Ahwatukee Foothills News 06/28/2023

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

TWednesday,

he Tempe Union High School District Governing Board approved a comprehensive safety plan that retains uniformed officers on campuses while emphasizing data-driven practices and addressing students’ social and emotional well-being.

The plan culminates over a year of surveys

and focus groups involving students, families and other community members that will continue so that the district can effectively train staff annually in addressing problem behaviors and safety issues early and effectively.

“We sometimes think that our administrators are the sole persons who will take care of any problematic issues that happen at a school site,” said Assistant Superintendent Sean McDonald, who led the plan’s development.

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“But the research suggests we also have to have teams,” he continued, to “address the disciplinary actions and also coming up with procedures to address the different disciplinary actions that may come up – and not just disciplinary actions, but also the school safety issues as well.”

The plan's adoption comes about 18 months

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

If the homeowners along a short stretch of S. 1st Drive in Club West were to ever hum a few bars from Guns & Roses’ “Welcome to the Jungle,” they could hardly have picked a better tune for visitors to their backyards.

It was the boys’ turn to shine in the Section 7 basketball showcase at State Farm Stadium and players like Desert Vista guard Elijah Velez, right, gave their all in putting on a thrilling event, as you will read on page

wasteland of weeds, overgrown trees, brittlebush and other brush, creating a nightmare for at least a half dozen homeowners, like Tracy Hazeslit and Mary Ellen Batie.

Even a couple bobcats have shown up on Hazeslit’s property, one of which was so bold it stared down Tracy and her daughter when they pulled into their driveway and saw the animal sitting along the edge.

. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

For the last few years, they’ve watched in growing dismay and alarm the vegetation in the wash abutting them grow relentlessly, obliterating the view of virtually anything on the other side.

Like any jungle, critters abound.

The snakes are so plentiful that Hazeslit has set traps throughout her backyard, although a couple of the reptiles at times have evaded them, parking right at her patio door.

As for the roofrats, Hazeslit

Rattlesnakes and roof rats regularly emerge from the

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BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

State Superintendent of Schools Tom Horne put Kyrene and 25 other school districts across the state in his crosshairs, accusing them of violating state law by operating 50-50 dual language programs for some students.

Horne threatened to withhold their English Language Learner funding and noted parents or others can sue to remove school board members or administrators from their positions for five years if a district does not stop teaching children 50% of the time in their native language before they achieve proficiency in English.

The 26 districts Horne put on notice a total 1,029 students who receive instruction a half day in their native language, usually Spanish, and the other half in English.

Kyrene has 42 students in such a program, according to Horne, and the district said it received $241,000 in ELL funding in 2023-24 and expected to get $247,000 in the new school year.

The total amount of funding represented by all 1,029 was not provided by the Department of Education.

Most of the districts targeted by Horne have fewer than 100 kids in so-called 5050 programs. Only three Phoenix districts – Creighton, Osborn and Cartwright – have 106 to 117 students in such programs.

And of the 26 districts identified by Horne, all but four are located in Maricopa County.

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Horne accused the districts of violating the voter-approved Proposition 203, which was passed in 2000 and made Arizona the only state in the Union with a law requiring all students to be taught in English only.

Horne noted that his warning applies only to students who have not yet attained proficiency in English” and that once they do, “we encourage dual language…programs that will cause them to be proficient in more than one language.”

Asked for the district’s reaction, Kyrene Communications & Marketing Director Erin Helm released a statement that said: “Kyrene’s current practices regarding student eligibility for dual language

programming are compliant with the approved models for English language learners adopted by the Arizona State Board of Education and implementation guides provided by the Arizona Department of Education (in recent years).

“Kyrene will review any updated guides or revised direction from SBE and ADE and will examine our practices to ensure the District is in compliance. Kyrene will always comply with state and federal laws, and the District is committed to ensuring all students have equitable access to learning opportunities within the bounds of the law.”

In Kyrene’s Dual Language Academies, students receive instruction part of the day in English and part of the day in Spanish.

Teachers are unlikely to be impacted by any changes because the curriculum itself is not in question, Helm noted, but rather “it is the eligibility of English Language Learners to enroll in 50-50 language programs.”

Kyrene began offering dual language at a single school in the 2010-11 school year and since then, three more schools offer dual language programming – Kyrene del Norte Dual Language Academy, Kyrene

de los Lagos Dual Language Academy, Kyrene Middle School, Kyrene Akimel A-al Middle School.

Horne’s unexpected threat to Kyrene and the other 25 districts followed a May 31 asking if the 50-50 immersion model

adopted by the state Board of Education violated the law.

In response, Legislative Council attorney Hannah Nies replied that if the 5050 programming “allows students to be taught subject matter in a language other than English as part of structured English immersion, the model likely violates Proposition 203.”

The proposition allowed for “sheltered English immersion” learning “during a temporary transition period not normally intended to exceed one year.”

Horne called 50-50 dual language classes, “an obvious violation of this initiative.”

“A reduction in structured English immersion from four hours to two is okay, but the rest of the day must be spent in regular classrooms with the Englishspeaking students,” he said.

He noted that any parent “can sue any school board member or other elected office or administrator responsible for the violation and that person can be personally liable for damages and fees and cannot be indemnified by any third party. Any official found liable shall be immediately removed from office and cannot hold a position for five years.”

“When I started my first term as state Superintendent of Schools in 2003, the initiative was unenforced, and bilingual education was a method of teaching in Arizona schools,” Horne said. “As a result, a pathetic 4% of students became proficient in English in one year.

“At that rate, almost none would ever become proficient, and they would fail in the economy.”

He said his structured English immersion propelled proficiency rates to 29% and that “at that rate within three or four years, almost everyone would become proficient in English.

“Professors who are ideologically motivated and are quoted as favoring bilingual education are simply oblivious to the realworld data,” Horne stated.

“When we taught these classes, a number of teachers arrived hostile, because of ideology. But by the end, our structured English immersion teachers were getting standing ovations and very high evaluations.”

He also cited an article that appeared in Education Next, a periodical sponsored by Harvard and Stanford universities,

learning programs. (File photo)

Phoenix council to vote today on water rate hike

Phoenix City Council was scheduled to vote today, June 28, on a series of increases that will have water customers paying more in three stages over the next two years.

Council has already tentatively approved a 26% increase in water rates and a 20% hike in waste water rates as well as a 25-cent monthly increase for homeowners for a water excise tax required by the federal Clean Water Act.

Council also is expected to give final approval to a restructuring of how a homeowner’s bill is calculated by reducing changing the ratio between actual water use and the flat base charge, or water allowance.

The change in the ratio would decrease the current water allowance from 600 cubic feet, or six units, per month to 500 cubic feet, or five units, from October to May and reduce from 10 units to eight units the base allowance for the other months.

The rate increases themselves will come in phases: A 6.5% increase for both water and waste water would take effect in October, followed by another increase of the same percentage next March. In March 2025, water rates would increase again by 13% and waste water rates by 7%.

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

Nor will those increases be the last. A

council report in February showed the department anticipates rate increases of between 5% to 9% in each of the three years after the 2025 hike.

Several council members in April voted against the rate hikes, which administration officials said are necessitated mainly by inflation’s impact. However, it appeared unlikely the opponents, Tom Waring and Betty Guardado, can muster three more votes to derail the plan.

Homeowners with outdoor pools likely will feel the financial impact a little more than those without them.

When asked what the impact on pool owners might be, Water Services Director Troy Hayes in an April hearing said that while the change in the water allowance “is more than a family would need for cleaning and cooking and things indoors,” outdoor water use will depend on several factors.

“It’s just dependent upon their evaporation rate and what they have going on with their pool leaks,” Hayes said. “It probably wouldn’t keep up with that.”

In a letter to Mayor Kate Gallego dated May 10, Dr. Dave White, chair of the citizens Water Rate Advisory Committee, wrote, “inflationary pressures are significantly impacting both operations and capital program budgets, including unprecedented increases in chemicals, electricity and raw water.”

White also said the rate increases not only cover those higher operational costs

Village planning panel again misses out on the action

couldn’t take a formal vote.

The Ahwatukee Foothills Village Planning Committee never even got a chance to see if it could muster a quorum to take official action two days ago.

That’s because its regular June meeting scheduled for June 26 was canceled last week by the city.

The panel was scheduled to hear three presentations from city staff, including one on the city’s initial steps toward an updated General Plan and the other two amendments to the zoning code to stimulate construction of more affordable housing.

That persistent failure to get enough members together for formal action also explains why it has yet to elect a new chair and vice chair.

There are several major projects in Ahwatukee that require a formal vote before they head over to the city Planning Commission for a recommendation to City Council for final action.

The 15-member committee for the last year has had trouble getting enough members to attend the monthly meetings – even when they were virtual, as they were for over two years until April.

In April, the bare minimum number of committee members showed up but last month the panel came up short and

They include a rezoning request by Via West that would broaden the pool of potential tenants at its massive trio of warehouses on 50th Street near Thistle Landing Drive and St. Benedict Church’s rezoning request to have a senior care facility built on its campus on 48th Street south of Chandler Boulevard.

However, it appears the parties in both cases have not yet requested to move forward on their applications.

The Village Planning Committee was to

have heard the proposals to amend the Zoning Code and allow for “accessory dwelling units” on single-family homes’ lots – such as converting an unattached garage into an apartment or an unattached casita or a trailer in the back yard.

The other change involved a reduction in the number of parking spaces required for multifamily developments.

According to a memo to City Council last week, city staff hopes to bring both measures to the council Sept. 6 after Planning Commission action on Aug. 3.

While the Ahwatukee panel could still be asked for its recommendation at its July 24 meeting, that schedule won’t be disrupted.

The committee last month could not make a formal recommendation on three other proposed zoning ordinance chang-

HORNE from page 4

that said “Hispanic ESL students, when compared with their counterparts in bilingual education programs, obtained three-quarters of a year more education, were 50% more likely to earn bachelor’s degrees, earned significantly more in the labor market, and entered high-skill professions at almost twice the rate.”

Horne said regardless, “voter passed and voter protected initiatives are bind-

es involving mobile home parks because it lacked a quorum.

The Planning Commission unanimously recommended council approval anyway on June 1, sending them to council for its likely approval by early next month.

All these amendments to the Zoning Code are being made at the council’s behest as the city tries to expand affordable housing options in Phoenix.

The Housing Phoenix adopted in 2020 has established a goal of creating or preserving 50,000 homes by 2030 and one of its strategies calls for amending the Zoning Code to allow for accessory dwelling units and the brief report to council last week said city staff has now developed regulations for such dwellings.

They were expected to be discussed today, June 28, at a council subcommittee meeting. 

ing. Any district or school that continues placing English Language learners into dual language classes, without the requisite parental waivers, should be aware of the consequences."

“Knowing multiple languages is beneficial, and develops the brain in ways that help learn other subjects. But the first priority is to become proficient in English. The data shows that structured English immersion is the best way to achieve this, and the law requires it.” 

High court tightens law on initiative petitions

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Petition circulating companies are free to pay workers a bonus based on how good they are at gathering signatures without violating state law, the Arizona Supreme Court ruled June 21.

In a unanimous decision, the justices said there’s nothing inherently unconstitutional about the 2017 law approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature making it a crime to pay circulators on a per-signature basis.

Justice Clint Bolick said there is a basis for such a restriction because paying people based on how many signatures they turn in may be susceptible to abuse.

But the high court rejected arguments by former Attorney General Mark Brnovich, who brought criminal charges against Petition Partners, that the 2017 law also prohibits any form of payment that provides incentives for circulators to gather more signatures. Instead, the justices concluded that the law is violated only when circulators are compensated based solely on how many signatures they collect.

Drew Chavez, the company’s owner, acknowledged the ruling removes one tool that firms like his have used in the past to hire and compensate circulators. But he called Wednesday’s ruling a significant victory, not just for petition-circulating companies but also for their clients who, lacking sufficient volunteers to collect hundreds of thousands of signatures, hire them to help place issues on the ballot for voters to consider.

Initiatives have been an important tool in Arizona because they provide an avenue for voters to craft their own measures that lawmakers have refused to enact.

That process has led to things like a ban on leghold traps, snares and poisons on public lands. An initiative also outlawed cockfighting in Arizona.

Initiatives also paved the way for medical use of marijuana and, more recently allowing it to be possessed for recreational purposes.

And it was only because of initiatives that Arizona has a minimum wage of $13.85 an hour versus the $7.25 figure in

federal law.

“This is so good for Arizona because they were really close to wiping this industry off the map in Arizona,’’ Chavez said of the ruling. He noted that Brnovich brought 50 individual criminal charges against his firm which could have resulted in a $5 million fine.

He also said that the law – with its potential year in jail and $20,000 fine for each offense – could have been brought against not just firms that hire petition circulators but the circulators themselves.

A spokesman for current Attorney General Kris Mayes said the office is still studying the decision.

The fight is over a 2017 law crafted by then-Rep. Vince Leach, R-Tucson, who in his tenure at the Legislature also was the author of several measures designed to create new hurdles for individuals to exercise their constitutional rights to propose their own laws.

It does not make it illegal to pay people to gather signatures. But it spells out that payment cannot be on a per-name basis.

Leach’s measure, however, applies only to ballot measures. It does not limit how political candidates can pay petition circulators.

All this became an issue when Petition Partners was hired to put Proposition 208 on the 2020 ballot.

That measure, approved by a margin of 51.7% against 47.3%, sought to impose a 3.5% surcharge on incomes of more than $250,000 for individuals and $500 for couples, was designed to raise about $900 million a year for K-12 education. That initiative eventually was voided by the state Supreme Court for other reasons.

After voter approval, Brnovich brought charges against the company for programs known as “Duel for the Dollars’’ and “Weekend Warriors.’’ He said that violated the law against paying people based on the number of signatures collected because circulators could get extra payments of from $20 to $150.

In a ruling last year, the state Court of Appeals voided the whole idea of criminal penalties for anything that even sounded

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like compensation based on signatures.

Appellate Court Judge Michael Brown cited already existing laws against forgery and bans against signing a petition for profit.

Bolick, writing for the Supreme Court, said Wednesday that the Court of Appeals, in voiding the 2017 law in all its possible forms, was using an overly broad reading of the statute.

Bolick said the “plain language’’ of the statute applies only to a fee-per-signature compensation and not to anything else that might provide an incentive to circulators.

To back that up, he cited a ruling last year by a federal appeals court upholding a Montana law which, like the one at issue here, bans per-signature compensation.

“It reasoned that by merely banning one type of payment scheme while leaving numerous other options available the law does not impose a severe burden on First Amendment rights,’’ Bolick wrote.

Lee Stein, an attorney for Petition Partners, said he doubts that the new ruling

WATER from page 5

and projected bond debt for capital projects but also address “the ongoing impacts of the Colorado River shortage.”

The city administration also notes in council’s agenda that the rate hikes “will offset financial pressure imposed by substantial increases in costs to supplies and materials due to inflation and maintain an adequate fund balance to retain a AAA bond rating.”

Since the 2018-19 fiscal year, the cost of chemicals has jumped 136% for water and 51% for waste water alone, according to the administration.

Electricity costs 12% more than in 2019 for water operations and 19% more for wastewater.

Raw water costs 35% more than three years ago and staffing costs have risen 38% for water and 16% for wastewater operations, according to the city.

The administration also briefed the council on reaction it has received to the increases from residents.

It said it had received about 200 comments from approximately 440 residents at public meetings on the hikes and 414 online comments.

gives Mayes any chance of taking his client back to court and pursing charges of violating the 2017 law based on its incentive program.

The 2017 law was not the lone effort by Republican lawmakers to impose new hurdles on the initiative process.

Just this year they put a proposal on the 2024 ballot that, if approved, would require not just that circulators get the correct number of signatures to propose new laws – 225,867 using current formulas –but that a certain number would need to be gathered from each of the state’s 30 legislative districts.

That effectively would mean that something unpopular in even just one legislative district could not be placed on the ballot, regardless of how much support there is in the rest of the state.

Sen. J.D. Mesnard, R-Chandler, who sponsored that proposal sought by the state Chamber of Commerce, declined to say it would give any one district veto power. But he said any measure should have a certain amount of statewide buy-in before going on the ballot. 

crease is needed,” the administration said.

