Ahwatukee Foothills News - 12.02.2020 by Times Media Group

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New superintendent ready for the COVID-19 Challenge BY PAUL MARYNIAK AFN Executive Editor

wo master’s degrees and 26 years in education never prepared Laura Toenjes for what she’s gone through the last nine months. Pandemics will do that to anyone. And when she takes over as Kyrene School District’s new superintendent Jan. 1, she’ll need the on-the-job training she’s been getting since March as the architect of the district’s COVID-19 mitigation strategies. That’s because along with all the other tasks and duties awaiting anyone in her position – like building new relationships in the community, including with the newest two of her �ive bosses – the pandemic is handing Toenjes a host of challenges that most of her predecessors in the job probably could never have imagined. Those challenges include the pandemic’s deepening impact on district �inances, continuing Kyrene’s successful ability to withstand the virus’ withering effect on staff

retention and – most important of all – ensuring a quality education for more than 16,700 children who may or may not see the inside of a classroom again in 2020-21. Toenjes is bracing for a wild ride after the Governing Board Nov. 24 unanimously approved a 30-month contract and of�icially named her to replace Superintendent Dr. Jan Vesely, who is retiring at the end of the month. Toenjes is determined to approach those challenges with a lemonade-from-lemons philosophy. “I am very much trying to look for the opportunities or the positive in what’s happening to us at the moment,” she said, though she readily admits the pandemic has tested her fortitude on that score. “I’m not going to lie,” she told AFN in an interview. “It’s been hard. It’s been exhausting.” Looking back on the spring break that, because of COVID-19, never ended until

Laura Toenjes has been assistant superintendent of Kyrene School District since 2016 and will take over the �� KYRENE �� 12 top job Jan. 1. (Courtesy of Kyrene School District)

Recreational pot law impact yet to be felt

. 35

JAZZ SERIES

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BY JIM WALSH Tribune Staff Writer

rizona’s new Proposition 207 is enabling as many as 3 million residents to buy a small amount of marijuana legally for the �irst time without a state-issued medical card and get high in their home. The new law – which took effect as state of�icials certi�ied the results of the Nov. 3 election – promises millions of dollars for teacher training, substance abuse treatment, suicide prevention and even enforcement of impaired

SHOWCASE NIGHTS

driving laws. It also promises a host of challenges. Police are preparing for more impaired drivers. The courts could see a deluge of requests for expungements of prior marijuana possession convictions. Prop 207 provides for neither defense. Prop 207 won a much larger victory – 1,946,440-1,302,458, or 60-40 percent, according to unof�icial results – than Presidentelect Joe Biden did in the state. Although it legalizes possession of up to an ounce of marijuana, its full impact prob-

ably won’t hit home until April – when medical marijuana dispensaries will be able to sell weed to millions of new customers who won’t have to qualify for a medical marijuana card. Of course, it’s not as if those without a card couldn’t �ind marijuana in Arizona, a border state known for illegal drug traf�icking. However, voter approval of the medical marijuana proposition in 2010 gave birth to a thriving industry. Through October, 287,715 residents with

�� MARIJUANA �� 19

Discover the impact of a Kyrene education. L E A R N I N G. L E A D I N G. A C H I E V I N G.

www.kyrene.org/discover

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | DECEMBER 2, 2020

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | DECEMBER 2, 2020

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he South Mountain Freeway will have its first birthday in a few weeks, marking a year since all but one interchange on the 22-mile highway opened and connected the 59th Street and Chandler interchanges on I-10. But that anniversary also marks yet another year of misery that Beth Lauffer Gagnon and some of her Ahwatukee neighbors have endured well before any bulldozer dug into the ground as construction for the $1.7 billion project began in the fall of 2016. Even as recently as last month, dust billowed behind her and her neighbors’ homes on East Redwood Court, where the sound wall and newly opened 32nd Street interchange are less than a stone’s throw from their backwall. Gagnon wasn’t sure what crews were doing then, but in some ways, it didn’t matter.

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | DECEMBER 2, 2020

FREEWAY from page 3

The crew had not tamped down the dirt with water, as required by county air quality regulations. “I stood there at the top of the wall standing up on my waterfall to my pool and was yelling at them until a guy finally came over and I told him to get a water truck or you stop working right now,” Gagnon recalled. “At that point, I’d already called county air quality with the complaint and he said, ‘Well, I have to talk to my boss.’” It was another moment of frustration in 14 years of frustrations for Gagnon. The freeway became a nightmare for Gagnon well before the court fights, the incessant noise and the concrete-cracking rumble of construction vehicles. When she bought her home in 1997 shortly after she retired from the U.S. Army, the freeway had long been a shimmering gleam in the eye of county and state highway planners since 1983 – when they began talking about the “Southwest Loop Highway” and a second route between the east and west halves of the county. In the fall of 2006, Gagnon and her

The freeway’s service road begins at the back wall of Beth Lauffer Gagnon’s yard, shown at left, (Special to AFN) neighbors received a noticed from ADOT that their homes were in the freeway path and would likely by bought by the state. “We were given a pamphlet really, given a forum briefing explaining that they would pay our moving expenses,” she recalled. “I didn’t know where I was going to go, being a single mom with a daughter in school. “It was like: ‘Good grief. Not only do I have to find a place convenient for my job, but she’s going to have change schools.’

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But that was something we had to face.” But by 2007, the Valley’s housing market had turned red hot as home prices soared. Suddenly, Gagnon said, ADOT told her and other homeowners it wasn’t going to buy any more houses for a while because officials wanted to do another study. Gagnon said she told an ADOT representative, “‘You’re putting a hardship on me with my job, with my life in general because being a single mom and low-in-

come, I gotta think a lot about where I’m living and everything and I need you to make a decision so that I can get on with my life. You need to just go ahead and buy my house so that I can do that.’” Gagnon twisted in the wind for years, holding out hope that her home would be taken by ADOT as the agency fine-tuned the freeway alignment and simultaneously fought two major federal lawsuits aimed at stopping the freeway in its tracks. But as time wore on, it became clear that ADOT wouldn’t need to condemn her house or a number of others in her neighborhood. Instead, it would be building the freeway no more than six feet from her backyard wall. When construction began in 2016, ADOT had bowed to what it called a citizen advisory panel that didn’t want an interchange at 32nd Street. It reversed that decision a couple years ago, citing a general demand in the community for it. But it didn’t matter for Gagnon, because the nearly round-the-clock construction had started taking its toll well before the agency announced it would add the interchange after the freeway was opened.

see FREEWAY page 9

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Located in the mountainous gated community of Montana Vista, this beautiful single level 4 bedroom with a dedicated office 3 bath split floor plan is the perfect house to call home. Very spacious, with a Gourmet Kitchen to die for! So much storage and counter space, the open concept keeps everyone together while entertaining or just relaxing by the fireplace. The Master En Suite with Patio Access is fit for a King & Queen! Large Secondary bedrooms will give kids or guests plenty of room to call their own. Enjoy the outdoor living space with a perfect play pool, large covered patio and a grassy area for kids or pets! This is a must see! Great Ahwatukee Foothills location ~ Award winning Kyrene Schools ~ Ahwatukee Foothills has been Voted #1 2019 Best Places to Live in the Phoenix Area by the Phoenix Business Journal!

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Wow! Ahwatukee Equestrian Estates at its absolute best! Full re-model better than new! This single level sits on over 18,000 sq ft lot with 4bd/2bth, 3 car garage and diving pool. Wide open floor plan features gorgeous wood floor, complete kitchen re-model with newer white cabinets, quartz counters and Viking Professional appliances. Kitchen overlooks cozy family room with fireplace and double French doors leading to huge backyard. Oversized master bedroom with large walk-in closet, bath with separate shower & garden tub, fireplace and French door exit to backyard. Both baths and laundry room remodeled. Large secondary bedrooms, bonus exercise room off back patio, HVAC replaced 3 years ago & plantation shutters to name a few more upgrades. Walk into your amazing resort backyard featuring diving pool, fire pit, built-in BBQ. Full garden set up including fruit trees, grape vines and North South exposure! Excellent Kyrene Schools and hiking trails. This home is beautiful!

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Wow! Gorgeous single level in Ahwatukee Custom Estates sitting on an almost 29,000 square foot lot. This 5623 square foot home has 6 bedrooms and 5.5 bathrooms including the separate guest house! Enter into beautiful foyer to soaring ceilings and polished travertine flooring. As you move into the beautiful living/entertainment area you will find a large wet bar and stunning views of the resort backyard. Open kitchen with granite counters, 2 sinks, SubZero refrigerator and wine fridge opens to cozy family room area with fireplace. Large master bedroom with separate shower/ tub with jets and enormous closet. All secondary bedrooms have access to a bath and walk-in closets. Incredible office/study with soaring windows. Plantation shutters throughout, over sized laundry room, and exercise room. As you walk outside to your amazing backyard you will encounter a separate guest house. with living area, kitchen and separate bath. Don’t forget to notice the other backyard features! Beautiful tiled pool/spa, large covered patio, built-in BBQ, gas fire pit, multiple water fountains and miniature golf course! This home is a true gem!

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | DECEMBER 2, 2020

FREEWAY from page 6

“It’s been pretty much solid for the last five years. It’s been hell – 24/7 work with bright lights shining in my bedroom windows, the noise and shaking,” Gagnon said. “I’ve got damage in my home. My pool was cracked and damaged. There’s cracks all through my patio and worse. They denied that they caused anything.” “I filed claims and it took them several years after me filing a claim that I finally heard anything from them,” she said, adding that the agency sent a pool construction-repair company to inspect the damage. She recalled she eventually was told that construction work could not possibly have damaged her pool, patio, ceiling and walls because she was not near the blasting zone. “I said, ‘Well, that’s great because I never claimed that I was near the blasting zone,” she said, arguing that the heavy-duty construction vehicles that rolled along the freeway path caused significant vibrations that caused the cracking. “I’ve taken videos where things are literally moving on my shelves and on my walls … That’s how violently it shakes the

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house. But yet they claimed that’s acceptable and that ‘it wouldn’t have caused the cracks you have in your ceiling, cracks you have in your pool or the cracks you have in your patio.’” Once the freeway opened, the noise from traffic didn’t replace all the construction noise Gagnon endured for nearly three years. It augmented it because not long after the freeway was completed, work started on the 32nd Street Interchange. Moreover, trucks still rumble along a service road right behind her home, kicking up clouds of dust and shaking her property and those of her neighbors. Many nights when the interchange construction was still going on, crews would be working through the night, she said, pouring bright light into her home and causing incessant noise that made it hard to sleep. These days, when she’s not battling over trucks kicking up dirt, Gagnon has other worries as well. She fears the ease an intruder would have climbing over her backyard wall for two reasons. So much dirt has piled up in the 6-footwide service road between her property

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and the freeway sound barrier that what was once her 6-foot back wall is probably only 4 feet high. Crews have installed a chain link fence that makes it even easier for someone to climb over her wall and into the backyard. She has asthma and already has lost a dog that also suffered from asthma that became lethal as a result of construction dust. “I’ve got another dog and, granted, she’s the older one, but she’s started the whole hacking thing now too,” Gagnon said. Now that the interchange has opened, Gagnon plans to resubmit claims for all the damage she says her home, patio and pool have sustained over the years. How long she will be waiting is anyone’s guess. “I’m just waiting to see if I hear anything back from them.” 

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Five bedroom, 4 bathroom, 4,556 sf single level home in a cul de sac on nearly a 1 acre preserve lot! East facing back yard! The kitchen has an abundance of granite slab counter space, a center island with prep sink, breakfast bar, Subzero refrigerator, double ovens, Jennair smooth surface cook tops with grill, walk in pantry, large casual dining area, and an R/O system. Open kitchen family room floor plan! The family room is enormous with a two way fireplace with stone surrounds and a large wet bar with bar seating. A bonus/game room ( the perfect space for a pool table) is on the other side of the two way fireplace. Exit the family to the sprawling resort style back yard. Extensive land and hardscape, sparkling pebble tec pool and spa, elevated fireplace with stone surrounds and seating area, outdoor kitchen with BBQ, burner and beverage fridge, and a separate built in draft beer system. Master bathroom has a dual sink vanity with granite slab top, separate shower and Jacuzzi tub with granite surrounds and large walk in closet with custom built - ins. 8’ solid core doors. Temperature controlled wine cellar. All three AC’s are approximately five years old. Three car garage has a mini split and an epoxy floor coating. RV Gate. Extra slab parking in front and behind the RV gate (slab parking for approximately 8 in the front depending on vehicle size and a single slab behind the gate.)

