Living Room, Travertine & Hardwood Floors Throughout, 7-Inch Baseboards, Media Room, Dream Kitchen Includes S/S Appliances, Slab Granite Counters, Alder Cabinets, Huge Island, Walk In Pantry, Large Master Suite W/Stone Fireplace, Master Bath W/Jacuzzi Tub, 3 Vanities & Snail Shower, Paradise Backyard W/Travertine In Versailles Pattern, Turf Grass, Pebbletec Pool/Jacuzzi, 4 Water Features, Large Covered Patio, Stacked Stone Bbq, 4 Car Garage W/Epoxy & Storage! Your Dream Estate Awaits!!

SOLD!

5 bedroom / 3 bath, 3,506 SqFt, Cul-de-sac location with huge backyard, sports court, built-in BBQ, mature shade trees, very private backing to wash. Good size SOLD! bedrooms, master downstai5. Features a large office with balcony, plus office/loft with built-in bookcase and 3 full baths. Th� home is perfect for family gatherings one is a show stopper!!! over 4200sqft of luxury on a preserve hillside lot in a cul-de-sac, 5 bedroom, 3.5 bath with andThis previewed with 24family hourroom notice andkitchen appointment only. aentertaining. bonus room, formalCan living &be dining room w/soaring ceilings, w/fireplace, includes:s/s appliances,

SOLD! The best view lot in all of club west!!! this stunning custom gated estate in canyon verde has the best privacy & views you will find in ahwatukee*grand foyer*formal living & dining room*executive office*kitchen includes: custom cabinets w/ antiquing, s/s appliances, cooktop, island, breakfast bar, pendant lighting, & walk-in pantry*butler’s pantry w/wine fridge*family room w/fireplace*upgraded fixtures throughout*large master suite w/sitting area*master bath w/jetted tub, snail shower, & spacious closet*guest suite w/separate entrance*all secondary bedrooms are large*paradise perfect backyard w/covered patio, pebbletec pool & spa, firepit, built-in bbq, flagstone, and putting green*oversized garage w/epoxy & built-in cabinets*this custom estate is a dream opportunity! welcome to paradise!!

slab granite, island, & recessed led lights, breakfast nook, gigantic master bedroom with the most amazing preserve views, custom master bath w/walk-in shower, freestanding tub, his/her vanities, & large walk-in closet, all bedrooms are extremely large with walk-in closets, views from every room, laundry room w/built-in cabinets & sink, extended length 3 car garage w/ epoxy, guest bedroom downstairs, paradise backyard w/covered patio, grassy play area, firepit, & custom new pool & jacuzzi 2020, this amazing home is truly stunning and checks all of the boxes!!

www.GenoRoss.com Donna Leeds

�

TOP GRI, ABR REALTOR

949.310.5673

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

Foothills $499,000

Mountain Park Ranch $679,000

Canyon Verde $899,000

lf"fl!

Amazing Remodeled Custom Estate with mountain views located at the end of a cul-de-sac.Over 8000sqft of pure luxury finishes.6 Bedroom,5.5 Baths.Custom Kitchen.Elevator.Executive Office.Basement Media Room.Dance Studio.Huge Backyard with Pool, Jacuzzi, Turf, BBQ, Sportcourt.This Spectacular Estate has it all!!!

Ahwatukee Agent 2020

Geno Ross

602.751.2121

wwwBestAgentWUSA.com

Making Ahwatukee

Home Dreams Come True Since 1986

hwatukee s Come True 1986

www.WestUSA.com I 480.893.0600

4505 E. Chandler Boulevard, Suite 170, Phoenix, AZ 85048

Petroglyph Estates at Superstition Foothills

Lakewood

SOLD!

$635,000

2,498 Sq Ft. EXCEPTIONAL HOME Which Has One of the LARGEST LOTS in the Premier Lakewood Community! PEBBLETEC POOL and SPA in your own Oasis backyard! 4 bedrooms 3 baths with Lakewood Parks, Greenbelts & 2 Fishing Lakes, Playgrounds and More.

Jenifer Bulfer 480-297-6968 jbulfer@westusa.com

SOLD!

$175,000

On the Mountain! Phenomena Views of City Lights and Superstition Mountain. These Jack Nicklaus Spectacular Designed Golf Courses is Nestled in the Private Guard Gated Community, Superstition Mountain Golf and Country Club. Gorgeous 44,000sqft Tuscan Clubhouse with all the Amenities Expected with Luxury Living Including, 2 Nicklaus Designed Golf Courses and Swim/ Tennis/Spa Facility. Membership sold separately

5 bedroom / 3 bath, 3,506 SqFt, Cul-de-sac location with huge backyard, sports court, built-in BBQ, mature shade trees, very private backing to wash. Good size bedrooms, master downstai5. Features a large office with balcony, plus office/loft with built-in bookcase and 3 full baths. Th� home is perfect for family gatherings and entertaining. Can be previewed with 24 hour notice and appointment only.

Donna Leeds

GRI, ABR

Ahwatukee Retirement Community

$457,500

SOLD!

Home backs up the 8th Fairway of the Ahwatukee Country Club with great view of South Mountain. Close to Golf, Restaurants, Shopping, the I-10 and Medical Facilities. Sit on your extended covered patio and watch the sun set. Enjoy all the amenities of the Ahwatukee Recreation Center with a large outdoor pool, heated indoor saltwater pool, Sauna, Spa, Gym, woodworking shop and more!

Troy Royston 480-435-3461 troyston61@gmail.com

SOLD!

$775,000

Gorgeous property on a premium lot (1 of only 6) with an unobstructed view and access to the iconic Morrison Ranch Silos. Captivating Interior Showcases High Ceilings, Soothing Palette, Tile Flooring, & a Sizable Open Dining/Den/4th Bedroom/Living Room. The Kitchen boasts of granite counters, SS appliances, white cabinets with crown molding, recessed & pendant lighting, wall oven, a pantry, & a center island with a breakfast bar. Main bedroom features a lavish ensuite with Separate Tub & Shower granite dual vanities & a walk-in closet. Fantastic backyard with covered patio, sparkling blue pool, & blue Skies !!

Marty Griffin 602-692-7653 martygriffin@q.com

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Donna Leeds

lf"fl!

GRI, ABR

Foothills

SOLD!

Location location! Conveniently located minutes from I-10, Ahwatukee country Club, park, shopping and dining. Bright open floorplan. New windows in 2015. Tile throughout. Large backyard with covered patio.

Geri Thompson 480-239-7589 thompson_geralyn@yahoo.com

$659,900

Custom home on flat 3.3 acres with horse arena and room to roam. City water! Custom Santa Fe style 4 bedroom with tons of upgrades. Travertine tile galore, family room and other bedrooms also have tile. Kitchen has been upgraded with quartz counter tops, white cabinets and all stainless steel appliances convey. Custom doors and woodwork throughout home. Also, lots of tile work in bathrooms and other upgrades. Over $30,000 spent on upgraded doors and windows.

Carlos Martinez 480-751-8866 teammartinez11@gmail.com

lf"fl!

wwwBestAgentWUSA.com

Ahwatukee

SOLD!

$580,000

�

949.310.5673

wwwBestAgentWUSA.com

$360,000

Thunderbird Farms South

Marty Griffin 602-692-7653 martygriffin@q.com

949.310.5673

Morrison Ranch

Foothills Reserve

PENDING!

Gorgeous Highly Upgraded Golf Lot home nestled at the end of a cul-de-sac in the Foothills. Meticulously cared for home w/ Brand NEW Kitchen & Shaw Flooring Remodel 5/22. This 4 bed, 2.5 bath sensible layout w/ high ceilings, energy efficient newer windows w/panoramic mtn views,& spacious FR/kitchen area make this home seem bigger than it is. Master retreat features updated bathroom, walk-in closet, & lrg. Balcony. The sprawling resort backyard has a gorgeous pebbletec pool, multiple sitting areas, lrg grass yard, side garden & shed all backing to the 13th hole of Foothills Golf Course.

Jill Ostendorp 480-678-7308 jillo@homesbyjillo.com

Beautiful move-in-ready 4 bed, 2.5 bath. 3,002 sq ft. Upgraded kitchen with lots of counters! SS appliances, granite, upgraded cabinetry overlook a highly upgraded pool. Master bedroom deck has INCREDIBLE vistas East, incl. South Mountain. Formal living and dining rooms, upgraded paint and flooring are just part of the fun of this home. A new TESLA solar/ battery system saves tons of $$. Nearby NEW Phoenix city park for hiking and biking, easy access off the 202.

Link Paffenbarger 602-989-7221 linkpaff@gmail.com

COMMUNITY

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

AROUND AHWATUKEE

Leading Ladies, Arizona Mommies holding fundraiser in Ahwatukee

East Valley Leading Ladies, a community for female entrepreneurs and leaders focused on “building bridges and opening doors for one another through natural networking,” is planning a family fun charity giveback 10 a.m.-1 p.m. June 25 at Mountain Park Church, 16461 S. 48th St. Ahwatukee, to benefit the nonprofit Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels. For the event, East Valley Leading Ladies is teaming up with Arizona Mommies, an online community with more than 46,000 mothers. Over 20 area businesses are supporting the event, which will feature food trucks, music, pop-up shopping and free kids’ activities. Also offered will be carnival games, crafts and a family photo spot along with a special guest appearance by Miss Arizona USO, Faith Phares. Admission is $10 per vehicle. Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels helps children fighting cancer and their families and are most known for their comfy cozy chemo adaptive apparel for port management and staying comfortable during treatments. Families supported by the nonprofit can get in free to the charity fundraiser. The “Champion of Hope” sponsors for the fundraiser include Summit School, Allison Seckman American Family Insurance, Jelennan Day from the Brokery and Mountain Park Church. The girls robotics team from Summit School will showcase their award-winning work. Food trucks and merchants have committed to giving up to 20% of their event profit to Amanda Hope Rainbow Angels.

Ahwatukee trainer offers summer camp for teens and dogs

Brenda Dreyer is opening her Foothills Canine Academy at 2323 East Magnolia St. to young people 12 to 17 years old and

their dogs over 4 months old for half- and full-day sessions June 20-24 with an opportunity for children and their pets to “learn and bond together.” Teens will learn “all about their canine partner” while the dog acquires “much needed physical and mental stimulation,: said the Club West resident. They will “learn how to train obedience while also learning cool tricks to show family and friends,” Dreyer said. “We also will have educational discussions, movies and other dogrelated activities.” A full-day came, 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., costs $450 and a morning-only session for five days is $350. Full-day students must bring their own lunch, though Dryer plans a pizza party for all full- and half-day participants at the end of the week. Information: 602-642-1202, Foothillsk9@gmail.com or foothillsk9academy.com.

9:30-11:30 a.m. June 25; and 9:30 a.m. June 26 with Sunday worship and ice cream social. Enroll: Text VBS to 480-428-2831. For more information call or text Janice at 602-818-0472.

Ahwatukee Friends hosts luncheon with local bar’s brewmaster

Gila River Indian Community offering grants to nonprofits

Ahwatukee Foothills Friends, and Neighbors will host a luncheon at Wicked Brew, Bites and Spirits in Ahwatukee 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m. June 27. The brew master will discuss the brewing of beer and there will be a small sample available. Contact affanwomensgroup@ gmail.com for more details and to register. The cost of the lunch is $19 and a prepaid reservation is required by June 19 to attend.