“Many people do not understand how charges are calculated for water and waste water services. Some people think Phoenix needs higher water rates to motivate people to conserve water.

“Many people are concerned about being able to afford the higher rates because of their fixed incomes. Some people said the changes to the water allowance will impact them significantly and they think the new allowance levels are unrealistic.

“Others think that commercial, industrial, and institutional customers should pay more for water service, so the residential customers pay less.”

The Water Services Department has said that Phoenix residents overall have been conscientious about water use for a long time.

A report issued by the department earlier this year said that since the city changed its rate structure in 1990, the percentage of households that have stayed within the water allowance range has increased from 21% to 31% – a reflection of more households conserving water.

“It appears that residents are generally understanding of why the proposed rate in-

“The proposed change will better align the water allowance levels with the average water usage and have a larger portion of the water usage under the volumetric (actual use) rate,” the report says. 

recalled, “Last year was my big deal. I could hear them in the walls and I’m like, ‘no, this isn’t going to work for me. I’ve got to get out of here.’

“The pest control guy came and put the traps out and then he put some in the attic and then tried to drop things down to get them in my walls….It was bad because you could see them running in the backyard and I know they’re going to start up again.”

Because of the snakes, Hazeslit can’t let her dog out in the backyard alone.

She now has scheduled recurring visits from her exterminator to take care of the scorpions, whose presence, she said, has greatly increased as the vegetation grows unabated in the wash. Hazeslit said the pests were not a problem until the vegetation on the wash grew – and grew.

“I know there’s bobcats and I know that there’s coyotes and rattlesnakes. We’re in Arizona. I get that,” Hazeslit said. “But never have they come and been in the yard.

“I know it’s because of this,” she said, pointing to the wash that pushes up against her backyard wall. “They’re all moving in here.”

The snakes “find their little spots to lay and hide,” she said. “I don’t know what we can do at this point other than just keep complaining but no one seems to want to help.”

On more than a few occasions, Batie has come upon a rat at the bottom of her pool.

For over a year, Batie has been frustrated by her dealings with another jungle called city and county government.

She said she has made multiple calls to the city Neighborhood Services Department, Mayor Kate Gallego, the city Water Services Department, Councilman Kevin Robinson and his predecessor, Sal DiCiccio, the Maricopa County Health Department and Phoenix Fire.

Almost her calls have not been returned, she said, although an inspector from the city Neighborhood Services Department has been out a couple times.

But Batie said Neighborhood Services told her there’s nothing they can do.

Batie has waded into property and tax records maintained by the County Recorder and County Treasurer, respectively. Both offices’ records say the wash is part of the Club West Golf Course and owned by Shea Homes and The Edge, a group of four men who bought the course in 2019

and have been tied up in litigation over its future ever since.

Shea Homes denies it has any stake in the course and told that over a year ago to the judge presiding over the Club West Conservancy’s 2021 lawsuit against The Edge – which is not scheduled to come to

trial before next March.

Edge partner Matt Shearer also disputes the accuracy of the Recorder’s and Treasurer’s records.

“The Edge can only say that it does not own it,” Shearer said in an email. “Assessor records are wrong. Someone has been retained to correct it.”

Batie said another Edge partner told her the wash is part of a small patch of land owned by the Arizona Department of Transportation, which owns a culvert about a 100 yards or so past the wash.

The Club West HOA and its management company also have kept their distance from the problem, contending that because it does not own the land, it can’t do anything to help Batie and Hazeslit.

Batie has photos of the view from her backyard before the jungle grew up.

What shrubbery was there was all neatly trimmed and houses on the other side of the wash were fully visible.

But now the vegetation is so high and thick, nothing can be seen beyond the wash.

Batie said she’s considered asking her landscaper what it would cost to clear the wash, but thought better of it when she paid $75 to trim just one palm tree on her property.

Besides, she added, she likes her landscaper and would fear for his safety, given the number of rattlers that have slithered up onto Hazeslit’s backyard next door in over the last year.

Now, the vegetation is drying up fast as the thermometer continues creeping upward.

And that has Batie, who is approaching 78, worried.

“Property owners are responsible for keeping their properties and the adjacent right-of-way free of dead or dried vegetation, weeds, tall grass, tumbleweeds, shrubs, trees, palm fronds, and so on,” she said.

“Now things are dying quick because it’s getting hot and it scares me,” she said.

“Like I’m older and I live in fear of there being a fire and my house ending up going up in flames through no fault of my own.” 

This Google Earth image shows the wash without the overgrowth. Anyone standing behind any of the homes adjacent to the wash cannot see the houses on the other side because the vegetation is too high and thick. (Google Earth)

Overgrowth in a wash behind some homes on S. 1st Drive in Club West has become high and thick. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

SAFETY from page 1

after a couple board members tried to eliminate school resource officers.

That move created a district-wide debate in which parents, staff and students fiercely debated their value.

Opponents said they intimidated students and often treated students of color more harshly while proponents contended SROs not only prevented major tragedies, particularly school shootings, but also helped students in a variety of ways outside the classroom.

One unnamed member of the group involved in developing the safety plan wasn’t happy with the retention of SROs and sent questions to the board members.

One question that individual asked was, “What measures will the district take to ensure that having SROs on campuses do not inadvertently unnecessarily result in students being introduced to the criminal justice system?”

That person also demanded the district review any arrest “with the aim of ensuring that the student was treated fairly, that any circumstances that could be prevented in the future are identified and action taken to do so.”

Those questions provoked Superintendent Dr. Kevin Mendivil to say he trusted “implicitly the work of our professionals who worked so hard on this” plan.

“In some ways it's a bit insulting (to think) that we would not factor in the inclusivity the diversity, the equity, the fairness in our decision making as we move forward,” Mendivil said, “and so I'm hopeful that that wasn't the intent behind that email and some of those questions.”

Over 50 people comprised the Model School Safety Committee that helped develop the plan, which stresses the “creation of physical and psychological safety to advance learning and growth,” “positive relationships among students, families and staff ” and is “centered in equity” that “incorporates and ensures inclusion of people who are BIPOC, LGBTQ+ and people with disabilities.”

It also stresses SROs “are a part of the district’s multi-tiered systems of support.”

The plan calls for “shifting the paradigm for how everyone in school communities

time to time in board meetings for discussion.

The plan notes the relationship involving school safety, discipline and overall campus atmosphere, stating that as the district prepares to “navigate the 21st century social complexities that impact our schools,” discipline must be “consistent with students’ sense of dignity and worth that creates a school climate which is conducive to learning.”

Board member Berdetta Hodge, who also is a Tempe City Council member and who two years ago helped stop the board from adopting a resolution that aimed to dump SROs before the coming school year, praised the plan.

but to be safe and we need to know what that conversation is like back at home,” McDonald said. “So, engaging them is going to be very important.”

The plan also calls for “eliminating all forms of bias,” stating “this includes conscious and unconscious forms of bias and actions that disproportionately affect particular groups of students.”

The plan also stressed physical environment as a component of school safety and indicates site assessments are needed to “identify existing vulnerabilities and mitigate harm should an incident occur.”

The board’s adoption of the plan hardly means Tempe Union has completed its work on school safety.

One of the big tasks ahead is developing systems to collect data that will reflect how well each component of the plan is working and accurately guide district officials in fine-tuning it to address unexpected issues.

McDonald also indicated there were some security-related measures that should not be publicly disclosed and that he would brief each board member individually on them. 

views, defines and achieves safety” in a way that stresses “reconnecting with fundamental principles of of being human.

“Through this shift,” it states, “the paradigm of safety is not about exclusion but about belonging…Safety, therefore is not just an absence of harm and violence but the creation of systems that acknowledge humans’ inherent indispensability, connectedness and dignity.”

McDonald told the board that paradigm shift means “that the social-emotional and academic and psychological – they're all interdependent of each other. They no longer will work in silos.”

The plan emphasizes restorative practices in disciplining students, noting:

“We must be able to understand and address the causes of behavior, resolve conflicts, repair the harm done to self and others, restore relationships and reintegrate students into the school community.

“Additionally, particular attention and intervention support shall be produced" for students and their families," it states.

Restorative discipline is not new to Tempe Union, as it has been practiced for at least several years and has come up from

The district’s efforts, she said, have “always been about physical safety but emotional safety is part of what physical safety is.”

“This is really about bringing the whole child, the whole student, the whole person together,” Hodge said.

McDonald also stressed the importance of connecting more closely with families, noting that focus groups indicated the district didn’t do a very good job of communicating with them.

Conversely, he said the district also needs to better understand students’ home life to better know the students themselves.

“They're sending their students to us every day and they expect their students not only to learn

Board member and Tempe City Councilwoman Berdetta Hodge praised the plan’s thoroughness. (YouTube)

Tempe Union Assistant Superintendent Sean McDonald laid out the district administration’s comprehensive school safety plan for the Governing Board on June 21. (YouTube)

Ducey to lead fight for free enterprise here

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Saying he wants to fight a “push toward socialism,’’ former Gov. Doug Ducey has signed on as the new chief executive of Citizens for Free Enterprise.

And look for it to continue to try to influence voters and elections across the nation, at least in an indirect way.

In a prepared statement and video release last week, Ducey said his new role is a return to where he started in launching Cold Stone Creamery, a system of franchises for ice cream.

“It’s that entrepreneurial effort that ultimately inspired me to run for governor,’’ Ducey said, winning the first of his two terms in 2014 after four years as state treasurer. And Ducey said his tenure “turned Arizona into a leader of freemarket innovation.’’

“But lately, free enterprise is under attack everywhere we turn: bigger government, needless regulation and a push toward socialism,’’ he said.

Ducey said the newly revamped organization would allow Americans to “push back’’ against all that with an effort to “motivate more people who care about free enterprise to get involved in elections.’’

Until now the organization has been using its resources to directly influence elections.

Reports from Open Secrets show that in the 2020 election it spent more than $5.7 million to defeat Democrats in congressional races and another nearly $1.2 million in support of Republicans. And that money came largely from Joe Ricketts, the

founder and former CEO of Ameritrade.

Ducey, who has remained largely silent since leaving office at the end of last year, declined to comment beyond his written and video statements.

But J.P. Twist, a Ducey political ally who will serve as the organization’s executive director, told Capitol Media Services that all that is changing.

“The group existed in limited scope and form,’’ he said, saying Ducey was brought on to revamp and grow the organization.

“It will look nothing like it has previously,’’ Twist said. “All we’re keeping is the name.’’

Ducey also will be called on to raise money.

Twist said that when Ducey headed

the Republican Governors Association he raised “record amounts’’ from donors across the country to help elect its candidates.

Twist specifically said the organization is launching a new “social welfare’’ organization. Under Internal Revenue Service rules, these can run commercials and advertisement in support of or against candidates.

But Twist said those efforts will be “less candidate and more issues-focused.’’

As governor, Ducey sought to carve out a reputation as someone who cared more about economic than ideological issues like gay rights or abortions.

That was led by his signature on legislation for Arizona to have the lowest flat-

rate income tax in the nation, a move that Democrats continue to say undermines the ability to properly fund education and other state needs.

Ducey also openly parted ways with Donald Trump, insisting that the results of the 2020 election of Joe Biden were accurate.

Still, he did sign a law creating universal vouchers allowing all Arizona students to get taxpayer funds to attend private or parochial schools – a move that his successor, Katie Hobbs, has unsuccessfully tried to reverse.

The choice of Ducey to head the organization produced an indirect slap from the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee.

The organization’s Maeve Coyle noted that there were efforts by Republicans to convince Ducey to run for U.S. Senate last year to oust Democrat Mark Kelly. The outgoing governor demurred and the party then chose Blake Masters who lost the race.

And there had been some talk that Ducey might be willing to make a bid in 2024 when Democrat-turned-independent Kyrsten Sinema is up for reelection despite the fact that the former governor has repeatedly disavowed interest in Congress.

In a press release Tuesday, Coyle said Ducey’s decision to head the Committee for Free Enterprise shows that he’s not interested.

“Even the most sought-after GOP recruits are refusing to run for the Senate because they know their party’s vicious primaries and toxic agenda will lead their campaigns to defeat in 2024,’’ she wrote. 

State must reimburse food workers’ lawyer fees

The union representing some 25,000 supermarket and other food-related workers is celebrating a federal judge’s ruling that it be reimbursed for attorney fees for fighting two state laws threatening its health and welfare plans.

U.S. District Judge also ordered that the state pay United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW) Local 99

over $57,700.

The union for over a year fought Arizona over SB 1268 and SB 1278, which Republican lawmakers pushed through the Legislature in 2021 and 2022, respectively.

Both measures “aimed to weaken private-sector unions through unprecedented and unconstitutional regulation of their health care and pension plans,” the union said.

After SB 1268 was declared unconstitutional, Sen. JD Mesnard, R-Chandler, last

year introduced SB1278 “in a failed attempt to fix the law’s unconstitutionality,” the union said.

“SB1278 would have exposed labor union health care plans and pension funds to treble-damages lawsuits based on vague criteria not allowed under federal law,” it noted.

Both former Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich and current Democratic AG Kris Mayes called Mesnard’s bill “patently unconstitutional”

and did not oppose injunctions against its implementation.

Mayes agreed to a permanent injunction.

UFCW Local 99 President Jim McLaughlin applauded Humetewa’s order, calling it “a decisive win for working people and their power at the negotiating table.”

“Although we are pleased with the ruling, Arizona taxpayers must now pay the price for their Legislature’s incompetence,” McLaughlin added. 

Former Gov. Doug Ducey said he wants to fight the "push toward socialism" that he sees threatening Arizona. (Capitol Media Services)

AFN NEWS STAFF

Winner Reveal

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Phoenix Police seeking more female recruits

BY ABIGAIL SCOTT Cronkite News

The Phoenix Police Department is seeking more female police recruits and is working to make sure 30% of its officers are women in the next seven years.

So far, progress hasn’t been quick or easy.

“We want to look like our community,” said Phoenix Police Cmdr. Aimee Smith, who was instrumental in getting the force to sign the 30×30 Initiative, a national effort to advance women in policing.

“That makes us a more inclusive police department, that makes us better crime fighters, that makes us represent our community better, and so this was a way that we can get there.”

The department in January joined over 275 city and university departments across the country.

The initiative is based on research that more women in policing can lead to better community outcomes, including fewer lawsuits and fewer incidents of excessive force.

The gender makeup of Phoenix’s department is just above the national average, with women currently accounting for 14% of its sworn officers. Nationally, women make up 12% of police officers and 3% of police leadership, according to 30x30initiative.org.

Even with the new efforts nationally, and a Phoenix police salary among the highest in the state — recruits start at $68,661 per year — increasing the number of female officers hasn’t been a straight line.

Over the last five years, the Phoenix Police Academy has seen a decline in the percentage of female graduates.

In 2018, 22% of the academy’s graduates were female. In 2019, female graduates were just 19% of the class, and women made up only 16% of the graduating class in 2020. In 2021, following the pandemic, women were 20% of the graduating class, but that fell to only 13% in 2022, according to numbers from the academy.

One hurdle to recruiting women may be a police officer’s hours, said Sgt. Me-

lissa Soliz.

“Police officers can work 24 hours, so not the traditional schedule, and this schedule can be challenging for anyone,” Soliz said.

Michael Scott, director of the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing at Arizona State University’s Watts College of Public Service and Community Solutions, agrees it won’t be a snap to address decades of inequities.

“When a woman is in an organization and is having a good positive experience, they are more likely to tell other people, including other women, ‘Hey, this is not a bad job,’” Scott said.

Like Smith, Scott believes that having a department that reflects the community is important, and having people from different backgrounds and with different perspectives will strengthen it and its response to emergencies.

“There is some evidence that female officers might be less inclined to use aggression and force, but not tremendously different, but they use it as needed,” Scott said.

Tempe Police signed onto the 30×30 Initiative in 2021.

“Over the last five years, of new officers to be hired, 16% have been females,” said Glorianna Sauer, acting supervisor of the Tempe department’s recruiting and hiring unit.

Sauer said the department saw some success from modifying the language used on pamphlets and in speeches to be more inclusive and encourage more women and minorities to participate in the recruitment process.

Tempe also focuses on retaining women, she added.

“I think Tempe does a good job with how we interact with the public and how we treat each other, and this is important for women in the organization to feel supported and to feel valued,” she said.

