Ahwatukee Foothills News - 10.6.2021 by Times Media Group

INSIDE:

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MASKS THROUGH OCTOBER?

A FATHER'S LOVE

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NEW SCHOOL

. 33

INSPIRATION

. 39

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

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Kyrene override ballots headed to voters’ mailboxes BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

egistered voters in Kyrene School District will be receiving their ballots this week for its all-mail override election. The deadline already has passed to register for the Nov. 2 election, which is asking voters to let the district keep its maintenance and operations budget – which covers basic day-today expenses, including salaries – 15 percent above state limits. And at least some voters can expect a knock

Phoenix to give some families debit cards for up to $1K a month

on their door in the coming weeks as the cochairs of the Keep Kyrene Strong Committee prepare to canvass the district to plead for their support. Triné Thomas Nelson of Ahwatukee, who is co-chairing the Keep Kyrene Strong Committee with Ivan Alfaro of Tempe, said she is looking for volunteers to help get the word out. They can reach her through the Kyrene/ DVHS/MPHS/parents Facebook page. At stake is about $14 million in additional annual revenue for the district, which costs an additional $160 in annual property taxes,

'Tis the season

according to the voters pamphlet. That translates into 200 teaching positions – roughly 20 percent of the district’s teachers. While the district still has a year left on funding from its 2017 override election, the Governing Board opted to go to voters this year for a number of reasons. First, next year promises a crowded ballot with state offices, council and school board races, and other elected positions as well as what likely will be a long list of propositions

see OVERRIDE page 12

BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

hoenix officials have allocated $12 million for distribution to needy families, likely through some form of debit card that will be good for $500 to $1,000 a month for 12 months. The plan, approved by City Council last month, would be aimed at aiding households that applied for Phoenix’s rental assistance plan and those living in city-owned housing or who have Section 8 rental assistance vouchers – though the final selection of recipients will likely be done through a lottery of some kind. The program is funded by some of the city’s share of American Relief Plan Act money and would begin by January. Vice Mayor Carlos Garcia said he was “really

see DEBIT CARDS page 14

Doug and Rose Maldonado of Ahwatukee have begun their nightly Halloween display and if you've never seen it, you're in for a treat. To find out how to see it, go to page 45.(Courtesy

of Doug and Rose Maldonado)

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

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High court to consider masks in November BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

he Arizona Supreme Court has agreed to hear arguments about whether the ban on mask mandates at public schools was legally enacted, but the mandate in Kyrene and Tempe Union school districts likely will remain throughout October at a minimum unless COVID-19 transmission levels subside. In a brief order, the court set a hearing for Nov. 2 on the bid by Attorney General Mark Brnovich to overturn a Sept. 27 ruling by Maricopa County Superior Court Judge Katherine Cooper that the provision in a new state law blocking schools from making these decisions was approved in an unconstitutional manner. The move means that Brnovich won’t have to first make his case to the Court of Appeals that Cooper’s ruling, which could forever change how legislation is enacted, overstepped her authority. It also means that schools with mask mandates, like Kyrene and Tempe Union, can keep them at least through October – if not longer. But the expedited briefing schedule and the Nov. 2 hearing is a setback for attorney Roopali Desai, who represents the education groups and their allies that first sued and got Cooper to rule in their favor. She had wanted more time to prepare her arguments for the justices, as whatever they rule will set new legal precedents and could change forever how legislation is adopted. A normal court schedule would give her 30 days to respond to the state’s arguments. Instead, the justices told Brnovich to file his arguments by Tuesday, giving Desai a week after that to respond. And others who want to weigh in have to submit their briefs by Oct. 15. The justices also made it clear they don’t want to be buried in legal arguments. They limited each side’s opening legal briefs to no more than 5,000 words, about a third of what attorneys normally are allowed to file. In some ways, the decision to expedite was expected. The court previously has spurned Brnovich’s arguments that, given the nature of the dispute and the effect on legislation, it should immediately put Cooper’s ruling on hold. The Nov. 2 hearing date guarantees a decision by the high court by the time lawmakers reconvene in January. Hanging in the balance is the future of the practice of lawmakers to put various apparently unrelated changes in state law into a package of what they call “budget reconciliation bills.’’ Desai charged -- and Cooper agreed -- that the practice at the very least violates a constitutional requirement that the title of a measure reflect what is in it so as to inform not just lawmakers but the public. The judge noted, for example, that a bill titled as

see MASKS page 6

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MASKS from page 3

dealing with budget reconciliation for K-12 education also included a restriction on how schools can teach about race and gender, authorized lawsuits against public employees for conduct related to public schools, as well as making it illegal for school boards to require students and staff to wear masks while on campus. “What do these measures have to do with the budget?’’ Cooper asked. The judge also voided all or part of three other measures for similar reasons. Assistant Attorney General Michael Catlett, arguing for Brnovich, contends that it is up to lawmakers to decide what is relevant to a bill. And he said that courts are powerless to tell a separate branch of government how to operate. Cooper, however, said she is not telling lawmakers what to approve but instead determining if they acted in accord with the Arizona Constitution. “Whether the legislature complied with the requirements of (the Constitution) and whether a provision is reasonably related to ‘budget reconciliation’ are questions properly before the court,’’ she wrote.

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

The reconciliation bills have often been used for “logrolling,’’ putting unpopular changes in law into a single package that forces legislators who want another provision to have to support because of the take-it-or-leave-it nature. That is precisely what happened earlier this year after lawmakers refused to approve a bill that proponents said prohibits the teaching of “critical race theory.’’ For example, it would bar teaching that someone is inherently biased due to those their ethnicity, race or sex, or that an individual should feel discomfort, guilt or psychological stress because of any of the same factors. But it became part of the larger K-12 budget reconciliation bill, a measure that, aside from the ban on mask mandates, also included changes in state aid formula for schools that many legislators support. If the Supreme Court upholds Cooper’s ruling, that practice would have to come to a halt. It isn’t just the Republican lawmakers who control the House and Senate who want the high court to void the decision. Her ruling also drew fire from Gov. Doug Ducey, who supported the changes like

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the ban on school mask mandates, who called Cooper a “rogue judge.’’ Kyrene and Tempe Union immediately extended their mask mandates indefinitely as soon as Cooper ruled. And the day after her ruling, opponents and proponents of the move let the Kyrene Governing Board hear their reactions at its regular meeting. “I love that my child is back to learning, socializing, loving school, developing in-person in the safest environment possible,” said Justin Jensen, who is both a Kyrene teacher and a parent. “I love that I can see my kids in person in the safest environment possible,” he said. “I love the amount of learning that I’ve seen occur in the first quarter of the year. I love seeing my kids working together, supporting one another, teaching one another in-person.” Another parent noted the recent Centers for Disease Control study that reported that school districts in Maricopa and Pima counties that did not have mask mandates in place when the school year began have a 60 percent higher rate of COVID cases than districts that did. “It’s a difficult decision that you have

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to make, but please stay strong,” she said. “My kid is thriving and she’s finally back in school.” Others who spoke to or emailed the board weren’t so complimentary. One parent called the mandate “a power grab” while another noted nearby districts that make mask optional and sarcastically noted that while the virus was at Cardinals Stadium or in gyms “it seems like it settled here in Kyrene.” Data released by county health officials last Thursday showed Kyrene’s virus transmission level is in the highest category and was basically unchanged from the previous week with 215 COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people and new positive test results at 10.3 percent. Another woman said she had been looking forward to Sept. 29, when the mandate ban was to go into effect so her daughter wouldn’t have to wear a mask. “So I guess I get to home-school her when she could absolutely flourish from a decent education. It’s unfortunate that she can’t because you guys did this to them. So she has the right and the freedom to be able to breathe and being deprived of oxygen is just suffocating them slowly.” ■

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Diamondbacks honor Altadeña STEM teacher AFN NEWS STAFF

STEM teacher at Altadeña Middle School in Ahwatukee recently won special $1,000 STEM grant through the Arizona Diamondbacks in partnership with Honeywell as the result of a student’s nomination. Daniel Jordan, who teaches one of the most popular elective classes in Kyrene, guides students in problem, solving during projects. “You can feel Mr. Jordan’s passion for STEM education from the moment you walk into his classroom. He makes class fun and engaging,” Kyrene spokeswoman Stephanie Ingersoll said. “STEM toys and tools like 3D printers and model rockets fill his room to show students how STEM impacts their everyday lives. Jordan explained, “There is no roadmap to STEM education. In my class, students are encouraged to let curiosity drive the lesson.”

When he saw interest in STEM dwindle, he advocated for growing and improving the program across all grade levels. In three years, Jordan turned the Altadena STEM program around. Currently, the school offers eight sections of STEM. When Jordan took over, the school offered only three. Before becoming a teacher, Jordan worked for Honeywell and consulted on engineering projects for NASA and Teacher Daniel Jordan was at Chase Field last month to be the military. honored with other teachers. (Special to AFN) “His passion for STEM has taken him around the world, but none This school year marks Jordan’s fourth of those adventures compare to seeing the year in teaching. In his first year, he spark of curiosity light up in the eyes of his taught social studies and a few sections students,” Ingersoll said. of STEM.

A student nominated him for the Dbacks Most Valuable Teachers in STEM grant, writing, “He took a program at school that was not the best and made it one of the most wanted electives at our school. He puts a lot of work into making it as fun as possible while still learning a lot. “He lets us work with technology that real engineers are working with like 3D printers. He also shows us things that he has worked on for NASA and other organizations. He also encourages girls to become more involved in STEM.” The Diamondbacks selected Jordan and nine other Arizona teachers for their Dbacks Most Valuable Teachers in the STEM recognition program. “STEM education is about providing students with more project-based, hands-on learning opportunities,” said Jordan. “This grant will go towards purchasing more STEM tools and toys for my classroom.” ■

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

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OVERRIDE from page 1

and there was concern thee override question might get lost among all those choices. A number of school districts across the Valley are using the same logic to put their own override questions to voters while a number of municipalities around the state are putting bond issues on the ballot. During a school board meeting in June, the administration noted “several key ‘top of the ticket’ statewide races, including Governor and Superintendent of Public Instruction” as well as two Kyrene Governing Board positions. This year, the board was told, “The impact is that the ballot will have few measures competing for voter attention” – especially since Tempe Union opted against putting its own override question up for voters this year. The board also was reminded “turnout in off-cycle elections is often low, with fewer voters compelled to participate and cast a ballot.” In 2017, Kyrene had three ballot measures on the ballot and Tempe Union had its own override question. Turnout that year was 25.5 percent, though the measures passed by margins of 63 percent (about 14,500 voters) to 37 percent (about 8,500 votes). Moreover, should the override fail this year, the district can put the question on next year’s ballot. The vote this year comes at a time some parents are furious with the district’s continuation of the facemask requirement,

2020

TRINE NELSON

IVAN ALFARO

though it’s hard to say how great a portion of the electorate they comprise. But Nelson said she believes most mask opponents won’t take their anger out on the override request. “When you talk about what these dollars are earmarked for, we talk about support service staff – occupational therapists, physical therapists, speech therapists, our counseling program,” Nelson said. “All of which we can all kind of agree during the last 18 months are really important services that our students need.” The override also supports instructional enrichment such as art, music, library and physical education; small class sizes and reading and math intervention programs. Before voting unanimously last June to approve the override election, the Kyrene Governing Board heard several district representatives discuss the potential political turmoil generated by COVID-19. In a limited survey, a working citizens

committee found that only 48 percent of residents supported the override and that 54 percent of respondents had a positive impression of Kyrene. Among the reasons people felt the district is moving in the wrong direction, Kyrene's pandemic response was among them – along with its curriculum and its emphasis on equity, diversity and inclusion, according to the citizens panel. But after testing different messages and providing survey respondents with more information, the response to the basic override question “grew exponentially to 72 percent,” the board was told. The citizens committee said what turned the tide was the explanation that the override supports the district’s ability to retain and attract quality teachers and provide enrichment programs and student support services. While the board unanimously approved going for the override vote this year, some

members admitted being nervous. “I do feel a little bit apprehensive, honestly, in this political climate,” said Wanda Kolomyjec. “I think Kyrene School District has provided such an amazing service to the community but this has been such a tough year.” She and other members also were concerned about the relatively short amount of time available for educating voters on the importance of the override. But Rosalie Hirano, one of the citizen committee members, told the board that “all of the developments in technology with voter data” enable the Kyrene override PAC to identify supporters who haven’t voted or may have forgotten about the ballot. Legislation impacting mail ballots passed by the Legislature earlier this year does not affect the Kyrene or any other all-mail election this year, the Recorder's Office told AFN. Ballots will go to all registered voters automatically. Board member Michelle Fahy said she believed most people will respond favorably in the election if they are reminded that the disparity in state support for public education between Arizona and the national average has grown from 22 percent in 2007 to a current 44 percent – not including the infusion of one-time federal pandemic relief. “What is so critical for our community to learn, if they don’t know, and understand is that our state funding for public education is so poor that it is what puts us in the position to have to request these bonds and overrides from our community,” Fahy said. ■

74%

This shows the history of override votes in Arizona. (Kyrene School District)

Override funds support a variety of enrichment programs in Kyrene School District and help keep class sizes manageable. (Kyrene School District)

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

Phoenix flush with cash but not for very long BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

hoenix is relatively flush with cash but administration officials have warned City Council that might not last too long once they begin preparing for the 2022-23 budget. The boon to the 2020-21 General Fund involved the use of $121 million of the $293 million the city received in federal pandemic relief funds. According to an administration and testimony at a recent City Council study session, that allocation contributed significantly to a $32.8 million surplus that is being applied to the current fiscal year. There were actually two parts to that surplus, according to city Budget and Research Director Amber Williamson. The city estimated revenue totaling $1.585 billion in 2020-21 but – as was the case with the state and many Arizona municipalities – Phoenix actually saw more revenue than it

counted on. That gave the city an extra $27.9 million. Then, expenditures fell $4.9 million below what the city anticipated. “Revenue forecasting throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has been extremely challenging,” according to a memo to Council from retiring City Manager Ed Zuercher and his successor, Jeff Barton. “Several factors have influenced revenue collections and are uncharacteristic compared to past economic cycles – primarily, the infusion of one-time funds from the federal government via the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) and the American

see BUDGET page 16

This chart by city budget officials shows how Phoenix ended the 2020-21 fiscal year with a $32.8 million surplus that is being applied to the current fiscal year’s spending. (City of Phoenix)

DEBIT CARDS from page 1

excited” about the program. “I think this is definitely something we need,” Garcia said. “We see in a lot of cities across the country doing this direct assistance. I’m glad that we would be joining them and giving money directly to folks – that it’s not just for rent or utilities. But if they do have childcare needs, if they have to get medicine, whatever it is. I think people know better than us about what their needs are.” Phoenix administration told Council in a memo that other cities have used their third round of federal pandemic relief funding in similar ways. “Many cities are planning to use ARPA funding to provide a fixed monthly amount to qualified residents to provide a greater financial stability and improve quality of life in their communities,” the memo said. It cited as examples Los Angeles County, which is spending $16.3 million on a guaranteed income pilot program for a minimum of 1,000 residents for up to $1,000 a month for three years. It also cited Chicago, where 5,000 residents will receive $500 a month for a year through at least $12 million in ARPA funds.