Ahwatukee church offering vacation Bible school this month

The Lamb of God Lutheran Church, 599 E. Chandler Blvd,, Ahwatukee is offering a vacation Bible school for kids 3 years old up to those entering fifth grade. Times are: 5:30-7:30 p.m. with a meal at 4:45 p.m. June 23-24;

Ahwatukee Kiwanis lists speakers at its Thursday morning meetings

The Ahwatukee Kiwanis Club is always looking for new members and invites interested people to attend one of their weekly meetings at 7:30 a.m. Thursdays at Biscuits restaurant, 4623 E. Elliott Road in the Safeway plaza. People also are invited to hear the speakers. Speakers who will appear and the dates are: June 23, Anissa Gurrola, Janice’s Women’s Center; June 30, LD12 House candidate Jim Chastan; Aug. 11, Amanda Nosbisch, One Small Step/ Clothes Cabin.

Gila River Resorts & Casinos – Wild Horse Pass, Lone Butte and Vee Quiva – are accepting applications from nonprofits for its self-excluded jackpot fund beginning June 1. The deadline to apply is June 30 at 5 p.m. All Arizona 501(c)(3) organizations that are recognized by the IRS and focus on education and children’s welfare are eligible for consideration to receive self-excluded jackpot funds. The nonprofits can apply online through June 30. The selected applicants will be notified in September and honored during a special Gila River Cares event in October. “We are privileged to further support Gila River Cares mission of giving back through the self-excluded jackpots,” said Kenneth Manuel CEO of Gila River Resorts & Casinos. “The funds help smaller yet influential organizations thrive and we look forward to discovering and supporting new nonprofits

each year.” Last year, more than $84,000 was distributed across three nonprofits benefiting Arizonans including one•n•ten, ICAN: Positive Programs for Youth and The Tommy Two Shoes Literacy Project for Children. Self-excluded jackpot funds are accumulated when a gaming winner is ineligible to receive their winnings on table games, slot machines or bingo. This money is distributed to help further support Gila River Cares mission of giving back to locals in need. To apply and view eligibility qualifications visit playatgila. com/gila-river-cares.

GOP candidates at series of town halls at Club West

The Republican precinct committees of the Camelot, Club West, Thunderhill, and Reserve GOP precincts will hold a series of question-and-answer town halls “with a moderator asking questions with regard to pertinent issues our state and nation are facing.” All run from 7-9 p.m. at the Club West Community Center, 16414 S. 14th Ave., Ahwatukee. The next one is: June 23, gubernatorial candidates, followed by July 14, state senate and superintendent of schools candidates.

Local American Legion Post always seeking new members

Men and women who served in the Armed Forces are always invited to join Ahwatukee American Legion Post 64, which meets 4-5 p.m. every third Wednesday of the month at the Ahwatukee Rec Center, 5001 E. Cheyenne Drive, Ahwatukee. The post’s mission is to “enhance the well-being of America’s veterans, their families, our military and our communities by devotion to mutual helpfulness.” Information: Americanlegionpost64.com or 480-326-4656. 

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

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BUSINESS

Business AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

@AhwatukeeFN |

@AhwatukeeFN

www.ahwatukee.com

Wren House to open Euro craft beer hall here BY GERI KOEPPEL AFN Contributor

raft beer fans rejoiced recently when award-winning Wren House Brewing Company announced it will open a European-style beer hall in Ahwatukee this winter. Called Wren Südhalle (South Hall), it will take over the former Los Dos Molinos location at 4025 E. Chandler Blvd. near S. 40th Street, in the Plaza @ Mountainside near Trader Joe’s. This is the third location for Wren House. It opened a tap room and brewery in central Phoenix in 2015 and a larger production facility and beer garden in Prescott in 2021 and the first modeled after casual German and Czech drinking establishments. The space has about 2,200 square feet inside that will feature communal seating and a 1,000-square-foot north-facing patio, which will be dog-friendly. The menu

Wren House Brewing Company co-owners, from left:, Drew Pool, Preston Theony and Bill Hammond, sit on the patio of their 24th Street location. They plan to open a European-style beer hall in Ahwatukee this winter. (Courtesy of Wren House Brewing Company) is still in the works, but there will be no servers; bar bites will be available from walk-up windows. Co-owner Drew Pool of Phoenix said they plan to expand the patio and keep the

existing private dining room, and they’ll build a large island bar inside serving Wren House beers and handpicked European imports. The goal, he said, is to create a “classic,

Longtime Ahwatukee chef founds catering company BY GERI KOEPPEL AFN Contributor

ver since graduating from college in 2001, Jamie Oman of Ahwatukee has been in the food business in her community, from working in her parent’s bagel shop to managing Caffé Boa on Elliot Road. Now, she is doing the same as the owner of her own company. In March, she launched Family Table Catering, which offers gourmet charcuterie boards, fullservice catering, dinner parties and in-home cooking classes. “I learned so much from my old boss, Scott [Rennard, of

Caffé Boa], about catering,” said Oman, who worked for him for 10 years until he sold the restaurant in 2021. “I fell in love with catering. I loved to do parties.” She added, “I feel like this is my calling; this is what I want to do.” Oman’s Instagram-worthy custom charcuterie boxes and boards may include a combination of meats, cheeses, fruits, nuts, bread, crackers and homemade treats such as quiche or chocolate bark. For one board, she made various types of popcorn for a movie-night theme. “I make everything in my kitchen with fresh ingredients, with tons of love,” Oman stated.

Not only that, she uses items such as herbs and tomatoes from her own garden. Small boxes start at $75 and there’s no charge for delivery to Ahwatukee residents, though elsewhere in the Valley, there’s a small fee.” “I can set them up on your island or table at your house,” Oman explained. “A lot of cre-

see CATERER page 37

Jamie Oman of Ahwatukee, owner of Family Table Catering, displays one of her custom charcuterie boards. (Courtesy of Family Table Catering)

welcoming, comfortable beer-drinking environment.” No brewing will be done at this location. They chose Ahwatukee for their next concept because of the fervent fan base here. Pool said during the heart of COVID-19, the tap room shut down and their bar and restaurant accounts went on hiatus, so they closed for 18 months and packaged all their beer in cans to sell directly to consumers. “Our bartenders turned into delivery drivers and we bought a van and delivered all around the Valley,” Pool said, “and the most repeat orders were in Ahwatukee.” Sarah Nicholson was one of those frequent shoppers. “Most of my neighbors would get together and put in one order and we’d have them bring it all at once,” she recalled. Nicholson said she was “super excited”

see WREN HOUSE page 36

BUSINESS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

Wife’s pain, cancer force area store to close BY KEN SAIN GSN Staff Writer

t’s easy to forget that life can change in a moment. One moment is forcing Richard and Connie Finkbeiner to sell their Chandler business of more than 20 years. They plan to close Connie’s Jewelry Gallery and Clock Shop at 1900 W. Germann Road forever around the end of June. Connie had just dropped her grandchild off and was returning home in February of 2017. She stopped at a stop sign. There was a utility box blocking her view. She leaned forward, and turned her neck to try and see around it. It was that moment that her car was hit from behind by a maintenance truck. Richard says he’s been told the other driver was distracted. “You know, a kid being irresponsible and we think he was on his phone,” Richard said. “I mean, it took everything. It took my wife’s life, she’s in a bed ... and it’s taking

WREN HOUSE from page 35

to hear about the Wren Südhalle because “Wren House makes very quality beer and I know they use top-of-the-line ingredients, and they’re also very active in the community, which is really important, so I couldn’t be more thrilled.” Wren House has helped raise money for causes as diverse as the Audubon Society for their burrowing owl project, Ukrainian Red Cross and wildfire efforts in California. They also use Sinagua Malt out of Camp Verde in many of their beers, which was created to incentivize local farmers to switch from water-intensive crops like alfalfa and cotton to barley, helping to improve flow in the Verde River. In addition to being dedicated to the environment, Wren House is committed to making outstanding beers. Its Spellbinder hazy IPA won the gold medal at the Great American Beer Festival in 2020 in a field of 377 brews from around the country. Spellbinder and Valley Beer also won medals at the Australian International Beer Awards in May. And in 2019, Wren House won a silver medal for Valley Beer, which Pool noted “may be harder in some senses, because making a really classic American lager is

my business. I can’t run this business on my own and I can’t find anybody who has, Connie’s been doing it for like 35 years, ...the business worked because Connie developed trustworthy relationships with her clients.” There’s another reason they are closing their business, which has been at the corner of Dobson and Germann since 2013. If he tried to run the business even without his wife’s expertise and relationships, someone has to be a caregiver. “Who’s going to take care of my wife?” Richard said. “Whenever she throws up, who’s going to tell her it’s OK and clean it up? When she loses her hair, who’s going tell her ‘I love you anyway?’” The crash left Connie with a broken neck and herniated discs. Those could be, and were, dealt with in surgery. The bigger problem is what it did to her nervous system. She has complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). Basically, the pain receptors in her body never turn off. Connie is in constant pain.

Connie Finkbeiner, owner of a south Chandler jewelry store with her husband, has suffered horrendous injuries. (Special to AFN) That is not all. The nerves in her stomach are unable to tell when there is food present. Normally, once the nerves

eries, they do five hazy IPAs.” Wren House features styles including Italian and Czech pilsners, German Helles lagers, porters, stouts, barrel-aged beers and fruited sour beers calls Las Frescas, which Pool said are created weekly by a bartender, Justin VarWren House Brewing’s head brewer, Luke Wortendyke, left, and co- go, at the Phoenix owner Preston Theony work in the Prescott facility. (Courtesy of Wren tap room who’s also a mixologist. House Brewing Company) The addition of the Prescott facility allowed Wren House incredibly difficult…. We’re super proud of to expand production from 2,000 barrels that one, too.” in 2020 to 6,500 now. Pool said this light, refreshing brew ofThey brew their core beers such as ten converts the people who don’t think Valley Beer, Spellbinder, Wrenovation (a they’ll enjoy craft beer, but after they try it, West Coast IPA), Big Spill Pils, Festbier “then they start experimenting and trying and some one-off lagers in Prescott, Pool all the other craft beers as well,” he said. explained, which uses a softer steam ketTroy Smith of Ahwatukee, another Wren tle brewing that’s better for lagers and House fan, said Wren House’s vast lineup IPAs. In Phoenix, which uses direct fire, is one of the big draws for him. they make their stouts, porters, barrel“What I like is the diverse types of beer aged beers and new styles. they offer,” he said. “You go to most brew-

recognize food is there, they begin to process it. Richard says in Connie’s case, the food just sits inside her stomach and rots. That has led to her losing a lot of weight, now down to 95 pounds. She also developed allodynia, which is a sensitivity to touch, light and sounds. There’s a medical center in Arkansas that specializes in CRPS, basically trying to rebuild the nervous system to lessen the constant pain. They were there for about three months and were starting to see some positive results. But that ended when they diagnosed Connie with breast cancer. Before she can return to Arkansas, they must first address that. They measure pain on a scale up to 50. Connie’s usually falls between 42 and 45. “So CRPS ... is known as the suicide disease,” Richard said. “People just can’t take it over a period, and the doctors don’t … understand how to go ahead and deal with people’s ... pain like that.”

see CONNIE page 37

Chances are, even if you’re choosy about your beer, you’ll find something to like at Wren House. In any given year, it releases more than 50 beers. “We do one or two beer releases a week, or a new take on a beer,” Pool noted. While Pool is a serious beer aficionado, he admits he’s the marketing and sales guy only; “I home brewed once and it was a miserable failure,” he stated. His cofounder is Bill Hammond of Phoenix, who still works full-time at Intel along with Pool and handles operations and back office. Preston Thoeny of Phoenix is director of brewing operations. In fact, Pool got the idea for Wren Südhalle during his visits to beer halls on frequent travels for work. Smith likes the fact that this will bring a new experience that Ahwatukee, with its abundance of sports bars, doesn’t have. “It’s more of “a cultural thing like you see in Europe,” Smith remarked. In fact, Pool confirmed that as with the 24th Street tap room, there won’t be any TVs. “We want it to be centered around community and enjoying one another and enjoying the beer,” he said. To keep up on news about Wren Südhalle, visit wrenhousebrewing.com and follow instagram.com/wrenhousebrewing. 