The 30×30 Initiative does offer specific tips for police departments about things that help, including things like providing space and accommodations to nursing moms who join the force.

“Most of our facilities have nursing rooms for mothers, and that was a big draw for me, knowing I would have nursing rooms here in my building and having a private place to pump and store milk for my newborn at home,” Sauer said. “That is a big deal.”

The Mesa Police Department is also part of the 30×30 Initiative — which has been signed by Apache Junction, Gilbert, Queen Creek, Tucson and both the University of Arizona and Arizona State.

Mesa was one of the first 25 departments to sign onto the 30×30 Initiative, and currently 8% of the department’s sworn leadership is female, far exceeding the national average of 3%.

“From 2017 to 2023, there has been a 12% increase in female officers, and female recruits make up 20% of the current 2023 Academy Class #54,” said Tara Hall, the Mesa department’s community relations and recruitment division administrator.

Mesa offers medical benefits for life, is working on implementing alternative work schedules or part-time officer positions and is creating around-the-clock daycare to help those who have children.

“It’s important to make sure we show that we care about our employees,” Hall said.

In Phoenix, Smith is getting feedback

from current female officers to see how the department can be more successful recruiting more women.

Officers must be at least 21, U.S. citizens with no felonies and a high school diploma, GED certificate or higher.

The department pays for applicants to attend the police academy, where they must pass a physical test and will get legal, weapons and other training, a process that can take several months before applicants can graduate from the academy.

“I really want to hear from the officer that has a year on or two years on and say, ‘What is a tactic or what is something that we can use that would hit a different generation of women coming in the door?’” Smith said.

Understanding and looking at current female officers’ stories and seeing their path to success will help the Phoenix department analyze recruiting tactics that have worked for women in the past and are shown to be successful.

“There is a lot that we give back to the community,” Smith said. Reflecting the community is important for its safety and well being, she said.

“There are a lot of times that the perspective that I bring into a room, I bring into a domestic violence situation or I bring into a scene as a female, automatically starts to calm the situation,” Smith explained.

“I think females need to realize how important they are, because it’s not just what the police do, it’s who is policing us,” Smith said.

Smith encourages women to put themselves out there and do a ride-along with an officer if they are interested in joining the force. “I’m going to steal the elite Nike slogan and say, ‘Just do it,’ it’s exciting,” Smith said.

Phoenix also is focused on diversifying the entire department to better reflect its community.

“It’s not just gender diversity, we need to look like our community across all our communities,” Smith explained.

Soliz also believes the best way to determine if becoming a police officer is the right fit is to do a ride-along.

“Do a ride-along, talk to someone, don’t be discouraged,” Soliz said. 

Phoenix Police Cmdr. Aimee Smith was instrumental in getting the department to join a national effort to advance women in policing. (Courtesy of Aimee Smith)

Court 'dark money' curbs challenges

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Ajudge has rebuffed a bit by two groups involved in Arizona politics to void a new voter-approved law designed to prohibit “dark money’’ in political races.

In a new ruling released Thursday Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Scott McCoy acknowledged that the Arizona Constitution has a specific provision guaranteeing the right to freely speak, write and publish on all subjects. And the judge said it is broader than the federal First Amendment.

But McCoy rejected arguments by the Arizona Free Enterprise Club and the Center for Arizona Policy that the requirements in Proposition 211 to disclose the true identity of donors to candidate races and ballot measures violates the rights of donors to affect candidate races and ballot measures.

“In fact, Arizona’s Constitution (ITALICS) required (ROMAN) the first Legislature to pass an election disclosure law to publicize ‘all campaign contributions to, and expenditures of campaign committees and candidates for public office,’ ‘’ he wrote.

McCoy also noted the state constitution requires enactment of voter registration and other laws “to secure the purity of elections and guard against abuses of the elective franchise.’’ And a third provision bars corporations doing business in the state from making political contributions to influence any election.

“The framers thus established a constitutional commitment to pure elections, to prevent corporate influences, and to publicize sources of campaign funds,’’ he wrote. “The court finds it unlikely that the same framers somehow envisioned that Arizona’s Free Speech Clause would reach the (campaign finance) disclosures at issue.’’

The judge was no more impressed by a series of other arguments by foes that the initiative violates different rights, ranging from the freedom of individuals to associate for political purposes to a constitutional right of privacy.

Approved by voters in November by a nearly 3-1 margin, the initiative says that any organization that spends more than $50,000 on a statewide race -- half that for

other contests -- has to publicly disclose anyone who has given at least $5,000.

More to the point, it says organizations have to trace the money back to the original source.

Until now, a donation could be listed as coming from some group with a name like “Arizonans for Arizona.’’ with no clue who formed that group. This ensures that those who actually have financed that organization also must be made public.

The challenging groups contend all that interferes with the rights of donors.

Center for Arizona Policy to spend money to influence campaigns.

He said, though, that disclosure “certainly in most applications appears to be the least restrictive means of curbing the evils of campaign ignorance.’’

The court finds it unlikely that the same framers somehow envisioned that Arizona’s Free Speech Clause would reach the (campaign finance) disclosures at issue.

“The act violates Arizonans’ right to speak freely by chilling donors from supporting causes they believe in and wish to support, lest their charitable giving become public knowledge,’’ argued attorney Scott Freeman of the Goldwater Institute which is the two groups.

McCoy, however, said states are free to enact restrictions if they are “substantially related to sufficiently important governmental interests.’’ And he said Proposition 211 fits within that definition.

The judge said he’s not the only one who has reached that conclusion. He cited a series of court rulings that have upheld financial disclosure laws in other communities.

For example, he said, the U.S. Supreme Court has concluded that disclosure laws not only serve the interests of voters in voters in knowing who is trying to influence their decisions but also in ensuring election integrity.

McCoy also said disclosure laws deter corruption “by permitting voters to assess whether donors receive post-election favors.’’ And the judge said that’s true in the case of Proposition 211 and its requirements to disclose the original source of dollars “which prevents cloaking actual contributors by using intermediaries.’’

The judge acknowledged arguments that the new disclosure requirements might result in fewer people, unable to shield their identities, being willing to donate. And that, in turn, could affect the ability of the Free Enterprise Club and the

McCoy also noted that Proposition 211 has an escape clause. It allows any donor to keep a name secret if he or she can convince the Citizens Clean Elections Commission there is a reasonable probability that disclosure “would subject the source or the source’s family to a serious risk of physical harm.’’

Scot Mussi, president of the Free Enterprise Club, said he is reviewing the ruling and had no immediate comment.

Thursday’s ruling does not end the matter, and not only because of the ability of

the challengers to appeal.

McCoy said he would be willing to consider an alternate claim, one that does not seek to totally invalidate Proposition 211 but instead contends that the law specifically can’t be applied to them. But he noted that would require either organization to show “reasonable probability that disclosure of its contributors’ names will subject them to threats, harassment, or reprisals from either government officials or private parties.’’

There also is a separate legal challenge that was filed in federal court by a conservative advocacy group founded by the Koch brothers.

Attorneys for Americans for Prosperity contend that Proposition 211 “trammels that right by subjecting countless Americans nationwide to governmental doxxing for doing nothing more than supporting their chosen non-profit organizations and charities.’’ And they want U.S. District Court Judge Roslyn Silver to block the Citizens Clean Elections Commission from enforcing it. No hearing has been set in that case. 

Radical GOPers hinder EV tax for roads

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Gov. Katie Hobbs wants state lawmakers to enact new laws to ensure that the drivers of electric vehicles pay their fair share of road construction and maintenance.

But the governor said she doesn’t have anything specific in mind, at least not yet.

Hobbs’ willingness to take on the issue could provide some impetus for efforts that go back nearly a decade to equalize the levies paid by motorists whose fuel comes from a charger with those who pay the state every time they fill up with the 18-cent-a-gallon tax on gasoline.

That issue has evaded solution amid arguments ranging from personal privacy to who should bear the costs as what people drive shifts.

Still, changing trends will put pressure on lawmakers to resolve it.

The latest figures from the state Motor Vehicle Division show that the number of all-electric vehicles registered in the state ballooned from fewer than 35,000 in 2020 to more than 58,000 last year.

None of those owners, who are using state roads, pays a penny toward the $538 million generated last year in gasoline taxes, much of that earmarked for road construction and maintenance.

“I recognize this is a huge issue as we look at depletion of highway funds and to make sure that everyone who uses the highways are paying their fair share,’’ she continued. “And electric vehicles are a part of that.’’

Hobbs acknowledged, though, this isn’t a simple fix.

But this isn’t a partisan issue.

In fact, it is a dispute between two Republican lawmakers that has resulted in the current stalemate.

And it has been Republicans, who control both the House and Senate and, until this year, the governor’s office who have been unable for years to come up with a solution.

They have had some success.

Rep. Noel Campbell, R-Prescott, spearheaded efforts that resulted in repeal of laws that set annual registration fees for

alternative fuel and electric cars at a rate just a fraction of what a similarly priced gas-fueled vehicle would require. Now the owners of cars and trucks pay fees on the cost of the new vehicle.

In 2916, Bob Worsley, then a senator from Mesa, proposed a “vehicle mileage tax.’’

Dave Williams, a vice president of Knight Transportation, the trucking industry already uses global positioning to track their vehicles and that it’s possible to cheat using a GPS jammer.

But he questioned whether members of the public would be OK being tracked like truck drivers.

That hurdle remains today to the dismay of Rep. David Cook, R-Globe, who chairs the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure.

“We all pay at the pump for the Highway User Revenue Fund,’’ he said, the special account into which all gasoline taxes flow.

But that “all’’ doesn’t include those drivers of everything from high-end Teslas and Lucids to all-electric Ford F-150s, the Chevy Bolt and the Nissan Leaf.

Cook said that leaves one option being a mileage fee – which he said is neither complicated nor intrusive.

But Cook and supporters of a mileage tax have run headlong into the Arizona Freedom Caucus.

Sen. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, its chairman, crafted legislation that would have made it illegal for any level of government to not only track someone’s movements through things like traffic cameras or license plate readers but also through any other data from private sources.

His SB 1312 included a specific bar against imposing or collecting any mileage fee or tax, a per-mile charge or anything else based on the miles driven by anyone.

Hoffman said such restrictions on government are justified.

“One thing we know for certain is that taxing and tracking people’s movements is a significant infringement on Arizonans’ freedom of mobility, something we can all agree is a highly undesirable and antifreedom outcome,’’ he said.

Hoffman’s bill died in the House when

see GAS TAX page 21

Tourists help measure heat islands in Sedona

BY ASHLEY LAY Cronkite News

Residents and tourists in Sedona last weekend mounted heat to their cars and bikes as part of a new study mapping heat islands throughout the world.

The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration recruited volunteers to help it measure heat and humidity along designated routes in the morning, afternoon and evening.

Sedona is one of 18 cities chosen for this year’s study. Over the past seven years, NOAA has mapped heat islands in 70 communities mostly in the U.S., but in some other countries as well.

GAS TAX from page 20

Cook would not provide the required 31st vote.

Cook said one alternative proposed by foes of a vehicle-mile fee that would help capture lost revenues would be a tax on electricity. That, he said, is not an option.

“So now everybody gets a tax on electricity to pay for electric cars, even if you don’t have one,’’ Cook said. “It’s not well thought out.’’

He said, though, there are options to get what he thinks would be appropriate without tracking the comings and goings of individual motorists.

One, said Cook, parallels the fact that drivers of most gasoline-fueled cars and trucks need to take them in, at least on a biennial basis, for an emissions test.

He said owners of electric vehicles could be required to bring them in to a state-operated facility where what’s on the odometer could be recorded, with a fee assessed based on the miles driven since the last time.

And if that’s too intrusive, Cook said the state could compute what is the average number of miles driven in Arizona, what that would have generated in fuel taxes in a regular car, and then levy a fee that, like the gasoline taxes, would go into the Highway User Revenue Fund.

The bottom line, he said, is “how do we get them to pay their fair share.’’

Hoffman, however, said all those ideas are based on what he said is the flawed assumption that roads and highways should be built and maintained only with fuel

The study began because of curiosity surrounding the large increase in temperatures surrounding urban heat islands, said Morgan Zabow, NOAA community heat and health information coordinator.

Tall buildings, asphalt and fewer green spaces make cities warmer than undeveloped areas, Zabow said.

“Urban heat islands can be 15 to 20 degrees hotter than rural, vegetated areas,” she said.

The population of Sedona is about 10,000, and about three million tourists visit the northern Arizona city each year.

Visitors are usually not acclimated to high temperatures and have a lack of heat awareness, Zabow said.

Also, older people do not tolerate heat as

taxes and the like.

It starts with the fact that vehicles are becoming more efficient, needing less fuel for every mile traveled. And then there’s the fact that the state’s 18-cent-a-gallon gasoline tax has not been hiked since 1991.

So what’s needed, Hoffman said, is an entirely different paradigm.

well as younger people, she said. The median age of a Sedona resident is 60. Volunteers drove predetermined routes, mapping the heat pockets throughout Sedona.

Arizona State Climatologist and ASU professor Erinanne Staffell said 30 to 45 volunteers drove along five to seven routes.

Peggy Chaikin was one of the volunteers helping with the study and has lived in Sedona for 13 years. Art age 76, she enjoys walking in neighborhoods and on nearby trails.

“I’ve been a walker and cyclist my whole life and so have an intimate connection with road-generated heat,” Chaikin said.

Chaikin said she hopes that results of the study will lead to new energy conser-

“Building and maintaining roads is a foundational responsibility of government,’’ he said.

“The simplest and most responsible way to ensure this happens in the least financially oppressive manner possible is for the gas tax to be completely eliminated through innovation and higher efficiency

vation programs and cooling strategies.

“I’m so happy our town has been selected for this study,” she said. “It will provide the needed data for us to work together as a community to prepare and protect the most vulnerable while encouraging others to leave their cars parked as much as possible.

“We have many tourists who can learn from Sedona’s efforts and apply heat remedies to their own home towns and cities.”

After the results are gathered and prepared in a report, NOAA will suggest the best locations for cooling centers in the hope that it might become a model for other Arizona cities.

see HEAT page 25

vehicles,’’ Hoffman said.

And that would require governments “to properly reprioritize this important public asset in their baseline expenditures.’’

But Hoffman offered no suggestions of what other current spending might be cut given the opposition of the Free Enterprise Club to virtually any tax increase. 

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Hobbs moves to protect abortion, birth control

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Gov. Katie Hobbs is moving to strip the state’s 15 elected county attorneys of their ability to prosecute doctors and other medical professionals who perform abortions and give it to fellow Democrat Attorney General Kris Mayes.

And given the AG’s views on the issue that could effectively lead to total decriminalization of abortion in Arizona as she won’t bring charges.

In a new executive order Friday, the governor noted that the U.S. Supreme Court, in a case called Dobbs, last year overturned Roe v. Wade and its constitutional right of a woman to terminate a pregnancy. That, in turn, led to legal questions – still playing out before the Arizona Supreme Court – about what state laws can now be applied and enforced.

All that, Hobbs said “could lead to county attorneys across the state to make disparate decisions on whether and how to criminally prosecute the same, or similar, conduct relating to abortion care.’’

“The state has an interest in ensuring that abortion laws are applied equally, consistently, and predictably to all people and in all counties in Arizona,’’ the gover-

PERIPHERAL NEUROPATHY AND CHRONIC PAIN TREATMENTS NOT WORKING!!

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

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nor said in her order.

The order was disclosed on. June 23, one day after Hobbs held a press conference with state Rep. Athena Salman, D-Tempe, and the leader of a reproductive rights advocacy group to announce an effort to enact a law protecting the rights of all women to access contraceptives.

They noted that in overturning the decision in Roe v Wade, Justice Clarence Thomas suggested his colleagues review previous high court rulings that established the right to contraception, outlawed sodomy laws and legalized samesex marriage as decisions that hinged on privacy rights he believes are not in the Constitution.

Hobbs is directing Mayes to “assume all duties with regard to any criminal prosecution of a medical provider or other entity or individual that is pending or brought in the future by the county attorney of any county in the state for violation of any state law restricting or prohibiting abortion care.’’