Cavalier Campus

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Complete 2017 remodel! 2017 roof and HVAC unit. All new electrical, new 200amp service panel and LED lighting throughout (2017.) All new Pella windows and doors. Solid core interior doors throughout. Kitchen boasts a commercial Dacor appliance package. 18’’ dual zone wine and beverage center built in to the 13.5’ island with Italian stone waterfall countertop. Quartz kitchen countertops. Deluxe cabinet package with soft closers, full extension rollouts, auto led interior cabinet lighting, 110 electric inside island cabinets for hidden appliances. Extravagant wet bar with undermount sink, beverage refrigerator, custom cabinetry with glass display and LED interior lighting. 60” x 18” open face gas fireplace in family room with full wall stone surrounds. Extensive millwork throughout. All exterior and interior windows and doors are cased and moulded. Wainscotting throughout the interior. Smooth plaster wall finish throughout. Four bedrooms and three bathrooms. Two master bathrooms. Second master makes a great guest suite. Master 2 has a large sitting area / living room with French doors to the exterior. Both master suites exit to the back yard. Master bedrooms are new construction (2017.) Bathrooms are finished in Carerra marble, top grade Kohler sinks and toilets, custom glass shower door enclosures; Danze plumbing fixtures throughout. The resort style back yard has expansive trex style decking, a sparkling 2018 pool finished entirely in ceramic penny tile. Deluxe low maintenance landscape. R - 48 attic insulation. The detached, side entry garage is new construction (2017.) Driveway in the front and a two car driveway at the garage. Check out the photos at https://bit.ly/2TEHrDK

Twelve Oaks Listed for

$389,900

Beautifully updated 1,627 sf 3 bedroom 2 bathroom single level home. Open kitchen family room concept. The 2015 remodeled kitchen boasts granite slab counter tops, refinished cabinets with brushed nickel hardware, upgraded black appliances, pantry and eat-in kitchen dining area. 2019 garbage disposal. 2015 kitchen appliance package. All appliances convey including the refrigerators in the kitchen and garage and the 2018 front load washer and dryer. Formal combination living and dining rooms. Newer trendy gray tone porcelain tile throughout with carpet (2020) only in the bedrooms. Large master suite with walk in closet and double sinks and separate shower and Roman tub in the bathroom. 2017 upgraded front door makes a wonderful first impression! 2015 insulated garage door. Arcadia doors from the family room exit to the resort like east facing backyard with a sparking pool and expansive land and hardscape! Variable speed pool pump installed 2020. Pool was resurfaced with pebble sheen and new perimeter tile in 2018. 2019 front and back yard landscape, pavers and planter boxes. New sprinkler systems installed front and back in 2019.

Circle Mountain Land (2 parcels) Listed for

$290,000 each

Two parcels; 4.7 acres each. Residential Acreage abutting Pyramid Peak and state trust land. Elevated property, away from flood zones. Build a grand estate or subdivide a small community! Beautiful Northeastern views of New River Mesa and surrounding mountains. Zoning requires at least 1 acre per home. 15-20 minutes from Anthem and Cave Creek and still only 45 minutes from Sky Harbor 9.4 acres total available (10 acres minus 40 foot road easement along Northern edge)

San Tan Valley Land Listed for

$195,000

Great development opportunity or horse property! 8.35 acre parcel in San Tan Valley. Spectacular panoramic mountain views! No HOA. Property can be split (if desired) into five 1.67 acre parcels. Miles of state trust land all around. Owner is willing to facilitate a minor land division. In the country but has nearby emergency services, hospital, schools, and shopping.

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NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | DECEMBER 2, 2020

KYRENE from page 1

Kyrene’s “rolling return” to classrooms began in mid-September, Toenjes added: “It was pretty exhausting and sometimes disheartening, to be honest. I mean, we would think we’d have something figured out. We were super excited and then the state would give us some other guidance or there was other information out there. It was hard for us as a leadership team and really hard for me.” She recalled how the district’s leadership team grappled with a strategy for dealing with the pandemic’s relentless curve balls. “We’d be super excited and then literally we’d be pivoting again within 24 hours and we’d be pulling them back to a meeting. And so, for me that was hard because I felt a little ineffective, if you will, when I was used to being really effective with our school leaders and helping them. I just felt like I couldn’t provide that level of support that they needed. But again, we have a very collaborative team. “I think one of the things we did that was most important is we kept them in the process all along the way. Our school leaders and our district leaders have been very involved in all the decisions we’re making and we were getting their feedback on how what decision to make impacts them. I think that’s why we’ve been able to get through it like we have.” A Gilbert native who lives in Chandler, Toenjes is the mother of two adult sons – one a wildfire firefighter and the other a U.S. Marine. She holds a bachelor’s degree in communications, a master’s degree in elementary education and a dual master’s degree in administration/supervision and curriculum/instruction. Before becoming Kyrene’s assistant superintendent in 2016, shortly after Vesely became superintendent, Toenjes was a classroom teacher, a principal and held positions in the Office of Maricopa County School Superintendent and state Department of Education. Vesely, with whom Toenjes worked in two different agencies, including Tucson’s Sunnyside Unified School District – both educators’ last stop before Kyrene – praised her successor in a release. “I have had the great pleasure of working with Laura Toenjes in two school districts and have seen firsthand that she is a gifted and accomplished educational

Retiring Superintendent Jan Vesely, seen here at a Kyrene night at the ballpark last year, was as much a cheerleader for the community as a leader. (Special to AFN) leader,” said Vesely. “Laura cares deeply for the students and staff of Kyrene School District and it is with great pride that I see her step into this well-deserved role.” Toenjes said Vesely has helped lay the groundwork for her new role, augmenting the familiarity she herself has developed in the last four years with district personnel and the community at large. “I am very fortunate in that one of her strengths is building the capacity of those around her,” Toenjes said. “She has put us in situations that we’ve stepped into that would be things she would normally do and has given us opportunities.” One significant legacy Vesely has left involves stability among the district’s staff, particularly among Kyrene’s teaching staff. After approving Toenjes’ contract Nov. 24, the board heard a brief but encouraging report on Kyrene’s teacher retention

– one of public education’s greatest problems both in Arizona and the nation. That report showed: • For the coming school year, 92 percent of Kyrene’s teaching staff – 887 out of 969 teachers – are returning. A 2019 report – the most recent available – found that 16 percent of all teachers nationwide leave their districts. • When the current school year began, Arizona had more than 1,700 unfilled teaching positions – over a quarter of all teaching positions in the state’s public school districts and charter schools. Kyrene has two unfilled positions. • Only a few months ago, 554 teachers across the state obtained a release from their contracts and another 56 simply quit. In Kyrene, 29 teachers sought a release from their contracts and one just walked away.

Laura Toenjes won’t be stepping blindly into her new role as Kyrene’s superintendent, as she has worked closely with the woman she is replacing. (AFN file photo)

Despite the glowing results of Vesely’s work, Toenjes said, “Obviously we’re not going to have big buckets of teachers applying that we’ve always had and we’re going to have to be very strategic” in future recruitment. A more immediate problem – which is becoming more dire in many districts, especially in Maricopa County – is finding enough substitute teachers. Scottsdale Unified two days ago closed five schools because it had no substitutes. But even with its highest teacher-retention rate in five years, Kyrene faces enormous pandemic-driven challenges when it comes to meeting students’ academic and social-emotional needs. As COVID-19 surges in the district and across Arizona, it’s impossible to tell when – or even if – students will return to classrooms in the 2020-21 school year, especially amid fears of virus super-spreader holiday celebrations that started last weekend. That possibility is never far from Toenjes’ thoughts. “I feel like we almost have to have two strategic plans – that short-term plan of how we continue to manage through this pandemic without losing sight of all the other things that we have going on, that we don’t want to let go of, and stay focused on.” She said she knows the district’s strategic plan intimately and is happy she won’t have to worry about developing a new one immediately since it lasts two more years. “Once I get to have opportunity to hear from some of the stakeholders,” she said, her job will be to “really hone in on those key initiatives that are in our plan, that we can’t let go of even while we’re in the pandemic.” “I’m very hopeful that we get to start next school year not in a pandemic situation,” she added, but warned, “We don’t know that.” That means “at least getting through this school year and kind of monitoring and watching and if it looks like it’s going to go on longer, then getting our plan ready for next year as quickly as we can.” But she admitted that two concerns “weigh heavily on me” when it comes to the students. “Obviously, they’re not able to get into the same level of content that they would get in person when it comes to the stan-

see KYRENE page 14

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | DECEMBER 2, 2020

NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | DECEMBER 2, 2020

Tamarisk trees threaten riparian wildlife BY ALLI CRIPE AFN Contributor

amarisk trees, also known as the salt cedars, are taking root along many rivers in the southwest and devastating riparian wildlife. Although the flowering evergreen looks harmless, it is considered an invasive plant species. “What we’re trying to do is educate people about how it can grow,” said Rusty Lloyd, executive director of RiversEdge West. “It can impact the water quantity just based on its growth form.” All riparian trees require massive amounts of water, Lloyd said, but tamarisk roots suck cottonwoods and willows dry and can lead to the extinction of native plant species, which in turn can result in the extinction of wildlife. RiversEdge West, formerly known as the Tamarisk Coalition, is a nonprofit that works to educate, remove and manage invasive plant species from Kansas to California. Founded in 1999, the organization teamed with the Bureau of Land Management and dozens of private landowners to create the Dolores River Restoration Partnership in 2018 and removed 31 acres of tamarisk stands in southwestern Colorado and eastern Utah. They revegetated 35 acres by seeding and planting native trees and re-sprouted 94 acres of treated tamarisks.

KYRENE from page 12

dards and what we’re able to do in a normal school year with kids,” Toenjes said. “So trying to make sure that there’s not so many gaps, that at least students are not too far behind – that for me weighs heavy…because the further kids start to get behind, the longer that goes on, that creates long-term issues. “And the social-emotional piece weighs really heavy on me. I’ve watched just my own nieces and nephews and what isolation in some ways can do.” “Even if we get them back next year,” she said, “they’re going to be coming back with some things that we’ve probably never dealt with.” She is encouraged by the district’s success with its SPARKS program at Manitas

as stump treatment of herbicide,” said Goodnight, “they’re going to grow right back and where you had a single stem is gonna grow back with multiple stems – could be six to eight – and shoot right back into the power lines.” Goodnight described the trees as “dominant.” He cited an incident from Tamarisk trees might look pretty but they are lethal where “a number of years ago” riparian wildlife is concerned. (Special to AFN) near Thomas and 64th Plant removal and replacement is im- Street on the border of Scottsdale and portant because tamarisks were never Phoenix, where SRP had to intervene to meant for the Southwest, Lloyd said. prevent a possible flood. Because of their beautiful pink and purA canal on those cross streets became ple flowers, the trees were brought into swamped with salt cedars so the City of the United States during the 1800’s for Scottsdale created a maintenance agree“ornamental purposes.” ment with SRP. Lloyd said the dam building projects “We would have to go out and prune during the 1940s and 50s allowed them them annually because they were providto strengthen and grow. ing shade for a bike trail,” said Goodnight. “It changed the hydrology of a lot of our Roots started to grow into the canal, rivers and allowed the tamarisks to take compromising the security of the bank. hold,” he said. The Bureau of Reclamation stepped in, Many states and companies work with Ri- said Goodnight, encouraging the removal versEdge West, including Salt River Project. of all trees which took SRP eight crews SRP Supervisor of Vegetation Mainte- and several weeks. nance and Management Matt Goodnight “If something were to happen to that casaid full removal of this pesky plant is a nal bank,” said Goodnight. “It could potenchore. tially flood a lot of homes that were west “If you cut down a tamarisk and don’t of the canal.” apply any type of growth inhibition, such Kelly Kessler, wildlife biologist at the Elementary in Tempe because students there have remained engaged in their studies remotely. So, she and staff will look at how to incorporate elements of that program throughout the district. Then there is the chronic problem facing all Arizona superintendents and governing boards, one that has been worsened by the pandemic – namely, money. While most of the pronouncements from the incoming Legislature recently have dwelled on trying to reverse the Trump defeat in Arizona, there is a growing problem of the disparity between districts’ reimbursement for in-class students versus those learning online. Asked about the prospects of lawmakers focusing on this issue, Toenjes replied, “I’m very concerned.” “They did offer some support in the

enrollment stability grants. I think it’s going to be critical. I don’t think this is just a one-year solution. I think we’re going to have to really advocate as school leaders for them to do that again next year because the enrollment impact has been significant across the state and our six percent of decline in enrollment pretty much mirrors what the state is seeing.” The enrollment issue is particularly severe among kindergarteners. Arizona is seeing as much as a 10 percent decline in kindergarten enrollment this school year as many parents simply opted to keep their children at home over fears of COVID-19. “I think that the state is going to have to again step in and help districts,” Toenjes said, adding that as a onetime teacher