BUSINESS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

ativity goes into that.” Thanks to word-of-mouth and social media, Oman’s also been busy doing home dinner parties and full catering for special events, from birthdays and graduations to backyard weddings. “A new thing that has popped up this month has been bachelorette parties,” she noted. With prices at restaurants on the rise, Oman is also going to start in-home cooking classes with simple recipes people can replicate. She’s also planning to host private pop-up dinners with wine pairings. Client Erik Kelly of Ahwatukee has followed Oman throughout her career and has hired for a number of personal and professional events. He’s purchased everything from charcuterie boards to hearty Italian meals. “I thought she was such a talented culinary artist, really,” he said, “and she had such great vision and took such tremendous pride in not only the quality of her food, but the experience she created for people.” Kelly added, “I think you can taste the love in her food.” Interested in cooking from the time she was a young child, Oman recalled helping her mother in the kitchen, “chopping, stirring, making fresh pastas.” Though Italian food is still her forte, Oman was trained at Scottsdale Culinary

CONNIE from page 36

Richard said it’s not been easy for them. How have they got through this? “It’s just through faith,” he said. “I’m on my knees 10 times a day. The Lord will guide us through this.” So far the medical bills have cost them $500,000. The insurance company for the business that owned the maintenance truck that hit Connie has admitted to the crash, but not to any injuries sustained. Richard said they are suing them with a court date scheduled for this summer. A GoFundMe page has been set up by

Information: 480-277-3187 or jomancooks@gmail.com. 

Richard’s sister to help them. Search for “Please Help Save Connie” if you would like to contribute. Richard said it was a hard decision to close their business, but he had little choice. “Everything you have and don’t have go into your business,” Richard said. “I mean, this business is my 401k. This business is my IRA. I don’t have anything else. Everything has been put into the business to … make the business go. That’s just the way you have to do it.” Information: 480-883-3320. 

HAVE BUSINESS NEWS? SEND YOUR BUSINESS NEWS TO PMARYNIAK@ TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM

Annual Fourth of July Children’s Parade at Mountain Park Ranch: The community of Mountain Park Ranch is again sponsoring a Children’s Fourth of July Parade. The Parade date is set for Monday, July 4, 2022. All families are invited to join in. Come celebrate with Mountain Park Ranch family and friends. We will be celebrating this historic day with a Parade and some fun and games for the entire community. The Parade begins at 8 am at the Foothills Baptist Church on Thunderhill Road and will follow Thunderhill east to the Park near Ray Road. The Phoenix Fire Department will be on hand to lead the kids down Thunderhill. Time will be approaching to start decorating your bikes, trikes, wagons, scooters and electric kiddy cars with red, white and blue streamers and ribbons. A family celebration will follow the Parade, at Thunderhill Park, and end around 10:30 a.m. The celebration will include a DJ, a superslide and other family activities. There will be sno-cones, hot dogs and drinks for the entire family. Best of all, there will be awards and prizes for best decorations and spirit. Bring your cameras! This is a great opportunity to show our community spirit, to meet neighbors, visit with friends and have a great time with the entire family. See you at the Parade and celebration. For more information please contact the MPRHOA office at 480.704.5000.

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Institute and can competently deliver requests ranging from barbecue to tacos. And she still uses the same recipes for lasagna, Bolognese, meatballs and other favorites that customers have enjoyed for years, saying, “Those recipes date back to my grandmother.” Despite her passion for food, Oman got an undergraduate degree intent on becoming a teacher. But when her parents, Richie and MaryAnn Laser, opened Beyond Bagels in the Lakeside Plaza on East Chandler Boulevard near South 40th Street in the early 2000s, Oman started working there “literally sweeping floors and washing dishes,” she recalled. The Lasers eventually transformed Beyond Bagels into a restaurant called That Italian Place, and Oman began cooking. She stayed after they sold it to a new owner and worked there until it closed. The name Family Table Catering comes from Oman’s roots. “Every good memory I have was sitting around my family table with my parents and my siblings and my aunts, uncles and grandparents,” she said. And this new venture gives her the flexibility to continue that legacy. Restaurant work involves long hours and late nights, Oman noted, and with this business, “I kind of get my family time back, which is great,” she said.

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

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Opinion

OPINION

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

Share Your Thoughts:

@AhwatukeeFN |

@AhwatukeeFN

Send your letters on local issues to: pmaryniak@timespublications.com

www.ahwatukee.com

Confused about Valley geography? Here’s a primer BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ AFN Columnist

hen I moved west in 1995 to be a newspaper scribe, one of the challenges was getting acquainted with the Valley’s geography. The grid system was easy enough, as were major cross streets like Broadway, Southern, Indian School and Van Buren. But the finer distinctions eluded me. I’m talking about, “Is Scottsdale in the East Valley?” Or, “Where exactly does the West Valley begin?” (To which I answer, it’s a lot like Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart’s definition of porn: I can’t exactly say, “but I know it when I see it”). With 100,000 people moving here annually, I figure we need a user’s guide to the Valley’s terminology. Here you have it:” East Valley: This moniker, allegedly coined by the editors of the Tribune back in the day, covers Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Tempe, Queen Creek – and Scotts-

City Hall ‘run amuck’ ruining South Mountain

If you’ve had the chance to hike or ride the trails of our beloved South Mountain Park lately you may have witnessed the destruction of what was once pristine desert by park managers at the behest of those who rule over us at City Hall. If you haven’t, you should take the time to do so; it may just break your heart, as it has mine. The signs placed at several trail entry points state that they are simply reducing “the number of shortcuts and social trails” so that visitors will use only “designated trails”. In order to accomplish this, a tracked vehicle was used to plow the shortcuts and social trails. This, in my humble view, is management run amuck. These “shortcuts and social trails” are

dale. Apparently, the Scottsdale politicos and residents of the city’s tonier neighborhoods hate this idea, which is all the more reason to insist on it. South Scottsdale: The city south of Fashion Square, with a carve out for the bars and party spots of “Old Town,” which may or may not admit anyone over age 28 after 9 at night. A Realtor who specializes in the area describes it as “the heart and soul of the city.” Translated: You can afford it! West Valley: Generally speaking, this region includes everything west of the 17 freeway that is not in Phoenix – except Maryvale, which is in Phoenix, but poor, so Phoenix would like it to be someplace else. Glendale, which begins at 43rd Avenue, is in the West Valley. So are places like Peoria, Avondale, Buckeye, Tolleson and Youngtown, a small town ironically devoid of young people. Many of the western suburbs are named for their distance from Phoenix, like Surprise (“I’m surprised it’s so damn far”) and Goodyear (“it will take a good

year to get here if there’s an accident on the 10”). Phoenix, which serves as the Valley’s central core, has its own naming nuances. North Phoenix: Notable for gated communities, mountain views and the prevalence of Walgreens at every intersection, North Phoenix oddly does not include Northern Avenue. It begins somewhere north of Paradise Valley – a Latin phrase meaning “home of photo radar” – and extends to about Flagstaff. Central Phoenix: An amorphous blob that begins where downtown Phoenix and the Central City areas end (say about Thomas Road) and winds north to about Shea Boulevard. East to west, Central Phoenix seems to span 44th Street to about Seventh Avenue. To the east is “the east side,” which has lots of industrial stuff, and to the west is the “west side,” notable for random gunfire and drive-thru restaurants that offer excellent burritos and end in the suffix “-berto’s.”

South Phoenix: The city south of downtown but north of South Mountain. The area includes urban clusters to the east and sprawling farms and warehouses to the west. However, south Phoenix does not include the southernmost tip of Phoenix. Ahwatukee: There’s some interesting arcana surrounding the name of the most southern ‘burb in Phoenix. Once upon a time, a huge house – Casa De Suenos, or “house of dreams” – stood out that way. Then a lady from Wyoming bought it and renamed the house “Ahwatukee,” which she said was the Crow Indians’ phrase for “house of dreams.” As it turns out, the Crow people – who don’t live in Arizona – don’t have that word in their language. But they do have the phrase “awe chuuke,” which means “the other side of the hill.” Consider yourself in the know, friend. But don’t worry if you’re confused. It only took me 27 years to figure this out. You’re probably quicker on the uptake. 

nothing more than a network of trails blazed by native wild animals and other creatures over many centuries. They are not new, with very few exceptions. Now, they have been churned into plowed desert. The few footprints and bike tracks on these trails would have been mostly obliterated with each new rainfall. However, the scars inflicted on the desert by these overzealous city and park managers will be visible a hundred years from now and beyond. The “designated trails” probably represent less than 1% of the total park area. That means around 99% of the park is not accessible to us. I have been lectured by these people for standing only a few feet off the trail. “You have to stay on the trail,” said the stranger, who I assumed must have some

sort of authority; or perhaps it was simply someone who believes that we humans are a stain on the earth. Oh, but we must be protected from ourselves! We must be confined to “designated ttrails” in order to make the jobs of our protectors more easy. I’ll tell you what this all means: It means there will be no straying from the trail should you feel the call of nature. It means there will be no leaving the trail to climb upon the picturesque and easily ascended rocks that make up the bulk of South Mountain. No photo opportunities with you and your friends standing and sitting on those fabulous boulders. It’s all about control, after all. So, as a society we must decide just how many of our freedoms must be given up in order that we not leave a momentary scar on Mother Earth, or injure ourselves or need to be

rescued by emergency personnel. As for me, I’ll choose freedom with very few exceptions. -D.E.Jones

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Times change and so must Club West site

Allow me to summarize Frank Thompson’s letter to the editor regarding the Club West property: “I have an expensive house on the golf course and lots of money; therefore, my voice and my needs matter more than anyone else’s.” Per Mr. Thompson, his golf course lot with its prime view is his “private world.” He adds: “I paid, and am paying, to have the right to be happy where I live. And I live without preying on my fellow land

see LETTERS page 40

LETTERS from page 39

owners.” I don’t have a golf course lot, so I don’t have the right to be happy where I live? He further implies that those of us living on the wrong side of the tracks are somehow crowding his space. Please, forgive me. I didn’t know. My wife and I were married at Club West many years ago. Like Mr. Thompson, our preference would be that the property stay the same as we remember it on that evening. Too bad for all of us, but times have changed. As the original home owner, Mr. Thompson chose to pay a premium for his lot and use only the finest materials (thanks for letting us know how cheap the rest of us are). Given the state of today’s housing market, I would be shocked if the value of his house isn’t far higher than it was when he moved in. But since he is opposed to any changes since his move-in date, would he be willing to take the original value of the house if he sold it? The “private world” of Club West extends beyond the homes adjoining the golf course. We all pay the same in association dues, regardless of where our homes are located. And at least some of us are tired of looking at the dusty, weed-infested “prime view” we have to drive by every day because some homeowners are only concerned for themselves. I reiterate what I’ve said before: if Mr. Thompson and his friends with houses on the course oppose any sort of change to the site, they should buy it themselves, restore the course, and give the rest of us something decent to look at, too. -Scott Cox

Phoenix water alert should sound alarm

I offer a few comments on the June 1, 2022 Ahwatukee Foothills News article about the City of Phoenix issuing a Phase 1 Water Alert: “22 years of regional drought” is no longer “a drought.” It’s a perfect application of the phrase “the new normal.” The claim on the City’s website that “Phoenix is built for drought” is obviously false to anyone who drives through or flies over the city. The alert comes less than a year after the announcement of the Meta (formerly Facebook) Mesa Data Center, which will

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

consume incredible amounts of water. The alert comes just months after groundbreaking on the massive Superstition Vistas development in the East Valley. And let’s not forget the 1,000 home Canyon Reserve development coming right here to Ahwatukee, at the west end of Chandler Blvd. Adding up 1 through 5, I think we have real cause for concern, and since people do need places to live and work, this leaves us in a pickle. Let’s see what productive solutions our civic leaders offer up. -Scott Green