Hobbs specifically cited a statute dating back to territorial days which imposes a prison term of between two and five years on anyone who performs an abortion unless it is necessary to save the life

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

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

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

Gov. Katie Hobbs and Tempe Democratic Rep. Athena Salman vowed on June 22 to protect Arizonans’ rights to contraceptives. (YouTube)

HEAT

NOAA predicts that Sedona will expe-

ABORTION from page 23

of the woman.

What makes that crucial is the Arizona Supreme Court is set to decide whether that law, which never was repealed after the U.S. Supreme Court decided Roe in 1973, automatically again became enforceable once the justices voided Roe last year. That was the legal position of Republican Mark Brnovich who was attorney general at the time.

Mayes has instead taken the position that a law banning abortion after 15 weeks, approved by the Legislature before the U.S. Supreme Court action, takes precedence. And that is the law being enforced for the moment based on a ruling by the state Court of Appeals.

But other abortion foes, picking up where Brnovich left off, are urging the state’s high court to restore the territorialera ban. That leaves the question of which law is enforceable in legal limbo.

During her campaign last year, Mayes said she believes the 15-week ban is no more legal than the territorial law. That is based on her argument that, regardless of what the U.S. Supreme Court says, women in Arizona have a right to terminate their pregnancy based on a specific state constitutional provision which says that “no person shall be disturbed in his private affairs ... without authority of law.’’

And Mayes takes an absolutist view of it –including so-called “late-term’’ abortions.

“Late-term abortions are extremely rare and almost always done to save the life or the mother or when the fetus is no longer viable,’’ said Mayes press aide Richie Taylor. “The attorney general believes decisions in such matters should be made between the woman, her family and her doctor.”

And just this year she refused to defend another law which makes it a crime to perform an abortion if the sole reason the woman is seeking it is because of a genetic abnormality of the fetus.

That resulted in House Speaker Ben Toma, R-Peoria, and Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert, filing a motion to intervene so they could defend the 2021 statute in federal court.

That still leaves the question of whether the governor’s order is legal.

Hobbs press Christian Slater cited a stat-

rience 118 days above 90 degrees Fahrenheit by 2050. Between 1976 and 2005, Sedona had experienced an average of 74

days above 90 degrees.

The study was initially scheduled to take place in the beginning of June, but was

Republican Maricopa County Attorney Racchel Mitchell condemned Hobbs' action, stating she is preparing to take "the appropriate next steps." (Special to AFN)

ute saying that his boss has the power to direct the attorney general to “prosecute and defend any proceeding in a state court ... in which this state or an officer of this state is a party or has an interest.’’

But Cochise County Attorney Brian McIntyre said the governor is misreading the breadth of that authority.

“It doesn’t say the governor has the power to then remove a constitutional officer, the county attorney’s office,’’ McIntyre said. “That’s how it’s phrased: that we shall be the public prosecutor of the county.’’

And he said that, whatever people believe about abortion, the governor’s order sets a dangerous and illegal precedent, setting the stage for what might happen in the future when there are vastly different people holding the offices of governor and attorney general.

McIntyre, a Republican, said that if the Democratic governor doesn’t want people going to prison for performing abortions she does have other legal remedies.

For example, he said, the governor could tell the state Board of Executive Clemency that it should recommend that anyone convicted of an abortion offense be given an immediate pardon.

And McIntyre said Mayes, also a Dem-

the anti-abortion Center for Arizona Policy, said in a statement Friday that the order is illegal. She cites a provision of state law that says the governor “may require the attorney general to aid a county attorney in the discharge of his duties.’’

“Aid does not mean supplant or replace,’’ Herrod said.

“In her zeal for abortion, Gov. Hobbs has exceeded her authority as governor,’’ she continued. “The law does not allow her to strip county attorneys for their clear authority as granted in various Arizona laws.’’

The governor’s new order also directs state agencies not to assist in investigations from other states where abortion restrictions remain about their own residents seeking abortion care in Arizona. There would be cooperation only if ordered by a court or state or federal law.

And Hobbs said she will decline to extradite anyone from Arizona to a state that seeks to prosecute that person for abortion services that, while illegal in the other state, are not illegal here.

ocrat, could eliminate the possibility of prison sentences by simply deciding that her office will not mount a defense any time someone convicted of an abortionrelated offense files an appeal.

Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell said, “The governor’s attempt to undermine the 15 elected county attorneys’ authority is outrageous.’’

Mitchell, a Republican, said her attorneys are reviewing the order “and will take the appropriate next steps.’’

House Speaker Ben Toma, who has voted for abortion restrictions, said Hobbs can’t legally do what she did.

“At a minimum, this order shows disrespect and contempt for the judiciary,’’ Toma said, noting that the state Supreme Court is still deciding what laws are in effect in Arizona.

That, however, is not the view of Brittany Fonteno, the president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Arizona.

“This executive order will help ease the fear and uncertainty that swept through Arizona in the year since Roe was overturned, and protect all those seeking and providing necessary health care,’’ she said.

But Cathi Herrod, executive director of

During Hobbs’ June 22 press conference about contraception, Salman said she would introduce legislation next year making access to contraception a right for all Arizonans.

Rep. Travis Grantham, R-Gilbert, said that while he has not seen the proposal, he believes Salman will include provisions that make it unpalatable for Republicans.

“All I’m doing is guessing based on who is introducing the bill what’s going to be in it, and it will be totally unsellable to a majority of the caucus and the majority of the Legislature,” Grantham said.

“You need 31 (House) votes and I personally don’t know one Republican who will support that bill if it’s the bill I think it is.’’

“Arizona is one of the states where birth control can just be under extreme legal jeopardy at the snap of a court (if) they lift that injunction,’’ Salman said.

Herrod called that “a far-fetched notion.’’

“The language in what we call the preemption clause that is before the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals currently, that is about unborn children in the womb,’’ she said. “I thought that the individuals today were talking about preventing pregnancy. That would be the point of contraception.’’ 

Corpus Christi opens its heart to the homeless

BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA AFN Contributor

Twice annually, in May and September, Corpus Christi Catholic Church hosts families who’ve found themselves without a home.

Together with Family Promise of Greater Phoenix, parishioners provide food and week-long housing at their newly-renovated parish center on the church campus at 3550 E. Knox Road in Ahwatukee.

They are one of at least 50 Valley churches and temples that shelter families overnight in their worship facilities in cooperation with the nonprofit Family Promise of Greater Phoenix.

Yet Corpus Christi, under the guidance of uber-volunteer and parishioner Toni De Losa, does more than open its doors to up to eight families each May and September.

Corpus Christi parishioners go above and beyond a meal, transforming some of the center’s 13 classrooms into private

family bedrooms.

Not only do guest families find a pillow and chocolate awaiting when they arrive, they’re feted with “theme nights” such as a recent Night at the Beach, SuperHero Night and Taste of Italy that greeted them in their recent May 21-28 stay.

De Losa’s involvement in Family Promise began seven years ago as a Christmas gift from her daughters.

“I read that St. Benedict Catholic Church was doing a Christmas Eve meal for some homeless families and I knew this was something I wanted to do with my children. So I told them this was what I wanted for my Christmas gift,” she recalled.

“I started volunteering each Christmas Eve and thought I wanted to bring Family Promise to Corpus Christi. Long story short, we started in 2019 and have it every May and October, coordinating with Kyrene Schools’ calendar.”

see CORPUS CHRISTI page 31

Gabriel’s Angels seeks volunteers to comfort kids

BY GERI KOEPPEL AFN Contributor

When the term “pet therapy” comes up, most people think of animals visiting hospitals, assisted living centers, and maybe even dentists’ offices to make people feel better, but schools and shelters don’t generally come to mind.

Gabriel’s Angels, however, is dedicated to providing a different type of pet therapy: It sends registered teams comprising a person and their pet—almost always a dog—to provide free animal-assisted activities to at-risk kids.

The nonprofit works to improve social and emotional development, using the natural bond children have with animals.

“We know that the unconditional love of a dog can heal a child, and that’s really the

Coco, a registered therapy dog with Gabriel’s Angels, gets a hug from a student at the school she serves with her owner-handler Vickie Healey. (Courtesy of Gabriel’s Angels)

Founded more than two decades ago in Ahwatukee Foothills to help kids experiencing trauma and neglect, Gabriel’s Angels now serves about 75 schools and facilities throughout the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas.

Another 20 locations, including nine in the East Valley, are on a waiting list, so the group is putting out a call for more volunteers to meet the need.

“We know coming out of COVID … there is a mental health pandemic among youth,” Steimer said. Arizona has “youth suicide, gun violence—all of the things that are obstacles for kids to learn and become healthy adults.”

Gabriel’s Angels has grown over the years and at one point in 2019 had about 185 teams, Steimer said. But it lost about

dog that spurred the creation of the nonprofit.

Volunteer and Corpus Christi Church parishioner Toni De Losa of Ahwatukee organizes fellow congregants to make unsheltered families feel welcomed. The parish hosted a movie night for the families. (Courtesy of Cindy Casaus)

basis of everything we do,” said Melissa Steimer, CEO of Gabriel’s Angels, which

was named after a

ANGELS from page 27

two-thirds of them during COVID and now is only up to about 105.

Even if they rebuild to the earlier numbers, Steimer said, it wouldn’t be enough because the demand is greater today than it was pre-pandemic.

And volunteers can’t just drop in now and then when it’s convenient. Even though the visits are only for 60 or 90 minutes, volunteers must make a weekly or bimonthly visit for a span of time.

“That is the hardest thing for us is we need committed volunteers who can stay with a child for at least 12 weeks,” Steimer explained.

Amy Vericker, director of communications for Child Crisis Arizona, the first facility Gabriel’s Angels ever served, said interacting with pets is important in not only comforting kids but breaking the cycle of generational abuse.

“’Love,’ ‘attention’ and ‘comfort’ are not words these kids are familiar with,” she noted.

Working with pets gives them “the tools to know what safe, loving households and relationships look like and sound like,” Vericker added.

Gabriel’s Angels has opportunities for people to work with kids of various ages and in different settings, from reading to them one-on-one to working in groups and doing activities. The group gives volunteers ongoing training, materials and support.

The group aims to teach kids seven core behaviors: Attachment, self-regulation, affiliation, respect, tolerance, empathy and confidence.

“Once those core behaviors and social/ emotional development are there,” Steimer added, “that’s the bridge to learning.”

Volunteers say they immediately see the benefit they bring to children.

Ray Ritchotte of Chandler and his English Springer Spaniel show dog, Blake (named after Blake Shelton), work with autistic kids at Chandler schools.

Some kids can be out of control while others might sit in a corner and not interact at all, Ritchotte said. But when he and Blake arrive, he said, “It just change[s] the kids.”

Students hug Blake and calm down so they’re either no longer aggressive

or come out of their shells, he noted. Ritchotte shows them how to brush and care

for an animal and explains that they have feelings, too.

“To know I made a difference in that child for the day,” Ritchotte said, “it gives you a good feeling to see the smiles on these kids instead of the frowns.”

Virtual information sessions about opportunities to assist Gabriel’s Angels are available on the last Tuesday of each month.

People without pets can volunteer as a “Helping Hand,” and all humans must get a fingerprint clearance card. Pets must be registered through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs or Pet Partners.

“There’s a test that [dogs] have to pass and you have to make sure they’re up with their shots and they have to be properly groomed,” said volunteer Kristine Kassel of Ahwatukee, who was a Gabriel’s Angels board member from 2006-14.

She added that dogs have to learn to sit and stay and not react to other dogs or food.

Also, they should not be prone to nipping, jumping or other high-energy behaviors, she said, and Steimer mentioned dogs need to be patient with kids petting and even pulling on them.

Kassel and her labradoodle, Teddy, go to Carlson Elementary School in Chandler every other Tuesday, and she calls the visits “Teddy Tuesdays.”

The biggest challenge she sees nowadays, she said, is that the students have a lot of stress and anxiety, and pets help calm them down.

“It’s a heartening feeling,” to work with kids, Kassel said.

“I feel like Teddy did something today; we did something today. We reached a milestone here with making this child feel a certain way today.” She added, “You can see how content and happy they are.”

And helping kids benefits volunteers, too.

“Life is so much better when you’re doing something for someone else,” Ritchotte said. “I recommend anybody who wants to do something for people, for kids, [to] go and learn how to do therapy work with your dog. Have the dog certified. It’s the greatest thing in the world to do.”

For more information about volunteering with Gabriel’s Angels, visit gabrielsangels.org or call 602-266-0875. 

Ray Ritchotte’s English Springer Spaniel, Blake, gets pets from students they serve through Gabriel’s Angels. (Courtesy of Ray Ritchotte)

Gabriel’s Angels Pet Therapy Team Sue Suhling and her dog Tyrion spend time visiting with a student staying at Homeward Bound. (Courtesy of Gabriel’s Angels)

Ahwatukee Toastmasters offers growth opportunities

For over 35 years, the Ahwatukee Toastmasters has maintained a continuous presence in the Ahwatukee community, providing the know-how, practice and encouragement to help members improve their communication and leadership abilities.

Ahwatukee Toastmasters, which promises to “develop the skills they need to increase their speaking competence as they prepare for personal growth and professional advancement,” meets every other 7-8 a.m. every other Tuesday at Esperanza Lutheran Church, 2601 E. Thunderhill Place, Ahwatukee.

Information: call or text Ed Prestwood at 480-603-8359, or search “Ahwatukee Toastmasters.”

Armer Foundation slates casino night fundraiser

Attendees can roll the dice to benefit local families whose children have chronic or life-altering diseases.

The Armer Foundation for Kids will host a casino night fundraiser 6-10 p.m. July 29, sponsored by Spencer 4 Hire Roofing, at

AROUND AHWATUKEE

Lights, Camera, Discover, 4825 E. Warner Road, Ahwatukee.

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

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

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

Purchase tickets at armerfoundation. org/casinonight.

Summer line dancing party slated at Cactus Jack’s

Cactus Jack’s Bar & Grill on the southwest corner of Elliot Road and 48th Street, Ahwatukee, is hosting its annual Proud Amer-

ican Summer Line Dance Party July 5.

Starting at 6:30 p.m., there will be line dancing lessons and open dancing, along with treats and raffles.

There is a $5 cover charge.

Information: dancemeetsfitness.net.

Ahwatukee Kiwanis Club adds speakers

to its schedule

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

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

Upcoming speakers are: June 29, Brenda Nichols, Y OPAS; July 13, Luis De La Cruz, Arizona Friends of Foster Children; and July 27, Sabrina Estrada, Arizona Citizens for the Arts.

Ironwood Library offers free activities for all ages in June

Ironwood Library, 4333 E. Chandler Blvd., Ahwatukee, presents a variety of programs for children, teens and adults. Unless otherwise noted, no tickets

or registration is required.

Information: phoenixpubliclibrary.org.

Babytimes

Babies ages birth to 23 months, accompanied by a favorite adult, will enjoy songs, rhymes, books, and interactive fun Tuesdays, July 11, 18 and 25, 10:30-11 a.m. Free tickets are required and available 30 minutes before programs’ start times at the library’s information desk.

Toddlertimes

Toddlers ages 24-36 months, accompanied by a favorite adult, will enjoy songs, rhymes, books, and interactive fun Thursdays, 10:30-11:10 a.m. Free tickets are required and available 30 minutes before programs’ start times at the library’s information desk.

Full STEAM Ahead

Children ages 6-12 explore hands-on creative ways to design, experiment, and invent Saturdays, July 1,15 and 29, 2-4 p.m., in this drop-in Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math (STEAM) program. No tickets required.

Arouna Diarra music performance

Enjoy a West African n’goni and

see AROUND page 33

Couple counseling isn’t needed just for a crisis

BY KHARA FUENTES AFN Contributor

As a licensed marriage and family therapist, I often receive calls inquiring about couple counseling after a perspective client has experienced a crisis.

While this can be an extremely helpful time to receive needed support, it is not the ideal time to dive into long-standing, unhealthy, behavior patterns which become more apparent under stress.

Crisis therapy is about navigating the crisis.

I have noticed that the most significant shifts occur in treatment when a couple starts counseling while their relationship is running smoothly, before the crisis. Or, when they continue treatment after the stressful event has passed.

When this occurs, couples often find future crisis to be significantly more manageable. Why? Because they have the skills

necessary to navigate it effectively.

In sessions, I introduce and provide individualized guidance about how to structure healthy interactions. Sessions provide low stress, low-risk interactions where clients gain an understanding of when to apply skills learned.