With City Council members tuning in virtually, Phoenix city staff outlined their recommendations for the debit cards to needy families – a proposal approved in a 7-2 vote. (City of Phoenix) “Participants will receive monthly funds via a debit card and will be able to purchase items with a few limitations, such as no alcohol, tobacco, or lottery ticket purchases,” the memo said. “The card will be declined for such purchases.” While the city memo noted that recipients “must agree to allow general purchasing information to be shared with the City to track and report on the progress of the program as encouraged by the US Treasury,” Councilman Sal DiCiccio criticized the absence of any job-seeking requirement. He said he liked the idea of getting relief

money directly to people instead of growing a government program. “They have to be inclined to go get a job,” DiCiccio said. “They have to be out there looking, searching for.” Noting employers are desperately trying to fill thousands of positions across most industries, DiCiccio said the program needed requirements that recipients prove they are looking for work. “The $1,000 a month represents about $6.25 an hour to any individual that’s working,” he said. “So if they’re working and getting $10 an hour, they’re really making 16 dollars an hour and I think the

$1,000 is also tax-free.” “If we could put some sort of requirements like that in there, which kind of allows us to be able to monitor their progress, allows us to expand it out and that also allows us to get some sort of expectation, otherwise it just becomes a handout,” DiCiccio said. “It just becomes a giveaway and you don’t want to do that. You want to have some expectations in there, where individuals would have to go out there and find a job. They have to show proof of it. They have to show that they’re actually diligently doing that.” But DiCiccio’s remarks fell on deaf ears at the meeting: neither his colleagues nor staff even responded to his remarks. City spokeswoman Stephanie Barnes last week said, “Now that funding has been approved, city staff can begin the process of creating the program rules, procedures and safeguards, which will be addressed in the coming weeks.” At the same meeting, Council approved a “workforce wraparound tuition/apprentice program” to provide job training. Council previously approved $10 mil-

see DEBIT CARDS page 18

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BUDGET from page 14

Rescue Plan (ARPA) acts into state and local economies,” the memo state. Noting Arizona overall received $60 billion in “direct federal COVID-19 aid,” the memo said, “This is remarkable, unprecedented and has certainly influenced City revenue collections.” But there are strong headwinds facing City Council in the coming fiscal year, according to the memo and testimony Williamson gave to Council. One of the biggest challenges involves Phoenix’s ballooning public safety pension fund liability as well as new pension costs for retiring police officers and firefighters. The memo said General Fund contributions to the pension fund over the next five years were anticipated to amount to $245 million but now that cost might soar by $65 million to $85 million. In addition, the city has a whopping unfunded pension liability of $3.2 billion. Those costs aren’t the only sizeable financial challenges facing Phoenix next year. The memo anticipates higher health insurance and worker’s compensation

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also know we have increasing costs for city facilities and vehicles.” The city also is buying the 27-story former Wells Fargo building at 100 W. Washington St. for $46.5 million to house various city departments, including an expanded 911 headquarters. While funds to buy the 525,000 square feet of office space would come from the city capital budget, Williamson cautioned, “We’re going to have to incorporate ongoing operating expenses for the building into the budget.” If that wasn’t enough, the city also is grappling with an aging fleet of vehicles, she said. “We have a General Fund vehicle backlog of roughly $160 million,” she said. “So, we’ll be looking to potentially identify additional resources to help with that backlog.” The memo also mentioned several other potential costs that could not be quantified – including the impact of the federal investigation into the Phoenix Police Department and potential cuts in the city’s portion of state shared revenue due to final Census figures as well as state income tax reductions the Legislature approved earlier this year. ■

costs to rise by 7.2 percent that also will impact city employees’ wallets. Those costs “will result in premium increases ranging from 4 percent to 13 percent for calendar year 2022 to active employee plans,” the memo said. “We also need to ensure that we’re adequately funding our city trust funds,” Williamson said. “We are statutorily and actuarially required to ensure our city trust funds are solvent. This includes funds such as workers compensation. Health care as well as the self-insurance reserve expenses have been going up and we anticipate that to continue next year. “We also know that the community wants more expanded and new services, particularly in the council priority areas of affordable, housing and homelessness,” she continued. “We want to ensure we have resources to meet that demand.” Then there are rising costs to keep the city functioning. Williamson cited the “increasing cost of replacing and protecting our information technology assets.” “This includes, not only replacing its systems with the best technology the city can afford, but also protecting against cyber security threats,” she continued. “We

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NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

City spending $5M for airport workers’ childcare service BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

ity of Phoenix is planning to spend $5 million to partially subsidize childcare for employees of companies in and around Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Though the mechanics of the program have not yet been fully worked out, Aviation Director Chad Makovsky outlined the plan at a recent meeting of City Council, which has approved the funding. “Many employers at Sky Harbor continue to have difficulty with attracting and retaining skilled workers,” he told Council. “Since the pandemic started nearly 18 months ago,” he said, “we know that cost and availability of affordable child care

services are among the chief reasons cited, by prospective employees, who are not ready or able to return to the workforce.” Makovsky said that 63 percent of the city population tracts around the airport, including South Phoenix, fit the criteria that defines “a childcare desert.” “That means there are at least three children available for every available childcare opening,” he explained, adding that the median annual cost of childcare in Arizona is $12,000. He said that out of 800 companies operating at or around the airport that responded to a recent city survey, 21 indicated that they had about 600 workers who “would be interested in affordable childcare options.” Of the total $5 million set aside for the

program, $4 million would be spent on actual services while up to $1 million would go to the provider of childcare services for any necessary remodeling of a 12,000-square-foot city Aviation Annex building near Terminal 3 that would house the program. A staff memo to Council said the building “is being reviewed to determine if it could be modified to meet state licensing requirements to function as a childcare facility.” That way, Makovsky said, workers could drop their kids off as they head to their jobs. “What we think this will do is help to keep their ongoing costs for employees as low as possible,” he told Council. The plan doesn’t sit well with Councilman Sal DiCiccio, because the city may be giving additional aid to some

companies at the airport. “What the public is not completely aware of is that in October we’re going to be voting on the corporate welfare part,” he said. “That’s where we’re going to aiding multi-billion dollar international companies at the airport and you know it and staff knows it.” The memo said that “given the potential length of time for building approval and modifications and to conduct the procurement,” staff recommends using a majority of allocated funds to provide vouchers to airport employees for use at childcare facilities. It said city staff “is seeking to identify a nonprofit or governmental partner to administer the voucher program and conduct necessary income verification and coordination.” ■

AG nixes Phoenix ban on city worker contributions BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

n an opinion directly aimed at Phoenix, Attorney General Mark Brnovich last week said cities cannot bar their employees from contributing to races for city council and mayor. In a formal opinion, Brnovich said a ban on such donations on its workers violates their constitutional rights. But the attorney general said it is permissible for cities to prohibit their employees from working directly on a candidate’s campaign. The opinion specifically applies to a Phoenix city ordinance. But the effects reach into every other community with a similar restriction. “The act of contributing money to a candidate is a significant form of political expression that involves First Amendment rights,’’ Brnovich said. He acknowledged that governments do

have some rights to regulate employee conduct. “Nonetheless, the Supreme Court has made clear that public employees do not surrender all their First Amendment rights by reason of their employment,’’ Brnovich wrote, quoting from a 2006 opinion from the nation’s high court. “Rather, the First Amendment protects a public employee’s right, in certain circumstances, to speak as a citizen addressing matters of public concern.” He acknowledged that, strictly speaking, the Phoenix ordinance does not specifically bar municipal workers from contributing. Instead it prohibits candidates for city offices from accepting their contributions. Brnovich called it a distinction without a difference, saying it operates as a complete ban on the ability of city employees to give not only money but anything of value, directly or indirectly, to any candidate for city office.

And that, he said, is improper. “City employees undoubtedly have an interest in making political contributions,’’ Brnovich said. “An outright ban on all political contributions, no matter how small, constitutes a substantial burden on public employees’ First Amendment rights.’’ Brnovich said his views are buttressed by the fact that there is no evidence that such a restriction is necessary to do things like promote public confidence in government or ensure governmental integrity. And even if those were problems, the attorney general said there are other ways to serve government interests without stepping on the rights of employees. He pointed out, for example, that state law already prohibits city employees from using the authority of their position to influence the vote or political activities of any subordinate. And another statute limits individual contributions to candidates for city offices at $6,250.

“These laws and policies reduce the likelihood that a candidate for a city office will improperly influence or reward a city employee who contributes to the official’s campaign,’’ Brnovich said. In the same opinion, the attorney general also said a separate provision barring city workers from engaging in political activity on city property is overly broad. “The city property restriction ... encompasses city streets and parks -- First Amendment forums,’’ Brnovich said. “It is also written to ban employees from engaging in protected activities even when they are doing so on their own, off-duty personal time.’’ But he had no legal problem with cities keeping their employees from working on a candidate campaign, pointing out there is a similar statute governing state employees. And he said it parallels the Hatch Act which limits certain partisan activities of federal workers. ■

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

City allocating $9M for homeless mental health help BY SAMANTHA MORRIS AFN Contributor

hoenix City Council plans to allocate $9 million to local healthcare providers as a part of a new Homeless and Mental Health program. City Manager Jeff Barton and other officials outlined the program in a policy session last month, explaining how it will utilize funding from the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021. The bill dedicates some funding to address the rise in behavioral health needs since the pandemic. The $9 million to expand mental health services to the homeless plus another $1.5 million for a pilot program to aid people living in the Salt River bed are part of the city’s $198 million ARPA allocation. Human Services Director Marchelle Franklin noted that numerous people in

recent months have told Council about the lack of access to mental health services that many people, not just those experiencing homeless, have encountered. “The city received significant feedback from our community about the need for increased access to mental health services for all our residents,” Franklin said. Vice mayor Carlos Garcia agreed, stating, “It’s definitely a need and I’m glad we’re addressing it.” “I think what we’ve heard is that it needs to be culturally appropriate, affordable and as free as possible,” Garcia said. “We’ve all been suffering through this pandemic and it is imperative that we provide support both for the physical and the mental wellbeing of all residents of Phoenix.” Administration officials did not name specific healthcare providers, but stressed the need to take a comprehensive approach, targeting communities where the

most mental healthcare need exists. Franklin explained that decisions on what providers to fund will be based in part by measuring the social determinants of health in a community. Social determinants of health consist of: access to education, quality of healthcare, neighborhood environment, social context and economic stability. “Over the past 18 months it has been extremely difficult and challenging for our low income and underserved communities. And the pandemic has had a disproportionate impact on our families and those experiencing homelessness,” said Barton. The Salt River Project pilot program is a work program providing homeless individuals with employment opportunities in cleanup and landscaping work across Phoenix. “The goal is to allow individuals who have been experiencing homelessness to

earn some income. Part of it is rebuilding dignity or enhancing dignity,” said Franklin. In response to a question concerning future job opportunities for individuals in the program, Franklin explained that finding a local non-profit that can aid in that job search may be ideal. “It (the program) would be comprehensive based on the need of the individual,” said Franklin. For example, enabling community outreach teams to direct homeless individuals to mental health services as needed. Franklin also understands the importance of having metrics that define success in both programs and reiterated that they will once they are fully realized. Vice Mayor Garcia 602-262-7493; Human Services Director Marchelle Franklin 602-262-6668; Assistant City Manager Jeff Barton jeffery.barton@phoenix.gov ■

young people,” Bowie said. Education Department spokesperson Richie Taylor said that the new law “to my knowledge, it has been well received as student mental health concerns continue to be paramount.” But some worry the public is not as aware of the bill’s purposes as officials hoped they would be. “I was not aware of these mental health days, which goes to show that not everyone is on board with it,” said Makenzie Schmidt, a student at Williams Field High School in Gilbert. “I do agree that it is okay to take mental health days sometimes because mental health is really important, especially in society today.”

Schools have approached the law differently when it comes to communicating it to students and parents. “A lot of these decisions are made at the local level, at the school board level or at the school level,” Bowie said. “So, on the issue of mental health days, there really wasn’t a lot of consistency.” Bowie said he hopes schools will take time to educate students and parents to the best of their ability about the law. The National Alliance on Mental Illness reported that 27 percent of parents claim that their child is facing emotional and mental health issues due to closures. Bowie said the pandemic did not help students’ mental health.

“It’s really important that kids have that interaction with other kids and have that social element to school,” Bowie said. “So, the hope is now that they’re back in school and that it is starting to get a bit better.” All that can be done is to hope that schools understand the law and communicate to students and parents that mental health days are excusable absences. “I’m going to be visiting all my schools later this year, something I do every other year,” Bowie said. He said he plans to talk to the staff and administration in schools in his legislative district to determine the awareness of the mental health law. ■

Awareness of mental health days law appears spotty BY PATRICK SCHNEIDER AFN Contributor

any students and parents apparently aren’t aware of a new law that allows Arizona students to take mental health days off from school. Gov. Doug Ducey in March signed the bill, which was sponsored by Sen. Sean Bowie and Reps. Christine Marsh, Jennifer Jermaine and Jennifer Pawlik, in hopes to give grade school students the time they need to focus on their well-being. “It’s been informed by my conversations with a lot of school counselors and social workers how critically important more support for mental health is for

DEBIT CARDS from page 14

lion for that program and now approved using $8.5 million of that “to offer free training and education to residents who have been impacted by the pandemic in the hardest-hit industries of hospitality, food service, retail and families with young children.” The city administration called that a “two-generation approach” that covers low-income families and children from the same households “and combines parent and child interventions that improve

economic mobility.” “For families with young children and participants who are not enrolled at a Maricopa County Community College, staff recommends allocating $1.5 million of program funds to partner with a community-based organization to expand the existing suite of workforce services.” Participants in a community college or a city-approved job training service would get $1,000 a month for six months and an additional $500 if they needed childcare. But Mayor Kate Gallego worried that the six-month stipend cap “may not be

enough for everyone.” She said the stipend portion of the program needs to be more flexible “when we’re talking about taking people from retail to jobs in cyber security or advanced manufacturing.” Training would be geared to prepare candidates for jobs in bioscience and healthcare, financial services/customer contact centers, information technology/cybersecurity, manufacturing, and construction, but it would also include “skill and career assessments, high school equivalency preparation, English lan-

guage learning programs and education and workforce navigation services, such as case management and work readiness training,” according to a city memo. Gallego said the program was rightfully targeted at families with children. “We can get the biggest bang for our buck for focusing on children,” the mayor said. “If we make investments in multigenerational families, it will help both the person who’s working as well as their kids. That’s really meaningful to me. We want to make it easier for the kids out there.” ■

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NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

Arizona hospitals reaped $1.5 billion profit last year BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

rizona hospitals overall saw huge increases in their profits during last year. New figures from the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System show total profits topped $1.5 billion – 33 percent above 2019 and far above anything reported in the past decade. It also found nearly 75 percent of hospitals with a positive operating margin. While there have been higher figures in the past, that is still up 4.5 percentage points from the prior year. The average profitability was $13.9 million. There are vast differences even among hospitals under the same management. Banner Desert Medical Center in Mesa, for example, posted a net operating profit of more than $153 million on total revenues in excess of $802 million for a net operating margin of 19.1 percent. And Banner Thunderbird has a $96.7 million profit with a net operating profit of 16 percent. But Banner University Medical Center in Tucson actually posted a nearly $5.5 million loss on revenues of more than $866 million. Still, the hospital is in a far better financial condition that 2019,

when it lost almost $55 million. All this comes against the backdrop of COVID. During 2020, Gov. Doug Ducey imposed a ban on elective surgeries, at least in part to ensure that there was an adequate supply of personal protective equipment. That drew some criticism from the Arizona Hospital and Healthcare Association, which said members were hemorrhaging money because they lost the more financially lucrative busi-

Hospital

Profit (Loss) in millions

Banner Gateway Medical Center recorded one of the biggest increases in year-over-year profits in 2020 among Arizona hospitals with a total profit of $96.7 million – $29.4 million over 2019. (AFN file photo) ness like knee and hip replacements. And then there was the cost of all that personal protective equipment. Marjorie Baldwin, a professor of economics at the W.P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University, said there is another side to all this. It starts, she said, with the change in the mix of patients. “Typically, hospitals treat a majority of older patients on Medicare,’’ said Baldwin, a health economist. By contrast,

COVID provided a larger mix of younger patients that might otherwise not be in a hospital. The private insurance these patients often have pays more than Medicare. Moreover, hospitals are not racking up the same losses for “uncompensated care,’’ bills not paid by people without either government or private insurance and who lack the financial resources to pay their bills. That’s because the federal government agreed to pick up the cost for treating COVID for anyone without insurance. “That’s a huge effect on profits,’’ Baldwin said. On top of that there were various federal subsidies to hospitals to help deal with the costs incurred of treating COVID patients. But potentially the biggest thing has to do with medical billing and something called “diagnosis-related groups,’’ or DRGs. That system, already in use by Medicare, pays hospitals based on the DRG. That is designed to both standardize payments and encourage cost containment as a hospital knows it will be getting a specific set amount to treat a spe-

see HOSPITALS page 23

Here’s a look at some Phoenix area hospitals’ profits or losses in 2020. Abrazo Heart Abrazo Mesa Abrazo Scottsdale Arizona Orthopedic Surgical & Specialty Arizona Spine & Joint Aurora Behavioral Health System Banner Baywood Banner Behavioral Health Banner Desert Banner Gateway Banner Heart Banner Ironwood Banner Ocotillo Banner Rehabilitation Phoenix Chandler Regional CORE Institute Specialty Dignity East Valley Rehabilitation

$12.3 $0.5 $10.1 $2.7 $8.0 $2.7 $29.2 $1.4 $153.2 $96.7 $41.2 $15.6 -$8.0 ($3.0) $47.0 $9.0 $7.9

Change from 2019 in millions $4.6 $2.1 $4.5 $0.2 ($0.06) $0.3 $4.1 $0.9 $15.6 $29.4 $5.1 $4.8 (no report) (no report) 0.7 ($2.8) $0.5

Dignity General Mesa HealthSouth East Valley Rehabilitation HealthSouth Scottsdale Rehabilitation HonorHealth Rehabilitation HonorHealth Osborn HonorHealth Scottsdale Shea Honor Health Scottsdale Thompson Peak Mayo Clinic Mercy Gilbert Mountain Vista Oasis Behavioral Health Oasis Phoenix Children’s Select Specialty Phoenix Select Specialty Phoenix Downtown St. Joseph’s Medical Center St. Luke’s Behavioral Tempe St. Luke’s Valleywise (aka Maricopa Medical)

($19.1) $1.1 $3.8 ($2.3) ($0.3) $3.1) $4.1 $2.5 $16.5 ($14.1) $47.3 $17 $13 ($0.2) $105.5 ($56.3) $25.1 ($2.5) $2.1 $15.9 $8.7 ($0.2) $3.7 ($1.0) $196.4 $135.8 $4.1 $0.4 $0.6 ($1.0) $21.8 $32.7 $0.5 ($3.7) $5.3 $9.1 ($129.2) ($52.0)

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

Board won’t change policy on cops busted for DUI

BY CECILIA CHAN AFN Staff Writer

state board that licenses law enforcement officers has decided to make no changes in the way it handles off-duty cops caught driving under the influence. Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board this month unanimously voted to keep with the practice of hearing cases when there is an extreme DUI – a blood alcohol concentration level of over .15 – or when there are aggravating circumstances involved, such as a crash. In cases that come before it, the board can take no action, revoke or suspend an officer’s certification to work in the state. “I actually thought it was going to be easy to put this thing in a rubric and make it work for all the different agencies, 159 agencies,” said board member and Phoenix Police Chief Jeri Williams at the board’s monthly meeting Sept. 15. The 159 law enforcement agencies encompass over 14,500 sworn peace officers, 6,500 correctional officers and 16 police officer training academies. Williams, who chaired the board’s DUI subcommittee tasked with studying and making a recommendation on the issue, said although not perfect, the .15 BAC at least gives a baseline for some consistency. For the general public, a driver with a BAC of .08 is considered legally impaired and would likely be arrested for a DUI. The board in May formed the subcommittee of Williams and three other board

members after concerns were raised over inconsistencies on cops’ off-duty DUI arrests are handled statewide. Since 2015 the board has heard 59 offduty DUI cases with punishment ranging from termination to suspension, according to Executive Director Matt Giordano. “There hasn’t been complete consistency when you look at reporting to the Arizona Post,” Giordano said. “As you know the only cases that are required by statute to be reported to us is when someone terminates employment. “So, someone gets an off-duty DUI, is retained by their agency then we might not be aware of the incident. So, it creates some of that disparity.” Deputy Director Ken Hunter of the Arizona Department of Public Safety asked if the board hears extreme off-duty DUI cases whether an officer has been fired or not. “Our direction to our partner agencies is report to us if you have an off-duty DUI, if the BAC is over a .150,” Giordano said. “Again, there’s nothing statutorily required of agencies to do that. We are getting a lot of those reports because a lot of them do result in termination – that is how they come to us. But we have gotten some where people haven’t been terminated but their BAC was over .15 and the cases come to us.” Hunter said DPS for the last couple of years has enforced a no-tolerance DUI policy for troopers. Hunter referenced the arrest in January of a DPS major caught speeding while intoxicated.