Abortion is often the 1st resort for the disabled

On May 2nd, a draft of the upcoming Supreme Court decision regarding the continuation of Roe v Wade was leaked, and it shocked the United States public. The draft revealed that the Supreme Court is looking to undo Roe v Wade and remove the abortion rights of women and makes no exceptions for cases of incest or rape. Though outrage over this decision has been shared widely in newsrooms, in print, and on social media, focusing on how this will impact different socioeconomic groups, one demographic has not been mentioned. That is women with disabilities. For women with disabilities, abortion is not the last resort to end an unwanted pregnancy; it is often the first resort. Unfortunately, in the United States, women with disabilities have never been granted full access to reproductive education, services, or contraception. When looking at sex education for people with disabilities, 84% of students with ID did not receive sex education, 56% of students with mild ID did not receive sexual education (Barnard-Brak, L et al. 2014). Often children with disabilities are removed from classroom settings during sexual education discussions. These children aren’t given the proper language to describe body parts, define appropriate versus inappropriate touching, and aren’t taught about bodily autonomy. As a result, they cannot articulate if or when abuse happens to parents and caregivers. And it does happen. Children with disabilities are four times more likely to be sexually abused than their typically developing peers (P.M. Sullivan & Knutson, 2000). Insufficient sex education and increased rates of abuse and neglect lead to

increased rates of unwanted pregnancies in the disability population. Professionals have not been urged to address these types of issues in the past because of the common misconception that society holds relating to disability and sex: young people with disabilities have no sexual life. This false belief then leads to the assumption that it is not necessary for professionals to educate these individuals on sexuality education, HIV and AIDS prevention, and treatment and care efforts (Di Giulio, G. 2013). In a study done by Margaret Wazakili disabled youth was interviewed on just how much they knew about sex and where their information was derived from. One of the children interviewed answered “No one talked to me about sexuality, pregnancy, or other sexual issues. Not even family, friends or at school.” The fact is that young people with disabilities need to be able to make informed decisions when it comes to their sexual practices. They also must be informed about their sexual rights and can only do so if they are provided with the right information. A recent study compared these and other sexuality related variables among people with developmental disability, people with physical disability, and people without disabilities. In this study, people with developmental disability had the lowest level of knowledge about sexuality, had less experience with dating, intimacy, and sexual interaction, and fewer opportunities to learn about sexuality. In addition, people with developmental disabilities expressed more negative attitudes towards sexuality than people in the other two groups. The lack of sexual education doesn’t end in the schoolroom, it is also missing in doctors’ offices. Most women receive information about different forms of contraception when they visit their gynecologists. The first barrier for disabled women getting access to contraceptives is finding a doctor whose offices are outfitted with the proper equipment to serve them. A study in 2013 found that 44% of gynecological practices were inaccessible to women with disabilities. Once speaking with a gynecologist, they still aren’t offered information about contraception. People believe that because someone is disabled, they are asexual. They aren’t taught how to have safe sex, how to protect themselves, take birth control, or use condoms. In addition, when

women with intellectual disabilities are told about contraception methods, gynecologists will not use plain language text. So, they don’t understand much of the information given to them. In a study looking at adolescents with low cognitive abilities, girls were three times more likely to become pregnant than their typically developing peers because they weren’t taught how to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Women with disabilities are also at greater risk of suffering sexual abuse. The US Department of Justice reports that 6883% of women with disabilities are sexually assaulted. Women with disabilities are also more likely to have unwanted pregnancies because of intimate partner violence. Once pregnant, women with disabilities already struggle to secure safe abortions. Since most women with disabilities are on Medicaid, they cannot use their insurance to access an abortion, thanks to the Hyde Amendment that was passed in 1977. This means that to access an abortion, a woman with a disability on Medicaid must pay out of pocket. Occasionally you will hear an argument against abortion access that brings in the history of forced abortion and sterilization that people with disabilities have endured. As though not allowing abortion is somehow in solidarity with the disability justice movement. In actuality, both issues are about body autonomy. Disabled people deserve the right to choose how to manage their own fertility, just like everyone else. As you can see, women with disabilities are already at a disadvantage in warding off unwanted pregnancies because of the lack of education, access to contraception, lack of gynecologists equipped to see them, along with increased sexual abuse and intimate partner violence. This means that for women with disabilities, abortion is the first, not the last resort to ending an unwanted pregnancy. A significant amount of money, resources, education, and support are needed to improve access to reproductive health for the disability community. And if Roe v Wade is overturned, the urgency of this need will grow exponentially. -Michele Knowlton-Thorne, Hannah Woelke, and Gabrielle FicchI

OPINION

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

How consumers can learn about food recalls BY TERESA MURRAY AFN Guest Writer

hances are high that you or someone in your family has gotten sick from something you ate in the last year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that one in six Americans get sick each year from foodborne diseases. Of those,128,000 wind up in the hospital and 3,000 die. While many stores quickly notify customers of recalls one way or another, they’re not required to, and their practices are neither uniform nor always timely. Ultimately, our country needs to improve its food production process to reduce the need for recalls in the first place. In the meantime, the government and grocers need to do a better job warning consumers in a timely manner of food

products that could make them sick. In a new report, Food for thought: Are your groceries safe?, the Arizona PIRG Education Fund surveyed 50 of the largest grocery and convenience store chains nationwide on their notification practices and talked to experts about what needs to change to improve both communication and public safety. Among our findings: Only half of the retailers told us they notify customers by phone, text, or email within one business day. One-third of the retailers put the onus on customers to check the store’s website or social media accounts for recall notices. Although federal law requires more robust notifications -- including instore signs -- under an 11-year-old law, the guidelines are neither finalized nor enforced.

Incorporating better use of technology, a tactic the food industry association supports, could help significantly. The Arizona PIRG Education Fund’s report includes tips for consumers on steps you can take to keep up with food recalls such as stopping by the customer service desk of the grocery stores you shop at and ask how they notify customers of recalls; get the free Foodkeeper app through foodsafety.gov and allow recall notifications to be pushed to your phone; sign up for recall alerts via the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the U.S. Department of Agriculture websites; and if you have a Twitter account, follow the agencies’ Twitter accounts: @FDArecalls and @USDAFoodSafety. Getting real-time alerts is especially important if there are people with severe allergies, or kids, pregnant women, elderly folks, or people with compro-

mised immune systems in your home. If you don’t want to sign up for all food recalls, but perhaps just those involving salmonella, E. coli or listeria, or certain undeclared allergens (like peanuts or wheat), then set up Google news alerts with those keywords to be delivered to your email daily or in real time. Please check out the report for additional tips for consumers; tips on how to read “best by/use by” package labels to understand food expiration dates; and tips on how to save money at the grocery store, despite rising food prices. Teresa Murray is the Consumer Watchdog for the Arizona PIRG Education Fund. The Arizona PIRG Education Fund conducts research and education on issues in the public interest. The report and more information can be found at ArizonaPIRGEdFund.org. 

Share Your Thoughts: Send your letters on local issues to: pmaryniak@TimesLocalMedia

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SPORTS

Sports & Recreation AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

Check us out and like the Ahwatukee Foothills News on Facebook

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Jaylen Rushing found his way as Mountain Pointe running back

BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

ric Lauer still recalls the first time he ever saw Jaylen Rushing play football for the Mountain Pointe Pride. Rushing was just a freshman at the time preparing to play against rival Desert Vista. He wore No. 52, the jersey he was handed earlier in the season when told by his coaches they needed help on the defensive line. He had a good season in the trenches. He was naturally strong and had a 240-pound frame at the time that overpowered most freshman offensive lines. But the Pride needed a tailback after an injury. Rushing, who came into the program hoping to run the ball, got his chance.

“I don’t know if it was the second half yet, but they put this kid and it was like, ‘who is that big kid that came out like a shot?’ It’s Jaylen Rushing,” Lauer said. “And the rest is history. That’s my connection with him, No. 52.” Rushing broke through the line on his first carry and scored his first high school touchdown from 60-plus yards out. He went on to spend the rest of the season at running back for the freshman team. As a sophomore, however, he was moved back to the defensive line when pulled up to the varsity level. Instead of moping about his position, he went to work after the shortened COVID season. He quickly dropped down from around 240 pounds to 205. He maintained muscle — even got bigger — and leaned out. He took track seriously in the spring and improved

his speed. Rushing did everything he could to prove he could make it in the Mountain Pointe backfield. And his coaches rewarded him for it. “He’s now our poster child for Mountain Pointe football when it comes to, ‘shut up and do the work,’” Lauer said. “Make me play you. He did that.” Mountain Pointe has a long history of great running backs. From Skeeter Brown in 1994 to Keith Brown and Nic Lovett in 1996 and 2000, respectively. Michael Moore put his stamp on the program in 2006 by setting the record for the most rushing yards in a game at 337, a feat he accomplished while playing Corona Mountain Pointe senior Jaylen Rushing’s journey to becoming the del Sol. Davon Brown had an impres- starting running back took an unexpected turn as a freshman and sophomore when he played defensive line for the Pride. (Jack

see RUSHING page 44 Beasley/AFN Contributor)

AZ Bombers softball team raising money for national trip BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

group made up of some Ahwatukee softball players are raising money with the hopes of making it to a national tournament in Indiana near the end of July. The 16U Arizona Bombers, a competitive club softball team comprised of several Desert Vista and Mountain Pointe student-athletes, recently qualified for a national tournament in Kokomo, Indiana that will feature some of the top softball teams from across the country. Kenny Lopez, the head coach of the Bombers, has started various fundraisers with the hope of gaining the support of the Ahwatukee community to get every player there with minimal help needed from the girls.

The Arizona Bombers, a 16U club softball team made up of several Ahwatukee athletes from Desert Vista and Mountain Pointe, are raising money for a trip to nationals in Indiana in late July to compete at a high level. (Courtesy Kenny Lopez) “I put the budget together for the trip

and it’s a tough nut to crack,” Lopez said

with a chuckle. “Especially with it being impromptu and with fuel prices being the way they are. It makes everything more.” Lopez said half of the Bombers’ roster came from Ahwatukee Little League when it supported softball. Most then played for recreational team before joining the Bombers. Many of the girls have been playing with each other for as many as six years, according to Lopez. They wanted to play together. They wanted to win together. This year especially, everything has started to fall into place. The Bombers added some new players from Desert Vista to the team and started their summer season early. They played in a qualifier June 3-4 at Festival Fields in Avondale and won. That has now given them the opportunity to travel to Indiana.

see BOMBERS page 45

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Mountain Pointe coach Eric Lauer still recalls the first time he saw Rushing run the ball. While wearing No. 52, he got an opportunity against rival Desert Vista and made the most of it by scoring a long touchdown. Lauer said it was history from there. (Dave Minton/AFN Staff)

RUSHING from page 43

sive career that ended in 2010, and Paul Lucas became an integral part to the Pride’s state title run in 2013 along with Wesley Payne, who was also a standout linebacker for the Pride. Before he transferred to Chandler, Eli Sanders was well on his way to becoming perhaps one of the most electric running backs the Pride program had ever seen. He’s now fighting for the starting job at Iowa State. Most recently it was Resi Shank and Amir Williams — who was one half of the backfield duo with Rushing last season. Rushing recognizes the amount of talent that the Pride have produced in recent years. He’s worked hard with those other players in mind. Not only does he want to be in the same conversation as them, he wants to be better. It starts with beating Moore’s record for the most rushing yards in a single game. “I want to put my name in this school,” Rushing said. “I want to leave a legacy at this school and hopefully the state of Arizona.” Rushing ran for 688 yards and seven touchdowns last season as a junior. He and Williams became one of the most bruising backfields in the state, as both backs had the ability to put their heads down and hit the hole with force. Now with Williams graduated, Rushing will take over lead back roles with junior