Much like a professional athlete would practice skills to build muscle memory, the skills can be practiced before the big crisis. Later, when couples communicate under pressure, they are more likely to use the skills learned in counseling.

The healthy behavioral patterns practiced almost become instinctual, drawing their partner closer rather than creating division in the relationship.

One of the approaches I use with couples is called the Gottman Method. It is based on 30+ years of research, where Dr. John Gottman and his colleagues identified specific behavioral patterns in which couples engage that led to a deterioration in their relationship.

Conversely, Gottman found four behav-

ioral patterns that lead to a happy, healthy, satisfying relationship for both partners:

Gentle start up. Describe your feelings and needs using I-statements rather than blaming your partner for a particular outcome or behavior.

Statements like, “I feel __(insert feeling word)___ about __(provide brief explanation)__ and I need ___(describe your need)___,” tend to be very effective.

Take responsibility. Remember, your partner’s perspective is valid. Keep this in mind, and do your best to understand your partner’s position even if you disagree with it. Be sure to offer an apology for any wrongdoing or error on your part. Even if this is small, it goes a long way.

Build a culture of appreciation. Focus on the things that your partner does well, your partner’s strengths, the aspects of their personality that you admire and appreciate.

Verbally share these with your partner. The magic words “please” and “thank you” work with adults too!

Practice physiological self-soothing. If tension starts building, take a break. Engage in something that is distracting and soothing.

The key here is not to ruminate on the issue at hand, but rather to focus on something else. Be sure to circle back around to your partner regarding the issue if you were the one who called the break.

When couples are aware of these skills, they are able to identify when to use them, or when they are being used.

Usually, when the couple has learned the skills together, partners are more willing to accept their significant other’s attempts to practice skills learned and they are receptive to the changes. The couple is reminded they are on the same team, facing the crisis together and navigate it with ease.

Khara Fuentes provides couple and other counseling in her Ahwatukee clinic. For information about her practice or the next Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work Workshop on Sept. 16, go to centreformiddleground.com.

Nonprofit, companies donate care to homeless mom

Family Promise of Greater Phoenix partnered with the National Auto Body Council and Painters Collision Center to present a homeless mom a 2020 Kia Sol donated by Geico.

Angelica Wells became a mother when she adopted her nephews, ages 7 and 8, after her sister died.

To help take care of the children, Wells looked to her mother for support but she passed away three years ago, which prompted her to move her family to Arizona in search of a more sustainable life.

Wells ended up losing her job and her housing shortly after. Hearing Wells’ situation, Family Promise of Greater Phoenix welcomed her family into its program.

“Through her perseverance under challenging situations, Wells impressed staff at Family Promise which led the nonprofit to choose her as the recipient of the vehicle giveaway,” a spokeswoman for the nonprofit said.

“There’s nothing that gives my heart more

solutions. Community is what this is all about and that is what changes the lives of families.”

The NABC Recycled Rides giveaway is made possible with community partners. The 2020 Kia Sol that was donated had previously been damaged and an insurance claim had been made to Geico.

Rather than repair and sell the car, Geico donated it to NABC and it was later fully repaired by Painters Collision Center.

Once repaired, NABC looked to Family Promise to choose a recipient for the donation.

When presented with her new car, Enterprise Rent-A-Car also surprised Wells and her family with a $1,000 gas card.

“I remember feeling down and lost because I didn’t know what to do when we lost our housing. That’s when we got the call to come over to Family Promise,” said Wells.

joy than to see our families’ dreams come true. I’m so proud of Angelica and she deserves what her family is receiving today,”

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 Tuesday, July 4, 2023. 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 8am at the Foothills Baptist Church on Thunderhill Place and will follow Thunderhill Place 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. Making a small float could be a great neighborhood project to keep the kids busy.

A family celebration will follow the Parade, at Thunderhill Park, and end around 10:30a.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

said Family Promise CEO Ted Taylor.

Thanking the companies who helped, he said, “We are all about community

“Family Promise has kept its promise. I appreciate everyone – Enterprise, Geico, Painters Collision Center, everybody.

LA CASA DE JUANA

DELIVERS A KNOCKOUT WITH ITS FRESH, AUTHENTIC AND MOUTHWATERING FOOD

BESTOF 2022

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

Don’t hesitate to stop by the Ahwatukee location

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

Angelica Wells, fifth from left in the back row, and her family celebrated her receipt of a car with Family Promise of Greater Phoenix, National Auto Body Council, Geico and Painters Collision Center. (Courtesy of Family Promise)

St. Benedict’s, in the midst of a major building project, is taking a hiatus this year but is on the Family Promise calendar again in 2024, according to Tracy Ryan, who has overseen the week-long visits there for 15 years.

As the St. Benedict congregation hosted Family Promise guests in classrooms at the adjacent St. John Bosco School, it often coincided with the Christmas holidays, which is when De Rosa first volunteered with her daughters.

De Losa lauded her fellow Corpus Christi congregants, saying they are very supportive of the Family Promise program, financially and through hands-on volunteerism.

“It is our parish that provides everything; they donate funds to cover all the costs. Our parish is so generous; I am just so blessed,” De Losa proclaimed.

Because of their support, De Losa said she and her regular crew of volunteers can go “above and beyond,” ensuring each week is a special one, chock-a-block with memories for the Family Promise guest families.

Depending on the need, Corpus Christi can house up to 36 people a week with their two rotations of four families.

When the program began at the church under De Losa’s lead, it was much more simple – meals provided through signup sheets, plastic tablecloths over folding tables, and a congregant volunteering to organize an evening activity.

“I have four girls so I thought, why don’t we make it more like a celebration,” recalled De Losa, an Ahwatukee resident of 24 years.

“Now we have a full team and it’s like a birthday party every single night. We’ve even started doing family portraits on Thursday or Friday night and have it printed and framed to give it to them before they leave,” she said, smiling. ““We also have a special send-off breakfast on their last morning before they leave.”

Family Promise’s families arrive at the respective church or temple at 5:30 p.m. after spending the day at work or at one of the four Family Promise Day Centers in Mesa, Glendale and two in south Scottsdale where the nonprofit was founded.

Those day centers are the family’s “home base” with services provided by a social work team working with the parents to accomplish their employment and housing goals.

Family Promise Chief Program Officer

Kathy Kaplan emphasizes that their team is committed to ensuring every child entering their program “knows the security of a roof over their head, a full tummy, a warm bed to slip in to dream big, bold beautiful dreams, access to quality education and, most important of all, to know that someone cares.”

Each month the Family Promise Facebook site honors “graduates,” families who’ve moved out of transitional housing into their own home.

“Our program is 60 days long, but on average, families graduate into sustainable housing within 38!” a May posting announced. “To put that into perspective, our parents: secure employment with a living wage, establish savings through cash flow training, and secure housingall in just over one month! The changes they make are foundational and touch every aspect of their lives. It is hard, courageous work!”

It is the interim between that the local churches and synagogues help make the difference for the first-time homeless families that can range from a single mother and infant, a grandparent caregiver and young children, or, recently, a single dad with his four children.

With skyrocketing rents throughout the Valley, many families are facing eviction or left without shelter when they are no longer able to afford to rent the apartment or house they had called home.

made me feel like I was homeless’, and ‘You helped me out of a dark place.’ It’s so very moving to hear this and have them give me a big hug.”

She also reaps praise from Family Promise of Greater Phoenix Executive Director Ted Taylor and Chief Program Officer Kathy Kaplan.

Kaplan praised De Losa and the Corpus Christi parish’s support with their legion of volunteers.

“Toni is very creative and the only one I know who has a different theme each night. The love and dedication poured into every detail, from the costumes to the decor, creates an atmosphere of pure delight for everyone involved,” she said.

“Not every church is able to do this, and part of it is derived from Toni herself,” she said. “Each church serves in their own way, and they’re all creating ministry (cq) and a support system. It is a transformation on both sides - for the volunteers and for the families.”

“They’re all families and deserve whatever help we can give,” De Losa averred.

She explained once she knows in advance the make-up of families coming to visit and selects the appropriately-sized room for them to stay. Besides the expected blankets and pillows in their private bedroom, she may include extras like flashlights or vases of flowers.

At Corpus Christi, family members have a snack bar available in the parish center where they can help themselves to coffee, muffins, fresh fruit and more during the evening activity programs. It is ready for them early mornings as they leave early at 5:30 a.m. weekdays, and 7:30 a.m. weekends.

“Some of them have to go to work or school, and there’s always traffic to worry about,” explained De Losa.

Even with the help of church volunteer groups like the Knights of Columbus, St. Vincent de Paul, Coffee Break Ministry, and Youth ministry, there’s still work after the visits.

“Sometimes I go crazy; there’s so much to do with the clean-up and pick-up and yet every single time, it is so worth it,” De Losa said. “No matter how tired you are, it is well worth all the effort.”

She spoke of parents approaching her after their stay at Corpus Christi to tell her how much it meant to them, not to be just identified as homeless, but as people.

“I’ve had parents tell me ‘You all never

Taylor, who has served Family Promise of Greater Phoenix since 2010, concurred.

“Our goal at Family Promise is to keep families together as they navigate the most difficult times in their lives. Keeping children with their parents and pets reduces the risk that they find themselves without a home in the future,” said Taylor.

“Volunteer community organizations like Corpus Christi Catholic Church make it possible for us to positively impact many families across the Valley. We couldn’t be more thankful for their continued support and service.”

According to the Family Promise website, their name “refers to the promise, in the sense of commitment, that communities make to families in need. But it also refers to the promise, the potential, inherent in every family”.

Family Promise originated in New Jersey as the National Interfaith Hospitality Network, founded by Karen Olson, in 1988. It changed its name to Family Promise 20 years ago.

There are now nearly 200 Family Promise Affiliates located in 43 states.

Family Promise of Greater Phoenix is uniquely pet-friendly and has sheltered more than 175 pets so far, including reptiles. Pets stay in kitty condos, dog kennels, or smaller cages and enjoy space for families to play with them.

see CORPUS CHRISTI page 33

During the homeless families’ stay at Corpus Christi Church, parishioners create theme nights, as congregant Lisa Verghese did with Movie Night. (Courtesy of Cindy Casaus)

Barrel racers thrive at

BY MARK MORAN AFN Staff Writer

Jill Starkey does not horse around. She started barrel racing horses for the thrill of it at age 6.

“I guess I like adrenaline,” said Starkey, now 52, a local resident and cofounder of the Queen Creek Barrel Racing Association.

“There’s an element of danger to it so I guess that makes it exciting and thrilling all at the same time,” she added. “And I like going fast, so that makes it a lot of fun.”

So fast, in fact, the horses are timed to one one-thousandth of a second because the contests are so close, as opposed to the one one-hundredth of a second typical of timing in most sports.

Barrel racing boils down to mastering accelerating a horse in quick, straight lines, decelerating quickly, and making tight turns around a series of three barrels as fast as possible – all of which is tougher than it looks, Starkey said.

“It’s a thrilling sport,” she explained. “People look at it and think ‘it looks so easy,’ but until you actually do it, turning a horse at full speed is not as easy as it looks.

“There’s a lot of people that fall off at barrels if you’re not centered or hanging on properly.”

Success is primarily about the horse’s

footing in the dirt and Horseshoe Park provides the best there is, Starkey said.

She explained that for the horse and rider to perform at their best and safest, the soil needs to be different for barrel racers than it is for, say, bull riding events.

“We need a little bit deeper and thicker to be safe for a horse to come at full speed, stop on a dime and turn,” Starkey explained. “The ground has to hold them up and not let them skid and wipe out.”

She said the grounds crew team at Horseshoe Park goes to school to learn how to prepare the soil for all the dif-

ferent riding events.

“Riders will travel long distances to be on safe ground,” Starkey said. “It’s safe, fast dirt. They (the grounds crew) knock it out of the park every time.”

Like other specialty sports, barrel racing is now big business and getting into it can require big bucks. The higher up the ranks a rider climbs, the more it costs.

Top-level barrel racing horses carry a price tag of about $100,000 or higher. Training a horse can cost upwards of $10,000.

Starkey added that success in barrel racing has a lot to do with the person

Park

in the saddle, not just the animal’s pedigree.

“The $10,000 horse with the right rider can turn that horse into the $40,000 horse. “So, it’s expensive. It’s not cheap and horses in general are pretty high right now.”

On the other side of the ledger, there is prize money at stake.

At the National Finals Rodeo, which features barrel racing in addition to other traditional riding events, the best riders can win as much as $30,000 per round and there are 10 rounds at that event.

But only the top 15 money earners in the nation can qualify for the NFR, so they have spent money traveling the country and competing at other events to reach that threshold, Starkey explained.

“You can win a lot of money if you’re winning every round,” she added. “But it costs a lot, too.”

She pointed to Marana resident Sherry Cervi, a four-time world champion who has won over $3 million barrel racing.

Typically in local events, about 70% of what race organizers collect in entry fees is paid out in prize money, so the winners’ purses depend on the number of event entries.

When the sport got its start, prize money was not even part of the

see BARREL page 33

Felicia Buechle guided Sonitas Last Legacy through the maze at the Queen Creek Barrel Racing Association 2 Broke 4 Vegas barrel race in May at Horseshoe Park and Equestrian Centre. (David Minton/ Staff Photographer)

CORPUS CHRISTI from page 31

PetSmart Inc. opened the pet sanctuary in 2012; it was the first for any Family Promise affiliate nationwide.

Since its start in 2000, Family Promise of Greater Phoenix has supported more than 1,700 families from their program into independent housing and self-sufficiency.

For more information on volunteering with or donating to Family Promise of Greater Phoenix, visit FamilyPromiseAZ.org.

FAMILY PROMISE from page

30

Thank you from the bottom of my heart.”

Family Promise aims to secure a sustainable and financially sound future for families experiencing homelessness – an issue that has grown 219% over the past three years in the Phoenix Metro area.

Information: FamilyPromiseAZ.org. 

balafon performance in the native Bambara language. Saturday July 8, 11:30 a.m-12:15 p.m.

Book Club

Adult readers 18+ can meet up with fellow adventuresome bibliophiles to share their thoughts about each month’s selection the first Wednesday of each month, 5-5:45 p.m. On July 5 the focus is on Vanished Arizona by Martha Summerhayes, and on Aug. 2, In the Time of Our History by Susanne Pari. No tickets required.

Sit and Stitch

Join fellow stitchers on the first and third Saturday of each month,  July 1 and 15, 3-4:45 p.m. Knitting, crocheting, crossstitch, needlepoint…all are welcome. No tickets required.

Blood drive

People ages 16+ can join the American Red Cross Blood Drive at Ironwood Library on July 10, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Appointments are recommended and can be made at redcrossblood.org. Select the “Donating Blood” option to submit your appointment time. Walk-in donations are also welcome, as available. Masks are optional. 

equation.

While it is not clear if that is where barrel racing began, Starkey said what is certain is that it was born as a sport when the cowboys’ wives were not satisfied with just watching their husbands compete in the roping and bull riding events.

“The sport of rodeo was always a man’s sport, and the women would be sitting around having nothing to do,” she said. “So, someone came up with the idea ‘well, how fast can we run around these three barrels in a pattern?’ The men were roping and doing all the men’s events and it gave the women something to do.”

Much of that equestrian history is still alive and well in Queen Creek and the town has made a strong showing in the barrel racing community in just the last few years.

Until 2014, East Valley barrel racers had to travel to the West Valley for local competitions.

That was when Starkey, along with her business partner and fellow Queen Creek resident Stacy Portonova, decided the east side needed barrel racing venues, too.

“It was a jaunt traveling over there with a four-horse trailer in 110 degrees,” she said of the West Valley events.

“There were a lot of us that were going over there so its good to establish barrel racing here on the East side. Especially at Horseshoe Park. It is the premier equestrian facility in the Southwest if not in the whole western half of the United States. It’s a phenomenal facility.”

The Queen Creek Barrel Racing Association was instrumental in getting a second arena covered at Horseshoe Park, which in turn has helped draw more riders to barrel racing events.

Starkey said the association hopes to use that mo-

mentum to cover more arenas at the park and “bridge the horse community and the normal non-horse community.”

The sport is accessible to all ages and abilities and offers skills that will stick with the rider, new and experienced, forever.