“All charges were dropped, nothing happened,” Hunter said. “We still terminated even though the county attorney didn’t want to prosecute.” Hunter asked what will be the trigger point for a case to come before the board – an arrest, the BAC level or adjudication in criminal court. Giordano said the BAC would be trigger because the act still occurred even if an arrest ends up without a conviction. Williams said she had discussed with Giordano earlier about having agencies report all off-duty DUIs but that's because the 159 agencies are different in scale and size, it would be too arduous for smaller departments. “If we have a zero-tolerance policy and it’s a very small agency, we could diminish their pool of individuals greatly,” she said. In Phoenix, the standard discipline for DUIs is a suspension of 120 hours; if there are aggravating circumstances, it could be a 240-hour suspension or termination. Jamie Kelly, a public member on the board, said her biggest concern was with consistency of board discipline and holding everyone to the same standard. “Anecdotally, if we present a case to you for someone whose .150 or above, the board’s historically taken action,” Giordano said. “The ones that are below .150 that come to us, that we are made aware of, we don’t even bring those to the board. We close them administratively. We don’t get a lot of those reported to us.” The board’s position is to take no action for DUI arrests that are not extreme

and when there are no extenuating circumstances. Kelly asked if it was possible to require treatment or counseling. Assistant Attorney General Mark Brachtl said the board is only authorized to suspend, revoke or take no action and that ordering probation or counseling is not provided by law. Kelly said a DUI could be an officer’s cry for assistance and support. “They know we are not the parents of our officers,” she said. “But sometimes I wish we could step in and say, ‘hey, we know you are struggling, here are some other resources and help.’” Williams said .15 thresholds works for the board because it creates some consistency around the state. And if spikes were to occur in the future, the board can rehear the issue. “It’s not as clean and as easy as I was hoping it was going to be,” Williams said. “I was thinking, ‘OK we can have this one standard for the entire state and it’s going to work.’ “But we are so diverse agency-wise – truth be told trying to get staffing and keeping staffing in place when, quite frankly, if someone gets involves in one of these collisions, maybe that’s a cry for help and they need to get help and you fix them and then bring them back they become this productive person. So a little bit of grace I think is something we need to put in place, too.” The board then dissolved the subcommittee. ■

dard discipline action for an off-duty DUI with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08-.149, standard discipline for an offduty DUI with a BAC over .15; if any additional discipline was given for aggravating factors and does the department notify AZPost if the officer was not fired. Two agencies did not respond to any of the questions. The agencies were of different sizes and included municipal, state, county and tribal law enforcement. Of the 12 agencies that had employees involved in an off-duty DUI since 2015, 11 indicated a range of one to five occur-

rences while one agency reported over 10 DUIs for a total of 19, the report stated, adding 47 agencies reported they had no such cases. When it came to disciplinary actions for an off-duty extreme DUI and one with a BAC of .08-.149, 39 agencies stated they do not have a policy that specifically addresses off-duty DUI and instead evaluates on a case-by-case basis. Twenty-one departments indicated they used standard discipline for both with 12 stating they would terminate employment, eight relied on a range of actions from suspension to termination and one used writ-

ten reprimand to termination. Also, “most agencies do not increase discipline in response to BAC levels alone but 16 agencies indicated aggravating circumstances would likely result in increased discipline,” the report stated. The agencies shared what they considered aggravating factors, which included lack of cooperation with arresting agency, prior alcohol-related misconduct, hit-and-run and presence of a child in the vehicle. Also, 15 agencies indicated they would

Survey looks at departments' handling of drunk cops BY CECILIA CHAN AFN Staff Writer

n an effort to understand how often off-duty DUIs occurred and what sort of disciplinary action if any was meted out, Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training Board staff reached out to 63 law enforcement agencies in the state. The report, recently given to the board’s DUI subcommittee, does not name the agencies. AZPost provides services to 159 law enforcement agencies in the state. The agencies were asked five questions: how many off-duty DUIs since 2015; stan-

see POST page 23

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NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

HOSPITALS from page 20

cific ailment. But Baldwin said if a patient was diagnosed with COVID, there is a surcharge that hospitals are allowed to impose. That surcharge is built on the assumption that COVID patients will require a certain level of care. “But some COVID patients might not require ICU care or the intense care that the subsidy was designed to cover,’’ she said. “And so hospitals could make a profit on those patients.’’ Baldwin said a patient who actually tests positive for COVID actually might

POST from page 21

notify AZPost of an off-duty DUI even if the officer was not fired. Agencies are required to report all officer terminations to AZPost. Another seven agencies said reporting would be dictated by the totality of the circumstances and 13 stated they would not report the incident unless the officer was fired. Over the past five years Gilbert Police

be admitted to the hospital for some other reason “but the hospital could still put that they have the COVID diagnosis and get the reimbursement.’’ “And there’s strong incentives for hospitals to do that,’’ she added. Baldwin said large urban hospitals already were in a better position to deal with COVID. That is reflected in those numbers for Banner Health, the largest hospital system in the state, and, specifically, in their larger facilities. A spokeswoman for Banner said staffers were still reviewing the numbers and declined comment on the report. ■

has not had any officers arrested for a DUI, said department spokesman Paul Alaniz. He said if a Gilbert officer is caught with a DUI in town, a criminal investigation is conducted by the officer or supervisor who initiated the traffic stop. “An administrative Internal Affairs investigation will also be initiated regardless of the BAC level,” he said in an email. “Subsequent discipline is then determined through a chain of command review of facts and circumstances.”■

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Son’s autism leads local couple to start business BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA AFN Contributor

new online company has emerged after a father decided to quit a successful corporate position because he wished to stay home with his autistic son. My Artwork Plate, a website created by Gerard Cassidy, has already proven to be a big draw for area parents and grandparents seeking unique gifts for the younger set. Cassidy personalizes things such as 8or 10-inch plates to 9-inch door hangers to to mugs, bowls, clocks and even 16”x 16” puzzles, making them special for the child who will get them. The products are brightly colored and uniquely customized and even a child’s artwork can be printed on plates. Through friends, acquaintances and his two son’s teachers at Kyrene de la Colina Elementary, enthusiasm for the products is growing exponentially.

es and other nonprofit entities that he hopes to expand nationwide. The online company, MyArtworkPlate.com, attracts customers on its own merit, and yet locally, those who know of Gerard and Sarah Cassidy’s backstory are even more impressed with the launching of the business. Cassidy, born and Gerard Cassidy personalizes his products, often with raised in Ireland, artwork supplied by the children for whom they are intended. (Courtesy of the Cassidy Family) and his wife Sarah, Gerard and Sarah Cassidy of Ahwatukee have two sons, Jaan Australian native, met 14 for a company later purchased by Concencob, 6, and Oliver, 3. (Courtesy of the Cassidy Family) years ago when she was liv- trix, a global entity. Cassidy is also offering a fundraising ing in London and working for Time Warsee PLATE page 29 program for schools, civic groups, church- ner and he was head of facilities in Europe

100+ Women help out Lights Camera Discover BY KIM TARNOPOLSKI AFN Guest Writer

he famous African proverb, “It takes a village to raise a child,” rings true to most parents and families today. In communities where underserved youth reside, it takes an entire community of different people interacting with these youth for them to learn and grow in a safe environment. Founded in 2011, Lights Camera Discover (LCD) is a local nonprofit built on a simple foundation: to effectively break the cycle of generational poverty you must equip the next generation with education in careers that are in demand. Recently, LCD received $10,000 from 100+ Women Who Care Valley of the Sun. Ahwatukee resident and business owner Liz O’Neall, a member of 100WWC, nominated this charity because, as a par-

Boncca Brauer and Executive Director Kema Charles of Lights Camera Discover hold a check presented by Liz O’Neall, a member of 100+ Women Who Care Valley of the Sun who nominated the nonprofit for the organization’s quarterly award. (Courtesy of 100+ Women Who Care Valley of the Sun)

ent, she recognizes that after-school activities and summer programs keep kids

busy and out of trouble. LCD provides free, accessible, and ef-

fective STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and math) programming, leading to secondary education and then to STEAM careers, with the goal of closing the cycle in generational poverty. They develop in their students a sense of pride, self-worth, strength, and appreciation of community commitment through performance and digital arts. LCD will be one of the catalysts who brings out the creativity and cooperative spirit in the youth who attend their programs. Their youth-based programs provide opportunities to grow confidence, build self-esteem, and learn teamwork by participating in a series of workshops that teach various aspects of performing and digital arts (including digital filmmaking, photography, acting, screenwriting, website design and animation).

see WOMEN page 28

COMMUNITY

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

AROUND AHWATUKEE

Local boutique aimed at building women’s shelter

Shante and Sheri Saulsberry of Ahwatukee are hoping people remember to shop at Janice Vaincre Boutique at 4302 E. Ray Road, suite 107, which is one way they are trying to raise funds to build a unique women’s shelter in Phoenix that will offer a multi-services center as well as independent living units. The two women travel to other states to host women’s clothing drives, but also sell gently used designer women’s clothing and all proceeds go to their nonprofit Janice’s Women’s Center. “The funds generated from the boutique will be sent to the nonprofit as a company donation monthly,” Shante added. “The store is located next to two popular businesses, TruHit Fitness and The Buzz Goat. “Vaincre” is French for “overcome” and Shante said, “I picked a meaning for Janice and what we seek to accomplish with the women we come into connection with.” Janice is the name of a homeless woman she met in Ahwatukee “that I longed to help, but could not.” Information: janiceswomenscenter.com.

They will discuss common health misconceptions, and how women can be proactive with their health. It will encompass internal, physical, and mental health components for women of all ages. Register at AhwatukeeChamber.com.

Ahwatukee Scout troop seeks rummage sale donations

Ahwatukee Boy Scout Troop 78 is seeking large and small donations for a rummage sale it will hold 7 a.m.11:30 a.m. Oct. 23 at 560 W. Southern Ave., Tempe. Gently used items and even larger items are sought and donors can contact Melissa Blodgett at jacknbijou@aol.com or 480-650-4403 to arrange for pickup or drop-off. Since its formation in 1992, Troop 78 has had 96 Boy Scouts achieve Eagle rank, the highest in Scouting. In the last five years alone, the troop has performed 2,500 hours of community service for Ahwatukee. In that time it also has been cleaning up 32nd Street and Chandler Boulevard through the City of Phoenix.

Foothills Golf Course Ladies ready to hit the links ‘Spirit Day’ helps St. John Bosco PTO League The Foothills Golf Course Ladies League is open for ‘Spirit Day” at the Ahwatukee Chick-fil-A from noon-8 p.m. Oct. 13 will help the PTO at St. John Bosco Catholic School in Ahwatukee. The PTO will earn 20 percent on all receipts for drive-thru and carry-out orders only at the Chick-fil-A at 5035 E. Ray Road. The fundraiser does not apply to deliveries.

play. Participants play 18 holes of handicap golf every Tuesday morning now through May. Play includes weekly games, prizes and friendly competition. Interested women can email Lucille Heid at lpheid@ outlook.com for details.

Ahwatukee Chamber Women in Business host luncheon

Women’s social club in Ahwatukee holding fashion show

The Ahwatukee Chamber Women in Business will host a luncheon with a learning session about women’s health and wellness at 11:30 a.m. Oct. 14 at the Four Points by Sheraton Hotel. Panelists include Dr. Katharine Schneller, naturopathic practitioner and owner of Inclusive Natural Medicine; Stephanie Olschner, holistic nutrition health coach and co-owner of Whealthy Lifestyle; and Kelly Megyese, certified fitness coach and co-owner of Illuminate You Fitness.

WOMEN from page 27

Through afterschool and summer programs, youth receive mentorship in group and one-on-one settings. They have the opportunity to work with seasoned veterans in film, acting, writing, production, and more. Here, they will discover a different way of thinking, writing, speaking, and ways to be creative. LCD removes the barriers these kids would otherwise have to learn about these career choices. Their mission is “turning imaginations into opportunity” with a long-term goal of

Ahwatukee Women’s Social Club is a casual group driven by Facebook only. It accepts members who live in 85044, 85045 and 85048. The 780-member group will hold its popular fashion show noon-3 p.m. Oct. 23 at the Tuk Urban Café, 15815 S. 50th St., Ahwatukee. Tickets are at eventbrite.com and can be found searching by the club’s name. Proceeds benefit The Armer Foundation of Ahwatukee, a nonprofit that financially assists critically ill chilgiving these kids a skill set for life and in turn making positive career choices. They also give students the resources to recognize entrepreneurship opportunities in the digital skills (graphic design, web design, filmmaking, game design). “The activities in which our youth engage in are critical to their development,” said Executive Director Kema Charles. “The world of technology is ever rapidly changing and in order to prepare our youth, we have to be able to expose them to tomorrow’s trends and technology today.” O’Neill said, “Underprivileged families

dren and families. Committee members can be reached by contacting Carrie Scales Chipman 602-885-1431 or Jean Moore 480706-1200. Monthly events include bunco, coffee groups, book club, and happy hours. To learn more and join, go to facebook.com and search by “Ahwatukee Women’s Social Club.”

Applicants are encouraged to schedule an interview at kyrene.org/careers because walk-in interviews are limited. Both part-time and full-time positions are available. If an individual is looking for part-time work and needs benefits, Kyrene can bundle positions together to total 30 hours of work per week to qualify for benefits, including Arizona State Retirement.

Memorial pavers honor veterans and current service people

Concerts in the Park continue at Desert Foothills

An engraved commemorative paver placed at Ahwatukee’s Blue Star Memorial is the perfect way to honor a family member or friend who served or is currently serving in the U. S. military. Pavers ordered before Oct. 1 will be placed at the memorial in time for Veterans Day. The Blue Star Memorial is a joint project of Desert Pointe Garden Club and the Ahwatukee Board of Management. It is located on the north side of Warner Road just west of 48th Street. Parking is available in the ABM lot. Pavers cost $50 each without a military logo or $60 with the logo. Pick up an order form at the Ahwatukee Board of Management office, 4700 E. Warner Road.

Republican women hosting governor, U.S. Senate hopefuls

Ahwatukee Republican Women is being joined by their counterpart organizations in Mesa, Tempe and Chandler in presenting a chance for members to meet with confirmed GOP candidates for governor and U.S. Senate at 6 p.m. today, Oct. 6, at Foothills Country Club, 2201 E. Clubhouse Drive, Ahwatukee. Only registered Republicans are invited and reservations are required by emailing azfrw.com.

‘Key to Kyrene’ Career Fair offers numerous job opportunities

Kyrene School District is offering a chance for people to learn more about and fill positions for club leaders, bus drivers, crossing guards, lunch/recess monitors, instructional assistants, and office and technology support during a career fair 8 a.m. to noon Oct. 16 at Kyrene Traditional Academy, 3375 W. Galveston St., Chandler. don’t have the opportunity and funds. LCD changes the trajectory of these kids’ lives. It’s the first time many of them have heard, ‘I am proud of you.’ “Our donation will change 20 kids’ lives by sending them to fall workshops and summer programs,” she added. 100+ Women Who Care Valley of the Sun is all about sharing a simple concept of coming together as a collective community to make an immediate, direct, and positive impact in giving locally. Membership in the chapter involves attending four one-hour giving circles a year with the sole purpose of supporting the

Concerts in the Park continues its fall run 5-8 p.m. Sunday at Desert Foothills Park, 1010 E Marketplace SE. The free concerts not only give people a chance to relax with friends and family but also an opportunity to be entertained by some first-rate musicians outdoors. Playing Sunday is guitarist Joey Gutos. The remaining concerts are: Oct. 17, Tripwire; and Oct. 24, Classic Example Band. Sponsors include: Wohland Mortgage, Brewer’s Air Conditioning and Heating, Foothills Pet Resort, Barefoot Pools, Keystone Montessori, Inspection Training of Arizona, United Brokers Group, Tukee Lifestyles Chiropratic, Comprehensive Property Inspections, Body Firm Ahwatukee, the city rec department, Arizona Mortgage Specialists, American Title, and Realtor Multilist Service.