Tonto National Forest said tamarisks are most densely clustered in dammed areas. “Risks to wildlife include an increased potential for wildfire,” she added in an email response. “Flammability increases with the build-up of dead and senescent woody material.” This year, a fire in the Tonto National Forest devastated almost 3,000 acres and invasive grass species that “grew like gangbusters due to a wet winter” contributed to the flames, said Taiga Rohrer, Tonto’s fire staff officer. However, a clump of tamarisks around a recreational area could be detrimental, Rohrer said. The tamarisk is incredibly adaptive to fire, Lloyd said, explaining that it can burn, survive and thrive by regrowing stronger. “It could exacerbate some of the effects of climate change already happening on some of our Western river systems,” said Lloyd. Previous scientific modeling hints that a million acres are covered by tamarisks which take years to fully uproot and replace, said Lloyd. However, Lloyd and Kessler agreed that because of constant growth, a number is impossible to calculate. RiverEdge West continues to work on river health issues with several areas of interest including research, education and wildlife. Information: riversedgewest.org/getinvolved/donate.  of kindergarten and Pre-K students, she is confident that Kyrene will be able to identify and fill the developmental gaps in what they’ve missed once they start first grade. “Teachers are masterful at this and they spend a lot of time identifying where the gaps are pretty quickly in the year early on with kids, especially at those younger grades when you’re learning to read and with some of those foundational skills,” she said. “They’ll spend time first identifying where are the gaps and then really plan for how to fill those gaps. I think we’re going to have to be very strategic in the content that we’re getting in front of kids and make sure that we’re not sending them on without those foundational skills that they have to have.” 

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NEWS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | DECEMBER 2, 2020

Ducey: Vaccine could bring ‘normal’ by summer BY HOWARD FISCHER Capitol Media Services

ov. Doug Ducey believes Arizona could be “back to normal’’ by this summer once Arizonans get vaccinated for COVID-19. In a conference call last week, the governor laid out a schedule for business leaders that he said should make the vaccine available for “prioritized groups’’ in the middle of December. And the general public? That, Ducey figures, would be “in the spring, in March or April.” Ducey’s conference call with business leaders came as data released Nov. 25 by the county health department showed that levels indicating virus spread are increasing in Ahwatukee and the two public

school districts serving it. The latest data from the county showed that for the week of Nov. 15, cases per 100,000 jumped to 215 in Kyrene’s boundaries and to 246 within Tempe Union’s boundaries. That indicates substantial virus spread. The data are 12 days old when the county posts them on Thursday mornings. Ahwatukee’s three ZIP codes presented a mixed picture of virus spread for the week of Nov. 15. The data showed cases per 100,000 people rising to 220 in 85048, staying the same as the week before at 208 in 85045 and dropping slightly to 167 in 85044. More than 100 cases per 100,000, however, indicates substantial spread. The other two metrics – percentage of positive test results and hospital visits with COVID-like symptoms – showed

moderate spread in all three ZIP codes. State Health Director Cara Christ said her department already is looking to qualify providers who could actually administer the vaccine. But the governor said the key is getting Arizona from where it is now to the point when those vaccines are widely available. Christ said there is a “concerning’’ increase in COVID-19 infections. And Ducey has conceded Arizona has a “stressed’’ hospital system. Still, the governor said he has no plans for any new restrictions beyond those that remain in place, such as occupancy limits at bars, restaurants, movie theaters and fitness centers. “Right now, businesses are open,’’ he said. “They’re open because businesses have been responsible and worked with

health officials to implement smart mitigation measures.’’ And Ducey said he wants businesses open. “But I need them open safely,’’ he told the owners and managers. “And to do that, we need your help today.’’ For the moment, Ducey and Christ are limiting their effort to encouraging more voluntary compliance. That, said the health director, starts with masks – and not just while shopping. “This includes every setting where you will be around people who do not live with you,’’ she said, even in private homes. And for businesses, Christ recommended limiting the number of people indoors, even to the point of having customers wait outside. 

The city also experienced a record breaking 144 days at or above 100 degrees this year, beating the previous record set in 1989. Phoenix’s overall temperature has been trending upwards for decades due to urban sprawl and an increase of heat-absorbing surfaces like asphalt and concrete. Human-caused climate change and the urban heat island effect have contributed

to this upward trend. Phoenix’s “heat islands” collect heat and keeps overnight temperatures significantly warmer. Ray Quay, a researcher with the Decision Center for a Desert City project in the Global Institute of Sustainability at Arizona State University, expects temperatures to continue on this upward trend. “Arizona is one of the locations that has been estimated to potentially experience

some of the larger increases in temperature over the next 100 years,” Quay said. Phoenix experienced its hottest summer to date this year, with an average temperature of 96.7, surpassing 2015’s 95.1 degrees. This increase of hot weather is a part of an ongoing global trend, as 2020 is setting up to be the hottest recorded year, Quay said, adding that “people that are already vulnerable to social and economic stress will be the first impacted.” Homeless people will be severely impacted because they have few opportunities to seek shelter and their health is already jeopardized, he said. People with chronic conditions, such as heart disease and asthma, will also be impacted by additional stress heat brings. “It is not likely that this trend can be reversed in the near term,” Quay said. “However, there are mitigation actions we can take to try and avoid it getting much worse.” Developers may need to reconsider the design and materials used in urban environments, he said, adding: “We can change our habits and practices to be more aware of heat and its impact on our comfort and economy. As temperatures increase these types of adjustments will become greater, and the impact on quality of life and economy will increase.” 

Phoenix broke several heat records in 2020 BY WALT CAMPBELL AFN Contributor

ast month, Phoenix recorded a high temperature of 97 degrees, making it the hottest November day in the city’s history. On Nov. 17, Phoenix broke another record when it experienced the latest 90-degree day in a calendar year.

Pie patrol

Ahwatukee Realtor Jill Bittner, center, owner of Tukee Homes Realty, marked Thanksgiving with her eighth annual donation of dozens of homemade pies to clients and colleagues. Normally, she has them over to her home, but health protocols force her to do things a bit differently by having them drive by her home to pick up a pre-ordered pie. Helping her out last week were, from left, Jill’s son Dean, her mother Gloria Barrett, another son Carson and Realtor Sue Martinez. (Special to AFN)

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | DECEMBER 2, 2020

MARIJUANA from page 1

cards bought 2,786,197 ounces of marijuana from dispensaries this year alone, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services. Tom Dean, a defense attorney who specializes in marijuana cases, said he anticipates many people will not understand all the nuances in the new law. He said people may mistakenly believe they can buy recreational marijuana now. They can’t because no dispensary is authorized to sell it and likely won’t be until April and Dean thinks some people “are going to say, ‘screw that, I’m going to buy it from someone willing to sell it to me.’’ Assuming the election results are certified tomorrow, the law will allow anyone over 21 to possess an ounce of marijuana legally and smoke it in their home. Since those without a card won’t find any place to buy it legally, Dean advises people to be patient and wait until April, when dispensaries are expected to have the green light to sell recreational weed. “I expect at least short term, there will be an increase until April or May’’ in black market sales, Dean said. “When there is demand, there is supply. This will cause a large increase in the black-market supply.’’ Meanwhile, police are readying for more stoned drivers. Mesa police Officer George Chwe has spent the past year working with the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety, helping to establish a statewide standard for driving-under-influence investigations, which includes the influence of marijuana Mesa alone has 25 officers trained as Drug Recognition Experts and the state has added 50 more, bringing Arizona’s statewide total to 346. “I think we have a good head-start for this’’ law, Chwe said, noting more Mesa patrol officers are scheduled to receive additional training in how to spot marijuanainduced impairment. Chwe agreed with Dean that at least some people won’t want to wait and simply want to get high, fueling an increase in impaired driving. “It’s going to go up. People will think it’s okay to smoke marijuana and drive,’’ Chwe said. “People smoke marijuana for the feeling it gives them. “I tell them that feeling, because they feel different, they are going to drive different. If you drive different, you are impaired.’’ Under the new law, simply driving with

Prop 207 had opponents and proponents but the measure handily won approval, 60-40 percent. (Special to AFN)

an illegal drug in your system law will no longer apply to marijuana. One major enforcement issue is the difference between arresting a driver high on alcohol and one high on weed. While drivers can be arrested for having a .08 blood alcohol level, there is no established number of nanograms of marijuana metabolite at which drivers are presumed impaired on weed. Officers must instead rely on their own observations of impaired driving and on an evaluation by a certified drug recognition expert. For marijuana consumers, the new law does come at a financial cost. Prop 207 includes a 16 percent excise tax on recreational sales – a surtax on top of normal state sales taxes. Paul Paredes, a Tempe-based marijuana consultant, urged anyone with a medical marijuana card to continue using it because they won’t have to pay the excise tax. He also noted that a medical marijuana card allows the purchase of 2½ ounces of marijuana in a 14-day period while someone without the card will be able to buy an ounce a day starting in April. “The medical marijuana program is not going away,’’ Paredes said. “It would be advantageous for all patients’’ to have a medical marijuana card. The proposition creates a potential market of more than 3 million recreational marijuana customers, he said. Many Arizona muniicipalities are banning new marijuana dispensaries from opening, though they cannot stop existing medical marijuana shops from adding recreational weed to their menus. (Special to AFN)

“The dispensaries are stocking up and ramping up production,’’ Paredes said. “The product is going to expand in availability. It won’t be about quantity – it will be about quality.’’ But Dean said many users will opt to risk arrest and continue buying from their street dealer to avoid paying any tax. “The black market will be able to offer a product for substantially less,’’ Dean said. “There’s going to be a lot of people who decide to sell without a license.’’ He said some users resent the fact that the marijuana industry will become a monopoly under the new law, likening it to behavior of the tobacco industry. Prop 207 allows all current medical dispensaries to apply to the Arizona Department of Health Services for a recreational license, starting in January. AZDHS also can award 26 new “social equity licenses’’ in communities that have been disproportionately affected by the war on drugs. Although AZDHS has until April to set the rules for such licenses, many people in the marijuana industry believe those licenses will go to minority communities, based upon arrest statistics and other metrics. Beyond the creation of instant “marijuana millionaires’’ through the awarding of these new licenses, thousands of past felony convictions for possession of small quantities of marijuana could be expunged from defendants’ records under Prop 207.

The first step in this potentially lifechanging process is already underway. Maricopa County prosecutors already are dropping charges on pending cases related to possession of less than an ounce of marijuana. Mesa prosecutors also are dropping related charges of possession of drug paraphernalia if they are related to marijuana possession cases filed in Superior Court. “Instead of continuing to spend resources on these cases, this office will begin implementing the will of the voters immediately. We are instructing deputy county attorneys to file a motion to dismiss any charge covered by Proposition 207,’’ said Jennifer Liewer, a spokeswoman for the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office. “If those charges make up the entirety of the charges of the case, the entire case will be dismissed. If there are other felony charges the case will remain pending, but we will file motions to dismiss the charges covered by Proposition 207,’’ she said. Dean said he anticipates a second wave of defendants with convictions for possession of 2 ½ ounces or less will petition in July for expungements. He is working with the Arizona Cannabis Bar Association to set up a nonprofit that will file the petitions for free. “If it’s pending, you get it dismissed. If it’s over, you get it expunged. But what about the people in the middle?’’ he said. Gray areas affecting defendants serving time in prison or who are on probation will probably end up being litigated in court, Dean. He said the potential pool of defendants who can improve their job prospects by getting felony records expunged is enormous, State Department of Public Safety records list about 15,000 to 18,000 marijuana possession arrests a year since 2006 and numerous other defendants merely being cited for a violation. Will Humble, the former director of AZDHS, said there’s no doubt marijuana hinders the development of the adolescent brain and that parents will need to communicate with their children about the new law. But Humble, executive director of the Arizona Public Health Association, said he ended up endorsing the law for it’s potential in helping people get better jobs and live healthier lives. “To me, the existing marijuana law caused more public health damage than the drug,’’ he said. 