“It’s a big sport.” Starkey said. “It’s a lifelong sport. Because it is a lifelong sport, I think we will always have it.” 

AROUND from page 29

Raina Umbenhauer road RUAPlayer was among the riders participating in the barrel race. (David Minton/ Staff Photographer)

Tvlee Grantham, riding As Bad As Corona, shined during the 2 Broke 4 Vegas Barrel Race. (David Minton/ Staff Photographer)

Solar panel install no sunny process

BY CATHRYN CRENO AFN Contributor

It was 4:30 pm on a June afternoon, and outside my Ahwatukee Foothills home, it was 102 degrees. Inside, the thermostat registered my preferred temperature of 77.

But instead of thinking about my Salt River Project bill, I was looking at an app on my phone that showed that solar energy equipment I had recently installed was feeding power back to SRP and to a storage battery that will power my appliances during outages and when the sun goes down.

I was still a bit amazed to be earning credits toward my SRP bill, even though it was the hottest part of the day.

It’s still too soon to have an SRP bill, but Sun Valley Solar Solutions, the Chandlerbased company that installed 15 rooftop solar panels and a garage storage battery, quoted me a new monthly power bill of about $60, including a fee for continuing

And I can possibly save more if I strictly adhere to SRP’s Solar Customer Genera-

tion Plan and reduce the power I use during peak demand times.

I’m looking forward to the lower bills.

Plus checking the energy use app throughout the day has been fun.

The long road getting there

Getting to the point where I am excitedly looking at SRP credits and potential savings was anything but fun -- or inexpensive.

I sunk more than $65,000 from savings and part of an inheritance from my Earthloving mom into the project, which also includes radiant barrier roof insulation and new attic insulation. I sent texts and emails about slow progress on my system from mid-August 2022 until a few weeks ago.

And to get my system working – “commissioned” in power company lingo – I had to first complain to the Better Business Bureau, the Arizona Registrar of Contractors, SRP’s Preferred Installer

Hobbs kills tax break for out-of-state car buyers

BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

Out-of-staters who want to buy cars and RVs in Arizona won’t be able to escape sales taxes if they come here to take delivery.

Gov. Katie Hobbs last week rejected a proposal sought on behalf of Lucid Motors that would have allowed visitors to buy a car here and then drive it off without paying the taxes.

Hobbs, in her veto letter, did not specifically dispute arguments by Rep. Teresa Martinez that the legislation could create some economic benefit. The Casa Grande Republican argued that it would generate tourism for her area, with those visitors then spending money in Arizona.

But the governor was unconvinced.

“While I understand and support the

goals of this legislation, there is potential for unintended consequences ... that would have a significant fiscal impact on Arizona,’’ Hobbs wrote in her veto of HB 2252.

However, Hobbs said she is open to exploring the idea “with stronger guardrails that achieves our shared goals of boosting our economy while protecting our state’s fiscal health.’’

Until that happens, though, car sales remain subject to the same rules that govern anything else sold to tourists and other visitors: you buy an item whether a trinket, a T-shirt or a pickup truck, you pay the tax, regardless of where you intend to use it.

Martinez contended that a change in tax laws will promote tourism.

“I was born and raised in Casa Grande and it’s a great place to live and, it turns out, a great place to bring amazing tour-

ism into the state,’’ she told colleagues.

Part of what could make that possible, Martinez said, is the Lucid factory that it turning out a line of all-electric cars that start retailing at $87,400 and go up from there. She said the company encourages would-be buyers to fly in, see how the vehicle is made and learn how to drive it on a test track.

“They would also be staying here, eating in our restaurants and staying in our hotels, bringing more money into the economy,’’ Martinez said.

She likened it to the practice of some European car manufacturers that encourage people to visit their plants, pick up their vehicles cars there, drive them around as part of their vacation and then ship them home.

Only thing is, anything purchased in Arizona and picked up here is subject to the state’s 5.6% sales tax plus any county and

local taxes.

Buyers can ship their cars out of state –even as close as New Mexico – and pick them up there or they can ship them directly to their home states.

Martinez proposed skipping that step, allowing a new car buyer from anywhere else to get a 30-day permit to drive the vehicle around Arizona without paying the sales tax.

The Legislature’s own budget staffers figured that somewhere between 600 and 1,200 out-of-state buyers might take advantage of such a deal. Figuring a typical purchase price of $35,000, that would mean a loss of between $840,000 and $1.68 million.

Using an average figure, budget analysts figured that at about $1,400 per vehicle. But those staffers were skeptical that the

This photo by author Cathryn Creno shows how solar panels can barely be seen on the roof of her Ahwatukee home. (Cathy Creno/AFN Contributor)

SOLAR from page 35

Program, Valley television stations, a radio personality called Rosie on the House, City Councilman Kevin Robinson, Mayor Kate Gallego and officials with Phoenix’s building inspection department.

Sun Valley Chief Operating Officer Chris LaMotte calls the frustrating 10-months between the time I signed a contract with his company and when my system was powered up “an isolated and infrequent occurrence.”

He blames Phoenix building inspectors for the long delay. Phoenix blames Sun Valley for the hold up.

Am I happy that I purchased a solar energy system? Absolutely yes.

But would I recommend my experience to someone without time to hover over every aspect of a solar construction project? Absolutely not.

Why solar?

A year ago, my aunt and uncle in wintry Michigan thought about our high temperatures and suggested I purchase a generator in case of summer power outages.

The generator at their home has kept them warm when power goes out in winter and saved refrigerators full of food on summer afternoons without power.

I was looking for a way to honor my late mother, who was a master gardener in Franklin County Ohio and loved to speak out against environmental issues like fracking.

I also had finally retired from a long career in journalism and a shorter one in teaching. After years of spending so much time away from home, my dream was to be able to stick around my house in Ahwatukee and enjoy life -- without paying big bills to do so.

It dawned on me that a solar system that also stores power for emergencies would be a better solution than a generator in Phoenix, where the sun is an underused power source.

Last June, I began searching for a solar company to work with.

Sun Valley, which has been around since 2006 and was known to friends who have jobs in energy and sustainability fields, was an easy pick.

It had had only four complaints over the years to the Better Business Bureau of the Pacific Southwest -- all resolved -- and was on short lists of recommended solar companies maintained by SRP and home

Even more important to me, the system I would purchase would include a battery made by the same company that made my Michigan relatives’ generator.

And I would be doing a good thing for Planet Earth.

I signed and then waited ... and waited ... and waited.

I signed a contract with Sun Valley on Aug. 24, having been told by the company’s sales team that I needed to make a decision then if I wanted solar power by holiday time.

The idea of having my December heat fueled by free solar energy instead of the SRP grid sounded great. I signed and waited for Sun Valley to start work on permit applications to my homeowners association, SRP and Phoenix.

Two days later, I received an email from Sun Valley Project Manager Adrianne Herch. She told me to expect my system to be running in three to four months. But she also cautioned that there could be delays.

“Please let me know if I can expedite any of this by making my own calls,” I wrote in an answer to the email. “I know companies often prioritize calls from homeowners.”

would turn solar energy into electricity to power my house and send to the grid when not used, plus the storage battery.

On Oct. 4, I had the radiant barrier roof insulation installed. My roof was 20 years old and due for insulation replacement anyway.

I emailed my solar project manager, hoping she would say the inspections would soon be done and the solar panels would be on their way.

“Permitting with Phoenix can be quite tedious.,” Herch emailed back. “They are short staffed and approvals can take up to 60 days.”

I didn’t talk to Sun Valley again until Nov. 9, when I emailed for a status update. It took until Nov. 21 to find out that my panels were to be installed on Dec. 20 and the garage component installation would begin Jan. 20.

I was not going to have solar-powered heat by Christmas, but certainly I would have it by spring, right? Yes, but only if you count early June as spring.

Meanwhile, I read solar industry trade publications and newspapers that reported things like “Installations slow because of supply chain, other issues” and “Arizona solar customers facing approval delays while paying electric bills.”

At least I wasn’t alone.

And there were some explanations. In addition to supply chain and permitting issues: solar companies faced worker shortages.

improvement experts including the local Rosie on the House and national Bob Vila.

I found Sun Valley staffers easy to communicate with. A few days after I contacted the company last August, I had a clear explanation of how the system I wanted to purchase would work, what the cost would be, and how much the system would save on power bills. I also knew about federal tax credits for the solar system I wanted, radiant barrier roof insulation and additional attic insulation.

I was just trying to be friendly at that point. I had no idea how important making my own calls to Phoenix and other organizations would eventually become. Or how I should have become proactive in making my own phone calls sooner.

My HOA approved plans for 15 solar panels on the southern and western sections of my roof almost immediately.

Getting through the SRP process proved a bit more difficult – Sun Valley kept sending my power company applications for solar to Arizona Public Service. APS serves much of Phoenix, but not Ahwatukee. I pointed this out in an email to Sun Valley.

On Sept. 28, SRP approved the plans for my panels and a system in my garage that

Autumn Johnson, executive director of the Arizona Solar Energy Industries Association, a trade group, said delays in solar installations are widespread throughout Arizona.

Delays in shipping of solar system components has been a problem and “tariff issues have also been an impediment,” she said. The issues were “especially bad last year, but always hanging over us.”

Throughout December and January, my project was scheduled and rescheduled because of worker shortages.

Then on Jan. 24, most of my system was in place and it passed a Phoenix fire inspection. But it was not time for a celebration. That inspection was the only one my system would pass until June.

Like listening to accident witnesses

Listening to Sun Valley officials and Phoenix building inspectors talk about issee SOLAR page 37

An app provides information on power use. The green section shows a full battery, ready for outages. Yellow shows the energy coming in from solar panels. Purple shows the power going from the author’s system to the SRP grid while blue shows the amount of energy being used by her appliances. (Cathryn Creno/AFN Contributor

sues with my circuit breaker panel – the primary reason the system failed building inspections five times – has been a bit like listening to traffic accident witnesses.

Everyone has a different viewpoint depending on their vantage point.

Varying building standards for solar systems among Valley cities appeared to be one issue.

Sun Valley workers sometimes complained to me about the different requirements among cities.

“Some municipalities don’t even inspect” solar systems, explained Darrell Bearden, SRP manager of distributed energy programs.

Lack of communication between the city and Sun Valley also seemed to create misunderstandings.

On Feb. 7, Sun Valley’s Herch emailed me to say that a Phoenix inspector failed my system without talking to a solar technician, who was waiting in his truck for a conversation.

“According to our tech, the inspector looked up at the house and as (the tech) was getting out of the truck, the inspector drove off,” she wrote in an email. “We both called him multiple times and got no answer or return call.”

Sun Valley asked for a visit from that inspector’s supervisor, but that person also gave my system a failing grade.

Bearden and others say Phoenix is among the toughest cities in the Valley when it comes to solar inspections. He noted that that can be a good thing –Phoenix is among the best with keeping up with solar innovations.

“You want the inspectors to be doing their job,” said Angie Holdsworth, public information officer for Phoenix Planning and Development.

“It’s your last line of defense.”

On March 17, during one of Phoenix’s follow up inspections, I stood outside my house with a different inspector, who told me that my system had failed again.

It did not have the correct circuit breakers. I pointed out a second breaker panel box with new switches that Sun Valley officials installed after the last failed inspection. But it did not bring my system

to code.

On March 21, Herch emailed me saying “there is nothing wrong with the panel I can tell.”

Another Sun Valley worker was scheduled to make changes a few days later. And on April 10, Sun Valley shared plans to change out the breakers one more time.

It turned out that much of the problem was Sun Valley officials and the Phoenix inspectors talking past each other.

Sun Valley says Phoenix inspectors indicated they wanted them to install circuit breakers rated for higher level currents.

“We designed a system a half a mile from yours with the same design and during the same time frame,” he said. “That inspector issued a green flag.”

My own initiative

I had told Sun Valley officials several times that I could have patience with delays until the mercury started to rise.

So when my heat pump turned on in May, I contacted the offices of Mayor Kate Gallego, Councilman Kevin Robinson and the city planning department,

I suggested to staffers at all three offices that the city send two building inspection supervisors to my house at the same time. If there are discrepancies in how they are enforcing the building code for solar systems, why not work that out during another inspection?

Two inspectors were eventually sent to my house on June 7 and my system finally passed inspection that day. But this did not happen until Sun Valley finally made Phoenix’s requested changes to the breakers.

And the changes to the breakers were only made after I contacted the Better Business Bureau, the Registrar of Contractors, SRP and others. I have received copies of Sun Valley’s explanations to the BBB and Rosie on the House, the radio home improvement show.

“Your project was installed in a timely fashion ... and was ready for inspection in February,” La Motte said. “The delay lies with the city of Phoenix.”

“If they had fixed it in February, it (the delay) would have been one month or two months,” Holdsworth noted.

I’m not sure either side will ever agree.

Sun Valley requested and obtained a letter from SRP stating that the rating of the breakers in my panel were fine.

Then Phoenix said all it ever wanted were switches that were compatible with my breaker panel.

“It’s electricity we are dealing with,” Holdsworth said. “You don’t want it to just kind of fit.”

Sun Valley’s La Motte insists the delays were caused by Phoenix’s failure to communicate and also with differences in how individual inspectors make decisions.

But meanwhile, I’ve been enjoying the solar panels in action since early June.

On a recent day when I was at home using appliances in full force, the panels generated 35.9 kilowatt hours of power while my house used just 33.4. The rest went to the SRP grid to offset part of a future bill.

I’m finally happy. But no, I don’t plan any more home improvement projects in the near future.

Cathryn Creno is a Valley freelance journalist and retired newspaper writer. She has lived in Ahwatukee since 1981. 

A Sun Valley Solar Solutions worker views an inverter, which converts solar energy to electrify, and a set of batteries, which capture energy that can be used when the sun is down and during power outages. They are in writer Cathryn Creno’s Ahwatukee garage. (Cathryn Creno/AFN Contributor)

HOBBS from page 35

$1,400 loss would be made up by what the car buyers would be spending in Arizona on their trip.

“The visitor would have to spend $28,000 on lodging, restaurant and other retail sales to offset the $1,400 loss on the transaction privilege tax on the vehicle, which seems highly unlikely,’’ the report states.

And that’s based on the loss of sales tax from that “average’’ $35,000 vehicle. While Lucid vehicles start at $87,400, their price tags run up to $249,000, making the lost sales tax from each vehicle significantly higher than that $1,400 average.

Martinez, however, told Capitol Media Services that is the wrong way to look at the situation.

Martinez acknowledged that her legislation would have created an exemption for tourists that doesn’t exist for any other product or service that visitors purchase while they are here. But she said that doesn’t undermine her goal of getting more people to buy their cars here.

“I want people to come into the state and buy something and leave,’’ Martinez said.

Chandler sees 3 new eateries opening

AFN NEWS STAFF

Three new restaurants have opened recently in Chandler.

The Taqueria Factory opened last week at 1155 Ocotillo Road on the southwest corner of Alma School and Ocotillo roads – as did breakfast restaurant Over Easy is opening at 7131 W Ray Road at the Shoppes at Casa Paloma.

The Taqueria Factory was established by the Garfio Family in 2022 after nearly 20 years of operating Frutilandia, a Mexican dessert and snack concept.

The new location is owned by Executive Chef Gabriel Garfio, the son of Gamaliel and Maria Garfio, who co-founded the Frutilandia and Taqueria Factory concepts and franchises.

A chef for over 13 years and a former restaurateur, Gabriel has a background in culinary, restaurant management and catering from Mountain Shadows Resort and Palo Verde Country Club.

“The Chandler community has overwhelmingly supported us since we opened our doors and we are proud to be able to

bring a concept that has been in the making for five years to even more Chandler residents,” said Gamaliel Garfio.

The fast-casual taqueria in Ocotillo offering full service and to-go service is in a 2,600 square-foot space and features a walk-up counter for ordering, seating for up to 75 guests, outdoor dining patio, and an indoor bar.

“I am excited to serve true, made-fromscratch Mexican food with authentic ingredients that all cultures and people can enjoy,” said Gabriel Garfio. “We love the beautiful Ocotillo neighborhood, the friendliness of the residents, and the variety of quality schools, shops, and businesses it has to offer.”

All meats are braised for several hours and cooked in an open kitchen while everything on the menu is made in house, including marinades, guacamoles and salsas.