Astronomical Society slates Zoom lecture on ‘Space & Time’

The Phoenix Astronomical Society pasaz.org is offering a lecture titled “Space & Time” by Dr. James Lynch at 7 p.m. Oct. 7. The link to this meeting can be obtained at the pasaz.org website under the heading of “PAS Calendar.” Lynch is senior scientist emeritus the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. ■

Submit your releases to pmaryniak@ timespublications.com wonderful work our local nonprofit organizations do by providing funding, exposure, and awareness. The chapter has three sister groups who meet quarterly in Ahwatukee, Scottsdale and the East Valley. To learn more or register for one of their upcoming giving circles, visit 100wwcvalleyofthesun.org or follow them on Facebook. The Ahwatukee group will meet on October 26th at 6:30 p.m. at the Foothills Golf Club. To learn more about LCD: lightscameradiscover.org. ■

REAL ESTATE

Real Estate Guide Phoenix keeps nation’s lead in home price increase BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

hoenix continues to lead the nation in year-over-year home price increases, according to a national tracker of housing and other economic data. Meanwhile, the Valley’s leading analyst of the Phoenix Metro housing market last week provided data indicating the larger role investors are playing in the region. The S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller 20-City Home Price Index looked at data for July and said Phoenix led the pack with a 32.4

percent year-over-year increase in home prices in July, with San Diego (27.8 percent) and Seattle (25.5 percent) coming in second and third, respectively. Overall, the National Composite Index marked its 14th consecutive month of accelerating prices with a record 19.7 percent, the report said. That’s had an impact on mortgage rates, which the Mortgage Bankers Association of America said “rose across all loan types” in response.

see MARKET page RE2

SPO OTLIGHT home Just Listed

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Bonny Holland

Offered at $1,674,900

See Page 6

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Listed for $1,790,000

See Page Page 66 See

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SO Sanctuary - Front

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Stunning panoramic views from privately gated luxury retreat adorned with vibrant imported Montana stone accents. Prime elevated preserve lot with casita. 5 br, 5 ba with 6,455 sq. ft. Resort-style backyard with negative edge pool, custom artwork, fireplace and built-in DCS bbq.

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

Listed for $1,950,000

Listed for $1,325,00

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REAL ESTATE

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

Buyers finding homes with ‘love letters’ BY ROB WINDER Cronkite News

adia and Ernest Saco of Gilbert already had been searching for a new home before the pandemic hit, but after that, their quest became more urgent. “I was working from home all of a sudden,” said Ernest Saco, a senior product manager for a software company and a father of three. “And we have all five of us just on top of each other in this 1,500-square-foot house. I’m working out of our bedroom. And our kids are home because school’s out, but they’re also home because all the places they would normally go to for fun are closed.” “We were pretty desperate to get out,” Nadia Saco added. But as the Sacos’ search intensified, they found themselves competing for a shrinking pool of available homes. From April to July 2020, active listings in metro Phoenix declined by 42 percent, according to data from Realtor.com. So, to stand out among the bidders, the Sacos turned to a tactic that’s become increasingly common – and increasingly scrutinized – in the homebuying process: the love letter. In a letter delivered to the seller of the home they closed on in August 2020, Nadia Saco introduced their family, mentioned what her husband did for a living

MARKET from page re1

“With home-price appreciation continuing to run hot, increasing more than 19 percent annually in July, applications for larger loan amounts continue to outpace lower-balance loans,” said Joel Kan, an as-

ingly harmless, these letters actually raise fair housing concerns and could open real estate professionals and their clients to fair housing violations.” “They often contain personal information and reveal characteristics of the buyer, such as race, religion, or familial status, which could then be used, knowingly or through unconscious bias, as an unlawful basis for a seller’s decision to accept or reject an offer.” The federal Fair Housing Act prohibits discrimination against both homebuyers and renters based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, familial status or This family photo of the Saco family was included in disability. Even seemingly innocuous details a letter they sent to the seller of the Gilbert home can risk running afoul of fair housthey now own. (Courtesy of Nadia Saco) ing standards. and detailed the “dreams” they had for the Describing children coming down the home. stairs on Christmas morning, for instance, “I could picture the Christmas tree, where “not only reveals the potential buyer’s fait would go and my kids coming down the milial status, but also their religion, both stairs Christmas morning,” she said. of which are protected characteristics,” A photo of the Saco family accompanied the Realtors association said. the letter. To avert the potential for infractions, Or“Buyer love letters are a tactic used by egon passed a law in June requiring sellsome buyers in an attempt to stand out ers’ agents to “reject any communication to a seller, especially in hot markets with other than customary documents in a real low inventory and bidding wars,” the Na- estate transaction, including photographs, tional Association of Realtors said. “Seem- provided by a buyer.” It’s the first state in

sociation economist. Meanwhile, Cromford Report, which follows housing trends in Maricopa and Pinal counties, said that Phoenix led the nation with the largest percentage increase in home prices from August to September.

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The 3.32 percent August-September increase in Phoenix easily beat those in the next two cities – Tampa (2.94 percent) and Las Vegas (2.77 percent). Cromford also reported that the Phoenix market last month tipped in favor of sellers, though it ranked well behind the top three sellers markets – Fountain Hills, Avondale and Cave Creek, respectively. Cromford also shed additional light on the role investors are playing in the regional housing market. Looking exclusively at iBuyer sales, Cromford reported that purchases by institutions or large companies in the region comprised 26 percent of sales so far this year as opposed to only 10-11 percent in each of the past three years. And this year, iBuyer sales by companies and institutions have steadily risen the first three quarters, going from 19 per-

the country to enact such legislation. Jay Young, executive director of the Southwest Fair Housing Council, said he doesn’t expect Arizona to follow suit anytime soon. “I think a law like that would not have a lot of chance of success in Arizona,” Young said. “I don’t think the political climate is such that the state Legislature would move to outlaw the practice.” However, the Fair Housing Act applies across the country. Young said sellers who violate that law by choosing a buyer based on “protected characteristics” risk facing a lawsuit. A complaint also could be filed with the federal government against the violator, which could result in monetary damages, he said. But so far, claims of discrimination in Arizona based on buyer love letters appear to be rare, if they happen at all. “I have personally not heard of any claims or lawsuits arising out of a buyer’s love letter to a seller,” said Michelle Lind, CEO of the Arizona Association of Realtors. And the extent to which these letters actually result in discrimination is unclear. “I think it’s one of those things that is really hard to prove,” Young said. Although the Sacos acknowledge the potential problems of letters like theirs,

see LOVE LETTER RE5

cent of all iBuyer sales in the first quarter to 27 percent in the second and trending upward again to 31 percent in the third quarter. Noting that “iBuyers selling homes to investors is not a new thing” and that “it has been happening for many years,” Cromford said: “However, just as investors are buying more homes in general, they are also buying more homes from iBuyers. iBuyers have been recruiting specialized staff to focus on serving their investor customers.” But it also said, “Demand is improving but a lot of this is coming from investors and iBuyers so could die away quickly. “Demand from ordinary home-buyers is subdued, no matter what the media might be telling you,” it added. “If the iBuyers stop their spending spree then demand could fall quickly.” ■

OCTOBER 6, 2021 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

Real estate investors must avoid these pitfalls

GOT NEWS? Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647

Ernest, who works part time as a Realtor, suggested love letters may stave off investors, who have been “snatching up” homes across the Valley. According to a recent report from Realtor.com, the Phoenix metro area is the No. 1 market in the country where housing inventory is negatively impacted by investors. “I prefer to sell to someone who’s not an investor, regardless of if their offer is the best offer,” Ernest Saco said. Although selling a home is an “emotional transaction, sellers are generally most motivated … by price and terms,” she said. But in the Sacos’ case, both price and emotion seemed to play a role in the seller’s decision to select their offer over five others. After the Sacos sent the letter, they still had to raise their offer. But the letter may have opened the door to making that higher offer, Ernest said. “In a weird way, maybe they were rooting for us to get the home now that they

do not know that, upon transferring real estate to a real estate entity, the business must update its title insurance policy to reflect this new ownership. Failure to do so can result in a title claim being denied. Another common and avoidable mistake is failing to execute all contracts in the name of the real estate entity. This, too, can defeat the entire purpose of creating a real estate entity. For questions about keeping your real estate entity in compliance with various laws, feel free to send me an email at patrick@mandglawgroup.com. Ahwatukee resident Patrick MacQueen and Ben Gottlieb founded MacQueen @ Gottlieb PLC, one of the state’s biggest real estate law firms. ■

or pmaryniak@timespublications.com

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the emotion out of it and keep it strictly financial,” he said. “Whatever seems to be the strongest offer with the least amount of risk is what’s in your best interest, and move forward with that.” One of Ernest Saco’s recent clients chose an offer that was “on par with the other top offers,” but also included a letter that described the buyer’s “life journey.” As the seller had a similar “life journey” of his own, he gave the buyer a chance to raise his offer, Ernest Saco said. Saco thinks that, ultimately, homebuyers should be able to express their hopes and share their stories with sellers. “Our home is more than just wood and stucco. It’s where we’re raising our family. It’s where we’re spending the majority of our time,” Ernest Saco said. “Having a way to show someone that your home will be in good hands, the home that you spent living your life in, I think is a positive thing – if biases can be removed and discrimination can be removed,” he said. ■

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CANYON RESERVE

4525 sqft. 5 (+7) bedrooms, 4.5 baths

understood our character and how we fit into the community,” he said. The strong sense of community in their new neighborhood was part of the home’s appeal to the Sacos. They also believe the sellers felt a responsibility to help maintain

#1 AGENT IN AHWATUKEE CLOSED VOLUME 2020

FOOTHILLS CLUB WEST

T JUSED LIST

Ernest and Nadia Saco’s children enjoy their first meal at their new home in Gilbert. To compete with others vying for the house, Nadia Saco wrote to the owner, introducing her family and sharing the dreams they had for the home. (Courtesy of Nadia Saco)

that community feel even after they left. “Everyone on our street has grown really close,” Nadia Saco said. “And so I think they take it very seriously when a new family moves in that it’ll be a good fit for the street.” Including a love letter doesn’t always ensure a successful bid, however. The Sacos put offers on two other houses before finally landing their new home, and one of those offers also included a letter, they said. And it hasn’t always worked for Ernest Saco’s clients, either. Still, he encourages homebuyers to do whatever it takes to land the home of their dreams. “Typically, my clients will ask me if they should write a letter,” he said. “My advice to them is usually, anything you can do to attempt to make your offer seem more valuable, I’d advise doing that. Especially if it’s a bidding war.” When he represents sellers, though, he strikes a somewhat different tune. “My advice to my sellers is always take

JUST LISTED

wning real estate investment properties is often lucrative. But, real estate investments, whether vacation rentals, longterm rentals, or “fix and flips,” can be disastrous if the investor fails to utilize an entity and/or fails to utilize an entity in the correct fashion. Indeed, it is critical that investors structure their investment real estate, whether through an LLC, a limited partnership, or other entity, to minimize personal liability. And, no matter the structure, investors with entities must avoid the following

easy reason to deny coverage. 3. Failing to comply with entity maintenance obligations. It is critical that you maintain your real estate entity’s good standing and have written records outlining various actions taken by the real estate entity. Additionally, some entities require the filing of annual documents in order to maintain “good standing.” For example, certain Arizona entities are not required to file annual reports; whereas, some entities must file them. Another maintenance issue that arises is the failure to keep accurate records, like segregating business banking activities and personal ones. These are not the only mistakes that we see. For instance, most real estate investors

LOVE LETTER from page RE2

SALE PENDING

BY PATRICK MACQUEEN AFN Guest Writer

mistakes: 1. Failing to transfer an existing property, via deed, to the real estate entity. Upon forming an entity, the real estate investor must execute a deed transferring the real estate to their newly formed real estate entity. The deed must be recorded in the county in which the investment property is located. Failure to do so will cause the investor to remain personally liable for property related issues and largely defeats the purpose of creating the real estate entity. 2. Failing to insure the property under the name of the real estate entity. It is imperative to have written proof that the real estate entity is insured, so that an insurance company is not provided with an

REAL ESTATE

OCTOBER 6, 2021 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

JUST LISTED

REAL ESTATE

SOLD

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FAMILY RUN TEAM

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

SPO OTLIGHT home AHWATUKEE

15634 South 6th Place Just Listed

4525 sqft. 5 (+7) bedrooms, 4.5 baths Gorgeous Home with magnificent views on 2/3 acre overlooking the Valley.

Offered at $1,674,900 Bonny Holland 602.369.1085 www.LeadingLuxuryExperts.com

SONORAN LIVING

KELLER WILLIAMS® REALTY

CIRCLE G AT RIGGS RANCH Estate living with refined tranquility in this exquisite setting. Meticulous stonework adorns entire exterior of this luxury home. Inviting entry opens to diagonally laid tile with granite inlays and dramatic wooden staircase. Formal dining room with stacked stone fireplace. Gourmet kitchen features granite countertops, large island, Subzero refrigerator, and Wolf gas cooktop with double ovens. Fireplace and wet bar in great room. Floor plan boasts seven bedrooms, playroom and large game room. Expansive master suite includes large sitting area with two-way fireplace, crown molding, separate walk-in closets and spacious bathroom. Three custom iron doors lead to massive covered patio with pavers, built-in barbeque, heated pool with waterfall and slide, gorgeous landscaping with fruit trees and koi pond. Large secondary bedrooms. Oversized laundry room with sink, granite countertops, cabinetry and room for a refrigerator. Additional upgrades throughout include 8’ solid core doors, speakers, surround sound in numerous locations, designer paint and exterior security cameras. Three masonry fireplaces. Anderson windows installed six years ago on entire first level. Four Trane a/c units with variable speed. Over-sized side entry four car garage. Availability to park an RV in the back as long as a garage is built for it. Over 7,000 square feet of stone on exterior. Almost acre-sized lot affords complete privacy.

Listed for $1,790,000

Mike Mendoza

LOCATED IN FOOTHILLS MOUNTAIN RANCH ESTATES!! OVER 5 ACRE HILLSIDE LOT WITH STUNNING MOUNTAIN VIEWS FROM EVERY DIRECTION•BUILD YOUR DREAM CUSTOM ESTATE OR BUILD MULTIPLE HOMES ON THIS SIGHT•ZONED R3*THE POSSIBILITIES ARE ENDLESS ON THIS RARE OPPORTUNITY•THERE IS NOT ANOTHER PIECE OF LAND IN AHWATUKEE THAT OFFERS THIS MANY BUILDABLE ACRES•NO HOA•LOCATED AT THE END OF A CUL-DE-SAC•BE THE KING OF THE HILL WITH VIEWS ALL THE WAY TO FOUR PEAKS•PLANS AVAILABLE AND OTHER CUSTOM HOME OPTIONS AVAILABLE FROM A WELL KNOW AHWATUKEE CUSTOM HOME BUILDER*DO NOT MISS THIS AMAZING HILLSIDE LOT IN AN AMAZING LOCATION!!!!

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ONE OF THE MOST AMAZING LOTS AVAILABLE IN AHWATUKEE!!

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REAL ESTATE

OCTOBER 6, 2021 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

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Young buyers want to spend less on a home, Homie finds BY J. GRABER AFN Staff Writer

oday’s younger generations are willing to spend less overall and put less money down on a home than past generations, according to a recent survey by digital real estate agency Homie. Homie’s nationwide survey of 1,000 people aged 18-24 found Gen Zers are willing to spend $150,000 to $250,000 on a home. However, according to the National Association of Realtors, the median U.S. home price is over $360,000, meaning Gen Zers will need to spend well out of their comfort zone if they want to own a house. The survey also found 57 percent of Gen Z participants were willing to make a down-payment of only 3-5 percent while 53 percent of millennials are willing to put down less than 15 percent on a home and 27 percent of millennials favored a down-payment of less than 10

percent. Millennials are currently the most active generation of home buyers, accounting for 37 percent of all homebuyers. “These findings showcase that we are on the right track in appealing to the next generation of home buyers through our combination of technology and a streamlined experience,” Homie CEO Johnny Hanna said. “Our mission is to change the way homes are bought and sold to make home ownership accessible for not only Gen Z, but for all generations to come.” Founded in Salt Lake City, Utah, in 2015, Homie claims to have helped clients buy and sell over $4 billion in homes. It calls itself a “disruptive real estate technology company,” featuring homebuying and selling via a full-service app. Prospective buyers can look up houses according to location and/or price on the app while also getting information on things like the school district serving the area. The app even allows perspective buyers to sort houses according to a total monthly

payment – figuring in things like home owner association fees, homeowner’s insurance and the mortgage payment into the equation, to give one lump sum of what the owner can expect to pay every month. “That’s a very popular new feature to the app,” said Homie Senior Vice President Dan Richards. Homie’s is more of a self-service model for the younger generation, which is more comfortable using technology, and older generations that are more familiar with the home buying or selling process and don’t necessarily need hand-holding. By maximizing the use of technology, Homie says it cuts down on fees and commissions. Its newest offering, Homie Cash, gives prospective home buyers an edge over other bidders by backing a pre-approval for buyers with cash so they can make cash offers on a home. When faced with a choice between cash and a typical offer, sellers are three times

more likely to choose the cash offer, Richards said. Other findings from Homie’s survey include: • Gen Zers are willing to use technology to buy and sell homes. The majority of participants (67 percent) would consider using an online service or an app to buy a home compared to 39 percent of millennials. • A lifestyle change was the number one reason for wanting to buy a home. Roughly 46 percent of participants said a new job, a growing family or relocating were the top reasons for wanting to purchase a home • The overall company experience trumps everything for Gen Z. When searching for a real estate company to buy or sell with, 52 percent of participants said the overall experience from start to finish is the most important factor, followed by technology at 33 percent. Millennials set the trend as the generation to value experiences over things and Gen Z is following along this path. ■

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

480-706-7234 ! LD O S

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

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! W NE

Stunning panoramic views from privately gated luxury retreat with casita on elevated preserve lot.