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Time running out for Winter Wonderland help BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA AFN Contributor

anta and the Kyrene Foundation are handling Christmas giving a little differently this year. And once again, as many holiday celebrations have been altered, COVID-19 is the Grinch. Each year area individuals, families, civic clubs and businesses, PTOs and school groups have opened their hearts and wallets to donate a passel of toys, clothing and personal items for families in the Kyrene District who were in need. This year, to help nearly 800 Kyrene school kids and their families have a brighter Holiday celebration, cash and gift card donations are very much needed. “We looked at how we could do it this year and it turned out there was too much risk to have it even near what we’ve had before,” said Shirley Coomer, Kyrene Foundation Board president and mother

of four boys who matriculated in Kyrene schools. “And our fundraising overall has been severely curtailed, but the giving in this community is amazing and we’re hoping to meet or exceed our goal of $35,000.” Gone this year are days when volunteers decked out the district’s boardroom with holiday decorations and red and greendraped tables piled with an abundance of toys and other assorted gifts for invited parents to personally select presents for their children. Also gone is live music – often by area high school student groups – as well as refreshments and other festivities to make those invited feel they were part of the family despite their financial status. Coomer recalls those years fondly. “Families were accompanied by a personal shopper to make sure they’d find the gifts they needed,” she said.

�ee WONDERLAND page 25

Last year, gifts for needy families in Kyrene School District were laid out for parents to choose at the district office. This year, COVID-19 has changed the way Winter Wonderland will transpire. (Special to AFN)

Ahwatukee woman tackles stand-up comedy BY COTY DOLORES MIRANDA AFN Contributor

ackie Tinsley’s journey to becoming a stand-up comic was launched Christmas 2015 when the Ahwatukee resident of 21 years received a gift from an aunt that changed her life. “For Christmas 2015 my Aunt Debi, who lives in California, bought me a four-week comedy class for The Scottsdale Comedy Spot,” Tinsley explained. “She said her reasoning was ‘I think you are very funny. You need to give this a shot.’ At the time I was working at Red Robin and Walgreen’s almost every day of the week, for months at a time, so I never had a chance to attend the classes,” said Tinsley, a 2007 Desert Vista High grad. But in February 2016, Tinsley took a job

Ahwatukee comic Jackie Tinsley will be appearing this week in Gilbert. (Special to AFN) at a hospital pharmacy that allowed her time to attend the comedy classes.

“I started class that July and after the four weeks she’d bought me, I decided to buy more and continue.” After the school offered her a chance to participate in a show for students, Tinsley told her aunt, “I was thinking about doing it because I liked the idea of working towards a goal and having a final product from the work I was putting in for the classes. “Turned out she was going to be in Arizona for a business trip the same weekend as the showcase, so at that point it felt like divine intervention. “I signed up for the showcase. I was super excited but also nervous because part of me was thinking ‘if I’m not good she’s gonna ask for her money back’,” laughed Tinsley. For a woman who claims to have held a fear of public speaking her entire life, it

was a gutsy move out of her comfort zone. “I had no intention of being a comedian. Fear was holding me back. I’ve never been a writer – in fact I’ve always been more into math and science. I think my dance background with Kimberly Lewis’ Dance Studio 111 helped me a lot. “I danced there for years and at Desert Vista all four years,” she continued. “Because of that history, I was more comfortable on a stage and understood the showmanship and performative aspect of comedy.” When her inaugural showcase arrived, she found that stage knowledge helped soothe her nerves despite the fact that of the 120 seats in the club, more than 40 were occupied by people who had come to see her – including relatives and DV

�ee COMIC page 25

DECEMBER 2, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Flash Santoro’s runners set records AFN NEWS STAFF

embers of the Masters Track Club that Ahwatukee resident Flash Santoro coaches at Desert Foothills Park has been making big strides in their performance. In a recent 3,000-meter distance race involving seven members, five “came home with Arizona Masters state records in our respective age groups,” Santoro said, “Throughout all the madness, I and my Masters Track Club – tongue-in-cheek named the Pacemakers – have trained and trained,” he said, adding that “many of these hard-working adult runners are showing what can be done with their fitness in their 40s, 50s and beyond. Here’s the breakdown of the records: Men’s 45-49, Santoro clocked 10:04.9; Men’s 55-59, Kenneth Knierim ran in 11:55.17; Men’s 60-64, Mark Huber recorded 12:10.81; Women’s 45-49, Mihwa Kim made it in 11:18.12; and Women’s 50-

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WONDERLAND from page 22

“When the shopping was finished, we’d give them a raffle ticket. We sent the bag of gifts upstairs where a team of folks would gift wrap the selected items. While the gifts were being wrapped, the families would go to a lounge to enjoy cookies, coffee, juice, etc. “We’d do a raffle of bikes – donated by Altadena Middle school – and last year we also raffled off 50 frozen turkeys.” “I’m disappointed this year, no doubt,” said Coomer. “I enjoyed watching the parents pick out toys for their children. It made it very personal.” Even eliminating toy donations is due to concerns over the spread of COVID. But the Kyrene Foundation – in partnership with the Kyrene District – is forging ahead to care for the needy families within their purview.

COMIC from page 22

dance instructor Bianca Caryl who retired last May. “I was the second-to-last comedian to go up, and in the audience were my mom, my aunt, former dance teachers, high school friends, friends from work – everyone was there,” she recalled. “I was so nervous but it was one of the greatest moments of my life. At the end of the night I was thinking ‘this is fun, maybe I will do more showcases and take more classes just to exercise my creativity and right brain,’” said Tinsley. The next day the club owner emailed Tinlsey, telling her he enjoyed her set offering a 5-7-minute opening spot on one of their upcoming shows. “I hate to be cliché but yes, the rest is history.” There were numerous roadblocks that threatened to derail her early career and the loss of her father was among the first. “I lost my dad to cancer in February of 2017, right as I got started, so I wasn’t really in the mood to be funny or to entertain people,” she said. “I was just so distraught I couldn’t even get in the headspace of getting on stage, and I was out for about five months after he passed.”

As Erin Schroeder, Kyrene Family Resource Center supervisor, knows and sees first-hand at the center located – next to Kyrene de los Ninos Elementary school in Tempe – the need is great, and growing. “Many in our community may not be aware, but we have children living in poverty in every one of our Kyrene schools. We have homeless students in every school. As we all know, the holidays look very different this year, and the need is even greater,” said Schroeder. “The Kyrene Foundation is an invaluable partner, and the pandemic has pushed them to find new ways to support vulnerable families, while maintaining the health and safety of our community,” she continued. “In these uncertain times, let’s come together to bring hope and joy to our Kyrene families this holiday season. You can really make a difference in the life of a child; it

And when she did begin again, often doing two shows a night three or more times a month, she realized her voice was giving her trouble. “April of 2018 we found out I had a nodule on my vocal cord, so I had to slow down with the shows. I started seeing a speech therapist but it got worse.” The nodule was surgically removed in December 2018. “I was only supposed to be out for two months but my vocal cord didn’t heal correctly, so I was out until July 2019. I still have a hoarse, raspy voice and I do vocal exercises and breathing treatments to try to help but it’s looking like this is going to be my forever voice,” she said. “It’s a good thing I have the microphone so I don’t have to force it.” In March, just as COVID-19 was shutting down venues, Tinsley’s mother was starting chemotherapy. And Tinsley said with her new job in a hospital during the pandemic, comedy, once again wasn’t the priority. “It became more of just survival mode and keeping myself and my family safe and healthy.” Her mom is now on the mend and “though it’s still crazy at work, we’ve created some normalcy. So, my urge and desire to get back to the stage came back

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may touch the life of the student who sits next to your child in school.” Donations for Winter Wonderland 2020 can be made using $10 or $20 Target or WalMart gift cards or monetary donations can be done online at KyreneFoundation.org. Through Dec. 10, gift cards can be dropped off at Ahwatukee’s Keller Williams Realty, Sonoran Living, 15905 S. 46th St., and at R Squared Graphic and Web Design, 8400 S. Kyrene Rd. Suite 124 in Tempe. This year’s Winter Wonderland will be a drive-through event. Also benefiting the fundraising for the free Kyrene Family Resource Center is the eighth annual shred-a-thon, held twice a year and sponsored by Coomer and fellow Realtor Gregory Stainton. It will be held 9-11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 5, the parking lot of Kyrene Monte Vista around September.” It had been nearly eight months since her last show on March 1 when she resumed her stand-up comedy this October. “Almost eight months off the stage is such a long time but it was like I never left,” she said. “I love comedy so much. I love being able to make people laugh and forget about their own problems even if it’s just for a small period of time. “My favorite part of doing comedy is meeting and connecting with so many different people of various ages, sex, races, religions, etc., and realizing we’re all so much more alike than we are different.” She said former fears, including those that nobody would relate to her or that she wouldn’t reach the audience, never happened. “I’m thankful for comedy because it challenges me to get out of my comfort zone and to keep creating. I feel like as

Elementary School, 15221 S. Ray, the free Shred-A-Thon runs for two hours beginning at 9 a.m. Participants are requested to bring food to restock the KFRC pantry. There will be an on-site shred truck. “We ask for at least one box or can of food donation for each box or bag brought to be shredded,” said Coomer. “We really could use a lot of snacks donated. I know from experience with my boys that when kids are home, they snack a lot. Granola bars, protein bars and fruit snacks are good, also squeezable applesauce.” Besides food items for families, the Kyrene Family Resource Center needs disinfectant wipes, shampoo and conditioner, toothpaste and toothbrushes, deodorant and soap. The Winter Wonderland Drive ends Dec. 10. More information can be found at KyreneFoundation.org. 

we get older, we can get complacent and we think we’re not supposed to have our hobbies anymore but are supposed to start our careers, settle down and start families but comedy has given me a whole new outlook on life.” “I’m only 30, but I’ve learned that life is short so if you want to do something and you are passionate about it put your fear aside and go after it. There is no growth in the comfort zone,” said Tinsley. “Comedy has given me confidence that I never knew existed, being able to captivate a crowd with my own words and thoughts is a crazy feeling. Being appreciated for my thoughts is crazy. I’m in shock when people thank me after shows.” Tinsley will perform Saturday, Dec. 5, with headliner Jill Kimmel at JP’s Comedy Club at 860 E. Warner Road, Gilbert. Guests are required to wear masks and arrive a half hour before 7 p.m. start. 

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AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | DECEMBER 2, 2020

Horizon Honors thespians present ‘Clue’ online AFN NEWS STAFF

he show must go on and as Horizon Honors Theatre Arts Department has found out – like virtually every other performing troupe – “going on” is challenging when trying to put on a show during a pandemic. But the young thespians at the Ahwatukee school are going forward with a special online performance of “Clue: Stay at Home (High School Edition).” The virtual performance “is a departure from their norm but the director and the student-performers are so excited to try something new,” Horizon Honors spokeswoman Melissa Hartley said. The show will be presented multiple times, beginning at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 4 as well as, 3:30 p.m., and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 5; 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 11; and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 12. Tickets can be purchased at broadwayondemand.com/ channels/details/horizon-honors-theatre-arts. Based on the iconic 1985 Paramount movie – which was inspired by the classic Hasbro board game – Clue is a hilarious farce-meets-murder mystery.