Randle Parker getting a share of the workload. In Week 6, some of those duties will also spread to Christian Clark, a junior from Desert Vista that transferred to Mountain Pointe last week after taking over the backfield in the absence of Thunder running back Devon Grubbs due to injury. Clark’s ability to catch and run out of the backfield gives Lauer and offensive coordinator Brian Whitacre a chance to be creative with him and Rushing or Parker in the game at the same time. Rushing was already confident in the Pride’s backfield with him and Parker sharing the load. But adding Clark to the mix makes him believe they’re the best trio in the state. “Teams are going to be worried,” Rushing said. “We have the best backfield in the state. Imagine being a linebacker and having me truck you, Christian juke you and then Randle trucking and juking you. It’s going to be dangerous.” Rushing has started to get on the radars of Division I colleges. Most, he says, still want to see more film on him before extending an offer. That has only fueled his fire to work harder in the weight room and on the field before the start of the season. At 17 years old and 5-foot-10, 200 pounds, Rushing can bench press 345 pounds, squat 550 and runs a 4.49 40-yard dash. He loves the weight room. So much to the point that when he does make his commitment to a four-year school, he

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

BOMBERS from page 43

“We really stepped on the gas after we left our previous organization for the Bombers,” Lopez said. “We stepped up the material in practice and the expectations from the athletes and what they had to live up to in order to be a Bomber.” Lopez estimates the team needs roughly $17,000 to have the trip completely covered for the girls. He’s already donated $500 through his business. Two of his customers also pledged $500 each. The team is hosting a 50/50 raffle for a bat from Underground Bats donated to them. One ticket is $5, three tickets are $12 and five tickets are $20. Tickets can be purchased via the team’s Venmo account @Lopez-Softball-05 until June 30. A winner is scheduled to be announced July 1. Lopez said they also have a 501c3 name Ahwatukee Youth Athletics. They accept corporate sponsorships to be placed on the team’s banner. Typically, the cost for a banner placement is $500 but due to the sense of urgency from Lopez and the team, they have cut the cost in half to $250. The team will also be hosting a yard sale in Ahwatukee at 1715 E Saltsage Drive in Ahwatukee on Saturday, June 18.

RUSHING from page 44

wants to sign in there instead of the gym in front of his peers. The journey to get to where he is now as a senior was a difficult one. There were times where Rushing doubted himself because he was put on the defensive line. But he over-

“Everybody knows this is a big deal for us,” Lopez said. “We’ve had some other people reach out asking how they can help.” Lopez’s daughter, Lacy, is one of the girls on the team and he cherishes the opportunity to share the field with her. Along with the qualifier, the Bombers played in California last weekend for a college showcase and have a trip to Colorado planned at the end of June. It will be a good tune up for Indiana, where they hope to make more special memories before many of the girls, including Lacy, age out of club softball next year. Lopez said they tried to do a similar schedule two years ago, but COVID put a halt to their plans. They were only able to make one trip up to St. George, Utah for out-of-state competition. Having already accomplished so much this season, it’s been special for Lopez. Now, he hopes it will continue with a good showing in their upcoming tournaments. “This has been one of the biggest accomplishments as a coach I’ve ever had,” Lopez said. “It’s kind of been a dream we would qualify. To see these girls go from rec ball to have the opportunity to compete on the biggest stage amateur softball has to offer at their age, it’s pretty substantial.”  came those thoughts and worked harder. Now, he’s ready to make a statement for Mountain Pointe. “There’s so much good stuff happening for us this year,” Rushing said. “We’ve got good, young linemen coming in, and the addition of Christian Clark, that set it off. Our goal is to get a ring this year.” 

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OdySea Aquarium kicks off Summer of Sharks BY ALEX GALLAGHER AFN Staff Writer

fter traditionally devoting July to its sharks to coincide with Discovery Channels Shark Week, OdySea Aquarium has decided to give guests a deep dive into informative and shark-related activities all summer long. The activities range from attending live Q&A sessions with an animal care expert to swimming with the sharp-toothed swimming specimens that fill OdySea’s aquariums. Also included are hands-on activities like touching sharks, creating shark-related crafts and a shark scavenger hunt where guests aim to locate each of the 14 species of sharks that swim about OdySea Aquarium’s tanks The Summer of Sharks has a dual goal of informing audiences about the sea-dwelling predators and educating guests about the man-made dangers that plague these creatures.

Dave Peranteau, director of animal care and conservation, is ready for Summer of Sharks at OdySea Aquarium. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

“We have one of the most diverse collections around and just the fact that more and more shark species are becoming en-

dangered and threatened reminds us we need to revere them, not fear them,” said Director of Animal Care and Conservation

Dave Peranteau. “That’s what we try and communicate to our guests and show them why (sharks) are necessary for our environment and why they’re also necessary to conserve for years to come.” Some of the biggest issues plaguing sharks in the wild are the overfishing of their prey as well as the hunt shark fins. “If we overfish the animals that they eat, then they won’t have anything to eat and that can do several things including drawing them closer to the shore, where you have more interactions with humans and it only takes a couple of poor interactions with humans to cause everybody to get scared of sharks again,” Peranteau said. Because of this, Peranteau hopes that OdySea Aquarium can help guests not only conquer their fear of sharks but also understand the misconceptions that have plagued sharks for decades.

see ODYSEA page 47

QC drummer shares beloved singer’s final tunes BY ALEX GALLAGHER AFN Staff writer

hen the alt-rock band Grey Daze wanted to honor its late lead singer, Chester Bennington, one way stood out. Drummer Sean Dowdell approached Bennington’s widow, Talinda Bennington, and her children about breathing new life into 20 unreleased tracks with the Linkin Park singer’s vocals. “I told Talinda and the that we’re going to curate this project and keep his original intention to not exploit anything,” Dowdell said. Bennington died by suicide at age 41 in 2017. Grey Daze formed in 1993 and released two albums – “Wake Me” (1994) and “…No Sun Today” (1997) – and recorded demos for several other works at Anthem Studios

Grey Daze 1: Alt-rock band Grey Daze is set to release the second half of 20 tracks worth of vocals recorded by vocalist Chester Bennington on an album titled “The Phoenix” which is set to hit the airwaves on June 17. (Special to the Tribune) in Glendale and the Valley’s Conservatory of Recording Arts and Science. When

Linkin Park reached commercial success at the turn of the millennium, Grey Daze

disbanded. With Talinda Bennington’s blessing, Dowdell – who graduated from Shadow Mountain High School and resides in Queen Creek – bass player Mace Beyers and guitar player Cristin Davis moved forward d to shed one more light on another dimension of the singer. The first chapter was the 2020 release of “Amends,” featuring 10 Bennington-led tracks. Following the success of the album, Dowdell returned to the studio later that year to wrap up the remaining 10 tracks. “The Phoenix” will be released on June 17. A listening party is being planned. “We chose the songs the first one because we felt like they all fit together,” said Dowdell, Bennington’s partner in Club Tattoo —which opened its first of six locations in Tempe 27 years ago,

see DAZE page 47

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

ODYSEA from page 46

“For years people thought sharks were a nuisance and that’s why their numbers dwindled,” he said. “They’re essential in our ecosystem to maintain balance. The biggest drive home message is that if we can preserve their environment, we can safely be swimming in the oceans and doing what we want and we can all benefit from that.” Peranteau recognizes that the best way for guests to create a connection with these animals is to be able to touch them and even swim in the same waters as them. “Instead of just looking through acrylic and seeing beautiful animals, we have multiple things we’re doing throughout the Summer Of Sharks that are interactive,” he said. “Everybody loves to touch so anytime we can get our guests up close and personal with them they create that personal connection.”

Once that connection is established, Peranteau hopes that guests will feel inspired to make changes to their lives to prevent further endangerment of sharks and other animals that call the ocean home. “We see young conservationists come in here every day and It’s amazing. Some of our most educated and driven people are children and you want them to you we want to be able to foster that passion and give them avenues to learn more and to get involved,” Peranteau said. He also hopes it will spur people to do more outside of their homes. “We need more people to be empowered to save the species and to change how we go through our day-to-day lives. It’s the littlest things like getting out and being part of a local community cleanup, recycling and picking up after each other.” Info: Summer of Sharks will run through July 31. For more information, visit odyseaaquarium.com 

Besides sharks, OdySea offers a chance for people to get up close and personal with other creatures without getting wet. (David Minton/Progress Staff Photographer)

DAZE from page 46

among other things. “The songs that were left fit really well together, too. It feels like we did it on purpose and, maybe subconsciously on some level, we did. But it wasn’t as conscious of a decision as one might think,” The sticks man said. While “Amends” offers a somber celebration of Bennington’s work with Grey Daze, “The Phoenix” offers a sharp contrast in sound and attitude. “The entire record feels like a rock anthem and it feels like a very powerful rock band that is in your face and punching you right in the chest, but in a good way,” Dowdell said with a laugh. “It’s not the ‘Amends’ record, which was much sadder. It was more of an emotional roller coaster and a lot of tears were shared. I have a feeling that, when people listen to this record, it’s not going to be as emotional. They’re going to want to raise their fist and scream along with Chester.” That’s because “The Phoenix” was recorded with the same attitude, which can be seen in the YouTube docuseries titled “Creation of The Phoenix” which followed the band through the creation of the album.

Former Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington died in 2017. (Special to GetOut) “So, with the last album, there was a lot of crying and a lot of hugging,” Dowdell said. “This time, the studio was a lot more celebratory. We really had a lot of fun and shared a lot of good stories about Chester.” The team featured Dowdell, Beyers and Davis along with Jane’s Addiction guitarist Dave Navarro and Filter vocalist Richard Patrick. Bennington’s daughters, Lily and Lila, perform on “Hole.”

Dowdell admits it was hard to create the perfect sound. “Mace, Cristin and I took our best guess at what we thought Chester would have appreciated,” Dowdell said. “I can’t say for certain he definitely would have done this, or he definitely would have done that because he was such a creative human. We took our best-educated guess as to what we think you would have liked.” Although “The Phoenix’s” lyrics further

Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@TimesLocalMedia

immortalize Bennington, Dowdell feels the album’s title and artwork notably exemplify his best friend. “We thought the flames (on his arms) were the most visually iconic part about Chester,” Dowdell said. “That photo is just such an iconic capture of, not only who he was in life, and what he meant to me, but who he was, visually, to the rest of us.” Dowdell admits he desperately misses Bennington – who grew up in the Valley and owned a home in Gilbert – with whom he played on stage. They also played basketball, test drove cars and sat and talked during their decades of friendship. “I think it’ll always be a sad thing, but it doesn’t tear me up inside every day as it did for the first two years,” he said. Nevertheless, he feels “The Phoenix” allows fans to relish Bennington’s notable voice one last time and appreciate who he was as a person. “We finished this music to not only fulfill his thoughts and our thoughts, but I think it’s nice to be able to appreciate Chester, for all of the things that he did,” Dowdell said. Info: greydazemusic.com 

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Mesa band pilots through local music scene BY ALEX GALLAGHER AFN Staff Writer

Mesa-based rap-rock group This Modern consists of guitarist Tre Scott, programs and vocalist Timo Willsey, vocalist Marcus Reardon and drummer Sean Whiteman. (Amar Camisi/ submitted photo)

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everyone’s struggling. The economy’s crazy, there’s war, a pandemic and everyone is miserable.” Despite the depressing nomenclature of the track’s lyrics, it offers an upbeat musical score that overwhelms the somber lyrics and provides hope for the listers. “The instrumentation is an interesting dichotomy that makes you feel good,”