Listed For $650,000

Sanctuary

Fox Crossing ! LD O S

4BR / 2.5 BA / 3,289 SQFT New exterior paint and 2019 Trane AC units in gated Chandler community.

UDC build on oversized cul-de-sac lot with newer AC units and hardwood flooring.

! LD O S

Germann Country Estates

Listed for $1,950,000

4 BR / 3.5 BA / 3,860 SQFT Superb single level with travertine patio and fenced Pebble Tec pool with water feature.

Listed for $1,250,000

Listed for $675,000

Sierra Canyon

5 BR / 5 BA / 6,455 SQFT

Beautiful remodel with pebble pool and spa in ideal Chandler location.

Listed for $1,790,000

5 BR / 2.5 BA / 3,156 SQFT

4 BR / 2.5 BA / 3,008 SQFT

D! L SO

Mike Mendoza MendozaTeam.com

Monte Vista

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

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Ahwatukee Custom Estates

$1,350,000

PENDING!

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

Calabrea

Ahwatukee Custom Estates

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$1,339,000

$1,750,000

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

SOLD! Foothills Club West $799,000

Mountain Park Ranch $679,000

Canyon Verde $899,000

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

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

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

www.GenoRoss.com Donna Leeds TOP GRI, ABR REALTOR

�

949.310.5673

lf"fl!

Amazing Remodeled Custom Estate with mountain views located at the end of a cul-de-sac.Over 8000sqft of pure luxury finishes.6 Bedroom,5.5 Baths.Custom Kitchen.Elevator.Executive Office.Basement Media Room.Dance Studio.Huge Backyard with Pool, Jacuzzi, Turf, BBQ, Sportcourt.This Spectacular Estate has it all!!! Immaculate single level home located in club west on a premium lot, paradise views of south mountain, 3 bed, 2.5 bath, plus executive office and loaded with upgrades, formal living room, formal dining room, family room w/wetbar, builtin media center, & fireplace, kitchen includes:s/s appliances, corian counters, large island, gas cooktop, 42’cabinets, recessed & pendant lighting, breakfast nook, neutral paint & carpet, stone look tile flooring, plantation shutters, large master suite with views, master bath w/dual vanities,glass block walk-in shower w/travertine & mosaics, new exterior paint, paradise oasis backyard with pebbletec pool,waterfall, palm trees, covered patio,extensive decking, built-in bbq, grassy play area, & endless views, patio furniture included, this is the home you have been waiting for!

Ahwatukee Agent 2020

Geno Ross

602.751.2121

wwwBestAgentWUSA.com

Making Ahwatukee

Home Dreams Come True Since 1986 www.WestUSA.com I 480.893.0600

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

Ahwatukee Country Club

Lakewood

SOLD!

$635,000

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

Fantastic 2 bed- 2bath + Bonus Room, Great location near restaurants, shopping spots, & ON Ahwatukee Golf Club. Cozy front porch perfect to enjoy your morning coffee. Inside you will find an inviting living room, wood-look floors, carpet in all the right places, an impressive brick fireplace in family room, & vaulted ceilings. Kitchen fully equipped w/granite counters, pendant lighting, SS appliances, & breakfast bar. Spacious primary bedroom comes w/large closets, patio access, & private bathroom. Amazing Arizona room & screened-in patio are excellent for your gatherings. Relax under the covered patio & enjoy the easy-care backyard w/large shade tree. A deal like this won’t last long. New Roof + 55K in upgra

SOLD! Pristine Curb appeal in desirable Adult 55+ Golf Community of Ahwatukee. Open concept split floor plan with Vaulted ceilings. Many upgrades include remodeled and updated kitchen, tile floors, master bath, murphy bed, travertine deck and patio with misting system and a putting green. updated duel pane windows, Plantation shutters throughout, pebble-tech heated pool with a water feature, North South exposure and mountain views. Enjoy all the benefits that the ARC has to offer.

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

SOLD!

$600,000

2,438 sq ft. Beautiful 4 bed, 2.5 bath. Master Down ! Great curb appeal with easy-care desert landscape and a two-car garage. New Carpeting discover formal dining and living areas, plantation shutters, and a soothing palette throughout. The charming kitchen offers ample oak cabinetry, tile counters, recessed lighting, & an island complete with a breakfast bar. The primary bedroom boasts its own ensuite filled with natural light & a sizable walk-in closet. Spacious bedrooms offer plush carpets and ceiling fans. Interior laundry with shelving. Backyard offers the best of both worlds with a covered patio and sparkling pool to cool off in.

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

Foothills Reserve

Maricopa

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

Ahwatukee

PENDING IN TWO DAYS!

$400,000

Coventry Tempe

$599,900

UNDER CONTRACT UCB

DESIRABLE 5 BEDROOM 3 BATH HOME IN THE VISTAS IN FOOTHILLS RESERVE. New Front Door. Soaring Ceilings in Entry & Living Areas. Lovely Kitchen W/ Cherry Staggered Cabinets, Beautiful Granite Counter tops & Nice-size Island. Open Kitchen to Family W/ Warm & Inviting Stone Fireplace. 1 Bedroom & 1 Full Bath Downstairs. Travertine Tile, 2’’ Wood Blinds, Bidet in Master Bath, Classy Closets in Master Closet. Balcony Off of Master. Custom Floor to Ceiling Garage Cabinets. Relaxing Backyard W/ Mountain Views, Diving Pool, Large Covered Patio and Cool Deck that was Recently Redone. Community Walking Path & Close to South Mountain Hiking Trails!

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

$399,000

Overgaard Land

$59,900 For sale by owner/agent. Highly sought after Mogollon Estates corner lot with plenty of trees and across from National Forest. All underground utilities including water, power, telephone/DSL, paved streets AND SEPTIC are in. Build your dream cabin retreat or a year round home located a quiet cul-de-sac with existing custom homes on level easy build lot. Super Low HOA fees! Located near 7000’ it’s the perfect escape from the summer heat or enjoy all four seasons!

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

Mountain Park Ranch

PENDING!

This amazing single level 3 bed, 2 bath, plus den home sits on a lrg. Corner Golf lot w/ lots of privacy, 8.5’ deep salt water pool & 3 car garage. Enjoy spacious living/dining room, cozy family room & chefs kitchen w/ Corian counters, stainless appliances, pantry, butlers area & island. Primary bedroom is a full retreat w/ lrg. Walk-in closet, ensuite tiled shower/ tub, dual sinks, custom cabinetry, & storage loft above bath w/ backyard access. Oversized Backyard has covered patio, gated pool, custom pool shed & view fencing to 16th green (no balls). Newer HVAC (17), Exterior Paint (21), Solar Screens, Attic Insulation are just some of the many extras. Great home and walking distance to school and parks.

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

SOLD!

$495,000

3,250 sq ft. 5 bedroom, 3 baths! 3 car garage, short walk to the huge HOA pool and top-rated Kyrene Monte Vista. Large kitchen with multiple living areas, nice front/ afternoonshaded patio, in a family-friendly cul-de-sac. Plantation shutters, new plumbing, one newer AC on a split-system, newer interior paint and flooring.

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

COMMUNITY

OCTOBER 6, 2021 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

PLATE from page 27

Sarah is now vice president, brand marketing and communications for Concentrix and Gerard – who headed North American real estate – resigned after their eldest son, Jacob, was diagnosed with autism. “We were relocated to Arizona when I was promoted to the head of North America Real Estate team,” Gerard explained. “Jacob was only 6 months old at the time. When Jacob was 2-1/2 and had not shown any signs of talking, we took him to the Melmed Centre in Scottsdale who diagnosed him as autistic. “Although Sarah and I had already had our suspicions, hearing the diagnosis officially was heartbreaking. It was the unknown of where Jacob would sit on the spectrum that was the hardest, so we prepared ourselves for the worst but never lost hope for the best.” “We enrolled him in every form of therapy you could think of. Something had to give and we both agreed that to give Jacob the very best chance, I would leave the corporate world. It’s been well worth it. Every single day he surprises us with just how far he has come, and I really enjoyed my time with him.” He started My Artwork Plate, which, he said, “I can grow and at the same time gives me flexibility to continue on Jacob’s autism journey. “Seeing Jacob’s artwork progress over the past two years encouraged me to come up with this idea.” Parents also of Oliver, 3, they immersed themselves in learning everything they could about autism spectrum disorder and how best to help their oldest son. Some things couldn’t be learned in books or specific websites. Negative reactions from the public was one harsh discovery. “I don’t think we ever really understood the world of autism,” Gerard said. “On a bad day when Jacob has a meltdown, and it’s usually when we’re out and there’s too much going on or if he is overwhelmed, we hear the whispers and see the looks of judgement: ‘They need to discipline that child.’ “And we’ve all been guilty of that in the

t o G ws? Ne

Ava Fouts was proud of her plate. (Courtesy of the Cassidy Family)

past but when you live with autism and you understand the sensory challenges – how Jacob sees, hears and experiences things differently – you realize that it’s so much more than that.” But the positives are there for the family who have come so far to make Ahwatukee their home. “We have been blown away by the people that have come into Jacob’s life over the past four years,” Gerard said. “Teachers who are now like family, therapists who have become friends, and Jacob’s applied behavior analysis therapist, who was with him right through COVID-19 teaching him social skills, how to interact with his peers, working on reading, emotions and all the things that come completely natural with typical developing kids. All have truly transformed this little boy’s life. “He’s now in mainstream school, something we never dreamed would be

possible.” Both Jacob and Ollie are enrolled at Kyrene de la Colina. Jacob is in first grade and Ollie attends preschool. “Both have the most amazing principal, teachers and resource team at Kyrene de la Colina, more than we could ever have hoped for. It’s thanks to them that I was able to start my business,” proclaimed Cassidy. Laurie Arellano, a kindergarten teacher at Colina and a 21-year Kyrene veteran and Ahwatukee resident, was so impressed with the My Artwork Plates after seeing the products on Sarah Cassidy’s Facebook page that she ordered personalized plates for each of her grandchildren. “I immediately went to Gerard’s website and ordered seven plates for my grandkids,” said Arellano, who was Jacob’s kindergarten teacher last year. “It was so much fun making their faces on the plates; you can also design it to match their personality, which I really loved. Before I placed the order, I realized hair bows were not an (online) option for my granddaughters, and all three of them love to wear bows. “So, I sent Gerard a Facebook message and asked if he had any bows that I could add to the design. He immediately added a bunch of bows and headbands. So, when my grandkids come over to my house, they each have a special plate to use.” Arellano, who welcomed her eighth grandchild last month, said the plates are dishwasher-safe and quite durable. “This is really a great company that can make quality, personalized gifts for kids and grandparents, too and perfect with Christmas is just around the corner,” she said. “And I love supporting a local Ahwatukee business.” Scott and Kathryn Berry, parents of 6-year-old Kaitlyn and 3-year-old Evan, met the Cassidys at swim lessons and their children regularly enjoy play dates. They, too, have become My Artwork Plate customers. Kathryn said that the family recently purchased their first travel trailer, and My Artwork Plate designed and personalized plates and cups to use while camping.

“Now, I can’t wait for my son to turn 4 so we can design party favors for all of the kids specific to Evan’s birthday,” she added. Chandler resident Mary Navarro said the two families have been close since Jacob was young, and the bond strengthened when she and Sarah Cassidy had their second sons a week apart. “The Cassidy family has always put their kids’ best interest at the forefront, so it was no surprise to us when Gerard decided to stay home to support Jacob when he was diagnosed with Autism. Jacob has grown leaps and bounds since then especially in his language development and it has been amazing to watch,” she said. “We’ve been along for the ride of My Artwork Plate since its conception. We’ve watched Gerard work tirelessly on building a brand that fits their family and it’s values,” said Navarro, a Montessori teacher. “If you leave knowing one thing about the Cassidy family it’s that they’re the most fun, giving and caring people you’ll ever meet. This is clearly evident in the playful designs and reasonable price points of their products. “ Gerard said as parents of small boys, it was important to the couple to provide reasonable product pricing. To accomplish that, he said three quarters of his products are $20 or below. Fundraising has long been a passion for Gerard Cassidy, starting when he was back in Ireland and helping families and nonprofits as a volunteer. After a school or group registers online, they are assigned a code. Then parents or members order products directly on the website, using the code and 20 percent of product purchase goes in the group’s coffers with a check sent monthly for every $100 or more raised. The program is fully outlined on MyArtworkPlate.com As Cassidy works to expand his nascent business, he is active within his community, including serving on his sons’ schools PTO. “We are so grateful for what we have, and as part of our business we wanted to give back to local communities and support them in raising funds,” Gerard said. ■

Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak@timespublications.com

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

■ ARIZONA AREA RESIDENTS CASH IN: Pictured above are protected Priority Packages containing the unsearched Vault Bags that everyone will be trying to get. It’s hard to tell how much these unsearched bags loaded with rarely seen Gov’t issued coins could be worth someday. That’s because each Vault Bag is known to contain nearly 3 pounds of Gov’t issued coins some dating back to the 1800’s including all those shown in today’s publication. In addition, after each bag is loaded with over 200 rarely seen coins, each verified to meet a minimum collector grade of very good or above, the dates and mint marks are never searched to determine collector values. So you better believe at just $980 these unsearched Vault Bags are a real steal.

Rarely seen United States coins up for grabs in Arizona -zip codes determine who gets them

Unsearched Vault Bags loaded with rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued coins some dating back to the 1800’s and worth up to 50 times their face value are actually being handed over to residents who find their zip code below and beat the 48 hour order deadline AZ RESIDENTS: IF YOU FIND THE FIRST THREE DIGITS OF YOUR ZIP CODE BELOW. CALL: 1-800-869-3164 UV31332 850 852 853 “The vaults at Federated Mint are going empty,” said Laura A. Lynne, U.S. Coin and Currency Director for Federated Mint. That’s because a decision by Federated Mint to release rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued coins, some worth up to 50 times their face value, means unsearched Vault Bags loaded with U. S. Gov’t issued coins dating back to the 1800’s are now being handed over to U.S. residents who find the first

855 856 857 three digits of their zip code listed in today’s publication. “But don’t thank the Government. As U.S. Coin and Currency Director for Federated Mint, I get paid to inform and educate the general public regarding U.S. coins. Ever since the decision by Federated Mint to release rarely seen U.S. Gov’t issued coins to the general public — I’m being asked how much are the unsearched Vault Bags worth? The answer is, there’s

859 860 863 no way to tell. Coin values always fluctuate and there are never any guarantees, but we do know this. Each unsearched bag weighs nearly 3 pounds and is known to contain rarely seen Morgan Silver Dollars and these coins alone could be worth $40 - $325 in collector value each according to The Official Red Book, a Guide Book of United States Coins. So there’s no telling what you’ll find until you search through all the coins. But

864 865

you better believe at just $980 these unsearched Vault Bags are a steal, “said Lynne. “These are not ordinary coins you find in your pocket change. These are rarely seen silver, scarce, collectible and non-circulating U.S. coins dating back to the 1800’s so we won’t be surprised if thousands of U.S. residents claim as many as they can get their hands on. That’s because R1054R-1

(Continued on next page)

OCTOBER 6, 2021 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

31 SPECIAL ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT ISSUED COINS SEALED IN EACH BAG:

Silver Morgan Dollar 1878-1921

Silver Liberty Head 1892-1915

■ UNSEARCHED: Pictured above are the unsearched Vault Bags being handed over to Arizona residents who call the National Toll-Free Hotline before the 48-hour deadline ends. And here’s the best part. Each Vault Bag is loaded with over 200 U.S. Gov’t issued coins, including all the coins pictured in today’s publication, some dating back to the 1800’s and worth up to 50 times their face value. Each coin is verified to meet a minimum collector grade of very good or above before the bags are securely sealed and the dates and mint marks are never searched by Federated Mint to determine collector value. If you find your zip code listed, call 1-800-869-3164 EXT.UV31332 immediately. (Continued from previous page)

Silver Walking Liberty 1916-1947

Silver Peace Dollar 1921-1935

Silver Ben Franklin 1948-1963

after the bags were loaded with nearly 3 pounds of U.S. Gov’t issued coins, each verified to meet a minimum collector grade quality of very good or above, the dates and mint marks were never searched to determine collector values and the bags were securely sealed. That means there’s no telling what you’ll find until you search all the coins,” said Lynne. The only thing U.S. residents who find their zip code printed in today’s publication need to do is call the National Toll-Free Hotline before the 48-hour deadline ends. This is very important. After the Vault Bags were loaded with over 200 of U.S. Gov’t issued coins, each verified to meet a minimum collector grade quality of very good or above, the dates and mint marks were never searched to determine collector values. The Vault Bag fee has been set for $1,500 for residents who miss the 48-hour deadline, but for those U.S. residents who beat the 48-hour

deadline the Vault Bag fee is just $980 as long as they call the National TollFree Hotline before the deadline ends. “R emember th is , we ca n not stop collectors from buying up all the unsearched bags of coins they can get in this special advertising announcement. And you better believe with each bag being loaded with nearly 3 pounds of U.S. Gov’t issued coins we’re guessing they’re going to go quick,” said Lynne. The phone lines will be ringing off the hook beginning at precisely 8:30 a.m. this morning. That’s because each unsearched Vault Bag is loaded with the rarely seen coins pictured left and highly sought after collector coins dating clear back to the 1800’s including iconic Morgan Silver Dollars, a historic Peace Silver Dollar, stunning Silver Walking Liberty Half Dollars, the collectible Silver Eisenhower Dollars, spectacular Silver Liberty Head Half and Quarter Dollars, rarely seen Silver Franklin Half Dollars, high demand President