Ahwatukee Community Garden seeks help on seed grants

The Ahwatukee Community Garden is again participating in the Seed Money Challenge grant/crowdfunding fundraiser. Through Dec. 15, any on-line donations to the garden are tax deductible and make the garden eligible for grants of between $100-$600. “In the past three years, thanks to the generous participation of the community, we have received a grant each year,” said Ahwatukee Community Garden spokeswoman Linda Rominger. The money has funded the improvements at the garden at 4700 E. Warner Road. Additionally, all gardeners are able to garden without charge and to share the produce for free with the community. Free gardening advice and seed sharing is available at the garden, and seasonally at Ironwood Library. To donate go to: donate.seedmoney.org/5009/ ahwatukee-community-garden. Information on the garden: acgarden.weebly.com.

VIP Volleyball Club hosts open house for girls tomorrow

The new VIP Volleyball Club, the East Valley’s new premier club for girls volleyball, is looking for high school freshmen and sophomores. There will be a special open house 7:30-9:30 p.m. tomorrow, Dec. 3, at Willis Junior HIgh, 401 S. McQueen

Horizon Honors actors and actresses will perform the stay-at-home version of the legendary play “Clue” so the audience can enjoy the comedy in the comfort of their home. (Courtesy of Horizon Honors)

The tale begins at a remote mansion, where six mysterious guests assemble for an unusual dinner party where murder and blackmail are on the menu. When their host turns up dead, they all become suspects. Led by Wadsworth, the guests race to find the killer as the body count stacks up. Clue is the comedy whodunit that Hartley said “will leave both cult-fans and

newcomers in stitches as they try to figure out who did it, where and with what.” The cast includes narrators Abbi van Amerongen, Emilio Cardinale, Emily Hoffman, and Nya Salahdeen; Ben Raimondo as Wadsworth, Bonnie Wanstreet playing Yvette, Kate Cochrane as Miss Scarlet, Olivia Carter as Mrs. Peacock, Sadie Rich as Mrs. White and Noah Dinardo as Colonel Mustard.

Road, Chandler. Cost is $10 per girl. Tryouts will be held at 4:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 6, at Court One, 9100 S. McKemy St., Tempe. To register for the open house tinyuel.com/VIPVB. To register for tryouts: vip-volleyball.com. For information: katiedye.volleyball@gmail.com or 330--983-6953.

watukee Country Club, 48th Street and Warner Road. Information: Joyce Blobner at 480-381-4195.

AROUND AHWATUKEE

Annual Blankets & Bears Drive is underway through Dec. 31

The Ahwatukee Women’s Golf Association is again conducting its 21st annual Blankets & Bears Drive, this year benefitting Cardon Children’s Hospital at Banner Desert Hospital. The drive started in 1999 and has generated blankets and stuffed bears in the thousands to Phoenix Fire Station # 38; Cardon Children’s Hospital; Mesa Fire and the Child Crisis Center. New knitted, crocheted and fleece blankets of all kinds are needed. Crib size or smaller is preferred. Stuffed animals need to be new. Dolls or stuffed animals should be soft and cuddly and something that a child can hold and carry. Because of COVID-19, blankets and bears need to be small enough to fit into plastic bags (approximate size of 15” by 13”). Donations without bags will be bagged by volunteers. Donations are accepted at the dining room of Ah-

Flea market and sale Dec. 5 in Ahwatukee benefits nonprofits

Vintageous Life is hosting their third Community Sale & Flea Market 7 a.m.-noon Saturday, Dec. 5, outside the store at 4611 E. Chandler Blvd. to raise money for two non-profits. At least 35 vendors will sell their wares in the parking lot west of Kohl’s. Vendor spaces sold out early and profits are earmarked to help Hospice of the Valley and Adorn Phoenix. The Hospice’s White Dove Thrift Shop truck will be at the event, and guests bringing a food item to donate for the Hospice of the Valley’s Adopt-A-Family Holiday Food Drive will receive a 10 percent discount in the 4,200 square foot vintage and lifestyle store owned by Jimmy Maler and Noleen Sese. Information: VintageousLife.com.

Ahwatukee Nutcracker coming soon to Madison Center

Time is growing short to get tickets for the 21st annual Ahwatukee Nutcracker at the Madison Center for the Arts at 5601. N. 16th St., where the show will be at 1 p.m. and 6 p.m. Dec. 19 and 1 p.m. Dec. 20. Producer and Dance Studio 111 owner Kimberly Lewis was shut out of the traditional venue at Desert Vista

Also performing are Abe Newsum as Professor Plum, Matt Mouffe as Mr. Green, Lauren Taylor as the Cook, Singing-Telegram Girl and Backup Cop; Grady Newsum as Mr. Boddy, The Motorist and Chief of Police; Hannah Diffey as the Newscaster, Unexpected Cop and Backup Cop. Understudies and swings include Abe Newsum, Grady Newsum, Lauren Taylor, Brailey McDaniel, and Liam Perez. The crew includes Student Director Bre Lewellen, Student Tech Director Annaliese Hensel, and Stage Manager Kendra Newman. Rachel Harris is assistant student director and vocal sound. Morgan Harris is assistant stage manager. Morgan Kleinjans is in charge of props; Payton Anglemyer is hair & makeup coordinator; promotions are handled by Hasley McDaniel and Mika Dubey; graphic design by Yaniv Golden; costume designer by Elisabeth Fear. Other crew members include Tamsyn Greger, music and sound effects; Jesse Igoe, lightboard; Tyler Agostini and Connor Davis are on spotlights; Liam Perez and Brailey McDaniel are male and female swing, respectively.  High because of COVID-19, but she managed to find this spacious, 2-year-old state-of-the art theater that she said is a 20-minute drive from Ahwatukee on the Piestewa Freeway. Information: ahwatukeenutcracker.com.

Nativity walk in Ahwatukee rescheduled

The pandemic has forced the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Ahwatukee to alter its Christmas presentation and now also forced it to change the date from Dec. 12 to Dec. 11. Instead of a concert with a Nativity walk and cookies, it is sponsoring a Christmas Nativity Walk 6-7:30 p.m. Dec. 11 at 2955 E. Frye Road with a real baby, live animals that include a camel and alpaca as well as a donkey and hundreds of luminaries. It’s free and social distancing and masks will be required. 

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BUSINESS

Business DECEMBER 2, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

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Electric bike store targets East Valley market AFN NEWS STAFF

ust in time for gift-giving – and visiting relatives who might need outdoor fun – comes Michael Curtin, who opened a Pedego Electric Bike store in Gilbert recently. The Gilbert resident owns a staffing business in New York’s commercial real estate industry, but decided to open the store at 459 N. Gilbert Road after the pandemic caused a downturn in his business. Besides, his brother owns a Pedego store in Cape May, New Jersey, and he liked the product. “Pedego seemed like the perfect new business for me to go into and once I found the location for my store in Gilbert, it was an absolute no-brainer,” he said. “I knew this was going to be a great opportunity.” The store, the third and the first in the East Valley, sells and rents Pedego bikes as well as services them and sells accessories. With a top speed of 20 mph, Pedego bikes come in a wide variety of 20 models and sizes, with pricing starting at around $1,500. The bikes’ ranges of travel before the lithium battery needs to be charged varies from 15-30 miles for the smallest size to 34-68 miles for the largest. “Generally speaking, any Pedego battery should last longer than you want to ride,” Pedego states on its website. “Your fanny will probably quit long before your

Michael Curtin has opened a Pedego Electric Bike store in Gilbert, where he sells, rents and services the popular bikes and sells accessories. (Pablo Robles/AFN Staff Photographer) battery does.” Founded in 2008 and now with around 120 locations across the country, the company has won kudos for its customer service and the bikes themselves have some famous fans, including Martha Stewart and Star Trek icon William Shatner. Though he had a soft opening in October, Curtin had his grand opening last week that included a surprise visit from some of the corporation’s top executives.

Pedego Gilbert also is celebrating the grand opening by offering raffle tickets for $20 through Dec. 15 – or until 500 tickets are sold – for a chance to win a Pedego Comfort Cruiser. That’s the granddaddy of Pedego’s product line, valued at around $2,000. The company describes it as weighing “less than a house cat” with a range of about 45 miles “for 10 cents of electricity” before it needs recharging.

New PA joins Ahwatukee Skin & Laser AFN NEWS STAFF

hwatukee Skin & Laser has a new member to its staff. Taylor Todd, MPAS PA-C, a licensed and certified physician assistant specializing in medical dermatology, enjoys discussing skin diseases and treatment options with her patients and strives to find a skin care regimen and treatment that is a good fit for each individual patient,” a spokeswoman said.

Todd is a board-certified member of the American Academy of Physician Assistants and Society of Dermatology Physician Assistants. She graduated summa cum laude with a degree in public health from California State University San Bernardino and was admitted into the National Honor Society and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society. She received her master’s degree in physician assistant studies from the Loma Linda University School of

Medicine. The spokeswoman said Todd “strongly believes that all patients should feel good about their skin and take part in the decision-making process. She will be seeing patients at ASL located at 4425 E. Agave Road, Bldg. #9, Suite 148, and at the practice’s Sun City West office. Information: ahwatukeeskincare. com or 480-704-7546. 

Proceeds from the raffle will be split among three food banks. Curtin said he went into the business after meeting Pedego founder/CEO Don DiConstanzo about the electric bike industry. “Our goal is to locate our stores in areas that are bike-friendly and easily accessible to cyclists,” DiCostanzo said. “When Michael came to us with this location we knew it was going to be a success-- his hard work and dedication from the beginning was something we were honored to invest in.” A onetime marathon runner, Curtin said he’s admired Pedego bikes since he first rode one in New Jersey. A few years ago, he had to quit running due to an injury and he said a regular bike never interested him. “An electric bike gives me the perfect combination of thrill and adrenaline,” he said. “I get the same rush I did when I was running.” Besides, he added, “There is something to be said about customers coming back from their first ride on a Pedego… they really do come back with a smile.” He said his goal is to make sure anyone who stops by his store gets the same rush. The store is open 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday and Monday by appointment only. Information: mike@pedegogilbert. com or call 602-793-1175. 

BUSINESS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | DECEMBER 2, 2020

Steps to take now before Biden tax plan hits BY DR. HAROLD WONG AFN Contributor

s I write this article, it looks more likely that Joe Biden will become the next U.S. President. If the Democrats win the runoff for the two Senate seats in Georgia, they will control the Senate, House and the Presidency. If so, nothing will stop the proposed new Biden Tax Plan. Federal tax rates will certainly increase from the current maximum 37 percent to at least 39.6 percent. For those with earned income (wages or net profits from oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s business) over $400,000, they will also be hit with an extra 12.4 percent payroll tax surtax split between employer and employee. However, if you are the business owner, you pay both sides and this brings your total maximum federal marginal tax rate to 39.6 percent + 12.4 percent = 52 percent. For those with incomes over $1 million, taxes on long-term capital gains and dividends will be levied as ordinary income rates of 39.6 percent instead of the current

20 percent. In addition, if court challenges fail to stop the recent Proposition 208, there will be 3.5 percent surtax on single filers whose taxable income exceeds $250,000 (and over $500,000 taxable income for joint filers). That will increase the maximum AZ income tax rate from 4.5 percent to 8 percent. For high-income taxpayers, the new combined federal and AZ maximum tax rate would become 39.60 percent + 12.40 percent + 8 percent = 60 percent. In contrast, the current maximum combined tax rate is 37 percent federal + 4.50 percent AZ = 41.50 percent. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a huge total 44.58 percent increase in combined tax rate for folks who earn substantial incomes.

Powerful tax-planning steps to take by Dec. 31:

Defer major deductions from 2020 and take them in 2021, when tax rates would be much higher if the Biden Tax Plan becomes law. This strategy is mainly for business owners who have major control over their business sales and expenses.

Accelerate income that will occur in early 2021 into this month. If you have large bonuses or plan to sell real estate or stock that has large gains, one might want to reflect that taxable gain in the 2020 tax year. The exception is if you work with a sophisticated tax planner who needs all of 2021 to do powerful tax planning. If you own a business, establish your own Solo 401(k) plan before year-end. This Solo 401(k) is limited to those who are either the sole owner or whose spouse works in the business. One does not want to have any non-family W-2 wage employees. In 2020, the maximum annual contribution is $57,000 if the owner is younger than age 50 and $63,500 if the owner is age 50 or over. Of course, you must have at least this much net profit, and normally substantially more in order to contribute the maximum amount. You must remember that you are both the employee and the employer. Just like a normal 401(k), the employee can contribute a maximum of $19,500 in 2020 for those under age 50 and $26,000 if you are age 50 or older.