Highlighting various regions of Mexico including Jalisco and Sinaloa, the food menu offers traditional street-style tacos and quesabirrias, a cross between a taco and quesadilla with melted cheese and

birria-style braised beef stuffed in a handcrafted corn or flour tortilla served with a consommé for dunking.

Happy hour is offered Monday through Friday from 2 to 6 p.m. and all alcoholic beverages are $1.50 off in addition to their daily specials.

Over Easy is offering a Kids Eat Free promotion through June 30. Valid for dine-in only at the I-10 & Ray Road location, kids can eat free with the purchase of an adult entree.

The new 3,000-square-foot restaurant features a main dining room, bar and patio to accommodate up to 145 guests seven days a week for breakfast, brunch and lunch.

Over Easy sports a modern diner vibe decor features that include a custom neon wall and murals specific to its location. The aesthetic décor and great customer service has led to features on the Food Network, including “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives;” in Bon Appétit Magazine as well as recognition as one of America’s best breakfast and brunch restaurants by Travel + Leisure. 

Reasonable expectations for investments

BY JOSEPH ORTIZ AFN Guest Writer

To help achieve your financial goals, you may need to invest in the financial markets throughout your life. However, at times your investment expectations may differ from actual returns, triggering a variety of emotions.

So, what are reasonable expectations to have about your investments?

Ideally, you hope that your investment portfolio will eventually help you meet your goals, both your short-term ones, such as a cross-country vacation, and the long-term ones, such as a comfortable retirement.

But your expectations may be affected by several factors, including the following: Misunderstanding. Various factors in the economy and the financial markets trigger different reactions in different types of investments — so you should expect different results.

When you own stocks, you can generally expect greater price volatility in the short term. Over time, though, the “up” and “down” years tend to average out. When you own bonds, you can expect less volatility than individual stocks, but that’s not to say that bond prices never change.

Generally, when interest rates rise, you can anticipate that the value of your existing, lower-paying bonds may decrease, and when rates fall, the value of your bonds may increase.

Recency bias. Investors exhibit “recency bias” when they place too much emphasis on recent events in the financial markets, expecting that those same events will happen again.

But these expectations can lead to negative behavior. For example, in 2018, the

Dow Jones Industrial Average fell almost 6% – so investors subject to recency bias might have concluded it was best to stay out of the markets for a while. But the Dow jumped more than 22% the very next year.

Of course, the reverse can also be true: In 2021, the Dow rose almost 19%, so investors who might have been susceptible to recency bias may have thought they were in for more big gains right away — but in 2022, the Dow fell almost 9%.

Here’s the bottom line: Recency bias may cloud your expectations about your investments’ performance — and it’s essentially impossible to predict accurately what will happen to the financial markets in any given year.

Anchoring. Another type of investment behavior is known as “anchoring” — an excessive reliance on your original conviction in an investment.

So, for instance, if you bought stock in a company you thought had great prospects, you might want to keep your shares year after year, even after evidence emerges that the company has real risks — for example, poor management, or its products could become outdated, or it could be part of an industry that’s in decline.

But if you stick with your initial belief that the company will inevitably do well, and you’re not open to new sources of information about this investment, your expectations may never be met.

In many areas of life, reality may differ from our expectations — and that can certainly be true for our investments. Being familiar with the factors that can shape your expectations can help you maintain a realistic outlook about your investments.

Joseph Ortiz is a nancial advisor for Edward Jones. Reach him at 480-7537664 or joseph.ortiz@edwardjones. com. 

Maricopa County court system gives hardened killer a break

BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ AFN Columnist

The pre-sentencing report for Anthony Gushee, convicted drug dealer, gunman, cold-blooded killer, runs 14 pages in all. It reads like some crappy Hollywood crime show.

Gushee, 47, has spent life drugging, dealing, o ending, victimizing. e report from Maricopa County’s Adult Probation Departments cites juvenile arrests and “six known misdemeanor convictions, four of which are violent.”

It also details how Gushee was convicted twice in 2003 on felony drug charges –and that’s before we get to this scumbag’s 2019 violent crime spree in Mesa, which takes up most of the pre-sentence report.

“Standard assessments indicate the defendant is a high risk to re-o end with several domains in need of intervention,” the report notes. “ e violent nature of

Medicare should pay for new Alzheimer’s treatment

Seeing your loved one pass away from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia can be crushing. It’s a slow, painful experience, not just for the person living with the disease, but also for their family and loved ones, who often feel as though they have no hope.

I saw my own mother pass away from dementia. But I also saw her last years extended and her quality of life improved thanks to experimental treatments from Johns Hopkins University.

Treatment for early Alzheimer’s disease

two of his pending cases coupled with his history of violence is concerning. His violence is escalating and the police reports indicate he has shown no remorse for his actions.”

Given Gushee’s extensive criminal past, I am beyond amazed that at his sentencing date on June 16 before Superior Court Judge Chuck Whitehead, the killer – who pleaded guilty to aggravated assault for shooting a male victim twice, possession of narcotics and manslaughter for shooting dead 28-year-old Aaron Miller, a father of two – got o with a sentence of only 10.5 years.

A decade for a human life? Talk about getting o easy.

Miller’s sister, Shanice Patterson, objected to the plea agreement as “too lenient.”

According to the pre-sentencing report – which gives Patterson all of a paragraph – she told the Probation O ce “the defendant should never be released from prison” and that “he is a danger to society.”

To say Patterson remains crushed by her

brother’s shooting death in the Windemere Hotel on Main Street and by Gushee’s sentence is to put it even more mildly than did Judge Whitehead.

“As next of kin to a victim of a homicide,” she says, “we had no voice about anything pertaining to the case. We weren’t able to ght for justice for my brother. No one cared.”

Patterson also rebuts the reasoning for the “global plea bargain” laid out in the pre-sentencing report. e document explains that “the State made multiple attempts to contact a key witness, who was unable to be located. Without that witness’s testimony, the State’s case became considerably weaker as the witness was the person who identi ed the defendant as the shooter.”

Says Patterson: “Well, had anyone ever communicated with us, I had text and audio evidence from her, with all the details of the murder. Because a plea was already entered, it was too late to provide that.”

As the nursing student sees it, “I think

the ‘justice’ system took the easy way out. Get a plea deal for a few years. en the criminal will be back on the streets committing more crimes like he has been for the past three decades.”

Gushee spent 1,200 days behind bars before the plea. us, he’s scheduled to walk out of prison on Oct. 16, 2028. Circle that date, because if the past is prelude, Gushee will commit yet another crime spree and maybe take a few more lives shortly thereafter.

Until then, Aaron Miller’s family will do their best to explain his death to his 11-year-old son and to the daughter Miller never met, a little girl who just turned four and lives with her grandmother.

“I can’t comprehend how a life is only worth a few years,” says Shanice Patterson. “I feel like we were just another case number that was led away and forgotten.”

If you ask me, the person we needed to forget about was the man who pulled the trigger. Right after we locked up Anthony Gushee and threw away the key. 

patients has improved after the FDA approved monoclonal antibodies that have been shown safe and e ective at reducing amyloid plaque, a major cause of Alzheimer’s, from the brain.

Unfortunately, this important treatment isn’t available to enough patients because the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), won’t cover these monoclonal antibodies for patients su ering from the disease.

is level of overreach by CMS is unprecedented: they haven’t restricted access to treatments for other life-threatening diseases like cancer and HIV. In

those instances, they’ve let patients and their doctors pursue the course of action that most makes sense for them. Just like those other diseases, the earlier treatment is started for Alzheimer’s and dementia, the better the outcomes will be for the patient.

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema has been a leader when it comes to caring for Alzheimer’s patients, and I urge her to be a leader again by telling CMS to change their coverage determination that is preventing so many Alzheimer’s patients from accessing the treatment they need.

-Kevin Sloan

Transgender athletes should compete in Special Olympics

Why not have transgender athletes become a part of Special Olympics? After all, they are a special class.

If this was instituted they could compete against each other and if those athletes declined the invitation, it would be apparent that they wanted to compete against women for the notoriety, scholarships or other money and possibly nefarious reasons.

-Jane Emery

Boys’ Section 7 weekend bigger than ever

BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

It all kicked off Thursday night with a first for most high school basketball players: a 3-point contest and slam dunk competition, much like what is seen during All-Star Weekend in the NBA.

But that’s what the goal of Section 7 was this year and has been since it moved to State Farm Stadium in Glendale in 2021, to provide an All-Star atmosphere for the over 160 teams invite from across the country. The event featured 12 courts sprawled across the concrete floor where the Cardinals’ playing field usually sits.

The schools, with rosters outfitted with college talent for every level, had the opportunity to play in front of more than 400 college coaches. But Section 7, which seeming gets bigger every year, got even bigger this time around.

It provided opportunities for more Ari-

zona schools, over 90 the first two days in a play-in style tournament.

“There’s nothing like it,” Mountain Pointe Head Coach Kaimarr Price said.

“Even if you play high-level club there’s nothing like playing with guys you’re familiar with on this stage. All 12 courts like this, fans, it’s just an opportunity to see where you really are in your game.”

Known as the Section 7 Qualifier, it opened the doors for programs to play their way into the main weekend of the event. There were 12 brackets in total for the qualifier, with the champion of each advancing.

Mountain Point lost its opening game to Cienega, an Open Division team last season that returned most of its starters. The Pride were without starter Amous Price, who figures to add some size and shooting ability alongside others this season.

The Pride are young, with sophomore Joseph Lindsey leading the way at point guard. He established himself as a leader last season as he helped lead his team to see BOYS page 43

Mountain Pointe RB Christian Clark commits to Texas

BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

Mountain Pointe running back Christian Clark, who quickly became one of the most soughtafter recruits in the country, has committed to Texas.

The four-star rated running back announced his decision to continue his academic and athletic career with the Longhorns on Thursday, choosing them over Alabama, Florida State, Georgia and Oregon – the four other schools in his top five.

“The environment, the whole environment,” Clark said about what drew him to Texas. “I think outside of football, too, so the academics are top-notch. Coach (Tashard) Choice will develop me into a great player, and I love the vision they have for me, him and coach (Steve Sarkisian).

“It just felt like home.”

Clark’s recruitment picked up steam after his junior season with the Pride, where

he was part of a three-headed monster in the backfield alongside Jaylen Rushing, who signed to play with Washburn University this fall, and Randle Parker, who is also receiving Division I offers.

At 6-foot, 205 pounds, Clark showed his explosiveness as a runner with the Pride. Rushing was the Pride’s power back, bulldozing over defenders. Parker was the speedster, who was able to get around the edge and run away from defenders down the sideline.

Clark became a hybrid of the two while also showcasing his ability to catch passes out of the backfield. He rushed for 737 yards and 11 touchdowns last season while splitting carries. He also caught 37 passes for 368 yards and five touchdowns.

As his junior film hit the desk of college recruiters, the offers began pouring in. On Jan. 11 it was the University of Arizona, followed by Oregon seven days later. Before

see CLARK page 43

Mountain Pointe boys basketball Head Coach Kaimarr Price believes Section 7 outdid itself once again with the addition of the play-in tournament that allowed players the chance to be seen by college coaches that are catered more toward their level of play. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

Mountain Pointe running back Christian Clark, rated a four-star prospect by national recruiting services, announced his commitment to Texas on Thursday, June 22. (Dave Minton/Staff Photographer)

the postseason.

Despite not making it to the weekend, the opportunity to play in front of college coached – especially those who are from lower-level programs – is always something Price looks forward to with his team.

“It gives a wider scope of coaches that see your players,” Price said. “We had a couple of guys who ended up being the best players on our team who were D2 or D3 caliber guys who played in front of a bunch of D1 coaches last year, which isn’t quite helping them as much.

“So the opportunity to win the qualifier and play in front of D1s but also play in front of the rest of the coaches now, can’t beat that.”

Lindsey was disappointed with the outcome of the Pride’s first game. But they went on to win their final two to finish 2-1 overall.

The event provided an outlet for teammates to become accustomed to one another, as some new faces joined the roster via transfer or moving up in the program.

“I feel like it’s a chance for me to be a leader for my team,” Lindsey said. “It’s big. There’s a lot of people here to watch.”

Like Mountain Pointe, Desert Vista fell

CLARK from page 42

January ended, he had received 18 more offers, most from Power Five programs.

Alabama, Miami, Ole Miss, Stanford, Auburn and Texas A&M trickled in from February through April. But Texas, which offered in January, remained on him the hardest.

“There wasn’t a week that went by I didn’t talk to coach Choice,” Clark said. “I was getting text messages, letters. They stayed on me pretty hard.”

There was a point in time where Clark and his family began to doubt whether the offers would come. But once he received offers from Colorado State and Liberty before his junior season, he realized quickly that he did have the potential to play at the next level.

Clark has always wanted to be like his older brother, Jaden, who currently plays defensive back at Arizona. Yet, he wanted to forge his own path.

Seeing Jaden move on to play the sport they love motivated him. That motivation led him to work hard in the weight room

in its first game. The Thunder lost to Gilbert Christian by one point. The Knights went on to win the bracket and advance to the weekend.

Desert Vista also plans to enter the season with a young roster, which meant playing at Section 7 was key for players to become accustomed to a setting that is vastly different from what they are used to

and on the field, improving his craft.

That hard work allowed him to become the four-star, No. 2 ranked all-purpose back in the country. But most importantly, he’s a future SEC running back and has the chance to follow in the footsteps of Bijan Robinson, who played for the Longhorns out of Salpointe Catholic in Tucson and was picked No. 8 overall by the Atlanta Falcons in April.

“Bijan, he wants me to be better than him,” Clark said. “It means a lot, to see what he did to become one of the best running backs in the country. What he did at Texas, it speaks for itself.”

Texas was last on Clark’s list for an official visit. He was in Austin from June 16-18.

He was used to having the red carpet rolled out to him from programs like Florida State and Oregon on his two previous official visits. But Texas was different.

It felt like home for Clark and his parents, Ric and Shannon, who are only a two-hour flight away. They loved the people and the city of Austin. So much so that Clark plans to graduate in December and enroll early so he’s on cam-

At 6-foot-4, he looks the part of an upper classmen. He plays like one, too.

But the incoming freshman is still young and was caught off guard with atmosphere State Farm Stadium provided for him and his team. They felt like stars walking through the multi-colored lights in the players’ tunnel. He and his team were able to relax in the top-notch player lounge, too.

All teams receive All-Star-like treatment at Section 7. It’s part of what makes the event a must-attend for programs like the Thunder, who are eager to get their players in front of college coaches early.

“I just expected our guys to come out and compete,” Desert Vista Head Coach Walter Bonner said. “I saw a couple of coaches that I know so there were a few that saw our guys. Some of them put themselves in good situations.”

at the school’s gym.

“It felt like a rush,” Desert Vista forward DJ Spencer said. “The open space and the amount of people that were watching, it kind of got my nerves up. I’m glad we got to play in front of these coaches, and we had an opportunity to win.”

Spencer has played a major role in Desert Vista’s summer games up to this point.

pus next spring.

“It’s easy for them, it’s an easy flight,” Clark said. “My mom, she loves it. My dad, they all love it. This has been a dream come true.

Bonner doubled down on the experience for Desert Vista’s young roster. Section 7 provided the perfect transition into what will be a long few months of work preparing for the start of the winter season.

“It helps our guys see what’s out there,” Bonner said. “See different style of play. They’ve been battle tested. They were battle tested last year. I think it will be a pretty exciting year.” 

“The process has been fun, but it can get stressful at times. Now I’m able to focus and finish out my high school career and do well academically and be the best back I can be my senior year.” 

Desert Vista Head Coach Walter Bonner is no stranger to Section 7, but this is the first time he’s been there with the Thunder. He believes they showed that while they’re young, they have the ability to be successful this season. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

July 4th brings a plethora of nearby events

GETOUT STAFF

The days of Ahwatukee’s own fireworks show are long gone, the last one occurring in 2016.

But there are plenty of Independence Day fireworks shows and other entertainment within easy reach of the community on July 4.

One of the biggest July 4 events occurs in Mesa, where the AT&T Fiber Arizona Celebration of Freedom is more than a fireworks show. The event features two outdoor stages for entertainment and patriotic programs and additional unique patriotic programs that are out of the heat and inside the Mesa Convention Center. Stage America will be on the grass outside the Mesa Convention Center, featuring Cold Shott and The Hurricane Horns. A brief Salute to America program will be on the stage at 9:15 p.m. followed by fire-

works at 9:30 p.m.