Kennedy Silver Half Dollars, beautiful Silver Standing Liberty Quarter Dollars, A merican Bicentennial Quarters, rare Liberty V Nickels, one cent Historic Wheat Coins including 1943 “Steel Cents”, one of the beautiful Winged Liberty Head Dimes, scarce Indian Head one cent U.S. coins and the last ever minted Buffalo Nickels. “With all these collectible U.S. Gov’t Issued coins up for grabs we’re going to do our best to answer all the calls,” said Lynne. Thousands of U.S. residents stand to miss the deadline to claim the U.S. Gov’t issued coins. That means U.S. residents who find the first three digits of their zip code listed in today’s publication can claim the unsearched bags of money for themselves and keep all the U.S. Gov’t issued coins found inside. If you find your zip code listed, call 1-800-869-3164 EXT.UV31332 immediately. Just be sure to call before the deadline ends 48 hours from today’s publication date. ■

FEDERATED MINT, LLC IS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE U.S. MINT, THE U.S. GOVERNMENT, A BANK OR ANY GOVERNMENT AGENCY. IF FOR ANY REASON WITHIN 30 DAYS FROM SHIPMENT YOU ARE DISSATISFIED, RETURN THE PRODUCT FOR A REFUND LESS SHIPPING AND RETURN POSTAGE. THIS SAME OFFER MAY BE MADE AVAILABLE AT A LATER DATE OR IN A DIFFERENT GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION. OH RESIDENTS ADD 6.5% SALES TAX. R1054R-1 FEDERATED MINT, PO BOX 1200, MASSILLON, OH 44648 ©2021 FEDERATED MINT

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BUSINESS

Business OCTOBER 6, 2021 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

@AhwatukeeFN |

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www.ahwatukee.com

Whiz Kids Playland opens in Ahwatukee AFN NEWS STAFF

new early-childhood learning center has opened in Ahwatukee. The fourth Valley location of Whiz Kidz Preschools opened at 1442 E. Chandler Blvd. in space previously occupied by the Foothills Preschool & Enrichment Center. The locally owned and operated Whiz Kidz Preschool “was designed with young children in mind with large open playgrounds and classrooms as well as a secure entrance providing confidence for families,” a spokeswoman said. And it’s larger than its Phoenix, Scottsdale and Mesa sites with a maximum capacity of 170 kids for all its diverse programs. “As our city continues to grow, the demand for quality childcare increases,” said founder/CEO Martha Picciao. “We are very excited to serve the Ahwatukee Foot-

hills community and are looking forward to building community relationships.” Picciao founded the first Whiz Kids in 2007, merging what she called a “passion for teaching and entrepreneurship to serve families and lay a learning foundation for children.” The mother of three also mentors women in the EO Accelerator program and serves on the boards of A New Leaf and the Arizona Association for the Education of Young Children. After graduating from Arizona State University cum laude, a BA in education and teaching first grade for two years, she began a home preschool before starting her off-site operations. Whiz Kidz Preschool focuses on “quality early childhood education with a playbased curriculum” that includes enrichment classes such as gardening, music, PE, cooking and art. It champions “offering ample oppor-

tunities for children to explore their own expression and creativity.” “We promote motor skill development, healthy social relationships, love, security and praise in addition to singing the ABC’s during diaper changes” it says on its website. Its programs include a “Stay ‘n Play” program with an indoor playhouse, market and obstacle course for children from infant to age 10; “Drop ‘n Play” and infant care for working parents; and hosts birthday parties. Also offered are the Up and Beyond Preschool and the Learn ‘n Go and AfterSchool. The latter includes lessons in Spanish, Pinterest arts and crafts, reading, math and even cooking and the website says, “It’s like college for kids.”

Martha Picciao, founder/CEO of Whiz Kids PreInformation: whizkidzpreschool. schools, visited her recently opened fourth Valley location last week in Ahwatukee. (Pablo Robles) com. ■

Cooper’s Hawk in Chandler making wine ‘approachable’ BY GERI KOEPPEL AFN Contributor

f you’re not sure whether to order merlot, malbec or meritage with your dinner, newly opened Cooper’s Hawk Winery & Restaurant is here to help. The growing “lifestyle concept” founded in Orland Park, Illinois, in 2005 includes a Napa-style tasting room where you can sip and sample and a restaurant where each dish includes a suggested wine to take the guesswork out of pairings. Its 47th location and only the second in the West (the other is in Scottsdale) opened Sept. 27 at 3325 W. Chandler Blvd. in front of Chandler Fashion Center. Cooper’s Hawk is a typical restaurant, where its “modern casual dining” includes elevated yet unpretentious dishes such as pan-roasted barramundi or roasted chicken risotto. However, at all but one of its restaurants, the only wines sold are proprietary

Cooper’s Hawk Chandler Tasting Room Attendant Thomas Lichter pours samples of the company’s wines at a preview event on Sept. 23. (Geri Koeppel/AFN Contributor) – made by the company itself at a facility in Illinois from grapes specially sourced from partners around the country and internationally.

If you’re just starting to explore the world of wine, you can get to know several dozen solidly crafted varietals with no uncharacteristic flavors and be confident that

you’ll be able to pair your meal with a wine as easily as if it were a set of Garanimals. If you’re an experienced oenophile skeptical of this approach, you’ll be intrigued to know that Master Sommelier Emily Wines – yes, her real, given name – is vice president of wine and beverage experience for the company. Her duties include educating staff and guests, staging events, creating certain wines and curating “flights” – tastings of multiple wines to appreciate the flavor profiles. “For Cooper’s Hawk, it’s all about making wine approachable and accessible and fun,” Wines said. She focuses on “finding good stories” about wine so it’s not intimidating or geeky. Wines is a rock star in the wine world. She’s one of just two women and 15 professionals who have been awarded the prestigious Remi Krug Cup for passing all

see WINE page 34

BUSINESS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

Maximizing retirement income is important BY DR. HAROLD WONG AFN Guest Writer

ost of the financial advice world focuses on accumulating assets and rates of return. Very little time is spent on the effect of stock market crashes on one’s retirement assets – or how to maximize your income from whatever retirement assets you have saved. Ever since the 2008 stock market crash and financial panic, returns from traditional retirement assets have been terribly low. In May 2021, the three largest retail banks in Arizona paid anywhere from 0.02 percent to 0.05 percent on a CD. On Sept. 7, the yield was only 1.33 percent on a 10-year US Treasury Bond and 1.94 percent on a 30-year US Treasury Bond. The average dividend yield for S&P 500 companies for the last 21 years was only 2.02 percent. In conclusion, one can save $1 million and only receive $200 to

WINE from page 33

three sections – theory, service and blind tasting – of the Master Sommelier Diploma Examination on her first attempt. She designed the graphically appealing tasting sheets, which provide a visual guide to the components of each wine. It gives icons for the flavor profiles (for example, the riesling shows lime, green apple, honey and white flowers) along with the proportions of sweetness, tannin, acidity, body and alcohol. “Breaking down the basic flavors of the wine is one thing, but when it comes to structure is where a lot of people find the wines they like or don’t,” Wines said. That way, staff can help recommend similar wines—for instance, those with more body and tannin and less sweetness and acidity. Wines said the tasting sheets are designed to let people try a well-rounded variety of wines.

$20,000 of annual income. If you can double your Social Security income or increase cash flow from your retirement assets by three to five times, you will be much happier and live longer, according to various sources of research. Case Study #1: I looked at a composite of a nurse, nurse practitioner, and pharmacist who work for the Phoenix VA. If they waited until age 70 to take their Social Security, they would receive $40,000 a year instead of $20,000 a year if they took SS at age 62. Here’s the million-dollar question: Is it easier to wait eight years until age 70 to take SS or to save an extra $1 million times 2 percent return to receive the same extra $20,000 a year of income? Case Study #2: A nurse, age 62, deposited $250,000 in a private pension fund and will receive $25,000/year of income starting at age 70, guaranteed for every year she lives. This is a 10 percent rate of cash flow vs. as little as $50 of annual bank interest or $5,000 of annual stock dividends.

“Ideally, I like to throw in wines side by side that tell a little bit of a story,” she said, such as Cabernet Sauvignon on its own versus in a blend, or a chardonnay aged in oak versus stainless steel. The Master’s Flight that she curates includes four wines on a specific theme. The current one, “That’s My Jam,” features fruit-forward jammy wines: a primitivo-zinfandel blend, a soft old vine zinfandel, a cabernet zinfandel blend with more structure, and blueberry acai bubbly sangria. The wine list includes basic varietals, more upscale “Lux” wines, sweet and dessert wines, other fruit-based wines such as rhubarb and passion fruit, and winebased seltzers. Wines also has a “passion project” for the firm making higher-end wines with a theme of female empowerment. She’s committed to expanding diversity in the wine world for women and BIPOC

Note that stock dividends are not guaranteed as they can be cut or eliminated if the company has financial trouble. Also, you must take the risk of owning the stock in order to receive a stock dividend. Case Study #3: A couple, age 83, attended a seminar 10 years ago in Surprise and met me in my office. They only had $80,000 of financial assets, but both were retired public school teachers from New Jersey. They had large state pensions plus Social Security income. For the last 30 years, they had taken at least two or three expensive cruises each year. They were not worried about having only $80,000 of financial assets because there were big monthly pension and SS checks arriving each month. This allowed them to spend all their income without worries. Question: who is happier? This couple with lots of guaranteed lifetime income; OR a couple who have saved $800,000, but are afraid to spend it because they never know whether there will be a stock

people, and the Camille series (so called after her middle name) is devoted to strong characters. The current offering, a bordeaux-style blend called Camille Proud with Joan of Arc on the label, ”is about people who have pride in their convictions and fight for them,” she said. The Cooper’s Hawk wine club mimics a typical winery club, where members sign up to purchase one to three bottles each month and get perks such as discounts on more bottles, birthday rewards and more. They also get access to wine club dinners, trips and other events. Wines herself even hosts immersive events, including journeys to wine growing regions – she recently went to Sicily with a group of wine club members. “I believe that seeing the world through the lens of what you drink in each place is a great way to experience it,” she said. That said, you don’t have to be a world

market crash, major medical expense, or some other expensive emergency? A recent study concluded that “Retirees who had $500,000 or more right before retirement had spent down a median of only 11.5 percent of that money 20 years later or by the time they died.” “A man who ‘hopes he runs out of money’ before he dies explains why you may not need as much cash to retire as you think” by Liz Knueven in May 5, 2021, businessinsider.com. Free live seminar and lunch: 10:45 a.m. Saturday Oct. 9 at The Old Spaghetti Factory, 3155 W. Chandler Blvd., Chandler. The topic is “Double Your Social Security & Other Retirement Income and Pay Less Tax!” Free lunch is 1-2 p.m. To RSVP for the seminar or a free consultation: 480-706-0177 or harold_wong@hotmail.com. His website is drharoldwong.com. Dr. Harold Wong earned his Ph.D. in economics at University of California/ Berkeley and has appeared on over 400 TV/radio programs. ■ traveler to appreciate wine. Cooper’s Hawk brings an array of varietals to its tasting rooms and restaurants by pressing the grapes at or near the site of origin, then transporting the juice and doing the blending, aging and bottling on site, with few exceptions. It works with multiple growers to ensure consistency in its products, which is helpful for learning typical flavor profiles and characteristics. This approach helps keep costs reasonable—most bottles retail for about $17 to $40, with onsite prices around $25 to $48. “Having worked in the luxury world of wine where wines are for the one percent of the population, what I love about Cooper’s Hawk is: wine culture is for everyone,” Wines said. “It’s not a wealthy person’s game alone.”

Information: chwinery.com/locations/arizona/chandler-az ■

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Opinion OCTOBER 6, 2021 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Registered Republican gives Sinema big shout out

Our Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema is to be applauded for having the courage to object to the Pelosi/Schumer blitzkrieg to spend $3.5 trillion on a liberal socialism agenda of creating a cradle-to-the-grave dependence on the federal government. Senator Sinema alongside Sen. Joe Manchin (D, West Virginia) have openly pushed back on the size of this unprecedented expenditure – not necessarily against the far-left liberal policies but the amount of spending in the bill. In Kyrsten’s favor – she’s taking the lead while the other Arizona Democratic senator is running TV ads promoting it. With an evenly split Senate, Pelosi/ Schumer need every one of those 50 Democratic senators to vote yes on Joe Biden’s “Build Back Better” plan while far left liberal House Democrats hold hostage a bipartisan $1 trillion infrastructure bill until they get their $3.5 trillion “gift.” With Sinema and Manchin showing far more backbone than any of their colleagues – several Democrat centrists are quietly edging away from this $3.5 trillion debacle. With their hair on fire over Senator Sinema’s stand, the knives have come out in personal attacks on her by the Quad - those four House representatives whose combined IQ wouldn’t qualify them as a carrot - and other Democrat House members claiming that she and Manchin are actually Republicans in disguise. They are already calling for their replacement in the next election cycle. Very little of what’s in this 2,465-page reconciliation bill is known which brings back bad memories of Nancy Pelosi’s “We have to pass the bill, so that you can find out what is in it” some 10 years ago. In this case – they haven’t even written all of the bill. Some choice items: #1. Biden’s 3.5 trillion plan has included $3 BILLION to plant trees in failing neighborhoods as “equity.” #2. Lower income families who pay no Federal income tax will receive a check of $3,600 for each under the age of 6 and $3,000 for older dependents for 2021. #3 And the best rip-off of the day – buy a new car from a UAW (union) plant you receive a $6,500 check from Uncle Sam. You buy a

new Honda or Toyota and you get nada. The Wall Street Journal (Oct. 2) summarized this gunfight best: Vermont’s acknowledged socialist Senator Bernie Sanders “urges his progressive (aka “socialist”) followers in the House to defeat the infrastructure bill until the Senate also agrees to pass $3.5 trillion in new entitlement spending. He rages against Kyrsten Sinema and Joe Manchin and I quote: “2 senators cannot be allowed to defeat what 48 senators and 210 House members want.” And this socialist calls this democracy? Appears that although Bernie lost to Biden, Bernie’s running that show. Special note to all you 1950’s/1960’s Democrats: The party you knew and supported is long gone. The liberals are busy perfuming the pig by marketing themselves as “progressives” when in reality, just like Bernie they are really socialists. You can take that to the bank. So please stand firm Senator Kyrsten Sinema. While I suspect your focus is only on lowering the money appropriated more than a refusal to stop these socialists’ policies – at least you and Joe are trying to mitigate Biden’s drive to make this country just another welfare state. The future of our kids and grandkids (and in my case my great-grandkids) hang in the balance. -Terence P. Cunningham

Foothills HOA residents need to vote this month

Over the past three years, I have been extensively involved with efforts to improve and reform the Foothills HOA to make it more transparent, accountable, and responsive to its members. I am happy to report that good progress has been made over the past year. One of the key elements of this progress is a significant overhaul of the Bylaws, which is up for a vote right now. This is a more comprehensive set of changes that builds upon the changes that were passed during the reform election in July, 2020. I urge every Foothills resident to vote to approve new Bylaws. I also support all three candidates who are running for the three open board posi-

tions: David Randolph, George Lemley, and Jakki Waldecker. I urge you to cast one vote for each of these candidates. With only three candidates running for three board positions, it may appear that there is no need to vote. However, we must have enough voter turnout to meet quorum and make the election valid, both for the candidates and for the approval of the Bylaws. And, as always, high homeowner turnout helps to ensure a healthy HOA. If you are a Foothills resident, please take the time to vote, and please ask your neighbors to vote. The deadline for voting is Thursday, Oct. 14 at 5 p.m.. Your mailed-in ballot must be postmarked by this date. Alternatively, you may scan and email your ballot by this date. Online voting is also available. If you miss the Oct. 14 deadline, you can still vote in person at the Foothills Golf Club at 5:30 p.m. Oct. 20. If you are a Foothills HOA resident with questions about voting, please contact Matt Jacobs at mjacobs@premieraz.com, or call 480-704-2900. -Rob Doherty

Thought letter was about former president

In reading Jan Johnson’s description of President Biden, for a moment there I thought she was actually describing ExPresident Trump: “a bumbling buffoon, a pathetic, mentally challenged man who cannot construct a coherent sentence or even read from a teleprompter…When you look at the havoc he’s caused in eight months, it’s terrifying to imagine what he can do in another three years.” Those were my exact fears during the Trump presidency! What might I add to the description about Ex-President Trump? An egomaniac who spent his presidency tweeting and watching tv shows, a manipulative man, devoid of decency or diplomacy, who cared much more for his image than the American people. Does Jan not understand that the crisis at the border is not driven by any president? It is a complex issue which needs complex solutions. No president, or governor, or

legislature, or fanatical gun-toting rightwing group has solved the border crisis. Trump’s contribution was to foment hysteria and racial misunderstanding, to disrespect Mexicans with his hate speech and inhumane policies. Mexico is our neighbor and ally, not our enemy. Trump spent billions on a border wall which we, the American people, paid for. The border wall running through unpopulated areas has destroyed riparian areas and has done nothing to protect much of the 1,954 miles of border between our two countries that simply cannot be protected by a physical wall. Actually, it has done the opposite, providing a smooth highway for the drug smugglers to transport illegal drugs through what was once very rugged terrain. Jan writes that “it will be necessary to make millions of Americans dependent on government handouts.” Does Jan collect Social Security or intend to in her lifetime? It is a socialistic government program. Taxes are our responsibility to each other in this great democracy of ours. I will be voting for political leaders who have the integrity to create a tax plan that asks ALL of us, including wealthier Americans, to pay their fair share. I sincerely hope that those Arizona legislators who voted for the flat tax that allows the wealthiest 1 percent of Arizonans to avoid their equitable tax share are voted out of office. I consider myself an educated, rational voter. I am not a “liberal secular progressive”. I’m not even a Democrat, but I am much happier now that Ex-President Trump is no longer able to use his platform as President to give legitimacy to his hate speech and unhinged rhetoric. Like Jan, I will be voting in the next midterm. I’d imagine we will be voting for very different candidates. That, after all, is our solemn right and responsibility in this great democracy of ours. - Lori Vanover