In addition, the employer side of the contribution is limited to either 25 percent of your wages received; or 20 percent of your net self-employment income (business profits less half of your SelfEmployment tax). A Solo 401(k) typically costs $500-1,000 to set up if you want a truly third-party administrator that is not trying to sell you Wall Street investments. You must formally elect to make the actual employee deferral contribution by 12/31/20 20 but the actual employee and employer contributions can be made up until your tax return filing due date (4/15/2021), or 10/15/2021 if an extension was filed. Free information on tax savings, retirement planning, and solar business investments can be found at drharoldwong.com or solarbusinessinvestments.com.

To schedule your free consultation, contact Dr. Harold Wong at 480-706-0177 or harold_wong@hotmail.com Dr. Wong earned his Ph.D. in economics at University of California/ Berkeley and has appeared on over 400 TV/ radio programs. ď&#x201A;˘

DECEMBER 2, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

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OPINION

Opinion 32

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | DECEMBER 2, 2020

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

More children need mentoring, especially now

As we head into possibly the most isolating holiday season yet, there are more children who are in desperate need of mentorship. Although it seems we have a lot of new challenges to address, one thing that has not changed is the need for good mentors. Now more than ever, our youth need a mentor in their corner to help them navigate through life’s most pressing challenges. Sometimes the gift of your time is more valuable than anything you can buy a child. With the growing use of technology such as Facetime and Zoom, it is now easier to connect more than ever. You can communicate with your mentee online and in person if you choose to do so. I applied to become a mentor through a formal program a few months ago and was recently matched to my mentee in May. My mentee is 10 years old and very active. At �irst, I was worried that he might not be comfortable meeting up virtually, but boy was I wrong! So far, we’ve had three virtual outings. All have been very engaging and fun. He’s a very talented young man. While we were painting, we also had a conversation on current events – speci�ically around the current race issues and policing in our community. My mentee was confused and had questions as to why these things were happening. It was a great �irst virtual meeting. During our second virtual meeting, we decided to play Xbox online games with each other. We simply pointed our devices at the TV screens and played Minecraft together. For our third and most recent virtual outing, my mentee decided he wanted to make macaroni and cheese together from

Got s? New

scratch. With the help of his mom, he was able to get the ingredients needed to make it happen. The next thing you know we are both making homemade mac and cheese virtually. Although we can’t see each other in person we have still developed a solid foundation for what I hope is a long-lasting relationship. According to The Mentor Partnership, youth who meet regularly with their mentors are 52 percent less likely to skip a day of school and 46 percent less likely to start using illegal drugs. Mentorship also fosters the importance of education. Most at-risk youth who had a mentor aspire to enroll in and graduate from college and are more likely to be enrolled in college. You don’t have to be perfect to be a child’s mentor, you just have to be present. So if you’re eager to make a difference in someone’s life I highly recommend you reach out to your local mentoring organizations. -Devin Del Palacio

Maricopa County Attorney’s condition is a mystery

Maricopa County voters elected Allister Adel as County Attorney Nov. 3. After the election, we learned of Adel’s unfortunate accident and subsequent hospitalization. While I wish Adel a complete recovery, there is much that remains unknown. We do not know when she was injured. We do not know the extent of her injury or the anticipated timeframe for her return. We do not know what “alert and communicating” means, as described by the County Attorney’s news release. We do not know if she is �it for the of�ice she was elected to after a traumatic neurological injury. And, we certainly don’t know

what is really happening at the County Attorney’s of�ice in Adel’s absence. Although the MCAO statement infers that Chief Deputy Ken Vick is in charge, he has no statutory authority to do so, nor can he make any decisions under the law without being appointed as such by the county Board of Supervisors. Adel is to begin her term as Maricopa County Attorney in a few weeks. If Adel is unable to serve when her term begins, does this call for a recall and/or new election? The Board of Supervisors is charged with appointing an acting County Attorney in the event the current County Attorney is removed, resigns or leaves the of�ice. But what happens if the elected County Attorney hasn’t begun her term and is incapacitated inde�initely? Voters chose the County Attorney for four years. Should the Board of Supervisors be appointing an acting County Attorney for what could potentially be a full four years? Whatever happens, the public needs transparency about those actions, not vaguely worded press releases that give the illusion that everything is �ine when it clearly is not. -Sherri Johnson

Election protests of results seem nonsensical

When I drive by the Maricopa County Recorder’s building on my way to work, protestors are still rallying within the parking area, assumedly protesting the Presidential election outcome. Where are these people when real protests should be rallied? Marching for returning immigrant children to their parents, restoring funding to schools, outlawing private prisons, empowering women’s reproductive rights

and the ERA, standing up for black lives matter, improving teacher’s pay, even challenging APS/SRP rate increases are just some of the inequalities that my conscience moves me. But election results? Especially since countless authorities have approved election results with countless zero fraud involvement? OK, so when do sour grapes for the election outcome become nothing but a sad freak show? -CJ Briggle

Shouldn’t we review streets named after Lincoln?

A Nov. 26 letter to the Foothill News recently praised the change of a street name in Phoenix from Robert E. Lee Street to Desert Cactus Street. Robert E. Lee was appointed Major General by Abraham Lincoln who then offered Lee command of the Union Army in the Civil War. Since there is a clear connection between the two, and since Lincoln advocated “colonizing” freed slaves by shipping them to Africa or Central America, and is on record on Sept. 18, 1858 for the following: “I will say then that I am not, nor ever have been, in favor of bringing about in any way the social and political equality of the white and black races, that I am not, nor have ever been, in favor of making voters or jurors of negroes nor of qualifying them to hold of�ice, nor to intermarry with white people...there must be the position of superior and inferior, and I, as much as any man, am in favor of the superior position assigned to the white race,” shouldn’t all streets in Arizona named “Lincoln” be renamed as well? Why stop with Lee? Shouldn’t all street names be investigated? -Robert Baron

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

DECEMBER 2, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

SPORTS

Sports & Recreation 34

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Pride, Thunder reach �inish line of adversity-�illed football season BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

t was a season of many firsts for both Mountain Pointe and Desert Vista football programs in 2020. It was the first time both teams entered the annual Ahwatukee Bowl winless. It was the first time in program history the Thunder finished a football season without a win. For the Pride, it was the first time since 2018 they beat an in-state opponent. On a more obvious note, it was the first time both teams played through a global pandemic, where at any point they could have been shut down.

But while not escaping the uncanny football season completely unscathed, both teams reached the finish line. A feat both programs agree is an accomplishment in itself. “There was a lot of stuff we couldn’t control,” Desert Vista coach Dan Hinds said. “I’m so proud of our kids doing everything they were told to do. It was tough to tell them we couldn’t do certain things. “But as soon as we got the green light, they were all in. Especially these seniors. I love these seniors.” The end of the regular season, in many ways, is a welcoming sight. Both programs, ravaged by injuries throughout the year, now have a

chance to heal and hopefully be 100 percent healthy heading into offseason workouts. Though, there’s still no telling when those workouts will take place. The rise in COVID-19 cases once again has sports — outside of the final two weeks of the playoffs — on hold. Winter sports are delayed until after Jan. 5, and while some districts allowed teams to hold tryouts this week, that is still with strict regulations in place. It’s becoming eerily similar to what was experienced last spring, when schools closed and sports were canceled, including perhaps

Mountain Pointe wrapped up an adversity-filled 2020 season in which coach Eric Lauer said injuries and an overall lack of time together in the offseason played a major role in its struggles. (Pablo

see ADVERSITY page 35 Robles/AFN Staff)

Summit girls win cross country title, boys place 2nd BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

I Summit girls: From left: Top row: Coach Heather Thomas, Avery Thomas, Holly Matchinsky, Madeleine Gove, coach Daniel Reardon; Bottom row: Kate Field, Lila Foley, Amaya Arredondo (Courtesy Heather Thomas)

t was a 2020 season that brought along a whirlwind of emotions for Summit School cross country coach Heather Thomas and her team. Comprised of student-athletes in fifth through eighth grades, Summit School’s cross country program was more of a club than a competitive team in past years. But as the coronavirus pandemic forced the cancellation of other sports, Thomas quickly saw the size of the roster grow leading up to the season. Figuring out how to coach runners with experience alongside those who were new was no easy task, and losing an entire grade level on the team to contact tracing also took its toll. However, Thomas and her team persevered as the girls captured the Canyon Athletic Association Junior High Cross Country championship while the boys placed second overall. “It was an incredible feeling,” Thomas

said. “I was so incredibly proud of the kids.” Summit’s girls were led by eighth grader Holly Matchinsky, who placed second overall in the state-championship race with a time of 10 minutes, 27.6 seconds. Seventh grader Avery, Thomas’ daughter, placed fifth for Summit, followed by eighth grader Maddy Gove, seventh grader Kate Field and fifth grader Lila Foley. Amaya Arredondo, another fifth grader for Summit, also contributed to the team’s first-place finish at the state meet. The boys, meanwhile, were led by Thomas’ fifth-grade son, Tyler, who placed sixth overall in the race in 10 minutes, 2.1 seconds. Eighth grader Sameer Khan placed seventh, while seventh grader Mason Cavallo placed 12th. Fifth graders William Steenken, Steele Stevenson and Colby Cavallo also contributed to Summit’s success. Thomas praised every runner for their hard work and dedication, especially those who stepped up in the absence of both

see SUMMIT page 36

SPORTS

DECEMBER 2, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Thunder girls’ cross country win Nike national title BY ZACH ALVIRA AFN Sports Editor

he Desert Vista girls’ cross country program, fresh off a state-championship performance at the Arizona Interscholastic Association’s final meet of the season, now adds the title “national champion” to its 2020 resume. The Thunder girls qualified for the Nike Cross Virtual Championship after submitting race times from the sectional and state championship races. Those times were good enough for the Thunder to place first overall in the region – typically held in-person in Casa Grande with teams from Arizona, Utah, New Mexico and other surrounding states. This year, however, the regionals and finals were held virtually due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. After submitting times on Saturday, Nov. 21 from the championship race, Desert Vista was crowned national champion on Tuesday, Nov. 24.

ADVERSITY from page 34

one of the most important offseasons for both Mountain Pointe and Desert Vista in years. The Pride, coming off a 1-9 season, were hoping to use spring ball as a bonding experience between the players and new head coach Eric Lauer. The Thunder, coming off a 6A semifinal appearance, hoped to find balance among its plethora of sophomores moving up to the varsity level to fill the void left by graduates. Both teams had that opportunity eventually, but not nearly to the extent they would have preferred. “We are like young pups,” Mountain Pointe coach Eric Lauer said. “The more training, we get the better we are going to be. We didn’t have that opportunity this year.” Mountain Pointe finished the 2020 season 1-7 — it’s only win having come in the final game of the season in the Tukee Bowl against Desert Vista. An influx of transfers, several of which from schools initially thought to not have a football season, helped Lauer and his staff rebuild a roster decimated by a large senior class the year prior. Several of those transfers already had significant varsity experience, which was an added bonus. However, the pandemic never allowed things to truly pan out for the Pride. A lost spring ball season led to virtual meetings,

The Desert Vista girls cross country team competed in and won the Nike Cross Virtual Championship after running a virtual race at Tumbleweed Park in Chandler on Saturday, Nov. 21. (Courtesy Desert Vista High School)

“I’m very proud,” Ping said. “We sent them all a text message and had them come to our house. Nike sent this humongous box with the race supplies and they all got in and jumped out for a video. It was really cute.”