FIND YOUR JOB

and I figured the best way if I’m going to hit that route is at least start with a rapper, get him to learn how to sing and then go from there.” The band got to work with Reardon handling the vocals, Willsey producing backing vocals and programming, Whiteman serving as the group’s stickman and Tre Scott shredding the strings. The Mesa-based band recorded and toured under several names beginning in 2016 including “Without Feeling Weird” and “Project Marcus” before settling on This Modern in late 2018 — a name that Willsey feels encapsulates the band’s variety of sounds juggled within its tracks. “Based on our style of music, it’s very rap rock-infused fusion,” Willsey said. “We have no genre limits to do whatever we want and it sounds modern.” The band’s recent single “Everyone’s Miserable”, which hit the airwaves in April and addresses contemporary topics, exuded just that. “Everyone’s miserable is really a song of the times,” Reardon said. “You turn on the news, misery, you turn on the radio, misery, and it seems like everyone’s miserable. Whether it’s financially or otherwise,

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arcus Reardon had been studying sports journalism at the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University and living in a dorm at Taylor Place in downtown Phoenix when he had a conversation that changed his life. “I remember there was a very pivotal conversation I had with someone on my floor where I asked him ‘what kind of music do you listen to?’ ‘I don’t listen to music … I’m a sports guy,” the Mesa man recalled. “I realized very quickly that the people at the top of the sports journalism world are people who literally wake up in the morning and their first thought is sports and I’ve just never thought like that.” Instead, something else was at the forefront of Reardon’s mind at every waking moment of the day: Music. As students were rehearsing scripts or watching sports religiously, Reardon confined himself to his dorm to make beats and hone his craft as a rapper. After graduating from in 2015 with a bachelor’s degree in sports journalism, Reardon began chasing his passion for music. Through the connection of his cousin Thomas, he met Tim “Timo” Willsey — who graduated from ASU in 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in sustainable energy, materials and technology — and Sean Whiteman — an alumnus of Mesa Community College. Willsey and Whiteman had been veterans of the local metal scene and were looking to start a new project that Reardon’s vocal style suited. “I wanted to make a change,” Whiteman said. “I was ready to get away from metal music and like really heavy stuff. I was looking for something new with some that hadn’t been completely explored yet

Reardon said. “I wanted to make you smile and almost giggle at the fact that everyone is kind of miserable.” Because of this, Reardon reiterates that the song is a glimmer of hope despite being a song about a somber time in history. “It’s not a song intended to make you write sad or down about your state of the world,” Reardon said. “It’s actually the opposite. It’s a glimmer of hope.” Reardon, and co. plan to perform “Everyone’s Miserable” along with other tracks in their discography when they take the stage at Pub Rock in Scottsdale in support of the Phoenix-based rap-metal group Dropout Kings. 

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King Crossword ACROSS 1 Embassy VIP 4 Apple tablet 8 Mexican money 12 Scratch 13 “It can’t be!” 14 Eve’s man 15 Finished 17 Latvia’s capital 18 Gusto 19 Neptune’s realm 20 Pale 22 “Of -- and Men” 24 Kite flier’s need 25 Affectionate sign-off 29 Flamenco cheer 30 Bedouins 31 Arthur of “Maude” 32 Tennis shutout 34 Taxpayer IDs 35 Polite query 36 Scarlett’s Butler 37 Bottom 40 “Love -- Leave Me” 41 Awestruck 42 Play-ending arcade message 46 Thunder god 47 Actor Jannings 48 Tokyo, once 49 “Ditto” 50 Oahu souvenirs 51 Lemon

With JAN D’ATRI GetOut Contributor

A 30 33 34 36 37 38

Petri dish gel New citizen, perhaps “Scram!” Film spools D.C. baseball team Turkish title

39 40 42 43 44 45

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DOWN 1 Latin 101 word 2 Dallas hoopster, briefly 3 Soviet leader after Khrushchev 4 Hawkeye 5 Dr. McGraw 6 Picnic crasher 7 Homer’s cry 8 Postal delivery 9 Ms. Falco 10 Long story 11 Yemen neighbor 16 Clarinet insert 19 Phil of folk music 20 MP’s quarry 21 Missile shelter 22 Dolphins’ home 23 “Let --” (Beatles hit) 25 Fay of “King Kong” 26 Saw 27 Air outlet 28 Right on the map

TikTok craze produces unique, tasty cup of joe

s TiKtok goes, so does the youth of the world. The short, often dazzling video clips have hooked us on everything from dare-devil stunts to over the top recipes. As a recipe creator, I’ll admit I’ve been hooked and reeled in a number of times, and I’ve learned the hard way that many TikTok food videos are fabulous eyecandy, but lacking in accurate ingredients or technique. Not so with Dalgona, the newest TikTok trend. It’s whipped coffee that, with only three ingredients, makes the most delightfully luxurious, frothy caffeinated foam. The word “Dalgona” comes from the Korean candy made with melted sugar and baking soda. Whipped coffee has the same caramel color with a powerful hit of coffee flavor. It’s so fun and easy to blend up, and my advice is Ingredients: • 2 Tablespoons instant coffee • 2 Tablespoons sugar Directions: In a bowl with an electric mixer, whisk together the instant coffee, sugar and boiling water until coffee is dissolved and the mixture forms fluffy Sour cream coffee cake Ingredients: • 1/2 cup butter • 1 cup sugar • 1cup sour cream • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla Directions: Cream together butter and sugar, then add eggs, one at a time, mixing well. Add sour cream, vanilla, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and blend well. Pour one half of the batter into a small greased and floured angel food cake pan (or 8-inch square/ round cake pan.) Then pour in half of the nut mixture. Pour in the rest of the batter and top with the rest of the nut mixture. Nut mixture filling and topping Mix together: • ¼ cup sugar • 2 cups chopped walnuts • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

PUZZLES ANSWERS on page 49

to start with a delicious instant coffee or espresso. The better the coffee, the better the Dalgona. Also, this method works beautifully with sugar substitutes like monkfruit and allulose. It’s delicious over iced coffee, milk or a hot cup of Joe. I was thinking that you’ve gotta have a great coffee cake recipe to go with your Dalgona. Enjoy both.■ (including sugar substitutes) • 2 Tablespoons boiling water stiff peaks, about 3 minutes. (You can also whisk by hand with a wired whisk which may take longer to achieve peaks.) Serve over iced coffee or milk, or on top of hot coffee. Serves 1. • • • • •

2 cups sifted flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon baking soda ½ teaspoon salt 2 large eggs

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until toothpick comes up clean. For Cupcakes: Same process with cupcakes only no need to butter and flour each cup. Pour 1 heaping tablespoon of batter, sprinkle nut mixture, then another tablespoon of batter. Finish with a sprinkle of nut mixture. Bake for approximately 26 minutes. Cream cheese frosting (for cupcakes) Blend together and frost the cupcakes • 8 oz. soft cream cheese • 2 teaspoons vanilla • 4 tablespoons butter • 2 ½ cups powdered sugar 

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

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ANSWERS TO PUZZLES AND SUDOKU from Page 48

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

Consider a Second Career

WHAT IS IT?

Second careers might start as part-time paid work meant to create additional income. This is particularly true for those who are on a fixed retirement income or Medicare. But a lot of people, including many older workers, have moved on to full-time positions — either in a new field, as part of a start-up business venture or with a local nonprofit. Whatever your age, these job shifts can provide interesting new challenges and rewards beyond simple monetary considerations. The

most common second careers, according to MetLife, were in education (30%), followed by healthcare and government (25% each), and then nonprofits (11%).

A NEW CHALLENGE

Whether you are looking for part-time or fulltime hours for your career encore, consider the background and expertise that you already possess as a job candidate. Businesses across the spectrum are in need of knowledgable workers, and the quality that will help you stand out is experience. If you’re looking to get further outside your comfort zone, consider enrolling in community college programs designed to retrain workers. You’ll be in a better position to meet different challenges, while also potentially making new connections that could open the next career door.

SECURING YOUR FUTURE

There’s a reason as many as 25% of older Americans now intend to start a business or a nonprofit, according

AWD is a family owned and operated business that has been serving Arizona since 2005. We are a specialized interior installation service that caters to the commercial interior design industry. We provide receiving, inventory control, storage and delivery/installation services to our clients all over Arizona and other locations in the United States through our network of partners. Our focus is on making the customer experience efficient and complete, while providing a supportive work environment.

Starting pay dependent on position and experience Full and part time positions available Monday – Friday schedule Paid Holidays and PTO after 90 days

to MetLife. The final third of our careers and subsequent retirement years have changed a lot since the days of gold company watches and guaranteed pensions. This period is often much less financially secure now, as our retirements are typically tied to the volatile stock market or government-funded plans. At the same time, we’re enjoying a period ever-increasing longevity. Those with a second career can sock away money for later, while giving themselves a new lease on a much longer life. 

EVERYBODY GRAB A FUTURE Team Member Full and Part Time

Peter Piper Pizza’s commitment to outstanding service starts with our employees. • Competitive benefits and rewards • Day, Evenings, Night positions

• Non-CDL and Class A CDL drivers (load/unload)

• Flexible Management hours - go to school and work full-time

• Warehouse and Installation Associates

• Opportunities for growth - we promote from within

• Bookkeeper/Billing Associate/Accountant (Quickbooks Online)

• Early paycheck access

Please apply by email Nicole Pellistri at nicole@awdaz.com or 602-272-6016

McDowell and Miller Road • (480) 947-9901 Apply at: 7607 E. McDowell Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85257

Located between Hayden Road and Scottsdale Road on the southwest corner of Miller Road.

CALL TO ADVERTISE 480-898-6465

Positions Available:

We are a drug free work environment

NOW HIRING

The number of people who’ve decided to change careers continues to grow. In fact, the MetLife Foundation has estimated that some 9 million Americans between 44 and 70 have moved on to a new vocation. Millions more are interested. Some feel they’d checked off every goal in their first job. Others want to supplement their regular income or retirement benefits. Then there are those hearty souls who are simply interested in trying their hand at something new. Here are several things to consider before you decide to join them:

JOBS.PHOENIX.ORG LOCAL JOBS. LOCAL PEOPLE.

JOB SEEKERS

jobs.phoenix.org 480-898-6465

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

CALL TO ADVERTISE 480-898-6465

NOW HIRING

JOBS.PHOENIX.ORG LOCAL JOBS. LOCAL PEOPLE.

Be a part of something CMC Steel Arizona is growing! We are hiring immediately for crane operations, maintenance

BIG BENEFITS

positions, machine operators and more!

• Competitive pay for all positions

We also are seeking recent college graduates for Core, our career path rotational program that

• $3 shift differential for rotating shift work

provides you with cross-training across CMC’s lines

• Paid Vacation

of business. Visit us online to apply today!

jobs.cmc.com

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

JOBS.PHOENIX.ORG LOCAL JOBS. LOCAL PEOPLE.

Geneva Consulting Group, Inc. is a provider of temporary and permanent information technology personnel to leading companies in a range of industries across the United States and in Canada. Geneva specializes in providing contractors and permanent staff based on ADP’s HR and Payroll services. Geneva’s philosophy and approach to managing the staffing process is a unique blend of discipline, focus and entrepreneurialism. This flexible management philosophy has allowed us to withstand significant shifts in the market and to continue to hire, develop and retain highly productive placement counselors and support staff.