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Dad’s medical miracles motivate Christian Clark BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

ic Clark was an avid athlete growing up, playing several different sports before gravitating toward football. His love for the game led him to accept a scholarship offer to Marshall University, where he played wide receiver. Once out of college, he continued to do what he could to stay in shape, constantly taking part in workouts both on the field with his two sons, Jaden and Christian, and lifting weights at a local gym. So, when he began to experience severe back pain 4 years ago, doctors thought it was wear and tear from his athletic career. But they soon found out that wasn’t the case. “I knew something was wrong,” Ric said. “The pain was to the point where I would have to take a folding chair to each station at my sons’ practices to coach. But doctors all said I was too healthy for it to be anything more than moderate scoliosis in my vertebrae.” Ric underwent a series of tests to find what the root cause of his pain was after his primary care found he was losing blood somewhere in his body. However, doctors found nothing. The emergency room doctor decided to run one more test. Deep-down Ric, for some reason, thought the worst. He believed he had some form of cancer. He didn’t know what type, but he couldn’t shake the thought from his mind. The look on his doctor’s face when he returned to his room confirmed his suspicions. Three spots were found. He needed a biopsy but for confirmation, but it was believed to be cancer. A few days later, Dr. Clayton Polowy, an oncologist in Mesa, gave them the diagnosis. Ric had Stage 4 advanced non-small cell adenocarcinoma, a severe form of lung cancer. He received his diagnosis just a month after his mother and sister were both diagnosed with cancer. A PET scan was done and over 50 le-

FROM LEFT: Ric Clark, Shannon Clark and Christian Clark, along with their oldest son, Jaden, have grown closer as a family through Ric’s medical struggles, which included a Stage 4 lung cancer diagnosis 4 years ago that initially gave him as little as 6 months to live. (Pablo Robles/AFN Staff) sions were discovered in his body. They were up and down his vertebrae, which cracked in one spot and in his brain. His mutation was ALK-positive. According to his wife, Shannon, his body “lit up like a Christmas tree.” He was given just 6 months to live. “It just so happens that a month or two prior, they came out with a cancer pill for his mutation,” Shannon said. “They told us to pray for that mutation so he could take the pill.” Two days after he began taking the pill, his pain was gone. A short time later, another PET scan showed his body had gone dim. The lesions were diminishing. The pill, which only positively affected less than two percent of the people who had taken it at the time, had worked. Ric was overcome with emotion as he sat and watched Christian, now a sophomore at Desert Vista, practice with the varsity team while thinking about what transpired four years ago. Since he was diagnosed, he’s entered remission three times and has dealt with

a myriad of other health issues along the way. He went through three rounds of chemotherapy and 20 rounds of radiation, which caused the humorous in his left arm to crack. He now has a metal rod inserted to stabilize it. He, at one point, had become a full-blown diabetic from the treatments and then overcame that. He also entered Stage 4 kidney failure at one point and was within two weeks of going on dialysis. He beat that, too. Every obstacle that has come his way, he’s conquered it. Shannon says he has nine lives. Christian believes he isn’t human. “He’s a superhero,” Christian said, smiling. “He’s always strong for us and does what he can to make sure we are all right even though we have to worry about him sometimes. He puts others before himself no matter what it is. I love him for that.” Despite all he has overcome, Ric knows his battle with health issues may not be over. On Aug. 21 of this year, he was downstairs in his family’s home putting together a piece of furniture for Jaden, now a freshman wide receiver at the University

Christian, a sophomore running back on Desert Vista’s varsity roster, is motivated by his dad’s ability to fight despite all his medical adversities the last 4 years. He said he plays for him on a nightly basis. (Pablo Robles/AFN Staff) of Arizona. He began slurring his speech and the left side of his face began to sag. A blood clot in his brain had caused a stroke. Christian was there to help. It left him completely paralyzed on the left side of his body. Ric was told he would have to undergo intensive physical therapy for weeks to regain his ability to properly walk again. But that wasn’t an option for him. After all, he wanted to make it to Christian’s first varsity game. He took it upon himself to regain strength. On his own in his hospital bed, he stood up from a seated position repeatedly for hours. Ric told Shannon he was “practicing.” Doctors knew what he was doing. They

see CLARK page 41

SPORTS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

Thunder unable to hang around with Highland in loss BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

ne of the biggest differences with this year’s Desert Vista football program compared to years past is their inability to give up when plays don’t go their way. They showed resiliency against Perry in the first week of the season despite the loss and bounced back in a big way from that in the two weeks after that. Against Highland on Friday night, Desert Vista knew it would have to play its best game against last year’s 6A runner-up that figures to be in contention for a spot in the Open Division this season. The Thunder played up to Highland’s level on Friday night for an entire half before the Hawks’ got the better of them in their 30-14 win. But make no mistake, Ty Wisdom’s team handled the adversity and loss in a way that made him proud when the final buzzer sounded. “Brock does a great job, they’re a physical football team,” Wisdom said. “Credit to Highland, they do a lot of good things. That’s a good team.” Desert Vista’s struggles came as a surprise to many after an impressive first drive in which junior quarterback Jackson Akins found junior wideout Michael Allison on fourth down for a 51-yard touchdown. It was the first score of the game and was a promising sign for a Thunder team desperate to prove itself after last season. But the offense was limited the rest of the way. Akins was 10 of 19 on the night for 117 yards and the one touchdown. He had a late interception while trying to drive Desert Vista down the field with under two minutes remaining. Senior running back Devon Grubbs, who had already eclipsed the 500-yard rushing mark in just three games, was held to just 21 yards on 10 carries. He exited the game late in the second quarter with a shoulder injury and didn’t return. That paved the way for sophomore Christian Clark to take over lead back duties for the Thunder. He had 13 total carries for 52 yards against a physical Highland defense. But he was able to find paydirt on a 5-yard run in the fourth quarter, which was the Thunder’s first touchdown since the opening minutes of the game. “You never wish or think one of your

Desert Vista sophomore running back Christian Clark rushed for 52 yards and a touchdown after he took over for an injured Devon Grubbs in the Thunder’s game against Highland on Friday. (Courtesy Donna Mundy Photography) teammates is going to get hurt,” Clark said. “We didn’t want that to happen, and I knew I had to step up big time. Especially because of Devon’s caliber of talent. He told me to do it for him.” Highland coach Brock Farrel admitted he was overthinking the plays he was calling and the offense as a whole. So, they went back to the basics of the Highland offense, which left the game in the hands of its big and physical offensive line. It worked for the Hawks, who scored 20 third-quarter points.

“We just went back to what we do well and that’s run the ball,” Farrel said. “We loaded up the box, put tight ends in the game and let our O-line work. I think I just over schemed things in the first half. We made it simpler, and the kids executed better.” Highland initially struggled against a much-improved Desert Vista team. The Hawks settled for a field goal early in the first quarter and didn’t find the end zone until just 17 seconds remained in the half, when senior running back Steven Trujillo led the Hawks on a 63-yard drive that end-

ed with a 7-yard run from fellow tailback Chance Cauthen. Their 10 first-half points were the lowest total through two quarters for the Hawks this season. But they quickly found their rhythm in the second half. “We had a rough start this game and last week, we had a rough finish,” Trujillo said. “We were getting hyped up in the locker room and we came out and had everything under control.” Trujillo opened the third quarter with a 53-yard touchdown in which he bounced off three would-be tacklers before turning up the far sideline for the score. It quickly tilted any remaining momentum from Desert Vista’s side to Highland’s. On their next drive, senior quarterback Gage Dayley found senior wideout Tautua Pauga for a 52-yard touchdown. Just four minutes of game time later, Dayley called his own number and scored from 19 yards out. He finished 4 of 10 for 106 yards and the touchdown. Trujillo — who had a team-high 168 yards rushing — Dayley, Cauthen and senior Brady Trejo combined for 264 yards on the ground and three touchdowns. Despite a lopsided third quarter, in which Highland scored 20-unanswered points, Wisdom credited his team for their fight against one of the state’s best. As the Thunder enter the meat of its schedule — with games against Basha and Hamilton in the next two weeks — he stressed the importance of them staying together and continue to take strides in the right direction. Despite the loss, the morale of the team remained high. “I’m proud of the way our kids fought,” Wisdom said. Any time you lose a player like Grubbs, it’s hard. We had a lot of mental mistakes tonight but now we just have to get stronger. It obviously doesn’t get easier. “We are just going to focus on us. That’s what we’ve always done and that’s how we get better and get a chance to go compete in the playoffs.”

Have an interesting sports story?

Desert Vista junior quarterback Jackson Akins started fast against Highland, passing for 88 yards in the first half and a touchdown to junior wide receiver Michael Allison. (Courtesy Donna

Mundy Photography)

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

SPORTS

OCTOBER 6, 2021 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Pride bounce back with big win over Buena BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

ountain Pointe’s football team found itself in a bit of a slump after starting the season with two straight wins. A tough loss to Perry followed by a blow out one to Casteel had the Pride once again searching for answers and its identity. Head coach Eric Lauer hoped they would be able to get back on track during its long 4-hour bus ride to Sierra Vista to play Buena High School. And that’s exactly what they did. Mountain Pointe’s offense fired on all cylinders for the first time in three weeks against Buena and left southern Arizona with an astounding 68-26 win over the Colts. “We were able to get back to who we are,” Lauer said. “We ran 50 plays of offense in the first half. I don’t know how many we had in the second half, but we were able to get back to our tempo.” Lauer said the team saw its rushing at-

CLARK from page 39

watched from outside of his window. Two days after his stroke he walked around the hospital floor. Less than two weeks later, he was able to walk into the stadium without a walker to see Desert Vista open the season against Perry. Christian scored a touchdown. “He really is a walking miracle,” Shannon said. “And our medical team is so good and so supportive, and they all consult with each other to figure out what to do before something else happens. But every time

Mountain Pointe coach Eric Lauer said his team once again found its identity in its win over Buena Friday night in Sierra Vista.(Pablo

Robles/AFN Staff)

tack once again come alive. It had played a crucial role in the team’s success early in the year with junior quarterback Chris Arviso at the helm. But with Arviso absent the last two weeks, the Pride offense was

it’s like, ‘We’ve never seen this before.’” Ric’s most recent scan showed his cancer was still in remission. He has another scheduled for October. He has spent the last 4 years documenting his medical journey in a notebook. Every medical loss and win are written in it. There’s also a lot of, “I love my boys,” “I love my wife,” and “I love my family,” from Ric. In his mind, that journal will be a piece of him should he succumb to any potential future illnesses. But Christian and Jaden don’t plan to read it any time soon. “I’m always in good spirits he’s here and

Free Screenings

stagnant and at times, one dimensional. Senior athlete Amier Boyd, who transitioned from quarterback to wideout and defensive back, started as quarterback on short notice for Mountain Pointe with Arviso sidelined. While he made plays with his athleticism, opposing defenses were able to key in on him. Against Buena, however, Arviso’s return once again allowed Mountain Pointe to be a threat not only on the ground but through the air. The junior made plays to open the run-game, which flourished. Seniors Devon Sparks, Cam Gillum and junior Jay’len Rushing, according to Lauer, all rushed for over 100 yards against Buena. The Mountain Pointe offensive line, led by senior left guard Jack Plote and freshman left tackle Kaleb Jones, had their way with the Colts’ defensive line. “We wanted to pound the rock,” Lauer said. “It’s good when you can be who you are. We were able to push the rock. It was a pretty clean game. I think we are pleased. We haven’t traveled this distance healthy so reading that hasn’t crossed my mind,” Christian said. “My dad introduced me to football. He motivates me a lot. They’re the reason I am a sophomore on varsity, they pushed me. I try to do everything possible to make them proud.” The bond the entire family shares were already strong before Ric’s diagnosis in 2017. It’s only grown stronger since. He still helps train both of his boys when they are home. He’s recently made trips down to Tucson to see Jaden. He continues to overcome every obstacle that stands in his way, which has mo-

in awhile.” Boyd, who was able to move away from under center, was key defensively. The Pride held a 38-0 lead at halftime. Most of Buena’s points came late in the game when it was already decided. The win put Mountain Pointe back on track to potentially make the playoffs for the first time since 2018. But a matchup against Cesar Chavez (3-1) awaits. Given most of the Pride players come from the south Phoenix area where Chavez is located, this game has become more of a rivalry as of late. Lauer knows it will once again be a test for his program. But it’s one he believes they can handle now that they are back in the win column. “When I was here the last time, the wins came a lot easier and it was expected,” Lauer said. Now, you have to build that type of mentality and teach them how to practice. The work is done Monday through Thursday. The reward is Friday. “Without a doubt, this game could be a trap week for us with fall break. We just have to get them up and ready to go.” ■

tivated his kids to fight through adversities they face on the football field. He plans to be right there with them when they overcome those, just like he has the last 4 years. “Every time I’ve been diagnosed, I haven’t been afraid,” Ric said. “My boys, my wife, the three of them, we’re family. We live for our boys. My biggest fear was how it would affect them. Every morning when I wake up, I thank God for allowing me to see another day. “I haven’t felt bad for a long time, and I thank God for that.” ■

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Mega-watt Halloween display burns bright in Ahwatukee GETOUT STAFF

ou only have to look at his Ahwatukee house one evening this month to know that Doug Maldonado can rightfully brag, “Nobody does Halloween like I do.” Festooned with thousands of lights and eye-popping inflatables of assorted creatures, his home at 16210 S. 29th Drive is a flashy homage to Halloween that he wants Ahwatukee residents to know is his way of giving back to the community. “It’s my way of thanking the community for their business. They let me into their homes and I want people to bring their families to see this,” said Maldonado, who owns Maldonado Home Repair Services. The 13-year Ahwatukee resident and New York City native lights up the house 6:30-9:30 p.m. Monday-Thursday and 6:30-10 p.m. Friday-Sunday but there’s a slight caveat if you plan on seeing a work of art he starts assembling on Labor Day weekend and that takes him pretty much the entire month of September. You have to check him out on Facebook or his ad under “Handyman” in AFN’s classified ad section a few pages beyond this page and get his phone number. Then, you must text him – not call – when you arrive at his gated community and he’ll text you the code to get in. That way, he has a record in case any vandal tries to mess with his work. But thousands of people are cool with complying with that simple request – even in the midst of a pandemic. Maldonado said that last year he debated whether to bother with a light show that he has nurtured and grown over the last 13 years – the last six in his current home.

“I didn’t want to do it, but I asked people on Facebook who know what I do what they thought I should do,” he explained. “I got hundreds of replies. People telling me, ‘Oh, you have to do it. Too much has been taken away from the kids this year, don’t take this away.’” Though his display reflects a great deal

of creativity, Maldonado is old school. He said he is all about lights and inflatables but not into high-tech displays that have become a part of many Christmas light shows people have set up around their homes. But that doesn’t mean he’s complacent about his Halloween display either.