Typically, teams who qualify for the national race at regionals are flown to Nike Headquarters in Beaverton, Ore., where they are given a wide variety of cross country gear, including backpacks, spikes,

much different than face-to-face interaction. It wasn’t until June many of the Pride players met one another for the first time. Even that, however, was short lived. Another shut down in July set them back further. Partner that with injuries throughout the year and many Mountain Pointe players — especially the seniors — felt like they Desert Vista finished winless for the first time in program history in never truly were able 2020, but coach Dan Hinds vows the Thunder will be back to their to get things going. But winning ways sooner rather than later. (Pablo Robles/AFN Staff) the win over Desert Vista is one they all hope gives the team others transferred out of the program. That opened the door for a wave of sophmomentum heading into the offseason. “I hope they carry this into the first omores to fill the vacant roster at key poworkout,” Mountain Pointe senior offen- sitions, including quarterback. Hinds said sive lineman and captain Anthony Ortiz all season he aimed to see growth from his said. “They have potential to be way big- team, and he did on a weekly basis. Unforger than we were. I hope we set a great tunately, that didn’t result in wins. However, Hinds never panicked. And foundation for them to bring back Mouneven while frustrated with his team’s pertain Pointe to what it used to be.” Desert Vista faced similar adversity. The formance in the Tukee Bowl, he remained Thunder lost most of their starters from the confident in his players, staff and most 2019 team that was a contender for a 6A importantly, himself, to turn the program Conference title. A large majority of those in the right direction. After all, it isn’t the players were lost to graduation, while a few first time in his 19-year tenure as head

shoes and other items. Nike also pays for flights, hotels and meals for each team, creating a one-of-a-kind experience for the athletes. Nike canceled the in-person championships back in July due to the pandemic, and instead sent each team a large crate with everything teams would need to run the race in the comfort of their own community. Desert Vista ran the race at Tumbleweed Park in Chandler, arriving early enough to avoid foot traffic from others in the park. “We did it early in the morning and all the sprinklers went off right before our race, so that was kind of crazy,” Ping said. “There was still traffic coming through with cars but there weren’t that many people at the park.” Dave Shapiro and Jeff Guy, two of the state’s ambassadors for cross country and track and field, helped set up the course for the Thunder using the supplies from Nike.

see THUNDER page 36

coach he’s had to do that. Desert Vista went 2-8 under Hinds in 2009. Just two years later, the Thunder defeated powerhouse Hamilton to finish 13-1 and win the state title. And regarding the Thunder’s Tukee Bowl loss and them handing the trophy back to the Pride, Hinds is confident that’ll be back, too. “We’ll get it back,” Hinds said of the Tukee Bowl trophy. “We are looking forward to next fall. We hope and pray COVID doesn’t shut football down because we can’t wait. We are going to do everything we can and everything we are allowed to do to get ready for next year. “We lose a few seniors, but we have nearly everyone coming back. The future looks bright.” Regardless of records, what Mountain Pointe and Desert Vista accomplished in 2020 is unprecedented. Both teams played through a pandemic and the constant worry of being shut down or worse, getting sick. Completing even a shortened season should be a reward in itself. “We are excited about the future,” Lauer said. “We will get back in the weight room, something we missed in the offseason. We won’t have a break. If we can get in here and get working out, we are going to do it.” 

SPORTS

THUNDER from page 35

A regional director from Nike was flown out to watch the race, and a professional company was hired to time it. Teams from across the country had from Nov. 16-24 to run the 5K race and submit times. Lauren Ping, Ping’s sophomore daughter and first-place winner of the AIA race, finished fourth overall in the national race with a time of 17 minutes, 2.2 seconds. Desert Vista junior Katie Sigerud, who placed second in the AIA race, set a new personal record in the 5K at 17 minutes, 4.1 seconds to place just behind Lauren in fifth. Senior Grace Ping, who has battled through injuries all season, placed 18th overall in the national race. Sophomores

SUMMIT from page 34

teams’ sixth graders, who had to be quarantined before the state meet. “From the very beginning I told these kids you never know when an opportunity will come when you have to score,” Thomas said. “We were missing seven runners for my girls and my boys. When they got to the line, everyone attacked the course.” As it was for other programs, the offseason was difficult for Summit. With Ahwatukee parks and schools closed down in the summer due to the surge in COVID-19 cases, the team was forced to run on sidewalks and pavement through neighborhoods rather than the traditional park setting. Leading up to the championship meet, Thomas was unsure if the team would be able to race at all due. The sixth-grade quarantine left her with just 12 athletes. Summit had just one practice ahead of the championship race. “We focused on a lot of yoga and visualizations,” Thomas said. “It was to the point where I kind of just told them to do their best because of how much adversity we had. They turned that adversity into motivation and positive energy.” A former Division I runner, Thomas took on the job as head coach in 2019 to be able to remain active with her kids, Avery and Tyler. She also enjoyed having

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | DECEMBER 2, 2020

Emily Littlefield and Bailee Christofis placed 31st and 51st, respectively, while senior Olivia Thatcher placed 35th. Brooklyn Hanania, the youngest runner on the team as a freshman, placed 71st in the Nike national championship. “I think they’re extremely talented,” Ping said. “We’ve had a lot of races backto-back, so the fact they were able to get up for this race and treat it like a national championship and run those times when it was just them, it says a lot about them. “It shows how much they care about the sport and the dedication and work they’ve put into cross country.” Competing in the Nike national championship is familiar territory for Ping and her two daughters.

In seventh grade, Grace qualified for the championship race and was able to travel to Beaverton. Since then, she’s qualified every year, with Lauren joining her. While Ping said she missed the experience of competing in Oregon and have it feel like a true national championship, she enjoyed sharing the moment with her girls and husband Ryan, who helps coach the Thunder. The moment was especially special with Grace, who will go off to Oklahoma State on a full ride scholarship next year. “It feels really good,” Ping said. “I just wish Grace could have been at full strength. She was definitely very happy but I think a piece of her wished she was healthy like she should be. It was fun to

Summit boys: From left: Colby Cavallo, Mason Cavallo, Steele Stevenson, Tyler Thomas, Sameer Khan, William Steenken. (Courtesy Heather Thomas) the ability to help young athletes get in shape, whether it be to benefit their own health or to prepare for other sports. Before her arrival, Summit was unable to compete for championships due to a lack of participants. However, that changed quickly after Avery and Tyler recruited classmates and friends to join the program. Thomas also hosted a running club in the winter before the coronavirus pandemic hit Arizona. “We came to Summit in 2019 and I really wanted to build up the program,” Thomas said. “Avery and Tyler were integral in the recruiting process, encourag-

ing their friends to go out for the team. We had a running club in the winter of 2019 which greatly helped with recruiting as well.” While the 2020 season was rewarding for Thomas, her kids and the team, it was also challenging. On a daily basis, she would remind her athletes about the fundamentals of running, which included lessons they can apply to everyday life outside of the sport. Many of those same lessons have helped her own kids keep a positive mindset through the pandemic, which has been shown to be especially hard on the men-

Have an interesting sports story?

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

have the parents out there cheering. “It was just a great experience.” Despite competing in and winning the Nike national championship, Ping said the season isn’t quite done for some of the girls. Lauren, Grace, Sigerud and Hanania on Dec. 3 are flying to Tallahassee, Fla. to compete in the AAU National Cross Country Championships. It will be yet another chance for the girls to showcase their talents before looking ahead to the new season. “It will be as close to a normal championship as you can get,” Ping said. “The only downfall is you’re paying for your own tickets, which is why some of the girls couldn’t go with us. But they’re excited to compete.” 

tal state of the younger population. As is the case with running, Thomas explained success doesn’t always revolve around skill. In fact, she believes one’s overall athletic ability is only 10 to 20 percent of the process. The rest, Thomas said, is mental. “Kids need to be taught how to tap into their growth mindset to achieve their goals,” Thomas said. “You can’t just tell a child to persevere, you need to teach them what it means and how it feels like to do so. After you give them this experience, they are able to do it on their own.” Thomas believes the eighth graders from her team will carry those lessons to the next level, while those remaining with the team will use it to retain the success gained this season. What once was a small program unable to compete is now among the top junior high cross country teams in the state. Thomas, who was named the Canyon Athletic Association Junior High Cross Country Coach of the Year, hopes to carry on that success into next season. “Everyone is committed to coming back next year,” Thomas said. “As a coach, I was just completely overjoyed and so happy for them and excited they got to experience this joy during a challenging time. “You could see how their spirits were lifted because of this positive experience during the pandemic.” 

DECEMBER 2, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

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Lakeshore Music announces 2021 season lineup GETOUT STAFF

he season will open four months late due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but Tempe-based Lakeshore Music, Inc., is moving forward cautiously with announcement today of an abbreviated six-concert 2020-21 season lineup. Opening night is Jan. 23 for the series, which runs through May. “Dif�icult times call for bold leadership,” a spokesman said, noting Lakeshore is introducing a live-streaming option for season-subscription buyers. “They won’t even have to leave their recliners if they choose to watch from home rather than venturing to the Tempe Center for the Arts to see the concerts in person.” Audiences will be limited to 25 percent of normal Tempe Center for the Arts house capacity so that seats can be socially distanced for patrons’ safety. Lakeshore, which boasts of being “presenter of the �inest jazz musicians in the world at TCA,” is selling only a sixshow season package this year at $400. They are on sale at lakeshoremusic.org. There will be no single-show ticket sales this season. Purchase of the season subscription includes a Lakeshore Music face mask and a complimentary cocktail for those who come to the TCA. Lakeshore’s season typically consists of nine shows, September through May. The innovative return to live performances places Lakeside at the forefront in the presenting industry in the Valley, its founder believes. “We are in the vanguard of presenters who will jump-start live music again,” said Woody Wilson, the Tempe resident who founded Lakeshore Music and is its president and executive producer. “Zoom and streaming concerts are in-

TIERNEY SUTTON

KENNY BARRON

DENNIS ROWLAND

terim alternatives,” he said. “I love bringing people together for the music at TCA, and I need to get back to it. “We are not alone. Venues and presenters throughout the world, large and small, are faced with the same realities. When it comes to live performances, everything is an experiment for at least the next year. “We’ve survived two global economic meltdowns and a pandemic. After 12 years, I have no intention of stopping any time soon.” All concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. at Tempe Center for the Arts. “It’s a mighty little six-show series,” Wilson said. “As we all know, it has been seven months of live-music lockdown. Somebody has to be �irst.” He also noted that besides its musical offerings, Lakeside Music also provides “social occasions where friends meet to catch up and share the experience of live jazz done well. It’s time to come back.” Lakeshore’s blockbuster opening performance on Jan. 23, 2021 is The Tierney

Sutton Band, in a concert entitled “Screenplay,” the group’s latest Grammy-nominated album that is hailed as “an aural Oscar.” The group has garnered nine Grammy nominations in the past 15 years. On Feb. 20, Lakeshore welcomes Bob Sheppard & the LA Aces. The LA Aces are Larry Koonse on guitar, Josh Nelson on piano, Alex Boneham on bass and Mark Ferber on drums. Sheppard is a versatile super talent who has played with A-list giants Herbie Hancock, Tony Bennett, the 5th Dimension, Chuck Mangione, Stevie Wonder and Natalie Cole. It also is bringing back Harold LópezNussa in “Te Lo Dije” (“I Told You So”)” on Feb 27. The Cuban pianist was rebooked after his April, 2020, concert was canceled due to the pandemic. López-Nussa’s work re�lects the range and richness of Cuban music and its embrace of jazz improvisation. His younger brother, Ruy Adrián López-Nussa, is on percussion, Julio Cesar Gonzalez on bass and Mayquel Gon-

zalez on trumpet. On March 27, American Jazz Hall of Fame pianist and NEA Jazz Master Kenny Barron and his trio come to Tempe Center for the Arts. Barron, 77, has been nominated for nine Grammys and is considered among the most in�luential mainstream jazz lyrical pianists of his time. The April 24 performer is Dennis Rowland, who presents Basie Bash with The Young Sounds Orchestra. Rowland was the voice of the Count Basie Orchestra from 1977 to 1984 and shared the stage with Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Tony Bennett. The season wraps on May 22 with the Bob Ravenscroft Trio in “A Homage to Bill Evans.” Pianist-keyboardist Ravenscroft cut his teeth in the clubs of Chicago. Max Beckman joins him on bass and Rob Moore on drums for interpretations of songs from The Great American Songbook, works associated with iconic jazz pianist Bill Evans. 