Outstanding opportunity with a Fortune 100 company! If you have experience in ﬁnance, accounting, A/R, A/P or payroll this is the role for you! 6 Month Contract to Permanent

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED: • At least 3 years of experience working in a client service/customer service environment

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Preference will be given to candidates who have the following: • Proven ability to maintain focus and work effectively with multiple demands • Ability to work both independently to provide solutions to the client and as part of a team to accomplish tasks • Strong client relationship skills including the ability to influence client and guide the client to best solution to help resolve their client needs • Must be comfortable working in a performance-based and structured environment while demonstrating high ethical standards • Must be able to recognize basic procedural issues as they arise, and escalate to the appropriate level • Ability to demonstrate learning agility and critical thinking skills and apply basic concepts in new situations • Proficient in the latest web technologies and working knowledge of various operating systems • Excellent analytical skills and time management skills • Excellent communication skills both verbal and written • Proficient using Microsoft Office

Send Resume to escheinberg@genevaconsulting.com and 646-668-4338 • www.genevaconsulting.com

ONE TEAM! JOIN THE CCUSD TEAM TODAY!

JOB FAIR!

• communiTy educaTion • Food services • mainTenance/Grounds

• oT/pT • slp • TransporTaTion

Cave Creek Unified School District #94 33016 N 60th Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85266 • www.ccusd93.org

CALL TO ADVERTISE 480-898-6465

• Teachers • counselors • classroom supporT

Join us! may 17Th 2:00-7:00 pm

FIND YOUR JOB

PAYROLL SUPPORT REPRESENTATIVE - TEMPE, AZ

RESPONSIBILITIES: • Guide and drive the client towards the best solution for their business needs • Analyze existing systems, interface requirements, business processes • Partner with clients to understand their business and related needs • Incorporate new processes, tools and approaches when recommending a technical solution • Utilize broad knowledge to recommend solutions to the client when appropriate • Understand client business issues and concerns and recommend and implement appropriate solution • Build long term relationship and trust • Interact/collaborate with associates in sales and customer service • Exchange routine information with members of client project team, including priorities, timeliness, issues as they arise

CLASSIFIEDS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

Ahwatukee Chandler Gilbert Glendale Mesa North Valley Peoria Phoenix SanTan Scottsdale Queen Creek West Valley

CLASSIFIEDS.PHOENIX.ORG To Advertise Call: 480-898-6465 or email Class@TimesLocalMedia.com Merchandise Pets/Services/Livestock

While Your’ Away Services Pet, Home & Property Checks

Business/Professional Services

Air Duct Cleaning

NEED A NOTARY? KT Mobile Notary "We Come to you" 24 Hour, Full Service, Same Day (480) 353-0700 Please call or text for appointment and pricing

Your newspaper. Your community. Your planet. Please recycle me.

Voted one of the “Best of Ahwatukee” 10 Years Running!

Reasonable Rates

40 Years

Licensed/Bonded/Insured Ahwatukee Resident

Serving the Central Valley

Call Eleanor Today!

480.287.4897

www.WhileYourAwayService.com

Air Duct Cleaning & Dryer Vents BY JOHN

★ 30+ Years HVAC Experience ★ Disinfected & Sanitized With Every Job

Air Conditioning/Heating

Special Pricing on Extended Service

FREE Service Call (with repair) • Second Opinion HERE IS SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE OUR 40 YEARS IN BUSINESS

We are offering 40 OFF our Brewer’s Deluxe 20 point Tune up

(480) 912-0881 – Licensed & Insured MORE CLASSIFIED ADS ONLINE! www.Ahwatukee.com

Concrete & Masonry

REG. $119

480-725-7303

SINCE 1982 ROC #C39-312643

www.BrewersAC.com

Air Conditioning/Heating

QUALITY, VALUE and a GREAT PRICE!

Lifetime Warranty on Workmanship New 3-Ton 14 SEER AC Systems Only $5,995 INSTALLED! New Trane Air Conditioners NO INTEREST FINANCING - 60 MONTHS!

PlumbSmart Over 1,000 Five-Star Plumbing Heating & Air Google Reviews ★★★★★

Appliance Repairs

Appliance Repair Now

480-405-7588

CONCRETE MASONRY Block Walls • Concrete • Pavers BBQ & Fireplaces • Stucco Cool Deck • Imitation Flagstone Call Garcia 602-921-7900 Free Estimates

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

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

480-659-1400 Licensed & Insured

Sell Your Stuff! Bonded/Insured • ROC #289252

Contractors

Call Classifieds Today! 480.898.6465

CLASS@TIMESPUBLICATIONS.COM

Drywall

JOSE DOMINGUEZ DRYWALL & PAINTING House Painting, Drywall, Intall Doors, Baseboards, Crown Molding Reliable, Dependable, Honest! QUICK RESPONSE TO YOUR CALL! 15 Years Experience • Free Estimates

480.266.4589 josedominguez0224@gmail.com Not a licensed contractor.

Cell

Not a licensed contractor

Small Jobs Welcome!

Block Fence * Gates

602-789-6929 Roc #057163 Lowest Prices * 30 Yrs Exp Serving Entire Valley

YOU’LL LIKE US - THE BEST!

Electrical Services

C. READ & SON ELECTRIC Ahwatukee Resident

 Electric Car Chargers for ALL your  Fans electrical needs  Lighting 41 years  Troubleshooting experience  And much more 2008 through 2021

ROC #158440 Bond/Insured

www.readelectricaz.com

480-940-6400

CLASSIFIEDS

Home Improvement

Garage/Doors GARAGE DOOR SERVICE East Valley/ Ahwatukee

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

REMODEL CONTRACTOR

Plans / Additions, Patios New Doors, Windows Lowest Price in Town! R. Child Lic#216115, Class BO3 Bonded-Insured-Ref's

480-215-3373

Not a licensed contractor

Electrical Services

Garage/Doors

Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs! Painting • Flooring • Electrical Handyman Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Decks • Tile • More!

Marks the Spot for ALL Your Handyman Needs! Marks the Spot for ALL•Your Handyman Needs! ✔ Painting Painting Flooring • Electrical Job Too ✔“No Water Painting • Flooring • Electrical Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Small Man!” Heaters Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry Decks • Tile • More! ✔ Electrical Quality Work Since 1999 Decks •Affo Tile • More! rdable, 2010, 2011 ✔ Plumbing 2012, 2013, 2014 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 ✔ Drywall GARAGE DOOR SPRINGS REPLACED

Licensed • Bonded • Insured

SERVICE | INSTALLATIONS | REPAIRS

“No Job Too Small Man!”

Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor

✔ Carpentry

Job Too Marks the Spot for“No ALL Your Handyman Needs! ✔ Decks Painting • Flooring • Electrical Small “No Job Too Man!” Plumbing • Drywall • Carpentry ✔ Tile Small Man!” Decks • Tile • More!

✔ Kitchens rk Since 1999 ✔ Bathrooms Affordable, Quality Wo BSMALLMAN@Q.COM 2010, 2011 9 199 ce Sin rk 2012,And 2013, “No JobMore! Too Affordable, Quality Wo 2010, 2011

623-853-3311 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038 Call Bruce at 602.670.7038

2012, 2013,

Call Bruce at 602.670.7038

Small Man!” 2014

2014 Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ NotResident a Licensed Contractor Ahwatukee References , Quality Work Since 1999 ROC # 336907 Affor/dable Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ NotInsured a Licensed / NotCall aContractor Licensed BruceContractor at 602.670.7038

Meetings/Events?

Get Free notices in the Classifieds!

2010, 2011 2012, 2013, 2014

Ahwatukee Resident/ References/ Insured/ Not a Licensed Contractor

Jaden Sydney Associates.com

Submit to ecota@TimesLocalMedia.com

Residential Electrician

Visit our website! Landlord and Homeowner Property Services

Flooring

Repairs • Drywall • Painting • BINSR Items Plumbing • Electrical • HOA Compliance

AND so much more! Ahwatukee Resident

Call Sean Haley 602-574-3354

480.335.4180

ROC#277978 • Licensed/Bonded/Insured

Not a licensed contractor.

HONESTY • INTEGRITY • QUALITY

• Serving Arizona Since 2005 •

• Panel Changes and Repairs • Installation of Ceiling Fans • Switches/Outlets • Home Remodel

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

Glass/Mirror

GLASS, MIRRORS, SHOWER DOORS

Family Owned with 50 years' EXPERIENCE. Shower and tub enclosures, Framed, Frameless or Custom Doors, We also install insulated glass, mirrored closet doors, window glass, mirrors, patio doors, glass table protectors. If it’s glass, we can help you. QUALITY SERVICE at Competitive Prices. FREE Estimates

Honest & Affordable Floor Covering A family founded business that specializes in tile,vinyl plank, laminate, hardwood & more!

10%OFF

ON INSTALL when you mention this ad

FREE ESTIMATES!

5-Star Reviews on Google 20+ Years Experience Showers, back splash, fireplaces, baseboards & stairs Best Flooring Company in the valley now in Ahwatukee!

MALDONADO HOME REPAIR SERVICES CALL DOUG

480.201.5013

Home Improvement

K HOME SERVICES “For all your Home Exterior Needs”

Roger Kretz 480.233.0336

rogerkretz@yahoo.com 25+ Years of Customer Services

• Leaky Roof Repairs • Tile Repairs • Painting • Flat Roof Coating • Wood Repair • Doors & Windows

Home Remodeling • BASE BOARDS • DRYWALL • ELECTRICAL • PAINTING • PLUMBING • BATHROOMS • WOOD FLOORING • FRAMING WALLS • FREE ESTIMATES • GRANITE FABRICATION & INSTALLATION • CARPET INSTALLATION • LANDSCAPING

No Job Too Small! Senior Discounts!

David Hernandez (602) 802 3600

daveshomerepair@yahoo.com • Se Habla Español

Irrigation

THE HANDYMAN THAT HANDLES SMALL JOBS THAT OTHERS DECLINE ✔ Painting ✔ Gate Restoration ✔ Lighting ✔ Plumbing Repairs ✔ Replace Cracked ✔ Sheetrock Roof Tiles Texturing Repairs ✔ & MUCH MORE! Ahwatukee Resident, References Available, Insured

*Not A Licensed Contractor

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

MD’S LANDSCAPING Drip Systems Installed, Valves/Timer Repairs

Let’s get your Watering System working again! System Checks • Drip Checks FREE ESTIMATES! CALL 24 HOURS 25 Yrs Exp. I Do All My Own Work! Call Mark

480.295.2279 Referred out of Ewing Irrigation Not a licensed contractor.

Hauling

WORKMANSHIP GUARANTEED!

WESLEY'S GLASS & MIRROR Call 480-306-5113 wesleysglass.com SERVICING THE ENTIRE VALLEY

See MORE Ads Online!

www.Ahwatukee.com

Call or Text 480-527-6274 honestandaffordableflooring.com Licensed, Bonded & Insured

NOT A LICENSED CONTRACTOR

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

• Furniture • Appliances • Mattresses • Televisions • Garage Clean-Out • Construction Debris

• Old Paint & Chems. • Yard Waste • Concrete Slab • Remodeling Debris • Old Tires

• Sprinkler/Drip Repairs • New Installs Poly/PVC • Same Day Service ARRANTY 5 -YEAR PART W

480.654.5600 azirrigation.com Cutting Edge LLC • ROC 281671

CLASSIFIEDS Irrigation

Sprinkler & Drip Systems Repairs • Modifications • Installs

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

Landscape Design/Installation

Landscape/Maintenance

Painting

JOSE’S LANDSCAPING

WANT A GREEN LAWN?

Jose Dominguez Painting & Drywall SEE OUR AD IN DRYWALL! Quick Response to your Call! 15 Y e a r s E x p 480-266-4589

Specializing in Artificial • Front Yards Grass

• Synthetic Turf for your Home

• Back Yards • Golfing Greens

Call Today For A Quote

480-690-0081

480-940-8196 theplugman.com

FREE FERTILIZER & SOIL AMENDMENT TREATMENT WITH CORE AERATION FERTILIZATION • SOIL AMENDMENTS • SOIL TESTING ROC 282663 * BONDED * INSURED YOUR LAWN EXPERT SINCE 1995

Not a licensed contractor.