Contact Paul Maryniak at 480-898-5647 or pmaryniak @timespublications.com

“About this time, I start thinking what can I add next year,” he said, adding that he starts cruising the internet in July looking for new things he can add to his megawatt Halloween extravaganza. Maldonado and his wife Rose have three

see DISPLAY page 46

GET OUT

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

Kid-friendly display will have you singing GETOUT STAFF

f it’s Halloween, that means it’s time for Steve Powers’ “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” riffing off Tim Burton’s “Night Before Christmas” with eye-popping animatronics that he himself made. And this Friday, Oct. 8, he’ll be launching his 40-minute looped show 7-9 p.m. every Friday and Saturday of October at 2537 E. Amberwood Drive, Ahwatukee. “Last year even with COVID, we had record numbers, probably over a thousand show up to watch,” said Powers. “I have made this more an Ahwatukee community event versus a city-wide event to keep crowds down”. One big addition this year is that Powers is asking for canned food donations for St. Mary’s Food Bank. Collection boxes will be around the outside of his home. “Jack, Sally, and the entire gang are back in this outdoor show featuring pumpkins that sing your favorite Halloween songs – along with the wacky witch and bumbling ghosts,” said Powers of his kid-friendly display. A trip to Disneyland inspired Powers to develop the show. After seeing the characters that populate the Haunted Mansion ride, Powers, who had no carpentry experience, set

DISPLAY from page 45

kids, but two already are in college so they’re not as captivated anymore by their

Ahwatukee resident Steve Powers on Friday, Oct. 8, will be unveiling his 2021 edition of a Halloween display he has been putting on for years. He built the animatronics himself, plays a 40-minute looped series of kid-friendl;y songs and makes sure his display won’t scare any little kids. (AFN file photos) about building columns and characters and using cables and choreography to develop a seven-minute show that has drawn thousands to his neighborhood. “I liked the movie and display because it was kid-friendly and did not include all of the blood and gore that Halloween has turned into,” Powers said. Powers enjoys putting on the show for the community and though the work at times makes him wonder if he should just

father’s handiwork. Their 12-year-old son, though, is still a fan. But for this month, Maldonado wants any and every kid to come and be awed.

pass, he said, “When I see all of the hundreds of people who come to see this and how the little kids’ faces just light up, I suddenly think I will go for another year.” When he first got the idea for the show, “I went around to a lot of stores only to find out there’s nothing you can get there or on the internet,” he added. “I spent months building all the characters and the columns.” Witches and ghosts in the graveyard

“Yes, it’s a lot of work but I’m doing it for the kids,” he said. Though he leaves some lights up for Christmas – he won’t this year because “I’ll

sing, encouraging spectators to join in as they go through popular songs from movies like “Ghostbusters,” “The Addams Family” and, of course, “The Nightmare Before Christmas.” He even has singing pumpkins to lead sing-alongs. And he stresses, “This is a kid-friendly sing-a-long using video projections and with singing pumpkins and animated props – no blood and gore.” ■

be tied up – Maldonado said he gets a kick out of going much bigger at Halloween because “it’s the only holiday kids and adults can have fun with.” ■

OCTOBER 6, 2021 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

GET OUT

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

King Crossword ACROSS

1 Sparkle 6 Word of denial 9 Early hrs. 12 -- Carta 13 Japanese sash 14 Like sashimi 15 Surrounded by 16 Italian city where Marconi was born 18 Mexican entree 20 Optimistic 21 Honey holder 23 Jurist Fortas 24 De Mille of dance 25 Nepal’s continent 27 Bakery lure 29 Italian port city 31 Italian city of canals 35 Soft leather 37 Pack cargo 38 Grinding tooth 41 Genetic letters 43 Storm center 44 Oil cartel 45 Pippa, to Kate Middleton 47 Italian city on the Adriatic 49 October birthstones 52 Crone 53 -- de deux 54 “-- Be” (The Beatles) 55 “Quiet!” 56 Illustrations 57 Yorkshire city

With JAN D’ATRI GetOut Contributor

H 36 38 39 40 42

Most desert-like Fluttery insects Media mogul Winfrey Janet of “Psycho” Coral reef

45 Flag feature 46 Duel tool 48 Hot tub 50 Cover 51 Rds.

Sudoku

DOWN

1 “Today” rival, briefly 2 Felon’s flight 3 Self-indulgent “journey” 4 “-- Karenina” 5 Igneous rock source 6 More altruistic 7 Bassoon’s kin 8 Up to 9 Inert gas 10 Parson’s home 11 Convinces 17 Church keyboards 19 Humiliate 21 Painter Vermeer 22 Simile part 24 Soul, to Sartre 26 -- -Lorraine 28 Pizza cookers 30 Where Lux. is 32 State repeatedly 33 Coquettish 34 Ram’s mate

PUZZLES ANSWERS on page 25

Just grab one pot for this wonder of a meal

ow we love thee, One-Pot Wonders, let me count the ways! Are you with me? Who doesn’t love a great meal in one skillet, the ease of clean up, the speed at which a delicious dish comes together in one place and the communal aspect of sharing a onepot meal. Cooking up one-pot wonders can put the fun back in fundamental cooking like no other method. Grab a pot and some ingredients that combine well, and add as you go! The dish I cooked up this week does all of the above and begs to be shared. My One-Pot Mexican Wonder starts with a bottom layer of flour tortillas fanned out and overlapping to look like a big flower onto which everything else is layered, nestled and sprinkled. The tortillas cook together to form a flavorful crunchy bowl, and when you lift it out, your pot is clean. My favorite thing is that you make it your own!

Want it more spicy? Go for it! More cheesy? Why not! I guarantee this recipe will turn into one pot of wonderful.■

Ingredients: 6 “Table Size” (8 inch) flour tortillas 1 can (15 oz) chili of your choice - (beans, no beans, vegetarian, turkey or beef) 6 eggs 1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese 1 (16oz) container fresh salsa or pico de gallo,

divided Optional, diced green chile (4oz) 3 tablespoons sliced black olives 2 tablespoons minced cilantro Salt and pepper to taste

Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large oven safe (8” or 10”) cast iron or heavy skillet, place all 6 flour tortillas slightly overlapping each other with about 1 inch of the tortilla above the rim of the skillet. (Tortillas will look like a giant flower.) In a small pot, heat chili to just warm. (That makes it easier to spread.) Pour chili over the tortillas. With a spoon, make an indentation in the chili in 6 places. Very carefully crack 6 eggs and place one in each indentation. Sprinkle cheese over the eggs. Dot with half the container of salsa or pico de gallo. Add

green chiles if desired. Sprinkle with olives. Place skillet in oven and cook for about 20 minutes or until eggs are desired doneness. (Do not overcook eggs.) Remove from oven, sprinkle with cilantro and salt and pepper to taste. To serve, spoon out 1-2 eggs per serving onto individual plates and serve with crispy flour tortilla base and remainder of salsa or pico de gallo. Caution: If you are serving the skillet at the table, the handle will be hot for quite some time. Wrap handle in kitchen towel or several paper towels for safety.

OCTOBER 6, 2021 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Obituaries

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Vincent John Chiego Vincent ('Vince'/ 'Vin'/'Vinnie') John Chiego, 72, of Ahwatukee, Phoenix, AZ passed away Thursday, September 23, 2021, at his home in Lakewood. Vincent was preceded in death by his father, Vincent Anthony Chiego, and his mother, Anne Chiego (née Maskarinec). Surviving Vincent are his loving wife of nearly 46 years, Joan ('Joni') Ann Chiego (née Munsch); his adoring daughter, Jennifer White (née Chiego); his caring son-in-law, Daniel White; his devoted son, Michael Chiego; and his irreplaceable brother and sister, John Chiego and Nancy Chase (née Chiego). Vince was born September 9, 1949, in Perth Amboy, NJ and grew up in Newark, NJ. While attending the technical school, RCA Institutes, in New York City, NY to study technical engineering, Vince met his wife, Joni, in 1969 - the same year they both attended the Woodstock Music Festival. After marrying on October 9, 1976, Vince and Joni moved to Phoenix in 1977. A lover of the desert and the outdoors generally, Vince was also a huge proponent of education having earned his Master of Education degree from ASU. Vince enjoyed a remarkable 40+ years in Arizona with the family he loved dearly, and his eclectic and adoring group(s) of friends, especially the Wednesday Lunch Crew. A visitation will be held from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM on Saturday, October 2, 2021, at Bueler Chandler Mortuary, 14 West Hulet Drive, Chandler, AZ, USA. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Vince's name to an education or environmental charity of the donor's choice. Sign the Guestbook at: obituaries.Ahwatukee.com

4435 E. Chandler Blvd., Suite 200 | Phoenix 85048 | Located in Ahwatukee

Joshua Nicholas White

Josh was born July 3, 1984, in Phoenix, Arizona and lived almost exclusively in the Greater Phoenix area, mostly in the Ahwatukee section of Phoenix. Joshua went to school at Kyrene de las Lomas, Centennial, and Mountain Point, along with college courses. Joshua participated in just about every type of sport available. He has always been extremely interested in sports, as a participant and of course as a viewer. Joshua was a BIG Dallas Cowboys fan. His most memorable sports events was the Cardinals National Football Conference Championships, in 2009, which he attended with his dad, Rodney. Joshua work experience was widespread, from the hospitality industry to cell phone sales to construction. Joshua’s outward qualities were his good looks, his smile and his laughter. However, the qualities in Joshua that will endure were his limitless generosity and compassion. He was preceded in death by his older brother, Nathaniel John White, paternal and maternal grandparents, and several aunts, uncles, and cousins. Survived by his pops, Charles White, Sr., mother Elise Mitchell, dad Rodney Mitchell, Sr, his brothers Charles White, Jr, Rodney Mitchell, Jr, Cheyenne Mitchell, and Jonathan Byrd, as well as a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews, and of course, close friends. Visitation for Joshua will be Friday, October 8, 2021 from 5:00 – 8:00 P.M. at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home, 4800 E. Indian School Road, Phoenix. A Buddhist Funeral Service will be on Saturday, October 9, 2021 at 9:00 A.M. followed by a Celebration of Life at 10:00 A.M. at Whitney & Murphy Funeral Home. Interment will follow at West Resthaven Cemetery, 6450 W Northern Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85301. Condolences may be expressed at www.whitneymurphyfuneralhome.co m

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Timers/Valves/Sprinklers DRIP-PVC-COPPER Backflows & Regulators

www.irsaz.com

LANDSCAPE LIGHTING

25 years Experience & Insured Not a licensed contractor.

Arizona Specialty Landscape

New & Re-Do Design and Installation

Proudly Serving Ahwatukee for 15 Years! Family Owned & Operated Residential & Commercial Painting • Interior & Exterior • Professional Cabinet Reﬁnishing • Epoxy Floors & Concrete Coatings • In-Home Color Consultations “Professional, Punctual & Clean”

Veteran Owned

480.721.4146

Drip Systems Installed, Valves/Timer Repairs

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

480.295.2279 Referred out of Ewing Irrigation Not a licensed contractor.

Interior/Exterior Painting 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE

We Are State Licensed and Reliable!

Free Estimates • Senior Discounts

www.ACP www.A CPpaintingllc.com paintingllc.com

480-338-4011

FREE ESTIMATES • CALL TODAY!

(480)785-6323

“We get your house looking top notch!”

East Valley PAINTERS

★ Interior/Exterior Painting ★ Drywall Repair & Installation ★ Popcorn Ceiling Removal

★ Elastomaric Roof Coating ★ Epoxy Floors ★ Small Job Specialist

Scott Mewborn, Owner 480-818-1789 License #ROC 298736

Voted #1 Paint Interior & Exterior • Drywall Repair Light Carpentry • Power Washing • Textures Matched Popcorn Removal • Pool Deck Coatings Garage Floor Coatings • Color Consulting

PAINTING

10% OFF

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

480.844.9765

Free Estimates! Home of the 10-Year Warranty!

— Call Jason —

High Quality Results

www.eastvalleypainters.com

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

WORKMANSHIP GUARANTEED!

We Beat Competitors Prices & Quality

Free Estimates 7 Days a Week! ROC# 186443 • BONDED

TRIM TREES ALL TYPES GRAVEL - PAVERS SPRINKLER SYSTEMS Complete Clean Ups

Jose Martinez Not a licensed contractor.

602.515.2767

ROC#309706

Licensed - Bonded - Insured ROC 290242

ROC# 256752

MD’S LANDSCAPING

HOME IMPROVEMENT & PAINTING Dunn Edwards Quality Paint Small Stucco/Drywall Repairs

Licensed • Bonded • Insured

480-217-0407

480-688-4770

Family Owned & Operated Bonded/Insured • ROC#153131

Now Accepting all major credit cards

(602) 502-1655 SUN TECH

PAINTING INC.

Serving Ahwatukee Since 1987 Interior / Exterior

Honey Do List Too Long? Check out the Handyman Section!

• High Quality Materials & Workmanship • Customer Satisfaction Free Est imates • Countless References • Carpentry Services Now Available Visit us at Suntechpaintingaz.com or view our video promo at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GM5pbvpZJlg

602.625.0599 ROC #155380 Family Owned • Free Estimates

CLASSIFIEDS Plumbing

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

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

DO YOU OFFER Lessons & Tutoring? Children need your help! Place your ad today Contact us: class@times publications.com or Call 480-898-6465

Plumbing

PLUMBERS CHARGE TOO MUCH! FREE Service Calls + FREE Estimates Water Heaters Installed - $999 Unclog Drains - $49

10% OFF

Painting

CONKLIN PAINTING Free Estimate & Color Consultation

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

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

480-405-7099

480-888-5895

MORE CLASSIFIED ADS ONLINE! www.Ahwatukee.com

ConklinPainting.com Lic/Bond/Ins ROC# 270450

Water Heaters

24/7

Inside & Out Leaks

Bonded

Toilets

Insured

Faucets

Estimates Availabler

$35 off

We offer personalized service for our customers. We use the best materials that we can find. Our services include: Sinks, Toilets, Faucets, Water Heaters, Garbage Disposal, Drain Cleaning, Pressure Reducing Valves, Pressure Vacuum Breakers, Hot Water Circulation Systems, Main Service Valves and Hose Taps.

602-546-POOL 7 6 6 5

www.barefootpoolman.com

Pool Service / Repair

279-4155

Licensed • Bonded • Insured • ROC 189848

Play Pools start at

$85/month with chemicals

Ask About Filter Cleaning Specials!

Mark

602-799-0147 CPO#85-185793

Juan Hernandez

Pavers • Concrete • Water Features • Sprinkler Repair

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

PLUMBING $35.00 Off Any Service Call Today!

A+ RATED

We Repair or Install ROC # 272721

AHWATUKEE’S #1 PLUMBER

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

Call Juan at

480-720-3840 Not a licensed contractor.

THE MOST READ PAPER in Ahwatukee!

Licensed • Bonded • Insured

704.5422

(480)

CLASSIFIEDS 480-898-6465 class@timespublications.com

$25 OFF

You will find them easy with their yellow background. Garage Sale Fri & Sat 7a-11am Household, clothes, kitchen items, furniture, electronics, mason jars, kid items, DVDs, MORE 555 W. Lane Dr Mesa

Monthly Service & Repairs Available

Anything Plumbing Same Day Service

Any Service

Watch for Garage Sales in Classifieds!

Filter Cleaning!

Your Ahwatukee Plumber & East Valley Neighbor

Owner Operated - 20 Years

SERVICE • REPAIR • REPLACEMENT

(480)

affinityplumber@gmail.com

www.affinityplumbingaz.com

MARK’S POOL SERVICE

Plumbing

Owned and Operated by Rod Lampert Ahwatukee Resident Serving Ahwatukee for over 25 years

Affinity Plumbing LLC 480-487-5541

Disposals

Bonded/Insured • ROC #223709

Pool Service / Repair

Plumbing

Not a licensed contractor

See our Before’s and After’s on Facebook Licensed, Bonded & Insured ROC# 272001

Only $27.50 includes 1 week online To place an ad please call: 480-898-6465 class@times publications.com

Rooﬁng

TILE ROOFING SPECIALISTS

10% OFF COMPLETE UNDERLAYMENT Commercial & Residential Family Owned & Operated AZROC #283571 | CONTRACTOR LIC. AZROC #312804 CLASS CR4 | FULLY INSURED

FREE ESTIMATES 602-736-3019

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

Spencer 4 HIRE ROOFING Valley Wide Service

480-446-7663

10% OFF with this ad

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

CLASSIFIEDS

OCTOBER 6, 2021 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Rooﬁng

Serving All Types Clean, Prompt, Friendly and Professional Service of Roofing:

Tiles, shingles, flat, repairs & new work Free Estimates • Ahwatukee Resident

Rooﬁng

PHILLIPS

ROOFING LLC COMMERCIAL AND RESIDENTIAL

LICENSED | BONDED | INSURED | ROC #269218

$1000 OFF when you show this ad *on qualifying complete roof replacements

Family Owned and Operated 43 Years Experience in Arizona

623-873-1626

• • • •

FREE ESTIMATES

Tiles & Shingles sunlandroofingllc@gmail.com Installation Repair Re-Roofing

602-471-2346

u Th

e IN

Call

-EX D i ﬀe r e n c e

Let Us Show Yo

PhillipsRoofing.org PhillipsRoofing@cox.net

oﬁn

g.c o m

Your leaks stop here! New Roofs, Repairs, Coatings, Flat Roof, Hot Mopping & Patching & Total Rubber Roof Systems

SAME DAY SERVICE Call us to place your ad online!

480-898-6465

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

MonsoonRooﬁngInc.com Licensed – Bonded – Insured – ROC187561

Family Owned & Operated for over 30 years

FREE ESTIMATES & MONSOON SPECIALS

MISSED THE DEADLINE?

480-699-2754 • info@monsoonroofinginc.com

480-446-7663 Ahwatukee’s Premier Tile, Shingle & Foam Roofer!

www.Ahwatukee.com

for your FREE Roof Evaluation Today! www.InExRo

and every step of the way.

See MORE Ads Online!

602-938-7575

480-706-1453

Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099

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

Free Estimates Monday through Saturday Licensed 2006 ROC 223367 Bonded Insured

Over 30 yrs. Experience

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

ROC #152111

Quality Repairs & Re-Roofs Complimentary & Honest Estimates

Window Cleaning

Call our office today!

480-460-7602 Ask us about our discount for all Military and First Responders!

www.porterroofinginc.com

Ahwatukee Based Family Owned and Operated Insured • Free Estimates

See our reviews and schedule at:

30 Years Experience References Available

www.cousinswindowcleaning.com

480-330-2649

Licensed Bonded Insured ROC 286561

Senior & Military Discounts

623-522-9322

Licensed, Bonded, Insured

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

CLASSIFIEDS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | OCTOBER 6, 2021

Sa Fa $ vi ll To In ng w st s ar a n M

tC tio A N re d n th ew it is ad U ni

BESTOF

2021

FALL TUNE-UP SPECIAL!

REG. $99.

Includes a 16-Points Inspection. LIMITED TIME ONLY. RESIDENTIAL ONLY

FREE INDOOR REME HALO® IN-DUCT AIR PURIFIER* • Reduces common allergens from pollen, mold dander & dust • Eliminates pet, cooking and musty odors • Reduces airborne and surface bacteria & viruses, such as MRSA, e-coli, and Norwalk 99+%, *With a qualified ac system purchase

YOUR HOMETOWN AIR CONDITIONING SPECIALIST

FREE 480-725-7303 www.BrewersAC.com SINCE 1982 ROC #C39-312643

Service Call (with repair) Second Opinion A + Rating

We offer Big Savings and Great Financing!

Some restrictions apply. See website for additional information. Special rebates and financing offers are valid on qualifying equipment and pre-approved credit. Offers expire 12/31/2021.