The Mesa Amphitheatre will host Revolutionary War reenactments from We Make History at 6:45 p.m., 7:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. Patriotic music will be performed by the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary Arizona Band in between the reenactments.

Other outdoor activities include the Patriotic Military Showcase with various military vehicles on display; the Great AllAmerican Car Show and The BMX Patriotic Superhero Stunt Show with performances at 6:30 p.m., 7:20 p.m. and 8:10 p.m.

Several patriotic programs will be inside the air-conditioned Mesa Convention Center, including the Let Freedom Ring Laser Light Show. The spectacular laser displays, photos and patriotic music will be at 7 p.m., 8 p.m. and 9 p.m.

The Fallen Soldiers Memorial is a

see FIREWORKS page 46

Museum of the West features Warhol, Schenck

BY ALEX GALLAGHER GetOut Arts Editor

Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West has opened a new eye-popping exhibition that features the works of Andy Warhol and Billy Schenck.

“Western Pop: Andy Warhol & Billy Schenck” features 14 screen prints culled from Warhol’s Cowboys & Indians collection, Warhol’s last major production, and 29 oil canvas paintings and serigraphs from Schenck’s “Myth of the American West” collection.

The works were previously displayed at the Briscoe Western Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas.

“We were working with the Briscoe Western Art Museum since 2018 to negotiate and get it here and it’s really a wonderful first-of-its-kind exhibition for us,” said museum Assistant Director Dr. Tricia Loscher.

“It’s just a wonderful exhibition to house

two powerful artists in Andy Warhol, who is an iconic name, and Billy Schenck, who is less known globally. The marriage of those two artists made it a perfect fit for us.”

When Loscher first learned that there was a collection of Western artworks made by an artist best known for silk-screen

paintings of soup cans and celebrities like Marilyn Monroe, she did a double take.

“I was just fascinated with the idea of this and how it hasn’t been presented how Andy Warhol was part of the West despite being based out of New York and how he influenced the West and other artists,”

Loscher said.

Only 250 copies of the Warhol portfolio were printed.

Loscher discovered that Warhol had a strong affinity for Western culture.

He frequently donned cowboy boots, shot the satirical Hollywood western “Lonesome Cowboys” in North Tucson and Oracle, and frequently visited the Gustaf George High Museum and the National Museum of the American Indian in New York to sift through its archives.

Warhol drew inspiration from photographs and postcards he found in the archives and began working on “Cowboys & Indians” in 1985, nearly two years before his death.

He created silk-screen prints of figures like General George Custer, President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt and commonly traded items like the buffalo nickel and Katsina dolls made the Hopi tribe.

Mesa is among the nearby cities featuring fireworks and a host of other Independence Day attractions. (Special to GetOut)

The new exhibit at Western Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West features works by Andy Warhol and Bill Schenck that pay homage to the American West and Native Americans. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

Rockers Don Broco bring energy to the Valley

BY ALEX GALLAGHER GetOut Arts Editor

Don Broco will hit the Valley July 2 when its tour with alt-rock/emo titans Pierce the Veil and The Used stops at the Arizona Financial Theatre.

Vocalist Rob Damiani is excited to do two things when he lands in Arizona: rip a gig to remember and visit a restaurant that gives him a taste of home, Cornish Pasty Co.

“Pasties are such a fundamental part of the British diet,” Damiani explained. “As a kid, it was a real treat every few weeks when my mum and dad would bring back some pasties from either the butcher or town and it just feels like this kind of like homey meal.

“Every time we can, we try to get one to eat there and then another to eat after the show and sometimes to take the next day. That’s one of our favorite Arizona spots.”

In addition to eating hometown cravings, Cornish Pasty Co.’s entrees serve as the perfect sustenance for the band’s energetic performance, according to Damiani. “It’s going to be an intense performance so I think anyone who goes to the show should make sure you’ve had a few chill days and that they’ve eaten a good Cor-

nish Pasty,” Damiani said. “You’re going to be like jumping around a lot and you’re going to be exhausted afterward.”

Don Broco sees its current jaunt as an opportunity to capture the audience with its energetic sound.

“These rooms will be really big, and it’s just such an insane package of incredible

bands,” Damiani said. “So, it’s a massive honor to be invited out to play with those guys. I was a massive fan of The Used as a kid and we have taken elements from their sounds like the (guitar riffs) of The Used and Pierce The Veil.”

Though Don Broco’s sound is a departure from the co-headliners’ vulnerable

lyrics, punk rock beats and metal-style riffs, Don Broco aims to “probably stand out by bringing the energy.”

“It’s our job to get the party started and get the crowd absolutely in the zone for the time that The Used and then Pierce the Veil come on. So, we’re playing all the songs that do that,” Damiani said.

Don Broco has a high-intensity setlist plotted for the tour that includes hightempo tracks like “Gumshield,” “Bruce Willis,” “Pretty” and “One True Prince.”

However, the highlight of the night could very well be the final track, “T-shirt Song,” which Damiani said was written about a last-call tradition at British pubs.

“The song took me back to my student days where we used to do this thing where at the end of a night out, we would take our T-shirts off and swing them around our heads to the (beat of the) ‘Baywatch’ theme,” Damiani recalls. “It was this stupid sort of drunken release of the coming together of people, which is why I took that idea and put it in the song.

“The way the song builds as well and builds to this moment of release for me and it’s always going to be like the perfect end of the set to leave everyone kind of

“It’s very interesting that he was consciously thinking about how he was going to do – and what he was trying to say with – this series,” Loscher said.

“He really spoke through his heart about his love of the American West which didn’t come out of his work that often.”

Loscher hopes that the images draw younger audiences and create a better understanding of the American West.

“It’s really about making those connections between the artists and how the West has influenced different artists working in different ways from silk screens to serigraphs to paintings,” Loscher said.

Once guests turn the corner past Warhol’s work, they are greeted with similarly fashioned works by Schenck, a New Mexico who grew up in Wyoming and was strongly influenced by Warhol.

“He was in New York in the days when Andy Warhol was there working at the same time and he had an opportunity to

work a little bit with Warhol,” Loscher explains. “Schenck was really influenced by Warhol and what those artists in New York were doing along with some of the themes shown in Hollywood films.

“That’s when he started to create what

we see today in his work with his pop art, iconic imagery that speaks to a vast array of mass consumerism and stereotypes.”

Like Warhol, Schenck was strongly interested in the American West and Native American culture.

The bulk of Schenck’s works pay paying homage to beloved spaghetti westerns.

“Billy Schenck took film stills and reinterpreted it,” Loscher said.

One of the most noticeable characters depicted in the exhibition is Clint Eastwood’s “The Man With No Name” from “A Fistful of Dollars” and “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly.”

“By having an exhibition like this where we can address a lot of topics with our docents, we can reach out to new audiences and address that narrative of traditional Western art or Western realism while telling those stories with different color palettes,” Loscher said.

Loscher also sees this exhibition as a starting point for bigger conversations and events that could take place at Western

Spirit: Scottsdale’s Museum of the West in the near future.

“I think there are so many conversations that could and need to happen out of this,” she said.

“It’d be wonderful to do a symposium for a weekend with different speakers on different perspectives that way different generations could give their interpretation.

“What I would like to start doing more is having exhibitions where it’s almost curated by the community where people can come in and talk about works and get so many different perspectives and ways of thinking about pieces.” 

“Western Pop: Andy Warhol & Billy Schenck”

When: On display now through Nov. 26 during museum hours

Where: 3830 N. Marshall Way, Scottsdale

Cost: Admission starts at $25 Info: Scottsdalemuseumwest.org

The United Kingdom’s Don Broco will be playing the Arizona Financial Theatre this Sunday. (Special to GetOut)

MUSEUM from page 45

Andy Warhol was fond of American West legends, like Annie Oakley. (David Minton/Staff Photographer)

see DON BROCO page 47

breathtaking memorial honoring the Arizona fallen heroes from the war on terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan. Historic flags of the U.S. will be presented at 6:30 p.m., 7:15 p.m., 8 p.m. and 8:45 p.m.

Information: azcelebrationo reedom.com.

For people who want to start celebrating early, world-class marching music groups meet in Mesa for the 2023 Drums Across the Desert competition beginning at 8 p.m. at Mesa Community College Riggs Stadium, near the southeast corner of Dobson Road and Southern Avenue.

The event features Broadway-style choreographed programs of spectacular music, dance, color and precision formationspresented by skilled groups of brass, drums and flags, whose members are age 16-21.

Tickets begin at $19 and can be purchased online at.arizonaacademy.org.

SCOTTSDALE

Not to be outdone is Scottsdale, where the celebration runs 5-9 p.m. Tuesday at WestWorld, Bell Road & 96th Street.

Highlights include a massive rodeo show, cheeseburger slider eating contest, fireworks and an all-you-can-eat picnic.

Fans are invited to join Junior Knight training under the guidance of Medieval

feeling like they felt something you know, in that moment.”

Damiani hopes to create a memorable experience the audience will remember

Knights while others may want to catch circus performers that include contortionists, acrobats, clowns and jugglers.

The event also includes a tribute to 100 Years of Disney and a fireworks display that will paint the night sky pink as a tribute to the new film “Barbie.” Barbie will make her appearance at WestWorld on roller skates.

M Culinarywill serve an all-you-can-eat patriotic feast featuring an assortment of BBQ favorites and there will be fun and games indoors as well. The event is cashless, so tickets and more information can be found at scottsdale4th.com

Here are some other July 4 celebrations that occur next Tuesday, unless otherwise indicated.

PHOENIX

The Phoenix Parks and Recreation Department is returning its annual fireworks event at Steele Indian School Park, 300 E. Indian School Road. 6-10 p.m. with fireworks starting at 9:15 p.m. The fireworks display features over 7,800 aerial effects at the free, non-alcoholic family event.

The event will include food, music, and games for all ages. ATMs will not be available.. There is no vehicle entrance and no public parking at the event. The rideshare/ taxi area is located on 2nd Street just south of Indian School Road.

forever.

“I hope that they get an experience out of it that they’ll cherish forever,” he says. “We love rock music. We love all types of music and we try and bring that into our songs in a fresh and exciting way. 

TEMPE

There was a time when downtown Tempe hosted one of the region’s biggest fireworks shows along with a variety of pre-fireworks activities. But then COVID hit, forcing its cancelation. The fireworks are returning but the celebration will now be held at Tempe Diablo Stadium, 2200 W. Alameda Drive 6-10 p.m.

Tickets are $10 for general admission adult and $100 for VIP adult. Tickets must be purchased online in advance. VIP tickets include a spectacular view of the fireworks, shaded and seated area, catered dinner, dessert bar, non-alcoholic drinks, a special goody bag and exclusive parking. Kids VIP tickets are $50. Proceeds help benefit the Kiwanis Club of Tempe.

Children under 10 are free and on-site parking is $10.

The celebration includes performances by NineBall and and country music upand-comer Presley Tennant. The Family Fun Zone will offer a free inflatable village for all ages with a variety of rides, rock climbing walls and more.

A food court will feature a variety of summer treats.

Tickets/information: tempe4th.com.

GILBERT

Celebrants will fill Gilbert Regional Park, featuring performances by Buddy Martell and Voyager, fireworks and “aerial entertainment.”

Gilbert Regional Park, 3005 E. Queen Creek Road, Gilbert, 4-9:30 p.m., free with VIP experiences available, gilbertaz.gov

CHANDLER

Chandler plans a big party to celebrate the Fourth of July, but there will be no fireworks.

Chandler’s All-American Bash takes place from 7-9:30 p.m. at Dr. A.J. Chandler Park in downtown. Local band Turn It Up will perform two 60-minute sets on the main stage.

A city spokesperson said the reason there will be no fireworks is there is not a large enough drop zone in downtown to set them off safely. A five-minute pyrotechnic show will be part of the concert.

People can park for free and bring food, non-alcoholic drinks, coolers, and lawn chairs. Alcohol and fireworks are not permitted. 

ACROSS

1 America's uncle

4 "Dracula" author Stoker

8 Leftovers recipe

12 Chinese chairman

13 Roof overhang

14 Arizona tribe

15 Samovar

16 On the rocks

17 Hurler Hershiser

18 "Syriana" Oscar winner

21 British ref. work

22 Caribou kin

23 Gold-loving king

26 "See ya!"

27 Scale abbr.

30 Privy to

31 "Of course"

32 Cheer (for)

33 Joke

34 Chic, to Austin Powers

35 Five dozen

36 Droop

37 Iota

38 1997 film starring Nicole Kidman and 18-Across

45 Only

46 Algeria's neighbor

47 Granada gold

48 "Mamma Mia" group

49 La Scala solo

50 Apprehend

51 Katy Perry hit song

52 Adolescent

53 Ninny

DOWN

1 Overconfident

2 Bern's river

3 Stereo alternative

4 Linen shades

5 Sped

6 Opposite of "sans"

7 Musical mixes

8 Trembled

9 Undecided

10 Duel tool

11 Sly

19 Reddish horse

20 Flamenco cheer

23 "Top Gun" target

24 -- ji y

25 Pooch

26 Nap site

King Crossword

27 Bagel topper

28 Automaton, for short 29 Hog haven

31 Pad you bring to exercise class

32 Ms. Moreno

34 West of Hollywood

35 Ape

36 Asparagus unit

37 Prove untrue

38 Despot

39 Vagrant

40 Exile isle

41 Give a darn

42 Hawaiian co ee

43 Historic periods

44 Filches

Sudoku

She was 52, widowed, without a job or career and about to navigate her way through the Great Depression. It was 1930 and Irma S. Rombauer was living her greatest nightmare.

Yet, the woman described by her daughter Marion as, “a competent but not extraordinary cook,” went on to sell 18 million copies of her iconic “The Joy of Cooking,” one of the most widely read cookbooks of all time.

Dazzle your guests with this unique cheesecake

The cookbook, according to Marion, evolved from a collection of recipes used by her mother as part of a cooking course for the First Unitarian Women’s Alliance as well as recipes from numerous friends and family members.

When Irma Rombauer died, Marion continued to publish her mother’s recipes. That is how I found this incredible recipe for a savory pesto cheesecake with sundried tomatoes. It comes from the “Joy of Cooking All About Party

Ingredients:

• Seasoned dry breadcrumbs

• 2 cups pesto, divided

• 1 pound whole milk ricotta cheese

• 4 eggs

• 1 cup sour cream, divided

• ½ teaspoon grated lemon zest

½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

• 1 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

12 sun-dried tomato halves in oil, drained

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly butter an 8-inch spring form or round cake pan. Dust the bottom and sides of the pan with breadcrumbs. In a large bowl, mix ½ cup of pesto with ricotta, eggs, ½ cup sour cream, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt and black pepper.

Pour into the prepared pan. Bake in a water bath until set, 30 to 35 minutes.

Note: To bake using a water bath, you will need a baking pan that is large enough to hold the cake pan and is also large enough to allow for water to surround the cake pan. Add about an inch of very hot water to the baking

Foods” cookbook.

If you’re looking to wow your guests with a gorgeous, savory centerpiece, this sundried tomato and pesto cheesecake will absolutely do the job.

As Irma Rombauer wrote in her cookbook, “When you are entertaining, try not to feel that something unusual is expected of you. It isn’t. Just be yourself.” I would add, let a recipe like this one speak for itself!

and chopped.

For The Liquids

• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

• ¾ teaspoon liquid smoke (hickory or mesquite)

• 2 heaping tablespoons ketchup

• 1/4 cup beer, room temperature

• 1 cup soup stock

• 2 tablespoons butter

• ¼ cup Clamato juice, optional

pan. Make sure to add enough water to ensure that the water does not fully evaporate during the baking process. When done, remove from the water bath and transfer to a rack to cool. Cover and refrigerate until cold, 6 to 12 hours.

Slide a knife or thin metal spatula around the outside of the cake and remove the outer ring. Spread the remaining 1 ½ cups of pesto around the sides of the cheesecake. S pread remaining ½ cup sour cream on top in an even layer. Arrange chopped sun-dried tomato on top along outer edge. Serve with crostini toast or lavosh.