Landscape/Maintenance

Add a Background Color to Your Ad! Classifieds 480-898-6465 Painting

Irrigation Repair Services Inc. Licensed • Bonded • Insured

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

• 20+ Years Experience • 6 Year Warranty

480.345.1800 ROC 304267 • Licensed & Bonded

Landscape Design/Installation

CALL US TODAY!

480.721.4146 www.irsaz.com

ROC# 256752

High Quality Results TRIM TREES ALL TYPES GRAVEL - PAVERS SPRINKLER SYSTEMS

PAINTING Interior & Exterior Residential/Commercial Free Estimates Drywall Repairs Senior Discounts References Available

— Call Jason —

(602) 502-1655

Not a licensed contractor

CONKLIN PAINTING Free Estimate & Color Consultation

Interior Painting ● Pressure Washing Exterior Painting ● Drywall/Stucco Repair Complete Prep Work ● Wallpaper Removal

480-888-5895 ConklinPainting.com Lic/Bond/Ins ROC# 270450

East Valley PAINTERS Paint Interior & Exterior • Drywall Repair Cabinet Painting • Light Carpentry Voted Power Washing • Textures Matched Popcorn Removal • Color Consulting Pool Deck Coatings • Garage Floor Coatings

10% OFF

We Beat Competitors Prices & Quality

Free Estimates • Home of the 10 Year Warranty!

480-688-4770

www.eastvalleypainters.com

Family Owned & Operated Bonded/Insured • ROC#153131

Now Accepting all major credit cards

East Valley PAINTERS

Complete Clean Ups

Jose Martinez Not a licensed contractor.

Serving the Valley for over 28 years

The Possibilities are Endless

Custom Design and Renovation turning old to new Custom Built-ins, BBQs, Firepits, Fireplaces, Water Features, Re-Designing Pools, Masonry, Lighting, Tile, Flagstone, Pavers, Culture Stone & Travertine, Synthetic Turf, Sprinkler/Drip, Irrigation Systems, Clean ups & Hauling

Call for a FREE consultation and Estimate To learn more about us, view our photo gallery at: ShadeTreeLandscapes.com

480-730-1074

Bonded/Insured/Licensed • ROC #225923

602.515.2767 Arizona Specialty Landscape

New & Re-Do Design and Installation Affordable | Paver Specialists All phases of landscape installation. Plants, cacti, sod, sprinklers, granite, concrete, brick, Kool-deck, lighting and more!

1-Day Epoxy for Garages, Patios, Pool Decks & More! • Interior & Exterior Painting • Professional Cabinet Refinishing • In-Home Color Consultations “Professional, Punctual & Clean”

Veteran Owned

ROC# 186443 • BONDED

MORE CLASSIFIED ADS ONLINE! www.Ahwatukee.com

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

10% OFF

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

Free Estimates 7 Days a Week!

Call/Text 480.695-3639

Voted #1

www.ACP www.A CPpaintingllc.com paintingllc.com Licensed - Bonded - Insured ROC 290242

FREE ESTIMATES • CALL TODAY!

480-785-6323

480-688-4770

www.eastvalleypainters.com Family Owned & Operated Bonded/Insured • ROC#153131

Now Accepting all major credit cards

CLASSIFIEDS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

Pool Service / Repair

Painting

Plumbing

PROFESSIONAL PAINTING Interior, Exterior House Painting. Stucco Patching. Gate/Front Door Refinishing. Quality work/Materials Free Estimate Ignacio 480-961-5093 602-571-9015 ROC #189850 Bond/Ins'd

Affinity Plumbing LLC 480-487-5541

Drain Cleaning Experts, water heaters, disposals, water & sewer lines repaired/replaced & remodels. Rapid Response. If water runs through it we do it! 602-663-8432

affinityplumber@gmail.com

SPEND A LITTLE…

MAKE A LOT!

www.affinityplumbingaz.com

Your Ahwatukee Plumber & East Valley Neighbor

Painting

24/7

Inside & Out Leaks

Bonded

Toilets

Insured

Faucets

Estimates Availabler

602.625.0599

Suntechpaintingaz.com Family Owned In Best of Ahwatukee Year After Year

ROC #155380

Not a licensed contractor

Disposals

• High Quality Materials & Workmanship • Customer Satisfaction ee • Countless References Serving Ahwatuk Since 1987 • Free Estimates

$35 off

Any Service

PLUMBERS CHARGE TOO MUCH!

PPebbleOcracking, O L Plaster R Epeeling, P ARebar IR showing, Pool Light out? I CAN HELP!

All Water Purification Systems Voted #1 Plumber 3 Years In A Row OVER 1,000 5-STAR REVIEWS

Ahwatukee!

BESTOF

2019

If One Needs a Job, They Look Every day! For a Quote email: class@times publications.com 480-898-6465

FREE Service Calls + FREE Estimates Water Heaters Installed - $999 Unclog Drains - $49

10% OFF

HOME IMPROVEMENT & PAINTING

Juan Hernandez

HIRING?

Water Heaters

Monthly Service & Repairs Available 7 6 6 5

www.barefootpoolman.com See our Befores and Afters on Facebook Licensed, Bonded & Insured ROC#272001

Classifieds 480-898-6465

AHWATUKEE SPECIAL

Off 40work done *Any

Bonded/Insured • ROC #223709

We Are State Licensed and Reliable!

Free Estimates • Senior Discounts

480-338-4011

Call Juan at

480-720-3840 MARK’S POOL SERVICE Owner Operated - 20 Years

Play Pools start at

$95/month with chemicals

Ask About Filter Cleaning Specials!

Mark

602-799-0147 CPO#85-185793

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

Interior/Exterior Painting 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE Dunn Edwards Quality Paint Small Stucco/Drywall Repairs

SPECIAL! $500 OFF COMPLETE REMODEL! 25 Years Experience • Dependable & Reliable

Not a licensed contractor.

Plumbing

Pool Service / Repair

Pavers • Concrete • Water Features • Sprinkler Repair

Ahwatukee!

Anything Plumbing Same Day Service

Over 30 Years of Experience Family Operated by 3 Generations of Roofers!

480-405-7099

Spencer 4 HIRE ROOFING

Plumbing

ROC#309706

Valley Wide Service

PLUMBING

“We get your house looking top notch!” ★ Interior/Exterior Painting ★ Drywall Repair & Installation ★ Popcorn Ceiling Removal

★ Elastomaric Roof Coating ★ Epoxy Floors

License #ROC 298736

See MORE Ads Online! www.Ahwatukee.com

$35.00 Off Any Service Call Today!

A+ RATED

★ Small Job Specialist

Scott Mewborn, Owner 480-818-1789

We Repair or Install ROC # 272721

AHWATUKEE’S #1 PLUMBER Licensed • Bonded • Insured

704.5422

(480)

480-446-7663

10% OFF with this ad

Ahwatukee’s Premier Tile, Shingle & Foam Roofer! FREE Estimates • Credit Cards OK www.spencer4hirerooﬁng.com ROC#244850 | Insured | Bonded

CLASSIFIEDS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

Roofing

Public Notices

Family Operated by 3 Generations of Roofers! We have a “Spencer” on every job

BOARD OF DIRECTOR NOMINATIONS

and every step of the way.

LICENSED | BONDED | INSURED | ROC #269218

$1000 OFF when you show this ad

Tiles, shingles, flat, repairs & new work Free Estimates • Ahwatukee Resident Over 30 yrs. Experience

480-706-1453

Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099

*on qualifying complete roof replacements

480-446-7663 480-699-2754 • info@monsoonroofinginc.com

10% Discount for Ahwatukee Residents 100% NO Leak Guarantee Re-Roof & Roofing Repairs Tile, Shingles & Flat Roof

MonsoonRooﬁngInc.com Licensed – Bonded – Insured – ROC187561

u Th

e IN

Call

-EX D i ﬀe r e n c e

Let Us Show Yo

602-938-7575

for your FREE Roof Evaluation Today! www.InExRo

oﬁn

g.c o m

JOBS.PHOENIX.ORG Post your open positions! 480-898-6465

Ahwatukee’s Premier Tile, Shingle & Foam Roofer!

FREE Estimates • Credit Cards OK www.spencer4hirerooﬁng.com ROC#244850 | Insured | Bonded

Preparations are now underway for the Mountain Park Ranch Homeowners Association (MPRHOA) Annual Meeting scheduled for Tuesday, October 18, 2022. Two (2) of the five Board of Director positions will be voted on this year. Nominations are now being accepted in the MPR Office for the open positions up until July 8, 2022. Any Member interested in serving on the Board should contact Jim Welch, Executive Director, at the Mountain Park Ranch office at 480-704-5000 or e-mail: jim@mtparkranch.org for further information. MPRHOA By-laws allow Board Members to serve two consecutive two year terms. Mountain Park Ranch Homeowners Association 15425 S. 40th Place, Suite #4 Phoenix, AZ 85044 (FAX) 480.704.5005 Website: www.mtparkranch.org Published: Ahwatukee Foothills News, June 8, 22, 2022 / 46438

Family Owned & Operated for over 30 years

or Email: class@TimesLocalMedia.com

PHILLIPS

ROOFING LLC

ROC #152111

Quality Repairs & Re-Roofs Complimentary & Honest Estimates

Call our office today!

COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL

480-460-7602

Family Owned and Operated 43 Years Experience in Arizona

Ask us about our discount for all Military and First Responders!

SHARE WITH THE WORLD!

www.porterroofinginc.com

Place a Birth, Anniversary, Wedding Announcement, In Memoriam, Obituary or any life event in this paper today! Call us for details.

623-873-1626 Free Estimates Monday through Saturday Licensed 2006 ROC 223367 Bonded Insured

Licensed, Bonded, Insured ROC152111

ALL YOU NEED IS A PU

PhillipsRoofing.org PhillipsRoofing@cox.net

480.898.6465 class@TimesLocalMedia.com

class@timeslocalmedia.com or call 480-898-6465

CLASSIFIEDS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

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

Award-winning Arizona builder for over 40 years. F BELL RD.

56TH ST.

Blandford Homes specializes in building master planned environments with a variety of amenities, parks, and charm. You’ll find the perfect community to fit your lifestyle. A STRATFORD NOW SELLING B C D E F G H

A Dramatic New Gated Community in Gilbert Vintage Collection • From the low $600’s • 480-895-2800 Craftsman Collection • From the mid $700’s • 480-988-2400 PALMA BRISA – In Ahwatukee Foothills NOW SELLING A Dramatic New Gated Community Vintage Collection • From the high $600’s • 480-641-1800 Craftsman Collection • From the low $800’s • 480-641-1800 BELMONT AT SOMERSET – Prime Gilbert Location CLOSEOUT Luxury estate homes and timeless architecture • From the low $1,000,000’s • 480-895-6300 MONTELUNA – Brand New Gated Community in the Foothills of Northeast Mesa NOW SELLING B McKellips Rd just east of the Red Mountain 202 Fwy • From the low $700’s RESERVE AT RED ROCK – New Upscale Resort Community in the Foothills of Northeast Mesa COMING IN 2022 Stunning views of Red Mountain • From the $600’s TALINN AT DESERT RIDGE – SALES BEGIN EARLY IN 2022 Spectacular location at Desert Ridge ESTATES AT MANDARIN GROVE – In the Citrus Groves of NE Mesa CLOSEOUT 11 luxury single-level estate homes with 3- to 6-car garages plus optional RV garages and carriage houses • From the mid $1,000,000’s • 480-750-3000 ESTATES AT HERMOSA RANCH – In the Citrus Groves of NE Mesa CLOSEOUT 12 single-level homes on extra large homesites with 5- to 6-car garages plus optional RV garages and carriage houses • From the mid $1,000,000’s • 480-750-3000

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

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | JUNE 15, 2022

Ce rv 4 leb in 0 ra g Ye ti Th a ng e rs Va lle y!

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