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

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THESESTATEMENTSHAVENOTBEENEVALUATEDBYTHEFOODANDDRUGADMINISTRATION.THISPRODUCTISNOTINTENDEDTODIAGNOSE,TREAT,CUREORPREVENTANYDISEASE.RESULTSMAYVARY. 327058_10_x_9.875.indd 1

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DECEMBER 2, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

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NOT A LICENSED CONTRACTOR

DECEMBER 2, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

520.508.1420

www.husbands2go.com

Licensed, Bonded & Insured • ROC#317949 Ask me about FREE water testing!

Your newspaper. Your community. Your planet.

Please recycle me.

• 20 Years Experience • 6 Year Warranty

480.345.1800 ROC 304267 • Licensed & Bonded

CLASSIFIEDS Irrigation

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | DECEMBER 2, 2020

Landscape/Maintenance Juan Hernandez

Juan Hernandez

SPRINKLER • Sprinkler/Drip Repairs • New Installs Poly/PVC • Same Day Service

NTY 5-YEAR WARRA

TREE

Drip/Install/Repair & Tune ups!

TRIMMING

Not a licensed contractor

25 Years exp (480) 720-3840

25 years exp. Call Now (480) 720-3840

WANT A WEED-FREE GREEN LAWN?

480.654.5600 azirrigation.com

480-940-8196

Cutting Edge LLC • ROC 281671

theplugman.com

Landscape/Maintenance

Arizona Specialty Landscape

FREE WEED CONTROL FERTILIZER TREATMENT WITH LAWN AREATION SOIL AMENDMENTS * SOIL TESTING * Lawn Services

ROC 282663 * BONDED * INSURED YOUR LAWN EXPERT SINCE 1995

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

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

480.844.9765

Landscape Design/Installation

Specials

Lawn Mowing Starts At $40 Full Service Starts At $70 15 + Yrs Exp! All English Speaking Crew

SONORAN LAWN

Schedule your holiday cleanup with SONORAN LAWN.

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

Jose Martinez

The Possibilities are Endless

Not a licensed contractor.

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

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

480-730-1074

Bonded/Insured/Licensed • ROC #225923

Starting as low as

$25 per visit.

Install/Design We do it all!

Not a licensed contractor

602.515.2767

Ahw. Res - 30 yrs Exp Free Estimates. Call Pat (480) 343-0562

Call for our 3 Month Trial Special! Classifieds: 480-898-6465

Complete Lawn Service & Weed Control Starting @ $60/Month! • One Month Free Service • Licensed, Bonded Insured for your protection. • Call or Text for a Free Quote

kjelandscape.com • ROC#281191

SYNTHETIC TURF Starting at $5.25/sq.ft. Installed

Made in the USA

480.643.9772 SPRINKLER DOCTOR Repairs - Installs - Modifications Timers/Valves/Sprinklers DRIP-PVC-COPPER Backflows & Regulators LANDSCAPE LIGHTING

Not a licensed contractor.

Licensed • Bonded • Insured Technician

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

See MORE Ads Online!

Not a licensed contractor

“We get your house looking top notch!” ★ 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

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

10% OFF

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

480.721.4146 www.irsaz.com

Jose Dominguez Painting & Drywall SEE OUR AD IN DRYWALL! Quick Response to your Call! 15 Years Exp 480-266-4589

480-688-4770

Call Lance White ROC# 256752

Painting

480-586-8445

25 years Experience & Insured

Irrigation Repair Services Inc.

Landscape/Maintenance

Place YOUR Business HERE!

Foothills Touch Landscapes LLC Lawn care/Maint.

& PUTTING GREENS

480-745-5230

Serving the Valley for over 28 years

Landscape/Maintenance

www.Ahwatukee.com

Family Owned & Operated Bonded/Insured • ROC#153131

Now Accepting all major credit cards

CLASSIFIEDS

DECEMBER 2, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

Painting

Plumbing

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

Plumbing

Affinity Plumbing LLC 480-487-5541 affinityplumber@gmail.com

PLUMBERS CHARGE TOO MUCH! Beat Any Price By 10% • Lifetime Warranty Water Heaters Installed - $799 Unclog Drains - $49 FREE RO UNIT w/Any WATER SOFTENER INSTALL NO INTEREST FINANCING - 60 Months!! ‘A’ RATED PLUMBING REPAIR Free Estimates • Same Day Service

www.affinityplumbingaz.com

Your Ahwatukee Plumber & East Valley Neighbor Anything Plumbing Same Day Service

HOME IMPROVEMENT & PAINTING Interior/Exterior Painting 30 YEARS EXPERIENCE

24/7

Inside & Out Leaks

Bonded

Toilets

Insured

Faucets

Estimates Availabler

We Are State Licensed and Reliable!

Free Estimates • Senior Discounts

Not a licensed contractor

Disposals

Dunn Edwards Quality Paint Small Stucco/Drywall Repairs

480-338-4011

Water Heaters

$35 off

Any Service

$25 OFF

Filter Cleaning!

Watch for Garage Sales in Classifieds! 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

602-546-POOL 7 6 6 5

www.barefootpoolman.com

Licensed, Bonded & Insured ROC# 272001

480-405-7099 ItsJustPlumbSmart.com

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

Plumbing

ROC#309706

AHWATUKEE SPECIAL

Plumbing

SUN TECH

SERVICE • REPAIR • REPLACEMENT

INC.

Serving Ahwatukee Since 1987 Interior / Exterior

• High Quality Materials & Workmanship • Customer Satisfaction Free Est imates • Countless References • Carpentry Services Now Available

We offer personalized service for our customers. We use the best materials that we can find.

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

Looking To Freshen Up Your Home? WE CAN HELP!

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

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.

(480)

279-4155

Licensed • Bonded • Insured • ROC 189848

1st Month of Service FREE For a limited time

Ahw Resident • Owner Operated Maintenance & Repair Professional and Superior Service

We maintain, repair and service all types of pools, equipment, filters, cleaning systems, fresh water and salt water systems

Proudly Serving Ahwatukee for 15 Years! Family Owned & Operated

Call me, Howard:

480.231.9651

Residential & Commercial Painting

PLUMBING

• Interior & Exterior • Professional Cabinet Reﬁnishing • Epoxy Floors & Concrete Coatings • In-Home Color Consultations “Professional, Punctual & Clean”

$35.00 Off Any Service Call Today!

A+ RATED

Veteran Owned

We Repair or Install www.ACPpaintingllc.com

FREE ESTIMATES • CALL TODAY!

Pool Service / Repair

Call Now!

Plumbing

Licensed - Bonded - Insured ROC 290242

Off 40work done *Any

PAINTING

(480)785-6323

Pool Service / Repair

See our Before’s and After’s on Facebook

Bonded/Insured • ROC #223709

ROC # 272721

AHWATUKEE’S #1 PLUMBER Licensed • Bonded • Insured (480)

704.5422

AZPoolExpert.com BBB Member Not a licensed contractor.

Juan Hernandez

Pavers • Concrete • Water Features • Sprinkler Repair

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

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

Call Juan at

480-720-3840 Not a licensed contractor.

CLASSIFIEDS

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | DECEMBER 2, 2020

Pool Service / Repair

Rooﬁng

Rooﬁng 30 Years Roofing Experience

JILEK ROOFING, LLC

480-699-2754 • info@monsoonroofinginc.com

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

MonsoonRooﬁngInc.com Licensed – Bonded – Insured – ROC187561

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

TILE ROOFING SPECIALISTS

10% OFF COMPLETE UNDERLAYMENT Commercial & Residential Family Owned & Operated

New Roof Installation & Roof Repair Specialist

602-938-7575 $ 1000 OFF when you show this ad

Cell: 480.417.3689 Office: 480.912.5014 Email: tomjilek60@gmail.com Licensed & Insured • Bonded, Res/Com ROC 328854

Family Operated by 3 Generations of Roofers! We have a “Spencer” on every job and every step of the way.

on qualifying complete roof replacements

Let us show you the IN-EX Difference! Serving The Valley Since 1996

AZROC #283571 | CONTRACTOR LIC. AZROC #312804 CLASS CR4 | FULLY INSURED

FREE ESTIMATES 602-736-3019

MISSED THE DEADLINE?

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

Call us to place your ad online!

Licensed/Bonded/Insured • ROC #236099

480-898-6465

480-706-1453

Over 30 Years of Experience

inexroofing.com Call for your FREE Roof Evaluation

Valley Wide Service

480-446-7663

10% OFF

ROC #152111

NOTICE:

Most service advertisers have an ROC# or "Not a licensed contractor" in their ad, this is in accordance to the AZ state law.

Quality Repairs & Re-Roofs Complimentary & Honest Estimates

Arizona Registrar of Contractors (ROC): The advertising requirements of the statute does not prevent anyone from placing an ad in the yellow pages, on business cards, or on flyers.

Call our office today!

480-460-7602

What it does require under A.R.S. §32-1121A14(c) <http://www.azleg.gov/ars/32/01165.htm> , is that the advertising party, if not properly licensed as a contractor, disclose that fact on any form of advertising to the public by including the words "not a licensed contractor" in the advertisement.

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

www.porterroofinginc.com

with this ad

Ahwatukee’s Premier Tile, Shingle & Foam Roofer!

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

Family Owned & Operated for over 30 years

Family Operated by 3 Generations of Roofers!

Spencer 4 HIRE ROOFING

480-446-7663

Licensed • Bonded • Insured ROC # 269218

Ahwatukee’s Premier Tile, Shingle & Foam Roofer!

Again, this requirement is intended to make sure that the consumer is made aware of the unlicensed status of the individual or company. Contractors who advertise and do not disclose their unlicensed status are not eligible for the handyman's exception. Reference: (http://www.azroc.gov/invest/licensed_by_law.html)

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

Licensed, Bonded, Insured

CLASSIFIEDS 480-898-6465 class@timespublications.com

As a consumer, being aware of the law is for your protection. You can check a businesses ROC status at: http://www.azroc.gov/

CLASSIFIEDS

DECEMBER 2, 2020 | AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS

palmabrisa.com

NOW SELLING

A new gated resort community is coming soon in the Ahwatukee Foothills with a dramatically different style. It feels exclusive, but also lively and exciting — and it's called Palma Brisa. • Modern resort-style gated community with stately palms

• Diverse architecture: Modern Bungalow, Urban Farmhouse, Italian Cottage, Andalusian, Modern Craftsman, French Country, and Spanish Mission • Four amenity areas connected by expansive lawns

• Homes from 1,700 sq. ft. to 4,000 sq. ft. from the $400’s

ERIC WILLIAMS

480-641-1800

TERRY LENTS

© Copyright 2019 Blandford Homes, LLC. No offer to sell or lease may be made prior to issuance of Final Arizona Subdivision Public Report. Offer, terms, and availability subject to change without prior notice. Renderings are artist’s conceptions and remain subject to modification without notice.

AHWATUKEE FOOTHILLS NEWS | DECEMBER 2, 2020

WINTER IS COMING,

DON’T GET CAUGHT IN THE COLD ** Get up to

3,899

in dealer Rebates

–and–

No interest if paid in full within 18 months on a qualifying trane purchase

Includes a 16-Point FALL Inspection. $ Interest will be charged to your account from the purchase date if the TUNE-UP LIMITED TIME ONLY purchase balance is not paid in full within the promotional period. RESIDENTIAL ONLY SPECIAL! REG. $99. YOUR HOMETOWN AIR CONDITIONING SPECIALIST Service Call Second Option Estimates

FREE

(WITH REPAIR)

SINCE 1982 ROC #C39-312643

480-725-7303 www.BrewersAC.com **See your independent dealer for complete program eligibility, dates, details and restrictions. Special financing offers valid on qualifying equipment only. Special rebates from $75 to $500. All sales must be to homeowners in the United States. Void where prohibited. The Wells Fargo Home Projects credit card is issued by Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., an Equal Housing Lender. Special terms apply to qualifying purchases charged with approved credit. The special terms APR will continue to apply until all qualifying purchases are paid in full. The monthly payment for this purchase will be the amount that will pay for the purchase in full in equal payments during the promotional (special terms) period. The APR for Purchases will apply to certain fees such as a late payment fee or if you use the card for other transactions. For new accounts, the APR for Purchases is 28.99%. If you are charged interest in any billing cycle, the minimum interest charge will be $1.00. This information is accurate as of 1/1/2020 and is subject to change. For current information, call us at 1-800-431-5921. The offer expires 12/31/2020.